《Let s Squander A Billion First!》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: The Attack Of The Tycoon (1) Chapter 1: The Attack Of The Tycoon (1) Editor: Atlas Studios [You are dead.] [You are dead.] [You are dead.] A girl was sprawled on the ground as she shifted her position slowly. She used her hands to cover her ears, seemingly wanting to cut off the annoying voice ringing in her head, however, that clean and raspy kiddish voice could still be heard. The voice seemed to come from deep within her head. ¡®Annoying.¡¯ ¡®How annoying.¡¯ [You are dead¡­ are dead¡­ dead¡­] The girl covered her head with both of her hands. All movement ceased. The voice kept on chanting as the beat became faster and more joyful. The voice even started singing it¡¯s chants like a nursery rhyme. After busying herself for one whole night, all she wanted was a good night¡¯s rest. ¡®Who could be so inconsiderate that he or she had to curse people in the middle of the night?¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t think that just because you were a kid, you could do whatever you want.¡¯ ¡®Then again, who wasn¡¯t still a kid?¡¯ The voice continued chanting persistently as the beat turned faster and more joyful. [You are dead. You are dead. You are dead.] Finally, the woman lying on the floor raised her head. Chuzheng let go of the hand that was holding her fringe while her sight was still a little blurry. A wave of dizziness hit her and it took her awhile before she could make out her surroundings. ¡°!!!¡± She turned her head to scan her surroundings. ¡®What kind of damned place is this?¡¯ ¡®Why am I here?¡¯ ¡®Was I kidnapped?¡¯ ¡®What kind of mad thing dared to kidnap her?¡¯ [You are dead!] ¡°You are the one dead,¡± retorted Chuzheng with a face devoid of expression. [You are really dead.]The voice said again,[If you don¡¯t believe me, you can look in the mirror.] ¡®Mirror?¡¯ Chuzheng scanned her surroundings before realizing that she should be in a karaoke box while beside her was the washroom. There was a mirror in the washroom. The person in the mirror had a colorful hairstyle and looked as if she was part of the Scene subculture. Her make-up was even more horrifying and on her body was a weird set of clothing. This was not the appearance she was familiar with. What kind¡­ of damn thing was she? ¨C Chuzheng quickly understood her current situation. She had met the legendary system. As to where the system came from, who made it and what kind of motive did the system have, it would not be uncovered yet. ¡®But my current mission now was to complete missions in different types of worlds.¡¯ Chuzheng wore a cold expression. ¡®Only through completing the mission could I have a chance of resurrection.¡¯ Chu Zheng continued wearing a cold expression. ¡®Why do I need a chance for resurrection? I am not dead! I refuse to accept this weird set-up!¡¯ [Please face reality!]There was a hint of gloating in the system¡¯s happiness. Chuzheng¡¯s face was once again devoid of expression. ¡®Liar!¡¯ The system pretended to have not heard that and continued explaining. ¡®The system¡¯s mission was to make me¡ª A prodigal?¡¯ ¡®If I don¡¯t spend money, I would die.¡¯ ¡®If I want to live, I have to spend money.¡¯ ¡®Wait a minute!¡¯ ¡®Why must I become a prodigal? Where am I going to get the money?¡¯ The system obviously did not plan to answer her questions. [Yes. Through becoming a prodigal, we will change the fate of the body you are currently in and make this person a winner in life.]The clean and crisp kiddish voice turned more cheerful.[Please prepare to receive the plot.] The moment the cheerful voice had finished talking, Chuzheng felt as if she banged her head against a brick wall and countless memories flashed past her eyes. This body was called Ji Chuzheng. Ji Chuzheng¡¯s mother had passed away very early and her father was usually busy with work thus he did not have much time to care for her. Whenever Ji Chuzheng came to him, her father would always give her money and slowly, Ji Chuzheng became capricious. When she was thirteen, her father remarried. Her stepmother had a daughter who was around her age and she changed her name to Ji Tongtong. When the pair of mother and daughter came, Ji Chuzheng disliked them very much but her stepmother treated her very well. She had given Ji Chuzheng anything she wanted and treated her just like her own. Regardless of whether it was her relatives and maids, they felt that her stepmother was a kind person and that Ji Chuzheng was being too immature. However, the truth was that her stepmother only wanted Ji Chuzheng to waste her life away. Ji Chuzheng indeed turned out to be how her stepmother thought she was. She smoked, drank alcohol, got into fights and had even almost killed and set fire to somebody¡¯s house. Every time she went out, she would make Father Ji so angry that he would almost have a heart attack. Comparatively, Li Tongtong was more lovely and obedient and had gotten into Father Ji¡¯s good books. Whenever Ji Chuzheng and Ji Tongtong argued, Father Ji would always think that Ji Chuzheng was the one at fault. However, nobody knew that there were many incidents where Ji Tongtong would set her up. Ji Chuzheng wanted to tell Father Ji but Father Ji was under the spell of Ji Tongtong and wouldn¡¯t believe her. He only thought that she was making trouble unreasonably and only knew how to bully Ji Tongtong. Ji Tongtong was forever the pure and beautiful one. She was like a delicate Sayuri flower who needed to be protected from her evil big sister¡¯s bullying. As such, Ji Chuzheng became more rebellious. In everyone¡¯s eyes, she was a naughty kid and was a negative example. In the end, she was even set up by Ji Tongtong and had lost her innocence. Even the person who she liked was stolen away by Ji Tongtong and he also thought that Ji Chuzheng was a bad person while Ji Tongtong was pure, beautiful, kind and gentle. In the end, Ji Chuzheng lost everything and became mentally unstable. She was eventually sent to the mental asylum and it was not until Ji Tongtong visited her that Ji Tongtong gave the game away. Everything was just a plan that her mother and her planned. They wanted her to become like this so that she could be chased out of the Ji Family and lose everything. When Ji Chuzheng knew about the truth, she committed suicide not long after. On the other hand, Ji Tongtong was married to another man and had children. She inherited the Ji Family¡¯s assets and lived happily ever after. ¨C Chuzheng massaged her temples which were still in pain to take in these new foreign memories¡ªthose memories that belonged to the body she was in. She could feel the hatred and vengeance this body had when she died. However, this was not her. Chuzheng stood in front of a table and on it was a knife. [¡­What are you trying to do?]The kiddish voice panicked. [Our mission is to reverse her face through becoming a prodigal not using a knife to kill those little aunties. Cool down.] Chuzheng ignored the voice and took the knife. She did some slicing actions in front of her wrist before slicing it harshly. Fresh blood seeped out from the wound and dropped onto the floor. The blood blossomed into a red flower. When Chuzheng opened her eyes again, she was still at the same place. The same place, the same appearance, the same posture. Nothing changed. ¡°¡­¡± [It¡¯s no use. Unless you complete the mission, you will still repeat this scene.]The kiddish voice¡¯s tone turned cheerful and it didn¡¯t seem to be hiding that it was gloating. ¡°¡­¡± What kind of system was this? ¡°Does your system always force people to do things against their will?¡± ¡®Is there a place where I can lodge a complaint against this evil system?¡¯ ¡®I must lodge a complaint!¡¯ Chuzheng sat on the floor and the knife lay silently on the table. After a very long time, Chuzheng took the knife again and held it with her two hands before stabbing it into her heart. ¡°Ah!¡± The door was pushed open and a shriek rang in Chuzheng¡¯s ears suddenly. That meaningless scream was so noisy. That was the last thought Chuzheng had before her vision went black. She was in darkness for a few seconds and when she opened her eyes again, she was still at the same place¡­ ¡®What kind of black technology was it to enable people to revive again after reviving from death?¡¯ [Give up. As long as you try your best to do the mission, you can resurrect back in your old body.]The system guided patiently and systematically. ¡®Perhaps the way I died was not right.¡¯ [¡­] After that, Chuzheng tried different ways of dying. However, no matter what she did, she would always wake up in that room. Chuzheng touched her wrist and sat on the floor. It was unknown as to what she was thinking. The annoying voice kept ringing in her head making Chuzheng really want to get rid of it. [¡­] In the end, Chuzheng had no choice but to accept this new body of hers and everything that had happened as well as this weird system. She was trapped in a place that she was unable to make heads or tails of. If she did not do the mission, she could not go back. As for what the system said about her dying¡­ ¡®I! don¡¯t! believe!¡¯ ¡®Liar!¡¯ ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª From 15 Feb 2020, Coins spent on books that aren¡¯t selected will be refunded within 30 days. However, Fast Passes will not be refunded. The selected book will have a mark on the corner of the book cover in 30 days to indicate continuation. Thank you for your understanding. Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: The Attack Of The Tycoon (2) Chapter 2: The Attack Of The Tycoon (2) Editor: Atlas Studios [Little miss, are you ready?] ¡°If I am not ready, will you let me go back?¡± [In that case, let¡¯s begin our prodigal living!]The system directly ignored Chuzheng¡¯s words. ¡°¡­How do I become a prodigal? Destroy the house?¡± [¡­]Her understanding of the word was right but she had to understand that it was not a shallow system but a system with depth. ¡®Cough, cough.¡¯ [Little miss, there¡¯s no hurry. I will give out the mission and you just have to follow the instructions and complete the mission.]The soft and adorable voice was filled with joy.[Please do provide me with your guidance.] ¡°Guidance?¡± Chuzheng took the tool that she used to kill herself earlier on and plunged it into the sofa beside her. On the shiny surface of the knife, it reflected her expressionless face. ¡°Once I am done guiding you, will you let me go back?¡± [¡­O-Of course.]¡¯This Little miss is a little fierce!¡¯ Chuzheng draw the knife out and the knife¡¯s gleam flashed past her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t let me catch you doing bad things!¡± [¡­]¡¯Little miss is indeed very fierce. I should watch myself from now on.¡¯ [Because this is your first universe, to help Little miss adapt, the universe is a beginner universe.] Chuzheng casually flipped the knife without a word. [¡­] [Please take note that the value of the thing you buy must be equal to the value of the money (the criterion would be the universe¡¯s currency). If you use one dollar to buy something, the thing bought must be worth one dollar. ] ¡®This means that I cannot give, donate or throw away¡­¡¯ ¡®The money must be used to buy, buy and buy.¡¯ ¡°Once I have completed it, will I get any rewards?¡± [Every time you complete a mission, you will receive the corresponding sum of money as well as the goods you bought in the mission. This also means that the more the host spends, the more money you will get. ] ¡°If I spend ten thousand, will I get ten thousand?¡± [Yes.]The system was very happy.[Is Little miss very happy?] ¡°What is the meaning of such a set-up?¡± [¡­Foolish people earn more money. We are giving money to Little miss.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± She had no idea how to refute that. [Little miss, do you have any questions? I can answer them for you~]The childish voice was filled with excitement. ¡°No.¡± rejected Chuzheng coldly. [¡­] The system felt a little sad and its voice turned pitiful. [In that case, I will serve Little miss well and try my best to let Little miss go back as soon as possible. Let¡¯s start prodigal living! ] With that, Chuzheng casually plunged the knife into the sofa. If one looked carefully, one would realize that the position Chuzheng plunged the knife in was the exact same position as just now. She lowered her eyes slightly and touched her wrist. ¨C The current situation was that the protagonist was having a karaoke session with a bunch of monkey friends but she was intoxicated by someone and thus sent to this suite. After a while, someone would come in and this would be the place where the protagonist would lose her innocence. The moment Chuzheng had registered that in her brain, someone pushed open the suite¡¯s door. A young man came in. As the lighting in the suite was a little dark and the young man had just come in from outside, he could only see the shadow of a girl sitting on the floor. He rubbed his hands together and gave a smile that seemed as though he harbored evil designs on her. ¡°Little beauty, you must have waited for a long time?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s hand brushed past the fabric of the sofa and when she raised her hand again, a knife appeared in her hands. The young man stopped dead in his tracks and froze. The sharp knife was pointed towards him. A cold gleam flashed past his eyes. However, he was not scared of her. Instead, he pushed his luck by trying to touch Chuzheng¡¯s hand. ¡°Little beauty, you are drunk, this knife is very dangerous¡­¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The knife slashed past the young man¡¯s hand. The young man held his hand and gave out a loud scream. The young man went ballistic. ¡°I gave you face but you didn¡¯t accept it¡­ Ah¡­¡± Chuzheng directly kicked him in the groin. As the young man has been kicked in the groin, his body became unstable and he stumbled backward while hitting his head on the table before falling onto the ground with a groan. Chuzheng stood up and perhaps it was the system¡¯s benefit, she did not feel any discomfort in her body at the moment. She walked to the young man¡¯s side and used her leg to kick him. The young man still had some consciousness and gritted his teeth while saying ¡°You dare to hit me¡­¡± ¡°Hit you?¡± Chuzheng bent down slightly and under the reflection of the light, her horrifying make-up seemed even more eerie and scary. Five words spat out from her mouth coldly as she emphasized on every single word. ¡°I did not hit you.¡± ¡®If I don¡¯t hit you, who do I hit?¡¯ ¡®I look so ugly now and yet you still dare to call me little beauty?¡¯ ¡®What an insult it is to the two words, little beauty!¡¯ ¡°You¡­¡± Chuzheng kicked him again. ¡®He could still speak.¡¯ ¡®My strength just now was not right, I must take note of it.¡± This time, the young man was not able to withstand the hit and rolled his eyes backward before falling unconscious. [¡­]¡¯Little miss is really very fierce! I must really watch my tail and not let Little miss find out.¡¯ Chuzheng looked at the young man lying on the ground with nonchalance. In the end, the protagonist had almost found out that it was part of Ji Tongtong¡¯s plan for her to lose her innocence. [Main mission: Please spend a hundred thousand dollars in one hour. The money is already transferred to Little miss¡¯s card, please check it.]The system happily hinted. [Little miss, don¡¯t forget, our goal is to counterattack by becoming a prodigal!] ¡®Become a prodigal¡­ counterattack?¡¯ ¡®This meant that I have to teach those damn people who bullied the protagonist a lesson?¡¯ [Little miss is so smart. The meaning is around there.] The system praised her joyfully. ¡°What will happen if I cannot spend a hundred thousand dollars in an hour?¡± asked Chuzheng. [Little miss, it will double.] ¡°¡­¡± Indeed, foolish people earn more money. Chuzheng took a glance at the young man on the ground and pondered as to how she should deal with him. [Little miss, we are a prodigal system. Do you know what a prodigal is? Please be more friendly! Don¡¯t think about those weird stuff, it would be better to be more friendly and harmonious!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Half an hour later, Chuzheng threw the man¡¯s clothes in the dustbin of the public toilet and took a look at the phone in her hands before putting it back. She washed her hands calmly and went to the front desk downstairs. ¡°Give me a hundred thousand dollars worth of alcohol and send it to Suite 608.¡± The lady at the front desk was shocked. ¡°!!!¡± A hundred thousand dollars? The lady at the front desk looked at the guest before her¡ªa girl with a punk hairstyle wearing a small leather coat which had rivets on it as well as a scary make-up¡ªand swallowed her saliva. Was she here to find trouble? The lady at the front desk asked with an uncertain tone, ¡°Miss, are you sure?¡± Chuzheng handed her a card. Although the lady at the front desk felt that something was weird, since Chuzheng had already given her the card, the lady had nothing to say. ¡°What kind of alcohol do you want? We have a lot of brands here¡­¡± ¡°Any brand would be fine as long as one would not die from drinking it.¡± The lady at the front desk was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± It is a hundred thousand dollars worth of alcohol, perhaps it could really kill. The front desk lady immediately called someone to prepare the alcohol and after she swiped the card, she asked Chuzheng to key in her pin. [Congratulations Little miss for completing the mission! Your one hundred thousand dollars reward is now in your bank account.] Chuzheng took back her card with an expressionless face. ¡®I have completed the mission so easily?¡¯ Chuzheng followed the service staff to give the alcohol to suite 608. ¡°This is your alcohol.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t ask for alcohol¡­ Oh my goodness, what brand of alcohol is this?¡± The service staff said a name and cheers could be heard from inside. ¡°It¡¯s already paid for.¡± ¡°Paid? Did you send it to the wrong suite?¡± ¡°It is for your suite. I won¡¯t be wrong.¡± Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: The Attack Of The Tycoon (3) Chapter 3: The Attack Of The Tycoon (3) Editor: Atlas Studios Chuzheng waited for the service staff to leave before pushing the door to enter. Pa¡ª¡ª The suite was lit up. The person sitting in front of the table immediately looked towards the door. ¡°Eh, Big Sister Chuzheng, didn¡¯t you go home already?¡± The people surrounding him also looked at her and shouted, ¡°Big Sister Chuzheng, you pretended to be drunk and lied to us!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve come at a great time. Somebody gave us a lot of alcohol.¡± Most of them seemed to be very normal and even told her about the alcohol as they joked with her as usual. However, one person¡¯s expression looked especially terrible. Chuzheng pushed the person at the front away and walked inside. The suite immediately quietened down. Chuzheng scanned the crowd. The protagonist had followed this bunch of monkey friends today to have fun together but she had only drunk a few glasses of alcohol and she had already felt that her head was spinning. Her drink must have been spiked. Chuzheng took the bottle of alcohol and gave it to the person who seemed to be weirder than usual. ¡°My treat,¡± said Chuzheng with nonchalance as her tone sounded very flat and cold. It¡¯s one hundred thousand dollars! It must not go to waste! ¡°Big Sister Chu¡­ Chuzheng¡­¡± The person felt very guilty as his eyes were unable to meet hers. ¡°Drink it.¡± The current Chuzheng was very different from the Chuzheng they knew. Although her appearance had not changed, the vibe she exuded was very different. The most important thing was that the look in her eyes was very cold. It was as if there was a mist of cold air surrounding her. It made people shudder in fear. The rest of them did not know what had happened and thus did not dare to speak up. The atmosphere was very tense. Chuzheng¡¯s cold gaze made that person feel very uncomfortable. It was as if the things he had done were exposed long ago. The person breathed harder as time passed by. ¡°Big Sister Chuzheng, what have I done wrong?¡± The person tried to struggle. ¡°You know yourself.¡± Chuzheng placed the bottle of alcohol in front of him again. ¡°Drink it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The rest were speechless. ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯ ¡°Brother, where have you offended Big Sister Chuzheng? Quickly admit to your mistake and apologize to Big Sister Chuzheng. Since she asks you to drink it, just drink it.¡± ¡®She was their money tree, how could he offend her?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s right, quickly drink it. After that, apologize to her and Big Sister Chuzheng wouldn¡¯t blame you further.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± The person¡¯s eyes sweep his surroundings anxiously as if a cool air rose from his feet to his head, turning his whole body cold. ¡®She must have found out.¡¯ ¡®Will she let me off?¡¯ ¡®No!¡¯ ¡®I must run!¡¯ These three words flashed through his mind as a dreadful feeling crept up from within him. He pushed the person beside him harshly and made a run for the exit. ¡°Stop him.¡± Since the protagonist was rich, even if her friends were not good people, they still listened to her. However, the person was too fast and dashed out once he had opened the suite door. Before they were able to grab him, they heard an evil voice. ¡°Isn¡¯t this our Big Missy Ji? What¡¯s happening here?¡± Outside the suite, there was a tattooed bald-headed young man as well as his men. That person had coincidentally run into the bald-headed young man when he ran outside. ¡°Brother Huang.¡± That person immediately greeted him. ¡°Brother Huang, save me, save me¡­¡± The bald-headed young man pulled that person to his side and scanned the people at Chuzheng¡¯s side. The people at Chuzheng¡¯s side were obviously a little frightened and let go of that person. Brother Huang glared at the person with a look as if he had expected better from him and that person immediately hid behind him. Chuzheng scanned Brother Huang. He was not on good terms with the proprietress because he liked the proprietress but the proprietress ignored him. Hence, his love turned into hatred and he would always find trouble with her whenever he had the chance to. Although the proprietress had created a lot of trouble as well, she was not part of a gang and had suffered many times. She had also spent money to teach Brother Huang a lesson a few times but the feud between both of them only grew bigger and was endless. It was unknown as to how Ji Tongtong had known about their feud and contacted this Brother Huang. ¡ª Clearly, this act today was planned by Brother Huang. He had first bribed the proprietress¡¯s men to spike the proprietress¡¯s drink¡­ This evil damn thing had actually come to knock onto her door willingly. Could she get rid of him? ¡°What a big entrance, Big Missy Ji!¡± Brother Huang walked into the suite and saw the bottle of alcohol on the table. ¡°Aiyo, there¡¯s even such a good brand of alcohol here.¡± Brother Huang directly sat on the sofa and spread his arms like a boss before placing them on the two sides of the sofa. Chuzheng touched her wrists as her fingernails even scratched her wrists a few times. Brother Huang gave her a side-eye. ¡°Why didn¡¯t Big Missy Ji tell¡­¡± Piak! The bottle of alcohol broke and the alcohol flowed down from the bald-headed Brother Huang¡¯s head. Perhaps, he was knocked unconscious by the hit and could not react after the sudden hit as his eyes were wide-open while he looked straight. Chuzheng calmly took the second bottle and raised her head to hit it on his head again. She did it so quickly that no one could react in time to stop her. Brother Huang rolled his eyes to the back of his head and fell backward while his body was still sitting upright. Upon seeing that, everyone swallowed their saliva with much difficulty. Chuzheng¡¯s men were speechless. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Oh my goodness, when did Big Sister Chuzheng become so fierce? She really did as she said and she didn¡¯t even give people a chance to react.¡¯ ¡®Scary.¡¯ Chuzheng looked at the bunch of men that Brother Huang had brought along with him and before they could do anything to her, she placed a broken glass against Brother Huang¡¯s neck. ¡°We¡¯ll see what happens if you move.¡± The young lady¡¯s voice was very cold and she wore a blank expression as she looked very fierce. The bunch of men immediately froze. It would not be scary to meet someone better than them but someone who was unruly. ¡°Ji Chuzheng, let go of our Brother Huang! How dare you do this to Brother Huang? Are you tired of living?¡± Brother Huang¡¯s men threatened nervously. ¡°Come in and squat down.¡± ¡°What?¡± They were confused. ¡°Come in and squat down,¡± Chuzheng repeated her words calmly. ¡°I will only give you three seconds.¡± Brother Huang¡¯s men took a look at Chuzheng before looking at the neck of their unconscious Brother Huang. However, someone refused to obey and wanted to fight. The moment he moved, Chuzheng pushed the glass closer and he immediately froze when he saw the blood on Brother Huang¡¯s neck. They remained unmoving for a while before raising their hands up and walked in. What was surprising was that none of them ran away, even the traitor who had run out earlier on came in and squatted down. ¡°San Mao1, check the weapons on their body.¡± It was not because San Mao only had three strands of hair but because he had dyed his hair in three different colors and had not changed his hairstyle from the time he debuted till now, furthermore, his surname was Mao so his nickname was called San Mao. ¡°Big Sister Chuzheng¡­¡± This was Brother Huang we were talking about. He was part of the underworld! Chuzheng calmly gave him a look. San Mao strangely shivered as goosebumps sprang over his arms and he immediately went forward to search their bodies. There were quite a lot of weapons including different types of knives and daggers. There was even a person who brought nunchucks. Chuzheng placed the alcohol in front of them and knocked her fingers on the table. ¡°Drink it.¡± Everyone was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± Did she tell them to squat down just to drink alcohol? ¡°These are all yours. If these aren¡¯t enough, there¡¯s still some more.¡± Who would have known that Chuzheng was referring to all of the bottles of alcohol on the table as well as those on the floor? Was she trying to kill someone through intoxication? ¡°Big Sister Chuzheng¡­¡± ¡®This is too much¡­¡¯ Chuzheng raised her eyes and looked at them. Under those thick eyeshadows, her eyes were as dark as ink as it exuded a cool and cold vibe. It was as if her eyes could see through a human¡¯s soul. Those people who were talking immediately covered their mouths and did not dare to ask further. She was still fine awhile ago and yet it had not been long, how did she become so scary? Some of them squatting on the ground gave each other a look and suddenly moved and knocked onto the people beside them. They have already made a move and as such San Mao instinctively fought back. The situation in the suite immediately turned chaotic. Someone came closer to Chuzheng and Brother Huang as they prepared to rescue Brother Huang from her grasp. However, they had only come a little closer before they were knocked down by her. Soon after, San Mao and the others watched Chuzheng settle all of them one by one in a daze. San Mao was stunned. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Did Big Sister Chuzheng secretly learn martial arts?¡¯ Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: The Attack Of The Tycoon (4) Chapter 4: The Attack Of The Tycoon (4) Editor: Atlas Studios When Brother Huang woke up, he saw his little brother hugging a bottle of wine, red in the face and walking unsteadily. Brother Huang: ¡°¡­¡± Before he could comprehend what was going on, a bottle of wine appeared before him¡ªit was the same wine that he praised earlier. Brother Huang looked up. The young lady¡¯s fingers were fair and slender, her nails painted with black nail polish. ¡°Ji Chuzheng¡­¡± ¡°Hold him down.¡± Chuzheng commanded San Mao. San Mao: ¡°¡­¡± San Mao steeled himself. In any case, he was going to offend them, so he and his men restrained Brother Huang. ¡°Ji Chuzheng, what are you trying to do!¡± Brother Huang howled angrily. ¡°I¡¯m treating you to drinks.¡± Chuzheng pinched Brother Huang¡¯s chin, forcing him to drink the wine. Brother Huang struggled, but it was futile and he continued to gulp down the wine. San Mao was a little frightened. Will they really be okay? After finishing the bottle, Brother Huang did not seem to be affected yet, and he exclaimed angrily, ¡°Ji Chuzheng you little bitch, who knows how many people you¡¯ve slept with! What are you trying to do with me, you¡¯d better let me go, I¡¯ll kill you¡­¡± His alcohol tolerance is not bad. Let¡¯s go for another bottle. Chuzheng force-fed Brother Huang another bottle. This time, Brother Huang showed some signs of tipsiness, and his curses did not seem as energetic as before. Chuzheng put down the bottle. ¡°Who asked you to come after me?¡± Brother Huang was starting to become more tipsy, and he responded with more curses. ¡°Ha ha, you bitch, you¡¯ve offended countless people, and it serves you right! At first I was interested in you, and you were unwilling, now I¡¯m bored of you!¡± ¡°Who asked you to come after me?¡± Brother Huang cursed fiercely, but Chuzheng¡¯s patience was running out, and she thought he was being noisy, so, she used a stick to beat him several times. Brother Huang screamed in pain after being hit. And he confessed. He did not know who it was, there was only an anonymous number sending him messages asking him to deal with her. All the money was placed in a flowerbed, he had to retrieve it himself. The sum offered was huge, and there were promises of more money after he succeeded. Since he already hated Chuzheng, Brother Huang accepted the offer. Brother Huang clung onto Chuzheng¡¯s legs, and swore not to do it again. ¡°Drink.¡± Chuzheng handed him another bottle of wine. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll drink, I¡¯ll drink.¡± Brother Huang downed the bottle of wine like a madman. Ji Tongtong was quite meticulous, not leaving behind a single trace. Indeed, she was the woman who managed to survive until the end of the story. Chuzheng tasked San Mao with looting Brother Huang and his men after they finished drinking the wine. It was said that they were discovered naked by a waiter the next day, and were nearly reported to the police. ¨C Chuzheng left the KTV. the lights outside were bright and lively, and the nightlife was just starting. She walked along the road, her eyes scanning the area leisurely. How exactly did she end up here? What was the purpose of the system? Was it really just to let her spend money? That seemed stupid. Chuzheng could not figure out the answer to these questions yet¡­ The important thing right now was to find a way to get back! But the moment she died, she had to restart, it did not seem like there was a way for her to return¡­ ¡°Stop there!¡± Chuzheng heard someone yelling. Her wandering mind returned to the present, and she found that she had absentmindedly walked into a seemingly remote road. There was someone running towards her, and was stopped a few metres away from her. ¡°You still dare to run? I¡¯ll let you run!¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you being violent just now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you what¡¯s violence!¡± ¡°Get up!¡± ¡°Damn it, you think I can¡¯t deal with a little rabbit like you?!¡± A few people were beating up the person on the ground. Chuzheng stared at them. It seemed that what was happening before her had nothing to do with her. In reality, her heart was beating like mad. This is too scary, just by strolling around, she actually ran into a situation like this, will they come and trouble her? Should she just turn around and leave? What if they treat her as an accomplice? What if they want to silence her as a witness? Aaaahhhhh!! What kind of trashy place is this! She wanted to go back! [Little miss, there is a secret mission!] The system¡¯s cheerful voice sounded in the midst of all the violent cursing nearby. Chuzheng asked coldly, ¡°What secret mission?¡± This system for a novice, now it was telling her that there are secret missions? Such an unreliable system! [Secret mission: Please be friendzoned by Ye Chen. Ye Chen is the one being beaten up, don¡¯t let Ye Chen be tainted~] Chuzheng: ¡°???¡± What in the world is a friendzone? Make him feel like he is a friend? ¡°You¡¯re not a system for ruining families?¡± [Ah, this¡­ is combining work and rest! And this is also part of ruining the family!] The system forcefully explained. What does this have to do with combining work and rest? The system thinks she is stupid! Chuzheng considered carefully for a moment. ¡°What if I don¡¯t do it.¡± [Little miss, if you don¡¯t complete the secret mission, you won¡¯t be able to leave this place! You¡¯ll keep repeating and repeating until you finish, isn¡¯t that scary?] ¡°¡­¡± Which imbecile designed this system! Chuzheng stared expressionlessly at the person being beaten up. [Little miss, are you not going to do it? If you save him now, you might even get friendzoned! Let¡¯s go, little miss!] ¡°I can¡¯t win.¡± Chuzheng explained coldly. [But just now, you were really amazing?] Chuzheng stopped replying to the system. Ye Chen¡­ This name sounded a little familiar! Where did she hear of it? Could it be that the original owner of this body bullied him before? While Chuzheng was thinking, the beatings stopped. One of them grabbed the young man¡¯s collar. ¡°You brat, I¡¯m warning you, you¡¯ll regret it if you cross us again!¡± They patted each other on the backs and left while laughing. The young man was sprawled on the floor. He braced himself and tried to get up. Unfortunately, he kept failing. Chuzheng watched him try several times, after the fifth time, she started walking towards him. She squatted before the young man. With her sudden appearance, the young man looked up and saw a shocking face. This face¡­ Ye Chen¡¯s heart sank. The two of them stared at each other silently for a few minutes. Ye Chen did not dare move, as he did not know what she was trying to do. Chuzheng smiled, her clear and cold voice sounded. ¡°Am I a friend?¡± Ye Chen was stunned for a moment, before a mocking look appeared on his face. He was so unlucky today. Meeting that bunch of thugs, then meeting Ji Chuzheng who was infamous at school. Chuzheng waited for his reply. But the young man continued to stare at her with that mocking look on his face, saying nothing. His look said it all, ¡®I¡¯ve given up, just do what you want to me.¡¯ [Little miss, you can¡¯t do it this way, you need him to acknowledge it from the bottom of his heart.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­that¡¯s such a hassle.¡± [¡­r-really?] The system stuttered. [It should be fine, all the best, little miss!] Chuzheng wondered what degree of recognition would one need to be considered a friend¡­ [Little miss, stop thinking about it for now, focus on being a friend!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng expressionlessly held out a hand towards the young man. The young man flinched back sharply, an unfathomable look crossing his eyes. Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: The Attack of the Tycoon (5) Chapter 5: The Attack of the Tycoon (5) Editor: Atlas Studios Chuzheng took back her hands and lowered her eyes to look at her palms. Although her fingernails were painted black, her fingers were beautiful so why had he hid? Chuzheng looked at him and looked back at her hands. She stood up. Then, she bent down and held the young man¡¯s shirt collar. The collar strangled his neck and his air supply was cut off. Adding on to Chuzheng¡¯s strength, Ye Chen was forced to stand up. His whole body was in pain thus, the young man could not stand still and staggered, falling down onto Chuzheng¡¯s body. Seeing as to how Ye Chen was going to fall on her, Chuzheng released her hold and stepped back. Ye Chen fell on the ground. His hands burned in pain as he braced the ground. His furious gaze turned towards Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I did not know you were so weak! Don¡¯t look at me like that! It was not on purpose! Chuzheng breathed in and pulled the young man¡¯s elbow, helping him up. The young man struggled for a while yet Chuzheng could not feel his struggle at all as after the young man was beaten harshly, his whole body screamed in pain and he was too weak. She helped Ye Chen to the chair beside them. Ye Chen¡¯s eyes harbored anger and vigilance and he looked more like a bullied young cub. Looking at his state, Chuzheng could not help but raise her hands and fondled Ye Chen¡¯s hair. The soft-touch made Chuzheng¡¯s expression turn even stricter. How soft! He would not be angry if I touched a few more times, right? Chuzheng glanced at the young man and met his furious gaze. She immediately turned away and expressionately touched his head. One touch was a touch, two touches were still a touch! I touch as I please so what could you do to me! Ye Chen had been scolded, beaten, ignored and hated¡­ But never once did someone touch his head so softly. His expression turned dark and blushed with a hint of suspicion before he flew into a rage out of humiliation. ¡°Enough!¡± Ye Chen roared out. The humiliation on his face made the young man¡¯s expression look dark. Chuzheng took back her hands and rubbed her palms against her pants. ¡°Wait here.¡± Her voice was cold and was laced with no emotions. Chuzheng bent down and stared at Ye Chen¡¯s eyes before mouthing out the words one by one. ¡°If you run, I¡¯ll break your legs.¡± When Chuzheng said those words, there was only one feeling, fierce. Ye Chen: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Ye Chen wanted to run but he had no energy. Those people he met earlier had beaten him too harshly and now, his whole body was in pain. Chuzheng came back with a bag of medicines. It was really a bag. The bag was filled with medicines of all sorts of color and he did not know what medicines were there. Ye Chen glared at the abnormal person in front of him with vigilance. She terrorized the school with a group of incompetent, bad students who bullied others. Anyone who dared to oppose her would face a bad ending. Although he had never been bullied by her, he was bullied by her group of underlings. The young man gripped his hands tightly. She must be thinking of ways to bully him. It must be¡­ Her group of underlings could be nearby and appear later to embarrass him. Chuzheng pulled the young man¡¯s hands but the young man did not want her to touch him and retreated back. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± The two people pulled back and forth until Ye Chen winced as the wound on his palm seemed to reopen again and started to bleed. Ye Chen gritted his teeth. She must have done it on purpose! ¡°Tss¡­¡± The liquid antiseptic was poured onto his palms. Ye Chen widened his eyes slightly as the liquid antiseptic flowed into his wound and a sharp pain slowly spread across his hand. That little bit of pain could not be compared to the pain he experienced when he was beaten. He made zero noise and stared at the abnormal girl in front of him cleaning up his wound and pasting the band-aid. Her fingers rubbed against his skin which was mixed with liquid antiseptic and started to feel scorching hot. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Chuzheng pulled over his other hand and said coldly, ¡°To be your friend.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± The young man raised his head and looked around his surroundings as a sarcastic gleam flashed through his black eyes. ¡°Are all of you playing a game? Are you waiting for me to believe you, so that you can all embarrass me?¡± He had seen this kind of trick before. A person who only knew how to bully others said that they were a good person. How funny was it? ¡°No.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be tricked!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng continued to paste the band-aid. Ye Chen observed her expression. It seemed that since she appeared, she had no change in her indifferent and cold expression. Ye Chen was wearing the school uniform which was turning white from excessive washing. Chuzheng rolled up his pants and the young man stepped back slightly, shying away. Chuzheng held his knee down. ¡°Tss¡­¡± The young man was hurt pretty badly this time and winced. Was she purposely torturing him? Once Chuzheng saw his reaction, she immediately let go and bit down her lips with a serious face. She did not do it on purpose. She really did not do it on purpose. Before Ye Chen flipped out, Chuzheng swiftly rolled his pants up. Blood flowed out from the wounds on the knee as well. There were even some greenish-yellow bruises mottled on his legs in which some looked to be injuries from the past and looked very frightening. Ye Chen suddenly felt furious. He raised his hands and wanted to cover up those bruises. But Chuzheng held his hands and even the corners of her eyebrows were of a cold expression. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Ye Chen froze for a moment. Then, he slowly moved his hands back. Chuzheng¡¯s gaze fell on the rolled-up pants. Thinking about it, this was the school uniform of the proprietress¡¯s school. Because the proprietress had never ever worn the school uniform, she did not think of it immediately. She poured the liquid medicine on her hands and rubbed it on Ye Chen¡¯s leg. Her fingertips were warm. It was totally different from her icy cold look. Ye Chen¡¯s body stiffened and he dared not move. He felt her hands on his skin which brought a slight feeling of itchiness. Chuzheng suddenly spoke up. ¡°You¡¯re from Second Junior High too?¡± Ye Chen was surprised. She did not know him? Ye Chen felt that it was not possible that she did not know who he was¡­ But thinking about how she was escorted by big crowds in front and behind, not remembering him was normal. While Ye Chen had his imagination run wild, Chuzheng had already treated his wound and proceeded to help his face. She clearly did not need the answer to the question. As his school uniform was already representative of the answer. Ye Chen¡¯s face was filled with blueish-purple bruises and even had blood on the corner of his mouth. There was only one word to describe his face, tragic. After the wounds on his face were cleaned and treated, Chuzheng glanced at his body. ¡°There should be wounds on your body. Take off your shirt.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your help.¡± Ye Chen hugged himself. ¡°I can do it myself.¡± Chuzheng expressionlessly nodded her head and gave the medicine to him. ¡°¡­Turn around!¡± Chuzheng threw him a cold glance. You had not even matured yet, who would want to look at you? After Ye Chen was assured that Chuzheng had turned around, he started to treat his wounds. He could do it for the front but at the back, he could not reach at all. In the end, he simply gave up. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Chuzheng kept the medicine and stuffed the bag of medicines to him. Ye Chen: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng clapped her hands before stuffing it into her pockets and prepared to leave. [Little miss, you¡¯re leaving?] Then? [Bring him home! Didn¡¯t you see how pitiful he looks? How could you leave him here alone!? This is what a good person should do!] Chuzheng furrowed her brows slightly. Why was it so troublesome? Could she not be a good person? [¡­Little miss, you must work hard to be a good person! Good luck!] For the sake of going back! She would tolerate it! Wasn¡¯t it just to send him back? How hard was it! Chuzheng tilted her head and her cold gaze fell on the young man before she asked coldly, ¡°Where do you live?¡± The dim street lights fell on the young man¡¯s body and the shadow on the ground was stretched long. The young man looked lean and thin with a hint of pitifulness. Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: The Attack Of The Tycoon (6) Chapter 6: The Attack Of The Tycoon (6) Editor: Atlas Studios Ye Chen lived in an old neighborhood. Although the environment was not pleasant, it had convenient transport and was located near the school hence, the house prices were not low. Chuzheng sent him upstairs and helped him with one hand. Ye Chen felt embarrassed showing his sorry self to her. But in his heart, he was even more confused that she had not seemed¡­ to do all this to trick him. But was this possible? Impossible! ¡°I¡¯ve reached home.¡± The young man¡¯s voice concealed some emotions as he awkwardly said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Chuzheng took back her hand while her gaze fell on his hair and glanced through his face. As she saw him lowering his head, she immediately reached out to touch the young man¡¯s head. So soft! Chuzheng kept her serious and cold expression while touching his head a few times. Ye Chen was startled but before he could react, Chuzheng had already retracted her hand back as though nothing had happened. ¡°Goodbye.¡± ¡°Ding-dang, ding-dang¡­¡± The accessories on the girl clinked. Ye Chen continued to stare at her as she left. There were two street light bulbs not lit up and her shadow flickered between the darkness and light. Ye Chen gripped the bag in his hands before tilting his head and limping up the stairs. Ye Chen, you can not trust anyone. ¡°To think you still know how to come home! Where did you go?¡± A sharp yell was heard the moment Ye Chen opened the door. In the living room, the woman with a sour and harsh face sat on the sofa with her leg over the other while eating melon seeds. Ye Chen silently closed the door. From the side of her eye, the woman glanced at him and saw the bag in his hands. ¡°What are you holding?¡± Ye Chen silently walked to his room. The woman stood up and snatched the bag away. She opened it up and flipped through the contents in the bag. After a moment, she threw the bag onto Ye Chen and the medicine in the bag fell to the ground. ¡°Are you crazy! Why did you buy so much medicine? Do you want to die? Tell me, where did you get so much money? Did you steal from me?¡± The woman¡¯s scolding rang even louder and she even started to use brute force. Ye Chen gripped his hands, allowing the woman to scold him. He could not fight back. He had to tolerate it. He was going to graduate¡­ The scolding only ceased when a man walked out from the other room. The living room became silent, leaving the young man with a pile of medicine on the floor. He squatted down and slowly picked up the medicine. Flu medicine, insect repellent¡­ The young man¡¯s expression turned grim. What did she even buy? ¨C Chuzheng had not returned to the Ji family home. She did not return and no one looked for her either. The next day, Chuzheng first dyed her hair back as she had not dared to leave the house with that colorful hair of hers. She also took off the hideous things on her face. Now, all that was left was the clothes. Although the individualistic style of the proprietress¡¯ clothes was not bad, it did not fit with her cold, devilish bad girl image. Hence, she decided to change it. [Main mission: Please spend two hundred thousand dollars in two hours.] Chuzheng said, ¡°So when I need to spend money, the mission would appear?¡± [Little miss, we are a prodigal system. If you can spend money, then do spend the money. Even if you do not need to spend money, do create circumstances for you to spend the money.]The system happily reminded. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Two hours was more than the previous time by one hour. But Chuzheng had not thought that there would be a traffic jam! Man proposes, God disposes. When she reached the shopping mall where she could spend twenty thousand dollars worth of clothes, there was only half an hour left. Chuzheng calmly looked at the signboard and rushed towards the jewelry store. There was no need to buy clothes to spend two hundred thousand dollars. ¡°Welcome.¡± Chuzheng scanned her surroundings and chose the jade section. ¡°Welcome, what would you like to look at¡­¡± The counter¡¯s attendant welcomed with a sweet smile. The opposite party was flabbergasted by Chuzheng¡¯s looks and bizarre outfit. Chuzheng had her hair straightened to her shoulders with beautiful facial features. She was expressionless, looking to be quite a cold person. Yet she wore¡­ attire like a street gangster as she had a leather jacket and leather pants which even had rivets on it. Although the clothes were a little strange, it was not out of sorts with the girl¡¯s cold demeanor. Chuzheng swiftly scanned all of the price tags before her gaze stopped at a piece of jade ornament. ¡°I want this.¡± The attendant instinctively looked at the price tag. The girl in front of her had not seemed to be one who could afford such expensive things. But since they worked here, no matter how their guests were like, they could not neglect them. She could only tactfully remind her. ¡°Miss, the price is $210,000. But as the store has an anniversary sale, the discounted price is $200,000.¡± With the price of $200,000 one would definitely know if they had enough money or not. ¡°Hmm. I want it.¡± Chuzheng expressionlessly nodded her head. ¡°I want this.¡± Suddenly, a finger came between them and the owner of the finger pointed at the jade ornament before sweetly saying to the attendant, ¡°Please help me to package it. Thank you.¡± The counter attendant seemed to know her and felt a little awkward. ¡°Miss Yang, this miss has already chosen it.¡± ¡°She chose it?¡± Yang Qianqian tilted her head and looked at Chuzheng. Her gaze scanned through her outfit and had a hint of disdain. ¡°Does she look like she could afford this¡­ Eh? Isn¡¯t this Ji Chuzheng?¡± Yang Qianqian¡¯s gaze fell on Chuzheng¡¯s face. She was probably someone who had seen the proprietress¡¯ bare face before and hence, recognized her immediately. ¡°Hehe, I still thought it was someone else! Why didn¡¯t you wear your smoky makeup today?¡± Yang Qianqian¡¯s tone was sarcastic. Yang Qianqian. The proprietress Chuzheng¡¯s classmate. She was in the same gang as Ji Tongtong and had thought up a lot of rotten ideas to embarrass the proprietress. Another femme fatale. She looked so pretty and had a sweet voice yet she was so mean! Public morals are degenerating with each passing day. Public morality was not what it used to be. Moral bankruptcy. The hypocrisy of the world. [Little miss, the time is going to be up!]The system reminded Chuzheng. ¡°Oh.¡± Right! She had to spend money. Chuzheng roasted herself internally before looking at the counter¡¯s attendant with a serious face. ¡°The bill.¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Yang Qianqian stopped the attendant. ¡°I saw this first. You have to give it to me.¡± ¡°Miss Yang, this¡­¡± The counter attendant was at a loss. Previously, Yang Qianqian had come by but she said she was going to look some more and had not bought it. ¡°First come, first serve. I came here earlier and told her I would take it later.¡± Yang Qianqian said without a doubt. ¡°Have you paid for it?¡± Chuzheng calmly said. ¡°¡­¡± Yang Qianqian coughed before she harrumphed coldly. ¡°So what if I didn¡¯t pay yet? My mum is a member here. I don¡¯t need to pay the down payment, right?¡± The last question was for the counter attendant. The counter attendant looked at Chuzheng and thought that she did not seem like she would be able to take out the twenty thousand dollar deposit. On the other hand, Yang Qianqian¡¯s mum was indeed a VIP member of their jewelry store hence she weighed the pros and cons before saying, ¡°Yes.¡± If she offended Yang Qianqian, she could lose her job. Yang Qianqian smugly smiled and her finger tapped on the counter. ¡°Uncle Ji had long ignored you, how would you have money? Ji Chuzheng, don¡¯t puff yourself up and see two hundred thousand as twenty thousand. You¡¯re so plain that it¡¯s funny.¡± Yang Qianqian and Ji Tongtong were in cahoots with each other, naturally, they would know everything about the proprietress. Because of the troubles Chuzheng made, she made Father Ji furious and her card was suspended. Yang Qianqian was aware of her spending ability and felt that she would not be able to have so much money thus she dared to say those words. Chuzheng suddenly held her hand out and pinched Yang Qianqian¡¯s finger, bending it backward. Kacha¡ª Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: The Attack Of The Tycoon (7) Chapter 7: The Attack Of The Tycoon (7) Editor: Atlas Studios The elegant and cold woman¡¯s movements were very fast and before anyone could react, a ¡®Kacha¡¯ sound rang. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Yang Qianqian shouted in pain. Chuzheng pinched her finger as her expression was cold and each word was said coldly. ¡°Are you still buying now?¡± ¡°Ji Chuzheng!¡± Yang Qianqian broke out in cold sweat due to the pain but had not dared to move and could only shout out. ¡°You actually dare lay your hands on me, are you crazy? Call the police! Call the police now!¡± The counter attendant was at a loss and did not know what to do. Chuzheng continued to bend her finger down. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Yang Qianqian burst out in tears and cried out, ¡°I¡¯m not buying, I¡¯m not buying anymore. Ji Chuzheng, let go of me¡­¡± Her fingers with black fingernails clamped a card and passed it to the counter attendant. ¡°Swipe the card and foot the bill.¡± The counter attendant gulped down her saliva. She looked at Chuzheng¡¯s gaze which had a streak of menace. She was not blind and could tell that Yang Qianqian was provoking Ji Chuzheng yet Ji Chuzheng said a few sentences before she laid a hand on Yang Qianqian. This was as though she watched a boxing match. Boasting before the match yet the opponent won with a punch. The demeanor of a hero. So cool! The counter attendant immediately opened a tab. This was not her fault, she was forced by this lady. After the counter attendant opened the tab, she took the EFTPOS machine and ran back. ¡°Miss, please enter the pin¡­¡± After the receipt was printed out, the system¡¯s cheerful reminder rang. [Congratulations Little miss for completing the mission! Your two hundred thousand dollars reward is now in your bank account.] Chuzheng bent back Yang Qianqian¡¯s finger and brushed her fingers on Yang Qianqian¡¯s clothes before pointing at the jade ornament which the counter attendant brought over. ¡°Do you want to buy it? Three hundred thousand.¡± Yang Qianqian was pinching her fingers when she heard the words of Ji Chuzheng and almost spat out blood. Why should she buy it! She still dared to speak with three hundred thousand! Ji Chuzheng, this wretch! She glared harshly at Chuzheng. ¡°Ji Chuzheng, just you wait!¡± With that said, she vanished in a puff of smoke as she was scared Chuzheng would repeat her actions again. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Wait to do what? To bend her fingers again? Why were people so weird nowadays? The counter attendant looked at Chuzheng leaving with her things and moved towards her colleague who was frightened off. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that girl was so cool just now?¡± Her colleague found it difficult to speak. ¡°That was Miss Yang, she offended¡­¡± ¡°Miss Yang should know her. Moreover, to be able to spend two hundred thousand, that girl probably isn¡¯t a normal girl.¡± ¡°Yet she still wore clothes like that?¡± ¡°So, didn¡¯t our manager tell us often that we cannot judge a book by its cover.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned a valuable lesson.¡± ¨C Only when Yang Qianqian ran a far distance away, did she pant slightly. ¡°Why did I run?¡± Yang Qianqian strangely looked back and massaged the finger Ji Chuzheng bent down while her eyes had a hint of hatred. Today, that Ji Chuzheng¡­ She seemed a little weird. She took out her cell phone and called Ji Tongtong. ¡°Hello, Tongtong, did anything happen to Ji Chuzheng?¡± ¡°You saw her?¡± Ji Tongtong¡¯s voice suppressed a sense of excitement. Did the plan yesterday night succeed? The opposite party had no movement but she did not dare to contact them rashly as she was scared of exposing herself. ¡°I was buying a birthday gift for my dad when I met her in the jewelry store. She looked as though she was possessed and even snatched a jade ornament that cost two hundred thousand dollars from me. I looked for so long before I found something suitable but she snatched it away from me and even used brute force¡­¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Jewelry store? Wasn¡¯t she supposed to¡­ Did it fail¡­ ¡°Qianqian, where are you? I¡¯ll go and find you. Let¡¯s talk when we meet.¡± ¨C [Little miss, promise me not to use brute force if we could use money to settle things?]The system pitifully complained to Chuzheng. If she got rid of them, it would save her the trouble. [¡­]Gosh! What kind of Little miss had it found? [If you got rid of them, then no one would look at you being a prodigal! You cannot get rid of them!]The system weakly said. Why had Little miss refused to listen to it and kept wanting to get rid of others! This Little miss was so scary! The neighboring system said its host had a positive outlook and treated it well. Why had it met such a¡­ fierce Little miss? ¡°How troublesome.¡± After Chuzheng bought her clothes, she returned to the Ji family. Only the maid was at home as that stepmother seemed to have gone overseas for a holiday while Ji Tongtong was not at home. Chuzheng¡¯s room had a gray and black theme which was very depressing. She turned one round and opened the closet to take a look. In it, the clothes were the same model as the clothes she was wearing. Chuzheng coldly closed the closet and turned around before proceeding to the washroom to wash away her make-up and changed into her newly bought clothes. In the mirror, the girl¡¯s long eyebrows curved with red lips and white teeth. Her facial features were exquisite and beautiful and if she smiled, she would definitely be a beauty. Even if Chuzheng had a cold face, she was still a very sophisticated ice beauty. She did not understand if the proprietress had something wrong in her head. She did not want to be a beauty and instead, made herself look like a ghost. Was it to make Father Ji and Ji Tongtong disgusted with her? If it really was so, this method was really unique. ¡°What are you called?¡± [Little miss, are you asking me?¡±] ¡°Is there still someone else here?¡± [I¡¯m called King¡¯s number system.]The system cheerfully said. ¡°You, a king?¡± The girl in the mirror had a cold expression. ¡°Bronze suits you better.¡± The system turned gloomy as it was dissed by Chuzheng. Chuzheng touched her chin before walking out and laid down on her bed. She mysteriously entered this place and had to complete a bunch of crazy missions¡­ But if she did not complete it, she could not return home. Don¡¯t ever let her know which imbecile landed her in this mess. The pillow in Chuzheng¡¯s hand deformed. ¨C Chuzheng woke up from the knocking on her door and sat up on her bed. She actually fell asleep¡­ The knocking on her door continued and Chuzheng walked over to open it. Outside the door, there stood a girl wearing a white dress. She looked sweet and her curly hair was placed at her two shoulders while her tender white skin was as though a fine white tallow jade, giving others a lovable first impression. She was the proprietress¡¯ wild younger sister. She looked pretty good. She did not want to be a beauty and instead, made trouble. Ji Tongtong was also frightened by the person who opened the door and only came back to her senses after a while before she unbelievingly shouted, ¡°Big sister?¡± Why did she change? This was totally different from the situation she imagined. Not only did she not get scared of one¡¯s wits, but she also became dazzling. She always knew that Ji Chuzheng was beautiful hence whenever she wore that make up, she was very happy. Ji Tongtong gripped her hands tightly. So they failed yesterday night? But they clearly sent her a text message that they would settle it by yesterday¡¯s night¡­ Where had it gone wrong? ¡°Do you have a problem with it?¡± Her voice remained familiar but it was colder than before. Also, the aura surrounding her changed as it became colder as well. Ji Tongtong smiled and worriedly asked, ¡°Big sister, why didn¡¯t you put on your make-up?¡± ¡°Do you have a problem with it?¡± ¡°No, no problem.¡± As she was stared at by Chuzheng¡¯s cold gaze, Ji Tongtong had a delusion that she was being seen through by her. She immediately said, ¡°I heard from the maid that big sister came back, so I came to see you.¡± ¡°To see if I was tarnished by the person you engaged?¡± Ji Tongtong widened her eyes while her pupils constricted and her heart beated like a drum yet she had an innocent and blank expression. ¡°Big sister, what are you saying?¡± Chuzheng took out her cell phone and pressed the recorder. ¡°It was¡­ It was Ji Tongtong¡­ Ji Tongtong bribed me to rape you¡­ She gave me money and¡­ so¡­ please don¡¯t hit me. It was really Ji Tongtong. I only took the money and did as I was told.¡± Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: The Attack Of The Tycoon (8) Chapter 8: The Attack Of The Tycoon (8) Editor: Atlas Studios Ji Tongtong stepped back. The blood on her face drained away. ¡°Sister¡­ what are you saying? I don¡¯t quite understand?¡± Ji Tongtong acted clueless, her face calm. What a pity though, she was young, and her weaknesses showed. Chuzheng turned off the recording. ¡°You know very well in your heart what it is.¡± She was so vicious even at a young age. She looked pretty good though. Why did she have to walk on this path of no return? Sigh! What a pity. The flower of our nation grew to become crooked. [¡­] Little miss seems to have a bit of internal turmoil. Just let it be, I¡¯ll just pretend I never heard it, or she might be aggressive towards me again. ¡°Sister, please don¡¯t joke around with me.¡± Ji Tongtong¡¯s smile seemed a little forced. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what that is¡­ I¡­ I still have some unfinished homework, I¡¯ll be going back now.¡± Ji Tongtong seemed as if she could not wait to run away. Hearing that recording without being prepared for it and the massive change in Chuzheng made Ji Tongtong confused. She regretted it immediately after entering her room. She did it secretly, so no one would know she was the one who did it. If she did not admit to it, there was no evidence at all. Ji Tongtong took out the phone that she specifically used to contact her allies, and sent a few messages to Brother Huang. Of course, there was no reply since Brother Huang was currently lying in a hospital bed, where would he find the time to reply to her? Ji Tongtong started to think something was wrong. She quickly pulled the sim card out of the phone and flushed it down the toilet. After doing this, Ji Tongtong let out a small sigh of relief. ¨C Of course Chuzheng did not have any evidence, she forced Brother Huang to create this recording to scare this trash. Otherwise, she would treat Chuzheng as a weak target for bullying like before. Having to deal with problems every day was annoying. [Little miss, please receive Ye Chen¡¯s information~] Before the system¡¯s cheerful voice ended, Chuzheng¡¯s brain was unexpectedly stuffed with information about Ye Chen. When he was young, both of Ye Chen¡¯s parents died. He was later adopted in name by his aunt and uncle, taking his family home and the money they left behind. Naturally, relatives who could do such a thing would not treat Ye Chen well. Ye Chen endured humiliation, scolding, and was also bullied at school. Eventually, his morals became skewed¡­ After graduating from third year of high school, he wanted to enter university. He thought he could leave this place, but unfortunately, his dreams were once again destroyed by his aunt and uncle. Ye Chen was completely corrupted afterwards. He killed the whole family with cruel methods before fleeing. Many years later, Ye Chen once again returned, and sought out everyone who bullied him back then. One by one, those people were punished and sentenced to death. Chuzheng rubbed her brows. ¡°Is this a task?¡± [Yes, don¡¯t let Ye Chen be corrupted. So, little miss, let Ye Chen spend some money! Make him see how beautiful the world can be!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Stupid people are rich. Stupid people are rich. Stupid people are rich. ¨C Monday. Chuzheng and Ji Tongtong were both in their second year of high school. Ji Tongtong left with her friend early in the morning, while Chuzheng was sent to school by a chauffeur. The chauffeur and maid were stunned at Chuzheng¡¯s sudden change in behaviour. She was also different from her past self, who always made a fuss and lost her temper easily. The young miss of today had a cold and calm demeanor, she also spoke less¡­ ¡°Stop the car.¡± The chauffeur suddenly heard her command and stepped on the brakes. Chuzheng opened the door and got out, hoisting her school bag. Closing the door, she stepped on the flowerbed and jumped over confidently. Chauffeur: ¡°¡­¡± The young miss seemed really cool today. ¨C ¡°Ye Chen, going to school?¡± A few people surrounded Ye Chen from behind and dragged him off his bike, forcing him to stop. They wore uniforms of Second Junior High, but they looked imposing ¡ª you would not want to mess with them. Ye Chen furrowed his brows and got down. Not wanting to waste his time on these people, he continued walking while pushing his bike. ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± ¡°Come, we wanna discuss something with you.¡± ¡°Haha, yes, come, we¡¯ll talk about it there.¡± Ye Chen, along with his bike, was dragged towards the park nearby. As Ye Chen was getting beat up, he saw Chuzheng standing in the flower bed not far from where he was. Her bag in her hand, she watched him getting beaten up. He did not recognize her at first, but after seeing the pendant on her school bag and those cold eyes, he remembered her. She did not shy away from his gaze, and continued to stare at him coldly. Ye Chen covered his head with his arms, enduring the pain soundlessly. ¡°Ye Chen, call me your grandfather and I¡¯ll let you off today.¡± Ye Chen continued to stay silent, and glared fiercely at the bullies, like an enraged lion. ¡°Why are you glaring at your grandfather?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still glaring¡­¡± The boy raised his hand to hit Ye Chen. Someone grabbed his shoulders, and the boy stumbled backwards. ¡°Who is it!¡± The boy turned to hit the person. Chuzheng grabbed his wrist and twisted downwards. ¡°Argh¡­¡± The boy cried out pitifully, and the people surrounding Ye Chen turned to look. ¡°Boss!¡± ¡°Boss, are you alright!¡± ¡°Where did this little girl come from, you dare to bully our boss? Let go of him!¡± The boy in Chuzheng¡¯s grasp whimpered in pain, ¡°Beautiful miss, let¡¯s talk it out¡­¡± Chuzheng lifted her leg and kicked his butt, and he tumbled towards the ground. ¡°Apologize.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll only apologize on behalf of your father.¡± No longer being restrained, the boy shouted at the others behind him. ¡°What are you looking at, teach this nosy girl a lesson!¡± Chuzheng dropped her bag on the floor and gripped her arm. When the bullies came rushing towards her, she swept her leg upwards and knocked them down. This bunch of students simply relied on their measly fighting skills. It did not take much effort for Chuzheng to deal with them. In a moment, all of them collapsed on the ground. Chuzheng bent down and picked up her bag. ¡°Apologize.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Although they did not know what they did wrong. ¡°Him.¡± Chuzheng pointed at Ye Chen who was standing awkwardly away from them. ¡°Apologize to him.¡± The boy clasped his hands and looked at Ye Chen. This Ye Chen, where did he meet such an amazing beauty? ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± The boy gritted his teeth. Ye Chen, just you wait! ¡°Scram.¡± The boys helped each other up and swiftly disappeared from the park. Ye Chen looked up, a hint of fierceness lingering in his eyes. A hand landed on his head and rubbed it, like petting a dog. Soft. Comfortable. Just a bit more. ¡°Are you done touching me?¡± Who does she think she is? Chuzheng¡¯s stern expression did not change as she withdrew her hand, acting like she was not the one petting his head. Ye Chen was stunned. ¡°¡­¡± What was wrong with this person? Ye Chen supported himself using the flowerbed. His legs were numb and he could not stand properly. His body swayed like he was going to fall, and his face was pale. The boy looked handsome, with a pretty face and a patient expression. This combination made one want to¡­ continue watching him struggle. Chuzheng stared at him for a while before reaching out to support him. The latter withdrew his hand, his words unkind and vigilant. ¡°What do you want with me?¡± The way she looked as she watched him get beaten up¡­ she did not look like she planned to save him. Although, he never hoped for anyone to help him. After so many years, he was used to it. Someday¡­ Those bullies would have to pay the price. ¡°Am I a friend?¡± The girl¡¯s cold yet pleasing voice sounded, pulling Ye Chen out of his thoughts. Ye Chen¡¯s face grew complicated for a moment. He looked around, trying to find any evidence to prove that she was just making fun of him. Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: The Attack Of The Tycoon (9) Chapter 9: The Attack Of The Tycoon (9) Editor: Atlas Studios However, apart from them, there were only plants around them. ¡®Crazy.¡¯ Ye Chen bent down and picked up the bicycle on the floor before pushing the bicycle out while limping. Chuzheng threw her school bag onto his bicycle and it accurately landed on his bicycle. This gave Ye Chen a fright. He stopped in his tracks as his eyes that were as beautiful as a jewel was filled with anger. His face seemed angrier than before and did not look as lifeless as before. He looked so handsome that she wanted to pinch¡­ Chuzheng went forward and snatched the bicycle over from his hands before pushing it forward by a few steps and directly sat on it. She stood on her tiptoes and turned around to face him. ¡°Get on,¡± said Chuzheng coolly. ¡°Get off my bicycle!¡± Ye Chen went forward to pull his bicycle handle while trying to drag Chuzheng off his bicycle. ¡°Get on.¡± Chuzheng remain unmoving as her voice was very emotionless and flat. Ye Chen was stumped. ¡°¡­¡± Ye Chen heaved his chest. ¡®Alright!¡¯ ¡®I will see how you will make a fool of yourself!¡± Besides, didn¡¯t those people always want to see him make a fool of himself and that they always found joy in bullying him? He held onto the backseat before sitting on it. He purposely used his strength to sway the bicycle and initially thought that she would not be able to handle the rocking but who would have known that the bicycle did not even sway one bit. In the next second, the bicycle sped away. Ye Chen instinctively held onto her jacket. Coupled with the fresh fragrance of the plants, the natural scent of a maiden could be smelt¡­ As they cycled closer to the school, Ye Chen¡¯s palms started to sweat. The girl cycled very steadily as the wind blew against her jacket and thus lifted it up slightly while she quickly cycled through the crowd. It immediately attracted the attention of the students surrounding them. Screech¡ª¡ª The bicycle suddenly stopped. A few roguish boys squatted by the roadside as their uniforms were very untidy, making the atmosphere seem very weird. This bunch of people was not just anybody. They were San Mao and the others. Chuzheng stopped cycling and shouted to them, ¡°San Mao!¡± One of the boys looked towards her and the first person he saw was Ye Chen. He knew Ye Chen but¡­ Who was the girl fetching Ye Chen? He had not seen her before. ¡®Wait a minute, why did her voice sound so familiar?¡¯ An unfamiliar face¡­ she did not seem that foreign, she even looked a little familiar. ¡°Big Sister Chuzheng?¡± San Mao tentatively called out to her as his heart was filled with all kinds of disbelief. ¡°The matter that I have asked you to settle, have you settled them?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± San Mao gave a loud cry which attracted many onlookers, however, in consideration of their image, many onlookers did not dare to come closer and stayed away. On the other hand, many people started gossipping about Ye Chen and Chuzheng. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Ye Chen from class seven?¡± ¡°Who is the one fetching him?¡± ¡°I did not see her before¡­ She¡¯s so pretty, is she from our school?¡± As Chuzheng did not wear her school uniform and had a mega makeover, many were unsure whether she was from their school or not. San Mao staggered to his feet and looked as though he had seen a ghost. ¡°¡­Big-Big Sister Chuzheng?¡± Was this his Big Sister Chuzheng? The others also wore a look of disbelief on their faces. They had not seen each other for only one day, why did her appearance change so drastically?! ¡°I am asking you a question.¡± Although her tone was colder than usual, her voice definitely did not change. This was their Big Sister Chuzheng. ¡°Please rest assured, Big Sister Chuzheng. We did not waste a single drop nor did we leave any clothing behind,¡± said San Mao immediately. With that said, San Mao grew a little worried. ¡°Big Sister Chuzheng, would they find us for trouble?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t have that chance.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®What did she mean?¡¯ Also, why was Ye Chen sitting on the back seat of their Big Sister Chuzheng¡¯s bicycle? ¡°In the future, if anyone bribes you guys to do anything, report to me. I will give you three times the money.¡± Tycoon Chuzheng had said her piece and continued taking Ye Chen into the school. San Mao was stumped. ¡°¡­¡± He looked to his brother beside him. ¡°Just now, the person that I saw was Ye Chen, am I right?¡± ¡°Just now, the person that I saw was Big Sister Chuzheng, am I right?¡± said the brother who was beside him. Soon, they would realize that their Big Sister Chuzheng was totally different from before. After a few days, Brother Huang and his gang were caught by the police and would not be let out for a few years. It was at that time that San Mao and the others realized what exactly Chuzheng meant by ¡®they won¡¯t have a chance¡¯. After all, she had inherited the proprietress¡¯ memories and had made use of what she had known about the future to get rid of Brother Huang easily. Of course, all of this would be revealed later. ¨C Ye Chen was a third-year student and thus studied at a different building from Chuzheng. After Chuzheng dropped him off at his building, she had left with the bicycle. Ye Chen was stumped. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®My bicycle!¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s mine!¡¯ It was until a while later that Chuzheng had realized that fact but she was too lazy to send the bicycle back so she decided to return it to him the next time she saw him. [Little miss, you will not be friendzoned if you act like this!] Chuzheng wore a stern and serious expression. ¡°I will try my best to be a friend!¡± [¡­]Why did the system feel that this mission seemed very questionable? As it was not the time for self-study yet, the students in the classroom were messing around with some of them chatting while the others were frantically copying their homework from their classmates. It was very noisy. However, the moment Chuzheng stepped into the classroom, the entire classroom fell into silence. After a while, whispers could be heard. ¡°Who is she finding?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. She is not in her uniform¡­ she shouldn¡¯t be from our school?¡± ¡°She¡¯s so pretty.¡± ¡°Beauty, who are you finding?¡± Chuzheng walked into the classroom with no expression and walked to the seat at the back before putting her school bag down. ¡°¡­¡± The classroom was even quieter than the time when she walked in. That was¡­ Bad student, Ji Chuzheng¡¯s seat!! Why was she sitting there? Now that they mentioned it, the school bag that she was carrying did look a little familiar. Her height was also the same as that of Ji Chuzheng. But their clothes and hairstyle¡­ When Ji Tongtong and Yang Qianqian walked in, they saw everyone in the classroom had their pair of eyes fixed on the girl at the corner. Yang Qianqian recognized Chuzheng and elbowed Ji Tongtong. ¡°Tongtong, what¡¯s Ji Chuzheng up to?¡± She did not want to be the abnormal one anymore and suddenly decided to return back to normal. ¡°¡­Maybe, Big Sister wants to change her style.¡± As Ji Tongtong said, her heart was filled with hatred. ¡°It¡¯s Ji Chuzheng.¡± ¡°She¡¯s really Ji Chuzheng.¡± ¡°Gosh, what¡¯s gotten into her?¡± ¡°Ji Chuzheng looks very pretty like this. Compared to Ji Tongtong, they are not that far apart.¡± Those who had said this perhaps did not like Ji Tongtong. However, they were unable to deny Chuzheng¡¯s beauty. Ji Tongtong clenched her fists slightly as she stared at Chuzheng. Coincidentally, the school bell rang and Ji Tongtong hurriedly pulled Yang Qianqian back to their seats. The headteacher walked into the classroom in resonance with the ringing of the school bell. In the teacher¡¯s hands, was the monthly test they had taken last week. ¡°For this test, Ji Tongtong scored very well and topped the level.¡± The teacher was all sweetness and light when they praised Ji Tongtong. Under the admiration of everyone, Ji Tongtong felt a little better. ¡°There are also a few students who did not want to study properly and have skipped school to go for fights. Their results are even more¡­¡± Those few students that the teacher had mentioned were obviously referring to Chuzheng. The teacher realized that something didn¡¯t feel right and looked towards Chuzheng¡¯s area. ¡°This student over here, who are you?¡± Chuzheng stood up. ¡°Ji Chuzheng.¡± The teacher was stumped. ¡°¡­¡± The teacher sized her up suspiciously. She¡¯s¡­ Ji Chuzheng? No way! But her voice seemed to be correct. The teacher¡¯s mind was likely to be messed up by the sudden situation and had even forgotten to scold her. The teacher told her to sit down and started explaining the test paper. Some students turned around to look at Chuzheng from time to time and whispered among themselves or started passing messages around. ¡°Tongtong, was Ji Chuzheng bewitched by something?¡± Yang Qianqian whispered to Ji Tongtong¡¯s ear when the teacher turned around. Ji Tongtong¡¯s pen drew a long line on her paper as she chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense, how could Big Sister be bewitched?¡± ¡°Look at her, if she wasn¡¯t bewitched by something, why would she suddenly change her appearance?¡± ¡°About that¡­¡± Ji Tongtong seemed very awkward. ¡°Stop talking and listen in class.¡± Yang Qianqian saw the look on Ji Tongtong¡¯s face and immediately asked, ¡°Do you know something?¡± Ji Tongtong shook her head. ¡°We are already so close to each other. Quickly spill it, what happened to her?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­.¡± Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: The Attack Of The Tycoon (10) Chapter 10: The Attack Of The Tycoon (10) Editor: Atlas Studios In just an afternoon, Chuzheng heard many rumors that she became like that because she liked someone. Moreover, the person she liked was not just anybody. It was Meng Ran, a third-year student. Meng Ran was also snatched away by Ji Tongtong. At this time, Ji Tongtong and Mengran already had feelings for each other and were in a hazy and ambiguous dating period which many people in the school already knew about. The proprietress seemed to be a perverse person yet in front of Meng Ran, she was one who stuttered every sentence. Hence, in the eyes of their classmates, Meng Ran and Ji Tongtong were a lovely young couple. Now, the news of Chuzheng, Ji Tongtong¡¯s elder sister, liking Meng Ran leaked out. Everyone thought she was trying to steal Meng Ran from Ji Tongtong. The news spread until it became more and more believable as though she really changed because of Meng Ran and wanted to snatch away her younger sister¡¯s lover. All these people had such rich imaginations, why had none of them become screenwriters? ¨C Physical education class in the afternoon. The girls in the class were all very excited. Only when class started, did Chuzheng realize why they were so excited. Their physical education class was held together with a class from the third year. Being with third-year students was nothing much but the main point was Meng Ran was in that class. Meng Ran was the school¡¯s prince charming and many girls liked him. When class started, the girls whispered to each other and there were even quite a few people who looked at her with a weird gaze. The third years were doing long-distance running yet their physical education teacher went crazy and made them do long-distance running as well. The classes from the two grades were separated from a distance initially but the students gradually started to mix together. Meng Ran had good looks and a tall height. With one look, one could see that he belonged to the boy-next-door type of man ¨C friendly and handsome. At that moment, he was running together with Ji Tongtong. As the saying goes, a handsome man being together with a beautiful girl was the most eye-catching. When Ji Tongtong stood beside tall and handsome Meng Ran, she looked petite and cute which made her cherishable. ¡°Son of a bitch, don¡¯t I have to deal with those imbeciles who bullied the proprietress? Can I use the money to pound them up now?¡± [Little miss, what did you call me?] ¡°Bastard.¡± [¡­] What kind of name was that! ¡®It is such a handsome system, why did she call it that! It is called King! Did she know what was king? It is not any bastard!¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m asking you something. Is your system so irresponsible with their work?¡± [You can¡¯t do it!] With that said, King said nothing more. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ji Chuzheng, I think you better give up. Senior Meng Ran will never like you. Even if you changed for senior Meng Ran, your notorious misdeeds will never change, so it¡¯s just your wishful thinking.¡± Yang Qianqian¡¯s voice interrupted from the side. Ji Chuzheng turned back and met with Yang Qianqian¡¯s mocking expression. She thought bewilderedly. What should she give up? Who should she give up? She really could not understand the girls¡¯ words recently. ¡­She was clearly still young! Beautiful like a flower! Why was she never on the same wavelength as them? A wisp of darkness flashed under Yang Qianqian¡¯s eyes as she suddenly reached out and it was unknown if she wanted to push her or trip her. No sooner said than done, Chuzheng raised her legs and kicked Yang Qianqian¡¯s butt. Yang Qianqian pounced forward and fell harshly on the ground. Chuzheng retracted her foot back. Perfect! Full marks! Yang Qianqian tripped and students beside them stopped running one after another. ¡°Qianqian, are you alright?¡± Ji Tongtong rushed forward and helped Yang Qianqian up. Yang Qianqian rubbed her butt and pitifully stood up. ¡°Ji Chuzheng, you kicked me!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng had a cold face. ¡°You were too noisy.¡± With that said, Chuzheng continued to run forward and left a bunch of stunned students. What had just happened? ¡°Ji Chuzheng!¡± Yang Qianqian roared out in discomfiture. ¡°Brother Meng Ran.¡± Ji Tongtong¡¯s voice made Yang Qianqian retract her fierce expression and pitifully leaned on Ji Tongtong. Meng Ran glanced at Chuzheng and had a strange look under his eyes. How did Ji Chuzheng change so much? He obviously saw her bare face before but in the past, even if she did not put on makeup, her hair was still wild. But now, she reverted back to normal which surprised everyone. Different from Ji Tongtong¡¯s delicate and cute frame, she was cold and elegant and he could not help himself but be attracted to her. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Meng Ran quickly looked away and considerately asked. ¡°Go and rest at the side.¡± Yang Qianqian felt embarrassed but once she saw Meng Ran looking at Ji Tongtong, her heart had a twinge of jealousy again. ¡°Qianqian, how were you kicked by¡­¡± Ji Tongtong carefully asked. ¡°I had just said a few words and she suddenly went crazy.¡± Yang Qianqian aggrievedly said. ¡°Maybe big sister¡­ had a bad day? I¡¯ll apologize for my sister.¡± Ji Tongtong explained. ¡°Big sister always made a big ruckus at home too¡­¡± Ji Tongtong stopped talking in time. She glanced at Meng Ran as he furrowed his brows, looking displeased. ¡°Tongtong, you¡¯re too kind. She¡¯s such a bad person yet you still spoke up for her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s still my big sister.¡± Ji Tongtong helplessly said. ¡°How is she your big sister? Both of you don¡¯t even have the same mum. Her upbringing is so poor.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s not talk about it.¡± Ji Tongtong helped Yang Qianqian. ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you to the resting area.¡± Because of this incident, the physical education teacher allowed everyone to have their own free time. ¨C Chuzheng saw a few of her underlings in the field. San Mao waved at Chuzheng. Chuzheng walked towards him. Before she could say anything, the King had announced a new mission. [Main mission: Please spend forty thousand dollars in ten minutes.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± She was in school! Where could she go to spend forty thousand dollars? And in ten minutes! What kind of joke was that! Scatter the money around? Chuzheng thought of a place and told San Mao. ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°Big sister Chuzheng, where are we going? Wait for us¡­¡± San Mao and others immediately followed her eagerly. There were quite many people in the convenience store as Meng Ran treated the two classes drinks. Ji Tongtong stood beside Meng Ran as though they were prince charming and princess. ¡°Senior Meng Ran is so nice.¡± ¡°Did you think senior Meng Ran did it for you? Senior Meng Ran did it for Tongtong.¡± ¡°Yeah, senior Meng Ran treats Tongtong so well. Even if we were envious, we can¡¯t ever receive such treatment. We got drinks all because of Tongtong.¡± ¡°No, no. Don¡¯t sprout nonsense.¡± Ji Tongtong¡¯s face blushed in embarrassment as she denied. With no doubt, she was revealing what she intended to hide. Meng Ran did not rebut them and even looked tenderly towards Ji Tongtong. Yang Qianqian sat on the stool beside them and witnessed the scene of the two being envied. Her heart was as though a vinegar bottle was flipped over and felt terrible. Just when the crowd was huge. Chuzheng suddenly appeared with her underlings and the atmosphere became weird immediately. ¡°Big sister¡­¡± Ji Tongtong quickly took a drink and handed it to her. ¡°Brother Meng Ran treated drinks to everyone, you¡­¡± Chuzheng had not spared her a glance and brought her underlings to circle past them, entering the convenience store. She did not have much time left. If she could not complete the mission, the money would double! A fool will get more money. She was also helpless. ¡°Can I pay with a card over here?¡± The owner of the convenience store nodded his head. ¡°Yes, you can even do online payment and WeChat~¡± Chuzheng handed over her card and said with a cold tone. ¡°Charge forty thousand dollars to my card.¡± The convenience store owner was shocked. ¡°???¡± San Mao was stumped. ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: The Attack Of The Tycoon (11) Chapter 11: The Attack Of The Tycoon (11) Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Student, why do you want me to charge $40 000 to your card?¡± asked the store owner as the store owner was stumped. ¡°To buy tidbits.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Was she trying to buy everything in his convenience store? ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little too much?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want my business?¡± The store owner was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®This little girl seems a little fierce!¡¯ He was not referring to the way she presented herself but her aura gave off a very¡­ fierce vibe. However, since she was giving him business, if he did not sell her the tidbits, it would have been very dumb of him. ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± The store owner swiped her card swiftly. [Congratulations to our host for completing the mission! 40 000 dollars is now in your bank account.] Chuzheng realized that the way King addressed her had changed. Previously, it had always called her Little miss but now it had changed to host and the voice did not sound as adorable as before. ¡®Is the system angry?¡¯ ¡®Because of the addressing incident previously?¡¯ ¡®Alright then.¡¯ ¡®I have decided to call you bastard then!¡¯ ¡°These tidbits¡­.¡± asked the store owner after he had swiped the card. Forty thousand dollars was enough to empty the entire store. Chuzheng glanced at San Mao and said chicly, ¡°Distribute it to every class.¡± San Mao formed an O with his mouth. Their school had around two thousand students and if they distribute it, everyone would receive $20 worth of tidbits. Now that they have looked at it again, it did not seem like a lot anymore. However, the people outside were stunned by Chuzheng¡¯s actions. What¡­ What was she trying to do? Could it be that she had seen the person that she liked treat Ji Tongtong to a drink so in a fit of anger¡­ ¡°She really likes Senior Meng Ran?¡± ¡°What use is there to like him? Senior Meng Ran wouldn¡¯t like her. She thought that by changing her image, she could erase all of her black histories?¡± ¡°Actually, I think Ji Chuzheng looks quite pretty¡­¡± ¡°Senior Meng Ran is so handsome so it isn¡¯t surprising that she would also like him. However, it¡¯s like the toad wanting to eat the swan meat. Senior Meng Ran¡¯s girlfriend has to be someone who is sophisticated and educated.¡± Meng Ran furrowed his eyebrows slightly as he did not like people associating him with Ji Chuzheng. ¡°She came out, she came out.¡± Meng Ran followed everybody and looked towards her direction. Chuzheng and her followers walked out together with her hands in her pocket. Her black hair fell onto her shoulders as the wind blew against her bangs causing her cold and distant eyebrows to be seen. Student A: ¡°Why do I feel that she looks a little cool when she walked out?¡± Student B: ¡°I¡­ I also feel that same way.¡± Student C: ¡°With a changed hairstyle and a different set of clothes, she looks as if she became another person¡­¡± Student D: ¡°Chey, she¡¯s just pretending to look cool. Even if that is so, Senior Meng Ran will never like her.¡± Student C: ¡°But she looks really cool¡­¡± Ji Tongtong bit her lips slightly and smiled before walking over. ¡°Big Sister, are you feeling unhappy today? Why did you spend so much money?¡± asked Ji Tongtong in a soft and gentle voice. ¡°Must I get your permission to spend money?¡± Ji Tongtong choked and immediately explained, ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. I am just worried about you. How about you apologize to Daddy and Daddy would not cancel your credit card?¡± Her meaning was to tell everyone that her money was given by Father Ji and she could be broke very soon. ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared that I would tell Daddy that you got people to¡­¡± ¡°Big Sister, I am doing this for your own good!¡± Ji Tongtong suddenly raised her voice. ¡°Daddy did not get angry with you purposely but previously you were¡­ too much!¡± Chuzheng really wanted to clap for Ji Tongtong in her heart. She should be given a round of applause. ¡°Those who meant well for me should die for me.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°Little sister, are you willing to die for me?¡± Ji Tongtong was stunned. ¡°¡­¡± When she called her ¡®Little sister¡¯, goosebumps sprang all over Ji Tongtong¡¯s body. The surrounding students were shocked. ¡°!!!¡± What kind of logic was this? ¡°Big Sister¡­¡± Ji Tongtong¡¯s face turned pale as she seemed to have been frightened by Chuzheng¡¯s words. ¡°Ji Chuzheng, aren¡¯t you going overboard?¡± Meng Ran walked forward and spoke up for Ji Tongtong. ¡°Tongtong meant you well, how could you say such a thing?¡± ¡°Did my words break the law just now?¡± said Chuzheng with an indifferent tone. ¡°¡­¡± Meng Ran¡¯s eyebrows furrowed deeper as he was naturally aware of Ji Chuzheng¡¯s reaction whenever she saw him. He was also aware that she liked him. However, compared to Tongtong, Ji Chuzheng was famous for her misdeeds and had done many evil deeds that reflected negatively upon her. She would bully Tongtong and refuse to mend her ways. To Meng Ran, Ji Chuzheng¡¯s pining for him seemed to be an existence that he hated a lot. However, the current Ji Chuzheng only had coldness and disaffection in her eyes, there were no signs of admiration in her eyes. Her gaze made him feel a little uncomfortable. However, he did not know why he felt so uncomfortable. ¡°Since it is not illegal, why can¡¯t I say it?¡± Chuzheng walked past them as her indifferent voice spread throughout the audience. ¡°I don¡¯t like Ji Tongtong so I don¡¯t have to be nice to her. Since she has come up to me and offended me, of course, I can say what I want.¡± Everyone fell into an awkward silence as they witnessed her leaving the scene. San Mao and the others were stunned for a good half a minute before running to chase after her. Big Sister Chuzheng was becoming more domineering! Student A: ¡°She¡¯s so cool!¡± Student B: ¡°Yeah, yeah, I want to be her fan!¡± Student C: ¡°Everyone knows that she doesn¡¯t like Ji Tongtong but Ji Tongtong had to clash with her all the time and made it look as if Ji Chuzheng had bullied her. I don¡¯t even know what she was planning.¡± Student D: ¡°Now that you¡¯ve said it, it really seems so¡­¡± The whispers among the students had vaguely found their way to Ji Tongtong¡¯s ears. She bit her lower lip and wanted to complain to Meng Ran but she realized that Meng Ran was staring intensely at Chuzheng¡¯s departing figure. Her heart started to beat faster. ¡°Brother Meng Ran, did I make big sister angry?¡± Ji Tongtong¡¯s voice was choked with emotion and it immediately brought Meng Ran back to his senses. ¡°Don¡¯t bother her, she¡¯s one enigmatic person.¡± Although Meng Ran had said it, he still felt a little uncomfortable deep in his heart. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Meng Ran consoled her, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it.¡± Although Meng Ran consoled Ji Tongtong, because of Chuzheng¡¯s words, some people had already started to be suspicious of her, especially those female students who liked Meng Ran as well. The news about Chuzheng spending $40,000 at the convenience store and treating the whole school had already been spread all over the school even before school ended. Although they did not understand Chuzheng¡¯s reason for doing this, with the tidbits in their hands, most of them accepted it happily. As for the big boss who had bought the whole convenience store over, many had developed a liking towards Chuzheng. In school, to gain the good books of someone was always so mysterious. Perhaps it was a bottle of water or a bag of paper, one could easily gain a friend. Of course, friends fall out easily as well. ¨C At the side of the field. Ye Chen was sitting under a tree and the sunlight seeped through the gaps between the leaves and shone on him. If one were to look from far away, he looked as if there was a circle of sunlight surrounding him. Actually, Ye Chen looked very handsome too. However, his looks were more to the feminine side and hence many people bullied him for that fact. Something swooshed past in the air. Ye Chen reached out to catch it and when he took a look at it, he realized that it was a bottle of water. The ray of light shining on him suddenly dimmed and a cold voice could be heard. ¡°My treat.¡± Ye Chen glanced at her before standing up and directly stuffed the bottle of water into her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± Ye Chen quickly left the field. Chuzheng was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®How am I going to be a good person if he is being like this?¡¯ ¡®He doesn¡¯t even want my help!¡¯ Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: The Attack Of The Tycoon (12) Chapter 12: The Attack Of The Tycoon (12) Editor: Atlas Studios Ye Chen suddenly came back after he left with his dark eyes looking a little depressed. ¡°Return my bicycle.¡± Chuzheng spun the bottle of water while remaining expressionless and asked, ¡°If I return it to you, will you treat me as a friend?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®You stole my bicycle and yet you want me to say that you are my friend?¡¯ ¡®Did she knock her brain against the bicycle?¡¯ Chuzheng stuffed the bottle of water in his hands again before raising her hand to caress his head. ¡°Wait for me at the first level after school.¡± Chuzheng left expressionlessly. Despite her cold demeanor, she had begun to grow crazy in her head. ¡®What a hassle!¡¯ ¡®Why is there such a mission?¡¯ ¡®What does he becoming tainted have to do with me?¡¯ ¡®Why must I stop him from being tainted?¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t it great to be tainted?¡¯ ¡®If a human had not been tainted at least once in their lives, how could their lives be considered complete?¡¯ [Little miss, do you still want to go back?]King felt that if it did not speak out, its Little missy would go on to help Ye Chen to become tainted. That must not happen! She must be his friend! ¡°Are you not angry anymore?¡± [¡­]¡¯Oh, so she knew that I was angry! She had actually dared to give the King a nickname!¡¯ ¡°Bastard.¡± [¡­] ¡®Ah! I am so angry!¡¯ ¡®The neighboring system¡¯s Little miss is so gentle and generous but why is mine so¡­ so hateful! I don¡¯t want to talk to her anymore!¡¯ ¨C After school, Ye Chen waited on the first floor of the school building. As it was after school, many students ran up and down the stairs causing the building to be very squeezed and crowded and it was filled with the willfulness and freshness of students. However, when Chuzheng came down, Ye Chen realized that her surroundings were very empty. It was as if somebody had placed a protective barrier around her and prevented people from coming close to her. The students near her would size her up from time to time but nobody dared to talk to her. The elegant and cold girl walked before him and Ye Chen could already feel that many people were sizing them up. He tolerated the stares. ¡°My bicycle.¡± Chuzheng walked towards the place she put his bicycle with Ye Chen following closely behind. The school had bike-sharing services and thus there were bicycle parking racks by the side as well. Chuzheng pointed towards the parking racks and Ye Chen took a look at her before walking over to find his bicycle. However, when he saw that his bicycle was left on the ground and was broken, the gloomy look in his eyes became as dark as the dark clouds in the sky. ¡®So, this was her motive?¡¯ ¡®Hmph¡­¡¯ He picked up his bicycle in silence and Chuzheng had seen the bad state of the bicycle¡ªtilted handles, loose tires, and scratched surfaces. It was obvious that someone had smashed it on the ground repeatedly and even stepped on it. The harsh and furious gaze of the teenager turned towards her. ¡®Goodness me!¡¯ ¡®Which damn thing did it?¡¯ ¡®This had nothing to do with me!¡¯ ¡®Why was he looking at me like that?¡¯ The teenager retracted his gaze and pushed his bicycle to leave. Chuzheng followed him and the teenager turned around before saying coldly, ¡°Why are you still following me? Haven¡¯t you done enough?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me.¡± ¡°You pushed my bicycle away, if it wasn¡¯t you, who would it be?¡± questioned Ye Chen. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®How would I know who did it? I just casually parked it there. How would I know that someone would try to destroy it?¡¯ ¡®They did not even let a bicycle off!¡¯ ¡®Bastards!¡¯ ¡°Ji Chuzheng, if you want to bully me, you don¡¯t have to play so many tricks.¡± Ye Chen¡¯s grip on his bicycle handle tightened. ¡°Are you happy now?¡± With that said, Ye Chen quickly pushed his bicycle away and left. Ye Chen was still in a fit of anger and hence Chuzheng did not chase him anymore and took out her phone to message San Mao. San Mao rushed here as fast as lightning. ¡°Big Sister Chuzheng, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Are there surveillance cameras here?¡± ¡°Here?¡± San Mao scanned the place. ¡°There should be surveillance cameras here. Aren¡¯t the bike-sharing services located here? The school must be afraid that someone would destroy the bicycle so there should be surveillance cameras here.¡± Towards the end of his speech, San Mao nodded. ¡°There definitely is.¡± The school¡¯s surveillance camera monitors were all in the security officer¡¯s monitor rooms and as such, it would not be easy for them to look at the surveillance camera¡¯s monitors. But San Mao had thought of an idea to bring Chuzheng into monitor rooms to check the surveillance cameras. The bicycle was placed there in the morning and now that it was already after school, if they want to quickly check an entire day¡¯s length of video, it would not be possible. Chuzheng dug out a USB drive from the proprietress¡¯ bag and prepared to transfer the video into the USB drive. ¡°Pss¡­¡± Someone had informed her that someone was coming in. Chuzheng looked at the transferring process and made sure that the transferring process had reached a hundred percent before ejecting the USB drive and left the monitor room quickly. ¨C Ye Chen pushed the bike home and by the time he reached home, dinner time was already over. He parked his bike downstairs before standing in front of it in silence. After a long time, he went up and went back to his room amidst the cursing sounds. Ye Chen threw his bag on his tiny bed before falling on it. He slowly curled himself into a ball. ¡®Ye Chen¡­¡¯ ¡®You must not lose!¡¯ ¡®You must remember those who bullied you and one day, you must let them get their retribution.¡¯ ¡®You are going to graduate soon.¡¯ ¡®You can leave this place very soon.¡¯ Ye Chen maintained this position for a long time until he could no longer hear anything outside his room. He got up slowly and walked to his table before taking out his homework to do it, When he was digging his bag for his homework, he touched the bottle of water. His face darkened as he opened his window and threw the bottle of water out. Ye Chen let himself be immersed in his homework and did not think about anything else. He would only complete his homework. Dong¡ª¡ª Something hit his window and Ye Chen¡¯s hands froze. He looked at the dark scenery outside the window with his eyes as dark as the night sky. He lowered his head to continue doing his homework¡­ He had just finished writing one word and another knock on his window could be heard, making the atmosphere feel very chilly. Ye Chen rose up from his seat to open the window. The pale glow from the cold moon shone downstairs and Ye Chen could see a few figures. The person who caught his attention the most was Chuzheng. Although she was standing under the moonlight, it still could not hide her brilliance. The grip on Ye Chen¡¯s window tightened. She still had to create trouble for him at night¡­ Ye Chen did not want to go out as he feared for what would happen to him but the people outside kept throwing things at his window, disturbing the silent night. Ye Chen put down his pen and opened his door to listen for a while. Once he made sure that there was no one in the living room, he went downstairs. He had just walked out to the corridor and he saw the people standing beside Chuzheng apologizing to him with crying faces once they saw him. ¡°Brother Ye, I am sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all our fault, I am sorry.¡± ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Ye Chen froze on the spot. These people¡­ They were the people from this morning. ¡°Brother Ye, we entertained the angels unaware.¡± ¡°Brother Ye, please forgive us, we didn¡¯t mean to destroy your bicycle.¡± ¡°Brother Ye, we know we were wrong.¡± These people had apologized to Ye Chen profusely and had almost kowtowed to him. These people had attended school in the morning and when their first class finished, they coincidentally saw Ye Chen¡¯s bike so they teamed up and broke his bike. After that, they skipped school and were not in school in the afternoon. It was not until Chuzheng had brought San Mao to find them that they realized that the person who saved Ye Chen that morning was Ji Chuzheng. Since they were all in the same school, they naturally had heard about the infamous Ji Chuzheng. Ji Chuzheng was rich and if she had really hired someone to deal with them, they were definitely not her match. ¡°Brother Ye, please forgive us. We won¡¯t dare to do it anymore. In the past, we were wrong. We apologize to you.¡± ¡°Brother Ye, you can scold or hit us, as long as you forgive us.¡± Ye Chen looked towards Chuzheng and Chuzheng was casually looking at those people who were kneeling on the floor. ¡°Shut up.¡± Ye Chen gave a deep scoff. Those people immediately shut their mouths. Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: The Attack Of The Tycoon (13) Chapter 13: The Attack Of The Tycoon (13) Editor: Atlas Studios However, in the end, he could only force a word out of his mouth. ¡°Scram.¡± This bunch of people were not scared of him. They were scared of Ji Chuzheng. If he were to use brute force to settle this matter today and Ji Chuzheng was not here the next time they were with him, the bullying would only get worse. ¡°Thank you, Brother Ye.¡± ¡°Thank you, Brother Ye¡­¡± ¡°Big Sister Chuzheng.¡± They looked towards Chuzheng in unison. Could they leave now? ¡°What about that thing?¡± One of them stood up and ran to the back to push a bicycle out. ¡°Brother Ye, this is our compensation.¡± They placed the bicycle in front of Ye Chen and quickly scram away into the night as though they were chased by a ghost. Ye Chen looked at the bicycle with furrowed eyebrows. ¡°In the future, you have my back.¡± Chuzheng took out a piece of paper from her school bag before taking her time to write her phone number on it. ¡°Here¡¯s my phone number, save it in your phone.¡± She gave the piece of paper to Ye Chen. Ye Chen did not take it as he put out a stop sign with his hand with his eyes full of wariness. Chuzheng placed the piece of paper onto the bicycle. It was not until Chuzheng had left that Ye Chen took the paper. ¡°Ji Chuzheng¡­ what are you trying to do?¡± Ye Chen mumbled to himself before looking at the bicycle before him. It was the other party¡¯s compensation to him and he should be able to accept it¡­ but something did not feel right. After a long time, Ye Chen rubbed his stomach in discomfort and parked the bicycle at a corner before preparing to go back up. ¡°Brother Ye.¡± A man suddenly appeared in the darkness and passed something hot to him. ¡°Big Sister Chuzheng wanted to give you this.¡± Ye Chen was stumped. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°Brother Ye! Don¡¯t do this, if you don¡¯t want it, I cannot answer to Big Sister Chuzheng later!¡± That person gave a devastating plea. ¡°Take it. As long as it¡¯s in your hands, you can eat it or throw it¡­ Aiya, you can do whatever you want with it.¡± Ye Chen waited for that person to leave before walking to the bin beside him, he wanted to throw the food away. He reached out to throw it, but in the end, he still retracted his hand. He looked at the position of his window and walked towards a certain direction. After searching for a long time, he finally found the bottle of water he threw out of this window. He took the bottle of water and the food and went up carefully. It was not until he closed his room¡¯s door that Ye Chen heaved a sigh of relief. He had not eaten dinner today yet and hence was very hungry. The aroma of the food only made him hungrier. He propped his forehead with his hand. ¡°Ji Chuzheng¡­¡± ¨C As Father Ji was always working overseas and Ji Tongtong was perhaps frightened by Chuzheng¡¯s sudden change as well as the recorder incident, Ji Tongtong kept avoiding her whenever they were at home. Ye Chen also seemed to avoid her on purpose. Chuzheng would not come up to him unless something happened. It is so hard to be a friend. The school¡¯s image of Chuzheng has since slowly changed from a non-mainstream girl to the ice goddess. Her aura and presence could not be mimicked by just anybody. Ji Tongtong¡¯s pure and pleasant image was overshadowed by Chuzheng¡¯s chic presence. However, although Chuzheng had a makeover, with San Mao and the others always appearing around her, most of the students were still scared of her. Regarding the convenience store incident, many students had debated it, causing Ji Tongtong to feel a little awkward at times and some even said that she clashed with Chuzheng on purpose including the previous times. Ji Chuzheng did not even want to bother herself with her, but she had to come up to her and create trouble for her. As such, Ji Tongtong toned down a little. She most probably wanted to make people forget about that incident momentarily. When he was on his way to school, Ye Chen¡ªwho had not met Chuzheng for many days¡ªmet her outside of school. He was standing in front of a bakery, but he seemed to be thinking about something and had not moved from his spot for a very long time. Chuzheng walked nearer to him and saw that Ye Chen was counting his money before stuffing the money into his pocket and turned around¡­ Ye Chen met with Chuzheng¡¯s cold and calm eyes without a warning and took a step back out of surprise. ¡®Since when did she stand beside me?¡¯ Chuzheng had changed into her school uniform and only zipped halfway of her black and white uniform. She looked very different from the rest of the female students and amidst her coldness was a hint of manliness. She looked strangely¡­ cool in it. Ye Chen did not even know why he had thought of that adjective. Chuzheng motioned him to go in. ¡°Accompany me to eat breakfast.¡± Ye Chen furrowed his eyebrows and rejected, ¡°We are not that close.¡± Chuzheng walked back and stared deep into his eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯t eat with me, I will get people to create trouble for you every day.¡± ¡°¡­¡± [Little miss, you will be misunderstood as a bad person! We need to be a friend! Repeat after me, I am a friend! Friend! Friend! Friend! I am a friend!] Chuzheng was stunned. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Bastard really talks too much.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s so noisy.¡¯ [¡­]¡¯If she says that I am a bastard one more time, I will throw a fit!¡¯ ¨C There were many people in the bakery and it was already full. Ye Chen watched Chuzheng walk towards two students and the moment she stood in front of them, the two students stood up meekly. ¡°Big Sister Chuzheng, you¡¯re here to eat breakfast? Come here, we have saved these seats for you.¡± Ye Chen was stumped. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Ye Chen refused to answer her. Chuzheng had the store owner to make a set of everything he had in the store. ¡°I can¡¯t eat so much.¡± Ye Chen furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± asked Chuzheng again. ¡°¡­¡± Ye Chen tolerated his anger and let the store owner prepare a bowl of noodles for him. Chuzheng also casually ordered a bowl of noodles. While they were waiting, Chuzheng asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ride that bicycle?¡± Ye Chen¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡®She still dared to mention it.¡¯ ¡°I will return the bicycle to you tomorrow.¡± ¡°They compensated you, why must you return it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve checked it online. That bicycle costs at least $50,000, do they have that much money to pay for it?¡± As it was too dark that night, he did not see it clearly. The next morning, he saw that the exterior of the bicycle looked different from the usual bicycle. He looked at the logo and found out that the brand of the bicycle was called Specialized. Spending $50,000 for that brand was not considered a lot but one could buy a normal bicycle for a few hundred bucks. The bicycle was definitely not compensated by those people. Also, the only person who could take out $50,000 easily could only be this Big Missy Ji. Chuzheng remained silent for a few seconds. ¡°I will take note of it.¡± ¡°??¡± ¡®Take note of what?¡¯ Ye Chen realized that he could not understand this Big Missy at all. ¨C Ye Chen had really meant it when he said he would return the bicycle to Chuzheng and had pushed the bicycle to school the next day. He even especially waited for her on the road she would always pass by on her way to school. Chuzheng would ride her private car to school every day and sometimes, she would be dropped off at the school entrance, but sometimes she would be dropped off at the crossroad near the school. Ye Chen was not very sure where she would be dropped off and hence simply waited for her near the crossroad. He waited for a while and Chuzhen¡¯s car indeed stopped at the crossroad. A girl wearing her uniform got out of the car as she coolly swung her school bag to her back before closing the car door. Ye Chen pushed the bicycle and walked towards her, but he realized that the girl walked in the opposite direction. Ye Chen was a little hesitant but he still decided to follow her. After that, Ye Chen saw her carrying a cat with snowy white fur as she sat on the steps of a pet shop. The cat meowed and licked the wrist of the girl whose skin was as white as snow with its pink tongue. The girl had a serious expression on her face as though what she was carrying was not a cat, but a very valuable treasure. The rays of sunlight shone on the girl, creating a hazy halo around her. The scene looked very warm and beautiful and one would be unable to take their eyes off her. Ding ling¡­ The wind chime rang and someone opened the door to the store. The man looked a little helpless. ¡°Little girl, if you really like it, how about you buy one and take it home? This way, you don¡¯t have to come over here to caress the cat every day¡­¡± Chuzheng returned the cat back to the pet store owner with a serious expression before saying, ¡°It¡¯s too troublesome.¡± She threw a few red notes into the donation box beside her and petted the cat¡¯s head before turning around to leave. The pet store owner carried the cat while wearing a weird expression on his face. ¡®Does this girl have facial paralysis?¡¯ Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: The Attack Of The Tycoon (14) Chapter 14: The Attack Of The Tycoon (14) Editor: Atlas Studios Chuzheng walked forward and saw Ye Chen who was pushing his bicycle. She glanced at the bicycle and walked over. ¡°For you. Don¡¯t ever throw it away.¡± Bastard said before that the money spent was equivalent to water being splashed out and could not be retrieved back. If she wanted to become an official prodigal, she had to treat money as though it was the dirt under her feet and spend money like water. It was indeed different to be a fool who gets more money. Ye Chen: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng walked past him and headed towards the direction of the school. Ye Chen furrowed his brows. Ji Chuzheng¡­ who was she? Ye Chen followed Chuzheng into the school. Both of their school buildings were different but before they separated, Chuzheng suddenly turned around. ¡°Are your results good?¡± Ye Chen: ¡°¡­¡± Could she not see that every time results were shown, his name would appear as number one. ¡°Not bad.¡± Chuzheng took out an exercise book from her school bag and flipped to a page. ¡°Help me complete this.¡± Ye Chen: ¡°¡­¡± Ji Chuzheng¡¯s results¡­ Ye Chen thought about the results list and had not found her name. Looking at the way she did things in school, she was probably the last few in class. ¡°Do it yourself.¡± It was not that no one in the school asked him to help with their homework but he was not willing. Thus, he was already used to the punching and hitting he experienced all the time. Hence, the rejection was easy to Ye Chen and he was prepared for the consequences. ¡°The day before, I helped you to check the surveillance cameras and could not finish it in time.¡± Chuzheng had a serious expression. ¡°I write very slowly.¡± Ye Chen: ¡°¡­¡± What had her writing words slowly got to do with him? Moreover, what had checking of the surveillance cameras the day before got to do with today? Ye Chen glared with a dark gaze at Chuzheng. Before he snatched the exercise book away. ¡°When do you have to pass it up?¡± ¡°In a while.¡± Ye Chen: ¡°¡­¡± As there was still some time left, Ye Chen and Chuzheng found a store near the school and he quickly helped her to finish her homework. After he was done, Ye Chen immediately packed up his things and walked away. ¡°About the bicycle¡­¡± Ye Chen seemed to be preparing his psychological state. ¡°I¡¯ve wronged you, sorry.¡± The young man strutted off as though he was scared that Chuzheng would catch up with him. ¨C In the next few days, Ye Chen received big boss Chuzheng¡¯s homework every day. Ye Chen was frustrated initially. But as time went on, he became polite and even asked her straight for her homework when he met her so that he could complete it in the evening. Chuzheng took the opportunity and gave all her homework to Ye Chen, Ye Chen kept telling himself that he just wanted to see what she was trying to do. In school, schoolmates knew Ye Chen and Ji Chuzheng were close and rumors about Chuzheng and Ye Chen spread. Didn¡¯t they see that Ji Chuzheng did not even bother with Meng Ran? Those who bullied Ye Chen also disappeared. Although there were still some who secretly played some tricks on him, they had not dared to do it in broad daylight. Ye Chen knew it was all because of her. But he had not understood why. What did she want from him? He had nothing¡­ Moreover¡­ Being shielded by a girl made Ye Chen feel uncomfortable. As though he was weak and useless. But thinking about it carefully, now, he was¡­ Hence, Ye Chen was a little frustrated. For a few days, Ye Chen had not given Chuzheng a good attitude. ¡°Xiao Chen, table number six. Bring it there.¡± Now, Ye Chen was wearing his work attire as he worked in a bubble tea shop. That was his recent part-time work as working hours were after school and dinner were provided as well hence he did not need to face his aunt¡¯s family. ¡°Okay.¡± Ye Chen brought the bubble tea to table number six. Before he walked closer, a familiar figure entered his line of sight. This gave Ye Chen a fright. Why did she come? Chuzheng lowered her head and was looking at her cell phone. She did not seem to have noticed him. Ye Chen took a look at the number and his expression darkened. She refuses to let him go. Ye Chen silently placed the bubble tea down. Chuzheng did not raise her head either as she paid no attention to who brought the bubble tea to her. Ye Chen stood there for two seconds and realized Chuzheng was not going to raise her head before biting down his lips and turned around to do his work. The business in the bubble tea shop was excellent. In the midst of his work, Ye Chen glanced at her from time to time, but she continued to lower her head and looked at her phone with a serious face. Did she not know how to smile? In the past¡­ In his memory, there were only scenes of her with her underlings passing by him with swag and he never noticed her look. ¡°Xiao Chen, table number eight.¡± Ye Chen quickly came back to his senses and proceeded to deliver the bubble tea. When he passed by Chuzheng, he took a glance at her phone screen. Before he could see clearly, he suddenly bumped into someone and the tray on his hands tilted to the side. Before he could salvage the situation, the bubble tea had already been spilled on the person sitting beside Chuzheng¡¯s table. ¡°What are you doing? Do you know how to work? Are you blind?¡± Ye Chen furrowed his brows. There was no one in front of him earlier yet this person suddenly stood up, clearly, he did it on purpose. He lifted up his eyes and took a look at that person. He seemed familiar and after a while, Ye Chen recalled that he was one of the people who hit him when he met Chuzheng. That day, it was also these few people who picked fault with him first and asked him for money. Were they repeating it again? The person who had bubble tea spilled all over their clothes held his clothes and asked. ¡°Young boy, tell me, how are you going to settle this today? Look at how you dirtied my clothes.¡± ¡°Tell the owner to come out!¡± These few people seemed to have a loud mouth and with one look, one would know they were delinquents. The surrounding customers all looked quite frightened. The store owner hurriedly rushed over. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°They bumped into me.¡± Ye Chen said. ¡°On purpose.¡± ¡°Hey! What did you say? I purposely bumped into you? What do you mean?¡± The person who bumped into Ye Chen roared out. This seriously affected the business. Hence, the store owner made Ye Chen apologize to them. Ye Chen was unwilling. Those few people could not come to an agreement and held Ye Chen down, punching him. When Ye Chen was pushed around, he looked towards Chuzheng but her seat was already empty. At that moment, he could not explain his feelings. A punch fell on his body, the willful laughter of those assaulters and murmurs from the crowd¡­ ¡°Ah!¡± The punch that fell on Ye Chen¡¯s body suddenly disappeared and there were the sounds of chaotic footsteps around him. He covered his nose and sat up. There was a group of strangers around him that started to hit those few men. Chuzheng stood at the doorstep and transferred the compensation money to the store owner. ¡°This incident¡­¡± The store owner shook his head. ¡°Those few people frequently came to stir up trouble. They are clearly gangsters and I know it was not the fault of Xiao Chen, but in this industry, how could we not succumb to them? Do you think so, miss? ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng nodded her head seriously. The store owner: ¡°¡­¡± After those people left, the group of people who came afterward swiftly left as well. Chuzheng entered only when the bubble tea shop became quiet. Ye Chen sat in the midst of a disordered mess and blood dripped between the gaps of his fingers. He stared at Chuzheng who walked over and helped him up to the seat she was sat on just now. When Ye Chen sat down, he realized her school bag was still at its original place. ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s clean up the mess. We are closed for today.¡± The store owner ordered his frightened workers and walked towards Ye Chen. ¡°Xiao Chen, are you alright?¡± ¡°Boss, what happened today¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Having received a wealthy person¡¯s money, the store owner dared not to find trouble with him. ¡°Regarding today¡¯s incident, I believe you and it¡¯s not your fault. Take a rest first.¡± Ye Chen furrowed his brows. ¡°Boss¡­¡± ¡°Take a rest, take a rest.¡± The store owner hurriedly left. Chuzheng handed him a tissue. ¡°Wipe off the blood.¡± He was too weak. He was just beaten a few times and blood flowed out. A man should not be so weak! Unacceptable! Unacceptable! Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: The Attack Of The Tycoon (15) Chapter 15: The Attack Of The Tycoon (15) Editor: Atlas Studios Ye Chen stared at the tissue she handed over and reached out his hand before hesitantly accepting it. He took the tissue and stuffed it in his nose. It took a while before the bleeding stopped. Ye Chen pinched the tissue and asked, ¡°Did you find those people just now?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± An unsurprising answer. ¡°Why¡­ why are you so nice to me?¡± At the start, he thought she had a hidden motive but after such a long time, she had not done anything to him. ¡°To make you think that I¡¯m your friend.¡± ¡®To be your friend, I have worked very hard!¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why do you want me to think that you¡¯re my friend?¡± He had not heard this for the first time, but it was his first time asking that question. ¡°Err¡­¡± The girl in front went into deep thought. Bastard, how should I reply to him? ¡®Should I say I¡¯m completing a mission? To go back?¡¯ [You can¡¯t, Little miss!]King agitatedly shouted and did not even notice Chuzheng calling it bastard. [Of course, you can¡¯t say that you are completing missions.] ¡®Then, what should I say?¡¯ [You can say anything as long as you don¡¯t say that you are completing missions¡­ Wait, let me think, don¡¯t spout nonsense!]King was afraid little miss would say words about getting rid of society. When it first met little miss, it thought she was a bronze player. It had not known that she was the King. [How about you say¡­ you like him.] ¡®Getting rid of them was still better.¡¯ [¡­No! No! No!]King shivered in fright. ¡°After being a nasty person for so long, I¡¯m thinking of trying to see if I can be a friend.¡± After Chuzheng read out her lines, she felt something was off. Bastard, I¡¯m a bad person in your eyes? [¡­]¡¯Aren¡¯t you clear if you¡¯re a bad person or not?¡¯ [Of course not. I¡¯m talking about the proprietress. Proprietress! Little miss, you are pretty with a sweet voice. How could you be a bad person?] Ye Chen looked at her strangely. At that moment, the store owner delivered two cups of bubble tea and cut off his scrutinizing gaze. ¡°What is this for?¡± Chuzheng took up the pile and asked Ye Chen. Ye Chen did not know if she was pretending or not but still pointed to the wall beside them. ¡°You can write whatever you want to say such as wishes on the paper, and paste it there. It¡¯s just for entertainment purposes¡­¡± It was useless. Ye Chen swallowed the last few words back and reversed the question. ¡°Do you want to write one?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s reply was cold. Ye Chen thought that she did not know how to write, but who knew when she picked up a pen and started writing. Ye Chen realized that Chuzheng wrote words very slowly but her words were very nice as though it was printed from the computer as every word was especially accurate. However¡­ What was she writing? Get rid of XX? Who was XX? Was the ¡®getting rid¡¯ she meant, the same as what he understood it as? Following which, Chuzheng wrote quite a few pieces which were all to get rid of XX. Clearly, she had not wanted to get rid of just one person but many people. He thought they agreed it was for wishes! Why had she written it like a curse! ¨C Chuzheng sent Ye Chen home and Ye Chen remained silent as always. He wanted to talk but had not known how to break the silence. ¡°I¡¯m home.¡± Ye Chen looked at the building in front of him. ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng gave him his things. ¡°Good night.¡± ¡°¡­Good night.¡± Ye Chen took a deep breath before turning around and proceeding upstairs. When he looked back, that girl had already left. The street lights stood lonely at the roadside and the darkness afar looked as though it could swallow him up. He was used to such an environment. Darkness¡­ Coldness¡­ ¡°Ye Chen! Where did you go?¡± A shout came from upstairs and Ye Chen immediately held his school bag tightly. The woman upstairs rushed down quickly and it was unknown what she was holding but she hit it towards Ye Chen. A ¡°huhu¡± sound drifted through the corridor. ¡°Now, you can leave the nest already? You came back so late, what have you been doing? I can¡¯t even manage you anymore¡­¡± The woman¡¯s scolding drifted off the corridor and she was not even the least scared of disturbing their neighbors. If someone were to come out, they would be scolded by the woman as well. Thus, everyone became accustomed to it and closed their doors, waiting for this incident to pass over. When Chuzheng came back to pass Ye Chen her homework, she witnessed that scene. [Little miss, do something!]King immediately encouraged Chuzheng. How troublesome! How troublesome! At that moment, Chuzheng only had one word pasted on her face. Unconcerned. If she did not complete the mission, she had to repeat again and again¡­ Continuously repeating! Who wanted to repeat continuously! She did not want it! [Little miss, don¡¯t just stand there. Do something! Hero¡­ No, it¡¯s time for the beauty to save the hero!] ¡°¡­¡± That bastard was really noisy. Was there a way to block him off? With that thought, King¡¯s voice disappeared. Hmm? It really could be blocked off? Bastard? Bastard? ¡­Blocking off canceled. [Little miss, ahh¡­]This was bad! Little miss got a new skill! Medicine! Medicine! Block off! The noise in her brain stopped and Chuzheng became happier as the bastard was too noisy. Chuzheng waited until the woman stopped scolding and left Ye Chen in the corridor, not allowing him to enter the house. Ye Chen sat at the corner of the stairs as though he wanted to blend in with the darkness. Chuzheng stood for a while before slowly walking over. Ye Chen heard sounds of footsteps and raised his head to look over. At that moment, Chuzheng felt as though she was glared at by a fierce wolf who looked warm on the outside yet cold on the inside. Its sharp canines were shown yet it dared not scratch others, showing a sense of pitifulness. ¡°I forgot to give you my homework.¡± Chuzheng expressionlessly sat beside him and gave him her homework with no sense of pity. Ye Chen lowered his head and took it over before messily stuffing it into his school bag. He held his bag as though something was reaching out in the darkness and circled around Ye Chen tightly, making him unable to breathe. After a moment, he broke the silence. ¡°You saw everything just now?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°¡­Do you think that I¡¯m useless?¡± He was in such a sorry state all the time. Chuzheng had a dull look and her tone was even duller. ¡°When one has no power yet, the best way is to tolerate it.¡± Ye Chen turned his head and looked at her but it was a pity as he could only clearly see her silhouette. He should be feeling ashamed for his inferiority in front of her. She was as though the clear and bright moon in the sky while he was the dirtiest and darkest ditch on earth. They did not belong to the same world. The more he did not want her to see him in such a sorry state. Unfortunately, she saw everything. Chuzheng asked him. ¡°Do you have a place to go?¡± Ye Chen thought for a while before shaking his head. But Chuzheng might not have seen that so he spoke up. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Come with me.¡± Chuzheng stood up and patted off the dust on her body. Ye Chen lifted up his eyes and looked at her, but had not stood up. ¡°I still have to pass up my homework tomorrow.¡± Ye Chen: ¡°¡­¡± So it was all for the sake of the homework. ¨C The proprietress had a house for herself. When the proprietress was unhappy in the family house or when she argued with her stepmother, she would come here. Sometimes, she would take in a few fair-weather friends. Ye Chen followed Chuzheng and entered the house. The house was empty and felt very dull. ¡°This is the study room, you can do the homework here.¡± Chuzheng pushed open a door. Ye Chen nodded his head and carried his bag in. Chuzheng¡¯s homework was not a lot and was easy as well so he finished it very quickly. He noticed that there were many messy things piled up on the study table. He looked back and saw the tightly closed room door before he carefully flipped through those things. There were a few crumpled exam papers in between. Ye Chen smoothed the crumpled exam papers and saw that all of it had a fail grade. There were even weird marks on it as though someone cried and the makeup dripped on the paper. Did she know how to cry? Ye Chen supported his chin and went into deep thought. How would that cold and indifferent face look when she cried? Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: The Attack Of The Tycoon (16) Chapter 16: The Attack Of The Tycoon (16) Editor: Atlas Studios While Ye Chen had his imagination running wild, the room door was pushed open and Chuzheng brought two pieces of clothes in. ¡°Change into the new clothes.¡± Ye Chen looked at the clothes. ¡°Whose clothes are these?¡± She was a girl so how would she have a boy¡¯s clothes? ¡°I bought it.¡± When had she bought it? Had she gone out just now? Ye Chen glanced at the price tag on the clothes which were not ripped off. No one wore these clothes before. Ye Chen looked at his clothes which were stained with bubble tea and blood. It was quite dirty and uncomfortable when worn. He hesitated before accepting it and dryly squeezed out two words. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Ye Chen proceeded to the bathroom to bathe and changed his clothes before walking out. When he passed by the bedroom, he saw Chuzheng sitting by the window. He hesitated for a moment before knocking on the door and entering the room. The city outside the window was sparkling with lights and it was Ye Chen¡¯s first time standing on such a tall place admiring the city¡¯s nightscape. The darkness did not seem that scary anymore. His hands slightly clenched into a fist and he said, ¡°I can give you tuition for your poor results.¡± Tuition? For her? Were her results poor? She was just too lazy to do her homework¡­ Before Chuzheng rejected him, King whose heart had broken stopped her. [Little miss, agree to it! Let him see your change and understand that you are a positive thinking and studious friend!] Chuzheng was stunned. Chuzheng¡¯s fingers pinched her wrists several times before she coldly replied. ¡°Okay.¡± Ye Chen unknowingly heaved a sigh of relief and clasped his hands before realizing his hand was sweaty. With tuition, Chuzheng and Ye Chen naturally got closer. They entered and left the school together. Ye Chen had not ridden on the bicycle Chuzheng gave him, otherwise, there would be rumors of him being a sugar baby. The rumors between schoolmates spread as though it was true that both of them had something going on with each other. ¡°Tongtong, is Ji Chuzheng really dating Ye Chen?¡± Yang Qianqian¡¯s tone was filled with curiosity as she pulled Ji Tongtong along. Didn¡¯t she like Meng Ran? ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ji Tongtong smiled and shook her head. ¡°Maybe big sister is just playing around.¡± ¡°Playing around?¡± Yang Qianqian could not understand. ¡°Big sister is a player.¡± Ji Tongtong spoke softly. ¡°She¡¯s always like that. She has a short attention span. Big sister should still like brother Meng Ran more.¡± ¡°¡­She is snatching senior Meng Ran with you yet you can still smile? Are you not concerned?¡± Yang Qianqian expected better from her and jabbed at her two times. ¡°Who brother Meng Ran likes¡­ It¡¯s not in my control.¡± Ji Tongtong weakly defended. ¡°My teacher just called me, I¡¯ve got to go.¡± As Ji Tongtong left, Yang Qianqian stared at her and her lips immediately curled as her eyes were filled with jealousy. Who did not know Meng Ran liked her? Ji Tongtong purposely told Yang Qianqian those words as she knew Yang Qianqian would definitely tell others. As expected, in just two lesson¡¯s time. The words reached Ye Chen¡¯s ears. ¡°Ji Tongtong actually looks not bad when she doesn¡¯t style herself weirdly.¡± ¡°Exactly! She¡¯s even prettier than Ji Tongtong.¡± ¡°Ye Chen, that little brat, is so fortunate. I don¡¯t even know how he hooked up with Ji Chuzheng? Could it be he¡¯s eyeing Ji Chuzheng¡¯s money?¡± ¡°Chey! Didn¡¯t you hear? Ji Chuzheng likes Meng Ran, as for Ye Chen¡­ she¡¯s probably playing around with him.¡± ¡°No matter what, Ji Chuzheng is still from a rich family, how could she like Ye Chen who doesn¡¯t have anything good other than his grades?¡± Bang! The cubicle door slammed open and the students who were discussing outside immediately became silent. Ye Chen walked towards the sink with a dark expression and washed his hands. ¡°Shoosh¡­¡± The sound of the water made those few students back down slightly. Ye Chen glanced at them before he walked out of the washroom without a sound. Those few students subconsciously rubbed their arms. The originally gloomy and cold washroom became even colder in that instant. In the afternoon lessons, Ye Chen felt unsettled and frustrated as the words those few people said earlier kept repeating in his ears. Indeed, she treated him so well because he was her plaything. He spent so much effort¡­ ¡®After experiencing so much, did anybody treat you with sincerity? They would only laugh at you! Ye Chen¡­ Wake up!¡¯ Ye Chen gripped his pen tightly as gloominess pooled under his eyes. He lowered his eyelashes and covered up the emotions in his eyes before he took out his exercise book and calmly solved two questions. School ended. Ye Chen packed up his things and left. When he walked out of the classroom, a person bumped into him before softly speaking after noticing it was him. ¡°Ji Chuzheng is waiting for you at the rooftop of the science laboratory block.¡± With that said, the person ran away. Ye Chen looked towards the science laboratory block and furrowed his brows slightly before walking towards the school gate. ¡°Chuzheng, you came back?¡± Once Chuzheng entered, she saw a beautiful woman who happily welcomed her. She had been here for so many days, but this was the first time she saw her stepmother. Her stepmother was slightly astonished at her changed look but she quickly reverted to normal and continued speaking. ¡°Our Chuzheng looks great like this. Changing your image changes your mood too.¡± ¡°We can start dinner soon. Go and wash up.¡± Her stepmother had a tender smile as her eyes and brows brought about affection. Chuzheng was stunned. Well, well, well. Would you look at that? There was another drama queen in the family. Could she get rid of her? ¡®No! No! No!¡¯ Ji Tongtong was sent home by Meng Ran. It was unknown how her knee got hurt, but with that small wound, Chuzheng felt that pasting the band-aid was redundant. But the two people continued to conduct a performance of expressing affection to each other in front of Chuzheng. Chuzheng expressionlessly went up the stairs and handed over the stage to them. When Meng Ran left, Ji Tongtong immediately pulled her mother over for a chat. ¡°Mom, did you see that? It was as though she became a totally different person.¡± In the past, if she saw Meng Ran and her coming back together, she would have made a ruckus. ¡°Hmm.¡± The stepmother nodded her head. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t sent me pictures before, I wouldn¡¯t have recognized her when she entered the house today.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know why she changed so suddenly¡­ In the past, she was so dumb and would take the bait the moment I agitated her¡­ Mum, could it be she found out something?¡± Ji Tongtong had a worried tone. Stepmother furrowed her brows. ¡°Your dad is going on business trips and would only return after a while. Let¡¯s just observe her for the time being.¡± Ji Tongtong nodded her head in agreement. The pair of mother and daughter talked in the room for a while and when Ji Tongtong was leaving, the stepmother held her back and asked, ¡°How is it going for you and Meng Ran?¡± Ji Tongtong had a smug look. ¡°Relax, Meng Ran is now at my beck and call.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Ji Tongtong talked on the phone while walking back to her room and bumped into Chuzheng on the way. Ji Tongtong was stunned for a moment before she quickly lowered her head and squeezed her phone as she ran back to her room. The corridor was silent and when Ji Tongtong walked through it, Chuzheng heard Ye Chen¡¯s name. After school ended today afternoon, she waited at the school gate for close to half an hour yet Ye Chen never appeared. He had no cell phone thus Chuzheng made San Mao find him in the school until a student on duty said Ye Chen had left long ago. The school had a back gate thus Chuzheng thought he had something on and left from the back gate so she went straight home. However¡­ Chuzheng took back her hand from the door handle and looked towards Ji Tongtong¡¯s room. Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: The Attack Of The Tycoon (17) Chapter 17: The Attack Of The Tycoon (17) Editor: Atlas Studios Boom Swoosh The rain poured down from the sky as the strong wind blew the things on the rooftop, making whooshing sounds. Ye Chen was sitting on the ground with his back leaning against the wall. Did you really think that Big Sister Chuzheng would like you? Chuzheng was just fooling around with you and yet you thought you meant something to her. How funny! Take a look at yourself! Hahaha! Did you think she¡¯ll notice you? ¡®Notice me?¡­¡¯ Ye Chen ice-cold fingers touched his forehead and under the rain, the darkness seeped in and engulfed his entire being. This was the world he knew. Dark and cold. Peng The door to the rooftop was kicked open and Ye Chen was sitting right beside the door. As such, the person coming in could see him in an instant. ¡°Ye Chen.¡± A familiar voice was heard. She did not bring an umbrella with her and had walked up to the rooftop, causing the rain to drench her instantly. She took off her school uniform jacket and used it to cover his head. But Ye Chen swatted the clothing away causing a part of the clothing to hit Chuzheng¡¯s face. Ye Chen stood up with the support of the wall as his voice sounded very hoarse and fierce. ¡°Ji Chuzheng, why are you acting so nice to me? How long do you still want to play with me? Are you very happy to see me like this?¡± ¡°Ji Tongtong did it.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s cold and flat voice broke the rhythm of the raindrop sounds as it fell clearly into Ye Chen¡¯s ear. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it.¡± Ji Tongtong had created trouble for her behind her back again. ¡®She even fooled Ye Chen? Why did she do that? Was she trying to make her repeat her mission again and again? How evil! Bastard!¡¯ Ye Chen leaned against the wall as his eyes were fixed on her. ¡®She didn¡¯t do it¡­¡¯ ¡®She didn¡¯t do it¡­¡¯ These four words continuously repeated itself in his head. Chuzheng bent down to pick out the clothes before putting it over Ye Chen¡¯s head again. The teenage girl leaned very close to him and it was so close that he could feel the warmth of her body. Feeling awkward, Ye Chen yanked her jacket down to his head and walked inside. He sat on the staircase which was sheltered and Chuzheng pulled his arm. ¡°Get up.¡± However, Ye Chen refused to move. Chuzheng bent down and her hot breath breathed onto Ye Chen¡¯s face as she threatened him fiercely, ¡°If you don¡¯t get up, go out and stay at the rooftop.¡± Ye Chen: Ye Chen seemed to have tolerated it for a long time before saying, ¡°I have no energy.¡± He had already used up all of his energy to stand up just now, but he did not want to look too pathetic in front of her and cause her to look down on him. However, her words seemed to have suddenly sucked all of his energy out of his body and now, he did not even want to move one finger of his. Chuzheng was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®How could a man be so weak?¡¯ In the end, Chuzheng found a way to get Ye Chen down and sent him to the hospital. Ye Chen was hit, drenched by the rain and even mentally hurt, leading to him falling asleep on his way to the hospital. It was not until the next day at nine in the morning that Ye Chen woke up. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Ye Chen¡¯s head was still a little groggy and he could only see a blurry figure. ¡°Ji Chuzheng?¡± Chuzheng sat on his side as her voice sounded as peaceful as water. ¡°Your injuries have been dealt with.¡± Ye Chen wanted to sit up but his body was too weak. He tried a few times but to no avail and hence he looked towards Chuzheng who was sitting steadily on her seat. Chuzheng was stumped. ¡®Why are you looking at me?¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s there to see?¡¯ ¡®Stop looking!¡¯ Ye Chen forced himself to say, ¡°¡­Could you help me sit up straight?¡± Chuzheng silently put down her phone and supported Ye Chen to sit up before stuffing two pillows behind his back so he could lean on it. ¡°Am I a friend?¡± Ye Chen: ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for her, would I become like this? Yet, she still has the guts to ask if she was a friend?¡¯ Chuzheng saw that he did not answer and prepared to leave but Ye Chen suddenly grabbed her wrist. ¡°Ji Chuzheng.¡± ¡°Let go.¡± Yet, not only did Ye Chen not let go, the grip on her wrist tightened, however, his energy at that time was too weak and Chuzheng easily broke free. Ye Chen wanted to stop her and his body leaned forward slightly causing him to fall into Chuzheng¡¯s embrace instead. Ye Chen probably had not expected that to happen and let go of her in a panic. He lay back on his bed as the expression on his face looked very unnatural with his ear turning especially red. Chuzheng glanced at him calmly before taking a look at his head. His hair was disheveled and looked especially soft. She wanted to touch it, touch it, really wanted to touch it¡­ She raised her hand carefully¡­ Ye Chen seemed to have noticed her movement and turned around to look at her. Chuzheng immediately touched her fringe instead before sitting on the chair beside him and took out her phone to play. Ye Chen sat for a while before saying awkwardly, ¡°I am in the wrong for misunderstanding you.¡± Someone had told him that she was waiting for him at the rooftop, but when he had reached, it was that bunch of people waiting there. ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng nodded, showing that she understood. Ye Chen: ¡®Offering a treat to an unappreciative audience!¡¯ After that, Ye Chen did not speak to Chuzheng anymore. When the doctor came in to check on his condition, Chuzheng was called to go outside. ¡°Your friend¡¯s condition doesn¡¯t seem to be doing well.¡± ¡°Is he going to die?¡± asked Chuzheng expressionlessly. The doctor gave a helpless expression. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad, but his health is very poor. He has malnutrition and he overworked his body. If he doesn¡¯t recuperate properly, his body will suffer in the future.¡± ¡°Can you contact his family?¡± The doctor had been talking for a long time but Chuzheng did not give a single reaction. Hence, the doctor thought that this probably had nothing to do with her. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Chuzheng had the doctor give him the best treatment regardless of the cost. After all, she was never scared of spending money. The doctor was stumped. She is just a student? She had willingly spent so much money on him, there must be something going on between them! Chuzheng helped Ye Chen to apply for leave and as such, he was forced to accept the best treatment in the hospital. In the end, Ye Chen could not take it anymore and strongly requested to be discharged. After asking the doctor, Chuzheng agreed to his request. When the nurse came to give the receipt for the bill, Chuzheng was outside and hence Ye Chen took a glance at it. The sum on the bill was so big that his hand trembled a little. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chuzheng came back and casually stuffed the receipt into her school bag. Ye Chen had applied for many days of leave. When he came back to school, all of those strange rumors were long gone. Ye Chen had accidentally seen San Mao and the others dragging people into the toilet to teach them a lesson once after school. After school, Ye Chen was waiting for Chuzheng downstairs. ¡°Tuition?¡± Ye Chen shook his head and handed Chuzheng a piece of paper. It was an IOU. ¡°I will repay you the money in the future,¡± said Ye Chen. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Ye Chen furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°I don¡¯t have any reason to take your money. I don¡¯t have tuition today so I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Ye Chen seemed to be scared that Chuzheng would return the IOU back to him and he quickly walked away. Chuzheng took a look at the IOU before stuffing it into her school bag. ¡°Big Sister Chuzheng!¡± ¡°Big Sister Chuzheng!¡± San Mao and the others ran towards her. ¡°Big Sister Chuzheng, there will be a thunderstorm tomorrow, why did you ask us to stare at this?¡± ¡°Find a way to bring Ji Tongtong to the rooftop.¡± Chuzheng made her words short and simple. ¡°Ji Tongtong?¡± San Mao grew a little scared. ¡°Big Sister Chuzheng, she¡¯s your younger sister. If we were to offend her, the Ji Family¡­ would never let us off.¡± ¡®You are not scared but we are scared!¡¯ ¡°Use your brain.¡± ¡°¡­Big Sister Chuzheng, if we could use our brain, our examination score would not be so bad. We won¡¯t even need to be gangsters,¡± said San Mao. Chuzheng was speechless. She actually had no words to rebut them. ¡°Ask her out in Meng Ran¡¯s name.¡± San Mao and the others suddenly came to a realization. ¡°Understood!¡± Chuzheng warned them, ¡°Take note of Meng Ran.¡± ¡®Otherwise, they would be fooled by them even before they could dupe Ji Tongtong to the rooftop.¡¯ ¡®A bunch of idiots.¡¯ Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: The Attack Of The Tycoon (18) Chapter 18: The Attack Of The Tycoon (18) Editor: Atlas Studios Ji Tongtong was locked up on the rooftop for an entire night. The next day, she was directly sent to the hospital and Father Ji had rushed back home to visit her. Luckily, she only had a fever and it was not very serious. After her fever had subsided, she could go home to recuperate. It had only been a few days and Ji Tongtong had lost a lot of weight, making her look especially pitiful. ¡°Tongtong, quickly sit down.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s stepmother helped Ji Tongtong to the sofa. Father Ji was the last to come in. He threw the things he was holding onto the sofa and turned around to ask the maid, ¡°Where¡¯s Ji Chuzheng?¡± The maid was frightened by Father Ji¡¯s anger and immediately pointed upstairs. ¡°Missy has just come home.¡± ¡°Ji Chuzheng, come down now!¡± ¡°Sigh, Old Ji, do you have to flare up? You will scare the kids,¡± persuaded Stepmother in a kind manner. ¡°If I don¡¯t teach her a lesson today, she will not learn her lesson and will only get worse!¡± Ji Tongtong gave a pitiful look with her face looking sickly pale. Chuzheng heard her father and came downstairs. She was wearing her casual wear with her two hands stuffed in her pockets as she took her time to walk down the stairs. Father Ji almost did not recognize his daughter. That hot-headed daughter of his who always wore thick makeup and dressed weirdly had actually returned back to normal? Chuzheng¡¯s stepmother saw that Father Ji had calmed down and immediately said, ¡°Old Ji, the kids are still young. You don¡¯t have to be so angry, after all, it¡¯s just a small misunderstanding between the two sisters. Tongtong is already fine, you don¡¯t have to make such a big deal out of it.¡± Indeed, her words immediately ignited the fury within Father Ji. ¡°Small misunderstanding? She locked Tongtong on the rooftop for one night! If anything were to happen, it¡¯s a life we are talking about!¡± Father Ji berated, ¡°Ji Chuzheng, why did you lock Tongtong on the rooftop?¡± ¡°Do you have any evidence?¡± Chuzheng threw the question back to Father Ji with an expressionless face. Chuzheng¡¯s reaction was different from how Father Ji had imagined her to be. She was calm and cool as her eyes were filled with aloofness and calmness. It was not that Father Ji did not love Ji Chuzheng. It was just that under Ji Tongtong and her stepmother¡¯s silent instigations coupled with Ji Chuzheng¡¯s hot-headed personality, both of them could not communicate with each other peacefully. This eventually led to Father Ji being more and more disappointed with her. ¡°Tongtong¡­¡± Father Ji took a look at Ji Tongtong. ¡°Tongtong said that she saw the person who locked her up on the rooftop. It was the person who always fooled around with you, San Mao.¡± ¡®They were indeed a bunch of idiots.¡¯ ¡®They couldn¡¯t even settle such a small matter.¡¯ ¡®They were even seen by Ji Tongtong!¡¯ ¡®What an idiot!¡¯ ¡®How stupid can they be?¡¯ ¡°She said it¡¯s me so it¡¯s me?¡± Chuzheng stood at the staircase and looked down in a condescending manner. ¡°Do you have any pictures or surveillance camera recordings as proof?¡± Ji Tongtong obviously did not have any evidence. ¡°If you don¡¯t have any evidence, it is considered slander. Dad, you are a businessman, I don¡¯t have to teach you that.¡± Father Ji was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± Ji Tongtong indeed had not said that it was done by her and had only mentioned San Mao. San Mao had always fooled around with her and judging from past events, Father Ji naturally thought that it was done by Ji Chuzheng. Chuzheng¡¯s stepmother looked at her calm demeanor and had a bad feeling about it. Something was not right¡­ with this damned girl. ¡°Old Ji, I told you to cool down first. We have not even got the situation right and yet you flared up at her. What happens if we wronged her?¡± ¡°Daddy, maybe¡­ I have seen wrongly.¡± Ji Tongtong added, ¡°Big Sister wouldn¡¯t do such a thing.¡± Upon hearing Ji Tongtong¡¯s words, Chuzheng confessed honestly and magnanimously, ¡°Hmm, yes, I wouldn¡¯t.¡± Ji Tongtong almost bit her tongue off. She looked towards her mother in a panic. Chuzheng¡¯s stepmother was also stumped by Chuzheng¡¯s words. It was understandable that her appearance had changed, but why did her personality change so much as well? Chuzheng¡¯s stepmother could only go with the flow at the moment, otherwise, she would be contradicting her image and thus pulled Father Ji¡¯s arm. ¡°At that time, Tongtong was frightened to death and could have seen wrongly. It must be a misunderstanding. Old Ji, please don¡¯t blame Chuzheng. Tongtong had just been discharged and her body is still very weak, we should let Tongtong rest.¡± Ji Tongtong immediately gave a look of discomfort. ¡°You can retire back to your room first, Tongtong.¡± Father Ji indeed stopped pursuing the matter. Chuzheng¡¯s stepmother quickly supported Ji Tongtong upstairs and brought her back to her room. Father Ji¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Come with me to my study room.¡± Chuzheng quietly followed Father Ji which was much to Father Ji¡¯s surprise as he did not expect her to listen to him so obediently. After the door closed, Father Ji massaged his temples as his tone turned calmer. ¡°Chuzheng, tell me honestly, did you get people to do it?¡± ¡°No.¡± Chuzheng wore a stern expression on her face and denied it quickly and calmly. Father Ji examined her for a few minutes. ¡°It¡¯s for the best if you didn¡¯t. Tongtong is your little sister. I don¡¯t expect you to take care of her, but please don¡¯t bump heads with her all the time.¡± Chuzheng took a step forward and placed her phone on the study table before pressing the play button with her slender fingers. ¡°It was¡­ It was Ji Tongtong¡­ Ji Tongtong bribed me to rape you¡­ she gave me money and¡­ so¡­ please don¡¯t hit me. It was really Ji Tongtong. I only took the money and did as I was told.¡± Upon hearing the voice on the recorder, Father Ji¡¯s expression changed from confusion to dumbfoundedness and finally to anger. ¡°Ji Chuzheng, you are¡­¡± Chuzheng took her phone back and addressed him calmly, ¡°Dad. Ji Tongtong and her mother teamed up to make me waste¡­ my life so that they could inherit the Ji Family¡¯s assets.¡± ¡®Why does the phrase ¡®waste my life¡¯ sound so awkward?¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s no way that I would waste my life!¡¯ Father Ji furrowed his eyebrows as he seemed to be a little angry. ¡°What kind of nonsense are you talking about?¡± ¡°You should be aware of how a good mother would teach her kids to walk on the right path. But what has she done? Besides giving me money and stopping you from educating me, what else has she done?¡± Father Ji furrowed his eyebrows and remained silent. ¡°Dad, when you first heard the recording, your first reaction was not whether anything had happened to me. Instead, you got mad and thought that I was defaming them.¡± As Chuzheng had hit the bull¡¯s-eye, Father Ji¡¯s face turned black before he came back to his senses. ¡°Chuzheng, are you alright?¡± Chuzheng shook her head and kept her phone. ¡°Goodnight, Dad.¡± Father Ji was stumped. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®That¡¯s it?¡¯ Father Ji watched Chuzheng leave the room with his eyes wide-open as a glint of puzzlement flashed past his eyes before he fell back onto his seat. Chuzheng¡¯s cold and emotionless voice kept playing in his head like a recorder. Back then, he was busy with his business and had indeed neglected his daughter. After that, he married his current wife because he wanted someone to take care of her. Just how did it become like this? Ji Tongtong¡¯s room. ¡°Mum, what exactly happened to Ji Chuzheng?¡± Ji Tongtong tugged her mother¡¯s hand with her face full of suspicion. ¡°She¡¯s like a changed person.¡± ¡°Has she grown close to anyone recently?¡± ¡°¡­She¡¯s grown close to a guy named Ye Chen in our school.¡± Ji Tongtong said, ¡°He does not have much of a background and was always bullied at school. I don¡¯t even know why Chuzheng always hangs out with him?¡± ¡°Student?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s stepmother furrowed her eyebrows. Ji Tongtong nodded her head. ¡°Is there anyone else other than this student?¡± Ji Tongtong tried her best to recall. ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°She couldn¡¯t have suddenly come to a realization herself. There must be someone who has told her something.¡± Stepmother held Ji Tongtong¡¯s hands tightly. ¡°I will investigate this matter. Don¡¯t clash with her for now.¡± Ji Tongtong could not accept this conclusion. ¡°What about her locking me up on the rooftop?¡± ¡°Tongtong, being impatient would only spoil our great plans.¡± ¡°¡­I understand, mummy.¡± Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: The Attack Of The Tycoon (19) Chapter 19: The Attack Of The Tycoon (19) Editor: Atlas Studios Father Ji sat in his study room till it was almost 11 pm in the night. He had someone investigate Chuzheng¡¯s recent events, especially the recording incident. Since he would not get any news so quickly, Father Ji decided to return to his room, only to find out that his wife was still awake and was waiting for him. ¡°Old Ji.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Stepmother sighed, ¡°Did Chuzheng make you angry again?¡± Father Ji opened his mouth to rebut her, but decided against it and continued to listen to Chuzheng¡¯s stepmother. ¡°Don¡¯t always argue with her all day, after all, she¡¯s still young. You are so fierce, you will scare her away. If there¡¯s anything, you can speak nicely and I believe Chuzheng is not an unreasonable kid.¡± ¡°Regarding the recent incident, perhaps Tongtong was frightened by it and had seen wrongly. Chuzheng is a little naughty, but she wouldn¡¯t go overboard.¡± Father Ji looked at Chuzheng¡¯s stepmother with furrowed eyebrows. Just then, Chuzheng¡¯s words randomly appeared in his mind. Every time he argued with his daughter, she would also persuade him and say that the kids are still young, don¡¯t scare them away. She would say it once and then twice, she was always like that¡­ Ji Tongtong and her mother teamed up to make me waste¡­ my life so that they could inherit the Ji Family¡¯s assets. ¡°Old Ji?¡± ¡°Old Ji, what are you thinking about?¡± Father Ji came back to his senses. ¡°Hmm? Nothing much. It¡¯s just that I was very busy at work today and am a little tired. Let¡¯s sleep.¡± Stepmother was a little suspicious, but after seeing that Father Ji was already asleep, she did not think about it any further. After Chuzheng returned to her room, she was met with King¡¯s reprimands as King had expected better from her. [Little miss, you must remember. There isn¡¯t anything in this world that cannot be solved with money. Even if there is, it must be because you are not spending enough! Hence, Little missy, you just have to¡ª¡ªspend money! Spend money! Spend money! That will do! ] Chuzheng: ¡®It would be faster if we kill them.¡¯ [¡­]¡¯Can you not have such dangerous thoughts anymore? We are just an innocent prodigal system.¡¯ Chuzheng wore a cold expression. ¡®Let¡¯s go to sleep.¡¯ The next day. ¡°It¡¯s my birthday party this weekend! All of you must come to my party.¡± Chuzheng heard Ji Tongtong inviting her classmates to her birthday party the moment she walked in. She thought for a while and realized that Ji Tongtong¡¯s birthday was coming soon. Moreover¡­ Something bad was going to happen on her birthday. Chuzheng silently walked back to her seat and Ji Tongtong seemed to have glanced at her, but she quickly looked away. ¡°Will it be held at your house?¡± asked a classmate. Ji Tongtong nodded her head. ¡°Yup! We initially did not want to organize a party but daddy said we must hold one and had even invited many people.¡± Father Ji agreed to organize a grand birthday party for her because of the hospital incident. ¡°Wah¡­¡± Ji Tongtong¡¯s words made many people admire her. ¡°Can we all go?¡± ¡°Of course, everyone can come to the party if they want to.¡± During the period where Ji Tongtong was inviting everyone to her party, Chuzheng received a mission that was worth a few million dollars. It even had special requirements¡ªshe had to buy a three million dollar car. Chuzheng was stunned. ¡°??¡± Previously, the system had never said that there would be designated spending money missions. [Little missy, there would only be more surprises in the future~]King was very conceited. Surprise? What kind of surprises could a bronze player possibly give? A fright would be more like it. Chuzheng pondered for a while. ¡°Even if I buy the car, I can¡¯t drive it so what¡¯s the use?¡± The proprietress was not eighteen yet and hence did not have a driving license. [You can buy it and let the chauffeur drive it.]King made it sound so easy. [The wealthy do not have to drive their own cars.] Chuzheng: As such, Chuzheng happily bought a three million dollar luxury car. The weekend. Ji Tongtong¡¯s birthday. Father Ji had been pestered by Ji Tongtong the whole morning about her birthday party and had not been able to talk to Chuzheng despite Chuzheng being at home. It was not until Ji Tongtong went to find her mother that Father Ji bumped into Chuzheng in the corridor. Father Ji hesitantly called out to her, ¡°Zhengzheng¡­¡± These few days, Chuzheng would occasionally come back later in the night, but it would not be too late. It was different from the times where she would make a ruckus at home whenever she had come back home all drunk and tipsy. She seemed to have grown up without him knowing. ¡°Dad?¡± Father Ji¡¯s facial expression softened. ¡°Do¡­ you have enough money?¡± He initially wanted to ask about her recent events but in the end, he only asked this sentence. How could he not love his daughter? It was just that previously, she would always make him worry about her and always bumped heads with him. Before he could even say a word, they would argue. ¡°Enough.¡± Chuzheng nodded her head expressionlessly. With the system around, she would not have to fret about not having enough money. She pondered for a while before turning around and went back to her room. Father Ji who was still thinking about what he should say next was dumbfounded. She left just like that? However, Chuzheng came out quickly and even had a box in her hands. ¡°I bought this a while back.¡± Chuzheng handed Father Ji the box. The box was not heavy but when Father Ji held it, it seemed a little heavy. He looked deep into Chuzheng¡¯s eyes as tears welled up his eyes. He had always quarreled with his daughter and yet now, he was at a loss over what to say. Naturally, Chuzheng could not say any touching words. ¡°Great¡­ great¡­¡± Father Ji hugged the box as if he was hugging a treasure. He still remembered the time he had received a present from her when she was little. Chuzheng: ¡°In that case, I will return to my room first.¡± Father Ji did not know what to say further and just nodded his head. ¡°Dad, can I come in?¡± Father Ji was just about to put the box Chuzheng bought for him on the study table when he had heard Ji Tongtong knock onto the door and let her in. Ji Tongtong recognized the jade ornament with a glance. This should be the one Yang Qianqian was talking about. Little did she know, she had bought it to give to Father Ji¡­ ¡°Tongtong, what did you find me for?¡± Ji Tongtong immediately gave a warm smile. ¡°It¡¯s going to be two o¡¯clock and my classmates are coming soon, but you have not changed your clothes.¡± ¡°Oh right.¡± Father Ji had forgotten about this matter because of Chuzheng¡¯s actions. ¡°My memory is getting poorer, I will change right now.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need, daddy. I have already chosen your attire.¡± Ji Tongtong took out a suit from behind. Father Ji laughed, ¡°Tongtong is so considerate.¡± Ji Tongtong gave the suit to Father Ji before giving a hesitant look. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Tongtong?¡± asked Father Ji. Ji Tongtong seemed to be very perplexed. ¡°Dad¡­ I¡­I think something¡¯s wrong with big sister.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± asked Father Ji. ¡°Daddy, I¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, you can say it.¡± Ji Tongtong¡¯s face looked very lost before wearing a worried expression. ¡°Didn¡¯t you cut her credit card earlier on? But big sister could still spend lavishly. Previously, she bought a jade ornament for two hundred thousand dollars¡­ Oh, yes, it was this.¡± Ji Tongtong pointed at the jade ornament that was on Father Ji¡¯s table. ¡°I am a little worried for big sister as she did not save much and always asked for money from you every now and then but this time, her card was cut off and yet she still has so much money¡­ I also don¡¯t dare to ask her.¡± Ji Tongtong¡¯s face was full of worry and she made herself look like a good little sister who felt concerned for her big sister and hence told this matter to Father Ji. Ji Tongtong looked at Father Ji carefully and saw that Father Ji¡¯s eyebrows were slightly furrowed. She added, ¡°Every time after school, I would always see Big sister hanging out¡­ with a bunch of people. I am scared that something would happen to Big sister.¡± Ji Tongtong thought that Father Ji would blow a fuse, but Father Ji only furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°We will talk about this after your birthday.¡± Ji Tongtong was a little disappointed that Father Ji did not immediately flare-up. Instead, she gave him a smile and said lovingly, ¡°Hmm, daddy, you can change your clothes and I will go down first.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± After Ji Tongtong left, Father Ji looked at the jade ornament on the table and the image of Chuzheng¡¯s calm and peaceful eyes flashed past his eyes. Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: The Attack Of The Tycoon (20) Chapter 20: The Attack Of The Tycoon (20) Editor: Atlas Studios Ji Tongtong¡¯s classmates had begun arriving one by one and Father Ji had also invited many businessmen and friends to her party. Naturally, Ji Tongtong was very happy as this would show her status in Father Ji¡¯s heart as well as in the Ji Family. ¡°Tongtong, you are so pretty today.¡± ¡°Thank you, you look very cute too.¡± ¡°Tongtong, your dress is so pretty!¡± ¡°Tongtong¡­¡± Ji Tongtong was surrounded by praises. On the other hand, Chuzheng was standing on the stairs as she observed the crowd with an expressionless face. It was indeed very lively today. It was at this very birthday party that the proprietress was fooled by Ji Tongtong again. ¡®My undomesticated little sister¡¯s fighting spirit is so powerful!¡¯ ¡®So scary!¡¯ [Little miss, don¡¯t be scared. We have money.] ¡®In that case, can you let me use the money to smack them?¡¯ ¡®The kind where I can smack them to death in one hit.¡¯ [¡­]¡¯Little miss is so fierce!¡¯ [About that¡­ It is a crime to trample on money.] ¡®Then, what kind of nonsense are you spouting?¡¯ [¡­]¡¯Fierce Little miss.¡¯ ¡°Senior Meng Ran is here!¡± There was a commotion in the crowd below. ¡°It¡¯s really Senior Meng Ran¡­¡± ¡°Are Senior Meng Ran and Tongtong dating?¡± ¡°They are a match made in heaven¡­¡± The various praises and admirations from the crowd made Ji Tongtong feel very comfortable. However, she did not show it on her face and instead showed a shy and embarrassed expression. The boy walked in from outside and compared to his usual uniform attire, the current Meng Ran looked even more handsome, making one unable to take their eyes off him. Meng Ran gave a warm smile. ¡°Happy Birthday, Tongtong.¡± Ji Tongtong¡¯s face was full of coy as her voice turned gentle. ¡°Thank you, Big Brother Meng Ran.¡± Meng Ran gave his present to her and the crowd immediately cheered and asked her to open it. Ji Tongtong felt a little embarrassed and looked towards Meng Ran for his opinion. Meng Ran magnanimously unpacked his gift and took his present out. ¡°Wah¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s so pretty!¡± It was a necklace. The diamonds on it shone brightly under the sunlight, showing off its glamour. With just one look at it, one would know that the necklace was rather pricey. Meng Ran personally put it on for Ji Tongtong as both of them smiled at each other. That scene was so beautiful that it attracted the admiration of many. ¡°Daddy, does it look nice?¡± Ji Tongtong immediately ran to Father Ji¡¯s side as she acted cute while swaying his arm. ¡°Yes.¡± Father Ji nodded his head. ¡°Daddy, what about your present?¡± Father Ji remained silent for a while before smiling and said, ¡°I knew you were going to ask me that so I had already prepared it for you.¡± Father Ji brought Ji Tongtong outside and upon seeing this, the crowd followed them as they were curious as to what the present would be. When they were outside, they only saw a car that was covered in cloth moving in. Ji Tongtong looked at it with expectation and even the others were also attracted by it. The person got out of the car and removed the red cloth, instantly revealing the thing underneath the red cloth. ¡°Wah!¡± ¡°What a beautiful car!¡± ¡°Uncle Ji actually gave Tongtong a car! How good!¡± ¡°The color is so pretty! It totally matches with Tongtong!¡± The red color looked very striking, but when matched with the overall design of the car, it was very soothing to the eye and would definitely attract Ji Tongtong¡¯s liking as the design suited girls very much. At this point in time, Ji Tongtong covered her mouth as her face was full of surprise. She turned around to face Father Ji, but before she could say something, she was pushed by the crowd to the car. Although she was still not legal, to be able to receive a car, it was still very honorable. Moreover, Father Ji had given it to her in front of so many people. In the future, if she were to drive it to school, it would definitely be very cool. ¡°Tongtong, I want to sit in your car in the future.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ji Tongtong agreed while smiling. ¡°Tongtong, you are too nice!¡± ¡°I also want to sit on it.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± The person who removed the red cloth had just unloaded the car and there were already students who could not wait to rush forward to open the car door and sit in it. In response to this, Ji Tongtong furrowed her eyebrows slightly, but could not say much and only maintained her smile. ¡°Tongtong, quickly sit in the driver¡¯s seat.¡± Just like that, Ji Tongtong was pushed to the driver¡¯s seat. The person who sent the car felt a little awkward as he wanted to stop them, but there were too many people. Moreover, everything happened too fast. It was not until then that Father Ji came forward. ¡°Tongtong!¡± ¡°I love you so much, daddy!¡± Ji Tongtong came out from the driver¡¯s seat and gave Father Ji a big hug. Chuzheng¡¯s stepmother giggled. ¡°Only your dad dotes on you. In the future, you must be filial to your daddy.¡± ¡°Hmm, Daddy is the best.¡± ¡°Tongtong, wait a minute.¡± Father Ji pushed her away and dragged the delivery person to a corner. He lowered his voice and asked, ¡°Did you send the wrong car?¡± He had indeed wanted to give her a car, but it was not this car. He had also seen this car previously, but to give a three million dollar car to a student or rather, a student who was not legal yet, it was obviously too costly. Hence, he had chosen a car that was worth a hundred thousand dollars. Ji Tongtong was a little confused as her heart felt a little uncomfortable and the crowd also quietened down a little. ¡°No?¡± The delivery person looked through his list and even showed the address on his list to Father Ji. ¡°It¡¯s here. The recipient would be Miss Ji Chuzheng.¡± Although Father Ji lowered his voice, the other party did not. Furthermore, the crowd had quietened down and everyone could hear their conversation. Ji Chuzheng. The Big Missy from¡­ the Ji Family? ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s stepmother walked to Father Ji¡¯s side as her voice was still very soft and gentle. ¡°Is it because you are too busy at work and had written the wrong name?¡± ¡°No.¡± Father Ji shook his head and said in a low voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t buy this car.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s stepmother was stumped. ¡°¡­¡± Ji Tongtong had also heard it as her face turned a little pale and her face was writ large with embarrassment. Meng Ran immediately went forward and patted her shoulder as a form of consolation. The students who were cheering just now also had their faces filled with awkwardness. They quickly came down from the car and distanced themselves from it. It was actually Ji Chuzheng¡¯s¡­ The rest of the people wore a complicated expression on their faces. The delivery person did not know what had happened and could only ask, ¡°May I know which one is Miss Ji Chuzheng? Could you please sign this proof of delivery?¡± The scene became more awkward. Those who had just complimented Ji Tongtong could not wait to find a hole and hide in it. When everyone was still in a state of confusion, a girl walked out of the villa and went over to sign the proof of delivery. ¡°She¡¯s Ji Chuzheng?¡± ¡°How can it be? Are my eyes playing tricks on me? How did Ji Chuzheng change so much? Where¡¯s her colorful hair and thick make-up?¡± ¡°I also thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. Ji Chuzheng looked like this?¡± The girl was wearing a simple and casual outfit with her hair tied up into a ponytail, showing off her pale and slender neck. Together with her black stud earrings and her emotionless expression, she looked strangely cool when she signed the proof of delivery. ¡°Miss Ji, do you want to check it?¡± asked the delivery person. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± ¡°I will leave first then.¡± The delivery person got into his car and left. Just when he left, another car entered. This was obviously the car that Father Ji wanted to give to Ji Tongtong. Chuzheng finally understood why Bastard wanted her to have the car delivered today. Bastard was waiting for her undomesticated little sister. [Little miss, while we become a prodigal, we must not forget to counterattack~]King happily reminded Chuzheng in her head. Chuzheng: A system where a fool would get more money was clearly not within her level of understanding. On the other hand, Ji Tongtong was still a little expectant, perhaps¡­ Father Ji¡¯s car was more expensive than Ji Chuzheng¡¯s car? Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: The Attack Of The Tycoon (21) Chapter 21: The Attack Of The Tycoon (21) Editor: Atlas Studios Yet when the red cloth was taken down, it was just a plain white car with a cost of a million dollars. Comparing it with Chuzheng¡¯s car, this car was lacking. Ji Tongtong was embarrassed and upset yet she had to smile and thanked Father Ji although her attitude was quite perfunctory. ¡®How did Chuzheng buy a car?¡¯ ¡®Had daddy bought it for her? ¡® ¡®Why was it sent here at this time? Was it to purposely embarrass her?¡¯ After Chuzheng signed the bill, she left and had not given others a chance to talk to her. It was elegant and cool. ¡°Tongtong.¡± Her stepmother pulled her away at the side and reminded her. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it. Meng Ran is waiting for you, go on.¡± Once Ji Tongtong heard Meng Ran was waiting for her, she quickly recollected herself and rushed towards Meng Ran. Father Ji was chatting with others as his gaze scanned one round before he saw Ji Tongtong talking to Meng Ran with intimate contact. ¡°Old Ji, look at those two children. They are an ideal couple. Regarding the matter I mentioned previously, what do you think about it?¡± Father Meng smiled. Father Ji¡¯s heart was in a mess as he wanted to evade the topic, but stepmother who was standing beside him said, ¡°If Tongtong and Meng Ran like each other, as their parents, we would have no objections.¡± Father Ji furrowed his brows. ¡°They are still young¡­¡± Father Meng said, ¡°No problem. Meng Ran is going to graduate from high school. After he graduates, we can let them be engaged with each other first.¡± Father Meng seemed to be very satisfied with Ji Tongtong. Even Mother Meng had no objections and agreed. All three of them chatted merrily and Father Ji¡¯s objection was forgotten just like that. ¡°What do you think Ji Chuzheng was trying to do? Doing such a thing during Ji Tongtong¡¯s birthday party?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? No matter what, Ji Tongtong is still a stepdaughter while Ji Chuzheng is the real successor of the Ji family. Isn¡¯t this clearly telling her that she is the successor of the Ji family!¡± ¡°You make sense. Even if Ji Tongtong tries her best, the Ji family still belongs to Ji Chuzheng.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak too soon. If Ji Tongtong¡¯s mum gives birth to a son, he would be the actual successor of the Ji family.¡± ¡°Ji Chuzheng changed so much, I almost couldn¡¯t recognize her.¡± Ji Tongtong stood at a secluded place and heard all of their conversations. Her hands slightly clenched into a fist. A stepdaughter¡­ No matter how hard she tries, she was just a stepdaughter. ¡°Tongtong, why are you standing here?¡± Yang Qianqian rushed over. ¡°Nothing.¡± Ji Tongtong lowered her head and regained her warm smile when she raised her head again. ¡°To take a breather.¡± ¡°Come with me.¡± Yang Qianqian pulled Ji Tongtong upstairs and closed the room door. ¡°Tongtong, do you want to embarrass Ji Chuzheng?¡± Ji Tongtong purposely acted as though she did not understand. ¡°Qianqian, what are you saying? She¡¯s my big sister.¡± ¡°What kind of big sister is she? She doesn¡¯t even treat you as her younger sister so don¡¯t speak up for her.¡± ¡°Qianqian!¡± ¡°Aiya, don¡¯t care too much about it. Help me to leak the news later.¡± The main focus of Ji Tongtong¡¯s birthday party was at night. Ji Tongtong changed into a grander gown and when she stood together with Meng Ran, they looked like a match made in heaven. Yang Qianqian stood at the side and her heart was filled with jealousy yet she had to continue smiling. The party went on smoothly. Ji Tongtong wanted to find Yang Qianqian, but could not find her after a long while. Hadn¡¯t she wanted to embarrass Ji Chuzheng? Why had she disappeared at this moment? Ji Tongtong asked the people beside her and she found out that Yang Qianqian went upstairs. Ji Tongtong searched for her upstairs and when she passed by a room, the room door suddenly opened and she was pulled inside it. The room was dark and she could not see a thing. Her chin was held by someone as she was harshly fed with some water. The cold alcoholic substance entered her stomach. ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Ji Tongtong was choked badly and the fear from the darkness made her voice quiver as she questioned. ¡°Who are you¡­ who are you? What are you trying to do?¡± The person who abducted her pushed her from the back and Ji Tongtong¡¯s brain started to spin as she fell down beside the bed before she heard the door open. Following that, the room became dark again. Chuzheng stood outside the door and spun the glass cup in her hands before returning to her room. After about half an hour, Chuzheng heard loud noises as the corridor was filled with people. Chuzheng pushed her way through and maybe her cold aura was too strong thus the surrounding people stepped back and made way for her to walk through. The room was quite messy and there was even a strange smell. Ji Tongtong was hugged by Meng Ran while Yang Qianqian was bound on the bed as she shivered and did not dare to look at anyone. ¡°Oh my gosh! This is shocking¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know these two people had such a relationship. But to do this in the guest room¡­¡± ¡°Too bad, I came too late and didn¡¯t manage to catch that splendid scene.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this too disgusting?¡± ¡°Yeah, why didn¡¯t I know they had such a relationship in the past?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t both of them always together? In the past, I thought that they were too close and it was not normal¡­¡± Father Ji and others heard the ruckus and rushed over. Stepmother almost fainted in fright when she saw that scene. Father Ji quickly sent away the guests and controlled the situation. Today, business partners and Ji Tongtong¡¯s classmates all came. Too many people witnessed that scene thus, even if Father Ji wanted to prevent the spread of news, it was impossible. Father Meng and Mother Meng were there as well and when they saw the scene, they had a complex look as they looked at each other. Ji Tongtong and Yang Qianqian actually¡­ Although the acceptance of such a relationship was better now than in the past. When it happened to the people around them, it still made some uncomfortable and unacceptable. ¡°Erm¡­ Old Ji, we will take our leave now.¡± Mother Meng pulled Meng Ran away but at that moment, Father Ji and stepmother had no time to bother with them. ¡°Mom¡­¡± Meng Ran had not wanted to leave. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Mother Meng muttered and forcefully pulled Meng Ran away with Father Meng. Chuzheng stood outside the door and looked with a cold expression. When Meng Ran came out, he locked eyes with her and a chill came down his spine. ¡°Hurry up.¡± Mother Meng pulled Meng Ran and swiftly left. ¡°Mom¡­¡± Ji Tongtong wailed out loudly. ¡°Tongtong, Tongtong¡­ What happened?¡± Ji Tongtong did not know what happened. She was fed a glass of wine and her whole body started to feel warm then¡­ Yang Qianqian could not say it out either and only cried. Father Ji said in a deep voice. ¡°Both of you, you¡¯re really¡­¡± ¡°Daddy, Qianqian and I are just friends. I really don¡¯t know what happened. It must be someone else who did this to Qianqian and I¡­¡± Ji Tongtong recounted her encounter earlier. Especially the incident where she was pulled in the room. Ji Tongtong cried and cried but suddenly raised her head and pointed to Chuzheng. ¡°Big sister¡­ It was big sister¡­ Big sister was the one who pulled me into the room.¡± Stepmother could not believe her ears. ¡°Tongtong, what did you say?¡± Father Ji looked towards his daughter who stood at the door. Towards Ji Tongtong¡¯s accusation, Chuzheng remained calm. Father Ji questioned her. ¡°Chuzheng¡­ what¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡®How did a birthday party turn out like this?¡¯ ¡®His stepdaughter even accused his own daughter and said she harmed her?¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s reply was even colder. Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: The Attack Of The Tycoon (22) Chapter 22: The Attack Of The Tycoon (22) Editor: Atlas Studios Although Ji Tongtong said she had not seen anything, after living with Chuzheng for so long, her gut feeling would not be wrong. It was Chuzheng. Chuzheng had a cold face of denial. It was not her. She had not done anything. They had to bring out the evidence. If there was no evidence, it would be slander. ¡°Big sister, why must you do this to me¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me.¡± Chuzheng boldly denied it. Ji Tongtong¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°It¡¯s you¡­ Dad, it¡¯s big sister! She did this to me¡­ How can I face others now? Dad, you have to help me!¡± Yang Qianqian was her friend. Usually, they held hands, shopped together, and even slept on the same bed. But¡­ Once she thought about her encounter earlier, Ji Tongtong felt disgusted and cried even louder, losing control of her emotions. ¡°Old Ji, you have to investigate this matter properly!¡± Stepmother held Ji Tongtong. Today, so many people had seen it and with the Meng family¡­ They had even settled the marriage between the two families yet how could such a thing happen? Stepmother¡¯s heart had a surge of hatred while thinking about it. If this incident was done by Ji Chuzheng, she would definitely not let her off! Father Ji was speechless. He looked at his cold-hearted daughter who stood outside the door and was at a loss for words. In the end, Father Ji made stepmother bring Ji Tongtong back to her room. As for Yang Qianqian¡­ Yang Qianqian wanted to harm Chuzheng and she prepared the set-up, but she had no idea as to how Chuzheng found out about it. She only knew she was dragged into the room by Chuzheng and a half-filled glass of wine was forcefully chugged down her throat. She definitely could not say this as she would be the one in trouble in the end. Yang Qianqian could only grit her teeth and feigned ignorance before father Ji let the Yang family send Yang Qianqian home. However, after this incident, how could the Yang family leave the matter at that. After father Ji bid goodbye to the Yang family, a sharp pain lanced through his head and colorful spots filled his vision. Buzz¡­ The vibration of his cellphone became even more sudden in the quiet atmosphere. ¡°President Ji, we have investigated that¡­¡± As the person on the call continued to speak, Father Ji¡¯s already terrible expression became gloomier. Stepmother made a ruckus and wanted Father Ji to investigate the truth. How could her daughter face their relatives and friends after suffering such a great grievance? Now, everyone within their circle of friends probably knew that her daughter was a lesbian and even did that thing at her birthday party¡­ Moreover, the Yang family would not leave this matter to rest. On the other hand, Chuzheng was completely unaffected by it and continued to go to school. The drug was brought by Yang Qianqian. Even if she was careful, she was still a student and would definitely leave traces. Father Ji investigated and showed the evidence to the Yang family which made them speechless immediately. As for how Yang Qianqian fell into the trap, she would have to ask herself and the Ji family would not be responsible. ¡°Old Ji, are you not going to care for Tongtong who suffered such a great grievance? Tongtong said¡­ Chuzheng did it. I know Chuzheng is your daughter so I¡¯ve always treated her as my own daughter and never mistreated her, but why must she harm my Tongtong?¡± Father Ji was questioned by the stepmother. Father Ji smoothed his brows. ¡°You have to ask Tongtong properly regarding this and stop accusing Chuzheng.¡± ¡°Old Ji, what do you mean? Tongtong was wronged yet you still want to question her?¡± The stepmother could not take that accusation lying down. Father Ji had not wanted to suspect Ji Tongtong, but as he thought about the incident which he ordered others to investigate, the result was¡­ Ji Tongtong had something to do with it. Ji Tongtong had not done it herself, but she gave the money personally. Even if a normal person could not investigate the truth, could he not? Ji Tongtong bribed a person to rape his own daughter, but was this something the Ji Tongtong whom he knew, would be able to do? Over these past few days, Father Ji had been suppressing his anger and thought that there was a misunderstanding. He made someone investigate again. But no matter how many times he investigated, the end result was the same. That matter was closely linked to Ji Tongtong. Regarding the incident during the birthday party, the drug was brought in by Yang Qianqian, but she could not be using it for herself. Since it was not for herself, who was it for? No matter who it was for, Yang Qianqian brought it upon herself. As for Ji Tongtong¡­ ¡°Old Ji, say something? You have to bring justice to Tongtong. If not, how can she face others in the future? Do you know what others are saying about Tongtong?¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Father Ji gave a deep scoff. He wanted to continue his words,but suppressed it before pushing away the stepmother and left swiftly. ¡°Old Ji!¡± ¡°Old Ji, stop there!¡± ¡°What do you mean!¡± The stepmother continued to shout. But Father Ji did not look back and left. The stepmother puffed in anger. As she turned around, she met Chuzheng¡¯s cold gaze. ¡°It was you¡­¡± The stepmother pointed at Chuzheng as rage appeared in her eyes. ¡°You did this to my Tongtong.¡± Chuzheng carried her bag and proceeded down the stairs. ¡°Do you have proof?¡± ¡°Tongtong saw you!¡± She believed Tongtong would not lie to her and Chuzheng definitely did it. She had also asked Tongtong if Yang Qianqian wanted to trick Ji Chuzheng, why had Tongtong and Yang Qianqian fallen into the trap? ¡°Ji Chuzheng, you little wretch! How dare you harm Tongtong! I knew you weren¡¯t anything good!¡± The stepmother got even more agitated and rushed forward before lifting her hand as she wanted to hit Chuzheng. Chuzheng used the railings as support and leaped over before pushing the stepmother from the back. The stepmother was already using a lot of strength thus when she was pushed by Chuzheng, she fell straight down the steps. ¡°Ji Chuzheng!¡± ¡°You¡¯re too noisy.¡± If only she could get rid of her, that would save her the trouble. A pity! Chuzheng indifferently carried her school bag and left. When the stepmother got up, Chuzheng was nowhere to be seen. Father Ji seemed to be investigating the stepmother and disappeared for quite a few days. The stepmother and Ji Tongtong were clearly uneasy, but could not inquire about Father Ji¡¯s whereabouts. Chuzheng found the stepmother and Ji Tongtong noisy and had not come back either. Today, she had to take some things and came back to the house after school. She came across the scene where the stepmother was arguing with Father Ji, but she had no idea what they were arguing over. Just as she entered the house, they began to talk about a divorce. The stepmother had an agitated reaction and was adamant to not agree to the divorce. Father Ji threw a stack of photos to her and the stepmother¡¯s face paled immediately. Chuzheng ignored them and proceeded upstairs. After half an hour, Father Ji knocked on her room¡¯s door. Father Ji looked haggard and his face was filled with apology. ¡°Chuzheng, daddy has neglected you in the past and wanted to find a person to take care of you, but I didn¡¯t know it made you suffer even more.¡± It was all because that woman and Ji Tongtong acted too well. Ji Chuzheng was rebellious as well, hence in the house, they seemed more like the bullied party. He had also never performed a thorough investigation and only scratched the surface. Over these past few days, he investigated the incidents that happened in the past few years and realized he was actually thoroughly cheated by the masks they put on in front of him. Chuzheng had told him that the pair of mother and daughter were after his family fortune. But he had not believed her as she never ever asked about the company. But¡­ After a thorough investigation, he found out that the woman actually did many things in secret. ¡°Please forgive daddy. Daddy realized he was wrong. In the future, daddy would definitely treat you better.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all in the past now.¡± Chuzheng gave an equivocal reply. Father Ji¡¯s eyes were a little red. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Daddy will settle this properly.¡± Chuzheng nodded her head. The words Father Ji wanted to say was swallowed back again. He gave one final sigh and said a few more sentences before leaving. Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: The Attack Of The Tycoon (23) Chapter 23: The Attack Of The Tycoon (23) Editor: Atlas Studios [Little miss, could you not resort to such tactics to solve problems? We are a prodigal system! Can you please understand?] Chuzheng: How troublesome! [¡­]¡¯How was spending money troublesome? How many people would wish for this! Ignorant! How infuriating!¡¯ Father Ji and stepmother were settling their divorce procedures. Initially, the stepmother still pleaded with Father Ji with kind words. But when Father Ji refused to back down, the usually gentle and virtuous woman showed her hateful side and wanted to split the family assets with Father Ji. On account that she had been with him for so many years, Father Ji had not gone too far. But stepmother was not pleased, yet the terms she said were totally unacceptable for Father Ji. As Father Ji thought about his own daughter, he straightforwardly left them with nothing at all. Stepmother had managed the assets for so many years. Luckily, Father Ji noticed early and had not let her reap many benefits. In the end, they only got two houses. Father Ji gave the pair of mother and daughter the villa they lived in and moved houses with Chuzheng. After everything fell into place, Father Ji finally had the time to question Chuzheng how she got so much money. How was she going to explain? It dropped from the sky? She won the lotto? In front of Father Ji¡¯s questioning, Chuzheng did not change countenance and calmly replied. ¡°My savings.¡± Usually, Father Ji gave the proprietress quite a lot of money while the proprietress frequently came up with all sorts of reasons and asked for money. If she saved all this money, it would be quite a big sum. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Suddenly, Father Ji thought of something and lamented. Chuzheng: Out of guiltiness, Father Ji wanted to make up for his neglect in the past thus, he treated Chuzheng especially well and she would get whatever she wanted. The incident regarding Ji Tongtong and Yang Qianqian had spread throughout the school, even those who were not in the same grade knew as it was repeatedly forwarded in WeChat Moments. Yang Qianqian rested enough and went back to school for class, but she could not withstand an afternoon of mocking before dejectedly leaving the school. The incident of Ji Tongtong and her¡­ was unbearable to hear. Ji Tongtong had not attended school. Initially, she took days of leave, but after the divorce of her mother and Father Ji was made known, Ji Tongtong left the school. ¡°The mission is completed?¡± Chuzheng asked King. Now, Ji Tongtong and Mother Ji were kicked out of the Ji family. Father Ji was full of regret towards her and would probably not remarry. [¡­]¡¯With your completion status, you¡¯ve failed¡­ No, you¡¯ve received negative points!¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m asking you a question.¡± [¡­As long as they don¡¯t live better than you in the future, it is considered to be completed.] So troublesome! ¡®Kicking them out of the house was not fine¡­ Indeed, it would only be fine if she got rid of them.¡¯ [¡­]¡¯How did Little miss get such an idea! Which sentence of his expressed that meaning?¡¯ ¡°Big sister Chuzheng.¡± San Mao ran over here and panted. ¡°Ye Chen has not been to school for a few days. I heard his family requested a leave of absence for him.¡± Over these past few days, because of Ji Tongtong, she had not bothered with Ye Chen. She had only thought of finding him when she had not received tuition classes from Ye Chen for a few days. ¡°Leave of absence?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± San Mao scratched his head. ¡°I heard that he¡¯s sick.¡± Chuzheng thought about the information she received on the day before the college entrance examination. Ye Chen must have been unable to take the college entrance examination as he was in trouble so in the end¡­ Chuzheng flung her school bag behind her and rushed to Ye Chen¡¯s house. Chuzheng first took a look at Ye Chen¡¯s window, but it was tightly closed and even the curtain was pulled down so she could not see anything. She glanced left and right before walking up the stairs towards a family¡¯s house. She had not needed to knock on the door as the door was already opened and someone walked out to move their things. ¡°What are you here for?¡± The woman saw someone blocking the way outside and bellowed out. ¡°If you have nothing on, don¡¯t block the way. Move away. Move away.¡± ¡°Where is Ye Chen?¡± The four words successfully made the woman stand rooted to the ground. After a few seconds, she fiercely howled out. ¡°There is no one here who is called Ye Chen. You¡¯ve come to the wrong place. Leave now and don¡¯t block the way!¡± Chuzheng closed the gap between them and the woman felt frantic. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The girl in front of her had a cold expression with an icy cold gaze which made one uncomfortable. The woman shouted towards the inside. ¡°Old Ye! Old Ye!¡± Chuzheng pushed the woman inside and the round and fat woman fell back but was caught by the man who heard his name being called. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chuzheng entered the house and closed the door. In the dark room, Ye Chen laid on the icy cold and wet ground. His face was pale but his eyes were as though a venomous snake and had a gleam of hope which made one feel disappointed. Screech The door was pushed open and a man walked in. He looked at Ye Chen before saying, ¡°Brat, don¡¯t push yourself. Your uncle owes us so much money. If it was not because our boss liked you, did you think your family could live happily?¡± Ye Chen¡¯s lips were cracked with dead skin as he opened his mouth and his hoarse voice filled with hatred. ¡°They are not related to me at all.¡± ¡°Aiyo.¡± The man laughed. ¡°Your uncle is using you to repay his debt.¡± Ye Chen gripped his hands tightly. They were not even his kinsmen, they were a group of beasts. ¡°Our boss is giving you an evening to think it through. If you still can¡¯t figure it out, then what¡¯s waiting for you is not just this kind of treatment.¡± Bang! The door was closed. Ye Chen¡¯s forehead was supported on the icy cold ground as the blood in his body seemed to have started to coagulate. He thought he could escape from them soon. There were two months left¡­ Two months until the college entrance examination and he could leave this place. But never had he thought that his uncle would do such a thing. His uncle gambled and was in a heap of debt, but when he could not repay his debt, he used him to repay the debt. He also did not know in this society, there were still such people who did not treat people as humans. Ye Chen¡¯s nails dug into his skin and blood flowed out from his palm and dyed the ground red. He could not faint here. He could not¡­ After a long time, Ye Chen heard fighting noises from outside. Someone banged on the door and a dull voice was heard. Following that, the door was kicked open. Light rays entered from the outside. Ye Chen¡¯s eyes were not used to the strong light and he could only clearly see the person standing outside the door after a while. The person wore a black suit with a large pair of sunglasses and his hand was even holding a weapon that looked like a mace. The people outside the door rushed forward. Someone waved the mace and sent people flying. A person seemed to have entered from the outside as they made way for the person. Under the light, the woman slowly appeared as she stuffed her hands into her school jacket pockets and her posture was cold with a sense of alienation. Ye Chen¡¯s breathing was slightly sluggish and he looked as though he could see the girl bringing out a ray of hope in the darkness surrounding him. Following the light, she walked into the room and every step of hers seemed to be stepping on his heart. Ye Chen suddenly shrunk back and hid in the darkness as though by doing that, he could hide his pitiful self. Chuzheng stepped forward while Ye Chen retreated back until he had nowhere to retreat to and leaned on the corner of the wall. Chuzheng pulled his wrists. The warmth from her fingers placed on the skin of his wrists gushed through his four limbs as though it was going to burn him up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ye Chen was dragged up and he staggered a few times before he supported himself beside the wall and barely stood firmly. He had not dared to look at Chuzheng and tolerated the pain in his body as he was brought out of the house by her. Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: The Attack Of The Tycoon (24) Chapter 24: The Attack Of The Tycoon (24) Editor: Atlas Studios The corridor outside was dimly lit with the only light source produced from the torches held by people beside him. The few people lying in the corridor held their bodies and moaned in pain. The boss he saw earlier was shielded by others as he locked eyes with them. Ye Chen was brought out by the bodyguards at the back and he was not given a chance to speak. He looked back and the girl indifferently stood in the middle of the corridor. In front of this bunch of people, she had no sense of fear. Ye Chen had not taken his eyes off the entrance as he was brought into the car. After half an hour, Chuzheng came out. She carried a school uniform in her hands while her sleeves were rolled up slightly, showing her beautiful wrists as she followed the bodyguards who had a sturdy built. That posture was similar to the appearance of a Triad¡¯s lady boss on the television screen. The bodyguard helped to open the car door and fresh air gushed in. After the car steadily left that place, Ye Chen¡¯s stiff body slowly relaxed. ¡°How did you¡­ know that I was here?¡± ¡°I asked someone.¡± The answer was short and clear. ¡°Did you¡­ purposely search for me?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Now, the lonely heart he had for a few years felt as though ripples were formed on the lake which slowly developed into unstoppable huge waves. Ye Chen gripped both of his hands together and glanced at her. The girl¡¯s brows were lowered while her fingers were tapping the top of her wrists. The car drove to an unfamiliar place and bumped heavily as Ye Chen fell towards Chuzheng. His brain bumped into Chuzheng¡¯s shoulder and Ye Chen ear¡¯s turned red as he smelled a flowery aroma on her. He wanted to get up yet in the end, he tried to lean on her. The latter nudged him slightly towards the side. [Little miss, we are trying to be his friend. At this moment, how could you do such a despicable action and push him away!? You must treat him with warm care and concern. Remember, you are his friend~] King¡¯s voice stopped her action in time. The car journey lasted for half an hour before stopping outside a small neighborhood. ¡°Miss Ji, we¡¯ve reached.¡± It was the small neighborhood he visited previously. Chuzheng took out a bag from her school bag and passed it to the opposite party. The opposite party checked and the fierce look on his face showed a smile. ¡°Miss, thank you for using bodyguard services from Wu Di company. If you ever need us again, please contact us and we will be there. Remember to give us good comments.¡± Ye Chen: Was this service from Taobao? The cars left one by one and Chuzheng pulled Ye Chen towards the small neighborhood. ¡°Tss¡­¡± Chuzheng looked back. Ye Chen tolerated the pain. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He was so weak! Chuzheng walked back and supported him up the stairs. Ye Chen sat on the sofa while Chuzheng flipped through the house before she stood in the living room and gazed at the empty room. ¡°Thank you for saving me today.¡± Originally, he was prepared to fight those people to death but he never knew someone would come and save him. That person¡­ was someone he had never dared to think about in the past. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Chuzheng supported her chin with a serious look and casually replied to him. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± After seeing her look, Ye Chen could not help but feel worried. ¡°Will those people find trouble for you? I¡­¡± Chuzheng turned around and cut him off with a serious look. ¡°Can you go and buy medicine?¡± It was too troublesome to head out at night. Now, her whole body was screaming one word. Troublesome. How could Little miss say such words! You¡¯re being single out of your own free will!¡¯ King was going crazy. Ye Chen was also a little stunned. ¡®How could he buy medicine when he can¡¯t even walk properly? So she was thinking about this matter for so long?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll go buy it myself.¡± He had already given her enough trouble yet he still had to trouble her now¡­ He got up while saying, but fell back down again. Pain surged through his knee. He furrowed his brows and took in a deep breath before forcefully standing up again. But in just two steps, he fell back down again. If it was not for Chuzheng¡¯s quick reflexes and for her holding him, he would have bumped into the corner of the sofa. Ye Chen was very close to Chuzheng at that moment. Once again, Ye Chen felt his heart pumping faster. Thump-thump.. Thump-thump, thump-thump¡­ As though his heart flew out of his mouth. He stared at Chuzheng¡¯s eyes and placed his hands on her shoulders before pushing her towards him. His adam¡¯s apple moved a little as his lips pressed against Chuzheng¡¯s lips. The soft touch made Ye Chen¡¯s heart pump faster as his blood bubbled up and he could not think straight. He bit down on her lips and it was soft and tender with an icy cold breath, similar to her personality. Chuzheng looked blankly at him and had no reaction. Ye Chen¡¯s adam¡¯s apple moved as he wanted to carry on, but was pushed back by Chuzheng. She raised her hand and swiped her lips. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Her tone was calm and had no sense of anger as well as the embarrassment most girls would feel as though she was asking the weather why it was so cold. Ye Chen became frantic. She had said before that saving him had only been to make him think of her as a friend. He did not know why he had¡­ Ye Chen suddenly spoke up. ¡°Ever since my parents died, I carried on the burden myself no matter what happened. I tolerated the pain from illnesses, the cold and everything I could not accept¡­ There were a few times I thought I would die but I didn¡¯t.¡± He had not experienced the feeling of being cared about and saved for a long¡­ long time. His rationality told him that it could all be a scam. But other than his rationality, he could not help, but think about her. Initially, he thought about her motive but in the later part¡­ he was just purely thinking about her. Ye Chen immediately came back to his senses. What was he saying? ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m leaving.¡± Ye Chen rushed out of the house. The moment he stepped outside the house, he fell and the pain from his knees spread throughout his four limbs while his heart was in pain too. He had no right to tell her that. She was the superior Big Missy from the Ji Family. She stood in the spotlight with bodyguards in the front and back. From the start, they never belonged to the same world. Ye Chen climbed up and walked towards the lift as though he felt no pain. The lift door had just opened before a hand pushed him towards the side. Ye Chen¡¯s back hit the icy cold wall. Chuzheng held on the wall with one hand. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Ye Chen moved his head away and dared not to look at her. ¡°I¡¯ve given you enough trouble¡­¡± ¡°Go back.¡± Chuzheng raised her chin towards the house door. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying this for the last time. Go back.¡± ¡°Ji Chuzheng¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t go back, I¡¯m going to break your legs.¡± Chuzheng fiercely threatened him. Ye Chen was thrown back on the sofa again. Chuzheng did not glance at him as she kept a straight face and walked out. The door closed with a ¡°Kacha¡± sound, followed by the locking sound of the door. Ye Chen was stumped. Ye Chen leaned on the sofa as his fingers touched his lips. He pressed it down softly as though the taste of her lips was still lingering there. Ye Chen slumped on the sofa and hugged his knees while staring blankly at the emptiness. ¡®Ji Chuzheng¡­¡¯ ¡®I think¡­ I like you.¡¯ Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: The Attack Of The Tycoon (25) Chapter 25: The Attack Of The Tycoon (25) Editor: Atlas Studios Ye Chen woke up the next morning. As he was too tired yesterday, he did not even know how he had ended up falling asleep. The wounds on his body have been cleaned up and even his clothes were changed¡­ Wait a minute, clothes? Clothes! Ye Chen gave a thorough check of his body causing his already pale face to turn even paler. Kacha Just then, the door to his room opened and a girl came in with a glass of milk in her hands before placing it right in front of his face. ¡°Drink it.¡± ¡°Who changed my clothes?¡± asked Ye Chen torturously. ¡°Me,¡± replied Chuzheng naturally. There was no one else here. Who could it be other than her? Last night, she only slept for a few hours! And it was all because of this weakling! ¡°You¡­¡± Ye Chen was stunned before his whole face heated up. ¡°You changed it for me?¡± Chuzheng gave a bold answer, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡®You can¡¯t expect me to find a nanny for you in the middle of the night right? What is this weakling thinking? He must have gone nuts after going through a beating!¡¯ Ye Chen¡¯s ears grew red as his heart raced and felt as if every hair on his body was standing. He closed his eyes before saying those agonizing words, ¡°You even changed my¡­ underwear for me?¡± ¡°There¡¯s blood.¡± ¡®If I don¡¯t change it, do I have to keep it as a memoir for you?¡¯ Ye Chen felt even more embarrassed and could not wait to find a hole and hide in it. ¡°You¡­ You¡­¡± ¡®How could she do such a thing? If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t she have seen everything on my body?¡¯ Ye Chen spat a few words out, ¡°Men and women should keep a proper distance from each other.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wounded.¡± Ye Chen froze. She changed his clothes because he was hurt¡­ Ye Chen felt an inexplicable tightness in his heart. What was he embarrassed about when the lady had not even said a single complaint? Although Ye Chen consoled himself by thinking this way, his ears were still very red as he did not dare to look at Chuzheng. ¡°Drink it.¡± Chuzheng handed him the glass of milk which she had been holding. ¡®Does he even know his manners?¡¯ ¡®Can¡¯t he see that I am tired of holding the glass of milk?¡¯ Ye Chen reached his hand out and his fingernails accidentally touched the tip of Chuzheng¡¯s fingers. He immediately retracted his hand back as though he had been burned by her. It was not until Chuzheng left did Ye Chen finally relax his stiff body as he stared at the door as if he was in a daze. Ye Chen had to recuperate for a few days and every day, before Chuzheng headed to school, she would always lock the door making Ye Chen feel as if he was held captive in the room. Every day, he would eat and sleep well. There would even be cleaners who would come up and tidy up the room. Then again, the cleaner would only turn up after Chuzheng was back from school. When she came back from school, she still had to bring his homework for him. ¡®Maybe she locked me up here because she wants me to do her homework for her.¡¯ As for that day¡¯s happenings, she did not mention a word as though nothing had happened before. He asked once but she only replied to him coldly and said that she would settle it. After that, she would not say anything further. Ye Chen had also tried to request leaving this place as he did not want to trouble her further but he only had one outcome¡ªHe was fiercely threatened by her and could only continue staying here. ¡°Have your wounds healed?¡± asked Chuzheng after she came back one day. The teenage boy did his homework while nodding. ¡°It¡¯s almost healed. Are you still going to cage me here?¡± Towards the end of his sentence, the teenage boy furrowed his eyebrows slightly. He had to admit that he was not very angry about it. ¡°Come with me to a place.¡± Chuzheng dragged him and left. ¡°Where are we going¡­ my homework¡­¡± Ye Chen was pushed into a car and he felt that the people in the car seemed a little familiar. They were the bodyguards who had saved him previously¡ªBodyguard salesmen from the Wu Di Company? ¡°Where are we going?¡± The car fell silent and the car moved into a direction he was not familiar with before eventually stopping at an unfamiliar estate. The bodyguard opened the door for him as Ye Chen alighted from the car confusedly. Chuzheng casually dragged him further into the estate while Ye Chen lowered his eyes and looked at her hand holding his own with a deep gaze as his lips were pursed slightly. ¡°Who are you finding?¡± A familiar voice woke Ye Chen out of his daze as his eyes were fixed on the person before him while he wore a blank expression. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± The person who opened the door was Ye Chen¡¯s auntie and after she recognized the people at her door, her sordid expression showed a hint of terror. As her eyes scanned past Ye Chen, Auntie¡¯s expression grew even more panicky as she broke into a cold sweat and went weak at her knees. ¡®How did she find out that we were here?¡¯ ¡®We have not told anyone that we have moved here!¡¯ Chuzheng¡¯s cold gaze scanned past her. ¡°Are we going to talk here or talk inside?¡± Behind Chuzheng was a tall and muscular bodyguard and this caused Auntie¡¯s back to be filled with cold sweat as she opened the door to let Chuzheng and Ye Chen in. The usually shrewd woman looked very much like a dog who had its tail between its legs right now. Uncle walked out from the room and when he saw Chuzheng and Ye Chen, he had the same reaction as Auntie. ¡°Hubby.¡± Auntie immediately walked to Uncle¡¯s side and held his hand. ¡°What are we going to do? How did she find out that we are living here¡­¡±¡®She even brought this jinx, Ye Chen, here.¡± Previously, this girl had come to question them on Ye Chen¡¯s whereabouts and yet now she had brought Ye Chen to their door, could this ever be a good thing? Ye Chen sat down warily as everything in the house seemed very foreign to him. After he was saved by Chuzheng, he did not contact anyone and was not even aware that his own auntie and uncle had moved houses. ¡°Ye Chen¡­¡± ¡®I don¡¯t even know how Ye Chen met such a person?¡¯ Uncle¡¯s heart was filled with disgust, but he still kept a smile on his face. ¡°Is this your friend?¡± Ye Chen heard it and raised his head slightly. His uncle¡¯s expression only made him feel disgusted by it. He thought that they were already being too much previously. However, it was only now that he realized how cruel and cold-blooded they were. Ye Chen clenched his fists slightly as he turned his head away and refused to look at his uncle nor reply to him. Chuzheng signaled to the person outside and a lawyer who was standing behind the bodyguard came in with a file before handing it to Chuzheng politely. Uncle and Auntie witnessed her powerful presence and felt even more nervous as their sweat kept dropping. Chuzheng took out a few documents from the file and placed it on the coffee table one by one. ¡°Mr. Ye and Mrs. Ye.¡± The lawyer greeted them while smiling. ¡°Both of you are Ye Chen¡¯s guardians, am I right?¡± Uncle and Auntie looked at each other and had no idea what was going on. Chuzheng stuffed her hands in her pocket and stood at a corner. Ye Chen was sitting on the sofa beside her making the atmosphere seem very strange. ¡°Yes¡­ yes¡­¡± Uncle nodded his head. ¡°Ye Chen¡¯s parents have passed away in an accident and have received a compensation sum of $500,000. Their assets also include a house which was worth $1,500,000¡­¡± The lawyer¡¯s voice could be heard clearly in the room as the lawyer stated their assets clearly. Uncle and Auntie¡¯s facial expression stiffened as they could no longer stand still. It was not until they had heard the latter part of the lawyer¡¯s speech that both of them had finally realized that the lawyer was here to talk about Ye Chen¡¯s parents¡¯ assets. ¡°What¡¯s the point of talking about these? As Ye Chen¡¯s guardian, we have the right to safe keep the assets for him!¡± said auntie shamelessly. The lawyer chuckled, ¡°But based on what Mr. Ye Chen has said, these assets have already been spent by the both of you.¡± Ye Chen was stumped. ¡®I have not even seen you before!¡¯ ¡®I didn¡¯t even see you in the car just now!¡¯ ¡®When did I say such a thing?¡¯ ¡®Besides the house¡­ I had already hidden the property deed earlier¡­¡¯ ¡°Who¡­ who said so? There¡¯s no such thing!¡± denied Auntie immediately. ¡°He is still so young and we are just helping him manage his assets. Once he has grown up, we will return it to him.¡± ¡°Both of you must be familiar with this contract?¡± Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: The Attack Of The Tycoon (26) Chapter 26: The Attack Of The Tycoon (26) Editor: Atlas Studios The lawyer presented a house sales contract. Once the contract was presented, Uncle and Auntie immediately panicked. The lawyer said, ¡°Under the right of being Mr. Ye Chen¡¯s guardian, both of you had sold the house which was left behind by Ye Chen¡¯s parents for $1,300,000.¡± Ye Chen stood up and snatched the contract from the lawyer¡¯s hands. He swiftly flipped the contract only to see the stamp and signature on the last page of the contract. His fingers trembled and the contract slipped past his fingers before falling onto the ground with a thud. He raised his head violently as his eyes were filled with maliciousness. It was the same look he gave Chuzheng when he saw her for the first time. ¡°You¡­ sold my parents¡¯ house?¡± He emphasized every syllable. Upon seeing Ye Chen¡¯s gloomy and cold gaze, Uncle subconsciously took a step back. It was only a while later that he realized that he was actually scared by a little brat¡¯s stare. Uncle and Auntie suddenly scolded him, ¡°We have taken care of you for so many years and yet you teamed up with others to create trouble for us! You ungrateful brat¡­¡± ¡°After your parents left, if we didn¡¯t raise you and take care of you, you would have starved to death! Would you still live till today?¡± ¡°We have raised you for nothing!¡± ¡°Raising a dog would be better than raising you! How could you do such a thing¡­¡± Both of them talked as if they were giving a two-man comic show. Ye Chen laughed in exasperation as darkness slowly burgeoned in his eyes¡­ They still dared to mention this, just who exactly was the reason for his suffering, all these years? A hateful feeling built up in Ye Chen¡¯s heart as his mind was filled with a murderous intent, making him look as if he was surrounded by a dark aura. They¡­ ¡°Clang¡± The glass shattered onto the ground and Chuzheng casually retracted her hand. The anger Ye Chen suppressed in his heart seemed to have also burst out together with that crash. The room immediately fell silent. Chuzheng raised her feet to step on those shattered glass pieces and thus produced crunching sounds. The lawyer sweated in embarrassment. This girl did not look very fierce, but the feeling she gave off seemed very¡­ fierce. ¡°So much nonsense.¡± Chuzheng kicked the shattered pieces of glass. ¡°Sign the papers and we will leave.¡± The lawyer was stumped. Following this, the lawyer immediately took out two documents. ¡°Mr. Ye and Mrs. Ye, please sign these two documents and Ye Chen will sever all ties from both of you from now on.¡± ¡°What?¡± The two of them looked at the lawyer with a dumbfounded look. Even if they did not want to sign the contract, they would have to. After all, Chuzheng did not bring so many bodyguards here for a show. After Chuzheng brought Ye Chen to settle all of the papers and Ye Chen got his very own household register, he stood under the sunlight and had never felt so relieved in his life before. The mountain that was weighing him down for all these years seemed so easy and normal¡­ to her. Ye Chen turned around to look at the girl who had her back to him. She looked towards the busy city life with indifference and seemed as though regardless of how scorching hot the sun was, it could never melt the coldness in her eyes. ¡°Ji Chuzheng.¡± The girl turned around and looked at him quietly. ¡°I will return it back to you.¡± ¡®I will repay you for everything that you¡¯ve done for me.¡¯ Chuzheng dug into her pockets before giving him a pair of keys. ¡®This is my house key¡­¡¯ ¡®Wasn¡¯t it sold already?¡¯ ¡°One million and five hundred thousand,¡± said Chuzheng. ¡®The system¡¯s mission was for me to buy back the house. What can I do? I could only buy it back.¡¯ Ye Chen was stunned. [¡­]¡¯Little miss! You will not have any friends if you act so barbaric!¡± Ye Chen took over the pair of keys and squeezed it slightly. He must grow and mature until there came a time where he could stand alongside her. It was only then that he could confess to her. Uncle Ye and Auntie Ye sold the house because they wanted to repay their debts. However, the money was not enough to pay the debt and Ye Chen had coincidentally caught the eyes of the debtor, therefore, they used Ye Chen as collateral. Uncle Ye and Auntie Ye had never thought that those bunch of people would still find them. Because Ye Chen had run away. They look for trouble from Chuzheng but to no avail. Instead, they were threatened by her. As the saying goes one cannot afford to offend, but one could stay away from them. They did not dare to find Ye Chen who was under Chuzheng¡¯s protection and hence could only find Uncle Ye. After all, he was the one who owed them money and it was only normal that he had to repay it. But Uncle Ye had no money and even had his leg broken by his debtors. Every now and then, the debtors would knock on his door for money. Not long after, Auntie took their last bit of money and ran away. Uncle Ye had no one to take care of him and both of his legs were broken. In the end, he could only live on the streets and hence, he lived miserably for the rest of his life. On the other hand, Ye Chen was busy with his college entrance examinations. Perhaps, it was because his biggest trouble was already settled, Ye Chen¡¯s condition during the examination was very good. He cannot mess up the examination. He must work harder so he can¡­ Ye Chen was able to be admitted into one of the National Key Universities, however, he did not choose overseas universities but local ones. The school he chose was not bad and was even close to Chuzheng¡¯s school. Perhaps, because he no longer had his Uncle and Auntie pestering him, in his new environment, Ye Chen slowly changed. He was no longer that weakling who was bullied every day. Chuzheng followed King¡¯s instructions and continued becoming a prodigal as per usual. She even threw all the things that she bought to Ye Chen. Ye Chen refused to accept them, but Chuzheng would threaten him using all types of methods¡­ she was very fierce. After Ji Tongtong quit school, she did not appear again and Chuzheng did not see her since. Meng Ran was also admitted into Ye Chen¡¯s university, but Chuzheng did not bump into him. It was not until an event was held that they met, but Meng Ran only gave her a complicated look before turning around to leave. ¡°Chuzheng.¡± Ye Chen wore a white casual wear as he stood at her school gate to wait for her. Compared to the Ye Chen from a year ago, the current Ye Chen seemed to be a changed person. He was bright, handsome and attracted the attention of many. Chuzheng walked over. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Are you free this weekend?¡± ¡°I am not free.¡± ¡°You have something on?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡­spend money.¡± Ye Chen was speechless. ¡°I will¡­ accompany you?¡± asked Ye Chen tentatively. Since he could not change her decision, he could only follow her decision. ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng casually agreed and walked outside. Ye Chen took her school bag. ¡°Do you have homework today?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I will complete it for you?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ye Chen was stunned. It was really tiring talking with her. She never talked more than she had to and would always use one word to express her feelings and would never use two words. Ye Chen walked beside her and asked carefully, ¡°You are going to take the college entrance examination soon, have you thought of a university that you want to go to?¡± After hanging out with her for a long time, he had realized that her results were not bad. She did not do her homework because it was too troublesome and the most important thing was she wrote really slowly. Chuzheng remained silent for a few seconds before spitting out a word coldly, ¡°Nope.¡± Ye Chen felt delighted for a second. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, can you¡­ enter my university?¡± He stayed here for her so if she did not get admitted to his university, he would¡­ No matter what, she must be admitted into his university. Chuzheng side-eyed him and Ye Chen immediately kept a straight face. ¡°Okay.¡± With him, there would be someone to carry her stuff when she spent money. What a great moveable storage! Besides, she still has that mission so she cannot go too far away from him. ¡®It¡¯s so difficult to be a friend!¡¯ Ye Chen¡¯s long eyelashes trembled slightly. ¡®She¡­ agreed?¡¯ Ye Chen was full of the joys of spring as he felt as though his blood was boiling from excitement. ¡®She agreed!¡¯ Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: The Attack Of The Tycoon (27) Chapter 27: The Attack Of The Tycoon (27) Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Big sister Chuzheng, over here!¡± The third year students had graduated. San Mao and the others had not managed to enter a university thus their families found other ways for them. After the meeting with Chuzheng today, everyone would probably head their separate ways. Chuzheng had not thought when she left, she would meet Ji Tongtong again. Ji Tongtong was stunned as well before she called out at Ji Chuzheng. ¡°Ji Chuzheng!¡± JI Tongtong walked forward and Chuzheng realized she became fatter, especially around her waist. Could it be she was pregnant? Yang Qianqian¡¯s baby? Could it be Yang Qianqian was an old man in disguise? That was impressive. ¡°Was it you who did that thing?¡± Ji Tongtong stared at Chuzheng. ¡°Which incident are you talking about?¡± Chuzheng expressionlessly asked. She did so much that she forgot most of it. ¡°¡­Yang Qianqian.¡± Ji Tongtong gritted her teeth and said out the name which gave her a psychological trauma. ¡°If you have no proof then don¡¯t spout nonsense.¡± Chuzheng had a serious look. Ji Tongtong¡¯s expression distorted. She thought about that incident for a long time and the culprit could only be her¡­ Also, the sudden divorce of her mother and Father Ji must be her doing as well. But she just could not understand as Father Ji clearly liked her so much. But in just a short moment, his liking towards her turned into an unrealistic rosy view. She had put in so much effort to please Father Ji yet after so many years, it was all a joke? ¡°I know it¡¯s you.¡± Ji Tongtong said with certainty. ¡°You must be happy now.¡± Suddenly, Ji Tongtong started to laugh. ¡°But even if that was the case, Brother Meng Ran is still together with me and I¡¯m pregnant with his child.¡± She had lost the support of the Ji Family, but she still had the Meng Family to back her up and in the future, she would be the young madam of the Meng Family. Chuzheng¡¯s gaze fell on Ji Tongtong¡¯s stomach. Ji Tongtong covered her stomach with vigilance. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re pregnant yet you¡¯re not married. That¡¯s impressive.¡± ¡®As expected, she had followed the storyline of entering a rich and powerful family. Admirable. But was this child really Meng Ran¡¯s? Didn¡¯t Meng Ran suffer from psychological trauma?¡¯ Ji Tongtong¡¯s expression turned ugly in a flash. She was not the young madam of the Meng Family yet and the Meng Family did not know about it¡­ Her mom said as long as she gave birth to a boy, the Meng Family would definitely accept her. Chuzheng refused to waste her time talking with her and bypassed her. Ji Tongtong reached out to stop her, but Chuzheng¡¯s icy cold gaze glared at her. ¡°You don¡¯t want this baby anymore?¡± Ji Tongtong¡¯s heart jumped as she instinctively lowered her hands and protected her stomach before waiting for Chuzheng to leave. Despicable! Bitch! Ji Tongtong returned back to her house and threw her handbag on the ground to vent her frustration. ¡°Tongtong, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Mum.¡± Ji Tongtong greeted. ¡°I¡¯ve just met Ji Chuzheng. She¡­¡± Ji Tongtong recounted the incident earlier and vented out her frustration. ¡°Mom, why did you get divorced?¡± Ji Tongtong was displeased. If they had not divorced, was she still needed to do this? Regarding the incident about Yang Qianqian, there were still ways to solve it, so why must they divorce? As she heard her own daughter blame her, Mother Ji was furious yet she still suppressed her anger. ¡°Tongtong, we can slowly deal with Ji Chuzheng after you are married into the Meng family. Now, you should take care of your baby properly.¡± ¡°If you did not get divorced, would I have to resort to this?¡± If they had not divorced, she would still be the young miss of the Ji Family. ¡°You still dare to lose your temper at me!¡± Mother Ji could not suppress her anger any longer. ¡°It was all your fault! Without discussing with me, you found a person to rape Ji Chuzheng. Did you think you were very capable?¡± The biggest reason behind the divorce of Father Ji and her was this. In his heart, Ji Tongtong had always been an obedient stepdaughter. But he suddenly found out she was not who he thought she was and even found someone to deal with his own blood-related daughter. ¡°I¡­¡± Ji Tongtong¡¯s face paled as the question she could not solve earlier was answered. She recalled Ji Chuzheng¡¯s recording. Mother Ji was angry as well as she stood up and left. Ji Tongtong came back to her senses and hurriedly apologized. Now, she was no longer the stepdaughter of the Ji Family and those who once surrounded her disappeared with no traces. After a few months, Ji Tongtong gave birth to a boy. Although the Meng Family was shocked, Ji Tongtong bore a son for Meng Ran so how could they let this son be out in the streets. Mother Meng was satisfied with Ji Tongtong in the past as she was a member of the Ji Family. Although she was the stepdaughter, she was still very favored. At that time, she could not stand Ji Chuzheng at all. But the incident that happened afterward where the two girls¡­ It made Mother Meng disappointed. Yet Meng Ran greatly favored Ji Tongtong and Mother Meng had only one son. Hence, Ji Tongtong entered the Meng Family with her son while Mother Ji moved in as well to take care of Ji Tongtong and her son. Mother Meng was not dumb and made Meng Ran do a DNA test with that boy. The test report was considered satisfactory as he was Meng Ran¡¯s son. This incident was not one to be boastful about thus the Meng Family had not spread the news, but their circle of relatives and friends still knew most of it. In their circle of relatives and friends, many engaged early but none gave birth to a child that early. Mother Meng was mocked by many which resulted in her bad attitude towards Ji Tongtong. For a few days, Mother Meng¡¯s anger had not cooled off. ¡°Mother-in-law, what happened?¡± Mother Meng looked at Mother Ji who carried the child and her expression turned even uglier. She ignored her and proceeded upstairs. ¡°Mom, did Mother Meng come back?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Mother Ji pointed up with her chin. ¡°I don¡¯t even know how I made her angry such that she gave me a dirty look.¡± ¡°Mum, how about I find you a house outside?¡± Ji Tongtong said. ¡°That can¡¯t do. Will that mother-in-law of yours help you to take care of the child? This child is hard to come by, we have to take great care of him.¡± Ji Tongtong thought so as well and never raised this issue again. Meng Ran came back from university. Ji Tongtong wanted to go to university with him and he agreed immediately, but Mother Meng had disagreed as since Ji Tongtong had already given birth to a child, she should stay and home and look after the child. Ji Tongtong was aggrieved yet Meng Ran could not disobey Mother Meng. In the end, he could only console her and let her stay at home. However, they never thought that their child would fall sick on his first birthday and was brought to the hospital in critical condition. Because Ji Tongtong gave birth to the child at an early age, the child¡¯s immune system was not good. As a result, the child passed away due to the sickness. With no child, she had no support. Mother Meng felt that she seduced her son and led her son astray as he kept opposing her. Meng Ran was stuck in the middle and put in a difficult situation. As a result, his results kept falling. ¡°Ji Tongtong, I¡¯ve said before that I don¡¯t eat red beans so what have you given me?¡± Mother Meng pushed the bowl towards Ji Tongtong. Ji Tongtong stood at the side as she aggrievedly said, ¡°Mom, you¡¯ve never said that before¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even take care of a child well! Tell me, what are you useful for? Don¡¯t think that I don¡¯t know you seduced my son. I¡¯m telling you, my son and you don¡¯t even have a marriage certificate¡­¡± Ji Tongtong clutched the hem of her shirt and lowered her eyes to cover the hatred in her eyes. Mother Meng spoke with more and more gusto. Meng Ran came down and furrowed his brows. ¡°Mom, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Brother Meng Ran.¡± Ji Tongtong looked at him while crying. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t notice that mother told me that she didn¡¯t eat red beans.¡± Meng Ran¡¯s heart ached when he saw Ji Tongtong crying. ¡°Mom, since when have you not eaten red beans? Don¡¯t make things difficult for Tongtong.¡± Mother Meng was speechless. After Mother Meng was exposed by her son, she was so angry that she could not eat her breakfast and glared at Ji Tongtong before leaving in a huff. Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: The Attack Of The Tycoon (28) Chapter 28: The Attack Of The Tycoon (28) Editor: Atlas Studios Mother Meng was always against Ji Tongtong but had only given Mother Ji a bad attitude and did not put her in a difficult situation. But she had never thought that when she came home one day, she would see her husband sleeping with her. Mother Ji had always dolled herself up and maintained her looks well. Moreover, she was younger than Mother Meng and even looked like sisters when she stood beside Ji Tongtong. Mother Meng butted heads with Ji Tongtong all day and when Father Meng tried to help, he would get scolded by Mother Meng. After some time, Father Meng naturally grew apart from Mother Meng. Besides, Mother Ji had been living with the Meng Family, making it easier for her to be in a favorable position. When this incident blew up, Meng Ran was also a little stunned. His mother-in-law was together with his father? Then what would Ji Tongtong and he be? What happened to his family?! Mother Ji thought that Mother Meng would make a ruckus about it, but after Mother Meng calmed down for an evening, she had no intention of making a ruckus. She just threw Ji Tongtong and her out of the house. With such a shocking incident, Meng Ran could not protect Ji Tongtong either. Father Meng acted like a coward and refused to show his face. He probably dared not to show his face either. Mother Meng¡¯s own family and the Meng Family¡¯s businesses were closely linked so if they really fought with each other, Father Meng would not get many benefits. Mother Ji noticed that Mother Meng usually obeyed Father Meng very well, and had never thought it would end up like that. How could Mother Meng let Mother Ji off so easily? Mother Meng resorted to harsh tactics and sent Meng Ran overseas. Without Meng Ran there to protect them, Ji Tongtong and Mother Ji had a tough life. They were not short of money, but there were times when having money was useless. In the end, both of them were forced to leave far away. Afterward, Chuzheng heard that they had not ended up in a good state. Ji Tongtong married a wealthy man, but he died soon after they were together. She thought she could inherit his wealth, but her name had not even appeared on his will. Mother Ji kept making use of her to seduce other men, but her luck looked to have been exhausted. No matter which man they met, they had not ended up well. Ji Tongtong slowly had a reputation as one who brought bad luck to her husband and nobody dared to want her. In the end, because of Mother Ji¡¯s tyrannical ways, she committed suicide. In the blink of an eye, Ye Chen was going to graduate. Ye Chen wanted to earn money and started his own business in his second year of university. Two years had passed and he had a small achievement. Chuzheng would throw him some stuff occasionally. After realizing she had not given, but thrown him stuff, Ye Chen felt more relaxed about receiving her stuff. Moreover, when he needed money, she only stood at the sidelines and had no intention of helping him. In the end, he relied on himself to solve his problems. Although he found out she had still pulled some strings which allowed him to find an investor. But this was nothing at all, he wanted¡­ ¡°Senior Ye Chen, senior Ye Chen¡­¡± A beautiful girl stopped Ye Chen. ¡°Senior Ye Chen.¡± The girl¡¯s face was flushed red as she shyly walked forward. ¡°Senior Ye Chen, I¡­ I¡­I like you. Can you be my boyfriend?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like you.¡± With that said, Ye Chen left. The girl was stunned before she quickly stopped Ye Chen. ¡°Senior Ye Chen, can¡¯t you give me a chance? I really like you.¡± After Ye Chen entered university, his popularity slowly increased. The girl was the most popular girl in school. She thought that if she confronted him, Ye Chen would obediently accept her confession yet she had never thought she would get such an answer. ¡°I have someone I like.¡± Ye Chen bypassed the girl and walked outside. The girl furrowed her brows and grudgingly stopped him again. ¡°I heard senior Ye Chen is in need of funding recently? I can invest¡­¡± ¡°Honk¡ª¡± A sharp sound rang as a blue car stopped in front. Ye Chen raised his eyes and looked towards the car. His face had a light smile and even his eyes seemed to soften. The girl was stunned. Ye Chen had been in the school for so long yet no one had ever seen him smile. Ye Chen ignored the girl and walked straight towards the car. As the girl saw Ye Chen leaving, she stomped her foot and unwillingly clutched the hem of her shirt. ¡°How was it? Did you succeed?¡± ¡°Lucy, you don¡¯t look so well?¡± Her few friends came out from their hiding place and worriedly asked. Lucy pointed at the blue car. ¡°Whose car was it?¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, that car costs at least six million!¡± Her friends who knew how to differentiate goods had a shocked tone. ¡°Six million?¡± A person gasped. Could a student drive such an expensive car? Lucy was rich as well, but her car had cost only one million dollars. After all, they were still spending their families¡¯ money. ¡°I think that the car belongs to Ji Chuzheng.¡± ¡°Ji Chuzheng?¡± ¡°Yeah. She was the one¡­ who gave everyone in her faculty a phone. I heard not long ago, she gave everyone a computer as well¡­ It¡¯s a pity that I¡¯m not in her faculty.¡± ¡°She¡¯s so rich?¡± ¡°I heard her family is quite rich.¡± That big boss had made such a big scene once university started which had a lasting impression on many. She had a lot of money and was willing to spend it. Moreover, she looked beautiful and belonged to the goddess level in the school. ¡°How does senior Ye Chen¡­ know her?¡± Nobody dared to speak as Lucy¡¯s expression turned ugly. In the car. ¡°Who was the girl who stopped you just now?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s question made Ye Chen quite surprised. He happily chuckled to himself and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know her.¡± Chuzheng nodded her head and did not pursue the issue. Ye Chen waited for her to continue asking, but after a long time, she still had not spoken. ¡°About that¡­¡± Ye Chen looked at Chuzheng as his eyes lit up. ¡°She said she liked me.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ye Chen was stunned. Although he had expected Chuzheng¡¯s reaction, her calm demeanor still made Ye Chen unhappy. ¡°She looked quite pretty.¡± Chuzheng added one more sentence which made Ye Chen even more depressed. Nobody asked you if she was pretty or not. The main point was she confessed to him! Ye Chen looked at the girl who drove the car. Compared to the past, her looks became even more outstanding while her eyes were cold and indifferent as usual. Whenever she raised her hand, it brought about a sense of nobility which made it difficult for one to get closer. Ye Chen sighed in his heart as having him in her heart was difficult. She cared about nothing and was especially rich¡­ Chuzheng agreed to have a meal with Ye Chen, but the venue had to be decided by her. Ye Chen Normally, if he could save a meal, he would save it. However¡­ As long as she liked it, he could still afford it. After they finished their meal, Ye Chen proceeded to foot the bill, but was told the bill had already been settled. He looked towards Chuzheng who walked out. ¡°Chuzheng, we had a deal that I¡¯ll treat today, why did you foot the bill?¡± Ye Chen caught up to her. ¡°You treat me to the meal while I pay the money. It doesn¡¯t contradict each other.¡± Chuzheng nodded her head and felt that her words made perfect sense. ¡®What did she mean by it doesn¡¯t contradict each other? Is this what a girl should do?¡¯ ¡®Where was his pride as a man?¡¯ Ye Chen wrote an IOU to her in the car. She had never accepted money and even threatened to hit him if he returned the money so he could only give IOUs to her. After Chuzheng sent Ye Chen back to his dormitory, she waited for him to get out of the car. But Ye Chen took his own sweet time and only got off after a while. ¡°Ye Chen.¡± Ye Chen happily turned around. Chuzheng waved at him and Ye Chen walked back. Chuzheng fondled his head with a serious expression. ¡®It was so soft and comfortable. Let me touch it a few more times¡­¡¯ Chuzheng glanced at Ye Chen¡¯s slowly darkening expression and took back her hands in embarrassment. ¡°Good night.¡± Ye Chen was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± It was only the afternoon, why did she say good night for!! Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: The Attack Of The Tycoon (29) Chapter 29: The Attack Of The Tycoon (29) Editor: Atlas Studios Ye Chen had just entered his room and he was pinned against the door. ¡°Brother Ye, was the girl who sent you here our goddess?¡± Ye Chen gave them a cold stare and the two people who were pinning him down instantly chickened out. ¡°What are you scared of? We have three people on our side so he can¡¯t possibly win against us. Pin him down properly! If you don¡¯t give us a reasonable explanation, don¡¯t even think of making us let go of you.¡± said the guy who was standing in the front. Upon hearing his words, the other two guys immediately followed his lead. Ye Chen raised his foot to kick the person on the side before twisting his body as he pinned the other person to the door. He had not been slacking for the past few years. Although his martial arts were not very good, it was still enough to hit them. ¡°Aiya!¡± ¡°Brother Ye, stop hitting.¡± ¡°We were wrong, we were wrong.¡± The room seemed as if it had been turned upside down. Ye Chen let go of them and walked back to his seat before turning on his computer. His three roommates went up to him again. ¡°Brother Ye, you have not answered my question.¡± Ye Chen glanced at him. ¡°Hmm.¡± The three roommates winked and made signs to one another. ¡°I knew it. There aren¡¯t many who drive luxury cars to school and the only person who will change a car every month could only be her.¡± ¡°Brother Ye, which stage of the relationship are you guys in?¡± Ye Chen typed on his keyboard as he refused to answer their question. ¡°Brother Ye¡­ it couldn¡¯t be that you have not¡­¡± ¡°Aiya, Brother Ye, you may not be worried, but we are worried for you. After all, it is our lifelong wish for you to marry into the purple.¡± Ye Chen raised his deep and dark eyes. ¡°Marry into the purple? Hmm?¡± His three roommates immediately got frightened and hurriedly massaged his shoulders and legs. ¡°Our Brother Ye will be wealthy in the future. Hahaha! We were spouting nonsense just now. Nonsense.¡± Ye Chen pushed away his computer. ¡°Are you done with your stuff? Have you guys prepared the documents needed for the meeting two days later?¡± ¡°Of course, Brother Ye. You can count on us.¡± One of the boys patted his chest as a sign of assurance. Whenever they were talking about serious matters, these people were still quite serious in their work. After they had finished their discussion, one of the roommates linked the topic back. ¡°Brother Ye, you really don¡¯t want to marry into the purple?¡± ¡°There are many wooing our goddess and I even saw someone giving flowers to our goddess before.¡± Ye Chen looked at him and the guy immediately said, ¡°Relax, our goddess didn¡¯t accept it.¡± ¡°Brother Ye, it¡¯s not that we want to nag at you, but you have known her for so long and as the saying goes the pavilion closest to the water enjoys the moonlight first! If you don¡¯t make a move soon, your goddess would really become somebody else¡¯s goddess.¡± ¡°You may not be worried, but even bystanders like us feel worried for you.¡± Ye Chen massaged his temples and said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem to feel something for me.¡± He had tested the waters many times. His three roommates immediately sat in front of Ye Chen and stared at him as though they were judging him in a court. ¡°Have you confessed to her?¡± Ye Chen shook his head. But he has hinted before¡­ ¡°If you have not even confessed, how do you know that our goddess does not like you?¡± ¡°Brother Ye, girls are meant to be wooed. You didn¡¯t even do anything, you can¡¯t possibly expect her to woo you, right?¡± ¡°Our goddess is also not those common ladies, you need to take initiative, do you understand?¡± ¡°We can help you think of a plan and your confession will definitely be a success.¡± ¡°Chuzheng, someone¡¯s looking for you.¡± Father Ji knock onto Chuzheng¡¯s door while carrying a book in his hands. ¡°He seems to be your school¡¯s senior.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so late, I am not seeing him.¡± Father Ji was stumped. ¡®As her father, I didn¡¯t even mind it, why didn¡¯t she want to see him?¡¯ ¡°Cough cough, people came to find you at your house, why don¡¯t you take a look? Perhaps there¡¯s something urgent he needs to talk to you about?¡± In the past, he was worried that she would create trouble outside, but now, she would always come home after school, turning it into a routine of hers. Furthermore, she did not even want to attend any banquets as she said it was too troublesome. Upon seeing this circumstance, Father Ji was getting worried that she would lose contact with the world. In the end, Chuzheng could not take Father Ji¡¯s nagging anymore and went down stairs. She had seen the person waiting in the living room twice, he was Ye Chen¡¯s roommate. ¡°Junior.¡± His roommate greeted her as he smiled sheepishly. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with Ye Chen?¡± ¡®She¡¯s so worried for Ye Chen, does she like him?¡¯ ¡°No, cough cough, I mean¡­ Ye Chen has the flu and said that he wants to see you so I came here to bring you over.¡± He decided to dupe her and think of a plan later. Chuzheng sized him up. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Roommate: ¡°About that, actually Ye Chen has something to tell you.¡± His roommate said, ¡°I am scared that you won¡¯t go so I lied to you.¡± ¡°He can call me.¡± Calling saved time, energy and was very convenient. Can this even be made clear through a phone? ¡°Aiyo, just come with me, please.¡± His roommate begged her with his hands clasped together. ¡°I beg you.¡± Chuzheng was not very willing, but since this concerned Ye Chen who still held the ¡®Friendzoned card¡¯, she could only follow him. The roommate brought her to a remote street and there was not a single soul on it. There were candles placed on the walkway and it seemed to be guiding her to continue walking ahead. Ahead, the candlelight swayed under the starry night sky as a handsome-looking boy stood in the middle of a heart that was decorated with candles with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. His deep eyes seemed to be filled with the light from the candles. Ye Chen was a little nervous. He took a deep breath as he saw Chuzheng walking closer before saying slowly, ¡°Do you still remember this place?¡± Chuzheng did not answer. ¡®Why would I remember that?¡¯ ¡®I am so busy with becoming a prodigal, how would I have the time to remember all of this?¡¯ ¡°This was the place we met each other that day,¡± said Ye Chen. Ye Chen gazed into Chuzheng¡¯s eyes. ¡°In the beginning, I thought you were just fooling me. I mean how can somebody like you suddenly save me out of kindness and hence I became wary of you. But in the end, it was proven that I had thought too much.¡± ¡°But even till today, I still didn¡¯t know why you helped me back then.¡± ¡°I also didn¡¯t know why you would treat me so well. If it wasn¡¯t for you¡­ I won¡¯t even know what I will be doing now.¡± Ye Chen paused and gave himself a mental encouragement before passing the bouquet of flowers to her. ¡°Ji Chuzheng, I like you! Will you become my girlfriend?¡± He finally said it. Ye Chen¡¯s heart raced as he waited for the girl¡¯s reply while holding his breath. The girl had her eyes fixed on him and the word ¡®no¡¯ had almost spat out from her mouth. [Little miss, if you reject him, I think he might be tainted for you.]King warned Chuzheng, [He may look normal but there¡¯s a devil in his heart.] Chuzheng: ¡®So I can¡¯t reject him?¡¯ [Little miss, think about your friendzone mission. If you don¡¯t complete it, you can¡¯t leave this universe and you have to repeatedly experience this universe.] Chuzheng: Which imbecile designed this system! ¡®Little miss is so fierce.¡¯ Chuzheng reached out to accept the bouquet of flowers and suddenly a few people jumped out of nowhere and sprinkled petals at them while cheering. Ye Chen was in disbelief and took a long time to come out of his daze as he pulled Chuzheng into his embrace. ¡®She agreed to be my girlfriend.¡¯ ¡®Does this mean she would marry me soon?¡¯ ¡°Kiss her, kiss her!¡± ¡°Quickly, kiss her.¡± Ye Chen let go of Chuzheng and looked at her carefully, but Chuzheng placed the flowers between them as she clearly rejected the kiss. Ye Chen was a little disappointed, but did not give it much thought as what he had the most was the time to take it slow. Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: The Attack Of The Tycoon (30) Chapter 30: The Attack Of The Tycoon (30) Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Brother Ye! Brother Ye! Quickly look downstairs!¡± The door to his room was knocked repeatedly and it gave Ye Chen?¡ªwho was still thinking about his successful confession yesterday¡ªa fright. The door was quickly opened and his three roommates dragged him to the window. There was a whole sea of red downstairs as someone had used roses to decorate a heart shape on the ground with his name written in the middle of the heart. Ye Chen furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Our goddess!¡± His roommate exclaimed, ¡°Aiyo, goodness me, why am I so happy to see you guys display affection to one another?¡± His goddess? Ye Chen¡¯s heart raced. ¡°Chuzheng?¡± ¡°Bullshit, other than her, is there anyone whom we call as a goddess?¡± Ye Chen scanned the students surrounding the roses however he did not see a familiar figure. ¡°Where is she?¡± His roommates also searched for her as they looked downstairs. ¡°Strange, she was still there just now.¡± ¡°Has she already left?¡± Ye Chen went down to find, her but she was indeed not there. He gave her a call, only to be informed by Chuzheng that she had something on so she left first. ¡°You gave me roses¡­¡± mumbled Ye Chen. As a guy, to receive so many roses, he really could not bring himself to be happy¡­ but he still felt very sweet in his heart. ¡°Hmm, is there a problem?¡± The voice on the phone sounded very cold. ¡°You have already agreed to be my girlfriend so why did you give me flowers?¡± She even gave so many flowers. ¡°Is there a contradiction?¡± Since there was a chance for her to become a prodigal, why not? Ye Chen: ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem to contradict.¡¯ In the following days, Ye Chen would always receive flowers downstairs and Ye Chen had tried to stop the delivery person, but the other party said that Chuzheng had ordered two months¡¯ worth of flowers and had asked them to change every single day. Two months¡­ It was just nice till the time he graduated. Ye Chen asked Chuzheng to stop giving him flowers, but Chuzheng said that she had already paid for it. Money which was spent was like water that is splashed out. As such, every day, on the ground level of the male dormitories, everyone would see a huge public display of affection and it had even attracted the admiration and jealousy of many. However, there were also bad rumors circulating around. ¡°Is Ji Chuzheng Ye Chen¡¯s sugar mummy?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he start his own business?¡± ¡°Business? Who knows where his capital comes from?¡± ¡°But to be honest, if our goddess wants to be my sugar mummy, I will be very willing too.¡± ¡°She¡¯s pretty and rich. Anyone who marries her will be a winner in life and you don¡¯t need to strive so hard. Isn¡¯t that great?¡± ¡°Dream on.¡± ¡°What if it comes true one day?¡± For a man to hear such rumors, Ye Chen was definitely not so comfortable with it. However, as long as he could see Chuzheng, he would not mind all this. Whatever others say was none of his concern. After Ye Chen and Chuzheng confirmed their relationship, many girls who coveted Ye Chen were heartbroken. However, Chuzheng kept giving random things to Ye Chen every now and then causing even his friends to start to be sad. Why didn¡¯t they have such a nice girlfriend? If their girlfriend wouldn¡¯t spend their money all day, it would already be considered not bad. To them, dating their girlfriends was even more difficult than raising a daughter. After Ye Chen graduated, his company grew bigger and he had become an established figure within the new generation. During his company¡¯s fifth year anniversary, Ye Chen proposed to Chuzheng. Father Ji was afraid that she would not marry and had nagged at her many times. Chuzheng, on the other hand, did not hate Ye Chen and yet, coupled with King¡¯s continuous persuasion¡ªIf Ye Chen were to be tainted, she would have to repeat this life again¡­ Chuzheng finally agreed to his proposal. On their wedding day, their wedding was grand and ceremonious which took the country by storm. In a certain interview, a reporter had asked, ¡°I heard that Director Ye and Mrs. Ye have maintained a very good relationship, are there any secrets to it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no secret, I will just listen to whatever she says,¡± said Ye Chen. The reporter was very curious. ¡°Director Ye, are you scared of your wife?¡± ¡°It is already my honor that she is willing to marry me so I am willing to spoil her for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°You really love your wife a lot.¡± ¡°In that case, Director Ye, when are you planning to have kids? Since Mrs. Ye doesn¡¯t seem to be doing anything now, is she preparing to have a kid?¡± Ye Chen: Chuzheng¡¯s only plan right now was to spend money and yet he did not even know how much money his father-in-law gave her. Hence, he still has to work harder to earn money, otherwise, it would not be enough for her to spend. ¡°Director Ye?¡± ¡°We will let nature take its course.¡± ¡°Director Ye, may I ask¡­¡± When Ye Chen reached home, he was frightened by the golden statue placed on his table. ¡°What¡­ is this?¡± He looked at Chuzheng who was sitting on the sofa. ¡°Gold.¡± ¡°Why did you buy this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s valuable.¡± ¡®She went to spend money again!¡¯ Ye Chen walked towards Chuzheng and sat down beside her as he hooked his arm over her shoulder before expressing tactfully, ¡°Don¡¯t you think it looks a little weird?¡± Chuzheng nodded her head in all seriousness. ¡°I think so too.¡± ¡°Then why did you buy it?¡± Chuzheng turned to face him. ¡°It¡¯s valuable.¡± Ye Chen: Chuzheng gave the gold statue to him. ¡°You can have it.¡± Once the gold reached his hands, Ye Chen felt as if his hands were so heavy that he could not breathe. It is so heavy, but why did it look as if she was holding a bubble? ¡°No, Chuzheng¡­¡± Ye Chen gave the thing to his father-in-law afterward. ¡°Chuzheng wanted me to give this to you.¡± Father Ji¡¯s disdainful look immediately changed to a happy look. ¡°It¡¯s given by my daughter? Not bad, not bad, it looks really nice.¡± Ye Chen: ¡®Father-in-law is also lying through his teeth.¡± ¡®Other than it being valuable, in what places does it look good?¡¯ ¡°Father-in-law.¡± Ye Chen said, ¡°Exactly how much money do you give Chuzheng?¡± Father Ji felt lost. ¡°I haven¡¯t given her money for a long time.¡± Ye Chen subconsciously asked, ¡°In that case, where did she get so much money to buy these things?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you give her money?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± He gave her a supplementary card, but she did not even touch a single cent in it. Both of them widened their eyes. Where did she get so much money then? When Chuzheng came home, both of them stared intensely at Chuzheng. ¡°Daddy¡­ Ye Chen, what are you two doing?¡± ¡®Why are you looking at me like that?¡¯ ¡°Zhengzheng, where did your money come from?¡± asked Father Ji. Ye Chen also had his eyes fixed on her. Chuzheng was shocked. ¡®Will they believe me if I tell them that I picked it up on the road? They don¡¯t look like idiots so they probably won¡¯t believe me.¡¯ ¡®Bastard, what should I say?¡¯ [¡­About that, Little miss, just brush them off.] ¡®This is your system¡¯s loophole! You didn¡¯t even tell me where you got the money!¡¯ ¡®Why should I explain it to them for you?¡¯ This was not the system¡¯s first time, could she really think that something like this would not happen? It won¡¯t do it again next time. ¡°I¡­¡± Chuzheng gave a serious look. ¡°Won the lottery.¡± Ye Chen and Father Ji were stumped. Chuzheng insisted that she had won the lottery. Ye Chen followed her all day and knew that she did not hang out with other people, much less say or do anything out of the ordinary. Although her explanation seemed a little weird, he could only choose to believe her. Chuzheng was shocked. Being a prodigal was so troublesome. It was so much more convenient to kill people. There was an easier way to settle things but the system had to use such a troublesome method. A bronze player was indeed a bronze player. King could only cry in the toilet. It was a prodigal system after all! Wasn¡¯t it great to spend money? Why should they use such a dangerous method? Chuzheng stayed in that world for a long time and although she had completed the mission and Ye Chen had already thought of her as his friend long ago, she could not leave so she had to wait till she died naturally. Ye Chen treated her very well and had never crossed the line before. It could be said that till the day they grew old, they still treated each other with respect and this made their friends very envious of them. Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Everyone’s Idol (1) Chapter 31: Everyone¡¯s Idol (1) Editor: Atlas Studios Chuzheng woke up and found herself lying on a bed in a foul-smelling small room. She laid on her bed while keeping still. ¡®Why am I here?¡¯ ¡®Oh right¡­¡¯ ¡®I met a system called King which said that she was dead and had to complete missions before she went back¡­¡¯ Chuzheng furrowed her eyebrows slightly as something felt off about her memories. [Little miss.]A light-hearted voice was heard. [For the sake of your health, the previous universe¡¯s memories have been sealed~Of course, I am a very humane system so if you wish to regain your memories, you can check it whenever you wish to do so.] She remembered that she had done a mission but she could not remember the exact details. ¡°No need,¡± rejected Chuzheng expressionlessly. Her only wish was to go back home so the details of the mission did not matter to her. The memories that were sealed only included the details and hence she still had an idea of the overall mission. ¡°Why wasn¡¯t there any data provided?¡± After the first universe ended, she came here directly and did not even have time to take a breather. ¡®Is this still considered humane?¡¯ ¡®What type of humane is this?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s so shameless for an unknown system to claim that it is very humane.¡¯ [¡­Little miss, those are all fake and we are not obligated to provide data.] [Little miss, please accept the new storyline in this universe~] Chuzheng¡¯s mind was immediately flooded with countless memories. Her new identity was called Gu Chuzheng. She came from a normal family and after she dropped out of high school, she came to Qingteng. As she loved acting, she took up some walk-on roles at the Film Studios. The proprietress looked very pretty but she was not professionally trained in the acting field. She also had a stubborn personality and refused to be restrained by rules and regulations. As such, she was not able to get good acting roles. Coincidentally, her audition for a drama miraculously passed and she got the role for the third female lead. However, before she even got a chance to act in it, she was suddenly informed that she did not have to go to the set anymore. The proprietress was very confused and went around asking for an explanation. However, before she could even get an explanation, she saw her roommate, Liu Manman getting into the same car as the director of the drama. She had been in the acting industry for so long and so, how could she not understand what was going on? After Liu Manman came back, the proprietress went to question her. However, Liu Manman boldly claimed that she got the role through her own ability. The proprietress naturally could not outtalk Liu Manman. With that drama, Liu Manman became famous overnight. She even signed a contract with a big company and became a leading actress. Liu Manman¡¯s acting career continued to prosper while the proprietress continued taking on walk-on roles. This continued until a director noticed her and felt that her presence and looks matched the female lead of the new drama. The proprietress thought she could finally prove herself with her own abilities. However, before she could even celebrate, Liu Manman invested in the drama and stole the role from her. The director felt that it was not very nice of her and left a role for her. Since Liu Manman was an investor, she could kick the proprietress out of the drama, but she did not. She kept the proprietress and thought of ways to torture her during the filming process. Yet, in the eyes of an outsider, it seemed as though the proprietress¡¯ acting was very poor and was only delaying the filming process. A while later, Liu Manman got into a scandal with another male celebrity. But she was afraid that her financial backer would get angry and used the proprietress as her scapegoat. The proprietress was left to fend for herself and in the end, she took the blame for her. The proprietress could only blame herself for having a similar figure as Liu Manman as well as Liu Manman¡¯s evil plans. On the other hand, the male celebrity pushed the blame on her to prove his innocence. He even claimed that she seduced him because she wanted to become popular and climb up the corporate ladder. Back then, the proprietress could not clear her name and the rumors and scandals online almost destroyed her acting career. Initially, the proprietress was still able to deal with the haters¡¯ comments, but the haters only became worse and dirtied her name. No matter what she said, nobody believed her. In the end, she could not take it anymore and took her own life. She was not a popular actor and as such, nobody cared if she had suicided or not. Her news was quickly covered up by other popular news and it was as if she had never existed before. The current timeline was that Liu Manman had just stolen her role and the proprietress was insulted by Liu Manman. As such, she was very hurt by it and caught a cold. However, she did not feel any discomfort and it was probably because she had taken over the body and hence her health became better. [Little miss, due to your outstanding performance previously, I will tweak the rules and regulations.]The system emphasized on the word ¡®outstanding¡¯. Chuzheng¡¯s eyes turned cold as her tone sounded a little fierce. ¡°You can change the rules however you like?¡± [¡­]¡¯Little miss, you don¡¯t have to be so fierce!¡¯ [It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s for the sake of Little miss.] ¡®If it wasn¡¯t because you always think of killing people and refuse to spend money, do I have to work so hard?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve also gone through a lot to let Little miss spend money!¡¯ ¡®Can¡¯t Little miss learn from our neighboring Little miss?¡¯ [Little miss only needs to spend money but the value of the money and object need not be equal. However, you still cannot throw, donate, give or destroy, etc.] The rule simply changed from spending two dollars to buy a two dollars worth bottle of mineral water to spending a hundred dollars to buy a two dollars worth bottle of mineral water. [Main mission: Please spend ten million dollars in two hours. The money is already in your bank account so please check it.] Chuzheng was shocked. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Repeat that again.¡± She did not seem to have heard it clearly just now. [Main mission: Please spend ten million dollars in two hours. The money is already in your bank account so please check it.]King repeated the sentence without missing a single word. Chuzheng was shocked. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Wasn¡¯t the amount supposed to increase as the mission goes?¡¯ ¡®Why is it that the first time I came to this universe it was already ten million dollars?!¡¯ ¡®Bastard, don¡¯t get too cocky!¡¯ [Little miss, the universe is different so the amount will naturally be different.]King explained, [Besides, the previous universe was a beginner universe and was just to let Little miss get used to it.] The system was very nice! Unlike some other evil systems that gave hell-like missions. Chuzheng touched her forehead and used the bed to support herself up. ¡®How am I going to spend ten million dollars in two hours?¡¯ ¡®Buy a villa?¡¯ ¡®But I also have to know where to buy it right?¡¯ Just based on the little knowledge the proprietress has, it was impossible for her to finish the mission in two hours. She looked for the proprietress¡¯ phone and saw a drama script underneath the phone. Chuzheng took the script out. ¡°The Allure of the Phoenix Princess¡±was the drama that the proprietress successfully auditioned for however, it was stolen away by Liu Manman. The drama was not a big production, but it was very successful when it was shown on television. Not just Liu Manman, many people from the drama also became popular. Chuzheng turned on the phone and the first notification on the screen was that she had received ten million dollars. Chuzheng searched for the director¡¯s contact number. She called the director and it took a while before someone answered it. The opposing party had not even waited for Chuzheng to speak and said angrily, ¡°Miss Gu, I have told you many times. You are not suitable for this role and if there are still other chances, we can collaborate, alright?¡± It was obvious that the proprietress had called many times and the director was going crazy because of her calls. ¡°I want to invest ten million dollars.¡± ¡°Miss Gu, I am very busy. If you don¡¯t have anything on¡­¡± The director paused. ¡°What did you say just now?¡± ¡°I want to invest ten million dollars,¡± said Chuzheng. The director seemed to have choked as the other side of the phone was very noisy. ¡°Miss Gu, you are not trying to amuse me, right?¡± ¡°I am very busy and have no time to amuse you.¡± ¡®I only have two hours! I am very busy!¡¯ Director: ¡°¡­¡± His words were thrown back at him. This lady had come for an audition once, although her foundation was not very good, she looked pretty¡­ But was she really that rich? The director was a little suspicious, but their drama was really in need of investors. ¡°Miss Gu, where are you now? We can meet up and discuss?¡± ¡°We will meet at the film studio.¡± She lived very close to the Film Studios while the director should be a little further away from it, but meeting at the Film Studios was the fastest method. Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Everyone’s Idol (2) Chapter 32: Everyone¡¯s Idol (2) Editor: Atlas Studios Chuzheng and the director met at the Film Studios. The director was over forty-years-old and had a square face shape, giving off a sense of security. The director sized Chuzheng up suspiciously. ¡®Why does this lady¡¯s aura¡­ seem so different from the previous time we met?¡¯ They had already spent some time traveling so Chuzheng did not wish to waste any more time talking with the director and hence directly went into the main topic. Soon, both parties had come into a verbal agreement and Chuzheng quickly transferred ten million dollars to the director in the last few minutes of her mission as though she was throwing a burning hot potato away. However, Chuzheng had not expected that the proprietress card could not transfer so much money at once. ¡®Man proposes, God disposes.¡¯ King¡¯s happy voice broke the silence. [Congratulations Little miss, you are now given the chance to double your sum. Ten million dollars is now in your bank account. Please spend twenty million dollars in one hour!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Not only did the sum double, but the time also reduced!¡¯ She took a peek at the director as her expression became more serious. ¡°Director.¡± ¡°Miss Gu?¡± ¡®She won¡¯t regret her decision right?¡¯ Although they have enough investors for the prophase of the drama production, the director was still troubled over the lack of investors for the later part of the production¡­ Ten million to them was already a big sum. ¡°Can I add another ten million dollars?¡± ¡®This damned system actually doubled the sum of money!¡¯ The director froze before giving her a big smile. ¡°Of course you can, of course you can.¡± ¡®What luck today!¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s twenty million dollars!¡¯ ¡®Major investment!¡¯ ¡®My God of Fortune!¡¯ Chuzheng and the director went to the nearby bank and settled the payment which made the director very happy. [Congratulations Little miss for completing the mission! Your reward of ten million dollars is now in your bank account.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡®The sum did not double?¡¯ [Yes, Little miss. As doubling the sum stated in your mission is considered as a punishment, we cannot give you double the sum of your reward~ So Little miss, it would be best if you can finish your mission in the designated time otherwise when the time cannot be reduced further, you will have to repeat the mission.] Chuzheng was shocked. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Even if the original 10 million increased to 100 million dollars and I managed to spend it all, I will only get 10 million dollars as a reward. But if the time runs out, I will have to repeat¡­¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s so tiring to spend money.¡¯ ¡®Which imbecile designed this system which violates the rules of science?¡¯ Chuzheng went back to her home. She had just wanted to close the door, but someone blocked the door with their two hands. ¡°You are fine now?¡± A lady with exquisite make-up scanned Chuzheng as she entered the house. The was the proprietress¡¯ roommate, Liu Manman. Liu Manman threw the things on her hand to the sofa. ¡°Gu Chuzheng, you shouldn¡¯t blame me because I earned the role using my own abilities. Society works like this.¡± Chuzheng closed the door and looked at Liu Manman. ¡®The person which the proprietress needs to counterattack against¡­ should be her.¡¯ Liu Manman looked through her stuff while saying in a pitiful tone. ¡°Oh right, I can talk to the director to give you a role and let you act as my maid. There are lines too.¡± ¡°No need.¡± ¡°Stuck-up snob.¡± Liu Manman chuckled while swaying her butt from side to side and walked back to her room. She did not feel a single sense of guilt for using underhand methods to steal Chuzheng¡¯s role. The proprietress and Liu Manman met when they were acting walk-on roles together. Liu Manman also did not graduate from a famous school nor have any acting experience and hence, they took on walk-on roles together. Both of them even rented a house together. In the beginning, their relationship was still considered good but Liu Manman gradually started to order the proprietress around. Moreover, Liu Manman was very pretty and had a glib tongue and hence, she was able to get more acting roles that had lines. When she was acting, she treated the proprietress like her assistant and ordered her around. She even caused her to be late for a few of her acting schedules which had offended the director and eventually led to the proprietress losing her acting role. Nonetheless, in the past, she would still leave some face for the proprietress and would not fall-out with her. Yet, ever since Liu Manman stole the proprietress¡¯s role and the proprietress came to question her, Liu Manman did not hide her dislike towards the proprietress again. Even till the day the proprietress died, she still did not know why Liu Manman hated her so much. In the following days, Liu Manman had always left early and came home late so she did not have much chance to interact with Chuzheng until the day the production crew informed her about the filming process. Liu Manman was fetched by a car early in the morning. When Liu Manman reached the film set, she immediately went to find the assistant director. ¡°Assistant director, I heard that our drama production recently gained a new sponsor?¡± The assistant director nodded. ¡°Yes, why did you ask?¡± ¡°Who is the investor?¡± probed Liu Manman curiously. The people beside her also pricked up their eyes when they overheard their conversation. They have also heard about the new investments, but they still had no idea who the investor was up till today. The assistant director scanned Liu Manman¡¯s body before fixing his eyes on her breast and chuckled, ¡°I am not sure about that. The director personally interacted with the investor and did not want to tell me who it was even when I asked him so I guess he wants to keep it a secret.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± The actors in this drama were either unpopular or were has-beens. The opening ceremony had started and Liu Manman overheard somebody¡¯s conversation. ¡°Strange, why hasn¡¯t the second female lead arrived?¡± ¡°Eh? I didn¡¯t see her just now either.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the second female lead Dong Xin, who had been popular a while ago?¡± ¡°It seems to be her. But she¡¯s not even popular now and yet she still acts so arrogantly. Look, the female lead and male lead have already arrived.¡± The second female lead still had not appeared even when the actors had started filming. Liu Manman has been doing very well during her filming process. Not only did she coax the director well, but the crew members also liked her very much. One day, Liu Manman had just finished her acting scene and went out to take a breather, only to bump into Chuzheng. Liu Manman was very surprised. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Chuzheng habitually placed her hands in her pocket as she glanced at her coldly. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Liu Manman crossed her arms and scoffed, ¡°Previously, I said that I can give you a role, but you didn¡¯t want it. Now, the filming has already started so what¡¯s the use of you coming here?¡± ¡°Good dogs do not block the pathway.¡± Liu Manman¡¯s facial expression stiffened as she rebuked, ¡°You dare to scold me!¡± Chuzheng denied sternly, ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡®You snatched my role and you still dare to blame me?¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t think that just because you look pretty, you can scold people irresponsibly!¡¯ Liu Manman furrowed her eyebrows as Chuzheng was obviously pointing at the mulberry tree while cursing the locust tree¡­ but then again, something did not feel right about this woman. In the past, Gu Chuzheng was stubborn and smug, but that was not how she was today¡ªshe gave off a cold and uncomfortable feeling. ¡°Quickly leave this place.¡± Liu Manman suddenly became irritated and pushed her outside. ¡°They are filming inside so don¡¯t interrupt us and quickly leave.¡± Chuzheng grabbed her wrist in a swift action before twisting it. Liu Manman widened her eyes in shock as her body uncontrollably fell to the side. Liu Manman fell on the ground, dumbfounded. ¡°Manman!¡± A man ran over and helped Liu Manman to her feet. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The assistant director supported Liu Manman while feeling sorry for her. Liu Manman¡¯s hand was bleeding and she gasped in pain, ¡°Assistant director, this person is so weird. She even hurt me.¡± Chuzheng had already retracted her hand and stuff it in her pocket as she looked at them with a cold look. The assistant director met Chuzheng¡¯s eyes and his heart skipped a beat. It was as though he was being stared at by something ferocious as goosebumps sprang up all over his body. ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡­¡± The assistant director sized her up carefully and recognized her. ¡°Gu¡­ Gu Chuzheng?¡± Liu Manman¡¯s current role belonged to her but she was taken down by herself. The assistant director immediately came back to his senses and pointed his finger at her. He righteously criticized, ¡°The distribution of roles was an internal decision. You are not suitable for the role so why did you find Manman for trouble? Quickly apologize to Manman!¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡®Dream on!¡¯ Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Everyone’s Idol (3) Chapter 33: Everyone¡¯s Idol (3) Editor: Atlas Studios The assistant director unknowingly felt increased stress from Chuzheng¡¯s expressionless face. His mood was even more terrible as having a witless young girl was enough yet she still created such stress for him. ¡°Miss Gu, don¡¯t go too far. Apologize to Manman now. If not, I¡¯ll call the security guards. ¡°Go ahead and call them.¡± Chuzheng simply said. The assistant director was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®This little brat really thinks that he does not dare to call the security guards in!¡¯ ¡°Why are all of you blocking the way over here?¡± The assistant director raised his head and saw the director hurriedly walking out with his cell phone in his hands. ¡°Director, there¡¯s nothing wrong.¡± The assistant director quickly explained. ¡°A person is making a ruckus here. I¡¯ll make her leave now.¡± But the director had already walked out and saw Chuzheng. He smiled immediately. ¡°Miss Gu, you¡¯ve arrived. Didn¡¯t we agree that I¡¯ll come and fetch you? I¡¯m really sorry for making you find the way yourself.¡± She was their god of fortune! She had to be properly waited upon! ¡°Hurry up and make the person causing trouble to leave. Don¡¯t stand here and annoy others.¡± The assistant director had a shocked look. ¡®Was he hallucinating about the scene where the director was fawning over Gu Chuzheng just now?¡¯ Liu Manman was not any better. The director¡¯s attitude¡­ ¡°He¡¯s referring to me,¡± Chuzheng answered for him. ¡°What?¡± The director was stunned before he came back to his senses and glanced at the assistant director and Liu Manman. He did not care about how Liu Manman got in as they were just filming a small film while she was a third female lead so as long as she could act, it was fine. But¡­ The director suddenly recalled the previous incident where this third female lead stole their god of fortune¡¯s acting role. The director immediately broke into a cold sweat. Chuzheng had never especially mentioned this incident while he was too excited previously and hence, he forgot about this incident. ¡°What are you doing!¡± The director slapped the assistant director¡¯s head. ¡°She is Miss Gu. Open your eyes wide and look carefully! Does Miss Gu seem to be making trouble?¡± ¡°Apologize to Miss Gu now!¡± The director scoffed. The assistant director was stunned. Apologize? To her? ¡°Director¡­¡± The assistant director wanted to ask for the reason, but before he could speak, he was scolded by the director. Since he was the assistant director, the word ¡°assistant¡± meant that he could never be better than the director. ¡°Sorry, Miss Gu.¡± The assistant director dryly apologized, but did not know where he was wrong. ¡®Was the director turning crazy?¡¯ Liu Manman stood at the side and her fingernails almost dug into her flesh. ¡°Miss Gu, I¡¯m so sorry. Please don¡¯t mind them. Come in.¡± The director immediately changed the topic. After Chuzheng and the director went in, Liu Manman held back the assistant director¡¯s arm. ¡°Assistant director, what¡¯s with Gu Chuzheng?¡± The assistant director was frustrated as well and his tone was harsh. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He turned back and looked at Liu Manman. ¡°Is she not your roommate? Don¡¯t you know why she appeared here?¡± Liu Manman shook her head. She really did not know. Over these past few days, she left early and came back late so they had few opportunities to meet each other. Hence, she had not known what Chuzheng was doing at all. At that time, she had not felt that she could talk much either. ¡°Ay! Assistant director¡­ wait for me.¡± Liu Manman still had to rely on the assistant director and hence, she could not offend him. Over there, the director brought Chuzheng in and gathered everyone as he introduced Chuzheng as their second female lead. ¡°The second female lead was changed?¡± ¡°She looks like a cold person and doesn¡¯t seem nice to interact with, but she still looks quite pretty.¡± ¡°Have you seen her before?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen her before. She¡¯s probably a newcomer. Could it be she came in through the back door?¡± As the director saw the discussion getting out of hand, he shouted, ¡°Not only is Miss Gu our second female lead, she is also our biggest investor. Everyone, take note of that!¡± The scene immediately fell silent. Liu Manman who just walked in, stood rooted to the ground. ¡®Investor? And the biggest?¡¯ Liu Manman thought she was hallucinating and harshly pinched herself yet the director continued to give orders and it was clear that she had not hallucinated. ¡®She could not even clinch an acting role so how could she be the investor now?¡¯ Impossible! ¡°You¡¯ve landed me in a hot soup.¡± Liu Manman frantically explained. ¡°Assistant director, I didn¡¯t. She¡­¡± The assistant director glared at Liu Manman before he rushed forward to apologize. Liu Manman¡¯s face was writ large with disbelief as she stared at the girl who was surrounded by people. How could this be? The director arranged a private dressing room for Chuzheng. What a joke! She was their god of fortune! A private dressing room was definitely necessary. Liu Manman walked into the dressing room in a huff. Inside the dressing room, Chuzheng was alone. She closed the door and questioned her. ¡°Gu Chuzheng, where did you get so much money?¡± Chuzheng leaned on the dressing table as she said with an indifferent expression. ¡°Who are you to ask me? Do I have to report to you?¡± Liu Manman scoffed. ¡°Am I not clear of your background?¡± ¡®How could she have the money to invest? That was absolutely impossible!¡¯ ¡°So what is my background?¡± Chuzheng reversed the question. ¡®She made it sound like she knew herself better than her, how impressive!¡¯ Liu Manman said, ¡°You didn¡¯t even graduate from high school and belong to an average family. How could you have so much money?¡± She rolled her eyes as though she seemed to understand something. ¡°You put on an act all day and pretend that you¡¯re high up in the sky. Could it be you took a man¡¯s money and came over here to boast?¡± ¡®She was not any better either by looking down on her all day.¡¯ ¡°You believed what I said?¡± Chuzheng played with her wrists. ¡°Naive.¡± ¡°If you really had money, why would you live in that place? Gu Chuzheng, you can stop pretending. You have a sugar daddy, right? You¡­¡± Peng¡ª¡ª ¡®It¡¯s so noisy.¡¯ Chuzheng put down the hammer that she did not know who put in there and threw Liu Manman who had fainted outside. The people outside the door were shocked. Chuzheng: Oh no, I forgot there were people outside.¡¯ She held the door calmly. ¡°She fainted.¡± Everyone was at a loss. They could see that, but the question was why did she faint? Chuzheng said with a serious expression, ¡°You can take her back.¡± After Chuzheng closed the door, she patted her chest two times in relief. The news of the second female lead was the biggest investor who knocked down the third female lead the moment she arrived spread quickly within their filming crew and even escalated to the neighboring filming crew. Liu Manman woke up and had almost stirred up trouble for Chuzheng before she was stopped by the assistant director. The director had said before that nobody was allowed to offend their god of fortune. No matter how impressive the assistant director was, he could not have bad terms with money. Liu Manman felt extremely wronged. ¡®Who did she think she was!¡¯ She was merely a nobody yet how could she become a person envied by everyone in the blink of an eye and even had the upper hand over her. ¡°Manman, no matter what grudge you have with her, you have to tolerate it for now.¡± The assistant director threw her a sentence. Liu Manman kept silent. Liu Manman was indignant and started to spread rumors within the filming crew by saying Chuzheng had an old sugar daddy and she used to be a small player where her living quarters were all rented and was so poor that she could only eat instant noodles. If she was not a sugar baby, how would she have so much money? Chuzheng looked young and did not seem like a rich person. Moreover, the credibility of rumors increases as it spreads. Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Everyone’s Idol (4) Chapter 34: Everyone¡¯s Idol (4) Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°The Allure of the Phoenix Princess¡±second female lead role was very suitable for Chuzheng as her role was a cold beauty hence, she only had to stand there with her costume and make-up on. The second female lead was a courageous female general. But after she came back from winning a battle, she was married to the male lead. The male lead was naturally displeased with it as he liked the female lead. Coincidentally, the second female lead did not like the male lead as well and only wanted to take part in battles to kill their enemies. Under many conspiracies, the straightforward nature of the second female lead was very disadvantageous Later on, the second female lead was framed by others and the main female lead saved her. She had a makeover and worked at a defensive position on the frontier. A few years later, the main female lead got in trouble and the second female lead helped her with her troops. There were many acting scenes for this role yet she just had to dislike the male lead thus she had not understood the thought process of the scriptwriter. Chuzheng was not familiar with the shooting environment and NG many times at the start, but the director still guided her patiently. After Chuzheng was accustomed to the shooting style, the shooting process became much smoother. It was mainly due to her imposing aura where others felt that she was indeed the courageous female general on the battlefield ¨C confident and free-willed ¨C even without doing anything. Liu Manman stood outside as darkness burgeoned in her eyes. After Chuzheng finished a scene, she rested at a side since she was not needed in the next one and overheard some staff members talking about her. Something about having an old sugar daddy? Chuzheng took a sip of water. If she had an old sugar daddy¡­.she first had to have an old man. That was a little difficult to find. Should she spend some money to hire one? [Main mission: Please spend twenty thousand in thirty minutes.] Chuzheng was shocked. She really had to hire an old man? ¡®Why are you so mischievous!?¡¯ [Little miss, good luck! Time waits for no one~] Thirty minutes! If she failed to spend the money, the money would double and the time would be cut half. That meant that if she could not spend twenty thousand, later she had to spend forty thousand in fifteen minutes. Scary! Chuzheng stood up. The staff who were talking at a side got a fright and zipped their mouths up while cautiously looking at her. Then, they saw the main person in discussion leaving the production team with a cold face. They were currently at the filming studio thus there was no way she could buy things. Chuzheng quickly recalled the way here and walked out swiftly. But in the end, she had to run with her costume on. Luckily, the place was used for filming so there was nothing wrong with wearing her costume. ¡°Welcome¡­¡± Chuzheng held on the counter. ¡°I want the most expensive one that costs twenty thousand.¡± The shop assistant was stunned. [Little miss, you are left with two minutes~] Chuzheng took out her card and hurried the store owner. ¡°Payment through card, twenty thousand dollars.¡± The shop assistant gulped her saliva and weakly said. ¡°Miss¡­¡± Chuzheng glanced at the code scanner at the side and quickly took out her phone before scanning the code and transferring the money. The shop assistant was still in a state of shock when she heard the notification ring. ¡®Who am I? Where am I? What just happened?¡¯ [Congratulations Little miss for completing the mission! Your twenty thousand dollars reward is now in your bank account. Little miss, you are so awesome! Keep it up and you will definitely become the best money squanderer!]King encouraged her. Yet Chuzheng had not wanted this reward at all. Chuzheng supported herself on the counter and heaved out a sigh of relief. ¡®Racing against time to spend money, what sort of situation was this!¡¯ Chuzheng noticed the shop assistant¡¯s stare on her and calmed down before coldly looking towards the shop assistant. ¡°Send it to The Allure of the Phoenix Princess filming crew.¡± Chuzheng pushed open the door and walked out. It was only after the door was closed, did the shop assistant come back to her senses. She had been the shop assistant for so long, but had never seen someone buy things like her before. The sun was still strong outside and Chuzheng was still wearing her thick and heavy costumes. After running so fast just now, she could not stand the heat and took out her outer coat before hanging it over the crook of her arm. Outside the Film Studio, many tourists pulled her in for a picture when they saw her. Chuzheng coldly rejected and walked back through the shade. ¡°So cool!¡± ¡°She¡¯s filming, right? What show is she filming for? I want to watch it!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen her. She should be a newcomer?¡± ¡°Her back view is so nice. Oh my gosh! I thought she was a guy when I looked at her back view!¡± Chuzheng had not known that her photos of her back view had been posted online. Under the strong sun, a heroic woman hung her outer coat over the crook of her arm while her hair swayed along with her movements as she walked further and further away. That picture was photoshopped before as it blurred the surroundings and made the character more noticeable. After a VIP forwarded the picture, it became popular. Unexpectedly, Chuzheng had not known about it. She stood in a shady alley and a car was parked at a remote corner. [Secret mission: Please be friendzoned by Su Jiu and prevent Su Jiu from being tainted.] Chuzheng stopped her movements when she heard that voice and following the direction King gave, she saw the young man standing beside the car. Secret mission¡­ Chuzheng recalled that she had done it before in the previous universe, but she could not remember the exact details. She must have succeeded if not, she would not be here. The white-dressed young man who stood beside the car lowered his head. Beside him was another man wearing western-style attire who had a look of flattery while talking to the person inside the car. Looking at the hand which reached out of the car, it should belong to a woman. She was quite far away from Chuzheng so Chuzheng could not decipher the contents of their conversation, but the car left shortly after. The man who wore western-style attire was talking to the young man as the young man nodded his head continuously. His soft hair swayed in the wind and there were moments where the hair blew up high. Chuzheng leaned against the wall as her fingers tapped on her robe and she looked towards them with a cold gaze. Pa The young man staggered from the harsh slap and leaned against the wall behind him as he pressed his head lower. The man then left in exasperation. After the man disappeared, the man put down his hands and smoothed his clothes before raising his head to meet Chuzheng¡¯s gaze. The young froze momentarily as his porcelain white face started to swell and a slap print appeared yet it had not ruined the young man¡¯s exquisite and handsome looks. He curled his lips and smiled warmly at Chuzheng before leaving and his snowy white shirt disappeared around the corner. [Little miss, why didn¡¯t you befriend him?]King asked.[It was such a good opportunity and you just let it go. Are you inhumane?] What did you say? [¡­I¡­ Did I say anything? No. Little miss, I didn¡¯t say anything. I¡¯ll help you find information about Su Jiu!] Su Jiu. He became popular from a school drama with his handsome face. But he only became popular from one drama. Following that, some missy from a powerful family fancied him and told him if he was together with her, he could get all the resources to become a movie star and get whatever he wanted. To a youthful young man, the appearance of this woman destroyed his hope for the future. He had not agreed thus the woman cut off all his acting opportunities. With no media exposure for some time, the young man became a person of the past. Later on, the young man was drugged by his manager and was sent to the woman¡¯s bed. The young man silently tolerated and started to plan his revenge on the woman. First, the people related to the woman got into accidents and died before the woman was implicated by their deaths while the young man escaped unscathed. He then found himself unable to turn back hence he gave up on himself and plotted against those women who harbored evil intentions on him. In the end, he was found out by the police, but before the police came, he committed suicide. Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Everyone’s Idol (5) Chapter 35: Everyone¡¯s Idol (5) Editor: Atlas Studios [Little miss, the banquet is held in half an hour. You must save him!!] King reminded Chuzheng. Her unconcerned look made King worried. ¡°Hmm.¡± Once Chuzheng returned to the filming set, she saw Liu Manman busy passing water to the filming crew who were resting. Everyone felt awfully hot from the strong sun so no matter the cost of the water, Liu Manman left a good impression on everyone. Chuzheng sat back on her chair. Due to the rumors and Chuzheng¡¯s unapproachable nature, nobody talked to her. The director appeared out of nowhere. ¡°God¡­ Miss Gu.¡± The director almost called her wrong and quickly changed his words. ¡°You¡¯ve one more scene later so it¡¯ll be a little tougher for you in this scene.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng covered her face with her script and waved her hand, suggesting to the director that he should quickly leave. ¡®What a nuisance.¡¯ The director was shocked. He must not offend the god of fortune! Moreover, she was just unwilling to converse with others and had not made trouble for him. Compared to those annoying artists who entered through the back door, she was easier to please. With that thought, the director instantly felt better. ¡°Director! Director!¡± A person shouted from outside. ¡°Workers from the Haagen-Dazs shop located outside came and sent ice-cream here. They said someone told them to send it here! There¡¯s quite a lot of boxes!¡± ¡°What?¡± The direction spoke in his dialect. Many boxes¡­ The director calculated the costs in his mind and quickly walked outside when the hem of his shirt was pulled back. The god of fortune who covered her face with the script spoke. ¡°Give it out.¡± The director was shocked. It was bought by the god of fortune! Why was she so calm about it? To a god of fortune who could easily fork out ten million dollars, treating everyone to ice cream was not a big deal at all! The director quickly walked out and made the workers move the boxes of ice cream in. ¡°Who bought this?¡± ¡°This must have cost at least tens of thousands of dollars?¡± ¡°So much! I¡¯ve always wanted to eat it but could not bear to spend my money since it was so expensive¡­¡± The director clapped his hands and gathered everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Miss Gu has treated everyone to ice cream so split it among yourselves.¡± The atmosphere became silent. Afterward, someone livened up the atmosphere and it became lively again. Praises flowed out of everyone¡¯s mouths as though they were not the ones who discussed that she had a sugar daddy. Liu Manman stood outside the crowd as she grasped a bottle of water in her hand and had a dark expression while she glared in Chuzheng¡¯s direction. These ice creams may not have been much to a huge star, but to Liu Manman, the costs still belonged to an unacceptable range. ¡°Teacher Liu, here. I took one for you.¡± A person beside Liu Manman passed an ice cream to her. The cold packaging subsided the warmth in her hand and Liu Manman gave a stiff smile. ¡°Thank you, but my period has come¡­ I can¡¯t eat it.¡± She returned the ice cream to the person before she turned around and left. That person scratched his head as he nudged the person beside him. ¡°Wasn¡¯t teacher Liu quite happy just now? Why did she suddenly turn unhappy?¡± ¡°Are you dumb? Previously, teacher Gu threw her out and now the ice cream is bought by teacher Gu, can she be happy?¡± ¡®Oh, right¡­¡± ¡°Stop looking, the ice cream is going to be gone soon.¡± The director passed a box of ice cream to Chuzheng, but was rejected by Chuzheng with one word. Troublesome. The director was shocked. ¡®Even eating was troublesome? Was she cultivating to be immortal?¡¯ After Chuzheng treated everyone to ice cream, discussions about her had lessened as since they had eaten her ice cream, they had to speak good words about her. Under the intense shooting schedule, the main female and male lead with the most scenes could not stand it. Even with assistants helping them, they had still arrived late sometimes. Yet Chuzheng always came on time. She came neither early nor late and was just on time. Although she always had a cold face, she had never thrown her temper at anyone and never abused her authority as an investor to bully others like those they saw before. Liu Manman had tried to get a hold of something on Chuzheng by following her everywhere. But Chuzheng was always alone and never had any male species near her. Liu Manman felt that it was strange as without a sugar daddy, how did she get so much money? She complained to the assistant director, but after the assistant director found out Chuzheng was an investor, he had not dared to do anything to her. If he offended the god of fortune, wouldn¡¯t the director fight with him to the death? Liu Manman refused to believe it. Hence, she slipped into Chuzheng¡¯s dressing room while Chuzheng was filming and carefully searched for Chuzheng¡¯s phone. The phone had no lock but it was empty inside. Other than the contact information of the filming crew, the rest were normal contact information and there were no suspicious contacts. Ding The screen flashed out a reminder and she instinctively tapped it open but it required a password. Liu Manman tried for a while, but had not succeeded. She gave up on the cell phone and switched her attention towards the costume beside her. She furrowed her brows as an idea came to her mind. Liu Manman left the dressing room before Chuzheng came back. She swiftly returned to her seat and prepared for the next scene with an extraordinarily happy mood. The next scene was about the second female lead and male lead¡¯s wedding banquet where most of the characters in the first part of the series would appear. ¡°Teacher Gu, take a rest before you change into the costume for the next scene?¡± Chuzheng nodded her head and returned to the dressing room to rest. Her cellphone was left on the table. Chuzheng reached out to take it, but stopped halfway. ¡®Which damn thing touched her stuff?¡¯ She remembered that when she left, the phone screen was facing up, but now, it was facing down. She had no assistant in the dressing room so there was no probability of someone accidentally touching it when they were cleaning her room. Chuzheng hesitated for a moment before she took up her phone again and turned on the phone screen. She tapped on the red notification on the right-hand corner and entered the password. A man with fresh looks filled up the whole screen. His lips curled up slightly and he looked like an angel surrounded by holy light which stirred up the protective nature within people. Chuzheng swiped the page down with no change in expression. Su Jie¡¯s basic information was written below and his acting work column had one lonely piece of work-¡°Everlasting Youth¡± She had asked the director for help to get this information. Other than some online information, there was some information that had yet to be announced to the public. After Chuzheng finished reading, she deleted it. Chuzheng glanced around the room as the memory of the state of the room before she left appeared and she swiftly compared the before and after state of the room. Finally, her gaze fell on the costume she had to wear later. The direction of the flower pattern was different¡­ ¡°Teacher Gu, can I do your make-up now?¡± A person knocked on the door from the outside. ¡°Yes.¡± Chuzheng checked the costume and had not seen anything wrong. She passed the costume to the make-up artist and let her check as well. Sometimes, people could choose not to see. The make-up artist was aware of the fights between artists and honestly checked the costume. ¡°Teacher Gu, this strap¡­¡± Chuzheng glanced at it and saw the string from the strap had been pulled off. If one fastened it tightly, it would definitely break. The clothes she wore now covered her chest and was bound with a strap. The weather was hot so other than her underclothing, she wore nothing else. ¡®This was making her strip her clothes off in public¡­¡¯ ¡®So evil! Bastards!¡¯ Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Everyone’s Idol (6) Chapter 36: Everyone¡¯s Idol (6) Editor: Atlas Studios When Chuzheng changed into her outfit, Liu Manman was already getting ready at the filming set. Liu Manman saw Chuzheng walking over and a glint of gloating flashed past her eyes, but she quickly looked away. ¡°All the respective departments, please get ready.¡± The crew members immediately left the filming set. Since it was a banquet, all the actors would be sitting down. Chuzheng was sitting in the front seat while Liu Manman, who was the third female lead, sat beside her. The strident notes of the flute soared through the filming set and the dancers began dancing. As a general, although Chuzheng was wearing female attire, her posture looked very bold and heroic. The emperor poked fun at her for that, but Chuzheng only gave a faint reply. ¡°I heard that the daughter of the Jiang Family has a talent for dancing. May I know if we can have the chance to feast our eyes on her dancing?¡± asked a courtier. The daughter of the Jiang Family was the role Liu Manman was acting. Since it was her dream to marry the male lead, she naturally did not decline the courtier¡¯s request. She stood up shyly to express her willingness. Just as she was about to walk out, she tripped on her long dress and her body fell backward uncontrollably. Liu Manman¡¯s head knocked onto the ground and even had an abrasion. Her palms and knees also turned red in pain. She did not even get the chance to scream in pain when she heard Chuzheng¡¯s voice. ¡°You can¡¯t even walk properly much less say dancing. Bring her out quickly and treat her wounds so that it wouldn¡¯t leave a scar.¡± The director was dumbfounded. It¡­ wasn¡¯t written like this in the script. Not only was the director in a state of astonishment, but the others were also dumbfounded. Luckily, the set did not descend into chaos. Chuzheng¡¯s lines were very suitable for her character as her family and the Jiang Family did not get along well in the drama. Both characters even had a falling-out before the banquet. The emperor could not blame her as well since the Jiang Family¡¯s daughter was indeed hurt and was bleeding so Chuzheng¡¯s words were still considered as a form of concern. The scenario was reasonable and fair. Other than the part where Liu Manman¡¯s character left the scene a little too hurriedly, everything else was reasonable. The director immediately asked the guards at the side to bring her down. Liu Manman was dumbfounded. It was not until she left the scene that she managed to react. ¡°Director! The script wasn¡¯t written this way. Someone stepped on my dress just now so that¡¯s why I fell down!¡± Yes, someone stepped on her dress and the person who was the closest to her was that woman so it has to be definitely her. ¡°About that, quickly treat your wounds.¡± The director clearly had no intention to do her justice and only let the production crew bring her out. ¡°Director, somebody really stepped on my dress.¡± The director waved his hand at her, telling her to keep quiet. Liu Manman refused to submit to such a conclusion and wanted to defend herself, but the assistant director dragged her away on account of their previous ties. As the third female lead, it would do her no good if she blew things up and she might even implicate him. ¡°Why did you drag me away?¡± Liu Manman was so angry that she was seeing red. ¡°The director clearly doesn¡¯t care about you. You will only lose out if you blow things up.¡± ¡°¡­Then, what should I do?¡± Since she could not offend the director, Liu Manman could only look at the assistant director with pitiful eyes. This scene could be said to be one of her most important scenes in the whole drama. However, she was chased out simply because of that woman¡¯s words? The assistant director looked around to make sure that no one was looking at them and patted Liu Manman¡¯s voluptuous hips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will find a way to help you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course, as long as¡­¡± The assistant director gave her a ¡®you understand what I mean¡¯ look. Although Liu Manman felt disgusted by him, she still pouted cutely. ¡°I understand.¡± Liu Manman looked towards the camera and a glint of malevolence flashed past her eyes. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ ¡®She¡¯ll get it from me later!¡¯ Liu Manman thought about it and she felt better. However, even when filming had ended, nothing happened. ¡®Why did nothing happen?¡¯ ¡®No way¡­¡¯ At that time, she did not dare to do much as she was afraid that she would be found out, but wasn¡¯t Chuzheng¡¯s luck too good? There were so many big action scenes yet none of her strings broke? Liu Manman waited till Chuzheng finished filming and went forward to question her, ¡°You did it on purpose just now, didn¡¯t you?¡± Chuzheng took off her thick outerwear and casually threw it on her chair. She then pulled up her sleeves, showing off her fair and slender arm. ¡°What happened just now?¡± Under this stuffy and hot environment, her voice was like a lake in the forest and had a hint of coolness. ¡°You purposely caused me to be unable to film this scene. It was you who tripped me down!¡± Chuzheng glanced at her and faintly denied, ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡®I am pulling a prank on you!¡¯ ¡®Who asks you to bully me all the time!¡¯ ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you, who was it?¡± Liu Manman refused to believe her. ¡°You refuse to admit what you have done, is that it?¡± ¡°It was not me.¡± ¡®That¡¯s right, I refuse to admit it. What can you do about it? Bite me?¡¯ Chuzheng walked towards the director and Liu Maman followed her. Chuzheng turned around and threatened her, ¡°If you continue following me, I will hit you.¡± Liu Manman: Perhaps she had recalled the time when she was knocked unconscious in the dressing room, Liu Manman¡¯s facial expression froze as she stood rooted to the ground. ¡®Damn it! Ahhh! Gu Chuzheng! Wretch! Wretch!¡¯ In the following days, Liu Manman continuously found ways to torture her, but every time, Chuzheng took revenge on her on the spot. If that was just it then it would not be so bad. But Chuzheng did not even leave a single trace of evidence and made it look as if she had not done it before. What was even more overboard was that she actually silently cut her acting scenes shorter! Every time Liu Manman went to find the director, the director always dismissed her with an ¡®I think it¡¯s very reasonable¡¯ explanation. Liu Manman could not voice her worries out and it was not until she had enough of Chuzheng¡¯s counter attacks that she stopped and decided to live honestly. ¡°Su Jiu, even if you don¡¯t want to go to the banquet, you have to go!¡± His manager threw the invitation card to the young man and the young man lowered his head while remaining unmoved. The manager set his arms akimbo. ¡°I am so unlucky to have become your manager. Why are you so stubborn? Who isn¡¯t like this in this entertainment industry? So what if you are talented? If you want to be popular, you need to have the backing and a good background! If you don¡¯t have these, you are nothing!¡± ¡°Many people will attend the banquet and I am telling you that you have to go!¡± The manager spat this sentence out of his mouth and slammed the door without even caring about the young man¡¯s reaction. The young man waited for the house to fall silent before picking up the invitation card. ¡®No status¡­¡¯ ¡®No backing¡­¡¯ ¡®I can only be stepped on?¡¯ ¡®Hmph¡­¡¯ On the day of the banquet, no matter how unwilling Su Jiu was, his manager still dragged him to the event¡¯s location. The people there dressed lavishly, however, they were rotten to their core. Their souls were foul and smelly which only disgusted people. ¡°Su Jiu, follow me.¡± His manager pulled him towards a lady. When Su Jiu scanned the crowd, he saw a familiar girl standing at a corner. She kept her distance from the others and was coldly looking at¡­ him? She was actually looking at herself. Su Jiu knew that his face was very attractive, otherwise, he would not attract so many problems now. Another person was attracted to this face of his? Su Jiu lowered his eyes like a puppet as in front of these people, he could not respond to any of them. His manager was a little angry and pinched Su Jiu a few times. ¡°Su Jiu, don¡¯t act as if you can¡¯t tell chalk from cheese! Miss Gao is talking to you!¡± ¡°Sigh, it¡¯s fine.¡± The lady dressed in red chuckled, ¡°I like him the way he is.¡± The manager chuckled as well. ¡°In that case¡­ you two can carry on and I will take my leave.¡± Gao Xueyun nodded, but before the manager left, he whispered in Su Jiu¡¯s ear and threatened him, ¡°Su Jiu, don¡¯t offend Miss Gao again! Otherwise, don¡¯t think of making a comeback again!¡± Su Jiu clenched his fists slightly. Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Everyone’s Idol (7) Chapter 37: Everyone¡¯s Idol (7) Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Do you hate to see me so much?¡± Gao Xueyun looked at the young man who looked like a white rabbit in front of her yet his personality was not like a white rabbit at all. ¡°You can lead a horse to water but you can¡¯t make him drink.¡± The young man replied. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Miss Gao understand this principle?¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± On the contrary, Gao Xueyun was elated. ¡°I like people like you! Where¡¯s the fun if you just do as I say?¡± Su Jiu was speechless. ¡®Pervert!¡¯ Gao Xueyun looked at the young man in front of her before she suddenly passed him a glass of wine. ¡°How about this? If you drink this glass of wine, I¡¯ll let you off for today and you can leave whenever you want.¡± Su Jiu furrowed his brows. ¡°As long as I finish this glass of wine, I can leave?¡± ¡°I always keep my word.¡± Gao Xueyun handed the glass of wine to him again. Su Jiu scanned his surroundings before he took the glass of wine. ¡°You¡¯ll let me off once I finish this?¡± Gao Xueyun shrugged her shoulders and seemed to take no heed of it. Su Jiu gulped down the wine in a few mouthfuls. However, as he drank the wine too anxiously, it made his face turn slightly red. His lips glimmered from the drops of wine left on it and looked especially alluring as Gao Xueyun exhaled out a breath. Su Jiu put down the wine glass before he turned around and left. Gao Xueyun curled her lips and smiled as she watched the young man leaving. After the young man disappeared from her sight, she took out her cell phone and dialed a number. ¡°He left. Stop him and don¡¯t let anyone see you.¡± That person replied with a ¡°Hmm.¡± Gao Xueyun socialized with others in a happy mood. As she thought about how she could sleep with that young man later, she could not help, but be elated. But that feeling was not sustained for long. ¡°He¡¯s gone? How did he go missing?¡± ¡°I saw him leaving. Didn¡¯t you see him?¡± ¡°Find him!¡± Gao Xueyun hung up the call while her face filled with exquisite make-up turned livid. She had failed on the verge of success! ¡°Miss Gao¡­¡± ¡°Scram!¡± Gao Xueyun scolded that person and left. ¡°What are you so smug about? If you weren¡¯t from the Gao Family, you would be nothing!¡± That person waited for Gao Xueyun to leave before scolding under his breath. Su Jiu was in a daze while his whole body felt like it was on fire. He had just left the banquet hall before he was pulled towards the exit by a person. Then he was pushed into a car. However, he was clearly no longer in a car, but on a bed. After he realized that point, Su Jiu started to feel cautious yet his body felt terrible and kept erasing away his consciousness. ¡°Hot¡­¡± Su Jiu undid his shirt¡¯s buttons, revealing his skin. Chuzheng stood before the bed and thought about what she should do. ¡®She should have sent him to the hospital just now.¡¯ ¡®Now she still had to get him out¡­ What a hassle.¡¯ ¡®Let him soak in a bath.¡¯ Chuzheng had a serious look as her right hand clenched into a fist and punched her left palm. She had decided to do it. Chuzheng proceeded into the bathroom and prepared cold water for him. But when she came out, she saw the snowy white bed sheets being stained blood red. The young man was using something to pierce his arm such that the pain kept him awake and allowed him to see the person in front of him clearly. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ you¡­¡± He had thought it was Gao Xueyun, but he had not expected the person to be the girl he met only two times. Chuzheng kept a cold look. ¡®Would the hotel management call the police tomorrow and say that she killed a person?¡¯ She had only prepared the water so how had it became a murder scene? ¡®Annoying.¡¯ ¡®She should just get rid of him.¡¯ [Little miss, if you don¡¯t stop the bleeding, you would really have to enter the police station! Not only that, you have to rewind time and repeat your mission~~]King happily reminded her. ¡®If she got rid of him, she would have to repeat!¡¯ ¡®She cannot get rid of him¡­¡¯ The young man¡¯s face was flushed red as he bit his lips and curled himself into a ball. The constant blood loss and effects of the drug made him feel even terrible. Chuzheng stepped forward. The young man flinched back sharply as he glared at her cautiously. Chuzheng did not care about his gaze and pulled him down before dragging him into the bathroom and pushed him into the water. His blood dripped into the water and dispersed, coloring the water red in an instant. [¡­]¡¯It¡¯s so difficult to friendzone him. It¡¯s too cruel and I can¡¯t bear to look at it any longer.¡¯ Chuzheng then grabbed his wrists before she thought for a moment and pulled his hand, letting him press on the wound himself. After experiencing such torture, Su Jiu had no energy left and was sprawled in the bathtub while the water in the bathtub became redder and redder. He stared at the ceiling with a lackluster gaze. Was he going to die? ¡°You won¡¯t die. You didn¡¯t pierce any crucial part.¡± The cold voice rang in his ears and under Su Jiu¡¯s blurry sight, he saw that person leaving the bathroom. Her voice traveled from the outside and in his daze, he could not decipher her words. After a while, he heard footsteps and cool fingers pried open his hands before placing his injured hand out of the bathtub. Su Jiu¡¯s recovering body started to feel hot again. He subconsciously let out a moan. The young man sprawled in the light red bloody water as his eyes were slightly closed and he bit down on his lips to prevent himself from making embarrassing noises. But he had no idea that this only made himself look even more alluring. Yet Chuzheng only gave him an indifferent stare and mercilessly poured the antiseptic liquid on his wound. The antiseptic liquid brought about sharp pains and the young man immediately became clear-headed. He caught his breath and looked towards the girl standing outside the bathtub. The girl moved skillfully and cleaned his wound before treating and bandaging his wound. From the start to the end, she kept a cold gaze and had no hint of filthy desires. He was used to the stares others had on him. Hence, suddenly seeing a different gaze made him bewildered. Chuzheng placed his hand back in the bathtub and stood up. Under the shadow cast over him, the young man came back to his senses and his gaze met a pair of cold and lonely eyes. The young man looked at her in astonishment. ¡®Was it still¡­ the same?¡¯ He saw the girl reaching out and he closed his eyes in resignation. A slight breeze teased past his ear, but her hand had not touched him. The young man opened his eyes while the hand bypassed his head and pushed a button behind him before the water in the bathtub decreased. Chuzheng¡¯s gaze lowered and met the young man¡¯s gaze. Chuzheng suddenly reached out and held his head before softly rubbing it. ¡®Hmm¡­ This is very soft¡­¡¯ ¡®Comfortable!¡¯ ¡®Just a bit more!¡¯ Chuzheng had a serious look and under Su Jiu¡¯s stunned look, she touched his head for a while longer. ¡°You¡­¡± Chuzheng calmed herself down before she took back her hand and stood straight. She put back the stuff she used earlier and threw it into the first aid kit as though nothing had happened. Su Jiu was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± After the water in the bathtub was drained, the young man¡¯s body was exposed in the air and one could vaguely see his body under the thin fabric. Su Jiu embarrassedly turned his body to the side and blocked Chuzheng¡¯s gaze. ¡°Argh¡­¡± Su Jiu winced as cold water was poured on his face. His body was already sensitive and now when he was poured with cold water, his reaction was even bigger. Chuzheng took the shower hose and sprinkled his head with water. As though she was washing an object, she washed his body from head to toe before continuing to put cold water in the bathtub. Su Jiu was speechless. After the water filled the bathtub, Chuzheng saw the flower petals at the side and sprinkled it in the water. The flower petals drifted in the water and seemingly covered the young man¡¯s body. This presence was a little similar to¡­ Su Jiu tolerated the cold. ¡®What was she trying to do?¡¯ However, Su Jiu had no time to ponder about this question as the drug began to take effect again and he dared not to make a noise in fear of provoking the strange girl. Su Jiu: She must be a demon! Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Everyone’s Idol (8) Chapter 38: Everyone¡¯s Idol (8) Editor: Atlas Studios The next day. Su Jiu with his cleanly bandaged wrist lay on the bed with newly changed bed sheets. His memory of yesterday¡¯s events were blurry and he could not remember some of it as he felt dizzy at the moment. But he knew who he was with now. Su Jiu sat up on the bed and peeled the blanket off before taking a look. ¡®Very good, he still had his pants on.¡¯ His pants were a little wet so she had probably dragged him out of the bathtub and then thrown him on the bed. That meant¡­ she had not done anything to him. Su Jiu let out a small sigh of relief. He looked around and found his folded clothes on the side which even had a note on it. ¡®Was it sent for dry cleaning?¡¯ Su Jiu quickly wore it. He had not found his shoes thus he could only go out with his bare feet. The girl sat on the sofa located in the living room and looked at him sideways. Her eyes were calm as though the quiet spring in the forest. It was cold and clear and exuded aloofness. The young man stood at the doorstep as his pale face had a vague sense of vigilance. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Chuzheng.¡± Chuzheng paused for a moment before adding on. ¡°Gu Chuzheng.¡± Gu Chuzheng¡­ He had never heard of that name. Su Jiu asked again. ¡°Why did you bring me here yesterday night?¡± Chuzheng looked away and spoke with an indifferent yet sweet voice. ¡°If I didn¡¯t do that, you would have woken up in another person¡¯s embrace.¡± Su Jiu was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± He remembered that when he left, he had already felt unwell. It must be caused by the glass of wine Gao Xueyun gave him. Thinking back, that woman would never let him off so easily. Previously, although she had cut off all his promotional activities and tried her best to pester him, she had never used such underhanded tactics. Never had he thought¡­ Su Jiu glanced at the girl and his cautious eyes had a hint of curiosity. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of offending Gao Xueyun?¡± Gao Xueyun was the young lady of the wealthy Gao Family. Even if Gao Xueyun had no real skill, nobody dared to oppose her. ¡°Gao Xueyun?¡± Chuzheng reversed the question. ¡°Who is she?¡± Su Jiu¡¯s beautiful eyes flashed through a hint of curiosity. ¡®She did not know her? Or was she pretending not to know her? Or was she just not scared of Gao Xueyun?¡¯ Su Jiu¡¯s curiosity lasted for an instant before his expression slowly softened. He placed his hands behind his back and walked to Chuzheng¡¯s side. ¡°Thank you.¡± The young man¡¯s voice was pleasing to hear and when it landed on the tip of one¡¯s heart, it was as though a feather had brushed past, soft and ticklish. Chuzheng gave a ¡°Hmm.¡± The room then went silent for a few seconds before she asked, ¡°Where do you stay?¡± Su Jiu gripped his hands tightly behind his back yet his expression was like an innocent white rabbit. He blinked his large eyes and softly asked, ¡°Are you going to send me home?¡± Chuzheng nodded her head. Su Jiu¡¯s red lips curled up slightly as his tone became softer. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go through all that trouble, I can go home myself. You helped me once so if there is a chance in the future, I will not forget to repay your kindness.¡± No matter what, he managed to dodge the bullet because of her. No matter what her motive was, he had to repay her kindness. ¡°Take your things, let¡¯s go.¡± Chuzheng stood up and took her things before walking to the entrance. Su Jiu was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± She was not even listening to him. In the end. Su Jiu still sat in the car with Chuzheng. She refused to let him talk or find a chance to escape and she forcefully pushed him into the car. The chauffeur drove for quite a distance before Su Jiu gave an address. Buzz¡­ The vibration of the cell phone abruptly rang in the silent car. Chuzheng fumbled around before fishing out her phone. As Su Jiu saw her taking the call, he cautiously glanced at her. ¡°I¡¯ve got something on.¡± ¡°I will come back in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Hmm, Okay.¡± Chuzheng looked sideways and met Su Jiu¡¯s sneaky gaze. Su Jiu frantically looked away as though he was a cat caught for doing bad things and turned his attention to outside the car. ¡°Phone.¡± Su Jiu looked at the thin and beautiful hand in front of him and instinctively took out his phone, but his phone had already shut down. He looked towards Chuzheng and innocently said, ¡°It¡¯s out of battery¡­¡± Chuzheng reached over and took the phone. Su Jiu wanted to snatch it back, but was frightened off by Chuzheng¡¯s cold demeanor. Chuzheng pressed on the phone¡¯s power button and there was a reminder of low battery, but it could still be sustained for a while. Following that, it was the message notification ring which only stopped after a while. She entered her cell phone number into his phone before throwing his phone back to him. Su Jiu clumsily caught his phone and the screen showed a new contact name ¨C Chuzheng. The first letter was C and thus she was placed first in his contact list. In the next second, the cell phone vibrated and shut down. A cold voice rang beside him. ¡°You can call me when you¡¯re in trouble.¡± Su Jiu bit down his lips and asked in a deep voice. ¡°What do you want to do to me?¡± ¡°To make you think that I¡¯m your friend.¡± ¡®This stupid set-up! Don¡¯t ever let her have something on bastard because if she does, she would kill it!¡¯ It made the system so afraid! I must watch my tail!¡¯ Su Jiu was stunned. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®A friend?¡¯ His hazy memory from yesterday gushed up. Although she had not done anything to him, her actions had not seemed friendly either. But he had dared not to ask too much. Su Jiu¡¯s living area was not considered good as it was not even considered as a neighborhood. ¡°Thank you for sending me home.¡± Su Jiu had a warm expression with a lovely voice which was totally different from yesterday. Chuzheng was shocked. ¡®Was this weakling bipolar?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± ¡°Su Jiu!¡± A coquettish voice rang. It belonged to the woman wearing a red skirt and high heels who aggressively walked over. The woman was not just anyone. She was Gao Xueyun who had not slept for a night. Gao Xueyun¡¯s expression was ugly as she pointed at Chuzheng. ¡°Were you together with her last night?¡± Su Jiu glanced at Chuzheng before looking at Gao Xueyun and nodded his head. ¡°Hmm.¡± He swiftly lowered his head and his soft hair swept a beautiful arc in the air which covered the darkness in his eyes. Gao Xueyun¡¯s sulky expression immediately became dark as she shot a sharp glare at Chuzheng. She was very clear about the effects of the drug. These two people were together last night so what kind of outcome would it be? The person she had pursued for so long had fallen into the hands of another! How could Gao Xueyun let this matter off! ¡°Su Jiu, come here!¡± Gao Xueyun ordered Su Jiu as she suppressed her anger. ¡°Go up.¡± Chuzheng motioned at him to proceed upstairs. Su Jiu¡¯s heart dropped. He had purposely said that¡­ Didn¡¯t she realize? Or maybe she realized but did not care? Su Jiu gritted his teeth. He did not know her motive either so he would just let both of them fight each other. With that thought in mind, Su Jiu walked upstairs. Gao Xueyun¡¯s beautiful eyes glared at him and she caught up with him to stop him. ¡°Ah!¡± Su Jiu turned back and saw Chuzheng gripping Gao Xueyun¡¯s wrists before twisting it with an arc. He froze slightly. ¡°Go up.¡± Su Jiu bit down his lips and swiftly proceeded upstairs. In his room, he hesitantly stood before the window and looked down. He saw Chuzheng letting go of Gao Xueyun while Gao Xueyun wanted to hit her, but was kicked by Chuzheng instead. The girl walked towards Gao Xueyun before bending down and told her something. Gao Xueyun¡¯s angry and resentful eyes glared at her. But Chuzheng did not care and she stepped back as she looked coldly at Gao Xueyun. Gao Xueyun pathetically stood up and pointed at her while saying a few sentences before she swiftly got in the car and drove it towards Chuzheng. Gao Xueyun was probably just trying to scare her yet who knew the girl stood there. Seeing that, Gao Xueyun stepped on the accelerator and she looked as though she was going to hit the girl. Yet when the girl was going to be hit by the car, she dodged to the side and her shirt flew up as the car passed by her. Gao Xueyun could not stop her car in time and bumped into the utility pole behind her. The utility pole plunged down and the top of the car bent down. From 15 Feb 2020, Coins spent on books that aren¡¯t selected will be refunded within 30 days. However, Fast Passes will not be refunded. The selected book will have a mark on the corner of the book cover in 30 days to indicate continuation. Thank you for your understanding. Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Everyone’s Idol (9) Chapter 39: Everyone¡¯s Idol (9) Editor: Atlas Studios Gao Xueyun was hospitalized. Although she was not hurt badly, she would not be able to be discharged anytime soon. As Chuzheng was involved in the incident, she was called to record her statement. However, she did not do anything so even if she had made a move on Gao Xueyun, it was purely for personal defense. Gao Xueyun was the one driving the car yet she was also the one who knocked into the utility pole. The utility pole falling down could only be considered as a car accident. Gao Xueyun could not find a reason for the police to capture Chuzheng and hence, could only blame herself for being unlucky. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Gao Xueyun was making a ruckus in her hospital ward and looked so scary that her assistant beside her did not even dare to breathe. ¡°Go and investigate, who is that wretch?!¡± berated Gao Xueyun to her assistant. The assistant replied with a few quick yeses and took the chance to leave the ward. As the police had left some information behind when they were taking Chuzheng¡¯s statement, her assistant was quickly able to investigate and get Chuzheng¡¯s details. Gao Xueyun flipped the document and gave a few scoffs. ¡°A person like her who takes on walk-on roles dares to bump heads with me?¡± ¡®I almost forgot that Su Jiu. She¡¯s even together with Su Jiu.¡¯ ¡®I will definitely not let her off!¡¯ ¡®Gu Chuzheng, is it?¡¯ ¡®Just you wait!¡¯ ¡°Aiyo¡­ it¡¯s so painful! Get the doctor here! Call the doctor!¡± The assistant broke into a cold sweat and quickly ran out to call the doctor to cool Gao Xueyun¡¯s anger. On the other hand, ¡°Hi, may I know if you are Mr. Su Jiu?¡± Su Jiu looked at the formally-dressed man¡ªwho was wearing a suit, leather boots, and golden-framed glasses¡ªbefore him and felt that it was a little strange, but he still obediently nodded his head. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, I am Pei Yu. From today onwards, I will be your manager. Su Jiu froze as his face was written with suspicion and hesitation. ¡°Manager? The company changed my manager?¡± ¡®The name, Pei Yu, sounds a little familiar¡­¡¯ Su Jiu thought for a while but nothing came up to his mind. Pei Yu adjusted his spectacles. ¡°I am not from Jewel Entertainment.¡± Su Jiu was even more confused. He furrowed his eyebrows and warily asked, ¡°Then, you are?¡± Pei Yu gave him a polite smile. ¡°Does Mr. Su not plan to invite me in?¡± Su Jiu hesitated before getting out of the way. ¡°Please come in.¡± Pei Yu observed his room and thought in his heart. ¡®I have never managed such a poor artiste before.¡¯ ¡°I have seen your works before and feel that your acting was very fresh. If it wasn¡¯t because Jewel Entertainment didn¡¯t give you ample opportunities to shine, you would have blown up the whole of China by now.¡± Pei Yu found a place to sit. Su Jiu poured him a glass of water and gave a helpless laugh. ¡°I don¡¯t have power nor backing, what can I do?¡± Pei Yu did not deny him. This was a reality. ¡°I have a question that I want to ask Mr. Su.¡± Su Jiu nodded his head. ¡°Why do you want to enter the entertainment industry?¡± Su Jiu¡¯s eyelashes slightly trembled and his eyes met Pei Yu¡¯s eyes. He slowly said, ¡°Because I love acting.¡± It was his dream. It¡¯s a pity that¡­ His dream could not escape the cruel reality. There was a small glimmer in the young man¡¯s eyes. It was a sign of his determination and belief in his dream. Pei Yu seemed to be satisfied with his answer and reached his hand out. ¡°In that case, I look forward to working with you.¡± Su Jiu did not move. ¡°Mr. Pei, I am an artiste under Jewel Entertainment.¡± His contract still had a good couple of years till it ended yet by the time his contracts ended, he would not have a chance to make a comeback anymore. ¡°I have already asked a lawyer to terminate your contract with Jewel Entertainment.¡± Pei Yu took no notice of Su Jiu and retracted his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about this. There will be a professional team to guide you.¡± ¡°¡­why?¡± Why did such a good thing happen to him? ¡°You are worth it.¡± Pei Yu said, ¡°Right now, all you need to do is to make a choice. Follow me and I will make sure you will blow up the whole of China. Reject me and I will take it as I have never come here before.¡± Su Jiu gripped his hands tightly. ¡°You have already sent a lawyer to Jewel Entertainment. Are you betting that I wouldn¡¯t reject you?¡± Pei Yu gave him a faint smile and looked like a sly old fox who already had the victory in his hands. Su Jiu¡¯s took a deep breath. He could not reject such a good chance. Pei Yu took out a document and pushed it over to Su Jiu¡¯s side. ¡°This is the contract and if there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t like, we can still change it.¡± Su Jiu quickly scanned the contents in the contract. Every line and condition was to his benefit. This kind of contract would never appear in an industry like this. ¡°Mr. Pei, may I ask who¡­ told you to come here?¡± ¡°Mr. Su, regarding that, when you see my boss, you will naturally understand.¡± Su Jiu¡¯s heart took a dip. ¡°If I sign this contract, would your boss tell me to do something against my will?¡± Pei Yu guaranteed ¡°No, you can be sure of that.¡± Su Jiu gripped the document tightly as he was in two minds. This opportunity that was right before him¡­ He decided to take a gamble. If he lost, he would just be jumping from Jewel Entertainment into another trap. He had nothing to lose. But if he won the bet¡­ Su Jiu raised his slender fingers to take the pen and signed his name on the contract. The two words Su Jiu was written cursively yet was bold and sharp. It looked very matching with the lovely Su Jiu. Pei Yu stared at Su Jiu¡¯s signature for a few seconds before reaching his hand out again. ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡± The young man said in a soft voice, ¡°I will trouble you from now on, Mr. Pei.¡± ¡°You can just call me Brother Yu. This is your schedule and you can take a look at it. The new condominium will be ready in a couple of days so you can move in later. Please pack your belongings and I will bring someone to move your stuff over when the time is ready.¡± Su Jiu was surprised. This had definitely been planned for a long time. On the other hand, Chuzheng was busy with acting. As she had invested in the drama, the production team had added a few more things and their expectations had gone up by a lot. These few days, Liu Manman was surprisingly quiet and always left after she was done with her acting scenes. She did not come to disturb Chuzheng and Chuzheng was also too lazy to find trouble for her. [Main mission: Please acquire a company in ten days.] Chuzheng was speechless. ¡®Are we going to throw all our money in one place and purchase the company?¡¯ [Yes, we are putting all our money in one place. The more money the better! Besides, we are not short of money! Good luck, Little miss!] Chuzheng was speechless. It was not that easy to acquire a company. Chuzheng decided to find a team to assist her. This way, it would be less troublesome. By the time Chuzheng had found a capable team, three days had already passed. Yet, Pei Yu called Chuzheng at this moment. ¡°Miss Gu, Jewel Entertainment has asked for a high price for the early termination fee. They seem to have another contract in their hands and I suspect that they have forged the contract, but I don¡¯t have evidence.¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°80 million dollars.¡± A termination fee of 80 million dollars¡­ Although other artistes could have it higher, for an unpopular artiste who was hidden by their company and was a bit-role actor, this price was really considered to be sky-high. Chuzheng coldly asked, ¡°Jewel Entertainment, is it?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡®Why does her tone sound a little weird?¡¯ Chuzheng put down the phone and turned around to face her newly found team. ¡°Acquire Jewel Entertainment.¡± The team leader: ¡®No, I mean boss, we weren¡¯t talking about Jewel Entertainment just now?¡¯ ¡®And it¡¯s Jewel Entertainment! They are developing well so how can we acquire it?¡¯ [Little miss, actually we can just spend, we have money.]said King in a weak tone of voice. ¡°Troublesome.¡± ¡®It would be better if everything can be settled in one move.¡¯ [¡­]King did not dare to refute her as she was afraid that her Little Miss¡¯ next sentence would be ¡®It would be better if we can just kill them¡¯. ¡°It would be better if we can just kill them.¡± [¡­]¡¯I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s so bad about spending money?¡¯ ¡®With money, we can do whatever we want!¡¯ ¡®I really wish I can switch to another Little miss. I heard that the neighboring Little Miss is gentle, kind and can spend money well.¡¯ ¡®I really want a Little miss like that.¡¯ From 15 Feb 2020, Coins spent on books that aren¡¯t selected will be refunded within 30 days. However, Fast Passes will not be refunded. The selected book will have a mark on the corner of the book cover in 30 days to indicate continuation. Thank you for your understanding. Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Everyone’s Idol (10) Chapter 40: Everyone¡¯s Idol (10) Editor: Atlas Studios The acquisition of Jewel Entertainment was not very smooth as Jewel Entertainment, after all, was still a profitable company. It was not until Chuzheng had asked to acquire it at a high price that the other party agreed. The acquisition team was full of disbelief and shock when they had heard about it. Which family¡¯s prodigal was she? How long were they going to take to earn back that money? Had she gone nuts?! However, since she was their employer, they did not dare to say it to her face and could only complain secretly. Pei Yu was also taken by surprise. Previously, he had sworn to Su Jiu that he was not a manager from Jewel Entertainment yet in the next moment, he became an employee there¡­ Oh my! One would never know what would happen from one minute to the next. The later stage of the drama productions was mainly focused on filming the outdoor scenes. As such, Chuzheng left with the production team and her departure meant a two months journey. She only came back after the drama had wrapped up the filming. ¡°Let go!¡± Chuzheng dried her hands and looked at the male washroom beside her. That day was the wrap party and since she was the investor as well as the second female lead, she had to be present. Chuzheng dried her hands and the phone in her pocket vibrated. The caller was Su Jiu. Chuzheng answered the call and there was a lot of noise on the phone. She then heard a man¡¯s voice which was clearly filled with evil intentions. Chuzheng looked towards the male washroom and confirmed that the noise on the phone was the same as the noise coming out of the washroom. ¡®This must be a coincidence!¡¯ [Little miss, if you don¡¯t go in, he will be finished! Why are you hesitating? Quickly go in!]King pressed the panic button when it saw Chuzheng¡¯s nonchalant response to the situation. Chuzheng:¡¯He even needs my help with this kind of thing? How does it concern me? It¡¯s the male washroom!¡± [Nonsense! Obviously, you have to save him! If you don¡¯t save him, how are you going to be a friend?]¡¯For the sake of being friendzoned, just do it!¡¯ Chuzheng was speechless. ¡®Why is he so troublesome?¡¯ ¡®A bunch of weaklings!¡¯ [¡­]¡¯Before a guy becomes tainted, he will obviously be weak! If he was strong, would he walk onto the wrong path? What an ignorant person!¡¯ The ignorant Chuzheng stuffed her phone back into her pocket and fiercely barged into the male washroom. There was nobody in the washroom however someone was kicking the cubicle door. She walked to the cubicle and pulled the door open, but to no avail. Chuzheng took a step backward. ¡®Take a deep breath and kick!¡¯ ¡°Peng!¡± The cubicle door was kicked open and knocked onto the people inside. The man¡ªwhose looks were still acceptable¡ªfuriously glared at her to see who had spoiled his great plans. In the end, he saw a lady standing outside and froze momentarily. At that moment, Chuzheng went forward and kicked the person away before pulling Su Jiu over. Su Jiu had a knife in his hands and he almost stabbed Chuzheng in a flurry. Su Jiu was scared out of his wits causing his hands to tremble and the knife dropped onto the ground with a thud. Su Jiu¡¯s blood ran cold and his eyes were slightly red in fear. He even bit his lips till it bled. Blood as red as a rose coupled with pale lips. It combined to give a gorgeous picture. ¡°Who are you?¡± The man got up. ¡°Mind your own business.¡± Chuzheng bent down to pick up the knife and point it towards the man. The man immediately moved back in fear. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± The man fell onto the toilet seat and the lady played with the knife with a face devoid of expression. She then plunged the knife in between his legs and the man was so scared that he split his legs. The knife just nicely plunged into the toilet seat cover. Chuzheng raised her eyes to meet the man¡¯s terrified ones. ¡°If you don¡¯t take care of ¡®your third leg¡¯, I will take care of it for you next time.¡± The man was so scared that he did not even dare to breathe. This woman¡¯s aura was too scary¡­ ¡°Strip.¡± The man: Perhaps he was scared by her, the man did not move. Chuzheng took out the knife and stabbed it into the toilet seat cover again. Her tone became colder than just now. ¡°Strip.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, I will strip.¡± Chuzheng brought Su Jiu out of the washroom and threw the man¡¯s clothes and phone into the dustbin. She washed her hands and turned around to face Su Jiu. By then, Su Jiu¡¯s face had lost all color as he gripped his clothes so tightly that the tip of his fingers turned pale and stood beside her. ¡°Where¡¯s Pei Yu?¡± Su Jiu heard a voice and looked at Chuzheng like a lost deer. The young man looked as if he was a doll with no soul?¡ªdelicate yet not angry¡ªonly looking at her in silence. Chuzheng called Pei Yu and Pei Yu immediately rushed over. ¡°President Gu? What happened?¡± Pei Yu looked at Su Jiu. ¡°Su Jiu?¡± ¡®Didn¡¯t he just go to the washroom? How did he meet my boss? Something is not right.¡¯ ¡°Why did you bring him here?¡± asked Chuzheng. ¡°¡­to attend a wine tasting event.¡± Pei Yu was completely dumbfounded. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have to attend these. Bring him back and take care of the person inside.¡± Pei Yu looked towards the washroom and seemed to understand something. ¡°President Gu, I have neglected my duty.¡± He thought that nothing could happen in a toilet and did not know that this could happen. For the past two months of being Su Jiu¡¯s manager, he had to admit that Su Jiu was a smart man and was really suitable for acting. It was just that his face was too eye-catching. Be it, man or woman¡­ If Su Jiu did not have a strong backing, he definitely would not survive in this industry. The worst-case scenario would be that he would be someone¡¯s personal slave. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡®I have to save him every time! How troublesome.¡¯ ¡°It won¡¯t, it won¡¯t.¡± His boss had already given her instructions. He would not dare to bring Su Jiu to attend such events again. It was not until Chuzheng left that Pei Yu heaved a sigh of relief. He did not even know which wealthy family she came from¡­ ¡°Su Jiu, are you alright?¡± Pei Yu looked at Su Jiu. Su Jiu shook his head while still in a blur before pulling Su Jiu¡¯s arms. He asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°She¡¯s your boss, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Pei Yu said while looking at his contacts, ¡°Su Jiu, you cannot offend her. You must know that in this industry, only she has your back right now.¡± Pei Yu checked the identity of the person in the washroom and confirmed that everything was fine before getting rid of him quickly. ¡°Come on, I will send you home.¡± Pei Yu brought Su Jiu back to his condominium apartment. Su Jiu could no longer remember what Pei Yu had told him and just let his apartment fall into silence. Only she has your back right now. This sentence repeatedly appeared in Su Jiu¡¯s mind. She was different from the others. She looked at him as though he was an object. She had no desire for him and she always had that cold look. However, if she did not desire him, why would she¡­ Su Jiu lowered his head and looked at his phone. His phone screen brightened and darkened a few times. After a moment, he looked at his call history and the last person he called was¡­ At that time, the man suddenly came in and he could not take out his phone from his pocket. He was just trying to press some buttons and did not know that he really made the call. ¡®So she especially came in to save me?¡¯ ¡®No, why would she appear over there so coincidentally?¡¯ Su Jiu was not coming up with a conspiracy theory, but he had experienced too much and could not believe people so easily. Su Jiu gave Pei Yu a call. ¡°Brother Yu, may I ask why was President Gu¡­ there?¡± ¡°Oh. President Gu¡¯s drama has just finished filming and the wrap party was coincidentally held there. What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Not-Nothing.¡± ¡®Was it just a coincidence?¡¯ ¡°Alright, rest early. Tomorrow, I will hire a bodyguard to make sure that this doesn¡¯t happen again.¡± Pei Yu nagged a few sentences and ended the call. Su Jiu lay on his bed as he watched the light from the chandelier reflect into his eyes just like a crystal flower blossoming¡ªcrystal clear yet soulless. He raised his phone up and put it down before raising it up again and putting it down. His long and slender fingers swiped his phone and opened his messaging app. He typed a few words slowly. But he quickly deleted it. He typed again¡­ And delete¡­ Type¡­ Delete¡­ After repeating that a few times, Su Jiu only sent two words over in the end. Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Everyone’s Idol (11) Chapter 41: Everyone¡¯s Idol (11) Editor: Atlas Studios Ding [Su Jiu: Thank you.] Chuzheng saw those two words and replied back with a ¡®you¡¯re welcome¡¯ to him with her face devoid of expression. [¡­]Although the system did not know how Su Jiu would feel after receiving Chuzheng¡¯s message, it felt that it was not very wise of her. At this moment, she should console him and chat with him. This way, wouldn¡¯t they get closer faster? Wouldn¡¯t she get friendzoned faster too? Yet, she just said ¡®you¡¯re welcome¡¯? Even if Su Jiu really wanted to talk to Chuzheng, he wouldn¡¯t know what to say anymore, wouldn¡¯t he? ¡®Is she serious?¡¯ ¡®Is she serious?!¡¯ ¡®How could Little miss do such a crazy and despicable thing?!¡¯ ¡®This Little miss is a monster! She is too scary!¡¯ The system was too tired and wanted to change a Little miss. It must have a chat with the neighboring system on why it had such a Little miss. It needed a healing type of Little miss. For example, the neighboring system¡¯s Little miss! Chuzheng stayed at home for a couple of months. After the production team was done with the editing, they invited Chuzheng to publicize the drama, however, she heartlessly rejected them. Publicity events were so troublesome. There was no way that she was going. The production team could not do anything about it and felt lucky that she was the second female lead and not the main female lead. For entertainment purposes, the production team could only postpone all publicity photos or events to a later date to create suspense. [Main mission: Little miss, please participate in the Star Challenge reality program.] Chuzheng: ¡± ¡®Very good, it¡¯s time to spend money again.¡¯ The Star Challenge was a very popular reality show and the program mainly involved testing a celebrity¡¯s adaptability. For example, surviving in a jungle or poor environment, etc. The netizens called it the Star¡¯s Torture reality show. The program did not fake any of its contents and precisely because it was very real, it had very high ratings. Even if some celebrities initially did not want to participate, upon looking at its high viewership ratings, they could only grit their teeth and participate in it. As such, this program could not be attended by just anybody. Chuzheng contacted the production team, but they expressed that they were not short of money. Chuzheng: ¡®You can¡¯t blame me for that! They are not in need of money. Since they are not in need of money, this means that Bastard, you have slipped up!¡¯ [Little miss, you are not putting in enough money. Tell them that you will sponsor the next two seasons.]King gave Chuzheng an idea. Chuzheng: Chuzheng relayed the message to the production team and they hesitated for a while before quickly agreeing to her. Chuzheng: ¡± ¡®They are so not reserved! They get bribed so easily! A bunch of good-for-nothing bums!¡¯ [Little miss, see, I have told you before that with money, you can do anything.]King was very conceited. ¡®King will teach you how to live as a human!¡¯ ¡®Hahaha!¡¯ Chuzheng blocked King. ¡®What a nuisance.¡¯ ¡®Rich people can¡¯t win over fighters!¡¯ ¡®She¡¯s not wrong!¡¯ ¡°The Star¡¯s Challenge¡±production team was still in the process of choosing the participating celebrities. When they told Chuzheng about the filming schedule, the timeslots of¡±The Allure of the Phoenix Princess¡±had been set. Chuzheng drove herself to the meeting with the production team. The reality show would invite eight artistes every episode and the allocation of teams would be allocated according to that episode¡¯s venue. When Chuzheng arrived, two to three of the other artistes had already arrived. ¡°There¡¯s another one.¡± ¡°Who? Who is it?¡± Some of them straightened their neck in curiosity as they did not who would be participating in the show. The artiste¡¯s appearance would also be recorded on television. Hence, the moment Chuzheng parked her car, the cameramen immediately surrounded her car. The car door opened and a lady wearing light-colored casual wear got out of the car. She closed the car door in a cool swift action and it was as if she had brought her own special effect, it looked very cool. ¡°I don¡¯t know her¡­¡± ¡°Do you know her?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± The three artistes did not know her. ¡°Is she a new actor? She looks quite pretty.¡± The production team would occasionally invite new actors as the audience could get tired of familiar faces. Sometimes, a newly debuted artiste could excite the audience, regardless of whether it would spark a debate or not. Chuzheng followed the guide and went to the table to take her file holder. It was not until the cameraman had left that someone came in to introduce her. However, even after the introduction, the other artistes still did not recognize her. The three artistes at the scene were already popular. Although Chuzheng had not seen them before, she had heard of them before. She gave a simple greeting. The three people saw that Chuzheng did not wish to interact with them further and walked to another corner to continue chatting. ¡°Who is she? What a proud person.¡± One of the artistes were not very happy with her attitude. After all, they were her seniors. Normally, whenever new actors saw their seniors, even if they did not cotton up to them, they would still at least respect them. ¡°I have asked the director just now and she came here because she is a sponsor.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°The director did not say it explicitly, but he did have that meaning. Although this program is very fair, the participants¡­¡± The three of them met eyes with one another, showing that they understood the situation. After all, the production team¡¯s money did not drop from the car either. After that, a few other artistes came and after some introductions, they quickly held their own little chatting session. However, it could be seen they were a team. Chuzheng sat alone under the awning. She propped her chin and looked at the bunch of people with a cold gaze. Another car came and Chuzheng raised her eyes to look at it. She did not expect to see a familiar figure, Liu Manman. Liu Manman probably did not guess that Chuzheng would appear as well and her face darkened, but she quickly returned to normal. ¡®Isn¡¯t it just a Gu Chuzheng?¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s there to be scared of!¡¯ ¡°Why is there another one whom we don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there a little too many new actors appearing in this episode?¡± Some artistes complained as they had put in great effort to appear on the show and yet, new artistes appeared on the show one by one. Liu Manman directly ignored Chuzheng and sweet-talked the other artists. They seemed satisfied with Liu Manman¡¯s attitude and immediately, fewer people criticized her. The last two artistes arrived at the filming set at the same time. The car door opened and a formally dressed man got out of the car. With the sunlight shining down on him, he looked like a prince who had just come out of his castle¡ªelegant and prestigious. ¡°Wah! It¡¯s Movie King Xie Zhou!¡± All the female artistes immediately cheered upon seeing him. Chuzheng finally knew why Liu Manman was here. Xie Zhou was Liu Manman¡¯s financial backer. Xie Zhou was rich and handsome. His acting was even more superb as every single acting work of his was a legend. However, he had a little too many girlfriends. He changed girlfriends as though he was changing clothes. However, even so, he was still the dream lover of many people. Moreover, Xie Zhou was not only an artiste, but he also came from a powerful and wealthy family. Liu Manman¡¯s current management company should be Huang Fei Entertainment which was under Xie Zhou¡¯s name. Liu Manman¡¯s gaze towards Xie Zhou was gentle yet had a hint of pride. However, Xie Zhou did not pay attention to her in public. ¡°I have never thought that we could participate in the same variety show as Movie King Xie. I am so happy now.¡± ¡°Hey, we are still handsome people, after all. Why do your eyes only have Movie King Xie?¡± joked the male artistes. Xie Zhou was too popular and naturally would not lower himself to chat with this bunch of people. He only gave a faint greeting. Yet, his attitude attracted the fondness of many. Chuzheng was a little unhappy. ¡®Why should her coldness be treated as if she didn¡¯t know her place and was being impolite?¡¯ ¡®Just cause he was handsome?¡¯ ¡®Superficial!¡¯ ¡®Childish!¡¯ Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Everyone’s Idol (12) Chapter 42: Everyone¡¯s Idol (12) Editor: Atlas Studios The last car was left. Everyone was curious about who the last person was. The car slowly entered and when it stopped, the chauffeur got out and opened the car door. A long and thin leg slowly stretched out from the car and snowy white sneakers stepped on the ground. Everyone immediately fell silent. The white-dressed young man looked as though an angel who fell from the sky surrounded by holy light which made one unable to turn their eyes away. If Xie Zhou was a stoic prince charming, then the white-dressed young man would be one who made everyone fall for him and feel the need to protect him. He was as beautiful as an exquisite doll. Every detail was the ingenious masterpiece of god. The young man flashed a warm smile and at that moment, it was as though one could hear the blossom of spring. Su Jiu was shooting a scene with the cameraman. After Su Jiu was done with his shooting, he glanced towards the crowd. With one look, he saw the girl who sat outside of the crowd. Cold, elegant, noble yet unapproachable¡­ The young man blinked his eyes. ¡®She came too.¡¯ ¡®Right, she was an artiste too.¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t you think he looks a little familiar?¡± ¡°I feel that he looks familiar too, but I can¡¯t remember where I have seen him before.¡± ¡°He looks so beautiful! I want to hug him.¡± Using the word beautiful to describe a man was not a pleasant term, but they could not find any better words to describe this angelic young man. ¡°He¡¯s the male lead of the popular school romance drama that blew up the whole of China.¡± A person had already heard of his name and searched for his information. ¡°Su Jiu?¡± Everyone came together and looked. ¡°He is Su Jiu¡­¡± ¡°He looks even better than before. Ay, but I heard that he was not given any promotional activities?¡± Ever since that school romance drama became popular, there was no news of him. He was clearly being banned from promotion or acting. ¡°Jewel is so dumb too! He was such a great and rising talent yet they hid him from the public¡¯s eye. They must be out of their minds. He¡¯s so cute¡­¡± Bits of discussion drifted into Su Jiu¡¯s ears. He passed by the crowd with a warm and lovely expression which made others pity him and dared not to disturb him even more. The director gathered everyone and gave his opening speech before getting down to business. ¡°Everyone has arrived. This week, we will split into groups of two. Everyone can pair up freely.¡± There were eight artistes on the set, four girls and four boys. Other than Chuzheng and Liu Manman, the other girls included Feng Jiao who looked lovely and had a coquettish voice as well as Wei Jun who had a mature appearance. The boys group included Su Jiu, Xie Zhou, Liu Yuxing who carried himself with grace as well as carefree and sunny boy Du Ming. Feng Jiao was the first to look towards Su Jiu as her eyes lit up and she expectantly gave out an invitation to him. ¡°Su Jiu, can you pair up with me?¡± Su Jiu glanced at her in astonishment before his gaze turned towards Chuzheng as Chuzheng gave him a casual look. The two people¡¯s gazes met. Su Jiu felt his heart skip a beat and he frantically looked away. ¡°I¡¯ve never participated in such programs before, will I drag you down?¡± Su Jiu had a distressed look with a soft tone which made others soften their voices too. ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll help you.¡± Feng Jiao clasped her hands together. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching this show. I¡¯ll help you.¡± Su Jiu was shocked. He did not want to pair up with her. Chuzheng walked towards the director and took the group board sign before passing it to Su Jiu. Her movements were swift and domineering. Su Jiu was shocked. Feng Jiao was shocked. Feng Jiao furrowed her brows and looked towards Chuzheng. She pouted her lips in displeasure. ¡°Oi! What are you doing? Can¡¯t you see that Su Jiu and I are pairing up?¡± ¡°Did he agree?¡± ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t I talking to him? What do you mean by doing this?¡¯ Chuzheng ignored her and passed the board sign towards Su Jiu again. Su Jiu flashed an apologetic smile to Feng Jiao. ¡°About that¡­ I¡¯ll go with her.¡± The involved party had already made it clear. Moreover, Feng Jiao could not reject the young man¡¯s smile so what could she do? Feng Jiao glared at Chuzheng and left in a huff. She paired up with Liu Yuxing. Liu Manman naturally paired up with Xie Zhou. In the end, Du Ming and Wei Jun were left. After they had paired up, the respective groups got in their car and moved towards their next destination. But they could not go there straight away as they had missions to complete. The director held four cards. ¡°All of you have four routes to choose from. The group who arrives first can receive a hint about tomorrow¡¯s mission. The routes are around the same but as for the traffic flow, we are not sure. Choosing the best route depends on your luck.¡± The director motioned to let everyone pick their cards. Su Jiu glanced at Chuzheng and Chuzheng let him pick. Su Jiu picked a card, it was route three. The production team gave them route three¡¯s map. They were required to drive themselves towards the destination. As for who was going to drive¡­ Chuzheng had already sat beside the driver¡¯s seat and so Su Jiu could only drive. There was shooting ongoing throughout the journey so Su Jiu had not dared to speak with Chuzheng too much. As a result, both of them had almost zero interaction. The production team was a little worried. Could they even have ratings with this boring group? The cameraman could not help, but remind Su Jiu and Chuzheng to interact. Chuzheng took a look at the cameraman before she turned around towards the window and closed her eyes. The cameraman was stumped. Su Jiu flashed a warm smile towards the camera and drove the car according to the route given with a serious attitude. Maybe he had good luck and the route was very smooth. The car drove for about half an hour before it suddenly stopped. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chuzheng opened her eyes. ¡°We are out of fuel.¡± Su Jiu replied. This should be a set-up planned by the production team as they would not let them reach their destination so easily. Chuzheng felt as though Bastard was fooling her. ¡°So what do we do now?¡± Su Jiu asked Chuzheng. His eyes were especially pure and held no malice at all as though a soft white rabbit. Chuzheng stamped him with a label, put on an act. Chuzheng got out of the car while Su Jiu and the cameraman swiftly followed her. There were only buildings nearby and no petrol station. They would not be given the production team¡¯s car which followed behind them either. [Main mission: Please spend ten million dollars in half an hour.] Chuzheng was speechless. A fool gets more money. Bastard had come to send money again. This production team seemed to have no special rules about money. Chuzheng looked at her surroundings and found a large brand sign. She walked towards it. The camera team quickly followed. With such a large crowd, it attracted the attention of many as passersby all turned back to look. Chuzheng calmly walked into the shop. The promoters in the shop almost dared not to step forward after seeing such a large presence. ¡°Give me a car that costs ten million dollars which I can drive away now.¡± Chuzheng concisely stated her requirements. ¡°Ah?¡± The promoter¡¯s gaze was still stuck at the production team behind her. What was she doing? ¡°Buying a car.¡± The promoter subconsciously said out that sentence and Chuzheng replied back indifferently. Not only were the promoters frightened off, but the production team behind them was frightened off as well. Letting the car run out of fuel was part of their scheme as they wanted the artistes to use alternative methods to reach their destination. The other three groups would face the same situation. This would make the show interesting and increase difficulty for the artistes. Who knew this person would buy a car. This handling method¡­ they had done it for so many weeks yet this was the first. Su Jiu pulled Chuzheng¡¯s sleeves. ¡°We don¡¯t have to buy a car. We can use other transportation methods to reach our destination.¡± Chuzheng was expressionless. ¡°Troublesome.¡± ¡®I have to spend the money! Did you think that I was willing!¡¯ Su Jiu was shocked. The production team was stunned. Keke! Which family¡¯s princess was this amateur from! Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Everyone’s Idol (13) Chapter 43: Everyone¡¯s Idol (13) Editor: Atlas Studios When Chuzheng arrived at their destination, Liu Manman¡¯s group had already arrived. Yet as Liu Manman saw Chuzheng¡¯s car, she became unhappy. With one look, one would know that the car was expensive. Later on, Xie Zhou had confirmed her suspicion that the car cost at least ten million dollars. The production team was definitely not so magnanimous. All of them drove using the car that was provided by the production team. How could she use another car? But Liu Manman was not dumb, she knew she had no right to say anything at the moment so she waited for the others to come. As expected, when Feng Jiao arrived, she immediately became displeased. ¡°Why is her car different from ours?¡± Feng Jiao¡¯s loud voice was heard by everyone. The director immediately made all the cameramen off their cameras. Chuzheng coldly threw three words. ¡°I have money.¡± Feng Jiao was stunned. The director was stunned. ¡°You still want to talk about how I spend my money?¡± Feng Jiao was stunned. The director was stunned. Feng Jiao¡¯s cute face became aggrieved as she looked straight at the director. ¡°Director, how can she do this in the program?¡± When the program aired, their way of getting to the destination would be compared to hers and it would clearly differentiate their social status. The director was at a loss as well. After he found out her actions, he almost could not stand it either. Was she boasting about her fortune by buying a car that cost ten million dollars? But the rules had not stated she could not do that. ¡°About that¡­ Our rules did not state she cannot do it so there is no problem with teacher Gu¡¯s method.¡± Feng Jiao widened her eyes. ¡°She¡­ She¡¯s cheating!¡± Chuzheng folded her arms. ¡°How is it considered cheating if I¡¯m spending my own money?¡± ¡°Who knew where your money came from!¡± Feng Jiao coldly scoffed. ¡°Anyways, the money is not from you.¡± Chuzheng expressionlessly said. ¡°You can¡¯t support me.¡± Puff Du Ming who was watching from the sidelines could not control his laughter. A normal person indeed could not support a person who could casually spend ten million dollars. Feng Jiao was so angry that she almost spat out blood. The director quickly stopped her and comforted her for a while. What was happening now! Hence, Feng Jiao¡¯s provocation had done nothing. But Feng Jiao disliked Chuzheng even more. ¡°Everyone arrived at the destination by following the rules. How could she break the rules!¡± Feng Jiao complained to Wei Jun. ¡°The rules really didn¡¯t state she couldn¡¯t do that.¡± They could not care about how others spent their money. ¡°Which side are you on!?¡± Feng Jiao glared at Wei Jun. ¡°Can a young person own so much money? Maybe she has a sugar daddy or sugar mummy.¡± Beside them, Liu Yuxing warmly reminded her. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about her like this.¡± ¡°An unknown artist suddenly came over here, how innocent can she be?¡± Feng Jiao seemed to take no heed of it. Wei Jun shrugged her shoulders and did not participate in the discussion. Liu Yuxing said nothing more too. Seeing the lack of reaction, Feng Jiao walked to the side in a huff. Now, they were outside a village. It was late in the evening and the production team wanted everyone to proceed into the village and find their living dormitories. That was right. They had to find it themselves. If the villagers agreed to let you stay, you could stay. But if they could not find it, then sorry, they had to sleep in the wild. Hmm¡­ Out of concern, the production team would give them a tent, but they had to know how to build a tent. Chuzheng had not planned to find villagers for help as she planned to sleep outside for a night, but Su Jiu proudly ran towards her. ¡°I found a place we can stay in. It¡¯s¡­ over there.¡± Chuzheng was speechless. Su Jiu used his deceptive face and found a family who owned a small bungalow. The villagers warmly welcomed them in and looked at Su Jiu as though they were looking at their own son. Chuzheng: He was a cheat and they were a group of shallow people. Su Jiu¡­ She could not say it out loud, but she just felt that he was pretending. The villagers prepared their rooms for them and the shooting stopped here. The filming team packed up their things and left. They would only come again tomorrow morning. Chuzheng was not particular about where she slept. She casually cleaned up and proceeded to sleep. She had the heroic presence of ¡®taking the rough with the smooth.¡¯ Midnight. There was a sudden soft knock on the door. If Chuzheng was in a deep sleep, she probably could not hear it. She took the blanket and covered her ears as she had not intended to bother about it. But the person outside kept knocking. It made her feel frustrated. ¡®How frustrating!¡¯ ¡®I should get rid of him outside!¡¯ Chuzheng got off the bed and pulled the door open. The young man hugged a pillow and stood outside. The moonlight shone on him and made his shadow thin and long. He looked helpless with a hint of pity. ¡°What do you want?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s voice sounded as though it had turned into ice and had a chill in it. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m scared,¡± Su Jiu softly said. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡®What has it got to do with me!¡¯ Chuzheng expressionlessly closed the door and fiercely warned. ¡°Don¡¯t knock on my door again.¡± Su Jiu was left outside. He blinked his eyes and knocked on the door again. Dong Something hit the door and it made a deep sound. It was followed by the girl¡¯s icy cold voice which passed through the door panel and flowed into his ears through the night wind. ¡°If you knock on my door again, I will kill you.¡± Su Jiu was shocked. Su Jiu stood outside the door for a while and there was not a single sound heard from the room. Su Jiu hugged his pillow and walked back to his room. He turned the lights off and curled into a ball on his bed as he hugged his pillow and stared into space. ¡®Could it be she really didn¡¯t do it for me?¡¯ ¡®Then why did she bring me back into the spotlight?¡¯ Su Jiu brought the pillow closer to him. He was a little rash today. If she had let him in today, what would he be facing? The next day. When Su Jiu woke up, the weather was still hazy outside. He looked down from the balcony and saw a person sitting in the courtyard in the hazy mist. Beside her was a member of the production team who was talking to her. Su Jiu sprawled over the balcony and started to have his imagination run wild. ¡®What kind of person was she?¡¯ After the staff member left, the girl below suddenly raised her head and looked towards the balcony. Su Jiu immediately squatted down. After he squatted down, he came back to his senses. Why did he hide? Su Jiu cautiously stood up and looked outside, but there was no one in the courtyard. After the sun had come out, the cameramen came and brought with them today¡¯s mission. They had to find sufficient supplies in the village as their survival equipment in the mountain two days later. These supplies are all in the village and could be obtained by helping the villagers or playing games. Xie Zhou and Liu Manman were the first group to arrive so they had obtained a clue and acquired one equipment. The other groups had acquired it soon afterward. Only Chuzheng sat in the courtyard and had no intention of moving. ¡°Are we not going to find it?¡± Su Jiu stood beside her and softly asked. ¡°It¡¯s troublesome.¡± Even without the equipment, she could still last through the night so there was no need to make a fuss about it. ¡°But without equipment, what should we do in the shooting afterward? I heard that the mountain is very cold and it is easy to fall sick.¡± Chuzheng glanced at him and Su Jiu gave a well-behaved smile while his beautiful eyes seemed to be showing four words. I am very obedient. ¡°Then, you go and find it.¡± Chuzheng coldly spat out the six words. The cameraman was stumped. Why was this group so scary? Look at movie star Xie¡¯s group, they were a perfect couple! They were interesting to watch yet this group¡­ He had complicated feelings as he did not know what to describe them as. Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Everyone’s Idol (14) Chapter 44: Everyone¡¯s Idol (14) Editor: Atlas Studios Su Jiu had really gone to find the equipment by himself. The village was so big so the production team would definitely not let them find aimlessly if not, this program would be too inconsiderate. Usually, places with equipment would be marked. If one found the marking, one could enter and ask. Su Jiu found a family of villagers and they needed him to sun dry the grains. Although Su Jiu had not lived a good life, he had never done any tough labor. Thus, his skin was baked until it was burning in pain as he dried grains under the hot sun. ¡°Huhuhu¡­¡± Su Jiu paused to catch his breath. He let go of the rake and his hand was filled with red marks which the cameraman zoomed in on it. The young man¡¯s white face was flushed red and beads of sweat flowed down his face. He looked very pitiful. Even the cameraman could not bear to see that scene and reminded him. ¡°Do you want to rest for a while? I will stop filming.¡± Anyways he would edit the scenes later so just having the beginning and ending scene was fine. The young man gave a slight smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can continue.¡± The rake in the young man¡¯s hands was suddenly snatched away. The cameraman was stunned for a moment before he quickly moved the camera towards the person. The girl wore a straw hat where nobody knew which villager she got from as she coldly looked at the young man. Before the young man could speak, she threw him a bottle of water and took off her hat before putting it on the young man¡¯s head. She then pushed him away and took over the work the young man was doing just now. She executed the series of movements in one go and looked so natural as though she practiced it. Even the cameraman was stunned. Earlier, the girl was too lazy to even move so why had she come here? Chuzheng¡¯s speed was much faster than the young man and she quickly finished the mission. When she took the equipment, unlike the other groups, no joy came from finishing the difficult work. Instead, she calmly glanced at it before throwing it to Su Jiu. Su Jiu hugged the equipment and touched the hat on his head before he worriedly asked, ¡°Are you hot?¡± ¡°Next one.¡± Su Jiu was stunned. The cameraman was stumped as well. Following that, Chuzheng used the fastest speed to obtain the full set of equipment and even the cameraman was shocked. Whether it was doing tough labor or playing games, it was physically exhausting and they even had to cooperate with the filming, yet this girl breezed through it like it was nothing. This girl was surprising! Hence, on the second day, when everyone was still working hard to find equipment, Chuzheng stayed in the villagers¡¯ home the whole day. On the third day, everyone gathered up. ¡°Manman, Movie King Xie is so awesome! He almost got everything.¡± Feng Jiao moved towards Liu Manman¡¯s side as she got infatuated with Movie King Xie. ¡°Of course, Movie King Xie is indeed awesome.¡± Du Ming whistled. ¡°We can¡¯t even compare with Movie King Xie.¡± Liu Manman gave an embarrassed smile. ¡°Ay! Have any of you seen Su Jiu?¡± Feng Jiao thought of the young man and asked everyone. ¡°No.¡± This village was not considered to be big so everyone had met each other during the two days yet they had never met Su Jiu and Chuzheng. ¡°Could it be that they didn¡¯t participate in the activity?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. We are going up the mountain later. If they do not have the equipment, how are they going to survive?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. Aish¡­ I was so bone-tired during these two days. I was not even that tired when I was in the military.¡± ¡°That Gu Chuzheng¡­ definitely got a sugar daddy. I heard that she used to be a small player and lived in rented houses.¡± Feng Jiao pulled Du Ming and Wei Jun for a gossiping session. ¡°This time, if she managed to get equipment, it must be that the production team is biased towards her!¡± Feng Jiao was explaining to the rest about Chuzheng¡¯s story about getting in through the back door when a group of people walked towards them and Feng Jiao stopped to look at them. Chuzheng carried a bag that was half a human tall. That heavy bag in her hands seemed as though she was lifting cotton and looked very light. Su Jiu carried a small bag and obediently walked beside her. This scene looked strangely lovely. Liu Manman squinted her eyes. As expected, they had equipment¡­ Liu Manman looked towards Feng Jiao and had a slight smile as she saw Feng Jiao¡¯s displeased expression. Over these past two days, she met Feng Jiao two times and both of them had a good talk with each other. ¡°Okay, everyone has arrived!¡± The director clapped his hands. ¡°Next, we are going up the mountain.¡± ¡°Director!¡± Feng Jiao stood forward and pointed at Chuzheng in accusation. ¡°Where did her equipment come from?¡± ¡°The equipment are all acquired by playing games or finishing tasks.¡± The director replied. ¡°Then, why haven¡¯t we seen her in the village?¡± Feng Jiao was in disbelief. ¡°Teacher Gu had already gathered all the necessary equipment on the first day.¡± The director continued. ¡°Are there any more questions?¡± Everyone was speechless. ¡°How could that be?!¡± They had worked themselves to the bone in the past two days yet they had only found some of the equipment. So how could she find the full set of equipment in one day? Even Xie Zhou used two days to acquire the full set. ¡°The production team is fair and would not be biased to anyone.¡± The director seemed a little displeased as wasn¡¯t Feng Jiao¡¯s words suggesting that the production team did something secretly? ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Feng Jiao, stop talking.¡± Wei Jun pulled her back and lowered his voice. ¡°If you offend the director now, it will be bad for you. If the production team was really biased towards her, when the program airs, people would scold her as well.¡± ¡°What right does she have!¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Feng Jiao indignantly glared at Chuzheng. Everyone had to carry their own equipment up the mountain. Chuzheng and Su Jiu were lagging behind, but looking at the overall situation, the others were tired as well. After they went up the mountain, everybody collapsed on the ground. ¡°Everyone, you better build your tents before the sky turns dark.¡± The director reminded them. ¡°The group who finishes building their tent first will be rewarded with one set of scrumptious dinner.¡± The groups sighed, but to prevent themselves from sleeping in the wild and getting their dinner, they still had to build the tent. Su Jiu found a large empty space and put the things down before building the tent. Those artistes were pampered since they were young so they did not know how to build a tent and the scene was in a constant state of chaos. Chuzheng sat at the side and looked at Su Jiu who was trying to build the tent. Su Jiu was unsuccessful in building the tent and he looked towards Chuzheng with a plea of help. [Little miss, a friend. Be a friend.]King immediately reminded her. Chuzheng took a large breath and stood up before pushing him away. She built the tent in no time and received exclamations of shock from the other groups. ¡°Hmph! What¡¯s there to be proud of!¡± Feng Jiao coldly scoffed before continuing to build her tent. The rest of the people also dispersed after they were done looking. The second group that managed to build the tent was Xie Zhou¡¯s. Liu Manman immediately used her experience and helped others. Finally, all of the groups built their tents and Chuzheng¡¯s group received their scrumptious dinner while the rest had to find ways to satisfy their hunger. The production team was done with their filming and left. Chuzheng sat in the front of the tent while her hand held a tree branch and knocked on the ground every now and then. Su Jiu sat beside her, cross-legged. ¡°Why do you seem to know everything?¡± She paused her actions for a second and answered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Stars filled the sky and the night wind blew passed the green field which had a ¡°shasha¡± sound. Su Jiu repeatedly rubbed his fingers. ¡°Director Gu, I have a question.¡± ¡°Ask.¡± ¡°Why do you want to bring me fame?¡± ¡°To make you think that I¡¯m your friend.¡± Chuzheng tilted her wrists and the tree branch faced him. ¡°Am I your friend?¡± Su Jiu was shocked. Who would ask others if they were their friend or not? Su Jiu could not continue the conversation any longer and he touched his neck. ¡°I¡¯m heading in to rest.¡± Chuzheng watched him entering the tent before looking away. She supported her chin with her hands and looked at the bonfire that was a distance away. Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Everyone’s Idol (15) Chapter 45: Everyone¡¯s Idol (15) Editor: Atlas Studios Chuzheng sat for a while before standing up to walk to a corner to take a breather. ¡°Gu Chuzheng!¡± Liu Manman was standing at a place not too far away from Chuzheng and called her name in a tone that was neither too loud nor too soft. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got something to tell you. Let¡¯s go over there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going,¡± rejected Chuzheng. ¡®It¡¯s so far. I don¡¯t want to move.¡¯ Chuzheng walked back in and Liu Manman¡¯s face immediately turned sour. She remained silent for a few seconds before pulling on Chuzheng¡¯s arm all of a sudden. Chuzheng did not even have the chance to react and Liu Manman suddenly screamed before falling backward. People from afar heard the scream and quickly ran over. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Manman? What happened? Quickly get up.¡± Feng Jiao and Wei Jun helped Liu Manman up and Liu Manman gave a pained expression. She accused Chuzheng, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to lend it to me, you don¡¯t have to flare up, right?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡®So we¡¯re acting now? You didn¡¯t even give me time to react! I have never even seen you act so passionately as you are now during filming?¡¯ ¡°What happened?¡± By then, Xie Zhou had also come over. When he saw that Liu Manman was being supported by other people, his voice deepened as his icy cold gaze scanned through the crowd. ¡°Movie King Xie, it seems that she has pushed Manman,¡± complained Feng Jiao. ¡°I wanted to borrow her mosquito repellant spray, but she refused to lend it to me and even¡­¡± Liu Manman wanted to continue on but stopped talking on second thought. The mosquito repellant spray was a reward to Chuzheng as she was the first person to get the full survival equipment. As such, nobody else in the team had it and everyone was aware of that fact. Hence, it was perfectly normal for Liu Manman to ask to borrow the mosquito repellant spray. However, Liu Manman initial¡¯s intention was obviously not to borrow the mosquito repellant spray. It was not until Chuzheng rejected having a chat with her that she thought of such a plan on the spot. Yet, Liu Manman could think of it in such a short time¡­ ¡®Bravo, bravo.¡¯ ¡®If this little beauty doesn¡¯t act in an imperial harem drama, it would be a waste of her intelligence. She would definitely be the last person standing in the palace. Give her an award! She needs an award! Immediately crown her now!¡¯ [¡­]¡¯Little miss, stop imagining useless scenarios! You¡¯re being bullied!¡¯ Feng Jiao helped to seek justice for Liu Manman, ¡°Gu Chuzheng, how could you push her?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only the two of you here. If it wasn¡¯t you, who could it be?¡± ¡°Herself.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Feng Jiao scoffed, ¡°You mean Manman pushed herself? Why would she want to do that?¡± Chuzheng wore a serious expression. ¡°Perhaps she¡¯s dumb.¡± ¡°Forget it¡­ Maybe Miss Gu isn¡¯t feeling too good today. I don¡¯t blame her,¡± said Liu Manman in a weak tone of voice. ¡°Manman, not only did she push you, but she also scolded you. How could you forgive her just like that? No, you need an apology.¡± Not only did Feng Jiao disagree with Liu Manman, but she also pushed Xie Zhou into the waters. ¡°Movie King Xie, you can¡¯t just watch her bully people, right?¡± ¡°Miss Gu, please apologize,¡± said Xie Zhou. Xie Zhou looked towards Chuzheng. He had not taken much notice of her and only felt that she was a little proud and lonely. Chuzheng remained silent, making it hard for one to guess what she was thinking. ¡°You should apologize if you did something wrong!¡± With Xie Zhou as her backing, Feng Jiao pushed her luck further. ¡°Miss Gu, even if you don¡¯t want to lend the mosquito repellant spray, you shouldn¡¯t push people. We are all ladies and should look out for one another,¡± added Wei Jun. ¡°It¡¯s not something big. Just apologize and everything will be fine.¡± Movie King Xie has already opened his mouth and everybody would definitely support him. Most importantly, with Liu Manman subtly spreading rumors these few days, most people thought that Chuzheng came into the show because she had a sugar daddy. Chuzheng touched her wrist. Under the watchful eyes of everybody, she pulled Liu Manman as fast as lightning. ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± Liu Manman fell onto the ground again. ¡®Since you said that I pushed you, here¡¯s a push! What can you do about it anyway? Hit me?¡¯ Chuzheng retracted her hand and said sternly without even waiting for the others¡¯ reaction, ¡°You didn¡¯t look where you are going and yet you blame me for not rolling the red carpet for you to walk. I am so sorry about that.¡± Chuzheng then turned around to leave and did not give them a chance to revolt against her. ¡°Gu Chuzheng, you are so unreasonable!¡± Feng Jiao¡¯s voice could be heard from afar. That was not even an apology! She was just being sarcastic and she even pushed Liu Manman again in front of Xie Zhou¡­ Was she nuts? ¡°Manman, are you ok?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Liu Manman gave a pitiful look and when she stood up, she purposely made a pained expression. Xie Zhou furrowed his eyebrows and carried Liu Manman bridal-style before bringing her back to his tent. The tent was allocated to one per group. This kind of allocation was not very practical as there should be a distinction between the sexes. However, since even Xie Zhou did not complain about it, it was not very appropriate for the others to complain. As such, they could only go with the flow. Chuzheng entered the tent and Su Jiu was curling himself up in a corner while hugging his blanket. When he heard her coming in, he curled himself further into the tent. Chuzheng directly went over and laid down. Su Jiu took a few peeks at her carefully. The tent was a little quiet. Su Jiu fidgetted around for a while before asking in a soft voice, ¡°What happened just now?¡± ¡°Nothing much.¡± He did not go out to take a look as it did not concern him. But he seemed to have heard someone shouting her name angrily. ¡®It should be related to her, right?¡¯ The distance between them was less than half a meter. Su Jiu lay on his back for a while before tossing and turning. He looked at the person in front of him and felt an unknown nervousness. He was nervous as he was afraid she would do something to him. In the end, he fell asleep amidst his nervousness. Late in the night, the tent fell into complete silence. Su Jiu felt something warm beside him but he was still in a blurry state of mind. He suddenly thought of something and widened his eyes. He¡­ Seemed to be hugging somebody? There were only the two of them in the tent though. A realization stuck Su Jiu and he pushed away Chuzheng harshly before curling himself into a ball at a corner. Chuzheng¡¯s eyes fluttered open. ¡°What are you doing?¡± It was already midnight and yet he was still so noisy. ¡®What a nuisance.¡¯ ¡°What did you do?¡± Su Jiu gritted his teeth. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°I..Why did I¡­ You¡­¡± Su Jiu pointed at both of them. ¡°What did you do to me?¡± Chuzheng sat up and explained the truth to him peacefully, ¡°It was you who came over and hugged me.¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± defended Su Jiu. Why would he roll over to hug her and even refuse to let go? Chuzheng fumbled to get something beside her before opening an application on her phone and passed it to him. ¡°Look at it yourself.¡± Chuzheng was a little impatient as she was too tired and her whole mind was filled with thoughts of her sleeping. Su Jiu hesitantly took over the phone. There was a video on it and he pressed the play button. Su Jiu¡¯s face gradually flushed red and only felt the phone getting hotter. He did not dare to watch any further and quickly turned off the phone. Even his ears were red. He had always slept alone and did not know that he would have this habit when he was sleeping¡­ ¡°So-sorry,¡± apologized Su Jiu in a panic and used the blanket to cover his head. Nobody replied to him and Su Jiu waited for a while before removing the blanket to peek at her. Chuzheng had already gone back to sleep while only her peaceful breathing sounds could be heard. Su Jiu: Su Jiu touched his flushed hot cheeks. He felt confused yet strange at the same time, making his head descend into a state of chaos. He raised his hand to touch his chest. His heart seemed to be racing. When he woke up just now, his face touched her skin and that delicate warmth¡­ ¡®Su Jiu, what are you thinking?!¡¯ Su Jiu shook his head violently and forced himself to calm down. ¡®Go to sleep.¡¯ ¡®Stop thinking.¡¯ Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Everyone’s Idol (16) Chapter 46: Everyone¡¯s Idol (16) Editor: Atlas Studios Su Jiu could not fall asleep at all and just like that, he laid in bed till daylight. He heard some noises outside and quickly got up to take a look. In the later part of filming, Su Jiu did not even dare to look at Chuzheng. Chuzheng, on the other hand, looked as if nothing had happened and continued doing her stuff as usual. Liu Manman¡¯s ankle was swollen and Xie Zhou initially wanted to send Liu Manman to the hospital, but Liu Manman refused. She insisted that she would hang on till the end of filming. Everybody was impressed by her dedication and their likability towards Liu Manman increased by a lot. Regarding the matter where Chuzheng bullied Liu Manman, it had already been spread to the whole production team. As such, many disliked her or even held disdain for her attitude, but in consideration of her earlier performance, nobody dared to look for trouble from her. The last few days of filming mainly consist of completing a few missions such as making a meal¡­ as well as some mini-games. After two days, filming ended. As such, the managers of the respective artistes waited for them below the mountain. Pei Yu personally came to fetch Su Jiu. ¡°Is that Pei Yu?¡± Du Ming was caught by surprise. ¡°He is Su Jiu¡¯s manager?¡± ¡°What kind of background does Su Jiu have?¡± ¡°It has been a long time since Pei Yu managed new actors.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Movie King Xie managed by¡­¡± Du Ming suddenly kept quiet. Pei Yu used to be Xie Zhou¡¯s manager. However, at that moment, Xie Zhou¡¯s identity had not been exposed. In his early days, Xie Zhou did not rely on his family and climbed to the top of the acting industry through his abilities. During that period, Pei Yu contributed a lot to his success as well. Pei Yu brought him up to fame and no artiste brought up by Pei Yu could surpass Xie Zhou. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Xie Zhou initiated the greeting with Pei Yu. ¡°Mr. Xie, long time no see.¡± Pei Yu nodded his head politely. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you won¡¯t manage new artistes anymore?¡± Xie Zhou took a glance at Su Jiu. ¡°Mr. Xie, you must have remembered it wrongly. I meant that I will not manage new artistes from Huang Fei Entertainment anymore.¡± Xie Zhou¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Pei Yu, if you come to Huang Fei Entertainment, we can give you better resources and pay.¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be needed, Mr. Xie.¡± Pei Yu looked towards another direction. ¡°President Gu.¡± Chuzheng walked over and Xie Zhou furrowed his eyebrows deeper. ¡®President Gu?¡¯ Why wasn¡¯t he aware of such a big shot in the entertainment industry? Chuzheng side-eyed Xie Zhou and directly walked to the car behind him. ¡°Mr. Xie, I will take my leave,¡± said Pei Yu. Pei Yu pulled Su Jiu to the car and left speedily. Xie Zhou furrowed his eyebrows and ordered the assistant beside him, ¡°Do a background check on that Gu Chuzheng.¡± The assistant nodded and turned around to leave. However, Xie Zhou stopped him again. ¡°Wait, check on that Su Jiu as well.¡± ¡°Gu Chuzheng is the new president of Jewel Entertainment?¡± Xie Zhou looked at the photo on the document and furrowed his eyebrows deeper. Xie Zhou flipped through the pages of the document. ¡°She came from a modest family. How did she suddenly become the new president of Jewel Entertainment?¡± ¡°I have investigated and she seems to have inherited some rich family¡¯s wealth however, I couldn¡¯t find out which family it was. Powerful families always keep their secrets hidden so it would be difficult to know the exact details.¡± ¡®Wealthy family¡­¡¯ ¡®Gu Chuzheng?¡¯ When Xie Zhou received Chuzheng¡¯s details,¡±The Allure of the Phoenix Princess¡± had already started broadcasting on television. Initially, not many people watched this drama, but unexpectedly, after it started it¡¯s broadcast, the ratings suddenly skyrocketed. It was as if one could see the shadow of this drama everywhere. Chuzheng initially did not have many fans on Weibo, but suddenly her Weibo was flooded with messages and fans. [The Spring¡¯s Waterfall: I finally found my goddess¡¯ Weibo! Hahaha! I am the first!] [The Fall of the Phoenix Tree Leaves: The general played by this Little miss is so cool! Does Little miss need a girlfriend? The type who can sing and warm your bed?] [The Butterfly¡¯s Flight: She totally fits the image of the female general in my heart. She is too cool! I support this Little miss!] [A Bamboo under the Autumn Moon: I really look forward to the next episode! Watching dramas is so tiring!] ¡°The Allure of the Phoenix Princess¡±became a hit. Although it was a web drama, it became the most popular drama at that time. The actors in the drama also became popular, including Liu Manman. It was really rare to see a drama bringing so many actors to fame. Chuzheng¡¯s fans increased from that pitiful few to a few million. In the end, it even broke the ten million fans record. Chuzheng¡¯s character was very neutral and did not have any romantic feelings for the male lead. Even if the drama plot required them to act together, sparks did not fly between them. In the end, she protected her country and even saved the female lead and so, her character was very likable. Moreover, the character suited Chuzheng¡¯s personality and hence, Chuzheng brought her character to life. As such, it was very normal for her to be popular Even her silhouette which was previously captured on camera hit the top of the headlines again. Her costume made it easier for them to recognize her. Yet, while the drama was still hot among the audience, a piece of news suddenly surfaced online. #Female general from The Allure of the Phoenix Princess is being kept# Some audiences have already realized it when they saw the list of investors. In the past, they would usually write the company¡¯s name on the list of investors. Yet, this drama was an exception. The list of investors included a name. That name was even the name of the actor who acted the second female lead. The article even wrote about Chuzheng¡¯s background. It mentioned that she did not have any ability and yet she could invest so much money. Previously, she even took on walk-on roles. If it was not because she was being kept, did she have to take on walk-on roles? [Fall of Dusk: It should be fake. Little miss doesn¡¯t seem to be this kind of person.] [What¡¯s wrong my lord: Can¡¯t this world let us watch a drama peacefully? Why must they come up with all this nonsense? How annoying!] [Winter Night: Female celebrities nowadays are not that pure anymore. As a public figure, shouldn¡¯t she set a good example? It looks really bad on her to rely on her sugar daddy to become famous.] [After Turning into a Centenarian: I won¡¯t believe article reports that were not based on any evidence. Who knows, this article could be fabricated. Reporters nowadays like to write such nonsensical articles.] The internet got into a huge debate and Chuzheng went onto Weibo to send a message. [Gu Chuzheng V: I also would like to know which rich man could be so rich that he can be my sugar daddy. If you cannot find one, I can spend money to sponsor you a sugar daddy.] Chuzheng had actually defended herself with such a sentence. This caught the netizens by surprise. [The Clouds and the Autumn Waters: She¡¯s so domineering! ] [Chuzheng¡¯s sweetie: Little miss, I believe you! You are definitely not that type of person!] [Hayamasai: To be honest, Little miss is too cold. If I am rich, I will definitely like Little miss as a person but I won¡¯t keep her.] Nowadays, don¡¯t all rich people keep a sweetie by their side to please themselves? However, from the drama as well as from the bloopers, it could be seen that this Little miss was an ice princess. Who would be willing to spend money to keep such a cold person at home? Do they need free air-conditioning? [Weeping sorrows: They don¡¯t even have evidence yet they spread the news with every detail vividly described. How disgusting!] [The Dancing Branches: If she didn¡¯t do it, why would people even talk about it? Flies do not attack an intact egg.] Chuzheng¡¯s response gave her fans confidence. ¡®You said that our Little miss is being kept?¡¯ ¡®Okay then!¡¯ ¡®Find the person who kept our Little miss!¡¯ ¡°President Gu, somebody must have paid someone to write that article, do I have to inform the public relations team?¡± Although Pei Yu was not Chuzheng¡¯s manager, Chuzheng did not have a manager so he came to help her. ¡°No need.¡± She was not kept by anyone. These bunch of boring people would not be able to dig anything out. Did she really have to hire a sugar daddy? However, little did Chuzheng know, someone really did ¡®spend money¡¯ to ¡®hire¡¯ her a sugar daddy. Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Everyone’s Idol (17) Chapter 47: Everyone¡¯s Idol (17) Editor: Atlas Studios [Missing You: Isn¡¯t this the evidence that you wanted? Look, there are even pictures online and he is even such an old man. Tch, tch, tch¡­¡±] [A Thousand Miles of Sword Fight: It¡¯s an old man? Isn¡¯t her taste a little too bad? I could still accept it if it¡¯s a handsome lad.] [Singing On The Shore: Hahaha! Just based on Chuzheng¡¯s background, will she have any drama to act in if she didn¡¯t climb on somebody¡¯s bed? Don¡¯t make me laugh.] There were different kinds of unsightly comments written. After all, Chuzheng¡¯s fans were still not very united and she did not have a stable fanbase. Hence, this sudden blow led to her comment section being filled with malicious comments. Moreover, many were just following the crowd. They did not even understand the situation but since everybody was scolding her, they just followed suit. After all, the law would not punish anyone if everyone was an offender. Chuzheng scrolled through the comment section and attentively appreciated every single photo while drinking her milk. ¡®He is too ugly!¡¯ ¡®Which imbecile did it?!¡¯ [Little miss, aren¡¯t you enraged by it? If you are, how about we spend some money? Spending money can cool a person down~] Chuzheng held the knife on the table. ¡°I feel like killing this imbecile!¡± [¡­]¡¯Why must we use violence when we can solve the problem with money?! We can settle it peacefully and inculcate a positive attitude, can¡¯t we?¡¯ King bitterly persuaded Chuzheng and gave her a mission to calm her down so that she wouldn¡¯t have time to think about killing people. ¡°Big Sister Xueyun, this lipstick color suits you very well.¡± Gao Xueyun¡¯s cheeks were very rosy while she gave a brilliant smile. Beside her were her friends, also known as, lackeys. ¡°Take anything you guys want and I will pay for it.¡± Gao Xueyun was very happy today and it explained her generosity. ¡°Did something happen today that made you so happy, Big Sister Xueyun?¡± Gao Xueyun played with the lipstick in her hands and gave an inscrutable chuckle. ¡°Some people can¡¯t be lucky forever.¡± Her other friends gave each other a look as they did not understand her. Gao Xueyun suddenly looked outside as she furrowed her pretty eyebrows and stood up to walk outside. ¡°Big Sister Xueyun, where are you going?¡± However, Gao Xueyun did not even turn back once to answer their questions. Gao Xueyun watched the person in front of her walking into a store. She stared at her for a while before entering the store confidently. ¡°Miss Gao.¡± ¡°Welcome, Miss Gao.¡± This was a high-end luxury boutique. Gao Xueyun used to come here all the time. With her chest up, she walked into the store with a dominating presence. ¡°Nowadays, you should be careful about welcoming dirty people into the store.¡± The store attendant could not catch her meaning. Her eyes followed Gao Xueyun¡¯s line of sight and she immediately understood which lady she was talking about. Chuzheng was holding an outfit and passed it to the store attendant. However, Gao Xueyun immediately went forward and snatched it over. ¡°Wrap it up, I will take it.¡± Chuzheng peacefully gave her a glance and took another outfit. Gao Xueyun snatched it again and threw it to the store attendant. ¡°Wrap it up.¡± Chuzheng took another outfit and Gao Xueyun snatched it again. Chuzheng gripped her wrist and turned around. She then took all of the clothes on the rack and threw it on Gao Xueyun in a fit of anger. ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± Gao Xueyun was suddenly smashed down by a bunch of clothes as the clothes covered her line of sight. In a flurry, she slipped and her face met the ground. Chuzheng then threw another bunch of clothes onto her. She bent down and held her down, refusing to let her get up. Bastard had ordered her to come here and it definitely was not just for her to shop. Chuzheng¡¯s actions caught the store attendants by surprise. ¡®What kind of operation was this?¡¯ Gao Xueyun was so angry that she saw red and she berated, ¡°Gu Chuzheng, how dare you do this to me! Let go of me! If you dare to lay a finger on me, I will make sure you will not walk out of this store alive!¡± ¡°Do you still want it?¡± asked Chuzheng. ¡°Gu Chuzheng, you better let go of me!¡± ¡°Do you still want it?¡± Chuzheng twisted Gao Xueyun¡¯s arm. Gao Xueyun felt that her arm was almost going to be broken and was in so much pain that her facial expression became distorted. ¡°Pain¡­ It¡¯s so painful! Let go of me¡­ let go of me¡­ quickly pull this lunatic away!¡± The latter part of the sentence was directed to the store attendants. However, Chuzheng¡¯s aura was so scary and domineering that the store attendants did not dare to take a step forward. ¡°I am asking you whether you still want it or not?¡± Gao Xueyun felt as if she was going to die yet nobody wanted to help her. How could she still dare to offend Chuzheng? She shook her head pathetically while still amidst a bunch of clothes. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t want it anymore.¡± Chuzheng let go of her and squatted down. She wore a stern and serious expression. ¡°You¡¯ve hired somebody to be my sugar daddy so why didn¡¯t you send the person to me?¡± ¡®Didn¡¯t you know that if you want to put on a show, you have to finish the show? That was so unprofessional of her!¡¯ Gao Xueyun massaged her now stiff arm and shivered in fear due to Chuzheng¡¯s words. ¡®How..how did she find out?¡¯ It was such a blown-up matter! It must be linked to Gao Xueyun. ¡®You dare to steal the man I caught my eyes on and even offend me. Yet, you still act so provocatively in front of me. You deserve it!¡¯ Gao Xueyun seemed to have really been scared by her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± Gao Xueyun found an internet marketer as well as an expert to photoshop the photo so that it could look very realistic. She was the mastermind of Chuzheng¡¯s blown-up news. She also wanted to find real photos but she really could not find anything regarding that. Regardless of whether the news on the internet was true or fake, if many people talk about it, it will become true eventually. Hence, she could only hire an internet marketer and blow up the news. In that case, with the news of her being kept coupled with some other plans, would Chuzheng not be finished? It seemed that Gao Xueyun had it all planned out. Yet, little did she know, the main character of her plan did not follow her script and even found out the truth. ¡®Who betrayed me?¡¯ Chuzheng stood up and took another bunch of clothes before throwing it all on Gao Xueyun in a fit of anger. She then waved her hand, ¡°Bill, please.¡± Gao Xueyun: Gao Xueyun watched Chuzheng leave the store. Soon after, a few bodyguards came in and threw her as well as the clothes out of the shopping mall. Gao Xueyun was sprawled on the ground pathetically with a bunch of clothes surrounding her as she received all kinds of glares from strangers. She had grown so big and had never been so pathetic before. ¡®Gu Chuzheng¡­¡¯ ¡®Gu Chuzheng! You stole my man and even dared to humiliate me!¡¯ Gao Xueyun had not even thought of a way to deal with Chuzheng and a news article surfaced on the internet. #Gao Family¡¯s daughter meets her married lover in the middle of the night# #Gao Family¡¯s daughter becomes a mistress# The news immediately hit the headlines and Chuzheng¡¯s scandal was quickly covered up. What kind of family was the Gao Family? It was a wealthy family that was very respected and looked up to. How could it not be shameful for such scandals to surface? Gao Xueyun was still in a disoriented state of mind when she saw the news. It was especially so when she saw the photos. She just felt as if she had seen a ghost. She remembered that man¡­ He was one of her many boyfriends, but he did not have a wife so how did she become a mistress? He was lying! Gao Xueyun tried to explain, however, the other party accused her of using her riches and power to force him and threaten him. Gao Xueyun suddenly became the person being pointed fingers at. If the male party was willing, it could still be explained as him trying to suck up to Gao Xueyun. But he was not a willing party and so, Gao Xueyun used her money to pressure him. Soon, another person exposed Gao Xueyun¡¯s corrupt and rotten lifestyle. This included Chuzheng¡¯s incident as somebody leaked that Gao Xueyun was the mastermind behind Chuzheng¡¯s scandal. Chuzheng immediately gained many sympathetic fans and successfully cleared her name. ¡°Dad, dad, quickly call someone to block the news!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t usually care about your matters and yet this time you¡¯ve gone over the top!¡± Father Gao was so angry that he almost had a heart attack. ¡°You even threatened him? What kind of man can¡¯t you have? Why must you force an unwilling married man to be with you? Do you even have brains?!¡± Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Everyone’s Idol (18) Chapter 48: Everyone¡¯s Idol (18) Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°No, that person is lying. He doesn¡¯t have a wife at all.¡± Father Gao slammed a stack of information over as he scolded disappointedly. ¡°He was already married for five years! His child is already two years old!¡± Gao Xueyun looked at the child in the photograph and was rendered speechless from shock. After a while, she muttered, ¡°How could this be¡­¡± ¡°Dad, listen to me. I didn¡¯t know. I really didn¡¯t know. He lied to me. Find him to clear things up!¡± Father Gao replied. ¡°I can¡¯t find him.¡± ¡°How could you be unable to find him? Didn¡¯t he accept an interview earlier? How could you be unable to find him?¡± Gao Xueyun questioned. Father Gao answered. ¡°After he was done with the interview, he left with a car and has been missing since then. What¡¯s the use of finding him! There are still so many things to deal with at the back!¡± Father Gao was going to be pissed off by his daughter. There was not only this incident that was revealed. ¡°What else have you done?¡± Father Gao asked. Gao Xueyun shook her head. ¡°Nothing, Dad. I did nothing. Dad, you got to help me prevent the news from blowing up! You definitely have a way to do so!¡± Father Gao became even more enraged when she talked about that incident. He immediately prevented the news from blowing up yet the views kept increasing. He had spent money to prevent the news from blowing up, but naturally, there would be people who spent money to increase the viewership of the hot topic. The opposite party did not care about money and thus, he could not prevent the news from blowing up. Father Gao heard Gao Xueyun¡¯s shriek and felt a headache coming. He made someone shut her off in the room and she could not leave the room without his permission. ¨C Huang Fei Entertainment. Xie Zhou looked at the latest hot topic with an unclear expression. ¡°Who did the Gao Family offend?¡± He asked. His assistant replied, ¡°It should be Gu Chuzheng. Previously, someone photographed the scene where Gao Xueyun was being thrown outside the shopping mall. I found some information and these are the photos¡­¡± His assistant let Xie Zhou look at the photographs. ¡°This is the photograph from that day.¡± His assistant swiped the screen and the photograph changed from outside the shopping mall to the shop. Gao Xueyun was hit by Gu Chuzheng and had no chance of retaliation. ¡°I even found that the negative news about Gu Chuzheng on the internet was probably done by Gao Xueyun. Gu Chuzheng is following the principle of an eye for an eye¡­¡± ¡®This woman¡¯s revenge was so ruthless and fast.¡¯ ¡°President Xie, this Gu Chuzheng is no small fly.¡± She dared to offend the Gao family like this and they could not even find the exact details. Moreover, she received information too quickly. Even if she found out that Gao Xueyun was the one defaming her, does she not have to investigate Gao Xueyun¡¯s matters? Yet in just a few days, she did all that. It made one dumbfounded. Xie Zhou closed the webpage. ¡°Regarding this incident, let¡¯s wait and see.¡± ¡°What about Gu Chuzheng?¡± ¡°Continue to search for more information.¡± ¡°Noted.¡± His assistant walked out, but came back before too long. ¡°President Xie, Miss Manman said she wanted to audition for the second female lead role of¡±Flowers In A Mirror And The Moon¡¯s Reflection In Water¡±. She told me to pass on the message that she won¡¯t be coming in the near future.¡± Xie Zhou furrowed his brows. ¡°Give her the script.¡± His assistant knew what that meant. She was already accepted for the role. ¨C On the other side, Chuzheng sat on the empress chair as King nagged in her brain. [Little miss, look at that. I was not wrong, right? Money makes the world go round. In the future, just be a good prodigal and stop thinking about getting rid of others. A girl should not be so violent.] ¡°If I could get rid of them, why would there be such a hassle now?¡± Chuzheng refused to listen. [¡­]¡¯I¡¯m exhausted. I¡¯m going offline.¡¯ Chuzheng turned the chair. She had dealt with Gao Xueyun so Su Jiu¡¯s matter was solved too. Without Gao Xueyun, he could not be tainted anymore, right? Now, all that was left was the friendzone¡­ Ding¡ª [Pei Yu: President Gu, Su Jiu was admitted into the hospital.] When Chuzheng received the SMS, she stared at it for almost thirty seconds before she slowly typed in the words for a reply. [Gu Chuzheng: I¡¯ll foot the hospital bill.] Pei Yu was probably dumbfounded by those words. Su Jiu was treated so well. Could it be that this President Gu of unknown origins fancied Su Jiu? But why was she not worried even when Su Jiu was admitted into the hospital? [Little miss.]King sighed. [You should rush to the hospital now and take care of him with care and concern. How could you do such a heartless act such as rejection!] Do you still want to friendzone him! Do you want to go back! Chuzheng was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± ¨C When Su Jiu was filming, his leg was crushed under a rack. Now, it was swollen red and he could not walk. Su Jiu sat on the bed and read his script yet none of the words entered his head. His beautiful face looked a little pale due to the pain. That look made others pity him more. ¡°President Gu, you came?¡± Su Jiu looked towards the entrance and there seemed to be a person standing outside. He immediately lay back on the bed and closed his eyes. The footsteps of the two people drifted in from outside. Pei Yu said, ¡°The doctor said he had to rest for quite a while. I have already settled things with the production team¡¯s side.¡± ¡°He seems to be asleep. Should I wake him up?¡± Chuzheng took off her mask and stuffed it into her pocket. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Carry on with your work.¡± Pei Yu understood. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Chuzheng pulled out the chair and sat down before taking away the script beside Su Jiu¡¯s hands. As she raised her head, she met Su Jiu¡¯s teary eyes. Su Jiu gave an obedient smile. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t going to come.¡± Su Jiu had seen Pei Yu¡¯s message to her and he also saw her reply. He had not wanted to admit he was disappointed. He wished for her to visit him. Initially, he was shocked by this thought. Why did he think this way? But he kept persuading himself that if she really had an ulterior motive on him, she had so many chances to execute it yet why hadn¡¯t she done so? Maybe she was different from those people? This was their first meet-up after the filming of the reality show. Chuzheng put down the script. ¡°Be more careful when you¡¯re filming.¡± ¡°Are you concerned about me?¡± Su Jiu tilted his head. His long eyelashes fluttered and it brushed into a small shadow in the shape of a fan under his eyes. Chuzheng folded her hands and placed it on her leg. ¡°If something happens to you, it will be troublesome for me.¡± ¡®Nothing must happen to him.¡¯ Su Jiu could not understand that sentence. From the gazes of others, he could tell the intentions they had on him yet for this person, he could not tell at all. Her gaze was too calm. It was as calm as a frozen still lake that had no large waves. Nobody could be the focus in her eyes¡­ Nobody could. Su Jiu pursed his dry lips. ¡°I want to drink water.¡± Chuzheng reached out to take the cup beside her, but there was no water inside. She stood up and left to get some water for him. Su Jiu took a sip and the warm water was just nice to drink. He suddenly recalled the time when they were filming for the variety show. She actually took care of others very well. Although she had a cold look, she could always execute every detail properly. Su Jiu drank a few more sips before passing the water back to her. ¡°You still want more water?¡± Su Jiu was dumbfounded. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Put it down! Wasn¡¯t this common sense?¡¯ Su Jiu embarrassedly took back his hand and put the cup at the side with some difficulty. Su Jiu tried to give a few more requests and despite the cold gaze, she turned around and fulfilled the requests. He could not understand her even more. He seemed to have a¡­ Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Everyone’s Idol (19) Chapter 49: Everyone¡¯s Idol (19) Editor: Atlas Studios Chuzheng waited for Pei Yu to arrive before leaving. She had just walked out of the hospital room and a voice rang from behind her. ¡°Gu Chuzheng!¡± Gao Xueyun rushed from behind and pulled her back. Even though Chuzheng had worn a mask, Gao Xueyun still recognized her with one look. Gao Xueyun was wearing the hospital gown and looked well enough that nobody knew how she was sick. However, her gaze was burning with anger and it spoiled the beautiful scene. A pity. ¡°Gu Chuzheng, were you the one behind the articles on the internet?¡± Gao Xueyun was filled with so much hatred that she wanted to tear the person in front of her apart. Chuzheng had a calm face. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Gao Xueyun replied. ¡°You know what you did. Why are you pretending that you don¡¯t know? Weren¡¯t you the one who revealed all the news on the internet?¡± Chuzheng said, ¡°Do you have evidence that I did it?¡± ¡®If you don¡¯t have the evidence, don¡¯t spout nonsense! I won¡¯t admit it!¡¯ Those who broke the news were all insiders. What had that got to do with her? Gao Xueyun shook with anger. ¡°You refuse to admit the things you did?¡± Chuzheng said with a serious expression. ¡°It¡¯s not me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a slut!¡± Gao Xueyun was furious and raised her hand to hit her. Chuzheng shifted her body and Gao Xueyun¡¯s slap was left hanging in the air. Chuzheng stepped back and raised her leg before hitting her butt. ¡°Bam!¡± Gao Xueyun slammed against the wall. Gao Xueyun turned her head and glared fiercely at her. Chuzheng was prepared to hit another time, but Gao Xueyun¡¯s eyes flipped and fainted. Chuzheng was stunned. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Did she do this in broad daylight so she could extort money from me for hitting her?¡¯ ¡®It scared the wits out of me.¡¯ ¡®I should quickly leave.¡¯ Chuzheng left the hospital swiftly. Later on, she heard from Pei Yu that Gao Xueyun was psychologically traumatized and could not take any big blows. The Gao Family could not keep the news from blowing up due to the heated discussion on the internet. After a few days, Gao Xueyun was sent overseas by the Gao Family to lay low. ¨C Half a month later, ¡°The Allure of the Phoenix Princess¡± had its final episode while the Star Challenge aired its first episode. Chuzheng who still had popularity from the drama immediately became the main focus. [One Stalk of Red Peony: I saw my goddess! Ahhhh! I want to move my glowstick for her! ] [Tilted Sunset: Isn¡¯t she the one who had a sugar daddy?] [Condensation is not wrong: What are you talking about? Our goddess has already told those people sparking rumors to hand out the proof.] [Hovering Moon: Wasn¡¯t photographs taken? Aren¡¯t photographs proof of it? All of you, dumb fans are so hilarious. Could it be you still want to open a news conference?] [Delivery Book: Wasn¡¯t it revealed that Gao Xueyun was the one who spread all those rumors? What has that got to do with our goddess? Don¡¯t spout nonsense here!] Gao Xueyun¡¯s incident had not passed and everyone was internet users so most people knew what happened. Even those who had not known swiftly got the news from these spectators. Gao Xueyun had spent money to photoshop the photographs and paid people to tarnish Chuzheng¡¯s reputation. [Light White Cloud: My goddess is out!] [Delivery Book: Goddess is so cool!] [Condesation is not wrong:Wave your lightsticks for our goddess! My goddess is indeed an ice princess!] [Nothing to Spend: Eh? That guy is so cute! ] [Falling Maple Leaves in Autumn: He seems like the male lead of some school romance drama? Su Jiu! Yes, Su Jiu! Previously, my classmate and I liked him a lot, but he seemed to have only filmed that drama.] [Vast Flow of Water:He is so cute! He¡¯s together with my goddess. Cold and cute, this couple is so cute! The production team is too kind!] [Empty Valley: Hahaha¡­ why aren¡¯t they interacting with each other? But this scene looks strangely harmonious. It¡¯s not awkward at all.] [White Water and Yellow Sand: Pff! A ten million dollar luxury car¡­ our goddess is so rich! HAHAHA¡­ even the cameraman was shaking with shock.] [Mountain Pillow: Is our goddess a rich second-generation heir? Previously, they said she had a sugar daddy, but which person could still spend ten million dollars casually even with a sugar daddy?] [Rustling Bamboo:Is it only me who thinks that it could be an advertisement?] [Green Yang Feng Ji:That can¡¯t be an advertisement. The production team¡¯s advertisements are very obvious. This is definitely not an advertisement. Look at the camera work, the camera is shaking. The cameraman was obviously shocked and the promoters were stunned as well. ] When the part of Chuzheng buying the ten million dollars car was aired, there were lots of comments and discussion about it. A person had suggested it was an advertisement, but the claim was shut down by others. From the people¡¯s reaction and the scene, there was proof that it was not an advertisement. At the later part where they had to find places to stay in, Su Jiu proceeded to find their lodging alone. When he took credit for his achievement, it touched the hearts of many young girls in the audience. Su Jiu¡¯s information was searched up too. [Homesick:Oh no, my young girl¡¯s heart is going to break! This part is so cool! The part where our goddess snatched Su Jiu¡¯s things was so cool!] [Stranger:Su Jiu looks so pitiful. I feel so sorry for him. But my goddess took good care of him and doted on him so much!] [Star Fell to the Beam: Hello, bossy Director Gu! May I ask if you need a little cutie? The type that doesn¡¯t require money.] [Chuzheng¡¯s sweetie: They are so sweet on screen! Boohoohoo¡­ how could goddess be so cool.] Chuzheng helped Su Jiu by doing tough labor for him and obtained the equipment. Even when Su Jiu watched that scene, he felt that she was very cool too. This episode was very popular and even the production team had not expected it. But Chuzheng and Su Jiu were the only ones who were that popular, the rest had little presence in the show other than Xie Zhou who had his group of fans. [Return to Yuyang: Actually Xie Zhou pampers Liu Manman a lot too, but it seems to be lacking something when compared to Director Gu and Su Jiu¡¯s pair.] [Dream of Spring: Hahaha. I think so too. When I look at the interaction between Xie Zhou and Liu Manman, it doesn¡¯t seem to be as cute as Director Gu and Cutie Su.] Su Jiu was shocked by his nickname and immediately closed the computer. Watching the show as a spectator, he realized that his interactions with her were not little. Moreover, as he watched it again, it seemed that every single thing could tug at his heartstrings. Su Jiu calmed the havoc in his heart before he opened his computer again and continued to watch. The girl looked almost the same onscreen and offscreen. Her features were cold and gave others a cold feeling. It was as though one could feel a slight chill when one went near her. ¡°Su Jiu¡­¡± Pa¡ª¡ª Pei Yu stood at the doorstep and looked at Su Jiu¡¯s actions with suspicion. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Su Jiu smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Brother Yu.¡± Pei Yu walked in suspiciously. ¡°Did you see the news online?¡± Su Jiu¡¯s face flushed red as he nodded. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I would like to ask you if you want to film more dramas or take on a few variety shows to maintain your popularity?¡± Su Jiu froze momentarily. He was popular now, but if he did not maintain it, it would disappear quickly. Just like that drama he participated in previously¡­ ¡°I¡­ would like to film dramas.¡± With that said, Su Jiu became firmer in his decision. He entered the showbiz for this dream and not to be popular. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll arrange it for you.¡± Pei Yu nodded his head without hesitation as he respected Su Jiu¡¯s decision. ¡°Brother Yu.¡± ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°I¡­ about that¡­¡± Su Jiu was conflicted. ¡°There is a huge argument on the internet. Will it give President Gu a lot of trouble?¡± Both of them were now known as an on-screen couple. This sort of thing¡­ had its pros and cons. But he was more worried about Chuzheng¡¯s side. Pei Yu thought for a while before replying. ¡°President Gu has not said anything yet so there shouldn¡¯t be much trouble.¡± Su Jiu lowered his head. ¡®She didn¡¯t say anything?¡¯ Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Everyone’s Idol (20) Chapter 50: Everyone¡¯s Idol (20) Editor: Atlas Studios After Su Jiu was discharged from the hospital, he started filming for a new drama. Although he had no new works currently, his popularity had not gone down. ¡°Su Jiu, do you want some water?¡± A young and beautiful actress smiled and passed the drink to him. Su Jiu gratefully accepted. ¡°Thank you.¡± The actress showed a brighter smile. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± ¡°Brother Yu is calling for me. I¡¯ll go ahead first.¡± Su Jiu found an excuse to leave. ¡°Ay! Su Jiu¡­¡± Su Jiu quickly left the actress¡¯ sight and threw away the drink when nobody was looking at him. ¡°Su Jiu, what are you doing here?¡± Pei Yu came to find him. ¡°President Gu is waiting for you outside, hurry up.¡± ¡°President Gu?¡± Su Jiu froze momentarily. ¡°I still have filming later¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll tell the production team. Go ahead.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Su Jiu changed his clothes and walked out of the filming set. He stood at the entrance and looked around. There were many cars parked outside, but none of them belonged to the car in his memory¡­ Su Jiu wanted to ask Pei Yu which car it was when a car drove over and stopped beside him. The car window opened and the girl¡¯s cold eyes appeared. ¡°Get in.¡± Su Jiu sat in the car and asked in a lovely voice. ¡°President Gu, what do you need me for?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s gaze stopped at his soft hair for a few seconds. ¡®I want to touch it¡­ I want to touch it! I want to touch it! I want to touch it!¡¯ ¡°President Gu?¡± Su Jiu tilted his head in curiosity. Chuzheng calmly looked away and gave him an invitation card. Su Jiu opened it up. It was the invitation card for an auction¡­ She wanted him to go? It was obvious Chuzheng had not sought for his opinion as the time stated was today and the auction would start in less than two hours. ¡°Drink some water.¡± A warm cup of milk tea was pushed into his hands. The weather had been cold recently and the warm milk tea was very suitable to drink. Su Jiu instinctively accepted and held the cup of milk tea with both hands. The car moved and sped through the road. He looked at the moving cars outside and leaned back on the car seat, relaxing his body. Su Jiu glanced at the girl beside him. She looked very pretty indeed and was just a little cold, but internet users had already changed her name from goddess to President Gu¡­ Chuzheng glanced to the side and the two people¡¯s gazes met. Su Jiu frantically lowered his head and took a sip of milk tea. The aroma of the milk tea dispersed in his mouth. Su Jiu could not spit it out even if he wanted to and he paused for a few seconds before drinking the milk tea. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, you don¡¯t have to drink it.¡± Chuzheng saw Su Jiu¡¯s reluctance. Su Jiu¡¯s body froze as he forced out a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ dislike it.¡± Ever since that incident, he had dared not to drink anything others gave him. Chuzheng went silent and drove the car seriously. Su Jiu bit on the straw and the milk tea slowly decreased. Chuzheng stopped the car in front of a shop. Su Jiu looked out and did not dare to make a noise. ¡°Get out of the car.¡± Chuzheng passed a mask to him. Su Jiu wore the mask and pushed the car door open before getting off. He circled over the car to Chuzheng¡¯s side, but when he got up the stairs, he slipped. Chuzheng was standing beside him and Su Jiu bumped into her. Chuzheng helped him up and said, ¡°Be more careful.¡± Su Jiu¡¯s face turned slightly red as he stepped back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Chuzheng brought Su Jiu into the shop and when they entered, a person came out from a corner. When Chuzheng and Su Jiu left the shop, the news had already spread online. #Gu Chuzheng and Su Jiu are rumored to be dating# The photograph was coincidentally the one where Chuzheng helped Su Jiu up. From the angle in the picture, both of them seemed to be quite intimate with each other. [Bay Leaf in Moon: Cutie Su is radiating with cuteness! Ahhhhh!] [Ten Years: President Gu is really together with Cutie Su?] [Everflowing Water: I feel that they are a great couple together. A cold and aloof President with a cutie pie, it¡¯s so cute! ] [Flower blossom with Black Ink: No. Don¡¯t you think that their gender role is weird?] [Cutie Su is the best: Bleh! Don¡¯t spout nonsense. How could our Cutie Su be in a relationship with others! Absolutely impossible! This is a publicity stunt! This is definitely a publicity stunt!] [Falling Flowers: I support President Gu to be with Cutie Su!] [Mighty Big Sister Chu: I don¡¯t agree! Big sister Chu belongs to everyone!] Su Jiu received a message from a staff member from the production team. As he read the message, his face turned slightly red. There were both positive and negative comments. The positive ones wanted them to marry each other immediately while the negative ones kept splashing cold water at them. ¡°President Gu¡­¡± Su Jiu called her. ¡°Someone sneakily shot a photo of us¡­¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡®Wasn¡¯t being caught on cameras normal? What was there to be worried about?¡¯ Su Jiu did not know what to say. ¡°¡­¡± Coincidentally, Pei Yu¡¯s call came and Su Jiu immediately picked up the call. Over the phone, Pei Yu asked about what happened and Su Jiu could only answer him honestly. Pei Yu hung up the call and called Chuzheng. ¡°President Gu, how should we settle this matter? Do you need me to clear things up?¡± Previously, it was just rumors, but now both of them were in a photo together¡­ Su Jiu could not hear Pei Yu¡¯s words and could only listen to Chuzheng talking. He had not wanted to be related to her, but that was impossible to happen. Everything he owned now was given by her. But if she wanted to clear things up¡­ Su Jiu touched his chest and felt a little terrible. Su Jiu was feeling very conflicted now and had not known what was happening to him. He was feeling as though he fell into a strange circle and could not walk out of it. ¡°Su Jiu?¡± ¡°Su Jiu?¡± Su Jiu came back to his senses and met Chuzheng¡¯s eyes. He scanned his surroundings and realized the car had stopped. What had she said to Pei Yu? Su Jiu realized that his mind actually wandered off and he had not heard anything¡­ They had reached the auction venue and Chuzheng brought Su Jiu in. ¡°President Xie, long time no see. How are you lately?¡± Chuzheng turned back. Xie Zhou had brought along Liu Manman and was talking to a middle-aged man with a female partner. Xie Zhou saw Chuzheng before Liu Manman and walked towards Chuzheng. Following Xie Zhou¡¯s movements, Liu Manman then noticed Chuzheng and her brows immediately furrowed while hatred filled her eyes. ¡®Why was she here?¡¯ ¡°President Xie, have you considered the matter I spoke with you previously? Our company¡¯s prospects are not bad, so¡­¡± The man had a look of flattery and when he saw Chuzheng and Su Jiu standing at the doorstep, he had no intention of stepping aside. Instead, he quickly rushed forward and wanted to push Su Jiu away to free up the passageway. Before the man could touch Su Jiu, he was suddenly strangled by a person and he immediately choked. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The man muttered. ¡°Let go.¡± ¡°What were you doing?¡± Chuzheng reversed the question. The man glanced in Xie Zhou¡¯s direction and hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t you see that President Xie is coming? Why are you still standing here and blocking the way?¡± Not only was Xie Zhou a reputable person in the entertainment industry, but he was reputable in all commercial industries so it was normal for others to give way to him. ¡°I didn¡¯t see,¡± Chuzheng boldly said. ¡°¡­¡± The man was furious and in the next moment, the man had another thought. Was this woman doing it on purpose? ¡®To attract President Xie¡¯s attention?¡¯ That must be it! Nowadays, these women would do anything to go up the ranks. However, this woman seemed a little familiar¡­ Chuzheng and the man interaction only lasted for a while before Xie Zhou spoke up. ¡°President Gu, shall we go in together?¡± The man was dumbfounded. ¡®Did he say President Gu?¡¯ ¡°We are not that close. I refuse.¡± Chuzheng pulled Su Jiu along and left. Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Everyone’s Idol (21) Chapter 51: Everyone¡¯s Idol (21) Editor: Atlas Studios Xie Zhou had a gaze filled with serenity as he watched Gu Chuzheng leave. Meanwhile, the man had a dumbfounded look. Who was that woman? ¡®Xie Zhou actually called her President Gu?¡¯ ¡®Which President Gu was he referring to?¡¯ ¡®Why did he not know any?¡¯ Liu Manman had an indiscernible look as she lowered her head and used her bangs to cover her expression. Only her tightly clenched hands laying beside her body revealed the troubled feelings in her heart. Xie Zhou brought her in and the man followed in with perturbed feelings as his whole mind was filled with Xie Zhou¡¯s words of President Gu. After he entered, at his first glance, the man saw that girl at the very forefront. She sat in the first row. This¡­ ¡°Why did the president of Jewel Entertainment change people?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t got wind of anything. Isn¡¯t that girl very popular in the entertainment industry recently who is called¡­ called Gu Chuzheng?¡± ¡°I know her. Some rumors said she has a sugar daddy¡­¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t true. I heard that it was the Gao Family who framed her? I wonder what kind of enmity Gao Xueyun has with her.¡± ¡°The President of Jewel Entertainment has a sugar daddy? Is this a joke? How much money does that person need?¡± Discussion arose within the surroundings and was especially ear-piercing when it drifted into that man and Liu Manman¡¯s ears. President¡­ President of Jewel Entertainment¡­ The man wiped off his cold sweat. Earlier, Xie Zhou had called her President Gu so that means he had already known that¡­ ¡°President Xie, is she really the President of Jewel Entertainment?¡± Liu Manman had a curious look as she hugged Xie Zhou¡¯s arm. ¡°Hmm.¡± After she got his confirmation, Liu Manman¡¯s expression turned nasty. ¡®How could she be the President of Jewel Entertainment? Could it be she was lying to me about the things I knew about her previously?¡¯ ¨C The whispers had not bothered Chuzheng as though what was happening in the surroundings had nothing to do with her. The noise had only quietened down when the auction ceremony began. There were many great items sold in the auction ceremony. Chuzheng flipped through the brochure she got at the entrance and it stated the items up for bidding later. But the last three items had a question mark on it. Today, many people had probably come for these three items. Chuzheng was not interested in such events. If it was not for the mission Bastard gave, she would not have come. ¡°Later, if you have anything that you like, just bid.¡± Chuzheng passed the bidding number plate to Su Jiu. Su Jiu was shocked. ¡°¡­¡± This scene was like the idol dramas on television shows. But the problem was¡­ he was a man! Why did she not feel it was inappropriate to say such words? Su Jiu had not dared to raise the bidding plate. Moreover, all these items were mere worldly possessions and he had not entered the entertainment industry to make money. Su Jiu lowered his head and spun the bidding plate in boredom. ¡°Raise.¡± Su Jiu suddenly heard Chuzheng¡¯s voice and froze. At the next second, his wrist was held by someone and the bidding plate was raised. Su Jiu looked towards the stage. It was a three million dollars painting¡­¡¯She liked that?¡¯ When Chuzheng¡¯s side raised their plate, Liu Manman raised theirs as well. Initially, there were still some people who followed after, but slowly, no one raised except for Chuzheng and Liu Manman as the price skyrocketed up. Liu Manman came with Xie Zhou so it was definitely with Xie Zhou¡¯s signal that gave her the guts to do it. Xie Zhou had many women by his side so to squander money for a woman was not new to him. But the new President of Jewel Entertainment was¡­ so wealthy too? ¡°Nine million dollars!¡± Liu Manman¡¯s voice suddenly rang. Chuzheng looked towards Liu Manman and Liu Manman smirked provocatively. ¡°President Gu, nine million dollars doesn¡¯t seem worth it¡­¡± Su Jiu reminded her. That painting¡¯s base price was only three million dollars. Chuzheng held his hand and raised the bidding plate again. ¡°Ten million dollars.¡± There was a huge uproar as that was the highest bidding price so far. Everyone looked towards Liu Manman yet Liu Manman had no intention of raising the bidding plate. In that instant, everyone had some pity towards Chuzheng. ¡®Was she tricked?¡¯ Su Jiu pulled Chuzheng¡¯s hand and grabbed it with his two hands. ¡°President Gu, Liu Manman is agitating you on purpose¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡®Should I have to give her a medal and thank her for being so helpful.¡¯ ¡°If you knew, then why did you still¡­¡± ¡°I have the money.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The people who sat around Chuzheng were covered in shame. So what if you have the money! Which family¡¯s darling daughter was this! Does your family know you are a prodigal! Su Jiu¡¯s gaze fell on his hand. He had not noticed just now, but now when he noticed, his fingers seemed to have frozen. The warm touch under his fingers made Su Jiu find it hard to let go. He gulped down his saliva and glanced at Chuzheng. Chuzheng suddenly raised her other hand and fondled his head. Su Jiu¡¯s ears were tinted red, but luckily, the lights were dim and others could not see it. With that touch, Su Jiu had forgotten to let go of Chuzheng¡¯s hand. Later on, whenever Chuzheng raised her bidding plate, Liu Manman would definitely follow up, but would give up once the price was high. Chuzheng accepted it without question and was very grateful to Liu Manman for helping her to be a prodigal. Those who sat far away had thought that Chuzheng was a person who was rash yet those who sat near her knew that she knew everything and just had lots of money to spare. [Congratulations Little miss for completing the mission! Your reward of fifty million dollars is now in your bank account.]King¡¯s cheerful voice rang. [Little miss is so awesome!] Chuzheng returned a cold smile to King. [¡­]Why was she still not happy even after I praised her! Little miss is so hard to please. I¡¯m shivering in the cold! For the last three mystery items in the auction, many people became serious. Xie Zhou had obviously come for the last three items in the auction too as Liu Manman had to wait for his confirmation before raising the bidding plate. The price of the last item had skyrocketed and passed the twenty million dollars mark. Moreover, many had not given up and looked determined. Many others paid attention to Chuzheng as they wondered if this rich President of Jewel Entertainment would join in. ¡°Twenty-five million dollars going once.¡± ¡°Twenty-five million dollars going twice.¡± ¡°Thirty million.¡± Su Jiu¡¯s clear voice traveled through the whole conference hall as he raised the bidding plate. ¡°Thirty-two million!¡± Liu Manman followed up. ¡°Forty million.¡± Su Jiu¡¯s voice was quivering as it was a little absurd. ¡°¡­¡± Others had always added on from the lowest price yet she straightaway added ten million¡­ Liu Manman gritted her teeth as anger and hatred filled her heart and she acted on her own accord. ¡°Forty-two million.¡± Su Jiu looked at Chuzheng hesitantly and Chuzheng motioned at him to continue. ¡°Fifty million!¡± Xie Zhou pulled Liu Manman back and wanted her to stop yet Liu Manman was faster than him and shouted, ¡°Sixty million.¡± After she said that, she had not decided to follow as according to just now, she felt that Chuzheng would definitely follow up. Yet she had waited for a long time and there was no movement from Chuzheng¡¯s side. Liu Manman started to panic. ¡°Sixty million going once.¡± ¡°Sixty million going twice.¡± ¡°Sixty million dollars, sold!¡± Liu Manman¡¯s eyes widened as her face paled. ¡®Why hadn¡¯t she followed up? Hadn¡¯t she always followed up?¡¯ ¡°President Xie¡­ I¡­¡± The last item had been sold off and the emcee gave the ending speech before others started to leave. Xie Zhou¡¯s face had darkened as he stood up and left. ¡°President Xie.¡± Liu Manman hurriedly followed him. ¡°Please listen to my explanation.¡± Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Everyone’s Idol (22) Chapter 52: Everyone¡¯s Idol (22) Editor: Atlas Studios Chuzheng met Xie Zhou backstage and saw Liu Manman following beside him with a frantic look. Liu Manman wanted to speak, but had no courage to do so. Liu Manman caught a glimpse of Chuzheng coming over and hatred immediately gushed up in her eyes. It was all that woman¡¯s fault! ¡®Aiyo! Damn!¡¯ ¡®Wasn¡¯t she still well just now? Why did she suddenly cry!¡¯ ¡®Does one have to act so shamelessly in life?¡¯ ¡°Gu Chuzheng, you did it on purpose!¡± Pearl-shaped tears escaped her eyes in an instant as she questioned Chuzheng. Chuzheng calmly answered. ¡°The highest bidder gets the item, you have money.¡± Those three words ¡®you have money¡¯ pierced through Liu Manman¡¯s heart. ¡®How could she have money? That money belonged to Xie Zhou.¡¯ Sixty million dollars¡­ It was not six hundred thousand! Not six million either! ¡°You purposely raised the price! Why must you do this to me!¡± She could not bear the burden of this mistake by herself. She finally found Xie Zhou so she could not be ruined by this woman. Chuzheng said with a serious look. ¡°Did I?¡± Liu Manman¡¯s face turned red from anger. ¡°If you didn¡¯t purposely raise the price with me, why did you bid so high?¡± Chuzheng answered, ¡°Is there a problem with having too much money, but nowhere to spend it?¡± Liu Manman choked from her words and even Xie Zhou who stood silently by the side glanced at Chuzheng. Too much money, but nowhere to spend¡­ This reason was indeed irrefutable. Liu Manman¡¯s hands clenched into a fist. If it was not for Xie Zhou standing there, the anger in her would have exploded. Liu Manman widened her beautiful eyes and glared at Chuzheng as though by doing this, she could seek justice for herself. Chuzheng walked past her and Liu Manman wanted to stop her. But Liu Manman took back her hand as though she thought of something and stepped back while looking at her with a pale look. Chuzheng¡¯s fingers landed on the loose hair strands before her forehead and cooly plucked it off. Liu Manman¡¯s palms were full of cold sweat as in that instant, she felt a chill down her spine. ¡°Xie¡­¡± Xie Zhou had not waited for Liu Manman. Liu Manman could care less about what happened just now as she clumsily followed behind Xie Zhou. After Chuzheng was done with the procedures and paid the money, she took the items and walked back to the car. ¡°For you.¡± Chuzheng gave all the items to Su Jiu. Su Jiu hugged the expensive items in astonishment. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°These items are too expensive.¡± Su Jiu returned back to Chuzheng. ¡°I can¡¯t take it.¡± These items had a high value, if he took it, how would she treat him? He absolutely could not take it! ¡°Then, let¡¯s throw it.¡± It was too much and it would be too troublesome if she took it back with her. Su Jiu was shocked. ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng did not look like she was joking yet Su Jiu did not dare to throw it. He hugged that bunch of items and did not move as he was scared that he would break it. Only when Chuzheng sent him back to the condominium, did Su Jiu move his stiff neck and turn his head. ¡°President Gu.¡± Chuzheng held the steering wheel. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Su Jiu¡¯s eyes were fixed on her. Chuzheng glanced to her side. ¡°To make you think that I¡¯m your friend.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Why must he think that she is his friend?¡¯ Su Jiu furrowed his brows. ¡°Why?¡± Chuzheng replied. ¡°To not repeat the whole process again.¡± ¡°What?¡± Su Jiu only saw Chuzheng¡¯s lips moving but he could not hear any sound. [Warning: Little miss cannot reveal anything regarding the system and you. If you do that again, there will be a punishment~] King¡¯s tone seemed to be expectant of her making mistakes. Chuzheng gripped the steering wheel tightly and squinted her eyes. ¡®Bastard, damn you!¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Chuzheng remained expressionless. ¡°Go up.¡± Chuzheng looked out of the window. He suddenly leaned over as his hands caressed Chuzheng¡¯s face and kissed her lips with a hint of coolness. The things on Su Jiu¡¯s body dropped and his hand held Chuzheng¡¯s wrist as he pressed her against the chair. Chuzheng¡¯s eyes looked at him calmly. When Su Jiu¡¯s tongue stuck out and licked her lips, Su Jiu was harshly pushed back while a pair of hands strangled his white neck. Warm and rushed breathing hit against Chuzheng¡¯s back. The two of them kept still. After a long time, Su Jiu raised his head and his face showed a lovely smile. ¡°President Gu, you¡¯re hurting me.¡± Chuzheng stared at him for a few seconds before slowly letting go. Red marks appeared on Su Jiu¡¯s neck as he touched his neck and pushed open the door to get off. ¡°President Gu, good night.¡± ¡°Stop right there.¡± Su Jiu froze and a hint of darkness slid past his eyes before he turned around and gave a lovely smile. ¡°President Gu?¡± ¡°Take the things with you.¡± Su Jiu looked at the items that were left beside the driver¡¯s seat and he silently came back before taking the items with him. He swiftly returned back to his condominium apartment. When he opened the door, his hands were quivering and only when he entered and closed the door, did his heart ease slightly. Su Jiu leaned against the door and panted. The things in his hands dropped to the ground and made a light sound. He slowly slid down to the ground and hugged his knees while his face was buried in his arms and only showed his pair of dark eyes. The curtains in the living room fluttered around and the moonlight was cold and quiet. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. The clock on the wall continued ticking. At that moment, he could hear his irregular heartbeat. Thump thump thump¡­ Every beat was very clear. Su Jiu sat there for a long time before he finally took out his cell phone. When he opened his contacts list, he saw that person¡¯s name at first glance. He paused for a moment before his finger swiped down to find Pei Yu¡¯s name. [Su Jiu: Brother Yu, may I ask for President Gu¡¯s schedule?] [Pei Yu: What do you need it for?] [Su Jiu: President Gu has helped me a lot in the past, I want to thank her.] [Pei Yu: The company is not responsible for President Gu¡¯s schedule and she doesn¡¯t have an assistant either¡­ but I can help you ask around.] [Su Jiu: Thanks, Brother Yu.] Su Jiu turned off his cell phone and stood up to pick up the things on the floor. He brought them into his bedroom and placed them properly one by one. ¡°Gu Chuzheng¡­¡± Su Jiu muttered. Under the cold and dark environment, it looked a little creepy. ¨C [Main mission: Please become an investor of ¡°Flowers In A Mirror And The Moon¡¯s Reflection In Water¡± in three days.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Liu Manman had invested in that drama¡¯s production and stole the proprietress¡¯ role in that drama again. Not long ago, the director of that drama had contacted her for the female lead role yet before she agreed, the director had called and said it was taken. Although there were some differences from the proprietress¡¯ memory, the overall direction was still similar. That drama was the year-end blockbuster and did not lack investors so with Liu Manman¡¯s investment, they were even less in need of money. So even if she threw in money, it was useless! Bastard was fooling around with her! How could she become an investor in three days? How could she be an investor in a production team which did not need money? Use brute force? [Little¡­ Little miss¡­] Chuzheng did not want to converse with King and chose to ignore it. Why was spending money such a difficult task! Chuzheng thought for a while and found the investors of ¡°Flowers In A Mirror And The Moon¡¯s Reflection In Water¡±. Indeed, getting rid of him was the best choice! In the end, she still had to rely on brute force! [Little miss, we are a legitimate system so we don¡¯t do such things, okay? We only have to peacefully be a prodigal!!] ¡®Why do we have to be so violent!¡¯ King was going crazy. It had only wanted her to spend the money peacefully and be a prodigal! Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Everyone’s Idol (23) Chapter 53: Everyone¡¯s Idol (23) Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Prepare the documents. I¡¯ll go over in a while.¡± Chuzheng walked out of the lift and was blocked by someone. She walked to the side while that person shifted to the side as well. Chuzheng raised her eyes. ¡°President Gu.¡± Su Jiu softly called. Chuzheng looked behind him. He was alone. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Su Jiu placed his hands behind him and leaned his body over to Chuzheng¡¯s sides as he smirked. ¡°Waiting for President Gu.¡± Chuzheng had a cold look. ¡°Why are you waiting for me?¡± Su Jiu tilted his head and his soft hair swayed to the side. ¡°President Gu saved me in the past, so, can I treat you to a meal as a gesture of my gratitude?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not free.¡± Chuzheng swiftly rejected. ¡°But doesn¡¯t President Gu want me to think that you¡¯re my friend? If you don¡¯t even eat a meal with me, how would I think that President Gu is my friend?¡± Chuzheng met Su Jiu¡¯s gaze and Su Jiu gave a brighter smile. His eyes were clear and looked harmless. ¡®This weakling¡­ seems a bit different. Was he being bipolar again?¡¯ [Little miss, you can¡¯t let go of such a great opportunity! The ¡®Friendzone card¡¯ is waving at you!]King immediately encouraged her. ¡°President Gu, so do you agree?¡± Su Jiu asked again. Chuzheng nodded her head. ¡°I have something on now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m free for today. If it doesn¡¯t bother you, I can go with President Gu.¡± Su Jiu immediately continued. ¡°I can wait for you to be done with your work.¡± Chuzheng thought for a while and agreed to his suggestion. After they got in the car, Su Jiu sneaked in a few glances at Chuzheng. It looked like she did not seem to mind the incident that happened that day. It was as though she did not care about what happened to her surroundings¡­ When Chuzheng went to settle her matters, Su Jiu waited in the car. Chuzheng had not come back for quite some time and Su Jiu wanted to get out of the car, but the car was locked. Su Jiu: ¡°¡­¡± Su Jiu waited for a while more before taking out his phone to message Chuzheng. [Su Jiu: When are you coming back?] [Chuzheng: ?] [Su Jiu: You locked the car door and I¡­ want to visit the washroom.] Su Jiu bit down on his lips and his cheeks were flushed. Su Jiu stared at his cell phone, but Chuzheng had not replied to him. Just when he thought he could not hold it in any longer, the car door unlocked. Chuzheng pulled the car door open and stared at him from outside the car. ¡°President Gu, I almost couldn¡¯t hold it in.¡± Su Jiu¡¯s face was red and looked especially innocent. ¡®He¡¯s such a handful.¡¯ ¡®I want to get rid of him.¡¯ Chuzheng took a deep breath and stepped aside. Su Jiu put on his mask and got out of the car before walking towards the public toilet. When he came back, he saw Chuzheng leaning against the car as she stood at the same place. Quite some people crowded around her and they seemed to have recognized her as there were faint shouts of excitement. But no one dared to step forward as though they were scared of her strong presence. When Su Jiu came back, he was immediately recognized. ¡°Is that Su Jiu?¡± ¡°He should be¡­ The body shape and hair are the same.¡± ¡°So they really are dating?¡± Su Jiu jogged to Chuzheng¡¯s front and Chuzheng opened the car door. He immediately got in and Chuzheng parked the car at another place. Chuzheng was prepared to leave when Su Jiu pulled her back. ¡°Can you not lock the car door?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng got out of the car and Su Jiu heard the sound of the car door locking. The corner of his mouth twitched as he watched Chuzheng¡¯s departing back through the car window. ¨C Chuzheng came back quickly this time and Su Jiu passed his cell phone to her. ¡°President Gu, we have hit the headlines again.¡± They were captured just now and in just a while, they hit the headlines. Chuzheng took a cold glance at it before starting the car engine without saying a word. Su Jiu cautiously observed her for a while before saying, ¡°President Gu, if you don¡¯t want them to spout nonsense, we can clear things up.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very noisy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Su Jiu bit his lips. ¡®So she did not plan to clear things up?¡¯ ¡°Where are we going to eat?¡± Chuzheng asked Su Jiu only after the car was driven for quite a distance. Su Jiu told her an address. It was a restaurant with high privacy. Su Jiu had already reserved their seats so they could go straight to the reserved floor from the carpark. After Su Jiu entered the private room, he took off his mask and wanted to pull the chair for Chuzheng, but Chuzheng was a step faster as she pulled the chair herself and sat on it. Su Jiu retracted his hand and sat beside her. He even pushed the chair closer to her. ¡°President Gu, are you always like this?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®So unromantic.¡¯ Su Jiu did not dare to say it out so instead, he smiled and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s good that President Gu stays like this.¡± If she was the same as those people outside¡­ Su Jiu thought that he would not be eating a meal with her now. When Su Jiu was ordering the dishes, the waiter beside him kept glancing at Chuzheng and her eyes shone as bright as the sun. Su Jiu¡¯s smile disappeared as he leaned closer to Chuzheng in front of the waiter. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°Anything is fine.¡± ¡°Order a dish.¡± Su Jiu pushed the food menu towards her and looked at her expectantly. Chuzheng casually ordered a dish and Su Jiu seemed to be elated as he passed the food menu back to the waiter. The waiter unwillingly left the room. After she left the room, the waiter hugged the food menu and started to jump around. She actually saw her goddess! I¡¯m so excited! ¡°Do you know who I saw just now?¡± The waiter rushed back and pulled her colleague to share the news. That colleague was very calm. ¡°Which celebrity is it?¡± Because of their high privacy and quality dishes, many celebrities, officials and wealthy people came here so it was not strange to see any of them. ¡°It¡¯s goddess Chuzheng!¡± ¡°Who?¡± The colleague was in disbelief. ¡°Goddess Chuzheng! I¡¯m so happy!¡± ¡°Is she alone?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± The waiter shook her head. ¡°She was together with Su Jiu. Su Jiu was so cute! They are really dating!¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°I witnessed it.¡± ¡®It was such a lovely scene, they must be dating!¡¯ ¨C After the dishes were served, Su Jiu opened a bottle of red wine and poured some for Chuzheng. ¡°President Gu, let me propose a toast to you for saving me previously.¡± Chuzheng had a serious look. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Su Jiu opened his lips slightly and as he saw Chuzheng finishing the wine in her glass, he smiled and raised his head to finish his glass of wine. He continued to pour more wine. ¡°This toast is to thank President Gu for taking care of me.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Su Jiu gave three toasts of wine yet Chuzheng kept a straight face as though she was drinking water. Su Jiu had mixed feelings as he silently put down the wine glass. He bit on the chopsticks and stared at Chuzheng as she ate her food. ¡°Can you be full by looking at me?¡± Su Jiu replied in a lovely voice. ¡°President Gu is appetizing.¡± Chuzheng glanced to the side. What was this weakling trying to do? Could it be he wanted to make a move on her? Although he was obedient and lovely earlier, he was very cautious inside yet today, he was different. Chuzheng asked, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Su Jiu tilted his head and his voice was clear. ¡°President Gu, I only want to thank you and not do anything else.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s gaze fell on his hair and she opened her mouth. ¡°You better be.¡± Su Jiu asked, ¡°What did President Gu think I was trying to do?¡± Chuzheng replied. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought of anything.¡± ¡®Even if I thought of it, will I tell you, weakling?¡¯ Su Jiu: ¡°¡­¡± Su Jiu finally understood that not only is conversing with her difficult, but it was very difficult to trick her as well. Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Everyone’s Idol (24) Chapter 54: Everyone¡¯s Idol (24) Editor: Atlas Studios After the meal, Chuzheng sent Su Jiu home. However, when they reached Su Jiu¡¯s condominium, they realized that there was a whole crowd of reporters waiting at the condominium. She drove to the other side, but it was also filled with reporters. Many celebrities also lived in that condominium and so, they did not know who these reporters came for, not forgetting to mention their massive presence. However, if Su Jiu were to go out now, he definitely would not be able to escape them. Moreover, the news about him and Chuzheng being an item had been grabbing the headlines for the past few days. If the reporters saw him, it would be as though a wild dog had seen a piece of fat, juicy meat and they would not willingly let him go. Chuzheng wanted to get out of the car, but her wrist was grabbed by Su Jiu. ¡°President Gu, are you just going to go down amidst this situation?¡± ¡°What else can I do? Change an outfit?¡± Chuzheng looked at the outfit she was wearing and felt that nothing was wrong with it. Su Jiu: ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Things will only get worse if you change your clothes.¡¯ ¡°President Gu, it is filled with reporters outside and they are not easily dealt with.¡± Su Jiu¡¯s eyelashes wavered slightly. ¡°We should wait for a while.¡± Chuzheng took a look outside. ¡®I can kill those people in a few minutes, what¡¯s the use of waiting?!¡¯ Su Jiu refused to let Chuzheng go while he gave her a pleading look. Chuzheng retracted her hand from the car door handle and withdrew her hand out of Su Jiu¡¯s grip. She then crossed her arms and looked at the reporters with her face devoid of expression. Su Jiu propped his chin while he stared at Chuzheng. There was a lovely and gentle smile plastered on his face. One hour later, the reporters were still standing outside the condominium. Two hours later¡­ Three hours later¡­ Su Jiu asked in a soft voice, ¡°President Gu, I definitely cannot go home today. How about you take me in for the night?¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± Chuzheng gave him a side-look. Su Jiu was a little stunned, but after a few seconds, he slowly replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t President Gu my boss?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®I am your boss but I am not your mom! Why should I take you in for the night?!¡¯ Su Jiu blinked his eyes. It was as though there were sparkles in his pitch-black eyes shining brightly. ¡°If President Gu takes me in, perhaps I will think that President Gu is a friend.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng remained silent for a minute before starting the car and they left the condominium. Su Jiu¡¯s lips curled up while he lowered his hand and deleted a message on his phone. The strands of hair that fell covered the hint of craftiness in his eyes. Chuzheng moved houses and was living in a villa now. The house was ridiculously big however, it was pretty empty inside. It looked as though it was a villa that had just finished renovations¡ªdeserted and solemn. It was just like her. ¡°Does President Gu live alone?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°The house is so big, don¡¯t you feel lonely?¡± asked Su Jiu curiously. ¡°It¡¯s still okay.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng let Su Jiu pick his own room as she allowed him to sleep in whichever room he liked. In the end, Su Jiu pointed at a door that was more unique than the rest of the room doors. It was the master bedroom and Chuzheng only nodded before entering the room beside it. Su Jiu was shocked. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®She¡¯s just going to leave me like this?¡¯ Su Jiu pushed open the door to the master bedroom. There were a few more things inside and with one look, one could tell that somebody lived there before. Su Jiu looked at the surroundings of the room and saw a drama script on the table. His fingers slid past the cover of the script before he raised his hand slowly and placed it before his chest while his fingernails pressed on his chest. ¨C Chuzheng returned to her room and talked about today¡¯s matters to the acquisition team. She then washed up and went to bed. Boom¡ª¡ª Pitter-patter¡ª¡ª A peal of thunder broke the silence in the night while the lightning brightened up the room. Chuzheng turned in her bed and blurrily saw a figure standing in her room. She sat up in a second. ¡®Oh my god, what the hell!¡¯ Just as she sat up, the figure suddenly pounced forward. Chuzheng instinctively wrapped her fingers around the person¡¯s neck and pinned the person down on the bed. ¡°President¡­ Gu?¡± Chuzheng heard a familiar voice. Boom¡ª¡ª Using the light from the lightning, Chuzheng recognized the person she was choking. His face was as pale as a white bedsheet and his eyes seemed as if there was a layer of mist masking it. ¡®This weakling again?!¡¯ ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡®Why didn¡¯t you want to sleep on your bed and even came to my room? Are you trying to scare me to death? I am kind enough to take you in for the night yet this is how you repay me!¡¯ Su Jiu pointed at his neck and Chuzheng lessened her grip before retracting her hands eventually. She then turned on the lights. Su Jiu suddenly pulled Chuzheng into a hug and his body seemed to be trembling. ¡°President Gu, I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°Oh, I am not scared.¡± ¡®It¡¯s just a thunderclap. What¡¯s there to be scared of?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng tried to escape from his grip, but Su Jiu hugged her too tightly and so, she could not push him away. The peal of thunder became louder and Su Jiu trembled even harder. Chuzheng took a glance at his face and realized his face was as pale as a ghost. It did not look as if he was acting. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Su Jiu said in a stuffy voice, ¡°President Gu, can I sleep with you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­But I¡¯m scared.¡± Chuzheng decided to put up with him. ¡°Sleep on the floor.¡± Su Jiu did not dare to push his luck further and nodded his head. Chuzheng made him let go of her. She then arranged the mattress for him and tucked him in. Su Jiu curled himself into a ball and when he saw Chuzheng turning off the lights, he immediately pleaded, ¡°President Gu, can you please not turn off the lights?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Why does he have so many problems?¡¯ Brrr¡ª¡ª The lights in the room suddenly darkened. Chuzheng looked out the window and realized that there was a sea of darkness outside. There was not even a single spark of light. ¡®Is there a blackout?¡¯ There was such a big thunderstorm so it was normal for a blackout to happen. Well, one could not blame her for a blackout. Chuzheng wanted to go to bed when the person on the floor climbed onto her bed. He went under her blankets and hugged her tightly. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Can I kill him?¡¯ [If Little miss wishes to repeat this universe again, I have no opinions on that~] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Who wants to do this all over again?¡¯ Chuzheng closed her eyes and silently counted to three in her heart. After that, she lay down on her bed and just let Su Jiu hug her like an octopus. Chuzheng caressed Su Jiu¡¯s soft hair and she felt better. ¡®Hmm¡­ Since you came up to me yourself, I am going to take this chance to touch your hair.¡¯ She twisted his hair carefully, but Su Jiu did not give any reaction. Chuzheng then boldly pulled on his hair. Su Jiu: ¡°¡­¡± ¡®What does she take me for?¡¯ He had already offered himself to her, but she did not even seem to care. She even touched his hair and head. ¡®What does she mean?¡¯ Su Jiu felt that the hand on his head slowly weakened and he carefully raised his head. Under the weak presence of the light, he could only see a lady¡¯s contour. Su Jiu held his breath and waited for a while. He raised his hand and carefully touched her cheeks. It was more smooth and soft than he thought it would be and felt just like satin. Su Jiu¡¯s finger carefully moved, but it was caught by someone¡¯s hands in the next second. He heard a mumble in his ear, ¡°Cut it out.¡± Su Jiu¡¯s heart pounded against his chest, but the girl just caressed his hair and did not move anymore. Su Jiu was shocked. ¡°¡­¡± She took him for a cat! Su Jiu pouted, but he did not move anymore as he was afraid he would wake her up. Next to his ear was her steady and peaceful heartbeat. This was the first time Su Jiu felt warmth. He had always been living alone ever since he was young¡­ After he went into the entertainment industry, no matter what he did, he always did it alone. Because he did not want to make friends. Hence, he was ostracized and people even made things difficult for him. However, all of that meant nothing as long as he could continue acting and do the things he liked. However, one day, somebody even took away the thing that he liked to do. Yet, he was powerless. He was just a normal person with no status or power. He struggled and resisted before, but it was of no use. Just when he thought that everyone in the world was just as cruel, she appeared. He told himself and suspected that she harbored evil designs on himself. However, no matter how hard he tested her, she did not seem to have any ulterior motives for helping him. Su Jiu¡¯s fingers carefully slid between Chuzheng¡¯s fingers and interlocked them. ¡®Gu Chuzheng, it was you who came to me first.¡¯ Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Everyone’s Idol (25) Chapter 55: Everyone¡¯s Idol (25) Editor: Atlas Studios The rays of sunlight seeped into the house through the windows and a rainbow appeared in the sky. Chuzheng laid on her bed for a while before sitting upright on her bed. She looked to her side and although there were traces of someone sleeping on her bed, there was no one there. ¡°President Gu, you¡¯re awake?¡± Su Jiu peeked in from the door and gave her a lovely smile. ¡°I have made breakfast. You can wash up and come down for breakfast.¡± After he said his piece, Su Jiu left the room. Chuzheng changed her clothes and went down. On the dining table, there was an array of delicacies as well as a bouquet of flowers decorated on it. ¡°You made it?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Su Jiu nodded his head while his eyes sparkled. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you will like it, but if you don¡¯t, you can tell me and I can go and learn.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really like anything special. To me¡­¡± Chuzheng suddenly stopped talking as she realized that she had revealed too much and started to eat her breakfast in silence. Su Jiu blinked his eyes and did not probe further. ¡°President Gu, I have troubled you last night.¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m glad you know it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Su Jiu choked on his saliva. ¡°So do you think I am a friend now?¡± asked Chuzheng. Su Jiu¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°President Gu, a friend wouldn¡¯t ask people such a question.¡± Chuzheng seemed to be lost in her thoughts and continued eating her breakfast. Just then, Pei Yu gave Su Jiu a call and informed him about today¡¯s schedule. Pei Yu then asked him about his location so he could fetch him. Before Su Jiu replied, he glanced at Chuzheng. He saw that Chuzheng was not against it and told Pei Yu of Chuzheng¡¯s address. After they ate breakfast, Pei Yu just nicely came and called Su Jiu to come out. ¡°President Gu, I will take my leave first.¡± Chuzheng waved her hand. ¡®Trouble maker, please leave quickly.¡¯ Su Jiu had just walked two steps and he walked back to her. Under Chuzheng¡¯s peaceful gaze, he kissed her cheek. ¡°I will miss you, President Gu.¡± Chuzheng furrowed her eyebrows slightly. Su Jiu ran out of the villa at the drop of a hat and sat in Pei Yu¡¯s car. Pei Yu took a glance at him and seemed as though he wanted to comment on something, but did not. In the end, he still said, ¡°Su Jiu, President Gu and you¡­¡± ¡°Brother Yu, I know my limits,¡± answered Su Jiu obediently. ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± chuckled Pei Yu. ¡°But if President Gu really likes you, it doesn¡¯t matter if you guys date.¡± He had seen many people in this industry and to be honest, he had never seen a boss like Chuzheng. A boss who treated a celebrity so well and did not even harbor any designs on this male celebrity. ¡°She doesn¡¯t like me.¡± Su Jiu looked at the villa through the rear mirror and mumbled, ¡°At least now, she doesn¡¯t.¡± ¨C One month later. The manager faltered out a few words over the phone, ¡°Manman, I¡¯ve got something to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Liu Manman was very curious. ¡°Don¡¯t panic after I tell you the news.¡± The manager paused and continued, ¡°The production team has suddenly called me and told me that they want to replace you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Liu Manman rose from the sofa at the drop of a hat. ¡°Why do they want to replace me? We¡¯ve already signed the contract!¡± ¡°They said that they are willing to pay the termination fee.¡± ¡°Something isn¡¯t right.¡± Liu Manman knew how she got her role. Although Xie Zhou did not tell her personally, she heard it from his subordinates. ¡°What isn¡¯t right¡­¡± The manager had not even finished talking and Liu Manman put down the phone. She made a call to Xie Zhou, but Xie Zhou¡¯s phone was switched off or was not in range of reception. Liu Manman immediately changed her clothes and rushed to Xie Zhou¡¯s company. As of then, her relationship with Xie Zhou was no longer a piece of top-secret news and there were already some articles online. It was just that the news was suppressed by Xie Zhou and as such when she went to the company to find Xie Zhou, nobody stopped her. However, Xie Zhou was in a meeting and Liu Manman could only wait for him in his office. While waiting for him, she accidentally flipped open a document on Xie Zhou¡¯s desk. In the document, there was a whole list of Chuzheng¡¯s personal details. Liu Manman¡¯s mind turned black. ¡®Xie Zhou is doing a background check on Gu Chuzheng? Recently, he also always said he is busy¡­¡¯ Previously, Gu Chuzheng took her for a ride and she painstakingly managed to coax Xie Zhou back to her side¡­ She heard a few noises at the door and closed the document in a hurry. Xie Zhou pushed open the door and saw her standing in front of his desk. He furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°President Xie.¡± Liu Manman curled her lips into a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve called you just now, but you didn¡¯t answer so I came over.¡± ¡°Oh? Is there a problem?¡± Liu Manman went over and hugged his arm before whining pitifully, ¡°Didn¡¯t I have a drama recently that was going to start filming? I prepared for a long time and I even looked at the script many times for this role. But today, my manager told me that the production team wants to replace me.¡± Xie Zhou furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°Why?¡± Liu Manman shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The manager suddenly told me that they want to replace me and even said that they are willing to pay me the termination fee. But I¡¯ve prepared for this role for a long time and to replace me all of a sudden¡­¡± From Xie Zhou¡¯s point of view, she should not know how she had gotten the role and hence, she could only phrase her words this way. In regards to the rest, she believed that Xie Zhou would definitely investigate this matter. Xie Zhou consoled Liu Manman for a while before telling her to go home first and he would find her after work. ¡°What happened?¡± After Liu Manman left, Xie Zhou¡¯s face turned sour. After all, Liu Manman was his woman and he had already made a deal with them. Yet now, they want to replace her? Wasn¡¯t this equivalent to giving him a slap? His assistant had already received the news from the production team, but before his assistant could report this to him, Liu Manman came. ¡°President Xie, it was the request of the production team¡¯s biggest investor. They even increased their investment.¡± His assistant muttered a name slowly, ¡°Gu Chuzheng.¡± Xie Zhou¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Her again? I remember that this drama is under Sheng Rui Company, what¡¯s the relation between Sheng Rui Company and her?¡± ¡°She is now the biggest shareholder of Sheng Rui Company.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xie Zhou tapped his fingers on his desk and groaned, ¡°Arrange a meeting with her for me.¡± ¨C Xie Zhou asked Chuzheng out for a meeting, but Chuzheng rejected him. However, Xie Zhou refused to give up and kept asking her assistant to ask her out. Perhaps, Chuzheng was annoyed by him and eventually agreed to meet him. On the day of the meeting, Xie Zhou arrived earlier than Chuzheng. ¡°Miss Gu,¡± greeted Xie Zhou. Chuzheng sat opposite of him. She was too lazy to return his greeting and directly asked, ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Xie Zhou smoked and his sharp gaze scanned past Chuzheng. The lady before him has delicate features and with just a raise of her hand, one would be able to feel her elegance. However, she looked very calm¡­ or more accurately said, she looked cold. ¡°It seems that Miss Gu is busier than me.¡± Since when did he have to ask someone out consecutively when he wanted to see a person? ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡®How can I not be busy? I am busy spending money.¡¯ ¡°So please keep your words short and sweet.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xie Zhou placed the cigarette butt in the ashtray before leaning his back on the sofa. He exuded a domineering presence. ¡°Miss Gu, is it your idea to replace Liu Manman from her role?¡± ¡°No.¡± Xie Zhou furrowed his eyebrows slightly. ¡°Miss Gu, are you trying to deny?¡± Chuzheng placed her hands on her knees. ¡°Why do you think that it¡¯s my idea?¡± ¡°You are Sheng Rui Company¡¯s biggest shareholder.¡± ¡°I am not allowed to be a shareholder of the Sheng Rui Group?¡± ¡°¡­Sheng Rui is the biggest investor of ¡°Flowers In A Mirror And The Moon¡¯s Reflection In Water¡±.¡± He had already laid his cards on the table, she should understand what he meant. ¡°Hmm, so what? This cannot prove that I was the one who did it.¡± Chuzheng asked with her face devoid of expression. ¡°Do you have proof? You have no proof, so please don¡¯t accuse me.¡± Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Everyone’s Idol (26) Chapter 56: Everyone¡¯s Idol (26) Editor: Atlas Studios The atmosphere became tense and it was only after a while that Xie Zhou broke the silence. ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared of offending me?¡± Chuzheng formally consulted, ¡°What¡¯s going to happen if I offend you?¡± ¡®You can¡¯t possibly kill me, right?¡¯ ¡®Even if you are drop-dead gorgeous, I won¡¯t die from your handsomeness!¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± Everyone should know that the consequence of offending him would not be light. Did he have to make it so clear? Xie Zhou admitted that he had been doing business for a long time and so, he did become a little thick-skinned, but for him to be asked this question¡­ He really couldn¡¯t give an answer. ¡°Miss Gu, may I ask why do you want to replace Liu Manman?¡± ¡°Mr. Xie, I have already said that it wasn¡¯t me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He could not do anything to her if she refused to admit it. As she had said, although the investor was Sheng Rui Company and she was a shareholder, without evidence, he indeed could not prove that it was done by her. Xie Zhou took a deep breath. ¡°In that case, I will change my question. Which family does Miss Gu belong to?¡± Chuzheng did not know why he would ask such a question and a thousand question marks appeared in her head. ¡®Could it be King¡¯s doing?¡¯ However, King did not tell her anything. King immediately conducted a mini-lesson for her on her new identity. This was for her convenience so that she could spend money with ease and would not get into trouble. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Isn¡¯t it very troublesome now?¡¯ [¡­]¡¯I am in the wrong again?¡¯ ¡°No comments.¡± Chuzheng maintained her noble and demure posture. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I will take my leave first.¡± Xie Zhou was fearful of Chuzheng¡¯s unknown family background and thus, did not dare to use the usual means to deal with her. Chuzheng stood up to leave, but when she left her seat, she hesitated for a while before taking out a USB flash disk and placing it on the table. With her fingernails suppressing it, she pushed it towards Xie Zhou and gave it a few taps. ¡°A small present for you.¡± Xie Zhou: ¡°???¡± ¨C Su Jiu stood at a corner and watched Chuzheng leave before looking in Xie Zhou¡¯s direction. ¡®What are both of them doing here?¡¯ Su Jiu messaged Chuzheng to ask her what she was doing. [Chuzheng: You have something to tell me?] Su Jiu pursed his lips as he knew she would not tell him anything. Every time he wrote a message to her, he would only get a reply if it concerned official matters. Otherwise, she would not reply at all. He was not sure whether she treated everybody the same or if it was just him. Su Jiu continued to type and stubbornly asked again. [Su Jiu: What are you doing?] However, this time, Chuzheng did not even bother to reply anymore. Su Jiu¡¯s eyes darkened while his eyes were fixed on his phone screen for a long time. After a long time, Su Jiu raised his head and looked towards Xie Zhou¡¯s direction again, but there was already nobody there. The tips of his fingers touched his phone screen. [Su Jiu: I am not feeling well.] [Chuzheng: Go see a doctor.] [Su Jiu: But I want to see you.] After nearly a minute, Su Jiu finally received Chuzheng¡¯s reply. [Chuzheng: Where are you?] Su Jiu told her an address before putting on his mask and he head over to wait for her. The direction which Chuzheng left was in the opposite direction of the address Su Jiu told her. She told her chauffeur to do a u-turn, but since there was a traffic jam Chuzheng got a little irritated. With such feelings of irritability present, the gaze she gave as she looked outside the window became colder and colder. It was as though she wanted to get out of the car and destroy all the cars blocking her way. The chauffeur stopped the car at the designated destination. Chuzheng was just about to give Su Jiu a call when a person suddenly entered her car. Su Jiu took off his mask and his fair and handsome face could be seen. ¡°Where are you not feeling well?¡± asked Chuzheng. Su Jiu turned his head and held her hands before putting it on his chest ¡°Here.¡± The chauffeur considerately put up the car partition and started the car. ¡°Chest?¡± asked Chuzheng calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to the hospital.¡± ¡°President Gu, it¡¯s not feeling well because of you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hit it.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t even think of getting a compensation fee from me!¡¯ Su Jiu stared at Chuzheng with his pitch-black eyes. He saw the indifference in her eyes and chuckled, ¡°President Gu, if you hug me, I will get better.¡± Chuzheng sized him up and calmly replied, ¡°I will bring you to the hospital.¡± ¡®If you are sick, you should go to the hospital! What¡¯s the use of hugging?¡¯ ¡®If hugging works, why do we need doctors?!¡¯ Su Jiu came closer to her and hooked his arm over her neck. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to the hospital. I just want to be with you.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Bastard, if I were to hit him now, will he still think of me as a friend?¡¯ [Believe me, Little miss. He definitely wouldn¡¯t.]King advised, [Hence, please don¡¯t reject him. It¡¯s just a hug. Besides, both of you have already slept on the same bed.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The car steadily moved on the road. Su Jiu held Chuzheng in his arms and almost put his entire weight on her. He carefully grabbed Chuzheng¡¯s hand and slowly held it. ¡°President Gu, what were you doing with Xie Zhou just now?¡± ¡°Nothing much,¡± replied Chuzheng as she lowered her head. ¡°How did you know that I met with him?¡± ¡°I saw both of you,¡± replied Su Jiu honestly. He looked up and his eyes directly met with Chuzheng¡¯s eyes. Her tender and lovely lips were just right in front of him which caused him to swallow his saliva. He then carefully went closer to her. But before his lips could touch hers, Chuzheng pulled away and widened the distance between both of them. Su Jiu was a little disappointed. He lowered his head and hugged Chuzheng¡¯s neck. ¡°Xie Zhou said he had something to tell me and we didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Chuzheng caressed his head. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Pei Yu with you?¡± Su Jiu¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡®Is she trying to explain herself?¡¯ ¡°Brother Yu is busy with other stuff so I came out to take a breather. I messaged you earlier, but you didn¡¯t reply to me¡­¡± He wanted to ask her out, but his message was just like throwing a stone into the sea, it never came back. Chuzheng thought of the bunch of messages on her phone. ¡°In the future, don¡¯t send me so many useless messages.¡± Su Jiu felt as if his heart was shot by an arrow. ¡®In her eyes, those were useless messages?¡¯ He could be almost sure that she had no feelings for him. If this was the past, he would perhaps be very happy. But right now, he really could not be happy. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Su Jiu absentmindedly nodded his head. By the time he came out of his daze, he was already sitting in a suite and a waiter was passing him the menu for him to order his meal. Su Jiu took a glance at the person opposite him and randomly ordered a few dishes. After the waiter walked out, Su Jiu stood up to sit beside Chuzheng. He then started sharing with her his recent events as well as interesting events he experienced during filming. Chuzheng casually listened although she did feel that he was a little noisy. However, she could not get mad at him. She finally tolerated his nattering till the dishes were served and she found an excuse to get Su Jiu to shut up. ¡°The food here is really good. How did you discover this place?¡± Su Jiu rubbed his stomach as he was really full. ¡°You like it?¡± ¡°Hmm, I have never eaten such delicious food before,¡± replied Su Jiu lovingly with his eyes sparkling that seemed to have a hint of joy in it. ¡°How did you discover this place? Can you still bring me here again?¡± ¡°Somebody told me.¡± What was important was that the dishes here were really expensive. ¡®Somebody?¡¯ Su Jiu was a little concerned if that somebody was a male or female. ¡°President Gu¡­¡± Su Jiu hesitated, ¡°Will you still nurture another artiste?¡± ¡°No.¡± Su Jiu did not expect that she would reply so quickly. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The mission was given by Bastard, otherwise, where would she have the time to nurture other people? Based on Bastard¡¯s personality, she only needed to be friendzoned by one person. Hence, she would not nurture another artiste. Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Everyone’s Idol (27) Chapter 57: Everyone¡¯s Idol (27) Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Mr. Su, nice to meet you.¡± Su Jiu walked out of the suite and was given a fright by the person standing outside. He quickly flashed a polite smile to him. ¡°Hi¡­ is there anything wrong?¡± ¡°Hi, I am the manager of this restaurant.¡± Su Jiu nodded his head. ¡®And so?¡¯ The manager took out a few documents. ¡°In the near future, this restaurant will be Mr. Su¡¯s so may I know if you have anything you want to order us to do or is there anything you would like to change?¡± Su Jiu was stunned. ¡°???¡± He subconsciously looked into the suite. Chuzheng had just hung up her call and came out. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you liked it?¡± Su Jiu was shocked. ¡°¡­¡± He said he liked it and she bought the restaurant over? But it had only been a while. How did she settle the paperwork so quickly? #President Gu spends like a sailor for Cutie Su# The news instantly became the top few trended news¡ªChuzheng bought a restaurant for Su Jiu just because he said he liked it. [The Never Empty Mountain and Moon: Goddess is so rich. Stop saying that she is being kept! No one is rich enough to be our goddess¡¯ sugar daddy.] [Empty Memories: I really want to know which family¡¯s princess she is and whether she needs an extra helper.] [Been Black All My Life: Is Su Jiu being kept? Don¡¯t he feel shameless for broadcasting such a piece of news online?] [Wind Frost: President Gu is so mighty and cool! She bought a restaurant for Cutie Su without a single complaint!] [Unreturned: What are you guys saying? Did their dating affect you? One look and you can see that the news wasn¡¯t revealed by our President Gu? If you want to blame someone, blame the paparazzi!] Many people started stating their various opinions on the comment section. Right now, they did not think that Chuzheng was being kept, but instead, they said Su Jiu was being kept by Chuzheng. Moreover, the debate became more heated up and this was all because Chuzheng was a female. It was as if in this world, only men could spoil women and women would always be the weaker gender of the two. If a woman has money and power, it was because she was born with a silver spoon. Even if one day, she reached the top of her field, it would be said that she relied on men to climb up the corporate ladder. [Awoken To See the Moon: If we were to change this scenario into a guy giving a present to a girl, it would definitely attract the envy of many. You guys make it sound like a rich lady cannot give presents to the person they like. Who says that only guys can give presents to girls? You guys are so funny! We are living in the year 8102! Wake up guys!] [Mom, He Stole My Sweet: Isn¡¯t this the legendary self-made man? Su Jiu became popular because of Chuzheng, right?] [Su Jiu¡¯s sweetie: You guys are so evil! Why can¡¯t Cutie Su and President Gu date?] [Hard Work Leads to Miracles: I think you meant that they date in bed?] [Wishing Under the Blue Sky: If goddess were to treat me like that, even if it means being kept by her, I am also willing!] There were many malicious comments on the internet, but Chuzheng would not usually bother with them. As for Su Jiu, he had Pei Yu to control the situation so he did not have to worry. As such, even if this matter was debated furiously online, the two of them were not affected at all. Not long after, Su Jiu¡¯s first drama also started its broadcast. Due to the popularity of the drama, all the news regarding Su Jiu having no good films; or him earning a living through his looks; or Su Jiu having no talent also disappeared. Also, Su Jiu gained a lot of fans through the drama. Previously, he relied on his couple fans with Chuzheng to gain fans yet now, he managed to build his own fanbase. Moreover, many of his fans were old fans and they were very delighted to see him make a comeback. His fanbase suddenly rebuilt overnight and it was as if he had never left the entertainment industry. In the past, Su Jiu needed Pei Yu to use the company¡¯s resources to get roles in dramas, but with the broadcasting of his new drama, Su Jiu no longer needed to rely on the company to get good roles. ¨C On the other hand, Liu Manman had not seen Xie Zhou for a week. She tried calling him, but he did not answer. She even went to his company to find him, but he was not there. His staff told her that he went overseas to film a drama and would not come back anytime soon. But she clearly saw Xie Zhou¡¯s car entering his company¡¯s car park. Liu Manman still did not know that Xie Zhou was avoiding her, otherwise, she definitely would not want to live anymore. However, she really could not understand. Previously, Xie Zhou said that he would not pursue that matter anymore and even gave her resources to get acting roles¡­ But how did it turn out to be like this? Something must have happened¡­ Liu Manman recalled their recent events. She went to find Xie Zhou about her role replacement and she had not seen him since. ¡®Was it because of that matter?¡¯ However, even if Liu Manman had an idea of what was going on, she did not understand why he did that so she could only think of ways to find Xie Zhou every day. One day, Liu Manman finally heard that Xie Zhou would be eating at a restaurant and she immediately rushed there. However, it was a private clubhouse and nobody gave her permission to enter. As such, she could not enter and could only wait outside. ¡°President Xie.¡± Liu Manman saw Xie Zhou coming out and immediately ran over. She wore a pitiful expression. ¡°President Xie, why didn¡¯t you answer my calls?¡± Xie Zhou was stumped by her question, but there was not a single feeling of awkwardness. ¡°Miss Liu, things between us are over.¡± ¡°Over?¡± Liu Manman¡¯s face turned as pale as death. She saw that Xie Zhou wanted to leave and quickly stopped him. ¡°President Xie, why? What did I do wrong?¡± ¡°Miss Liu, please have some self-respect.¡± Xie Zhou furrowed his eyebrows slightly. ¡°Xie Zhou, let¡¯s go,¡± said a cute and charming lady in a sweet voice, who appeared from behind Xie Zhou, and hugged Xie Zhou¡¯s arm. It was not until she finished what she said that she saw Liu Manman. ¡°Oh, you have something on?¡± Xie Zhou took his hand out and hugged the lady¡¯s waist. ¡°No, let¡¯s go.¡± Liu Manman looked at them in disbelief. ¡®He had another woman by his side?¡¯ ¡°President Xie, what did I do wrong? Why are you doing this to me? Tell me, President Xie¡­¡± Xie Zhou¡¯s bodyguard appeared out of nowhere and blocked her. ¡°President Xie, give me a chance to explain myself.¡± Liu Manman was a bundle of nerves, but the bodyguard refused to let her go over. The lady in Xie Zhou¡¯s embrace turned back to look at her and seemed to pity her. ¡°Xie Zhou, she seems to have something urgent, she¡¯s pleading so desperately, are you really going to ignore her?¡± However, Xie Zhou did not even bat an eyelid and got into the car, ignoring Liu Manman who was screaming and shouting at him. It was not until their car had left that the bodyguard let go of Liu Manman. Liu Manman looked at the assistant beside her. ¡°Why does President Xie want to break up with me? Why?¡± ¡°Miss Liu, President Xie has never been together with you before,¡± emphasized the assistant. Liu Manman suddenly froze. ¡®That¡¯s right.¡¯ ¡®Xie Zhou had never said that I was his girlfriend before.¡¯ The woman who stood alongside Xie Zhou always changed, but there was not a single woman who stayed by his side as his girlfriend. From the start, Xie Zhou had already made it clear. He only needed a pretty and obedient woman and not a girlfriend. ¡®But how did things turn out this way? What have I done wrong? Why does Xie Zhou want to replace me?¡¯ She believed that if she stayed by Xie Zhou¡¯s side long enough, she would definitely be able to become his girlfriend. The assistant came forward and gave her a tissue. She then placed a USB flash disk in her hands. ¡°President Xie said that since you¡¯ve been with him for a while so both of you should split up on good terms. Don¡¯t find President Xie again or else, you will bear the consequences.¡± The assistant then left with the bodyguard, leaving Liu Manman to stare at the USB flash disk in her hands. She did not know what it was, but she knew this definitely had to do with the sudden change in treatment from Xie Zhou. Liu Manman quickly found a computer nearby and plugged in the USB flash disk in. There were a lot of videos on it. She nervously held onto the mouse and took a deep breath before clicking it. Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Everyone’s Idol (28) Chapter 58: Everyone¡¯s Idol (28) Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Beep¡­¡± A screeching car horn could be heard. A driver put his head out of his window and shouted, ¡°Are you trying to die? Even if you want to die, don¡¯t bang into my car!¡± Liu Manman suddenly came out of her daze and quickly ran from the road back to the pedestrian walkway. Her mind was filled with the video from just now. When she was filming¡±The Allure of the Phoenix Princess¡±, somebody had secretly filmed her and the assistant director together. The video even exposed a few intimate positions. ¡®Who captured it?¡¯ At that time, if she had known that she could get together with such a rich man, Xie Zhou, she would never have hooked up with that assistant director. However, it was too late to explain herself. How could a man like Xie Zhou put up with a woman who was touched by another man? ¡®Who..was the one who caused harm to me?¡¯ ¡°It was broadcasted to the public that Gu Chuzheng will be the female lead of Director Yi Fang¡¯s new drama¡±Bridge the Gap¡±. This drama is predicted to be shown on television during next year¡¯s summer. Director Yi Fang usually does not employ new actors, but Gu Chuzheng is all the rage nowadays, what could be the reason behind choosing this new actress? Let¡¯s interview Director Yi now!¡± Liu Manman looked at the interview on the screen and seemed to have understood something while a hint of hate burgeoned in her eyes. ¡®It¡¯s Gu Chuzheng!¡¯ ¨C When Chuzheng started filming, as the filming was very different from that of a television show, the filming process and expectations were very high. She almost did not have time to interact with the outside world. It was almost the new year. Chuzheng invested a large sum of money in the drama as a form of compensation for a short vacation. Since Chuzheng was an investor, even if the director was a workaholic, he could not reject her kind gesture. Besides, there were so many people in the production team. Who would not want to spend time with their family during the new year. Hence, the production team went off for a short break before the end of the year. The whole production team was very happy to have this tycoon prodigal, Chuzheng in their team. They hoped that every year they could meet a tycoon like her. This is because, in the eyes of the production team, time equals money. Hence, if they were unlucky enough to have their filming dates scheduled during the new year season, that basically meant that they could not go back home during the new year. ¡°Damn it, I couldn¡¯t buy any tickets! Did you guys manage to get tickets?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t. I thought I could go home to spend time with my family, but it seems that my hopes are dashed¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Getting a break is not bad either.¡± The staff members were crowding around to get train tickets, however, if they could still get tickets now, they would probably need to spend their entire year¡¯s worth of luck. ¡°Has everyone finished packing?¡± The director suddenly came out of nowhere. ¡°We are almost done.¡± ¡°Everyone has been working really hard recently so I will treat everyone to a meal.¡± The director waved his hand. ¡°Everyone can go back to the hotel to take your luggage first and after we eat, we will directly head to the airport.¡± Staff members: ¡°!!!¡± ¡°Director, why are we going to the airport?¡± asked a staff member. The director gave a mysterious smile. ¡°Chuzheng booked a whole airplane for us.¡± Staff members: ¡°!!!¡± What a tycoon! Indeed, the world of a tycoon could not be imagined. When the others were still trying to get tickets and crying over it, they were already on a flight home. #Richest female lead booked a whole airplane to send staff members home# Some of the staff members posted it on Weibo and it immediately hit the headlines. [Little miss Chuzheng¡¯s sweetie: Our goddess is being a prodigal again.] [President Gu¡¯s Cutie Su: Ahhh, recently President Gu and Cutie Su are busy with filming and they didn¡¯t even have a chance to appear on the same screen! I have already rewatched The Star¡¯s Challenge over ten times! Please show some affection to each other!] [Mu Yefei: The person above has gone crazy. Our goddess is so rich! Please be my sugar mommy.] [Beautiful scenery: No way, President Gu belongs to Cutie Su.] [A gaffer from a certain production team: Breaking news! Actually, the reason we could have a vacation was all thanks to Teacher Gu spending money. Otherwise, that workaholic director definitely wouldn¡¯t let us go! @Yi Fang] [A set decorator from a certain production team: Teacher Gu is the cutest person in the world.] Everyone did not even need to guess which drama¡¯s production team they were from. Director Yi Fang had been tagged many times and he also replied to them. However, in the end, he made use of the popularity to promote his new movie. [Everyone: ¡­] Indeed, a director was still a director. Everyone had to applaud his expert free advertising skills. Other people hit the headlines because of their scandals, but Chuzheng hit the headlines because she was a living prodigal. The netizens really wanted to find out which wealthy family¡¯s daughter she was. However, they realized that other than the news that was already exposed to the public, there was nothing else they could find that was related to her on the internet. [You don¡¯t have to worry, Little miss. As long as you work hard on spending money, I¡¯ve got your back.]King promised Chuzheng. Chuzheng was stunned. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Who needs a bronze player like you to protect me?¡¯ [¡­] ¨C When Chuzheng returned to the city, it was already eleven in the evening on the thirtieth and it was almost the new year. Chuzheng had just reached the villa and she saw somebody standing outside. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Su Jiu was wearing a cap and a scarf. He only exposed his teary eyes and when he saw her, his eyes brightened. ¡°Why are you here?¡± She did not remember calling him over? ¡°To celebrate the new year with you.¡± Su Jiu pulled his scarf down and exposed his face. He gasped, ¡°It¡¯s so cold, can we talk inside?¡± Chuzheng stared at him for a few seconds before opening the door to let him in. Su Jiu habitually changed his shoes and turned on the heater. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°How about I make dinner for you?¡± Su Jiu took out his coat and pulled up the sleeves of his knitted sweater before walking towards the kitchen. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± He opened the fridge and his expression froze. There was nothing in the fridge. Su Jiu opened the bottom compartment and found a few ingredients. Su Jiu pan-fried the steak as he had limited ingredients and he really could not do much with those ingredients. After the steak was ready, he served it on a plate and directly went to the living room. He placed it in front of Chuzheng. ¡°President Gu, do you have wine?¡± Chuzheng said in a faint voice, ¡°It¡¯s bad to drink.¡± ¡°Today is New Year¡¯s eve, it¡¯s okay to drink a little.¡± Su Jiu said in a lovely voice, ¡°Just a little.¡± Chuzheng spat out a few words coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t have alcohol.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Thinking back on her empty fridge and kitchen, Su Jiu thought that it seemed to be normal that she did not have wine in her house. If he had known, he would have brought a bottle himself. ¡°Then¡­ we will not drink anymore,¡± mumbled Su Jiu. He just sat on the mat and cut the steak for Chuzheng. He then passed it over to her. ¡°Is it delicious?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Su Jiu flashed a brilliant smile and looked as if he was a kid who just got complimented. ¡°There are not enough ingredients, otherwise, it would be more delicious. Next time, I will make it for you again, alright?¡± Chuzheng did not answer and gave him a meaningful gaze. Su Jiu tilted his head and looked at her with an innocent gaze while waiting for her answer. Chuzheng lowered her head to continue eating her steak. Su Jiu pursed his lips as his eyes darkened. The hand used to hold his knife tightened its grip. After a while, he lowered his eyelids to hide his emotions. After they finished eating the steak, Su Jiu washed the plates in the kitchen. When he was finished with the dishes, he came out just in time for the new year countdown. He snuggled close to Chuzheng and hugged Chuzheng¡¯s arms. Chuzheng tried to pull her arm out of his grip, but Su Jiu only hugged it tighter. Five¡­ Four¡­ Three¡­ Two¡­ One¡­ Happy New Year¡­ Su Jiu lips landed on Chuzheng¡¯s cheeks and as quick as a dragonfly tapping on the waters he sat back. He then said, ¡°This is the first new year we have celebrated together. I hope every year¡¯s new year, I could celebrate it with you.¡± Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Everyone’s Idol (29) Chapter 59: Everyone¡¯s Idol (29) Editor: Atlas Studios Su Jiu carefully observed Chuzheng¡¯s expression, but was disappointed as there was no large change in emotions on Chuzheng¡¯s face as though the words he spoke just now was as calm as asking her what she wanted to eat. ¡°Suit yourself..¡± Su Jiu was shocked. ¡°¡­¡± Did it mean that she agreed? Or was she just pandering to him? ¡°There are rooms upstairs, pick one yourself.¡± Chuzheng stood up. ¡°Good night.¡± Su Jiu quickly stood up too. ¡°I¡¯m scared. If I sleep with you, I promise I¡¯ll be obedient and not move.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to fiddle around?¡± This weakling must have forgotten what he did previously! Who gave him the courage to say such words! ¡°¡­¡± Su Jiu recalled back to the time when they participated in the Star Challenge and he unknowingly ended up at her side. Su Jiu kept bothering Chuzheng and Chuzheng was so disturbed by him that when she went upstairs, she locked him inside a room. Su Jiu banged on the door and called her. I can¡¯t hear. I can¡¯t hear. I can¡¯t hear anything. Chuzheng repeated those words to herself and swiftly went back to her room. Following that, she received countless calls from him and Chuzheng blocked his calls. ¡®I should have taken away his cell phone! I must take note of it next time!¡¯ [Su Jiu: There is no blanket in the room.] Since she did not want to answer his calls, Su Jiu sent messages. [Chuzheng: That is impossible.] Weakling was trying to trick her! No way! [Su Jiu: There really isn¡¯t any. Take a look.] Su Jiu sent her a picture and there was indeed no blanket on the bed. Chuzheng thought for a while and walked out to Su Jiu¡¯s room before opening the door. Su Jiu stood before the door with a helpless and baffled look as he held his phone. Chuzheng snatched his cell phone in one go and swiftly closed the door. ¡°Turn the heater on yourself. You won¡¯t die from the cold.¡± Su Jiu stood in the room with a baffled look. Was he being locked inside the room?! He looked at the room door and back to his empty hands-It was obviously so. His head leaned against the door and he had a look of defeat. This can¡¯t do! He had not thought of locking her up so how was he the one who was locked up instead? Su Jiu turned around and looked out of the window. There was a platform below the window as part of the villa design and it was connected to the room beside his room. Su Jiu looked down and there lay the lonely blanket he threw down into the snow. The cold wind blew in from outside the window and it was chilling to the bone. ¨C After Chuzheng finished her bath, she was prepared to sleep when a soft knock was heard from the window beside her. That sound was especially clear in the quiet environment. Chuzheng tied up her pajamas¡¯ strap and pulled the window open. Outside the window, Su Jiu stood outside. Chuzheng was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®I concede! It seems like I still have to lock the window up!¡¯ She unlocked the window and opened it. The cold wind rushed in and Su Jiu looked like he was freezing terribly as he looked at her pitifully. His soft hair was blown by the wind into a messy heap as though it was fondled by a person. Chuzheng raised her hand and held his head. ¡°If you wanted to die, you could have just told me.¡± ¡®I will be very willing to get rid of you.¡¯ ¡°I missed you.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s serious look when she pressed on his head turned a little shocked as his hair had not seemed to be as comfortable as the previous time. ¡°I¡¯m going to fall.¡± Su Jiu¡¯s hands were slightly shivering from the cold. He was going to fall yet she still pressed his head. Chuzheng moved her hand away from his head and reached out to his front. Su Jiu gave a smile and put his icy cold hands into hers. Chuzheng strongly pulled him in and Su Jiu who was as cold as an ice cube fell into her embrace. Chuzheng hugged him with one hand and closed the window. Su Jiu¡¯s whole body was cold and was slightly shivering. Chuzheng brought him into the bathroom and prepared the water for a bath. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to chase me out?¡± Su Jiu cautiously asked her as he stood before the bathtub. ¡°I don¡¯t want the police finding me tomorrow for a tea session.¡± With that said, Chuzheng left the bathroom and closed the door. Su Jiu leaned against the bathtub and smiled before taking off his clothes and stepping in to get rid of the cold. Chuzheng stood before the window and looked down. She unexpectedly saw the blanket in the pile of snow downstairs which was covered by a new pile of snow and probably would not be seen tomorrow morning. She stood there for a minute in silence before she pulled the curtains and returned back to the bed. She laid on her side and looked at the new year greetings others had sent to her. Just when she was about to enter her dreamland, a warm body hugged her from behind and the young man¡¯s clear voice rang. ¡°President Gu, happy new year.¡± Chuzheng turned around and pried his hands open yet the young man took the opportunity to squeeze into her embrace. Chuzheng was stunned. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Good night, President Gu.¡± Chuzheng held her cell phone and paused for three seconds before she placed her hand on the young man¡¯s head. On account of his head¡­ Forget it. She would not deal with weakling as it would show that she had low tolerance. Chuzheng consoled herself and continued to look at her phone. The young man¡¯s breathing was slow and soft as his hand was placed at her waist and he slept very comfortably. If he was a girl, he would definitely lose his innocence. It was a pity¡­ ¨C Su Jiu was woken up by the sound of firecrackers. The city did not allow firecrackers to be set off, but there were always some who followed the thousand-year custom. Chuzheng was also annoyed by that noise as she pulled the blanket over her head in an attempt to block off that annoying noise. Can¡¯t they let someone have a good night¡¯s sleep? How annoying! Su Jiu laughed and hugged her into his embrace before raising his hands to cover her ears. The noise outside slowly became softer and Su Jiu looked at the girl in his embrace. She had closed her eyes and stuck to his chest. Su Jiu¡¯s breathing became slightly sluggish as his fingers glided down from her ears to her cheeks before stopping at the corner of her mouth. He relaxed and slowly lowered his head. The tip of his nose touched hers and their breath mingled with each other while their lips were only two centimeters apart. Thump-thump-thump¡ª Su Jiu heard his heartbeat quickening. Su Jiu stared at the person in front of him and his heart was filled with resolve as he closed his eyes and plastered his lips on that pink lips. As he thought, it was as soft as cotton and the fragrance of the girl¡¯s smell entered his brain which made all his pores tremble. Su Jiu only dared to steal a kiss from her like a thief who stole things before he swiftly withdrew. His heart was beating like a drum and he did not dare to look at the person in his arms. He did not know when Chuzheng would wake up thus he hugged her and lay for a while before proceeding downstairs. When Chuzheng woke up, Su Jiu had already prepared breakfast and was waiting for her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do all this,¡± Chuzheng said. Su Jiu poured a glass of milk for her and said in a lovely voice. ¡°I¡¯m willing to prepare breakfast for you¡­ or does President Gu dislike the breakfast I prepared?¡± He had a perturbed look as though he was facing an important matter in his life. ¡°¡­It¡¯s quite good.¡± Su Jiu heaved a sigh of relief and sat opposite Chuzheng. When Chuzheng was using the phone, many news that was tagged under her kept appearing. This kind of situation happened frequently and Chuzheng paid no heed to it. But who knew when her finger tapped on the phone, it accidentally pressed the top of the screen and opened the news. Chuzheng¡¯s retracting finger paused for a moment as she lifted her eyes to look opposite her. ¡°Su Jiu?¡± Su Jiu raised her head and flashed a smile towards her. ¡°Did you post this?¡± Chuzheng passed the phone to him. On the phone screen, there was a Weibo post with a picture in it. Su Jiu V: New Year¡¯s Present. [Picture] The picture depicted two hands folded together and Chuzheng could recognize that it was her hand. She had no memory of this picture so it was definitely secretly taken by Su Jiu this morning. Su Jiu stood up and searched for his phone with a frantic look. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll delete it now.¡± Chuzheng stared at him for a few seconds before throwing her phone away and said, ¡°Forget it.¡± It was posted for some time and the picture had already been screenshotted so what was the use of deleting it when it was just unnecessary. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª From 15 Feb 2020, Coins spent on books that aren¡¯t selected will be refunded within 30 days. However, Fast Passes will not be refunded. The selected book will have a mark on the corner of the book cover in 30 days to indicate continuation. Thank you for your understanding. Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Everyone’s Idol (30) Chapter 60: Everyone¡¯s Idol (30) Editor: Atlas Studios Su Jiu asked Chuzheng what she was going to do afterwards, but Chuzheng was too lazy to move and said she did not want to go anywhere so Su Jiu obediently stayed by her side to accompany her. The room was warm so Chuzheng had only worn a piece of leisurewear. She leaned on the sofa and looked at Su Jiu tidying up the villa. He had just come back from buying some new years decorations and the empty and cold villa now had a sense of joy. Chuzheng supported her chin and her expression remained calm and cold yet focused. Su Jiu turned around and his lips curled up as he invited. ¡°President Gu, do you want to help me?¡± Chuzheng retracted her gaze and coldly rejected. ¡°No.¡± ¡®Boring and meaningless!¡¯ Su Jiu took the things and walked over. He squatted down and placed his hand on Chuzheng¡¯s knee as he raised his head to look at her. ¡°But I will take a long time to do this alone. You¡¯re the best, President Gu.¡± Friend Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C ¡°Move a little bit more to the left. Move up¡­¡± Pa¡ª¡ª Chuzheng frustratedly pasted the character Fu1 on the glass panel. Su Jiu wanted to say that it was pasted crookedly yet with one glance from Chuzheng, he immediately kept quiet and showed a docile smile. Satisfied, Chuzheng got down and took over the other Fu character from his hands before pasting it on the other side. Su Jiu silently stared at that crooked character Fu and did not dare to speak. Su Jiu decorated the villa into a comfortable place as though it had the feeling of home. Chuzheng stood before the window and looked at the children who were playing outside. ¡°President Gu, let¡¯s go out to buy some groceries.¡± ¡°Public holiday.¡± ¡°Some places would still be open.¡± Su Jiu could understand the meaning of her simple words. ¡°If we do not go out and buy some groceries, we would have to go hungry as there is no delivery service.¡± Chuzheng looked away and resigned to her fate as she put on her clothes and followed Su Jiu out of the door. ¡°President Gu, do you want to wear another coat? It¡¯s very cold outside¡­ tss¡­¡± Su Jiu slipped and fell onto the snow pile on the ground. From afar, the children laughed and Su Jiu¡¯s expression became slightly ugly. Chuzheng stood so close to him yet she had not helped him up! Su Jiu stood up and looked behind. Chuzheng was calm with both of her hands inserted into her pockets. ¡®Why are you looking at me! You fell down by yourself! I didn¡¯t push you so it¡¯s none of my business!¡¯ The two of them stood rooted in the front of the villa before Chuzheng finally walked forward to hold his hand and walked outside. Su Jiu took advantage of the situation by squeezing his fingers in the spaces between her fingers and interlocked them. Chuzheng looked at him in dissatisfaction and Su Jiu opened his mouth as he mouthed to her ¡°you¡¯re the best.¡± The supermarket outside the villa was not closed and Su Jiu pushed the shopping cart and bought a lot of food from the snacks corner. Chuzheng followed behind with her hands in her pocket as though she was a parent looking after her naughty kid. ¡°Look over there, so cool¡­¡± The girl pushed her friend and pointed at Su Jiu and Chuzheng in surprise. Chuzheng touched the mask on her face and looked at Su Jiu who was wearing the same brand of mask. ¡®Which part of them was cool? It can¡¯t be that they could see through them?¡¯ ¡°Who are you referring to?¡± The girl¡¯s friend asked. ¡°That girl!¡± The girl pointed at Chuzheng. ¡°I think she looks a little familiar¡­¡± ¡°I think so too!¡± ¡°Is she a celebrity?¡± ¡°Look at the boy in front. Doesn¡¯t he look like Su Jiu?¡± ¡°He does look a little similar¡­ Then isn¡¯t the person with Su Jiu, President Gu? President Gu and her Cutie Su are shopping in the supermarket¡­ Are they living together?¡± The two girls got more excited as they discussed. They discussed the topic of living together to the topic of whose surname should their child be named in the future. Chuzheng was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± Were fans so enthusiastic about their idol¡¯s child problem? ¡°President Gu.¡± Chuzheng had not followed him so Su Jiu turned back and curiously asked, ¡°Do you want to buy anything?¡± Chuzheng shook her head and took over the shopping cart before motioning at Su Jiu to walk forward. Su Jiu did not fight with Chuzheng and let go of the shopping cart before he held Chuzheng¡¯s hand. After they were done buying the snacks, they moved on to buy fresh produce. When Su Jiu was choosing the groceries, Chuzheng stood at the side as she looked at him and seemed to be a little frustrated while waiting. ¡°Just buy both of them.¡± ¡®He was being so wishy-washy in doing things! Can he still be considered a man!¡¯ ¡°But we can¡¯t finish it.¡± Su Jiu disagreed with her. ¡°We can¡¯t waste food.¡± ¡°I have the money.¡± ¡°Even if you have the money, we can¡¯t waste it.¡± In the end, Su Jiu managed to choose the preferred ingredient and moved on to another. ¡°President Gu, your money doesn¡¯t fall from the sky either.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡®It really is dropped from the sky.¡¯ ¨C After they paid for their groceries, Chuzheng placed it into the car trunk while Su Jiu was already in the car and waited for her to get in the car. ¡°Meow¡­¡± The soft sound from the small cat drifted from under the car. Chuzheng paused slightly while closing the car trunk as she bent down and looked under the car. A small cat was curled into a ball under the car and shivered from the cold. Chuzheng walked over to the other side and grabbed the small cat. As the small cat felt the warmth in her, it snuggled into her embrace. Su Jiu waited in the car for a long time yet Chuzheng had not come inside. He looked at the rearview mirror and saw no one. He immediately became frantic and quickly got out of the car. He had not seen her from that side and turned to the other side. With one glance, he saw the girl squatted beside the car while holding a small cat. Su Jiu froze. He had never thought the girl would interact with a cat. She totally did not look like a person who would like animals as she treated others coldly, what was more, to say about animals¡­ Yet the truth was in front of him and Su Jiu could not deny it. Su Jiu walked over with light footsteps. ¡°President Gu, is it a stray cat?¡± ¡°No.¡± The small cat was not considered dirty and it had a lustrous coat of fur while its nails were polished before. It was obvious that it was raised by a human, but unknowingly ended up over here. ¡°Then where had it come from?¡± Su Jiu reached out and touched the cat¡¯s head. ¡°Meow.¡± The cat meowed and rubbed against Su Jiu¡¯s fingers. Su Jiu looked around and did not find anything abnormal. He went to the supermarket and asked. The supermarket employee stated that the cat had been outside since yesterday and they even fed it twice so it should have been separated from its owner. ¡°President Gu, how about we bring it home? It¡¯s so small and will die if it is left outside.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°Do you not like it?¡± ¡®She clearly looked like she liked it.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s troublesome.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Raising a cat is troublesome?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll help you raise it.¡± Su Jiu said, ¡°Can I?¡± Chuzheng stroked the small cat¡¯s soft fur and hugged the cat up the car after three seconds. Su Jiu¡¯s eyes turned into a smile and happily drove the car back to the villa. ¨C With the Weibo post Su Jiu posted in the morning and the incident where someone saw them shopping at the supermarket together, news of them living under the same house was certified. Although there was a group of fans that cried out that they had fallen out of love on the internet, most of the fans gave them their blessings even if this couple had never admitted that they were in a relationship. Pei Yu was so worried that he called Su Jiu. He had not known anything about this! Su Jiu said Chuzheng had no reaction to it which meant Pei Yu could just leave this situation alone. The big boss had already said to leave it alone so naturally, Pei Yu would mind his own business. After the new year, Chuzheng went back to filming and Su Jiu got hold of the villa keys under the circumstances of taking care of the cat. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª From 15 Feb 2020, Coins spent on books that aren¡¯t selected will be refunded within 30 days. However, Fast Passes will not be refunded. The selected book will have a mark on the corner of the book cover in 30 days to indicate continuation. Thank you for your understanding. Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 61 National Idol (31) Chapter 61: Chapter 61 National Idol (31) Chuzheng would occasionally splurge in the production crew, and the crew treated Chuzheng with utmost courtesy. In the end, Chuzheng even planned to go broke hiring a foreign special effects team for the director. Director: ¡°¡­¡± Did he find a leading lady or the God of Wealth? Whenever a production team was short on funds, they would hope to cast Chuzheng as the leading lady. If not the lead, then the second or third female role would do¡ªjust as long as she accepted, it meant that the production would no longer be short on funds. And she didn¡¯t care whether the money she invested would come back; she was just playing with money. There wasn¡¯t a production team that wouldn¡¯t love that. #Has President Gu splurged today# #Has President Gu bought something for Cutie Su today# #Have President Gu and Cutie Su shown off their love today# These topics were the most common. The dramas Su Jiu featured in were all hits, and those who said he rode on Chuzheng¡¯s coattails, the haters, couldn¡¯t deny that Su Jiu was truly talented. Even if his acting skills were somewhat lacking, each new performance was an eye-opener, showing his rapid improvement. This wasn¡¯t something that could be bought with money. But what dissatisfied the fans was¡ªthat aside from their private life, Su Jiu and Chuzheng seldom appeared together at events or in dramas. [Cutie Su is mine: Please have them get married right away!] [Flames Light Up Xijing: When will President Gu act in a drama with Cutie Su? I really want to see them compete acting skills, hahaha!] [Yisheng Qiu: Miss Chuzheng, don¡¯t you plan to change roles? You always play the cold beauty, but I want to see Miss Chuzheng play a shy Little Cutie.] [Miss Chuzheng¡¯s Little Sweetheart: The comment above is crazy (dry) and sick (nice), but I think our Miss won¡¯t change her acting style. I just love her domineering CEO demeanor.] [Chujiang Shenpo: It¡¯s hard to go far with just one acting style.] [The little cutie from the Chuzheng-Jiu family: Our President Gu isn¡¯t short on money. She can play whatever she likes. Why fear not being able to go far? Just throw money at it!] [Everyone: ¡­] That sounds so reasonable; there¡¯s no way to refute it. ¨C In a certain apartment. Liu Manman sat amidst a mess. These past days, she had been trying to find Xie Zhou, but while it used to be very easy to see him, now she couldn¡¯t see him no matter how hard she tried. However, now she had actually seen Xie Zhou publicly declare that the girl she had seen him with last time was his girlfriend? As everyone knows, many women have been rumored to be involved with Xie Zhou, but which one of them has he ever publicly acknowledged as his girlfriend? Only this one person¡­ Liu Manman¡¯s eyes were almost glued to the screen, the hand clutching the tablet turning veiny from the force, fingertips losing their color. ¡°Girlfriend¡­ girlfriend¡­ ah!¡± Liu Manman flung the tablet away; it hit the wall and shattered into pieces. In the end, she was nothing, just a joke¡­ No, all of this was caused by Gu Chuzheng! If Xie Zhou didn¡¯t know about her past, how could he have possibly broken up with her? If they hadn¡¯t broken up, she would be the one he was publicly acknowledging now! She would be the one being envied! Gu Chuzheng¡­ Why does she have such a good life? Endless resources, constant trending, and a guy to show off her love with every day? Why!? ¡°Gu Chuzheng, if I¡¯m not having a good time, then don¡¯t you even think about having one either!¡± Liu Manman tidied up a bit, grabbed her purse, and left. ¨C ¡°Is Teacher Su visiting the set?¡± ¡°Yes, where is President Gu?¡± Su Jiu replied sweetly, taking over the notebook from the staff member for autographs, signing as he asked. ¡°President Gu should be in the break room, I¡¯ll take you there,¡± the staff member said enthusiastically, leading him to the break room. Su Jiu raised his index finger, signaling them to be quiet. The staff members dispersed with a smile, and Su Jiu didn¡¯t knock but carefully pushed the door open and entered. Chuzheng lay on the chair in the resting room, her face covered with the script, seemingly unaware of anyone entering. Gently and quietly, Su Jiu approached and lifted the script from Chuzheng¡¯s face. The person beneath the script had her eyes closed, breathing evenly as if asleep. He carefully kissed her face, and turning towards the tempting lips, Su Jiu was about to kiss her when Chuzheng suddenly opened her eyes. Their eyes met, and Su Jiu¡¯s face instantly flushed red. He clenched his fist slightly, quickly pecked her lips, then swiftly stood up and stepped aside. Chuzheng frowned, ¡°Why are you here again?¡± Su Jiu: ¡°¡­¡± What did she mean by ¡®again¡¯? Did she dislike him that much? ¡°My crew is filming at the film city today, I missed you, so I came to see you,¡± Su Jiu replied obediently, ¡°Mao Tuan misses you too.¡± Mao Tuan was the cat they had picked up. The name was given by Su Jiu¡­ Chuzheng clenched her fist, then released it. ¡°Come here.¡± Su Jiu: ¡°???¡± He moved in front of Chuzheng, and when she gestured for him to kneel, Su Jiu, though confused, obediently did so. It was not until Chuzheng placed her hand on his head that the corner of Su Jiu¡¯s mouth twitched. What did she see him as! Su Jiu lay on her lap like a cat, one hand holding her empty fingers, ¡°President Gu, can I act in a drama with you?¡± Pei Yu said this matter had to be discussed with her, that it would only work if she agreed. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You are the kindest to me,¡± Su Jiu had learned to play the Good Person Card well. Indeed, Chuzheng nodded, ¡°I will ask Pei Yu to give you the script.¡± Su Jiu¡¯s face lit up with a smile, pulling Chuzheng¡¯s fingers to his lips, kissing them, and tentatively asked, ¡°I don¡¯t want to call you President Gu, can I call you Chuzheng instead?¡± The term of address wasn¡¯t intimate at all. ¡°You can call me anything.¡± Names were but mere labels. Su Jiu reached out and held her waist, ¡°Chuzheng.¡± His voice was especially pleasant, the endnotes carrying an appealing flavor that made one¡¯s heart itch. ¡°Mmh.¡± Burying his head in Chuzheng¡¯s embrace, Su Jiu thought, what should he do, he wanted her to belong only to him, for her eyes to see only him. Chuzheng pulled away his hand, and Su Jiu immediately suppressed his remaining emotions, revealing a docile and gentle smile. ¡°I have more scenes to shoot in a while, if you have nothing else¡­¡± Chuzheng¡¯s voice paused, her finger brushing his palm. Su Jiu wanted to retract his hand but Chuzheng held onto it. ¡°Why are you pinching yourself?¡± she asked. Su Jiu¡¯s gaze darted away, traces of blood in his palm where nail marks were visible from his own pinch. He turned his head away, speaking in a somewhat troubled manner, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Chuzheng took a tissue, wiped his hand, then suddenly drew close to him, ¡°Su Jiu, are you sick?¡± Su Jiu shook his head. ¡°If you¡¯re sick, we¡¯ll treat it, money is not an issue.¡± Avoiding medical advice was not an option!! Su Jiu: ¡°¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t sick! He just was¡­ How could Su Jiu dare to say that, to say he had just been thinking about how to make her his alone? Su Jiu feared that if she knew even a glimpse of his dark thoughts, she might not want to glance his way again. The thought of Chuzheng turning around and leaving him alone made his body uncontrollably tremble. He hugged Chuzheng again, ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me behind.¡± Chuzheng, confused, touched his head, ¡°I won¡¯t¡­¡± Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 62 National Idol (32) Chapter 62: Chapter 62 National Idol (32) I won¡¯t leave you without giving the Good Person Card¡ªthat¡¯s what Chuzheng was planning to say, but the rest of her words automatically muted, and Su Jiu only heard the two words ¡°won¡¯t.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard, this damn thing, is always full of pitfalls. After cuddling in Chuzheng¡¯s arms for a while, Su Jiu reluctantly let go of her, ¡°Then I¡¯ll head back first. How long will you be shooting?¡± ¡°Very late.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Which hotel are you staying at?¡± Chuzheng hadn¡¯t planned to tell him, but it seemed like Su Jiu wouldn¡¯t leave without an answer, the Good Person Card can¡¯t be dismissed, can¡¯t be dismissed¡­ Chuzheng repeated it several times in her heart, then handed him her room card. Su Jiu accepted it with a grin, ¡°I¡¯m off then.¡± ¨C It was almost dawn before the director released Chuzheng from the shoot. Once she got back to the hotel, she only had one room card which she had given to Su Jiu. Therefore, she could only ring the bell, but no one answered despite her waiting for a long time. [Miss.] When Bastard starts speaking, trouble is sure to follow! [Warehouse at No.230 Shanhai Road.] And sure enough, the next second King sends an address. Chuzheng banged her head against the door. Why was she so unlucky? Why was she experiencing such bad luck!! It seemed that fate was finally taking a swing at her, this poor girl! Devils! All devils! [¡­] Who exactly is the devil anyway? Click¡ª The door next to her opens, and someone steps out of the room. Chuzheng immediately stands up straight, adjusts her clothes expressionlessly, and nonchalantly walks away under the dubious gaze of the person. Warehouse at No.230 Shanhai Road. Shanhai Road is full of warehouses, though now abandoned, ready to be demolished and turned into a commercial property. One could see the bright red demolition signs everywhere, along with cans and discarded newspapers covering the ground, and the floors were mottled with stains from an unknowable liquid. Escorted by a dozen burly bodyguards, Chuzheng walks down the street like the head of the Gangster group, reaching warehouse number 230. ¡°Boss, this is the place.¡± Chuzheng fiddles with her phone, looks up slightly upon hearing this, and nods her chin upward, ¡°Kick the door in.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Two bodyguards step forward, the rusted iron door yielding to their kicks, opening up to a burst of chaotic noises from inside. Chuzheng stands outside, looking up at the sky where the stars seem to fall into her eyes, the light broken and shimmering, yet also eerily silent. ¡°Boss, we¡¯re all set.¡± Chuzheng pulls her gaze back and follows the bodyguards inside the warehouse. Su Jiu is in the process of being untied. Seeing Chuzheng enter, he disregards the ropes on his body and rushes straight towards her. Su Jiu burrows into her arms and holds her tightly. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Chuzheng pats his head in a soothing manner, and takes the opportunity to ruffle it a bit, soft and fluffy¡­ Cough cough! ¡°Boss, how should we deal with these people?¡± a bodyguard asks, standing to the side. Lying on the ground are six burly men, sporting tattoos of dragons and tigers supposedly indicating their gang affiliations, all looking tough but now lying motionless, not daring to stir. Chuzheng scans them over, really thinking they could become unparalleled masters just because they got tattoos. Maybe intimidating to children, at most. Such a hassle¡­ Just drop it! The King¡¯s Account nags in Chuzheng¡¯s mind, and with a headache, she instructs the bodyguards to bring over a chair for Su Jiu to sit on. Su Jiu doesn¡¯t want to let go of her, so Chuzheng can only stand by his side while he hugs her waist, leaning against her abdomen, looking at the people who had kidnapped him. The bodyguards drag the men on the ground up, lining them up in a row. A family should stick together neatly. Chuzheng asks, ¡°Who sent you to kidnap him?¡± Kidnapper: ¡°¡­¡± They had just tied up their captive and hadn¡¯t had the chance to do anything when this person showed up! If they had known this job was so problematic, they wouldn¡¯t have taken it, but sadly, there¡¯s no medicine for regret. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± The bodyguard suddenly kicked someone and shouted, ¡°The boss is asking you a question, speak.¡± The oppressive aura of the bodyguard made the kidnappers feel like jesters in their presence. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± The one who was kicked stammered, ¡°A woman suddenly came to us¡­¡± The woman wanted to kidnap Chuzheng. However, they had observed for several days and noticed someone was always with Chuzheng, and she rarely acted alone; they hadn¡¯t found the opportunity. Then they discovered¡­ Su Jiu. So Su Jiu was implicated because of Chuzheng. They planned to use Su Jiu to lure Chuzheng over and then kidnap her. All six of them were in a desperate situation; otherwise, they would not have taken the job of kidnapping a public figure. Chuzheng asked, ¡°Who is that woman?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know, she was wearing a mask and sunglasses, we¡¯ve never seen her face,¡± the kidnapper confessed honestly, not daring to lie. Chuzheng continued, ¡°What do you want to do with me after the kidnapping?¡± The kidnapper shook his head frantically, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I really don¡¯t know, she said to kidnap you¡­ and then, then to call her.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s hand slid from the top of Su Jiu¡¯s head to the back of his head, casually stroking, ¡°Call her and tell her you¡¯ve kidnapped me.¡± Confronted with Chuzheng¡¯s group, which outnumbered and overpowered them, the kidnapper dared not object and shakily made the call. The call connected, but there was no sound from the other side. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s me.¡± The kidnapper tried not to tremble, ¡°We¡¯ve captured her, what should we do next?¡± ¡°Send me a photo to confirm,¡± the woman¡¯s voice came and went swiftly, followed by the dial tone. ¡°Liu Manman,¡± Chuzheng recognized the voice on the phone. Her backer Xie Zhou wasn¡¯t paying her any heed, and she was still able to jump around; Chuzheng had said before that it would be less troublesome to take her out directly. See! This is what happens when you don¡¯t listen to her! [¡­] I really don¡¯t want to criticize little sister, but I can¡¯t hold back, you are the victim now, hey!! The kidnappers looked at Chuzheng fearfully, finding this young woman terrifying. ¡°We made the call¡­ it¡¯s this woman who instructed us, we were just getting paid to do the job, please, boss, you have a big heart, spare us.¡± ¡°Spare you?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s question came calmly, despite being a question. The kidnapper inexplicably felt a chill run down his spine and broke out in cold sweat, making the already gloomy warehouse seem even deeper in the shadows. ¨C Chuzheng took Su Jiu back to the hotel, where his complexion had improved slightly. ¡°Got scared?¡± Chuzheng asked him. Su Jiu bit his lip, shook his head, but his hand very honestly clung to Chuzheng, following her step by step. Chuzheng let out an ambiguous hum. Su Jiu¡¯s heart inexplicably skipped a beat, but Chuzheng didn¡¯t say anything more, telling him to go freshen up. Perhaps afraid that Chuzheng would notice something, Su Jiu withdrew his hand and entered the bathroom. Standing in the bathroom, Su Jiu looked at his reflection in the mirror; he slowly unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his collarbone and chest. The youth in the mirror was still handsome, but his eyes were gloomy and dim, as if a storm was brewing within, intimidating to the onlooker. As his clothes fell to the floor, the young man turned and walked towards the shower, the cold water pouring over his body causing him to shiver. The icy water also washed away the uncomfortable aura clinging to him, as if cleansing away impurity, leaving him still the clean-cut youth that one would take a liking to at first glance. Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 63 National Idol (33) Chapter 63: Chapter 63 National Idol (33) Chuzheng waited for Su Jiu to finish showering before she took her bath. During her time in the villa, Su Jiu would climb into her bed for various reasons, so Chuzheng had gotten used to it. When she came out, she lay down beside him directly. Su Jiu groped his way over, his cold skin pressing against her body. Chuzheng turned her head and pulled back the blanket to take a look: ¡°Where are your clothes?¡± ¡°They got wet.¡± Su Jiu blinked innocently. ¡°Do you want me to put them on?¡± Su Jiu¡¯s clothes were right next to him, and Chuzheng reached out to touch them. Sure enough, they were wet, even the bathrobe was damp. What on earth had he been doing in the bathroom? Chuzheng touched his forehead: ¡°Why are you so cold?¡± Su Jiu shook his head in confusion: ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Chuzheng turned the temperature up a bit, and Su Jiu wrapped himself around her contentedly, not feeling the slightest bit guilty about deliberately wetting his clothes and taking a cold shower. If he didn¡¯t do something¡­ He might never have any real interaction with her in this lifetime. He could only be more proactive. The room¡¯s lighting dimmed, as if the only sound were the slight breaths of the two of them. ¡°Chuzheng.¡± Su Jiu suddenly called her. ¡°Mmm.¡± Chuzheng obviously hadn¡¯t fallen asleep either, her fingers gently grasping his soft hair. ¡°I like you.¡± Su Jiu raised his head, looking at her through the faint light: ¡°Can we date?¡± Can¡¯t do it. [Little sister, let¡¯s have a rewind!] ¡°We can.¡± What¡¯s dating? It¡¯s fine! Su Jiu was first stunned, and then overjoyed: ¡°Do you like me too?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Su Jiu, all excited just a moment ago, felt as if he¡¯d been doused with a bucket of ice water, his limbs stiffening: ¡°Then why¡­ did you agree to me?¡± ¡°You wanted it.¡± So I agreed, for the Good Person Card, charge! Su Jiu fell silent for a moment: ¡°Will you like me in the future?¡± Chuzheng parted her lips, and after more than ten seconds, she replied faintly: ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Su Jiu bit his lip hard. She agreed to date you, didn¡¯t she? You can¡¯t ask for more¡­ Su Jiu, you have to control yourself. ¡°Could you try to like me, please?¡± Su Jiu, hugging her neck, spoke softly: ¡°I¡¯ll be very good.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The room fell into a silence. Chuzheng¡¯s gaze settled into the dark void, wondering blankly, what is like¡­? She hadn¡¯t learned this, was there a tutorial? After a while, Chuzheng pulled away his hands from around her neck and touched his head: ¡°Let¡¯s sleep.¡± ¡°Kiss me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep on the sofa.¡± Chuzheng got up. ¡°No kiss.¡± Su Jiu quickly held onto her: ¡°I¡¯ll sleep.¡± But as Chuzheng lay back down, Su Jiu still quickly kissed her on the corner of her mouth: ¡°We¡¯re dating now; kissing is normal. You can¡¯t refuse me; it would make me sad.¡± Su Jiu hugged her grumpily. ¡°Then let¡¯s break up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Then no kiss! ¨C ¡°An actor surnamed Liu died at four in the early morning, suspected to have had a confrontation with a fugitive murderer. The reason for their encounter is still under investigation¡­¡± Su Jiu rubbed his eyes and sat up. The news broadcast on TV, the scene being that of Shanhai Road Warehouse. The place was chaotic with police coming in and out. Su Jiu watched the entire news in a stupor. Dead? Liu Manman was dead. Two kidnappers were dead¡­ the rest had escaped. Chuzheng wasn¡¯t in the room, Su Jiu could only find clean clothes and shoes. He fished out his phone to call Chuzheng, but the person who answered was a crew member, saying she was filming and couldn¡¯t answer the phone right now. Su Jiu changed into her clothes and went straight to the set to find her. Chuzheng had just finished filming, holding her phone with the screen on the call interface, seemingly ready to return his call. ¡°Baby.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s fingers trembled, and she glared at Su Jiu expressionlessly, ¡°What did you call me?¡± What kind of weird nickname is that? Are city people that scary? ¡°Baby, of course.¡± Su Jiu responded promptly, immediately changing the subject, ¡°Have you seen the news? Liu Manman is dead, how could she die¡­ Baby, you¡­¡± Dead is dead, no more trouble, just what I wanted. Wait a minute¡­ Chuzheng: ¡°What about me?¡± Su Jiu pulled her aside, a worried look on his face, ¡°Will the police suspect you?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with me?¡± Chuzheng was utterly confused. ¡°Last night¡­¡± She had lured Liu Manman to the kidnappers, wasn¡¯t it her who directed those kidnappers? ¡°I just wanted them to teach her a lesson, how she died has nothing to do with me.¡± She actually did want to get rid of Liu Manman. The King¡¯s Account kept screaming, and even when she blocked it, it had the ability to break through forcefully, claiming it was some sort of emergency mechanism, with the right to correct any of her actions that could possibly lead to mission failure, to rewind and start over. Chuzheng expressed: ¡°???¡± That damn thing could even forcefully break through the block! What¡¯s the use of blocking then!? Is it just to deceive me? The King¡¯s Account probably felt quite complicated at the time. Is that the point? Is it? But the King¡¯s Account quickly explained that this emergency mechanism could be used up to three times on a single plane, with each online session lasting three hours. Su Jiu: ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Su Jiu¡¯s hanging heart settled, ¡°That¡¯s good¡­ Baby, shall we have lunch together?¡± ¡°Takeout?¡± Su Jiu: ¡°¡­¡± You used to take me to five-star hotels, and now you ask me to eat takeout? Are you taking me for granted now that we¡¯re together?! ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± Su Jiu agreed obediently. ¡°Don¡¯t call me baby.¡± It makes her sound like she¡¯s not weaned, affecting her image. ¡°Okay, baby.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A passing crew member: ¡°¡­¡± Can¡¯t bear to look, it¡¯s too much torture. Due to media exposure of Liu Manman¡¯s murder case, the authorities tirelessly inspected the site and searched for clues. It was ultimately confirmed that it was Liu Manman who had first contacted those murderers, but what exactly she planned to do with them was not yet known. Based on the scene, it appeared there was a conflict between the two parties; Liu Manman was stabbed three times, one strike hitting a vital point, and the other two murderers also had similar stab wounds, but one of them died from hitting the back of his head as he fell. So this was likely the result of a mutual struggle. The few who were still on the run, they would catch them as quickly as possible. The traces of Chuzheng visiting with her bodyguards were wiped clean. [Miss, have you been doing something behind my back?] The King¡¯s Account was suspicious because it had a twelve-hour hibernation period after using the emergency mechanism. During that time, it knew nothing about what she did. She must never find out about this! ¡°No.¡± [¡­] The King¡¯s Account was skeptical; she was earnestly denying things she had done, and it wasn¡¯t the first time, totally lacking in credibility. ¡°Are you doubting me?¡± This really had nothing to do with her! Was she that kind of person? Was she? No, she wasn¡¯t! [¡­] Don¡¯t you have any idea if you will be suspected? [Miss, I¡¯m just worried you might mess up the mission. You wouldn¡¯t want a rewind, right?] ¡°If I did it, we would be rewinding right now,¡± Chuzheng spoke calmly: ¡°Are we rewinding now?¡± That damn thing actually doubt her! What about the trust between man and¡­ no, between a person and a system? It needs a lesson! [¡­] Miss is too scary! The King¡¯s Account indicated it needed to go offline to calm down. Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 64 National Idol (34) Chapter 64: Chapter 64 National Idol (34) Three months later. Chuzheng returned to the villa she hadn¡¯t been back to in a long time and almost thought she had walked into the wrong place when she opened the door. There were a lot of new things in the villa, which no longer felt empty and desolate, without any signs of life. Chuzheng sighed and walked into the villa. ¡°Meow~¡± The now-grown Little Cat ran over, affectionately rubbing against Chuzheng¡¯s pant leg. It clearly still recognized its owner, despite several months of absence. Chuzheng picked it up and gave it a good rub with her hand. ¡°Mao Tuan.¡± The housekeeper, hearing the call, came out from the kitchen and, seeing someone standing at the door, hurriedly said, ¡°President Gu, you¡¯re back. I¡¯m here to take care of Mao Tuan at Mr. Su¡¯s request¡­¡± Chuzheng nodded, kicked her suitcase inside, and walked in holding Mao Tuan, ¡°Where¡¯s Su Jiu?¡± ¡°Mr. Su has a press conference, he¡¯ll be back later tonight.¡± ¡°Has he been living here this whole time?¡± The housekeeper nodded subconsciously, then felt it was strange; where else would Mr. Su live if not here? Weren¡¯t they cohabiting? Everyone on the internet knew that¡­ ¡°Do you want me to tell Mr. Su?¡± the housekeeper asked. ¡°No need.¡± Chuzheng carried Mao Tuan upstairs. There were many more things there as well, making her wonder if she would still recognize this place if she came back after some time. Chuzheng put Mao Tuan on the bed, and the cat waved its tail and meowed. ¡°Mao Tuan,¡± Chuzheng tapped its head lightly. What a ridiculous name, only he would come up with it. ¡°Meow~¡± Chuzheng hugged Mao Tuan and rolled onto the bed, the softness felt so comfortable. ¨C ¡°Brother Yu, thank you for driving me back.¡± ¡°How could I rest easy without personally seeing you back?¡± If anything happened to this young master, how would he explain to the boss? Pei Yu waved his hand, ¡°Rest well these next few days.¡± ¡°Yeah, good night, Brother Yu.¡± Su Jiu returned to the villa, and the housekeeper, who was about to leave, informed, ¡°Mr. Su, you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°This suitcase?¡± Su Jiu looked at the suitcase in the living room. ¡°Oh, President Gu came back this afternoon.¡± Su Jiu¡¯s eyes brightened slightly, and his tone was filled with excitement, ¡°She¡¯s back?¡± Without waiting for the housekeeper to reply, he rushed upstairs. The bedroom door wasn¡¯t closed, and Su Jiu saw the person lying on the bed, along with Mao Tuan lying beside her. Su Jiu walked in, Mao Tuan opened its eyes to look at him, waved its tail, and meowed. Su Jiu raised a finger, motioning for it to be quiet, and Mao Tuan seemed to understand, quieting down at once. He knelt by the bed, gazing at the sleeping figure, and brushed away strands of her hair with his fingertips. Su Jiu cautiously leaned in and left a kiss on her lips. ¡°Meow~¡± Mao Tuan squeezed in from below, and Su Jiu quickly held it, fearing it might wake the person on the bed. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Su Jiu stiffened, glared at Mao Tuan for a moment, and the cat affectionately rubbed his fingers. Looking away, Su Jiu softly said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it would be another two days before you finished filming? Why didn¡¯t you call me so I could come pick you up?¡± Chuzheng held back, snatched Mao Tuan back into her arms, and earnestly groomed it, ¡°I came back earlier.¡± Su Jiu: ¡°¡­¡± Not even a hug for him! Su Jiu dared not snatch Mao Tuan back, watching as Chuzheng petted the cat; if he had known this guy was coming to compete for her affection, he would never have brought it back. At this moment, all I could do was begrudgingly watch Mao Tuan. Chuzheng had no other arrangements for the time being. The company¡¯s affairs were managed by professionals, so her only task was to squander money when funds ran low ¨C not afraid of losing money, just afraid that it wouldn¡¯t lose enough. Employee: ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s it like to have a boss who hopes to lose money every day? Su Jiu had just finished a busy schedule and finally had some time off, so he suggested going abroad for a vacation. Chuzheng didn¡¯t want to move, so she rejected his suggestion. But then, King¡¯s Account sent her a mission, and Chuzheng could only pack her bags¡ªbuy a plane and go abroad. Su Jiu: ¡°¡­¡± Do you really need to buy a plane just to go abroad? ¡°Baby, something doesn¡¯t seem right here,¡± Su Jiu said as he looked around, puzzled. ¡°Why are we on an island?¡± Don¡¯t ask how he knew, because there was a huge banner in front of them that read ¡®XX Island Welcomes President Gu and Mr. Su¡¯ ¨C he was not blind. When we boarded the plane, she clearly agreed to go to Country M, so why are we on an island now? Chuzheng pulled out sunglasses from nowhere, placed them on the bridge of her nose, and pushed them up a bit: ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± Su Jiu choked for a moment: ¡°I like it.¡± ¡°Then that settles it.¡± Chuzheng headed towards the welcoming party, and Su Jiu stood still for a while before following. As he approached, he just happened to overhear someone talking about buying an island. Su Jiu: ¡°¡­¡± In his life, he had thought about finding a place to confine her, but that probably wasn¡¯t going to happen now. She even owned an island! ¡°Sign,¡± Chuzheng handed the pen to Su Jiu. Su Jiu: ¡°???¡± The man smiled and handed over the documents: ¡°Mr. Su, just sign here, please.¡± Su Jiu, in a daze, finished signing, and the man closed the documents: ¡°Congratulations Mr. Su, do you need to change the name of the island? I have the papers right here; they can take effect immediately.¡± Su Jiu: ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly owning an island left him at a loss. The news of Chuzheng buying an island for Su Jiu somehow got out on the internet, instantly stirring up a huge reaction. [Chuzheng & Su Jiu are the best: Can President Gu and Cutie Su go get married already!] [Xun Fang & Su¡¯s Liquor: Wealthy people¡¯s love is so terrifying, Su Cutie is the happiest boy in the world, no contest.] [Flowers as Embroidery: I suspect President Gu is male, is she cross-dressing!] [Endless Winter Summer: The above is a bit scary.] [Did Chuzheng & Su Jiu get married today: Are you guys already questioning President Gu¡¯s gender now?] [Did Chuzheng & Su Jiu feed dog food today: An island! Oh my god! President Gu, are you still looking for a partner? I¡¯m signing up!] [Miles as if on Air: Get in line!] The signal on the island wasn¡¯t very good, so Su Jiu didn¡¯t know about the commotion outside. The island¡¯s beautiful scenery and pleasant climate made it perfect for a holiday. Chuzheng found Su Jiu to be extraordinary, as if wherever he went, he could turn it into a comfortable and cozy place. This useless and boring skill, why on earth did he learn it? Chuzheng was quite perplexed at that. If Su Jiu knew what Chuzheng was thinking, he would probably turn dark immediately and show her a lesson. ¨C Chuzheng acted in quite a few dramas, and as her fans said, her choices of roles didn¡¯t change much. Yet, her aloof and domineering demeanor was incredibly enticing, winning over audiences. From time to time, she and Su Jiu would flaunt their love online¡ªaccording to the fans. In reality, Chuzheng was clueless; she just wanted to squander wealth and happened to find the right person to take in all those useless things. Director Yi Fang¡¯s ¡°Infernal Affairs¡± was released and was a huge box office hit, not only because of the plot but also because of Chuzheng¡¯s acting as the female lead, which made people willing to pay for tickets. Afterwards, ¡°Infernal Affairs¡± was nominated for an international film award, and Chuzheng won Best Actress. Subsequently, Chuzheng and Su Jiu co-starred in a youth drama, which sparked another wave of popularity for the genre and became one of the representative works of youth dramas in recent years. ¡ªThe most beautiful love is like a first sighting; it¡¯s like delicate liquor, light and soft, yet the aftertaste lingers on. Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 65 National Idol (Finale) Chapter 65: Chapter 65 National Idol (Finale) ¡°Mr. Su, do you have anything you¡¯d like to say about winning this award?¡± ¡°Mr. Su, would you say that your achievements today are inseparably linked to Miss Chuzheng? Are there any inappropriate relations between you two?¡± ¡°Mr. Su, when do you plan to marry Miss Chuzheng?¡± As soon as Su Jiu exited the venue, he was surrounded by a swarm of reporters. He had just received the highest award for an actor at a film festival, and from now on, he would rightfully be considered a movie emperor. Pei Yu stood by Su Jiu¡¯s side, fending off the inquiring journalists. ¡°Excuse me, everyone; we will arrange a press conference later. For now, please let us through.¡± Years had passed, yet Su Jiu, who still looked like a young man, suddenly grabbed a microphone from a reporter. ¡°Su Jiu!¡± Su Jiu smiled at him, and Pei Yu frowned but didn¡¯t stop him; if anything happened, the boss would take care of it as long as Su Jiu was fine. The reporters also quieted down. The voice of the young man slowly rose: ¡°My biggest dream has always been to act, but life doesn¡¯t always go as planned, and not everyone is born with the best resources. I¡¯ve given a lot to acting, but in the end, I didn¡¯t receive anything.¡± ¡°But I have no regrets about working hard for my dream. And then¡­ I met her. I know you all think I am where I am today because of her. I won¡¯t deny it. Without her, I wouldn¡¯t be here today, and perhaps you¡¯d have no idea who I am.¡± Su Jiu spoke candidly, dispelling those malicious speculations one by one. ¡°Whether you say I depend on a woman for a living or claim I¡¯m not capable, you can¡¯t deny that I have the best her.¡± ¡°She is my benefactor, the most important person in my life, and also my dream for the future. I will give her everything I have. Thank you, everyone.¡± Polite, Su Jiu returned the microphone to the reporter and, before the reporter could react, left the scene with Pei Yu. Step by step behind, Xie Zhou watched Su Jiu¡¯s departing figure with a slightly complicated expression. Everyone in the industry said that Pei Yu could never spotlight someone more impressive than himself. And now, hasn¡¯t he? Although this person rode on the still-mysterious identity of Chuzheng, would Su Jiu have been able to grow so quickly within such a short time frame without Pei Yu¡¯s protection? ¡°Xie Zhou is out!¡± The reporters spotted Xie Zhou. ¡°Mr. Xie, you didn¡¯t win Best Actor this year; do you have any comments?¡± ¡°Mr. Xie, please don¡¯t go. Can you say a few words¡­¡± Meanwhile, Su Jiu got into the car and found Chuzheng inside; his ears suddenly felt very hot: ¡°You¡­ heard everything?¡± When he said those words, he¡¯d already prepared for her to find out, but he hadn¡¯t expected her to be there on the scene. The car wasn¡¯t parked far away; she must have heard. ¡°Congratulations.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Had she heard or not? Su Jiu agonized for a moment, then suddenly remembered something, took out the trophy he had just received, and triumphantly offered it to her: ¡°For you.¡± What was she supposed to do with a trophy? Can it be eaten or spent? No, thank you! Chuzheng didn¡¯t take it but simply stroked his head, and Su Jiu instinctively leaned on her, prompting Chuzheng to wrap her arms around his shoulder: ¡°Tired?¡± ¡°Not tired. How long has baby been waiting for me?¡± ¡°President Gu came right after filming, around the start of the event I think. Suggested President Gu go home first, but he thought it was too much trouble and just waited¡­¡± the driver added from the front. Pei Yu slapped the driver on the head and immediately pulled down the partition. Driver: ¡°¡­¡± What did he say wrong? President Gu really found it too troublesome, why hit him? A light seemed to shine in Su Jiu¡¯s eyes, he might not be the most important person in her heart right now, but in the future, he would surely be. He believed it and worked towards it. He also thought about simpler methods, but based on his past experiences, he felt it was more likely that he¡¯d end up being locked up, and she was very adept at it, just like she was with Mao Tuan. That was truly a situation where he could cry for help but nobody would respond, and when he called out to the earth, it remained silent. Thinking of how Su Jiu would feel if she were the one locked up, he¡¯d rather find another way than to let her be so uncomfortable. ¨C The words Su Jiu said spread quickly on the internet. A huge wave of fans clamored for them to hurry up and get married, and then one day, they suddenly saw the marriage certificates shared simultaneously on Su Jiu and Chuzheng¡¯s Weibo. Following that were the official congratulations and reposts from Xing Yao and the agent Pei Yu; it was then that the bewildered fans finally realized what was happening. Every day they had been clamoring for the two to get married, and they actually did it. [Have Chuzheng and Su Jiu gotten married today: Yes, they did!] [Yundan Tian Gao Feng Xi: Oh my god, they really got married? Ahhh, my goddess is married! I¡¯ve been dumped!] [Look Across a Thousand Miles: No way! Did they really get married? Is Cutie Su married off?] [Miss Chuzheng¡¯s sweetie sweetie: Wuu wuu wuu, my goddess got married, did she cheat? I don¡¯t mind at all!!] [Willows Returning to the Pond: Congratulations to President Gu and Cutie Su, may you be happily married for a century and have children soon.] [Did Chuzheng and Su Jiu throw dog food today: Congratulations to President Gu and Cutie Su, may you be happily married for a century and have children soon +1] [Luan Qin: Congratulations to President Gu and Cutie Su, may you be happily married for a century and have children soon +2] [Cold Spring Mountain all around: Congratulations to President Gu and Cutie Su, may you be happily married for a century and have children soon +3] Chuzheng got her phone back: ¡°No next time.¡± Su Jiu¡¯s smile was brilliant, anyway, it was already sent, and she was too lazy to delete it. He pounced into Chuzheng¡¯s arms, toying with the red marriage certificate in his hand, his face full of smiles. He turned his head and pecked Chuzheng¡¯s face: ¡°Baby is a good person.¡± Chuzheng rubbed his head while pressing down on it: ¡°Get up, too heavy.¡± ¡°Shall I hold Baby?¡± Su Jiu said, attempting to switch positions. ¡°Forget it.¡± Chuzheng pushed him back: ¡°How many times have I told you, don¡¯t call me Baby.¡± ¡°Okay, Baby.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± City folk are indeed fashionable. ¡°Meow~¡± Mao Tuan ran over from somewhere, jumped on Su Jiu, and snuggled into Chuzheng¡¯s arms, resting its chin in her palm, purring contentedly. As soon as Mao Tuan appeared, Su Jiu knew he was done for. As expected, Chuzheng¡¯s attention was instantly transfixed on the fluffy Mao Tuan, even thinking about pulling her arm away from holding him. Su Jiu: ¡°¡­¡± He gave Mao Tuan a forlorn glance, and sensing the danger, Mao Tuan shrank into Chuzheng¡¯s embrace, meowing pitifully in protest. Afterward, Su Jiu¡¯s daily task became competing with Mao Tuan for affection, with the one consolation being that Chuzheng did not sleep with Mao Tuan, which allowed Su Jiu to solidify his position as the man of the house. Chuzheng lived in this world until she died of old age. Su Jiu loved acting, but he loved being with Chuzheng even more, so the roles he accepted later had to include Chuzheng, which led to the two of them showing off their love not just off-screen, but on-screen as well. The fans cried as they ate dog food. The CP they chose themselves, they had to pamper even with tears in their eyes. * The second dimension has concluded. Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 66: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (1) Chapter 66: Chapter 66: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (1) ¡°Gate of Doom, open the damn door for me!! Don¡¯t think you can hide in there and be safe!¡± The old door banged loudly, as if it could fall apart at any moment. ¡°You Gate of Doom, stealing right from under my nose, I won¡¯t let you live, get out, get out!!¡± The door didn¡¯t seem sturdy, but the person outside had been kicking for quite a while and couldn¡¯t kick it down. At this moment, Chuzheng was sitting behind the door, indifferently looking at the entrance. Another world changed¡­ ¡°Bastard, how much longer until I can go back?¡± [Miss, collect 99 Good Person Cards and you can go back!]King¡¯s cheerful voice rang out. Ninety-nine¡­ Chuzheng, expressionless, asked, ¡°How many do I have now?¡± [Two, Miss, keep it up!] Chuzheng rested her head on her hand¡ªthe count was not even close, when would she collect all ninety-nine? ¡°So I just need to collect Good Person Cards, why the pointless spending.¡± [But Miss, if you fail the main mission, you¡¯ll have to start over¡­] King said timidly as a reminder. Damn the rewind and start over! Chuzheng grabbed something next to her and fiercely smashed it against the noisy door. So annoying! She didn¡¯t know if it was the effect of her smash or what, but the noise outside suddenly stopped. All around became quiet, and the King immediately prompted Chuzheng to assimilate the memories. ¨C The original owner of the body was also named Chuzheng; she was born in the Demon Realm. A thousand years ago, the Demon Realm waged war against the Human Race. In the end, the humans emerged victorious, and the Demon Clan was sealed away in the sunless Underground Demon City. In Demon City, there was no daylight; the place was barren, food was scarce, and there was nothing at all. After Chuzheng was born, her parents disappeared, and she was adopted by an old man. Her life was full of hardship until the old man eventually passed away as well. One day, Chuzheng met Lin Chen, a young man who had intruded into the Underground Demon City and was injured. The original owner saved Lin Chen and took great care of him. Lin Chen was handsome, and as they spent time together, she gradually developed feelings for him. After Lin Chen recovered, he promised her that once he found a way to leave, he would come back and take her with him. However, the original owner never saw him return. When Lin Chen didn¡¯t come for her, the original owner decided to go out and look for him. But the seal on the Underground Demon City was old, and nobody knew how to get out. But she figured if Lin Chen could get in, there must be a way out. And then the original owner really did make it out. But once she was out, she was captured. When she saw Lin Chen again, he seemed to have forgotten about her. The original owner told Lin Chen about the days they spent together in the Underground Demon City, but he was indifferent and claimed he didn¡¯t understand what she was talking about. The original owner was of the Demon Clan, inherently opposed to his kind. They planned to dispose of her, but at that moment, Lin Chen suddenly stopped them. She was taken to Lin Chen¡¯s Sect, The original owner thought Lin Chen had remembered her, and she was overjoyed. And indeed, Lin Chen treated her well, as if he truly recalled that she had once saved him in the Demon Clan. He not only gave her an identity but also helped her hide her origins, so that the rest of the Sect did not discover she was a demon. For a time, the original owner was truly happy, thinking she could be with Lin Chen. However, what the original owner didn¡¯t expect was¡ªLin Chen¡¯s act of saving her life was also for the sake of her life. When the Human Race sealed the Demon Clan, they left a prophecy. The one born with the Demon Bone shall lead the Demon Clan back to the light. And the original owner was the demon who possessed the Demon Bone. Lin Chen had someone he liked, but that person was about to die. Lin Chen proposed transplanting that person¡¯s soul into his body, which would not only inherit her demon bone, cutting off the possibility of the Demon Clan returning to the human world, but would also save the person he liked, killing two birds with one stone. The original owner liked Lin Chen ever since she met him. However, Lin Chen¡¯s affections were given to someone else, and he was even willing to kill her and seize her body for that person. After discovering she knew about this, Lin Chen imprisoned her, and the Lin Chen who used to treat her well seemed like nothing but an illusion. He was still the same Lin Chen who, upon their first meeting in the human world, was so cold it chilled one¡¯s heart. The original owner¡¯s soul was extracted amidst her unwillingness and pain, as she watched another person take over her body. That alone was bad, but Lin Chen also used her soul to nourish and ensure a complete fusion with his body. However, Lin Chen¡¯s ruthlessness toward her turned into full tenderness for the person he liked, a gentleness the original owner had never seen before. The original owner was left with only a wisp of her residual soul, yet Lin Chen couldn¡¯t let her go, using her last wisp to forge a weapon for the person he loved. ¨C Chuzheng finished assimilating the memories and rubbed her brow, the unwillingness of the original owner at the time of death felt like it was about to burst out. The current timeline was right after the original owner had found the injured Lin Chen and stole a bit of food from the neighbor¡¯s house to save him. In the Underground Demon City, food was scarce, and with the original owner unable to cultivate, surviving to such an age was a miracle. So the big man, who found out he was robbed, came looking for her just now. In the memories, the original owner ran out and drew the big man away, but eventually was caught and beaten by him. Had it not been for someone pleading on her behalf, she might have died at the hands of the big man. Chuzheng turned her head to look behind her, a narrow, shabby hut where a wooden plank served as a bed. At this moment, a young man was lying on that bed. He was indeed handsome, with bright red lips and clear eyes. To be so good-looking, yet have such a terrible end, to treat a girl who liked him with such venom. So cruel! What a waste of a good-looking face. Might as well get rid of him first! ¡°Bang!¡± The rickety door finally couldn¡¯t resist anymore, collapsed down, splintering into pieces, dust flying up. A big, burly man with well-developed muscles blocked the doorway, and seconds later, he bent down to enter. A scar across his face made him look especially ferocious. ¡°Gate of Doom!¡± the big man, holding a knife, swept his fierce and menacing eyes across the room and landed on Chuzheng, ¡°I will not leave until I kill you today!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± He had just left, was it to get a knife? Was his conscience not pricked when taking a knife against such a pitiful girl as herself? Chuzheng looked down at her hands; they weren¡¯t particularly fair, covered in some wounds and calluses. Facing such a big man¡­ according to her memory, this big man was supposed to have some cultivation. Bullying the weak! That¡¯s not demonic at all!! The big man was already walking towards Chuzheng. A few more steps, and he would see Lin Chen lying behind her. Sniffing the air, the big man smelled something¡­ ¡°Human?¡± Chuzheng stood up expressionlessly, pointing at Lin Chen on the bed, ¡°He¡¯s yours.¡± The big man who was about to act out: ¡°¡­¡± The Demon Clan didn¡¯t regard Chuzheng at all, walking straight to the back and picking up Lin Chen, sniffing him hard. It really was a human! Since the sealing of the Underground Demon City, no human had appeared. ¡°Where did you find him?¡± the big man turned to ask Chuzheng. Chuzheng slowly straightened out her dirty clothes, ¡°Picked him up.¡± The big man¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°You¡¯re giving him to me?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± I¡¯m very generous; since I can¡¯t do it myself, it doesn¡¯t concern me if someone else does, ¡°To settle the debt.¡± Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 67: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (2) Chapter 67: Chapter 67: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (2) The burly man asked her fiercely where she found the person, and how he got in; Chuzheng answered according to the original host¡¯s memories. The burly man just thought she was lucky to have come across him by chance and, after giving her a warning, carried Lin Chen away. Chuzheng tugged at her dirty clothes. This world¡­ In the Underground Demon City, there were quite a few demons with high cultivation levels, but all of these demons lived in Central City. The original host¡¯s current location was on the outskirts of the Demon City, out of reach of those people. According to the original host¡¯s adoptive father, the Underground Demon City was extremely vast. To go from the outer city to the inner city would take over a month, and getting from the inner city to the Central City would also require more than a month. If one were to categorize based on the usual towns and villages, the original host¡¯s location was akin to a small village¡­ And a very peripheral one at that. So here¡¯s the question: in a world where might makes right, how should one squander wealth? [Main Quest: Miss, please spend five demon crystals within two hours.] No sooner had Chuzheng¡¯s thoughts settled than the voice from the King¡¯s Account rang out. [Miss, please move forward ten steps. The demon crystals have been delivered.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± [¡­] King showing off smugly, you¡¯re still you, King! Chuzheng did as the King suggested and walked ten steps forward, rummaging through the corner rubbish to find a small bag. The craftsmanship of the bag was exquisite, bearing totems that Chuzheng couldn¡¯t understand. It bore no resemblance to any totems from this world that might exist in the original host¡¯s memory. This bag did not belong to this world. It must belong to that Bastard¡­ [Miss, in the future, I will directly place the demon crystals in this bag. Don¡¯t lose it, okay~] The bag was light, almost as if it contained nothing. Chuzheng opened the bag and found it contained black, pitch stones. Were these the demon crystals? They were quite ugly! ¡°What is this?¡± Chuzheng asked about the bag. [Spatial Bag, Spatial Storage Bag, it¡¯s something that can store items¡­ well, Miss, whatever you like to call it, that¡¯s what it will be.] King said crisply. ¡°Is it mine now?¡± Chuzheng weighed it in her hand. It was so light it almost had no weight, which should make it quite convenient for carrying things. [No, it¡¯s not. In some needed planes, I will issue it as a tool to Miss. If you want to own it, you can exchange it for Good Person Cards, just need ten cards.] Chuzheng¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and the temperature around seemed to fall: ¡°Ten cards?¡± The Bastard, why didn¡¯t he just go rob people? Only one Good Person Card per plane. Now it would take ten Good Person Cards to exchange for this? Did he think Good Person Cards were cabbages, to be picked up randomly on the street?! [Miss¡­] Miss is feeling quite fierce right now. ¡°Speak properly, how many?¡± Chuzheng fiddled with the drawstring of the Spatial Bag. [¡­] It was supposed to be ten, I didn¡¯t make it up! Why are you angry at me! [Five cards!]] ¡°How many?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s voice was icy cold as it echoed through the dilapidated little house, adding an eerie depth to the space. [¡­] It can¡¯t go any lower! [Five cards!]] The King held on to his last bit of stubbornness. Chuzheng silently examined the Spatial Bag, the King¡¯s Account dared not even breathe heavily, not knowing what his Miss intended to do and only hoping she wouldn¡¯t stir up trouble. If it came to that, it would lower the price to three Good Person Cards¡­ Just when the King¡¯s Account was anxious, it suddenly saw the binding interface for the Spatial Bag appear in front of Chuzheng. [!!!] Light emanated from the totem on the Spatial Bag, illuminating the entire shabby hut, and an option appeared in front of Chuzheng asking whether to bind it or not. She tried clicking yes. The Spatial Bag vanished from in front of her with a swish, and Chuzheng flipped her hand, a little higher than her wrist; the totem that had been on the Spatial Bag appeared there. Jet black, ancient and mysterious. ¡°Now it¡¯s mine,¡± Chuzheng said coldly, lifting her hand with a shake. [¡­] Is Miss a devil!? No, that¡¯s not right, how did she trigger the binding mechanism? This is unscientific! This isn¡¯t normal! It must be a bug! The King¡¯s Account carefully recalled the scene from just moments ago, and after a few seconds, his heart crumbled. Which bastard set up the blood-triggered binding mechanism?! Why use such a clich¨¦d trigger mechanism! Miss is so clever, and in such a world, she would definitely think to try it! Chuzheng stepped out of the shabby little house. There was no sunlight in the Underground Demon City, just a depressing grey expanse overhead. Outside the small broken house, buildings were tightly packed together; some were similar to her shabby abode, others slightly better. Each household propped up a small stall at its door, displaying various items. In the outer city, one could only barter¡ª a single Demon Crystal could sustain a family of three Demon Clan members for a year, but they didn¡¯t have such things. Spending five Demon Crystals in this place¡­ would cause a sensation! A sensation meant trouble, and trouble meant potentially attracting many people¡­ oh, no, that¡¯s wrong¡ª many demons. Imagining herself surrounded, the word ¡°trouble¡± was written all over Chuzheng¡¯s face. Chuzheng suddenly wondered, ¡°Bastard, can I take out the people who trouble me?¡± This world isn¡¯t governed by law! It¡¯s a world where the strong prey on the weak; if she didn¡¯t act, others would! The King¡¯s Account fell silent for a moment, ¡°For those unrelated to the main quest line, if they provoke you, you may take them out, but you may not kill the innocent indiscriminately!¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was impassive, ¡°Do I look like I have that kind of leisure time?¡± No, you don¡¯t. Miss wants to take them out purely to avoid further trouble. A miss who thinks of taking out others just to save herself trouble was not at all what it wanted to deal with. ¡°Butcher, you¡¯re closing up shop so early today!¡± ¡°None of your business, scat!¡± ¡°I want to trade¡­¡± ¡°Trade what, no trades, now scat!¡± Chuzheng looked towards the source of the voice and saw the burly man who had kicked her shabby door down earlier, looking fierce and aggressively shooing someone away. Lin Chen¡¯s fate in his hands probably wasn¡¯t going to be pleasant. But she didn¡¯t have the time to worry about Lin Chen now; she needed to find a place to spend the five Demon Crystals. There were two types of Demon Crystals, one type came from within Demonic Beasts. Demonic Beasts lived on the outskirts of the Underground Demon City, and those with Demon Crystals were extremely difficult to hunt. The other type was from Demon Crystal mines, which were controlled by the powerful members of the Demon Clan in the Underground Demon City; ordinary members had no chance to even come into contact with them. The use of Demon Crystals was absorption; they were an essential consumable for the Demon Clan¡¯s cultivation and also the circulating currency in the Underground Demon City. In the area where Chuzheng lived, there weren¡¯t many who practised cultivation¡­ Chuzheng looked at the courtyard in front of her that was far superior to the surroundings and approached to knock on the door. ¡°What are you doing standing in front of Brother Mo¡¯s house, you wild girl!?¡± Before Chuzheng could knock, a sharp reprimand suddenly came from the side. The neighboring courtyard opened, and a fairly delicate-looking girl stood at the door with her arms akimbo, glaring at her with disdain and disgust. Chuzheng calmly answered, ¡°Knocking on the door.¡± ¡°Pah, what does a wild girl like you want with Brother Mo! Look at yourself, do you really think you can cozy up to Brother Mo, scram!¡± the girl¡¯s voice was filled with contempt and scorn. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Who wants to cozy up to her Brother Mo? She just wanted to go on a spending spree! Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 68: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (3) Chapter 68: Chapter 68: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (3) The girl, seeing that Chuzheng didn¡¯t leave and planned to keep knocking, charged straight over. ¡°You wild girl, don¡¯t even think about Brother Mo!¡± The girl tried to drag Chuzheng away, but Chuzheng stepped back and the girl¡¯s hand grasped at air. Chuzheng kicked her for good measure. The girl couldn¡¯t keep her balance and lunged towards the courtyard gate, which suddenly opened, causing her to fall in. The people inside moved aside at the same time, and the girl fell to the ground with a scream. Standing inside the courtyard gate was a young man dressed in clean and bright clothes, frowning down at the girl on the ground: ¡°Fattie, what are you doing now?¡± Fattie was not fat; on the contrary, her figure was quite slim. But she used to be fat, and everyone had gotten used to calling her that, so the name stuck, and Fattie absolutely loathed it. With a face covered in dust, Fattie picked herself up and pointed at Chuzheng: ¡°Brother Mo, I saw this wild girl loitering outside your house. Just now, I even heard the Butcher saying she was stealing stuff. I was worried she might steal something from your place.¡± Mo Zilin followed Fattie¡¯s pointing finger to look at Chuzheng. He remembered her as the orphan who lived on the outer edge. Despite what Fattie said, he didn¡¯t get a bad impression and simply asked, ¡°Do you need something?¡± Chuzheng took out five Demon Crystals: ¡°Have clothes, exchange.¡± Mo Zilin¡¯s eyes suddenly widened. Fattie recognized them too and exclaimed in shock: ¡°Demon Crystals!¡± Mo Zilin quickly pulled her inside, dragging Fattie in and said to Chuzheng, ¡°Come in first.¡± If someone else saw this, there¡¯s no telling what trouble might arise. Chuzheng wanted to avoid trouble too, so she didn¡¯t refuse. Once inside, she explained to Mo Zilin what she needed. Mo Zilin didn¡¯t usually stay here; his sister had married into a somewhat powerful Demon Clan nearby, so Mo Zilin also had his sister¡¯s protection and practiced cultivation in that family. In the place where the original body lived, the Mo Family was considered one of the big households. ¡°You only need clothes and food?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need this much¡­¡± Mo Zilin produced clothing, all items his sister had sent back that had never been worn: ¡°These are all new clothes, you can choose. But they might not fit very well¡­¡± Chuzheng quickly chose her clothes and left the Demon Crystals on the table. ¡°You don¡¯t need so many.¡± Clothes from the outskirts were indeed valuable, but they couldn¡¯t compare to the value of Demon Crystals. He normally practiced cultivation and would only get a poor quality Demon Crystal every few months. Demon Crystals were graded, and the brighter and clearer they were, the higher their quality. These Demon Crystals were definitely of superior quality. ¡°How can you say we don¡¯t need them!¡± Fattie, who had been shocked throughout, snapped back to her senses, grabbed the Demon Crystals, and shouted defiantly: ¡°You gave them yourself; we¡¯re not forcing you!¡± Chuzheng nodded her head, took the clothes and food, and left. Finally, spent them! Happy! ¡°Fattie!¡± Mo Zilin scolded her, wanting her to hand over the Demon Crystals, but Fattie ran all over the courtyard, unwilling to give them up. Fattie only stopped after Chuzheng had left the courtyard. ¡°Brother Mo, these are Demon Crystals; they¡¯re useful for your cultivation,¡± Fattie said, handing all the Demon Crystals to Mo Zilin. ¡°That wild girl gave them to you willingly. Why shouldn¡¯t you take them?¡± Mo Zilin glared at Fattie; he ran out intending to give the Demon Crystals back to Chuzheng. However, Chuzheng was nowhere to be seen outside, and Mo Zilin also couldn¡¯t find her in the little rundown hut from his memory. Mo Zilin, holding the five Demon Crystals, returned to the courtyard feeling uneasy. ¡°Brother Mo, what are you doing? These Demon Crystals are so precious!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know that? Those clothes and food are not worth these Demon Crystals.¡± ¡°So what? She gave them willingly.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Mo Zilin couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with Fattie. ¡°You are not to tell anyone about today¡¯s affair, understand? Otherwise, you could bring trouble upon us,¡± Mo Zilin remembered this and warned Fattie again. Fattie nodded her head. With the Demon Crystals in Mo Zilin¡¯s hands, she dared not speak rashly. ¡°Brother Mo, where did that wild girl get so many Demon Crystals?¡± Mo Zilin and Fattie exchanged a glance, suddenly realizing the issue at hand. ¨C Chuzheng changed her clothes and left that place, heading toward the inner city. She had always stayed on the outskirts, where squandering money would be very difficult, so she must go to the inner city or Central City. ¡°Miss, you must leave the Underground Demon City.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The Good Person Card isn¡¯t here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Good Person Card, Good Person Card¡­ Good Person Card! Chuzheng suppressed the irritation in her heart. Even if she had to leave the Underground Demon City, she must go to Central City. But shortly after Chuzheng had left, she was stopped by several people who had obviously been trailing her; yet, by their attire, they did not seem to be from the place where the original host lived. ¡°Girly, hand over the Demon Crystal!¡± Chuzheng¡¯s gaze swept over them and she said indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t have any.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool us, girlie. We saw you spend five Demon Crystals just like that, so hand them over quickly and spare yourself the suffering.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going to show mercy because you¡¯re a girl. Hand them over yourself, and we¡¯ll spare your life.¡± Several burly men closed in on Chuzheng, their eyes filled with greed. They were just passing by when they saw the little girl with five Demon Crystals. Five of them! They recognized the kid from Mo Family and didn¡¯t dare to provoke him, so they targeted this little girl instead. A girl who could casually produce five Demon Crystals surely had more on her! ¡°I don¡¯t have any,¡± Chuzheng wondered if being robbed counted as having spent the crystals. ¡°No.¡± King¡¯s Account refuted mercilessly. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Damn it, girl! If you won¡¯t cooperate willingly, killing you will surely yield us the Demon Crystal!¡± The big men formed a circle around Chuzheng, confident that such a frail young girl was no match for them, and approached her carelessly. ¡°Kill me?¡± Chuzheng spoke in a flat tone, ¡°You can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Hahaha, did you guys hear that? This dead girl actually says we can¡¯t do it?¡± ¡°You little yellow-haired girl, we could crush you with just one hand.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure you die painfully so that you know whether we can do it or not!¡± The men laughed maliciously. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± Suddenly, the burly men¡¯s complexions changed, as if something was in the air. They waved their hands trying to grab it but couldn¡¯t catch anything. The young girl standing in the center, expressionless, lifted her hand with fingers spread outward. The men were enshrouded in a faint silver light, as if something was entwining them, displaying looks of horror. The girl clenched her fist and pulled forward; the men suddenly burst into pieces, not leaving a gory scene but instead disintegrating into dust and vanishing into the air. Chuzheng lowered her hand, a flash of silver light briefly visible around her wrist, but upon closer inspection, there was nothing. ¡°Sister¡­¡± King¡¯s Account was dumbstruck. ¡°They wanted to kill me first.¡± ¡°¡­¡± King¡¯s Account struggled before speaking, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to mention that, I¡¯m asking, what did you just use?¡± ¡°None of your business.¡± Her oversized sleeves fell, completely covering her wrist. ¡°¡­¡± You are my host, of course, it¡¯s my business. Why does Miss have such terrifying power! What did it miss! Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 69: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (4) Chapter 69: Chapter 69: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (4) King¡¯s Account seemed to have been frightened, and afterward, it no longer made a sound, nor did it release any tasks. Chuzheng, following the memories of the original owner of the body, made her way to Central City, but upon arrival, she remembered that to pass through that place, one must possess a certain level of strength. Not her strength, but the strength of this world, this body¡¯s strength¡­ So Chuzheng had no choice but to honestly cultivate. King¡¯s Account considerately didn¡¯t release any tasks while she was cultivating. ¨C Shangning City. As prosperous as brocade, the streets bustling with the commotion of carriages and horses, two figures were darting swiftly past. ¡°Catch him!¡± ¡°Thief!¡± Someone shouted behind the two fast-moving figures, but no one in the crowd seemed to care enough to intervene, even stepping aside to clear a path for them. The figure at the forefront turned its head, making a provocative gesture towards the pursuer. Smack¡ª Suddenly, that person fell to the ground, and the one chasing caught up and yanked him up, finding the stolen goods on him. The owner of the stolen goods also caught up and began beating the thief with punches and kicks. However, the thief took advantage of the chaos, twisted free, and ran off, disappearing into the crowd without a trace. Standing right where the thief had fallen was a young girl, her arms crossed over her chest, watching the scene in front of her with an indifferent gaze. It was as if the lens of time slowed down around her, the hustle and bustle receding into the distance. Her world was peaceful and distant, yet her presence was so intimidating that people dared not approach her carelessly, exuding a penetrating chill and indifference. That¡¯s right, this was Chuzheng. And at this moment, she had left the Underground Demon City and was in the Human Realm. Chuzheng made her way through the crowd and entered a weapon shop. ¡°Does the young lady wish to buy weapons?¡± Seeing Chuzheng¡¯s extraordinary aura, the shop assistant immediately put on a smile, welcoming her, ¡°Our weapons here are the best in Shangning City. Would you prefer swords or whips, or something else? We have everything here, you can pick comfortably¡­¡± ¡°The most expensive,¡± Chuzheng interrupted the shop assistant. The shop assistant paused, then chuckled, ¡°Does the young lady wish to see the Spiritual Artifacts?¡± In this world, everyone could cultivate, but most only had minor cultivation, sufficient for strengthening the body and maintaining health. Those with great cultivation were from sects or prominent families. Spiritual Artifacts were for their use. ¡°Right, as long as it¡¯s expensive,¡± she stated, not looking for quality, only for priciest items. The shop assistant¡¯s look towards Chuzheng immediately changed, seeing her as an easy mark for a big sale!! ¡°Please, young lady, the good items are upstairs,¡± the shop assistant beckoned Chuzheng upstairs. The decoration upstairs was quite different from below. Each weapon was displayed with care, but at that moment, there was a man upstairs being attended to as he made his selection. When Chuzheng arrived, the man looked up at her, his eyes brightening instantly. A beauty! ¡°Have we met before, young lady?¡± The man stood up, flicking his fan with a suave air. ¡°Never.¡± ¡°Then I must have seen you in my dreams. Heaven has brought us together. It¡¯s destiny, don¡¯t you agree, young lady?¡± The man said flippantly, snapping his folding fan closed and reaching to lift Chuzheng¡¯s chin. Chuzheng caught his fan with her hand, ¡°Only young ladies in your dreams? Are you useless?¡± A real man should aspire to great achievements, not just dream of beauties! So unambitious! The man: ¡°¡­¡± The shop assistant: ¡°¡­¡± The shop assistant who had ascended with Chuzheng wanted to warn her, but Chuzheng did not allow him the chance to speak, pulling forcefully, the fan slipped from the man¡¯s grasp. Releasing her fingers, the folding fan fell to the floor. She walked past without expression, and the shop assistant wiped away sweat nervously, hurrying to follow her. The man bent down, picked up the folding fan, and instead of getting angry, he smiled, ¡°Interesting.¡± ¡°Young Master Song¡­¡± The person attending him was also sweating profusely, wondering what background that young lady had to dare contradict a man known as a lawless tyrant. ¡°Continue,¡± said Young Master Song, resuming his seat, though his gaze fixated on Chuzheng in a very blatant and impolite assessment. The shop assistant swallowed hard and continued his previous pitch, ¡°This whip is crafted from the scale armor of a Fire Nian Beast. Infuse it with your spiritual power, and the scales on the whip will fly out, making it the most suitable gift for the young lady.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°How could I dare to deceive you?¡± ¡°Wrap it up.¡± ¡°Right away!¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t bother choosing for herself, simply letting the shop assistant select the most expensive items for her, and paid even more swiftly than that Young Master Song. Just as he wanted to step forward to pay for the beauty and showcase his charm, Young Master Song: ¡°¡­¡± In the Human Realm, Spirit Stones are used as currency, and they are obtained similarly to the Demon Clan, acquired from both spirit mines and Spiritual Beasts. [Congratulations, Miss, on completing the task. One hundred top-grade Spirit Stones have been delivered.] The King¡¯s Account routinely praised its miss, [Miss is awesome!] ¡°Young lady, please wait a moment.¡± No sooner had Chuzheng stepped out of the store than the self-proclaimed suave Young Master Song hurried after her. ¡°Is the young lady new to Shangning?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°But I see you¡¯re not from Shangning.¡± ¡°Where did you see that?¡± Chuzheng asked earnestly. ¡°¡­¡± The accent didn¡¯t quite match, even the attire looked different! Young Master Song didn¡¯t dwell on this: ¡°May I ask for your esteemed name?¡± What was wrong with this person! In his dreams, he saw a young lady; did he have to hit on any lady he met? Did he think of nothing but young ladies? Chuzheng, feeling impatient in her heart, glared at Young Master Song with a threat, ¡°Stop following me, or I¡¯ll hit you.¡± The fierce little look of the young girl only made Young Master Song more eager and itchy at heart. No such person existed in Shangning, and he was determined to have this beauty. Young Master Song gestured, and two henchmen immediately came running over: ¡°Go, follow her and see where she settles.¡± The two henchmen showed a sleazy understanding and followed after the departing Chuzheng. ¨C Chuzheng shook off those following her and circled around through a secluded alley. [Hidden task: Please acquire a Good Person Card from Li Tang to prevent his descent into darkness.] Chuzheng paused in her step; the Bastard issuing a hidden task meant that the Good Person Card wasn¡¯t far from her and was waiting for her to pick it up. But Chuzheng looked around at 360 degrees and didn¡¯t spot anyone nearby. Had the Bastard gone mad? [Miss, don¡¯t just look at the ground.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Could it be necessary to look up at the sky? The Good Person Card could fly? Chuzheng raised her head to check the clear blue sky, then lowered her gaze to the ground, the sky¡­ the ground? Suddenly, Chuzheng looked up ahead, where someone was sneakily peering at her. Seeing that he was noticed, the person immediately turned tail and ran. Chuzheng threw the Spiritual Artifact she held in her hand, striking the person¡¯s body. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± As the person fell to the ground, Chuzheng approached and looked down, ¡°Why are you following me so sneakily?¡± ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± the person suddenly twisted around, glaring at her fiercely. ¡°What¡¯s me?¡± ¡°On the street earlier, it was you who tripped me!¡± Chuzheng took a careful look at him. It was indeed the thief who had been chased earlier in the street. Chuzheng with a serious face: ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± ¡°It was you!¡± The thief¡¯s eyes reddened with anger: ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for you, I wouldn¡¯t have been caught!¡± Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 70: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (5) Chapter 70: Chapter 70: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (5) ¡°It wasn¡¯t me.¡± Chuzheng, with an expressionless face, picked up the Spiritual Artifact and looked around at the surrounding buildings. ¡°I saw it with my own eyes!¡± the thief gritted his teeth, ¡°You owe me compensation!¡± ¡°Sometimes, what your eyes see isn¡¯t the truth,¡± Chuzheng solemnly retorted. The thief: ¡°¡­¡± He clearly saw her tripping him; how could she deny it so confidently! Even he, who had been a thief for many years, was not as shameless as she was. The thief glanced at the Spiritual Artifact in Chuzheng¡¯s hand and, seeing her looking around, had an idea. He must get the Spirit Stone today, or else¡­ Suddenly, the thief jumped up, grabbed the Spiritual Artifact, and started to run, but after two steps, he couldn¡¯t move any further. Looking back, the indifferent girl was holding the other end of the Spiritual Artifact, and with a gentle tug toward herself, he was uncontrollably pulled backward and then kicked in the lower back by the girl. ¡°Trying to rob me?¡± Did she look that easy to rob? The thief covered his lower back and looked at her with a mix of fear and shock. The girl appeared expressionless, but she felt fiercely intimidating to him. He didn¡¯t bother with the Spiritual Artifact anymore and scrambled up, making a beeline for the alley. Chuzheng gave chase for a couple of steps, but the alley twisted and turned, and the thief soon disappeared from sight. He sure ran fast! ¨C The dim basement. In a damp cell that reeked of mold, a young man leaned against the cold wall, his gaze lifeless as he watched a mouse scurry past. His wrists and ankles were shackled with iron chains, and his face and body were spattered with bloodstains. The sound of keys jingling and footsteps grew from faint to near. Then someone spoke, ¡°This place is really unlucky.¡± ¡°Heh, who would come here if not for the good pay?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°How is he doing?¡± The two people stopped in front of the cell door, ¡°We brought him food yesterday, but he didn¡¯t eat. Same the day before, it¡¯s been two days now.¡± ¡°Is he trying to starve himself to death?¡± ¡°Who knows; but we can¡¯t let him die, otherwise we won¡¯t be able to explain it to them.¡± ¡°You go get some food,¡± the sound of chains lightly hitting the cell door, ¡°We have to force-feed him today.¡± One person left, and at the same time the cell door was pushed open, but the person did not enter, just stood at the doorway. ¡°Who are you?¡± The young man suddenly heard a rebuke, followed by the person falling in front of him. The young man looked blankly at the fallen person, and after a while, he slowly lifted his head, a girl stood in front of the cell door. The girl walked into the cell, seemingly impatient, kicked the body out of the way, and then squatted down in front of him. ¡°Li Tang?¡± The girl¡¯s voice was crisp, with a hint of coldness. The young man¡¯s lifeless eyes slightly regained focus. Seeing his reaction, Chuzheng knew she¡¯d gotten it right. She grabbed the iron chains to take a look and pulled out the Spiritual Artifact. Even though the young man¡¯s eyes were now focused, he still stared at her blankly, like a thoughtless doll. The cold light of the Spiritual Artifact flashed, the young man closed his eyes, the wind swept across his eyelashes, and the glint passed over his pale but handsome face. Clang¡ª The chains were chopped off and fell to the ground; the cornered mouse, startled, scurried away squeaking. ¡°Follow me,¡± Chuzheng turned and walked out. She stepped out of the cell, but the young man hadn¡¯t moved; his closed eyes opened, hollow and numb, exuding a deathly aura. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng walked back, grabbed the man, and pulled him up. She let go of the boy, and he seemed to have no strength in his legs, unable to stand, and fell straight down. The boy stared at her with his empty, lifeless eyes. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± No! I didn¡¯t do it on purpose! Who knew you were so weak that you can¡¯t even stand properly! Stop looking at me! Chuzheng looked at his legs, where rough fabric was stained with dark red blood. She put him back and crouched down to roll up his trouser leg. The boy numbly watched her movements without any reaction. As she rolled up his trouser leg, scars on his calf came into view, some old and scabbed, others still bleeding. The higher up she went, the more ghastly it got; by the knee, it was a bloody mess. Chuzheng fell silent for a moment, then put his trouser leg back down. Before he turned evil, it was indeed too tragic. So the question arises, what now? This Good Person Card seems almost useless; might as well finish it off¡­ [Take him out.] King¡¯s Account was going crazy. How to take him out? Drag him out or throw him out? [¡­] Miss, are you here to stop him from turning evil, or to help him along?! [Carry him out! Princess carry style!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard, are you out of your mind? You want me to princess carry a male creature? [Or do you want to carry him on your shoulders?] King¡¯s Account was on the verge of exploding. Chuzheng considered agreeing to do it. [Miss! Little Ancestor! Look at the state he¡¯s in; can you carry him on your shoulders? He¡¯ll die!!] King¡¯s Account roared to prevent Chuzheng from killing the Good Person Card, [Think about the Good Person Card, think about going back! Aren¡¯t you calmer now?] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng stared at the boy for a long moment, then finally bent down to pick him up, surprised by how light he was. Chuzheng carried him out of the cell door, through the dim corridor with cells on both sides, their interiors mottled with old bloodstains. There was light ahead, and the boy suddenly looked in that direction, his eyes lighting up with a glimmer of hope. However, just then, shadows flickered with approaching footsteps; someone was coming. ¡°Why has it been opened?¡± ¡°Go down and check.¡± The boy began to tremble imperceptibly, and Chuzheng, looking down at him, saw he still had that numb expression. Chuzheng¡¯s palm gently stroked his back as she waited for the people above to come down. ¡°What are you doing¡­ Who are you!¡± The man who came down tensed up and quickly pulled out a weapon. On hearing the commotion, the rest from above came down as well, among them someone Chuzheng recognized. ¡°Beauty?¡± Young Master Song was surprised, then delighted: ¡°How come you¡¯re here? I knew we were fated.¡± ¡°Young Master!¡± Someone beside him reminded, ¡°She¡¯s holding that bastard.¡± Young Master Song¡¯s attention finally shifted to Li Tang in Chuzheng¡¯s arms, his expression changing slightly: ¡°Beauty, what are you doing?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen it and you still ask.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s indifferent gaze swept over them: ¡°You¡¯re not only useless, you¡¯re blind too.¡± Young Master Song¡¯s entourage: ¡°¡­¡± Damn! This girl actually dared to insult their young master. Young Master Song¡¯s face darkened with displeasure, ¡°Put that bastard down, and come with me. I¡¯ll pretend this never happened.¡± ¡°No way.¡± How can I just toss away the Good Person Card? If it dies, it can only die by my hands. [¡­] We should never have had high expectations for Miss. Young Master Song sneered, ¡°Beauty, don¡¯t push your luck. Do you know how powerful my Song Family is in Shangning City? Offending me is not a wise move.¡± Chuzheng spoke dispassionately, ¡°Then I won¡¯t move.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Young Master Song pointed a finger at her in the air, ¡°Fine, beauty has got guts. Let¡¯s see just how gutsy you can be today.¡± ¡°Seize her,¡± Young Master Song ordered his followers, his leering gaze roaming over Chuzheng, ¡°Don¡¯t hurt my beauty. Since you like it here so much, then in a little while, right here, in front of this bastard¡¯s eyes, I¡¯ll thoroughly enjoy you.¡± ¡°I advise you to leave quickly.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone remained calm. ¡°Since beauty has delivered herself to my doorstep, how could I just walk away?¡± Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 71: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (6) Chapter 71: Chapter 71: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (6) ¡°Ah¡ª¡± The scream was like a demon¡¯s chant in the ear, continuously echoing in the dungeon, making one¡¯s scalp tingle. Drip-drop¡ª Blood dripped from the tip of the sword onto the ground, spreading into a pool of crimson. Young Master Song looked at the girl holding the sword in front of him with horror, the bloody smell spreading in the dungeon like a cold, sticky snake, climbing up his back, entwining him, making it impossible to breathe. Chuzheng¡¯s expression was cold and indifferent, her thin lips parted slightly, ¡°I gave you all a chance to leave.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer,¡± Young Master Song stepped back, ¡°I am the eldest son of the Song Family, if you dare to do anything to me, the Song Family won¡¯t let you off.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng raised her hand, and the sword gleamed. She discarded the bloodied sword and picked up the boy in the corner, leaving the dungeon without looking back. The boy looked back over Chuzheng¡¯s shoulder to see Young Master Song¡¯s eyes wide open, as if they were fixed on him. That person was dead¡­ Dead so casually. ¨C Chuzheng took Li Tang back to the inn where she was staying and asked the shop assistant to bring up water and clean clothes. Money makes the devil turn the millstone, Chuzheng gave plenty of Spirit Stones, and the water and clothes were delivered quickly. ¡°Clean yourself up,¡± Chuzheng said, placing the clothes next to the steaming wooden tub. Without waiting for Li Tang¡¯s response, Chuzheng left the room straight away and closed the door. Li Tang leaned on the bed, staring at the steam rising from the wooden tub. He had left that place without sunshine, but that didn¡¯t mean it was a good thing for him; in the eyes of others, he was still a monster, not tolerated by the world. ¨C Chuzheng, outside, received information about Li Tang from the King¡¯s Account. Li Tang was born to a human and a member of the Demon Clan, he was half-human half-demon. It must have been through the same way she had left that Li Tang¡¯s father left the Underground Demon City and then met Li Tang¡¯s mother¡ªthe youngest daughter of the Song Family. But after the youngest daughter of the Song Family became pregnant with Li Tang, the demon disappeared and never showed up again. Having no other choice, the youngest daughter of the Song Family, with child, returned to the Song Family. Being pregnant before marriage, that alone was enough for the youngest daughter of the Song Family to endure. Initially, Li Tang¡¯s half-demon nature wasn¡¯t discovered, and he was only looked down upon by the Song Family for having no talent for cultivation during the family tests. But at that time, he had his mother¡¯s protection and managed to live decently. It wasn¡¯t until his mother died of a chill that Li Tang lost his mother¡¯s protection and his half-demon identity was discovered. The Song Family wanted to execute him, but Young Master Song pulled a switch and had someone else die in his place. Of course, Young Master Song didn¡¯t do it to save him but to torment him; he was simply curious to see how a half-human half-demon like Li Tang was different from humans. Young Master Song locked Li Tang in the dungeon and tortured him in every possible way. He was imprisoned for years. Li Tang tried to seek death several times during that period but was always discovered and failed. Eventually, he stopped seeking death and started looking for opportunities to escape. Finally, one day, he found the chance and ran out of the dungeon. It was from this point on that Li Tang turned completely and began to cultivate demonic arts in earnest. His first act after coming out was to slaughter the entire Song Family. From then on, Li Tang became a Great Demon Head, provoking the siege of the major Sects. In the end, he died, pierced by thousands of arrows. Chuzheng leaned against the railing, a breeze lifting a strand of her blue-black hair, her cool, distant eyes watching the bustling market below. Tragic! Too tragic! It was simply a human tragedy! ¡°[Miss, you should go in and check on him.]¡± Stop standing here with no expression, giving snarky comments and rolling the bullet chat. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°[He¡¯s injured, and you left him alone inside; how could you do something so inhumane, Miss?]¡± The King¡¯s Account continued to freak out. ¡°I can do it,¡± Chuzheng nodded. ¡°[¡­Die and reset.]¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng flicked her sleeve and turned to push the door open and enter. The young man lay on the ground in a disheveled state, his clothes stained with more blood than before, leaving a trail of it on the floor. It was only then that Chuzheng remembered that his leg seemed to be injured. She picked him up and placed him on a stool next to the wooden tub. She knelt down to unfasten the buttons of his coat, but the youth, with some difficulty, used his bloodied hand to stop her, silently looking at her. Chuzheng coldly pulled down his hand and forcefully removed his clothes. Without the cover of his clothes, the young man¡¯s body was exposed to the air, and the wounds that covered him were also laid bare before Chuzheng¡¯s eyes. A flicker of embarrassment passed through the youth¡¯s eyes, but he lacked the strength to resist and gave up on doing anything. There were far more injuries on his body than Chuzheng had thought, with the most severe being a through-and-through wound on his shoulder. With so many injuries, they couldn¡¯t be washed in water, so Chuzheng could only wring out a cloth to wipe them down for him. Li Tang watched the hand holding the cloth, clean and delicate, with distinct knuckles, completely different from his own battered hand. Who is she? Why is she saving me? There was a chill around his waist, and Li Tang snapped back to reality, only to find Chuzheng about to take off his pants. He was startled, his body leaning back, the stool unsteady, and with it, he fell backward. The girl with the cold face just held the cloth and watched him fall to the ground. Chuzheng was thinking¡ªwhat is he doing? Having a seizure? Chuzheng moved forward two steps, and the young man shuffled backward. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Don¡¯t you appreciate my help? Do you think I have nothing better to do? Li Tang shook his head, gesturing for her not to come closer, and clenched the waistband of his pants, a hint of wariness and vigilance gradually appearing in his eyes. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng dropped the cloth and left the room. Li Tang half-lay on the cold ground, watching the door close, his eyes gradually returning to a deathly stillness. After a short while, the shop assistant from the inn pushed the door open and came in, seeing the young man lying on the floor, he quickly went forward to help him back onto the stool. The shop assistant cleaned Li Tang¡¯s wounds and changed his clothes, then exited the room respectfully. Li Tang lay on the bed, accustomed to the occasional stings of pain from his limbs. Creak¡ª Someone came in, and Li Tang turned his head to see the girl from before coming toward him. She sat on the edge of the bed, ignoring his wishes completely, pulled down his collar to reveal the shoulder, and suddenly asked Chuzheng, looking at the medicine in her hand, ¡°You¡¯re a half-human half-demon.¡± Li Tang¡¯s already pale face turned even whiter in an instant, as if something was stirring in his eyes. ¡°That should work.¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t care what he was thinking, she simply helped him sit up and sit cross-legged behind him. Then, he felt a power that was not his own entering his body through his back, flowing through his limbs and bones. His ice-cold body seemed to find warmth at that moment, like the warm wind of March. Li Tang could clearly feel the wounds on his body healing, scabbing over¡­ She¡­ is from the Demon Clan! Perhaps because his body leaned more towards the Demon Clan, he couldn¡¯t cultivate human Spiritual Energy, but he was naturally sensitive to Demonic Qi and the like. But his mother forbade him to cultivate, fearing that someone would discover his identity. ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Li Tang suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his recently pallid complexion now turning even whiter, his body collapsing to one side. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± He¡¯s spitting, spitting blood! * Please read carefully: 1. Going live = Charging = Costs money = Book Coins ¡Ù Book Coupons ¡Ù Pirated versions 2. The author desperately wants money 3. Each chapter is 2000 words, 10 Book Coins [5 Book Coins per 1000 words across the entire city, do the math yourself] 4. This is a Mary Sue novel with no logic, subscribe with caution 5. The female lead has a poker face, heartless and ruthless, subscribe with caution 6. The male lead is weak, no hope of counterattack, subscribe with caution Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 72: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (7) Chapter 72: Chapter 72: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (7) Why is there blood? Chuzheng examined his wrist closely. The external wounds had almost healed, which proved the treatment was effective, so why would he vomit blood? Could he still consider himself a good person after causing someone to vomit blood? ¡°Where do you feel uncomfortable?¡± Chuzheng asked him. Li Tang was somewhat delirious, leaning against Chuzheng¡¯s embrace, his face deathly pale and unable to speak. Chuzheng carefully recalled everything she knew about Li Tang, but there was no mention of this. It only said that he was tortured by Young Master Song, that he had escaped¡­ So why Li Tang would vomit blood, she had no clue. Li Tang¡¯s clothes at the neckline were somewhat open, and the blood had soaked the edges of his shirt, spreading continuously. Chuzheng pulled the clothing aside, exposing his shoulder. The piercing wound she had seen before was now seeping blood, not just from the shoulder but also from the knee. Chuzheng laid him down, lifted the trouser leg, and rolled it up over the knee. The wounds on the shoulder and the knee were nearly identical¡­ ¡°Hey,¡± Chuzheng said, bracing herself against the bed and leaning over to call to Li Tang, ¡°how did you get these wounds on your body?¡± Sweat poured down Li Tang¡¯s forehead, and he was completely unable to answer her. Chuzheng felt irritated. So annoying! Just finish it off! ¨C Li Tang felt as if he was being roasted over a fire, his bones seemed to be burning, and he didn¡¯t know how long it was before he felt a bit better. He wanted to open his eyes, but his eyelids were heavy, and he just couldn¡¯t open them. His body felt as if it was being pressed down by something, his breathing was uneven, and his limbs were stiff. Suddenly jolting awake, Li Tang opened his eyes and stared at the mosquito net above his head. This was not the dark, dirty, damp prison cell infested with mice. The room was filled with a faint fragrance. Where was he? Li Tang¡¯s memory was a bit scrambled, and it took him a while to remember that a woman had saved him. Li Tang turned his head, taking in the room¡ªit was the same one from before. His clothes were in disarray, the collar open, showing his chest and shoulders marked with numerous scars. Li Tang silently straightened out his clothes, the pain in his shoulder making it impossible for him to get up. Only at this moment did he truly believe that he had left that cell, that place that was like a nightmare. That person was also dead. ¡°Creak¡ª¡± Li Tang looked towards the door and saw the girl in a light-colored dress, carrying a tray. Their eyes met as she gently said, ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± She closed the door, set down the tray, and walked over to the bed: ¡°Hungry?¡± Li Tang shook his head, but his stomach betrayed him with a rumbling sound. Chuzheng turned and brought the tray over: ¡°Eat, it¡¯s still hot.¡± He had not eaten for two days in the dungeon and was incredibly hungry. Li Tang was silent for a moment, trying to sit up, but after several failed attempts, he was covered in sweat. He lay back down, shaking his head; he was not going to eat. It seemed to be only then that Chuzheng realized the situation and reached out to help him up, pushing chopsticks into his hand. Leaning against Chuzheng, his back resting against her warm, soft body, Li Tang could see her fair side profile, glowing with a clear halo, as if it were touched with a glimmer of light. He stared at her for a few seconds, then looked away. Li Tang¡¯s fingers trembled, completely unable to hold the chopsticks steady. He stared at the food in front of him, feeling very hungry, but unable to eat. ¡°Eat,¡± the person behind him urged. How could he eat! Li Tang felt a senseless rage, threw the chopsticks aside, and shifted his gaze elsewhere, acting like a petulant child. ¡°Miss¡­,¡± King¡¯s Account felt that if it didn¡¯t remind her, she would play the Good Person Card to death, ¡°He can¡¯t eat by himself now.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± So you mean to wait until he can eat by himself? ¡°¡­¡± Is that normal thinking? ¡°Can¡¯t you just feed him?!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m not his mother, why should I feed him! ¡°Can¡¯t you just pretend to be his mother? I don¡¯t have such a grown son. ¡°Now you do! Hurry up and feed him, Miss, if he starves to death, you¡¯ll have to rewind and start over. You¡¯ve come so far, do you want to go back and do it all over again? You don¡¯t, right? If you don¡¯t, then be a good person! We must be a good person, a good person, a good person!!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Resigned, Chuzheng picked up the spoon and fed it to Li Tang¡¯s mouth, coldly commanding, ¡°Eat.¡± Li Tang frowned, didn¡¯t open his mouth, and Chuzheng suddenly pinched his chin, forcibly feeding him. ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Li Tang choked. Was she trying to kill him? Chuzheng patted his back, fed him again, but before Li Tang made a move, she was already planning to pinch his chin once more. Li Tang hurriedly opened his mouth. Chuzheng fed a spoonful, and Li Tang took a bite; however, Chuzheng speeded up the feeding until Li Tang¡¯s cheeks were bulging. After Li Tang finished eating, he was drenched in a cold sweat and looked at Chuzheng with anger in his eyes. He had not noticed himself, but since leaving the dungeon, he now showed emotion, he showed vitality. ¡°How did you get the injury on your body?¡± Li Tang knew what injury she was referring to. He looked down and spoke for the first time, ¡°Devil-Vanquishing Nail.¡± The young man¡¯s voice was hoarse, as if he hadn¡¯t spoken for a long time, and it faintly carried a hint of resentment. Chuzheng¡¯s mind was full of questions¡ªwhat was a Devil-Vanquishing Nail? She had never heard of it! This was off the script!! After a moment, she calmly asked, ¡°How can it be removed?¡± No matter what it was, removing it was the right thing to do! The young man shook his head: ¡°It can¡¯t be removed.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± The young man¡¯s eyes once again fell into dead silence, just shaking his head without saying a word. He seemed to be trapped in his own world, no matter what Chuzheng said, there was no response. Chuzheng stuffed him into the quilt, walked back and forth on the spot, with the word ¡°trouble¡± written all over the backdrop. ¨C ¡°This is the place!¡± Li Tang was awakened by the noise. The flames outside the window flickered, nearly lighting up the entire room. Chuzheng stood in front of the window, it was half-open, watching what was happening below. The shopkeeper was talking to the person leading the group below, seemingly trying to stop them, but the group aggressively entered the inn. Then, other inn guests were driven out, and someone was coming towards her room. Chuzheng closed the window, turned back, and glanced at Li Tang. Li Tang gripped the quilt, silently staring back at her. ¡°Open up! Come out!¡± ¡°The person inside, come out!¡± Chuzheng walked to the door, casually took the coat hanging on the chair, and put it on. Creak¡ª Chuzheng opened the door; the corridor outside was full of people holding torches, all from Song Family. ¡°That¡¯s her!¡± One of the group pointed at her, ¡°I saw it, the murder weapon is hers, she killed Young Master Song! She¡¯s the killer!¡± Chuzheng¡¯s indifferent gaze swept to the person accusing her, the very same thief she had encountered earlier. The thief, upon meeting Chuzheng¡¯s gaze, inexplicably felt a chill down his spine and hid behind the crowd. ¡°You wretched woman, how dare you murder our Young Master!¡± the people from Song Family said furiously. ¡°Do you have proof?¡± Chuzheng crossed her arms and asked calmly. ¡°This is the proof!¡± The person threw the bloodstained Spiritual Artifact in front of Chuzheng. The Spiritual Artifact hit the wooden floor, making a dull thud. ¡°Someone saw you purchase this sword with their own eyes, and our Young Master died from this murder weapon.¡± The speaker pointed at the thief, ¡°He also saw you near the crime scene, if not you, who else could it be!¡± Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 73: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (8) Chapter 73: Chapter 73: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (8) ¡°The Spiritual Artifact was purchased by me,¡± Chuzheng nodded, then without a change in expression, pointed at the thief, ¡°However, this Spiritual Artifact was stolen by him.¡± The thief¡¯s face drastically changed, and he began to shout, ¡°I didn¡¯t, she¡¯s talking nonsense, she¡¯s the one who killed Young Master Song.¡± ¡°You say I killed him, do you have evidence?¡± ¡°This Spiritual Artifact is the evidence!¡± the thief yelled out loud. ¡°Which you stole.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± the thief retorted, glaring at Chuzheng with resentment, ¡°I didn¡¯t steal it, she¡¯s lying, she¡¯s the one who¡¯s lying, she¡¯s the murderer!¡± The Song Family members looked at Chuzheng then at the thief, suddenly unsure whom to believe, who really killed their Young Master? Chuzheng insisted that her Spiritual Artifact had been stolen, and that the death of Young Master Song had nothing to do with her. She appeared calm and collected, showing none of the panic and nervousness of a murderer. On the other hand, the more loudly the thief screamed and shouted, the more suspicious he looked. The Song Family members were somewhat undecided, but in the end, they decided to take both Chuzheng and the thief back with them, as one of them had to be the murderer. ¡°Miss, we apologize for the offense, but please come back with us to the manor. If you did not do it, we will offer you an apology.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not free,¡± Chuzheng retreated into her room, intending to close the door. The speaker¡¯s brow furrowed, and he took a step forward, bracing the door, ¡°Miss, if you wish to clear your suspicion, it would be best to come back with us to the manor.¡± Chuzheng, expressionless, rebutted, ¡°You suspect me based on a single sentence, does that mean I can also say, based on a single sentence, that you¡¯re the murderer and that you¡¯re crying ¡®Stop thief¡¯ to cover your guilt?¡± The man: ¡°¡­¡± Before the man could come up with a response, Chuzheng suddenly took action, kicking him out. The man soared through the air, crashed through the balcony handrails, and fell down into the inn below. Chuzheng looked at the remaining shocked Song Family members, her face cold as she threatened, ¡°I said it wasn¡¯t me. Dare to come here again, and I¡¯ll kill you all.¡± Bang¡ª The door slammed shut, and with the lead Song Family member kicked out, they did not dare to approach and went downstairs to find their leader. At this moment, the leader was violently spitting blood, which shocked everyone even more. The girl seemed to have just given a casual kick, how could it have caused him to spit blood? With a face ashen, the leader ordered, ¡°Have someone watch this place and bring this man back first.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, why are you arresting me, it¡¯s her, that woman did it!¡± the thief struggled. When they found Young Master Song, they had by chance caught this suspicious-looking person nearby, but then he said he had seen that murder weapon, belonging to a woman. That was why they had come looking. Young Master Song¡¯s death was a big deal, and by the next day, the news had spread far and wide, with many applauding the news. Young Master Song was the bully of Shangning City, forcibly taking women of good families, publicly murdering people ¨C there wasn¡¯t anything he wouldn¡¯t dare to do under the Song Family¡¯s name. There weren¡¯t much clues in the dungeon; they didn¡¯t even know why Young Master Song was there, only that the murderer must have brought him there. That afternoon, someone appeared claiming to have seen a person stealthily following Young Master Song, and that person pointed directly at the thief. The Song Family found out that the thief was in desperate need of Spirit Stones to pay off his gambling debts, giving him a motive to commit the crime. Others claimed to have seen Chuzheng interacting with Young Master Song, although after separating from him, Chuzheng went straight back to the inn. The innkeeper and shop assistant could both testify that she had not gone out at all. The Song Family, even though they felt Chuzheng was a major suspect, did not dare act rashly since she had both an alibi and strength. In the end, the thief took the fall and became the convicted killer of Young Master Song. Song Family. ¡°Family Head, that woman is a bigger suspect¡­¡± Patriarch Song¡¯s face darkened, his hands clinking an iron walnut in his grip, ¡°Song Li is in her hands.¡± ¡°What?¡± the person exclaimed, ¡°The young master? He¡­ he¡¯s dead, isn¡¯t he?¡± He had seen it with his own eyes! That half-human half-demon monster¡­ Patriarch Song did not intend to reveal why Li Tang was still alive, ¡°That bastard is in her hands, if she lets this matter out, revealing that the Song Family has connections with the Demon Clan, we¡¯ll become the target of the arrows.¡± The person took a moment to digest the information, ¡°Family Head, aren¡¯t you thinking too seriously? Not everyone might believe what she says.¡± Patriarch Song: ¡°The Song family is a tall tree that catches the wind. Whether it¡¯s true or not, there¡¯s always someone to take advantage of the situation.¡± The man¡¯s face visibly changed. In Shangning City, it seemed like the Song family was leading, but secretly, who knew how many were waiting for the chance to pull them down. If they were tangled in unclear relations with the Demon Clan, even if the Song family were innocent, they could be exploited and fall into a calamitous situation from which they could never recover. ¡°Family Head, about this matter¡­¡± ¡°If she has any schemes, she will definitely contact us,¡± Patriarch Song said. ¡°First, send someone to keep an eye on her, and if the opportunity¡­¡± Patriarch Song gave him a knowing look. The man understood and made a throat-slitting gesture. Patriarch Song reiterated: ¡°Without absolute certainty, you are not to act.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the man replied. ¡°By the way, Family Head, the young miss should be returning in a few days.¡± Patriarch Song¡¯s expression softened slightly. ¡°Every three years, the Ziyun Sect recruits new disciples. Lan¡¯er is coming back this time for that reason. Have the Song family¡¯s young gentlemen prepare well.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¨C Inn. Li Tang leaned against the head of the bed, sipping porridge from Chuzheng¡¯s hand. ¡°Do you think they believed it?¡± Li Tang took the initiative to speak for the first time in days. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That it wasn¡¯t you who killed him.¡± ¡°If I say it wasn¡¯t, then it wasn¡¯t,¡± Chuzheng replied as she brought the spoon to his lips, and Li Tang opened his mouth slightly. ¡°The Song family doesn¡¯t care about evidence.¡± ¡°They wouldn¡¯t dare lay a hand on me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was all seriousness: ¡°They can¡¯t beat me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Li Tang watched Chuzheng tidy up the dishes. He parted his lips, as if he wanted to say something but then hesitated. ¡°Say what¡¯s on your mind.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Having his thoughts exposed, Li Tang simply spoke up: ¡°Are you from the Demon Clan?¡± ¡°Seems so.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yes or no, but what did ¡®seems so¡¯ mean? ¡°The Demon Clan is sealed in the Underground Demon City, how did you get out?¡± ¡°The same way your father got out,¡± Chuzheng replied. Li Tang frowned, his tone changing slightly: ¡°You knew my father?¡± His mother rarely mentioned his father, but he knew that his mother loved him very much, and she had no regrets. His mother also said that his father did not abandon them on purpose; he had his reasons. If there was a chance¡­ ¡°No,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°Then why did you save me?¡± Chuzheng clenched her fist slightly, her seriousness like a vow: ¡°When I see injustice on the road, I draw my sword to help, to be a good person.¡± She resolved to be a good person or she¡¯d be leading a dog¡¯s life¡­ no, a backward life; she couldn¡¯t rewind! Absolutely not! ¡°¡­¡± Is there something wrong with this person? If such words were spoken by a human cultivator, he might believe them. But she was from the Demon Clan, claiming she wanted to be a good person. Had all the good people in this world died out? The way she treated him before, it felt like she was deliberately messing with him. How could that be considered good? This woman was truly strange¡­ Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 74: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (9) Chapter 74: Chapter 74: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (9) During Li Tang¡¯s recovery period, the Song Family did not appear, as if, just as she said, the Song Family didn¡¯t dare to lay hands on her. Aside from his exchange with Chuzheng that day, Li Tang remained silent afterward, his face taut all day, his gaze shifting from empty and numb to dark and deep. However, when Chuzheng appeared, he would slightly soften that kind of gaze. Chuzheng felt that he had already turned dark, should she still stop him? Maybe it would be better to finish him off. The King¡¯s Account roared to stop her. The King¡¯s Account was very weary; it was trying to prevent two people from turning to the dark side!! Chuzheng also had no clue about the Soul-Extinguishing Nail in Li Tang¡¯s body. He himself wouldn¡¯t speak of it, probably convinced that the Soul-Extinguishing Nail couldn¡¯t be removed. Talking about it would be useless and would only tear open old wounds for all to see, preserving that last bit of his dignity. After many days, Li Tang was able to walk on the ground. He walked to the door, preparing to go out for a breath of fresh air, but when he pulled on the door, it didn¡¯t move. Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± Li Tang pulled harder, but the door didn¡¯t budge. He turned and walked to the window. The window was open, and the sound of the wind blew in through it, passing over his face. However, as his hand reached out, he felt a burning sensation. The entire room was enclosed with some kind of barrier. Li Tang withdrew his hand and quietly sat back down on the bed¡ªshe had trapped herself in here. In those days when he couldn¡¯t get out of bed, he hadn¡¯t taken notice, and with the shop assistant¡¯s normal comings and goings, he didn¡¯t think about it¡­ Li Tang¡¯s hand clenched the edge of the bed slightly. Now that he had come out, he could not die! He had to become stronger! No one would be able to bully him again. Li Tang raised his hand to cover his shoulder, but what about the Soul-Extinguishing Nail inside his body? Without removing it, he wouldn¡¯t be able to cultivate¡­ neither spiritual cultivation nor demonic cultivation was possible. Crack¡ª There was a noise at the door, Li Tang released his hand and lay back down on the bed. Chuzheng entered from outside, carrying a bag of snacks, took Li Tang¡¯s hand, and placed it in his palm, ¡°You can walk now, right? Pack up, we¡¯re leaving the city today.¡± The question at the beginning was not meant as an inquiry at all. She had everything arranged, it was merely a symbolic notification to him. The palm of Li Tang¡¯s hand was burning hot, the pastries wrapped in oilpaper radiating a fresh fragrance. These days when she came back, she would occasionally bring such pastries. Sometimes for her, sometimes just left there, completely baffling as to what she was thinking. Or perhaps, ever since he met this woman, he had no idea what she really wanted to do. ¡°Leaving the city?¡± Li Tang sat up, ¡°For what?¡± Chuzheng walked to a cabinet beside him, her back to him, and said calmly, ¡°Someone knows how to remove the Devil-Vanquishing Nail, I¡¯m taking you to find him.¡± Li Tang was stunned; since the day she had asked and he hadn¡¯t answered, she never asked again, as if she had forgotten about the Soul-Extinguishing Nail entirely. His throat was somewhat dry, ¡°You¡­¡± Chuzheng waited a few seconds for him, seeing that he said nothing, she said indifferently, ¡°Pack up, I¡¯m waiting for you downstairs.¡± Li Tang watched her leave the room. Should he go with her? He tried walking to the door and found that it could be opened¡ªshe had removed the barrier. Now if he ran¡­ Li Tang stepped out of his room, below was a bustling street. Once he entered the crowd, it would be difficult for her to catch him. ¨C After settling the bill with the shopkeeper, Chuzheng left the inn and stood in front of a carriage. The carriage driver smiled obligingly at her, and Chuzheng placed a bag full of Spirit Stones into his hand, making him grin from ear to ear. This guest was incredibly generous; he couldn¡¯t earn this much in a year. ¡°Miss, we¡¯ve been waiting for almost half an hour,¡± the driver reminded Chuzheng. Chuzheng sat in front of the carriage, her legs dangling, swinging lightly. Upon hearing the driver¡¯s voice, she paused and looked back at the inn. ¡°` Just as I was wondering whether that weakling had run off, suddenly I saw the young man emerge from the inn. The young man had a stern face as he walked towards Chuzheng, silently locking eyes with her for a moment. Chuzheng boarded the carriage first. After hesitating, the young man also got on, sitting in a corner. The coachman immediately started leading the horses out of the city. ¡°Look quickly, those are cultivators from the Ziyun Sect!¡± ¡°Is the Ziyun Sect recruiting this year?¡± ¡°Of course, they recruit every three years. I¡¯ve been preparing for this for a long time. If I can get into the Ziyun Sect and become a real cultivator, life will be so much better!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go, they¡¯re heading to the Song Family. Let¡¯s go have a look.¡± Chuzheng lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked up into the sky. A massive roc soared overhead, with several individuals in white robes standing atop it, resembling immortals descending upon the earth, while the common folk below cheered and followed the roc. The Ziyun Sect¡­ Lin Chen¡¯s sect. I wonder if Lin Chen is dead¡­ He probably isn¡¯t, otherwise, I would have certainly reversed time by now. While all the townspeople were heading towards the Song Family, one carriage leisurely made its way out of the city in the opposite direction, gradually disappearing into the distance. ¨C Baiying Valley. ¡°Miss, please return. Our Valley Master¡¯s quota for patient consultations this year has already been used up.¡± The child bowed respectfully. Chuzheng calmly pulled out a pouch of Spirit Stones. ¡°Miss, the Valley Master truly won¡¯t be treating any more patients this year. Please come early next year.¡± The child remained unmoved. Another pouch was produced. ¡°Miss, the Valley Master really won¡¯t see you,¡± the child said helplessly, shaking his head. Chuzheng, with an expressionless face, spilled out a pile of Spirit Stones, almost as tall as the child. Chuzheng kicked it over, and the Spirit Stones clattered down, burying the child¡¯s legs. ¡°¡­¡± The child swallowed hard: ¡°Please wait a moment, I will go and report again.¡± Li Tang, standing beside Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Along this journey, he had seen how she spent Spirit Stones. Others wished they could split a single stone to spend it, while she wished she could spend several stones as one. It took a while for the child to return, making a gesture of invitation: ¡°Miss, sir, this way please.¡± Chuzheng tossed out a few more Spirit Stones. The corner of the child¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, and he summoned several other children to carry the Spirit Stones away. It was said in Baiying Valley that the Valley Master¡¯s medical skills were exceptional, but the Valley Master only treated twelve patients each year. One per month. Once the twelve slots were filled, no other patients were accepted. Li Tang didn¡¯t believe that this person could remove the Soul-Extinguishing Nail inside his body. He had followed Chuzheng all this way, and every time she said that someone could do it. But every time they approached someone, either they were incapable, or they had never heard of it. Yet every time, she seriously said, next time it would definitely be possible. Li Tang also felt like he was going mad for not fleeing and wasting time here with her. How many times had she mentioned ¡®next time¡¯? Baiying Valley was filled with various medicinal herbs, and the entire valley was imbued with the scent of medicine. The child led them through the winding paths, and as they entered a bamboo forest, he turned back and instructed, ¡°Please follow me closely.¡± The child moved through the bamboo with a particular stride. When Chuzheng entered, she felt discomfort, her body swaying slightly, but Li Tang, who was behind her, supported her. Li Tang helped her keep up with the child, and after they exited the bamboo forest, he let go of her. Chuzheng looked back at the bamboo forest thoughtfully. Was it rejecting the power inside her, because she belonged to the Demon Clan? But why was Li Tang unaffected? He was also half of the Demon Clan; why the discrimination? Idiotic! ¡°Xiao Zhu, you may leave now.¡± The child had just brought them to the entrance when an ancient voice sounded from within. The child bowed to Chuzheng and Li Tang and left. Chuzheng, unphased, walked in without changing her expression, with Li Tang following suit. Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 75: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (10) Chapter 75: Chapter 75: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (10) In the hall sat an old man, clad in a blue robe with floating wide sleeves. At this moment, his face tightened with wrinkles, giving off the impression he was difficult to speak with. The sharp gaze of the Valley Master swept over Chuzheng and settled on Li Tang. ¡°Who¡¯s injured?¡± Chuzheng pointed toward Li Tang. The Valley Master stood up and with his hands clasped behind his back, walked toward the inner room, ¡°Come with me.¡± Li Tang glanced at Chuzheng and followed the Valley Master to the inner room, while a young boy came in to pour tea for Chuzheng and even served some pastries. About fifteen minutes later, the boy named Xiao Zhu came out to invite her in. Li Tang, with his upper body bare, lay on a soft couch, his eyes tightly shut, unconscious. ¡°You are quite calm,¡± the Valley Master, who was washing his hands, remarked, as Chuzheng entered without making a sound, provoking yet another comment. ¡°Can he be healed?¡± The Valley Master took a cloth from the boy¡¯s hand, wiped his hands, and threw it on the table: ¡°Soul-Extinguishing Nail, it has been in his body for several years now. In as soon as half a year, or at most one year, he will be dead.¡± Chuzheng repeated her question, ¡°Can he be healed?¡± ¡°Hey, you little girl!¡± exclaimed the Valley Master, puffing out his beard and glaring fiercely: ¡°Don¡¯t you have manners?¡± ¡°We¡¯re paying for a service, a fair transaction.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Valley Master pointed in the air at Chuzheng twice, too angry to speak. After a long moment, he grudgingly said, ¡°There is no disease in this world that I cannot cure.¡± ¡°Can you cure poverty too?¡± Chuzheng asked seriously. The Valley Master: ¡°¡­¡± Go away! Get out of my Baiying Valley! I¡¯m not treating this! ¡°Valley Master, calm down. We¡¯ve already taken the Spirit Stone,¡± Xiao Zhu said, holding back the Valley Master. The Valley Master immediately calmed down. Pretending to be magnanimous, he smacked his robe: ¡°He¡¯s from the Demon Clan.¡± ¡°The Devil-Vanquishing Nail was originally intended for the Demon Clan. What nonsense are you talking!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Clearly picking up on the subtext in Chuzheng¡¯s words, the Valley Master¡¯s anger, which had just subsided, abruptly flared up again. Those who came to Baiying Valley for healing were always respectful, but this girl¡­ Never mind, for the sake of the Spirit Stone. ¡°To extract the Devil-Vanquishing Nail, we need a member of the Demon Clan to cooperate,¡± the Valley Master huffed: ¡°You find a member of the Demon Clan, and then I can heal him.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Chuzheng pointed at herself, ¡°I am.¡± The Valley Master frowned and muttered, ¡°No wonder the bamboo forest reacted.¡± It seemed the Valley Master didn¡¯t hold any prejudices against the Demon Clan, treating them the same as any other patient. ¡°Since you are from the Demon Clan, that makes it easier. Xiao Zhu, go prepare,¡± the Valley Master whispered to Xiao Zhu. Xiao Zhu left after acknowledging the instructions. ¡°Demon Clan¡­ It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen one,¡± the Valley Master clicked his tongue: ¡°Truly unexpected. Two show up at once, and one of them is Half-Human Half-Demon, curious, very curious¡­¡± All of a sudden, the Valley Master turned his head: ¡°This isn¡¯t your son, is it?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face remained cold: ¡°I don¡¯t have such a son.¡± What a weakling. The Valley Master: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C It took Xiao Zhu several days to prepare everything, so Chuzheng stayed in the valley during this time. The Valley Master seemed to have done something to Li Tang, as he hadn¡¯t woken up at all. If not for his normal breathing, Chuzheng would have thought he was already dead. On the fifth day, Xiao Zhu came to get her. They entered a cave with a platform, where the Valley Master instructed Chuzheng to lay Li Tang on the platform and stand at the head side. ¡°Extracting the Devil-Vanquishing Nail will cause his life force to continuously drain. You¡¯ll need to use Demonic Qi to sustain his lifeline,¡± the Valley Master explained while preparing the tools: ¡°If you can¡¯t protect his lifeline, he will die.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± The Valley Master positioned himself at the foot end of Li Tang and glanced at Chuzheng: ¡°Little girl, this will be energy-consuming. Can you handle it?¡± Chuzheng nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± How could I possibly be unable! A girl simply can¡¯t afford to be unable! ¡°Hmph, should anything go wrong, you¡¯ll bear the consequences alone!¡± The Valley Master flung his sleeve, forming a seal with his hands, and suddenly, the platform lit up, engulfing Li Tang in beams of light. As instructed by the Valley Master, Chuzheng began to channel Demonic Qi into Li Tang as soon as the light brightened. The light surrounding the platform gradually dimmed, and Chuzheng could see blood flowing from Li Tang¡¯s shoulder as the first Devil-Vanquishing Nail slowly emerged from the wound. Ding¡ª The bloodstained Devil-Vanquishing Nail dropped onto the platform, and the Valley Master continued to extract another one. By the time he reached the third nail, cold sweat had appeared on the Valley Master¡¯s forehead, and his movements had slowed considerably. The last Devil-Vanquishing Nail surfaced and left Li Tang¡¯s knee. The Valley Master immediately rushed to the platform, applied pressure on Li Tang¡¯s wounds to stop the bleeding, and fed him two elixir pills. ¡°There were only four Devil-Vanquishing Nails. If there had been five, he would probably have died long ago.¡± The Valley Master signaled Chuzheng to stop; then, observing her unperturbed expression, he suddenly felt his own irritation rise. This little girl is quite formidable, huh! ¡°Five nails?¡± The Valley Master pointed at the area around Li Tang¡¯s heart. The Valley Master stood up, ¡°If he wakes up within three days, he will be fine. If not¡­¡± ¡°What then?¡± The Valley Master let out a cold snort, ¡°Just dig a hole and bury him.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡±¡± Do I have to dig the hole? Don¡¯t you guys take care of burials here? [Miss!!] ¨C Five days later. ¡°Xiao Zhu, why has this one gone moldy?¡± ¡°Valley Master, it rained a few days ago, and it probably wasn¡¯t dried properly¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t use this anymore. Go find a replacement.¡± ¡°Valley Master, is that really okay¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s not okay about it? It¡¯s not going to kill anyone.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The Valley Master threw away the moldy, spoiled herbs, turned to enter the house, and immediately saw the young man standing at the doorway. ¡°Heh, you¡¯re awake?¡± The young man struggled to leave the room, ¡°Have all the Soul-Extinguishing Nails been removed from my body?¡± ¡°Are you doubting my abilities?¡± The Valley Master was displeased. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± The young man bowed slightly, ¡°Thank you, Valley Master.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± The Valley Master walked away, grudgingly saying, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that little girl, you wouldn¡¯t have survived this.¡± ¡°Where is she?¡± The Valley Master said sarcastically, ¡°She went to dig a hole for you.¡± Li Tang: ¡°???¡± Following Xiao Zhu¡¯s guidance, Li Tang found Chuzheng, who wasn¡¯t digging a hole but was watching two children do it. ¡°Finally dug it out!¡± The two children climbed out of the hole with something white and exclaimed, ¡°It was so hard to dig; it was buried so deep.¡± The children were about to fill the hole back in but were stopped by Chuzheng. She gave them a Spirit Stone, the children exchanged glances, grabbed the white object, and ran off, leaving Chuzheng alone. She stood by the edge of the hole, seemingly with no clear intention. ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Li Tang coughed lightly. Chuzheng turned and saw him, ¡°How are you awake?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Why couldn¡¯t he be awake? By her tone, was she disappointed? ¡°I dug your hole for you.¡± Chuzheng pointed to the pit, ¡°You wasted my time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Was he supposed to pretend he hadn¡¯t seen that it was those children who dug it? Li Tang walked over and peeked into the hole, ¡°Were you planning to bury me?¡± ¡°The Valley Master said if you didn¡¯t wake up in three days, we could bury you. I waited an extra day.¡± I have been more than fair to you! Li Tang choked, were these two in cahoots to trick him? If he really hadn¡¯t awakened, would she actually have buried him? Li Tang inhaled deeply, then exhaled a turbid breath, ¡°Now that the Devil-Vanquishing Nails are out, you can tell me what you want me to do, right?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± Chuzheng asked. Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± This question should be asked of you, what do you want me to do. Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 76: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (11) Chapter 76: Chapter 76: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (11) ¡°What is your purpose in taking me out of the dungeon?¡± The youth¡¯s gaze was as cold as a frosty pool but carried a hint of aggression, as if he intended to dissect Chuzheng¡¯s soul. Chuzheng glanced at him nonchalantly, ¡°No purpose.¡± I just wanted to be a good person. ¡°No purpose? Then why did you save me?¡± It seemed like a never-ending question. ¡°Because you¡­,¡± the rest of the words faded away as if automatically muted, Chuzheng paused, ¡°I¡¯ve already said it before, believe it or not, it¡¯s up to you.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s indifferent tone left the youth rooted to the spot. He watched Chuzheng walk away, the breeze brushing against his cheeks, bringing with it the scent of medicine, bitter with a tinge of astringency. ¨C Another three days passed. Li Tang¡¯s injuries had mostly healed, and he was now capable of exerting some force. With the Soul-Extinguishing Nail inside him for so many years, it had been a long time since he felt as relaxed as he did at this moment, his body his own, without the worry of exerting too much force and affecting the Nail within. Having completed a set of movements, Li Tang turned his head to look at the other end of the courtyard. She was lazily lying in the bamboo chair, her clothes falling to the ground, swaying with the rocking of the chair, sweeping back and forth across the floor. Li Tang averted his eyes and continued practicing. Starting now, he must become stronger. Perhaps because Chuzheng had given enough Spirit Stones, the temperamental and somewhat harsh Valley Master didn¡¯t drive them away. Li Tang¡¯s body was improving day by day. Chuzheng, on the other hand, was becoming lazier by the day. In the evening where she lay was where she would be found in the morning, without a hint of movement from her spot. However, for Chuzheng, days without worrying about how to spend money were too good to pass up; she had to fully enjoy and not miss out. The moonlight draped over the valley, casting a sheer veil that blurred the entire place indistinctly. Returning to the courtyard from outside, Li Tang immediately noticed the person lying in the bamboo chair; the chair was still, and the person on top appeared to be asleep. He walked straight into the house. After a moment inside, he came out with a blanket and laid it over Chuzheng. ¡°This is only because you saved me!¡± Li Tang muttered under his breath, his gaze lingered on her briefly before he swiftly looked away and went back inside. In the middle of the night, Li Tang heard noises from outside. He got up immediately and walked out, instinctively checking towards the bamboo chair. The person in the chair, wrapped in the blanket, sat up, looking towards the source of the noise, and then¡ª Laid back down. The bamboo chair rocked, making a slight noise. ¡°Someone is fighting,¡± Li Tang said as he approached her. ¡°Hmm.¡± What¡¯s it to me, sleep sleep! So noisy! ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to take a look?¡± ¡°We are merely guests.¡± Why bother, have we not seen fights before! Chuzheng replied indifferently, ¡°Let¡¯s act the part of good guests.¡± ¡°¡­¡± You really act your part well! The noise grew louder, obviously coming closer to them. Xiao Zhu and the Valley Master hurried past their courtyard, and Li Tang glanced at Chuzheng, furrowed his brows and walked outside the courtyard. Not far away, a group of people stood, the youngsters of Baiying Valley clustered around the Valley Master, on the other side. ¡°Who dares to intrude upon Baiying Valley in the dead of night!¡± The Valley Master could barely contain his anger, almost jumping as he erupted. ¡°Valley Master, we¡¯ve heard you¡¯re not receiving guests, and for that, we must apologize for the intrusion,¡± the other party said, cupping his hands together, his tone a bit rushed, ¡°Please forgive us.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± the Valley Master sneered. ¡°We humbly request the Valley Master to save a life.¡± ¡°You break into Baiying Valley and expect me to save someone?¡± ¡°Valley Master, I had no choice, driven by an urgent need to save a life, please forgive my impudence.¡± ¡°Baiying Valley has its own rules, and this year¡¯s quota is already full,¡± the Valley Master said, clearly discontented. It wasn¡¯t just about the quota being full; even if it weren¡¯t, he would not have saved the person. ¡°Valley Master, it was my fault for intruding into the valley. I accept whatever punishment you mete out, but please, you must save them,¡± the visitor pleaded. Li Tang was staring absent-mindedly when he suddenly sensed someone beside him. He glanced sideways to see Chuzheng with her arms crossed, leaning against the courtyard gate, watching the scene indifferently. Wasn¡¯t she uninterested just now? Why had she gotten up again? The Valley Master of Baiying Valley was an odd fellow. Chuzheng had broken the norm by pelting him with Spirit Stones, but the group before them was relentlessly heaping the virtues of a healer onto the Valley Master, promising immense gratitude if he saved their friend. And what if he couldn¡¯t save them? The Valley Master wouldn¡¯t have it. With a wave of his hand, a bamboo forest suddenly appeared among them, and then the group disappeared from sight. ¡°This is infuriating!¡± ¡°Valley Master, we¡¯ve already made an exception before, why¡­¡± Xiao Zhu was confused. ¡°Hmph. That person was from the Demon Clan. Are these people from the Demon Clan?¡± the Valley Master argued fallaciously, ¡°I heal twelve people each year, but the one I treated before wasn¡¯t even human, so it wasn¡¯t an exception. Understand?¡± Xiao Zhu nodded hurriedly, claiming to have learned a lesson, ¡°I¡­ I understand.¡± The Valley Master left with Xiao Zhu, and Chuzheng glanced at Li Tang, ¡°He just insulted you by saying you¡¯re not human.¡± Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± He was not human to begin with; in their eyes, he was a monster. Even though he knew it deep down, it still irritated him to hear it said aloud. A dark aura emanating from him, Li Tang turned and went inside with a stern face. ¨C ¡°Miss, what are you doing here?¡± Xiao Zhu asked Chuzheng, who had been posing outside the bamboo forest for half an hour, completely baffled. ¡°Were those people in there last night?¡± Chuzheng pointed inside. ¡°No, they were driven out of the valley,¡± Xiao Zhu explained with a smile. ¡°Hmm,¡± Chuzheng nodded seriously and composedly. Then Xiao Zhu watched as Chuzheng turned and walked away, disappearing into the distance with a swish. Xiao Zhu scratched his head. What was she doing standing there for so long? From the other youngsters in the valley, Chuzheng learned that the group had not left. They were still outside the valley, with one having knelt for a full day and night, begging the Valley Master to save someone. The person they wanted to save was a girl named Song Fenglan. This name was very familiar to the original host¡ªLin Chen¡¯s beloved. The very Song Fenglan who had occupied the host¡¯s body and, in the end, even turned her soul into a weapon. As it turned out, she had not misheard last night; Lin Chen was still alive¡­ But the plot seemed to have deviated, as Song Fenglan had just been injured and was seeking healing from the Valley Master of Baiying Valley. When the original host had encountered Lin Chen, Song Fenglan had already been to Baiying Valley. Thus, the way for Lin Chen to use the host¡¯s body for Song Fenglan might have been obtained from this very valley. Chuzheng had no doubt that the Valley Master would tell Lin Chen, since he did not seem to be the type who would only save his own kind, showing no sign of being strictly just and righteous. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Xiao Zhu was in such a rush that he bumped right into Chuzheng. Chuzheng reached out to steady him by the shoulder, and Xiao Zhu bowed with his hands clasped, ¡°My respects, Miss.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving the valley?¡± she asked. ¡°The Valley Master has sent me to invite those outside to come in,¡± Xiao Zhu replied. ¡°Is he going to save them?¡± Chuzheng inquired. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Xiao Zhu said, looking troubled. He only followed the orders of the Valley Master, and they couldn¡¯t fathom his thoughts. Perhaps one moment he wanted to save you, and the next, he changed his mind. ¡°You go ahead later, I¡¯ll go see the Valley Master,¡± Chuzheng stated. ¡°Ah?¡± Chuzheng patted his shoulder earnestly, ¡°Wait here for me.¡± Xiao Zhu, looking stunned, watched Chuzheng leave and found himself nodding as if possessed. Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 77: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (12) Chapter 77: Chapter 77: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (12) Half an hour later, a young boy came over to Xiao Zhu and told him to return, no longer needing to go outside the valley. ¡°Why?¡± The boy shook his head: ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but after that lady met with the Valley Master, he sent me to call you back.¡± Xiao Zhu returned with the boy to the Valley Master and saw him sitting worriedly beside a pile of Spirit Stones; Xiao Zhu immediately understood. ¡°Valley Master?¡± The Valley Master waved his hand: ¡°I don¡¯t want to see the outsiders from the valley; drive them away.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Xiao Zhu was about to leave when the Valley Master suddenly stopped him. ¡°Drive those two out as well!¡± The Valley Master¡¯s eyes were full of anger: ¡°Remember, make sure they touch the barrier. It would be even better if the people outside learn that it was she who wouldn¡¯t let me heal.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xiao Zhu¡¯s mouth twitched, what had that lady said to offend the Valley Master to this extent? ¨C Xiao Zhu was somewhat afraid of Chuzheng; this girl always seemed cold and lifeless. As for the other one, he always looked gloomy and Xiao Zhu had barely spoken to him. He relayed the Valley Master¡¯s words, albeit more tactfully, saying it was time for the healed patients to leave the valley now that they were well. Chuzheng wasn¡¯t very keen on leaving, as departure meant that she would have to face the fear of squandering resources again. However, since it wasn¡¯t her place and the owner had spoken, Chuzheng couldn¡¯t do something as shameless as stubbornly refusing to leave. Mainly because the Spirit Stones from her last two bouts of spending were nearly depleted. She was a bit¡­poor now. But she was poor yet happy, right? Couldn¡¯t life let her continue to be happy? Couldn¡¯t life cut her, Little Cutie, some slack?! ¡°Young master, please wait. The Valley Master has something else to say to you.¡± Another young boy hurried over and stopped Li Tang. Li Tang was puzzled, the moody Valley Master had only interacted with him once before when he mentioned that Chuzheng wanted to bury him in a pit. The Valley Master was waiting for him in the medicinal field out back. Li Tang walked along the field ridge: ¡°Valley Master, you had something to say to me?¡± The Valley Master, examining the herbs in his hand, asked: ¡°What is your name?¡± Li Tang hesitated, unsure why the Valley Master would ask that question all of a sudden, before replying: ¡°¡­Li Tang.¡± ¡°Who named you?¡± ¡°My mother.¡± ¡°Would you like to know where your father is?¡± The Valley Master pulled out a herb and set it aside. Li Tang was completely stunned; his head was filled with the words his mother said before she died. ¡ª Your father loves you very much. ¡ª Don¡¯t blame your father; he did it for you. It took a long while for Li Tang to find his voice again: ¡°You know my father¡­?¡± The Valley Master stood up, dusting off his hands: ¡°Your father is in Ziyun Sect.¡± The Valley Master watched as Li Tang walked away, looking forlorn, and he sighed softly. The Demon Clan¡­ sooner or later, they would emerge. Hmph! Let it all fall into chaos; that would be interesting! ¨C Outside Baiying Valley. ¡°Senior Brother, how is Senior Sister Fong Lan doing?¡± Lin Chen was holding a woman, her face pale and her breath as thin as a thread: ¡°Senior Brother, let¡¯s go back. Perhaps Master will have a way¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Brother, we were able to break in last time because Baiying Valley hadn¡¯t activated its barrier, but now we definitely can¡¯t get in. We should go back to the Sect; the Sect will surely have a way.¡± ¡°Junior Sister¡­¡± Lin Chen anxiously looked at the person in his arms: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will definitely save you.¡± ¡°Someone is coming out!¡± Xiao Zhu escorted Chuzheng and Li Tang to the valley¡¯s exit, clasping his fists and bowing, ¡°Please go slowly, the two of you.¡± As Lin Chen looked over following everyone¡¯s gaze, he immediately spotted the woman walking in the front. Clad in a pale blue dress, her gorgeous attire made her strikingly radiant, yet an aura of icy detachment surrounded her, compelling people to admire from a distance but not to desecrate. That person¡­ Lin Chen frowned; although there were differences from before, he felt he couldn¡¯t be mistaken about that face¡ªit was the girl he had encountered in the Underground Demon City. She had clearly saved him at the time, but when he came to again, he found himself bound to a pillar by a member of the Demon Clan. That demon said she had handed him over. ¡°You let us in; why can they enter? Didn¡¯t you say the quota was full? How can they get in? We want to see the Valley Master.¡± While Lin Chen was still in a daze, someone had already gone up to stop Xiao Zhu. Xiao Zhu remembered the Valley Master¡¯s order clearly, ¡°The Valley Master doesn¡¯t refuse to see you, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Chuzheng walked in front, with Li Tang following behind with his head lowered. ¡°Stop!¡± A loud rebuke came from behind, followed by a fierce attack. Li Tang, distracted and only just recovered, couldn¡¯t dodge in time. Li Tang¡¯s body lurched forward, bumping into Chuzheng¡¯s embrace; he snapped back to his senses slightly. The attack hit the tree behind them, causing leaves to rustle down to the ground en masse. Two leaves spiraled down in front of Li Tang as Chuzheng pulled him behind her, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± The person who attacked shouted angrily, ¡°Why did you persuade the Valley Master not to save my Senior Sister Fong Lan? What grudge do you have against her?!¡± Chuzheng glanced towards the valley, and Xiao Zhu quickly waved his hands; he was just following the Valley Master¡¯s instructions, it wasn¡¯t his fault. Chuzheng denied, expressionless, ¡°I did not.¡± ¡°You still won¡¯t admit it! How could you be so malicious? If anything happens to my Senior Sister, I won¡¯t let you off!¡± Chuzheng¡¯s eyes were cold, ¡°Baiying Valley¡¯s rules are well known. What power do I have to change the Valley Master¡¯s mind? You think so highly of me; I should thank you.¡± You want to let yourselves in and find a way to take my body for Song Fenglan¡¯s lifeforce extension? I¡¯m not stupid! Of course, I won¡¯t let you in! I just won¡¯t let you in! The person paused, seeming to find Chuzheng¡¯s words reasonable. Then, feeling something was wrong, he abruptly pointed towards Xiao Zhu, ¡°He said it, he personally¡­ Where is he? How come he¡¯s gone?¡± At the entrance to the valley, there was no sign of Xiao Zhu. ¡°Blame your own stupidity for being swindled.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng caught a falling leaf from the air and threw it casually, the leaf suddenly stretched taut, shooting toward the man at high speed. The man sensed the danger and instinctively went on the defense. However, the leaf, as if carrying the weight of a thousand catties, broke through his defense, embedding into his shoulders from left and right, as blood seeped out. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± The man screamed belatedly. ¡°Senior Brother!¡± ¡°Senior Brother, are you alright?!¡± The crowd surged forward. Someone roared at Chuzheng, ¡°How dare you attack and injure someone!¡± Chuzheng calmly stated her reason for inflicting injury, ¡°It¡¯s courtesy to return the favor.¡± If she hadn¡¯t pulled away quickly, it would be this weakling who got hurt. Standing behind Chuzheng, Li Tang¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t as gloomy as usual, showing a hint of confusion, as if he didn¡¯t know where he was. ¡°We didn¡¯t hit you just now! You have no right to hit back and injure someone!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± So if you don¡¯t hit, it doesn¡¯t count as an attack? If someone dodges and avoids injury, the attacker is not at fault? If I don¡¯t hit you, can you blame me? What kind of fool is this taught by?! Impressive, really impressive! Not dealing with you would indeed be a pity! Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 78: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (13) Chapter 78: Chapter 78: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (13) ¡°You mustn¡¯t learn from them.¡± Chuzheng suddenly turned her head to speak to Li Tang. Li Tang: ¡°???¡± Learn what? ¡°What makes you think I was the one who did it?¡± Chuzheng turned her head, her face serious: ¡°Do you have any evidence?¡± The people there probably didn¡¯t expect Chuzheng to say that, and they became incredibly angry: ¡°We all saw it, what more evidence do you need?¡± Chuzheng said, ¡°It¡¯s possible that you are all experiencing a collective illusion.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The leaves weren¡¯t thrown by you?¡± Chuzheng, full of righteous indignation: ¡°No! Leaves are everywhere, why should it be mine? Are the leaves marked with my name or can they recognize me? Without evidence, don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡± They had never seen such shameless denial. Even having seen her act, she still denied it so confidently. The person provoked by Chuzheng wanted to say something but was stopped by Lin Chen¡¯s rebuke. He looked at Chuzheng with an unclear expression, tinged with caution. Li Tang also tugged at Chuzheng: ¡°They have more people.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± So what if they have more people? Li Tang, pulling her along: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Lin Chen clearly also intended to call a truce and let Chuzheng and Li Tang leave. ¡°Senior Brother?¡± ¡°First, save the junior sister,¡± Lin Chen said softly. ¡°Don¡¯t cause trouble.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t you hear? It was her who intentionally made it impossible for us to enter Baiying Valley!¡± One of the disciples was not convinced. How was it them causing trouble? ¡°The rules of Baiying Valley can¡¯t be broken just because she wishes to break them,¡± Lin Chen said. ¡°Use your head.¡± The disciple: ¡°¡­¡± It was the children from Baiying Valley who said it themselves, could it be false?? Since Lin Chen said so, the disciple dared not talk back: ¡°What do we do now? Will junior sister be okay?¡± Lin Chen looked towards Baiying Valley: ¡°Wait a bit longer; if it really doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll take the junior sister back to the Sect.¡± ¨C Having left the area of Baiying Valley, Li Tang let go of her, walking ahead in silence with his head lowered. ¡°Li Tang.¡± The person ahead did not respond. Chuzheng quickened her pace, overtaking him: ¡°Li Tang?¡± Still no response. Chuzheng waved her hand in front of him, and Li Tang came back to his senses, his brow furrowing as he looked at her. ¡°You¡¯ve been off since coming out of the Valley; what happened?¡± she said, her attention wandering. Could it be that he was reluctant to leave someone behind in the Valley, some Little Beauty? No, that¡¯s not right, there were no Little Beauties in the Valley. It couldn¡¯t possibly be one of those rambunctious kids, could it? Wait a second¡­ This particular fondness for the Good Person Card was quite unique. Li Tang¡¯s gaze moved past Chuzheng, settling on the wildflowers by the side of the road: ¡°Nothing.¡± Chuzheng retracted her hand, crossing her arms in front of her chest, striding confidently: ¡°If it¡¯s nothing, then walk properly.¡± If you fall into a pit, I¡¯ll have to rescue you, and you¡¯re not the least bit self-reliant. Chuzheng walked ahead, and after a long while, Li Tang watched her back and finally spoke up: ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To spend money.¡± As soon as I left the Valley, the King¡¯s Account couldn¡¯t sit still. I knew I shouldn¡¯t have left! I just shouldn¡¯t have left!! Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± Li Tang watched as Chuzheng seemed to have no intention of paying him any more attention; at this moment, it seemed like he could go wherever he wanted, the world was wide open. But would she really let him leave? Li Tang stopped and watched as Chuzheng walked farther and farther away until she disappeared from his view. The wind whispered through the grass, rippling like water. Li Tang stood in the wind, feeling it sweep around his body. He remembered the dim dungeon, being taken away from that cage by her hand, and every moment they had shared since then. He thought he was indifferent, but to his surprise, he recalled everything so clearly¡ªeach image was vivid. Even his heartbeat seemed to become irregular. Li Tang sighed and hurried to catch up with Chuzheng. She was a fast walker, and he chased her for quite some distance before catching up. ¡°Not running?¡± The woman¡¯s voice, carried by the wind, reached his ears¡ªlight, detached, devoid of any emotion. Li Tang felt a mysterious tremble at the tip of his heart, a sense of panic as if exposed, yet tinged with a different sort of palpitation. He averted his gaze, ¡°I never said I¡¯d run away.¡± Chuzheng responded coldly, ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng arrived at the nearest town. It was bustling with people and appeared¡ªvery suitable for spending money. Then Li Tang just watched her start to buy, buy, buy. Where on earth did she get so many Spirit Stones? And isn¡¯t she from the Demon Clan? Why does she have so many Spirit Stones? [Congratulations Little Miss, you¡¯ve completed your task, and the reward of ten thousand Spirit Stones has been issued.] Chuzheng shoved the deed into Li Tang¡¯s hands. ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± ¡°For you.¡± Clutching the deed, Li Tang asked dumbfoundedly, ¡°Why are you giving this to me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a hassle.¡± Why give it to him if it¡¯s a hassle? Li Tang had yet to understand Chuzheng¡¯s way of thinking and looked a little stunned, ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°Then throw it away,¡± Chuzheng said, waving her hand with the air of a wealthy tycoon. Money is an external possession, it must be spent to be safe! ¡°¡­¡± Does she have so many Spirit Stones that it¡¯s burning a hole in her pocket?! Chuzheng refused to take back the deed, and Li Tang, looking at the extensive shop, tucked the deed away, ¡°Are you going to open a shop here?¡± ¡°Open a shop?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was indifferent. She pointed to herself, ¡°Do I look idle to you?¡± Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± If you¡¯re not opening a shop, why did you buy it?! Chuzheng instructed the staff of the shop to keep everything as it was, to continue doing what they had been doing before. Li Tang found her in the evening, ¡°I¡¯m going to Ziyun Sect.¡± ¡°Oh, go ahead.¡± What good does it do telling me? I¡¯m not going to take you there. ¡°¡­¡± Li Tang swallowed back what he originally wanted to say, ¡°I¡¯m just informing you. If you saved me because you want me to do something for you, you can tell me now.¡± Chuzheng leaned on the balustrade, asking earnestly, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a good person?¡± Li Tang replied without hesitation, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Then there¡¯s nothing to discuss. Goodbye! Wait a minute! Could he not have considered his answer a bit more? Did I save him for nothing? Ungrateful wretch! [Little Miss, Lin Chen is at Ziyun Sect. Please make sure you go to Ziyun Sect.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± So the next day when Li Tang left, he discovered Chuzheng was following him. ¡°What do you want by following me?¡± Chuzheng was extremely calm, ¡°It¡¯s on the way.¡± She wouldn¡¯t tell him that Bastard had tricked her again! ¡°???¡± On the way to where?! ¨C In the human race, those with talent must choose a sect or a powerful family to learn from. Ziyun Sect was one such sect, positioned as one of the top three sects in the Cultivation World, and it recruited new members every three years. This year happened to be the time for Ziyun Sect¡¯s recruitment. Chuzheng and Li Tang arrived at Ziyun Sect, where white jade-like steps reached into the sky, their end not in sight. At this moment, many people were gathered at the foot of Ziyun Sect¡¯s mountain, all of them having come on their own. The sect would also send disciples out to various towns to recruit talented recruits. ¡°Do you have a way to get in?¡± Li Tang asked Chuzheng. ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Li Tang took a deep breath and said, ¡°You are from the Demon Clan. To get in, you must conceal your Demonic Qi; otherwise, if you¡¯re discovered, it¡¯s all over.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t discover it,¡± Chuzheng stated confidently. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng thought for a moment, ¡°Weaker than me?¡± Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± He shouldn¡¯t worry about her. Being Half-Human Half-Demon and yet to start cultivating, no one would notice his identity. His only concern was during the talent test¡­ If he couldn¡¯t demonstrate any talent, he wouldn¡¯t be able to enter Ziyun Sect. Regardless of whether the Valley Master of Baiying Valley had spoken true or false, he wanted to see for himself what that man who his mother protected with her life to the very end was really like! Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 79: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (14) Chapter 79: Chapter 79: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (14) ¡°Look, look!!¡± ¡°Look at what? Don¡¯t push me¡­¡± ¡°Look at the sky, that¡¯s a Spiritual Beast, and there¡¯s someone on it!¡± The crowd suddenly buzzed with excitement, as everyone turned their gazes skyward. In the sky, a roc glided past and finally disappeared into the clouds that wreathed the mountains. ¡°There¡¯s someone flying with a sword over there!¡± ¡°What¡¯s that? A Flying Spirit Artifact?¡± From time to time, figures crossed the sky, each carrying people. These were members from Sects who had gone to various towns to recruit disciples, now returning. The unified assessment would begin in three days, but those already selected didn¡¯t need to participate in the preliminary exam. [Main Quest: Lady, please enter Ziyun Sect within five days.] Overthrow the Sect Master? [¡­]The King¡¯s Account almost choked, [Please remember, my lady, we are the Spendthrift System, not a violent demolition team! Be an elegant lady!] [With money, you really can do whatever you want, why should you dirty your hands! Fighting is also so tiring, isn¡¯t it?] Chuzheng touched her wrist and walked off in the opposite direction of the mountain gate. ¡°Hey.¡± Li Tang called out to her: ¡°Where are you going?¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t respond, and Li Tang, wary of attracting any trouble, could only follow her departure. ¨C Three days later. The preliminary exam began. Disciples at the foot of the mountain had to climb the endless staircase to participate in the next test. Not an ounce of originality, utterly boring. That was Chuzheng¡¯s evaluation of it. ¡°The two of you are the only ones left.¡± A disciple at the mountain gate reminded Chuzheng and Li Tang, with no one else behind them. One by one, people on the staircase toiled forward, but their climbing speed was slow as if they shouldered a thousand-catty heavy stone. ¡°I want to see the Sect Master.¡± Chuzheng had no intention of climbing. The mere sight made her tired, and she wasn¡¯t insane. The Sect disciple sneered slightly: ¡°Lady, please hurry.¡± Many in the Sect had never seen the Sect Master; did this person think the Sect Master was a cabbage, someone you could see just because you wished? ¡°I¡¯m not here for your recruitment exam.¡± ¡°Then what are you here for?¡± The Sect disciple was getting impatient: ¡°If you¡¯re not participating, please leave quickly.¡± Chuzheng handed the disciple several Spirit Stones: ¡°Please ask your Steward to come down, I have business to discuss.¡± Upon seeing the Spirit Stones, the disciple¡¯s pupils instantly shone. Spirit Stones were useful for cultivation; usually, they could only obtain one lower-grade Spirit Stone per month. But what Chuzheng gave him was a top-grade Spirit Stone, which would normally only be distributed to the direct descendants of the Sect¡­ The Sect disciple swallowed hard: ¡°What business do you have?¡± ¡°Can you make the decision?¡± Sect Disciple: ¡°¡­¡± He scratched his head, pocketed the Spirit Stones, and became many times more cordial: ¡°Then please wait a moment.¡± The Sect disciple sent a message to someone above, and however he had spoken, a middle-aged man shortly came down. Li Tang watched, utterly baffled, as Chuzheng spoke briefly with the middle-aged man before both were respectfully ushered up the mountain. It was only after he entered North Spirit Peak that Li Tang confirmed that he had indeed entered Ziyun Sect. And it was with the VIP treatment of the Sect, exclusively occupying a mountain peak. After the disciple who had arranged their accommodations left, Li Tang hurriedly asked, ¡°What did you trade with him?¡± ¡°I sponsored them Spirit Stones.¡± Li Tang felt skeptical: ¡°Would a big Sect like Ziyun Sect lack Spirit Stones?¡± ¡°Lacking.¡± Chuzheng stated categorically. Ziyun Sect had declined with each passing year, and amongst the newest generation of Sect disciples, aside from Lin Chen and Song Fenglan, there was hardly anyone noteworthy. Still, they needed to recruit new members each year to inject fresh blood into the Sect. They also had to maintain appearances, not let other Sects look down on them, and to secure their status, which meant massive consumption of Spirit Stones. If it weren¡¯t for the many years of foundation supporting Ziyun Sect, they might have already declared bankruptcy. They were more than just lacking Spirit Stones; they were in dire straits! Chuzheng negotiated to live in Ziyun Sect in exchange for providing them with Spirit Stones. Even if the Sect Master suspected she had ulterior motives, faced with the real and substantial Spirit Stones, he still agreed. North Spirit Peak was not close to the main peaks, lying on the border between the Outer Sect and Inner Sect. It had been the mountain where Ziyun Sect traditionally housed guests, so placing her there was normal. Li Tang stood on the mountain peak and could see the Outer Sect mountains not far away, where an examination was currently taking place. The Soul-Extinguishing Nail inside him was gone, and now he could cultivate¡­ He couldn¡¯t cultivate spiritual energy, only demonic energy. But¡­ he didn¡¯t know how to cultivate. He must become stronger! He would no longer be someone who could be easily manipulated and powerless to resist. Li Tang found Chuzheng lying on a chair, ¡°Can you, teach me to cultivate?¡± ¡°You want to take me as your mentor?¡± If she became his mentor, would it be easier to get the Good Person Card? Isn¡¯t there a saying that goes, ¡®once a teacher, forever a father¡¯? Sure, sure. Take her as his mentor? Li Tang felt an inexplicable resistance in his heart¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to take her as his mentor. ¡°Except for that condition.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to take me as your mentor?¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t want to.¡± He didn¡¯t want to. Not at all. Although he didn¡¯t know why, since he didn¡¯t feel like it, he wouldn¡¯t go against his own wishes. Chuzheng waived her hand, not planning to bother with him. If he wasn¡¯t going to acknowledge her as his teacher, why should she teach him? Li Tang refused to leave and spoke earnestly, ¡°Except for that condition, you set the other terms.¡± Chuzheng turned over, speaking seriously, ¡°You say, I am a good person.¡± Li Tang felt somewhat baffled, even thinking she was a bit crazy, but he repeated aloud, ¡°You are a good person.¡± The King¡¯s Account gave no reaction. As expected, this weakling is cursing her in his heart! Where is the sincerity between demons! Fraud! Chuzheng turned over angrily, hugging herself, poor little thing¡ªshe¡¯s so pitiful! Li Tang: ¡°???¡± So what does that mean? ¡°You¡­ agreed?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so annoying.¡± ¡°Will you teach me?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Li Tang moved his lips but ultimately made no sound, standing aside. As time ticked by, Li Tang cautiously glanced at Chuzheng. The woman lying on her side with closed eyes had a face like porcelain, a distant coldness that radiated a refusal to be approached, hiding mysteries that were inscrutable. This person who had suddenly appeared in his world seemed always to attract his attention¡­ Li Tang sighed, went into the room to find a thin blanket, and gently covered Chuzheng with it. He squatted down, his gaze fixed on the person in front of him. Her features were delicate, combined together they were especially striking. But that face, always so cold, as if she were a snow lotus blooming on ice and snow. Regal and elegant. So close, yet unreachable. Li Tang¡¯s finger stopped at the tip of her nose, almost touching her¡­ His fingertips slowly curled up, then gently unfolded. In the depths of his dark eyes, there was a hint of bewilderment. What was he thinking about? Li Tang wasn¡¯t sure, only feeling his mind was a mess. He abruptly withdrew his hand, pulled the blanket, stood up, and stepped aside, then suddenly froze. He thought blankly. This was the second time. Why did he worry about whether she would get cold? * Li Tang: ¡°I want to be your partner, but you treat me like a son.¡± Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 80: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (15) Chapter 80: Chapter 80: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (15) ¡°Miss Chuzheng, this is what our martial uncle asked to be sent over. Have a look, is there anything missing?¡± The disciple from Ziyun Sect stood respectfully in front of Chuzheng, with quite a few items placed beside her. ¡°Ask him.¡± Chuzheng pointed to Li Tang standing off to the side. Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± Li Tang indicated that nothing was missing and that they had arranged everything very well, without any neglect. ¡°Then the disciple will return to report.¡± The Ziyun Sect disciple made a gesture of respect in preparation to take his leave, but after a few steps, he turned back and said, ¡°Miss Chuzheng, the martial uncle said that if this young master wishes to cultivate, he may also join the sect disciples.¡± Chuzheng had spent so many Spirit Stones, and Li Tang was someone who followed her; he did not seem like someone with cultivation ability. Ziyun Sect was clearly trying to show goodwill. ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Li Tang thanked him before Chuzheng could reply. Chuzheng watched the Ziyun Sect disciple walk away, giving him a cold glance. What about her teaching? Were they playing a trick on her? ¡°I need to move around within Ziyun Sect,¡± Li Tang explained. ¡°I came to Ziyun Sect with a purpose.¡± He had originally planned on sneaking into the sect and then inquiring about his father¡¯s affairs. But what he hadn¡¯t anticipated was how exactly she would enter the sect. He was also certain about one thing, what she had said earlier about the people from Ziyun Sect being weaker than her was true. ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng turned and left. Li Tang frowned slightly. Was she angry? But she did not seem to be, she was always like this¡­ Why did he feel like she was upset? ¨C The disciples descending from North Spirit Peak were immediately stopped by a few fellow sect members. ¡°Senior Brother, who¡¯s staying up on North Spirit Peak?¡± ¡°Senior Brother, please tell us.¡± The sect disciple waved his hands, ¡°Don¡¯t go nosing around, this person is an esteemed guest of our sect, and it¡¯s not permissible to disturb them.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t tell us, Senior Brother, what if we run into the guest and offend them by mistake?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± The sect disciple scratched his head, ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll tell you a little.¡± ¡°Quick, tell us, Senior Brother,¡± they were eager to know who was staying at North Spirit Peak, which hadn¡¯t been occupied for a long time. The sect disciple didn¡¯t know much, only that there were two people staying there, one named Chuzheng and the other Li Tang. The two seemed about the same age, and it wasn¡¯t clear what their relationship was. The martial uncle treated them as very important guests, forbidding any neglect, and also mentioned that anything requested by North Spirit Peak must be provided promptly. ¡°That one named Young Master Li Tang will supposedly study with us. If you see him, be polite,¡± the sect disciple said. ¡°Is he very powerful?¡± The sect disciple thought for a moment, ¡°He looks like he has no cultivation¡­¡± ¡°How can he study with us without any cultivation?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you also have no cultivation when you entered the sect?¡± The sect disciple retorted, ¡°Alright, disperse now, there are a lot of new disciples entering the sect lately, don¡¯t cause more trouble.¡± The fellow sect members glanced at each other and prepared to leave. ¡°Senior Brother Lin.¡± ¡°Senior Brother Lin.¡± Lin Chen came down the side path, his face stern, ¡°What are you all doing at the foot of North Spirit Peak?¡± ¡°Senior Brother Lin, did you know that our sect¡­¡± One of the disciples, too quick of mouth, immediately blurted out everything he had just heard to Lin Chen. ¡°Since they are esteemed guests, why are you still lingering here?¡± Lin Chen spoke in a low voice, ¡°Now disperse.¡± The disciples clearly feared Lin Chen, ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Chen glanced in the direction of North Spirit Peak, then walked away with a heavy heart in another direction. Three days later. The new disciples of the Outer Sect were settled in and began their classes. The Outer Sect disciples were taught by the brothers and sisters of the Inner Sect. The sect seemed to worry that Li Tang wouldn¡¯t keep up with the pace of the Inner Sect disciples and had him start by attending classes on the Outer Sect side. ¡°Who is that standing over there? Why haven¡¯t I seen him among the new disciples before?¡± ¡°He¡¯s quite handsome, an Inner Sect brother?¡± ¡°No, Inner Sect brothers have embroidered blue patterns, and personally transmitted disciples have silver patterns.¡± ¡°Wow, you know a lot.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know just by observing.¡± ¡°I think he looks better than Zhao Yue, what do you guys think?¡± Li Tang¡¯s eyes flickered darkly when he heard the name Zhao Yue, perhaps by coincidence¡­ ¡°Zhao Yue is here.¡± The Zhao Yue they were talking about entered with a few followers, scanned the room, and his gaze landed on Li Tang. Li Tang knew this wasn¡¯t over. This was the Zhao Yue he knew. Once a lackey for Young Master Song, Zhao Yue had bullied him relentlessly when his mother was still alive. There was one time Zhao Yue almost caused him to lose a leg. If his mother hadn¡¯t found out in time, he would be a cripple now. ¡°Why do you look so familiar to me?¡± Zhao Yue walked straight up to Li Tang, unabashedly scrutinizing him. ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong person.¡± He had no power now and didn¡¯t want to conflict with Zhao Yue, let alone cause trouble for her. ¡°How do you know I¡¯ve got the wrong person?¡± Zhao Yue stroked his chin, evidently intrigued. ¡°The more I look at you, the more familiar you seem. I¡¯ve definitely seen you before!¡± ¡°The instructing senior brother is here!¡± Someone shouted. Zhao Yue clearly couldn¡¯t remember at the moment. Hearing that the senior brother had come to teach, he left with a ¡®wait here, don¡¯t go¡¯ and took his entourage with him. All new disciples, their lectures were all about conceptual knowledge, which many of them knew. Yet even this kind of conceptual knowledge was fresh to Li Tang, as no one would teach him these things. ¨C Chuzheng sat in front of the main hall of North Spirit Peak, cradling a fluffy Spiritual Beast, stroking it with a serious face. This Sect had its good points after all. The Spiritual Beast¡¯s ears twitched, as if it heard something, and wriggled out of Chuzheng¡¯s hands, disappearing in a few bounds. As the Spiritual Beast vanished, a silhouette approached in the sunset. Li Tang seemed to see Chuzheng sitting there and turned to walk towards his own room. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The Good Person Card is ignoring me!! When Chuzheng bumped into him later that evening in the corridor, Li Tang passed by with his head down. Chuzheng grabbed him: ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Li Tang pressed his head down further, avoiding Chuzheng¡¯s scrutiny. Chuzheng rudely pushed him, using invisible force to make Li Tang sit beside her on the corridor. Her fingertips, carrying a slight chill, pinched his chin, forcing him to look up. Li Tang¡¯s face was swollen, streaked with blood. ¡°Did someone hit you?¡± Li Tang¡¯s eyes darted away, turning his face aside: ¡°I can handle it myself.¡± Chuzheng was silent for a few seconds before saying, ¡°Good.¡± Then she walked away with her hands behind her back. Li Tang watched her back, touching the spot she had just touched, which suddenly began to burn. He jerked his hand back as if electrified. Li Tang went back to his room, covering his arm and shifting uncomfortably. He stripped off his clothes, revealing a swath of bruises on his arm. ¡°Creak¡­¡± The door suddenly opened, and Li Tang hurriedly pulled on his clothes, turning to see who it was. Chuzheng walked in from outside: ¡°Come here.¡± Her voice, plain and level, carried an undeniable force. Li Tang, holding his clothes, approached: ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Chuzheng motioned for him to sit down. Li Tang hesitated, then sat next to her. ¡°Starting today, I¡¯ll teach you how to cultivate,¡± Chuzheng said. Li Tang thought she had come to discuss his injury, but to his surprise, she offered to teach him. ¡°You¡­ are you really going to teach me?¡± Chuzheng asked, ¡°Can you feel Demonic Qi?¡± Li Tang: ¡°This is the Ziyun Sect, how could there be Demonic Qi?¡± Chuzheng switched the subject without changing expression: ¡°Can you feel Spiritual Energy?¡± Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± After a moment, he shook his head. Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 81: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (16) Chapter 81: Chapter 81: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (16) Chuzheng could hardly be considered a good teacher, and King¡¯s Account felt that Li Tang was bound to suffer demonic cultivation deviation sooner or later. She actually let a member of the Demon Clan feel the Spiritual Energy and then cultivate? Crazy! [Miss, you should be concerned about his injuries.] ¡°Giving a man a fish is not as good as teaching a man to fish.¡± [¡­]If Miss isn¡¯t single, who is single! ¨C The injuries on Li Tang¡¯s body were inflicted by Zhao Yue. Of course, Zhao Yue didn¡¯t benefit from it either, so in the following days, Li Tang lived relatively peacefully. He attended classes in the Outer Sect during the day and cultivated with Chuzheng at night. One day, when Li Tang returned from the Outer Sect, he found that an extra Formation had been added to his room. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Demon Attracting Formation.¡± Li Tang: ¡°???¡± After pondering, Chuzheng seriously replied, ¡°I modified it from the Spirit Attracting Formation. It works quite well.¡± Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± Is this really a question of whether it works well? You¡¯ve set up a Demon Attracting Formation in the Ziyun Sect!! Are you trying to make it known that you¡¯re part of the Demon Clan? ¡°Why do you know the Spirit Attracting Formation?¡± She¡¯s a demon cultivator, okay?! ¡°I learned it yesterday from the neighboring peak.¡± Chuzheng answered as if it were obvious: ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Li Tang was at a loss for words. He stepped into the Demon Attracting Formation, and though he normally couldn¡¯t feel Spiritual Energy, entering the formation was like entering an ocean, where he could distinctly sense the Demonic Qi. The Demon Attracting Formation relied entirely on Demon Crystals for power and needed a new one every ten days. Currently, she was in the Human Realm, and King¡¯s Account wouldn¡¯t issue tasks related to the Demon Realm, so the supply of Demon Crystals was limited. It seems she had to figure out a way to create a Spirit Conversion Formation. [May I ask, Miss, what is a Spirit Conversion Formation?] Turning Spiritual Energy into Demonic Qi; isn¡¯t that the literal meaning? Why are you asking me such an intelligence-lowering question? [¡­Can Miss do it?] No. [Then how will you manage it?] You¡¯ll know once it¡¯s done. [¡­]It felt as if it was seeing the terrible end of Li Tang succumbing to demonic cultivation deviation. It was horrifying. Li Tang stayed in the Demon Attracting Formation for one night, and following Chuzheng¡¯s brief theoretical knowledge, with his talent for turning into a major boss, he successfully drew Demonic Qi into his body. The reason he could do so quickly was probably related to the Demonic Qi that Chuzheng had once transferred into his body back at Baiying Valley. But now, there was another issue¡ª Li Tang¡¯s body contained Demonic Qi, and with his current ability, he had no way to conceal it. Anyone with a bit of cultivation could see the Demonic Qi on him. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡± Li Tang pointed to himself: ¡°Demonic Qi.¡± ¡°Hmm, now that you¡¯ve officially started cultivating, it¡¯s normal to have Demonic Qi.¡± What¡¯s there to make a fuss about? Li Tang continued: ¡°If I go out, I¡¯ll be discovered.¡± The Demonic Qi around Li Tang was very light, as if he had just accidentally come into contact with it somewhere. However, such Demonic Qi was enough to incite an uproar within the Ziyun Sect, and to have him captured and torn to pieces¡­ The Good Person Card would be gone! If the Good Person Card is gone, there¡¯d be a rewind! No way! Chuzheng rummaged through the Spatial Bag and found an Ancient Jade she had wastefully bought at some point. She handed the jade to him: ¡°Keep the jade on you at all times, and no one will detect anything.¡± The Ancient Jade was warm and smooth, with a strange energy inside that moved slowly. ¡°What kind of jade is this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± As long as it¡¯s valuable and effective, she didn¡¯t care about the type. Chuzheng waved her hand to shoo him away: ¡°You can leave now.¡± Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Zhao Yue eventually remembered who Li Tang was. In Zhao Yue¡¯s memory, Li Tang should have been dead. Yet here he was, appearing before them, which greatly puzzled Zhao Yue. But he had been someone Zhao Yue used to bully, and even if he was still alive, he could only be the target of Zhao Yue¡¯s bullying. Thus, Zhao Yue was very rude to Li Tang. From verbal provocation to physical conflict. At first, Zhao Yue, with his followers, suppressed Li Tang. Later, Li Tang also gathered his own followers, and the division of forces among the Outer Sect disciples became increasingly clear. Zhao Yue found it harder and harder to come out on top. ¡°You are nothing but a bastard without a mother¡¯s upbringing, your mom probably doesn¡¯t know how many men she¡¯s been with¡­¡± The cold light flashed fiercely in the eyes of the youth opposite him. With a strong push from his feet, he rushed towards Zhao Yue. In that instant, Zhao Yue sensed the killing intent and had no time to shout a warning. He hastily defended himself. The youth¡¯s eyes were filled with a sinister intent to kill as he broke through Zhao Yu¡¯s defense and struck him in the chest with a palm. Zhao Yue was sent flying backward, crashing to the ground, where his followers hurried to help him up. ¡°What are you doing?¡± A gentle yet dignified voice sounded from above. A young girl dressed in silver-edged embroidered clothes stood poised on a path above. Her delicate face was tinged with a sickly pallor, but it did nothing to diminish her beauty. ¡°Senior Sister Song.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Senior Sister Song.¡± ¡°She is Senior Sister Song, truly deserving the title of Ziyun Sect¡¯s first beauty¡­¡± ¡°Senior Sister Song, he¡¯s bullying people!¡± Zhao Yue, bruised and battered, complained to Song Fenglan. Song Fenglan remembered this young man; they had met once before in Baiying Valley, but she felt his features were somehow familiar, and yet could not recall where she had seen them. People from the Song Family¡­ Li Tang lowered his head, hiding most of his face. ¡°Are you bullying people?¡± she asked softly. Li Tang replied solemnly, ¡°We were just having a normal spar.¡± Some disciples behind Li Tang immediately echoed, ¡°A spar, exactly. Zhao Yue, if you can¡¯t match someone, don¡¯t be so vile!¡± ¡°Bullshit, he was trying to kill me just now!¡± Zhao Yue thought of the feeling he had earlier and was overtaken by fear. If it weren¡¯t for Senior Sister Song¡¯s timely arrival, he might already be dead. A disciple retorted, ¡°If Li Tang wanted to kill you just now, it would have been as easy as flipping his hand. How are you still alive to talk nonsense to Senior Sister?¡± ¡°Senior Sister, you have to be fair for me, he wanted to kill me!¡± Song Fenglan¡¯s eyebrows lightly furrowed, ¡°Followers of the same sect should not fight to the death; sparring must have limits. Be more careful next time.¡± Zhao Yue: ¡°¡­¡± Zhao Yue glared fiercely at Li Tang. How could even Senior Sister Song be taking his side? Li Tang acknowledged with a cold nod and, leading his followers, left the scene. A hint of doubt flickered in Song Fenglan¡¯s eyes; after giving a few instructions to the remaining disciples, she too left the place. ¨C Li Tang belonged to North Spirit Peak, and no one dared to punish him. Every time there was trouble, it was Zhao Yue who ended up being punished, which made Zhao Yue despise Li Tang even more. Half a year flew by in the blink of an eye. The Outer Sect disciples had learned some simple spells, and fights were no longer just brawls as they had been before. Zhao Yue and Li Tang were at odds, and fights broke out every few days. But this time, the trouble was quite serious; someone had died. As it so happens, an Elder from the Law Enforcement Hall stumbled upon the incident, and the situation escalated. ¡°Someone from the Sect has already been sent to inform North Spirit Peak,¡± whispered one of the Sect disciples to Li Tang. Li Tang nodded, but he did not hold much hope. She wasn¡¯t on North Spirit Peak. Chuzheng would occasionally leave North Spirit Peak, and each time she was gone for several days. Whenever Li Tang asked about it, she simply said she was spending Spirit Stones. Li Tang didn¡¯t quite believe her and felt that Chuzheng was up to something. It had been three days since he last saw her. This matter had nothing to do with her¡­ ¡°Silence!¡± the Elder from the Law Enforcement Hall shouted, ¡°Someone tell me, what happened?¡± ¡°Elder, let me explain!¡± Zhao Yue raised his hand. The Law Enforcement Hall Elder pointed to another disciple, ¡°You tell it.¡± Zhao Yue begrudgingly lowered his hand. The selected disciple looked at Li Tang then at Zhao Yue. Intimidated by Zhao Yue¡¯s glare, he quickly replied, ¡°Elder, it was¡­ yesterday, Li Tang had a conflict with Sun Fei, but today, Sun Fei was found dead here, and he had this in his hand.¡± Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 82: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (17) Chapter 82: Chapter 82: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (17) Sun Fei was the one who died. And in the deceased¡¯s hand, there was a jade held tight. That jade was very similar to the one Li Tang had, but Li Tang was certain it wasn¡¯t the one given to him by Chuzheng. A lightbulb went off in Li Tang¡¯s mind, sensing what Zhao Yue was trying to do. He looked at Zhao Yue, who revealed a sly and provoking expression before turning to speak righteously, ¡°Elder, I¡¯ve seen that jade in Li Tang¡¯s possession before. He must have been unable to tolerate it any longer and killed Sun Fei!¡± ¡°This is not my jade.¡± ¡°Not yours? I saw with my own eyes that you had such a jade. If it¡¯s not yours, then whose is it? If you say it¡¯s not yours, then take out yours and let us see!¡± Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± What Zhao Yue wanted was not to frame him for the murder, but to expose his identity as a member of the Demon Clan. Once he took out his jade, Zhao Yue would use the pretext of inspection and comparison to take the jade away. She had said not to part with the jade. But when did Zhao Yue discover he was from the Demon Clan? And how did he know this jade was key? He had always been very cautious in his interactions with others in the Outer Sect¡­ The Law Enforcement Hall Elder knew Li Tang was that person from North Spirit Peak, but this was a matter of life and death, and he had to act impartially, ¡°If Young Master Li Tang is certain that the jade in the deceased¡¯s hand is not yours, please take it out for us to see.¡± Li Tang¡¯s hand, which hung by his side, clenched tightly, his gaze fixated on Zhao Yue. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, can¡¯t take it out?¡± Zhao Yue sneered, ¡°It was you who killed Sun Fei!¡± Even if he couldn¡¯t expose Li Tang¡¯s identity as a member of the Demon Clan, he could still make him bear the burden of a life taken, Zhao Yue was killing two birds with one stone. This was definitely not a strategy that a fool like Zhao Yue could come up with. There was someone guiding him from behind. ¡°Young Master Li Tang,¡± the Law Enforcement Hall Elder was still polite after all, given that the person from North Spirit Peak was now their Ziyun Sect¡¯s God of Wealth. Li Tang forced himself to calm down and took out the jade from his waist. Zhao Yue¡¯s eyes gleamed, and he called out, ¡°Elder, I want to see if that one is the same one I saw before. What if he¡¯s just trying to fool me with any jade? Sun Fei cannot die in vain; the murderer must be severely punished!¡± The Law Enforcement Hall Elder frowned, merely inspecting a jade didn¡¯t seem like much. Thinking this, he nodded in agreement. Zhao Yue quickly approached Li Tang and reached for the jade. Li Tang dodged him, and Zhao Yue grasped at air, then sneered coldly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, you¡¯re scared? Scared I¡¯ll expose you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not worthy of holding it. If you want to see, see it like this.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Zhao Yue¡¯s face turned dark with menace, ¡°You¡¯re guilty and dare not let me see, right? Elder, look at him, he must be the murderer! Elder, you must seek justice for Sun Fei, he can¡¯t just die like this without any explanation.¡± The Law Enforcement Hall Elder raised his hand and pressed it down, signaling Zhao Yue to be quiet. ¡°Young Master Li Tang, it¡¯s just a piece of jade, please hand it over and let everyone see clearly. As long as we can verify that the jade in Sun Fei¡¯s hand has nothing to do with you, I will make Zhao Yue apologize to you.¡± ¡°Elder!¡± Zhao Yue¡¯s heart twisted. Why was even the Law Enforcement Hall Elder siding with him? ¡°Could it truly be him who killed?¡± ¡°If not, why won¡¯t he hand over the jade?¡± ¡°He was at odds with Sun Fei and Zhao Yue before; could he have killed Sun Fei by accident?¡± The surrounding disciples whispered amongst themselves. Zhao Yue was getting impatient and a venomous light flashed in his eyes; suddenly, he made his move to snatch the jade from Li Tang¡¯s hand. Zhao Yue acted suddenly and swiftly. In front of the Law Enforcement Hall Elder, Li Tang didn¡¯t dare to expose too much and the jade slipped from his hand. A tightness formed in his throat, and the next second someone grabbed his wrist, and his body was forcefully pulled back. He felt a familiar presence. Was she back? The jade was initially grabbed by Zhao Yue, but now it floated mid-air, free from Zhao Yue¡¯s grasp. Zhao Yue¡¯s body flew backward at the same time, crashing into a nearby building. The scene suddenly fell silent. ¡°What are you doing?¡± A cold, indifferent voice shattered the silence. The Law Enforcement Hall Elder¡¯s spine stiffened as he hurriedly clasped hands and bowed, ¡°Miss Chuzheng.¡± Chuzheng, holding Li Tang¡¯s wrist, swept her gaze across the crowd with indifference, ¡°I asked, what are you doing?¡± The girl exuded a chill and distance. Although devoid of emotion, everyone simultaneously felt a chill down their spine and dared not meet her gaze. The Law Enforcement Hall Elder glanced at Zhao Yue lying on the ground and recounted what had happened. ¡°Did you kill him?¡± Chuzheng asked Li Tang, turning her head. Li Tang felt a burning heat on his wrist. An abnormal warmth seemed to spread through his limbs, and his mind was muddled with thoughts. Only when Chuzheng asked did he turn around and awkwardly avoid her gaze, ¡°I didn¡¯t kill him.¡± Chuzheng stared at him unblinkingly. Li Tang felt a heaviness in his heart¡ªdid she not believe him, either? ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Heard that.¡± This was addressed to the Law Enforcement Hall Elder. Law Enforcement Hall Elder: ¡°¡­¡± This matter involved North Spirit Peak, and he had no idea how to handle it. Li Tang was somewhat stunned. Did she believe him after all? Chuzheng raised her hand, and a jade in the air drifted toward her. Just before it could land in her hand, someone intercepted it mid-way. The jade flew off in a different direction. Lin Chen arrived with a few Inner Sect disciples, riding on swords. That piece of jade was now in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s Brother Lin Chen!¡± ¡°Really, to see Brother Lin Chen here¡­¡± The female disciples among the Sect members present were infatuated. One had to admit Lin Chen was indeed handsome, even more charismatic and elegant than when Chuzheng first saw him in the Underground Demon City. What¡¯s there to look at! Put him in beggar¡¯s clothes, and see how handsome he can be! Shallow! Ignorant! And he stole her jade! Just because he¡¯s good-looking doesn¡¯t mean he can do whatever he wants! Chuzheng¡¯s hand, suspended in mid-air, slowly retracted. At that moment, the sword Lin Chen was on suddenly went out of control, wobbling erratically. The people on it scrambled to regain control, but to no avail, and they eventually fell from the sky. Luckily, they were not far from the ground, and everyone landed safely. However, their swords shattered into pieces the moment they hit the ground. The Inner Sect disciples looked around with wariness. Had someone attacked them? But why hadn¡¯t they felt anything? All was calm around them. The atmosphere at the scene became awkward. No one knew what had just happened, not even the Law Enforcement Hall Elder, who was utterly bewildered. In front of the Outer Sect disciples, it was quite a show by the Inner Sect disciples. Lin Chen appeared much steadier. Holding the jade, he walked to the center, ¡°Uncle Master.¡± ¡°Lin Chen¡­¡± The Law Enforcement Hall Elder called out, ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°A disciple reported a casualty here, and Master ordered me to come take a look,¡± Lin Chen replied. ¡°The Sect Master knows about this too?¡± The Law Enforcement Hall Elder was slightly taken aback. Logically, the news shouldn¡¯t have reached the main peak so quickly. ¡°Uncle Master, have you found any clues?¡± Lin Chen ignored Chuzheng and Li Tang entirely, speaking only to the Law Enforcement Hall Elder. ¡°This¡­¡± The Law Enforcement Hall Elder glanced at Chuzheng. From Chuzheng¡¯s earlier implication, it was clear that they were now dismissing Li Tang¡¯s involvement. Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 83: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (18) Chapter 83: Chapter 83: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (18) The Law Enforcement Hall Elder sighed, since the Sect Master was already aware, he had no choice but to tell the truth. He recounted Sun Fei¡¯s death and Zhao Yue¡¯s suspicions in detail. ¡°Since there¡¯s suspicion, we can¡¯t just let it go at that,¡± Lin Chen turned to look at Chuzheng. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, though you are a distinguished guest of our Ziyun Sect, we cannot condone murder.¡± ¡°If he didn¡¯t do it, where¡¯s the question of condoning?¡± Chuzheng asked without expression. ¡°Why are you so certain before the investigation is complete, Miss Chuzheng?¡± Lin Chen responded smoothly. ¡°He said he didn¡¯t.¡± Lin Chen: ¡°A murderer will not admit to killing someone. If Miss Chuzheng truly has his best interests at heart, you should let us investigate the matter thoroughly.¡± Chuzheng glanced over at Zhao Yue, who was still lying on the ground not far away, then at the lifeless Sun Fei, and finally her gaze settled on the jade held by Lin Chen. They¡¯re trying to frame this weakling. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, Young Master Li Tang, this matter involves a life, and without thorough investigation, it will undoubtedly cast fear among the other disciples. If we offend you, please be understanding,¡± said the Law Enforcement Hall Elder, speaking more politely. Chuzheng¡¯s voice was cold: ¡°Investigate then.¡± Lin Chen frowned slightly, his deep gaze moved from Chuzheng to Li Tang, pausing briefly at where Chuzheng was holding Li Tang¡¯s wrist, then turned to instruct the others to check Sun Fei¡¯s cause of death and to retrieve the jade from Sun Fei¡¯s hand for comparison. ¡°Young Master Li Tang, could you please come over here?¡± Lin Chen suddenly spoke up. Li Tang knew that the reason the Demonic Qi in his body had not been detected was because she was holding onto his hand. If he went over by himself¡­ Chuzheng¡¯s palm slid down as if letting go of him. However, Li Tang felt a trace of coolness at his fingertips, as if something had wrapped around them. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Li Tang didn¡¯t dare to look at his fingers; he walked towards the center. As Li Tang approached, the doubt in Lin Chen¡¯s eyes gradually intensified. Lin Chen repressed his doubt and displayed the two pieces of jade before Li Tang: ¡°These two jades appear to be very similar, Young Master Li Tang, how can you prove which one is yours?¡± Li Tang: ¡°I can recognize my own belongings.¡± Lin Chen: ¡°No one has looked closely at the two pieces of jade, meaning, you could also possibly switch the real for a fake, finding another one that is similar.¡± Chuzheng spoke up: ¡°His has the Treasure Pavilion¡¯s mark.¡± The mention of the Treasure Pavilion made everyone present gasp. The items from the Treasure Pavilion are all for Cultivators to use, but are exorbitantly priced. Lin Chen¡¯s face darkened slightly as he closely examined Li Tang¡¯s piece, indeed finding the unique mark of the Treasure Pavilion. Such a mark cannot be falsified. You could say that he lost the real one and found a fake to replace it, and that could be understood. But who would lose a fake and leave behind the real one for others to catch? Chuzheng stepped forward: ¡°Give it back.¡± Lin Chen looked displeased: ¡°This does not clear the suspicion.¡± Chuzheng was getting impatient: ¡°Give it back.¡± What a bunch of troublemakers, utterly annoying. Lin Chen: ¡°¡­¡± The Law Enforcement Hall Elder hurried forward, elbowing Lin Chen and then taking the jade to return it to Chuzheng. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, please do not be angered; this matter seems to be a misunderstanding.¡± Chuzheng took the jade: ¡°A misunderstanding? I don¡¯t think so.¡± She loosened her fingers, and the jade fell to the ground, turning into powder the moment it hit, causing Lin Chen¡¯s pupils to shrink slightly. The others were all staring wide-eyed; that was a product from the Treasure Pavilion! And it just turned to powder?! How many Spirit Stones was that worth! ¡°This is framing.¡± Her voice rose slowly, like the chilling meltwater flowing down from an iceberg, crisp yet icy cold. The Law Enforcement Hall Elder was startled: ¡°Miss Chuzheng, why would you think that?¡± ¡°Anyone can see it.¡± The Law Enforcement Hall Elder: ¡°¡­¡± Was she saying he was less than a person? But the Law Enforcement Hall Elder, upon reflection of the whole affair, also realized it was strange, his expression stern: ¡°Miss Chuzheng, rest assured. I will investigate this matter thoroughly and provide you and Young Master Li Tang an explanation.¡± Chuzheng neither agreed nor disagreed, and left with Li Tang. On someone else¡¯s territory, if they wanted to frame her, how could they truly hand over the murderer to her? She certainly didn¡¯t believe it. The Law Enforcement Hall Elder privately heaved a sigh of relief. Who on earth had caused this incident? ¡°Who is she?¡± the disciples who didn¡¯t dare to speak up earlier finally discussed. ¡°I don¡¯t know; I¡¯ve never seen her before¡­¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it said that there are two people living on North Spirit Peak? Could she be the other one?¡± ¡°So young? She looks to be about Li Tang¡¯s age.¡± ¡°What is their relationship?¡± ¡°Did you see? The elder treated her with a bit more respect than he did Li Tang¡­¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± the Law Enforcement Hall Elder barked sharply. The discussion promptly died down as the Law Enforcement Hall Elder sternly reprimanded them before continuing the discussion about Sun Fei¡¯s death. On the other side, Lin Chen was surrounded by Inner Sect disciples. ¡°Senior Brother, why did our swords suddenly break?¡± ¡°Exactly, I didn¡¯t feel anything at all, it just went out of control, and then it turned into this. Did we encounter a ghost?¡± They had already checked the vicinity earlier and found nothing unusual. The swords had broken inexplicably. What Lin Chen thought about, though, was the incident just now. The jade had left his side, yet there was not a trace of Demonic Qi on Li Tang. He thought it was because Chuzheng was present, but even after he left her, there was still none. Could it be a mistake? No¡­ His junior sister had said she saw Demonic Qi on Li Tang, she would never make a mistake¡­ ¡°Senior Brother, what are you thinking about?¡± someone waved a hand in front of Lin Chen¡¯s face. ¡°Nothing, you all stay here and watch; I¡¯ll be back in a bit,¡± Lin Chen said. Several disciples nodded and watched as Lin Chen left. ¨C Chuzheng slowly made her way up the mountain, following the trail of North Spirit Peak. Li Tang followed behind, his gaze fixed on his fingers, as if he could feel the binding sensation on them; something cold against his skin that remained chill for so long without any sign of warmth. Li Tang tried to grasp at the void, and indeed caught hold of that icy string. He looked forward and yanked hard. With the string taut, under Li Tang¡¯s gaze, it became visible before him. It was an extremely thin silver thread, seemingly with a flowing light flickering over it; one end wrapped around his pinky, the other disappearing into Chuzheng¡¯s sleeve. As the silver thread pulled tight, Chuzheng was forced to stop, turning back to look at the person below. One standing atop, the other below, on the shaded path, with leaves rustling softly, the fallen leaves spiraling between them. The two locked eyes in silence. Li Tang suddenly let go of the silver thread he was pulling; it drooped down, forming an arc before disappearing into the air. He could feel that the thread was still there, just no longer visible at the moment. Li Tang pursed the corner of his lips and quickened his pace to catch up, not asking what it was, allowing it to bind to his finger, ¡°When did you come back?¡± Chuzheng continued walking upwards, ¡°Just now.¡± ¡°Thank you for believing in me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Believing in the Good Person Card was something she had to do, even if he really was the murderer, she would have to figure out a way to make it look like he wasn¡¯t. Oh my! So annoying, annoying, annoying, annoying!! Why does God have to pick on this poor little one? ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s a bit difficult to talk to her. Li Tang walked back up the mountain alongside her, and as soon as they stepped through the temple gate, Li Tang felt the icy sensation on his fingertips vanish. Just like its previous appearance, it happened without sound or warning. Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 84: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (19) Chapter 84: Chapter 84: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (19) ¡°I was very careful outside; I don¡¯t know why someone would discover me,¡± Li Tang actively explained today¡¯s incident. Chuzheng spoke in an indifferent tone, ¡°Think again.¡± Li Tang: ¡°I really¡­¡± He paused, his eyes slightly dimming. ¡°There was this one time Zhao Yue¡­ provoked me, and I got a little angry, so I took action,¡± Li Tang said in a low voice. ¡°Getting angry won¡¯t solve the problem,¡± Chuzheng pointed out. ¡°¡­¡± Zhao Yue insulted his mother, who was the mother that loved and protected him. How could he not get angry? Chuzheng asked, ¡°Zhao Yue¡¯s intelligence is not enough to discover it, so what else happened?¡± Li Tang also felt that, with Zhao Yue¡¯s intelligence, he definitely couldn¡¯t have discovered it. He carefully reminisced about what happened that day. Zhao Yue often harassed him for no reason, and that day was no different, but then Zhao Yue suddenly brought up his mother. Then he took action; at that moment, he wanted to kill Zhao Yue. And then¡­ ¡°Song Fenglan.¡± Song Fenglan is Young Master Song¡¯s sister and the eldest daughter of the Song Family; technically, he should call her his cousin. Since childhood, Song Fenglan was favored by an Elder of the Ziyun Sect, taken in as a personal disciple, and she should not recognize him. And this was also an important reason why the Song Family could do as they pleased in Shangning City. ¡°Oh.¡± The heart¡¯s blood sister of Lin Chen, still wanting her body. Coveting someone¡¯s body in broad daylight, it¡¯s simply a distortion of human nature! ¡°But, this happened almost two months ago, and I¡¯m not sure.¡± If he had been discovered at that time, why did it take two months for such an uproar to occur? If it wasn¡¯t that incident, Li Tang truly couldn¡¯t think of when he might have exposed himself. Seeing that Chuzheng remained silent, Li Tang frowned, ¡°Did I cause you trouble?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng replied without a second thought, of course it was trouble, and not just a little. Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Li Tang clenched his fists tight; he was still too weak. Chuzheng looked at him, her lips parting slightly. The King¡¯s Account quickly spoke up to stop her, [Miss, don¡¯t talk rashly, be careful not to upset him, he¡¯s very fragile.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± He can¡¯t be beaten, scolded, or even spoken to harshly?! Should I find him a temple to stay in? [¡­Why find a temple?] The King¡¯s Account was confused. To worship him! [¡­] Why does Miss want to be mean to it, it¡¯s also having a hard time, you know! So annoying! Too annoying!! Chuzheng told him to leave the matter alone; for the time being, no one would come to cause trouble. Her Spirit Stone was not given for free. Li Tang returned to his room with heavy thoughts. He never wanted to cause her trouble, but in the end, he still made her unhappy. ¨C Night fell. Li Tang heard a knock on the door; it was only him and Chuzheng at North Spirit Peak, so Li Tang quickly went to open the door. Chuzheng stood there with a cold expression, handing him a hexagonal bell, golden and exquisitely crafted, clearly not ordinary. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°The jade is broken, this is to replace it.¡± Li Tang took it, noticing that although the bell had a clapper inside, it made no sound when shaken. ¡°Why is there no sound?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t hear it for now,¡± Chuzheng bluntly struck Li Tang. Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± Knowing his own limitations, Li Tang did not retort; he fell silent for a moment, then, holding the bell, he said he was going to cultivate. He turned around and went back to his room, stepping into the Demon Attracting Formation. Compared to the previous Demon Attracting Formations, the present one was richer with demonic Qi. He knew she had been improving the Demon Attracting Formation, but sometimes he genuinely worried that one day she might mess it up. Her concept of the Demon Attracting Formation stemmed entirely from the Spirit Attracting Formation, and it was very possible she had learned it through underhanded means. If things went awry, before long, everyone in the sect would learn that there were members of the Demon Clan on North Spirit Peak. Li Tang¡¯s mood grew increasingly somber. After such a long time, he still had found no news about his father¡­ and his strength had not progressed much either; he couldn¡¯t let his guard down. Li Tang began to cultivate more intensely, day and night. ¨C Two days later, an Elder from the Law Enforcement Hall personally came to inform him that Sun Fei¡¯s death was unrelated to Li Tang, and was the doing of another disciple. Normally, Sun Fei and Li Tang didn¡¯t get along, so after the disciple committed the murder, they pinned the blame on Li Tang. Chuzheng did not accept or refute this explanation, and indifferently sent the Law Enforcement Hall Elder on his way. After this incident, Li Tang seldom left North Spirit Peak, and he immersed himself in cultivation all day long. Chuzheng walked in circles outside the door. Could one become a fool from too much cultivation? If that led to deviation, whose fault would it be? A month later. People from the main peak were sent to invite Chuzheng over. Li Tang emerged from his closed-door cultivation just in time to see this. He hesitated, wondering whether to follow, when the messenger also mentioned his name. Chuzheng walked ahead with an indifferent expression, while Li Tang, seeing the leading disciple was a good distance away, drew closer to her: ¡°At this time, calling us to the main peak, is there something going on?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°???¡± So what is it? Could it be related to Sun Fei¡¯s case? Or has their Demon Clan identity been exposed? Chuzheng had no intention of explaining, leaving Li Tang to calm down on his own. The pavilions and terraces of the main peak were shrouded in immortal Qi, resembling the Immortal Realm. The disciple leading the way gestured for them to enter the hall: ¡°Please come inside, both of you.¡± Inside the hall, several people were seated, with an imposing middle-aged man at the prime seat¡ªthe Sect Master of Ziyun Sect. Centered around the Sect Master and arranged in a fan-shaped stepladder configuration, each step was occupied by one person. These were the Elders of Ziyun Sect. Song Fenglan stood behind one of the Elders, looking worried. Lin Chen stood in the middle, accompanied by several disciples, kneeling on the ground, giving off an ominous atmosphere. As Chuzheng and Li Tang entered, Song Fenglan¡¯s expression changed slightly, showing shock mixed with other complex emotions. Lin Chen, however, was staring at the ground, seemingly lost in thought. And on the ground lay a corpse. Without a sideways glance, Chuzheng walked over and stood in the middle, directly opposite the corpse. She remained silent, simply looking at the Sect Master. The Sect Master, composed at first, began to feel uneasy under Chuzheng¡¯s gaze after a while, and, resting a fist on his lips, he gave a light cough. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, we have summoned you here today because there is something we wish to inquire about,¡± he said. ¡°Ask,¡± Chuzheng responded, adhering to her usual brevity of using as few words as possible. The Sect Master looked at the Elders and said, ¡°Does Miss Chuzheng recognize the person on the ground?¡± In cooperation, Chuzheng glanced at the body and denied, ¡°I do not.¡± The Sect Master paused, ¡°Does Young Master Li Tang recognize him?¡± The body on the ground was none other than Zhao Yue. Chuzheng¡¯s claim of not recognizing him was plausible, given she rarely left North Spirit Peak, but Li Tang was different, as he had always been in the Outer Sect. Li Tang nodded, ¡°I recognize him.¡± How did Zhao Yue end up dead? Li Tang couldn¡¯t understand this point, nor did he know how this matter was related to them. The Sect Master nodded, then instructed a disciple to explain the current situation. Zhao Yue had been found dead this morning and the prime suspect was Lin Chen. He was singled out because an item indicative of Lin¡¯s identity was discovered at Zhao Yue¡¯s death scene. ¡°We¡¯ve summoned Miss Chuzheng and Young Master Li Tang because the way in which Lin Chen¡¯s suspicion has been confirmed is exactly the same as how Young Master Li Tang¡¯s suspicion was confirmed after Sun Fei¡¯s death,¡± an Elder spoke up. Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 85: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (20) Chapter 85: Chapter 85: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (20) The Elder continued to ask, ¡°I wonder what Miss Chuzheng has to say about this?¡± ¡°Coincidence,¡± Chuzheng spat out two words, icy cold. ¡°Do you believe such a coincidence, Miss Chuzheng?¡± The Elder¡¯s aura became fierce, and an invisible pressure swept down. This pressure targeted only Chuzheng and Li Tang. Chuzheng¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, as if she didn¡¯t feel the pressure at all. Li Tang, on the other hand, was visibly uncomfortable, but he could only grit his teeth and bear it. Chuzheng¡¯s unrippled gaze lightly turned and fell on the Elder. Her lips parted, and she articulated clearly, ¡°Believe. Why not believe it? A coincidence manufactured is still a coincidence.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Elder was somewhat startled, wondering just what power this young girl possessed. To face his pressure without any sign of feeling it. ¡°Wan Luo!¡± the Sect Master rebuked sharply. Wan Luo, frowning, withdrew his pressure. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, this matter doesn¡¯t look like a coincidence at all! I hope you can tell the truth.¡± What Wan Luo probably meant to say was that she had killed Zhao Yue and framed Lin Chen, just like what had happened with Sun Fei. The affair involving Li Tang had just occurred not too long ago, and now here was another incident, almost as if it had been cast from the same mold. Any person would suspect Chuzheng and Li Tang. ¡°You think I did it?¡± she asked directly and unexpectedly. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, that¡¯s not what we mean,¡± the Sect Master responded most quickly. ¡°We just find the matter rather strange and wanted to know your opinion. If someone is trying to sow discord, hurting the harmony between you and me, that would be unfortunate.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s fingers tapped her wrist, her gaze indifferent. ¡°I have no opinion. If you think I did it, present your evidence. Without evidence, this matter has nothing to do with me.¡± The crowd: ¡°¡­¡± What kind of response was that? ¡°You!¡± Wan Luo slammed the table and stood up, ignoring the Sect Master¡¯s look, and angrily said, ¡°I think you did this. A month ago, when my junior brother came to inform you, you didn¡¯t show any reaction. Are you dissatisfied with the Law Enforcement Hall¡¯s decision and seeking revenge secretly, aren¡¯t you!¡± Li Tang was her person. Wouldn¡¯t she want to help him regain face after he had been wronged? Chuzheng didn¡¯t argue with Wan Luo, but said solemnly, ¡°Without evidence, you are just being a bully.¡± Don¡¯t even think of bullying me! ¡°Wan Luo, Junior Brother!¡± The Sect Master raised his voice, ¡°Sit down!¡± ¡°Sect Master!¡± Wan Luo was dissatisfied; Lin Chen was his disciple, how could he not be anxious? With a glance from the Sect Master, Wan Luo was forced to close his mouth. The Sect Master reassured Chuzheng with a few words and had a disciple bring her a chair. This matter could not simply be assumed to be her malicious framing of Lin Chen based on similarities. Wan Luo was clearly very dissatisfied, just because she provided those Spirit Stones to the Sect, now the Sect Master was on her side. Sect Master: ¡°Lin Chen, tell us, how did your fragrance pouch appear at the scene of Zhao Yue¡¯s death?¡± Lin Chen, who had been keeping his head down, perked up and replied with a salute, ¡°Replying to the Sect Master, I lost the fragrance pouch a few days ago. I even searched for it, and many junior brothers can bear witness.¡± The disciples kneeling on the ground nodded in agreement, bearing witness. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve seen her.¡± Suddenly, one disciple pointed at Chuzheng. ¡°I saw her at the place where Zhao Yue died.¡± The atmosphere in the hall instantly became subtly charged. Wan Luo glared at Chuzheng. Didn¡¯t she say there was no evidence? Now isn¡¯t there evidence? Wan Luo: ¡°Sect Master, someone saw her, what does she have to say now!¡± Sect Master: ¡°Miss Chuzheng?¡± ¡°He says I went there, so I went there? If I say I saw you there, Sect Master, would you start suspecting yourself?¡± ¡°Presumptuous!¡± An Elder roared. Before the Sect Master could speak, a disciple rushed in. ¡°Sect Master, a disciple requests an audience.¡± Interrupted at this moment, the Sect Master frowned. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°About¡­ Zhao Yue.¡± The Sect Master and several Elders exchanged glances, and he waved his sleeve, ¡°Bring him in.¡± Li Tang was somewhat worried, feeling that today¡¯s events were not so simple. Chuzheng was calm and composed, seemingly not taking the matter to heart, which somewhat comforted him. She should have a sense of proportion¡­ The disciple who had requested an audience outside came in with his head lowered, walked to the center, and thumped to his knees. ¡°Greetings, Sect Master, and all the Elders.¡± ¡°What do you have to say about the death of Zhao Yue?¡± The disciple didn¡¯t dare to lift his head, pressing his forehead to the ground as he answered, ¡°Ever since Zhao Yue last saw Senior Sister Song, he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about her, and would often find excuses to see her.¡± ¡°There was¡­ one time, when he was discovered by Elder Brother Lin, who gave Zhao Yue a severe beating.¡± Lin Chen frowned at the speaking disciple; indeed, he had punished Zhao Yue, but that was because Zhao Yue had been inappropriate with a junior sister. Beyond that incident, he had no further contact with Zhao Yue. How his Fragrance Pouch appeared at the scene of Zhao Yue¡¯s death, he had no idea. The only thing he could think of was an incident from a month ago. This incident and the one from a month ago were nearly identical, save for the main character involved. ¡°The day that Zhao Yue died, I¡­ I just happened to be at the scene.¡± A shock ran through Lin Chen¡¯s heart, and he suddenly looked towards the aloof woman sitting in the chair. The disciple¡¯s voice continued to ring out, ¡°I saw it was Elder Brother Lin who killed Zhao Yue.¡± ¡°Impossible, I didn¡¯t kill him,¡± Lin Chen retorted. Wan Luo¡¯s face turned ashen, his voice carrying a warning, ¡°Think carefully about what you¡¯re saying. Falsely accusing a fellow disciple carries the penalty of death!¡± ¡°No¡­ I dare not, but I truly saw it with my own eyes,¡± the disciple trembled on the ground. ¡°Sect Master, a one-sided statement cannot be used as evidence!¡± Wan Luo immediately spoke up to the Sect Master, ¡°You should know the kind of character my child has.¡± ¡°Just now you were ready to believe the disciple¡¯s one-sided statement. Is this how your Sect operates?¡± Chuzheng interjected abruptly. Double standard much! Wan Luo was instantly face-slapped. ¡°Empty words prove nothing,¡± the Sect Master mused, ¡°Do you have evidence?¡± The Sect Master hadn¡¯t believed the disciple before, and naturally, he wouldn¡¯t believe him now. However, unlike the baseless accusation from just before, this disciple responded, ¡°I do, I have evidence.¡± Both Lin Chen and Wan Luo¡¯s expressions changed at once. Lin Chen was shocked because he had never killed Zhao Yue¡ªwhere could the evidence have possibly come from. Wan Luo was worried that maybe, just maybe, his own disciple had killed Zhao Yue over Song Fenglan. Before everyone¡¯s eyes, the disciple took out a stone, ¡°This is a Memory Stone. It recorded the process of Elder Brother Lin killing Zhao Yue.¡± ¡°How precious is the Memory Stone! It¡¯s worth more than a fortune!¡± Wan Luo questioned coldly, ¡°How could you, an Outer Sect disciple, possess such a Memory Stone?¡± ¡°This¡­ I brought this Memory Stone from my family. The Sect Master can send someone to inquire within my clan.¡± The Sect Master¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°Bring it here.¡± At once, a disciple presented the Memory Stone to the Sect Master. The Sect Master looked at the other Elders, infused Spiritual Power, and the image from the Memory Stone was projected into the air. It was a secluded slope, perhaps due to the distance of the person recording, the figures in the Memory Stone were somewhat blurry, but anyone could tell that they were Lin Chen and Zhao Yue. Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 86: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (21) Chapter 86: Chapter 86: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (21) In the footage, Lin Chen didn¡¯t know what he said to Zhao Yue, which angered Lin Chen, and the two started fighting. The owner of the Memory Stone was clearly frightened, as the picture shook. Lin Chen and Zhao Yue were mismatched in strength, and it took only two moves before Zhao Yue could no longer resist, and Lin Chen killed him with a sword. The Sect Master looked at Lin Chen. Lin Chen¡¯s heart was in turmoil; why was something he had never done appearing on the Memory Stone? ¡°Sect Master, I didn¡¯t kill Zhao Yue,¡± Lin Chen forced himself to remain calm. ¡°The Memory Stone does not lie,¡± the Sect Master said in a heavy voice. ¡°Sect Master, there must be a misunderstanding, how could my senior brother do such a thing?¡± Song Fenglan, despite her father¡¯s objections, stepped forward to speak for Lin Chen. ¡°Zhao Yue did pester me, but at that time, my senior brother just scolded him a few times and didn¡¯t lay a hand on him.¡± ¡°Zhao Yue¡¯s death has nothing to do with my senior brother, please Sect Master discern the truth.¡± Song Fenglan knelt down directly. ¡°Junior sister.¡± Lin Chen hurried forward to help her, but Song Fenglan insisted on not getting up, leaving Lin Chen no choice but to kneel as well. ¡°Sect Master, I don¡¯t know who is framing me, but I have never done this,¡± he, a direct disciple, had no reason to lay hands on a disciple from the Outer Sect. Wan Luo¡¯s face was grave, and he remained silent, uncertain whether he was thinking about how to exonerate his disciple or pondering something else. Only when the Sect Master looked at him did Wan Luo continue, ¡°Sect Master, Zhao Yue was just an Outer Sect disciple, even if he made mistakes, Lin Chen really had no need to kill him. This whole affair is fraught with oddities; please investigate thoroughly, Sect Master.¡± ¡°How do you explain the Memory Stone?¡± The Sect Master had his suspicions, yet the evidence was right in front of him. Wan Luo had no explanation. The Memory Stone was precious and could not be faked; the images it recorded were certainly real. Whether Lin Chen had done it or not, Wan Luo had no idea, but could he question his disciple now? No! No matter whether Lin Chen did it or not, he could only support his disciple at the moment. Lin Chen and Zhao Yue, because of Song Fenglan, had past grievances, providing him with a motive to kill Zhao Yue. The Sect Master had just let Wan Luo question Chuzheng; if in front of Chuzheng he did not pursue this matter, it would be like slapping his own face. ¡°Lin Chen, do you realize your mistake!¡± ¡°Sect Master!¡± Wan Luo exclaimed. ¡°Sect Master!¡± Song Fenglan was also full of astonishment. Lin Chen with a grave face, ¡°Sect Master, master, I did not do it.¡± ¡°Lock him up in Reflecting-Crimes Cliff for now,¡± the Sect Master waved his hand. Lin Chen had no way to overturn the powerful evidence of the Memory Stone; no matter what he said, the Sect Master had made up his mind to lock him up in Reflecting-Crimes Cliff first. ¨C The Sect Master and Chuzheng had a bit of a chat, almost as if he was afraid of upsetting her. Chuzheng found him annoying and left without listening to the end. Facing the God of Wealth, the Sect Master could only hold back his frustration. ¡°Chuzheng!¡± Lin Chen, escorted by two disciples, caught up with her from behind. Li Tang eyed him somewhat warily. Lin Chen said something to the two disciples, they nodded, and stopped following. He approached her, his gaze cold and his tone decisive, ¡°You did this, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Chuzheng denied without changing her expression. Lin Chen sneered with obvious disbelief, ¡°I don¡¯t know how you used the Memory Stone to leave the images of me and Zhao Yue, but I will certainly get to the bottom of this.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Should I wish him good luck? After all, the spirit of seeking the truth is commendable¡­ But forget it, even saying one more word seems tiring. Chuzheng turned to leave, but Lin Chen called her again. He lowered his voice, ¡°Don¡¯t you remember me?¡± Chuzheng gave him a look and continued walking. ¡°Underground Demon City, you can¡¯t have forgotten, right?¡± Li Tang furrowed his brows slightly, ¡°Do they know each other? The Underground Demon City¡­ Is that where the Demon Clan resides?¡± Lin Chen continued, ¡°You are a member of the Demon Clan, infiltrating our Sect. What is your purpose!¡± Chuzheng rebutted, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, who is a member of the Demon Clan?¡± So what if I¡¯m from the Demon Clan! If it weren¡¯t for me, you¡¯d all be the poorest in the entire Cultivation World by now! Lin Chen: ¡°¡­¡± Lin Chen wasn¡¯t actually sure whether she was from the Demon Clan or not. He had been injured and fell into a coma at the time, only waking up twice in the interim. The memory of the girl who was timid and cowardly was vastly different from the one standing in front of him now; aside from somewhat similar appearances, everything else was completely different. Lin Chen frowned and threatened, ¡°You¡¯re not afraid I¡¯ll expose you? No matter how powerful you might be, within the Ziyun Sect, you¡¯d still be unable to escape even if you had wings.¡± ¡°You go ahead.¡± Scared of you? Not! After Chuzheng had finished speaking, she left, no longer giving Lin Chen any chance to speak. Li Tang gave Lin Chen a deep look and quickly followed Chuzheng. When they returned to North Spirit Peak, Li Tang finally spoke up, ¡°Does this matter have anything to do with you?¡± Chuzheng still denied it, ¡°No.¡± Li Tang didn¡¯t quite believe her, considering the incident with the Song Family as a reference. At that time, she had also vigorously denied it¡­ this matter seemed to be related to her no matter how one looked at it. ¡­Was she taking revenge for herself? This thought popped up, and Li Tang couldn¡¯t stop his wild speculations. ¡°Then, do you¡­ know Lin Chen from before?¡± Li Tang didn¡¯t know why he asked this question, but he was inexplicably bothered by it. ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± Chuzheng shot him a glance, ¡°Have you completed your cultivation for today?¡± ¡°Not yet¡­¡± ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you going?¡± Chuzheng scolded him. Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± Li Tang was thrown into his room by Chuzheng, who slammed the door shut behind him. When he tried to open the door, it wouldn¡¯t budge. Li Tang had no desire to cultivate; he fiddled with the Hexagonal Bell, his thoughts scattered. At night, Li Tang found that his door still wouldn¡¯t open. The next day, it remained firmly closed¡­ The third day¡­ The fourth day¡­ Chuzheng had completely forgotten about locking Li Tang away, as she was busy dealing with the aftermath of framing Lin Chen. That bastard Lin Chen had first set up the Good Person Card which nearly exposed his Demon Clan identity. If she didn¡¯t retaliate, would she appear as an easy target? No matter how Lin Chen tried to explain himself, he couldn¡¯t clear his name. Even though the Sect Master had people review the Memory Stone over and over, they couldn¡¯t find any flaws. Although Zhao Yue was an Outer Sect disciple, his death had caused an uproar. Without a proper punishment, more troubles would arise. But in the end, after many pleas for leniency, Lin Chen was only sentenced to a year of solitary confinement at Reflecting-Crimes Cliff. ¡°Sect Master, you know full well that Chen¡¯er didn¡¯t do this, so why punish him like that!¡± Wan Luo was dissatisfied with this outcome. He had communicated with Lin Chen, who stated that he had nothing to do with the incident and was framed. Yet, neither the Memory Stone nor the testimonies of the disciples who stepped forward revealed any discrepancies. The Sect Master, sitting at the head of the room, said, ¡°I can¡¯t overturn the evidence from the Memory Stone. What do you expect me to do, bend the law for the sake of personal feelings?¡± Wan Luo, chest heaving with anger, asserted, ¡°This matter must be the doing of that woman from North Spirit Peak, don¡¯t you have any suspicions about that woman of unknown origin, Brother?¡± ¡°Why must you suspect her?¡± ¡°The last incident, isn¡¯t she taking revenge?¡± Her relationship with Li Tang is murky; who knows if she¡¯s sticking up for him. ¡°Even if it¡¯s about revenge, it should be Zhao Yue. Why would Lin Chen be implicated?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Wan Luo forcefully argued, ¡°Chen¡¯er stepped in to uphold justice at the time; she must bear a grudge against Chen¡¯er.¡± ¡°The Law Enforcement Hall Elder was also present at that time,¡± the Sect Master reminded him. ¡°This¡­ I will find evidence!¡± Wan Luo left angrily, his sleeves flapping behind him. The Sect Master picked up the tea that had cooled down, took a sip, and sighed. Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter 87: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (22) Chapter 87: Chapter 87: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (22) The quiet room was suddenly graced with the presence of a figure who bowed respectfully, ¡°Sect Master.¡± ¡°How goes the investigation?¡± The Sect Master set down his teacup. ¡°Zhao Yue has been troubling Li Tang ever since he met him. According to people close to Zhao Yue, it seems Li Tang comes from Shangning City and has some connection to the Song Family.¡± ¡°Shangning City, the Song Family?¡± The Sect Master hesitated slightly, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes. I have already sent people to investigate. The Song Family doesn¡¯t have any disciples who resemble Li Tang, however¡­¡± ¡°However what?¡± ¡°The youngest daughter of the Song Family once gave birth out of wedlock, naming the child Song Li. The ages match with Li Tang¡¯s, but according to reports, Song Li died a few years ago.¡± ¡°Song Li¡­ Song¡­ Li¡­¡± The Sect Master murmured a few times, ¡°What about Chuzheng?¡± The respondent bowed their head, ¡°We have only found that she suddenly appeared in Shangning City, spending generously, and then she visited many places, even Baiying Valley.¡± ¡°What does Baiying Valley have to say?¡± ¡°I did not meet the Valley Master, but a child from the valley conveyed a message, saying¡­¡± ¡°Saying what?¡± ¡°Demon Bones have emerged, the Demon Clan will rise.¡± The Sect Master paused, looking at the person who replied. The Demon Clan¡­ the sealed Demon Clan? After a while, the Sect Master asked in a deep voice, ¡°Who?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The Sect Master¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°Go and summon a few Elders.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¨C Lin Chen had been held in isolation for a year, and Song Fenglan¡¯s health was poor. Chuzheng heard several times that she barely made it through. But while the outside world was bustling, it was peaceful for Chuzheng. If only¡­ it weren¡¯t for the Sect disciples who intermittently came up the mountain to ¡®serve¡¯ her. But for the most part, Chuzheng ignored them, either reading or sleeping, paying them no attention. Where she got her books from, Li Tang didn¡¯t know. He just felt that she was also learning, not cultivation, but other things. Like Formations, Talismans¡­ Ever since the incident involving Lin Chen, Li Tang had been appearing by Chuzheng¡¯s side more and more frequently, sometimes with a complex look in his eyes when he watched her. ¡°Master Li Tang.¡± Li Tang placed his index finger to his lips, and the disciple respectfully backed away. Li Tang draped a cloak over Chuzheng, carefully tucking in the corners to shield her from the wind. He stood guard by her side until night fell, the sky filled with a multitude of stars, and Chuzheng slowly woke. ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± Li Tang said, his voice a bit hoarse. Chuzheng glanced at him, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you cultivating? What are you doing here?¡± Was he watching over her in hopes of improving his cultivation? If he didn¡¯t improve, who would he blame when he got bullied, went bad, or worse! ¡°Chuzheng,¡± he called her name. ¡°Hmm?¡± Li Tang gazed at the person before him, a subtle greed in his eyes, and he said softly, ¡°I can¡¯t calm my mind.¡± Every time he meditated, her image would inexplicably appear in his mind. The last time, he almost¡­ Li Tang knew he had different thoughts about her. He had tried to restrain himself, but some thoughts, once rooted, could never be uprooted. Why he felt this way about her, Li Tang couldn¡¯t quite explain. Perhaps it was because she had rescued him from the dungeon, giving him a new lease on life. Perhaps it was the time he spent with her in Baiying Valley. Or maybe it was because she took revenge on Lin Chen¡­ Although she never admitted to doing that, in Li Tang¡¯s heart, she was the one behind it. Chuzheng pulled out a bottle of Elixir Pills, ¡°To focus and calm the mind.¡± Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± The Elixir Pills were useless to him; it was her he was thinking about. Li Tang and Chuzheng exchanged glances for a few seconds before standing up, ¡°Tomorrow, a Trial Secret Realm of the Sect will open, and I need to go.¡± Chuzheng was not familiar with Sect matters. She simply asked, ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need anything.¡± Li Tang looked toward one of the mountain peaks, ¡°I want to enter the Book Pavilion.¡± By securing the first place in the secret realm trial, he would have the credentials to enter the Book Pavilion. And perhaps in the Book Pavilion, he could find the answer to his father¡¯s secret. ¡°I will be away for some days,¡± Li Tang said, ¡°You¡­¡± He paused, seeming to have nothing else to say, as his relationship with her didn¡¯t amount to anything. What did he have to say, anyway¡­ That thought made Li Tang feel an emptiness at the bottom of his heart, an inexplicable discomfort. ¡°Go back to your room and sleep, it¡¯s cool at night,¡± he said and then left. Chuzheng, somewhat baffled, touched her chin, then lay back down, covering her face with the book she held and continued to sleep¡ªtoo lazy to move. Li Tang stood under the eaves looking at her for a long while, sighed, and walked back. He called out to her. Chuzheng turned over, covering her ears. The book ¡®thud¡¯ fell to the ground. Li Tang picked up the book and placed it aside, then asked in a low voice, ¡°Shall I carry you inside?¡± ¡°You¡¯re annoying,¡± Chuzheng complained, bothered by the disturbance. Li Tang bent down and picked her up. Chuzheng looked up at him, her eyes cold and still. Li Tang said, ¡°Sleeping out here will be uncomfortable.¡± He carried Chuzheng back to her room, laid her on the bed, and murmured a reminder, ¡°Don¡¯t sleep outside while I¡¯m gone.¡± No one will carry you back. Li Tang stood up to leave, and upon reaching the door, he looked back, ¡°When I return, I¡¯ll tell you something.¡± Chuzheng turned over, ignoring him. Li Tang knew she was somewhat upset and gently closed the room door behind him. ¨C The next day. Chuzheng strolled out of her room lazily; the courtyard was unusually quiet. By this time of day, Li Tang would have already been in the courtyard. Chuzheng glanced towards Li Tang¡¯s room, then casually withdrew her gaze. The already quiet North Spirit Peak felt even lonelier without him. Chuzheng did nothing all day and showed no unusual reaction to Li Tang¡¯s departure. On the tenth day after Li Tang left, a disciple came to summon her to meet the Sect Master. It was the same grand hall, the same people, only Wan Luo, who was overseeing the Trial Secret Realm, was absent. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, please take a seat.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s seat was arranged on the right. She walked over, lifted her gown with grace and sat down, her movements like flowing clouds, rather dashing. Immediately after, a woman¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°Sect Master, are you lacking Spirit Stone?¡± Sect Master: ¡°¡­¡± Several Elders: ¡°¡­¡± The Sect Master coughed, ¡°Miss Chuzheng, you have been with the Ziyun Sect for some time now. There¡¯s no other agenda for inviting you here today.¡± Several Elders echoed his statement. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I will take my leave.¡± If there¡¯s no business, why call me here? What¡¯s the problem? ¡°¡­Miss Chuzheng.¡± The Sect Master promptly called out to restrain her, ¡°We invited you here today to thank you, and secondly, to reminisce. Surely you wouldn¡¯t deny us this small courtesy?¡± Why should I extend any courtesy? You¡¯re not even good-looking. Chuzheng thought this to herself, yet she did not refuse. Seeing her stay, the Sect Master and the Elders began to speak in turns, first extolling her virtues and then offering toast after toast. The drinks had no problem; Chuzheng drank impassively. ¡°[Missy.]¡± King¡¯s Account popped up a reminder: ¡°[The incense in the hall has been changed.]¡± Chuzheng glanced to the side out of the corner of her eye; a disciple was changing the Incense Burner. The incense smoke curled up, seemingly no different in scent from before. But changing the incense burner for no reason definitely meant trouble! These damn people surely had ill intentions. Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Chapter 88: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (23) Chapter 88: Chapter 88: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (23) Trial Secret Realm. In the dense jungle, a figure swiftly streaked by. Several figures were chasing after him, they sped up to intercept the man. ¡°Demon Head, surrender!¡± Li Tang turned around, blood was smeared on his face, his usually pitch-black pupils were now emitting a strange red light. Demonic Qi rampaged over his body, making his whole appearance somewhat sinister. Li Tang raised his hand, wiping the blood from his face, and then, under the wary eyes of the people opposite him, he suddenly pounced towards them. Li Tang took down those few people, he discarded the sword he had snatched, and clutching his chest, he staggered back a few steps. The intertwining red light in his eyes grew increasingly piercing. ¡°Li Tang.¡± ¡°Li Tang¡­¡± Li Tang looked at the woman who suddenly appeared before him, her flirtatious smile clinging to him as she pressed against his chest. ¡°Li Tang, I¡¯ve missed you so much,¡± the woman leaned against his neck, her arms wrapped around him, whispering in his ear, ¡°Do you miss me?¡± Li Tang abruptly reached out and grabbed her throat. The woman¡¯s flowery face lost its color, her eyes brimming with tears, ¡°Li Tang, you¡¯re hurting me.¡± With a surge of red light in his eyes, Li Tang twisted his hand forcefully, and the illusion vanished before him. ¡°She would not laugh like that.¡± And she would not act like that towards him. Li Tang quickly left the place, finding a secluded spot to lean against a rock wall and catch his breath. Not long after entering the Secret Realm, Li Tang realized that it was prepared for him; all the information he¡¯d obtained earlier was to lure him in. Ziyun Sect knew he was from the Demon Clan, they knew who his father was, they knew what he was investigating¡­ They planned to kill him here. The Illusion Realm of the Secret Realm magnified his innermost thoughts inexorably, even giving rise to a Heart Demon. A Demon Clansman birthing a Heart Demon¡­ he would either soar to the highest echelons of the Demon Clan or fall under the control of the Heart Demon, becoming a mere puppet. Li Tang feared losing his sanity; he resisted his own yearning for her. Yet in his heart, a voice kept echoing, tempting him to fall into the abyss. ¡ªYou yearn for her, don¡¯t lie to yourself, you want to possess her. ¡ªWith just a single thought, you can have her, she belongs to you, yours, she¡¯s yours! Li Tang clutched his wrist, covered in bloodstains, all made by his own scratching. ¡°Ah¡ª¡ª¡± ¨C Ziyun Sect¡¯s main peak hall. Chuzheng listened to several Elders and the Sect Master speaking with disinterest, joining the conversation occasionally. ¡°By the way, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask Miss Chu.¡± Suddenly, an Elder spoke. Chuzheng¡¯s fingers were tapping on a wine glass, and upon hearing this, her cold gaze swept over. The Elder continued, ¡°Do you perhaps know Song Li?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Song Li.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know them.¡± She hadn¡¯t even heard of them. ¡°Are you quite certain you don¡¯t know?¡± The Elder¡¯s tone grew slightly heavier, with a touch of doubt and interrogation. Chuzheng flicked her fingertip, and the wine glass slid across the table, fell to the floor, and smashed to pieces. Sudden silence fell within the hall. Chuzheng pulled back her hand, resting it in front of her, her fingers habitually tapping on her wrist. ¡°Speak plainly if you¡¯ve got something to say.¡± Don¡¯t beat around the bush! The girl opposite her had an expressionless face, yet those present could feel the faint murderous aura emanating from her. The Sect Master caught on and intervened, ¡°Miss Chu, we were just asking if you knew Song Li, nothing more.¡± ¡°Who is Song Li?¡± I¡¯m owed a ¡®Song¡¯ too. The Sect Master and a few Elders exchanged glances, Chuzheng appeared truly not to recognize Song Li. The questioning Elder stood up and apologized, ¡°If Miss Chu does not recognize him, then let it be, please prepare a new wine glass for Miss Chu.¡± The last sentence was directed towards disciples standing nearby. The new cup was quickly brought over, and the disciple filled it with wine for Chuzheng. Chuzheng didn¡¯t touch the cup again, and neither the Elder nor the Sect Master pressed her, changing the topic instead. Boom¡ª¡ª A tremendous noise echoed through the heavens; the ground trembled, and everyone inside the hall looked outside. ¡°What has happened?¡± An Elder stood up and inquired. A disciple came running from the outside: ¡°Reporting to the Sect Master and the Elders, there¡¯s trouble in the Secret Realm. A large amount of Demonic Qi has appeared at the entrance, and the entrance itself has been destroyed.¡± The faces of the Sect Master and several Elders all changed at this news. The Sect Master gave an Elder a meaningful look, and the doors of the hall were suddenly shut. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, please wait here for a moment.¡± ¡°Are you detaining me?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s voice was calm, showing no sign of irritation. However, it was precisely this attitude that gave the Sect Master an uneasy premonition. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, Demonic Qi has appeared in the Trial Secret Realm, surely indicating the presence of the Demon Clan. You are an honored guest of our Sect, and it is our duty to protect you.¡± The Sect Master¡¯s words sounded grand. ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± Without speaking, the Sect Master¡¯s face darkened slightly, but another Elder picked up the conversation: ¡°Miss Chuzheng, you won¡¯t be leaving this hall today.¡± Chuzheng rested her hands on the small table in front of her, slowly stood up, and said, ¡°Is that so?¡± No wonder they had called her here; they were plotting against Li Tang. But¡­ Li Tang was only Half-Human Half-Demon; why were they dealing with him? Shouldn¡¯t they be dealing with her? Did these people have brains? ¡°How come she¡¯s not affected?¡± Seeing Chuzheng stand up steadily, an Elder leaned towards the Sect Master and whispered. The Sect Master was also perplexed, ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be.¡± The effects of the drug should have taken hold long ago. ¡°Your poison has no effect on me,¡± Chuzheng explained, looking at them. A flicker of alarm crossed the Sect Master¡¯s mind; being so directly exposed was not a good look for him. After all, such underhanded tactics were ill-befitting of a reputable Sect. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, Li Tang is from the Demon Clan, do you understand that? We know you are close to him, and we¡¯ve had to act this way out of necessity, fearing that you might once again be deceived and used by him. Once we¡¯ve disposed of Li Tang, this demon, we shall make amends with you,¡± declared the Elder self-righteously. ¡°Hmm,¡± they should have dealt with me first, the officially certified member of the Demon Clan. Why bother with someone not even registered? What are these people thinking? ¡°Miss Chuzheng, you must surely understand the gravity of the situation,¡± the Elder continued. I do not. ¡°He infiltrated the Ziyun Sect, undoubtedly with an agenda, and we will not allow him to succeed. It must be very upsetting for you to have been deceived by Li Tang.¡± Not in the slightest. ¡°We will certainly capture this demon!¡± What use is arresting my Good Person Card for! ¡°He¡¯s coming!¡± ¡°Stop him quickly!¡± The noise outside the hall suddenly escalated, and the Sect Master, together with some Elders, were caught off guard. They paid no more heed to Chuzheng and, forming hand seals, they left the hall in a flash. Only a few disciples remained in the hall. [Miss, hurry, hurry, help!] Are you going to die? I¡¯ll set off fireworks for you. [¡­It¡¯s not me!] The King¡¯s Account cried out frantically; there was no way it would go down that easily! [It¡¯s Li Tang! Your Good Person Card!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Another rescue? I¡¯m detained right now, I can barely save myself, so how can I save him? He should save himself! [¡­] Chuzheng glanced at the remaining disciples; she walked toward the hall doors. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, you cannot leave!¡± the disciple barred her way. Chuzheng waved her sleeve, and the disciple was knocked back by an invisible force, as were the other disciples who attempted to approach. The entire hall was under the effect of some sort of formation, and Chuzheng couldn¡¯t open the hall doors. If heaven wants to destroy him, don¡¯t blame me. Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter 89: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (24) Chapter 89: Chapter 89: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (24) Outside the hall. Li Tang was surrounded by disciples of the Ziyun Sect, with Lin Chen among them, currently exchanging blows with Li Tang. Li Tang¡¯s eyes were blood-red, his usually clear and handsome face now cold and dangerous, his body exuding a murderous aura. The Sect Master and several Elders stood on the perimeter, watching the battle unfold without intervening. ¡°Senior brother! Be careful!¡± A disciple yelled out loud. The sword formation formed by the disciples was ruthlessly broken through by Li Tang, his fierce Demonic Qi charging directly towards Lin Chen. Lin Chen was caught off guard and was struck by the Demonic Qi, falling from the sky. Wan Luo reached out, catching Lin Chen and ensuring he landed safely on the ground. Stabilizing himself, Lin Chen immediately greeted with a bow, ¡°Sect Master, Master, honorable Elders, he came from Reflecting-Crimes Cliff, and I took it upon myself to intercept him.¡± The Sect Master nodded in agreement, showing no intent to blame him. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± The painful screams of the disciples pierced the nerves of all present, as they saw one after another of their peers falling to the fury of the dark-aura-enveloped youth, who fought like a god of death. ¡°Sect Master, his strength¡­¡± An Elder frowned. How could it have suddenly increased so much? The Sect Master¡¯s face was grave, ¡°He has developed a Heart Demon.¡± ¡°Heart Demon?¡± the Elder exclaimed in shock, turning to look at the youth. They had indeed deliberately lured him into the Secret Realm, for eliminating the Demon Clan was their duty. But they had not expected that he would not only survive but also escape. And now he had developed a Heart Demon. Once a member of the Demon Clan develops a Heart Demon, their strength grows rapidly. If not dealt with swiftly, it could lead to disaster! ¡°What is that!¡± A column of Demonic Qi shot up into the sky, forming dark clouds above, which headed straight toward them, causing the light to dim instantly. ¡°That¡¯s North Spirit Peak!¡± ¡°How could there be such a massive amount of Demonic Qi at North Spirit Peak?¡± The clouds of Demonic Qi gathered above the youth halted, as the Sect Master¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Not good! Stop him quickly!¡± The Sect Master was the first to soar into the air, forming hand seals, sending waves of Spiritual Energy attacks towards the youth. The clouds above pulsed as Demonic Qi continued to seep into the youth¡¯s body, his eyes growing even redder. With every bit of Demonic Qi that entered his body, his strength increased even further. Kill these people blocking his path, kill them¡­ These thoughts utterly consumed the youth¡¯s mind. Spiritual Energy and Demonic Qi clashed chaotically in the air, the rampant forces demolishing buildings, with screams of agony echoing between heaven and earth. ¡°Sect Master, be careful!¡± Lin Chen blocked an attack on behalf of the Sect Master. The Sect Master¡¯s eyes were frosty, ¡°Quick, go check on North Spirit Peak, there¡¯s something there providing him with a continuous supply of Demonic Qi.¡± With such a vast amount feeding his Demonic Qi, his power was growing incessantly, making it difficult to capture him. ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Chen pulled back, taking several disciples with him as he left the main peak and made for North Spirit Peak. Seemingly noticing their intent, the youth suddenly ceased his attack on an Elder and swiftly flew towards Lin Chen¡¯s direction. ¡°Li Tang!¡± The Sect Master and several Elders surrounded him. Wan Luo sternly rebuked, ¡°Li Tang, this is the Ziyun Sect, you cannot wreak havoc here!¡± The youth, silent, waved two lashes of Demonic Qi which Wan Luo blocked, his face ashen, ¡°Do you think you alone can resist all of us?¡± ¡°Even your father could not stand against us back in the day, let alone a Half-Human Half-Demon like you!¡± The youth looked at him intently, questioning deliberately, ¡°You knew my father.¡± Wan Luo wanted to speak but was stopped by the Sect Master. ¡°Where is he?¡± the youth asked again. ¡°Li Tang, stop your hand. We will tell you where your father is,¡± the Sect Master said. The youth seemed to be pondering, but the murderous aura emanating from him did not lessen. ¡°If you just want to know where your father is, there¡¯s no need for all this. We can tell you.¡± While soothing him, the Sect Master gestured to several Elders, and with the tacit understanding formed through years of brotherhood, they immediately caught on. While Li Tang¡¯s attention was fixed on the Sect Master, they quickly formed a Formation. The light from the Formation spread out, trapping Li Tang within it. Li Tang did a full turn on the spot, a fiery rage brewing in his eyes, consuming what little sanity he had left. Kill them! Kill them! Kill! ¡°Capture him!¡± The murderous thoughts in Li Tang¡¯s mind became increasingly violent. The Formation restricted his movements, and he found it difficult to fend off the incoming attacks. Thump¡­ Li Tang was hit in the chest and coughed up blood. No. He hadn¡¯t found her yet; he couldn¡¯t die. Kill them, kill them!! The intent to kill was heavy in Li Tang¡¯s eyes, while Demonic Qi roiled around him, resembling a monstrous beast ready to burst forth from his body. All Li Tang saw was red. His attacks were gradually weakening as the Formation drained too much of his strength. Two assaults came simultaneously, one from the left and one from the right. Li Tang blocked the one on the left, but the one on the right struck him. His body swayed, and his shoulder¡¯s fabric was rapidly soaked in fresh blood, dripping down to the ground from his fingertips. Wan Luo suddenly left his position and moved towards Li Tang. ¡°Wan Luo!¡± the Sect Master bellowed. Confident, Wan Luo moved to capture Li Tang, ignoring the Sect Master¡¯s scolding. However, as he drew near Li Tang, his limbs abruptly tensed, and a cold, dangerous sensation crawled up his spine. Wan Luo¡¯s limbs were suddenly stretched out in a spread-eagled position, as if bound hand and foot by someone. Under the glow of the Formation, a woman stepped through the air and softly landed beside Li Tang, reaching out to gather him into her arms. ¡°Chuzheng!¡± Wan Luo¡¯s eyes widened: ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing!¡± Wrong! They were inside a Formation, so how did she get in? And what was it that bound him? ¡°Chuzheng¡­¡± Li Tang murmured weakly: ¡°You¡­ No¡­ You need to leave.¡± With his last bit of reason, Li Tang pushed Chuzheng away. Chuzheng¡¯s grip tightened, her tone the cold one he knew well: ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Layers of black mist began to surface in Li Tang¡¯s blood-red eyes. The aura emanating from her worked like a catalyst, as the wild desires seized the last of his rational thoughts. No¡­ I mustn¡¯t hurt her¡­ I can¡¯t¡­ I shouldn¡¯t¡­ The Sect Master spoke gravely: ¡°Miss Chuzheng, he is from the Demon Clan. What are you doing?¡± Chuzheng glanced at the struggling, furious Wan Luo, then shifted her gaze to the Sect Master. ¡°He cannot die.¡± The Good Person Card dying would be very troublesome, you pack of damn fools understand nothing! ¡°You are colluding with the Demon Clan, do you realize what you¡¯re doing?¡± the Sect Master said. ¡°I know you¡¯ve lived with him for so long, you have developed some sentiments, but the Demon Clan must be eradicated, or they will endanger the entire Human Realm!¡± ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing, there¡¯s no need for you to remind me.¡± What does endangering the entire Human Realm have to do with her? All she needed to do was to protect the Good Person Card. Yes! That¡¯s exactly it. But the Good Person Card is too weak! Impervious to the Sect Master¡¯s fury, Chuzheng replied coldly: ¡°Handing him over is impossible.¡± Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Chapter 90: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (25) Chapter 90: Chapter 90: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (25) ¡°Then don¡¯t blame us for not being polite!¡± The Sect Master¡¯s eyes flashed with a complex light, as if he had made some kind of decision. ¡°Hmm,¡± Chuzheng nodded, indicating she wouldn¡¯t blame them. With two light taps of her toes, she left the Formation with Li Tang and landed on the roof of the great hall. The woman on the roof raised her hand, her wide sleeves fluttering, and as her fingers swept through the air, Wan Luo was lifted by an invisible force and dropped from the sky, the Elder beside him scurrying to catch him. ¡°Sect¡­¡± After uttering just one syllable, Wan Luo spat out a mouthful of blood. ¡°Senior brother? Senior brother, how are you?¡± ¡°Heh¡­¡± Wan Luo tried to speak, but blood gushed out as soon as he opened his mouth. ¡°Senior brother!¡± ¡°Chuzheng, what have you done to senior brother!¡± a certain Elder roared at Chuzheng. ¡°It¡¯s merely a return for what he did to Li Tang just now,¡± the woman¡¯s cold voice drifted down from the rooftop with the wind. That Elder cursed angrily, Li Tang hadn¡¯t been coughing up blood incessantly! ¡°Chuzheng, do you truly wish to become enemies with Ziyun Sect over him, a member of the Demon Clan?¡± Chuzheng thought for a moment, her little face serious, and she nodded solemnly, ¡°Yes.¡± The Good Person Card was more important. ¡°Sect Master, why waste words on her? We cannot let Li Tang be completely consumed by demonic energy!¡± ¡°Sect Master, make your move!¡± ¡°Sect Master!¡± The Sect Master¡¯s eyebrows knitted into a frown. As someone took care of Wan Luo, the Sect Master led the remaining Elders towards Chuzheng, each brandishing their Spiritual Artifacts, their imposing aura sweeping across from the skies. The woman standing on the roof merely let her skirt billow in the wind, her expression unchanged, coldly watching the people leaping towards her. Chuzheng raised her hand, black Demonic Qi gathering in her palm into a mass. An Elder¡¯s eyes widened in shock: ¡°You are also from the Demon Clan!¡± Chuzheng replied calmly, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± Sect Master: ¡°¡­¡± When did you ever say that! ¡°Knowing now isn¡¯t too late.¡± Chuzheng waved her hand, the mass of Demonic Qi in her palm flying out, dividing into several masses in the air and hurtling towards the Sect Master and the Elders. After being dispersed, the Demonic Qi seemed unimposing. However, when the Demonic Qi was about to reach them, the undissipated energy in the air was drawn down like flowing water. The masses of Demonic Qi quickly expanded and exploded with a thunderous roar. The blast swept over, sending earth and stones flying and withering the ancient trees, leaving behind only ruins. The Sect Master and the Elders were somewhat disheveled, but fortunately, they were unhurt. ¡°Sect Master¡­ Sect Master, what is her power level?¡± ¡°To conceal it so that none of us noticed, her strength is not under you or me,¡± the Sect Master said heavily. Her being from the Demon Clan explained everything. He had lured Chuzheng to the main peak only because he feared that she might harbor feelings for Li Tang due to their time spent together, preventing them from dealing with Li Tang. But he hadn¡¯t expected that she too would be from the Demon Clan. Two members of the Demon Clan had been right under their noses¡­ The Sect Master suddenly thought of the message from Baiying Valley, and his face darkened abruptly. He suddenly shouted at Chuzheng, ¡°You are the Heart Demon!¡± He had thought the message from Baiying Valley referred to Li Tang. But now it seemed it was not Li Tang; Heart Demons are not so easily beset by inner turmoil. As soon as the Sect Master spoke, the Elders were taken aback. She was the Heart Demon? Chuzheng did not admit or deny it. The atmosphere grew tense. ¡°You want to lead the Demon Clan back to the Human Realm!¡± the Sect Master boldly guessed. Her infiltrating the Ziyun Sect must definitely be to gather intelligence, ¡°Chuzheng, you won¡¯t succeed!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that idle.¡± The affairs of the Demon Clan are none of her concern. At this point, whatever Chuzheng said, they wouldn¡¯t believe her. ¡°We must kill her.¡± The rumors about the Demon Bone, true or false, they couldn¡¯t take the risk, they couldn¡¯t allow the Demon Clan to return to the Human Realm. ¡°Quick, notify the other Sects.¡± Li Tang, who was held in Chuzheng¡¯s embrace, began to tremble violently at this moment, the suppressed dark energy in his eyes eventually overtaking the red light. He suddenly extended his hand, striking at Chuzheng. Chuzheng caught Li Tang¡¯s wrist, pulled it backward, and locked it behind him, forcing him to be unable to make a move, ¡°Stop messing around.¡± ¡°Let me go!¡± Li Tang growled fiercely and, shaking Chuzheng off, attacked her. Seeing such a good opportunity, the Sect Master and several Elders wouldn¡¯t miss it, and they each moved forward to attack. Li Tang didn¡¯t want to attack her, but he couldn¡¯t control himself. He wanted to tell her to leave, but no matter what, he couldn¡¯t make a sound, and could only watch as he continued to attack her. ¡°Bang!¡± ¡°Boom¡ª¡ª¡± Above the rubble, several silhouettes moved swiftly, intertwining and separating, with Spiritual Energy and Demonic Qi colliding, sending wave after wave of energy rippling out. The sky was densely covered with dark clouds of Demonic Qi, churning constantly as if about to press down at any moment. ¡°Be careful!¡± Unable to make a sound, Li Tang suddenly let out a loud shout, and quickly lunged in that direction, tightly embracing Chuzheng. The strike by the Sect Master was entirely blocked by Li Tang. Boom¡ª¡ª A clap of thunder resounded through the sky, carrying with it Demonic Qi lightning, striking down and causing a distortion in the void. The next moment, the dark clouds in the sky dispersed, allowing the sunlight to shower down. The entire space returned to calm. ¨C Chuzheng was rushed by Li Tang, and beside her ear was a loud noise; after that, her whole body fell backwards into darkness. As she continuously fell, she couldn¡¯t see anything in the dark, only feeling the warmth from Li Tang¡¯s body. Just as Chuzheng was puzzled, she felt a sudden warmth on her lips, moist with a trace of blood, prying open her mouth and aggressively taking over. An unfamiliar sensation at the tip of her tongue spread throughout her body. In the darkness, Chuzheng slightly widened her eyes, as if she¡¯d forgotten how to react. Whish¡ª¡ª Water spread over, and as her body continued to sink, Li Tang held her, and at some point, he had unbuckled the ties of her clothes. Chuzheng suddenly woke up, grabbing Li Tang¡¯s hand, ¡°Li Tang!¡± ¡°I like you.¡± Li Tang¡¯s heated lips landed on her neck. Threads of Demonic Qi, like ink dropped into water, slowly spread around them, creating an ethereal and dreamy atmosphere. Being held by him, Chuzheng could only tilt her head back, ¡°Li Tang, snap out of it!¡± ¡°I am very lucid,¡± Li Tang¡¯s voice was repressed. ¡°You¡¯re not lucid,¡± Chuzheng snapped, pulling her clothes back on. Like a lunatic! Had the Good Person Card gone mad?! Why was he pulling at her clothes! Stop pulling! It¡¯ll tear!! Demonic Qi entwined around the two, as if separating the surrounding water from them. Li Tang¡¯s fingers rested on Chuzheng¡¯s waist, the temperature on his fingertips steadily climbing, he sought Chuzheng¡¯s lips to kiss. The moment Chuzheng struggled, Li Tang held her even tighter. She felt like she was hugging a furnace, its heat seemingly able to melt her, creating an odd sensation in her limbs. His tongue once again invaded, twining with hers, his burning hand sweeping over her waist to rest on her back, one hand cradling the back of her head. Chuzheng¡¯s eyes were open, and in the water there was light, permitting her to see the person in front of her. His eyes were slightly closed, with water streaming down his eyelashes, trembling incessantly. His face was exceptionally peaceful at that moment, completely devoid of the earlier madness. As Chuzheng tried to pull away, the young man¡¯s brow furrowed, holding her tightly, the kisses becoming somewhat rougher. When Chuzheng relaxed, he too gradually became gentle, treating her like some delicate treasure, with tender care. Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Chapter 91: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (26) Chapter 91: Chapter 91: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (26) Chuzheng suddenly extended her arms to embrace him, and the boy, as if receiving a response, showed a trace of joy. However, that joy froze on his face the next second. He slowly leaned on Chuzheng¡¯s shoulder, and his whole being quieted down. Chuzheng took a breath and began to swim toward the surface with him. When they surfaced, the light was brighter, and Chuzheng could clearly see their current location. This was a cave, with luxuriant plants growing on the walls, plants that glowed like stars, scattered throughout the entire cave, illuminating it. Chuzheng dragged Li Tang onto the shallows and sat down beside him, resting her hands on her knees. Water dripped from her fingertips into the water, making a faint sound. The moisture on her body evaporated at a visible rate. After a while, Chuzheng touched her lips and then gently pursed them. She turned her head to look at Li Tang, suddenly flipped over, and braced her hands on either side of him. She leaned down and kissed him, their soft lips meeting, their breaths mingling. Chuzheng¡¯s tongue licked Li Tang¡¯s lips, they were a bit soft, but not sweet. Chuzheng bit him several times, something seemed to flicker in her eyes, and yet it seemed nothing was there, still that cold, aloof look that kept others at a distance. She let go of Li Tang and sat back down, her fingers brushing over him. Li Tang¡¯s wet clothes dried instantly. Chuzheng hugged her knees, her fingertips lightly touching the water¡¯s surface, creating ripples. The scene in the ripples shattered. How did she fall into this place? At that time, it seemed as if something in the sky had torn the space apart, sucking her and Li Tang inside. And then she just kept sinking¡­ Whether they were still at Ziyun Sect or not, Chuzheng wasn¡¯t sure. But this place was certainly not where they had been fighting. Perhaps those demonic qi had caused a distortion in space and brought them here. ¡°Miss, he¡¯s transformed into his darker self,¡± King¡¯s Account said. Chuzheng withdrew her hand and looked back at Li Tang. Those damn things blackened the Good Person Card, but that¡¯s not my fault, don¡¯t blame me. ¡°No matter who did it, he has darkened now,¡± King¡¯s Account continued. So, does that mean I can handle this weakling now? ¡°¡­¡± Miss, you just kissed him! Why can you suddenly talk like this! Are you a beast? Chuzheng, the Beast: ¡°I¡¯m asking you a question.¡± ¡°Miss, I think you still can be redeemed,¡± King¡¯s Account hastily said. Chuzheng picked up a stone and threw it into the water. The stone bounced several times on the water¡¯s surface before sinking. ¡°I think you need redeeming too,¡± her voice followed. ¡°¡­¡± It doesn¡¯t need redeeming, it¡¯s fine, Miss is scaring it, it clings to its small tail. ¨C Chuzheng circled around inside the cave. The cave had only one exit, but there were many passages outside, leading to unknown places. She didn¡¯t go far before returning the same way. A fire burn next to the water, but the person lying on the ground had disappeared. Chuzheng took two steps forward. A wind swept by, and she suddenly moved aside as the next second her wrist was grabbed, and she fell into a fiery embrace. Li Tang pressed her onto the vine-covered edge of the cave, and the light sources suddenly soared upward, flying into the distance. Those lights turned out to be little bugs. Li Tang¡¯s face loomed closer, his eyes showing a hint of red light: ¡°Where did you go just now?¡± Chuzheng struggled to free herself: ¡°Where I go is none of your business.¡± ¡°You want to leave me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng gave him a strange look, about to call him crazy, when King¡¯s Account sent over a strategy. She coldly recited the line: ¡°I was just checking out the exit.¡± ¡°Miss, you mustn¡¯t provoke him, he can¡¯t be agitated, understand?¡± King¡¯s Account was extremely worried. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I can¡¯t be agitated now either, or else I might actually deal with him. Li Tang stared at her for a few seconds, then slowly released his hand and held her in his arms. He didn¡¯t speak, just held her. Chuzheng leaned on his shoulder, but her gaze fell on the tiny insects that had scattered in alarm just moments before. They lingered not far away, and more of the little insects from the surrounding plants on the mountain walls were converging towards them, the swarm growing larger and larger. ¡°Hey,¡± Chuzheng nudged him. ¡°I want to hug you.¡± ¡°Hug what, something¡¯s coming.¡± Right as Chuzheng finished speaking, the swarm of insects that had gathered into a light group suddenly rushed towards them. ¡°Buzz buzz buzz¡­¡± Li Tang pulled Chuzheng behind him and turned to face the swarm of insects. Disturbed, a surge of malice grew in the depths of Li Tang¡¯s heart, and with a raise of his hand, he sent a blast of Demonic Qi towards them. However, to everyone¡¯s surprise, the swarm of insects wasn¡¯t fearful of the Demonic Qi; instead, they pounced on it and devoured the energy completely. Li Tang frowned and pulled Chuzheng backward. The insects, having gotten a taste, seemed eager for more. Chuzheng grabbed Li Tang and squeezed back towards the way she had come. Li Tang followed her instinctively as they ran. The cave was dark, and he couldn¡¯t see the person in front of him, but he could feel the warmth coming from her palm. A particularly strong desire welled up from the depths of Li Tang¡¯s heart, and he clenched his fist, suppressing that desire. He couldn¡¯t let it control him, he couldn¡¯t¡­ The cave twisted and turned, and at first, they could still hear the insects flapping their wings, but gradually the sound faded away. Chuzheng stopped, and Li Tang, not paying attention, ran into her from behind and wrapped his arms around her. Only then did Chuzheng realize that the boy, who had been about her height when they first met, was now significantly taller than her. This body of hers had stopped growing! Chuzheng listened for a moment, there was no movement behind them; the insects must have not followed. She tried to pull away Li Tang¡¯s hands, but he held on tightly. Chuzheng: ¡°How am I supposed to move with you like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll carry you,¡± Li Tang¡¯s voice fell into her ear, and the next second, she was swept up in his arms. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Fine! If you want to carry, then carry me! She was too lazy to walk anyway. Chuzheng wrapped her arms around his neck: ¡°I only got this far. I don¡¯t know where the exit is, just go wherever.¡± Li Tang seemed pleased by Chuzheng¡¯s action, his voice lighter: ¡°Okay.¡± Chuzheng leaned against Li Tang, wondering about those insects from before. She wanted to wait until Li Tang spoke before she would respond. But Li Tang was completely silent, seemingly uninterested in discussing the earlier insects. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± No, she couldn¡¯t speak first. They were just insects! What was there to be curious about? She wasn¡¯t curious at all! Chuzheng¡¯s fingertip touched Li Tang¡¯s shoulder, feeling some wetness. She rolled her fingertip over it, and the dampness intensified. ¡°Stop.¡± Li Tang halted, looking down at her. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Li Tang kept walking forward: ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng wiped the blood off her finger and directed him: ¡°Then carry me in a different way, there¡¯s blood.¡± Li Tang set her down and picked her up in a different position. [¡­] There are too many flaws; I don¡¯t even know where to begin criticizing. When this young lady goes crazy, not even eight horses can catch up with her. Not only does she not care that he¡¯s hurt, but she also has the nerve to ask him to carry her differently?? Carry! Her! In! A! Different! Way! Is she a demon? Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Chapter 92: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (27) Chapter 92: Chapter 92: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (27) ¡°` Li Tang remained silent, and Chuzheng did as well; in the dark passage, the only sound was the slight tread of Li Tang¡¯s footsteps. ¡°How did we get here?¡± Li Tang¡¯s voice suddenly broke the silence. Chuzheng, groggy and sleepy, shook her head upon hearing this, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Back then she had thought she could take down that group of people, but unexpectedly she was pulled here instead. As for Li Tang, his consciousness was somewhat unclear at the time; he only felt a force pulling him, and afterwards¡­ Afterwards¡­ Li Tang¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as fragments of memory flashed through his mind. He tightened his arms, holding Chuzheng even closer. It was as if something in his blood was boiling. ¡ªDo you want her? Now is such a good opportunity, how can you remain indifferent? Look, she is right in front of you, you can have her. Li Tang¡¯s breathing became slightly erratic, as that voice inside him emerged again. It was as if a demon resided within his body, trying to break free of its physical constraints. ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®blacken¡¯, it¡¯s annoying,¡± the girl¡¯s faint voice came from the darkness. Li Tang gritted his teeth and responded with a low ¡°Hmm.¡± He moved closer to her, his voice deep and husky, ¡°If you kiss me, I won¡¯t¡­¡± The air grew quiet, and just when Li Tang felt disappointed, a cool sensation brushed against his lips, enveloped with a delicate and light fragrance. Li Tang¡¯s breath hitched, and it took great effort for him to steady the surging impulse. ¡°It¡¯s not sweet.¡± The girl¡¯s voice was indifferent and cool. Li Tang was stunned, then responded a bit awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯ll, I¡¯ll pay attention next time.¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t know what he should pay attention to next time, she retreated back into his embrace, signaling him to keep moving. Perhaps Chuzheng¡¯s calming effect was very useful to him, for afterward, Li Tang felt no abnormalities within his body. He didn¡¯t know how long he had walked, the surroundings were still dark. He set Chuzheng down, ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a while first.¡± Chuzheng leaned against the stone wall out of boredom, staring into the void of darkness, her lips pursed unconsciously, somewhat at a loss. [Miss, what¡¯s wrong?] The King¡¯s Account seemed to notice that something was off with Chuzheng¡¯s mood and couldn¡¯t help but speak up. Chuzheng¡¯s fingers rubbed against her wrist, her reply was cold, none of your business. [¡­]I care about you! Humph! After the King¡¯s Account fell silent, Chuzheng¡¯s fingers clasped around her wrist, her mood somewhat irritable, she turned her head and looked towards Li Tang in the darkness on instinct. ¡°Li Tang.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Come here a bit.¡± Over at Li Tang¡¯s side, there was a brief pause, then a moment later he moved closer, his arm touching Chuzheng¡¯s. Suddenly, Chuzheng pushed him against the stone wall, her cool lips landing on the corner of his, then accurately on his own. Li Tang¡¯s eyes widened slightly, leaning against the stone wall, he forgot to react until Chuzheng pried open his lips and hooked his tongue, only then did he come to his senses. ¡°Chu¡­ Chuzheng?¡± he called her. Chuzheng pulled back slightly, and Li Tang felt her gaze on him, an inexplicable tightness rising in his heart. At this moment, he should¡¯ve been pressing her back for another kiss, but suddenly he had no strength, unable to do anything. Chuzheng went back to sit down, her familiar presence moving away, and Li Tang instinctively grabbed her, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± She had suddenly¡­ kissed him. Based on his understanding of her, she wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. ¡°I kissed you,¡± Chuzheng said with a sense of righteousness, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± She just couldn¡¯t understand why such contact gave her a different feeling. So she wanted to kiss a few more times, to confirm it. Chuzheng didn¡¯t feel there was anything wrong with doing this. In her eyes, such contact was as normal as a handshake or hug, without any other implication. ¡°No¡­¡± Li Tang¡¯s lips lifted slightly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it wasn¡¯t sweet?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not sweet,¡± Chuzheng agreed. Li Tang spoke softly, ¡°To me, it¡¯s sweet.¡± ¡°` Chuzheng¡¯s face was indifferent, ¡°Why?¡± Was there something wrong with her taste? Li Tang leaned in closer to her, his breath brushing past her ear, ¡°Because, you are sweet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sweet.¡± Chuzheng denied, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± ¡°¡­¡± That was indeed herself; there was no mistake. Li Tang admitted, ¡°Yes, I was talking nonsense.¡± Chuzheng pulled back her hand, perhaps a bit too forcefully, causing Li Tang to gasp in pain. A sudden light illuminated in front of Li Tang, although it was a pale blue hue, it lit up the passage. He looked toward Chuzheng, who had piled up several Demon Crystals by her side, creating light by igniting them. Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± Just how wealthy was she? The person enveloped in light leaned forward, reaching out to grab his clothes. Li Tang was somewhat bemused, holding his clothes tighter, ¡°What are you doing?¡± The dim light flickered in her eyes, making her appear even colder, ¡°Let go.¡± ¡°My wound is fine.¡± ¡°Let go.¡± Chuzheng warned him. ¡°I really¡­¡± Chuzheng, clearly impatient, roughly pulled his hand away, exuding a fierce air as she tore open his clothes. The injured spot was where the Soul-Extinguishing Nail had been removed, and now the wound had split open, still bleeding. Chuzheng cleaned the blood from his wound, then stopped the bleeding, applied medicine, and bandaged it up. Her fingers traced over his skin, causing a slight tremble, which to Li Tang was a form of torture. He turned his face to look at her, her brows exuding coldness, yet in his eyes, she seemed bathed in a soft light, exceedingly beautiful. Now he had an accurate answer in his heart as to why he had insisted on not taking her as his master. He didn¡¯t want her to be his master. He wanted her to be his companion. He had planned to tell her after they left the Secret Realm¡­ he hadn¡¯t expected to end up in the current situation. However, it seemed not too bad. Her reaction was much more surprising than he had thought. Chuzheng pulled his clothes back on, ¡°I¡¯m going to scout ahead.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°What for? Die here, and whose fault would it be?¡± Chuzheng ruthlessly scolded him, ¡°Sit down, or I¡¯ll break your legs if you try to stand up.¡± Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± Seriously, so fierce. Li Tang¡¯s aura weakened a bit, ¡°Would you leave me behind and go on alone?¡± ¡°Why would I leave you behind?¡± Chuzheng shot back, did she look like she was crazy? Could she just throw away the Good Person Card? ¡°Then¡­ be careful.¡± Li Tang watched Chuzheng walk away, her figure gradually disappearing as the surroundings returned to silence. He suddenly clenched his fist and smashed it against the stone wall, causing bits of rubble to fall. ¡°Shut up! You shut your mouth!¡± Li Tang roared lowly. That voice at the bottom of his heart kept ringing. ¡ªShe¡¯s gone, she won¡¯t come back. She will. ¡ªShe won¡¯t return, are you even a man, how could you let her leave. You shut up! ¡ªI can give you power, everything you want, including her. No, I won¡¯t let you control me again. Li Tang closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm down, refusing to be seduced by that voice; it wanted him to fall into depravity. If he did, he¡¯d certainly hurt her. If he hadn¡¯t met her, he really wouldn¡¯t care what became of himself, but with her¡­ how could he fall so low as to lose his own consciousness? Li Tang bit his teeth hard, trying his best to ignore the tempting voice. Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter 93: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (28) Chapter 93: Chapter 93: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (28) Chuzheng found the exit and returned to look for Li Tang. However, she only saw bloodstains at the original spot and did not see Li Tang. Chuzheng frowned. Had someone dealt with him? They didn¡¯t even leave the body for me! Which damned bastard did this! Chuzheng circled around within the narrow passage twice but did not find Li Tang. Just as she was about to leave and search elsewhere, a hand suddenly reached out from the darkness and dragged her over. ¡°Shh.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s attack halted abruptly as Li Tang pulled her into his embrace. There were sounds of wings fluttering in the passage outside, getting closer. Light moved past from outside, it was those bugs¡­ Chuzheng pressed against his chest, listening to his rapid heartbeat and feeling the warmth coming through the fabric. The bugs were numerous, and it took a while for the outside to quiet down. ¡°I found the exit,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°Impressive,¡± praised Li Tang. ¡°You can let go of me now.¡± Li Tang released her but immediately took her hand: ¡°Let me show you something.¡± He walked into the darkness, and Chuzheng followed. They passed through a stone door, and suddenly, the surroundings lit up as the stone door closed behind them. The stone chamber was not large and empty, with few contents. On the stone chair to the left side of the chamber, there was a skeleton seated. ¡°You never asked me what I came to the Ziyun Sect for.¡± Li Tang paused before continuing: ¡°I came to find my father.¡± ¡°Did you find him?¡± Chuzheng looked toward the skeleton. ¡°I did,¡± Li Tang nodded. ¡°My mother said that my father did not lack love for me, nor did he abandon us.¡± Li Tang¡¯s voice was somewhat low: ¡°When I was younger, I couldn¡¯t understand why every other child had a father and I did not; they always called me a bastard.¡± While others had pleasant childhoods, Li Tang¡¯s was filled with taunts, humiliation, darkness, and even violence¡­ He had wished for someone to stand up and protect him then. But there was no one. ¡°I came to the Ziyun Sect just to see what kind of man this person, who my mother yearned for, was.¡± ¡°How do you know he¡¯s the one you¡¯re looking for?¡± It was just a skeleton now, could it possibly have a name engraved on its bones? Li Tang pointed to the skeleton¡¯s palm, where a green flute one finger long lay amidst the stark white hand bones. ¡°I recognize that flute, my mother has one too.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t prove his identity.¡± Li Tang glanced at Chuzheng. He said slowly, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just intuition, but I feel he is the person I was looking for.¡± Upon hearing this, Chuzheng said nothing more. The stone chamber fell silent suddenly. Li Tang let go of Chuzheng and stepped forward to pick up a notebook in front of the skeleton. His fingers trembled slightly, and he even hesitated to open it. Chuzheng took the notebook and opened it in front of him. The notebook¡¯s contents were very chaotic, but contained many details about Li Tang and his mother. ¡°It says that when people from the Ziyun Sect found out about his identity from the Demon Clan, to avoid implicating your mother, he led the people of the Sect away by himself,¡± summarized Chuzheng the notebook¡¯s contents. He had intended to lead the people of the Ziyun Sect away and then return to Li Tang¡¯s mother. However, he had not anticipated that he would fail to shake off the Sect¡¯s pursuit and instead, continued to be hunted down. Alone, he found it difficult to contend with the Ziyun Sect. In the end, he got captured. He was confined within the Ziyun Sect, waiting for many years to find an opportunity to escape, and finally, an opportunity presented itself. Regrettably, he still did not manage to get away and was discovered by the Sect¡¯s people mid-escape. During the fight, he suddenly fell into this place, which would open if it was filled with an excess of Demonic Qi. No one knows who left it, but it saved his life. Already gravely injured and on the verge of death, he stirred those luminescent bugs that could devour Demonic Qi. Eventually, he found this stone chamber and took refuge inside, but never made it out. Chuzheng set down the letter, and silently walked to the other side. Li Tang seemed not to notice her departure, staring blankly at the white bones. ¨C Li Tang buried the white bones, collected the letter and the flute, and there was no longer any sign of disturbance in his expression. ¡°Let¡¯s go out.¡± Chuzheng stood up from the ground, tossed away the old, tattered ancient scroll in her hand, and sauntered towards the exit of the stone chamber. The ancient scroll lay lonely on the ground, with its yellowed and mottled pages vaguely revealing the words ¡°Demon Clan Seal.¡± The two left the dim passageway and stood at the base of the mountains, looking into the distance where they could still see the Ziyun Sect hidden in the mist. This place was not far from the Ziyun Sect. Really wonder who set up this life-saving measure for the Demon Clan. [Main Quest: Miss, please spend a thousand Spirit Stones within two hours.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I want to go back! Don¡¯t stop me! Let me go back! There was a town not far from the Ziyun Sect, and Chuzheng rushed into the town in a flurry. ¡°Hey, look at those two people.¡± ¡°They look like¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go.¡± People pointed and murmured at the sight of them, then quickly left. Chuzheng looked at Li Tang: ¡°Did you scare them?¡± Li Tang frowned, looking around with a hint of vigilance: ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t enter the town.¡± ¡°No way.¡± How could she spend a thousand Spirit Stones if they didn¡¯t enter the town? A glimmer of Dark light flashed in Li Tang¡¯s eyes, and he clenched his fist, suppressing the power inside him that was ready to explode at any moment: ¡°What do you want to buy in town? I will help you, there¡¯s something off about this place.¡± ¡°Afraid of what.¡± Chuzheng pulled him towards the town, ¡°I¡¯ve got your back.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng entered the town, and before she could even step into a shop, they would close up, if not run away entirely. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The shopkeeper of a store up ahead was preparing to close when Chuzheng quickly strode up to block the door. ¡°Ah!¡± The shopkeeper screamed, scrambling to take cover behind the counter: ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t kill me, please don¡¯t kill me.¡± Chuzheng walked into the shop, glanced at the goods for sale, and poured out a heap of Spirit Stones: ¡°I want to buy things.¡± ¡°You can, you can take whatever you want, no need for payment,¡± the shopkeeper stammered, not daring to lift his head. Chuzheng was perplexed¡ªdid she look that frightening? Li Tang stood at the doorway, watchfully observing the townspeople scattering about and quickly shutting their doors. These people seemed to recognize them. Given the proximity to the Ziyun Sect, if the Ziyun Sect had warned the townspeople about the Demon Clan, this place would likely be the first to be notified. He warned aloud, ¡°Chuzheng, we need to leave.¡± Chuzheng waved a hand dismissively¡ªthe Spirit Stones hadn¡¯t been spent yet, what was the rush? She turned to the shopkeeper: ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Really, take whatever you want for free, just spare me, don¡¯t kill me, please don¡¯t kill me¡­¡± Chuzheng had no choice but to turn around and pick something; the goods in the shop weren¡¯t great, and a thousand Spirit Stones would be hard to spend fully anyway, but a rich person doesn¡¯t care about such a small amount of money. Chuzheng, carrying the goods, left the shop. Only then did the shopkeeper dare to peek out. Staring at the Spirit Stones on the table and those that had rolled onto the floor, he was a bit confused. Were these real Spirit Stones or just rocks? While the shopkeeper was bewildered, several people suddenly burst in from outside: ¡°Where is the Demon Clan?¡± The shopkeeper threw himself over the Spirit Stones, covering them, and pointed in the direction Chuzheng had left: ¡°They went that way.¡± The intruders immediately turned and chased after them, vanishing around the corner of the street in no time. Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Chapter 94: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (29) Chapter 94: Chapter 94: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (29) Chuzheng quickly realized why the people in the city had such a strong reaction when they saw her. She and Li Tang were wanted. Chuzheng stared at the wanted poster posted by the Ziyun Sect on the announcement board. What kind of drawing was this? How could they recognize them? Even representatives of abstract art weren¡¯t like this! ¡°Up ahead.¡± ¡°Everyone be careful of the Demon Head¡¯s trickery!¡± ¡°You go that way.¡± Disciples of the Ziyun Sect, raging with momentum, came running from the empty streets and blocked their way out. Li Tang turned around, his eyes gradually revealing a murderous intent, ¡°I¡¯ll go kill them.¡± Li Tang leaped forward, blocking those people. ¡°Demon Head!¡± a disciple drew his weapon, ¡°You dare appear here! Today is your day of death!¡± ¡°Eliminate demons and defend the path! Kill the Demon Head!¡± ¡°Eliminate demons and defend the path!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­Do we, do we really need to shout slogans?¡± ¡°Charge!¡± After shouting their slogans, the disciples of the Ziyun Sect rushed forward together. Li Tang watched them charging silently, the hand by his side gradually surrounded by Demonic Qi. Just as he was about to make a move, Chuzheng walked past him. The disciples of the Ziyun Sect were flying towards her, about to attack, but in the next second, they scattered in the air with a ¡®bang¡¯. The woman casually walked through the falling powder, standing on the other side, and looked back, ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± He glanced at the Demonic Qi in his hand, retracted his palm, and the murderous look in his eyes faded; then he stepped forward to follow. Chuzheng finished the ruinous task for the King¡¯s Account and hurriedly left the city. Staying in the city was not safe; the King¡¯s Account was always ready to wreak havoc. She needed to find a desolate mountain to stay in, to be safe. Too scary. The Ziyun Sect sent several groups of people after them, but before Li Tang could even make a move, they were all collectively dealt with. Li Tang was quite frustrated. Couldn¡¯t they let him take action just once?! She made so many moves, and Li Tang didn¡¯t even clearly see how she did it. It seemed like it was just a small thing she easily accomplished with a mere gesture. At nightfall. Li Tang found an abandoned temple nearby and cleaned up a spot for them to rest. Li Tang looked at Chuzheng leaning against the side; he moved over, ¡°How did you do it?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± What was he talking about? There were many things she could do. ¡°Kill those people.¡± Chuzheng glanced at him, her long and dense eyelashes lightly drooping. In the temple, the firelight flickered, and the shadows of the two people on the ground were intermittently bright and dark. ¡°When you killed them, I didn¡¯t feel any Demonic Qi,¡± continued Li Tang. Even the most powerful members of the Demon Clan, when using their powers, would emit detectable Demonic Qi. But she didn¡¯t. ¡°So what?¡± Chuzheng calmly poked the fire. ¡°¡­¡± Li Tang felt a sense of unease. This unease was expanding; the power inside him was constantly looking for an opportunity to devour him. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me?¡± Chuzheng looked up at him, ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± Suddenly, Li Tang stood up and quickly left the ruined temple. He leaped into the small woods behind the ruined temple, releasing the accumulated power in his hand. Rows of trees collapsed, startling the birds that nested there. ¡°Stop talking!!¡± he shouted angrily. ¡ªYou are afraid. That voice still existed in his mind. ¡ªLook, she doesn¡¯t care about you at all. As long as you join me, she will belong to you completely. ¡°No¡­¡± Li Tang clutched his head, ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡ª¡ªWhat are you afraid of? As long as you become stronger, she won¡¯t be your match, and you don¡¯t have to be afraid, you will have her. Veins on the back of Li Tang¡¯s hands stood out, and cold sweat slid from his forehead down to his eyebrows, then dripped from his cheeks to the ground. He held his head, muttering to himself: ¡°Shut up, shut up, just shut up!¡± ¨C Chuzheng poked at a fire with a dead branch, the flames casting light on her ice-cold cheeks but failed to add the slightest warmth. There were footsteps at the entrance of the dilapidated temple. Chuzheng¡¯s grip on the dead branch tightened slightly, then she relaxed the next second and continued to poke at the fire. Li Tang came in from outside and sat down beside Chuzheng: ¡°Don¡¯t you want to rest?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Chuzheng threw away the branch, ready to head to the side to rest, but Li Tang grabbed her: ¡°Let me hold you.¡± He didn¡¯t give Chuzheng a chance to agree, and directly pulled her into his arms: ¡°Sleep.¡± Li Tang¡¯s body was somewhat feverish, and the chill of the night was instantly dispelled. As Chuzheng lay in his arms, she could see his tense jawline. Li Tang suddenly lowered his head, their gazes meeting in midair. Chuzheng stared straight at him, not dodging in the slightest. Li Tang held the gaze for a moment, but soon felt uncomfortable and averted his eyes, suddenly bowing his head. The sound of the fire crackling was the only noise in the silent temple. Their shadows overlapped on the temple wall. Li Tang¡¯s fingertips brushed Chuzheng¡¯s cheek, deepening the kiss slowly. He kissed her with caution and tenderness, as though afraid to startle the person in his arms. Their hot breaths mingled, the soft and warm body in his arms, the light tickle from her eyelashes brushing against him ¨C every sensation was a temptation. ¡°Is it sweet?¡± A voice laced with restraint sounded. Li Tang asked her, his lips pressed against hers. Chuzheng seriously replied: ¡°The taste of fruit, you¡¯ve eaten fruit.¡± Li Tang pecked her lips: ¡°So is it sweet?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Chuzheng had swallowed back the lengthy exposition about the inherent sweetness of fruit under the intervention of the King¡¯s Account. ¡°Do you like it?¡± His voice was deep and his dark eyes reflected Chuzheng¡¯s image. After thinking for a moment, Chuzheng still answered earnestly: ¡°It¡¯s alright, I don¡¯t dislike it.¡± Yes, she didn¡¯t dislike it. Since it was something she didn¡¯t dislike, she naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse it. But¡­ Chuzheng didn¡¯t quite understand the purpose of such contact. Is it merely to increase the pleasure of the body? Lacking any substantial benefit, it seems like a waste of time. Li Tang¡¯s breath hitched slightly, a faint smile lingering on his lips. He kissed from the corner of Chuzheng¡¯s lips up to her brow, whispering softly: ¡°Sleep, I¡¯m watching over you.¡± Chuzheng looked at him for a moment and closed her eyes. Li Tang¡¯s kiss landed again, and Chuzheng was a bit annoyed, but fortunately, Li Tang soon pulled away and held her without moving again. Li Tang didn¡¯t sleep; he didn¡¯t dare to. In sleep, it was too easy for his own Heart Demon to take advantage of his vulnerability. He had to be vigilant at all times. The night grew deeper, and the dew heavier. Suddenly, Li Tang looked outside, and Chuzheng also opened her eyes, sitting up from his embrace. She looked at the fire for a while as if she had just woken up, unaware where she was. But upon closer inspection, one would find her eyes devoid of any confusion, calmness that didn¡¯t seem human. Even closer, one might feel the fierce aura emanating from her. She was really annoyed at the moment. The disturbance in the dead of night was so bothersome! Li Tang stood up, softening his tone: ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯ll take care of it. You keep sleeping.¡± ¡°Noisy,¡± Chuzheng uttered a single word. ¡°I¡¯ll be quieter.¡± He¡¯d make sure they wouldn¡¯t make a sound when he killed them later, so as not to disturb her sleep. ¡°You¡¯re noisy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Chapter 95: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (30) Chapter 95: Chapter 95: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (30) Outside the broken temple, Lin Chen surrounded the place with several disciples. Chuzheng slowly walked out, followed by Li Tang. Making noise in the dead of night and disturbing one¡¯s sleep is truly annoying. Don¡¯t they ever sleep? Can¡¯t they learn to go to bed early and rise early? ¡°Brother, they¡¯re coming out.¡± They¡¯d only just arrived and hadn¡¯t made a sound, yet the people inside were already coming out. Lin Chen pressed down the disciple and whispered an order, ¡°Remember what I told you, capture Chuzheng alive, execute Li Tang on the spot.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The several disciples glanced at each other, without exchanging words with Chuzheng or her group. They swiftly flew into the air and formed a Formation right in front of Chuzheng. Chuzheng looked up, the light of the Formation reflecting and vanishing in her pupils, beautiful yet evanescent like fireworks. Lin Chen stood outside the Formation, his expression serious, yet tinged with a hint of eagerness and anticipation. Li Tang didn¡¯t like the look in Lin Chen¡¯s eyes and subconsciously stood in front of Chuzheng. At that moment, Lin Chen leapt into the air, landing right above the Formation, brandishing a long sword. With the appearance of the long sword, the Formation¡¯s light spread out, and a tyrannical pressure washed over them from the sword. Chuzheng¡¯s body even retreated slightly. Li Tang supported Chuzheng, ¡°It¡¯s a Divine Artifact.¡± Chuzheng realized in her heart why Lin Chen dared to confront her¡ªit was because he had the backing of a Divine Artifact, and he thought he was formidable. So, having a Divine Artifact is a big deal, huh! She has one too! [Miss, you really don¡¯t have one.] Divine Artifacts are priceless and impossible to buy. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard, what use is it if you say you have one? [¡­] Why is it always its fault again? And it has already been said, you¡¯re not supposed to call it Bastard! Isn¡¯t that indirectly cursing at it?! You said it again. [¡­] I¡¯m leaving, I¡¯m leaving, I¡¯m leaving, okay?! The King¡¯s Account fled. The Formation in front of Chuzheng was also completed. With a swoosh, it descended to the ground, and both she and Li Tang were completely trapped inside it, while Lin Chen and the disciples landed within the Formation. ¡°Chuzheng, Li Tang,¡± Lin Chen held the Divine Artifact, ¡°you won¡¯t escape today. If you know what¡¯s good for you, surrender.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Chuzheng asked, playing the ignorance card. Lin Chen, bolstered by the Divine Artifact, spoke with great confidence, ¡°This Formation was specially designed to counter the Demon Clan. Inside it, your strength will be greatly reduced. If you don¡¯t want to suffer, surrender.¡± ¡°I heard you say you wanted to kill him earlier,¡± Chuzheng pointed to her Good Person Card. Lin Chen was speechless. He had spoken so softly, and she still heard it? But it didn¡¯t matter if she heard. ¡°The Demon Clan deserves to die,¡± Lin Chen said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your Demon Clan, there wouldn¡¯t be any wars.¡± Chuzheng spoke calmly, ¡°Without war, you would become complacent in pleasure, stagnate, and in the end, your abilities would diminish, indistinguishable from ordinary people.¡± Lin Chen frowned. ¡°Brother, why are you wasting words with her? She¡¯s just stalling for time,¡± one of the disciples alerted Lin Chen. It was only then that Lin Chen came to his senses. ¡°Chuzheng, do you really not intend to surrender?¡± ¡°No.¡± How could a woman surrender? Absolutely not! ¡°Fine,¡± Lin Chen said, picking up the Divine Artifact with a trace of ruthlessness, ¡°then you¡¯ll have no regrets.¡± Chuzheng turned her head, ¡°Watch closely.¡± Li Tang: ¡°???¡± Watch what closely? Before Li Tang could react, the scene before him suddenly changed. Lin Chen and the Ziyun Sect disciples were now surrounded by silver threads. These threads appeared abruptly, startling everyone involved. ¡°What is this¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s binding me!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t get it off!¡± The silver threads suddenly tightened, wrapping around their limbs and necks. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°What the hell is this!¡± The Ziyun Sect disciples, regardless of their attacks, couldn¡¯t affect the silver threads and began to curse vehemently. Every silver thread connected to Chuzheng¡¯s wrist, she gently tugs on them, her expression calm and unrippled. The silver threads grew more numerous, almost entirely wrapping their limbs until no cloth could be seen. These lines¡­ Li Tang remembered the line that had wrapped around his own hand in Ziyun Sect¡­ The cold touch of it, which easily reminded one of the slithery nature of snakes. ¡°Senior brother! Save me!¡± Lin Chen was slightly better off. With the Divine Artifact¡¯s help, only his ankles were bound by the silver threads. Lin Chen swung the Divine Artifact to cut them, the threads immediately loosened, only to wrap around his waist and harshly throw him into the air. ¡°Do you see clearly now?¡± Chuzheng asked Li Tang. Li Tang nodded noncommittally, his expression unreadable. Chuzheng tapped her fingertip along the silver thread, and the person connected to that thread instantly vanished into the air. With a light tap from Chuzheng, only Lin Chen remained in the field. ¡°You¡­¡± Lin Chen¡¯s face turned ashen, ¡°What have you done?¡± He had just seen, right before his eyes, his junior brothers disappear¡ªor rather, reduced to ashes. And the person opposite had not even moved from her spot. Chuzheng raised her hand, and the silver threads vanished into the air, Lin Chen watched his surroundings warily. ¡°You want to kill me, I¡¯m quite formidable, you all get killed, it¡¯s that simple, don¡¯t you understand?¡± Of course, Lin Chen understood. What he didn¡¯t understand was how she did it. With those threads? Lin Chen felt a chill down his spine; he had underestimated this woman. His master was right, the Demon Bone wasn¡¯t so easy to deal with. He shouldn¡¯t have been impulsive. But his junior sister¡­ Thinking of his junior sister¡¯s pale face, Lin Chen couldn¡¯t stay put. How could he save his junior sister if he did nothing? The Demon Bone was the only hope. For his junior sister¡­ With this thought, Lin Chen resolved in his heart, channeled Spiritual Energy into the Divine Artifact, swung it, and attacked Chuzheng. The Divine Artifact was easily blocked, the person opposite didn¡¯t even lower her hand, her skirt lifted by the airflow, her composed and unperturbed demeanor had an aura that made her irrefutable. Bang¡ª Lin Chen¡¯s body flew out, hit the Formation, and was rebounded back. ¡°You can¡¯t win against me, so stop thinking about my body and just leave,¡± Chuzheng said. I might not be able to resist finishing you off! A final act of defiance from a little one who doesn¡¯t wish to rewind life! Body¡­ These two words seemed to have stung Li Tang; the look he gave Lin Chen instantly turned grim. Li Tang walked towards Lin Chen, his eyes growing darker as dense Demonic Qi began to seep from him. The surroundings seemed to grow more sinister by the moment. He actually wants her body? How dare he! She belonged to himself, and no one else could covet her! With murderous intent, Lin Chen got up from the ground with a chilling heart and attacked Li Tang. The Formation indeed suppressed the Demon Clan¡¯s power; Li Tang was significantly weakened. But Li Tang was filled with rage and his fight with Lin Chen was to no one¡¯s advantage. [Miss, won¡¯t you lend a hand?] The King¡¯s Account sounded weak and exhausted. ¡°Why should I help?¡± Chuzheng gathered her sleeves, unable to kill Lin Chen, and thus didn¡¯t even have the desire to make a move. [The words you said earlier, they upset him. Miss, when you speak, please consider your mission objectives.] ¡°How I speak is my freedom.¡± It¡¯s my fault that you¡¯re weak? [But he¡¯s turned dark!] Miss must have come to hasten the blackening of the mission target! It must be! A conspiracy! This is a conspiracy! Chuzheng refuted, ¡°What does it have to do with me? I didn¡¯t make him turn dark.¡± [He wouldn¡¯t have blackened if you hadn¡¯t said that sentence.] ¡°What I say is my freedom.¡± [¡­] Right, circling back to that. Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Chapter 96: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (31) Chapter 96: Chapter 96: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (31) Lin Chen was beaten half to death, and Li Tang intended to kill him. However, just as he was about to act, a formation suddenly appeared and whisked Lin Chen away. Aside from a few elders and the Sect Master of the Ziyun Sect, no one else could likely do this. ¡°Pfft¡­¡± After Lin Chen was rescued, Li Tang, too, couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and fell to the ground. Chuzheng reached out to catch him, allowing him to lean on her. ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡± Li Tang coughed, blood continuously spilling out. ¡°Why did you fight with him?¡± Chuzheng wiped the blood from his mouth and fed him two elixir pills, ¡°What a waste of time.¡± ¡°He should¡­¡± Li Tang grabbed Chuzheng¡¯s hand, declaring ownership, ¡°You are mine.¡± ¡°I belong to myself,¡± Chuzheng corrected. ¡°Mine¡­ cough cough cough¡­¡± Li Tang¡¯s Demonic Qi seemed somewhat out of control, as if it might erupt at any moment. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡± [Miss, just go along with him a bit, even lying to him would be better. What if he dies from his anger!!] Chuzheng fell silent for a moment. Was that bastard really suggesting she deceive someone? ¡°Yours.¡± Saying it¡¯s yours just makes it yours? How foolish. Li Tang¡¯s Demonic Qi instantly settled down, and the expression on his face gradually became peaceful. ¨C Lin Chen was rescued and brought back to the Ziyun Sect, with Wan Luo pacing back and forth anxiously in the room. ¡°Sect Master.¡± As soon as the Sect Master emerged, Wan Luo immediately went up to him, ¡°How is he?¡± The Sect Master shook his head, ¡°Lin Chen has sustained severe damage to his meridians, and all his viscera have been eroded by Demonic Qi¡­¡± What he meant was¡ªLin Chen was likely ruined. After regaining consciousness, Lin Chen became clearly distraught after learning about his condition. Always the pride of the heavens, yet now, he had to become less than a common man. He still had Demonic Qi left in his body, which could claim his life at any moment. Lin Chen couldn¡¯t accept this. Wan Luo couldn¡¯t accept it either, his own fine disciple had become like this. Wan Luo made a fuss about getting the Sect Master to work with the other sects to issue a wanted alert for Chuzheng and Li Tang, determined to capture Li Tang, the chief culprit. The Demonic Qi in Lin Chen¡¯s body came from Li Tang, and only he could completely cleanse it. So no matter where Chuzheng and Li Tang went, they could be identified and pursued. But what about Chuzheng? Every time she was pursued, she didn¡¯t forget to spend Spirit Stones. Everyone was curious if she had a Spirit Stone Mine, otherwise, how could she have so many Spirit Stones? So, even more people joined in the pursuit. Chuzheng was even capable of dealing, trading with those hunting her. But some wouldn¡¯t fall for that, they just kept targeting her to kill, just focusing on her¡­ What¡¯s so great about killing her! And she doesn¡¯t drop any loot! ¡°I¡¯m going back to the Demon Clan,¡± Chuzheng said to Li Tang, fed up. Li Tang¡¯s injuries had mostly healed, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°To inherit the position of the Demon Monarch,¡± Chuzheng said, ¡°and then come back to finish them off!¡± Those pursuing her were seriously interfering with her ability to squander wealth. Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± He felt something was not quite right. ¨C Chuzheng was one to stick to her word, saying she would return to the Demon Clan meant just that, and she set off that very day. Li Tang knew he couldn¡¯t stop her, his only worry was that returning to the Underground Demon City would strengthen the Heart Demon¡¯s power. But could he let her go back alone? The answer was no. You needed certain strength to come out of the Underground Demon City, but not to enter. The Underground Demon City hadn¡¯t changed much since she left; it was still that place where no sunlight shone. ¡°Is this the Underground Demon City?¡± Li Tang looked at the buildings in front of him, all of which seemed to carry a sense of antiquity. ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng dusted off her sleeves and walked towards Central City. The Underground Demon City was the Demon Clan¡¯s former capital. ¡°Where are we going now?¡± Li Tang hastened his pace to keep up with Chuzheng. ¡°Into the city, to find someone,¡± Chuzheng responded tersely, as if she hadn¡¯t said anything at all. Find someone? What kind of person? Two hours later, Li Tang stood outside the Demon Monarch Mansion. She really intends to inherit the Demon Monarch¡¯s position? ¡°You are not allowed to linger here!¡± The Demon Clan, outside the Demon Monarch Mansion, wielding their weapons, were driving them away: ¡°Leave this place at once!¡± ¡°I need to see your Demon Monarch.¡± ¡°The Demon Monarch is not receiving guests today,¡± the other party said: ¡°Just go.¡± Every day, people come to see the Demon Monarch; how could he possibly have so much time. ¡°Let them in.¡± A voice suddenly came from inside the mansion. The people stopping them hesitated slightly, exchanged glances, and stepped aside to make way. Chuzheng, disappointed, put the Demon Crystal back. The one who spoke was the butler of the Demon Monarch Mansion. He led Chuzheng and Li Tang to the meeting hall. ¡°The two of you, the Demon Monarch will arrive shortly, please wait a moment.¡± The butler excused himself and left. Li Tang surveyed the surroundings: ¡°Do you know him?¡± ¡°I do not.¡± ¡°Then why would he agree to see you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng found a place to sit down and, when served tea by the demons, naturally picked up the teacup. Li Tang held her hand: ¡°Don¡¯t drink.¡± In a strange environment, how could you just drink anything they offer here. ¡°You¡¯re too careful.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get hurt,¡± Li Tang said, tightening his grip slightly: ¡°I can¡¯t bear it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not poisoned.¡± Chuzheng broke free from his grasp, took a small sip: ¡°Do you want some?¡± Li Tang looked at the teacup in Chuzheng¡¯s hand and took it to have a drink. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± She glanced at the other teacup and then at her now empty hand. She was offering him that cup! Why did he have to take hers! ¡°The Demon Monarch has arrived¡ª¡ª¡± The butler, bowing, led the way, followed by a man with an unhurried expression, seemingly rather displeased. The Demon Monarch walked straight to the head seat and sat down with a flourish. ¡°You are Chuzheng?¡± The Demon Monarch looked her over twice. ¡°Do you know me?¡± ¡°Heh.¡± The Demon Monarch sneered: ¡°Buying up a dozen shops in Central City in a row, of course I know.¡± Central City was his territory, after all. A dozen shops didn¡¯t matter much; what they cared about was that her spending was too generous. But by the time they arrived, the person was gone, leaving behind only the shops and some images. Unexpectedly, after so long, she appeared again, and this time came knocking on his door. ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng nodded, unconcerned about having once bought shops here. The Demon Monarch¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, shifting from her to Li Tang. ¡°Half-Demon?¡± Li Tang was startled; the other party had seen through him at a glance. ¡°And borne a Heart Demon, yet still able to stay conscious, interesting.¡± Chuzheng glanced at Li Tang. Li Tang looked down, not daring to meet Chuzheng¡¯s eyes. The Demon Monarch curved his finger, tapping on the tabletop: ¡°What business do you have with me?¡± The woman was an enigma, and the Demon Monarch would not easily offend her. As for Li Tang, he seemed weak, so he didn¡¯t take him seriously. ¡°Would you like to get out?¡± Chuzheng withdrew her gaze from Li Tang. ¡°Get out?¡± The Demon Monarch was slightly puzzled: ¡°Get out where?¡± ¡°Outside, to the Human Realm,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°¡­The Human Realm?¡± The Demon Monarch had a strange expression: ¡°The seal on the Underground Demon City can¡¯t be opened by anyone, so how to get out?¡± ¡°How do you think he came here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite normal for humans to occasionally fall in.¡± ¡°¡­¡± So that was a thing? She had thought Lin Chen was an exception, but it turned out to be normal. Not good. Calm yourself! Chuzheng replied indifferently, ¡°That¡¯s not for you to worry about.¡± * Li Tang: What should I do when my wife steals my scene? Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Chapter 97: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (32) Chapter 97: Chapter 97: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (32) ¡°I can agree to your condition, but I want to add one more, I want him!¡± Chuzheng and the Demon Monarch were nearing the end of their negotiation when the Demon Monarch suddenly pointed at Li Tang. Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± Li Tang frowned slightly. Was she really planning to give him away? There was finally a hint of amusement on the unexpecting face of the Demon Monarch. ¡°He¡¯s a Half-Demon, and he has a Heart Demon. I want to do some research.¡± Though humans occasionally fell into their realm, the union of the Demon Clan and humans, resulting in offspring, was something the Demon Monarch had never witnessed before. ¡°Impossible.¡± Chuzheng refused. The Good Person Card is not something you can just research. What if you break it! In your dreams! The Demon Monarch spread his hands indifferently: ¡°Then our previous discussion is void.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Chuzheng stood up. ¡°After all, you¡¯re not the only Demon Monarch in Central City.¡± I don¡¯t necessarily need you, but you¡¯re just closer, fool. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You, stop!¡± The Demon Monarch called out to her. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt him, just do some research.¡± ¡°No.¡± Chuzheng walked out with Li Tang in tow. The Demon Monarch¡¯s brow throbbed with tension. ¡°Alright, alright, I agree.¡± Was this Half-Demon really that important to her? ¡°Pleasure doing business.¡± ¡°Pleasure doing business.¡± The Demon Monarch¡¯s expression darkened again. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°First, we deal with the other Demon Monarchs, and unify the Demon Clan.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Did she realize how formidable the other Demon Monarchs in Central City were? What Chuzheng replied with was still ¡®that¡¯s not for you to worry about.¡¯ The Demon Monarch was on the verge of losing his mind. What was he supposed to consider? The content of the deal with Chuzheng ¡ª she could open the seal and get them out, but she would occupy the position of the Demon Monarch for a few days. As for when she would return it, that would depend on her needs. Considering there was more than one Demon Monarch, the Demon Monarch thought it was merely an empty title. Let her have it. But then¡­ She was going to take out the other Demon Monarchs? If there were only one Demon Monarch left, that would no longer be an empty title. Three days later. Central City fell into panic as one Demon Monarch after another disappeared mysteriously, with no signs of struggle or knowledge about when they vanished. And now, the Demon Monarchs confined in the dungeons were staring at each other, bewildered. ¡°What did you bring us here for!¡± a certain Demon Monarch roared. Demon Monarch: ¡°¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t me who caught you! She said she¡¯d deal with them by just capturing them, why not kill them!? The Demon Monarch left the dungeon and found Chuzheng: ¡°Why not kill them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to you.¡± Chuzheng answered casually. ¡°If we don¡¯t kill them now, when they leave this place, do you think there will be a good outcome?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not for me to consider.¡± Chuzheng said: ¡°I¡¯m merely borrowing the position of the Demon Monarch temporarily.¡± Demon Monarch: ¡°¡­¡± If he¡¯d been doubtful before about her ¡®temporary borrowing¡¯ being an excuse, now he was suddenly starting to believe her. The Demon Monarch stormed off, now tasked with figuring out how to handle the several Demon Monarchs in the dungeon. He definitely couldn¡¯t let it be discovered that he had captured the Demon Monarchs¡­ damn it! It wasn¡¯t him who did it! Li Tang entered, coming face-to-face with the departing Demon Monarch. The Demon Monarch glanced at him and hurried off. Li Tang closed the door, then moved forward to embrace Chuzheng from behind: ¡°Are you really going to open the seal for the Demon Clan?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°How are you going to open the seal?¡± ¡°At your father¡¯s grave, I saw a book that records the sealing of the Demon Clan.¡± Books? Li Tang turned to face Chuzheng, gripping her shoulders, ¡°You don¡¯t actually know how to open the Demon Clan¡¯s seal?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Li Tang¡¯s mouth twitched, you¡¯re so boldly negotiating terms with the Demon Monarch without knowing? ¡°What if it can¡¯t be opened?¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll just teleport them out one by one,¡± Chuzheng said, ¡°It¡¯s not difficult.¡± Opening the seal is simply about changing the process from teleporting one person to several. Without opening the seal, it would just mean teleporting is slower and the strength of the demons being transported is limited. There was nothing to be conflicted about. ¡°¡­¡± Li Tang didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Why do you want to open the seal?¡± He was somewhat perplexed; with her power, she didn¡¯t need the help of the Demon Clan. ¡°There are too many, can¡¯t beat them.¡± So many people attacking her alone, and they even interfered with her squandering, causing her to double up every time, intolerable. Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± She could lose? ¡°Sometimes I really¡­¡± Li Tang shook his head, ¡°don¡¯t understand you.¡± He lowered his head, pressing against Chuzheng¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I really want to protect you, but it seems that it¡¯s always you protecting me.¡± Li Tang¡¯s voice was low. Sometimes he really felt useless, wishing he could succumb to his Heart Demon, so he could become more powerful. However, he knew all too well, if he were truly controlled by the Heart Demon, he would lose her. If the Heart Demon wasn¡¯t her at all¡­ ¡°Come on.¡± Chuzheng patted his shoulder to cheer him up. Li Tang, startled by the two words of encouragement, could no longer speak what he had in mind. He turned his head, his lips grazing Chuzheng¡¯s neck, and after a moment, a burning kiss fell. Kissing down her pulsing artery. Chuzheng¡¯s back against the table, the heat on her neck began to spread. At first, it was like fireflies, a faint glow beautiful enough to make one¡¯s heart tremble, and then it turned into a spark, with the potential to start a wildfire. Li Tang¡¯s kisses went from tentative to plundering, in his hazy eyes, a fierce fire was burning, as if it wanted to engulf her completely. Chuzheng¡¯s breathing became a little difficult, her body started to weaken, she tried to push him away. The man who seemed to have no strength before, who could easily be pushed away, now couldn¡¯t be moved at all. Li Tang slowed down his kissing, his palm moving from her waist to her back. He murmured softly, ¡°Can I have it?¡± ¡°Have what?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s eyes remained calm, ¡°Let me go first.¡± She was almost out of breath. Li Tang paused, lowering his head to kiss her twice, his voice husky, ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± It¡¯s okay if she didn¡¯t understand, he could take his time. ¡°Can you let go of me now?¡± Li Tang pressed her onto the table, leaning over her body, ¡°I¡¯ll let go of you in a bit, okay?¡± Chuzheng calmly refused, ¡°Not okay.¡± Li Tang¡¯s face showed a hint of a smile, suddenly pulling her up, and with a twist, Chuzheng found herself sitting in Li Tang¡¯s embrace. ¡°Have you had enough fun?¡± Chuzheng put her hand up to block him. ¡°Not yet.¡± Li Tang kissed her fingers, Chuzheng withdrew her hand, and Li Tang instantly held her tight, ¡°I want to hold you like this, without letting go, so maybe you¡¯ll always be with me¡­ always¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re annoying.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t kiss anymore, I¡¯ll just hold you,¡± Li Tang¡¯s tone was cajoling, taking a step back, ¡°Is this okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still busy.¡± It¡¯s not like we¡¯re children in kindergarten needing to play kissy-face and lift-me-up. ¡°Just for a little while.¡± Li Tang buried his face in her hair, ¡°Just for a little while, that¡¯s all.¡± Chuzheng hesitated, then raised her hand to touch his head. Li Tang¡¯s hair was smooth but not soft. Chuzheng lost interest after touching it a couple of times and simply placed her hand on his shoulder. The two appeared to be embracing each other intimately. The room seemed to be paused by someone, frozen at this instant. Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Chapter 98: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (33) Chapter 98: Chapter 98: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (33) Half a month later. The Demon Monarch of Central City had been missing for such a long time without a clue; the last remaining monarch had become a sitting duck. However, when the confidants of the various Demon Monarchs came to investigate, they found nothing. The Demon Monarch carried himself with an air of ¡®How would I know? You all can search as you please¡ªif you find anything, consider me defeated.¡¯ Kidnapping so many Demon Monarchs could not have happened without leaking any wind of it. Other Demon Monarchs had been kidnapped, so why was he the only one unharmed? Suspicions aside, they had no evidence and could only jump around, probing the situation. The Demon Monarch spent all day dealing with those people and never felt living to be so exhausting. ¡°You should bring them together,¡± Chuzheng suggested to the Demon Monarch. ¡°How can I unite them? These demons won¡¯t listen to me.¡± They followed other Demon Monarchs, and to truly subdue them would require a major confrontation. Even if the other Demon Monarchs were in his hands now, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to subjugate these individuals. Did she really believe that by capturing a few Demon Monarchs, she had unified the Demon Clan? If it were that easy, someone would have done it long ago. ¡°Are there enough Demon Bones?¡± ¡°I think rather than¡­¡± the Demon Monarch paused slightly, ¡°What did you say?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°Can the Demon Bones summon them?¡± ¡°Demon Bones, the day the Demon Clan sees the sun again¡­¡± the Demon Monarch muttered, repeating a rumor that had circulated since the Demon Clan¡¯s imprisonment. A member of the Demon Clan possessing Demon Bones is born a king, the chosen monarch of the Demon Gods. Every member who has the Demon Bones leads the Demon Clan to glory. But since the sealing of the Demon Clan, no one with Demon Bones had appeared. He suddenly became excited: ¡°Do you know where the Demon Bones are? With the Demon Bones, all demons will obey! Hahaha, the day we leave this damned place is near, tell me quickly, where is the member of the Demon Clan who possesses the Demon Bones?¡± Chuzheng pointed to herself: ¡°Me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Get lost! The Demon Monarch walked away but then turned back: ¡°Do you really have the Demon Bones?¡± ¡°What good would lying do for me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Demon Monarch thought about it and probably couldn¡¯t come up with any benefit from her lying to him. ¡°Alright, alright, I believe you. Since you¡¯re the holder of the Demon Bones, then it¡¯s easy to handle, I¡¯ll go now.¡± ¨C Using the news of the Demon Bones, the Demon Monarch gathered the Demon Clan in Central City, waiting for the moment to break the seal and leave the Underground Demon City. But¡­ ¡°She¡¯s been here for several days now. Does she really have a way to break the seal?¡± The Demon Monarch found time to come see Chuzheng. Chuzheng had been in the wilderness for several days, and at this point, she could only talk to Li Tang. ¡°Yes.¡± Li Tang¡¯s eyes were gentle, his trust in her unconditional: ¡°She has a method.¡± The Demon Monarch paced back and forth at the spot, murmuring something to himself. ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with her?¡± the Demon Monarch abruptly asked. Li Tang was slightly stunned. What relationship¡­ ¡°We¡­¡± Li Tang didn¡¯t know what their relationship was. ¡°Demon Monarch, does this concern you?¡± Li Tang countered. ¡°Just curious,¡± the Demon Monarch¡¯s gaze roamed over him: ¡°Your Heart Demon is becoming difficult to suppress, isn¡¯t it?¡± The Demon Monarch¡¯s eyes held a hint of malice. Li Tang frowned, on guard: ¡°The Demon Monarch need not worry.¡± The closer he got to her, the stronger his Heart Demon became. Yet he couldn¡¯t control himself from getting close to her. ¡°Your Heart Demon arises because of her.¡± The Demon Monarch leaned close to Li Tang: ¡°So, whenever you¡¯re near her, in fact, you¡¯re strengthening the Heart Demon.¡± Chuzheng, sitting on the ground, turned her head and saw the Demon Monarch whispering with Li Tang. What are these two demons whispering about? Chuzheng tossed the Demon Crystal in her hand and called out to them: ¡°Li Tang.¡± Li Tang came over, leaving the Demon Monarch behind: ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What were you talking to him about?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­ we didn¡¯t talk about anything.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk to him too much.¡± This Demon Monarch asks for a Good Person Card as soon as we meet, what if he ruins my Good Person Card! ¡°Okay,¡± Li Tang agreed and shifted the topic, ¡°Any progress?¡± ¡°I forgot where the last Demon Crystal should go, let me think.¡± Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng thought about it for several days, not because she didn¡¯t remember, but because she never actually saw it. She only caught a glimpse of the last bit as Li Tang called her away. At that time, she had no idea she¡¯d end up doing this. Eventually, failing to remember, she had no choice but to try one by one. Central City could see demonic Qi rising from somewhere outside the city every day. Occasionally, accompanied by the sound of explosions. ¡°Are you sure this is okay?¡± the Demon Monarch asked every day, checking on the progress. Chuzheng brushed the dust off her sleeve and said with a calm face, ¡°No problem, rest assured, it¡¯ll work next time.¡± Demon Monarch: ¡°¡­¡± Couldn¡¯t be reassured at all. How many ¡°next times¡± has this been? Those who don¡¯t know might think you¡¯re blasting an exit! ¨C Shangning City. ¡°These two demons have been causing trouble lately, I haven¡¯t been able to open for business in days.¡± ¡°Tell me about it, the Demon Clan is just awful.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys hear? There¡¯s been something strange at the site of the Demon Clan¡¯s seal.¡± ¡°What, what kind of strange?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself, just heard that strange noises are coming from the site of the Demon Clan¡¯s seal all day, do you think the seal is about to break?¡± ¡°The Demon Clan could be making a comeback¡­¡± ¡°If the Demon Clan really does come out, won¡¯t our Shangning City be the one to suffer?¡± Shangning City was very close to where the Demon Clan was sealed. In taverns and teahouses, people sat together discussing recent events. ¡°Boom¡ª¡± The bustling Shangning City suddenly quieted down as if plunged into silence. Everyone looked in one direction. Black demonic Qi surged into the sky from the mountains, and the previously clear sky was now shrouded in dark clouds. ¡°The Demon Clan¡¯s seal is broken!¡± No one knew who shouted, but then the entire city¡¯s populace frantically ran out of the city. The news of the Demon Clan¡¯s seal being broken quickly spread to the ears of all major Sects. The slogan of the anti-demon campaign echoed overnight. Meanwhile, the instigator was sitting in a store in Shangning City, exchanging ¡®intelligence¡¯ with the King¡¯s Account. ¡°I¡¯ve completed the comeback now, right?¡± The position of the Demon Monarch is really powerful. Demon Life¡¯s Peak! [Miss, although¡­ what you did, I can¡¯t say it¡¯s wrong, but¡­ can we take a slightly more normal route in the future? Get to know the Spendthrift System, okay!?] The King¡¯s Account bargained with Chuzheng. They really were just a Spendthrift System, not dealing with any other services. She went to the Demon Realm and released all the evil demons and monsters just to complete a comeback mission? Spending could also accomplish that! ¡°I¡¯m very normal,¡± Chuzheng said, twirling her teacup, her fingers brushing over the pattern, ¡°Where do you think I¡¯m not normal?¡± [¡­]You¡¯re not normal in any way, okay? It had run out of luck for eight lifetimes to have met you! ¡°It¡¯s convenient this way.¡± Isn¡¯t it just reaching the peak of life? Am I not at the¡­ no, Demon Life¡¯s Peak right now? The King¡¯s Account didn¡¯t want to argue with Chuzheng and only reminded her that Lin Chen still needed some attention. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Just saying, a clean cut, directly getting it done is very convenient! [¡­] Now the Demon Clan has broken through the seal and appeared in the Human Realm, and various forces are actively fighting against the Demon Clan. The Demon Clan has been sealed for so many years, one can imagine how great their fury is. Just as Chuzheng anticipated, they were no longer going to ¡®pamper¡¯ her only. Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Chapter 99: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (34) Chapter 99: Chapter 99: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (34) Chuzheng found a member of the Demon Clan. ¡°Deliver this to Ziyun Sect,¡± Chuzheng handed a small bottle to the Demon Clan member. ¡°¡­Demon Monarch, isn¡¯t this, isn¡¯t this the Brahma Spirit Pill?¡± Wasn¡¯t this the treasured collection of the former Demon Monarch? The former Demon Monarch cherished it deeply. Why was it in the Demon Monarch¡¯s hands? And she was asking him to deliver it to Ziyun Sect, their sworn enemy!! Had the Demon Monarch gone mad? ¡°Yes,¡± Chuzheng nodded. ¡°You have a good eye.¡± The Demon Clan member gave a dry laugh, swallowing hard, ¡°This is¡­ from the former Demon Monarch, does he, does he know about this?¡± ¡°I bought it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Had the Demon Monarch also become greedy for money? What about the promise to never sell it no matter what? The former Demon Monarch, currently hunched somewhere with a bruised face counting Demon Crystals: ¡°¡­¡± He was furious, this was robbery! ¡°Demon Monarch, sending it to Ziyun Sect¡­ what for?¡± ¡°Just tell them what the Elixir Pill is for,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Demon Clan member: ¡°¡­¡± The Brahma Spirit Pill was so precious because its formula had been lost, and no one knew how to refine it. And the function of the Brahma Spirit Pill¡ª It could cleanse any Demonic Qi. Chuzheng didn¡¯t understand either, why a member of the Demon Clan would collect such a pill. The Demon Clan member hastened to deliver the Elixir Pill to Ziyun Sect. The people of Ziyun Sect were naturally suspicious of the Demon Clan¡¯s intentions, but the Elixir Pill was genuine. Currently, two people urgently needed the Elixir Pill because they had been infected with Demonic Qi. One was Song Fenglan, the other was Lin Chen. Thus, deciding whom to give the Elixir Pill became a problem. The masters of the two disciples lost all their pride from years past, almost resorting to fighting to obtain the Elixir Pill for their disciple. In the end, the Sect Master decided to administer it to Lin Chen. Lin Chen possessed a Divine Artifact and was the most talented person in Ziyun Sect. In times of crisis, they needed him. ¡°Senior Brother,¡± Song Fenglan¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears. She had been infected with Demonic Qi earlier than Lin Chen and needed the Elixir Pill more. She didn¡¯t want to die. Lin Chen, holding the Elixir Pill, was torn inside: ¡°Junior Sister¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Chen¡¯er, quickly take the Elixir Pill!¡± Wan Luo urged Lin Chen. ¡°Master, Junior Sister¡­¡± Lin Chen frowned. ¡°As long as we capture Chuzheng, we can use a Demon Bone in exchange,¡± Wan Luo whispered persuasively. ¡°If you give it to Fenglan, are you certain she can capture Chuzheng to save you? Even if she captures her, are you going to turn into a woman?¡± The image of himself dressed as a woman flashed through Lin Chen¡¯s mind, sending a shiver down his spine. ¡°Junior Sister, I¡¯m sorry.¡± His face filled with sorrow, ¡°Once I¡¯m well, I will definitely find a way to cure you.¡± ¡°Senior Brother¡­¡± Song Fenglan watched with wide eyes as Lin Chen swallowed the Elixir Pill, her beautiful eyes shocked. Hadn¡¯t he said he loved her? Why wouldn¡¯t he give her the Elixir Pill? He clearly knew that her time was short, that she wouldn¡¯t last many days. When one¡¯s life hung by a thread and the other was unwilling to save them, even loved ones could harbor resentment. ¡°Pfft¡­¡± A mouthful of blood sprayed from Song Fenglan. ¡°Fenglan!¡± Song Fenglan¡¯s master quickly supported her, glaring at Lin Chen, ¡°Lin Chen, Wan Luo, well done!¡± Even the Sect Master received a glare from Song Fenglan¡¯s master. He left with Song Fenglan, and although Lin Chen wanted to follow, the effect of the Elixir Pill made it impossible for him to catch up. By the time Lin Chen had metabolized the Elixir Pill, Song Fenglan was no longer in Ziyun Sect. Lin Chen vowed to capture Chuzheng, but in the areas overrun by the Demon Clan, he couldn¡¯t even catch a glimpse of her. The captured members of the Demon Clan either said they didn¡¯t know, or they had never seen her. They were clueless about who the new Demon Monarch was or where she might be. All orders were still given by the former Demon Monarch. ¨C In a certain mountain valley. Li Tang stood under a tree, looking up at the person above, the light in the depths of his eyes dark and profound. ¡°Why did you save Lin Chen?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t save him,¡± Chuzheng flatly denied. Li Tang¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, ¡°You gave him elixir pills.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that saving him?¡± ¡°No.¡± Just because she gave him elixir pills didn¡¯t mean she was saving him. Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± Now Lin Chen was hopping alive and kicking. If that wasn¡¯t saving, then what was? Chuzheng jumped down from the tree: ¡°Giving him elixir pills doesn¡¯t mean he can withstand this pill.¡± When she sent it to the Ziyun Sect, she wasn¡¯t sure who would take the pill. But it seemed in the end, Lin Chen had chosen to take it himself. Li Tang instantly caught on, ¡°Did you tamper with the elixir pills?¡± Chuzheng gave no affirmation or denial. Did she look like the selflessly sacrificing type? Being soft-hearted towards an enemy was akin to digging one¡¯s own grave. She was not that foolish. If it weren¡¯t for Bastard blocking the way, Lin Chen would have already been taken care of by now, saving her all this trouble. Indeed, the one who most deserved to be dealt with was still Bastard. [¡­]What does this have to do with me!! ¨C Lin Chen couldn¡¯t find Chuzheng and, gradually, his body began to change again. First, he was unable to recover for a long time after using spiritual power. Then his strength began to decline. At first, he was able to hide it, but as time passed, others could see it. Unable to keep it a secret any longer, Lin Chen could only tell Wan Luo and the Sect Master. However, the entire Sect could not figure out what was wrong with Lin Chen. Lin Chen¡¯s abilities became increasingly weaker; even with a divine artifact in hand, he could not exert its true power. The whispers of the Sect grew louder and more numerous. They started with a respect for Elder Brother Lin Chen¡¯s status, but as the Demon Clan became more and more rampant, these voices became more unrestrained. Now, Lin Chen was nearly indistinguishable from a common person. He smashed everything in his room to pieces. ¡°Why¡­ Why has it become like this!¡± As he smashed, Lin Chen howled in anger. Why had he ended up like this. ¡°I am the most formidable person in the Ziyun Sect, it¡¯s me!¡± ¡°Why has it turned out like this!¡± ¡°Why!¡± Lin Chen sat amidst the devastation, disheveled and deranged, in a state of extreme misery. ¡°Elder Brother?¡± Someone outside knocked on the door: ¡°The Sect Master and the Elders have come, would you¡­ please come out?¡± On hearing this, Lin Chen immediately scrambled up and opened the door to go out. ¡°Sect Master, Sect Master¡­¡± Lin Chen rushed in front of the Sect Master: ¡°Sect Master, please look at me, why¡­ I wasn¡¯t like this, why have I become like this, please save your disciple.¡± The Sect Master had a troubled expression: ¡°Lin Chen¡­¡± ¡°Sect Master, you must have a way, right?¡± Seeing a good disciple become like this, the Sect Master also felt distressed. ¡°Lin Chen, first get up, we will definitely find a way for your body,¡± the Sect Master consoled Lin Chen. Lin Chen, reassured by the promise, calmed down a bit. However, the next moment, Lin Chen heard the Sect Master say, ¡°With your current strength, you are unable to wield the divine artifact. It would be better to hand over the divine artifact to combat the Demon Clan.¡± Lin Chen¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief: ¡°What are you saying, Sect Master?¡± The Sect Master quickly reassured: ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, we¡¯re only borrowing it temporarily. Once your body is better, the divine artifact will be returned to you.¡± Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Chapter 100: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (35) Chapter 100: Chapter 100: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (35) Lin Chen refused to hand over the Divine Artifact, and neither the Sect Master nor the Elders wanted to compromise their reputation by forcefully taking it, so they had no choice but to let the matter go. But the issue was far from resolved. With so many disciples in Ziyun Sect, there were always some daring enough to steal Lin Chen¡¯s Divine Artifact under tacit approval. And that was different from Lin Chen willingly giving it up. Lin Chen was forced to break his contract with the Divine Artifact and found himself trampled underfoot. ¡°Senior brother, don¡¯t blame your junior, but with you in this state, how can you protect the Sect and resist the Demon Clan? I will use this Divine Artifact to avenge you properly.¡± Lin Chen stretched out a trembling hand, only for a foot to mercilessly step on it, grinding it harshly twice. ¡°Senior brother, you might as well recover here.¡± ¡°My Divine Artifact¡­¡± Lin Chen¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°Senior brother, it¡¯s no longer yours now.¡± ¡°Give it back to me!¡± ¡°Hahahaha, give it back to you? Senior brother, do you still think you are Ziyun Sect¡¯s number one genius?¡± The person flaunted the Divine Artifact in front of Lin Chen. ¡°Senior brother, if it weren¡¯t for the Elders¡¯ consent, how dare I lay my hands on you within the Sect?¡± Lin Chen¡¯s pupils dilated. ¡°Hahahaha¡­¡± ¨C ¡°Lin Chen has fallen to the demon path.¡± Chuzheng heard this news while she was paying with a Demon Crystal. It had not been long since Lin Chen lost his Divine Artifact before he fell to the demon path; he allegedly killed quite a few people in Ziyun Sect and now his whereabouts were unknown. Li Tang took the item from the other person and put an arm around Chuzheng¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Shall we go?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Chuzheng said thoughtfully, glancing in the direction of Ziyun Sect. Is falling to the demon path really that easy? It seems to be too fragile. Indeed, eliminating him might be the better choice. ¡°What are you buying this for?¡± Li Tang asked, examining the item in his hand. Chuzheng snapped back to reality and glanced at the Magic Artifact that resembled a collar in Li Tang¡¯s hand, ¡°A gift for you.¡± ¡°A gift¡­ for me?¡± Suddenly, Li Tang felt as if the object was burning his hand. He didn¡¯t need it. Not at all. Li Tang hid his hands behind his back, ¡°The Demon Monarch was looking for you just now; let¡¯s head over.¡± Chuzheng looked at him puzzled, ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like him?¡± ¡°Did I?¡± Li Tang managed a smile, ¡°I guess not.¡± She had given him too many things; as long as he didn¡¯t bring it up, she would forget them. This thing looked troublesome; he better make her forget about it quickly. ¡°You did,¡± Chuzheng confirmed. Every time the Demon Monarch showed up, he looked as if he was facing the murderer of his father. ¡°I like the Demon Monarch,¡± Li Tang suddenly whispered in her ear, ¡°Demon Monarch.¡± Chuzheng nodded without changing her expression, ¡°If you like me, don¡¯t you think I¡¯m a good person?¡± Li Tang shook his head. ¡°Why?!¡± Chuzheng sounded a bit fierce. ¡°My liking for you has nothing to do with whether you are a good person,¡± Li Tang explained. He had never thought of her as a good person. But he liked her, liked her so much that he wanted to¡­ Chuzheng shook off his hand and yelled at him fiercely, ¡°Stay away from me.¡± He liked her but didn¡¯t think she was a good person? Indeed, all those words in plays and operas were deceptive, what about liking you means you¡¯re the best? Liar! A bunch of liars! Li Tang: ¡°???¡± Did he say something wrong? ¡°Slow down, don¡¯t bump into¡­Hey, be careful!¡± Li Tang caught up to Chuzheng, shielding her from the crowd. ¡°Why are you angry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Chuzheng¡¯s expression remained the same, and her tone was as indifferent as ever; she truly didn¡¯t seem angry. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°You did nothing wrong.¡± You¡¯re the Good Person Card; how could you be wrong? The whole world could be wrong, but you would never be. The wrong one is Bastard! What a rubbish mission! [¡­] And once again, that¡¯s what¡¯s wrong. ¡°Alright, alright, I admit I was wrong,¡± Li Tang begged for mercy. ¡°Tell me, where did I go wrong, please?¡± Chuzheng remained silent, silently walking forward. For several days in a row, Li Tang had not seen Chuzheng. Just when he was about to lose control and turn dark, Chuzheng leisurely appeared. ¡°I told you, if you dare to turn dark I¡¯ll break your legs, remember?¡± Always turning dark, does your family own a coal mine or something? Li Tang hung his head: ¡°I couldn¡¯t see you.¡± He tugged at Chuzheng¡¯s sleeve: ¡°Are you still angry?¡± He truly didn¡¯t know what he had said wrong that day. ¡°No.¡± What¡¯s there to be angry about? If anger worked, she¡¯d just sit and be angry all day long. ¡°You are angry.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Say that again and see what happens,¡± Chuzheng threatened with clenched fists. ¡°¡­¡± Li Tang inched closer. ¡°Kiss me, and then I¡¯ll believe you¡¯re not angry.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Buzz off! Li Tang took the initiative to meet Chuzheng¡¯s lips, silencing her words and pressing her into his embrace. The rolling sensation on his lips sent tiny currents throughout his body. Li Tang, somewhat impatient, pried open her lips to deepen the kiss. He wanted more¡­ The burning touch of their bodies and her faint scent acted like catalysts. Li Tang restrained his desire, softening the somewhat rough kiss. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Li Tang whispered at the corner of Chuzheng¡¯s lips. ¡°I don¡¯t dislike it,¡± Chuzheng said truthfully. ¡°Then that means you like it,¡± Li Tang interpreted automatically, and kissed her several more times. Chuzheng frowned slightly. Like it¡­? She wasn¡¯t sure. After all, she was indifferent to most things she found useless and boring¡ªdid that mean she liked them? Impossibly. She was not that kind of person. [Miss, think about it, how would you react if someone else kissed you like this?] Without pondering, Chuzheng immediately had an answer¡ªkill him. [Then, miss, do you want to kill him now?] A little. [¡­] Chuzheng¡¯s lips felt a slight sting. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Chuzheng opened her lips, and Li Tang¡¯s tongue took the opportunity to invade, sweeping and claiming everything of hers again. Chuzheng pushed him away, touching her lips: ¡°Why did you bite me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m kissing you and you¡¯re distracted,¡± Li Tang said. ¡°My being distracted is none of your business,¡± Chuzheng retorted, the pain already fading as she wiped her lips. Li Tang¡¯s stomach hurt with frustration¡ªhow could it not be his business? He couldn¡¯t turn dark. If he did, his legs would be broken. Li Tang took a deep breath, moving close to Chuzheng: ¡°Then bite me back.¡± Li Tang¡¯s lips were attractive, slightly puckered now, the crimson color inviting a kiss. Chuzheng bit him directly. Very hard. Li Tang¡¯s brow furrowed tightly, patiently waiting for Chuzheng to let go. A faint taste of blood suggested he might be bleeding. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Oh no, there¡¯s blood. Li Tang wasn¡¯t angry, his tone indulgent: ¡°Feel better?¡± With blood on his lips, Li Tang¡¯s handsome face looked even more seductively alluring. Chuzheng, hooking his neck, leaned in for another kiss. She carefully licked the blood clean, and the moment Chuzheng¡¯s tongue touched Li Tang¡¯s lips, his mind went blank, then exploded like a fireworks show. Li Tang stayed rigid the whole time, afraid that touching her would make him lose control. When Chuzheng let go, Li Tang quickly stepped back. With his lips pressed together, his voice husky, Li Tang said, ¡°Don¡¯t do this again next time.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Chuzheng challenged. ¡°You can, but I can¡¯t?¡± We¡¯re all humans, why the double standard? Li Tang shook his head: ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to restrain myself, don¡¯t kiss me like that again¡­¡± Although he really liked it and craved her taking the initiative. But trouble could arise. He didn¡¯t want his legs broken. Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Chapter 101: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (36) Chapter 101: Chapter 101: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (36) One year later. The Demon Clan and the Human race were at an impasse, but ultimately, through various negotiations, both sides decided to sign a temporary peace treaty. Temporary meant¡ªonce things went back to normal, fighting would resume, and no one would escape it. As Chuzheng achieved her pinnacle accomplishment, she returned the position of Demon Monarch to the previous one. While the two factions fought, Chuzheng almost bought up every purchasable shop on both sides, becoming the wealthiest on both the human and demon sides. Human Race: ¡°¡­¡± Demon Clan: ¡°¡­¡± They were fighting, but the instigator was taking the opportunity to make a fortune! Chu¡¤Wealthiest of Both Races¡¤Zheng: ¡°¡­¡± I didn¡¯t want to, it was Bastard who forced me. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, Miss Chuzheng, something¡¯s happened!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I¡¯m perfectly okay! Why are you cursing me! ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s about Mr. Li Tang.¡± The demon took a breath, ¡°Mr. Li Tang and Lin Chen have started fighting.¡± ¡°Lin Chen?¡± This guy isn¡¯t dead yet? Now looking to hassle me with the Good Person Card!! ¡°He¡¯s still alive?¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± That¡¯s not the point! ¡°Miss Chuzheng, please go have a look.¡± ¨C Lin Chen and Li Tang were fighting on a street, attracting a sizable crowd of onlookers at this point. Lin Chen was enveloped in Demonic Qi, almost substantial in its density. As Li Tang clashed with him, the surroundings were the ones to suffer, with the radius of the battle constantly expanding. By the time Chuzheng arrived, the battle was over, and Lin Chen lay among the ruins, his fate unknown. Li Tang was standing, but he also appeared injured. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Li Tang shook his head: ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t ask anything, showing no concern for why he¡¯d fought Lin Chen. Chuzheng indeed looked at results. From the starting point to the destination, there are many paths; how one got there doesn¡¯t matter, what matter is the destination. Li Tang glanced at Lin Chen and nodded, ¡°Mm.¡± Chuzheng left with Li Tang, and the rest of the onlookers, seeing the show was over, began to disperse too, leaving Lin Chen behind. Someone approached Lin Chen. As Lin Chen¡¯s consciousness gradually cleared, he looked up at the person before him: ¡°Junior sister.¡± ¡°Senior brother.¡± Song Fenglan smiled at him, ¡°How are you doing?¡± ¡°Junior sister, I¡­¡± Song Fenglan gently touched Lin Chen¡¯s shoulder, her tone soothing, ¡°Senior brother, do you know how desperate I felt when you didn¡¯t save me back then?¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡­¡± Song Fenglan¡¯s pretty face twisted twistedly, ¡°You professed your love for me, how did you treat me? Do you know what I¡¯ve gone through to survive?¡± ¡°Junior sister¡­¡± Surprised, guilty¡­terror, agony, then everything faded to silence. Song Fenglan retracted her hand, appearing she might laugh, but tears were continuously streaming down. Boom¡ª Chuzheng turned her head, there was a billowing dust cloud in the distance, along with the voice from the King¡¯s Account reminding her that the mission was complete. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Chuzheng, with a calm expression, looked ahead, ¡°To a place without anyone.¡± That way, Bastard won¡¯t issue any more tasks. Then this poor little thing won¡¯t be controlled by life. Li Tang paused, ¡°Me with you?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Li Tang looked intently at her, indescribable feelings welling up inside him, and after a moment, he reached out to grab Chuzheng¡¯s hand, ¡°I will take good care of you.¡± ¡°Take good care of yourself.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was impassive. ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng found a secluded place; her days consisted of either basking in the sun or sleeping. Li Tang busied himself building up their place of residence, turning it from desolate to a refined little attic. The Heart Demon was going crazy. It was just the two of them here; Li Tang wouldn¡¯t have significant emotional fluctuations, happy every day like a fool. It hadn¡¯t even gotten out yet! Consider its feelings! ¡ªDon¡¯t you have any ambition? ¡°Ambition?¡± Li Tang looked at the person in the distance, ¡°She is my ambition.¡± ¡ªWhat about those who once humiliated you, do you really intend to let them go just like that? Li Tang¡¯s mind was abruptly filled with that not-so-pleasant memory. Li Tang lowered his eyes, speaking indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t waste your effort, I¡¯m not leaving this place.¡± The Heart Demon appeared suddenly. Li Tang walked toward Chuzheng, bathed in light. He crouched down, pulling the thin blanket over her, and bent down to kiss her forehead. Since she had taken him away from that dark, filthy dungeon, his heart had belonged to her. It was hers now, it would be in the future, forever hers. When Chuzheng woke up, it was deep into the night; she was lying in Li Tang¡¯s arms, both squeezed onto a narrow couch, with Chuzheng almost lying on top of Li Tang. ¡°Awake?¡± Li Tang touched her head, ¡°Still sleepy?¡± Chuzheng shook her head, pushing him aside to lie on the couch by herself, which was much more comfortable. Li Tang wasn¡¯t annoyed, squatting beside her, ¡°Chuzheng.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Li Tang looked up, his eyes reflecting the brilliant Milky Way, ¡°Shall we get married?¡± ¡°Get married?¡± Li Tang nodded, ¡°Get married.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± Rejected again. ¡ª¡ªWon¡¯t you listen to me? By then you can do whatever you want for the wedding, don¡¯t refuse the power! Li Tang: ¡°Shut up!¡± Chuzheng looked at him, ¡°What did you say?¡± The Good Person Card actually yelling at her?! ¡°No, nothing.¡± ¡°You told me to shut up.¡± ¡°No, not you,¡± Li Tang quickly explained, ¡°I was¡­ I was¡­¡± ¡°Were what?¡± Li Tang took a deep breath resignedly, ¡°The Heart Demon, it¡¯s always tempting me.¡± ¡°The Heart Demon¡­¡± That damned thing is still around? Li Tang used to turn dark at the slightest provocation because of that damn thing causing trouble. ¡°How can we get rid of it?¡± Chuzheng asked. Li Tang started to shake his head, then a glint suddenly flashed in his eyes, stopping abruptly, ¡°My Heart Demon arose because of you; if you would marry me, it would surely be destroyed.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± After a moment, Chuzheng nodded. Li Tang suddenly picked up Chuzheng, spinning in place, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a grand wedding.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that much trouble.¡± Chuzheng broke free from him and shook out a red cloth, covering Li Tang¡¯s head with it. Ancient wedding ceremonies¡­ seemed to be like this. Yes! Just like this! The bridal veil! That¡¯s it! Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± Li Tang pulled off the cloth, which¡­ looked like a Spiritual Artifact? He knew she was rich, but did she just casually produce a Spiritual Artifact? What did that mean? ¡°A wedding can¡¯t be¡­¡± Chuzheng covered him again, ¡°Don¡¯t take it off.¡± Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± Not that, even if this was a wedding veil, it wasn¡¯t supposed to be on his head! ¡°Hold on, let me explain¡­¡± ¡°Try taking it off.¡± Chuzheng threatened him. Li Tang pinched a corner of the veil but ultimately didn¡¯t dare to lift it. Chuzheng stood to the side deep in thought, what should they do next? After a long wait with no sound from Li Tang, he reached out towards Chuzheng relying on his senses. Chuzheng gave him her hand, the warmth of her palm reassuring Li Tang somewhat. He had thought she might have run away. ¡°A wedding isn¡¯t like this, I¡¯ll prepare¡­¡± ¡°Right, the First Bow to Heaven and Earth!¡± Chuzheng remembered the key part, pulling Li Tang to stand under the moonlight. ¡°First Bow to Heaven and Earth.¡± Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you bowing?¡± Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Chapter 102: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (Conclusion) Chapter 102: Chapter 102: The Pinnacle of the Demon Realm (Conclusion) Li Tang was forced to perform the wedding rituals with no parents around, so that part was skipped, and finally, the couple bowed to each other. After the ceremony, Chuzheng lay back down on the soft couch, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t bother me unless it¡¯s important.¡± Li Tang: ¡°¡­¡± The bridal veil hasn¡¯t even been lifted yet! Pfft! What veil is there to lift! Li Tang pulled off the headscarf, ¡°Today doesn¡¯t count.¡± ¡°It counts.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t count.¡± He wasn¡¯t prepared for anything, what veil was there for him to lift? ¡°It counts,¡± Chuzheng emphasized. Li Tang folded the headscarf neatly and placed it in her hand, ¡°It counts, it counts, take good care of it.¡± Chuzheng was very generous, ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Li Tang looked at the item in his hand and expertly put it away. When Chuzheng had fallen asleep again, he lifted her up and carried her to the small loft in the back. The small loft was cozily arranged, and Li Tang laid her on the bed. He sat beside her, observing her in the moonlight. Li Tang¡¯s fingertips brushed over Chuzheng¡¯s forehead, ¡°What does it take for me to be in your eyes?¡± Heart Demon: ¡°I with¡­¡± I won¡¯t hurt her, and I won¡¯t allow you to hurt her either. Give up on that thought. Heart Demon: ¡°¡­¡± The Heart Demon was dumbfounded. It would leave! Was it okay for it to leave now?! After that day, the Heart Demon never showed up again. The Heart Demon arose because of her and perished because of her. ¨C Chuzheng refused Li Tang¡¯s plan to prepare for the wedding again, first because it was troublesome, and second, it was still troublesome. Therefore, Li Tang¡¯s plans were nipped in the bud. He could follow his own plans, but if Chuzheng didn¡¯t cooperate, what he did was essentially meaningless. Li Tang became well-behaved, and occasionally when Chuzheng saw him, she would take the initiative to kiss him. It might be habit, or perhaps something else. In any case, Li Tang wasn¡¯t sure what she was trying to express. Actually, even Chuzheng herself wasn¡¯t clear, she just did it because she wanted to. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± As soon as Chuzheng entered the room, she saw a torn book occupying her bed. [Miss, if I¡¯m not mistaken, this should be a¡­] The King¡¯s Account hadn¡¯t finished speaking before Chuzheng threw the book out the window. [Dual Cultivation Manual.] The King¡¯s Account calmly finished the last four words. ¡°Dual Cultivation Manual?¡± Chuzheng lay on the bed, ¡°Is it powerful?¡± [That is¡­], the King¡¯s Account thought for a moment; his miss seemed quite clueless about these matters. She wasn¡¯t slow, she was just generally uninformed. Of course, the King¡¯s Account thought she was too lazy to inform herself because to her, something new, if deemed useless and troublesome, would not be touched, not considered. [¡­It¡¯s when a man and woman do that thing, then increase their cultivation.] The King¡¯s Account forced himself to explain once. ¡°I am very powerful, I don¡¯t need to increase my cultivation.¡± [¡­The point is that thing.] Who¡¯s discussing cultivation with you? ¡°Which thing?¡± [¡­] Is it really okay to make a system struggle like this? [It¡¯s that thing¡­ erm, perpetuating the bloodline, continuing the legacy! Get it, miss?] ¡°Mating?¡± [¡­] The King¡¯s Account was almost shocked enough to go offline. Why would Miss come up with such a word? Who on earth taught you that!! ¡°Boring.¡± Chuzheng gave a two-word commentary and then ignored the King¡¯s Account. The next day, Chuzheng saw that tattered book again. She threw it away, but it quickly returned within her sight. Chuzheng was so annoyed that she ultimately destroyed it completely. But new copies would soon appear. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng flipped through the book, which contained unspeakable positions, yet she looked on with an unchanged expression, her eyes not varying in the slightest. ¡°Can this really enhance cultivation?¡± After finishing the book, Chuzheng expressed her doubts. [¡­]Whether or not it could enhance cultivation, it didn¡¯t know, but it was certain to enhance feelings. However, Miss probably didn¡¯t want to understand¡­ ¨C When Li Tang returned, he noticed the book had been touched and his eyebrows lifted slightly. But as soon as Li Tang saw the annotations on the book, he suddenly lost all interest. Did she really take this as a martial arts secret manual? Was it necessary for her to point out the unreasonable parts? Was it necessary? Li Tang, dejected, put away the book. In the following time, no matter how Li Tang hinted, Chuzheng remained indifferent, or she would give him a reaction he could never have anticipated. One day, Chuzheng awoke and sat in a daze on her bed. Li Tang entered from outside and, seeing her awake, immediately put down his things and came over, kissed her first, and then asked, ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Chuzheng got out of bed, lifting the covers, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Nothing much.¡± Li Tang straightened her black hair, struck by a sudden inspiration, ¡°May I comb your hair?¡± Chuzheng formed a gesture and her somewhat disheveled hair automatically gathered into a beautiful bun. ¡°There.¡± Perfect! I am awesome! ¡°¡­¡± Li Tang drew out a hairpin and placed it in her hair, cupped her face, and kissed her, but Chuzheng emotionlessly pushed him away and left the attic. Every time Li Tang tried to do something, Chuzheng would manage perfectly on her own, leaving him utterly frustrated. Couldn¡¯t she give him a chance? The days Chuzheng and Li Tang spent together were uneventful; Li Tang seemed to have given up on doing anything, just accompanying her properly every day. Occasionally at night, he would sneak into her bed and sleep with her for a while, and later Chuzheng allowed him to sleep next to her without protest. Li Tang thought in self-mockery, the progress was not too bad. They could share a bed now. In the sunset, their silhouettes overlapped. The autumn wind whistled, and golden fallen leaves were carried far away by the wind. ¡°Why did you come to save me?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°The dungeon.¡± He had gone back to that place later and found it well-hidden; impossible to find unless one was deliberately searching for it. But he still couldn¡¯t understand. Why? They were strangers, unrelated, nothing more¡­ ¡°No reason,¡± Chuzheng propped her chin up. Li Tang glanced at her, the warm glow of the sunset tinting even the pale skin of her earlobes. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t me in that dungeon, would you have saved them?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Chuzheng looked aside, an indifferent expression on her face as if the answer was obvious, ¡°Because it wasn¡¯t you.¡± Li Tang¡¯s lips curled slightly, ¡°So, you did come to save me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± To be precise, it was the Good Person Card. ¡°But you didn¡¯t even know me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chuzheng grew a bit impatient, ¡°Why do you have so many questions?¡± Li Tang held her hand, interlocking their fingers, ¡°I was just thinking¡­ if back then, the person you saved wasn¡¯t me, whether you¡¯d be here with that person now.¡± With someone else here? Chuzheng couldn¡¯t imagine the scene; she¡¯d never thought about being with someone else¡­ To do the things she had done with Li Tang with someone else was something Chuzheng found unacceptable. She couldn¡¯t articulate the reason, it was just a feeling. Strange yet elusive. Chuzheng suddenly averted her gaze, turning to look at the sunset on the horizon. She said with conviction, ¡°There is no such ¡®if¡¯.¡± Li Tang paused for a moment, then embraced her, ¡°Yes, there is no such ¡®if¡¯.¡± * The third realm has concluded. Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Dispel the Evil Spirit (1) Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Dispel the Evil Spirit (1) Caw caw caw¡ª Crows circled above and landed on a nearby branch, their calls lingering in the mountain forest, deeply unsettling. It was a deep night with heavy dew, the moonlight clear and tranquil, shadows layering upon one another. Chuzheng looked at her almost transparent hands, struggling to come to terms with it. What was happening to her? Had the Bastard¡¯s transmission lost data, only sending half of her over? [Little sister, you¡¯re a ghost now.] Ghost¡­ Ghost?? A ghost aah!!! With her face as still as water, Chuzheng calmly asked, ¡°Fine, how does a ghost spend money extravagantly?¡± [Hee hee, you¡¯ve got Joss Paper currency. Little sister, let¡¯s aspire to become the Netherworld¡¯s number one extravagant spender! Let¡¯s go!] No! I don¡¯t want to at all! [Then, little sister, receive your memories.] King¡¯s Account skillfully employed its ¡®ignore what you don¡¯t want to hear¡¯ feature. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard! ¨C The original host¡¯s surname was Qiao. After graduating from university, she should have married her long-time boyfriend, Murong Yi. However, on the eve of their wedding, she discovered that Murong Yi was involved with her best friend. Unable to restrain herself, the best friend gloated, informing her that she had been with Murong Yi since university. It was just that Murong Yi didn¡¯t have the heart to hurt her and hadn¡¯t broken up with her. Following an argument, the best friend accidentally pushed her. As a result, the original host hit her head and died on the spot. To cover up the true nature of their crime, the pair secretly dumped her body in the wilderness overnight. They destroyed all evidence and fabricated a story of her running away from home. The original host had died, but she turned into a ghost. Unwilling to accept her fate, she went back to haunt the two, only to find that several years had passed. They had married, had children, and even a cute little kid. The resentment in the original host¡¯s heart prevented her from being reincarnated; she followed her ex-boyfriend and best friend day in, day out. Gradually, she discovered she could control some objects and began to scare Murong Yi and her best friend. Filled with guilt, they were naturally frightened, but they quickly sought a Heavenly Master to capture her. Fearing her continued revenge, Murong Yi and the best friend heeded the advice of the Heavenly Master and used a vile method to subdue her, ensuring she would never be reincarnated. And then¡­ There was no ¡®and then¡¯. At the timeline Chuzheng had arrived in¡ªshe had already been dead for a year, her body decomposed to the point of being skeletal. At this time, Murong Yi and her best friend Tang Yiyue were already married, living in marital bliss. The original host had drifted some distance away; she was no longer at her body¡¯s location but in a graveyard¡­ She might have wanted to find Murong Yi and Tang Yiyue, but due to her partial memory loss, she couldn¡¯t find her way home. The graveyard seemed to have been abandoned, and besides her, there were no other ghosts around. Vines covered the ground, and the trees grew in a twisted fashion, creating a fearsome sight. It was best to leave this ghastly place. To think they sent such a Little Cutie like her to a place like this, the Bastard truly was heartless. Chuzheng bounced a little, and immediately floated upward. She tried drifting forward a few meters, and after confirming there would be no mid-air collisions, she wafted outwards. [Main quest: Please spend ten million Joss Paper within two hours, sent to your Spatial Bag.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± In the middle of nowhere! Not a soul around! Pitch darkness! You damn thing, where am I supposed to spend ten million Joss Paper? Hmm¡­ wait a second. Chuzheng looked down at her wrist, the Spatial Bag totem was still there¡ªwas it permanently bound to her? [Map navigation activated.] All of a sudden, something like a map entered Chuzheng¡¯s mind, with a green line marked on it. The destination was¡ª246 kilometers away? How am I supposed to get there? [Float!] King¡¯s Account¡¯s voice was cheerful: [Little sister, ghosts are very fast. I¡¯ve done the calculations; if there are no accidents on the road, you¡¯ll have at most 30 minutes to spend money.] That ¡®right¡¯ at the end, as if she had plenty of time. ¡°Had an accident?¡± [No worries, just double the trouble.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± [Miss, you¡¯ve already wasted a minute.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯ll endure! That bastard, this damn thing! Once I catch his weakness, I must kill it! [¡­]Regret giving her the map, wondering if it¡¯s still possible to take it back now. Chuzheng noticed the map started flashing, she stared blankly at a crooked tree in the distance: ¡°Bastard.¡± The map soon stabilized, and the Bastard didn¡¯t show up again. Chuzheng followed the map towards the destination, the ¡°accident¡± the Bastard talked about was probably¡ªencountering a group of ghosts in a brawl?! If this could be considered a brawl¡­ She had never seen such a spectacle before, a bunch of ghosts lined up in a row on a street, facing each other, each one a grisly sight, struggling to appear more frightening, more ferocious, more bloody. ¡°I can take my eyeball out!¡± ¡°I can dislocate my arm!¡± ¡°My head has been flattened!¡± ¡°My intestines¡­¡± Chuzheng watched the ghosts in front of her desperately competing in a misery contest, remaining unusually silent. She might have some prejudice against ghosts! ¡°It should be my turn this year! I¡¯m the scariest!¡± ¡°I am the scariest!!¡± ¡°Scary, what¡¯s scary about you! I¡¯m the scariest!¡± Chuzheng planned to bypass this group of ¡®terrifying¡¯ ghosts, continuing on her way, but before she had floated a few meters, a ghost with his eyeball halfway out stopped her. ¡°Where are you going? What can you do? Show us!¡± Chuzheng pointed at herself. ¡°Yes, indeed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Do you believe I¡¯m just passing by? Chuzheng glanced at the ghosts who had stopped and were looking at her. Why are you looking at me! I really am just passing through! I¡¯m not joining your silly game! I wouldn¡¯t stoop so low! Chuzheng with a composed face: ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Whoever wins gets a pass,¡± said the ghost: ¡°What can you do?¡± ¡°What pass?¡± ¡°A Ghost Market pass.¡± The ghost replied amiably, adjusting his eyeball, then asked with confusion: ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°I know now.¡± And it¡¯s very likely that the map the Bastard gave is for going there. Ghost: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just fight for the pass? Competing here for who¡¯s scarier, are you nuts?¡± ¡°Fight? That¡¯s such a waste, we finally accumulate a bit of strength, we can¡¯t squander it like this!¡± The ghost rolled his eyes¡ªat which his eyeball fell out. Chasing after his eyeball, the ghost picked it up and pressed it back into his socket: ¡°You¡¯re just passing by? Then why aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Weren¡¯t you the one stopping me? Do you have memory issues? The ghost waved and floated back to the ¡®brawl¡¯ to continue the competition. Chuzheng hurried away, keeping her distance from these nutcases. The green line on the map was getting shorter and the ghosts around her increased in number. Further ahead she saw lights, a quaint and majestic gateway standing at the foot of the mountain, lights spreading from the gateway all the way up the mountain. There were guards under the gateway, and to enter, one had to show a small black wooden token. The token taken by the people under the gateway would be crushed and turned into a wisp of smoke, wrapping around the wrist of the entering ghost. Chuzheng noticed that there were not only ghosts, but also people. Those people all wore masks, and the tokens they showed were different from the ghosts¡¯, white ones, so the smoke around their wrists was also white. [Miss, you have ten more minutes.] The King¡¯s Account suddenly reminded her, [You¡¯re about to double!] Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Dispel the Evil Spirit (2) Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Dispel the Evil Spirit (2) Time was almost up, and Chuzheng still didn¡¯t know how she was going to get in. Clearly, one couldn¡¯t enter the Ghost Market without a pass. The King¡¯s Account kept urging her, the time was nearly here. Chuzheng looked around and saw two ghosts standing with black wooden plaques in their hands and she floated over. The two ghosts were fairly normal, with no missing arms or legs, and weren¡¯t bloody; they looked almost like ordinary people. As Chuzheng approached, the two ghosts immediately became alert. Chuzheng kept a straight face, ¡°Pass, will you sell it?¡± ¡°You want to buy?¡± ¡°Not selling!¡± Both ghosts answered at the same time, and the one that said not for sale was the younger man on the left. Chuzheng ignored the young male ghost and looked towards the middle-aged male ghost on the right, ¡°Name your price.¡± [Countdown until cost doubles: one minute.] The young male ghost pulled at the middle-aged male ghost, ¡°What are you doing? We worked hard to get our hands on these passes.¡± The middle-aged male ghost gestured for him to be quiet and extended a finger towards Chuzheng, ¡°This much.¡± ¡°Ten million?¡± The young male ghost rolled his eyes, ¡°A billion, what do you think this pass is, selling it to me for ten million!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I might need to update my understanding of the currency in the Netherworld. [Congratulations, Miss, on achieving the double earnings milestone, ten million has been deposited into your account. Please spend twenty million within an hour!] Chuzheng, now with twenty million Joss Paper: ¡°¡­¡± Still can¡¯t afford it! It seems better to take them down after all! It turns out that money isn¡¯t everything! Apparently, the King¡¯s Account also misjudged the value of the currency here and, unlike before, didn¡¯t gloat but silently submerged itself. ¡°Are you buying or not? If not, don¡¯t block our way!¡± the young male ghost said with a frown. ¡°Why is it so lively today?¡± A coquettish and charming voice came from behind, and a female ghost suddenly appeared next to the young male ghost. She wrapped her arms around the young male ghost¡¯s neck, her eyes sultry, her voice even sweeter, ¡°Little sir, did you miss me?¡± The female ghost¡¯s clothing was scant, revealing vast expanses of skin, her chest area particularly tumultuous, a hot figure that was extremely eye-catching. The young male ghost was obviously petrified, revealing a look of fear that showed he was not the least bit enticed by the voluptuous female ghost. The moment this female ghost appeared, ghosts in the vicinity rapidly dispersed, many female ghosts bowed their heads, hiding out of sight. Even the middle-aged male ghost standing next to the young one had abandoned his companion and fled. Clearly, this female ghost was formidable, and the other ghosts were very afraid of her. As for certain humans, they too stepped aside to watch without intending to get involved. ¡°Sister Jiaojiao,¡± the young male ghost stammered. The female ghost called Sister Jiaojiao leaned her head on the young male ghost¡¯s shoulder, her seductive eyes staring straight at Chuzheng. Her gaze was filled with thick malice. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± This Little Beauty! We have never met before, what¡¯s with this sudden malice towards me! Just because you¡¯re pretty, don¡¯t think I¡¯ll forgive your rudeness! ¡°What did she say to you, little sir?¡± The young male ghost swallowed hard, ¡°She, she wanted to buy a pass.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Sister Jiaojiao drew out her tone, her finger drawing circles on the young male ghost¡¯s chest, ¡°So, little sir, did you sell it to her?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t,¡± the young male ghost quickly shook his head. Sister Jiaojiao went limp on the young male ghost, as if boneless, ¡°You go capture her for me, and I¡¯ll let you go today, how about that?¡± The young male ghost: ¡°¡­¡± The young male ghost hardly dared to refuse, nodding hastily. Sister Jiaojiao let him go, and the young male ghost immediately lunged at Chuzheng with cruel intent, trying to capture her. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just because the Ghost King has got her back, that whenever she sees a pretty female ghost, she picks a fight? Her mind must be twisted, right?¡± ¡°Exactly. She¡¯s sick in the head. Pretty female ghosts wouldn¡¯t dare to show up in front of her.¡± ¡°Lucky for me I¡¯m a guy.¡± ¡°You think you¡¯re safe because you¡¯re a man? Watch out, she might come after you for a night of pleasure.¡± ¡°That¡¯s certainly not a case of ¡®a ghost under the peonies, gallant even in death¡¯; it¡¯s literally dying for real.¡± ¡°You¡¯re all courting death.¡± A ghost muttered in a low voice, and the conversation volume suddenly dropped. It was during her scuffle with the young male ghost that Chuzheng overheard these exchanges. Chuzheng gripped the young male ghost and slammed him to the ground. As the young male ghost tried to get up, the next moment he was bound by something, completely unable to move. Chuzheng lifted her hand, and the young male ghost violently flew into the air. Everyone followed the sight; the young male ghost¡¯s face showed terror, his pupils dilated, and the next second, under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, he turned to dust. Chuzheng spread her hand toward the empty air, and the barely visible Yin Xian fell back into her palm from the sky. In the blink of an eye, there was nothing to see anymore. As if what had just been seen was an illusion. Her palm held nothing. The scene was deadly silent. ¡°Have I offended you?¡± Chuzheng asked Sister Jiaojiao. ¡°You¡¯re quite powerful,¡± Sister Jiaojiao¡¯s voice remained sickly sweet, ¡°Do you know what kind of female ghost I hate the most?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was a picture of indifference, ¡°I don¡¯t want to know.¡± Sister Jiaojiao didn¡¯t care whether Chuzheng wanted to know or not and self-indulgently spat out the answer, ¡°One with the face of a seductive fox, it¡¯s just disgusting to look at.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°???¡± Is this ghost¡­ sick in the head? What does someone else¡¯s appearance have to do with her? It¡¯s not like they¡¯re asking her for cosmetic surgery! ¡­One must be unhinged to suddenly block a stranger ghost and call for a fight. Just get rid of her! At that moment, Chuzheng was wearing a light-colored dress, her soft hair casually resting on her shoulders, with delicate and prominent features that were stunning at first glance. She stood dignified in the center, her whole being emanating a cold aloofness that rejected others from a thousand miles, noble and elegant. Chuzheng¡¯s eyes were serene, not a ripple to be seen, ¡°You should take a look in the mirror.¡± Even as ghosts, one must learn to introspect! She looks pretty good, so why accuse others of being seductive? She herself is even more seductive, alright?! Sister Jiaojiao: ¡°???¡± Sister Jiaojiao realized that Chuzheng was talking about her face¡­ But this face¡­ Suddenly, the coquettish face of Sister Jiaojiao twisted into something hideous, ¡°At first, I just wanted to teach you a lesson, but now¡­¡± Her eyes flashed with a venomous light, ¡°I¡¯m going to make you wish you were dead.¡± ¡°I am dead,¡± Chuzheng stated calmly, ¡°How exactly do you intend to make me wish I were dead? Resurrect me?¡± Sister Jiaojiao: ¡°¡­¡± That line was a bit too much. Sister Jiaojiao was clearly stunned. In a fury, Sister Jiaojiao said, ¡°Sharp-tongued, heh, I¡¯ll teach you the rules here today¡­¡± How annoying. Chuzheng waved her hand, and Sister Jiaojiao¡¯s voice came to an abrupt halt. She held her head high, as if someone was throttling her. ¡°Rules?¡± Chuzheng glanced at her, each word as if sharpened with ice, ¡°What are they?¡± Sister Jiaojiao¡¯s beautiful eyes widened, she struggled to utter, ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Her feet left the ground, slowly rising. From her ankle to her calf, something cold and slender wrapped around her, moving up to her thigh, lower abdomen, chest, arms¡­ But she couldn¡¯t see what it was. As if an invisible snake, an intangible fear enveloped her. Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Chapter 105: Dispel the Evil Spirit (3) Chapter 105: Chapter 105: Dispel the Evil Spirit (3) The Ghost Market sprawled across the entire mountain, where humans and ghosts mingled, yet they were not hard to distinguish. As Chuzheng walked by, both humans and ghosts made way for her. ¡°Was it her who just killed Sister Jiaojiao?¡± a ghost pointed and gossiped about Chuzheng. ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s her. She¡¯s really daring.¡± ¡°But with that wicked woman dead, it¡¯s truly satisfying. She can be considered a bane to ghosts.¡± Earlier outside, Chuzheng had effortlessly killed Sister Jiaojiao, and the news had already spread before she even entered the Ghost Market. A ghost floated up to her side and warned, ¡°You¡¯d better leave quickly. If the Ghost King comes looking, you¡¯re done for.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng nodded, indicating she understood. The ghost looked at Chuzheng, who seemed to have no intention of leaving, and with a somewhat helpless shrug of the shoulder. They only warned her because she had eliminated a nuisance. Chuzheng found a ghost vendor and spent forty million Joss Paper currency. Chuzheng understood a truth¡ªthe Joss Paper currency was next to worthless. But most ghosts seemed to be quite poor¡­ Chuzheng wandered around the Ghost Market, where the merchandise for sale was all very unscientific. For example, a mobile phone that could make calls to ghosts. And a computer that could video chat with ghosts. Wouldn¡¯t this disrupt the world¡¯s order? [Main Quest: Miss, please spend a hundred million Joss Paper within one hour.] Chuzheng ¡®smack¡¯ placed her hand down on the stall. The ghost selling goods opposite her jumped in fright, stuttering, ¡°Is¡­is there something wrong?¡± He hadn¡¯t called out an outrageous price just now, had he? Chuzheng withdrew her hand, calmly saying, ¡°Nothing.¡± The small stall¡¯s goods were of little value, so Chuzheng picked out a shop that looked quite grand and had actual buildings. Chuzheng parted the door curtains and entered. There were already people inside, and not just a few¡ªgenuine human beings. In addition to these humans, there was also a little ghost. ¡°Miss, please take your time browsing,¡± the little ghost called out invitingly. As Chuzheng entered, the people on the other side became visibly wary. Chuzheng moved further inside, walking towards the shelves where items were displayed. The group of people was slightly on edge but didn¡¯t drive her away, going about their business as she came in to shop, with one of them continuing the conversation with the little ghost. ¡°We had already agreed on a price earlier, and now you¡¯re jacking it up on the spot. What¡¯s the meaning of this!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried about being unable to sell my goods. You can leave if you don¡¯t want them. I can sell to someone else.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°You want Joss Paper, and we can¡¯t get that for you at this moment. Look, is it possible to owe it first and pay you when we get out?¡± Entering the Ghost Market means no contact with the outside world; one must leave the Ghost Market to do so. But a passcard can be used only once to enter. And the passcard isn¡¯t cabbage; they had no spare ones in their possession. The little ghost refused, ¡°No way, cash on delivery only.¡± Chuzheng picked out items worth a billion as per the asking price and approached the group of people. They were all on guard, while Chuzheng, without looking elsewhere, set her items on the counter. ¡°Check out.¡± ¡°All right!¡± The little ghost behind the counter immediately grinned from ear to ear, swiftly scanning the items to the side. ¡°Miss, it¡¯s exactly a billion. If you guys don¡¯t have enough money, don¡¯t stand here blocking the way and hinder my business.¡± The last sentence was directed at the group of people. Chuzheng began to take out Joss Paper, shaking out a pile of it, causing the little ghost¡¯s mouth to twitch involuntarily. With such a large amount of Joss Paper, it would have flooded the entire store. ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t you get a card?¡± the little ghost suggested. ¡°A card can be made?¡± Bastard didn¡¯t say it was so advanced. ¡°¡­Yes, you can. Just walk straight out of the door for a hundred meters, turn left, then go straight and turn left again. You can get one at the Underworld Office.¡± He must be a new ghost, not even knowing about making a card. But with so much money, surely someone in the human world backs her. Chuzheng made a mental note. ¡°Miss,¡± a young man with a long braid suddenly started the conversation, ¡°may I have a word with you in private?¡± ¡°Ghosts follow a different path from humans.¡± Chuzheng embraced the object the little ghost handed over: ¡°Goodbye.¡± The young man with the long braid: ¡°¡­¡± The little ghost scornfully said: ¡°Don¡¯t think you can fool someone just because they¡¯re a new ghost.¡± The young man with the long braid: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Chuzheng found the Underworld Office, which looked a bit like the high-walled courtyards of ancient times. The words ¡°Underworld Office¡± were in neon lights¡­ Neon lights!! Such a stylish, high-end, and modern Underworld Office. After completing the registration, Chuzheng gained a new understanding of the ghosts in this world. Ghosts in this world, if they have lingering attachments and wish to stay in the human realm without harboring any ill will towards humans, can exchange joss paper and merits for more time to stay. To manage these kinds of ghosts, the existence of the Underworld Office came into being ¡ª a disguised institution for collecting money. Chuzheng also understood why those ghosts were so poor. The rest of the settings were mostly the same; there were also ghosts that turned into fierce ghosts and evil ghosts to harm people. Some hide from the Underworld and stay in the human realm without permission, which is essentially ¡®tax evasion.¡¯ If caught, they not only have to pay back what they owe but will also be punished. Of course, the Underworld Office doesn¡¯t care for the fates of these ghosts. In other words, ghosts can freely fight amongst themselves, and if they die, it¡¯s on them; the Underworld Office won¡¯t take responsibility. They even support this self-destructive behavior since it means less work for them. ¡°You¡¯ve been dead for a year now,¡± the ghost processing the card said. ¡°You need to pay for the past year before you can continue to stay in the human realm.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± she realized she was guilty of tax evasion too. Having paid for the past year, Chuzheng took the card and prepared to leave. Just as she was getting up, a surge of gloomy energy loomed in the sky, and the expressions of the several ghosts at the office turned solemn. ¡°There¡¯s a fight breaking out between a human and a ghost in the east!¡± ¡°These bastards, always causing trouble!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hurry over and check it out.¡± The office abruptly became quiet, leaving only Chuzheng, who looked up at the swirling gloom in the sky, then leisurely floated out of the door. Outside, most of the ghosts and people were rushing to the east to watch the excitement. Chuzheng followed the crowd and arrived at the scene of the incident. [Hidden mission: Please obtain a Good Person Card from Xia Han.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng silently slapped her own hand¡ªcuriosity killed the cat! In the crowd, Chuzheng spotted the group from before, with several ghosts attacking them. Good Lord¡­ they weren¡¯t robbing ghosts, were they? Chuzheng shifted her gaze, searching through the crowd. Xia Han¡­ Which one is Xia Han? The King¡¯s Account gave Chuzheng a hint, and she pushed through the crowd, heading down an adjacent slope. The noise from above gradually faded as Chuzheng followed the path down to its lowest point. ¡°We¡¯ll lure a few more ghosts down here later,¡± said one. ¡°Is that really a good idea? What if something goes wrong¡­¡± another hesitated. ¡°What could go wrong? This is the Ghost Market, and nobody can die here,¡± the first replied confidently. As the group of young men discussed and walked uphill, Chuzheng stood in a dark corner, waiting for them to leave before continuing to drift downwards. Below was a woodland area. It was very quiet in the woods. Chuzheng floated into the woods and didn¡¯t find anyone after searching the area. Just as she was about to leave, a flicker of ghostly shadows caught her eye not far away. Chuzheng floated over to find a young man standing in a clearing there. He was dressed in traditional Chinese black garb, with cuffs and lapels embroidered with patterns that were indiscernible. Several ghosts circulated around the young man. They moved forward tentatively, as if held back by something, not daring to get too close. They kept advancing and retreating, circling around him. Just as Chuzheng moved to leave, the ghosts suddenly seemed to make up their minds, and all at once, they rushed toward the young man. Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Dispel the Evil Spirit (4) Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Dispel the Evil Spirit (4) [Miss, it¡¯s time for a heroic rescue!] ¡°Can¡¯t win.¡± Chuzheng looked on indifferently and had no intention of intervening. [¡­] Can¡¯t you change your lines when you¡¯re bluffing? Who believes you can¡¯t win?! Don¡¯t you have an invincible mode?! Chuzheng watched as a few ghosts knocked the young man to the ground. Those who could enter the Ghost Market were used to dealing with ghosts, and such people in this world were called Heavenly Masters, Taoists, Mages, and so on. This young man appearing in the Ghost Market couldn¡¯t possibly be an ordinary person, right? Thinking this way, Chuzheng felt justified in continuing to watch the scene unfold. However, it turned out that the young man was indeed an ordinary person; he only knew how to dodge the ghosts¡¯ attacks and didn¡¯t know how to fight back at all. Seeing the young man about to become a blood-splattered mess, Chuzheng had to step in. ¡°Hey.¡± The ghosts attacking the young man suddenly looked towards Chuzheng, who had just appeared. ¡°Ah! A ghost!¡± The few ghosts vanished in an instant. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Did she look that scary to ghosts? Why did they scream? Aren¡¯t you ghosts yourselves? Chuzheng stepped on the dry branches scattered on the ground and walked over to the young man. She picked up a twig and poked the young man lying on the ground: ¡°Still alive?¡± Can¡¯t let that Good Person Card expire! The young man grabbed the twig and looked up, meeting Chuzheng¡¯s gaze without fear, and only said, ¡°Little Beauty, if you keep watching for a bit longer, I¡¯ll really die.¡± The young man¡¯s voice was clear and pleasant to the ear. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± This¡­ this target of corruption is a bit different!! He called me Little Beauty! It was normal for the young man to have noticed Chuzheng standing at a distance, which is why he wasn¡¯t surprised to see her now. The young man sat up from the ground, and the pattern on his sleeve became clear, with fine lines outlining a lifelike Golden Dragon. The young man pushed back his hair to reveal a stunning face with delicate features and slightly upturned lips, embodying a heart-stopping beauty. ¡°Little Beauty, don¡¯t let my good looks bewitch you, for humans and ghosts walk different paths,¡± said the young man, suddenly breaking into a smile. He is quite handsome¡­ His hair looks soft, too. I want to touch it. Chuzheng coldly prodded his wound: ¡°Doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± ¡°It hurts, it really hurts,¡± the young man cried while holding his wound, ¡°How could you be so cruel, Little Beauty? If you incapacitate me, will you take care of me afterward?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m a ghost,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡± The young man paused, sized her up, and then nodded: ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m scared.¡± He shrugged: ¡°But what¡¯s the use? I can¡¯t beat you anyway.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± You make a good point, but it doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯re all that scared to me; you seem pretty happy smiling like that! Rustle rustle¡­ A faint noise came from behind, and the young man¡¯s expression changed slightly as he pulled Chuzheng aside to hide. ¡°Shh!¡± The young man put a finger to his lips, signaling Chuzheng to be quiet. The group of youths that Chuzheng had stumbled upon moved quickly downhill, circling around the spot. ¡°Damn it, how did he disappear?¡± ¡°Did he run away?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, the ghosts behind us are catching up.¡± ¡°Lucky bastard, let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go.¡± The youths did not find anyone and quickly left in a different direction. Not half a minute after their departure, several ghosts burst out, roaring angrily in place. The ghosts chased after the direction the youths had taken off in, and the young man sat down on the ground, catching his breath. ¡°Thank you for saving me,¡± the youth tilted his head and crisply said, ¡°You are a good ghost.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± King, Bastard, he, he called me a good ghost!! Is my mission not completed yet? [Miss, anything is possible in a dream.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Little swindler! ¡°I have nothing to thank you with, I can only¡­¡± Chuzheng hadn¡¯t heard the rest of what the boy was saying when she suddenly felt a warmth on her lips, and her body seemed to heat up along with it. ¡°This is to thank you, may we meet again, Little Beauty.¡± Splash¡­ Cold water splashed up as the youth disappeared into the water¡¯s glimmering surface. Chuzheng¡¯s gaze shifted back and forth between the spot where the boy had just been and the water where he had vanished. This little swindler had obviously planned his escape route in advance¡­ Chuzheng snapped a branch off a nearby tree, tossed it to the ground, and stepped on it, grinding it beneath her foot. The Good Person Card cannot be gotten rid of, cannot be gotten rid of, cannot be gotten rid of¡­ ¡ªbut legs can be broken. She felt much better. ¨C As Chuzheng was making her way out, she ran into that group again. The ghosts from the Underworld Office were fining them, and the group seemed to have handed over something to the Underworld Office before they were let go. ¡°Older brother, older brother, Xia Han is missing.¡± A few youths hurried over. The young man with the long braid looked upset: ¡°How is he missing? Weren¡¯t you all supposed to watch him?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know, we just turned around and he was gone,¡± the youth who had brought the news said indignantly, ¡°We¡¯ve searched everywhere but couldn¡¯t find him.¡± ¡°Search quickly,¡± the long-braided youth ordered. ¡°Brother, I told you not to bring him, but you all insisted. Now he¡¯s gotten lost on his own, and we have to go look for him¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, split up and search.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The long-braided youth split the people into several groups and sent them in different directions to search for Xia Han. The King¡¯s Account was sending her Xia Han¡¯s information. Xia Han. A person who was born with the ability to see ghosts, but had no talent for being a Heavenly Master. Xia Han¡¯s parents, because he could see ghosts, did not like him and thought he brought bad luck. So they spent a lot of money and pulled some strings to send him to Taokong Mountain to fend for himself. Xia Han had no talent and only a good-looking face, which made the few female disciples of the mountain hang around him all day long. Thus, the male disciples of Taokong Mountain despised him and he was always isolated. Gradually, even the female disciples dared not speak to him anymore. This time at the Ghost Market, he also came along but unexpectedly, his fellow Taoist brothers left him behind. Xia Han was injured and thought he would die there, but when he woke up, he found that not only had he not died, he also had an Evil Ghost at his command. The Evil Ghost tried to kill him but failed and was forced to obey his orders. Xia Han was very pleased, thinking he had gained good from misfortune, and that he could also capture ghosts and become a Heavenly Master in the future. The Evil Ghost was brutal, and although Xia Han could control it, he couldn¡¯t completely control it. When he wasn¡¯t looking, the Evil Ghost got loose and killed several of Taokong Mountain¡¯s disciples. Those disciples happened to be the ones who usually had conflicts with Xia Han. The fact that Xia Han kept an Evil Ghost was exposed, and no matter how he explained it, no one believed him. He had no choice but to flee. Xia Han was hunted down relentlessly and, with no other way to protect himself, he began to continuously use the Evil Ghost to serve him. Gradually, Xia Han transformed from a boy who knew nothing into a Great Demon Head who was naturally cruel and killed indiscriminately. He became someone whom the entire Taoism Sect sought to eliminate. Chuzheng exhaled a breath and looked at the dark sky above the Ghost Market. Xia Han¡¯s Evil Ghost, it must have been something he brought back from the Ghost Market. She had just saved him before, could that help avoid the scenario where Xia Han possessed the Evil Ghost? Without the Evil Ghost, he wouldn¡¯t go down the path of becoming corrupted. Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Dispel the Evil Spirit (5) Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Dispel the Evil Spirit (5) Dongfu City. Following the original host¡¯s memories, Chuzheng returned home. The original host¡¯s parents died early, so she grew up with her cousin who treated her not well but not poorly, never neglecting her. When the original host came of age, her cousin gave her the parents¡¯ house, and the whole family went abroad, never contacting her again. Having been made to disappear by Murong Yi and Tang Yiyue, no one looked for the original host. The house, uninhabited for a year, was covered with a thick layer of dust. In the photo on the wall, the original host was happily leaning against Murong Yi, smiling. When Chuzheng found Murong Yi, he was dining with Tang Yiyue, the man handsome and the woman beautiful, a truly pleasing sight. Both wore wedding rings on their fingers. That ring was the one the original host had picked out with Murong Yi. These two sure had the gall. Chuzheng propped up her chin, watching them and pondering¡­ how to do away with them¡­ [Little sister.] Chuzheng switched tactics and successfully turned the tables. [Main mission: Please spend ten million yuan within one hour, little sister.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± As a ghost, how am I supposed to spend ten million yuan?! [You can do it, little sister!!]King¡¯s Account encouraged. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Can I possess someone¡¯s body? [If little sister isn¡¯t afraid of being caught by the Underworld Management Office, I don¡¯t mind,]King¡¯s Account said, [Don¡¯t be scared, little sister, we can always rewind.] To hell with rewinding! She didn¡¯t want to rewind! ¨C Chuzheng drifted to the room behind the shop, glanced at the soundly sleeping owner, took out the phone she had bought in the Ghost Market, and sent him a text message. The owner, upon hearing the text message alert, didn¡¯t wake up, but he felt the room growing colder. ¡°Who turned the air conditioning down!¡± murmured the sleepy owner as he sat up, absentmindedly checking his phone. The owner, puzzled, opened the text message and a few seconds later leaned in close to the screen. He looked around, then continued staring at the screen. Buy his store for ten million? Which nutcase was messing with him? His business was good but not worth ten million; it had to be a prank. Chuzheng sent another text and even transferred a deposit of one million. The owner jumped up in excitement, first checking his account balance to confirm the extra million, then replied with thrill. Half an hour later, the owner floated down the stairs, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°You, kick out those two people at that table,¡± the owner said to an employee, his face blossoming with joy. ¡°Huh?¡± The employee was bewildered. Why kick out the customers? ¡°What ¡®huh¡¯? Just do it, and be rude about it!¡± the owner instructed another two employees. ¡°¡­¡± Had the owner gone mad? Murong Yi and Tang Yiyue were kicked out of the shop, both completely confused, demanding justice, on what grounds were they kicked out. But the staff were unapologetic, ushering them out directly. The usually obsequious employees, trained to treat customers like gods, glared menacingly at them: ¡°You¡¯re not welcome here, off you go.¡± ¡°What kind of service is this, why are you kicking us out? We paid to eat here, why are you kicking us out? I want to file a complaint!¡± Tang Yiyue pointed at the employee. ¡°Feel free to complain,¡± the employee bowed slightly. Tang Yiyue: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This is outrageous!¡± Tang Yiyue, so furious she forgot her image, exclaimed, ¡°Husband, call the police, call them now!¡± Murong Yi, staring into the store with a sour expression, pulled Tang Yiyue, ¡°Yiyue, look over there.¡± ¡°Look at what¡­¡± Tang Yiyue felt as if someone was choking her. Murong Yi and Tang Yiyue hurried out of there and didn¡¯t relax until they were home, turning on all the lights in the house. ¡°I saw her¡­¡± Tang Yiyue was shivering all over, ¡°Husband, did you see her?¡± Murong Yi nodded as well. The two of them huddled together, trembling violently. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right, she¡¯s dead, how could she appear there.¡± Tang Yiyue grasped Murong Yi¡¯s wrist; they had personally discarded the body and made sure she was lifeless, she couldn¡¯t possibly still be alive. ¡°Could it be that our eyes are playing tricks on us?¡± Murong Yi swallowed hard, his spine chilled with fright. ¡°The light was so dim, it must have been a trick of the eye, it must have been.¡± Tang Yiyue nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go have another look tomorrow.¡± ¨C Chuzheng originally intended to follow the two back home to continue to scare them, but as she followed them halfway, she suddenly began to disappear. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself standing in an ancient-looking yard. There was a lush tree in the yard, its canopy covering most of the area, casting the whole yard in shadows. Where am I? Who am I? What am I doing here? Chuzheng stood bewildered in the yard, how on earth had she gotten here! ¡°Um¡­¡± There was a voice under the canopy of the tree, Chuzheng walked toward it, then looked up. A young man was hanging from the tree, his head drooping, his face pale, his lips cracked and dry, appearing barely alive. ¡°Little Beauty¡­¡± the young man¡¯s voice was weak, he shook his head and muttered, ¡°I must be hallucinating.¡± Bastard, was it you who did this? [No.] The King¡¯s Account denied, this had nothing to do with it, not at all. ¡°Well, a hallucination is fine too¡­¡± the young man said again: ¡°Little Beauty, I¡¯m so thirsty.¡± What does your thirst have to do with me. Chuzheng floated next to him, ¡°How did I end up here?¡± If it wasn¡¯t Bastard¡¯s doing, then it must be related to him. ¡°You¡¯re just a hallucination, right? I just thought of you, and you appeared,¡± the young man forced a smile: ¡°Little Beauty, I want to drink some water.¡± His hands were bound, and as he hung there listlessly, there was a certain allure to his weakness. The King¡¯s Account kept reminding her that this was the Good Person Card, to treat him kindly. Chuzheng floated down and returned after a little while. The cool water moistened the parched throat; the young man quickly took several large gulps. ¡°Why does this water have a taste?¡± After drinking, the young man licked his lips and mumbled, ¡°Where did you get this water?¡± ¡°From that basin over there.¡± She had looked around and only found that bit of water. Basin¡­ ¡°What basin?¡± The young man grew nervous. ¡°The carved wooden basin by the door.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s reply was calm. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The young man began to retch violently, but he couldn¡¯t bring anything up, a strange taste in his mouth. The young man¡¯s face turned a ghastly pale: ¡°Little Beauty, you did this on purpose, right? Even if it¡¯s a hallucination, you shouldn¡¯t do this to me!!¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°¡­you gave me foot washing water to drink, what do you think the problem is!!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face remained expressionless: ¡°That was also water.¡± A foot-washing basin, made to look so fancy, it¡¯s my fault? The young man gave Chuzheng a pitiful look and continued to retch. ¡°Little Beauty, just talk to me.¡± The young man truly couldn¡¯t vomit anything out, so he gave up. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to get down?¡± Shouldn¡¯t he be begging her to let him down at this time? ¡°Get down?¡± The young man looked down at the ground, appearing lost: ¡°Aren¡¯t you a hallucination?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± You¡¯re the hallucination. Chuzheng raised her hand, and the rope binding the young man suddenly slackened, causing him to plummet toward the ground. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Dispel the Evil Spirit (6) Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Dispel the Evil Spirit (6) The boy fell to the ground, bottom hitting the earth, pain spreading throughout his body. Ouch ouch ouch¡­ The boy was in so much pain that he could hardly think; propping himself up with his palms on the cold ground, he suddenly paused. Did I¡­ come down? Chuzheng floated down. The boy looked up, and underneath his messy hair, a pair of beautiful eyes appeared. ¡°It¡¯s not an illusion?¡± Chuzheng reached out and touched his head, the soft hair somewhat improved her mood, but the boy did not feel as good. ¡°So cold¡­¡± He felt as if ice was placed on top of his head. Now he was in pain and cold. ¡°Little Beauty, Little Beauty, what did I do to offend you? Please spare me,¡± the boy pleaded softly. Chuzheng withdrew her hand: ¡°Why were you hung up here?¡± Rubbing his arms to warm up, the boy muttered gloomily: ¡°Master was angry at me for running around, so he ordered my senior brothers to punish me, and they tied me up.¡± This was the most remote place on Taokong Mountain; he usually lived here alone, and even if he shouted himself hoarse, no one would hear. ¡°Little Beauty, why are you here?¡± ¡°I should be the one asking you that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The boy shook his head, baffled: ¡°I suddenly saw you, and I thought it was an illusion.¡± The boy pinched himself, his face contorted in pain: ¡°Not a dream.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Achoo!¡± The boy sneezed, sniffling hard before turning with a smile: ¡°Little Beauty, you must have come especially to rescue me, you¡¯re really a good ghost.¡± His eyes sparkled as he said this. Yes, yes, yes, I¡¯m a good person. However, the King¡¯s Account showed no reaction. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Little liar. ¡°Achoo!¡± The boy sneezed again. ¡°Get up,¡± Chuzheng said, stepping aside. The boy got up, hugged his arms, and hobbled inside, not forgetting to beckon Chuzheng: ¡°Little Beauty, come in quickly, it¡¯s so cold outside.¡± The room¡¯s light came on, Chuzheng floated to the doorway but did not enter. The room made her uncomfortable. The boy seemed to remember something, walked to the side, and tore down a few talismans. ¡°All right.¡± He tossed the talisman paper into a drawer: ¡°Come in quickly.¡± With the talisman paper torn down, that bit of discomfort disappeared. Chuzheng floated into the room. The room was spartan, with a bed, a table, two chairs, and two old cupboards standing beside them. ¡°I usually live alone, so it¡¯s a bit simple, feel free to sit anywhere,¡± said the boy, his tone carrying a hint of dejection. ¡°It is quite simple,¡± Chuzheng agreed with him. The boy laughed, a mixture of resignation and indifference. The boy was not wearing the same dragon-embroidered garments he had on last time; they were somewhat dirty. He rummaged through the cupboard for the dragon-embroidered clothes and turned to look at Chuzheng. Chuzheng¡¯s face remained indifferent. What are you looking at me for? Is there something on my face? The boy spoke up: ¡°Little Beauty, do you want to watch me change clothes?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng turned away, rustling sounds coming from behind her. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± The boy¡¯s crisp voice came through, and as Chuzheng turned back, the boy put down the dirty clothes and stretched out: ¡°Much more comfortable.¡± The next second, he grimaced in pain and drew his arms back in. He rummaged for medicine, hastily treated himself, and sat down on the chair next to Chuzheng, leaning on the table to look at her, his chin pressing down on the dragon embroidered on his sleeve, making his skin look even more fair. ¡°Little Beauty, are you really a ghost?¡± ¡°What else?¡± The boy tried reaching out and poked the back of Chuzheng¡¯s hand. He withdrew his hand, resting his chin on it: ¡°Seeing me, don¡¯t you have any other urges?¡± ¡°What urges?¡± ¡°So¡­¡± the boy thought for a moment, ¡°excited, thrilled?¡± ¡°No.¡± Why would I have such impulses towards you, has this little liar been in the mountains too long, possibly gone mad? ¡°Then why do other ghosts, when they see me, act as if they¡¯ve seen their long-lost brothers and sisters and can hardly wait to tear me apart and devour me?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Your description is kind of interesting. What kind of brothers and sisters could be so ferocious. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re easier to bully.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The boy¡¯s face darkened slightly, and after a moment, he murmured, ¡°Indeed.¡± Even the least skilled of his ¡®senior brothers¡¯ could hold their own against a ghost for a few moves. Only he, besides being able to see ghosts, had no abilities whatsoever. ¡°Little Beauty, you¡¯re really pretty, the prettiest ghost I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± Chuzheng with an indifferent face. Given he said he was a good person, it¡¯s likely not sincere. ¡°Why would I appear here in the first place?¡± Chuzheng looked at the boy, who was already asleep on the table. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Do you fall asleep instantly? Chuzheng floated out of the room, but a moment later, she turned back, moved the boy to the bed, and casually pulled over a blanket to cover him. She should be on Taokong Mountain right now. ¡ªThe outskirts of Dongfu City. Even though it was not far from Dongfu City, she couldn¡¯t just appear on the mountain out of thin air! Chuzheng drifted back to Dongfu City overnight but was delayed by a few dimwitted ghosts. By the time she found Murong Yi and Tang Yiyue, it was already morning. Before she could do anything, the next time she opened her eyes, she was back in that ancient room. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What the hell!! Chuzheng, feeling a little irate, kicked the table. The table, unable to bear the burden, collapsed into pieces, ending its service life. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I just kicked it gently, how could it collapse? This is a set-up! It has nothing to do with me! Chuzheng quickly withdrew her foot and stepped far back, to show she had nothing to do with it. ¡°Water¡­¡± The boy on the bed murmured in his sleep. Chuzheng drifted over, the boy¡¯s little face buried in the blanket, showing only his profile. The side of his face was slightly flushed, his hair damp with sweat, sticking to his forehead. ¡°Water¡­¡± Chuzheng looked around the room, where was there water? Her gaze landed on the carved wooden basin at the door¡­ [Miss, please do something human for once.] King¡¯s Account was somewhat desperate. ¡°I¡¯m not human, how can I do human things?¡± [¡­] Miss is actually quite nice, quite nice, King¡¯s Account brainwashed itself, [Miss, if you go out and take the small path to the left, there is clean spring water there.] Chuzheng¡¯s eyes coldly fixed on the void: ¡°You actually want me, a ghost, to wander around in a sect that specializes in catching ghosts?¡± [¡­ Miss, you¡¯re not afraid.] King¡¯s Account was a bit scared. ¡°Water¡­ I want water¡­¡± the boy¡¯s voice was hoarse, and in discomfort he pulled down the blanket, revealing a feverishly red face. Chuzheng glanced at him, annoyed, and left the room. When she returned with the water, she found a male ghost beside the bed, staring menacingly at the boy. Chuzheng stood at the doorway, and asked calmly, ¡°What are you doing.¡± The male ghost was startled, and in the next second, his fingernails stretched out, aiming for the boy¡¯s neck. Just as the male ghost was about to touch the boy¡¯s neck, a chill seeped in, and the next second, the ghost¡¯s body was flung out, crashing into the cabinet. He passed through the cabinet and rolled onto the floor. The male ghost had a ferocious look in his eye, filled with malice. ¡°You nosy wench, stop meddling in others¡¯ business!¡± Chuzheng stepped on the male ghost¡¯s chest, and he struggled a few times, but Chuzheng suppressed him. She leaned forward slightly and asked calmly, ¡°Or what?¡± Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Dispel the Evil Spirit (7) Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Dispel the Evil Spirit (7) Chuzheng¡¯s gaze was calm, and so was her tone, yet the male ghost instinctively felt danger. This female ghost, it seemed she could kill him with ease. Chuzheng pressed down hard with her foot, and the male ghost suddenly cried out, ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t kill me. If you kill me, he won¡¯t live either.¡± He¡­ Xia Han? Chuzheng turned to look at the boy on the bed, then back at the male ghost, feeling somewhat frustrated internally. Could this ghost be the first evil ghost Xia Han encountered? She had clearly saved him, so how could Xia Han have come across this evil ghost? Chuzheng looked around and picked up a glass bottle from the cupboard, opened the lid, and aimed the opening at the evil ghost, ¡°Get in.¡± The evil ghost was confounded, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Get in.¡± Two words, calm and unemotional, yet they filled the evil ghost with a sense of ferocity. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯m going in.¡± He darted into the bottle, and Chuzheng quickly sealed it tight, ¡°Try to run and see what happens.¡± The evil ghost, feeling threatened, hugged himself tightly, curling into a ball. He¡¯s the evil ghost! He is indeed! Chuzheng walked over to the bed, helped Xia Han sit up, and roughly fed him water. Chuzheng was cold to the touch while Xia Han was burning up. After she finished giving him water, he clung to her, unwilling to let go. ¡°So comfortable.¡± Xia Han nuzzled Chuzheng¡¯s shoulder, finding a cozy spot to nestle in. Chuzheng pried him off only for him to cling to her again immediately. Chuzheng thought he would hold her for a while and let go once he cooled down, but he kept his grip on her all morning, and his body temperature did not decrease. The evil ghost¡¯s voice came out from the bottle, ¡°He¡¯s got a fever, you need to find him some medicine.¡± Chuzheng raised her hand, and the bottle flew into it, ¡°Go find it, and don¡¯t even think about running. It would be very easy for me to find you.¡± The evil ghost was released, and he slapped himself in the face. Serves you right for running your mouth. But this person couldn¡¯t die, at least not like this. Feeling aggrieved, the evil ghost went to find medicine, and after Chuzheng fed it to Xia Han, the high fever subsided by the evening. ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡± Xia Han woke up, his throat itching, and went into a coughing fit. He only felt dizzy and light-footed, a bitter taste in his mouth, and a bit nauseous. Where was he? Was he dead? ¡°Little Beauty¡­¡± As his vision gradually focused, he saw the person¡­ no, the ghost sitting by his side. The young man, perhaps thinking of something, turned pale with fear, ¡°Am I, have I also become a ghost?¡± ¡°Do you want to become a ghost?¡± Chuzheng asked expressionlessly, producing a knife. Xia Han instantly sobered up, ¡°No, no, I don¡¯t. Little Beauty, be calm.¡± He pressed down on Chuzheng¡¯s hand, feeling the warmth of his hand different from Chuzheng¡¯s, and Xia Han breathed a sigh of relief. So he wasn¡¯t dead. The evil ghost suggested that Xia Han might have picked up some yin energy at the Ghost Market, and then hanging outside, he fell sick from the double torment. However, given Xia Han¡¯s unique constitution, it was just an illness, not life-threatening. ¡°Take the medicine.¡± Chuzheng handed him the medicine and water. ¡°This water¡­¡± Xia Han was slightly averse. ¡°Footbath water.¡± Chuzheng said expressionlessly. ¡°¡­¡± Xia Han inspected the water, which was clean and likely spring water. ¡°So bitter.¡± Xia Han gulped down the water, his face scrunching up. ¡°Good medicine tastes bitter.¡± ¡°Ptooey ptooey ptooey.¡± Xia Han made a face of disgust. It was so bitter. What kind of medicine was this? It didn¡¯t taste like any cold medicine he had taken before! Xia Han didn¡¯t see the packaging and didn¡¯t dare to ask the stone-faced Chuzheng, so he let it be. After drinking a few sips of water, he felt the bitterness lessen a bit, ¡°Little Beauty, have you been here the whole time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Little Beauty, you¡¯re so kind.¡± Xia Han¡¯s eyes curved in a smile, and his whole demeanor seemed to brighten with sunshine. Chuzheng glanced at him and tossed him the bottle, ¡°This ghost, it¡¯s yours.¡± The bottle was cold, Xia Han had not minded it before, but as he caught it instinctively, Chuzheng¡¯s subsequent words froze him in place. He swallowed hard, ¡°Is it that really ugly man?¡± Recalling the Evil Ghost¡¯s appearance, Chuzheng nodded, ¡°Mhm.¡± Evil Ghost: ¡°¡­¡± Who¡¯s ugly!! Who¡¯s ugly!! After a pause, Chuzheng asked, ¡°Do you know him?¡± ¡°After I came back from the Ghost Market, he¡¯s been following me¡­¡± Xia Han¡¯s voice weakened a bit, ¡°I¡¯ve told him to leave, but he refuses, claiming there¡¯s some kind of pact between us.¡± ¡°Are you very afraid of him?¡± Xia Han didn¡¯t show much fear. He glanced at Chuzheng, neither nodded nor shook his head, but simply said, ¡°He¡¯s very fierce, his gaze is like knives, I don¡¯t like him.¡± That meant he was afraid. Chuzheng: ¡°Why aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡± ¡°Little Beauty is different.¡± Xia Han set the bottle down. ¡°How is it different?¡± He looked up slightly, his eyes glowing, ¡°It feels different, I think you won¡¯t hurt me.¡± The first time he saw her, he wasn¡¯t scared of her. He had seen many ghosts, Evil Spirits, regular ghosts; as a child, he was always scared of them, but as he grew older, he learned to hide his fear. He wasn¡¯t fearless, he just knew that being afraid was pointless. They could harm him. All he could do was try his best to survive. The more fear he felt, the less chance he had of surviving, so he couldn¡¯t afford to be scared, at least not outwardly. The room fell silent for a while until Chuzheng took the bottle from him, breaking the stillness, ¡°You said there¡¯s a pact between you two? What kind of pact?¡± Xia Han shook his head. Chuzheng released the Evil Ghost, ¡°You tell me.¡± The Evil Ghost¡¯s gaze darted around, clearly scheming something. Chuzheng lifted the knife in her hand again. The Evil Ghost immediately became compliant, ¡°It¡¯s a sort of Ghost Pact¡­¡± The Evil Ghost, originally planning to deceive Chuzheng, didn¡¯t dare to speak carelessly upon meeting her gaze and answered honestly, ¡°He¡¯s sort of like my master now.¡± Such a Ghost Pact normally couldn¡¯t be made by just anyone. Out of millions of people, there might not even be one who could do it. Chuzheng thought about her own inexplicable appearance here. ¡°So, is the ghost that formed the pact obliged to stay by the master¡¯s side?¡± ¡°Not necessarily, but if the master summons, I must return.¡± The Evil Ghost answered carefully, eyes fixed on the knife in Chuzheng¡¯s hand. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What the hell! Without showing any surprise, Chuzheng calmly said, ¡°Since he¡¯s your master, you better protect him well.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± The Evil Ghost nodded repeatedly. Chuzheng ordered the Evil Ghost back into the bottle and tossed it to Xia Han. ¡°Will he harm me again?¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Xia Han nodded trustingly, marveling, ¡°Little Beauty, you¡¯re so powerful.¡± Chuzheng deadpanned, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Xia Han was first taken aback, then burst into a snicker, ¡°Little Beauty, you¡¯re really cute.¡± Confirming Xia Han was alright, Chuzheng told him she was heading back to Dongfu City. Xia Han didn¡¯t try to keep her, just said she should come to visit him when she had time. Chuzheng was noncommittal. Chuzheng left Taokong Mountain, drifting toward Dongfu City. When had she formed a Ghost Pact with Xia Han? Chuzheng carefully reflected on what happened at the Ghost Market, finally focusing on the fleeting kiss like a dragonfly skimming water. At that moment, she felt an abnormal warmth in her body, mistakenly believing it was the boy¡¯s body heat, a sensation produced by their physical contact. Now, she realized, it was the power of the pact¡­ I mustn¡¯t let him find out!! Chapter 110 - Chapter 110: Chapter 110: Dispel the Evil Spirit (8) Chapter 110: Chapter 110: Dispel the Evil Spirit (8) ¡°` Chuzheng encountered Xia Han again half a month later. Unlike the previous two times, where he suddenly appeared in front of Xia Han, they met at a wine party. Chuzheng followed¡­ no, she attended a wine party alongside Murong Yi. Unexpectedly, she bumped into Xia Han at the entrance. Xia Han was with his two senior brothers, handsome with the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, faintly smiling, attracting quite a few sideways glances. Xia Han spotted Chuzheng floating above the crowd, a head taller than everyone else, at a glance. Clearly, Xia Han¡¯s senior brothers also saw her. Chuzheng carried a peaceful aura and had registered with the Underworld Office, paying her dues as a good ghost¡ªas long as she harmed no one, the Heavenly Master had no right to question why she was there. So she acted as if she didn¡¯t see them and walked straight inside. ¡°Little Beauty,¡± Xia Han waved to her. ¡°Xia Han, hurry up,¡± said one senior brother impatiently, ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± ¡°No one,¡± Xia Han shook his head, glancing at Chuzheng and making a gesture that he wouldn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Senior brother, don¡¯t you find that female ghost we just saw somewhat familiar?¡± The young man with the long braid walking in front was the one Chuzheng had seen before in the Ghost Market. He turned to look in Chuzheng¡¯s direction, only to find no trace of any ghost. ¡°Hmm, she does look somewhat familiar,¡± Senior Brother Changbian said, ¡°She has no malign spirit about her, so we should just leave her be.¡± He paused, then added, ¡°I heard that many Heavenly Masters failed before, this task won¡¯t be easy.¡± Another senior brother said with a laugh, ¡°What¡¯s there to fear? We have Xia Han, and if that ghost catches his scent, it will surely follow him.¡± Senior Brother Changbian glanced at Xia Han with slight disapproval, ¡°No matter what, Xia Han is our junior brother.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t capture ghosts anyway; that¡¯s the only use he has. Hey, senior brother, he¡¯s tough, he won¡¯t die, and don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll protect him.¡± Xia Han heard their conversation, but at that moment, he was only interested in finding Chuzheng. Taking advantage of his senior brother being engaged in conversation, Xia Han sneakily slipped into the crowd. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t find his Little Beauty anywhere. ¡°Strange, I clearly saw her come in.¡± ¡°Looking for me?¡± Feeling a slight chill on his back, Xia Han turned around excitedly, ¡°Little Beauty!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Chuzheng stood in the shadows of a corner. ¡°We meet again,¡± Xia Han said joyfully, ¡°This must be fate.¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Chuzheng glanced outside, wondering if ghost catching could be openly conducted in such a big venue. Aren¡¯t those things usually done discreetly? ¡°My senior brother asked me to come,¡± Xia Han said with a helpless expression on his handsome face, ¡°I think he wanted me to lure out the ghost.¡± The senior brothers from Taokong Mountain often did this. The ghosts couldn¡¯t resist revealing themselves whenever they saw him. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m tough,¡± Xia Han smiled, ¡°Little Beauty, what brings you here?¡± Chuzheng deadpanned, ¡°Just passing through.¡± ¡°Xia Han!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Xia Han responded, turning to see Senior Brother Changbian calling him. He waved his hand and turned back, ¡°Little Beauty¡­ Little Beauty?¡± Xia Han looked around, disappointed, and walked back to Senior Brother Changbian¡¯s side. ¨C The host of this wine party was the president of Murong Yi¡¯s company, who thought highly of the young and promising Murong Yi. When Chuzheng found him, he was in the back room, resting and talking with the president. The president seemed pale and slow to react, jumping at the slightest sound. However¡­ Right behind the president, a young-looking female ghost bared her teeth at Chuzheng as if to declare that this was her territory. That female ghost appeared quite young. ¡°Get lost!¡± The female ghost shouted fiercely. ¡°Someone¡¯s coming to catch you,¡± Chuzheng said. The ghost clearly had been captured before, and upon hearing this, a look of fear crossed her face, which was then replaced by a fierce anger. ¡°A bunch of stinking Taoists.¡± The ghost stared at Chuzheng for a few seconds before she suddenly calmed down, ¡°Were you also harmed by this Bastard?¡± Chuzheng pointed at Murong Yi. The ghost, who had intended to form an alliance, was speechless ¡°¡­¡± Knock knock. The ghost was startled; she instantly dove into the wall behind her and disappeared. The door was simultaneously pushed open, and an assistant whispered something to the boss. The boss¡¯s expression immediately relaxed, ¡°Please invite them in, quickly. Ah Yi, you go out first to greet them; I¡¯ll follow shortly.¡± Murong Yi found the boss¡¯s behavior strange. But since the boss was the superior, he had to leave, ¡°Alright.¡± When Murong Yi left, he bumped into Senior Brother Changbian and his two companions at the doorway. Senior Brother Changbian, although not dressed in the formal attire of a Heavenly Master, still wore an outfit that set him apart from ordinary people. He glanced inside the room curiously, but the door was quickly shut. ¡°Heavenly Master, could you check if the ghost is still here? I keep feeling a chill on my back; is she still around?¡± The boss looked around suspiciously. Senior Brother Changbian¡¯s gaze lingered on Chuzheng for two seconds; there was no malevolence about her, and she didn¡¯t resemble the evil ghost described in the files. ¡°Describe the ghost you saw for me.¡± The boss described the ghost he had seen, which was the same one that had talked to Chuzheng earlier. ¡°She is not here,¡± Senior Brother Changbian shook his head. The boss breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Good, good as long as she¡¯s not here¡­¡± ¡°But there are other ghosts here.¡± The boss, who had just relaxed, almost wet himself in fright and hid behind Senior Brother Changbian, ¡°What, there are other ghosts? Is it an accomplice of that ghost? Heavenly Master, then you must capture it quickly! I paid a high price for your service, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Stop making noise,¡± the young Taoist next to Senior Brother Changbian snapped impatiently, ¡°Are we catching the ghost or are you?¡± These people, no matter how exalted their status, could only submit to such unscientific occurrences. Xia Han stared intently at Chuzheng and motioned to her with a slight wave, probably signaling her to leave quickly. ¡°Senior Brother, I¡¯ll go ask her,¡± the young man said. Senior Brother Changbian nodded. He hadn¡¯t detected any other problems in the room, there was just this one ghost. The young man approached Chuzheng, ¡°Have you seen any other ghosts?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Really none?¡± The young man was skeptical, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s icy gaze met the young man¡¯s, ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± The young man was surprised by Chuzheng¡¯s boldness, speaking to a Heavenly Master like that. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t shield that evil ghost; it will do you no good,¡± the young man said coldly, ¡°If you dare hide it, we¡¯ll take you with it when the time comes!¡± Chuzheng suddenly made her move, grabbing the young man by the throat. The young man¡¯s face changed immediately, and he produced a talisman, slapping it onto Chuzheng. Senior Brother Changbian was also startled; after all, in his eyes, Chuzheng, devoid of malevolence, wasn¡¯t the type to attack. Chuzheng threw the young man aside, and he hit the ground hard, as the two talismans spontaneously combusted in mid-air. ¡°He threatened me first,¡± Chuzheng said. Her words stopped Senior Brother Changbian. He held out his hands to show he wasn¡¯t a threat, ¡°Miss, we mean no harm.¡± Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Dispel the Evil Spirit (9) Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Dispel the Evil Spirit (9) ¡°I told you, I¡¯ve never seen the ghost you¡¯re looking for,¡± Chuzheng said icily. Senior Brother Changbian, ¡°Sorry, it was my junior brother who was impulsive.¡± The strength of this female ghost was a bit elusive, and Senior Brother Changbian did not want to offend her at this moment, to avoid any unnecessary complications. Their purpose for coming today was to catch that evil ghost. The young man was helped up by Senior Brother Changbian, and though he seemed reluctant, he settled down after being quietly scolded by Senior Brother Changbian. Chuzheng¡¯s hands were stuffed in her pockets as she floated out of the room. Xia Han, ¡°¡­¡± Little Beauty! Chuzheng instantly returned to the room. Senior Brother Changbian, ¡°¡­¡± The young man, ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng, ¡°¡­¡± This has nothing to do with me!! Stop looking at me! Do you think I wanted to come back? It¡¯s all because of this troublemaker! Xia Han looked at her with glee, and if it weren¡¯t for his senior brother standing by, he probably would have pounced on her. Chuzheng had no choice but to stand on the edge, determined to find a way to break this damned contract. Otherwise, at Xia Han¡¯s mere thought, she would have to appear before him. So annoying. ¨C Chuzheng leaned against the wall, watching indifferently as Xia Han was pushed to the center by the young man. The young man used a knife to cut open Xia Han¡¯s finger, and the blood dripped into the clear water. The red blood, like spreading ink, diffused, while Xia Han silently hung his head, his aura darkening, lacking the vitality he had before. The company boss crouched in the corner, watching nervously and fearfully. The temperature in the room seemed to be dropping. ¡°Senior brother¡­¡± Senior Brother Changbian raised a finger, and the room fell into dead silence once again. The two of them watched their surroundings vigilantly. Suddenly, the female ghost poked her head out from the ceiling and plummeted fiercely downward. ¡°Senior brother!¡± the young man shouted loudly. Senior Brother Changbian pushed Xia Han out of the way and blocked the female ghost. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The female ghost¡¯s arm was hit; it fizzed with smoke as she screamed and retreated into the ceiling. ¡°Useless,¡± the young man glanced at Xia Han with disdain. ¡°Left!¡± Senior Brother Changbian shouted, and the young man¡¯s body hair stood on end. The female ghost¡¯s sharp claws lunged at the young man¡¯s chest. He intended to dodge, but suddenly, a chilling energy appeared beside him, rendering him immobile. Thump¡ª The ghost¡¯s claws pierced the young man¡¯s shoulder. If not for Senior Brother Changbian¡¯s timely intervention, it might have pierced his heart and killed him on the spot. ¡°Junior brother!¡± The young man clutched his wound, gasping for breath. ¡°I¡¯m okay, senior brother, be careful. We underestimated this female ghost.¡± Senior Brother Changbian nodded and rushed forward again, exchanging blows with the female ghost. The female ghost seemed to be drawn to Xia Han, madly rushing toward him. Senior Brother Changbian alone was bound to have lapses. Xia Han saw the female ghost rushing over and instinctively tried to dodge, but this ghost was different from those he had encountered before, and he was caught after only a few steps. The female ghost looked at him greedily. How delicious! How delicious¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t touch him.¡± A pale hand interjected, the fingertips gently against the female ghost, and with a flick backwards, Xia Han broke free from the female ghost¡¯s grip. The female ghost glanced at her unwillingly and snarled, ¡°Next time I catch him, I won¡¯t give you any face.¡± The female ghost turned to deal with Senior Brother Changbian. Chuzheng pulled Xia Han out of the room. ¡°Little Beauty, you saved me again,¡± Xia Han was not the least bit frightened by the narrow escape, but was instead excited. ¡°They told you to lure the ghost, and you just went?¡± Did a ghost eat your brain? ¡°I grew up on Taokong Mountain; although they weren¡¯t very nice to me, they did feed me,¡± Xia Han said lightly. If he didn¡¯t listen to them¡­ Where else could he go? Perhaps if Taokong Mountain hadn¡¯t taken him in, his parents would have gotten rid of him directly? Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Just let him turn to the dark side! ¡°Little Beauty, are you angry?¡± Xia Han moved close to Chuzheng, curiously asking, ¡°Is it because of me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Why would I be angry about a Good Person Card. Someone was coming over, and Chuzheng pulled Xia Han to hide in a dark corner. Pressing close to Chuzheng¡¯s body, Xia Han only felt a chilling cold infiltrating his body, as if his bones were freezing. He exhaled a slight breath, word by word, he said, ¡°When I¡¯ve saved enough money, I will leave Taokong Mountain.¡± ¡°How much money have you saved?¡± ¡°Erm¡­¡± Xia Han thought about his savings, feeling somewhat embarrassed: ¡°That is¡­¡± Taokong Mountain provided for all his meals and needs, and whenever he left the mountain, the senior brothers were with him, so he hardly got his hands on much money. He didn¡¯t have the skill to catch ghosts, so saving enough money was even harder than ascending to heaven. ¡°You¡¯ll end up dead at their hands sooner or later.¡± Chuzheng mercilessly poked at his wound. Xia Han fell silent for a few seconds, then murmured, ¡°Little Beauty, if I died, could I be with you then?¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Chuzheng with an indifferent face said, ¡°You have no money.¡± Xia Han did not understand: ¡°Do you also need money to be a ghost?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°Without money, you can¡¯t stay in the world of the living, you either reincarnate or descend to Hell.¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Xia Han felt the coldness leaving his body, and when he looked up, Chuzheng was already drifting outward. ¡°Little Beauty¡­¡± Xia Han chased after her, but once outside where there were more people, he immediately fell silent. ¡°This little brother looks unfamiliar, who brought him here?¡± A finely dressed woman blocked his path. ¡°Uninvited.¡± Having learned to talk his way through situations at Taokong Mountain, Xia Han said with a smile, ¡°Sister, you are really beautiful.¡± ¡°What sweet talk.¡± The woman laughed directly, amused by the compliment. ¡°Then can Sister make way please? My girlfriend is getting angry.¡± ¡°Oh, you have a girlfriend?¡± The woman raised her eyebrows. ¡°I do.¡± The boy seriously nodded: ¡°She would be unhappy if I talked with such a beautiful sister.¡± The boy looked really young, and the woman was just teasing him, meaning no harm. Hearing this, she stepped aside: ¡°Go ahead then, girls just need a little appeasement.¡± The boy dashed into the crowd like a wisp of smoke. The woman stood in place, sipping a glass of red wine. ¡°Sister, who was that boy who just talked to you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know him,¡± the woman said: ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°He¡¯s quite handsome¡­¡± ¡°Come on, he has a girlfriend.¡± ¡°Goodness, even boys so young have girlfriends now.¡± ¡°Certainly¡­ At this age, it¡¯s the perfect time to be in love,¡± the woman said with a smile. ¡°When are you going to get a boyfriend?¡± The woman shook her head helplessly: ¡°I haven¡¯t met the right person.¡± ¡°With the folks in this circle lining up to choose from, you still haven¡¯t found the right one? I think it¡¯s because your standards are too high.¡± The woman took a sip of wine, and pulled her friend towards the dance floor. ¨C Xia Han caught up with Chuzheng and found her staring at a man. ¡°Little Beauty, what are you looking at?¡± Xia Han asked her in a low voice. Chuzheng turned back: ¡°Why are you following me?¡± ¡°¡­Can¡¯t I follow you?¡± Xia Han blinked: ¡°I like being with you.¡± ¡°Then do you think I¡¯m a good person?¡± ¡°You are.¡± The boy nodded without hesitation, his expression very serious. ¡°¡­¡± Little liar. Chuzheng didn¡¯t want to deal with this little liar, so she drifted behind Murong Yi, and Xia Han couldn¡¯t go there, as it would seem too bizarre, so he could only stand in the crowd watching her. Chuzheng did something, and the man pulled out his phone for a glance, then as if he had seen a ghost, moved abruptly and fell to the ground with a start. The people around were startled. Someone wanted to come forward to help him up, but were brushed off by Murong Yi. He looked around in panic, stumbling as he ran off. Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Dispel the Evil Spirit (10) Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Dispel the Evil Spirit (10) Murong Yi returned home. ¡°Honey, you¡¯re back?¡± Tang Yiyue, wearing loungewear and a facial mask, said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention you would be late?¡± Murong Yi was pale. ¡°Yiyue, I¡¯ve received a message.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Tang Yiyue noticed something was off about Murong Yi, ¡°What message?¡± Murong Yi felt a chill in his limbs. It took him several tries to get his phone out. Tang Yiyue suspiciously took the phone from him. It was a bank transfer, but the content¡­ [Underworld Bank] Your account ending in 8907 has received a transfer of 1000 from Qiao Chuzheng. The name Qiao Chuzheng was enough to scare Tang Yiyue. She tossed the phone aside, ¡°Honey¡­ is this¡­ is this some kind of prank?¡± She¡¯s dead! ¡°Yiyue, Yiyue¡­¡± Murong Yi pointed at the TV, which was slowly displaying a message. ¡ªI¡¯m back. ¡°Ah!¡± Tang Yiyue screamed, the mask falling from her face. Having successfully frightened Tang Yiyue and Murong Yi, Chuzheng concealed her skills and departed from the neighborhood leisurely. No sooner had she drifted out of the neighborhood than she encountered the female ghost from the wine party. Chuzheng moved to the left, and she followed to the left. Chuzheng moved to the right, and she followed to the right. Chuzheng stopped, ¡°What do you want?¡± The female ghost appeared calm at this point, not having a ferocious look. She looked like an ordinary girl, only paler. ¡°You¡¯re Chuzheng.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you know the Ghost King is trying to kill you?¡± ¡°The Ghost King?¡± Chuzheng thought for a moment, ¡°I don¡¯t know any Ghost King.¡± Why would he want to kill me? The female ghost said, ¡°You killed a female ghost that the Ghost King was fond of.¡± Chuzheng, ¡°Did I?¡± The female ghost, ¡°Sister Jiaojiao.¡± Sister Jiaojiao? Chuzheng¡¯s memory was dragged back to the day at the Ghost Market. She did kill a ghost, but that ghost had started the trouble. She was only fighting back legitimately, choosing a method to solve the problem once and for all. She hadn¡¯t had contact with other ghosts lately, spending most of her time alone. The Ghost King probably couldn¡¯t find her, but the word had gotten out. ¡°What does it have to do with you?¡± ¡°I can negotiate a truce with the Ghost King for you, in return you help me with a favor,¡± the female ghost said. ¡°If you can negotiate a truce with the Ghost King, it would be better to ask him for a favor directly. Why bother finding me.¡± Chuzheng flatly refused, ¡°No thank you.¡± It sounded like a trap. As if I¡¯m a fool! Can the words of a ghost be trusted? Chuzheng drifted away. The female ghost didn¡¯t expect Chuzheng to refuse so flatly and said with a touch of unwillingness, ¡°The Ghost King isn¡¯t so easy to deal with.¡± ¡°I can handle it.¡± ¡°Do you know how many evil ghosts the Ghost King has under his control? If you confront him head-on, you won¡¯t come out on top.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± That¡¯s my business. Don¡¯t think about setting a trap for me! I won¡¯t jump in it! No matter what the female ghost said, Chuzheng just wouldn¡¯t agree. ¡°If you regret it later, come and find me.¡± The female ghost left those words behind and disappeared into the night. Chuzheng wandered aimlessly forward. Three minutes later. She stood in a hotel room. Xia Han was lying on the bed. At the sudden appearance of Chuzheng, his eyes lit up, and he abruptly sat up, ¡°Little Beauty, did you come to see me?¡± Chuzheng, ¡°¡­¡± Could this weakling stop thinking about her all the time? There are so many things in the world to think about, why her!! ¡°I was just thinking of you, and here you are,¡± Xia Han jumped out of bed, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, ¡°Does this count as telepathy between us?¡± ¡°No deal.¡± Chuzheng sat down on the sofa, feeling utterly frustrated. Why did she have to be so pitiful? Xia Han followed suit and sat down too, ¡°Little Beauty, after all this time, I still don¡¯t know your name.¡± Chuzheng hugged herself, not wanting to talk. She just wanted some peace and quiet. ¡°Little Beauty?¡± ¡°Little Beauty, are you tired? You can sleep in my bed,¡± Xia Han generously offered his own bed. ¡°Chuzheng,¡± she said icily. ¡°Chuzheng¡­ What a nice name.¡± Xia Han smiled, ¡°My name is Xia Han, ¡®Xia¡¯ as in summer, and ¡®Han¡¯ as in cold.¡± ¡°Stop talking,¡± Chuzheng pointed to the bed, ¡°Go to sleep.¡± ¡°I want to tell you¡­¡± Chuzheng gave him a glance, and Xia Han pursed his lips before climbing onto the bed. He lay there, watching Chuzheng with his head on its side. ¡°They didn¡¯t catch that ghost, that female ghost is quite powerful,¡± Xia Han spoke softly, ¡°Could you not leave?¡± ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Xia Han said, ¡°She¡¯s really fierce.¡± Chuzheng thought to herself¡­ What¡¯s there to fear for a big, brave man! ¡°If she catches me, I might never see you again,¡± Xia Han added, ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose sight of you.¡± ¡°You say such things to a ghost you barely know?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s icy voice echoed around the room. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I just feel that you are really nice, and I want to be close to you,¡± Xia Han hesitated, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say this to any other ghost. I don¡¯t like them¡­¡± He had seen countless ghosts since he was a child. But only she made him feel this way. Chuzheng responded thoughtfully, perhaps it was because of that Ghost-Breaking Pact¡­ Chuzheng turned off the light and the room plunged into darkness. There was some rustling from the bed for a while, then Xia Han¡¯s breathing gradually steadied. Chuzheng lay on the sofa, looking out at the bright moon through the window. After some time had passed, Chuzheng got up, left the room, and drifted into the next room. The young man was seriously injured, with Senior Brother Changbian keeping him company. Chuzheng concealed her presence, floating silently to the bedside; she looked down at the young man. A stream of yin energy seeped from her fingertips and entered the young man¡¯s wounds. Having done what she came for, Chuzheng returned to the next room. The next morning, Xia Han woke up to hear that the young man¡¯s wounds had worsened and he had to be taken back to Taokong Mountain. Xia Han glanced at Chuzheng unconsciously; his senior brother had said just yesterday that he was stable and not in danger, so how could it have worsened? Chuzheng looked completely unfazed, as if she didn¡¯t know a thing. Since another female ghost had not been captured, Senior Brother Changbian could only rely on fellow nearby disciples to take over and transport the young man back. ¡°Little Beauty, are you leaving?¡± Chuzheng shook her head indifferently. Leave? Why would I leave? Could I even leave if I wanted to? Before Xia Han could speak, Chuzheng threatened him, ¡°Keep quiet, or else I will leave.¡± Xia Han covered his mouth, nodded, his clear eyes sparkling with joy. That afternoon, Xia Han accompanied Senior Brother Changbian to the house of a certain high-ranking executive. ¡°Little Beauty, it seems like Senior Brother can¡¯t see you.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Chuzheng replied nonchalantly, following behind, ¡°Only you can see me.¡± Xia Han was taken aback. Only he could see her¡­ Only him¡­ ¡°Xia Han, what are you mumbling about?¡± Senior Brother Changbian turned around, ¡°Hurry up.¡± Xia Han answered, hurrying to catch up. The executive had fallen ill after returning yesterday and now lay on the bed, looking very weak. ¡°Heavenly Master, did you catch that ghost or not?¡± Senior Brother Changbian said, ¡°Mr. Jhiang, I need you to tell me the truth. What have you done to attract such an evil ghost?¡± ¡°Just catch her, why do you need to ask all these questions?¡± Mr. Jhiang frowned, ¡°I hired you to catch her.¡± ¡°Mr. Jhiang, if you cannot be honest, then you will have to find someone else.¡± Mr. Jhiang¡¯s eyes widened slightly ¨C how many people had he already asked for help? The Heavenly Masters of Taokong Mountain were very powerful; one had to have connections even to find them. Mr. Jhiang had gone through a lot of trouble to get Senior Brother Changbian to come by asking a friend, and of course, he couldn¡¯t let Senior Brother Changbian leave. Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Dispel the Evil Spirit (11) Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Dispel the Evil Spirit (11) Mr. Jhiang worked in real estate, and his company had planned a commercial building project. However, during the demolition phase, they encountered trouble. The local residents demanded sky-high prices, and Mr. Jhiang thought up numerous solutions, yet there were still a few families that hadn¡¯t moved out. That female ghost was the daughter of one of those families. Mr. Jhiang claimed she died from a fall, and it had nothing to do with him. ¡°The incident was reported in the news, it really has nothing to do with me, why does she have to haunt me?¡± Mr. Jhiang was both scared and angry. Senior Brother Changbian checked the news. There was a photo of the girl in the news, dressed in a school uniform, at the prime of her life, radiating the charm of youth. ¡°Mr. Jhiang, I hope you¡¯re not lying to me, this concerns your life,¡± Senior Brother Changbian solemnly warned. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth¡­¡± Xia Han turned his head to look at Chuzheng, he parted his lips and in an extremely soft voice asked, ¡°Little Beauty, do you believe him?¡± ¡°What¡¯s it to me?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about the truth?¡± ¡°Not curious.¡± What¡¯s there to be curious about in such a melodramatic plot. You reap what you sow. Xia Han turned his head away, disappointed. ¡°As long as you can catch this ghost, I¡¯ll add an extra million¡­ no, two million!¡± For his own life, Mr. Jhiang was quite willing to part with his money. Senior Brother Changbian looked around Mr. Jhiang¡¯s house, while Xia Han stayed in the living room without moving, and Chuzheng stood beside him. ¡°Little Beauty, what do you think, will the female ghost show up?¡± ¡°If someone wants to hit you, would you show up to be hit?¡± Chuzheng simply expressed her point of view. In any case, she wouldn¡¯t. She would hide, waiting for this group of people to grow impatient and leave, then come back for revenge. Preserving your strength is the smart person¡¯s choice. Fighting to the death is something done by those with nothing left to lose. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Xia Han scratched his head, his beautiful eyes blinking, ¡°Little Beauty, you really are beautiful.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Why compliment her looks again? Although she was beautiful, what did that have to do with their current conversation? Did the Good Person Card have a problem with his brain? Chuzheng considered whether to take the Good Person Card to see a doctor. Meanwhile, Senior Brother Changbian had finished looking around and, accompanied by Mr. Jhiang, returned to the living room. They were going to stay there temporarily, Mr. Jhiang arranged their rooms, and when only Senior Brother Changbian and Xia Han were left, Senior Brother Changbian said to Xia Han, ¡°Junior Brother, keep an eye out and immediately tell me if you spot the female ghost.¡± Xia Han nodded. ¡°He¡¯s using you.¡± Xia Han closed the door, turned back with a shallow smile, ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you angry?¡± To be used and still smile, he truly was a fool. ¡°Little Beauty, this is all I¡¯m worth,¡± Xia Han said with a slightly melancholy smile, ¡°I¡¯ve been attracting ghosts since I was a child. If it weren¡¯t for Taokong Mountain, I likely would have been torn to shreds by those ghosts long ago.¡± Xia Han lowered his head, his hair soft and seemingly lustrous. Chuzheng, unable to resist the urge, really wanted to touch¡­ really wanted to touch. She drifted over, reaching out a ¡®demonic claw¡¯¡­ A chill approached from afar, the icy hand landing on Xia Han¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯ve got your back from now on.¡± Xia Han looked up, his brows tinged with a smile, ¡°Little Beauty¡¯s so kind to me, I have no way to repay you, perhaps I should offer myself to you instead.¡± ¡°Humans and ghosts tread different paths,¡± Chuzheng said earnestly, continuing to tousle his hair a few more times. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just have to die,¡± Xia Han said, ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s no one in this world I care about. Dying would let me be with Little Beauty.¡± ¡°You¡¯re broke.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Can we not bring that up? He¡¯ll get rich! ¡°Little Beauty, it¡¯s really cold,¡± Xia Han shivered, ¡°You¡¯ve made my hair all messy.¡± Xia Han looked at Chuzheng with an innocent expression, the meaning was clear, how much longer did she plan to keep touching. With a serious face, Chuzheng thought, ¡®I¡¯ve got your back, what¡¯s wrong with touching your hair?¡¯ Xia Han tried to save his own hair, ¡°A boy¡¯s hair can¡¯t just be touched by anyone, do you want to take responsibility for me, Little Beauty?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Just touching it means I have to take responsibility? Is it that scary? Chuzheng sheepishly withdrew her hand. ¨C In the next two days, Senior Brother Changbian did not see the female ghost, but Mr. Jhiang kept saying that something felt off at night, as if something was watching him. Senior Brother Changbian stayed with Mr. Jhiang for an entire night, and though he saw nothing, Mr. Jhiang still had the same feeling. Mr. Jhiang was ranting that the female ghost was right here, almost losing his sanity. [Main mission: Please spend fifty million within three hours.] [Sister, time to do the mission!] [Sister, your mission has been delivered!] [Sister, wake up, there¡¯s not much time left, not much¡­] So annoying. Annoying¡­ So annoying! Chuzheng covered her ears with her hands, trying to block out the voice of the King¡¯s Account, but it kept repeating like a broken record by her ear. Chuzheng bolted upright from the couch. Bastard, you damn thing! [¡­] Why does sister have to curse it twice? It¡¯s also innocent. Sunlight was hitting the windowsill, slowly pushing its way into the room. The youth on the bed was bathed in sunlight, the soft hair partly hidden under the covers, with the part that showed up gleaming with a pale gold in the sun. Chuzheng shifted her gaze and rubbed the center of her forehead. How much to spend? [Fifty million, Sister.] Be gentle and considerate with Sister. Joss Paper? [It¡¯s in Renminbi, Sister.] Be warm and friendly to Sister. ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng expressed the desire to be alone¡ªwhy should a ghost like her be spending Renminbi? Was cross-species consumption really okay? Seeing that Xia Han hadn¡¯t woken up, Chuzheng floated out of the room, ready to go on a spending spree. As she passed the living room, she glanced at Senior Brother Changbian sitting there, holding his phone and talking to someone. ¡°I think this ghost is quite unusual. You need to deliver the item to me by this afternoon.¡± ¡°No problem, would you like to see something else? We have developed a few new items recently that are very effective against evil ghosts.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it later.¡± As Chuzheng floated over, Senior Brother Changbian had just hung up the phone. The APP page displayed on the phone showed something like a shopping service. But the items on it were clearly not ordinary items. Level 4 Ghost Fire Wheel Level 3 Ghost Hammer Level 5¡­ These are for dealing with ghosts? Ghosts in this world were much more tech-savvy than she had imagined, and it seemed entirely natural for there to be an app specifically for selling these items. Truly terrifying. Chuzheng noticed the name of the app was ¡®Gold Pointing Pavilion.¡¯ Does it mean turning stone into gold? Chuzheng did a search but found nothing. It might be an internal circulation app. Chuzheng tried to transfer the app from Senior Brother Changbian¡¯s phone to hers, but registration required an invitation code. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Why is it so troublesome!! Chuzheng managed to log in after much effort and discovered that what she could buy, the quantity, and the level were correlated. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Which bastard designed this!! Eventually, Chuzheng found out she could recharge money to upgrade levels, so she directly dumped ten million into her account. The items she couldn¡¯t buy before started unlocking, biubiu. Without even looking, Chuzheng frantically clicked away, adding items to the shopping cart, and checked out with one click. Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Dispel the Evil Spirit (12) Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Dispel the Evil Spirit (12) Gold Pointing Pavilion headquarters. ¡°Damn, who is this!¡± A man suddenly yelled, ¡°Come take a look.¡± ¡°Look at what? I¡¯m busy. Just now, someone from Taokong Mountain asked me to deliver props for them, they need them by this afternoon, we¡¯re running out of time.¡± Despite saying this, the others crowded around to look at the man¡¯s screen. The room fell somewhat silent. Finally, someone broke the silence, ¡°Is this¡­ the landlord¡¯s idiot son?¡± ¨C Unbeknownst to the landlord¡¯s idiot son, he was remarked upon by others as a ¡®rich and naive¡¯ major customer. She floated by Xia Han¡¯s side, watching him eat breakfast. Only Xia Han and Senior Brother Changbian were at the dining table, Mr. Jhiang refused to come down from his room. Xia Han glanced at her from time to time, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly to reveal a handsome smile, his long and thick eyelashes casting small fan-shaped shadows under his eyelids. He still wore that traditional Chinese attire, like a young master from the Republican era, noble and elegant. The dragon-patterned cuffs were particularly striking in the sunlight, as if they were about to soar the next moment. ¡°Xia Han, what are you looking at?¡± ¡°Senior Brother, nothing,¡± Xia Han shook his head and looked down to drink his porridge. ¡°There wasn¡¯t any trouble last night, was there?¡± Xia Han continued to shake his head. ¡°This ghost woman is not showing up, which is troublesome. Let¡¯s wait again today, see if she comes out,¡± Senior Brother Changbian muttered to himself, ¡°If she still doesn¡¯t show up by today, we¡¯ll lure her out tomorrow.¡± Xia Han naturally understood what that meant. Xia Han clenched his spoon tightly, silently sipping his porridge. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, did you hear me?¡± Senior Brother Changbian tapped the table. ¡°I heard you, Senior Brother,¡± Xia Han replied softly. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I will protect you. I¡¯ve already notified the neighboring Daoists, they will come to help too, nothing will happen.¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior Brother¡­¡± Bang! Glass shattered and sprayed everywhere as a golf ball, coming from who knows where, hit Senior Brother Changbian on the back of the head, knocking him face-first into the bowl in front of him. The golf ball fell to the ground and rolled into the corner with a clatter. Xia Han, holding his spoon, widened his eyes and stared out the window, forgetting to react. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± someone shouted from outside the window, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Senior Brother Changbian, holding the back of his head, raised his face smeared with porridge, looking exceptionally disheveled. The servants, hearing the noise, came out from the kitchen and were equally flabbergasted at the scene. Isn¡¯t that the Heavenly Master? How could he¡­ be hit by a golf ball? ¡°I¡¯m really sorry,¡± the person outside kept shouting, ¡°Are you okay? Should I take you to the hospital?¡± The servant recognized that it was their neighbor, she opened the door to let the person in. The person kept apologizing, explaining that it was an accident that the golf ball ended up here, not expecting it to hit someone. Xia Han felt uneasy and took the opportunity, while Senior Brother Changbian was pulled away for treatment, to walk to the broken window. ¡°Little Beauty, why did you do this?¡± Chuzheng leaned in the shadow outside the window, her tone cold and flat, ¡°He bullied you, I was teaching him a lesson.¡± Xia Han was stunned for a moment, his lips parted but he didn¡¯t know what to say. For the first time in his life, she was the first person who stood up for him. ¡°Little Beauty, you¡¯re so kind.¡± Chuzheng glanced at him and then floated away. Xia Han: ¡°???¡± Why did he feel like she glared at him just now? Did he say something wrong? ¨C After Senior Brother Changbian had his wound treated, Mr. Jhiang came downstairs upon hearing the commotion, and had a bit of a tussle with the neighbor. Not wanting to delay important matters, Senior Brother Changbian didn¡¯t pursue the matter and asked Mr. Jhiang to quickly send the person away. He touched the back of his head, a peculiar look on his face. Although he was a Heavenly Master who caught ghosts with spells, his physical strength wasn¡¯t poor either. When the golf ball was flying toward him, why didn¡¯t he sense it at all? ¡°` Could it be that the female ghost was up to mischief? At noon, two men and a woman paid a visit. Mr. Jhiang, hearing they were all Heavenly Masters, was very pleased and welcomed them. ¡°How come Xia Han is here too? Here to drag us down again?¡± The girl glared at Xia Han with an unsatisfied look, full of disdain. The man beside the girl snickered, ¡°Such a pretty face gone to waste, what a loser.¡± Senior Brother Changbian didn¡¯t react at all, as if it were all too normal. Chuzheng tapped her wrist, her gaze icy cold. It seemed today¡¯s golf swing wasn¡¯t hard enough. The other man also looked down on Xia Han but said nothing. To them, Xia Han¡¯s sole ability was to see ghosts. His mere presence meant holding them back. If anything went wrong, he¡¯d drag them down with him. After the girl and the man had their fun mocking Xia Han, they turned to Senior Brother Changbian to discuss serious matters. Senior Brother Changbian explained the situation once more, and the group took another look around the house but found nothing unusual. Xia Han was terrified they would discover Chuzheng, but as she floated above their heads, the group showed no reaction, and he breathed a little easier. Little Beauty really was formidable. Senior Brother Changbian called Gold Pointing Pavilion, urging them to send the props over quickly. Gold Pointing Pavilion delivered with urgency before nightfall. ¡°Wow!¡± the girl exclaimed, ¡°These are Seven Star Talismans! So many of them?¡± Such talismans were quite precious, with individual prices ranging from a hundred and fifty thousand to two hundred and fifty thousand. With Senior Brother Changbian having purchased other items as well, the three couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°Did Daoist Yan really go all out? Truly worthy of Taokong Mountain, something we can¡¯t afford.¡± As Senior Brother Changbian inspected the props, he said, ¡°This time the evil spirit is no trivial matter, better be careful.¡± The girl looked at the delivery guy and noticed he had many more items. She couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Why do you have so much stuff?¡± The delivery guy said, ¡°Oh, these are for Mr. Xia Han. Is this the same address? Are you together? If so, could Mr. Xia Han come and sign for them?¡± Senior Brother Changbian: ¡°¡­¡± Trio: ¡°¡­¡± The girl was somewhat incredulous, ¡°Who did you say?¡± Delivery guy: ¡°Xia Han.¡± The girl continued, ¡°Xia as in summer, Han as in cold?¡± The delivery person nodded, ¡°Exactly.¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡± Were they having hallucinations, or had the delivery been mixed up? Senior Brother Changbian called Xia Han out, and Xia Han was just as clueless, ¡°I¡­ It¡¯s not mine.¡± He couldn¡¯t afford such things. ¡°There¡¯s a message from the sender, saying it is a gift for Mr. Xia Han.¡± The other person smiled professionally, ¡°Could Mr. Xia Han sign for it?¡± ¡°Who¡­ sent this to me?¡± ¡°Sorry Mr. Xia Han, I can¡¯t disclose that information.¡± Xia Han signed for the items in a daze, and after the delivery guy left, the girl promptly started unpacking to see. ¡°My god¡­¡± The other two also leaned in to look. Among the items unpacked were talismans, swords, and a variety of ghost-catching tools. Was this basically moving all of Gold Pointing Pavilion here? The key question, these belonged to Xia Han? Xia Han! That loser! How could he afford such things? ¡°Xia Han,¡± the girl turned to him with suspicion and envy, ¡°Can you afford all these things?¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Senior Brother Changbian also had the same question, ¡°Xia Han, tell us the truth, who sent you these things?¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± He had no idea either! * First published at Yunqi Academy. You can read on QQ reading, here is the official version, and you can interact with me~ Say no to piracy, starting with you and me! Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Dispel the Evil Spirit (13) Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Dispel the Evil Spirit (13) Xia Han was dragged in by Senior Brother Changbian, who then struck a brotherly pose and interrogated him. ¡°At the Gold Pointing Pavilion, everything has a clear price tag. Whatever the tag says is what it sells for, and the lowest price is ten thousand. How much did this stuff cost?¡± Xia Han really had no idea who had given him those things. Naturally, he didn¡¯t consider Chuzheng as an option, since Chuzheng was a ghost. ¡°Xia Han, have you been up to something shady outside?¡± ¡°I always thought there was something odd about him.¡± The girl snorted coldly, her eyes filled with disdain. What use was being good-looking? In their line of work, strength was what mattered most. ¡°Xia Han, you better start telling the truth!¡± Senior Brother Changbian lost his patience and couldn¡¯t help but turn serious. Xia Han feebly protested, ¡°I really don¡¯t know¡­¡± No matter who had sent these items, in their hearts, they were convinced he had obtained them through improper means. Even his senior brother seemed to think so¡­ So his many explanations were actually futile. Xia Han fell silent, no longer wanting to explain. ¨C Just as they were questioning Xia Han, the lights in the living room started to flicker with a sizzling sound. Everyone stopped at once. Pop! The lights went out and the room plunged into darkness, the temperature plummeted suddenly. Going from light to sudden darkness, a person¡¯s eyes will temporarily go blind. When everyone¡¯s vision cleared, they found the room covered in cobwebs, the house that had been luxuriously decorated just a moment ago now looked like an old house that had been uninhabited for decades. ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± Mr. Jhiang¡¯s scream came from upstairs. Senior Brother Changbian rushed upstairs immediately. Mr. Jhiang¡¯s door would not budge; Senior Brother Changbian and another man forced the door open. But there was no sign of Mr. Jhiang in the room. Xia Han was left in the living room, with Chuzheng slowly appearing beside him: ¡°Grab your things and follow me.¡± Xia Han jumped with a start. ¡°Little Beauty? You¡­ you gave these to me?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Xia Han was dumbfounded: ¡°But, but you¡¯re a ghost.¡± How can you buy so many things? ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Little Beauty, wait a second, I¡¯m a bit confused.¡± Chuzheng pulled him to his feet, shoved the gear at him, and yelled fiercely, ¡°We¡¯re going to catch ghosts.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Xia Han shook his head: ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Smash her.¡± Chuzheng slapped the magic artifact with a show of might. Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Xia Han was pushed upstairs by Chuzheng, as the female ghost on the third floor crawled across the ceiling like a spider. Mr. Jhiang dangled in midair like food, having long since fainted from fright. The female ghost¡¯s strength seemed to have increased since the previous days. She must have devoured who knows how many ghosts to have become like this. Chuzheng had always suspected this female ghost had no good intentions when she sought her out last time. ¡°You damn Taoists will not die well!¡± The female ghost¡¯s voice was neither male nor female, and exceedingly grating. Xia Han dared not go inside; whenever he dealt with ghosts, it was always about escaping. He had never seriously confronted a ghost before. The female ghost¡¯s screams grew louder, and it seemed like Senior Brother Changbian and the trio were having trouble holding on. ¡°Xia Han! Throw the talisman over!!¡± someone shouted to Xia Han. Chuzheng stood by Xia Han¡¯s side: ¡°Smash her.¡± The female ghost suddenly looked toward Chuzheng, filled with resentment. Her fierce gaze met Xia Han¡¯s, and that fierceness switched to greed as she rapidly crawled across the ceiling toward him. ¡°Give her to me, give her to me,¡± she demanded. Chuzheng nudged Xia Han. Xia Han looked at the female ghost who was within arm¡¯s reach, grabbing a few talismans and throwing them at her. Only one piece of talisman paper hit the female ghost, the rest spontaneously combusted into ashes. ¡°Xia Han, stop wasting them, quick, give me the talisman paper!¡± one of the three members behind him shouted at Xia Han. ¡°Mine, she is mine!¡± The female ghost lunged at Xia Han again. Xia Han hurriedly threw out two or three items. The magic artifacts hit the female ghost, and a hole appeared in her body immediately, emitting dark smoke. The female ghost stepped back a few steps in fear. The others were stunned, is this how these things are supposed to be used? This is all money! Chuzheng applauded from behind, ¡°Not bad, keep going.¡± ¡°Not bad my ass! Others can vanquish the female ghost with one magic artifact, and you throw a bunch just to make a hole in her, what¡¯s good about that!¡± Xia Han threw several more times, his aim much more accurate than before, and his speed much faster. The female ghost screamed and spun on the spot, holes appearing in her body from time to time, and finally, she looked at Xia Han as if he were a madman. The female ghost stopped, and Senior Brother Changbian and the trio waited for the right moment. ¡°Now, catch her!¡± The female ghost turned, her mouth wide open as she roared, swiping away two people¡¯s attacks, then smashed through the wall, dragging Mr. Jiang, and disappeared quickly. ¡°Don¡¯t let her get away!¡± ¡°Chase her!¡± Senior Brother Changbian was the first to chase after her. Chuzheng looked indifferently at the mess on the ground and the broken wall. Was the female ghost already this powerful? She could break down the wall? Was this wall made of plastic? Chuzheng really wanted to go over and feel if that wall was made of plastic, but since there were people around, she couldn¡¯t do such a thing and had to maintain her aloof and composed expert demeanor. ¡°Little Beauty,¡± Xia Han said soothingly, panting, ¡°she got away.¡± Do you think I can¡¯t see that? The earnest fool from the landlord¡¯s family said seriously, ¡°Keep chasing. It¡¯s not over yet.¡± I¡¯ve already bought them, I can¡¯t waste them, wasting is shameful. ¡°Which one is the waste!¡± The King¡¯s Account had no strength to complain. Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Keep throwing? ¡°Xia Han, give me those things.¡± The girl didn¡¯t chase after the female ghost but walked towards Xia Han instead. She didn¡¯t wait for Xia Han to reply, reaching out directly to take them: ¡°It¡¯s a waste for you to hold them, you can¡¯t deal with her at all.¡± ¡°Give them back,¡± Chuzheng said coldly, ¡°They are your things.¡± They were gifts from Little Beauty! The thought flashed through Xia Han¡¯s mind, and he snatched his things back all at once. ¡°You¡­ Xia Han, what are you doing!?¡± The girl glared at him. ¡°They are mine.¡± The boy who usually remained silent when taunted, now stood straight, emitting a hint of presence that the girl actually felt from him. ¡°At this time, there¡¯s no distinction between yours and mine, don¡¯t you have any sense of the bigger picture?¡± The girl sneered coldly, ¡°Can you make use of their potential?¡± Xia Han held onto the items and refused to let go: ¡°I, I¡­ Can¡¯t I just enjoy throwing them however I want?¡± Chuzheng praised, ¡°Not bad.¡± He¡¯s got potential, he can be relied on for squandering in the future! The girl was infuriated by Xia Han, and with more yelling coming from afar, she stomped her foot and hurriedly chased after. ¡°Remember, your things are yours, and if anyone dares to take them, get rid of him.¡± ¡°Big sister, I¡¯m begging you, please don¡¯t instill such ideas in him, okay?¡± Chuzheng was unfazed, ¡°I¡¯m teaching him to become stronger; not becoming dark is what happens when you¡¯re strong. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± ¡°I feel like he¡¯s going to turn dark even faster.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Xia Han nodded solemnly, ¡°Little Beauty, I will become stronger!¡± Little Beauty is so strong, he has to become strong too! Chuzheng looked at his thin arms and legs and said frigidly, ¡°You should just stick to throwing things.¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Dispel the Evil Spirit (14) Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Dispel the Evil Spirit (14) The female ghost was chased around the villa, causing random items to break with loud crackling sounds. Senior Brother Changbian and the trio seemed to be trapped by the female ghost, leaving only her dragging Mr. Jhiang into a room. Mr. Jhiang was in a particularly horrible state, accumulating bruises and wounds all over his body during the ordeal. Chuzheng gestured for Xia Han to follow them in. Taking a deep breath, Xia Han, clutching a pile of props, entered the room. The room was filled with gusts of chilling wind, and Mr. Jhiang lay on the bed, with the female ghost crouching beside him like a spider. The female ghost sneered, ¡°You want to meddle?¡± She was speaking to Chuzheng. ¡°Not really.¡± I¡¯ve already bought the props and can¡¯t let them go to waste! ¡°Then why are you going against me!!¡± the female ghost raged. ¡°You hurt people,¡± Chuzheng declared righteously. Eradicating harm for the people, she was not in the wrong! This bastard was trying to plot against her before this. ¡°Hurt people?¡± The female ghost¡¯s face twisted into a grimace and she shrieked, ¡°What do you know, you don¡¯t know anything, what right do you have to accuse me of hurting people!?¡± Chuzheng pointed at Mr. Jhiang, ¡°Human.¡± ¡°He counts as a human?¡± ¡°Biologically, yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The female ghost was at a loss for words. Gritting her teeth, the female ghost said, ¡°You¡¯ve offended the Ghost King, you can¡¯t even protect yourself, and yet you still have the nerve to deal with me.¡± Chuzheng thought for a moment, ¡°What did you want to do when you came to me that day?¡± The female ghost didn¡¯t seem to intend on hiding anything, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d have a bit of smarts. I wanted to devour you, so my powers could increase even more, but who knew you wouldn¡¯t show up, allowing you to escape a calamity.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I knew this bastard had no good intentions. Chuzheng turned to Xia Han and ordered, ¡°Smash her.¡± Xia Han complied very obediently, starting to smash with the props in hand. The female ghost: ¡°¡­¡± Think you¡¯re amazing with props?! If you¡¯re capable, fight me one-on-one!! The female ghost dodged the things Xia Han threw, visibly annoyed, ¡°Have you had enough!¡± ¡°Not done smashing yet,¡± Chuzheng said, tilting her chin slightly, ¡°Continue.¡± The female ghost: ¡°¡­¡± The female ghost screamed, ¡°Do you know what this bastard did?¡± Chuzheng replied, ¡°Not my business.¡± I¡¯m just not letting what I¡¯ve bought go to waste. The female ghost said, ¡°To force the demolition, he hired thugs to harass us daily. He¡¯s scum, doing whatever it takes for the demolition and causing my parents¡¯ death.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I don¡¯t want to hear it. ¡°I came for him, do you know what he did? He¡­ he violated me and then made my death look like a suicide. He¡¯s a piece of scum!¡± ¡°Why are you helping this scum? You¡¯re a ghost too, we are the same. Why are you helping him!! Why!¡± Who let you have the idea of hitting me with a Good Person Card first! Could he even be considered for it? Do you think it¡¯s something you can covet?! But this man really is a bit of scum¡­ Chuzheng faced her seriously, ¡°Then you finish him off first.¡± The female ghost: ¡°¡­¡± Mr. Jhiang slowly came to, and the first sight that greeted him was the female ghost¡¯s hideous face, which scared him so much that he nearly fainted again. The female ghost grabbed hold of him, and the fear snapped Mr. Jhiang back to full alertness. ¡°Heavenly Master¡­ Heavenly Master, save me!¡± ¡°They can¡¯t save you,¡± the female ghost said ominously, revealing her white teeth, ¡°Today is the day you die.¡± Mr. Jhiang screamed for a long time, but neither Senior Brother Changbian nor anyone else appeared. There was only the handsome young man holding the props, standing at the doorway, seemingly at a loss. In the eerie setting, the young man seemed to glow. Mr. Jhiang looked at him as if he were seeing a god. ¡°Heavenly Master, save me, save me¡­¡± Mr. Jhiang pinned all his hopes on Xia Han. The young man pursed his lips slightly and glanced to the side. To Mr. Jhiang, it seemed as if he was looking at thin air. No matter what Mr. Jhiang said, Xia Han ignored him, just looking to the side. He didn¡¯t know what Xia Han was gazing at, but suddenly felt a chill to the bone. ¡°No¡­ let me go, whatever you want, I¡¯ll give it to you, please spare me, I know I was wrong.¡± Mr. Jhiang knelt down and kowtowed to the female ghost. ¡°You know you¡¯re wrong now? What use is that? Can I still come back to life?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, please spare me, I really know I was wrong,¡± Mr. Jhiang said with snot and tears. The female ghost tormented Mr. Jhiang back and forth, it looked rather tragic. Chuzheng watched indifferently, seeming truly ready to wait until the female ghost had killed him before taking action. Footsteps came from the stairs, as Senior Brother Changbian and the trio broke through the female ghost¡¯s obstruction and were heading this way. Chuzheng: ¡°Smash her.¡± Xia Han looked at the nearly breathless Mr. Jhiang and took out something to continue smashing the female ghost. A heap of items were thrown, and the female ghost emitted smoke constantly, barely able to maintain her form. The female ghost screamed curses at Chuzheng, and Xia Han, very displeased, hit her with extra force. Little Beauty was so good; no one could insult her! ¡°Ah¡­¡± The female ghost¡¯s figure disbanded in the air, and Chuzheng instantly floated to the bedside, Mr. Jhiang still had a breath left. As Mr. Jhiang watched the female ghost disappear and just let out a sigh of relief, suddenly another girl appeared before him. The girl¡¯s face was somewhat pale, and she was floating in the air, obviously not a normal person. A cold voice fell into his ears: ¡°Xia Han disposed of the female ghost, that 2 million, who should it go to, do you know?¡± Mr. Jhiang was so scared that he didn¡¯t move. ¡°If you don¡¯t give it to him, I believe your future life will be very interesting.¡± Mr. Jhiang: ¡°¡­¡± Threat! This ghost is threatening him!! ¨C Mr. Jhiang was rescued by Senior Brother Changbian and the trio who had come up behind. Xia Han stood at the edge holding the few remaining talismans. The ground was covered in various magic artifacts and already ineffective props, causing everyone to feel heartache. These magic artifacts belonged to Xia Han; nobody would pick up things someone else had thrown away for the sake of face, so no one went to fetch them. After being busy all night, everyone took a good rest. The next day, Mr. Jhiang prepared 2 million for Xia Han, and the others also gave him money separately. Mr. Jhiang clutched Senior Brother Changbian: ¡°Is he your junior brother?¡± Senior Brother Changbian nodded. ¡°This junior brother of yours,¡± Mr. Jhiang stared into the void, his facial muscles suddenly tensing, and dryly said: ¡°is quite remarkable, quite remarkable¡ªthank you for me.¡± Chuzheng floated past from behind Senior Brother Changbian. Mr. Jhiang was on the verge of collapsing. Why couldn¡¯t these Heavenly Masters see her? This ghost was drifting back and forth in front of them so conspicuously, couldn¡¯t they see her? Mr. Jhiang promptly sent everyone away, and as they left, the girl from the trio, who was clearly very dissatisfied with Xia Han, ranted indirectly at him. As a result, the car the trio got into had an accident just after leaving. Of course, Xia Han didn¡¯t know, and he and Senior Brother Changbian were also preparing to return to Taokong Mountain. Senior Brother Changbian might still be thinking about the female ghost, not paying much attention to Xia Han. Xia Han sat in the last seat, talking to Chuzheng. ¡°Here, take this.¡± Xia Han stuffed the card at Chuzheng. ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± ¡°Because of you, Mr. Jhiang gave me the money, so it¡¯s naturally yours.¡± If not for those props, how could he have dealt with the female ghost. ¡°I have no use for it,¡± Chuzheng pushed it back. Xia Han seemed to remember that Chuzheng was a ghost and mumbled, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll¡­ save it.¡± Chuzheng crossed her arms and leaned against the seat: ¡°Be careful with your senior brother.¡± Xia Han looked forward and gripped the card tighter. Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Dispel the Evil Spirit (15) Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Dispel the Evil Spirit (15) The car screeched to a halt, and a number of people squeezed on. The empty seats at the back were filled in an instant, and Chuzheng floated to the side to avoid being sat upon. With so many people around, Xia Han didn¡¯t dare to speak, so he could only quietly signal Chuzheng to sit on his lap. Chuzheng gave him a look, turned, and floated out of the car, leisurely following outside the vehicle. Xia Han pressed his face against the window, wondering why Little Beauty wouldn¡¯t sit since his lap was so warm. The car stopped at Taokong Mountain, which also counted as a scenic spot. Quite a few people came here specifically to seek the Taoist of Taokong Mountain, and many disembarked here. Senior Brother Changbian and the others had almost all left. He turned and called out to Xia Han, ¡°Where¡¯s the card that Mr. Jhiang gave you?¡± The young man blinked, ¡°Senior Brother, this is what Mr. Jhiang gave to me.¡± Senior Brother Changbian frowned slightly, thought for a while, but didn¡¯t go as far as his other brothers, ¡°Then keep it safe.¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior Brother.¡± Xia Han grabbed Chuzheng, who was about to push Senior Brother Changbian away. Senior Brother Changbian walked away quickly, and it didn¡¯t take long for Xia Han to fall behind. ¡°You¡¯re softhearted?¡± Xia Han shook his head, ¡°No, I don¡¯t want them to find out about your existence, they will deal with you.¡± Chuzheng withdrew her hand, stuffing it back into her pocket, ¡°They can¡¯t beat me.¡± ¡°Yeah yeah, Little Beauty is the most awesome.¡± Xia Han blindly adored her for a while, leading Chuzheng down another less crowded path. ¡°Little Beauty, will you always follow me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Xia Han felt disappointed, but thinking that Taokong Mountain wasn¡¯t safe either, he said, ¡°When I miss you, will you come?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I have to come, even if I don¡¯t want to. Do I even get a choice? I so want to get rid of him! ¡°If I miss you, how should I contact you?¡± Xia Han asked again. ¡°Cellphone.¡± ¡°Huh? Is that possible?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chuzheng made him save her number. ¡°Don¡¯t think of me if it¡¯s not necessary.¡± She didn¡¯t want to be summoned for no reason; even the Divine Dragon had to be summoned with seven dragon balls! Why should she appear just because this weakling thinks of her? ¡°Why?¡± ¡°No reason, but if you dare to think randomly, I will¡­ break your legs.¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Even when Little Beauty is fierce, she looks so cute. Chuzheng had no idea what Xia Han was foolishly thinking about as she stoically escorted him back up the mountain. The Evil Ghost was still in Xia Han¡¯s yard, dodging away like smoke when Chuzheng appeared. Chuzheng stayed on the mountain for two days to ensure that no one was troubling her before she left Taokong Mountain. Back in Dongfu City, the latest news in the city was about Mr. Jhiang. Mr. Jhiang admitted to having killed someone, and was now under criminal detention for investigation. With Mr. Jhiang in trouble, his company was bound to have issues too. Murong Yi, having been valued by Mr. Jhiang, wouldn¡¯t be trusted by his successor. Murong Yi was badly squeezed out at work, and with his spirits already low from being scared by Chuzheng, he frequently made mistakes and eventually decided to resign. After resigning, Murong Yi didn¡¯t know where he found a Taoist to perform rituals at his home for several days. The Taoist sold them a bunch of items, but as Chuzheng tested them, they appeared to be fake¡ªsince she couldn¡¯t feel anything. The Taoist in the memories of the original owner was likely found by Murong Yi after many previous deceits. Chuzheng stirred up a little trouble for Murong Yi and Tang Yiyue, which resulted in the Taoist being called back. The Taoist wasn¡¯t particularly skilled, but his rituals were impressive. ¡°You all should leave, I¡¯ll do the ritual alone,¡± said the Taoist with an air of superiority. ¡°Okay, okay, Daoist, you must catch this female ghost,¡± said Murong Yi and Tang Yiyue as they left the room. The Taoist tugged at his robe, fanning himself. ¡°It¡¯s killing me, it¡¯s so hot.¡± A fan was handed over from the side. The Taoist instinctively took it and even remembered to say thanks, ¡°Thank you.¡± After a couple of fans, the Taoist felt something was off. There¡¯s no one in the room! Where did the fan come from? The Taoist¡¯s entire body broke out in sweat as he stiffly turned around. The once empty room was now occupied by a girl with a lovely face. And this girl was the very one that family had shown him a picture of. However, compared to the girl in the photo, who had a blossom-like smile, the one standing before him now had a pale and icy countenance, which sent shivers down one¡¯s spine just by looking at her. He had really seen a ghost! Oh my God! Help me!! ¡°Ghost, ghost¡­¡± Chuzheng held up her index finger to her lips. ¡°Do you want to be rich?¡± The Taoist couldn¡¯t understand why he couldn¡¯t scream, as sweat streamed down his face and his legs trembled violently. He swallowed hard, ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m just a con artist, I don¡¯t know anything, the wronged have their claimants, go find them.¡± ¡°Do you want to be rich?¡± Chuzheng repeated. The Taoist: ¡°¡­¡± It was his first time seeing a ghost, and he was terrified. Was this some kind of procedure? Or might a wrong answer provoke her? The Taoist thought of running, but then realized the door was behind Chuzheng. ¡°I¡­ I do.¡± If he didn¡¯t want to be rich, why would he be a con artist? Better to go along with this female ghost and look for a chance to escape. Chuzheng: ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance to become rich.¡± The Taoist: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Outside the room, Murong Yi comforted Tang Yiyue with an embrace. ¡°Husband, do you really think she has come back?¡± Tang Yiyue¡¯s eyes were bloodshot; she hadn¡¯t slept well for many days. Whenever she closed her eyes, she could see those wide-open eyes staring back. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, haven¡¯t we invited the Taoist master?¡± Murong Yi himself was not sure at all. ¡°Is he up to it?¡± ¡°If he isn¡¯t, we¡¯ll find someone even more powerful.¡± Click¡­ The room door opened, and the neatly-dressed Taoist, exuding an air of a master, walked out from the inside. ¡°Taoist master, how did it go?¡± The Taoist touched his fake beard, said in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of everything, you can rest easy.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°Taoist master, however what?¡± The Taoist made a show of walking around the room, ¡°This house of yours¡­ no good, no good, full of ominous yin energy, it could affect your career and wealth¡­¡± The Taoist rattled on with ridiculous claims. Murong Yi, thinking about his recent work, began to believe it somewhat. Having said this, the Taoist then got up to leave, declining payment, claiming they were destined people and he couldn¡¯t accept money. With such a gesture, Murong Yi believed him a bit more. After all, what kind of con artist doesn¡¯t want money? The Taoist left the housing estate and immediately turned the corner into a deserted alley. The Taoist gazed into the void, ¡°I did everything you told me to, where¡¯s the money?¡± He couldn¡¯t see Chuzheng now. Several bundles of money fell from the sky, and the Taoist¡¯s eyes brightened, there really was money! He picked it up, checked it back and forth to make sure it was real, and hurried to deposit it in the bank. Only by doing this could he be reassured, after all, the other party was a ghost, who knew if they had any special tricks. The Taoist returned to the deserted corner once more, ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± Chuzheng revealed herself, sitting on the low wall beside him, looking down at the Taoist, ¡°Find them a haunted house.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Taoist said, ¡°They are not fools, why would they buy it?¡± A haunted house would always have rumors, and one inquiry would reveal the truth. ¡°Then make sure they don¡¯t find out it¡¯s haunted.¡± Chuzheng disappeared in front of the Taoist. The Taoist called out in a hurry, ¡°I don¡¯t harm people!!¡± He sought wealth, not death. Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Dispel the Evil Spirit (16) Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Dispel the Evil Spirit (16) In the time that followed, the Taoist used all the tricks he had ever learned to deceive Murong Yi. Murong Yi was not so easily fooled, and without any real skills, the Taoist made little progress. During this period, Xia Han sent multiple text messages to Chuzheng. Chuzheng, adhering to the principle of ¡°not replying to boring garbage messages that waste time,¡± successfully accumulated dozens of messages from a few. She really admired the weakling¡¯s perseverance. With that time, it would be better to practice more horse stances; at least they would be useful when it came time to run away. Chuzheng left Murong Yi¡¯s place; by then, night had fallen, and no pedestrians could be seen on the road. The fog seemed to spread from nowhere. Chuzheng paused and looked into the distance. From the depths of the mist, dark figures slowly approached. The temperature around her dropped rapidly. The dark figures gradually took human shape, and two tall and burly Evil Ghosts appeared menacingly in front of her. ¡°Are you Qiao Chuzheng?¡± Evil Ghost A scrutinized Chuzheng, seemingly disdainful of her thin arms and legs. Evil Ghost B, on the other hand, leered at her with apparent malice. ¡°What do you want?¡± Chuzheng faced them fearlessly. Evil Ghosts A and B exchanged glances, surprised by Chuzheng¡¯s composure. Other ghosts would either run away or get paralyzed by fear upon seeing them. Who would dare make eye contact with them? ¡°The Ghost King has summoned you,¡± Evil Ghost A said. ¡°Come with us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± So, the Ghost King was really looking for her, but did she have to go just because he asked? Didn¡¯t she have any dignity? It was such a hassle, no thanks. Evil Ghost A: ¡°You don¡¯t have the luxury of refusal.¡± Evil Ghost B eagerly interjected: ¡°Let me handle this.¡± Evil Ghost B approached Chuzheng: ¡°Before you meet the Ghost King, how about I show you a good time? You¡¯re going to like it¡­¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± So annoying. Take them down! Without hearing any complaints from King¡¯s Account, Chuzheng instantly took action and took care of Evil Ghost B first. Evil Ghost A had been expecting Evil Ghost B to subdue Chuzheng, only to find himself beaten down instead. Evil Ghost A immediately retaliated. Needless to say, the outcome was obvious: he was taken down by Chuzheng. The fog around her dissipated, and Chuzheng looked around to find that something was amiss. This was Taokong Mountain. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What was that weakling up to now! This place was not Xia Han¡¯s courtyard where she had been before; Chuzheng had never been here. She followed a small path paved with stones and walked further in. Walking further, she felt increasingly uncomfortable. In front of her was a majestic hall, brightly lit at the moment, with many curious Disciples peeking out from the outside. Chuzheng frowned. Was Xia Han inside there? Chuzheng noticed Evil Spirits hiding in the corner; she drifted over to them. The Evil Spirits, startled, mistook her for the Taoist at first, but upon realizing it was Chuzheng, they slightly relaxed, having been scared to death. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± replied the Evil Spirit, shaking its head. ¡°Just now, a bunch of people rushed in and took Xia Han here.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Evil Spirit: ¡°¡­¡± In a hurry, the Evil Spirit said, ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ll go find out.¡± Under the eaves, the ghost has to bow its head! It wasn¡¯t bowing; it was biding its time. The Evil Spirit quickly came back: ¡°Some say Xia Han was keeping a ghost and got reported to the authorities.¡± Chuzheng eyed it: ¡°Were you discovered?¡± The Evil Ghost glared at Chuzheng with a ferocious look: ¡°I have professional integrity! How could I possibly be discovered!¡± The Evil Ghost then looked at Chuzheng suspiciously: ¡°Maybe it was you?¡± Chuzheng crossed her arms and denied it confidently: ¡°Impossible.¡± ¡°¡­¡± How could it be impossible? Even horses stumble sometimes! Of course, the Evil Spirit dared not say this out loud. It wanted to live a few more years. Chuzheng: ¡°Has he been keeping other ghosts too?¡± Evil Spirit: ¡°¡­¡± The Evil Spirit indicated it was unaware. With Xia Han¡¯s special constitution, it wasn¡¯t improbable for him to have made a Ghost Pact with other Evil Spirits. Unless Xia Han spoke up, no one would know how many Evil Ghosts he had. The Evil Ghost thought about Xia Han raising other ghosts and felt very annoyed. Chuzheng was also slightly annoyed, but her annoyance stemmed from the trouble that lay ahead. ¡°How did you make the Ghost Pact with Xia Han?¡± Chuzheng suddenly asked. The Evil Ghost stared at the hall: ¡°His blood.¡± Chuzheng seemed thoughtful. ¨C An hour later. Xia Han came out from the hall, followed by two disciples who escorted him to the small courtyard, ordered him not to leave, and then departed. Xia Han sighed and sat under the tree in the courtyard. The Evil Ghost appeared upside down in front of him and blurted out, ¡°Have you started keeping other ghosts?¡± Although Xia Han was accustomed to this Evil Ghost, its sudden appearance still startled him into jumping. ¡°Are you trying to scare me to death?¡± Xia Han patted his chest. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Xia Han paused mid-pat and turned to look. Chuzheng stood a meter away, and Xia Han¡¯s face brightened with joy despite his dejection: ¡°Little Beauty!¡± Chuzheng waited for his answer. Xia Han scratched his head: ¡°Remember the injured elder brother who was sent back recently? He said he saw Yin energy on me, and recently someone saw ghosts on Taokong Mountain again, and before that¡­ the items you gave me, so they called me over.¡± ¡°And then?¡± Xia Han looked utterly disheartened: ¡°¡­My card was taken away.¡± He put up a reasoned fight, but it was still confiscated. ¡°They just set you up to take your card,¡± the Evil Ghost said, with a know-it-all look: ¡°How malicious.¡± Clearly, Chuzheng agreed with the Evil Ghost¡¯s view. Xia Han tugged at the corner of his mouth, offering no defense. He thought he could protect that card, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t even safeguard one single card. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Xia Han apologized in a low voice. Chuzheng turned and walked away. Xia Han wanted to call out to her but didn¡¯t dare to actually do it. After a long time, he asked the Evil Ghost, ¡°Is she angry?¡± ¡°If I had known you were this useless, I would never have let you become my master.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xia Han just stared at him. The Evil Ghost backed away. ¡°Do you have a way to make me powerful?¡± Xia Han asked slowly and deliberately. ¡°Yes,¡± the Evil Ghost¡¯s eyes flashed with a cunning light: ¡°It¡¯s easy if you want to become powerful¡­¡± ¡°Slap!¡± The Evil Ghost felt a hit on its head, rage instantly flaring up. Who hit him! When it saw the ghost that hit him, its anger extinguished in an instant, almost as if it wanted to wave a flag in approval: a marvelous hit. Chuzheng¡¯s icy gaze was fixated on him: ¡°If you dare to mislead him, I¡¯ll twist your neck off.¡± Do you think the Good Person Card is something you can tamper with? If there¡¯s any corrupting to be done, it¡¯ll be by her! [¡­]Heaven and Earth! ¡°Not at all,¡± the Evil Ghost hastily shook its head at Xia Han: ¡°You have to be down-to-earth. Don¡¯t aim for instant success, be steady, be steady¡­¡± After saying that, the Evil Ghost vanished in a puff of smoke. Xia Han hadn¡¯t heard the conversation between Chuzheng and the Evil Ghost and was filled with trepidation at seeing her return. ¡°Little Beauty, are you angry with me?¡± Chuzheng threw a card at him: ¡°Go pack your things.¡± Xia Han clumsily caught the card and looked it over twice: ¡°You¡­ you stole it?¡± ¡°Stole what?¡± Chuzheng said with a stern face: ¡°It¡¯s yours to begin with, so this is retrieving it.¡± Don¡¯t you know how to talk! If it weren¡¯t for the fact you¡¯re the Good Person Card, she would have killed you! Could she possibly steal something?! Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Intimidated by Chuzheng, Xia Han went to pack his things, while Chuzheng stretched out her hand with burn marks visible on her palm. It was inevitable, after all, this body could only do so much. Chuzheng ran her fingers across her wrist and pulled out a silver thread to wrap around her palm. Ah! Such a hassle!! She really wanted to deal with this bunch of damned things! Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter 119: Dispel the Evil Spirit (17) Chapter 119: Chapter 119: Dispel the Evil Spirit (17) ¡°` After packing his stuff, Xia Han stood in front of Chuzheng with his belongings and only then did he realize what was happening. ¡°Why are you packing?¡± ¡°Descending the mountain.¡± She had had enough of running back and forth between Dongfu City and Taokong Mountain! Anyway, for this weakling, Taokong Mountain was no good place, and it would be better to take him to Dongfu City. The most important thing was that she had just stolen¡­ ahem, taken out, the Good Person Card. Would those people from Taokong Mountain just let it go? With so many of them, it was too annoying; she might as well just leave. ¡°Descending the mountain?¡± Xia Han was shocked. ¡°But I¡­¡± ¡°Two million, enough for you to live in Dongfu City,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°Are you coming or not?¡± Xia Han glanced at the place he had lived for over a decade, hesitating. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave, I will.¡± Chuzheng walked down the mountain, and the Evil Ghost scurried along behind Chuzheng. There was meat to eat following the boss. He didn¡¯t want to stay with his poor ghost of a master. Xia Han ran to catch up with Chuzheng. Chuzheng was planning to fly back, but then she realized she had a problem following her, so she couldn¡¯t fly back. She had no choice but to walk forward with him. Xia Han didn¡¯t have much with him, just a small cloth bag and apparently only one set of clothes, but the dragon pattern was exquisitely embroidered. Wearing it, he looked like the young master of a wealthy family, with clear, sharp features, rosy lips, and white teeth¡ªthe kind that Evil Spirits liked the most. He had the appearance of a wealthy young master but not the life of one. It was a mystery where Xia Han got this set of clothes from. Chuzheng wanted to ask, but considering it didn¡¯t fit her image of being high and cold, she pretended not to notice. ¡°Little Beauty, do you think I¡¯m useless?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not just useless; you also have inexplicably soft-hearted and kind moments,¡± Chuzheng floated about with ease. ¡°These are weaknesses for someone who wants to become stronger.¡± Xia Han turned his head. ¡°Don¡¯t you have them?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why are you so good to me?¡± ¡°If I want to be good to you, I will be, what reason do I need?¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t bring up the Good Person Card issue again, because it was useless to do so. This little liar would verbally say you¡¯re a good person, how nice you are. But in his heart? He didn¡¯t think she was a good person at all. Liar! Thinking about it made her so angry. She might as well leave him here. Chuzheng floated a bit faster, and Xia Han had to run to keep up. ¡°Little Beauty, can you slow down, please? I can hardly keep up¡­¡± Xia Han¡¯s voice was thrown behind by the wind and eventually completely disappeared. In the wilderness, Xia Han faintly heard a whining sound. He looked around, exhaled, and sped up his pace. ¨C The housing prices in Dongfu City were slightly high, and although Xia Han¡¯s two million seemed like a lot, if he bought a house, there wouldn¡¯t be much left afterward. Xia Han sat in the hotel, looking at those house prices with a gloomy expression: ¡°This is too expensive.¡± He was indeed very poor. Chuzheng tossed a file folder in front of him. ¡°Little Beauty.¡± Xia Han immediately turned to her with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re back, was the sun too strong outside, are you alright?¡± She never told him when she was going out; he never knew when she had left. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Chuzheng floated to the edge of the bed. Xia Han opened the file folder but his gaze lingered on her, as if making sure she was alright. Xia Han pulled a key out from inside and then nothing else followed. What was this? There was a note attached to the key, with an address on it. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°` ¡°This is for you,¡± Chuzheng, the boss, waved her hand and lay down on the bed. Xia Han held the key, wondering about something. A minute later, he climbed onto the bed, ¡°Little Beauty, does this count as keeping me?¡± ¡°In your dreams?¡± Chuzheng glanced at him. Why would she keep him for nothing? He wasn¡¯t of much use. ¡°I do feel like I¡¯m dreaming¡­¡± Otherwise, how could I have met you? Xia Han murmured softly as he lay down next to Chuzheng. ¡°Little Beauty, do you think we had a connection in our past lives?¡± Chuzheng shifted to the side, creating some distance. ¡°A karmic connection?¡± If I didn¡¯t owe you in the past, why would I be here now? ¡°¡­¡± Xia Han turned on his side, propping up on his arm, ¡°Little beauty, you see, the good feelings I have for you are strange, as if we¡¯ve met before.¡± ¡°¡­¡± That¡¯s because of the Ghost Pact, stupid. ¡°We definitely had marital ties in our past life.¡± He moved closer to Chuzheng, his clear eyes reflecting her image as he said with all seriousness, ¡°That¡¯s why we still met in this life.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± You¡¯re happy, that¡¯s good. You¡¯re a Good Person Card, can¡¯t provoke a Good Person Card, can¡¯t contradict¡­ Xia Han sat up, looking down at Chuzheng, ¡°Little Beauty, do you think I¡¯m handsome?¡± ¡°Handsome won¡¯t fill your belly.¡± ¡°Then do you like good-looking ones?¡± ¡°Even ghosts appreciate beauty.¡± ¡°So, you do like it. Little Beauty, I like you, so why don¡¯t we get together?¡± Xia Han concluded. ¡°Aren¡¯t we together now?¡± ¡°Not in that way.¡± Chuzheng frowned slightly. What other way is there to be together? Bound together? ¡°Little Beauty, you¡¯re so good to me, I can¡¯t repay you, I¡¯ll dedicate my body to you,¡± the young man said with a grin. Xia Han looked particularly handsome when he smiled, with a contagious pure joy that could lift anyone¡¯s spirits. ¡°No need.¡± What would she do with his body, use it as an ornament? The young man braced his hands on either side of Chuzheng¡¯s head, trapping her between the bed and his chest. As Chuzheng asked him what he was doing, he suddenly leaned down and kissed her lips. The warmth and softness of the young man¡¯s lips, as they rubbed against her own lips, made him look like a little puppy licking. Chuzheng gripped the young man¡¯s wrist, and in the blink of an eye, she pushed him away. She pressed down on him, ¡°Stop it.¡± The young man couldn¡¯t move his arms, as coldness enveloped him. ¡°Little Beauty, could you let me go please?¡± the young man pleaded, ¡°I¡¯m so cold.¡± Chuzheng, afraid that too much contact would freeze the Good Person Card, let up on her grip. Who knew that as soon as she let go, he pounced over, and Chuzheng raised her hand to his forehead. She stood up, floating into mid-air, while the young man sat on the bed, looking up at her. Right then, Chuzheng didn¡¯t want to look at him and turned to pass through the wall, standing in the hotel corridor. Chuzheng floated forward in slight agitation. That inexplicable Ghost Pact always made her want to be nicer to the weakling, even nicer¡­ she couldn¡¯t even refuse his requests. How exactly could she break this darn Ghost Pact! And¡­ She always felt there was something off but couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it. Chuzheng lifted her hand, her fingertips touching her lips, which seemed to still retain the warmth of the young man¡¯s breath. It was quite comfortable¡­ I¡¯ll go back for a kiss later. Chuzheng paused, looking blankly into the void. Ding¡ª The elevator doors opened, and two boys came out. She stared at one of them and silently retreated a step back. She couldn¡¯t accept being touched by anyone other than Xia Han. When they first met, she could have avoided contact, but she didn¡¯t¡­ It wasn¡¯t possible that she would let Xia Han touch her just because he was a Good Person Card. Chuzheng felt she had gone bad. Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Dispel the Evil Spirit (18) Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Dispel the Evil Spirit (18) ¡°` Xia Han sat dejectedly on the bed, holding the key in his hand, his thoughts drifting far away. Sigh. What to do if Little Beauty doesn¡¯t like him? Just as Xia Han sighed for the 108th time, a sudden chill appeared beside him, followed by being pushed down; a cold body covered him, and the chill spread over his lips. Xia Han¡¯s eyes widened as he recognized the person kissing him, and he gave up struggling. Little Beauty is kissing him! Happy. Xia Han went along with Chuzheng¡¯s kiss, but gradually he felt his body couldn¡¯t support him any longer¡ªit was too cold¡­ He was nearly frozen stiff. ¡°Little Beauty¡­ slow down¡­¡± Xia Han murmured. Chuzheng let go of him, moved away from his body, and wrapped him up in a blanket. ¡°Very cold?¡± ¡°Not cold.¡± Xia Han shivered violently. The cold presence flowed through his body, unable to warm up. This kind of contact was much colder than physical touch. ¡°Stubborn.¡± Chuzheng called his bluff, controlling the room¡¯s thermostat to increase the temperature. Wrapped in the blanket, Xia Han shivered as he got up: ¡°Little Beauty, why did you suddenly kiss me?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I kiss?¡± You kissed me already; if I don¡¯t kiss back, wouldn¡¯t I be at a loss? ¡°Can.¡± Xia Han nodded: ¡°You can kiss however you want.¡± ¡°Only Little Beauty can kiss.¡± Xia Han didn¡¯t forget to add that afterthought. Chuzheng prepared hot water for him to soak in. Worried that something might really happen to his body and he wouldn¡¯t be able to be kissed by Little Beauty, he obediently soaked for a while. By the time Xia Han came out, Chuzheng was no longer in the room. Xia Han looked around, his face full of disappointment. However¡­ If a kiss can be like this, what about doing other things? Xia Han considered whether he should die himself so he could cohabit with Little Beauty. ¨C The house Chuzheng bought was an independent villa, fully furnished, ready to move in. Xia Han had no idea how much such a house would cost; poverty limited his imagination. Anyway, his two million probably wasn¡¯t even close to enough. Can a ghost be so rich? ¡°This place is so big.¡± Xia Han followed Chuzheng along the villa¡¯s pathway. Chuzheng nodded, this place is quite valuable. If Bastard gives more time next time, she could buy a few more and change residences every week without repeating. Xia Han tried to hold Chuzheng¡¯s hand. Chuzheng avoided it, and Xia Han stopped: ¡°Can¡¯t I hold it?¡± Chuzheng squeezed her fingers slightly: ¡°Cold.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Xia Han took her hand, his young voice clear and firm: ¡°I am not afraid.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I am afraid! What if you die!!! I don¡¯t want to rewind and start over! The touch was indeed not as cold, and Xia Han felt an inexplicable heartache: ¡°Little Beauty, do you feel cold?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s response was cold: ¡°Not cold.¡± ¡°Shall I hug you?¡± Xia Han said: ¡°I¡¯m very warm.¡± Chuzheng pressed on his head: ¡°I am a ghost; no matter how much you hug, it¡¯s still cold.¡± ¡°But you can feel my warmth!¡± Xia Han exclaimed: ¡°I can be your little heater, how about that?¡± ¡°Not so good.¡± The little heater wouldn¡¯t last but a few minutes before it¡¯s done. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Little Beauty, look over there,¡± Xia Han suddenly tugged at her hand. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± When can we go back, I want to lie down! ¡°Quick, look.¡± Chuzheng looked toward where Xia Han was pointing, and there on the lawn, a woman sat¡ªher body exuded a sinister chill so intense that even in the blazing sun, she seemed deeply unsettling. ¡°Strange, when I saw her last time, she wasn¡¯t like this.¡± The woman was the same one who stopped Xia Han at the party last time. ¡°` ¡°You see for yourself, I¡¯m going back,¡± Chuzheng shook him off. She didn¡¯t have the energy to watch other people here. ¡°Little Beauty, are you jealous?¡± Xia Han hurriedly followed. ¡°Jealous??¡± Chuzheng shook her head honestly: ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Pfft¡­ Little Beauty, I find you really cute sometimes.¡± Xia Han may have realized that Chuzheng was somewhat impatient with how long they had been out and wanted to go back, rather than being jealous of him looking at other women. But why did he feel somewhat disappointed? ¡°Little brother.¡± The woman had appeared at the edge of the lawn, calling Xia Han. Xia Han looked at her, politely calling out, ¡°Sister?¡± The woman stepped out of the lawn, her tone gentle: ¡°Meeting you here, do you live here too?¡± Chuzheng pulled Xia Han back. But to the woman, it looked like Xia Han was backing away by himself. Xia Han looked at Chuzheng, puzzled, silently asking her what was wrong. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Xia Han was a bit surprised, but still said to the woman, ¡°Sister, I have something to do, I have to go.¡± He quickly turned and left. Not until the woman was out of sight did he ask Chuzheng, ¡°Little Beauty, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°There¡¯s an evil spirit inside her body,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°Stay away from her in the future.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± An evil spirit, huh? No wonder she had changed so much. ¨C Chuzheng warned Xia Han to stay away from that woman, but unexpectedly, three days later, the woman came to their door. The woman was named Yao Wei, and she lived just two villas away from them. Yao Wei looked somewhat haggard, but because her makeup was thick, it wasn¡¯t too noticeable. Yao Wei was very elegant in speech and behavior; it was unclear how she had attracted an evil spirit. ¡°Just call me Xia Han,¡± Xia Han said as he poured tea for Yao Wei. Yao Wei nodded and agreed. She glanced around and casually asked, ¡°Do you live here alone?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± But not really. Yao Wei remembered something else and asked, ¡°Where is your girlfriend?¡± Xia Han had blurted out a lie before, trying to get rid of her. Who knew Yao Wei would suddenly ask this question? Xia Han glanced in Chuzheng¡¯s direction. She was sitting on the couch opposite him and showed no reaction to this sentence. ¡°She¡­¡± is sitting right beside you. ¡°Are you guys fighting?¡± Xia Han didn¡¯t speak, and he didn¡¯t dare to look at Chuzheng. They weren¡¯t exactly boyfriend and girlfriend yet, were they? Because she hadn¡¯t agreed yet. ¡°Girls, just coax them a little, and they¡¯ll be fine. Put in a little more effort,¡± Yao Wei advised Xia Han. ¡°Don¡¯t always try to win an argument. Girls aren¡¯t seeking the truth; how could they not understand those reasons? They just want you to coax them.¡± Chuzheng stared at Yao Wei, or rather at the ghostly presence inside Yao Wei¡¯s body. There was an evil spirit in her belly; she was pregnant with a ghost child. Xia Han said she wasn¡¯t like this before, which meant this had happened recently. Ghost pregnancies are different from human ones; some last for years, others for months. Chuzheng didn¡¯t care how the ghost child came to be, as long as it didn¡¯t harm the Good Person Card, she would pretend not to see it. Yep! Didn¡¯t see, didn¡¯t see, didn¡¯t see. Yao Wei was just like a visitor, chatting with Xia Han for a while before she got up to leave. Xia Han saw her out, closed the door, and then asked Chuzheng. ¡°Little Beauty, tell me, how did she attract a ghost?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Chuzheng was already comfortably lying on the couch. Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Was she urging him to get Yao Wei to leave quickly just so she could lie down by herself? ¡°Come here.¡± Chuzheng beckoned him with a wave. Xia Han walked over and crouched down. Chuzheng stretched out her claws towards his head and comfortably massaged it a few times. Now this is what you call life! With his hair all messed up, Xia Han wasn¡¯t sure how to express what he was thinking deep down. Why not give him a kiss? Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Dispel the Evil Spirit (19) Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Dispel the Evil Spirit (19) ¡°` Yao Wei visited several days in a row, each time bringing little treats with her. As soon as she left Chuzheng¡¯s, she would throw the stuff away. Xia Han was puzzled by Yao Wei¡¯s sudden warmth, could it be she had taken a liking to him? But it didn¡¯t seem to be the case with Yao Wei. A week later, Yao Wei invited Xia Han to a party at her house. Xia Han didn¡¯t want to go. But Yao Wei insisted he come, repeatedly beseeching him, and eventually left the invitation behind. Clutching the invitation, Xia Han felt bewildered and sought help from Chuzheng, ¡°Little Beauty, what does she want to do?¡± Chuzheng, the boss, sat very heroically, ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know either?¡± In Xia Han¡¯s eyes, Chuzheng was probably omnipotent. ¡°The ghostly aura in her body is stronger than before,¡± Chuzheng said, ¡°Be careful on your own.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± Why should she tag along? It¡¯s his business, what does it have to do with her? Besides, she wasn¡¯t invited! Not going! Xia Han bypassed the coffee table, sat next to Chuzheng, and hugged her arm, ¡°Little Beauty, you¡¯re really not coming with me? What if a ghost harms me?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± After some thought, Chuzheng said, ¡°Take that Oil Bottle with you.¡± Evil¡¤Oil Bottle¡¤Spirit: ¡°¡­¡± Who the heck is your Oil Bottle! He¡¯s very powerful! Despite claiming she wouldn¡¯t go, on the day of the party, Chuzheng still followed behind Xia Han. How did she become so pitiful as to be a nanny? The party was held at Yao Wei¡¯s house. There weren¡¯t many people, and they all seemed to be Yao Wei¡¯s good friends. When Xia Han entered, he attracted quite a bit of attention, and even some came up to chat. Xia Han felt uneasy, but Yao Wei appeared just in time to lead him to a quieter spot. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t come,¡± said Yao Wei, looking very pretty in a tight-fitting dress that hugged her curvy figure, the sequins on the hem glittering under the lights. However, her complexion was not very good; makeup could barely conceal it. Xia Han gave an awkward smile. Yao Wei seemed worried he might feel out of place, so she settled him in a corner, ¡°Sit here for a while, there¡¯s food over there, and if you¡¯re bored, you can go upstairs, there¡¯s an entertainment room.¡± ¡°Thank you, sister.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go greet the other guests,¡± said Yao Wei, mingling into the crowd with a glass in her hand. Chuzheng floated in from somewhere, perching on the armrest of the sofa. With a slight stretch of his hand, Xia Han could wrap his arm around her waist. And that¡¯s exactly what Xia Han did. ¡°Little Beauty, didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t coming? Are you worried about me?¡± ¡°If a ghost catches you, I still have to come rescue you, which is troublesome.¡± ¡°So you are worried about me,¡± Xia Han concluded. He didn¡¯t care what Chuzheng said. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Whatever makes you happy. Xia Han and Chuzheng talked, with Chuzheng not very talkative and only replying after a long while. Her gaze swept through the hall then slowly settled on the stairs. She frowned slightly, as Yao Wei returned from the crowd. ¡°How is it, boring?¡± Xia Han didn¡¯t dare to say it was boring. Yao Wei smiled and sat opposite Xia Han, ¡°Actually, I called you here today for another matter.¡± Yao Wei¡¯s expression changed slightly. Xia Han¡¯s heart skipped a beat, his face alert. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, it¡¯s my issue,¡± Yao Wei glanced around, seemingly looking for something. ¡°Sister, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Yao Wei pulled her gaze back, ¡°You¡¯re a Heavenly Master, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Xia Han shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°` One cannot be called a Heavenly Master just by being on Taokong Mountain. He couldn¡¯t even complete the entry-level assessment of a Heavenly Master. Yao Wei was taken aback, ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? I thought that you¡­¡± She had made a mistake and Yao Wei felt somewhat embarrassed. She began to feel a bit restless. ¡°Then, those people who were with you at the cocktail party last time¡­¡± ¡°They¡­ are my senior brothers,¡± Xia Han said. ¡°So, you also do this?¡± Yao Wei¡¯s hope rose slightly. ¡°I can indeed see some things. Speak your mind, sister,¡± Xia Han offered. Yao Wei¡¯s eyes lit up: ¡°Can you help me see if there is that kind of thing here?¡± Xia Han looked around and finally shook his head: ¡°No.¡± Yao Wei inexplicably let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I think¡­¡± Yao Wei hesitated; she tried to control her fear, but it still showed in her eyes. ¡°Sister, if you need it, I can give you the contact information for Taokong Mountain,¡± Xia Han offered proactively. Yao Wei quickly shook her head: ¡°No.¡± She looked at Xia Han: ¡°The thing is, I¡¯ve already asked several renowned Heavenly Masters, but¡­¡± Her smile was helpless: ¡°It was no use.¡± ¡°Why are you looking for me then?¡± What use could a person, who could only see ghosts, be? ¡°Let me put it this way.¡± Yao Wei exhaled, ¡°A few months ago, I felt something was wrong at home: objects were displaced, or I would see things I¡¯ve never seen before.¡± Besides these, she would feel inexplicably cold while sleeping and sometimes felt as if someone were watching her. But when she got up, there was nothing there at home. At that time, she had people come over to check, the ones recommended in their circles, naturally, were capable Heavenly Masters. But they detected nothing. Yao Wei felt more and more uneasy living there. Considering moving out, however, soon after she relocated, various accidents occurred. She could only move back here, reluctantly. In daily life, aside from these small matters, no other incidents occurred. Yao Wei, fearing being alone, would hold such small gatherings every few days; otherwise, she would go out and spend time playing with friends. It was a way to forget these issues. ¡°I was surprised to see you here, but I realized¡­ When I¡¯m near you, the constant chill that follows me suddenly disappears.¡± Yao Wei seemed a bit embarrassed: ¡°Xia Han, little brother, have I been bothering you these days?¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Little Beauty was very dissatisfied that she kept appearing every day, saying she was noisy. ¡°If other Heavenly Masters can¡¯t do anything, could you take a look for me?¡± Yao Wei asked, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know the rules, regardless of success, I will pay the reward.¡± Xia Han didn¡¯t know how to do anything, how could he dare to take on such a responsibility recklessly. He was about to shake his head to refuse when Chuzheng pressed down on his head, forcing him to nod instead of shaking it. Xia Han silently inquired Chuzheng. ¡°There¡¯s money.¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Yao Wei, afraid Xia Han would refuse, had already prepared a hefty sum. After all, the house Xia Han lived in was similar to her own; he must not be short of money. Yao Wei didn¡¯t expect Xia Han to agree so easily. Yao Wei asked someone to take care of the guests downstairs and led Xia Han upstairs: ¡°The second floor is the bedroom, and the third floor contains the study and entertainment room. There are a lot of rooms here, but I don¡¯t use many of them, so most are unoccupied.¡± As she introduced the place, Yao Wei led Xia Han forward. Just as they reached the end of the staircase, a few people suddenly appeared at the entrance to the hall. A woman walk in with two others, one elderly and one young. ¡°Mom?¡± Yao Wei called out. The woman was also startled, apparently not expecting the place to be so lively. Yao Wei asked Xia Han to wait a moment and went downstairs to meet the woman. The two exchanged some words in private. Eventually, Yao Wei went upstairs with the woman and those who came with her. Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Chapter 122: Dispel the Evil Spirit (20) Chapter 122: Chapter 122: Dispel the Evil Spirit (20) Xia Han pulled Chuzheng, his tone slightly anxious, ¡°That¡¯s my uncle-master.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°We should hide from him.¡± He clearly remembered how he descended the mountain, in their hearts, they must believe he stole the card and came down the mountain. Moreover, this uncle-master never really liked him. ¡°??¡± Chuzheng was puzzled, why hide? If anyone should be hiding it should be you, why involve me? ¡°Master, it¡¯s Xia Han, the traitor.¡± Xia Han did not manage to hide in time, and the young man behind the elder, with sharp eyes, spotted Xia Han. The elder kept a stern face, walking with his hands behind his back, exuding authority. Upon hearing his disciple¡¯s words, he also looked toward Xia Han, but perhaps due to the private matters of their sect, the elder remained silent, only snorting coldly to express his displeasure. The woman and Yao Wei both heard but also did not understand the reason behind it. The woman looked at Xia Han a few times, noticed his Chinese-style clothing with exquisitely embroidered dragon patterns on the cuffs, and his fair complexion with a youthful elegance, resembling a young master who had walked out of place in time, and found him quite likeable. Seeming just like someone in this line of work¡­ ¡°Heavenly Master, do you know this young brother?¡± The woman inquired tentatively. ¡°This traitor¡­¡± The young man was about to speak, but the elder interrupted him, ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡± The woman glanced at Xia Han and then at the Heavenly Master with the stern face, seeming to understand something, and did not continue to bother with Xia Han, ¡°Heavenly Master, please come this way, my Wei¡¯er is all relying on you. Look at what they did to her, it breaks a mother¡¯s heart, Heavenly Master, you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know my mom had invited someone else.¡± Yao Wei spoke in a low voice, ¡°You guys follow behind me and see; what we agreed upon before still stands.¡± Yao Wei did not trust that Heavenly Master very much. She trusted Xia Han more because only by his side did she feel herself return to the mortal world, feeling its warmth and cold. Xia Han, having grown accustomed to others¡¯ gazes over the years, nodded, indicating he didn¡¯t mind. He looked around, feeling puzzled¡ªwhere had Little Beauty gone? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sister, I¡¯ll apologize to you alone later.¡± Yao Wei was very apologetic. After apologizing to Xia Han several times, she then followed the woman and the Heavenly Master. As the young man passed by Xia Han, he snorted coldly, ¡°Xia Han, you didn¡¯t even enter the threshold of the Heavenly Master¡¯s door, and now you dare to swindle and cheat? You really have some nerve.¡± Slap¡ª The young man¡¯s head jerked to the side as if he had been struck. The young man held his face, looking at Xia Han in disbelief, ¡°Xia Han, you dared to hit me!¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± When did he hit him? Slap¡ª The young man received another slap. ¡°Xia Han!¡± The young man was furious. ¡°I didn¡¯t hit you.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you, who was it?¡± The young man couldn¡¯t help but raise his voice. Xia Han glanced at Chuzheng, who had suddenly appeared beside him. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Alright, Xia Han, you¡¯ve become bold now, thieving, sneaking down the mountain, and you even dare to hit me! What, now that you¡¯ve found such a wealthy person to back you up? Did you earn it with your face, or¡­¡± Slap¡ª Slap slap slap¡ª The young man began slapping his own face, causing it to quickly swell and redden. They were standing on the stairs at that moment, and the sound was particularly loud, drawing the attention of people in the lobby below. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know¡­ Maybe he¡¯s gone crazy?¡± ¡°Little Beauty, stop messing around.¡± Xia Han felt a sweet surge in his heart, pleased that Little Beauty was standing up for him. But he still reminded Chuzheng that it wouldn¡¯t be good to offend that Heavenly Master upfront. ¡°The slaps have already landed.¡± Chuzheng said coldly, arms crossed, ¡°Perhaps push him down?¡± That would solve everything in one fell swoop! Simple, convenient, fast, and trouble-free! Xia Han was startled, ¡°Little Beauty, don¡¯t be rash.¡± [Miss, please calm down!] The King¡¯s Account also interjected to stop her at the same time. The King¡¯s Account felt desperate, who exactly was it that was becoming corrupted?! The young man had stunned himself with his own slaps. Xia Han pleaded with Chuzheng to stop, but he was unmoved. It wasn¡¯t until the Old Taoist Priest came back and grabbed the young man that he finally stopped. ¡°Lion-tiger¡­¡± The young man¡¯s face was swollen and unsightly, his speech unclear. The Old Taoist Priest pulled the young man back, shielding him from the view of the crowd below. He looked towards Xia Han¡¯s side, ¡°Miss, I¡¯m not sure how my disciple offended you, but why must you teach him such a lesson?¡± Xia Han was taken aback. He could see Little Beauty? Upon hearing this, Chuzheng kept a neutral expression, only glancing sideways and denying with clear diction, ¡°It has nothing to do with me.¡± The Old Taoist Priest: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Miss, if you did it, why won¡¯t you admit it?¡± the Old Taoist Priest asked sternly, ¡°Although you¡¯re not an Evil Ghost, you can¡¯t just mess with people like that.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t, there¡¯s no evidence, don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Chuzheng¡¯s expression became even more serious. The Old Taoist Priest: ¡°¡­¡± It was clearly the case. Was there any need for nonsense? But the young man indeed hit himself. How could he produce evidence for that? Xia Han stifled a laugh, witnessing his uncle being outsmarted for the first time. Little Beauty was truly formidable. ¡°Lion-tiger¡­¡± The young man couldn¡¯t see Chuzheng, but from his master¡¯s words, there seemed to be a ghost here. It must have been that ghost who hit him just now. ¡°Straighten the live shrimp and call it a respectful game¡­¡± Translated, that meant¡ª the ghost was related to Xia Han. He had just spoken to Xia Han, so it must have been Xia Han who made the ghost do it. The Old Taoist Priest looked at Xia Han: ¡°Xia Han, are you colluding with a ghost?¡± Xia Han looked utterly confused, ¡°Uncle, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°You¡¯re no longer a disciple of Taokong Mountain, I am not your uncle,¡± the Old Taoist Priest said, ¡°But did you instruct the ghost to hit my disciple?¡± Xia Han played the baffled part very naturally: ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± What Xia Han said was the truth. He really hadn¡¯t. It was Chuzheng who took action on her own. Both the person and the ghost denied it, and since Chuzheng was not an Evil Ghost, the Old Taoist Priest couldn¡¯t do anything about her, so it seemed he had to swallow this loss himself. ¡°Lion-tiger, him¡­¡± The Old Taoist Priest: ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this matter later; let¡¯s deal with the important business first.¡± The young man glared at Xia Han unwillingly. It was clearly this loser¡­ ¨C Once the two walked a distance away, Xia Han could no longer hold back his laughter. But then he showed concern and grievance, ¡°Little Beauty, didn¡¯t you say that only I could see you?¡± Chuzheng spoke evenly, ¡°His cultivation is quite high.¡± ¡°???¡± This Old Taoist Priest was different from the other disciples of Taokong Mountain; it meant his defenses weren¡¯t adequate. ¡°He will surely cause you trouble,¡± Xia Han said, ¡°That old man is extremely protective of his own people.¡± Having beaten his disciple into that state¡­ He probably wouldn¡¯t be able to escape the blame either. ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried about you.¡± He wasn¡¯t worried about himself; whatever happened to him didn¡¯t matter, but he didn¡¯t want Chuzheng to get hurt or feel aggrieved. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare to touch me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I have money.¡± Xia Han: ¡°???¡± What does that have to do with anything?! Humans and ghosts don¡¯t even use the same currency!! * The female protagonist¡¯s thoughts in the text are for entertainment only, please do not learn from them. We should be optimistic, upright, and kind Little Cuties, successors to socialism! Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Dispel the Evil Spirit (21) Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Dispel the Evil Spirit (21) Chuzheng brushed off the Old Taoist Priest and the others, deciding to stroll around the upstairs herself. There was no gloomy energy in the house, the only gloomy energy she had ever seen in the house was the ghost fetus on Yao Wei¡¯s body. The old man seemed to have noticed it, too, but he hadn¡¯t mentioned it. [Main mission: Please spend 50 million RMB within two hours, Miss.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng plopped down on the stairs, resting her head against the carved wooden railing and bumping it listlessly. Life is hard enough already, why can¡¯t it let me, this poor little thing, off the hook? Ah! So annoying! [¡­] Miss, what exactly is your misunderstanding about yourself? A person who can talk about pushing someone down with an unchanged expression, how does that person fit the three characters ¡°poor little thing¡±? Chuzheng, the ¡°poor little thing,¡± wondered what to buy, and then she suddenly thought of ¡®Gold Pointing Pavilion¡¯. She took out her phone and opened the app. Last time she bought so much, and the items that she couldn¡¯t buy before now seemed to be mostly unlocked. Level 10 Ghost-Suppressing Talismans? 500,000 each? Buy ten! Level 9 Peach Wood Sword? Buy! Buy! Buy! Chuzheng felt cheerful, realizing that the things here were really worth the money. But obviously, Chuzheng was too happy too soon. The prices of these items were high, but the quantities were usually only ¡Á1. The supply is too less! Bad review! Chuzheng could only choose those items with lower prices, the lower the price, the more there were. After selecting the items, Chuzheng proceeded to pay and fill in the shipping address. ¨C Headquarters of Gold Pointing Pavilion. Ding¡ª¡ª You have an order super super super super super super super super super¡­ ¡°Is the machine stuck? Didn¡¯t we just replace it? Did those bastards in the development team cut corners again?¡± An employee angrily looked towards the computer that made the sound. The person behind that computer lifted his head, his expression indescribable. ¡°What are you doing, don¡¯t take it out on me if you¡¯re in heat!¡± The questioning employee covered his chest and retreated: ¡°I¡¯m straight!¡± ¡°Just make it stop, my ears are going to explode,¡± someone complained impatiently. ¡°¡­Super-size order, please ship as soon as possible,¡± the stuck computer finally finished speaking. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± The employee behind the computer slammed the desk and roared with laughter. The entire office fell into a weird silence. Has he gone mad? ¡°The rich fool has placed an order again!¡± The previously laughing employee jumped around. The office remained silent. One minute later. Everyone swarmed towards the computer, scrambling to see the screen. They counted the zeroes back and forth several times to make sure they weren¡¯t mistaken. ¡°Could this be the rich fool¡¯s doing?¡± one employee banged on the head of the previously laughing colleague: ¡°That¡¯s the God of Wealth, do you know? What did you write in the remark? What remark? Change it back, now.¡± ¡°Indeed, that was outrageous.¡± ¡°How could you treat the God of Wealth like this?¡± ¡°Thank goodness they don¡¯t know, change it back quick, and apologize to the God of Wealth in your heart.¡± The employee covered his head single-handedly, tears in eyes, as he changed the remark. When you remarked the last time, you all agreed, didn¡¯t you? So how come it¡¯s suddenly his fault now? ¡°Last time it was Xia Han who received it, and this time it¡¯s Xia Han again¡­ Which sect¡¯s genius is this Xia Han?¡± Somebody curiously looked at the remarks on the back. But no one had heard of this person. Gold Pointing Pavilion did business with all the Heavenly Masters, and they knew clearly about any genius from any sect¡ªmainly for convenience, to promote tools to them. ¡°I know,¡± said an employee, raising his hand. He was the delivery guy from before: ¡°He¡¯s from Taokong Mountain, I checked it out, and guess what.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Is he a genius?¡± ¡°How come we haven¡¯t heard of him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s¡­ um, in fact, doesn¡¯t know¡­¡± The delivery guy drew out his words, waiting for everyone¡¯s interest to peak, then his tone dropped rapidly: ¡°anything!¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡± Are you serious? Giving so many items to someone who can¡¯t do anything? Which prodigal son?! No no no¡­ Maybe this bigshot is low-key and doesn¡¯t want to reveal their identity, so they¡¯re using a regular person to receive the goods, right? Yes! That¡¯s it. How could a bigshot be comparable to these commoners? ¨C Meanwhile, Chuzheng placed the order and then hugged the carved railing without moving. Bastard could seamlessly switch between real money and Joss Paper, but how in the world was she supposed to not spend any money? In this society today, unlike ancient times, it¡¯s completely inevitable. The heavens want to destroy me! [Miss, with money you can do whatever you want!] King¡¯s Account tried to imbue Chuzheng with this idea. I can do whatever I want on my own, why go through the trouble. [Miss, think about it, isn¡¯t spending money much easier than fighting?] Chuzheng thought about her own seconds-counting prodigal experiences and shook her head indifferently, not convinced. [¡­]So what if you¡¯re capable, isn¡¯t that great! Where did Little Beauty¡¯s invincible mode even come from!! ¡°Little Beauty¡­ Little Beauty¡­¡± Chuzheng immediately let go of the railing. Xia Han stuck his head out, just in time to see Chuzheng retracting her posture, and he was slightly puzzled. What was Little Beauty doing? Chuzheng calmly stood up, leaning on the railing: ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°My uncle master said Yao Wei is pregnant with a ghost child,¡± Xia Han said, ¡°But he also said that this house is very clean, besides that ghost child, there¡¯s nothing else.¡± Xia Han went upstairs: ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything else either.¡± When Xia Han moved, his hair was lifted by the wind, standing up slightly. ¡°Little Beauty you¡­¡± Xia Han felt a chill on his head, Chuzheng pressed that strand of hair down, seriously rubbing it for a while. Under Xia Han¡¯s puzzled and complex gaze, she said calmly, ¡°It was sticking up.¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± After you played with it for so long, wouldn¡¯t it stick up? Xia Han ruffled his hair: ¡°Little Beauty, did you see anything else?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then where did her ghost child come from?¡± Xia Han muttered to himself. Yao Wei said that she had been feeling strange for several months. But the ghost child only appeared recently. Also¡­ Suddenly, Xia Han glanced at Chuzheng, and a strange thought flashed through his mind. Intimate contact between humans and ghosts, isn¡¯t it very cold? Can a human even endure that temperature? ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°If Yao Wei really did something with a ghost, how could she be completely unaware of it?¡± ¡°Did what?¡± ¡°You know, that thing between a man and a woman¡­¡± Xia Han realized what he was implying and looked at Chuzheng, his cheeks suddenly flaming up, murmuring, ¡°Never mind.¡± King¡¯s Account was worried that Chuzheng might blurt out the word ¡®mating,¡¯ but she said nothing and floated downstairs. After going downstairs, Chuzheng took out her phone, opened a certain app, and typed a few words into it. The page transitioned to some images. Chuzheng scrolled down with a cold face. Isn¡¯t it just the history of human mating to continue the bloodline? What¡¯s there to hide? Chuzheng looked back at Xia Han, who felt uneasy under her gaze, touching his hair and then the corner of his clothes. [¡­]Still couldn¡¯t escape. Chuzheng turned back around and continued scrolling. This position looks a bit difficult, doesn¡¯t it? Chuzheng looked at the stick figure drawings, physical contact that, besides procreation, served no other purpose. Boring. She shook her head and turned off the phone. Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Dispel the Evil Spirit (22) Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Dispel the Evil Spirit (22) ¡°` In the bedroom. ¡°Heavenly Master, you must help my daughter get rid of this calamity. She¡¯s not yet married.¡± The woman was almost on her knees pleading with the Old Taoist Priest. ¡°Madam Yao, do not get agitated. The ghost fetus has not yet taken shape; this will not be a problem,¡± the Old Taoist Priest consoled Mother Yao with a few words. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. My poor daughter, why should she suffer this misfortune?¡± Madam Yao was continuously wiping tears, full of trust and gratitude towards the Old Taoist Priest. The Old Taoist Priest turned to the absent-minded Yao Wei, ¡°Miss Yao, are you sure you can¡¯t remember anything else?¡± Yao Wei tried hard to remember, ¡°I¡­ really can¡¯t remember.¡± The Old Taoist Priest fell silent for a moment, ¡°Does Miss Yao have a boyfriend? Or perhaps a boyfriend who has passed away¡­¡± Xia Han and Chuzheng entered and happened to hear this question. At this moment, the Old Taoist Priest could no longer see Chuzheng; he only noticed Xia Han alone. The Old Taoist Priest frowned slightly, clearly expressing his displeasure. Yao Wei was still trying to recall. During her college days, she had been reckless and had several boyfriends. But all these boyfriends were still well. Moreover, they had all parted on amicable terms, without any emotional disputes. After graduation, she only had another boyfriend. However, they had already broken up over a year ago, and the man was now married with children. They had met once before, and there were no emotional disputes. Since then, she hadn¡¯t met a man who made her heart flutter and had remained single all this time. Chuzheng, having nothing better to do, wandered around the room. Her gaze fell upon the photos hanging in the room. Chuzheng floated back beside Xia Han, ¡°Ask her what was hanging in the middle.¡± That spot was now empty, but there were traces where a photo album had hung. Seeing that the Old Taoist Priest had asked almost everything, Xia Han softly relayed Chuzheng¡¯s question. The Old Taoist Priest was somewhat displeased with Xia Han¡¯s behavior, but Yao Wei already answered, ¡°It was my graduation photo, but it¡¯s been missing for a long time.¡± Xia Han asked her to think about when exactly it had disappeared. Yao Wei recounted carefully and surmised it was roughly before the strange occurrences began to happen around her. But it was just a graduation photo. The photo was one each of her classmates had; there was nothing special about it, and she hadn¡¯t paid it much attention. ¡°Was there anyone special in your graduation photo?¡± the Old Taoist Priest inquired. Xia Han swallowed his question back. ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­ They are all my classmates,¡± Yao Wei shook her head. The Old Taoist Priest asked Mother Yao to make an effort to inquire about the current situation of those classmates in the photo. Mother Yao immediately set about doing it. The Old Taoist Priest announced he would stay here for the time being, until her problem was resolved. Yao Wei began to feel better. Considering she had not collapsed from being harassed by the ghost for so many months and even managed to attend various banquets dazzlingly made-up, it was evident that Yao Wei was not a weak person. After settling the Old Taoist Priest and sending away the group of people below, the villa instantly quieted down, leaving behind a mess. ¡°Xia Han, you stay.¡± In the room, as Xia Han was preparing to leave, the Old Taoist Priest sternly stopped him. The Old Taoist Priest hadn¡¯t seen Chuzheng in the room and thought she wasn¡¯t there. The Old Taoist Priest asked with a stern face, ¡°The female ghost from earlier, do you know her?¡± Xia Han was silent for a few seconds, then defiantly said, ¡°I have already been expelled from Taokong Mountain, so I can choose not to answer that question.¡± Smack! The Old Taoist Priest slammed his palm down on the table. ¡°You¡¯ve grown wings, have you? And you even dared to steal!¡± Xia Han stood up straight, ¡°That card was originally mine.¡± The rules of Taokong Mountain were clear: whoever completed the task got to keep the money, no matter how much it was. If one wished, they could contribute a portion of it, but if not, no one could say anything. Two million wasn¡¯t much for Taokong Mountain, and they weren¡¯t after Xia Han¡¯s money either. The doubt surrounding Xia Han was too great, and who was it that sent him so many props? ¡°` This matter at Taokong Mountain had to be thoroughly investigated. It definitely wouldn¡¯t do to leave the money with Xia Han, lest he take off before matters were clarified. And sure enough, not only did he run, but he also stole the card. This incident caused an uproar at Taokong Mountain. In the end, it was decided to expel Xia Han from Taokong Mountain. ¡°What on earth have you done outside!¡± Xia Han spoke deliberately, ¡°Since I¡¯m no longer a disciple of Taokong Mountain, you have no right to question my affairs, I¡¯m leaving now.¡± ¡°Xia Han!¡± Xia Han left the room without looking back, followed by the Old Taoist Priest¡¯s low admonishing voice. Xia Han quickly covered some distance. Taokong Mountain, that place, he didn¡¯t like it. The people there didn¡¯t like him either, because he had no talent and always attracted ghosts, causing them unnecessary trouble by having to protect him. But Xia Han was also grateful to Taokong Mountain. Because it was Taokong Mountain that allowed him to survive. Of course, Xia Han didn¡¯t feel he owed them anything; whenever they asked him to lure out the ghosts, he had agreed. Some ghosts were fierce, some were cunning, all sorts; he had nearly lost his life several times. It was his own effort that kept him alive until they dealt with those ghosts. Xia Han exhaled a breath of turbid air. From now on, it would be best to each walk their separate ways and not be involved with one another. ¨C Xia Han didn¡¯t stay with Yao Wei. After exchanging a few words, he left the villa. Yao Wei asked him to come over again tomorrow. Chuzheng had already nodded on his behalf, so Xia Han had to come no matter what. ¡°Little Beauty, why did you make me agree to her?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s reasoning was completely justified: ¡°You¡¯re broke.¡± The money Bastard gave couldn¡¯t be handed directly to him. Even if it was her earning those rewards, giving them directly to him, he might not accept. A man¡¯s pride was at stake. Not to be trifled with. ¡°¡­¡± Xia Han was still stung by this comment and couldn¡¯t refute the fact that he was broke. ¡°But what can I do? I don¡¯t know how to help her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Under the streetlight, there was only Xia Han¡¯s lonely shadow. The girl¡¯s voice was clear, indifferent, and he was the only person in the world who could hear it. It was a rather peculiar feeling. Xia Han¡¯s heart felt a bittersweet pang, and suddenly, he reached out to embrace her, resting his chin on Chuzheng¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Little Beauty, you¡¯re really good to me.¡± ¡°Mmm, you should properly thank me.¡± Thank me from the bottom of your heart! ¡°My body and soul are yours.¡± Chuzheng considered the notion of separating Xia Han and his heart and found it too macabre¡­ Chuzheng earnestly said, ¡°You¡¯re fine just as you are.¡± ¡°Mommy, Mommy, what is that brother doing?¡± A little girl being led by a woman happened to be curiously looking at Xia Han on the path. To the normal observer, Xia Han, who was embracing Chuzheng, appeared to be hugging air in the shape of a person, looking especially foolish. ¡°Shh, let¡¯s go quickly.¡± The woman, seeing him as if he were insane, hurriedly pulled the little girl away: ¡°Remember to steer clear of such people in the future, okay?¡± ¡°Why?¡± the little girl asked with curiosity. ¡°They are sick and can hurt you.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The little girl looked back at Xia Han with a face full of innocence and curiosity. Xia Han, the ¡°Madman,¡± said: ¡°¡­¡± Xia Han let go of Chuzheng, rubbed his arms, then took her hand with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Chuzheng looked down, somewhat distracted, looking at the hand Xia Han was holding. Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: Chapter 125: Dispel the Evil Spirit (23) Chapter 125: Chapter 125: Dispel the Evil Spirit (23) Mother Yao used her connections to thoroughly investigate Yao Wei¡¯s classmates. Some of them were doing well, some poorly, and some, like Yao Wei, were second-generation wealthy, leading lives of luxury and debauchery. Xia Han also got a copy. He didn¡¯t know where it came from, but when he woke up, it was already on the table. After looking through the information, Xia Han was somewhat suspicious, ¡°Little Beauty, do you think there¡¯s really a ghost in Yao Wei¡¯s villa?¡± ¡°There is,¡± Chuzheng affirmed with certainty. ¡°Are you so sure?¡± Xia Han went over with the documents and sat down next to Chuzheng, ¡°Little Beauty, do you know something?¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing.¡± It couldn¡¯t possibly be that she became pregnant with a ghost child out of thin air, right? That would be impressive! ¡°¡­¡± Xia Han flipped through the documents, ¡°All of these people are still alive¡­¡± As Xia Han¡¯s gaze inadvertently brushed over Chuzheng¡¯s lips, his voice dropped a few degrees; the rosy lips parted slightly, and the pale fingers kept pinching the documents. Xia Han put down the documents, ¡°Little Beauty, I want a kiss.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The young man¡¯s beautiful eyes were filled with earnestness. His eyelashes caught the glow of the morning light, casting attractive shadows on his fair skin, lips slightly parted, the tip of his tongue peeking out, tempting with its luster. The young man looked as if he had stepped out of a comic, every subtle movement accompanied by a halo effect. Chuzheng leaned against the couch, her gaze lingering on his lips for several seconds, before nodding. Xia Han had been nervous about asking this question. He even anticipated Chuzheng coldly rejecting him. He didn¡¯t expect happiness to come so quickly. The corners of the young man¡¯s lips curved, and he leaned in for the kiss. A chill instantly spread throughout his body. The dragon patterns on the young man¡¯s sleeves reflected golden light; as he raised his hand, the overly large sleeves fell, revealing his pale wrists. He meant to wrap his arms around Chuzheng¡¯s neck, but she stopped him, so he settled for resting his hand on her shoulder instead. The young man pried open her lips, hooked her tongue with his own and gently suckled and nibbled. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Chuzheng pushed him away. The young man¡¯s body shook slightly, but he was somewhat unsatisfied; it was too short. Chuzheng raised her hand, and a blanket from the opposite couch flew over. She wrapped him up in it. With his cheeks puffed, eyelashes trembling, he mumbled, ¡°Little Beauty, I still want¡­¡± ¡°Are you seeking death?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a saying, ¡®To die under a peony, even as a ghost, is a romantic way to go,¡¯¡± the young man¡¯s voice was crisp. ¡°I am not a peony.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a metaphor, Little Beauty. You are much more beautiful than a peony¡­¡± Xia Han was proud; his Little Beauty could not be compared to a peony. Chuzheng wrapped him up nicely, carried him horizontally, and went upstairs. She turned up the temperature in the bedroom, laid him on the bed, and half-pressed against him through the blanket. The room gradually warmed up. Xia Han started to feel warm. He looked up at Chuzheng with wide eyes, ¡°Little Beauty¡­¡± Chuzheng leaned down and gave his lips a light peck. He was slightly taken aback, and before he could react, she had already moved away, only to return a few seconds later for another kiss. ¡°Cold?¡± Chuzheng asked him. ¡°Not really¡­¡± Xia Han murmured. She hadn¡¯t kissed him for long; the chill hadn¡¯t had time to spread before they parted, and the warmth of the room seemed to chase away any coldness. Chuzheng accurately controlled the time, making sure Xia Han didn¡¯t feel cold. Buzz buzz buzz¡­ Xia Han¡¯s phone vibrated. Chuzheng stopped and looked into Xia Han¡¯s eyes for a few seconds, then turned and sat on the edge of the bed. Being interrupted made Xia Han quite unhappy; he struggled out of the blanket and answered the call. The call was from Yao Wei, and Xia Han responded a few times. After hanging up, he tugged on Chuzheng¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Continue?¡± Chuzheng pinched his chin and kissed him, ¡°Next time.¡± Xia Han was disappointed, ¡°If only there was a way to not feel cold¡­¡± Then he could kiss however he wanted. Chuzheng seemed lost in thought for a long while before she said, ¡°Maybe there is.¡± Physical pleasure can also affect mood. Chuzheng was in a good mood at the moment, although¡­ it didn¡¯t show. At first, she agreed to Xia Han because of the Ghost Pact, and when Xia Han made his request quite seriously, she unwittingly nodded in agreement. But afterward¡­ Chuzheng wanted to do it herself. It was as if she was losing control. Chuzheng didn¡¯t understand it and threw the question to King¡¯s Account. [Little sister, you like him, that¡¯s all,] King¡¯s Account replied with a chuckle. ¡°Like him?¡± Emotions are complicated and hard to grasp. Joy, annoyance, pain, anger, sadness¡­ liking someone. These things can influence oneself and even the development and outcome of the whole situation. [Otherwise why would you want to kiss him? You only want to do that with someone you like~] ¡°Isn¡¯t liking supposed to be a sweet feeling?¡± Chuzheng asked while tapping on the phone, ¡°Why don¡¯t I have that feeling?¡± This was nothing like what Baidu said. The damn thing is trying to trick me again! [¡­Miss, please don¡¯t just search randomly. When it comes to liking someone, nobody can give you a standard answer.] [Anyway, when you treat one person specially, giving them what others don¡¯t get, that¡¯s mostly likely because you like them.] Treatments others don¡¯t get¡­ Chuzheng spoke with a serious face, ¡°That could also be out of guilt, responsibility, pity¡­¡± [¡­] King¡¯s Account fell silent for a moment, then roared, [Stop! Miss, do you think you would want to kiss someone because of guilt!!!] Chuzheng pondered. Suddenly, Chuzheng asked, ¡°Bastard isn¡¯t stopping me? Is it okay that I like the Good Person Card?¡± [It¡¯s fine. Your physical and mental health and happiness are also within my¡­ considerations.] ¡°You guys are this humanized?¡± [Of course.] King¡¯s Account was quite proud. [Miss, now that you¡¯ve discovered you like Xia Han, what are you thinking?] Chuzheng answered earnestly, ¡°Lock it up for now.¡± [¡­?????] It had anticipated all sorts of messy scenarios. For example, the clueless miss suddenly realizing she could like someone else and would definitely panic. Or, the miss would vehemently deny it, steadfastly refusing to admit it, maintaining her aloof goddess image. It even considered the possibility that the miss, shocked, would eliminate the person. But she didn¡¯t! She didn¡¯t! She didn¡¯t at all! There was no panic whatsoever, she accepted that she liked someone without any obstruction, and came up with an idea that was not at all anticipated, quite bold, and strange¡ªlock it up. Isn¡¯t this the standard pattern for turning dark? It knew that miss¡¯s acceptance ability was always strong¡­ But could she really accept this matter so calmly? Is the miss a devil? [Miss, wait a minute, why would you want to lock it up?] ¡°Since I like him, I should get him. What¡¯s the problem?¡± Chuzheng nodded, affirming the idea to herself. [¡­] It really shouldn¡¯t judge the treasure-like miss who could produce different sparks at any moment with its own shallow vision. King¡¯s Account realized its mistake profoundly. And felt immense sympathy for Xia Han. Before it turned dark, it was already targeted by the miss, who seemed normal but had very dark thoughts. It shouldn¡¯t have discussed the matter of liking someone with the miss. If it hadn¡¯t spelled it out, the miss would definitely have pondered over it for a good while on her own. It was guilty. Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Dispel the Evil Spirit (24) Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Dispel the Evil Spirit (24) Xia Han woke up the next day to find that the door wouldn¡¯t open. He called Chuzheng, his voice a bit hoarse from just waking up, soft, sounding like he was cooing, ¡°Little Beauty, my door won¡¯t open.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Xia Han waited a few seconds. ¡°Little Beauty, can you help me check why the door won¡¯t open?¡± Xia Han held the phone. Chuzheng coldly rejected him: ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± The call had already been disconnected on the other end. Xia Han looked at his phone, what¡¯s going on? Why did she hang up on me? Xia Han tugged at the door a few more times, but it was completely stuck. He looked towards the window; it could be opened, but he couldn¡¯t get down from there. ¡°Little Beauty! Little Beauty!¡± Xia Han leaned out of the window and shouted downwards. Chuzheng floated outside with a cold face, looking up at Xia Han. ¡°What are you yelling for?¡± So annoying. ¡°Hurry up and help me open the door.¡± ¡°Just stay nicely inside your room,¡± Chuzheng said before disappearing from Xia Han¡¯s view. But soon the door opened, and Chuzheng stood outside with a cold face. Xia Han¡¯s expression brightened, and he stepped towards the door. Little Beauty pretends not to care, but deep down she still has¡­ Bang¡ª Xia Han almost hit his nose. ¡°Little Beauty?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s voice came from outside the door: ¡°If you keep asking me to open the door for you, I¡¯ll break your legs!¡± Chuzheng outside angrily kicked a flower pot next to her. If Xia Han insisted on fussing about her opening the door, she might actually have to do it. Ghost-Breaking Pact! Xia Han touched his nose in confusion: ¡°???¡± Why won¡¯t she open the door? And threatens to break his legs? The Evil Ghost poked its head out: ¡°I¡¯m saying¡­¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± Xia Han stepped back, frowning and complaining, ¡°How come you appear more unexpectedly than Little Beauty?¡± The Evil Ghost came out of the wall. ¡°I saw her lock the door this morning,¡± the Evil Ghost snorted coldly: ¡°And you¡¯re still asking her to open it for you? Think she can? You¡¯re dreaming.¡± Xia Han: ¡°???¡± She¡­ she locked it? Why is she locking him in? Of course, the Evil Ghost had no idea why either; it just happened to see it. Xia Han made a call to Chuzheng, but she immediately declined it. Xia Han persisted, continuing to call. Eventually, ¡®temporarily unable to connect¡¯ turned into ¡®powered off.¡¯ Xia Han was completely baffled. He had no clue what he did wrong, why was he being locked up here? Xia Han looked at his phone, swiping several times; there were very few contacts he could call. ¡°Ah!¡± Xia Han murmured with his hands covering his head, ¡°Why lock me up? Is it because she doesn¡¯t want me to get involved with Yao Wei¡¯s matters anymore? But wasn¡¯t it her who asked me to go?¡± Chuzheng only delivered lunch to Xia Han after he had been locked in his room for most of the day. ¡°Little Beauty, why are you locking me up?¡± Chuzheng placed the lunch in front of him: ¡°Eat.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me why, I won¡¯t eat.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s icy gaze swept over him, she reached out to pinch his chin, leaned over, and kissed him: ¡°Eat.¡± ¡°¡­okay,¡± Xia Han was embarrassingly spineless. After he finished eating, Chuzheng tidied up and left, and Xia Han was locked in the room again. Xia Han: ¡°!!!¡± You still didn¡¯t tell me why! Xia Han had the Evil Ghost help him open the door, but the Evil Ghost dared not, as it didn¡¯t want to be obliterated. Xia Han had been confined for two days straight, only allowed to go down to sign for some deliveries. It wasn¡¯t until Yao Wei called on the third day that Chuzheng let him out. ¡°If you dare to run, I¡¯ll break your legs,¡± Chuzheng said as he put on his coat, threatening him in passing. ¡°Little Beauty, why would I run?¡± And break his legs? That¡¯s way too violent!! ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± Chuzheng nodded in satisfaction, petting his head, ¡°Be good.¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± He felt like something was not quite right. Chuzheng: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Little Beauty, why do you have to treat me like this?¡± Chuzheng, the big boss, was very domineering, ¡°You are mine, you should listen to me.¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± That didn¡¯t sound right. When did I become hers¡­ hers? ¡°Little Beauty, do you agree we¡¯re together now?¡± Xia Han asked, holding a box, his eyes glittering brightly. Chuzheng corrected him, ¡°You are mine.¡± ¡°Little Beauty, you¡¯re so kind.¡± Xia Han pecked Chuzheng on the face, then ran out of the yard with the box, hopping and skipping. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Would the neighbors call the police if they saw such a lunatic? Indeed, it was safer to keep him confined. When they got to Yao Wei¡¯s house, the Old Taoist Priest and the young fellow were sitting in the living room, with Mother Yao and Yao Wei sitting opposite. ¡°Miss Yao, why do you insist on bringing him here?¡± The young fellow looked displeased, holding a grudge about the last incident, ¡°He¡¯s not even a Heavenly Master.¡± ¡°The more people we have, the stronger we are,¡± said Yao Wei. ¡°I trust Xia Han.¡± These past two days in the villa, there wasn¡¯t that same feeling as before. This Old Taoist Priest might be different from the previous Heavenly Masters. But Yao Wei had already agreed with Xia Han before, she couldn¡¯t go back on her word, so that was why she called Xia Han over. Xia Han called Yao Wei ¡°Sister Yao¡± and sat down on the other side. ¡°Tsk.¡± The young fellow scoffed. The Old Taoist Priest did not say anything, he just looked around Xia Han¡¯s vicinity. Chuzheng stood behind Xia Han, who felt a little proud and sweet, guessing that the Old Taoist Priest probably didn¡¯t see her. ¡°Heavenly Master, I¡¯ve had people check, Weiwei¡¯s classmates are all fine,¡± Mother Yao broke the awkward silence. ¡°The master has already checked the villa, there¡¯s no problem,¡± the young fellow also said. ¡°Then, what¡¯s really going on here? Who could be after my daughter?¡± The disappearance of the photo was too coincidental. But if there was nothing wrong with the people in the photo, what was the issue? Old Taoist Priest: ¡°Have you offended anyone?¡± ¡°No,¡± Mother Yao shook her head, ¡°Our Yao Family is well-regarded in the circle, we rarely offend anyone. Even with some bumps, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to harm my daughter like this, right? Heavenly Master, when can we remove this evil spawn from my daughter¡¯s womb?¡± Old Taoist Priest: ¡°Without finding the source, rashly removing the ghost fetus could backfire and harm Miss Yao.¡± Mother Yao became agitated, ¡°Then what should we do?¡± The belly was indeed getting bigger day by day. Out of the corner of his eye, Xia Han glanced at Chuzheng, who bent down and whispered a few words in his ear. The icy breath entered his ear, but Xia Han felt his earlobes heat up. ¡°Don¡¯t zone out,¡± Chuzheng gently slapped him. Xia Han hastily came to his senses and cleared his throat, ¡°Sister Yao, I¡¯ve checked your class year. There were thirty-eight classmates in total, so why are there only thirty-seven in the photo?¡± Yao Wei was a bit confused, ¡°Is¡­ is that so?¡± She couldn¡¯t remember the exact number of people. But the number was recorded in the school¡¯s files, it definitely wouldn¡¯t be wrong. Mother Yao had checked according to the people in the photo and didn¡¯t notice the total count. Mother Yao called the school to confirm, ensuring there were indeed thirty-eight people. She counted the photo obtained from another classmate, and the result was still only thirty-seven people. Where was the missing person? Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Dispel the Evil Spirit (25) Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Dispel the Evil Spirit (25) ¡°Tan Minghao, from the countryside, his family was facing some financial difficulties, and he was quite inconspicuous. His grades were also average. He didn¡¯t show up for our graduation photo, and I never saw him after that¡­¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No problem, Weiwei, why are you suddenly asking about him?¡± Yao Wei brushed off the question with a couple of noncommittal phrases and hung up the phone. She didn¡¯t remember having such a classmate; even the name was very unfamiliar to her. Mother Yao had people looking into Tan Minghao, and the news came back quickly. Tan Minghao had been in a car accident on the eve of graduation. When he was found, his body was already decomposed. ¡°Weiwei, what¡¯s your relationship with this Tan Minghao?¡± ¡°None¡­ I don¡¯t even remember him at all.¡± Yao Wei¡¯s lips were bitten white, and she appeared somewhat flustered, ¡°If it¡¯s him, why would he want to harm me?¡± Maybe only by finding Tan Minghao could they know the answer to this question. Of course¡­ If the ghost that was harming Yao Wei really was him. The Old Taoist Priest didn¡¯t find any ghosts in the villa and guessed that it might have sensed danger and hidden itself. So he proposed leaving the villa and waiting for the ghost to show itself. But the outcome was disappointing. Even after the Old Taoist Priest left the villa, that ghost never showed up again. Chuzheng sometimes went to the villa for a look around, but it seemed she also didn¡¯t find anything. The Old Taoist Priest was going to visit Tan Minghao¡¯s hometown to look for clues. Mother Yao insisted on dragging Yao Wei along. Yao Wei was reluctant and wanted to bring Xia Han with her, but Xia Han refused. Once that group of people left, Chuzheng took Xia Han and climbed over the wall into the villa at midnight. ¡°Little Beauty¡­¡± Xia Han pushed the box he had signed for last time onto the terrace and called out softly from the edge of the terrace, ¡°Why do we need to climb over the wall in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°No keys, how else do you want to get in if not over the wall?¡± Xia Han climbed over onto the terrace, catching his breath next to it, ¡°Little Beauty, what I mean is, why do we have to come here in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°Catching ghosts,¡± Chuzheng stated as a matter of course. ¡°What else would we be doing here, stealing things?¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Xia Han glanced at the pitch-black glass door: ¡°The ghost hasn¡¯t shown itself for so many days. Uncle Master said it might have fled back to its hometown, and I indeed haven¡¯t seen any ghosts here in the villa.¡± Chuzheng opened the glass door from inside: ¡°Just because you haven¡¯t seen it, doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not here.¡± If it let you see it, you¡¯d likely be sliced up already. Who would be that stupid? Knowing someone came to catch them, and still sticking their necks out. Xia Han, shocked: ¡°It¡¯s here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Otherwise why would I bring you here, do you think I have that much spare time?! ¡°¡­¡± Xia Han carried the box inside. In the darkness, which was hard to see through, Chuzheng took his hand. Xia Han, being someone who could see ghosts but had no skills whatsoever, was inwardly scared of ghosts, despite how he might act on the surface. But now with her by his side, Xia Han felt secure and tightly clutched Chuzheng¡¯s hand. Chuzheng led him downstairs to the basement. He had seen the basement before, and there was nothing inside but some random objects. ¡°Move that away.¡± Chuzheng directed Xia Han. Xia Han looked at the pile of objects and, uncertain, looked at Chuzheng: ¡°Little Beauty, are you sure?¡± Chuzheng walked to the side, leaned against the wall with a serious nod: ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Xia Han rolled up his sleeves, mumbling softly, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for my trust in Little Beauty, I¡¯d think you were just messing with me¡­¡± The heap of objects was heavy, probably leftovers from the renovation, just left there since Yao Wei didn¡¯t use the basement and thus didn¡¯t instruct anyone to clean it out. It took Xia Han a good while to clear a small part of it. ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡± Xia Han covered his mouth and nose; the dust was choking him. Chuzheng stood by, unbothered. Xia Han resignedly continued to clear away the pile, and after an hour, Xia Han finally cleared a space. Holding a light, Xia Han shone it around and noticed something near the wall on the floor. He sped up, clearing the space completely. Xia Han stood to the side as Chuzheng floated over. ¡°Little Beauty, what is this?¡± ¡°A basement, open up.¡± ¡°We are already in the basement¡­¡± There¡¯s another basement beneath this one? ¡°Open it up.¡± Chuzheng repeated. Xia Han felt a chill in his body as he swept away the dust above, found the recess, and pulled hard. A sinister aura rushed up from below, followed by a heavy yin energy. Chuzheng held Xia Han¡¯s hand and shone the flashlight downwards. Xia Han¡¯s face changed slightly as he clutched Chuzheng¡¯s arm, ¡°Little Beauty, what are all these things?¡± Chuzheng floated down, ¡°Come down.¡± There was no ladder, and he was several meters from the ground. Xia Han looked around but didn¡¯t find anything he could use. ¡°Jump.¡± What are you dawdling for!? Xia Han clenched his teeth and jumped down directly. Chuzheng caught him, ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Xia Han hugged Chuzheng¡¯s neck, ¡°You didn¡¯t say you were going to catch me, I was afraid I¡¯d break my leg. I can¡¯t afford to let Little Beauty get hurt now, can I?¡± ¡°¡­Stand properly.¡± Xia Han knew it wasn¡¯t the time for fooling around and quickly stood up straight. This space was about ten square meters, with an altar in the middle, adorned with a photo of Yao Wei and a boy¡­ ¡°It¡¯s Tan Minghao,¡± Xia Han said. In front of the altar, two paper figures kneeled. Both paper figures were dressed in red clothing similar to wedding attire, and judging from their hairstyles, these two figures should be Tan Minghao and Yao Wei. ¡°Little Beauty, don¡¯t you think this is a bit creepy?¡± ¡°Scared?¡± Xia Han shook his head, ¡°What am I afraid of?¡± ¡°Hmm, a man must not be afraid.¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng walked toward the altar, and Xia Han, feeling the eerie environment, quickly followed her. ¡°Little Beauty, these two paper figures are Sister Yao and Tan Minghao, right?¡± ¡°Not hard to recognize.¡± ¡°But what is this all about?¡± Chuzheng looked at the items on the altar, pondered for a moment, ¡°Probably conducting a ghost marriage.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Xia Han looked at the altar and then back at the two paper figures, ¡°Can you¡­ marry a ghost¡­?¡± Xia Han subconsciously glanced at Chuzheng. Rustle rustle¡ª The paper Tan Minghao was kicked to the ground by Chuzheng. Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± No! Why did you kick him?! Without clearing anything up, is it okay to just kick around? Not only did Chuzheng kick, but she also stomped on it twice, breaking Tan Minghao¡¯s paper arm. Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± So fierce. Chuzheng, like a bandit entering a village, radiated an intimidating aura, ¡°Are you coming out on your own, or shall I invite you out?¡± The temperature in the basement plummeted to freezing in an instant. The flashlight in Xia Han¡¯s hand fizzled out twice and went dim. Xia Han shook the flashlight, but it wouldn¡¯t light up. ¡°Little Beauty¡­¡± Chuzheng extended her hand and pulled him into her embrace; Xia Han was drawn back some distance with her. The icy air, like thick ice water flowing, was very uncomfortable. Chuzheng took the flashlight, pressed it, and the light flashed on with a flick. Chuzheng aimed the flashlight forward, where a boy stood beside the altar. His face was pale, and with a lifeless gaze, he stared at Chuzheng. Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Dispel the Evil Spirit (26) Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Dispel the Evil Spirit (26) The male student was shrouded in yin energy, with a plain face, the kind that could be tossed into a crowd and never be found. This was Tan Minghao from the photo. He bent over to pick up the paper effigy that was knocked over. Chuzheng raised her hand, and the paper effigy fell over again. The male ghost glared at Chuzheng with resentment, but he didn¡¯t do anything rash, just picked up the paper effigy once more. He would pick it up, and Chuzheng would knock it down again. Xia Han was clinging to Chuzheng¡¯s icy body, watching them behave like children. You knock it down. I pick it up. You knock it down. I pick it up again. Xia Han: ¡°???¡± What are we here to do? Aren¡¯t we here to catch ghosts? Are you playing with the ghost? What if you provoke him? Finally, the male ghost got angry. A whirlwind sprang up from nowhere in the cramped space, and yin energy swirled upwards as the paper-made figure flapped noisily in the wind. Tan Minghao¡¯s face turned fierce, and blood flowed from his orifices as he screamed shrilly, ¡°Why are you here to ruin me and Weiwei! Why are you disturbing us!!¡± ¡°Yao Wei paid us to come,¡± Chuzheng answered very honestly. ¡°I like her so much, I want to be with her forever, why are you trying to ruin us!!¡± Tan Minghao roared hysterically, as if he couldn¡¯t hear what Chuzheng was saying. ¡°Wait for me a second.¡± Chuzheng told Xia Han to wait and walked towards Tan Minghao. Tan Minghao seemed a bit scared of Chuzheng, and subconsciously stepped back, ¡°You also want to break up me and Yao Wei?! You¡¯re a ghost too, why are you helping them?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°Don¡¯t want to, just doing a job for the money.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t come closer.¡± Chuzheng floated forward a bit and stood right in front of Tan Minghao, her face serious: ¡°Came closer.¡± What are you going to do to me? Tan Minghao: ¡°¡­¡± The girl in front of him was different from other ghosts he had seen. She was very beautiful, giving off a very aloof feeling, as if a single glance from her could kill you on the spot. But now she was here to ruin his life. A wave of unprecedented anger rose in Tan Minghao¡¯s heart. ¡°You won¡¯t separate me and Weiwei!¡± ¨C Three minutes later. Tan Minghao lay on the ground, his ghostly form extremely unstable, matching well with his paper effigy. A family should be complete and together. ¡°Now tell your story.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Tan Minghao was the only student from their village who got admitted to a university. His family went broke to pay for his tuition. On the first day of school, he was attracted to Yao Wei, who was dazzling and goddess-like. Learning that he shared the same major as Yao Wei, he was elated for a long time, but soon he began to feel inferior. Because someone like Yao Wei was always picked up by luxury cars, and carried handbags worth tens of thousands. Someone like that was out of his league. Tan Minghao didn¡¯t even have the courage to speak to Yao Wei. Watching her go through relationships, breakups, new relationships, breakups¡­ Her boyfriends were all outstanding. Tan Minghao dared not express his own affection and just silently watched over Yao Wei. Unexpectedly, on the eve of graduation, he received a call from home saying his father had fallen while working. He took an unlicensed taxi in his hurry to return home. A car accident happened on the way, the driver was unharmed but fled in fear, and Tan Minghao¡¯s body was not found for several days. He became a ghost, watching his parents bury their son. ¡°It was you who didn¡¯t have the courage to confess to Sister Yao, you can¡¯t blame anyone else,¡± said Xia Han, puffing out his cheeks slightly. Chuzheng glanced at him but said nothing. ¡°Confess¡­ How could I confess to her?¡± Tan Minghao whined like a cat whose tail had been stepped on: ¡°How could I confess to her¡­ Why would someone like her ever look at me.¡± He had no money, no looks, and his grades weren¡¯t exceptional; he was as ordinary as one could get. Would Yao Wei like him? No¡­ His confession was just an invitation to humiliation. ¡°If you don¡¯t try, how can you know the outcome?¡± Xia Han frowned. Chuzheng grabbed Xia Han and looked toward Tan Minghao, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°¡­After I died.¡± He was the only son in his family, and his mother spent her days in tears. After the funeral, his mother went to the school. By that time, school was already on break, so none of his classmates knew he had died. Of course, no one would care about him either. His mother, while sorting through his belongings, found the diary he had written and a photo of Yao Wei. His mother might have thought that he had liked Yao Wei, so she went out of her way to find out about Yao Wei. They were very superstitious in their area. Not knowing where, his mother acquired Yao Wei¡¯s birth information and hired a Taoist. She used up all her savings and the money from the driver¡¯s compensation to have the Taoist set up this place while Yao Wei¡¯s villa was being renovated. The Taoist performed rituals to wed him and Yao Wei in a ghost marriage. Xia Han: ¡°Sister Yao doesn¡¯t even know you. Without Sister Yao¡¯s consent, doing this kind of thing means you don¡¯t even deserve to like her.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°The timing is wrong.¡± Chuzheng and Xia Han were focused on different points. Tan Minghao chose to answer Chuzheng¡¯s question: ¡°After the villa was renovated, Yao Wei didn¡¯t move in for a long time. It wasn¡¯t until half a year ago that she started living here.¡± Yao Wei moved in, and the ghost marriage officially took effect. For a ghost marriage, the woman¡¯s consent isn¡¯t necessarily needed. As long as the woman¡¯s birth details are available, the Taoist, using Outer Sect sorcery, can bond two people in a ghost marriage without a problem. However, the customs differ from place to place, and so do the methods. Tan Minghao himself didn¡¯t understand it very well. ¡°It should be right here!¡± Suddenly, a cluttered sound of footsteps came from above, followed by the voice of the Old Taoist Priest. Chuzheng looked up. Seizing the moment, Tan Minghao darted out of the narrow exit in a flash. People outside cried out in alarm, followed by screams and the sounds of clashing magic. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Impressive. Battered by her own beating, he could still run and jump. Quite remarkable indeed. Chuzheng sent Xia Han up. Having been beaten up by Chuzheng just moments before, Tan Minghao was already significantly weakened. With the Old Taoist Priest¡¯s power, he could easily catch him. But just as the Old Taoist Priest caught him, Tan Minghao burst forth with an unpleasant surge of Yin energy from his body. The thick Yin energy dispersed. An ominous energy shot straight to the head. The light dimmed, darkness so deep that one couldn¡¯t see their own hands. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Be careful!¡± The Old Taoist Priest shouted sternly. It was clear that Tan Minghao had run away. ¡°What are you waiting for, smash it.¡± Chuzheng patted Xia Han¡¯s shoulder, signaling him to use the stuff from the box. ¡°Little Beauty, I can¡¯t see anything, how should I smash?¡± ¡°Randomly.¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± How is one supposed to smash randomly? Xia Han took a deep breath and began smashing things around him. The Yin energy slowly receded, centered around Xia Han. Mother Yao, holding a pale-faced Yao Wei, rushed toward Xia Han. Piercing screams rose intermittently in the air. The Old Taoist Priest, dragging his disciple, followed the light out of the Yin energy. He saw Xia Han at a glance, tossing various Talisman Papers and Magic Artifacts into the air as if throwing out trash. This sort of indiscriminate scattering, similar to a celestial maiden scattering blossoms, left the Old Taoist Priest stunned in place. Even Taokong Mountain couldn¡¯t produce so many items all at once. Where did he get these from? There had been talk about it before, but since they hadn¡¯t witnessed it firsthand, the picture they imagined was just Xia Han with a few items¡­ Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Dispel the Evil Spirit (27) Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Dispel the Evil Spirit (27) Tan Minghao was surrounded by fallen magic artifacts, only able to roar and spin in place. At this moment, Tan Minghao¡¯s figure was flickering in and out of view, and Yao Wei could see it, her expression somewhat dull, not knowing whether she was frightened or not. Suddenly, Tan Minghao charged toward Yao Wei. Xia Han threw out three talismans in a row, intercepting Tan Minghao. ¡°Weiwei¡­ Weiwei!¡± Tan Minghao was calling out Yao Wei¡¯s name. Mother Yao and Yao Wei both retreated backwards, terrified. ¡°Weiwei!¡± Tan Minghao¡¯s emotions were intense, ¡°You like him, don¡¯t you?¡± Yao Wei shook her head. She didn¡¯t even remember him, how could she like him? ¡°Weiwei, look at me, look at me!!¡± Mother Yao held Yao Wei, not letting her look at Tan Minghao. Occasionally, Tan Minghao would be burned by the talisman paper, screaming in agony, but he stubbornly moved toward Yao Wei. ¡°I like you so much, why won¡¯t you take a look at me?¡± Tan Minghao¡¯s figure became increasingly unsteady, ¡°Do you like those men that much? They don¡¯t really love you, they don¡¯t! Only I, only I truly love you, Weiwei, look at me¡­¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Weiwei¡­¡± Tan Minghao couldn¡¯t hold on any longer, collapsing to the ground, his figure dissipating as he struggled to reach out to Yao Wei. Xia Han was a bit hesitant, not knowing whether to continue or not. Chuzheng called a halt, and she floated toward Tan Minghao. Tan Minghao¡¯s screams came to an abrupt stop. The Old Taoist Priest appeared to sense something, his gaze intently fixed in Chuzheng¡¯s direction. But he saw nothing, only Tan Minghao shrinking back in terror. His mouth gaped open, hands frantically scratching at his neck as if someone were choking him. Tan Minghao¡¯s lips moved, but he said something they couldn¡¯t quite make out. Then they saw Tan Minghao slipping backward in terror; Xia Han threw out a talisman, blocking his path. ¡°I told you already, why won¡¯t you let me go, I don¡¯t want to die, I want to be with Weiwei, she is mine, she can only be mine!!¡± Tan Minghao shouted. Chuzheng stood emotionlessly in place, ¡°Accepting money to ward off disaster for someone.¡± Chuzheng paused, then said, ¡°Yao Wei doesn¡¯t want to be with you.¡± Tan Minghao¡¯s form suddenly froze. ¡°No¡ª¡± he yelled out loudly, ¡°Weiwei does like me! She likes me, it¡¯s all of you, ruining Weiwei and me!¡± ¡°Your delusion is a bit severe.¡± Chuzheng floated back to Xia Han¡¯s side. ¡°Smash.¡± Xia Han¡¯s lips parted slightly, and after a moment, he picked up something and continued smashing. Tan Minghao¡¯s face twisted as he cursed. In the end, he was obliterated by a magic artifact. The space suddenly quieted down. The sinister air around them slowly faded away. ¡°Is he¡­ dead?¡± Mother Yao asked Xia Han tremblingly. Xia Han nodded. Mother Yao held Yao Wei and wept bitterly. This was all such a nightmare, an uninvited disaster. ¨C Everyone left the basement, and now the only problem left was the ghost child in Yao Wei¡¯s stomach. Since Xia Han had dealt with Tan Minghao, Mother Yao turned her gaze toward the beautiful boy she had not looked favorably upon at first. However, the boy said he didn¡¯t know how to deal with the ghost child. In the end, they had to rely on the Old Taoist Priest. After aborting the ghost child, Mother Yao prepared money for both Xia Han and the Old Taoist Priest. Yao Wei gave Xia Han an additional sum of money separately. Xia Han stood up to leave, without saying another word to the Old Taoist Priest. The Old Taoist Priest watched Xia Han¡¯s departing figure, a trace of puzzlement in his eyes. Who was Xia Han? After so many years on Taokong Mountain, his parents had never shown up again. They knew exactly how much money he had on him. Where did he get all those magic artifacts and talisman papers from? Who gave them to him? ¡°Master, look at these magic artifacts,¡± the young man said, holding the artifacts he¡¯d picked up from the basement. ¡°They¡¯re all from Gold Pointing Pavilion.¡± After Xia Han was done with them, he just threw them there¡­ The Old Taoist Priest took a look. After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°Go ask about the situation at Gold Pointing Pavilion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Old Taoist Priest had some prestige and connections at Gold Pointing Pavilion, but due to their customer confidentiality rules, they only told him someone had bought them and then gifted them to Xia Han. As for who it was, they dared not say. Actually, they didn¡¯t even know who it was, because besides the delivery address and phone number, everything else could be filled in randomly. ¡°Go check what Xia Han has been doing after coming down from the mountain, who he has met, and who he has been in contact with,¡± the Old Taoist Priest ordered in a deep voice. ¡°All right, Master.¡± ¨C Xia Han returned to the villa, and Chuzheng asked him to go back to his room. Xia Han immediately hugged Chuzheng, ¡°Little Beauty, don¡¯t lock me up, I get so bored alone in the room.¡± He didn¡¯t want to be confined! Why did his Little Beauty have such a terrifying hobby? ¡°I didn¡¯t take your phone.¡± Xia Han was shocked; you even want to take my phone?! ¡°Little Beauty, I won¡¯t run around. Wherever you are, I¡¯ll be there,¡± Xia Han assured. ¡°Please don¡¯t lock me up again.¡± Chuzheng thought for a moment but did not agree, pulling him upstairs. It was safer to lock him up. Xia Han became anxious and pinned Chuzheng against the wall in the corridor to kiss her. Three minutes later, Chuzheng wrapped the shivering Xia Han in a velvet blanket, ¡°Without my permission, you¡¯re not allowed to step out of the front door.¡± Xia Han nodded repeatedly; not going out was better than being in a single room. ¡°Feeling any better?¡± Chuzheng touched his head. ¡°¡­¡± If you take your hand off my hair, I¡¯ll feel much better. Reluctantly, Xia Han nodded, and Chuzheng made him lie down before going out to prepare some food for him. The calories from the food helped Xia Han recover a bit faster. ¡°Little Beauty, do you think¡­¡± Xia Han chewed on his spoon, hesitantly asking, ¡°If Tan Minghao had confessed to Yao Wei back then, would she have liked him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The event that never happened held infinite possibilities; who knew what the outcome would be. ¡°If Yao Wei had liked him, his actions would be understandable, but since Yao Wei doesn¡¯t like him, isn¡¯t he going a bit too far?¡± Xia Han poked at the food in his bowl, looking somewhat downcast. Chuzheng glanced up at him, ¡°Eat your meal properly.¡± ¡°¡­ Okay.¡± After eating, Xia Han sat on the bed, lost in thought, not knowing what was on his mind. Chuzheng cleaned up and left; the door was left open and not closed. Xia Han snapped out of it and cautiously stepped out of his room, looking around. The Evil Ghost was squatting right outside the door. ¡°Where are you going?¡± the Evil Ghost asked him. ¡°Downstairs.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t run off, she¡¯ll kill me,¡± the Evil Ghost alerted cautiously. Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Why does she think I¡¯m going to run away? Xia Han went downstairs, and Chuzheng was sitting on the living room couch. He tiptoed, carefully approaching her, and hugged her from behind. ¡°Little Beauty.¡± Chuzheng touched the back of his hand, ¡°Go to sleep.¡± ¡°Sleep with me,¡± Xia Han whispered into Chuzheng¡¯s ear. ¡°Otherwise, what if I run away?¡± Chuzheng felt his argument made sense, ¡°Hmm.¡± Xia Han: ¡°???¡± Xia Han was a bit slow to react, but Chuzheng had already pulled him upstairs. When they returned to the room, Xia Han finally realized, ¡°Little Beauty¡­ why don¡¯t I feel as cold as before?¡± Chuzheng asked with an expressionless face, ¡°Is that bad?¡± Chapter 130 - Chapter 130: Chapter 130: Dispel the Evil Spirit (28) Chapter 130: Chapter 130: Dispel the Evil Spirit (28) Interacting with Chuzheng didn¡¯t feel as cold as before, and Xia Han, of course, felt better, pinning Chuzheng down on the bed and showering her with kisses. Although it wasn¡¯t as cold, it still wasn¡¯t the same as a normal person¡¯s body temperature. ¡°Stop fooling around,¡± Chuzheng pulled away from him. Xia Han embraced her, ¡°Little Beauty, did you get something from Tan Minghao?¡± She had disappeared for a while when she left last. Plus, Tan Minghao had impregnated Yao Wei with a spirit child but Yao Wei didn¡¯t notice, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess when putting two and two together. Chuzheng didn¡¯t deny it, just hummed indifferently. Xia Han¡¯s eyes brightened slightly as he leaned in closer, ¡°So, does that mean we can¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t catch the last few words he said. Xia Han moved closer to Chuzheng¡¯s ear. Chuzheng tilted her head, ¡°You like it?¡± Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Whether he liked it or not, how could Xia Han articulate that? It was just a natural reaction¡­ Chuzheng was a bit worried, she didn¡¯t really know how! Chuzheng kept a cold face and remained silent for a while, feeling that such a useless act was a waste of time, but she still said, ¡°Next time.¡± She might as well search on the internet¡­ that should be sufficient. Xia Han didn¡¯t have much hope in the first place, but Chuzheng didn¡¯t oppose and even gave a promise, which thrilled Xia Han enormously. They played around for quite a while before going to sleep. After making sure Xia Han was covered with the blanket, Chuzheng floated over to stand by the window. The light from her cellphone reflected on the glass, flickering on and off. ¨C Xia Han noticed that ever since that day, Chuzheng had been looking at her phone frequently, but every time he approached, she would turn it off. Yao Wei came over twice, and even introduced a business deal to Xia Han. Chuzheng bought a bunch of props for Xia Han, telling him to just go and smash things up as needed. Xia Han was somewhat shocked, but having experienced it twice already, he quickly calmed down. With Yao Wei¡¯s purposeful introductions and Chuzheng¡¯s unconditional supply of squandering props, Xia Han¡¯s reputation grew rapidly. He didn¡¯t need Yao Wei¡¯s introduction anymore; people started seeking him out on their own. However, aside from catching ghosts ¡ª no, smashing ghosts ¡ª he wasn¡¯t good at anything else, and the scope of his business was limited, so he wasn¡¯t too busy. Chuzheng received a message from the Taoist that Murong Yi and Tang Yiyue had moved. The house, which he had found with great difficulty, had not made the news, but it had extremely bad feng shui and was frequently visited by minor spirits ¡ª a perfect place. Murong Yi had been having a rough time lately, and the Taoist had helped him a lot. As a result, he now had an immense trust in the Taoist. Murong Yi and Tang Yiyue had not seen Chuzheng recently and believed it was all thanks to the Taoist¡¯s efforts. When they first moved into the new house, Murong Yi and Tang Yiyue felt that things were indeed improving. Murong Yi found a new job, incomparable to the previous one, but not too bad either. Both thought their days were about to get better. But then Tang Yiyue noticed Murong Yi coming home later and later. Murong Yi said it was because of the new job, which required a lot of socializing. At first, Murong Yi really was out socializing. But as time went on, Tang Yiyue noticed that not only was Murong Yi returning late, he also carried a strange fragrance on him. Latterly, Murong Yi stopped coming home altogether. Tang Yiyue confronted Murong Yi, and he insisted that he was out for work-related social events. Without evidence, Tang Yiyue¡¯s accusations that Murong Yi was up to no good outside were futile. If Murong Yi could abandon his former partner and be seduced by Tang Yiyue, it stood to reason that he could be seduced by someone else. As a woman, Tang Yiyue¡¯s intuition was very accurate. Murong Yi indeed had someone else outside. And this person was none other than a friend of Tang Yiyue. Tang Yiyue squatted for more than half a month, catching the couple in the act. She didn¡¯t confront them right away but waited for Murong Yi to leave before she showed up. ¡°Yiyue?¡± Slap¡ª Tang Yiyue landed a slap across the woman¡¯s face, ¡°Have you no shame? I considered you a friend, yet you seduced my husband!¡± The woman¡¯s mouth oozed a trace of blood from the slap. She wiped the corner of her mouth and let out a low chuckle, ¡°Tang Yiyue, if we¡¯re talking about shamelessness, I can¡¯t compare to you. Wasn¡¯t Murong Yi someone you snatched from Qiao Chuzheng? What right do you have to accuse me of being shameless?¡± Tang Yiyue¡¯s face changed dramatically. The woman sneered coldly, ¡°Everyone thinks you two got together only after Qiao Chuzheng left. Having been friends with you for so many years, how could I not know? I think Qiao Chuzheng left because she found out what you and Murong Yi were up to.¡± ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Tang Yiyue snapped fiercely. ¡°What you do not want known, do not do,¡± the woman said eerily. Tang Yiyue wanted to hit her again, but her eyes suddenly fell upon something behind the woman, and she let out a sharp scream, tumbling to the ground. The woman glanced at her inexplicably, uttered a few sarcastic words, then slammed the door with a bang. Tang Yiyue was so frightened she felt like she had lost half her soul and scrambled home in disarray. One thing after another went wrong on the way back; she either got splashed with foot-washing water or encountered someone trying to scam her. The journey of just a few minutes took Tang Yiyue more than three hours to complete. Murong Yi came back in the middle of the night. With disheveled hair and a dirty face, Tang Yiyue stood behind the door, startling Murong Yi. ¡°Yiyue, what are you doing?¡± ¡°What did you do today?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you, I had an engagement¡­¡± ¡°An engagement? You went to someone else¡¯s bed for your engagement?!¡± Tang Yiyue suddenly lost control, lunging at Murong Yi, scratching and clawing at him. ¡°Are you crazy!¡± Murong Yi pushed Tang Yiyue away. ¡°I¡¯m crazy? Yes, I¡¯m crazy!¡± Tang Yiyue threw herself at him once more, screaming and ranting like a madwoman. Murong Yi didn¡¯t want to resort to violence against Tang Yiyue, but her relentless attacks left him no choice. Murong Yi, who could cheat on the original partner with Tang Yiyue, was now cheating on Tang Yiyue with someone else. Once a cheater, always a cheater. For some time afterward, Murong Yi stopped coming home. Tang Yiyue tried to block him and make a scene every time, ending up embarrassed. Murong Yi proposed divorce, but of course, Tang Yiyue refused, adamant about not leaving him. Murong Yi moved out in response, and seeing this, Tang Yiyue began to plead with him, promising not to make trouble anymore. However, after several months of turmoil, Tang Yiyue was no longer the radiant woman she once was. Compared to Murong Yi¡¯s new love, he clearly preferred the new one. No matter how much Tang Yiyue cried, made a scene, or even threatened to hang herself, Murong Yi refused to come back. Just then, after Murong Yi had moved out, the job that had been going well started to see trouble. He was first framed for leaking company secrets. After finally clearing things up, he faced another challenge when the company¡¯s upper management brought in a replacement and he was dismissed. Drowning his sorrows in alcohol, he fell victim to a scam and was extorted for a lot of money. Afraid to go to the police, he lived in misery. Even the Taoist trembled a bit while reporting to Little Beauty. ¡°My lady, is what you¡¯re doing really okay?¡± ¡°What have I done?¡± Chuzheng countered. The Taoist: ¡°¡­¡± How can you deny it with such confidence? All these things are clearly your doing behind the scenes! ¡°You¡¯re the one who handled it,¡± Chuzheng reminded, ¡°How is it related to me?¡± The Taoist exclaimed, ¡°My lady, please don¡¯t burn bridges after crossing!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, and I won¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± she replied. The Taoist nodded hastily, ¡°I won¡¯t talk, I know nothing at all, nothing at all.¡± Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Dispel the Evil Spirit (29) Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Dispel the Evil Spirit (29) ¡°Who are you calling?¡± Xia Han wrapped his arms around Chuzheng from behind, asking curiously. Chuzheng hung up the phone, ¡°No one.¡± Xia Han puffed out his cheeks, muttering, ¡°You won¡¯t even tell me.¡± Chuzheng turned her head and pecked at his pink lips, ¡°Behave, let me go.¡± ¡°Just a little longer.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s really strange for you to be doing this on the balcony?¡± Chuzheng gestured for him to look outside the villa. Two gardeners who were cultivating plants were staring in their direction. Even though they were far away, Xia Han¡¯s posture was indeed a bit peculiar¡­ Xia Han coughed, released Chuzheng, pulled her into the house, and kissed her against the glass window. Chuzheng drew the curtains with one hand, slightly tilting her head to respond to Xia Han. It took a while for Xia Han to let her go, as he leaned on her, breathing heavily. ¡°I found this at the door just now, for you.¡± Xia Han was holding an envelope. It was marked to be received by Chuzheng. Chuzheng forcefully embraced him and opened the letter. ¡ªJuly 15th, the decisive battle at the Ghost Gate. That was all it said. Who is this? Who is going to the decisive battle? Deciding without my consent, isn¡¯t that just hooliganism? ¡°Don¡¯t just pick up anything and bring it home.¡± Chuzheng tossed the letter aside, lecturing Xia Han. ¡°But it has your name on it,¡± Xia Han said, ¡°And I didn¡¯t pick it up; I took it from the mailbox.¡± Chuzheng looked at him. Xia Han hesitated, his handsome face full of innocence, ¡°It really wasn¡¯t me who picked it up.¡± Chuzheng continued to look at him. Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Xia Han shrank his neck, ¡°Got it.¡± Chuzheng patted his head, ¡°Good boy.¡± This touch felt comfortable. ¡°Little Beauty, can you stop patting my head¡­ please?¡± Xia Han¡¯s voice was weak, ¡°Go ahead, you can pat.¡± His head was nearly patted bald. Chuzheng didn¡¯t see that the writing on the letter she threw away was slowly disappearing. ¨C Xia Han couldn¡¯t leave the villa, but others could come looking for him. Xia Han opened the door and, seeing the person outside, frowned slightly, ¡°Uncle Master¡­ Old Taoist Priest, what brings you here?¡± Before the Old Taoist Priest could speak, the young man pointed at something behind Xia Han. Behind Xia Han, an Evil Ghost was floating mid-air, looming over them from above. ¡°Master, I told you he must be using some crooked, unorthodox methods; look, he¡¯s even in cahoots with an Evil Ghost!¡± The young man accused indignantly. Evil Ghost: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯ve reformed! ¡°Xia Han.¡± The Old Taoist Priest said sternly, ¡°Is this Evil Ghost yours?¡± The young man stood inside the door, with lifelike dragon patterns on his cuffs as if they were about to soar into the clouds, accentuating his upright posture, his clear and handsome appearance had changed from the young man they remembered. ¡°Yes,¡± the young man nodded. ¡°Master, you heard him, he¡¯s actually keeping an Evil Ghost!¡± the young man became agitated. ¡°Xia Han, do you realize what you¡¯re doing?¡± The Old Taoist Priest¡¯s face darkened slightly; an Evil Ghost¡­ he could actually make an Evil Ghost obey him! ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything,¡± the young man¡¯s voice was soft. ¡°You keep an Evil Ghost, how could you not have any malintent?¡± The young man argued with his neck stiff. ¡°I have no such intent,¡± the young man shook his head, explaining, ¡°It was an accident between us, and he hasn¡¯t harmed anyone.¡± ¡°Bah, your word means nothing! How could he become an Evil Ghost if he hadn¡¯t harmed anyone?¡± Evil Ghost: ¡°¡­¡± Isn¡¯t it okay for me to have been born as an Evil Ghost?! ¡°I killed them!¡± The Evil Ghost stepped forward, speaking to Xia Han. The bully said that he must not be bullied or he would be finished. Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Old Taoist Priest: ¡°¡­¡± Young man: ¡°Master, you heard, you heard that, and he says he hasn¡¯t harmed anyone?¡± Xia Han stopped the Evil Ghost. The Old Taoist Priest didn¡¯t make a move either; his gaze shifted towards the villa, ¡°Xia Han, where is that young lady?¡± ¡°Which young lady?¡± They were actually here looking for Little Beauty! ¡°You know who I¡¯m talking about.¡± ¡°What do you want with me?¡± The voice came from behind them, and the Old Taoist Priest and the young man both turned around. Chuzheng was floating up the steps; this time the Old Taoist Priest and the young man both saw her. The Old Taoist Priest was shocked, wondering when she had appeared. ¡°Young lady, where are you coming from?¡± the Old Taoist Priest asked calmly. ¡°What business is it of yours?¡± The Old Taoist Priest was at a loss for words: ¡°You¡¯re following Xia Han, without any purpose?¡± ¡°What business is it of yours?¡± Old Taoist Priest: ¡°Xia Han is human, and you are a ghost, you following him¡­¡± Chuzheng, with a cold face: ¡°Weren¡¯t you the ones who expelled him from the sect? What does his well-being have anything to do with you?¡± Xia Han also said, ¡°Old Taoist Priest, this is my business, there¡¯s no need for you to worry.¡± ¡°Young lady, you must understand that humans and ghosts have different paths¡­¡± The Old Taoist Priest launched into a lengthy discourse, essentially meaning that Chuzheng, as a ghost, should not stay by Xia Han¡¯s side. The young man by their side agreed and egged the Old Taoist Priest on to capture Chuzheng and the Evil Ghost. So annoying! Was this really what he had come to tell him? Did he have nothing better to do? Chuzheng took out her phone and pressed a few buttons. Just as the Old Taoist Priest was getting into his lecture, two Ghost Envoys from the Underworld Office appeared before them. The Old Taoist Priest naturally recognized the Ghost Envoys from the Underworld. These Ghost Envoys were licensed and were the equivalent of civil servants in the country, not afraid of their Heavenly Masters. The Ghost Envoy glanced at the Old Taoist Priest then turned to Chuzheng, ¡°Miss Chuzheng, is there something you need?¡± ¡°These two people, disturbing the ghosts.¡± The Ghost Envoy immediately sternly admonished the Old Taoist Priest and the young man: ¡°Heavenly Masters, Miss Chuzheng is legally remaining in the human realm, please do not harass Miss Chuzheng.¡± Old Taoist Priest: ¡°¡­¡± Young man: ¡°¡­¡± What was this maneuver? She had actually gone to the Underworld Office to complain? And the usually slow Ghost Envoys, they came so quickly! ¡°No, there is an Evil Ghost here!¡± the young man pointed behind Xia Han. But there was nothing behind Xia Han at this moment; where was the Evil Ghost? ¡°How come it¡¯s gone, it was just here?¡± the young man squeezed past Xia Han, taking a round in the living room: ¡°It was just here, it must be hiding!!¡± Chuzheng¡¯s cold voice rang out: ¡°They are still slandering me now.¡± Young man: ¡°¡­¡± Who is slandering you! ¡°Master, you saw just now, there was an Evil Ghost here, right?¡± The Old Taoist Priest nodded his head. The two Ghost Envoys exchanged a look: ¡°Miss Chuzheng, would it be convenient for us to take a look?¡± Chuzheng, hands in her pockets: ¡°Be my guest.¡± The two Ghost Envoys checked thoroughly but didn¡¯t find any Evil Ghost. Ghost Envoy: ¡°Heavenly Master, slandering a ghost that is legally staying in the human realm, according to the agreement between the Underworld and Heavenly Masters, we reserve the right to sue you for compensation.¡± Young man: ¡°¡­¡± Old Taoist Priest: ¡°¡­¡± The young man did not understand why the Ghost Envoys didn¡¯t find the Evil Ghost. He pointed at Chuzheng: ¡°That¡­ she¡¯s with a human!¡± ¡°This is legal,¡± said the Ghost Envoy. ¡°Miss Chuzheng is not an Evil Spirit. If she wishes to be with humans and does not cause harm to them, it is considered legal behavior.¡± Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: Chapter 132: Dispel the Evil Spirit (30) Chapter 132: Chapter 132: Dispel the Evil Spirit (30) Young Man: ¡°¡­¡± He glared at Chuzheng. Chuzheng looked back at him with a stern face. What are you looking at! Just filing a complaint! What¡¯s the problem! I did pay my taxes! The Ghost Envoy took out a notebook, swiftly wrote something down, tore it out, and handed it to the Young Man, ¡°This is the compensation payment. Please go to the Underworld Office to pay it as soon as possible. A late fee will be charged if it¡¯s overdue.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Damn it! Is the Underworld Office always this upscale and classy? ¡°Do the two Heavenly Masters have any other business?¡± The Young Man holding the notice, looked at Chuzheng and the Ghost Envoy in confusion. Something¡¯s not right here!! He sought help from the Old Taoist Priest, ¡°Master¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The Old Taoist Priest gave Xia Han a deep look and led the unwilling Young Man away. ¡°After the compensation payment is processed, we will transfer it to Miss Chuzheng¡¯s account,¡± the Ghost Envoy said in conclusion. ¡°However, a certain service fee will be deducted. You have no objections, Miss Chuzheng, do you?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± No wonder the whole ghost realm is so broke; it¡¯s not without reason. With a bureaucratic office that¡¯s like a vampire, how could it not be poor? When the Ghost Envoy left, he glanced at Xia Han, reminding him, ¡°Miss Chuzheng, although there is no problem with you staying with humans, please make sure to keep your distance. If someone gets into an accident because of you, we will also hold you accountable.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Excellent, I wish you a pleasant life.¡± The Ghost Envoy left with a pat on the back and a friendly demeanor. Xia Han slapped his face, first glanced around the living room, then at Chuzheng¡ªwas everything resolved just like that? ¡°Little Beauty, how did you manage to summon a Ghost Envoy?¡± Xia Han asked her. These Ghost Envoys are so arrogant; even when dealing with high-ranking Heavenly Masters, they keep to themselves and show no respect. Just look at the Old Taoist Priest who got fined just now to understand. Chuzheng thought for a moment: ¡°¡­rich?¡± Money talks, even with ghosts. Of course, she believed that a good punch could do the trick too. Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± What kind of ¡®rich¡¯ are you talking about, human or Underworld? ¨C Perhaps realizing that Chuzheng had a ¡®murky¡¯ relationship with the Underworld Office, the Old Taoist Priest and Taokong Mountain never bothered Xia Han again. However, the Young Man wasn¡¯t quite ready to give up and popped up now and then to cause trouble. Chuzheng taught him a lesson once, which kept him off the mountain for a year and a half, and finally things quieted down. Should have done this earlier! Saves a lot of trouble. ¨C July 15th. Chuzheng had long forgotten that she had ever received a letter. Seeing the official Ghost Envoy standing at her door, Chuzheng was a bit baffled: ¡°I¡¯ve paid my taxes.¡± The Ghost Envoy said, ¡°Miss Chuzheng, you have made a contract to fight a duel with the Ghost King. The duel is set to take place in one hour. We are here to escort you. If you miss the time, you will be deemed to have automatically forfeited and will be penalized.¡± Because Miss Chuzheng is a major client of the Underworld, they made a special trip to invite her. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± When! Did I ever! Make a duel contract! Which damn thing did this!! What even is the Ghost King!! Why would I make a duel contract with him! Are they crazy! I won¡¯t go! Chuzheng with a serious face: ¡°Can I pay to not go?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible¡­¡± said the Ghost Envoy, ¡°but we still suggest that Miss Chuzheng make the trip.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Even the vampire doesn¡¯t want money! ¡°Because if the Ghost King Changsheng doesn¡¯t see you, he will definitely come to find you. He is one to¡­ hold grudges.¡± Meaning, if you don¡¯t go today, you won¡¯t be left in peace afterwards. Chuzheng remembered where she had offended the Ghost King. She had killed a ghost named Jiaojiao. But so much time had passed¡ªwasn¡¯t this Ghost King a bit¡­ slow in seeking revenge? During this time, he had sent someone to invite her just once, and after that, there was no further news. Did he really want to take revenge? Chuzheng decided to go and see this grudge-holding Ghost King. ¡°Little Beauty?¡± Xia Han leaned over the second-floor balcony, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Just out for a bit.¡± Chuzheng closed the door. Xia Han¡¯s eyes widened slightly, ¡°You¡¯re not taking me with you?¡± ¡°Not taking you.¡± What¡¯s the point in bringing you to a fight? To be an Oil Bottle? Chuzheng refused to take Xia Han with her, and Xia Han was utterly dejected. He flipped over the railing and leaped down. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Why must the Good Person Card be so foolish!! Haven¡¯t I been good enough to you?! Chuzheng moved swiftly to catch him, saying with a cold face, ¡°This place is too low, you can¡¯t kill yourself by falling.¡± Xia Han wrapped his arms around her, ¡°Who said I was jumping off the building? I knew you would catch me.¡± The last sentence was said with great confidence. Chuzheng was at a loss for words for a moment. Maybe it¡¯s better to lock him back in. So annoying. In front of a dumbfounded Ghost Envoy, Chuzheng carried Xia Han back inside. Ghost Envoy: ¡°¡­¡± Something seemed off. Chuzheng carried the person back to the bedroom, placed him on the sofa, and locked the windows. Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Xia Han tugged at her, ¡°I want to go with you.¡± Chuzheng brushed off his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t make trouble for me, I don¡¯t want to be distracted taking care of you.¡± She was being summoned to a fight, not going out to dinner. To take or not to take! ¡°You¡¯re going to accept the summon?¡± Xia Han recalled the letter from last time, ¡°Can¡¯t you just not go? Could you be in danger?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t refuse.¡± Chuzheng rubbed his soft fur, ¡°If we don¡¯t settle it this time, the same issue will pop up again, annoying.¡± Xia Han didn¡¯t insist on going anymore, as he knew his own limitations. ¡°Then be careful, I¡¯ll wait for you to return,¡± Xia Han looked up, his handsome face filled with seriousness. The hand Chuzheng was using to rub his head paused momentarily, then slipped down beside her ear. She leaned down to kiss him on the lips, her tongue prying open his lips and teeth. After a while, Chuzheng released him, ¡°All right.¡± Chuzheng left the house. Xia Han went to give the door a pull. It didn¡¯t budge. Xia Han: ¡°¡­¡± Quite normal. ¨C On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, the Ghost Gate opens. Following the Ghost Envoy, Chuzheng arrived at the Ghost Gate, where the inside and outside were overflowing with shades. All these ghosts, not hurrying to wander the human world and let loose, were instead crowded around the open space in front of the Ghost Gate, constantly buzzing with chatter. A platform had been erected in the open space, guarded by spirits to keep the ghosts from getting too close, making it seem like a performance. Sitting on the platform was a male ghost with one leg crossed over the other, a bunny-girl-dressed female ghost massaging his shoulders and beating his legs, appearing quite carefree. This ghost was Ghost King Changsheng. There certainly isn¡¯t just one Ghost King in the human world, but Ghost Kings have their territories, and you won¡¯t find two in the same area. These Ghost Kings can effectively manage many ghosts, saving the Underworld some work. Thus, the relationship between the Ghost Kings and the Underworld is somewhat delicate¡ªit can be understood as affluent. Changsheng was the Ghost King of this area. Hobbies: Young and beautiful female ghosts. Specialty: Holding grudges. Changsheng shook his leg very evenly, his gaze sweeping over Chuzheng, ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, I thought you wouldn¡¯t dare come.¡± Under the watchful eyes of the ghosts, Chuzheng walked up the steps onto the platform. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dare?¡± Chuzheng stood firm on the platform. Changsheng pushed the female ghost off him and slapped the armrest, ¡°You¡¯ve got guts, girl, daring to kill my Jiaojiao!¡± Since killing Jiaojiao was done in the presence of many ghosts, it was hard to refute, so Chuzheng asked calmly, ¡°Do you Ghost Kings like wearing green hats?¡± Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Dispel the Evil Spirit (31) Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Dispel the Evil Spirit (31) Green hat? Changsheng was initially stunned before bursting into rage. The chair beneath him shattered into pieces, frightening the female ghost nearby into screaming. Jiaojiao is not the point. The point is she killed his ghost! This is a provocation! Changsheng, ¡°Little girl, seeing as you¡¯re just a new ghost, do you have any idea what happens to those who offend me?¡± Chuzheng shook her head honestly, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The last person who said that to me is now under grass three meters tall! Changsheng clapped like an idiot, ¡°Good! Good! Today I¡¯ll let you learn the rules around here!¡± Any ghost that challenges his status, no matter how pretty, must be killed! ¡°¡­¡± Why does everyone like to teach me the rules? I don¡¯t want to learn any rules! My rule is that there are no rules! Changsheng sneered, ¡°You¡¯ve already signed the duel contract, your life or death is on your own head.¡± Today, either Chuzheng dies on the stage or Changsheng dies on the stage; in a duel contract, only one can live. ¡°¡­¡± To hell with your duel contract, it wasn¡¯t even with my consent, this is abduction! I refuse! I¡¯m going to kill this dog thing that dares to plan behind my back! ¡°Long live the Ghost King! Long live the Ghost King!¡± ¡°The Ghost King must win!¡± ¡°The Ghost King must win!¡± The crowd of ghosts below was incredibly excited, feeling no pity for Chuzheng, such a frail female ghost. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s too pitiful, there isn¡¯t even one person cheering for me. Chuzheng walked to the edge of the stage. ¡°What are you doing!¡± Changsheng thought Chuzheng was trying to escape and scolded, ¡°Retreat at this point? It¡¯s too late, the contract is in effect, you have no way out and must fight me.¡± Chuzheng glanced at him, ignoring him, crouched at the edge, and summoned the two Ghost Envoys from before. Chuzheng whispered something to them, and after thinking it over, the Ghost Envoys nodded in agreement. Chuzheng patted her clothes, stood up, and walked back to the center, ¡°Wait five minutes.¡± Changsheng: ¡°????¡± ¡°I¡¯m calling you to¡­¡± Chuzheng looked at Changsheng, her tone cold, showing no emotion, ¡°To respect your opponent is to respect yourself.¡± ¡°How am I not respecting you, what are you waiting for? I¡¯m telling you¡­¡± Chuzheng¡¯s eyes were full of coldness, ¡°If I tell you to wait, then wait, what¡¯s the fuss?¡± Changsheng: ¡°????¡± I am the Ghost King! You actually dare to shout at me!! Changsheng wanted to snap back fiercely, but as the Ghost King, he couldn¡¯t afford to be without dignity. And since she was a female ghost, waiting five minutes was just that, he didn¡¯t believe she could turn the tables in five minutes. ¡°What are we waiting five minutes for?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Are we still fighting or not? I¡¯m in a hurry to go see my grandson.¡± ¡°What does the Ghost King want to fight her for? Such a delicate female ghost, has the Ghost King not taken a fancy to her?¡± ¡°She must have offended the Ghost King, otherwise why would the Ghost King be willing to fight her?¡± ¡°I really want to see them fight, what are we waiting for?¡± The crowd of ghosts below started to clamor. Chuzheng stood as steady as Mount Tai, not even her clothing fluttered, exuding the aura of a true master. Just as everyone was confused, a uniform chant suddenly erupted from afar. ¡°Chuzheng Chuzheng, omnipotent!¡± ¡°Chuzheng Chuzheng, victorious in every battle!¡± ¡°Chuzheng Chuzheng, revered by all!¡± The bewildered crowd looked toward the source of the sound, where the two Ghost Envoys were vigorously waving their hands and directing, chanting slogans with great vigor. The ghosts: ¡°¡­¡± Ghost Envoys! Do you even remember what you¡¯re supposed to be doing?! Changsheng: ¡°¡­¡± Are they sick?! ¡°The Ghost King must win!¡± ¡°Chuzheng Chuzheng, victorious in every battle!¡± ¡°The Ghost King must win! The Ghost King must win!¡± ¡°Chuzheng Chuzheng, revered by all!¡± The ¡®fans¡¯ of both sides chanted with all their might, driving the atmosphere to its peak. Changsheng, clenching his wrist, called out, ¡°Can we start now?¡± Chuzheng nodded. Changsheng¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°Little girl, I always show mercy to female ghosts, today I¡¯ll let you have three moves, so no one can say I bullied you.¡± Chuzheng, ¡°Really?¡± [¡­]Is this Ghost King an idiot? He¡¯s giving Miss a three-move handicap; Miss could easily take you down!! Does he think his life is too long or something? The King¡¯s Account already seemed to foresee Changsheng¡¯s sorry state. Yet Changsheng, oblivious, boasted with a slap on his chest, ¡°When have I, Changsheng, ever told a lie?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you telling a ghost story?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Changsheng wanted to say more, but suddenly, the ghost before him disappeared, and he tensed. A chill came from behind, but it was too late for Changsheng to dodge. So fast! The chill struck his body, and Changsheng was flung uncontrollably into the air, then slammed hard onto the ground. To the surrounding ghosts, it appeared he was thrown up, then fell. But only Changsheng knew he had been slammed down; something struck his abdomen, pressing him harshly to the ground. Quick and ruthless. Yet when he reached out, there was nothing there. ¡°Two more to go.¡± Chuzheng appeared before him, her expression cold as she gazed down at him. She didn¡¯t quite understand why he gave her a three-move advantage. But it saved her a lot of trouble, so Chuzheng was more than happy to accept. Morality? Fairness? What are those? Can they save her from hassle? If not, it¡¯s all nonsense! Changsheng: ¡°Pah, you just got lucky this time; you struck all of a sudden and I wasn¡¯t ready¡­¡± Before Changsheng could finish his sentence, he was once again thrown up and slammed down. This hit was even heavier than the first, and faster; he felt as if he could sense the sharpness of the wind. After being smashed to the ground, Changsheng¡¯s head spun, the world swirling before his eyes, his mind buzzing. Regretting giving Chuzheng three moves had already come too late for Changsheng. He was lifted by Chuzheng by the foot, slammed down left and right, repeatedly against the platform. It looked dreadful. The ghosts: ¡°¡­¡± This was not what they had expected! How could the Ghost King be so weak?! Was this the same Ghost King who once dominated everything around him? The scene became somewhat silent; all the ghosts were startled by the unbelievable sight unfolding before them. ¡°Chuzheng, Chuzheng, omnipotent!¡± Someone shouted, followed by a chorus of synchronized chants. ¡°Chuzheng, Chuzheng, unbeatable in battle!¡± ¡°Chuzheng, Chuzheng, you alone are honored!¡± The chants grew louder; the group that had been shouting for the Ghost King¡¯s victory was now silent. Chuzheng released the disoriented Changsheng and said as she dusted off her hands, ¡°Next time, don¡¯t just randomly give your enemy three moves. It¡¯s a losing deal.¡± Changsheng: ¡°¡­¡± If he had known earlier, he would never have said such a thing. Unfortunately, there are no ¡®if only¡¯s in this world. The final showdown contract demanded a death; Chuzheng had no choice but to finish off the Ghost King. Chuzheng stepped down from the platform, and the ghosts stepped back, their eyes showing fear. They thought they¡¯d come to see the Ghost King bully a ghost but ended up attending his own send-off¡­ This she-ghost was too fierce. ¡°According to the rules, whoever defeats the Ghost King takes his place as the new Ghost King. Congratulations, Miss Chuzheng.¡± The Ghost Envoy came over to offer congratulations. Chuzheng¡¯s eyes widened slightly. There¡¯s, there¡¯s such a rule? I don¡¯t want to be any Ghost King¡­ ¡°Long live the Ghost King!¡± The ghosts who served under Changsheng were hesitant at first. But with Changsheng gone, in order to save their own skins, these ghosts quickly abandoned the fallen Changsheng with no emotional burden and accepted the new Ghost King. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I really didn¡¯t intend to become this Ghost King. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, we need to settle the dues for the extras and our appearance fees,¡± the Ghost Envoy said, holding up a mobile POS machine, eagerly looking at the generous Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The ghosts: ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Dispel the Evil Spirit (32) Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Dispel the Evil Spirit (32) Chuzheng returned in the morning and lay down on the sofa. The Evil Ghost floated at the corner of the staircase, peering at her. After watching for a while, he floated back upstairs. ¡°She¡¯s back¡­ but I don¡¯t think she¡¯s planning to come up,¡± the Evil Ghost reported to Xia Han. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Xia Han grew a bit anxious, ¡°Is she hurt?¡± ¡°No,¡± the Evil Ghost shook his head. ¡°Open the door for me,¡± Xia Han looked at the Evil Ghost. The Evil Ghost backed away in terror, ¡°No¡­ no, I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Do it now,¡± Xia Han glared at him. Evil Ghost: ¡°¡­¡± I can¡¯t control my own hands anymore. But I don¡¯t want to be beaten to death. ¨C Chuzheng lay on the sofa, her hand resting on her forehead, eyes lightly closed. ¡°Little Beauty?¡± Her wrist was caught, and the warm touch made Chuzheng open her eyes. What she saw was the youth¡¯s delicate face, his beautiful pupils filled with a touch of worry. She lowered her hand, glanced at the staircase, then at Xia Han. ¡°How did you come out?¡± You can¡¯t be confined anymore?! Xia Han decided to ignore the question, ¡°Little Beauty, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°Nothing much.¡± What could be wrong? After being disturbed by a ghost all night, all she wanted now was some peace. ¡°Nothing happened last night, did it?¡± ¡°If something had happened, would I still be here?¡± Chuzheng freed her hand from his grip and gently pulled him into her arms, ¡°How did you come out?¡± It was clear that Chuzheng had not forgotten her first question. Xia Han replied carefully, with her face so close, ¡°I just¡­ came out like that.¡± He pursed his lips, then went ahead and kissed her. The words Chuzheng had been about to say were blocked by him. He flipped over and pressed Chuzheng onto the narrow sofa, leaving almost no space between them. The slightly cool body beneath him reminded Xia Han that this person was right beside him. Chuzheng pushed against his shoulders and, taking advantage of Xia Han¡¯s brief daze, they switched positions. Chuzheng pressed down on his wrists, shifting from passive to active. ¡°Wait¡­ wait a moment,¡± Xia Han suddenly said. Chuzheng paused and propped herself up to look at him. After a few seconds of silence, Xia Han said, ¡°Okay, now.¡± Chuzheng kissed the corner of his lips, ¡°He doesn¡¯t dare to come down.¡± She paused, ¡°Was it him who opened the door for you?¡± In this villa, only that Evil Ghost could let him out. Xia Han: ¡°???¡± Is it appropriate to ask this question now? ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°No¡­,¡± Xia Han did not betray the Evil Ghost. Chuzheng¡¯s kisses became tentative, tormenting Xia Han, his face flushed with an unnatural red, his eyes clouded with a hint of desire. Xia Han found strength from somewhere, and they switched positions again, the sofa making a slight noise. Chuzheng frowned slightly. ¡°Little Beauty, it¡¯s not nice to bully me like this,¡± Xia Han¡¯s lips curved into a smile, as if it could bewitch the soul. Chuzheng was momentarily mesmerized, followed by Xia Han¡¯s fervent touches. ¡°Little Beauty, don¡¯t move, let me do it,¡± Xia Han whispered in her ear, his ambiguous breath continually shifting around her neck. Chuzheng struggled, her body a little out of control. This is over. When a person is immersed in desire, they can¡¯t think of much else. The coolness of Chuzheng¡¯s body couldn¡¯t quench the burning heat on Xia Han¡¯s. ¡°Little Beauty¡­,¡± Xia Han kissed her, ¡°It might hurt a bit, just bear with it for a while.¡± ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Xia Han paused, his voice hoarse, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I want to be on top.¡± Xia Han kissed her neck with a coaxing tone, ¡°You¡¯ll be on top in a bit.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°??? Why later? On what grounds?!¡± Just as Chuzheng was puzzled, a burning sensation spread from a certain part of her body. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Xia Han didn¡¯t move, simply asking her softly. Chuzheng didn¡¯t make a sound, her eyes, cold beneath the surface, seemed to be veiled in a thin mist, making it hard to see clearly. ¡°Little Beauty?¡± Xia Han met her gaze, suddenly panicking, ¡°Alright, alright, you¡¯ll be on top, don¡¯t be mad.¡± Xia Han held her and flipped over. Chuzheng snapped back to reality, her gaze falling on Xia Han¡¯s face, then slowly drifting downward¡­ Xia Han hastily supported her face, his breathing slightly heavy, ¡°Baby, don¡¯t look.¡± Chuzheng paused, bracing herself on Xia Han¡¯s chest, ¡°What did you call me?¡± ¡°Little Beauty?¡± ¡°Not that.¡± ¡°¡­Baby?¡± Chuzheng frowned imperceptibly, Xia Han watched her with a hint of confusion, but it didn¡¯t take long before she lowered her head to kiss him. Xia Han¡¯s rationality dissipated in an instant. Leaving only the ultimate experience. ¨C When Xia Han came to, he was already in his room. Several images flashed through his mind, leaving the youth slightly dazed. He pursed his lips, which seemed as if they had been brushed with rouge, the covers pulled to his chest, marks on his neck like some sort of badge, proclaiming the events that had passed. The fair-skinned youth revealed a hint of a smile, akin to a alluring demon sprite. After a moment, he came to his senses and turned his head to look beside him. The clothes were neatly folded next to him, and he was alone in the room. He put on the clothes, and as he buttoned up the traditional attire, the bewitching youth instantly transformed into a refined young master. Xia Han walked to the door to leave¡ª It didn¡¯t open. As expected. He wasn¡¯t surprised at all. Xia Han calmly turned towards the window and pulled open the curtains. It was pitch black outside¡ªwas it already evening? The window could be opened, though, and he stepped out onto the balcony, looking down. She should be at home¡­ Xia Han returned to the room to find his phone, texting Chuzheng to let her know he wanted to go downstairs. The door was quickly opened, and Evil Ghost stood outside, clutching his head. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me to open the door for you again, look at me, look what she did to me?!¡± Evil Ghost complained to Xia Han. ¡°Thank you,¡± Xia Han smiled in appreciation, then quickly made his way down. Evil Ghost: ¡°??? Are you crazy!¡± Both of them are crazy! I quit! Evil Ghost left the house in a huff. ¨C Xia Han scampered down the stairs. Chuzheng was seated on the sofa reading a book, and he walked over with a smile, snatching the book from her hands. ¡°Little Beauty.¡± Chuzheng looked up at him, her hands clasped in front of her, ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Xia Han casually flipped through the book, nothing special, just a magazine. He set the book down and sat beside her, ¡°Little Beauty, from now on you belong to me. Am I now your boyfriend?¡± ¡°You belong to me,¡± Chuzheng corrected him seriously. ¡°Alright, alright, yours,¡± Xia Han¡¯s smile was brilliant, ¡°So, am I your boyfriend?¡± Chuzheng looked at him steadily, waiting for her answer. ¡°Theoretically, yes.¡± ¡°Theoretically?¡± Xia Han was completely disconcerted, ¡°And in reality?¡± ¡°In heterosexual relationships¡­¡± Chuzheng swallowed back an unsuitable word, ¡°engagement is a kind of exchange between partners, hence you are my boyfriend.¡± Xia Han was a bit baffled by Chuzheng¡¯s earnest answer. But he heard the last part very clearly. Who cares about the theory, she admitted it, and that¡¯s all that mattered. Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Chapter 135: Dispel the Evil Spirit (End) Chapter 135: Chapter 135: Dispel the Evil Spirit (End) Xia Han once again pinned Chuzheng onto the sofa and gave her a lengthy kiss, until they had their fill of fun, and Chuzheng got up to warm up some food for him. Xia Han was curious, ¡°Little Beauty, did you make this?¡± ¡°Not interested.¡± Cooking was such a hassle; she would be crazy to do it. Xia Han, ¡°Then what are you interested in?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s gaze landed on him, and Xia Han looked at her expectantly, thinking she would express interest in him. But she shook her head, ¡°Nothing.¡± Xia Han, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Xia Han pointed at himself. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you interested in me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re mine, why should I be interested in you?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not interested in me, why do you think I¡¯m yours?¡± Shouldn¡¯t it be that you first become interested before you arrive at that conclusion? ¡°You just are mine.¡± Chuzheng defended her claim fiercely. Xia Han, ¡°¡­¡± Xia Han thought that Chuzheng was like a little lion defending her territory, incredibly cute. He leaned in to kiss her, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m yours.¡± Chuzheng, disliking the closeness, pushed him away, ¡°Eat your food.¡± Xia Han chuckled softly and, despite Chuzheng¡¯s stern look, happily ate his meal. The Little Beauty was truly adorable. The more he watched, the more adorable she seemed. After Xia Han had finished eating, he didn¡¯t let Chuzheng clean up but tidied up the table himself. Once everything was put away, Xia Han looked upstairs and asked, ¡°Little Beauty, do you still plan on locking me up?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Chuzheng nodded rapidly without any hesitation. Xia Han, ¡°¡­¡± Without struggling, Xia Han only asked her, ¡°Will you sleep with me?¡± ¡°Why should I sleep with you?¡± Chuzheng retorted righteously. ¡°We¡­¡± Xia Han stuttered, ¡°just¡­ I want to sleep with you.¡± Chuzheng was silent for a few seconds, then nodded, ¡°Mhm.¡± Xia Han stepped forward quickly and picked Chuzheng up, ¡°Then let¡¯s go to sleep.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just wake up?¡± Just woke up and back to sleep, are you a pig? ¡°Little Beauty, don¡¯t you know that being with someone you like never gets old?¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not nonsense. I just want to be with you, always together, not even a second apart.¡± ¡°Should I follow you to the bathroom as well?¡± Xia Han smiled with a hint of ambiguity, ¡°Little Beauty, if you don¡¯t mind, I wouldn¡¯t refuse.¡± ¡°You have some¡­ special interests.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you my interest?¡± Xia Han placed Chuzheng on the bed, ¡°You¡¯re the special one.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Chuzheng nodded her head, naturally accepting the compliment. ¡°¡­¡± The Little Beauty¡¯s way of thinking was truly unfathomable. Xia Han freshened up and lay down beside Chuzheng, turned off the light, and took her into his arms. Chuzheng¡¯s face pressed against the clasp of his clothing, through the thin layer of fabric, she could hear the sound of his heartbeat. ¡°Where did you get this garment?¡± Chuzheng finally asked the question that had been on her mind for a long time. Why did he always wear this outfit without ever changing it? She had never seen him wash it, but the garment never seemed to get dirty, always looking fresh and clean. ¡°This?¡± Xia Han raised his hand slightly, ¡°A ghost gave it to me.¡± ¡°A ghost?¡± ¡°That was two years after I first arrived at Taokong Mountain¡­¡± Xia Han had stayed on Taokong Mountain for two years, and it was the first time he had descended from the mountain. An elder had taken them to a place because an Evil Ghost had appeared there. It was probably the first time Xia Han had encountered such a powerful Evil Ghost. He had been captured, but unexpectedly, the Evil Ghost did not harm him. Instead, it let him walk deeper into the place, and then he obtained this garment. ¡°It said that as long as I wore this garment, I would become very powerful¡­¡± Xia Han sighed, ¡°But I might have been tricked. Still, it¡¯s not bad, at least it doesn¡¯t get dirty and it grows with my height, so I don¡¯t need to change it.¡± Chuzheng ran her fingers over the patterns on Xia Han¡¯s clothes. This garment must not be a Magic Artifact, otherwise, she would have been roasted by now. But aside from this, Xia Han couldn¡¯t provide more details. There was nothing wrong with the garment. At least for now, no problems could be discerned. ¨C Chuzheng, as the newly appointed Ghost King, was no longer troubled by the ghosts nearby. Under the trend of Chuzheng emptying the Gold Pointing Pavilion, Xia Han¡¯s reputation grew, and you had to start making appointments to see him. His fellow disciples looked at him very strangely. How did an orphan who had been unwanted since childhood suddenly become so rich? He used his tools as freely as running water. ¡°Little Beauty, don¡¯t you think this is very¡­¡± Xia Han didn¡¯t know how to describe it: ¡°not very good?¡± ¡°Why is it not good?¡± Xia Han paced in place, anxious, ¡°Right now, I catch ghosts with tools, but what will I do without them in the future? If someone comes to me and I can¡¯t do it, it will disappoint them. I feel like I¡¯m deceiving them, and I don¡¯t want to do it anymore.¡± ¡°You have me.¡± Xia Han stopped in his tracks and looked towards the girl sitting beside him. ¡°I still don¡¯t want to do it,¡± he shook his head seriously, ¡°I want to be with you and live an ordinary life.¡± Chuzheng replied softly, ¡°Then let¡¯s not do it.¡± Sometimes Xia Han really didn¡¯t know what to do. Except for some occasions, she really went along with him, his word was her command. Of course, it would be even better if she didn¡¯t always think of locking herself away. Just as Xia Han decided to wash his hands of his past life, someone very unexpected came knocking at the door. ¡ªLooking for Xia Han to catch ghosts. Chuzheng threw the person out without mercy and even gave them a scare. ¡°Baby, do you know him?¡± Chuzheng minded the nickname ¡°Baby,¡± but couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on why. She just found the name a bit peculiar, yet it had a touch of familiarity¡­ ¡°He was involved in killing me.¡± Xia Han was startled, turning his head to look at her. The girl looked calmly at Murong Yi, who scrambled away, showing no excess emotion. Xia Han held onto her: ¡°I¡¯ll help you get revenge.¡± ¡°No need, it¡¯s almost settled.¡± Xia Han: ¡°?¡± Xia Han soon understood what Chuzheng meant by almost settled. Murong Yi, terrified into near insanity, went to the police to confess, admitting to the murder of the original host. Tang Yiyue couldn¡¯t escape either. Though it was manslaughter, the act of conspiring to ditch the body made the case serious. The police found the original host¡¯s body and informed her distant relatives living abroad. Out of familial concern, they hurried back to hold a funeral for her. A string of zeros suddenly appeared in Chuzheng¡¯s account. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I! Really! Don¡¯t! Need! Money! After the matter was resolved, Xia Han began to pack up, ready to take Chuzheng away from there. As for where to, he hadn¡¯t decided yet. Perhaps they¡¯d just see where they end up. He looked towards Chuzheng floating beside him, a slight smile on his lips. As long as she was by his side, that was enough. They traveled to many places, yet stayed nowhere. Xia Han said. He wanted their footprints to cover mountains and lakes, to let the world witness their love. Chuzheng only gave the word ¡°boring¡± to describe it. Xia Han dared not let Chuzheng feel the slightest inconvenience, for she would start thinking about locking herself up again. This was absolutely not okay. Later, Xia Han discovered something about the Ghost Pact. So every day, Chuzheng considered how to break his legs. Xia Han once again saved his own legs, picked up Chuzheng, and said: ¡°Next stop.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Baby, you are the best.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The car started, speeding off into the distance. ¡°Wait for me, guys!!¡± The Evil Ghost chased after the car, floating on the outside. Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: Chapter 136: The Last Day Tycoon (1) Chapter 136: Chapter 136: The Last Day Tycoon (1) Bang bang bang¡ª Screams and the sound of gunfire intertwined. Chuzheng lay on the cold ground, staring blankly at the peeling ceiling above her. Where was she? Ratatat¡ª Bang bang¡ª The gunshots and explosions were incessant and incredibly grating. So noisy! Incredibly noisy! Chuzheng grabbed something beside her and hurled it away, the slight noise engulfed by the roar of gunfire. Chuzheng was getting frantic, the noise was endless, driving her insane! What on earth was going on outside! Was there a rebellion?! Chuzheng got up, her gaze sweeping around, to find herself in a room. When Chuzheng stood up, she felt a bit weak and had to support herself with something beside her to stay upright. The room was small. There wasn¡¯t much in it, just disarray and dust. She walked to the window and looked outside. In the distance, flames and smoke billowed, and the gunfire was relentless. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Is there really a war going on? It¡¯s¡­ kind of scary. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Following the scream, Chuzheng looked down to see a dense crowd chasing someone. That person got tackled, followed by even more horrific screams. ¡°Help¡­ Help me¡­ Help¡­ Ah¡­¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng emotionlessly pulled the curtains shut. Gosh! That scared the life out of me! She exhaled and then opened them again. The dense crowd below had completely engulfed the person who had been screaming in agony, appearing to be¡­ eating? Eating!!! Chuzheng coldly closed the curtains again. She turned to check the door, making sure it was locked, then she dragged something over to barricade it. ¨C The original host had grown up in an orphanage and, through hard work, had been admitted to college, thinking she could finally study seriously, contribute to society, and become a socialist successor capable of paying taxes to the nation. But she never expected¡ªthe apocalypse would come. When the end of the world arrived, she was alone in her dormitory. Luckily the original host had not turned into a zombie. She stayed in the dorm for three days. Plenty of people were still in the nearby dorms, and she watched as they ran out, only to eventually join the ranks of the zombies. With limited food in the dorm, even if they didn¡¯t become zombie fodder, they would eventually starve to death. Therefore, these people formed a squad, planning to leave the school. The original host was also part of this squad. They successfully left the school and just happened to encounter an army searching for survivors. So, they followed the military to relocate. In the team, she met Ning You, with whom she had grown up in the orphanage. Of course, having grown up together in an orphanage, the original host felt much closer to her. Ning You apparently considered the original host a close friend and even risked her own life to save her. Then, special abilities began to emerge, and those with special powers became highly esteemed within the group. Ning You awakened a special ability. The original host had no special ability, but fortunately, her survival ability was commendable, and with Ning You¡¯s protection, the original host managed to keep from ¡°logging off.¡± What the original host did not expect, though, was that Ning You¡¯s kindness was all for the jade pendant she had always worn. The jade pendant did not hold a miraculous space as in fiction. Rather, it was because the jade pendant represented who the original host was. Just two days before the apocalypse, a group of unusually dressed people came to the orphanage in search of the person wearing this jade pendant. That day happened to be the weekend, and Ning You returned to the orphanage to take care of some business and stumbled upon this event. She immediately grabbed the director and spun a lie, convincing the director to deceive them. At the time, even Ning You didn¡¯t know what she was thinking, but a bold idea suddenly sprang to mind. She had planned to wait for the group to leave before looking for the original host. Then, the apocalypse struck. The group that had come looking for the original host looked anything but ordinary and what¡¯s more, Ning You knew they were in the squad. Before the apocalypse, Ning You¡¯s desire to replace her was merely an impulse, since it was nearly impossible to fake a paternity test before the end of the world. At that time, she felt she was indulging in wild fantasies. But who knew the apocalypse would come. Ning You just needed to think of a way to prepare for the questioning of those people, and she could bluff her way through. So, Ning You lured the original owner into a group of zombies, snatched her jade pendant, and assumed her identity. The original owner fortuitously survived and even awakened a special ability. She didn¡¯t understand why Ning You would do that to her, following a group of refugees, she reached the base. She didn¡¯t expect to meet Ning You again. By then, Ning You was the daughter of the base leader. The original owner didn¡¯t even get the chance to question Ning You before she was taken away by people sent by Ning You under the pretext of infection. The original owner was locked up in the underground laboratory. She was forced to undergo various injections, as well as strange experiments. To her death, she never saw Ning You again. ¨C Chuzheng rubbed her temples. The sudden gunshots outside and the memories forcefully crammed into her brain continually irritated her nerves. It took her a while to start feeling a bit better. Now, it was half a year after the apocalypse. It was precisely when the original owner¡¯s jade pendant was stolen and Ning You led her into the zombie horde. The original owner hid here to avoid the zombies. However¡­ At this time, the original owner should be awakening her special ability. But why didn¡¯t she feel like she had a special ability? Could it be because she came over, interrupting the awakening? That¡¯s just unfair! Chuzheng checked carefully once more. Confirmed she really hadn¡¯t awakened any special abilities. She had injuries, but she hadn¡¯t turned into a zombie. She walked to the window again and drew back the curtain. It was quiet down below, the group of zombies had run off somewhere. Chuzheng closed the window and lay back on the bed. The original owner really had it rough. Not only was her identity stolen but in the end, she was locked up in the laboratory to be used as a test subject. [Little sister, if it wasn¡¯t tragic, you wouldn¡¯t be needed, would you?] King¡¯s Account spoke in a cheerful tone. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± If she needed to turn the tables¡­ Just getting rid of her would suffice! [Little sister, the best plan is for you to snatch back the jade pendant, expose Ning You, and ensure Ning You has a very miserable time.] Get rid of your great uncle!! Get rid of you, and you¡¯ve gone to the dogs! No, I mean, you¡¯ve gone back in time! The jade pendant has just been stolen, it¡¯s still possible to snatch it back! Charge, little sister!! Chuzheng said expressionlessly, ¡°You already have a plan now?¡± [It¡¯s my duty to ensure little sister can complete the mission more effectively.] Chuzheng threatened in an icy tone, ¡°Speak properly.¡± [¡­] Why wasn¡¯t it speaking properly already!? Chuzheng lay back on the bed. ¡°This world is full of zombies, money is completely useless, how do you squander a fortune?¡± Zombies, oh! Eating people, oh! The thought alone is horrifying. Why treat me, this poor little thing, like this? [Little sister, that¡¯s a problem I need to consider.] King¡¯s Account imitated Chuzheng¡¯s way of speaking, but its tone was very cheerful without any gravitas. ¡°Oh.¡± [¡­] The room fell silent. The gunshots outside continued incessantly, moving further away with time, until they finally quieted down. [Excuse me, little sister, what are you doing lying there?] Waiting for zombies? ¡°Sleeping.¡± What else would you do lying in bed if not sleep? [???] Zombies are about to bite your butt, and you¡¯re sleeping? You should be running for your life, do you know what that means?! Chuzheng, with her eyes closed: ¡°Saving energy is very important.¡± [¡­] Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: Chapter 137: The Last Day Tycoon (2) Chapter 137: Chapter 137: The Last Day Tycoon (2) Chuzheng slept for a while and upon waking, checked the original owner¡¯s body again. Still no special ability. The wounds were also beginning to scab. Half a year ago, a strange light appeared in the sky, making everyone feel dizzy. Those who managed to regain consciousness could survive; those who couldn¡¯t became the zombies outside. Among those who woke up, some awakened to a special ability, and these people were the most popular in the post-apocalyptic world. Special abilities were classified according to the Five Elements: metal, wood, water, fire, earth, and there were also mutations, such as Thunder Series, Ice Series¡­ Mutated abilities were often much more powerful than other abilities. But they were also extremely rare. Being bitten or scratched by zombies could lead to infection¡ªof course, there were exceptions, with some people surviving and awakening special abilities. Zombies relied on hearing and sense of smell, and early-stage zombies were more sensitive during the day than at night, probably due to retaining a bit of human instinct. Later¡­ Day or night, it was all the same damn thing! Humans¡¯ living space rapidly dwindled, and for the sake of food, they had to venture out. The original owner was initially moving with a large group. While staying here to search for supplies, Ning You took action against her. With no guard up against Ning You, it was effortless for Ning You to leave her amongst the zombies. By now, Ning You probably already found that group with the Jade Pendant and successfully took her place¡­ This plot is just so dumb! Did Ning You get in through the back door by paying money? ¡°Wait a minute, even though it¡¯s the apocalypse, there should still be some machines left. It shouldn¡¯t be hard to do a paternity test, right?¡± How did Ning You successfully replace the original owner? This isn¡¯t scientific at all! [Miss, Ning You took a bunch of your hair, a really big bunch at that. Touch your head and see if you¡¯re bald.]¡± When the time comes to return to the base, just her hair would be needed to prove the kinship. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng reached to touch her head, and didn¡¯t feel bald, just a bit sore. That damn thing actually yanked her hair like that! ¨C Chuzheng reviewed her basic knowledge and tried out her body¡¯s abilities in the room. The original owner had done many part-time jobs and even learned some simple moves; with half a year spent fleeing for life, her body¡¯s resilience wasn¡¯t bad. From time to time, there was the sound of zombies moving in the corridor. Chuzheng stood at the door, the sounds outside intermittent, unsure how many zombies there were. How to get out. Chuzheng walked to the window and drew back the curtains. Dawn was just breaking outside, with sunlight sweeping across inch by inch. Ever since the apocalypse began, the weather had been scorching hot. It was only March, but it felt like the height of summer. This was a residential building; she was on the second floor. So hot. So many zombies. Frightening! Don¡¯t want to go out. Chuzheng stayed in the room for most of the day until King¡¯s Account couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and assigned her a task. [Main quest: Please spend fifty Crystal Cores within two hours. Crystal Cores have been deposited into your Spatial Bag, please check to receive them.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Crystal Cores? Two months ago, people discovered that some zombies had something like gems, Crystal Cores, inside their heads. The use of Crystal Cores spread quickly. They could help everyone improve their special abilities. In the later stages, Crystal Cores would serve as currency in the post-apocalyptic world. She took out a bag of Crystal Cores; they were all white and irregular in shape, somewhat like diamonds. For the past two months, all the Crystal Cores that had appeared were like this. Later, as zombies evolved, the colors of the Crystal Cores would also change. Chuzheng felt worried. Where was she supposed to spend these fifty Crystal Cores now? Did the zombies outside collect that stuff in their heads? Chuzheng carefully opened the door to the room and several grotesque zombies roamed the dim corridor. Chuzheng touched her wrist, where a silver thread faintly appeared, gently winding around her finger like a frolicking child. ¨C ¡°Brother Bao, is it safe here?¡± The frail man looked nervously around, accompanied by a bespectacled boy who resembled a student. To their side stood a man brimming with muscles, looking very formidable. Shirtless, he said in a gruff voice, ¡°I checked just now, it should be safe here. We¡¯ll rest for the night, and figure out how to leave tomorrow.¡± ¡°How much food do we have left?¡± The muscular man asked. But no one answered him. The muscular man couldn¡¯t help but look back¡ªat the end of the corridor they were standing in was a little girl. The girl was clean, her features finely crafted like a work of art. She casually hooked a backpack with one hand and slung it over her shoulder. With a blank expression, her pose and demeanor exuded coldness, adding an inexplicable dash of coolness. The muscular man immediately became vigilant, with a flame appearing in his hand. The other man and the boy resembling a student also watched her guardedly. They had just checked the surroundings¡ªthere had been no zombies or living creatures. Where had this girl come from? With much experience in the post-apocalyptic world, sometimes the least dangerous looking situations could turn out to be the most perilous. Chuzheng moved her bag to the front. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± the muscular man barked, the flame in his hand growing significantly larger. Revealing a special ability could effectively prevent a direct confrontation and make the opponent back off. However, the girl opposite merely tilted her head and continued opening her backpack to rummage inside. ¡°Don¡¯t move, or else don¡¯t blame me if¡­¡± Rustle¡ª Chuzheng pulled out a bag full of crystal cores. The last rays of sunset disappeared, and the shadow the girl cast on the ground also gradually faded in the stifling heat and eerie silence. ¡°Trade?¡± The girl opposite spoke up. Her voice was clear and crisp, cutting through the heavy air like a splash of ice water, cooling the hearts of the three men, bringing an odd sense of relief. ¡°Is that a crystal core?¡± the skinny man whispered to the muscular man. The man¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he scrutinized the girl across from him and nodded. ¡°So many¡­¡± the boy murmured, ¡°This could let Brother Bao level up, right? What does she want to trade with us for?¡± He became somewhat excited as he spoke. He almost went over to grab Chuzheng¡¯s hand, eager to trade. ¡°Her appearance is too strange, and she¡¯s carrying so many crystal cores. Be cautious,¡± the muscular man warned in a low voice. Crystal cores were not found in every zombie¡¯s brain. Most zombies didn¡¯t have crystal cores. How could such a frail-looking girl have so many crystal cores? How many zombies had she killed? The boy seemed to realize this and dared not make another peep. ¡°What do you want in exchange?¡± the muscular man probed. Chuzheng spoke in a cool tone, ¡°What do you have?¡± They looked so poor, she couldn¡¯t ask for too much. The muscular man didn¡¯t respond but gestured for Chuzheng to look; all their possessions were laid out in front of them. Chuzheng pointed to a protruding packet on the ground, ¡°Trade me some food, and all of these are yours.¡± The muscular man: ¡°¡­¡± The three men exchanged glances. Struggling to believe what they heard. So many crystal cores, maybe dozens of them? To trade for a bit of food? You must know that crystal cores were very rare in circulation; she could trade those for quite a bit. ¡°Trade or not?¡± Seeing they were unmoved, Chuzheng urged them. She was short on time!! What was there to consider? Wasn¡¯t this a pie falling from the sky?! Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Chapter 138: The Last Day Tycoon (3) Chapter 138: Chapter 138: The Last Day Tycoon (3) The burly man examined the Crystal Core, tossed the item over, and kept observing the young girl standing at the other end with his eyes. From the time they met until now, he had not seen her expression change. ¡°You¡­ alone?¡± The burly man couldn¡¯t help being vigilant. Chuzheng gave a noncommittal hum, her voice cold and distant, making it difficult for anyone to continue the conversation. The three men muttered and consulted among themselves for a long time without speaking to her or asking her to leave. Night gradually enveloped the earth. The entire city plunged into darkness; once bustling and lively, it was now scarcely populated by living people, leaving only the revolting zombies. ¡°I think she really is alone,¡± the male student whispered, ¡°She probably got these Crystal Cores by accident.¡± ¡°Yi Xiao, don¡¯t get soft-hearted; remember what happened last time,¡± the burly man glared at him. Yi Xiao scratched his head and didn¡¯t dare to say more. The other skinny man continued, his words cautious, ¡°It¡¯s the end of the world now, I think it¡¯s better to be careful. Should we leave this place?¡± Yi Xiao glanced towards Chuzheng, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it in the morning. Anyway, besides our lives, we don¡¯t have much else to hope for.¡± Oh! And the Crystal Cores they had just acquired. Thinking this, Yi Xiao hurried the burly man, ¡°Brother, hurry up and absorb the Crystal Core, so we don¡¯t have any more trouble.¡± The skinny man was of the same opinion. The Crystal Core in hand needed to be absorbed quickly to be safe. The three of them made a decision, gathered their things, and found a room. ¨C The next day. The burly man came out first, having absorbed the Crystal Core, his strength had significantly increased. He looked around the corridor; the young girl from yesterday was gone. ¡°Did a pie really just fall from the sky?¡± The burly man muttered and told the other two to get up, pack their things, and leave. They now needed to find supplies and a car. Cars were easy to find, but gasoline was the hardest. After half a year, places that could have been scavenged were already picked over, leaving supplies and gasoline very scarce. The burly man led his two burdens, walking cautiously down the street. The shops on both sides either had shattered glass or wide-open doors. Food and other essential stores had been completely looted. Shops selling furniture or things that were useless in the apocalypse remained intact. ¡°Roar!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The skinny man was pounced on by a zombie leaping out from the dark, instinctively crying out. The burly man reacted quickly, slamming his iron rod onto the zombie¡¯s head. The rotting, disgusting zombie with its brain exposed, thudded to the ground. The skinny man was yanked to his feet by Yi Xiao, ¡°You okay?¡± The skinny man frantically checked himself and shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± The burly man gripped his iron rod tightly, wary of the surroundings as shuffling zombies started appearing from the streets and the shops. Their vision was nearly non-existent, but their hearing and smell were amplified. The cry from the skinny man earlier had attracted those zombies lurking in the shadows. ¡°Brother Bao!¡± Yi Xiao called out nervously. ¡°To the left,¡± the burly man immediately said, ¡°Run!¡± All three men ran to the left as the shuffling zombies, as if a switch had been flicked, started roaring and chasing after them. They crossed the street with a lot of noise, drawing more and more zombies into the fray. Screech¡ª A pure black SUV suddenly stopped in front of them. The three men didn¡¯t care who was in the car, they ran over as fast as they could. Seeing no opposition, they pulled the door open and jumped in. Zombies threw themselves at the side of the SUV; the vehicle moved forward, then slammed the brakes, flinging zombies off, then turned and sped away down another road. Safe within the vehicle, the three men sighed in post-adversity relief. ¡°` The burly man glanced at the driver, slightly surprised, ¡°It¡¯s you¡­ Thank you.¡± The girl driving wasn¡¯t just anyone, but Chuzheng, the one they had traded with yesterday. Without taking her eyes off the road, as the burly man spoke, she fished out a bag of Crystal Cores, ¡°I hire you to go to Qingan Base.¡± The burly man was taken aback. The two in the backseat were dumbfounded. Just yesterday she had pulled out so many Crystal Cores, and today again this many? Was this girl a Crystal Core making machine? ¡°Hire us?¡± The burly man was wary, ¡°Little sister, look at the three of us, we have trouble protecting ourselves, let alone someone else.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± I just wanted to spoil myself and incidentally find someone who could drive for her. After all, there were only these three living people around, she didn¡¯t have a choice. ¡°¡­¡± What does your ¡®mhm¡¯ mean? The burly man expressed his inability to understand. Chuzheng maintained the pose of offering the Crystal Cores. She showed no signs of taking them back. ¡°Brother Bao¡­¡± Yi Xiao gave the burly man a meaningful look. The burly man, scratching his head in confusion, just had been saved by this girl and to refuse her now would be ungrateful, especially since she was offering such a good reward. In the end, the burly man accepted the Crystal Cores, ¡°Let¡¯s get one thing straight, our abilities are limited, I can only try my best to protect you.¡± Chuzheng nodded. She suddenly slammed on the brakes. The car stopped, and Chuzheng got out. Her actions left the three men dumbfounded, as zombies behind them howled in pursuit. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chuzheng opened the car door on the burly man¡¯s side and said indifferently, ¡°You drive.¡± The burly man: ¡°¡­¡± Couldn¡¯t she wait until they¡¯d shaken off the zombies? As the zombies chaotically chased them howling, the burly man, without paying attention to Chuzheng¡¯s disruptive maneuver, directly switched from the passenger to the driver¡¯s seat. ¨C ¡°I¡¯m Yi Xiao.¡± The boy introduced, ¡°This is our Brother Bao, big name Cai Xiaobao.¡± Brother Bao glared at Yi Xiao, wasn¡¯t Brother Bao enough? Did he really need to introduce him as Cai Xiaobao? ¡°This is He Cheng.¡± Yi Xiao, not afraid of the fierce-looking Brother Bao, introduced the other man. The man raised his hand in greeting, ¡°Hello¡­¡± The combination of these three was odd. Yi Xiao looked like a college student and had no Special Ability. He Cheng seemed very timid and also had no Special Ability. Brother Bao was a muscular tough guy, seemingly strong in combat and the only Special Ability User in the team. Leaning back against the seat, Chuzheng¡¯s voice was cool and clear, ¡°Chuzheng.¡± ¡°Ah? Which character is that?¡± Yi Xiao asked, curious. Too lazy to speak, Chuzheng took out a piece of paper and a pen from her bag and wrote down the two characters for Chuzheng. The font was beautiful and neat, like printed text. ¡°I thought it was ¡®Chu Cheng¡¯ as in ¡®set out for battle¡¯.¡± Yi Xiao scratched his head. ¡°You can¡¯t leave the city over there.¡± He Cheng suddenly spoke up. Brother Bao immediately switched to another route. Chuzheng glanced at He Cheng. Yi Xiao explained, ¡°He Cheng has an impressive memory, he can remember the maps of cities all over the country.¡± He Cheng remained somewhat cautious and said nothing. Chuzheng could understand why they brought He Cheng along, despite his timid appearance. In the apocalypse, having someone who knew the city streets was much more useful than them aimlessly wandering like headless flies. ¡°Why would he remember maps for no reason?¡± What kind of devilish hobby was that? ¡°He was planning to participate in the Guinness World Records.¡± This time, He Cheng took the initiative, ¡°Too bad¡­ But now, having been in the apocalypse for so long, I don¡¯t really serve much of a purpose.¡± He was right about that. But sometimes it could still save lives. ¡°` Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Chapter 139: The Last Day Tycoon (4) Chapter 139: Chapter 139: The Last Day Tycoon (4) ¡°` Roar, roar, roar¡ª Zombies chased a car at breakneck speed. Ravenous for flesh, they were extremely excited by the fresh food source within the vehicle. Ratatat¡­ ¡°Damn, how come these disgusting creatures just can¡¯t be killed off!¡± ¡°We¡¯re out of bullets.¡± ¡°What do we do!¡± ¡°Up ahead, up ahead!!¡± The car screeched to a halt, its occupants cornered by zombies on a street. Yi Xiao stood on higher ground, surveying the battle below, debating, ¡°Should we save them?¡± They had been on the road several days, their car broken down, hoping to find a new one here. Hearing the commotion, they climbed up a building. ¡°They have guns,¡± Chuzheng said calmly. Although guns were usable by anyone in this post-apocalyptic world, firearms were still not easy to come by and not everyone had one. Yi Xiao assumed Chuzheng meant they were safe because they had guns and was considering rescuing them. ¡°So, should we help them up here?¡± Who knew Chuzheng would respond with an expressionless face, ¡°Wait for them to die, then we¡¯ll go down and pick up their gear.¡± Yi Xiao: ¡°¡­¡± Brother Bao slapped Yi Xiao on the head, ¡°Stop playing the saint, who knows what kind of people they are downstairs. Do you want to repeat the mistake of inviting wolves into our house?¡± It¡¯s the freaking end of the world. Who cares about niceties now. Killing for a piece of bread isn¡¯t unheard of. Yi, the Saintly, Xiao: ¡°¡­¡± Yi Xiao didn¡¯t dare to utter another word. The people below were quickly wiped out, but the zombies didn¡¯t disperse. Instead, they lingered, making scavenging for equipment a bit tricky. Chuzheng went downstairs to a toy store and disassembled some remote-controlled cars. After using them at full volume to lead the zombies away, Chuzheng swaggered out to collect the gear. The car was still operational, stocked with plenty of food and gasoline to travel a fair distance. Yi Xiao brought up the rear, sighing heavily, yet he ate more than anyone when it was time to eat. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Was this guy even a real saint? Click¡ª Brother Bao and Yi Xiao exchanged glances and immediately turned towards the source of the sound, ready for action. A small zombie staggered out from that direction. Bang¡ª The gunshot sounded. The zombie hit the ground. Pocketing her gun, Chuzheng settled in the passenger seat: ¡°Drive.¡± Yi Xiao looked towards He Cheng, ¡°Kinda cool.¡± He Cheng: ¡°Hmm.¡± Brother Bao: ¡°¡­¡± What about my six-pack abs? Haven¡¯t heard a word of praise for those! Qingan Base was far away from them. They needed to find the way, as well as food, water, and gasoline, so their progress was slow. Passing through a city, they encountered a team. This team was also heading to Qingan Base. They were ahead, and Chuzheng and company had no opportunity to overtake them, so they could only follow behind. [Hidden task: Please obtain one Good Person Card for Miss Chuzheng to prevent Lu Ran from turning to the dark side.] [Miss, wake up, wake up, hey!] [Miss, zombies are coming!] [Miss, there¡¯s a fire, an earthquake!] [Miss, you died!] Chuzheng bolted upright, her tone menacing: ¡°Bastard, are you sick?¡± You¡¯re the one who¡¯s dead! ¡°` Chuzheng was woken up in the middle of the night by the noise from King¡¯s Account, and now a coldness hovered around her within a ten-meter radius. ¡°Lady sister, you¡¯ve got a Good Person Card~¡± Lady sister treats me like a Bastard, but I treat lady sister as if she¡¯s my first love, always smiling and providing service. Chuzheng lay back down, ¡°What good card, make noise again and I¡¯ll deal with you.¡± Making me look for a Good Person Card in the middle of the night? Bastard, what country¡¯s time are you using? Are you crazy! ¡°¡­¡± ¨C In the middle of the group, most people were already up, making noises and clamoring like a marketplace. Chuzheng walked into the center, finding a spot to stand. At the center, a group of seemingly young teenagers, though bedraggled, had much more poise than ordinary people. Many were cursing at them, ¡°He got bitten, why didn¡¯t you say anything? Do you want to kill us all?¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for someone noticing, we¡¯d all be finished!¡± ¡°He got bitten¡­¡± ¡°Really? I was so close to him just now, it scared me to death.¡± Some defended themselves, ¡°We didn¡¯t know!¡± But no one listened to their defense. The one they were talking about who got bitten was a boy in black sitting against the car, his head hanging low, his expression indiscernible. His sleeve, which someone had tugged at, was torn, revealing clear scratch marks on his arm. ¡°Tie him up.¡± ¡°Just kill him, he¡¯s surely going to turn into a zombie after being bitten.¡± ¡°There are so many of us in the group; if he turns into a zombie and bites us, then we¡¯re really finished.¡± ¡°Let him leave by himself¡­¡± The group was noisy, some suggested that the boy should leave on his own, some said to tie him up, and there were a few who were so scared they wanted the boy killed. ¡°Lu Ran¡­¡± a male student said to the boy with a frown, ¡°You¡¯ve been bitten, why don¡¯t you leave on your own? Don¡¯t put everyone in a difficult position.¡± ¡°Senior, isn¡¯t that too much? We can tie him up, what if he doesn¡¯t turn into a zombie?¡± a female student said weakly, yet she didn¡¯t dare to look in the boy¡¯s direction. ¡°It¡¯s not up to me now.¡± The male student said helplessly, ¡°Look at the people around, if we let him stay, we might get kicked out ourselves.¡± The girl mumbled something, clearly frightened, and didn¡¯t argue for the boy any further. The others didn¡¯t make a sound, avoiding looking at the boy. The boy lifted his gaze to look at the male student, letting out a sneer with an ambiguous meaning. He stood up, coming into the light. He was taller than the male student, his stature imposing a sense of pressure as he stood up; the light was too strong, still making it hard to see his face clearly. ¡°Good luck to you all.¡± The boy¡¯s voice was clear and pleasing to the ear, with a touch of mockery at the end. He pulled a hat down over his head and headed towards the back of the group to leave. ¡°Lu Ran¡­¡± Someone called his name, wanting to follow him, but was held back by the male student. The girl who had spoken for the boy looked guilty and distressed, ¡°Isn¡¯t it too much to not give him anything?¡± Someone scoffed disdainfully, ¡°Give him what? He¡¯s been bitten; he¡¯s as good as dead.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s still a chance to awaken a Special Ability, right?¡± ¡°Forget it, do you think he can come across that one in ten thousand chance?¡± ¡°Anyway, he was just a waste of food in the group. You girls just care about looks. Can his good looks feed you, fill your stomachs? Better off dead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how you say it¡­¡± The rebuttal from the girls became quieter. The crowd made way for the boy, as if afraid he would suddenly go berserk and bite them. The boy lowered his hat brim with his hand, passed through the crowd, and left until he disappeared into the darkness; only then did the group breathe a sigh of relief. Chuzheng returned to where the cars were parked. The commotion was too great upfront, and except for Brother Bao who was on night watch, Yi Xiao and He Cheng were also standing outside the car. ¡°What happened up front? I just saw someone walking towards the back, in the middle of the night. Was he driven out or¡­¡± Yi Xiao wiped his glasses and put them on. Chuzheng started to reverse the car. ¡°Eh¡­ are we leaving?¡± Yi Xiao looked confused. Brother Bao was also puzzled, but still promptly got into the passenger seat, and Yi Xiao and He Cheng exchanged glances before hurriedly getting into the car. Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: Chapter 140: The Last Day Tycoon (5) Chapter 140: Chapter 140: The Last Day Tycoon (5) Even though it was night, the temperature was still very high. Lu Ran walked for a while and then stopped, his body drenched in sweat. He took off his hat to fan himself. A car approached from behind, its lights illuminating the middle of the road and brightening the path ahead. Lu Ran put his hat back on and stood by the roadside, tilting his head as he waited for the car to pass. But the car stopped right beside him. Lu Ran raised his eyebrows in surprise. The car window rolled down, revealing a strange yet pretty girl, with smooth hair draping over her shoulders. Despite the stifling heat, she looked cool and refreshed. Her face, however, was expressionless, almost as if she had facial paralysis¡­ The girl regarded him with an indifferent gaze. Maybe it was Lu Ran¡¯s imagination, but he thought he saw the word ¡®trouble¡¯ flash in her eyes. ¡°Lu Ran?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Someone in the group had called his name earlier. Hearing it again didn¡¯t strike him as odd. ¡°Is there something you need? I don¡¯t have anything on me, so if you¡¯re trying to rob me, you¡¯ve got the wrong guy.¡± Everyone knew he had been bitten, and they were still chasing after him; this was the only reason he could think of. ¡°Get in the car.¡± Chuzheng rested her hand on the car window and flicked her chin upward. ¡°Huh?¡± Lu Ran was certain he didn¡¯t know this girl with the expressionless face. ¡°Get in the car,¡± Chuzheng repeated. Did Good Person Card have hearing problems, or had the bite already made him start to not understand human speech? If he turned into a zombie¡­ How am I supposed to make a zombie think I¡¯m a good person? Should I capture people to feed it?! Lu Ran pushed the brim of his hat upward with his fingertips, revealing eyes that shone like brilliant stars. He crossed his arms in front of her. ¡°I¡¯ve been bitten, and you still want me to get in the car?¡± The young man¡¯s voice rose slightly at the end, exceedingly handsome, but the words he spoke took the three others by surprise, causing them to startle. The atmosphere suddenly became eerie. ¡°Get in the car,¡± Chuzheng said for the third time. If she had to say it one more time, she¡¯d be ready to use force. Lu Ran stepped back a bit. ¡°We don¡¯t know each other, do we?¡± ¡°We do now.¡± Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± Know what? They¡¯d exchanged fewer than five sentences. ¡°Why do you want me to get in the car?¡± Lu Ran¡¯s starry eyes shifted, the corners of his mouth curling into a mocking smile. ¡°You don¡¯t really think I can awaken a special ability, do you?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s anger began to show. ¡°Are you getting in or not?¡± Lu Ran pressed down slightly on the edge of the hat, the light gleaming in his half-lowered eyes. ¡°When in Rome, do as the Romans do.¡± All he had now was his life, which was close to being lost, and there wasn¡¯t much else on him worth coveting. And he wasn¡¯t sure if he was going to die in a few hours¡­ There was someone in the passenger seat, so Lu Ran sat in the back. Yi Xiao and He Cheng huddled together, occupying just one seat, and watched him with terrified expressions. Lu Ran appeared amused by the two. ¡°You¡¯re scared like this but still let me get in. Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll bite you all?¡± ¡°Knock him out,¡± Chuzheng ordered Brother Bao. So noisy. Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± Brother Bao was quick; he turned around and chopped Lu Ran on the neck. Lu Ran¡¯s vision went dark, and his last thought was¡ªI hope this isn¡¯t some black car, right? ¨C The car jostled, the lighting was somewhat dim, and occasionally burning beams of light swept across his cheeks. Lu Ran gradually regained consciousness. There was a cool sensation beside him. Lu Ran subconsciously shifted toward it, pressing against the coldness. But he was quickly pushed away. Lu Ran leaned in again, only to be pushed away once more. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, I think he¡¯s waking up.¡± A voice sounded close to his ear. As Lu Ran¡¯s consciousness fully returned, he opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the girl¡¯s cold profile, which meant that he must have been lying on her shoulder just before. On the other side was a friendly-looking young man wearing glasses. Lu Ran found that he was intact, feeling only a bit dizzy and no other symptoms. Luckily, I wasn¡¯t dismembered. ¡°Still alive, huh.¡± Lu Ran raised his eyebrows. I thought I had gotten into a black cab, facing dismemberment or something even more cruel. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Yi Xiao was still somewhat afraid of him, speaking with caution, ¡°Do you have any urges to bite people?¡± Lu Ran pursed his dry, cracked lips and nodded with ill intent, ¡°A little.¡± Yi Xiao pressed himself against the car window instantly. He Cheng and Brother Bao, who was driving, both had their attention fixed on him as if waiting for him to make a move, ready to subdue him immediately. Only that girl looked ahead with a cold expression, as steady as Mount Tai. ¡°Hahaha.¡± Lu Ran laughed loudly, his handsome, well-defined chin barely visible under the brim of his hat, as if coated in a fetching halo. Yi Xiao: ¡°¡­¡± Realizing they had been played, Brother Bao gave him a menacing glare, ¡°That joke isn¡¯t funny at all.¡± Lu Ran curbed his laughter and apologized sincerely, ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t resist teasing you guys, after all, you seemed to be quite brave.¡± He Cheng ¡Á Yi Xiao: ¡°¡­¡± Where did you get the idea that they were brave¡ªthey were scared to death, okay! Lu Ran wasn¡¯t really in the mood to bite anyone; he was just a bit thirsty and dizzy, with waves of nausea. Yi Xiao kindly gave him water. After moistening his throat, Lu Ran felt much better. ¡°How long have you been bitten?¡± He Cheng asked cautiously. ¡°Hmm¡­ how long was I out?¡± Lu Ran reflexively pressed down on his hat, shielding most of his face. Although, while he was asleep, He Cheng, Yi Xiao, and Brother Bao had all gotten a good look at his appearance. He was truly handsome. Just like a celebrity. ¡°The nose is a nose, the eyes are eyes¡­¡± When Brother Bao described him like that, he was looked down upon by Yi Xiao and He Cheng. As if anyone isn¡¯t born with their eyes as eyes, their nose as a nose. If not, they wouldn¡¯t be human. Brother Bao: ¡°¡­¡± He suffered from his lack of culture. ¡°It¡¯s now past three in the afternoon,¡± Yi Xiao said after checking his watch. ¡°Twenty-eight hours,¡± Lu Ran said. Yi Xiao¡¯s paternal instincts kicked in again as he comforted him, ¡°Look on the bright side, maybe you could awaken a special ability.¡± ¡°It could also be a long incubation period,¡± a cold voice interjected. Being bitten and turning into a zombie could take as little as a few minutes or as long as several hours. Some could last even longer, and others took several days to turn into zombies after being bitten. Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± That hits home. Yi Xiao: ¡°¡­¡± So, Miss Chuzheng, what exactly are you picking him up for? Lu Ran turned to the girl beside him, eyeing her with a mix of curiosity, ¡°Why did you let me get in the car?¡± ¡°Because I have to be a good person,¡± Chuzheng pointed earnestly at herself, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a good person?¡± Lu Ran first stared at her for a few seconds, then burst into laughter a moment later. The other three wore expressions of complex emotion. Could someone who watches indifferently as others are chased by zombies and suggests waiting for one¡¯s entire team to be wiped out before looting their equipment be a good person? What kind of misunderstanding does Miss Chuzheng have about herself? ¡°To claim to be a good person in a post-apocalyptic world, that¡¯s bold of you.¡± In the apocalypse, what good people are there: ¡°I don¡¯t even know what kind of person you are, and yet you dared to bring me on board, you¡¯re really brave.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°Kicked out with nothing to my name but half a life left.¡± Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± The trio: ¡°¡­¡± Miss¡¯s words can sometimes be¡­ really piercing. Lu Ran was already feeling a bit dizzy, but talking to Chuzheng made him feel even dizzier. Suddenly feeling weak, Lu Ran¡¯s complexion grew pale, ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°Hmm, heading to Qingan Base,¡± said Yi Xiao. Lu Ran looked ahead,¡±What about those people out front?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t take the same route as them,¡± Yi Xiao explained, ¡°We¡¯re taking a different road to get there.¡± Lu Ran appeared puzzled, ¡°Do you know the way?¡± Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Chapter 141: The Last Day Tycoon (6) Chapter 141: Chapter 141: The Last Day Tycoon (6) ¡°` Now without GPS navigation, and with many road signs destroyed, it¡¯s very easy to take a wrong turn if you don¡¯t follow the main force. ¡°Mm, we have He Cheng though,¡± Yi Xiao pointed at the walking human map, He Cheng. Lu Ran didn¡¯t quite understand how He Cheng operated and didn¡¯t ask; he just acknowledged with a lowered voice, ¡°Although I don¡¯t know why you let me get on the car, thank you all the same.¡± Yi Xiao looked towards Chuzheng. The one who let you in the car is their employer. They know nothing. In this strange team, Chuzheng was leading, which Lu Ran had already noticed. So he tilted his head to reveal half of his handsome face, curved the corner of his lips into a slow smile, and said slowly, ¡°Thank you.¡± Chuzheng maintained a serious and aloof expression, ¡°Mm.¡± Lu Ran held on for a while but couldn¡¯t keep it up as his head was spinning. He fell asleep again shortly afterwards. King¡¯s Account transferred Lu Ran¡¯s information to her. Since the apocalypse began, Lu Ran had always been with his schoolmates. But Lu Ran had not awakened any Special Abilities and used to rely on his good looks at school, making plenty of hidden enemies. Thus, with no Special Abilities, Lu Ran faced the unanimous ostracism of the boys. Before meeting Chuzheng, their group encountered zombies. Lu Ran tried to save a girl in the group and was bitten by a zombie. But unexpectedly, when the others realized he was bitten, they all half-heartedly kicked him out under the pressure of outsiders. The girl he tried to save didn¡¯t stand up for him either, failing to say it was Lu Ran who tried to rescue her. Soon after leaving the group, Lu Ran began to develop a high fever due to the bite and fainted in the wilderness. Fortunately, he was not devoured by zombies; instead, a group found him and took him back, where he awakened a Special Ability. Perhaps due to his Special Ability, the group decided to keep him around. At first, he didn¡¯t notice anything wrong, and they treated him quite well. But as he slowly discovered the truth, he realized that these people were no good. When he tried to escape, they discovered him and tied him up directly. The days that followed were like Hell. Torture, humiliation¡­ They were a bunch of lunatics. Lu Ran was later rescued by someone, a girl, and, perhaps out of gratitude for saving his life, Lu Ran was especially nice to her. But that girl was no good person either, only knowing how to use Lu Ran, and she was playing several men at once. Life was too difficult, and in a fit of anger, Lu Ran just¡­ turned dark. Chuzheng glanced at the boy next to her. The dark turn was too casual! Although¡­ it is a bit miserable. Now that she had picked him up, he wouldn¡¯t encounter those perverts, so he shouldn¡¯t turn dark, right? If he turns dark, just break his legs! Mm! The car jostled, and Lu Ran¡¯s head leaned towards Chuzheng¡¯s side. Chuzheng pushed him away irritably. The boy continued to lean in. The boy¡¯s profile was near perfect, attractive from every angle, with beautiful eyelashes long and thick like two small brushes. Chuzheng reached out, touching the part of his hair not covered by a hat¡­ It¡¯s not soft! Push away, push away! Yi Xiao was afraid that Lu Ran would suddenly turn into a zombie and didn¡¯t want to get close, keeping his distance far away. For the sake of moving to the front, the three of them even played rock-paper-scissors. ¡°Hahaha, He Cheng, go quickly,¡± Yi Xiao pulled He Cheng out of the car. He Cheng shivered like a sieve. Suddenly, Chuzheng proposed that she would drive. So the back seat needed two people; Yi Xiao and Brother Bao exchanged glances, and Yi Xiao quickly fastened his seat belt, refusing to move. Finally, Brother Bao and Yi Xiao had another round of rock-paper-scissors. Yi Xiao won by a narrow margin, beaming triumphantly. Brother Bao with his large frame moved to the back, making the car crowded. They gave Lu Ran a lot of space, both pitifully sticking to the hot car window. Why on Earth did Miss Chuzheng pick him up! They needed to change cars! They needed a bigger one! ¨C ¡°` In the evening, Chuzheng stopped by the side of the road to rest, and the three of them quickly got out of the car to get some air. Staying with someone who might turn into a zombie was a real test of psychological endurance. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, I¡¯ve taken stock of our supplies, and we don¡¯t have much left,¡± Brother Bao said, as he came around from the back of the car. ¡°We need to find a place to resupply.¡± ¡°There should be a town ahead,¡± He Cheng picked up the conversation. ¡°We can take a look. Not many people travel this road, so there should be supplies.¡± [Main Quest: Please spend one hundred Crystal Cores within three hours.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Brother Bao suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, and goosebumps broke out all over his body. Chuzheng expressionlessly ground the tips of her shoes into the dry grass on the ground. Why mention supplies at a time like this! Why mention a town! Bastard, this damned thing only knows how to make trouble at the worst times! Chuzheng let them rest for a while, then they got back in the car to continue their journey. It took almost two hours to reach the town, and by the time Chuzheng arrived, there was only an hour left. Chuzheng looked at the abandoned town and the occasional wandering zombie with a pounding headache. The town was quite large; where was she supposed to find people? Do zombies accept Crystal Cores? While Chuzheng was deliberating whether to look for people or zombies, the people came to her. Chuzheng and her group collided with them on the street. The others were collecting supplies, and each of them was burly with messy tattoos. Before the apocalypse, this would have been the scene of a gang brawl. The others were wary of them but showed no intent to start a fight. Perhaps they didn¡¯t want to waste bullets or attract zombies. ¡°Hey,¡± Chuzheng called out from her car window to the people on the other side. Standing in front of the car with arms full of tattoos, completely indecipherable but intimidating, Tattoo Arm looked over at Chuzheng, surprised by her appearance, then became puzzled and cautious, whispering a warning: ¡°We haven¡¯t been over there yet. You can go over there, but don¡¯t start any trouble!¡± Tattoo Arm pointed to another street. Chuzheng said, ¡°I want to make a deal with you.¡± ¡°A deal?¡± Tattoo Arm seemed somewhat contemptuous. ¡°Little girl, what sort of trade can you make with me?¡± ¡°The young lady is quite pretty,¡± someone said suggestively from the side. ¡°What use is a woman?¡± Tattoo Arm glared at the man: ¡°What¡¯s more important now, staying alive or women?¡± The reprimanded man dared not make another sound and shrank back. Chuzheng pulled out a bag of Crystal Cores and shook it: ¡°These.¡± Tattoo Arm¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly: ¡°Crystal Cores?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tattoo Arm gestured, and, wary, walked over with two others. The Crystal Cores in Chuzheng¡¯s hand glistened in the sunlight. ¡°So many Crystal Cores?¡± Tattoo Arm did not let down his guard but instead examined their car, fearing a trap. ¡°Are you going to trade or not?¡± I¡¯m short on time here! Tattoo Arm was somewhat tempted; so many Crystal Cores would require killing how many zombies? Now, Special Ability upgrades depended on Crystal Cores¡­ ¡°What do you want to trade for?¡± Tattoo Arm decided to take a chance. Chuzheng glanced at Brother Bao. Brother Bao had no idea where Chuzheng got such a large bag of Crystal Cores from, but he professionally started to estimate how much stuff they could get for that bag. Brother Bao began to list out supplies. The other party listened with a frown. Chuzheng earnestly interrupted Brother Bao: ¡°Don¡¯t ask for too much.¡± If you ask for too much, what will I trade with next time! Brother Bao: ¡°¡­¡± Tattoo Arm: ¡°¡­¡± Never seen anyone in the apocalypse who complains about having too much supplies. This must be a trap, right? But they stayed on guard for a long time, and the other side kept insisting not to list too much, without any other signs of suspicion. Brother Bao: ¡°Then just these, and if it¡¯s not too much trouble, please trade us for another vehicle too.¡± A big one! Chuzheng added, ¡°Some clothes too, preferably new ones.¡± Tattoo Arm: ¡°¡­¡± These demands are too¡­ simple, aren¡¯t they? Don¡¯t they want guns, bullets, or anything like that? Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Chapter 142: The Last Day Tycoon (7) Chapter 142: Chapter 142: The Last Day Tycoon (7) The tattooed man exchanged the items with Chuzheng half-believing and half-doubting, and when the Crystal Core was in hand, they still found it somewhat incredible. Had they encountered a fool? So the tattooed man invited the fool to their team base. In the town square, with roads extending in all directions, setting up camp here meant that if they encountered zombies, they wouldn¡¯t be trapped. The team consisted of around a hundred people, each one tattooed, burly, and seemingly having a slogan behind them saying, ¡®I¡¯m a societal figure, don¡¯t mess with me or the consequences will be dire.¡¯ The tattooed man let Chuzheng rest on the outskirts of the team¡¯s site and then, with a low snicker, took some people with him further inside. ¡°Will they turn on us?¡± Brother Bao asked, a bit worried. They had produced so many Crystal Cores¡ªif the others suspected they had more, what would they do? Simply rob them? ¡°They won¡¯t,¡± Chuzheng stated with certainty. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°A cautious team wouldn¡¯t make a move without understanding your full strength first,¡± she replied. Brother Bao looked towards Lu Ran in the back seat. The young man had woken up at some point and was peering through the car window, surveying the outside scene. Sensing Brother Bao¡¯s gaze, he pressed down on his hat and his lips curled into a polite but distant smile, ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± Brother Bao looked at Chuzheng, who tacitly agreed with the young man¡¯s words. ¡°Have you awakened your Special Ability?¡± Yi Xiao asked Lu Ran. Lu Ran shook his head, ¡°Still very dizzy.¡± Yi Xiao reached out to touch Lu Ran¡¯s forehead but found his wrist seized by Lu Ran. In that instant, Yi Xiao felt as though his hand was about to break. The seemingly non-threatening young man now appeared like a wary and ferocious wolf. ¡°I¡­ I just wanted to check your temperature,¡± Yi Xiao said, stammering a bit. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lu Ran replied, releasing his hand and shifting aside to refuse Yi Xiao¡¯s intention with his actions. Yi Xiao rubbed his wrist, aching. How could he be so strong? Lu Ran was still feverish, Yi Xiao concluded from the firm grip on his wrist. And Lu Ran fell asleep again in minutes, confirming Yi Xiao¡¯s guess. ¨C The tattooed man brought some food and water, showing a very friendly attitude. Of course, these items were not trusted by the cautious He Cheng, fearing that they had been poisoned with the intent of taking action against them. Yi Xiao verbally expressed that they seemed nice and probably wouldn¡¯t do such a thing, yet made no move to take anything. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What kind of peculiar team is this? The tattooed man¡¯s entire team had discipline; even though some people were looking over at them, none dared to approach under the man¡¯s intimidation. An hour later, a car drove in from a street in town. Before the car got close, the people on it began waving at them. ¡°Get in! Get in! There are zombies!¡± As he shouted, a crowd of people followed by countless¡ªuncountable¡ªzombies surged from behind the vehicle. ¡°Damn!¡± ¡°On the car, get on quick!¡± The entire team immediately grabbed their belongings and jumped into the vehicles. Chuzheng¡¯s car was already at the edge, and as soon as the zombies were spotted, Brother Bao started the car without delay. Zombies crawled out from everywhere upon hearing the sound, their numbers so dense it made one¡¯s scalp tingle. Brother Bao showcased his skill in driving at high speed, managing to maneuver the car out of the area before the zombies could swarm around it. Chuzheng observed the zombies in the rearview mirror. The zombies gave up on the cars that had broken away and instead closed in on the people still in the square. ¡°This is messed up,¡± Brother Bao cursed quietly. ¡°What¡¯s with these zombies?¡± Normally, zombies would follow sounds and chase them,¡ªyet while most would be drawn to larger noise sources, a few would always give chase. Why were all of today¡¯s zombies pouncing inward? He Cheng murmured softly, ¡°Have these zombies become conscious?¡± Yi Xiao: ¡°That can¡¯t be, right?¡± Brother Bao: ¡°Can¡¯t rule it out¡ªthey¡¯re not chasing after any of the cars or people that got away.¡± Yi Xiao, terrified: ¡°If zombies start hunting humans like this, do humans even have a way to survive?¡± No one spoke again. The zombies today left them feeling extremely uncomfortable. After driving a distance and seeing no more zombies chasing them, they stopped the car. The tattooed man¡¯s team had lost a number of people. With a gloomy expression, the tattooed man stared at another group of people. That group had more people than the tattooed man¡¯s team, but their quality was mixed, including men, women, old, and young. ¡°Damn it,¡± someone charged at that group, ¡°It was you bastards that drew the zombies here!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you all!¡± Chuzheng lay expressionless against the car window watching the other team; the tattooed man did not stop his man as two people stepped out amid the chaos. One of them wore a military uniform and negotiated with the tattooed man¡¯s people. However, the thugs from the tattooed man¡¯s side were highly annoyed by the sight of the military uniform and started fighting after only a few words. ¡°Wow!¡± Yi Xiao leaned out the car window as a dragon made of fire whipped through the air, ¡°This man¡¯s fire Special Ability is so powerful.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s gaze wasn¡¯t on that man. It was on the girl who had stood up with him. That was Ning You. The man¡¯s Special Ability was powerful; the thugs were no match for him and quickly lost the fight. Only then did the tattooed man step forward to intervene. The two sides talked about something and eventually found common ground. ¡°Everyone, be on alert. You take a few people back to scout the area, and the rest will rest here. We set off in half an hour!¡± While giving orders, the tattooed man walked towards his own team. As he passed by Chuzheng, she called out to him. ¡°Miss Chuzheng?¡± The tattooed man still looked upset, ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Chuzheng handed him several Crystal Cores, ¡°What did you talk about with those people just now?¡± Receiving several Crystal Cores all of a sudden, the tattooed man was speechless, ¡°¡­¡± Is she Doraemon? Can she just pull out Crystal Cores like that? Before the Crystal Cores, the tattooed man¡¯s demeanor softened quite a bit, ¡°We agreed to go together. They¡¯re also heading to Qingan Base. Those zombies earlier were a bit unusual, so I agreed.¡± Chuzheng nodded and closed the car window. The tattooed man: ¡°¡­¡± Aren¡¯t you going to ask anymore? I¡¯m still here to answer questions! The people the tattooed man sent to the town to scout quickly returned, reporting that the zombies were still gathered around the plaza. Clearly, everyone had noticed something off about the zombies. But survival was the priority now, so everyone agreed it was best to leave immediately. The tattooed man¡¯s team had lost members, and their cars now had plenty of space. Ning You¡¯s group somehow made an exchange and received a few vehicles. Chuzheng¡¯s car followed behind the tattooed man¡¯s team, with Ning You¡¯s team behind them. ¨C Night fell. The team found a relatively safe place to camp and rest. Yi Xiao, who had been holding in his need to urinate for a long time, dashed out of the car as soon as it stopped. ¡°Wait for me!¡± He Cheng called out softly and chased after him like a monkey. ¡°Did those two little rascals sneak off to drink water?¡± Brother Bao got out of the car warily, surveying the people around. Chuzheng ignored him, and Brother Bao didn¡¯t dare to say anything more. The tattooed man and the team at the back were clearly divided, with Chuzheng¡¯s car stopped in the middle, making it somewhat conspicuous. Chuzheng glanced at Lu Ran behind her, who was sleeping like a pig with no sign of waking up. Chuzheng stepped out of the car to get some fresh air, and Brother Bao handed her water and food. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, those zombies today were too strange. I have an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach.¡± ¡°The zombies are evolving. What¡¯s so strange about that?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was cold. ¡°Evolving?¡± It wasn¡¯t the first time Brother Bao had heard this word. Ever since Crystal Cores started appearing in the zombie¡¯s heads, people had been saying that the zombies were evolving. Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Chapter 143: The Last Day Tycoon (8) Chapter 143: Chapter 143: The Last Day Tycoon (8) ¡°` ¡°Will zombies ever become like us humans in the future?¡± Chuzheng took a bite of her cookie, ¡°That¡¯s unlikely, at most they¡¯ll have the intelligence of a toddler.¡± Brother Bao sighed in relief, the intelligence of a toddler definitely couldn¡¯t outwit those with normal human intelligence! Chuzheng added leisurely, ¡°However, that might not be the case with the Zombie Emperor.¡± Pfft¡ª Brother Bao choked on his water, a large man coughing desperately, which was somewhat comical. ¡°Zom¡­ Zombie Emperor? What¡¯s that?¡± Chuzheng thought for a moment, ¡°The Boss of the zombies?¡± Brother Bao had an image of the Boss of zombies stuck in his head, it took him a while to snap out of it. ¡°Why haven¡¯t Yi Xiao and He Cheng come back yet?¡± The people who had gone to relieve themselves just now had mostly returned. Chuzheng leaned casually against the car door, her face serious, ¡°They might be constipated.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Brother Bao¡¯s mouth twitched. When she didn¡¯t talk, everything was fine, a high and cold goddess. But once she opened her mouth, it left people at a loss for words. Brother Bao was worried that Yi Xiao and He Cheng, those two weaklings, might have run into trouble, and decided to go look for them. But he had only taken a few steps when he saw Yi Xiao and He Cheng running back, followed by a few people, as if being chased. Brother Bao¡¯s face darkened at the sight of the people. The group seemed to halt warily upon seeing the burly Brother Bao. One of the girls yelled at Yi Xiao, ¡°Brother Yi Xiao, I really didn¡¯t mean to do it, the situation was too dangerous at the time, I¡¯m sorry, please forgive me, okay?¡± He Cheng pulled Yi Xiao back beside Brother Bao with a dark face. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°They were in that group.¡± He Cheng nodded towards the group behind them with his chin, ¡°We ran into them.¡± ¡°Brother Yi Xiao, I really didn¡¯t mean it.¡± The girl kept calling Yi Xiao ¡®Brother¡¯ repeatedly, making herself sound extremely wronged. It was as though Yi Xiao had done something terrible to her. The girl was pretty, delicate and charming, with a sweet voice, just a bit dirty. A man beside the girl spoke up, ¡°Yi Xiao, can you guys not be so petty? Under those circumstances, if we didn¡¯t run, we would have died too, and besides, we went back to look for you guys later. You¡¯re grown men, how can you hold a grudge?¡± ¡°Pah!¡± He Cheng popped his head out from behind Brother Bao, ¡°You did that on purpose! If we hadn¡¯t been lucky, we¡¯d be dead by now. Yi Xiao, don¡¯t listen to them.¡± ¡°Brother Yi Xiao.¡± The girl started to cry, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, really sorry, please forgive me, I¡¯ll do anything you ask, I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡­¡± Yi Xiao showed a look of pity, ¡°Brother Bao, let it go.¡± ¡°Yi Xiao!¡± He Cheng called out to him, ¡°Do you want to be hurt by them again?¡± Yi Xiao continued to look distressed, ¡°Xiner, I forgive you.¡± He Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Brother Bao: ¡°¡­¡± Not knowing what had happened but realizing it seemed like a drama unfolding, Chuzheng, feeling a bit irked: ¡°¡­¡± The girl called Xiner was overjoyed and trotted up to him, ¡°Really, Brother Yi Xiao?¡± Yi Xiao nodded, ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°I knew it, Brother Yi Xiao, you¡¯re the best.¡± Xiner smiled radiantly and started to talk non-stop about her misfortunes. She began to cry as she spoke, looking pitiful. Yi Xiao listened to Xiner¡¯s troubles, his face a mix of sympathy and reluctance to hurt her, patiently comforting her. Brother Bao and He Cheng felt like twisting Yi Xiao¡¯s head off. Chuzheng: ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Miss Chuzheng, this guy is just a sap with misplaced compassion,¡± Brother Bao cursed, unable to hold back. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Just watch! Trouble¡¯s definitely going to happen later,¡± Brother Bao was furious but was already heading over there, ready to take action. After crying for a while, Xiner acted coquettishly, tugging at Yi Xiao¡¯s hand, ¡°Brother Yi Xiao, I¡¯m so hungry, do you have any food?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Xiner, I don¡¯t have any,¡± Yi Xiao said apologetically. Xiner: ¡°¡­¡± She hadn¡¯t expected that after all her crying, Yi Xiao would just give her that response. In the past, Yi Xiao had always been at her beck and call. ¡°` ¡°` Xiner refused to believe it and continued to plead with tears for a long time, but Yi Xiao wore a face of regret as he remained adamant that he simply had no food to give her. Ultimately, Xiner shook him off and ran away crying. The group over there murmured among themselves, each casting a dark glance at Yi Xiao before returning to their own ranks. Brother Bao: ¡°¡­¡± He Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Yi Xiao turned around to see his two companions looking at him with indescribable expressions. He adjusted his glasses in confusion: ¡°Why are you two looking at me like that?¡± ¡°I thought you would give her some food.¡± ¡°How could I?¡± Yi Xiao said, ¡°These supplies aren¡¯t mine, they belong to Miss Chuzheng.¡± He Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± If they were yours, would you have given them to her? ¡°So you¡¯ve forgiven her?¡± Brother Bao asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­ We almost died last time, brother!!¡± ¡°But she looked so pitiful¡­¡± Yi Xiao said: ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt to forgive her, especially since I¡¯m not with her anymore.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I knew he was a false saint! The grudges between Yi Xiao¡¯s group and those people were really not a big deal. They had joined forces with that group after Yi Xiao took pity on them. At first, they got along well, especially Xiner, who was extremely kind to Yi Xiao, always calling him Yi Xiao brother and almost devoting herself to him. Once, when they encountered zombies, they agreed to act together, but the group turned traitors, using them to lure the zombies away while they fled. Brother Bao and He Cheng would certainly not forgive them. Yi Xiao said nothing and quickly changed the subject. Chuzheng had only hired the three as drivers, so naturally, she had no interest in their feuds, as long as they didn¡¯t disturb her peace. ¨C The tattooed man brought some meat for Chuzheng; such items were now very hard to come by. Brother Bao and the others were a bit envious. But they feared the tattooed man might try something cunning, so they dared not touch the food. Chuzheng, on the other hand, didn¡¯t care and began to eat directly: ¡°They wouldn¡¯t drug it.¡± With such a large group behind them, if they wanted to drug them, they would wait until there were no outsiders around. ¡°Miss Chuzheng¡­¡± Chuzheng had a few bites: ¡°It¡¯s not poisoned.¡± It tasted better than biscuits. The three couldn¡¯t resist anymore and hastily sat down to eat. ¡°Brother Yi Xiao, didn¡¯t you say you had no food?¡± Xiner held two packs of biscuits, her eyes brimming with tears as she stood a few steps away: ¡°I brought these especially for you.¡± Yi Xiao, who was biting into a piece of meat, heard Xiner¡¯s voice and quickly stuffed the meat into his mouth. ¡°Xiner, this isn¡¯t mine.¡± He raised his head, full of regret: ¡°It was given to us by that big brother over there.¡± Yi Xiao pointed to the tattooed man who was talking in the distance. Xiner glanced over there, and her little face changed slightly: ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have lied to me¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you, I really don¡¯t have any.¡± Yi Xiao looked utterly innocent. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re very noisy.¡± Chuzheng interrupted Xiner. Can¡¯t even eat in peace. So annoying. Take her out, take her out, take her out! ¡°I was talking to Brother Yi Xiao, what¡¯s it to you?¡± Xiner glared at Chuzheng in dissatisfaction, her irritation growing as she noticed Chuzheng¡¯s beauty. ¡°You¡¯re very noisy.¡± Chuzheng stated the fact. ¡°Brother Yi Xiao, why are you letting her bully me!¡± Instead of arguing with Chuzheng, Xiner turned her tearful eyes towards Yi Xiao to complain. Chuzheng put down her chopsticks and slowly stood up. Xiner inexplicably felt a chill run down her back and instinctively took a step back. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Xiner shivered involuntarily: ¡°Brother Yi Xiao?¡± ¡°You¡¯d better leave, Xiner.¡± Yi Xiao called to her. ¡°Brother Yi Xiao, how can you be like this!?¡± Xiner couldn¡¯t believe it, as if Yi Xiao had committed some unforgivable act. ¡°` Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Chapter 144: The Last Day Tycoon (9) Chapter 144: Chapter 144: The Last Day Tycoon (9) ¡°Brother Yong, I think we better not go through Z Province, I¡¯ve heard there are lots of zombies there. Let¡¯s take a detour through G Province; it¡¯ll be much safer.¡± The man with the tattooed arm was biting a cigarette, unlit, his eyes on the map, ¡°Taking a detour through G Province will take half the time longer.¡± ¡°But at least it¡¯s safe, Brother Yong. Safety should be our priority now¡­¡± Brother Yong frowned, ¡°What about the supplies?¡± ¡°G Province is a major producer of food, we can find supplies if we go that way.¡± Brother Yong pondered for a moment, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go through G Province.¡± No sooner had Brother Yong confirmed the route when there was a sudden commotion at the rear of the group. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Someone ran over to report, ¡°Brother Yong, there¡¯s a quarrel in the back.¡± ¡°Are these people idiots?¡± Brother Yong kicked the car in frustration and walked back with his gun. ¡°What¡¯s all this? Quiet down!¡± The people around Brother Yong pushed through the crowd and chastised them a few times to stabilize the situation. Brother Yong strode in with an air of authority, ¡°What¡¯s all the noise? Want to let the zombies know where you are?¡± ¡°She hit someone!¡± a young girl cried and complained. Only then did Brother Yong clearly see the person surrounded in the center, the treasure of a lady who could always dig out Crystal Cores. He immediately felt a headache coming on. These idiots had to mess with these fools¡­ No, what was God of Wealth doing?! Are they out of their minds?! Miss Chuzheng stood with her arms crossed, her expression cold, ¡°When did I hit you?¡± Xiner showed the marks on her arm, plaintively accusing, ¡°This is from your hitting!¡± ¡°Who saw it?¡± Miss Chuzheng scanned the crowd. Most people had just heard Xiner¡¯s screams and gathered but had not seen Miss Chuzheng lay a hand on anyone. Miss Chuzheng¡¯s face was cold now, making her seem not easily provoked, and no one in the crowd dared to speak rashly. Only Xiner¡¯s close friends were very supportive, ¡°I saw it, she did hit someone!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason for hitting people!¡± ¡°Our Xiner is not to be bullied!¡± ¡°Apologize to our Xiner!¡± Brother Yong knocked the gun against the car hood beside him, ¡°What¡¯s all the fuss about? So what if she hit someone! Everyone back to your places!¡± Miss Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Not a brother! Don¡¯t spout nonsense! I didn¡¯t hit anyone! This young lady is scamming us! Just because she looks pretty, it doesn¡¯t mean she can do this! I¡¯m not Yi Xiao, that fake Saint! ¡°I didn¡¯t hit anyone!¡± Miss Chuzheng said earnestly. ¡°She said she didn¡¯t hit anyone, got it?¡± Brother Yong continued to glare at them, ¡°Keep up the noise and don¡¯t blame me for being impolite!¡± Miss Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Are you a fool sent by the enemy to frame me for hitting someone? ¡°So what if you have guns, you can¡¯t bully people like this,¡± Xiner¡¯s friends erupted angrily, ¡°Make her apologize to Xiner!¡± ¡°Apologize for what, apologize for what.¡± Brother Yong¡¯s men pointed their guns at them, ¡°You want an apology?¡± The opposing crowd instantly quieted down, fear written on their faces. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± A man in a military uniform came from behind, ¡°Brother Yong, we agreed to stay out of each other¡¯s way.¡± Brother Yong holding his gun, gave a signal with his hand, and his men immediately pointed their guns away. ¡°Your people overstepped,¡± said Brother Yong. Ning You arrived a step later, her gaze landing on Miss Chuzheng, her whole being jolted. She¡­ She wasn¡¯t dead? How could she be here? As Miss Chuzheng¡¯s gaze swept over her, Ning You felt a sudden chill on her back. However, the look was just a calm passing one, without any pause, as if she didn¡¯t recognize her at all. Doesn¡¯t she remember me? Did she lose her memory? Still faking it? Ning You was full of doubts. The man frowned slightly after listening to what had happened from the people beside him, and looked toward Chuzheng: ¡°Did this lady hit someone?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the proof?¡± Chuzheng spoke before Brother Yong from the social network had the chance. ¡°We all saw it!¡± Xiner¡¯s group of supporters spoke up one after another. ¡°Oh, where¡¯s the proof?¡± Chuzheng remained composed, ¡°You say you saw it, and that¡¯s enough? Besides you, did anyone else see it? You¡¯re with her; couldn¡¯t it be that you¡¯re slandering me?¡± ¡°You¡­ you stop distorting the truth!¡± Xiner was so angry that she was on the verge of tears. ¡°No one saw me hit anyone.¡± How are you going to do anything to me! I just won¡¯t admit it! That¡¯ll piss you off! That¡¯s not right, I didn¡¯t hit anyone! Someone shouted, ¡°Then who saw that you didn¡¯t hit her!¡± ¡°Right now, it¡¯s you who are saying that I hit someone, and it¡¯s you who need to bring evidence to prove it,¡± Chuzheng retorted. The crowd: ¡°¡­¡± Although they felt something was off, they seemed unable to counter her argument. ¡°Captain Huo, look, this is the evidence, I¡¯m fine. Could I cause these injuries on myself?¡± Xiner cried, showing the man her wounds. Captain Huo glanced at Brother Yong who was looking fierce and appeared ready to believe anything the girl said; he frowned and said, ¡°A small conflict, there¡¯s no need to make such a fuss, you all go back first.¡± ¡°Captain Huo¡­¡± ¡°Go back!¡± Ning You quickly stepped forward, ¡°Let¡¯s go back first; Captain Huo will take care of it.¡± Xiner, not willing to let it go, glared at Chuzheng before leaving with her people. However, as Xiner turned around, she suddenly stumbled, and Ning You, who was standing next to her, also fell to the ground with her. In front of so many people, the two of them fell flat on their faces. The bystanders had not even reacted yet. The ground was littered with broken stones and dry branches; Xiner¡¯s arm got a gash, and beads of blood oozed out. Falling in front of everyone, the embarrassment and pain were too much for Xiner to bear; she felt too humiliated to face anyone and fainted right then and there. Ning You was comparatively better off, having only scraped her skin. She stood up composed, since after all, she wasn¡¯t the one who had fallen. The joke wasn¡¯t on her. But deep down she was certainly discontent; it was, after all, embarrassing. Chuzheng sat down and leisurely continued to eat. Captain Huo had someone take Xiner away: ¡°No matter who is right or wrong, we¡¯re ending it here. But I hope there will be no more conflicts; our goal now is to survive.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Brother Yong snorted coldly, ¡°Just don¡¯t overstep your bounds and there won¡¯t be any conflicts.¡± Captain Huo gave Chuzheng, who was eating, a frowning look before leaving. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, why don¡¯t you come and join us at the front? To avoid those who are blind coming over to cause trouble?¡± God of Wealth offered with reverence. ¡°No need.¡± She didn¡¯t want to be caught in the middle, unable to escape if needed. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, just call me,¡± Brother Yong said, not insisting. ¨C After Brother Yong left, Yi Xiao looked somewhat embarrassed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Chuzheng, I didn¡¯t expect her to¡­¡± Do something like that. Chuzheng: ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time.¡± Yi Xiao nodded repeatedly. ¡°Be more careful next time,¡± Brother Bao scolded Yi Xiao. If it weren¡¯t for the many times they¡¯d survived together, Brother Bao would have cast him out a long time ago: ¡°Women are trouble.¡± He Cheng nodded in agreement, ¡°Only women and zombies are difficult to keep in line.¡± Chuzheng watched them solemnly. ¡°Except for Miss Chuzheng,¡± He Cheng quickly added, ¡°You are a goddess.¡± Brother Bao looked around, ¡°I¡¯ll go check on that one in the car.¡± Yi Xiao sat nearby, seemingly lost in thought. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, would you come and take a look? Something seems off,¡± Brother Bao called Chuzheng over. Was the Good Person Card in trouble? Chuzheng stood up abruptly. Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: Chapter 145: The Last Day Tycoon (10) Chapter 145: Chapter 145: The Last Day Tycoon (10) ¡°` In the car, Lu Ran lay on the back seat. The tall body of the youth curled up on the seat, his knees bent, pressing against his chest, in a most uncomfortable position. His forehead was burning hot, and the side of his face that was showing was frighteningly red. ¡°Being bitten by a zombie, is it like this?¡± Brother Bao and the others had never seen such a thing, and didn¡¯t know the process. But this fever seemed abnormally high. How would I know! I haven¡¯t seen it either! Why ask me! Chuzheng calmly directed Brother Bao to go ask Brother Yong. Brother Yong came over personally, he hadn¡¯t expected there to be another person in Chuzheng¡¯s car. ¡°He was bitten?¡± He Cheng replied, ¡°Yes, he hasn¡¯t turned into a zombie, not sure if he¡¯s awakening a Special Ability.¡± Brother Yong signaled that he would take a look, and Chuzheng made some space. After checking Lu Ran¡¯s pupils and pulse, he said, ¡°You need to bring his temperature down, or else before he awakens a Special Ability, he¡¯ll burn himself out.¡± This is also why only a very few out of those who are bitten are able to awaken. Many can¡¯t withstand such high temperatures; without awakening a Special Ability, they burn themselves out, eventually turning into zombies. ¡°With the weather like it is now, how do we bring down his temperature?¡± asked He Cheng. Even the water was warm. ¡°We need to find an Ice Series Special Ability User,¡± Brother Yong said. ¡°It¡¯s a variant ability, no one in my team has it, but I can lend you a Water Series Special Ability User for the time being.¡± Chuzheng handed him a Crystal Core: ¡°An Ice Series Special Ability User.¡± Brother Yong: ¡°¡­¡± Even with the Crystal Core, I don¡¯t have one! Brother Yong turned to Captain Huo: ¡°I¡¯ll go ask for you.¡± After asking, Captain Huo¡¯s team also didn¡¯t have an Ice Series Special Ability User. Brother Yong was at a loss. ¡°You guys get out first,¡± Chuzheng ordered Brother Bao and the others with calm. ¡°Miss Chuzheng?¡± ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Captain Huo watched Brother Yong and the others standing outside the car, somewhat puzzled. Ning You approached: ¡°Big brother Huo, what are they looking for an Ice Series Special Ability User for?¡± Captain Huo shook his head, speculating: ¡°Searching for an Ice Series Special Ability User at this time of night, someone might be awakening a Special Ability after a bite.¡± Finding an Ice Series Special Ability User in the middle of the night, that could be the only reason. ¡°Awakening a Special Ability¡­ who could it be?¡± Ning You felt an inexplicable unease. Captain Huo¡¯s eyes narrowed: ¡°The few people we just saw are all outside the car, only the little girl is not.¡± The little girl¡­ Chuzheng! Ning You grew even more anxious. She had thought Chuzheng would surely die under the onslaught of zombies and hadn¡¯t disguised it, but unexpectedly, Chuzheng had survived. If she had known it would turn out like this, she wouldn¡¯t have acted so ruthlessly. But there was no way to have known in advance. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, you look pale?¡± ¡°Ah? No, nothing, I¡¯m fine, probably just a bit tired.¡± Ning You covered her inner panic and looked to the side: ¡°Big brother Huo, how long will it be before we reach Qingan Base?¡± She had been separated from the main force, but she knew that the group would head to Qingan Base first, and she needed to find them before anyone else did. ¡°From Z Province, at our current pace, without any mishaps, we should arrive in about six days,¡± he replied. The present was not like the pre-apocalyptic times, many roads were destroyed, others were blocked by long queues of cars, six days was the time estimated under the assumption that the entire group wouldn¡¯t encounter any incidents. ¨C When Lu Ran came to, the car had already resumed its journey, first opening his eyes quietly and looking straight ahead. A few seconds later, he realized something was amiss. ¡°Awake?¡± A pleasant female voice sounded above him. Lu Ran abruptly raised his head, and his gaze fell upon the cold profile of the girl. At this moment¡­ he was hugging the girl. Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°` What happened? Why was he holding her in that position? Cold fingers touched his forehead, ¡°The fever¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°What special ability did you awaken to?¡± He Cheng looked back at him, appearing very curious. But he seemed not the slightest bit interested in his current position. The person he was holding was chilly all over, a refreshing coolness in the sweltering air. Lu Ran reluctantly let go of Chuzheng, sat up straight, and created a slight distance between them, while the girl watched him with complete indifference. ¡°¡­Seems like I didn¡¯t.¡± Lu Ran lowered his gaze, his attractive lips moving slightly. Brother Bao, who was driving, displayed a small flame with a swish, ¡°Do you feel a different power inside your body, like you can wield your special ability if you concentrate?¡± Following Brother Bao¡¯s advice, Lu Ran shook his head: ¡°No.¡± Brother Bao: ¡°¡­¡± So what did he awaken to? ¡°Maybe, it¡¯s one of those rare special abilities?¡± He Cheng cautiously suggested, ¡°Maybe you just haven¡¯t discovered it yet.¡± ¡°Maybe so.¡± Lu Ran didn¡¯t seem too bothered about not having awakened a special ability. The young man wasn¡¯t wearing a hat at the time, his face fully exposed in the air. It was a face one wouldn¡¯t forget at a glance. Beautiful as a work of art. His lips curved in a slight arc, but for no reason, it seemed to carry a mocking smile. Yet no one felt he was unlikable. Instead, it seemed like a bit of mischief, the light swirling in his starry eyes could easily ensnare someone. ¡°Where¡¯s my hat?¡± Lu Ran reached for his hair. Yi Xiao handed him the hat, ¡°Aren¡¯t you hot?¡± ¡°A calm heart keeps one cool.¡± Lu Ran put on the hat, feeling like he was about to die from the heat. He really wanted to hug the little girl beside him; she was so cool. Of course, that was just a thought. After all, they weren¡¯t familiar with each other. The fact that Lu Ran hadn¡¯t awakened to a special ability left the three of them somewhat disappointed. But since he hadn¡¯t turned into a zombie, they breathed a sigh of relief internally, no longer having to constantly worry about whether the person beside them would suddenly take a bite out of them. Lu Ran was quite easy to get along with, seemingly able to become friends with anyone. ¡°How did you get hurt?¡± He Cheng asked curiously. ¡°Got caught by accident.¡± Lu Ran revealed a smile, ¡°Walking in a post-apocalyptic world, who doesn¡¯t get bitten.¡± Chuzheng, resting her chin in her hand, spoke indifferently, ¡°Those people drove you out, aren¡¯t you angry?¡± Something seemed to cross Lu Ran¡¯s mind, but after a moment, he shook his head, ¡°I wasn¡¯t really acquainted with them, so it¡¯s hard to talk about being angry or not.¡± Lu Ran and they were classmates, but indeed not very close. It was just that they started moving together after the apocalypse began. ¡°You saved me back then because you thought I might awaken to a special ability, right?¡± Lu Ran¡¯s eyes paused slightly, and he seemed regretful, ¡°It¡¯s a pity, I didn¡¯t awaken any special ability, I must have disappointed you.¡± Chuzheng neither confirmed nor denied. The other three tactfully kept their mouths shut. Lu Ran observed Chuzheng for a moment, then continued, ¡°Although I am very grateful that you saved me, if possible, I hope you can let me off at the next resting point.¡± ¡°You want to run?¡± Chuzheng glanced at him. What to do if Good Person Card wants to run? Should I break his legs or break his legs?! ¡°You are headed for Qingan Base.¡± Lu Ran shrugged, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, his voice still pleasant, ¡°It¡¯s not on my way, I¡¯ll remember your great kindness, and I¡¯ll repay it when we meet again.¡± ¡°Where are you headed?¡± Lu Ran felt the girl becoming somewhat fierce, but her expression was unreadable, cold and distant, as if it were just his imagination. He suppressed that strange feeling, his beautiful starry eyes looking outside, ¡°I¡¯ll head north.¡± ¡°No,¡± she said. Lu Ran looked at her. Chuzheng stared straight ahead, her tone leaving no room for refusal, ¡°You have to follow me.¡± Lu Ran: ¡°??¡± Chuzheng: ¡°I saved you, so you have to listen to me.¡± If Good Person Card runs away, where would I go to be a good person!? Lu Ran: ¡°??¡± That might be true, but shouldn¡¯t he be free to choose what to do with it!? Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: Chapter 146: The Last Day Tycoon (11) Chapter 146: Chapter 146: The Last Day Tycoon (11) When the convoy stopped to rest, Lu Ran suggested leaving but was ruthlessly locked in the car by Chuzheng. The Trio: ¡°¡­¡± Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± He really had entered a den of wolves. Unable to get out of the car, Lu Ran didn¡¯t do anything and continued to chat and joke with Brother Bao and the others. The Trio felt very uneasy. They didn¡¯t understand what Chuzheng wanted to do with this boy she had picked up. Did she find him good-looking and wanted to keep him? Miss Chuzheng, expressionless, would certainly have been a big boss before the apocalypse¡­ It seemed not impossible. After all, Lu Ran was very good-looking. The next few days passed without incident. But one day, Chuzheng noticed the girl named Xiner was with a man from Brother Yong¡¯s team, and the man was getting handsy with her. ¡°What is she doing?¡± He Cheng asked with a bizarre look on his face, ¡°Is she throwing herself into the wolf¡¯s den?¡± Brother Yong seemed okay, but the men under him didn¡¯t seem like good people. Yi Xiao stood by, drinking water. Hearing this, he looked over sympathetically, his face shining with a saintly light. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Last night she had seen Yi Xiao and Xiner meet. She didn¡¯t know what they talked about, but she felt Xiner¡¯s behavior today couldn¡¯t be unrelated to Yi Xiao. Chuzheng scratched the car door with her finger. She couldn¡¯t ask. She needed to maintain her noble and cool image! ¡°Yi Xiao, I saw you talking to her last night. What did you say?¡± He Cheng suddenly asked. Chuzheng perked up her ears without showing any change in expression. ¡°Huh?¡± Yi Xiao looked bewildered. ¡°I didn¡¯t say much to her¡­ She just asked me who provided the food, and I told her it was Brother Yong and his people.¡± ¡°So she went to them today?¡± ¡°Um¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Yi Xiao looked completely bewildered. Brother Yong and his people not only had food and water but also guns; it was much safer than being with the group of vulnerable people at the back. Xiner¡¯s choice was completely understandable. Lu Ran peeked out through the half-opened car window with his good-looking eyes, faintly smiling, ¡°I say, Miss, are you planning to imprison me?¡± Chuzheng with a serious face: ¡°I am protecting you.¡± The young man chuckled lightly. He was backlit, his figure indistinct as if about to blend into the light, dazzlingly bright. ¡°How is restricting my freedom protection? Before, that would have been illegal. Besides, we aren¡¯t really acquainted, are we? Or did you know me before?¡± ¡°This way, I can effectively ensure you are not attacked by zombies, nor will you be framed by others,¡± Chuzheng answered earnestly. ¡°With food and drink, what do you have to complain about?¡± The young man: ¡°¡­¡± Let¡¯s see how you like it if I lock you in the car! Lu Ran silently retreated into the shadows, contemplationg how he could escape from the car. He did not feel safe at all. He felt extremely dangerous! ¨C At a fork in the road, the group stopped again. Brother Yong wanted to detour around Z Province, while Captain Huo¡¯s team intended to go straight through Z Province to reach Qingan Base. Brother Yong had no intention of staying with them in the first place, and it suited his preference to split up. However, Xiner¡¯s group decided to follow Brother Yong and his team. They came on their own, and Brother Yong didn¡¯t want to take on any burdens; he seemed somewhat impatient, but finally agreed after being placated by his brothers. ¡°Which way should we go?¡± Brother Bao asked Chuzheng. ¡°Follow them,¡± Chuzheng gestured to follow Brother Yong. ¡°Why? Shouldn¡¯t it be closer over there?¡± Brother Bao was puzzled. ¡°There are more zombies.¡± Lu Ran glanced sideways: ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Z Province is one of the most populous cities in the country, also an economic hub, with a very large transient population. When the zombie virus broke out, there was an international exhibition going on, with countless tourists and exhibitors¡­¡± He Cheng answered for Chuzheng. Lu Ran pulled his hat down and smiled ambiguously, ¡°That¡¯s quite a lot. You¡¯re pretty well-informed.¡± The latter part of his comment was directed at Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I just know the plot, that¡¯s all. After parting ways with Captain Huo, the team made much faster progress. ¡°Is it getting hotter again?¡± He Cheng fanned himself. ¡°It¡¯s all hot wind; I feel like I¡¯m almost cooked.¡± ¡°This damned weather, who knows how long it¡¯ll last.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hurry to the base¡­ I heard they have electricity.¡± ¡°Ah! Really? Will there be air conditioning?¡± ¡°Should be¡­¡± The vehicle they were now riding in was an SUV given to them by Brother Yong. Brother Bao and the other two were chatting in the front, while Chuzheng and Lu Ran were seated in the back. Lu Ran glanced sideways at Chuzheng. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hot?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± The girl seemed fresh and cool, showing no signs of the heat. ¡°I¡¯m very hot,¡± Lu Ran suddenly said, his beautiful eyes fixed on Chuzheng, sparkling sparsely with light. ¡°Hmm,¡± it was normal to feel hot under such a big sun, ¡°I¡¯m not hot.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lu Ran adjusted his sitting position, pulled down his hat, hugged his arms, and began to sleep. Lu Ran had intended to calm his mind and drive off the heat, but as the car rocked, he somehow fell asleep. When he awoke, he found himself lying in Chuzheng¡¯s arms, the coolness against him was very comfortable. Lu Ran quickly closed his eyes as Chuzheng looked over. So cool! Chuzheng thought about pushing Lu Ran away, but remembering that the Good Person Card said he was hot, she gave up. Considering he was the Good Person Card¡­ Perhaps because of the coolness, Lu Ran fell asleep again. In such hot weather, it was common to wake up from the heat as soon as you fell asleep, and then the cycle would repeat, with no one getting a good rest. This time, Lu Ran slept comfortably. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, there¡¯s a gas station up ahead, we¡¯re planning to rest there today,¡± someone from the front passed the message. The zombies at the gas station had been cleared, and Chuzheng¡¯s car was parked on the outer edges. ¡°It¡¯s so hot, can I get out and go in?¡± Lu Ran lifted his hat to ask for her opinion. He winked at Chuzheng and his lips curved into a slight, mischievous smile that was particularly enticing. [Main Quest: Please spend one hundred Crystal Cores within one hour.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng opened the car door and got out, Lu Ran¡¯s smile immediately widened, and he quickly followed her. Although Lu Ran rarely got out of the vehicle, there were still occasions when he needed to. Everyone in the team knew that there was a strange young man in Chuzheng¡¯s car who still wore a hat even in the scorching heat. The young man followed Chuzheng inside, where all the items had been moved aside to block the surroundings, leaving the middle open for everyone to rest. Xiner and her group were sitting in one corner. At the moment they came in, each of them had an unfriendly look as they stared at them. Chuzheng paid no attention to them and went straight to Brother Yong. A few minutes later. ¡°Go take a shower,¡± Chuzheng handed clean clothes to Lu Ran. Leaning against the wall, Lu Ran lifted his gaze upon hearing her voice, puzzled by what he heard: ¡°What?¡± ¡°Take a shower.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t even have enough water to drink, are you kidding me?¡± With the weather so hot and the river water deemed undrinkable, the water supply now depended on bottled water from the past and Water Series Special Ability Users. And she was telling him to take a shower. With what? Mud? ¡°There¡¯s water here,¡± Chuzheng pointed to a bucket beside her: ¡°Is that enough?¡± The Good Person Card was a great target for squandering. He still proved quite useful. Lu Ran followed Chuzheng¡¯s pointing direction and his expression stiffened slightly. Two full buckets of water. Not just for washing himself, but sparingly enough for three people. But clearly, both buckets were for his use. Lu Ran pressed down on his hat to hide his expression. What exactly was she planning to do? She couldn¡¯t seriously be considering keeping him as a male pet, could she?! Chapter 147 - Chapter 147: Chapter 147: The Last Day Tycoon (12) Chapter 147: Chapter 147: The Last Day Tycoon (12) Lu Ran carried water into the bathroom, which had already been cleaned by someone, but he still carefully checked the stalls. He took off his clothes and quickly washed himself. When he was leaving, he bumped into two girls who had come to use the toilet together. Lu Ran turned his face to the side, swiftly adjusted his hat, and quickly left. ¡°Hey, did you see that? That guy is so pretty.¡± ¡°Pretty? You mean handsome, right?¡± ¡°No, I mean pretty, like if he didn¡¯t have a flat chest, I would have thought he was a girl.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t notice just now¡­¡± The conversation of the girls behind him made Lu Ran¡¯s face slightly unpleasant. He didn¡¯t like people talking about him that way. His face was indeed good-looking, but everyone complimented him as they would a girl, which annoyed him. ¡°Hey.¡± Suddenly, someone rounded the corner and bumped into Lu Ran. Lu Ran stepped back a few steps, his gaze sweeping over the other person who was clearly very angry, but upon making eye contact with him, he became curiously defiant, ¡°Are you that kept pretty boy of Chuzheng¡¯s?¡± Chuzheng¡­ kept pretty boy? When did he ever get such a title? The person stroked his chin, ¡°Always wearing a hat, how good-looking can you be? Come on, show your brother.¡± As he spoke, the person reached out to lift Lu Ran¡¯s hat. Slap! ¡°Ah!¡± The man¡¯s hand was struck by a wooden board, instantly swelling up red. Chuzheng kicked him, looking down from above, ¡°Pretty, huh?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± the man clutching his hand, his whole arm seemed numb, his teeth clenched, speaking unclearly. ¡°Miss Chuzheng,¡± Brother Yong came over after hearing the noise, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± In modern terms, this person was akin to a foolish daughter of a rich landlord¡¯s family, one who didn¡¯t stir up trouble; there was no need for Brother Yong to offend her. The Crystal Core was easier to get than something fallen from the sky. Even if she asked him to treat her like a little ancestor, he would be willing to do so. ¡°Control your people better, and keep your hands shorter,¡± Chuzheng tossed away the wooden board in her hand, her eyes icy cold. The Good Person Card isn¡¯t something you can just touch, is it? Brother Yong looked at the youth standing a bit behind, wearing a cap, keeping his head down, his face not clearly visible. He was still damp from the shower, lean but not frail, straight and statuesque as bamboo, with long straight legs in slippers, revealing attractive toes. Even without seeing his face, one would feel the urge to look a few more times. Brother Yong then looked at his underling lying on the ground, wailing in pain. He felt reassured inside. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, it¡¯s poor discipline on my part, my apologies,¡± Brother Yong kicked his underling, ¡°Apologize to her.¡± With Brother Yong¡¯s kick, the man cowed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Miss Chuzheng, what do you think?¡± ¡°No next time.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time, I promise,¡± Brother Yong immediately patted his chest, ¡°How about this, in a bit I¡¯ll send some tasty treats over to you, to steady this¡­ young brother¡¯s nerves.¡± Chuzheng took the unresponsive Lu Ran¡¯s hand and left. Did the Good Person Card get scared? He hasn¡¯t reacted at all for such a long time¡­ Surely, I can¡¯t let him stray too far from me. Yes! That makes sense! [¡­] Is the lady¡¯s reasoning just for herself, huh? After Chuzheng left, Brother Yong kicked his underling again, ¡°Are you sick or something, why stir up trouble with him of all people?¡± ¡°I just wanted to see that pretty boy¡­¡± the underling felt wronged. ¡°Look at what? You want to get with him or what? You randy bastard, is your head all messed up?¡± Brother Yong said, kicking him again a couple times. The underling clutched his head, ¡°No, Brother Yong¡­ I was just curious, I really was just curious, I didn¡¯t plan to do anything.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a next time, I¡¯ll cripple you.¡± Brother Yong was far from pleased, and he sent word down the ranks: no one was to mess with Chuzheng¡¯s people. Anyone who broke the rules would bear the consequences. There were naturally those in the group who were disgruntled. ¡°Hey, why is Brother Yong so good to that woman?¡± ¡°She¡¯s pretty, isn¡¯t she? Maybe Brother Yong has taken a fancy to her.¡± ¡°Pretty, yes, but she¡¯s as cold as ice¡­ Does Brother Yong like that type?¡± ¡°Even so, he shouldn¡¯t treat us brothers like this just for a woman, right? We¡¯re the ones who have been through life and death with him!¡± ¡°Let it be, stop talking¡­¡± Brother Yong obviously hadn¡¯t told everyone in the team about trading Crystal Cores with Chuzheng. Thinking about it, it made sense; revealing the number of Crystal Cores to the team would only bring more trouble. It¡¯s never easy for a leader to make a choice. Because those below don¡¯t realize how much more comprehensively a leader has to think¡ªthey only feel their interests are compromised and become discontent with their leader. ¨C Chuzheng led Lu Ran back to the corner. Lu Ran seemed to come back to his senses: ¡°What¡¯s your Special Ability?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a Special Ability.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lu Ran cocked his head, his profile bathed in the light, smooth like jade, his eyebrows slightly raised: ¡°No Special Ability?¡± The youth¡¯s beautiful starry eyes sparkled, his long lashes fluttered like butterfly wings, and the corners of his lips curved up, exuding an alluring charm. Chuzheng nodded indifferently: ¡°Mhm.¡± Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± No Special Ability? Who¡¯s going to believe that! Chuzheng took the hat from his head, and Lu Ran instinctively guarded it: ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chuzheng, however, unreasonably grabbed his wrist, forcefully removed the hat, and tossed it aside. Under Lu Ran¡¯s shocked and complex gaze, Chuzheng put a new hat on his head, her fingertips trailing over his hair, and sighed silently to herself¡ª not soft, really not soft at all. Chuzheng withdrew her hand expressionlessly: ¡°Aren¡¯t you hot?¡± Wearing a hat even when it¡¯s hot, that¡¯s just odd. Lu Ran paused, then shrugged: ¡°I¡¯m too handsome, it causes trouble.¡± The hat on his head was a light coffee color, adorned with a cute cat pattern. Without the young man making any effort, it added a touch of cuteness to his appearance. Chuzheng stared at the cat pattern, pondering something. Lu Ran had an uneasy intuition: ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Chuzheng looked away. ¡°How long are you planning to keep me imprisoned?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°Have I treated you badly?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Lu Ran couldn¡¯t deny that she had indeed treated him rather well. Lu Ran took a deep breath, a hint of dissatisfaction on his fair face: ¡°But that¡¯s not a reason for you to imprison me!¡± He was a person! Not a pet! It wasn¡¯t him who asked her to save him before. She was the one who insisted on making him get in the car. ¡°What will it take for you to let me go?¡± ¡°When you think I¡¯m a good person¡­¡± Chuzheng hesitated, a flicker of confusion crossing her eyes. She seemed not quite willing to let the Good Person Card go after he felt she was a good person? Huh?! Chuzheng dwelled on the thought for only a few seconds before she moved past it. If it came down to it, she could simply keep him with her. ¡°You expect me to think you¡¯re a good person after treating me this way?¡± Lu Ran scoffed: ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡± He didn¡¯t have Stockholm syndrome. ¡°Have I treated you badly?¡± If it weren¡¯t for the fact that you¡¯re the Good Person Card, acting like this, you would have been dealt with long ago. ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s not about whether you¡¯ve treated me well or not! Lu Ran didn¡¯t want to communicate with Chuzheng; talking to her was utterly impossible. ¡°If you just stay away from me now, I¡¯ll consider you a good person.¡± He longed to breathe some fresh air! Lu Ran had only spoken in jest, but Chuzheng actually stood up and moved to stand aside¡­ Great, she had blocked his escape route. Unless he could fly, it would be absolutely impossible for him to escape from his current position. Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Chapter 148: The Last Day Tycoon (13) Chapter 148: Chapter 148: The Last Day Tycoon (13) ¡°` Trouble never comes alone. No sooner had Brother Yong dealt with one issue than the Water Series Special Ability User in the squad exhausted his ability and ran out of water. They needed water for cooking at the moment, and the sudden absence of it caused an instant uproar within the team. ¡°He just took a bath, and I hardly used any, why are you all blaming me?¡± Suddenly, a pot smashed onto Lu Ran¡¯s head. The Water Series Special Ability User had already accumulated some water for cooking, but in the blink of an eye, Xiner and two other girls used it to take a bath. Now being accused, Xiner immediately pointed the finger at Lu Ran. Brother Yong was already in a bad mood and now, with women squabbling, he was even more annoyed, ¡°You took the water to use without asking, who gave you the right?¡± ¡°Why does he get to huh?¡± Xiner stood beside a man, retorting with indignation. ¡°Brother Yong, let¡¯s just drop it, it¡¯s only a little water. When his ability recovers, we¡¯ll have water. Xiner and the few girls wanted to take a bath, it¡¯s understandable. That guy¡­ he took one too, Brother Yong you can¡¯t be biased, right?¡± The man¡¯s words were either quelling the flames of conflict or fanning them. Brother Yong felt like his head would explode with anger. The guy had exchanged Crystal Cores for it! Can you compare?! Did you bloody exchange Crystal Cores?! Bathing, bathing, bathe my ass! ¡°If a guy can bathe, why can¡¯t I?¡± Xiner leaned against the man, feeling very wronged. This matter had nothing to do with Chuzheng, she was just watching coldly. Brother Yong scolded the group harshly, and Xiner along with the other two girls didn¡¯t dare speak up again. Considering previous grievances, Xiner probably took Chuzheng as her enemy unilaterally. Girls¡¯ hatred is just so inexplicable. They say they hate you and they just do. Completely baseless! Brother Yong gave the Water Series Special Ability User a Crystal Core to recover his ability and continue supplying water. At night, Lu Ran leaned against the wall, keeping his eyes on Chuzheng. Suddenly, Chuzheng walked over to him and sat down beside him, ¡°Hot?¡± Before Lu Ran could reply, Chuzheng draped her arm over his shoulder, pulling him towards her embrace, ¡°Sleep.¡± Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± All he wanted was to find a chance to run away. ¨C Because of the bathing incident, the team began to subtly split. Brother Yong didn¡¯t react much, still giving what was due, but he didn¡¯t spare those looking for trouble. They tried to covertly win over the Water Series Special Ability User. But the Water Series Special Ability User stated he wouldn¡¯t join them, and without him, they didn¡¯t dare to confront Brother Yong openly. The squad staggered along and finally safely arrived at Qingan Base. Outside Qingan Base, a long line snaked around. Many people lingered outside because they couldn¡¯t afford the entry resources. On the cracked ground, people sat despondently, watching the passersby with despair. ¡°Save my child, please¡­¡± ¡°Give me some water to drink.¡± ¡°Give me something to eat, please¡­¡± Lu Ran propped his chin, observing the world outside the vehicle window. ¡°End of the world¡­¡± Brother Bao couldn¡¯t help but curse under his breath, ¡°This motherfucking¡­¡± Those without Special Abilities had to queue for inspection and quarantine while those with them didn¡¯t need to, they could go straight in. Chuzheng, worried that Lu Ran would take the chance to run away, asked Brother Yong¡¯s men to keep an eye on him. ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with her?¡± Brother Yong couldn¡¯t help but ask. Lu Ran pulled his hat lower, ¡°Would you believe me if I said there¡¯s no relationship?¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Brother Yong laughed with ambiguous meaning, not taking the Special Ability User¡¯s passage, but instead followed Lu Ran to another passage for inspection. After all, he was paid to keep an eye on this young master. Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± Even if he wanted to, he couldn¡¯t escape here! ¡°Why do you listen to her so obediently?¡± Lu Ran asked, puzzled. ¡°` ¡°She has¡­ money.¡± There were too many eyes around, so Brother Yong didn¡¯t say Crystal Core, but Lu Ran understood. After all, she could bring out a Crystal Core anytime, anywhere. ¡°How can you be so corrupt?¡± ¡°Young master, if you give me money, I can let you go too,¡± Brother Yong patted his shoulder. ¡°¡­¡± Go to hell, young master! ¨C Qingan Base was essentially a town. There was a military presence there, and when the zombies first broke out and were moving slowly, they immediately cleaned up the entire town¡¯s zombies, hence Qingan Base was established. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, we¡¯d like to find a place to stay first, and then make plans,¡± Brother Yong took Lu Ran out and handed him back to her. ¡°Mm.¡± Chuzheng naturally took Lu Ran¡¯s hand. Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± The other three came over as well. ¡°The trade is done, do as you please.¡± No need for a driver for the time being! Brother Bao and the other two were clearly stunned for a moment. Lu Ran was also slightly surprised; he thought that these three were with her, apparently not? After hesitating for a while, Brother Bao eventually said goodbye to Chuzheng and left. Lu Ran, with his free hand, adjusted the edge of his hat, his gaze falling on the girl¡¯s profile. Despite having come all this way together, she seemed to have no feelings whatsoever. Lu Ran was worried about his future. He needed to find a chance to run away. If you wanted to find shelter in the base, you could go to the specially delineated super-luxury private rooms¡ªsleeping under the open sky, with the heavens as your blanket and the earth as your mattress. Alternatively, you could rent one of the town¡¯s houses with supplies. However, housing resources were now scarce, and the place where they were allocated had started to devolve into an auction model. An auction was held every hour, and the highest bidder got the spot. Moreover, getting a room didn¡¯t mean it was only for you. In a typical ten-square-meter room, it was common to live with three others. [Main Quest: Spend two hundred Crystal Cores within an hour.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard, this damn thing! Chuzheng kicked a wooden plank beside her in a rage, startling Lu Ran: ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°There was a mosquito.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was indifferent. ¡°¡­¡± Kick a mosquito with your foot? Lu Ran¡¯s heart trembled¡ªcould she have some psychological issues? No, he absolutely had to run away! Wait, are there even mosquitoes in this weather? At this moment, everyone was lining up to get a number. Chuzheng used Crystal Cores to cut in line. ¡°What are you doing cutting in line?¡± Someone immediately became unhappy behind Chuzheng: ¡°Don¡¯t you have any manners?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t cut in your line.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The person who swapped places with Chuzheng had to take her number and line up again in the back, without actually affecting anyone else. If one is willing to hit and the other is willing to endure, who can say anything? The person probably spoke out in a moment of irritation and now couldn¡¯t back down. People were now queuing to log their preferences for the type of house they wanted. After making a decision, they would go to the respective rooms to bid in the auction. Although this official mode seemed somewhat like extortion, on someone else¡¯s turf, you had to play by their rules. ¡°How many people are staying, and do you have any requirements?¡± When it was Chuzheng¡¯s turn, the registrar asked impatiently. ¡°Do you have any villas?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The registrar looked up at Chuzheng: ¡°Are you here on vacation? This is the apocalypse, and you still want to live in a villa. Why don¡¯t you say you want to go to the moon?¡± ¡°Oh, can you do that?¡± The girl¡¯s cold gaze fixed on the registrar, who felt slightly intimidated, struggling to discern the meaning behind Chuzheng¡¯s words. ¡°There are no villas.¡± The registrar said sternly: ¡°Hurry up, there are so many people behind you, don¡¯t waste time!¡± Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: Chapter 149: The Last Day Tycoon (14) Chapter 149: Chapter 149: The Last Day Tycoon (14) ¡°` Thud. The crystal core collided with the tabletop, emitting a crisp sound. Registration Staff: ¡°¡­¡± Crystal, crystal core!!! The registration area was partitioned into cubicles with curtains, but the staff still feared being seen by others. ¡°Do you have one?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ yes, there is one.¡± The registration employee squeezed out a smile, stood up, and gestured to Chuzheng to come aside: ¡°Please follow me.¡± Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± Where on earth did she get that crystal core from. There was no sign of her killing zombies on the road, was there? The registration staff took them to a small room next door. She rifled through some papers on the table and, after glancing at them, said: ¡°We only have one villa left. It¡¯s a bit small, but it will be sufficient for the two of you. Electricity and water are supplied, safety guaranteed.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± The registration staff tentatively said: ¡°This villa requires ten crystal cores a month.¡± Now a single crystal core could feed one person for a month, so this villa costing ten crystal cores a month made it clear that it wasn¡¯t something everyone could afford. Chuzheng handed over all the remaining crystal cores to her. As the registration staff looked at the bag full of crystal cores, her eyes started to sparkle. ¡°You have a total of one hundred and ninety cores, which is enough for a year and seven months.¡± The registration staff turned to look for the keys: ¡°Please wait a moment, I¡¯ll get the keys for you and then take you there.¡± ¡°Zhou Jing, are you there?¡± Suddenly, a man entered: ¡°I remember we still had one villa left, right?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Zhou Jing, looking for the keys, lifted her head: ¡°Not anymore, this young lady just took it.¡± The man frowned, glanced at Chuzheng and Lu Ran, and perhaps because of her young age, didn¡¯t take her seriously: ¡°Arrange another place for her to stay and give me the keys to that villa.¡± ¡°But, she¡­ gave a year and seven months¡¯ worth of crystal cores.¡± The man was surprised. How could these two young people have so many crystal cores? Zhou Jing showed the crystal cores to him. Although the abundance of crystal cores was tempting, the man thought for a moment before turning back to Chuzheng and said: ¡°I will arrange another set of accommodations for you. The environment is just as good, and no one will disturb you.¡± Zhou Jing somehow felt it wasn¡¯t right. But since the man was the head of the settlement¡¯s housing management, she could only watch, hoping no issues would arise. ¡°The deal is already done.¡± Chuzheng remained calm: ¡°Are you breaking the agreement?¡± Although she was acting out of impulse, she wouldn¡¯t be pushed around! The head laughed: ¡°Young lady, we¡¯re in charge of the housing, you either take my suggestion and I¡¯ll make the arrangement immediately, or if you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll have to leave.¡± ¡°Mr. Yang, is it settled?¡± Ning You¡¯s face appeared at the door, locking eyes with Chuzheng. Her expression stiffened for a second, before reverting back to normal. Yet inside, her world flipped upside down. How did she encounter her here! And why did Chuzheng look so clean, as if she hadn¡¯t been surviving in this apocalypse¡­ Does she not recognize me? Is she pretending not to know me, or has some accident happened, and she truly doesn¡¯t remember me? Of course, Ning You hoped more for an accident, that she genuinely didn¡¯t remember her. Chuzheng was also somewhat taken aback. Ning You looked a bit miserable; if it weren¡¯t for her fair and beautiful face, she wouldn¡¯t look much different from the people outside. So, her journey hadn¡¯t been easy. She was quite pretty, just a bit malicious. To think she even pulled my hair! ¡°Miss Ning, it will be ready soon.¡± The head said to Ning You with a pleasant smile. Ning You avoided Chuzheng¡¯s gaze as much as possible, speaking to the head with composure: ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°The villa has already been taken¡­¡± Zhou Jing¡¯s eyes flicked towards Chuzheng. Ning You understood immediately. She looked at Chuzheng and quickly said: ¡°Since it¡¯s taken, then it should go to the highest bidder, right?¡± Zhou Jing: ¡°¡­¡± That person just paid one hundred and ninety crystal cores! Even if you auction it off for a month, no ordinary person could compete with her! [Main quest: Secure the villa with the highest bid!] Go, sis! We¡¯re the richest! Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°` I just wanted to find a place to live! Ning You said that, and the director¡¯s gaze flickered, smiling as he said, ¡°Miss Ning is truly generous. What does the young lady think?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± What a hassle! Just finish it off! The director said the highest bidder gets to renegotiate the bid. On a monthly basis. Chuzheng slapped one hundred ninety Crystal Cores onto the table with a flair, oozing extravagance: ¡°One month.¡± Director: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Jing: ¡°¡­¡± Backdrop Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng¡¯s brows and eyes were stern, making her appear somewhat sharply handsome, as she slightly parted her lips: ¡°Your turn.¡± The shock in Ning You¡¯s eyes hadn¡¯t had the time to subside; the number of Crystal Cores was unclear, but it was apparent they were plentiful. How did she have so many Crystal Cores? ¡°Miss Ning?¡± Ning You also had quite a few on her. Coming over from Z Province, where there were many zombies, she had acquired many Crystal Cores. But¡­ To use them to rent a living space was too wasteful. Yet, faced with Chuzheng, Ning You felt an inexplicable reluctance to lose. Biting her lip, she said, ¡°Two hundred.¡± Chuzheng glanced at her: ¡°Four hundred.¡± Ning You felt like coughing up blood. Was she just shouting out any number? Special Ability Users needed to enhance their abilities, so Crystal Cores were actually consumed very quickly; the circulating amount of Crystal Cores could be said to be not very abundant. And she doubled the bid just like that. Did she think she was a Crystal Core manufacturer? ¡°Do you have that many?¡± Ning You voiced her doubt. Chuzheng took out two hundred and tossed them over. The room suddenly fell into a peculiar atmosphere, Ning You clutching her palm, as if she had dug a hole for herself and jumped in. She had thought she had more Crystal Cores than anyone else, but this was the result. In her eyes, these Crystal Cores seemed to be no big deal? What on earth had she been through?! ¡°You have Space Ability?¡± The director¡¯s surprise wasn¡¯t about the Crystal Cores. The one hundred ninety Crystal Cores were ones that Chuzheng had been holding the entire time; nobody saw where she took them out from. But now, Chuzheng had seemingly pulled them out of thin air. Two hundred Crystal Cores have no small volume¡­ ¡°Is that any of your business?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you adding more?¡± Chuzheng asked Ning You. Ning You¡¯s cheeks flushed red, her beautiful eyes glaring at Chuzheng. Add more? For what? She only had just over four hundred in total on her, which weren¡¯t all hers; how could she dare to continue raising the bid? Ning You felt nothing but humiliation inside, her face burning with the sensation. Biting her lower lip, she stamped her foot and turned to leave, signaling with her actions that she would not raise the bid. If she didn¡¯t leave now, was she going to wait for these people to laugh at her? [Congratulations, Miss, for completing the mission¡ªthe six hundred Crystal Cores have been delivered.] A burst of exhilaration surged through Chuzheng¡¯s heart, but her expression became even more piercingly cold: ¡°Can you take me there now?¡± The oppressively hot weather made everyone feel chilly, goosebumps forming all over their bodies; Zhou Jing shivered: ¡°Sure¡­ sure.¡± ¡°Hey, where did you get so many Crystal Cores?¡± Lu Ran asked her in a lowered voice. ¡°Wholesale.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Where can you even buy wholesale? The zombie market!? Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: Chapter 150: The Last Day Tycoon (15) Chapter 150: Chapter 150: The Last Day Tycoon (15) Meanwhile, on the other side, after Chuzheng and Ning You left, the director summoned someone thoughtfully. ¡°Go keep an eye on that woman who was just here.¡± With a space ability and a large number of crystal cores, it¡¯s hard not to attract attention. Not knowing who she is¡­ ¡°Okay, what about Huo Jing?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already done him this favor; it was his own people who messed up. Can they still come to me?¡± The man¡¯s eyes were sharp and piercing. If Ning You hadn¡¯t volunteered, he would definitely have had to forcefully take back the house. But Ning You jumped out on her own, letting him make so much for nothing. He should thank her. ¡°¡­Understood.¡± ¡°If he comes looking for me, tell him I had to leave for an emergency.¡± When Ning You returned to the team, Captain Huo looked somewhat pale, not sure if he was injured. ¡°What happened? Didn¡¯t get the key?¡± Ning You: ¡°¡­¡± Right, she was supposed to get the key. The house was already assured by Brother Huo. But why did she contend with her for it? A chill suddenly rose up Ning You¡¯s back; she should not have done that at all. ¡°Brother Huo¡­¡± Ning You¡¯s thoughts shifted, and with a troubled expression, she said, ¡°The house was snatched away.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Captain Huo frowned. ¡°What happened?¡± Ning You recounted what had just happened, altering it slightly, and explained everything to Captain Huo. The gist of it was that Chuzheng insisted on having the house and even forced her to compete for it, but she didn¡¯t have that many crystal cores. ¡°The girl from the team last time?¡± Ning You nodded: ¡°That¡¯s her¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Brother Huo, I didn¡¯t handle things well.¡± Captain Huo waved it off: ¡°Let¡¯s find somewhere else to stay for now.¡± Ning You wanted to say more, but seeing Captain Huo¡¯s face, she held back. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Captain Huo, without knowing what Ning You had done, sought to find someone again, only to be told that the person had left due to an emergency. The return time was uncertain. This attitude clearly expressed his standpoint. Huo Jing could only have Ning You join the queue and bid. However, what infuriated Ning You was that every time she took a liking to a house, somebody would outbid her with a higher offer in the blink of an eye. In the end, Ning You hemorrhaged a great deal of money just to get a three-bedroom, two-living room apartment that wasn¡¯t even in a good environment. ¡°Do you have a grudge against her?¡± Lu Ran was very curious. ¡°Why mess with her like that?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Damn dog yanked my hair! ¡°If you want me to stick with you, can you talk to me properly? I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re trying to convey.¡± Lu Ran was somewhat weary. Chuzheng nodded seriously: ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°???¡± Chuzheng explained: ¡°I have a grudge against her.¡± Lu Ran: ¡°How did she offend you?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± She yanked my hair. Can she say something like that? No! ¡°She just offended me.¡± Lu Ran: ¡°There should be a reason, right? Like why you want to imprison me?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°It¡¯s a long story, not telling.¡± Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± Lu Ran took a few deep breaths. ¡°Don¡¯t you think using crystal cores to mess with her is not worth it?¡± ¡°I have crystal cores.¡± I¡¯m so poor, I only have crystal cores left, what can I do! ¡°¡­¡± Lu Ran again had no desire to talk to Chuzheng. ¨C The villa was located to the north of the town, very close to the center of the base, making it one of the safest places, where patrol teams were seen occasionally. The villa was indeed not large. Downstairs was the living room and kitchen, upstairs were just three rooms; besides the master bedroom, the other two were small, and the attic was piled with sundries, not fit for living. Chuzheng locked Lu Ran in the master bedroom. Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± Great! Now he was truly imprisoned. Would he still have to serve in bed tonight?! Lu Ran shuddered, his handsome face wearing an odd expression, and the hat in his hand was crumpled out of shape. Why did he get in the car in the first place? Stay calm! Lu Ran forced himself to calm down and focused his gaze on the window. He walked over and pulled back the curtain, the fierce sunlight shining on him as if he could hear the sound of his skin sizzling, so hot that his entire being seemed about to melt away. Just as Lu Ran was about to lower the curtain, he spotted a figure peering around outside the villa. Who was that? Lu Ran dropped the curtain. He waited a little while and glanced outside again, and the person had disappeared. But by nightfall, he saw a figure looking over at the villa again. Lu Ran thought about the Crystal Core Chuzheng had spent, and it seemed not at all strange that they had attracted attention. Serves him right! Click¡ª The sound of the door lock was slight as Chuzheng came in holding water and food: ¡°Eat.¡± ¡°¡­Can¡¯t eat,¡± Lu Ran stood with his back to Chuzheng, ¡°It¡¯s hot.¡± Chuzheng pondered for a few seconds: ¡°Shall I feed you?¡± This is the biggest concession I¡¯ve made! Don¡¯t go too far with the Good Person Card! ¡°¡­¡± Lu Ran felt his dignity had been insulted, and he suddenly shouted, ¡°What the hell do you want?¡± Lu Ran charged toward Chuzheng with an imposing air. He had already removed his hat upon entering the room, and now, on his face that was so beautiful it could outshine the world, there was a faint trace of anger. ¡°Do you want to sleep with me or what?¡± Lu Ran stood in front of her, ¡°Is it that if I sleep with you, you¡¯ll let me go?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s expression was serious: ¡°I didn¡¯t want to sleep with you.¡± Really! Why would he think that? Am I that kind of person? Suddenly, Lu Ran lowered his head, and his lips touched Chuzheng¡¯s. She kept her eyes wide open, staring at the handsome face that loomed large before her. The youth had pale skin and delicate features like a work of art, his eyes slightly closed. One could vaguely glimpse the luster deep within them that could lead to bewilderment. His butterfly-wing-like eyelashes trembled lightly, casting a shadow as fine as brushstrokes. He was so handsome. The next second, Lu Ran suddenly attacked Chuzheng. The positions of the two reversed, with Lu Ran standing at the doorway. He quickly exited the room. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± You kiss me and then get violent? Who gave you the gall! Chuzheng immediately chased after him, and with a bang, the door shut automatically, Chuzheng thudding against it. She leaned against the door for two seconds, then calmly backed away and pulled it open. The outside was empty; Lu Ran was nowhere to be seen. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± He actually escaped! This weakling actually tricked her! How dare he kiss her!! Chuzheng kicked the door angrily. No¡­ wait. This door just now? Chuzheng rubbed her chin and walked in and out of the doorway twice. The weakling even lied to her about not having a Special Ability! Chuzheng kicked the door fiercely again. Door: ¡°¡­¡± What did I do wrong? ¨C Now away from that clutch, Lu Ran was confronting a man, his face swollen and bruised, the man hardly daring to breathe. ¡°Who ordered you to surveil?¡± The young man¡¯s voice was crisp, cutting through the stifling weather and landing sharply in the man¡¯s heart, as chilling as a glacier, which made the man shiver involuntarily. The youth in front of him instilled fear. ¡°I was just¡­ looking around¡­¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The youth bent down slightly, his fingertips grasping the man¡¯s chin, his tone mocking: ¡°I remember you.¡± Man: ¡°¡­¡± This youth had kept his head down before, his hat concealing nearly everything, almost invisible. He hadn¡¯t gone in yet, instead merely encountering them on his way out, merely the briefest moment of passing by. He hadn¡¯t expected that the youth would remember him¡­ ¡°Go back and tell your boss, dare to come over again, and watch your life.¡± The young man¡¯s voice, though not threatening, was pleasant as if from the heavens, yet the man felt danger. The youth snorted: ¡°Scram.¡± Lu Ran watched the man scurry away on all fours, touched his own hat, and muttered, ¡°Why do I care so much?¡± He shook his head and quickly left the place to avoid being caught and brought back again. Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: Chapter 151: The Last Day Tycoon (16) Chapter 151: Chapter 151: The Last Day Tycoon (16) The night market at the base was bustling, exchanging all kinds of things, but what was most lacking were food, water, and Crystal Cores. Here, no one dared to carelessly bring out something like food. The frenzy these people could whip up might trample a few to death. ¡°Miss, what would you like to exchange for?¡± The girl with a cold expression stood in front of a stall, eyeing those few magazines with a somewhat complex mood. This is the apocalypse! The apocalypse, for goodness¡¯ sake!! The apocalypse!! ¡°Miss, these are out of print now, they can be collected, once the apocalypse is over, their value will double,¡± The stallholder immediately recommended upon seeing Chuzheng staring at the magazines. ¡°¡­¡± You sure know how to do business. ¡°You think the apocalypse will be over?¡± ¡°Hey, gotta have some hope, right?¡± The person was very optimistic, ¡°Miss, how about it? I¡¯ll exchange for a pack of instant noodles.¡± Chuzheng felt that now would be a good time for¡ªA Guide to Survival and Extinction after Five Years of Apocalypse. Chuzheng shook her head, but picked up another watch that looked very expensive yet was less valuable than a loaf of bread in the apocalypse, and tossed over a Crystal Core. The man didn¡¯t see clearly what she threw at first. When he realized Chuzheng had tossed a Crystal Core, he quickly covered it with his hands and looked around sneakily. Seeing that the passersby didn¡¯t notice, he hurriedly stashed the Crystal Core away. His heart thumped wildly as if he had met the girl of his dreams. Crystal Core, oh Crystal Core! It could be exchanged for so much food! Too thrilling! As if afraid Chuzheng might change her mind, the man packed up his stuff and took off, leaving Chuzheng in confusion. Why run? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m robbing him. Chuzheng planned to give him the watch when she got her hands on a Good Person Card next time. Although she didn¡¯t know why, seeing it just made her feel it suited him well. If that¡¯s what she felt, then she might as well stock up on it. Right! [¡­]Listen to how the young lady uses her words, catch! She¡¯s talking about catching! She doesn¡¯t need to find that word anymore, she¡¯s started catching directly. Is the young lady a devil?! What sins have Good Person Cards committed. The King¡¯s Account lit a candle for the Good Person Card. After a minute of silent mourning, it cheerfully issued Chuzheng a task. [Main Quest: Please spend two hundred Crystal Cores within two hours.] Chuzheng was not pleased; she wanted to kill the Bastard behind the King¡¯s Account. Could they not give her a break? Could they not be considerate of a weak and helpless Little Cutie? [Little cutie, we are the Spendthrift System, we need to spend without stopping! This is what aligns with our values in life!] ¡°Can¡¯t you change your values in life?¡± [¡­Little cutie, this¡­ this might not be possible.] Can life values be changed just like that? No! We must be steadfast in our spending! ¡°Bastard.¡± [¡­]Even if I can¡¯t do it, you can¡¯t scold me! I dislike it! ¡°The circulation of Crystal Cores isn¡¯t large right now, and such a large quantity can easily disrupt the system. Is that really okay?¡± Money, in the hundreds or thousands of millions, that¡¯s like throwing a pebble into the sea, you wouldn¡¯t even hear a splash. But it¡¯s different now. This is the apocalypse. The number of circulating Crystal Cores is limited. Even if everyone in the country turned into zombies, and each had a Crystal Core, there would only be a few billion at most. [Little cutie, to balance the impact of an excessive number of Crystal Cores, the consumption of Crystal Cores will increase to achieve equilibrium.] And besides, it hasn¡¯t issued a lot of big spending quests, right? It adapts to different conditions! It¡¯s a cultured System! ¡°Speak human language.¡± [Absorbing Crystal Cores for upgrade will require more Crystal Cores. Of course, rest assured, young lady, the Crystal Cores you spend now aren¡¯t considered a lot, so this situation won¡¯t happen for the time being.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng, seemingly lost in thought, pinched the Crystal Core. King¡¯s Account carefully considered the words she had just said, and it seemed that there was no problem. What was she pondering over? ¡°You Bastard, you damn dog.¡± [¡­] Can¡¯t you refrain from cursing at it? It has its dignity as a System! Can¡¯t afford to provoke it! I¡¯d better hide! [Little Cutie, you have fifty minutes left.] King¡¯s Account said and quickly hid itself. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng wandered around the night market, and the people squatting on both sides eyed her with not so ¡®friendly¡¯ gazes from time to time. However, considering the boss-like aura Chuzheng constantly exuded, no one dared to make a move on her. Chuzheng walked to the end and found a shop. Chuzheng entered the shop, and a well-dressed male waiter immediately came forward: ¡°How many in your party?¡± ¡°Just one.¡± ¡°Right this way, please.¡± Chuzheng noticed that the shop provided female waiters for male clients and male waiters for female clients. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Chuzheng glanced at the menu, where the most expensive dish required eighty Crystal Cores. So cheap¡­ Chuzheng, expressionless, pointed at that dish, and the waiter reminded with a smile, ¡°This will cost eighty Crystal Cores.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± The waiter smiled more sincerely, even leaning a bit closer to Chuzheng. Chuzheng shot him a glance, her tone growing even colder, ¡°Stand further away.¡± The waiter¡¯s smile stiffened, and after a moment¡¯s hesitation, he caught sight of Chuzheng¡¯s indifferent side profile and obediently moved farther away. Chuzheng ordered two of the most expensive dishes. The waiter handed her the bill, reminding her that payment was required before the food was served. The dishes served were fresh meat, not abundant in quantity, likely from a wild animal, and came with fresh vegetables. In the post-apocalyptic world, plants were nearly extinct, the weather was scorching, there wasn¡¯t even enough water to drink, let alone grow vegetables. Seeing fresh vegetables here was unusual and justifiably expensive. Chuzheng was now on the second floor, where she could observe the lobby below. A group of people entered from outside, and as soon as they did, the atmosphere in the lobby seemed to shift. Chuzheng leaned on the railing, emotionless as she watched below. Isn¡¯t that¡­ Hmm¡­ the people looking for the original owner? Ning You hasn¡¯t encountered this group yet? Such slow progress? No good! Chuzheng had just thought of Ning You when she saw Ning You coming out from another side and quickly leaving. ¡°Hey¡­¡± The waiter bumped into Ning You, who apologized, seemingly in a hurry, and hurried away. ¡°Hey, miss, you dropped something!¡± The waiter picked up an object from the floor that nowadays wasn¡¯t as valuable as a piece of bread, not worth keeping. If one could afford to eat here, they must have some abilities. There was no point for a waiter to cause trouble. [Little Cutie! Hurry up! Don¡¯t let Ning You get the upper hand!] Chuzheng remained unmoved. She watched as someone from the group below took the Jade Pendant from the waiter and said something. The waiter nodded and walked away. Then, the group didn¡¯t enter the shop but took the item and left directly. It appeared they were going after Ning You. If Ning You was smarter, she would vanish quickly after leaving, letting the group search for her and reducing her own suspicion to the lowest level. Apparently, Ning You was indeed smart. When Chuzheng left, there were still people standing outside, apparently waiting for something. Chuzheng did not approach to acknowledge kinship and departed from that place instead. If she were to tell those people now that she was the owner of the Jade Pendant, it would most likely just make the group think they had the wrong person. Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: Chapter 152: The Last Day Tycoon (17) Chapter 152: Chapter 152: The Last Day Tycoon (17) The base¡¯s lighting system didn¡¯t cover the entire base; some secluded alleys were pitch-black. A weak figure hurriedly approached, and far behind that silhouette, two figures loomed. Clearly terrified, the person in front started to run frantically without choosing a path. Blind to the road, they tripped over the uneven ground, lost their balance, and fell face-first to the floor. The fallen person instinctively looked up and in the faint light saw someone standing there, holding what looked like a piece of ragged cloth. She slowly turned her head to look this way, and in the moment when the demon seemed to reveal its true face, a suffocating fear spread. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The brief cry was cut short as the person catching up covered their mouth. ¡°Hey, little sister, don¡¯t shout, don¡¯t shout, soon you¡¯ll be screaming in pleasure for your brother!¡± A voice filled with malice followed. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The girl with her mouth covered once again looked towards the place she had seen before, but there was nothing there. The dead-end wall, the silent alley, an endless darkness. As if what she saw earlier had been an illusion. ¡°Good girl, make your brother feel good.¡± The two men hastily ripped at the girl¡¯s clothes¡ªher mouth covered, limbs pinned down, her tearful eyes full of despair. Rip¡ª The sound of clothing tearing apart was like the opening music of terror. The vulnerability of being exposed to the air and the revulsion from the men¡¯s touch deepened the girl¡¯s despair. Just as a man was about to tear off her pants, the pressure on her suddenly loosened. ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± one of the men shouted into the darkness. Lying on the ground, the girl could see that direction clearly. A slender figure emerged from the dark alley. The faint sound of footsteps grew closer. The weak light outlined the silhouette of the girl, making it clear that she was female. She stood a few meters away, hands casually in her pockets, seemingly looking over nonchalantly. ¡°Hey, my luck¡¯s really good today, it¡¯s a girl,¡± the man pressing down on the girl gave his accomplice a look. His partner chuckled maliciously, rubbing his hands as he advanced: ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone tell you not to come to places like this alone? It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± A crisp voice like a pearl dropping on a jade plate sliced through the darkness. It made one long to see the owner of that voice and marvel at her astounding beauty. ¡°You¡¯re in the way.¡± ¡°In the way?¡± Laughing heartily, the second man approached: ¡°Then beg me, and I¡¯ll let you pass, sister.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a brother.¡± ¡°¡­Hahaha, you will soon.¡± The second man moved closer, reaching out to touch her. Click¡ª The second man¡¯s wrist was seized and twisted outward, a cold voice rang out: ¡°There won¡¯t be.¡± Nonsense! You¡¯re not worthy to be my brother! ¡°Damn!¡± The second man cried out in pain, activating his Special Ability, and flames swept toward Chuzheng. In the brief illumination from the flames, the second man saw the girl¡¯s face clearly. Her long hair draped over her shoulders, her skin was pale, like mutton-fat jade, delicate and moist with a sheen to it. Her eyes, aloof and indifferent, rested somewhere in the void, looking at nobody, as if she didn¡¯t regard them as worthy of attention. An icy chill surrounded the girl. Like the snow on a mountain, cold and refined, yet like fog in the morning, elusive. The second man was clearly stunned. So beautiful! But as this thought flashed through his mind, an abrupt chill rose on his back. The wrist that the girl was holding felt as if ice was climbing up, freezing his arm in place. The spark that had just emerged flickered once before vanishing. ¡°Ah!¡± A man¡¯s scream echoed in the dark. The girl stood with her finger raised, her cold eyes fixing on him, ¡°Stop yelling, it¡¯s annoying.¡± A wave of terror engulfed him, and the man felt as if his throat was being choked, rendering him unable to make another sound. Man A watched, wide-eyed as Man B seemed to scatter in the wind, disappearing before his very eyes. There was a dust that drifted past. What this powder was, Man A knew without needing to be told. He tumbled off the girl he had pinned down, as if he had seen something horrifying, scrambling on hands and feet, he sprinted out of the alley. Chuzheng didn¡¯t chase after him, but bent down to pick up an article of clothing and threw it onto the girl lying on the ground. The girl suddenly snapped back to reality, wrapped herself up, shivering violently. Chuzheng passed by her with an indifferent expression. Terror laid bare in the girl¡¯s eyes, uncertain if it was directed at her or the events that had just transpired. The man had vanished right in front of her¡­ As Chuzheng walked further away, the girl twisted her head, surveying her surroundings, and finally bit her lip. ¡°Wait¡­ wait a moment.¡± Chuzheng had walked a distance when the girl¡¯s voice, fragile like a frightened deer, reached her, ¡°Can you¡­ can you take me back home? I¡¯ll reward you.¡± In her state, there was no way she could make it back to where she lived. Men like the one from before were countless in this base. The girl knew that Chuzheng might not be safe either, but she was a girl like herself, she had sort of saved her, maybe¡­ What if she had guessed right? Chuzheng just glanced back at her without a word, but the girl already got up and ran towards her. ¡°I will give you a lot of reward, really, just as long as you take me back home,¡± the girl pleaded with a quivering body, ¡°Please.¡± Chuzheng preferred not to meddle in other people¡¯s business and kept walking silently. The girl hesitated upon seeing that Chuzheng gave no response. But the oppressive darkness urged her to quickly follow. The girl had no choice but to chase after her by instinct. Chuzheng led the way, with the girl trailing behind, just half a meter apart. The girl wanted to speak to Chuzheng, yet she didn¡¯t know what to say. After what felt like an eternity, the silence began to be replaced by the noise of voices, arguments, and strange knocking sounds. The night market was up ahead. ¡°My name is Fang Yu.¡± The girl mustered up the courage, followed Chuzheng into the clamor, stepping into the din, it was as if she walked from hell back to the living world. Fang Yu composed herself and spoke cautiously, ¡°About that man just now¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± Tears still clinging to her eyelashes, Fang Yu was taken aback by Chuzheng¡¯s response. It wasn¡¯t so much the answer itself that surprised her, but the fact that she thought this person would not talk to her at all¡­ ¡°Was it¡­ ¡®Special Ability¡¯?¡± He hadn¡¯t even seen the man¡¯s body. Fang Yu¡¯s thoughts turned to Special Ability, and it didn¡¯t seem far-fetched. Chuzheng fell silent once again. Talking was so tiring. She had just dealt with two who were following her and had incidentally killed a piece of scum who attempted to defile a virgin and had gotten in her way. She felt quite amazing about herself. But it was so tiring, so bothersome. The surrounding crowd energized Fang Yu, and she began to chat up Chuzheng. Chuzheng just listened to her ramble on, having already grasped her basic information. Fang Yu, eighteen years old, the daughter of some high-ranking official in the base, had left home after an argument with her father, not expecting to get lost, and realizing she was being followed, she had panicked and run to an even more secluded area. So, this tells us all. In any situation, don¡¯t rush into unfamiliar places on impulse. Danger won¡¯t stop because of your rashness and ignorance. Criminals won¡¯t show sympathy because you are weak and pitiful. Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: Chapter 153: The Last Day Tycoon (18) Chapter 153: Chapter 153: The Last Day Tycoon (18) ¡°It¡¯s them!!¡± Chuzheng and Fang Yu had not yet left the night market when the crowd was pushed aside, and a menacing group of people rushed over and surrounded them. People around them all stepped back. Onlookers, those who didn¡¯t want trouble¡­ In any case, the space around them cleared out. ¡°Brother, it¡¯s these two girls who killed Wang Er.¡± The one pointing at them and speaking was clearly the man who had just run away. Fang Yu obviously hadn¡¯t expected that, in the night market, these people would dare to be so brazen, and her face turned pale with fright. Chuzheng felt some regret. She shouldn¡¯t have been lazy just now; she should have taken care of all of them. Next time, she definitely couldn¡¯t afford to be lazy! After reflecting on this in her heart, Chuzheng looked at them and said, ¡°It was wrong of me to take out just one¡­¡± [Main mission: Spend a hundred crystal cores within an hour.] Chuzheng¡¯s apology caught the gang leader off guard. Seeing a pretty young girl opposite him, he leered at her and said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you know your mistake, but since you killed my brother, as the big brother, if I don¡¯t seek revenge for him, that would be too unbrotherly¡­¡± After cursing at the King¡¯s Account, Chuzheng calmly completed her previous statement, ¡°I should have taken out two.¡± Brother: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng, pulling the bewildered Fang Yu, retreated backwards, stepping onto an adjacent stall to stand on higher ground. The brother was clearly shocked by Chuzheng¡¯s words. It was not until Chuzheng stood firm that he came back to his senses. The brother, with a stern face, looked up and said, ¡°Quite the bold young lady, refusing the face given to you!¡± She wanted face! It was you who didn¡¯t want face! Chuzheng took out a crystal core, raising her voice, ¡°If you capture any one of them, you can receive ten crystal cores from me. I suggest you team up to catch one person; the success rate will be higher, and with a fifty-fifty split, you¡¯ll each have five.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The whole world fell into an eerie silence. ¡°Catch them!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let them get away!¡± ¡°Crystal cores! Ten crystal cores, grab them!¡± Someone from the crowd yelled out first, and then it immediately descended into chaos. The crowd of onlookers greatly outnumbered them. Even though they had special abilities, there were countless masters hidden among the crowd of onlookers who didn¡¯t act only because they didn¡¯t want trouble. But now, the temptation of the crystal cores was a much safer option than hunting zombies outside. In less than ten minutes, the whole gang was tied up in front of Chuzheng. Chuzheng stood on the stall, distributing crystal cores to those who had captured someone. ¡°Despicable!¡± The brother, stepped on by someone, glared at Chuzheng venomously. ¡°Hooligan.¡± Chuzheng replied expressionlessly. ¡°Shameless.¡± The brother was livid with rage! ¡°Sleazy.¡± ¡°Insidious.¡± ¡°Beast.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What are you doing? Competing to see who has more vocabulary? The young girl looked impassive, every move she made was strikingly cool, so why all of a sudden did she seem rather childish and¡­ cute? The brother was so angry that his face turned red and his neck thick, attempting to get up, he was kicked back down to the ground. ¡°What are you doing? Haven¡¯t exchanged for your crystal cores yet, keep still!¡± ¡°Do you have any idea who I am?! You dare to offend me; I swear I won¡¯t let you get away with this!¡± The man who had caught the brother was a tough guy too, kicking the brother until he passed out. ¡°Young lady, do you want us to catch anyone else for you? We can help!¡± The enthusiastic crowd who received the crystal cores were very happy. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± ¡°Just tell us who to catch!¡± Fang Yu stood to one side, watching the group on the ground nervously. ¡°Does your father have a lot of power?¡± A clear voice rang in her ear, and Fang Yu came back to her senses, nodding subconsciously. ¡°Fine.¡± Fang Yu: ¡°???¡± What does that mean? ¨C Fang Yu had someone contact her father. Upon hearing that his daughter was in trouble, Father Fang swiftly came with people, and the group was taken away. Seeing the grim expression on Father Fang¡¯s face, one could guess that their fate wouldn¡¯t be good. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sorry.¡± It appeared that Father Fang wanted to scold Fang Yu but, seeing the lingering fear in his daughter¡¯s eyes, he sighed, embraced her to comfort her, ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as you¡¯re safe, but you can¡¯t do this again.¡± Fang Yu¡¯s eyes reddened as she nodded. ¡°Oh dad, she¡¯s the one who saved me.¡± Fang Yu pointed at Chuzheng standing beside her: ¡°She is¡­ um¡­¡± ¡°Chuzheng.¡± Fang Yu¡¯s face flushed slightly: ¡°Chuzheng¡­¡± Father Fang expressed his gratitude to Chuzheng and invited her to come back with them. Fang Yu and Chuzheng lived just a street apart¡­ It was on the way! No need to walk back by herself! Great! Chuzheng got into the car with a solemn face. Once the group left, the night market gradually returned to normal. At this time, in the crowd, the head of the Housing Management Office squinted his eyes, staring at the departing convoy. ¡°Chief, this woman really treats crystal cores like they¡¯re flowing water.¡± The person next to the chief was astonished. They were now suspecting that crystal cores aren¡¯t from zombie brains. But like stones on the ground, they could be picked up anywhere. ¡°She just got involved with Minister Fang, this is going to be troublesome,¡± the chief said in a low tone. ¡°Should we still keep an eye on her?¡± ¡°Where are the people I sent to tail her today?¡± the chief asked. The man frowned: ¡°She left, they should be nearby¡­¡± However, looking around, they couldn¡¯t find their people. The ones sent to follow Chuzheng had vanished without a trace, neither alive nor dead. They scoured the whole base, but there was no sign of them. ¡°Chief¡­¡± ¡°No need to search anymore.¡± The chief¡¯s face grew dark. The only possibility for their person¡¯s disappearance was that the other side had found them. ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just wait and see,¡± the chief said. The chief initially set his sights on the numerous crystal cores that Chuzheng had, but things didn¡¯t go as planned. The person he sent was first threatened, and then disappeared. A woman carrying a lot of crystal cores and having space ability, the chief felt he needed a more detailed plan. However good the chief¡¯s ideas were, he unfortunately received a call from his superiors just two days later. The chief would normally report to the higher-ups. But not like today, where all three major leaders of the base were present. The base had three main leaders, Minister Sun and Minister Fang from the military, and Minister Feng from the remaining ZF. Their previous positions might have been different, but in the base, they were all called Minister. The chief inevitably felt anxious. ¡°Yang Gang.¡± The speaker was the somewhat chubby Minister Feng, with a serious expression: ¡°We¡¯ve called you here today because there is a matter to discuss.¡± ¡°¡­ Minister Feng, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been managing housing allocation for over two months now, right?¡± As soon as this was mentioned, Yang Gang felt even more uneasy, yet he showed no sign of it on the surface: ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard¡­¡± Minister Feng suddenly slammed the table, his eyes wide: ¡°You¡¯ve been lining your own pockets using your position!¡± Yang Gang jumped, blurting out: ¡°I haven¡¯t, Minister Feng, who told you that?¡± Yang Gang looked towards Minister Sun and Minister Fang to defend himself: ¡°I¡¯ve always allocated housing according to the regulations, someone must be framing me!¡± Minister Feng snorted coldly: ¡°Framing you? The evidence is right here, who would frame you?¡± Evidence? Yang Gang stared at Minister Feng as he pulled out an envelope from the drawer and slammed it down in front of him. Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: Chapter 154: The Last Day Tycoon (19) Chapter 154: Chapter 154: The Last Day Tycoon (19) Chuzheng stood on the street corner, watching Yang Gang being taken away by the military. Zhou Jing, shivering, stood behind her, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve done what you asked, so my part is over, right?¡± Chuzheng withdrew her gaze and handed her a bag of Crystal Cores, ¡°Your reward.¡± Zhou Jing didn¡¯t dare to accept it. The girl¡¯s methods¡­ But in the end, she accepted it and whispered, ¡°Yang Gang was doing all these things, but it was Minister Feng who was hinting to him from behind. You¡­¡± ¡°He never offended me.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was calm. ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Jing carefully sized her up, ¡°But by pushing Yang Gang out, you¡¯ve already offended Minister Feng.¡± Leaning against the wall, Chuzheng¡¯s icy eyes swept over, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t tell, who would know?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Jing felt a chill from her feet all the way to her forehead. Her whole body felt as if it had been thrown into an ice cellar, freezing her limbs stiff. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°Good, keep it up.¡± Watching Chuzheng leave, Zhou Jing swallowed, what exactly was she supposed to keep up with? By the time Zhou Jing returned to the housing management office, the orders from above had already come down, instructing her to take over Yang Gang¡¯s position. Zhou Jing: ¡°¡­¡± That girl, absolutely, must not be offended!! In the end, Yang Gang probably never knew who was behind his downfall, right? ¨C Chuzheng quickly gained a reputation in the base. With the speed she spent Crystal Cores, it would have been difficult not to become famous. What made people even more suspicious was that she had never left the base, and it was a mystery where those Crystal Cores came from. So various strange rumors began to spread within the base. Some said Chuzheng had acquired a lot of Crystal Cores when she entered the base. Others said she was actually a gang leader with many underlings at her command. The flower-armed man and the Brother Bao trio, who knew the truth: ¡°¡­¡± Bullshit, she was all alone! King¡¯s Account advised Chuzheng to go out to stop people from suspecting her. Chuzheng, with the excuse ¡°there are zombies outside, it¡¯s scary,¡± refused to go out at all costs. Let them suspect. What can suspicion do to me in this world? They can¡¯t win against me anyway. So as long as King¡¯s Account didn¡¯t issue missions, she would never step out of the villa, except for Fang Yu, who she believed she had saved, would come to see her. Over time, Fang Yu automatically assumed the position of a friend. Of course, in Chuzheng¡¯s view, this girl could bring her food so she didn¡¯t have to go out, and thus allowed her to come and go freely from the villa. If only she weren¡¯t so noisy, it would be perfect. Early one morning, Chuzheng was awakened by the noise, she sat up in bed for a while, and the sound outside was continuous, she got out of bed irritated, pulled back the curtains and looked outside. People were coming and going in the villa opposite, and many people stood outside the villa. These people were completely different from the flower-armed man¡¯s group. They had no tattoos, but they gave off even more of the vibe and presence of Ganster leaders. To put it another way, if the flower-armed man was a street punk, these people were the real underground bosses. ¡°Chuzheng, are you up? I brought you breakfast,¡± Fang Yu¡¯s voice came from downstairs. To avoid having to go down to open the door, Chuzheng had given Fang Yu a key to the villa. Chuzheng changed into a new set of clothes and went downstairs. Fang Yu was setting up the bowls and chopsticks, and upon seeing Chuzheng come down, she immediately smiled, ¡°You¡¯re up? This is porridge cooked by my dad himself, it¡¯s really delicious.¡± Chuzheng sat down and took a couple of sips, ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Right? Have some more,¡± Fang Yu pushed all the porridge towards her, looking at her expectantly. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°` Are they trying to kill me with this?! ¡°Chuzheng, did you see those people outside?¡± Fang Yu suddenly pointed to the people coming and going outside. ¡°Mmm.¡± It¡¯s so noisy early in the morning, they have no sense of public decency whatsoever. ¡°Those people don¡¯t look like good folks. You live opposite them, so you need to be careful.¡± Fang Yu said, ¡°I heard from my dad that that group is from the Capital City Base, and they will leave once they reestablish contact with the base.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°Is communication down now?¡± ¡°Yeah, we used to be able to reach the nearby bases, but now we can¡¯t get through at all.¡± Fang Yu nodded. Chuzheng nodded back and continued eating her porridge. Fang Yu was accustomed to Chuzheng¡¯s cold demeanor and kept talking. ¨C After Fang Yu left, Chuzheng spent her time idly alone in the villa until late afternoon when the King¡¯s Account suddenly sent her a task. [Main Quest: Please sponsor resources for the base, time limit ten days.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Are they insane? Are you insane? [Miss, I am not.] The King¡¯s Account denied it aggrievedly. I won¡¯t do it. [¡­Miss, if you let the time pass, it will rewind, you have to do it anyways~] Rewind my ass! Sponsor resources for the base, so, does that mean I can¡¯t use Crystal Cores? [That¡¯s right, miss. You need to find resources by yourself; I won¡¯t provide you with Crystal Cores. Once you complete the task, I will convert it into an equivalent amount of Crystal Cores as a reward.] Chuzheng gave the King¡¯s Account a cold stare. Chuzheng dressed and went out. People were also exiting the villa opposite, and the person enshrouded in their midst was none other than Ning You. At this moment, Ning You was dressed appropriately and protected in the center. Standing outside the villa, Chuzheng saw Ning You, too. However, Ning You¡¯s identity had now been confirmed, and she was not worried about Chuzheng. So she held her chin high, her eyes gleaming with veiled pride. Chuzheng did not even give her a glance as she completely ignored her and headed to the base¡¯s task hall. Ning You: ¡°¡­¡± After posing for so long, the other party completely disregarded her, and nothing was more infuriating than that. It was as if no matter what she did, she was invisible to them, like a mere clown. Ning You was secretly furious, unsure if Chuzheng really had amnesia¡­ She needed to find an opportunity to deal with her; otherwise, Ning You would still feel unsafe. Ning You followed her people to the task hall. Unable to contact the Capital City Base, they now had to look for a plane. But now, leaving the base required taking on a task at the task hall; otherwise, they couldn¡¯t leave, so they had to follow the rules. Ning You took the initiative, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°Miss, we will return as soon as we find it. It¡¯s safer for you to wait at the base.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I have a Special Ability.¡± Ning You insisted on going with them. The people following Ning You hesitated but eventually agreed. They entered the task hall, ready to casually accept a task. ¡°Hello, are you heading towards A City Airport?¡± the person in charge inside the task hall came over to ask. A man beside Ning You nodded, ¡°Yes, we are.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, our military also has to go there. Could we go together?¡± the person in charge said, ¡°It¡¯s safer to move in larger numbers.¡± The man wanted to refuse, but Ning You interrupted, ¡°We¡¯re not familiar with the situation in A City, do you have people that know the area?¡± ¡°We do, otherwise we¡¯d never dare to go there blindly.¡± Ning You answered for the people beside her, agreeing that they could go together. The man beside her frowned, seemingly feeling that it was inappropriate. But now that Ning You was their miss, they had to obey, and naturally, they couldn¡¯t oppose her in front of others. The person in charge quickly smiled and ushered them inside to discuss the details further. ¡°` Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Chapter 155: The Last Day Tycoon (20) Chapter 155: Chapter 155: The Last Day Tycoon (20) The base¡¯s military was staging a major operation, and the participants included not only the army but also other recruited teams. However, the number of recruits was quite low. Far below expectations. But no one could force others to join by pointing guns at them. Yet, when they drove out, they found another team had left before them. While waiting to leave the base, someone curiously asked, ¡°What¡¯s that team up front doing?¡± Someone in the know answered, ¡°It¡¯s a team organized by one person.¡± ¡°One person? Doing what?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know. A lot of people signed up at the mission hall yesterday, they give out Crystal Cores for participating. If I hadn¡¯t already signed up for today¡¯s mission, I¡¯d have been tempted to join.¡± ¡°Big spender¡­ Chuzheng?¡± ¡°Who else could it be?¡± ¡°Which way are they heading?¡± ¡°Seems like it¡¯s also to City A.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s the same direction as us?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Chuzheng sat in the leading vehicle, driven by Brother Bao. She had encountered these three men in the mission hall yesterday and, although they were familiar drivers, Chuzheng decided to use them. The vehicles behind were accompanied by Brother Yong and his people. The number of Brother Yong¡¯s team had shrunk even further. Yi Xiao said that after entering the base, Brother Yong¡¯s team had gone through a Split, and that group left with Xiner and others. ¡°What about, Lu Ran?¡± Yi Xiao held back for a long time, wanting to ask since yesterday. ¡°He ran off.¡± ¡°Ran¡­¡± Ran off?! The three didn¡¯t dare to bring up Lu Ran again, feeling that the two words Chuzheng just uttered seemed laced with a killing intent. The gates of the base opened, and the convoy streamed out. City A was several hundred kilometers away from the base. On their way, they encountered very few zombies, but the weather was scorching hot, and the vehicles could hardly endure such high temperatures, limiting them to travel only in the early mornings and evenings. ¡°I¡¯ve been here before,¡± Yi Xiao remarked. ¡°City A is an import-export trade city. We could go to the port; there would be a lot of supplies there.¡± ¡°Others will surely think of that too,¡± He Cheng disagreed. Chuzheng got out of the vehicle, told the teams behind to split up and take actions independently, and if they found supplies, they could return to the base first and hand them to her. They would exchange the supplies for Crystal Cores based on the amount found. The teams gradually split up and left. Brother Yong, swinging his tattooed arm, came over: ¡°How are we going to proceed?¡± Chuzheng said, ¡°We¡¯re heading to the port.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll follow you,¡± Brother Yong replied, with an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth. ¡°I hope we can find cigarettes there. I¡¯ve been holding onto this one for half a month now.¡± Brother Yong sent his people elsewhere, but he himself got into Chuzheng¡¯s vehicle. With He Cheng around, their route to the port was exceptionally smooth. Even when they encountered a few blocked roads, they quickly found alternatives. ¡°Is that the airport ahead?¡± Chuzheng suddenly spoke up. ¡°Yeah,¡± Yi Xiao nodded. ¡°This airport had just started operations before the apocalypse.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the airport first.¡± Brother Bao was puzzled, ¡°What are we going to do at the airport? Even if there are some supplies there, it can¡¯t be much, right?¡± ¡°Just do as I say.¡± Brother Bao shivered inexplicably and quickly drove towards the airport. The planes at the airport were a mess, and the buildings were also damaged. In the vast airport, Chuzheng found only two airplanes that were intact: ¡°Do we have any explosives?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Brother Yong approached, cigarette still in mouth, and pulled out a hand grenade: ¡°Just this.¡± Brother Bao, uncertain, asked, ¡°Where did you put it?¡± Brother Yong patted his pocket. Brother Bao: ¡°¡­¡± Not afraid of blowing yourself up, gangsters are untouchable. Although Brother Bao was big and burly, he was definitely not a gangster; he was just a fitness coach before the apocalypse, having been fired after receiving harsh complaints from clients. He hadn¡¯t even had the time to wallow in his job loss when the apocalypse struck. He saw firsthand how the client who complained about him got devoured by zombies, munch by munch. At that time, he was terribly frightened. It took him several days to come to terms with the setting of the apocalypse. Chuzheng blew up the plane, and Yi Xiao found three helicopters nearby, as if they were there for an extraction, but in the end, no one was picked up, as the pilots were all dead. The explosion was so loud, yet no zombies appeared at the airport, which might be because it had just been put into use and there were fewer zombies. Maybe they all ran towards the noise nearby. After destroying the plane, Chuzheng set her sights on the helicopters. Brother Yong: ¡°¡­¡± Isn¡¯t this a bit too ruthless? It was clear that Chuzheng came to the airport with the intention to blow up aircraft. Brother Yong thought he was ruthless enough. Compared to the girl before him, his ruthlessness was probably just on the surface. Truly ruthless people act without speaking, like the one in front of him. After destroying the helicopters, a few zombies mysteriously appeared from nowhere. Brother Yong had just raised his gun when the zombies crumbled to dust as if they were made of sand, leaving only a shower of powder floating down. Under the glow of the flames, the girl stood proudly with the wind blowing her clothes, exuding a cold, noble aura, as if she commanded the world with indomitable spirit. Everyone: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡­ what Special Ability do you have?¡± Brother Yong dropped the half-cigarette he had been hoarding for over half a month. Damn impressive! Just a wave of her hand¡­ one wave, only one, and he saw it crystal clear! That was the feeling of having the whole world under one¡¯s feet. Having struggled in the post-apocalyptic world for so long, it was the first time he had seen such an incredible Special Ability. Chuzheng kept a straight face: ¡°I don¡¯t have a Special Ability.¡± Brother Yong didn¡¯t believe her. If not a Special Ability, then what was that just now? He just assumed Chuzheng was unwilling to talk about it. However, he could understand; aside from the common Special Abilities, most people with unique Special Abilities wouldn¡¯t want to disclose them. Savvy Brother Yong picked up his cigarette and tucked it behind his ear, trying to remain calm: ¡°The planes are destroyed. Can we go now?¡± Just when they were getting ready to leave, several cars drove in and lined up. The people from the cars got out immediately, heading straight for the burning helicopters. But it was obviously too late to save them. A group of people wore ugly expressions. Ning You turned to look at Chuzheng and angrily accused: ¡°Did you blow up the planes?¡± The rest of the group also turned their gaze towards her. Brother Bao¡¯s trio and Brother Yong all became alert. Chuzheng denied it seriously: ¡°No, it was like this when I arrived.¡± Brother Bao¡¯s trio and Brother Yong exchanged a knowing look at Chuzheng¡¯s words. How could she deny it with such conviction? ¡°There¡¯s only you here, if not you, then who?¡± Ning You wouldn¡¯t believe it: ¡°Did you deliberately blow up the plane?¡± She must have done it on purpose! ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t me, don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Chuzheng said, denying it three times. Ning You raised her voice: ¡°Then who was it!?¡± Chuzheng pointed at a zombie staggering out: ¡°That one.¡± Ning You: ¡°¡­¡± Zombie: ¡°Roar!¡± The zombie, realizing it was outnumbered and couldn¡¯t overpower such amount of food, actually stopped. It pretended to sniff around before turning around and shambling back the way it came. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± So much drama for a zombie?! Ning You gave Chuzheng a spiteful glare and tipped her head to say a few words to the people beside her. The group¡¯s gazes upon Chuzheng turned unfriendly. Some had silently cocked their guns; the atmosphere grew tense, and a cold smirk appeared at the corner of Ning You¡¯s mouth. Bang! A gunshot rang out. * Zombie: This mess isn¡¯t mine to carry! I¡¯m out of here! Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: Chapter 156: The Last Day Tycoon (21) Chapter 156: Chapter 156: The Last Day Tycoon (21) Everyone was startled. However, none of those present acted, as the gunshot came from outside. Outside the airport, countless zombies surged frenziedly, dense and seemingly endless. There was a car in front of the zombies. The zombies, moving at an extremely fast pace, pounced on the side of the car and crawled onto its roof. The sound of bullets sweeping through the air continued above the airport, creating an apocalyptic scene with the groans of the zombies. A shooter firing from the car window was grabbed and pulled out by the zombies. In an instant, the car was overwhelmed by the zombies. The zombies surged toward them like a tide. ¡°Retreat!¡± ¡°Quick, retreat!!¡± The people who came to their senses roared in anger. On the other side, Miss Chuzheng and the others had already gotten into a car, which had now started and was speeding away to the other end of the airport. The people: ¡°¡­¡± The speed of this group of zombies was astonishing, leaving no chance of survival for the cars they caught up with from behind. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, there¡¯s no way forward!!¡± Brother Bao shouted. A wall lay ahead, marking the dead end. Chuzheng¡¯s expression remained cool as she floored the accelerator. The people inside the car grabbed onto anything they could and closed their eyes. The car hit the wall and went through unscathed. However¡­ ¡°Aaaahhhhh!!!!¡± The screams rose and fell in succession. ¡°We¡¯re going into the sea!!¡± Outside the airport was the sea. They had burst through only to fall toward the water. A sensation of weightlessness swept over them. The sea water grew closer and closer. Bang! The car hit something, jolted, but did not fall into the sea. The passengers realized they had landed on solid ground, but continuing forward would still send them into the sea. The car whipped around, throwing the people to one side, then the next second flung them back. Whish¡ª¡ª Bang¡ª¡ª In the distance, a heavy object plunged into the sea, and an explosion rose from the water¡¯s surface. The souls of those thrown about slowly returned to their bodies. They hadn¡¯t fallen into the sea! Nor was there a car wreck with casualties! Thank goodness! The car stopped on a slope leading into the sea. Something seemed off, though? The people turned their attention to the continuous stream of cars plunging into the sea. How had they gone from there to here? The location was like a ¡®7¡¯ character, with the horizontal part extending out and stopping on the vertical path. Even from the vertex of the ¡®7¡¯, it would be a distance of five hundred meters. Damn it, how did they get here? Did they fly? Five hundred meters!! Not fifty meters! The people looked toward the young girl driving the car. The girl was rubbing her wrists, with a tense profile, her cold eyes fixed on the zombies that were continuously jumping into the sea. The scene was horrifying. ¡°Damn it! Do zombies now bloody know how to swim?¡± Someone in the car cursed, breaking the eerie silence, and everyone¡¯s eyes converged on the sea. The cars that had plunged into the sea were exploding, but there were still survivors swimming rapidly towards shore. Behind them was a Zombie Horde clumsily chasing doggy-paddle style, spinning in place and clashing into each other in confusion. ¡°¡­¡± They were swimming so slowly. Some zombies didn¡¯t even know how to doggy-paddle and sank straight down. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, let¡¯s go!¡± He Cheng shouted, spotting a zombie that had already reached the shore, clearly not by swimming over. ¡°Damn, they¡¯re moving under the water!¡± ¡°These zombies are just too disgusting!¡± ¡°` Zombies were dead: there was no difference between water and land for them, as they didn¡¯t swim¡ªthey could simply walk across the bottom. It was a truly invincible sight! Some zombies clearly found it easier to walk on the bottom than to attempt swimming, and began to sink down. Chuzheng lay on the car window and took a glance back. Ning You and some other survivors had also reached the shore, soaked through and in a sorry state. Chuzheng stretched out her hand, flashed a middle finger, then started the car and left the zombies behind. Ning You saw clearly the gesture Chuzheng made and exploded with rage. Chuzheng, that bitch! They had followed her lead and rushed out, only to realize it was the seafront once it was too late to brake, with a horde of zombies behind them. But Chuzheng¡¯s car was fine, while all of theirs had plunged into the sea. Ning You¡¯s face turned ugly as she swept her gaze over their escape route¡ªhow had Chuzheng managed to drive such a distance? Special Ability? What kind of Special Ability could do that? ¡°Miss, hurry up!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°The zombies are coming!!¡± ¨C The car burst through the barriers and after a couple of bounces on the road, steadied itself in the lane. As the airport receded far behind, Brother Yong took out a cigarette, lit it, and slumped back into the seat. ¡°You found cigarettes?¡± ¡°Found them on the helicopter. Want one?¡± Brother Yong offered Brother Bao a half-empty, dirty box generously. Brother Bao shook his head; he had quit a while ago, but Yi Xiao took one instead. ¡°Those zombies just now¡­¡± Yi Xiao, still on edge, said, ¡°Why do I feel like they¡¯re getting smarter?¡± Last time was in that town. It wasn¡¯t just Yi Xiao who felt that way; the others did too, with a chilling sensation. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, what do you think?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Chuzheng replied casually, clearly unconcerned. ¡°¡­¡± Look at the composure of such a great leader. What were they worrying about! As a man of the world, Brother Yong was the first to calm down, followed by Brother Bao, who also had the makings of a social man. Yi Xiao and He Cheng remained uneasy and couldn¡¯t settle down. Chuzheng drove for a while, then gave up the driver¡¯s seat and let them drive themselves. The port was not far from the airport, they did not encounter any zombies, and soon arrived at the port. Clearly, this place had already been visited by others, but with so many things around, many shipping containers were intact. Brother Yong took the lead in opening two containers, which were filled with clothes, even international brands. He tried on a couple of pieces but found them too hot and promptly gave up. ¡°There are canned goods here!¡± Yi Xiao¡¯s excited voice came from the next container. Brother Yong rushed over instantly. The container was filled with neatly stacked boxes of canned food. ¡°Can we still eat these in such hot weather?¡± He Cheng rummaged through the container. ¡°¡­¡± The container was especially hot, like an oven. Just as everyone¡¯s excitement was on the rise, He Cheng¡¯s comment doused them with cold water, even Brother Bao, who was about to crack open a can to take a bite, stopped in his tracks. They could only hope that the manufacturer had produced them conscientiously. Brother Yong looked around at everyone and opened one. Apparently, the manufacturer wasn¡¯t conscientious at all; the food was inedible. ¡°Swindlers!¡± Bang! The sound of a heavy object hitting the container reverberated. The group, who had just had a moment of silence for the canned food, tensed up in an instant, nervously looking toward the direction of the sound. Chuzheng was standing there with an iron rod, and the sound they heard was obviously her doing. Everyone: ¡°¡­¡± Could she not have just called out? Scared to death. ¡°Oh my god¡­¡± Brother Bao was stunned by the contents of the container: ¡°Guns!!!¡± Brother Yong jumped in, digging through the boxes, finding not just guns but lots of ammunition and other weapons. This container was placed in a corner; had Chuzheng not opened it, they probably would have overlooked it. While they did not know which bold figure or what the officials were planning, these weapons were like rain in a drought for them. The group found a big truck at the dock and excitedly began to move the weapons. Chuzheng searched through several other containers, finding mostly useless everyday or luxury items, but also some supplies and water. ¡°` Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: Chapter 157: The Last Day Tycoon (22) Chapter 157: Chapter 157: The Last Day Tycoon (22) ¡°Hands up, everybody!¡± The rough reprimand came from above the container. Startled, Yi Xiao and He Cheng¡¯s grips loosened, and the object they were carrying dropped to the ground with a thud, revealing bullets inside the box. Brother Yong and Brother Bao in the container heard the sound and quieted down, pricking their ears to listen to the movements outside. ¡°Hands up, I said!¡± the person above barked again. Yi Xiao and He Cheng nearly synchronized. Hands up, they crouched and covered their heads. ¡°Those inside, hands up and come out!¡± Brother Yong passed a gun to Brother Bao, making a gangster hand gesture. Brother Bao: ¡°???¡± What? Brother Yong: ¡°¡­¡± Brother Yong whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll go out first, you see how it goes.¡± He could still see Yi Xiao from his position, Yi Xiao¡¯s fingers touching the ground, pointing in a direction. Brother Yong took a deep breath, and just as he was about to rush out, he saw a shadow drop down, landing with a thump right in front of Yi Xiao and He Cheng. The girl jumped down from up high, kicking the person in the abdomen. The gun flew out of the man¡¯s hand, his body sliding backward until it hit the container and stopped. Brother Yong: ¡°¡­¡± Can¡¯t you give me a chance to prove myself? ¡°All of you, stay f***ing still!¡± Countless gun muzzles were aimed at them, with people appearing from atop and on both sides of the containers¡ªthey were surrounded. Brother Yong: ¡°¡­¡± Isn¡¯t it my turn now? But Miss Chuzheng stood there with an open, unguarded expression¡­ raising her hands?! That¡¯s not boss-like! Where¡¯s your domineering aura? Why surrender just like that? Yi Xiao and He Cheng, already crouching, didn¡¯t need to change their positions and just continued to squat. ¡°Put down your weapons!¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, f***, did you hear me? Put down your weapons!¡± ¡°Bang!¡± Brother Yong¡¯s hand trembled, and he dropped his weapon to the ground, being pushed over to Chuzheng¡¯s side, while Brother Bao, who was still in the container, was also brought out. ¡°Why surrender so easily?¡± Brother Yong whispered. ¡°Too many of them, they have guns,¡± Chuzheng calmly replied to Brother Yong. ¡°Not that many, we could have made a run for it.¡± Chuzheng leisurely finished her sentence, ¡°We couldn¡¯t have won.¡± ¡°???¡± That¡¯s not something you would say, is it?! Where¡¯s that one-man-against-thousands stance you had before? What about that eerie Special Ability? What kind of tactic is ¡°can¡¯t win¡±? ¡°You guys got pretty lucky,¡± muttered one of the men with bushy eyebrows, glancing inside the container, ¡°to have stumbled upon so many weapons.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Chuzheng nodded in response, feeling quite fortunate herself to have encountered so many obstacles. ¡°¡­¡± Who the hell said you could nod! But since it was his own remark, the man with bushy eyebrows could only manage a contemptuous snort. The man with bushy eyebrows eyed Chuzheng suspiciously. This young lady acted quite differently from the other women they had encountered. There was no panic on her face, nor the kind of flattering seen in some women. She was too calm¡­ Calm enough to be frightening. ¡°Take them back first.¡± ¡°Get up, all of you, get up, get up, hurry up and don¡¯t dawdle. Keep your hands where we can see them. If anyone tries anything funny, don¡¯t blame me for being rude¡­¡± The five were forced to follow these men toward the port¡¯s office building. The building was reinforced, clearly the base of these people. They were taken to the second floor and directly locked in a room. Chuzheng looked around, the King¡¯s Account buzzing incessantly in her ear, it was getting on her nerves. [Miss, hurry up! Your Good Person Card is still waiting for you to save it!] Just let him wait. It¡¯s not a big deal to wait a bit longer, after all, didn¡¯t he turn to the dark side later? Proves he doesn¡¯t die! [He turned to the dark side!] Being locked up is no big deal, what¡¯s there to be afraid of? [¡­] Miss, how can you be so unapologetic about such a deplorable act! You think just because you¡¯ve gone dark, you¡¯re amazing? He Cheng waved at Chuzheng, ¡°Miss Chuzheng, they¡¯ve loaded all the weapons onto the vehicles.¡± Chuzheng walked to the window and looked down, seeing people loading weapons into the vehicles and also moving other items, as if they were planning to leave this place. Although the port had plenty of materials, should zombies swarm in, it would become a dead end. This place was not suitable for long-term residence. ¡°More people are coming¡­¡± Brother Bao pointed toward the group approaching them in the distance. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What a coincidence. Among that group, the few in the middle were unmistakably Ning You and his companions, who had obviously been captured by them. Such misfortune. ¨C Inside the basement of the office building. Two shirtless men leaned against the entrance smoking, while inside the basement, there were women¡¯s screams, children¡¯s cries, men¡¯s angry curses, and the sound of whipping. After more than ten minutes, one man, cursing and holding up his pants, came out. In one of the rooms, three women and two children were locked up, along with two young men. The women clutched their bodies, sobbing, clearly having gone through something awful. Two children huddled in the corner, their dark, bright eyes filled with fear and despair. One of the young men was lying on the ground. If his lips hadn¡¯t been moving, no one might have believed he was still alive. Next to him, a teenager sat against the wall with his head lowered, arm resting on his knee, fingers dripping blood onto the floor. The dim light in the basement outlined the teenager¡¯s frail figure, casting a twisted and ominously sinister shadow on the wall. Drip-drip¡­ Blood drips into the pool of blood on the floor. Just then. A commotion of footsteps came from outside the basement. The people in the basement looked toward the nearby door in terror as if a ferocious beast might burst through. But it didn¡¯t happen, the door to the basement was slammed shut with force. Tat-tat-tat¡­ The sound of gunfire receded into the distance, along with the fading footsteps and curses. No one knew how long it was before it suddenly went quiet outside. An eerie silence fell. It was frightening. Thump¡­ Thump-thump¡­ The sound of footsteps slowly neared again, everyone shrank back into the corner, fearfully staring at the door. There seemed to be voices outside, but they were too muffled to make out what was being said. ¡°Bang!¡± The door to the basement was kicked open, landing inside and kicking up dust. Chuzheng calmly withdrew her foot, ignoring the swallowing noises from a few others, and strode decisively into the basement. The basement wasn¡¯t large, and Chuzheng immediately saw the teenager sitting against the wall. She walked towards him. Chuzheng watched the still figure. He couldn¡¯t be dead, could he? Impossible. He hadn¡¯t turned yet, how could he die so easily? Even if he were to die, it would have to be after turning, right? That¡¯s right! Chuzheng calmly stood in front of the teenager. The three women in the basement were holding each other, trembling violently. Chuzheng waited for three seconds. Still no response. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The Good Person Card couldn¡¯t really be dead, could it?! Chuzheng¡¯s inner panic surged, but her face remained remarkably composed as she reached out to feel under the teenager¡¯s nose for breath. She detected a faint respiration. Not dead yet. She thought so. The Good Person Card, about to turn, couldn¡¯t possibly die that easily. A sticky, icy sensation came from her wrist. Chuzheng slightly lifted her eyes, meeting the sight of the teenager grasping her wrist. Blood¡­ Blood!! Let go!! Chuzheng emotionlessly shook him off. Perhaps the teenager hadn¡¯t used enough strength, or maybe Chuzheng¡¯s reaction was too forceful, because not only did she shake him off, but he was also thrown against the wall and collapsed. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I didn¡¯t mean to do it! If I help him up, will the Good Person Card still think I¡¯m a good person? Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: Chapter 158: The Last Day Tycoon (23) Chapter 158: Chapter 158: The Last Day Tycoon (23) Lu Ran was already in poor shape, and nearly passed out after being flung by Chuzheng. Only after doing so did Chuzheng realize that Good Person Card should not be treated that way. She hurried forward to help him back up. Lu Ran leaned against Chuzheng, breathing shallowly and his complexion ashen, his entire weight pressing on her. The smell of blood was gradually replaced by a slightly familiar, faint fragrance. Lu Ran inexplicably relaxed. ¡°You¡­ why did you come here?¡± Lu Ran managed to lift his eyelids with some effort, his voice hoarse. Chuzheng¡¯s face was expressionless, ¡°I told you not to run.¡± Don¡¯t listen to me. This is what you get! Good Person Card should be locked up for safety! Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Can you walk?¡± Chuzheng asked him. Leaning on her shoulder, when Lu Ran spoke, his breath hit Chuzheng¡¯s neck, ¡°What do you think?¡± Chuzheng, feeling slightly uncomfortable, shifted back and tried to let go of him. ¡°¡­¡± Where on earth did she get the idea that he could still walk!? Lu Ran, unsteady, collapsed to the ground. Lu Ran added Chuzheng to the blacklist again. What Good Person? Impossible!! Chuzheng caught Lu Ran again, he was just too weak. ¨C Chuzheng left the underground basement with the fainted Lu Ran. Above them, chaos reigned; bullet traces were everywhere, and bodies could be seen from time to time. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, something¡¯s not right¡­¡± Brother Yong frowned at the bodies. ¡°When we went into the basement, there were still noises, but as soon as we got down there, they stopped¡­ who killed these people?¡± Yi Xiao wondered. ¡°The people just now?¡± He Cheng and Brother Bao said in unison. ¡°No.¡± Chuzheng kicked a body on the ground with her foot. Everyone looked at her at the same time. The story starts with the appearance of Ning You. Ning You and his group were locked up right across from Chuzheng. The kidnappers were about to withdraw and hadn¡¯t left anyone to watch over them. So, very soon, Ning You¡¯s side managed to break open the door and planned to escape. Thus, Chuzheng calmly betrayed them. A fight naturally broke out between the two sides. Ning You, leading his people, clashed with the group, while Chuzheng took advantage of the situation. By the time they reached the basement, the noise from above had faded away. In that situation, they believed the other side had gone after Ning You. But now it seems like that wasn¡¯t the case¡­ All these people were dead. ¡°These weren¡¯t killed by humans.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s gaze was calm as she looked towards the end of the corridor. ¡°Not by humans?¡± Everyone¡¯s hairs stood on end. In this world, besides humans, there are only zombies. Not killed by humans¡­ doesn¡¯t that mean they were killed by zombies? But that¡¯s not right!? How could a zombie leave behind whole bodies like this? Don¡¯t they bite a few times? Could it be that the zombie who killed wasn¡¯t hungry? Brother Yong turned a body lying on the ground to reveal deep, bone-visible gashes on the chest, with flesh turned inside out. Clearly, these wounds couldn¡¯t have been made by a human. ¡°What zombie¡­¡± He Cheng began to shake, his face full of fear. Chuzheng: ¡°Evolved zombie.¡± Brother Yong¡¯s eyes narrowed as he felt danger all around, vigilantly scanning the surroundings. ¡°Evolved zombies are that powerful?¡± Brother Bao was skeptical. Chuzheng glanced at him, ¡°We don¡¯t know much about evolved zombies yet, but it wouldn¡¯t be hard for one to kill these people by surprise.¡± ¡°Is it¡­ is it still here?¡± He Cheng was more concerned about this. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Chuzheng continued walking downstairs with Lu Ran, ¡°We¡¯ll know if we encounter it.¡± He Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± No, I don¡¯t want to meet them at all. The others glanced at each other and quickly followed. Behind them were the other survivors from the basement. The descent was smooth, and no evolved zombies were encountered. There were fewer corpses as they went down. Many cars were missing from the parking area, likely having fled. ¡°Please take us with you!¡± a woman pleaded, clutching the car door with a face full of entreaty. Behind her stood two other women and those two children, with the boy laid beside them, barely alive. He Cheng, himself terrified, forcefully closed the door and quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m not the one in charge, ask them.¡± Chuzheng, cradling Lu Ran in the back seat with the window half open, was approached by a woman: ¡°Please, take us with you, I beg you.¡± Chuzheng indifferently closed the window. Yi Xiao, kindly pointing to the side, said, ¡°There are cars over there, you can go on your own, sorry, we can¡¯t take you.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t leave us behind.¡± The woman suddenly screamed, frantically pulling at the door: ¡°Let us in the car.¡± The car shot out like an arrow released from its bow, and the woman was flung aside, tumbling to the ground, where the other survivors helped her up. Yi Xiao looked at them with a face full of concern. At that moment, Yi Xiao¡¯s expression drastically changed. Almost simultaneously, the woman¡¯s scream came from behind them. ¡°Speed up, speed up!!¡± Yi Xiao yelled out loud. Brother Yong also saw it in the rearview mirror. Where those women had been standing, a zombie of about two meters tall appeared, leaping from the direction of the shipping containers. It only took a blink of an eye, and those survivors were already dead. The zombie chased after them, jumping several meters at a time. Not only that, but the zombie also launched an attack. Ice-oriented special abilities shot from beneath their car, forming ice spikes directly ahead of them. Brother Yong turned the wheel swiftly, steering the car into the gaps between the shipping containers. Brother Bao, his nerves still jangling: ¡°It has a special ability!¡± Chuzheng, hugging Lu Ran, looked back and saw the zombie, gripping the containers like a gecko, chasing after them. So terrifying! Bang! The body of the car suddenly shook. Everyone inside the car froze simultaneously. ¡°It¡­ Is it on the roof?¡± The sound of nails scratching the roof was clear, letting everyone know it was on top of the car. He Cheng was shaking like a leaf. Yi Xiao clutched his gun, evidently very scared, while Brother Bao readied his special ability, warily watching the car window. A black claw fell from the roof of the car, slowly and cautiously, as if probing. Brother Bao hurled a ball of flame in a flash. The claw rapidly retreated. Then, the piercing sound from the roof grew louder, and the roof began to deform. Everyone in the car dared not breathe; their hearts pounded so hard they felt as if they would leap from their chests, the tension thick in the air. This zombie overturned their understanding. Powerful, intelligent, terrifying¡­ Light seeped in from above, gradually revealing the black claws of the zombie as it continued to scratch at the roof. The noise suddenly stopped. Light poured in from the roof, but the zombie was nowhere to be seen. Yi Xiao, ¡°Where¡¯s the zombie?¡± Brother Yong frowned, ¡°Did you all see it?¡± Brother Bao craned his neck to look, ¡°It¡¯s not on the roof anymore!¡± Clang! The darkness suddenly fell ahead ¨C the zombie scratching the roof had jumped onto the hood of the car. It crouched on the hood, its grey, lifeless eyes fixed on them, appraising them in a human-like manner. ¡°Damn it!¡± Brother Yong cursed softly, shaking the car, trying to throw the zombie off. But the zombie sat squat on the hood, unmoving. Crash¡ª The windshield shattered, and broken glass cascaded down. Chuzheng¡¯s finger flicked through the air, and sensing danger, the zombie leapt back sharply. Chuzheng¡¯s outstretched fingers clenched and pulled forward. The zombie suddenly raised its arm, severed its own limb, and jumped onto a shipping container, disappearing. ¡°¡­¡± What just happened? Chapter 159 - Chapter 159: Chapter 159: The Last Day Tycoon (24) Chapter 159: Chapter 159: The Last Day Tycoon (24) Bang! Before anyone could figure out what was happening, the entire vehicle suddenly took flight, followed by a sensation of weightlessness as it flipped and crashed to the ground. Everyone was thrown in one direction. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Damn thing! Isn¡¯t living a good thing? You just had to come looking for death! Ice edges spread across the ground at a visible speed from afar. Chuzheng¡¯s face was cold as she let go of Lu Ran, kicked the car door open, leaped out with agile movements, and stepped on the edge of the ice. The ice spreading halted abruptly. All was silent between heaven and earth. The girl stood proudly, her presence so commanding that no one dared to take a step over her threshold. Her cool gaze quietly watched the direction from which the ice had spread, her toes grinding on the icy surface. The entire area covered by the ice began to crack, the snapping noise spreading into the distance. Crash¡ª¡ª The ice edges rose from the ground, all sharp points aimed in a particular direction before shooting out. The ice edges pierced through the container. ¡°Roar!¡± An angry roar from the zombies resounded from behind the container. A towering zombie leaped onto the container, its body riddled with numerous ice edges, which it began to pull out. Within its grey pupils, it seemed as if a resentful glare flickered. ¡°Roar!¡± the zombie roared furiously at Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s with all the roaring! Are you the only one who knows how to yell? Chuzheng raised her hand, and the zombie took a step back, but it didn¡¯t recognize the danger and slightly crouched, ready to attack. It wanted to tear this human to shreds! Thwack¡ª¡ª An ice edge pierced through the back of the zombie¡¯s head. In the air, silvery streaks occasionally flashed by, as if this place had been turned into a deadly trap. Chuzheng¡¯s palm faced upward, and the zombie¡¯s body began to disintegrate, a Crystal Core flying out from the powder and falling into her palm. The Crystal Core was ice-blue, larger than those white ones they had now, and very beautiful too. The Crystal Core began to change¡­ Chuzheng, holding the Crystal Core, turned around and headed towards the overturned vehicle. ¡°What are you looking at me for?¡± Brother Yong and Brother Bao climbed out of the vehicle, staring at her dumbfounded. ¡°You¡­,¡± Brother Yong swallowed hard, ¡°what exactly is your Special Ability?¡± Even for him, facing the zombie from just now, he didn¡¯t think he stood a chance. But this girl, she had seemingly done next to nothing to take down that zombie. What on earth was her Special Ability? Chuzheng with a serious face: ¡°I don¡¯t have any Special Ability.¡± Why won¡¯t you believe me! Am I not sincere enough? Chuzheng scanned the vehicle: ¡°Get them out.¡± Brother Yong: ¡°¡­¡± Brother Bao: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Lu Ran was already injured, and now he had several more wounds on his body, looking like a bloody mess. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, that zombie¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s leave here first.¡± Brother Yong looked around: ¡°I¡¯ll go look for a vehicle.¡± They were lucky to find a truck, which still held the weapons they had discovered earlier. It wasn¡¯t until they left the port that everyone could breathe a sigh of relief. The zombie they had just encountered was terrifying. Their experiences today, they estimated, would be unforgettable for a lifetime. Not just because of the zombie, but also due to the shock Chuzheng had given them. [Little Sister, aren¡¯t you going to stop the bleeding for him?] Your Good Person Card is going to die from excessive blood loss!! Chuzheng glanced at the blood-soaked Good Person Card with a bit of distaste, and boldly replied to the King¡¯s Account: ¡°I forgot.¡± [¡­How could you forget? He¡¯s your Good Person Card, if you don¡¯t take good care of him, you¡¯ll have to do it all over again, you know!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Your great uncle can do it all over! [So, Little Sister, please be a good person, good people don¡¯t act like this! You¡¯re worse than a beast.] It¡¯s no wonder the Good Person Card turns to the dark side. ¨C Lu Ran was awoken by the heat. He propped himself up to sit, the blanket sliding off his body. He pinched the fuzzy blanket, which weighed at least a few pounds, ¡°¡­¡± Which idiot? It¡¯s so hot, and someone covers him with a blanket? Lu Ran looked around at where he lay, surrounded by weapon cases, some already opened, as he lay atop two adjacent ones. The carriage was like a steaming basket, not to mention the blanket¡¯s additional warmth. Lu Ran threw the blanket aside. How did he end up here? Lu Ran thought for a while. He remembered what happened in the basement. He¡¯d run into that woman again. An instant knot formed in Lu Ran¡¯s heart, why did he always meet her when he was most embarrassed? Was she doing this on purpose?! Hiss¡­ Lu Ran raised his hand to massage his temple, his head ached as if stabbed with needles, sweating cold sweat again. Screech¡ª The door was opened and Chuzheng hopped into the car, ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Lu Ran instinctively raised his hand, intending to push down his hat, but grasped at air. He caught a glimpse of his wrist. The delicate watch made his wrist look fair. Where did this come from? ¡°This?¡± Chuzheng followed his gaze, ¡°I gave it to you.¡± I gave it to you! Not I gave it as a gift¡­ Lu Ran felt a bit conflicted inside, why on earth would she give him this? He retracted his hand uncomfortably, looked down, and leaned slightly to the side, smartly changing the subject, ¡°Where am I, anyway?¡± ¡°On the vehicle.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He obviously knew he was in a vehicle! ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°Back to the base.¡± Chuzheng found a place to sit down. Lu Ran¡¯s heart skipped a beat, a stream of ominous premonitions bubbling up. Lu Ran¡¯s eyes fell on the clothes he wore, which seemed different from the ones he was wearing before¡­ ¡°Who changed my clothes?¡± She didn¡¯t strip me, did she?! Chuzheng wasn¡¯t quite sure, ¡°Yi Xiao, I guess.¡± Lu Ran¡¯s frown twitched, not hearing the answer he expected, which should have been a relief, yet it felt peculiar¡­ What¡¯s strange, he couldn¡¯t articulate it. And what did she mean by ¡®Yi Xiao, I guess¡¯? She didn¡¯t know who changed him either?! ¡°What about the blanket?¡± Lu Ran kicked at the blanket, thinking someone wanted to roast him alive? ¡°Me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t you who changed my clothes, but it was you who wanted to bake me to death! Lu Ran turned his head, his beautiful eyes full of confusion, ¡°Why did you cover me with a blanket?¡± Chuzheng with a serious face, ¡°To keep warm.¡± What else is a blanket for if not to keep warm? Lu Ran didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or be angry, a smile blooming on his pale face, as if spring flowers had burst into bloom, stunningly beautiful. ¡°Cover me to keep warm in this hot weather? Are you wishing for me to die faster?¡± Chuzheng even more solemn, ¡°You were very cold just now.¡± Lu Ran, ¡°¡­¡± How can I not see that you¡¯re making things up? Chuzheng took Lu Ran down to sit in the car in front. Only then did Lu Ran notice the size of the entire team was impressive. ¡°Lu Ran.¡± Yi Xiao greeted Lu Ran. Without his hat, Lu Ran felt as though he¡¯d lost his protective shell, quite uncomfortable, and greeted her with feigned ease, ¡°We meet again.¡± ¡°How did you end up there?¡± Yi Xiao leaned over the seat, looking at Lu Ran. Lu Ran was really handsome. Even as a straight guy, he felt a little moved. Beauty truly knows no boundaries. Lu Ran leaned toward Chuzheng, ¡°Do you have a hat?¡± Chuzheng glanced at him. Lu Ran¡¯s expression softened, his gaze faintly pleading; he didn¡¯t like being watched like this. Even if the onlooker meant nothing more than pure appreciation, he still didn¡¯t like it. But Lu Ran didn¡¯t realize he could naturally show himself in front of Chuzheng. Chuzheng pulled out a cap and put it on him. The cap was beige with a cute design on it. Although Lu Ran was slightly put off by the color, he wasn¡¯t in a position to be picky at the moment. Lu Ran¡¯s lips curved into a smile, ¡°Thanks.¡± Chuzheng with sincerity, ¡°I¡¯m a good person.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Heh. Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: Chapter 160: The Last Day Tycoon (25) Chapter 160: Chapter 160: The Last Day Tycoon (25) With the hat for enhancement, Lu Ran felt much more at ease and turned to speak with Yi Xiao. He didn¡¯t mention that he had sneakily left Chuzheng, only that an accident had occurred, that he had bumped into that group of people and had been captured by their deceit. ¡°Speaking of which, Miss Chuzheng, that zombie was so strange,¡± Yi Xiao abruptly said. ¡°I asked them about it in the past two days, they never came across that zombie when looking for supplies, but they also didn¡¯t encounter many zombies.¡± The wave of zombies they met at the airport seemed to be the entire city¡¯s zombie horde. At the time, they were too concerned with escaping to know how many there were in that group of zombies. ¡°What zombie?¡± Lu Ran asked curiously. What had happened while he had passed out? Yi Xiao briefly explained about that zombie to Lu Ran. ¡°No wonder¡­¡± Lu Ran muttered to himself. ¡°What?¡± Lu Ran said, ¡°Those people weren¡¯t planning on leaving before, but just a day ago, they started preparing to leave.¡± ¡°Did they discover that zombie?¡± Lu Ran shrugged, his tone sardonic: ¡°Perhaps, otherwise why leave when they were settled just fine?¡± They had occupied that place at the port for a long time. There was a power generator inside, and supplies, enough to last a very long time. Lu Ran¡¯s starry eyes shifted slightly: ¡°What about that zombie?¡± Yi Xiao glanced at Chuzheng: ¡°Miss Chuzheng took care of it.¡± Lu Ran was slightly astonished: ¡°You¡¯re that powerful?¡± Without a hint of modesty, Chuzheng affirmed: ¡°Yes.¡± She was indeed that powerful. Why be modest? [Modesty is a human virtue!]King¡¯s Account wanted to educate Chuzheng about this, but she cut it off. Oh. I don¡¯t have it. When necessary, I can pretend to have it. [¡­]When is it necessary!? ¡°Will there be more zombies like that?¡± He Cheng asked, worried and cautious, afraid that a zombie might suddenly pop out from somewhere. ¡°There¡¯s definitely more than one evolved zombie,¡± Lu Ran¡¯s voice carried a hint of amusement in the end: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there will be more.¡± He Cheng shrunk back, thinking, oh mom, how can we live through this. ¡°According to what you¡¯ve said, evolved high-level zombies should be able to summon the rest of the zombies,¡± Lu Ran continued: ¡°If such zombies become more numerous, it will be a disaster for humanity.¡± Yi Xiao: ¡°¡­¡± The hat partially obscured the boy¡¯s face. But it couldn¡¯t hide the laughter and malice in his tone. He seemed to be anticipating. Looking forward to the arrival of that moment. Lu Ran used to have a sharpness about him that felt as if it could pierce someone. But now it was gone. He appeared very calm. However, a closer look would reveal that this calmness carried hostility and an indifference about how the world turned out. Lu Ran¡¯s wrist suddenly felt cool, and an icy voice reached his ear: ¡°Behave yourself.¡± Lu Ran tilted his head, his fair profile falling into Chuzheng¡¯s pupils. He slightly curled his lips up in a little smirk, with a trace of mischief in his eyes: ¡°I am behaving. I haven¡¯t done anything.¡± His fingers hooked around Chuzheng¡¯s fingertips, his pinky scraping lightly in the palm of her hand before he withdrew it. The boy lifted his hand to his lips, winked at her. Chuzheng yanked his hand down, holding it in hers: ¡°Behave!¡± The boy seemed to realize that Chuzheng was threatening him, paused for a few seconds, didn¡¯t struggle, but instead leaned his body closer. Cool. ¨C ¡°Miss Chuzheng, there seems to be something off with Lu Ran.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him now?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was cold, clearly impatient. Yi Xiao shook his head, indicating he couldn¡¯t describe it clearly: ¡°You should take a look.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Lu Ran was currently curled up in his chair, sweating profusely, with a pained look on his face. Chuzheng touched his forehead, which was extremely hot. ¡°Lu Ran,¡± Chuzheng shook his arm. ¡°Lu Ran?¡± Lu Ran¡¯s eyes were tight shut, his eyebrows knit together as if he couldn¡¯t hear Chuzheng¡¯s voice. But instinctively, he moved closer to Chuzheng, the coolness slightly easing the furrow in his brow. Chuzheng shut the car door and pried his hands open. Lu Ran unsatisfied, wrapped around her again, his cheek against her shoulder, rubbing a few times, his lips brushing past Chuzheng¡¯s neck. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng lowered her gaze to look at Lu Ran. ¡°It hurts¡­¡± the boy¡¯s voice was tinged with grievance, his eyebrows tightly knit, he murmured softly: ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Hurts? At most, it¡¯s hot, right? How can it hurt? While Chuzheng was confused, things at the front of the car suddenly floated up and then crashed down, making a loud noise. ¡°Miss Chuzheng? Are you alright?¡± The people outside the car heard the noise and called out in inquiry. Chuzheng, holding a weapon that had flown over, turned it in another direction and calmly replied to the people outside: ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± The people outside waited for a moment before walking away. Is this his Special Ability? Spiritual power? No¡­ That¡¯s not right. Spiritual power can¡¯t manipulate objects. Instead, it¡¯s more like Telekinesis or something of that sort. But whether it is spiritual power or Telekinesis, both are super Level S rare Special Abilities. King¡¯s Account showed in the information given to her that the Special Ability Lu Ran awakened was from the Mutant Thunder Series, with immense destructive power. How did it change? [Little sister, you can¡¯t rely on the information, every small change can have an impact, the information is to help you understand the situation better, it¡¯s only for reference~] King¡¯s Account cheerfully reminded Chuzheng. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It hurts¡­¡± the boy, holding onto Chuzheng¡¯s clothes, his fingertips turning white from the force, muttered: ¡°It hurts so much¡­¡± Chuzheng peeled open his hand, making him hold her hand instead. Small objects inside the car began to rise into the air. Is the Special Ability out of control? Or is it an upgrade? I don¡¯t have a Special Ability! I don¡¯t know!! Chapter 161 - Chapter 161: Chapter 161: The Last Day Tycoon (26) Chapter 161: Chapter 161: The Last Day Tycoon (26) Lu Ran was in so much pain that Chuzheng couldn¡¯t do anything about it, and wanted to just let him fend for himself. Chuzheng suddenly thought of the Crystal Core. She took out the ice-blue Crystal Core. Then the question arose. How do Special Ability Users absorb a Special Ability? Do they crush it and swallow it? Chuzheng tightened her little face, not caring anymore, and just fed it to him. Chuzheng forcefully fed the Crystal Core to Lu Ran. After the Crystal Core was ingested, Lu Ran¡¯s condition gradually improved, clearly having an effect. But Lu Ran was still feverish, incessantly sticking to her body. Chuzheng gripped his wrist, Yin Xian winding around the young man¡¯s fingertips, entwining his wrist. The young man gradually became docile, his breathing also steadied. Chuzheng removed his hand and sat to one side. ¡°Mm¡­¡± the young man leaned his head over. ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng resisted the urge and opened her arms to let the young man lie in her embrace. The young man nuzzled her fingers and fell asleep peacefully. ¨C Lu Ran woke up in the middle of the night. The caravan had already set off; it was too hot during the day, and traveling in the middle of the night was slightly better. Lu Ran lay in Chuzheng¡¯s embrace, silently maintaining that position. The heartbeat sound by his ear was steady. It was her heartbeat. Honestly, when he was in the basement, his mind was terribly dark and malicious, filled with malice. But at this moment, Lu Ran felt extremely peaceful. His fingertips moved slightly, slowly placing his hand across Chuzheng¡¯s waist, holding her tight. Chuzheng hadn¡¯t fallen asleep; when Lu Ran moved, she adjusted her sitting position, allowing the young man to sleep more comfortably in her arms. The young man lifted his head slightly. Chuzheng looked down, meeting the young man¡¯s sleepy, misty eyes. ¡°You¡­¡± The young man seemed embarrassed. It appeared he hadn¡¯t expected her to be awake. Her heartbeat was so steady, and her breathing was very shallow; he had thought she was asleep. ¡°Hmm?¡± The young man lowered his gaze, but didn¡¯t let go of her, and since he had been caught, he frankly tightened his embrace. Chuzheng pinched his earlobe, her tone indifferent as she reminded, ¡°Don¡¯t hold so tight, it¡¯s uncomfortable.¡± With his earlobe iced, the young man felt as if an electric current had surged through his body. Why was she pinching him! But she released after just a pinch, not giving him a chance to react. He could only silently suppress that bit of discomfort. ¡°Your Special Ability¡­¡± The young man shivered all over, and Chuzheng could feel his body stiffen. The young man placed his hand over her mouth, looking ahead. Yi Xiao was driving, and the others were all sleeping; their whispers were drowned out by other sounds, so Yi Xiao should not have heard them. The young man¡¯s fingertips pressed against Chuzheng¡¯s lips, the softness under his fingers making him release her like an electric shock. The young man edged closer, intentionally leaning towards her to whisper into her ear, ¡°Could you please not tell anyone that I have a Special Ability?¡± ¡°Why?¡± The young man puffed his cheeks slightly, his rosy lips looking particularly tempting. ¡°Because you¡¯re a good person.¡± The young man blinked, ¡°Will you keep my secret, please?¡± A Special Ability like that could become an ace for survival. ¡°Okay.¡± A request with a Good Person Card should be agreed upon. And a Good Person Card should be looked after well. Lu Ran smiled at Chuzheng, his lips parted about to speak, but before he could say anything, his lips were sealed by another, followed by a cool, soft tongue pressing past his lips, prying them open. Lu Ran¡¯s pupils slightly dilated. His heartbeat suddenly accelerated like it was on fast-forward, thundering uncontrollably. The cool touch on his lips left, and Lu Ran finally snapped back to reality. He stared at Chuzheng, ¡°Why¡­ why did you kiss me?¡± Chuzheng was nothing if not righteous, ¡°It felt good.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feel good? How could you, a girl, do such a thing! Lu Ran raised his hand to wipe his lips, somewhat annoyed. He actually found it quite pleasant¡­ It was as if her taste still lingered between his lips, causing a faint reaction in Lu Ran. Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s sleep.¡± Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± I really need to be able to sleep now! This woman was definitely harboring ill intentions toward him. Lu Ran thought about getting up to clear his head. But since Chuzheng was holding him, Lu Ran would have to ask her to let go first. He lowered his voice, ¡°Let go of me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Chuzheng thought Lu Ran was dissatisfied because she kissed him, ¡°Then you can kiss me back.¡± Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± He wouldn¡¯t kiss her for anything! In the end, Lu Ran still couldn¡¯t escape Chuzheng¡¯s clutches. Lu Ran pulled his hat down, resignedly leaning on her to sleep; why should he, a grown man, make such a fuss? It¡¯s not like he was the one at a loss. ¨C Chuzheng returned to the base with a large amount of supplies, and a crowd formed a long line just to watch. ¡°All these goods?¡± ¡°There are still several more cars behind that haven¡¯t come in¡­¡± ¡°I heard there are several trucks full of food alone; how lucky are they?¡± ¡°I heard there were hardly any casualties.¡± The onlookers gossiped and pointed at the convoy, which temporarily entered the first floor parking lot of the base. Everyone would check the supplies before they were brought in. Those with special abilities completed their inspections quickly. Chuzheng, having no special ability, took a bit longer. After she passed the inspection and looked after Lu Ran, someone came to notify her that something had happened in the parking lot. ¡°What happened?¡± Brother Bao was furious, ¡°The military in the base suddenly appeared, claiming they wanted to take away those supplies.¡± ¡°The military?¡± ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re so shameless,¡± Brother Bao cursed under his breath. Chuzheng followed Brother Bao to the parking lot, where the special ability users from her team were confronting the military personnel. Upon Chuzheng¡¯s arrival, people on her side immediately cleared a path for her, the scene as grand as if a boss had stepped in with their own BGM. ¡°Are you the person in charge of this team?¡± A man wearing ill-fitting military clothes on the military side looked her up and down casually. The people behind him were also a mess, wearing their military uniforms in odd ways that didn¡¯t seem like they belonged to proper soldiers. And indeed, they weren¡¯t. These uniforms were left behind by soldiers who had been sacrificed within the army. ¡°What do you want?¡± Chuzheng stood at the front, coldly regarding the man. ¡°Heh.¡± The man scoffed, suddenly raising his voice, ¡°You people are absolutely heartless, to turn against your own comrades. Who knows how you obtained these supplies!¡± It wasn¡¯t just them in the parking lot; there were others too. Most of them were watching the drama unfold at this point. Upon hearing the man¡¯s words, whispers inexplicably grew louder. Chuzheng caught on to the man¡¯s insinuation. He was suggesting that she had stolen these supplies. ¡°Turn against who?¡± The man inadvertently glanced in a certain direction, and Chuzheng followed his gaze. There stood Ning You, appearing uninterested in hiding; when Chuzheng looked her way, Ning You revealed a smug, provocative smile. That detestable dog who had pulled her hair again! ¡°Hand over these supplies and leave the base; we¡¯ll let this matter slide!¡± The man stood tall. Chuzheng glanced at Brother Yong. Brother Yong, holding a gun, sarcastically watched the farce unfold. Suddenly, he caught Chuzheng¡¯s gaze and looked back at her, puzzled. Can¡¯t he watch the show? Brother Bao understood her intention and threw a ball of fire over there. Only then did Brother Yong respond, swinging his gun in an arc near the man¡¯s feet. The man¡¯s companions jumped back in fright, retreating. Chuzheng crossed her arms, wearing the air of a boss, ¡°Whose supplies did I steal, huh?¡± The man: ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 162 - Chapter 162: Chapter 162: The Last Day Tycoon (27) Chapter 162: Chapter 162: The Last Day Tycoon (27) Ning You returned to the base before Chuzheng and the others. The encounter there made it hard for Ning You to swallow her pride, so she immediately asked someone to find the person in charge of the base. The person who received her happened to be Minister Feng. Ning You, relying on her current status, knew that Minister Feng had to show her some respect. Therefore, Ning You promised Minister Feng some benefits, originally intending to use the excuse of Chuzheng attacking her companions at the base to detain her first. Even if they couldn¡¯t capture her, they couldn¡¯t allow her to stay at this base anymore, she had to be driven away. Who knew she would bring back so many material resources. How could Minister Feng not be tempted? Minister Feng often did these kinds of things, hence the situation that had now arisen. Ning You thought that as long as she dealt with Chuzheng, she could ignore everything else. But she didn¡¯t expect Chuzheng to directly order her people to take action. The man was stunned for a few seconds. Then anger surged through his heart, what was he afraid of a little girl for?! The man shouted in Chuzheng¡¯s direction, ¡°Gentlemen, this has nothing to do with you. This woman is malevolent at heart. As long as you leave now, we guarantee you¡¯ll receive better treatment at the base, and you can also share in these resources.¡± ¡°Who is malevolent at heart?¡± The parking lot suddenly quieted down as Minister Fang arrived with a group of people. ¡°Minister¡­ Minister Fang.¡± The man¡¯s legs went soft with fear, his mind racing with worry. Why had he come? In the entire base, Minister Feng could speak up when there was something in it for him. Minister Sun was an old fox, who never got involved in anything on the surface. Only Minister Fang was a very upright person. Minister Fang was the one Chuzheng had sent for. After all, she still carried the reputation of being Fang Yu¡¯s lifesaver, Minister Fang had to come in person. Minister Fang asked with a cold face, ¡°Who did you say has malevolent thoughts?¡± ¡°Her¡­ her.¡± The man pointed at Chuzheng, hurriedly saying, ¡°Minister Fang, it¡¯s this woman. Outside the base, she attacked her companions, almost killing her own people. Such a malevolent person must be expelled from the base!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Minister Fang dragged out his words, making it unclear what he was thinking. This was the savior of his precious daughter, after all. Could she really be a person with malevolent thoughts? Minister Fang was very clear in his heart that these people were Minister Feng¡¯s lackeys. He could guess their motives. They were just eyeing all these resources greedily. When Chuzheng noticed Minister Fang looking over, she said, ¡°Minister Fang, all these resources are for the base.¡± The man was dumbfounded. Donate¡­ donate to the base? What kind of joke was this? So many resources, and she was willing to part with them? Even those who had gone out with Chuzheng were very surprised. However, in the end, these things were all to be traded for Crystal Cores, so they were more open-minded than the others. The onlookers were even more confused. They thought they were going to witness a fight. But it turned into a charity event¡­ Was this young lady serious? No matter whether Chuzheng had attacked her companions outside or not, most of the crowd understood the motives of these people. They just didn¡¯t speak up about what they had seen through. Now it was settled. Donated. What¡¯s there to fight over? Minister Fang was not quite sure he had heard right. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, are all these resources for the base?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Bastard gave me a task, if I don¡¯t do it, I have to go back in time. I don¡¯t want to go back in time. Not at all! Seeing so many resources, Minister Fang was excited internally. However, as a leader, he had to keep his composure. Minister Fang took several deep breaths. He confirmed with Chuzheng over and over again. After confirmation, he gratefully said to Chuzheng, ¡°Then, thank you, Miss Chuzheng. The base can hold out for a while longer now¡­¡± Supplies had been growing scarce recently, and they were worrying about it. Then, suddenly, so many supplies were delivered. Chuzheng¡¯s move had completely baffled the group that had come looking for trouble. This isn¡¯t what was agreed upon, is it? What do we do now? ¡°Minister Fang, these people are slandering me, can I handle this myself?¡± Minister Fang was secretly delighted, and upon hearing Chuzheng¡¯s request, he immediately agreed, ¡°Of course, you can, Miss Chuzheng, rest assured, I will handle this matter seriously and not let anyone wrong you.¡± What malicious intentions? That¡¯s utter nonsense! She¡¯s a true living Lei Feng! Her daughter¡¯s savior is indeed no ordinary person! Seeing things not going well, the man turned to Ning You for help. Ning You also sensed that things were turning sour and was prepared to leave. But Chuzheng had already ordered people to capture her. Ning You was brought before Chuzheng. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ning You, not feeling the least bit guilty, looked Chuzheng in the eye, ¡°Let me go.¡± Chuzheng looked at her, her tone calm, ¡°Did you put him up to this?¡± That unwavering gaze felt strangely unfamiliar to Ning You. Since Chuzheng didn¡¯t acknowledge knowing her, naturally, Ning You wasn¡¯t going to force the recognition. She could only angrily say, ¡°What did I put him up to? I don¡¯t even know him, don¡¯t spout nonsense here! What grudge do I have against you for you to frame me like this? Just because I was standing over there, does that mean one can¡¯t stand there?¡± ¡°When he was speaking just now, he looked at you no less than five times,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°Was it not you who put him up to slandering me?¡± ¡°I, how would I know why he was looking at me,¡± Ning You denied. ¡°Then you tell me,¡± Chuzheng turned to the man, ¡°was it her who put you up to this?¡± The man kept silent. Brother Yong, understanding the situation better this time, stepped forward with his streetwise demeanor and landed a kick. ¡°Speak!¡± The man remained silent. Grabbing him, Brother Yong unleashed a beating. ¡°Stop, stop hitting me¡­ I¡¯ll talk¡­ I¡¯ll talk, it was her, she told us to find a way to capture you, if not, to drive you out of the base, she was the one instructing us.¡± The man pointed the finger at Ning You. ¡°What nonsense are you talking?¡± Ning You exclaimed like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, ¡°You¡¯re forcing a confession!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense, it was her who instructed me,¡± the man said through sobs and tears. ¡°Miss Ning, why would you do such a thing?¡± Minister Fang asked cautiously, aware that it was unwise to offend the group of people behind her. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, he¡¯s making it up,¡± Ning You struggled to remain calm, ¡°They are forcing a confession.¡± ¡°Miss!¡± Ning You¡¯s people arrived and moved her behind them for protection. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Ning You shook her head. ¡°What happened?¡± Ning You went over the events, asserting her innocence and unawareness, and that Chuzheng had wronged her for no reason. Furthermore, prior to this, outside the villa, Ning You and her people had implanted the idea that Chuzheng held malicious intentions towards her. Therefore, the group immediately directed their accusations at Chuzheng. ¡°She¡¯s not your miss,¡± Chuzheng spoke up before they could, ¡°I am.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Perhaps it was the formidable aura around Chuzheng, but when she said this, it didn¡¯t provoke scorn or laughter from the crowd; instead, a strange silence fell over the scene. Ning You¡¯s beautiful eyes widened in disbelief as if she had heard something incredulous, then she felt a chill run through her; not only did she remember¡­ she also knew about this matter. How could this be¡­ Chuzheng¡¯s voice slowly circulated in the eerie atmosphere, ¡°That jade was snatched from me. Minister Fang, is it possible to conduct a paternity test?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Minister Fang snapped back to reality, immediately replying, ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°You still have samples, don¡¯t you?¡± Chuzheng asked the opposing group. Chapter 163 - Chapter 163: Chapter 163: The Last Day Tycoon (28) Chapter 163: Chapter 163: The Last Day Tycoon (28) The base laboratory. Ning You and Chuzheng stood on either side, with Mu Jie in the middle, the leader of that group. Before the apocalypse, they received news that there were clues about a young lady who had been missing for many years. They hadn¡¯t expected to not find her but instead encountered the end of the world. They were relatively lucky, as most of them awakened special abilities. They thought they would never find their young lady. Yet they met her at Qingan Base. The jade was picked up by Mu Jie, who had searched the base for several days before finding the person. But now they were being told¡­ They¡¯d made a mistake? They indeed carried samples for a paternity test, which was to preliminarily confirm after finding the young lady. When they found Ning You, they had Qingan Base help with the test, and the conclusion was indeed¡­ Mu Jie stood with his hands behind his back, looking somberly at the busy people inside the transparent laboratory. Chuzheng, somewhat tired, leaned on the glass. Brother Yong and the others hadn¡¯t come; she had asked them to take Lu Ran to the villa first and to keep watch over him there. Ning You stood on the other side, head lowered, palms full of cold sweat. What to do¡­ Once the paternity test was out, everything would be revealed. But she couldn¡¯t run now, there was nothing she could do¡­ Why hadn¡¯t she lost her memory? Why hadn¡¯t she died! Why¡­ Ning You¡¯s resentment grew stronger at the bottom of her heart. The paternity test took time, and during this period neither Chuzheng nor Ning You were allowed to leave; Mu Jie paced back and forth in the corridor with his hands behind his back. ¡°Can you settle down?¡± Chuzheng snapped impatiently. Mu Jie turned to look at the girl leaning against the glass, her entire being exuding a cool and distant aloofness. The girl¡¯s features were delicate, and her indifferent expression added a touch of heroic spirit. There was a vague resemblance to the gentleman in her brows. Looking at Ning You, there wasn¡¯t even that faint resemblance to the gentleman¡­ But everything had to wait for the conclusion. As soon as the results came out, Mu Jie was the first to look at them, his expression growing uglier by the second. The conclusion showed Ning You had no blood relation to their gentleman. The one who was related was this girl¡­ they had once held hostility towards her based on Ning You¡¯s words. To ensure accuracy, Mu Jie personally took samples from Chuzheng and Ning You and sent them to two separate laboratories. Under his supervision, the tests were conducted with no possibility of cheating. ¡°Snap!¡± Mu Jie slammed the results onto the glass next to Ning You, and the paper fluttered down in front of her eyes. His grim gaze frightened Ning You: ¡°Uncle Jie¡­¡± Mu Jie smoothed his hair, restraining his anger: ¡°Ning You, what is this all about.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ning You¡¯s tears spun in her eyes. The samples for the original test were provided by Ning You; any mistake could only have happened at her step. So she had known all along, she wasn¡¯t the person they were looking for. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ning You shook her head: ¡°It was you who said I was¡­ I believed it because you said so, I know nothing¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know the sample you gave me?¡± ¡°Then¡­ maybe they made a mistake during the test; I never said I was¡­ It¡¯s always been you saying it, what does that have to do with me!¡± Ning You bit her teeth: ¡°You made a mistake yourselves, how can you blame me?¡± Mu Jie recalled that indeed, the woman had never actually said so herself. ¡°The jade?¡± ¡°I¡­ found it!¡± Since no one knew what happened back then, even if Chuzheng spoke out, it would just be her word against Ning You¡¯s. Ning You just had to vehemently deny it. ¡°` ¡°Search her, she should still have my hair on her.¡± Ning You had a good idea, but Chuzheng had never fixated on the jade. Ning You wouldn¡¯t be naive enough to think it was all over after one time. To be on the safe side, she would surely have kept some more, and these items would most certainly be safe if carried on her person. That damn dog plucked so much of my hair in the first place! Ning You¡¯s reaction also proved Chuzheng was right. Mu Jie indeed found hair packed in a small bag on Ning You¡¯s body, and Mu Jie ordered it to be compared with Chuzheng¡¯s. In the end, it was confirmed that the hair was Chuzheng¡¯s. Ning You was now at a loss for words. ¡°I apologize, miss, for making you suffer.¡± Mu Jie approached Chuzheng and bowed at a ninety-degree angle, ¡°I am terribly sorry for the previous incident, we failed to discern the truth, please, miss, administer your punishment.¡± Having handled the situation like this. When he gets back, he might as well be skinned. Since the start of the apocalypse, Mu Jie had only contacted that side a few times, now with communications cut off, yet Mu Jie still persevered with the mission, which showed the influence of the Mu family. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Chuzheng checked the time, ¡°May I leave now?¡± Good Person Cards are so hard to catch when they run. ¡°I¡¯ll escort the miss back to rest first,¡± Mu Jie offered immediately. ¡°Ning You, how does the miss plan to handle her?¡± Daring to impersonate the miss, with the current situation, Mu Jie could kill her right away. ¡°Expel her from the base,¡± What else could be done since the person couldn¡¯t be killed? ¡°And shave her head on the way out.¡± Mu Jie: ¡°??¡± ¨C How would the people at the base know that what began as a fight for supplies had turned into a scandal about true and false heiresses of a wealthy family? Most had a bit of an impression of Ning You, because she was always followed by people who did not look like pushovers. Now suddenly the word spread that Ning You was actually impersonating someone else and almost got the real victim killed. Not only that, but after the impersonation, she tried to frame the real victim and have her expelled. And the person whose identity was taken was none other than the big philanthropist who had just donated supplies to the base. This news spread through the base as if it had wings. To watch such a drama in the apocalyptic world. In just a few hours, dozens of versions emerged; the apocalypse couldn¡¯t stop human gossip. With such talk, Ning You would probably not have the face to stay in the base even if she were not expelled. But she was not reconciled! Why didn¡¯t Chuzheng die outside, why did she come back? In this post-apocalyptic world, there was a group of people with which she could have lived her life worry-free. It was all ruined by her. Ning You, with a bald head, stood outside the base in a pathetic state. The survivors barred from entering the base harbored malice toward anyone coming from it, and some directly swarmed her. Ning You retaliated when pushed, falling onto the scorching ground, her palms and knees scraped painfully, abruptly coming back to her senses. People kept approaching her, and Ning You, in a flurry, activated her Special Ability to subdue them. But she noticed that more and more people were gathering. ¡°Captain Huo, that looks like Ning You over there.¡± Huo Jing followed the direction pointed out by his teammate, and saw Ning You being chased and quickly heading in his direction. Huo Jing got out of the car and grabbed Ning You, ¡°Ning You?¡± Frantic, Ning You glanced at him, and seeing her own reflection in Huo Jing¡¯s eyes, she screamed and pushed Huo Jing away before running off. ¡°Ning You!¡± Ning You ran fast, disappearing from Huo Jing¡¯s sight in the blink of an eye. Huo Jing frowned, puzzled by Ning You¡¯s changed appearance. It was not until Huo Jing returned to the base that he learned what had happened, and he couldn¡¯t quite identify his feelings, feeling quite complex about it. To him, Ning You should have been a rather good girl. Kind, courageous, and resourceful¡­ How could she do something like this? Chapter 164 - Chapter 164: Chapter 164: The Last Day Tycoon (29) Chapter 164: Chapter 164: The Last Day Tycoon (29) ¡°` Chuzheng Villa. Brother Yong and Brother Bao were sitting at the doorway of a room, playing cards and drinking, while Lu Ran stood inside the room, his expression indecipherable as he watched them. ¡°Little Brother Lu Ran, just give up on trying to escape. Look outside the villa, it¡¯s surrounded by my brothers; where could you possibly run?¡±, Brother Yong, smoking a cigarette, advised Lu Ran while continuing to play cards. He Cheng¡¯s face was full of envy, ¡°Miss Chuzheng treats you so well, if I were you, I¡¯d just obediently listen to what Miss Chuzheng says.¡± Lu Ran was so angry he felt like spitting blood, ¡°As a man, how can she lock me up here, what does this mean?¡± If you¡¯re willing, then come here! Why won¡¯t you let me go! Brother Bao scratched his head: ¡°Well, you win some, you lose some. Doesn¡¯t Miss Chuzheng treat you well?¡± Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± It is good. But that¡¯s no reason for her to imprison me! Lu Ran took a deep breath and asked calmly, ¡°When will she be back?¡± Brother Yong took a puff of his cigarette and was about to reply when they heard footsteps on the stairs. ¡°She¡¯s back,¡± Brother Yong finished the last two cards. Lu Ran¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the people at the doorway tidy up and stand up. Chuzheng handed out the Crystal Core payout to them. Brother Yong clicked his tongue, ¡°Call me again if there¡¯s such a good job in the future.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Brother Bao spoke for the other two, ¡°Miss Chuzheng, we were thinking¡­¡± Chuzheng, with an indifferent expression, ¡°I don¡¯t need a driver for now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± So she had just considered them as drivers before? Clearly, the answer was yes. Brother Bao and the others left the villa slightly dejected and disappointed. Lu Ran strode out of the room, leaning against the doorframe: ¡°Why didn¡¯t you keep them?¡± ¡°Troublesome.¡± Lu Ran immediately said, ¡°Then I¡¯m quite bothersome too, let me go.¡± ¡°No.¡± Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± So in her heart, I¡¯m actually a bother? It¡¯s just for some reason, she doesn¡¯t want to let me go. And that reason¡­ Lu Ran leaned forward, ¡°If I think you¡¯re a ¡®Good Person,¡¯ will you let me go?¡± Chuzheng thought for a while but didn¡¯t answer the question, instead, she kissed him on his approaching lips. Lu Ran froze there, his eyes seemingly forgetting how to move. ¡°Miss.¡± Mu Jie¡¯s voice came from downstairs. Chuzheng silently let her hand, which was about to embrace Lu Ran, fall and instead took his hand. Lu Ran pulled hard, bringing them both back into the room. Lu Ran leaned against the wall, Chuzheng falling into his embrace. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pinning her down, and used his other hand to support her back. Lu Ran¡¯s voice was slightly deep, ¡°You keep kissing me repeatedly; did you have my consent?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s expression was natural, ¡°Do I need it?¡± ¡°You need it. I am an individual, not your possession. I didn¡¯t agree; you can¡¯t just kiss me whenever you want.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s palm rested on his shoulder line, pressing down slightly, her body leaning in, filling Lu Ran¡¯s vision. The cool voice of the woman echoed in his ear, ¡°May I kiss you?¡± The girl was nestled in his embrace, her soft, long hair draping down, and the tips brushing across his arm. Her dark eyes were quietly watching him, her expression serious and earnest. As if discussing a very serious matter. He found himself nodding almost involuntarily. ¡°` Chuzheng received permission and leaned in for a kiss; it was then that Lu Ran suddenly snapped back to reality. However, at that moment, apart from feeling his heartbeat accelerate, he couldn¡¯t do anything, having completely forgotten what he wanted to do just before. ¡°Miss, are you alright?¡± Lu Ran was startled by the voice, struggled a little, but was firmly held down by Chuzheng, unable to move. ¡°Miss?¡± Mu Jie¡¯s voice was getting closer. Lu Ran¡¯s eyes were slightly open. He didn¡¯t dare to breathe heavily; the room¡¯s door wasn¡¯t closed, and anyone entering could see them. But those footsteps stopped outside, calling out once more, ¡°Miss?¡± Chuzheng loosened her grip on Lu Ran a bit and pecked at his lips twice before whispering, ¡°Can I kiss you again next time?¡± Lu Ran: ¡°???¡± ¡°You need to let me go first,¡± Lu Ran said, worried someone would come in. ¡°Promise me, and I¡¯ll let you go,¡± Chuzheng replied. Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± It sounded like the person outside was moving. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Lu Ran hastily replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be out shortly,¡± Chuzheng called out to the person outside. The footsteps paused: ¡°Take your time, Miss.¡± Chuzheng stepped back a bit, her gaze dropping down. Lu Ran swiftly placed his hand over her view and turned his body away, his handsome eyes full of embarrassment: ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Chuzheng left the room and began talking to the person outside the door. Lu Ran annoyingly slapped himself. Chuzheng looked back. Holding up his palm, Lu Ran met Chuzheng¡¯s eyes and calmly said, ¡°Mosquito.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°There are no mosquitoes in this kind of weather.¡± Lu Ran: ¡°¡­ Mutant ones!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Alright, if the Good Person Card says so, then they exist. [¡­]Sister, have you forgotten? You said it yourself!! There were actually many questions in Mu Jie¡¯s mind, such as why Chuzheng, knowing about this matter, didn¡¯t seek them out. The reason Chuzheng didn¡¯t seek them out was simple; she found it too bothersome. But since Ning You repeatedly caused trouble for her, she felt it was necessary to justify herself. After all, it saved a lot of trouble. Chuzheng had no intention of going to the villa next door with Mu Jie. After sending him off, Lu Ran followed Chuzheng out of the room. ¡°If you dare to run away¡­¡± Lu Ran took a step back: ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Hmm, just don¡¯t think about running, and I won¡¯t restrain you.¡± ¡°¡­I won¡¯t run.¡± He was mulling over things now and wouldn¡¯t leave until he had figured them out. Chuzheng reached out to touch his head but, remembering that his hair wasn¡¯t soft, she settled for patting his shoulder: ¡°Good boy.¡± Lu Ran tugged at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Hungry?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Being well-fed was essential for considering problems. Chuzheng took Lu Ran for food, ordering all the best dishes in the restaurant for him. The people in the restaurant were all stunned, apparently having never seen such a lavish spender. However, upon hearing who it was, everyone calmed down. The person had donated so much to the base, handing out Crystal Cores as if they cost nothing. This was what a true boss looked like. ¡°She spoils that guy so much? What does he look like, is he handsome?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know, I didn¡¯t catch a glimpse. He was wearing a hat, but his silhouette looked quite handsome.¡± ¡°With this hot weather, who wears a hat?¡± ¡°The hat is pretty cute, though.¡± ¡°I really want to see what he looks like, to see if I¡¯m worthy enough to catch the eye of the boss and become one of the distinguished guests.¡± ¡°Dream on, as if the boss would notice you?¡± Chapter 165 - Chapter 165: Chapter 165: The Last Day Tycoon (30) Chapter 165: Chapter 165: The Last Day Tycoon (30) The young man by Chuzheng¡¯s side had become the focus of everyone¡¯s discussion. What kind of disaster would make a big shot bow down? Unfortunately, this calamity always wore a hat. As the weather grew hotter, according to the reports from outside, the zombies seemed to fear the heat and were dwindling in numbers. This news spread throughout the base. But no one knew the actual situation. However, the increasingly blistering heat was a reality. The base suffered from a severe water shortage. Yet Chuzheng spent Crystal Cores every day to prepare bathwater for Lu Ran. Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± He was nearly being spoiled. Did she really think of herself as a young master to pamper? Lu Ran sat upstairs, surrounded by empty space, not a soul in sight. The clothes on the young man were brand new, with obvious fold marks. He was completely out of place among the people of the post-apocalyptic world. He was like a prince living in a castle, clean and transparent, delicately luxurious, inspiring admiration. The youth propped his cheek while aimlessly poking the food in his bowl with chopsticks. ¡°Don¡¯t like it, change¡­¡± ¡°No need,¡± Lu Ran put down his chopsticks, ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Chuzheng passed him a tissue, and Lu Ran hesitated before accepting it. The soft tissue was pinched between his fingers. How long had it been since he had touched such a thing? The clothes he wore, the food he ate, the things he used¡­ Almost no different from before the apocalypse. He was well aware of how hard these things were to find in a post-apocalyptic world. Was she really raising him like a ¡°Canary¡±? In his life, Lu Ran probably had never thought that such a day would come. There was a girl, forcefully invading his world, planning everything for him. Aside from not being allowed to leave her, he could do anything. ¡°Hey,¡± Lu Ran leaned on the table, ¡°If I wanted to become the supreme leader of this base, would you help me achieve that?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Chuzheng nodded without hesitation, ¡°Do you want to?¡± Was the ideal of the Good Person Card so impressive? Taking over a base shouldn¡¯t be hard, right?! Lu Ran paused, then laughed as he shook his head, ¡°No, just asking.¡± ¡°Whatever you want, I can give it to you.¡± ¡°Including yourself?¡± Chuzheng gave him a look, weighing it in her heart for a moment, ¡°Including me.¡± Lu Ran sighed, ¡°What did I do in my past life to gain your favor?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°I must have had eight lifetimes of bad luck.¡± Although the Good Person Card tastes nice when kissed, it cannot be denied that it¡¯s essentially a nuisance she had to put up with. ¡°What?¡± [Miss, I beg you not to speak recklessly! You should cajole the Good Person Card more, you know? How could you possibly get the Good Person Card with such heartless madness?!] The King¡¯s Account quickly intervened, blocking the straightforward words Chuzheng was about to repeat. ¡°Nothing.¡± Actually, Lu Ran had heard that sentence. His gaze lingered on her for a moment before he changed the subject. ¨C The night market was as bustling as ever. Anyway, as soon as Chuzheng arrived at such a place, the King¡¯s Account would never miss the opportunity to issue tasks. Chuzheng bought a pile of odds and ends that seemed useful before the apocalypse but utterly useless after. Lu Ran followed by Chuzheng¡¯s side, watching her spend Crystal Cores like running water. ¡°Where do your Crystal Cores come from?¡± Lu Ran was still very curious about this. The young man whispered in her ear, his breath pouring into her neck as he spoke. ¡°Found them.¡± The corners of Lu Ran¡¯s eyes crinkled with a hint of a smile, making his face appear even more astonishingly beautiful. ¡°How come I never saw you pick them up?¡± ¡°If you saw it, then it wouldn¡¯t be me picking them up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Unable to refute the sound logic. Chuzheng walked ahead with Lu Ran. The night market sold everything, and this ¡°everything¡± included anything in this world that could be traded. Some girls, dressed revealingly, stood in corners; men just needed to offer some food, and the girls would follow them. These people had no other choice, they lacked the ability to kill zombies, and if they wanted to survive, this was their only option. Slap¡ª The crisp sound of a slap rang out. A man¡¯s angry curses followed. ¡°Damn! You little slut! Is this all you have? Huh? Are you hiding something?¡± Not far ahead, a girl was kicked to the ground by a man, and the onlookers around were not surprised, with very few people actually watching. Chuzheng led Lu Ran over. Lu Ran was curious and glanced over twice, his fingertips hooking inside Chuzheng¡¯s palm: ¡°That person looks like the one called Xiner from last time.¡± He remembered her so clearly because of the last bath incident. ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was indifferent. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious why she¡¯s ended up like this?¡± Chuzheng glanced over, the girl was beaten miserably, but she was quickly dragged away by the man. Chuzheng shook her head: ¡°It has nothing to do with me.¡± The group that Xiner was with split up after Brother Yong entered the base. The man who hit Xiner just now, she somewhat recognized him¡ªhe was one of those men. Clearly, Xiner¡¯s days were not easy after they separated. Within Brother Yong¡¯s group, with Brother Yong¡¯s control, these men didn¡¯t dare to cause trouble. The other two girls who were with Xiner, probably weren¡¯t faring much better. ¡°You¡¯re really strange.¡± ¡°Where am I strange?¡± ¡°Everywhere is strange.¡± Isn¡¯t it strange to want to lock him up for no reason? Chuzheng looked at him sideways. In the bustling night market, as the surroundings gradually decayed, he became the only splash of color, dazzling and attention-grabbing. Good looks are not all alike. Someone like Lu Ran can¡¯t be found even in a million. How can a boy be so good-looking? Lu Ran¡¯s lips curled up slightly, his frivolous temperament showing, as he leaned close to Chuzheng, looking at himself through her eyes: ¡°What¡¯s wrong, have you been dazzled by my beauty?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng nodded earnestly. She didn¡¯t hide anything, which was a bit different from what Lu Ran had in mind. He thought she would give him a cold expression and tell him, ¡®Don¡¯t even dream about it,¡¯ but instead, she openly admitted it. Lu Ran admitted his heartbeat sped up in that moment. He was a bit unsure how to handle the girl in front of him. Did she like him? Lu Ran wasn¡¯t sure about the answer. She was so nice to him, seemingly just because, as she said, she needed to be a good person. Realizing this, Lu Ran¡¯s gaze slightly concealed. Why did she presume to make decisions about his life? Lu Ran¡¯s tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, and after a moment, he leaned his body against Chuzheng¡¯s shoulder, his lips brushing against her earlobe as he whispered, ¡°Then do you want me?¡± ¡°You are already mine.¡± Is there a need to want? No need! ¡°I¡­¡± Lu Ran almost ran out of breath. When did he become hers? Had he agreed? Lu Ran¡¯s hand slipped around her waist; right now, he was holding her from behind, their stance intimate and close. ¡°Not that.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Chuzheng looked sideways, asking seriously, ¡°Then what is it?¡± The surrounding noise spread, but the youth¡¯s voice was exceptionally clear: ¡°You don¡¯t know? I can teach you.¡± Chapter 166 - Chapter 166: Chapter 166: The Last Day Tycoon (31) Chapter 166: Chapter 166: The Last Day Tycoon (31) ¡°` Chuzheng gave him a glance and asked coldly, ¡°Do you have anything else you want to buy?¡± The prices will double soon! Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng and Lu Ran returned to the villa, and Lu Ran set down those haphazard items and had just sat down when the doorbell began to ring urgently. Ding dong¡ª¡ª Ding dong ding dong¡ª¡ª Chuzheng didn¡¯t really feel like moving, and he glanced at Lu Ran. The latter was looking at him, so Chuzheng resignedly went to open the door. ¨C When Chuzheng returned from outside, Lu Ran had already tidied up the items and was sitting on the couch, fiddling with things. He asked, feigning calm, ¡°Who was it?¡± ¡°Fang Yu.¡± Chuzheng sat down, and Lu Ran immediately stood up, ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit sleepy, I¡¯ll go to bed first.¡± Lu Ran left almost as if he was fleeing. Chuzheng was baffled. Not continuing, then? For the next two days, Lu Ran avoided Chuzheng. Mu Jie had been trying to persuade Chuzheng to return to Capital City Base, but Chuzheng wasn¡¯t too willing. Just the thought of moving to another place felt so troublesome, so troublesome, so troublesome¡­ Once Chuzheng made up her mind, she rarely changed it. Mu Jie had no way to deal with Chuzheng. Fortunately, they made contact with Capital City Base, which said they would send a helicopter over. But Chuzheng hadn¡¯t relented yet, and Mu Jie spent all day coaxing her. This day, early in the morning, Chuzheng heard a ruckus outside. Chuzheng went downstairs, where Lu Ran was leaning against the door, looking outside. Chuzheng walked over, and Lu Ran stepped aside unnaturally, standing a little farther from her. Outside the villa complex, armed soldiers were blocking a crowd that kept surging towards them. ¡°What¡¯s all the noise?¡± Making noise so early in the morning, won¡¯t you let people sleep properly? ¡°Minister Feng from the base took off with supplies and quite a few weapons,¡± Lu Ran said with a hint of schadenfreude. The supplies in the base were also these people¡¯s rations, which they earned through their labor. But now that the supplies were gone, how would they survive? This Minister Feng was kind of impressive. If caught, would he be beaten to death? Gotta admire his courage! ¡°Then catch him.¡± Can noise bring people back? Lu Ran laughed, ¡°He ran off last night; where would you go to catch him now?¡± With Minister Feng taking off with supplies, the base¡¯s decision-makers were questioned by the survivors, and the situation blew up quite a bit. Minister Fang and others had quite a struggle to calm the survivors down. ¨C Minister Feng, who had taken the supplies, was now driving on a highway. Minister Feng was tapping his slightly plump belly, humming a tune, and feeling very happy. ¡°Minister, there seem to be people up ahead.¡± Minister Feng opened his eyes and looked ahead, where several women were squatting by the roadside, waving their hands. Their heads hung down, faces unseen. Minister Feng¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°Stop the car.¡± The car slowly came to a halt beside the women, and Minister Feng ordered someone to go check. The person who went to check cautiously approached the women. ¡°You¡­.¡± The man had barely spoken when the women suddenly lifted their heads and lunged to bite. ¡°Bang bang bang¡ª¡ª¡± Gunshots pierced the sultry air. All around the highway, countless zombies emerged from nowhere, rushing in from all directions and trapping them in an inescapable encirclement. A vicious face intruded into Minister Feng¡¯s pupils. ¡°Ah¡ª¡ª¡± ¨C Knock knock¡ª¡ª In the dead of night, someone knocking on the door almost got them killed. She went down to open the door, suppressing her fury. It was Yi Xiao knocking, with Brother Bao and He Cheng sneaking behind him like underground resistance meeting in secret. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, we¡­ we saw something, and didn¡¯t know who to ask, so we came to find you.¡± Chuzheng crossed her arms over her chest and said fiercely, ¡°What is it?¡± Yi Xiao pointed inside, ¡°Can we come in and talk?¡± Chuzheng stared at them for several seconds, then turned aside to let them in. ¡°What is it.¡± Disturbing my sleep ¨C if you don¡¯t have a good reason, I¡¯ll have to take care of you! All three of them felt a chill down their backs. Yi Xiao and He Cheng kept quiet. Seeing this, Brother Bao pushed them aside and said in a loud, gruff voice, ¡°Miss Chuzheng, we took on a mission outside the base the other day and noticed something off about the zombies.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s indifferent face, ¡°Zombies have never been right.¡± ¡°¡­¡± There¡¯s no talking to you like this!! Chapter 167 - Chapter 167: Chapter 167: The Last Day Tycoon (32) Chapter 167: Chapter 167: The Last Day Tycoon (32) Yi Xiao added, ¡°It wasn¡¯t Miss Chuzheng, those zombies actually set traps, we almost didn¡¯t make it out, it was terrifying.¡± He Cheng nodded in agreement. Scared someone to death. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Have zombies become that powerful? They learned how to set traps? So scary. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, do you think zombies will become as smart as us in the future?¡± Brother Bao asked, frowning. Chuzheng¡¯s cool gaze swept over him and she said very seriously, ¡°It won¡¯t be a problem if they become as smart as you.¡± Brother Bao: ¡°???¡± What did she mean it wouldn¡¯t be a problem if they were as smart as him? Yi Xiao: ¡°¡­¡± He Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Miss Chuzheng¡¯s words still hurt as much as ever. Yi Xiao spoke up to rescue Brother Bao, ¡°Cough cough¡­ Miss Chuzheng, is the zombies¡¯ evolution speed a bit too fast?¡± They¡¯re already this powerful. If they eat more humans, won¡¯t their intelligence skyrocket? Chuzheng nodded thoughtfully. It is a bit fast. But besides eating, what else do zombies do all day? Why not evolve? ¡°It¡¯s over, it¡¯s over, it¡¯s over.¡± He Cheng hugged himself, ¡°It¡¯d be better to have turned into a zombie from the start.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A few people stared at each other with wide eyes. Yi Xiao swallowed hard and said weakly, ¡°Then let¡¯s not.¡± [Main Quest: Please leave the base, Miss, and set up your own base. I¡¯ll provide the Crystal Cores~] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng wished she could turn back the clock a few minutes and kick these three out. Why treat her so, this poor little thing? Why! Chu¡¤Small¡¤Poor¡¤Helpless¡¤Zheng began to plan the base in her mind. To establish a base, you first need a piece of land, and then people. Land is easy to find; just pick a city. People¡­ Chuzheng turned her gaze to Brother Bao and his companions. Good. They¡¯ll do! They would be the ones to help her build her empire! Chuzheng asked Brother Bao to inform Brother Yong as well, the more people the better. Brother Yong hesitated a bit at the thought of leaving the base, but considering Chuzheng¡¯s nearly inexhaustible supply of Crystal Cores, that hesitation was dismissed. He packed up his family and moved over. As for Mu Jie and the others, Chuzheng had no intention of going back with them, so once she had gathered her people, she left the base early the next morning. By the time Mu Jie and the rest found out, Chuzheng was long gone. The newly found Miss, lost again! ¨C One year and five months into the apocalypse. The evolution speed of the zombies far surpassed human imagination; they learned to cooperate, set traps for humans, and some zombies even learned to disguise themselves. The zombie horde pushed from the north. Several small bases fell one after another. With resources scarce and water increasingly rare, the surviving humans had to keep moving, fighting guerrilla wars with the zombies. ¡°Have you heard? There¡¯s a Base Anran in the north, they say that base is really good.¡± ¡°The north? Isn¡¯t that where the zombies are coming from?¡± ¡°Yeah, but if the zombies are coming this way, doesn¡¯t that mean there are fewer of them in the north?¡± ¡°That makes sense¡­¡± ¡°Where is that base located? Who¡¯s the leader?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly where, but the leader is someone named Chuzheng. They say she has a lot of Crystal Cores, and there are many Special Ability Users under her command, with high Special Ability Levels.¡± ¡°` ¡°I¡¯m starting to want to go there myself¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we heading north right now? Maybe we¡¯ll run into that base?!¡± The short-haired girl standing on the edge dug her fingernails fiercely into her flesh as she listened to the discussion nearby. This girl was none other than Ning You, who had been expelled from the base. Just a few days ago, she had encountered Mu Jie¡¯s group, but they were not with Chuzheng. She heard that Chuzheng had left on her own. The things she had tried so hard to obtain, Chuzheng had discarded them carelessly after snatching them away. Ning You couldn¡¯t get over this. ¡°Ning You, the boss is calling for you.¡± Someone nudged Ning You. Ning You snapped back to reality, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The woman who had called her rolled her eyes impatiently and snorted, ¡°How should I know? Aren¡¯t you always hovering around the boss? How could you not know what he wants?¡± Ning You frowned and stood up, heading towards the RV in the middle of the team. Compared to the stifling environment outside, the RV was much cooler thanks to the Ice Series Special Ability User providing ice for it. ¡°Boss?¡± As Ning You approached, she saw several more people behind the RV. Among these people, most had issues with each other, and the women in the group could hardly escape being¡­ by these men. Her Special Ability was decent, and since she could speak well and offer advice to the boss, she could just about ensure her own safety. When these people had sought her out before, she had tricked them into embarrassing themselves in front of the boss. Now seeing them made Ning You subtly alert, ¡°Boss, is there something you need?¡± ¡°Ah, Ning You,¡± The boss sat with his leg propped up, his face marked with a scar that was said to have been inflicted by a zombie. Fortunately for him, he didn¡¯t turn into one. The boss spoke with gravity, ¡°I¡¯ve been good to you, haven¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The boss angrily flipped over the plate in front of him, the scar on his face twisting fiercely, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why would you steal from me! Who gave you the guts!¡± ¡°Boss, what are you talking about?¡± Ning You hadn¡¯t quite understood the situation yet. Someone at the side mocked, ¡°Ning You, I saw with my own eyes that you took the Crystal Cores the boss got a few days ago! Just admit it.¡± ¡°When did I take them?¡± Ning You retorted furiously. The boss said, ¡°Ning You, return the Crystal Cores now, and I¡¯ll turn a blind eye just this once, spare you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have them¡­¡± Ning You¡¯s realization dawned as she looked at those few people, ¡°You¡¯re framing me!¡± ¡°Boss, search her!¡± The boss¡¯s sinister gaze swept over Ning You, consenting to the suggestion. Ning You was grabbed. ¡°Boss, I didn¡¯t take your things!¡± Ning You resisted, ¡°They¡¯re framing me!¡± ¡°Look, boss¡­¡± A red and a blue Crystal Core were found on Ning You. Ning You¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She didn¡¯t have any Crystal Cores on her at all. ¡°Ning You, what do you have to say for yourself now, caught red-handed!¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Ning You shook her head, it wasn¡¯t her doing. ¡°Take her away,¡± the boss ordered with a grim face, gesturing for people to take her away. ¡°No!¡± A flicker of terror crossed Ning You¡¯s eyes. She knew how twisted these people were; if it weren¡¯t for her capture and return, she would have never associated with them. She had barely emphasized her usefulness with her Special Ability, avoiding the fate of those others. But now someone was covering her mouth, dragging her out of the RV. Ning You saw the boss¡¯s sullen face and the smug smiles of the men standing with their backs to him. These people¡­ It was too late when Ning You thought of using her Special Ability; someone had injected her arm with a needle, and her consciousness began to sink. As she was about to plunge into darkness, Someone approached her. Through her blurry vision, she recognized the person. It was the woman who had called for her earlier. In a flash, Ning You realized where the Crystal Cores on her had come from. Only she had touched her earlier. It must have been her¡­ ¡°Why should you be alright while we suffer? Enjoy what we¡¯ve endured,¡± the woman¡¯s spiteful voice rang in her ear. Chapter 168 - Chapter 168: Chapter 168: The Last Day Tycoon (33) Chapter 168: Chapter 168: The Last Day Tycoon (33) Night falls. The night watchman begins to doze off, cradling the gun, sleepy and drowsy. ¡°Click¡ª¡± A slight noise does not catch the watchman¡¯s attention; he shifts position and continues to sleep. In the darkness, a cold light flashes by. The night watchman falls to the ground. ¨C The RV is a mess, and the Boss with a scarred face gasps for breath, kneeling on the ground with his knee drenched in blood. People lay haphazardly around him, their condition unknown. In the more interior part sits a young man. He is immaculately clean, even his shoes are snow white. The blood and the exquisitely angelic young man form an eerie tableau. The young man¡¯s fair fingertips wipe off the blood stains on the hem of his shirt, and a hint of a smile lingers on his lips, ¡°The dress got dirty, she will be angry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still not dead!¡± the Boss gnashes his teeth ferociously. This person has made a strong impression on him. Because of his face. So handsome as to be unforgettable. The young man pulls out a tissue and wipes the blood from his fingers. His movements are slow, graceful, his clearly defined fingers wiped one by one, even cleaning under the fingernails. The tissue falls from the air, lands in the pool of blood, and instantly turns red as it soaks up the blood. ¡°How can I die.¡± The young man, resting his chin in his hand, parted his rosy lips slightly, ¡°I have not yet taken my revenge.¡± The Boss glares at the mischievously smiling young man, ¡°If you¡¯re so powerful, why did you not act at that time?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t this powerful at that time,¡± the young man said honestly. His fingertips drew a beautiful arc in the air, the knife on the ground flew up by itself, its tip pointing at the Boss¡¯s temple. The young man slowly got up, took out a hat and put it on, ¡°Having been out so long, she must think I¡¯ve run away. I won¡¯t play with you anymore.¡± The young man walked out of the RV under the venomous gaze of the Boss, like a snake¡¯s. Behind him erupted the Boss¡¯s cursing. The young man tilted his head slightly, looking up at the pitch-black, starless night sky. He flicked his finger in the air. Pth¡ª Blood splatters onto the RV. As the young man steps out of the RV, the entire camp is silent. From a car nearby, someone watches him silently, unnoticed. The young man glances subtly in that direction, lifting the corners of his mouth, and steps over the blood to leave. Once the young man is gone, the survivors cautiously get out of the car. What they see resembles a Shura Field. ¡°What do we do?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s run.¡± The survivors hurriedly take supplies and flee. Ning You lies in the car, left behind with no one to take her along. Her body is covered in wounds, and she has no strength to run. Whish¡ª Someone lifts the car curtain and drags her out. ¡°Why take her?¡± ¡°Women are in such short supply nowadays, she can be sold for quite a sum. If all else fails, we can trade her for food.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go quickly. If that guy comes back, we¡¯ll have trouble¡­¡± ¨C Lu Ran returns to where he and Miss Chuzheng had separated, only to find no one there. Did she leave? Or has she gone to look for me? Lu Ran wasn¡¯t actually planning to run this time. He had fortunately bumped into the gang that had captured him before, and so he slipped away. Who would have known that upon his return, Miss Chuzheng would be gone? Lu Ran walks back to the former spot, and finds a car that hasn¡¯t been driven away. Two hours later, Lu Ran catches up with Yi Xiao and the others. ¡°Lu Ran,¡± Yi Xiao, driving alongside him, greets him, ¡°Where did you go? Miss Chuzheng said she would break your leg.¡± Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± Always talking about breaking his leg! ¡°She?¡± ¡°Ahead.¡± Lu Ran stepped on the gas and caught up with Chuzheng¡¯s car. Seeing Lu Ran, Chuzheng coldly pulled over. This weakling actually dares to come back! ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for me?¡± Lu Ran got in the car and went on the offensive first. Chuzheng choked for a moment and said calmly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you run away?¡± Lu Ran: ¡°When did I say I was going to run?¡± ¡°¡­¡± So it¡¯s my fault now?! How could I be wrong! Lately, Lu Ran had been avoiding her all the time, he must have wanted to run away! It¡¯s his fault! Chuzheng¡¯s gaze drifted to his clothes and she smoothly changed the subject: ¡°Where¡¯s the blood from?¡± Lu Ran looked down, then shook his head: ¡°Don¡¯t know, probably got it from somewhere.¡± Chuzheng asked him to take it off and handed him new clothes. Lu Ran changed clothes, then leaned in: ¡°A kiss?¡± He¡¯d sweet-talk her first so he wouldn¡¯t get his legs broken. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who didn¡¯t want a kiss?¡± Last time, it¡¯s like you treasured your life so much, if you don¡¯t want to kiss, then don¡¯t, who cares! Chuzheng, with cold eyes and brows, threw the blood-stained clothes out of the car. ¡°Not kissing is¡­¡± ¨C Lu Ran sat in the passenger seat with a blush still on his face, he played with a handheld game console that didn¡¯t require internet, but the characters in the game kept dying. The sky gradually turned red with the morning glow. The orange-red clouds floated in the sky, bright and splendid. It had been a long time since he had seen a scene like this. Lu Ran looked up and stared into the distance, then turned to look at the girl beside him after a while. ¡°Hungry?¡± As Chuzheng asked, she was already handing over water and food. Lu Ran took them, ripped open the packaging, and stuffed a biscuit into his mouth. He looked at Chuzheng and took another piece, holding it out to her. Chuzheng gave him a glance. The morning glow cast a whiter hue on the boy¡¯s face, his mouth corners slightly upturned, revealing a habitual curve. His long eyelashes cast small shadows below his eyelids, his pale fingers pinching the biscuit seemed almost translucent as if the glow could penetrate them, each fingertip sparkled clear and round. Chuzheng took the biscuit into her mouth. After Chuzheng swallowed the biscuit, the boy suddenly spoke like a naughty child: ¡°My hand has touched someone else¡¯s blood.¡± Chuzheng asked calmly, ¡°Did you kill someone? Are you injured?¡± Lu Ran quickly reined in his mischievousness, looking at her seriously: ¡°Is that what you¡¯re concerned about?¡± ¡°What else?¡± Killing someone isn¡¯t important? What on earth is going through Good Person Card¡¯s mind? Lu Ran¡¯s lips parted slightly: ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Lu Ran hugged the water and took a few sips, his heart pounding fiercely, as his face seemed to start heating up. She clearly didn¡¯t say anything, so why did he feel like he was on fire? Lu Ran calmed down for a moment, then offered Chuzheng another biscuit, clarifying before she ate: ¡°I washed my hands, they¡¯re very clean.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± The base was getting closer and closer. Lu Ran looked at the sign hanging outside the base as his expression drifted slightly. They had just cleaned up this city, and Brother Bao and the others were discussing what to call the base. Chuzheng hadn¡¯t said a word from the start to the finish. Not until they came up with a few names for her to choose from. She blurted out a name just like that. Brother Bao exploded at that moment: ¡°Miss Chuzheng, you already had it figured out, why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡± They were discussing heatedly there, and it turns out she had never even considered using their suggestions. How idiotic were their actions?! Chuzheng¡¯s indifference was as usual: ¡°You didn¡¯t ask.¡± Brother Bao: ¡°¡­¡± And then those two characters were hung outside the base. Everyone who entered the base could see them. However, everyone felt that those two characters signified the base¡¯s safety. Lu Ran, though, felt she had chosen them based on her own name. Chapter 169 - Chapter 169: Chapter 169: The Last Day Tycoon (34) Chapter 169: Chapter 169: The Last Day Tycoon (34) ¡°There are new clothes here, look, look how nice this one is.¡± ¡°This one looks nice too¡­¡± ¡°This place is really nice.¡± A few young men and women walked together on the streets of the base, their eyes filled with envy for it. ¡°Lu Ran¡­¡± In the crowd, a girl quietly called out. The group of young men and women suddenly fell silent, looking in the direction the girl was looking. A young man leaned against the car door, his head lowered, a beige hat perched on his head. The hat was very cute, adding a touch of adorableness to the first impression of the young man. He wore a white shirt, casually tucked at one corner into his trousers, with casual pants and white sneakers that seemed to glow softly, as if he were a beautiful youth who had just walked out of a campus. His fair and slender hand rested on the rearview mirror, radiating an air of finesse throughout his body. While the people in the base were clean, compared to the young man before them, there was a world of difference. He was truly clean and bright. He was downright eye-catching. Lu Ran obviously noticed the people here too, and he glanced in this direction. Encountering the people who had driven him out in the past, Lu Ran felt very calm. As if he had met someone unimportant. He even showed a bit of a smile. ¡°Lu Ran,¡± the girl ran over from the crowd: ¡°It¡¯s so good that you¡¯re okay, I¡­¡± A girl with a strong presence stood between her and Lu Ran, spreading a chill that made the first girl stop talking unwillingly. Lu Ran naturally placed his hand on Chuzheng¡¯s waist, bent slightly forward, and rested his chin on her shoulder. ¡°Are you done?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Chuzheng glanced at the girl opposite: ¡°Do you know her?¡± ¡°An old classmate.¡± ¡°Want to talk?¡± ¡°No need,¡± the young man shook his head, endearment in his tone: ¡°Not close.¡± The words ¡®not close¡¯ rooted the girl to the spot, her face gradually paling. The rest of the people had expressions of dismay, yet no one dared to speak. They were the ones who had driven him out. And now he was living better than all of them. This disparity was enough to slap their faces. ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± Chuzheng opened the car door. Lu Ran let go of Chuzheng and got into the car. As the window slowly lowered, the young man poked his head out of it. Fair fingers tapped the rim of his hat, revealing those beautiful eyes. ¡°Thank you for driving me out.¡± Lu Ran was truly grateful to them. But the girl staggered, her legs gone weak. ¡°Will Lu Ran take revenge on us?¡± After a while, someone murmured. ¡°We had no choice back then! Who told him he got bitten?¡± A boy argued, his neck stiff. ¡°But we did drive him out, and now he¡¯s not dead. He might have even awakened a Special Ability.¡± ¡°What if he really takes revenge on us?¡± ¡°I see his status here seems quite high.¡± Just now, many people were sizing him up but were too afraid to approach. And when the car left, everyone made way. ¡°We¡­ should leave this place.¡± ¨C Chuzheng drove the car back to their place, and Lu Ran suddenly spoke: ¡°I actually hated them, at the time I left.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll take care of them.¡± Lu Ran shook his head: ¡°No need.¡± He looked into the void, speaking slowly: ¡°When I was very young, my mother passed away, and I lived with my father.¡± ¡°My father wasn¡¯t good to me. He drank often, and every time he got drunk, he would beat me.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t cry, because if I did, he would hit me even harder. I lived through many years like that, many times I thought I would be beaten to death.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m lucky, I never died. However, he got hooked on gambling again¡­¡± ¡°I started working when I was in elementary school, I was too young, many shops wouldn¡¯t take me.¡± ¡°I had to do a lot of jobs to save up for my tuition and living expenses.¡± ¡°But he didn¡¯t care about that at all, he would hit me when he lost in gambling, or when he was drunk¡­¡± ¡°Borrowing from loan sharks and unable to pay back, we lost the house to mortgage, and ended up on the streets, yet he claimed it was my fault.¡± The youth paused, his eyes dimming. He bit his lower lip, took a deep breath, and continued. ¡°Once, when he had drunk a lot, I couldn¡¯t endure this life anymore, so, I gave him more to drink¡­ and he died.¡± ¡°He was always like that, no one suspected me, they sent me to a community orphanage.¡± ¡°The orphanage wasn¡¯t so great either, it was also filled with coldness, the children¡¯s cliques, and constant scheming. And the social workers, when in a bad mood, treated the kids even worse.¡± Chuzheng pulled him into her embrace: ¡°It¡¯s okay, you have me from now on.¡± The boy reached out and hugged her tightly, burying his face in her hair: ¡°You are so good to me.¡± From a young age, he had never felt what warmth was. Every kindness shown to him was strongly purpose-driven. He could see the true faces beneath their masks. Hideous and disgusting. Chuzheng patted the youth¡¯s back: ¡°Mhm.¡± The Good Person Card is really pitiful. This could make up a Cinderella legend. Wait a second¡­ knowing I¡¯m good to you, don¡¯t you think I¡¯m a good person? Little liar. ¡°You have to always be this good to me,¡± the youth¡¯s voice was muffled: ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll be angry.¡± Always¡­ ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°We agreed,¡± the youth murmured softly: ¡°If you break your promise, you will be punished.¡± ¡°What punishment?¡± The youth held her tight: ¡°You don¡¯t want to know.¡± Chuzheng forcibly pulled away, Lu Ran¡¯s whole demeanor was somewhat off, exuding repression. Chuzheng, pinching his chin, moved in for a kiss, the youth¡¯s breath hitched slightly, the oppressive mood gradually fading away. Chuzheng¡¯s kisses were always a bit domineering and irresistible. Just like her. Unreasonable and stubborn. But¡­ He just liked her this way. ¨C Dawn was breaking. Light and shadow fell through the window, fine particles of dust danced in the air. The youth sat on the messy bed, a look of bewilderment on his handsome face, as if unsure of where he was. After a moment, the youth blinked, his long, dense eyelashes drooping as he turned to look beside him. Chuzheng lay on her side, her black hair spreading beneath her, the pale line of her shoulder, the length of her neck. The youth¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple moved slightly. He reached out and touched Chuzheng¡¯s arm, the smooth tender skin igniting his somewhat blurred memory. Chuzheng, deep in sleep, sensed something unusual. Lu Ran had already come in. The feeling of foreignness and the slight pain from dryness woke Chuzheng up with a bit of irritation: ¡°What are you doing?¡± So early in the morning, can¡¯t you let people sleep! Didn¡¯t I feed you enough last night, you little thing! Lu Ran¡¯s kiss fell: ¡°I¡¯ve forgotten the feeling from before, can we do it again?¡± Though he said that, he wasn¡¯t really asking for her opinion. Chuzheng had just woken up, her body soft and languid, not really wanting to move. Thus, Lu Ran was luckily treated to the experience on top. But as soon as Chuzheng came to, that privilege was quickly revoked. How could a woman be on the bottom?! No way! Chapter 170 - Chapter 170: Chapter 170: The Last Day Tycoon (End) Chapter 170: Chapter 170: The Last Day Tycoon (End) ¡°` Base Anran had Chuzheng¡¯s Crystal Core for support, so for a Special Ability User to level up was as simple as having a meal. And the method of exchanging for a Crystal Core was very simple. In the eyes of these people, Chuzheng was like a fairy sent from heaven to deliver Crystal Cores to them. Where did the Crystal Cores come from? It didn¡¯t matter, why fuss over it? Survivors who heard the rumors from the outside world flocked to the base. The base faced an influx of survivors, and the city was somewhat inadequate, so they could only expand outwards. Gradually, the base grew larger and larger. Those evolved zombies, which had developed intelligence, probably realized the base was a hard nut to crack, and started avoiding it. The zombies were getting smarter, and the contest between the two species had just begun. As Base Anran¡¯s reputation grew, so did Chuzheng¡¯s. Good-looking, wealthy, and capable; she was the definition of a beautiful and rich woman in the post-apocalyptic world. Lu Ran found out that whenever she went out, she would encounter several young men offering to share her pillow. It almost turned Lu Ran into a dark character. Fortunately, Chuzheng was not interested in these men. If anyone dared to force themselves into her space, she truly dared to hit them. What about treating women with gentle respect? Sorry. She had no idea what that was. So, people at the base understood that the young man by Chuzheng¡¯s side was the one truly favored in her heart. ¡°Lu Ran has such a good life,¡± they said. ¡°Tsk, what¡¯s so good about being kept as a pretty boy by a woman? He¡¯s lost all his male dignity,¡± they added. ¡°Sour grapes. If Miss Chuzheng wanted to keep me as her pretty boy, I¡¯d happily agree! When she¡¯s that handsome, men have no say in the matter,¡± someone rebuked. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any sense of masculinity?¡± ¡°What do you know!¡± Lu Ran turned to the girl standing next to him, ¡°They all say I¡¯m the pretty boy you keep.¡± Chuzheng nodded seriously, ¡°You are very fair.¡± A boy shouldn¡¯t be this fair; it¡¯s excessive! Lu Ran¡¯s corner of the mouth twitched, ¡°The point is the ¡®pretty boy¡¯ part.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Lu Ran said, speechless, ¡°Who would like to be talked about like that?¡± And he was very capable, okay? What had these people turned him into! A worthless pretty boy? Knew only how to serve his ¡®lord¡¯ with his looks? Who is the ¡®lord¡¯? ¡°I got it.¡± Lu Ran had no idea what Chuzheng had gotten. But a day later, he knew. Everyone at the base received a Crystal Core, and they were ordered not to call Lu Ran a pretty boy anymore. Well, that worked out great. Now they said he was a calamity that could bring disaster to an entire nation. Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± What nation? It¡¯s the end of the world, okay?! As soon as Chuzheng lay down on the bed, Lu Ran took off his clothes and joined her. ¡°¡­¡± What are you doing?! ¡°Last night¡­¡± ¡°They say I¡¯m a calamity; if I don¡¯t work hard to seduce you, how can I live up to that title?¡± Lu Ran said through gritted teeth. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Tomorrow, she¡¯d make sure they wouldn¡¯t call him a calamity anymore. ¡°Alright, alright, stop messing around,¡± Chuzheng pressed him down, ¡°Be good.¡± ¡°I want to.¡± ¡°To¡­trade¡­¡± Chuzheng said with a composed face: ¡°Doing it too much isn¡¯t good, it¡¯s harmful to the body.¡± ¡°My health is excellent,¡± the youth said with a suggestive smile. ¡°Can¡¯t you handle it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Who can¡¯t handle it! Who can¡¯t handle it!! ¨C The next day, Lu Ran almost couldn¡¯t get out of bed. Yi Xiao came over to deliver clothes, and seeing him still lying under a thin blanket in bed, found it amusing, ¡°Everyone outside is calling you a calamity, and Miss Chuzheng has already left; how come you are still lying in bed?¡± Yi Xiao didn¡¯t mean anything by it; he was just joking about the rumors outside. Little did he know, he had hit a sore spot for Lu Ran. Yi Xiao didn¡¯t notice the change in Lu Ran¡¯s expression, ¡°Hey, why is your room so cool?¡± He had just come in from the outside, and it was unbearably hot. This room was simply paradise. Yi Xiao plopped down on a chair, deciding he wasn¡¯t going to leave. ¡°` ¡°You should put on some clothes, Miss Chuzheng said you didn¡¯t seem to like the style of the clothes last time. When we went out, we found some more for you to try. See what you like, and I¡¯ll bring over your favorites later,¡± Brother Bao said. Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± Lu Ran remained unmoved, still holding his thin blanket. ¡°How can there be such a big gap between people, sigh,¡± Yi Xiao heaved a sigh. Then, seeing that Yi Xiao hadn¡¯t returned for a while, He Cheng also scurried over. After discovering this treasure of a spot, He Cheng also sat down like Yi Xiao, refusing to budge. Brother Bao and Brother Yong came looking for them afterward. The group of them started playing cards in the room. This reminded Lu Ran of the time at Qingan Base when these same people had trapped him in his room while they played cards outside. Were they doing this on purpose? ¡°Lu Ran, are you playing or not?¡± Yi Xiao called out to him. Lu Ran: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m not even dressed yet?! When Chuzheng came back, Lu Ran was still lying in bed, looking crestfallen and listless. Brother Bao and the others were smoking and playing cards, that scene was¡­ indescribably terrifying. ¡°What have you done to him?¡± she asked. ¡°What?¡± He Cheng looked confused. ¡°I asked Lu Ran to try on the clothes, but he didn¡¯t move. I didn¡¯t dare rush him,¡± Yi Xiao said with an innocent face. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, your room is so cool and refreshing,¡± Brother Bao said loudly, his voice audible all the way downstairs. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Is this why you¡¯re all gathered here, playing cards and leaving the Good Person Card in such a state? Chuzheng shooed them out, but these guys probably found the doorway cool too, so they squatted there and continued their card game. Lu Ran threw off the blanket and hastily put on clothes to wash up. ¡°Did you try on the clothes?¡± Lu Ran spat out the mouthwash and shook his head: ¡°Nope.¡± Chuzheng picked out a few sets for him: ¡°Try these on quickly.¡± Lu Ran had no choice but to comply, and Chuzheng cornered him in the bathroom to try on clothes. ¡°Can you step out?¡± he asked. ¡°Why?¡± Chuzheng was puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s uncomfortable with you watching.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen every part of you before, just change,¡± Chuzheng said righteously, even thinking the Good Person Card was ridiculous. Changing clothes was also a hassle and oh so troublesome. ¡°¡­¡± Lu Ran continued changing, feeling aggrieved. ¨C ¡°Miss Chuzheng, someone from Capital City Base is here,¡± someone from the base rushed to report to Chuzheng one day. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Do you want to meet them?¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± Busy indeed. ¡°But¡­ they are here to see you.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What a bother. The visitor from Capital City Base was Mu Jie. Mu Jie brought her a recording from her biological father, essentially apologizing to her for the years she had to fend for herself. He now wanted her to return with Mu Jie and promised to take good care of her from now on. Naturally, Chuzheng refused, and she also gave Mu Jie a bunch of Crystal Cores. For a while, zombies seemed to disappear as if they were hiding to evolve. Now, the Crystal Cores were multicolored, and obviously, the zombies were more troublesome to deal with. Encounters like the one they had at the port could happen anytime. Chuzheng was doing well here, and since Mu Jie couldn¡¯t persuade her, he had no choice but to leave with the Crystal Cores. Base Anran wasn¡¯t too far from Capital City Base, and with helicopters, communication was fairly convenient. If her biological father wanted to come over, she wouldn¡¯t mind. That was the exact response Chuzheng gave to Mu Jie. ¡°I thought you would leave with him,¡± Lu Ran said as he hugged Chuzheng from behind, watching the helicopter fade into the distance together. ¡°Why would I leave with him?¡± It was too much trouble; she didn¡¯t want to go. Lu Ran¡¯s voice grew softer, ¡°But your family is there.¡± She wasn¡¯t alone. She still had relatives who cared and worried about her. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The Good Person Card must be the devil! Capital City Base is so big. Bastard would definitely make me waste money. I don¡¯t want to go there. Chuzheng¡¯s face turned serious: ¡°But you are here.¡± Lu Ran was taken aback. He then smiled. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be with you.¡± * The fifth dimension is concluded. Chapter 171 - Chapter 171: Chapter 171 Prince Longevity (1) Chapter 171: Chapter 171 Prince Longevity (1) Chuzheng sat on the ornately carved bed, surrounded by antiquities that resonated with ancient charm, as the tranquil scent of incense curled through the room. She rubbed her forehead, feeling a bit of a headache. She always felt somewhat uncomfortable¡­ As if she had forgotten something. [Miss, do you need to check the memories of the previous realms?]the King¡¯s Account reminded her. Chuzheng thought for a moment, ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s too much trouble.¡± [¡­] ¡°Miss, Miss¡­¡± The maid rushed in, flustered, and seeing Chuzheng still sitting on the bed, she immediately became anxious, ¡°It¡¯s trouble, I just heard the Princess Consort saying that the palace entry spot has been changed to you, Miss.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What palace entry? Is it a fight? I can¡¯t do this, I just arrived! The maid was close to tears, ¡°What do we do now? I¡¯ve heard that the one in the palace is quite fierce. Last time, two of them said something wrong and lost their lives on the spot. Miss, our Prince has just left, and you¡¯re already being bullied like this, the Princess Consort is too much!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Prince? The palace? This is ancient times¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± It¡¯s giving me a headache. The maid cried even more bitterly, choking, ¡°Miss, we¡¯re in a situation where everyone turns against us when we¡¯re down. Those people who used to cling to power now can¡¯t wait to trample us into the mud, and there are others behind them¡­ I feel so bad.¡± ¡°Yeah, I feel bad too.¡± The noise is giving me a headache. The maid was overwhelmed with sorrow, unable to restrain her tears, ¡°That spot should have been for that girl from the eastern wing, how did it become Miss¡¯s turn?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Miss, what should we do!¡± ¡°¡­¡± I don¡¯t understand, just play it cool. So noisy. Get rid of it! The maid was so absorbed in her crying that she didn¡¯t notice her mistress sitting there expressionless. ¨C The original occupant¡¯s surname was Cheng. Her father had fought alongside the late Emperor to establish the empire. He had saved the Emperor¡¯s life countless times. This was a bond forged in life and death. The late Emperor had also placed great trust in her father. Later, her father helped the Emperor eradicate the rebel factions. Once the empire was stabilized, her father was conferred the title of Prince Cheng, the only prince of a different surname during this dynasty, enjoying the same treatment as the Emperor¡¯s own brothers. Even those princes had to show a certain respect to Prince Cheng. Their words didn¡¯t carry the same weight as Prince Cheng¡¯s. On his deathbed, the late Emperor entrusted the empire to Prince Cheng. After the current Emperor ascended the throne, he was diligent and attentive for the first two years, not making any notable contributions but also ruling with diligence and love for the people, performing the duties of an emperor well. However, everything changed after the Emperor returned from his incognito travels. He became paranoid and always suspected someone was out to harm him. He also increasingly indulged in the search for the Method of Longevity, seeking practitioners with unique skills throughout the world. His temper became more volatile by the day; whoever provoked him met with a dismal fate. Prince Cheng, having the late Emperor¡¯s dying instructions, took it upon himself to remonstrate. The Emperor, a sovereign ruler, naturally didn¡¯t want to be managed by anyone. Prince Cheng angered the Emperor several times, and if it hadn¡¯t been for his Death Exemption Token, the Emperor might have chopped him down long ago. Unable to eliminate Prince Cheng, the Emperor began looking for other methods. Prince Cheng, having been injured in his youth, grew increasingly frail with age, and ultimately was angered to death by the Emperor. After Prince Cheng died, the vast Prince Cheng Residence was left with only the womenfolk and the servants. The Emperor continued being his reckless self. The original owner¡¯s mother passed away early, and the current Princess Consort was promoted from a concubine, showing a marked dislike for the original owner. After Prince Cheng¡¯s death, her days within the residence were filled with misery. The original owner had someone she loved, and the elders had already arranged their marriage. Unfortunately, Prince Cheng suddenly passed away, and no one ever mentioned the marriage again. The original owner struggled in the household, enduring hardship, hoping that the man she loved would, after her coming-of-age ceremony, come for her with a grand marriage procession. But sadly, she did not wait for the bridal sedan chair. One day, the Emperor inexplicably insisted that daughters of court officials of marriageable age must enter the palace. There was a rule in the palace. If a decree like this was issued, only daughters whose mothers were the principal wives were eligible to enter the palace. Because only in this manner could it be indicated that the person was fortunate and would not bring bad luck to the palace. Although the original owner was nominally the legitimate eldest daughter, her mother had passed away, making her unsuitable for entering the palace. Therefore, her sister, the daughter of the current Princess Consort Cheng, Cheng Xiao, was the appropriate choice for this opportunity. However, after the current Princess Consort spent some silver, the original owner¡¯s name was written in the registry. No one understood the meaning behind this decree. Nor did anyone know whether one could even leave the palace once they entered. The original owner thought that with a marriage contract, as long as her betrothed entered the palace to report this, the Emperor, despite his incompetence, would still show some regard. However, when she sought out her betrothed, she saw him embracing her sister intimately. This scene left the original owner at a loss. In the end, she still took her sister¡¯s place and was sent into the palace. Upon seeing her, the Emperor was taken with her beauty and, knowing she was Prince Cheng¡¯s daughter, intended to humiliate her because of Prince Cheng¡¯s former actions, and kept her with him that very night. The original owner was but a weak young woman, with no father¡¯s protection, unable to resist whatever the Emperor wanted to do. The Emperor graced her with his presence daily, and everyone thought the original owner had gained favor. But about half a month later, the original owner was sent out of the palace in a small sedan, without any gifts or decrees. However, everyone knew well that the original owner had been favored by the Emperor. Now, she was discarded by the Emperor, who refused to even give her a title. After being sent out, could there be any hope for survival? The idle gossip from the outside world and the bullying from the people in the residence left the original owner despondent. Just as she was contemplating death, she suddenly discovered she was pregnant. She had only been favored by the Emperor. It went without saying whose child it was. Although the Emperor had no children for unknown reasons, as soon as the news of the original owner¡¯s pregnancy reached the palace, she would certainly rise in status due to the child. Her sister Cheng Xiao somehow heard this news. Fearing that the original owner might enter the palace and overshadow her with the child¡¯s merit, she conspired with their mother to forcibly make the original owner drink an abortion drug. When people from the palace came later, they colluded with the entire household to smear her, alleging that she was involved with another man, did not maintain her chastity, and that the child was not the Emperor¡¯s. Afraid of being exposed, she drank the abortion drug herself. At that time, the original owner had just aborted, her body sickly weak, unable to defend herself at all. Upon hearing of this, the Emperor was furious, ordering her to be put to death by poison and, posthumously, to be punished with flogging. Chuzheng rubbed her temples. How tragic. How could she possibly turn this around? Become the Emperor? Could the throne be bought with money? Indeed, being disposed of was much easier! Chuzheng rose from the bed, the sobbing maidservant from before having been sent away by her. The room was furnished simply, and in Chuzheng¡¯s memory, this was not the original owner¡¯s room. This was after Prince Cheng had died, and Princess Consort Cheng had sent her here. Chuzheng walked to the copper mirror, where the blurry reflection showed a slender figure. The girl had not applied any makeup, with a small palm-sized oval face. Though her features were delicate, her complexion was haggard, and her lips lacked any hint of color. There was still a childlike quality in her brows; though not fully developed, one could see she would be a beauty. Chapter 172 - Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Blessings to the Prince (2) Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Blessings to the Prince (2) ¡°These are the clothes sent by the Princess Consort,¡± the haughty maidservant stood in front of Lv Zhu and casually threw the clothes on the ground. Lv Zhu had a delicate appearance; at this moment, she puffed her cheeks, which were slightly red around her eyes, exuding a pitiable yet somewhat charming air. ¡°You¡­¡± Lv Zhu glared with anger and retorted, ¡°Qing He, what is this attitude!¡± ¡°Heh, what attitude?¡± Qing He stepped and ground the clothes underfoot, tilting her chin up in arrogance, ¡°This is the attitude.¡± The Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s servants were arrogant to the meek and subservient to the powerful. Although they had always been somewhat opportunist, taking the side of the Princess Consort. Yet, at least when Prince Cheng was alive, it was just small antics. But such behavior had only begun after Prince Cheng¡¯s death. Now in the mansion, Princess Consort Cheng was in charge, and these servants were so bold¡ªsurely someone had instructed them. Lv Zhu was extremely angry, but aside from arguing with them, she was powerless. After Qing He finished trampling, as if suddenly remembering something, she covered her mouth dramatically, ¡°Ah, I forgot to tell you, these are the clothes your young miss must wear to enter the palace. Make sure you wash them properly, but do not taint the Emperor¡¯s eyes.¡± Lv Zhu, overcome with anger, suddenly pushed Qing He. Qing He staggered from the push. First surprised, then with rising anger, she lifted her head and aimed a slap towards Lv Zhu¡¯s face, ¡°You lowly wretch, you have quite the nerve to hit me!¡± Lv Zhu instinctively closed her eyes. The hand had not struck yet, but the wind arrived first. The breeze passed over Lv Zhu¡¯s cheek, bringing a cool sensation, yet she did not feel any pain. ¡°Ah! It hurts¡­¡± Instead, the sound of Qing He¡¯s surprised cry echoed in her ears. Lv Zhu immediately opened her eyes. A hand as white as snow caught Qing He¡¯s wrist, and following the arm, Lv Zhu saw a somewhat pale girl standing next to her, dressed in white undergarments with loose, unbound black hair cascading down her back. The person in front of her was very familiar to Lv Zhu. Yet Lv Zhu also felt some strangeness. The aura of the young miss was unfamiliar¡­ Dignified and elegant, yet with an aloof coldness, there was a sharpness about her. Like a cold moon on a winter¡¯s night, piercingly chilly but dazzlingly bright. She glanced indifferently at Qing He, and with a slight flick of her fingertips, Qing He uncontrollably fell backward. Qing He was standing at the edge of the steps, and with that fall, she tumbled down the stairs, groaning in pain. ¡°Did you see clearly?¡± The girl¡¯s voice, cool and indifferent, rang out like the flowing of a spring, with a resounding ding-dong sound. Lv Zhu was completely dumbfounded. See¡­ see what exactly? ¡°You¡­ you dare push me!¡± Qing He, with a livid face, struggled to get up, her eyes wide with fury, ¡°Do you still think you are the miss of the Prince Cheng Residence? What are you now¡­¡± Chuzheng walked slowly down the stairs. Under Qing He¡¯s furious gaze, she stepped on Qing He, pushing her back down. The girl bent down, locking eyes with Qing He. That familiar face, now as if covered with frost, was still the same face, but gone were the usual timidity and weakness. The blazing sun hanging high in the sky seemed to become her backdrop. Unparalleled and noble. Pure and transcendent. Qing He¡¯s throat seemed to be blocked by ice, and she could not utter a word; her heartbeat thumped wildly, her mind emptied of everything, leaving only a vast blankness. With her back pressed to the ground, the coldness seeped in from her spine and spread throughout her body, making her limbs gradually grow stiff. The girl¡¯s pale lips parted slightly, and each word crashed down onto Qing He¡¯s heart, shattering it like ice, ¡°No matter what, I am still the miss of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and it is not your place to insult me.¡± What kind of life had the original owner been living? Even a mere servant could bully her. Was this a life befitting a human? And they still want to bully me! No way! There weren¡¯t even any windows! A woman must not be bullied! Chuzheng withdrew her foot, her chin tracing an arc in the air, ¡°The clothes, wash them clean.¡± Her crisp, clear words caused Qing He¡¯s little face to lose all color. As Chuzheng¡¯s voice fell, Qing He immediately scrambled up from the ground, frantically picking up the clothes that had been thrown on the floor and fleeing in panic. The courtyard quieted down. The shadows of flowers swayed, and the sunlight stretched the girl¡¯s silhouette slender. ¡°Miss¡­¡± Lv Zhu called out softly. ¡°Next time someone bullies you, get rid of them,¡± Chuzheng turned to look at her, imparting her exclusive secret, ¡°That way, no one will bully you.¡± This person was the original owner¡¯s maid, meaning she would be following her from now on. If she was hers, how could she let others bully her? Lv Zhu: ¡°¡­¡± Get rid of, get rid of? Which one to get rid of? Miss¡­ couldn¡¯t have been traumatized and gone mad, right?! ¡°Miss, I¡­ let¡¯s go back to the room first. It¡¯s cool outside; don¡¯t catch a cold,¡± Lv Zhu whispered softly, as if afraid of startling Chuzheng, her face full of caution. Chuzheng thought blankly. This body is a bit weak¡­ Just that moment, and it felt like she had used up all the strength of her life. ¨C ¡°Ouch.¡± Around the corner of the corridor, a figure crashed into the two maids: ¡°Qing¡­ Qing He sister, are you alright?¡± Qing He was supported by two maids, one on each side. ¡°Qing He sister?¡± ¡°Qing He sister, are you alright?¡± Only then did Qing He seem to come back to her senses, looking back nervously. How had she been so easily frightened? Thinking of those eyes from a moment ago, Qing He couldn¡¯t help but shiver. ¡°Qing He sister?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Qing He quickly moved through the maids. The two maids watched Qing He¡¯s hurried departure, puzzled. ¡°What happened? ¡°Don¡¯t know¡­¡± As Cheng Xiao¡¯s personal maid, Qing He returned to Cheng Xiao¡¯s courtyard and bumped into Cheng Xiao who was about to leave. Cheng Xiao wore a vibrant green long gown, blooming bright and attractive, exuding a young lady¡¯s delicate charm. Her features were not particularly outstanding, but together, they were exceptionally pleasing to the eye. Seeing Qing He, Cheng Xiao¡¯s brows knitted, ¡°Qing He, didn¡¯t I have you deliver clothes to that stupid girl? Why have you brought them back?¡± Hearing her mistress¡¯s voice, Qing He felt as if the stone in her heart had finally landed. ¡°Miss¡­¡± Qing He glanced around, pulling Cheng Xiao into the courtyard. ¡°Qing He, what are you doing? I still need to go out,¡± Cheng Xiao complained, being pulled by Qing He. Qing He nervously whispered, ¡°Miss, something¡¯s not quite right with the girl in the south courtyard.¡± ¡°What¡¯s not right? Did she get scared into stupidity?¡± Cheng Xiao withdrew her hand and patted it, a mocking smile curling her lips, ¡°Going to the palace means a dead end, she must have been startled by that news.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± those eyes didn¡¯t look at all like someone who had been scared stupid. Qing He honestly reported to Cheng Xiao everything that happened in the south courtyard, including Chuzheng hitting her and making her take the dirty clothes back. Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiao¡¯s pretty face darkened, ¡°She actually dared to hit you? What a big nerve! A few days without discipline, and she forgets what she is.¡± ¡°Miss, I really think there¡¯s something wrong with her¡­¡± Qing He said in a low voice. ¡°Hmph, what does it matter if something¡¯s wrong? Right now in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, my mother calls the shots,¡± Cheng Xiao said fearlessly, ¡°I¡¯m going out now, I¡¯ll deal with her when I return!¡± ¡°Miss¡­¡± Chapter 173 - Chapter 173: Chapter 173 Prince Longevity (3) Chapter 173: Chapter 173 Prince Longevity (3) Chuzheng, under the careful and meticulous care of Lv Zhu, washed and dressed. Her original appearance was that of a youth with a gentle demeanor like water; now bolstered by Chuzheng¡¯s icy facade, it gave others the impression that she was feigning coldness. This face¡­ Chuzheng and the person in the bronze mirror stared wide-eyed at each other. It truly marred her image of noble aloofness. How could she look like this! Chuzheng rummaged through the items on the table and removed some of the excessive hair ornaments, selecting a single hairpin to wear instead. The simple hairstyle restored a bit of her air of distant coldness. [Main Quest: Please spend fifty taels of silver within two hours.] Slap! The young lady suddenly slapped her palm on the dressing table, causing the bronze mirror to shake. That¡­ that really hurts!!! ¡°Miss¡­¡± Lv Zhu stood frozen in place, her eyes brimming with cautious concern. The young girl collected her hand with composure, signaling Lv Zhu to bring over the coat. Lv Zhu swallowed hard. She truly felt that the young lady had completely changed. In the past, the young lady was always tender and gentle; now her face was cold and expressionless, which frightened Lv Zhu. The young lady had previously carried herself with the gentle and soft grace of a high-born lady. But now, there was a sense of pride and sharpness faintly emanating from her¡­ An aura she only saw in the scions of noble families. No¡­ The young lady possessed a demeanor more imposing than those young scions. The clothes of this era were layered upon layers, the wide sleeves floated, and the hems of the skirts were so exaggeratedly long they trailed on the ground. As Lv Zhu stepped out, Chuzheng waved her sleeves. It was like dancing¡­ With such long skirts and sleeves, wouldn¡¯t she trip over while walking? ¡°Miss¡­¡± As Lv Zhu stepped over the threshold, Chuzheng was just waving out her sleeve when she caught it expressionlessly, quickly retreating and assuming a calm and composed posture. Lv Zhu looked perplexedly at Chuzheng, who stood in the room with a bearing that seemed to overlook kingdoms from above. The young lady¡­ Was she still okay?! Why did she feel that something was off? With her feet stepping lightly like lotus flowers breaking the surface, Lv Zhu approached: ¡°Miss, are you feeling upset?¡± ¡°No.¡± What do I have to be upset about? Nonsense! ¡°Miss¡­¡± Lv Zhu didn¡¯t believe at all; the young lady must be distressed. She wracked her brain for a while until a lightbulb went off: ¡°Miss, how about we go find Young Master Ye? He¡­ he is engaged to you, and as long as he explains to Your Majesty in the palace, you won¡¯t have to go yourself.¡± Who are these Young Master Ye or Flower Master Ye. I don¡¯t know them, won¡¯t go! I want to go on a spending spree! Chuzheng walked out with her hands behind her back. Thinking Chuzheng had listened, Lv Zhu quickly followed: ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t walk like that.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± You even control how I walk, I want to do this, what about it! Chuzheng walked out of the room with hands behind her back, like a senior cadre. As Lv Zhu nervously reminded her, Chuzheng turned her face, expressionless, and threatened: ¡°If you speak again, don¡¯t follow me.¡± Lv Zhu sucked in a breath, her slightly reddened eyes appearing pitiful, yet she dared not speak another word for fear of being left behind by Chuzheng. She was just a maid, and if her master didn¡¯t allow it, she would have to stay. Prince Cheng Residence was bestowed by the former Emperor, located in the most valuable area of the Imperial Capital. This indicated how much the former Emperor had valued Prince Cheng at that time. But of course, those were glories of the past. Now both the former Emperor and Prince Cheng were gone. Without any close relatives left by Prince Cheng, the widows and orphans left behind had become thorns in other people¡¯s sides. Chuzheng could only lament over her pitiable self in her heart. Above her was an Emperor who behaved oddly and unpredictably. Below her were a stepmother and stepsister covetously watching. Outside, there were also onlookers who had been offended by Prince Cheng before, ready to join the fray and kick them while they were down at any moment. I¡¯m the pitiful one, no doubt about it. Hugging myself. So how should I spend the fifty taels of silver, then? The original host could almost receive more than twenty taels of silver every three months¡­ although now it¡¯s already been deducted. But if the original host couldn¡¯t even spend twenty taels in three months, and now I have twice as much, how am I supposed to spend it all!? Such a dilemma. The street where Chuzheng was located was the most prosperous in the Imperial Capital. The surrounding crowd consisted of shouting vendors, bargaining women, children clamoring around candy makers, and the occasional luxurious carriages passing through the street. Chuzheng walked into a shop that looked quite luxurious. Only after entering did she realize it was a clothing store. ¡°Miss, welcome,¡± a flamboyantly dressed woman approached her, her fragrance overwhelming. Chuzheng looked around indifferently. The woman covered her mouth with a fan and laughed, ¡°It¡¯s your first time here, isn¡¯t it? Our Embroidered Brocade Pavilion doesn¡¯t usually cater to walk-in customers, but it¡¯s not busy today, so you can have a look around.¡± Lv Zhu frowned behind her. Although the woman spoke with a smile, there was something about her tone that was uncomfortable. It seemed like she was suggesting their Miss couldn¡¯t afford the wares. To the woman¡¯s attitude, Chuzheng remained largely unconcerned, ¡°Is it very expensive?¡± ¡°Of course, it is,¡± the woman said, fanning herself with an air of arrogance. Very expensive! Good! Very good! Chuzheng, in high spirits, continued further inside. The Embroidered Brocade Pavilion was a multi-level shop, with exquisite garments hung on racks in the middle, with men¡¯s and women¡¯s styles on separate sides. More could be found upstairs, where at that moment, several young ladies gathered, chatting and laughing noisily. ¡°You¡¯re in luck today, miss. Our shopkeeper is personally designing clothes. Would you like to go up and take a look?¡± The woman¡¯s words were beyond reproach, every word carried respect, but her attitude and behavior did not match her words. Chuzheng casually picked out a dress, ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Twenty taels,¡± the woman replied. ¡°These are last year¡¯s styles, hence discounted. You may find they don¡¯t fit.¡± Those who came to their Embroidered Brocade Pavilion made custom orders. Who would buy these off-the-shelf? Real quality garments were upstairs; these were hung here merely to oblige those who didn¡¯t know the etiquette, those entering the door. Chuzheng signaled for Lv Zhu to take the dress, and then picked out another set worth thirty taels. ¡°I¡¯ll pay now.¡± ¡°Miss!¡± Lv Zhu exclaimed in shock, knowing well that these dresses wouldn¡¯t fit her mistress. Chuzheng silenced Lv Zhu with a threatening glance. Lv Zhu, holding the dresses, felt anxious and aggrieved. Although she too was angry at the woman for looking down on them, this was no way to recklessly spend money. Ever since the Prince passed away, they had never received any money in their quarter, and there would be many other things to spend money on in the future. The woman¡¯s expression became a bit strange, but as Chuzheng was willing to buy, she called the shop assistant over to settle Chuzheng¡¯s bill. [Congratulations Miss for completing the task, Fifty taels of silver have been credited to your account.] [Main quest: Please purchase the Embroidered Brocade Pavilion.] Just as Chuzheng finished paying, the King¡¯s Account very considerately informed her of task completion and immediately issued a new quest. [Miss, how can we let them look down on us! We¡¯ve got plenty of money! Buy! We must buy!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± No, I don¡¯t want to! [No, you do want to!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Damned thing! Chuzheng took a deep breath, a deep breath. Then another deep breath. ¡°I want to see your shopkeeper.¡± I¡¯m buying the shop!!! Chapter 174 - Chapter 174: Chapter 174 Prince Longevity (4) Chapter 174: Chapter 174 Prince Longevity (4) ¡°Stupid girl, you still know to come back, huh? Where have you been wandering off to?¡± As Chuzheng walked into the courtyard, she heard the girl¡¯s voice, sarcastic and mocking. Sitting by the stone table in the courtyard was a girl in a green dress, with Qing He standing behind her, haughty and overbearing. The girl in the green dress was sneering coldly at her, undisguised disgust and contempt in her eyes. Cheng Xiao. One of the perpetrators who caused the original owner¡¯s downfall, and the target Chuzheng needed to defeat. A pretty girl. Why be so cruel to the original owner? She never did anything to provoke her. A beauty with the heart of a snake. Lv Zhu saw these two people and her whole body tensed up, cold sweat pouring from her palms and back. ¡°Where did you wander off to?¡± Chuzheng asked expressionlessly in return. ¡°What did you say!¡± Cheng Xiao stood up, her jade hand slapping the table: ¡°Stupid girl, say that again.¡± You want me to say it just because you said so? I won¡¯t say it. Cheng Xiao quickly walked towards her, her beautiful face filled with anger: ¡°You¡¯ve been having a comfortable time these past days, haven¡¯t you?¡± Cheng Xiao¡¯s expression suddenly changed, her gaze fixed tightly on Chuzheng. Chuzheng was wearing a blue dress, beautiful in color, exquisite in craftsmanship, and with embroidery that seemed to come to life. The design was even more novel. She remembered this dress. It was Embroidered Brocade Pavilion¡¯s new model. How could she be wearing it? Cheng Xiao pointed at her: ¡°Where did you get that dress from?¡± The daughters of wealthy families in the Imperial Capital, if they could wear a dress from Jinxiu Fang, it was a matter of pride and boasting. Because clothing from Jinxiu Fang was not only made of hard-to-find fabrics, but every piece of clothing was so beautiful. ¡°None of your business.¡± The original owner did have clothes from Jinxiu Fang, but that was back when Prince Cheng was still around. After Prince Cheng¡¯s death, Cheng Xiao, in front of her, had those clothes cut to shreds, including some other nice dresses. ¡°How is it none of my business, you never had this dress, and it¡¯s not what you wore when you went out, is it? What did you do out there? Why are you wearing a dress from Embroidered Brocade Pavilion? Who bought it for you?¡± Cheng Xiao¡¯s questions came one after another. The scene somewhat resembled a wife interrogating her husband. Chuzheng stared at Cheng Xiao, contemplating how to take her down. So annoying. So noisy. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you!¡± ¡°Why should I answer you?¡± You count for nothing! Might as well finish you off! Cheng Xiao was so angry she laughed: ¡°Okay, you¡¯ve grown bold now, haven¡¯t you? Not knowing what you¡¯re up to outside, cavorting with whom to exchange for a set of clothes. Today, you even dared to hit Qing He; if I don¡¯t teach you a lesson today, you won¡¯t know who¡¯s in charge in the Prince¡¯s Mansion!¡± As she spoke, Cheng Xiao swung a slap at her. She deliberately bent her fingers, so that when the slap landed, her nails would definitely leave scars on Chuzheng¡¯s face. Chuzheng raised her foot and kicked Cheng Xiao in the stomach. So, so vicious! Frightening the life out of someone. To think she wanted to harm my face, you beast! Cheng Xiao staggered, her body shaking a few times, until she finally fell to the ground. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Cheng Xiao clutched her stomach: ¡°It hurts¡­¡± ¡°Miss!¡± Qing He stepped forward to help Cheng Xiao up. Lv Zhu stepped forward anxiously: ¡°Miss.¡± ¡°Cheng Chuzheng!¡± Cheng Xiao¡¯s voice changed pitch, shrill and piercing: ¡°You dare to fight back? Very well, Cheng Chuzheng! Qing He, go and teach her a good lesson for me!¡± Qing He: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Go on!¡± Cheng Xiao pushed Qing He, the pain in her belly sending her anger soaring. ¡°` This idiot, this slut! ¡°` Princess Consort Cheng hurried to Chuzheng¡¯s courtyard upon hearing the news. Cheng Xiao and Qing He, along with several house servants, were all lying in the courtyard. ¡°My daughter!¡± Princess Consort Cheng paled as she rushed to Cheng Xiao¡¯s side, ¡°What happened, my daughter, don¡¯t scare your mother, who did this?¡± Cheng Xiao wasn¡¯t much hurt, just kicked a few times by Chuzheng, but it was very painful¡­ ¡°Mother.¡± When Cheng Xiao saw Princess Consort Cheng, it was as if she had seen her mainstay, and she began crying and complaining, ¡°Mother, she hit me, it hurts so much, look how she beat me, mother, you must stand up for me¡­¡±. ¡°It¡¯s all right, it¡¯s all right, your mother will stand up for you.¡± Hearing Cheng Xiao¡¯s voice, Princess Consort Cheng breathed a sigh of relief, but then her anger flared up again. Princess Consort Cheng helped Cheng Xiao up and turned her gaze to Chuzheng, who was sitting at the stone table, leisurely and calmly drinking tea. The young girl had a plain yet graceful face, her fair little face showing not a trace of emotion, and her indifferent and serene eyes rested on the void. A hairpin adorned her hair, highlighting the young girl¡¯s elegance, and every move she made was filled with nobility. This damned girl¡­ Princess Consort Cheng instantly noticed something off about Chuzheng. Just a few days ago she was timid and didn¡¯t even dare to make eye contact with her. How has she become so bold today, even her temperament has changed. Suppressing the doubts in her heart, Princess Consort Cheng demanded with regal authority, ¡°Why did you hit Xiaoxiao?¡± Chuzheng glanced at the noblewoman before her a few times. Princess Consort Cheng was only in her thirties, well-preserved, and with her clothing and makeup, she looked even younger. Standing beside Cheng Xiao, they looked like sisters. ¡°Did I hit her?¡± Chuzheng put down her teacup, her fingertips on the edge of the table, her tone calm, ¡°Did you see it?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Princess Consort Cheng pointed at the house servants on the ground, ¡°The evidence is right in front of us, and you still quibble!¡± ¡°They fell themselves, what does it have to do with me?¡± Chuzheng lied without batting an eyelid. House servant: ¡°¡­¡± Could they have thrown themselves down like this? What¡¯s wrong with them? Princess Consort Cheng did not expect that, faced with the facts, Chuzheng could still be so defiantly in denial. ¡°How are you speaking to me?¡± Princess Consort Cheng frowned, ¡°Have you no respect for your elders? I¡¯m your senior, stand up when you talk to me!¡± Chuzheng was unmoved. Lv Zhu was desperately anxious behind her. What was the young miss doing? Hitting Cheng Xiao and now confronting the Princess Consort head-on. Did she no longer want to live in the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡­ ¡°A senior should act like a senior, should you be intervening in the grievances between the younger generation?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s expression was indifferent, ¡°Are you proving your daughter¡¯s incompetence?¡± Are you proving your daughter¡¯s incompetence¡­ These few words successfully set Princess Consort Cheng off completely. ¡°You lowly girl!¡± Princess Consort Cheng pointed at Chuzheng and cursed, ¡°You hit my Xiaoxiao, now you show no respect for your elders, how could the Prince have a daughter like you¡­¡± Princess Consort Cheng¡¯s curses grew more vicious. And she eventually started cursing the original mother as well. Chuzheng looked around, and amidst Princess Consort Cheng¡¯s shouting, she went to the side of the courtyard and pulled out a wooden stick. ¡°What are you doing! What do you think you¡¯re doing! Do you want to hit someone again, put that down!¡± Princess Consort Cheng was startled by Chuzheng¡¯s actions, opened her arms, and backed away with Cheng Xiao, who was equally frightened. Chuzheng held the wooden stick, walking back unhurriedly. Amidst the scolding of Princess Consort Cheng, she swung the wooden stick¡­ Princess Consort Cheng¡¯s face drained of color as she screamed for someone to stop Chuzheng. Chuzheng struck once with the stick. The courtyard gradually fell silent. Clang¡ª The young girl threw away the wooden stick in her hand and impassively stepped over the ¡®corpse¡¯ of Princess Consort Cheng. She instructed a stunned Lv Zhu. ¡°Throw them out.¡± Chapter 175 - Chapter 175: Chapter 175 Prince Longevity (5) Chapter 175: Chapter 175 Prince Longevity (5) ¡°` Chuzheng had done such a big thing that it had scared Princess Consort Cheng and Cheng Xiao quite a bit. Lv Zhu was also frightened. Originally, she thought that her mistress had left the estate to discuss entering the palace with Young Master Ye, but she didn¡¯t mention this matter at all. After staying at the Embroidered Brocade Pavilion for a while, she headed back to the estate. Now, coming back like this¡­ What exactly is going on with the mistress? Afterwards, Princess Consort Cheng brought people over to pick a fight, but they were sent packing by Chuzheng. This made Princess Consort Cheng furious, and she kept saying that she was possessed. A few Taoists were summoned to perform rituals at the entrance of Chuzheng¡¯s courtyard. Chuzheng leaned against the door, watching the Taoists perform their ritual dance with an expressionless face. The Taoist dressed in a Taoist robe, about forty years old with a flowing beard, now stood in front of the incense table, shouting and chanting for quite a while. The Peach Wood Sword was wielded quite impressively, and could even breathe fire, which shocked Princess Consort Cheng and the others watching from outside. Boring. ¡°The circus would suit you better,¡± Chuzheng dropped this remark and slammed the courtyard door shut with a bang. The Taoist was drinking talisman water when he heard Chuzheng¡¯s words. He swallowed it down in one gulp, choking and coughing violently. ¡°Taoist master, Taoist master, what¡­ what¡¯s going on with her?¡± asked a nervous Princess Consort Cheng. How come there¡¯s no reaction at all. ¡°This¡­ cough cough¡­¡± The Taoist choked to death, wanting to vomit but not daring to do so in front of his major patron. He just swallowed his discomfort. With a stern face, the Taoist lowered his voice, ¡°This demon is very cunning. I just clashed with her, and I didn¡¯t expect to be found out. She has taken control of the young lady¡¯s body¡­¡± Princess Consort Cheng¡¯s face changed immediately. The Taoist touched his fake beard, finding one side of the beard coming off, hurriedly pressed it back down, and didn¡¯t dare to touch it again. ¡°Cough cough, Princess Consort need not worry. With my ritual, I shall surely capture this demon! And restore the young lady to normal!¡± Upon hearing this, Princess Consort Cheng¡¯s expression relaxed slightly, ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you, Taoist master.¡± ¡°Of course, of course.¡± The Taoist, citing a secret technique that mustn¡¯t be seen by outsiders as an excuse, asked Princess Consort Cheng and the others to leave. But to convince them, the Taoist had to shout loudly. A stick flew out of the courtyard, striking the Taoist directly on the forehead. The Taoist collapsed to the ground. Covering the swelling on his forehead, he was so angry that his beard nearly fell off. After sticking his beard back on, he got up and continued his bizarre chanting. A stone then flew out of the courtyard. The Taoist was dodging, with moves like the ¡°White Crane Spreading Wings¡± and the ¡°Black Tiger Stealing Hearts,¡± I dodge, I dodge, I dodge more¡­ The courtyard door creaked open, and Chuzheng came out with a kick that landed on the ¡°Flying Dragon Soaring in the Sky¡± Taoist. The Taoist thudded to the ground. The young girl, arms folded, looked down at him, ¡°Are you done yet?¡± The Taoist lay on the ground, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s not easy for me to scam some money, and it¡¯s one thing for you to take over someone else¡¯s body, but why do you have to cut off my livelihood?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± So you¡¯re a charlatan, huh? How can you say things like that? Could it be that I¡¯ve been caught by a ghost? The Bastard didn¡¯t tell me that this realm was so dangerous! ¡°I don¡¯t care what you plan to do, but can you please not interfere with my scamming money?!¡± The Taoist put his hands together in prayer, ¡°Please show mercy, let¡¯s not infringe upon each other¡¯s territory.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± The Taoist raised an eyebrow, half his beard hanging off the corner of his mouth. Chuzheng, observing his expression, surmised that he might have just been guessing and wasn¡¯t sure until now. But now she had admitted it. Of course, she wasn¡¯t worried. The Taoist, with a shifty look, readjusted his beard and twiddled his fingers before Chuzheng. Chuzheng threw some silver his way. ¡°Right, when Prince Cheng was still here, I did a reading for you. It wasn¡¯t like this. My master said, a person¡¯s fate doesn¡¯t change much. No matter what happens in between, the ending remains the same. But today, after I calculated it, your fate is incredible.¡± Calculated it? ¡°` Some Taoists really do have skills, their predictions are extremely accurate. But¡­ Spotting that she wasn¡¯t the original owner at first glance, wasn¡¯t that a bit too impressive? ¡°Bastard, could he also be one of your hosts?¡± [Miss, he¡¯s a native born and bred.] The King¡¯s Account paused, [This person has some magical prowess. In the Cultivation World, he would be a lucky find contended over by major powers, full of oddities and wonders across various worlds.] Bastard was sure this Taoist didn¡¯t show any abnormalities. He was indeed a person from this world. Just a bit too impressive, a little ¡®out of the ordinary,¡¯ and perhaps¡­ a bit crooked. Chuzheng, with a cold face, asked the Taoist, ¡°How incredible is it?¡± The Taoist, shaking his head, replied, ¡°I cannot say, I cannot say, the secrets of heaven must not be revealed.¡± Chuzheng continued to take out a bag of silver. Upon hearing the clinking of silver, the Taoist coughed twice, ¡°Among people, you pick the best, a splendid future awaits you, you have a noble destiny incomparable to others¡­¡± The Taoist flattered her with a flurry of exaggerated praise. If it weren¡¯t for certain things he shouldn¡¯t recklessly talk about, he would probably be saying that Chuzheng¡¯s rise to power and seizing the throne weren¡¯t far off. But nothing he said was actually useful. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m a demon?¡± In this era, body-snatching was something attributed to ghosts and spirits and was a major taboo. ¡°Only troublemakers are called demons, your fate is far from that of a demon.¡± The Taoist continued to flatter. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m almost convinced I¡¯m a good person. The Taoist took the silver from Chuzheng¡¯s hand, chuckling as he pocketed it, then suddenly sang out loud again. ¡°People are listening outside.¡± He explained to Chuzheng after finishing his song. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Quite professional indeed. ¡°You¡¯re skilled, why be a swindler?¡± Isn¡¯t it good enough to be a proper Taoist? The Taoist said with a troubled frown, ¡°If I show my real skills, I¡¯ll be taken to the palace, and who can come out after entering the palace? No, that won¡¯t do. Therefore, I can only be a swindler, compelled by life¡¯s demands.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Is this how your faux Taoist persona came to be? Truly a genius as the Bastard described. The reasoning to pretend to be a fake Taoist is so refreshingly unique. You deserve a place in the hall of pretentious masters, definitely have to be included! Chuzheng calmly looked into the distance, ¡°I¡¯ll give you five hundred taels, you help me with something.¡± Five hundred taels! The eyes of the Taoist suddenly lit up. That¡¯s a big deal! Much more than earning money by playing the shaman here! ¡°Speak.¡± After Chuzheng had told him, the Taoist made faces, ¡°These five hundred taels won¡¯t do, your matter is quite significant, I could get into trouble if things go south.¡± ¡°How much do you want.¡± The Taoist stretched out a finger, ¡°This much.¡± ¡°One thousand taels?¡± The Taoist nodded. ¡°Deal.¡± The Taoist chuckled as he skipped around, fooling the people outside before bouncing back in front of Chuzheng. ¡°I see you¡¯re quite the bad one.¡± ¡°I am a good person.¡± You were just praising me! Now you¡¯re calling me bad, what¡¯s the meaning of this!! ¡­¡± The Taoist nodded repeatedly, ¡°Good person, good person, you are a good person.¡± Everyone with money is a good person. * Some Taoists are indeed very powerful. However, everything above is pure fiction written by the author, please don¡¯t take it seriously. Novels are meant for entertainment, and any unreasonable or illogical plot points serve the purpose of entertaining the story. Let¡¯s all be well, and give me a pass. Chapter 176 - Chapter 176: Chapter 176 Prince Longevity (6) Chapter 176: Chapter 176 Prince Longevity (6) The Taoist told Princess Consort Cheng that he had dealt with it. But when Princess Consort Cheng went to find Chuzheng to settle the account, she hadn¡¯t said much before Chuzheng drove her out. Where was the matter settled? It clearly hasn¡¯t changed at all! Princess Consort Cheng wanted to confront the Taoist, but where could she find him now? Princess Consort Cheng couldn¡¯t understand how she had been deceived. Angered, Princess Consort Cheng sought several other Taoists, but to no avail in the end. Chuzheng did whatever she was supposed to do. Princess Consort Cheng had several confrontations with Chuzheng, and each time, she was soundly defeated. ¡°Mother.¡± Cheng Xiao was furious. ¡°She hit me, look, the mark hasn¡¯t even faded yet. Are we just going to let this go?¡± Princess Consort Cheng hurriedly consoled her daughter, ¡°Mother is also pained for you, but the one in the southern courtyard is truly very strange.¡± ¡°She must be possessed,¡± Cheng Xiao pouted, ¡°She wasn¡¯t like this before, so fragile a gust of wind could knock her over, but now she dares to strike.¡± Cheng Xiao continued, ¡°I¡¯ve made inquiries; those who are possessed often undergo a complete change of character, gain strength, or suddenly know things they didn¡¯t before. She¡¯s definitely possessed!¡± ¡°And Mother, the last time she came back, she was wearing clothes from the Embroidered Brocade Pavilion, the latest fashion no less. Where did she get them?¡± Princess Consort Cheng hadn¡¯t paid attention before, but recalled the detail after Cheng Xiao mentioned it. ¡°She shouldn¡¯t have much money on her¡­¡± Princess Consort Cheng said, ¡°After the Prince left, I¡¯ve had the treasury key. I haven¡¯t given her any money these past months.¡± ¡°Mother, do you think¡­¡± Cheng Xiao clutched at Princess Consort Cheng¡¯s hand, ¡°she couldn¡¯t be meeting men in private, could she?¡± Princess Consort Cheng¡¯s face shifted subtly, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense about such things.¡± ¡°Then where did her clothes come from? A man must have bought them for her!¡± Princess Consort Cheng appeared contemplative. After a moment, Princess Consort Cheng patted Cheng Xiao¡¯s hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this. It¡¯s almost time to enter the palace¡­ Did Qing He bring back the clothes we sent last time?¡± Cheng Xiao sneered, ¡°She said they got dirty and asked Qing He to wash them. She wishes. Qing He just tossed them aside.¡± ¡°Tell Qing He to clean them.¡± ¡°Mother?¡± ¡°Mother has a plan.¡± ¡°¡­Alright then.¡± ¨C ¡°¡­Qing He, why are you standing in front of the Miss¡¯s courtyard gate? What mischief are you planning now?¡± Lv Zhu opened the courtyard door to see Qing He standing at the entrance, warily eyeing her. Lately, the Miss¡­ had been acting a bit strange, but considering that these people now dared not bully the Miss so freely, she felt the change wasn¡¯t necessarily for the worse. ¡°You¡­¡± Qing He wanted to erupt in anger, but recalling the recent actions of the master of this courtyard, she held back, ¡°Here are the clothes from last time, they¡¯re cleaned.¡± Qing He shoved the clothes at Lv Zhu and quickly left. Before Lv Zhu could examine them, the clothes were taken by a fair-skinned hand. ¡°Miss, these were the ones they sent over last time,¡± Lv Zhu stepped back and bowed, ¡°They were prepared for you¡­ to wear when entering the palace.¡± The attire for entering the palace needed to be elaborate, not like the usual attire. ¡°I don¡¯t want them.¡± Chuzheng thrust the clothes back into Lv Zhu¡¯s arms, ¡°Just throw them away.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± But what will she wear? She can¡¯t wear her old ones, can she? That would be laughable! ¡°Throw them away,¡± Chuzheng declared decisively. Lv Zhu initially struggled to adapt to Chuzheng¡¯s manner, but now she was almost used to her cold demeanor. It was good for the Miss not to be bullied¡­ ¨C Juyuan Pavilion. The young man in white descended the stairs, leaning on the handrail with several guards following behind him. The people around dared not look him directly in the eye. The young man held his chin high, his still youthful face full of contempt and disdain. He was the current Emperor¡¯s younger brother, ranked eighth, and had just turned fourteen this year. His title was Prince Rong. Just as Prince Rong was about to reach the end, he suddenly stopped and looked toward the corner. ¡°Sixth Royal Brother.¡± Prince Rong looked as if he had seen something amusing, his youthful face revealing an eager malice. The one he called Sixth Royal Brother stood in the corner. He was also just a youth, dressed in dark robes, his head lowered. He stood there extremely quietly, almost unnoticeable until Prince Rong had spoken. ¡°Sixth Royal Brother, sorry about that, you¡¯ve been waiting for a while, haven¡¯t you? I forgot you were still down there.¡± There wasn¡¯t a hint of apology in Prince Rong¡¯s words. It was all ill-natured mockery and scorn. Even standing still, the young man had an elegant and eye-catching manner. He slightly raised his head. The moment his face was revealed, there were faint gasps from the crowd. Stunned by the young man¡¯s appearance. His looks were stunning, his features clear and distinct. His face was somewhat sickly pale, his lips lightly pursed, mysteriously carrying a bit of submissive gentleness. Yet his eyes were very calm, like a soulless doll. Exquisite, but only to be manipulated by others. His rosy lips parted slightly: ¡°It¡¯s no trouble.¡± His voice was crisp and gentle, calming the hearts of those who heard it. However, Prince Rong reacted as if he had heard something extremely disgusting, his attitude abominable as he said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then Sixth Royal Brother can walk back by himself, I¡¯m not going to accompany you.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± the young man agreed. Prince Rong snorted coldly but then laughed again: ¡°I¡¯ll watch you leave.¡± The young man hesitated slightly before starting to walk out. Prince Rong immediately signaled someone beside him with a look, and the guard quickly descended the stairs, just as the young man was walking out the door, he was harshly pushed out. Amid the low exclamations of the crowd outside, the young man fell to the ground, his black hair spilling out, spreading across the floor. His black robes also opened up, dusting the ground. The surrounding crowd immediately began whispering and pointing at him. Seeing Prince Rong in the Juyuan Pavilion, everyone immediately fell silent, not daring to gossip further, afraid to provoke the little Demon Head, Prince Rong. The Emperor was extremely indulgent toward this younger brother. The young man lay on the ground, his head bowed, his ink-black hair concealing his expression, bloodstains faintly visible on the palm inside his sleeve. Prince Rong stepped out with a bold stride, his foot pressing down on the young man¡¯s hand. He looked down at the young man from above: ¡°Sixth Royal Brother, be careful where you walk. Why are you like those women, so delicate and weak? Perhaps I should report to Imperial Brother and have you married off, find someone to take good care of you?¡± Could there be anything more insulting than calling a man, like a girl, and suggesting he be married off? The young man remained silent for a long period before speaking: ¡°There¡¯s no need¡­¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s boring,¡± Prince Rong sighed like a child: ¡°Well then, Sixth Royal Brother can¡¯t bear to leave me, and I can¡¯t bear to leave Sixth Royal Brother, either.¡± Prince Rong left in high spirits, laughing heartily. The young man¡¯s palm stiffened. ¡°Are you alright?¡± A greasy hand extended in front of him. The young man paused, following the hand with his eyes, he saw a young Taoist holding a chicken leg, looking at him with concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± The young man avoided the Taoist¡¯s hand and stood up on his own. His palm was covered with bloodstains from scraping against the ground. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± The Taoist looked after him with care. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± The young man nodded to the Taoist and walked away in one direction. The Taoist followed: ¡°Hey, wait a moment, I have something to tell you, you¡¯ve got a darkening on your brow, and it looks like you¡¯ll face a disaster¡­¡± Chapter 177 - Chapter 177: Chapter 177 Prince Longevity (7) Chapter 177: Chapter 177 Prince Longevity (7) [Hidden Mission: Please obtain a Good Person Card from Yan Gui to prevent his descent into darkness.] Chuzheng stood on the third floor of Juyuan Pavilion, having watched a farce unfold. She now looked down expressionlessly at the figure in black robes, gradually disappearing into the bustling crowd below. Yan Gui¡­ The name was quite pleasant to the ears. ¡°Miss.¡± Lv Zhu came over with tea, ¡°Would you like a sip of tea?¡± Chuzheng took the teacup and leaned against the railing, gazing through the curling tendrils of smoke towards the distant and faintly visible magnificent structures. Yan Gui. The current Prince Six. He had no title. No mansion. He still resided in an abandoned palace within the Imperial City. His mother was but a Palace Maid in the Cold Palace, where the late Emperor once demoted his favorite concubine. During that period, it was Yan Gui¡¯s mother who took care of that concubine. The late Emperor went to visit the said concubine, but who knew the concubine had a temper and refused to see him. The late Emperor drank in the Cold Palace, and in his drunkenness, mistook Yan Gui¡¯s mother for that concubine. Perhaps to spite the concubine, Yan Gui¡¯s mother was brought to serve the late Emperor¡¯s side, used as a tool to antagonize her. About half a year passed like this, and the concubine was eventually restored to favor. By then, Yan Gui¡¯s mother was already pregnant, a fact learned by that concubine, who then bestowed an abortion drug. Yan Gui was fortunate; he was still born. But as soon as he was born, his mother was strangled to death. If the late Emperor had not arrived in time, Yan Gui would not have survived either. The late Emperor entrusted Yan Gui to a concubine who was not much favored, but she too was met with a bitter fate, dying from illness a few years later. From then on, Yan Gui lived alone. Perhaps the late Emperor valued brotherly loyalty and righteousness, but within the Harem, he was truly a scoundrel. Yan Gui was forgotten by such an Emperor. But not forgotten by that concubine, nor by the children she bore. From childhood to adulthood, Yan Gui lived under their torment. His resistance, his stubbornness, only plunged him into more dangerous and humiliating situations. He stopped resisting. He resisted with his silence. Gradually, the bullying lessened significantly. Because his non-resistance was too boring for those who enjoyed bullying others. But the seeds of hatred took root and sprouted in Yan Gui¡¯s heart. He was waiting, waiting to grow up, for his wings to fully develop, waiting for the day he had the power to take revenge. That concubine is now the Empress Dowager, the mother of the Emperor and Prince Rong. The Empress Dowager resented Yan Gui¡¯s mother for seducing the late Emperor during her time out of favor, and even giving birth to a son. Since becoming Emperor, the current ruler did not bestow him a title, nor did he grant him a mansion, leaving him to reside in that decrepit palace, mocked by all. Once, Prince Rong purposefully pushed him into the water. Because his mother had been forced to take the abortion medicine, his health had been poor since childhood. This time nearly cost Yan Gui his life. Yan Gui plotted to kill Prince Rong but was betrayed by his own subordinates. Although it did not trace back to him in the end, the Emperor had begun to doubt. Latter on, Prince Rong framed Yan Gui again. However, by then, Yan Gui had already allied with external officials, preparing to assassinate the Emperor. Prince Rong, used as a pawn, died in that incident. Of course, in the end, Yan Gui did not kill the Emperor and Ye Yang even cut off one of his arms. But Yan Gui escaped and began his complete descent¡­ no, his path to rebellion. He plunged the world into continuous warfare, and the people suffered immensely. Chuzheng took a sip of tea, withdrawing her gaze from the direction of the Imperial City. This Ye Yang¡­ Must be the fianc¨¦ that the original subject had hoped for, the Young Master Ye mentioned by Lv Zhu. Of course, in actuality, there was no set agreement on who the fianc¨¦ was, but with Prince Cheng present, it was by default the Miss of their family¡ªthe original subject. Whoever they want to marry, they simply pick¡­ Why on earth do men get treated so well?! I refuse to accept this! ¡°Miss, what are we doing here?¡± Lv Zhu asked cautiously. Chuzheng passed her the now cool cup of tea, ¡°Drinking tea.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The tea at Juyuan Pavilion isn¡¯t even famous. Lv Zhu went to make new tea. Chuzheng moved to the other side of the room. The front of Juyuan Pavilion faced the bustling street, but the back opened up to a pleasant apricot grove, and further on, a lake. At this moment, the apricot blossoms were in full bloom. Chuzheng¡¯s fingertips tapped lightly on the railing as she stood on the high ground, with a clear view of the scene below. Ye Yang and Cheng Xiao went in one after the other. Today was the day the original person sought out Ye Yang, only to witness him and Cheng Xiao embracing each other. ¡°Miss, the weather is still cool lately, be careful not to catch a cold,¡± Lv Zhu said, as she draped a cape over Chuzheng, following her gaze in surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t that Young Master Ye? Why is he with¡­ Miss Second?¡± Below, Ye Yang and Cheng Xiao said something to each other. The two were already holding each other, and then they kissed. Lv Zhu¡¯s face turned entirely red with shyness, and she covered her eyes. Finally remembering Chuzheng, she muddled her words trying to comfort her, ¡°Miss¡­ perhaps there¡¯s some misunderstanding in this¡­¡± ¡°What misunderstanding?¡± Chuzheng tightened her cape around her. ¡°Miss¡­ it must be Miss Second¡­ she has always loved to snatch things from you since she was young. It¡¯s definitely her who must have said something to Young Master Ye!¡± ¡°I have no relationship whatsoever with Ye Yang.¡± ¡°Miss¡­ don¡¯t you like Young Master Ye?¡± The young lady looked calmly at the embracing pair below, ¡°Did I ever say that?¡± ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡± How could such a matter be spoken of, but she could tell the Miss had tacitly acknowledged it. If it weren¡¯t for Prince¡­ ¡°The marriage agreement doesn¡¯t specify a particular person; both Cheng Xiao and I could be potential matches. Who Ye Yang is with has nothing to do with me, understand?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was like the wind in March, still carrying a chill. Lv Zhu opened her lips. After a long moment, she nodded, half understanding, ¡°Understood, understood.¡± Lv Zhu looked down to see several people peeking into the apricot grove, their sly eyes creeping inside. ¡°Miss, look.¡± That group seemed to have spotted Ye Yang and Cheng Xiao and moved over out of curiosity. They appeared so abruptly that Cheng Xiao, frightened, covered her face, while Ye Yang quickly led her away to safety. Chuzheng handed a silver note to Lv Zhu, ¡°Give them the silver note, and make sure no one sees.¡± Lv Zhu¡¯s eyes widened. This¡­ Were the people below arranged by the Miss? Why would she do that? Lv Zhu didn¡¯t dare to ask, she simply took the silver note and went about her task. Chuzheng left the room as several young ladies came out of the neighboring room. Upon seeing Chuzheng, one of them immediately spoke in a mocking tone, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the little sister from Prince Cheng Residence?¡± ¡°Sister Huang, be careful with your words. She is too proud to talk to us,¡± her companion warned. ¡°True, we are not worthy of entering her view,¡± they said, each adding a comment. The girls taunted Chuzheng turn by turn. The original owner¡¯s memory contained these few individuals. To speak of grudges, those were a bit too distant, tracing back to when the deceased Emperor was still alive, at which time the original person was only seven or eight years old. It was during a palace banquet back then. On a whim, the deceased Emperor had the children each perform a talent they were good at. In the end, the original person won first place. She even received a reward from the Emperor. Chapter 178 - Chapter 178: Chapter 178 Prince Longevity (8) Chapter 178: Chapter 178 Prince Longevity (8) ¡°` At the time, the original owner¡¯s mother was still alive, and Prince Cheng was highly favored. Almost all the young girls clamored to befriend her. However, despite her young age, Cheng Xiao had already started to sow discord. From that moment on, those girls no longer associated with the original owner, led by Miss Huang. Now they probably see the state of the Prince Cheng Residence and want to recover some face by humiliating her. It¡¯s all petty games among young girls. I refuse to play along with you. Boring. Unwilling to waste her time with them, Chuzheng walked straight down the stairs. ¡°Hey, Miss Cheng, I¡¯m talking to you. Why aren¡¯t you paying attention to people?¡± Miss Huang extended her delicate hand to block Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The hand sure is pretty. It wouldn¡¯t be pretty if it were broken. Alas. So Chuzheng opted for kicking instead. Miss Huang¡¯s delicate body couldn¡¯t withstand Chuzheng¡¯s kick and was sent flying back into the room she had just come from. Perfect! Chuzheng calmly withdrew her foot and adjusted her skirts. With a cold and detached expression on her delicate face, she said, ¡°You¡¯re blocking the way.¡± Miss Huang¡¯s friends stared at Chuzheng, dumbstruck. Chuzheng passed calmly by them. ¨C ¡°Cheng Chuzheng, you stop right there!¡± Miss Huang, along with her friends, charged down furiously, blocking the doorway before Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Is this ever going to end?! The crowd at Juyuan Pavilion: ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s going on here? Didn¡¯t Prince Rong just make a scene, and now there¡¯s another one? ¡°Isn¡¯t that the eldest Miss from Prince Cheng Residence?¡± ¡°Seems like it, right? That¡¯s the granddaughter of Grand Tutor Huang, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Prince Cheng is dead; the Prince Cheng Residence must be having a hard time now, right?¡± ¡°Now, there¡¯s only a mansion full of women left in Prince Cheng Residence, that¡¯s miserable.¡± ¡°Prince Cheng had quite a few treasures, though. Those bestowed by the previous Emperor should last them for several generations to use, right?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of money without power.¡± Whispers abounded all around. Everyone¡¯s suddenly interested in the fortunes of Prince Cheng Residence for the next few generations. Miss Huang, clutching her still-sore abdomen, her eyes filled with rage, said, ¡°Cheng Chuzheng, without your father, what are you now? You dare to hit me, I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m not done with you today!¡± ¡°How are you not done?¡± Chuzheng was a bit curious, ¡°Hit me?¡± Miss Huang choked: ¡°I¡¯m not as vulgar as you!¡± Miss Huang puffed out her chest, ¡°Cheng Chuzheng, I¡¯m telling you, from now on, whenever you see us, you must walk around, hear me?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s icy gaze fixed on Miss Huang as she asked seriously, ¡°How should I walk around?¡± Miss Huang pointed to Juyuan Pavilion, ¡°For example, today we are at Juyuan Pavilion, so you cannot be here! Otherwise, you¡¯ll regret it!¡± [Main quest: Please purchase Juyuan Pavilion.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard you dog thing! And all these idiots! ¡°Shopkeeper.¡± Chuzheng called out. The shopkeeper, who had been enjoying the drama: ¡°???¡± These people were all daughters of official families, and he couldn¡¯t afford to offend them, so he quickly came out from behind the counter. ¡°Miss Cheng, what can I do for you?¡± In front of a puzzled Miss Huang, Chuzheng declared grandiosely, ¡°Buy the building.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Miss Cheng, you must be joking. Juyuan Pavilion is not for sale,¡± the shopkeeper said, his scalp turning to steel. ¡°Have you gone mad, Cheng Chuzheng?¡± Miss Huang laughed uncontrollably, ¡°This is Juyuan Pavilion, a goldmine, do you think they would sell it to you?¡± The food at Juyuan Pavilion is delicious, the environment is great, and the reputation is stellar, making it one of the must-visit destinations in the Imperial City. That Prince Rong and these daughters of noble families frequented the place was evidence of its excellence. Ignoring Miss Huang¡¯s scorn, Chuzheng coolly took out a silver note and slapped it on the table. The shopkeeper glanced at it. ¡°Miss Cheng, I really can¡¯t sell it.¡± Chuzheng dropped the silver note. ¡°Miss Cheng¡­¡± ¡°` Chuzheng continued to lay out silver notes. After all, the notes were printed by a Bastard, and it seemed that they had a way to deal with inflation, so Chuzheng just kept spending. The Shopkeeper was almost ready to kneel before Chuzheng. Prince Cheng had died, so why was Miss Cheng from the Cheng Family still spending money like this? Was she trying to bankrupt the Prince Cheng Residence? ¡°Sister Huang, has she gone mad?¡± Miss Huang swallowed hard, ¡°How would I know?¡± ¡°So many silver notes¡­ ¡± ¡°How can she carry so many silver notes on her?¡± Chuzheng slapped the last note onto the table. She signaled the Shopkeeper to come closer. The Shopkeeper had seen his fair share of the world, but these many silver notes¡­ it was enough to buy two or three of his stores! ¡°Miss Cheng, this store has been passed down from my ancestors¡­¡± the Shopkeeper said cautiously. He couldn¡¯t sell! ¡°I¡¯ll double it, you still manage the store, I¡¯ll be the boss, and the future profits are yours as well.¡± The Shopkeeper¡¯s eyes widened slightly. Such a good deal? Wasn¡¯t this the same as not selling at all? Spending money just to be a boss? The conversation between Chuzheng and the Shopkeeper was not loud, and no one heard what they said. In the end, everyone just saw the Shopkeeper collect the silver notes. Had it been agreed upon? Chuzheng looked at Miss Huang, ¡°Now, please walk around me.¡± Miss Huang: ¡°¡­¡± The crowd: ¡°¡­¡± Pfft! She bought Juyuan Pavilion just for that sentence? The crowd felt that in their years living in the Imperial City, they had never seen such capricious behavior. Even those profligate sons of nobility had never done so. Miss Huang¡¯s face turned ugly, pointing at Chuzheng and sputtering for quite a while. Chuzheng stepped aside, signaling them to leave. ¡°Cheng Chuzheng, you¡¯re mad!¡± ¡°I have money.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Miss Huang was so angry her chest heaved dramatically, and her little face turned beet red. She stamped her foot and ran toward the doorway, lifting her skirt. ¡°From now on, this group is not welcome.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s voice reached Miss Huang¡¯s ears accurately. Miss Huang ran even faster. The rest of the young ladies looked at each other for a moment before hastily following her out. ¡°Miss Cheng, will the Huang Family cause trouble?¡± the Shopkeeper asked, deeply worried about his new boss. Prince Cheng Residence didn¡¯t have a backer now¡­ Cheng¡¤Big Boss¡¤Sir¡¤Chuzheng didn¡¯t care, calmly stating, ¡°If worse comes to worst, they¡¯ll smash the shop, and I¡¯ll rebuild it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The way rich people talk is indeed different, huh. Does the Prince Cheng Residence have a gold mine or what? [Miss, let¡¯s aim to become the leading business tycoon in the Imperial City! You¡¯re the richest in the Imperial City!] King¡¯s Account cheered Chuzheng on. I! Don¡¯t! Want! To! ¨C Lv Zhu never expected that while she was out handling some errands, her Mistress would have acquired an entire building by the time she returned. News of Chuzheng paying such a high price for Juyuan Pavilion quickly spread to the Prince Cheng Residence. Princess Consort Cheng and Cheng Xiao were a bit stunned upon hearing the news. Suspicious about Chuzheng¡¯s money, Princess Consort Cheng went to the treasury to count it. She found nothing missing. Where then did Chuzheng get the money? Juyuan Pavilion? How much money would that be! Princess Consort Cheng wanted to ask Chuzheng but couldn¡¯t even catch a glimpse of her; only Lv Zhu relayed a message: The Mistress is not seeing visitors. Visitors¡­ In the eyes of Princess Consort Cheng, who saw herself as the mistress, she was nothing but a visitor? Fortunately, the little rationality left in Princess Consort Cheng stopped her from demolishing Chuzheng¡¯s yard. Wait for the palace banquet¡­ After the palace banquet, if she can still return, she will deal with that wretched girl!! No! She won¡¯t come back! Chapter 179 - Chapter 179: Chapter 179 Prince Longevity (9) Chapter 179: Chapter 179 Prince Longevity (9) However, this news only circulated for a day before it was quickly overshadowed by the scandal involving Ye Yang and Cheng Xiao. Ye Yang and Cheng Xiao had rendezvoused in secret. They were caught in an embrace. That was how the rumors initially started. But they soon escalated to insinuations of an illegitimate child. Even though Ye Yang¡¯s engagement to someone from the Prince Cheng Residence was not yet publicly finalized, outsiders were not privy to this detail; they all assumed Ye Yang was to marry the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s young miss. Now, it was Cheng Xiao who was entangled with Ye Yang. ¡°Xiaoxiao, what is this all about? What exactly is going around outside?¡± Cheng Xiao¡¯s face was ashen; she didn¡¯t dare to look at Princess Consort Cheng: ¡°I¡­I met with Brother Ye that day, and we were seen. I thought they hadn¡¯t recognized us¡­¡± ¡°Are you stupid?!¡± Princess Consort Cheng poked Cheng Xiao on her forehead: ¡°I told you recently not to go see Ye Yang, why don¡¯t you ever listen to me? Didn¡¯t you think to silence them with money, how have I been teaching you all this time?¡± ¡°I was scared at the time¡­¡± She also hadn¡¯t expected that, from just one glance, those people would recognize her. Cheng Xiao was panicked and utterly lost: ¡°Mother, what do we do?¡± Princess Consort Cheng paced back and forth in the room, also out of ideas. This matter had a tremendous impact on Cheng Xiao¡¯s reputation. And now the rumors outside were even more distasteful. ¡°Mother must think of something¡­¡± The best solution would be for Ye Yang to officially propose marriage. That way, everyone would know that the original engagement had not specified any particular individual. Ye Yang and Cheng Xiao being together would then be seen as a mutual affection. ¨C While Princess Consort Cheng was busy trying to handle this matter, the day for her to enter the palace finally arrived. The palace palanquin came to the Prince¡¯s Mansion to pick up people. ¡°Princess Consort, Princess Consort, two palanquins have arrived,¡± a servant reported to Princess Consort Cheng in a panic. ¡°What?¡± Princess Consort Cheng was surprised but then calmed down: ¡°Are they perhaps going to someone else¡¯s place?¡± ¡°No, they¡¯re coming our way.¡± Princess Consort Cheng suddenly became restless; why would there be two palanquins? By the time Chuzheng and Lv Zhu arrived, Princess Consort Cheng had already been speaking with the eunuch from the palace who came to pick them up. Princess Consort Cheng had become particularly haggard lately, appearing much older than before. ¡°Eunuch, our household was only given one spot, why does Xiaoxiao also have to go?¡± The eunuch replied in a soft and delicate voice: ¡°This servant does not know, Princess Consort Cheng might want to hurry, as I still need to visit other households. If I¡¯m delayed, I won¡¯t be able to explain to His Majesty.¡± Princess Consort Cheng was completely dumbfounded. She couldn¡¯t understand how such a situation had arisen. Chuzheng passed by Princess Consort Cheng, who suddenly grabbed Chuzheng¡¯s hand: ¡°You little wretch, did you do this?¡± ¡°What?¡± Princess Consort Cheng glared at Chuzheng furiously, forgetting all semblance of a princess consort¡¯s demeanor: ¡°Xiaoxiao¡¯s entry into the palace, is it your doing?¡± Everything was fine before; how suddenly did Xiaoxiao also have to go in? She had made all the arrangements. Chuzheng¡¯s expression remained calm: ¡°Father has offended many people, who knows.¡± She withdrew her hand and sat in the soft palanquin with an air of composure. ¡°Princess Consort Cheng, please call out the second miss,¡± the eunuch urged Princess Consort Cheng. Princess Consort Cheng dared not disobey, lest she be accused of defying an imperial command. She hurried back to find Cheng Xiao, who completely fell apart upon hearing the news. How could this be happening? ¡°Mother, I won¡¯t go.¡± ¡°You have no choice but to go!¡± Princess Consort Cheng was finding her clothes: ¡°Defiance is punishable by death.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to, I won¡¯t enter the palace!¡± Cheng Xiao shook her head; the one in the palace was too frightening. Princess Consort Cheng pressed Cheng Xiao¡¯s shoulders: ¡°Xiaoxiao, don¡¯t be afraid, that wretched girl is also entering the palace. Just play it by ear once you¡¯re there; you¡¯ll be fine, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± These words were as much for herself as they were for Cheng Xiao. ¡°Mother¡­¡± Princess Consort Cheng assured her, ¡°Mother will go to the Ye Family immediately, you go into the palace first, I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡± Cheng Xiao bit her lip, only able to agree to enter the palace first under Princess Consort Cheng¡¯s consolation. Waiting for Princess Consort Cheng to find Ye Yang to come into the palace and save her. After consoling Cheng Xiao, Princess Consort Cheng called out to the outside, ¡°Qing He, Qing He, hurry and find the court attire.¡± ¡°Miss cannot wear last year¡¯s court attire, and the new one hasn¡¯t been prepared¡­¡± Qing He hurried in from the outside. It was assumed that Miss wouldn¡¯t enter the palace this year, and she has high demands, insisting on gowns from Embroidered Brocade Pavilion, which is why the clothes had not been picked up yet. Who knew such an incident would occur. ¡°Hurry up and figure something out!¡± Qing He left in a rush to find a solution. ¡°Princess Consort, there is a set here,¡± a maid came in, holding a set of court attire. ¡°Quick, bring it here for Miss to change into,¡± Princess Consort Cheng instructed while walking out, ¡°Come out as soon as you change, Mother will go ahead to steady the people in the palace.¡± Cheng Xiao, weighed down with worries, nodded slowly. ¨C Lavish, soft sedans were carried into the palace one after another, girls dressed delicately guided by palace attendants, moving towards the luxurious grand hall ahead. There were also some ministers, all fathers or elders of these girls. With no male figure available to come forward from the Prince Cheng Residence, naturally, no one accompanied them. Every girl entering seemed to have a face filled with worry, no one smiled, and the atmosphere was very oppressive. Yet, upon reaching the palace gate, they must hide their sad expressions and display cheerful smiles. Cheng Xiao stepped out of the sedan, took one look at the palace, and had her eyes filled with fear. She glanced to the side, Chuzheng, supported by Lv Zhu getting out of her sedan, appeared calm and composed, showing no signs of timidity. The cold wind blew, and her black hair fluttered in the wind. Her light purple court attire flowed to the ground, the tightened waist outlined a waistline so slender that it seemed hardly a handful, setting off the young lady¡¯s graceful dignity, an unmatched nobility. Cheng Xiao bit her lower lip, feeling a hint of jealousy rising from within her. She glanced at her own court attire, suddenly realizing something was wrong, ¡°Qing He, this court attire¡­¡± Qing He had kept her head down since entering the palace, not daring to look around carelessly. Hearing Cheng Xiao¡¯s voice, she responded softly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Miss?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°Miss, this way please,¡± a palace attendant bowed and guided Cheng Xiao. ¡°Qing He¡­¡± ¡°Miss, please inside,¡± the palace attendant interrupted Cheng Xiao and Qing He, her tone becoming firmer, ¡°Miss, do not delay, Your Majesty will be angered, and we servants cannot bear that.¡± Qing He couldn¡¯t follow into the hall, and Cheng Xiao, anxious and panic-stricken, looked back three steps at a time as she walked towards the brightly lit palace. Qing He seemed to have also realized that something was off with Cheng Xiao¡¯s clothing¡ªthat wasn¡¯t the set she sent to the southern courtyard, was it? Back at the residence, she went out to look for clothes, by the time she came back, Miss had already changed. The situation was chaotic then, no one paid close attention. This is bad! Qing He¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¨C Prince Cheng had passed away, but his status still commanded a presence, and in this environment of strict hierarchy, Chuzheng sat in the foremost position. Of course. At this moment, these daughters of nobility would have preferred to sit in the very back. Lest they catch the tyrant¡¯s eye¡ªthen they would be doomed. The women were on the right side, and the ministers were across from them, with a passageway in the middle. Chuzheng sat down calmly, and the noble daughters seated around her were very quiet, sitting with heads bowed and in restrained positions, not even daring to speak to one another. Chuzheng watched as Cheng Xiao, looking uneasy, sat down beside her. Cheng Xiao glared at her resentfully, wanting to speak, but the silent atmosphere in the hall was too quiet; she dared not be the one to stand out. Chapter 180 - Chapter 180: Chapter 180 Prince Longevity (10) Chapter 180: Chapter 180 Prince Longevity (10) ¡°Prince Jing has arrived¡ª¡± ¡°Prince Duan has arrived¡ª¡± The eunuch¡¯s piercing voice announcing their arrival echoed; the two princes entered one after the other, both appearing displeased, likely unaware of the nature of today¡¯s event. ¡°Prince Rong has arrived¡ª¡± The young man in white passed through the main hall, and if not for the malicious air between his eyebrows, which did not suit his age, Prince Rong was quite the handsome youth. ¡°Why is no one speaking?¡± Prince Rong broke the silence as soon as he entered, ¡°Third Imperial Brother, Fifth Imperial Brother.¡± ¡°Eighth Royal Brother,¡± Prince Duan shook his head, ¡°We can¡¯t compare with Eighth Royal Brother.¡± ¡°Third Imperial Brother,¡± Prince Jing said in a low voice as a reminder. Prince Duan quickly stopped and flattered Prince Rong with a few words. Among these princes, only Prince Rong could do as he pleased. After all, he was the Emperor¡¯s own brother. These princes should have gone to their fiefdoms after the Emperor¡¯s accession to the throne, yet here they were residing in the Capital City. The Emperor had claimed he couldn¡¯t bear to be a thousand li away from his brothers. In reality, it was a disguised form of house arrest. ¡°Prince Six has arrived¡ª¡± ¡°Prince Six is here,¡± Prince Rong showed much greater interest in Yan Gui compared to the other princes. Chuzheng looked toward the entrance of the hall, the youth was entering amidst the lamplight, with the cold wind blowing through the doors, swirling the subtly patterned hem of his robe; his hand, emerging from his sleeve, gently held down his cape. The bamboo-like slender fingers, illuminated by the lamplight, seemed even more translucent. But around him was too silent. As if he were trapped in another world. A world so quiet and soundless, no one could accompany him. The youth walked slowly into the main hall, under Prince Rong¡¯s eager gaze, he spoke out, ¡°Third Imperial Brother, Fifth Imperial Brother, Eighth Royal Brother.¡± ¡°Sixth Imperial Brother, you really took your time,¡± Prince Rong said with a smile, ¡°Were you, like these ladies, walking slowly?¡± Facing Prince Rong¡¯s nearly malicious words, the youth remained silent. Prince Rong pursed his lips, ¡°You might as well sit with them; after all, there¡¯s no difference between you and the ladies, right, Third Imperial Brother and Fifth Imperial Brother?¡± The named Prince Duan and Prince Jing laughed awkwardly in agreement. The rest of the ministers didn¡¯t even dare to breathe too loudly. Palace attendants immediately arranged a seat next to Chuzheng for the youth. This was truly treating him as the leader among the womenfolk. Prince Rong continued to applaud and cheer merrily. This kind of humiliation made the ministers across from him show a pained expression, but with so many royal affairs, they didn¡¯t dare to speak too much. As they were taking off the young man¡¯s cloak, his brightly colored clothes and raven hair cascaded down his back, with a few strands falling in front. The flickering light set off his starkly beautiful visage, his eyebrows like distant hills, his lips as beautifully crafted as if by an artist¡¯s careful strokes. As he sat down, the overly ornate robe draped open, making him appear even more stunning than the seated maidens. Perhaps sensing Chuzheng¡¯s gaze, the youth tilted his head slightly, revealing a soft, friendly smile. He was as beautiful as a painting. Every frown and smile was breathtaking. In this dazzling world, one look at him left an indelible impression. Yet his eyes made Chuzheng uncomfortable. The light brown pupils lacked luster; even the prettiest face lost its shine and became lifeless. But still, so good looking!! Chuzheng withdrew her gaze. Why is there such a big difference between people? What¡¯s the use of a boy being so handsome! Being handsome without a good background or support. Better to turn to the dark side. ¡°[Miss, please control your thoughts.]¡± The Good Person Card had been bullied just now, and you didn¡¯t speak up to help, and now you want him to turn to the dark side? How can you be so cruel! I think my ideas are quite reasonable. [¡­] ¡°Host feels too good about themselves; how to treat it? Waiting online, quite urgent.¡± The youth saw Chuzheng shift his gaze away and also lowered his head. ¡°Sixth Royal Brother, did you like the clothes I sent you?¡± Prince Rong, sitting opposite, laughed uproariously, ¡°I knew they would suit you well, Sixth Royal Brother. Look, you are much prettier than those girls.¡± The young man pursed his lips, about to speak, when a loud noise interrupted him. Crash¡ª The table Prince Rong leaned on suddenly splintered into pieces, and he tumbled through the middle, the snacks, tea, and wine scattered all over him. The shattered porcelain on the floor splashed upwards, slicing the exposed skin of Prince Rong. Yan Gui caught a fleeting glimpse of a silver flash in the air¡ªupon closer inspection, it seemed to be just an illusion. This incident terrified everyone in the hall¡ª the girls each lowered their heads, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. ¡°Eighth Royal Brother, are you alright?¡± Prince Duan helped Prince Rong to his feet. Prince Rong, covered in wine and tea stains, looked extremely disheveled. Clearly still in shock, Prince Rong was helped up by Prince Duan and only then did he feel the pain and suddenly cried out. ¡°Who! Who did this!!¡± Prince Rong¡¯s face twisted with rage. ¡°¡­¡± Who did this? Everyone had seen with their own eyes that the table had suddenly split, but no one had touched it. ¡°Eighth Royal Brother, don¡¯t be angry. It was just an accident. You should get medical attention first,¡± Prince Jing suggested. Even if Prince Rong was a scoundrel, under the watchful eyes of all present, he wouldn¡¯t be able to blame his cracked table on someone else. People persuaded Prince Rong to leave, and as he did, he threatened everyone present¡ªif anyone dared to speak of today¡¯s events, they would be beheaded. Everyone fell silent, as quiet as cicadas in winter. When Prince Rong returned, he was accompanied by the Emperor. The Emperor bore a striking resemblance to Prince Rong¡ªone the adult version, the other the youthful one. The imperial majesty added a few degrees of grandeur to the Emperor, making him more awe-inspiring than Prince Rong. Yet the Emperor¡¯s eyes were not kind at all, carrying the air of a tyrant. The Emperor spoke a few succinct opening words, without mentioning the day¡¯s purpose, but ordered the music and dance to begin. The sound of strings and flutes rose, and the dancers gracefully entered the hall. The atmosphere in the hall seemed to calm down. Chuzheng, who knew the plot due to her system advantage, was aware of the Emperor¡¯s intention for the day. It was just for choosing a concubine. Yes! It was that simple. Prince Rong¡¯s dark eyes swept over the crowd, finally resting on Yan Gui. After the dance and music ended, Prince Rong suddenly spoke out, ¡°Imperial Brother, why don¡¯t we have Sixth Royal Brother give us a performance?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The Emperor raised an eyebrow, cooperatively asking, ¡°Does Sixth Royal Brother know how to do this?¡± Prince Rong: ¡°Of course Sixth Royal Brother knows how to. Isn¡¯t that right, Sixth Royal Brother?¡± Prince Rong bullying Yan Gui was a common occurrence. Before the Emperor had also often done this, but after becoming the Emperor, he had to maintain his imperial dignity, so he indulged Prince Rong instead. Yan Gui clenched his fists and stood up from his seat. ¡°To Your Majesty, your brother does not know how.¡± Prince Rong immediately showed displeasure, ¡°Do not know? Nonsense, you clearly do! Or is it that Sixth Royal Brother does not wish to dance for us? Then perhaps¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll dance,¡± Yan Gui cut in. Prince Rong immediately looked triumphant. Yan Gui took a deep breath and stepped into the hall. ¡°Why are you all keeping your heads down? Lift them up! Not everyone gets to see Sixth Royal Brother¡¯s dance. It¡¯s a privilege for you all!¡± Prince Rong chided those below. Are these two psychologically distorted? Chuzheng asked the King¡¯s Account. [Hmm¡­ They grew up under the Empress Dowager¡¯s indoctrination. The Empress Dowager believed Yan Gui¡¯s mother was lowly, yet seduced the Emperor when she was out of favor, and also that bullying can become addictive.] The King¡¯s Account analyzed the plot objectively. Chapter 181 - Chapter 181: Chapter 181: Prince Longevity (11) Chapter 181: Chapter 181: Prince Longevity (11) Once you enjoy the thrill of bullying, you can¡¯t stop yourself. Chuzheng had no such desire; she just wanted a simple and fast solution to all the troubles. Bastard, this damn thing! [No, miss, let¡¯s be reasonable, why are you cursing at me again!?] King¡¯s Account was going crazy; where did it go wrong again. Yan Gui stood in the center of the hall, his pale face either blanched with humiliation or naturally so. Pale and slender fingers stretched out from his sleeves, touching the warm yellow light, making his fingertips look exceptionally beautiful. Prince Rong laughed wildly, his eyes filled with twisted excitement. Chuzheng¡¯s fingers twitched slightly, and the silver wire emerged from her sleeve, circling happily around her fingertips before shooting out rapidly, aiming straight for Prince Rong. Under the watchful eyes of all, Prince Rong¡¯s face suddenly changed. He reached for his neck, his face turning beet red. ¡°Save¡­¡± Yan Gui looked up, his dead eyes reflecting the lamplight and Prince Rong¡¯s current state. Ugly, unsightly¡­ ¡°Prince Rong!¡± The eunuch by Emperor¡¯s side was the first to exclaim. ¡°Brother Emperor!¡± The Emperor moved swiftly over: ¡°What happened?¡± Suddenly, Prince Rong pushed away the Emperor, drew the sword from the guard behind him, and hacked at the Emperor. Chuzheng controlled Prince Rong as if he was a puppet on strings, making him strike at the Emperor. ¡°Prince Rong!!¡± After a few attempts, the Emperor was obviously enraged. In the chaos, Prince Rong was subdued, thrown to the ground to scrape and rub, and finally, perhaps fearing another mad outburst, he was knocked unconscious. The silver wire wrapped around Prince Rong slowly loosened its grip on him and retracted back to Chuzheng. [¡­] Miss, your invincible mode is simply unsolvable. I told you I was amazing, but you insisted on making me squander. [¡­] Is it my fault for being the Spendthrift System!! The Emperor, unharmed, was extremely angry and commanded sternly, ¡°Take Prince Rong away.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Prince Rong looked possessed just now; those eyes were truly frightening.¡± ¡°Possessed, huh¡­¡± The Emperor¡¯s face darkened. The word ¡°possessed¡± was like a switch, and his grim gaze suddenly fell on Cheng Xiao, who was visibly uneasy. ¡°Let the second young mistress of the Cheng Family stay, the rest may leave.¡± Cheng Xiao¡¯s head shot up in shock, her pretty face as pale as paper. ¡°Second Miss, this way, please.¡± The Palace Attendant immediately stepped forward to invite Cheng Xiao. All that remained in Cheng Xiao¡¯s eyes was terror. No¡­ Why hasn¡¯t Ye Yang arrived yet? She didn¡¯t want to stay here. With so many people, why choose her? ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Cheng Xiao pushed away the Palace Attendant and knelt on the ground: ¡°Your Majesty, your servant¡­your servant has not been well recently and should not stay in the palace.¡± Cheng Xiao coughed twice and then said, ¡°Your servant¡¯s sister¡­my sister can stay in my stead.¡± Nobody had the mind to pay attention to today¡¯s palace banquet. Only then did everyone turn to look at the eldest young mistress of Prince Cheng Residence. They saw her sitting there calmly, as if the commotion in the hall had nothing to do with her. Even now, when her own sister had pushed her forward, she showed no waves of emotion. Cool and indifferent, gracefully dignified. This was the eldest young mistress of Prince Cheng Residence? The impression she gave¡­ Why did she seem like the true emperor? The thought startled everyone, and they dared not look at her any longer. The Emperor had darkened his expression as soon as Cheng Xiao spoke: ¡°The words of the Emperor are an Imperial Decree, do you dare to defy it?¡± The imperial might bore down on Cheng Xiao, making her gasp for air, her body shaking. The Emperor glanced at Chuzheng, snorted coldly, and left with a swish of his sleeve. The Palace Attendant stepped forward to help Cheng Xiao stand and leave. No¡­ Don¡¯t want¡­ She couldn¡¯t stay here. Cheng Xiao looked fiercely towards Chuzheng. The latter calmly picked up a cup of wine from the table and downed it in one gulp. Clap. The wine cup struck the table, emitting a crisp sound, which echoed clearly in the silent hall. ¡°Cheng Chuzheng!!¡± Cheng Xiao¡¯s resentful voice carried from outside the hall. The air inside the hall seemed to freeze over. Chuzheng¡¯s eyebrows and eyes betrayed a cold and detached demeanor, signaling to both strangers and acquaintances to keep their distance. She was the first to rise and leave. It was only after her departure that the air in the hall seemed capable of flowing freely once more. The long-forgotten Yan Gui gazed in the direction Chuzheng had left; his usually lackluster eyes seemed to brighten for a moment. However, that flicker of emotion quickly sank back into silence. While everyone¡¯s attention was elsewhere, he left the great hall quietly and without notice. ¨C ¡°Miss.¡± Upon seeing Chuzheng exit, Lv Zhu let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There was a smile on Lv Zhu¡¯s face, the ordeal was finally over, and there was no more need for fear and anxiety. ¡°But¡­ Miss, where is our little miss?¡± Qing He did not see Cheng Xiao and felt even more uneasy as she stepped forward to ask. ¡°She stayed behind,¡± Chuzheng said as she parted the curtains of the palanquin and sat down. The curtain slowly fell, concealing Chuzheng¡¯s figure. Stayed¡­ stayed behind? Qing He was completely stunned. As Chuzheng¡¯s palanquin was carried out of the palace gates, Lv Zhu asked cautiously, ¡°Miss, did the second miss really stay behind?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Lv Zhu felt a surge of satisfaction deep inside: ¡°Serves her right. She was the one meant to enter the palace to begin with. This is her just deserts.¡± Just deserts? Chuzheng sat in the palanquin, arms folded, unconcerned about any just deserts. Chuzheng asked the bearers to halt at Juyuan Pavilion. ¡°Miss, you¡¯ve arrived,¡± the shopkeeper greeted her. ¡°Coincidentally, a customer was looking for you, saying you would be here soon. I didn¡¯t expect you to actually come.¡± ¡°Lead the way.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The shopkeeper led Chuzheng upstairs and opened the door to a private room. ¡°Wait outside.¡± Though puzzled, Lv Zhu obediently bowed and closed the door of the room behind her. Inside the room, a clean-looking little Taoist priest sat with one foot on a chair, heartily eating meat and drinking wine. ¡°You arrived a bit earlier than my calculation,¡± the little Taoist priest said, raising a greasy hand in greeting. Chuzheng pulled a silver note from her sleeve. ¡°Is it done?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to calculate?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just confirming what you already knew?¡± The little Taoist priest cherished the silver note as he tucked it into his clothes. Without the fake beard and eyebrows, the little Taoist¡¯s features were strikingly youthful and attractive. He clicked his tongue twice, ¡°Tsk, tsk, she may be your sister, but how could you be so merciless as to push her into a pit of fire?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s expression remained cold, ¡°If she didn¡¯t go in, I would have had to.¡± Who would enter hell if not you? No matter who would enter, it certainly wasn¡¯t going to be her. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be able to deceive the Emperor one day,¡± the little Taoist said, shaking his head while taking a swig of wine. The task Chuzheng assigned to him was to ensure Cheng Xiao¡¯s name was on the list. He also had to spread a story to the Emperor¡¯s ears. It was said that Cheng Xiao was born with an auspicious fate, a star of fortune descending from heaven could ensure His Majesty¡¯s longevity and the nation¡¯s prosperity. The little Taoist, curious, asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that if the Emperor finds her useless, it might bring trouble to the entire Prince Cheng Residence?¡± ¡°Not worried.¡± After all, they couldn¡¯t defeat me! What was there to fear! ¡°Alright, you¡¯re impressive,¡± the little Taoist gave her a thumbs-up, ¡°Remember to call me for any good gigs in the future.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Imperial Palace, Emperor¡¯s Bedroom. Cheng Xiao knelt on the ground, not daring to lift her head, her heart pounding like thunder. ¡°Come here.¡± The man¡¯s voice rang out from in front. Cheng Xiao¡¯s entire body trembled, rooted to the spot. ¡°Come here!¡± The Emperor¡¯s irritation was evident, ¡°Must I invite you myself?¡± Only then did Cheng Xiao stand, taking an eternity to cover the distance of a few steps. ¡°Undress.¡± Cheng Xiao clenched her teeth and, shaking, began to undo the Emperor¡¯s clothes. The Emperor abruptly grabbed her hand and pulled her into his embrace, ¡°Are you very afraid of me?¡± Chapter 182 - Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Prince Longevity (12) Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Prince Longevity (12) ¡°Your servant, my daughter dares not,¡± she said. ¡°Then why do you tremble?¡± the Emperor, with narrowed eyes that hinted at danger, ran his palm along her back. ¡°Your servant¡­ your servant did not,¡± Cheng Xiao said with her eyes closed, not daring to look at the Emperor. Her body suddenly tensed, and then she was thrown onto the bed, the man¡¯s body covering hers. The garments on her body were torn off with violence. Before she could react, she had already been penetrated, and Cheng Xiao¡¯s face turned deathly pale. ¡°Your Majesty, General Ye requests an audience.¡± In her pain, Cheng Xiao vaguely heard the palace attendant¡¯s report from outside, the sound growing distant. ¨C Wanfu Palace. The vast palace was desolate and neglected, with many areas dilapidated due to lack of maintenance over the years. Only the main hall was still barely presentable. The young man slowly removed the clothes that were extremely luxurious. A suffocating stillness wreathed him. It almost seemed to suit the rundown palace. The clothes fell to the floor, and the young man walked barefoot over them. Behind him, the Little Eunuch was full of anger: ¡°Prince Rong has truly gone too far, you¡¯re a Prince too, how can he make you wear such clothes.¡± The young man softly reminded, ¡°Be careful of what you say, if someone hears, you will be punished.¡± ¡°Prince, I am angry for you.¡± The young man lowered his eyes, his long lashes covering them, and after a moment he finally spoke, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°How does it not matter? Prince Rong is becoming more and more outrageous, last time on the street, and this time in front of so many people¡­¡± The young man raised his head, a strange sparkle in his light brown pupils: ¡°Staying alive is more important.¡± Only if he was alive could he take revenge. Only if he remained alive¡­ The Little Eunuch felt heartache for his master. But he was just a Little Eunuch, the kind that couldn¡¯t even raise his voice among other eunuchs. His master should have been someone held in the palm of one¡¯s hand, so why¡­ ¡°Prince¡­these clothes?¡± The young man let down his hair, his slender fingers passing through it smoothly, the tips slowly moving down. The hair escaped through his fingers, and he grabbed at the air: ¡°Hang them up.¡± ¡°Prince?¡± ¡°If they are damaged, Prince Rong will have more reasons.¡± He needed to see them, to remind himself of what they had done to him. ¡°Yes.¡± The young man sat down on a chair. His body gradually relaxed. Barefoot, he gently swayed his feet. There seemed to be a wind outside. It blew against the decrepit windows, causing a clattering noise. After a while, he lay down in bed, and the Little Eunuch tucked him under the covers. The palace was very cold, and the cotton quilt was old and thin, not warm at all. The icy quilt on his body made him even colder. He closed his eyes, and for some reason, the cold fa?ade of that girl inside the hall flashed through his mind. The current head of the Prince Cheng Residence was Princess Consort Cheng; she wasn¡¯t born to the Princess Consort, so surely her days in the residence were not easy. Yet she seemed¡­ To be doing well. ¨C Cheng Xiao was left in the palace, and Princess Consort Cheng made a scene at Chuzheng¡¯s place that very night. ¡°You harlot, why wasn¡¯t it you who was left behind?¡± ¡°Why should it have been me?¡± ¡°It was you, it was all your doing, wasn¡¯t it!¡± Princess Consort Cheng pointed at Chuzheng: ¡°Xiaoxiao¡¯s entry into the palace was all your doing, right?¡± ¡°It was not,¡± Chuzheng denied. ¡°You harlot dare to do but not admit, you wretch, return my Xiaoxiao to me¡­¡± Princess Consort Cheng almost threw caution to the wind, lunging forward to strike Chuzheng. Lv Zhu blocked her with a heart pounding with fear. Chuzheng picked up something nearby and smashed it down on Princess Consort Cheng¡¯s head. Princess Consort Cheng¡¯s eyes rolled back, and she fainted. Chuzheng discarded the weapon in her hand, ¡°Throw this person out.¡± It¡¯s so much simpler this way! The servants exchanged glances, thinking how fierce the young mistress has become¡­ Chuzheng pulled out several silver notes, which Lv Zhu distributed one by one. ¡°Remember, from now on in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, the young mistress¡¯s word is law.¡± Of course, Princess Consort Cheng had also bought the loyalty of the servants in the residence, but she was never as generous as Chuzheng. Each silver note was worth a hundred taels. Chuzheng sat at the stone table, her eyes and brows filled with coldness, ¡°If you want money, come directly to me. Don¡¯t do anything behind my back, everything can be discussed.¡± The servants swallowed hard. Princess Consort Cheng was carried out by the servants, who didn¡¯t dare to take her back to her courtyard, and directly threw her outside. Just as the young mistress had ordered¡­ The following day. Chuzheng had just gotten up when Lv Zhu hurried over, ¡°Miss, I just heard the news, the second miss has been beaten with a plank, almost half-dead.¡± ¡°Why?¡± The original owner had not been beaten. Could it be that Cheng Xiao had done something? Lv Zhu lowered her voice, ¡°It is said that the second miss and His Majesty¡­ at that moment, suddenly developed red spots on her body, which also spread to His Majesty.¡± Lv Zhu hesitated, ¡°Miss, the dress the second miss was wearing seems to be the one they sent over before, which you asked me to throw away. I returned it, and somehow the second miss ended up wearing it.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Thankfully, I didn¡¯t wear it. Lv Zhu continued, ¡°The second miss was beaten because the Imperial Physician found something wrong with that dress. His Majesty thought the second miss didn¡¯t want to serve him in bed and did it on purpose, that¡¯s why she was punished.¡± ¡°That dress was originally for you to wear. If you had worn it and something happened¡­¡± Even if she hadn¡¯t been selected, any issue that arose in the palace could potentially have cost her life. Lv Zhu shuddered at the thought, feeling a chill running through her limbs. Thankfully, the miss did not wear it. Princess Consort Cheng and the second miss were simply unreasonable. The miss did not compete or scramble for anything, so where had she offended them to be treated like this. ¨C When Princess Consort Cheng heard the news, it was noon. She didn¡¯t bother to pick a fight with Chuzheng and tried to find a way to enter the Imperial Palace to see Cheng Xiao. Although the Emperor had punished Cheng Xiao, he had not sent her away from the palace. Princess Consort Cheng knelt for half a day but couldn¡¯t bring her daughter back with her. Ye Yang had only entered the palace that night and hadn¡¯t gone there since. Having spent a night in the palace, Cheng Xiao was now the Emperor¡¯s woman. If Ye Yang still wanted a future, he wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to openly seek out Cheng Xiao. Not to mention, the Emperor had heard rumors outside that suggested something inappropriate between Ye Yang and Cheng Xiao. Even if it had happened before, as an emperor, could he not feel a bit disgusted? Sure enough, within a couple of days, Ye Yang received an Imperial Decree. On the surface, it was a promotion, but in reality, it was a demotion. There was really nothing Princess Consort Cheng could do, so she had to quiet down. By the time she thought of the matters at home, the entire Prince¡¯s Mansion had already come under Chuzheng¡¯s sway. ¡°You despicable girl, do you have no sense of propriety?¡± Princess Consort Cheng raged outside in the courtyard, flanked by a trusted confidante who had always followed her. ¡°Is the Prince¡¯s Mansion something a little wench like you can control?¡± ¡°You come out here!¡± ¡°How can you be so wicked? If it weren¡¯t for you, Xiaoxiao wouldn¡¯t have entered the palace! You wretched jinx, come out here! Do you think hiding will settle everything?¡± Her pitiable Xiaoxiao. The Imperial Palace is a place that devours people without spitting out the bones; they have no backing now, how can Xiaoxiao survive in there? The more Princess Consort Cheng worried about Cheng Xiao, the more she resented Chuzheng. But no matter how much she caused a commotion, she couldn¡¯t even catch a glimpse of Chuzheng. Even the people in the Prince¡¯s Mansion wouldn¡¯t listen to her commands. This made Princess Consort Cheng so angry that she felt like her heart was on fire. Chapter 183 - Chapter 183: Chapter 183 Prince Longevity (13) Chapter 183: Chapter 183 Prince Longevity (13) In March, the grass grows and the orioles fly, with everything coming back to life. Tender green willow branches droop over the water¡¯s surface, causing ripples to shimmer. All sorts of exquisite painted boats float on the water, reflecting charming images. The sky gradually darkens. One by one, the painted boats leave, until there¡¯s only one left on the lake. That boat, stationed by the pavilion in the center of the lake, also begins to depart after a while. Prince Rong leans over the edge of the boat, shouting toward the pavilion in the center of the lake, ¡°Sixth Royal Brother, sorry I forgot you. Why don¡¯t you swim back? I¡¯ll wait for you on the shore. Just don¡¯t make me wait too long.¡± Inside the central pavilion, Yan Gui is not the only person there¡ªthere is also a guard. Upon hearing Prince Rong¡¯s words, the guard promptly pushes Yan Gui towards the water. Yan Gui is no match for the guard. He staggers toward the edge of the pavilion. Splash¡ª ¡°Hahahaha¡­¡± Prince Rong lies on the gunwale, laughing loudly. The laughter spreads across the lake and seems eerie under the veil of night. ¡°I think Prince Rong is sick.¡± How long has it been since Prince Rong attacked the Emperor, and now he¡¯s out causing trouble again? It seems the Emperor really does love this brother of his! [I think so too.] [Not you, Miss, but the Good Person Card seems like he can¡¯t swim. Why are you still so cold-hearted and watching the show!] ¡°I can¡¯t swim either.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face is grave. So grave that even the King¡¯s Account believes her. But it believes bullshit! Chuzheng carefully unfolds the stationery on the table, her fair hand elegantly grasping a pen to write. [¡­] Not you, Miss, your Good Person Card is about to expire, and you¡¯re writing a letter! What are you writing?! Hurry up and save him! What a great opportunity! You can¡¯t let it slip by! Even a beast wouldn¡¯t let it go! Ignoring the clamor from the King¡¯s Account, Chuzheng finishes writing, folds the letter, and gestures for someone to deliver it to Juyuan Pavilion. ¨C ¡°Look over there!¡± ¡°What a beautiful painted boat!¡± The lake surface reflects a brilliantly lit painted boat, surrounded by light veils that float and fly as it moves, creating a scene straight out of a dream. Some of Prince Rong¡¯s servants on the boat start to whisper among themselves. Amidst their discussions, the brilliantly lit boat stops not far from the central pavilion. Kerplunk¡ª Someone goes into the water. Then someone is pulled out from the water, obviously being rescued. At this moment, there¡¯s only one person in the water. Whom they¡¯re saving goes without saying. Prince Rong looks over darkly and orders a guard, ¡°Head over there!¡± Someone dares to save that bastard! He wants to see who has the audacity! ¨C ¡°Cough cough¡­¡± The youth coughs out the water from his lungs, his wet clothes clinging to his body, bringing chills that burrow into his flesh, and he can¡¯t help but shiver. The warm yellow light of the painted boat illuminates the youth¡¯s pale yet stunning face. A shadow descends, and a thick, warm cloak wraps around him. The boy looks up slightly, his light brown pupils reflecting the brilliant lights and the girl with a cold expression. Did she save him? In the water, at that moment, he had harbored thoughts of death. But he knew that Prince Rong wouldn¡¯t truly let him die. He wanted to see him struggle¡­ Yet unexpectedly, upon being rescued, he saw not Prince Rong but someone else. Chuzheng helps him up. The faint scent of medicinal herbs from the youth¡¯s body drilled straight into Chuzheng¡¯s nose. Before she could steady herself, the entire painting boat made a muffled sound, and the vessel began to shake. In the direction of the deck, a plank bridging to the boat, Prince Rong came over with a menacing presence. ¡°I was wondering who it was, turns out it¡¯s Miss Cheng from the Prince Cheng Residence,¡± Prince Rong, though young, spoke arrogantly, ¡°Prince Cheng is dead, Miss Cheng isn¡¯t in the mansion mourning, but here to rescue someone? Could it be that Miss Cheng has taken a fancy to my Sixth Royal Brother?¡± The youth¡¯s cold hand gripped Chuzheng¡¯s wrist, softly reminding her, ¡°Hand me over to him and you should hurry away.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not dead yet, what am I mourning for.¡± Chuzheng gripped the youth¡¯s hand in return, her eyes and brows cool as she looked towards Prince Rong, showing not a hint of fear. The youth¡¯s long eyelashes drooped. The girl¡¯s hand was a size smaller than his, his hand could almost cover her entire palm. The burning heat from her palm pressed against his skin, bit by bit entering his body. After all, Prince Rong was young and took a while to react. ¡°Even if you died, I wouldn¡¯t mourn you,¡± Chuzheng added icily before he could speak again. ¡°Cheng Chuzheng!¡± Prince Rong flared up, ¡°What did you say, say that again!¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± You want me to say it, and I won¡¯t, just to piss you off! ¡°Because I am Prince Rong!¡± Chuzheng, supporting the youth, moved a few steps to the side and settled him on a soft chair, carefully pulling at the cloak to prevent the wind from penetrating. The moment Chuzheng turned around, the guards behind Prince Rong simultaneously fell overboard, splashing into the water. The wooden plank resting on the gunwale sank into the water, causing even Prince Rong¡¯s own boat to retreat some distance. Looking around, Prince Rong had yet to understand what had happened, how his own guards had disappeared. Chuzheng walked up to Prince Rong, her bare hand raised slightly, gently pressing down on Prince Rong¡¯s shoulder. The wind swept across the surface of the water, causing Prince Rong to shiver suddenly. The dark surroundings brought forth baseless fear and panic in his heart. A mere servant girl, what¡¯s there to be afraid of! Prince Rong gritted his teeth and glared at Chuzheng, ¡°What are you trying to do?! I¡¯ll have you know, the Prince Cheng Residence is now just an empty shell, if you dare do anything to me, I won¡¯t let you off!¡± Chuzheng¡¯s hand pressing on his shoulder exerted a slight force, and Prince Rong¡¯s body tilted. Before his anger could reach his eyes, his body uncontrollably flew up and plunged downwards. Splash¡ª Chill water rushed in from all sides. Prince Rong flailed his limbs but couldn¡¯t surface no matter what he did. Just as Prince Rong was choking on water, his body abruptly rose, the fresh air allowing him a moment to breathe. But before he could take a few breaths, he was pressed down again. This cycle repeated several times. Just when Prince Rong felt he was about to die, the force no longer pressed him down. With the light from the painting boat, he saw clearly the person pressing him down. Chuzheng was squatting on the wooden board, looking at him with an ice-cold expression. Their current position was between two painting boats, dark, cold, eerie¡­ The girl pressing him down, like a demon from hell, was frightening. Prince Rong felt fear in his heart, yet he blustered, ¡°I, I will have my Imperial Brother kill you! I¡¯ll have the Prince Cheng Residence raided and your Nine Clans implicated.¡± Chuzheng pressed him down again. She let him come up again when he was almost unable to breathe. ¡°Cheng Chuzheng, you wretched woman, you won¡¯t die a good death, I¡¯ll kill you! Blub blub blub¡­¡± ¡°I will kill you¡­ Blub blub blub¡­¡± ¡°I was wrong, I was wrong,¡± Prince Rong capitulated. Chuzheng let go, and Prince Rong sank toward the bottom, hastily grabbing a hold of the wooden plank. The girl slowly stood up, looking down at him from her higher position, her words ice-cold yet domineering, ¡°If you dare to bully him again, your Imperial Brother will have to mourn you.¡± The Good Person Card cannot be hurt. The Good Person Card must be protected well. Be a good person! Prince Rong gasped for breath, the resentment in his eyes hard to hide, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll tell my Imperial Brother?¡± ¡°Did I injure you?¡± Chuzheng asked. ¡°¡­¡± There in the water, he didn¡¯t have a single injury on his body. Chapter 184 - Chapter 184: Chapter 184 Prince Longevity (14) Chapter 184: Chapter 184 Prince Longevity (14) ¡°Imperial Brother once said that even though Prince Cheng¡¯s line has no heir, to truly harm the women of Prince Cheng Residence would provoke certain people to seize the opportunity to cause trouble.¡± ¡°Although the Emperor might be incompetent, he does not wish to drive people to revolt, bringing trouble upon himself.¡± Chuzheng produced a token. The token dangled before Prince Rong. Chuzheng said leisurely, ¡°Even if I killed you, I would be unharmed.¡± Prince Rong: ¡°¡­¡± Death Exemption Token! Prince Cheng actually gave her the Death Exemption Token. With a light leap, Chuzheng returned to the boat nimbly like a swallow. The plank where Prince Rong lay began to crack, unable to bear his weight, and Prince Rong fell into the water once again. Prince Rong could swim; it was the sudden fall into the water that caught him off guard. This time he managed to steady himself on the water¡¯s surface. He clenched his teeth and swam toward his boat. Once he got back¡­ he would surely make this woman pay! However, for some unknown reason, his boat also started moving toward the shore, as if to prevent him from catching up. ¡°Miss¡­ that is Prince Rong,¡± Lv Zhu said, her face pale with fear. The Miss had actually offended Prince Rong. Is there any way out of this? ¡°Hmm.¡± I know that¡¯s Prince Rong. ¡°Miss¡­¡± Chuzheng walked over to Yan Gui and helped him up, ¡°Prepare some hot water.¡± ¡°Miss!¡± Chuzheng led Yan Gui inside, while Lv Zhu looked at the departing boat, her heart filled with fear and worry. What to do now!! If Prince Rong tells the Emperor, the Miss will certainly be questioned for her crime. ¨C On the shore stood a Taoist with white eyebrows and an elegant demeanor. Prince Rong¡¯s boat reached the shore, and the people on the boat ran to the shore in a panic. ¡°There¡¯s a ghost!!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a ghost!!!¡± The Taoist quickly stepped forward to calm them down: ¡°Everyone, stay calm!¡± ¡°Taoist master, there¡¯s a ghost, a ghost!!¡± The Taoist signaled for everyone not to be afraid. He asked about the situation in a pretentious manner and saw the guards pulling Prince Rong back to shore, who had already fainted. With confidence, the Taoist stroked his beard. ¡°Do not be afraid, everyone, come here and listen to what I have to say¡­¡± ¨C Yan Gui, wrapped in a cloak, sat in the soft chair, his servants brought in the hot water and left hurriedly. He appeared obedient and gentle. He just lacked any vigor, as still as a person in a painting. Chuzheng did not linger in the room; as soon as the hot water was ready, she left the room. Chuzheng stood at the edge of the boat waiting. However, Yan Gui didn¡¯t come out for a long time. Does bathing take this long? Hmm¡­ Maybe Good Person Card wants to soak in the bath? Chuzheng continued to wait. As she was nearly falling asleep, Good Person Card still hadn¡¯t come out. Chuzheng walked to the door of the room, thought for a moment, and pushed the door open. The youth was immersed in the water, his head cocked to one side, his long eyelashes drooping, his pale skin tinted with a faint pink hue. ¡°Are you done washing?¡± There was no response from the person in the tub. Chuzheng approached; the water in the tub was no longer steaming, having long turned cold by this time. Chuzheng reached out and pushed the exposed shoulder of the youth. The youth didn¡¯t react at all. Dead¡­ dead? That¡¯s not right, touching him, he still felt warm. Not dead, not dead. Different method. Good Person Card wouldn¡¯t die so easily. Chuzheng looked calmly around the room. ¡°` Aside from his wet clothes, there were no dry ones in the room. She had no choice but to drag him out and carry him to the bed. Chuzheng covered him with a cotton quilt and tried to feel his forehead. It was a bit hot. Was he feverish? How could he be such a weak chicken¡­ Chuzheng, nursing a headache, grabbed her hair, wondering what to do. Weak chickens are such a hassle! The peak Overlord Zheng Ye secretly wanted to kill the youth. Before she could lay a finger on the young man, the King¡¯s Account began to grumble uncontrollably. Don¡¯t strangle, don¡¯t strangle, stop yelling. It¡¯s annoying. If someone didn¡¯t know better, they might think I¡¯m strangling your beloved. ¨C Yan Gui¡¯s head was heavy, his body limp and powerless, his head heavy and his feet light, his entire being felt rather ethereal. He took a moment to collect himself. His vision gradually focused, and he could see the scenery before him. Is this¡­ Wanfu Palace? ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯ve awakened.¡± Before Xiao Guizi could approach, Yan Gui already smelled the medicinal scent. Xiao Guizi saw his master sitting on the bed, and even the dilapidated surroundings couldn¡¯t hide the master¡¯s visage. The youth stretched out his fair hand to rub his forehead, trying to ease the pain, ¡°How did I get back?¡± ¡°Your Highness, didn¡¯t you come back on your own?¡± Xiao Guizi asked with surprise, ¡°Did Prince Rong bully you again?¡± On his own? Yan Gui knew that wasn¡¯t the case. He was on that painting boat. After bathing, he realized that no clothes had been prepared for him, so he had to stay in the tub, unaware of when he lost consciousness. How had he returned to Wanfu Palace? Yan Gui didn¡¯t ask Xiao Guizi any further, pushing down the question, as the image of that girl involuntarily flashed through his mind. ¡°Your Highness, are you confused due to illness? You¡¯ve had a high fever, and with your frail body having been chilled, this servant has been so worried,¡± Xiao Guizi said as he brought over the medicine. ¡°Please drink the medicine quickly.¡± Yan Gui felt extremely uncomfortable at the smell of the medicine, but knowing how difficult it was for Xiao Guizi to obtain it, he braced himself and drank it down. The bitterness spread through his throat and just wouldn¡¯t dissipate. Xiao Guizi handed him some clear water. ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡± Yan Gui drank in haste, choking until his face turned red. ¡°Your Highness, please drink slowly.¡± After attending to Yan Gui and helping him finish his medicine, Xiao Guizi suggested he rest a bit longer. With a heavy heart, Xiao Guizi left the grand hall and closed the dilapidated palace doors behind him. ¡°Xiao Guizi¡­¡± A head peeked through the palace gate, calling his name in a hushed tone. Xiao Guizi saw the person and his expression became slightly stiff. In the palace, the eunuchs and maids were accustomed to belittling and buttering up others. Normally, Eunuch Lu would not miss an opportunity to bully them and pilfer their belongings. Yet, even so, Xiao Guizi could not afford to offend him. Not knowing what was coming¡­ ¡°Eunuch Lu,¡± Xiao Guizi hurried over, his attitude extremely respectful and submissive, ¡°Eunuch Lu, what can I do for you?¡± Eunuch Lu peered inside, ¡°Has your prince woken up?¡± Xiao Guizi cautiously answered, ¡°Not yet, His Highness is weak and has caught a chill.¡± ¡°Ah, then you must be careful,¡± Eunuch Lu said with feigned concern. He gestured to two little eunuchs behind him, who brought in new cotton quilts and some food, ¡°Here are some new cotton quilts, change them for Prince Six. And here¡¯s some food as well.¡± Xiao Guizi¡¯s vigilance heightened. A man who usually seemed keen to skim everything from Wanfu Palace was now unexpectedly bringing so many items. Xiao Guizi tentatively asked, ¡°Eunuch Lu, it¡¯s about to get warm, why are you bringing things now?¡± Lu replied, ¡°Just take them, from now on, I will have meals sent to you three times a day. You take good care of Prince Six.¡± ¡°Eunuch Lu¡­¡± Eunuch Lu left as soon as he finished speaking, not giving Xiao Guizi a chance to ask further questions. With suspicion, Xiao Guizi carried the items into the palace to get Yan Gui¡¯s opinion. ¡°Did he say anything else?¡± ¡°No,¡± Xiao Guizi shook his head, ¡°Eunuch Lu seemed afraid I would ask, he left in a hurry.¡± Yan Gui held the cotton quilt. The satin surface was smooth and soft, and just holding it felt very warm. Chapter 185 - Chapter 185: Chapter 185 Prince Longevity (15) Chapter 185: Chapter 185 Prince Longevity (15) ¡°This isn¡¯t something from the palace¡­ *cough cough*¡­¡± Yan Gui said, coughing lightly into his fist, a faint blush spreading across his pale cheeks. ¡°Not from the palace?¡± Xiao Guizi tensed, ¡°Then it¡¯s no wonder. Eunuch Lu must have brought it in privately, but¡­ why?¡± He had returned to the Wanfu Palace for no apparent reason. The next morning, someone delivered these things¡­ Yan Gui had a suspicion at the bottom of his heart. ¡°Prince, could it be that someone wants to frame you? This blanket¡­ could it have some problem?¡± Yan Gui pondered for a moment, ¡°Just put it away for now.¡± Even though Xiao Guizi felt sorry for his master, he dared not use those items carelessly. This was the palace; one false step could lead to unredeemable doom. In the following days, Eunuch Lu kept sending things over. From food to daily necessities, everything was increasingly exquisite, some even finer than those in the palace. Xiao Guizi dared not use any of it, storing everything away. Aside from this odd incident, all was calm around Yan Gui, with no one causing trouble. But at Prince Rong¡¯s side, there was quite a commotion; he insisted that the eldest young lady from Prince Cheng Residence had tried to drown him in water to kill him. However, everyone who accompanied Prince Rong that day said that wasn¡¯t the case. They unanimously claimed that Prince Rong had slipped into the water, coming to this state upon regaining consciousness. There were also witnesses proving that the eldest young lady of Prince Cheng Residence hadn¡¯t even gone near the lake that day and had been at Juyuan Pavilion, seen by many. With Prince Rong having suddenly gone mad previously, and now this incident, the Emperor was infuriated. He locked him up to cool down. Prince Rong even had a quarrel with the Emperor for not believing him. ¨C Juyuan Pavilion. ¡°That little bully Prince Rong, nobody can handle him,¡± said the Little Taoist Priest happily upon hearing the outside news. ¡°You¡¯re quite something, huh? To trick a person to death and still make it so that he can¡¯t voice his suffering. Prince Rong must be so angry he wants to chop you into pieces now, hahaha¡­¡± Chuzheng remained indifferent, ¡°What does it have to do with me?¡± The Little Taoist Priest could no longer laugh. Chuzheng sipped her tea calmly, ¡°The person was conned by you, the silver note was provided by someone you found. How does this concern me?¡± The Little Taoist Priest: ¡°¡­¡± The Little Taoist Priest was utterly shocked. No! You¡¯re the mastermind, aren¡¯t you?! He was just being paid to do a job, right? How could it be unrelated to you now? Chuzheng set down her teacup, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± The Little Taoist Priest¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll go out and talk nonsense?¡± Chuzheng glared at him, ¡°Who would believe the words of a swindler?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Little Taoist Priest felt a chill, her gaze and her words not matching up. It was definitely a threat. With a forced chuckle, the Little Taoist Priest silently bit into a chicken leg. It was over. He was on a pirate ship now. Could he even get off? ¨C Three days later. Chuzheng received news from the palace that Yan Gui had become even more seriously ill. Chuzheng was filled with bewilderment and shock. After sending so many things in, how could his illness worsen? Was he that delicate? Xiao Guizi came out to change the water and jumped at the sight of the person who had scaled the wall, screaming, ¡°Who, who are you?!¡± Chuzheng nearly lost her balance at Xiao Guizi¡¯s scream. It scared me to death! I almost fell to the ground! Chuzheng held her arms, her face taut, ¡°Chuzheng.¡± Chuzheng? Which Chuzheng? Xiao Guizi looked from the palace wall to Chuzheng and back, swallowing hard, wary, ¡°What are you trying to do? Why did you scale the wall into Wanfu Palace? We don¡¯t have anything much here¡­¡± This girl didn¡¯t seem to be from the palace. She was also dressed finely¡­ Why would she scale the wall into Wanfu Palace? Did she scale the wrong wall? ¡°Yan Gui is sick?¡± ¡°¡­ How dare you call the Prince by his name!¡± Xiao Guizi seemed to remember something, ¡°Are you the eldest young lady from Prince Cheng Residence?¡± Chuzheng¡­ Cheng Chuzheng! The name is quite special, and he had seen this young lady from afar before; he should not be mistaken. Chuzheng nodded seriously. Yes, it¡¯s me. Make way! Xiao Guizi was even more puzzled, ¡°You¡­ what are you doing at Wanfu Palace?¡± Even climbing over the wall! Is this something a young lady of such status could do? If someone discovers her sneaking into the palace, it¡¯s all over! ¡°Yan Gui is ill.¡± Check if my Good Person Card is still intact!! What will I do if it¡¯s not! Xiao Guizi: ¡°???¡± What does the Prince¡¯s illness have to do with you? ¡°Can I go in?¡± I¡¯ve been standing for quite some time. Xiao Guizi hesitated under his feet, struggling internally before finally letting Chuzheng in. ¨C The youth lay on the bed with an abnormal flush across his entire face. Sweat-soaked wisps of hair clung to the youth¡¯s side face and neck. He was still covered with a thin, old cotton quilt. The youth lying on the bed was exceptionally obedient and subdued, like a helpless little animal, evoking pity from every aspect. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you using the quilt I sent over?¡± Was my gift in vain? Xiao Guizi was so shocked his jaw almost dropped: ¡°Those things¡­ you¡­ you sent them?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°¡­I was worried there might be a problem, so I didn¡¯t dare to let the Prince use them.¡± How could it be her who sent them? When did the Prince become so close with the young lady of Prince Cheng Residence? ¡°Take it out.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Xiao Guizi hurriedly took the quilt for the Prince out of the cupboard. Chuzheng removed the thin blanket from the youth and covered him with the new quilt. Chuzheng sat by the bed, reaching out to touch the youth¡¯s forehead. ¡°The Prince started to have a high fever last night.¡± Xiao Guizi said distressingly from behind, ¡°The Imperial Hospital has been delaying and not willing to come over.¡± Chuzheng handed him several silver notes: ¡°Go and ask them to come.¡± Xiao Guizi slightly smacked his lips, so many silver notes? He looked at the youth on the bed, gritted his teeth, took the silver notes, and went to ask for an Imperial Physician. With the appearance of silver notes, an Imperial Physician indeed came over. Chuzheng stood behind the curtain, waiting for the physician to treat him. ¡°The Prince has no serious problems. Weakness, combined with catching a cold and the resulting invasion of coldness caused the high fever. He will recover once the fever subsides.¡± Xiao Guizi breathed a sigh of relief. The Imperial Physician prescribed medicine and hurriedly left. After Xiao Guizi prepared the medicine and fed it to the youth, Chuzheng felt that there should be no problem and prepared to leave. Just as she rose to her feet, her wrist suddenly warmed. Chuzheng turned her head and saw a fair hand gripping her wrist. Following the hand, she looked up to see Yan Gui, who had opened his eyes at some point, his light brown pupils calm and profound. That calmness was like the vast universe, making it hard to find the edges and a sense of security. The boundless expanse was frightening. He quietly watched her. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What is he looking at her like that for? What¡¯s there to look at!! Still looking! Chuzheng asked with a cold face, ¡°What is it?¡± The youth said nothing. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark; I need to leave the palace.¡± Otherwise, Lv Zhu will go crazy. Yan Gui¡¯s fingers tightened slightly. Chuzheng thought for a moment, then sat back down: ¡°Don¡¯t want me to leave?¡± Yan Gui had not uttered a word, not even a syllable, from beginning to end. He lay there obediently, with every lock of hair screaming ¡®obedience.¡¯ Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng pried his hand open. Yan Gui immediately grabbed her clothes, his fingers turning pale with the force. Chuzheng took off her coat and quickly left the bed. Smart! She walked a few steps towards the door, then couldn¡¯t help but look back. Chapter 186 - Chapter 186: Chapter 186 Prince Longevity (16) Chapter 186: Chapter 186 Prince Longevity (16) ¡°` The boy was clutching a corner of her coat, the other half trailing on the ground, as his calm, light brown eyes stared upward. Like a doll abandoned by someone. Soulless and lifeless. Utterly silent. It was heartbreaking to see¡­ and yet frightening. Chuzheng composed herself and turned her head back, continuing to walk away. In her heart, she silently thought, ¡°Even if he¡¯s sick, I can¡¯t suffer in his place!¡± Staying here is pointless. Yes! Right, quickly leave! ¨C Chuzheng returned to the bedside with a storm in her eyes, and the boy immediately reached out to grab her. His eyes, unwavering, fixed on her. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving,¡± Chuzheng said fiercely. So annoying. At this moment, Chuzheng was very irritated. She was somewhat unable to pinpoint the exact reason for her irritation, making her even more irritable and seemingly more aggressive to others. The boy seemed to hear her and slightly loosened his grip. When Xiao Guizi came in, Yan Gui had already fallen asleep; laying on his side, his hand placed outside the quilt, was being held by Chuzheng. Xiao Guizi: ¡°¡­¡± Miss Cheng actually took advantage of his Prince! Should he protect the Prince¡¯s innocence?! ¡°Miss¡­ Miss Cheng,¡± Xiao Guizi cautiously moved over to Chuzheng, ¡°It¡¯s already dark, aren¡¯t you leaving the palace?¡± Chuzheng gestured to Xiao Guizi to look at their hands, ¡°Have your Prince let go of me.¡± She wanted to leave too! But she couldn¡¯t! What could she do about it! She was helpless and pitiful too!! Xiao Guizi: ¡°!!!¡± It¡¯s not that Miss Cheng was taking advantage of the Prince! ¡°Miss Cheng, I¡¯m sorry, the Prince¡­ The Prince might be delirious because of his sickness,¡± Xiao Guizi hurriedly apologized. When the Prince was sick, he was mostly very quiet, taking medicine when told and sleeping when asked to do so, never doing anything like this. Why was he now holding onto a lady¡¯s hand and not letting go? Xiao Guizi didn¡¯t dare wake up Yan Gui; seeing Chuzheng¡¯s cold and clearly impatient face, he went forward and tried to pry Yan Gui¡¯s hand open. He hadn¡¯t even pried a finger loose when Yan Gui opened his eyes. Xiao Guizi inhaled sharply, ¡°Prince, it¡¯s nighttime, Miss Cheng has to leave, please let her go first.¡± Yan Gui looked at him, and instead of letting go, he pulled even tighter, as if Xiao Guizi was some villain trying to steal from him. Xiao Guizi: ¡°¡­¡± The Prince was obedient when sick, but also stubborn to a fault that no one could persuade. ¡°Forget it,¡± said Chuzheng, ¡°Let him sleep.¡± Xiao Guizi was startled, then hesitantly said, ¡°Miss Cheng, it¡¯s not good for your reputation to stay here.¡± The Prince¡¯s innocence!! ¡°Who would know?¡± Chuzheng glared at him coldly. ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Xiao Guizi didn¡¯t sleep all night and stood guard outside the hall, fearing some accident might befall the Prince. After all, his Prince was really good-looking. What if Miss Cheng couldn¡¯t restrain herself and did something to the Prince? How did he agree to let Miss Cheng stay? Definitely not because Miss Cheng appeared very fierce. Definitely not! But the night passed without a sound coming from the hall; it was as silent as if no one was there. As daylight began to brighten, Xiao Guizi hurried to prepare the medicine and went in under the pretext of delivering it. Xiao Guizi looked towards the bed and suddenly stopped. The young girl was leaning against the bed, her long hair cascading down her shoulders, and the morning light intermingled with the shadows, casting a warm glow upon her beautiful profile. The cold arc of her profile seemed much softer. The boy lay in her arms, hands wrapped around her, sleeping soundly, with the quilt draped over his shoulders, revealing only his delicate face. The scene was indescribably harmonious, almost making one reluctant to disturb it. Xiao Guizi: ¡°¡­¡± He hesitated, about to leave, but Chuzheng was already awake. Her eyes, cold and clear, swept over as she reached out to pat the boy¡¯s face, ¡°Get up and take your medicine.¡± ¡°` Xiao Guizi: ¡°!!¡± How could one ever slap the Prince¡¯s face! The young man seemed to freeze for a moment, shrinking into Chuzheng¡¯s embrace, and it took quite a while before he slowly opened his eyes. Yet Chuzheng, with malicious intent, stuck out a finger and poked his face. It¡¯s quite soft too! Chuzheng, as if discovering a new continent, kept a straight face and poked several more times. Xiao Guizi: ¡°!!¡± Don¡¯t bully Prince when he is sick!! Miss Cheng, stop it! Men and women should not touch, ok! The young man, now fully awake from the poking but showing no signs of anger, simply lay in her arms, allowing Chuzheng to continue prodding him silently, like a delicate doll. ¡°Prince, the medicine has cooled down,¡± Xiao Guizi said, coming to the rescue of his lord. Yan Gui slightly lifted his head, and Chuzheng¡¯s finger landed on the boy¡¯s lips. The warm and soft lips felt like cotton, very plush. The young man¡¯s eyelashes trembled lightly. Chuzheng swiftly withdrew her finger, but the burning sensation at the tip could not be dissipated. Chuzheng felt the person in her embrace was somewhat hot to touch. Chuzheng steadied herself and calmly extended her hand: ¡°The medicine.¡± Xiao Guizi quickly handed over the medicine. Chuzheng adjusted her position, cradling the young man in her arms, and fed him the medicine directly. Spoon? Wishful thinking. Chuzheng went straight for feeding with the bowl. Yan Gui drank with a frown and ended up choking a little, setting off a round of coughing. ¡°Prince dislikes bitterness.¡± Xiao Guizi offered a cup of water: ¡°Please trouble Miss Cheng to feed the Prince some water.¡± ¡°Xiao Guizi, Xiao Guizi¡­¡± Someone outside was calling for Xiao Guizi, who hurriedly set down the water and scurried out. If someone burst in now, all would be lost! Only Chuzheng and Yan Gui remained in the room. Chuzheng looked at the young man¡¯s unchanged expression and serene eyes¡­ Was this really how he showed his distaste for bitterness? Chuzheng searched her clothes and pulled out a packet of candied fruit she brought from Juyuan Pavilion. She opened it and selected one piece to offer to the young man¡¯s mouth. The young man gave her a quiet look, his rosy lips parting slightly. Chuzheng pushed the candied fruit inside, and his tongue curled around her finger, even licking it like a small dog. Lick, why are you licking me!! Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng pressed down slightly with her fingertip, pinning his tongue. Yan Gui raised his eyes. His light brown pupils seemed innocent yet bewildered. His tongue against her fingertip, he gently suckled once. Chuzheng: ¡°!!!¡± Chuzheng was inwardly panicking. In an instant, she composed herself, tossed him onto the bed: ¡°Get well, I¡¯m leaving.¡± The young man lay on the quilt, his black hair scattered, surrounding his slender body. Chuzheng left without looking back. Yan Gui didn¡¯t move for a long time, but then he touched his lips and his tranquil eyes began to ripple. ¡°Cheng¡­ Chuzheng.¡± The young man¡¯s gentle voice echoed through the palace. Golden sunlight slanted through the broken windows, surrounding the young man like a serene and beautiful painting. ¨C When Chuzheng returned to her residence, she was startled by Lv Zhu¡¯s red, swollen eyes. ¡°Miss, where have you been?¡± Lv Zhu¡¯s voice was hoarse, her relief evident as she rushed over: ¡°You scared me to death, are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Lv Zhu¡¯s mind had raced with thoughts of her miss being kidnapped, attacked, or bullied¡­ all sorts of strange scenarios. She had nearly gone to the authorities. But she couldn¡¯t. If Miss had not returned home for an entire night, who knows what rumors would start, which would be harmful to Miss¡¯s reputation. Chuzheng assured she was fine, but Lv Zhu didn¡¯t quite believe her until she had thoroughly checked her over. ¡°Where did you go?¡± Lv Zhu held back her tears, her worry unabated. ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng looked at Lv Zhu with composed eyes: ¡°I got lost.¡± Lv Zhu was skeptical but dared not ask further, cautioning: ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t go out alone next time. What if something happened?¡± Chapter 187 - Chapter 187: Chapter 187 Prince Longevity (17) Chapter 187: Chapter 187 Prince Longevity (17) For the next few days, Chuzheng simply delivered items to the palace and never went in again. After all, entering the palace was such a hassle. She had to scale the walls. The walls were so high. Climbing them was so exhausting. She was still a child. Xiao Guizi seemed grateful for Chuzheng¡¯s help with Yan Gui, generously passing along news to her. With the Imperial Physician¡¯s care, Yan Gui¡¯s illness improved quickly, though his constitution had always been weak since childhood, and that was something that couldn¡¯t be helped. ¨C Imperial Palace, Imperial Study. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Cheng Xiao, dressed in her magnificent palace attire, entered the hall with the guidance of the Palace Maid, greeting and bowing with a particularly soft and charming tone. Since she couldn¡¯t leave, she could only figure out ways to make her life in the palace better. ¡°My consort,¡± the Emperor seemed to be in a good mood, beckoning Cheng Xiao to come closer. Cheng Xiao had once been punished with a beating, but after her injuries healed, she became one of the Emperor¡¯s most favored beauties. Now, she was even granted a title, and her popularity soared. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Cheng Xiao snuggled into the Emperor¡¯s embrace and complained, ¡°You promised to dine with your concubine today. How could you break your word?¡± ¡°Hahaha, I got busy with state affairs and forgot, I will make it up to my consort,¡± the Emperor laughed. ¡°That won¡¯t do, your concubine is upset,¡± Cheng Xiao pouted cutely, looking charming and adorable. ¡°Alright, alright. Then what does my consort want? Tell me, I¡¯ll give you anything you desire,¡± the Emperor said. Cheng Xiao hummed, ¡°Sister Rou recently received a peony. I¡¯ve heard that the peony is the ¡®king of flowers¡¯ with its elegance and beauty, and I too wish to witness the peony in full bloom, looking as splendid as brocade. Is that possible?¡± Upon hearing this, the Emperor was delighted, ¡°That¡¯s no trouble at all. If my consort likes it, all the peonies in the world will appear before you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor ordered that all peonies in the country be sent to the Imperial Capital. Since the Imperial Palace couldn¡¯t accommodate them all, they were placed outside for public viewing. The gorgeous peony flowers became a common sight everywhere. Through this, everyone also knew that Cheng Xiao was currently in favor. Just because she wished to see them, the Emperor decreed. The city was filled with peonies. Flowers blooming like brocade. No one could surpass her. ¨C [Main Task: Please purchase one hundred thousand crabapple trees within a month.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Am I buying crabapple trees to eat or what? One hundred thousand trees! Where do I put them all? [Sister, you can do it! You must turn wastefulness into an art form!] Buying trees counts as what kind of stupid art form? [Sister, cheer up, you can do it, go get them!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I can do a ball! I cannot! One hundred thousand crabapple trees, setting aside the sheer volume which I couldn¡¯t purchase in such a short time, even if they were available, it would take time to transport them here. Moreover, crabapple trees seem to be quite precious in this world, which makes them very expensive. Adding the transportation costs and all sorts of miscellaneous expenses¡­ This is indeed a very effective way to squander wealth! Bastard is still a bastard! Chuzheng asked the Shopkeepers of Juyuan Pavilion and Embroidered Brocade Pavilion to help her out. The Shopkeepers from both stores knew many people and quickly made contact with sellers. But once the crabapple trees were bought, there was nowhere to put them¡­ This nearly drove Chuzheng mad. Even if chopped down for firewood, there wouldn¡¯t be enough room in Prince Cheng Residence to store them! Eventually, Chuzheng had no choice but to have people plant them on the streets. The other trees planted along the streets were all moved to make way for the crabapple trees. The citizens of the Imperial Capital were quite perplexed. ¡°Are these all crabapple trees?¡± ¡°Such large crabapple trees must be worth a lot of money, right?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this for? Is something big going to happen?¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s done by that Miss from Prince Cheng Residence.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I heard¡­¡± ¡°How much money would that cost?¡± The news of Miss from Prince Cheng Residence planting crabapple trees throughout the Imperial Capital spread quickly throughout the city. Your Majesty¡¯s peonies seem to fade in comparison to the crabapple trees that fill the city. Even Cheng Xiao received the news. The Emperor sent her peonies. And her grace, she simply planted crabapple trees outside¡­ Cheng Xiao was so angry that she smashed porcelain all over the floor, with the palace maids and eunuchs kneeling, not daring to move. What she suspected even more was where Chuzheng got all that money from. Wasn¡¯t the money of Prince Cheng Residence under the control of her own mother? Cheng Xiao had not dared to contact the Princess Consort Cheng during this period. She feared arousing the Emperor¡¯s suspicion and plunging herself into an irreversible disaster once again. Cheng Xiao sent people out to send messages. But the news she received was that all was well. When asked about Chuzheng, the reply was that she need not worry about these things. Unable to leave the palace, Cheng Xiao found it odd, but there was nothing she could do. She could only work her hardest to please the Emperor and strive for a greater say in front of him sooner. ¨C At Prince Cheng Residence. ¡°Miss, now that the second young lady is in favor, the Princess Consort¡­¡± Lv Zhu worried. What she was most concerned about now was not the miss spending money on crabapple trees, but Cheng Xiao. ¡°What does it matter if she¡¯s favored.¡± Chuzheng sat by the window, propping up her chin, one hand holding a pen, slowly sketching something. ¡°Miss, if the second young lady seeks revenge with the sacred favor she now enjoys, what will you do?¡± Princess Consort Cheng is still confined in the courtyard. How will Cheng Xiao react when she knows that? Dipping her brush in ink, Chuzheng responded with a cold expression, ¡°Revenge, what¡¯s there to be afraid of? Can she chop off my head?¡± Lv Zhu fretted, ¡°Is that not possible?¡± Cheng Xiao was now a favored consort. How many emperors in history, out of a desire to please their consorts, have committed absurd acts? Let alone the current Emperor, who is a tyrant. Putting down her pen, Chuzheng pulled out the Death Exemption Token. Lv Zhu had never seen a Death Exemption Token, but she recognized the characters for ¡°death exemption.¡± ¡°The Prince¡­ The Prince gave you the Death Exemption Token?¡± exclaimed Lv Zhu in surprise. ¡°No,¡± said Chuzheng, ¡°I found it in the study.¡± Prince Cheng died of anger and died quick, never having the time to settle his affairs. If the original owner had possessed the Death Exemption Token, how could she have met such an end? ¡°¡­¡± Found it? Can one do that? How can you so calmly say you found it in the study?! Even if Chuzheng did not have the Death Exemption Token, she wasn¡¯t afraid. The loneliness of being invincible is something no one understands. [¡­Miss, you don¡¯t need to activate invincibility mode. Please squander seriously, behave seriously as a good person. We should be good¡­ no, be a good person!] ¡°Yes, I¡¯m serious.¡± Look at my solemn face; isn¡¯t it extremely serious? [¡­]I believe your evil. ¨C ¡°Miss, this was sent from the palace.¡± Lv Zhu placed a small box in front of Chuzheng. ¡°Hmm?¡± Who sent it? ¡°From Wanfu Palace¡­¡± Lv Zhu whispered. Ever since saving that prince on the lake that day, the miss has been sending things to the palace every now and then, but it seemed that the miss didn¡¯t have feelings for Prince Six¡­ Lv Zhu really couldn¡¯t understand her miss. The box was roughly the size of two adult male palms put together, round, with three layers. Chuzheng opened the box. Inside were delicate pastries. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Was she lacking these few pastries to eat? Chuzheng stuffed one into her mouth, with Lv Zhu reminding her to eat in small bites and not choke, to maintain the image of a proper lady. The pastry melted immediately upon entering her mouth. Sweet and soft. Delicious. Chuzheng quickly finished all the pastries in the box. Actually, there weren¡¯t many, after all the box was only so large. The second layer contained something resembling a cold cake, cold and refreshing to eat. The third layer held only a piece of paper. ¡ªThank you gift. Beautiful handwriting. The strokes were bold and assertive, revealing sharpness. It didn¡¯t quite match with that obedient and gentle youth. Chapter 188 - Chapter 188: Chapter 188 Prince Longevity (18) Chapter 188: Chapter 188 Prince Longevity (18) Chuzheng returned the note to the box with an expressionless face, ¡°Lv Zhu.¡± ¡°Miss?¡± ¡°Go to the Juyuan Pavilion to prepare some food, and also pick out a few garments from the Embroidered Brocade Pavilion to send to the palace.¡± ¡°Miss¡­¡± Lv Zhu hesitated, ¡°Do you like Prince Six?¡± Didn¡¯t the young lady used to like Young Master Ye? How come¡­ Well, the young lady has changed so much recently, she sometimes wonders if her mistress is possessed. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why are you so good to Prince Six?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s heart was filled with an ancient sorrow, yet her tone remained very serious, ¡°To be a good person, now go.¡± ¨C Yan Gui sent over food every day. Each time, he included a note, nothing strange, just simple greetings like those between friends. Chuzheng never replied. She just had Lv Zhu prepare other things and send them back to him. The Good Person Card requires reciprocation when you receive gifts! ¡ªDo you like the food I made? Chuzheng looked at today¡¯s note, her expression slightly stern. Did he make all this himself? Thus, the next day, two little eunuchs appeared silently in the Wanfu Palace, forbidden to let Yan Gui touch anything. ¡°Prince, don¡¯t you think Miss Cheng is being too bold?¡± She commands the people of the Imperial Palace. The young man carefully wiped the white porcelain bowl in his hand, and upon hearing this, he slightly raised his eyes, ¡°She is just wealthy.¡± The eunuchs in the palace are greedy for money, and he lives on the outskirts, where it¡¯s desolate and barren. Previously, Prince Rong used to come and trouble him, but lately, after being put under house arrest, no one comes here for ten days or half a month. As long as these people are all bribed well, even if Wanfu Palace were to change its appearance, it is likely no one would notice. ¡°How wealthy exactly is the Prince Cheng Residence?¡± ¡°When Father Emperor was alive, he granted Prince Cheng quite a few treasures,¡± the young man said, then lowered his head to continue wiping the white porcelain bowl. ¡°But¡­¡± Doesn¡¯t the Prince Cheng Residence have a Princess Consort? How can they allow Miss Cheng to do as she pleases? Xiao Guizi thought of the previous image of his prince being held and his expression grew more worried, ¡°What does Miss Cheng want to do?¡± The young man put down the cloth and placed the white porcelain bowl on the table. ¡°I want to know that too.¡± What she wants to do with me. Sending so many things here, yet not replying to a single word of his. ¡°This servant is worried about Miss Cheng¡¯s impure motives.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I don¡¯t have anything.¡± The young man spoke softly, his voice touching. ¡°¡­¡± You, sir!! If you didn¡¯t live in the palace, those who eye you would probably line up from the Imperial Palace to outside the city! Xiao Guizi sighed and reached for the white porcelain bowl. But the young man pressed down his hand, ¡°Leave it here.¡± Xiao Guizi looked at the bowl, not quite understanding his prince¡¯s actions. Ever since the last time he took his medicine, the prince told him to leave the bowl here. Is there something precious about it? ¨C In early April. Every year at this time, Your Majesty would go to Qi Mountain to pray for blessings. Chuzheng, the ¡®leftover¡¯ of the Prince Cheng Residence, should have been unnoticed by Your Majesty¡¯s discernment, yet for some reason, her name was still included. The palaces on Qi Mountain were sprawling and majestic. Various flowers blossomed, perfuming the air with fragrance, delighting the soul. The environment of the palaces was good, but actually, it was not as nice as the Imperial City. When Chuzheng alighted from her carriage, she happened to run into Yan Gui. Separated by two carriages, their gazes met across the open air. The sky darkened, the orange twilight of evening surrounded the young man, casting his figure into a hazy silhouette. Yan Gui¡¯s gaze was serene. Like a character living in someone else¡¯s painting. He was the first to lower his gaze, quietly following Xiao Guizi into the palaces. The palace attendants bustled about, moving the nobles¡¯ luggage inside. Chuzheng didn¡¯t bring many things, so Lv Zhu managed to move everything by herself. Once everyone settled down, the temporary palace gradually became quiet. Tired from the journey, the Emperor wasn¡¯t in the mood for anything else and ordered everyone to have a good rest. The prayer ceremony still required preparations, so this good rest meant two days. The Emperor had also brought Cheng Xiao. Chuzheng hadn¡¯t encountered her, but she heard quite a few rumors. It was no secret the Emperor favored her greatly nowadays. ¡°Miss Cheng, you have a disaster awaiting you today.¡± Suddenly, a slightly familiar voice resonated by Chuzheng¡¯s ear. She glanced sideways and saw the Little Eunuch looking at her with a sigh. The Little Eunuch had delicate features; it was none other than the Little Taoist Priest! How did he infiltrate this place!! Did he castrate himself? Just as Chuzheng was about to ask what disaster the fraudster meant, there were noises outside, and the Little Taoist Priest immediately lowered his head and eyes, carrying something as he left. A Palace Attendant came in. ¡°Miss Cheng, His Majesty requests your presence.¡± The damn Emperor wants to see me? Why does he want to see me? Is this the disaster the fraudster mentioned? To kill the Emperor? Chuzheng wasn¡¯t scared at all and even felt slightly eager as she followed the Palace Attendant. But what Chuzheng hadn¡¯t expected was that the person waiting for her wasn¡¯t the Emperor but Cheng Xiao. ¡°Sister.¡± Cheng Xiao sat gracefully at a low table, seemingly just out of bed, exuding a lazy and enchanting charm. Chuzheng surveyed her surroundings. Now that I¡¯m here, why not take out this damn thing! Can¡¯t be at a loss! A smile crossed Cheng Xiao¡¯s lovely face: ¡°Sister, take a seat.¡± ¡°Do you need something?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I seek out my sister if I don¡¯t have business?¡± Cheng Xiao propped her chin, blinking gently, coquettish and playful: ¡°Does my sister really not want to see me?¡± ¡°Good that you know.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cheng Xiao maintained her smile: ¡°It¡¯s been so long since we last met, sister, and you¡¯ve become increasingly impressive. Speaking of which, I should thank you. If not for you, where would I be today?¡± Cheng Xiao emphasized the words ¡®thank you¡¯ with particular force. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Chuzheng replied seriously. ¡°¡­¡± Cheng Xiao giggled lightly, picked up the scissors from the table, and walked towards Chuzheng. ¡°Sister, do you know why I despise you so much?¡± Cheng Xiao fiddled with the scissors in her hand. ¡°When we were little, you were clever and talented, the legitimate daughter of the Prince¡¯s Mansion; everything I did, I had to look up to you.¡± ¡°Father always took pride in you, no matter how hard I tried, even after my mother became the Princess Consort, his favorite daughter was still you.¡± Cheng Xiao tilted her head: ¡°Why, do you think?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was cold: ¡°You should ask Prince Cheng.¡± How would I know, I¡¯m not Prince Cheng. Cheng Xiao covered her mouth and giggled: ¡°Sister, mother said you are possessed, I think you truly are, not even calling father anymore¡­¡± Cheng Xiao suddenly raised the scissors in her hand and stabbed toward herself. Blood flowed from Cheng Xiao¡¯s arm and dripped onto the ground. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Is this the disaster that the Little Taoist Priest mentioned? Cheng Xiao looked as if she couldn¡¯t feel the pain, still wearing a smile: ¡°Sister, do you think you might die here today?¡± Cheng Xiao had been planning this from the moment she knew they would be going to Qi Mountain. In the palace, as long as Chuzheng didn¡¯t enter, she could not reach her. That¡¯s why this time she made sure she came along too. With how much His Majesty cares for her now, if she injured herself, even if it wouldn¡¯t cost Chuzheng her life, she could still vent her anger thoroughly. She wasn¡¯t afraid of pain. Compared to the hate and pain in her heart, what was this wound? If not for her, why would I have entered the palace, why would I have become what I am now, the one who should have entered the palace was her!! It was her, Cheng Chuzheng! It was she who ruined me! Ruined me and Ye Yang¡­ Chapter 189 - Chapter 189: Chapter 189: Prince Longevity (19) Chapter 189: Chapter 189: Prince Longevity (19) ¡°No.¡± Chuzheng covered Cheng Xiao¡¯s mouth lightning-fast and pushed her against a pillar behind them, her elbow pressing down on Cheng Xiao¡¯s chest, easily subduing her. Chuzheng stared into her eyes, leaning in slightly, ¡°You die¡­¡± [Sister, she¡¯s a main character, she can¡¯t die!!] King¡¯s Account roared. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± You can go to hell! If I can¡¯t get rid of this one or that one, who can I get rid of! [¡­] Get rid of, get rid of, get rid of, what else do you know besides getting rid of! Without a second thought, Chuzheng¡ªkill her! [¡­] Is it the same meaning if I change the word!? At this moment, Cheng Xiao¡¯s complexion had changed, clearly not expecting Chuzheng to cover her mouth so quickly. ¡°Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± Cheng Xiao struggled, making muffled sounds from her throat as hatred began to fill her beautiful eyes. Chuzheng raised her hand to strike Cheng Xiao¡¯s neck. Cheng Xiao¡¯s eyes rolled back, and her body went limp. Chuzheng let go of her, and Cheng Xiao hit the ground, her head striking against the table and breaking open. Wow¡­ That¡¯s brutal. Chuzheng watched without a hint of sympathy for a while, then turned and left the room. The Palace Attendant who had come to call for her earlier was waiting outside. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± And now there¡¯s a witness! Under the slightly fearful and tense gaze of the Palace Attendant, Chuzheng thought for a moment. She pulled out some silver notes. Palace Attendant: ¡°¡­¡± Cheng Xiao had tried to frame Chuzheng for wounding her; she obviously wouldn¡¯t want more people to know about it. Chuzheng threatened coldly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you rat me out, for falsely issuing Imperial Decrees is a capital offense¡­¡± But I¡¯m different! I have the Death Exemption Token! The Palace Attendant stuttered, ¡°You¡­ you have no proof.¡± ¡°If I want proof, I could have a hundred pieces of it.¡± Chuzheng shook the silver notes in her hand. ¡°Or you could choose otherwise, and I¡¯ll kill you, so no one will ever know¡­¡± The girl in front of her said this without any expression, and the Palace Attendant did not doubt for a second that she would dare to do it. Palace Attendant: ¡°¡­¡± The Palace Attendant clutched the silver notes tightly. Chuzheng slipped her hands into her sleeves and left at a leisurely pace. Watching Chuzheng¡¯s retreating figure, the silver notes in the Palace Attendant¡¯s hands felt scorching hot. Not long after Chuzheng left, the Palace Attendant started screaming, ¡°Assassin! There¡¯s an assassin! Catch the assassin!!¡± Chuzheng had just walked a short distance when she saw a young man leaning at the corner. The young man was dressed in black, and behind him blossomed clusters of bright flowers, setting him off as if a deity had descended to earth. Sunlight filtered through gaps in the tree canopy, casting a speckled pattern of light and shadow on the young man¡¯s black clothing. The young man¡¯s side profile was as pale as exquisite suet white jade, immersed in warm water, soft and moist. In the distance, the noise from capturing the assassin was getting chaotic. The noise stopped in front of the young man, his world silent and tranquil. ¡°Did you kill someone?¡± the young man¡¯s gentle voice asked. ¡°No.¡± What nonsense! She¡¯s not even dead! The young man¡¯s gaze fell on Chuzheng¡¯s sleeve and chest. Chuzheng glanced at it, probably from when she had fought with Cheng Xiao and blood had smeared on her clothes. It looked quite ghastly at the moment. ¡°She¡¯s not dead,¡± Chuzheng stated calmly. Yan Gui¡¯s light brown eyes looked behind, as the noise of capturing the assassin grew closer and closer, heading their way. ¡°Catch the assassin!¡± ¡°Over there!¡± ¡°You go that way! Don¡¯t let the assassin escape!¡± These people sure run fast! Chuzheng took a few quick steps towards the young man, pulled him, and whisked them both into a dark corner to hide. The young man was pressed against the wall by Chuzheng. His back was against the cold stone. His chest was full of the warmth of her softness. The clanging of armor and the disordered footsteps of the Imperial Forest Army grew closer. Chuzheng¡¯s attention was on the outside. Yet the youth stared at her without blinking. Chuzheng glanced back slightly, meeting the youth¡¯s tranquil pupils that gleamed with a dark sparkle, adding a touch of melancholy to his demeanor. His eyelashes fluttered lightly, and the light in his eyes shifted, turning the corners of his mouth down in a docile smile. He parted his lips but made no sound. Chuzheng pondered the shape of his mouth¡ªprobably saying ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± So, should I thank you for that? As the footsteps outside receded, Chuzheng released the youth, creating some distance between them. The youth leaned quietly against the wall and asked her, ¡°What did you do?¡± Facing the bloodstains on Chuzheng¡¯s body, he didn¡¯t show much reaction. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± replied Chuzheng. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I live over there,¡± said the youth obediently, pointing to a nearby hall. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Alright then. Even if he¡¯s a Prince without favor, he¡¯s still a Prince. ¡°Don¡¯t wander around for no reason.¡± Being framed and bullied and still having me rescue you, you weakling! Chuzheng held her blood-stained clothes, desperately wanting to change them¡ªwanting, wanting, wanting to change right now! She looked around, preparing to leave. Her dress hem suddenly grew heavier as slender fingers, like jade bamboo, tugged at her sleeve, pulling it down slightly to reveal the youth¡¯s fair wrist. Yan Gui whispered, ¡°You¡¯ll be seen like this.¡± Chuzheng replied with frank directness, ¡°I won¡¯t; I¡¯m good at this.¡± Chuzheng pulled her dress hem back and hurried to change clothes! [Miss, is it really okay to leave the Good Person Card here alone?] What¡¯s not okay about it? He was originally here, after all. [¡­] Amidst the chanting from the King¡¯s Account, Chuzheng took a few steps away, then turned back: ¡°I¡¯ll escort you home.¡± Today I must keep trying to be a good person! The youth¡¯s delicate features relaxed slightly, giving him a more dimensional appearance. ¡°Okay.¡± He held on to Chuzheng¡¯s sleeve, taking the initiative to choose a path: ¡°This way, no one will come.¡± ¨C ¡°This is the ¡®no one will come¡¯ you mentioned?¡± Chuzheng, with an indifferent expression, was holding Yan Gui and sitting on a large tree, the lush canopy concealing their figures. Below were busy palace attendants passing by, along with the Imperial Forest Army who rushed over afterwards in search of assassins. Are these people pigs? ¡°Sorry, there weren¡¯t any when I came¡­¡± the youth said softly, apologizing. ¡°Never mind.¡± The Good Person Card can¡¯t be undone, so continuing the discussion is pointless. Chuzheng asked him to hold the tree trunk. Chuzheng took off her blood-stained coat and hung it on a nearby branch. After disrobing, Chuzheng seemed to have no intention of holding Yan Gui again. The obedient youth kept hugging the tree trunk, sneakily glancing at her: ¡°I¡­ may I¡­¡± ¡°May you what?¡± Yan Gui fell silent again, just quietly looking at her. Why are you looking at me! Say what you want! For the Good Person Card, even the stars and The Moon in the sky must be plucked! I¡¯ve never been so nice to anyone in my life, I could cry from being so moved by myself! Yet Yan Gui remained silent. The youth clung to the tree, and though there was no particular expression on his face, he inexplicably looked a bit wronged. ¡°¡­¡± After pondering for a while, Chuzheng took his hand and drew him close. Yan Gui leaned against Chuzheng¡¯s shoulder, his light breath hitting her neck, tickling like a feather. Chuzheng held back for a moment, then said, ¡°Can you not breathe?¡± ¡°¡­I would die.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯ll endure it. After all, he is the Good Person Card! Yan Gui probably wanted to stay a bit away from Chuzheng, but he miscalculated the degree of his movement. The cool touch of lips suddenly landed on Chuzheng¡¯s neck. Chuzheng looked down, and the instigator was just lifting his head. In those serene eyes, there was nothing but innocence and bewilderment. Chapter 190 - Chapter 190: Chapter 190: Prince Longevity (20) Chapter 190: Chapter 190: Prince Longevity (20) Yan Gui¡¯s clever face revealed a hint of panic as he whispered softly, ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± The lush branches enfolded him, the youth¡¯s eyes slightly raised, the beautiful curve of his neck and collarbone clearly visible. The interplay of light and shadow falling from the canopy was just right, adding a surreal dreaminess to the silence. He met Chuzheng¡¯s cold and indifferent gaze and was momentarily stunned. The next second, the young man suddenly moved closer, pressing his lips to the corner of Chuzheng¡¯s mouth. A breeze blew by, rustling through the treetops, the shifting light and shadows dancing between the two of them. The youth just pressed against her for a few seconds before quickly letting go. He leaned back, brushing against the leaves, making a faint noise. Luckily there was a breeze, so no one noticed the sound from above. ¡°I¡­¡± Yan Gui¡¯s pale face flushed with streaks of red, even his ear tips were red. Before he could finish talking, Chuzheng pulled him back, holding his waist and kissing him back. Yan Gui¡¯s eyes widened in shock. When Yan Gui came back to his senses, he was standing on the ground with Chuzheng holding his hand, heading towards his palace. The girl¡¯s expression was calm as if the kiss she had given him had just been an illusion. But Yan Gui knew it wasn¡¯t an illusion. ¡°Go inside.¡± Without saying a word, Yan Gui withdrew his hand and quickly entered the sleeping chamber. Only when he was certain Chuzheng couldn¡¯t see him did the boy¡¯s usually cautious and well-behaved expression slightly withdraw, showing a faint smile as he gently rubbed his fingertip over his lips. ¡°Your Highness, where have you been?¡± Xiao Guizi appeared out of nowhere. Yan Gui¡¯s mouth returned to its usual curve, slowly saying, ¡°I went out for some air, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°There¡¯s an assassin in the temporary palace.¡± Xiao Guizi looked at Yan Gui very nervously, fearing that his prince might have been hurt somewhere, ¡°You didn¡¯t encounter them, did you?¡± Yan Gui shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s good, Your Highness. Please don¡¯t go out again; the temporary palace is under martial law everywhere now.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¨C There was an assassin in the temporary palace who had injured the Emperor¡¯s new favorite concubine, causing the entire place to be under martial law, with each palace undergoing inspection. When Chuzheng returned to her palace, the Imperial Forest Army was just conducting their search there. Of course, they found nothing in the end, but the atmosphere in the palace was tense. Cheng Xiao remained unconscious, and although the injury wasn¡¯t serious, it was still a matter of the Emperor¡¯s face. The Emperor was furious and ordered that the assassin be captured at all costs. Cheng Xiao regained consciousness in the evening. She accused Chuzheng of the attack. Chuzheng was summoned for questioning. Cheng Xiao lay pale in bed, her forehead and arms wrapped in bandages, tears brimming in the corners of her eyes, looking pitiful and deserving of sympathy. ¡°Cheng Chuzheng, the beloved concubine says it was you who injured her, is that true?¡± asked the Emperor gravely, sitting beside Cheng Xiao with a stern expression. Chuzheng was extremely calm, ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Sister, you said you had something to tell me, and I agreed to see you. I didn¡¯t expect you to treat me like this¡­¡± Cheng Xiao accused tearfully. She looked pitiful indeed. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you today,¡± Chuzheng said, her words ringing with honesty. If Cheng Xiao were not the one involved, she might have believed it herself. The Emperor narrowed his eyes as he appraised Chuzheng. He had never examined Prince Cheng Residence¡¯s Miss Cheng closely before. Now that he did, she appeared even more dignified than Cheng Xiao. This made the Emperor think of Prince Cheng, the man who always opposed him. ¡°Your Majesty, the person who injured me used scissors. If it were an assassin, why use scissors? Please see the truth!¡± Cheng Xiao struggled to kneel on the bed, imploring the Emperor for justice. The Emperor hurriedly had her lie back down and softly consoled her with a few words. ¡°Cheng Chuzheng, do you have anything to explain?¡± ¡°What weapon the assassin used, that¡¯s something for the assassin to answer. I am not one, so I don¡¯t know.¡± Cheng Xiao¡¯s eyes were red with accusing fervor, ¡°Your Majesty, I have a witness, the eunuch from my palace can testify.¡± The Emperor spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Bring him!¡± The eunuch approached with his head down, terrified, and instantly knelt on the ground, ¡°Your¡­ Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor asked, ¡°Is Cheng Chuzheng the assassin?¡± The eunuch trembled as he replied, ¡°No¡­ not her, the assassin was masked, a man¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± Cheng Xiao interrupted the eunuch excitedly, ¡°It was clearly her, why are you lying? Your Majesty, he is lying!!¡± She was one of hers. How could he say such a thing!? ¡°Your Majesty, this servant dares not, what this servant says is all true¡­¡± The eunuch prostrated on the ground, kowtowing incessantly. Cheng Xiao, furious, threw a pillow from the bed. ¡°Why would you lie, have you been bribed by her!¡± ¡°This servant has not, this servant dares not¡­¡± Chuzheng insisted that she had never seen Cheng Xiao. Since Cheng Xiao had no evidence, she was merely slandering her, and she would not admit it. The Emperor frowned, pondering something. ¡°Assassin! There¡¯s an assassin!!!¡± Suddenly, there was a loud shout from outside. Followed by chaos, the sound of fighting approached from afar. The Emperor stood and walked to the palace gates, watching the battle outside under the protection of the Imperial Forest Army. The assassin was highly skilled in martial arts and was not at all disadvantaged despite being surrounded by the Imperial Forest Army, eventually escaping. ¡°Pursue!¡± the Emperor ordered with a somber face, ¡°I want him alive, and if not, I want his body.¡± ¡°Take Miss Cheng back,¡± the Emperor then commanded, turning his head. Cheng Xiao was completely stunned. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°My beloved, you must recover well from your injuries.¡± The Emperor left without looking back, following the Imperial Forest Army. Cheng Xiao¡¯s chest heaved with great intensity, unwillingly calling out to His Majesty. Chuzheng brushed her sleeve, calm and composed as she followed the eunuch out. ¡°Cheng Chuzheng!¡± Cheng Xiao smashed everything within reach, her delicate face twisted with hatred. How could it be¡­ That eunuch! By the time Cheng Xiao thought of the eunuch, he was already nowhere to be seen. In the entire hall, only she was left alone. ¨C Night falls. The entire travel palace was still under martial law. A slender figure of a youth sat by the window, resting his chin on his hand as he gazed into the darkness outside the palace. There was a faint sound of something cutting through the air behind him. ¡°Master.¡± The man in black, his face covered, knelt on the ground, head bowed to receive orders. The youth lowered the hand he had been resting on his cheek, his light brown eyes turning around, reflecting the candlelight inside the hall, tinting the pupils with a faint warm glow. His hair, not tied up, cascaded behind him, lifted slightly by the breeze. The front of his clothing was discreetly open, giving a glimpse of a beautiful collarbone, leading to the curve beneath his garment, sparking the imagination. ¡°You weren¡¯t discovered, were you?¡± The youth¡¯s soft voice reverberated through the hall. The night breeze wafted through the window, causing the candlelight to flicker and the youth¡¯s shadow to sway with it, drifting like rootless duckweed in a storm. The atmosphere inside the hall was oppressively heavy. ¡°Master, rest assured, I did not engage with them,¡± the man in black answered respectfully. After a pause, the man in black added, ¡°I am somewhat confused.¡± The youth seemed to know what he was going to ask, the corners of his lips lifting slightly in a curve so faint that nobody could see. He raised his index finger, placing it upon his rosy lips. The man in black knew he had overstepped; it was not his place to question. His duty was to follow the master¡¯s orders. ¡°You may leave.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man in black retreated respectfully. The youth¡¯s pale fingertips glided from his lips, looking towards the flickering candle flame. The night wind suddenly intensified, the candlelight abruptly extinguished, plunging the room into darkness. Chapter 191 - Chapter 191: Chapter 191: Prince Longevity (21) Chapter 191: Chapter 191: Prince Longevity (21) The assassin definitely hadn¡¯t been caught, but after such a big incident, the temporary palace was filled with the Imperial Guard Army patrolling everywhere. The Emperor was on the edge of an outburst all day long. If not for the upcoming prayer ceremony and the Ministers advising against bloodshed, it was likely that a bunch of people would have already died in the temporary palace. Cheng Xiao, however, was quietly healing her wounds and not causing any more trouble. Chuzheng was a bit curious about where the assassin had come from. Of course, she could only be curious in her heart and couldn¡¯t go gossiping. The Bastard was not so courteous, throwing a series of tasks that wasted the family fortune down on Chuzheng. So outside the temporary palace, one could see all kinds of rare treasures being delivered daily, which, after layers of inspection, were brought into the temporary residence. Chuzheng turned the austere life of the temporary palace into one of luxury and corruption. This made everyone extremely dissatisfied. However, the Emperor recently had a headache over the assassin matter and didn¡¯t have the time to deal with these issues, so Chuzheng¡¯s actions were unstoppable. It was her own money she was spending. What could they say? But, of course, there must have been private discussions. ¡°That person from the Prince Cheng Residence is really too absurd, right?¡± ¡°The Prince Cheng Residence is being wasted by her, why doesn¡¯t Princess Consort Cheng do anything? Princess Consort Cheng isn¡¯t her biological mother, but how can she let her do whatever she wants like this?¡± Someone wondered. ¡°The Emperor is here, yet she dares to be so presumptuous, if she angers His Majesty, she¡¯s done for,¡± someone else revelled in the misfortune. ¡°You can¡¯t say that. Isn¡¯t there still one person from the Prince Cheng Residence by His Majesty¡¯s side right now?¡± ¡°Heh, these days His Majesty is furious, and it is said that that person is sick, yet the Emperor hasn¡¯t even visited.¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? How come they fall ill as soon as they reach the temporary palace?¡± ¡°With the prayer ceremony approaching, if that person doesn¡¯t recover, that¡¯s an ominous sign¡­¡± The Emperor had ordered that Cheng Xiao¡¯s stabbing incident was not to be divulged. Therefore, it was only said to the outside world that Cheng Xiao was sick. ¨C ¡°Sixth Royal Brother.¡± Chuzheng had just heard the gossip when, not long after she turned to leave, she heard a slightly unpleasant voice going through puberty. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a lot of good things for you, look, these are what I had people catch, way more fun than what¡¯s in the palace,¡± the voice said. Chuzheng pushed aside the bamboo branches and looked towards the source of the voice. The youth in dark clothes and Prince Rong were standing on a bridge over a lotus pond, with Prince Rong holding his head high, his image of a spoiled royal seemingly flawless in its display. Prince Rong hadn¡¯t accompanied the main group, only arriving at the temporary palace yesterday. He had settled in and immediately started looking for trouble with Yan Gui. Chuzheng couldn¡¯t decide whether to say his love for Yan Gui was deep or if he was just out of his mind. Chuzheng watched as Prince Rong instructed a servant to bring over a wooden basin. Chuzheng couldn¡¯t see what was inside, but from Prince Rong¡¯s expression, it was certainly not something pleasant, though it wouldn¡¯t be deadly either. ¡°Sixth Imperial Brother,¡± Prince Rong said, patting Yan Gui on the shoulder and wearing a malicious smile. The two over there said something Chuzheng couldn¡¯t hear, and the youth was pushed backwards by Prince Rong until he was at the edge of the bridge. His body tilted slightly backward, then he fell into the water. Chuzheng: ¡°!!!!¡± This was surely the incident where Prince Rong pushed the Good Person Card into the water, nearly costing him half his life, wasn¡¯t it? Scared to death. I didn¡¯t see it, I didn¡¯t see it, I didn¡¯t see it. Quickly leave. Chuzheng turned to walk away. [Sister!!!] The King¡¯s Account roared in her mind. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Oh right! The Good Person Card can¡¯t die. Can¡¯t leave¡­ So annoying! Over there, Yan Gui struggled a few times in the water before slowly sinking down. Chuzheng hurriedly rushed over. Prince Rong had yet to see who it was, and his body was sent flying into the water. ¡°Prince Rong!¡± ¡°Prince Rong!!¡± Splash, splash¡ª A series of splashes sounded all at once. Prince Rong had stabilized himself, ready to surface, but suddenly felt a chill around his ankle, and his body sank deeper into the water. Under the water, Chuzheng caught Yan Gui and brought him up to shore from the other side. Chuzheng pulled him in further, then checked his nose and pulse. He seemed¡­ out of breath? Done for, done for. The Good Person Card is dead!! What should we do? Bury him? [Sister, save him!] King¡¯s Account went crazy, What do you mean bury! He can still be rescued! Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± How to save him? [¡­] Is Sister unwilling to save him, or does she not know how? King¡¯s Account leaned more towards the former, so he quickly educated Chuzheng on drowning emergency rescue knowledge. [Save him quickly! Otherwise, rewind!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Rewind rewind rewind¡­ Chuzheng calmly pressed on Yan Gui¡¯s chest, performing compressions, pinched his nose, and hesitated for a few seconds before leaning down to kiss him. After repeating several times. Yan Gui finally showed a reaction. ¡°Cough cough¡­¡± Yan Gui coughed, expelling the water, but before he could spit it out, Chuzheng covered his mouth again. Yan Gui¡¯s eyes slightly widened, that mouthful of water choked back in, his face immediately became even paler. He had just come back to life and nearly choked to death again. Fortunately, Chuzheng let go in time, allowing him to spit out that mouthful of water. ¡°Cough¡­¡± Yan Gui tried to cough, but was immediately covered by Chuzheng. ¡°¡­¡± Was she trying to kill him? Over by the pool, Prince Rong was also pulled out, and while he seemed to have drowned, in the chaos, nobody noticed the missing Yan Gui. It wasn¡¯t until that group took Prince Rong away that Chuzheng let go of him. ¡°Cough cough¡­¡± Yan Gui couldn¡¯t help coughing. Chuzheng gently patted his back. ¡°You need to learn how to swim.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The pale-faced boy gazed weakly at Chuzheng, after a moment, his wet lashes drooping as he leaned on her shoulder, breathing out more than in. ¡°You must not die.¡± If you die, I¡¯ll be in trouble!! Yan Gui felt something strange in his heart. He asked softly, ¡°Are you afraid of me dying?¡± Chuzheng with a serious face: ¡°You cannot die.¡± Yan Gui: ¡°Why?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°You have not yet realized that I am a good person.¡± Yan Gui: ¡°???¡± Good person? ¡°You¡­ you treated me that way before just to make me think you¡¯re a good person?¡± Yan Gui¡¯s voice was naturally gentle, and now after being soaked, it sounded even softer. But it was not in the delicate way of a girl, it was indescribably nice; it softened the very heart. ¡°Mhm.¡± Chuzheng nodded. In that instant, Yan Gui felt a chill in his hands and feet, as if something was sinking to the bottom of his heart. ¡°I see.¡± Yan Gui hung his head and stopped speaking. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± So am I a good person or not! ¨C Chuzheng took Yan Gui back to his sleeping quarters, and throughout, Yan Gui did not utter a word, nor did he even lift his eyes. Xiao Guizi saw Chuzheng carrying his master back, almost kneeling on the ground in fright. He nervously peeked outside and quickly closed the door: ¡°Your Highness, what happened?¡± Why would he return with Miss Cheng? Wasn¡¯t it¡­ How could he have been brought back by Miss Cheng! Chuzheng placed him on the bed, her tone cold: ¡°He fell into the water.¡± ¡°Fell¡­¡± Xiao Guizi saw that Yan Gui was drenched and hurriedly fetched dry clothes: ¡°How could he have fallen into the water just like that¡­¡± As he spoke, Xiao Guizi paused. Prince Rong had sent someone to call for the prince, it definitely must have been Prince Rong¡¯s doing! Xiao Guizi holding clean clothes, turned to Chuzheng and said, ¡°Miss Cheng, I will change His Highness¡¯s clothes, could you¡­ step out for a moment?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng turned and left the chamber. She stood outside for a while until Xiao Guizi called her back in, then hurriedly went to the kitchen next door to make ginger soup. The boy, delicate and pale, had already changed into clean clothes, his wet hair clinging to his body, his face pale, and his entire being exuded vulnerability. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Why is there such a weak Good Person Card. [He won¡¯t be weak if he turns dark.] Then let him turn dark. [¡­] Forget I said anything. Chapter 192 - Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Prince Longevity (22) Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Prince Longevity (22) ¡°` ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡± The youth was coughing, pressing his lips, his entire body trembling slightly. The youth coughed for quite a while, his already pallid face turning even more ghastly white. Chuzheng stepped forward, wanting to help him steady his breathing, but the youth shifted inward, avoiding her hand. Yan Gui hung his head low, revealing only his smooth jawline and profile. His ear tips, whether from the coughing or the cold, were tinged with a faint blush. Chuzheng glanced at her own palm. What is he avoiding? It¡¯s clean! Chuzheng yanked him back forcefully. She stood while Yan Gui sat. When she pulled him back, Yan Gui ended up leaning against her abdomen. Chuzheng said sternly, ¡°What are you avoiding?¡± The fragrance from the girl¡¯s body was refreshing and penetrating to the heart. Yan Gui¡¯s ear tips reddened even more. A warm palm brushed across his back. His body stiffened slightly. A tickle in his throat was unbearable, and Yan Gui, covering his mouth, couldn¡¯t stop coughing. ¡°Cough cough¡­ Miss Cheng, please let me go,¡± Yan Gui said softly, catching his breath. ¡°Feeling better?¡± Yan Gui stiffened again, and, with an expressionless face, nodded. Chuzheng let him go. Yan Gui immediately moved further inside, pulling the quilt over himself. Just then, Xiao Guizi brought in the ginger soup. Yan Gui held the bowl, slowly sipping the ginger soup with a white porcelain spoon. Wisps of steam made the youth¡¯s rosy lips even more vivid¡­ ¡°Would Miss Cheng like some too?¡± Xiao Guizi had prepared two bowls. ¡°Mm.¡± This time, Chuzheng didn¡¯t refuse. She was feeling a bit thirsty, especially watching Yan Gui drink the ginger soup. After finishing the ginger soup, Yan Gui, with his head lowered, politely said, ¡°Thank you, Miss Cheng. I would like to rest now and will visit another day to express my gratitude.¡± That was a clear dismissal. Chuzheng could tell. After saving his life, that¡¯s how he treated her. Such an ungrateful little thing! Chuzheng watched him silently for a while, then turned and left. The young girl walked briskly, leaving the room with a strong surge of emotion. Xiao Guizi was left looking at his master, puzzled. Why did the atmosphere feel so weird? ¡°Xiao Guizi.¡± ¡°Prince?¡± ¡°Get a cloak for Miss Cheng.¡± Xiao Guizi had been focused on Yan Gui just now. Only then did he remember that Miss Cheng also seemed to be wet. Xiao Guizi immediately responded, ¡°Yes.¡± ¨C Prince Rong nearly drowned and was barely rescued. The Imperial Physicians did not dare to be negligent and kept guard outside the chamber, fearing anything might happen to Prince Rong. ¡°How could he drown all of a sudden?¡± one Imperial Physician wondered. ¡°The water wasn¡¯t deep, and Prince Rong can swim. Even if he accidentally fell in, he shouldn¡¯t have drowned,¡± another Imperial Physician agreed. ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± The Imperial Physicians all found it strange, but couldn¡¯t pinpoint the oddness. They could only wait for Prince Rong to wake up. Inside the chamber, Chuzheng, carrying a wooden basin, climbed in through the window. The basin was filled with a dark mass that at first glance appeared to be ink; a closer look revealed all its contents writhing alive. The squirming leeches were enough to make one¡¯s skin crawl. This wooden basin was the same one Prince Rong¡¯s attendant had been carrying. Chuzheng had found it outside the chamber. Expressionless, she walked to the side of Prince Rong¡¯s bed with the basin. In one swift motion, she flipped back Prince Rong¡¯s quilt and poured the basin full of leeches all over him. Dare to mess with my Good Person Card! I¡¯ll kill you, you cur! After dumping the leeches, Chuzheng climbed out the window and left. It was said that later in the night when the Imperial Physicians came to check, they discovered the bed full of leeches beside Prince Rong. A group of Imperial Physicians spent half the night catching leeches. ¨C ¡°What are you doing!¡± ¡°` Xiao Guizi¡¯s panicked voice arose. Bang¡ª The doors to the hall were kicked open as the Imperial Forest Army burst into the room, heading straight for Yan Gui. Yan Gui had just awoken, his sleepy eyes staring at those who had barged in. The Imperial Forest Army, without a hint of respect, asked with a stern face, ¡°Prince Six, where were you last night?¡± ¡°In my room,¡± answered Yan Gui, no different from usual. The Imperial Forest Army scanned the room, ¡°Is there anyone who can confirm this?¡± Xiao Guizi didn¡¯t know what the trouble was but had a hunch it was serious. He quickly said, ¡°The Prince fell into the water and was feeble. Last night, this servant repeatedly went to summon the Imperial Physician, and many can attest to this.¡± The Imperial Forest Army sent someone to verify the claim. Indeed, as Xiao Guizi had said, Yan Gui was unwell, and that was common knowledge. The Imperial Forest Army arrived with a threatening presence, and they left in the same manner. Yan Gui instructed Xiao Guizi to go outside and inquire about the situation. News about Prince Rong had spread throughout the temporary palace, and Xiao Guizi soon brought back the information. ¡°Prince, who would dare to deal with Prince Rong with such boldness? They almost took Prince Rong¡¯s life.¡± The thought of all those leeches on the bed made one¡¯s scalp tingle. Leaning against the bedpost, an image involuntarily flashed through Yan Gui¡¯s mind. ¡°Prince?¡± Xiao Guizi tentatively called out. ¡°I am tired.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xiao Guizi glanced at Yan Gui¡¯s expression, ¡°Then, Prince, you should rest a bit longer.¡± Xiao Guizi exited the room. Standing outside the hall, he shook his head. Why was the Prince acting so strange? ¨C The Emperor had commanded the Imperial Forest Army to capture the criminal who had nearly killed Prince Rong. After much investigation, they found nothing. The leeches had been procured by someone from Prince Rong¡¯s own entourage. That night, a group of Imperial Physicians were stationed outside, along with the Imperial Forest Army and Prince Rong¡¯s attendants, making it impossible for even a fly to penetrate. Yet, how did those leeches end up in Prince Rong¡¯s bed? The incident was so peculiar that it left everyone in the temporary palace feeling uneasy. Cheng Xiao and Prince Rong had encountered troubles one after the other. The Emperor¡¯s temper grew so volatile that even the Ministers were struggling to contain it. Fortunately, the time for the sacrificial blessing had arrived, and it just barely managed to calm the irascible Emperor. However, during the sacrificial ceremony, yet another incident occurred. The sacrificial offerings had disappeared. After finally rearranging the sacrificial offerings, a torrential downpour began amidst the ritual. No one had ever experienced such circumstances on the day of the blessing before, which left the crowd pale with shock. It was as though the heavens themselves were displeased with the ceremony. The Court Officials and ritual officers all felt it was an ominous sign. Yet, the Emperor¡¯s fury reached a boiling point, and several people were beheaded in succession. The sacrificial ritual was supposed to last half a month, but the Emperor was executing people during the ceremony, leaving the Court Officials nearly vomiting blood with indignation, yet they dared not speak out for fear that the tyrant would decapitate them on a whim. Throughout those half a month, a suffocating atmosphere pervaded the entire temporary palace, making it difficult to breathe. The sacrificial process was intricate, and during that time, the women of the court and the Ministers were in different places, so Chuzheng had hardly seen Yan Gui. Good Person Card also seemed reluctant to see her¡­ As Chuzheng pondered over this matter, she made her way toward Yan Gui¡¯s chambers. ¡°General Ye, let go of me.¡± ¡°Xiaoxiao, listen to me¡­¡± ¡°General Ye, there must be clarity in the interaction between men and women, and now I belong to His Majesty. Please release me.¡± In order not to be seen, Chuzheng took a very secluded path through the temporary palace. Hearing the familiar voice, she paused, looked around, and made her way toward the source. She crouched behind a bush, peering in that direction. This place was a quiet rockery. If Cheng Xiao had not been somewhat agitated, Chuzheng figured she would not have heard her. The young and handsome general held onto the elegant and dignified Cheng Xiao. Cheng Xiao¡¯s face showed resistance, yet her body was remarkably compliant, exhibiting no will to resist. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Come on, at least make a symbolic effort to fight back! Act out the whole play! Why so unprofessional! Ye Yang continued to apologize to Cheng Xiao, explaining that it wasn¡¯t that he hadn¡¯t wanted to save her before, but that he had been powerless. The Emperor is the sovereign of a nation. As a subject, disobeying an imperial command was a capital offense. Cheng Xiao alternated between crying and scolding. The two of them ended up in each other¡¯s arms as they talked. Chapter 193 - Chapter 193: Chapter 193: Prince Longevity (23) Chapter 193: Chapter 193: Prince Longevity (23) Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What are these two doing! Why are they undressing?! Emperor, your beauty has crowned you with a green hat, hey! Chuzheng almost witnessed a live version of the lesson on the inheritance of life. The reason she didn¡¯t see it was because someone came, startling the two uncontrollable protagonists and making them leave quickly. Chuzheng squatted in the bushes, waiting for the people outside to leave before standing up slowly with an air of aloofness and departing. Chuzheng didn¡¯t find Yan Gui. Xiao Guizi said Yan Gui was still praying for blessings. Chuzheng could only return to her own chamber. As soon as she entered the chamber, she saw the Little Taoist Priest dressed in eunuch¡¯s clothing, sitting crookedly in a chair, munching away at something. This Little Taoist Priest, ever since he said she had a calamity coming her way, she hadn¡¯t seen him again. She didn¡¯t know where he had hidden himself. And now, he had actually run into her room. Does he run this travel palace or what? ¡°Miss Chuzheng.¡± Seeing what appeared to be sacrificial offerings in the hands of the Little Taoist Priest, Chuzheng asked, ¡°Did you steal the Sacrificial Offering?¡± The Little Taoist Priest laughed with a mischievous ¡®hehe,¡¯ taking that as a yes. ¡°What are you looking for me for?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I find you if there¡¯s nothing up?¡± ¡°No one visits without a reason.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was full of indifference, as if her face were about to display the words ¡®Speak if you have business, get lost if you don¡¯t¡¯ in big letters. ¡°¡­¡± The Little Taoist Priest sat up straight, his eyes flickering twice: ¡°Was it you who did that to Prince Rong?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± The Little Taoist Priest clicked his tongue twice: ¡°There¡¯s no one else here, I¡¯m on your side, aren¡¯t I? You don¡¯t need to be so wary, right?¡± Chuzheng gave him an ice-cold look: ¡°It wasn¡¯t me.¡± The Little Taoist Priest didn¡¯t believe her: ¡°¡­ Other than you, I can¡¯t think of anyone else.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Chuzheng was getting impatient, and the ¡°annoying¡± bullet comments started popping up in the background. ¡°Don¡¯t be so fierce.¡± The Little Taoist Priest shrugged helplessly: ¡°Really, it¡¯s nothing. Just came to see my big boss.¡± Chuzheng, with a face of ice, kicked the Little Taoist Priest out. It wasn¡¯t long before Chuzheng heard shouts of ¡®catch the thief¡¯ from outside. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The damn thing came to take refuge in her place! ¨C The prayer ceremony, amid everyone¡¯s fright and trepidation, finally ended. Usually, they would stay at Qi Mountain for a while, but this year, with such a big incident, the Emperor didn¡¯t have the mood for it, nor did anyone else. The procession set off for the Imperial City. The road downhill was terribly bumpy, and Chuzheng sat stiffly in the back, looking every inch the noble and aloof beauty. In reality, Chuzheng was full of despair. How much longer until they were off the mountain! She was about to be jolted into an idiot! And she couldn¡¯t make any sudden movements! She didn¡¯t remember the ascent being so bumpy! ¡°Miss, the road down the mountain is rough, please bear with it,¡± Lv Zhu said, comforting Chuzheng by her side. ¡°Hmm.¡± Fearing Chuzheng might feel uncomfortable, Lv Zhu came over to pad the seat again. Chuzheng leaned against the carriage, maintaining an airy face of indifference, her heart filled with longing for death as she watched the swaying curtains. ¡°Whoosh¡ª¡ª¡± An arrow flew in from the carriage window, nailing the curtain to the opposite wall. Lv Zhu was completely petrified with fear, and it took her a few seconds to let out a terrified scream. The chaos and screaming outside almost coincided with Lv Zhu¡¯s scream. Chuzheng looked at the arrow indifferently, No more jolting! Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh¡ª¡ª Arrows hitting the carriage¡¯s outside wall made a thudding noise. ¡°Assassin!¡± ¡°Protect Your Majesty!¡± The clash of weapons and the Imperial Forest Army¡¯s shouts to protect the Emperor mixed together. With the curtain gone, one could clearly see the outside situation. They were on the steepest part of Qi Mountain, and on the other side of the cliff, assassins leaped down from the mountain walls, drawing their weapons to slash. ¡°Miss!¡± Lv Zhu screamed as she threw herself towards Chuzheng. An arrow shot straight towards them from outside the window. Lv Zhu flung herself into Chuzheng¡¯s embrace, while Chuzheng protected her with one arm and reached out to catch the arrow. The swiftly shooting arrow, as light as a feather, was gently held by a pale hand. If anyone could see, they would notice that what caught the arrow was a silver thread stretched across the air. Those silver threads, like a spider¡¯s web, ensnared the arrow, and Chuzheng merely needed to raise her hand at the right moment to grasp it. ¡°Miss¡­¡± Lv Zhu¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at her own mistress. How did her mistress manage to catch an arrow with her bare hands? Chuzheng glanced outside and pressed down on Lv Zhu¡¯s body, ¡°Stay here.¡± ¡°Miss¡­¡± Before Lv Zhu could finish speaking, Chuzheng had already leaped out of the carriage. The assassins and Imperial Forest Army were in combat, with most of the Imperial Forest Army gathered at the front to protect the Emperor and the royal family members. Chuzheng made her way through the crowd to reach where Yan Gui had been. Yan Gui¡¯s carriage was nowhere to be seen. All around were the chaotic palace maids and eunuchs; amidst the turmoil, Chuzheng found the injured Xiao Guizi. ¡°Where is Yan Gui?¡± ¡°Prince¡­ The Prince is in the carriage.¡± ¡°The carriage is gone.¡± Xiao Guizi in surprise, ¡°I just saw it¡­¡± Xiao Guizi looked in that direction, and now most of the assassins were concentrated on the Emperor¡¯s side, with the others fleeing in their carriages. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Xiao Guizi scrambled up from the ground, his voice filled with panic, ¡°Prince Rong was definitely over there, I just saw him, how can he be gone!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Not a problem. Not a big issue. He¡¯s just lost, and needs to be found. Still, it¡¯s safer to keep the Good Person Card close. Chuzheng grabbed a horse, swung herself up, and landed gracefully on its back. Xiao Guizi hadn¡¯t even reacted before his face was smothered by the hem of Chuzheng¡¯s skirt. By the time he looked again, Chuzheng was already dashing forwards, disappearing into the chaos. ¨C Crackle¡ª There was a soft sound from the burning of the campfire. Yan Gui propped himself up to sit, looking around with a bewildered expression. He looked down at the coat covering him, and with the light of the campfire, he recognized the color and style of the garment. He remembered that she was wearing this dress today, wasn¡¯t she? Yan Gui held his forehead, his head throbbing with pain. When the assassins attacked, his carriage had been pushed forward uncontrollably. The horse, spooked, could not be stopped. Behind¡­ It seemed like the carriage had been struck, knocked off the mountain path, and fallen down the cliff. Yan Gui¡¯s head hurt terribly; he only remembered her figure catching him as he fell, but nothing after that. Rustle, rustle, rustle¡­ Yan Gui quickly turned around. A girl dressed only in her undershirt emerged from the bushes. Her sleeves were casually rolled up, and the excessively long skirt of her dress was knotted, giving her somewhat the air of a wandering heroine. Chuzheng came over, dragging a branch behind her, squatting down, and reaching out to poke Yan Gui¡¯s face. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Yan Gui gazed at her with tranquil eyes, showing no reaction. Chuzheng thought for a moment, then leaned in to kiss him, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here.¡± Her voice remained cool and detached. Yet it carried a certain reassurance. That feeling that with her, nothing was a problem¡­ Yan Gui¡¯s headache was severe, and his reaction slow, until Chuzheng poked his face again, which finally brought him back to the present. His body lurched to the side, his cheeks suddenly burning up, the heat spreading all the way to his ears. ¡°Be careful.¡± Chuzheng pulled him back as the flames, fanned by the wind, flared up on his side. With Chuzheng¡¯s palm against his cheek, Yan Gui felt the heat, his heart rate suddenly accelerating. The whole world went silent except for the loud beating of his heart in his ears. Chapter 194 - Chapter 194: Chapter 194: Prince Longevity (24) Chapter 194: Chapter 194: Prince Longevity (24) Yan Gui was being held by Chuzheng, and he somewhat frantically pulled her hand away, a bit of red showing on the back of her pale hand. Yan Gui¡¯s heart clenched slightly, ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± She wasn¡¯t so delicate. If she was hurt by this, could she even be considered a woman! Yan Gui¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as he gently blew on it. Regret filled his heart. What was he avoiding just now? If he hadn¡¯t dodged, she wouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Yan Gui apologized. ¡°Why have you been avoiding me lately?¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t care about such a minor injury. ¡°I¡­¡± Yan Gui, holding her hand, applied a little pressure: ¡°I haven¡¯t been avoiding you.¡± ¡°Not avoiding me,¡± Chuzheng leaned in closer, ¡°then how come you¡¯re never there when I look for you?¡± Once could be coincidence. Twice could be coincidence. What about three or four times? Yan Gui fell silent. Suddenly, Chuzheng kissed his lips: ¡°Answer me.¡± Yan Gui was so shocked that his eyes widened slightly, and he tried to lean back, only to realize he was being held by Chuzheng. The young man¡¯s lashes trembled lightly, his gaze drifting off into the void, not daring to meet Chuzheng¡¯s eyes. Chuzheng pretended to kiss him again. ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± Yan Gui could only say, ¡°I haven¡¯t, I¡¯m not avoiding you, don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t kiss me anymore.¡± His breathing was slightly disordered. His voice was very low, with a hint of panic, like a startled deer. Chuzheng thought it was comfortable to kiss him and wanted to do it more, but the Good Person Card said not to, so Chuzheng stopped. Such a pity. Chuzheng sat down beside him, forcibly holding Yan Gui in her embrace: ¡°If you say you didn¡¯t, then you didn¡¯t.¡± When we get back, I¡¯ll lock you up! Let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll avoid me then! Yan Gui struggled a bit but couldn¡¯t break free, his headache growing worse, so he could only lean in her embrace. Listening to the girl¡¯s calm and steady heartbeat. The heart in his chest however, was starting to beat faster and faster. ¡°Where are we?¡± Yan Gui diverted his attention. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The girl¡¯s voice was faint, especially clear in the night: ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Yan Gui: ¡°¡­¡± Where did he show any signs of fear? The sounds of insects filled the air, and the night sky was dotted with stars. Yan Gui slowly closed his eyes. Her getting close to him was just for making him think of her as a good person, as she said¡­ If he said that, would she leave him? He didn¡¯t want her to leave. Yan Gui didn¡¯t remember when he began to have such a thought. She barged into his life suddenly, planting a seed that quietly took root and sprouted, tendrils entwining around him. By the time he realized it, it had grown into a towering tree, impossible to uproot anymore. ¨C They had fallen off a cliff on Qi Mountain. Yan Gui looked at the steep cliff. How had they landed safely on the ground? Chuzheng handed him a few fruits: ¡°Eat something, conserve your strength, we need to find a way out.¡± The beautiful young man took the Green Fruits: ¡°What if we can¡¯t find a way out?¡± ¡°We will.¡± The girl¡¯s tone was cool and certain. ¡°¡­¡± The young man said no more, quietly biting into the Green Fruit. Below the cliff, bizarre trees grew amidst the rugged rocks, making it difficult to navigate. Chuzheng cleared a path ahead and turned back to lead the young man through. ¡°Be careful.¡± Chuzheng supported him: ¡°Or shall I carry you?¡± ¡°¡­No need.¡± Yan Gui breathed in lightly, stepping firmly on the rocky ground and moving forward. The forest seemed endless, Chuzheng and Yan Gui had walked for two days without seeing its edge. At night, Chuzheng lay on a rock beside a stream. Yan Gui sat nearby, sneaking a glance at Chuzheng before carefully getting up to move further away from her. He took off his shoes and socks, reaching out to touch the bottom of his foot. Even though he was often bullied by Prince Rong, he had never walked such roads as today, with blisters completely worn into his feet. He placed his feet into the stream, the icy water easing some of the pain. Yan Gui slightly relaxed his body, leaning against a rock, gazing at the myriad stars at the edge of the sky. Splash¡­ The sound of water splashed up as someone grasped his ankle; the young girl was half-kneeling in the stream, examining his feet. Yan Gui instinctively retracted his feet. The girl lifted her eyes, her voice cold and fierce, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Yan Gui stiffened inexplicably. The girl stood up, picked him up horizontally, and set him down by the fire. She held onto his ankle, pinching a thorn she must have retrieved from somewhere, and pricked his blisters one by one. Yan Gui pressed his lips together, his tranquil eyes quietly watching Chuzheng. The firelight flickered across her face, brightening and dimming. She meticulously pricked each blister; whenever Yan Gui felt pain and slightly drew in his leg, she would stop, waiting for him to recover before continuing. After inspecting thoroughly to ensure nothing was missed, Chuzheng finally lifted her eyes, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Yan Gui loosened the corners of his lips that he had been pressing together and shifted his gaze to the leaping flames: ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°This is nothing to you? You only have a problem when your leg is broken?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was icy cold. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not that serious.¡± All through the journey, Chuzheng had never shown signs of tiredness; how could he permit himself to look weaker than a young girl? Chuzheng¡¯s gaze was expressionless as she looked at him. Cold sweat leaked from the palm of Yan Gui¡¯s hand, and he stressed: ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± After Chuzheng responded, she stopped paying him any attention and lay back down on the rock she had been on before. Yan Gui sat by the fire, staring into the dancing flames, his thoughts complex. After a while, Yan Gui carefully stood up and staggered toward the rock. As if she knew he was coming, Chuzheng reached out to catch him; Yan Gui paused, then climbed onto the rock and lay down beside her. The rock was very large, able to fit several people with ease. Chuzheng calmly extended her arm, inviting him to lie in her embrace. Yan Gui: ¡°¡­¡± Yan Gui silently accepted. ¡°Are you angry?¡± he asked. ¡°Why would I be angry?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was as neutral as ever, indistinguishable from usual. If the Good Person Card said it was fine, then it was; she truly didn¡¯t have much to be angry about after all. It was his own body, in any case. Yan Gui propped himself up slightly. Chuzheng¡¯s gaze remained calm, directed at the void, but when Yan Gui¡¯s face came into view, her eyes met his. The youth gazed at her intently and asked in a soft voice, ¡°Do you like me?¡± If a kiss from the Good Person Card felt good, that probably meant she liked him. Under the youth¡¯s serene and focused gaze, Chuzheng nodded. Suddenly, the youth¡¯s face loomed closer. In the night breeze, the youth¡¯s warm lips met hers, sealing her lips in a gentle draw. Moonlight fell, enveloping the two figures in its radiance, blending them into a single silhouette. Shadows moved with the moon, insects chirped, and the brook murmured. Chuzheng gently pushed the youth away as he still breathed raggedly against her lips, the air between them charged with intimacy. Chuzheng¡¯s hand caressed his back as she pulled him closer: ¡°You kissed me first?¡± ¡°¡­Yes,¡± the youth nodded: ¡°I like you too.¡± Chuzheng blinked seriously and asked, ¡°Does that mean I can kiss you whenever I want from now on?¡± ¡°¡­Ye-yes,¡± the youth¡¯s ears turned red, adding, ¡°But¡­ not in front of other people.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± A kiss was all it took. The Good Person Card was truly wonderful. Chuzheng, eager to try again, asked: ¡°Then do you think I¡¯m a good person?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yan Gui shook his head cautiously. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Even after liking me, how am I still not a good person? Little! Liar! Chapter 195 - Chapter 195: Chapter 195: Prince Longevity (25) Chapter 195: Chapter 195: Prince Longevity (25) Ever since that night, Yan Gui had acted much more naturally around Chuzheng, no longer dodging and avoiding her in an awkward and strange manner. Chuzheng was delighted, of course, holding the Good Person Card that allowed her to kiss him. To Chuzheng, the Good Person Card was entirely hers; what¡¯s wrong with kissing? She¡¯s going to kiss! Yan Gui had some resistance to this, but he had promised Chuzheng, so he could only accept her occasionally impulsive actions of turning around and kissing him. ¡°Don¡¯t kiss anymore,¡± Yan Gui said softly, ¡°We still have to hit the road.¡± He didn¡¯t really want to go out. Going out means that Bastard¡¯s gonna mess with me. Chuzheng kissed Yan Gui against a tree trunk, a gentle and persistent kiss like a spring rain soaking the earth. The sunshine stretched their shadows, intertwining and casting them upon the grass. Yan Gui was a bit dazed. If¡­ If only it was just the two of them living together, how nice would that be? Chuzheng hugged Yan Gui, her chin resting on his shoulder: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The young man¡¯s hands loosely encircled Chuzheng, somewhat helplessly: ¡°How can we go with you pressing down on me?¡± Chuzheng lifted her hand to block the sun for him, speaking seriously: ¡°The sun is so strong, let¡¯s wait a bit before we leave.¡± Yan Gui: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C ¡°It looks like there¡¯s someone up ahead,¡± Yan Gui pointed to the smoke not far away. Chuzheng followed his gaze; there was a wisp of smoke, and a faint scent wafted through the air. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look.¡± Chuzheng took Yan Gui over. It seemed not far, but by the time they got there, the sky had darkened. Halfway up the mountain, there were two thatched cottages, a fire pit on an open space, and a table made of tree roots beside it. ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡± From inside the thatched cottage, an old man leaning on a walking stick with a hunched back looked at them. He was dressed in patched hemp clothes, sort of like someone from the Beggar¡¯s Sect. He was blind in one eye; the entire eyeball was gone, leaving behind a dark hole that was frightening to behold. In the wilderness with a person¡­ it always feels like something bad is about to happen. Could it be they¡¯ll encounter a cannibal? Looking at his appearance, he definitely hasn¡¯t eaten much, nearly as skinny as a lightning bolt. Chuzheng¡¯s mind was racing with wild thoughts, yet she maintained a composed and calm exterior: ¡°We¡¯re lost.¡± ¡°Lost?¡± the old man hobbled over, his voice tinged with suspicion: ¡°In these wild mountains, how did you get lost here?¡± ¡°We fell from Qi Mountain and then walked here,¡± Chuzheng stated calmly. The old man¡¯s sole good eye narrowed, his cane tapping the ground, as if he believed Chuzheng¡¯s words. ¡°Qi Mountain is very far from here; there are many snakes, wolves, tigers, and leopards in the mountains. You¡¯re lucky to have made it here,¡± he said. ¡°Hmm.¡± The old man glared at Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Why are you staring at me!! ¡°You want to get out?¡± the old man asked proactively. ¡°Hmm.¡± The old man seemed to choke up a bit, as if he was the one seeking rescue? Chuzheng showed no intention of asking for directions, while that beautiful boy stood quietly by her side, his serene eyes fixated on something. ¡°It¡¯s several days¡¯ journey from here to get out. Just head west and you¡¯ll find your way,¡± the old man suggested. Looking at the sky, he said reluctantly: ¡°It¡¯s already dark today; you can rest here and set off tomorrow.¡± After speaking, the old man went back into the thatched cottage. Chuzheng didn¡¯t plan on leaving either; moving around at night in the woods was indeed troublesome. Not dangerous, but troublesome. Chuzheng decided to rest here and leave tomorrow. Yan Gui was a bit tired; as darkness fell, he fell asleep. Chuzheng sat on the ground, drawing aimlessly on the dirt with a stick. [Main Quest: Spend a hundred thousand taels of silver notes within two hours.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Excuse me, Bastard, how am I supposed to spend a hundred thousand taels of silver notes in the wilderness? A hundred thousand taels! Should I burn them? If I burn them, you won¡¯t approve the mission as complete!! [Miss, you should be good at discovering.] King¡¯s Account rang out in a crisp and cheerful tone. ¡°I¡¯m good at finding a ball, what else is there here besides trees? You really expect me to buy a whole mountain of trees to bury Imperial City with?!¡± ¡°What¡¯s here!¡± ¡°What¡¯s here!¡± ¡°You tell me!¡± ¡°[¡­]Sister, don¡¯t be so fierce!! You¡¯ve scared the System to death! Hold onto your little tail tight and hide, hide.¡± The King¡¯s Account went silent. Chuzheng was furious. She was determined to take down that Bastard! Chuzheng¡¯s eyes swept over the sleeping Yan Gui, then glanced at the thatched cottage¡­ Thatched cottage! Chuzheng carefully put Yan Gui down, took off her coat to cover him, and stood up with an imposing manner, heading towards the thatched cottage. The old man thought he was hearing things when Chuzheng said she wanted to buy something. ¡°What could I possibly have to sell to you?¡± ¡°What valuables do you have?¡± Ten thousand, ah! The Bastard wouldn¡¯t issue such a high-stake task without reason. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything.¡± The old man looked at Chuzheng skeptically as if to say ¡®Is this girl nuts to make such a fuss in the middle of the night?¡¯. ¡°You do.¡± There must be something! ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± The old man shooed Chuzheng away. Chuzheng¡¯s gaze swept over the thatched cottage again. The cottage was simple, hung with the old man¡¯s belongings and some stored meat. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Chuzheng pointed to the box in the corner, dusty and locked. ¡°That is¡­¡± The old man looked at Chuzheng. ¡°You want to buy it?¡± ¡°You selling?¡± ¡°Selling.¡± Chuzheng handed over the silver note to the old man like she was getting rid of a hot potato. ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Yan Gui heard Chuzheng¡¯s footsteps as she returned and immediately closed his eyes. The steps drew closer, and she stood by his side for a while, the sound of her clothes rustling, and then he was pulled into her embrace. Pressing against her chest, he could hear her heartbeat. Yan Gui¡¯s hand under the coat clenched slightly. What had she traded with that old man? In this wilderness, it seemed like it was only him¡­ Yan Gui¡¯s body stiffened for a moment, but Chuzheng soothed his back and then kissed his forehead, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yan Gui sighed softly to himself and gradually relaxed, falling asleep against her. The next day, Chuzheng left that place. She took him with her. And not as he had thought, that she had sold him. So what had she traded with that old man? ¨C Yan Gui was able to count the days at first, but as time passed, he lost track. He also noticed that Chuzheng was procrastinating, seemingly not eager to leave. But sometimes she would hurry along as if that was just his imagination. However, in the end, they did make their way out. It had been almost half a month since the incident at Qi Mountain. The Emperor and the rest of the Ministers had long returned to Imperial City. The casualties were severe that day, but most of the Ministers¡¯ families were unharmed, with the Imperial Forest Army and the bodyguard attendants making up the bulk of the dead. The Emperor was furious over this incident. He had many people beheaded, but in the end, they still couldn¡¯t figure out who was behind it. Chuzheng and Yan Gui hurried back to Imperial City. The Prince Cheng Residence was adorned with white lanterns, and white silk fluttered in the wind. Chuzheng and Yan Gui went missing during the chaos. Lv Zhu and Xiao Guizi sent people to look for them. Most people searched symbolically and soon settled with the conclusion that they had not been found and must be surely dead after falling off a cliff. Xiao Guizi and Lv Zhu had little influence, and once the Prince¡¯s Mansion received this news, Princess Consort Cheng immediately took control again. They are now preparing her funerary arrangements. Chapter 196 - Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Prince Longevity (26) Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Prince Longevity (26) Chuzheng and Yan Gui returned at the same time, immediately stirring up waves upon waves of commotion. Yan Gui was picked up by Xiao Guizi, who had received the message, and brought back to the palace, while Chuzheng returned to the residence. Lv Zhu had become significantly thinner, and upon seeing her, tears streamed down her face. ¡°Miss¡­ I just knew you wouldn¡¯t come to any harm,¡± sobbed Lv Zhu, voice choked with tears. ¡°You¡­¡± On the other hand, Princess Consort Cheng was shocked to paleness, her eyes filled with disbelief and hatred. Wasn¡¯t it said that this wretched girl died out there? How is it that she has come back now!? Ignoring Princess Consort Cheng, Chuzheng walked calmly into the main hall and, in front of Princess Consort Cheng, threw her own Soul Tablet to the ground. The Soul Tablet shattered. The main hall fell dead silent. ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet.¡± The voice, clear and cold like a mountain spring flowing from the snowy peaks, spread through the hall, the chill growing more intense. The servants who had turned their coats to serve Princess Consort Cheng, all lowered their heads, wishing they could find a crack in the floor to crawl into. ¡°Send the princess consort back.¡± Chuzheng, without any intention of pursuing the matter further, stated indifferently, ¡°Take down the mourning hall.¡± Properly conducting my own funeral. Quite the novel experience. You all can¡¯t wait for me to die. Well, I won¡¯t die! That¡¯ll show you, you pack of curs! ¡°Cheng Chuzheng, you dare!¡± bellowed Princess Consort Cheng, ¡°I am the Princess Consort of the Prince Cheng Residence, holding me captive is an act of insubordination.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t deny it, ¡°that¡¯s because you¡¯re so noisy.¡± If you continue to make noise, you¡¯ll be dealt with! ¡°How dare you!¡± Princess Consort Cheng screamed, pushing away the approaching servants, ¡°You lowly servants, stop, I command you to stop! My daughter is now Consort Chen, if you dare treat me this way, I will have your lives!¡± The words of Princess Consort Cheng made the servants somewhat apprehensive. Chuzheng looked towards Lv Zhu. Lv Zhu stepped forward: ¡°When at Qi Mountain, the second Miss saved His Majesty, and now she has been conferred the title of Consort Chen.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± So, becoming a consort after cuckolding the Emperor earns one a royal promotion? Then the Emperor might as well wear a few more of those green hats. The servants hesitated, but Chuzheng did not. She knocked the person out directly, instructing them to carry her back. Servant: ¡°¡­¡± The eldest miss is so ruthless upon her return. It¡¯s terrifying. [Main Quest: Please spend five thousand silver notes within two hours.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Just my luck, having to squander wealth as soon as I return! I¡¯ve just come back! Just returned! Faced with my own mourning hall, can¡¯t I have a moment¡¯s breath, you poor thing?! [Sister, I¡¯m just trying to give you a fright to calm your nerves.] The King¡¯s Account thought innocently for Chuzheng. With a cold expression, Chuzheng stepped on the already shattered Soul Tablet. [¡­] Sister, don¡¯t be so violent! Chuzheng hurried out of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. The news of her and Yan Gui¡¯s return was spreading outside. A lady and a prince, alone together for more than half a month¡ªhow much gossip could there be in this situation? Chuzheng¡¯s presence on the streets drew the townspeople¡¯s curious glances. Consequently, the populace witnessed the scene of the disgraced daughter of the Prince Cheng Residence going wild with money, squandering wealth. ¡°Is she traumatized?¡± ¡°The Prince¡¯s Mansion just held a funeral for her, coming back to see her own mourning hall, isn¡¯t it normal to be shocked?¡± ¡°Hey, do you think, her and Prince Six out there¡­¡± ¡°Prince Six might be a bit useless, but he is good-looking, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¨C After being traumatized and squandering her wealth, Chuzheng didn¡¯t expect to receive an Imperial Decree in the evening, together with a prince. ¡°Miss Cheng, His Majesty has bestowed Prince Six upon you to soothe your recent shock,¡± the eunuch announced in his shrill, falsetto voice. The young man, dressed in brilliant garments, stood behind the eunuch, head bowed, his expression indiscernible. ¡°I don¡¯t want him,¡± Chuzheng said coldly, ¡°send him back.¡± The young man lifted his head in astonishment. The quiet brown pupils now stirred with ripples, and the delicate, fair face appeared somewhat pale. The hand hanging beside his body tightened slightly. He had been with her outside for such a long time, her reputation was bound to be damaged, no matter what. He wanted to marry her. He had knelt outside Qiankun Hall for the better part of the day, only to receive this almost humiliating Imperial Decree. He either had to accept it, or let her become someone whose reputation was tarnished by gossip. But what had he been waiting for? Was this the result? She was unwilling to accept¡­ The days they had spent together now seemed so ridiculous. The eunuch, who was proclaiming the edict, gave a strange laugh but did not say anything about beheading for defiance. ¡°Prince Six, the lady doesn¡¯t want you, why don¡¯t you just go back with this servant.¡± The youth gave a deep look at the girl opposite him, who had a cold expression, and without saying a word, he lowered his head and turned to leave. The brilliant hem of his robe traced an arc in the air, the youth walked with a straight back, moving so fast that he quickly disappeared from sight. The eunuch led the others away. Yan Gui returned to Wanfu Palace, and Xiao Guizi approached with a frightened heart: ¡°Prince, you?¡± ¡°Leave.¡± ¡°Prince¡­¡± ¡°Leave! Get out!¡± Xiao Guizi quickly retreated, and the hall was filled with the sound of things being smashed. Xiao Guizi covered his mouth, full of distress. Such a humiliating Imperial Decree, the Prince must be so upset. ¨C Xiao Guizi paced back and forth outside the hall, utterly anxious. Ever since that night, the Prince had locked himself in his room for three days. In these three days, all that was discussed outside was how Prince Six was bestowed to the Prince Cheng Residence but rejected by Prince Cheng¡¯s daughter. Xiao Guizi found the Emperor¡¯s Imperial Decree to be absurd. But he never expected Miss Cheng, who had been so kind to the Prince before, to reject him¡­ If Miss Cheng had accepted, the Prince would still have faced criticism, but it wouldn¡¯t be like it was now. ¡°The Imperial Decree has arrived¡ª¡± A large crowd poured into Wanfu Palace; Xiao Guizi hurriedly knelt down. ¡°Prince Six, receive the decree.¡± The doors of the hall, closed for three days, slowly opened, and the youth in dark clothes stood inside barefoot, his dull eyes glancing outside before he slowly knelt down. The spread dark robe was like a blooming black lotus. ¡°By the mandate of heaven¡­¡± Yan Gui¡¯s ears heard the sharp, piercing voice of the eunuch reading aloud, but his thoughts were elsewhere. What good could come from an Imperial Edict issued by the Emperor after his rejection¡­ ¡°¡­ hereby bestow the title of Prince, confer the character Jin, grant a mansion, reward ten thousand gold, honored hereby.¡± The youth slightly lifted his head, his quiet eyes showing a flicker of puzzlement. Xiao Guizi¡¯s face, however, was full of smiles. The Prince finally had a title and a mansion!! ¡°Prince Jin, give thanks,¡± the eunuch said, eyebrow raised, the Imperial Decree in his hands. The youth bowed his head again: ¡°I thank the great kindness of the Sovereign.¡± The eunuch, with his fingers posed daintily, brought out another Imperial Decree: ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry, Prince Jin; there¡¯s another one here.¡± Yan Gui seemed to have expected this, calmly continuing to listen to the decree. How could he suddenly be given a title for no reason? ¡°By the mandate of heaven: Prince Cheng has contributed greatly to protecting the nation and has made the ultimate sacrifice; I deeply regret his loss. His eldest daughter is virtuous and wise, lovely both inside and out, and of exemplary character; I hereby bestow her to Prince Jin to be his Princess Consort, and a wedding date shall be chosen, honored hereby.¡± Yan Gui doubted if he had misheard. It wasn¡¯t until the eunuch called out to him several times that he finally gave his dry and strained thanks. Xiao Guizi sent the entourage off with silver, and upon his return, the youth was still kneeling on the ground. ¡°Prince,¡± Xiao Guizi quickly helped him up: ¡°What¡¯s going on with you?¡± These two Imperial Decrees from His Majesty, the earlier one conferring the title of Prince was long due to the Prince, and the latter, bestowing marriage¡­ it was a formal bestowal, requiring the arrangements of the Ministry of Rites. The Prince should be happy. Why did he still look so forlorn? Yan Gui, holding the two Imperial Decrees, seemed slightly bewildered. Chapter 197 - Chapter 197: Chapter 197: Prince Longevity (27) Chapter 197: Chapter 197: Prince Longevity (27) Yan Gui was suddenly granted kingship, which was originally a gesture laced with humiliation as he was bestowed upon Prince Cheng¡¯s Residence; however, in the blink of an eye, it turned into a formal granted marriage. Nobody knew why the Emperor wanted to do this. Even Yan Gui himself was clueless. The Little Taoist Priest was complaining to Chuzheng at this time, ¡°Raise my pay! I must have a raise! I have to be cautious about everything in the palace! You think this is easy for me?¡± ¡°Everyone in the palace treats you like an honored guest, you get whatever you ask for, and you¡¯re still not satisfied?¡± Chuzheng was of course very willing to go along with his suggestion. A Little Taoist Priest who got a raise was a good Taoist Priest. ¡°You try staying in the palace,¡± retorted the Little Taoist Priest with a roll of his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m meant to wander the world, how can I waste my life within those palace walls?¡± One late evening, Chuzheng suddenly sought him out. He was sleeping soundly when he was abruptly awakened, and in his dazed state, he heard her proposing that he should go into the palace to enjoy some blessings. He snapped awake in an instant. Enjoy what blessings in the palace? Beheading? Yet, she actually asked him to go and bamboozle the Emperor. That tyrant, how did she even come up with that!! But considering the face of the silver note¡­ The Little Taoist Priest shamelessly capitulated without much spine. Chuzheng¡¯s expression was cold as she spit out two words, ¡°Deceiving him?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Grumbling, the Little Taoist Priest stuffed the silver note into his chest pocket, ¡°I won¡¯t speak with you anymore, I¡¯m heading back to the palace. If I get caught, that¡¯s it.¡± Reaching the doorway, the Little Taoist Priest turned around, ¡°Where did you get these potion recipes? They look kind of familiar to me¡­¡± ¡°An old man sold them to me.¡± ¡°¡­You better not tell me it was a blind old man?¡± Chuzheng nodded. ¡°¡­¡± The Little Taoist Priest bristled with a strange look, grinding his teeth, ¡°I knew they looked familiar. Where did you see him?¡± How would Chuzheng know what place it was. She just told the Little Taoist Priest to jump off Qi Mountain and then keep walking to the west. The Little Taoist Priest: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you know him?¡± ¡°I know him,¡± the Little Taoist Priest said between clenched teeth. ¡°The skills I have were all thanks to that old man¡¯s ¡®generosity¡¯. Of course, I know him.¡± ¡°Your master?¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± burst out the Little Taoist Priest suddenly with a curse, ¡°He killed my wife! We are sworn enemies, irreconcilable!¡± ¡°¡­¡± That old man was quite formidable! The Little Taoist Priest left in a torrent of fury. It was not until much later that Chuzheng learned that the Little Taoist Priest¡¯s ¡®wife¡¯ was actually a flower; he had planted it since he was a child and had cared for it as if it were his wife. Then, before he knew it, the old man had plucked it to use in his potions. ¨C Prince Jin¡¯s Mansion chose a previous mansion site, which didn¡¯t require major repairs, just some slight refurbishing and the hanging of Prince Jin Mansion¡¯s sign. Yan Gui remembered that it was bad luck for the marriage parties to meet on the eve of the wedding, so he truly did not go looking for Chuzheng. The wedding was presided over by the Ministry of Rites, and everything was done in the most expensive way possible. After all, the funds were coming from Prince Cheng Residence, and since they could also profit from it, the people of the Ministry of Rites naturally obliged. On the wedding day, Yan Gui donned the wedding garb and stood in front of the bronze mirror, his fair face tightened slightly. The red wedding attire made the young man look even more like a deity. No longer did the air around him hold that tranquil tension; it was now filled with comfortable festive cheer. His brows and eyes were relaxed, and within his beautiful hazel pupils, shards of pale gold shimmered. ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t be nervous.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± the young man pursed his lower lip slightly, ¡°Take another look for me.¡± ¡°No problem, Your Highness,¡± Xiao Guizi said with a smile. ¡°You¡¯ve had me check over a dozen times already.¡± The young prince adjusted the red silk on his chest and took a deep breath, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± No sooner had he stepped out of Prince Jin¡¯s Mansion than the young prince paused slightly. On both sides of the street, carpeted with red, begonia flowers competed to bloom, blazing like a sunset, a fiery red expanse. A gentle breeze passed, and petals from the begonias fluttered down, weaving the entire street into a dreamlike scene. ¡°So beautiful.¡± ¡°These are said to be planted by Miss Cheng, perhaps they were damaged in transport and didn¡¯t bloom during their season. Who would have thought they would bloom today?¡± ¡°Could this be considered a good omen?¡± ¡°One hundred thousand begonias welcoming the bridal procession, Princess Consort Jin is indeed fortunate.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got it wrong. These were planted by Miss Cheng¡­¡± The young man rode his horse down the ten-mile-long street, his flowing garment, the red silk lifted by the breeze, the falling begonia petals¡ªeach scene unfolded like a painting before his eyes. Many people also gathered in front of Prince Cheng Residence. This wedding was the grandest they had seen in the Imperial City. Every item used for the wedding was reportedly bought at great expense, luxurious and exquisite. Even the horse that Prince Jin rode on was a rare treasure worth ten thousand gold. Yan Gui stopped in front of Prince Cheng Residence, when someone stepped forward to stop him, ¡°Oh my, Prince Jin, you¡¯ve arrived early.¡± The young man blinked, a bit at a loss, ¡°Is, is that so?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not yet the auspicious time.¡± The youth carefully asked, ¡°¡­Should I wait then?¡± The onlooking crowd chuckled softly. The young man stood amidst the brilliant sea of begonia blossoms, his gaze lowered, quietly waiting. Only he knew how forcefully his heart beat and how rapidly his blood flowed. He tried to take deep breaths to calm himself down. But the fingers tucked in his sleeve could not help but tremble, his palms were full of cold sweat, and a mix of nervousness and anxiety intertwined at the bottom of his heart. The auspicious time arrived¡ª A girl cloaked in red like the glow of dawn was surrounded by attendants as she appeared. The bright red wedding dress seemed to glint with flowing gold, shining brilliantly under the sunlight as she moved. ¡°That¡¯s the set from Embroidered Brocade Pavilion¡­¡± someone recognized the bridal gown the bride was wearing. ¡°Good heavens! That¡¯s the wedding dress that took the shopkeeper of Embroidered Brocade Pavilion five years to complete.¡± ¡°I heard that even the Princess didn¡¯t get it for her wedding¡­¡± ¡°The wedding attire that Prince Jin is wearing seems to be from Embroidered Brocade Pavilion as well, that¡¯s silk woven with golden threads.¡± ¡°Prince Cheng Residence is really wealthy¡­¡± The fabrics from Embroidered Brocade Pavilion were easy to recognize, as only they carried such materials in the entire Imperial City. Worn on the body, they moved like flowing clouds and were exceptionally beautiful. However, due to the rarity of the fabric, besides those dedicated to the palace, Embroidered Brocade Pavilion kept only a limited stock for themselves. Yan Gui wiped the cold sweat from his hands. His heartbeats mingled with the joy of the moment. In his light brown pupils, the brilliant glow of the begonias resembled the evening sky, reflecting the figure approaching him. The youth stepped forward to lift Chuzheng horizontally and walked towards the bridal sedan. Yan Gui wanted to speak to Chuzheng, but it was improper at this moment, so he could only set her down. From Prince Cheng Residence to Prince Jin Mansion, people scattered gold leaf and coins to the onlooking crowd along the way. With the sound of gongs and drums filling the air, the celebrations were extraordinary, and the blessings were like the incoming tide. The ten-mile-long street was showered with fallen begonias. An era¡¯s grand wedding to welcome the peerless beauty. Ancient weddings were complicated and troublesome, fortunately for Chuzheng, all she needed to do afterward was to sit in the room. Had she known it would be so bothersome, she would not have done it this way. She must not do this again next time! Chuzheng pulled down the head covering from her head. Lv Zhu was frightened, ¡°Miss, what are you doing?¡± ¡°I need some fresh air.¡± I could suffocate, the crown is so heavy, and the clothes as well!¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± Lv Zhu covered her head with the veil again, ¡°It¡¯s inauspicious; you must wait for the Prince to lift your veil.¡± ¡°Then call him over,¡± Chuzheng insisted righteously. ¡°¡­¡± The Prince was still outside attending to guests. Chuzheng tried to pull at it again, but Lv Zhu, helpless, could only urge her not to do so and quickly went to call Yan Gui. As soon as Yan Gui heard, he couldn¡¯t possibly care about the guests and hurried back to the room. Lv Zhu tactfully left the room, giving the couple a private space to themselves. Chapter 198 - Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Prince Longevity (28) Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Prince Longevity (28) Yan Gui stood in the room without daring to approach for a long while. His heart thumped on without stopping. ¡°What are you standing there for?¡± Chuzheng, growing impatient, urged him, ¡°Lift the veil.¡± Are you trying to smother me? Definitely dead! ¡°Oh¡­¡± The young man picked up the Jade Ruyi on the table and, because he was flustered, made a clear clinking sound. He approached the bedside, standing in front of Chuzheng. His light brown pupils brimmed with threads of nervousness. Nervousness he had never experienced before. Chuzheng couldn¡¯t wait for him to move and reached out to pull the veil down herself. Underneath the wedding veil, the girl¡¯s skin was creamy, her beauty breathtaking, her cool, indifferent eyes calmly sweeping towards him. The young man¡¯s lips tightened slightly as he gripped the Jade Ruyi in his hand. He looked more like the bride herself. ¡°Have you been drinking?¡± The youth nodded awkwardly, his cheeks tinted with a faint pink. Chuzheng waved him over, and the youth, holding the Jade Ruyi, whispered, ¡°You can¡¯t just remove the veil like that; it¡¯s inauspicious.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± How troublesome, Chuzheng swiftly replaced the wedding veil over her head. ¡°Hurry up.¡± Fearful that Chuzheng would yank the veil off again, Yan Gui no longer hesitated. ¡°Is that all right?¡± Chuzheng asked. Yan Gui nodded, ¡°There¡¯s also the Wedding Wine.¡± ¡°Hurry up.¡± My neck is going to break! Which idiot piled so much on my head. Yan Gui obediently turned to pour the wine. Chuzheng was ready to drink it straight. Yan Gui held her back, ¡°Not like this.¡± I¡¯m never getting married again! Absolutely not! Chuzheng¡¯s face could have easily spelled out ¡°troublesome¡± as Yan Gui gently pulled on her with his fair hand, looping past his own arm, and softly said, ¡°Drink it like this.¡± He had been drinking outside, and his words carried a light scent of alcohol. Mixed with his own faint fragrance, it was quite pleasant. Chuzheng stared at his slightly parted lips, pulled back her hand in irritation, and gulped down the drink. Under Yan Gui¡¯s forlorn expression, she pulled on his garment, forcing him to lean down. The strong liquor was transferred to him, swirling between their lips, intoxicatingly fragrant. Yan Gui swallowed gently. ¡°Satisfied now?¡± Yan Gui, who had not expected this method of sharing the Wedding Wine, took a while to recover before nodding. His cheeks were flushed with a rosy hue, and his eyes were slightly moist, his expression carrying a hint of confusion and unusually docile and adorable. Finally, it was over. Chuzheng quickly removed the ornaments from her head and took off the two outermost layers of her clothing. ¡°¡­¡± As the clear wine slid down his throat into his stomach, Yan Gui felt a burning sensation rising from somewhere inside him. He took a small step back. Chuzheng had already taken off the most intricate two layers, sitting at the edge of the bed and secretly sighing in relief. I was nearly suffocated. So comfortable! ¡°Aren¡¯t you going out?¡± Chuzheng asked, seeing Yan Gui still standing there. Yan Gui: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m already in, how can I go out now? Anyway, there were people outside handling everything, and those people weren¡¯t truly there to wish him well; it wouldn¡¯t make a difference whether he was there or not. ¡°Did you help me get my title and mansion?¡± Yan Gui asked in a low voice. How could the Emperor possibly bestow such rewards on him? ¡°Mhm,¡± Chuzheng nodded, ¡°Am I good to you or what?¡± Good¡­ How could it not be good¡­ Yan Gui pursed his lips: ¡°How did you do it?¡± Chuzheng replied with easy grace, ¡°I gave him whatever he wanted; it wasn¡¯t hard.¡± What does the Emperor care about now? It¡¯s the Method of Longevity. Chuzheng bought those two boxes from the old man, which were filled with all sorts of messy ancient books and elixir recipes. Yan Gui knew very well how difficult it was, how could it not be? This matter wasn¡¯t going to be easy. How could she speak so casually about it? He knelt down before her, half-kneeling in front of Chuzheng, his lashes trembling lightly, and in a low voice he said, ¡°When you asked me to go back that time, I thought you regretted it.¡± He endured the Emperor¡¯s humiliation because he knew he could be with her. But he could not accept her rejection. When he uttered those words, he thought he¡¯d heard wrong. But until he left, she hadn¡¯t spoken another word. Even when faced with Prince Rong¡¯s insults and torture, he¡¯d never felt this desperate. Yan Gui didn¡¯t understand why he cared about her so much¡­ ¡°Why would I regret it?¡± Chuzheng asked seriously. When she sent him away that time, she just felt that the dog Emperor was too much, treating her Good Person Card like that. How could her Good Person Card be bullied by someone else! If it weren¡¯t for the dog Emperor¡¯s maneuvers, she wouldn¡¯t have had to do so much afterwards. She had been planning to just snatch the person back¡­ All blame was on that dog Emperor! Yan Gui looked up, peering deep into Chuzheng¡¯s eyes, as if trying to see through her eyes into the depths of her soul. ¡°Your expression at that time¡­¡± Yan Gui couldn¡¯t quite describe it, it just felt particularly cold, as if she wasn¡¯t happy to see him. Yan Gui held Chuzheng¡¯s hand and gently clasped it: ¡°It made me think that you regretted being with me.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± How could I possibly regret it. Would I regret keeping you alive?! ¡°Mm.¡± Yan Gui¡¯s lips curved slightly, his peaceful eyes began to ripple: ¡°I know.¡± She didn¡¯t regret it. She was willing to be with him. ¡°Do you¡­ want to kiss me?¡± Yan Gui asked cautiously. Chuzheng nodded seriously. A Good Person Card deserves kisses, she couldn¡¯t let today¡¯s efforts be in vain! A kiss was a must! Yan Gui removed the jade crown from his head, letting his long hair cascade down, then he rose to support himself on the edge of the bed, pressing Chuzheng down onto the wedding bed. ¡°¡­¡± As soon as Chuzheng lay down, she felt uncomfortable. When Yan Gui kissed her, Chuzheng tilted her head, and Yan Gui, anxious, asked, ¡°Am I pressing on you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something underneath.¡± Chuzheng said. Yan Gui: ¡°¡­¡± So the two spent quite some time picking up red dates, peanuts, longan, and lotus seeds¡­ ¡°Who scattered these?¡± ¡°Probably the Wedding Matron¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of scattering these?¡± ¡°¡­It signifies the wish for a son soon,¡± Yan Gui¡¯s voice was slightly low, as he lowered his head to meticulously check, making sure nothing else would discomfort Chuzheng: ¡°Don¡¯t be angry.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± It really is troublesome. Yan Gui exhaled and looked at Chuzheng beside him, who, with straightforward brutality, pulled him in for a kiss. Her kiss always carried dominance. Just like in the past, in the mountain forest, not allowing him to resist. With a mix of gentle and intense nibbling, she stimulated Yan Gui¡¯s reason, his blood rushed through his body, bubbling and bursting on the surface of the skin. Between the grinding lips and teeth, their intimacy tangled tenderly. Yan Gui¡¯s mind gradually faded into blankness. His body felt like it was floating among the clouds, rising and falling. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Moisture seeped from the corners of Yan Gui¡¯s eyes, his lashes drooping over his pale eyelids, casting small, attractive shadows. His exquisitely beautiful face blushed due to his uneven breaths. With lips slightly parted for breath, his red lips were like a fully bloomed begonia. His dark hair spread out beneath him, the bright red wedding attire unfolded, his pale chest barely visible beneath the red gauze, creating alluring thoughts. The young man¡¯s gaze was hazy, his faint panting carrying desire, making him appear even more like a tempting Demon Sprite. Chapter 199 - Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Prince Longevity (29) Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Prince Longevity (29) ¡°Lv Zhu sister, have the Prince and Princess Consort awakened yet?¡± Standing outside the room, Lv Zhu glanced at the door and whispered, ¡°Not yet, prepare everything for now, and wait until the Prince and Miss awaken to use them.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The servants went down to prepare, and their movements could be heard in the room. The room was in disarray, Yan Gui pressed his lips against Chuzheng¡¯s brow, and with lips slightly pursed, Chuzheng remained silent, her clear cold eyes filled with a faint mist. Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting the interlaced shadows of the two on the bed curtains. Finally, the youth hummed gently, his body pressing down, holding Chuzheng tight. Moments later he started kissing Chuzheng again. Chuzheng lifted her hand to tuck a stray lock of the youth¡¯s hair behind his ear, ¡°That¡¯s enough, stop it now.¡± The girl¡¯s voice carried a measure of restraint, unlike her previous coldness. The youth¡¯s voice was hoarse, ¡°I¡¯m not messing around.¡± Last night she clearly took the lead, and this morning it was only once. And he could tell, it seemed like she was still not fully awake and didn¡¯t want to move¡­ Yan Gui felt that in the future, he might only be able to take the lead when she didn¡¯t want to move. But thinking of what transpired last night, Yan Gui¡¯s throat suddenly felt parched. Noticing the changes in his body, Chuzheng hurriedly spoke up, ¡°You made such a fuss last night, and you started again this morning. Mind your health.¡± ¡°But when I¡¯m with you, time seems to fly so fast, I really wish time could stop right here.¡± Yan Gui spoke suggestively, nipping at her earlobe. Embracing him, Chuzheng said indifferently, ¡°Time won¡¯t stop.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He obviously knew it wouldn¡¯t. The youth moved again, and by then Chuzheng had woken from her drowsiness and was not willing to let the youth take the initiative any longer. The positions were reversed. The youth let out a soft cry, ¡°I think¡­¡± Chuzheng leaned in, her voice low and suppressed, ¡°Think what? Hmm?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The youth pouted in frustration, and soon his thoughts drifted away to nothing. Yan Gui had always been frail, and Chuzheng truly feared any mishap, so she did not delay too long. Chuzheng pushed the youth away, got out of bed, put on her clothes, and then let someone bring in water after letting down the bed curtains. The hot water had been prepared early and was brought into the room swiftly. With cautious eyes, Lv Zhu gauged Chuzheng¡¯s complexion, ¡°Miss, do you need Lv Zhu¡¯s assistance?¡± ¡°No need, you may leave.¡± Lv Zhu glanced at the bed curtains and respectfully left the room. Chuzheng parted the bed curtains. The youth lay curled up on the bed like an infant, his long hair damp with sweat clinging to his body. He lifted his moist eyes, like a fawn in the mist of a forest dawn. Chuzheng bent over to kiss him, then picked him up and placed him into the hot water. ¡°Don¡¯t hold me like this,¡± Yan Gui protested. This was the way one held a girl, and every time, she held him just so. She was not particularly muscular, yet she possessed so much strength. Taking his opinion seriously, Chuzheng inquired, ¡°Then how should I hold you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yan Gui was choked up. After a while, he asserted, ¡°I am a man; in any case, don¡¯t hold me like that, I can walk on my own¡­¡± ¡°Oh.¡± After washing his body, Chuzheng carried him back to bed horizontally. ¡°¡­¡± By the time the two were dressed and ready, it was almost noon. The youth seemed in good spirits, and there was a spring in his step. He no longer seemed lethargic; overnight, he appeared to have gained vigor. ¡°The Prince seems a bit different¡­¡± Xiao Guizi mumbled to himself. Passing by, Lv Zhu hummed softly and under her breath, ¡°Of course, he¡¯s different.¡± The Miss treated him so well, and yet he remained the same as before, how could he deserve the Miss? Xiao Guizi: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C ¡°Get out!¡± Cheng Xiao shattered porcelain all over the floor and dismissed all the palace maids and eunuchs. The wedding of Chuzheng and Prince Jin, when word of it spread in the palace, was an object of envy to all. And her? When she entered the palace, she didn¡¯t even have the protocols that a normal consort would have upon her admission. Why should that woman enjoy such fine treatment, the ten-mile bridal procession¡­ The ten-mile bridal procession! The talk of the town, envied by everyone! She could¡¯ve had a ten-mile bridal procession marrying Ye Yang as well¡­ But now here she was, flattering a temperamental tyrant. They were both daughters of the Prince Cheng Residence. Why had the other been entitled to better things from birth than her? ¡°I am now Consort Chen,¡± Cheng Xiao suddenly cooled down. ¡°The most favored lady in the harem. What is Cheng Chuzheng?¡± ¡°Someone come!¡± Cheng Xiao raised her voice. The awaiting palace maids and eunuchs immediately entered and knelt down. Cheng Xiao had by then calmed down and regained her elegant and knowledgeable demeanor as Consort Chen. ¡°Clean this up.¡± The great hall was quickly restored to normal. Cheng Xiao beckoned her personal palace maid and handed her a letter. ¨C Three days after the wedding of Prince Cheng¡¯s daughter and Prince Jin, the fervor had not subsided. The city¡¯s blossoming begonias and the gold leaf and golden beans strewn about the wedding were enough to sustain such zeal. Some even said that the begonias Chuzheng planted were for Prince Jin. Otherwise, why did all the begonias in the city bloom just on their wedding day? Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m just squandering the family fortune. As for why the begonias bloomed on the day of the wedding, it was entirely accidental. ¡°People outside are saying that you planted those begonias for me,¡± Yan Gui, who appeared from nowhere, asked with curiosity, ¡°Is it true?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng weighed her options and nodded. Yan Gui¡¯s eyes slightly brightened: ¡°You fancied me even then?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She had been eyeing the Good Person Card for a while and, rounding up, that probably counted, right? So Chuzheng nodded very composedly: ¡°Hmm.¡± As long as the Good Person Card was happy. Yan Gui squinted and smiled, the usually serene youth now beaming, radiating the most magnificent colors of the world. He knew that those begonias certainly weren¡¯t planted for him. But since she was willing to indulge him, Yan Gui felt happy. However, Yan Gui hadn¡¯t expected that once the begonias¡¯ blooming season was over, Chuzheng would spend a huge sum to replace all the city¡¯s begonias with crape myrtles. These were truly planted for him. Every tree was etched with his name. Once the crape myrtles¡¯ blooming season ended, they were replaced with osmanthus. By winter, she had people plant wintersweets. Against the pristine snow, the city bloomed with red wintersweets, their elegance unabashed by wind and snow, their fragrance pervading the Imperial City. ¡°Last year there were no red wintersweets in the Imperial City, how come there are so many this year?¡± People new to the Imperial City were taken aback. ¡°That you don¡¯t know. These are planted by our Princess Consort Jin.¡± ¡°Princess Consort Jin? When did we have a Prince Jin?¡± those out of the loop asked, even more perplexed. ¡°Prince Six, he was conferred Prince Jin.¡± Someone explained, ¡°He married the young miss of Prince Cheng¡¯s household half a year ago. Ever since then, flowers in the Imperial City have been changed four times.¡± ¡°All these are planted by Princess Consort Jin to please Prince Jin.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it usually the man who pleases the woman?¡± ¡°Hahaha, our Princess Consort Jin is wealthy!¡± They were still amazed that the Prince Cheng Residence hadn¡¯t been squandered away yet. The late Emperor once gave the entire national treasury to Prince Cheng, didn¡¯t he? ¡°Princess Consort Jin dotes on Prince Jin that much?¡± ¡°That she does, Prince Jin is now the man most envied in the Imperial City.¡± Chapter 200 - Chapter 200: Chapter 200: Prince Longevity (30) Chapter 200: Chapter 200: Prince Longevity (30) The royal banquet. Yan Gui and Chuzheng entered the Imperial Palace, and since the incident on Qi Mountain, Chuzheng had been able to hear some news about Cheng Xiao. But this was the first time Chuzheng had seen Cheng Xiao since then. Cheng Xiao was much plumper than before, which was not unattractive, and even added a different charm to her appearance. She was still the Emperor¡¯s favorite concubine today. The Emperor became increasingly obsessed with the pursuit of immortality, causing the Ministers to wring their hands in frustration, risking their lives to advise against it to no avail; the Emperor still stubbornly sought eternal life. He was an Emperor who desired immortality! Cheng Xiao met Chuzheng¡¯s gaze but showed no reaction, quickly averting her eyes. Her smile was composed and dignified, exuding an elegant and noble air. Chuzheng rested her chin on her hand, looking indifferently at the lively royal banquet. ¡°I¡¯m stepping out for a moment,¡± Yan Gui whispered into her ear. ¡°Hmm?¡± Yan Gui murmured quietly about an urgent need. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Yan Gui¡¯s ears turned slightly red. Chuzheng took a moment before nodding, and Yan Gui left the great hall. Not long after he left, Chuzheng got up and followed. She still couldn¡¯t relax. This Imperial Palace is a place where people are swallowed whole without a trace! What if the Good Person Card is bullied? The Good Person Card is so weak! Chuzheng didn¡¯t get far from the great hall when she caught a glimpse of a shadow in the corner of her eye. The shadow flitted past, seemingly carrying a person. Chuzheng stroked her chin, pondered for a moment, then followed in the direction of the shadow. The Imperial Palace was full of rockeries, and Chuzheng walked down the small path between them. She didn¡¯t see anyone, but she did spot a person in the snow. Chuzheng walked closer to take a look. Is this¡­ Prince Rong? Since the incident on Qi Mountain, Prince Rong had been deeply troubled and had been recuperating, not attending the royal banquets. Why would he be here? Chuzheng checked his breathing¡­ Ho! He was dead! It couldn¡¯t have been the Good Person Card, could it? Chuzheng turned Prince Rong over and saw that he had been stabbed in the abdomen, still bleeding with the weapon embedded in him. Chuzheng¡¯s gaze fell to Prince Rong¡¯s palm. He was clutching something in his hand. Chuzheng pulled it out, a finger guard, this thing¡­ Chuzheng¡¯s cool eyes narrowed slightly as she pocketed the finger guard, cleaned the blood from the snow, and left with Prince Rong¡¯s body. ¨C When Chuzheng returned, Yan Gui stood outside the hall, looking around. ¡°Where did you go?¡± Yan Gui approached, bracing against the cold wind. Chuzheng straightened his cloak¡ªa snow-white cloak that made Yan Gui look even more pallid, like a deity from atop a snowy mountain. Chuzheng took his hand, slipping on the finger guard. ¡°Hmm?¡± Yan Gui was puzzled: ¡°When did you bring this out?¡± He had not brought it with him today. ¡°Keep your belongings safe,¡± Chuzheng calmly said, ¡°And discard what you don¡¯t need.¡± A flicker of doubt crossed Yan Gui¡¯s eyes. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Chuzheng embraced him as they entered the hall. He gripped Chuzheng¡¯s hand a little tighter, his voice soft and warm, ¡°I will keep what you give me safe.¡± Chuzheng looked up; snowflakes swirled outside, accumulating on the young man¡¯s hair and shoulders, his slightly curved lips the brightest scene in the snowy night. ¡°I¡¯m not an object.¡± Why did it feel like he was almost insulting himself?! The young man smiled, ¡°Of course, you are my Princess Consort, my wife.¡± He is the most important person to me. Chuzheng fell silent for a moment, ¡°Let¡¯s go in, it¡¯s cold outside.¡± Yan Gui tightened his lips and entered the inner hall. After hearing the sound of silk and bamboo, he abruptly pulled Chuzheng into his embrace. Chuzheng lowered her hand and walked in shoulder to shoulder with him. ¡°Prince Jin and Princess Consort Jin really have a great relationship.¡± ¡°If I were a man, I would want to marry Princess Consort Jin too.¡± Planting different flowers for Prince Jin in different seasons, could that be anything but romantic? ¡°Isn¡¯t Prince Jin just being raised by Princess Consort Jin?¡± Yan Gui helped Chuzheng to sit down and glanced at the few people who were discussing them. Feeling Yan Gui¡¯s gaze, their voices fell. The Emperor watched with some disinterest. His gaze shifted to Yan Gui, and he suddenly raised his hand to signal a eunuch at his side to go over and whisper a command. The eunuch left the great hall. A moment later, the eunuch returned with an unpleasant expression on his face and cold sweat beading his forehead. ¡°Your Majesty, Prince Rong is not in the palace.¡± ¡°Not in the palace?¡± The Emperor¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Where has he gone?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The eunuch¡¯s face was covered in cold sweat. ¡°Your Majesty, there are signs of a struggle in Prince Rong¡¯s chamber¡­ I fear that something may have happened to Prince Rong.¡± ¡°Search immediately!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The conversation between the Emperor and the eunuch was not loud, and even Cheng Xiao could only catch snippets of it. She was somewhat puzzled, ¡°Your Majesty, what has happened?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± The Emperor¡¯s face was overcast as he didn¡¯t even give her a kind look. Cheng Xiao tactfully shut her mouth while the eunuch occasionally came over to whisper to the Emperor, and the Emperor¡¯s expression grew increasingly grim. The entire great hall sensed that something was amiss. Aside from the sounds of silk and bamboo, no other sound could be heard. Chuzheng sat composedly in her place, while Cheng Xiao¡¯s gaze landed on her, carrying a hint of shrewd and secret excitement. But it was fleeting, barely noticeable. ¡°Your Majesty, there has been an incident!!¡± This time, the eunuch burst in shouting, seemingly terrified, and threw himself on the ground, ¡°Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Prince Rong¡­ Prince Rong is dead.¡± The Emperor immediately stood up, his face turning stark. The music in the hall halted abruptly, so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and everyone¡¯s movements seemed frozen in time. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Prince Rong¡­ Prince Rong is dead.¡± The eunuch trembled with fear. The Emperor swayed, taking a long moment to recover his composure. Nobody in the great hall dared even to breathe too loudly. How could Prince Rong be dead? Prince Rong was found dead in a bamboo grove, and because the snow-covered ground was too cold, the blood flowing from his body had already solidified into icicles. The Emperor personally led people there, and since he hadn¡¯t ordered the Ministers to disperse, they all followed in a large procession. ¡°Your Majesty, this was found in Prince Rong¡¯s hand.¡± A member of the Imperial Forest Army presented the object from the investigation. Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiao couldn¡¯t help but curl her lips into a smile. However, before the smile could fully set, it froze on her lips. ¡°Consort Chen!¡± The Emperor barked sharply, turning to look at Cheng Xiao. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Cheng Xiao seemed frightened, her face deathly pale. ¡°What is this?¡± The Emperor revealed what he held in his hand. It was a piece of warm jade, personally gifted to her by the Emperor. Warm jade was rare, and even more so when considering that the Emperor had previously cherished this piece and often played with it. It should have belonged to Cheng Xiao, yet at this moment, it was clutched in Prince Rong¡¯s hand. What did this imply? Cheng Xiao¡¯s heart pounded with dread, at a loss as to why this was happening. She kneeled with a thump on the ground, ¡°This servant¡­ This servant has no idea how it came to be here, Your Majesty, I swear I¡¯ve done nothing.¡± The Emperor¡¯s brooding eyes fell on her, ¡°If you did nothing, how did Prince Rong end up with your possession?¡± Cheng Xiao quickly glanced toward Chuzheng. The latter stood at the forefront of the crowd, leaning on Yan Gui, her expression indifferent as she watched her. Without any trace of suspicion¡­ Cheng Xiao took a deep breath, her voice soft and weak in defense, ¡°Your Majesty, I am not aware, today when I left the palace, I did not wear it. Certainly, a thief is trying to frame me. I hold no grudge against Prince Rong, why would I harm him? Please, Your Majesty, see the truth and restore my innocence!¡± Chapter 201 - Chapter 201: Chapter 201: Prince Longevity (31) Chapter 201: Chapter 201: Prince Longevity (31) Yan Gui gently tightened his grip on Chuzheng¡¯s hand. In the blink of an eye, he understood what was happening. The ring on his finger seemed so cold that it chilled him to the bone. Chuzheng soothingly patted his hand, ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Yan Gui couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry at her words. He wasn¡¯t scared. He just hadn¡¯t expected. This was originally meant for him¡­ The Emperor had only one brother, and even if Prince Rong was such a scoundrel, at most he¡¯d lock him up. Now the man was dead. With the Emperor¡¯s temper flaring up, he wouldn¡¯t listen to Cheng Xiao¡¯s explanations. He had Cheng Xiao dragged away directly. The others, well aware it was unwise to stay long, quickly made their exits. ¨C Yan Gui helped Chuzheng into the carriage. As the carriage gradually departed, the grand Imperial Palace faded into the darkness. Yan Gui held Chuzheng, his cool lips landing on her forehead, then Chuzheng pulled him in for a direct kiss. ¡°Thank you,¡± Yan Gui said, leaning his forehead against hers. If it weren¡¯t for her, he probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to get away. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Protecting you is what I should do. Yan Gui chuckled softly, embracing her for a good while. ¡°How did you know?¡± That someone wanted to frame him? ¡°I saw it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± With her unguarded answer, Yan Gui asked again, ¡°Then why did you pin the blame on Cheng Xiao?¡± ¡°It was her doing, not pinning the blame,¡± Chuzheng said with a serious face. Chuzheng¡¯s hand slid down Yan Gui¡¯s chest, and he drew a sharp breath, saying in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Chuzheng paused, withdrawing her hand. Fearing she could do anything, Yan Gui worried that if he further stirred the fire, she might indeed do something on the carriage, so he dared not make any more moves and held her quietly. ¡°How did you know it was her?¡± Yan Gui wondered. ¡°I guessed,¡± Chuzheng asserted confidently. ¡°¡­¡± Besides Cheng Xiao, who else would use such a petty method? Yan Gui: ¡°What if you guessed wrong?¡± Chuzheng, playing with Yan Gui¡¯s hair, said carelessly, ¡°Then I¡¯m wrong.¡± Yan Gui: ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re framing her?¡± Chuzheng looked up, her tone cold, ¡°She has framed me before, I¡¯m just returning the favor.¡± Yan Gui thought of the affair at Qi Mountain, that incident was clearly Cheng Xiao¡¯s loss, yet she really held a grudge. ¨C Despite having evidence of Prince Rong¡¯s death, there was no other proof, and Cheng Xiao insisted it had nothing to do with her, claiming she was framed. The Emperor ordered a thorough investigation of the case. However, for some unknown reason, Prince Rong had dismissed his attendants that night and was drinking alone in the palace. The attendants didn¡¯t know when Prince Rong was taken away; they heard no fighting or other noises outside the hall. The main suspect was then Cheng Xiao. If the matter had been attributed to Yan Gui, it would have been a different story. Because Prince Rong had bullied him before, and coincidentally, Yan Gui had left the banquet for a while. The Emperor would probably have Yan Gui executed without asking questions. However, Cheng Xiao wasn¡¯t detained for two days before she was brought back to the palace due to her pregnancy, though she remained under house arrest. Chuzheng sat by the window, thinking about how to deal with Cheng Xiao again to complete her mission. ¡°Princess Consort Jin.¡± The Little Taoist Priest¡¯s face suddenly appeared outside the window. Chuzheng almost slapped him. Was he possessed by a ghost? Popping up suddenly like that, trying to scare someone to death! Done for! She calmly put down her hand, staring icily at him, ¡°What are you doing now?¡± The Little Taoist Priest leaned on the windowsill, grinning, ¡°You know about Cheng Xiao¡¯s pregnancy, right?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Then do you know¡­¡± The Little Taoist Priest raised his eyebrows, pausing without continuing. Chuzheng, knowing his antics, drew out a silver note and tossed it to him. She knew this swindler was here for money. ¡°That child is not the Emperor¡¯s,¡± the Little Taoist Priest said as he happily counted the silver note. ¡°¡­¡± Not the Emperor¡¯s! Whose then? Chuzheng suddenly thought of Ye Yang, who had previously cuckolded the Emperor; was this wild sister really that formidable? Impressive, impressive. Respect. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing happening in the Imperial Palace that I don¡¯t know about,¡± the Little Taoist Priest boasted proudly. After all, he was the longest-serving Taoist in the palace who hadn¡¯t been beheaded yet. Chuzheng wore a cold expression. How could anyone in the palace possibly know about this matter? Would Cheng Xiao actually tell others that the child I¡¯m carrying isn¡¯t the Emperor¡¯s? She would be minced into meat sauce by the Emperor for sure. ¡°Cough cough¡­ I figured it out,¡± the Little Taoist Priest said, scratching his head. ¡°He has no fortune for offspring, so he won¡¯t have children, which means this child definitely isn¡¯t his.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Creak¡ª¡± The Little Taoist Priest suddenly shrank down, whispering, ¡°I¡¯m leaving, I¡¯ll contact you if there¡¯s news.¡± Are you coming to me for money? That¡¯s fine! I¡¯ll be waiting! ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Yan Gui embraced Chuzheng from behind, his gaze drifting towards the vast white snow. He thought he had heard voices just a moment ago. ¡°The snow.¡± A shade of suspicion flickered in Yan Gui¡¯s eyes, and he kissed her: ¡°I made soup for you; drink some to warm up your body?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that you shouldn¡¯t do that?¡± ¡°Umm¡­ I wanted to make it for you personally.¡± Yan Gui nuzzled her: ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s eyes were clear and cold: ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do these things.¡± ¡°I can do anything for you.¡± Yan Gui¡¯s voice was soft, like the falling snowflakes outside the window. Chuzheng had no choice but to accompany him to drink the soup. However, by the end of the night, Chuzheng wished she could get rid of Yan Gui¡ªwhatever soup he made her drink made her uncomfortably hot. Chuzheng glanced at the already sleeping Yan Gui. She rudely woke him up. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chuzheng stripped off his clothes. Yan Gui, half-asleep, cooperated submissively as Chuzheng undressed him, his body reacting sensitively to her touches. The snowy night was long. ¨C Chuzheng walked past the corridor and saw someone kneeling in front of Yan Gui. The moment she appeared, the person was startled and seemed to want to leave, but Yan Gui held them down. Walking over, Chuzheng heard the person respectfully call out, ¡°Princess Consort.¡± ¡°You may leave,¡± Yan Gui said. ¡°Yes.¡± Chuzheng watched the person leave: ¡°Your man?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Yan Gui nodded softly. Chuzheng said nothing, pulling him out to a lavish shopping spree. Yan Gui: ¡°¡­¡± This is good. Buy it. This is suitable. Buy it. This is beautiful. Buy it. If it weren¡¯t for the vulgarity of gold and silver objects, which he firmly refused, Chuzheng would probably love to adorn him with these items. The youth was wrapped in a snow-white fox fur, only his delicate and stunning face exposed. Walking alongside the lady on the streets blanketed with snow, radiant red plum blossoms blossomed on both sides, exuding their fragrance for miles. The pair attracted frequent glances from passersby. ¡°Is that Prince Jin and Princess Consort Jin?¡± ¡°Yeah, aren¡¯t they a sight?¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t they riding in a carriage?¡± ¡°¡­ Probably because it¡¯s being used to carry stuff.¡± ¡°What?¡± When Chuzheng and Yan Gui came out, it signified that the Princess Consort would buy a lot of things. This was the time every merchant joyously awaited. A single visit from the Princess Consort could sustain them for several months. ¡°Princess Consort, you have excellent taste. This is a fine jade and a pair at that, only to be found here in the entire Imperial City. You and the Prince can each have one,¡± the shopkeeper said. ¡°Is it valuable?¡± Chuzheng asked. The shopkeeper nodded; of course, it was valuable. Chuzheng paid with satisfaction. She took the jade and returned to Yan Gui, handing one to him. ¡°Help me put it on,¡± the youth said, his lashes trembling lightly, voice soft. Chuzheng glanced at him; about to comment on his lack of hands, the King¡¯s Account screamed that she should stop being so brutal and appease the Good Person Card. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Pamper! Pamper! Pamper! I¡¯ll pamper! Stop shouting! It¡¯s infuriating! Chapter 202 - Chapter 202: Chapter 202: Prince Longevity (32) Chapter 202: Chapter 202: Prince Longevity (32) Chuzheng quietly treaded on the snow, descending from the roof into the courtyard. At this time, the entire palace was very quiet, with neither palace maids nor eunuchs in sight. Chuzheng stepped on the stairs and walked to the outside of the palace, where it was quiet, without any audible sound. No one around? That can¡¯t be right¡­ She saw Ye Yang enter. This was the result of her tracking Ye Yang for several days. Chuzheng circled to the other side, then heard a faint noise, like the suppressed moans of a woman, extremely low. Chuzheng found a window that wasn¡¯t closed properly and took a peek inside. In the palace, the layers of bed curtains were draped, the light was too dim to see anything inside. Chuzheng scratched her finger against the edge of the window. She listened intently. Inside the palace. Cheng Xiao¡¯s bewitching eyes were like silk, hooking around the man¡¯s neck, actively reciprocating. She was now three months pregnant, though not very noticeable, just slightly protruding. The man lay on top of her, moving carefully. ¡°Xiaoxiao¡­¡± the man called her softly, and after the final thrust, he rolled over to lie beside her. Cheng Xiao propped herself up to sit: ¡°What about the matter with Prince Rong? If I weren¡¯t pregnant, I would¡¯ve been beheaded by now.¡± The Emperor had people investigate, but they found nothing. She was the only suspect. The Emperor now seemed to have her under house arrest here. ¡°Xiaoxiao, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°How can I not worry? If he finds out¡­¡± Cheng Xiao didn¡¯t even dare to think about her fate if the Emperor learned the child wasn¡¯t his. ¡°That bitch Cheng Chuzheng.¡± Cheng Xiao clenched her fists: ¡°How did she find out, and even frame me for this!¡± ¡°Xiaoxiao, I told you not to be impulsive,¡± Ye Yang sighed. The matter with Prince Rong was orchestrated by Cheng Xiao herself. Ye Yang knew too late. If it weren¡¯t for him dealing with several people, the Emperor would probably have found out already. ¡°But I just can¡¯t stand to see her living so well outside, while I suffer in the palace.¡± Hate filled Cheng Xiao¡¯s voice. ¡°Ye Yang, it was her who tore us apart,¡± Cheng Xiao said with a plaintive voice. Ye Yang¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, a dangerous light flickering in their depths. Ye Yang soothed Cheng Xiao for a while, but eventually, the comforting turned into the beginning of another round of activity. Bang¡ª The room was suddenly brightened by a burst of firelight. The Imperial Forest Army came in from outside the palace, surrounding the bed. Ye Yang and Cheng Xiao were terrified, scrambling to cover themselves with their clothes. The figure in imperial yellow slowly walked in, his face livid as he pushed aside the hanging bed curtains to reveal the scene inside. The sinister look in the Emperor¡¯s eyes grew more evident, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. ¡°Put on your clothes and get out!¡± The curtains fell, and Cheng Xiao looked at Ye Yang, her face bloodless, her body trembling. Wasn¡¯t it said that the Emperor had chosen Consort Shu¡¯s token today? Why did he suddenly appear here? That¡¯s not right¡­ There must be something wrong somewhere! ¨C The Emperor stood outside with his hands behind his back. Why would he appear here? Because someone had snuck into Consort Shu¡¯s chamber in the dark of night, picked him up, and threw him outside where he lay immobile in the corner. He better not catch who it was! Yes. The Emperor did not know who was responsible. But what angered him more at the moment was that his own woman and his own official dared to do such a thing under his very nose. Chuzheng hid in the shadows, watching the Emperor kick Ye Yang in a rage. She touched her chest. The red scarf on my chest seemed even brighter. I was working hard to be a good person again today. [¡­]Miss, what exactly is your misunderstanding about ¡®good people¡¯? What kind of good person do you think you are? Exposing the Emperor¡¯s adultery without being kept in the dark, am I not a good person? [¡­] I¡¯ll go home and cuddle my Good Person Card. [¡­] Shameless! Hooligan! Chuzheng silently left the Imperial Palace, concealing her achievements and name. The next day, Chuzheng heard that Cheng Xiao had been beaten to a bloody pulp. The bizarre Emperor, unconcerned about worldly views and only seeking immortality, had Cheng Xiao thrown out of the Prince Cheng Residence. The Emperor even had the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s placard smashed, a clear sign of his fury. Since Chuzheng left the Prince¡¯s Mansion, the Princess Consort had been in charge. Her daughter, who should have been favored in the palace, was suddenly thrown back in such a state, frightening the Princess Consort Cheng so much she nearly fainted. Chuzheng heard the Prince Cheng Residence was in an uproar for quite a while. She didn¡¯t know what had become of Ye Yang, nor had she heard any news. But the Ye Family looked as if they were on high alert, almost ready to pack up and flee, indicating things were probably not well. A favored harem consort suddenly returned to her family in such a state. Whatever had happened, it was enough for gossip among the common people. Cheng Xiao couldn¡¯t save the child in her womb either. Princess Consort Cheng spent a considerable sum on doctors just to save Cheng Xiao¡¯s life. Five days later, the Imperial Forest Army surrounded the Prince Cheng Residence, and amid the Princess Consort¡¯s screams and cries, Cheng Xiao, who had just clung to life, was forcibly taken away. Chuzheng¡¯s carriage was parked on the edge. Cheng Xiao was being pressed down by the Imperial Forest Army, her face pale and her eyes full of despair. When she saw Chuzheng, a surge of hatred burst from the depths of her eyes, and she struggled to lunge toward Chuzheng. ¡°Cheng Chuzheng, you whore!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The Imperial Forest Army dragged Cheng Xiao back and viciously slapped her twice. Already injured, Cheng Xiao couldn¡¯t move and could only stare at Chuzheng with resentful eyes. Chuzheng lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked on with an extremely cold expression, as if she were watching something very ordinary. Her calmness only aggravated Cheng Xiao more. Cheng Xiao was dragged away, half-pulled and half-carried. Princess Consort Cheng threw herself in front of Chuzheng¡¯s carriage: ¡°Chuzheng, save your sister, please save your sister!¡± Princess Consort Cheng was in disarray, her hair disheveled from the scuffle, looking nothing like a princess consort. ¡°I can¡¯t save her,¡± Chuzheng said calmly. ¡°Why can¡¯t you save her? She¡¯s your sister, save her!!¡± Toward the end, Princess Consort Cheng became agitated, pounding on the carriage like a common fishwife. ¡°Cheng Chuzheng save your sister, save her, save her!!¡± ¡°She¡¯s your sister!¡± ¡°You must save her!! How can you stand by and watch her die, Cheng Chuzheng save your sister!!¡± Princess Consort Cheng howled heart-wrenchingly. Chuzheng, tired of dealing with the Princess Consort, let down the curtain and ordered the driver to leave the place. ¡°Cheng Chuzheng, may you die a horrible death!¡± Sharp curses from Princess Consort Cheng followed from behind. Chuzheng tapped her wrist lightly with her fingertips, her lashes lowered, concealing the emotions in her eyes. Cheng Xiao was being taken away again, this time over matters involving Prince Rong. Conspiring to murder Prince Rong was a capital offense. However, an elder statesman, remembering Prince Cheng¡¯s past favor, pleaded with the Emperor, and eventually Cheng Xiao¡¯s sentence was commuted to exile, never to return to the capital. Princess Consort Cheng emptied the small treasury of the Prince Cheng Residence to save her daughter, but the money was gone, and the daughter remained unsaved. Princess Consort Cheng was overcome with rage and stress, fell gravely ill, and never got up again, leaving the Prince¡¯s Mansion an empty shell. The servants of the Prince Cheng Residence gradually left. In the end, only the vast Prince Cheng Residence and the bedridden Princess Consort remained. Chapter 203 - Chapter 203: Chapter 203: Prince Longevity (End) Chapter 203: Chapter 203: Prince Longevity (End) The Emperor was obsessed with immortality, stuffing himself with all sorts of rubbish. In just two or three years, his body was already failing. The more this happened, the more irritable the Emperor became. The Little Taoist Priest, fearing entanglement, took the money and ran. He had always been in disguise in the palace; once outside, he changed his appearance, and nobody could catch him. ¡°Princess Consort Jin, do you think all this mischief will come back to haunt you?¡± The Little Taoist Priest lamented in the Juyuan Pavilion. He might have made a good sum of money in the Imperial Palace. What a pity, now the Emperor is like a ticking time bomb. He wouldn¡¯t dare make a joke at the expense of his own head. Chuzheng seriously asked, ¡°What mischief?¡± The corner of the Little Taoist Priest¡¯s mouth twitched; she wouldn¡¯t even admit it. Alright then. She had never admitted it. Yet here was Cheng Xiao¡¯s current plight. Ye Yang, secretly executed. He didn¡¯t believe these were unconnected to her. This Princess Consort Jin sure knew how to hold a grudge. Thank goodness he hadn¡¯t crossed her back in the day. The Little Taoist Priest felt relieved at the thought. After chatting nonsense with Chuzheng, he set out his stall to swindle money. He had no choice; to maintain his lifestyle, he had to swindle money. Chuzheng¡¯s money? All spent. The Little Taoist Priest was a big spender; he gambled it all away. But not Chuzheng; according to Bastard rules, gambling is considered an illegal way to squander wealth. Illegal squandering didn¡¯t count as completing the task and he had to pay double. Infuriating! He lost the money fair and square, why shouldn¡¯t it count! The Little Taoist Priest hummed a tune as he went downstairs. On the staircase, he collided with Yan Gui and flashed him a grin, ¡°Prince Jin, how about it, was I wrong before?¡± Yan Gui¡¯s lashes fluttered downward, ¡°Taoist speaks the truth.¡± The Taoist Priest chuckled, ¡°Pay up.¡± Yan Gui fiddled in his sleeve, ¡°That¡¯s all there is.¡± ¡°Tsk, Princess Consort Jin is much more generous than you,¡± the Taoist Priest snorted as he walked past Yan Gui, ¡°I shall take my leave.¡± Yan Gui turned around and watched the Taoist Priest dart out of the door, vanishing into the bustling crowd. ¡°Your fate may not be great, but you will meet a noble person who can protect you for a carefree life.¡± Those were the words the Little Taoist Priest had once caught up to him to say. How had he responded then? He asked¡ªwhat should he do? At that time, it was just a casual question; he didn¡¯t believe in this Taoist Priest who obviously looked like a swindler. The Taoist Priest said he would believe. They even made a bet. ¡°Yan Gui.¡± Snapping back to reality, Yan Gui looked up at the girl standing above him. He curved his lips slightly and ascended towards her. He would believe. And now, he did. ¨C The Emperor passed away a year later. Prince Jin, who had planned to rebel, seemed to have no intention of doing so as he was constantly pampered by Chuzheng. The Court Officials eventually put another Prince on the throne. Three years after the new Emperor¡¯s ascension, there was peace throughout the land, the people were safe and content, and all praised him as a wise leader. In the Imperial City, the most enviable were not the concubines in the Harem nor the emperors and generals, but the carefree Prince Jin without power or influence. Princess Consort Jin changed the city¡¯s trees with each season. In spring, she planted crabapples. In summer, Chinese Scholar trees. In autumn, crape myrtles. In winter, red plum trees. All year round, she made sure Prince Jin could see a city full of colors. A bunch of tree merchants made a fortune. The Prince Jin Mansion became a bottomless pit of gold and silver. It was rumored the floors were paved with warm jade. Since Prince Jin was sensitive to the cold, the whole Prince Jin Mansion had an underfloor heating system¡ªEarth Dragon¡ªinstalled, providing warmth even in the corridors. Squandering resources? The Princess Consort has money to burn, and no one can stop her. In the Imperial City, all the girls wish they could marry into Prince Jin Mansion. Prince Jin? What about Prince Jin? They want to marry Princess Consort Jin. This really distresses the scions of noble families in the Imperial City, who find their beloved girls think they¡¯re not romantic enough. Can they even hope to emulate the romantic gestures of Princess Consort Jin? Those are all bought with money, okay? If Princess Consort Jin keeps this up, they¡¯ll never get brides!! Listening to Xiao Guizi recount the interesting stories from outside, Yan Gui chuckles lightly, ¡°They all want to marry the Princess Consort?¡± ¡°Exactly, now all those wealthy daughters wish they were born as boys,¡± Xiao Guizi sighs. Not to mention the others, even some scions of noble families seem a little tempted. Princess Consort Jin truly dotes on the Prince with all her heart. Xiao Guizi always feels that someone as delicate as the Prince should live just like that. And now, there really is someone who has achieved it¡­ ¡°Then I need to keep a closer eye on the Princess Consort.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Who would dare to compete with you? ¡°Prince, the young miss invites you to the Flying Star Pavilion,¡± comes Lv Zhu¡¯s voice from outside. Yan Gui stands up, and Xiao Guizi quickly fetches a cloak, fastening it on Yan Gui. Outside, the wind and snow are harsh, but the chilled breeze does not seem biting. Yan Gui gathers the cloak around him, following behind the servants carrying lanterns on the way to the Flying Star Pavilion. Today is New Year¡¯s Eve, and the entire Prince¡¯s Mansion is also very lively, with lanterns hung along the corridors. ¡°Prince.¡± ¡°Prince, may you live a thousand blessings.¡± The servants greet Yan Gui with laughter and smiles. ¡°What is the Princess Consort summoning the Prince for so late?¡± Xiao Guizi and Lv Zhu lag behind. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Lv Zhu has an honest face. ¡°You must know.¡± Xiao Guizi doesn¡¯t believe her. The Princess Consort issues all her orders through Lv Zhu, how could she not know? ¡°Even if I knew, I wouldn¡¯t tell you.¡± Lv Zhu sticks out her tongue at Xiao Guizi and catches up to Yan Gui, ¡°Prince, please slow down, the young miss said there¡¯s no rush.¡± Yan Gui¡¯s gentle voice drifts back, ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep her waiting too long.¡± Flying Star Pavilion was built last year by Chuzheng; it is the tallest building in the entire Imperial City, from which one can overlook the entire cityscape. Yan Gui climbs up to the Flying Star Pavilion. Snowflakes flutter down, adding a chill to the pavilion. Chuzheng stands at the edge of the pavilion, extending her hand to him. Yan Gui places his hand in hers, and she pulls him into her embrace, her body always radiating warmth, enough to dispel the cold. ¡°Did you call me here for something?¡± ¡°Cold?¡± ¡°Not really, you¡¯re very warm.¡± Chuzheng pulls him in a little tighter, ¡°Is it beautiful?¡± Yan Gui looks down following Chuzheng¡¯s gaze. The Imperial City is ablaze with lights, exuding joy. It used to be a view from below, but now, looking down from above feels completely different. ¡°Truly beautiful.¡± He never thought that one day he would stand at the highest point, overlooking the Imperial City with someone. Bang¡ª Majestic fireworks explode in the dark night sky. The colors, vibrant and resplendent, reflect in Yan Gui¡¯s eyes, the fireworks bloom like flowers, illuminating the entire night sky. One after another, they spread from Flying Star Pavilion toward the distance. The whole sky is filled with blooming fireworks, dreamlike and ephemeral. ¡°The Princess Consort is always pleasing the Prince,¡± Xiao Guizi comments nonchalantly, poking Lv Zhu, ¡°How much money did the Princess Consort spend?¡± ¡°Anyway, even if you sell yourself ten thousand times, it still wouldn¡¯t be enough,¡± Lv Zhu snorts. ¡°¡­¡± Lv Zhu gazes at the fireworks in the night sky, ¡°If someone set off fireworks across the whole city for me, I would probably cry for a long time.¡± Xiao Guizi genuinely laments, ¡°The Princess Consort is so good to the Prince.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Not really, I¡¯m just breaking the bank. Yan Gui tightens his grip on Chuzheng¡¯s hand, his heartbeat unusually fast. Even after being with her for a long time, he still finds his heart racing every time she does things like this. The two stand together, watching the fireworks bloom across the night sky. Amidst the fluttering snow, a faint voice is heard. ¡°We¡¯ll always be together, right?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± * The sixth dimension has concluded. Chapter 204 - Chapter 204: Chapter 204: The Kings Return (1) Chapter 204: Chapter 204: The King¡¯s Return (1) ¡°Miss Sheng, what do you think Brother Ting would say if he saw you like this? A ¡®Canary¡¯ kept in a cage, lying here naked and at the mercy of anyone¡­¡± Chuzheng faintly heard the voice. But her body was slow to react until the voice faded, and it wasn¡¯t until after the sound of the door slamming shut that she began to recover. The surroundings were very dark. She couldn¡¯t see her hand in front of her face; the ink-thick darkness was terrifying. Chuzheng felt soft and tender, her limbs without strength, like someone utterly helpless. Chuzheng lay down flat. Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing? After these three bewildered questions, Chuzheng¡¯s consciousness gradually returned, the keywords slowly connecting and clarifying her current situation. ¨C The original owner of the body was a Sheng. The Sheng Family had always been a hereditary crime syndicate, powerful and vast, operating across both legal and illegal spheres. But, half a year ago, the head of the Sheng Family, Sheng Min, suddenly disappeared. Sheng Min was the original owner¡¯s father. Sheng Min had only one child, the original owner, and an adopted son, Sheng Ting. After Sheng Min¡¯s disappearance, Sheng Ting quickly set up his own faction, taking away most of the people, and the Sheng Family was in imminent danger. The only daughter of the Sheng Family had never been involved in such matters, nor did she understand them. She was like a Princess kept in a castle, never to see the dark side of the world. However, when Sheng Min disappeared, the original owner was no longer the envied, respected little Princess. The Sheng Family descended into turmoil, and the young girl was at a loss. Various forces coveted their territory, ready to swallow the organization that had lost its leader. In the midst of her confusion, Sheng Ting suddenly appeared. The original owner respected this adoptive brother, and when he showed up, she gave him all her dependence. But unexpectedly, Sheng Ting harbored different feelings for her. He was fond of the original owner. He wanted the original owner to be his woman. The original owner only saw Sheng Ting as a brother and did not like him that way. Sheng Ting, however, blackmailed her with the fate of the Sheng Family, saying that if she dared to leave him, he would let the Sheng Family fall to ruin. The original owner, a girl pampered and untouched by darkness. Intimidated by Sheng Ting, she dared not run away. She was locked up by Sheng Ting. She had no idea what had become of the Sheng Family; her daily life, food, and clothing were all arranged by Sheng Ting. Fortunately, Sheng Ting had not laid a hand on her because he wanted her to willingly become his woman. However, the original owner¡¯s resistance against Sheng Ting grew stronger. Her resistance and fear greatly irritated Sheng Ting. The original owner did not want to be confined by Sheng Ting, she wanted to leave him. But she couldn¡¯t. There was a woman named Zhuang Yi by Sheng Ting¡¯s side; everyone said she was Sheng Ting¡¯s lover, but not even girlfriend material. Zhuang Yi harbored a deep animosity towards the original owner because she liked Sheng Ting, yet it was the original owner who Sheng Ting wanted. The original owner never expected Zhuang Yi to confront her. She told herself that she could find a chance to leave this place, but she must never let Sheng Ting find her again. This thought aligned with what the original owner wanted, and she almost immediately agreed. But that time, she didn¡¯t escape. Sheng Ting caught up with her very soon. Sheng Ting didn¡¯t seize her; he just watched her run, watched her fear, her helplessness. Of course, in the end, the original owner was still caught and taken back. Zhuang Yi¡¯s assistance went undiscovered, but Sheng Ting became even more vigilant in his watch over the original owner, and at first Zhuang Yi still planned to find an opportunity to set the original owner free. As Sheng Ting¡¯s behavior escalated, Zhuang Yi grew to hate the original owner more and more. Finally, in Sheng Ting¡¯s absence, Zhuang Yi took the original owner out. But she did not intend to let the original owner go; she wanted to destroy her completely. When the original owner was found, she hadn¡¯t been violated, but she had been injected with some kind of addictive drug. It was the kind of drug that hooked you the moment you tried it. After the original owner was brought back, she was unable to quit it, no matter how hard she tried. Because every time Sheng Ting helped her to detoxify, Zhuang Yi would secretly increase her addiction. The original host was tortured beyond recognition, unable to even die. For a while, it seemed Sheng Ting was busy with other matters and visited the original host less frequently. Instead, Zhuang Yi had plenty of time to spend with her. Zhuang Yi tormented her. Made her kneel on the ground begging for relief when her drug addiction kicked in. When Zhuang Yi felt her vengeance was satisfied, she staged the original host¡¯s escape with someone else. During the chase, the original host supposedly fell to her death by accident on a hillside. And with that, the original host¡¯s life came to an end. Chuzheng exhaled a breath. The current timeline should be where Zhuang Yi once helped the original host to escape, the original host was captured and brought back, Zhuang Yi gradually came to hate her, and then took her out again, planning to destroy her. Chuzheng felt her own wrist in the dark. It should not have been injected with anything yet. But it would be soon. She needed to leave this hellish place. Chuzheng squeezed her wrist, feeling the strength of this body¡­ What a joke of strength. This body was truly a ¡°Canary¡±. Soft and tender, barely able to exert any force, Chuzheng doubted she could even lift a weight of ten pounds. Proper exercise and learning were indeed necessary! Chuzheng leaned against the wall and sat up. It was a very empty room, with nothing in it and not very large, about ten square meters in size. Chuzheng calmly assessed her surroundings and finally found the door along the wall. Tap, tap¡­ The sound of high heels tapping crisply on the floor. Someone was coming outside the door. The door¡¯s soundproofing wasn¡¯t very good, and Chuzheng could clearly hear the voices outside. ¡°Sister Yi, if Brother Ting finds out about this, we¡¯re not getting away with it.¡± A woman¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother Ting isn¡¯t in town. As long as you all keep your mouths shut and say she ran out on her own, no one will know.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± The woman interrupted, ¡°Enough, bring the stuff in and hurry up.¡± The sound of high heels gradually faded away. The people outside waited a while and then started whispering among themselves. ¡°Are we really doing this?¡± ¡°Sister Yi ordered it, can we not do it?¡± ¡°But this is Sheng Chuzheng we¡¯re talking about. If Brother Ting finds out, we¡¯re all dead.¡± ¡°What can we do? Are you going to tell Sister Yi? Do we have any way out now? Once we finish this, we¡¯ll take the money and leave immediately.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still scared¡­¡± ¡°The money Sister Yi gave us is enough to leave the country. By the time Brother Ting comes back, we¡¯ll be long gone. Come on, stop dawdling and speed it up.¡± The chatter outside ceased. The door lock began to turn. Chuzheng leaned against the door. As it was pushed open, light seeped through the cracks, gradually illuminating the entire room. ¡°Where is she?¡± Two figures entered from outside simultaneously. With enough light now to see the entire room clearly. In the empty room, they saw no one, just felt a tingling on their scalps. Locked securely. How could she be missing? ¡°Looking for me?¡± Bang¡ª The door shut. One of them held a flashlight, which snapped on and cast its beam toward the doorway. The girl in a white dress, barefoot, stood by the wall. Her waist-length hair wrapped around her slim and graceful body. The girl¡¯s complexion was pale, and her dark eyes, under the flashlight¡¯s glare, seemed as though they could consume someone¡¯s soul. At this moment, she looked at them expressionlessly. A chill ran from the soles of their feet to their foreheads. Both shuddered at the same time. Chapter 205 - Chapter 205: Chapter 205: The Kings Return (2) Chapter 205: Chapter 205: The King¡¯s Return (2) The woman in the red dress put on sunglasses, got into the car, and as soon as she started the vehicle, a phone call came in. Looking at the name flickering on the screen, Zhuang Yi¡¯s heartbeat slightly quickened. She took a deep breath and answered the call, ¡°Brother Ting.¡± ¡°Where are you?¡± a low, rich voice came from the other end of the phone. ¡°Um, Sisi and I just finished watching a movie.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was sweet and soft, coquettish, ¡°I¡¯m about to head home. Have you finished your work, Brother Ting? When will you be back?¡± While Zhuang Yi was on the phone, she pulled out another mobile phone and texted someone saved as Sisi. ¡°I just got on the plane,¡± the man said. Zhuang Yi exclaimed with a small leap of joy, ¡°Brother Ting, you¡¯re coming back? Then I¡¯ll pick you up.¡± The man was silent for a moment and then hummed in response. Zhuang Yi waited until the man hung up, then her facial expression became composed as she looked at the text message she had sent on her phone and erased the record. She flipped to the call history and dialed a number from her recent calls. Sheng Ting was actually returning earlier than planned! The call went unanswered until it disconnected automatically. A faint unease settled in Zhuang Yi¡¯s heart. She glanced at the building, bit her lip, and drove away. Even if Sheng Ting just boarded the airplane, it would still take time to arrive here. By that time¡­ ¨C Chuzheng jumped down from the old wall, barefoot on the ground, discomfort biting into her feet. Chuzheng leaned against the wall, catching her breath. Performing such activities with this body was indeed a hardship for her poor self. The original owner was wearing just this white dress, with not a single ornament on her entire body. It looked rather scary in the middle of the night. [Side Mission: Please spend twenty thousand within one hour. The funds have been disbursed to Space. Please check your receipt.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± In the middle of nowhere. In pitch darkness. Where the hell do you expect me to spend twenty thousand bucks¡ªin cash! [¡­Miss, please mind your language. We are a cultured System!] Chuzheng steadied herself against the wall. Fuck your damned culture! [Dare you swear it out loud.] Chuzheng snorted coldly in her heart, flipped her hair back, and walked forward composed. Even without shoes, she could still walk with the aura of a business magnate. Damn stones hurt like hell! Chuzheng had hardly walked a few steps before she hopped up in pain. The ground was full of pebbles and her delicate, tender skin could hardly bear such torment. It was too uncomfortable to walk. I need to buy shoes first! Her current location was quite remote. It took Chuzheng almost half an hour to see a road. She climbed onto the road from a slope, barely stabilizing herself when a car sped past, lifting her little white skirt in a whistling sound. Does this scene look like something out of a drama¡ªbeautiful, isn¡¯t it? Ha! Chuzheng¡¯s face was covered by her hair. Bang¡ª Boom¡ª Flames shot up from the front, reaching the sky. Chuzheng calmly moved the hair away from her face and looked forward to see two cars had collided, and an explosion had ensued. The people inside were probably ready to be served at the table with a little cumin sprinkled on them. Chuzheng pompously dusted off her skirt, assuming the manner of a boss. This is what you get for smearing my face. [¡­What does an accident have to do with you?] Chuzheng struck a pose, then thought for a moment and walked towards the explosion site. One of the cars had exploded, and another had been knocked off the road and flipped over in the grass beside the pavement. The driver was already unconscious, and with some difficulty, Chuzheng leaned through the shattered window, intending to check if the driver was dead. The dark muzzle of a gun was pointed at her. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The driver¡¯s head was bleeding, and though he was upside down, his eyes were as sharp as a hawk¡¯s. ¡°I just wanted to borrow the navigation,¡± Chuzheng said calmly. The driver watched her warily, obviously not buying her fib. But at that moment, Chuzheng looked soft and weak, exuding an air of harmlessness from head to toe. The driver didn¡¯t let his guard down: ¡°Get me out.¡± ¡°If I get you out, will you lend me the navigation?¡± Chuzheng asked. Driver: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C The driver lay on the ground, both his legs broken and completely immobilized. He watched the expressionless girl leaning against the car, staring at him. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Just passing by, don¡¯t mind me,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Chuzheng left immediately. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± ¡°I¡¯m very busy.¡± It¡¯s about to double!! ¡°Could you take me with you?¡± the driver gasped for breath. ¡°I will pay you a reward.¡± A reward! I don¡¯t want it! This guy must be a devil! Bullying me, a poor little thing without shoes. ¡°You would kill me to keep me quiet,¡± Chuzheng accused. Armed gangs, obviously not good people: ¡°No thanks.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng took a few steps away, then turned back. The driver thought she had changed her mind. Instead, the girl unceremoniously stripped him of his shoes: ¡°You can¡¯t walk anyway, sell them to me.¡± You can¡¯t walk anyway¡­ ¡°I¡¯m not a little girl, don¡¯t you have any sympathy?¡± ¡°You have a gun, what do you need sympathy for?¡± Chuzheng stripped his other shoe. Since when do people with guns not need sympathy?! Is this discrimination or what? ¡°Little girl, not everyone who has a gun is a bad person, right?¡± the driver said through the pain, trying to reason with her. ¡°Yeah,¡± Chuzheng nodded. ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with me?¡± Chuzheng pulled out two bundles of cash from Space, placing them on the driver. ¡°Keep the change.¡± Driver: ¡°¡­¡± Where did she pull that cash from? [Congratulations, Miss, for completing the task. A reward of twenty thousand has been deposited into your account.] Chuzheng walked away in the oversized leather shoes, clack-clacking down the street. She looked like a child stealing an adult¡¯s shoes to wear, her face sternly trying to act grown-up¡ªa comical sight. The driver was utterly baffled. What kind of strange little girl had he encountered? In the dead of night¡­ dressed in white¡­ she wasn¡¯t a ghost, was she? ¨C ¡°Where is she?¡± The man stood in the study, leaning on the desk, his handsomely striking face full of harshness, and upon closer inspection, his eyes bore faint bloodshot threads. The veins on the back of his hand, propped on the desk, bulged. At this moment, the man resembled an enraged lion. Intimidating. ¡°Brother Ting¡­¡± ¡°What did I tell you when I left? You can¡¯t even keep an eye on a little girl, what use are you?¡± The group of men standing opposite didn¡¯t dare to breathe loudly. Brother Ting smashed his fist onto the desk: ¡°Well, go look for her!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zhuang Yi stood outside the door, waiting for the men to leave before she cautiously peeped inside. The man now stood with his back to her. Zhuang Yi let out a slight sigh of relief. He probably hadn¡¯t realized that it was her who had taken the girl away. ¡°Zhuang Yi.¡± Zhuang Yi was startled, quickly composing herself before entering the room. ¨C The original owner had been confined by Sheng Ting for some time now. The Sheng Family was already in chaos. Anything that could be divided among others had been taken. But she wasn¡¯t too clear about the specifics, and the current situation was a bit tricky. First, she needed to get herself sorted out and then¡ªeat well, drink well, sleep well. She had been walking all night and was very tired. This body was also very weary and needed a good rest. Once Chuzheng had rested, she started to think about what to do next. Sheng Ting would definitely be looking everywhere for her now that she was missing. The present problem was¡ªthis body was too damn weak!! Chapter 206 - Chapter 206: Chapter 206: The Kings Return (3) Chapter 206: Chapter 206: The King¡¯s Return (3) Chuzheng looked at the grand gate of the Sheng Family Manor and rang the doorbell. It was unsurprising that the Sheng Family¡¯s foundation included a manor, passed down through generations. The door was opened by an elderly man who, upon seeing Chuzheng, first froze, then became excited: ¡°Miss¡­ Miss, you¡¯ve come back! Where have you been all this time? Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Chuzheng walked towards the inside of the manor. However, the old man panicked and quickly stopped her: ¡°Miss, please don¡¯t go in.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± The old man¡¯s expression turned grim: ¡°Inside¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, two burly men came over threateningly and blocked Chuzheng¡¯s path: ¡°Miss Sheng, please.¡± The old man was pushed to the side, with no permission to come closer. Chuzheng was led into the manor. At regular intervals, she could spot a tall and sturdy man. Chuzheng noticed that each seemed to be armed with a gun. All these illegal firearms! Taking them down should earn me some kind of good citizen award, shouldn¡¯t it? [No, you would be arrested.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The interior of the manor was hardly different from her memories, except perhaps for the man sitting on the living room sofa whom she did not recognize. In his forties, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, he exuded an unmistakable gangster aura. With a cigar in his mouth, he had quite the look of a boss. The original owner of the body had encountered this man when her father was still alive; he had visited a few times and seemed to be her father¡¯s business partner, though she did not know him personally. ¡°Xiao Zheng, welcome back.¡± Yin Hong took the cigar out of his mouth and held it in his hand, laughing as he spoke. ¡°This is my home.¡± Chuzheng calmly walked into the living room and sat down directly opposite him. Yin Hong¡¯s eyes suddenly narrowed, and the living room quickly fell silent. The girl Yin Hong remembered was meek and fragile, na?ve to the hardships of the world. But¡­ After a few months of not seeing her, something seemed off about this girl. The girl seated on the leather sofa had a stunning appearance, her black eyes like onyx, bright yet serene. She placed her hands in front of her, the white fingertips of her left hand resting on her right wrist, her slender legs crossed elegantly; at first glance, her presence was even stronger than his. The silence lasted but a few seconds before Yin Hong continued with a smile, ¡°Yes, yes, look at Uncle Yin¡¯s memory. This is the Sheng family¡¯s home.¡± In the end, Yin Hong let out a sigh: ¡°Mr. Sheng¡¯s sudden disappearance is deeply distressing to Uncle Yin as well.¡± Chuzheng looked at him coldly. If he was so distressed, would he have forcefully barged in here without the owner¡¯s presence? ¡°But¡­¡± Yin Hong¡¯s aura intensified, and his words turned sharp, ¡°Given the current situation of the Sheng family, Uncle Yin has no choice. Someone has to clean up the mess Mr. Sheng left behind, right?¡± ¡°I had been in business with Mr. Sheng for many years, and Uncle Yin wanted to help, but in these circumstances, Uncle Yin truly feels helpless.¡± Chuzheng tapped her fingers slowly on her wrist, interrupting Yin Hong¡¯s speech, ¡°Speak plainly, don¡¯t beat around the bush.¡± Yin Hong was taken aback. He sized up Chuzheng once again from head to toe. ¡°Before Mr. Sheng went missing, he and I were involved in a business deal. Now, that money¡­¡± Yin Hong said with a smile. Yin Hong sighed slightly: ¡°Uncle Yin is aware of the Sheng family¡¯s current predicament, but there¡¯s no help for it; siblings still settle accounts clearly, don¡¯t they?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°How much?¡± The girl¡¯s voice was clear and resonant, yet firm and impactful. The living room fell silent once more. Yin Hong took his time before extending two fingers: ¡°Twenty million.¡± What was going on with this girl? Mr. Sheng had been missing for a long time, and it was said that the girl had disappeared too. Now suddenly reappearing¡­ why did she seem so odd? Yin Hong suppressed the weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. ¡°If Xiao Zheng can¡¯t come up with that much money, Uncle Yin, considering the many years of cooperation with Mr. Sheng, is willing to compromise. You just give me the manor as collateral.¡± Chuzheng appeared utterly indifferent. Sheng Min had disappeared; if there really had been goods to deal with, he could have just turned around and sold them to someone else. Why bother coming here? He must have thought the Sheng Family was an easy target now, looking to pick up a bargain. [Main Quest: Spend 50 million within one hour.]Daring to show off a mere 20 million in front of us? Don¡¯t be afraid, sister, let¡¯s rock and roll! We¡¯re the real pros at squandering money!! Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Bullshit! Getting it done is my real profession! Just previously it was 20,000, now it jumps directly to 50 million¡ªwhat is this, the Pacific Ocean? [Sister, we need to adapt to the situation, what can you do with just tens of thousands? You¡¯ll be laughed at!!] I can get it done. [¡­]Get it done, get it done, get it done, is that all you know? Isn¡¯t squandering money great?! It¡¯s pissed off! [Hurry up, sister, or it will double to a billion!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Not easy. 50 million. Small issue. ¡°Where¡¯s the merchandise?¡± Yin Hong: ¡°¡­¡± Yin Hong didn¡¯t come here to conduct any business. With Sheng Min missing, he just used that as a guise to see if there was anything left to salvage. The internal division of the Sheng Family was almost complete, and as an outsider, he found it inconvenient to intervene. But he didn¡¯t expect that the manor hadn¡¯t been divvied up yet and was merely guarded by a few elders. The current value of this manor was over a hundred million, money upon resale. Money for nothing. And there was the daughter Sheng Min¡­ She truly was a catch. ¡°Xiao Zheng, do you know what we deal in?¡± He knew very well how the old Sheng had safeguarded his daughter, barely allowing her to come into contact with any of these things. ¡°Weapons, drugs, or people?¡± What else could Gangster be dealing with? Are they building spacecraft? ¡°¡­¡± Yin Hong almost choked on his saliva. ¡°Xiao Zheng, do you have that much capital?¡± Yin Hong regained his composure, stubbed out his cigar, and narrowed his eyes dangerously: ¡°Don¡¯t play tricks on uncle, uncle can get angry.¡± ¡°Merchandise.¡± Chuzheng responded succinctly, not wanting to say one word extra. Yin Hong was silent for a few seconds: ¡°The goods are ready, as soon as the money is in place, we¡¯ll make an immediate delivery.¡± The original owner didn¡¯t have a card; all her cash was found in her ¡°Space.¡± Chuzheng stood up: ¡°Bring someone with me upstairs to get the money.¡± Yin Hong was somewhat dubious, but still had people follow her upstairs. A few minutes later, his men came down and whispered a couple of sentences in his ear. Yin Hong¡¯s expression instantly turned bizarre. The manor should have been searched long ago, how could there still be so much cash? Not to mention Yin Hong¡¯s astonishment, even the people in the manor were surprised. Yin Hong had people move the money, but he showed no intention of delivering the goods. Chuzheng stood on the upper floor, watching Yin Hong whispering with his people. ¡°Miss, they won¡¯t just walk away like this.¡± The elder who opened the door earlier stood behind Chuzheng and reminded her softly. Who among them could be a good person? There¡¯s no shortage of people who would contradict themselves. ¡°Then they¡¯ll have to leave horizontally.¡± The girl looked down calmly, like a reigning monarch, gazing down at her subjects. Proudly aloof, uniquely distinguished. The elder had worked here all his life and had watched the young lady grow up. He knew best what kind of person she was. But the young lady today¡­ Exuding an aura of cold indifference, utterly unlike the naive and kindhearted Miss Sheng of the past. ¡°Miss¡­¡± What on earth had happened during the time she disappeared? Chapter 207 - Chapter 207: Chapter 207: The Kings Return (4) Chapter 207: Chapter 207: The King¡¯s Return (4) Just as the old man had said. Yin Hong was not here for that twenty million at all. After they moved the money, they showed no signs of leaving. ¡°Xiao Zheng,¡± Yin Hong walked upstairs, with a hint of a smile, ¡°Uncle really likes this estate. How about letting Uncle take care of Xiao Zheng from now on? Consider it doing something for old Mr. Sheng.¡± ¡°Yin Hong!¡± the old man bellowed, ¡°Has Mr. Sheng wronged you in any way that now, in his time of need, you kick him while he¡¯s down?¡± ¡°You old fool, shut up!¡± scolded someone by Yin Hong¡¯s side, ¡°Is it your turn to speak?¡± Chuzheng stopped the old man and stepped forward. Under Yin Hong¡¯s sinister smile, she raised her hand¡­ Yin Hong wasn¡¯t on his guard because he saw nothing in Chuzheng¡¯s hands. But when his body flew out, crashing down from the upper floor to the lower, his face revealed shock. One of Yin Hong¡¯s men drew a gun and aimed at Chuzheng, firing a shot. Bang¡ª ¡°Miss!¡± The old man hadn¡¯t realised how Yin Hong had fallen. But when the gun was pointed at Chuzheng, he cried out in alarm. Chuzheng, weakened, couldn¡¯t dodge and could only use the Yin Xian to wrap around the bullet, slinging it back. The bullet penetrated the chest of the man who fired, and his tall body rolled down the stairs. ¡°Fire!¡± someone shouted. The estate erupted with continuous gunfire. ¨C Chuzheng walked down from the ravaged upper floor. Below lay people, some bleeding motionless, others crying out in pain. Those who were conscious watched in terror as the girl descended the stairs. With so many of them, she was unscathed. What kind of devil was she? The girl walked carelessly, her face devoid of any expression. To her, such scenes seemed all too familiar. She walked up to Yin Hong and stepped on him. Bending over slightly, her elbow propped on her knee, she looked coldly into his eyes and asked each word distinctly, ¡°Still want to take care of me?¡± You bastard still wish to take care of me! Yin Hong, who had been shot in the melee, was now pale-faced, sweating profusely with a hint of terror in his eyes. Sheng Min¡¯s daughter was no ¡°Canary¡±. She was clearly a Demon Head! That bastard Sheng Min had deceived everyone! Bang¡ª The door was kicked open. A group of people entered in file, and upon seeing the scene, they too were stunned, standing at the door, not daring to enter further. Chuzheng glanced over with a slight turn of her head. The man walked into the crowd against the light. Chuzheng lowered her hand and stood up straight. Yin Hong sighed in relief just to be kicked again. The man, hands in pockets, stood at the doorway, frowning at the girl who was casually kicking Yin Hong until his eyes rolled back amidst the chaos. Chuzheng had intended to knock Yin Hong unconscious with that kick. But the strength of her body wasn¡¯t enough, and it only caused Yin Hong¡¯s eyes to roll back. It would seem embarrassing to kick again now. She couldn¡¯t follow through. ¡°Zhenzhen,¡± the man¡¯s voice was low and mellow, like aged fine wine, intoxicating indeed. Chuzheng stepped over the blood and took two steps forward, ¡°Are you here to arrest me?¡± ¡°Did you kill these people?¡± the man surveyed the ground. ¡°No.¡± Where did I kill them? Aren¡¯t they still alive? Nonsense! Yin Hong almost fainted with rage. Denying it just like that, right in front of him, the victim¡ªhow was that appropriate, appropriate! The man didn¡¯t believe it either because, in his eyes, Sheng Chuzheng was a fragile young girl who would mourn for days at the death of a little dog. How could she kill someone? But what was the deal with these people? ¡°Zhenzhen, be a good girl, come back with me.¡± Sheng Ting¡¯s voice was deep, with a coaxing tone. If one didn¡¯t know the things he had done, he would undoubtedly seem like a man so perfect as to be captivating. ¡°Go back with you and be locked up again?¡± Sorry! I¡¯ve only ever locked up others! There¡¯s not a single bastard daring enough to lock me up! He could lock up Sheng Chuzheng, she didn¡¯t care nor had any opinion on that. But now that she was using this body, that was unacceptable. Sheng Ting¡¯s eyebrows furrowed even more, his eyes filled with doubt, astonishment, and other emotions. The girl in front of him no longer seemed weak and fragile. Even though she still looked so delicate that she seemed like she could easily be broken. Yet now, she gave off an impression of being uncontrollable¡­ ¡°Zhenzhen, what happened to you?¡± Sheng Ting¡¯s eyes turned grim as he asked in a low voice. Chuzheng coldly reported, ¡°Your little lover took me away and was about to inject me with something. If you consider that something happening, then yes, it did.¡± Little lover¡­ Zhuang Yi? Suddenly, Sheng Ting felt a sinking feeling in his heart. ¡°Zhenzhen, come back with me first. I will look into what happened earlier,¡± Sheng Ting extended his hand towards Chuzheng. ¡°No.¡± Who wants to go back with you! In your dreams! Even in dreams, it¡¯s impossible! ¡°Zhenzhen, be obedient,¡± Sheng Ting had begun to look stern. ¡°I won¡¯t listen, what would you do about that?¡± Sheng Ting frowned, ¡°Zhenzhen, I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Do as you please, if you hurt me, I¡¯ll consider that a loss. Chuzheng¡¯s casual ¡®hmm¡¯ left Sheng Ting completely clueless about her intent. But considering her previous resistance to him, he didn¡¯t want to waste any more time and gestured to his subordinates with a look. Chuzheng clenched her wrist. Bastard, this isn¡¯t me looking for trouble, they brought it on themselves! I¡¯m going to take them down!! ¨C ¡°Don¡¯t hurt her.¡± Sheng Ting still remembered to instruct his men not to hurt Chuzheng. Chuzheng was far from polite. The petite girl was surrounded in the middle, seemingly caught one moment but in the blink of an eye, she¡¯d elude them again. Sheng Ting¡¯s eyes turned deep, his lips pressed into a thin line, exuding an oppressive aura. In just a short time, the familiar person had become strangely alien. Bang¡ª Chuzheng grabbed an ornament from the living room and smashed it into the forehead of a big man. The thug swayed and fell straight down, face-first onto the ground. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­Ouch.¡± Sheng Ting raised his hand, and those attacking Chuzheng stopped. Chuzheng, holding half of the ornament, turned her head to look at the man approaching her. The man moved incredibly fast. By the time Chuzheng heard the whoosh, Sheng Ting¡¯s hand was already in front of her. Chuzheng stepped back, but the man still grabbed her. Sheng Ting pulled Chuzheng towards him, yet suddenly his arm felt an icy chill as if something had enwrapped it. The girl wrestled free from his grasp. Raising the ornament in her hand, she smashed it towards him. Sheng Ting¡¯s pupils constricted slightly, the instinct to dodge rising, but his body just wouldn¡¯t move. The ornament struck his forehead, sending a momentary blankness across his mind. Chuzheng, not stopping at one, turned to grab a second ornament, smashing it at him with incredible speed. By the time Sheng Ting¡¯s subordinates reacted, Chuzheng had already hurled the third one. Blood began to stream down Sheng Ting¡¯s forehead. Sheng Ting¡¯s men rushed forward, pulling Sheng Ting back; Chuzheng¡¯s third throw missed its mark. Her arms felt sore. She needed to hire a bodyguard! Smashing people is exhausting! Maintaining her composure, she stuffed her hands back into her pockets, her little face taut and serious as she said, ¡°Don¡¯t bother me if it¡¯s nothing important. The door is over there, take care.¡± The girl stood in the messy hall, issuing the eviction order with an indifferent and cool demeanor. Chapter 208 - Chapter 208: Chapter 208: The Kings Return (5) Chapter 208: Chapter 208: The King¡¯s Return (5) The subordinate silently dressed Sheng Ting¡¯s wounds, not even daring to breathe heavily. ¡°Brother Ting, the young lady¡­ she¡­¡± seems strange. That Sheng Chuzheng of the past, she¡¯s nothing like she is now. But the subordinate dared not voice these thoughts. Fearing he might provoke Sheng Ting. Sheng Ting¡¯s eyes were dark and heavy: ¡°Have Zhuang Yi come to see me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The subordinate responded. ¨C The elderly man hurried in: ¡°Miss, Young Master Tang¡­ Sheng Ting¡¯s car has already left.¡± Sheng Ting used to be the young master of the Sheng Family. But after Sheng Min disappeared, he immediately set up his own establishment, an arrangement he had been planning for years. Sheng Ting took most of the Sheng Family¡¯s people and business with him. In the end, Sheng Ting was the true cause of the Sheng Family¡¯s current downfall. Mr. Sheng had raised him for so many years, only to end up nurturing a thankless wretch¡­ The thought made the old man seethe with anger. ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng sat on the steps of the staircase, facing Yin Hong who seemed on the verge of passing out. The old man was somewhat trembling with apprehension. The young lady looked calm at the moment, but for some reason he found her somewhat terrifying. More terrifying than when Mr. Sheng was furious. Yin Hong was also scared witless by Chuzheng; at that moment, he wished he could faint away, yet the pain made him all too aware. Once Yin Hong¡¯s people were cleared out, the old man stood beside Chuzheng, asking with concern, ¡°Miss, where have you been these past days?¡± With the master missing, the miss as well¡­ ¡°I was locked up by Sheng Ting,¡± Chuzheng said calmly. Sheng Ting? The old man couldn¡¯t believe it, his murky eyes flashing with anger: ¡°Miss, Sheng Ting he¡­ he locked you up?¡± Chuzheng nodded. ¡°How dare he!¡± the old man trembled with rage. The master treated him like his own son. How could he do such a thing. Even as the Sheng Family fell, he did not spare the miss. Beast! Monster!! ¡°Miss¡­¡± the old man¡¯s voice choked up: ¡°Did Sheng Ting¡­ did he do anything to you?¡± ¡°No.¡± The old man heaved a sigh of relief. Chuzheng asked, ¡°Are there any bodyguards left for the Sheng Family?¡± In this vast estate, so far, she seemed to have only seen this one person. The old man, Gao Ping, used to be the butler. Gao Ping sighed helplessly and shook his head: ¡°There¡¯s no one left, they¡¯ve all gone.¡± When a tree falls, the monkeys scatter; those of the Sheng Family had already sought other branches long ago. There were indeed some old servants who stayed. But Yin Hong arrived two days ago, and he made those people leave. Yin Hong and his people, with countless lives on their hands, preferred the hope of living over certain death. Now, only he remained here. However, Gao Ping found it strange that those from the Sheng Family hadn¡¯t touched the estate. Thinking of this, Gao Ping couldn¡¯t help but have tear-filled eyes: ¡°Miss, they all say the master is dead, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s true. The master must still be alive; he wouldn¡¯t just abandon you like that.¡± Whether Sheng Min was dead or alive, the original host never knew until her death. Chuzheng fiddled with a broken porcelain shard. A flash of cold light in her eyes illuminated the indifference and detachment within, not caring in the slightest. ¡°Miss, what are you going to do now¡­ ¡± ¡°Hire bodyguards.¡± Otherwise, she¡¯d have to fight on her own next time. ¡°¡­¡± Gao Ping was stunned. He vaguely remembered the money Chuzheng gave to Yin Hong and quickly asked, ¡°Miss, where did you get that money? There isn¡¯t that much cash in the estate¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the money, just do as I say,¡± she said. The girl¡¯s expression was cold; her delicate features gave a sharp impression, and her dark eyes were like the pitch-black night sky, radiating an icy chill that dissuaded anyone from meeting her gaze casually. Filled with confusion, Gao Ping was overwhelmed with doubts. Of course, Gao Ping wouldn¡¯t think that his mistress had been switched with someone else, after all, the Sheng Family estate was a complete mess now, hardly anything worth scheming for. He felt even more that his young mistress must have been shocked. After all, he was just a servant¡­ There were some matters of the household that he was not clear about. How many assets, how many contingencies¡­ Gao Ping took the money to hire a bodyguard for Chuzheng, but the young mistress hadn¡¯t told him it was in cash! He was carrying several large boxes and was afraid of being robbed whenever he left the house. Gao Ping was highly efficient at his job, and both the bodyguard and the servants arrived the same day; with money in hand, all the damaged parts of the estate were restored. Chuzheng stepped down the stairs on the soft carpet. ¡°Miss, did you rest well?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Chuzheng walked into the dining room, where Gao Ping had prepared her utensils and signaled for the dishes to be served. Watching Chuzheng eat with leisure, Gao Ping was somewhat dazed. It was as if nothing had happened during this period. Mr. Sheng hadn¡¯t disappeared; the Sheng Family hadn¡¯t encountered any trouble. The young mistress was still the same naive and lively girl she had been before, pampered and cherished by all¡­ ¡°Miss, what do you plan to do about Mr. Sheng¡¯s matter?¡± Gao Ping would never have dared to ask this question before today. She herself was so scared; how would she know what to do? But having experienced what had happened today, the young mistress was so composed and formidable that he could bring himself to ask. It¡¯s said that people only grow through hardship. The young mistress¡­ maybe it was the same for her. ¡°What do you think?¡± Chuzheng asked casually. ¡°I don¡¯t believe Mr. Sheng is dead,¡± Gao Ping stated with conviction. Such a capable man as Mr. Sheng, even for the sake of the young mistress, he wouldn¡¯t die just like that. ¡°Clues,¡± Chuzheng said succinctly. It wasn¡¯t a matter of simply not believing; one needed results to prove it. ¡°When Mr. Sheng disappeared, he didn¡¯t take anyone with him. The place he visited was quite remote, and it was overseas where there¡¯s barely any surveillance. There weren¡¯t many clues found.¡± But they found Mr. Sheng¡¯s car, with bloodstains inside, which were confirmed through testing to be Mr. Sheng¡¯s own. Because of this, the Sheng Family concluded that Sheng Min had been killed. ¡°So, they haven¡¯t even figured out the exact location of the disappearance,¡± Chuzheng summarized. Finding the car doesn¡¯t mean that¡¯s where the person disappeared. Could it be that someone took the car there? Gao Ping nodded solemnly. Then what¡¯s the point of the investigation! Chuzheng stopped talking and continued to eat. Gao Ping hesitated, feeling pity for his young mistress who was just a girl; surely she couldn¡¯t think as quickly as the others. In fact, Chuzheng thought very quickly; she had already come up with ninety-nine ways to deal with Zhuang Yi and Sheng Ting. Unfortunately, she shouldn¡¯t¡­ Sigh. After Chuzheng finished eating, Gao Ping placed some documents that were from the initial investigation in front of Chuzheng, possibly thinking that she might want to take a look. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± No! I don¡¯t want to, at all! Really! In the end, Chuzheng still flipped through those documents. Bloody fingerprints were scattered around the driver¡¯s seat. From the photos, it appeared Sheng Min had struggled, and then was dragged out of the car. The car was intact, which means Sheng Min might have been injured before getting into the car. But who would have harmed him? And why would he leave alone? They didn¡¯t find Sheng Min¡¯s mobile phone, nor any messages he might have left. Sheng Min¡¯s trusted aides were now either under Sheng Ting¡¯s control or had disappeared without a trace. This had become an unsolvable mystery. [Main Quest: Outbid Sheng Ting for a batch of goods he¡¯s interested in at a high price.] Chuzheng snapped the documents shut. Not convenient. Steal the deal. Small problem. Chuzheng threw the documents down with a snap and kicked the cabinet beside her. Chapter 209 - Chapter 209: Chapter 209: The Kings Return (6) Chapter 209: Chapter 209: The King¡¯s Return (6) Bastard, you dog! Can¡¯t you give me a break? [Miss, squandering money is urgent! We must not slack off! Striving to squander is our belief! It¡¯s our life philosophy!] I don¡¯t have that kind of belief. I! Do! Not! [You can have it now, Miss. When you have money, you really can do whatever you want.] Chuzheng gave King¡¯s Account a cold stare. I¡¯m scared of myself when I do whatever I want. [¡­] You¡¯re the boss, you¡¯re fucking right! Anyway, if you don¡¯t complete the mission, you just rewind! Humph! ¨C Sheng Ting¡¯s mood had been awful these past few days because of Chuzheng. He couldn¡¯t understand how a fragile little girl could become so fierce after just a few days¡­ ¡°Brother Ting, it¡¯s almost time.¡± Sheng Ting adjusted his tie and grunted in acknowledgment. He sat in the car for a while, and when the hands on his watch pointed to eight o¡¯clock, he pushed open the car door and got out. The nightclub was buzzing with noise. Sheng Ting went inside with his entourage, avoiding the crowd and taking the private elevator to a quieter floor. ¡°Mr. Sheng.¡± There was someone waiting at the staircase; upon seeing him emerge, they greeted him politely. ¡°Your boss sure has guts, choosing this place.¡± The tone of the man beside Sheng Ting wasn¡¯t particularly pleasant. The person laughed: ¡°As the saying goes, ¡®The best place to hide is in the crowd.''¡± ¡°And who¡¯s responsible if something goes wrong?¡± ¡°As long as Mr. Sheng¡¯s side ensures confidentiality, there will be no problems on our end.¡± ¡°That¡¯s uncertain.¡± The two exchanged words back and forth, and Sheng Ting raised his hand, causing the other man to snort coldly and stop talking. ¡°Please this way, Mr. Sheng.¡± Sheng Ting got along well with the other side, and they soon confirmed the time for the transaction. ¡°Brother Ting, I¡¯ll go start the car¡­¡± Sheng Ting gazed in the direction where the others had gone: ¡°You go first.¡± ¡°Brother Ting?¡± Sheng Ting waved them off, indicating they should leave, and he walked inside. ¨C Chuzheng walked through the crowd, and the hallway became much quieter. The area in front of her suddenly darkened. A tall man blocked her way: ¡°Zhenzhen.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m still pretending! Who¡¯s your Zhenzhen, shouting randomly! ¡°What are you doing here? Is this a place you should be?¡± the man bombarded her with a string of questions. Chuzheng looked up, her icy eyes staring straight at him: ¡°So where should I go? The cage you¡¯ve prepared for me?¡± ¡°Zhenzhen, come back with me.¡± Sheng Ting¡¯s tone left no room for refusal. He reached out to grab Chuzheng. Today, he must bring her back. Chuzheng gritted her teeth; it seemed the beating last time wasn¡¯t painful enough. ¡°Sir, please do not harass our Miss.¡± A bodyguard immediately stepped between Chuzheng and Sheng Ting, shielding Chuzheng behind him. Chuzheng glanced toward the restroom behind her. ¡°Move aside!¡± Sheng Ting was radiating a ferocious aura, the pent-up anger of recent days fully ignited. ¡°Sir¡­¡± Sheng Ting kicked at the nearest bodyguard. Though the bodyguard was trained, he was no match for Sheng Ting. But as Sheng Ting was entangled with the bodyguard, he didn¡¯t notice Chuzheng, who had gotten her hands on a fire extinguisher and deftly knocked the man out. Bodyguard: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng kicked Sheng Ting. ¡°Bring him inside.¡± Chuzheng ordered her men to carry Sheng Ting into the restroom behind them, stripped him clean, and threw him into the toilet. Chuzheng instructed the bodyguard to fetch something to seal the door. Bodyguard: ¡°¡­¡± The boss is ruthless. ¡°Pfft¡­¡± As soon as the bodyguard left, a light laugh, hearty and pleasant, emerged from the back stall. The teenager in the black trench coat stepped out from the compartment. His sleeves were rolled up slightly, hands in his pockets, and the coat swept back behind him, revealing his long, straight legs. The youth had an exceptionally bright and beautiful face. It was dazzling, strikingly good-looking in a way that went straight to the heart. Wherever he stood, the restroom seemed to instantly climb several notches in class. With a shallow smile and eyes slightly curved, he gave off a very harmless impression. Chuzheng¡¯s gaze swept over him, then she retracted it. ¡°Little sister, this is the men¡¯s room.¡± The youth said with a smirk, ¡°Seems like you¡¯re in the wrong place.¡± ¡°Is there a sign outside saying women can¡¯t enter?¡± Chuzheng rebutted earnestly. The youth raised an eyebrow, ¡°It¡¯s common sense, or are you saying, little sister, that you have some kind of peculiar hobby?¡± ¡°None of your business.¡± The youth walked over, moving slowly, each step as if on a red carpet, emanating a bright, brilliant light. He stopped at the sink and pulled his hands out of his pockets, placing them under the faucet. His long, fair hands were immersed in water, washing back and forth. After drying his hands, the water from the automatic faucet ceased, and the restroom fell silent again. He grabbed a paper towel from the side to dry his hands. On his wrist was a watch, obviously expensive from its design. Crumpling the paper towel into a ball, he tossed it accurately into the bin and then smiled at Chuzheng, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of Sheng Ting retaliating for throwing him in here?¡± Chuzheng looked him over, ¡°Do you know him?¡± The youth glanced at the compartment where Chuzheng had flung someone, ¡°Know him? Of course.¡± In the end, he leaned slightly towards Chuzheng, ¡°The Sheng Family is quite notorious.¡± ¡°Not afraid.¡± The youth seemed taken aback, then seemed to realize that Chuzheng was answering his earlier question. He parted his lips to speak, but suddenly, the restroom lights went out. The entire restroom plunged into darkness. Before Chuzheng could pull out her phone, her body was suddenly embraced. Chuzheng used a swift move to flip the person over, pinning him onto the sink, ¡°Looking for death?¡± The person underneath her didn¡¯t react at all, but Chuzheng could feel the hand pressing down on hers trembling. Chuzheng: ¡°???¡± Chuzheng fished out her phone, touched the screen, and looked at the person on the sink. The youth¡¯s delicate, bright face was utterly pale, his eyes and brows still carrying a hint of immaturity, his lashes quivering. Was he afraid? The youth¡¯s eyes were tightly shut, as if he were choking for breath. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± He seemed so spirited just now. How did the lights going out seem like a matter of life and death? Chuzheng let go of him, and the youth immediately clung to her arm. Chuzheng looked oddly at the hand holding her arm. It took a while for Chuzheng to say, ¡°Let go.¡± The youth, as if he hadn¡¯t heard, held tightly onto her arm. The restroom lights flickered twice, then lit up again. The youth opened his eyes, his chest heaving rapidly a couple of times. Realizing the position he was in holding Chuzheng, he retreated quickly as if shocked. His expression was a bit strange, his voice slightly hoarse after a moment, ¡°Sorry.¡± A touch of ferocity gleamed in the youth¡¯s eyes, adding an edge to his bright face. Color slowly returned to his pale face and his breathing normalized. He looked down at his watch, his peripheral vision sweeping over Chuzheng, then left the restroom without another word. Chapter 210 - Chapter 210: Chapter 210: The Kings Return (7) Chapter 210: Chapter 210: The King¡¯s Return (7) ¡°` ¡°Master Jiang.¡± The young man had just stepped out of the restroom when he was confronted by two people. His complexion was still poor, tinged with a hint of pallor, ¡°What just happened?¡± ¡°The power suddenly went out.¡± One of them answered, ¡°Master Jiang, the task is done, shall we go?¡± The young man glanced back, pursed his lips in thought for a moment, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± With a tall and slender figure, his trench coat billowed out behind him as he walked, exuding a commanding presence. ¨C Chuzheng stripped Sheng Ting naked and blocked him in the restroom. As a boss, she didn¡¯t believe Sheng Ting could call for help without any means of communication. Chuzheng returned home with her bodyguards in tow. [Hidden task: Please obtain a Good Person Card from Jiang Ye to prevent his descent into darkness.] Who the hell is Jiang Ye? Chuzheng didn¡¯t recognize him at all. Where is he? [A hundred meters straight from you.] The King¡¯s Account must be worried Chuzheng would leave directly. A hundred meters straight line distance¡­ The distance might not seem long, but in a winding and twisting place, that hundred meters could feel much longer. When Chuzheng found Jiang Ye, a group of people were in the midst of a fierce brawl. From the number of people involved, the Good Person Card side was clearly at a disadvantage. Chuzheng watched the dimly visible figures under the streetlights, it was the same young man she had encountered in the restroom¡­ But the King¡¯s Account hadn¡¯t given her a task just earlier. Does that mean if there was no danger when she first encountered Good Person Card, the King¡¯s Account wouldn¡¯t assign her a task? The group fight was almost without suspense. Even if the young man was formidable, being outnumbered, he was soon the only one left on the battlefield. Chuzheng stood in the darkness where the streetlight¡¯s glow couldn¡¯t reach. She looked on with a cold indifference. The bodyguards didn¡¯t understand why their employer had come here just to stand and watch the scene unfold. But it looked like the guy on the other side was about to lose¡­ Someone took advantage of the young man¡¯s distraction to stab him with a knife. The chaos halted; everyone surrounded the young man, as one of them stepped forward, ¡°Master Jiang, we¡¯ve kept to our own territories before. You crossed the line first today, don¡¯t blame us.¡± Clutching his abdomen, blood flowed from between his fingers and dripped onto the ground. ¡°Who has really crossed the line?¡± the young man replied disdainfully, showing little sign of weakness even when injured, ¡°What I¡¯m curious about is who told you that I would be here today.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± The other side laughed loudly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you can only take your questions to hell.¡± The young man didn¡¯t answer. He silently watched the people before him. The dim light enveloped the young man, casting his figure on the ground, long and thin as a line. The air around seemed to become colder. The other party seemed to be annoyed by his gaze and suddenly aimed a kick at him. In the blink of an eye, the shadow on the ground moved. The young man swiftly brought his attacker to the ground, seized the knife, and stabbed mercilessly. ¡°Damn!¡± ¡°Finish him off!¡± Despite his injuries, the young man managed to take down several men. In the night¡¯s darkness, the young man was like a wolf cornered in extremity. Even in death, he would drag everyone down with him. Under the dim streetlight, quietness eventually prevailed. The young man swayed and knelt on one knee, propping himself up with the knife he had snatched. He looked into the darkness, ¡°How much longer do you plan to watch?¡± A young girl emerged from the shadows, followed by tall, big-bodied bodyguards who surrounded her closely, a true show of a boss¡¯s entourage. The blurry figure gradually became clear. The young man¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he recognized the person who stepped out. It was her. With so many people on the other side, Jiang Ye¡¯s expression darkened. He could take down these men, but that didn¡¯t necessarily mean he could handle even more of them. Jiang Ye decided to sit down on the ground to conserve a bit of strength. He looked towards Chuzheng against the light, ¡°Are you satisfied with the show you¡¯ve watched?¡± The young man¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile; despite his exquisite features being smudged with blood, it did nothing to detract from his attractiveness. ¡°` Like a rose growing in the blood, it blossomed brilliantly in the dark. Chuzheng stood three meters away from the boy, seriously answering Jiang Ye¡¯s question, ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± The boy¡¯s eyes were deep, ¡°I haven¡¯t satisfied you, it seems I need to try a bit harder.¡± Chuzheng continued to walk forward. A sense of alertness rose in the boy¡¯s heart. This woman, who was able to strip Sheng Ting naked and throw him in the restroom so calmly before, may well do something else now. He no longer had the strength to fight so many people now. Chuzheng walked up to him, and the boy gripped the knife in his hand tightly. The dim light from the street lamp shone on the girl¡¯s cool and beautiful profile as she slightly parted her lips, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Does he look okay? Jiang Ye just smiled and said nothing. ¡°Where do you live? I¡¯ll take you home,¡± Chuzheng offered when Jiang Ye did not respond, once again asking in a frosty tone. Jiang Ye¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. ¡°No need to trouble yourself.¡± Uncertain of what the girl in front of him intended to do, Jiang Ye dared not reveal anything rashly. ¡°Okay.¡± Chuzheng eyed him for a few moments, seeing that he apparently wouldn¡¯t die for the time being. Chuzheng turned to leave. [Miss, are you sure?] the voice from King¡¯s Account sounded in despair. That¡¯s what he said himself. It has nothing to do with me! Go home and sleep! [Miss!!] King¡¯s Account roared in despair as usual, [Are you serious? Look at him, he¡¯s about to give out any moment! You need to be a good person!! How can you just leave him there!] Then I¡¯ll call 120 for him. [¡­] King¡¯s Account calmed down, [Miss, how can you do something so outrageously cruel without batting an eye?] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Am I doing something wrong? He¡¯s been stabbed; only 120 can save him. I¡¯m not a doctor! [Even if you¡¯re right, shouldn¡¯t you stay? Otherwise, how would people see you as a good person!?] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s such a hassle. Just get rid of it. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jiang Ye asked warily as he saw Chuzheng take out her phone. ¡°Calling 120.¡± Dizzy from the blood loss, Jiang Ye was struggling to remain standing. ¡°Don¡¯t call.¡± Chuzheng turned to look at him, walked back, squatted down, and with a poker-face, poked his abdomen with a whitened finger, ¡°You¡¯re wounded, you¡¯ll die.¡± Jiang Ye almost fainted from being poked. Poke him twice more, and he¡¯d really die! Jiang Ye clenched his teeth, ¡°If you call 120, I¡¯ll die even faster.¡± Chuzheng had already pressed 12, just short of one more 0, and stopped when she heard him. Jiang Ye looked at the girl squatting in front of him, wondering what she was pondering. After her contemplation, she continued pressing. Jiang Ye didn¡¯t see what she pressed, but instinctively reached out to snatch the phone away. Chuzheng raised her hand to block him, but being much weaker, Jiang Ye ended up pushing her over instead. Chuzheng fell into a pool of blood. Without a thought, she kicked Jiang Ye away and jumped up. Her foot hurt so much¡­ Suppressing the urge to hold her foot, Chuzheng looked down at Jiang Ye on the ground. Has the Good Person Card gone mad? Suddenly pouncing on her! ¡°¡­¡± Why isn¡¯t he moving? [Target of the mission dead, congratulations Miss on completing your first rewind, loading file¡­] Chapter 211 - Chapter 211: Chapter 211: The Kings Return (8) Chapter 211: Chapter 211: The King¡¯s Return (8) The voice of the King¡¯s Account rang out. Chuzheng: ¡°!!¡± No! Did he just hang up? Chuzheng¡¯s vision darkened. ¨C When she opened her eyes again, she was still crouching on the ground, with Jiang Ye clutching his wound, his face pale as he looked at her. Was this a rewind? Chuzheng pinched herself secretly. It hurt. Chuzheng then reached out to pinch Jiang Ye. ¡°Hiss¡­¡± Jiang Ye gasped in pain. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°¡­¡± A flicker of anger smouldered in Jiang Ye¡¯s heart, ¡°What do you think?¡± He was injured now, yet she was still pinching herself. ¡°That means it¡¯s real.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was tight. It had really rewound time. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t a total reset¡­ But experiencing this scenario over and over was terrifying! Bastard, this son of a bitch! Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s real and what¡¯s not, if it weren¡¯t for the multitude of bodyguards behind you, he would have struck long ago! Was she here to play with him? [Miss, if you keep dilly-dallying, the Good Person Card will still be hung up soon, do you want to rewind again?] Jiang Ye watched the girl suddenly stand up, wave very imposingly to the bodyguards on that side: ¡°Take him away.¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ye gauged his current condition. Fighting was definitely out of the question now. ¨C Jiang Ye. The second-in-command of the underground organization ¡®Hei Jin¡¯, he was young but had already secured this position, which could be seen as promising. When the Sheng Family wasn¡¯t overthrown, they were the sole power. Hei Jin could only be subordinate to the Sheng Family. But since the Sheng Family¡¯s incident, Hei Jin quickly grew in strength, and now they could be considered the biggest two gangs alongside Sheng Ting. And much of this success was thanks to this second-in-command. Since Sheng Ting and Hei Jin started to challenge each other, exchanges of blows were inevitable, with both sides proving to be formidable opponents, plunging Sheng Ting and Jiang Ye into intense conflict. However, in one transaction, Jiang Ye was framed, becoming a traitor to Hei Jin. Fearing his power, Hei Jin seized the opportunity to kick him while he was down and quickly pulled him from his position. Before this, Jiang Ye might have already been somewhat corrupt, but what truly made him completely turn to the dark side began from that moment. He didn¡¯t retaliate openly but instead lay low, secretly making plans and biding his time. When he emerged again, he had completely taken control of Hei Jin. What followed was the struggle against Sheng Ting. In the end, it was naturally Sheng Ting who won, absorbing Hei Jin, once again monopolizing power and becoming the king of the underworld kingdom. Chuzheng finished processing the information about Jiang Ye. She arrived at a conclusion¡ªSheng Min wasn¡¯t coming back. Because by the time Sheng Ting stood at the apex, there was no news from the Sheng Family. ¡°Miss, Yin Hong has brought the cargo,¡± Gao Ping called out to Chuzheng. Chuzheng nodded and followed Gao Ping. The cargo Yin Hong brought wasn¡¯t weapons, nor drugs or people, but a load of fabric that seemed unremarkable at first glance. ¡°All the goods are here,¡± Yin Hong said, standing at a distance from Chuzheng, somewhat afraid of her. These past few nights, he¡¯d been having nightmares. Remembering the girl¡¯s creepy description before, his scalp tingled. ¡°What is this?¡± Chuzheng asked. Yin Hong said, ¡°Fabric.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s fabric, are these fabrics worthy of so much money?¡± How could such a social tough, be selling fabric? Yin Hong shrank his neck and shook his head: ¡°I don¡¯t know, this is what the old Sheng asked me to transport back for him.¡± Yin Hong specialized in international transportation, and since Sheng Min offered a good price, and their cooperation seemed positive at the time, he gladly agreed. Yin Hong had no idea what was inside at the beginning. But after the Sheng Family¡¯s incident, he looked inside. After all, the transport fee was so high, how could he not be curious about what was inside? Yet when he opened it, it turned out to be just fabric. He had looked over all the fabrics and found nothing hidden within. ¡°Is there¡­ is there nothing else for me to do?¡± He wondered if he could leave now. Chuzheng leaned against the edge of the truck, her tone smooth and icy, ¡°I heard you know Eric, introduce me.¡± Eric? That person¡­ Yin Hong felt an odd sensation at the bottom of his heart, why would a young girl want to meet that kind of person? ¡°This¡­¡± Yin Hong hesitated. He did indeed know him. But¡­ how could he dare to casually make such an introduction? Especially to a young girl, would the other party even be willing to meet her? His face wasn¡¯t made of diamond, after all! If things went wrong, he could end up paying a hefty price himself. Chuzheng¡¤Tyrant of Wealth¡¤Zither: ¡°The service fee is ten million.¡± Yin Hong¡¯s eyes shifted, ¡°I can ask for you, but if Eric doesn¡¯t want to see you, then I also¡­¡± Chuzheng¡¤Money to Burn¡¤Zither: ¡°Twenty million.¡± Yin Hong: ¡°¡­¡± How much money had Sheng Min left this young lady? How had it not been taken by someone else already? Yin Hong slapped his thigh, ¡°Done, wait for my call.¡± After Yin Hong left, Chuzheng asked Gao Ping, ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± Gao Ping shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know, the master¡¯s affairs, he wouldn¡¯t tell us.¡± Chuzheng propped her chin, pondering. What was the story with these fabrics, were they inlaid with gold? She hadn¡¯t seen any gold inlay, though. Chuzheng instructed Gao Ping to find a new place to store these items. ¨C The first thing Jiang Ye saw upon opening his eyes was a somewhat familiar face. The man dressed in suit and tie, arms crossed, looked down at him coldly. Jiang Ye¡¯s scalp exploded in alarm. Only the next second did he realize, it was a portrait. Sheng Ting¡­ A portrait of Sheng Ting! Where was he? Had he been caught by Sheng Ting? No, that¡¯s not right¡­ Wasn¡¯t Sheng Ting still locked in the restroom? Jiang Ye¡¯s chaotic thoughts gradually cleared. Could it be that woman handed him over to Sheng Ting? But that¡¯s not right either, judging by her demeanor, she seemed to have a grudge against Sheng Ting¡­ Jiang Ye had a headache. He raised his hand to touch his body. The bare skin made him quickly pull open the blanket covering him to take a peek inside. It was just his upper garment that was missing, his pants were still on, even the bloodstains were still there¡­ Jiang Ye¡¯s finger brushed over the gauze on his abdomen. ¡°Click¡ª¡± Jiang Ye lowered his hand and looked towards the door. An old man entered, pushing a silver trolley. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± The old man revealed a gentle smile, ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Jiang Ye asked politely, ¡°Where is this?¡± The old man answered, ¡°The Sheng Family home.¡± Sheng Ting! Had he indeed been captured by Sheng Ting?! Had that woman sold him to Sheng Ting? Jiang Ye forced himself to stay calm, watching the old man move around beside him. ¡°Uncle Gao, the young miss is calling for you,¡± a bodyguard knocked on the door. ¡°Ah.¡± Gao Ping acknowledged, ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± The young miss? ¡°May I ask, who brought me here?¡± Gao Ping said, ¡°Our young miss brought you back, you have good recovery abilities, to wake up so quickly.¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s pale face briefly twisted with confusion, ¡°Your young miss is?¡± Gao Ping, without any defense, naturally responded, ¡°Our young miss is Sheng Chuzheng, she¡¯s the one who brought you back. Rest for now, I¡¯ll come back later to check on your wound.¡± Having said that, Gao Ping left the room. Jiang Ye touched his lips thoughtfully. Sheng Chuzheng¡­ The young miss of the Sheng Family. She seemed a little different from the princess the rumors claimed was well-protected by the Sheng Family. Jiang Ye curled up the corner of his lips, ¡°Sheng Chuzheng, huh¡­ how interesting.¡± Chapter 212 - Chapter 212: Chapter 212: The Kings Return (9) Chapter 212: Chapter 212: The King¡¯s Return (9) Jiang Ye first saw Chuzheng in the evening. She came in from outside, holding a tray in her hands. Jiang Ye was feeling much better by then, leaning against the headboard and looking out the window. When Chuzheng entered, he turned his head. The corners of Jiang Ye¡¯s lips lifted in amusement, ¡°Miss Sheng, pardon my forwardness, but seeing is believing. You are nothing like what I knew of you.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± She wasn¡¯t Sheng Chuzheng, of course, she was different. The tip of Jiang Ye¡¯s tongue gently pressed against his palate, and he chuckled lightly, ¡°Miss Sheng, thank you for saving me.¡± The young man¡¯s complexion was still somewhat pale, but his smile instantly bloomed like hundreds of flowers, stunningly beautiful. Stripped of the night¡¯s sharp edge, the boy now seemed utterly harmless. Chuzheng placed the tray aside, ¡°You¡¯re welcome, just think of me as a good person.¡± Being a good person is such a hassle! Wish I could drop the act! ¡°Good person?¡± Jiang Ye suddenly remembered how she had maliciously poked at his wound before. Was she really joking with him seriously? Jiang Ye tilted his head and said with a smile, ¡°Miss Sheng¡¯s hobbies are quite unique.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± This little girl¡­ Only now did Jiang Ye take a good look at the person before him. The young girl was dressed in a white T-shirt, with a black pleated skirt to her knees, and a light blue jacket over it. Her long hair was casually scattered behind her head, with the falling strands tucked behind her ear, revealing a complexion naturally clear. Even without makeup, she was more beautiful than those who wore makeup by several degrees. Her fair and delicate skin was like white jade. A pair of dark, clear, and cold eyes, like ice and snow in the mountains, made one feel a chill at a glance. Jiang Ye looked away from her and towards the portrait in the room, subtly changing the subject, ¡°If my information is correct, Sheng Ting started his own venture, trampling the Sheng Family underfoot, why then do you still keep his portrait here?¡± Chuzheng followed his gaze. ¡°This is his room,¡± Chuzheng replied calmly, ¡°I haven¡¯t had the time to take it down.¡± Sheng Ting¡¯s room¡­ What purpose did she have, bringing him into this room? Jiang Ye felt conflicted. Jiang Ye suppressed that complexity, asking obscurely, ¡°You don¡¯t hate him?¡± Chuzheng responded with a question, ¡°Why should I hate him?¡± ¡°He did that to the Sheng Family.¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s eyelashes fluttered slightly, a dark glint flashed in his eyes, ¡°Why don¡¯t you hate him?¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with me.¡± Jiang Ye lifted his eyelids, his deep and beautiful eyes staring straight at Chuzheng. The young girl stood expressionless at the bedside, her eyes seemingly looking at him, but he felt as if she wasn¡¯t looking at him at all. It was as if her gaze was politely fixed on him, indicating that she was seriously engaging with him in conversation. Jiang Ye found it all the more peculiar. How could it have nothing to do with her? The Sheng Family, after all! Her family. Her father¡¯s whereabouts were unknown, and Sheng Ting had set up his own business, taking away so many people and deals from the Sheng Family. Wouldn¡¯t a normal person hate him? Chuzheng passed the tray with the porridge to him, ¡°Eat.¡± This gesture didn¡¯t seem like she was inviting him to eat. It was more like she was offering him poison. Jiang Ye shook his head cautiously, politely declining, ¡°Miss Sheng, I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t insist, placing it back. ¡°Why did you bring me back here? Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting into trouble?¡± Jiang Ye asked curiously. ¡°Do you think I wanted to?¡± Chuzheng blurted out, each word as if laced with frost, piercing. Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow, ¡°Is there someone forcing you?¡± That Bastard, that damn thing! Suddenly, Chuzheng moved closer, shortening the distance between them, face to face, and Jiang Ye could even feel Chuzheng¡¯s breath. She carried with her a faint cool fragrance which lingered at the tip of his nose, refreshing to the core. Jiang Ye¡¯s body stiffened slightly, his expression frozen on his face, his eyes reflecting the girl¡¯s beautiful brow and eyes. His heartbeat sped up, and for some reason, he felt nervous¡­ Jiang Ye suppressed that odd feeling and slowly raised a smile, ¡°Miss Sheng, even though you saved me, I have no intention of ¡®offering my body in gratitude¡¯.¡± She brought him here for reasons unknown, but it could count as saving him, perhaps. Offer my body in gratitude? Who¡¯s asking for that? Chuzheng¡¯s eyes and brows were filled with coldness, ¡°How would you consider me a good person?¡± Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow slightly, then said, ¡°First of all, please Miss Sheng, keep some distance from me.¡± Chuzheng stared at him for a few seconds, stood up, and stepped back hugging her chest. Who even wants to be that close to you! If it¡¯s distance you want, it¡¯s distance you¡¯ll get. Chuzheng thought about it and took two more steps back. Without that faint fragrance, Jiang Ye¡¯s palms slowly relaxed, and his heartbeat gradually returned to normal. He didn¡¯t even know what he was nervous about. ¡°Why does Miss Sheng want me to think of you as a good person?¡± ¡°Just answer my question, why ask so much?¡± Chuzheng, not wanting to explain and mainly not able to, snapped back aggressively. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Good people, do they even exist in their world? Jiang Ye found it a bit funny. He didn¡¯t know what game the miss from this castle wanted to play with him¡­ Jiang Ye decided to respond to all changes with constancy. He deflected the weird question, ¡°Miss Sheng, could you please return my phone to me?¡± When he woke up, his trousers were still on, but his phone and some other things were missing. He needed to contact people now¡­ ¡°No.¡± The young girl flatly refused him with an expressionless face. ¡°???¡± Chuzheng was still fiercely defensive, ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question.¡± Am I a good person or not! You tell me! Jiang Ye ground his teeth, ¡°Miss Sheng, do you think a good person would insistently ask others if they are a good person?¡± Not even giving me my phone, and still a good person? Give me a break. Jiang Ye was close to rolling his eyes at Chuzheng. ¡°Yes.¡± Chuzheng argued confidently, ¡°How would you know if you don¡¯t ask?¡± Jiang Ye had never been so at a loss for words as he was at this moment. He remained silent. The room became somewhat tranquil. Chuzheng eyed Jiang Ye¡¯s head. At the moment, Jiang Ye was looking down, his gaze casually fixed on something. Chuzheng quickly stretched out her hand and ruffled Jiang Ye¡¯s hair. As Jiang Ye looked up, Chuzheng had already turned to leave. ¡°???¡± Jiang Ye blankly stared at the picture hanging on the wall. After a while, he chuckled softly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this sister of yours.¡± ¨C Sheng Ting Apartment. Zhuang Yi was led into the room, where Sheng Ting sat at the large desk, a cigarette smoldering between his indiscernible expression. ¡°Brother Ting,¡± Zhuang Yi called softly. Sheng Ting¡¯s brows were furrowed with severity, and upon hearing Zhuang Yi¡¯s voice, he stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray. ¡°Come here.¡± Zhuang Yi had noticed something off with the people outside when she came in and walked over with trepidation. Ever since Sheng Chuzheng left, Sheng Ting¡¯s temper had become increasingly unpredictable. She had found out Sheng Chuzheng had returned to the Sheng Family, yet Sheng Ting hadn¡¯t brought her back¡­ The chair Sheng Ting was in swiveled slightly. Zhuang Yi cautiously seated herself in his embrace. ¡°Brother Ting, are you in a bad mood?¡± Sheng Ting¡¯s broad palms stroked her cheek as Zhuang Yi obediently nestled in his arms. Zhuang Yi¡¯s expression suddenly changed, and her body was pushed onto the desk. Chapter 213 - Chapter 213: Chapter 213: The Kings Return (10) Chapter 213: Chapter 213: The King¡¯s Return (10) Sheng Ting stood up with his palm gripping her throat, his deep eyes like an unfathomably cold pond, ¡°Zhuang Yi, you have quite the nerve!¡± Zhuang Yi¡¯s throat was clenched, air could not enter, and her breathing gradually became difficult. Hearing Sheng Ting¡¯s angry voice made her heart pound with fear. ¡°Ting¡­ Brother Ting¡­¡± Zhuang Yi¡¯s eyes immediately reddened, ¡°What did I do wrong?¡± Sheng Ting: ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°Brother Ting I don¡¯t know where I went wrong, I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Zhuang Yi spoke with difficulty. Sheng Ting¡¯s oppressive gaze bore down: ¡°Where were you the day Zhenzhen disappeared?¡± Zhuang Yi¡¯s heart skipped a beat. But she quickly regained her composure: ¡°I¡­ I was with Sisi, Brother Ting. If you don¡¯t believe me you can check, I really was with Sisi.¡± ¡°Zhenzhen said it was you who took her out.¡± ¡°Brother Ting, I didn¡¯t, how could I do such a thing.¡± Zhuang Yi immediately denied it, tears streaming down her face, ¡°I know Brother Ting cares most about Miss Sheng, I wouldn¡¯t dare take her out.¡± Sheng Ting¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. Zhuang Yi cried pitifully, like a pear blossom bathed in rain. Zhuang Yi had followed him for many years, obediently, which was why he had always kept her by his side. Did she have the guts to take her away? He thought of himself stripped naked and thrown in the bathroom by Chuzheng, and her strange behavior lately¡­ He finally released Zhuang Yi after a while. He picked her up and held her in his arms: ¡°You¡¯ve been with me for so long, you should know who you can¡¯t touch.¡± Zhuang Yi, frightened, shivered all over and nodded with teary eyes: ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Sheng Ting gave Zhuang Yi a lingering kiss then let her leave. Zhuang Yi did not dare to stay a moment longer. Sheng Ting summoned someone: ¡°Check who Zhuang Yi was with on the day Zhenzhen disappeared.¡± The information was quickly delivered into Sheng Ting¡¯s hands. That day, Zhuang Yi had gone early in the morning to Sisi¡¯s home to play with a group of sisters. From the surveillance outside, Zhuang Yi¡¯s figure occasionally passed by the windows and she never left. Until he called, Zhuang Yi¡¯s car left Sisi¡¯s house, heading in the direction of the airport. Sheng Ting frowned. ¡°Brother Ting, tomorrow is the delivery date.¡± ¡°Has there been any movement from Hei Jin?¡± ¡°Nothing for the moment, is Brother Ting worried about them?¡± ¡°This batch is quite large, can¡¯t guarantee someone won¡¯t try to get involved.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother Ting, we are all watching, there won¡¯t be any problems.¡± Sheng Ting still instructed a few words, advising not to make any mistakes. ¨C Jiang Ye had been recuperating these days, never seeing Chuzheng again but always hearing the clanging and thudding noises outside. The one who changed his dressings was Gao Ping, who was said to be the Sheng Family¡¯s butler. This made Jiang Ye even more uncertain whether Chuzheng had saved him casually or if there was another purpose. Jiang Ye couldn¡¯t get to a mobile phone and couldn¡¯t contact his people, his mood growing more irritable day by day. ¡°Mr. Jiang, do you want to go outside?¡± Gao Ping came in and saw Jiang Ye getting dressed. The young man was very polite: ¡°I¡¯ve been lying down for so long, I just want to get some fresh air, is that okay?¡± Gao Ping did not say it wasn¡¯t allowed. Jiang Ye walked downstairs. He hadn¡¯t left his room at all these days and realized this place was outrageously large. Just walking from the upstairs to the downstairs took quite some time. He stood at the staircase, looking towards the phone in the hall. ¡°Mr. Jiang, you can go for a walk in the back, the air is better there,¡± Gao Ping¡¯s voice pulled Jiang Ye¡¯s gaze back. He nodded and followed Gao Ping towards the back. At the back, there was a man-made lake. ¡°Where is your miss?¡± Jiang Ye casually asked. ¡°The miss has gone out.¡± ¡°Is she usually so busy?¡± Gao Ping smiled kindly and didn¡¯t answer Jiang Ye. Jiang Ye tactfully did not ask any further. He wandered outside for a while and immediately returned inside the moment Gao Ping had to leave on business. ¨C Guli County. Neon lights glimmered in the city¡¯s night, like the fireworks of sin reflecting wavering light beams on the river. This was a small border town at the edge of the country. Across the river lay the residential city. But this side was abandoned and desolate. Chuzheng sat in the car as time ticked by, second by second. Hum hum hum¡ª ¡°Miss, Mr. Jiang has disappeared,¡± Gao Ping¡¯s somewhat anxious voice came through the phone. ¡°Hmm?¡± Good Person Card¡¯s injuries haven¡¯t fully healed. What was he running for? ¡°Mr. Jiang mentioned he felt unwell earlier, so I went down to look for some medicine for him. When I came back, he was gone.¡± ¡°When did he run off?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s been a while.¡± Gao Ping thought he hadn¡¯t run far and intended to find him first before notifying the young lady, but he couldn¡¯t find him. ¡°Hmm, got it.¡± Chuzheng hung up the phone and looked into the distance. There was already someone appearing over there. ¡°Mr. Sheng, sorry to keep you waiting,¡± said Eric, wearing a fedora and slightly overweight, walking unevenly due to an injury on his leg. ¡°Mr. Eric, I¡¯ve also just arrived.¡± Sheng Ting extended his hand, and Eric shook it briefly. ¡°I wonder, Mr. Eric, why the change of venue to here?¡± It was only before the transaction that Sheng Ting received the message that the location had been changed. The initiative was in the hands of the other party, and Sheng Ting had no choice but to agree. Eric gazed toward the river and said in his imperfect Chinese, ¡°The Sheng Family is really full of talented individuals.¡± Sheng Ting frowned, unsure of Eric¡¯s meaning. The Sheng Family¡­ The current Sheng Family was only a thing of the past. ¡°Tonight, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to make the deal,¡± Eric turned around. Sheng Ting¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°Mr. Eric, we had already agreed on everything before¡­¡± Eric raised his hand, ¡°Mr. Sheng, I did intend to make the transaction with you, but now, as you know, the highest bidder wins¡­¡± The sound of engines grew louder. Black cars drove in and lined up neatly. People got out of the front two cars and ran to the middle car, respectfully opening the door. A young man stepped out of the car. Tall and handsome, the dazzling neon lights reflected off the river, casting his vivid features in flickering light and shadow. The young man took the coat from his subordinate¡¯s hand, casually threw it over himself, and walked over leisurely. ¡°Good evening, Mr. Eric, Mr. Sheng,¡± the young man greeted with a smile as if they were old friends who hadn¡¯t seen each other for years, meeting here to catch up. Sheng Ting¡¯s gaze narrowed, ¡°Mr. Eric, you didn¡¯t tell me you also invited Second Master Jiang.¡± This Jiang Ye, he seemed young, but his methods were ruthless. One had to be cautious. He thought there would be no surprises this evening. But unexpectedly¡­ There was this twist. With indifference, the young man flicked a stray lock of hair from his forehead, ¡°Mr. Eric didn¡¯t tell me he invited Mr. Sheng either. What¡¯s Mr. Sheng angry about?¡± The young man¡¯s smile was carefree but his deep and dark eyes were filled with bright provocation. Sheng Ting said gravely, ¡°Second Master Jiang, for you to step in at this time, isn¡¯t that somewhat unjust?¡± The corner of the young man¡¯s mouth curved up, and his clear voice cut through the darkness, ¡°Mr. Sheng, everyone wants a piece of good stuff like this. I haven¡¯t robbed anyone, so how can you say I¡¯m unjust?¡± Eric interjected, smoothing things over, ¡°Gentlemen, please calm down. Our other guest has yet to arrive.¡± The young man looked up slightly, as if curious, ¡°There¡¯s someone else? Besides Mr. Sheng and Black Night, I wonder who else could handle such a large amount of goods?¡± Eric looked toward the arriving direction, ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± Chapter 214 - Chapter 214: Chapter 214: The Kings Return (11) Chapter 214: Chapter 214: The King¡¯s Return (11) The black off-road vehicle pulled up, and the tall and muscular bodyguards got out, standing by the car. The driver of the third vehicle got out and opened the door. A slender figure emerged slowly. Jiang Ye¡¯s smile faded slightly as he stared intently at the young girl getting out of the car. She stood among a group of bodyguards, truly appearing very small. However, when she stood still and looked over in their direction, in that moment, she commanded an aura of her own. No bodyguard, no matter how tall, could hide the young girl¡¯s elegant and noble temperament. It was as if even the Night Color was making way for her. ¡°Master Jiang, this is the one I mentioned to you before.¡± The person standing behind Jiang Ye stepped forward and whispered a few words to him. ¡°Hmm?¡± Jiang Ye did not catch on: ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the one I encountered when I was being chased last time, the one who took off my shoes, and left herself twenty thousand yuan. I will probably never forget it in my life.¡± Jiang Ye remembered hearing about this: ¡°That¡¯s quite interesting.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so interesting? Master Jiang, this young girl is weird, and now she shows up here¡­¡± At that time, out in the wilderness, a young girl in a white dress, he thought he¡¯d seen a ghost. Jiang Ye looked over towards Sheng Ting. Sheng Ting¡¯s face was somber, and he did not reveal much emotion, leaving Jiang Ye feeling somewhat uninterested. Chuzheng approached, calling out in a cool voice: ¡°Jiang Ye.¡± Jiang Ye was momentarily startled. He hadn¡¯t expected Chuzheng to call out to him first. The youth immediately lifted his face with a smile, as faint, scattered light played in the depths of his eyes: ¡°Miss Sheng.¡± ¡°Are you well now?¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s hand in his pocket tightened slightly: ¡°With Miss Sheng¡¯s concern, of course I am well.¡± Chuzheng did not elaborate, leaving Sheng Ting and Eric somewhat in the dark. Eric didn¡¯t mind, but Sheng Ting was surrounded by an air of low pressure at this moment. She was actually speaking so intimately with Jiang Ye! When had they become acquainted? ¡°Zhenzhen, what are you doing here?¡± Sheng Ting suppressed his anger, his eyes dark and tumultuous, like the eve of a storm. The prior image of the young girl, like a ¡°Canary¡±, was nowhere to be found. The young girl was emanating a sense of coldness and detachment, as if he were an insignificant person whom she did not even deign to consider. All of this was slipping out of control. Chuzheng felt that compared to the Good Person Card, Sheng Ting was more like the one who should be blackened. She didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with Sheng Ting¡¯s confinement of the original host. Perhaps it was a sort of understanding between like entities. But while Sheng Ting was confining the original host, he was involved with Zhuang Yi¡­ doing those kinds of things. That was hard to accept. How could one eat from the bowl and look into the pot at the same time! Bastard! Chuzheng¡¯s cool gaze turned towards Sheng Ting. ¡°What I do here is none of your business,¡± she answered. I come if I want to. This road isn¡¯t owned by anyone! And now you¡¯re trying to control me! ¡°This is not a place for you.¡± ¡°Mr. Sheng.¡± Chuzheng interrupted him: ¡°From the day you left the Sheng Family, you lost any right to meddle in my affairs.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have someone send you away right now,¡± Sheng Ting said with a bad tone, his words carrying an unmistakable command. ¡°Going to confine me again?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s voice was ice cold. Jiang Ye, hearing this, looked up at Sheng Ting. His eyes held a hint of coolness. But he quickly lowered his head and, upon raising his eyes again, a careless smile reappeared. Eric didn¡¯t give Sheng Ting another chance to speak: ¡°Mr. Sheng, your grievances with Miss Sheng aren¡¯t my concern, let¡¯s not forget why we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Eric has a point,¡± Jiang Ye chimed in. Sheng Ting wanted to say more. But Chuzheng had already turned her gaze away to look at Jiang Ye. Jiang Ye gave her a slight smile. To Sheng Ting, the scene was exceedingly irritating to his eyes. He clenched his fists, feeling a sense of betrayal in the depths of his heart. ¡°Since all three of you are clear, I won¡¯t go into detail, let¡¯s just say the one with the highest bid wins, alright?¡± Eric seemed very easy to talk to, ¡°Each of you will take turns to bid, and the last one remaining wins.¡± Sheng Ting, although dissatisfied with Eric, was at this point left with no choice but to follow Eric¡¯s rules. A group of people stood by the riverside in the middle of the night, braving the river breeze, starting to bid in a transaction worth tens of millions. ¡°Eighty million.¡± This was the price that Sheng Ting and Eric had agreed upon initially, eighty million. ¡°Eighty-five million,¡± the young man said lightly. The subordinates behind him approached with some concern, ¡°Master Jiang, aren¡¯t you adding too much?¡± In such business, of course, the lower the price, the better. ¡°One hundred million.¡± The young girl¡¯s crisp voice startled the subordinate¡¯s worries away. It was as if she wasn¡¯t quoting one hundred million but one hundred dollars. Sheng Ting frowned, ¡°Zhenzhen, you can¡¯t come up with that much money.¡± He knew the Sheng Family¡¯s situation best. Perhaps Sheng Min had left her a way out, but it wouldn¡¯t be too much¡­ Chuzheng looked at Eric. Eric nodded with a smile, confirming the bid was valid. ¡°Mr. Eric, I think you are aware of the current state of the Sheng Family. She doesn¡¯t have the capability to pay you that much money.¡± Eric asked, ¡°Mr. Sheng, will you raise the bid?¡± Sheng Ting¡¯s eyebrows twisted into a frown, ¡°One hundred and ten million.¡± Jiang Ye surveyed the circle and said slowly, ¡°One hundred and twenty million.¡± Chuzheng calmly raised the bid, ¡°One hundred and twenty million.¡± Jiang Ye could hardly conceal a smile, ¡°Miss Sheng, you¡¯re making this difficult for me.¡± According to her bidding pattern, it had already surpassed the true value. Chuzheng said, ¡°I¡¯m willing.¡± Mind your own business! Sheng Ting¡¯s dark eyes stared at Chuzheng, gritting his teeth, ¡°One hundred and twenty-two million.¡± Jiang Ye was silent for a while but followed, ¡°One hundred and twenty-five million.¡± ¡°One hundred and thirty million.¡± Sheng Ting didn¡¯t understand where Chuzheng got all that money from, or if she was just here to cause trouble¡­ but if it was troublemaking, would Eric let her bid? Or perhaps Sheng Min really left her¡­ After another round, Jiang Ye dropped out. He came here because he didn¡¯t want Sheng Ting to acquire the merchandise. Since the Sheng Family¡¯s young miss was now contending with Sheng Ting, he would just stop here and watch the drama unfold. ¡°Zhenzhen, must you really oppose me?¡± Chuzheng said nothing. I don¡¯t want to, I want to finish you off. But according to the Bastard¡¯s theory, anything he wanted must be fought over, even to the point of ruin. The Bastard probably wanted to infuriate him to death. ¡°Zhenzhen, if there is anything, let¡¯s go back and talk about it. I know I didn¡¯t handle things properly before, I apologize to you, let¡¯s not make a scene.¡± Sheng Ting softened his tone. Chuzheng kept an indifferent face, ¡°Are you raising the bid?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Nobody could outbid Chuzheng. Sheng Ting had exceeded his budget and could only give up. ¡°Congratulations to Miss Sheng.¡± Eric¡¯s face beamed with delight. ¡°Miss Sheng, congratulations,¡± the young man also offered his felicitation with a smiling face, ¡°The Sheng Family, standing for a century, truly has an impressive foundation.¡± Eric¡¯s face beamed with delight. This was all money earned for nothing. ¡°Miss Sheng, where would you like the delivery to take place?¡± Eric asked this question in front of Sheng Ting and Jiang Ye, possibly with ill intent. Chuzheng gave him a look and said, ¡°Sink it in the sea.¡± Eric was so shocked he forgot his Chinese, ¡°what?¡± Under Sheng Ting¡¯s dark and sharp gaze, Chuzheng spoke word by word, ¡°Sink that batch of goods in the sea.¡± Chapter 215 - Chapter 215: Chapter 215: The Kings Return (12) Chapter 215: Chapter 215: The King¡¯s Return (12) Chuzheng¡¯s request was something that nobody present had anticipated. An object worth hundreds of millions, sinking to the bottom of the sea? Had she gone mad? But Chuzheng was clearly not joking around; she was serious and solemn in what she said. Jiang Ye glanced at Sheng Ting, and seeming to think of something, he suddenly asked Chuzheng, ¡°Miss Sheng, shall we leave together?¡± Chuzheng looked at him and nodded. The demand of the Good Person Card must be fulfilled! One cannot reject the Good Person Card! Today, I also must be a good person! ¡°Master Jiang?¡± The people with Jiang Ye were surprised and reminded him uncertainly, ¡°Master Jiang, perhaps we should¡­¡± Jiang Ye raised his hand, ¡°You go back first.¡± ¡°Master Jiang¡­¡± Jiang Ye looked over indifferently. His gaze wasn¡¯t sharp, and there was even a hint of a smile on his lips, yet it gave an intangible pressure. The man dared not say more, bowed slightly, and took his leave with the others. ¡°Mr. Eric, we shall collaborate again in the future,¡± Jiang Ye said with a smile as he bid farewell to Eric. Eric might still have been immersed in shock at the idea of someone spending a billion to sink his merchandise. When he heard Jiang Ye¡¯s voice, he came back to his senses, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to working with Mr. Jiang.¡± Jiang Ye exchanged a few pleasantries with Eric and then followed Chuzheng. Jiang Ye could even feel the burning gaze of Sheng Ting on him as if trying to pierce right through him. He slightly curved his lips into a smile and got into Chuzheng¡¯s car. The vehicle isolated them from the outside views, making the interior very quiet. The young girl sitting beside him was looking down at her phone, giving off a very peaceful vibe. Jiang Ye said with a hint of mirth, ¡°Miss Sheng, your spirit really impresses me.¡± ¡°Sink to the bottom of the sea?¡± Jiang Ye shrugged, ¡°Or what else?¡± With a stern face, Chuzheng said, ¡°I have money.¡± Money that I can¡¯t spend all, not sinking it in the sea, and if I sell it off, it¡¯s just more money. Am I mad? Sinking it in the sea is better! ¡°¡­¡± Indeed, the wealth passed down through the generations is different. Jiang Ye¡¯s fingertips rested upon his knees as the river scenery gradually faded and the dim light flickered, sketching an intermittent silhouette of him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid someone might tamper with it?¡± Chuzheng replied in an even, cold tone, ¡°I don¡¯t care about that amount of money.¡± Jiang Ye was dazzled by her display of wealth. He had seen many rich people, capable of discarding several millions, even tens of millions, without any psychological pressure. But billions! Was she really indifferent about giving it away? ¡°If Miss Sheng doesn¡¯t want it, how about giving it to me?¡± ¡°Do you want it?¡± Chuzheng looked up, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll have Eric deliver it to you.¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± He was just making a casual remark! Chuzheng had already taken out her phone to call Eric, but Jiang Ye lifted his hand to stop her. When his fingertip touched Chuzheng¡¯s hand, Jiang Ye¡¯s expression changed slightly, feeling as if burned; he quickly withdrew it. The warmth and smoothness from his fingertip made Jiang Ye¡¯s heartbeat accelerate. Jiang Ye¡¯s fair skin blushed slightly, but fortunately, the light in the car was dim, hiding the change on his face. It was just a touch¡­ Why such a big reaction? The young girl herself had no response at all! Wait a minute! Jiang Ye¡¯s eyes flicked towards Chuzheng, the young girl had stopped what she was doing and was staring intently at him. Indeed, not a single reaction¡­ Jiang Ye took a deep breath, his lips curling into a beautiful arch, ¡°Miss Sheng, I was just joking. I don¡¯t want this shipment.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you wanted it?¡± Here, take it! I¡¯m quite willing! Isn¡¯t the Good Person Card meant to help me deal with such troubles?! ¡°I was kidding,¡± said Jiang Ye, ¡°Miss Sheng, giving me so much merchandise would bring trouble upon me.¡± Chuzheng pondered for a moment, ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you secretly.¡± That should solve the problem, right? I¡¯m being considerate! Take it! ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ye felt conflicted. Why was she acting like she was trying to rid herself of a hot potato? That¡¯s over a hundred million! ¡°No need, Miss Sheng.¡± Jiang Ye firmly refused, and Chuzheng, disappointed, let others continue with the arrangements for Sinking in the Sea. Chuzheng was somewhat unwilling to give up, ¡°You really don¡¯t want it?¡± The thing I¡¯m offering you is free, so why not take it! Is this Good Person Card a fool? Jiang Ye smiled and shook his head, ¡°No.¡± He wouldn¡¯t dare to take that shipment lightly. Not to mention the kind of troubles it might bring to Hei Jin, but also, it would put him in a peculiar relationship with this young lady. He was not willing. Chuzheng didn¡¯t ask further, and the car grew quiet. The car gradually entered the city, with neon lights flickering around. In the interweaving lights and shadows, Jiang Ye rested his chin on his hand, casually watching the street views whizz past the window. After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly asked, ¡°Miss Sheng, do you truly not hate Sheng Ting?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then why did you come today?¡± It was clear she came to compete with Sheng Ting. Chuzheng said earnestly, ¡°For the money.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Chuzheng¡¯s car stopped in front of a hotel, and Jiang Ye got out, ready to say goodbye. But Chuzheng handed him a room card. Jiang Ye didn¡¯t take it, politely declining, ¡°Miss Sheng, I have a place to stay.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng stuffed the room card into his hand. Jiang Ye¡¯s long, jade-like hands squeezed the room card, his profile bathed in the crystal light, as beautiful as an art piece in a display window. Is it still possible for him to run away now? Jiang Ye glanced at the bodyguard standing behind him, who had sealed off his path of escape tightly. Does this mean they don¡¯t intend to let him leave? ¡°Mr. Jiang,¡± the bodyguard gestured with a ¡®Please,¡¯ ¡°This way, please.¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ye stepped forward, following Chuzheng, and took the elevator up to the room. ¡°Miss Sheng, what are you planning to do with me?¡± ¡°Sleep.¡± What else would one do late at night if not sleep? Jiang Ye was shocked. Sleep? Sleep what? He truly had no intention of offering himself!! Even if you really did save me, it wouldn¡¯t be okay! If anything, he could save himself later! Offering himself was out of the question! With an indifferent face, Chuzheng swiped the card to open the door: ¡°Good night.¡± The door closed, leaving Jiang Ye and the bodyguard outside. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Jiang.¡± The bodyguard indicated the room opposite to Jiang Ye. Jiang Ye sighed, went over to swipe the card and entered the room. As he closed the door, he noticed the two bodyguards turn to stand guard at the entrance. Jiang Ye closed the door with mixed feelings. Why did he feel that something was off with this scenario? Shouldn¡¯t this be the plotline of an overbearing CEO? Yet he was supposed to be that overbearing CEO!! After entering the room, Jiang Ye pulled out his phone to arrange for his people to come and get him. Not long after he sent the message, someone knocked on the door. Jiang Ye went to open the door and saw the young girl standing outside, holding a medical kit. ¡°Miss Sheng?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to check on your wounds.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, my wounds are not serious¡­¡± Chuzheng expressionlessly pushed past him into the room. Jiang Ye¡¯s grip on the door handle tightened as he closed the door and walked into the room. Leaning against the wall, with a smile that was not quite a smile, Jiang Ye watched the young girl open the medical kit, ¡°Miss Sheng, coming to a man¡¯s room late at night, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit inappropriate?¡± Chuzheng, taking out what she needed and placing them on the table, asked calmly and indifferently, ¡°What¡¯s inappropriate about it?¡± What¡¯s inappropriate? Everything is inappropriate! Chapter 216 - Chapter 216: Chapter 216: The Kings Return (13) Chapter 216: Chapter 216: The King¡¯s Return (13) Jiang Ye chuckled softly as he strolled forward, deliberately closing the gap between himself and Chuzheng, lowering his voice: ¡°Alone in a room, man and woman, Miss Sheng, what do you think is inappropriate about that, hmm?¡± The youth carried a certain nonchalant laziness in his every move. His dark eyes were clear and moist, with the light fallen upon them like stars scattered across the universe, vast and mysterious. A light smile played on his handsome, distinguished face, as clear and bright as the breeze under the moon. Chuzheng remained unmoved by the beauty before her. So what if it¡¯s just a man and a woman? Could they still have a fight? Chuzheng said very calmly: ¡°Take off your clothes.¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± After a few seconds of silence, Jiang Ye¡¯s lips lifted in a hint of amusement as he casually took off his coat and rested his fingers on the buttons of his shirt. His movements were as if put in slow motion. ¡°Hurry up.¡± She wanted to go back to sleep! What¡¯s with all the dawdling! ¡°¡­¡± Is she even a woman! Jiang Ye unbuttoned his shirt swiftly. Underneath the shirt was the youth¡¯s body, a blend of beauty and strength, with bandages still wrapped around his abdomen, the smooth lines of his Adonis belt trailing down, disappearing beneath his belt into his pants. The shirt dropped down to hang from the young man¡¯s shoulders, his lips curled in a faint smile: ¡°Please, Miss Sheng.¡± With an unchanged expression, Chuzheng stepped forward and started to remove the youth¡¯s bandages. It wasn¡¯t very convenient to treat him while standing, so Chuzheng pushed him to sit on the bed, then crouched down to check the wound. The youth leaned back on his hands on the bed, Chuzheng¡¯s fingers swept over his skin, as if a slight current was flowing through his entire body. He shuddered slightly. He had never known before that being touched by someone could feel like this. ¡°Miss Sheng,¡± Jiang Ye called her. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Are you this nice to everyone? So hands-on?¡± Jiang Ye tilted his head, his fine, soft hair falling to one side with the movement. ¡°No.¡± Who has that much free time, I¡¯m very busy you know. Jiang Ye tried to ignore Chuzheng¡¯s touch on his hand: ¡°So, Miss Sheng is this nice to me?¡± Chuzheng thought for a moment: ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Because you¡¯re a Good Person Card! ¡°No reason.¡± ¡°Why be nice to someone for no reason?¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s eyes were deep: ¡°Miss Sheng, nobody is nice to others without any reason.¡± ¡°Because I want to be a good person.¡± Chuzheng finished checking the wound, reapplied the medicine; the wound had not completely healed, and the medicine stung as it seeped into it. Jiang Ye pressed his lips together, waiting for the sting to pass. ¡°Miss Sheng wants to be a good person, then why say you¡¯re not nice to everyone¡­ hiss¡­¡± Chuzheng grew impatient with the questioning. She just wanted to be a good person, why so many questions! Even if you ask, you won¡¯t think I¡¯m a good person anyway! Chuzheng roughly pressed her finger against his wound, threatening him: ¡°Try making noise again.¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Try poking me again!! Jiang Ye endured the pain and signaled he would remain quiet. Chuzheng let go and quickly bandaged the wound. Chuzheng stood up to tidy things: ¡°Get some rest early¡­¡± Jiang Ye grabbed Chuzheng¡¯s wrist and pulled her towards him, Chuzheng fell over, landing directly on top of Jiang Ye. Whoosh¡ª¡ª A bullet lodged into the wall behind them. Jiang Ye¡¯s clothing was half undone, Chuzheng collapsed into his arms, her cheek accidentally brushing against the bare skin of the young man. Chuzheng clearly felt the person beneath her tense up. But he recovered quickly, his dark eyes meeting Chuzheng¡¯s icy ones, his finger pressing on Chuzheng¡¯s lips: ¡°Shh.¡± Chuzheng glanced sideways, looking towards the mirror in the room. A red light flashed past, and before Chuzheng could make it out, Jiang Ye wrapped his arms around her and rolled to the side, tumbling off the bed together. The unclosed window let the wind in, lifting the window net with it. And at the same time, the lampshade by the bed shattered. Chuzheng quickly stood up and pulled Jiang Ye to take cover behind the bed. Chuzheng looked at Jiang Ye¡¯s wound; the bandage had begun to seep blood. ¡°Miss Sheng, do you think they were here for you or for me?¡± The young man didn¡¯t seem to care, pressing his hand against his abdomen while still finding the mood to joke with Chuzheng. In Chuzheng¡¯s dark eyes reflected the color of blood, her voice clear and cold as ice and snow, ¡°Looking to die.¡± An assassination attempt late at night was surely a death wish! Chuzheng released Jiang Ye and reached over to the bed to turn off the light. Whoosh¡ª Another bullet. It wasn¡¯t clear where it hit, as it didn¡¯t make much noise. Chuzheng returned to Jiang Ye¡¯s side, ¡°How are you holding up?¡± Jiang Ye didn¡¯t speak, his breathing somewhat labored. Chuzheng recalled that when she met Jiang Ye before, he seemed to be afraid of the dark¡­ Chuzheng pressed on his shoulder, pulling him into her embrace, and sent a message to the bodyguards outside using her phone. The attacker couldn¡¯t see their targets and probably didn¡¯t dare to make too much noise; the atmosphere turned silent. Jiang Ye¡¯s forehead rested on Chuzheng¡¯s shoulder. Under the dim light, he could clearly see the young girl¡¯s tight jawline and, in the darkness, her eyes gleaming with a cold light. The bodyguard replied to the message; no one was found on the opposite side ¡ª the assailant had likely left. Chuzheng had the bodyguards come in and move Jiang Ye to her room. The room she was staying in had no vantage points for assassination. She had been living there before; Jiang Ye¡¯s room was only arranged across from hers for convenience, and she hadn¡¯t checked the room¡¯s surroundings. Jiang Ye¡¯s wound had reopened, and the bandage was soaked red with blood. ¡°Miss, let me do it,¡± the bodyguard offered. ¡°No need, go investigate who did this.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The bodyguard left the room, and Chuzheng once again opened up the bandage to stop the bleeding. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Do you need some anesthetic? ¡°Hm? What did you say?¡± Jiang Ye, as if just regaining his senses, asked with some bewilderment. Chuzheng looked up, ¡°I asked if it hurts.¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s eyes met Chuzheng¡¯s, feeling inexplicably uncomfortable. He diverted his gaze, ¡°It¡¯s tolerable.¡± Tolerable¡­ So it doesn¡¯t hurt¡­ Chuzheng reapplied medicine to the wound, which had already been healing nicely and would hurt even more now that it had reopened. Jiang Ye clenched his teeth until Chuzheng finished bandaging him before he relaxed. ¡°Miss Sheng, I just saved you, right? Let¡¯s call it even,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s not certain they were coming for me,¡± Chuzheng replied. Both of us! There¡¯s a fifty-fifty chance they were after you!! ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ye choked back a response, ¡°But I also saved you. If I hadn¡¯t pulled you¡­ that bullet might have hit you.¡± Chuzheng responded indifferently, ¡°If you weren¡¯t injured, I wouldn¡¯t have been in that room.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ye ground his teeth, ¡°I also didn¡¯t ask Miss Sheng to change my dressing.¡± ¡°If you weren¡¯t injured, I wouldn¡¯t be changing your dressing.¡± ¡°Miss Sheng, that¡¯s being a bit unreasonable. It¡¯s not like I wanted to get hurt, you can¡¯t blame me¡­¡± If you hadn¡¯t kept me here, how would you be here! The girl stopped her handiwork and looked at him expressionlessly. Even though he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, he somehow felt she was a bit terrifying at that moment. Jiang Ye¡¯s retort circled in his mouth before he swallowed it back. Such a fierce girl, how would she ever get married in the future! No, that¡¯s not right¡­ Why should he care about that? Jiang Ye fumbled with his clothes on the bed, slowly fastening buttons. He looked away, ¡°Miss Sheng, who do you think was the target just now? I won¡¯t argue with you, I¡¯m asking seriously.¡± Chapter 217 - Chapter 217: Chapter 217: The Kings Return (14) Chapter 217: Chapter 217: The King¡¯s Return (14) ¡°You.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Why can¡¯t it be you? ¡°From the shooting angle at that time, it was aimed at you.¡± At that time, Jiang Ye had his back to the window, and the first bullet was clearly aimed at him. I¡¯m the innocent one! I am! Jiang Ye¡¯s eyes flickered as he recalled the scene. In a moment, his drooping eyelashes took on a layer of lustrous halo, casting small shadows beneath his overly pale eyelids. Jiang Ye took out his phone and looked at the location he had sent out, trying to suppress a laugh. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The Good Person Card isn¡¯t scared silly, right? Jiang Ye¡¯s smile faded, and he silently pressed his phone for a while before staring at it until the screen went dark without any reaction. Chuzheng paced around him twice: ¡°You sleep here.¡± Jiang Ye looked up: ¡°What about you?¡± Chuzheng pointed to the sofa and took a pillow to sleep on the couch. For the sake of the Good Person Card, the poor thing has to sleep on the sofa. What if someone else comes up to kill him? ¡°Miss Sheng, it¡¯s not like me to make a girl sleep on the sofa, you sleep¡­¡± Chuzheng turned around and pushed him back: ¡°Go to sleep, no more talking.¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Why so fierce! The room light was turned off, plunging it into darkness. Chuzheng hadn¡¯t walked away when the hem of her clothing was grabbed. ¡°Turn the light on¡­¡± The youth¡¯s voice was raspy, and if you listened closely, you could detect a slight tremor in it. ¡°Are you afraid of the dark?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m just not used to it,¡± Jiang Ye said awkwardly. Probably because there was someone else present, and there was still a faint light in the room, he didn¡¯t feel too uncomfortable. Being afraid of the dark is just that, being afraid of the dark. I won¡¯t laugh at you. But for someone destined to work at night, what kind of problem is fear of the dark? Chuzheng turned on the light. Jiang Ye immediately let go of Chuzheng, and he turned to face away from her. ¡°Good night, Miss Sheng.¡± Chuzheng stood for a while, eyeing Jiang Ye¡¯s hair, then slowly reached out her hand¡­ Jiang Ye seemed not to notice, so Chuzheng immediately gave his head a couple of rubs. Chuzheng¡¯s expression instantly became serious. So soft. Really comfortable. Jiang Ye moved slightly, as if he wanted to turn around to look at her, but Chuzheng quickly withdrew her hand: ¡°Good night.¡± Jiang Ye turned his head, and Chuzheng had already gone to the couch, lying down straight, closing her eyes, and falling asleep in seconds. He reached out to touch his hair. What¡¯s her problem? ¨C Chuzheng had just fallen asleep when she felt someone close by, then the cramped sofa became even more crowded. The fresh scent of the youth wafted over. The room was pitch black, and as the youth squeezed onto the sofa, his fingers frantically searched around her waist, until they found her hand, and held on tightly. Chuzheng: ¡°??¡± What¡¯s this about? Are we competing for the couch in the middle of the night?! ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jiang Ye didn¡¯t make a sound, his head resting against her shoulder, almost burying himself in her. Chuzheng looked towards the ceiling, finding not a single light in the room. She propped herself up and reached to press the switch next to the couch. Was there a power outage? That shouldn¡¯t be the case; such a hotel would have emergency power even in case of an outage. Chuzheng sent her bodyguard to see what the matter was. The bodyguard went down to ask the hotel, which replied that it was a circuit problem, and to not disturb the guests, they chose to work on it during the dead of night, possibly needing an hour. Jiang Ye held her without a word, and Chuzheng, feeling his head, consented to his behavior. Chuzheng moved further in and embraced him from the side. At first, Jiang Ye had been the one holding Chuzheng, but now it had become her holding him. But it was too dark now, and Jiang Ye didn¡¯t dare to be picky, closing his eyes tightly. Chuzheng had a faint, cold fragrance on her body, which gradually relaxed Jiang Ye. Her fingers glided down his chest to his abdomen. Jiang Ye suddenly raised his hand, pressing down on her. ¡°I want to check your wound.¡± Chuzheng was afraid he had torn open his injury when he moved earlier. Jiang Ye hesitated for a moment, then slowly loosened his grip; Chuzheng¡¯s fingertips touched around his wound, but didn¡¯t feel any wetness. Chuzheng withdrew her hand and comfortably stroked his head, ¡°Go to sleep.¡± ¨C The next day. When Jiang Ye opened his eyes, he saw Chuzheng¡¯s profile, one hand on her phone, the light in her eyes flickering with the phone screen¡¯s illumination. One hand was resting on his shoulder, fingertips twirling a strand of his hair. For a moment, Jiang Ye actually felt as if the years were peaceful¡­ ¡°Awake?¡± Chuzheng put down her phone, her cool gaze turning to Jiang Ye. Upon hearing her voice, Jiang Ye¡¯s heartbeat suddenly quickened, and he flipped over abruptly. Chuzheng caught him, ¡°You¡¯ve fallen.¡± The young girl¡¯s breath on Jiang Ye¡¯s neck and him being held in her ambiguous embrace immediately threw his mind into disarray. His eyes shifted as he struggled free from her grasp in a panic, got off the couch without finding his shoes, and finally entered the washroom barefoot, slamming the door behind him. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng lay back down comfortably. It was really too cramped for two people. ¨C Jiang Ye stood in the washroom, splashing his face with cold water. He raised his head, and the handsome face in the mirror was dotted with water droplets, with a faint desire pressing in the depths of his profound eyes. He braced himself on the washstand, eyes slightly downcast. A certain change made Jiang Ye uncomfortable. A natural morning reaction. It¡¯s normal, every man has it. Normal¡­ Normal¡­ Normal my ass! Jiang Ye took a deep breath, he had never had such thoughts before. Ever since he met her, he hadn¡¯t been normal. ¡°What¡¯s there to be excited about!¡± Jiang Ye couldn¡¯t help but flick his little Jiang Ye. It infuriated him. ¨C When Jiang Ye came out of the washroom, Chuzheng was still lying on the sofa, but with a bodyguard in the room. As the bodyguard saw him come out, he walked out immediately, giving him a slightly off look as he passed. That look¡­ Jiang Ye couldn¡¯t even describe it. It just felt wrong. ¡°There¡¯s breakfast on the table.¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°I¡¯m going back now.¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s gaze fell into the void, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Miss Sheng. About last night¡¯s incident, I will sort it out and explain it to you.¡± If he stayed any longer, something would definitely happen! He couldn¡¯t stay any longer! Jiang Ye¡¯s face was devoid of smiles, and the laziness in his demeanor was completely gone, instead, he carried a bit of Master Jiang¡¯s aura. ¡°I¡¯ve caught the person.¡± Chuzheng propped herself up to sit, ¡°Eat breakfast first.¡± Jiang Ye suddenly looked up, locking eyes with Chuzheng. ¡°How did you catch them?¡± Chuzheng pondered for a few seconds, ¡°Money.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng walked over, pulling him to sit down, ¡°Finish breakfast and I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s palm was warm, which made Jiang Ye uncomfortably withdraw his hand. He looked at the breakfast from who knows how many places in front of him¡­ ¡°Miss Sheng, did you buy the entire city¡¯s breakfast over here?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know what you liked to eat, so I had them bring it all, just pick whatever you like.¡± The young girl asked seriously. It seemed as though her body heat lingered on his fingertips, making Jiang Ye involuntarily clench his fingers tighter. A moment later, the youth raised a trace of a smile, ¡°Miss Sheng, if I were a girl, I would definitely be moved by you.¡± His tone changed, ¡°Too bad I¡¯m not.¡± Chapter 218 - Chapter 218: Chapter 218: The Kings Return (15) Chapter 218: Chapter 218: The King¡¯s Return (15) Chuzheng asked indifferently, ¡°Are you always this chatty at breakfast?¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ye glanced at Chuzheng with a meaningful look. Perhaps he was overthinking it¡­¡­ After breakfast, Chuzheng took Jiang Ye to see the person they had captured. The person was bound to a chair with his head covered, while the bodyguard stood with his arms crossed in the room, watching over. ¡°Miss, Mr. Jiang,¡± the bodyguard greeted respectfully upon their arrival. Chuzheng stopped at the door, ¡°He¡¯s yours now.¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± You¡¯d think we were making some shady deal! Jiang Ye walked forward and removed the black cloth covering the other person¡¯s head. It was a nondescript man, the kind you couldn¡¯t pick out from a crowd. At that moment, the man was still unconscious. Jiang Ye turned to look at Chuzheng who lifted her hand, signaling the bodyguard to leave with her. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± I just wanted to ask if this is the person from last night. ¨C Half an hour later, Jiang Ye came out. The young man¡¯s trench coat hung loose, with two buttons undone at the collar, revealing his delicate collarbone. There was blood on his fingers, and his eyes still held a remnant sharpness. Like a young beast fresh from the kill, he walked slowly from the shadows into the lingering sunlight. The depth of the young man¡¯s eyes glinted with aurous light as his gaze fell upon the girl leaning against the wall. After staring blankly at Chuzheng for three seconds, he slightly curved his lips and smiled, ¡°Miss Sheng, I¡¯ve finished asking.¡± Chuzheng nodded, ¡°The person is yours to deal with now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of money; I think you should handle it, Miss Sheng,¡± the young man casually straightened his clothes, ¡°After all¡­ he did scare you.¡± ¡°Do you need my help¡­¡± ¡°Miss Sheng, we¡¯re not that close yet,¡± the young man interrupted Chuzheng, ¡°I can handle my own affairs.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯ll still have to save you in the end!! Don¡¯t try to be a hero! Jiang Ye moved past the light, heading towards the stairs. Chuzheng followed him, descending the stairs together. This was an abandoned building. Just as Jiang Ye stepped off the last step and into the sunlight, his body was suddenly yanked backward. Thud, thud, thud¡ª Bullets swept across the spot where Jiang Ye had just stepped, sending debris and dust flying, clouding the view. The young man found himself lying on the old iron handrail. Chuzheng was holding onto his waist. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Regaining his senses, Jiang Ye looked sideways at the girl¡¯s delicate face: ¡°Miss Sheng, these guys can¡¯t be here for me, right?¡± Such brazen use of weapons, those after him would hardly have the guts. Chuzheng peeked outside. Thud, thud, thud¡ª Bullets hit the wall, the plaster flaked off instantly, sending clouds of dust rising. Chuzheng pulled Jiang Ye back upstairs to regroup with the bodyguards. ¡°Miss, we are surrounded,¡± said a bodyguard. Chuzheng¡¯s face remained unchanged; she calmly asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice anyone following us?¡± The bodyguards exchanged looks; none of them had noticed. Now wasn¡¯t the time for blame; footsteps were already sounding from downstairs. Chuzheng gestured for the bodyguards to spread out, took a gun from one of them, loaded the bullets, and handed it to Jiang Ye. As the people below approached aggressively, Jiang Ye didn¡¯t refuse the weapon. Chuzheng led Jiang Ye to an even more rear position. Bang¡ª An unknown person fired the first shot at the stairway, followed by the continuous sound of gunfire. The whole building seemed to tremble. ¡°Stay here.¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t give Jiang Ye the chance to protest and swiftly left the area. As someone emerged from the opposite side, the girl raised her hand and fired a shot. The man had collapsed right at the stairwell entrance. Jiang Ye frowned slightly. For someone trained, hitting a moving target was not surprising. But no matter how he looked at the young girl¡¯s physical condition, she didn¡¯t seem like someone trained, yet her movements had a certain style to them. She passed through the light, like a newborn calf charging headlong, completely ignorant of what fear was. Jiang Ye felt an inexplicable tug at his heart. The gun he had been holding casually was now gripped firmly, as he stared in the direction of the young girl. Chuzheng took out the two who had charged at her first. The gunshots suddenly stopped. The entire corridor went quiet. Dust particles danced in the sunlight, permeated with the smell of gunpowder. ¡°Miss Sheng, no offense intended,¡± someone called out. Chuzheng¡¯s body swayed as she swiftly moved up the stairs, expertly changing her magazine. Only then did she speak, ¡°Your bullets didn¡¯t tell me that.¡± ¡°Miss Sheng, it was a misunderstanding just now, we can talk this out,¡± the voice entreated. Her response was a bullet. The bullet didn¡¯t hit anyone, striking the iron handrail instead, and clanged as it fell to the ground before settling into silence. ¡°Miss!¡± The bodyguard exclaimed in alarm. From the direction of the balcony, someone leaped down, and as Chuzheng looked down, she heard a noise, looked up, and the person pulled the trigger. Chuzheng raised her hand to shoot, and a gunshot rang out. The other person didn¡¯t have the chance to pull the trigger before tumbling through the air and crashing to the ground. The heavy body made a dull sound upon impact. Chuzheng looked not far off. The young man held a gun in one hand, maintaining his firing stance. His trench coat, due to the movement, was slowly settling. A playful smile tugged at the corner of the young man¡¯s lips, his dark, deep-set eyes focused ahead, different from the first time Chuzheng had seen him in action. This time, the young man radiated a casual indifference. It was as if taking a life was as easy for him as stepping on an ant. It was unclear who had taken out the person who had just fallen. ¡°Miss Sheng, be careful,¡± the young man¡¯s clear voice pierced the silence. Almost simultaneously, people rushed up from below, and others leaped onto the balcony from outside. Chuzheng fired methodically, her cool composure dropping one person after another. The faces of these men were not Eastern, each bearing Western features, and their communication was not in Chinese. Their numbers were great, and Chuzheng was getting irritated by the fighting. It seemed never-ending. Irritating. And noisy. Jiang Ye was standing at a distance, but he was continuously watching Chuzheng. He could vividly sense the irritation beginning to radiate off the young girl amidst the gun smoke. The feeling was remarkable, almost as if he knew that she was annoyed, yet completely unafraid. Jiang Ye suddenly turned around, aiming his gun at someone approaching from behind, his lips curving into a slight smile, ¡°Your breathing is too loud.¡± Bang¡ª The person fell to the ground. When he turned his head back, the young girl was gone, and the bodyguards were tensely watching the area below. Jiang Ye felt a jolt in his heart and immediately rushed over. Almost as his hand reached the railing, the noises from below abruptly ceased, and the entire space fell into silence. Jiang Ye could only hear his own slightly labored breathing. He looked down. The young girl stood in the middle of the stairs with her gun raised, pointing downward. Jiang Ye¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and after a few seconds, he released the handrail, stepping back two paces to lean against the pockmarked wall. The bodyguards snapped out of their daze and headed downstairs past Jiang Ye. Chaos erupted below, along with sounds of muffled groans. Jiang Ye suppressed the urge within him and walked to the entrance of the stairwell, looking down. The young girl sat on the stairs, expressionless as she watched the bodyguards tie up someone who was still breathing. Chapter 219 - Chapter 219: Chapter 219: The Kings Return (16) Chapter 219: Chapter 219: The King¡¯s Return (16) The sound of police sirens grew nearer and nearer. Chuzheng stood up and pulled Jiang Ye into the car. That person was stuffed into the trunk. Chuzheng stood downstairs for a moment before finally getting into the car. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Chuzheng asked him. Jiang Ye thought she wouldn¡¯t let him go and took almost three seconds to respond, ¡°Just drop me off wherever there¡¯s a crowd.¡± This was a strange city to him, unfamiliar. As the car drove off, Jiang Ye looked back. Something was being dragged on the ground behind the last car, leaving a messy trail through the dust. ¡°¡­¡± The bodyguard drove along a small road, conveniently avoiding the police cars. Jiang Ye withdrew his gaze, leaning back in his seat, ¡°Miss Sheng, aren¡¯t you afraid they¡¯ll trace it back to you after leaving those people behind?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t trace it back,¡± Chuzheng said with certainty. Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow, ¡°Why not?¡± Chuzheng glanced at him, said nothing. Without a body to be found, one could only see a crime scene at most. No person, what¡¯s there to investigate? Do they think I¡¯m stupid? When Jiang Ye didn¡¯t get an answer after a long wait, he continued, ¡°Miss Sheng, those people just now¡­ they weren¡¯t from around here.¡± Whom had she offended? Sheng Ting? It shouldn¡¯t be him. Sheng Ting didn¡¯t need to hire others to act¡­ and he had no need to do it on someone else¡¯s territory. ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng looked straight ahead, seemingly indifferent. She had trouble on her hands and wanted to get rid of Jiang Ye quickly to avoid dragging the Good Person Card into this mess. Jiang Ye¡¯s lips moved slightly, but he said nothing more. Communicating with her was so difficult. The car stopped in a square, and Jiang Ye pushed the door open. He stood by the door, slightly bent over, his beautiful eyes carrying a faint smile, ¡°Miss Sheng, thank you for taking care of me these past few days. I won¡¯t forget it.¡± It was indeed a memorable experience. Impossible to forget even if he wanted to. He never should have gotten in her car!! ¡°Call me if you need anything.¡± Jiang Ye smiled, took a step back, and closed the car door. The young man quickly disappeared into the crowd, and Chuzheng waited a while before telling her people to drive off. With a bound person in tow, one couldn¡¯t blatantly fly on a plane. Chuzheng simply bought a plane. However, having bought a plane didn¡¯t mean she could just fly off, so the King¡¯s Account prompted Chuzheng to purchase an aviation company. And so Chuzheng extravagantly acquired an aviation company. The bodyguards admired their employer¡¯s boldness. They won¡¯t let me fly, eh? Fine! I¡¯ll buy your company! Let¡¯s see if you let me fly now! ¨C Sheng Family Manor. The man was roused by a pail of cold water, he looked around somewhat dazedly. The luxurious decor gave the man a momentary illusion. Where is this place? ¡°Miss, he¡¯s awake,¡± a bodyguard spoke into a radio from a distance. A voice cold to the extreme came from within. The man became fully alert in an instant. Sounds quickly approached the door as a girl entered with two tall and muscular bodyguards. The man watched Chuzheng warily. Chuzheng walked into the room, the bodyguards immediately brought over a chair, and she sat down, crossing her legs elegantly, her fingers resting on the back of the chair in a perfect posture of authority. ¡°Who sent you to cause me trouble?¡± The man did not speak, just stared at Chuzheng. The bodyguards moved forward to administer torture. These bodyguards seemed to have undergone some bizarre training, completely refraining from physical violence. Yet what they did was more unbearable than violence could ever be. Could you drink two large glasses of lemon juice on an empty stomach?! How much? A liter. Just squeezed! Absolutely fresh and eco-friendly! Chuzheng had only asked that one question, and after that, it was the bodyguard who acted; she sat behind, sipping tea. At one point, annoyed by the noise he made, she even had someone tape his mouth shut. Two hours later, the man hung his head. ¡°Someone¡­ hired¡­ hired us to come, to¡­ to grab you, we don¡¯t know why.¡± The man was a foreigner, but he spoke fluent Mandarin. Chuzheng¡¯s gaze grew colder: ¡°Who hired you?¡± Zhuang Yi? Sheng Ting? Or some other damn thing? ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± the man shook his head. The other party had contacted them through an intermediary; they had never met the employer. This job paid well, and since it was about capturing a young girl, they thought it wouldn¡¯t be difficult. Little did they know it would turn out like this. Chuzheng¡¯s fingertips rested on her wrist, her voice icy as it filled the room: ¡°Does your intermediary know him?¡± The man didn¡¯t dare to confirm: ¡°Maybe¡­ might know.¡± ¨C The client had only instructed them to capture someone, not where to go for the transaction afterward, obviously waiting to be contacted. Chuzheng couldn¡¯t figure out why someone would want to kidnap her. The original host was being confined by Sheng Ting during this time, unaware of what was happening outside. So Chuzheng didn¡¯t know whether this turn of events was due to some change she made, or if it was bound to happen. Everyone must think she¡¯s so pitiable, wanting to bully her! Utterly inhumane! Poor little Chuzheng was extremely desperate. Longing for the hair of the Good Person Card. Actually, being held by the Good Person Card was quite comfortable¡­ Chuzheng missed her Good Person Card, but it was just a thought; she had no intention of sending a text or making a call. ¨C ¡°Ah-choo¡­¡± Jiang Ye sneezed. He was puzzled for a moment, gathering his clothes¡ªit wasn¡¯t cold¡­ ¡°Master Jiang, are you alright?¡± Jiang Ye sat in a dark corner, heard the voice, reined in his puzzlement, and gestured for the other to sit down. The person was none other than the man Chuzheng had previously coerced into buying shoes for two thousand. ¡°No one¡¯s followed you, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Master Jiang, no one,¡± Chen Jiu nodded: ¡°Now everyone says you pocketed that batch of goods, our people are being held down, Master Liu hasn¡¯t made a statement yet, but from I see, it seems Master Liu doesn¡¯t believe you¡­¡± Jiang Ye had anticipated this situation. Ever since the Sheng Family¡¯s downfall, his own status and prestige had been rising. Originally, Master Liu had promoted him, seeing his capability, for Hei Jin, for his own interests. But now, he could pose a threat to Master Liu¡¯s top position. Besides, Master Liu was a naturally suspicious person. ¡°How¡¯s the search for the traitor going?¡± Twice now, his location had been exposed. There was definitely a traitor among his ranks. ¡°So far, no clues,¡± Chen Jiu frowned. Master Jiang was silent for a moment: ¡°Arrange a meeting with Master Liu for me.¡± ¡°Master Jiang, is it appropriate to see Master Liu now?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t see Master Liu soon, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll truly have to carry this blame,¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s lips curled in a cold smile: ¡°I have a pretty good idea who took that batch of goods.¡± Chen Jiu seemed to have an idea as well. ¡°But Master Jiang, we don¡¯t have any evidence, even if we convince Master Liu, the people below won¡¯t be satisfied.¡± Jiang Ye said: ¡°Just arrange it for me first.¡± Chen Jiu: ¡°Yes.¡± Chen Jiu paused for a few seconds, then asked: ¡°Master Jiang, may I ask you a question?¡± Jiang Ye looked at him, indicating for him to ask. ¡°Your relationship with Sheng Chuzheng from the Sheng Family, what is it?¡± ¡°¡­ No relationship.¡± Jiang Ye stood up and strode away. Chen Jiu stayed in place, scratching his head in confusion, no relationship, does Master Jiang need to react so strongly? Chapter 220 - Chapter 220: Chapter 220: The Kings Return (17) Chapter 220: Chapter 220: The King¡¯s Return (17) Chuzheng¡¯s sinking of cargo worth hundreds of millions has spread among some individuals, causing many to drop their jaws in shock. They were unclear about the exact amount of the cargo. But the words ¡®hundreds of millions¡¯ and ¡®sinking into the sea¡¯ were enough to cause a sensation. Sheng Min, a daughter not particularly noticeable in the underworld, rapidly came into everyone¡¯s focus. However, Chuzheng remained calm amid the turmoil, unaffected by the public¡¯s remarks. She was always accompanied by bodyguards, making it impossible for others to discern her specific circumstances. ¡°Sheng Min has been missing for so long, with the current situation of the Sheng Family, how does she still have so much money?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t they say Sheng Min never lets her daughter get involved with these things, how did she get involved with Eric then?¡± ¡°I heard, you know, that cargo originally belonged to Sheng Ting¡­ After Sheng Min¡¯s incident, he set up his own faction, betraying all loyalties. After all, Sheng Min nurtured him for so many years. The young lady probably hates him to death now, and must have spent a huge sum to swipe the goods from him.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that young lady¡¯s name again?¡± ¡°Sheng¡­ Sheng Chuzheng.¡± ¡°Chuzheng? Is that a girl¡¯s name?¡± ¡°What do you mean, it¡¯s the ¡®Chu¡¯ from ¡®beginning¡¯ and the ¡®zheng¡¯ from ¡®kite¡¯.¡± ¡°Chuzheng?¡± These people discussed openly, while the subject of their conversation passed by them with an expressionless face. This was an abandoned dock. Many nicely dressed people were standing outside, chatting. Their gathering here late at night was somewhat eerie. Yachts were moored in front of the dock, and people lined up to board them. The yachts then took these people away. As for where, that remained unknown for now. The bodyguard stood beside Chuzheng, ¡°Miss, we¡¯ve found out, the middleman that man mentioned tonight will also be here.¡± Chuzheng nodded. The line was moving quickly, and soon it was Chuzheng¡¯s turn. ¡°Please present your invitation.¡± ¡°As if she could possibly have an invitation,¡± a female voice interjected. Chuzheng glanced sideways to see a girl in a low-cut cocktail dress looking at her, dolled up and with another girl in a red dress. She recognized the girl in the red dress, Zhuang Yi. When Zhuang Yi saw Chuzheng, her expression was somewhat strange. ¡°Sisi, don¡¯t cause trouble,¡± Zhuang Yi pulled the girl named Sisi. The two people she had been looking for still hadn¡¯t made contact. Alive without a trace, dead without a body. Sheng Ting had even suddenly interrogated her, and though Zhuang Yi had been keeping a low profile recently, thankfully she came prepared, but now she didn¡¯t dare to act rashly. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal, I didn¡¯t say anything wrong,¡± Sisi huffed coldly, ¡°How could she possibly have an invitation?¡± And not realize what kind of event this was today. A Sheng Family with nothing, having an invitation? And because of Sisi¡¯s words, those who were waiting to board the yacht, each previously engrossed in their own conversations, all turned to look. ¡°Sheng Chuzheng, what are you trying to sneak into today?¡± Sisi ignored Zhuang Yi¡¯s attempts to stop her, her face with meticulous makeup full of scorn. Whispers immediately started around them. ¡°She¡¯s Sheng Chuzheng?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never seen her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s really pretty¡­¡± Some, taking advantage of the insufficient light, boldly assessed the young lady standing in front of them. However, with bodyguards standing by her side, some of the gazes were blocked. None of them had brought so many bodyguards, but she, on the contrary, brought several with her. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking? Hmph, you must be hiding some dirty secret, right?¡± Sisi said with her arms crossed, her tone dripping with sarcasm. As for this Sisi, the original owner didn¡¯t harbor much hatred towards her. But Zhuang Yi did not know what kind of illusions she had created for Sisi, she just really scorned the original owner. As Chuzheng said nothing, Sisi got more and more worked up, ¡°Your Sheng Family is in such a state, and yet you have the nerve to come here. If I were you, I¡¯d just bang my head and die. It¡¯s not like your dad¡¯s alive to protect you from anyone¡­¡± Splash¡ª¡ª Sisi screamed as she fell into the water. By the time people snapped back to reality, Chuzheng had already retracted her foot, standing gracefully at her original spot, as if the person who had acted just a moment ago wasn¡¯t her at all. Sisi splashed around in the water, screaming for help. ¡°Sisi¡­ Hurry up and rescue her!!¡± Zhuang Yi knew how to swim, but at this moment, she definitely wouldn¡¯t go into the water and instead yelled to the people nearby. A young boy who was checking invitations jumped in and rescued Sisi. Sisi choked on a few mouthfuls of water, but was otherwise unharmed. Having recovered, Sisi glared furiously at Chuzheng, ¡°Sheng Chuzheng, are you trying to murder me?¡± Chuzheng replied indifferently, ¡°You¡¯re too loud.¡± The young girl stood at the edge of the light, every movement exuding nobility. Her delicate features subtly hinted at a cool distance, making her unapproachable. ¡°This young lady of the Sheng Family has quite the temperament,¡± onlookers whispered among themselves. ¡°After all, she is still Sheng Min¡¯s daughter; how can she really be so disreputable?¡± ¡°Were all the past rumors false?¡± ¡°Look at her demeanor now, do you even have to ask? It must be Sheng Min spreading false information to protect his daughter, making her unforeseeable.¡± Sisi, drenched all over, was so angered by Chuzheng¡¯s words that her chest heaved dramatically. Wearing a low-cut dress, her soft bosom seemed as though it might leap out at any moment, attracting a great deal of attention. Sisi, conscious of the stares, blocked her chest irritably and, with Zhuang Yi¡¯s support, stood up. Just as she was about to argue with Chuzheng, she saw the crowd far away suddenly part. A tall and handsome man strode over rapidly. Zhuang Yi¡¯s eyes lit up with joy, and she released Sisi to greet him. ¡°Brother Ting.¡± She latched onto Sheng Ting¡¯s arm, leaning in like a delicate bird. With the appearance of Sheng Ting, many women¡¯s faces showed infatuated expressions. Zhuang Yi¡¯s behavior at this moment instantly sparked envy and jealousy among quite a few women. Sheng Ting, ah! Even though he had done some questionable things toward the Sheng Family, he was now someone everyone sought to flatter, someone to whom you had to pay compliments upon meeting. Sheng Ting¡¯s dark eyes stared at Chuzheng; he ignored Zhuang Yi¡¯s action, but he did not push her away either. ¡°Brother Ting, we just ran into Miss Sheng,¡± Zhuang Yi volunteered. Sheng Ting walked up in front of Chuzheng and asked with suspicion, ¡°Who did you come with?¡± Without his permission, who would give her an invitation? Therefore, Sheng Ting felt certain she had come with someone else. After the last incident, Sheng Ting had people investigate, but they couldn¡¯t trace the source of her funds at all. And there were the recent changes in her¡­ Chuzheng: ¡°None of your business.¡± Sheng Ting¡¯s expression momentarily darkened. He withdrew the hand Zhuang Yi was holding and reached out to Chuzheng, ¡°Zhenzhen, come with me.¡± His tone was not a request. It was a command. Chuzheng glanced at Zhuang Yi who had turned pale, biting her lip tightly. Zhuang Yi¡¯s eyes were slightly red, and when they met Chuzheng¡¯s gaze, they were filled with hatred. Chuzheng turned away, asking expressionlessly, ¡°Why should I? Who do you think you are?¡± So annoying. One after another, never ending. And you can¡¯t just get rid of them! What a hassle! Chapter 221 - Chapter 221: Chapter 221: The Kings Return (18) Chapter 221: Chapter 221: The King¡¯s Return (18) Chuzheng asked the bodyguard to get the invitation, not planning to pay any more attention to Sheng Ting and his group. ¡°We¡¯re together.¡± The bodyguard¡¯s invitation hadn¡¯t come out yet when an invitation was passed to the front. Chuzheng, who was about to take action, withdrew her movement. ¡°Miss Sheng, you don¡¯t have a male companion, do you?¡± The young man casually put one hand in his pocket, his nonchalant gaze sweeping over, a faint smile hooked at the corner of his mouth. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Would I have the honor of being Miss Sheng¡¯s male companion?¡± the young man asked elegantly, holding out his hand. Chuzheng thought for a moment before placing her hand in his, and the young man lightly held it. Jiang Ye hadn¡¯t planned to step forward, but with the appearance of Sheng Ting, he changed his mind. With Chuzheng¡¯s hand in his, the young man looped his arm around her slender waist and looked carelessly toward Sheng Ting, nodding in greeting, ¡°Mr. Sheng, a pleasure to meet you.¡± ¡°Who is that guy?¡± ¡°Second Master Jiang, Jiang Ye.¡± ¡°The Second Master Jiang of Hei Jin?¡± ¡°So young?¡± Having greeted them, Jiang Ye then led Chuzheng towards the yacht. Sheng Ting blocked their path. ¡°Mr. Jiang, please let go of Zhenzhen.¡± Sheng Ting¡¯s entire being was radiating a sharpness, with a dark gloom in his eyes that made one feel very uncomfortable. Jiang Ye was much more casual, his lips still bearing a faint smile, ¡°Mr. Sheng, Miss Sheng has chosen me. How could I let go of my companion? That would be very impolite.¡± Without waiting for Sheng Ting to speak, Jiang Ye added, ¡°Mr. Sheng, your companion is watching you. Making a girl feel so embarrassed is not what a man should do. Do be careful not to desire the pot while eating from your bowl.¡± Sheng Ting frowned. Zhuang Yi¡¯s eyes were tearful, and she looked at Sheng Ting pitifully. Jiang Ye called her out, and Zhuang Yi seized the opportunity to softly call out to him, ¡°Brother Ting.¡± Sheng Ting clenched his fists, unwillingness evident in his eyes. That girl should have been standing by his side¡­ But indeed, causing a scene now would be inappropriate. He stared at Jiang Ye as if trying to discern something from him, and after half a minute, he stepped aside. Sheng Ting said in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Jiang, a pleasure to meet you.¡± Jiang Ye smiled lightly. ¡°It¡¯s a private party; bodyguards can¡¯t follow.¡± The bodyguard was stopped below, and Chuzheng said nothing, following Jiang Ye inside. The yacht transfers people to the cruise ship, where a thorough check is performed upon boarding to ensure no dangerous items are being carried on board. Even mobile phones had to be stored away. The cruise ship¡¯s deck was bustling, filled with a mingling of scents and shadows, and the clinking of glasses and toasts. Jiang Ye still had his arm around Chuzheng¡¯s waist, leaning in close to her, ¡°Miss Sheng, what are you here for?¡± Chuzheng glanced over the crowd, her tone indifferent, ¡°Looking for someone.¡± Jiang Ye was somewhat pleasantly surprised that she would reveal this to him so straightforwardly. He then asked with a hint of confusion, ¡°Looking for whom?¡± Chuzheng took out a phone, unlocked it, and showed him a photo. ¡°¡­Miss Sheng, I¡¯m curious where you hid your phone?¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s focus wasn¡¯t on the photo. Just now, with such a thorough check, how did she manage to get it through? ¡°¡­¡± That question was somewhat complex. Chuzheng found it a bit troublesome to explain. But Jiang Ye, thinking she didn¡¯t want to talk about it, shifted the topic, ¡°Is this person related to those who attacked you before?¡± ¡°Somewhat,¡± Chuzheng nodded. Jiang Ye handed the phone back to her, ¡°Who have you offended? Those people are mercenaries. How could someone want to pay such a high price for a young lady like you?¡± Chuzheng replied with a serious face, ¡°I¡¯d really like to know that myself.¡± That¡¯s why I¡¯m here. Jiang Ye was silent. ¨C The cruise ship had several floors, each offering different amusements. Jiang Ye didn¡¯t follow Chuzheng, and the two separated rather tacitly. Chuzheng searched floor by floor but didn¡¯t see the person she was looking for. She stood on the second-floor corridor, looking down at the deck. Sheng Ting was speaking with people, Zhuang Yi by his side. They appeared to be a handsome couple made by the heavens, perfectly matched. Sheng Ting clearly already had his Sweetheart. So why was he still clinging to the original owner? ¡°` Is it more fragrant in the pot? Have you ever considered the feelings of the bowl? Jerk! [Main Mission: Spend a billion within one hour.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have called him a jerk. [¡­??] What is Miss busy imagining now? You¡¯re the jerk! [¡­] King¡¯s Account was infuriated, how could it be the jerk? How long has it been since it issued a mission?! Why is Miss so unreasonable when speaking!! Forcing me to squander a billion, aren¡¯t you a jerk!? [¡­] King¡¯s Account ground its teeth, [Main Mission: Spend two billion within one hour!] Having said that, King¡¯s Account disappeared. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng was flabbergasted. No¡­ No way! Is this even allowed? Bastard, this dog thing! ¨C There are many places to spend money on the cruise ship. All the entertainment here costs money. On top of that, there¡¯s gambling, but of course, Bastard says gambling is an illegal way to squander and will be considered a mission failure, with a penalty of starting over with double the amount. Starting over with double the amount¡­ Starting over with double the amount¡­ To hell with starting over with double the amount¡­ Chuzheng grabbed a waiter: ¡°Excuse me, do you have anywhere here that¡¯s good for squandering money?¡± Waiter: ¡°???¡± The other party sized up Chuzheng and cautiously replied, ¡°Madam can go to the third floor, where there are many jewelry items.¡± Girls should like these things, right? ¡°Do you have anything expensive, like the kind that costs one or two billion?¡± How much jewelry do I have to buy to spend two billion? ¡°¡­¡± Five minutes later, the waiter took Chuzheng to an auction. The auction was already in full swing, and the front seats were packed. Chuzheng got a bidding number and sat at the back. Chuzheng watched for ten minutes and realized that some of the items being auctioned were legal, some were in a gray area, and as for others, she had no idea where they came from. ¡°The starting bid is ten million.¡± Where¡¯s the expensive stuff you promised? Ten million is expensive for what? ¡°Mr. Sheng bids fifteen million!¡± Chuzheng looked up to the front, where Sheng Ting was sitting with Zhuang Yi in the first row. The item on auction was a necklace, presumably being bought for Zhuang Yi. Chuzheng raised her bid number. ¡°This lady bids sixteen million!¡± Sheng Ting didn¡¯t look back but simply raised the bid. When Sheng Ting raised his number, Chuzheng followed with hers. In no time, the whole auction was left to just Chuzheng and Sheng Ting. ¡°Who is that? Contending with Sheng Ting, do they have a death wish?¡± ¡°It seems to be Sheng Chuzheng¡­¡± Those who had seen Chuzheng before the cruise were whispering quietly. The words ¡°Sheng Chuzheng¡± reached Sheng Ting¡¯s ears, and he turned to look back. The young girl was sitting in the last row, her elegant and dignified presence unmistakable even amidst the crowd. Sheng Ting¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, but he did not continue. In the following auctions, as long as Sheng Ting raised his bidding paddle, Chuzheng was sure to follow. Anyway, her stance was straightforward: she would not let Sheng Ting win anything. Zhuang Yi was furious. Sheng Ting had come here at her request. Sheng Ting was always generous with money, and she could have anything she wanted as long as she was obedient; he was never stingy. But who would have expected Sheng Chuzheng to show up!! She sneaked a glance at Sheng Ting¡¯s darkened expression, daring not to even think, just silently fuming inside. ¡°` Chapter 222 - Chapter 222: Chapter 222: The Kings Return (19) Chapter 222: Chapter 222: The King¡¯s Return (19) Even so, Chuzheng had spent just shy of a billion. There¡¯s still another billion left!! ¡°The starting bid is fifty million!¡± Fifty million! This one must go for a billion! On it! Chuzheng braced herself; she was quick to raise her bidding sign at first, and in under a minute, the price had soared to sixty million. But once it reached sixty million, the pace of the bidding slowed. Chuzheng looked up at the stage; it was a crown, reportedly once owned by a member of the royal family of some country, and it was extraordinary in value. Under the lights, the crown indeed looked very beautiful. ¡°One billion!¡± Seeing that the bidding in front of her had slowed, Chuzheng immediately increased the price. I¡¯m going to double it if you keep dawdling!! The room suddenly fell quiet; heads turned and all eyes were on Chuzheng. This crown is valuable, sure, but one billion¡­ seems a bit much for its worth, right? Which family¡¯s scion is this, squandering their wealth?! ¡°One billion, anyone willing to bid higher?¡± ¡°One hundred and twenty million.¡± Someone raised their sign. Chuzheng glanced in that direction; it was a strange man, dressed in a black suit, sitting in a corner, looking quite low-key. ¡°One hundred and thirty million,¡± Sheng Ting also raised his bid. Chuzheng called out again, ¡°One billion and one hundred million!¡± The man: ¡°One billion one hundred and twenty million.¡± Sheng Ting: ¡°One billion one hundred and fifty million.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°One billion two hundred million.¡± The man: ¡°One billion two hundred and twenty million.¡± The three of them went back and forth, driving the price up from one billion two hundred million to one billion five hundred million. The onlookers were extremely excited. Chuzheng was growing impatient: ¡°Two billion!¡± Her cool voice echoed through the entire venue. The crowd abruptly fell silent; both the man and Sheng Ting stopped raising their signs. ¡°Two billion, does anyone offer more? Two billion for the first time, two billion for the second time, sold!¡± The auctioneer slammed the gavel. Chuzheng immediately stood up to go pay. She just managed to pay within the last two minutes. Chuzheng was blocked by Sheng Ting backstage. ¡°Sheng Chuzheng.¡± He called her by her full name. Chuzheng, holding the weighty crown, looked indifferent: ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do you realize how much attention you¡¯ve just drawn to yourself?¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°The number of people my foster father has offended is not insignificant. Do you think they will let you off the hook?¡± Sheng Ting frowned darkly: ¡°From now on, follow me, I will protect you.¡± Sheng Ting softened his voice, ¡°Zhenzhen, I don¡¯t want to hurt you. I was wrong about before, can you forgive me? Whatever you want, I¡¯ll agree to it, okay?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll agree to whatever I want?¡± ¡°Anything you want.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s voice was icy as she spoke: ¡°Stay away from me.¡± Otherwise, I might not be able to resist taking care of you¡­ taking care of you¡­ taking care! ¡°Zhenzhen!¡± Sheng Ting¡¯s eyes darkened: ¡°We grew up together, why can¡¯t you just like me?¡± His voice was strained with pain. Violence simmered beneath his gaze. ¡°I like you so much, why won¡¯t you even look at me? What more do you want from me? I¡¯ll give you anything, why won¡¯t you just stay by my side¡­ Do you like Jiang Ye?¡± The atmosphere around Sheng Ting suddenly became sharp. Chuzheng clutched the crown tightly. So, so scary! I¡¯ve been scared! Just as Chuzheng was about to kick, Jiang Ye appeared from nowhere, pulled Chuzheng to his side, and encircled her with his arms. ¡°Mr. Sheng, please stop harassing my date, okay?¡± The young man¡¯s tone was polite, tinged with a smile. ¡°Jiang Ye, let her go!¡± Sheng Ting growled lowly, his eyes filling with a deadly intent. ¡°Mr. Sheng, I¡¯m afraid I must decline,¡± the youth chuckled nonchalantly, ¡°Miss Sheng is my date now, I have to protect her.¡± Sheng Ting¡¯s eyes narrowed, his feet moved, he swung a fist toward Jiang Ye. Before his fist could reach Jiang Ye, Sheng Ting¡¯s body suddenly retreated backward. He looked in disbelief at the person who had kicked him. The force wasn¡¯t strong¡ªit relied on a clever stroke, coupled with his lack of guard, that¡¯s why he got kicked away. ¡°No young lady should be making such moves,¡± Jiang Ye said with an indulgent adjustment of Chuzheng¡¯s skirt hem. A trace of hurt flashed through Sheng Ting¡¯s eyes, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re taking his side?¡± Chuzheng nodded seriously, ¡°Mhm.¡± I wanted to kick you just now. The Good Person Card suddenly came out and interrupted me. And why wouldn¡¯t I side with the Good Person Card rather than you, you damn bastard? Dream on! ¡°Brother Ting¡­¡± Zhuang Yi ran over at the right time, ¡°Brother Ting, there¡¯s someone claiming to be Sirius who wants to see you.¡± With a dark look, Sheng Ting glanced at Chuzheng and Jiang Ye, then left with Zhuang Yi. ¡°Sirius¡­¡± Jiang Ye murmured softly. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Jiang Ye lowered his gaze to her, the corners of his mouth curling into a casual smile, ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Chuzheng shook her head. What did she know? Jiang Ye lowered his head; his fine hair brushed Chuzheng¡¯s cheek as she fiddled with the edge of the crown box, her little face tight with seriousness. Want to touch¡­ Want to touch¡­ Really want to touch¡­ Would he get angry if I touch him now? The youth whispered in a low voice, ¡°Sirius is a force from overseas. Sheng Ting contacting them at this time, who knows what he¡¯s plotting.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s attention was fixated on Jiang Ye¡¯s hair. Seeing Chuzheng uninterested, Jiang Ye¡¯s gaze fell on what she held in her arms, ¡°What are you holding?¡± ¡°A crown.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s eyes gleamed, then briskly stuffed the box into his hands, ¡°Here, it¡¯s for you.¡± Yeah! The Good Person Card is so great! ¡°¡­¡± Why give him a crown? Do you want to crown him as king? Jiang Ye still didn¡¯t know that Chuzheng had spent two hundred million to get it at an auction. ¡°I can¡¯t accept something so valuable¡­¡± ¡°You can choose to throw it away.¡± I¡¯ve been holding it for so long, it¡¯s so heavy!! Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Can a crown just be thrown away? You don¡¯t burn money like that even if you¡¯re rich! Jiang Ye, speechless, held the box properly and put his arm around her to ascend, ¡°I just saw the person you were looking for, I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Chuzheng shifted her gaze from Jiang Ye¡¯s head and nodded her little face solemnly. ¡°What exactly is your relationship with Sheng Ting?¡± As they went up, Jiang Ye couldn¡¯t help but ask her. ¡°He wants to lock me away.¡± ¡°¡­He likes you,¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s eyes flickered. Chuzheng spoke indifferently, ¡°Maybe so.¡± Whether Sheng Ting truly liked the original host or simply wanted to possess her, Chuzheng wasn¡¯t clear. If he really liked the original host, would he still entangle himself with others? Brilliant lights streaked through Jiang Ye¡¯s eyes, as fleeting as a shooting star. He asked softly, ¡°Do you like him?¡± Jiang Ye told himself there was no need to ask this question. It had nothing to do with him. But still, he couldn¡¯t help asking¡­ Chuzheng¡¯s face showed complete indifference, ¡°No.¡± Hearing the negative answer, Jiang Ye felt a sense of relief, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± Chuzheng glanced at the large door in front of her. There were people guarding the entrance. Jiang Ye handed over a special card, the guard swiped it, returned it to Jiang Ye, and opened the door for him. Soft piano music poured out. The room was spacious and bright, not noisy, with well-dressed people gathering in small groups, conversing. Jiang Ye led her in, attracting curious glances, but no one approached to speak. Chapter 223 - Chapter 223: Chapter 223: The Kings Return (20) Chapter 223: Chapter 223: The King¡¯s Return (20) ¡°Do you see him?¡± Jiang Ye led Chuzheng to a corner and pointed in a direction. There sat three people, all others around them kept their distance, creating a vacuum zone. ¡°The person you¡¯re looking for should be him,¡± Jiang Ye said. ¡°I asked around for you; his name is Qi Feng, a well-known intermediary in the underworld.¡± This kind of person only connects others; he doesn¡¯t touch anything else. But his network is vast. The man Chuzheng was looking for was the one sitting in the center. He looked quite refined, wearing gold-framed glasses, much like a professor teaching in a classroom. ¡°Mr. Yin,¡± Chuzheng suddenly spoke up. Jiang Ye followed Chuzheng¡¯s gaze and the man stiffened as he turned around. Seeing clearly who called him, and true to his thoughts, a trace of fear showed in the depths of his eyes. He hesitated for a moment then approached, ¡°Miss Chuzheng.¡± ¡°Mr. Yin, do me a favor.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yin Hong glanced at Jiang Ye, who stood very close to Chuzheng, and there seemed to be an ambiguous air between them. He felt a drumming in his heart. What did she want him to do this time? He shouldn¡¯t have coveted the things Sheng Min left behind¡­ But if he really had to do it all over again, Yin Hong felt he would still go for it. Yin Hong pushed down the chaotic thoughts in his heart and coughed, ¡°Cough cough¡­ Miss Chuzheng, please speak, I¡¯ll help if I can.¡± Jiang Ye stayed silent about Chuzheng¡¯s business matters, leaning casually to the side. But Yin Hong felt immense pressure. This young man looked somewhat familiar¡­ ¨C ¡°Mr. Yin, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?¡± In the corridor, Qi Feng¡¯s tone carried noticeable impatience. Yin Hong put on a smile and continued to lead the way, ¡°Mr. Qi, the matter I¡¯m discussing is quite significant; let¡¯s go over there to avoid eavesdroppers.¡± Qi Feng didn¡¯t want to offend these people, even someone like Yin Hong who wasn¡¯t considered a big shot. After all, sometimes the lowlier people were, the more shameless they could be when causing trouble. Offending such petty people wasn¡¯t beneficial for him. ¡°Just ahead, just ahead, we¡¯re almost there.¡± Qi Feng followed Yin Hong around a bend, and was about to speak when he noticed a figure standing there. Qi Feng stopped in his tracks and adjusted his glasses with his hand. ¡°Mr. Yin, you led me here for someone else, didn¡¯t you?¡± Yin Hong chuckled awkwardly, then bolted away. He had to get away quickly; he didn¡¯t want to be cannon fodder. Qi Feng: ¡°¡­¡± The extraordinarily good-looking young man leaned idly against the railing, his black suit highlighting his graceful presence. He casually looked up, his eyes holding a light smile as he greeted, ¡°Mr. Qi.¡± Qi Feng let his hand fall and pocketed it, ¡°Mr. Jiang, may I know why you¡¯re looking for me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me who¡¯s looking for you.¡± The young man straightened up and made a welcoming gesture, ¡°Please.¡± Qi Feng looked in that direction. It led to a staircase, and further up was the top of the cruise ship. Jiang Ye was actually a guide. Who exactly wanted to meet with him? Qi Feng took a deep breath and ascended the stairs. The top deck should have been crowded, but now it was empty, No¡­ There was one person. She was sitting in the center, with various pastries and drinks on the table, and the neon lights outlined the figure of the young girl clearly and brightly. She was merely sitting casually on a simplistic chair, yet she exuded the aura of a throne. Qi Feng stopped at the top of the stairs. His brows furrowed slightly, the Sheng Family¡¯s Sheng Chuzheng? Jiang Ye casually called out, ¡°Mr. Qi?¡± Qi Feng turned back and continued toward Chuzheng, ¡°Miss Sheng.¡± Chuzheng nodded coldly, signaling him to sit. ¡°` Jiang Ye then walked over to Chuzheng¡¯s side and didn¡¯t take a seat, just leaned against her chair like a devoted knight guarding Her Royal Highness the Queen. Qi Feng¡¯s gaze circled around Jiang Ye and Chuzheng. How did these two get mixed up together? Who was Jiang Ye? The Hei Jin¡¯s Second Master Jiang¡­ Normally a rival to the Sheng Family, yet now he stood together with them. This was quite peculiar. ¡°Miss Sheng, do you need something from me?¡± Qi Feng sat down with remarkable composure, his hands clasped in front of him. Chuzheng had no intention of beating around the bush, ¡°I want to know who wants me dead.¡± The young girl¡¯s brows and eyes were cold, and her tone was even calmer. Qi Feng couldn¡¯t help but take a second look. The information in his hands showed that Miss Sheng was not the type¡­ Could the disappearance of Sheng Min change a person this much? People are complex, and Qi Feng knew this well. Therefore, he only found it strange for a moment without any unrealistic speculations. ¡°What is Miss Sheng talking about?¡± Qi Feng¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, ¡°How would I know who wants to take Miss Sheng¡¯s life?¡± Chuzheng placed her phone on the table, giving it a push at the bottom, sliding it with gentle force. The phone slid across to the opposite side. Qi Feng stretched out his hand to catch it. Qi Feng paused for a few seconds before picking up the phone. ¡°You recognize him, don¡¯t you?¡± Qi Feng glanced at it and put it down, ¡°I do know him, Miss Sheng, but what of it? You should know what I do. I know many people.¡± He pushed the phone back. ¡°If Miss Sheng has nothing else, I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡± Chuzheng threw out a card, ¡°There¡¯s twenty million in here for a name.¡± The card skimmed through the air, landing perfectly in front of Qi Feng. Qi Feng paused in his movement to stand. He sat back down, a trace of a smile appearing on his elegant face, ¡°Miss Sheng, you¡¯re quite the generous one, but I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t take this deal.¡± ¡°Fifty million.¡± Chuzheng produced a second card. Qi Feng stared at the two cards. Fifty million for a name¡­ What¡¯s going on with the Sheng Family? Thinking back to the time when Miss Sheng from the Sheng Family had let billions worth of goods sink to the bottom of the sea, Qi Feng inexplicably calmed down again. The Sheng Family had its resources, but at the rate she was spending, it wouldn¡¯t take long for them to be depleted. ¡°Miss Sheng, you should know, in my profession, client confidentiality is paramount, the reputation is what we do. If I tell you today, who will come to me for business in the future?¡± Qi Feng smiled as he pushed the cards back again. Fifty million was a lot, but not enough to make Qi Feng take the risk. ¡°One billion.¡± ¡°¡­¡± One billion for a name. It was impossible for Qi Feng not to be swayed. ¡°Miss Sheng, this banquet lasts three days, surely I have time to consider?¡± Qi Feng asked. ¡°No,¡± Chuzheng rejected without mercy, her delicate brows and eyes filled with coldness, ¡°You have two choices: either take the money and tell me, or I will ask in my own way. Which will it be?¡± Qi Feng: ¡°¡­¡± Isn¡¯t paying money your method? What other methods could there be? Clearly in Chuzheng¡¯s view, paying money was the bastard¡¯s method. Her way was to take action directly. Not to fuss endlessly with these people. Wasting time and breath. ¡°Miss Sheng¡­¡± Chuzheng activated the countdown timer on her phone, placing it on the table, ¡°Ten minutes.¡± Qi Feng: ¡°¡­¡± Out of nowhere, Jiang Ye produced a gun and twirled it in his hand, slowly and deliberately speaking, ¡°Mr. Qi, taking money is always better than losing a life, isn¡¯t it?¡± Qi Feng: ¡°¡­¡± Having been thoroughly searched upon arrival, how on earth did he manage to bring a gun with him! Chapter 224 - Chapter 224: Chapter 224: The Kings Return (21) Chapter 224: Chapter 224: The King¡¯s Return (21) Jiang Ye personally saw Qi Feng out. ¡°Mr. Qi, rest assured, no one will know that you¡¯ve met with us.¡± Jiang Ye said. Qi Feng followed Jiang Ye¡¯s gaze, and there stood Yin Hong not far away, smiling broadly. It was Yin Hong who had called him out. He just came out to talk with Yin Hong. Qi Feng pushed his glasses up and walked towards Yin Hong without saying a word. The drama today was indeed spectacular; the Sheng Family wasn¡¯t raising just any ¡°Canary¡±. When Jiang Ye returned to the upper floor, Chuzheng was still sitting in her original seat. He pulled out a chair and sat down beside her, ¡°How did you offend the people from Sirius?¡± Chuzheng tapped her fingertips on her wrist, ¡°Perhaps it wasn¡¯t me.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jiang Ye asked. ¡°They want to capture me alive,¡± Chuzheng stated with certainty, omitting the word ¡®perhaps¡¯: ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who offended Sirius.¡± How could the original host, a sheltered ¡°Canary,¡± offend a dark force like Sirius? The most likely possibility was the missing Sheng Min. But what had Sheng Min done? What had she done to make them go to such great lengths to capture such a pitiable small fry? Chuzheng was sure that she had no assets left now. The bulk was taken by Sheng Ting, and the rest was divided by others. The only thing left to her now was the manor. She had asked Butler Gao Ping, but even he had no idea where the related documents for the manor were. The original host didn¡¯t know either, or rather, no one but Sheng Min knew, which is why the manor remained. But surely a dark force boss wouldn¡¯t go to such efforts for a manor, would they? Jiang Ye raised his eyebrows, ¡°Sirius¡¯s reputation in the underworld is notorious, but because of their power, no one dares to oppose them openly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡± So they have secret dealings behind the scenes! Jiang Ye, watching Chuzheng¡¯s expressionless praise, felt it was somewhat incongruous. He hadn¡¯t expected to hear such words from her. But seeing her demeanor, it didn¡¯t seem like she took it to heart. It was as if she was contemplating how delectable the pastry looked, yet in the end, it was still meant to be consumed. Chuzheng was lost in thought, considering how to deal with the pack of curs that wanted to capture her. ¡°Miss Sheng, I helped you out today, didn¡¯t I?¡± The youth¡¯s clear voice interrupted Chuzheng¡¯s thoughts. She looked up across the table to see the youth lounging in his chair with a slight smile. The twinkling lights from the light festoons reflected in his eyes, as dazzling as the milky way. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for your help.¡± I can handle it on my own. The youth shrugged slightly, ¡°But that¡¯s the fact.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± If you say so. ¡°Does this mean we¡¯re even then?¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s voice carried a hint of laughter. Even? What do you mean, even? ¡°Whatever you say,¡± Chuzheng replied. Jiang Ye¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. This was his way of repaying the debt he owed her, right? But why did he feel increasingly uncomfortable when he heard her say that? She had agreed, so that meant the debt was paid. From now on, they were square! Jiang Ye exhaled and stood up, ¡°Miss Sheng, then I¡¯ll be heading back first.¡± Chuzheng also got up, ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out.¡± She didn¡¯t ask for his opinion and started walking down ahead of him. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± A few more days and they would bump into each other again, so consider it tying up a good karma. Chuzheng escorted Jiang Ye to the door of his room. Without waiting for him to speak, she walked away briskly and with style. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C The next day passed very peacefully. Jiang Ye was not to be seen; Chuzheng had not met him again. She hadn¡¯t even seen Sheng Ting or Zhuang Yi. Of course, it could also be because she hadn¡¯t wandered aimlessly on the cruise ship, so she hadn¡¯t run into them. Chuzheng lay on her bed, reading the information sent by her bodyguard. The headquarters of Sirius was overseas, involved in diverse money-driven activities; they dabbled in anything that could turn a profit. Moreover, many of these people were ruthless criminals who disregarded the consequences. They must have hired people to capture her because it would be difficult for them to act within the country. After all, the domestic legal system is strict, and if they were to be seriously investigated, the losses would be great, which wouldn¡¯t be good for them either. Click¡ª The lights in the room suddenly went out, barely enough screen glow for Chuzheng to discern her surroundings. Chuzheng sat up on the bed but after a moment, she lay back down calmly. Power outage. A minor issue. Not convenient. [Miss?] ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Chuzheng was on alert. Just popping up suddenly, you¡¯re not thinking of issuing a mission, are you? The power¡¯s out! There¡¯s no way the Spendthrift System could¡ª!! Discussing someone¡¯s demise might be negotiable. [What are you doing.] Who¡¯s trying to kill whom! They are a genuine Spendthrift System! Only for spending! Chuzheng placed her hands on her lower abdomen, lying down with perfect form, ¡°Power outage, sleep, any problem with that?¡± There is a big problem! [Aren¡¯t you going to check on your Good Person Card?] King¡¯s Account scratched the wall. Chuzheng was very indifferent, ¡°Why should I go?¡± [Didn¡¯t you remember your Good Person Card is afraid of the dark?? Did you forget?!] ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng pondered for a moment, ¡°Before I was around, he lived just fine on his own, I believe he¡¯s okay.¡± The Good Person Card has grown up, it must learn to take care of itself. [¡­] Is this the conclusion of your thoughts? King¡¯s Account kept reminding itself to stay calm. [But, Miss, this is an excellent opportunity for the Good Person Card to think of you as a good person, how can you pass it by?] ¨C Amid the clamoring of King¡¯s Account, Chuzheng, feeling annoyed, grabbed some clothes and pulled open the door. There were various screams of panic in the hallway. This floor had rooms with guests staying in them, and because of the sudden outage, people had come out, making the corridor somewhat crowded. Chuzheng moved through these people, finding Jiang Ye¡¯s room using her memory from before. She knocked on the door, but there was no response inside. Chuzheng stepped back a few paces and then kicked the door. The others were frightened by her actions, huddling together and moving further away. There were waiters on the cruise maintaining order, speaking through megaphones, asking everyone to be calm, mentioning it was just a power outage, and that staff had been sent to check, power would be restored soon. Bang¡ª With the final word, Chuzheng kicked the door open. However, the room was empty. That weakling fears the dark!! If he¡¯s not in his room, where did he go? Could someone have harmed him? ¨C ¡°Which way did he run?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too dark, I couldn¡¯t see clearly¡­¡± ¡°Search quickly, he must be nearby.¡± Voices of conversation and soft footsteps sounded. Jiang Ye leaned against a corner, his body seeming a bit unstable as he tried to suppress his breathing. Nevertheless, due to the darkness, his breath became heavier. The approaching footsteps suddenly paused. Jiang Ye¡¯s hand holding the gun trembled slightly, he struggled to concentrate, but he couldn¡¯t¡­ The darkness felt like viscous water, continuously pressing down on him. He felt like he was drowning, his body sinking deeper and deeper. Jiang Ye¡¯s wrist suddenly warmed, his body was pressed down by someone, and a pair of hands covered his mouth. Jiang Ye didn¡¯t see who it was, but he could smell the cool fragrance from her body, familiar yet strang. A sudden relief flooded his heart, and his entire body slumped downwards. Chuzheng wrapped her arms around him, pressing him into the corner. The footsteps outside got closer. But a few seconds later, the people outside ran off in a different direction. Jiang Ye rested his head on Chuzheng¡¯s shoulder, only then daring to breathe deeply the fresh air, his hands gripping Chuzheng tightly. Chapter 225 - Chapter 225: Chapter 225: The Kings Return (22) Chapter 225: Chapter 225: The King¡¯s Return (22) ¡°Can you walk?¡± Jiang Ye didn¡¯t speak, only nodding slightly. Chuzheng supported him up, and the people in the corridor all went back to their rooms as instructed. She brought him into the room and set him down. Chuzheng let out a sigh and was about to get up, but then Jiang Ye pulled her back down. He clutched her tightly, as if holding onto a life-saving straw. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s somewhat heavy breathing hit Chuzheng¡¯s neck. Chuzheng struggled to prop herself up to look at him; the young man¡¯s eyes were tightly shut, and his body trembled slightly. ¡°I have a cell phone, let me go,¡± Chuzheng said. It took almost a minute for Jiang Ye to slowly let go of his grip, but he only loosened it slightly. Chuzheng took out her cellphone and turned on the flashlight function. The room immediately brightened up. Jiang Ye adapted to the light and slowly opened his eyes. Chuzheng pried open his hand and sat on the other side. Jiang Ye¡¯s face was pale, and whenever Chuzheng moved, he looked at her blankly, like a startled fawn. Chuzheng leaned against the headboard, silently locking eyes with him. What for? There¡¯s light now!! I can¡¯t generate electricity!! Why are you staring at me! Still looking! ¨C Five minutes later. After Chuzheng silently chanted several times in her heart that she must not provoke the Good Person Card and must treat it well, she pulled him over with a cold face and hugged him in her arms. Jiang Ye¡¯s tense body finally relaxed. Chuzheng discovered his injury several minutes later. It was a wet and sticky spot on his waist, but he seemed not to notice it at all. ¡°Hold this,¡± Chuzheng said as she put the phone in his hand. Jiang Ye had recovered somewhat, but still looked a bit dazed. He instinctively clutched onto Chuzheng. ¡°I¡¯ll check your wound,¡± Chuzheng touched his head: ¡°Be good.¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s fingers slowly relaxed. Jiang Ye¡¯s injury appeared to be caused by a bullet graze. The wound wasn¡¯t deep and seemed to be just brushed by the bullet without it penetrating. It just needed to be stopped from bleeding. After dressing his wound, Chuzheng found blood on his clothes and simply took them off him. Not knowing how much longer the power outage would last, Chuzheng covered him with a blanket and hugged him against the headboard. Her palm finally rested on his soft hair. Chuzheng glanced at Jiang Ye, who had his eyes closed, then confidently stroked his hair twice, feeling very comfortable¡­ The movement was a bit rough, and Jiang Ye slowly opened his eyes and looked up at her. Chuzheng stopped in her motion, meeting Jiang Ye¡¯s slightly puzzled gaze, she calmly asked, ¡°Does the wound hurt?¡± Jiang Ye didn¡¯t blink. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s just a touch, right? I just saved you! Bringing you up here was quite a struggle! What¡¯s wrong with touching!! Thinking this, Chuzheng seriously stroked again. The light from the phone¡¯s screen suddenly dimmed, and darkness enveloped Chuzheng. Chuzheng immediately turned on the phone, and the light shone on the young man¡¯s face. Before she could see clearly, the phone was knocked away, and the young man wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face into her embrace. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I gave you light and it¡¯s still not enough? So ungrateful! She lifted her hand to touch the young man¡¯s head: ¡°Are you okay?¡± The young man mumbled an affirmation: ¡°Mmm.¡± He wasn¡¯t okay. Chuzheng pulled up the blanket to cover him and lay down hugging him. Jiang Ye¡¯s breathing was uneven, Chuzheng kept tapping on the phone screen, glancing at him now and then, worried something might happen to him. ¨C Sizzle¡ª The lights flickered a few times and then turned on. The room was as bright as daylight. Jiang Ye, startled, pushed Chuzheng away abruptly, and they silently stared at each other for a moment. In the instant when the light arrived, the confusion mingled with darkness in him suddenly cleared. What was he doing? The girl¡¯s dark and clear pupils reflected his current appearance. His lips were slightly red, and there was still a hint of desire in the depths of his eyes. This made Jiang Ye feel very uncomfortable. Jiang Ye parted his lips, ¡°I¡­¡± The sentence trailed off after ¡°I¡±. The young man¡¯s eyelashes drooped, hiding the panic in his eyes. It seemed the only sound in the room was his irregular heartbeat. ¡°Hmm?¡± Jiang Ye took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and said: ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The girl¡¯s expression was indifferent, not caring about what he was trying to say earlier. Jiang Ye pursed his lips and turned over to lie down. Chuzheng rolled him back: ¡°You¡¯re pressing on the wound.¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± He dared not rest his gaze on Chuzheng any longer but didn¡¯t turn away again either, closing his eyes and staying still. Jiang Ye was injured and had been drowsy in the dark for so long that he felt mentally exhausted, yet he just couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Chapter 226 - Chapter 226: Chapter 226: The Kings Return (23) Chapter 226: Chapter 226: The King¡¯s Return (23) ¡°Someone¡¯s dead¡­¡± ¡°I saw it, so much blood.¡± ¡°Who died?¡± Whispers spread through the corridor, the women looking terrified while the men curiously asked about the deceased. People stretched their necks trying to see through the open door. But the crowd at the entrance was too thick; except for the vague sight of people¡¯s heads, nothing else was visible. There were quite a few people standing in the room. A man lay on the floor, face down, his shirt soaked with blood, leaving the entire carpet stained with dark traces. There were three groups of people in the room. One group was examining the dead man. Another group stood not far away, talking, apparently discussing something. The last group included the big shots like Sheng Ting and Qi Feng. ¡°Master Liu, the fatal wound is this gunshot in the back.¡± ¡°Master Liu, I found this.¡± Someone held a gun with both hands, presenting it to a tall man about six-feet-two. The man had a beard, looked to be around forty, and seemed somewhat rough, but his facial features and sharp eyes betrayed his shrewd nature. This was Hei Jin¡¯s boss, Master Liu. Master Liu took the gun with his gloved hand. ¡°Master Liu, this is¡­¡± Master Liu tossed the gun back and glanced at the man. The person who had spoken lowered his head and stepped aside. Master Liu¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. This was the gun he had given Jiang Ye. How could he not recognize it? The group discussing on the side sent someone over to speak, ¡°Master Liu, we regret such an incident, but it seems you might already know who did this.¡± Master Liu didn¡¯t say a word and silently drew a cigar. A subordinate tried to light it for him, but Master Liu waved him off without letting him approach. ¡°Master Liu, while this might be an internal matter for you, we have rules here, and bringing a gun violates them. May I ask, Master Liu, who the killer is?¡± Master Liu snorted, ¡°Hu Jiancheng, my man is dead here, and you¡¯re asking me who the killer is? Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s putting the cart before the horse?¡± Hu Jiancheng confronted Master Liu, ¡°Master Liu knows who it is, doesn¡¯t he? Does Master Liu intend to protect this killer?¡± The atmosphere in the room became strange. Sheng Ting¡¯s group all watched with cold eyes and showed no intention of getting involved. ¡°A gun doesn¡¯t prove anything,¡± Master Liu finally spoke to break the silence, ¡°Framing and entrapment are both possibilities.¡± Hu Jiancheng replied firmly and respectfully, ¡°Master Liu, for people like us, something as special as this, wouldn¡¯t leave our side unless we were dead.¡± Master Liu stared at Hu Jiancheng with a hostile gaze. Hu Jiancheng¡¯s polite manner concealed an aggressive aura. ¡°Master Liu, Hu Jiancheng represents the host family for this banquet; it¡¯s their territory. We should not be too forceful,¡± whispered a subordinate, stepping forward to remind him. What was most important was that they¡¯d been required to leave their weapons behind when boarding the ship. Although each family had managed to bring some, on someone else¡¯s turf, they definitely didn¡¯t have the advantage in terms of weapons if a fight were to ensue. Master Liu fell silent. After waiting a moment, the subordinate raised his voice, ¡°This gun belongs to Second Master Jiang, Jiang Ye.¡± ¡°Where is Second Master Jiang?¡± Hu Jiancheng asked. Everyone on the scene looked around, but no one saw Jiang Ye. ¡°Over here.¡± The crowd parted, and Jiang Ye walked in from outside. The young man was dressed in white with black pants and a coat draped casually over his shoulders. As he walked through the crowd and his coat flipped up, it revealed his slender figure. The stunningly handsome young man instantly became the center of attention as soon as he appeared. The youth¡¯s lips parted slightly as his clear voice settled into everyone¡¯s heart: ¡°What¡¯s going on here, Master Liu?¡± The youth nodded to Master Liu. Master Liu looked at him, showing no particular reaction. The youth¡¯s gaze shifted, landing on the corpse, and he paused for a moment. ¡°Second Master Jiang, is this your gun?¡± Hu Jiancheng took the gun and presented it to Jiang Ye to see. Jiang Ye barely glanced at it before readily admitting, ¡°Yes.¡± Hu Jiancheng, ¡°Could Second Master Jiang explain why your gun would be left here?¡± Jiang Ye smiled nonchalantly, ¡°Wasn¡¯t my gun in your custody? Mr. Hu, when I came up, I personally handed it over; your people can testify. Why are you asking me now?¡± Hu Jiancheng: ¡°¡­¡± Hu Jiancheng sent someone to inquire. Jiang Ye had indeed handed over the gun when it was checked. There were no weapons on the cruise ship, so Hu Jiancheng had someone check whether the gun was still there. In the end, the gun was not found there. ¡°Now it seems someone wants to frame me, eh?¡± The youth chuckled lightly, his eyes slowly sweeping over the crowd: ¡°Just don¡¯t know who it could be.¡± Hu Jiancheng: ¡°¡­¡± Hu Jiancheng frowned. The gun in his hand suddenly felt hot, and he remained silent for a while. ¡°So it means someone stole Second Master Jiang¡¯s gun to kill one of Master Liu¡¯s men.¡± Someone spoke up: ¡°Master Liu, both the accused and the victim are your people. What do you have to say?¡± A man stepped forward from behind Master Liu: ¡°Master Liu, Jiang Ye had a conflict with Qiangzi earlier. It¡¯s not difficult for Jiang Ye to retrieve the gun after handing it over, given his skills.¡± Within the Hei Jin organization, apart from Master Liu and Jiang Ye, the one with the most authority to speak was this man called Liu Saner. Before Jiang Ye came to prominence, he had always been Master Liu¡¯s most trusted right-hand man. After Jiang Ye rose to power, Liu Saner¡¯s authority was diminished. Master Liu also entrusted him with fewer matters, so Liu Saner held a grudge against this upstart, Jiang Ye. Jiang Ye had a traitor by his side. He came here to meet with Master Liu. However, instead of meeting the man, one of Master Liu¡¯s close associates ended up dead. As for Master Liu¡¯s current attitude, Jiang Ye was unable to grasp what he was really thinking. But judging by Master Liu¡¯s level of suspicion, Jiang Ye also felt his situation was not good. ¡°Jiang Ye, speak up,¡± Master Liu gestured towards Jiang Ye with a nod of his chin. Jiang Ye shrugged: ¡°I did have a conflict with Qiangzi, but I¡¯ve had conflicts with most people here. If I were to kill for that, I don¡¯t know how many I would have to kill.¡± Liu Saner sneered, ¡°Maybe Qiangzi discovered your secret!¡± ¡°What secret could I have?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Master Liu stopped Liu Saner with a look, warning him with his eyes. In front of so many people, internal matters did not need to be aired. Liu Saner glared at Jiang Ye. Jiang Ye knew what Liu Saner was about to say, regarding the goods that had been embezzled and supposedly at his command. ¡°Qiangzi¡¯s gun was fired three times, two bullets hit the wall, and one was found on the floor with blood on it. Judging from the room¡¯s setting, the blood on this bullet couldn¡¯t possibly belong to Qiangzi.¡± Liu Saner smirked at Jiang Ye. ¡°Jiang Ye, you have an injury, right?¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s gaze suddenly turned sharp as it collided with Liu Saner¡¯s in the air. Liu Saner, looking confident with his winning hand, said: ¡°Jiang Ye, let¡¯s check to see if you have any injuries.¡± An injury received just a little while ago would be easy to distinguish. If Jiang Ye had a fresh wound, especially one caused by a bullet, he would have almost no chance to explain it away. Master Liu¡¯s silence was clearly an agreement to Liu Saner¡¯s suggestion. * [Update schedule: Two chapters at 00:00, additional updates at 12:00 noon and 20:00 in the evening. I can¡¯t guarantee how much will be updated at the last two times, so stay tuned~] Chapter 227 - Chapter 227: Chapter 227: The Kings Return (24) Chapter 227: Chapter 227: The King¡¯s Return (24) Liu Saner forced Jiang Ye to take off his clothes to prove his innocence. He seemed very certain that Jiang Ye was injured. Even if everyone knew it was a frame-up, if he showed his wounds today, there would undoubtedly be no way out for him. Liu Saner wanted to put him to death. Master Liu suspected his loyalty. Once suspicious, it was time to eliminate the threat, no matter how useful that person might be; this world was never short on talent¡­ that was Master Liu¡¯s way of doing things. Jiang Ye took a deep breath, already prepared for the worst. Jiang Ye grabbed the hem of his shirt, but as he was about to lift it, a pale, delicate hand pressed down on his. Jiang Ye felt a slight shock at the bottom of his heart. Before he could turn around, someone wrapped their arms around his waist, placed a chair behind him, and forced him to sit down. ¡°The person on the ground died no more than two hours ago. During that time, Jiang Ye was with me. Does anyone still have a problem with that?¡± Those last five words exuded an inexplicable ferocity. It seemed as if she would strike anyone who dared to say there was a problem. The girl¡¯s clear and cool voice resonated throughout the room. Jiang Ye glanced sideways; the young lady rested one hand on the back of the chair, her gaze calmly surveying the people in the room. From the moment she appeared to when her words fell, the entire room, including the outside, was enveloped in silence. As if everyone was intimidated by the young girl. Liu Saner was stunned for several seconds. Where did this sprightly yellow-haired girl come from! Liu Saner¡¯s heart sank, breaking the eerie atmosphere: ¡°You say Jiang Ye was with you, and that makes it true? What evidence do you have? How can you prove you didn¡¯t collude with Jiang Ye?¡± Chuzheng countered, ¡°You say he wasn¡¯t with me, and that makes it true? What evidence do you have?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Liu Saner was probably never asked such a question before. Now she¡¯s the one who has to prove it? Why does he have to provide proof?! ¡°Who are you?!¡± Liu Saner fumed, his anger rising rapidly. ¡°Sheng Chuzheng.¡± ¡°What Sheng Chuzheng¡­¡± Liu Saner¡¯s voice suddenly disappeared. The Sheng Chuzheng from the Sheng Family? He subconsciously looked at Master Liu, who was also sizing up Chuzheng, the girl who was recently the talk of the town¡­ By her appearance, she truly looked like a pampered ¡°Canary.¡± Yet the girl exuded a chilling coldness, a distant indifference that screamed ¡®keep out¡¯, definitely not what one would expect from a ¡°Canary.¡± She seemed more formidable than those tough women in the underworld. The words in Liu Saner¡¯s mouth made a complete turnaround: ¡°Miss Sheng is it? This is our internal matter; it¡¯s not your place to meddle.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was calm and indifferent: ¡°I¡¯m testifying for him, do you have a problem with that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Of course he had a problem with it?! Chuzheng continued: ¡°If you have a problem with it, keep it to yourself, I¡¯m not listening.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Liu Saner was infuriated: ¡°Miss Sheng, with the Sheng Family in such disarray and unresolved, you have the leisure to meddle here? You would be better off considering how you¡¯re going to manage in the future.¡± Chuzheng thought for a moment, then answered very seriously: ¡°Squander the family wealth.¡± Bastard¡¯s grand and noble enterprise, take note! Liu Saner: ¡°¡­¡± What in the world is ¡®squandering the family wealth¡¯? With Sheng Min missing for so long, she still thinks she¡¯s the young miss? Who allowed you to squander? Liu Saner had already suffered quite a bit from dealing with Jiang Ye, but he had never been so infuriated by someone before. ¡°I won¡¯t waste words with you.¡± Liu Saner realized he was being led astray and pointed at Jiang Ye: ¡°Jiang Ye, we just want to see if you¡¯re injured. Is it necessary to be so secretive? Or did Qiangzi die at your hands, and you¡¯re too guilty to show us?¡± Before Jiang Ye could speak, Chuzheng spoke up first. ¡°What makes you think you have the right to see?¡± You¡¯re not even worthy of seeing my Good Person Card! Have some shame!! Her tone was clear and nonchalant, yet it carried an indescribable arrogance and dominance. Jiang Ye watched her somewhat bewilderingly. After having gone through so much, when had someone stood in front of him, speaking such protective words. ¡°He murdered someone!¡± ¡°Did you see it?¡± ¡°Evidence!¡± Liu Saner pointed at the gun. ¡°Just a gun, I could make a hundred that look exactly the same,¡± Chuzheng bit down on the words ¡®exactly the same¡¯. ¡°¡­¡± Liu Saner was so mad he could spit blood, ¡°The blood, this blood must be his.¡± Chuzheng paused for a few seconds, then seemed to ask seriously, ¡°Are you going to call the police?¡± Isn¡¯t calling the police to identify the bloodstains a given? ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you want me to help?¡± Chuzheng felt she could offer this help; after all, she was a good person. ¡°¡­¡± The room fell into a strangely quiet state. Out of everyone on this ship, how many could be considered good? Even those female companions, even if they hadn¡¯t done anything, had witnessed some things; calling the police was incompatible with the morality of the entire cruise. After a while, Liu Saner realized and laughed angrily, ¡°As long as he shows us that he has no injuries on his body, this will be over. Why doesn¡¯t he dare!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t allow it, he¡¯s mine,¡± Chuzheng coldly declared ownership, ¡°You¡¯ve already gained by seeing his face, and now you want to see his body.¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Upon hearing the sentence before, his heartbeat quickened. But what was that last part about? Chuzheng glared at Liu Saner, ¡°You can look, but afterwards, leave your eyes behind.¡± There were faint gasps from the crowd. When the young girl said this, she was as calm as if she was asking you to leave your clothes behind. This phrase, meant to be extremely bloody and violent, now didn¡¯t make anyone feel a thing. Seeing Liu Saner remain silent, Chuzheng took the initiative to ask, ¡°Will you look?¡± ¡°Are you sick!¡± Liu Saner roared. Just as Liu Saner finished cursing, he took a solid hit in the stomach. Liu Saner¡¯s body swayed and he crashed into something next to him, scrambling to stabilize himself. Liu Saner¡¯s eyes blazed with fury, ¡°Sheng Chuzheng, don¡¯t think I won¡¯t lay my hands on you just because you¡¯re a woman!¡± Chuzheng indifferently spit out one word, ¡°Come.¡± ¡°¡­¡± This was a provocation, a definite provocation! Master Liu stopped Liu Saner, who wanted to continue the altercation. He walked two steps forward, ¡°Miss Sheng, we need an explanation for this matter. Jiang Ye¡¯s gun being here invites suspicion. Since you want to prove innocence, just let people see, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Chuzheng went silent for a few seconds, stepped forward, took the gun, walked to the window, and under everyone¡¯s gaze, threw it out. She turned back, calmly asking, ¡°Now that it¡¯s not here anymore, is there still a problem?¡± Nobody in the room made a sound. By throwing it away, does that mean it¡¯s gone? Are you serious? They all saw it, hey! Master Liu¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Miss Sheng, you¡¯re being unreasonable now!¡± With his high status and power, Master Liu had never been made a fool of like this. He was truly angry now. ¡°If you don¡¯t trust him, why go through these motions?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s expression was indifferent, ¡°This explanation is irrelevant.¡± Master Liu: ¡°Jiang Ye is my man, and of course I will believe his explanation! Jiang Ye, don¡¯t go along with this young lady¡¯s nonsense. As long as you explain clearly, you are still Hei Jin¡¯s Second Master Jiang.¡± ¡°From now on, he is not,¡± Chuzheng turned her head to look at Jiang Ye, ¡°You don¡¯t mind, right?¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s eyelashes trembled slightly; after a moment, he raised a smile and said softly, ¡°You decide.¡± Master Liu narrowed his eyes dangerously, his voice low, ¡°Miss Sheng, are you opposing me?¡± ¡°Not interested,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°Then what are you doing right now?¡± ¡°Backing up my person,¡± Chuzheng said with conviction, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Backing up the Good Person Card is my obligation. Today I¡¯m also striving to be a good person! ¡°Heh¡­¡± Master Liu sneered coldly, finding the young girl in front of him outrageously arrogant, ¡°Sheng Min isn¡¯t here, what are you using to support him?¡± Chapter 228 - Chapter 228: Chapter 228: The Kings Return (25) Chapter 228: Chapter 228: The King¡¯s Return (25) ¡°So¡­¡± Chuzheng suddenly made her move, fast and precise. The knife hidden in her sleeve reached Master Liu¡¯s throat before he could counter, ¡°Is that enough?¡± What¡¯s the use of losing one¡¯s property at such a time, if not to strike? See that, Bastard! This is the correct way to settle the matter. [¡­] The knife was sharp, pressing against Master Liu¡¯s throat, a coldness seeping through the blade into his skin, blood, bones¡­ A bone-chilling coldness. Just like this young girl. ¡°Master Liu!¡± Master Liu raised his hand, signaling the others not to move. ¡°Sheng Min has raised a good daughter,¡± Master Liu glanced towards Sheng Ting with a hint of insinuation, ¡°Just not sure if the Sheng Family can still rise under Miss Sheng¡¯s hand.¡± From the moment Chuzheng appeared, Sheng Ting had a dark expression, a low pressure emanating all around him. Chuzheng didn¡¯t pick up on his comment, ¡°Mr. Liu, may I take my people and leave now?¡± Master Liu didn¡¯t dare to move his neck; even a minor movement would cause the blade to cut his skin. He lifted his hand slightly, signaling her to go. Chuzheng withdrew her hand. Liu Saner made a face at someone, and immediately people rushed forward, attacking from both sides. Jiang Ye¡¯s heart tightened, and he thought of stepping in to help. Chuzheng kicked a chair, sending it sliding backward, away from the fray. Although her body was weak, the original owner had practiced dance, and was flexible and quick. Chuzheng only needed speed. With the help of the Yin Xian in her sleeve, such opponents were no difficulty for Chuzheng. One by one, the attackers Chuzheng faced fell to the ground. ¡°Enough!¡± Master Liu shouted. Without any hesitation, Chuzheng swiftly took down the person who was preparing to retreat. Master Liu¡¯s face turned an iron hue, ¡°Miss Sheng, I called a stop, there was no need to strike so hard, was there?¡± Chuzheng straightened the sleeves disheveled from the fight and responded indifferently, ¡°You attacked me without warning I didn¡¯t call for a start.¡± You call to stop, and it stops? On what grounds! Master Liu: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng strode over to Jiang Ye, helped him up, and together they left the room. ¡°Master Liu, are we just letting them go like this?¡± Master Liu, with a grim expression, looked at the men on the ground, ¡°Otherwise, do you think you can stop her?¡± These were not just any bodyguards; they were his trusted aides, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have been there. Master Liu touched the spot on his neck where the knife had been, still able to feel the chill¡­ ¨C Chuzheng brought Jiang Ye back to the room. Jiang Ye¡¯s wound had begun to bleed again. Chuzheng crouched in front of him, lifting his clothes to dress his wound anew. ¡°Was it you who killed the man?¡± Chuzheng suddenly asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t know whether I was the killer or not, and you dared to confront them?¡± Jiang Ye felt a complexity inside. Chuzheng was nonchalant. So what? I haven¡¯t even shown my true strength yet! ¡°Was it you who killed him?¡± Jiang Ye shook his head, ¡°No.¡± He was being followed as he went upstairs, which is when the power outage occurred. Several people were relentlessly after him, and he never even reached that floor, so how could he possibly be the murderer? Chuzheng pondered for a moment. Then this must be the part of the plot where Jiang Ye is framed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid they will target you?¡± Jiang Ye looked at Chuzheng¡¯s beautiful profile and asked her gently. She had no reason to stand up for him. There was no benefit to her at all. ¡°Afraid of what?¡± ¡°Now you¡¯ve offended them, and Master Liu is suspicious and holds grudges¡ªhe won¡¯t let you or me off easily.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t do business, I don¡¯t lack money, and they can¡¯t beat me. How do they plan to deal with me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I have no comeback for that. Chuzheng focused on cleaning his wound, her small face serious and intense. So much blood! With all this bleeding, could there be weakness or something like that? Chuzheng glanced at Jiang Ye, who, aside from a slightly pale complexion, showed no other symptoms. Thus, Chuzheng reassured herself to squander his blood¡­no, to stop the bleeding. Jiang Ye looked somewhat vacant until Chuzheng took off his shirt, snapping him back to the moment. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s dirty; change it.¡± He glanced at the clothes and obligingly raised his arms, sighing, ¡°Miss Sheng, I¡¯ve noticed that I always end up bleeding when I meet you. Is this some kind of curse?¡± ¡°You¡¯re blaming me for your stupidity?¡± I refuse to carry this blame! ¡°You would have died even more miserably if you hadn¡¯t met me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Can¡¯t she say something pleasant for once? However¡­ Jiang Ye found himself smiling as he thought about it. Suddenly, Chuzheng leaned in and kissed him, freezing the smile on Jiang Ye¡¯s lips. ¡°You have a nice smile, smile more.¡± Chuzheng kissed him, complimented him, kissed him again, and then started helping him into his clothes. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Something felt oddly off. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any black clothes?¡± Chuzheng stared at him expressionlessly. It¡¯s good enough that you have clothes to wear. Still picky! Do I look like a department store to you! ¡°¡­White is fine too,¡± Jiang Ye smiled and started buttoning up himself. Chuzheng rose and walked to the other side, while Jiang Ye sat on the bed watching her, not feeling awkward at all. It felt as if¡­ Jiang Ye couldn¡¯t quite describe the feeling. It was just comfortable. It gave him a sense of home. This realization jolted Jiang Ye awake. He must have gone mad. Definitely mad. Knock, knock¡­ The sound of knocking broke Jiang Ye¡¯s train of thoughts. Chuzheng showed no intention of opening the door, standing by the table silently folding his unsoiled trench coat. ¡°Miss Sheng, someone is knocking,¡± Jiang Ye reminded her. Chuzheng grabbed something and hurled it: ¡°No one¡¯s here, stop knocking.¡± The object hit the door, making a dull thud. The person outside seemed to be startled and stopped knocking. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± So fierce. She was relatively gentle with him. The knocking had stopped, but Chuzheng¡¯s phone was incessantly ringing. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Clearly, he wasn¡¯t the only one sneaking a phone up here. The phone was on the bed; Jiang Ye picked it up and saw the caller: ¡°Sheng Ting¡­ your brother, should I answer it?¡± Chuzheng walked over, pushed him down on the bed, and boldly ran her hands through his hair. ¡°He¡¯s not my brother, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng blacklisted Sheng Ting, turned off the phone, switched off the light, and got into bed. Jiang Ye hadn¡¯t had time to react before he found himself lying in Chuzheng¡¯s arms. As darkness enveloped him, Jiang Ye didn¡¯t dare to let go of Chuzheng. Chuzheng seemed to remember this and spoke lazily without bothering to get up, ¡°I¡¯ll hold you, it¡¯s okay to not turn on the light, right?¡± Jiang Ye remained silent, and Chuzheng took the opportunity to kiss him. You¡­ better turn on the light,¡± Jiang Ye said weakly, truly unable to handle it. Chuzheng was reluctant to get up. But as Jiang Ye¡¯s breathing grew heavier, like a drowning person, she reluctantly got up and turned on the light. Jiang Ye breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°In the future, when we trade¡­ you know, do you also want the light on?¡± ¡°What?¡± Jiang Ye didn¡¯t catch on. Chuzheng¡¯s expression was frank, ¡°I mean, in the future when we ¡®do it,¡¯ do you also want the light on?¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Sorry. He must have experienced auditory hallucinations just now. Jiang Ye glanced at Chuzheng, she seemed very serious about this question. What is their relationship now! Why did the conversation jump to this topic!! Jiang Ye felt like he was about to explode. His ears were burning up. Chuzheng thought Jiang Ye tasted like marshmallows, soft and very comfortable. Jiang Ye¡¯s current expression was even more tempting. Chuzheng deepened what was initially a peck into a full-blown kiss. Jiang Ye, feeling somewhat uncomfortable under Chuzheng¡¯s kisses, turned his head away and hoarsely asked, ¡°What am I to you, anyway?¡± ¡°Whatever you want to be¡­¡± Chuzheng nibbled at the corner of his lip, ¡°you can be.¡± Chapter 229 - Chapter 229: Chapter 229: The Kings Return (26) Chapter 229: Chapter 229: The King¡¯s Return (26) Jiang Ye couldn¡¯t help but tease, ¡°Dad, too?¡± Chuzheng propped himself up to look at him, with a cooler, indifferent gaze that carried a hint of complexity. Does Good Person Card have such unique interests and hobbies? Could he be ill? Should a doctor be called to check on him? Before Chuzheng could speak, Jiang Ye hurriedly said, ¡°I was joking, I¡­¡± He reached out to cover Chuzheng¡¯s eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, I need to think.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Chuzheng stopped teasing him, patted his head a few times, and comfortably hugged him to sleep. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Why treat him like a child and pat his head! ¨C Although someone had died, it didn¡¯t seem to have much impact on the banquet. Those who made it up here were either used to seeing death or had blood on their hands themselves. Just someone dead. It wasn¡¯t a big deal. The only thing was that Jiang Ye, the murderer, and the Sheng Family ¡®Canary,¡¯ who covered for him, became the hot topic of conversation. ¡°Have Jiang Ye and Master Liu fallen out now?¡± ¡°Oh, definitely, you should have seen it yesterday.¡± ¡°Master Liu just let him off like that?¡± ¡°That one from the Sheng Family yesterday, tsk tsk¡­ so dashing. Master Liu¡¯s men were no match for her. Even if Master Liu wanted revenge, he would have to wait until they were off this turf, because after all, this is someone else¡¯s territory.¡± Chuzheng passed by them impassively; the people talking noticed her and immediately fell silent, lowered their heads, and hurried away. When Chuzheng returned to the room, Jiang Ye was already awake. He was sitting on the bed, with his hair all messy from sleep, and one tuft sticking straight up. The youth¡¯s deep and beautiful eyes stared into space, unfocused, in a daze. Chuzheng threw some clothes at him; the clothes covered the youth, and he frantically pulled them off and looked towards Chuzheng. Not knowing what he thought of, his eyes flitted with panic, and he quickly averted his gaze, looking down at the clothes in his hands. It was a set of black shirts. Jiang Ye¡¯s somewhat chaotic thoughts gathered slightly, and his grip on the shirt tightened. He said in a low voice, ¡°Morning.¡± Chuzheng was very earnest, ¡°Not morning, it¡¯s ten o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He was just saying hello!! Was that necessary? After Jiang Ye got dressed, Chuzheng handed him a bowl of hot chicken soup. ¡°Drink.¡± Jiang Ye frowned, forcing a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t have much of an appetite. Can¡¯t drink it.¡± Chuzheng kept the action of offering the bowl, her cool eyes fixating on him. Jiang Ye swallowed hard, ¡°I really don¡¯t want to drink¡­¡± Chuzheng was silent for a few seconds, then moved forward to pinch his chin, as if about to force feed him. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll drink, I¡¯ll drink.¡± Jiang Ye blocked her and took the chicken soup. What kind of person is this!! He¡¯s a patient! A patient, okay?! Jiang Ye handed back the empty bowl. ¡°There, drank it all.¡± After so long without eating, how could he not drink it? That was all psychological. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Today is the last day; there is a large cocktail party in the evening. Those who had been seen and those who hadn¡¯t would all appear at this cocktail party. ¡°Tonight is the main event,¡± Jiang Ye said, leaning against the headboard, reverting to his carefree demeanor. ¡°Mhm.¡± Main event or not, what does that have to do with me? It¡¯s not like I can do anything about it. Jiang Ye¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to go have a look?¡± ¡°No.¡± [Mainline Task: Please buy out Barite¡¯s goods at a high price.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Who the hell is Barite? Bastard, are you deliberately messing with me?! [Sister, I didn¡¯t, I¡¯m not, you¡¯re wrong!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, Jiang Ye felt that the young lady in front of him was fierce. Didn¡¯t he say anything wrong? ¡°Rest well.¡± Chuzheng threw down those words and left the room. Jiang Ye initially didn¡¯t care, but when he later tried to go out, he found that the door was locked. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s happening here? It was not until the start of the cocktail party that Chuzheng came back and gave Jiang Ye a set of formal attire. ¡°Miss Sheng, why did you lock the door?¡± With an air of it being a matter of course, Chuzheng said, ¡°To protect your safety.¡± My Good Person Card, of course, should be locked¡­ protected. ¡°You¡¯re restricting my freedom to live my life!¡± ¡°I am protecting your safety.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ye couldn¡¯t argue with Chuzheng or, rather, he couldn¡¯t, because she just clung to that one sentence. The cocktail party was held on the middle deck of the cruise, and when Chuzheng and Jiang Ye arrived, the place was already crowded with people. ¡°Sheng Chuzheng.¡± Sheng Ting walked over quickly, reaching out to grab her. Chuzheng avoided Sheng Ting¡¯s move, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± His dangerous gaze swept over Jiang Ye, filled with a thick intent to kill. Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow, deliberately moved closer to Chuzheng, and took her hand. Chuzheng did not oppose Jiang Ye¡¯s action, and the darkness at the bottom of Sheng Ting¡¯s eyes spread like thick ink. ¡°I have something to say to you.¡± She was being so intimate with another man¡ªSheng Ting couldn¡¯t stand it, and he wished he could tear Jiang Ye into a million pieces. ¡°I have nothing to say to you.¡± How I wish to get rid of this trouble, the sea is very suitable for that huh!! Bastard, I apply to get rid of him! Right now, immediately, at once! [Sister, if you don¡¯t mind resetting, I don¡¯t either~] Anyway, if I reset, I¡¯ll still meet him. ¡°What are you doing¡­¡± Before Jiang Ye could finish speaking, Chuzheng had already stabbed Sheng Ting. Sheng Ting¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief and sorrow. [Congratulations Sister on achieving the second reset, loading save¡­] Chuzheng fell into darkness amidst screams. However, in a flash, she was standing in the same place again, with Sheng Ting in front of her, unharmed. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Screw your reset! But it was still very satisfying! [¡­] Chuzheng had already experienced a life-and-death moment, while Sheng Ting on the other side knew nothing about it. His gaze fell on Jiang Ye, who was being held by Chuzheng, his voice laced with danger, ¡°Do you like him?¡± Chuzheng glanced sidelong, ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± ¡°Do you like him or not?¡± A few traces of crazy possessiveness emerged in Sheng Ting¡¯s eyes. What¡¯s so bad about him? She refused to like him and wanted to be with me? She should be mine. The obsessive possessiveness in Sheng Ting¡¯s eyes made Jiang Ye very uncomfortable. It was as if someone was coveting something of his and wanted to claim it as their own. ¡°Mr. Sheng, your companion is over there.¡± Jiang Ye nodded to the side, ¡°Don¡¯t make the lady wait too long.¡± Zhuang Yi stood a few meters away, looking over with eyes brimming with tears. If not for the slight bitterness of resentment hidden in her eyes, she would appear to be a girl worthy of pity. ¡°Shut up!¡± Sheng Ting growled lowly. Jiang Ye didn¡¯t care at all, ¡°Mr. Sheng, speaking is my freedom.¡± ¡°Jiang Ye.¡± Sheng Ting¡¯s gaze moved away from Chuzheng, a cold smile appearing on his lips, ¡°Right now, you¡¯re in hot water. Do you think Master Liu will let you off? If you truly care about her, stop dragging Zhenzhen into trouble. A person like you doesn¡¯t deserve to stand beside her.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Jiang Ye said with a light smile, ¡°I can¡¯t compare to Mr. Sheng¡¯s betrayal, so heartless even to those who raised him for years.¡± Sheng Ting¡¯s complexion shifted slightly. As if struck on a sore spot, he was momentarily speechless. Chuzheng, irritated, pulled Jiang Ye away, why bother babbling nonsense with him. Jiang Ye pressed his lips together, gently pulled her down, ¡°Did I go too far just now, did it make you angry?¡± After all, that matter must have been unbearable for her. ¡°What?¡± ¡°About what I said to Sheng Ting, about his betrayal.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°He did¡­¡± ¡°So where did I go too far?¡± Even if the Good Person Card goes too far, it¡¯s still right! Yeah! Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± So, what was the impatience she just showed all about? Chapter 230 - Chapter 230: Chapter 230: The Kings Return (27) Chapter 230: Chapter 230: The King¡¯s Return (27) Chuzheng searched for Barite throughout the party. But she didn¡¯t even catch a glimpse of his shadow. Chuzheng leaned on the edge, looking into the party. Master Liu was standing not far away, talking with several people, occasionally glancing over at her with a probing, inscrutable look. ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom.¡± Jiang Ye said to Chuzheng. She neither nodded nor shook her head, but Jiang Ye took that as her consent. However, after taking a few steps, he realized she was following him, expressionless. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Even to the toilet! When they were about to enter the restroom, Jiang Ye reminded her, ¡°This is the men¡¯s restroom, Miss Sheng.¡± Chuzheng calmly took a step back: ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡± Jiang Ye sighed and went into the restroom. People came in and out of the restroom all the time, gazing curiously at Chuzheng as she stood outside. ¨C Perhaps because Jiang Ye had fallen out with Master Liu, no one came over to greet him at the party. Of course, they hadn¡¯t immediately offended Jiang Ye either. After all, despite his young age, he commanded respect as Second Master Jiang, his capabilities were certainly not small. Who would win or lose between Master Liu and Jiang Ye once they got off the cruise remained to be seen. It was too early to take sides now. Sheng Ting was standing with several strangers, discussing something. In any case, the party seemed calm on the surface. ¡°See them? Those are people from Sirius,¡± Jiang Ye whispered to Chuzheng: ¡°That tall guy is a formidable member of Sirius.¡± Apart from that tall guy, the others were core members. The core members of Sirius rarely showed their faces. Yet this time, so many had come. What exactly was Sheng Ting trading with Sirius? Jiang Ye was a little curious. Chuzheng only looked for a while before deciding this was not a good place to make a move and pulled Jiang Ye to sit down on the side. After a moment, a waiter came over and placed some drinks. Underneath the glass was a slip of paper. Jiang Ye looked over curiously, and Chuzheng didn¡¯t attempt to hide it, opening it unconcernedly. ¡ª¡ªHalf an hour later, room 606 on the 6th floor. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Asked Qi Feng to arrange a meeting with Barite for me.¡± She couldn¡¯t find Barite, but Qi Feng, the middleman, must know him. No need to waste her time searching. ¡°You want to see him?¡± Jiang Ye asked, somewhat puzzled: ¡°What do you need him for?¡± ¡°¡­to deliver money.¡± ¡°???¡± When Chuzheng said she was delivering money, she meant it literally. Barite had gathered so many people here because he had a large shipment of goods to dispose of. He knew that one force couldn¡¯t take in so much. That¡¯s why he had called so many people. They all had money to make together, and since each controlled different territories, there would be no interference with each other. Now Chuzheng wanted to take on the deal alone; Barite could only describe his reaction as astounded. It would have been more acceptable if Sheng Ting had come to talk to him. But this young lady¡­ ¡°Miss Sheng, you¡¯re not playing me, are you?¡± If it weren¡¯t for Qi Feng¡¯s introduction, he wouldn¡¯t have agreed to meet such a young lady at all. ¡°We can make the deal right now,¡± Chuzheng said composedly, not showing any intimidation in front of such a big shot. Barite¡¯s goal was to unload the shipment of goods. Since Chuzheng was capable and offering a good price, Barite had no reason to refuse. Upon leaving the room, Jiang Ye couldn¡¯t help but pull her aside: ¡°What are you going to do with so much merchandise? Even if you have the money, how long will it take you to sell all these goods?¡± The problem now was that she didn¡¯t have any territory of her own. Selling goods on someone else¡¯s turf broke the rules and could lead to various problems, a loss not worth the gain. ¡°¡­ Hand it over to the state,¡± she said. There was too much, and dealing with it was a bit troublesome. ¡°What?¡± Chuzheng nodded to herself, feeling that her idea was excellent. Perfect! Jiang Ye was baffled, wondering why she was nodding her head! Why are you nodding your head! Do you really think your idea is brilliant?! ¡°No.¡± Jiang Ye caught up with Chuzheng: ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Saving trouble.¡± I¡¯ve spent the money, and now you want me to earn it back? No way!! Not even if hell freezes over! Jiang Ye talked with Chuzheng for a long time, but she was completely unmoved and determined to go ahead with her plan. After a moment¡¯s thought, Jiang Ye stopped trying to persuade her. This was her business¡­ ¡°What do we do now?¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t answer him, her cold gaze passing over him and settling on the scene ahead. Jiang Ye instinctively sensed danger and followed Chuzheng¡¯s gaze. At the end of the corridor, people from the Sirius organization blocked their escape, their shadows cast on the walls like specters. The leader, a tall figure of 1.9 meters with a sullen face and a strange tone, asked, ¡°Miss Sheng, may I have the honor of speaking with you for a moment?¡± Chuzheng kept her composure: ¡°No.¡± The 1.9 meter-tall man sneered and gestured to the people behind him: ¡°Seize her.¡± The shadows on the wall moved quickly, darting towards Chuzheng¡¯s side. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± All these grown men, taking on a girl like me, is that appropriate? Have you no shame? Chuzheng, frightened, kicked the first person who got close, pulled Jiang Ye back with her, and quickly pushed open a door; she shoved Jiang Ye in and closed the door. Her actions were smooth and swift, executed in one fluid motion. Locked in the room, Jiang Ye¡¯s heart raced, but the door wouldn¡¯t budge. He could only hear a muffled commotion outside. Unable to open the door, Jiang Ye pressed his ear against it to listen. The sounds of a struggle continued for a while, then everything outside went silent. Then his door was pushed open, and Jiang Ye stepped back as Chuzheng dragged the 1.9 meter-tall man into the room. Looking outside, Jiang Ye saw an empty corridor, not a soul in sight. They ran away? Chuzheng threw the 1.9 meter-tall man onto the floor and stepped on his chest: ¡°What do you want with me?¡± The man, having experienced who knows what, now had his eyes bulging with panic, and seemed to have forgotten how to speak. Chuzheng leaned down, her face reflected in his wide-open eyes. ¡°I¡¯m asking you a question.¡± All of a sudden, the tall man started to thrash and scoot backwards, his forehead beading with cold sweat: ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I don¡¯t know anything, stay back, leave me alone, leave me alone!¡± The sight of a big man lying on the ground, crying out to be left alone, was indeed strange. Chuzheng ferociously kept her foot on the 1.9 meter-tall man: ¡°I¡¯ll ask one more time, why did you come for me?¡± Aside from saying he didn¡¯t know, the man kept begging her to leave him alone. Chuzheng searched him and found a hidden mobile phone. There wasn¡¯t much information in the phone. But there was a text message. ¡ª Find out where the goods are. Goods? What goods? Me? What do I have? I just have money! Chuzheng showed the message to the 1.9 meter-tall man: ¡°You took me for this?¡± The man nodded his head. ¡°What goods do I have here?¡± The man swallowed hard, looking at Chuzheng as if she were a monster: ¡°The goods¡­ the goods Yin Hong gave you.¡± The goods Yin Hong gave her, wasn¡¯t that just a batch of fabric? All this trouble for a batch of fabric? Is that interesting? Mobsters sure know how to play. Chuzheng thoughtfully looked at the text message on the phone screen. ¡°What do you have in your possession?¡± Jiang Ye leaned over, asking curiously, ¡°Worth them going through so much trouble to find you?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Would you believe it if I said it¡¯s just a batch of fabric? Even the 1.9 meter-tall man didn¡¯t know what was special about that batch of goods. He was just sent by his superiors. Chapter 231 - Chapter 231: Chapter 231: The Kings Return (28) Chapter 231: Chapter 231: The King¡¯s Return (28) Chuzheng consumed the goods alone, and before she even disembarked from the cruise, several groups of people came looking for her. Their general intent was to persuade her to part with some of it. They used threats and enticements of interest. Any approach they could think of, these people tried to secure a share of the goods from her hands. Chuzheng had no intention of doing business and firmly rejected all offers. Making money was out of the question. Thus, as soon as she disembarked from the cruise, she was ambushed. The attackers were clearly well-prepared. The cars following them couldn¡¯t be shaken off, clinging closely as the bodyguards showcased their car-chase skills. ¡°Miss Sheng, once we¡¯re out, we run for our lives. Life really is thrilling,¡± Jiang Ye said with a gun in hand, still in the mood for jokes. Chuzheng¡¯s fingers rested on the window, the wind weaving through them. ¡°Bang!¡± In the rearview mirror, two cars collided and exploded, flames soared to the sky, blocking the chasing cars behind them. Chuzheng closed the window with an icy expression. A bunch of bastards, scared my Good Person Card away. She picked up where Jiang Ye left off: ¡°Not thrilling anymore.¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C The car headed towards the city center. The night scene quickly receded, forming streaks of light. Crack¡ª¡ª Ahead, a car suddenly appeared, blocking their path in the middle of the road. ¡°My men,¡± Jiang Ye said. Jiang Ye pushed open the car door to get out, and when Chen Jiu saw him, he also quickly got out and ran over. ¡°Master Jiang, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Chen Jiu glanced at Chuzheng¡¯s convoy and said, ¡°Hei Jin has issued the order¡ªwhether dead or alive, they have to capture you. Have you fallen out with Master Liu?¡± It wasn¡¯t a fallout¡­ There weren¡¯t any negotiations in the first place. I was framed. Jiang Ye¡¯s lips curled up: ¡°So eager.¡± ¡°Master Jiang¡­¡± Chen Jiu was very worried. ¡°It¡¯s alright, don¡¯t I look fine?¡± Jiang Ye casually patted Chen Jiu¡¯s shoulder: ¡°As long as the green hills are there, one needn¡¯t worry about firewood.¡± Chen Jiu: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Master Jiang!¡± Chen Jiu suddenly saw something and lunged at Jiang Ye. Bang¡ª¡ª Crash¡ª¡ª Bullets penetrated the car window, and as glass shattered, a series of bullets streamed in. Chen Jiu pushed Jiang Ye into the car, started the car, performed a drift, and hurried towards Chuzheng¡¯s direction. Chuzheng¡¯s cars had already begun to retreat. At first, Jiang Ye could still see Chuzheng¡¯s car, but after a few turns, her car was out of sight. ¨C Having lost her Good Person Card, Chuzheng shook off her pursuers and returned to the manor in a fury¡ªthen promptly fell asleep. When she woke up, it was already the next afternoon. Chuzheng went downstairs to have lunch and deal with the messages on her phone. Somehow, people got her number and sent a bunch of nonsensical messages, which Chuzheng deleted. There was a message from a strange number, with just two words¡ª¡±Stay safe.¡± Chuzheng put down her phone expressionlessly. ¡°Butler Gao.¡± ¡°Miss.¡± ¡°Where did you put the goods I asked you to store last time?¡± ¡°Those textiles?¡± Gao Ping asked. Chuzheng nodded. Gao Ping said he just picked a warehouse randomly because those goods didn¡¯t seem very valuable. Perhaps it was because it was done so casually that the opposing side didn¡¯t find them. Chuzheng asked Gao Ping to retrieve some of it. The fabric had a very nice texture and looked quite luxurious, but this was not a reason for an organization to be so fixated on them. What exactly made these fabrics so precious? They weren¡¯t adorned with gold! Could they magically produce a beauty¡­ Unable to figure it out, Chuzheng eventually had the fabric taken to the incinerator. Using a phone she got from someone tall, she sent a live-stream invitation to the other party. Once she confirmed their attendance, she ordered the start of the burning. Buzz buzz buzz¡ª¡ª Chuzheng hung up the call and continued to burn. ¡ª¡ªSheng Chuzheng, stop what you¡¯re doing! The ignored calls were followed by text messages. ¡ª¡ªDo you know how much those things are worth? ¡ª¡ªSheng Chuzheng, I¡¯m telling you to stop! Do you hear me? ¡ª¡ªWhat do you want? Chuzheng remained unmoved, calmly burning all of the goods while even thoughtfully providing a close-up for them. Want it, huh? Not even the ashes for you! I¡¯ll make you damn dogs die with frustration! Let you bastards catch me! Let you bastards bully me!! After the live stream ended, Chuzheng tossed her phone into the flames, patted her butt, and walked away. ¨C Sirius headquarters. The live stream cut off, and the blond, blue-eyed man smashed his phone in anger. ¡°Sheng Chuzheng!¡± ¡°Boss, she really burned the goods, we haven¡¯t got the technology yet, Sheng Min is also dead, the merchandise¡­¡± That batch of textiles wasn¡¯t worth much, but a few batches within them were extremely valuable. They used a new type of technology to infuse drugs into the fibers, which could be activated simply by lighting a fire underneath the fabric. The blond, blue-eyed man roared furiously, ¡°What merchandise! You bunch of trash, that bastard Sheng Min, the whole Sheng Family are bastards!! Bastards, bastards!!¡± ¡°Bastards, they are bastards.¡± A group echoed in agreement. The boss is always right. ¡°So, boss¡­ what do we do now¡­¡± All the goods have been burned. Who would have thought that the Sheng family¡¯s ¡°Canary¡± would be so tough to deal with? ¡°Has she taken down Barite¡¯s shipment?¡± the boss suddenly asked. ¡°Yes¡­ it¡¯s been spread all over the circle.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± the boss clenched the object in his hand, his eyes shimmering sharply, ¡°Find out when they¡¯re making the delivery.¡± Sheng Chuzheng! Just you wait! A little brat with yellow hair, I¡¯ll deal with you yet! ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Has the boss gone mad? ¨C In the following days, Chuzheng kept encountering bizarre ambushes. All because of that shipment from Barite. As a result, the number of bodyguards in the manor doubled. Unable to kill Chuzheng, some people started to take a more peaceful route. They wanted Chuzheng to let some of it go. Chuzheng didn¡¯t want to sell at all. She didn¡¯t want to make money. Not at all! Are these people devils! Even Sheng Ting had come to the manor several times. Sheng Ting wasn¡¯t as assertive as before; instead, he started to play the sympathy card with her, putting on a guise of concern for her safety. If she were the original owner, having lived with Sheng Ting for so many years, who used to spoil her so much, Hearing such words would probably make her unable to resist forgiving him. Unfortunately, Chuzheng was not the original owner. Chuzheng rudely threw him out the front door. The transportation from Barite¡¯s side was a bit tricky, but as soon as the goods arrived and Barite¡¯s people pulled out, Chuzheng immediately made an anonymous call to report them. The next day, the news was broadcast. Upon seeing the news, many people had complicated feelings. While pained for the loss of the shipment, they also felt a bit of schadenfreude. Not willing to give it to them, now it¡¯s been reported, huh? The loss wasn¡¯t just a few million. Seeing the news, Sirius¡¯s boss smashed his entire office in rage. He hadn¡¯t even gotten his revenge on her yet! Who the hell reported it!! Who the hell reported it!! ¨C Half a year later. Chuzheng¡¯s reputation for squandering reached far and wide; after several transactions, either the merchandise was sunk at sea or reported. Being reported once could be a coincidence. Twice, just bad luck. But when it happens over and over again, always reported, yet aside from the goods, no one was ever caught. This situation aroused everyone¡¯s suspicion. Finally, someone confirmed that it was Chuzheng herself who reported it. People severely condemned her for such a waste of resources. Yet the Spendthrift showed no intention of holding back. Wealthy and wilful. She enjoyed handing it over to the state. Can you manage that? The state: ¡°¡­¡± Certain departments were quite vexed. Should they give you an award, or should they catch you? Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: Chapter 232: The Kings Return (29) Chapter 232: Chapter 232: The King¡¯s Return (29) Chuzheng¡¯s daily life for the past six months involved¡ª squandering wealth, snatching Sheng Ting¡¯s business, squandering wealth, snatching Sheng Ting¡¯s business¡­ Facing the double pressure of Chuzheng throwing money to snatch his business and Hei Jin intentionally encroaching on his territory, Sheng Ting could be said to be somewhat overwhelmed. Chuzheng was still fine. She snatched the business and left, not wanting to deal with anyone. But it was different with Hei Jin; conflicts arose every few days. ¡°Mr. Sheng, I think what you said is good, but I can¡¯t respond to you for the time being. Let me think about it and get back to you, how about that?¡± Sheng Ting nodded politely. The man immediately took the chance to slip away. Zhuang Yi, who was hooking arms with Sheng Ting, whispered, ¡°Brother Ting, he¡¯s deliberately evading. When I came in just now, I saw him talking to Liu Saner.¡± Sheng Ting could clearly hear that the other party was brushing him off. Taking a frustrated breath, he raised his eyes and saw the person entering from the door. The young girl was wearing a long dress, with her slightly curly hair cascading down her back, creating a graceful arc in the air in tandem with her dress. The off-the-shoulder design of the long dress perfectly highlighted her beautiful shoulder line and collarbone. She seemed like the most limpid and most stunning snow lotus among the mountains, pure and breathtakingly cold. As soon as she entered, she drew the attention of many, with some even approaching to strike up a conversation. Zhuang Yi was seething with envy. Every time that woman appeared, Sheng Ting¡¯s gaze would always fall on her. What was so good about her? Zhuang Yi clenched her fists, feeling aggrieved as she called out softly, ¡°Brother Ting.¡± Sheng Ting withdrew his gaze and led Zhuang Yi to another side. ¨C After dealing with those inquiring individuals, Chuzheng walked alone to the outside terrace for some air. The terrace was large, with various plants arranged to create many small spaces. ¡°Jiang Ye also wants to compete with our Master Liu. If it weren¡¯t for his recent evasion, Master Liu would have dealt with him long ago.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have my plans. I won¡¯t let him succeed.¡± ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t talk with you anymore, they¡¯re waiting over there.¡± Someone stepped out from the shadows, yet to hang up the phone, and she locked eyes with the chilly gaze of the girl. The bright moon reflected in her eyes, casting a cold luminescence throughout them. ¨C In the tense room, Liu Saner and Jiang Ye were almost at blows, with a man sitting on the side looking somewhat helpless. ¡°Jiang Ye, you traitor!¡± ¡°Say whatever you like,¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s eyes held a chill, ¡°You know very well why I left.¡± Liu Saner sneered, ¡°Mr. Lin, if you were visionary enough, you would choose to cooperate with us.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to hesitate about, Mr. Lin? What does Jiang Ye have now? Can his capabilities even compare with Hei Jin?¡± Mr. Lin looked at Jiang Ye, then at Liu Saner, obviously leaning towards Liu Saner. Smugly, Liu Saner taunted Jiang Ye with a raise of his eyebrows. Liu Saner continued to make many promises, and Mr. Lin became even more tempted. ¡°Mr. Jiang, although your offer is not bad, but¡­¡± Mr. Lin revealed a hint of apology. Liu Saner began to laugh triumphantly. Jiang Ye glared at Liu Saner, and the atmosphere in the room grew tense again. Suddenly, the door was pushed open. A kindly-faced old man was wheeled in. The man sprung up and respectfully greeted, ¡°Grandpa.¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s gaze, however, settled on the person pushing the old man. Chuzheng pushed the old man into the room, closed the door behind her, and the old man chuckled, ¡°You young people are so full of energy, why make things so tense? Sit down, sit down.¡± His words instantly dissolved the tension in the room. Liu Saner watched Chuzheng warily, unsure why she¡¯d suddenly appeared here. Half a year ago, the people they sent did not lay a finger on her. At that time, Master Liu had forbidden them from targeting her again. The past six months had passed relatively peacefully. Moreover, because of her, Hei Jin had managed to get quite a few benefits from Sheng Ting. Jiang Ye was merely stunned for a moment before he quickly subdued his hostility and put on an indifferent smile, ¡°Miss Sheng, long time no see.¡± The boy was still the same boy. A smile from him could dazzle the world. The man took the elder from Chuzheng¡¯s hands and pushed him to the front, whispering a few words to him. The elder remained cheerful, ¡°Liu Saner, Master Liu has his own channels and really has no need to work with us. We run a small operation and can¡¯t handle the likes of you young folks stirring things up.¡± ¡°Old Mr. Lin, you better think this through,¡± Liu Saner¡¯s voice carried an unmistakable threat. The elder looked kind and benign, ¡°Even though I¡¯m old now, I¡¯m not dead yet. Liu Saner, even your master has to call me uncle.¡± Liu Saner furrowed his brow, ¡°Old Mr. Lin, I just hope you make the right choice.¡± The elder chuckled, ¡°The price Miss Sheng is offering excites me more. How about you discuss it with Miss Sheng?¡± Liu Saner: ¡°¡­¡± Discuss what? No one could have a proper talk with her. No, wait¡­ Back on the cruise ship, she just supported Jiang Ye like that. I couldn¡¯t compete with her in terms of money, nor could I beat her. Reluctantly, Liu Saner could do nothing but leave in a fury. Old Mr. Lin instructed Mr. Lin to prepare the contract, and Chuzheng tossed the contract to Jiang Ye. Since Chuzheng¡¯s arrival, Jiang Ye had only smiled at her, then kept his head down, adopting an indifferent attitude. When the contract was suddenly thrown at him, Jiang Ye was a bit stunned, ¡°Miss Sheng, what is this for?¡± ¡°Sign it.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who wants it?¡± He did need it, but¡­ As Old Mr. Lin watched with a beaming smile, Jiang Ye inexplicably felt his ears grow hot and his heartbeat pick up pace. He couldn¡¯t even bear to glance at Chuzheng. In the end, Jiang Ye still signed his name. After the conversation was over, Jiang Ye got up and left the room as if his pants were on fire. By the time Chuzheng went out, Jiang Ye was nowhere to be seen. The little rascal didn¡¯t have a shred of conscience. After helping him, this is how he repays me? He could have let me stroke his hair! When Chuzheng left the banquet, she had just got into her car when the door on the other side opened, and the boy, holding a bouquet of flowers, got in. Bright red roses accentuated the boy¡¯s stunning looks. He tilted his head and smiled lightly, ¡°Miss Sheng, I still owe you an answer. Don¡¯t you want it?¡± ¡°What answer?¡± she hadn¡¯t asked him any questions just now, had she? He had run off faster than a rabbit! Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± She forgot? Jiang Ye handed her the flowers, ¡°Miss Sheng, although I have nothing now, everything I could have, I¡¯m willing to give to you. So, would you be my girlfriend?¡± ¡°Can I kiss you whenever I want?¡± Jiang Ye nodded. ¡°Can I stroke your head whenever I want?¡± This demand was essential! ¡°¡­¡± Why does she like touching my head so much? A man¡¯s head isn¡¯t something to just touch whenever. Jiang Ye took a deep breath and nodded. Chuzheng took the flowers. The boy leaned in with a beaming smile and planted a kiss on her cheek. ¡°How were you able to buy flowers so late? How far did you run?¡± Chuzheng suddenly asked seriously. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Now you should kiss me! Kiss me!! Why bother about the flowers!! Why think about flowers! Is it important! Chapter 233 - Chapter 233: Chapter 233: The Kings Return (30) Chapter 233: Chapter 233: The King¡¯s Return (30) Jiang Ye didn¡¯t go back with Chuzheng, as he had other matters to take care of. Although Chuzheng wanted to drag him back, Jiang Ye was too quick and eluded her grasp. Next time, she¡¯d catch him! The struggle between Jiang Ye and Master Liu had officially begun, and Chuzheng occasionally helped him, aiding Jiang Ye¡¯s rapid growth. The territory and business that Hei Jin had expanded recently were quickly shrinking. Jiang Ye was capable; what he lacked was luck. Chuzheng gave him luck, and with it, he soared high. While Jiang Ye was still pondering how to dismantle Hei Jin¡¯s operations, the news of Liu Saner¡¯s betrayal suddenly spread. Caught red-handed. Liu Saner¡¯s explanations were futile. It was said that Master Liu beat him half to death on the spot. Without Jiang Ye and Liu Saner, dealing with Hei Jin became much easier for Jiang Ye. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls?¡± Chuzheng opened the video call, and Jiang Ye¡¯s splendidly handsome face appeared on her phone screen. Chuzheng set down her phone, flipped through the documents on the desk, and spoke in a cool tone, ¡°Something the matter?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you miss me?¡± Jiang Ye, wearing a bathrobe, loose and casually tied, made his toned chest visible. As Chuzheng casually flipped through the files, she asked, ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°Uhm, in City Z, came to discuss some business.¡± The young man leaned in closer, ¡°Don¡¯t you miss me? I miss you a lot.¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t engage in conversation, instead, she continued to mark the document with her pen. For a moment, only the sound of the pen scraping over the paper was heard. Jiang Ye was used to her like this. He felt thankful that she even accepted his video call. If he sent a text message and it was really important, she would respond with a few words. If it was a trivial text, it would be like dropping a stone into the ocean. She would explain that she did not reply to spam texts. His messages were considered spam texts?! What kind of person was she!! Couldn¡¯t they have a proper romantic relationship? Jiang Ye talked with Chuzheng in a rambling fashion for a while before he attended to his own matters. He didn¡¯t end the video call, so Chuzheng could see what he was doing over there. Chuzheng leaned on her chair, the document now closed, and watched the youth in the video with a detached expression. When Jiang Ye finished his business and realized the video call had been cut, he sighed helplessly. Jiang Ye got ready for bed. In the middle of the night, he suddenly heard a faint noise at the door. He reached for the gun under his pillow. The door was pushed open, and since the light wasn¡¯t turned off, Jiang Ye saw the person who entered at a glance. His grip on the gun loosened. But he didn¡¯t get up and instead closed his eyes. The edge of the bed sank, a warm body leaned in, and fiery kisses fell upon him. Jiang Ye was kissed until he was powerless to resist. He couldn¡¯t keep up the act and was forced to open his eyes. ¡°How did you get here?¡± ¡°You said you missed me.¡± Jiang Ye felt his heart warm and tremble because he had said he missed her, and so she came. Any displeasure from the video call earlier vanished in an instant. Her affection for him didn¡¯t need to be spoken aloud. In Chuzheng¡¯s first notion, the Good Person Card misses me. That means wanting to see me. Then just go. The second notion is that the Good Person Card is a bit troublesome, better to lock it up for convenience. Jiang Ye kissed Chuzheng lightly, ¡°When I was little, I always wished that what I wanted would appear in front of me the moment I opened my eyes.¡± Chuzheng replied seriously, ¡°Your dreams come true very quickly.¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°From now on, every time I open my eyes, I¡¯ll be able to see what I want,¡± Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow. Chuzheng lowered her head to kiss him, pondering the difficulty of this wish, even feeling that Jiang Ye was being unreasonable, to see what he wanted just by opening his eyes. To see the Antarctic, do I have to move you there in the middle of the night¡­ After a long pause, she hummed in agreement. Good Person Card! Must be cared for! Good Person Card! Must be pampered! Amidst Jiang Ye¡¯s dazed kisses, he suddenly gasped and asked, ¡°¡­How did you get a room card?¡± ¡°` ¡°I bought this hotel,¡± Chuzheng pulled off his clothes. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± It conjured in Jiang Ye¡¯s mind an image of a throng of people, rudely awakened in the middle of the night, amidst chaos. Just because she wanted to enter his room. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, leaving Chuzheng baffled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just found it funny,¡± Jiang Ye looped an arm around Chuzheng¡¯s neck. ¡°Why are you so good?¡± ¡°Really?¡± The little thing doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m good at all. ¨C Jiang Ye rolled out of bed, stumbled into the bathroom half-awake, and came out slightly more alert after freshening up. He leaned against the bathroom door, gazing at the girl lying on the bed. The dawn¡¯s light cast a soft, warm glow over her features, seeming to wash away some of her aloofness. He gently curved his lips upward. How nice. Chuzheng wasn¡¯t asleep, just resting with her eyes closed. Feeling Jiang Ye¡¯s stare, she had no choice but to open her eyes: ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Jiang Ye blinked. ¡°You weren¡¯t sleeping?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Her body was still a bit frail; she was tired, but she couldn¡¯t show it in front of Jiang Ye. A girl can never say she can¡¯t! Chuzheng propped herself up, and as the blanket slid off, some ambiguous marks were revealed. Jiang Ye¡¯s eyes darkened, and he walked over with a smile, pulling her back down and kissing her, ¡°I¡¯m still sleepy, sleep with me a bit more.¡± ¡°You seem pretty lively to me,¡± Chuzheng exposed his lie. ¡°Can¡¯t I just want to sleep with you?¡± Jiang Ye chuckled softly, coaxing her. ¡°Just a little longer.¡± His fingers traced Chuzheng¡¯s arm, wondering how there could be so many marks on her even though he hadn¡¯t exerted much strength the night before. She¡¯s too delicate. Thinking about it, Jiang Ye reminisced the bone-melting sensation of the previous night. Instantly feeling his thoughts wander, he dared not touch her carelessly anymore and just held Chuzheng close. ¡°Did you have anything to do with the Lui Saner incident?¡± ¡°No.¡± Nonsense! What does Lui Saner have to do with me? Nothing at all! Jiang Ye¡¯s belief was not swayed by Chuzheng¡¯s denial. Lui Saner would not betray Master Lui. Not in the current situation, at least. And the only one capable of this¡­ He could only think of her. Jiang Ye couldn¡¯t help but kiss Chuzheng, his eyes gradually filling with a hazy desire. ¡°Baby¡­¡± Chuzheng pushed him away, and Jiang Ye looked at her, confused: ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°What did you call me?¡± ¡°Baby,¡± Jiang Ye smiled. ¡°Sounds nice, doesn¡¯t it? Baby.¡± Chuzheng got out of bed without expression and went to the bathroom with her clothes. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ye sat for a while. He got up and followed her to the bathroom door, knocking on it: ¡°If you don¡¯t like me calling you that, I won¡¯t. What do you want me to call you? Xiao Zheng? Xiao Chu?¡± The bathroom door opened, and Chuzheng was already dressed. ¡°Whatever.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like me calling you baby?¡± ¡°No.¡± Jiang Ye was somewhat suspicious: ¡°But your reaction was quite strong¡­¡± Compared to her usual calm and unperturbed demeanor, it was indeed a strong reaction. ¡°You can call me that,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, shut up.¡± So annoying. Jiang Ye fell silent for a few seconds, then lifted his face with a smile. However, after that, Jiang Ye only called her baby in bed, when carried away with emotion; other times, he would call her Xiao Chu or his wife. Chuzheng stayed there for a few days. After Jiang Ye had dealt with everything, they went back together. It was only when they were leaving did Jiang Ye find out that Chuzheng had come over by helicopter that night. How much money does she actually have?! Could he let her spend without restraint in the future if theirs got used up, considering the rate at which he earned? Jiang Ye suddenly felt Alexander the Great¡¯s dilemma. It seems he still needs to work hard making money. Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: Chapter 234: The Kings Return (31) Chapter 234: Chapter 234: The King¡¯s Return (31) ¡°` ¡°Brother Ting, the pressure is really high on our side, many people have defected to Jiang Ye¡¯s camp, and this can¡¯t continue.¡± Seated in the conference room, Sheng Ting listened to the reports from his subordinates about the latest developments. ¡°Sheng¡­ Miss Sheng has also been opposing us all along.¡± Sheng Ting looked up, the area beneath his eyes dark with fatigue, clearly indicating he hadn¡¯t been sleeping well. Meeting Sheng Ting¡¯s piercing gaze, the speaker couldn¡¯t help but shiver inexplicably. But some things had to be said. Jiang Ye was becoming increasingly aggressive, with formidable backing, and even Hei Jin was laying low temporarily. Sheng Ting didn¡¯t want to listen anymore and dismissed everyone. Now alone in the conference room, Sheng Ting had been trying to find an opportunity to bring Chuzheng back. But ever since she left him, she was always surrounded by people, not to mention she had become so capable¡­ Sheng Ting just felt that he had been deceived by her in the past. Sheng Min must have trained her behind his back. It made sense. The daughter of a gangster organization couldn¡¯t really be the pampered ¡°Canary¡± as rumors suggested. He had not expected that Sheng Min was guarding against him even back then. Sheng Ting had tried many strategies. But Chuzheng had cut off many of his channels and businesses on her side, and without the Spendthrift System that Chuzheng had¡ªspending money like water, utterly disregardful of return¡ªSheng Ting couldn¡¯t win over those people back. Sheng Ting had never imagined that one day, the sister he treated like a little lamb, would become so ruthless and relentless. Sheng Ting drove to the manor¡¯s exterior. Before he got out of the car, he saw another vehicle leaving the manor. The car window was down, allowing Sheng Ting to easily see who was inside. He stepped on the accelerator and followed. The car stopped at a movie theater, and Sheng Ting, in an extremely bad mood, followed them inside. The girl walked ahead with her hands in her pockets while the boy followed, and when they reached the crowd, the boy reached out and tugged at the girl. The girl didn¡¯t really want to stop, but the boy pulled at her insistently. She had no choice but to pause and reached out one hand toward the boy. The boy smiled and held onto it. A murmur of envy and jealousy arose from the surrounding crowd. When they were getting their tickets, the boy glanced in his direction. Sheng Ting didn¡¯t hide; their gazes collided. The boy, whether out of provocation or habit, lifted the corner of his lips, displaying a smile that could make any woman jealous. Sheng Ting clenched his fist as he watched Chuzheng and Jiang Ye enter. Sheng Ting followed inside, utterly unaware of what the movie was about. All he remembered was that, in the dimmest light, he vaguely saw the two of them kiss. It was merely a brief kiss, yet Sheng Ting felt as if it lasted an entire century, rage consuming all of his thoughts. She is his!! She is his!! Jiang Ye, leaning against Chuzheng, drew circles on her palm and whispered, ¡°Sheng Ting is following us.¡± He suddenly spoke. ¡°Mhm,¡± Chuzheng held his disruptive hand. ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°I knew since we left,¡± Chuzheng said matter-of-factly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice?¡± She had thought Sheng Ting would confront them. Who knew he¡¯d just follow them. What a coward. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± He had noticed it while entering the movie theater. ¡°So, you knew what I did just now was intentional?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Kissing you.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t want to kiss me?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s calm voice carried a hint of danger. Jiang Ye choked on her reply, ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯m saying, I kissed you deliberately for Sheng Ting to see.¡± ¡°Why kiss for him to see?¡± Shouldn¡¯t you have kissed me because you wanted to? ¡°You didn¡¯t want to kiss me!¡± What does Sheng Ting matter? Why kiss for him to see? The Good Person Card, just to kiss me because of some inexplicable bastard? Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± How did she come to that conclusion? Jiang Ye quickly said, ¡°No, I wanted to kiss you, really badly.¡± ¡°` Chuzheng tilted her head and lifted her chin in a small gesture. Jiang Ye very cooperatively planted a kiss. Chuzheng raised her hand to his head, ruffling his hair a couple times, ¡°Good boy.¡± The single dogs beside them: ¡°¡­¡± Are you guys putting on a show that¡¯s even better than the movie? Did I pay to be fed dog food here?! Please be mindful of the setting! The movie lasted two hours. Afterward, Jiang Ye took Chuzheng and slipped away amidst the crowd, successfully shaking off Sheng Ting. Chuzheng didn¡¯t feel much about Sheng Ting following them. Focus on work. Focus on being a good person. Today was about accompanying Jiang Ye, she didn¡¯t want to do anything else. If Sheng Ting wanted to follow, then let him waste his time, not hers. As long as he didn¡¯t come up and cause trouble, she was indifferent. But Jiang Ye really didn¡¯t like Sheng Ting following them, and only after Sheng Ting had left did he pull Chuzheng along, ¡°Where to next?¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± Chuzheng emotionlessly tapped on her phone, not caring at all about where they went. Jiang Ye had no choice but to plan their next move by himself. ¨C Ever since that day he had followed them, Sheng Ting hadn¡¯t shown up again. But Chuzheng felt that he wouldn¡¯t give up just like that. Chuzheng received a phone call from Sheng Ting on the first snowfall of the winter. The voice of Sheng Ting came through with the chill of the heavy snowfall: ¡°Zhenzhen, Jiang Ye is in my hands. If you don¡¯t want anything to happen to him, you¡¯d better come to the place I told you about.¡± Chuzheng hung up the phone expressionlessly. This Bastard actually changed his number to call me! Chuzheng decisively blocked Sheng Ting¡¯s new number. After blocking him, she felt a bit lost and wondered¡ªwhat did he say just now? [¡­Miss, Sheng Ting said that Jiang Ye is with him.] ¡°Bullshit,¡± Chuzheng spat out two cold words. [Miss, be civilized.] The King¡¯s Account reminded her, [Aren¡¯t you worried about Jiang Ye?] ¡°Sheng Ting could capture him?¡± [¡­] Do you have any misunderstandings about Jiang Ye, this little poor soul teetering on the edge of becoming a gangster? Chuzheng scrolled through her contacts and dialed Jiang Ye¡¯s number. ¡°Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavailable¡­¡± Chuzheng hung up and dialed another number. ¡°Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavailable¡­¡± Three minutes later, Chuzheng got through to a number. ¡°Miss?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the person?¡± ¡°Mr. Jiang is in a meeting, the other party has blocked the signal, I¡¯m outside, and it should be safe inside.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Chuzheng responded without surprise. [Miss, how did you know?] Heh. If something had happened to Jiang Ye, the first to create a fuss would be that Bastard. Of course, Chuzheng didn¡¯t reply to the King¡¯s Account. It was better to keep such patterns to herself. Otherwise, next time the Bastard might not kick up a fuss. ¨C After hanging up the phone, Chuzheng picked up her coat and left the house. [Miss, where are you going?] Chuzheng finished putting on her shoes, her tone somewhat chilly: ¡°Since they¡¯ve gone to the trouble of bringing the drama to my doorstep, wouldn¡¯t I be letting down Jiang Ye, who was kidnapped, if I didn¡¯t respond appropriately?¡± [¡­] Wasn¡¯t Jiang Ye not kidnapped? Miss is not only great at passing the buck but also really good at finding people to take the fall. What on earth is Sheng Ting thinking? Is life not good enough for him? Ah¡­ no, wait, isn¡¯t the point to make Sheng Ting¡¯s life miserable? [Miss, you¡¯re doing great, keep it up!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What craziness is the Bastard up to now. The King¡¯s Account then had a second thought and realized something was amiss; they were the Spendthrift System! Taking action wasn¡¯t something a Spendthrift System would do! [Miss, stop!] The King¡¯s Account¡¯s roar was blocked by Chuzheng. Chapter 235 - Chapter 235: Chapter 235: The Kings Return (32) Chapter 235: Chapter 235: The King¡¯s Return (32) Sheng Ting had not expected that just by saying one word, he would be blocked by Chuzheng. Doesn¡¯t she care about Jiang Ye at all? Sheng Ting really couldn¡¯t understand. Buzz¡ª The phone vibrated once. Sheng Ting immediately took out his phone to look. A text message from an unfamiliar number. ¡ª¡±Your Zhuang Yi, one hour, Saint An Bridge, or collect a corpse after that.¡± With just a short sentence, the time, place, and event were all made clear. Sheng Ting frowned, then called Zhuang Yi. Zhuang Yi picked up, but all he could hear was the sound of running water and wind. Jiang Ye wasn¡¯t with him at all; what would he trade with? The hand holding Sheng Ting¡¯s phone was bulging with veins. Sheng Chuzheng¡­ You really surprise me every time! Sheng Ting put away his phone: ¡°Take people to Saint An Bridge.¡± Saint An Bridge hadn¡¯t opened to traffic yet, but construction was nearly complete; people could walk on it, but cars couldn¡¯t. Sheng Ting got out of the car and walked onto Saint An Bridge. ¡°Brother Ting¡­ save me¡­ save me¡­¡± A weak voice was carried over by the blizzard. Sheng Ting saw a figure hanging from the Saint An Bridge, swaying in the wind and snow, looking very dangerous. Sheng Ting ran over with his men. ¡°Brother Ting¡­ Brother Ting¡­¡± Zhuang Yi¡¯s voice was hoarse from crying, calling him with a tremble. Sheng Ting¡¯s people immediately climbed up to rescue Zhuang Yi. Sheng Ting didn¡¯t see anyone nearby, he looked down at his phone, tried to send a text message, but was notified that the message failed to send¡­ Sheng Ting¡¯s face was grim. She knew Jiang Ye wasn¡¯t with him¡­ ¡°Brother Ting, we can¡¯t reach her.¡± The people above shouted. Zhuang Yi was hanging too high, and it was unclear how she was tied up there. ¡°Brother Ting, the rope¡­ The rope looks like it¡¯s going to break!!¡± someone noticed that due to the swaying, the rope was fraying and if it kept up, Zhuang Yi would definitely fall. ¡°Figure something out!¡± Sheng Ting bellowed angrily: ¡°Get her down for me!¡± Before his people could get her down, police cars had already surrounded Saint An Bridge tight. Someone reported seeing a dirty deal taking place on Saint An Bridge. Being who he was, Sheng Ting always had a file on record. With Zhuang Yi still hanging from the bridge, Sheng Ting could only be taken to the station. Zhuang Yi cried out that it was Chuzheng who had tied her to the bridge and that it had nothing to do with Sheng Ting. ¡°Why is Sheng Chuzheng being dragged into this again?¡± the person in charge of the case muttered to himself. ¡°Who is Sheng Chuzheng?¡± someone unaware and curious asked. ¡°Huh, you might not know, but you¡¯ve heard of Sheng Min, right?¡± The person across nodded; of course, they had heard of Sheng Min, but wasn¡¯t Sheng Min missing? ¡°The daughter of Sheng Min, recently she¡¯s caused quite a few troubles, but we have no evidence, and all her belongings were even reported and confiscated. That biggest smuggling case recently, they say it was her goods too.¡± ¡°Right, that one, wasn¡¯t it all reported?¡± ¡°Exactly, she reported it herself.¡± No one knew what she was up to. They all knew about the trades she made, but they had no evidence and couldn¡¯t arrest her. Moreover, she would report herself and turn in the goods to the state. All those goods were bought with real money! How were they supposed to deal with this? ¡°But¡­ why?¡± ¡°Why? We¡¯d like to know why too, probably because¡­ she has too much money to burn.¡± After all, the Sheng family had been linked to the criminal underworld for generations. How deep their roots really were, they weren¡¯t quite clear themselves. The investigator worried: ¡°Call Sheng Chuzheng in for questioning.¡± Chuzheng arrived neither hurried nor slow and, when faced with questioning, her answers were just three ¡ª no, nothing, any evidence? She had blindfolded Zhuang Yi when tying her up. Zhuang Yi didn¡¯t clearly see who had tied her up. The message sent to Sheng Ting was from a burner phone, so it couldn¡¯t be traced back to Chuzheng either. Chuzheng left the police station unscathed and nonchalant. Sheng Ting could only watch with wide eyes as Chuzheng left. She looked back as she walked out. The gaze that came her way was icy and dangerous, like a Fierce Beast lurking in the snow, sending chills down one¡¯s spine. Sheng Ting unconsciously took a step back. It was only after Chuzheng turned her head away and disappeared around the corner that Sheng Ting seemed to snap back to reality. That wasn¡¯t Sheng Chuzheng. Only at that moment did such a thought occur to Sheng Ting. His Zhenzhen wasn¡¯t like this! ¨C Chuzheng returned to the manor, the warmth driving away the chill that the snow had brought with it. Gao Ping didn¡¯t know what his miss had been out doing so late, and draped a garment over her as he made her some ginger tea to warm her stomach. Chuzheng finished the ginger tea and went upstairs. Just as she entered the room, she was embraced from behind. Chuzheng recognized Jiang Ye¡¯s scent. ¡°Where have you been?¡± ¡°Just some errands,¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t want to explain too much, knowing that Jiang Ye was aware of her habits and wouldn¡¯t ask further. Jiang Ye had changed into pajamas, the soft silk fabric very smooth, and the thin material felt almost like wearing nothing when touched. ¡°Your hands are so cold?¡± Jiang Ye covered Chuzheng¡¯s hands, tucking them directly into his embrace. Chuzheng¡¯s fingertips touched Jiang Ye¡¯s skin, the icy chill of her fingertips contrasting sharply with his scorching skin. ¡°I¡¯m not cold.¡± Chuzheng pulled her hand away and bundled him into bed, pressing him under the covers: ¡°Time to sleep.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Showering.¡± Jiang Ye sat up, his eyes smiling suggestively, ¡°Let me join you.¡± Chuzheng stated plainly, ¡°You¡¯ve already taken a shower.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Didn¡¯t he understand his hint? Jiang Ye took a deep breath, ¡°Take another one with me.¡± ¡°Too many showers aren¡¯t good for you,¡± Chuzheng refused, pushing him back down, ¡°Don¡¯t move around, lie still.¡± In the end, Jiang Ye didn¡¯t manage to take a shower with Chuzheng. He tossed and turned in bed. By the time Chuzheng came out, he had wrung the whole bed into a mess. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Does the Good Person Card have hyperactivity disorder? As Chuzheng lay down, Jiang Ye moved closer, his suggestive breath whispering by Chuzheng¡¯s ear, ¡°Wifey, I was thinking¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s late, time to sleep.¡± Chuzheng pulled down his hand, ¡°Next time.¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± He had finally returned!! Jiang Ye turned over to lie down; Chuzheng hugged him from behind but didn¡¯t intend to coddle him. Jiang Ye puffed his cheeks, his beautiful eyes flashing with a hint of helplessness. He turned over to embrace Chuzheng, not having the heart to be angry. The next day Chuzheng woke up to find that Jiang Ye had already gone. Did the little guy know she was planning to ground him? He was running away faster each time¡­ But now, it was more urgent to deal with that dog, Sheng Ting. Before he messed with her Good Person Card. This time he¡¯d deceived her by using the time Jiang Ye couldn¡¯t be contacted. Next time, he might actually go as far as to kidnap Jiang Ye. That was her Good Person Card! ¡°Miss Sheng, what do you need me for?¡± Qi Feng¡¯s voice clearly carried a note of caution. Chuzheng seeking him out definitely meant no good. He absolutely couldn¡¯t, for the sake of money, do anything again that would violate his professional ethics! No way! ¡°Interested in a chat?¡± ¡°¡­ Now?¡± Qi Feng thought about how to refuse Chuzheng. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m abroad, Miss Sheng. I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t be possible.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to pick you up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t until Qi Feng saw the people that he realized the extent of the ¡®pick up¡¯ Chuzheng had arranged. Anyone unaware would have thought he was some high-ranking official from another country. Chapter 236 - Chapter 236: Chapter 236: The Kings Return (33) Chapter 236: Chapter 236: The King¡¯s Return (33) Qi Feng was entering the Sheng Family estate for the first time. This family that had stood for a century had once been akin to the king of the underground world. The mansion, after several generations of expansion, could only be described as monstrously large, and every item within had its own history. Weathered by time, the estate possessed a sense of historical depth. Qi Feng was invited into the largest building. The interior was as warm as spring, with thick velvet carpets that extended from the entrance hall to the stairs, and even on the stairs themselves, feeling soft and tender beneath the feet. ¡°Mr. Qi, is there something wrong?¡± Gao Ping stood by, holding Qi Feng¡¯s coat for him. Qi Feng adjusted his glasses, ¡°Is your young lady very susceptible to the cold?¡± The whole floor was covered with velvet carpets. These carpets looked quite valuable as well. Gao Ping explained with a smile, ¡°No, it¡¯s because Mr. Jiang sometimes likes to walk around without shoes. That¡¯s why the young lady had us lay them down.¡± Mr. Jiang¡­ Jiang Ye? Qi Feng had also heard the recent rumors about Jiang Ye. After falling out with Hei Jin, that young person had laid low for a while before abruptly soaring to great heights. They say there¡¯s someone backing her¡­ Qi Feng walked further in and caught sight of the person inside immediately. Chuzheng was leaning casually on a sofa, her soft hair falling down, revealing only part of her attractive face. With one hand flipping through a magazine, the European style furniture made her appear like a queen sitting in a royal court, aloof and noble. ¡°Miss Sheng.¡± Chuzheng looked up and put down the magazine, ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± Qi Feng sat down opposite her. After Gao Ping carefully inquired about his dietary restrictions and preferences, he served tea and some pastries. ¡°Did Miss Sheng ask to see me for something?¡± ¡°Is Sirius trying to gather information about me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Feng took a sip of tea, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Help me with something. Money is no issue.¡± Qi Feng set down the tea cup and looked up at the girl opposite him. Her dark eyes were calm, like the snow falling outside the window, silent and still, yet chilling to the bone. She didn¡¯t try to hide her indifference and distance, epitomizing the phrase ¡®inhumanity¡¯. ¡°Miss Sheng, I¡¯m all ears.¡± He had come all this way; whose money he earned didn¡¯t matter, and this one in front of him seemed more generous than most. He felt that no matter how outrageous his price, she wouldn¡¯t mind. ¡°Have Sheng Ting collaborate with Sirius.¡± ¡°???¡± He remembered that she was not exactly on friendly terms with Sheng Ting or Sirius, right? Why would she want to facilitate a collaboration between them? Qi Feng voiced his doubts. Chuzheng gave him an icy stare, and pondering for a moment, Qi Feng didn¡¯t dare to pry further, but he asked for some details. Sheng Ting had previously made contact with people from Sirius. To bring about cooperation between them, Qi Feng thought, would be difficult, yet not impossible. After all, Sheng Ting¡¯s current situation in the country wasn¡¯t very good. Qi Feng made a great effort, running many errands, until finally, following Chuzheng¡¯s instructions, he managed to establish cooperation between the two parties. Afterward, Qi Feng received no further instructions from Chuzheng. It was as though she was performing a good deed every day, wanting to rescue Sheng Ting from dire straits. ¡°Master Jiang, I found out from Qi Feng that the recent collaboration between Sheng Ting and Sirius was¡­ facilitated by Miss Sheng.¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s gun-cleaning motion paused. He lifted his gaze to watch the snowflakes dance in the sky. His crisp voice acquired a touch of chill, ¡°Why would Qi Feng tell you?¡± Chen Jiu frowned, ¡°I just made some inquiries, and Qi Feng revealed it willingly. Could it be because of Miss Sheng?¡± Recently, Qi Feng would often pass on news to them, even occasionally helping them out when it wouldn¡¯t get him into trouble. ¡°Master Jiang, I don¡¯t know what your current relationship with Miss Sheng is. But Sheng Ting¡­¡± Chen Jiu hesitated, not daring to continue. ¡°Speak,¡± Master Jiang said nonchalantly, continuing to clean his gun. ¡°Sheng Ting, after all, grew up with Miss Sheng. Before the Sheng Family experienced its troubles, Sheng Ting and Miss Sheng had a good relationship. If Sheng Ting reconciles with Miss Sheng, what about us¡­¡± Chen Jiu¡¯s analysis was from the perspective of an average person, without exaggeration or embellishment. Jiang Ye finished listening to Chen Jiu¡¯s analysis and silently cleaned his gun. The gun he originally had was lost by Chuzheng, this one was given to him by Chuzheng. It looked somewhat petite, but it was convenient to carry, and its range and power were both stronger than that of ordinary guns. ¡°Be careful during the operation tonight.¡± Jiang Ye left after dropping that sentence. Chen Jiu felt that Master Jiang was angry. But it didn¡¯t quite seem the same as when he normally got upset. Unable to figure it out, he hurriedly went to arrange the evening¡¯s affairs. Sheng Ting¡¯s cooperation with Sirius was quickly showing results. Jiang Ye¡¯s expression grew worse day by day, checking his phone over and over, opening it and putting it down again. Once during a fight, he almost got hurt because of a text message. And the message turned out to be just spam. ¡°To City Z.¡± Jiang Ye strode outside. Chen Jiu ran to keep up, ¡°Master Jiang, aren¡¯t you going to tell Miss Sheng?¡± ¡°Tell her what?¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s demeanor was cold, ¡°Why do I need to tell her where I¡¯m going?¡± Chen Jiu: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Time flew by, and before long, summer arrived. Qi Feng sent news that recently Sirius and Sheng Ting were collaborating on a fairly big business deal. Chuzheng gave new instructions to Qi Feng. Those instructions left Qi Feng at a loss for words. He really misjudged her!! He thought she wanted to help others, to give Sheng Ting a hand. Turns out she wanted to push Sheng Ting into a fire pit, and then pour oil on the flames. When there was trouble during the transaction between Sheng Ting and Sirius, and both sides were on the verge of conflict, the police suddenly appeared, catching them off guard. This time the police came prepared, even knowing their escape routes. Sheng Ting and Sirius suffered significant losses, and after this incident, they became sworn enemies. The once improving situation of Sheng Ting instantly plunged to rock bottom. It was even more severe than before. Qi Feng didn¡¯t know how Chuzheng had managed it; he hadn¡¯t done much on his end, just provided some information. But remembering Chuzheng¡¯s wealthy and imposing manner, he figured she probably just threw money at the problem¡­ As long as the price was right, there were plenty of people willing to work for her. ¡°Master Jiang, this was delivered by someone from Miss Sheng,¡± Chen Jiu handed a USB drive to Jiang Ye. Jiang Ye had been in City Z the whole time, as if he wouldn¡¯t return unless Chuzheng came to find him. But only Chen Jiu knew that Master Jiang, held a photo of Miss Sheng every day, whether he cried or not was unknown, but he looked quite pitiable, like a little wife. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Jiang Ye glanced at it, without taking it. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, I haven¡¯t looked at it.¡± What if it was something he shouldn¡¯t see¡­ He might die if he looked! Jiang Ye was silent for several minutes, then brought over his laptop, plugged in the USB drive, and opened it. After seeing what was inside, Jiang Ye sat up straight. Chen Jiu also received news and said with some surprise, ¡°Master Jiang, Sheng Ting and Sirius have fallen out, and they were raided by the police.¡± Jiang Ye closed the files on the desktop and handed the USB drive to Chen Jiu, ¡°You decide what to do with it.¡± Decide what? What¡¯s in here? Seeing Jiang Ye hurry off, Chen Jiu quickly called out, ¡°Where are you going, Master Jiang?¡± ¡°Going back to see my baby.¡± Chen Jiu: ¡°¡­¡± Who was it that refused to go back before? And what kind of fairy-tale nickname is ¡®baby¡¯? Could someone like Miss Sheng, exuding a queen¡¯s aura, be called baby? Chen Jiu silently went through the contents of the USB drive, which contained some of the more secret information from Sheng Ting, this¡­ Miss Sheng was planning to hand over all of Sheng Ting¡¯s secrets to Master Jiang! Chapter 237 - Chapter 237: Chapter 237: The Kings Return (34) Chapter 237: Chapter 237: The King¡¯s Return (34) ¡°Mr. Jiang?¡± Uncle Ping opened the door. Seeing the panting Jiang Ye, he was somewhat surprised. Jiang Ye hadn¡¯t been around lately. Although Jiang Ye had his own affairs to deal with, he used to drop by every once in a while. Uncle Ping didn¡¯t dare to ask what had happened when the visits all of a sudden stopped. ¡°Where¡¯s baby?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°Chuzheng.¡± ¡°Miss hasn¡¯t come back yet.¡± Does Mr. Jiang usually call the Miss ¡°baby¡±? Sir likes calling the Miss that too¡­ Thinking of the Sir, Uncle Ping¡¯s mood dipped slightly. ¡°Where did she go?¡± Uncle Ping shook his head. Now the Miss would go out without telling him what she was doing. Jiang Ye fumbled for his phone. Due to his urgency, it took him several tries to get it out. He dialed that familiar number and made the call. The ringtone sounded from not far away. Jiang Ye turned around. Chuzheng, accompanied by bodyguards, was walking over. She was looking down at her phone, seemingly about to answer it. Jiang Ye ran over and enveloped Chuzheng in his embrace. The bodyguards exchanged glances, drifted apart, and disappeared into the surroundings. Uncle Ping shook his head and entered the house. Jiang Ye¡¯s voice was muffled, ¡°Baby, I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have been mad at you, I was wrong.¡± It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t trust her. He just felt she ought to give him an explanation, shouldn¡¯t she? Helping Sheng Ting out of the blue. Yet he had waited so long and hadn¡¯t even received a single text from her. Chuzheng caressed his hair, not understanding why Jiang Ye was apologizing. Her plan was to wait until Sheng Ting¡¯s matter was settled and then to retrieve the Good Person Card¡­ Jiang Ye let go of Chuzheng, his hands on her shoulders, his deep eyes quietly watching her. ¡°Hmm?¡± Jiang Ye parted his lips. The words reached his mouth but were swallowed back down. He slightly bowed his head and captured Chuzheng¡¯s lips, the kisses rolling gently, filled with lingering affection. Until both of them were somewhat breathless, Jiang Ye stopped, but their lips remained close together, without moving apart. Their hot breaths mingled. ¡°Do you want to?¡± Chuzheng asked him. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± To deny it would seem pretentious. It had been a long time since he had touched her. Of course, he desired her. But¡­ ¡°Baby, how can you be so frank?¡± Chuzheng said seriously, ¡°This is a normal adult human behavior and a justified need. What¡¯s there not to say?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ye hugged Chuzheng and laughed, ¡°Stop talking, baby. Someone might hear¡­¡± Although no one could be seen around the manor, there were people lurking in the shadows. Even if they were too embarrassed to watch, they could hear what Chuzheng was saying! He picked Chuzheng up and took her inside the house, heading upstairs. He placed Chuzheng on the sofa and leaned down, kissing her softly and gently. ¨C Uncle Ping had dinner ready and hesitated whether to go upstairs to call them. Before he could decide, someone came down the stairs. Chuzheng, wrapped in a shawl and treading on the carpet, walked down silently. Uncle Ping immediately lowered his head, ¡°Miss, dinner is ready.¡± Chuzheng nodded. Seeing Uncle Ping with his head lowered, she spoke again, ¡°Um, take it up to him.¡± Uncle Ping answered and, instead of sending someone else, personally took the dinner to the room. ¡°Mr. Jiang, dinner is ready.¡± The room was very clean. Jiang Ye lay on the bed, a slight arc peeking from under the blanket. He poked his head from underneath, gave him a look, and surveyed the room. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Uncle Ping gently urged, ¡°Mr. Jiang, please eat a little. I¡¯ve made it quite light.¡± Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Thinking back to how he didn¡¯t want to eat earlier and the forceful manner Chuzheng had in trying to feed him, he resignedly got up. How could a girl be so domineering¡­ Even in bed. It was too damaging to his male pride. Jiang Ye casually put on his clothes, ¡°Where¡¯s the baby?¡± ¡°The young miss is downstairs.¡± ¡°Could you please call her for me, Uncle Ping? Just say I¡¯d like to eat with her.¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s face was pale with a rosy flush, and his lips were as red as rose petals. The corners of his eyes were slightly moist and red, making him look like a delicate flower dampened by dew, alluring in its hazy beauty. Uncle Ping hesitated for a moment before agreeing and leaving. It took Chuzheng a while to come upstairs. Uncle Ping brought some more food, and Chuzheng sat beside him, ¡°Do you want me to keep you company while you eat?¡± Even needing company to eat a meal. How childish! ¡°Yes.¡± Jiang Ye nodded, ¡°Are you unwilling?¡± Chuzheng glanced at him, picked up her chopsticks, and silently ate her meal. Jiang Ye smiled with a tugged corner of his mouth. It didn¡¯t matter if she wasn¡¯t fond of talking, as long as she was willing to do as he asked. He really liked her. The more Jiang Ye thought about it, the happier he became, and suddenly he pulled Chuzheng in for a kiss. Chuzheng nearly slapped him. A kiss while eating a meal. What kind of kiss is that! Mouth full of grease. Chuzheng finished eating and kept her distance from Jiang Ye. The Good Person Card always seemed to act up strangely from time to time. After Jiang Ye had finished eating and freshened up, he emerged clean and refreshed, with a hint of moisture lingering on him. He sat opposite Chuzheng, ¡°Baby.¡± Chuzheng put down the hand propping her face, ¡°Hmm?¡± Didn¡¯t he used to not call her that? How come he started again? Chuzheng always had a sense of¡­ familiarity and strangeness towards this nickname. But she didn¡¯t dislike it. In fact, she quite liked it. Especially when Jiang Ye called her, his voice was clear and lingering, and the end sound was particularly pleasing to the ear. ¡°Could you smile for me?¡± Jiang Ye leaned in close to her, his eyes bright under his eyelashes. Chuzheng coldly turned her head away. Jiang Ye turned her face back to him, ¡°Baby, look at me.¡± Chuzheng brushed away his hand, ¡°Stop it.¡± Jiang Ye¡¯s hand hung in the air as he just looked at her. Chuzheng took a deep breath, grabbed his hand, and placed it in her palm, ¡°Stop it.¡± Jiang Ye stood up, walked around the table, and sat in Chuzheng¡¯s embrace. Chuzheng quickly slid back to catch Jiang Ye. The night outside the floor-to-ceiling windows grew denser, stars scattered across the sky, and the crystal lantern cast upon Jiang Ye outlined his nearly perfect profile. A person can be so good-looking that it makes you want to hold them and never let go. Especially when he smiles casually, he outshines even the stars. Chuzheng wrapped her arms around his waist, very earnestly commenting on his behavior of sitting in her lap, ¡°You¡¯re kind of heavy.¡± Really heavy. After all, Jiang Ye was so tall! The corners of Jiang Ye¡¯s mouth stiffened. Baby, you¡¯re going to lose me like this!! ¡°Did you use to smile before?¡± Jiang Ye rested his head against hers and asked softly. Chuzheng thought about it and shook her head. She didn¡¯t really remember. She never considered that with her current body, she was answering as herself. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it, neither has anyone else.¡± Jiang Ye felt somewhat reassured. Jiang Ye rambled on, Chuzheng responded now and then, but as for what he was saying¡­ she had no idea. The next day, Jiang Ye and Gao Ping were chatting. And from Gao Ping, he heard something that made him angry. ¡°The young miss used to love to smile, always greeting people with a smile, like an angel, making everyone fond of her. It started after¡­ Mr. Jiang disappeared.¡± What happened to never having smiled, huh?! Liar! ¡°How was her relationship with Sheng Ting before?¡± ¡°Sheng Ting¡­ The young miss was on good terms with him, they grew up together, and the young miss was very happy back then¡­¡± Jiang Ye didn¡¯t wait to hear the rest, storming off to find Chuzheng in a rage. Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: Chapter 238: The Kings Return (35) Chapter 238: Chapter 238: The King¡¯s Return (35) Jiang Ye couldn¡¯t find anyone after searching around and was told she had gone out. No one knew where she went. Chuzheng never told anyone her destination; even the people by her side only found out upon arrival. Irritated, Jiang Ye sat in the small garden. Gao Ping came to call him for a meal, but he refused to eat. When Chuzheng returned, she heard that Jiang Ye was in a bad mood. He had been fine when she left, so why was he throwing a fit now? Chuzheng went to the garden to call Jiang Ye. Jiang Ye was sitting on the lawn of the small garden. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± Jiang Ye, head buried in his knees, moved his shoulders upon hearing the voice. A moment later, he spoke, ¡°Uncle Ping said you used to smile often. You lied to me.¡± Indifferently, Chuzheng thought when had she ever smiled often? Was Gao Ping seeing things? Then she realized Gao Ping meant Sheng Chuzheng. But how was she to explain that? What a hassle¡­ ¡°You¡¯re still close with Sheng Ting, you smiled at him, didn¡¯t you?¡± You never smiled at me! Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Why did it lead back to that bastard Sheng Ting again? ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Pacify me!! What am I supposed to say? I can¡¯t say anything at all! It¡¯s not like I did it! Bastard won¡¯t let me talk out of turn! If I say anything, it¡¯ll be beep¡­ After pondering for a moment, Chuzheng crouched down and took out a box, ¡°This is for you.¡± Jiang Ye lifted his head slightly. The deep blue box bore no markings, its contents obscure from the outside. ¡°What is it?¡± Chuzheng pushed the box toward him. Hesitantly, he looked at her, then took the box. He opened the box and his expression instantly froze, his beautiful eyes blinking several times. Silently lying inside the box was a ring, its simple and understated design exuding a three-dimensional feel, giving off an impression of restrained luxury. Stealing glances at Jiang Ye¡¯s face, Chuzheng hoped¡­ he would like it, right? Would he let me touch his head tonight¡­ Should I give him another? As Chuzheng contemplated whether to give him another one, Jiang Ye was already looking back at her. ¡°Are you proposing to me?¡± ¡°???¡± I just¡­ spontaneously bought it while squandering money and casually gave it to you¡­ Chuzheng kept a straight face, and taking it as her agreement, Jiang Ye said, ¡°But it should be me proposing to you.¡± He closed the box and handed it back, ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± Chuzheng took it, opened the box, retrieved the ring, and began putting it on his hand. The size of the ring fit Jiang Ye¡¯s ring finger exactly. She could only place it on his ring finger. The ring slowly slid onto his finger, and as Chuzheng gave it a twist, in Jiang Ye¡¯s eyes, all these motions slowed down. His heart rate followed suit. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Try taking it off.¡± Chuzheng threatened him fiercely. Jiang Ye hesitated. The ring, hugging his finger, now had its warmth, and his hand relaxed slightly. Satisfied, Chuzheng tousled his hair, ¡°Good.¡± Jiang Ye felt her intentions were strange, it wasn¡¯t a proposal, but with Chuzheng¡¯s serious expression, he couldn¡¯t discern anything else. Chuzheng took him back, and by the time Jiang Ye realized she hadn¡¯t answered his question, he was already lying in bed, just one step away. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Why can¡¯t he hold his ground! ¨C Sheng Ting and Sirius were seriously injured, and Jiang Ye somehow obtained a wealth of secret information. Sheng Ting¡¯s territory was quickly absorbed by Jiang Ye. Sirius, because of this issue, rapidly struck at those powers watching them. The strength of Sirius¡¯s forces was also swiftly dismantled, and Chuzheng had people search for Sheng Min¡¯s whereabouts, but in the end, she only received an answer of ignorance. The people of Sirius all said they haven¡¯t seen Sheng Min; their boss had disappeared without a trace. It seemed that Sheng Min truly could not be found anymore. There were many who Sheng Ting had offended, and countless more who took the opportunity to seek his life. Sheng Ting wanted to turn the tables; he indeed had the capability, but luck was no longer on his side. One after another, those close to him betrayed him. Just as how he had incited those people to leave the Sheng Family initially¡­ But Sheng Ting quickly found a way. He would marry a tycoon¡¯s daughter to stabilize the current situation. Zhuang Yi had been with Sheng Ting for so many years, guarding against Sheng Chuzheng, only for him to end up marrying a completely stranger. When the woman learned that Sheng Ting had such a mistress by his side, she was very angry and had Zhuang Yi taken away when Sheng Ting was not paying attention. After all, she had been the one beside his pillow for so many years, so Sheng Ting still held some sentimentality. ¡°Where did you take her?¡± Sheng Ting looked grimly at the woman applying her lipstick. The woman was attractive, with meticulous makeup and a more explosive figure. She pursed her lips and gave a charming smile in the mirror, ¡°Mr. Sheng, I will take good care of your little mistress for you. What you need to do now is to prepare well for the wedding and not make my father angry.¡± ¡°Bring her back to me.¡± ¡°Mr. Sheng, do you still think you are the high and mighty Brother Ting?¡± the woman put down the lipstick, ¡°You want my father¡¯s help, so don¡¯t put on such an attitude for me. I fancy you, but you¡¯re not indispensable.¡± Sheng Ting: ¡°¡­¡± Sheng Ting clenched his fist tightly, staring dead at the woman. The woman walked with a catlike gait towards Sheng Ting, leaning into his arms and straightening his collar. In the end, with a coquettish laugh, she said, ¡°You need to decide what you want more, your future or your little mistress, Mr. Sheng. Think carefully.¡± The woman left, her hips swaying. At the door, she looked back, ¡°Oh, by the way, I also found out that your little mistress looks somewhat similar to your younger sister from before.¡± In the end, Sheng Ting did not further inquire about Zhuang Yi¡¯s whereabouts. ¨C Sheng Ting walked down the red carpet with the woman in a wedding dress by his side, thinking this scene would have been with Chuzheng. But unexpectedly¡­ How did he end up in this situation? Looking back, Sheng Ting found it somewhat unclear. The sound of a helicopter flying overhead did not draw much attention from the crowd. ¡°What is that?¡± Something glittering floated down from the sky. The crowd reached out to catch them. ¡°Made of gold?¡± ¡°These are made of gold!!¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± ¡°So many¡­¡± The glittering gold coins fell from the sky, gold coins fashioned into currency, not the round kind. They were now fluttering down everywhere. The gold coins had been scattered from the helicopter that had just passed. The area where the gold coins were sprinkled wasn¡¯t large, just around this vicinity, and this vicinity happened to be a well-known open area, so it did not cause much chaos. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the wedding of Jiang Ye and Sheng Chuzheng next door?¡± ¡°They¡¯re getting married?¡± ¡°Yes, when I arrived, I saw their wedding portrait standing next to us. It¡¯s the two of them, but it doesn¡¯t seem like many people are attending. It¡¯s probably just their own circle and no outsiders.¡± ¡°That spendthrift Sheng Chuzheng?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just like her to do such a thing.¡± ¡°Does the Sheng Family own a gold mine? Even with a gold mine, this is too extravagant, right?¡± ¡°When Sheng Ting left with his people back then, who knew that Sheng Min kept the important assets for his daughter. If it weren¡¯t for that, Sheng Ting couldn¡¯t be like he is now.¡± Some glanced in the direction of Sheng Ting. Sheng Ting clenched his fist, his expression darkening. Those whispers were especially irritating. Getting married¡­ She actually married Jiang Ye. ¡°Mr. Sheng.¡± The woman glanced sideways at him, her smile blooming like a flower: ¡°I chose this place especially.¡± Sheng Ting¡¯s gaze instantly sharpened. Chapter 239 - Chapter 239: Chapter 239: The Kings Return (End) Chapter 239: Chapter 239: The King¡¯s Return (End) Jiang Ye almost got buried by Gold Coins. He was wrong. He shouldn¡¯t have asked for a wedding. Luckily, not too many people were invited, just a few from his side and a few from Chuzheng¡¯s side. But Chuzheng bought the entire wedding venue, and now she¡¯s even throwing Gold Coins at him¡­ What else could be coming? He really was wrong. ¡°Baby, can we be a bit more frugal?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I wish I could. But how could Bastard miss such a great opportunity? Impossible! This lifetime is never going to be frugal. ¡°What if I can¡¯t support you later on?¡± Chuzheng, speaking straightforwardly: ¡°I can support you, I have money.¡± Spend more of my money! I am that legendary tycoon who¡¯s rolling in cash. Damn it. Don¡¯t let me catch Bastard¡¯s little tail. To hell with this bastard! ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ye decided to shut up. Since there were so few people, the wedding was casual, everyone eating and drinking, the large venue turned into a bustling scene. Chuzheng, in a pure white dress, sat regally and coldly on the side. No one dared to bother her. She leaned back slightly, looking at the blue sky and white clouds above. All of a sudden, Jiang Ye¡¯s face appeared in front of Chuzheng, his head lowered from behind her, he smiled, and then kissed her. The girl¡¯s pure white dress brushed lightly, against the boy¡¯s black luxurious suit, creating a striking audiovisual effect. The blue sky and the white clouds were the background for their kiss, an unusually beautiful scene. ¨C Chuzheng saw Sheng Ting again several months later. She was invited to a banquet. Chuzheng mixed in ways that were slightly different from the underworld, but she had money, and many had made money off her. Of course, such a person needed to be well taken care of. Now, she was also married to Jiang Ye. Jiang Ye had replaced Sheng Ting and Hei Jin to become the top faction. Jiang Ye did not wipe out Hei Jin completely, allowing it to struggle on on its last breath. Sheng Ting stood next to a woman, his face overcast, his whole body exuding a repressed aura. The woman was all smiles as she clung to him, nothing out of the ordinary. ¡°Baby, don¡¯t drink.¡± Jiang Ye switched the alcohol in Chuzheng¡¯s hand for a beverage. ¡°It¡¯s impolite.¡± Chuzheng reminded. ¡°It¡¯s fine, they can¡¯t tell.¡± Jiang Ye said with a smile. Chuzheng glanced at the beverage that had been swapped in her hand, you really can¡¯t tell unless you look closely. ¡°Mr. Jiang is really bold.¡± An abrupt voice cut in, Jiang Ye turned around, it was a stranger. The man sneered with his mouth twisted, assuming a mocking stance. This person was one of Hei Jin¡¯s, Master Liu no longer showed himself, and all affairs of Hei Jin were handled by this man. ¡°Not as bold as Mr. Sun.¡± Jiang Ye replied nonchalantly. ¡°Mr. Jiang is too modest, the way you dealt ruthlessly with your former boss is not something ordinary people can match.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there still Sheng Ting?¡± Jiang Ye, with a faint smile, carelessly glanced over in Sheng Ting¡¯s direction. Mr. Sun: ¡°¡­¡± He was talking to him, why bring up Sheng Ting! Although Sheng Ting¡­ ¡°Ha, you¡¯ve seen it yourself, Sheng Ting¡¯s current situation.¡± Mr. Sun quickly found a new mocking topic, ¡°Mr. Jiang, one should still consider righteousness in life.¡± ¡°Mr. Sun makes a good point, but this righteousness, it also depends on who it is directed at, doesn¡¯t it?¡± He did so many things for Hei Jin. Wasn¡¯t Master Liu planning to get rid of him in the end? When he tried to talk about justice again, nothing but shattered bones and a bad reputation awaited him. The exchanges between the two were so intense; it felt as though one could see swordplay in the air. Chuzheng leaned against the edge of the table, with no intention of interjecting. Yet somehow the fire found its way to her. ¡°Mr. Jiang¡¯s success today, I hear, is thanks to Miss Sheng. Is Mr. Jiang living off a woman?¡± The malice in the man¡¯s words was hardly concealed. Jiang Ye knew that this was the gossip in the circle. Chuzheng indeed had given him quite a bit of help. ¡°Indeed, with Mr. Jiang¡¯s looks, living off his face wouldn¡¯t be an issue at all,¡± Mr. Sun said, his mood lightening considerably as Jiang Ye remained silent. ¡°Even if you wanted to live off your face, you couldn¡¯t,¡± a cold voice interrupted: ¡°You¡¯re ugly.¡± The girl in the black dress had her left hand wrapped across her chest, her right hand holding a glass of wine, her face expressionless as she looked over. Finding himself called ugly right to his face, Mr. Sun¡¯s momentary pleasure was squashed in an instant. ¡°Miss Sheng, it¡¯s not nice to judge someone by their looks,¡± Mr. Sun said through clenched teeth. Was it his fault that he was ugly? His looks were given to him by his parents! ¡°Hmm,¡± Chuzheng nodded: ¡°But you are ugly.¡± And talkative, too. Mr. Sun would speak out in front of Jiang Ye because Jiang Ye played along with him. But with Chuzheng, she simply insisted he was ugly without entertaining any other conversation, which made Mr. Sun so furious he could explode. Finally, he glared at Jiang Ye and left in a huff. Chuzheng took a sip of her drink. Serves you right for picking on my Good Person Card. An ugly bastard like you talks so much yet has the audacity to bully my Good Person Card! Do you think you can just bully it however you want?! ¡°Baby,¡± Jiang Ye called her in a drawn-out tone, his beautiful eyes glinting, a thickening smile at his lips. Chuzheng was suddenly reminded of certain discordant images. The little thing is seducing me again! I won¡¯t fall for it this time! Chuzheng reached out and tousled his hair, then turned and walked away. Jiang Ye: ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Ye brushed his hair back, and after a moment, let out a low chuckle. After the banquet ended, Jiang Ye and Chuzheng walked out of the venue. Outside, a light rain had begun to fall at some unknown time. The light, perpetual drizzle fell through the neon lights, making the world misty and unclear. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s raining,¡± Jiang Ye reached out to catch some droplets and turned to ask her caringly, ¡°Baby, are you cold?¡± He asked that, but he was already removing his jacket, draping it over Chuzheng. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± A piercing scream suddenly cut through the Black Night. Jiang Ye, holding Chuzheng, looked in that direction, but the shifting crowd made it hard to see exactly what was happening. However, he heard someone shouting about blood and injuries. Chuzheng didn¡¯t even lift an eyelid, clearly uninterested, her hands crossed as she pulled on Jiang Ye¡¯s clothes: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Jiang Ye wouldn¡¯t find out until the next day that the injured person was Sheng Ting. The one who wounded Sheng Ting was the long-missing Zhuang Yi. Zhuang Yi had intended to kill Sheng Ting¡¯s wife but was blocked by Sheng Ting, who was still being resuscitated. Regardless, Sheng Ting¡¯s wife certainly wasn¡¯t going to let Zhuang Yi off easily. Jiang Ye turned off his phone, looking at the person beside him, his lips curving into an involuntary smile. ¡°Stop it,¡± Chuzheng was still sleepy, her voice lacking its usual iciness, causing a tightness in Jiang Ye. He purposefully nudged Chuzheng, calling her in a suggestive, lingering tone: ¡°Baby¡­¡± Chuzheng turned over, coldly rejecting Jiang Ye¡¯s overly energetic morning exercise. ¡°Baby,¡± Jiang Ye called out pitifully: ¡°I¡¯m in agony.¡± ¡°Stop it,¡± Chuzheng took his hand to keep him from touching her indiscriminately. Jiang Ye was persistently annoying, and as they tussled in the bed, Chuzheng¡¯s sleepiness finally wore off. She turned over and pinned Jiang Ye beneath her. Jiang Ye wanted to resist at first, but recalling past tearful experiences, he ultimately lay back and waited for his grace. The morning sun grew brighter, its light dancing in front of Jiang Ye¡¯s eyes, causing a bit of dizziness, the pleasure stimulating his nerves, dragging him step by step into oblivion. Thank you for coming into my life. Chapter 240 - Chapter 240: Chapter 240: Dont Leave After School (1) Chapter 240: Chapter 240: Don¡¯t Leave After School (1) ¡°Go buy some milk tea, and make it quick! I want lemon-flavored.¡± ¡°Did you hear that, or are you daydreaming?¡± ¡°Xu Chuzheng, are you deaf!!¡± As soon as Chuzheng opened her eyes, she saw four girls dressed in school uniforms that were askew, their skirts altered to be ridiculously short, essentially screaming ¡®I¡¯m the queen bee of this society.¡¯ She sat on the ground, feeling a burning sensation on her knees and palms. She must have been pushed to the ground, scraping herself in the process. This was clearly a case of school bullying. Unfortunately, I was the one being bullied. Really¡­ how thrilling! Chuzheng quickly assessed her situation and got up with a stoic expression. Her knee was also wounded, bleeding, and seemed to be the most severe injury of all. the voice from King¡¯s Account chimed in just in time. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng glanced at them and turned to leave. ¡°Xu Chuzheng, hurry up.¡± ¡°Look at her go, hahaha, did you guys get that on video?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stop laughing¡­¡± The enthusiastic discussion continued intermittently behind her as Chuzheng glanced at the wounds in the palm of her hand, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. ¨C The original owner of the body was named Xu Chuzheng. In the Xu family, where males were valued over females, they nearly discarded her upon discovering that their newborn was a girl. Although they ultimately didn¡¯t abandon her, Father Xu and Mother Xu couldn¡¯t care less about her. When she was still an infant, she nearly died from a high fever. It was only after a relative intervened, unable to ignore her suffering, that she was taken to see a doctor. Her life was saved, but the high fever caused Xu Chuzheng to be somewhat slow to react. She wasn¡¯t stupid, just sluggish, with reactions much slower than average. When Chuzheng was three years old, Mother Xu became pregnant again and, finally getting her wish, gave birth to a boy named Xu Shenghui. From that moment on, Chuzheng¡¯s life became even harder. Whenever Xu Shenghui cried and Mother Xu found Chuzheng nearby, she¡¯d blame Chuzheng, and all the good things belonged to Xu Shenghui, even if he didn¡¯t need them¡­ Being beaten and scolded became the norm. When it was time for school, Father Xu and Mother Xu had no plans to send her. Eventually, it might have been some relative¡¯s advice that convinced them, and Chuzheng was allowed to attend school. Other kids had parents to pick them up after school, but Xu Chuzheng had been on her own since kindergarten. Parents tend to raise children that mirror their own character. Under the influence and example of Father Xu and Mother Xu, Xu Shenghui also began to bully her. Xu Chuzheng somehow managed to make it through to middle school in such an environment. In middle school, Xu Shenghui got into a fight in primary school and injured another child. Chuzheng happened to be with Xu Shenghui at the time, but without a second thought, her parents pushed her forward to take the blame for Xu Shenghui. To avoid compensation, Father Xu and Mother Xu even said they should just kick her to death to even the score. The other child¡¯s parents were furious and kicked her several times. The onlookers realized that things were not right and quickly called the police. In the end, Father Xu and Mother Xu still had to pay. But the blame was placed on Chuzheng once again. After this incident, every time Xu Shenghui did something wrong, he pushed the blame onto Chuzheng, and each time she was the one who got punished while Xu Shenghui gloated beside her. Having graduated from middle school, Chuzheng entered high school at Dingyang Middle School. There was little difference from her previous school; she was bullied as soon as she entered. The worst bullies were the same girls from earlier. Chuzheng had become accustomed to such bullying and aside from enduring it, she had no other way out. In the second year of high school, a new student named Qin Feng transferred to the school. Handsome and from a wealthy family, he became a notable figure as soon as he arrived. Many girls at the school liked him. Qin Feng once helped Chuzheng unintentionally, and with her youthful heart stirred, she found herself hopelessly falling for Qin Feng. But it was precisely because of Qin Feng¡¯s casual act that Xu Chuzheng was bullied even more severely. However, not long after, Qin Feng suddenly came and confessed to her. Xu Chuzheng, who was slow to react, didn¡¯t realize what was happening until Qin Feng had already left. A male student ran over and told her to go somewhere on the weekend, where Qin Feng would be waiting for her. Xu Chuzheng hesitated for a long time, but still went on the weekend. She waited there alone for a long time. But Qin Feng never showed up. The next day when she went to school, she heard that Qin Feng was together with Yu Yue. Yu Yue was the school beauty and also the leader of the small group that bullied her. Afterwards, when Yu Yue and Qin Feng went out, they would always take her along. Qin Feng completely forgot who she was. Yu Yue deliberately exposed the fact that the original host liked him in front of Qin Feng. However, Qin Feng only showed a look of disgust. It was only later that the original host learned that at the time, Qin Feng had lost a game, and someone casually pointed out a person for him to confess to. Just by coincidence, that person happened to be her. At that time, Qin Feng didn¡¯t even know her and didn¡¯t take the confession seriously at all. Not long after, Yu Yue and Qin Feng were reported for underage romance. The incident caused quite a stir, but because Qin Feng¡¯s family was wealthy and powerful, and Yu Yue was not the type to study hard, the matter ended up being dismissed. Yu Yue and Qin Feng remained a couple, very much in love. On the other hand, the original host was identified by Yu Yue as the informant. The bullying she faced constantly escalated. She received no kindness at home and was bullied at school as well. In the end, unable to bear it anymore, the original host jumped from the roof of the teaching building, ending her life that was as faint as the light of a firefly. Chuzheng rubbed her temples. What kind of Immortals¡¯ plot was this? The current timeline was still early, Qin Feng hadn¡¯t confessed to her yet, and Yu Yue wasn¡¯t together with Qin Feng. But it would happen soon. It was just a matter of this month. Today was Wednesday, and this period was PE class. The original host was dragged by Yu Yue¡¯s group to a corner. After a round of shoving and bullying, they now sent her to buy milk tea. ¡­Milk tea, huh? I¡¯ll treat you to your fill! Every flavor there is! There was a milk tea shop in the school. Chuzheng headed towards the milk tea shop. Passing by the playground, she saw people playing basketball on the court. Her classmates from the original host¡¯s class were on another side. There was also a group of senior students who probably didn¡¯t plan on going to college, so they were idling their time away on the basketball court. Chuzheng walked towards them. A basketball flew across the sky, bounced on the ground, and rolled to a stop in front of Chuzheng. ¡°Hey, junior girl, throw the basketball here.¡± Someone from that side called out to her and spread their hands, gesturing for Chuzheng to throw the ball. The school uniforms for each grade were of different colors, and they could tell her grade by looking at her uniform. Chuzheng bent over to pick up the basketball and walked over with it. The people on the opposite side didn¡¯t know what Chuzheng wanted to do, standing shoulder to shoulder, making faces at each other as they watched her. ¡°Junior girl, what¡¯s up?¡± The one who asked her to throw the ball was a boy with a height of 1.9 meters. Standing in front of Chuzheng like a small mountain, he made Chuzheng look dainty and delicate. Chuzheng passed the basketball to him. The other party reached out to take it. However, Chuzheng didn¡¯t let go. The other side frowned, visibly getting annoyed. ¡°Need money?¡± Chuzheng asked calmly. Here¡¯s some money for you! ¡°Huh?¡± The boy thought he had misheard. Chapter 241 - Chapter 241: Chapter 241: Dont Leave After School (2) Chapter 241: Chapter 241: Don¡¯t Leave After School (2) ¡°Why isn¡¯t Xu Chuzheng back yet?¡± ¡°Could she have run away?¡± Yu Yue sat upon the steps, her hair faintly glowing with a wine-red sheen in the sunlight, complementing her delicate, beautiful face. As the acknowledged school beauty, Yu Yue was naturally very pretty. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± Yu Yue scoffed with disdain. ¡°Does she have the guts?¡± ¡°True,¡± someone beside her chimed in. ¡°But she¡¯s been gone a bit too long today¡­¡± ¡°Then she¡¯s not coming back.¡± Yu Yue lifted her eyes and saw Chuzheng stepping up the stairs, dressed in an oversized but clean school uniform jacket. The edge of the uniform was purple, a jacket for seniors, long enough to cover her hips. ¡°Lele, it looks like she didn¡¯t buy the milk tea¡­¡± Yu Yue also saw that Chuzheng had both hands in the pockets of the oversized jacket, perhaps because she had hurt her knee, she was walking slowly. It was now afternoon, with the sun high and blazing. All at once, the girl seemed to be touched by an aura of light, shedding her usual timidity and commanding respect not to be taken lightly. Yu Yue stood up from the steps, a trace of confusion crossing her lovely face. ¡°Lele, there¡¯s something off about Xu Chuzheng.¡± ¡°The uniform she¡¯s wearing is for seniors.¡± ¡°What was she up to just now?¡± ¡°Xu Chuzheng, where¡¯s the milk tea you bought?!¡± someone yelled at Chuzheng. Chuzheng walked up without saying a word. ¡°Speak up!¡± ¡°Have you gone mute!¡± ¡°I think she¡¯s asking for a beating, coming back empty-handed like that. Do you have a problem with us, Xu Chuzheng?¡± Chuzheng had already reached their platform. ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s hum caused a few seconds of eerie silence at the scene. ¡°Huh?¡± laughed the girl beside Yu Yue with her big red nail polish. ¡°We sent you to buy milk tea, and you bought back some guts instead?¡± Chuzheng lifted her gaze and looked at the girl with the big red nail polish. ¡°You selling?¡± Her voice, cool as frost, echoed in their ears. The girl standing before them, even in ill-fitting school clothes, exuded an untouchable air of nobility. Gone was her previous cringing, cautious, and timid demeanor. The girl with the big red nail polish involuntarily stepped back when she met Chuzheng¡¯s eyes, realizing what she¡¯d done only after bumping into a companion behind her. What was she afraid of? Just bringing back some milk tea, and she dares to stand up to me? ¡°Xu Chuzheng, where the fuck is the milk tea you bought?¡± The girl with the big red nail polish raised her voice, straightening her back, and decided in her heart that if Chuzheng dared to say she didn¡¯t buy it, she would see how to straighten her out! Chuzheng shifted her body slightly, looking down the steps. Yu Yue and the others followed her gaze. Over there, a group of boys were carrying several large bags, laughing and joking as they headed their way. ¡°Lele, those are seniors¡­¡± someone whispered to Yu Yue with a wary expression. ¡°What are they doing here?¡± As the boys ascended the steps, the girls could see the school milk tea shop¡¯s logo on the bags they were carrying. Yu Yue¡¯s gaze swept from Chuzheng, a vague unease settling within her. The seniors were already striding up. ¡°Zhu Zian, what are you doing here?¡± Yu Yue frowned at the tall figure standing over one meter ninety at the front. Though Yu Yue had her own entourage, she wasn¡¯t considered much of a formidable figure at Dingyang Middle School. For instance, Zhu Zian standing before her was said to have been formidable too, but he had become much more subdued since starting his senior year, not causing much trouble except for skipping classes. Zhu Zian didn¡¯t say anything provocative but simply placed the bags on the ground. ¡°Here¡¯s your milk tea.¡± The people behind Zhu Zian set down their bags one after another. Several bags piled up to a certain height on the ground. ¡°¡­¡± The scene was quite eerie. They had asked Xu Chuzheng to buy milk tea. Why were seniors delivering the milk tea? And Chuzheng was even wearing the senior¡¯s uniform. In such a short time, how had Xu Chuzheng become involved with the seniors? Yu Yue glanced at the bags¡ªlarge cups of milk tea, the most expensive kind from the school¡¯s milk tea shop. So many of them, at least several dozen cups¡­ Chuzheng kicked a bag with her foot, her tone ice-cold with no trace of warmth: ¡°Pick whatever flavor you like, take your fill.¡± ¡°Xu Chuzheng?¡± Yu Yue frowned, ¡°What are you playing at?¡± How much Xu Chuzheng was worth, she knew all too well. Where did she get the money to buy so much milk tea? ¡°I¡¯m treating you,¡± the girl said, her beautifully contoured chin tilting up slightly: ¡°If you can¡¯t finish it, no one is leaving today.¡± ¡°Xu Chuzheng, what the hell are you talking about? Who do you think you are!¡± The girl with the bright red nail polish exploded and charged towards Chuzheng. Zhu Zian stepped forward, taking advantage of his height, he pressed down the girl with bright red nail polish as if she were a small chicken. ¡°Zhu Zian, what¡¯s this got to do with you, standing up for her?¡± ¡°My dear junior, someone¡¯s treating you to milk tea and you¡¯re not happy?¡± Zhu Zian sneered coldly: ¡°Don¡¯t be ungrateful.¡± When Zhu Zian got tough, the girl with the bright red nail polish immediately backed down. After all, she was just a girl. She could show off all she wanted in front of other girls, but under the absolute advantage of a boy¡¯s strength, where would she dare make a scene? She could only glare hatefully at Chuzheng. She didn¡¯t understand how she had become entangled with Zhu Zian. Surely they hadn¡¯t fallen in love at first sight on the way to buy milk tea, causing Zhu Zian to become her knight in shining armor, right? She had heard that Zhu Zian liked someone¡­ Yu Yue pulled the girl with the bright red nail polish back. ¡°Zhu Zian, we mind our own business, there¡¯s no need for you to stand up for her.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Zhu Zian exchanged glances with his brothers: ¡°The junior girl here invited you to drink milk tea, I just helped her bring it up.¡± And incidentally, I¡¯m blocking your way out too. Zhu Zian found this task quite easy. Chuzheng withdrew her hand, which had some scars and didn¡¯t look very nice, but her fingers were slender and beautiful. She bent over to pick up a milk tea, and the color of the drink complemented her hand, not looking bad at all. In fact, it added a sort of decadent beauty. Chuzheng handed the milk tea to Yu Yue: ¡°Drink.¡± With so many milk teas, it would be a waste not to. Yu Yue pushed Chuzheng¡¯s hand away, and the milk tea fell to the ground, its aroma spilling out. ¡°Xu Chuzheng, get out of the way,¡± Yu Yue said irritably. What¡¯s with this Xu Chuzheng! Although she was still the same person, and her voice hadn¡¯t changed, her actions, mannerisms, and tone were clearly different, as if she had become another person. Feeling a bit panicked inside, Yu Yue just wanted to leave this place. Chuzheng took her hand back: ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to drink milk tea?¡± Buying you all this milk tea and you¡¯re yelling at me. Do you deserve the milk tea I bought for you? ¡°Move!¡± Yu Yue held back her doubts and snapped. ¡°Finish it and you can go,¡± Chuzheng said in an even voice, leaving no room for negotiation. You guys asked me to treat you to milk tea, a promise is a promise, you have to accept the treat!! I¡¯ve arranged everything for you! Yu Yue¡¯s expression was terrible: ¡°Are you sick or something?¡± She turned to leave by another path. Zhu Zian and his friends quickly cut off the retreat for Yu Yue and her group. Chapter 242 - Chapter 242: Chapter 242: Dont Leave After School (3) Chapter 242: Chapter 242: Don¡¯t Leave After School (3) ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Yu Yue leaned against the trash bin near her, throwing up ceaselessly. ¡°Yue Yue, are you okay?¡± Yu Yue¡¯s face was pale, her eyes somewhat red, but her gaze was filled with malice. The three girls beside her weren¡¯t faring any better, their faces seeming to have taken on the color of milk tea. After a bout of vomiting, they slumped to the ground, drained of strength. ¡°Yue Yue, do you think Xu Chuzheng¡­ How did she get mixed up with Zhu Zian? Zhu Zian came to back her up today, right?¡± The girl with bright red nail polish was fuming with anger. Yu Yue had no idea what was going on. Right now, she was feeling too nauseous. ¡°Damn it, Xu Chuzheng, that bitch, must have pulled some dirty trick to get Zhu Zian to help her like this.¡± ¡°Yue Yue, we must avenge this!¡± Yu Yue didn¡¯t respond, but of course, this grudge had to be avenged! ¡°Shut up, you¡¯re annoying the hell out of me.¡± ¨C Chuzheng skipped her afternoon class to make sure Yu Yue drank the milk tea. The original owner of her body wasn¡¯t doing well academically, and whenever Yu Yue and the others would skip class, they¡¯d drag her along, so her absence didn¡¯t elicit any comments from the teachers. Chuzheng only returned for the evening self-study session. The original owner¡¯s seat was at the very back corner of the class. The students in the classroom didn¡¯t pay much attention to Chuzheng, chatting and doing homework, creating a lively atmosphere. No sooner had Chuzheng sat down than someone knocked on the classroom door twice. ¡°Xu Chuzheng, come to the office.¡± Standing at the door was a woman, about forty years old, with her hair up in a bun, black-framed glasses, and a stern expression that gave her a somewhat rigid air. This was their class advisor¡ªTeacher Zhou. Teacher Zhou called out her name and then walked away, heels clicking on the floor. The people in the classroom looked towards Chuzheng. It was only then that everyone noticed she seemed a bit different than before. Chuzheng was still wearing the loose high school uniform. The original owner¡¯s jacket was very dirty, but this one belonged to Zhu Zian; it was said he had never worn it before, and he had someone fetch it from the dorm for her. Under the gaze of her classmates, Chuzheng rose calmly and made her way out of the classroom. ¡°What did she do? Teacher Zhou looks really angry.¡± ¡°Who knows.¡± ¡°Hey, did you see? The school jacket she just wore is from the senior year.¡± ¡°Could it be that she was caught in an early romance?¡± ¡°Her? Who would dare to date her? She¡¯s always so gloomy, just looking at her puts you in a bad mood.¡± ¡°Right, hahaha¡­¡± The students at the back burst into laughter. Their words were filled with contempt and disdain. It was common knowledge that the original owner used to be bullied by Yu Yue, and these people were more or less aware of it. But no one would speak up for her. In their eyes, the original owner probably deserved to be bullied; after all, she didn¡¯t fit in and wasn¡¯t good at ingratiating herself with others. Following the original owner¡¯s memory, Chuzheng walked towards the office. In the office. Yu Yue and a few other girls were hanging their heads and wiping away tears, looking as if they had suffered a great injustice. Zhu Zian and several boys were leaning against the wall in a sloppy manner, looking quite impatient. ¡°You lot, stand up straight!¡± The male teacher sitting on the other side pointed at Zhu Zian and the others, scolding them severely. ¡°Look at yourselves, what a mess! The college entrance exam is right around the corner, and you¡¯re still messing around. And now you even dare to bully a junior? Why don¡¯t you just ascend to heaven!¡± Zhu Zian scratched his head, ¡°Director Wu, I¡¯d like to ascend to heaven, but I don¡¯t have wings, you see. How about Director Wu sponsors me a pair?¡± ¡°You little brat!¡± Teacher Wu snatched up a homework book from the desk and threw it. Zhu Zian hugged his head and dodged. He was so big, his appearance at that moment was indeed comical. When Chuzheng walked in, she was greeted by a flying homework book right to her face. She instinctively dodged, and the homework book fluttered out of the office. Director Wu threw it at someone else and immediately stopped. ¡°Zhu Zian, pick up the homework for me!¡± Zhu Zian saluted with his fingers together and tossed his hand upward, ¡°At your command, Director Wu.¡± Teacher Zhou was sitting across from Teacher Wu and, seeing Chuzheng come in, put down her pen. Her gaze, somewhat sharp, swept over to Chuzheng, ¡°Xu Chuzheng, did you force your classmate to drink milk tea?¡± Teacher Zhou was a bit skeptical. This Xu Chuzheng wasn¡¯t good at her studies, was somewhat timid, and even slow to react. How could she do such a thing? However, Yu Yue and three other girls were crying and complaining, and even involved senior-year Zhu Zian. After Zhu Zian came in, he didn¡¯t rebut, which largely seemed like an admission. Chuzheng stood in the middle, her calm gaze sweeping over Yu Yue and the others as she said, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Teacher, she¡¯s lying, she had Zhu Zian block us, saying if we didn¡¯t drink it, we couldn¡¯t leave,¡± the girl with bright red nail polish clamored. Teacher Zhou glanced over there and said sternly, ¡°Are you implying that Yu Yue and the others are framing you?¡± Chuzheng blurted out, ¡°Without evidence, it¡¯s framing me.¡± Zhu Zian looked at the junior girl with a strange expression, his eyes seemingly filled with shock and disbelief. Realizing something, he scurried back to stand against the wall. Teacher Zhou frowned and became even more serious, ¡°Xu Chuzheng, I hope you¡¯ll confess honestly, don¡¯t make the teacher investigate this and find out, because your punishment will be severe then.¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t, is there any evidence?¡± Chuzheng deftly executed the denial trio. The young girl stood in the office without subservience or arrogance, showing no sign of fear. ¡°Teacher, look at us.¡± ¡°I feel like vomiting at the thought of milk tea now.¡± ¡°Xu Chuzheng made us drink so much, Zhu Zian and the others admitted it!!¡± The girls still looked pale at this point, especially Yu Yue, with tear stains on her face. Naturally beautiful, she looked even more pitiable now. Yu Yue was not the kind of straightforward tomboy. She knew when to cry and when to act aggrieved. ¡°Report,¡± Zhu Zian stepped forward, ¡°When did we ever admit to forcing you to drink milk tea? Don¡¯t slander us!¡± ¡°You implicitly agreed just now!¡± ¡°Not rebutting doesn¡¯t mean we admit it!¡± Zhu Zian was defiant, the tall young man stared menacingly at the few girls on the other side, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± The boys behind Zhu Zian echoed his statement. Teacher Wu, possibly not getting along with Teacher Zhou, had scolded Zhu Zian earlier, but now attempted to smooth things over, ¡°Teacher Zhou, don¡¯t jump to conclusions about this matter, let¡¯s make sure it¡¯s clear before saying anything, lest we wrong a student.¡± ¡°Teacher Wu, your senior students, not attending class during school time, how do you discipline them?¡± Teacher Zhou¡¯s attitude was very tough, confronting Teacher Wu directly. Teacher Wu¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Teacher Zhou, how I discipline my students is not for you to comment on.¡± Teacher Zhou sneered, ¡°It¡¯s not for me to comment on, but now your students are bullying others, how do you explain that?¡± Teacher Wu stood her ground, ¡°Teacher Zhou, this matter hasn¡¯t been settled yet!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Teacher Zhou snorted coldly. They both turned away. ¡°Xu Chuzheng, I¡¯ll give you one more chance,¡± Teacher Zhou spoke, ¡°If you come clean now, we¡­¡± Chuzheng was a bit impatient, cutting her off coldly, ¡°Teacher Zhou, do you know about¡­ my being bullied by Yu Yue and the others?¡± With those words, the office suddenly fell silent. Chapter 243 - Chapter 243: Chapter 243: Dont Leave After School (4) Chapter 243: Chapter 243: Don¡¯t Leave After School (4) Teacher Zhou, as the homeroom teacher, knew about Xu Chuzheng being bullied; even if she didn¡¯t know every detail, she was somewhat aware. However, since Xu Chuzheng¡¯s grades were not good and she was usually quiet and didn¡¯t complain, Teacher Zhou naturally pretended to be unaware. Better to mind one¡¯s own business than to meddle. At this moment, being called out so directly by Chuzheng, Teacher Zhou felt embarrassed as the complicated gazes of other teachers from different classes fell upon her. ¡°As a homeroom teacher, I believe you are aware of what¡¯s happening, yet you allow it to continue unabated. Do you even qualify to be a teacher?¡± ¡°Xu Chuzheng!¡± Teacher Zhou banged the desk and stood up. The little girl looked at her with a calm expression, not at all intimidated. Zhu Zian and his buddies were all startled. This little junior is awesome! As steady as they come! ¡°How can you speak to a teacher like that?¡± ¡°Speaking human language, can¡¯t you understand?¡± Wasn¡¯t that implying that she couldn¡¯t understand human language? ¡°Xu Chuzheng!¡± Teacher Zhou shook with rage, forcing herself to take a deep breath, ¡°Right now, we are handling the issue of you forcing a classmate to drink milk tea, don¡¯t change the subject.¡± ¡°Show me the evidence.¡± Without evidence, stop acting like a thug! ¡°¡­¡± The milk tea had been consumed, where could any evidence be found? In the end, she even took all those milk tea cups with her. The tea shop could confirm how many she bought, but that couldn¡¯t prove she made them drink it. The place they chose was out of the way, usually devoid of people, let alone potential witnesses. This was a loss that Yu Yue and her group could only swallow. ¨C Chuzheng¡¯s stance was clear: produce the evidence that she forced Yu Yue and the others to drink milk tea. Otherwise, she would never admit to it. Teacher Zhou, afraid that Chuzheng might mention the bullying incident again in front of the office teachers, although very angry, could do nothing about it. Yu Yue couldn¡¯t provide any evidence. Chuzheng left expressionlessly. Zhu Zian and his buddies were also released. Zhu Zian approached Chuzheng, warning her, ¡°Little junior, you¡¯ve really offended Yu Yue now.¡± ¡°So what?¡± The moment I arrived, Yu Yue had already offended me! That Bastard dared to inflict so many injuries on her. Zhu Zian gave her a few peculiar looks, ¡°Do you know why Zhou Chu is siding with Yu Yue?¡± Zhou Chu? Who¡¯s that! After a moment, Chuzheng realized who Zhu Zian was referring to. Teacher Zhou, of a certain age not yet married, was called that behind her back by these flunkies. To say Teacher Zhou was siding with Yu Yue, there was indeed some truth to it. Other teachers might not be clear about the original owner¡¯s temperament, but how could Teacher Zhou not be? Yet it was always the original owner who ended up being bullied. And then Teacher Zhou had directly questioned her as to why she was bullying classmates. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡± Zhu Zian looked around, ¡°Our principal¡¯s surname is also Yu.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The original owner was not aware of this. Yu Yue never took the initiative to reveal any relationship with the principal. Chuzheng¡¯s indifferent reaction made Zhu Zian even more puzzled. Wasn¡¯t she afraid? They were in their final year of high school, about to leave school soon, and not planning to continue their studies, so naturally, they weren¡¯t afraid of any principal. ¡°Little junior, you¡¯re really bold, daring to speak to Zhou Chu like that.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of.¡± ¡°Were you really bullied by Yu Yue and her group?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Xu Chuzheng was bullied by them, but I certainly wasn¡¯t! Zhu Zian hadn¡¯t paid much attention before, only remembering that sometimes, he indeed saw Yu Yue and her group dragging a girl around. But that girl always kept her head down, and he never saw her face clearly. ¡°You don¡¯t seem like it¡­¡± Zhu Zian muttered to himself. How is this like someone being bullied? It looks more like the one doing the bullying. Zhu Zian was tall and intimidating, but he wasn¡¯t really that scary. When he spoke, he had a bit of a rascal¡¯s smile, which was quite handsome. ¡°Little junior, add me on WeChat, will you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have one.¡± ¡°How is that possible? Nowadays, who doesn¡¯t use WeChat? Don¡¯t be so cold, little junior, just add me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a phone,¡± Chuzheng added two more words. Given the original host¡¯s situation, the Xu family wouldn¡¯t buy her a phone. Zhu Zian couldn¡¯t believe his ears. What kind of era is this? To still have people without phones. But looking at Chuzheng¡¯s icy demeanor, it didn¡¯t seem like she was lying, so Zhu Zian had no choice but to leave regretfully with his buddies. This little junior seems quite interesting! Yu Yue and her girlfriends had also left the office. She quickly caught up with Chuzheng and stopped her at the staircase. ¡°Xu Chuzheng, I don¡¯t care what tricks you¡¯re pulling, but remember what happened today!¡± Having said that, Yu Yue hurried downstairs. ¡°You think hooking up with Zhu Zian will let you off the hook, Xu Chuzheng, don¡¯t dream. Just you wait!¡± ¡°Wait for it!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get what¡¯s coming to you!¡± The three girls behind left her with one parting shot each. Chuzheng looked around, at the end of the hallway was a sink with a bucket next to it. Chuzheng walked to the balcony and glanced outside. The stairs were on this side, so Yu Yue probably wouldn¡¯t go back to the classroom¡­ She picked up the bucket filled with who-knows-what water and waited for Yu Yue and her group to leave before pouring it down. Chuzheng retracted back. Listening to the screams below, she calmly placed the bucket back in its place. [Little sister, do you know what this scene looks like?] ¡°What does it look like?¡± [The heroine being tortured by the evil supporting female character.] ¡°I¡¯m the heroine?¡± [No, you¡¯re the evil supporting female character.] Chuzheng¡¯s indifferent face: ¡°Bastard, are you asking for a beating?¡± [¡­] I¡¯m out of here. ¨C The original host didn¡¯t board at school. Chuzheng went home to the Xu family after school. The house was very lively, and as Chuzheng opened the door to enter, the noise grew even louder. Father Xu was drinking with friends, a big table full of men with the smell of alcohol filling the room. ¡°Yo, Old Xu, your daughter is back.¡± ¡°A waste of money.¡± Father Xu, slightly drunk, just cursed upon hearing, ¡°Drink up, drink up.¡± ¡°A daughter is like a little cotton-padded jacket to her father, Old Xu, you don¡¯t know the good fortune you¡¯re in,¡± the man said with a lecherous gaze circling around Chuzheng. ¡°What little cotton-padded jacket, I¡¯ve lost all my capital raising her,¡± Father Xu ranted with nothing nice to say. Some agreed with him, others opposed, all with a touch of obscenity. Mother Xu and Xu Shenghui were not there, nowhere to be seen. Chuzheng, expressionless, closed the door and went to the bathroom. She had yet to examine this body she now occupied. In the mirror, the girl was wearing a baggy school uniform, with bangs too heavy, covering her eyes. Chuzheng lifted the bangs, looking at her reflection from left to right. Father Xu was average in looks, but Mother Xu was quite attractive. The original owner inherited Mother Xu¡¯s genes, with a pair of black, broad eyes, double eyelids, and eyebrows like willow leaves, naturally beautiful without any grooming necessary. Possibly due to malnutrition, her skin lacked luster and she looked lethargic overall. But all in all, she was still rather cute. Chuzheng found scissors and trimmed her overgrown bangs. Only after tidying up did she leave the bathroom and pass through the living room back to her own room. The original host¡¯s room wasn¡¯t big, with just a bed, a desk, and a wardrobe, leaving no more space for anything else. Poor thing. Chapter 244 - Chapter 244: Chapter 244: Dont Leave After School (5) Chapter 244: Chapter 244: Don¡¯t Leave After School (5) Chuzheng hadn¡¯t fallen asleep yet when she heard someone twisting her bedroom door. The outside had already quieted down. She had locked the door from the inside when she entered, and the person on the other side couldn¡¯t open it, so the sound of twisting the doorknob ceased. But after a short while, the bedroom door started making noise again. Chuzheng silently slid out of bed. The door was opened by someone, a head peeked in to look around, then cautiously stepped in, closed the door behind, and locked it. The room was very dark, as the person fumbled their way to the bedside. Suddenly, they pounced toward the bed. However, they found nothing but bedding; there was no one there. By the time the man regained his senses and looked up, he saw a dark figure standing beside the bed. The man¡¯s heart pounded with fright. But he quickly calmed down and snickered, ¡°So you¡¯re Chuzheng, right?¡± ¡°Uncle likes you a lot, your dad is just foolish, not knowing how to cherish you.¡± ¡°If I had a daughter like you, I would definitely pamper her every day.¡± The man, seeing no reaction from the person standing before him, gradually grew bolder. This wasn¡¯t his first visit to the Xu Family. Old Xu¡¯s daughter always so reserved and timid, seemed like an easy girl to control. ¡°Your daddy doesn¡¯t know how to show you affection, but uncle will cherish you, you just need to obediently listen to uncle¡­¡± The man reached out his hand to grab Chuzheng. Before he could touch her, a dark afterimage suddenly swept up from the wall. The man didn¡¯t see what it was before everything went black in front of him. Chuzheng turned on the light. The man she had knocked out was the same one who, when she entered the room, had said she was a ¡°little padded jacket¡± close to his heart. Chuzheng rubbed her arms. This scared the life out of her. What kind of people are these! Is this how you treat your ¡°little padded jacket¡±! Beast! In the story, the original character was locked at the school by Yu Yue and others today and did not go home. It was lucky she didn¡¯t come back. If she had, the original character would definitely have encountered this beast. Given the original character¡¯s ability to fight¡­ it would have been doubtful! ¨C When Chuzheng went to school, a group of elders at the entrance of the apartment block were gathered together, discussing intensely the scene from that morning. A naked man was lying at the entrance to the building, with some contraband items scattered around him. An auntie exclaimed that it was against public morals and quickly called the police. Now that man had been taken away by the police. Chuzheng walked past this group of elders expressionlessly. The items had been found on the man by Chuzheng, she certainly wasn¡¯t framing him. Chuzheng was not afraid of him talking nonsense. If the beast had any intelligence, he wouldn¡¯t admit to breaking into a young girl¡¯s room in the middle of the night with ill intentions, only to be knocked out by her. That would be a crime with an added degree of offense. Chuzheng entered the classroom to the sound of the morning study bell. As soon as she walked in, the classroom fell silent in an instant. ¡°Is that Xu Chuzheng?¡± Chuzheng had trimmed her bangs, and even though she hadn¡¯t tied up her hair, she looked much more spirited than before. And Chuzheng¡¯s cool and distant demeanor felt refreshing to those around her. ¡°How did she change like this? Last night, she was called to the office after the evening study, does anyone know what happened?¡± ¡°She used to be so gloomy, I felt depressed just looking at her, but now like this¡­¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t go through some kind of shock, did she?¡± In the eyes of her classmates, Xu Chuzheng was always a timid and fragile person. Chuzheng ignored the pointers from her classmates and sat quietly in her own seat. The classmates discussed fervently, but no one approached to talk to her. Before, Xu Chuzheng was so gloomy, she wasn¡¯t likable. The current Xu Chuzheng was coldly detached, unapproachable, and intimidating to others. ¡°The monthly exam results are out!¡± The class monitor, holding a piece of paper, posted it at the front of the classroom. Classmates swarmed up to check their grades. ¡°I¡¯m only in nineteenth place.¡± ¡°Oh my god, I moved up eight spots, hahaha, my dad¡¯s definitely going to buy me a new phone now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m done for, I¡¯m gonna get a beating when I get home.¡± ¡°Yu Yue is first place again.¡± ¡°She skips school every day and still scores so well, how can she be so enviably gifted!!¡± Chuzheng¡¯s gaze shifted back from the window and focused ahead. Yu Yue was in her class. Though this big sister always skipped classes, her grades were excellent, and in the eyes of her classmates, she was the kind of student who could score among the top even while blindfolded. This is what they call¡ªthe trifecta: beautiful, long-legged, and academically excellent. The only flaw probably was her love for bullying¡­ If it weren¡¯t for this hobby, Yu Yue would be the perfect goddess. What a pity. A goddess no more. She chose instead to be a cultured delinquent. The original owner of the body didn¡¯t have good grades, it was known without looking that she would be ranked at the bottom. Yu Yue only came to class in the afternoon. Standing at the classroom door, she struck a dominant pose and shouted at Chuzheng, ¡°Xu Chuzheng, you come out here.¡± Her tone was full of command. As if she had forgotten the embarrassment of being forced by Chuzheng to drink milk tea the day before. The classroom suddenly fell silent. Students sitting near Chuzheng even left their seats, fearing the conflict would spread to them. Chuzheng flipped through her book nonchalantly, unmoved. Even if you¡¯re good-looking, you can¡¯t order me around like this! ¡°Xu Chuzheng, are you deaf?¡± Yu Yue grew angry, striding into the classroom, kicking desks and chairs, making a loud clatter. She approached Chuzheng and swept the book from Chuzheng¡¯s hands. The books on the desk fell to the floor. Yu Yue slapped the desk hard, ¡°Come outside with me, did you hear that!¡± Chuzheng withdrew her hand and placed it in front of her, sitting upright. She met Yu Yue¡¯s angry gaze with eyes as calm as a frigid pool, the chill solidifying. ¡°Pick it up.¡± ¡°What did you say, Xu Chuzheng?¡± Yu Yue seemed incredulous, scoffing with a sneer, ¡°You don¡¯t really think Zhu Zian can protect you, do you?¡± ¡°Pick it up,¡± Chuzheng repeated. ¡°Heh.¡± Yu Yue reached out and swept all the books from Chuzheng¡¯s desk to the ground, even stomping on them. Finally, she looked at Chuzheng provocatively. Chuzheng stood up, and Yu Yue stepped back with her arms crossed, ¡°Still acting tough? If you have the guts, don¡¯t get up. Let¡¯s see how far you can go today.¡± Having Zhu Zian, she thinks she¡¯s something special. Yu Yue attributed all the changes in Chuzheng to Zhu Zian¡¯s support. Chuzheng took a different path to leave, stepping over her own books as she moved forward. Yu Yue frowned, ¡°What are you doing, Xu Chuzheng?¡± Chuzheng walked to Yu Yue¡¯s seat and glanced at her sidelong. Amidst Yu Yue¡¯s puzzled and warning gaze¡ªshe lifted her foot and kicked over. Crash¡ª The desk fell over, with the books and stationery on it, messily strewn across the floor. The classroom was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone looked at Chuzheng in shock. From the first time she entered the classroom today, everything about her felt off. Had she gone mad? Daring to kick over the desk of a top student and older school sister? ¡°Xu Chuzheng!¡± Yu Yue¡¯s beautiful eyes blazed with raging fire, ¡°You dare kick my desk.¡± At her words, Chuzheng lifted her foot and kicked again. The desk slid into the aisle, the contents underneath tumbling out, making the scene even messier. Though she hadn¡¯t spoken a word, everyone understood the message she was sending¡ªwhat if I kicked it? Chapter 245 - Chapter 245: Chapter 245: Dont Leave After School (6) Chapter 245: Chapter 245: Don¡¯t Leave After School (6) ¡°Xu Chuzheng¡­¡± Yu Yue pointed at Chuzheng, ¡°Pick that shit up for me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Chuzheng slightly lifted her chin. Yu Yue, fuming with anger, walked straight toward her, causing the surrounding students to scatter to the sides. ¡°Xu Chuzheng, it seems you won¡¯t shed tears until you see the coffin,¡± Yu Yue said, her face seething with fury as she quickly approached, apparently ready to strike. Chuzheng and Yu Yue were separated by an overturned desk. Chuzheng kicked the desk again. The desk scraped across the floor with a grating, teeth-aching screech as it rapidly slammed into Yu Yue. Yu Yue hadn¡¯t expected Chuzheng to make this move. The desk hit her legs, sending her tumbling backward. Desks and chairs clattered to the ground in disarray. Among the chaos, the girl lifted her chin with an indifferent expression, coldly watching her humiliation, yet not showing the triumph of a victor. ¨C The office. She hadn¡¯t been here for two days, yet Chuzheng had already been to the office twice, which she admitted was a bad sign. ¡°What the hell were you two doing in the classroom? Is this how students behave? Are you here to study or to fight?¡± This time, it wasn¡¯t Teacher Zhou lecturing them, but the Disciplinary Head. The Disciplinary Head was the quintessential image straight out of a romance novel¡ªa middle-aged man with a balding pate and beer belly, somewhat greasy. The Disciplinary Head had seen the desk that Chuzheng kicked, meaning she couldn¡¯t deny her involvement. A bit worried. Indeed, she shouldn¡¯t resort to violence when there are many people around. She shouldn¡¯t do this next time¡­ try not to do it. ¡°Director, Yu Yue was the first to throw my book,¡± Chuzheng spoke up first. Yu Yue¡¯s legs were still throbbing with pain. Hearing Chuzheng¡¯s accusation, she immediately glared at her in fury. Just as she was about to speak, the Disciplinary Head cut her off, ¡°Yu Yue, I know you¡¯re a good student, but is this how you should conduct yourself at school? Is this what a student should do?¡± The Disciplinary Head tapped his ruler hard against the desk. He was not Teacher Zhou, and his words were blunt, leaving no room for Yu Yue to save face. In the presence of the Disciplinary Head, Yu Yue seemed to restrain herself. She opened her mouth but struggled to speak. ¡°Sorry, I was just joking with Student Xu,¡± Yu Yue lowered her head and admitted her fault. ¡°I was also joking with Student Yu,¡± Chuzheng quickly followed up. The Disciplinary Head: ¡°¡­¡± Do you two think I¡¯m an idiot? ¡°Director, um¡­¡± Outside the office, a teacher knocked on the door, ¡°Are you busy?¡± The Disciplinary Head, already irritated, was not pleased with the interruption, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the family of the transfer student. They¡¯d like to have a word with you.¡± The Disciplinary Head nodded, then turned back with a stern look, ¡°I don¡¯t care who started it, but you need to behave like students at school. Reflect on your mistakes. You¡¯re both to sweep the playground for a week, and write a 2000-word reflection to hand in. Now go back.¡± Chuzheng casually put her hands in her pockets and walked out of the office composed and calm. The teacher brought a man inside. A boy was standing in the outside corridor. The uniform he wore was different from their school¡¯s, resembling that of a private institution, commonly known as an elite school. His blazer was unbuttoned, revealing a white collared shirt with the top two buttons undone, showing his slender neck and delicate collarbone. The boy had bruises on his face, with the worst around his eyes and lips, clearly someone who had been through rough times. Despite his injuries, one could tell the boy was very handsome. However, at the moment, he seemed brooding and gave off an unpleasant vibe. Chuzheng walked past the boy and returned to her classroom. Yu Yue had skipped the afternoon classes and hadn¡¯t come back. The second period in the afternoon. Teacher Zhou suddenly came, bringing along the boy Chuzheng had seen outside the Disciplinary Head¡¯s office. ¡°This is a new transfer student¡­¡± As soon as Teacher Zhou¡¯s words had ended, the classroom erupted. ¡°A transfer student, huh? How come we¡¯ve never heard about a transfer student coming before?¡± ¡°His face is full of injuries¡­ Did he get expelled from his old school for fighting?¡± ¡°He¡¯s really handsome!¡± A girl¡¯s voice whispered, barely containing her excitement. ¡°How can you tell he¡¯s handsome with all those injuries on his face?¡± a boy challenged, not convinced. ¡°The injuries don¡¯t cover his entire face, you have to look beyond the surface to see the essence,¡± the girl countered. The injuries on the boy¡¯s face were just bruises, none swollen. His features were very distinct, and you could indeed tell he was handsome. ¡°Even with his injuries, there¡¯s a kind of decadent beauty to him! You guys wouldn¡¯t understand,¡± she said to the boys with disdain. ¡°Yeah yeah, we don¡¯t understand, you¡¯re just swooning over another smelly boy,¡± someone retorted. ¡°¡­¡± Teacher Zhou¡¯s voice was stern: ¡°Quiet!¡± The discussion below instantly quieted down. ¡°Introduce yourself,¡± Teacher Zhou said to the boy standing at the door. From Teacher Zhou¡¯s tone, you could tell she was not very welcoming of the boy. The boy stepped up to the podium and under the excited gaze of the girls, he parted his lips: ¡°Jih Cheng.¡± After he spoke, there was no more to say. The classroom fell into a slightly awkward atmosphere. Teacher Zhou broke the tension, ¡°Jih Cheng, please take a seat¡­¡± She looked around the classroom and noticed that there was only one empty seat near Chuzheng. ¡°¡­Just sit there for now.¡± The students looked towards Chuzheng, and the girls seemed a tad disappointed. Jih Cheng didn¡¯t nod or say anything but headed straight for the seat Teacher Zhou had pointed out. Chuzheng was leaning on the desk, facing away. After Jih Cheng sat down, he caught a glimpse of a piece of paper under Chuzheng¡¯s hand marked with the bold words ¡°Reflection Paper.¡± The characters were neat and beautiful. But below that, the page was blank. Jih Cheng lowered his eyes and sat down with indifference. This was not Teacher Zhou¡¯s class, and after arranging for Jih Cheng, she left. The teacher in charge knew about the transfer student, and since Jih Cheng had yet to receive his new textbooks, the teacher asked him to share with his deskmate. But¡­ Aside from the reflection paper, there weren¡¯t any books on his deskmate¡¯s desk. Jih Cheng glanced at the girl leaning on her desk, not sure if she was asleep or just didn¡¯t want to deal with anyone, then turned his gaze back to stare blankly at the desk. ¡°Here¡­ you can use mine for now,¡± the girl next to him offered, placing her book carefully on his desk. Jih Cheng looked up, didn¡¯t refuse, but didn¡¯t open the book either. Jih Cheng zoned out for a while, and when he came back to himself, his peripheral vision caught his deskmate. She had somehow sat up and was writing with a pen. The reflection paper now had more than four lines written. Each character was written extremely slowly, but her handwriting was beautiful, each stroke nearly identical. Perhaps feeling his gaze, the girl looked over coldly, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Jih Cheng looked away and resumed his daydreaming. After class, a classmate took him to get his books. When Jih Cheng returned with a stack of books, there happened to be a boy standing at his spot, talking to the girl. ¡°Hey junior, here, I¡¯ve brought back your books,¡± Zhu Zian leaned on the desk, ¡°I heard you had another clash with Yu Yue today?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Awesome,¡± Zhu Zian gave her a thumbs up. Zhu Zian wanted to say more but suddenly felt someone standing beside him. ¡°This is my spot,¡± the boy¡¯s voice came, flat and even. Zhu Zian didn¡¯t get up, and just glanced over from his slouched position on the desk, then stood up after a moment, ¡°Alright junior, I¡¯m off.¡± Chapter 246 - Chapter 246: Chapter 246: Dont Leave After School (7) Chapter 246: Chapter 246: Don¡¯t Leave After School (7) ¡°` Jih Cheng casually tossed the book into the desk, showing no interest in reading it. During the following classes, he only took out whichever book was required, but he didn¡¯t flip through a single page. When class was over, some girls stood not far away, discussing him, yet it was surprising that not one approached. Jih Cheng would have found it annoying even if these people had come over. Since they didn¡¯t, it saved him quite a bit of trouble. By the last period of the day, he glanced sideways at his deskmate. The pile of reflection papers had grown considerably, but not a single page was filled. Given her pace, she probably wouldn¡¯t finish during the evening self-study session. And indeed, she didn¡¯t finish the reflection papers during evening self-study. But she just stuffed them into her bag and walked straight out of the classroom without giving him a glance. Jih Cheng wasn¡¯t narcissistic. But his looks definitely attracted girls. A quick look at the girls in his class and those from other classes who came to investigate was proof enough. ¡°Jih Cheng, which school were you from before?¡± ¡°Jih Cheng, can we add each other on WeChat?¡± ¡°Jih Cheng¡­¡± Jih Cheng frowned at the girls that suddenly crowded around him. ¡°I don¡¯t have WeChat,¡± Jih Cheng replied indifferently, quickly moving past the group of girls with his height advantage. ¡°So handsome!¡± ¡°His voice sounds so nice.¡± ¡°Once the injury on his face heals, I think our school¡¯s ¡®King¡¯ might have to change.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a bit too quiet and aloof, but he¡¯s really handsome!¡± ¨C ¡°Did you guys know? That transfer student killed someone at his old school.¡± ¡°What? Murder?¡± ¡°For real?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you checked the school¡¯s online forum? Someone spilled the beans there¡­¡± ¡°Let me check.¡± As soon as Chuzheng entered the classroom, she heard these students discussing the transfer student. It was completely different from the excited, pink bubbles of gossip from yesterday. Chuzheng, unconcerned, continued writing her reflection. When Jih Cheng arrived, he saw that his deskmate was still working on the same reflection paper. From the number of lines written, she apparently didn¡¯t do any work on it the previous night. After sitting down, he noticed that his classmates were looking at him strangely, but he didn¡¯t think much of it. Lunch break. Chuzheng was eating in the canteen when Zhu Zian, followed by several people, hurried over, scaring away the person sitting next to Chuzheng and taking their seats. ¡°Hey, little junior sister, is your deskmate called Jih Cheng?¡± ¡°Seems like it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What do you mean ¡®seems like it¡¯? Have you never paid attention? He¡¯s your deskmate! And he¡¯s quite good-looking, isn¡¯t he the type you little girls like? There are girls in his class discussing him. Chuzheng was busy writing her reflection; she hadn¡¯t the time to pay attention to any transfer students. ¡°Do you know what they¡¯re saying on the forum? That Jih Cheng killed someone.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Probably remembering that Chuzheng said she didn¡¯t have a phone, Zhu Zian took out his, tapped it a few times, and then showed it to Chuzheng. ¡°Take a look, little junior sister.¡± The post¡¯s title was eye-catching. ¡ª¡ªThe Real Face of the Transfer Student. To know more about the transfer student, click on this post. The post was lengthy. Chuzheng skimmed it briefly. The gist was that Jih Cheng had killed someone at his previous school and was expelled, after which he transferred to their school. It was detailed and made it seem as if Tower Master had witnessed it firsthand. 1st floor: Taking the couch. 2nd floor: The iron is hot, Liu Ming. 3rd floor: Leaving ¡­ 12th floor: Wow, is the transfer student that badass? He dares to kill people! 14th floor: Don¡¯t you go to jail for murder? Isn¡¯t Tower Master making this up? 18th floor: But the transfer student really has an injury on his face, and ever since he came here, he hardly ever talks, he always seems so gloomy. 26th floor: A murderer in our school, that¡¯s terrifying! 39th floor: Did he really kill someone? Why hasn¡¯t he been arrested? Doesn¡¯t murder require atonement anymore? ¡°` Chuzheng pushed the smartphone back and said calmly, ¡°The post only mentions his expulsion for murder, obscuring key information. There¡¯s nothing interesting to see, just boring.¡± Wasting my mealtime. ¡°No way, little junior sister, you don¡¯t believe it?¡± ¡°Murder calls for retribution. He¡¯s still at large, why don¡¯t you guys report it,¡± Chuzheng suggested. ¡°¡­¡± Zhu Zian scratched his head, ¡°What key information was blurred?¡± ¡°The cause and the outcome.¡± Why the murder occurred, whether the person who was killed is really dead or not. The entire post was about Jih Cheng being expelled for murder. It didn¡¯t mention either of these points. Zhu Zian couldn¡¯t keep up with Chuzheng¡¯s way of thinking, he was utterly confused. What cause, what outcome? ¡°Little junior sister, how are you not scared at all? What if he really did kill someone?¡± Zhu Zian wondered. ¡°Oh.¡± So he killed someone. It¡¯s not like he killed me. ¡°¡­¡± The little junior sister is so composed! As a senior, how could they be all flustered! Zhu Zian made small talk for a bit to change the subject and asked Chuzheng when she was going to buy a phone so they could add each other on WeChat for better contact. Chuzheng also thought she should buy a smartphone. It makes spending money more convenient. [Main Quest: Spend five thousand yuan within an hour.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m just trying to have a meal! I just want to eat quietly! Damn it, one is showing me a murderer. Damn it, another is urging me to squander money! Can¡¯t I just eat in peace! Is it okay if I stop eating!! ¨C Chuzheng walked back to the classroom from the cafeteria. Zhu Zian had taken her stuff for her, and she was walking slowly, so there weren¡¯t many people on the road at this time. [Hidden Quest: Obtain a Good Person Card from Jih Cheng to prevent his descent into evil.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Damn thing! [Miss, could you please not curse me?] Chuzheng spoke earnestly, ¡°You have to learn to accept it, just like me. You send me all these messy quests, and I¡¯ve accepted them.¡± [¡­] Although what Miss says makes sense, they are completely different things, okay!? Feeling so irritated! Chuzheng looked around, where was that weakling Jih Cheng?! Even the Good Person Card is feeble. No problem with being a weakling. There was some distance between the cafeteria and the academic buildings. When Chuzheng passed by a small garden, she heard voices inside. Calling it a conversation was a bit of a stretch. It was more like the humiliating jeers of some boys. Chuzheng glanced around and took a shortcut into the garden. The first person she saw was Jih Cheng, standing with his back to her; facing him were some high school sophomores, distinguishable by the way they wore their school uniforms and their demeanor, clearly not the studious type. ¡°A murderer, huh? So commanding.¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk, with a pretty-boy face like that, and you dared to kill someone? Go on, kill one of us to show us.¡± ¡°Look at this wimp.¡± [Miss, please step in now, scare them off swiftly, and save your Good Person Card!!] Boost your likability!! What are you standing there watching for! The boys, as they spoke, had already started to push and shove him. Jih Cheng stumbled from their shoving and fell into the bushes next to him. Just as those boys laughed and stepped forward, planning to continue, the expressions on their faces changed simultaneously and they backed off a few steps. Jih Cheng propped himself up using the bushes, first straightening out the hair that had been tousled by the bushes, then looking at the people in front of him. Chuzheng couldn¡¯t see what Jih Cheng did, but as those boys looked at each other, something seemed off, and they turned and ran. [Miss, this is your chance, ah!!] King¡¯s Account roared. Jih Cheng turned around, and a cold glint flashed in the bottom of Chuzheng¡¯s eyes. In his hand was suddenly a knife. The folding kind. Jih Cheng probably didn¡¯t expect anyone to be behind him, as he quickly flicked the knife and pocketed it. Chapter 247 - Chapter 247: Chapter 247: Dont Leave After School (8) Chapter 247: Chapter 247: Don¡¯t Leave After School (8) Jih Cheng returned to the classroom and found snacks and milk tea on his desk, not just his, but on every student¡¯s desk as well. The classmates in the room were discussing something in low voices. Because of that post, rumors spread, and at this moment no one dared to casually chat with Jih Cheng. Jih Cheng silently listened for a moment. He heard words like ¡®Xu Chuzheng¡¯, ¡®milk tea¡¯, ¡®she treated us¡¯. Someone tapped on Jih Cheng¡¯s desk. He looked up to see a girl standing outside, one hand curled on the desk, the other in her pocket, presenting a very cool image. Jih Cheng stood up to let her through. ¡°Xu Chuzheng, why are you treating us to milk tea?¡± A classmate in front asked, turning around cautiously to inquire. ¡°Rich.¡± ¡°Er¡­¡± It¡¯s an answer that absolutely nobody can refute. The classmate turned back around, bewildered. Xu Chuzheng¡¯s family isn¡¯t well-off, right? ¡°She really treated us?¡± After gathering the information, the classmate immediately passed it to others, and the class became lively again. ¡°Heard she even treated the seniors, the class where Zhu Zian is.¡± ¡°Zhu Zian¡­ remember when Yu Yue was causing trouble for her, did you hear? She mentioned Zhu Zian¡¯s name too.¡± ¡°Could it be that she¡¯s latched onto Zhu Zian¡¯s coattails?¡± ¡°Look at her now, nothing like before, definitely! Now she¡¯s got someone to back her up¡­¡± ¡°I did the math, she must have spent at least a few thousand today.¡± ¡°No way, is Xu Chuzheng that rich?¡± There was a multifaceted discussion about Chuzheng¡¯s sudden change, her relationship with Zhu Zian, and Yu Yue¡¯s activities in the class. Exciting enough to fill a serialized novel. As soon as Yu Yue and her crew entered the classroom, they smelled the milk tea, making her stomach churn, and seeing several cups of milk tea on her desk, her face turned livid, ¡°Who the fuck bought this milk tea?¡± Everyone collectively pointed at Chuzheng. Chuzheng, supporting her chin with one hand, met Yu Yue¡¯s gaze with tranquil eyes, ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± You¡¯re pretty, so I got you an extra one. I am really a Good Person. Yu Yue: ¡°¡­¡± Who the fuck wants to be polite with you! Now just seeing milk tea makes her feel nauseated! This little bitch definitely did it on purpose! Suppressing her anger, Yu Yue did not settle the score with Chuzheng but left with her followers, all wearing similarly grim expressions. On her way out, she gave Chuzheng a malevolent glare. The first class in the afternoon was English, and Chuzheng was still writing her reflection. Suddenly a note was pushed over to her. Chuzheng looked up at Jih Cheng. He appeared to be reading his English book, but Chuzheng caught a glimpse, and it wasn¡¯t even the same page as what the teacher was discussing. She put down her pen and opened the note. Scrappy handwriting unfolded before Chuzheng. Chuzheng barely made out what was written. ¡ª¡ªDon¡¯t let out what you saw today. Today¡¯s matter, what about the knife? A student carrying a knife, especially one with such rumors on the forum, would be in serious trouble if the school found out. Jih Cheng glanced sideways at Chuzheng writing on the note, and after a long while tossed it back. ¡ª¡ªYou want me to keep it a secret? ¡ª¡ªYeah ¡ª¡ªSure, I¡¯ll keep your secret. You¡¯ll think I¡¯m a good person, won¡¯t you? ¡ª¡ª?? Their conversation paused at those two question marks. Because the head teacher and Teacher Zhou interrupted the English teacher, and there were several boys following behind them. It was those who had been bullying Jih Cheng in the small garden earlier. ¡°Jih Cheng, could you please step outside for a moment?¡± Teacher Zhou called out with a stern face. Jih Cheng frowned slightly, was about to stand up when someone tugged at the hem of his shirt, ¡°Give me the knife.¡± Like everyone else, the girl was looking at the doorway, not at him. If not for her hand on his shirt, Jih Cheng would have thought he had imagined it. Jih Cheng¡¯s hand, already in his pocket, was clutching the knife. Hearing Chuzheng¡¯s voice, he hesitated before handing over the knife to her. Along with it came a cigarette and a lighter. He had just arrived at this school and didn¡¯t want to cause too much trouble. As he handed over the items, his fingertips brushed against the palm of Chuzheng¡¯s hand, Jih Cheng felt as if something had struck him, a strange feeling spreading from his fingertips. He withdrew his hand quickly, almost without any curve, shoving it back into his pocket. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The Good Person Card is still a treasure of a boy, huh! Under the watchful eyes of the entire class, Jih Cheng walked out of the classroom. The head of discipline had the students behind him enter and search Jih Cheng¡¯s desk, but obviously found nothing. A few minutes later, Jih Cheng came back, intact and unhindered. Those students stood outside, receiving a good scolding from the head of discipline. The English teacher continued with the lesson. ¡ª Give it back to me. Jih Cheng pushed over the note from earlier. Chuzheng glanced at it, then indifferently pushed it back and seriously continued writing her reflection. Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Jih Cheng did not write another message. The bell signaling the end of class rang, and after the English teacher announced the dismissal, the quiet classroom suddenly became noisy. Everyone started expressing their opinions about Jih Cheng being called out of the classroom earlier. Yet Jih Cheng turned his head to look at Chuzheng, who was earnestly writing her reflection. ¡°My things, give them back,¡± he said beneath the table, reaching out to Chuzheng. ¡°Say I¡¯m a good person, and I¡¯ll give them back to you,¡± Chuzheng replied without lifting her head. Jih Cheng glanced at the note. ¡ª If I keep your secret, would you think I¡¯m a good person? Is this girl sick or what? ¡°You¡¯re a good person, now the items,¡± he said very quickly and with a tone that was utterly perfunctory. Chuzheng¡¯s face was tense, her heart filled with indignation. Little liar! I help you out big time, and you still don¡¯t think I¡¯m a good person! [¡­]What misunderstanding does Miss have about being a good person! When it¡¯s time to be a good person, you don¡¯t listen! ¡°Give me my things back,¡± Jih Cheng said, by now clearly impatient. Chuzheng remained unresponsive, ignoring Jih Cheng even as the class began. Jih Cheng had thought she truly wanted to help him, but now she was refusing to return his things. It didn¡¯t matter if he couldn¡¯t get the cigarette back. But that knife¡­ After evening self-study, Jih Cheng followed Chuzheng all the way out of the school. ¡°Why are you following me?¡± ¡°Give me my things back,¡± Jih Cheng stood under the streetlight, radiating an aura of gloom. Chuzheng returned his things to him. Here, take them, take them. Who cares about them? If it weren¡¯t for the fear of those people coming back for revenge, would I have bothered to keep them for you for so long? Jih Cheng hadn¡¯t expected it to be that easy. Doubts and wariness surged within him. What does she mean by this? Before she was stubbornly refusing to give them back, and now she handed them over so easily? Chuzheng hung there for a long moment, and Jih Cheng did not take them, causing her to become somewhat impatient: ¡°Don¡¯t you want them?¡± The girl¡¯s indifferent voice cut through the Black Night, reaching Jih Cheng¡¯s ears. Jih Cheng reached out to take them, eyeing the girl in front of him with a measure of curiosity. Chuzheng turned and walked away without a second thought. Her departure was as cool and suave as could be. She stood out in a crowd with just one glance. Jih Cheng pulled out a cigarette, placed it in his mouth, and with many students coming and going around, he lit it without care, taking a drag. The smoke blurred the features of the young man¡¯s face. The gloom that had hung over him was now diminished, replaced with a vague sense of languid decadence. Chapter 248 - Chapter 248: Chapter 248: Dont Leave After School (9) Chapter 248: Chapter 248: Don¡¯t Leave After School (9) Jih Cheng. Bastard child. Although the Jih family allowed him to enter their ranks, his days within the family were far from easy. There was a legitimate young master in the Jih family, and as an illegitimate child, he was naturally discriminated against. Jih Cheng grew up under the contempt and disdain of the Jih family. In his second year of high school, he had a conflict with the Jih family¡¯s eldest young master and ended up stabbing him. Actually stabbed him. But he didn¡¯t die. Or rather, it was just a minor injury that could easily heal with a bit of care. The Jih family then threw him into Dingyang Middle School. Dingyang Middle School was worlds apart from his previous school. When he first transferred, news of his stabbing someone broke out, but it didn¡¯t cause much of a stir. Because the Jih family suppressed the news, there was no information to be found online, and the students at school thought it was just a rumor. Because of his face, Jih Cheng attracted some people¡¯s dissatisfaction and was targeted at school. The Jih family¡¯s eldest young master had no intention of letting Jih Cheng off the hook either. They bribed people at the school, determined to ruin Jih Cheng. And so Jih Cheng began to turn to darkness. Chuzheng was collecting Jih Cheng¡¯s information while walking back. ¡°Little junior sister!¡± Zhu Zian¡¯s voice came from a stall nearby. Chuzheng looked over and saw him and his brothers sitting at a food stall. ¡°Little junior sister, let me treat you to some food,¡± Zhu Zian said as he ran over. This one is adept at helping me waste my fortune¡­ Chuzheng was indeed a bit hungry. Writing that self-criticism was exhausting. Chuzheng nodded her head but didn¡¯t go for the food stall; instead, she took them out for seafood. Everyone: ¡°¡­¡± Little junior sister is really wealthy. ¡°Little junior sister, then we won¡¯t hold back,¡± they said. ¡°Hmm, eat more.¡± Help me spend some money; you¡¯re all good people. ¡°Little junior sister, how come I didn¡¯t meet you earlier?¡± Fatty wailed. ¡°What would you have done if you met our little junior sister earlier?¡± someone laughed and chimed in. ¡°I would have been the protector of flowers for little junior sister, and all she would have had to do is treat me to meals,¡± Fatty said, his eyes squinting happily. ¡°That¡¯s all you aspire to?¡± Zhu Zian slapped Fatty on the head, full of contempt. ¡°Speaking of which, I heard before that Yu Yue¡­¡± Fatty glanced at Chuzheng, who was quietly peeling shrimp, and boldly ventured, ¡°Yu Yue used to bully our little junior sister?¡± Little junior sister doesn¡¯t seem like someone who could be bullied! ¡°You just had to bring up the topic we¡¯re avoiding, and even all this food can¡¯t shut your mouth,¡± Zhu Zian slapped Fatty vigorously as if he were slapping a ball. Fatty groaned and whined, admitting his mistake. He was just curious, after all. In fact, everyone else was curious too. At the time, this young girl had appeared on the basketball court looking as if she had just been bullied. But her expression was too cold¡­ It was even more terrifying than someone showing anger. Later, they had inquired about it. Yu Yue had bullied her more than once or twice. But these past few days, Yu Yue had been at a disadvantage. Even their classmates were saying that she had changed. At the time, that¡¯s how Zhu Zian and his crew got to know Chuzheng; the shock wasn¡¯t that great, just curiosity. ¡°That¡¯s in the past,¡± Chuzheng said, wiping her hands with a wet towel and speaking with calm composure. ¡°Hahaha, yeah, from now on we¡¯ve got your back, little junior sister,¡± Fatty immediately responded. ¡°Yu Yue definitely won¡¯t let things go,¡± Zhu Zian told Chuzheng, ¡°She knows people on the outside, and you¡¯ve offended her so much, she¡¯s bound to take revenge on you sooner or later.¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll wait for her.¡± As if I¡¯m scared of her! ¡°Man, little junior sister is so domineering.¡± ¡°Yu Yue knows people from outside the school, little junior sister, are you sure that¡¯s not a problem?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± Chuzheng affirmed with certainty. What¡¯s Yu Yue in comparison? Even if she¡¯s attractive, I won¡¯t be seduced by her beauty! Definitely not! Zhu Zian exchanged glances with his brothers, always finding the straight-faced and aloof younger schoolgirl a bit cute. After dinner, Zhu Zian wanted to walk Chuzheng home. Chuzheng declined the kindness of a group of wobbly, drunken seniors. Watching them get into a car and leave, she also prepared to go home. Turning her head, she saw Jih Cheng and a woman standing not far away. Jih Cheng had his head down, looking somewhat impatient. The woman reached out to touch Jih Cheng¡¯s head but was pushed away; he turned and started walking towards Chuzheng. Having only walked a few steps, Jih Cheng also noticed Chuzheng. ¡°Bad luck,¡± he cursed under his breath, turning to cross the street directly. They weren¡¯t far apart, and Chuzheng heard everything clearly. Who is the Good Person Card cursing? ¡°Chengcheng,¡± the woman chased after him and caught him on the road. Jih Cheng irritably shook her off, but the woman relentlessly pulled him. In the midst of their struggle, the woman used too much force; as Jih Cheng shook her off, he stumbled several steps backward himself. The car¡¯s headlights shone on Jih Cheng; he had time to dodge, but in that instant, he didn¡¯t move, just looking at the approaching car. ¡°BEEP¡ª¡± The car blared its horn as it sped past, with the driver¡¯s curses carried in the wind. ¡°Insane!¡± At that moment, Jih Cheng laid on the ground, held in someone¡¯s embrace. His hearing was momentarily lost; he couldn¡¯t hear anything. Warm and soft, a body with a young girl¡¯s fragrance was pressed tightly against him. The noise of the crowd flooded in instantly. ¡°Chengcheng, Chengcheng, are you okay?¡± The woman ran over, reaching out to help him up. Jih Cheng¡¯s gaze, however, was on the girl holding him. She was looking down, her gaze directed towards her knees. After a moment, she looked up, ¡°How much longer do you plan to lie on top of me?¡± Can I ditch the Good Person Card? Right now, this instant! Jih Cheng got up with the help of the woman but pushed her away and silently helped Chuzheng stand up. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Chuzheng kept her face cold: ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± This is serious! ¡°Chengcheng¡­¡± Jih Cheng turned back irritably, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you now; if you don¡¯t want me to say something too harsh, leave.¡± ¡°Chengcheng, just go back and apologize¡­¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± The woman, probably frightened by the grim expression on Jih Cheng¡¯s face, left looking back every three steps. Jih Cheng reined in his emotions, ¡°Why did you rush up?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t die.¡± ¡°My death, what¡¯s it to you?¡± Jih Cheng retorted irritably. At this point, Jih Cheng was full of discomfort and prickliness. ¡°I say you can¡¯t die, what¡¯s it to you?¡± Chuzheng snapped back rudely. Jih Cheng fell silent, ¡°Classmate, my life, what do you think?¡± Chuzheng said, ¡°I saved your life; you don¡¯t have the right to die on a whim.¡± Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­Crazy!¡± Jih Cheng couldn¡¯t be bothered to continue the conversation with Chuzheng, giving her a glance with a slight frown. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Jih Cheng¡¯s gaze fell on her leg; he pulled her arm, crouched down, and hoisted her onto his back. He lifted Chuzheng onto his back. Chuzheng¡¯s head rested against his neck, and a faint smell of cigarettes emanated from him. It wasn¡¯t an unpleasant smell of smoke; rather, it was somewhat aromatic. The young man¡¯s side profile was somewhat stern. Jih Cheng, carrying her, had walked a few meters when he realized he didn¡¯t know where Chuzheng lived and had to ask, ¡°Where do you live?¡± Chuzheng, expressionless, wriggled free and stood on the ground: ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± It wasn¡¯t to the extent that she needed someone to carry her! Jih Cheng¡¯s entire face was shrouded in shadows, and after a long pause, he said, ¡°Where do you live, I¡¯ll walk you.¡± Chapter 249 - Chapter 249: Chapter 249: Dont Leave After School (10) Chapter 249: Chapter 249: Don¡¯t Leave After School (10) Jih Cheng dropped Chuzheng off at the bottom of the apartment complex, ¡°Can you make it upstairs by yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine,¡± said Chuzheng with a serious face. Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± He felt a bit like laughing. Jih Cheng let go of Chuzheng, and indeed, she walked steadily on her own. Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Jih Cheng¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind her. ¡°Thank you for saving me.¡± He added. I regret it so much! If I had another chance, I definitely wouldn¡¯t save you! Without any pause, Chuzheng walked into the neighborhood, making sure Jih Cheng couldn¡¯t see her before she immediately leaned against the wall nearby. She stepped to the side, lifted her pants to take a look. Blood joyfully trickled down her calf. Chuzheng¡¯s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. Still need to deal with the wound, so troublesome¡­ I really shouldn¡¯t have saved the Good Person Card. May the Bodhisattva save others, not me! [Miss, doesn¡¯t that hurt?] ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± said Chuzheng as she pressed her hand against it and finally nodded, ¡°It hurts a little.¡± [¡­]You¡¯re still pressing it, are you a demon or something! [Miss, do you realize what you just did?] Did what? Ditch the Good Person Card? Do you agree with my idea too? [¡­]No I don¡¯t! Don¡¯t talk nonsense, I am a serious Bastard¡­ pah! A serious System! The King¡¯s Account spoke earnestly, [Miss, you should have shown your wound to the Good Person Card. Seeing you like that, deep down he must feel guilty!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Are you sick! Showing my wound to someone else, what kind of hobby is that, too gory! No way! Shut up! You beast! [¡­] Miss, if you¡¯re not single, who is! ¡°That guy today was really funny, did you see¡­¡± The sound of conversation came from behind, and Chuzheng immediately pulled down her pants. ¡°Hey, Xu girl, what are you doing standing here?¡± This neighborhood wasn¡¯t very large, and everyone generally knew each other. Seeing Chuzheng standing there, they couldn¡¯t help but call out. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m just waiting for you guys to leave! ¡°Better go home fast, it¡¯s getting late,¡± said the other person, who then left. ¨C The next day was the weekend. Chuzheng planned to go out and buy a new cellphone, figuring the King¡¯s Account would probably make her splurge, and just like that, the day would slip away. As soon as she got out of bed, she heard a round of arguing outside. Mother Xu and Father Xu were quarreling. ¡°Why are you arguing, it¡¯s so annoying!¡± The one to lose his temper before Chuzheng was Xu Shenghui. Since Chuzheng arrived, Xu Shenghui hadn¡¯t been at home as he was currently in middle school. Xu Shenghui was spoiled by Father Xu and Mother Xu, becoming arrogant and unreasonable. Even towards Father Xu and Mother Xu, he would speak disrespectfully at home. But Father Xu and Mother Xu still thought it was natural¡­ ¡°Shenghui, it¡¯s the weekend. Why don¡¯t you sleep a bit longer?¡± As expected, the quarreling ceased immediately, leaving only the voice of Mother Xu cooing and fussing. Chuzheng opened the door and went out. Mother Xu was frying eggs for Xu Shenghui and, seeing her come out, immediately pulled a face. ¡°Xu Chuzheng, what¡¯s the matter with you these past few days? You don¡¯t even know to make breakfast and expect me to serve you; have you become braver?¡± Xu Shenghui sat at the dining table playing with his phone, listening to Mother Xu scold Chuzheng and looking at her with schadenfreude. Chuzheng couldn¡¯t be bothered with them and headed straight out the door. ¡°Xu Chuzheng!¡± Mother Xu shouted angrily. The door cut off Mother Xu¡¯s voice. Chuzheng went out early; many shops hadn¡¯t opened yet. She walked around the area before taking a ride to a nearby mall. [Main Quest: Please spend twenty thousand yuan within twenty-four hours.] Chuzheng took a calm, deep breath. Spending twenty thousand in one day is already very little. Before, it was tens of millions in an hour. What¡¯s twenty thousand anyway. No big deal. The Bastard really knows how to adapt to circumstances. It didn¡¯t make me go buy a skyscraper right after getting up. I should really thank it. [¡­]Miss, please don¡¯t do this, I¡¯m really scared. Chuzheng tried to figure out the pattern of when the King¡¯s Account issued tasks and found¡ªthere was none. Twenty thousand in twenty-four hours. Ten million in an hour. Completely whimsical¡­ Bastard, this damn thing! ¡°Little sister, buying a phone? Take a look at our latest model, it¡¯s very suitable for girls.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s gaze swept over the phones in the counter. They were pretty indeed. But I need the expensive ones! ¡°Which one is the most expensive?¡± The sales clerk glanced at Chuzheng and pointed to another counter, ¡°Little sister, this one here is our most expensive one.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take it,¡± Chuzheng declared very generously. Not buying the best. Just buying the most expensive! I am the nouveau riche! Damn thing! It¡¯s making me furious. The happy sales clerk went to issue the invoice for Chuzheng, who toyed with the phone in her hands. Accidentally, she touched the camera function, with the lens pointing outside the store, capturing a young man in the frame. The young man leaned against the exterior of the shop, head bowed, smoking a cigarette, the smoke curling up and blurring his features. A sliver of sunlight happened to streak past by his side, he was just a breath away from the light, yet he seemed as distant as the sky from the earth. The scene spoke of indescribable desolation. As the surroundings blurred, only the figure of the young man remained, finally freezing in that moment. Chuzheng took the phone, leaving everything else behind, and walked straight out of the store. By the time Chuzheng exited, the young man was no longer in his previous spot. Chuzheng didn¡¯t care and just wandered around, spending the rest of her money. As dusk approached, Chuzheng prepared to head back. As she passed a secluded alley near the mall, she suddenly caught sight of Jih Cheng being surrounded by people. Standing opposite Jih Cheng was a young man about his age. With the latest trendy hairstyle and brand-name clothes from head to toe, he had the air of a wealthy young master. He looked at Jih Cheng with scorn, ¡°Isn¡¯t this our Master Jih? Why are you all by yourself, looking so miserable? It¡¯s almost unbearable to watch.¡± The young man didn¡¯t get physical; instead, he laid a brotherly hand on Jih Cheng¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s treat Master Jih to a meal.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not free,¡± Jih Cheng pushed the young man away, getting ready to leave. The young man gave a signal to the people beside him to block Jih Cheng¡¯s escape. Seemingly disgusted, the young man brushed off the spot Jih Cheng had touched, his lips curling into a cold smile, ¡°Master Jih, I¡¯m not inviting you, you¡¯re going today whether you like it or not.¡± ¨C Chuzheng followed Jih Cheng to a luxurious-looking entertainment club. [Miss, will you buy the club?] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± No, I don¡¯t want to! Shut up! [Main task: Please buy this club.] I won¡¯t listen, I won¡¯t listen, I won¡¯t listen, I have to waste my fortune, I have to waste my fortune, buy, buy, buy!! Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng was about to bash her head against the club entrance. Screw the Bastard! The club¡¯s doorman looked oddly at the young girl standing motionless at the entrance. What is this girl doing? Chuzheng took a deep breath, another deep breath, and yet another¡­ She stepped into the club. Chuzheng, clearly underage, was denied entry. Bullshit! The few who entered before, they also looked underage! Why can they go in! But I can¡¯t! Who are they discriminating against! [So you see, Miss, you must buy the club!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± So you knew I would be denied entry, and that¡¯s why you gave me this task, right?! Chapter 250 - Chapter 250: Chapter 250: Dont Leave After School (11) Chapter 250: Chapter 250: Don¡¯t Leave After School (11) Don¡¯t mention buying a clubhouse, even just entering one and finding the owner had taken Chuzheng quite some time. By the time she managed to contact the owner, there was another round of haggling. However, for someone like Chuzheng, who didn¡¯t want any profits but just to be the owner, and she was underage, unable to directly transfer the clubhouse into her name. This was literally like money falling from the sky. In the end, the owner agreed to the deal. Looking at the balance in the account, the owner couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue in amazement. Xu¡­ There happened to be a wealthy Xu family in their city. But he remembered that the Xu family only had sons, no daughters. This young lady seemed unfamiliar, he had never seen her before¡­ But for an owner like him who was accustomed to seeing the wealthy from every corner of the world, perhaps she was a rich person from some other place? Looking at her generous spending, it was clear she was no ordinary person. ¨C Although Chuzheng had bought the clubhouse, she still hadn¡¯t found Jih Cheng. She wondered if he had left while she was busy buying the clubhouse. Without finding the person, Chuzheng immediately returned home; she needed a good rest now. [Isn¡¯t it? You just dropped the ¡°Good Person Card¡±?] ¡°What else could I do? I don¡¯t even know where he is,¡± Chuzheng replied very calmly. [What if the ¡°Good Person Card¡± encounters danger! How can you be like this, older sister, you must strive to be a good person!] ¡°Not being one for a day won¡¯t do any harm, anyways, he won¡¯t die.¡± [¡­] Chuzheng resolutely and decisively rejected King¡¯s Account¡¯s proposal to find the ¡°Good Person Card.¡± When she got home, neither Father Xu nor Mother Xu were there, but she could hear the sound of Xu Shenghui gaming in his room. She put her belongings back in her room and took some clothes to wash up. In less than fifteen minutes, when Chuzheng came out, she found that the bag she had left on the bed had been rummaged through, and her phone was gone. Chuzheng walked out of her room and looked towards Xu Shenghui¡¯s room. She went over and knocked on the door. The volume of Xu Shenghui¡¯s gaming was so loud, it was as if he hadn¡¯t heard her knocking at all. Chuzheng stepped back two steps, raised her leg, and kicked. The door of the old house was not sturdy, and Chuzheng didn¡¯t kick twice before it opened. ¡°Chuzheng, what are you doing!¡± Xu Shenghui¡¯s voice rose in exasperation. Chuzheng stood at the doorway with a cold face and extended her hand, ¡°Stuff.¡± ¡°What stuff, are you sick! Get out!¡± Xu Shenghui was sitting in front of his computer desk, turning around to glare at her. Such a young age, yet his face was full of malice. ¡°My phone.¡± ¡°Phone? What joke are you making, where did you get a phone from?¡± Xu Shenghui didn¡¯t look the least bit guilty, even somewhat triumphant, ¡°Chuzheng if you don¡¯t get out I¡¯ll tell Mom and Dad!¡± ¡°Chuzheng, what are you doing at your brother¡¯s door?¡± As if in slow motion, Mother Xu and Father Xu arrived at the same time. Seeing her standing at Xu Shenghui¡¯s door, they immediately spoke up, but without much thought, also instructing her, ¡°Go make us something to eat.¡± ¡°Dad, Mom,¡± Xu Shenghui immediately raised his voice, tattling, ¡°I just saw a bunch of clothes in Chuzheng¡¯s room, she must have stolen your money!¡± Xu Shenghui didn¡¯t recognize those brand names, but he could tell the quality of the clothes. Mother Xu¡¯s face changed immediately upon hearing what Xu Shenghui said, ¡°What? Stolen money?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Xu Shenghui smirked maliciously at Chuzheng, ¡°Don¡¯t believe me, go look in her room.¡± Mother Xu immediately rushed into Chuzheng¡¯s room. After a moment, she came out holding clothes and ran to the place where she kept money to search. Perhaps because the money was indeed missing, Mother Xu¡¯s face turned ashen, her eyes blazing, ¡°You wretched girl, are you stealing money now?¡± Father Xu took a look at the clothes for a few seconds and then his face darkened, ¡°Spoiled brat, got bolder, huh? You even dare to steal money from the house!¡± Father Xu and Mother Xu were like a comedy duo performing their lines. Chuzheng was very impatient listening to them. She walked into Xu Shenghui¡¯s room, her face cold; with a flick of her foot, she slammed the door shut in front of Father Xu and Mother Xu. Father Xu and Mother Xu were taken aback. A moment later, Xu Shenghui¡¯s scream came from inside. The two of them turned pale and rushed towards the room door at the same time. Although the door lock was clearly broken, they couldn¡¯t push it open no matter what. ¡°Chuzheng, what are you doing!¡± ¡°What are you doing inside, open the door!!¡± ¡°Worthless trash, open the door for your father!¡± ¡°Son! What happened to you!! Shenghui, Shenghui¡­ You damn girl, you dare to hurt your brother, I¡¯ll make you pay with your life, open the door, open the door!!¡± Xu Shenghui¡¯s screams were so pitiful that they tugged at Father Xu and Mother Xu¡¯s hearts. Father Xu and Mother Xu cursed while pounding on the door. Looking at the not-so-sturdy door, it now seemed exceptionally resilient, and even Father Xu, a big man, couldn¡¯t break it open. Ten minutes later. Chuzheng pulled open the door, holding her phone in her hand. A wisp of silver light flickered through the air and disappeared into her sleeve. Father Xu lunged forward in a hurry, raising his hand to slap Chuzheng. ¡°You good-for-nothing¡­¡± Bang! Father Xu¡¯s forehead crashed against the door panel. Chuzheng stood quietly behind the door, her chilling aura circulating around her, seemingly making the room¡¯s temperature drop. ¡°Be careful when you walk,¡± she said with a straight face, very seriously. As if it wasn¡¯t her who had suddenly closed the door. ¡°Shenghui!¡± Mother Xu, seeing Xu Shenghui lying on the ground, pushed past Father Xu and rushed in, calling out anxiously for her cherished son. Father Xu, covering his dazed head, felt his anger surge. That worthless piece actually dared to fight back! She thinks she¡¯s all grown up because I haven¡¯t had time to deal with her these past few days! ¡°Old Xu, Old Xu, come quickly and look at the boy,¡± Mother Xu shouted, seemingly terrified. Upon hearing that his precious son was in trouble, Father Xu, clutching his forehead, strode into the room. Chuzheng walked out of the room, standing coldly at the door, watching this family. Chuzheng had never been a part of this family. In this home, there were only Father Xu, Mother Xu, and Xu Shenghui. Pitiful and pathetic. Chuzheng crossed her arms and said, ¡°He¡¯s not dead, rest assured.¡± ¡°Worthless trash!¡± Father Xu raged, turning to charge at her, ¡°You actually beat your brother into this state, are you even human?¡± Chuzheng dodged Father Xu¡¯s slap and kicked him in the waist. Father Xu, a regular smoker and drinker who stayed up late playing cards, looked strong but lacked real strength. Struck by Chuzheng¡¯s kick, he toppled to the ground immediately. Before Father Xu could react, Chuzheng entered her room. Father Xu cursed so loudly outside that the whole building could hear him. Eventually, because of Xu Shenghui¡¯s injuries, the couple spitefully took him to the hospital. Chuzheng waited for them to leave, then also packed up and left the place. Living here was truly maddening. The next day, Chuzheng found an apartment near the school, the kind where you just bring your bag and move in. Probably too preoccupied with taking care of Xu Shenghui, Father Xu and Mother Xu didn¡¯t have the time to bother her. Xu Shenghui¡¯s injuries weren¡¯t serious, at most it hurt a bit. Yet Father Xu and Mother Xu acted as though they were on the verge of death with worry, which Chuzheng found quite absurd. When Chuzheng was once genuinely hanging by a thread, she never saw them even slightly anxious. Is this the privilege of being the favored child? Truly frightening. ¨C Monday was the start of school. Considering Chuzheng had treated the whole class to food, nobody in the school openly gossiped about her when she arrived. Jih Cheng was late to two classes and seemed very sleepy when he entered the classroom, going straight to his desk to sleep. Chuzheng looked at her phone, browsing a forum post that was spilling secrets about her. Chapter 251 - Chapter 251: Chapter 251: Dont Leave After School (12) Chapter 251: Chapter 251: Don¡¯t Leave After School (12) The building was already very tall, but the fervor had died down from before. After all, it was just a rumor without any evidence. 532nd Floor: I heard Jih Cheng has a knife, you guys better be careful. 533rd Floor: How do you know that, upstairs? 534th Floor: A classmate of ours saw it, seriously, I¡¯m not lying to you, he really had a knife in his hand. 535th Floor: The head of discipline even called him in for a talk, but I don¡¯t know where that son of a gun hid the knife, they didn¡¯t find it, but it¡¯s really there, believe me! 536th Floor: Is a transfer student this audacious? Jih Cheng slept until noon when school let out, with Chuzheng sitting inside; if he didn¡¯t get up, she couldn¡¯t leave. After contemplating for a bit, Chuzheng stepped on a chair and jumped out. A perfect landing. A little problem like this, could it stump me? Yu Yue was standing at the front door of the classroom with her sidekicks, staring at her with malice. Chuzheng left through the back door, completely ignoring them. The afternoon classes were somewhat boring; Chuzheng propped up her chin, not knowing what she was thinking about. Finally, Jih Cheng¡ªwho was lying on the desk¡ªmoved. The white of his cheek was slightly flushed from sleeping, fine and delicate as jade, giving off a very sweet and tempting impression. His head still rested on his arm, while his other hand gently rubbed his eyes. His eyelashes quivered slightly, and the haziness in the depths of his eyes gradually cleared. His face was turned toward Chuzheng, and his focus snapped to meet Chuzheng¡¯s gaze. Chuzheng was staring intently at him, her eyes clear and cold, showing no ripples of emotion. That look was hard to define¡­ Anyway, Jih Cheng did not quite understand. Why wasn¡¯t she looking at the blackboard, but at him instead? Jih Cheng frowned slightly and looked away first. Whatever she did, what did it have to do with him? He lifted his head to glance at the lectern, then lay down again nonchalantly, his flushed cheeks slowly returning to normal, but then they began to pale again. Jih Cheng buried his face completely in the crook of his arm. Suddenly, someone poked his arm. Jih Cheng looked up to find that it was a pen poking him, and the owner of that pen was his deskmate. Chuzheng passed him a box of cake from below. Jih Cheng looked at her, puzzled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± Chuzheng lowered her voice. The hand Jih Cheng rested on his stomach tightened slightly over his clothing. His stomach was hurting uncomfortably. He was hungry. He had been very discreet with his movements. Was it just a casual question from her, or had she noticed¡­ But from his short interaction with this deskmate, she did not seem to have the habit of storing snacks¡ªat least he had never seen her with food at her seat before. ¡°Thank you.¡± Jih Cheng took the cake and whispered his thanks. He put it in his desk, with no intention of eating it. ¡°If you die of hunger, it will be quite troublesome for me, classmate.¡± Good Person Card, do you have a fetish for self-torture? Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Just now, he was merely suspicious; now, he was certain she knew he was hungry. He indeed was very hungry. Jih Cheng took a deep breath and took out the box of cake. The packaging was exquisite, not something you¡¯d find in the school, and the sweet aroma of the cake hit him as soon as he opened the box. Inside were individually divided, bite-sized cakes. He stuffed one into his mouth; even though they were cut into small pieces, it was still a bit large. The young man¡¯s cheeks puffed out like a hamster¡¯s, making him look quite adorable. The sweet, soft cake spread through his mouth, relaxing his expression considerably. Chuzheng poked the desk of the person in front of her. The desk¡¯s occupant looked back blankly, facing Chuzheng¡¯s cold eyes. Instantly feeling intimidated, he dared not speak and could only convey his confusion with his expression. Chuzheng passed him a bill and gestured to the milk in his desk. The deskmate quickly gave her the milk, waving his hand to indicate no need for the money. Chuzheng crumpled the money twice and tossed it onto his desk. Chuzheng handed the milk to Jih Cheng. Jih Cheng, with his head bowed, hadn¡¯t noticed Chuzheng¡¯s exchange with the student in the front desk and stared in surprise at the milk handed to him, cheeks puffed out as he looked at her. Seeing that he wasn¡¯t taking it, she coldly threw it into his lap. ¨C Jih Cheng felt a little better after eating something; he lay on the desk, pulled out a piece of paper, wrote a line, and pushed it towards Chuzheng. ¡ª¡ªIs your wound alright? ¡ª¡ªI don¡¯t have a wound! What nonsense are you spouting. Who¡¯s hurt! Who¡¯s hurt!! She wasn¡¯t as weak as a ¡°Good Person Card¡±! She was just fine! Chuzheng glanced at him, and Jih Cheng felt that her gaze was particularly cold, like the snow of the late winter months falling steadily, capable of engulfing him. ¡ª¡ªHow much is it, I¡¯ll pay you. ¡ª¡ªNo need. Even though Chuzheng said it was not necessary, Jih Cheng still pushed the money to her. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Do I look like someone who lacks this little money?! Jih Cheng was adamant, and Chuzheng, frowning, stuffed it directly into his coat. Jih Cheng instinctively grabbed her hand. Chuzheng¡¯s fingertips had already touched the cold inside his coat. Jih Cheng looked at her and pulled her hand out, tugging on his coat, but he didn¡¯t give the money back to her. Jih Cheng calmly pressed the note under a book, no longer responding. When class ended and the teacher assigned homework, Chuzheng suddenly leaned in, ¡°Classmate, do you know how to do this?¡± The scent of cake and milk blended on the boy, particularly pleasing, sweet and tempting, making one want to take a bite. Jih Cheng hadn¡¯t expected Chuzheng to move in so close so suddenly, and his breath abruptly caught. He could feel her faint breathing, a light breeze brushing past his chin, freezing him in place. Under Chuzheng¡¯s gaze, Jih Cheng honestly shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to do it.¡± ¡°What good are you.¡± Not even able to do a homework assignment. Chuzheng muttered to herself and sat back down, but she spoke softly, and Jih Cheng didn¡¯t hear her clearly. Jih Cheng was a poor student. Chuzheng felt quite desperate realizing this. So who is going to do my homework? Chuzheng¡¯s gaze fell on the student in the front desk. The student in the front suddenly felt a chill down his spine and goosebumps on his arms. He rubbed his arms¡ª it wasn¡¯t cold today¡­ Chuzheng used her pen to prod the back of the student in the front desk, ¡°Help me do the homework.¡± The student in the front stiffened, turning around mechanically as if he were a robot, ¡°¡­Should I do it first for you to copy?¡± ¡°Help me do it,¡± Chuzheng emphasized. ¡°¡­Uh¡­ okay, okay.¡± He didn¡¯t dare refuse. Oh my god! Xu Chuzheng seemed to have become so scary. Is this what they mean by ¡®If not dying in silence, then exploding in silence¡¯? Thank goodness I never messed with her¡­ Whimper, he needed to change seats!! Jih Cheng watched Chuzheng complete a dark transaction with the student in front, his lips slightly pursed. A twinge of annoyance stirred in his heart. Yet he couldn¡¯t fathom why he was annoyed. It was her business to get someone else to do her homework, what did it have to do with him? When school ended in the afternoon, Jih Cheng didn¡¯t leave his seat; when Chuzheng went out, she brought back a cup of milk tea for him. The milk tea was warm, perfect for drinking in this not-so-hot weather. Plus, his stomach wasn¡¯t feeling great earlier, and he couldn¡¯t drink anything too cold¡ªthis temperature was just right. Jih Cheng couldn¡¯t figure out if she had meant to buy warm milk tea, or if it was just a coincidence. But¡­ Jih Cheng watched Zhu Zian place milk tea onto Yu Yue¡¯s desk, filling up the whole desk. Chapter 252 - Chapter 252: Chapter 252: Dont Leave After School (13) Chapter 252: Chapter 252: Don¡¯t Leave After School (13) Chuzheng leaned against the hallway, watching Zhu Zian walk away. Zhu Zian hadn¡¯t come in with her. When Chuzheng had come in, she was already holding the milk tea for him, but Jih Cheng thought that the milk teas should have been bought by her. He wasn¡¯t quite sure why Yu Yue had such a strong reaction upon seeing the milk tea, almost turning the whole classroom upside down. But he was sure that Chuzheng was deliberately provoking Yu Yue. Moreover, everyone in the class said it was Zhu Zian who had delivered it. Yu Yue only felt that Zhu Zian was backing Chuzheng and purposely messing with her, without giving it a second thought. ¨C Chuzheng brought snacks for Jih Cheng every day, and at first, he was a bit resistant. But resistance was futile, if he didn¡¯t eat them, Chuzheng would bring something else the next day, without getting angry or complaining, which Jih Cheng found very puzzling. Later on, he just ate them¡­ But Jih Cheng only ate sweets, not touching anything else. After that, Chuzheng only brought sweets. During this period, Chuzheng underwent great changes, which seemed odd to everyone at first, but as time went by, everyone got used to it. As for Jih Cheng, he spent most of his time sleeping. During weekly tests, he would either turn in a blank paper or randomly fill in a few multiple-choice questions, and they were always wrong, too. The teacher seemed to know about his grades and didn¡¯t bother with him. Jih Cheng was so quiet, and the occasional sullen expression that appeared on his face had a kind of decadent beauty. Therefore, some girls were once again seduced by Jih Cheng¡¯s exceedingly handsome looks and started fantasizing about him. The rumors of him having killed someone were gradually replaced by other fresh news. Like Qin Feng winning the first place in the national physics competition. The whole school celebrated. At Dingyang Middle School, which was neither high-profile nor low-key, suddenly having a student win the first place in the national physics competition was a big deal, so how could the school leaders not be happy? Chuzheng stood on the balcony, watching the girls crowd around a boy heading towards the teaching building. The boy at the center was indeed good-looking, brimming with youthfulness and defiance, meeting all the standards that teenage boys and girls admired at this age. Unfortunately, he¡¯s not as good-looking as my Good Person Card. Chuzheng pondered the words ¡®my¡¯. Then, she rightfully planned the Good Person Card as her own. ¡°Is he very handsome?¡± Chuzheng glanced sideways, the young man stood with his hands in his pockets, calmly watching the scene below. A faint scent of smoke lingered around the young man. ¡°Not bad.¡± The young man didn¡¯t offer any opinion on this response and turned to enter the classroom. Qin Feng wasn¡¯t in the same class as them, and by the time class was about to start, people were trickling back into the classroom, all talking about how impressive Qin Feng was. Qin Feng¡¯s popularity was the talk of the school for several days. Chuzheng felt that she had changed the pace of events, and Qin Feng¡¯s confession should probably not be directed at her. But what she never expected was that she couldn¡¯t avoid this issue after all. Qin Feng was standing right in front of her now, the corners of his mouth lifted in a somewhat rascally grin. That rascally charm, coupled with his handsome face, it was no wonder girls liked him. ¡°Hey.¡± He called out. Chuzheng kept her hands in her pockets, her eyes calm as she looked at him, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Qin Feng¡¯s gaze circled around her. The girls in the school become excited just by seeing him. Why was this girl so calm? Qin Feng pushed down the confusion in his heart and said, ¡°I like you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like you,¡± Chuzheng replied almost seamlessly. Qin Feng: ¡°¡­¡± Even though it was just a game. But to have his confession rejected?! Qin Feng had never been treated like this before. The girl in front of him wore a school uniform, the jacket only half-zipped, revealing the T-shirt inside. There wasn¡¯t much difference in how many people dressed, but on her, it seemed to exude an extra bit of class, as if the cheap school uniform was suddenly elevated. ¡°Are you done?¡± Good dogs don¡¯t stand in the way! ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Move aside.¡± The girl¡¯s expressionless face carried an air that made it impossible for people to refuse her. Qin Feng did indeed do as she said. He watched Chuzheng walk to the other side of the playground and finally stand in front of a boy to hand him a bottle of water. Qin Feng¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. He knew who that boy was. Jih Cheng. A name that had been frequently on the lips of the girls at school lately. The rumors about him were also quite arrogant. But he hadn¡¯t seen Jih Cheng do anything noteworthy; if it weren¡¯t for the schoolgirls making a fuss, his presence would be as silent as if he didn¡¯t exist at all. ¡°Bro Feng, what¡¯s up with that?¡± Qin Feng¡¯s classmate ran over. Qin Feng, stroking his chin, said, ¡°Help me find out, who was that girl just now.¡± ¡°Her? Xu Chuzheng, you were preparing for the physics competition, you didn¡¯t know¡­¡± The classmate rattled off the details to Qin Feng. ¡°You mean, she wasn¡¯t like this before?¡± Qin Feng asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± the classmate nodded, ¡°But lately she¡¯s been getting close with Zhu Zian and his gang, often seen coming and going to school together. Zhu Zian¡¯s backing her up.¡± This was also what most people at the school thought. ¡°Xu Chuzheng¡­¡± Qin Feng murmured. ¡°What¡¯s up, Bro Feng? Got your eye on her?¡± ¡°No, just think she¡¯s kind of interesting.¡± ¨C Jih Cheng, holding the water, glanced over to the other side of the playground as if by accident. ¡°Do you know Qin Feng?¡± he asked. ¡°Don¡¯t know him,¡± Chuzheng replied. Jih Cheng hesitated, then asked her, ¡°What was he saying to you just now?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Indeed, it wasn¡¯t any of his business. But when Qin Feng stood with her, something in his heart felt immensely irritated, and he wanted to separate the two of them. But why? Whatever she did was her freedom. What did it have to do with him? ¡°Qin Feng has a lot of girlfriends, watch out for yourself,¡± Jih Cheng said. ¡°How would you know?¡± Chuzheng glanced sidelong at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you always sleeping?¡± And yet you have time to care about gossip? ¡°I just sleep, not hibernate,¡± Jih Cheng replied irritably, ¡°I can hear what they¡¯re discussing.¡± He didn¡¯t want to listen; he just happened to overhear! Chuzheng abruptly changed the subject: ¡°Sleeping all day, do you go out thieving at night?¡± ¡°Lectures just make me want to sleep.¡± As a slacker student, that answer was quite fitting of Jih Cheng¡¯s identity. Jih Cheng seemed unwilling to continue the topic, ¡°Classes are starting, I¡¯m going back to the classroom.¡± Chuzheng, with an expressionless face, called his bluff: ¡°Next class is P.E., classmate.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going back to the classroom to sleep,¡± Jih Cheng said as he strode off with his long legs, hurrying away. ¨C When class ended, Chuzheng saw Qin Feng. He appeared at the classroom door, causing each girl in the room to blush and their eyes to sparkle with warmth. ¡°Yu Yue.¡± Qin Feng called out to Yu Yue. Basking in the envious and jealous gazes of everyone else, Yu Yue walked out cheerfully. ¡°Qin Feng, what¡¯s up?¡± Yu Yue asked. ¡°Let me treat you to milk tea,¡± Qin Feng offered her a milk tea, but his sidelong glance fell on Chuzheng. The girl sitting there propped her chin and looked out the window, completely ignoring this side of the room. Yu Yue¡¯s expression soured considerably. The classroom fell silent in an instant. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, don¡¯t you like it?¡± Qin Feng asked in confusion when Yu Yue didn¡¯t take the milk tea after a while. ¡°¡­¡± I don¡¯t like it anymore! Just looking at it makes me want to vomit! Chapter 253 - Chapter 253: Chapter 253: Dont Leave After School (14) Chapter 253: Chapter 253: Don¡¯t Leave After School (14) But this was Qin Feng, and Yu Yue didn¡¯t dare to speak frankly. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said stiffly as she accepted it, the aroma of the milk tea already wafting to her, stirring up turmoil in her stomach. Fortunately, Qin Feng left after delivering the milk tea. Once he left, Yu Yue immediately threw away the milk tea and ran out of the classroom, taking several deep breaths. It disgusted her to no end. It wasn¡¯t on purpose; Yu Yue comforted herself at the bottom of her heart, then she felt a bit better. However, what Yu Yue didn¡¯t expect was that Qin Feng continued to bring her milk tea for several days in a row. If it had been before, Yu Yue would certainly be happy. But now, Yu Yue probably wanted to die, and she still had to smile, accept it, and say she liked it. Chuzheng couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, so she instructed Zhu Zian to buy some milk tea for her more often, hoping to conquer her ¡°Heart Demon¡± sooner rather than later. Zhu Zian: ¡°¡­¡± Is the junior sister a devil? ¨C Chuzheng returned to her seat, Jih Cheng wasn¡¯t there, but there was a pretty envelope on her desk. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± A challenge letter?! Fuck! Exciting! The letter wasn¡¯t sealed, so Chuzheng directly pulled out a piece of paper from inside. ¡ª¡ªSaturday, 9 AM, Longyu Slope, don¡¯t be absent, Qin Feng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What a false alarm. I thought it was a challenge letter, only to find such a thing. The original owner was deceived into going after Qin Feng¡¯s confession, and she waited until it was dark, but Qin Feng never showed up. The difference now, however, was that previously the original owner had been verbally informed by someone, and now someone wrote a letter. Didn¡¯t have the guts to confront me directly, so resorted to writing a letter in secret? The original owner didn¡¯t know who was behind this. But Chuzheng knew without thinking that it must be that dog Yu Yue. Outside the classroom. Yu Yue was standing with her own entourage. ¡°Yueyue, do you think she¡¯ll really go?¡± ¡°Hmph, of course she will,¡± Yu Yue was quite certain. ¡°Does she really like Qin Feng that much?¡± Yu Yue hummed affirmatively. The several lackeys immediately showed looks of disgust: ¡°She also worthy of liking Qin Feng? A toad lusting after swan¡¯s meat. Our Yueyue is the natural match for Qin Feng.¡± ¡°She recently got Zhu Zian to back her up, do you think she is¡­?¡± The group made suggestive faces, and though they didn¡¯t spell it out, they all grasped the insinuation. ¡°I¡¯m going to post this,¡± one of the lackeys immediately took out a cellphone. ¡°But¡­ without evidence, isn¡¯t that bad?¡± another lackey hesitated a bit. ¡°What do you need evidence for, relax, I¡¯ll use a burner account. Anyway, everyone is just gossiping, what¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± With that argument, the others also felt it made sense. They huddled together, discussing the drafting of the post. ¨C ¡ª¡ªBreaking News, a certain Xu student is a disgusting bitch behind the scenes. The post instantly caught fire on the forum. Chuzheng heard about it during lunchtime, from Zhu Zian. ¡°Younger school sister, the post says¡­¡± Zhu Zian spoke hesitantly, ¡°in any case, it¡¯s very offensive.¡± He handed his phone to Chuzheng, letting her read it for herself. The post did not name names, using ¡®a certain Xu¡¯ instead. The gist was that this ¡®Xu¡¯ was currying favor with a senior, starting to show off. There must be some dirty deal going on. Xu Chuzheng might not be a celebrity in the whole school, but still, quite a few people knew about her. Who the post was about, went without saying. ¡°The post was made by a throwaway account. It¡¯s all expos¨¦s, but nobody knows who it is.¡± Zhu Zian said, ¡°Should I find someone to check it out?¡± ¡°No need. I know who it is.¡± In this school, the only ones who would go to such lengths are Yu Yue and her clique. ¡°You know?¡± Zhu Zian said in surprise and suspicion, ¡°Then what do you plan to do??¡± Chuzheng ate with composure, ¡°Do nothing. A few words about me won¡¯t help me squander my family¡¯s wealth.¡± Zhu Zian: ¡°???¡± What does this have to do with squandering her family¡¯s wealth? Because of this post, Zhu Zian hardly dared to get close to Chuzheng. He came and went like a thief in the night. Zhu Zian was still trying to figure out who it was, wanting to teach them a lesson. But within two days, another post appeared on the forum. It claimed that Yu Yue was hugging and cuddling with men outside, and there were pictures to prove it, far more real than the one with no pictures, just baseless chatter. There were different boys in the photos. Judging from the angles, Yu Yue seemed very close to them, the kind that could easily lead to misunderstandings. Yu Yue was instantly thrust into the eye of the storm. ¡°Yu Yue, Yu Yue, something¡¯s happened!!¡± Her follower cried out, finding Yu Yue with a face full of panic. ¡°I saw it,¡± Yu Yue said coldly, ¡°What are you yelling for? Want even more people to know?¡± ¡°Yu Yue, what should we do? The post is gaining comments fast. The whole school will see it soon.¡± ¡°Delete the post, can¡¯t you just ask a moderator you know?¡± ¡°Right, right, let¡¯s delete the post first!¡± Yu Yue wasn¡¯t too panicked; she got the moderator to delete the post first. ¡°Yu Yue, who do you think is doing this to you?¡± ¡°Zhu Zian,¡± Yu Yue said firmly, ¡°It must be him!¡± She had seen Zhu Zian and others before while hanging out at bars, but back then they were like two separate waters, minding their own businesses. With Zhu Zian¡¯s connections on the outside, getting those photos wouldn¡¯t have been difficult for him. But Zhu Zian, the suspect at the moment, was also utterly confused. Although the post had been deleted, it had been reposted in another forum. This wasn¡¯t a forum controlled by the school, and Yu Yue couldn¡¯t delete it at all. When she contacted them, the other party merely said it was a normal post and didn¡¯t violate any forum rules, so they refused to delete it. Yu Yue even offered money, but they declined. In the end, almost everyone in the school knew about it; the teachers had to step in. The photos didn¡¯t seem like much, but what the classmates would think, that was hard to control. Yu Yue endured pointing and gossiping for several days until she used some measures to silence people from talking about it again. Probably only Jih Cheng knew who was behind this incident. Because he was the first to see those photos, at Chuzheng¡¯s place. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯ll find out and come after you for attacking her like this?¡± Jih Cheng leaned on the table and whispered to her. Jih Cheng rarely took the initiative to speak to her. Chuzheng glanced at him, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Jih Cheng¡¯s gaze fell on her phone, ¡°I know it was you.¡± ¡°What did I do?¡± When did Good Person Card see it? Next time she really had to be wary of him! ¡°That post was yours.¡± ¡°Do you have any evidence?¡± Chuzheng remained unruffled, ¡°Don¡¯t make baseless accusations without evidence.¡± What did he need evidence for when he had seen it with his own eyes? Jih Cheng shifted closer to her, ¡°Are we trading secrets now?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What secrets? What secrets do you have? Jih Cheng was so close that Chuzheng could almost see each one of his eyelashes, the faint dark circles beneath his eyes did nothing to diminish his striking beauty. Suddenly, Chuzheng reached out and touched his face. Her slender, pale fingers moved from his eyebrows to the corner of his eyes. Jih Cheng, as if someone hit the pause button, stayed completely still and watched her. ¡°Jih Cheng, Xu Chuzheng, what are you two doing? If you¡¯re not going to listen to the lecture, get out!¡± Teacher Zhou¡¯s scolding sounded like a thunderclap bursting out of nowhere. Chuzheng quickly withdrew her hand, and by the time her classmates looked over, she had already resumed a stern posture that suggested she had done nothing. Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 254 - Chapter 254: Chapter 254: Dont Leave After School (15) Chapter 254: Chapter 254: Don¡¯t Leave After School (15) Chuzheng and Jih Cheng were punished by being made to stand. But Chuzheng had no intention of standing. As soon as she left the classroom, she headed downstairs. Jih Cheng, naturally not much of a model student either, thought for a moment, then followed her. ¡°Xu Chuzheng.¡± Jih Cheng caught up with her and walked alongside her. ¡°Why did you touch me just now?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± How should I know. I touched because I felt like it. Do I need a reason? Serves you right for being handsy! Chuzheng pinched herself hard. Chuzheng didn¡¯t respond to Jih Cheng, and since Jih Cheng wasn¡¯t one for small talk, the two walked in silence. On the way, they bumped into Zhu Zian, who was also skipping class. ¡°Little junior, you¡¯re not attending class?¡± ¡°The teacher kicked me out.¡± More precisely, I got detention standing. But standing as a punishment? That¡¯s never going to happen, not in this lifetime. Zhu Zian, obviously someone who frequently received such treatment, wasn¡¯t surprised in the least. ¡°Is he the same?¡± Zhu Zian nodded his chin at Jih Cheng. Chuzheng nodded. Zhu Zian sized up Jih Cheng. This transfer student, who had caused such a stir upon arriving at the school, stood with his hands in his pockets and head slightly bowed, the picture of disinterest and despondency. But damn, that face was something else! Zhu Zian felt that many girls couldn¡¯t hold a candle to him. Zhu Zian¡¯s gaze circled around Chuzheng and Jih Cheng. This¡­ their poses were identical! ¡°Cough cough, little junior, we¡¯re going out to have fun, you coming?¡± Zhu Zian asked out of politeness. Originally, Chuzheng didn¡¯t want to go, finding it a hassle. But the ¡°King¡¯s Account¡± instantly gave her a mission, so she had no choice but to go. Thus, the group naturally banded together to skip class. Zhu Zian and his group often skipped classes and knew how to sneak out of school; they led Chuzheng to climb over the wall. Chuzheng was unusually adept at climbing over the wall; Zhu Zian thought he would need to help her, but ended up only shouting ¡°666¡± from the sidelines. Jih Cheng was also quite skilled, leaping and landing with an effortlessly cool air about him. Zhu Zian: ¡°¡­¡± Annoying. ¨C Zhu Zian took them to an arcade to play. ¡°Little junior, do you know how to play?¡± Zhu Zian pointed at the arcade machine. ¡°Never played before.¡± ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll teach you.¡± Zhu Zian was ready to show Chuzheng. But Jih Cheng beat him to it, sitting down first: ¡°I¡¯ll teach her.¡± Zhu Zian: ¡°¡­¡± What Jih Cheng called ¡®teaching¡¯ was just demonstrating once without commentary; Zhu Zian thought Jih Cheng just wanted to play himself¡­ But to his surprise, Chuzheng actually got the hang of it. After just the first couple of rounds not going so well, she barely lost at all afterward. Jih Cheng released the controls, leaned back slightly, pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, put it in his mouth, lit it, took a drag, then finally spoke, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you couldn¡¯t play?¡± Was this what she meant by not knowing how to play? ¡°Just learned.¡± Wasn¡¯t it you who taught me? ¡°Put out the cigarette.¡± Occasionally, there was a faint smell of smoke on Jih Cheng, which wasn¡¯t too unpleasant. But now, as he smoked in front of her in the already smoky arcade, the smell mixed together became particularly offensive. Jih Cheng frowned slightly and put out the cigarette. ¡°Another round?¡± Jih Cheng raised an eyebrow. ¡°No.¡± Boring. ¡°You don¡¯t dare?¡± Jih Cheng¡¯s voice was usually very calm, not the cold kind of calm that Chuzheng had, but an indifferent kind of calm; but now, there was a hint of amusement in it. His voice had a teasing lilt, lightly rising at the end. ¡°Boring.¡± ¡°Playing like this is a bit boring.¡± The youth¡¯s pale face puffed up slightly as he spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet.¡± ¡°Bet on what?¡± Helping me spend money? I can consider that! ¡°Bet¡­¡± The young man pondered for a moment, ¡°What do you want to bet on?¡± ¡°If I win, you have to help me spend Fifty Thousand Yuan.¡± I¡¯m awesome! Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± What kind of bet is that? ¡°And if I win?¡± Jih Cheng asked. ¡°You name what you want.¡± I¡¯ll buy it for you! Win-win! Perfect! ¡°If I win¡­¡± Jih Cheng deliberately drew out his words, leaning towards Chuzheng, ¡°You have to agree to one condition of mine.¡± Chuzheng thought about it and felt like there was no loss, ¡°Alright.¡± At that moment, Jih Cheng was very close to her. The young man¡¯s lips, slightly parted and reddening, his tongue tip barely visible, seemed to be enticing someone to have a taste. Chuzheng averted her gaze first and asked nonchalantly, ¡°Shall we start?¡± Jih Cheng sat up straight, ¡°No, let¡¯s change the game.¡± Jih Cheng gave Chuzheng time to get familiar with the game, and only when she confirmed she could, did they begin. One round would determine the winner. ¨C Ten minutes later, Chuzheng handed over Fifty Thousand Yuan to Jih Cheng. ¡°You have one hour. You can¡¯t just throw this money away or donate it, you must buy things with it.¡± Chuzheng patted Jih Cheng on the shoulder. Go for it! Experience the pain of spending money. ¡°Are you really making me spend this much money?¡± Fifty Thousand Yuan wasn¡¯t a significant amount for someone who had lived in luxury like him, but for him personally, it wasn¡¯t a small sum. [Miss, let me remind you that if this money goes through his hands, it won¡¯t count as you completing the task, and it will be doubled, oh~] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard, I¡¯ll kill you! You didn¡¯t say that earlier! Now you say it! When I handed the money to someone else before, why didn¡¯t I see you giving a prompt? Are you broken! [¡­] Miss, you¡¯re so fierce, I¡¯m scared. [Miss¡­] The King¡¯s Account cautiously explained, [Although you did hand over the money to someone else before, that was because you had decided what to purchase and just had someone else buy it for you, not like this, directly handing over the money to someone else.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The money¡¯s already given away, can¡¯t exactly take it back, right? Dammit! A huge loss! That Bastard must have done that on purpose! [¡­] Certainly not! Chuzheng could only take Zhu Zian and the others to spend a hundred thousand. ¡°Junior, what does your family do?¡± Zhu Zian was very curious, he remembered rumors saying that her family wasn¡¯t very well off. ¡°We run a mine.¡± ¡°Oh, no wonder.¡± Zhu Zian suddenly realized, maybe her family hadn¡¯t found the mine before, so they weren¡¯t well off, but now that they had found the mine¡­ It has to be that. Zhu Zian completed the story in his mind. Eventually, Zhu Zian took them to drink. Zhu Zian didn¡¯t know what he chatted about with Jih Cheng, but the two of them seemed to get along quite harmoniously. ¡°Bro, let me ask you something.¡± Zhu Zian, holding a bottle of alcohol and slightly drunk, pulled Jih Cheng aside to talk, ¡°There were rumors that you¡¯ve killed someone, is that true?¡± As soon as these words came out, everyone fell silent. Jih Cheng wasn¡¯t used to people grabbing him, so he pulled his hand away and moved to the side. Chuzheng was sitting next to him; with his movement, they were almost touching each other. ¡°Everyone says you¡¯re so wild, but how come you seem like an invisible person at school to me?¡± Zhu Zian continued to clamor. ¡°Did you really kill someone?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jih Cheng replied in a low voice, ¡°Just stabbed him twice, he didn¡¯t die.¡± With that, the room grew even quieter. Just¡­? Did he sound regretful? Even for Zhu Zian, who could handle a fight, using a knife to stab someone was beyond him. Jih Cheng was ruthless! Jih Cheng took a sip of his drink, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t stab vital spots, it won¡¯t be fatal, you guys¡­¡± ¡°Big brother, stop there. We don¡¯t want to stab anyone, really,¡± Zhu Zian interrupted him, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s drink, drink!!¡± Chapter 255 - Chapter 255: Chapter 255: Dont Leave After School (16) Chapter 255: Chapter 255: Don¡¯t Leave After School (16) Zhu Zian and the others had drunk too much, staggering out while supporting each other. ¡°Feifei¡­¡± Zhu Zian, inebriated, hugged Fatty and kept calling out for Feifei. ¡°When did you change your name?¡± Fatty shook his head, ¡°I didn¡¯t, it¡¯s not me. Brother Zhu, sober up!!¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t ask further upon seeing this. Jih Cheng had drunk quite a bit, but he seemed not the least bit drunk. ¡°Little junior sister, I saw you using your phone just now, let¡¯s add each other on WeChat!¡± Zhu Zian suddenly leaned in, not forgetting about it. Chuzheng hadn¡¯t downloaded WeChat, but since he had mentioned it a few times, she reluctantly downloaded it on the spot. Zhu Zian scanned the QR code, contentedly leading his buddies away. Just as Chuzheng was about to put away her phone, Jih Cheng extended his hand for it and scanned it. After adding her, Jih Cheng put the phone back in his pocket and nonchalantly said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Chuzheng accepted Jih Cheng¡¯s friend request. ¡°No need, I¡¯ll take you,¡± Chuzheng said with unwavering certainty. ¡°Where do you live?¡± Jih Cheng looked down at Chuzheng, ¡°Student Xu, I am a guy after all. How does it look if I let you take me home?¡± Since when does a girl take a guy home!! ¡°Where do you live?¡± The young girl¡¯s expression was cool and determined, like a stubborn robot who wouldn¡¯t leave without his address. In the end, Jih Cheng gave an address. It was very close to the school. When she arrived, Chuzheng found it was just in the neighborhood next to hers. However, the apartment she lived in was somewhat more upscale, while Jih Cheng¡¯s was an older residential area, without even a gate to the complex. ¡°I¡¯ve arrived.¡± The streetlight in the alley was broken, so Jih Cheng was hidden in the shadows. ¡°Okay,¡± Chuzheng glanced at the complex, ¡°Good night.¡± ¡°¡­Good night.¡± As Chuzheng turned to leave, Jih Cheng stretched out his hand to pull her, but ultimately clenched his fingers tightly just as he was about to touch her. ¡°Chengcheng.¡± A woman rushed over from the Dark, taking Jih Cheng by the hand without explanation. Jih Cheng¡¯s heart skipped wildly twice. He looked in Chuzheng¡¯s direction, relieved that she had already gone far away. ¡°How come you¡¯re only getting back now?¡± Jih Cheng shook off the woman¡¯s hand, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Chengcheng, how can you talk to Mom like that?¡± the woman sounded hurt, ¡°I came to see how you¡¯re doing¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re out of money again, right?¡± Jih Cheng said angrily. The woman seemed to hit a sore spot, stiffening for a few seconds before complaining, ¡°Chengcheng, can¡¯t I just come to see you?¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Jih Cheng let out a cold laugh. ¡°Chengcheng¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have money,¡± Jih Cheng said bluntly. The woman held onto Jih Cheng, pleading, ¡°Chengcheng, you just need to apologize to the Jih Family, and they will let you return. You¡¯re still the young master of the Jih Family.¡± ¡°Apologize?¡± Jih Cheng laughed, ¡°I stabbed Jih Bo twice, you think he will let me off? Do you realize you¡¯re throwing your son into hellfire?¡± ¡°Chengcheng, can¡¯t you just go back and apologize to the Jih Family? Your last name is Jih!! Jih Bo wouldn¡¯t dare to hurt you!¡± ¡°You think I want to be named Jih?¡± Jih Cheng¡¯s voice darkened, ¡°I¡¯d rather I never bore the Jih name!¡± Jih Cheng shook off the woman and fished out a handful of money from his pocket, tossing it at her, ¡°This is all I have.¡± He then strode upstairs. ¨C Chuzheng didn¡¯t know which floor Jih Cheng lived on, so she had to search one floor at a time. The building had only seven floors. Chuzheng looked at the topmost floor and silently climbed up. There were only two households on the seventh floor. Chuzheng turned her head and spotted a figure in the corner. The youth leaned against the wall, holding a folding knife in his hand. The moonlight from outside fell in, casting his silhouette against the gray, flaking walls. The youth held a cigarette between his lips, the glowing ember flickering on and off as it burnt. The ground was littered with numerous cigarette butts, the entire stairwell reeked of smoke. The figure of the youth was solitary and cold, evoking an unfounded sense of heartache. Chuzheng approached, and the youth suddenly turned, the knife in his hand reflecting a chilling light that flashed across her vision. The youth was taken aback, then stubbed out the cigarette, asking hoarsely, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I walked over here.¡± Wasn¡¯t that obvious? Could I possibly fly? ¡°¡­¡± He was asking why she had come to this place! Chuzheng stepped forward, took the knife from his hand, and slid it back into his pocket, ¡°Who do you want to kill?¡± The youth¡¯s eyes were cold as moonlight, and he spoke with a chilling tone, ¡°How do you know I want to kill someone?¡± ¡°What else would you do with a knife, kill ghosts?¡± You do have a history! She had looked it up; if it weren¡¯t for the classmates who stopped him, Jih Cheng, that eldest son of the Jih Family, might have really been stabbed to death. Jih Cheng was silent for a while, then said, ¡°No one, it¡¯s just a habit.¡± He was used to holding a knife when he was alone. Perhaps it made him feel a bit more secure. Chuzheng looked straight into his eyes. The two stood in the cramped stairwell, gazing at each other in silence. No one knew how much time had passed when Chuzheng lowered her head and took out some snacks from her bag to offer him, ¡°Eat something.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Jih Cheng wanted to smoke and his hand had already reached the cigarette pack, but he didn¡¯t take it out in the end. A biscuit with a sweet aroma was pressed against his lips. Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± What is she doing? Jih Cheng felt puzzled, but the taste of the biscuit was too good, and he couldn¡¯t help but chew. Chuzheng continued to feed him, and Jih Cheng¡¯s cheeks bulged slightly. Chuzheng thought it was like feeding a hamster, so she sped up the feeding. Jih Cheng¡¯s mouth was overly full, and he turned his head to refuse Chuzheng¡¯s continued feeding. Chuzheng was somewhat dissatisfied, why wouldn¡¯t he let her feed him? Whichever direction Jih Cheng dodged, she moved toward him. Did she want to choke herself to death?! Jih Cheng couldn¡¯t talk, cornered with no choice but to grab Chuzheng¡¯s hand. She struggled, so Jih Cheng had no choice but to act, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her into his embrace. Jih Cheng swallowed the biscuits and heaved a sigh of relief. But their position now was rather ambiguous. The breath Jih Cheng had just relaxed caught again in his throat. The girl¡¯s body was soft, which completely contradicted her icy demeanor. Jih Cheng¡¯s heart started to beat wildly. ¡°What the hell¡­ standing in the stairwell late at night, what are you doing? Damn, you scared the shit out of me.¡± A sudden voice came from the direction of the stairs. Another tenant was coming back. ¡°Can¡¯t you go inside to hug and cuddle? You bullying me because I don¡¯t have a girlfriend, huh?¡± It seemed the other person was drunk, muttering as he came closer, looking for trouble. The door to Jih Cheng¡¯s apartment was ajar; he pulled it open, carried Chuzheng inside, and before the man could get closer, he closed the door. ¡°Damn, don¡¯t let me see you hugging and cuddling in the hallway again, have some public decency!¡± The person outside swore for nearly a minute, his footsteps receding until finally, with a loud bang, he shut his door and the stairwell quieted down. There was no light on in the room. Jih Cheng leaned against the door, holding Chuzheng in his arms. Their position was even more ambiguous than before. The room was quieter than outside, and he could hear Chuzheng¡¯s breathing, light and shallow as it fell on his skin, causing a tingling sensation. Jih Cheng felt that the place where Chuzheng was pressing against him was starting to burn. The alcohol he had drunk earlier seemed to have a delayed effect, leaving him feeling dizzy. He was quite thirsty and his tongue felt dry. Reason told him to let go of the person in his arms. However, his body seemed to freeze, unable to move at all. Chapter 256 - Chapter 256: Chapter 256: Dont Leave After School (17) Chapter 256: Chapter 256: Don¡¯t Leave After School (17) Chuzheng broke free from Jih Cheng and, not knowing where the light switches were, gazed at him in the darkness. ¡°You feel so hot, are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Jih Cheng¡¯s voice was even more hoarse than before: ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He turned on the light, and before Chuzheng could look his way, he headed to the bathroom: ¡°You sit down for a moment.¡± The bathroom door slammed shut. Chuzheng casually surveyed the room. It was a two-bedroom with a living room that wasn¡¯t very large. The decor was simple, and everything was tidily cleaned up. Chuzheng placed her stuff on the coffee table and sat on the sofa to wait. It was quite a while before Jih Cheng came out. He didn¡¯t look at Chuzheng but brought a glass of water to her instead. He sat across from Chuzheng and just felt the awkwardness in every way. ¡°So¡­ Why did you suddenly come back?¡± Jih Cheng broke the silence. Chuzheng jerked her chin up, gesturing toward the things on the table. Jih Cheng glanced at the bag, which was filled with snacks, and it felt like something soft was tickling the bottom of his heart. ¡°Did you specifically bring these over for me?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have anything to eat tonight.¡± Chuzheng said matter-of-factly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C When Chuzheng got back to her apartment, Jih Cheng sent a WeChat message. Jih Cheng: Thank you. Chuzheng didn¡¯t reply but clicked on his profile picture. The profile picture was pitch black, and even upon enlargement, it was impossible to make out anything. His name was simply Jih Cheng. There were no moments to speak of. It was either set to three-day visibility or there were just no moments at all, leaving it empty. The next day was the weekend. The time agreed upon in that letter. Chuzheng hadn¡¯t planned to go at all, so she didn¡¯t get out of bed until after nine. Zhu Zian might have sobered up from the alcohol and called her to go out and have fun. Chuzheng didn¡¯t want to go anywhere; she just wanted to laze at home. But Zhu Zian knew where she lived and came knocking at her door with a few of his buddies. Chuzheng was so irritated. Why couldn¡¯t they just leave her, poor thing, in peace? She couldn¡¯t even pretend to be not at home. Zhu Zian had grown wise to calling and listening for the ringtone. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Chuzheng grumpily got into Zhu Zian¡¯s car. ¡°Hehe, we¡¯re heading to a farmhouse for some fun.¡± Zhu Zian had a driver¡¯s license and was behind the wheel, ¡°Little junior sister, are you tired? If so, take a nap. I¡¯ll wake you up when we¡¯re there.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I wanted to sleep at home! The place they went to was a farmhouse by the seaside. Upon arriving, Chuzheng noticed there were quite a few people, including several girls. Chuzheng observed that Zhu Zian, upon getting out of the car, started acting all fidgety all of a sudden. No longer yelling at his underlings. His behavior also became¡­ incredibly awkward. He was fine before getting out of the car, so why did his demeanor change so suddenly?! Is there something toxic in the air here? ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Chuzheng asked Fatty. ¡°He¡¯s in heat,¡± said Fatty bluntly, but then quickly corrected himself upon remembering Chuzheng was a girl: ¡°No, that¡¯s not it, I mean, you have to be reserved in front of someone you like. Yes, reserved.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng looked over at the girls on the other side. ¡°Which one does he like?¡± Fatty searched through the crowd and finally settled on a girl in a blue dress: ¡°Her, the school beauty in our class, pretty and sweet-voiced, with good grades too.¡± The girl in the blue dress looked like the quiet type, covering her mouth with her hand whenever she laughed. Chuzheng said, ¡°Zhu Zian doesn¡¯t stand a chance.¡± Fatty chuckled slyly, ¡°I feel the same way, but we¡¯re about to graduate, and if he doesn¡¯t make a move, how restless he would be. What if it actually works out?¡± Unable to restrain himself, Fatty shared with Chuzheng, ¡°Little Junior Sister, do you know how Brother Zhu plans to confess?¡± Chuzheng followed up with an expressionless face, ¡°How does he plan to confess?¡± Fatty swiftly betrayed Zhu Zian¡¯s plan. After hearing the plan, Chuzheng felt it was even less likely to succeed. ¡°You guys are planning to confess tonight?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Fatty said confidently, ¡°It¡¯s more romantic at night, and the dim light gives extra points. What if she sees him in a better light and thinks Brother Zhu is handsome?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± That¡¯s his own brother. Actually, Zhu Zian is quite handsome, but he¡¯s slightly overshadowed when compared to Jih Cheng and Qin Feng. Without those two, Zhu Zian would be the standout hunk of the crowd. ¡°Damn, isn¡¯t that Qin Feng and his gang?¡± Fatty suddenly blurted out a curse. Following Fatty¡¯s gaze, Chuzheng saw Qin Feng approaching with a group of people, both men and women. Yu Yue was walking with Qin Feng, and from afar, they looked like a perfect match ¡ª a handsome guy and a beautiful girl. Chuzheng sat in the corner; Qin Feng and his group seemed not to notice her, and they went straight to interact with Zhu Zian for a while. The farmhouse was quite spacious, and since it was a school event, there were even more people. ¡°Look, Yu Yue, Xu Chuzheng is over there too,¡± Yu Yue¡¯s girlfriends noticed Chuzheng first. ¡°What¡¯s she doing here?¡± Yu Yue also wanted to know why Chuzheng, who should have followed the instructions in the letter and gone to another place, was here. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t she be¡­ Yu Yue, didn¡¯t you say she would go?¡± ¡°Could it be that someone let it slip, and she knew Qin Feng would come here?¡± The group exchanged awkward glances. ¡°Yu Yue¡­¡± Her friends called her cautiously. Yu Yue¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze sweeping over Zhu Zian, struggling to suppress her anger. She managed to refrain from confronting them. ¡°Qin Feng, can¡¯t we go somewhere else?¡± Yu Yue turned to ask Qin Feng. Qin Feng stood among a group of girls, beaming and convivial. Upon hearing Yu Yue¡¯s words, he raised his eyebrows and replied with a smile, ¡°This place is pretty good.¡± Qin Feng had no intention of changing the location. ¨C According to the plot development, Yu Yue and Qin Feng should end up together today. And at this time, the original host is foolishly waiting somewhere else. Speaking of which, that place isn¡¯t far from here¡ªit¡¯s just over a ten-minute walk¡­ Chuzheng saw Yu Yue huddling with people in a corner, and it looked like Yu Yue was planning to confess to Qin Feng. Chuzheng stopped Fatty, who was about to go off and eat. ¡°Little Junior Sister, what¡¯s up?¡± He wants to eat meat! ¡°Do you want your Brother Zhu¡¯s confession to have a better chance of success today?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng made several phone calls while Fatty ate snacks by her side. ¡°Student Xu,¡± Qin Feng approached with a drink, placing it genteelly before her, ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Fatty winked at Chuzheng disapprovingly, what¡¯s your relationship with this Qin Feng? ¡°Not at all.¡± Chuzheng pushed the drink away, ¡°Don¡¯t block my way if it¡¯s nothing important.¡± ¡°How can it be a coincidence? Running into each other today means we¡¯re fated,¡± Qin Feng sat down across from her with presumptuous ease. ¡°Not at all.¡± Can I deny your fate? If you truly want it, I¡¯m open to the idea. Far from being deterred by Chuzheng¡¯s coldness, Qin Feng became even more enthusiastic. Listening to him, Chuzheng was tempted to throttle him. ¡°Qin Feng, we¡¯re not familiar enough to chat,¡± Chuzheng cut him off, gesturing for him to leave. ¡°Student Xu, if we talk a little more, won¡¯t we become familiar?¡± ¡°Not interested, goodbye.¡± If you don¡¯t leave, I might just make a move. Qin Feng observed her with amusement and then left with a smile. ¡°Little Junior Sister, ever since Qin Feng transferred here, he¡¯s had several girlfriends. Don¡¯t be fooled by his handsome face,¡± Fatty earnestly advised her as soon as Qin Feng left. ¡°Jih Cheng is better looking,¡± Chuzheng remarked. ¡°???¡± Fatty thought about Chuzheng¡¯s deskmate and realized that was probably true¡­ Chapter 257 - Chapter 257: Chapter 257: Dont Leave After School (18) Chapter 257: Chapter 257: Don¡¯t Leave After School (18) The sky gradually darkened. The owner of the rural restaurant invited them to eat in the dining room. Fatty made the excuse that his stomach hurt, and Zhu Zian, whose thoughts were entirely on his secret crush, didn¡¯t pay any attention to Fatty at all. Fatty slipped out of the restaurant. Zhu Zian realized that Fatty had not returned after quite a while. At first, he didn¡¯t care, but after they finished eating and sat chatting for half an hour, Fatty still hadn¡¯t come back. Zhu Zian checked the time, his brow slightly furrowed. ¡°Did Fatty fall into the toilet?¡± he asked his brother beside him. ¡°Fatty said his stomach was hurting.¡± His brother replied. ¡°Damn, on such an important night for me, he goes and drops the ball. Is he even my brother?¡± ¡°Everybody¡¯s got emergencies, man. I¡¯ll give him a call right now.¡± ¡°Hurry up,¡± Zhu Zian urged. Just as Zhu Zian was rushing Fatty, a sudden noise came from outside the rural restaurant. Zhu Zian looked outside in confusion, and the rest of the people quickly squeezed to the window. On the open ground outside the rural restaurant, it was now full of candles, with a girl standing in the midst of them. The sound was coming from the guitar in the girl¡¯s hands. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Teasing whoops immediately erupted inside. Qin Feng was pushed outside. Qin Feng scanned the surroundings, didn¡¯t see Chuzheng, felt a bit disappointed, but still smiled and walked down. Zhu Zian ground his teeth in anger. What a time Yu Yue had chosen to confess her feelings! ¡°Are you guys ready yet?¡± Zhu Zian asked his brothers. ¡°All set, all set! Brother Zhu, I¡¯m telling you, there¡¯s been a change of plan, let¡¯s go,¡± his brother said, pulling Zhu Zian out of the crowd. Zhu Zian was bewildered as he was dragged to the back of the rural restaurant, where a box was placed. ¡°What are you guys doing? Didn¡¯t we agree¡­¡± ¡°Hey, Brother Zhu, you won¡¯t go wrong following our lead.¡± Zhu Zian was stripped of his clothes and fitted into a suit. Tall, Zhu Zian looked like a different person in the suit. He was still confused when a bunch of flowers was stuffed into his arms. A blaze of roses as splendid as the clouds at dawn. ¡°Fatty, I¡¯m bringing Brother right over.¡± Zhu Zian was led all the way, and by the time he realized what was happening, he was already on the beach. The beach was covered with red roses, forming a large heart shape in the middle, with a space inside where a piano was set up. Chuzheng was leaning against the piano. Zhu Zian felt his heart skip a beat. ¡°What are you all doing?¡± he asked. ¡°Can you play the piano?¡± Chuzheng asked him. Zhu Zian shook his head blankly, ¡°Would I be like I am now if I could play the piano?¡± Chuzheng looked at the others, who shook their heads one after another, indicating they couldn¡¯t play either. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng sat down, opened the piano lid¡ªpulled out her phone, and searched online for a song suitable for a confession. ¡°I¡¯ll learn it real quick, you guys wait a sec.¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡± What the hell is with learning on the spot, junior?! How can you be so calm and just sit down if you don¡¯t know how to play?! A group of people roared in their hearts. Chuzheng could play, but she didn¡¯t know what piece would be suitable for a confession in this world; what if she played the wrong one and embarrassed herself? She couldn¡¯t afford such a mistake! ¡°Let¡¯s start,¡± Chuzheng quickly said to Fatty. Fatty took a deep breath, trusting in the junior¡¯s reliability! It¡¯s bound to work! He patted Zhu Zian on the shoulder: ¡°Brother Zhu, good luck.¡± Zhu Zian: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m very confused right now! Fatty scampered off, and Zhu Zian was pulled to stand in the designated spot. Then, lights from his feet lit up and spread upwards like a rising tide. Colorful lanterns spread all the way to the exterior of the farmhouse. Everyone in the courtyard was watching Yu Yue¡¯s confession, and suddenly, with such a, they all looked on with envy. However, Yu Yue was very confused. This was not what she had prepared¡­ Could it be Qin Feng? Qin Feng had been acting ambiguously with her all this time, but nobody had pointed it out. She was just hoping that today their relationship could go a step further. Just as Yu Yue was faintly looking forward to it, a girl was pushed out by the people around her. The girl was pushed to the front, very nervous: ¡°Why are you pushing me?¡± Over at Zhu Zian¡¯s side, where the seniors were, quite a few knew about Zhu Zian¡¯s plan, so they eagerly pushed the girl to the entrance of the lanterns: ¡°Yao Yao, go quickly.¡± Yao Fei pointed at herself. Wasn¡¯t this Yu Yue confessing to Qin Feng? What did it have to do with her? Yao Fei was almost surrounded and led onto the beach. Zhu Zian held the flowers with nervous hands, as if he were a bride about to climb onto the bridal sedan, his nerves a mess. The soft piano music mixed with the sound of waves stretched out between heaven and earth. Red roses laid out on the beach. Colorful lanterns. A tall and handsome boy. The girl covered her mouth, shocked by the scene in front of her. ¡°Zhu Zian¡­¡± Yao Fei was extremely embarrassed, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Zhu Zian¡¯s palms were all sweaty, but finally steeled his heart. ¡°Yao Fei, since the first time I saw you, I knew that I would never like anyone else.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Let me finish. I know my grades aren¡¯t good, and in your eyes, I might be a bad student, but I still hope for a chance to tell the girl I love, ¡®I like you.¡¯ Yao Fei covered her mouth, not knowing what to say. ¡°Could you¡­ be my girlfriend?¡± Only the gentle piano music and the sound of waves remained on the beach. After a long while, the girl asked softly, ¡°Can you promise me one condition?¡± Zhu Zian¡¯s eyebrows lifted with joy, there was hope! ¡°Say it. Not just one condition; I¡¯ll agree to a hundred conditions.¡± ¡°Attend the same university as me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhu Zian thought, perhaps it¡¯s better not to start this romance at all. In the end, Zhu Zian agreed through gritted teeth, and Fatty and the others thought Zhu Zian was crazy. Now, only two months remained until the college entrance exams, and with Zhu Zian¡¯s grades, how could he possibly attend the same university! The girl slowly nodded her head and took the flowers from Zhu Zian¡¯s hand. The surrounding onlookers immediately began to chant, ¡°Kiss, kiss, kiss!¡± Yao Fei buried her face in the flowers, too shy to face anyone. ¡°Stop jeering.¡± Zhu Zian, using his status as the class boss, silenced those making a fuss. Bang¡ª¡ª Fireworks bloomed in the night sky, lighting up the sea. Chuzheng leaned against the piano, her expression somewhat vacant. ¡°Thanks, little junior sister!¡± Zhu Zian popped up from behind the piano, ¡°How much did this cost? I¡¯ll find a way to repay it¡­¡± ¡°I should be thanking you for helping me spend money,¡± Chuzheng interrupted him. Zhu Zian: ¡°???¡± He had been helping Chuzheng and had taken money without hesitation before. But this was his confession; how could he let someone else pay for it? And this expense¡­ Was probably not small. Because he had heard someone say that these roses seemed to be from abroad, requiring air freight and whatnot¡­ ¡°Little junior sister, I will definitely repay you. From now on, your business is my business, don¡¯t be shy!¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was cool: ¡°You should be thinking about how you¡¯re going to get into college.¡± Money, what money! If you hadn¡¯t mentioned money, I might have given you some advice! Now don¡¯t even think about it, just focus on your exams! Zhu Zian: ¡°¡­¡± In confessing, he had not only agreed to an impossible condition but also racked up a huge debt. But Zhu Zian didn¡¯t regret it one bit. Chapter 258 - Chapter 258: Chapter 258: Dont Leave After School (19) Chapter 258: Chapter 258: Don¡¯t Leave After School (19) Yu Yue was in a terrible mood, her well-planned confession had been overshadowed by someone else. Even if Qin Feng had accepted her confession, she still felt humiliated. Yu Yue didn¡¯t watch what happened next and went straight back to her own room. The couple who just confessed needed some alone time, so the people on the beach were tactful enough to disperse, either playing games or returning to their rooms. Chuzheng took a small path and dawdled back to her room. Her room had been prepared by Zhu Zian, who, guessing she might not be used to having a roommate, did not arrange for one. Pipapa¡ª Raindrops were striking the window, making a pop and snap sound. Is it raining? Chuzheng glanced out and continued to play with her phone. She only went to close the window when it was time to sleep. In the corner of her eye, she caught a shadow moving swiftly towards her. Why is Good Person Card here? Chuzheng¡¯s room was at the back of the farmhouse; she spotted Jih Cheng running over from the rear path in a flash. Jih Cheng hadn¡¯t expected the sudden downpour, and it came torrential. By the time he reached the shelter of the eaves, his clothes were soaked through. He only wore a thin knitted shirt, which was now drenched and clinging to his body, causing considerable discomfort. He rubbed his arms and thought about reaching for a cigarette to smoke. The door behind him suddenly pulled open. Jih Cheng turned around and met Chuzheng¡¯s cool gaze. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Jih Cheng blurted out. It sounded as though she shouldn¡¯t be here. The young man was drenched, and the eaves¡¯ light cast a pallid color on his face, radiating a sense of misery. ¡°Where should I be?¡± Chuzheng countered. ¡°I thought¡­¡± Jih Cheng¡¯s voice cut off abruptly as the rain grew louder. ¡°You thought what?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± The young man didn¡¯t dare to look at Chuzheng. ¨C Chuzheng originally planned to find Jih Cheng another room, but the owner said they were all full, and several would have to sleep on the floor. Having no other choice, Chuzheng reluctantly brought the drenched Jih Cheng back to her room. Jih Cheng sat in the room; when he came up earlier, he had heard Qin Feng¡¯s voice. Clenching the hem of his shirt, he asked in feigned calm, ¡°Did you come with Qin Feng?¡± Chuzheng threw a clean towel over his head. ¡°No.¡± No? So how come Qin Feng is here? Water was dripping from Jih Cheng¡¯s clothes, and the floor was soon wet. Chuzheng stood beside him: ¡°Take off your clothes.¡± Clothes¡­ Take them off¡­ Jih Cheng¡¯s fingers trembled for a moment. He hung his head, water droplets clinging to his eyelashes, and when they trembled lightly, they fell onto his fair face. ¡°No need,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± Who will be blamed for a cold? In the end, Bastard will still come to torment me, right? ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Jih Cheng shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll leave when the rain stops.¡± Chuzheng started to remove Jih Cheng¡¯s clothes. ¡°Xu Chuzheng!¡± Jih Cheng said, a bit annoyed. Chuzheng pressed down on his wrist, and Jih Cheng¡¯s body sank into the sofa, his wet hair sticking to his forehead, his face showing traces of anger. ¡°Is wearing wet clothes comfortable?¡± Chuzheng asked him. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± replied Jih Cheng, his anger unabated. With one hand pressing his wrist, Chuzheng reached to lift his shirt. Jih Cheng couldn¡¯t break free, and looking at the face so close to his, he suddenly mustered some courage and leaned in, kissing Chuzheng¡¯s lips. Chuzheng¡¯s movements paused briefly, and the next moment, her hand landed on Jih Cheng¡¯s waist. As if receiving a response, Jih Cheng, who had initially just pressed his lips against hers, began to kiss, suck, and nibble more fervently¡­ Jih Cheng¡¯s movements were clumsy. But the kissing was fierce and urgent. The young man¡¯s breathing grew ragged as he tried to free his hand held down by Chuzheng, without success. After an indeterminable time, the young man turned his head away on his own. His chest heaved slightly, his fair and beautiful face flushed. Chuzheng¡¯s lips pressed against his cheek, kissing the corner of his mouth. Her hand on his waist slipped, and the young man¡¯s body trembled slightly, his breathing even more disordered. Chuzheng took off his clothes and stepped back as if nothing had happened, ¡°Pants.¡± Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Jih Cheng glared at Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What? I already let you kiss me, and now you¡¯re glaring at me? Be reasonable! Don¡¯t think just because you¡¯re the Good Person Card I won¡¯t hit you! Resigned, Jih Cheng undid his pants himself, leaving only his underwear. ¡°Get into bed.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say?¡± Jih Cheng didn¡¯t move but stared straight at him. ¡°Say what?¡± Chuzheng asked. ¡°About what just happened, don¡¯t you have anything to say?¡± Jih Cheng¡¯s face was tense. ¡°You kissed me first!!¡± Chuzheng emphasized. ¡°¡­¡± He did kiss her first! But shouldn¡¯t you say something? ¡°I kissed you, and you responded to me,¡± Jih Cheng said. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I respond to you?¡± If a kiss feels good, why shouldn¡¯t I respond? That¡¯s not how it works!! ¡°¡­¡± You should respond!? You should have pushed me away!! Jih Cheng felt that was the response she should have had. But thinking about her pushing him away, Jih Cheng felt that he would be very upset. ¡°If it was Qin Feng who kissed you, would you respond to him too?¡± Jih Cheng blurted out suddenly. ¡°What does he have to do with it.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was indifferent. ¡°Why do you keep bringing him up?¡± What¡¯s so great about Qin Feng? Is the Good Person Card actually fond of him? ¡°Answer my question,¡± he said, his voice lowering. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t let Qin Feng kiss me,¡± Chuzheng said as she pulled Jih Cheng into bed and tucked him into the covers. ¡°What¡¯s Qin Feng anyway.¡± What¡¯s Qin Feng anyway. The five calm words instantly cleared the clouds from Jih Cheng¡¯s heart. Just as Chuzheng prepared to leave the bedside, Jih Cheng suddenly grabbed her. ¡°Then why did you come to see Qin Feng?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t come to see Qin Feng.¡± Chuzheng was puzzled. ¡°You¡­¡± Chuzheng seemed to realize something. ¡°Why were you here today?¡± Jih Cheng let go of her abruptly and buried his face in the covers, his gaze shifting. That day, when he entered the classroom, he saw someone hurriedly place a letter on her desk. He hadn¡¯t intended to look. But he accidentally knocked it over, the envelope was unsealed, and as it fell, the paper inside also tumbled out. The paper was the exact size of the envelope, and he saw the contents at a glance. Qin Feng was asking her out, and it had nothing to do with him. Yet, he paced restlessly at home and, at the time mentioned in the letter, arrived at that place. But time passed, and no one showed up. He thought he had misremembered out of guilt and waited until nine at night. Still, not a single person appeared. Chuzheng leaned down, her hands bracing on either side of Jih Cheng: ¡°Did you see that letter?¡± It was not a question, but a statement. Jih Cheng¡¯s face, half exposed, imprisoned by Chuzheng with the blanket, had no way to hide. ¡°I¡­ it wasn¡¯t on purpose,¡± the youth¡¯s voice carried an inexplicable hint of grievance. Although Jih Cheng had no such intention, Chuzheng heard it in his voice as if he did. Chuzheng loosened her grip slightly, pulling the blanket to his chin, and kissed him. Chuzheng¡¯s kiss was nothing like his terrible one. Jih Cheng¡¯s head spun with the kiss, all his thoughts scattered, tangled into a mess. Chapter 259 - Chapter 259: Chapter 259: Dont Leave After School (20) Chapter 259: Chapter 259: Don¡¯t Leave After School (20) The night was cool, and even chillier by the seaside. Jih Cheng glanced at the girl lying on the couch and quietly called out to her, ¡°Chuzheng.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°You sleep here.¡± Chuzheng lifted her eyes to look at him, silent for a few seconds. Her expression was cold, but she was actually very pleased to agree to his suggestion. Jih Cheng intended to get up and offer her the bed, planning to sleep on the couch himself. However, Chuzheng directly lay down on the outside. Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Is she¡­ that inconsiderate? Although it was Jih Cheng who had made the offer, now he felt somewhat at a loss. Chuzheng turned off the light, and the room plunged into darkness, leaving only the pitter-patter of rain outside. Chuzheng¡¯s breathing gradually became steady. Jih Cheng lay with his eyes closed but couldn¡¯t fall asleep no matter what. After an unknown period, Jih Cheng carefully observed the space beside him for a while. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could now make out some shapes. His finger inched towards Chuzheng, touching her fingertip tentatively at first, and then he cautiously grasped it. He moved his body lightly towards her. Suddenly, Chuzheng turned over and naturally touched his head, ¡°Stop it, go to sleep.¡± Jih Cheng¡¯s heart was about to explode. She wasn¡¯t asleep! ¨C The next day. When Chuzheng got up, Jih Cheng had already packed up. ¡°It¡¯s wet,¡± Chuzheng said as she saw him getting dressed, ¡°Why are you putting it on?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t dry in this weather,¡± Jih Cheng said, not daring to meet Chuzheng¡¯s eyes. ¡°Take it off.¡± Chuzheng threw down those words and left the room. A few minutes later, she returned with clean clothes. ¡°It¡¯s Zhu Zian¡¯s, you¡¯ll have to wear it for now.¡± They were only staying for one night; most hadn¡¯t brought extra clothes. It was unclear why Zhu Zian had brought two sets, but he was the only one who had. Chuzheng wasn¡¯t familiar with anyone else and hadn¡¯t asked. Zhu Zian was slightly taller than Jih Cheng, but Jih Cheng could just about wear his clothes. ¡°Zhu Zian is here too?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jih Cheng thought of how he had stupidly waited there so long because of that letter, and his ears began to burn again. ¨C Jih Cheng, afraid of being seen by someone, left at the very end, but when he stepped out of the farmhouse ready to hail a ride, he found Chuzheng standing alone by the roadside. The girl stood on the highway, with wildflowers of unknown names flourishing along the road, and the sea merging with the sky in the distance. Jih Cheng¡¯s mouth curled up slightly, and he quickly walked towards her. ¡°Waiting for me?¡± ¡°Or do you think I¡¯m standing here for fun?¡± Chuzheng said, hands in her pockets and giving him a sideways glance, ¡°Why are you so slow?¡± ¡°Afraid of being seen,¡± Jih Cheng replied. ¡°Are you that afraid of being seen with me?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was noticeably cold. Was the Good Person Card so afraid of others seeing him with her? Is it that embarrassing? How annoying! Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Something about this was not right. Jih Cheng didn¡¯t know what he had said wrong, but Chuzheng kept a stern face all the way and didn¡¯t say another word. The weekend ended. On Monday, as school started, Chuzheng and Jih Cheng, as well as the happily love-struck Zhu Zian, who had succeeded in his confession, and others were called to the office to receive Teacher Zhou¡¯s special care for their truancy last Friday. Chuzheng was somewhat indignant. Yu Yue skipped classes every day too! Why were they persisting after only her? What gives them the right? Is it just because Yu Yue is pretty?! So Chuzheng found a way to report Yu Yue to the head teacher. Teacher Zhou might turn a blind eye to Yu Yue¡¯s truancy, but the head teacher would not. Hearing that Yu Yue, like herself, had to write a self-criticism, Chuzheng felt much better. Why should she be the only one to write it? They were all cutting class! If they had to write, they should write together! This outraged Yu Yue so much that she declared she¡¯d flay the skin of whoever snitched on her if she found out who it was. Frightened, Chuzheng had Fatty buy Yu Yue ten cups of milk tea that day. To flay her skin. Too terrifying. Have some milk tea to calm the fire. Yu Yue probably figured out that Chuzheng might have been behind it. After all, Chuzheng had been quite generous recently, definitely not looking like someone short of money. And since Zhu Zian had gotten a girlfriend, the rumors about him and Chuzheng had fallen apart on their own. Although she didn¡¯t know why Zhu Zian helped her previously, it was definitely not because he liked her¡­ The fact that the head teacher found out about her truancy could very likely also be her doing! However, without evidence, Yu Yue couldn¡¯t just confront Chuzheng about it, or it might end up like the previous times. So Yu Yue held back her anger. Yu Yue still got together with Qin Feng, who would bring warmth to her whenever he had time to come to the classroom. Qin Feng was good to every girlfriend, but treating Yu Yue like this was still rare. Perhaps because of Qin Feng, Yu Yue didn¡¯t have time to trouble Chuzheng and spent her days flaunting her relationship. Jih Cheng still slept all day. The only change, perhaps¡­ Was that he started doing Chuzheng¡¯s homework. ¡°I thought you said you didn¡¯t know how to do it?¡± What happened to being a poor student? Quite the little deceiver, huh. Jih Cheng scraped her nose with a pen, ¡°Of course I know how to do it for my dear deskmate.¡± Chuzheng, with a cold face: ¡°Hurry up and write, it¡¯s due next period.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng checked afterward; all the work Jih Cheng did was correct, not copied, but done by himself. Meaning this guy had been faking being a poor student. Truly a little liar! Zhu Zian was busy with tutoring, not able to find time to see Chuzheng, constantly wailing on WeChat about his painful yet joyful studies. In the blink of an eye, it was time for mid-term exams. Mid-term exams were considered a major test, and both parents and teachers were very nervous. But just as the exams began, a scandal broke out: someone was caught cheating, leading to the uncovering of an answer-selling scheme. Chuzheng felt this had nothing to do with her and didn¡¯t pay much attention. But unexpectedly, the incident eventually implicated Jih Cheng. Jih Cheng was accused of being the one who sold the answers and was immediately disqualified from the exams. The school demanded that Jih Cheng explain where he got the answers. Jih Cheng had nothing to do with the incident, so he had nothing to confess. Furthermore, Jih Cheng was unwilling to speak out to defend himself, instead adopting an attitude of ¡®do whatever you want, it has nothing to do with me.¡¯ Having transferred schools already accompanied by rumors of having killed someone, and now causing another stir with the cheating scandal and being so uncooperative, the school leaders were infuriated. In the end, the school recorded a major demerit for Jih Cheng and put him on probation. Chapter 260 - Chapter 260: Chapter 260: Dont Leave After School (21) Chapter 260: Chapter 260: Don¡¯t Leave After School (21) Jih Cheng looked at the person in front of him, and instantly realized what was going on with his own cheating. Jih Cheng was standing at the doorway of a private room at this moment. The room was dim but not very chaotic. Most of them were boys of similar age, with some girls just sitting on the side chatting; those with a more outgoing personality were competing with the boys in drinking. Smack¡ª The lights in the room were turned on, and instantly it lit up. The room suddenly fell silent. ¡°Come on, come on, look who it is.¡± The voice at the door drew everyone¡¯s attention, and they all looked towards the doorway. Whispers immediately rose in the room, and many people pointed and talked about Jih Cheng. ¡°Jih Cheng, ah¡­¡± ¡°He even dares to appear before Master Jih, isn¡¯t he afraid Master Jih will cripple him?¡± ¡°I heard he transferred to Dingyang Middle School.¡± ¡°That lousy school, just about right for him.¡± ¡°There¡¯ll be a good show in a while.¡± Some people¡¯s gazes were wandering back and forth between Jih Cheng and a boy sitting towards the back of the room. The boy sitting at the back, dressed in a casual hoodie, was handsome and striking. ¡°Yo.¡± The boy sat up straight, sarcasm and contempt on his handsome face: ¡°Isn¡¯t this my dear little brother? How have you been lately, doing all right?¡± Jih Cheng silently looked at him. The boy clicked his tongue twice: ¡°Did you like the gift I sent you? You don¡¯t think I¡¯d just forget about last time, do you?¡± Jih Cheng¡¯s eyelashes drooped, his gaze falling to the marble floor as if everything here had nothing to do with him. His hand in his pocket gripped the knife tightly. He was pushed, stumbled into the room, and the jeering, scorn, and mockery surged up at him like a tidal wave. ¨C Chuzheng received the news and rushed over; the room was in chaos, and both the manager and the owner stood outside, not daring to go in. ¡°Miss Chuzheng,¡± the owner came over immediately upon seeing her: ¡°Inside is the eldest young master of the Jih Family; if something happens here, we can¡¯t afford the consequences.¡± ¡°How many people are inside?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was cold and steady. ¡°Quite a few, I am not very clear¡­¡± Chuzheng nodded, walked to the door of the room, and pushed it open. The light inside the room was dim, Jih Cheng stood disheveled in the room, his knife stained with blood. The girls hid in the corner, their eyes tearful and their faces terrified. The boys were lying on the floor, wailing, looking very tragic. At Jih Cheng¡¯s feet lay a person, and before Chuzheng came in, he seemed to be about to bend down and do something to the boy. Someone pushed the door and entered, and Jih Cheng¡¯s gloomy eyes instantly swept over. The girl standing at the door made Jih Cheng pause, and he subconsciously hid the knife behind his back. His heart thumped wildly. He didn¡¯t want her to see him like this. Jih Cheng, like a child who had done something wrong, froze in place, his lips parted, but he didn¡¯t utter a syllable. Chuzheng stepped forward. Jih Cheng stepped back. ¡°What¡­ what are you doing here?¡± Jih Cheng asked, somewhat gruffly. ¡°You laid hands on them, just so brazen?¡± Chuzheng stood two meters away from him: ¡°Didn¡¯t know to find a time when no one¡¯s around?¡± Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Is that what you came to tell me? Chuzheng glanced down at Jih Bo, who was gasping for air but wasn¡¯t in any life-threatening danger. ¡°What has he done to you?¡± Jih Cheng remained silent. Chuzheng stepped on Jih Bo, who instantly let out a wail: ¡°Jih Cheng, if you don¡¯t kill me today, I won¡¯t let you off!!¡± ¡°` ¡°Keep that comment to yourself,¡± Chuzheng, stepping on his chest and leaning forward ever so slightly, her icy gaze piercing into the depths of his hateful eyes, demanded, ¡°What did you do to him?¡± ¡°Pah! Who do you think you are, huh? You think you¡¯re going to stick up for that bastard, huh?¡± ¡°What did you call him? Say it louder,¡± Chuzheng persisted, as if she hadn¡¯t heard properly. ¡°Bastard!¡± Jih Bo barked, his youthful face twisted in loathing. ¡°Bastard,¡± Chuzheng repeated calmly before kicking him firmly. Jih Bo¡¯s face instantly turned pale. ¡°Say it again,¡± Chuzheng watched him with an air of composed expectation. Jih Bo, itching with hatred and unwilling to submit, spat out, ¡°Bastard, bastard! What else would a bastard be if not a bastard born out of wedlock? You wretched woman, just you wait. If you dare hit me today, I¡¯ll make you pay!¡± ¡°You, get out,¡± Chuzheng said as she looked up at Jih Cheng. Jih Cheng mumbled in protest, ¡°This is none of your business.¡± Chuzheng stood her ground, exuding a commanding presence that brooked no opposition, ¡°Get out.¡± Jih Cheng was reluctant. Chuzheng summoned the manager and the boss to take him away. Jih Cheng had a knife, and he thought about resisting, which made the manager and boss a bit cowardly. Chuzheng stepped forward and grabbed Jih Cheng¡¯s wrist. The knife glinted coldly, and by the time Jih Cheng recognized who it was, it was too late to retract his move. Chuzheng dodged the knife and, with fluid motion, twisted his arm behind his back. She wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him close, her voice cold as frost, ¡°Behave and get out.¡± ¡°This has nothing to do with you!¡± Jih Cheng stammered through clenched teeth. ¡°He just insulted me. How is that none of my business?¡± I¡¯m not some fool who can¡¯t fight back or retort. Chuzheng handed Jih Cheng over to the manager, ¡°Take him out, and if he dares to run, break his legs.¡± Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Manager: ¡°¡­¡± Miss Chuzheng must be joking. ¨C Half an hour later. Chuzheng left the private room, her hands covered with someone¡¯s blood, which frightened the boss. Miss Chuzheng didn¡¯t kill anyone, did she? Should he pack up and flee? After all, this place wasn¡¯t his anymore¡­ ¡°He¡¯s not dead,¡± Chuzheng seemed to read the manager¡¯s thoughts and spoke in a matter-of-fact manner, ¡°Take care of the surveillance footage. Pretend none of these people were here today, got it?¡± ¡°Miss Chuzheng¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re in the same boat now,¡± Chuzheng threatened with a cold tone, ¡°You¡¯d better not have any other ideas.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Who would dare! So young, yet so ruthless! He¡¯d seen his share of tough people, but they had all clawed their way up from the bottom. This girl looked so young and innocent, but she was even more merciless than those who lived by the knife¡¯s edge. Both ruthless and cold-blooded. Like some¡­ cold machine. ¡°Check their phones, make sure to delete anything incriminating, and don¡¯t forget the cloud storage. Get them identical clothes to change into. I¡¯ll transfer you the money,¡± Chuzheng said as she took the tissue offered by the manager and methodically wiped the blood from her hands, ¡°Where¡¯s Jih Cheng?¡± After Chuzheng left, the boss peeked inside the room. The room was a complete mess, but everyone seemed to be alive; Jih Bo was in the worst condition, with the most blood on his side. This is bad! The boss lamented. If Jih Bo caused trouble for them, what would he do? Then he recalled the girl¡¯s calm and poised demeanor and steadied himself. After all, he was someone who had managed to open such a big entertainment venue; he had some influential connections. No fear! Miss Chuzheng had money! With that thought, the boss calmed down significantly. Chapter 261 - Chapter 261: Chapter 261: Dont Leave After School (22) Chapter 261: Chapter 261: Don¡¯t Leave After School (22) The manager didn¡¯t dare to break Jih Cheng¡¯s legs, so after putting him in a room, he immediately came out and locked the door. Now there¡¯s no escape! Jih Cheng sat in the room¡¯s chair, and when Chuzheng entered, he didn¡¯t even raise his head. Chuzheng placed the clothes beside him. ¡°Chuzheng.¡± His voice was somewhat hoarse, as though he was suppressing something with great effort. ¡°Don¡¯t be so impulsive next time,¡± Chuzheng said before he could speak, ¡°If you don¡¯t have the power to make everyone afraid to retaliate after you take action, then you shouldn¡¯t strike in front of others.¡± Jih Cheng looked at her as though he was in a daze. ¡°Impulsiveness can¡¯t solve problems.¡± Chuzheng bent slightly, her fair, slender fingers unbuttoning his shirt. Jih Cheng caught her hand, ¡°You want me to endure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to endure.¡± Chuzheng pulled her hand away and continued undressing him. Chuzheng took off his shirt and gave him a clean one to wear. The girl¡¯s gaze lowered slightly, her side profile smooth and sharp. She calmly buttoned up his shirt, not speeding up until the last button, only then did she speak, ¡°Never let anyone grasp something over you.¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t like to provoke trouble actively. Because it¡¯s troublesome. But she wouldn¡¯t let off anyone who troubled her. And most of the time, she made others suffer without a voice, knowing it was her doing, but without any evidence. ¡°What about you?¡± Jih Cheng didn¡¯t know what Chuzheng had done to them, ¡°Jih Bo is the heir of the Jih Family, if you make him remember you, he won¡¯t let you off.¡± Chuzheng took out a mobile phone and handed it to him. Jih Cheng looked at the phone with a bewildered expression, and after a moment, he turned it off with a strange look on his face. ¡°For those you can¡¯t control, get some leverage in your hands,¡± Chuzheng continued, ¡°Understand?¡± It took Jih Cheng a while before he managed to open his lips, ¡°He¡¯ll find people to deal with you.¡± Jih Bo was a person¡­ Who held grudges deeply. ¡°He can¡¯t beat me.¡± Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Jih Cheng, who had never seen Chuzheng fight, had absolutely no reference for her claim that she couldn¡¯t be beaten. [Sister, do you think this is appropriate?] Somehow it felt to it that the sister was teaching the Good Person Card to become more corrupted! ¡°What¡¯s inappropriate about it?¡± [What are you teaching the Good Person Card?] You were supposed to prevent him from darkening, not to make it happen faster. ¡°I¡¯m teaching him to think more thoroughly before taking action.¡± [¡­ I think you¡¯re teaching him how to become corrupted!] ¡°Is corruption bad? Look at how weak he is now; I can¡¯t stand it. How can he be so feeble?¡± [Sister, please remember, we must be good people! Be good people!] Why am I not a good person? I think I¡¯m very good! ¡°I¡¯ve been trying hard!¡± Chuzheng retorted fiercely. [¡­] ¡°Knock, knock¡­ Miss Chuzheng, there¡¯s something here, would you like to take a look?¡± The boss¡¯s voice came from outside. Chuzheng rubbed Jih Cheng¡¯s head, ¡°Change your trousers too, and don¡¯t run around.¡± Chuzheng went out, and the boss was holding a mobile phone, looking somewhat uneasy. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, take a look.¡± There were several videos on the phone. The last two videos should have been filmed inside the private room. Jih Cheng was surrounded by people, his clothes deliberately torn open, and someone even tried to strip off his trousers. The laughter of men and women came from the phone, particularly grating. The footage shook a few times before falling into a black screen. That must have been when Jih Cheng got angry. Some other videos were chaotically shot, but several of them were related to Jih Cheng. ¡°Whose phone is this?¡± ¡°Jih¡­ Jih Bo¡¯s,¡± the boss didn¡¯t dare to call out Master Jih again, ¡°There are more in the cloud.¡± Chuzheng silently watched all the videos. Jih Bo, as a second-generation rich kid, liked anything fun and exciting. The videos were all over the place, the shortest a few seconds, the longest over an hour. Chuzheng stopped at a video shot a year ago. The video seems to have captured street racing, but in it, Jih Bo runs into a person. Jih Bo¡¯s motorcycle, because of the collision, flips over as well. The camera was pointed directly at the person who was hit. But the video was quickly cut off. It¡¯s suspected that Jih Bo changed his phone, but the video was automatically backed up for upload, and Jih Bo probably forgot about it. Chuzheng had the boss check into it. The boss, through some unknown connections, actually managed to track it down. The person who was hit died on the scene. At that time, Jih Bo was already sixteen years old and needed to take criminal responsibility, but Jih Cheng wasn¡¯t, so in the end, it was Jih Cheng who took the fall for it. Although it was Jih Cheng who took the fall, the Jih Family didn¡¯t permit such a scandal to emerge, and ultimately settled the matter privately with money. Chuzheng sent out a copy of the video and then had the boss delete everything else related to Jih Cheng. ¨C ¡°Jih Cheng, regarding our previous suspicion that you cheated, we didn¡¯t investigate thoroughly and wronged you, Jih Cheng,¡± Jih Cheng was called to the office as soon as he entered the classroom. He thought they were going to continue talking about the cheating matter. Instead, they apologized to him. Jih Cheng left the office a bit baffled. It wasn¡¯t until the second period that he heard someone had come forward to confess that he had been framed. Jih Cheng glanced at his deskmate subconsciously. Chuzheng was resting her chin on her hands, apparently lost in thought. When Jih Cheng looked at her, she didn¡¯t glance sideways but instead took out a pack of doughnuts from under the desk and handed it to him. Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Unable to resist the temptation of sweets. ¡°Chuzheng¡­¡± Chuzheng then took out a pack of cookies for him. Don¡¯t talk to me! Can¡¯t you be quiet?! Stop the noise! Jih Cheng got the hint that Chuzheng didn¡¯t want to talk right now and gave up on the idea of speaking to her. ¨C Jih Cheng thought Jih Bo¡¯s revenge would come quickly. However, to his surprise, not only did Jih Bo refrain from taking revenge, he didn¡¯t even bother him. That left Jih Cheng puzzled about what exactly Chuzheng had done to Jih Bo. To make him stay so quiet. She is full of secrets. It makes one want to unveil and have a peek, but also afraid to¡­ ¡°The midterm exam results are out!!¡± Someone ran down the hallway, then rushed into the classroom: ¡°I just saw the midterm exam results on Zhou Chu¡¯s desk.¡± ¡°How did I do?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see it, man, I don¡¯t dare to mess with Zhou Chu!¡± ¡°They released the results so quickly this time?¡± ¡°Not quick, last year it took only two days.¡± ¡°I¡¯m done for, I don¡¯t even dare to look at my grades.¡± There was a mix of joy and sorrow in the classroom. ¡°Yu Yue must be number one again this time.¡± ¡°Of course, I wish I could be like Yu Yue, skip classes every day and still get first place.¡± ¡°I heard that Yu Yue has already finished all the courses for the third year of high school¡­¡± Yu Yue sat at his desk, fiddling with his phone, with a slight upward curl to his lips, seemingly indifferent, yet thoroughly enjoying the attention. As the students were discussing, the class bell rang, and Teacher Zhou entered the classroom with the sound of the bell. The classroom became silent instantly. Teacher Zhou glanced below, and seeing the notorious class skipper Yu Yue present, was in a much better mood. ¡°The overall performance in this exam has slipped a bit,¡± Teacher Zhou said with a stern face. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you all have been up to lately! You¡¯re all in the second year now, soon advancing to third year¡ªlooking at the state of you now, do you even want to go to university?¡± Teacher Zhou finished this line without even taking a breath. ¡°However¡­¡± Teacher Zhou¡¯s tone shifted: ¡°Still, there are a few students who performed well, with the top three in the grade being from our class.¡± Chapter 262 - Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Dont Leave After School (23) Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Don¡¯t Leave After School (23) ¡°` Everyone was at a loss for words for a moment. With the top three students in their class, they still got scolded to high heaven. Zhou Chu truly lived up to his name. ¡°Those whose names are called, come up to get your exam papers.¡± Names were called from the lowest rank upwards. When it came to the top ten, the rankings were announced. ¡°Ninth place, Tao Xinxin.¡± ¡°Eighth place, Ding Zhengyang.¡± ¡°Seventh place¡­¡± ¡°Third place, Shi Lin.¡± ¡°Second place, Xiang Hai.¡± ¡°First place, Yu Yue.¡± Yu Yue strutted up with the air of a top scholar to grab the paper. ¡°I told you Yu Yue would definitely be first.¡± ¡°Otherwise, how could she be called a top student?¡± After announcing the first place, everyone noticed Teacher Zhou still had one paper in hand. The classroom instantly fell silent. The first place had been announced, so why was there still one left? The only one not called in the class was the transfer student, Jih Cheng¡­ But he didn¡¯t even take the exam because of the cheating accusation; his score was recorded as zero. Even though it¡¯s now clear he didn¡¯t cheat, his score was still zero. Amid the students¡¯ puzzled looks, Teacher Zhou slowly spoke, ¡°This time, our class has a tie for first place, Xu Chuzheng.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The classroom suddenly went quiet again. Chuzheng stood up to get her exam paper. Teacher Zhou announced the overall ranking for all subjects, but the paper she received was for this one subject. Teacher Zhou looked at the paper¡ªanswered so perfectly that claiming she cheated was out of the question. Some of her problem-solving methods were even different than the standard answers and simpler. If it wasn¡¯t for her overly concise writing, which cost her points, she would have been in first place. Yu Yue sat at her desk as if pricked by a needle. How could Xu Chuzheng¡¯s grades be so good now? She used to be at the bottom, lucky to even pass. Now she suddenly tied with Yu Yue for first place. One could imagine how Yu Yue was feeling. ¡°Xu Chuzheng actually tied Yu Yue for first place, am I hearing things?¡± ¡°How is that possible? Did she cheat?¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°She used to do so badly in her studies.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Amid the whispers, Chuzheng returned to her seat unfazed. Equally shocked as the other students was Jih Cheng, ¡°You¡¯re not¡­¡± ¡°Not what?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even do your homework¡­¡± ¡°When did I ever say I couldn¡¯t do it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Right, she never did say that; she just had others do it for her, but doesn¡¯t that imply she couldn¡¯t? ¡°I just couldn¡¯t be bothered to do it.¡± Chuzheng pressed down on her paper, her face calm, ¡°I think my grades are pretty good.¡± If she couldn¡¯t handle such simple questions from high school, how could she even get by?! Deskmate: ¡°¡­¡± So the reason she had others do her homework was that she couldn¡¯t be bothered to do it herself?! Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Tying for first place is just ¡®pretty good¡¯? Buzz¡ª Zhu Zian: Congrats, junior, first place! Dinner¡¯s on me tonight! Zhu Zian sent over a screenshot. Someone had circulated the overall ranking for the second year. Chuzheng¡¯s name was conspicuously tied with Yu Yue for first place. Chuzheng: How much did you score Zhu Zian: Junior, let¡¯s not talk about that. You¡¯re still my junior. Chuzheng: ¡­ Zhu Zian: I think my Feifei is going to leave me, what should I do!! I¡¯ve really tried hard, but I¡¯m just not cut out for studying. Chuzheng: What are you cut out for Zhu Zian: ¡­Fighting, I guess? ¡°` Zhu Zian: ¡°Little junior sister, what do you think we should do?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± It¡¯s not like my grades are poor. Zhu Zian: ¡°It¡¯s all over, I¡¯m going to lose my Feifei.¡± Chuzheng couldn¡¯t be bothered with Zhu Zian¡¯s ranting and turned off her phone. Zhu Zian¡¯s grades were probably beyond saving, and with the college entrance exam coming up soon, no ordinary person could improve their grades that quickly. Zhu Zian said he would treat her to dinner tonight, and when school let out, he really did block her way. These days, Chuzheng had been going home with Jih Cheng¡ªsending Jih Cheng home. So Jih Cheng had to be brought along as well. Zhu Zian was quite familiar with Jih Cheng. ¡°How come Jih Cheng¡¯s cheating incident was resolved just like that?¡± Zhu Zian was curious about this. Jih Cheng was also curious; he always felt that Chuzheng was involved somehow, but she kept a low profile and had a serious face, as if she knew nothing. ¡°Maybe the person had a guilty conscience,¡± Fatty chimed in from the side. ¡°Hehe, you think everyone¡¯s like you, can be lured away with just a bite of food.¡± ¡°Brother Zhu, I¡¯m not that kind of person!¡± Fatty¡¯s eyes went round. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± ¡°You guys are too much! Am I the kind of person who would betray his friends for food?¡± ¡°You are.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be brothers with you all!¡± The group was noisy and boisterous. ¡°Oh man, how come there are no seats left again?¡± Zhu Zian was distressed looking at the packed stall. The food at this stall was extremely good; despite the shabby environment, even well-dressed folks were willing to dine here. ¡°There are, there are seats,¡± someone from inside suddenly ran out: ¡°We¡¯ve kept a table especially for you.¡± Zhu Zian: ¡°???¡± Zhu Zian followed them inside, and indeed there was an empty table. ¡°Boss, didn¡¯t you say there were no seats?¡± A young man followed the boss inside, his hair dyed yellow and looking like he was wearing a fake wig, his demeanor was that of a gangster and he didn¡¯t seem like a good guy. ¡°How come they have seats?¡± The young man pointed fiercely at Chuzheng and the others, who had not yet sat down. ¡°Boss, you can¡¯t do business like this, right? Don¡¯t you know the rule of first come first served?¡± The young man prodded the boss on the shoulder, pushing him back several steps. The boss wiped the sweat off his brow: ¡°Young man, this¡­¡± ¡°Ah Huang, are there no seats left?¡± Someone called out from outside. ¡°There are!¡± Ah Huang replied: ¡°I¡¯ve reserved these seats, wise up and scram!¡± Ah Huang pointed at Chuzheng and her group, his eyes unfriendly and his tone arrogant. Zhu Zian would have rolled up his sleeves and started a fight if Yao Fei hadn¡¯t been holding him back. The people from outside also came in. As the saying goes, enemies often meet by chance. The newcomers were Qin Feng and Yu Yue, among others. ¡°Brother Qin, there are still seats. I¡¯ll make these people leave right away,¡± Ah Huang said obsequiously as soon as he saw them enter. Chuzheng¡¯s expression changed slightly. She pulled Jih Cheng down to sit and pushed the menu in front of him. ¡°Order some dishes.¡± Fatty seemed to think that Chuzheng had the air of a boss, so he also dragged Yao Fei down to sit. The only people left standing were Zhu Zian and his group, confronting them. ¡°What are you doing!¡± Ah Huang felt he had lost face in front of Qin Feng and immediately exploded: ¡°I told you to scram did you not hear me? Are you looking for a beating?¡± Qin Feng¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly: ¡°How are you talking to my classmates?¡± Qin Feng¡¯s tone was neither good nor bad. Ah Huang was immediately confused. ¡°Brother Qin.¡± ¡°There are so many seats left, why don¡¯t we share a table?¡± Qin Feng suggested. Yu Yue frowned slightly, catching a glimpse of Qin Feng staring intently at Chuzheng, a surge of anger rising within her. What was Qin Feng implying? Had he taken a fancy to this slut? Chapter 263 - Chapter 263: Chapter 263: Dont Leave After School (24) Chapter 263: Chapter 263: Don¡¯t Leave After School (24) Chuzheng looked up, her face expressionless as she refused, ¡°I won¡¯t share a table.¡± ¡°Brother Qin is giving you face¡­¡± Qin Feng stopped Ah Huang. ¡°Student Xu, you¡¯d better think it through.¡± After being repeatedly refused, Qin Feng was starting to get annoyed. He had grown up without anyone ever daring to refuse him like this. ¡°And?¡± Qin Feng raised an eyebrow, ¡°Buying this place would just take a minute.¡± He left the rest unsaid. But the implication was clear: soon you¡¯re going to be embarrassed. Chuzheng: ¡°???¡± It¡¯s just sharing a table¡ªwhy escalate to buying the restaurant? What¡¯s with Qin Feng¡¯s brain¡­ how is it wired? Could it be that guys with many girlfriends have differently wired brains? Ah Huang was showing off next to Qin Feng as if Qin Feng offering to share the table was a sign of respect for them. Chuzheng leaned back slightly, her arms folded across her chest, exuding the aura of a boss, ¡°How much do you plan to offer?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s response caught Qin Feng off guard. ¡°Student Xu, that¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°This is my restaurant, why wouldn¡¯t it be my business?¡± the girl replied, her tone indifferent. ¡°¡­¡± The owner was sweating at the side, wondering when his restaurant had become so coveted. He hadn¡¯t planned to sell, but then this young lady had gone straight to the landlord and bought the place. Chuzheng hadn¡¯t forced him, but the price she offered hit the spot, plus he was still the owner here, keeping the earnings for himself. He wouldn¡¯t say no to a pie falling from the sky. Zhu Zian and the others were staring, dumbfounded. They had wondered why a seat was kept empty. The little school sister is really rich. She bought the place just like that. Does your family know about your squandering? ¡°Even if I were to smash the place, I wouldn¡¯t sell it to you,¡± Chuzheng added slowly and methodically. Qin Feng: ¡°¡­¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡± Qin Feng just wanted to make Chuzheng lower her head, and now, not only did she not lower her head, but he had lost face instead. ¡°Xu Chuzheng, where did your family get the money? You¡¯re not spouting nonsense, are you?¡± Yu Yue was quite familiar with Xu Chuzheng¡¯s family background¡ªher dad was just a driver, and her mom did odd jobs; they hardly had any money. Chuzheng didn¡¯t even flicker an eyebrow, ¡°Is it wrong to strike it rich with a mine?¡± ¡°Who are you trying to fool?¡± ¡°Bastard,¡± the girl¡¯s voice was clear and resonant. ¡°¡­¡± With only their group of people around, it was obvious whom she was referring to. She was insinuating them without directly saying it. Yu Yue¡¯s face turned livid in an instant, ¡°Xu Chuzheng, who are you cursing at!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t curse,¡± Chuzheng said, her face dead serious, as if she was on the verge of writing ¡°don¡¯t talk nonsense¡± on her forehead. I just mentioned a ¡®bastard,¡¯ what¡¯s wrong with that? Is it forbidden for me to speak?! Which law says I can¡¯t?! We¡¯re just trying to eat, and here¡¯s a group of you babbling on, is there no end to it?! ¡°You¡­¡± Yu Yue was pulled back by Qin Feng, ¡°Qin Feng, why are you holding me back? She¡¯s just playing us¡ªhow could she possibly afford to buy this place?¡± Usually, treating classmates to a snack would now mean buying this place? Bullshit! ¡°The boss is right here, why don¡¯t you ask and find out?¡± Qin Feng looked towards the sweat-wiping boss on the side. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Suddenly the focus of everyone¡¯s attention, the boss¡¯s sweat streamed down even more. ¡°This¡­ is¡­ Miss Chuzheng bought my restaurant before,¡± the owner finally admitted. ¡°If she bought your restaurant, why are you still here?¡± Yu Yue didn¡¯t believe it, pressing aggressively, ¡°Boss, did she tell you to say this for her?¡± The boss was quick to defend, ¡°No, no, it¡¯s true. Miss Chuzheng is the owner now. Since Miss Chuzheng is still studying, I¡¯m just helping her manage it.¡± Qin Feng¡¯s face began to sour gradually. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t lose his cool but just pulled Yu Yue along, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s not disturb Student Xu during her meal. Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll find another place.¡± ¡°The environment here isn¡¯t that great anyway, let Brother Qin treat us at Fuhai Building,¡± Ah Huang sneered dismissively. Zhu Zian almost threw a punch when he saw it. What kind of person was that! ¡°Sure thing,¡± Qin Feng readily chimed in. Fuhai Building was also a famous restaurant nearby. But it was rather upscale. Ah Huang suddenly said again, ¡°Brother Qin, isn¡¯t Fuhai Building closed at this time?¡± ¡°No worries, I¡¯ll give them a call,¡± Qin Feng said, sounding very nonchalant. ¡°Playing off each other quite impressively,¡± Chuzheng and Bastard commented. The group hadn¡¯t gone far, obviously saying it for them to hear. Yu Yue walked to the door, then suddenly turned back, her voice slow and malicious, ¡°Some people should be careful not to have their boyfriends stolen without even realizing it.¡± That was directed at Yao Fei. But Yao Fei was a bit lost, not knowing who Yu Yue was talking to. ¡°Have you ordered yet?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I haven¡¯t ordered yet! Jih Cheng casually ticked off a couple of items and passed the menu to others. ¡°Little junior sister, did you really buy this restaurant?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°Rich,¡± Zhu Zian gave Chuzheng a thumbs up, ¡°So does this mean we¡¯ll always have seats from now on?¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you get tired of it?¡± Surely one can¡¯t eat here every day, no matter how good the food is, right? ¡°¡­Maybe a little,¡± Zhu Zian scratched his head. ¡°Let¡¯s switch it up tomorrow, buy Fuhai Building.¡± ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Look at her, changing flavors doesn¡¯t mean switching restaurants, it means buying the restaurant outright. Buying a restaurant at the drop of a hat!! For little junior sister, it¡¯s as casual as buying a lollipop. This is a restaurant we¡¯re talking about! Is this really how the truly wealthy operate? The poverty left them bewildered. Since Yao Fei was there, Zhu Zian didn¡¯t dare to drink too much, and left on time to take her home. Fatty loudly claimed that Zhu Zian, having left the main group, was no longer their Brother Zhu. After the meal, Chuzheng drove Jih Cheng home. At first, Jih Cheng didn¡¯t want Chuzheng to drive him, being a boy after all. He should be the one to take her home. However, Chuzheng was insistent, not giving him a chance to refuse. Chuzheng took him to the bottom of his building, ¡°Then I¡­ will go up.¡± Chuzheng held onto his hand, not letting go, and pulled him back by the neck. Jih Cheng¡¯s breath hitched briefly, ¡°Someone might see¡­¡± ¡°Then go up,¡± Chuzheng released him. Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Once upstairs, Jih Cheng hadn¡¯t even switched the lights on when Chuzheng pushed him against the door and kissed him. After kissing him, Chuzheng didn¡¯t seem to intend on leaving. Jih Cheng¡¯s cheeks felt warm, so he went to the bathroom to wash his face first. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going home?¡± Chuzheng lay on his sofa, showing no sign of moving. ¡°Can¡¯t I sleep here?¡± Going back would require going downstairs, then upstairs¡­ Such a hassle. And no Good Person Card kiss. What¡¯s the point of going back! ¡°There¡¯s only one bed in my place,¡± Jih Cheng¡¯s voice was low. ¡°Mhm.¡± One bed is enough for sleeping! I¡¯m quite small! ¡°¡­¡± What does ¡°mhm¡± mean? Jih Cheng¡¯s mind inexplicably drifted to the peaceful night they shared a bed at the countryside lodge, his ears heating up, his fingertips tingling. [Miss, wouldn¡¯t you dare to speak your inner thoughts out loud?] Even the King¡¯s Account couldn¡¯t stand watching anymore. Why would I say it out loud? Don¡¯t I want to maintain an image of grace and aloofness? You vile creature, your intentions are malicious! [¡­] Isn¡¯t Miss Zheng being covertly passionate? Definitely!! Chapter 264 - Chapter 264: Chapter 264: Dont Leave After School (25) Chapter 264: Chapter 264: Don¡¯t Leave After School (25) Chuzheng felt she was addicted to Good Person Cards. And she actually thought it was quite nice¡­ Chuzheng, with a poker face, thought for a long time and came to a conclusion. If you like something, you should get it! Yes! Jih Cheng had intended to sleep on the floor, but Chuzheng dragged him onto the bed without a word. Jih Cheng was kissed senseless, and he feared he might be taken advantage of, but Chuzheng only kissed him, everything else remained very proper. After Chuzheng finally let him go, Jih Cheng couldn¡¯t sleep at all. How could he sleep!! Buzz, buzz, buzz¡­ Jih Cheng¡¯s phone vibrated, he glanced at Chuzheng with closed eyes, and carefully took out his phone to look. ¡ªWhy didn¡¯t you come over again today? Are you alright? Jih Cheng typed with one hand. ¡ªI¡¯m fine, I¡¯ll come over tomorrow. ¡ªThat¡¯s good, you¡¯ve been taking leaves quite frequently recently, I thought something had happened to you. If something¡¯s up, just tell me. ¡ªYeah. Jih Cheng turned off his phone, suddenly feeling a little cold. Recently, she had taken such good care of him. He almost forgot, he was human¡­ Jih Cheng only slept for just over three hours. He got up early, went to buy some things, and only then did he wake Chuzheng. ¡°Let¡¯s have breakfast, or we¡¯ll be late.¡± Chuzheng stared at him expressionlessly, then a minute later, she laid back down. ¡°¡­¡± Jih Cheng leaned in to look at her. The girl¡¯s eyes were cold, like the surface of a lake turned to ice in winter, without warmth even when bathed in sunlight. Jih Cheng felt his adam¡¯s apple move slightly, feeling a bit dry in the mouth. He leaned down and kissed Chuzheng¡¯s lips. Chuzheng¡¯s eyes stirred, and just as Jih Cheng¡¯s heartbeat sped up and he was about to pull away, she pulled him back. A kiss lasted a full five minutes. Outside the window, dawn was breaking, the boy¡¯s face flushed, like cherries in morning mist. ¡°Get up quickly,¡± the boy said in a fluster, propping himself up and leaving after dropping the words. The breakfast was made by Jih Cheng himself. Jih Cheng rarely made breakfast at home, usually skipping the meal before. But later on, Chuzheng started bringing desserts for him as breakfast every morning. Those desserts were different every day and tasted very good, not at all like something bought just anywhere on the street. But Jih Cheng had never seen any special logo and didn¡¯t know where she bought them. Now, suddenly sitting at the same table eating breakfast with her, Jih Cheng felt a warm current flow through his heart. ¡°Is it good?¡± Jih Cheng asked somewhat nervously. Chuzheng took a sip of porridge, her face taut but she nodded: ¡°Mhm.¡± A Good Person Card¡¯s work, even if it isn¡¯t delicious, you can¡¯t just say that! Although it is quite nice¡­ If she could get a kiss, it would be even better. Chuzheng was pondering how to trick the Good Person Card into another kiss later and was somewhat distracted as she drank her porridge. On the other side, Jih Cheng silently heaved a sigh of relief, glad he hadn¡¯t messed up. ¡°Then eat more,¡± he said. ¨C Chuzheng truly went and bought the Fuhai Building. Yu Yue and Qin Feng were later turned away at the door, a scene that Zhu Zian recorded and shared at school, causing quite a stir. At Dingyang Middle School, Qin Feng was already known as a symbol of wealth. Yet with Chuzheng¡¯s move to buy a store, everyone at school thought her family must own a mine. At first, Qin Feng found Chuzheng quite interesting. Now he probably wants to strangle her. She¡¯s deliberately opposing him. After Chuzheng did this, Qin Feng no longer dared to act up in front of her. ¨C Jih Cheng said he had to leave early after evening self-study, so Chuzheng and Zhu Zian left the school together. Zhu Zian had to walk Yao Fei home every day, and Chuzheng separated from them at the school gate. Chuzheng wavered between going to Jih Cheng¡¯s place and going back to her apartment for a while, ultimately deciding to go back to her apartment. But Chuzheng never expected she would get ambushed. If she had known, she would have gone to Jih Cheng¡¯s house instead. ¡°Are you Xu Chuzheng?¡± The person blocking her way called out. ¡°No.¡± Chuzheng denied it the moment she opened her mouth. Not even knowing whether I¡¯m Xu Chuzheng or not, what kind of person do you ambush? No professional ethics at all! Which idiot would admit it when seeing your gang?! Besides, she indeed wasn¡¯t Xu Chuzheng, so there was nothing wrong with her denial. The young girl stood under the streetlight, her slender shadow cast on the ground like a wisp of green smoke. The group opposite her showed some unrest, pulling out their phones for a while. ¡°How can she not be? It¡¯s definitely her.¡± ¡°Damn it, dare to lie to me!¡± Chuzheng kept one hand in her pocket, the other holding her backpack, the dim light swept under her eyes, revealing the icy detachment condensed at the bottom of her pupils. ¡°Over there.¡± Suddenly there was a sound from behind, followed by messy footsteps. About a dozen people charged out of the dark. When they saw the crowd standing here, they suddenly stopped. The scene fell into an eerie silence. Both sides watched each other warily, keeping silent. Suddenly, Chuzheng walked towards the first group that had appeared, ¡°Beat them up.¡± Hearing this, the dozen people behind her, thinking Chuzheng was on their side, decided to strike first and charged forward shouting. And the seven or eight people on this side, assuming those were Chuzheng¡¯s reinforcements, couldn¡¯t just stand by while the attack was unleashed, could they? Both parties immediately started brawling. Chuzheng stood aside silently, watching the commotion. ¡°Shit! Knock them dead for me!¡± ¡°Who the hell do you want to kill!¡± Both sides cursed as they fought. The dozen-strong gang suddenly shouted, ¡°Damn it, did anyone see Xu Chuzheng? Don¡¯t let that bitch escape!¡± The seven or eight-strong gang was startled, then shouted back, ¡°Are you here for Xu Chuzheng?¡± The dozen-strong gang, ¡°No shit! Which gang are you from? Smarten up and step aside!¡± The seven or eight-strong gang, ¡°We¡¯re damn well here for Xu Chuzheng too.¡± The fighting crowd, hearing this, involuntarily stopped. The scene turned awkward. ¡°Damn!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been played by that little bitch.¡± ¡°Do you guys have a freaking death wish, charging in like that?¡± ¡°Would we have started the fight if you hadn¡¯t?¡± ¡°It was clearly you who started it.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± As the two sides were on the verge of clashing again, the leaders hurriedly separated their groups. They were quarreling incessantly here, while the person they were actually looking for had disappeared, what was there to argue about? ¡°We were also misled by that little bitch Xu Chuzheng, it wasn¡¯t on purpose, let¡¯s just call it a truce.¡± Having said this, no one could really argue, and all reluctantly shook hands and made peace. ¡°Where¡¯s Xu Chuzheng?¡± someone asked. The surrounding area was empty, with no one in sight. As they cursed and swore, a voice came from the wall next to them, ¡°Looking for me.¡± Chuzheng sat on the wall, looking down at them. ¡°Xu Chuzheng, you bitch, pulling a stunt like this on me.¡± ¡°Say that again.¡± The clear voice became cold with the chill of the night, eerie and desolate. The people below, emboldened by their numbers, were not intimidated, ¡°What about it if I curse you? Bitch! Just you wait, I¡¯ll deal with you later.¡± Chuzheng, ¡°Why don¡¯t you make a phone call?¡± ¡°Heh.¡± The other party found it laughable, ¡°You were tricking us just now, we don¡¯t need to call anyone for dealing with a girl like you.¡± Chuzheng, her face cold, ¡°I was suggesting you call someone to collect your corpse.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Damn! That¡¯s some arrogance! Chapter 265 - Chapter 265: Chapter 265: Dont Leave After School (26) Chapter 265: Chapter 265: Don¡¯t Leave After School (26) ¡°Sister, sister, we were wrong.¡± ¡°We failed to recognize a great person when we saw one and offended you. We truly made a mistake, please have mercy on us.¡± Sitting on a box, Chuzheng looked at them with an icy stare, ¡°Weren¡¯t you quite comfortable insulting me just now? Do it again.¡± ¡°No, no.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a bitch, I¡¯m a bitch.¡± The leaders of the two groups were singing in chorus with surprising harmony. ¡°Shut up.¡± Chuzheng was getting irritated, ¡°Who sent you?¡± So many against one little girl? Have you no shame? The leader of the Black Night gang glanced at his neighbor¡ªYou go first. The leader of the Tianshan Duxiu gang glared back¡ªHow about you go first? Chuzheng kicked the closer leader of the Tianshan Duxiu gang. He let out a cry of pain, ¡°Sister, we follow the rules of the streets and have our own code of honor. We would never betray our friends.¡± Those who live by the street code honor it above all, and never betray their friends. Chuzheng took out a stack of money and placed it in front of her. The expression of the leader of the Tianshan Duxiu gang changed instantly, speaking with righteous indignation, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m not that kind of person. How could I abandon my principles for money! But a cute girl like you, how could I allow you to be treated so unfairly, my conscience can¡¯t stand it¡ªIt was Xu Shenghui who sent us!¡± Xu Shenghui had been beaten up by Chuzheng before and had stayed in the hospital for several days. Chuzheng hadn¡¯t returned home, and the Xu Family had no idea where she lived, so Xu Shenghui had sent people to block her at the school. The leader of the Black Night gang rolled his eyes in contempt. ¡°You.¡± Chuzheng gave the leader of the Black Night gang a nudge with her foot. ¡°I won¡¯t tell, even if you kill me¡­¡± The leader¡¯s gaze followed Chuzheng¡¯s hand and he swallowed hard, ¡°It was Master Jih who sent us.¡± The leader of the Tianshan Duxiu gang counted the money while rolling his eyes, ¡°Heh, don¡¯t tell it then.¡± You even dared to roll your eyes at me before. What street honor compared to cold hard cash? They only came for the money in the first place. Catching the prey would be one thing, but not only did they fail to catch her, they ended up being caught by her. Of course, they¡¯d take the chance to make some money now. They weren¡¯t good people to begin with, anyways. ¡°Sister, can we go now?¡± The leaders of both gangs asked cautiously. Chuzheng lifted her chin, indicating they could leave. The two quickly left with their respective gangs and went their separate ways on the road. However, it didn¡¯t take long for the two of them to run into each other at the police station. They were accused of highway robbery, and both were carrying a large amount of cash. Already having criminal records, even if the accusation was false, the group found themselves in a difficult position. It¡¯s not like they could say they intended to teach someone a lesson but ended up being given money by the intended victim instead, right? Who would believe such a story? But they couldn¡¯t explain the source of the money¡­ ¨C Jih Family. Jih Bo lay in bed, thinking that by now, that meddlesome woman should have been dealt with, and his mood lifted. Buzz, buzz, buzz¡ª The phone vibrated. Jih Bo did a fish flop and grabbed the phone from the table. He was slightly disappointed to find that it wasn¡¯t a call from the person he was expecting. ¡°What is it? I already said I¡¯m not going out today. You guys have fun without me¡­¡± Jih Bo answered the phone in annoyance. ¡°Master Jih, you need to check Weibo,¡± the person on the other end interrupted urgently. ¡°There¡¯s trouble!¡± Trouble? What kind of trouble? Jih Bo, a bit perplexed, hung up the phone and opened Weibo. When he entered, he had difficulty a few times, and Jih Bo found that the messages tagging him were blowing up like crazy. A sense of unease suddenly rose in Jih Bo¡¯s heart. He clicked on the mentions, and they were all full of insults. Jih Bo was baffled. He hadn¡¯t done anything recently. Why were these people suddenly cursing him? But soon, Jih Bo saw the source of it all. It was a video. The content of the video was deeply etched in Jih Bo¡¯s memory. The video started with a shot of Jih Bo¡¯s own face, so people quickly dug it up. [Tianshan Duxiu: A rich second-generation kills someone and gets away without as much as a scratch, is there no law left?] [Gossip Zuzu: According to reliable sources, the victim¡¯s family was forced not to sue, claims of settling privately are all coerced.] [Your Grandpa Offline: Wow, this is explosive. Isn¡¯t this Jih Bo from the Jih Family? Wasn¡¯t a good person before¡­] [I Have a Little Heart: These days, if you have money you¡¯re the boss, kill a person, pay some money, and it¡¯s all settled.] [Black Night: Seems like the person above knows a lot.] [Your Grandpa Offline: Not much, not much, just a bit. I used to go to the same school as Jih Bo. He relied on his family¡¯s wealth to do a lot of bad things, once almost beat a person to death. In the end, that person transferred and he got off scot-free.] Jih Bo¡¯s expression twisted as he read the comments. How long has it been since that incident? Why was it being dug up again? Where did the video come from? He had certainly deleted it back then¡­ ¡°Jih Bo, Jih Bo!¡± A deep, angry voice came from outside the door, and the man barged in, slapping Jih Bo across the face. Jih Bo was stunned by the slap. ¡°Dad, why are you hitting me, what¡¯s the use of hitting me?¡± He bellowed. Father Jih¡¯s face was livid: ¡°What did I tell you back then? Delete it completely, why did you keep this thing!¡± ¡°I deleted it!¡± He remembered very well that he had deleted it! ¡°How could it appear online if you deleted it? Or are you saying that video wasn¡¯t recorded by you?¡± Father Jih was furious. Anyone who saw it would assume the video was recorded by Jih Bo himself. This was a scandal for the Jih Family, which would affect not only their stock, but his standing in the company as well. ¡°I really don¡¯t know.¡± Jih Bo grabbed his hair: ¡°Dad, have someone suppress the news quickly.¡± Father Jih also knew that this was not the time to reprimand him and called to have it taken care of. ¡°Who have you offended?¡± The video had just been released and was quickly reposted by several influential big Vs, causing quite a stir¡ªthis was no coincidence, it was someone pushing it from behind. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± he had been so well-behaved recently, where could he have offended someone? ¡°Are you sure you deleted the video?¡± ¡°I really deleted it, Dad, why don¡¯t you believe me.¡± He wouldn¡¯t dare to keep such evidence. Father Jih calmly analyzed it for him. If he truly had deleted the video, then someone must have saved it before he did so. But Father Jih couldn¡¯t understand why someone would wait a whole year before releasing the video. The company hadn¡¯t been through anything particularly big recently¡­ ¡°It was Jih Cheng who took the blame for that incident at the time, so let¡¯s say it was Jih Cheng, say that it was switched halfway through.¡± ¡°Jih Cheng¡­¡± Father Jih frowned: ¡°Have you seen him recently?¡± Jih Bo, recalling a past incident, was a bit hesitant. ¡°You saw him? What happened between you two??¡± Father Jih pressed. Jih Cheng was probably the person who knew the details of that incident best, and if it was him who tampered with something¡­ Without a choice, Jih Bo could only tell Father Jih about what had happened before, including Chuzheng hitting him. ¡°You¡¯re saying you still have skeletons in someone else¡¯s closet?¡± Jih Bo nodded. Father Jih suppressed his rage; how had he raised such a worthless son. Chapter 266 - Chapter 266: Chapter 266: Dont Leave After School (27) Chapter 266: Chapter 266: Don¡¯t Leave After School (27) Father Jih was not Jih Bo; he had brains. Why did the other party post the matter online instead of going to the police? The other side knew that even if they went to the police, it wouldn¡¯t amount to much in the end. The Jih Family had the ability to smooth things over and settle matters with the victim¡¯s family. But the internet was different. Letting the issue ferment, the group¡¯s stockholders and his opponents would all come to watch the joke. Father Jih wanted to suppress the trending topic, but in the end, he was told it couldn¡¯t be done. They could suppress, but the other party could buy. Not only that, but there were also a large number of internet trolls involved; the other side intended to blow this up. Jih Bo was arrogant, relying on the Jih Family. At this time, however, he had no ideas of his own and depended entirely on Father Jih. Father Jih then pressed Jih Bo, insisting he think through every detail meticulously, not missing a single one. They must first identify the mastermind behind the scenes. ¨C ¡°Miss Xu Chuzheng.¡± Teacher Zhou interrupted the history teacher who was lecturing and, with a stern face, signaled Chuzheng to come out. Jih Cheng was sleeping on his desk; Chuzheng passed by him as she left, trying not to wake him. ¡°Miss Xu Chuzheng, someone wants to meet you.¡± Teacher Zhou took her downstairs and pointed to a car parked not far away, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Chuzheng guessed it must be someone from the Jih Family. Having evidence or suspecting her was not contradictory. Indeed, in the car was someone from the Jih Family, and it was Father Jih himself who had come. After Chuzheng got into the car, she looked at Father Jih with an expressionless face. Although he was past the age of forty, Father Jih still had handsome features complemented by his clothing, maintaining an imposing appearance. His face was somewhat serious, with the compelling air of a superior. To Chuzheng, this aura had no effect whatsoever. She calmly examined Father Jih as if he were an ordinary person, an ordinary object¡­ At the same time, Father Jih was also observing Chuzheng. Father Jih, being accustomed to all sorts of people in the business world, saw that at her age, they were either arrogantly ignorant or cowering, intimidated by their elders. But the girl in front of him, from the moment she got into the car, was cold and aloof, composed, her every move exuding an air of nobility. She sat with more presence than he had. It was as if in her eyes, he amounted to nothing. ¡°Miss Xu?¡± Father Jih was the first to break the silence. ¡°I took the liberty of asking Miss Xu out because there¡¯s something I would like to discuss.¡± ¡°Knowing it¡¯s presumptuous and still inviting me,¡± Chuzheng spoke indifferently, ¡°proves that you don¡¯t find yourself all that presumptuous.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As the head of Jih¡¯s, when had he ever been talked back to like this? Father Jih never underestimated this girl from the beginning. If the whole affair was orchestrated by her, he wasn¡¯t facing a mere girl but an opponent on equal footing. Before coming, he had looked into the girl¡¯s background. With such a background, how could she be the mastermind behind everything? Father Jih felt there were others behind her. But even so, she should not be underestimated. Her behavior now only confirmed his initial thoughts. This girl was not ordinary¡­ ¡°Miss Xu has personality.¡± Father Jih forced a smile, his expression softening, ¡°I too was once full of youthful vigor. I can understand, but Miss Xu still has to consider the consequences, right?¡± Without specifying, Chuzheng pretended to know nothing. ¡°What consequences should I consider?¡± ¡°Miss Xu, surely I don¡¯t need to spell it out?¡± ¡°How would I know if you don¡¯t say it?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s little face was serious. Father Jih¡¯s eyes flickered with a sharp light, and after a moment, he chuckled, ¡°Miss Xu, if you have any demands, please mention them sooner rather than later. As long as I can fulfill them, we can negotiate.¡± ¡°What do you want with me?¡± Chuzheng was not taking the bait, ¡°Do I know you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aren¡¯t you asking this question a little too late? ¡°Miss Xu¡¯s father is a truck driver, and her mother doesn¡¯t have a formal job, with an average income¡­¡± ¡°So what? You want to arrange jobs for them?¡± This son of a bitch even checked my background, why didn¡¯t the bastard assign me the identity of some princess lost among the common folk?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Can you not interrupt me!? Father Jih restrained his anger, keeping a straight face, ¡°Miss Xu, there is no need for you to beat around the bush with me. Think about your parents, your little brother, Miss Xu, I am very sincere.¡± ¡°So sincerity means you¡¯re using them to threaten me?¡± Even if you killed them, I wouldn¡¯t be afraid! Chuzheng didn¡¯t wait for Father Jih to speak, adding another line. ¡°Take them then.¡± It¡¯s not easy coming all this way, consider it a return gift. I¡¯m so nice. ¡°¡­¡± Father Jih really started to get a bit angry, ¡°You know why I am here, what do you want?¡± To do away with you! Can I say that? [No way!] Shut up, will you! Oh. You¡¯re quite fierce, Bastard. [¡­No, Miss, I¡¯m not, I didn¡¯t, I¡¯m very well-behaved.] The King¡¯s Account praised itself. Falling apart inside. Who¡¯s the fierce one, really? Miss, you¡¯re the fierce one. The girl next door is so much better. Gentle and considerate, kind and generous, with an Orchid Heart, graceful and reserved, calm and dignified, beautiful inside and out¡­ What a wonderful girl! Wahhh, I want a different girl!! Chuzheng had no time to play around with the King¡¯s Account, and simply blocked it. ¡°I don¡¯t know, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go back to class.¡± I still need to study, this damn thing is disturbing my studies, and I can¡¯t even do away with it, what a waste of time. ¡°Miss Xu, the thing on the internet, you did it, right?¡± Father Jih felt that without making it clear, the girl opposite wouldn¡¯t confess. This level of composure is really something. Chuzheng sat back down, her icy gaze fixed on Father Jih. Her red lips parted slightly, a chilling voice arose, ¡°Do you have evidence?¡± Jih Bo carefully recalled the events of that day; his phone had been taken away, and everything related to Jih Cheng had been deleted from it. He had searched through his phone entirely, eventually reaching his cloud backup. There, he found that video. Jih Bo did not usually pay attention to these things; as long as they were fun at the moment, he wouldn¡¯t bother watching them again, let alone save them deliberately. That phone broke right away, and after getting a new one, he hadn¡¯t thought that the video would be backed up to the cloud. Jih Bo also admitted to himself that he had hired people to teach Chuzheng a lesson. After the video leaked, he couldn¡¯t contact those people. So, during that period, the most likely suspect was Chuzheng. That¡¯s why Father Jih had come knocking. ¡°Miss Xu, my son is young and has offended in many ways. As a father, I apologize to you, and I hope Miss Xu can forgive and forget.¡± Father Jih could humble himself, lowering his stance. Now the most crucial thing was to resolve the issue. ¡°I can help you,¡± Chuzheng suddenly said, ¡°but there are conditions.¡± Father Jih¡¯s eyes narrowed; he knew then that she was indeed behind it. But who was behind her? A competitor of his own? Or Jih Cheng? No¡­ Jih Cheng, that useless one, couldn¡¯t be it, he didn¡¯t have the capability, nor the resources. In an instant, hundreds of thoughts raced through Father Jih¡¯s mind. ¡°What conditions.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s fingers tapped her wrist lightly, ¡°Simple.¡± Chapter 267 - Chapter 267: Chapter 267: Dont Leave After School (28) Chapter 267: Chapter 267: Don¡¯t Leave After School (28) Chuzheng got out of the car, and Father Jih lowered the car window to ask her, ¡°Miss Xu, I want to know who the person behind this is.¡± Without turning her head, Chuzheng answered, ¡°How would I know?¡± ¡°Miss Xu, since we¡¯ve made a deal, you don¡¯t have to be so stingy, do you?¡± Father Jih squinted slightly, a dangerous glint in his eyes. Chuzheng looked back, her expression cold as snow, ¡°Mr. Jih, I never said this matter had anything to do with me. If someone else did it, how would I know? I just promised to help you suppress it, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Father Jih: ¡°¡­¡± He carefully recalled their conversation. It seemed she indeed hadn¡¯t admitted to a single word. Father Jih felt like cursing. ¨C News on the internet comes quickly and goes just as fast. The news about the second-generation wealthy hitting someone was quickly suppressed, but Chuzheng had uploaded something else. Most of it was from Jih Bo¡¯s and his group of Fox and Dog Brother¡¯s phones. The content wasn¡¯t particularly violating. But for netizens, those videos were enough for them to concoct plenty of stories. Let these damn dogs mess with her Good Person Card. Father Jih didn¡¯t expect Chuzheng to pull such a move and was quite angry. But he had no way of dealing with Chuzheng, just as she said, where¡¯s the evidence? Father Jih could spend money for information, Chuzheng could also spend money to feed him false information. In terms of wealth, King¡¯s Account showed no pressure. At the same time Father Jih dealt with Chuzheng, he also made a move against the Xu family, which Chuzheng was happy to see. Father Jih might have realized Chuzheng truly had no fondness for the Xu family and gave up on targeting them. After several attempts, Father Jih ended up at a loss. His own son was being pointed at and cursed, and everyone in their circle just watched the excitement. Because of this, Jih Bo got into a conflict and beat someone half to death. As a result, this time the person he beat up had an even stronger backing than the Jih family. Combined with the previous video of the hit-and-run, the opponent directly sent Jih Bo away. Father Jih nearly had a heart attack from anger, busy with his son¡¯s troubles, he had no time to bother with Chuzheng anymore. With Jih Bo handled, there would be no blackening under the Good Person Card. Next up was Xu Shenghui. The little bastard still dared to find someone to deal with her. Quite bold. Because of Father Jih, now Father Xu couldn¡¯t even drive, he could only stay at home all day drinking and playing cards. Mother Xu and his quarrel battles were performed every day, a constant drama of chaos. ¡°Dad, give me money,¡± Xu Shenghui demanded money from Father Xu. ¡°What do you need money for again? Didn¡¯t I just give you some?¡± Father Xu, his face flushed with drink, slurred his words. ¡°Just give it to me,¡± Xu Shenghui said. ¡°Hurry up.¡± Father Xu cursed under his breath, but still took out money from his wallet; after all, this was the lifeblood of the old Xu family. Xu Shenghui snatched it all at once, taking all the cash inside. ¡°You little punk!¡± With the money in hand, Xu Shenghui ran off, went downstairs, and turned into an alley where several boys about his age were waiting for him. Seeing him come down, the group noisily discussed where to go and have fun. Just as they were preparing to leave, several youths appeared at the end of the alley. Xu Shenghui and his companions immediately fell silent, shoving each other hesitantly, appearing somewhat intimidated. ¡°Dog Brother, what brings you here?¡± Xu Shenghui recognized the leader and greeted him with a smile. Dog Brother was a notorious local thug. He usually extorted protection money and bullied students. Xu Shenghui had skipped class and met him at the game center. Because he was good with words and knew his way around, they were acquainted, and usually, Dog Brother didn¡¯t bully their group. Dog Brother leading the way whistled, ¡°Xu Shenghui stays, the rest of you scram.¡± Anyone with eyes could see these people had ill intentions. The people around Xu Shenghui exchanged glances and tactfully left. ¡°Hey, you guys¡­¡± As he watched his friends leave, Xu Shenghui cursed them in his heart for their lack of loyalty. ¡°` ¡°Dog Brother, are you looking for me for something?¡± Xu Shenghui typically bullies the weak and fears the tough. At home, he acts like a mighty lion, but outside, he¡¯s like a dog with its tail between its legs. Dog Brother beckoned to Xu Shenghui. Swallowing hard, Xu Shenghui cautiously walked over, with a smile plastered on his face. Dog Brother put his arm around his shoulder, ¡°Last time you asked me to do a job for you, didn¡¯t we still have some money unsettled?¡± ¡°Dog Brother¡­¡± Xu Shenghui¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that I had paid in full?¡± He had previously asked Dog Brother to teach Xu Chuzheng a lesson. But then there was no news. He asked twice and got scolded by Dog Brother, so he didn¡¯t dare to ask again. ¡°Is that so? I don¡¯t seem to recall.¡± Dog Brother dug at his ear, ¡°Do you guys remember?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t remember.¡± The lackeys behind him shook their heads in unison. There was no use for Xu Shenghui to argue. Dog Brother demanded that he pay up quickly, and for every day of delay, there would be interest. Xu Shenghui didn¡¯t dare to stand up to Dog Brother and could only agree reluctantly. ¨C Counting the money, Dog Brother was disdainful, ¡°Just this little bit of money isn¡¯t even enough for a meal.¡± ¡°That kid¡¯s family is just so-so, how much money could they have.¡± ¡°Dog Brother, didn¡¯t you used to really look out for him?¡± As the group turned a corner, Dog Brother saw the girl leaning against the corner at the same time the minion finished speaking. Dog Brother slapped a hand forward, ¡°Who¡¯s been looking out for him? Talking nonsense! From now on, whenever you see this kid, give him a good beating, got it?¡± Once Dog Brother finished yelling, he smoothed his hair and scurried over, ¡°Sister.¡± The minions who had been taught a lesson by Chuzheng that day all followed suit and called out. The others were a bit stunned. Isn¡¯t this just a student from Dingyang Middle School? How did she become Dog Brother¡¯s sister? She¡¯s even younger than Dog Brother! What are you doing, Dog Brother! What happened to the street bully¡¯s swagger? Dog ¡®Street Bully¡¯ Brother nodded and bowed, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t worry, I guarantee that Xu Shenghui, that little punk, won¡¯t bother you again.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng pulled out an envelope from her backpack and handed it to him, looking satisfied. Dog Brother accepted it as if it were a precious gift. He had thought she came looking for trouble with him, but it turned out she was after Xu Shenghui. The previous matter had been handled by him on behalf of Xu Shenghui, and if someone wanted to seek revenge, Dog Brother wouldn¡¯t dare refuse. He hadn¡¯t expected to get paid as well. With money in hand, Dog Brother became more eager to do the job. He harassed Xu Shenghui all day long. Xu Shenghui, still young, was no match for Dog Brother and his associates seasoned in the ways of the street. Before long, Xu Shenghui was driven to desperation. With Father Xu and Mother Xu unable to produce money, he tried to steal like others, but got caught, ended up in a fight, and injured someone. As Chuzheng and Jih Cheng stepped out of the school, Mother Xu charged at them, ¡°Xu Chuzheng.¡± Mother Xu approached with a threatening air, as if she was ready to hit someone. Jih Cheng shielded Chuzheng behind him; the young man was taller than Mother Xu and easily blocked her, preventing her from reaching Chuzheng. But Mother Xu had a loud voice, and her shout startled the students at the school gate, drawing their sideways glances. ¡°You startled me, what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Who is that, she looks really fierce.¡± ¡°She¡¯s looking for Xu Chuzheng¡­¡± Chuzheng was now a celebrity in school ¨C infamous for her family¡¯s downfall. Being accosted by such a woman, the students were extremely curious. Mother Xu, disheveled and with an angry expression, said, ¡°Your brother¡¯s in trouble and now we need a sum of money, give me the money fast.¡± Xu Shenghui had injured someone and now they needed to pay compensation. The other party was somewhat influential, and the Xu family couldn¡¯t provoke them, so they were forced to scrape together money for restitution. Chuzheng responded dispassionately, ¡°What has it got to do with me?¡± ¡°` Chapter 268 - Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Dont Leave After School (29) Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Don¡¯t Leave After School (29) ¡°He¡¯s your brother, what do you mean it¡¯s none of your business? I know you have money, don¡¯t play dumb with me. Hand it over now.¡± Mother Xu¡¯s commanding tone made Jih Cheng frown slightly with distaste. He wasn¡¯t clear about Chuzheng¡¯s family circumstances. The school was full of rumors, a mix of truth and falsehood that was indiscernible. But she seemed able to produce money at any time, which probably meant she was well-off¡­ ¡°What does my money have to do with you?¡± ¡°You are my daughter, isn¡¯t your money my money?¡± Mother Xu said as if it were a matter of fact. Chuzheng¡¯s voice was icy, ¡°When you were abusing me, you didn¡¯t consider me your daughter.¡± The onlookers gasped in shock. To be able to speak of being abused with such¡­ righteousness? Sorry, the onlookers really couldn¡¯t think of a better word to describe it. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Who¡¯s abusing you!¡± Mother Xu still cared about saving face, and yelled, ¡°I¡¯ve slaved away to feed and clothe you, to send you to school. What more do you want?¡± Jih Cheng attempted to speak several times, but Chuzheng held him back, gripping his wrist and then his palm, glancing at him from the corner of her eye, signaling that there was no need for him to speak. Jih Cheng gently squeezed her hand back, silently standing by her side. Mother Xu pointed at Chuzheng, ¡°You ungrateful girl, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to outside, where all that money comes from. If you don¡¯t bring out the money today, you¡¯re going to regret it.¡± ¡°Where does my money come from?¡± Chuzheng asked seriously. Malice filled Mother Xu¡¯s sallow face, ¡°You¡¯re kept by men outside, isn¡¯t that money from those guys? Just take out some money, what¡¯s wrong with helping your brother?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard, look, someone has reassigned your spot to others. [Miss, is it appropriate to make snide remarks now?] Otherwise? Take her out? Can I? [¡­] You better stick to sarcasm. Mother Xu continued her relentless tirade, ¡°You sleep with them once and you get the money, right? How could you be so heartless? Was raising you so easy?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± So noisy, I want to take her out. This body is, after all, her daughter; how could she say such things? The original owner wasn¡¯t picked up off the streets either! Can favoritism towards sons over daughters really go this far? Speaking like this in front of others, these words could completely ruin a girl¡¯s reputation. Luckily the original owner passed away; otherwise, who knows how they would have sold her off. Once Mother Xu uttered these words, the onlookers exploded. ¡°Chuzheng is kept by someone?¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°I heard she used to be so inconspicuous in class, but look at her now. She must be kept by someone, right?¡± ¡°That makes sense, where else would she get so much money? Look at her mom¡¯s dress, they¡¯re clearly not rich.¡± Jih Cheng gripped Chuzheng¡¯s hand tightly, his expression dark as he glared at the students who were discussing the loudest. The youth¡¯s mood was bleak, and making eye contact with him felt like falling into an abyss, sending shivers down one¡¯s spine. The voices of those discussing lowered suddenly on the other side. ¡°What happens to Xu Shenghui has nothing to do with me, and I won¡¯t give any money.¡± Chuzheng pulled Jih Cheng away. Mother Xu refused to let her leave and put her arms out in front. ¡°Has your conscience been eaten by a dog, Chuzheng? How can you just stand by and watch him die?¡± ¡°I can,¡± Chuzheng nodded solemnly. Chuzheng ignored Mother Xu¡¯s shouting and left directly with Jih Cheng, leaving behind a swearing Mother Xu. The next day, everyone in the school knew Chuzheng was being kept by someone. Her money all came from wild men¡ªconfirmed by her mother¡¯s own words. ¡°Wild men.¡± Chuzheng muttered monotonously, as if by magic produced a box of sweets for Jih Cheng, and ruffled his head, ¡°Eat more.¡± Jih Cheng ¡°The Wild Man¡± Cheng: ¡°???¡± That doesn¡¯t even make sense when you put it together! Jih Cheng stuffed a dessert into his mouth, his cheeks puffing out slightly. On his fair skin, touched by the evening sun¡¯s afterglow, a layer of warm, shallow golden light was cast, making even his somewhat inelegant way of eating look attractive because of that handsome face. Chuzheng bowed her head and kissed him on the corner of his lips. Jih Cheng did not expect Chuzheng to suddenly do that and instinctively dodged backward, his ears burning hot as he whispered, ¡°Zhu Zian and the others are here.¡± Chuzheng glanced at Zhu Zian and Yao Fei lying on the other side: ¡°I kissed him, do you have a problem with that?¡± Zhu Zian, who was miserably memorizing vocabulary and had just been shown off to unexpectedly: ¡°¡­¡± What could he possibly object to? He wanted to kiss his wife too! Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Jih Cheng really had to hand it to her. Sometimes her actions were completely unexpected. Yet when she did them, they seemed so natural. Chuzheng¡¯s fingertip brushed over the corner of Jih Cheng¡¯s mouth, and fearing she would kiss him again, he turned to talk to Zhu Zian. Zhu Zian had no interest in talking to Jih Cheng; he bit on his pen and said, ¡°Feifei, I¡­¡± Yao Fei whispered, ¡°If you can¡¯t finish memorizing today, don¡¯t even think about going home.¡± Zhu Zian: ¡°¡­¡± In this world, it seemed one could not have both studies and a wife. Zhu Zian, while memorizing, couldn¡¯t help but gossip, ¡°Junior sister, how are you going to deal with your parents¡¯¡­ that situation?¡± Zhu Zian might not have good grades, but he had a fairly good family environment, and his parents didn¡¯t have high hopes for him; as long as he could live like a human being and not starve to death, that was enough. In the case of the Xu family¡¯s parents¡­ Zhu Zian, despite his years of experience, had never encountered such before. ¡°Let it be.¡± ¡°You know they won¡¯t let things slide easily, junior sister. If you need help, just say the word, and I¡¯ll back you up,¡± Zhu Zian assured, thumping his chest. ¡°If they treat you badly, you can sue them,¡± Yao Fei always spoke softly and gently, with the tenderness of a Southern girl. ¡°Yeah,¡± Chuzheng nodded nonchalantly. To her, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Gossip had no effect on Chuzheng. She did whatever she wanted, squandering with impressive efficiency. ¡°To have money but not give it to her own parents, really makes you wonder what her heart is made of.¡± ¡°Ugh, her money isn¡¯t even clean. If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t take it even if it were offered.¡± ¡°She still dares to show up at school, truly shameless.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she dating Jih Cheng?¡± ¡°Jih Cheng? The transfer student rumored to have killed someone?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s him. They¡¯ve been seen coming and going together lately.¡± ¡°Ha, using a sugar daddy¡¯s money to support a murderer? A slut and a killer, quite the perfect match, huh¡ªah¡ª¡± The one speaking suddenly lunged forward, screaming as they fell into a flower bush. ¡°Who is that! Are you sick!!¡± The person got up cursing. Her classmates, who were just discussing with her a moment ago, now stood two meters away with strange and slightly scared expressions, looking at someone. The girl had her school uniform tied around her waist, her hair carelessly tied up, and both hands stuffed in her school pants¡¯ pockets. Her stance was oddly cool. ¡°Xu Chuzheng, why did you push me!¡± The girl who was kicked identified her and instead of being scared, roared angrily. ¡°What were you just cursing at?¡± Chapter 269 - Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Dont Leave After School (30) Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Don¡¯t Leave After School (30) ¡°Heh, I cursed wrong? Your own deeds and I¡¯m not allowed to speak of them? ¡®If you don¡¯t want others to know, don¡¯t do it yourself.''¡± The girl sneered with disdain, ¡°Apologize to me!¡± ¡°Or what?¡± ¡°Or you¡¯re dead!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng kicked the girl back with indifference once again. The people nearby didn¡¯t even dare to breathe heavily. If it were someone else, they would have come across as arrogant. But the sense the girl in front of them gave was entirely different. It was a sense of casualness that reached the ultimate level of indifference. It was as if what she kicked wasn¡¯t a person, just a trash can standing by the side of the road. She wasn¡¯t happy, so she just kicked it. Chuzheng took two steps forward, looking down at the girl lying in the bushes from above: ¡°Still want me to apologize to you?¡± Though she asked a question, no one present felt it was actually a question. ¡°You¡­¡± The girl¡¯s face turned ashen as she pointed at Chuzheng, shaking with rage. Chuzheng ignored the girl¡¯s anger and slowly left under the fearful, astonished, and peculiar gazes of the onlooking students. ¡°Awesome¡­¡± No one knew who managed to squeeze out those two words. ¨C Mother Xu was very persistent, blocking her at the school entrance every day. Later, Father Xu joined in, causing a huge uproar. The school called Chuzheng for a talk, and Chuzheng offered to donate a building. The school leaders had nothing more to say, but still asked her to resolve the situation quickly, since it wasn¡¯t good for the school¡¯s image after all. ¡°This can¡¯t go on like this.¡± ¡°Hmm, noisy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jih Cheng¡¯s mouth twitched slightly with concern, ¡°We still need to find a solution to this. It can¡¯t continue like this every day.¡± She didn¡¯t care about the school¡¯s rumors, but he did, and people were saying increasingly outrageous things. Chuzheng thought for a moment: ¡°Give them money.¡± ¡°Are you really going to give it to them?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Chuzheng said expressionlessly, ¡°Having money doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll have a good life.¡± Sometimes money isn¡¯t such a good thing. ¡°But if you give it to them this time, they¡¯ll cling to you in the future,¡± Jih Cheng disagreed, ¡°You can¡¯t give them the money.¡± Jih Cheng knew all too well that those kinds of people were just like vampires. Once they received a benefit, they¡¯d be endless, until they bled you dry. ¡°Give enough in one go.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Sever ties.¡± Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Jih Cheng pressed his lips together, asking, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make you sad?¡± ¡°Sad about what?¡± ¡°They are your parents, after all¡­¡± Yet they treat you like this, doesn¡¯t it make you sad? Just like Father Jih¡­ sometimes when he thinks about it, it still hurts. If Father Jih hadn¡¯t misbehaved, would he even exist? And what right did Father Jih have to place the blame on him? Did he wish to be born as an illegitimate child? He never had the right to choose in the first place. ¡°Not sad.¡± Chuzheng shook her head, her eyes still and quiet as she gazed towards the horizon, and then she repeated solemnly, ¡°I¡¯m not sad.¡± Jih Cheng had an indescribable feeling. It just felt like a heavy pressure in his chest. He gently embraced Chuzheng. Chuzheng rubbed his head, Jih Cheng¡¯s hair wasn¡¯t very soft, and Chuzheng found it uninteresting, so she pushed him away: ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± Jih Cheng opened his mouth, asking, ¡°Go back where?¡± She had recently been sleeping over at his place a lot. Jih Cheng was at an age full of vigor, and every time she stirred him up just right, she, however, would sleep as if nothing had happened. ¡°Your place.¡± Jih Cheng inhaled sharply, ¡°I have something to do today¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Jih Cheng mumbled a few words, but Chuzheng didn¡¯t quite catch them. She knew that Jih Cheng didn¡¯t want to go back with her. As Chuzheng stroked her chin, pondering, Jih Cheng received a phone call. ¡°I¡­ I have to go now, might be back late. You go ahead.¡± Jih Cheng quickly left, as if afraid Chuzheng might press him with questions. It wasn¡¯t the first time Jih Cheng had done this; he was always out late, disappearing without a trace whenever Chuzheng wasn¡¯t paying attention. It seems I¡¯ll have to lock him up after all¡­ ¨C Chuzheng consulted a lawyer, seeking to sever ties with the Xu Family. Before Father Xu and Mother Xu could object, she offered them a sum of money, which made them hesitate, likely hoping to gain more benefits from her. They assumed Chuzheng had a man on the side, and this man was very generous. Chuzheng put it plainly to them: either take this money and cut ties, or don¡¯t expect a penny from her, as she would sue. The abuse she suffered at the hands of the Xu Family was common knowledge in the neighborhood. Indeed, once she made her stance clear, Father Xu and Mother Xu agreed that same day. After this matter was settled, Father Xu and Mother Xu stopped causing trouble and immediately compensated the victims of Xu Shenghui¡¯s beating. Chuzheng had given them no small sum. Even after paying the compensation, there was plenty left over. The Xu Family had never seen so much money before. They treated it like a windfall, and Xu Shenghui began Spending Money Like Dirt. As for Father Xu, he played cards and drank. It started out just for fun but soon escalated to serious gambling. Even with money, it couldn¡¯t change these people. Chuzheng didn¡¯t pay much attention to them because the high school exams had begun. Judging by Zhu Zian¡¯s deathly appearance, he probably hadn¡¯t done well, wailing like a child for a good while. Even Yao Fei found it a bit unbearable, but still she spoke softly, trying to comfort him. After the college entrance exams, it was time for their end-of-term tests. There were several mock exams before the finals. Chuzheng used to be tied for first with Yu Yue, but now she had surpassed her, taking the top spot directly. Yu Yue, who had been passionately dating Qin Feng lately, had no time to bother Chuzheng. Chuzheng was happy for the peace, avoiding any unnecessary trouble. The two unexpectedly got through the end-of-term exams without incident. Yu Yue and Chuzheng were in the same examination room, and Yu Yue even sat next to her, which might also be some kind of fate. Chuzheng had just written her name on the test paper when she looked up to see that Yu Yue had already completed several questions. She was beautiful, and she worked through the questions so quickly. So different. We¡¯re not the same. Chuzheng went at her own pace, but soon felt that something was amiss ¨C Yu Yue was moving through the test too smoothly¡­ Especially with the multiple choice and true-or-false questions. Even if you¡¯re fast, you can¡¯t know the answers without even looking at the questions, right? Not even a Scholar God could! Nor could you, just because you¡¯re beautiful! Of course, Chuzheng only found it odd; perhaps pretty people are naturally gifted. Once the exams were over, the holidays officially began. Chuzheng did nothing over the break, while Jih Cheng seemed to be incredibly busy. Sometimes, she couldn¡¯t find him even when she tried. ¡­Of course, she wasn¡¯t particularly keen on looking. [Fatty: Junior, come out for a meal.] Chuzheng was slouching at home when she suddenly received a WeChat message from Fatty. Chuzheng thought for a moment ¨C wasn¡¯t today the day the college entrance exam results were released? After all, he had spent money on her behalf. Chuzheng tidied herself up and went out¡­ might as well enjoy a meal. Zhu Zian was treating, the group was made up of his friends, and Yao Fei was also there, but the atmosphere at the table felt off. ¡°What happened?¡± Chuzheng took her seat at the empty spot. Yao Fei hung her head and hunched over in her seat on one side. Zhu Zian pursed his lips and remained silent. Fatty looked from Zhu Zian to Yao Fei and back, hesitating as if he had something to say but couldn¡¯t speak. Chapter 270 - Chapter 270: Chapter 270: Dont Leave After School (31) Chapter 270: Chapter 270: Don¡¯t Leave After School (31) Fatty¡¯s voice was low, ¡°Your sister-in-law, she didn¡¯t pass.¡± Chuzheng looked at Fatty expressionlessly, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Your sister-in-law¡­ didn¡¯t pass.¡± Yao Fei didn¡¯t pass?! Zhu Zian not passing was believable. But Yao Fei not passing was what the hell? Yao Fei¡¯s grades were among the top ten in the senior year, how could she possibly not pass? ¡ª¡ªBut Yao Fei just didn¡¯t pass. Those scores weren¡¯t what she was meant to achieve. Under Zhu Zian¡¯s persistent questioning, Yao Fei finally admitted that she purposely scored that way. That¡¯s why Chuzheng saw the scene before her. Yao Fei wanted to accompany Zhu Zian to retake the year, considering she was young when she started school, redoing a year wouldn¡¯t make her different from other students. Zhu Zian must have felt he was holding Yao Fei back, so he was very angry. Of course, not at Yao Fei. If Zhu Zian was still angry at someone else after all she had done, then he wouldn¡¯t be human. Chuzheng slowly took a sip of her drink, ¡°Since it¡¯s a done deal, talking more is useless, accept reality and study hard.¡± Zhu Zian drank sullenly. He couldn¡¯t refute Chuzheng since she was right. Nothing he did now would change the situation. The dinner was not very pleasant, even Fatty ate timidly. In the end, Zhu Zian took Yao Fei home, and what they talked about, the others did not know. When Chuzheng got back, she went online to check the end-of-term exam results. She discovered that Yu Yue had surged to first place, with full marks in several subjects. Chuzheng thoughtfully turned off her phone, she glanced at the time, Jih Cheng had not returned yet. Forget it. The Good Person Card had matured, knowing what he was doing. Chuzheng washed up and went to bed. Jih Cheng spent this summer so busy that he was hardly seen, and Chuzheng was the kind of person who could ignore problems right in front of her, as long as they didn¡¯t cross her line, she could pretend not to see them. ¨C ¡°Xiaocheng, you¡¯re on duty today.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jih Cheng nodded. ¡°Then we¡¯re leaving.¡± Dressed in the caf¨¦ waiter¡¯s uniform, Jih Cheng leaned against the bar, watching his colleagues leave. At this time, there weren¡¯t many customers, so not as many people were needed. Jih Cheng organized his things and pulled out his phone to take a look. After thinking about it, he clicked on Chuzheng¡¯s WeChat. Jih Cheng: What are you doing? Chuzheng: Something up? Jih Cheng: No, just wondering what you¡¯re doing. Once Jih Cheng sent this message, there was no further response. Jih Cheng seemed used to it, his finger scrolled up, most of the messages were from him, and she hardly ever replied. He thought for a moment, and sent another message. Jih Cheng: Are you at my place? Chuzheng: No Jih Cheng had given her the keys to his house, sometimes he came back and she was there, and sometimes not. Just as Jih Cheng finished typing and was about to send it, a woman¡¯s voice spoke up. ¡°Chengcheng.¡± Jih Cheng¡¯s fingers stiffened, he stuffed the phone back into his pocket and looked up, his exquisitely beautiful face was expressionless, ¡°How did you find this place?¡± ¡°Chengcheng, I¡¯m your mother, don¡¯t talk to me like that.¡± In consideration of being in the shop, Jih Cheng suppressed his voice, ¡°You know you¡¯re my mom? Have you fulfilled your responsibilities as a mother?¡± ¡°Chengcheng.¡± The woman wore a face full of grievance, ¡°I told you to go back and apologize to the Jih family, you don¡¯t listen to your mom, otherwise why would you be like this now?¡± The Jih Family¡­ What¡¯s so great about the Jih Family? She herself had crawled into Father Jih¡¯s bed for wealth and glory back then, and now she still wanted to monetize him. Jih Cheng had a fire burning in the bottom of his heart, couldn¡¯t be bothered to talk to her, ¡°I¡¯m still working, please leave.¡± ¡°Chengcheng¡­¡± Jih Cheng hung his head, not wanting to hear her speak. Yet the woman grew more insistent, ¡°Chengcheng, do you have money?¡± ¡°No.¡± The woman wouldn¡¯t leave without getting the money, and her voice grew louder and louder. Jih Cheng worried about getting a complaint and losing his job, so he eventually gave her the money. As soon as the woman got the money, she left, but not without reminding him to go back to the Jih family before she went. After seeing the last guest out, Jih Cheng locked up and left. He stood outside the store, slightly tilted his head back, letting the cold moonlight fragments spill into his eyes, hazy and quiet. Jih Cheng wrapped his arms around himself and stood in silence for a while. Finally, he took out his phone and opened the screen. He deleted the message he had typed out, one letter at a time. He put the phone back in his pocket and walked back with his head down. The house was eerily quiet; she wasn¡¯t there. Jih Cheng breathed a sigh of relief inexplicably, but then he found the silence in the house extraordinarily unsettling, making him very uncomfortable. He had lived this way before. Why can¡¯t he do it now? The woman knew where he worked and came over every now and then to ask for money; Jih Cheng didn¡¯t have that much money to give her. Driven to despair, he could only change jobs. But the woman was like a ghost spirit, finding him no matter where he went, and Jih Cheng knew she was pressuring him to return to the Jih family. ¡°Jih Cheng, there¡¯s a little sister looking for you,¡± a pretty girl said, winking at him. Jih Cheng, hearing someone was looking for him, subconsciously thought it was his mother, but then he realized that was wrong since she mentioned a little sister. Jih Cheng went out suspiciously. The girl was standing by the entrance, holding a little pink box, casually surveying the surroundings. Jih Cheng¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively hid behind something. How did she get here? How did she know he was inside? Several questions surfaced in Jih Cheng¡¯s mind. Taking a deep breath, Jih Cheng walked around from the back. ¡°Chuzheng,¡± he called out softly. Chuzheng looked back, turning to face him: ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°You¡­ what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Just passing by and saw you here,¡± Chuzheng said calmly, her tone flat, sometimes making Jih Cheng wonder what she really felt for him¡­ ¡°Oh.¡± Jih Cheng felt a tinge of disappointment: ¡°Chuzheng, I¡­ I have something to tell you. Let¡¯s go outside.¡± Jih Cheng took Chuzheng to a quieter, more secluded spot. The two stood facing each other. Jih Cheng hung his head slightly but was silent for a long moment. ¡°What is it?¡± Chuzheng was getting a bit impatient. Speak if you have something to say; why hesitate? The cicadas were noisy, and the air was hot. But at that moment, Jih Cheng only felt his hands and feet turn icy cold, his palms sweaty. He took a deep breath, ¡°Please don¡¯t come looking for me anymore.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s end things here,¡± ¡°You and I are not from the same world, I can¡¯t give you anything.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± After saying that, Jih Cheng turned and walked away. He didn¡¯t dare to look at Chuzheng; he was afraid he wouldn¡¯t see anything in her expression. There was no sound from behind him. Jih Cheng hurried back to the store. He quickly stood in a corner, pressing against the cold wall, feeling like he was in a freezer. She hadn¡¯t followed him¡­ Of course. She never cared about him; why would she follow? They had ended up together inexplicably, it had never really started, it was always just him assuming. Jih Cheng pressed his finger to where his heart was, feeling as if it were being squeezed tightly, causing him such discomfort that he couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°Jih Cheng, are you okay?¡± Jih Cheng shook his head with his gaze lowered, his voice hoarse: ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Hey, if you¡¯re not feeling well, you can take off,¡± ¡°No need, I¡¯ll just rest for a bit and I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Then go sit in the break room; I¡¯ll cover for you,¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± The young man¡¯s voice carried a faint sob, and the tousled hair hid his reddening eyes. Chapter 271 - Chapter 271: Chapter 271: Dont Leave After School (32) Chapter 271: Chapter 271: Don¡¯t Leave After School (32) Jih Cheng returned home, somewhat dispirited as he turned on the light. The light came on, and Jih Cheng saw the small pink box on the coffee table in the living room at first glance. He had seen her carrying it today¡­ Jih Cheng¡¯s breathing became slightly hurried, not knowing what he was anticipating. But in the end, after searching the entire room, he saw no one. She wouldn¡¯t be here. Someone indifferent to the world collapsing¡­ How could she be here? Jih Cheng sat on the ground, staring blankly at the small pink box, hesitant to touch it, his hand suspended in the air. Mist began to fill Jih Cheng¡¯s eyes. Suddenly, he took the box, stood up, threw it into the trash can, but then he hesitated as he was about to leave. Jih Cheng picked up the box and placed it back on the coffee table. He sat on the sofa with his hands covering his face. In the quiet room, the oppressed voice of the young man was particularly heart-wrenching. In the end, Jih Cheng still unwrapped the small pink box. Inside were exquisite little sweets. The cloyingly sweet taste turned bitter in his mouth, spreading all the way to his heart. Jih Cheng, you¡¯re doing the right thing. Because you never know when you might be driven mad¡­ Jih Cheng stuffed the sweets into his mouth one after another, mechanically swallowing them down. He returned to his own room and lay down on the bed. As he was drifting into a daze, he heard noises outside, things being moved in and out, as if a thief had entered. Right now, Jih Cheng couldn¡¯t care less to move, even if there was a thief. However, the bed beside Jih Cheng dipped slightly, and that¡¯s when he startled awake, sitting up abruptly. Chuzheng was sitting on the edge of the bed, suddenly locking eyes with Jih Cheng¡¯s reddened ones. ¡°Were you crying?¡± Chuzheng asked, her tone seemingly mixed with another emotion, but upon closer listening, maybe not. When did the Good Person Card ever cry! This isn¡¯t written in the script! What to do! What to do! What to do! Will he continue to cry? Should I knock him out first¡­ Chuzheng stole glances at Jih Cheng, if he keeps on crying, she¡¯ll knock him out! Yeah! I¡¯m awesome! Jih Cheng looked outside, then back at Chuzheng. Doubting he was dreaming. ¡°You¡­¡± Jih Cheng¡¯s voice was hoarse, but paired with the young man¡¯s current appearance, it had a different appeal, making one want to ravage him thoroughly. ¡°Miss Xu, do you want this door changed too?¡± A worker stood at the doorway, calling out to her. ¡°Yeah, change it.¡± ¡°Alrighty.¡± The worker swiftly replaced the door lock, and Jih Cheng watched blankly, seemingly forgetting to react. After the worker finished changing the lock and left the room, the whole space quieted down, and Jih Cheng seemed to snap back to reality. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chuzheng put away the keys, braced her hands on either side of the young man, leaning in to kiss him. Jih Cheng dodged backwards, but Chuzheng wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him back, capturing his lips. There was no escape. Their breath intertwined. Blazing hot and ambiguously erotic. Jih Cheng¡¯s eyes widened slightly. Had he not made himself clear today? ¡°Mm¡­ let me¡­¡± As Jih Cheng spoke, Chuzheng¡¯s tongue took the opportunity to pry open his lips, sliding in, tangling with his without letting go. The young man¡¯s mouth still carried the sweet taste from the sweets. That fragrant flavor gradually filled the space between them. ¡°Be good, don¡¯t cry,¡± Chuzheng whispered against his lips, with a hint of warning, ¡°And don¡¯t even think about running away.¡± The words the Good Person Card said today, weren¡¯t they all about wanting to run away? Naturally, he must be locked up! ¡°What¡­¡± flushed and agitated with his body involuntarily responding, Jih Cheng spoke with uneven breaths. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t give him a chance to speak, standing up and leaving the room. Jih Cheng sat on the bed in a daze, and after a moment he heard the sound of the door being locked. Jih Cheng suddenly remembered the image of the worker changing the lock. He leaped off the bed and pulled at the door, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°Chuzheng!¡± Jih Cheng banged on the door: ¡°Why did you lock the door?¡± There was no response from outside. What did she want to do? She had clearly been ignoring him before. Jih Cheng took out his phone and called Chuzheng. ¡°Why did you lock the door?¡± Jih Cheng demanded. ¡°If you run away, it¡¯s tiring for me to look for you,¡± Chuzheng¡¯s matter-of-fact voice came through: ¡°You better behave, or else I¡¯ll break your legs, understand?¡± Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Jih Cheng didn¡¯t say anything for a long while, and Chuzheng didn¡¯t hang up either. She was talking to someone on the other end, and after a moment, it quieted down, and he could hear her breathing. ¡°Are you going to keep me locked up?¡± Jih Cheng murmured. ¡°Yeah, who told you to think about running away.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He wanted to run away? When had he¡­ Jih Cheng thought about what he said to her today. Is this how she understood the words he said today? Both kept the line open, but neither spoke another word. Jih Cheng didn¡¯t know what to say; he still felt a bit dazed. Half an hour later, Chuzheng came back and placed some food in front of him, most of which was sweet. ¡°Eat something.¡± Jih Cheng silently stared at the food. He didn¡¯t want to eat anything right now, his mind was in complete disarray, no longer knowing how to think. Or rather, from where to begin thinking. What on earth was she doing? Jih Cheng lay back down on the bed, curling up; he needed to calm down. Chuzheng came over and felt around on him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Give me your phone.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jih Cheng clutched his phone, preventing Chuzheng from taking it. Chuzheng pressed down on his wrist, forcibly taking the phone from him. The boy¡¯s eyes, slightly red-rimmed, widened in disbelief. Chuzheng held his wrist up high, above his head, and kissed him, under the boy¡¯s astonished gaze. ¨C Jih Cheng didn¡¯t understand how things had developed to this point. But he was indeed confined by Chuzheng. Jih Cheng had tried to run away, but she caught him before he could even get out the door. The result was being kissed by her almost to the point of suffocation¡­ Jih Cheng¡¯s initial shock turned to bewilderment, and then, deep down, he even felt a secret thrill. Jih Cheng thought he must be going crazy. She locked him up in here, and yet he found it pleasing. There was a bathroom in the room, and after Jih Cheng finished showering, he found Chuzheng already in the room. He pursed his lips and walked over. ¡°I need to make a call.¡± ¡°To whom?¡± ¡°My workplace.¡± Chuzheng handed the phone to him, and Jih Cheng bowed his head to dial. Chuzheng pulled him into an embrace, took the towel from his hand, and started drying his hair. Jih Cheng called the store, saying he might not be able to go. Jih Cheng was trying to ingratiate himself with Chuzheng; he knew the more he resisted, the less likely he was to be allowed out. After the call, he handed the phone back to her. ¡°Keep it,¡± Chuzheng said: ¡°Even if you call for help, it¡¯s no use. I won¡¯t let anyone take you away.¡± The girl¡¯s nonchalant and brash words made Jih Cheng¡¯s grip tighten slightly. ¡°Do you like me?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Chuzheng responded quickly. If I didn¡¯t like you, why would I kiss you? Jih Cheng looked up slightly: ¡°Then why don¡¯t you reply to my messages? Why don¡¯t you call me or ask what I¡¯m doing?¡± Chuzheng was a bit mystified: ¡°¡­What does liking you have to do with those things?¡± ¡°Can you really like someone?¡± Chuzheng took a moment to think seriously, then nodded: ¡°Yeah.¡± To like, to possess, to lock up! ¡°¡­¡± Seeing her like that, Jih Cheng knew she didn¡¯t understand at all. Jih Cheng turned his head away, while Chuzheng¡¯s fingers touched his still slightly wet hair, which didn¡¯t feel comfortable. She then found a hair dryer to dry it for him. Chapter 272 - Chapter 272: Chapter 272: Dont Leave After School (33) Chapter 272: Chapter 272: Don¡¯t Leave After School (33) Jih Cheng was sulking for a few days. But soon he understood that even if Chuzheng didn¡¯t know what liking someone meant, she indeed treated him as if he were hers. He couldn¡¯t suppress that hidden joy¡­ He liked this girl. He really, really liked her. He would do anything for her. Just as Jih Cheng was wavering, An unexpected visitor made him fall into the depths of despair again. The words he had said to her before were not at all because of the attitude she had towards him¡­ Jih Cheng stood at the doorway, listening to the voices outside. He didn¡¯t need to see to know who was outside. ¡°Who are you? Where is my Chengcheng?¡± ¡°Do you need something?¡± Chuzheng looked at the woman in front of her, slightly impatient. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Jih Cheng. Who are you?¡± the woman sized up Chuzheng as if she no longer remembered their previous encounter. ¡°He¡¯s not available,¡± Chuzheng said coldly. ¡°If you have something to say, you can tell me.¡± ¡°Tell you? What¡¯s your relationship with Chengcheng?¡± The woman¡¯s sharp gaze roamed over Chuzheng¡¯s body, then as if realizing something, she said, ¡°Let me tell you, our Chengcheng will never like someone like you. You¡¯d better not set your sights on Chengcheng.¡± ¡°Oh, what if I have?¡± Someone like me? What kind of person am I? With money and power, why couldn¡¯t I? ¡°Heh, young lady, despite your young age, how can you be so shameless? How old are you? Just running to a boy¡¯s house like this¡­¡± The woman¡¯s words were somewhat vulgar. Chuzheng listened with an expressionless face. As the woman spoke, she took out her phone to call Jih Cheng. The ringtone of Jih Cheng¡¯s phone came from inside the room, and the woman rushed over to bang on the door. ¡°Chengcheng, come out! Mommy knows you¡¯re inside. Come out now!¡± Jih Cheng, afraid she would say something even uglier, told her over the phone to leave first, or he would not come out. The woman was far from willing; she didn¡¯t want her son to be with a girl of unknown background. Jih Cheng had no choice but to threaten her. Finally, the woman left reluctantly, throwing a glare at Chuzheng as she left and warning her not to go after her Chengcheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Not only did I go after him, but I also locked him up! What can you do about it? [Miss, may I ask why you still seem so proud?]King¡¯s Account expressed extreme despair. The Good Person Card isn¡¯t meant to be used to lock someone up, right? I locked him up with my ability, why shouldn¡¯t I be proud? [¡­] Chuzheng entered the room, and Jih Cheng obediently sat beside her. ¡°That was my mom. Please let me go out; otherwise, she will come to make a scene again.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not good to you.¡± Chuzheng simply stated the fact. Jih Cheng pursed his lips, his eyebrows showing a trace of melancholy. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll go out and talk to her. Is that okay?¡± The young man looked up, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t run away.¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t say anything. The young man leaned in, wrapping his arms around her neck, and nuzzled her like a puppy. ¡°I¡¯ll be obedient. I¡¯m just going out to talk to her. Is that alright?¡± Chuzheng still didn¡¯t respond. The young man leaned in to kiss her, gently licking and nibbling with caution. He expected Chuzheng to respond to his kiss soon, but Chuzheng just looked at him. As if she were gauging the credibility of his words. The young man closed his eyes, immersing himself in the kiss. This was the person he liked; how could he not want to kiss her. ¡°Baby¡­¡± Jih Cheng murmured, pleading softly with her, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you, I¡¯ll listen to whatever you say. Please, don¡¯t lock me out, okay?¡± Jih Cheng¡¯s body suddenly fell backward, a shower of fine, dense kisses descending. Jih Cheng assured her over and over that he definitely wouldn¡¯t run away. In the end, Chuzheng agreed to his request. Having gained his freedom, Jih Cheng behaved well and stayed at home every day. On the rare occasions he went out, he would share his itinerary with Chuzheng, indicating where he was. Chuzheng wasn¡¯t afraid of him running away; she could always catch him again. It was just a bit of a hassle. Yet Chuzheng hadn¡¯t expected that after behaving so well for so many days, Jih Cheng would end up roaring through the King¡¯s Account, urging her to stop him from becoming evil. Chuzheng was quite bewildered. The little thing was very well-behaved! How had he suddenly become evil? This abrupt descent into evil, without any warning, was a bit much! [Miss, I¡¯ve warned you not to provoke the Good Person Card. Even if it seems normal, it¡¯s been judged as something that will become evil.] Chuzheng, her face cold, watched the distance on her phone, ignoring the incessant lecturing from the King¡¯s Account. ¨C The young man sat on an old, rusty barrel, toying with a knife in his hand. The firelight flickered across his clear and delicate face, bright one moment, dark the next. The Black Night spread out behind him like an invisible net, engulfing him. ¡°Wuu wuu wuu¡­¡± Whimpering sounds came from beside him. The young man slightly tilted his head, his gloomy eyes reflecting the image of the woman who was tied up hand and foot, thrown beside him. The young man hopped down from the barrel, walking step by step towards her. He ripped the tape off the woman¡¯s mouth. ¡°Jih Cheng, you¡¯re crazy.¡± The woman immediately roared, ¡°I¡¯m your mother; let me go.¡± Jih Cheng used the knife in his hand to lift the woman¡¯s chin, ¡°Mother?¡± The young man¡¯s voice was beautiful, yet chillingly cold. ¡°Do you think you deserve that title?¡± ¡°Jih Cheng¡­¡± The woman¡¯s voice trembled, a look of fear in her eyes, ¡°Put the knife away.¡± ¡°Scared.¡± The young man let out a low chuckle, but his eyes didn¡¯t smile, ¡°Do you know how I felt when you threw me to the Jih Family? Just like you now¡­¡± ¡°I¡­ I did it for your own good. Your surname is Jih, and you lived in luxury there. What¡¯s so bad about that?¡± The woman argued desperately. The young man slid the knife down to the woman¡¯s neck, ¡°Lived in luxury¡­ Ha, you did it for your own financial gain, right? Do you think I don¡¯t know you were always asking the Jih Family for money?¡± He was like merchandise that she had sold to the Jih Family. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been of the Jih bloodline, you probably would never have given birth to me. You have no idea what my life in the Jih Family was like, how Jih Bo treated me, how everyone in the Jih Family treated me!¡± Towards the end, the young man¡¯s voice became sharp and fierce. ¡°I don¡¯t need any luxury. I just want a peaceful life. I have the ability to make money; I can provide a good life for you. You just had to wait for me. Why wouldn¡¯t you? Why did you insist on forcing me back to the Jih Family?¡± The woman, seemingly frightened by the young man, turned pale and didn¡¯t dare to speak. ¡°I won¡¯t let you force me anymore. I want to be with her, you can¡¯t appear again¡­¡± This woman would destroy everything he had. Just as she had ruined his past. He wanted to be with her¡­ That girl he loved to the core of his bones; he truly¡­ was willing to do anything for her. ¡°Jih Cheng, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± The woman noticed something amiss about Jih Cheng, ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive; Mom was wrong before, I apologize to you; please, calm down.¡± ¡°Mom won¡¯t force you anymore, really, don¡¯t be impulsive.¡± The young man¡¯s smile was sinister, ¡°Too late.¡± He knew his mother¡¯s character all too well; as long as he was of use, she would never let him go. She had to disappear¡­ She had to disappear. Chapter 273 - Chapter 273: Chapter 273: Dont Leave After School (34) Chapter 273: Chapter 273: Don¡¯t Leave After School (34) ¡°Ah¡­¡± The woman screamed in terror as the knife¡¯s cold glint neared her eyes. The cold glint suddenly stopped. The boy¡¯s wrist was seized, and then his whole body was pulled backward and embraced. ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± The woman, scared to incontinence, stared blankly at the two hugging each other. That ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be afraid¡± was clearly not meant for her. But she didn¡¯t die¡­ She didn¡¯t die¡­ Chuzheng caressed the boy¡¯s back, like soothing a small animal. The boy was trembling all over, as if terrified out of his mind. ¡°Baby¡­ baby.¡± His eyes welled up with heat, too scared to move. His hand holding the knife was wet and warm, and a thick liquid dripped down from his hand. The smell of fresh blood permeated the night. Chuzheng gently stroked his back, her voice betraying no hint of distress: ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± How could it be okay¡­ The exquisitely beautiful boy, his face drained of color, seemed soulless. Jih Cheng¡¯s voice trembled, ¡°Baby, don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll call 120.¡± Jih Cheng fumbled in his pocket a few times, couldn¡¯t find his phone, and after a long while realized that he didn¡¯t have his phone on him. Chuzheng pushed him away slightly. She pressed her hand against the wound¡ªthe knife hadn¡¯t stabbed too deep. Chuzheng directly pulled the knife out. Jih Cheng turned pale with fright and covered her wound with his hands. ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± He didn¡¯t know the person pulling him was Chuzheng, and that¡¯s why he ended up injuring her. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Chuzheng raised her hand to wipe his face: ¡°Stop crying, what does it look like?¡± A boy crying like that. She was the one who got hurt. Even if it hurt, it was her pain. Why was he crying? Being weak was one thing, but crying too! Thinking he could do whatever he wanted just because he was good-looking! Chuzheng thought such a small injury would heal easily, but Jih Cheng insisted on taking her to the doctor. ¨C ¡°The wound is not deep, it¡¯s nothing serious. Just make sure it doesn¡¯t get wet in the following days, and¡­¡± The doctor finished instructing and left with the nurse. Jih Cheng, his head hung low, stood beside the hospital bed, blood still lingering on his hands and body. ¡°Go wash up.¡± Chuzheng reminded him. Jih Cheng looked at the blood on his hands and turned to go to the washroom. After cleaning up, the boy stood beside her, silent. Chuzheng pulled him, and the boy fell sitting on the edge of the bed, gaze lowered, as if he dared not look at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault¡­¡± ¡°Enough, you¡¯ve said it several times.¡± Chuzheng pinched his hand, pulling him closer to her side; Jih Cheng didn¡¯t dare to resist and obediently moved closer. Chuzheng tilted his chin and kissed him. ¡°You lied to me.¡± Jih Cheng suddenly heard her say this. His heart skipped a beat, filled with nervous unrest. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± Jih Cheng stammered. In order to keep her from noticing, he had left his phone elsewhere, then sent her a message saying he was held up with something and would be back late. Jih Cheng knew she wouldn¡¯t call him on her own initiative. That way she wouldn¡¯t find out what he had been up to meanwhile. ¡°Why did you want to kill her?¡± Why did he want to kill her? There were too many reasons to kill her; that woman had only brought him misfortune, ever since he was young¡­ He didn¡¯t want to lose the person he liked because of her. So he wished she would disappear. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you,¡± Jih Cheng said in a hushed voice. ¡°What does she have to do with this?¡± When did her matters start directly involving others? ¡°¡­¡± Jih Cheng¡¯s heart writhed in agony, and finally, he confessed. As long as that woman was alive, he would never have peace. ¡°Are those words you said before also because of this?¡± The boy nodded slightly. At that time, he just wanted to leave her, not wanting to bring trouble upon her. But he never expected that she would lock herself away¡­ Since it was like this, then he had no choice but to make the choice he did today. Chuzheng ground her teeth. In the end, all she could do was to hug the youth with stifled frustration. ¨C Chuzheng didn¡¯t complain about Jih Cheng. While in the hospital recovering for a few days, Jih Cheng took meticulous care of her, not even taking off his clothes. He tried to create the impression that ¡®I¡¯m well-behaved, I¡¯m obedient.¡¯ But can someone who plans a murder be obedient? So after returning, Jih Cheng was locked in the dark room once again. Chuzheng arranged to meet with Mother Jih. Mother Jih was terrified by Jih Cheng; she had been having nightmares for the past several days and looked considerably haggard. ¡°Is Chengcheng¡­ Is Chengcheng okay?¡± Mother Jih, looking at the young, indifferent girl opposite her, couldn¡¯t help but speak out of breath. That day, if she hadn¡¯t appeared suddenly, she might have really met King Yama. Chuzheng¡¯s voice was emotionless, ¡°Whether he¡¯s okay or not, don¡¯t you have any clue?¡± ¡°He¡­ He wanted to kill me, I¡­¡± Chuzheng interrupted her, ¡°I can give you a sum of money, but you have to leave and never show your face to Jih Cheng again.¡± Mother Jih: ¡°¡­¡± This scene doesn¡¯t seem quite right, does it? She is Jih Cheng¡¯s mother! ¡°How much can you give me?¡± Mother Jih asked cautiously. ¡°How much do you want?¡± Mother Jih extended five fingers. Chuzheng glanced at her and transferred the money to one of Mother Jih¡¯s bank accounts. Mother Jih¡¯s phone soon received a notification. The transaction alert startled Mother Jih. One zero, two zeros¡­ seven zeros¡­ fifty million! She had intended only to ask for five million. Yet she had transferred fifty million to her! Was this young girl so wealthy? Mother Jih¡¯s thoughts suddenly became more active. ¡°Fifty million, within three days, I don¡¯t want you to still be in the country. If you break this agreement, then your life¡­¡± Chuzheng stood up, tapped the table three times with her fingertip, and left without a trace of emotion on her face. Mother Jih¡¯s scheming thoughts got stuck halfway, and a chill surged from the soles of her feet to her forehead, sweat soaking through her entire body. Mother Jih dared not think any further. She left the country as fast as she could, in the end not even giving Jih Cheng a phone call. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Jih Cheng put down his book and turned his head to look at Chuzheng. The latter closed the door as she came in and placed some items on the table in front of him. ¡°What¡¯s this¡­¡± The words ¡°household register¡± cut off the rest of Jih Cheng¡¯s sentence. He opened the household register. On the page, the name Xu Jicheng made him feel somewhat at a loss. Chuzheng leaned to the side, ¡°You said you didn¡¯t want the Jih surname; from now on you don¡¯t have to use it.¡± My Good Person Card of course will have my surname. Oh¡­ I don¡¯t seem to have the surname Xu either. Well, having the same surname in the household register is fine. The setting sun sank in the west, and the glow of the sunset fell on the youth¡¯s exquisite and stunning face, his beautiful eyes full of confusion. He seemed not to know where he was. Confusion and helplessness overwhelmed him. The thin household register in his hands felt as heavy as a thousand-pound boulder. This was the condition that Chuzheng and Father Jih had discussed before. It caused Father Jih to become angry afterward, slowing down the process. Chuzheng eyed Jih Cheng. ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy?¡± He¡¯s so hard to please. Not pleasing anymore. Chuzheng was ready to go out to grab some food. Suddenly, the youth reached out and grabbed her, ¡°I¡¯m not unhappy.¡± He stood up and hugged Chuzheng, his chin resting on her shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m very happy.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Glad you¡¯re happy. All the effort I¡¯ve made for you wasn¡¯t in vain. Chapter 274 - Chapter 274: Chapter 274: Dont Leave After School (35) Chapter 274: Chapter 274: Don¡¯t Leave After School (35) Jih Cheng flipped through the household registration book back and forth. There were only two names on it, Xu Chuzheng and Xu Jicheng. Jih Cheng¡¯s eyes gleamed faintly, his lips curved into a slight arch, his whole being as if awash with light, so good-looking that it was hard to look away. He closed the household registration book and placed it on his chest, slowly falling back onto the bed. That night, holding Chuzheng in his arms, Jih Cheng was utterly delighted, having completely forgotten about his current predicament. ¡°Baby, school is about to start, are you still going to keep me locked up?¡± ¡°School is starting¡­¡± Chuzheng pondered thoughtfully. All of a sudden, Chuzheng flipped over, and under Jih Cheng¡¯s puzzled gaze, took out a pile of homework and dumped it in front of him. The young girl kept a straight face, earnest and serious, ¡°I haven¡¯t done my homework.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jih Cheng couldn¡¯t help but laugh as he pulled her back to bed, and after kissing her for a while, he said, ¡°Stop fussing. It¡¯s late at night. I¡¯ll help you with it tomorrow.¡± Chuzheng contentedly rubbed his head. Well-played. The Good Person Card was still somewhat useful aside from kisses. ¨C Senior year began. Zhu Zian and Yao Fei chose to repeat the year, and since Dingyang Middle School offered classes for repeaters, both Zhou Zian and Yao Fei stayed on. Fatty, for some reason, also decided to stay and repeat the year. Last semester¡¯s grades were already posted on the bulletin board. Because Yu Yue scored perfect marks in several subjects and ranked first, she entered the classroom in a great mood, not forgetting to give Chuzheng a provocative look. Chuzheng thought silently, wondering if Yu Yue still liked to drink milk tea. As a result, Yu Yue quickly received milk teas sent from students of various classes. Yu Yue had developed a psychological shadow regarding milk tea and was nearly driven insane by these students. However, since they were only sending milk tea and doing nothing else, the teachers were powerless to stop them. Yu Yue could only go through the motions with a dark face. Even after throwing a tantrum, people kept sending them non-stop. ¡°Baby,¡± Jih Cheng whispered, holding Chuzheng¡¯s hand under the table, ¡°why are you tormenting her?¡± Chuzheng gripped his hand back, ¡°Or should I torment you?¡± Jih Cheng, whose ears suddenly turned red, seemed to think of something. He tried to withdraw his hand but was pinned down firmly by Chuzheng. With Chuzheng watching him, Jih Cheng couldn¡¯t go out to work. He was in high spirits and didn¡¯t want to sleep, so he could only quietly attend class. Not two days into the school year, Chuzheng heard that Qin Feng had switched girlfriends. Previously, Qin Feng had shown interest in getting close to Chuzheng. He probably was deterred by Chuzheng¡¯s action of spending money to buy up the store; afterward, he never hovered around her again. Yu Yue was the girlfriend Qin Feng had kept for the longest time, which was already quite remarkable. In the story, Yu Yue and Qin Feng didn¡¯t break up, so Chuzheng wasn¡¯t sure if it was the original character who had acted as an emotional buffer. Now that Chuzheng wasn¡¯t following the script, they had broken up. However, this breakup didn¡¯t last long, and Yu Yue and Qin Feng were back together again soon after. ¡°With a look like yours, you think you¡¯re worthy of Qin Feng?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know Qin Feng is our Yue Yue¡¯s boyfriend?¡± ¡°Speak! How did you seduce Qin Feng?¡± Chuzheng stood against the wall, glancing over to see what seemed to be the girl Qin Feng had dated after breaking up with Yu Yue. The girl was disheveled, cornered against the wall. Yu Yue stood behind, not laying a hand on her. After her lackeys finished lecturing the girl, Yu Yue approached with a somewhat sharp broken branch in her hand. The girl¡¯s mouth was covered, unable to even cry out. Yu Yue tossed aside the branch and kicked the girl to the ground, ¡°If I catch you getting close to Qin Feng again, watch your face.¡± The girl clutched her bleeding face and looked at her in terror. Yu Yue left with her group, walking tall. Chuzheng thought the girl was quite pitiful, but she had no interest in sympathizing with her. So after Yu Yue left, Chuzheng left without a shred of sympathy as well. Yu Yue and Qin Feng¡¯s reconciliation didn¡¯t last long before someone reported them to the head of discipline. The head of discipline had always been strict about student romances, and Yu Yue and Qin Feng were called to the office. But Yu Yue ended up betraying Chuzheng and Jih Cheng. Yu Yue had thought that Chuzheng would be punished, but after waiting several days, there was no news at all. Instead, Qin Feng¡¯s parents came to the school and gave Yu Yue a severe scolding, causing Yu Yue to lose face completely. Though the incident caused quite a stir, in the end, it was left unresolved. Qin Feng and Yu Yue were still together. ¡°What¡¯s for dinner tonight?¡± Jicheng asked Chuzheng while slumped over the desk. ¡°Whatever.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®whatever.''¡± The young man puffed out his cheeks slightly and pushed the notebook over, ¡°Here, you choose.¡± The notebook had several dishes drawn on it, all labeled with names. Chuzheng randomly ticked one off. The young man pulled back the notebook, looked at it and said, ¡°Then you have to come with me to the supermarket.¡± Supermarket = hassle. Chuzheng immediately arrived at this conclusion in her mind. ¡°We can eat out.¡± ¡°No,¡± the young man refused. ¡°¡­¡± Are you getting feisty now, you little thing! ¡°Ah!¡± A sudden scream came from outside. ¡°Someone is jumping off the building!¡± ¡°Someone is going to jump off the building!¡± The students in the classroom, upon hearing the shouting outside, completely disregarded the teacher¡¯s calls and rushed out. A student stood on the rooftop of their teaching building. She was halfway out, swaying and at risk of falling, which looked very dangerous. When Chuzheng saw this girl, she thought of the original host¡­ who also jumped from there. ¡°Little junior sister.¡± Zhu Zian and Fatty squeezed up to Chuzheng, ¡°Are you here to join the excitement too?¡± Chuzheng, with a cold face: ¡°No.¡± I¡¯m definitely not here for the excitement! What nonsense are you talking about! I¡¯m just going with the flow! Going with the flow, get it! ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to be alive? Why jump off a building?¡± Fatty said with a sigh, ¡°Ah, she¡¯s about to fall out.¡± The girl on the rooftop was in grave danger, at risk of falling at any moment. The teachers and school leaders had already received the news and rushed to the rooftop. It was just now that someone talked to the girl, agitating her, which led to her making such a drastic move. Fatty went to the side to inquire. He quickly returned with the gossip. The girl was the one who had her face scratched by Yu Yue. Because Yu Yue suspected her of tattling, Yu Yue had been making trouble for her all this time. No one knew what the people above had said to the girl. The girl suddenly let out an excited scream and leapt down. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± The screams rose and fell in succession. The students all covered their faces, not daring to watch the gruesome scene. The girl landed in a bush where she had jumped, crashing directly into it. The school¡¯s security guards rushed over, parted the bushes, and expected to see a bloody scene, but instead, they saw the girl with a pale face, lying in the bushes and looking at them in shock. This¡­ She didn¡¯t die? From such a height? The silver light receded from around the girl, pulled back through the crowd, and returned to Chuzheng¡¯s side. It circled her briefly before finally winding back onto her wrist. ¡°[Miss, you saved her.]¡± King¡¯s Account sounded a bit surprised. ¡°Which eye of yours saw me save her?¡± Chuzheng asked coldly, ¡°Spouting nonsense.¡± ¡°[¡­]¡± I mean, miss, you deny doing bad things, but why deny doing good ones as well!! But Miss actually saved someone. Are knives going to fall from the sky now? Chapter 275 - Chapter 275: Chapter 275: Dont Leave After School (36) Chapter 275: Chapter 275: Don¡¯t Leave After School (36) The girl jumped from such a high rooftop and miraculously survived, which shocked the news media. Following the reports, the situation of the girl being bullied on the campus was also exposed. Unlike the original owner, the girl¡¯s parents, upon hearing the news, immediately called the police and used the media to blow the matter up. Yu Yue and the others were taken away for questioning. [¡­]¡±Sis played a good move!¡± That¡¯s why she was so kind-hearted to save someone¡­ Sis is still your Sis. Although Yu Yue was taken away, her little followers ended up being the main culprits. Even if there were witnesses, the followers insisted they were the ringleaders. And indeed, Yu Yue hardly ever laid a hand on anyone, it was always the followers who did so. Yu Yue was only reprimanded and then released back. However, because of this incident, Qin Feng broke up with Yu Yue completely. Qin Feng is a womanizer, and he loves face. If Yu Yue could be so cruel to someone she had once dated, if Qin Feng continued to date her, he too would be pointed at and scorned. So, very wisely, Qin Feng proposed a breakup and quickly found a new girlfriend. Yu Yue made a fuss for a while, but then settled down. These days, Yu Yue hasn¡¯t been in a great mental state, but she has been spending more time at school. However, the Scholar God is the Scholar God, such a big event didn¡¯t affect Scholar God¡¯s performance. Still ranking among the top. The whole school admired him to the ground. ¡°The monthly test is next week.¡± ¡°No way, I feel like the last monthly test just passed not long ago¡­¡± ¡°I just heard Teacher Zhou and the head of academic affairs talking about it.¡± ¡°Test, test, test, test, I¡¯m going to go crazy, it¡¯s exams every day, nothing but exams.¡± The monthly test was confirmed during Teacher Zhou¡¯s class. Chuzheng looked thoughtfully towards where Yu Yue was sitting. ¨C On the day of the exam, Chuzheng was still in the same examination room as Yu Yue. Yu Yue started off well, but later on, realizing something was wrong, she went back to check the earlier questions. When the monthly test results came out, everyone was stunned. Yu Yue¡¯s ranking had plummeted disastrously, to the point of being pitiful. Yu Yue had maintained good grades since high school and had never performed so poorly before. If it was because of the last incident, she should have done poorly in the previous exams. Now a month had passed, her reaction was unusually slow. Yu Yue¡¯s problem wasn¡¯t just a slide in grades. She had cheated. Although no one knew how she always got her hands on the answers. But this time, Chuzheng had a friendly chat with the head of academic affairs the day before the monthly test, asking him to coordinate with the neighboring school to swap test papers. Naturally, Yu Yue¡¯s answers were no longer applicable. ¡°How come Yu Yue did so poorly?¡± ¡°She has looked gloomy recently, could she have been affected by the last incident?¡± ¡°That was so long ago¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s too bad even considering that.¡± Yu Yue, lying on her desk, was surrounded by the murmurs of her classmates. She slammed the desk and shouted, ¡°What¡¯s all the noise about?¡± Her classmates immediately fell silent. ¡°What¡¯s there to be arrogant about?¡± some classmates grumbled discontentedly. Yu Yue glared at the student who spoke up, just as she was about to lash out, someone outside called for her, saying that Teacher Zhou was looking for her. From the end of the exam until the results were announced, Yu Yue had been thinking about this matter. Now that Teacher Zhou was looking for her, Yu Yue felt a sudden unease. Forgetting to pick a fight with her classmates, she clenched her fists and walked out of the classroom. ¡°Let me tell you, junior, I did pretty well this time, Feifei said I¡¯ve made a lot of progress!¡± In the hallway, Chuzheng and Zhu Zian were talking together. Yu Yue saw these people as soon as she went out, and her eyes darkened with a thickening sense of resentment. Chuzheng, leisurely facing Yu Yue¡¯s gaze, was about to ask if she wanted some milk tea when Yu Yue looked away and headed to the office. Yu Yue missed two classes. She didn¡¯t return but directly packed up her things and left. Classmates looked at each other, unsure of what had happened, and only after Yu Yue left the classroom did some go to inquire. ¡°She¡¯s been expelled¡­¡± ¡°No way, wasn¡¯t there a rumor that she¡¯s the principal¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. Although the principal¡¯s last name is Yu, there¡¯s never been any talk about him having a daughter.¡± ¡°Yu Yue never said anything about this herself; who knows where that came from.¡± Indeed, Yu Yue was not the principal¡¯s daughter, but they were related. Moreover, Yu Yue lived at the principal¡¯s house. Yu Yue¡¯s grades had always come from cheating; even if the principal wanted to protect her, it wouldn¡¯t be possible this time. And the principal wouldn¡¯t sacrifice his career for Yu Yue. After all, she was not his own daughter. Of course, this matter had not spread, and everyone was still guessing the reason behind Yu Yue¡¯s departure from school. In fact, Yu Yue had once just happened to get her hands on a set of answers by chance, but that exam catapulted her into the spotlight, and she became the object of envy. Yu Yue enjoyed that feeling, which was why she continued cheating time after time. For small quizzes and tests, if she didn¡¯t have the answers, she just didn¡¯t bother to attend. After all, her grades were there, and the teachers wouldn¡¯t make things difficult for her. She could always get the answers for the major exams in advance, ensuring her status at school. As for the college entrance examination, Yu Yue probably hadn¡¯t given it much thought. However, she never expected that this time the test papers would be changed unexpectedly. ¡°Sister Yue, I found out, it was the Head of Academic Affairs who said we should change them. The Head let it slip to the school next door, it was a student¡¯s suggestion.¡± Yu Yue¡¯s gaze sharpened immediately, ¡°Who?¡± She knew this was targeted at her. Otherwise, why would they suddenly change the test papers? And it just so happened that she was the one to get caught! ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± ¡°Find out the details for me, I want to know who¡¯s behind this.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± ¨C Evening self-study for senior year three ended later than usual; the road back for Chuzheng and Jih Cheng was almost deserted. Jih Cheng seized the chance to boldly hold her hand. ¡°What did Zhu Zian want with you today?¡± Jih Cheng asked, his voice edged with dissatisfaction. Zhu Zian had a wife, so why was he always coming to bother his baby. ¡°He didn¡¯t say much.¡± ¡°You have secrets with him that you don¡¯t tell me?¡± ¡°There are no secrets.¡± When she spoke with Zhu Zian, he was right there listening, wasn¡¯t he? Where could there possibly be any secrets? Could you please not be so unreasonable?! ¡°Don¡¯t get too close to him. It displeases me,¡± he said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m jealous,¡± Jih Cheng admitted frankly. Chuzheng looked askance at him. A hint of dissatisfaction marred the young man¡¯s face, like that of a child who couldn¡¯t get candy. Chuzheng pushed him against the wall and kissed him directly. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Jih Cheng pushed her away: ¡°What are you doing? We¡¯re still outside.¡± Even though there wasn¡¯t anyone around currently, someone might pass by at any time, right? ¡°Are you afraid of being seen?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not good,¡± Jih Cheng muttered softly. ¡°What¡¯s not good? What are you afraid of?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone held a hint of danger. Why was it that her kissing him was so shameful? What did Good Person Card even mean?! ¡°Baby¡­¡± Jih Cheng whimpered, ¡°If people see us, they will talk.¡± Jih Cheng was worried about being seen because it could affect her reputation. Chuzheng was puzzled: ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to you.¡± So what if people saw? ¡°¡­¡± What else do you want to do to me!? Does his baby have some misunderstanding about her own role?! Chapter 276 - Chapter 276: Chapter 276: Dont Leave After School (37) Chapter 276: Chapter 276: Don¡¯t Leave After School (37) ¡°You two, out here, just can¡¯t keep your hands off each other, huh?¡± A sarcastic voice sliced through the silent Night Color. Yu Yue, with a few others, appeared in the distance. Chuzheng¡¯s expression remained calm as she released Jih Cheng and turned to face Yu Yue. ¡°Xu Chuzheng,¡± Yu Yue stood under the streetlight, his face slightly ferocious, ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve messing with me.¡± I¡¯m not messing with you. You can¡¯t just say anything because you¡¯re good-looking. Yu Yue sneered, ¡°Xu Chuzheng, today I¡¯ll let you see what happens when you offend me.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What happens? Yu Yue signaled to the people behind her with her eyes. Those people looked like street thugs, swaggering toward Chuzheng and Jih Cheng, surrounding them. ¡°Baby,¡± Jih Cheng pulled her, ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Stay still.¡± Chuzheng pushed him aside. Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± No, I can help! Clearly, Chuzheng didn¡¯t need his help. These people only had some superficial skills. They looked intimidating, but their actual strength was just so-so. People confidently rushed in, one after another falling to the ground. Yu Yue hadn¡¯t expected Chuzheng to be so formidable; these useless thugs, boasting about how tough they were, turned out to be nothing. Seeing that things were going south, Yu Yue turned and ran. ¨C ¡°Why run? Didn¡¯t you want to make things difficult for me?¡± Yu Yue was thrown to the ground by Chuzheng, joining the group of people. The girl with a cold look on her face stood in front of them, her eyes devoid of any emotion, yet she inexplicably made one feel a chilling intimidation. Where she stood was like an insurmountable mountain. ¡°Xu Chuzheng,¡± Yu Yue gritted his teeth with hate, ¡°whatever you dare to do to me, I won¡¯t let you off.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng bent down, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be thinking about how to get away from me right now?¡± ¡°Ha, what can you do to me? You wouldn¡¯t dare kill me, would you?¡± Yu Yue was confident, sure that Chuzheng wouldn¡¯t dare commit murder. ¡°I can fulfill that request for you.¡± Yu Yue¡¯s complexion changed slightly, but he still tried to appear composed, ¡°Xu Chuzheng, stop bluffing with words¡­¡± Suddenly, Chuzheng drew a knife, and Yu Yue stopped speaking abruptly. Jih Cheng subconsciously reached into his pocket. When had she taken it? Jih Cheng stepped forward to stop her when Chuzheng approached Yu Yue: ¡°Baby.¡± Chuzheng looked at him. Jih Cheng pulled her back, ¡°There¡¯s no need to compromise your future for her.¡± At this moment, Jih Cheng was very clear-headed, murder is against the law! ¡°She asked for it herself.¡± Chuzheng said with a serious face, why can¡¯t I fulfill her request? I¡¯d be happy to get rid of her! ¡°Baby, I don¡¯t want you to kill someone,¡± Jih Cheng urged her, ¡°Just teach her a lesson, okay? Don¡¯t get physical, okay?¡± Chuzheng was unmoved. She asked for it herself! This isn¡¯t what I want to do! Why can¡¯t I get rid of her! Jih Cheng had no choice but to say, ¡°Baby, if you get caught, I¡¯ll belong to someone else.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I won¡¯t get caught! Just get rid of her! Thinking Chuzheng had listened, Jih Cheng hurriedly took back the knife. He was holding the blade, and though Chuzheng didn¡¯t want to let go, the blade was already against Jih Cheng¡¯s palm. Any more force would have cut him, so she had no choice but to release her hold. The Good Person Card can¡¯t get hurt! Good Person Card, Good Person Card¡­ Chuzheng muttered Good Person Card to herself several times, still wanting to get rid of the damn dog that interrupted her moment with the Good Person Card! Jih Cheng put away the knife, determined never to carry one again in the future. He used to carry it for a sense of security. But now¡­ There was no need. ¨C Jih Cheng pulled Chuzheng away, and since Chuzheng was in a bad mood, Jih Cheng had an unlucky night. Being passionately kissed by Chuzheng felt like burning flames, yet he couldn¡¯t find any relief, and ended up having to endure it himself. Chuzheng asked Dog Brother to take care of Yu Yue, to let her experience what it¡¯s like to be bullied. Dog Brother was very agreeable to the plan. No matter what, Yu Yue was just a student, and her circle of acquaintances couldn¡¯t compete with Dog Brother, who always mingled in society. Every day, Yu Yue was looked after to the point of near death and had no time to trouble Chuzheng. Chuzheng later heard that Yu Yue got into drugs, and would do anything for money. The final year of high school passed in a flash. Zhu Zian studied day and night for Yao Fei, burning the midnight oil and pushing himself to the limit, and his resulting academic performance improved remarkably. Although his grades still fell short of Yao Fei¡¯s, in the end, they both were admitted to the same university. ¡ª Yao Fei had intentionally lowered her score. Zhu Zian felt somewhat guilty, so he took Yao Fei straight to his home, resolutely declaring that he would marry her someday. This shocked everyone in the Zhu Family, and they gave Zhu Zian a beating. Instead of being a proper rascal, he went off to cause trouble for that girl. In the end, however, they could only instruct Zhu Zian to treat the girl well, acknowledging her sacrifices. They warned that if he ever dared to mess around, the Zhu Family would be the first to disown him. In school, Jih Cheng was always seen as an underachiever with poor grades. When the results were announced, Jih Cheng suddenly leaped to the forefront, gaining admission to the same prestigious university as Chuzheng, leaving many people¡¯s jaws dropped. The hidden top student had been right beside them all along. Chuzheng bought an apartment near the university. Chuzheng originally wanted to buy the biggest one, but was stopped by Jih Cheng, so she settled for the next best thing and bought the entire apartment building instead. Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± It would have been better to let her buy the biggest apartment. Ding-dong¨C Jih Cheng glanced at Chuzheng, who was lying on the sofa with no intention of moving, covered her with a blanket, and then got up to answer the door. The person outside the door surprised Jih Cheng. ¡°Second Young Master.¡± Jih Cheng frowned, folks from the Jih Family never called him that. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that, what do you want?¡± ¡°Second Young Master, it¡¯s like this¡­¡± Father Jih was seriously ill, and Jih Bo was still locked up; now, the only person who could take over the Jih Family was Jih Cheng. With no other choice, Father Jih had to send someone to call him back. Jih Cheng closed the door. He walked back to the sofa, sitting beside Chuzheng. Chuzheng pulled down the book covering her face: ¡°Who was it?¡± ¡°Someone from the Jih Family,¡± said Jih Cheng. ¡°Asking me to return to the Jih Family.¡± Chuzheng abruptly sat up, gripping his chin fiercely, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed.¡± The Good Person Card is mine! What is the Jih Family thinking! How dare they try to take someone from me! Jih Cheng couldn¡¯t help but laugh: ¡°I didn¡¯t agree, so don¡¯t get angry.¡± He certainly didn¡¯t want to be locked up again. Chuzheng, satisfied, let go of him and lay back down. Jih Cheng bent down to kiss her, and Chuzheng lazily responded, prompting Jih Cheng to become even more emboldened. His palm glided over Chuzheng¡¯s waist, and when he felt the scars there, he hesitated for a moment before lifting up Chuzheng¡¯s shirt hem. ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been so long, how could it still hurt? Have some common sense.¡± Are you stupid, Good Person Card? Jih Cheng remained silent, the thought of that incident causing his heart to ache. The scar wasn¡¯t large and was nearly imperceptible. Jih Cheng¡¯s warm lips touched the scar, moist and burning hot. Chuzheng became a bit uncomfortable from his touch, feeling both itchy and numb. It was summer, and they were both lightly dressed. As their bodies touched, the heat quickly passed between them. Chapter 277 - Chapter 277: Chapter 277: Dont Leave After School (38) Chapter 277: Chapter 277: Don¡¯t Leave After School (38) Jih Cheng was a bit huffy as he got dressed, ¡°Baby, can¡¯t you act a bit more like a girl?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Chuzheng replied, lying on the couch covered with a blanket, her head resting on her arm, looking like a boss. Jih Cheng glanced at her. You don¡¯t look like a girl right now! What kind of girl acts like that in bed! Where¡¯s the shyness? The demureness?! You¡¯re even teaching me, as if you¡¯re in class! Thinking about it, Jih Cheng¡¯s ears turned somewhat red-hot. Jih Cheng coughed, ¡°Baby, do you want to take a shower?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jih Cheng reached out and lifted Chuzheng up, the marks on Chuzheng¡¯s neck rekindling the heat that had just settled down in Jih Cheng. The two of them messed around in the bathroom for quite a while. In the end, Jih Cheng could only sigh internally about why he bothered to get dressed! ¨C It seemed the Jih Family truly needed Jih Cheng; they called him every few days. In the past, Jih Cheng would definitely have chosen to go back. Because that place had given him too much humiliation. He would go back to personally destroy it. But now he didn¡¯t dare to go back. If he did, he would risk being caught and locked up in a small dark room. Jih Cheng admitted he couldn¡¯t afford to provoke his own baby, who was even more of a tough cookie than society folks. ¡°Are they ever going to stop?¡± Chuzheng felt a bit impatient, looking at the people outside the car. Jih Cheng, worried that Chuzheng would bump into them, said, ¡°Baby, calm down, I¡¯ll go speak with them, don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± Chuzheng, resting her hands on the steering wheel, said, ¡°Hurry up.¡± Jih Cheng quickly returned. ¡°They won¡¯t come again, will they?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t,¡± Jih Cheng assured. Chuzheng nodded in satisfaction and fed Jih Cheng a piece of chocolate. Jih Cheng purposely sucked on her fingertips and even licked them. ¡°Stop it.¡± Jih Cheng leaned in, their lips met, and the rich chocolate taste flowed between their lips and tongues. ¡°Beep-beep¡ª¡± Someone honked their horn from behind, urging them on, and Jih Cheng let go of her. ¡°Baby, do I taste sweet?¡± ¡°The chocolate¡¯s sweet,¡± Chuzheng earnestly replied. ¡°¡­¡± Jih Cheng sullenly moved back to his seat. How on earth did he end up with her? Wait a minute¡­ Suddenly, Jih Cheng realized that until now, they seemed never to have actually confessed to each other¡­ ¡°Baby, I like you,¡± Jih Cheng suddenly turned his gaze, his eyes and eyebrows suffused with a gentle, smiling expression. ¡°Mhm.¡± My Good Person Card, if you don¡¯t like me, who else do you want to like? Chuzheng¡¯s reaction was normal, with no fluctuation. Jih Cheng wasn¡¯t surprised at all and felt it was to be expected. In the evening, Jih Cheng was studying in the study, when suddenly Chuzheng spun his chair around. With Jih Cheng still in the typing posture, he was a bit bemused yet spoke indulgently, ¡°Baby, don¡¯t make trouble, I haven¡¯t finished yet.¡± As he spoke, he tried to turn back, but Chuzheng held the chair, preventing him from moving. ¡°Baby,¡± Jih Cheng said helplessly. Suddenly, Chuzheng stuffed a piece of chocolate into his mouth. The chocolate melted in his mouth, spreading its rich flavor, Jih Cheng blinked slightly, and Chuzheng suddenly kissed him. Only after the piece of chocolate had melted did Chuzheng let him go; she kept a serious face as she ruffled his hair, ¡°I¡¯m just tasting if it¡¯s sweet.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jih Cheng hadn¡¯t had time to respond when his chair was spun back around, and when he turned his head, Chuzheng had already left the room. Jih Cheng suddenly laughed out loud, rubbing his fingertips over his lips, ¡°You just wanted to kiss me, why so serious.¡± ¨C The Jih family indeed never came looking for Jih Cheng again. During her university years, besides spending lavishly, Chuzheng hadn¡¯t done anything worthwhile. After graduation, aside from spending lavishly, she also hadn¡¯t done anything worthwhile. At some high school reunion. The girls married into wealthy families, the boys climbed the corporate ladder with promotions and raises, and those running their own companies were thriving just as much. The reunion felt like a showcase of wealth. Chuzheng sat quietly in the corner. ¡°Do you guys know? Yu Yue, the last time I saw her, she was working as a hostess in a KTV.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I even took a photo, I¡¯ll show you guys.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really unexpected¡­¡± Someone sighed. When it came to Yu Yue, naturally someone mentioned Qin Feng, but Qin Feng hadn¡¯t come to the class reunion. Still, there was news that Qin Feng had now taken over his family¡¯s business, but the women by his side kept changing one after another. ¡°What are you up to these days, Chuzheng?¡± Suddenly someone asked. Chuzheng used to be a legendary figure, rich enough to burn money, and there were rumors back then that she was kept by someone. Although no one had ever confirmed it, some people inevitably believed it in their hearts. The whole room suddenly fell silent. ¡°Nothing much. There¡¯s nothing else I can do but squander money.¡± ¡°Nothing much? So you¡¯re just playing around now?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re really lucky, not like us working ourselves to death.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Are you still with Jih Cheng now?¡± Jih Cheng and Chuzheng had entered one after the other, with Jih Cheng among the men, so they weren¡¯t sure whether these two were still together. Over the years, Jih Cheng had grown increasingly handsome, and now he also had the charm of a successful man. Back when we were in school, with little experience, we were frightened by the rumors. Now that I think about it, where¡¯s the scare in that? If he really killed someone, would just transferring schools settle it? ¡°Yeah.¡± Chuzheng nodded. ¡°Hehe, then you guys are really fortunate to have been together for so many years.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°¡­¡± These people originally wanted to dig up some gossip, but Chuzheng¡¯s response was too indifferent; they couldn¡¯t continue the conversation at all. The topic quickly shifted. When everyone finally left, they were informed that the owner had treated them. Someone carelessly asked who the owner was. The other side didn¡¯t hide it and directly mentioned Chuzheng¡¯s name. A subtle expression crossed everyone¡¯s faces¡ªthis club they were gathered at was membership only, and the membership was by invitation, not something the average person could get. They thought one of them had pulled some strings, but it turned out that the owner had opened the back door for them. Thinking back on what they had done inside, their faces felt a bit hot, and they quickly made excuses to leave. ¨C ¡°President Xu, several companies are pretty good. Why don¡¯t you take a look at all of them?¡± Chuzheng flipped through the documents, casually nodding her head. The person speaking immediately went out and called someone else in. These people started with lengthy talks, and Chuzheng felt a bit sleepy listening to them. If it wasn¡¯t for needing to maintain her image of elegance and aloofness, she probably would have fallen asleep already. ¡°President Xu, there¡¯s one last company.¡± ¡°No more meetings.¡± Chuzheng casually picked one: ¡°This one. Has Jih Cheng arrived yet?¡± ¡°Mr. Jih should be arriving soon.¡± Chuzheng nodded and stood up to leave the office. Just as she walked out of the office, someone came up to meet her. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m sorry, but our President Xu is in a hurry. Please make another appointment for next time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve waited so long, and you¡¯ve met with everyone before me. Why not meet with me? What do you mean by this?¡± The man was very emotional. ¡°Sir, you¡­¡± ¡°Xu Chuzheng.¡± The man suddenly called out. Chuzheng turned back, vaguely recognizing that this was Qin Feng. Qin Feng was clearly a bit stunned. He had missed the class reunion because of the time, but he knew what had happened there. He did not expect that their next meeting would be in such a setting. ¡°Mr. Qin, President Xu is in a hurry.¡± The person accompanying Chuzheng quickly stepped forward: ¡°I apologize for the delay. I will discuss the details with you.¡± Qin Feng had not expected to have to queue for such a big project and be waiting for someone¡¯s attention¡ªonly to find out that person was Xu Chuzheng. It was hard to describe the feeling¡­ Chuzheng¡¯s phone vibrated, and she opened the voice message. Jih Cheng¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Baby, I¡¯ve arrived.¡± Chuzheng stepped away, Qin Feng tried to call her, but was stopped by the people behind him and could only watch as she left. Chapter 278 - Chapter 278: Chapter 278: Dont Leave After School (End) Chapter 278: Chapter 278: Don¡¯t Leave After School (End) Chuzheng had already decided on the company and naturally wouldn¡¯t change her decision. Even if Qin Feng tried to find Chuzheng, it would be useless; he couldn¡¯t even see her. It was only later that he was informed Chuzheng didn¡¯t come by often, and the last time she had come was because she was going out with Jih Cheng. This place was closer to Jih Cheng, so she had stopped by to take a look. Qin Feng didn¡¯t win the project. Once the project was completed, Qin Feng made a point of visiting. It was an amusement park themed around various sweets. It covered an extensive area and had already attracted a lot of attention before it was completed. Now that it was officially open, it caused quite a stir. The attractions here were free of charge, but there were donation boxes outside each attraction. If someone felt bad about playing for free, they could choose to donate. ¡°President Xu must be crazy, we¡¯re working ourselves to death here, and in the end, it¡¯s free of charge, how on Earth are we going to make money?¡± ¡°Make money? President Xu would be happier losing money. Look at the projects we¡¯ve invested in these past few years, which one has made money that President Xu was pleased about? It¡¯s only when we lose money that President Xu hands out bonuses.¡± ¡°Does President Xu have money to burn like that? What a profligate!¡± ¡°Do you know who this amusement park was built for?¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it just an amusement park? Who else could it be built for? Doesn¡¯t President Xu just want to squander his family¡¯s wealth?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so clueless you won¡¯t even admit it, this amusement park was built for Mr. Jih.¡± ¡°Ah? How do you know?¡± ¡°I heard it from President Xu himself,¡± that person said proudly. ¡°Despite Mr. Jih¡¯s serious appearance, he actually really likes sweets. Haven¡¯t you noticed President Xu always has sweets but never eats them himself? He¡¯s giving them to Mr. Jih.¡± ¡°Eh, really¡­¡± Qin Feng, standing at the doorway overhearing the two people discussing something he couldn¡¯t quite make out, felt incredibly complicated emotions. In the end, he could only leave dejectedly. ¨C Jih Cheng found out about the amusement park Chuzheng built for him a few days later. He learned about it while watching the news, hearing an interview with a passerby who mentioned the park was built for him. Chuzheng rarely talked to him about what she was doing. Even if he asked, she would only focus on the main points in her reply, considering the rest as idle chatter. If he asked too much, she would get impatient and tell him to shut up, with a fierce but¡­ somewhat cute expression. After hearing the news, Jih Cheng asked, ¡°Someone in the news said this amusement park was built for me, is that true?¡± Who knew Chuzheng would actually nod seriously. Jih Cheng was stunned where he stood. He looked at the still-playing news, then at Chuzheng, and it took him a long while to find his voice again. ¡°Why¡­ would you build an amusement park for no reason?¡± And to build it for him. You might be wealthy, but this is just burning money, right? ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Chuzheng stood in the backlighting of the living room, her voice cool as usual, but now it seemed even more aloof. Jih Cheng¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°No, I really like it,¡± Jih Cheng hastily corrected himself. ¡°I just think it¡¯s too expensive.¡± ¡°My money is meant to be spent on you, who else? Good Person Card isn¡¯t just for helping me to squander my inheritance, right?! How can you be so unaware!!¡± Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± How can a girl be so provocative! Fireworks were popping in Jih Cheng¡¯s mind. Dear Lord! Just let me die! Suddenly, Chuzheng had approached him: ¡°Do you want some chocolate?¡± ¡°No, no thanks,¡± Jih Cheng said a bit warily, shaking his head. ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng turned and walked away. Jih Cheng breathed a sigh of relief; chocolate must not be eaten carelessly, for after eating it, you¡¯d have to be¡­ underneath. He didn¡¯t want to be underneath! Jih Cheng was determined to be the man on top! The fact was that night, Jih Cheng still didn¡¯t turn the tables. ¨C ¡°Is this the place?¡± ¡°This is the place.¡± The security guard in the reception room couldn¡¯t help but speak up after seeing the two people outside acting sneaky for a while, ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± Everyone living here is a person of significance, and these two, dressed in such a sloppy manner, didn¡¯t look any good at all. ¡°Hey, young man, I want to ask about someone.¡± The woman approached, ¡°Do you have someone named Xu Chuzheng living here?¡± Xu Chuzheng¡­ The wasteful scion who throws around money? The security guard thought for a moment and immediately said, ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am, we have rules here, I can¡¯t disclose the privacy of our residents. If you¡¯re looking for someone, you can make a phone call, and if the host gives us a heads-up, you¡¯ll be allowed in.¡± ¡°No, I just want to know if Xu Chuzheng lives here, just tell me that.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± The two weren¡¯t strangers, they were Father Xu and Mother Xu. Since the security guard wouldn¡¯t tell them, they squatted outside, and the security, unsure of who they were, made a phone call to Chuzheng¡¯s place. Chuzheng said she would be back in a moment. Who knew that Jih Cheng would return first and be recognized by Father Xu and Mother Xu. Jih Cheng¡¯s car was stopped by the two of them. Mother Xu smiled eagerly, ¡°What a promising young man, very good, oh yes, I forgot to introduce myself, I am Chuzheng¡¯s mother, and this is Chuzheng¡¯s father.¡± Jih Cheng, of course, recognized them. ¡°Uncle, Auntie, is there something you need?¡± Jih Cheng politely asked. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s like this, we¡¯re looking for Chuzheng. The child has been away from home for so many years without even a phone call, we are so worried.¡± Jih Cheng: ¡°¡­¡± Hadn¡¯t they severed all ties? When you took the money back then, you did it so decisively, and now you start playing the emotional card again. ¡°Young man, maybe you could take us upstairs first, we just want to see Chuzheng.¡± Mother Xu and Father Xu hadn¡¯t expected their daughter to be so capable. Jih Cheng dared not make that decision: ¡°I¡¯ll call Baby and ask, please wait a moment.¡± Jih Cheng returned to his car to call Chuzheng. Chuzheng didn¡¯t answer, so Jih Cheng hung up and kept calling. On the third attempt, Jih Cheng heard a car approaching from behind, he glanced in the rearview mirror. Chuzheng had already gotten out of her car. Jih Cheng hurriedly got out. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Chuzheng glanced at him. Jih Cheng shook his head, as nothing much could happen at the gate. ¡°Chuzheng, my daughter.¡± Mother Xu started crying upon seeing Chuzheng, ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much over these years¡­¡± Chuzheng interrupted her, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Chuzheng, what are you saying, we are your parents, of course, we came to see you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, you don¡¯t recognize your own parents now!¡± Father Xu and Mother Xu took turns speaking, and since it was peak time for people returning from work, other residents who were blocked at the gate could only get out of their cars to watch. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Looks like she doesn¡¯t recognize her parents?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that President Xu?¡± ¡°Those are her parents?¡± The whispering gave Father Xu and Mother Xu the courage: ¡°We¡¯ve raised you for so many years, you¡¯re living well now, how can you just ignore us.¡± ¡°We have already severed our ties through legal means.¡± Chuzheng raised her hand and the lawyer who got out of the car with her handed her a document, ¡°Do you need me to read it to you?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Chuzheng spoke in a calm and indifferent tone, ¡°You took the money, agreed to sever ties with me, and now that you¡¯re out of money, I¡¯m your daughter again?¡± Father Xu and Mother Xu originally thought that if Chuzheng refused to acknowledge them, they would make a scene, and out of concern for her reputation, she would surely give them money. But Chuzheng brought the documents directly instead. Father Xu and Mother Xu couldn¡¯t make a scene, and were also left fuming. They still had to go home and wait on Xu Shenghui, the little tyrant, regretting everything. Of course, what they regretted was why they had severed ties with Chuzheng in the first place. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to pack up, we¡¯re moving.¡± Chuzheng patted Jih Cheng¡¯s head, ¡°Just bring what you like, we can buy everything else.¡± ¡°Then I only have one thing that I can bring.¡± Chuzheng gave him a sidelong glance. Jih Cheng smiled, ¡°I only like you.¡± The only thing I want to take with me in this life is you. Chapter 279 - Chapter 279: Chapter 279 Minister under the Skirt (1) Chapter 279: Chapter 279 Minister under the Skirt (1) Chuzheng opened her eyes to find herself facing a dagger, its cold light flashing as the sharp blade plummeted towards her. Chuzheng lay on the ground, her only option to block with her hands, but with limited room to move, the dagger grazed her arm and lodged in the crevice of a stone nearby. Chuzheng¡¯s elbow struck the person attacking her, and she wrested the dagger from their grasp. The direction of the dagger turned, stabbing towards the opponent. The person opposite seemed not to have anticipated Chuzheng¡¯s strength, failing to dodge in time and getting slashed by the dagger. That person tried to move to the side to avoid further injury, but the space was too confined; the dagger approached from the side, leaving no room to evade. Pu chi¡ª The blade pierced flesh. Before Chuzheng could catch her breath, she heard the sleazy voice of the King¡¯s Account. [Congratulations, Miss, on your successful first replay within this plane, loading data¡­] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Not you bastard! Hold on! What do you mean by replay?! [You killed the Good Person Card, of course, it¡¯s a replay.] ¡°¡­¡± Good Person Card? The one wanting to kill me? I was simply defending myself, why should I be the one to replay! Darkness fell before Chuzheng¡¯s eyes. The dagger came at her with the same angle and force, but Chuzheng lifted her hand and grabbed the assailant¡¯s wrist. Muttering ¡°Good Person Card¡± several times to herself, she barely suppressed the urge to finish him off. Chuzheng took the dagger, pushed the person away, and braced him with her foot behind. ¡°Your Highness still has some strength,¡± said a hoarse but pleasant male voice in the dim environment. His tone carried a hint of teasing charm, oddly seductive. Your Highness? Ancient times? Chuzheng had no idea what was going on and chose to remain silent in response. The man on the other side chuckled darkly, ¡°Your Highness is indeed fortunate to be alive, I¡¯m quite disappointed.¡± Why would my survival disappoint you, you freak? Has the Good Person Card gone mad?! Chuzheng barely stopped herself from killing him with one strike. The surrounding environment was dim, and Chuzheng couldn¡¯t make out the man¡¯s features, only a vague silhouette. He seemed unfazed by the possibility of Chuzheng attacking him, his words full of provocation. Chuzheng couldn¡¯t see him clearly, and he couldn¡¯t see her clearly either. ¡°Since Your Highness is awake, you might want to think about how to get out. Don¡¯t worry, I want to leave too, and won¡¯t attack Your Highness again¡­ after all, I¡¯ve missed the best opportunity.¡± To seem more credible, the man raised his hands to show he was harmless. Chuzheng let go and retreated to the opposite side. The man sat on the ground: ¡°Your Highness has just been injured; it will be very difficult for you to leave from here.¡± Chuzheng touched her shoulder, feeling a sticky wetness spreading on her fingertips. ¡°Your Highness, what do you plan to do?¡± The man¡¯s use of ¡°Your Highness¡± would have sounded melodious¡ªif he hadn¡¯t been holding a dagger and trying to kill her. Without giving anything away, Chuzheng surveyed her surroundings. It was a small space, manageable for two, but crowded for three. The area was encircled with stones, and it was unclear where they were. Chuzheng wanted to retrieve her memories, but there was a Good Person Card opposite her, intent on killing her. Chuzheng walked towards the man. ¡°Your Highness!¡± His voice rose slightly. Chuzheng didn¡¯t stop, and the man grew visibly nervous, with no room to back away: ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± With swift motions, Chuzheng struck, and the man¡¯s voice vanished as she watched him collapse. After a moment¡¯s thought, she gave him a kick. That felt much better. ¨C The original owner of the body was surnamed Jun. When the original host regained consciousness, she was mistaken for the Great Princess of Jingyuan Country. Her attempts to explain were misunderstood as the Great Princess playing a new trick. The original host didn¡¯t know why she was here. That¡¯s right, she had amnesia. The Great Princess, who looked identical to the original host, was leading people on an expedition to a secret realm, and right now she was in that secret realm¡­ The people of this world cultivated Xuan Qi. Xuan Qi existed between heaven and earth, drawn into the body and then transformed into one¡¯s own strength. And secret realms were treasured lands or training grounds left behind by powerful beings of the past. The timing of their opening was uncertain, sometimes once every hundred years, sometimes once every thousand years. The secret realm the Great Princess participated in this time was a rare one, occurring once in a thousand years, with precious and rare items inside. The original host was forced to substitute for the Great Princess. The original host only remembered her name was Jun Chuzheng, and although she was aware of common knowledge, she didn¡¯t remember anything else. She didn¡¯t dare to act rashly, so she could only return under the identity of the Great Princess. Several months later. A woman appeared with a group of people ¡ª under the name of Jun Chuzheng. The woman wore a mask, never showing her true face. As soon as these people appeared, they were greeted with caution by the Empress and treated as honored guests. It didn¡¯t take long for the original host to recognize that the masked woman was the true Great Princess. The original host wanted to understand what was happening, but when she approached the Great Princess, she was rebuked and punished for the offense of impertinence. Afterward, the Great Princess pursued her relentlessly, targeting her at every turn as if she held a deep hatred for her. Without her memories, the original host couldn¡¯t uncover the truth and had to investigate step by step. Unfortunately, before she could find out the truth, the original host was killed in a scheme devised by the Great Princess. The Great Princess was undoubtedly the one she had to seek revenge on¡­ Chuzheng rubbed her temples. Such a hassle. Just get it over with! This Great Princess was really absurd. At the age of three, she drove away the tutor who was supposed to educate her, at five, she climbed up rooftops and removed tiles, and by ten, she had already beaten everyone in Jingyuan Imperial City ¡ª of course, that¡¯s was simply because no one dared to fight her, after all, she was the Great Princess. Women ruled in Jingyuan Country. The Great Princess was the next Empress of Jingyuan Country, showered with favor, glory, and riches. But this also fostered an arrogant nature in the Great Princess. She kept several beautiful young men in her mansion, indulging in pleasure and leading a life of debauchery. Yet the only person the Great Princess truly cared for was one. And that person was the very one who had just attempted to kill her. [Hidden Mission: Please obtain one Good Person Card from Xie Shu.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± He wants to kill me! He wants to kill me!! He wants to kill me!!! [Miss, don¡¯t be agitated. He wanted to kill you because he thought you were the Great Princess. You¡¯re not the Great Princess.] Chuzheng with an indifferent face: ¡°Does that change the fact that he wants to kill me?¡± [¡­]The King¡¯s Account felt a bit suffocated. [Miss, please review Xie Shu¡¯s information.] Xie Shu. Picked up by the Great Princess. When he was brought back by the Great Princess, Xie Shu was injured all over. If he were treated in time, he could retain his strength. But the Great Princess not only didn¡¯t have him attended to promptly, she even had someone sever his meridians, rendering him a cripple and imprisoning him in the mansion. After regaining consciousness, Xie Shu found himself crippled and imprisoned within the mansion, and naturally, he was unwilling. Perhaps the Great Princess truly liked him. No matter what Xie Shu did, she never forced him. Instead, she revolved around him all day long. Even though Xie Shu never showed her any warmth. But the Great Princess liked him, giving him the stars if he wanted the stars, The Moon if he wanted the moon. Even for this trip to the secret realm, the Great Princess took Xie Shu with her. Because of chaos, the main force got scattered, and by the time they found the Great Princess again, it was the amnesiac original host. Chapter 280 - Chapter 280: Chapter 280 Minister under the Skirt (2) Chapter 280: Chapter 280 Minister under the Skirt (2) Before this incident, the Grand Imperial Princess had entered an underground passage with her people when suddenly, it began to collapse, burying both the Grand Imperial Princess and Xie Shu beneath. However, when the original host woke up, she didn¡¯t see any trace of Xie Shu. Xie Shu met the Grand Imperial Princess again only after the original host had died. Those around the Grand Imperial Princess were all experts, and they captured Xie Shu and once again imprisoned him by her side. In order to regain his strength, Xie Shu cultivated forcefully using a secret technique. Ultimately, it caused Xie Shu to suffer from cultivation deviation. But Xie Shu was still lucid, continuing to cultivate in this manner, gradually turning darker and darker¡­ ¨C Xie Shu covered his slightly aching neck, slowly sat up, and subconsciously felt his body. Realizing his clothes were all intact, he let out a small sigh of relief. Xie Shu looked up across from him, where the figures of women became blurred within the dim light and shadow, as if covered by a thin veil. Boom¡ª The ground suddenly started shaking. Bracing against the stone wall behind him, Xie Shu steadied himself as small rocks fell around him. Just as Xie Shu was puzzled, the ground in front of him collapsed, followed by a faint light shining in, revealing a passageway ahead. The blurry figure that had been standing there entered the passage. However, after a moment, she came back, ¡°I almost forgot about you.¡± Can¡¯t lose the Good Person Card, right! Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± I beg you to forget about me. Chuzheng grabbed Xie Shu¡¯s arm, ¡°Can you still walk?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m a bit better off than Your Highness,¡± Xie Shu replied sarcastically, attempting to pull his arm free only to find that Chuzheng had a surprisingly strong grip. A sinking feeling settled in his heart. Chuzheng dragged him forward. Xie Shu stumbled slightly, struggling to keep up with Chuzheng¡¯s pace. This passage was quite spacious, with candles burning on both sides. The walls of the passage were carved with murals that had become indistinct due to their age. Xie Shu quickly glanced at them, unable to decipher the murals¡¯ depictions. ¡°Your Highness, you can let go of me,¡± Xie Shu tried to extricate himself: ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I have no means to protect myself, I won¡¯t run off.¡± Click¡ª As Xie Shu¡¯s words fell, a faint sound echoed. Chuzheng stopped, turning back to look at Xie Shu. Under the dim candlelight, the man was dressed in fiery red robes, his ink-black hair was half-tied with a dark jade crown, while the rest casually hung down his back. His features were strikingly handsome, and the candlelight cast a subtle glow in his eyes, like a gently rising light in the night sky. His lips slightly curled up, and his phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, captivating and noble, making all the beauties of the world seem dull in comparison. Why does the Good Person Card have to be so handsome? No wonder the Grand Imperial Princess fancies him so. But¡­ What was that sound just now? Whoosh¡ª Whoosh whoosh whoosh¡ª Arrows shot out from both sides of the passage, and Chuzheng, quick as a wink, pulled Xie Shu out of the way. The first volley of arrows was sparse, but the second came in dense succession, leaving no room to hide. Xie Shu was shielded by Chuzheng, and he watched as she raised her hand and a flash of silver flew by, the arrows struck by the silver light and clattering to the ground. Xie Shu stared at her back, his fists clenching tight. No¡­ He would die here without her. Xie Shu abandoned his plan to push her away and started to dodge along with Chuzheng. But Chuzheng soon realized that although this Good Person Card didn¡¯t want to kill her, he didn¡¯t make it easy for her either. The entire passage was full of arrows, wave after wave, each wave with a few seconds¡¯ gap allowing them to advance a distance. However, the passage seemed endless with no end in sight. Chuzheng had to deal with the arrows while coping with Xie Shu¡¯s occasional sabotage. Irritated beyond measure, Chuzheng turned around before the next wave of arrows and knocked Xie Shu unconscious with a chop of her hand. Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C All the candles in the passage had been extinguished. Chuzheng dragged Xie Shu forward in the dark, walking for a long time without seeing the end. What kind of cursed place is this. Chuzheng threw away Xie Shu and leaned against the wall to catch her breath. Her shoulder wound became more severe; now her entire arm felt numb and the bleeding wouldn¡¯t stop. This injury was a bit strange; she had already treated it once, and yet it seemed to have no effect¡ªthe blood hadn¡¯t been stemmed. Unable to figure out what was happening, Chuzheng couldn¡¯t be bothered with it. Too much blood loss? Oh. No worries, if I die, I¡¯ll just rewind. After experiencing several rewinds, Chuzheng had become fearless. How does that saying go? Only zero affairs¡ªno, zero rewinds, and countless rewinds. Chuzheng had decided that once she encountered the Grand Imperial Princess, she would take her down first to vent her frustration. [Miss, I need to remind you.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard, shut up, I don¡¯t want to listen! [But I still have to remind miss, if you rewind more than three times in any plane, you¡¯ll be sent back to the starting point.] The King¡¯s Account was very conscientious, insisting on speaking out even when Miss was fierce towards it! Chuzheng the pitiful asked warily, ¡°What do you mean?¡± I understand each word you say when they¡¯re separate. But when put together, why does it seem that I can¡¯t comprehend? Bastard, I¡¯m giving you one chance to explain yourself clearly, word by word. [¡­]The King¡¯s Account, intimidated by the aggressive aura Chuzheng was giving off, meekly replied: [I mean, going back to the plane you first experienced.] Back to the very, very beginning? Bastard, is this damn thing a devil? After finally getting this far, how could I rewind back? Absolute no! Stubbornness from a little pitiable one.jpg [Exactly, Miss, it¡¯s not allowed. So please don¡¯t rewind, alright! Let¡¯s squander our money freely, forget about all those messy things; with money, you truly can do whatever you want!] The King¡¯s Account flattered. Chuzheng wasn¡¯t paying any attention to what the King¡¯s Account was saying. She kept a straight face, mulling introspectively, ¡°Even if I rewind once now, I¡¯d still be able to take down the Grand Imperial Princess twice, huh!¡± What a bargain! Can¡¯t waste a good opportunity! No, wait¡­ During the first plane, I rewound so many times, why didn¡¯t the Bastard remind me then? [Miss, you were already at the starting point in the first one.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Damn thing!! [¡­]It¡¯s being scolded again! So angry, the King¡¯s Account went offline in a huff. Chuzheng had no desire to move either and rested against the wall. Phew¡­ Chuzheng felt something blowing air beside her, cold and eerie, carrying a musty, damp smell. Gazing into the darkness, Chuzheng saw nothing. She fumbled to the side, didn¡¯t find Xie Shu, but instead touched something sticky, like tree roots. Chuzheng tossed away whatever it was and sprang up. What, what is this thing!? Phew¡­ A chill ran down Chuzheng¡¯s neck as if something was blowing cold air into it. Chuzheng turned around and threw a punch. Something moved in the darkness, and Chuzheng¡¯s fist hit nothing. A flash of silver darted from her sleeve, a faint light twinkled in the dark, and Chuzheng could vaguely see a shadow standing two meters away from her. The shadow was half a person tall, with countless roots spreading from its body, covering the ground. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± That¡¯s, that¡¯s disgusting! What kind of monstrosity is this! Chuzheng flicked her fingers in the air, silver light entangled the shadow, she raised her arm to the side, and the silver light smashed the shadow against the nearby wall. That scared the hell out of me! Chapter 281 - Chapter 281: Chapter 281 Minister under the Skirt (3) Chapter 281: Chapter 281 Minister under the Skirt (3) ¡°Don¡¯t kill me, don¡¯t kill me.¡± The pleas echoed in the empty corridor, the voice like a broken bellows, scratchy and unpleasant. ¡°Your Excellency, don¡¯t kill me. I was just too hungry, I didn¡¯t mean to offend you.¡± Too hungry! Does this thing want to eat me? Frightened, Chuzheng hit the thing a few more times with something until it stopped moving, and only then did she cease. What was originally planned as ¡®lure the enemy before striking¡¯ died abruptly. Chuzheng took down a candlestick from the wall¡­ How do you light it again? Chuzheng recalled for a moment, trying to call upon the so-called Xuan Qi within her body. In this world, cultivators start by cultivating Xuan Qi, and newcomers are uniformly called Xuan Masters. After Xuan Master comes Xuan King, Xuan Imperial, Xuan Zong, Xuan Emperor, Xuan Venerable, and Xuan Saint. Each major rank is further divided into nine minor ranks. For example, for Xuan Masters, there are First Grade Xuan Masters up to Ninth Grade Xuan Masters. It¡¯s only after one becomes a Ninth Grade Xuan Master that one can become a First Grade Xuan King, and so on. The ranks are easy to distinguish, one can simply tell by the color. The Grand Imperial Princess is an Eighth Grade Xuan King, which among the younger generation is considered top-notch. But the original owner¡­ her Xuan Qi color is colorless. Although I don¡¯t know what rank that is, it¡¯s still pretty impressive. Chuzheng, following her memories, used her Xuan Qi to light the candlestick, and the light illuminated a small area. Chuzheng first glanced at the shadow she had just attacked. It¡¯s like a tree root¡­ Yes, a tree root. Chuzheng turned to look at Xie Shu, who was more than ten meters away. There were drag marks on the ground, and his ankles and wrists were still entangled with tree roots. Chuzheng went back, placing the candlestick to the side. She had just squatted down when Xie Shu abruptly opened his eyes. With tree roots twisted around his wrists and feet, Xie Shu¡¯s expression first showed rage, then he scornfully hissed, ¡°What, Your Highness is so impatient that even in such a place you¡¯re still thinking about that sort of thing?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What sort of thing do I still have the mood to do? I just want to untie you¡­ Has the Good Person Card gone crazy?! Chuzheng¡¯s face remained cold and impassive as she broke the tree roots off his wrists and feet before standing up and walking away. Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± The moment he opened his eyes and found himself bound, his first instinct was that she wanted to do something to him, after all, that had always been her purpose. But now, Xie Shu noticed that something about their surroundings was amiss. He lifted his hand, the thick liquid on his wrist was revolting. Not far away lay something that resembled tree roots, and the thing that had bound him had extended from there¡­ Xie Shu¡¯s delicate and bewitching face flickered in the candlelight, his expression unclear, as he propped himself up to stand. ¡°Your Highness can still deal with a Shadow Tree Beast even when injured, impressive,¡± Xie Shu said, leaning against the wall with a chilling tone. Chuzheng gave him a look: ¡°Shut up.¡± Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Xie Shu looked at Chuzheng oddly. His eyes latched onto the dark bloodstain on her shoulder; the bloodstain seemed to still be bleeding. Her wound was still bleeding¡­ So that¡¯s why she was putting on this act, to prevent him from finding an opportunity to kill her? ¡°Your Highness, perhaps I could look at your wound for you?¡± Xie Shu offered helpfully, but whatever malice he was harboring, only he was clear of it. ¡°I am not Chu Yingyu.¡± The Grand Imperial Princess is called Chu Yingyu, and if he keeps thinking I am her, how can I be a good person? Xie Shu chuckled lowly: ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s no need to deny your own identity. Even if I wanted to do something to you, considering how you are now, I wouldn¡¯t be able to lay a hand on you.¡± She looked somewhat weak. ¡°` But in front of him, I¡¯m just a piece of trash¡­ With that thought, Xie Shu¡¯s murderous intent grew even stronger. All of this was thanks to the person before him. ¡°Believe it or not.¡± Chuzheng couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with Good Person Card. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, shut up.¡± Stop spouting nonsense, it¡¯s so annoying. Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Though Xie Shu felt that Chuzheng seemed a bit off compared to before, he thought it was because of their current situation and she didn¡¯t dare show too much weakness. Xie Shu found a place to lean on and began cleaning the filth off his body. The mucus from the Shadow Tree Beast wasn¡¯t poisonous, but it was disgusting. Patter patter¡­ ¡°There are tracks here, it ran this way.¡± ¡°Chase it quickly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s injured, it definitely won¡¯t get far.¡± The sound of footsteps and voices echoed, one after the other, as a light gradually appeared from the distant corridor. Chuzheng looked over there and saw three figures appearing. Seeming to notice someone here, the three paused briefly and approached warily. ¡°Shadow Tree Beast!¡± The girl among them exclaimed softly. The young man on the left sized up Chuzheng with a glance, speaking in a not-so-friendly tone: ¡°So it¡¯s the Grand Imperial Princess of Jingyuan, pardon me.¡± Before, only a single candlestick in the corridor provided light, but with the arrival of these three people, the entire passageway was almost illuminated. Chuzheng didn¡¯t recognize them. But the original owner of the body did. Aside from Jingyuan Country, this world also had three other nations: Jianing Country, Xia Country, and Jinchuan Country. These three people were from Xia Country. Xia Country had always been at odds with Jingyuan. They believed that a woman ruling was an insult to men and sought to destroy Jingyuan. ¡°I heard that the Grand Imperial Princess has a male pet of peerless beauty. I never thought that the Grand Imperial Princess would bring him along to a place like this. Truly, even in death under the peony, one would remain a romantic ghost.¡± The young man¡¯s unrestrained gaze fell on Xie Shu. There was disdain, contempt, and arrogance. Perhaps he thought that for a person like Xie Shu to be a woman¡¯s male pet was a desecration of masculinity. Xie Shu¡¯s hand tightened subtly within his sleeve. During this trip, Xie Shu had seen too many such gazes, but each time they were infuriating. ¡°Guo Zhen, stop talking trash, let¡¯s catch the Shadow Tree Beast first.¡± The girl spoke up. Chuzheng agreed with the girl; the guy talked too much. Take him down! Guo Zhen glanced at the Shadow Tree Beast lying not far from Chuzheng: ¡°Grand Imperial Princess, this Shadow Tree Beast is ours.¡± As he spoke, he walked over, reaching out to grab the Shadow Tree Beast. If these three had shown up and asked for the Shadow Tree Beast, Chuzheng might have given them the disgusting creature. But they started with a round of sarcastic jeering, so Chuzheng was not willing to hand it over. With a slight movement of Chuzheng¡¯s wrist, a flash of silver light appeared, and the Shadow Tree Beast turned to dust the moment Guo Zhen touched it. The entire corridor fell eerily silent. ¡°Guo Zhen, what are you doing!¡± The girl rushed forward and pushed Guo Zhen away. The ground was left with only some powder; there was no trace of the Shadow Tree Beast. The girl¡¯s face flushed with anger as she glared at Guo Zhen. Guo Zhen was also utterly bewildered and hurried to explain: ¡°Princess, I¡­ I didn¡¯t do anything. It¡¯s not my fault, I didn¡¯t even touch it.¡± ¡°I saw it with my own eyes!¡± the Princess exclaimed with eyes reddening with urgency: ¡°Do you not want to save people? I knew it, you¡¯ve always been at odds with Brother Mo, you want him to die, don¡¯t you!!¡± ¡°Princess, I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Princess, I believe Guo Zhen isn¡¯t that kind of person, and we¡¯re not alone here,¡± another young man reminded. Guo Zhen abruptly turned to face Chuzheng: ¡°Chu Yingyu, did you do this!?¡± Chapter 282 - Chapter 282: Chapter 282 Minister under the Skirt (4) Chapter 282: Chapter 282 Minister under the Skirt (4) ¡°No,¡± Chuzheng said with a tense expression, denying it with a calm demeanor. Even if it were me, what could you do to me? Hit me, huh! That¡¯ll cool your mocking! ¡°Chu Yingyu!¡± Guo Zhen roared, ¡°Who else could it be here but you?¡± Chuzheng pointed a finger at him. Guo Zhen subconsciously looked behind him, only to find no one there; she was pointing at him. The Princess of Xia Country personally saw Guo Zhen touch the Shadow Tree Beast, and the beast disintegrated into ash, during which Chuzheng hadn¡¯t even moved the hem of her garment. The Princess of Xia Country¡¯s face was filled with anger, ¡°Guo Zhen, I really misjudged you!¡± The Princess of Xia Country ran away crying. Guo Zhen wanted to argue with Chuzheng but feared that the Princess of Xia Country might be in danger, so he could only leave a message, ¡°Chu Yingyu, you wait for me!¡± Chuzheng wore an indifferent expression. Wait for what, to hit me? You can¡¯t beat me! You weakling! The three of them left one after another. Once everyone was gone, Chuzheng leaned her body back, feeling a bit dizzy from too much blood loss. No matter how sophisticated the software, if the hardware isn¡¯t up to par, it¡¯s all useless. ¨C Chuzheng walked out of the corridor and found a secret chamber at its end, but no other exit. The passage seemed to be shifting. She followed Guo Zhen and the others, but didn¡¯t notice any trace of them along the way. Unable to find the exit, Chuzheng could only enter the secret chamber. There were some items in the chamber. Chuzheng glanced over them and had no intention of taking anything. Xie Shu leaned against the side, arms crossed, ¡°Isn¡¯t this what Your Highness was looking for? Why don¡¯t you take them now?¡± The woman¡¯s face was a bit pale at this time, but she kept walking forward without showing any signs of pain. Xie Shu couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on with her and didn¡¯t dare run away. He was afraid that not only would he fail to escape, but he might also provoke her anger. The most important thing was that he couldn¡¯t get out on his own. ¡°Why so much talk?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Your Highness used to enjoy listening to me talk? Now I¡¯m speaking for you to hear.¡± ¡°Shut your mouth.¡± Xie Shu¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°Does Your Highness not like me anymore?¡± ¡°Xie Shu.¡± Suddenly, Chuzheng called his name. ¡°Your Highness,¡± Xie Shu responded with a smile, ¡°What is it?¡± That smile was bewitching, sinking anyone who glanced at it. If not for the lack of sincerity reaching his eyes, Chuzheng might have believed that he was truly smiling. Chuzheng¡¯s brow was filled with coldness, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± ¡°What does Your Highness want to do?¡± Xie Shu tilted his head, ¡°This is indeed a good place, but Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°I told you not to move,¡± Chuzheng said, her voice cool and carrying a warning. Perhaps taken aback by Chuzheng¡¯s sternness, Xie Shu didn¡¯t dare to move anymore. His gaze fixed on Chuzheng¡¯s eyes, he could clearly see behind him a large black snake, poised to strike. The black snake was thicker than a barrel, revealing only half of its body with the rest hidden in darkness, making it impossible to tell its full length. Xie Shu¡¯s breathing got heavier. The snake hissed its crimson tongue, making a sibilant sound in the silent chamber, wavering uncertainly. Suddenly, the snake dove down, opening its gaping maw wide, aiming to bite off Xie Shu¡¯s neck in one go. Xie Shu¡¯s body tensed and he lunged forward. Bang¡ª The snake was flung away, crashing into items in the chamber, causing a clattering commotion. Xie Shu collapsed into Chuzheng¡¯s embrace, pinning her to the side table. ¡°Hiss, hiss, hiss¡­¡± The angry hissing of the snake reached Xie Shu¡¯s ears, and he instinctively turned to look. The snake struggled to rise from where it was, twisting its body, rushing toward them. Xie Shu¡¯s vision flickered, and a flash of silver darted by¡ªa flash of silver that the charging snake seemed to collide with, piling its whole body up as though hitting something invisible. The silver web woven in the air became visible momentarily due to the impact from the snake. The net fell down, covering the serpent¡¯s body. Following that, Xie Shu could no longer see the silver net, only the gradually fading silhouette of the serpent as it vanished. It was like someone had hit the slow-motion button, the serpent¡¯s body slowly turning to dust, disappearing bit by bit. This scene was not long ago witnessed on the body of the Shadow Tree Beast. At that time, Xie Shu did not feel it was her doing, as she had indeed done nothing. But now¡­ ¡°Step aside,¡± Chuzheng said. Xie Shu pursed his lips, stood up, and moved to the side. Chuzheng propped herself up from the platform, her shoulder once again beginning to ooze blood, the entire sleeve turning nearly red. ¡°Was that a Xuan Artifact you used just now?¡± He had no idea she possessed such a formidable Xuan Artifact. Chuzheng held her shoulder with one hand. Xuan Artifact? What Xuan Artifact? It took a moment for Chuzheng to remember that in this world, the weapons used by the Xuan Masters are called Xuan Artifacts. Of course, there were even more powerful Holy Artifacts and Divine Artifacts. Chuzheng¡¯s face was indifferent: ¡°What¡¯s it to you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my business,¡± Xie Shu scoffed coldly. The serpent had appeared suddenly, and Xie Shu walked to the place where the serpent had first appeared, looking up but finding no exit. Was there some mechanism above that had been triggered by this serpent? Or had the serpent been here all along? Xuan beasts generally possess intelligence, and should not be regarded as ordinary beasts. Xie Shu glanced back. The woman leaned against the stone platform, her head slightly bowed, revealing only the stern profile of her face. Xie Shu returned somewhat reluctantly: ¡°Let me look at your wound.¡± ¡°Trying to kill me, huh.¡± This weakling harbors ill intentions. ¡°Your Highness, do you think I could leave this place alive without you?¡± Xie Shu didn¡¯t hide his malice: ¡°Your Highness, rest assured, I want to live even more.¡± Chuzheng looked up, meeting Xie Shu¡¯s gaze. She pulled down the clothes near her wound, exposing her shoulder. Xie Shu¡¯s gaze shifted away in a flash. How could she just expose it like that. Taking a subtle breath internally, Xie Shu turned his head to look. The wound was located in the armpit area, the blood around it dried and turned into dark, clotted lumps, but the wound itself continued to bleed. The blood was not the normal red, but a murky brownish red. ¡°You¡¯re poisoned,¡± said Xie Shu. ¡°Oh,¡± Chuzheng said nonchalantly, pulling her clothes back. Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Xie Shu sat cross-legged beside her, meticulously cleaning Chuzheng¡¯s wound. ¡°Does it not hurt?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t apply too much pressure, it won¡¯t hurt.¡± Xie Shu glanced at the woman, her expression calm, her gaze resting on nothingness, showing no sign of pain. This person¡­ Indeed, was different from Chu Yingyu. But how could that be possible¡­ There are no two identical people in this world. To attract his attention, Chu Yingyu had done plenty of absurd things; this might just be another one of her schemes. Xie Shu suppressed the doubts in his heart: ¡°The poison has already entered your body; I do not know what poison it is, and even if I did, there is nothing here to cure it with.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She should have just waited there to be rescued. Xie Shu looked at her: ¡°Your Highness, do you understand what I am saying?¡± Chuzheng looked up, seriously asking, ¡°What?¡± Xie Shu: ¡°What I mean is, you might not be able to leave this place.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face remained cold: ¡°Oh.¡± So she really should have waited there to be rescued. Maybe it ought to be rewound a bit¡­ Chapter 283 - Chapter 283: Chapter 283 Minister under the Skirt (5) Chapter 283: Chapter 283 Minister under the Skirt (5) The locked room was overly quiet. But even in such a quiet environment, Xie Shu couldn¡¯t hear Chuzheng¡¯s breathing. He glanced over, and the woman was sitting in the corner, facing away from him, her appearance unclear. Xie Shu hesitated before getting up and walking towards her. As soon as he reached out, his hand was caught. The woman¡¯s hand was fair and slender, with a burning warmth, and his own hand started to heat up in response. She slowly turned her head, and upon seeing it was him, she let go, turned her face to the side again, and silently closed her eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t disturb me.¡± ¡°Your Highness really is carefree,¡± Xie Shu couldn¡¯t help but prick her with a remark, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I will kill you?¡± ¡°What benefit would there be for you if I died?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was light, unconcerned. Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± There truly wouldn¡¯t be any. If she died, how would he get out? It seemed Xie Shu¡¯s wrist still retained her temperature, too hot to the touch. He felt something was amiss and raised his hand to check Chuzheng¡¯s forehead. The scorching temperature alarmed Xie Shu; she was burning up like this, yet she showed no reaction. ¨C Although Chuzheng was feverish, her consciousness was clear. After resting for a while, she propped herself up and stood. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Xie Shu frowned and extended a hand to support her, ¡°You can¡¯t move with your current condition, or the poison will spread even faster.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to get out?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was still cold. ¡°How are you supposed to get out in this state?¡± Xie Shu said irritably, ¡°Your Highness, this is not the time to be showing off.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Chuzheng brushed him off and walked toward the exit of the locked room. Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Xie Shu felt he should be eager for her to die. So her courting death had nothing to do with him. Chuzheng didn¡¯t walk fast, but her figure remained straight and tall, like a pine that would never fall. Xie Shu followed behind at a leisurely pace. He muttered a curse, quickened his steps, and supported her, ¡°Your Highness, please don¡¯t die.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡± Look at you with your Good Person Card! Such good luck! Not like me, poor little thing with such a hard life. Dragging this weak and sick body, and still having to find a way out for you, a weakling. Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± To Xie Shu¡¯s ears, this phrase probably meant even if I die, I won¡¯t let anything happen to you. The feeling was indescribable, a mix of astonishment and¡­ strangeness. ¨C By the time Chuzheng and Xie Shu left the passage, it was two days later. Suddenly seeing light, Chuzheng was so stimulated she almost cried, but she managed to hold back the tears. Outside was a forest, and at that moment, the sunlight cascaded through the treetops, casting a golden edge on Chuzheng. Rustle rustle rustle¡­ ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Grand Imperial Princess!¡± ¡°The Grand Imperial Princess is over there!¡± Sudden voices rang out, and a group of people rushed forward, surrounding her. Xie Shu was one step behind Chuzheng. Hearing the voices, he shrank back into the darkness. Chuzheng, having lost too much blood and poisoned besides, felt dizzy from the commotion. Xie Shu watched as Chuzheng was carried away, leaning against the cold, damp exit. He should have been happy¡­ finally free from that woman. A swath of red fabric peeked out from the darkness, brushed by the sunlight, glaringly red. When Chuzheng woke up, she found herself lying by a lake, with people bustling about in the distance, a lively scene. Her wounds had been tended to. ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°The Grand Imperial Princess is awake!¡± Chuzheng, holding her wound, looked at the people crowding around her, mostly young people. This Secret Realm had age restrictions; no one over thirty could enter. ¡°How do you feel, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Are you hungry, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Chuzheng said irritably, ¡°Get away from me.¡± Who is your grand imperial princess. Stop the senseless shouting! The air is practically cut off by you. Chuzheng¡¯s face was so cold that after exchanging looks for a moment, the group dispersed, leaving only one person behind. ¡°Your Highness, Young Master Xie Shu¡­¡± The remaining person eyed Chuzheng¡¯s expression and cautiously began to speak. Good Person Card¡­ Wasn¡¯t he right behind her? Where did he go?! Chuzheng suddenly thought of something, ¡°Is he dead?¡± ¡°¡­¡± What does Your Highness mean by this? In the past, whenever Xie Shu was mentioned, she¡¯d either look joyous or anxious; this cold, detached question if he was dead, what¡¯s the situation here? ¡°No¡­ we haven¡¯t found Young Master Xie Shu,¡± the person carefully replied. Great. So the Good Person Card ran away. Chuzheng¡¯s poison had been cured, and she wasn¡¯t clear about the origin of this injury; it was already there when she woke up. It¡¯s probably from an injury she sustained before her memory loss. All participants in the Secret Realm were young elites of Jingyuan Country, with Chu Yingyu, the Grand Imperial Princess, leading the entire team. Although Chu Yingyu¡¯s behavior was outrageous, she genuinely had strength. They were still inside the Secret Realm now. What treasures one could obtain in the Secret Realm all depended on personal luck. Jingyuan Country¡¯s haul was average because they had spent all their time looking for the missing Grand Imperial Princess. [Main task: Spend a hundred Inferior Xuan Stones within half an hour. Xuan Stones have been dispensed to your Space, please check to receive them.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The knife in Chuzheng¡¯s hand whooshed as it plunged into the ground. Aggression was on full display. I¡¯m a patient now! Do you understand what that means?! I can¡¯t do strenuous work! Bastard, are you even a thing?! [¡­] So, should I answer if I am a thing or not? This sentence is cursing me through and through! Miss, you¡¯re being too much! The people on the other side were scared as well, huddling together and trembling. ¡°¡­Do you feel like her Highness is somewhat terrifying?¡± ¡°Is it because Young Master Xie Shu has disappeared?¡± ¡°But her Highness didn¡¯t ask us to look for Young Master Xie Shu.¡± ¡°Could it be that something has happened to Young Master Xie Shu?¡± A group of people murmured their discussions, not daring to provoke further trouble. Chuzheng on the other side pulled the knife out and stabbed it back into the ground. Her whole person was emitting a ¡®strangers keep away, acquaintances do not disturb¡¯ menacing aura. Her Highness¡­ is scary! Wuuu! What on earth happened to Young Master Xie Shu! ¡°You, come here,¡± Chuzheng suddenly pointed at someone. The person who was called shivered immediately and, under the sympathetic gazes of their companions, walked over in fear and trepidation. ¡°Your, Your Highness, what are your orders?¡± Sitting firmly with legs astride, Chuzheng propped herself with one hand on the knife, her manner cold and ferocious, ¡°What valuable things do you have on you?¡± The person frantically began pulling out everything they had on them. They stopped just short of stripping off their clothes. The circulating currency in this world is Xuan Stones. A kind of stone imbued with Xuan Qi. These Xuan Stones aren¡¯t only used for cultivation and absorption; they¡¯re also needed in many places, in short, they¡¯re indispensable. Inferior Xuan Stones are the lowest level of Xuan Stones. There are also Middle-grade Xuan Stones, Superior Xuan Stones, and Fine Xuan Stones. Chuzheng picked out an item and then tossed some Xuan Stones to the person, ¡°You may go.¡± The person didn¡¯t even look at what Chuzheng had thrown and sprinted back. ¡°Come back.¡± ¡°Your, Your Highness.¡± The person¡¯s legs went weak with fright. ¡°Take these things with you,¡± Chuzheng jabbed at the items on the ground with her knife. The person didn¡¯t dare to ask any questions, gathered the items in their arms, and left at the speed of a hundred-meter dash. In the past company with Her Highness, they had never felt she was this terrifying. Chapter 284 - Chapter 284: Chapter 284 Minister under the Skirt (6) Chapter 284: Chapter 284 Minister under the Skirt (6) On the third day after Chuzheng came out. The team encountered a group from Xia Country, with Guo Zhen and the Princess of Xia Country among them. The Princess of Xia Country stood beside another young man, showing concern for him, while Guo Zhen was somewhat distant, obviously not favored by the Princess. Seeing Chuzheng, Guo Zhen was reminded of his own plight. He had thought it over and over, and the most suspicious person regarding the Shadow Tree Beast incident was Chu Yingyu. Because of him, the Princess had misunderstood, and now she was ignoring Guo Zhen. Therefore, as soon as Guo Zhen saw Chuzheng, he began to speak without thinking, ¡°Oh, has your Highness been found? I thought your Highness would stay down there and finish having a child with that male pet before coming out.¡± ¡°Guo Zhen, don¡¯t start trouble!¡± Jingyuan¡¯s people were terrified. This idiot is bringing up Young Master Xie Shu! If he wants to die, don¡¯t drag them into it! ¡°Me, start trouble? How am I starting trouble? Isn¡¯t what I said a fact?¡± Guo Zhen looked to the people beside him: ¡°You tell me, isn¡¯t it?¡± With Guo Zhen¡¯s high status, as soon as he asked, there were immediately people responding. Voices clamored chaotically, spewing offensive language that was harsh to the ears. Chuzheng considered taking out this damn creature. ¡°[Main task: Please spend a thousand middle-grade Xuan Stones within half an hour.]¡± The King¡¯s Account issued the task very timely. Clearly implementing the guideline that where there are people, there will be ways to squander wealth. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Alright then. I won¡¯t make a move. Chuzheng beckoned to someone nearby with a finger. ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t listen to their nonsense.¡± The person immediately responded. Chuzheng handed over Xuan Stones to the person: ¡°Hit that Guo surname, you guys can share these Xuan Stones.¡± ¡°¡­¡± His Highness is indeed angry! But that Guo really does deserve a beating. Once Chuzheng had spoken, a group of people didn¡¯t say a second word and just started fighting. Both sides consisted of young and vigorous individuals, and it was all too easy for a fight to break out. Most here were Xuan Masters and Xuan Kings; orange and red Xuan Qi intertwined together, dazzling like fireworks. Chuzheng found a place to sit down, watching the fray with a detached posture. ¡°Stop fighting.¡± ¡°Stop it!¡± ¡°I said stop it!¡± The Princess of Xia Country was frantic with red eyes on the other side, but her words at this moment seemed insignificant, no one listened to her, and she was nearly injured. Just when the fight was at a deadlock, suddenly there came a ground-shaking noise from the horizon. This commotion directly made everyone stop. ¡°Squeak!¡± The distant trees toppled, and the Xuan beast¡¯s roar thundered through the sky. From that roar, Chuzheng could feel an intense pressure washing over from the direction of the woods, almost as if the sound waves had substance. Those with lower strengths couldn¡¯t bear it, covering their ears and wailing. The ground trembled. Trees continually fell. A gigantic golden Mouse appeared in everyone¡¯s sight. The Golden Rat was being attacked, waving its claws in anger with fur standing like steel needles. With a shake of its body, the Golden Rat flung its steel-like hairs around, which would then return to its body. Chuzheng watched, eyes wide. This Mouse is huge! Taller than the woods, it was like a small hill. ¡°Is this a Xuan beast?¡± ¡°Someone is battling it!¡± ¡°My heavens, it¡¯s huge¡­ I¡¯ve never seen such a large Xuan beast.¡± ¡°Bullshit Xuan beast, that¡¯s the Holy Beast Tianjin Rat!¡± someone knowledgeable shouted, ¡°Still watching? Want to lose your lives? Run!¡± They might be able to just cope with a Xuan beast when working together. But that thing was a Holy Beast, not even fit to get stuck in its teeth. ¡°Your Highness, run fast!¡± The brawling crowd had already rushed back, urging Chuzheng to leave. The Tianjin Mouse and the battle were now moving in their direction, and the sensation of the ground shaking and mountains rocking was getting worse. [Main Quest: Please spend ten fire crystals within half an hour.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s not enough to be a bastard, you all want me to run, and now you want me to squander money? Is this appropriate? [Miss, trust me!] I trust you my big ghost head! And what the hell are fire crystals? Isn¡¯t the general currency here Xuan Stones? I¡¯m telling you, Bastard, don¡¯t mess things up! [Miss, although Xuan Stones are the general currency, other items can also be traded, so theoretically they can also act as currency, it¡¯s just not universal.] The King¡¯s Account justified itself forcefully. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± [Miss, let me educate you about the Tianjin Mouse. It especially loves fire crystals.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± That¡¯s it? [That¡¯s it.] Isn¡¯t this hint obvious enough? Chuzheng looked at the mouse that was ridiculously big. You want me to go on a shopping spree with a mouse?! A mouse! A mouse! You bunch of bastard mice! [¡­] Snakes and mice share the same nest, but what does that have to do with other people being bastards? [Miss, keep it up!] You must be patient with Miss! You must be kind and friendly to Miss! I am a polite System! The scene was chaotic, and Chuzheng took the opportunity to leave the team. She headed back, and when passing by the team from Xia Country, she saw the Princess of Xia Country and that young man together, with Guo Zhen running behind them. Suddenly, the Princess of Xia Country fell forward, and the young man who was being supported by her fell down with her. ¡°Brother Mo, Brother Mo, are you alright?¡± ¡°Cough cough cough¡­ I¡¯m okay.¡± The Princess of Xia Country helped the man up, then turned around and glared angrily: ¡°Guo Zhen, why did you push me?¡± ¡°Princess, what are you talking about?¡± Guo Zhen was confused: ¡°We should hurry¡­¡± Smack! The Princess of Xia Country slapped Guo Zhen¡¯s face. ¡°Guo Zhen, I really misjudged you!¡± She turned and helped the young man away, leaving behind a stunned Guo Zhen. What did he do? Guo Zhen turned around and saw Chuzheng not far away, everybody else was running forward, leaving her standing alone on the edge, silent, elegant and cold, isolated from the chaos. A lightbulb went off in Guo Zhen¡¯s mind, as if he understood something. ¡°Chu Yingyu!¡± Guo Zhen roared angrily as he rushed toward Chuzheng: ¡°It was you who did this!¡± Multiple times she caused the Princess to misunderstand him! ¡°Do you have evidence?¡± Chuzheng asked with a cold face: ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± And I¡¯m not called Chu Yingyu. ¡°What, dare to do but not to admit! Chu Yingyu when did you become like this? Weren¡¯t you always arrogant and willing to stand by your actions?¡± Guo Zhen was so angry he couldn¡¯t speak properly. Those lagging behind saw that Guo Zhen wasn¡¯t running but instead arguing loudly with Chuzheng, yelling at him to run quickly. ¡°I said it wasn¡¯t me.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Boom¡ª¡ª The ground shook violently. Guo Zhen almost lost his balance. The giant mouse was getting closer and closer, the Xuan Qi used to attack it was falling from all directions, and in an instant, dirt and rocks were flying, flames erupted, and it felt like the world was breaking apart. Guo Zhen¡¯s face changed from fear. He quickly glanced at Chuzheng and saw her eyes were fixed on the Tianjin Mouse. A plan formed in Guo Zhen¡¯s mind, his Xuan Qi built up inside him, and he furiously unleashed it toward Chuzheng. Die! Chuzheng had sensed Guo Zhen¡¯s move the moment he made it, so the orange Xuan Qi did not hit her. Seeing his sneak attack fail, Guo Zhen was somewhat annoyed. ¡°Chu Yingyu, you just wait, I¡¯m not finished with you!¡± Chuzheng casually dusted off the sparks on her dress. Just as Guo Zhen was about to disappear, Chuzheng raised her hand, and the Yin Xian shot out like a dragon, twining around Guo Zhen¡¯s ankle and violently yanked him back. Chapter 285 - Chapter 285: Chapter 285 Minister under the Skirt (7) Chapter 285: Chapter 285 Minister under the Skirt (7) Guo Zhen flew into the air and collided with a person falling from the sky, both plummeting to the ground. Behind them, the gigantic body of the Tianjin Mouse followed, crashing down. Chuzheng regretfully withdrew her hand and stepped aside. The Tianjin Mouse was so large that when its body fell, it was like a small mountain collapsing, tearing the ground apart. Chuzheng¡¯s position was such that she just grazed past the spikes on the Tianjin Mouse¡¯s body. The wind lifted the hem of her skirt, and with her calm and composed demeanor, she looked like a transcendent being from another realm. However, at that moment, with her face tense, Chuzheng thought: Damn, that scared me to death, I was almost crushed. The Tianjin Mouse seemed to try turning over, but failed to do so after several attempts. Chuzheng walked a few steps forward and suddenly saw her reflection. The eyes of the Tianjin Mouse were red, clear, and bright, like mirrors. Chuzheng looked at the reflection and thought the original host was quite good-looking. Chuzheng leaned in for a closer look, a palm-sized face, delicate and beautiful features¡­ ¡°Squeak¡ª¡± The pitiful and angry cry of the Tianjin Mouse startled Chuzheng into taking two steps back. What the heck! Just taking a look, what¡¯s with the yelling! But the Tianjin Mouse wasn¡¯t squealing because of Chuzheng, it was because someone else was doing something to it on the other side. The Tianjin Mouse was so huge that when it laid down, it was like a slope of a mountain. From where Chuzheng stood, she couldn¡¯t see the people on the other side at all. ¡°Hurry up and extract its heart, there won¡¯t be another chance once it recovers.¡± ¡°This little creature¡¯s fur is too tough, can¡¯t cut through.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Voices from the other side reached over. The Tianjin Mouse was a Holy Beast, with intelligence equal to a normal human, and it could also speak. It looked at the tiny person in front of it, its fiery red eyes filled with despair and rage. Chuzheng moved closer and asked, ¡°Do you have anything to trade?¡± The Tianjin Mouse blinked. Chuzheng took out a Fire Crystal: ¡°You can sell me anything, these are all yours.¡± The eyes of the Tianjin Mouse immediately brightened at the sight of the Fire Crystals. The Tianjin Mouse opened its mouth, and a flower wrapped in Xuan Qi was spat out. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± It, it spat it out from its mouth! Outrageous!!! The Tianjin Mouse didn¡¯t make a sound but indicated with its eyes: this flower for you, the Fire Crystals for it. Compared to the flower, Fire Crystals were more useful to it. Chuzheng handed the Fire Crystals to it, and the Tianjin Mouse swallowed all ten in one gulp. Chuzheng used a twig to pull the flower closer, prodding it. What is this thing, looks just like a wildflower. Flower: You¡¯re the wildflower, your whole family is wildflowers! The flower had five petals and simply bloomed, showing a pale blue color. The patterns on the petals resembled flames, but overall, this flower¡­ looked ordinary. As Chuzheng pondered, the name Cloudflame Flower automatically popped into her mind. If consumed as it is, individuals below the rank of Xuan Imperial can directly ascend a level. If refined into Elixir Pills, the effects would be even greater. You can¡¯t judge by its appearance. As Chuzheng was thinking about what to do with the flower, the small mountain beside her began to emanate a magnificent power. Chuzheng, holding the Cloudflame Flower, hurriedly ran away. The steel needles covering the Tianjin Mouse¡¯s body softened and turned into golden, soft fur. Xuan Qi swirled around it, and the people on the other side were all blown away by this energy. ¡°It¡¯s about to advance!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t let it advance!¡± ¡°Quick, interrupt it!¡± At that moment, Chuzheng¡¯s eyes were filled with the sight of that seemingly soft fur. It looks so comfy to touch¡­ Chuzheng rubbed her fingers along her side. It would¡¯ve been fine if she hadn¡¯t seen it. But having seen it, she really wanted to touch it. Hearing this group of people wanted to kill it, Chuzheng picked up the Cloudflame Flower from the ground and threw it at them, ¡°Hey!¡± The Cloudflame Flower whistled through the air and the people on the other side mistook it for some kind of hidden weapon, releasing Xuan Qi, which deflected the Cloudflame Flower off course. It hit a nearby tree trunk that hadn¡¯t fallen over and bounced back. Only then did those people clearly see what it was. The Cloudflame Flower! This thing was a rare commodity, though, of course, it wasn¡¯t of particular attraction to them. Chuzheng also saw the people clearly. Only those under thirty years old could enter the Secret Realm, but these men didn¡¯t look like they were under thirty at all. Four men looked at Chuzheng who had thrown the Cloudflame Flower, their faces showing wariness. ¡°Little girl, mind your own business.¡± Chuzheng returned a cold look. The four men glanced at each other, not having finished exchanging ideas, when one of the men suddenly slid to the ground. ¡°What¡¯s this!¡± The man shouted loudly, his Xuan Qi sweeping toward where his feet were. However, the Xuan Qi carved a trench in the ground, and whatever was pulling the man remained unharmed; the man slammed into a tree not far away. His legs split open, hitting right in the middle. Chuzheng was twirling a silver thread between her fingers and gently pulled it back, wincing at the sight. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Crash!¡± ¡°Swoosh!¡± The remaining three men, in various stances, crashed into the surrounding tree trunks. They didn¡¯t see what was pulling them, only feeling a chill at their ankles before being yanked into the air. The only suspect here was Chuzheng! The men quickly calmed down and launched a coordinated attack. Chuzheng stood still, calmly watching the Xuan Qi sweeping through the trees. Just as the Xuan Qi was about to hit, her body soared sharply upward; she paused mid-air, her robes fluttering with the blast of the collision above, whooshing loudly. The four men looked up incredulously at Chuzheng. A Xuan Master could only fly unaided without support once they had reached the level of Xuan Emperor. This young girl looked so young; she was already a Xuan Emperor? One should know that the combined number of Xuan Emperors in all four nations didn¡¯t exceed twenty. Of course, appearances are not the standard for judging strength. ¡°May I ask for the young lady¡¯s name?¡± The people below didn¡¯t launch another attack but instead inquired vocally. ¡°Jun Chuzheng.¡± ¡°Jun¡­¡± The people below changed their expressions, ¡°Miss, there is no surname Jun in the four nations.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s my surname,¡± Chuzheng said, ¡°Any objections?¡± Do I have to report my surname to you? Why are you so nosy? One of the men seemed to want to argue but was stopped by others; his attitude quickly became friendly, ¡°No, with such strength at a young age, the lady must be extraordinary.¡± ¡°Miss, our earlier actions were unintentional. However, we do need this Tianjin Mouse, so please be so kind as to accommodate us.¡± ¡°I need it too.¡± It must feel so comfortable to touch its fluffy fur, and it¡¯s so big, I could even roll around on it!! ¡°What does the lady need the Tianjin Mouse for?¡± The other party was negotiating. They only needed the heart, so if Chuzheng needed something else, there was no need to escalate things too much. ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng was silent for a moment, ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°Lady, we¡¯re all out here in the world, it¡¯s better not to make enemies if we can avoid it, right? We have no real quarrel with you. The Tianjin Mouse, after all, was something we brothers worked together to subdue.¡± ¡°I want the whole thing,¡± Chuzheng added, ¡°Alive.¡± What¡¯s the use if it¡¯s dead! ¡°¡­¡± Someone with a short temper threatened, ¡°Little girl, don¡¯t refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was cold, ¡°Have you offered a toast?¡± ¡°¡­¡± What toast? Does this young girl have something wrong with her brain! Chapter 286 - Chapter 286: Chapter 286 Minister under the Skirt (8) Chapter 286: Chapter 286 Minister under the Skirt (8) Silver light flashed through the air, and the four people suddenly discovered that, unbeknownst to them, their surroundings were filled with silver threads, glimmers of light sliding along them with a chilling aura. And the woman wasn¡¯t floating in midair, she stood upon a pentagram formed by the intersection of the silver threads. Was this a Xuan Artifact? No! How could a Xuan Artifact not emanate any Xuan Qi? The four of them felt a chill in their hearts, seeing the Tianjin Mouse almost within reach, yet they were unwilling to give up. It¡¯s just a little girl, they couldn¡¯t possibly be afraid of her, the four of them thought. With this thought, their confidence returned. ¡°Squeak Squeak¡ª¡± The ignored Tianjin Mouse suddenly let out a heaven-piercing screech, the sound tearing through the sky, causing heaven and earth to tremble in response. A majestic power radiated from the Tianjin Mouse, its body glowing with a lustrous white light, making its fur look even softer. ¡°It¡­ it has completed its advancement!¡± ¡°How can it be so fast!!¡± The Tianjin Mouse¡¯s fiery red eyes fixed on the four men below, and with a raise of its claw, it came crashing down fiercely. ¡°Run!¡± The Tianjin Mouse leaped into action, and the surrounding silver threads swiftly retracted, making space for it. The men were chased all over the place by the Tianjin Mouse, previously they could join forces against it, but now they couldn¡¯t even fight back. After the Tianjin Mouse¡¯s advancement¡­ it had become a Divine Beast! The Tianjin Mouse was determined to kill these despicable villains who had attempted to harvest its heart, the utmost evil! In short order, the Tianjin Mouse crushed the men one by one under its paw. Its body suddenly shrank, and before Chuzheng could blink, the Tianjin Mouse had disappeared from sight. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I haven¡¯t even touched it yet! Chuzheng landed on the ground, walking back to where the Tianjin Mouse had vanished. The ground was indented with a huge pit from the Mouse¡¯s pressure, and inside it was an origami figure¡­ So pitiful. These people had an unknown background, yet they managed to sneak into the Secret Realm. ¡°Squeak squeak squeak¡­¡± Soft sounds came from near her feet. Chuzheng looked down and saw a cat-sized ball of fur squatting there, all golden with fiery red eyes staring at her, full of scrutiny and curiosity. The Tianjin Mouse didn¡¯t look like a mouse at all, more like a hamster, round and cuddly, extremely cute. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± It looks so soft! I want to touch¡­ I want to pet¡­ Chuzheng rubbed her fingers together, squatting down to pick up the Mouse, stroking it from its back to its tail. Oh my! This touch! This softness! Chuzheng¡¯s face tensed as she completely mauled the Tianjin Mouse. This is it! I could stroke this for a year! ¡°Human, what are you doing!¡± The Tianjin Mouse was utterly confounded from being petted, questioning with dissatisfaction. ¡°You can talk?¡± ¡°Nonsense, I¡¯m a Divine Beast now, what¡¯s so strange about talking?¡± I could speak before too! Unenlightened human, hmph! Chuzheng with a serious face: ¡°Can you grow bigger?¡± You¡¯re a bit small! ¡°¡­¡± The Tianjin Mouse¡¯s eyes widened as it yelled, ¡°Why should I! Let go of me!¡± Chuzheng would not let go, grabbing and tousling it wildly. Tianjin Mouse: ¡°¡­¡± Humans are so terrifying. ¡°Why have you become so small, you were so grand just a moment ago.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Tianjin Mouse¡¯s cheeks puffed up in anger, its fiery red eyes glared fiercely, appearing ferocious yet cute. Did it want? Did it want? ¡°Transform for a bit.¡± While no one¡¯s around, I want to roll around on it! ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± The Tianjin Mouse barked back, puffed up with anger. ¡°Why not.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Tianjin Mouse turned away its head and after a while huffed, ¡°I¡¯m too full, I have indigestion.¡± It was already on the verge of advancement, just short of that final step. The power contained within Fire Crystals is vast, eating ten at once, how could it not be stuffed? ¡°Oh,¡± Chuzheng rubbed its belly. ¡°¡­What are you doing!¡± The Tianjin Mouse held its stomach with its little paws, looking like a violated housewife. ¡°Helping you digest,¡± Chuzheng said earnestly. ¡°¡­¡± This Human must be an idiot, huh! The Tianjin Mouse had just shown its divine might because it was leveling up, but because it ate too much, the side effects had become apparent, and Chuzheng was holding it, so it had no way to struggle free. What was most important was that this Human¡¯s strength was surprisingly great. Damn it! It had just escaped the wolf¡¯s den to enter the tiger¡¯s lair. ¡°Human.¡± The Tianjin Mouse¡¯s eyes spun round and round. ¡°Do you want treasures?¡± ¡°No,¡± you¡¯re the treasure, what do I need anything else for? ¡°¡­¡± How could there be a Human who doesn¡¯t like treasures! ¡°I can take you to find lots of treasures, are you really not interested?¡± ¡°Are they like that wildflower?¡± I don¡¯t need wildflowers, they¡¯re not as comfortable to touch as you, no thanks. That kind of wildflower¡­ which wildflower? It took the Tianjin Mouse quite a while to realize that the wildflowers Chuzheng was talking about must be the Cloudflame Flowers it had traded for earlier. Are those wildflowers? Could they be wildflowers! ¡°Those are Cloudflame Flowers!¡± The Tianjin Mouse roared: ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? They¡¯re very precious!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± They look so ordinary and yet are so valuable, that¡¯s quite an effort. Unable to tempt with treasures, the Tianjin Mouse huffed and puffed and curled into a ball, allowing Chuzheng to rub it into a round shape. As a mouse under someone¡¯s roof, one must bow one¡¯s head! Once it digests those Fire Crystals, it¡¯ll show this petty creature, hmph! Carrying the Tianjin Mouse, Chuzheng went to pick up the wildflowers in high spirits¡ªafter all, she had paid for them. ¨C Chuzheng had separated from the main group and was too lazy to find them. After all, she wasn¡¯t the Grand Imperial Princess. So there was no need to go looking for trouble there. This Secret Realm was huge, and Chuzheng, with no sense of direction, wandered aimlessly inside. Actually, she would rather stay in one place, quietly petting fur until it was over. But staying in one place would lead to encounters with various kinds of messy Xuan beasts, which got irritable at the sight of a person, attacking without even a greeting¡ªit was quite annoying. ¡°Will you eat?¡± Chuzheng piled Fire Crystals in front of the Tianjin Mouse. The Tianjin Mouse rolled its eyes: ¡°Won¡¯t eat!¡± But its paws took possession of the Fire Crystals nevertheless. It wasn¡¯t going to eat now, but later! ¡°How come you have so many Fire Crystals?¡± The Tianjin Mouse was curious, as Fire Crystals weren¡¯t pebbles you could pick up by the roadside. Fire Crystals had to be forged in the magma of volcanoes and, after hundreds of years, would finally form. This stuff was truly precious, or else it would have been nibbling on Fire Crystals to level up long ago; compared to Fire Crystals, Cloudflame Flowers really were just wildflowers. ¡°Picked them up.¡± Given by Bastard, no different from picking them up. ¡°Hah, take me to pick some up too,¡± it said. ¡°Your luck¡¯s not as good as mine.¡± ¡°You look down on people!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a person,¡± Chuzheng sincerely reminded. ¡°¡­¡± The Tianjin Mouse was infuriated into a ball each time. When night fell. Chuzheng and Tianjin Mouse rested on a large tree, with the mouse being soft and warm, Chuzheng held it and refused to let go¡ªthe Mouse combined all its strength to kick but couldn¡¯t escape her clutches. The Mouse was infuriated to death. Sounds of rustling rose from the jungle below. ¡°Someone¡¯s coming,¡± the Tianjin Mouse suddenly said. The noise grew closer, and from the sound of it, there was more than one person. ¡°Do you want to eat them?¡± The Tianjin Mouse: ¡°¡­¡± When had it ever shown a desire to eat people? It didn¡¯t have that kind of hobby! Chapter 287 - Chapter 287: Chapter 287 Minister under the Skirt (9) Chapter 287: Chapter 287 Minister under the Skirt (9) ¡°Let¡¯s rest around here.¡± ¡°Some of you check the surroundings, the rest stay put and rest.¡± Nearly twenty people in the team stopped to reorganize; what was once a peaceful place suddenly bustled with activity. The glow of fire gradually rose, and the aroma of food began to waft through the whole forest. ¡°Young Master Murong, what do you think caused that huge commotion a few days ago?¡± The Blue-Clothed Young Master, sitting by the campfire, heard the question and raised an eyebrow with a smile, ¡°If you want to know, you can go take a look.¡± ¡°Young Master Murong, isn¡¯t that a joke? With such a huge commotion, I wouldn¡¯t dare to go there with my strength,¡± the man quickly waved his hand. He was just curious. At that time, they were too far away, only seeing a great disturbance in a certain direction. Now that so many days have passed, even if they went to look, it was unlikely there would be any benefits to reap. Murong Ce clicked his tongue, ¡°Coward.¡± The man¡¯s face changed in an instant. Yet out of consideration for Murong Ce¡¯s status, he dared not make a scene. Murong Ce said, ¡°Bring the person over.¡± The man knew whom Murong Ce was referring to and quickly dropped his belongings to fetch the person. This person was someone they had picked up a few days ago; at the time, he was attacked by a Xuan beast and was about to have his neck bitten off when Murong Ce suddenly ordered them to save him. Murong Ce, despite his good looks, was incredibly ruthless¡ªnone of them could match him when he got tough. Murong Ce had saved the man¡¯s life only to torment him; they weren¡¯t clear why, all they could do was pity the man. It was his misfortune to have come across Murong Ce. The man was quickly brought before Murong Ce. The red clothing on the man was somewhat worn and stained with dark blood. Thrown to the ground, the man fell forward, revealing wrists full of scars. ¡°What are you up to today?¡± The man¡¯s voice was mocking, seemingly unafraid of Murong Ce. Murong Ce grabbed the man¡¯s chin, ¡°You still have plenty of spirit after all these days, I quite admire that.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± the man¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile. Murong Ce¡¯s anger surged instantly, ¡°Xie Shu, you don¡¯t think she¡¯s going to come and save you, do you?¡± Xie Shu fell silent. Murong Ce suddenly laughed twice, ¡°She likes nothing but your face, tell me, if you no longer have that face, would she still like you?¡± ¡°Then I should thank Young Master Murong,¡± Xie Shu scoffed. ¡°¡­¡± Murong Ce kicked Xie Shu. He pulled a burning stick out of the fire and held it up to Xie Shu¡¯s face. Xie Shu¡¯s features, delicate and stunning enough to evoke envy, were clearly illuminated. His face was fearless, and the flames reflected in his eyes jumped as if echoing the fire blazing within his heart. ¡°You really think I wouldn¡¯t dare to do it?¡± Murong Ce¡¯s eyes were filled with malice. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Xie Shu leaned his face toward the flame, a provocative smile forming on his lips, ¡°I would thank Young Master Murong.¡± Murong Ce¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Everyone around fell silent, but not many dared to look; they all hung their heads, silent as statues. ¡°Alright then, Xie Shu, you have spirit, don¡¯t you!¡± Murong Ce, holding Xie Shu¡¯s shoulder, brought the flame closer to Xie Shu¡¯s eyes, who felt the heat scorching. Murong Ce¡¯s hand slid downward, not landing on his face but instead on his shoulder. ¡°I won¡¯t lay a hand on that face of yours; after all, it¡¯s so handsome that many people like it.¡± Murong Ce¡¯s venomous voice resonated, ¡°Once we get out of here, I guarantee you¡¯ll become the most sought-after courtesan.¡± The pain on his shoulder spread; beads of cold sweat formed on Xie Shu¡¯s forehead. Yet he was still smiling, a smile like the red spider lily flowers blooming in the night, bewitching and piercing. ¡°Young Master Murong won¡¯t catch His Highness¡¯s eye, what¡¯s the use of taking your anger out on me? Even without me, His Highness would still never spare you a glance.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Murong Ce, enraged, swung the burning stick toward Xie Shu¡¯s cheek. Xie Shu clenched his fist and closed his eyes. However, the expected pain did not come. The rustling of clothes was gentle, and a crisp snap sounded from ahead, while the burning sensation on his cheek disappeared at the same time. Xie Shu opened his eyes. Murong Ce was pinned to the ground by the woman, and the deadwood burning in his hand was pointing towards himself. Standing against the light, the woman resembled a Divine Sage who had descended suddenly, her entire being exuded a cool and elegant disdain for the mundane world. ¡°You¡¯re so noisy.¡± The woman¡¯s clear voice gained a few shades deeper due to the Night Color. Murong Ce, unusually, did not react at all and just stared at her intently. ¡°Release Young Master Murong!¡± Those on the periphery, after their initial shock, quickly came to their senses and crowded around. ¡°Who allowed you to come over, step back!¡± Murong Ce rebuked them, his face transforming from ferocious to affectionate, ¡°Ying Yu, you weren¡¯t frightened, were you?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± This person had quite a reputation in Jianing Country. But he seemed not to be from Jianing Country. Due to an accident, Murong Ce met Chu Yingyu, and after love at first sight, he pursued her relentlessly. Unfortunately, Chu Yingyu did not fancy him and refused to pay him any attention. So¡­ ¡°I am not Chu Yingyu.¡± Chuzheng kicked him to the ground, pressed the still-sparking deadwood onto his shoulder with his hand, and coldly warned, ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡± Looking just like that bastard really was her rotten luck. Murong Ce felt the same pain as Xie Shu and couldn¡¯t help but cry out. From high above, Chuzheng looked down at him indifferently. Just as she was about to kill Murong Ce, two strands of Xuan Qi attacked from her left and right. ¡°Young Master Murong!¡± As Chuzheng dodged the Xuan Qi, Murong Ce got dragged away by someone. Chuzheng glanced over, so many people¡­ She couldn¡¯t win. Forget it. Chuzheng turned and walked over to Xie Shu. Only then did Xie Shu see clearly what she held in her arms, a golden bundle. The little creature lifted its head, its fiery red eyes rolling around as it surveyed him, seemingly with bad intentions. Chuzheng stood in front of him, her thoughts unclear. After a while, she held the Tianjin Mouse properly and stretched her hand towards him, ¡°Get up.¡± Xie Shu¡¯s peripheral vision caught Murong Ce behind him, his face twisting darkly as he watched them. Xie Shu withdrew his gaze, looking at the hand in front of him, noting how pale and slender it was. Before, whenever she wanted to touch him, Xie Shu would feel disgusted, but now he actually found that hand attractive, wanting to reach out and hold it. And he did just that. Xie Shu concealed the murderous intent in his eyes, raised them, and smiled lightly, ¡°Your Highness went through quite some trouble to find me, should I be grateful?¡± Chuzheng nodded earnestly, ¡°Mhm.¡± Be sure to thank me! I¡¯m a good person! Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Xie Shu frowned slightly, that strange feeling again, what was she playing at? Xie Shu used Chuzheng¡¯s help to stand up. These days, he¡¯d been tormented by Murong Ce quite a bit, his body simply couldn¡¯t hold up, and before he could steady himself, he started to fall towards the ground. Chuzheng, holding the Tianjin Mouse, didn¡¯t want to let go, so she could only watch with wide eyes as Xie Shu fell. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± No, the Little Mouse is more important! Tianjin Mouse: ¡°¡­¡± Humans are terrifying, this poor little fellow, tormented by that man, and now about to be tormented by this woman. Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± So this was her punishment for running away? Xie Shu pushed himself up and stood again. Chapter 288 - Chapter 288: Chapter 288 Minister under the Skirt (10) Chapter 288: Chapter 288 Minister under the Skirt (10) Murong Ce did not stop Chuzheng and Xie Shu from leaving at all. Xie Shu walked slowly, his body wobbling as if he could fall at any moment. Chuzheng walked intermittently, looking back at him. The Good Person Card is just too weak! Even when I was sick, I could walk much faster than this! The Tianjin Mouse in Chuzheng¡¯s arms raised its head, following her gaze toward Xie Shu. Xie Shu only felt that the little creature¡¯s eyes were filled with sympathy. Tianjin Mouse: ¡°¡­¡± Misery loves company! Chuzheng really couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, she strode back, grabbed his hand, and hoisted him onto her back. Xie Shu was carried on Chuzheng¡¯s back, his expression blank for a few seconds. ¡°Your Highness, what are you doing?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°Hold on tight, if you fall, it¡¯s on you.¡± In the past, when she wanted to touch him, she would always cautiously observe his reaction, and he would mostly manage to avoid her contact. But now¡­ She hardly gave him any chance to react, directly taking action. She said she wasn¡¯t Chu Yingyu¡­ Xie Shu wrapped his arms around Chuzheng¡¯s neck: ¡°Your Highness, if you say you¡¯re not Chu Yingyu, then who are you?¡± Xie Shu looked at the neck he encircled, delicate and beautiful, realizing it would only take a slight force to end her life. She was so unguarded against him¡­ Or was she not afraid that he would kill her? ¡°Jun Chuzheng.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Xie Shu¡¯s voice was a bit hoarse. ¡°You heard me,¡± Chuzheng said with conviction. Xie Shu felt his heartbeat quicken, his skin developed goosebumps, and his scalp tingled. There is no Jun surname among the four nations. Because this surname¡­ is not allowed to appear in this place. Chuzheng felt Xie Shu¡¯s body stiffen and glanced sideways at him: ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Is this surname so strange? The previous four people also acted oddly when they heard it, and the Good Person Card reacted the same way. ¡°No¡­¡± Xie Shu flashed a smile: ¡°It¡¯s just quite a rare surname.¡± Chuzheng turned her head and continued walking forward. Xie Shu¡¯s gaze upon Chuzheng¡¯s neck deepened, his arms gradually tightening. ¡°You want to kill me,¡± Chuzheng suddenly said. Xie Shu¡¯s voice came innocently: ¡°No, I¡¯m just a bit cold.¡± Chuzheng set him down, and Xie Shu maintained that alluring smile, looking bewitching and enigmatic in the forest where only a smattering of moonlight could fall. Chuzheng took off her coat and draped it over him. She tugged at her collar and spoke indifferently: ¡°Xie Shu, behave yourself.¡± ¨C Chuzheng picked a spot to rest, beside a pool of spring water, where Xie Shu sat by himself, cleaning the wounds on his body. But his movements were slow, as if his mind was elsewhere. Warm hands took the cloth from his grip, startling Xie Shu awake. Moonlight reflected in the pool, casting a shimmering cold light. The woman crouched down, pulling away the clothing on his shoulder, exposing his upper body. The burn on the shoulder was the worst, looking starkly horrific. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± That Bastard Murong Ce! Wait till he¡¯s alone, and then kill him. Apart from the shoulder, Xie Shu¡¯s body had many more wounds and various bruises. Chu Yingyu used to protect him so well, not willing to let even a finger touch him. These injuries must¡¯ve occurred after he left. It had only been a few days, and he had already done this to himself. Xie Shu quickly reached out to block her, pulling his clothes back up. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Chuzheng forcibly pried his hands apart, and as Xie Shu stubbornly refused to let go, she ended up tying his hands behind him. Chuzheng threatened him fiercely: ¡°If you keep squirming, I¡¯ll throw you in there.¡± Xie Shu glanced at the ice-cold pool water, where his reflection was cast with his hands tied behind him, his clothes half undone¡ªit was a humiliating sight by any standard. But Chuzheng didn¡¯t care about what Xie Shu was thinking. Pulling open his clothes, the snowflake-like pattern suddenly unveiled beneath her eyes. It looked like a tattoo, yet like a birthmark, and it was very beautiful. Chuzheng only glanced twice before beginning to clean his wounds. They were all minor wounds, none lethal, though many looked as though they had been inflicted by someone. ¡°Were they made by that Murong Ce?¡± Xie Shu curled his lips, his eyes and brows brimming with sarcasm, ¡°Surviving in his hands, shouldn¡¯t I thank him for liking you so much, wanting to torture me a bit longer?¡± Chuzheng looked up, ¡°For the last time, I am not Chu Yingyu.¡± Xie Shu¡¯s gaze suddenly drilled into hers. It felt like plunging into ice and snow, a bone-chilling coldness. Xie Shu looked away first, ¡°If you¡¯re not Chu Yingyu, then why do you look exactly like her?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was indifferent, ¡°Who knows.¡± Xie Shu asked again, ¡°Then why are you here?¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t remember.¡± Xie Shu was suspicious, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Chuzheng pulled up his clothes, ¡°Amnesia.¡± ¡°Amnesia?¡± Xie Shu¡¯s suspicion deepened, ¡°You say you can¡¯t remember your past, nor why you¡¯re here, but you remember your name is Jun Chuzheng?¡± Chuzheng nodded. Xie Shu laughed lightly, ¡°Then why don¡¯t you think it¡¯s just a name you made up after losing your memory?¡± ¡°You make some sense,¡± Chuzheng agreed. ¡°You think¡­¡± Xie Shu¡¯s voice paused, then suddenly he raised his volume, ¡°What are you doing!¡± ¡°Checking for more wounds,¡± Chuzheng said, quite righteously. ¡°There aren¡¯t any.¡± Xie Shu gritted his teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t touch my pants.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng unfastened his pants. Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard! Xie Shu was filled with both shame and rage, and in a rush of panic, he violently fell backwards into the pool. Splash¡ª Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What on earth! Is it necessary to drown yourself over a pair of pants? Do you think I want to take your pants off? Others appear on television in nothing but their underwear, what¡¯s your problem! Xie Shu sank to the bottom of the pool, bubbles gurgling up through the water. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± That¡¯s it, I¡¯m screwed. Can¡¯t the Good Person Card swim? Chuzheng got into the water and fished Xie Shu out. ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡± Xie Shu, soaked to the bone and out of strength, leaned to the side gasping for air, while Chuzheng took the opportunity to strip off his pants. Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard! Under the moonlight, the man¡¯s eyes were blood-red, glaring at the woman with both anger and shame. Chuzheng¡¯s expression was indifferent as she scanned his legs, long and slender with many wounds across them, some still bleeding. They were more severe than the ones on his torso. Chuzheng¡¯s eyes grew colder. She lifted Xie Shu up and placed him to the side. With his hands still tied, Xie Shu could only curl his body to cover himself. To his side crouched a little golden thing, which Xie Shu now realized was a mouse, looking at him with what seemed to be sympathy. It even hopped down. The Tianjin Mouse didn¡¯t hop very high, as if something yanked it down, and it crashed onto the ground with a smack. Tianjin Mouse: ¡°¡­¡± Look, we share a bond in our misery! We¡¯re on the same side!! Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Does this mouse have a problem! Chuzheng built a fire and stripped the wet clothes from his body, then draped her coat over him. ¡°Cold?¡± The temperature difference between day and night in the Secret Realm was significant, and Xie Shu, after being soaked and without the protection of Xuan Qi, was now shivering from the cold. He kept silent, watchfully staring at Chuzheng. Chuzheng grabbed his ankle. Xie Shu tried to pull his foot back, ¡°Let go!¡± Chuzheng held him down, ¡°I¡¯m checking your wounds.¡± ¡°No need to check.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be carrying you tomorrow,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°You¡¯re quite heavy.¡± Chapter 289 - Chapter 289: Chapter 289 Minister under the Skirt (11) Chapter 289: Chapter 289 Minister under the Skirt (11) Xie Shu, a mere human with no Xuan Qi ¡ª even less than an ordinary person, for his meridians had all been severed, making him virtually powerless ¡ª was certainly no match for Chuzheng. Humiliation and rage filled Xie Shu¡¯s heart, but all he could do was let Chuzheng tend to the wound on his leg. At first, he tensed his nerves and body. But gradually, he noticed that Chuzheng was indeed only tending to the wound, her gaze devoid of anything else, calm and indifferent. ¡°But I am Jun Chuzheng.¡± Xie Shu heard this abrupt statement and it took him a while to realize that Chuzheng was answering his previous question. Xie Shu¡¯s gaze moved away from Chuzheng¡¯s hands. ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°Because I am.¡± Xie Shu fell silent and didn¡¯t speak again, he didn¡¯t believe her. Regardless of whether she was Chu Yingyu or Jun Chuzheng, he didn¡¯t trust her. After Chuzheng had treated the wound, she waited for his clothes to dry before helping him put them on. ¡°Can you untie me now?¡± Being tied up made him very uncomfortable, and it felt very strange to him. Chuzheng sat down next to him, holding the Tianjin Mouse in her arms, ¡°What if you run away?¡± This world is so vast, one could easily disappear without a trace. It¡¯s better to keep him tied up. Once outside, find a place to lock him up! Mhm! ¡°¡­¡± Xie Shu curled the corners of his lips, ¡°With your strength, are you still afraid of someone like me, a crippled man?¡± ¡°Even ants can collapse a dam, don¡¯t underestimate yourself,¡± Chuzheng paused, ¡°You are not a crippled man.¡± Her Good Person Card is not a crippled man! How could someone so good-looking be called a crippled man? Underneath Xie Shu¡¯s eyes, there seemed to be a swell of emotions, yet also as if there were none. The curve of his mouth slowly flattened, his gaze gradually deepening. She is really different from Chu Yingyu¡­ Chuzheng tilted her head to the side, ¡°Cold?¡± Xie Shu was caught off guard by her direct gaze, feeling somewhat panicked, he looked away and gave a random nod. He felt her moving closer, then his body suddenly tipped towards her, and she wrapped her arms around him. Xie Shu was truly cold, nights in the Secret Realm could be frosty at their coldest. Yet her embrace was warm. Xie Shu and the Tianjin Mouse in Chuzheng¡¯s arms exchanged a wide-eyed stare. The Tianjin Mouse offered a look of sympathy. This woman is so fickle! ¡°Do you really not remember anything?¡± Xie Shu asked. ¡°Mm,¡± Chuzheng adjusted her position, letting Xie Shu lie down while she leaned against the tree trunk, ¡°Do you know me?¡± Xie Shu forced a smile, ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I just recognize your face.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng closed her eyes, and Xie Shu watched her chin as the leaves above brushed against each other in the night wind, producing a soft rustling sound. Xie Shu moved his lips slightly, ¡°Have you heard of Heavy Snow Night Moon?¡± Chuzheng merely shook her head without speaking. ¡°Then¡­¡± Chuzheng, annoyed by his talking, covered his mouth with her hand, ¡°Don¡¯t talk.¡± So many questions. How annoying. It¡¯s time for rest. Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Xie Shu felt very uncomfortable being tied up. In the end, Chuzheng tied his hands in front of him. ¨C Xie Shu was awakened by something fuzzy scratching at him. As he opened his eyes, he saw the golden Mouse perched on his chest, scratching at him with its paw. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Sunlight filtered through the lush canopy of trees, and Xie Shu raised his hand to block it. ¡°You can talk?¡± ¡°Hmm, of course, I am a Divine Beast,¡± the Tianjin Mouse declared proudly, puffing its little chest out. A Divine Beast? Xie Shu sat up, and the Tianjin Mouse slid down from his body, squatting beside him. Xie Shu surveyed it with interest for a few moments, ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell.¡± He looked down at his hands, still bound¡­ The Tianjin Mouse puffed up its cheeks angrily. Xie Shu looked around, ¡°Where¡¯s your owner?¡± ¡°Pah, she¡¯s not my owner,¡± the Tianjin Mouse retorted angrily, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting!¡± ¡°Not your owner?¡± He had thought it was her contract beast, was it not¡­ ¡°Of course not, I don¡¯t have such an owner!¡± the Tianjin Mouse snapped, visibly upset, ¡°I have no owner!¡± It was now a Divine Beast and would certainly not have an owner¡ªhow embarrassing! The man¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly, dappled sunlight falling on his eyelashes, a faint light gleaming from the depths of his dark, profound eyes, making him impossibly handsome, beyond what words could describe. ¡°Then where is she?¡± ¡°Who knows.¡± The Tianjin Mouse squatted to the side, drawing circles, ¡°You better run now, while she¡¯s still not back.¡± It couldn¡¯t run away. Seeing that she had a Fire Crystal in her hand¡­ it could reluctantly stay. ¡°Run?¡± The man laughed, ¡°What if she catches me? Are you trying to get me killed?¡± ¡°She probably won¡¯t be back so soon. Run east from here, there¡¯s a big fellow that way, she won¡¯t be able to catch up with you,¡± the Tianjin Mouse genuinely sympathized with the good-looking Human, offering him strategies for escape. Xie Shu guessed that the ¡°big fellow¡± the Little Mouse was talking about must be a Divine Beast. After all, if it called itself a Divine Beast and mentioned a ¡°big fellow,¡± it had to be even mightier than itself. ¡°You say it¡¯s a ¡®big fellow,¡¯ yet you suggest I run that way? Are you sending me to my death?¡± Xie Shu wasn¡¯t sure if this little creature was doing it on purpose or not, but he didn¡¯t dare to agree carelessly. What if it was that woman¡¯s way of testing him? It wasn¡¯t that Xie Shu had a persecution complex, but he couldn¡¯t afford to be less vigilant, or else he wouldn¡¯t know how he¡¯d die. ¡°True.¡± The Tianjin Mouse had forgotten the fact that this good-looking Human was, in reality, useless. ¡°Sigh.¡± It sighed like an old man. Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng came back after a while, holding clothes and food in her hands. She handed the clothes to Xie Shu, who clearly didn¡¯t like them, his face virtually spelling out, ¡°You expect me to wear this?¡± ¡°Make do for now,¡± Chuzheng said, ¡°I¡¯ll go out and buy you some.¡± People came to the Secret Realm to look for treasures and to train; nobody would bring fancy clothes for no reason. ¡°I¡¯ll just wear this,¡± Xie Shu handed the clothes back to Chuzheng. The clothes on his body were a bit torn but still wearable. Chuzheng¡¯s expression was unfazed, ¡°I¡¯ll help you change, or you can change by yourself.¡± Xie Shu showed her his hands, ¡°How can I change with you tying me up?¡± Chuzheng understood, ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Xie Shu felt wronged, ¡°You let me go, I¡¯ll change myself.¡± Who needs your help! ¡°¡­ If you try to run, I¡¯ll break your legs,¡± Chuzheng threatened before finally freeing him. Xie Shu, holding back his anger, took the clothes to change behind a tree. The purple clothes were less flamboyant than red, yet they lent the man an added air of nobility, like that of a young master from a wealthy family. ¡°Eat something.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Xie Shu eyed the fruit in Chuzheng¡¯s hand with suspicion. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Chuzheng admitted candidly; she didn¡¯t recognize it, but it should be edible¡ªshe had seen people from Jingyuan Country with similar fruit before. ¡°You don¡¯t know and you still want me to eat it?¡± Xie Shu¡¯s lips curled with a hint of amusement, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid it might poison me to death?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± There would still be chances anyway. ¡°¡­¡± She was trying to poison him to death, wasn¡¯t she! Xie Shu didn¡¯t know how to express what he was feeling inside. ¡°Since you¡¯re not Chu Yingyu, why did you save me?¡± Xie Shu got to the heart of the matter. ¡°Because I want to be a Good Person.¡± Chuzheng said seriously as she offered him the fruit, ¡°Am I a good person?¡± Xie Shu¡¯s smile was a bit strange, ¡°A good person? You?¡± He didn¡¯t continue, but his meaning was clear. In a world where the strong prey on the weak, there was no such thing as a good person, just the strong exploiting and bestowing charity upon the weak. Even if she had saved him¡­ ¡°Eat.¡± Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± I won¡¯t eat! Xie Shu turned and walked away. Chapter 290 - Chapter 290: Chapter 290 Minister under the Skirt (12) Chapter 290: Chapter 290 Minister under the Skirt (12) Xie Shu washed his face with the pool water, and as he looked down at his wrist, noticed that the cloth she used last night had left no marks. Chuzheng called him. Xie Shu quickly rolled down his sleeve and stood up to go to her. Xie Shu asked her where she wanted to go. Chuzheng replied to wander around aimlessly, so he didn¡¯t ask any further. When Chuzheng said to wander around aimlessly, she truly did just that. So aimlessly that Xie Shu suspected she might be doing it on purpose. ¡°You don¡¯t need to go to all this trouble if you want me dead!¡± Xie Shu ground his teeth and shouted at the person in front of him. Chuzheng stood on the iron chain, turned back and looked at him: ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°Scared of what!¡± Xie Shu stood at the edge of the cliff, spurred on by Chuzheng¡¯s challenge, and stepped onto the iron chain. The iron chain was a single strand, as thick as a wrist, and wobbled alarmingly when someone stood on it. Xie Shu looked down to see the molten lava churning below, and the fierce flames on top of the lava burning intensely, the heat waves hitting him in the face. Suddenly, Xie Shu dared not move; his vision filled only with those tumbling flames. He couldn¡¯t help clenching his fists tightly, the light in his eyes swallowed by the flames, his body feeling as though it was sinking. ¡°Xie Shu.¡± The clear and cool voice cut through the heat and dullness, abruptly awakening Xie Shu¡¯s senses. He lifted his gaze towards Chuzheng, and it seemed as if the afterglow of the fire still lingered in his eyes. ¡°Too scared to move?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s voice floated back eerily. Xie Shu¡¯s tone couldn¡¯t help but be somewhat sharp, ¡°Scared of what.¡± But when he lifted his foot, he didn¡¯t dare to put it down. The flames below exploded in his eyes, and amongst them, grinning faces slowly took shape, surfacing before him. ¡°Chu Yingyu!¡± Xuan Qi sliced through the air past Xie Shu¡¯s side, and his figure was suddenly thrown downward, an overwhelming sense of weightlessness engulfing him. Xie Shu felt himself being dragged towards the raging inferno. Just as Xie Shu thought he was going to fall in, his body abruptly stopped, and flames rose beside him. Held around the waist, Xie Shu looked up amidst the great fire, only to see that detestable face. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡± Chuzheng pressed his head to her shoulder, leaped several times, and returned to the iron chain. Chuzheng looked towards the other side. Guo Zhen and a few people were standing there. Chuzheng¡¯s rescue of Xie Shu was obviously beyond Guo Zhen¡¯s expectations, and he looked somewhat shocked at the moment. Guo Zhen had escaped death the last time, rolling to the other side as the Tianjin Mouse came crashing down, saving his life. Seeing Chuzheng today, given such a good opportunity, he acted almost without thinking. Guo Zhen once again unleashed Xuan Qi; the orange Xuan Qi, similar in color to the flames, swept over from the edge of the cliff. Chuzheng, carrying Xie Shu, quickly crossed the iron chain to reach the other side. She settled Xie Shu down then returned to the iron chain. Xie Shu looked as if he had just been fished out of the water, his gaze fixed on the person walking on the iron chain. The flames at his feet soared intermittently, leaping over the iron chain, ready to engulf her at any moment. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Help!¡± Screams came from the opposite cliff. Xie Shu¡¯s chaotic thoughts were dragged back by the screams; he stared steadily at the other side. On the opposite cliff, the people who were there just moments ago were now falling one by one to the bottom. The woman stood quietly on the iron chain, the flames lifting behind her like wings unfurled; silver light danced in the air, now seen, now hidden. A phrase involuntarily flashed across Xie Shu¡¯s mind¡ªRising from the ashes, the King returns. ¨C Chuzheng came back to him: ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡± Xie Shu instinctively avoided her, his eyes filled with unfathomable emotions. Chuzheng withdrew her hand and calmly asked him, ¡°Scared?¡± Xie Shu remained silent, still looking at her with those inexplicable eyes. Chuzheng, annoyed by his stare, pulled something off to cover his eyes. Chuzheng stowed away the Tianjin Mouse, picked up Xie Shu, and left the area. Encountering Guo Zhen was just a minor episode. Chuzheng didn¡¯t ask Xie Shu why he had that expression, nor did she ask him why he was afraid. She calmly and indifferently turned the page on that matter. After Xie Shu recovered, there wasn¡¯t much difference from before. When he felt cheeky, he would take a jab at Chuzheng, though he could hardly get in a few words before Chuzheng angered him to the point of being speechless. Xie Shu felt she must not have any friends. Anyone who befriended her would only be infuriated to death. ¡°Xie Shu.¡± The Tianjin Mouse squatted beside him and called him in a low voice. Xie Shu glanced at the people not far away: ¡°What¡¯s up, Little Mouse?¡± ¡°!!¡± The Tianjin Mouse glared at Xie Shu: ¡°You¡¯re the Little Mouse! I am the Tianjin Mouse!¡± Xie Shu folded his hands on his knees, laying his face on his arms, and looked at it sideways: ¡°Aren¡¯t you still a Little Mouse? What do you want with me?¡± ¡°Do you know what I just saw?¡± The Tianjin Mouse couldn¡¯t be bothered to correct him, as the fire of gossip was raging strongly. Xie Shu was curious: ¡°Did she concoct some poisonous thing again?¡± The Tianjin Mouse rolled its eyes: ¡°No, it¡¯s the group of people who bullied you before.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Murong Ce? The Tianjin Mouse continued: ¡°It seems Murong Ce has been crippled by someone.¡± Xie Shu blinked: ¡°What do you mean?¡± Before the Tianjin Mouse could explain, it was suddenly picked up. Xie Shu followed its gaze, and there was Chuzheng, holding the Tianjin Mouse, looking down at him with lowered eyes. Her gaze was clear, cool, and indifferent, with no fluctuations. Xie Shu didn¡¯t know if she had heard or not, and he didn¡¯t dare to make a sound. But Xie Shu soon saw Murong Ce and his group. They were up high at the time, with Murong Ce¡¯s party passing through the valley below, looking like they were fleeing for their lives. Murong Ce was being carried on someone¡¯s back, looking quite bedraggled. He thought back to that morning when she had disappeared. The Tianjin Mouse said she had left early, just to find clothes and food for him. It wouldn¡¯t take that long¡­ Was it her? Xie Shu¡¯s gaze drifted onto Chuzheng. ¨C Chuzheng would have never guessed that leaving the Secret Realm would be a random teleportation. When she got out, aside from the Tianjin Mouse she was holding, the Good Person Card had actually disappeared. Chuzheng was seriously frustrated! She had finally caught one! And now it was gone! Was all her rescue effort in vain?! Chuzheng leaned against a tree trunk, feeling too heavy-hearted to move. The Tianjin Mouse curiously surveyed its surroundings. So this was the outside world? The air even seemed different! So fresh. But what was this Human doing? [Main Quest: Spend a Black Xuan Stone within two hours.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± You Bastard, you dog thing, how can I feel like squandering now! The Good Person Card has run off! [It¡¯s not the first time it¡¯s run off. Just catch it¡­ ahem! Just find it again.] Almost got carried away by the young lady. Chuzheng with a cold face: I worked so hard to catch it! Wasn¡¯t it difficult for me?! [¡­] Didn¡¯t seem like you put in much effort. [Miss, it¡¯s precisely because you¡¯re in a bad mood that you should splurge. Spending money brings joy, you know~] The King¡¯s Account persuaded gently. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± No, I won¡¯t! Chuzheng moved her head away from the tree trunk, facing the Tianjin Mouse¡¯s curious look. Her expression became serious and she began to roughly ruffle it. Feeling much better now. The Tianjin Mouse that was being manhandled: ¡°¡­¡± Damn this immortal¡¯s thick skin!! Chapter 291 - Chapter 291: Chapter 291 Minister under the Skirt (13) Chapter 291: Chapter 291 Minister under the Skirt (13) Chuzheng didn¡¯t know what Black Xuan Stone was. But she was certain it could be spent. Otherwise, the King¡¯s Account wouldn¡¯t have put it up. In this realm, it seemed that dealing with these messy stones was expected. Chuzheng found a city, the closest one to where the Secret Realm opened. Inside, everyone was discussing the Secret Realm. Today was the last day of the Secret Realm, and from the sounds of it, if it weren¡¯t for the random teleportation upon exiting, these people would probably be lying in wait to rob others. So, the broken Secret Realm was actually looking out for those inside? Chuzheng was so frustrated she couldn¡¯t stand it, her whole being radiated a capital letter of indifference. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Jingyuan¡¯s Grand Imperial Princess? Why is she alone¡­¡± ¡°She must have been separated from her companions upon exiting.¡± ¡°Does she have any valuables on her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, let¡¯s follow her and see¡­¡± ¡°Chu Yingyu is not weak, if she¡¯s not alone, it could bring us trouble.¡± ¡°What are you afraid of, we¡¯re not doing anything, just following her to take a look.¡± A few people sneakily followed behind Chuzheng. As Chuzheng walked down the street, many people pointed and whispered about her. This was Jingyuan Country, where many recognized Chu Yingyu. The groups tailing her had grown in number, but Chuzheng was too lazy to bother with them since they did not act. Chuzheng randomly picked a shop to enter. ¡°Oh, Her Royal Highness the Princess, please come in.¡± Chuzheng couldn¡¯t be bothered to correct them, that she was not Chu Yingyu. Who would have thought that damned creature would look so much like her. ¡°What does Her Royal Highness wish to purchase?¡± The Shopkeeper came forward, enthusiastic yet respectful, ¡°Please have a look around. Our shop may be small, but the merchandise is of fine quality.¡± Chuzheng glanced around, ¡°It really is small.¡± The Shopkeeper: ¡°¡­¡± His comment had merely been a polite remark. ¡°What Her Royal Highness said is true.¡± The Shopkeeper, an astute man, immediately went along with her comment. The shop sold medicinal herbs and Elixir Pills, which made Chuzheng dizzy just looking at them. Barely maintaining her indifferent facade, she pointed at something on a high shelf, ¡°That.¡± That item was placed at the highest spot, and it was set off by numerous other items ¡ª it had to be valuable! The Shopkeeper¡¯s expression became slightly strange, but when Chuzheng looked his way, he put on a smile and took down the small bottle. ¡°Your Highness, this should not be consumed in excess.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not eating it.¡± ¡°Yes, of course, it¡¯s not for Your Highness to consume.¡± The Shopkeeper nodded, ¡°The effects are quite potent, so Your Highness should be careful when using it.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I really won¡¯t eat it! ¡°Is this enough?¡± Chuzheng passed the Black Xuan Stone to the Shopkeeper. Upon seeing the Black Xuan Stone, the Shopkeeper¡¯s legs went weak with fear, cold sweat breaking out instantly, ¡°Your Highness, this little thing is not valuable, please take it as a gift, a gift.¡± The Princess must surely be testing him! Is this something he could even accept? Black Xuan Stone, ah! This thing could buy his entire shop! No, even the entire city would not be a problem! Chuzheng placed the Black Xuan Stone on the counter. The Shopkeeper dared not take it, ¡°Your Highness, aren¡¯t you taking my life? Please stop joking with me.¡± ¡°Trade.¡± Chuzheng shook the small bottle in her hand. ¡°But Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± The Shopkeeper chased after Chuzheng as she left, his desperate demeanor made the onlookers think she had taken something without paying. The Shopkeeper went back to the shop, his heart pounding with fear. Such a hot potato, the Shopkeeper dared not keep. Immediately, he contacted a well-known forging family in the city to dispose of the Black Xuan Stone. Somehow, word got out, and the entire city knew that the Grand Imperial Princess had used a Black Xuan Stone, which could buy an entire city, to purchase a bottle of medicine. How valuable must that medicine be? But after inquiries, the shop she went into wasn¡¯t large, and it seemed unlikely to hold any treasures worthy of note. So, the Grand Imperial Princess just squandered Black Xuan Stones to buy a bottle of unremarkable elixir. The shopkeeper was glad for his foresight. He didn¡¯t dare ask for money, essentially giving it away, because if the Grand Imperial Princess regretted her purchase and came back for him, and he¡¯d sold it, that¡¯d spell disaster. Chuzheng was really annoyed. She said many times she¡¯s not Chu Yingyu. Does she need to wear ¡°I am not Chu Yingyu¡± on her back? That bastard Chu Yingyu, why hasn¡¯t she logged on yet! Get rid of her once to vent! [¡­Miss, we are the Spendthrift System, there¡¯s nothing money can¡¯t solve, so could you please be less violent?] I¡¯ll be embarrassed to boast to the neighboring systems at this rate. Chuzheng: ¡°I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t be spendthrift, can¡¯t I first get rid of her to vent before spending extravagantly?¡± There are three chances anyway, can¡¯t waste them, right? Must be frugal. Thrift is a virtue. Feels like I¡¯m a good person again today. [¡­]Miss, please don¡¯t misuse the word ¡°good person¡±!! Chuzheng: ¡°The game settings you¡¯ve got are quite reasonable.¡± [¡­]When it¡¯s to your advantage, you call it reasonable, when it¡¯s not, you curse me as a bastard! Why are you so unreasonable! The King¡¯s Account was so angry it couldn¡¯t utter a word. It logged off with a scheming heart attack to heal. Chuzheng, holding the Tianjin Mouse and stroking its fur, seemed somewhat listless. Squeak¡ª ¡°Stop squeaking.¡± Chuzheng pressed the Tianjin Mouse¡¯s head, it¡¯s just a bit of fur-stroking, she¡¯s not doing anything to it, can¡¯t you stay quiet! ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± the Tianjin Mouse protested angrily. Chuzheng and the Tianjin Mouse exchanged glances. ¡ªNot you? ¡ªNo! The Tianjin Mouse was furious, why would it squeak for no reason?! Chuzheng turned and surveyed the room. She was currently staying in an inn, the room¡¯s decor was plain and could be seen at a glance. The door had somehow opened. But Chuzheng didn¡¯t feel anything in the room. The Tianjin Mouse¡¯s little claws clutched Chuzheng¡¯s clothes, its eyes spinning around: ¡°Why do I feel so chilly and eerie?¡± Chuzheng seriously stroked its fur twice: ¡°I feel the same, might be haunted.¡± The Tianjin Mouse¡¯s voice pitched high: ¡°Haunted!¡± Chuzheng looked at it: ¡°Are you scared?¡± The Tianjin Mouse: ¡°¡­Not, not scared! Who says I¡¯m scared, that¡¯s nonsense, an insult to my mousy dignity. I am a Divine Beast, you know? A Divine Beast! Not scared at all!¡± ¡°That means you¡¯re scared.¡± Chuzheng concluded. ¡°¡­¡± The Tianjin Mouse bared its teeth and grimaced: ¡°I told you I¡¯m not¡­¡± ¡°Does that look like a ghostly shadow to you?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The Tianjin Mouse screamed and buried its head in Chuzheng¡¯s embrace. ¡°So scared, and you call yourself a Divine Beast?¡± Chuzheng said without expression. ¡°Ever heard of ¡®timid as a mouse¡¯!¡± the Tianjin Mouse complained. Meanwhile, not far from the room¡¯s entrance, a certain beast hiding its presence said, ¡°¡­¡± Can¡¯t you two be serious for a moment! The door¡¯s opened! Won¡¯t you check it out?! While it was puzzling over this, suddenly, it felt a tightness under its feet, followed by being completely bound by something. Smack¡ª A bird bigger than a human crashed to the ground, knocking over the room¡¯s table, causing a chaotic clatter. Looking up, the large bird saw the woman holding the Tianjin Mouse had retreated to the bedside, looking at it with an indifferent gaze. While the large bird was somewhat confused, the woman¡¯s lips parted lightly, ¡°You¡¯re the one who broke the table.¡± The large bird: ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 292 - Chapter 292: Chapter 292 Minister under the Skirt (14) Chapter 292: Chapter 292 Minister under the Skirt (14) The bird flapped its wings in a desperate attempt, but it became entangled in a silver thread and, after a few futile flutters, it gave up. Instead, it managed to completely crush a table that was already somewhat broken. The bird: ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, the air fell silent. Chuzheng reiterated, ¡°You did this.¡± It wasn¡¯t until now that the bird realized it had been caught. From outside came the sudden sound of a whistle, to which the bird cried out in response. ¡°You have accomplices?¡± Chuzheng scoffed. Just how stupid could this bird and its accomplices be? The bird: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng looked out the window, where the crescent moon was veiled by clouds, softly draping the world in a misty shroud. Vague figures stood suspended in the air outside the window, stationed at intervals to form a semicircular encirclement around the building. The streets, which should have been noisy, were now eerily silent. As if all the people in the city had vanished. These mysterious figures clearly bore ill intent. The bird let out another chirp. Clearly, it was signaling to another. Chuzheng tightened the silver thread in her hand, and the bird screeched miserably before sliding across the floor, crashing into the window, and flying straight out. The bird couldn¡¯t control its body as it hurtled toward one of the figures in the air. This turn of events was unexpected for them. The bird broke through their encirclement, creating an opening. ¡°Wu Di, what are you doing!¡± someone from the crowd roared in anger. Wu Di was apparently the name of the foolish bird. ¡°Master, save me!¡± Wu Di screamed, moving like a yo-yo through the air, flung out and then reeled back in, again and again¡­ The group¡¯s formation was thrown into disarray by the bird as they shuffled positions in the air. Behind this crowd stood another figure, cloaked in black with a hood that blended him into the darkness. In the midst of chaos, the figure shifted slightly, the air around him twisted subtly, and he was suddenly at the forefront. He grabbed Wu Di¡¯s ankle, halting the flinging and retrieving motion Chuzheng had been performing. ¡°Ow, ow, ow!¡± Wu Di cried out loudly. A woman stood in a room unobstructed by walls, the dim lighting casting a halo around her. She stood there calmly, coolly, as if the figures in the void hardly concerned her. All these people wore masks, their faces concealed. But what caught the eye was the black-cloaked figure; with him stepping forward, the rest seemed to find their anchor, regaining their earlier coordination. The black-cloaked figure pulled Wu Di behind him. Chuzheng rotated her wrist in a circle, and as the black-cloaked figure pulled, he failed to move him; on the contrary, Wu Di kept screaming in pain. Blood began to seep from Wu Di¡¯s feathers. The black-cloaked figure felt a surge of alarm, his sharp gaze slicing through the air, targeted at Chuzheng. She nonchalantly twirled the silver thread with her fingers, ¡°What exactly are you up to?¡± Disturbing the peace in the dead of night to wreck someone¡¯s house¡ªwhere¡¯s your sense of public decency? Who¡¯s going to bear the blame for this? Tianjin Mouse: ¡°¡­¡± Who exactly is the one wrecking the house here? ¡°You killed our people,¡± the black-cloaked figure stated in a low, hoarse voice. ¡°And you stole from us; we¡¯re naturally here to take back what¡¯s ours.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t recall doing so,¡± Chuzheng countered expressionlessly. Accusing me of crimes with wild allegations? I don¡¯t acknowledge any of that! ¡°In the Secret Realm, surely you remember!¡± someone from behind the black-cloaked figure interjected. The Secret Realm¡­ Are they referring to those four idiots who wanted the Tianjin Mouse¡¯s heart? That wasn¡¯t my doing, right? It was the Tianjin Mouse¡¯s work, what does it have to do with me? Chuzheng stroked the Tianjin Mouse, its soft fur slipping through the gaps in her fingers. She calmly asked, ¡°The person who killed you, who stole your things¡­ do you have evidence?¡± The man in the black robe raised his hand. Suddenly, an image appeared in the air. The woman stood in mid-air, her posture elegant and peerless, her expression as lofty and detached as an emperor overlooking his realm, indifferent as though everyone beneath her feet were mere ants. In her heart, Chuzheng silently thought: That¡¯s actually pretty cool. From the angle of the image, it seemed to be the point of view of those four people looking at her. But that was all there was to the image. The man in the black robe said, ¡°This is what they saw before they died. What do you have to say?¡± If it weren¡¯t for this, they wouldn¡¯t have approached her. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± There¡¯s such high-tech too! And it¡¯s flawed, too. It was clearly the Tianjin Mouse that flattened them into paper figures in the end, so why the misinformation! ¡°It wasn¡¯t me.¡± ¡°Miss, hand over the Tianjin Mouse and we will spare your life,¡± the man in the black robe declared magnanimously, ¡°We don¡¯t want trouble.¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± The Tianjin Mouse is a Divine Beast, completely self-sufficient without needing to worry about food or drinks, and yet you¡¯re trying to take my Tianjin Mouse, are you demons?! ¡°Then I¡¯m afraid the lady won¡¯t be leaving here alive,¡± the man in the black cloak said, his voice heavy with menace. ¡°Oh.¡± This person is so cruel, so scary. Suddenly, the Wu Di in the man in the black robe¡¯s hand rotated 360 degrees. He was slapped in the face by its wing, and in the blink of an eye, Wu Di broke free from his grip and shot toward him like a cannonball. After the man in the black robe dodged, Wu Di didn¡¯t stop but instead swept toward the people behind him. The group had the chance to avoid it, but somehow, they were struck squarely by Wu Di, turning into a tangled mess in the air like planes that had lost their navigation. The man in the black robe flew towards Chuzheng. A flash of silver light passed by, and he instinctively reached out to grab it. The Yin Xian was extremely thin, but still perceptible. The man in the black robe gave a tug, and suddenly, all the Yin Xian within the space became visible. The Yin Xian crisscrossed in all directions, as if light flowed along them. They seemed to be entrapped by the Yin Xian. The man in the black robe looked towards the woman in the inn. She remained composed, unaffected by the situation. When had she set up these lines? Why hadn¡¯t he sensed any Xuan Qi? Even if he couldn¡¯t feel the Xuan Qi, he should have noticed something. But he hadn¡¯t. These lines had surrounded them without a sound. The man in the black robe¡¯s Xuan Qi condensed in his hand and he slashed at the Yin Xian. However, the Xuan Qi didn¡¯t halt, it passed through the Yin Xian and hit the ground, creating a crack¡ª the Yin Xian remained unharmed. The man in the black robe tried several more times, but the result was the same each time. But he saw clearly that it wasn¡¯t that the Yin Xian was immune to the Xuan Qi. Instead, the Yin Xian dodged when he slashed and by the time he looked again, it was as though they hadn¡¯t changed at all. That speed¡­ Too fast. The man in the black robe looked towards Chuzheng: ¡°Miss, do you know who we are?¡± ¡°People who want to kill me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The corner of the man in the black robe¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. Although her answer wasn¡¯t wrong, wasn¡¯t it a bit off-topic? Couldn¡¯t she reply like a normal person would? ¡°Miss, we mean no offense to you. You killed our people first, and we only came because we had no choice. The Tianjin Mouse is very important to us. I am willing to trade with you for the Tianjin Mouse,¡± the man in the black robe offered. ¡°No offense just means deliberately,¡± she retorted. ¡°¡­¡± If the man in the black robe had a heart condition, he might have died from a heart attack by now from the frustration. ¡°Miss, opposing us is not a wise move,¡± he warned. ¡°Hmm.¡± That¡¯s why I must eliminate them completely, to make sure no one knows it was me! Thinking that Chuzheng was ready to negotiate seriously, the man in the black robe continued, ¡°Miss, I know you have a high status here and lack nothing. However, we have some Elixir Pills that could help enhance your powers. Trade us the Tianjin Mouse and we will compensate with a Holy Beast in addition.¡± He believed that no one could refuse such a generous offer. Chapter 293 - Chapter 293: Chapter 293 Minister under the Skirt (15) Chapter 293: Chapter 293 Minister under the Skirt (15) ¡°Divine Beast for a Holy Beast, your ability to make exchanges is quite impressive.¡± Do you think I¡¯m stupid enough to be played? Chuzheng¡¯s tone was icy, as if it had been dipped in frost, the words hitting listeners¡¯ ears like shards of ice hitting the ground. Divine Beasts are rare, where would they get a Divine Beast from? The man in the black robe clenched his teeth, ¡°Are you really not agreeing, miss?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± I just won¡¯t! The man in the black robe signaled the people behind him. The group¡¯s Xuan Qi suddenly surged, flinging into the air and forming strange symbols. Chuzheng stroked the Tianjin Mouse twice, ¡°What are they doing?¡± ¡°Setting up a Formation,¡± the Tianjin Mouse said, its voice trembling, ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± I¡¯ve never seen it! ¡°But now I do.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still so calm because you didn¡¯t know! The Tianjin Mouse was getting flustered, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you running? These kinds of Formations, which rely on the power of Xuan Qi, would be a tough match even for a Xuan Venerable of your Humans.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re still within their Enclosed Domain; you¡¯re as good as dead!¡± The Tianjin Mouse wanted to flee for its life, but Chuzheng was holding it too tightly, ¡°If you¡¯re going to die, don¡¯t drag me down with you!!¡± I don¡¯t want to die! I¡¯m still young! I haven¡¯t even found a female Mouse!! ¡°What¡¯s an Enclosed Domain?¡± ¡°¡­ You can¡¯t possibly not know, right?!¡± The Tianjin Mouse was going mad. She had been so composed just a moment ago; it thought she understood, but was her fearlessness because she actually didn¡¯t know? ¡°An Enclosed Domain is a separated space, that only a Xuan Saint can¡­¡± Tianjin Mouse suddenly stopped, and the next second, it shouted: ¡°These people have hidden their real power, run!!¡± ¡°I thought Xuan Saints were rare on this continent.¡± Those known by name could be counted on one hand. ¡°¡­¡± That seems to be the case. The Tianjin Mouse hadn¡¯t figured it out when the people in black robes had already formed the Formation. The attacks from the Formation came crashing down relentlessly. The power was stronger than anyone Chuzheng had encountered in this world. There were no gaps in the Formation¡¯s attacks; the ground where Chuzheng stood was reduced to ruins in the blink of an eye. Chuzheng landed on the ground, arcs of Xuan Qi closely following her. Chuzheng raised her hand, and Yin Xian became invisible instantly, tightening fiercely towards those people. However, the effect was lacking. The Formation protected them. Chuzheng immediately abandoned the plan; Yin Xian pulled away from the air, gradually condensing into a silver sword in her palm. Turning around with a swing, silver light burst from the sword, colliding with the arcs of Xuan Qi that came flying down, clashing and sparking fire, eventually dissipating in the air. Chuzheng leaped back into the air, stepping on the surrounding buildings. Under their astonished gazes, she brandished the silver sword, cutting through the Black Night and breaking their next wave of attacks, heading straight for the center of the Formation. A massive Xuan Qi shield rose within the Formation. The next second, the Xuan Qi shield cracked upon impact. Shockwaves spread from the center of the Formation like waves, scattering in all directions. The woman stood calmly in the void, the shockwaves billowing her skirt, whistling in the Black Night, her figure cold and detached, as if she was the Grim Reaper about to take the world, her icy silence creeping over everything. Although the Formation wasn¡¯t broken, the people inside were affected. ¡°Sir, that sword was those threads from before.¡± ¡°How could it be so powerful!¡± ¡°Is that a Divine Artifact?¡± Neither a Xuan Artifact nor a Holy Artifact could possess such formidable power, the only possibility was a Divine Artifact. In their eyes, Chuzheng was just a minor Xuan King. Not worth their concern at all. The man in the black robe was wary of Yin Xian; it was too bizarre. In a low voice, the man in the black robe said, ¡°Even if it¡¯s a Divine Artifact, with her own strength, she couldn¡¯t possibly unleash its true power; it was only by chance that she succeeded just now.¡± Chuzheng loosened her grip on the sword. The sword dissolved in the air with a swoosh, leaving a trail of silver light, like scattered starlight. In an instant, the silver light coalesced into a palm-length silver spike, as though the stars around her had fallen into place. While that group discussed how Chuzheng couldn¡¯t fully utilize the Divine Artifact¡¯s power, the silver spikes shot towards them with a ¡®whoosh whoosh.¡¯ ¡°Be careful!¡± The power of the rhombic spindle was greater than the robed men had imagined. It was even more formidable than the silver sword from before. They rained down from the sky, overwhelming the formation. Bouncing off, they took a turn in the air and smashed down again. They seemed to be alive, possessing the ability to move on their own. In just a moment, the formation was riddled with cracks, and then, like a collapsing mountainside, it began to crumble. ¨C Chuzheng landed on the rooftop, the noise from below rising and falling in waves. The building that had been destroyed just a moment ago now appeared intact. Powder drifted down from the sky, the air was filled with twinkling silver points that refused to stop shimmering. Chuzheng raised her hand, and the starlight immediately converged, falling into her palm and turning into a fine thread that wrapped around her wrist. Chuzheng touched her wrist and looked into the distance. ¡°You¡¯re so amazing!¡± the Tianjin Mouse popped its head out, its fiery red eyes full of astonishment. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Humans are like this, not modest at all. The Tianjin Mouse thought for a moment, ¡°Who were those people just now?¡± Chuzheng replied, ¡°Weren¡¯t they here for you?¡± You¡¯re the one who should be asking that question! I got dragged into this mess, okay?! You¡¯re the one they¡¯re after, you killed them, so why should I have to bother fighting them? The more Chuzheng thought about it, the angrier she got. She grabbed the Tianjin Mouse and gave it a rough rubdown. The Tianjin Mouse protested, ¡°How would I know? Those people suddenly appeared wanting to dig out my heart, they must be insane. You humans are so selfish.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m insulting you, you know!! ¡°Chirp¡­¡± Just as Chuzheng was about to switch locations, she heard a faint voice. She looked in the direction of the sound and saw the big bird hanging on the rooftop, its feathers nearly plucked clean, looking quite ridiculous. ¡°Do you want to eat?¡± Chuzheng asked the Tianjin Mouse, offering it a bonus meal. The Tianjin Mouse turned up its nose, ¡°I won¡¯t eat.¡± Who would want that when there¡¯s Fire Crystal to eat? Wu Di thought, ¡°Damn it! At least show me some respect, I¡¯m a Holy Beast!!!¡± In the end, Wu Di was still picked up by Chuzheng because it seemed to know something. Wu Di was spread-eagled, tied up between several trees. Chuzheng stood with her arms folded in front of it, her cold gaze as though she was contemplating where to begin. ¡°Tell me where you guys came from.¡± The proud beak of Wu Di spat out in disdain. ¡°Your master is dead, and you still want to serve him?¡± Chuzheng pulled out a kitchen knife from nowhere, ¡°I can grant you that wish.¡± Wu Di struggled frantically. Chuzheng approached it with the knife in hand. Wu Di was so terrified that it forgot how to cry out. This woman had single-handedly taken down its masters; Wu Di was scared to the point of nearly wetting itself. With its masters gone, staying alive was what mattered. Wu Di shamelessly pleaded, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you anything you want to know, just don¡¯t kill me!¡± The kitchen knife gleamed coldly at Wu Di¡¯s throat. ¡°Where do you come from?¡± ¡°Dongyuan, we came down from Dongyuan.¡± ¡°Dongyuan?¡± She had never heard of this place¡­ Come down? That meant the place was higher than where she was currently. ¡°High¡± could refer to power, status, or even literal altitude¡­ Chuzheng was silent for a few seconds, ¡°What place is Dongyuan?¡± Wu Di, in fear of Chuzheng cutting it with the knife, spilled everything like beans from a bamboo tube. Chapter 294 - Chapter 294: Chapter 294 Minister under the Skirt (16) Chapter 294: Chapter 294 Minister under the Skirt (16) In this world, the Xuan Saint is the most formidable being, but in Dongyuan, Xuan Saints are a dime a dozen. Here, the Xuan Emperors and Xuan Venerables, who could dominate one area, belong to the weaker batch in Dongyuan. There used to be a passage between Dongyuan and this world, and Xuan Saints could ascend and fly to Dongyuan upon leveling up. But later, the passage between Dongyuan and this world was closed, and the Xuan Saints of this world were unable to break through and ascend. Gradually, Dongyuan faded from the consciousness of the humans in this world. They no longer knew that there were beings more powerful than Xuan Saints, or that a place called Dongyuan existed. ¡°Why are you capturing it?¡± Wudi glanced at the Tianjin Mouse being held by Chuzheng, and said weakly, ¡°A great person was seriously injured and needs the heart of a Tianjin Mouse for medicine.¡± ¡°You beast!¡± ¡°Scum!¡± ¡°Shameless!¡± The Tianjin Mouse rattled off several words in succession. ¡°You actually help humans to slaughter your own kind!¡± The Tianjin Mouse pointed at it, indignant. Wudi: ¡°¡­¡± I was bound by a contract; it¡¯s not my fault! ¡°Will those people come back?¡± Chuzheng was more concerned about this, as it was annoying to be troubled by them every day. ¡°They won¡¯t¡­¡± Wudi shook his head: ¡°Because there¡¯s no passage between this world and Dongyuan, their¡­ no, they all died here, nobody went back to report, so no one will know that you killed them.¡± The images before their deaths couldn¡¯t be transmitted back to Dongyuan due to the influence of the passage, so naturally no one would know how these people died. Chuzheng asked curiously, ¡°Since there¡¯s no passage, how did you come down here?¡± Did you dig a hole and jump down? Wudi explained to Chuzheng. Essentially, although the official channels were closed, there were still people who found a way to open a private route. Although Dongyuan is more advanced than this world, there are some things found in this world that Dongyuan does not have, yet Dongyuan needs those things¡­ Where there¡¯s trade, there will always be people who find a way. This route has always existed in the shadows, known only to a few. Chuzheng leaned in closer to Wudi. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve told you everything I know, I don¡¯t know anything else, I¡¯m just a bird.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face remained indifferent: ¡°Do you know Jun Chuzheng?¡± Wudi shook his head: ¡°The Jun family is a great clan in Dongyuan; how could I possibly know them¡­¡± [Tip: Please, Miss, go to Dongyuan.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Why? Isn¡¯t here good enough for you to squander? Do you want me to go to Dongyuan, where Xuan Saints are everywhere, because you think the people here can¡¯t kill me, or what? What level is this body at¡­ not sure about the level, but its strength is about the same as a Xuan King! It¡¯s still a whole Milky Way away from a Xuan Saint. Going to Dongyuan would be like being a whole universe away. [Miss, with money, you can do whatever you want.] The King¡¯s Account imparted its philosophy, [Why would I let Miss face danger?] Chuzheng let out an indifferent snort. ¨C ¡°Hurry up, everyone; don¡¯t miss the hour.¡± ¡°What are you doing over there? Get a move on and be quick with your work.¡± The black ship was docked at the port, with many people busily loading boxes onto it. Each box was tightly sealed and heavy, with unknown contents within. A man was shouting, urging these people to be faster. The woman wrapped in a black cloak approached the man from behind the busy port: ¡°Are you Hei Liu?¡± Her voice was crisp, chilling to the bone. The man turned around, taking a good look at the woman, a sense of wariness deep in his eyes: ¡°I am, what do you want?¡± From beneath her cloak, the woman handed over a pouch: ¡°To Dongyuan.¡± Hei Liu denied: ¡°Miss, what are you talking about? Our ship¡¯s not going to any Dongyuan, never heard of such a place.¡± ¡°Look inside and then talk.¡± The man hesitated but eventually took it and looked inside. Hei Liu¡¯s expression changed immediately, ¡°Miss, we are only responsible for taking you to the transfer station. We are not responsible for what happens afterward, whether you can go or not, I have no idea.¡± The woman nodded her head. ¡°Then, Miss, follow me,¡± Hei Liu said, leading the way. ¡°Once on board, if you have no business, do not come out. If anything happens, we are not responsible.¡± The ship was huge, and Chuzheng followed Hei Liu upstairs. From time to time, people looked at them with ill intent, but were scolded by Hei Liu and went back to their work, heads down. ¡°Miss, you can stay in this room. The ship will provide food that will be delivered directly to your room.¡± Chuzheng nodded. ¡°Alright then, Miss, you can rest for a while. We will be setting sail soon,¡± Hei Liu turned around, in a good mood, because he¡¯d made a tidy profit. He then muttered to himself, ¡°Strange, usually we don¡¯t encounter anyone going to Dongyuan for months, but this time there are so many people.¡± Their ship always carried cargo to Dongyuan, and sometimes people as well. But not many people in this place knew of Dongyuan. Chuzheng closed the room door and threw the small-sized Wu Di out of her cloak. ¡°Chirp!¡± Wu Di landed on the deck, chirped pitifully, and dared not complain. After all, its life was still in Chuzheng¡¯s hands. If it hadn¡¯t been familiar with Dongyuan, it probably would have been done for earlier. This woman had not a shred of sympathy for small animals. ¡°Knock knock.¡± The door that had just been shut was suddenly knocked on. Thinking it was Hei Liu with something more to say, Chuzheng casually opened the door. Instead, a man stood outside, dressed in patched clothing with various pockets all over, looking like a member of the Beggar¡¯s Sect¡¯s advanced workforce. But this world did not have this foremost sect. The man was decent looking, quite handsome even. He smiled friendly and said, ¡°I saw Hei Liu bring you up, so I assume you are a guest as well.¡± Chuzheng held herself with the cold aloofness of someone who dismisses others from a great distance, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Nothing, nothing, I just live next door to you. Our journey is long; let¡¯s keep each other company,¡± he said. Chuzheng was about to close the door. ¡°Hey, miss,¡± the man blocked the door. ¡°My name is Yao Ye, what¡¯s yours? Let¡¯s be friends¡­¡± Bang¡ª Chuzheng showed no mercy and shut the man out. The man, not giving up, knocked again, ¡°Miss, I live right next to you. If you¡¯re bored, you can come and chat with me.¡± Just as Chuzheng was about to grab something to smash the door, the man¡¯s voice vanished. Hei Liu said they would be setting sail soon, and indeed, Chuzheng didn¡¯t have to wait long before the ship started moving. According to Wu Di, the journey was very remote. Even those coming down from Dongyuan had to follow this process strictly. Meals were delivered punctually every day; outside the ship was always the sea, without any change. That man named Yao Ye would come knock on her door whenever he had nothing better to do. Chuzheng ignored him, and he would come back the next day. He was an incredibly annoying person. Chuzheng asked Hei Liu to change her room, and seeing as how Chuzheng had ¡®paid¡¯, he quickly moved her to a higher level. It was much quieter on this level, but not a day went by before that man named Yao Ye also moved up here. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Is this man insane! ¡°Miss, what a coincidence.¡± Chuzheng slammed the door shut. How annoying this person is. To get rid of him! ¡°Eh, there are people on this level too, hello, my name is Yao Ye, to meet is fate, let¡¯s be friends¡­¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Would he die if he didn¡¯t make friends? Just then, Chuzheng felt that the voice of the person talking to Yao Ye seemed familiar. Chapter 295 - Chapter 295: Chapter 295 Minister under the Skirt (17) chapter 295: chapter 295 minister under the skirt (17) chuzheng had stayed in her room for several days. yao ye seemed to have made new friends and had no time to pester her. on the morning of the seventh day, there was a commotion outside. chuzheng pushed open the window, from where she could see the situation on the deck. many people were standing there, looking out at the distant sea. the distant sea was dark, as if there were some large creature beneath it. ¡°miss.¡± yao ye¡¯s face popped out from the neighboring window, greeting her in a friendly manner. chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± after greeting her, yao ye looked towards the sea, ¡°this is my first time encountering such a large sea dwelling xuan beast. have you seen one before, miss?¡± chuzheng looked towards the sea. was that a xuan beast below? the ship had already stopped. because the xuan beast over there was so large, hei liu didn¡¯t dare to steer the ship closer and seemed too cautious to move it at all, planning to wait until it left before continuing their journey. this one stop turned into many days, as the xuan beast showed no signs of leaving whatever it was doing over there. chuzheng didn¡¯t mind, but yao ye, the chatterbox, couldn¡¯t sit still and was going crazy all day long. night fell. there was revelry on deck, and chuzheng leaned on the window for some air. ¡°young master yao ye, are you free? could you please have a look, someone just accidentally broke their hand.¡± the knocking outside was loud; chuzheng could hear it clearly from the next room. chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± how careless does one have to be to break their hand. can this chatterbox even treat injuries? indeed, looks can be deceiving. ¡°right away,¡± yao ye called out. there followed a mess of sounds from his side: the sound of a door opening, closing, voices talking¡­ before long, chuzheng heard some commotion below, as if something had run off. the revelers on deck were disturbed, and in less than half an hour, chuzheng saw that several people had been dragged up onto the deck. the way they were treated didn¡¯t seem like a good sign. time to sleep. [miss, please get ready to rescue your good person card.] king¡¯s account reminded her. if it didn¡¯t remind her, she would have gone to sleep. by the time she woke up, the good person card would have been long gone! she wouldn¡¯t even make it to collect the bodies. it was deeply concerned for miss. ¨C on the deck. several people were tied up, both men and women. the crowd surrounding them discussed the captives, most with distinctly hostile looks. the women felt as if they were no different from being naked under those stares. hei liu bit on a small wooden stick, sauntering over, his thick eyebrows raised as he stared at one of the captives: ¡°did you plan this?¡± it was a man. unlike the others who were caught, he had his chin up, and even in a somewhat disheveled state, he couldn¡¯t hide his striking appearance or his pride. ¡°so what if i did,¡± the man said with a touch of disdain, ¡°do you have the guts to kill me?¡± hei liu spat out the small stick: ¡°you¡¯re smart.¡± ¡°i can¡¯t kill you, but them¡­¡± hei liu drew his knife and slashed the head of the person next to the man. blood splattered, landing on the man¡¯s cheek, still warm. ¡°they all die because of you,¡± hei liu finished his sentence. the man¡¯s complexion turned pale for a moment, but then he smiled, ¡°what do their lives and deaths have to do with me? i never intended to bring them along. they came out of their own volition. if not for them, i wouldn¡¯t have been caught so easily.¡± hei liu¡¯s eyes narrowed. he waved his hand, signaling for two women to be taken away. the man nonchalantly looked away, listening to the women¡¯s screams and the men¡¯s laughter, his hands bound behind his back clenching slightly. just as he said, he didn¡¯t intend to take these people with him. he wasn¡¯t even sure if he could escape himself; there was no need to risk someone else¡¯s life. it was they who chose to follow; if he tried to stop them, it would be more like he was endangering their lives. what could he do? holding a bloodied knife, hei liu lifted the man¡¯s chin with a smile that carried a hint of lasciviousness, ¡°do you feel safe? women are easy to notice when tampered with, but men¡­¡± ding¡ª¡ª the knife in hei liu¡¯s hand flew out. ¡°who¡¯s there!¡± hei liu bellowed angrily. the crowd parted to reveal a woman of stunning beauty emerging from within. her expression was devoid of any emotion, her eyes cold as ice; her black cloak lifted slightly as she moved. her presence conveyed a chilling austerity, and her demeanor radiated nobility, prompting involuntary deference from others. ¡°miss, i believe i¡¯ve told you not to leave your room for no good reason.¡± hei liu¡¯s expression was somewhat gloomy at the moment, trying to intimidate chuzheng into going back. chuzheng took off her cloak and draped it over the man. xie shu had a strong premonition when things took an unexpected turn. however, when the warm cloak fell upon him and he glanced at the person beside him, he couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. the face he once loathed to the point of wanting to flay was now before him, causing an inexplicable leap of joy in his heart. a soft handkerchief with a hint of fragrance wiped over his chin, then gently touched his cheek. chuzheng carefully cleaned the blood off his cheek before turning her attention to hei liu. ¡°i¡¯ll take this man,¡± she said. hei liu merely chuckled in response, ¡°miss, do you have any idea how much the people by your side could be sold for?¡± this person was generous, and hei liu wasn¡¯t foolish enough to offend her. the bag whistled through the air and hei liu caught it deftly. ¡°agreed, since the lady likes him, i would sell to anyone, but i¡¯ll give him to you,¡± hei liu said, evidently pleased, ¡°do you need me to clean him up before i send him over?¡± ¡°no need.¡± chuzheng wrapped her arm around xie shu¡¯s waist and started walking back with him. ¡°boss, are we really just going to¡­¡± hei liu weighed the bag in his hand, ¡°selling to anyone is still selling.¡± ¡°what about young master murong, how do we explain to him?¡± ¡°the journey¡¯s still long. as long as the person is in our hands when we disembark, that will suffice. young master murong need not know about this trifle.¡± the one who asked seemed to understand and chuckled hehe in response. ¨C chuzheng brought xie shu back to the room, where the tianjin mouse and wu di were placed on a rack at one side of the room, each occupying a level. upon chuzheng¡¯s return, the two small creatures rustled about. the tianjin mouse, seeing xie shu, immediately showed a look of sympathy. this handsome little man got caught by her again. xie shu was somewhat unsteady as he walked, and at first, chuzheng thought he had been hit, but once they were in the room, she realized his leg was bleeding. chuzheng set him down on the bed, took off his shoes, and lifted the hem of his trousers. ¡°who did this?¡± with lowered lashes, xie shu asked, ¡°if i say who did it, would you seek revenge for me?¡± his voice was low, and there seemed to be a touch of mockery at the end. ¡°of course.¡± xie shu¡¯s eyebrows knitted together and only then did he look up at her. even though she looked exactly like chu yingyu, at that moment, xie shu could tell who the person before him really was. xie shu¡¯s lips slowly curved into a smile, ¡°miss jun, we have no real connection, why would you do anything for me?¡± chuzheng¡¯s tone was icy as she reminded him, ¡°i spent money to buy you; you belong to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± xie shu¡¯s smile stiffened, his complexion changed subtly, and it seemed as if all color drained from his face. Chapter 296 - Chapter 296: Chapter 296 Minister under the Skirt (18) chapter 296: chapter 296 minister under the skirt (18) chuzheng went to fetch some hot water, feeling a bit helpless about the situation in front of her. xie shu¡¯s knee, just below it, had something nailed into it. one could only vaguely see a trace, not knowing how deep it went. this situation¡­ the only solution seemed to be to cut it off in one fell swoop. [miss, let go of the good person card already!] while others were thinking about how to treat the injury, she was thinking about cutting it off? chuzheng: ¡°what should we do then?¡± [¡­]figure it out yourself! ¡°¡­¡± cut it off. [yao ye, ah!] the king¡¯s account roared. xie shu didn¡¯t seem to feel any pain as he had just walked up on his own without any signs of distress. chuzheng left the room, ready to go find the next-door chatterbox. as soon as she stepped out of the room, she saw yao ye returning. ¡°miss,¡± yao ye greeted her. ¨C yao ye followed chuzheng into the room, where xie shu remained seated in his previous posture. the man¡¯s clothes were tattered, and his ink-black hair was somewhat messy, yet it didn¡¯t make him look unkempt; instead, there was a sort of disheveled beauty about him. good-looking people look good no matter what. ¡°eh¡­¡± yao ye was surprised by xie shu¡¯s appearance. he was really handsome! even he, a man, was somewhat moved by the sight. however, when yao ye¡¯s gaze fell on xie shu¡¯s legs, he was shocked: ¡°who could be so vicious?¡± neither xie shu nor chuzheng spoke, and without an answer, yao ye had to talk to himself. yao ye first examined his legs: ¡°this thing is pretty deep.¡± chuzheng asked, ¡°can it be removed?¡± ¡°of course,¡± yao ye said. ¡°but doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± the latter question was directed at xie shu. ¡°it doesn¡¯t hurt,¡± xie shu replied with a smile. yao ye admired xie shu as a real man: ¡°i don¡¯t have much with me, i can only remove it like this. if you¡¯re afraid it¡¯ll hurt, i could knock you out.¡± but it probably wouldn¡¯t be of much use, he¡¯d certainly wake up from the pain. ¡°no need,¡± xie shu said. yao ye looked at chuzheng, as if seeking her opinion. chuzheng stepped forward, pressing his head into her embrace: ¡°do it.¡± yao ye: ¡°¡­¡± this girl, so cold and difficult to get along with, i didn¡¯t expect her to be so cruel even to a beautiful man. during the extraction process, xie shu didn¡¯t utter a sound. chuzheng touched his face and found no abnormality; it seemed he really wasn¡¯t in pain. at first, xie shu was just leaning against chuzheng, but later, perhaps feeling uncomfortable, he reached out and embraced her. at that moment, he coveted the warmth emanating from her body. it was like a person in darkness suddenly seeing a flicker of fireflies; in a silent world, hearing the chirp of insects. it made him unable to let go, fearing a return to darkness, sinking into silence. yao ye extracted the objects, which were two slender metal items. ¡°this young master is really enduring,¡± yao ye administered the medicine to xie shu and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°a normal person would have fainted from the pain by now¡­¡± yao ye¡¯s voice suddenly paused. ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°someone has treated his wound with medicine before.¡± yao ye examined it more closely once again, his brow slightly furrowed. he confirmed that the wound indeed had been previously treated. that¡¯s why xie shu didn¡¯t feel pain. yao ye cleaned the wound again, applied fresh medicine, left several bottles behind, and explained to chuzheng how to use them, both internally and externally. after the ever-talkative yao ye departed, xie shu suddenly asked her, ¡°why are you here?¡± ¡°to go to dongyuan.¡± ¡°¡­¡± xie shu looked up at her, his gaze carrying a trace of bewilderment: ¡°is this the way to dongyuan?¡± ¡°you don¡¯t know?¡± xie shu¡¯s breath caught for a moment, his gaze unfocused and drifting into emptiness. he had still been unconscious when he got on the ship, and upon awakening, he had been confined in the cabin, unaware of the ship¡¯s destination. chuzheng sized up xie shu. ¡°are you from dongyuan?¡± ¨C xie shu didn¡¯t know what strange memories he had fallen into; he sat there motionless and silent, like a statue. chuzheng placed hot water in front of him, ¡°wash yourself.¡± xie shu showed no response. chuzheng, too lazy to deal with him, cradled the tianjin mouse and stroked its fur. wu di could never hope for such treatment and cowered on the shelf, shivering. xie shu sat there listlessly. chuzheng, irritated, gave the tianjin mouse a couple of strokes and then put it back on the shelf before walking back. she wrung out a cloth and roughly wiped his face. chuzheng moved him onto the bed, covered him with a quilt, and sat down beside him, looking down at him. ¡°who caused the injury on your leg?¡± as soon as good person card left, he turned into this ghastly state. was he really that weak? [little sister, how can one embrace a darker self without such experiences?]wasn¡¯t everyone weak at the beginning? the path of the weak to become strong either leads to everlasting glory or to eternal infamy. those who achieve everlasting glory do so because they meet better people who help them succeed. those who tread the path of no return, everyone thinks it¡¯s because of their nature, because of the choices they made¡­ but sometimes it only takes a slight gesture to save them; it¡¯s just that they never have the chance to meet the right person. they don¡¯t meet their bo le, can¡¯t become noble steads, and are fated to be dreadful dragons in the abyss. ¡°that¡¯s why they should be locked up.¡± it¡¯s safe and secure. [¡­]why is it so hard to communicate with little sister! the conversation through king¡¯s account gets nowhere, and it chooses to simply escape. ¡°i¡¯m talking to you.¡± chuzheng prodded xie shu¡¯s face with her hand. xie shu¡¯s unfocused eyes gradually fixed on chuzheng. he parted his lips slightly, ¡°what did you say?¡± ¡°i¡¯m asking how you got the injury on your leg.¡± the injury on his leg¡­ xie shu smiled faintly, ¡°murong ce.¡± after leaving the secret realm, it was his bad luck to run into murong ce. he, a disabled man, was no match for the entourage-surrounded murong ce. chuzheng suddenly remembered the voice she had heard before; wasn¡¯t that murong ce? that damned bastard¡­ it seemed there was nothing in the plot about murong ce. that¡¯s not right either. who was xie shu with during the time he went missing? what had he experienced? murong ce tortured xie shu because he was infatuated with the grand imperial princess, who only had eyes for xie shu, driven by jealousy. chuzheng¡¯s fingertips touched xie shu¡¯s lips, and her eyes darkened slightly; a kiss from her good person card shouldn¡¯t be a big deal, right¡­ deep within, chuzheng harbored this desire. even though she didn¡¯t know where this desire came from, she believed if she wanted something, then she would have it. it was hers anyway, wasn¡¯t it? the person in front of xie shu suddenly loomed closer, and his lips were taken into someone¡¯s mouth. his eyes widened abruptly. ¡°mmph¡­¡± xie shu struggled. ¡°what¡­ are you doing!¡± chuzheng held down his body, her lips moving over his, ¡°kissing you.¡± ¡°let¡­ go!¡± who allowed you to kiss me! did you even get my consent?! ¡°oh.¡± chuzheng pried open his lips and her tongue slipped inside. xie shu: ¡°¡­¡± chuzheng raised her hand, and the candles in the room were extinguished. in the darkness, xie shu felt her body pressing down on him, her palm resting on his neck, gently clasping. with just a little more strength, she could strangle him to death. in his mind, besides the soft entanglement and strange tingling caused by her touch, there was also the unknown fear of not knowing when she would apply force, slowly eroding xie shu. indeed¡­ people are all the same. offer them a bit of warmth, and they try to take away even more from you. xie shu lay with his eyes open, silently staring at the ceiling. when chuzheng noticed xie shu had calmed down, she moved her hand from his neck to his ear, pinching his earlobe, ¡°does it feel uncomfortable?¡± xie shu curved his lips into a smile, ¡°miss jun, you bought me with your money; you don¡¯t need to care whether i¡¯m comfortable or not. whatever you want, just do it. however, my body might not satisfy you for the time being, after all, my leg is injured. how about you wait until i¡¯m healed, then i¡¯ll be at your service properly.¡± Chapter 297 - Chapter 297: Chapter 297 Minister under the Skirt (19) chapter 297: chapter 297 minister under the skirt (19) xie shu¡¯s tone was off. it made chuzheng very uncomfortable. ¡°nonsense,¡± chuzheng released him and pulled him into her arms, ¡°i just wanted to kiss you.¡± when xie shu heard ¡°i just wanted to kiss you,¡± he was somewhat dazed. a slight warmth on his forehead, and the clear voice of the woman arose, ¡°sleep.¡± xie shu thought he would not be able to sleep. however, the fact was that he fell asleep almost immediately, and did not wake up in the middle of the night, sleeping until daylight. when he woke up, he was alone, with a bird standing on the opposite rack, tilting its head looking at him. xie shu pulled back the quilt, making sure no one had touched his underwear. ¨C the big ship up front had departed, and the large boat set sail once again. xie shu quietly recuperated from his injury. since that day, chuzheng only hugged him to sleep at night, at most kissing his forehead, never crossing the line to touch him again. it was yao ye who came to change xie shu¡¯s medicine for the first two days, and then it was chuzheng¡¯s turn. at first, xie shu did not feel the pain because murong ce had used a special medicine on his wound, which allowed him to move around, and he did not feel pain. he did not know what purpose murong ce had in mind, but it was definitely not to make him feel better¡­ but now the medicine had lost its effect, and the pain was intermittent. especially at night. it felt as if something were pricking at the wound; the pain was so intense that he couldn¡¯t sleep at all. ¡°what are you doing?¡± tossing and turning like a pancake? if you don¡¯t sleep, i need to! not even letting me kiss you! xie shu bit his teeth and kept silent. chuzheng felt the sweat on his face, ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°it¡¯s nothing, i was wrong to disturb miss jun,¡± xie shu said, ¡°i¡¯ll go down.¡± chuzheng pressed him back, ¡°are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?¡± ¡°no.¡± chuzheng leaned closer to him, ¡°really?¡± xie shu endured for a moment, ¡°¡­the wound hurts.¡± ¡°weren¡¯t you not in pain before?¡± she had not seen him in pain over so many days; how come now that it was beginning to heal, it hurt? xie shu got up, ¡°i¡¯ll go down¡­¡± chuzheng pulled him back, and her palm landed on his knee, gentle xuan qi enveloping his legs, gradually easing the pain. yao ye had said this could alleviate the pain. but these days, xie shu had not complained of pain, and chuzheng thought it wouldn¡¯t be needed. ¡°tell me if it hurts,¡± chuzheng soothed, patting his shoulder. xie shu remained silent, with only the sound of her heartbeat in his ears. ¨C the pain caused by the healing of xie shu¡¯s wounds lessened as the healing neared completion. xie shu could now get out of bed and move around. when it was time to change the medicine, xie shu said he would do it himself. ¡°can you apply the medicine on your own?¡± ¡°yes,¡± xie shu nodded. ¡°then do it yourself,¡± chuzheng piled the things next to him. ¡°¡­¡± xie shu did not know whether she really cared about him or not; sometimes he felt she was meticulous in looking after him, and other times he felt she didn¡¯t care that much. xie shu applied the medicine himself. there were quite a few bottles and jars yao ye had brought over, several kinds of medicine. chuzheng had piled both the topical and the ingested ones together. xie shu¡¯s fingers traced over a porcelain bottle, hesitating. which one was for ingestion¡­ it seemed to be the green bottle, but there were two green porcelain bottles here. he looked up towards the room, and chuzheng was gone without him realizing when she had left. xie shu could only pick one at random, they all looked like ointments for external use, and he assumed all the elixir pills could be ingested. ¨C chuzheng went down to ask how long it would be until arrival, and hei liu said that if they were quick, they would arrive in five to six days, but it would take longer if the weather was bad. she returned to the upper deck, got delayed by yao ye for a while, and by the time she returned to the room, some time had passed. xie shu had wrapped himself in a quilt, with just a bulge visible. ¡°i brought you something to eat.¡± xie shu didn¡¯t respond. chuzheng pulled down the quilt, ¡°xie shu.¡± the quilt did not move, chuzheng tugged harder, and the quilt slid off. xie shu was curled up, his whole body covered in cold sweat, his cheeks beet red, and his body frighteningly hot. chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± just gone for a little while, how did it turn out like this?! ¡°xie shu, what¡¯s wrong?¡± xie shu clenched his lips tightly, blood visible on them. chuzheng glanced at the medicine bottles nearby, she reached out and picked up one of them. there were only ten pills inside, two were missing. he didn¡¯t eat them, did he? this was something she had bought with a black xuan stone before, she wasn¡¯t clear on what effect it had¡­ at the time, the shopkeeper¡¯s expression was odd, and he said not to use it overmuch. now chuzheng had a rough idea of what it actually did¡­ ¨C the next day. xie shu leisurely awoke, the first thing he saw was the woman¡¯s serene sleeping face, leaving him feeling bewildered. the next second, xie shu reacted as if struck by lightning. he sat up abruptly, the pain from his wound sharp as a needle¡¯s prick due to the sudden movement. xie shu¡¯s movement was a bit too forceful. chuzheng opened her eyes, her gaze clear, she shifted her body to the side, ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡± xie shu leaned against the inside wall, looking at her with shock and anger, ¡°that medicine¡­¡± chuzheng looked utterly earnest, ¡°you took it yourself.¡± it had nothing to do with me. xie shu¡¯s face turned ugly, he bit down on his teeth, ¡°you put it in there!¡± how could that sort of medicine appear inside there out of nowhere? who would believe it wasn¡¯t intentional? ¡°i¡¯ve always kept them together, and today you insisted on dealing with the medicine yourself.¡± up until this point i didn¡¯t know what it was! it has nothing to do with me! i won¡¯t take the blame for this. xie shu stared at her, the corners of his mouth lifting in a cold sneer, ¡°that¡¯s what you¡¯ve been planning all along, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°i didn¡¯t.¡± xie shu spoke as if he hadn¡¯t heard her, ¡°besides¡­ since i am bought by you, whatever you want to do to me, how could i possibly refuse? my life is yours after all.¡± he had thought she was different. turned out he had been wrong. chuzheng declared coldly with a distant look, ¡°xie shu, you took the medicine yourself.¡± Chapter 298 - Chapter 298: Chapter 298 Minister under the Skirt (20) chapter 298: chapter 298 minister under the skirt (20) xie shu clearly thought that chuzheng had intentionally put the medicine in there for him to eat. chuzheng was furious. she turned over, got off the bed, and picked up the porcelain bottle. ¡°what are you doing?¡± ¡°didn¡¯t you say i made you eat it?¡± chuzheng opened the porcelain bottle. then i might as well make your claim a reality. so you dare say it was me! if i really wanted you to eat it, would i have waited until now? stupid chicken brain, are you sick? xie shu seemed to guess what she wanted to do; his complexion turned extremely poor as he shrank inward. ¡°[miss,]¡± the voice from king¡¯s account was no longer roaring, and the tender voice became weathered, ¡°[this is your good person card, and if you keep this up, he¡¯s going to show you his dark side right away.] if he turns dark, so be it. i can just lock him up. that¡¯s no excuse for him to frame me! ¡°[miss!!!]¡± who exactly is the one turning dark here!! chuzheng pinched xie shu¡¯s chin: ¡°i¡¯m telling you, xie shu, even if i don¡¯t feed you medicine, you can¡¯t run from whatever i want to do.¡± xie shu, leaning against the wall behind him, had a mix of gloominess in his eyes, like a fierce beast caged in darkness, about to break free of its shackles. ¡°knock knock¡­¡± ¡°young lady, young lady, your bird is almost tearing my room apart.¡± chuzheng glanced at the door and pinched xie shu¡¯s chin to kiss him: ¡°i didn¡¯t drug you.¡± she handed him the medicine bottle, turned over to get off the bed, put on her coat, and went to open the door. the door only cracked open, she slipped out sideways and closed the door behind her. only after the room quieted down did xie shu¡¯s tense body suddenly relax. he collapsed onto the bed like a drowning man who had been rescued, gasping for fresh air. just a moment ago, he truly thought she was going to make him swallow that medicine. ¡ª i¡¯m telling you, xie shu, even if i don¡¯t feed you medicine, you can¡¯t run from whatever i want to do. ¡ª i didn¡¯t drug you. xie shu clenched the porcelain bottle in his hands. he couldn¡¯t trust her. he couldn¡¯t trust her. xie shu sat on the bed for a while before finding his clothes. yao ye suddenly pushed the door and entered. ¡°the lady asked me to come check on you¡­¡± yao ye stopped at the entrance, his gaze falling on xie shu¡¯s shoulder. xie shu quickly pulled his clothes over and turned to look at him: ¡°i¡¯m fine, you don¡¯t have to¡­¡± bang¡ª the door slammed shut with a snap. xie shu didn¡¯t even catch a glimpse of yao ye¡¯s expression. he felt the spot of the birthmark, a vague unease in his heart. ¨C yao ye stood outside the room, as if he had seen something terrifying; he paced a couple of steps and immediately returned to his own room. chuzheng was scolding wu di, threatening to stew it into soup. yao ye came back, closed the door, and looked at her with blazing eyes. chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± why does it look like he¡¯s seen a ghost after checking on good person card? what did good person card do? it didn¡¯t run away, did it? chuzheng grabbed tianjin mouse and wu di and headed for the door. yao ye stood at the entrance, blocking her exit as he saw her leaving. ¡°miss, i have a question.¡± ¡°did the person run away?¡± ¡°?¡± yao ye was taken aback for a moment: ¡°no, he¡¯s fine. i just have another question i want to ask you.¡± good that he didn¡¯t run. ¡°ask.¡± yao ye swallowed: ¡°do you know who that gentleman is?¡± ¡°he¡¯s mine,¡± chuzheng said confidently. ¡°¡­¡± yao ye was almost made to forget what he planned to ask by this answer. he took a deep breath, ¡°miss, have you seen his birthmark here?¡± yao ye pointed to the position behind his shoulder, exactly where xie shu¡¯s birthmark was. ¡°¡­¡± chuzheng¡¯s gaze was somewhat cold as she looked at him. ¡°do you know what that birthmark is?¡± yao ye did not notice chuzheng¡¯s expression. he paced back and forth, ¡°do you know who he is?¡± ¡°is there a problem?¡± chuzheng asked. ¡°do you really not know?¡± ¡°i don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°have you heard of the heavy snow night moon?¡± yao ye asked again. chuzheng remembered that xie shu had asked her this question once. chuzheng shook her head just the same. yao ye murmured softly, ¡°heavy snow night moon, he is from the xie family of heavy snow night moon, where every member of the xie family has such a birthmark.¡± chuzheng remembered, she never told yao ye what xie shu¡¯s name was¡­ ¡°what is the heavy snow night moon?¡± yao ye looked deeply into chuzheng¡¯s eyes for a moment, his usual noisy demeanor gone, and now he appeared somewhat more composed. ¡°the heavy snow night moon is a place where the moon hangs high in the sky even during the day. snow falls there all year round, but the trees and plants are just like those outside. the snow doesn¡¯t pile up. the sky is always filled with snowflakes, yet there is only a thin layer of snow on the ground, just like an immortal realm. that place is called the heavy snow night moon.¡± ¡°the family that controls this place is the xie clan.¡± ¡°five years ago, the xie clan met with ruin, and the entire heavy snow night moon collapsed. dongyuan experienced snowfall for three whole months in the scorching summer.¡± as yao ye spoke, he seemed to have lingering fears. chuzheng¡¯s expression was indifferent, ¡°oh.¡± five years ago¡­ that matched the time when xie shu was picked up by chu yingyu. at that time, xie shu was severely injured. after chu yingyu picked him up, he remained unconscious for two whole years before waking, and then spent over a year recovering, making it clear just how severe his injuries were. ¡°you¡¯re not just some girl, give some reaction, that¡¯s a person from the xie family!¡± after saying this, yao ye realized something wasn¡¯t right. the girl wasn¡¯t from dongyuan, so she probably took it as just a story. yao ye said, ¡°miss, let me tell you, the people from the xie family are not all dead, they will definitely seek revenge. you should avoid getting involved with him, be careful with your own life.¡± ¡°do a lot of people want him dead?¡± is the good person card really so pitiful? ¡°of course, once certain people know he¡¯s alive, he will be hunted down.¡± ¡°why?¡± ¡°how much do you know about dongyuan?¡± yao ye asked. ¡°dongyuan.¡± to be honest, that¡¯s the only thing i know about dongyuan. ¡°???¡± yao ye pondered for a moment, ¡°don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve only heard of dongyuan?¡± chuzheng nodded seriously. yao ye was dumbstruck, after a while he gave a thumbs-up, ¡°miss, you must be heading to dongyuan, right?¡± the passengers on this route had no other destination but dongyuan. chuzheng: ¡°is that not allowed?¡± yao ye was impressed, ¡°you¡¯re really brave.¡± to dare to go to dongyuan without any understanding of it. dongyuan was different from this place; there was no country. each area was controlled by major family clans, among which the shen, jun, murong, and xie were the most prestigious and influential. the xie family usually lived in the heavy snow night moon, and had sparse dealings with the other three clans, never contending or vying for power, more like a secluded family. thus, only three families were involved in the fiercest competition in dongyuan. however, just a few years ago, the three families, who were always at loggerheads, suddenly began secret communications, followed by the collapse of the heavy snow night moon. the people of dongyuan didn¡¯t know why the heavy snow night moon collapsed, but some did. it was because the three major clans had joined forces against the xie family. ¡°why?¡± ¡°why?¡± yao ye shook his head, ¡°i don¡¯t know, but the person in your room should know.¡± ¡°what¡¯s your surname?¡± chuzheng suddenly asked. yao ye¡¯s handsome face showed confusion, ¡°haven¡¯t i told you my name, miss?¡± ¡°i asked you your surname.¡± ¡°¡­¡± yao ye was silent for a while, ¡°my surname is shen, but rest assured, miss, i won¡¯t tell anyone about this matter. i actually don¡¯t have much to do with the shen family.¡± yao ye swore with a raised hand. chuzheng got up and walked to the door. as she was leaving, she looked back, ¡°my surname is jun.¡± yao ye: ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 299 - Chapter 299: Chapter 299 Minister under the Skirt (21) chapter 299: chapter 299 minister under the skirt (21) chuzheng returned to the room, where xie shu, fully dressed, sat by the window, calmly gazing at the sea. she brought over a cloak and draped it over him, ¡°be more careful in the future, don¡¯t just take your clothes off.¡± xie shu¡¯s hand gripping the cloak tightened. ¡°what¡¯s the difference? to miss jun, am i not just a male pet?¡± his lips curled into a smile, ¡°if you tell me to strip, i must strip, right?¡± ¡°xie shu.¡± ¡°miss jun, i would like some peace for a while.¡± chuzheng adjusted the cloak around his shoulders, then turned and left the room. once chuzheng had left, xie shu reached for the location of his birthmark. had that person named yao ye¡­ told her something? heavy snow night moon¡­ he had never thought that one day, heavy snow night moon would turn into purgatory, where out of the heavy snow, the flames of karma would arise. xie shu closed his eyes. the images before him just couldn¡¯t be dispelled. ¡°xie shu, leave this place, don¡¯t seek revenge, just survive.¡± ¡°shu shu, survive.¡± ¡°xie shu, you must live¡­ don¡¯t seek revenge, don¡¯t harbor resentment, your survival is the hope.¡± xie shu¡¯s fingertips turned pale. he struggled hard to live; he really did try¡­ xie shu looked towards the sea. he was heading to the place where he had lost everything. ¨C chuzheng didn¡¯t return that night, and only the invincible wu di was hopping around on the shelf, muttering something. xie shu lay in bed, listening to the sound of the sea breeze outside. his wound felt a bit uncomfortable. xie shu turned over in bed. wu di fluttered up. xie shu sat up, ¡°can you talk?¡± wu di: ¡°¡­¡± should i talk? that woman said not to listen to disorderly speech. ¡°what¡¯s your name?¡± wu di: ¡°¡­¡± wu di fluttered down. ¡°how do you know her?¡± wu di couldn¡¯t help but reply, ¡°caught.¡± xie shu: ¡°¡­¡± the tianjin mouse was caught by her, and so was this bird. even himself¡­ xie shu lay back down. ¡°did she tell you to watch over me?¡± ¡°no,¡± wu di denied, ¡°she locked the door. you can¡¯t escape even if you want to.¡± xie shu: ¡°¡­¡± xie shu closed his eyes, and the pain of his wound intensified, spreading along his meridians as if it had permeated his heart. in his half-conscious state, xie shu felt someone embracing him from behind, gentle xuan qi covering his knees, alleviating the pain. he opened his eyes, but he was too tired. when he woke up, there was no one by his side. it was like this for two consecutive days. xie shu put on the red garments sent by yao ye, and yao ye showed no abnormality, ¡°your wound is healing quite quickly, but¡­¡± xie shu tightened his belt, ¡°young master yao ye, please speak frankly.¡± yao ye said, ¡°your wound has been treated with medicine, a very special medicine. although i¡¯ve cleaned it, because you¡¯ve been like this for a while and you don¡¯t have xuan qi protecting body, the wound affects the core. you¡¯ll likely feel pain periodically from now on.¡± the red-clothed young master, with his striking beauty, raised an eyebrow and smiled lightly, ¡°that will make it a memorable experience.¡± he knew that murong ce wouldn¡¯t be so kind-hearted. yao ye just felt that the person in front of him was somewhat too beautiful. how could anyone be so good-looking? and a man at that. such comparisons could really kill one¡¯s self-esteem! yao ye coughed, ¡°well¡­ when it hurts, ask miss jun to use xuan qi to alleviate it for you, it¡¯ll help a lot.¡± xie shu smiled, ¡°good, thanks to young master yao ye.¡± ¡°eh¡­ no thanks, miss jun is paying the money.¡± it wasn¡¯t just any item, it would be hard for him not to be tempted. after yao ye had left the room, chuzheng was waiting outside. xie shu watched them talk for a while before she pushed the door open and entered. ¡°we¡¯ll arrive the day after tomorrow.¡± chuzheng¡¯s eyebrows held a trace of indifference, ¡°you should rest well.¡± ¡°miss jun, could you help me comb my hair?¡± the man was leaning against the window, his red clothes as vivid as flame, the sea breeze brushing through his ink-black hair, like an enchanting spirit from a painting, every movement designed to seduce. ¡°comb it yourself.¡± it wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t have hands, why should i do it! i¡¯m too lazy to even comb my own! ¡°¡­¡± xie shu combed his own hair. he looked at chuzheng, ¡°miss jun, you don¡¯t have to wait for me to fall asleep before you come back tonight.¡± before chuzheng could reply, he continued, ¡°i¡¯m not that fussy, and after all we¡¯ve already¡­¡± he seemed to struggle to continue, took a deep breath, and smiled with a captivating and enticing grin, ¡°come back early.¡± chuzheng nodded thoughtfully. that very night, indeed, she didn¡¯t wait for him to fall asleep before returning. xie shu lay down with his back to chuzheng. chuzheng wrapped her arms around him from behind, her lips placing a kiss on his neck. xie shu¡¯s body stiffened slightly. he took a deep breath in his heart, turned around, and kissed chuzheng¡¯s lips. his kisses were somewhat clumsy, licking and nibbling. ¡°xie shu, stop this.¡± chuzheng pushed him away. ¡°miss jun, don¡¯t you want me?¡± xie shu¡¯s voice held a teasing tone, ¡°i can.¡± ¡°xie shu, you truly don¡¯t wish for this.¡± chuzheng¡¯s voice was calm, ¡°whatever you need, just tell me, you don¡¯t have to do this.¡± xie shu¡¯s deliberate actions during the day, how could chuzheng not see through them? if he was planning to take the chance to escape, then she would have to keep him confined. if it was for something else, he simply needed to state it plainly. after all, the demands made with the good person card, whether one likes it or not, must be fulfilled. ¡°i want the jun family to receive their deserved retribution.¡± xie shu¡¯s words carried a smile, ¡°miss jun, can you help me?¡± ¡°the jun family?¡± ¡°yes, i want them to pay the price. you must have heard from that person called yao ye, right? who i am, where i come from, what i¡¯ve been through¡­¡± chuzheng held him, gently patting his back, ¡°alright.¡± the words ¡®what?¡¯ got stuck in xie shu¡¯s throat. he suddenly felt a sourness in his heart, an acute discomfort. why did she agree to him¡­ isn¡¯t she a jun? even if she doesn¡¯t remember, she should know what her surname represents. she would be an enemy to her own family; does she not care? ¡°why?¡± ¡°what you desire is what i aim to accomplish.¡± ¨C in the middle of the night. xie shu was woken by the flapping sound of wu di. he didn¡¯t feel chuzheng¡¯s warmth, opened his eyes, and looked towards where wu di was. the lights were bright outside the room, illuminating everything inside. the ship seemed to have stopped¡­ have we arrived? but something seemed off. xie shu pushed open the window and looked out. the horizon was still dark, the ship stationary at sea, the deck lit by only a faint light, not a soul in sight. with doubt, xie shu got out of bed and walked to the door. wu di, flapping his wings, landed on his shoulder, ¡°are you going out?¡± ¡°what¡¯s happening outside?¡± ¡°you should see for yourself,¡± wu di said, his voice tinged with fear. xie shu opened the door and saw only the torches meant for lighting in the hallway. there was no one else in sight, the entire corridor was eerily quiet. he had not left the room during this period and was not very familiar with the outside. xie shu found the stairs leading downstairs. at the bottom level, he saw someone standing at the stairwell, seemingly guarding the stairs. ¡°young master xie,¡± someone called out to him. the person guarding the stairway stepped aside, indicating he could pass. Chapter 300 - Chapter 300: Chapter 300 Minister under the Skirt (22) chapter 300: chapter 300 minister under the skirt (22) ¡°` in the hall, many people were bound, and hei liu was tied up alone to a post, while the rest who were not tied up were all people from the ship. but from the current situation, it was clear these people had already mutinied. chuzheng sat on hei liu¡¯s throne, her fingertips drumming against her wrist, her expression carrying a hint of coolness as she looked down indifferently, like a queen looking down upon the mountains and rivers. this was the scene xie shu witnessed when he entered. he was led over by someone. what had happened? chuzheng looked over at him, her voice clear and cold, ¡°woken up?¡± her voice was actually quite pleasant, but it carried a chill, like a flowing icy spring. xie shu replied, ¡°wu di woke me with noise.¡± chuzheng glanced at wu di. wu di: ¡°¡­¡± i was scared, okay? chuzheng stood up, extending her hand toward xie shu. xie shu hesitated, silently reminding himself of his own status, and placed his hand in hers. however, xie shu had not expected chuzheng to let him sit, while she stood to one side. ¡°miss, we¡¯ve found the person.¡± someone came in from outside. chuzheng nodded, ¡°bring him in.¡± murong ce, with his mouth gagged and arms held, was dragged in. his legs were of no use, and he was thrown to the ground, landing directly on the floor. his disheveled appearance bore no trace of a noble young master. murong ce lifted his head, his wolf-like fierce gaze landing on xie shu before quickly shifting to chuzheng. murong ce did not know that the person who had purchased xie shu was chuzheng. only now did he realize that chuzheng was also on this ship. ¡°biting the hand that feeds you?¡± chuzheng looked at hei liu, ¡°quite bold.¡± hei liu¡¯s face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. time was running out, and if he didn¡¯t act now, he would lose the chance, so hei liu chose today to make his move. little did he know, instead of capturing the target, he ended up captured himself. ¡°if you kill me, you won¡¯t reach your destination,¡± hei liu spoke out. ¡°oh, is that so?¡± ¡°hmph, no one knows this route besides me, hei liu. even if we are about to arrive, without me, hei liu, you won¡¯t make it,¡± hei liu was confident. ¡°i never said i was going to kill you.¡± chuzheng stepped down the wooden stairs. ¡°what do you want then?¡± chuzheng didn¡¯t reply, instead, she turned her gaze toward murong ce. in her palm, she flipped out two metal spikes and handed them to hei liu, ¡°do as i say and you¡¯ll not only live, but you¡¯ll also gain more benefits.¡± ¡°¡­¡± hei liu looked at murong ce. murong ce could not speak and could only widen his eyes. he knew very well what those things were; he had personally driven them into xie shu¡¯s legs. after an internal struggle, hei liu had no choice but to agree to chuzheng¡¯s proposal. he didn¡¯t want to die, and his only bargaining chip was the shipping route. hei liu didn¡¯t know, as she pressured him, whether he would be able to hold out. now chuzheng was offering him another way out. chuzheng bent down to meet murong ce¡¯s gaze, ¡°murong ce, i regret not getting rid of you last time.¡± ¡°mmm mmm mmm!!¡± murong ce roared through his gagged throat. chuzheng¡¯s cold words crashed down, ¡°did you think you could touch my people?¡± hei liu: ¡°miss, i must remind you, he is from the murong family. if you do anything to him, aren¡¯t you afraid of the murong family¡¯s retaliation?¡± once they reached dongyuan, it would be within the murong family¡¯s sphere of influence. chuzheng, with her arms folded, looked at hei liu, ¡°you were the one who acted, not me.¡± hei liu: ¡°¡­¡± he wanted to live, so he had to kill murong ce, but once murong ce was dead, he would almost certainly have no way to escape. this woman¡­ was terrifying. hei liu felt a chill shoot up from his soles to his forehead. he had run this route for so many years. ¡°` the big shots from dongyuan had encountered him before, but he never felt like this, as though his entire being had turned cold. just one look from her made one feel as if falling into a deep abyss. ¡°i understand,¡± hei liu took a deep breath, ¡°young master murong has never boarded my ship.¡± chuzheng stepped onto the stairs, bent down, and met xie shu¡¯s gaze, ¡°want to do it yourself?¡± xie shu moved past chuzheng, looking towards murong ce. he shook his head. ¡°then let¡¯s go back.¡± chuzheng rose to her feet, arm in arm with xie shu. murong ce watched the departing figures of chuzheng and xie shu, roaring in protest. hei liu ordered his men to restrain him. murong ce glared furiously. ¡°i apologize, young master murong,¡± said hei liu, ¡°this world is the survival of the fittest; i had no choice.¡± the incident arose quickly and was quelled just as fast. as far as hei liu and the others were concerned, they would rather not remember it, thank you. yao ye didn¡¯t find out about the incident until the next day. he merely sighed, as if such occurrences were usual. he felt neither sympathy for hei liu nor thought chuzheng had gone too far. the transfer station was just a desolate little town. the population was sparse, and if one wished to go to dongyuan, they had to find someone else. however, with hei liu acting as a connector and chuzheng¡¯s financial backing, negotiations with the other party were quickly settled. the departure was set for zi hour. they would still need to take a ship. ¨C half a month later. dongyuan pingqiu prefecture, coastline. thick fog spread over the distant sea, the blazing sun unable to penetrate that layer of mist, as if something terrifying resided within it. however, at that moment, a vague shadow emerged from the fog. it was a large ship with black sails, moving at high speed. in the blink of an eye, it had cut through the fog and neared the shore. two small boats gradually approached the shore, delivering people to the coast, then returned to the big ship, which disappeared back into the fog, out of sight. ¡°this is dongyuan,¡± yao ye led the way, ¡°where do you want to go? maybe we can travel together.¡± ¡°what place is this?¡± chuzheng asked. ¡°this is pingqiu prefecture,¡± yao ye, familiar with dongyuan, provided commentary, ¡°pingqiu prefecture covers a wide area with harsh conditions and a mix of people. it¡¯s considered a lawless zone. people here are extremely vicious; take extra care.¡± dongyuan is divided into prefectures, and each prefecture is further divided into various towns and cities. apart from the shen, jun, and murong families, there are other clans as well, and these jurisdictions are clearly demarcated. pingqiu prefecture is the only territory that hasn¡¯t been allocated. all the shady activities, such as ¡®smuggling¡¯, basically take place here in pingqiu prefecture. seeing xie shu lagging behind, chuzheng, holding the tianjin mouse, stopped to wait for him. ¡°miss jun, i won¡¯t run,¡± xie shu raised his eyebrows and smiled, ¡°rest assured.¡± chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± a passive-aggressive good person card. chuzheng pulled his cloak tighter around him, sweeping wu di off his shoulder. with a flutter, wu di fell to the ground. ¡°if i see it again, i¡¯ll strip its fur off.¡± wu di: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°miss jun, no need to get upset over a little creature; i quite like it,¡± xie shu spoke up for wu di. ¡°i¡¯ll get you a leash for it,¡± chuzheng suggested, ¡°it doesn¡¯t deserve to stand on your shoulder.¡± xie shu: ¡°¡­¡± wu di: ¡°¡­¡± the boss is really after me! ¡°why is the weather here so chilly?¡± chuzheng asked yao ye, who was ahead. yao ye was covering his arms, using xuan qi protecting body. there was no breeze, the weather was clear, but for some reason, it was very cold. ¡°i haven¡¯t been back in a long time; maybe dongyuan is in winter?¡± yao ye wasn¡¯t sure. according to his schedule, dongyuan should be transitioning from spring to summer at this time and should be warming up, not this cold. could it be that he was away for too long and misremembered? Chapter 301 - Chapter 301: Chapter 301 Minister under the Skirt (23) chapter 301: chapter 301 minister under the skirt (23) chuzheng drew xie shu¡¯s hand into her cloak, hugging him as they moved forward, with xuan qi protecting him, completely shielding him from the chill. xie shu seemed contemplative as he gazed into the distance, the light in his eyes dimming slightly. five years¡­ yao ye led the way, and they didn¡¯t encounter anyone for about two hours, until at last they saw a group of sizeable structures. [main quest: please spend twenty ice snow crystals within two hours.] the king¡¯s account began to play its role with utmost diligence. chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± damn it! [miss, let¡¯s be civil, we should act like someone who wastes their fortune with quality.] shut up! [¡­] why must you be so fierce, look at the other young ladies, how gentle they are, never swearing. why must it be so miserable, wuwuwu. chuzheng hugged xie shu, suddenly resting her head against his shoulder. xie shu paused slightly, ¡°miss jun, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°i want to kiss you.¡± i want to kiss the good person card, i want to kiss¡­ ¡°¡­¡± xie shu looked ahead, yao ye had already crossed the hill and was out of sight. xie shu lowered his head and kissed chuzheng¡¯s lips. it was quick, and he lifted the corners of his lips slightly, ¡°miss jun, is that enough?¡± chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± i didn¡¯t even feel it! chuzheng thought she had indulged him for so long, it was time to collect some interest, so she grabbed him and kissed him. xie shu, hugged by chuzheng at the waist and with no escape, clenched his teeth subconsciously. ¡°be good, open up.¡± xie shu refused. ¡°miss jun, young master xie, hurry up.¡± yao ye¡¯s voice came from over the hill. ¡°if you don¡¯t open your mouth, yao ye will come over soon, do you want him to see?¡± xie shu: ¡°¡­¡± chuzheng¡¯s threat worked, and xie shu relaxed his jaw. the next second, his lips and teeth were pried open, and a soft tongue slipped in. ¡°miss jun, young master xie?¡± ¡°what are you doing?¡± yao ye¡¯s voice grew closer, and chuzheng let go of xie shu, casually taking him over the hillside. ¨C yao ye felt something was amiss when he entered the city; there used to be a lot of people when he visited before, but now the entire city seemed desolate. ¡°brother, where is everyone?¡± yao ye grabbed someone to ask. ¡°they all went to lingxiang residence.¡± ¡°what are they doing in lingxiang residence?¡± ¡°you don¡¯t know?¡± yao ye scratched his head, looking unlucky, ¡°cough, i fell into a secret realm before and have just come out.¡± there are many secret realms in dongyuan, and many don¡¯t contain any treasures at all. it¡¯s possible to be stuck in one for years before getting out. so when yao ye said this, the person didn¡¯t doubt him at all. ¡°there¡¯s a relic that¡¯s been found in lingxiang residence. someone hired a lot of people from here to take them there.¡± ¡°what kind of relic?¡± ¡°how would i know that? but i heard the relic has already been closed, and there¡¯s a rumor that the family head of the shen family was injured.¡± yao ye asked a few more questions and then left with a rather grim expression. ¡°i have to return for a bit, if you need anything, use this to find me at the shen family.¡± yao ye handed chuzheng a token. he glanced at xie shu, pulling chuzheng to the side. ¡°don¡¯t let anyone find out he¡¯s from the xie family of heavy snow night moon.¡± ¡°understood.¡± yao ye left in a hurry, and chuzheng took xie shu to engage in some wasteful spending. chuzheng exchanged ice snow crystals for a comfortable carriage. the ice snow crystal originates from snowy mountains, it¡¯s not exactly a rare treasure, but exchanging it for a carriage is a bit too extravagant. this place was not large, and it didn¡¯t take long for the news of chuzheng exchanging the carriage to spread everywhere. after that, chuzheng traded for quite a few other items, behaving generously, just like a wasteful young master from a wealthy family. in a place like pingqiu prefecture, it was easy to attract unwanted attention. after dealing with two groups of people with ill intentions, chuzheng returned to the carriage. xie shu was sitting inside the carriage, wrapped in a cloak, a hint of fiery red peeking out from underneath, and his hair hanging down to his chest. he appeared tranquil and serene with his eyes lowered. when chuzheng got in, xie shu slightly lifted his eyes, which seemed to ripple like the surface of a lake, ¡°miss jun, where are you heading?¡± ¡°first to the big city up ahead.¡± ¡°and after that?¡± ¡°i don¡¯t know.¡± xie shu looked at her, his red lips parting slightly, ¡°¡­i want to return to the xie family of heavy snow night moon.¡± ¡°alright.¡± a tremor fluttered through xie shu¡¯s heart. chuzheng leaned closer to him, ¡°but there is one condition.¡± xie shu¡¯s heart sank suddenly, had he been naive again? he suppressed his disappointment, ¡°please tell me, miss jun.¡± ¡°kiss me once.¡± ¡°¡­just that?¡± ¡°otherwise?¡± chuzheng¡¯s cool gaze fell upon him. he had thought it would at least be¡­ anyway, having kissed so many times already, xie shu did not feel embarrassed and took the initiative to lean forward and kiss her. xie shu knew he was asking for a favor, so he made the kiss last nearly five minutes. ¨C ¡°miss, if we continue forward, we will reach the area where xuan beasts gather. it might be troublesome to pass through at night.¡± a team stopped on a narrow road, and a man dressed in blue stood in front of a carriage, reporting. the curtains were lifted by a pair of white hands, and the veiled woman, showing a trace of impatience in her features, said frowning, ¡°find a place to stay overnight.¡± ¡°yes.¡± the team set off again in search of a place to settle down. in this area of wilderness and rugged mountains, they had expected to spend the night in the open air, but unexpectedly, they saw a dilapidated building not far ahead. what was surprising was that there were people inside. ¡°li liang, are there people ahead?¡± the woman¡¯s inquiry came from inside the carriage. li liang, the man in blue, immediately replied, ¡°yes, it seems they are also passing through.¡± ¡°then let¡¯s stay here for the night,¡± the woman said. ¡°yes.¡± li liang halted the team and headed alone towards the building. several men stood outside the building, joking about vulgar matters, their attire not resembling that of people from noble families. li liang made his judgment. ¡°brothers.¡± li liang cupped his fist, ¡°i wonder if we could stay here for one night?¡± the man sitting at the entrance, chewing on a root, eyeing him with a somewhat blatant gaze as if assessing his strength. li liang released the pressure of a divine king without changing his expression. in dongyuan, xuan saints were common. above them were divine kings, divine emperors, divine sages, and at the pinnacle, the divine master. there¡¯s only one level difference between a xuan saint and a divine king, but the gap is as wide as the difference between heaven and earth. many stop at being xuan saints. the man stood up, ¡°wait a moment, i¡¯ll ask.¡± li liang nodded politely, but inside, he was puzzled. this man was also of divine king strength, could there be someone behind him? the man went inside, and it was a while before he came back out, ¡°sorry, our lady doesn¡¯t like noise. you can¡¯t come inside, but the area outside isn¡¯t our territory, so feel free to do as you please.¡± li liang frowned. he glanced at the sky, ¡°brother, it looks like it¡¯s going to rain. could you make an exception? we should help each other when we¡¯re on the road, maybe create some good karma, right?¡± the man scoffed, ¡°what does the rain have to do with us? we said you can¡¯t come in, so you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°brother, we¡¯re people from the jun family.¡± li liang had no choice but to play his final card. ¡°the jun family?¡± the man exchanged a glance with those around him, ¡°wait here.¡± Chapter 302 - Chapter 302: Chapter 302 Minister under the Skirt (24) chapter 302: chapter 302 minister under the skirt (24) ¡°miss, the people outside say they are from the jun family.¡± the woman lay on a wide consort chair, cradling a man in her arms. the man seemed to be sound asleep, only revealing a small portion of his handsome and perfect profile. a golden little creature was also lying beside the woman¡¯s hand. its tail flicked back and forth against the back of her hand. its tiny paws clutched a fiery red, crystal-like object¡ªwhich, if the man wasn¡¯t mistaken, would be a fire crystal. even the pet¡¯s snack was a fire crystal¡­ the woman slightly lifted her eyes, ¡°the jun family?¡± ¡°yes,¡± the man lowered his voice, fearing he might wake the person in the woman¡¯s arms, ¡°i saw the plaques they carry; they are indeed from the jun family.¡± no one would dare to falsely display that plaque. the jun family¡­ ¡°don¡¯t let them come near here.¡± ¡°yes.¡± the man bowed his head and left. this young lady had set up a stage in pingqiu prefecture and was ostentatiously selecting guardians, offering the exceedingly valuable azurite as a reward. pingqiu prefecture was a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. not to mention the divine king, even divine emperors and divine sages might be among them. to speak more bluntly, there may even be divine masters living incognito. how valuable is azurite? a single piece of azurite might not catch the eye of the major clans. but for those middle-tier families that were neither high nor low, they would all vie for it, let alone the fact that she was offering one piece to anyone who was selected. the key was the young lady¡¯s strength, which was said to be only at the level of xuan king. xuan king, of all ranks! in dongyuan, you¡¯d only find xuan kings among children under ten. for someone of chuzheng¡¯s age, that was a rarity¡ªan oddity¡ªaffectionately known by dongyuan¡¯s people as ¡®throwaways¡¯. therefore, as soon as this stage was set, the entire pingqiu prefecture boiled with excitement. some thought she was hiding her real strength. others speculated she was the prodigal child of some big family making an appearance. but regardless, the competition proceeded as normal, and those who were selected indeed received their piece of azurite on the spot. grab the stone and run? why run? she¡¯d said it herself: if you do well, azurite is nothing. consider the audacity of that claim. all along the way, they didn¡¯t know where they were going, only that the extremely good-looking young master was leading the way. and that young master was pampered and cherished by the young lady. even these men couldn¡¯t help but feel envious at the sight. the man didn¡¯t know how to negotiate with li liang; in the end, li liang¡¯s team could only camp nearby. ¨C the night passed without incident. in the morning, they packed up, ready to set off and leave. xie shu was standing outside when suddenly a woman from the other camp approached. even though the woman was veiled, xie shu recognized her at a glance. chu yingyu. ¡°xie shu,¡± chu yingyu¡¯s eyes were filled with joy and excitement, ¡°how come you are here?¡± chu yingyu reached out to pull xie shu towards her. the man beside xie shu stepped forward to separate them, ¡°miss, what do you intend to do?¡± this was miss chuzheng¡¯s treasured darling; they couldn¡¯t just let anyone touch him. chu yingyu frowned at fang sheng who was blocking her, her eyebrows raised in indignation, ¡°i¡¯m talking to him. who are you to get in the way? move aside!¡± the man¡¯s attire was as red as fire, his face as fine as jade, his features intricately and fastidiously sculpted, and the depth of his eyes reflected chu yingyu¡¯s figure, with strands of chilliness woven through them. ¡°xie shu, come here,¡± chu yingyu beckoned to xie shu with an outstretched hand. xie shu¡¯s lips slowly curved into a bright, bewitching smile. chu yingyu was instantly mesmerized. after such a long time, he was still so good-looking. the man had a charm and smile that could make anyone fall, every gesture of his able to captivate the soul, and one would be willingly entranced by him. he parted his thin lips, articulating each word clearly, his tone rising lightly at the end, ¡°your royal highness the grand imperial princess, i¡¯m sorry, but i don¡¯t belong to you now.¡± chu yingyu snapped back to reality, ¡°xie shu, don¡¯t forget who you are. i¡¯ll say it once more, come here.¡± xie shu chuckled softly; his eyelashes fluttered, and although his face bore a smile, it did not reach his eyes, ¡°unaware of my identity, are you?¡± ¡°xie shu, you were saved by me. you belong to me for this lifetime, have you forgotten?¡± how could she bear to let go of this man. in dongyuan, he was the one she worried about the most. she never expected to see him here. this was probably her biggest surprise. no matter what, she had to take him with her today. ¡°xie shu, if you don¡¯t want these people to get involved, follow me.¡± chu yingyu threatened, ¡°this is dongyuan.¡± ¡°yes, this is dongyuan,¡± xie shu responded softly. chu yingyu frowned, feeling an odd sense of foreboding. but this odd feeling was quickly suppressed; she was here with the jun family¡¯s people, why should she be afraid of this rabble around xie shu? chu yingyu raised her hand, and li liang, along with his men, approached. ¡°take him away, kill anyone who interferes without mercy.¡± li liang acknowledged the command, and the divine king¡¯s imposing pressure unfolded, sweeping toward the other side. however, before li liang could make a move, his whole body was sent flying backward, crashing into the carriage behind and sliding across the ground for a distance before finally stopping. chu yingyu and the others were shocked by this sudden turn of events. who had just made a move? chu yingyu looked over to the dilapidated doorway, where a girl had appeared at some point, holding a golden little creature, her slender white fingers gently caressing the little one in her arms. that girl¡­ chu yingyu¡¯s heart raced. it was a face that looked exactly like her own. the only difference was, the girl¡¯s complexion was cold and indifferent, without the slightest ripple of emotion, gazing their way as if looking at something insignificant. ¡°xie shu.¡± a cold, clear voice pierced the silence. the bewitchingly handsome man in red curved the corners of his mouth slightly, and his red robe traced a perfect arc in the air as he turned and walked towards the girl. xie shu willingly placed his hand in her outstretched palm. she couldn¡¯t even touch a strand of this man¡¯s hair, yet now he was so obliging. their close posture stung chu yingyu with jealousy and anger. chu yingyu did not recall how she had arrived in dongyuan. all she remembered was falling unconscious, and then waking up here. then she was found by the jun family, who claimed she was one of them. to avoid blowing her cover, chu yingyu had to pretend to have amnesia, not remembering much from before. she was injured at the time, so they did not doubt her story. she was taken back to the jun family and informed that she was the family¡¯s eldest daughter, who had been targeted for assassination for some reason. after some investigation, she found that the jun family¡¯s eldest daughter bore an uncanny resemblance to herself. she never expected to meet this person under such circumstances today¡­ li liang and the others were also stunned. how could there be two people who looked exactly alike? ¡°kill anyone who interferes without mercy,¡± miss chuzheng said while clutching xie shu as they descended, ¡°whom do you wish to kill?¡± always fighting and killing upon meeting, is there no sense of public decency! after all, we do look alike! ¡°you¡­¡± chu yingyu opened her lips but seemed at a loss for words. ¡°chu yingyu.¡± miss chuzheng called her name with a chilly tone. chu yingyu¡¯s heart skipped, and she glared at miss chuzheng angrily, ¡°whom are you calling?¡± miss chuzheng gave her an indifferent look, ¡°whoever should be called will be called.¡± chu yingyu: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°who is chu yingyu?¡± chu yingyu quickly retorted, ¡°my name is jun chuzheng, the eldest daughter of the jun family. if you don¡¯t want trouble, hand him over!¡± Chapter 303 - Chapter 303: Chapter 303 Minister under the Skirt (25) Chapter 303: Chapter 303 Minister under the Skirt (25) As Chu Yingyu¡¯s words fell, the light in her eyes froze. She looked down at her chest, where a silvery glow was gradually revealing itself, a silver longsword, piercing through her heart. ¡°Miss!¡± Someone shouted from behind. But Chu Yingyu could hardly hear clearly. Her vision began to darken, her body sinking, life rapidly draining away. She tried to widen her eyes, staring in the direction of Chuzheng, both horrified and angry. She didn¡¯t feel a thing. How had she done it? [Congratulations, Miss, on completing your second rewind in this realm, reloading¡­] ¨C ¡°Who is Chu Yingyu? My name is Jun Chuzheng. I am the young mistress of the Jun Family. If you don¡¯t want trouble, hand him over!¡± Chuzheng returned from the reset, and the first thing she heard was this sentence from Chu Yingyu. Chuzheng relieved her stress by stroking the Tianjin Mouse twice. What¡¯s so bad about getting rid of her once and for all? The Bastard, who didn¡¯t want a permanent solution, insisted on choosing the hard way¡ªmust be a masochist! [¡­] It¡¯s my fault for being the Spendthrift System. Chuzheng: ¡°What if I don¡¯t hand it over?¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t blame me for being impolite,¡± Chu Yingyu commanded the people behind her, ¡°Kill them all.¡± This woman looked just like herself; if she wasn¡¯t Jun Chuzheng, then she certainly was. Since that was the case, she had to die. No matter if it was for Xie Shu or for the name Jun Chuzheng. However, this command did not receive a response; the people behind were astonished by Chuzheng¡¯s appearance, questioning how she could look exactly like their miss? ¡°Fang Sheng.¡± Chuzheng called out. Fang Sheng nodded, his authority as the Divine King sweeping across the field, darting forward to launch an attack. The Jun Family¡¯s people finally came to their senses and began to fight back. However, to the Jun Family¡¯s surprise, this rabble was quite strong; most of them were Divine Kings. And there were even peak Divine Kings¡­ Because the one called Fang Sheng had been leading, they hadn¡¯t paid too much attention to those behind him. Who would have thought that the leader was not the most formidable member of the team? But this could explain why Li Liang was suddenly knocked flying. Li Liang was the first to be tossed by Chuzheng and then stunned by her appearance; now, he returned to Chu Yingyu¡¯s side. ¡°Miss, their side is too strong, we should retreat first!¡± Li Liang pulled Chu Yingyu away. Chu Yingyu was somewhat reluctant. But with the opposing power clearly displayed, Chu Yingyu and the Jun Family¡¯s men retreated dejectedly. The battle raged on, yet Chuzheng calmly took a cloak, draped it over Xie Shu, seemingly oblivious to the combat in front, and guided him to the carriage. Xie Shu looked toward the retreating Jun Family. ¡°She¡¯s usurping your identity; doesn¡¯t that make you angry?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember,¡± replied Chuzheng with a tone of indifference. ¡°¡­¡± A hint of dark color flickered through the depths of Xie Shu¡¯s profound eyes. ¡°You should be the young mistress of the Jun Family. If one day you remember, will the promise you made to me still count?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°Mm.¡± Xie Shu: ¡°They are your clan.¡± Xie Shu reminded her. She might not remember now, but when she did, to realize that her relatives and friends¡­ even the person she liked. Xie Shu¡¯s heart felt unbearably tight, his breaths becoming short. He gripped the edge of the cloak, slowly easing the discomfort. Chuzheng brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, ¡°No, they¡¯re not.¡± The sounds from outside came to a halt. Xie Shu¡¯s throat felt dry, ¡°You don¡¯t recognize your own clan?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°It¡¯s pointless.¡± Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Pointless? How could one describe relations with ¡®pointless¡¯? ¡°Then what is meaningful to you?¡± ¡°You.¡± Xie Shu¡¯s ear inexplicably warmed. Her serene voice fell upon Xie Shu¡¯s ears, like snowflakes, making its way to the bottom of his heart, soothing the tightness there. He tightened his grip on the edge of the cloak, ¡°Shameless,¡± he cursed under his breath, quickly turning his face away. His black hair fell, concealing his ears flushing with heat. Chuzheng: ¡°???¡± Completely baffled. Who has no shame? Who has no shame! Don¡¯t think just because you have a Good Person Card I won¡¯t dare to kill you! If I kill you, the worst that could happen is to start over¡­ That won¡¯t do. Only have one chance, can¡¯t rewind to the starting point. Never! That¡¯s not fair. It¡¯s just getting scolded once! ¡°What are you doing!¡± Xie Shu cried out in alarm. His voice was a bit loud, and the people like Fang Sheng standing outside the carriage all heard it, exchanging looks before dispersing into the distance. Xie Shu was pressed beneath Chuzheng on the thick cushions, receiving kisses. Due to the struggle, his cloak had come undone, his clothes were messy, and his face was flushed with color. ¡°Who has no shame?¡± Chuzheng asked him while kissing. ¡°You¡­ mmm¡­¡± Xie Shu was somewhat annoyed, her breath filled his mouth and teeth, forcefully barging into his world. ¡°Who has no shame?¡± Chuzheng pressed down on Xie Shu, her expression serious: ¡°Think carefully before you speak.¡± Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Xie Shu, completely overpowered by the kisses, had the flush on his face spread to his neck. The collarbone under his red clothes was faintly visible, and somewhere, ready to burst forth, he was pushing against the person on top of him. Xie Shu was annoyed at the bottom of his heart. ¡°Me,¡± Xie Shu gritted his teeth. Chuzheng gave him a satisfied kiss, then let him go and stood up. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense next time.¡± Chuzheng straightened out his clothes, but Xie Shu brushed her off. Chuzheng didn¡¯t mind and sat aside: ¡°Each time you talk nonsense, I¡¯ll kiss you once.¡± I¡¯m actually looking forward to it. ¡°You call that one time?¡± Was that one time? Over and over again, who knows how many times¡­ ¡°If I say it¡¯s one time, then it¡¯s one time,¡± Chuzheng insisted righteously. ¡°¡­¡± Xie Shu probably laughed out of anger, but the flush on his face, the smile in his eyes and the corners of his mouth, even with anger, was extremely good-looking. Chuzheng inwardly exclaimed, the Good Person Card looked so good. Mine. Happy. Xie Shu felt uncomfortable under Chuzheng¡¯s gaze and covered himself with the cloak, annoyed, giving her a glare. However, what made Xie Shu even more angry was ¡ª he was already not feeling that much humiliation, and he was starting to react to her in ways he shouldn¡¯t. ¨C The members of the Jun Family ran a distance before stopping, making sure no one was pursuing them from behind. ¡°Miss, why was that woman with you just now¡­¡± Chu Yingyu knew they would ask. She was at her wit¡¯s end, not knowing what was going on. That woman saw her without the slightest surprise, but did not seem to recognize her kin¡­ Could it be she had amnesia too? No, that¡¯s not right! If she had amnesia, how come she knew her own name? ¡°Miss?¡± ¡°Miss?¡± Li Liang waved his hand in front of Chu Yingyu. ¡°How would I know?¡± Chu Yingyu¡¯s tone was somewhat aggressive. Chu Yingyu¡¯s outburst visibly upset Li Liang. But as a servant, he could only take it. ¡°Miss, why did she call you Chu Yingyu?¡± Who is Chu Yingyu? ¡°Why would I know why she wants to call me that, I don¡¯t know anything.¡± Chu Yingyu hid her anger with a fierce look: ¡°Are you questioning me?¡± ¡°Li Liang dares not,¡± Li Liang lowered his head. Chu Yingyu¡¯s chest heaved twice, suppressing the shock and anger in her heart: ¡°Go check those people out, that woman using my appearance certainly has a scheme.¡± Chu Yingyu decided to label Chuzheng as someone with a scheme first. Li Liang found it strange, the strength of that group and that woman¡¯s appearance¡­ ¡°Li Liang?¡± Li Liang suppressed the doubts in his heart: ¡°¡­Yes. Miss, we must hurry along our way, or we¡¯ll run out of time.¡± Chu Yingyu: ¡°I know.¡± Chapter 304 - Chapter 304: Chapter 304 Minister under the Skirt (26) Chapter 304: Chapter 304 Minister under the Skirt (26) Fang Sheng and others hadn¡¯t seen the face behind Chu Yingyu¡¯s veil, but they felt she bore some resemblance to Chuzheng. Because of this, Chuzheng and her group continued on their way calmly. Three days later. They arrived at a city. To enter the city, they needed to check identities, and Fang Sheng was somewhat surprised because there was no need for such checks before. ¡°What happened in the city?¡± Fang Sheng offered a bribe to the city guards and inquired about the situation in the city. ¡°Master Nie Kun is in the city; they are all here seeking elixirs,¡± said the person who took the bribe, now spilling every detail: ¡°They¡¯re checking because they fear someone might harm Master Nie Kun.¡± Fang Sheng relayed what he had learned to Chuzheng. Chuzheng asked indifferently, ¡°Is Nie Kun that impressive?¡± ¡°He is the only Saint-level Alchemist in Dongyuan, and he¡¯s a valued guest wherever he goes.¡± Miss Chuzheng actually addressed him by name, luckily there was no one else present right now. Alchemists are respected in Dongyuan as who can be sure they will never be injured, fall ill, or be poisoned? Elixir Pills are precious, and becoming an alchemist requires talent, not something anyone can learn. Even ordinary alchemists are respected, let alone a Saint-level Alchemist. Even Divine Masters must be polite when facing a Saint-level Alchemist. ¨C Master Nie Kun, albeit past sixty, had a robust constitution and was lively as he brandished the curved moon blade in his hand. A young man hurriedly came along the corridor: ¡°Master, someone is requesting an audience.¡± The old man put away the curved moon blade, and his booming voice echoed through the courtyard: ¡°No audience.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± the young man hesitated, ¡°the visitor claims to be from the Jun Family.¡± ¡°The Jun Family?¡± Nie Kun turned his head to look at the young man, who nodded. Nie Kun pondered briefly: ¡°I¡¯ll go there in a bit.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nie Kun changed into proper attire and walked into the meeting hall with his hands behind his back. The people inside immediately stood up and cast respectful glances at the old man. The woman at the forefront took two steps forward and curtsied deeply: ¡°I¡¯ve come to see Master Nie Kun.¡± Nie Kun walked to the main seat without a sideward glance and seated himself after flicking his robe. Being so disregarded, Chu Yingyu felt an invisible dissatisfaction in her heart, but she couldn¡¯t afford to offend the person in front of her, so she had to endure it. ¡°Master, I am the eldest daughter of the Jun Family, Jun Chuzheng.¡± ¡°How come I wasn¡¯t aware that the Jun Family had an eldest daughter?¡± Nie Kun was quite blunt, questioning her on the spot. Chu Yingyu had heard this question before, and she politely replied: ¡°I was unwell before, and the elders of the clan instructed me to recuperate in the mountains.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Nie Kun sipped his tea, not sparing her a glance: ¡°What brings you to me.¡± Chu Yingyu took a deep breath: ¡°Master, I have come to request the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill.¡± Nie Kun set down his teacup, and the lid clattered noisily onto the table, startling everyone present into holding their breath. Nie Kun¡¯s face darkened: ¡°Show them out.¡± ¡°Master, the Jun Family is very sincere, and you may choose anything you wish from what the Jun Family has,¡± Chu Yingyu blurted out urgently, yet Nie Kun¡¯s expression grew even more displeased. Nie Kun¡¯s disciple quickly ushered the visitors out. ¡°Please leave.¡± Chu Yingyu was somewhat puzzled: ¡°Young brother, why did the master suddenly get angry?¡± She had only said one sentence¡­ ¡°Miss Jun, the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill is a top-tier Saint-level elixir. My master possesses only one, and he most certainly won¡¯t part with it,¡± the young man explained and, without waiting for Chu Yingyu¡¯s reaction, closed the door. Nie Kun had produced the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill amidst purple lightning from the heavens, and if not for Nie Kun¡¯s own formidable strength, it¡¯s likely he would have perished on the spot. The Primordial Spirit Golden Pill can revive the dead; as long as there¡¯s a breath left, it can make someone jump back to life. This is tantamount to an extra life. Nie Kun had such a treasure, and word got out, leading to countless people seeking the elixir. But this was a treasure Nie Kun had exchanged for with his life; he was unwilling to give it away. Chu Yingyu was just the first wave; the second wave was from the Shen Family, followed by people from the Murong Family. Master Nie Kun was so pestered by the continual visits that he had no choice but to hold a contest. Whoever could present something that truly intrigued him would receive the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill. Therefore, for this contest, various families began to drain their coffers. [Main Quest: Please purchase the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard, are you retarded? [¡­ Miss, please don¡¯t insult me!] It is not retarded! They said they want rare treasures. No matter how much money you offer, they won¡¯t want it. Can¡¯t you buy happiness with money? Don¡¯t you understand? Money isn¡¯t almighty! Really! How about this¡­ [Miss, what are you planning to do?] I¡¯ll steal it back. [¡­] I knew it! King¡¯s Account tried to calm itself down, [Miss, it¡¯s only because the price you offered hasn¡¯t hit the right spot. Money can do anything! It¡¯s just that you¡¯re not using it the right way!] Oh. Chuzheng gave a cold face. How are you going to make an offer that hits the right spot in their heart? By digging it out? You¡¯re really vicious. King¡¤Evil¡¤Bastard¡¤Poisonous¡¤Account went crazy. Who on earth is vicious here!! Dig out the heart? What kind of operation is that! You must be a demon! [What do alchemists lack?] Smile and provide service, smile and provide service, smile and provide service. I¡¯m not an alchemist, how would I know what they lack? Maybe they need a person? [¡­] Lacking a big-headed person, huh!! [What alchemists lack are exceptional natural treasures and alchemy furnaces.] King¡¯s Account tried to remind itself that its chosen host needs patience, guidance, and could still be turned around. [Now, Miss, please follow my hints to do the task.] Chuzheng lay back down on the bed. I¡¯m not going. Freak. [¡­] King¡¯s Account really wanted to stab its host to death. Don¡¯t fucking stop me! ¨C Worn down by King¡¯s Account, Chuzheng began the task unwillingly. King¡¯s Account indeed thoroughly embodied the principle of squandering wealth. Throughout it all, it kept making her squander money, and it wasn¡¯t even those random stones, but the common currency¡ªXuan Stones. The entire city knew of a spendthrift who was endlessly spending Xuan Stones all over town. Chuzheng¡¯s actions caused such a stir that they alerted Chu Yingyu in the city. Chu Yingyu didn¡¯t know what Chuzheng was up to and hid in the shadows to watch for several days without discovering anything. Li Liang happened to find out information about Chuzheng. ¡°They first appeared in Pingqiu Prefecture. Previously, there was news of someone setting up a ring fight there to find a guardian. That person was her. Other than being generous with money, there¡¯s not much other information.¡± Chu Yingyu had already witnessed her generosity. That couldn¡¯t just be described as generous¡ªit was downright squandering. Chu Yingyu asked, ¡°What about before Pingqiu Prefecture?¡± She wanted to know where she came from and why Xie Shu was with her. Li Liang shook his head: ¡°I don¡¯t know; they just suddenly appeared in Pingqiu Prefecture.¡± Pingqiu Prefecture was an area that no one cared about, so no one paid attention to where people came from. ¡°Where are they going?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but¡­¡± Li Liang looked toward the outskirts of the city, frowning, ¡°further ahead lies the Skeleton Forest, infested with Xuan beasts. It¡¯s filled with dangers.¡± There are two forests in Dongyuan. The Xuan beasts of the Skeleton Forest are powerful, despise humans, and if there¡¯s not a powerful human leading, most people would not venture into that forest. Chapter 305 - Chapter 305: Chapter 305 Minister under the Skirt (27) Chapter 305: Chapter 305 Minister under the Skirt (27) The day of the competition set by Master Nie Kun. It is called a competition, but it¡¯s more of a contest. A contest to see which family possesses more rare and extraordinary treasures. Of course, compared to rare and extraordinary treasures, the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill which is equivalent to a life seems more important. Without life, what is the use of numerous rare treasures? ¡°Has the Shen Family arrived?¡± ¡°Not just the Shen Family, the Murong Family¡¯s people have arrived too, see? Those over there are all from the Murong Family. With this kind of display, one would think they are here to rob openly.¡± The Murong Family occupies a significant number of seats, making them easily noticeable to anyone. ¡°Which are the people from the Shen Family?¡± someone asked curiously. The Murong Family has always been ostentatious; you can tell by their attire. But the Shen Family is more low-key; they travel without displaying their banner, so it¡¯s normal not to recognize them. ¡°That one.¡± Someone pointed at Yao Ye sitting in front. The young and handsome youth was particularly conspicuous. ¡°So young?¡± ¡°The Young Master of the Shen Family,¡± someone said. ¡°Rumor has it that he fell out with the Shen Family before, and there has been no news of him for some time.¡± ¡°The Shen Family has come to seek medicine this time for Patriarch Shen, right? I heard he was injured at the relic site before.¡± ¡°The people from the Jun Family have arrived.¡± At the entrance, a veiled woman arrived gracefully, followed by the people of the Jun Family. Facing the pointing and whispered discussions of others, the woman walked calmly to her designated seat. ¡°Who¡¯s leading them?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know her, never seen this person before.¡± People seemed somewhat clueless about Chu Yingyu and did not recognize her. ¡°All three major families have arrived¡­¡± Not only the three major families, but other clans had also sent representatives. Some were determined to succeed, some were just there to watch the drama unfold, and there seemed to be others planning to fish in troubled waters. After the crowd had waited at the site for a while, Master Nie Kun arrived fashionably late, yet no one dared to speak ill of him. As a Saint-level Alchemist, such a trivial scene was completely beneath Master Nie Kun¡¯s notice. After some succinct pleasantries, he directly got to the point. ¡°You are all here today for the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill.¡± At the mention of the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill, the atmosphere on the field immediately tensed with excitement. ¡°The Primordial Spirit Golden Pill is hard to come by. Since you all wish to have it, let¡¯s see who can present something to move my heart in exchange.¡± Master Nie Kun¡¯s voice resonated like a bell, reaching throughout the entire area. Once Master Nie Kun was seated, the youth stepped forward. ¡°If anyone is interested in the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill, feel free to quote a price, and my master will stop you if he is interested.¡± The youth made a welcoming gesture. There were no rules or restrictions. ¡°Golden Roc,¡± the first person called out. Immediately, a quiet discussion erupted amongst the crowd. ¡°A mutated Holy Beast, that¡¯s quite a generous offer to start with.¡± ¡°If it were a Divine Beast, there might be a chance, but a Holy Beast¡­¡± ¡°What would Master Nie Kun want with a Holy Beast?¡± The question was on point. Nie Kun is an Alchemist. What would he need a Holy Beast for? To make elixirs? Master Nie Kun¡¯s expression remained solemn as he sipped his tea, clearly uninterested, and the youth gestured with his hand for the next person to proceed. ¡°Cloud Dragon Sword,¡± the second person quoted. ¡­ Over ten people cited their rare and extraordinary treasures in succession, but none managed to catch Nie Kun¡¯s eye. Among the items mentioned, some were indeed precious, perhaps even the treasures upon which families were founded. ¡°Xuan Fire Fruit.¡± A man from the Murong Family spoke out, and Master Nie Kun, who had been lowering his eyes, finally lifted his eyelids. The surroundings instantly quieted down. The Xuan Fire Fruit, rumored to flower and bear fruit every thousand years, could allow a Divine Emperor to advance directly to Divine Sage when consumed. It was difficult for a Divine Emperor to advance to Divine Sage; many could not overcome that hurdle. But with the Xuan Fire Fruit, it was different¡ª it was like having a direct pass to become a Divine Sage. The speaking man continued, ¡°Master Nie Kun, it is said that you have always been looking for the Xuan Fire Fruit. The Murong Family is fortunate to have obtained it, and of course, should Master Nie Kun have any other needs, the Murong Family will present them with both hands.¡± Chu Yingyu¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. Li Liang whispered in her ear, ¡°Miss, the Murong Family has come prepared, our chances are not great.¡± What exactly could catch Master Nie Kun¡¯s eye was unclear to everyone. ¡°Let¡¯s wait a bit longer; the Shen Family hasn¡¯t made a move yet,¡± Chu Yingyu said. Li Liang nodded. What the Murong Family had brought out was seemingly the most substantial thing so far, and the others dared not bid anymore. But Master Nie Kun did not call a halt, proving that while the fruit was precious, it was not what he wanted. If the Xuan Fire Fruit could not move him, what else could¡­ ¡°Fantasy Moon Lotus.¡± A young voice from the Shen Family¡¯s seat rang out. ¡°Master, the Fantasy Moon Lotus may not be as precious as the Xuan Fire Fruit, but it should be more useful to you,¡± he said. In the Dongyuan Skeleton Forest, there is an Illusion Realm where nine out of ten people who enter die and the survivor invariably goes mad. The Fantasy Moon Lotus grows within that Illusion Realm; aside from its rarity, acquiring it is not something an ordinary person can achieve. Nie Kun nodded slightly, speaking for the first time, ¡°The Fantasy Moon Lotus is indeed what I need, but it is still not enough to exchange for the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill.¡± At this moment, Yao Ye was no longer the talkative sort, but instead appeared very calm and collected, displaying the demeanor of a Young Master. Yao Ye frowned slightly, ¡°Master Nie Kun, what if we add a Divine Beast?¡± ¡°Master Nie Kun, the Murong Family can also offer a Divine Beast,¡± the Murong Family immediately followed. Yao Ye glanced over there, and the people from the Murong Family looked back provocatively, as the invisible smoke of confrontation spread through the air. ¡°Flame Dragon Pearl.¡± All eyes turned towards the direction of the new voice, and the veiled woman nodded slightly, ¡°Would this catch Master Nie Kun¡¯s eye?¡± Yao Ye and the people from the Murong Family immediately looked like they faced a formidable opponent. To the average person, the Flame Dragon Pearl might just seem like a bead that emits flames. But for an alchemist, its allure was as great as their current need for the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill. Indeed, Nie Kun seemed somewhat moved. ¡°May I take a look?¡± he asked. ¡°Of course.¡± Chu Yingyu steadied her mind, stood up, and walked to the center. She opened her palm; a bead wrapped in flames slowly rose. When crafting elixir pills, flames are necessary, and ordinary flames will not do. Most alchemists draw upon Earth Fire, but it consumes a lot of Xuan Qi. Contained within the Flame Dragon Pearl is Heavenly Fire. It¡¯s not that Earth Fire is inferior to Heavenly Fire, but the Flame Dragon Pearl is rumored to have been forged from the bone of a Fire Dragon, invoking Heavenly Fire, making it many times more potent than ordinary Earth Fire. And when alchemists use it, they only need to use a very small amount of Xuan Qi to guide it, without the need to consume a great deal of Xuan Qi. If they don¡¯t have to use up so much Xuan Qi, then both the quality and quantity of the elixir pills they produce will improve, which is very important to alchemists. ¡°It is indeed the Flame Dragon Pearl,¡± Nie Kun nodded. With Nie Kun¡¯s confirmation, Chu Yingyu felt very confident that they stood a good chance of success. The faces of Yao Ye and the Murong Family¡¯s delegation darkened slightly. ¡°What is that¡­¡± ¡°Damn!¡± Suddenly, a commotion erupted from the back of the crowd, and people quickly made way for a blue flame that shot rapidly through the crowd towards the center. Chapter 306 - Chapter 306: Chapter 306 Minister under the Skirt (28) Chapter 306: Chapter 306 Minister under the Skirt (28) ¡°` The flame, only the size of a fist with a small tail, resembled an oversized tadpole. At first glance, the flame was a faint blue, but upon closer inspection, it revealed a trace of purple. Nie Kun stood up straight from his chair, his eyes fixed on the swirling flame in the middle. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It scared me to death, it just flew past my face all of a sudden.¡± ¡°Is this fire? Why does it look so strange?¡± Nie Kun¡¯s eyes shimmered with excitement, ¡°This is the Purple Nether Fire Spirit!¡± A flame is ultimately just a flame, a lifeless thing, requiring an alchemist to guide it. But a Fire Spirit is different, it can communicate with an alchemist, hardly needing control. ¡°Purple Nether Fire Spirit? What is that, I¡¯ve never heard of it?¡± They had heard of the other items mentioned before, but what was this Purple Nether Fire Spirit? ¡°The legendary fire of Hell,¡± said someone who knew, ¡°No one has ever seen it before, is this the Purple Nether Fire?¡± ¡°Whose is it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know, it came in from outside.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t unowned, is it?¡± Chu Yingyu¡¯s expression under the veil grew grim, where had this thing sprung from? The Purple Nether Fire Spirit circled in the air before suddenly dashing outside. ¡°Catch it!¡± Master Nie Kun cried out in excitement. A group of people immediately used their varied skills, chasing after the Purple Nether Fire Spirit as it went out, the spirit flew chaotically in the air, slipping right through one¡¯s grasp even when caught. ¡°Catch it,¡± Chu Yingyu ordered Li Liang. No matter who it belonged to, whoever caught it now would own it, and this might be the key to obtaining the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill. The Purple Nether Fire Spirit led a group of people straight out of the city. The terrain became more and more expansive, with the Skeleton Forest¡¯s boundary line where it met the sky coming into distant view. ¡°It¡¯s stopped!¡± ¡°There¡¯s someone!¡± At this point, the Purple Nether Fire Spirit had stopped not far away, above a carriage. Many recognized that carriage, around town there was a profligate son recently buying up things regardless of cost. Many had eyed this man¡¯s fortunes, only to find those individuals no longer seen the following day. A pale hand emerged from the carriage, lifting the curtain, followed by a purple skirt fluttering out, then a woman leaped down from the carriage with agile and neat posture. The woman had an exquisite face devoid of any expression, calm and indifferent, yet not diminishing the striking presence of her countenance. It was a kind of aloof beauty that was brilliant and splendid, like the snow on distant mountains, undeniable of attention. Her presence wasn¡¯t diminished by the vast plains behind her; rather, it gave off the impression that she looked down upon the entire world with an unparalleled, noble aura, beyond compare. In her arms, she held a golden mouse, while another head peeked out from the carriage, resembling a bird¡­ Upon seeing so many people, the bird quickly retreated back. ¡°Wu Di!¡± Someone in the crowd suddenly exclaimed. Wu Di poked his head out again, sneakily glancing at the crowd, locking eyes with Chuzheng¡¯s icy stare, Wu Di shouted, ¡°I don¡¯t know them.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The guilt evident though he denied it. The person who shouted was Wang Zhicheng. Wang Zhicheng interrogated loudly, ¡°How did Wu Di end up with you! Who are you!¡± ¡°Jun Chuzheng,¡± Chuzheng calmly petted the Tianjin Mouse, justifiably, ¡°I found it.¡± Wu Di: ¡°¡­¡± Nonsense! Try finding another one to see! ¡°Jun¡­ Is she from the Jun Family?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t the Jun Family¡¯s people over there? That¡¯s not right, her name, seems similar to that of the Jun Family¡¯s leading lady.¡± ¡°It seems to be.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Doubtful glances shifted between Chuzheng and Chu Yingyu, despite Chu Yingyu¡¯s veiled face, some noticed a resemblance between the brows of the two. Wang Zhicheng had no time to care about these details. ¡°Wu Di is my junior brother¡¯s contracted beast, how could you have found it?¡± Wang Zhicheng raged, ¡°Where is my junior brother, what have you done to him?¡± A contracted beast accompanying another person¡­ It could only mean that its previous owner had died. ¡°` ¡°I don¡¯t know, I found it.¡± Indeed, she had found it. There was absolutely nothing wrong with that. Wu Di had long since shrunk inside the carriage, not daring to show his face. He was so afraid of seeing the family members of his former owner. ¡°You¡­¡± Nie Kun cut off the man¡¯s words, ¡°Miss, may I ask if this Purple Nether Fire Spirit is yours?¡± Listening closely, even Nie Kun¡¯s voice trembled slightly. With the Purple Nether Fire Spirit, he would advance further, perhaps becoming the most formidable alchemist in Dongyuan¡­ Wang Zhicheng, having been interrupted by Nie Kun, wanted to erupt with anger but was constrained by Nie Kun¡¯s identity and status. All he could do was glower at Chuzheng. Chuzheng glanced at the Purple Nether Fire Spirit, ¡°You want it?¡± ¡°Would the miss be willing to part with it?¡± Nie Kun¡¯s gaze was fixed on the Purple Nether Fire Spirit. ¡°What will you trade for it?¡± She had gone so far as to disregard her noble and cold image to feed the guardian Divine Beast in the underground lair all night long, to the point where the beast couldn¡¯t even run¡­ But Bastard didn¡¯t tell her that she would have to deal with the Purple Nether Fire Spirit on her own. It was downright exhausting. And now they expected her to shamelessly trade with this thing. In your dreams! ¡°How about a Primordial Spirit Golden Pill?¡± Nie Kun blurted out without thinking, ¡°To the miss, the Purple Nether Fire Spirit is just a spirit of fire, not much use in your hands, but the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill is different, it¡¯s worth a life.¡± Nie Kun, fearing that Chuzheng might refuse, eagerly explained the benefits of the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill. ¡°¡­¡± The extreme contrast from their earlier efforts to please to Nie Kun¡¯s current stance caused a profound discomfort. It was as if everyone was holding their breath. Unable to release it, nor to swallow it down. Especially Chu Yingyu and Wang Zhicheng. Chuzheng waved her hand and the Purple Nether Fire Spirit flew towards Nie Kun. Nie Kun tentatively reached out his hand, and the Purple Nether Fire Spirit settled in the palm of his hand. Nie Kun¡¯s heart was so excited it felt like it was about to leap out. The Purple Nether Fire Spirit¡­ An alchemist¡¯s yearnings were different from ordinary people¡¯s, and the crowd couldn¡¯t understand his feelings. For him, this was a priceless treasure. ¡°There¡¯s one more condition.¡± ¡°Please speak, miss,¡± Nie Kun suppressed his excitement, but the emotion at the bottom of his eyes was impossible to conceal. All he wanted to do now was to immediately use the Purple Nether Fire Spirit to concoct Elixir Pills. ¨C Nie Kun concentrated on taking Xie Shu¡¯s pulse, his frown deepening. ¡°This young master was not properly treated after being injured. His meridians are completely severed, and there¡¯s still something inside him¡­¡± Chuzheng, holding the unconscious Xie Shu, asked, ¡°What?¡± Ever since entering the city, Xie Shu had been extremely sleepy, sometimes not even waking when called. Seemingly unsure, Nie Kun hesitated for a while before finally speaking, ¡°There¡¯s a very odd power inside him, I feel like I¡¯ve encountered this power somewhere before¡­¡± The latter part was more of a mutter from Nie Kun. ¡°Can a Primordial Spirit Golden Pill help him recover?¡± ¡°It could, but¡­¡± Nie Kun released Xie Shu¡¯s wrist, ¡°Let me explain it to the miss this way, that power inside the young master, I probed it just now, and that power is very hostile to external forces, which is very strange. How can there be any power in his body if his meridians are completely severed? I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before, so I can¡¯t be certain of the consequences of taking a Primordial Spirit Golden Pill rashly.¡± ¡°What power?¡± Nie Kun felt the air suddenly grow colder as the woman exerted an oppressive pressure. Nie Kun was astonished to find himself intimidated by a young lady. At that moment, an image flashed vividly through his mind. ¡°Heavy Snow Night Moon!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen that power inside the young master during the Heavy Snow Night Moon.¡± Chapter 307 - Chapter 307: Chapter 307 Minister under the Skirt (29) Chapter 307: Chapter 307 Minister under the Skirt (29) ¡°` ¡°Once, by a stroke of fate, I entered into the Heavy Snow Night Moon, and at the altar of the Heavy Snow Night Moon, I beheld this power that seemed like Xuan Qi but not quite Xuan Qi, gentle yet brimming with a might that could destroy heaven and earth¡­¡± Nie Kun suddenly looked toward Xie Shu¡¯s face. Chuzheng used her cape to shield Xie Shu. Nie Kun felt the woman¡¯s gaze grow colder, with a hint of viciousness, as if daring him to speak out would mean he could never leave this carriage. Nie Kun only liked refining elixir pills; he didn¡¯t care much for other matters and didn¡¯t want to court trouble. The Heavy Snow Night Moon had already collapsed. Whether this gentleman was an old acquaintance of the Heavy Snow Night Moon, he did not wish to know, ¡°Miss, this is the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill, and these other elixir pills can be given to this gentleman to regulate his body, but I do not recommend giving him the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill.¡± ¨C Nie Kun alighted from the carriage, taking the Purple Nether Fire Spirit with him as he hurriedly departed. The crowd surrounding the carriage hadn¡¯t dispersed; with Nie Kun gone, the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill was definitely on this carriage. All eyes were on the carriage. However, no one made a move, each warily watching the people around them. ¡°Is the person inside from your Jun Family?¡± Wang Zhicheng stared at Chu Yingyu and the others. ¡°No,¡± Chu Yingyu contested. ¡°She said her name was Jun Chuzheng,¡± Wang Zhicheng clearly didn¡¯t believe it: ¡°Jun Chuzheng¡­ That name is the same as your Jun Family¡¯s young miss, isn¡¯t it?¡± Fortunately, her face was veiled, concealing any changes in Ying Yu¡¯s expression. She said discontentedly, ¡°There are many people in the world who share the same name and surname.¡± ¡°Heh, I wasn¡¯t aware that someone would dare to share the same name and surname as the young miss of the Jun Family¡­¡± Wang Zhicheng sneered coldly: ¡°But strangely, when did the Jun Family have another young miss?¡± The title of young miss naturally referred to a legitimate member of the family. Yet for so many years, they had only heard of a young master in the Jun Family and never knew there was a young miss. Wang Zhicheng¡¯s tone shifted: ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be impostors, would you?¡± Chu Yingyu couldn¡¯t stand the mention of ¡°impostors.¡± Li Liang reacted the fastest: ¡°The young miss has been in poor health and has been resting quietly. Her condition has not been made public, please show some respect.¡± It was fairly easy to secretly raise someone within a large family. Li Liang¡¯s statement wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°If she¡¯s in such poor health, why is she now out and exposing herself?¡± Wang Zhicheng wasn¡¯t convinced: ¡°I think you and the people inside that carriage are all in cahoots. Let her come out!¡± A trace of bitterness lay hidden within the depths of Ying Yu¡¯s eyes: ¡°We don¡¯t know her.¡± ¡°Come out for what.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s voice overlapped with Ying Yu¡¯s. Chuzheng disembarked from the carriage, her eyes cold as she looked over them. ¡°Perfect,¡± Wang Zhicheng stepped forward: ¡°Why is my junior brother¡¯s contracted beast with you? If you don¡¯t explain clearly today, don¡¯t think about leaving here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already told you.¡± ¡°Heh, who would believe that? Did you harm my junior brother?¡± ¡°No.¡± Don¡¯t talk nonsense. ¡°If you didn¡¯t harm my junior brother, how would Wu Di be in your hands?¡± This was a circular question. This man seemed not to know what Wu Di¡¯s true master had gone to do. Of course, he didn¡¯t care; he just needed a pretext to make snatching the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill seem less disgraceful. ¡°I¡¯m going to get justice for my junior brother today.¡± ¡°Give me back my junior brother¡¯s life!¡± With a bellow, Wang Zhicheng¡¯s palm unleashed Xuan Qi, flying straight for Chuzheng¡¯s face, followed by the people behind Wang Zhicheng bursting forth. The Primordial Spirit Golden Pill was on Chuzheng. As Wang Zhicheng made his move, how could the others stand still? If they were late, the prize could be snatched by someone else. In the depths of her heart, Ying Yu longed to kill Chuzheng ¨C that way her own identity would remain hidden. Therefore, she joined the fray with Li Liang. ¡°Young Master, shall we¡­¡± Shen Yaoye stood at the back, his hands in his sleeves, showing no intention of joining in; the Shen Family was getting anxious. The Family Head was in great need of that Primordial Spirit Golden Pill. But with Yaoye not speaking, they didn¡¯t dare to act rashly. Chuzheng hadn¡¯t brought Fang Sheng and the others with her; alone, she faced many foes, and she also had to protect the carriage behind her, which put her at a disadvantage. ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you, hand over the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill!¡± ¡°` Chuzheng¡¯s brows and eyes were cold and detached as her long sleeves swept through the air, sending the person who had been talking somersaulting and crashing into many others. ¡°You¡¯d have to be alive to take it.¡± The woman¡¯s cool voice slowly rose over the vast plain. ¡°What are you people from the Shen Family doing!¡± ¡°Shen Yaoye, why are you leading an attack on us!¡± ¡°Shen Yaoye, have you gone mad!¡± Suddenly, the people from the Shen Family began attacking those around them, plunging the area into even greater chaos. In the midst of the chaotic battle, no one noticed that the space around the carriage was still as if in another dimension. Wu Di cowered in a corner, terrified, looking at the man in red sitting inside the carriage. He had done nothing, merely watching Wu Di quietly. But Wu Di felt as though it was being slowly torn apart, a chilling fear sweeping over it. The stunning man¡¯s lips slowly curled into a smile, the arc of his mouth just right, a hint of amusement coloring his eyebrows. Wu Di: ¡°¡­¡± It was even more terrifying! Someone help! The person who was exchanging blows with Chuzheng suddenly stopped moving, kicked away by Chuzheng and crashing into the center of the crowd. Everyone simultaneously halted, looking behind her. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Is there a ghost? Stopping in the middle of a fight like this is so impolite!! Could it be they¡¯re waiting for me to turn around to deal me a fatal blow? As everyone froze at the same time, Chuzheng could not continue to attack. She turned her head to look behind her, and a flash of red caught her eye. A wind arose on the plain. Sweeping over the desolate grass, the fiery red clothes fluttered lightly, his ink-black hair entwined with the red, dancing together. The man¡¯s appearance was so breathtaking that it seemed to overshadow heaven and earth, exquisitely vivid. Xie Shu always exuded a slightly demonic and enchanting charm, but it had never been as intense as it was now. It was as if some seal had been broken¡­ For a moment, Chuzheng thought she saw a specter, demonic and wildly alluring, seated atop a pile of stark white bones. The man slightly lifted his hand. The wind on the plain grew stronger. He stood in the wind, under skies that were suddenly overcast with dark clouds, so low they seemed ready to press down, and the distant rumbling of thunder could be heard. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What is the Good Person Card doing? Has he, has he turned dark? But that can¡¯t be right, if he had turned dark, Bastard would have been making noise long ago. Chuzheng, bewildered, lifted her hand, and the wind passed through her fingertips. The breeze was gentle and delicate, caressing her palm soothingly, but just as she was about to lower her hand, a sudden cut appeared on it. Then, a piece of her sleeve was sliced off, blown into the air, and quickly shredded to pieces by the wind. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Oh my God! There is a ghost! It scared me to death! Chuzheng pulled her hand back, and as she did so, a cut appeared on her arm as well. The scent of blood began to spread in the air. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Someone from behind called out, but it was too late, as screams ensued one after another. Those who fell into the winds turned into bloodied figures in the blink of an eye. These seemingly gentle winds hid lethal intent. Chuzheng stood still, for as long as she didn¡¯t move, the wind that touched her was soft and pleasant. ¡°Don¡¯t move, okay.¡± The man¡¯s pleasant voice leisurely sounded. Chapter 308 - Chapter 308: Chapter 308 Minister under the Skirt (30) Chapter 308: Chapter 308 Minister under the Skirt (30) Xie Shu¡¯s warning was obviously too late. As one person moved, others were bumped into, pulled, and fell into the wind one after another. Xuan Qi seemed to have no effect on these winds¡­ no matter how they attacked, there was no result. That was to be expected, after all, it was wind. Omnipresent. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± So scary!! Don¡¯t move, don¡¯t move, I won¡¯t move. Suddenly, it grew dark in front of Chuzheng. Xie Shu, treading on the wind, walked up to her and took her hand. Blood was still oozing from the palm of her hand, and as Xie Shu held it, he slightly bowed his head and his tongue glided over the wound. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I, I don¡¯t taste good. Xie Shu barely lifted his eyes, his lips stained with blood a bright red; he stuck out his tongue and gently licked it, moving as if someone had hit slow motion. Blood, beauty. There was a certain alternative charm, indescribably provocative. The next second, Xie Shu¡¯s body went limp. The wind stopped. Chuzheng pulled Xie Shu into her arms and held him. I was scared to death. [¡­Miss, is it really appropriate to knock him out?] In the end, who is the scary one! Chuzheng¡¯s indifferent face: ¡°Otherwise, should I wait for him to turn evil?¡± There was no better time to knock him unconscious than now. [¡­] This isn¡¯t how you prevent a Good Person Card from turning evil!! The wind ceased, the clouds dispersed, and the thunder stopped. Silence descended upon heaven and earth. Although the group behind them was covered in blood, their lives were not in danger. But at this moment, no one dared to come forward and continue to trouble Chuzheng; everyone looked at the red-clothed man in her arms as if he were a monster. This person¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go, hurry up¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s leave this place first.¡± ¡°Go, go!¡± ¡°Li Liang¡­¡± Chu Yingyu was somewhat reluctant, but Li Liang seemed to sense something; forgetting that Chu Yingyu was his young mistress, he dragged her away despite her objections. ¨C The vast plain quieted down, a gentle breeze began to rise, and the wild grass rippled like waves. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± Shen Yaoye approached Chuzheng. Shen Yaoye said, ¡°He just lost control of his power.¡± In just a short time, the carefree Shen Yaoye, who saw everyone as a good friend, seemed to have vanished, a few heavy mists weighing down in his clear eyes. ¡°Oh.¡± So that was a loss of control of power. Is that the power Master Nie Kun mentioned, the one inside him? So strong that it still existed even after his meridians were severed. Unbelievably powerful. The Good Person Card really is a treasure. Mine. ¡°¡­¡± Shen Yaoye waited for a moment: ¡°Do you know what power he has inside of him?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s indifferent face: ¡°What?¡± Why aren¡¯t you leaving! ¡°People will soon come looking for you.¡± Shen Yaoye asked a question, but when Chuzheng inquired, instead of answering, he spoke these words. ¡°You guys need to get out of here.¡± Seeing Chuzheng unmoved, Shen Yaoye began to get anxious. ¡°With such a big commotion just now, surely someone has noticed; both the Murong Family and the Jun Family had people present. Once they get the news, they¡¯ll come to kill you immediately.¡± ¡°Scared of them, huh.¡± The girl¡¯s voice was calm and collected, yet it managed to sound defiant. ¡°You might not be afraid, but what about him?¡± The people were not originally after her, but after Xie Shu. ¡°I can protect him.¡± What kind of a woman would I be if I couldn¡¯t even protect my Good Person Card! ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you leaving yet?¡± Are you sticking around for me to invite you to dinner or something? ¡°I can help you,¡± Shen Yaoye said. ¡°No need.¡± Offering unsolicited help is the hallmark of either a traitor or a thief. ¨C The Jun Family. The Jun Family Head, with his hands behind his back, gazed at the sky, his eyes dark and inscrutable. Several people behind him approached swiftly: ¡°Family Head.¡± ¡°Family Head, did you see it just now?¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± The Jun Family Master withdrew his gaze, the commotion was so big, how could he not have seen: ¡°There are still people alive from the Heavy Snow Night Moon.¡± ¡°Family Head, I¡¯ve already sent someone to investigate.¡± ¡°Back then, we turned the Heavy Snow Night Moon upside down and found nothing. I never expected that after so many years, it would come to us on its own.¡± ¡°Family Head, as long as we obtain this power, then Dongyuan will be our Jun Family¡¯s world!¡± After pondering for a moment, the Jun Family Master said thoughtfully: ¡°Did Jun Chuzheng go to the Skeleton Forest?¡± ¡°Yes, we don¡¯t know if she managed to get the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill¡­¡± ¡°Send a message.¡± The Jun Family Master ordered: ¡°Prepare yourselves.¡± The other several people were all somewhat excited. ¨C The Shen Family. ¡°Family Head, are you awake?¡± The thick curtains fell to the floor, casting a faint silhouette on the fabric. ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡± The silhouette on the curtain, shaken by the coughing, fluttered as if about to disappear. ¡°What happened?¡± It was a young man¡¯s voice, weak and slightly hoarse. ¡°Family Head, there was an anomaly outside just now, related to the Heavy Snow Night Moon.¡± The person reporting relayed the strangeness that had just occurred to the one inside. The silhouette on the curtain didn¡¯t move, then suddenly coughed, the shadow trembling once more. ¡°Family Head, I think this matter¡­¡± The reporter hesitated, unsure whether to speak or not. ¡°Go ahead.¡± The person reporting immediately said: ¡°Since the collapse of the Heavy Snow Night Moon, the weather in Dongyuan has been increasingly abnormal. Now, it¡¯s said that it has started snowing in the Skeleton Forest, which has never experienced snowfall.¡± And beyond the Skeleton Forest¡ªlies the Heavy Snow Night Moon. ¡°It¡¯s just as father said, retribution is coming¡­¡± The person behind the curtain spoke very slowly. As if struck by a thought, the man said: ¡°Never mind, where is Yaoye? Why haven¡¯t I seen him recently?¡± ¡°The Young Master¡­¡± ¡°What about him?¡± The man paused: ¡°He left again, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°No.¡± The person reporting immediately said: ¡°The Young Master went to seek medicine for you.¡± ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡± The man coughed softly a few times: ¡°There¡¯s no medicine that can cure my illness. Have him come back. From now on, the Shen Family will be his responsibility.¡± The person outside knelt down with a thump: ¡°Family Head, the Young Master has gone to look for Master Nie Kun, it¡¯s heard that Master Nie Kun has refined a Primordial Spirit Golden Pill.¡± Ordinary elixir pills are ineffective, but the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill certainly would be of use. ¡°And¡­ the Young Master should be in the city closest to the Skeleton Forest.¡± The place where the anomaly occurred. It took a while for the man to say: ¡°Prepare to set out.¡± The day had finally come. ¨C When Xie Shu came to, the carriage was heading towards the Skeleton Forest, with Fang Sheng and others following on the outside. He lay in Chuzheng¡¯s arms, the Tianjin Mouse by his side, staring at him with fiery red eyes, full of sympathy. Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Xie Shu reached up to touch his neck: ¡°What happened to me?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± Xie Shu shook his head. All he remembered was being in the carriage, hearing noises outside, lifting the curtain to see Chuzheng besieged by attackers¡­ He didn¡¯t remember anything after that. Chuzheng helped him sit up. Only then did Xie Shu realize that there was another person in the carriage, someone he recognized, the one called Yaoye. Shen Yaoye had shamelessly insinuated himself along. Indeed, Chuzheng needed to learn something about the Heavy Snow Night Moon. ¡°Young Master Xie doesn¡¯t remember what happened before?¡± Shen Yaoye asked. Xie Shu still shook his head: ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°You lost control of your power and killed all those people,¡± Chuzheng explained succinctly. Xie Shu¡¯s pupils narrowed slightly. ¡°I¡­ lost control? Killed people?¡± Chuzheng nodded seriously, that¡¯s right, it was you, so incredibly powerful! Chapter 309 - Chapter 309: Chapter 309 Minister under the Skirt (31) Chapter 309: Chapter 309 Minister under the Skirt (31) Xie Shu seemed to hear some amusing joke, bursting out laughing directly. ¡°Miss Jun, you should know where to draw the line when joking. How could a cripple like me lose control of his strength?¡± If he had any strength, would he have ended up in such a state? However, the carriage was very quiet, even Wu Di, who was always so active, was now quietly squatting in a corner. In Tianjin Mouse¡¯s eyes, there was nothing but sympathy. This good-looking little person was truly pitiful. Pity for the similarly afflicted. Shen Yaoye also looked at him with a somber face. Xie Shu turned to look at Chuzheng, his dark pupils as if they had been doused with the thickest ink, making people feel chilly at a glance. Chuzheng pressed his head against her shoulder: ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± ¡°Young Master Xie,¡± Shen Yaoye said, ¡°do you not know what¡¯s inside your body?¡± Xie Shu suddenly pressed his face close to Chuzheng, not answering Shen Yaoye. Shen Yaoye¡¯s gaze flickered slightly and he spoke slowly, ¡°Rumor has it that Heavy Snow Night Moon possesses the power to command heaven and earth. Five years ago, the Jun Family and two other families wanted to seize this power, which is why Heavy Snow Night Moon was destroyed.¡± Xie Shu wrapped his arms around Chuzheng¡¯s waist and scoffed, ¡°If Heavy Snow Night Moon really had such power, there was no need for it to be destroyed.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Shen Yaoye murmured softly, ¡°The people from the three major families didn¡¯t find what they were looking for in Heavy Snow Night Moon.¡± He paused: ¡°But now, it seems like it should be within Young Master Xie¡¯s body.¡± Xie Shu revealed one eye, the dark pupil staring at Shen Yaoye: ¡°Do you want it?¡± The man was wrapped up completely, showing only his head, and at this moment, most of his face was buried in Chuzheng¡¯s shoulder, revealing just one dark eye, which was truly a bit frightening. A chill rose up Shen Yaoye¡¯s back. In this carriage, one surnamed Jun and one surnamed Shen, both were his enemies in reckoning. But Shen Yaoye hadn¡¯t been involved in that incident. At that time, his relationship with the Shen Family was very tense, and if it wasn¡¯t for¡­ he wouldn¡¯t have paid attention to the matter. Moreover, he was following Chuzheng only for the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill. ¡°No one can take away what¡¯s yours.¡± Chuzheng patted his back, her tone was calm but carried a firm reassurance: ¡°I¡¯m here, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Xie Shu¡¯s body stiffened slightly. He closed his eyes, holding Chuzheng even tighter. Xie Shu, you¡¯re clinging to the warmth you have now, which may bring you irreparable doom. But he couldn¡¯t bear to let go of her. She was the only warmth he could cling to. She was too good to him. So good that he almost forgot who he was. Who she was¡­ ¡°Did I¡­ really kill a lot of people?¡± Xie Shu asked softly. ¡°Mm-hm.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s little face was serious, making it completely unbelievable that she was spouting nonsense. Shen Yaoye choked on his saliva. Why did Miss Jun want to deceive him? Not a single one of those people had died. ¨C Chuzheng looked at the vast expanse of white snow in front of her, with snowflakes falling from the sky. She stepped on the snowy ground and walked a distance ahead. The snow was too deep; one step down and it went over the knees. Looking from afar, there were no buildings at all; the whole world was pure white. ¡°Is this Heavy Snow Night Moon?¡± This was so different from what she had imagined! Apart from snow, there was nothing else. ¡°We¡¯re not there yet.¡± Shen Yaoye¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Why is it so cold here?¡± Fang Sheng and the others hopped around in the back: ¡°Even Xuan Qi can¡¯t keep out the cold.¡± The carriage couldn¡¯t proceed any further, nor could they fly to the outside of Heavy Snow Night Moon; they had to walk in. Chuzheng had Fang Sheng wait outside with Tianjin Mouse and Wu Di while she took Xie Shu with her. The ground was piled with thick snow, with Xie Shu¡¯s steps sinking deep and emerging shallow, his body wobbling. Those with cultivation were all seriously cold, not to mention Xie Shu, who had no cultivation at all. His entire face was ghastly white from the wind and snow. ¡°I¡¯ll carry you,¡± Chuzheng offered, reaching out to support him. ¡°No need,¡± Xie Shu smiled at Chuzheng, ¡°I can handle it on my own¡­¡± Suddenly, Xie Shu found himself lifted off the ground. ¡°Talkative.¡± Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Warmth emanated from Chuzheng¡¯s body, and Xie Shu¡¯s body quickly warmed up as well. The subtle fragrance from the woman¡¯s body, mingled with the coolness of the white snow, wafted into his nostrils. Her scent wasn¡¯t overpowering, yet it was pleasing, giving him a sense of tranquility. Xie Shu coveted the warmth of her body, yet still he was mindful of his masculine dignity. ¡°Put me down.¡± ¡°Make one move and I¡¯ll bury you in the snow,¡± Chuzheng said with a cold gaze and a somewhat threatening tone, not sounding at all like she was joking. Xie Shu suddenly wrapped his arms around her neck, drawing near to teasingly ask, ¡°Miss Jun, do you like me?¡± ¡°Otherwise, you would have been buried in the snow long ago.¡± Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Just how much do you want to bury me in the snow? Xie Shu had this thought before returning to the main point. She likes¡­ herself. ¡°Which way do we go?¡± The heavy snow made it difficult to differentiate one direction from another, very annoying. Xie Shu, lost in thought, did not reply. Seizing the moment, Chuzheng kissed him, causing Xie Shu¡¯s focus to immediately sharpen: ¡°Mmm¡­¡± ¡°Which way do we go?¡± Chuzheng, as if nothing had happened, released him and asked again with a serious demeanor. Xie Shu¡¯s face, whether flushed from the kiss or the biting wind and snow, mumbled, ¡°To the left.¡± Shen Yaoye, following behind, called out, ¡°Miss Jun, could you slow down? I can¡¯t keep up.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t follow.¡± ¡°¡­¡± For the sake of the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill, Shen Yaoye had no choice but to follow. As they ventured deeper, the wind and snow grew fiercer, eventually blurring the path to the point of near invisibility, making forward movement even more challenging. Chuzheng, carrying Xie Shu, moved swiftly, and at some point, Shen Yaoye was nowhere to be seen. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Xie Shu suddenly announced. Chuzheng looked at the encompassing heavy snow and couldn¡¯t discern any distinctive features in the surroundings, wondering what Xie Shu was basing his judgment on. Taking a few steps forward, Chuzheng barely made out the silhouette of an archway through the storm. Crossing through the archway, the snowstorm suddenly ceased. The air was filled with only a few floating snowflakes, and the ground was covered with a thin layer of snow, like a delicate gauze draping over the earth. Charred trees lay on either side of the path, and looking further ahead, there was nothing but pitch-black ruins stretching endlessly into the distance. Xie Shu struggled to get down and stepped onto the cobblestone path: ¡°This is Heavy Snow Night Moon.¡± Xie Shu lifted his brows with a hint of pride, ¡°Welcome to my homeland.¡± ¡°I thought it was destroyed?¡± Chuzheng asked. ¡°Yes, Heavy Snow Night Moon used to be up there,¡± Xie Shu pointed skyward, his eyes reflecting a tinge of sorrow, ¡°Unfortunately, you can¡¯t see it anymore.¡± It wasn¡¯t just because you could always see The Moon that it was named Heavy Snow Night Moon. It was also because Heavy Snow Night Moon floated in the sky in the shape of a crescent, and from afar, it looked like a crescent moon hanging in the sky. Xie Shu guided Chuzheng towards the ruins. A layer of cold detachment enveloped him with each step he took, as if the scenes of that day flashed before his eyes. The great fire devoured his clanspeople. Heavy Snow Night Moon crumbled little by little. The continuous cries of terror. Back then, Xie Shu was just a youth, protected by the elders of his clan, urging him not to harbor hatred or revenge¡­ his survival was their hope. But how could he ever forget. Chapter 310 - Chapter 310: Chapter 310 Minister under the Skirt (32) Chapter 310: Chapter 310 Minister under the Skirt (32) Xie Shu wanted to be alone for a while, and as a considerate Good Person, Chuzheng of course had to agree. Chuzheng sat on the barely visible steps in the ruins, her face expressionless, wondering what this place had been like before. Heavy Snow Night Moon. The places where Good Person Card lived always had such pleasant names. Just as Chuzheng let her mind wander, a loud noise suddenly erupted from the direction of the archway. A gale swept in with the snowstorm, disturbing the peace here. A group of people emerged from the midst of the blizzard. Chuzheng remained seated, not moving until the people approached and saw her. One of the men in the group, whose presence commanded authority, frowned slightly, ¡°Chuzheng, why are you here?¡± The man standing beside the authoritative middle-aged man, who was of similar age, cautiously asked, ¡°Jun Family Head, who is this?¡± This woman was very odd, not standing up even upon seeing others approach, just staring blankly with that same calm, eerie expression. And it happened again in Heavy Snow Night Moon¡­ ¡°I¡¯m the young lady Chuzheng,¡± Jun Family Master also felt a bit of strangeness in his heart. What¡¯s the matter with this girl? Why does she look at me like that? The whole atmosphere about her seemed off¡­ ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s Miss Jun,¡± Murong Family Master smiled, ¡°I had no idea the Jun Family Master had acquired another daughter.¡± ¡°She hasn¡¯t seen much of the world, doesn¡¯t know the proper manners, please forgive her,¡± Jun Family Master¡¯s expression remained the same, ¡°Chuzheng, what are you doing? Come here, why are you being so impolite?¡± Chuzheng stood up, stepping down from the stairs. It was as if a gaping hole had formed behind the group, allowing the wind and snow to continuously blow in. ¡°What are you here for?¡± People from the Jun Family and Murong Family¡­ Shen Yaoye said they would come, but I didn¡¯t expect them to be so fast. The woman¡¯s voice was cold and quiet, like the snow flying in the air, carrying a silent chill. Jun Family Master¡¯s face grew stern, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± This girl doesn¡¯t even call me father¡­ What is going on? ¡°What are you here for?¡± Murong Family Master spoke up before Jun Family Master could, ¡°Miss Jun, have you seen a young man with the surname Xie? Where is he?¡± They had chased him all the way here, not expecting the person to actually return to Heavy Snow Night Moon. ¡°Xie Shu?¡± Looking for my Good Person Card, definitely up to no good. Might as well get rid of them. ¡°Hahaha, it seems Miss Jun does know him,¡± Murong Family Master pressed on, ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± Would I tell you? I won¡¯t tell you. ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng, without any warning, blurted out such a sentence, leaving Murong Family Master completely baffled. He looked at Jun Family Master, ¡°What does this mean, Jun Family Master?¡± Jun Family Master: ¡°¡­¡± How the hell would I know? This girl seemed a bit different from before. ¡°Father!¡± ¡°Family Head!¡± Their voices were carried over by the wind and snow, and the expression on Jun Family Master¡¯s face shifted instantly. A spark of realization flashed through his mind¡ªthat¡¯s right, the voice was different. Out of the blizzard emerged another group of people with Li Liang and Chu Yingyu leading the way. Seeing Chuzheng there as well, Chu Yingyu immediately became disoriented. She wasn¡¯t wearing a veil at that moment, and her face, identical to Chuzheng¡¯s, was exposed to the air for all to see. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°How can they look exactly the same?¡± ¡°Twins?¡± Murong Family Master¡¯s expression turned grim, ¡°Jun Family Master, what trick are you playing? Let me tell you, don¡¯t think you can keep it all to yourself!¡± At this moment, Jun Family Master was also utterly confused. How could there be two identical Jun Chuzhengs? ¡°Father,¡± Chu Yingyu rushed forward in a few steps, ¡°This woman, I don¡¯t know where she comes from. She wears my face and claims to be called Jun Chuzheng. Father, you cannot believe her; she¡¯s an impostor.¡± Chu Yingyu seized the initiative, pinning a high hat of impersonation on Chuzheng. The Jun Family Head knew Chu Yingyu well; her tone and demeanor were exactly as he remembered, so when Chu Yingyu spoke, the Jun Family Master was already ninety percent convinced. ¡°Who are you, and why are you impersonating my Jun Family¡¯s young miss!¡± The Jun Family Head rebuked her sharply, his voice laden with profound power that surged towards Chuzheng like a tidal wave. A blizzard swept past, the oppressive feeling like a mountain crashing down. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± So many people bullying one small pitiable girl, don¡¯t you have any shame! Silver light weaved and danced around Chuzheng, simply creating a protective shield around her. The Jun Family Head realized the woman opposite him was still standing firm, unaffected, and his expression immediately turned ugly. ¡°Who exactly are you? Where is the person from the Xie Family?¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t want to waste words with them. Silver light flew from her sleeves, accompanied by the snowstorm, and struck directly at the Jun Family Head. The Jun Family Head had a sense of danger and dodged to the side quickly. The man behind him suddenly vanished into thin air, swept away by the blizzard without leaving a trace. Jun Family Head: ¡°¡­¡± Murong Family Head: ¡°¡­¡± Chu Yingyu was the first to make a move, her Xuan Qi sweeping the blizzard towards Chuzheng. Chuzheng dodged with agility, leaping onto the ruins from high above. Xuan Qi came in rapid succession. ¡°Don¡¯t kill her; catch her and find out where the Xie Family person is!¡± the Murong Family Head shouted. However, the Murong Family Head soon realized it wasn¡¯t a matter of whether they could kill her or not, but they couldn¡¯t even touch the hem of her garment. And there were always things appearing out of nowhere, dragging people into the snow. Totally unpredictable. ¡°This girl is spooky,¡± the Murong Family Head and Jun Family Head said to each other as they joined forces. So many people couldn¡¯t handle one woman; who would believe it if they told? ¡°Be careful, she might have a Divine Artifact in her hand,¡± the Jun Family Head said gravely. Bang¡ª A body crashed into the ruins, stirring up scorched clods of earth and snow particles. Chuzheng¡¯s gaze swept towards the Jun Family Head. The Good Person Card said to deal with the Jun Family¡­ so she would start with him. ¡°Be careful!¡± ¡°She¡¯s going over there!¡± ¡°Family Head!¡± Several loud shouts echoed through the snowstorm, and the figures of people became increasingly blurry amidst the strengthening blizzard. The Jun Family Head knew Chuzheng was coming, but he couldn¡¯t see her. The Jun Family Head stomped on the ground, and his Xuan Qi spread out like a spider web, its overbearing force causing those around him to scatter in terror. The blizzard suddenly paused, eerily floating in the air. The whole space quieted down. The Jun Family Head had activated an Enclosed Domain. This Enclosed Domain was nothing like the one Chuzheng had encountered before; it was countless times stronger. The ice and snow slowly solidified into ice spears capable of attacking people. Chuzheng could not see the Jun Family Head, but the sharp end of the ice spears were aimed at her. Chuzheng raised her hand, and silver light appeared around her. As the ice spears shot towards her, the silver light streaked out, knocking down each ice spear. ¡°The little girl has some skills, but sadly, she is still far from enough,¡± the voice of the Jun Family Head sounded, ¡°This is my Enclosed Domain; you¡¯re not my match. Surrender if you want to live.¡± Silver light clashed with ice spears, and Chuzheng stood there, calmly watching. The voice of the Jun Family Head rose again: ¡°I¡¯m rather curious about the Divine Artifact in your hand.¡± ¡°Divine Artifact?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was icy as frost: ¡°This damn thing says you¡¯re a Divine Artifact.¡± The silver light in the air formed a hand that slowly raised its middle finger. ¡°It¡¯s complimenting you,¡± Chuzheng added. The middle finger abruptly pointed downward. Chapter 311 - Chapter 311: Chapter 311 Minister under the Skirt (33) Chapter 311: Chapter 311 Minister under the Skirt (33) Having been insulted as a ¡°dog thing¡± by Chuzheng, and looked down upon by something unknown. One could imagine how terrible the Jun Family Master felt. In his own Enclosed Domain, to encounter such defiance for the first time, the Jun Family Master was also taken aback. Then just go die. The Enclosed Domain suddenly became fraught with danger, as if taking one more step would lead into a trap. This was the power of the Enclosed Domain. The master of the Enclosed Domain could freely use it to launch attacks. In here, he was the sovereign. Chuzheng tapped the ground lightly with her foot, her body swiftly lifting off, flying into the air, as a massive force rolled up from the ground like a tornado, sweeping towards the person in the air. The entire space was filled with such winds, and as Chuzheng moved through the air, only a faint afterimage could be seen. Her movements were without any pattern, as though she was casually dodging the threatening winds. The woman finally landed at the edge, her palm lifting slightly, then her five fingers snapped shut fiercely. A silver light suddenly appeared, and streaks of light flashed across the Yin Xian, encircling the tornadoes. When the woman pulled forward, the tornadoes dissipated into the air. The whole Enclosed Domain fell into silence. ¨C Outside the Enclosed Domain. Chu Yingyu and the Murong Family Master were waiting for the battle to end, confident that Chuzheng was no match for the Jun Family Master. Chu Yingyu¡¯s eyes hid a venomous resentment, hoping she would die at the hands of the Jun Family Master. This woman dared to get so close to Xie Shu, Xie Shu was hers! Instead of the outcome, they were met by another group of people. At the forefront was a man. A heavy white fox fur cloak wrapped him tightly, his complexion pale with a hint of sickness, and silver-white long hair cascading down his back, lifting as he moved; this man looked like a deity emerging from the snowstorm. ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Before he even approached, the soft, suppressed coughing of the man could be heard. Chu Yingyu did not recognize him, but the Murong Family Master did. ¡°Patriarch Shen,¡± Murong Family Master raised his eyebrows in greeting, his tone clearly laced with disdain, ¡°After suffering such heavy injuries in the ruins, why isn¡¯t Patriarch Shen resting at home, rather than coming all the way here?¡± Patriarch Shen managed a wry smile in his heart. Everyone thought his injuries were from the ruins. Not so. His body¡­ Was getting worse day by day, and the Shen Family, fearing that others might seize the chance to cause trouble, had spread word that his injuries were from the ruins. ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± As Patriarch Shen approached, his handsome face was gentle, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Murong Family Master.¡± The Murong Family Master was caught off guard. Who¡¯s concerned about you! Patriarch Shen was considered a junior in front of the Murong Family Master, with the elder Patriarch Shen having passed away; hence, the younger Shen was not taken seriously by the Murong Family Master. However, after all, they were one of the three great families. Having also been involved in the past, the Murong Family Master, still with a cold smirk, magnanimously said, ¡°Since Patriarch Shen has come as well, why not join us?¡± Patriarch Shen, covering his mouth with a fist, coughed quietly. ¡°Murong Family Master, do you really intend to go through with a thorough extermination?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that, Patriarch Shen?¡± Murong Family Master squinted his eyes, speaking dangerously, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Patriarch Shen, your family was also involved in that incident back then.¡± Chu Yingyu listened with half an understanding. Not knowing what had happened, she dared not interject casually. Patriarch Shen: ¡°Murong Family Master, have you not noticed that the entire Dongyuan has been changing ever since the collapse of the Heavy Snow Night Moon?¡± The Murong Family Master frowned, ¡°It¡¯s just a coincidence.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Patriarch Shen¡¯s voice was low as he coughed, the sound slight but like a heavy hammer, hitting at the heart of the Murong Family Master. Indeed, since the collapse of Heavy Snow Night Moon, Dongyuan had become increasingly strange. Such as this weather¡­ ¡°` When they entered, the flying snow had already spread throughout the entire Skeleton Forest. The Skeleton Forest, which should have been the stronghold of the Xuan beasts, seemed empty; not a single Xuan beast was to be seen. Boom¡ª The air suddenly exploded. Patriarch Shen was pulled away by someone at his side, while Murong Family Master, due to an unfortunate standing position, was caught in the blast and flipped twice in the air before stabilizing. Chu Yingyu had bad luck. Her strength wasn¡¯t as good as Murong Family Master, and she was directly thrown into the air and smashed into the ruins not far away. The rest were not much better off. Jun Family Master fell from the sky, looking as if he was on his last breath. While Chuzheng stood in mid-air, not showing a trace of dishevelment, dignified and peerless, like an emperor who had suddenly come into the world, looking down upon the mountains and rivers beneath her. Her gaze swept over those below, seeing the crowd, and noticed the insignia behind them, ¡°Everyone has arrived.¡± The people who had annihilated Heavy Snow Night Moon had all come. A family truly treasures being complete and united. Murong Family Master¡¯s heart was filled with horror. The Jun Family Master had actually lost within his own Enclosed Domain¡­ Jun Family Master spat out two mouthfuls of blood, propped up his body, and shakily stood up, his eyes fixed on her, ¡°You, you are that child from back then!¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was cold, ¡°What child, I am not.¡± No matter what, deny everything first. ¡°Your Xuan Qi is colorless,¡± Jun Family Master said through clenched teeth. ¡°I will not mistake it, you actually didn¡¯t die.¡± ¡°You wanted to kill me before?¡± Chuzheng picked up on the key point. What a despicable creature, why don¡¯t you ascend to heaven then! ¡°Colorless Xuan Qi?¡± Murong Family Master also heard what Jun Family Master said, his expression becoming strange. ¡°Who exactly are you?!¡± Jun Family Master demanded. Chuzheng¡¯s face remained cold, ¡°As I said before, do you have a poor memory, or is it your comprehension that¡¯s lacking?¡± ¡°You are Jun Chuzheng, then who is she!¡± Jun Family Master pointed to a confused Chu Yingyu beside them. ¡°Chu Yingyu,¡± Chuzheng said calmly, ¡°Great Princess of Jingyuan Country.¡± Jingyuan Country¡­ That¡¯s a country in the Lower Realm. The people of Dongyuan generally refer to it as the Lower Realm. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense,¡± countered Ying Yu. ¡°Father, she is deceiving you, I don¡¯t know any Chu Yingyu.¡± Could the Great Princess of Jingyuan Country compare with Dongyuan? She absolutely could not admit it. The gaze of Jun Family Master wandered between Chu Yingyu and Chuzheng. ¡°Jun Family Master, may I have a word,¡± Patriarch Shen suddenly spoke. Jun Family Master didn¡¯t respond. Taking his silence as consent, Patriarch Shen continued, ¡°I¡¯ve heard some rumors from the past. It was rumored that a child capable of overturning Dongyuan would be born, but when the portent arrived, the Jun Family had no child bearing, and no one found the prophesied child. Thus, the rumor became an unsubstantiated gossip, no longer mentioned.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± So there was such a drama involved? Am I really that powerful?? Twenty years ago, a portent descended upon the Jun Family, and it was prophesied to be the birth of a ruler, who would overturn Dongyuan. However, at the time, the Jun Family had no child born to them. But there was a couple residing with the Jun Family who happened to give birth to a child. The child who was prophesied to overturn Dongyuan was not of the Jun Family. What would the Jun Family do? Now that the Jun Family Master saw this person who should have died, his feelings were particularly complex. Not just because of Chuzheng, but also because of Chu Yingyu. The fact that these two people looked alike couldn¡¯t be a coincidence¡­ Patriarch Shen went on, ¡°By chance, I¡¯ve come to know a few more things, let me share them with everyone here.¡± Chapter 312 - Chapter 312: Chapter 312 Minister under the Skirt (34) Chapter 312: Chapter 312 Minister under the Skirt (34) At that time, the couple was staying with a collateral branch of the Jun Family, not residing in the main house, so when the people from the Jun Family went to find them, the child had already been born. The Jun Family feared that prophecy. What would happen to the status of the Jun Family if this child were to grow up? Could it really allow this child to overturn Dongyuan? Impossible! Therefore, the Jun Family wanted to kill the child¡­ along with that couple, the dead are the safest option. Word of this matter leaked out, and the couple fled with their child. ¡°How could the Shen Family be so familiar with this affair?¡± Jun Family Master interrupted Patriarch Shen. ¡°Cough cough¡­¡± Patriarch Shen suppressed his cough: ¡°Because at that time my father saved that woman.¡± ¡°Do you really think my father agreed to the actions five years ago because he was persuaded by you?¡± Jun Family Master¡¯s heart skipped wildly. Was it not so? ¡°Perhaps you should listen to the rest of what I have to say,¡± Patriarch Shen suggested. Jun Family Master clenched his fists. At that time, the couple was driven into a desperate situation and forced to separate; the man fled with the child, while the woman, seriously injured and unconscious, was saved by the old Patriarch of the Shen Family. The old Patriarch of the Shen Family recognized the woman; she was from the Heavy Snow Night Moon. While the woman was gravely injured and her consciousness blurred, the old Patriarch of the Shen Family learned a secret from her. Their child was still with the Jun Family, and the child they were holding was born to the wife of a friend who had taken refuge in the Jun Family¡¯s home after the incident, who then induced early labor. Whether it was because of the premature birth, this child was slightly different from normal people. During the escape, it seemed someone noticed this difference. Jun Family Master was also able to recognize Chuzheng by this fact. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± If only I hadn¡¯t used Xuan Qi, I wouldn¡¯t have brought all these troubles on myself, ah, I really want to get rid of it. Firstly from¡­ ¡°When my father went there, the child was no longer present,¡± Patriarch Shen stated. ¡°Impossible, the births of Jun Family children were all recorded, how could no one have noticed one missing child?¡± Jun Family Master objected. ¡°Jun Family Master, they were twins,¡± Patriarch Shen said, looking toward Chuzheng and Chu Yingyu. Chuzheng, who was still pondering whom to target first: ¡°???¡± What does this have to do with me. Chu Yingyu, on the other hand, frowned as he looked at her. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know what happened between you, you are probably the twin children from back then; one remained with the Jun Family, while the other was mistaken for that child and fled with them¡­ cough cough cough¡­¡± Patriarch Shen¡¯s body swayed, and someone behind him supported him. ¡°Family Head.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Patriarch Shen shook his head and took a moment to continue: ¡°Because your parents helped that couple to escape, they were executed not long after, leaving the child to grow up in the Jun Family with difficulty¡­¡± Memories missing from Chuzheng¡¯s mind began to resurface as Patriarch Shen recounted the story, seeming to also start recovering. These memories came flooding back, causing waves of pain in her head. Chuzheng¡¯s face was tight, showing no outward signs of the anomaly. The original owner grew up despised and loathed in the Jun Family environment. As for Chu Yingyu, he had somehow ended up in the Lower Realm and even became the Grand Imperial Princess. Possibly due to the different environment of the Lower Realm, Chu Yingyu¡¯s Xuan Qi was indistinguishable from that of an ordinary person, whereas Jun Chuzheng, because of her abnormal Xuan Qi, never dared to show it in front of others. So in the eyes of these children, she was nothing but useless. Later, the original owner found out about her sister from the relics left by their parents. She had not had the chance to investigate this matter when the Jun Family sent someone to bring her to the Jun Family. They made her take the position of the young lady of the Jun Family, demanding she protect the elder young master of the Jun Family well. Did the Jun Family¡¯s elder young master need protection? This question puzzled the original owner, but soon she learned that the elder young master of the Jun Family had been crippled by someone for some unknown reason. Because of this incident, the elder young master tormented others daily. When she became the young lady of the Jun Family, he found fault with her wherever he looked; at times he would scold her, and at others, he would use various means to torment her. She was just a person chosen by the Jun Family, not a real young lady, without the right to bear any dissatisfaction toward the elder young master. The Jun Family would not care about her fate. She was diligently taught every day. But she didn¡¯t dare to reveal her true strength in front of these people, her Xuan Qi was different¡­ Perhaps because she had always lived this way, the original owner knew that her abnormality could become a death warrant for her. She looked for opportunities to leave the Jun Family every day. At last, she found her chance, a ruin had opened in the Lingxiang Residence, and it was rumored that great fortunes lay within; the eldest young master of the Jun Family insisted on going. She was named to accompany him. After entering the ruin, the original owner seized an opportunity to flee. But the ruin was too dangerous for her. The ruin was fraught with crises, the original owner was chased by a Xuan beast within the ruins, and in her panic, she fell into a dark space, then she lost consciousness. The ruin was probably connected to the Secret Realm of the Lower Realm, and since they were twins, they switched places under some coincidence. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± This is indeed a grand performance. Admirable, admirable. Can I start killing now? ¡°Why should we believe what you¡¯re saying is true?¡± the Jun Family Master¡¯s face was ashen. Deep down, he already had his suspicions. After all, Chuzheng and Chu Yingyu looked exactly alike. No two people in the world could be so similar unless they were twins¡­ Patriarch Shen said, ¡°Father had always wanted to find that child, but whenever someone involved either went missing or died, there was no news until the Jun Family Master came to us.¡± The people from Heavy Snow Night Moon were most likely to return to Heavy Snow Night Moon. And when the Jun Family Master brought that kind of news, he immediately thought of that child. Everyone has ambitions. The Shen Family had theirs as well. That¡¯s why there was a joint effort to overthrow Heavy Snow Night Moon five years ago. But when Heavy Snow Night Moon fell, the old Patriarch Shen didn¡¯t find his child. Following that, the old Patriarch Shen¡¯s health began to decline. ¡°After that incident, just how many have perished among the three great families, do you really think it¡¯s a coincidence?¡± Patriarch Shen¡¯s mouth twisted into a bitter smile, ¡°With the eldest young master of the Jun Family so powerful, how could he become crippled by an attack from a Xuan beast?¡± The face of the Jun Family Master suddenly changed. The Jun Family had kept this matter tightly under wraps, how could he know about it? Patriarch Shen continued, ¡°The Young Master of the Murong Family also suffered injuries that were hard to heal, and two legitimate daughters of his family ended up one dead, one mad.¡± The Murong Family Master¡¯s face also changed. The Murong Family sought the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill for the Young Master of the Murong Family. ¡°Our Shen Family¡­¡± Patriarch Shen couldn¡¯t stop coughing, ¡°Father suddenly passed away, and my health has also begun to deteriorate, and I¡¯m sure both Family Masters have undergone changes.¡± This statement deeply affected both the Murong Family Master and the Jun Family Master. For the past two years, the Jun Family Master had not made any breakthroughs, and every time he felt close to a breakthrough, each seclusion almost led him to go berserk. It was the same for the Murong Family Master, his strength stagnant. ¡°How¡­ how could you know so much?¡± The Murong Family Master gritted his teeth. He didn¡¯t want to admit it, but every word Patriarch Shen said seemed to be correct. Patriarch Shen said, ¡°Father had an epiphany when he was on his deathbed, but by then it was already too late, Heavy Snow Night Moon had collapsed, and the Xie Clan had been destroyed.¡± ¡°Following my father¡¯s instructions, I found the woman he had saved back then.¡± ¡°She was out of her senses, and it took me several years to piece together the fragments of what she said.¡± But by that time, the Xie Clan had fallen, not a single survivor left. However¡­ Now there was someone still alive. He had to rectify his father¡¯s past mistakes. Chapter 313 - Chapter 313: Chapter 313 Minister under the Skirt (35) Chapter 313: Chapter 313 Minister under the Skirt (35) ¡°Do you mean to say the current changes in Dongyuan are all related to the Xie Family of Heavy Snow Night Moon?¡± The Murong Family Master composed himself and straightened his thoughts. ¡°And the person we are now seeking is the child prophesied twenty years ago to be capable of overthrowing Dongyuan.¡± Patriarch Shen nodded. ¡°Is that child of the Xie Family bloodline from Heavy Snow Night Moon?¡± Patriarch Shen still nodded. How that child returned to Heavy Snow Night Moon, no one knows except the deceased members of the Xie Clan. Patriarch Shen¡¯s voice, fragmented by the wind and snow, said, ¡°You all misunderstood that prophecy.¡± ¡°With the heavy snow covering the entire Skeleton Forest, your actions will only make things worse for Dongyuan.¡± The Murong Family Master: ¡°¡­¡± The Jun Family Master: ¡°¡­¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡± They came today to find that survivor from the Xie Family, hoping to replicate the events of five years ago. But they did not expect to hear such news. Patriarch Shen¡¯s voice murmured, ¡°This is the true upheaval of Dongyuan.¡± The prophecy did not speak of overthrowing Dongyuan¡¯s regime. It was about overthrowing Dongyuan itself. And all this¡­ Patriarch Shen looked ahead; in the midst of the snow, a man in red walked slowly towards them, his presence carrying a gentle wind. Wherever he passed, the wind and snow ceased, as if spring had arrived. The man¡¯s smiling voice traversed the wind and snow, reaching the ears of everyone present, ¡°And all this, you brought about with your own hands.¡± Chuzheng looked in that direction. The cloak on Xie Shu was gone, leaving only his fiery red clothes that billowed in the wind. In the midst of the snow, he glowed bright as fire. Yet, within the man¡¯s eyes lingered shadows, giving him the desolate beauty of a cold, silent moon. Both qualities were prominently displayed, seeming contradictory, yet on him, they felt just right. That was just how he was. Chuzheng sensed the wind and snow around them fading away, as a gentle breeze slowly enveloped them. This is¡­ Starting to lose control again? He really should not have been left alone. What did he do inside!! Xie Shu¡¯s lips curved slightly, his eyes and brows smiling, ¡°The Xie Clan has guarded Heavy Snow Night Moon generation after generation, but you destroyed it.¡± ¡°Now the whole of Dongyuan will share its tomb. Are you pleased?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Murong Family Master moved slightly, and a cut appeared on his cheek, drawing blood instantly. Everyone froze, a sense of crisis surging, hairs standing on end, none dare to move rashly. This wind¡­ Chuzheng¡¯s eyes were as calm and still as the wind and snow, cold and silent. She suddenly walked toward Xie Shu. He watched her approach with a smile. The gentle breeze drew a line of blood on Chuzheng¡¯s body, the blood falling on the snowy ground like blooming red plum blossoms, startlingly red. Xie Shu slightly tilted his head, the smile at his lips cruel and cold-blooded, as if mocking Chuzheng¡¯s actions. Chuzheng stopped halfway to Xie Shu. She met his gaze squarely, ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°Why should I come over?¡± the man asked with a laugh, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the power you all desired? It¡¯s right beside you, within reach. What are you waiting for?¡± The man¡¯s clear voice was beguiling. Indeed, someone reached out a hand¡­ But in the next second, there was a scream of agony. Xie Shu laughed softly, then burst into louder laughter. But Xie Shu¡¯s smile abruptly stiffened, his eyes interwoven with silver light, the surroundings blocked by the silver glow. He was forcefully pushed backward, a kiss laden with the scent of blood pressed against him, his lips pried apart aggressively, the taste of blood transferred to his mouth. Xie Shu¡¯s limbs were bound by fine silver threads, completely immobilizing him. They were now in a space woven by interlacing silver threads. The person kissing him pulled back a smidge, their noses touching, their lips right up against one another. Her voice arose, ¡°Then I¡¯ll come over.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s palm caressed Xie Shu¡¯s cheek, and the kiss, tainted with the scent of blood, descended once more. Xie Shu tried to struggle free, but the Yin Xian wrapped around his wrist grew tighter. It wasn¡¯t until he stopped struggling that the constraints of the Yin Xian loosened. There were entwined Yin Xian behind him, soft as silk. Chuzheng pressed down on him, prolonging the kiss indefinitely. This was the kiss he knew, the breath he was familiar with. After an indeterminable time, Chuzheng let him go. Xie Shu¡¯s lips were flushed, a trace of ferocity in his eyes, his voice slightly hoarse, ¡°Jun Chuzheng, we are enemies.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Chuzheng said, ¡°So what?¡± You say it is so just like that? Did I agree?! ¡°So¡­¡± Xie Shu sneered, ¡°Let me go.¡± ¡°Break free then,¡± Chuzheng crossed her arms and stepped back, her expression cold, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be very formidable?¡± Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng¡¯s clothes were dyed with blood, reflecting a somber hue. Wind began to stir spontaneously in this space. Those seemingly gentle breezes concealed endless murderous intent. Chuzheng stood her ground, unflinching, as she watched the breeze sweep toward her. The breeze brushed across her cheek, light and gentle. Chuzheng drew closer to Xie Shu once again, kissing him under his angry gaze. ¡°Let me go.¡± ¡°You had your chance to kill me just now,¡± Chuzheng said, ¡°You missed it.¡± Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. Seeing the blood on her, his heart ached sporadically. He wished the wounds were on him instead. Chuzheng¡¯s tongue lightly swept over his lips, gently licking them. Xie Shu suddenly closed his eyes and responded actively to her. Xie Shu¡¯s breathing deepened, his body becoming feverish, wanting to break free from the constraints to embrace the person in front of him. ¨C The Murong Family Master and the others only saw a bizarre flash of silvery light, and, in just an instant, the figures of the two had vanished. The wind stopped as well. The snowstorm that had abated started up again, the snowflakes hitting the face and stinging sharply. ¡°Where did they go?¡± Someone ran to the spot where the two had been standing, but there was nothing there, utterly empty. The Jun Family Master coughed up blood violently and his body went limp as he fell, supported by the people beside him. ¡°Jun Family Master, do not make another mistake.¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± the Jun Family Master¡¯s face was twisted in defiance: ¡°Shen Jingyun, stop your nonsense and find them for me, find them and kill him, then let¡¯s see how he tries to overthrow Dongyuan!¡± ¡°Jun Family Master!¡± Shen Jingyun said urgently, suddenly coughing violently. Seizing the moment, the Jun Family Master flung his sleeves and led his people deep into the ruins. The Murong Family Master and Chu Yingyu stayed behind, with Chu Yingyu not yet recovered from the shock of earlier events. She stared at the man as pale as snow, ¡°You say, I am a twin, and to save another¡¯s child, my parents swapped their own child to send to death?¡± And that she was the one sent away¡­ No! She should be the Grand Imperial Princess of Jingyuan Country, with her empress mother still alive, showering her with love. How could she be that abandoned child? She is not¡­ Yet, the man across nodded ever so slightly. Chu Yingyu stumbled back a few steps, ¡°No¡­ That¡¯s impossible.¡± Why was she the one abandoned? She conceived of herself as the esteemed daughter of the Jun Family, destined for a life of perfection and exceptional strength. But Chu Yingyu did not know, the one abandoned lived carefree in Jingyuan Country as a person of high status. While Jun Chuzheng remained here, treading on thin ice, striving for survival. Chapter 314 - Chapter 314: Chapter 314 Minister under the Skirt (36) Chapter 314: Chapter 314 Minister under the Skirt (36) Xie Shu and Chuzheng hadn¡¯t gone far when the Jun Family Master, leading a search party, quickly found them. Chuzheng, cradling the unconscious Xie Shu, was sitting atop some ruins. There were no wind and snow here, just a peaceful and quiet atmosphere. The Jun Family Master stood below with a stern expression, full of a daunting ferocity. He had no idea that the distant branch of the family had given birth to twins all those years ago, what a deceit! This person should have died twenty years ago. ¡°Hand him over to me,¡± the Jun Family Master said, ¡°No matter which of you is Jun Chuzheng, from now on, you will be the young lady of the Jun Family.¡± With her hand covering Xie Shu¡¯s ears, Chuzheng¡¯s tone was cold and dissatisfied, ¡°You¡¯re disturbing him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The fire in the Jun Family Master¡¯s eyes blazed, ¡°I said, hand him over to me!¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± Is the Good Person Card something you can just demand whenever you like? It¡¯s mine! ¡°Then don¡¯t blame me for being rude.¡± Chuzheng looked at him with a disdainful expression, ¡°Defeated general.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Jun Family Master perhaps recalled his previous ordeal. Even within his own Enclosed Domain, he had found himself in such a wretched state. ¡°Seize them for me!¡± At the Jun Family Master¡¯s command, his men hesitated slightly, for the shock of Xie Shu¡¯s appearance had been too great. Glaring sharply at them, the Jun Family Master made it clear that hesitation was not an option, and they leapt towards Chuzheng. Chuzheng set Xie Shu aside against something and with a sweep of her arm, a silver sword materialized in her hand. ¨C By the time Patriarch Shen and the Murong Family arrived, Chuzheng had already dealt with most of their people, leaving only a few scattered about the scene. The Jun Family Master had been sent flying by Chuzheng, her silver sword pressing against his throat, needing only a bit more force to penetrate it. But then Chuzheng abruptly withdrew her sword, leaped back to Xie Shu¡¯s side, and carried him away. Without the strength to prevent it, the Jun Family Master could only watch as she disappeared into the ruins. The Murong Family Master seemed to weigh his options, looking like he wanted to act, yet hesitant after witnessing the recent events. The Shen Family on the other hand showed no intention of intervening and simply protected their feeble Family Head throughout. ¡°Father,¡± Chu Yingyu helped the Jun Family Master to his feet, ¡°Are you all right?¡± The Jun Family Master glanced at her, his face still a steel blue without any softening, feeling humiliated just by looking at her. He bit back the urge to lash out at Chu Yingyu. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± Chu Yingyu pressed her lips together, supporting the Jun Family Master as they left. ¡°Jun Family Master, go have a look outside, see what Dongyuan is like now.¡± The suppressed voice of Shen Jingyun coughing up rang out as the Jun Family Master passed by. The Jun Family Master snorted coldly, ¡°Mind your own business.¡± The Murong Family Master glanced in the direction where Chuzheng had vanished, feeling reluctant to let go but still apprehensive about what had just happened. Sometimes, a prophecy is the cause. Because it is prophesied, people try to change it, only to end up realizing the foretold outcome. The Jun Family Master left Heavy Snow Night Moon; he didn¡¯t plan to give up just yet, but when he stepped out of Heavy Snow Night Moon, passed through the snow-covered Skeleton Forest, and arrived at the nearest town¡ª A chill rose from his spine. Someone in the town had raised a large barrier using Xuan Qi, which was now covered in snow and about to collapse. The entire town was on the verge of being encased in ice. This¡­ The snowflakes drifting from the sky were piercingly cold. As the Jun Family Master stood there in shock, the town¡¯s barrier shattered, and the ice and snow rapidly enveloped everything in sight. The town¡¯s inhabitants, in their panic, produced Xuan Qi that got frozen in the air, crystallizing into beautiful colors. This¡­ It was too eerie. The Jun Family Master entered the town, finding its people frozen in place. The expressions of terror on their faces were plainly visible. There was not a single survivor in this town. ¡°` What kind of power is this¡­ The patriarch of the Murong Family who arrived soon after also saw it. The Jun Family Master began to doubt whether what he had done was correct, what exactly Heavy Snow Night Moon was, and what kinds of secrets the Xie Clan possessed. ¨C What kind of power does the Xie Clan have? They are not that impressive, just like everyone else in Dongyuan, they are ordinary people with flesh and blood who also need to cultivate. The one with a different power is Heavy Snow Night Moon. It is said that Dongyuan was once part of the Lower Realm. Not the era when one could ascend from the Lower Realm, but even earlier. At that time, Dongyuan was merely a part of the Lower Realm. Later, a very powerful individual cultivated into a True God, possessing the ability to create worlds. He separated Dongyuan, establishing a passage. As for why. The reasons are lost to antiquity, and even the Xie Family can¡¯t explain it clearly. Dongyuan became unstable after being separated, and the True God tried many methods, all in vain. Eventually, he realized that by forcibly separating Dongyuan, he had violated the rules of the world. But things had already reached this point, and it was impossible to return Dongyuan to its original position. Within Dongyuan were his offspring, his clansmen¡­ it was his responsibility. He couldn¡¯t just watch Dongyuan disappear. In the end, the True God established Heavy Snow Night Moon, investing his entire life¡¯s energy to stabilize Dongyuan with it. The Xie Clan is tasked with guarding Heavy Snow Night Moon. The clan leader of the Xie Clan seemed to have long known of this calamity and at the crucial moment, channeled all the power left by the True God into Xie Shu¡¯s body. Perhaps it was destined by the heavens. At the time, Xie Shu had no idea what it was, simply thinking it was a method of protection by his clan members, something each one of them possessed. However, the truth was that it was he alone who could be accepted by this power without being harmed. Xie Shu, looking at the mural on the wall said, ¡°So they told me not to seek revenge, not to harbor resentment, to live is to hope.¡± The hope of Dongyuan. He has returned here only to understand what those words meant. Previously, he thought it was just his clan wishing for him to live. Wishing to preserve the bloodline of the Xie Family. But it was not so¡­ The power of the True God blessed Dongyuan daily, becoming one with it. He carried that power with him. He was Heavy Snow Night Moon. But he had left. So initially, Dongyuan experienced three months of heavy snowfall, and then it quietly began to change. Now that he has returned to Dongyuan, because he brought resentment with him, the changes in Dongyuan have intensified, and are now beginning to spiral out of control. Chuzheng pulled Xie Shu back and held him. ¡°I really hate it,¡± Xie Shu muttered, holding Chuzheng, his voice muffled, ¡°What wrong did Heavy Snow Night Moon commit? Generation after generation, they dutifully guarded this place, guarded Dongyuan.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Chuzheng patted his back, ¡°It¡¯s their mistake.¡± The Good Person Card can do no wrong. A thousand faults, a million faults, the Good Person Card can absolutely do no wrong. If the Good Person Card is at fault, please refer to the two points above. ¡°Don¡¯t you hate me?¡± ¡°Why should I hate you?¡± How can the Good Person Card hate arbitrarily? ¡°My birth, it caused the death of your parents,¡± Xie Shu heard everything Shen Jingyun said earlier, he was unaware of this part of the past before. His enmity with the Jun Family had been formed so early on. Yet she was innocent. Chuzheng, holding Xie Shu¡¯s shoulders, pulled apart the distance between them and leaned in to kiss him. Her answer. Xie Shu understood. Chapter 315 - Chapter 315: Chapter 315 Minister under the Skirt (37) Chapter 315: Chapter 315 Minister under the Skirt (37) Heavy snow swirled through the air. What should have been a pleasant snowy landscape now instilled fear in everyone, for no one knew when the snowfall might turn so severe that it would freeze all the people in the city. Centred around the Ruins of the Heavy Snow Night Moon, the area it covered grew ever wider. Even with Xuan Qi Protecting Body, everyone felt cold, and they began migrating to cities where the snow hadn¡¯t fallen yet. People in Dongyuan were panicking. And Shen Jingyun was still holding out inside the Heavy Snow Night Moon. ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Shen Jingyun coughed softly, ¡°We need to find a way to see Xie Shu. The stability of Dongyuan depends on him¡­ cough, cough¡­¡± ¡°Family Head, your health¡­¡± The person beside him was deeply concerned. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Shen Jingyun shook his head. ¡°Today I¡¯ll go myself, you all don¡¯t need to follow.¡± Shen Jingyun refused to let people follow him. Chuzheng and Xie Shu were nearby, in a chamber that hadn¡¯t been completely buried. His people had tried to go there before, but they were always turned away. Although the chamber wasn¡¯t completely buried, most of it was under the ruins. It was a bit of a struggle for normal people to get down there, not to mention Shen Jingyun¡­ He slid down the somewhat steep slope, where there were sharp protuberances ahead. Shen Jingyun closed his eyes, but then his body was stopped from sliding further down by someone. ¡°Yaoye,¡± Shen Jingyun called softly without opening his eyes. Shen Yaoye helped him rise, his handsome face showing a trace of indifference, ¡°Sick and yet you come out alone, do you wish to die here?¡± ¡°Yaoye,¡± Shen Jingyun reached out, trying to grab Shen Yaoye¡¯s arm. Shen Yaoye stepped aside, calling out with clear indifference, ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Jingyun lowered his hand, ¡°Mm.¡± Having reached the bottom, he knocked on the stone door of the chamber. There was no response from the inside. Shen Yaoye still stood where he was, his eyes harboring complicated emotions that were hard to read. Leaning against the stone door, Shen Jingyun looked up at him, ¡°After so many days, you finally deign to see me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that if you died, there would be no one to take care of the Shen family,¡± Shen Yaoye said. ¡°Yaoye, father is dead, don¡¯t be like this,¡± Shen Jingyun¡¯s voice was low, Shen Yaoye had to listen closely to make it out, ¡°When father died, his greatest wish was to see you one last time. Why did you¡­¡± ¡°He only cared about you. Don¡¯t come to console me with such words,¡± Shen Yaoye said as he walked upward. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time here. If she wanted to see you, she would have done so already.¡± Shen Yaoye vanished from Shen Jingyun¡¯s line of sight. Silver hair framed Shen Jingyun¡¯s face, making it appear even paler. After a while, he let out a long sigh. Just as Shen Yaoye had said, Chuzheng didn¡¯t want to see him, or rather, she didn¡¯t want him to see Xie Shu. ¨C Chuzheng opened the stone door. A young and elegant man was kneeling outside the door, with snow covering his shoulders and the top of his head. Chuzheng was somewhat annoyed, ¡°What do you want to do?¡± He had been lurking around her for several days, and now he was kneeling down. A grown man should be kneeling to heaven, earth, and his parents, but why was he kneeling to her? She didn¡¯t want to be his mother. She didn¡¯t have such a big son! ¡°Shen Jingyun wants to see Young Master Xie,¡± Shen Yaoye, who¡¯d been kneeling for who knew how long, looked somewhat unwell, his voice was hoarse, ¡°Please let Young Master Xie meet with him.¡± ¡°Why does Xie Shu have to see him?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was cold, the Good Person Card is mine! Mine!! ¡°Please,¡± Shen Yaoye pleaded. ¡°Xie Shu won¡¯t meet him.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll kneel until Young Master Xie agrees to meet him.¡± ¡°Then you kneel¡­ What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chuzheng said, wrapping her arms around Xie Shu who had walked up. ¡°I want to go out for a walk,¡± Xie Shu said, without looking at Shen Yaoye. Chuzheng glanced outside, where the weather seemed exceptionally fine despite the collapse of the Heavy Snow Night Moon, not too cold even as it snowed. The air wasn¡¯t great in the chamber, so Chuzheng agreed with Xie Shu¡¯s request and took him up. Shen Yaoye rose and followed. He followed silently but quickly disappeared again upon seeing Shen Jingyun and the others from afar. Shen Jingyun, with great difficulty, was finally facing Chuzheng, ordering his men to block them. ¡°Step aside,¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was icy. ¡°Is this ever going to end?¡± ¡°Miss Jun, please, just delay for a moment,¡± Shen Jingyun had rushed over and began coughing violently after speaking. He covered his mouth with his palm, and when he removed it, there was blood dripping from the tips of his fingers. He paused for a moment, then covered his hand with his sleeve. ¡°Young Master Xie, do you want to see your mother?¡± Xie Shu¡¯s grip on Chuzheng¡¯s hand suddenly tightened. ¨C Xie Shu¡¯s mother had been brought over by Shen Jingyun, the woman who was only in her forties had a hunched back, an aged face, and looked like an old person of extraordinary years. But her eyes were exceptionally bright. Supported by others, as Xie Shu stood beside Chuzheng, his gaze fell on the elderly woman, and he unconsciously stepped back. The woman on the other side seemed clearly frightened. Like a lost child, she stood there nervous and agitated, her body trembling. Chuzheng wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to see her, we can go back.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Xie Shu¡¯s lips parted slightly. In Ruins of the Heavy Snow Night Moon, he didn¡¯t have a mother. His father had said his mother passed away early¡­ But now his mother, was standing in front of him. So strange that he dared not recognize her. Xie Shu wanted to speak with her alone. Chuzheng and Shen Jingyun left, but Chuzheng didn¡¯t go far and stood in a place where she could see them. What if the Good Person Card got taken away by someone? Of course, she had to watch. Shen Jingyun kept suppressing her cough, her body teetering. Chuzheng silently moved a bit further away. Don¡¯t come crashing into me and make trouble. Shen Jingyun: ¡°¡­¡± After talking with the woman for a long time, Xie Shu returned to the secret room without saying a word. He sat in the corner, staring blankly at the wall murals. Chuzheng fed him food, but he wouldn¡¯t eat. Chuzheng looked at the food in her hand, hesitated, and finally pinched Xie Shu¡¯s chin, forcing him to swallow. ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Xie Shu choked. His whole face turned bright red, with reflexive tears in the corners of his eyes, his misty eyes held a bit of resentment as he looked at Chuzheng. ¡°Are you trying to choke me to death?¡± Chuzheng justified herself, ¡°You won¡¯t eat.¡± How am I supposed to take care of myself, all weak and helpless, if I don¡¯t force-feed you! ¡°But you can¡¯t just force-feed me.¡± Can¡¯t you cajole me? Is this something a woman should do? ¡°Will you eat or not?¡± It¡¯s so troublesome to eat something. ¡°Feed me.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Feed? Feeding is to coax children. The Good Person Card is already so big, why feed? Might as well continue to force-feed, it¡¯s faster and saves time. Xie Shu, seeing Chuzheng about to force-feed again, couldn¡¯t help but cry and laugh, the pent-up emotions inside him, scattered because of her fuss. Being with her was really nice. Without all those messy things. ¡°Chuzheng.¡± Xie Shu embraced her: ¡°No matter what I do, will you always unconditionally support me?¡± ¡°What do you want to do? I¡¯ll help you.¡± That¡¯s enough. ¡°It¡¯s good to have met you.¡± Chuzheng seized the moment to ask, ¡°So am I a good person?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Xie Shu nodded: ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Why doesn¡¯t Bastard react? Or are all men disingenuous? Chapter 316 - Chapter 316: Chapter 316 Minister under the Skirt (38) Chapter 316: Chapter 316 Minister under the Skirt (38) The chamber was silent and serene. In one corner of the chamber, a soft velvet carpet was laid out, and a man lay on his side upon it, an arm slung across his waist, embraced from behind. The man whose eyes had been tightly closed suddenly awoke with a start and sat up. He gasped for air, heart pounding with residual terror from the nightmare. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chuzheng followed him up, reaching out to touch his forehead. Xie Shu pulled her hand down, kissed it, and then suddenly turned around, pressing Chuzheng onto the soft velvet carpet. His kisses were anxious and unsettled, like a homeless little animal desperately seeking a safe haven. Chuzheng just held him, without any surplus actions. But Xie Shu was clearly not satisfied with just that. Chuzheng looked at him with cold eyes for a moment, then suddenly pushed him to the side, and their positions abruptly reversed. The dim light in the chamber, accompanied by the sound of clothing rubbing together, seemed ambiguous yet clear. ¨C After a night of indulgence, the next day Xie Shu woke up in a daze. He sat there, lifting the velvet carpet to check his body, then looked at the clothes on the floor. He was like a gentleman who had been forcefully taken advantage of. ¡°You¡­¡± Xie Shu stared at Chuzheng as she dressed, opening his red lips slightly. ¡°You started it first,¡± Chuzheng said cautiously. Xie Shu¡¯s ears suddenly grew hot, but his face wore a smile, ¡°Then did I satisfy you?¡± The exceptionally handsome man wore a light smile with a gentle arch to his brows and eyes, and the corners of his eyes seemed to be brimming with laughter, making one wish to press him down again and cherish him thoroughly. This man¡­ Chuzheng took a deep breath. ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°¡®Not bad¡¯ means¡­ not so great?¡± Xie Shu asked puzzled, ¡°Am I that bad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Xie Shu¡¯s expression suddenly turned serious, ¡°Miss Jun, do you have another man?¡± ¡°No.¡± Where would she get another man from? Not everyone has a Good Person Card! ¡°If not, then how do you figure I¡¯m just alright?¡± Without comparison, how could she tell!? Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Isn¡¯t ¡®not bad¡¯ supposed to be a compliment? Why does he still look unsatisfied? What¡¯s wrong with me!! ¡°Why are you not speaking? Or does Miss Jun have another man?¡± A dark shade flickered through Xie Shu¡¯s beautiful eyes, as if, should she mention having another man, he would do something utterly unreasonable. ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Chuzheng said coldly, ¡°Only you.¡± ¡°Really.¡± ¡°Believe it or not.¡± Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng picked up the clothes from the ground and threw them at him, ¡°Get dressed.¡± Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, Xie Shu flung back the velvet carpet and lay down again, turning his back to Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Hey! You¡¯re quite the character now, throwing a tantrum at me, even though you were the one who initiated it last night. Why does it seem like it¡¯s my fault now? ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting up?¡± ¡°No.¡± Xie Shu thought Chuzheng would coax him. Instead, he heard her footsteps as she left. The stone door of the chamber opened, then closed. Xie Shu suddenly sat up. The emptiness of the chamber plunged Xie Shu¡¯s mood to freezing point. It seemed as if a wind arose within the still air. The darkness pooled in the man¡¯s eyes like thick ink, tainting the light therein. The chamber door suddenly opened, and light flooded in, casting a slender shadow on the ground. Chuzheng stepped into the secret chamber and immediately got a cut on her hand. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What is that little thing up to now! She looked into the chamber, where Xie Shu was leaning against the stone wall, his body unclothed, a velvet blanket casually draped over his waist, his long and straight legs exposed to the air. His long hair spilled over in front of him, barely concealing the mottled marks on his body. The scene was seductive and enchanting, enough to capture anyone¡¯s gaze. Chuzheng entered with a cold face, the air parting to make way for her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chuzheng pulled him over, wrapped him in the velvet blanket, not giving Xie Shu any space to play, ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± If he fell ill, it would end up being my trouble. Can¡¯t the Good Person Card take care of himself properly? Xie Shu was wrapped up with no defense, only his head sticking out, looking like a silkworm pupa. The battle has gone poorly¡­ Xie Shu was so frustrated he became withdrawn. His peripheral vision caught sight of the blood beads continually emerging from the back of Chuzheng¡¯s hand; Xie Shu¡¯s complexion changed instantly. He wanted to reach out but was pinned down by Chuzheng, unable to stretch his hands out from inside. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Hurt what? Following his gaze to her hand where the blood was dripping down, Chuzheng casually wiped it with something, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt, but there won¡¯t be a next time.¡± Chuzheng fiercely threatened him, ¡°If there¡¯s a next time, I¡¯ll break your legs.¡± A sudden warmth spread across the back of Chuzheng¡¯s hand. Xie Shu¡¯s tongue swept over the wound, his long eyelashes drooping, his pink tongue peeking out from between his lips, licking the skin with moisture and warmth, causing one¡¯s body to tingle. Chuzheng¡¯s face grew stern¡­ [Miss, please shut your mouth!] The King¡¯s Account suddenly roared. ¡°¡­¡± Isn¡¯t that dirty! What if my wound gets infected! Are you a dog or something! Chuzheng¡¯s words were blocked by the King¡¯s Account. But she promptly withdrew her hand. Suddenly, Xie Shu pressed towards her. As Chuzheng fell back, Xie Shu¡¯s lips landed on her neck, kissing upwards slowly, each one delicate and cautious. Xie Shu felt the blanket wrapping him loosen slightly; his hands instantly broke free and propped themselves on either side of Chuzheng¡¯s body. Xie Shu was already nude, and with the blanket coming loose, his body pressed against Chuzheng¡¯s. The ambiguous air sprayed on the nape of Chuzheng¡¯s neck, Xie Shu¡¯s eyes gradually growing hazy, his palms tracing the curves of Chuzheng¡¯s body. His fingers reached for the belt around her waist, his slender fingertips flicked gently, untying it easily. The scorching touch of his fingers against Chuzheng¡¯s skin made her draw in a shallow breath; she couldn¡¯t resist the sensations Xie Shu was bringing her. ¡°Is there only me?¡± Xie Shu suddenly asked. Chuzheng was in the midst of a difficult decision, between wanting to stay still and wanting to pamper her Good Person Card, when she heard Xie Shu¡¯s question; she instinctively answered, ¡°No.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What did my Good Person Card just ask me? Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± She has others besides me!? Xie Shu¡¯s palm gripped Chuzheng¡¯s waist tightly. Chuzheng had a bad feeling, and sure enough, the next second, her body sank. Xie Shu, pressing against her without moving, pushed his body down, squeezing the gap between their bodies until there was none left, whispering in her ear, ¡°Then I wonder, Miss Jun, who else is there? Tell me about them, and I will bring them all to you; do you want their heads or their bodies?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± A head would be preferable. No! I don¡¯t have anyone else, okay!?! Chuzheng was somewhat uncomfortable but didn¡¯t want to move. ¡°Xie Shu, move a bit.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Xie Shu said with a hint of laughter, ¡°Miss Jun, you haven¡¯t told me yet, besides me, who else is there?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one.¡± ¡°But you just said there was,¡± Xie Shu bit softly on Chuzheng¡¯s earlobe. ¡°Are you uncomfortable?¡± Chuzheng asked him seriously. Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Xie Shu held back, pulling back the train of thought that Chuzheng had nearly led astray. Chapter 317 - Chapter 317: Chapter 317 Minister under the Skirt (39) Chapter 317: Chapter 317 Minister under the Skirt (39) The result of Xie Shu¡¯s courting death was that Chuzheng bound him. You dared to cross me! The little thing is still too tender! ¡°Ouch!¡± Xie Shu¡¯s wrist was chafed red, and there was still a flush on his face, ¡°Let me go.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Chuzheng refused expressionlessly. Chuzheng padded his wrist with cloth before binding it again. ¡°Do you have anyone else?¡± ¡°No.¡± It was a slip of the tongue! Chuzheng kissed him, and Xie Shu dodged to avoid it: ¡°What do you take me for? Your purchased male concubine?¡± Chuzheng slightly puzzled: ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one I bought?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He indeed was purchased by her. On that ship, if not for her, what would have become of him? He should be thankful to her. What right did he have to make a fuss in front of her? When the Heavy Snow Night Moon collapsed, he was no longer the noble young master; he became a homeless waste. Xie Shu suddenly lowered his eyelashes and quieted down. Chuzheng felt somewhat restless; unable to find a reason for her irritability, she attributed it to the Good Person Card, kissing it over and over again. Xie Shu¡¯s spirits were low. He just wanted a bit of security from her. He didn¡¯t want to lose her as he had lost the Heavy Snow Night Moon. Chuzheng didn¡¯t quite like Xie Shu in this state; she released him and took him into her embrace. Xie Shu obediently nestled in her arms, his dark hair hiding his face. Chuzheng brushed aside the hair, her fingertips grazing his cheek: ¡°Be good, and I won¡¯t bind you in the future.¡± Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Was their problem really about whether to bind him or not? No¡­ that wasn¡¯t right. Had she been planning to bind him before? ¡°Mmm.¡± Xie Shu responded. No matter if she had others or not, as long as he was still around, he wouldn¡¯t let anyone appear by her side. Even in death, she could only belong to him. Xie Shu pressed against Chuzheng¡¯s chest, listening to the beat of her heart. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Her heartbeat could only beat for him. He really liked her¡­ liked her so much. ¨C The snowstorm outside was getting heavier and spreading faster. Shen Jingyun was still standing guard outside with his men, while Chuzheng secretly went over to listen to their conversation. Xie Shu was now one with Dongyuan, and his actions could lead Dongyuan into utter ruin. After listening, Chuzheng concluded: If Xie Shu wasn¡¯t happy, the whole of Dongyuan would have to be buried with him. Quite the mighty Good Person Card. Chuzheng thought it was quite nice; if all else failed, just go to the Lower Realm. [¡­] One shouldn¡¯t expect too much from Miss; the fact that she didn¡¯t encourage the Good Person Card to directly destroy Dongyuan was already commendable. Stay calm, don¡¯t get angry at Miss. ¡°Young Master Xie, if this goes on, the entire Dongyuan will be covered by snow. Please stop,¡± Shen Jingyun sounded so weak that he was almost inaudible. ¡°Patriarch Shen, the collapse of the Heavy Snow Night Moon involved the Shen Family as well, so what right do you have to ask me?¡± Xie Shu¡¯s red garment blazed with intensity, standing in front of Shen Jingyun, one like snow and ice, the other like fire. ¡°Young Master Xie, I know,¡± Shen Jingyun said with a bitter smile: ¡°My father has passed away, so I will atone for his sins. This life, if Young Master Xie wants it, I¡¯m willing to give it to you at any time.¡± ¡°What use is your life to me, can it restore the Heavy Snow Night Moon or bring my clan back to life?¡± Xie Shu¡¯s lips curved in a cold smirk, articulating every word: ¡°Neither.¡± Shen Jingyun looked at the man before him and slowly knelt down. Xie Shu¡¯s expression shifted slightly and he stepped back. ¡°Young Master Xie, no matter what, I beseech you to stop. Don¡¯t let every living being in Dongyuan turn into another Heavy Snow Night Moon.¡± Xie Shu watched Shen Jingyun in silence. A moment passed. Xie Shu suddenly turned around and left. ¨C Chuzheng found Xie Shu at the highest point of the ruins, where he sat on the edge, gazing into the distance with a countenance that was stunning to the extreme but now carried an air of loneliness and desolation. Chuzheng sat down beside him. ¡°No one can force you to do anything, just do as you please,¡± said Chuzheng, holding his hand, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Xie Shu continued to look into the distance and murmured, ¡°Chuzheng, I can¡¯t stop.¡± He wasn¡¯t so powerful after all. He couldn¡¯t control the strength in his body at all. Chuzheng wrapped an arm around his shoulder, and Xie Shu leaned on her by instinct. ¡°My father once taught me to cherish all life, but¡­¡± He opened his palm. ¡°Right now, I am hurting innocent people.¡± What was the difference between him now and the Jun Family back then? His dreams were no longer just filled with his deceased clan members, but also with the people outside, who looked at him with ferocious fear. Xie Shu whispered lowly, ¡°What should I do, Chuzheng? Tell me, what should I do?¡± Chuzheng patted his back, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Xie Shu couldn¡¯t control it, and it was something no one could have anticipated. The Xie Clan had been annihilated, and no one knew how to wield the power left behind by that True God. There were times when Mother Xie was lucid, but even she didn¡¯t know. Sometimes Xie Shu stayed with his mother, and they spoke unrelated words to each other. Chuzheng stood in the distance, growing impatient with waiting, walking back and forth and kicking stones on the ground, yet she remained there the entire time. Xie Shu could see her whenever he lifted his eyes. ¡°My little Shu.¡± Xie Shu withdrew his gaze, taking hold of Mother Xie¡¯s trembling hand. Mother Xie was probably lucid at that moment, her eyes particularly bright. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my son, it¡¯s my fault. If I hadn¡¯t insisted on being with your father, you wouldn¡¯t have turned out like this, it¡¯s my fault.¡± Xie Shu silently grasped Mother Xie¡¯s hand tighter. Mother Xie stroked his head, laden with repentance and guilt, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, it¡¯s all my fault.¡± In the distance, Chuzheng had stopped for who knows when and was now watching them from afar, a coldness growing in her expression. Only I can touch the head of the Good Person Card!! But she was the mother of the Good Person Card¡­ Chuzheng fiddled with her clothing, rubbing it back and forth until it was wrinkled, then turned her head away as if she hadn¡¯t seen anything. Mother Xie was only lucid for a short while and soon became confused again, starting to talk nonsense. ¨C Chuzheng had Fang Sheng and others come in and build houses in the ruins since it appeared that Xie Shu had no intention of leaving the place. She could only plan for the temporary. Importantly in this place, Bastard couldn¡¯t cause her to squander her wealth. Chuzheng hadn¡¯t been able to touch the Tianjin Mouse for a long time; she held onto it without letting go, not even holding Xie Shu anymore. Tianjin Mouse: ¡°¡­¡± Help!! Wu Di flapped its wings beside them, taking pleasure in the Tianjin Mouse¡¯s misfortune. Fortunately, its fur wasn¡¯t soft. Shen Yaoye returned during this period of ¡®disaster recovery.¡¯ Shen Jingyun, knowing that Xie Shu couldn¡¯t control this power, had already embarked on a return journey to the Shen Family. It was unclear whether he wanted to spend these last moments with his own people or to seek a solution. Shen Yaoye approached briskly and immediately said, ¡°Miss Jun, please take Young Master Xie away from here.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I think this place is quite nice. ¡°Go to the Lower Realm, it may slow down the pace at which the ice and snow spread,¡± Shen Yaoye said. It was a solution he had thought about for a long time. When Xie Shu had not returned to Dongyuan, it was only a bit colder than usual. But since he had come back, the spread of ice and snow had greatly accelerated. Chapter 318 - Chapter 318: Chapter 318 Minister under the Skirt (40) Chapter 318: Chapter 318 Minister under the Skirt (40) Hei Liu once again saw Chuzheng, and his entire being was trembling with fear. This person had gone to Dongyuan and had actually returned completely unharmed. Chuzheng knew that as soon as she returned to a normal place, she would be forced to squander her family¡¯s wealth, so under Hei Liu¡¯s frightened and cautious demeanor, Chuzheng reluctantly bought his boat. Where would Hei Liu dare not to sell? If he didn¡¯t sell, he would lose his life. After having Hei Liu remove the messy things from the boat and refurnish it comfortably, she then boarded the boat with Xie Shu. After leaving Heavy Snow Night Moon, Xie Shu¡¯s body began to feel the cold again. Chuzheng was reluctant to take him away, but Xie Shu insisted, and she had no choice. The Good Person Card was important. The demands of the Good Person Card were everything. ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve arranged the old lady in the room next to yours; that¡¯s not a problem, right?¡± Hei Liu rubbed his hands together, displaying an ingratiating smile, fearing he would anger Chuzheng. The incident from before was still vivid in his memory; he dared not forget it for the rest of his life. ¡°Mm.¡± Chuzheng nodded, stroking the Tianjin Mouse, and then turned her head to command, ¡°Fang Sheng, inspect the surroundings.¡± With the powers of Fang Sheng and the others, following her would be more convenient. Because Chuzheng offered a high price, naturally, Fang Sheng and the others were willing to follow. ¡°Yes.¡± Fang Sheng spread out to inspect the boat, while Hei Liu wiped away his sweat at the back; he wouldn¡¯t dare try any tricks. Chuzheng brought Xie Shu up first. Shen Yaoye was waiting below, and when he saw her coming down, he said, ¡°Miss Jun, about the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill, could you possibly¡­¡± The Primordial Spirit Golden Pill wasn¡¯t currently needed by Xie Shu. Chuzheng watched him expressionlessly. Shen Yaoye felt somewhat uncomfortable under her gaze, ¡°Miss Jun, as long as you are willing to give me the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill, I am willing to exchange anything with you for it.¡± ¡°Your life?¡± Shen Yaoye was slightly taken aback. A moment later, he nodded solemnly. Chuzheng turned away indifferently, and just when Shen Yaoye¡¯s disappointment set in, she suddenly raised her hand and threw something at him. By the time Shen Yaoye realized what it was, it was almost about to hit the ground, and only then did he dive to catch it. He fell to the ground, yet made sure that the object in his hand remained intact. ¡°There is something you can do for me,¡± came the girl¡¯s distant voice. ¨C Dongyuan. The snow that had accumulated on the ground was now above the knee, the streets empty, all shop doors tightly closed. The heavy snowfall was gradually diminishing. ¡°Miss, the snow outside is getting lighter.¡± Chu Yingyu pushed the window open to look, and indeed the snow had lessened. In less than half a day, the snow on the ground had started to melt, and although snowflakes were still falling, they no longer hindered normal activities. Chu Yingyu walked through the corridor, arriving at the study of the Jun Family Master. She knocked and entered. The Jun Family Master had been seriously injured, and these days, he had been healing and taking medicine. ¡°What should I call you?¡± the Jun Family Master asked. Chu Yingyu¡¯s heart trembled slightly, and just as she was about to speak, she heard the Jun Family Master say, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Father¡­¡± The Jun Family Master raised his hand, ¡°You were there at the time; you should know I am not your father.¡± Chu Yingyu bit her lower lip, ¡°But I am a person of the Jun Family.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± The Jun Family Master let out a cold laugh, ¡°That¡¯s true. After all, you are a person of the Jun Family. Follow me.¡± Chu Yingyu felt slightly reassured in her heart. The Jun Family Master brought Chu Yingyu to meet someone. This person did not give Chu Yingyu a good impression. In the presence of the Jun Family Master, she didn¡¯t dare to speak out of turn, keeping her head down, letting that person size her up. In the end, that person nodded, ¡°Although she¡¯s not as good as the previous one, she can still be considered excellent.¡± Chu Yingyu frowned. What did they mean by that? ¡°` ¡°That will do,¡± the Jun Family Master waved his hand, signaling Chu Yingyu to leave first. Chu Yingyu always felt something was off, but in the time that followed, she still lived as the lady of Jun Family, without experiencing any mistreatment. Until¡­ She met the eldest young master of whom she had only heard about from the servants. When Chu Yingyu saw the Jun Family¡¯s eldest young master for the first time, she felt he was gloomy and paranoid, not someone easy to get along with. But she had not expected that the Jun Family would assign her to take care of him. She wanted to object, however, when she met the Jun Family Master¡¯s gaze, the words on the tip of her tongue had to be swallowed back. Night fell. The entire Jun residence quieted down. However, a sudden noise shattered the calm. A servant opened the door and looked towards the direction of the sound, hesitated for a moment, then acted as if they had heard nothing, turning back to their room. The next day, Chu Yingyu was brought out of the eldest young master¡¯s room, her clothes stained with blood, her back whipped to a bloody pulp. The servant carefully applied medicine to her, using the very best, and soon not even the scars could be seen. But this could not soothe the fear Chu Yingyu had experienced. And this fear would not end. Her strength was too insignificant in the Jun Family; any person close to the eldest young master could take her life in an instant. She suddenly understood why the real Jun Chuzheng didn¡¯t care at all about her replacing her identity. With such a life, if it were her previous life, why would she ever want to come back. She did it on purpose! She deliberately let herself replace her¡­ It must have been on purpose!! At this moment, Chu Yingyu¡¯s head was filled with thoughts of Jun Chuzheng intentionally having her come back to suffer in her stead. Yet she had forgotten that Jun Chuzheng had never hidden the fact that she was Jun Chuzheng. While Chu Yingyu was in deep trouble, the Jun Family wasn¡¯t faring well either. Snow was now falling in Dongyuan; although it didn¡¯t affect normal life, it still brought changes. There was already plenty to deal with when the Murong Family suddenly went crazy and attacked the Jun Family¡¯s territory, accusing them of killing their people. The Jun Family was baffled; when had they killed their people? Both sides stood firm, neither yielding. The Jun Family was not to be trifled with; faced with such provocation, they couldn¡¯t just not fight back. Having just experienced a disaster, the two families went to war. Other smaller clans were eager to test the waters and stirred trouble in the middle. The entire Dongyuan began to stir, and no one could remain unaffected. The chaos of battle ensued, and no one remembered how it all started; they only knew that with the current state of Dongyuan, if they did not seize resources now, how would they survive in the days to come? The Jun Family¡¯s power was drastically reduced due to the Family Head¡¯s injury. The Jun Family Master was on the edge of rage every day. Who he pointed at, he blasted. The longer it went on, the more the Jun Family weakened until finally, someone led some of the Jun Family away. Only then did the Jun Family Master realize there had been betrayal. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± ¡°Family Head, it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t care about the clan, but the Jun Family has always ordered us around, and we have had enough. Take care of yourself,¡± said the collateral family members. As collateral members of the Jun Family, they could only be treated as cannon fodder, always less than others. Someone made them a generous offer to break away from the Jun Family and establish a new Jun Family outside. Why wouldn¡¯t they want to? Betrayal might be shameful. But who doesn¡¯t want to climb higher? ¡°You bunch of ungrateful wretches!¡± The Jun Family Master grabbed something nearby and hurled it. The people on the other side left without any nostalgia. The Jun Family Master was so angry that he was on the verge of a stroke. ¡°Family Head, Family Head, the eldest young master is in trouble!¡± Before the Jun Family Master could calm his anger, another piece of bad news arrived. The Jun Family¡¯s eldest young master had been stabbed; fortunately, he was found in time and saved. The only suspect was the nowhere-to-be-found Chu Yingyu. ¡°Catch¡­ bring that wretch back!¡± If she disappeared, what would happen to his son? Only her life in exchange for his son¡¯s could ensure his well-being!! ¡°` Chapter 319 - Chapter 319: Chapter 319 Minister under the Skirt (41) Chapter 319: Chapter 319 Minister under the Skirt (41) ¡°Your Highness, when will you return with us?¡± ¡°Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress said if we can¡¯t make you return, we shouldn¡¯t return either.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­ Your Highness, please don¡¯t close the door!¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± Chuzheng turned around and picked up something from Fang Sheng¡¯s hand, hurling it directly at the person preparing to climb over the wall. The person who hadn¡¯t climbed over the wall yet ducked with a yelp, shrinking their head down. Just as they felt relieved to have dodged the attack, they looked up to find something even larger flying towards them. Fang Sheng: ¡°¡­¡± What Miss Jun just threw was a priceless treasure!! Can I still retrieve it?! After hitting someone, Chuzheng exuded a fierce aura all over. Your Highness, Your Highness! Who is Your Highness! How could she possibly be below! Pah! They¡¯ve been told hundreds of times, she¡¯s not Chu Yingyu, yet these people are relentless, coming to hassle her every day. The man¡¯s light laughter rang out, and Chuzheng¡¯s expression became restrained as she looked over with an impassive face. The man stood under the eaves, his red clothes fiery, his face as bright as the moon, and with a hooked smile, he was a stunning sight. ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Xie Shu reined in his smile, shook his head obediently, and blinked his eyes gently, trying to look as innocent as possible. ¡°Hmm?¡± The woman¡¯s expression was cold, and even that ¡°hmm¡± sounded chillingly menacing. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­I was thinking about the first time I met you.¡± Chuzheng walked towards him, leaning on the column behind him with one hand: ¡°What about me?¡± Xie Shu was pinned against the pillar by Chuzheng, her familiar scent invading him, and as he lowered his gaze, he could see Chuzheng¡¯s slender neck. Beneath the collar of her clothing, her skin was pale and delicate. Vague traces were still visible on it. Xie Shu suddenly averted his gaze: ¡°Back then, you suddenly changed, and were just as fierce¡­¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Fierce? The Good Person Card actually called me fierce! Where was I fierce! Haven¡¯t I been good to him? Xie Shu felt that the aura emanating from Chuzheng was fierce, and it was directed at him¡­ ¡°Chuzheng¡­¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Xie Shu found the face before him suddenly looming closer, and his words were stuffed back into his mouth as he instinctively scanned the surroundings to find that the people who had been around just now had vanished. Xie Shu¡¯s body slid down slightly, and Chuzheng steadied him. ¡°I only kissed you for a bit,¡± Chuzheng expressed her dissatisfaction: ¡°Are you that weak?¡± Why is the Good Person Card getting weaker and weaker? Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Xie Shu¡¯s pale cheeks were tinged with a blush, making him appear even more enticing. Chuzheng picked him up horizontally and walked towards the room. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Taking you back to rest,¡± Chuzheng said seriously: ¡°What do you think I was going to do?¡± Xie Shu: ¡°¡­¡± Who knows what you might do? Acting on your thoughts without restraint. ¡°Haven¡¯t you been eating properly recently?¡± You¡¯re lighter than before. No, you need to eat more. ¡°I¡¯ve been eating well.¡± Xie Shu replied in a low voice. Chuzheng placed him on the room¡¯s soft couch: ¡°Is that so.¡± She didn¡¯t believe it at all. Chuzheng covered him up, but Xie Shu caught her hand, not letting her leave: ¡°Will you stay with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to get you something to eat,¡± Chuzheng replied: ¡°Be good.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat; I just want you to be with me,¡± Xie Shu suddenly acted like a petulant child. Chuzheng was utterly unmoved: ¡°I¡¯ll be with you in a bit.¡± Ignoring Xie Shu¡¯s reaction, Chuzheng pulled her hand away and left the room to bring back some snacks. The soft couch was spacious. Chuzheng laid beside him, embracing him and feeding him the sweets. The pastry touched Xie Shu¡¯s soft lips, but he turned his head away. ¡°Be good,¡± Chuzheng¡¯s voice was low, sounding less cold, as if she was coaxing him. Xie Shu instinctively opened his mouth, and Chuzheng fed the pastry into it. ¡°If you had woken up even a little later at that time, I would have really killed you,¡± Xie Shu suddenly said. ¡°¡­¡± But I did actually kill you once. That¡¯s something I don¡¯t need to tell the Good Person Card. What if he no longer thinks I¡¯m a good person? I can¡¯t let the Good Person Card hate me. At the bottom of her heart, Chuzheng was a bit puzzled, seemingly not understanding why she couldn¡¯t let the Good Person Card hate her, but that¡¯s what she thought¡­ If the Good Person Card hates me, then he won¡¯t think I¡¯m a good person anymore! Chuzheng quickly found a reason for herself. ¡°You¡¯re different from Chu Yingyu,¡± Xie Shu kept talking, ¡°I noticed it back then, but I wasn¡¯t sure if it was intentional or not.¡± Suddenly, Chuzheng pinched his chin, and Xie Shu paused mid-sentence. ¡°Did Chu Yingyu touch you?¡± Xie Shu¡¯s gaze met Chuzheng¡¯s in midair. There was a coldness in her eyes, like the great snow of Dongyuan. Xie Shu suddenly laughed, ¡°So what if she touched me?¡± ¡°No big deal.¡± I¡¯ll tear her apart piece by piece to apologize to you. Chuzheng let go of him and leisurely straightened his clothes, ¡°So did she touch you or not?¡± Xie Shu leaned in close to her, with the sweet scent of the pastry, ¡°Both my body and heart have only been touched by you.¡± Chu Yingyu indeed wanted to touch him, but after being aggressively threatened by him a few times, Chu Yingyu dared not do anything to him. ¡°I haven¡¯t touched your heart.¡± Don¡¯t talk nonsense, your heart is beating inside your body! It¡¯d be too bloody if I touched it. ¡°How have you not?¡± Xie Shu frowned, his whole heart belonged to her, and yet she denied it? ¡°I haven¡¯t!¡± You¡¯re talking rubbish! ¡°You have.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t!¡± ¡°You have.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Xie Shu was pinned down on the soft couch by Chuzheng, the pastry blocking his lips, he pushed it out with his tongue, feeling wronged and angry. You can¡¯t shut me up with pastry so rudely if I¡¯m not admitting it!! But suddenly, Chuzheng leaned down and pushed the pastry back in. Xie Shu was kissed until he was dizzy and completely forgot to question Chuzheng. He felt uncomfortable, ¡°Chuzheng¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± Chuzheng covered him, seriously refusing, ¡°Your body needs to recover.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Then don¡¯t kiss me! Bastard! Xie Shu was quite angry, but he was still uncomfortable, his gaze hazy, with a faint panting. Chuzheng held him while Xie Shu bit her neck, his breathing becoming heavier by the second, the room filled with an ambiguous air. After Xie Shu had calmed down, Chuzheng changed him into a new set of clothes. Xie Shu was like an obedient little doll. ¡°Do you still feel uncomfortable?¡± Chuzheng asked him. ¡°Stay away from me,¡± Xie Shu said sullenly. If you¡¯re not going to¡­ then why kiss me! Chuzheng draped a coat over him, ¡°I¡¯ll be outside, call me if you need anything.¡± Xie Shu nodded. He really needed some quiet time. With her here, he would lose control very soon. As Chuzheng reached the door, Xie Shu suddenly spoke up, ¡°Don¡¯t go out, just stand there, I want to look at you.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Are all men this fickle? Chuzheng opened the door and moved a rocking chair to lie in. It wasn¡¯t crowded with just one. Comfortable. Lie however you want. Chuzheng reached into her embrace contentedly¡­ Where¡¯s my ¡®Little Mouse¡¯!! Chapter 320 - Chapter 320: Chapter 320 Minister under the Skirt (42) Chapter 320: Chapter 320 Minister under the Skirt (42) The cries of the vendors and the haggling of the passersby merged into a bustling, lively scene. ¡°Why isn¡¯t His Highness returning to inherit the throne? What is he doing out there?¡± ¡°His Highness has a beauty in his embrace, choosing the beauty over the realm.¡± ¡°A beauty?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen him? That man in red beside His Highness is even more beautiful than a woman, my heart skips a beat just looking at him, and I¡¯m a man.¡± ¡°Is he really that good-looking?¡± ¡°Of course he is, otherwise why would His Highness refuse to return? Haven¡¯t you heard? Every few days he squanders his wealth, buying things for that beauty.¡± The woman wearing a veil walked hurriedly on the street, her eyes flashing with resentful coldness as these words reached her ears. It was none other than Chu Yingyu. Dongyuan was in chaos right now, and she was lucky to have escaped the Jun Family¡¯s pursuit and made it back here with great difficulty. A few people hurried past Chu Yingyu. ¡°We must bring His Highness back today, otherwise Her Majesty the Empress will have our heads.¡± ¡°His Highness won¡¯t even see us, how can we persuade him?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll come up with something when the time comes, let¡¯s just get over there for now, and if all else fails, we cry!¡± ¡°Zhao Li.¡± Chu Yingyu grasped one of the men. The man stopped in confusion, ¡°Miss, do you know me?¡± Chu Yingyu was dirty and disheveled, resembling a refugee, and her voice was rough. ¡°I¡¯m your prince,¡± Chu Yingyu blurted out hastily, ¡°I am Chu Yingyu.¡± Zhao Li looked at her oddly, ¡°Miss, are you all right?¡± ¡°I really am Chu Yingyu.¡± Chu Yingyu grew anxious, why wouldn¡¯t they believe her? She truly was Chu Yingyu. ¡°Miss, our prince is safe and sound at home. Stop causing trouble and impersonating the prince, it¡¯s a capital offense.¡± Zhao Li thought Chu Yingyu was not in her right mind and didn¡¯t want to argue with her. He pulled away and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re lucky to have run into us this time. Talk nonsense again and you won¡¯t be so fortunate.¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t you believe me? I am Chu Yingyu!¡± Chu Yingyu continued to cling to Zhao Li. As they struggled, Chu Yingyu¡¯s veil fell off. Zhao Li gasped, a flicker of horror in his eyes. Chu Yingyu quickly let go of Zhao Li and frantically put her veil back on. Zhao Li, frightened, seized the opportunity to leave with the other two startled companions as quickly as they could. ¡°That person just now was a bit strange¡­¡± Once they were far away, Zhao Li stopped and discussed with his companions. ¡°That face was terrifying. Who could be so cruel to a girl like that?¡± The face they had just seen was full of scars, almost unrecognizable. Someone indignantly said, ¡°She even dares to impersonate the prince; if it were someone else, they¡¯d have executed her by now.¡± ¡°She must be out of her mind. Let¡¯s figure out how to get the prince back.¡± ¡°The prince has really gone too far! What¡¯s so good about Xie Shu? The prince used to be somewhat sensible when Xie Shu ignored him, but now that Xie Shu has suddenly turned a new leaf, the prince has lost all sense of direction and even his own identity.¡± ¡°Xie Shu is nothing but trouble!¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t agree more!¡± ¨C When Chu Yingyu was running away, the Jun Family caught her once, and that¡¯s how her face got disfigured. Then, while focused on fleeing, she didn¡¯t get timely treatment, so she ended up as she was now. Her voice was also ruined. Chu Yingyu was filled with hatred! All this was supposed to be Jun Chuzheng¡¯s burden; why did she have to suffer it? Barely making it back here, she found her identity replaced by her. Even the man she loved became hers¡­ Chu Yingyu kept telling everyone that she was the real Chu Yingyu, the Grand Imperial Princess of Jingyuan. But no one believed her. The Grand Imperial Princess squandered every day and would occasionally parade around with Xie Shu. How could she be the one they see before them now? Chu Yingyu sought out some acquaintances. Most of them cursed her as a crazy person without listening to her and even called for her arrest for impersonating the prince. When Chu Yingyu was caught by the Jun Family, she not only suffered disfigurement but also lost her strength; she didn¡¯t dare engage further. And those with slightly better temperaments would listen to her a bit more, so she would bring up past events. However, at this point, Chu Yingyu realized how arrogant she had been previously, never truly caring about the people around her. She could only mention the things she had done to embarrass others, which made the other party suspiciously ask her to remove her veil. The result was that the other party vehemently humiliated her and still called for her capture, accusing her of impersonating Her Highness. Before long, everyone in the city knew that a madwoman was impersonating Her Highness. Chu Yingyu couldn¡¯t make contact with Chuzheng at all; whatever she wanted to do remained merely a thought. Everywhere Chu Yingyu went, she would be exposed by people. No one would listen to what she had to say. Their voices would always be louder than her own. When Chuzheng saw Chu Yingyu, she had already gone completely mad. Chuzheng, holding Xie Shu, covered his eyes, ¡°Do you want her dead?¡± Xie Shu, leaning on Chuzheng, ¡°Do you think death is better, or is it better to live and be tormented?¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t respond, ¡°What do you think?¡± Xie Shu said, ¡°Let her live.¡± He suffered so much; how could she escape through death? Xie Shu pulled down Chuzheng¡¯s hand, staring intently at Chuzheng, ¡°Am I bad or not?¡± Chuzheng kissed him, ¡°You¡¯re not bad.¡± The Good Person Card must be praised. It cannot be contradicted. What he says is always right! If he¡¯s wrong, please refer to the previous points. Xie Shu placed Chuzheng¡¯s hand over his heart, ¡°There¡¯s a beast living in the bottom of my heart, only you can contain it.¡± He held Chuzheng¡¯s hand, kissing her fingertips. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me, or it will come out.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s fingertips grew slightly hot, she trembled lightly, then hummed in acknowledgment. Xie Shu laughed, his entire being so beautiful it was hard to look away. ¨C Chuzheng completed the worthless task like a Bastard, feeling so exhausted her heart didn¡¯t even want to beat, just longing for a good sleep. The room was pitch-dark. Chuzheng was too lazy to light the lamp and walked to the bed from memory, but as soon as she touched the bed, she heard a faint voice from the darkness. It was like a small wildcat abruptly crying out, scratching at one¡¯s heart irresistibly. Chuzheng reached into the covers. Xie Shu¡¯s body was burning up; Chuzheng immediately pulled him out, ¡°Are you sick?¡± He was fine when they went out, how did he become sick!! Xie Shu only had on thin undergarments, which were half-unraveled, revealing glimpses of skin that tempted one to sin. ¡°So hot¡­¡± Xie Shu murmured, and Chuzheng, holding him, felt like she was embracing a furnace. Chuzheng, looking at him, didn¡¯t think it looked like a fever, it seemed more like¡­ Chuzheng remembered a time on the boat when he had looked exactly the same. ¡°¡­¡± Which Bastard had drugged him? Chuzheng was kissed by Xie Shu so intensely she had no time to ponder this question, she pressed down on him, kissing him while pinning him beneath her. Xie Shu¡¯s voice in Chuzheng¡¯s ears acted like a catalyst, making her mind explode with noise. Chuzheng, holding Xie Shu, brought him to the brink again and again. Fortunately, the effects of the drug weren¡¯t as strong as last time. When Chuzheng lay down, she was poked by something, and upon looking, her gaze suddenly turned cold. ¡°You little thing, you¡­¡± Xie Shu, with his eyes closed, seemed to find her bothersome, cuddling into her embrace. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The Good Person Card. Must be cherished. Chapter 321 - Chapter 321: Chapter 321: Yao Ye Extra (43) Chapter 321: Chapter 321: Yao Ye Extra (43) ¡°Young Master, you have finally returned. The Family Head just coughed up blood and fainted, saying¡­ his days are numbered.¡± This was the news that greeted Shen Yaoye as soon as he entered the Shen Family. He abruptly clenched his heart. Shen Yaoye headed to Shen Jingyun¡¯s room, a path he had traversed countless times, one he could navigate blindfolded. But when he got to the door, he hesitated¡­ Shen Yaoye took a deep breath, straightened his slightly disheveled clothes, and then pushed the door open to enter. ¡°Jingyun, you¡¯ve been working too hard these days. Don¡¯t push yourself so much, everything will get better¡­¡± A woman¡¯s soft voice of reproach drifted to Shen Yaoye¡¯s ears as the door swung open. He suddenly froze. The people inside looked up at the sound of the door opening. ¡°Yaoye, you¡¯re back.¡± The beautiful young girl sitting by the bed immediately stood up and asked gently, ¡°Where have you been? With your brother like this, how can you still wander off?¡± Shen Yaoye didn¡¯t speak. He stood at the entrance, unable to see the person on the bed. ¡°Come in,¡± the girl beckoned to him. But Shen Yaoye stepped back and quickly left. ¡°Yaoye¡­¡± He faintly heard Shen Jingyun¡¯s voice calling out. Shen Yaoye turned several corners before he stopped, finally releasing the breath he held since the doorway, the cool air rushing into his lungs. ¡°Young Master¡­¡± Someone called out to him from behind. Shen Yaoye composed his expression: ¡°How could he suddenly become like this?¡± ¡°You are also well aware of the recent disturbances in Dongyuan; various troubles are incessant. And with you away, all the burdens fell upon the Family Head.¡± ¡°The Family Head¡¯s health was already poor, and the trip to Heavy Snow Night Moon made things worse¡­¡± ¡°So¡­¡± Shen Yaoye felt his ears suddenly start ringing. He couldn¡¯t hear what the person behind him was saying. ¡°Give this to him to take.¡± Shen Yaoye handed over what he was holding to the person behind him: ¡°Don¡¯t let him know.¡± ¡°Young Master, what is this?¡± ¡°Primordial Spirit Golden Pill.¡± Shen Yaoye¡¯s figure flashed and disappeared from the person¡¯s sight. Shen Yaoye left the Shen Family. He still had to fulfill the conditions he exchanged with Chuzheng. The turmoil within the Jun Family rapidly intensified under Shen Yaoye¡¯s interference. That woman wanted the Jun Family destroyed. Shen Yaoye asked her why. She said because Xie Shu wished it. Xie Shu wished it, so she was willing to sacrifice even her own clan. Shen Yaoye, following Chuzheng¡¯s instructions, found out who was involved in the annihilation of Heavy Snow Night Moon and spared none, By the time he found the Jun Family Master, the man was barely clinging to life. ¡°Shen¡­ Shen Yaoye.¡± The Jun Family Master¡¯s murky eyes fixed on Shen Yaoye: ¡°Your¡­ your cultivation¡­¡± The Shen Family had two children. One was Shen Jingyun, the other Shen Yaoye. Shen Jingyun had always been a genius, the center of attention. However, Shen Yaoye was of average talent and always prone to causing trouble, which made him quite annoying in contrast to the sensible Shen Jingyun. The Jun Family Master had never imagined that Shen Yaoye¡¯s cultivation would not be inferior to Shen Jingyun before his injury¡­ ¡°Jun Family Master, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Shen Yaoye said softly. ¡°You¡­¡± The shock remained in the Jun Family Master¡¯s eyes. And it would be frozen there forever. Shen Yaoye walked past him, his sword dripping with blood, blossoming on the snow like a blazing red lotus. ¨C The Jun Family and the Murong Family¡¯s initial struggle led to a major reshuffle in the entire Dongyuan. The Murong Family Master mysteriously disappeared, along with several core members, plunging the Murong family into internal chaos. Shen Yaoye couldn¡¯t remember how many people he had killed or how long he had wandered through this turmoil. After the Jun Family and the Murong Family were dealt with, only the Shen Family remained. Shen Yaoye returned to the city where the Shen Family resided. He aimlessly walked the streets, snow lightly falling from the sky¡ªweather that had persisted for a long time. Sometimes the sun would shine, but it never lasted too long. Shen Yaoye stopped in his tracks and gazed at a building not far ahead. He was the same age as Shen Jingyun, born in the same year and month, but they didn¡¯t look alike at all. Because Shen Jingyun wasn¡¯t a child of the Shen Family. Shen Jingyun was the child of Father Shen¡¯s dear friend. Due to being hunted by enemies, he became an orphan shortly after birth. So Father Shen adopted him. Ever since Shen Yaoye could remember, his father had always shown special favor towards him, and Shen Yaoye knew he wasn¡¯t his father¡¯s biological son, which made him quite discontent with the man. He felt his presence was the reason his father didn¡¯t like him. Shen Jingyun also knew his own background, so he always took extra care of him, shouldering the blame for any mistake he made. Every time he stepped forward, Father Shen wouldn¡¯t punish him. This made Shen Yaoye even more unsatisfied deep down. During that time, his relationship with Father Shen became extremely tense. Shen Jingyun indeed had talent; his progress in strength was extremely rapid, and he became the paragon of the younger generation, held up as a model by others. Shen Yaoye wasn¡¯t bad either, but he refused to be like Shen Jingyun, seeking to attract Father Shen¡¯s attention in another way. So he didn¡¯t take his cultivation seriously and instead constantly caused trouble. When people talked about him, they referred to the genius of the Shen Family and the profligate son of the Shen Family. At the age of fifteen. Shen Yaoye was in the peak of his rebellious phase, his relationship with Father Shen was on the verge of breaking, and he ran away from home alone. Along the way, he encountered the opening of a Secret Realm. Shen Yaoye didn¡¯t want to go, but for some reason he didn¡¯t understand, he turned and charged straight into the Secret Realm. The Secret Realms of Dongyuan were sometimes dangerous, sometimes not. Shen Yaoye had bad luck. This Secret Realm was extremely dangerous. Trapped inside the Secret Realm, Shen Yaoye thought to himself in despair: dying here might be just as well, since no one outside cared about him. But he didn¡¯t expect Shen Jingyun to come looking for him. When Shen Jingyun found him, he hadn¡¯t eaten for several days and was curled up in a cave, mistaking any noise for a Xuan beast. When Shen Jingyun came in, Shen Yaoye couldn¡¯t clearly identify his feelings. Moved, shocked, embarrassed¡­ Perhaps all of the above. ¡°Yaoye,¡± said Shen Jingyun as he approached with a light, lifting him up gently and consoling, ¡°It¡¯s okay now, it¡¯s okay.¡± Shen Yaoye¡¯s face flushed red, and he broke free from Shen Jingyun, ¡°Who wants your false kindness?¡± Shen Jingyun shook his head a bit helplessly and tousled his hair, ¡°I¡¯ll take you out.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind your own business,¡± Shen Yaoye pushed away Shen Jingyun and walked out. ¡°Yaoye, slow down¡­¡± The methods of exiting a Secret Realm varied, and although Shen Jingyun had made it in, he also didn¡¯t know how to get out. By evening, Shen Jingyun had made a fire, and Shen Yaoye sat alone in the distance, unwilling to get close. Shen Jingyun had somehow caught a wild rabbit, now roasting it over the fire. The aroma wafted over to Shen Yaoye, prompting his stomach to embarrassingly growl. Shen Yaoye hugged his stomach and turned away, back facing Shen Jingyun. But having not eaten for several days, the enticing smell incessantly summoned growls from his stomach. ¡°What are you growling for, it¡¯s just a few days of hunger? Is there a need to be so loud?¡± Shen Yaoye quietly chided his own stomach. He wouldn¡¯t eat anything from Shen Jingyun. That¡¯s what Shen Yaoye thought, yet he cautiously turned his head back to look that way. There was only the burning fire and the meat on the flame, Shen Jingyun was nowhere to be seen. Shen Yaoye¡¯s thoughts suddenly sprang to life. Chapter 322 - Chapter 322: Chapter 322: Yao Ye Extra (44) Chapter 322: Chapter 322: Yao Ye Extra (44) ¡°Yaoye, have you seen the meat I just roasted?¡± Shen Jingyun came over with some fruits. ¡°I didn¡¯t see it,¡± Shen Yaoye said, feeling guilty and not daring to look at Shen Jingyun. ¡°Maybe something snatched it away.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Shen Jingyun smiled. ¡°Then you¡¯ll just have to put up with some fruit.¡± Shen Jingyun placed the fruits beside him. ¡°Who wants your fruit.¡± Shen Jingyun suddenly bent down, catching Shen Yaoye¡¯s muttering perfectly. He leaned in so close so suddenly, Shen Yaoye was startled and stared wide-eyed at Shen Jingyun. Shen Jingyun lifted his hand to wipe the corner of his mouth, then patted his head and went back to the other side. Shen Yaoye: ¡°¡­¡± Shen Yaoye touched the corner of his mouth, finding it greasy, he fiercely wiped it with his sleeve, his face turning bright red with embarrassment and annoyance. After nightfall. Shen Yaoye leaned against a tree, his thoughts in disarray when something cold slid across the back of his hand. He focused his gaze and found himself frozen in place. ¡°Shen Jingyun!¡± Shen Yaoye yelled out. When Shen Jingyun arrived, he saw a small green snake with half of its body resting on Shen Yaoye¡¯s hand. Shen Yaoye was stiff, his face pallid and unsightly; on closer look, he was even trembling. ¡°Yaoye, it¡¯s just a small snake,¡± Shen Jingyun said softly. ¡°Just flick it off.¡± ¡°Shen Jingyun!¡± The tremor was evident in Shen Yaoye¡¯s voice. He had been afraid of snakes since he was a child. He knew it well. Faced with a snake, never mind using Xuan Qi, even moving was difficult. Everyone has something they fear; Shen Yaoye didn¡¯t think it was anything to be ashamed of, but in front of Shen Jingyun, he felt humiliated. Shen Jingyun stepped forward and flicked the snake away: ¡°It¡¯s okay now.¡± Shen Yaoye immediately jumped up, staying far away, watching the spot where the snake had been, still heart-pounding. ¡°You want to come over?¡± Shen Jingyun asked him. ¡°No.¡± Shen Yaoye rubbed the place the snake had crawled on, still feeling a chill all over. Shen Jingyun showed a helpless expression and returned alone to the fire. Shen Yaoye looked around into the darkness, constantly hearing hissing and rustling sounds by his ears, goosebumps covering his arms. After hesitating for a long time, Shen Yaoye looked in Shen Jingyun¡¯s direction, clenched his teeth, and cautiously made his way over. When he got to Shen Jingyun¡¯s side, seeing him with his eyes closed, he felt justified in sitting down. Sometimes, Shen Yaoye felt that their closest moment was during their time in that secret realm. But his best memories were there, and so were his worst. They had encountered a Xuan beast there, and the Xuan beast was powerful. To allow him to escape first, Shen Jingyun had stayed behind to face the Xuan beast alone. Shen Yaoye had run a distance before finally turning back. Both Shen Jingyun and the Xuan beast were lying on the ground; the beast was dead, and Shen Jingyun was at death¡¯s door. Sometimes, Shen Yaoye wished Shen Jingyun were dead, so that Father Shen would stop bringing up Shen Jingyun all the time, telling him to learn from Shen Jingyun. However, when he actually saw Shen Jingyun on the brink of death, deep down he found he didn¡¯t want him to die. Shen Jingyun had been poisoned, without a cure. The poison wouldn¡¯t affect Shen Jingyun¡¯s strength; he seemed nearly normal on the surface, but every now and then, the poison would flare up, the pain unimaginable. Each attack would consume a bit of his life force. Even if his strength remained, his body would weaken day by day. Father Shen, unusually, didn¡¯t punish him or even scold him but remained calm as if nothing had happened. Shen Yaoye would rather Father Shen scold him as he used to. But Father Shen remained silent, as if disappointed to the extreme, unwilling to even speak. Shen Yaoye stayed by Shen Jingyun¡¯s side for half a month; after half a month, he left the Shen family to seek a cure for Shen Jingyun far and wide. He wouldn¡¯t return to the Shen family for a year and a half, only sending back anything he thought useful through others. Later, having traveled all over Dongyuan, he hadn¡¯t found a useful cure so he went to the Lower Realm. There will always be a way¡­ Shen Yaoye withdrew from his memories, took his gaze back, and turned to leave. ¨C The Shen Family was adorned with red silk, the sounds of gongs and drums filled the air, and there was an air of celebration. Someone in the Shen Family was getting married today. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± A scream came from the Shen Family. Shen Jingyun arrived following the sound. Shen Yaoye was standing in the courtyard, with a corpse lying on the ground, blood flowing at his feet. ¡°Yaoye, you¡­¡± Shen Jingyun was shocked. ¡°Brother, congratulations.¡± Shen Yaoye raised his head, a smile on his face. ¡°Yaoye, what are you doing?¡± Shen Jingyun rushed towards Shen Yaoye, ¡°He¡¯s your second uncle, how could you¡­¡± Shen Yaoye stepped back, leaving bloody footprints on the ground. How could he¡­ Of course, he could. Because that was the condition for the exchange of the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill. ¡°Brother, happy wedding.¡± After Shen Yaoye said this, he lightly touched the ground with his foot, leapt into the air, and disappeared with a few bounds. Shen Jingyun stared into the void, his complexion terrible. ¡°Family Head, the Young Master, he¡­¡± Shen Jingyun said, ¡°The matter of today, no one is allowed to speak of it. The second uncle died a sudden death.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¨C Shen Yaoye found Chuzheng and told her he had fulfilled her condition. Chuzheng spoke calmly, with an indifferent tone, ¡°I already gave you the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill, it doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Miss Jun, I still understand the importance of keeping one¡¯s word.¡± Shen Yaoye said. After all, you don¡¯t seem like a good person, who knows what consequences there would be if he didn¡¯t do it. That was something Shen Yaoye didn¡¯t dare say. Shen Yaoye shamelessly took up residence where Chuzheng was, but he spent all day drinking himself into a stupor. Sometimes Chuzheng could find him at the doorstep. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± When Shen Yaoye opened his eyes, he was met with the man¡¯s beautiful and deep eyes. The man in red supported his chin, a smile on his lips, exceptionally enticing. This person from the Jun Family is truly¡­a seductive presence. ¡°Young Master Xie.¡± Shen Yaoye, covering his slightly aching head, sat up and found himself lying in the courtyard. Xie Shu smiled and reminded him, ¡°Chuzheng said seeing you at the door every day, she¡¯s somewhat tempted to get rid of you. Be careful.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy?¡± Shen Yaoye shook his head and suddenly said, ¡°Young Master Xie, I envy you quite a bit.¡± ¡°Envy me for what, being a male pet?¡± Xie Shu¡¯s tone was not wrong, just joking. ¡°The Jun Family is no more, she didn¡¯t tell you that, did she?¡± Xie Shu¡¯s brows lightly furrowed. After leaving Dongyuan, Xie Shu was unaware of the situation above. ¡°The ones who destroyed Heavy Snow Night Moon all died as well¡­¡± Shen Yaoye murmured. He stood up from the ground, ¡°Could you please let Miss Jun know, I¡¯ve been a disturbance these days.¡± Xie Shu heard Shen Yaoye¡¯s intent to leave, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright, it¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯ve come to understand some things,¡± Shen Yaoye said. He had always felt that he disliked Shen Jingyun. But now he suddenly realized that perhaps it was not dislike he felt for him¡­ He liked that person. But his liking was not accepted by the world. Chapter 323 - Chapter 323: Chapter 323: Yao Ye Extra (Final) Chapter 323: Chapter 323: Yao Ye Extra (Final) ¡°` Shen Yaoye left without a word. Just half a month later, Someone knocked on the door. Xie Shu opened the door and was surprised to see the visitor, ¡°Family Head, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Did Yaoye stop by?¡± Shen Jingyun got straight to the point. Xie Shu leaned against the doorframe, ¡°He did.¡± ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°He left,¡± Xie Shu said. Shen Jingyun persisted, ¡°Where did he go?¡± Xie Shu shook his head and smiled, ¡°That I do not know¡­ Patriarch Shen seems to have recovered well. The Primordial Spirit Golden Pill is indeed a fine thing.¡± Shen Jingyun¡¯s complexion slightly changed. Primordial Spirit Golden Pill. He had taken the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill? Why did they tell him they found an antidote? ¡°What is your relationship with Shen Yaoye, exactly?¡± Xie Shu was a bit curious, ¡°He seems to detest you, yet why does he go to great lengths to protect you? Even kneeling down, just to let me see you¡­¡± Shen Jingyun went pale instantly. When Shen Jingyun left, he looked utterly dejected. ¡°Shen Yaoye, I will find you eventually.¡± ¨C ¡°Young Master Yao Ye, please come quick and have a look.¡± A young girl supported a man inside, blood streaming down his arm, presenting a frightful sight. Shen Yaoye immediately had the girl help the man inside. He skillfully tended to his wounds and applied medication, his actions both adept and graceful. The girl stood to the side, watching him with a sort of infatuation. Once Shen Yaoye finished, the girl promptly offered water. ¡°Thank you.¡± After taking a drink, Shen Yaoye said, ¡°Miss Song, you should really stop coming here, lest the gossipers outside taint your reputation.¡± ¡°Those people just love talking nonsense. Young Master Yao Ye, you don¡¯t need to mind them.¡± Song Xin stuck out her tongue playfully, secretly hoping the rumors would indeed spread. ¡°Young Master Yao Ye, let me cook for you.¡± ¡°Miss Song¡­¡± Song Xin didn¡¯t wait for Shen Yaoye to finish and simply turned and left. Shen Yaoye felt a headache coming on as he rubbed his temples. It seemed he couldn¡¯t stay here much longer. Having been through so much, Shen Yaoye had become less talkative than before, growing silent. Yet, it was precisely this silence that made him seem more composed than in the past. The curtain was lifted, letting in the light from outside. Shen Yaoye looked down as he packed his belongings, not lifting his head as he said, ¡°No more appointments for today, come back tomorrow if you must.¡± ¡°Yaoye.¡± The man¡¯s gentle voice resounded. Shen Yaoye¡¯s head shot up, his gaze colliding with a pair of familiar eyes. Shen Jingyun¡­ Shen Yaoye thought he was hallucinating. He blinked hard, but the man was still there. Shen Jingyun, dressed in white. Even though he had taken the Primordial Spirit Golden Pill, that silver-white hair had not changed, setting off his features, as translucent as ice and snow. ¡°How, how did you get here?¡± Shen Yaoye¡¯s words stumbled, his expression quickly turning frosty, ¡°You didn¡¯t come to drag me back to apologize to the dead of the Shen family, did you?¡± ¡°Yaoye, is that really what you think of me?¡± Shen Jingyun looked somewhat helpless. ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Shen Yaoye continued to pack. ¡°Yaoye.¡± Shen Jingyun stepped forward and grabbed Shen Yaoye¡¯s wrist, forcing him to face himself, ¡°Can¡¯t you just talk to me properly?¡± ¡°Brother, how am I supposed to talk to you properly?¡± Shen Yaoye emphasized the word ¡®brother¡¯. ¡°Yaoye, you didn¡¯t use to call me brother.¡± Shen Jingyun¡¯s gaze grew complex. When they were children, Father Shen had insisted he called him brother, but he always called him by name, just Shen Jingyun, Shen Jingyun. But since when had he started calling him brother? ¡°I was naive back then.¡± ¡°Yaoye¡­¡± Shen Jingyun¡¯s gaze began to deepen, his grip on Shen Yaoye¡¯s hand tightening ever so slightly, ¡°I¡¯ve missed you a lot.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Shen Yaoye¡¯s heart raced, his face flushing with panic. Shen Yaoye tried to pull away, but Shen Jingyun pulled him forward into an embrace. Shen Yaoye struggled harder. Shen Jingyun pinned him against the side table and kissed him directly. The soft touch of lips against lips. The sensation of kissing and nibbling sent Shen Yaoye¡¯s mind into an explosive burst. ¡°` ¡°Yaoye, Yaoye¡­¡± Clang¡ª¡ª At the door stood Song Xin, her expression one of shock. Shen Yaoye also snapped to his senses, pushing Shen Jingyun away abruptly. Song Xin, horrified, pointed at them, and after a few seconds, as if unable to bear the blow, turned and ran. ¡°Yaoye, I¡­¡± ¡°Shen Jingyun, have you lost your mind!¡± Shen Yaoye yelled first, ¡°You¡¯re already married, are you sick!¡± Shen Yaoye stormed out of the room. Shen Jingyun stood in the room, somewhat bewildered. Who said he was married? ¨C Shen Yaoye wandered outside for a while, his belongings were still there, he had to go back and get them. But he didn¡¯t know whether Shen Jingyun was still there. Thinking about that kiss, Shen Yaoye felt like there was a little deer crashing around in his heart. Shen Jingyun, that madman. After venting his feelings, Shen Yaoye sneaked back to his place as darkness fell, planning to pack up and leave. But he didn¡¯t expect Shen Jingyun to still be waiting there. Shen Yaoye was caught red-handed by Shen Jingyun. ¡°Yaoye, listen to me first,¡± Shen Jingyun cornered him against the wall, pinning his hands. Shen Yaoye was furious, ¡°What¡¯s there to say, Shen Jingyun you madman, I¡¯m your brother, are you sick or what, let me go.¡± ¡°Yaoye, I like you.¡± Shen Yaoye suddenly stopped struggling. Shen Jingyun liked him. Every vein in Shen Yaoye¡¯s body seemed to boil, no news could excite him more. ¡°I¡¯m a man,¡± Shen Yaoye murmured softly. Shen Jingyun leaned down to kiss him, ¡°So am I, don¡¯t you like me too?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shen Yaoye¡¯s face turned red, and after a long while, he managed to choke out, ¡°Who likes you.¡± Shen Jingyun¡¯s lips moved over Shen Yaoye¡¯s, ¡°Does Yaoye really not like his brother?¡± That teasing kiss made Shen Yaoye felt like he was falling through the clouds. Being kissed by the person he liked, how could he possibly resist. The last vestige of Shen Yaoye¡¯s sanity pulled him back, ¡°¡­You¡¯re married.¡± Shen Jingyun chuckled, ¡°Without you, who would I marry?¡± Not married¡­ All that was left in Shen Yaoye¡¯s mind was the thrill that the person he liked also liked him back. ¡°So, do you like me, Yaoye?¡± Shen Yaoye did not respond. ¡°Yaoye, do you like me or not,¡± Shen Jingyun asked as he kissed him. Shen Yaoye, a young man in the prime of life, already reacted just from being kissed like this by the person he liked. His voice was husky, ¡°Brother¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Shen Jingyun seemed to touch something, a gentle smile appearing on his face, ¡°Yaoye, why do you still like to play tough?¡± Shen Jingyun¡¯s hand lingered on the edge, Shen Yaoye slid downward, and Shen Jingyun steadied his body. ¡°Brother¡­¡± Shen Jingyun whispered in his ear, ¡°Say you like me, and I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°¡­I like you, Shen Jingyun I like you, just quit fucking with me!¡± Shen Yaoye roared. Just as she gathered her feelings, reassuring herself in her heart that Song Xin might have been bullied, before she could even lift the curtain, she heard that sentence. Crying out, she ran away. The surprise left them silent inside too. ¨C Secret Realm. Shen Jingyun watched the sleeping youth, his head nodding cutely little by little. Carefully, he reached out and pulled the youth into his embrace. The youth did not wake up but instead snuggled closer in his arms. Shen Jingyun, illuminated by the firelight, looked at the youth¡¯s handsome, still somewhat childish face, and on impulse kissed his forehead. ¡°Yaoye.¡± He murmured softly, slightly tightening his hold on the person in his arms. ¨C His love, which had no place in this world, finally found a home. ¡ª Shen Yaoye Chapter 324 - Chapter 324: Chapter 324: Glory From Below (1) Chapter 324: Chapter 324: Glory From Below (1) [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: Damn, I haven¡¯t been online for just a few days, how is it that Yu Wuheng, the great god, is about to marry Qinghuan? [World] Origin: Does the internet in your village even work? [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: Can someone catch me up on what¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t I remember that Yu Wuheng¡¯s official match was Chu Xi? [World] The Melon-selling Granny: How do you not know about this, Qinghuan cuckolded Chu Xi. [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: Damn, that¡¯s explosive? [World] Sanyue Peach: Melon-seller, what nonsense are you spouting? The great god was never with Chu Xi. Qinghuan and the great god got together openly and honorably, plus Chu Xi is a guy, who first deceived the great god by pretending to be a lady. [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: A¡­ a guy? [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: I want the juicy details! [World] Origin: A couple of days ago someone suddenly exposed that Chu Xi is some foot-scratching big dude who tricked Yu Wuheng, the great god. There¡¯s also a bunch of messy chat logs, all screenshots of Chu Xi flirting with other men. [World] Origin: Go look it up yourself on the forum, the post is still there. [World] The Melon-selling Granny: Yes, that¡¯s right, your Qinghuan is as pure as ice and as clean as jade, never cuckolded Chu Xi. And of course, Qinghuan didn¡¯t cling to the great god while Chu Xi was offline. [World] Sanyue Apricot: Melon-seller, stop talking in that annoyingly sarcastic tone. Today is Qinghuan¡¯s wedding day, and we¡¯re not going to stoop to your level. [World] Sanyue Peach: If Chu Xi wasn¡¯t feeling guilty, why did he empty his account and leave? What kind of man pretends to be a woman, have you no shame! Disgusting! [World] The Melon-selling Granny: Oh my, little rascal, I¡¯m so scared. [World] Top of Peerless Leaderboard: Chu Xi plays so well, it¡¯s actually quite plausible that he¡¯s a guy. [World] Drip Drip Tock: Who is Chu Xi? The bustling discussion in the world didn¡¯t affect today¡¯s protagonists¡ªthe soon-to-be-wed Yu Wuheng and Qinghuan. Chuzheng was watching this lively wedding. She was sitting outside a tavern under a different account, invisible to others, as the bridal sedan chair passed by her. Chuzheng opened up her own profile. She was wearing a beginner¡¯s outfit, which completely mismatched her glowing level. Her backpack was as empty as it could be, even more pitiable than a freshly created account. She was the ¡®Chu Xi¡¯ being discussed all over the world. The foot-scratching big dude playing a female character. The drama queen who deceived Yu Wuheng, the great god. ¨C The game the original owner played was called Unparalleled Storm, a keyboard-based game. Unparalleled Storm was a hit even during its closed beta and went absolutely viral after its public release. The original owner wasn¡¯t much into gaming, but her friend dragged her into playing this one. Her friend ditched her, but the original owner got hooked and even played quite well. The original owner met Yu Wuheng in the game, initially just teaming up for quests and monster hunts. Once Yu Wuheng accidentally slipped up, the original owner discovered they lived in the same residential area. With that connection, they quickly met up offline. After meeting, their relationship naturally grew stronger. They played the game together, crafted equipment together¡­ Everyone who knew Yu Wuheng was aware that he had someone called Chu Xi around him. Although they never made their relationship official, the intimacy suggested through Yu Wuheng¡¯s words led Chu Xi to believe that Yu Wuheng liked her. And she was unconditionally good to Yu Wuheng in return. She truly liked Yu Wuheng. Both in reality and in the game. But Chu Xi had never expected that after she had to be away from the internet and entrusted her account to Yu Wuheng, she would return to find an utterly empty account. Aside from her level, all her equipment was gone. Limited-edition weapons, rare items, rare fashion pieces, rare pets¡­ All vanished. What she didn¡¯t expect was that the world was full of congratulations for Yu Wuheng and Sanyue Qinghuan. They were married! She had thought he would become her boyfriend, but not long after she left, he married someone else. But that wasn¡¯t all. There were also forum posts about her. They said she was a guy who flirted with men all over the internet just for gear and money. However, she had no recollection of those chat records mentioned in the posts. She didn¡¯t even know she had those friends. She went to Yu Wuheng, who would know best whether she was a guy or not. Yet, Yu Wuheng avoided her questions. When she asked why her account was emptied, Yu Wuheng said he didn¡¯t know, claiming he never accessed her account and had no idea about the screenshots on the forums, and even suggested she might have offended someone and got her account hacked. She asked him why he was with Sanyue Qinghuan. Yu Wuheng replied that it was his freedom to be with anyone. He had only flirted with her but never really been with her, leaving her speechless. She went on the forums to explain she wasn¡¯t a guy and that she didn¡¯t know who had emptied her account, but she was unanimously attacked by Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s group of friends. Finally, Yu Wuheng showed up to testify for her, confirming she wasn¡¯t a guy. But by then, it didn¡¯t matter anymore. All she had left was an empty account, which was pretty much useless. Yu Wuheng¡¯s attitude deeply hurt her. She had no choice but to abandon that account. Without telling anyone, she registered a new one. Everyone thought she had quit the game. While leveling up her new character, she discovered that her rare costumes were being worn by Sanyue Qinghuan. In a moment of impulse, she confronted Sanyue Qinghuan. Sanyue Qinghuan claimed she had bought them from someone else but refused to reveal who. Eventually, Yu Wuheng intervened, bringing someone with a trade record to prove it. Sanyue Qinghuan, harboring no grudges, invited her to join their team and helped her level up. But Sanyue Qinghuan wasn¡¯t so kind-hearted; she deliberately made it look like she was getting close to Yu Wuheng. As a result of Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s scheming, she faced various forms of ostracism. Yet Sanyue Qinghuan acted as if she believed in her innocence and wasn¡¯t the type to mind her closeness with Yu Wuheng, even though she was with him herself. During a city war, although it was clearly Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s fault, the blame was pushed onto her. In a private chat, Yu Wuheng asked her for a favor. While she was heartbroken, she couldn¡¯t refuse Yu Wuheng¡¯s request. It wasn¡¯t long before the forums exploded with rumors of her seducing Yu Wuheng again. Sanyue Qinghuan, playing the victim, accused her. With Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s apparent kindness to her seen by everyone, she became hated as the third party. With so many against her, she couldn¡¯t defend herself alone. They drove her to the brink of a nervous breakdown, and in the end, she died from electrocution after spilling water on her desk. What a casual way to die, huh? [Miss, you have to believe that when someone is unlucky, even drinking water can choke them.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Am I that unlucky person? [Miss, you¡¯re very lucky because you met me!] Haha. If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t be in this damn place right now. [¡­] Chapter 325 - Chapter 325: Chapter 325: Glory From Below (2) Chapter 325: Chapter 325: Glory From Below (2) Chuzheng found herself at the exact moment when the original owner¡¯s account had been wiped and, upon logging in, discovered that Yu Wuheng and Sanyue Qinghuan had married. Chuzheng organized the timeline in her head. Forum exploding with posts¡ªthe Chu Xi account being wiped (possibly before the posts)¡ªYu Wuheng and Sanyue Qinghuan getting married¡ªChu Xi leveling an alt¡ªSanyue Qinghuan taking the initiative to show goodwill¡ªposts expose her seducing Yu Wuheng. The original owner only trusted Yu Wuheng with the account. The account being wiped, must definitely be related to Yu Wuheng. So this comeback should also be related to Yu Wuheng and Sanyue Qinghuan¡­ Games, huh. How am I supposed to take them down¡­ [Miss, you don¡¯t need to take them down, just go all out in squandering.] The King¡¯s Account patiently reminded her. [Main Quest: Please spend 100,000 in-game Gold Coins within half an hour. The money has been transferred, please check your account.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Can¡¯t that Bastard just let me have a break? To squander right after coming online! [Miss, our goal is to squander, squander, and squander some more!] Coldness filled Chuzheng¡¯s eyes. I have no such goal! [¡­Miss, best of luck.] What¡¯s with the aggression! Geez! Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± That Bastard, this son of a bitch! Chuzheng slammed her wireless mouse to the floor with a slap. A few minutes later, Chuzheng silently got up to pick up the mouse and tested if it still worked. In the game, there are three types of currency: Gold Coins, silver coins, and copper coins. Only Gold Coins require real money to recharge. The exchange rate is 1:10. One dollar equals 10 Gold Coins 100,000 in-game coins equal to 10,000 dollars. ¨C Chuzheng didn¡¯t need to recharge because the Bastard had sent the money directly to her account. How capable of the Bastard. 10,000 dollars is a large sum for a game. But for some rich players, it¡¯s just some pocket change they casually spend. Chuzheng opened the store where there were many items to buy; she first bought herself a set of equipment so she at least didn¡¯t look so shabby. 10,000 dollars just a few clicks and it was gone. [Main Quest: Please gather the full ¡®Eight Directions Stealth¡¯ set within half an hour, price is not an issue, Miss please feel free to quote high.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Damn it! [Miss, keep it civilized.] Where¡¯s the noble and cool image! How can you curse! Chuzheng threw the mouse again. No one¡¯s here anyway, Chuzheng thought, she could throw it however she wanted. A few minutes later, Chuzheng quietly picked up the mouse again. Unparalleled Storm is a game with an ancient style, currently only seven professions are available, and Chuzheng plays as a Summoner, battling with her summoned pets and herself. But now her pets were gone¡­ A Summoner all alone. Pitiful and helpless. The original owner¡¯s pet was a god-tier pet that took a long time to obtain. Since it couldn¡¯t be unbound, the only way for it to disappear was letting the pet die. Chuzheng sighed internally and began searching for information on ¡®Eight Directions Stealth¡¯. ¡®Eight Directions Stealth¡¯, a set of equipment for swordsmen, has nothing to do with her! [Squandering, doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s suitable, as long as you can squander, it¡¯s suitable.] The King¡¯s Account started to boast its squandering philosophy again. [Miss, you only have half an hour, are you sure you want to waste time with me?] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard, you damn dog! Made me cry! Chuzheng pulled up the game interface¡¯s world channel and began furiously typing. ¨C [World] Number One Brother: Wow, Yu Wuheng is really splurging, huh? Giving out such big red envelopes. [World] Gazing Through Autumn Water: Thank you, god-like player! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness together. [World] I¡¯m a Lone Wolf: I mean, you¡¯re already first on the Peerless List, do you even care about these red envelopes? [World] Number One Brother: Me being first on the Peerless List, what does that have to do with me snatching red envelopes? Can¡¯t I be first and still be poor? Who decided that!! [World] Snow Heart: The god player and Qinghuan 999999 [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: Where¡¯s the bridal sedan? [World] The Melon-Selling Granny: You only hear the laughter of the newlyweds, not the crying of the deserted. At that time, Yu Wuheng and Sanyue Qinghuan were already at the Temple of the Matchmaker God receiving the final red thread. The family and friends of both sides were endlessly flooding the chat with blessings, and some even bought fireworks, which filled up the whole map. [Announcement] Congratulations to player ¡®Yu Wuheng¡¯ and player ¡®Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯ on their union. May you have each other¡¯s hearts and never part until old age. [World] Chu Xi: Buying Eight Directions Stealth, high price! Chuzheng¡¯s world message was shining with the gold light of a tycoon. Made stronger by RMB, it had an extremely wide coverage. Even the system announcements were overshadowed by its brilliance, and though not completely blocked out, the attention of most people would be drawn away by the tycoon-flavored messages. [World] Chu Xi: Buying Eight Directions Stealth, high price! [World] Chu Xi: Buying Eight Directions Stealth, high price! An eerie silence fell over the world. After Chuzheng sent two more messages, people in the world channel started to post again. [World] Origin: I think I just saw Chu Xi. [World] Number One Brother: I saw her too! [World] I¡¯m a Lone Wolf: Bright, bold, and pinned at the top, you¡¯d have to be blind to miss it. [World] The Melon-Selling Granny: The person concerned finally comes online! [World] Shining Little Cute Furnace: Chu Xi, you foot-scratching macho guy, pretending to be a girl and scamming others¡¯ feelings, now you still dare to come online, aren¡¯t you afraid of drowning in everyone¡¯s spit? [World] Number One Brother: I actually find this whole thing pretty weird. Chu Xi, why don¡¯t you explain, are you really a guy? [World] Chu Xi: Female. With the concerned party appearing, the world channel instantly erupted. Chuzheng¡¯s messages were different from theirs; they shone and would stay fixed at the top. No matter how fast they posted, their messages could not hide hers. [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: So it¡¯s true that Yu Wuheng cheated, and Sanyue Qinghuan got cuckolded? [World] Number One Brother: Little Fire, you didn¡¯t have to put it so bluntly. [World] Sprite in the Wind: Even if Chu Xi is a woman, Yu Wuheng didn¡¯t have a thing with Chu Xi, so it¡¯s not really cheating, right? She was also flirting with other guys. [World] Everything Not For Sale: So what¡¯s the situation now? Why is Chu Xi buying Eight Directions Stealth? Isn¡¯t that a Swordsman¡¯s equipment? She can¡¯t use it, right? Finally, someone steered the conversation back to the original point. Eight Directions Stealth. It was an upgradeable equipment for Swordsmen, which required a Forging Master to craft. To get the whole set would cost a pretty penny, and no one in the game had managed to craft it yet. It wasn¡¯t for lack of money, but because the materials were rare and the failure rate was high. Many tycoons had paid people to try and craft it without success. This item, what would Chu Xi, a Summoner, need it for? [World] Number One Brother: I have a bold idea. [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: Number One Brother, don¡¯t just carelessly throw out your idea. [World] Number One Brother: Chu Xi isn¡¯t a Swordsman, but Yu Wuheng is! Do you guys think that Chu Xi is trying to win Yu Wuheng back with this? [World] Origin: ¡­ [World] I¡¯m a Lone Wolf: ¡­ [World] The Melon-Selling Granny: Bah! If that¡¯s what Chu Xi is doing, I lose all respect for her. What¡¯s so great about a stinky man! [World] Number One Brother: Granny, you¡¯re not being fair. Don¡¯t make sweeping statements; I¡¯m a pretty good guy. Chapter 326 - Chapter 326: Chapter 326: Glory From Below (3) Chapter 326: Chapter 326: Glory From Below (3) ¡°` [World] Chu Xi: Looking to buy Eight Directions Stealth, offering a high price! [World] Yu Wuheng: Chu Xi, you¡¯re going lower in the world. Yu Wuheng suddenly appeared, and the world channel exploded in an instant with rapid-fire messages. And there were some clueless onlookers in the world chat asking questions. So others started explaining. Starting from when Chu Xi was revealed to be a guy, up to now when Yu Wuheng and Sanyue Qinghuan got married. People added bits of information, almost like they were narrating a storyteller¡¯s book. Chuzheng also received some private messages, including one from Yu Wuheng. [Private Chat] Yu Wuheng: Chu Xi, don¡¯t be like this, what do you need Eight Directions Stealth for, don¡¯t waste your money. Yu Wuheng, not knowing whether he had seen the messages in the world chat or truly believed that Chuzheng was buying it for him, actually said something about not wasting money. Chuzheng clicked on her friends list with an expressionless face and blacklisted Yu Wuheng and anyone related to him. After blacklisting people, Chuzheng opened the rest of the private chat messages. Aside from closing the ones with boring messages. Eventually, there was only one person looking to make a trade. [Private Chat] I Am a Small Account: How much will you offer? [Private Chat] Chu Xi: You have it? [Private Chat] I Am a Small Account: [Image] I Am a Small Account sent her an image. [Private Chat] I Am a Small Account: How much can you offer? If the price is right, I might consider selling it to you. [Private Chat] Chu Xi: You set the price. [Private Chat] I Am a Small Account: ¡­ [Private Chat] I Am a Small Account: What¡¯s your budget? [Private Chat] Chu Xi: No budget. [Private Chat] I Am a Small Account: ¡­ There was silence on the other end for a while. [Private Chat] I Am a Small Account: How about 50,000 for the whole set? It¡¯s not even in the game yet, and mine should be the first set. The price is very fair. [Private Chat] Chu Xi: Deal. [Private Chat] I Am a Small Account: Let¡¯s trade privately. Since in-game currency can¡¯t be cashed out, for such a large transaction, players usually choose to trade privately. If Bastard had no issues, Chuzheng had no issues, so she quickly completed the trade with I Am a Small Account. While Chuzheng was making the trade, Yu Wuheng had already gone ahead with the wedding ceremony. ¡°Bastard, this is just a game, right.¡± [Yeah.] Wasn¡¯t that marked from the start? What are you asking this for, Miss? Chuzheng was eager to try. But she glanced at her account and her mood was incredibly complicated. The current max level in Peerless Wind and Cloud is one hundred, but whether there are any players who have actually reached max level is another story, as leveling up becomes harder the closer you get to the top. The highest-level players in the game are only in the eighties. The original owner of this account is level seventy-nine, which is considered high-level, and with her equipment and pets, her combat power is still pretty strong. But now¡­ This account is too broken. Chuzheng opened the mall and bought herself a new outfit, admittedly better looking than the starting gear. Chuzheng logged into her account and headed towards the location of Yu Wuheng and Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s wedding. [World] Xiao Yu: I saw Chu Xi, she¡¯s on her way to the wedding, OMG! She isn¡¯t going there to make a scene, is she? It¡¯s too late to gatecrash the wedding. But making a scene is still possible. [World] I Am Super Cute: The outfit Chu Xi is wearing is freaking gorgeous, oh my god! [World] I Am Super Cute: It¡¯s the new outfit from the mall, the one that costs several thousand RMB! It¡¯s explosively beautiful! Chuzheng¡¯s outfit is indeed beautiful. It¡¯s called ¡®Phoenix Ceremony¡¯. But it¡¯s not in the garish gold color typical of tycoons, it¡¯s black overall, high-end and majestic, with an aura of dominance. [World] Top of the Leaderboard: Chu Xi isn¡¯t a tycoon player, do women tend to splurge when they¡¯re angry? [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: Is she really coming over? ¡°` [World] Sanyue Apricot: Have you no shame, seeking attention like this at a time like these? [World] Watermelon-selling Granny: Who exactly is vying for attention? Your family¡¯s Qinghuan dared to get hitched with such fanfare, shouldn¡¯t the concerned party have a say when they show up? [World] Sanyue Peach: What is there to say? Wu Hen the Great isn¡¯t with her. [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: Here we go. At this moment, the wedding procession was inside the game¡¯s tavern, with numerous players gathering around. Chuzheng¡¯s gear was easy to recognize, visible to everyone at a glance. [Main Quest: Please complete the ¡°Thrill of the Throw¡± achievement.] Chuzheng¡¯s hand, controlling the character, twisted slightly, the avatar leaned to the side and almost collided with something. Damn! Chuzheng brought the character back to safety. However, to the other players, Chuzheng looked like someone who was drunk, swaying momentarily, but quickly steadying themself. The emotions of the person controlling the game character are imperceptible to the character. In the eyes of the players, all they saw was the character dressed in ¡®Phoenix Ceremony,¡¯ standing with cool and domineering stillness, motionless. Chuzheng was arguing with the King¡¯s Account. ¡°What the hell is this ¡®Thrill of the Throw¡¯ achievement?¡± Bastard, this dog thing sure knows how to play! Chuzheng¡¯s grip on the mouse was like holding a knife. [In the Peerless Wind and Cloud game, there is a ¡®Thrill of the Throw¡¯ achievement, please Miss achieve this.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I didn¡¯t come here to waste money! [So please start wasting money now, Miss.] The King¡¯s Account said affably. Just knew you weren¡¯t here to waste money! That¡¯s why we give you missions! We are the Spendthrift System, how can we let Miss go astray! Absolutely no way! Our values can¡¯t be twisted! Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng ignored the King¡¯s Account and continued towards the tavern ahead. The players automatically cleared a path for her. [Nearby] Yu Wuheng: Chu Xi, stop causing trouble. Yu Wuheng, dressed in bright red wedding attire, appeared at the entrance of the tavern. [World] Chu Xi: What am I causing? Yu Wuheng used the Nearby chat, but Chuzheng directly switched to the World chat. [World] Yu Wuheng: Chu Xi, we can talk about this in private. Do you really have to make this so embarrassing? [World] Chu Xi: Oh. This map is a peaceful one, where PK is not possible. However, because the wedding has a ¡®bride kidnapping¡¯ feature, players are allowed to turn on slaughter mode here. As Yu Wuheng was typing, Chuzheng suddenly activated slaughter mode and sent a skill flying over¡ªthen started tossing items. [World] Origin Point: They¡¯re fighting. [World] Top of the Leaderboard: Holy crap! She¡¯s here to mess with Yu Wuheng; I thought she was gonna tear into Qinghuan. [World] Watermelon-selling Granny: Well-fought, I support this! [World] Log In After Class: My gosh, is Chu Xi getting her items wholesale? Why is she only using items? [World] Top of the Leaderboard: Spendthrift woman! [World] Featherflower: Maybe she¡¯s really a toenail-picking dude? [World] Log In After Class: Even if so, still a rich toenail-picking dude. [World] ¡­ Simply indisputable. Even if it¡¯s a toenail-picking dude, judging by the current showdown, they are definitely a wealthy toenail-picking dude. [World] Sprite in the Wind: His money might come from who knows where, maybe even swindled? Pretending to be a big shot, and just before wanted to snag Eight Directions Stealth; what happened to the follow-up? [World] I¡¯m Just an Alt: Transaction complete. [World] Top of the Leaderboard: The face-slapping is as quick as a tornado, haha! [World] Origin Point: Isn¡¯t Eight Directions Stealth worth at least around 40,000 to 50,000? [World] Will Not Sell Regardless of Price: Is Chu Xi a hidden rich gaming tycoon? Chapter 327 - Chapter 327: Chapter 327: Glory From Below (4) Chapter 327: Chapter 327: Glory From Below (4) ¡°` I revealed myself as ¡°I¡¯m just an alt,¡± and the world instantly exploded. Although this player named himself ¡°I¡¯m just an alt,¡± everyone who frequently mingles in the world server knew he was a sly trader. Ninety percent of what he said was true. So, Chu Xi actually got her hands on the Eight Directions Stealth! The Eight Directions Stealth, wow. When the officials released the news, many were green with envy, but due to the high cost of creating it, most could only drool over their screens. So much time had passed, and no one in the game had managed to craft it. Who would have thought that the shady trader ¡°I¡¯m just an alt¡± would secretly make it. [World] Number One on the Leaderboard: She didn¡¯t get the Eight Directions Stealth just to get back with Yu Wuheng, did she¡­ [World] The Grandmother Selling Melons: It¡¯s hard to find a three-legged toad, but a three-legged man? Yu Wuheng is no super godly player, what¡¯s so great about him! [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: Grandmother Selling Melons, it seems like you have a big problem with God Yu Wuheng and Sanyue Qinghuan. [World] The Grandmother Selling Melons: Heh. The chat in the world server was buzzing, and so was the battle on Chuzheng¡¯s side. Chuzheng¡¯s tactic of spamming items put Yu Wuheng on the defensive, even though his level and equipment were better than Chuzheng¡¯s. He couldn¡¯t cope with her relentless use of free items. The items compensated for Chuzheng¡¯s equipment disadvantage. Add to that her unfamiliarity with the game during her first playthrough, Yu Wuheng had no shortage of chances to counterattack. But as Chuzheng became more familiar with the game, and her skill activations became smoother, allowing her items and skills to connect seamlessly, Yu Wuheng¡¯s health started to plummet. [Player Yu Wuheng has died] Chuzheng watched the notification pop up on her screen and swiftly used an item on Yu Wuheng¡¯s ¡®corpse¡¯ to prevent him from resurrecting. [World] Number One on the Leaderboard: He died? [World] Origin: God Yu Wuheng has died. [World] I am a Wolf: Killed by spamming items? And now a resurrection block? That¡¯s too harsh, isn¡¯t it? [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: So, never offend us women, got that? Scared now, huh! Sanyue Qinghuan burst through the crowd, attempting to resurrect Yu Wuheng, but found she couldn¡¯t. [Nearby] Sanyue Qinghuan: Chu Xi, don¡¯t do this. Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s few words sounded very simple, yet they felt extremely pitiful. [World] Chu Xi: What have I done? What¡¯s she on about? If you don¡¯t clarify, how can I vehemently deny it! This is unfair! [World] Sanyue Apricot: Chu Xi, you freak, are you sick? Yu Wuheng God didn¡¯t even get with you, why are you causing a fuss? Do you think you¡¯re somebody? Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s close ones jumped out to emphasize that Yu Wuheng was not with her. There was no problem with Sanyue Qinghuan and Yu Wuheng being together. [World] Sanyue Peach: Exactly, not even sure if it¡¯s a guy or a girl, and yet you dare to show your face after deceiving our god. We haven¡¯t even settled the score with you, and you have the nerve to pop up. [World] Chu Xi: Whether I¡¯m a man or woman, Yu Wuheng knows best. [World] Chu Xi: Yu Wuheng, what do you say? Although Yu Wuheng had died, he could still send messages. [World] Yu Wuheng: Chu Xi, stop it, there are so many people here. Can¡¯t we talk about this in private? Yu Wuheng deliberately avoided the question. [World] Chu Xi: Is it difficult to answer my question? The world chat fell silent at this moment, with only Chu Xi¡¯s illuminating message hanging there. With so many people watching, unable to resurrect or log out¡­ [World] Yu Wuheng: Chu Xi, talk to me in private, take me off your block list. [World] Chu Xi: Am I a girl, yes or no? Chuzheng didn¡¯t say much else. ¡°` ¡°` She stood in the crowd, dressed in the Phoenix Ceremony attire, looking quite imposing. [World] Yu Wuheng: Yes. Left with no choice, Yu Wuheng had to grit his teeth and type the message. [World] Sanyue Qinghuan: Chu Xi, sister, I have no idea who spread that post. Things on the internet are often fabricated¡ªyou shouldn¡¯t believe them. If me being with Wu Hen has made you uncomfortable, I¡¯m truly sorry. [World] Yu Wuheng: Qinghuan, it¡¯s not your fault. Chu Xi, Wu Hen and I really like each other. When I was with you, I only ever saw you as a sister. [World] The Melon Selling Granny: Hehe, I knew it, just didn¡¯t know why when that post came out, the great Yu Wuheng didn¡¯t come forward to vouch for Chu Xi. Yu Wuheng, watching the messages on the world channel, felt a slight headache coming on. He never expected this girl who had always been so obedient to him to suddenly become so assertive. [World] The Shining Little Cute Furnace: Even if she¡¯s a girl, she has no standing to make a fuss today, right? The great one has never been with her, what right does she have to make a fuss? [World] Happiness Every Day: Although I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on, I have to pop in for a bit. [World] Lulu Lulu: So Chu Xi is a girl, but there¡¯s really no problem with Wu Hen and Sanyue Qinghuan being together. Chu Xi, just stop making a fuss. Some people in the world began to persuade. Although a wedding in the game isn¡¯t real, it¡¯s still a wedding. [World] Chu Xi: What about my equipment, Yu Wuheng? Don¡¯t you think you should explain? [World] Yu Wuheng: What equipment? [World] Chu Xi: Everything in my account was cleaned out, and the only person who knows the password is you. [World] Yu Wuheng: I don¡¯t know about this, did your account get hacked, Chu Xi? Yu Wuheng¡¯s words were full of innocence. Some players on the world channel began to notice that something was off with Chuzheng¡¯s account. All she had was that set of attire, even her pet slot was empty, and the combat power she posted had plummeted. What¡¯s going on here? There had been claims that her account was off before, but most players didn¡¯t know, though Yu Wuheng pretending to be unaware at this point seemed very abnormal. [World] Chu Xi: I knew you wouldn¡¯t admit it, never mind. Chuzheng didn¡¯t want to argue with them anymore. First things first, take them down to relieve some anger! [World] Chu Xi: Whoever kills Sanyue Qinghuan first can come to me for a reward of Ten Thousand Gold. Ten Thousand Gold, which is equivalent to a thousand in cash. [World] Yu Wuheng: Chu Xi! Yu Wuheng¡¯s message was quickly swamped, as players eyed Sanyue Qinghuan hungrily. Taking her down was worth a thousand bucks. There¡¯s no psychological burden in killing someone in a game. Fixated on by Chuzheng, Sanyue Qinghuan suddenly seemed like a little white rabbit targeted by a pack of hungry wolves, helpless and pitiable. Chuzheng blocked out all the noisy messages. She started to ponder how she was going to complete Bastard¡¯s mission. The achievement of ¡°Throwing a Fortune¡­¡± She had never found it in the achievement section. How was she supposed to complete it? Chuzheng opened her own profile, only to see that her balance was down to a string of zeros. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± When had Bastard topped up her account? With so many zeros, wouldn¡¯t the game company find it strange? Chuzheng opened the report function and promptly reported herself. The game company quickly responded, confirming it was a legitimate top-up with no violations. [¡­]: Sister, reporting yourself¡ªthat¡¯s a bold move, I¡¯m impressed! ¡°` Chapter 328 - Chapter 329: Chapter 329: Glory From Below (6) Chapter 329: Chapter 329: Glory From Below (6) Chuzheng returned to her computer, and the world was still discussing her splurging two hundred thousand. Chuzheng thought indifferently, ¡°This is nothing, Bastard will blind you all later.¡± So annoying. [Little sister, please work hard at leveling up.] Why. Can¡¯t I just be a salted fish? You splurge but also care whether I level up or not, did your brain get waterlogged? [¡­] I¡¯m just giving you a reminder, why are you lashing out at me! What did I do wrong! I¡¯m just looking out for you! King¡¯s Account was so angry it couldn¡¯t control itself, it couldn¡¯t kill the host, it had to be patient with the host, it had to be a system with manners and quality. Chuzheng slumped in her chair, totally unwilling to move. King¡¯s Account didn¡¯t dare to speak again, afraid of being lashed out at by Chuzheng. When little sister gets fierce, it¡¯s very scared. Just when Chuzheng was ready to really be a salted fish, someone suddenly messaged her privately. [Private Message] Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One: Hey! Little sister! Do you really have Eight Directions Stealth? Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One¡­ A player who had been very active in the world chat before. Chuzheng opened the game¡¯s Leaderboard. The leaderboard is ranked by level and combat power. First place¡ªPeerless Wind and Cloud Rank One. It really is¡­ Don¡¯t you have any shame? You¡¯re so shameless even when playing a game? How embarrassing would it be if you fell from that rank? [Private Message] Number One Spender: Yeah. [Private Message] Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One: ¡­ [Private Message] Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One: Sister, what¡¯s up with your name! [Private Message] Number One Spender: Don¡¯t know. [Private Message] Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One: ¡­ It probably took a while for the person on the other side to recover from being choked up before typing over. [Private Message] Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One: Sister, will you sell Eight Directions Stealth? [Private Message] Number One Spender: Not selling. Sell? Impossible. Not in this lifetime. All who want my money are devils! [Private Message] Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One: No, sister, as a Summoner, holding onto Eight Directions Stealth is useless to you, how about this, I¡¯ll trade a divine pet for it, if it¡¯s not enough, I can add money. [Private Message] Number One Spender: Aren¡¯t you broke? [Private Message] Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One: *cough cough cough* Well, you know, one must be low-key in life. Unparalleled Storm is a fun game, sure, but it¡¯s also a game that burns through money. To be on top of the Peerless Wind and Cloud leaderboard, you can¡¯t do it without investing money. [Private Message] Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One: How about it, sister? [Private Message] Number One Spender: No! Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One, with not even a shred of the dignity of a top player, pesters Chuzheng for a good while, until finally, she has some peace after blocking him. But the Peerless Wind and Cloud leaderboard was just the first. There are plenty of hidden tycoons in the game. Some people probably want to resell it. After all, there is only one set of Eight Directions Stealth in the entire server, and there is still room for its value to increase. Chuzheng closed the private message and finally just exited the game. [¡­] ¨C Chuzheng got up at noon the next day, and under the nagging of King¡¯s Account, she reluctantly turned on the computer and logged into the game. The world was bustling with jokes and banter. Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One was leading the charge. This big shot wasn¡¯t working hard at leveling up, not afraid of someone else snatching the number one title. Chuzheng looked at the leaderboard again. Yu Wuheng was ranked fifth, truly a god of the game. Chuzheng clicked on Customer Service. [System] Number One Tycoon: I want to check the IP addresses that my account and someone else¡¯s account have logged in from. How much do I need to pay? [System] Customer Service 222: ¡­ [System] Customer Service 222: I¡¯m very sorry, we can help you check yours, but we can¡¯t check other players¡¯ accounts. We have an obligation to protect players¡¯ privacy. [System] Number One Tycoon: Oh. [System] Customer Service 222: Yes, do you have any other questions? [System] Number One Tycoon: What if I give you a million dollars, would you help me check then? The customer service representative was thoroughly startled and even trembled while typing. [System] Customer Service 222: Please don¡¯t joke, I have professional ethics. [System] Number One Tycoon: Oh, I don¡¯t have that much anyway. Customer Service 222 ground his teeth. [System] Customer Service 222: Do you have any other questions? [System] Number One Tycoon: If I had any, you wouldn¡¯t be able to solve them. The customer service rep was speechless. Was this person just playing with him? Chuzheng closed the chat interface and looked up to see Peerless Number One hopping around in the world chat. Chuzheng thoughtfully unblocked Peerless Number One from her blacklist. [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: Do you know any hackers? [World] Peerless Number One: Huh? [World] Bits and Pieces Poking In: Did Number One Brother suddenly start howling because someone did something to him? [World] I Am a Lone Wolf: Don¡¯t say that, Number One Brother isn¡¯t poor enough to sell his body. [World] Peerless Number One: Everyone is poor, why be so impatient with each other? After responding, Peerless Number One immediately switched to the private chat. [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: Miss, you finally let me out of the blacklist. Do you know how lonely and bored I¡¯ve been alone in there? [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: [Image] Peerless Number One looked at the screenshot filled with a list of blacklisted names, feeling very conflicted. Was she telling him that he wasn¡¯t lonely or bored at all? [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: Miss, what do you want me for? Are you going to sell me the Eight Directions Stealth? [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: Check the record. I¡¯ve played it once already. Are you selectively blind or what? [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: ¡­ Peerless Number One scrolled up the messages and saw the first one. [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: I do know them. Miss, what do you want to do? [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: Give me your contact in exchange for Eight Directions Stealth. [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: ¡­ Eight Directions Stealth = Contact Information Peerless Number One was startled by this equation. The miss is truly loaded! [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: No, miss, what do you want to do? [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: Exchange or not? [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: Yes! Only an idiot would not! [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: The game ID Jiang Liang, just search for it. If he doesn¡¯t add people, you can just drop my name in the note. [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: What¡¯s your name? [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: Peerless Number One. [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: ¡­ [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: Hahaha, miss, how come you¡¯re seriously a bit cute? [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: Miss, what do you need a hacker for? [Message failed to send] Peerless Number One almost spit water onto his screen. Was he blacklisted again? He hasn¡¯t even received the Eight Directions Stealth yet! Was he being scammed? [World] Peerless Number One: Aaaaahhhhh!!! [World] Bits and Pieces: What¡¯s wrong with the big shot? Did you demote? Can¡¯t hold onto your number one throne? [World] Melon Selling Granny: Maybe he got OOXX and is in the middle of XXOO. [World] Super Cute Me: Haha, I bet Number One Brother is the one below, I bet a single cucumber. [World] A Single Cucumber: Why would you bet on me?! [World] Peerless Number One: I got scammed!! [World] Melon Selling Granny: Who could scam you? Aren¡¯t you the smart, handsome young man who thinks his IQ is through the roof? [World] A Single Cucumber: Did Number One Brother get scammed for real? [World] Peerless Number One: Why are you all fixated on my body! Shallow! Chapter 329 - Chapter 329: Chapter 329: Glory From Below (6) Chapter 329: Chapter 329: Glory From Below (6) Chuzheng returned to her computer, and the world was still discussing her splurging two hundred thousand. Chuzheng thought indifferently, ¡°This is nothing, Bastard will blind you all later.¡± So annoying. [Little sister, please work hard at leveling up.] Why. Can¡¯t I just be a salted fish? You splurge but also care whether I level up or not, did your brain get waterlogged? [¡­] I¡¯m just giving you a reminder, why are you lashing out at me! What did I do wrong! I¡¯m just looking out for you! King¡¯s Account was so angry it couldn¡¯t control itself, it couldn¡¯t kill the host, it had to be patient with the host, it had to be a system with manners and quality. Chuzheng slumped in her chair, totally unwilling to move. King¡¯s Account didn¡¯t dare to speak again, afraid of being lashed out at by Chuzheng. When little sister gets fierce, it¡¯s very scared. Just when Chuzheng was ready to really be a salted fish, someone suddenly messaged her privately. [Private Message] Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One: Hey! Little sister! Do you really have Eight Directions Stealth? Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One¡­ A player who had been very active in the world chat before. Chuzheng opened the game¡¯s Leaderboard. The leaderboard is ranked by level and combat power. First place¡ªPeerless Wind and Cloud Rank One. It really is¡­ Don¡¯t you have any shame? You¡¯re so shameless even when playing a game? How embarrassing would it be if you fell from that rank? [Private Message] Number One Spender: Yeah. [Private Message] Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One: ¡­ [Private Message] Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One: Sister, what¡¯s up with your name! [Private Message] Number One Spender: Don¡¯t know. [Private Message] Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One: ¡­ It probably took a while for the person on the other side to recover from being choked up before typing over. [Private Message] Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One: Sister, will you sell Eight Directions Stealth? [Private Message] Number One Spender: Not selling. Sell? Impossible. Not in this lifetime. All who want my money are devils! [Private Message] Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One: No, sister, as a Summoner, holding onto Eight Directions Stealth is useless to you, how about this, I¡¯ll trade a divine pet for it, if it¡¯s not enough, I can add money. [Private Message] Number One Spender: Aren¡¯t you broke? [Private Message] Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One: *cough cough cough* Well, you know, one must be low-key in life. Unparalleled Storm is a fun game, sure, but it¡¯s also a game that burns through money. To be on top of the Peerless Wind and Cloud leaderboard, you can¡¯t do it without investing money. [Private Message] Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One: How about it, sister? [Private Message] Number One Spender: No! Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One, with not even a shred of the dignity of a top player, pesters Chuzheng for a good while, until finally, she has some peace after blocking him. But the Peerless Wind and Cloud leaderboard was just the first. There are plenty of hidden tycoons in the game. Some people probably want to resell it. After all, there is only one set of Eight Directions Stealth in the entire server, and there is still room for its value to increase. Chuzheng closed the private message and finally just exited the game. [¡­] ¨C Chuzheng got up at noon the next day, and under the nagging of King¡¯s Account, she reluctantly turned on the computer and logged into the game. The world was bustling with jokes and banter. Peerless Wind and Cloud Rank One was leading the charge. This big shot wasn¡¯t working hard at leveling up, not afraid of someone else snatching the number one title. Chuzheng looked at the leaderboard again. Yu Wuheng was ranked fifth, truly a god of the game. Chuzheng clicked on Customer Service. [System] Number One Tycoon: I want to check the IP addresses that my account and someone else¡¯s account have logged in from. How much do I need to pay? [System] Customer Service 222: ¡­ [System] Customer Service 222: I¡¯m very sorry, we can help you check yours, but we can¡¯t check other players¡¯ accounts. We have an obligation to protect players¡¯ privacy. [System] Number One Tycoon: Oh. [System] Customer Service 222: Yes, do you have any other questions? [System] Number One Tycoon: What if I give you a million dollars, would you help me check then? The customer service representative was thoroughly startled and even trembled while typing. [System] Customer Service 222: Please don¡¯t joke, I have professional ethics. [System] Number One Tycoon: Oh, I don¡¯t have that much anyway. Customer Service 222 ground his teeth. [System] Customer Service 222: Do you have any other questions? [System] Number One Tycoon: If I had any, you wouldn¡¯t be able to solve them. The customer service rep was speechless. Was this person just playing with him? Chuzheng closed the chat interface and looked up to see Peerless Number One hopping around in the world chat. Chuzheng thoughtfully unblocked Peerless Number One from her blacklist. [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: Do you know any hackers? [World] Peerless Number One: Huh? [World] Bits and Pieces Poking In: Did Number One Brother suddenly start howling because someone did something to him? [World] I Am a Lone Wolf: Don¡¯t say that, Number One Brother isn¡¯t poor enough to sell his body. [World] Peerless Number One: Everyone is poor, why be so impatient with each other? After responding, Peerless Number One immediately switched to the private chat. [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: Miss, you finally let me out of the blacklist. Do you know how lonely and bored I¡¯ve been alone in there? [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: [Image] Peerless Number One looked at the screenshot filled with a list of blacklisted names, feeling very conflicted. Was she telling him that he wasn¡¯t lonely or bored at all? [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: Miss, what do you want me for? Are you going to sell me the Eight Directions Stealth? [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: Check the record. I¡¯ve played it once already. Are you selectively blind or what? [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: ¡­ Peerless Number One scrolled up the messages and saw the first one. [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: I do know them. Miss, what do you want to do? [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: Give me your contact in exchange for Eight Directions Stealth. [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: ¡­ Eight Directions Stealth = Contact Information Peerless Number One was startled by this equation. The miss is truly loaded! [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: No, miss, what do you want to do? [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: Exchange or not? [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: Yes! Only an idiot would not! [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: The game ID Jiang Liang, just search for it. If he doesn¡¯t add people, you can just drop my name in the note. [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: What¡¯s your name? [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: Peerless Number One. [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: ¡­ [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: Hahaha, miss, how come you¡¯re seriously a bit cute? [Private Chat] Peerless Number One: Miss, what do you need a hacker for? [Message failed to send] Peerless Number One almost spit water onto his screen. Was he blacklisted again? He hasn¡¯t even received the Eight Directions Stealth yet! Was he being scammed? [World] Peerless Number One: Aaaaahhhhh!!! [World] Bits and Pieces: What¡¯s wrong with the big shot? Did you demote? Can¡¯t hold onto your number one throne? [World] Melon Selling Granny: Maybe he got OOXX and is in the middle of XXOO. [World] Super Cute Me: Haha, I bet Number One Brother is the one below, I bet a single cucumber. [World] A Single Cucumber: Why would you bet on me?! [World] Peerless Number One: I got scammed!! [World] Melon Selling Granny: Who could scam you? Aren¡¯t you the smart, handsome young man who thinks his IQ is through the roof? [World] A Single Cucumber: Did Number One Brother get scammed for real? [World] Peerless Number One: Why are you all fixated on my body! Shallow! Chapter 330 - Chapter 330: Chapter 330: Glory From Below (7) Chapter 330: Chapter 330: Glory From Below (7) ¡°` [World] Number One Brother: Aaaaahhhhhh!! [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: I think Number One Brother wasn¡¯t deceived, he¡¯s gone crazy. [Announcement] Heroes arise in troubled times; empires are conquered in jest! Congratulations to player [Number One Brother] for obtaining [Eight Directions Stealth]. [World] ¡­ [World] Number One Brother: Hahahahaha. [World] A Single Cucumber: ¡­Number One Brother, did you do some unspeakable PY deal with that Chu Xi? [World] Bits and Pieces: Asking the same question. [World] Richest Tycoon Number One: No, don¡¯t talk nonsense. [World] I¡¯m a Wolf: Who¡¯s this? Number One Brother¡¯s long-lost relative? [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: Seems like¡­ it¡¯s Chu Xi. All players opened the profile and saw that familiar outfit. Isn¡¯t that the one worn by the big spender Chuzheng from yesterday? As for yesterday¡¯s events, people had almost forgotten about Yu Wuheng and Sanyue Qinghuan; they only remembered Chuzheng¡¯s extravagant spending. [World] A Single Cucumber: So now we¡¯re using couple usernames? [World] Richest Tycoon Number One: No. [World] Granny Selling Melons: There¡¯re so many men in the world, Chu Xi, what¡¯s troubling you? Even if you wanted to find a popular figure, did you have to choose him? What¡¯s so good about him besides his high level? [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: Yeah, why choose Number One Brother? I can be your choice too! [World] Number One Brother: No, what¡¯s wrong with me? What do you mean? Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m Number One Brother!! Number One Brother stirred up chaos in the world chat. Chuzheng stopped talking and searched for the ID given by Number One Brother. The other party was not online. Chuzheng tried to send a private message, but as they were not friends, she couldn¡¯t chat and could only send a friend request. However, she was rejected in three seconds. Instant rejection! Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Aren¡¯t you offline? What are you doing invisible! Number One Brother seemed to have great foresight. Chuzheng labeled Number One Brother¡¯s name and submitted the friend request again. [Player Jiang Liang has accepted your friend request] The private chat window popped up directly, and as soon as Chuzheng glanced at that line, the other party sent her a message. [Private chat] Jiang Liang: What do you want I¡¯m busy keep it short no BS There was not a single punctuation mark, giving off an aura of being too busy to waste time. [Private chat] Richest Tycoon Number One: Are you a hacker? It took nearly a minute for the other side to reply. [Private chat] Jiang Liang: What do you want [Private chat] Richest Tycoon Number One: Hack an account. [Private chat] Jiang Liang: ¡­ [Private chat] Jiang Liang: I¡¯m not so hard up for cash to do something like that. [Private chat] Richest Tycoon Number One: Name your price. [Private chat] Jiang Liang: It¡¯s not about the money, [Private chat] Richest Tycoon Number One: How much money, name it. [Private chat] Jiang Liang: ¡­ Jiang Liang blocked Chuzheng. What goes around comes around; nobody is spared by destiny. Retribution came as quickly as a tornado. ¡°Bastard, see? There are things money can¡¯t solve,¡± Chuzheng said to Bastard as an example. [¡­] This isn¡¯t a mission I posted, what¡¯s it got to do with me? King¡¯s Account is playing dead. ¨C Evil Dragon Valley. The musician avatar under ¡®Jiang Liang¡¯ was surrounded by several players. Jiang Liang was a musician, dressed in white robes, as if a banished immortal. Even as a game character, it presented a visually distinctive appearance. [Nearby] Phantom Chasing the Wind: Jiang Liang! Why did you suddenly attack us yesterday? ¡°` [Nearby] Jiang Liang: I just can¡¯t stand you guys. [Nearby] Instant Kill: Damn it! Did we provoke you or what? Son of a bitch, we finally managed to guard this BOSS and it¡¯s gone because of you! [Nearby] Jiang Liang: Well, sorry about that. His tone didn¡¯t seem apologetic at all. [Nearby] Phantom Chasing the Wind: Jiang Liang, don¡¯t think we¡¯re afraid of you just because you¡¯re good at PK. [Nearby] Jiang Liang: If I could kill you yesterday, I can kill you today, too. Jiang Liang¡¯s words completely enraged the players present, who rushed at him with their skills ready. [World] Melon-selling Granny: Gossip, gossip, Jiang Liang is getting ganged up on in Evil Dragon Valley. [World] Origin: Is he ganging up on others? [World] Melon-selling Granny: No, Jiang Liang is the one getting ganged up on. [World] Number One on Power Ranking: Impossible, you¡¯re spreading fake news. [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: That calamity is getting ganged up on? [World] Log In As Soon As Class Ends: It¡¯s normal for him to get ganged up on, isn¡¯t it? With that arrogant and haughty attitude of his, who wouldn¡¯t want to hit him? [World] Melon-selling Granny: If you don¡¯t come to the rescue soon, Number One, Jiang Liang is going to get killed. When Number One Brother arrived at Evil Dragon Valley, Jiang Liang was already lying on the ground. A few players were standing by his corpse. The first thing Number One Brother saw, though, was Chuzheng standing not too far away. Chuzheng was still dressed in the ¡®Phoenix Ceremony¡¯ outfit, standing on a rock with arms crossed over her chest, looking down from above. She had the bearing of an emperor patrolling her own territory. [Private Chat] Number One on Power Ranking: What happened? Number One Brother private messaged Jiang Liang. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: That woman just popped out of nowhere. [Private Chat] Number One on Power Ranking: But that doesn¡¯t mean you should get ganged up on, right? Number One Brother still had a lot of faith in Jiang Liang. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: She used a prop and I wasn¡¯t paying attention. [Private Chat] Number One on Power Ranking: ¡­ [Private Chat] Number One on Power Ranking: Wasn¡¯t she looking for you? How did it turn into this? [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: She asked me to hack an account, isn¡¯t that an insult? [Private Chat] Number One on Power Ranking: If there¡¯s money to be made, that¡¯s all that matters, right? She¡¯s loaded, you¡­ [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: I won¡¯t stoop to such low-level tactics. [Private Chat] Number One on Power Ranking: So she attacked you just because of that? For some reason, Number One Brother felt it was something the girl could do. After Number One Brother finished exchanging messages with Jiang Liang, more and more players started to arrive steadily. With players gathering in Evil Dragon Valley, the nearby channel was bustling and the messages were flashing so fast they were dizzying. Most of the chatter was about celebrating the great joy of Jiang Liang being ganged up on. Jiang Liang was arrogant and haughty in the game, and sometimes he liked to provoke others even if they did nothing to him, triggering fights. The thing was, Jiang Liang had been dominating the PK ranking as the top player for years. Number One Brother was also in the top ten, though his ranking was very unstable, sometimes shooting up to the top three, sometimes barely hanging onto the tail end of the top ten. But he had never dropped out of it. Those who had been irritated by Jiang Liang, they couldn¡¯t beat him in a fight or outdo him in a quarrel, so they just had to swallow their anger. Now that Jiang Liang was being ganged up on, how could his ¡®foes¡¯ not be thrilled? [Nearby] Undying Myth: Who here is an Apothecary? Revive him, I want to kill him myself! [Nearby] Instant Kill: No use, he¡¯s been death-locked. [Nearby] Undying Myth: Who did it? Rich enough to burn money? Such items needed to be purchased with real money. [Nearby] Instant Kill: Number One Tycoon. Instant Kill and those few players who ganged up on Jiang Liang were initially losing, but then a female player suddenly appeared and started throwing items, which allowed them to take Jiang Liang down together. Jiang Liang sure had a lot of enemies. [Nearby] Undying Myth: Who¡¯s Number One Tycoon? Say the name. [Nearby] Phantom Chasing the Wind: That¡¯s the name, Number One Tycoon. [Nearby] Undying Myth: ¡­ Chapter 331 - Chapter 331: Chapter 331: Glory From Below (8) Chapter 331: Chapter 331: Glory From Below (8) [Nearby] Jiang Liang: If you can¡¯t beat the skills, blame me for not letting you win. [Nearby] Indestructible Myth: Jiang Liang, what the hell are you on about? [Nearby] Jiang Liang: What do you mean ¡°what¡±? Can¡¯t you read, or did you drop out of elementary school? [Nearby] Phantom Chasing the Wind: Jiang Liang, you¡¯re lying there on the ground and still have the nerve to be so cocky? [Nearby] Jiang Liang: So, you think you can beat me? [Nearby] ¡­ Jiang Liang¡¯s words ignited the anger of the group of players. However, no one was indeed able to do anything to Jiang Liang at the moment. In ¡°Unparalleled Storm,¡± if your corpse is locked by an item, nothing can be done to it unless the item wears off. Jiang Liang provoked the group of players fearlessly, confident in his own safety. Just when the players¡¯ fury was reaching its peak, Jiang Liang¡¯s corpse suddenly disappeared from the map. Logged off? Chuzheng was so caught up in the drama that she lost track of time. With the main character gone, Chuzheng quietly slipped away. She wasn¡¯t fixated on this particular person; she just happened upon him earlier and wanted to vent because of the way he spoke. ¨C Three days later. Upon logging in, Yu Wuheng immediately sensed something was off¡ªall the items in his account had vanished. The empty account made him wonder if he¡¯d logged into the wrong one. The name was wrong, too. Someone had changed it to ¡°I am a scumbag¡±. Yu Wuheng was completely furious. Who did this? At that moment, it seemed as if someone in the world had noticed something amiss with him. [World] Old Lady Selling Melons: Did anyone notice that the fifth-ranked player on the leaderboards has changed to someone named ¡°I am a scumbag¡±? [World] I Am a Wolf: Wasn¡¯t the fifth-ranked ¡°Yu Wuheng the Great¡±? [World] Won¡¯t Sell No Matter the Price: Let me take a look. [World] Bits and Pieces: The fifth-ranked¡­ looks like it¡¯s ¡°Yu Wuheng the Great¡±, right? But what¡¯s with his name? And he¡¯s wearing beginner¡¯s gear, too. [World] A Single Cucumber: Really? [World] Log In Right After Class: What¡¯s the big news this time, has ¡°Yu Wuheng the Great¡± been hacked? The name change and the unusual state of his account were quickly spread around by the people in the world chat. And there were immediate forum posts popping up. #Why did the newlywed god change his name to ¡°I am a scumbag¡± and streak naked¡ªmoral degradation or a twist of humanity?# [World] I am a scumbag: My account has been hacked. Yu Wuheng took the initiative to declare. [World] Old Lady Selling Melons: I think this name suits you. [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: Even the great Yu Wuheng can get hacked, has his account been cleared out? [World] I Am a Wolf: Hacking¡¯s one thing, but why change your name? Does the hacker hold some deep-seated grudge against you? [World] Featherflower: If you¡¯ve been hacked, go to the customer service, great god. Yu Wuheng contacted customer service right away, but there was no response from their side yet. The world chat was buzzing with all sorts of discussions, and the more Yu Wuheng read, the stranger he found it. As these people were saying. If it was just about hacking, why change his name? This name¡­ Chuzheng¡¯s face flashed unwarranted through Yu Wuheng¡¯s mind. Connecting it to recent events, Yu Wuheng felt she couldn¡¯t be unrelated to this incident. He tried to contact Chuzheng, only to find out that she had blocked him, making it impossible to chat. I tried adding her with a minor account, but again, no response. Yu Wuheng couldn¡¯t contact Chuzheng, and people still discussed him on the public channel. He finally had no choice but to look for Chuzheng on the global channel. [World] I¡¯m a Scumbag: Chu Xi, was it you who messed with my account? [World] Vegetable Seller Granny: I say, great god, your account got stolen, what does this have to do with the young lady? [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: This might actually be Chu Xi¡¯s doing; the renaming of the great god¡¯s username is quite subtle. [World] Vegetable Seller Granny: Can¡¯t someone just be fed up and take justice into their own hands? [World] Number One Brother: ¡­ [World] A Single Cucumber: What¡¯s wrong, Number One Brother? Weren¡¯t you the most active around this time before? How can six dots express your complex thoughts? [World] Number One Brother: ¡­ It was possible that Chu Xi really was behind this. Of course, Number One Brother wouldn¡¯t dare to speak recklessly. He messaged Jiang Liang right away. [Private] Jiang Liang: I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing that insults my skills, how could it be me. [Private] Number One Brother: You really didn¡¯t do it? [Private] Jiang Liang: No. Number One Brother still trusted Jiang Liang; if he said no, then it must not be him. So who did this girl go to for this? [World] Richest Player Number One: What does your account have to do with me? Chuzheng¡¯s messages were as always shining golden, emitting the special effects of opulent gold. [World] I¡¯m a Scumbag: Was it you who stole my account? [World] Richest Player Number One: No, I didn¡¯t, don¡¯t talk nonsense. [World] I¡¯m a Scumbag: Wasn¡¯t it you who changed this name?! Yu Wuheng felt sure that it was Chuzheng who had done this. The name said it all. [World] I¡¯m a Scumbag: Chu Xi, there is a limit to such mischief, do you know how much valuable stuff was in my account? This is a crime! [World] Richest Player Number One: Do you have evidence? If I¡¯m accused of doing it by you, does it make it true? If I say you owe me a million, do you owe me a million? [World] Vegetable Seller Granny: Exactly, Yu Wuheng, present your evidence first, don¡¯t falsely accuse others. Chuzheng clicked on Vegetable Seller Granny¡¯s profile, which popped up quickly, showing a female player. It was unclear why she harbored such animosity towards Yu Wuheng. [World] Poison Is a Lonely Master: From the perspective of a melon-eating bystander like me, I¡¯m rather inclined to believe that Chu Xi took revenge on the great god Yu Wuheng. This issue was really obvious, anyone would think of Chuzheng. [World] Origin: This matter shouldn¡¯t be spread without certainty. What if it¡¯s not true? To wrongly accuse someone would be unfair; Yu Wuheng, the great god, had better produce some evidence. [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: I agree. [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: The new name of the great god is really¡­ [World] Sanyue Qinghuan: Chu Xi, how could you do this to Wu Hen? What did Wu Hen ever do to you to deserve this? How could you steal someone¡¯s account? Sanyue Qinghuan probably just logged on, and started accusing Chuzheng right away with the stance of a victim. [World] Richest Player Number One: If you say I hacked the account, show evidence. Without evidence, don¡¯t make wild accusations. [World] I¡¯m a Scumbag: Chu Xi, if it turns out you did this, you¡¯re finished! I know you like me, but I¡¯m already with Sanyue Qinghuan. I like Qinghuan, so what¡¯s the point of what you¡¯re doing?! [World] Sanyue Qinghuan: Chu Xi, don¡¯t be capricious. If you admit your mistake, I¡¯ll persuade Wu Hen to forgive you. Yu Wuheng and Sanyue Qinghuan were singing a duet as if Chuzheng, driven by unrequited love, had committed the act. [World] Xin An: Are women so terrifying? Steal an account if they can¡¯t have their way? [World] The Clown Prince: If Yu Wuheng¡¯s, the great god¡¯s, account really has been emptied, and all its contents gone, then the great god would be¡­ [World] Richest Player Number One: I don¡¯t like you. The official denial, swift and direct. [World] Vegetable Seller Granny: Hahahahahaha, please allow me to laugh heartily first. Chapter 332 - Chapter 332: Chapter 332: Glory From Below (9) Chapter 332: Chapter 332: Glory From Below (9) Yu Wuheng might have entertained a flicker of hope, thinking that someone who used to like him so much would definitely not go too far. [World] I Am a Bastard: Chu Xi, take me off the blacklist so I can talk to you alone. [World] The Richest One: You and the blacklist are a perfect match. [World] I Am a Bastard: ¡­ [World] Selling Melons Granny: Hahahahaha. [World] A Single Cucumber: Be careful Selling Melons Granny, laughing at a time like this, you¡¯re not afraid of being remembered in anger by the almighty. [World] Selling Melons Granny: How could that be, the almighty has their own style, why would they bother with a small fry like me. [World] Top of the Power Rankings: ¡­ [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: Have you guys noticed that Number One Brother is super quiet today. Top of the Power Rankings indicated that he was very scared. Thinking back on Chuzheng asking someone to hack the account, and then considering today¡¯s incident¡­ It was terrifying. ¨C Yu Wuheng received a response from customer service on his side. Yu Wuheng received the following response: They mentioned his account logged in from only two locations, one was his usual one, and the other was from a certain city, and looking at the frequency of logins, there was nothing unusual. The other place was Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s city. Yu Wuheng had shared his password with Sanyue Qinghuan. When he wasn¡¯t online, Sanyue Qinghuan would log in for him. Aside from these two places, there were no other login records. [Private Chat] Sanyue Qinghuan: Wu Hen, what did customer service say? [Private Chat] I Am a Bastard: They said there¡¯s no problem. [Private Chat] Sanyue Qinghuan: Wu Hen, is it really Chu Xi who did this? [Private Chat] I Am a Bastard: It should be her, but there¡¯s no evidence. Chu Xi had changed a lot; she hadn¡¯t come to question him about the hacking of the account, as if she didn¡¯t care at all. Her account wasn¡¯t emptied by Yu Wuheng. But it was related to him. During the time she could not log in, he spent the entire time with Sanyue Qinghuan. Once, he needed some items, which he didn¡¯t have, but Chu Xi¡¯s account did. But at that time, he was unable to open another account. So, he asked Sanyue Qinghuan to log in for him. Sanyue Qinghuan logged in at an internet cafe, and the next day Chu Xi¡¯s account was hacked. Sanyue Qinghuan said she might have forgotten to log off, leaving the computer on when she left. Yu Wuheng had no way to explain, so he decided to pretend he knew nothing. [Private Chat] Sanyue Qinghuan: Can the items in that account be recovered? [Private Chat] I Am a Bastard: Don¡¯t know. He couldn¡¯t even contact Chuzheng now, so how could he know if they could be recovered? [Private Chat] Sanyue Qinghuan: Don¡¯t panic, Wu Hen. Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s gentle words of comfort certainly eased much of Yu Wuheng¡¯s anger. [Private Chat] Sanyue Qinghuan: Wu Hen, why don¡¯t you change your name back first? [Private Chat] I Am a Bastard: Okay. He really found the name an eyesore. But when Yu Wuheng purchased the name change card and clicked to change his name, he was informed that frequent changes had locked the name, and he could change it only after six months. Ying Ze was so furious he almost smashed the computer. He stood up, pulled open the door, and walked out. ¡°Ying Ze, where are you going? We¡¯re about to eat.¡± Ying Ze completely ignored the shouting from behind and slammed the door as he left. ¨C [Hidden Quest: Please obtain a Good Person Card for Jiang Liang to prevent his descent into darkness.] Chuzheng reclined calmly, legs crossed. ¡°Tell me, is Jiang Liang the ID or the real name?¡± The King¡¯s Account was somewhat cowardly. [¡­Both.] In the game, that¡¯s the ID. The real name is also that. [Miss¡­] Chuzheng kicked the computer plug sharply, and the screen turned black as the socket sparked with a flash. [¡­] Miss, this is very dangerous! Why does Miss have to be so fierce. Chuzheng, feeling unsatisfied after the initial kick, gave another kick to the table leg. The table shook violently, and the computer fell off, its screen smashing to smithereens. The shattered screen reflected the emotionless faces of countless girls. She had already offended Jiang Liang in the game, and now they were telling her to go get a Good Person Card, but how? How was she supposed to get one?! Bastard is really sick in the head! [Miss, please go outside now and be a good person.] No! Your Miss is furious! Chuzheng kicked over a chair and collapsed onto the bed. [¡­] The King¡¯s Account murmured in her heart that the System couldn¡¯t stoop to its host¡¯s level. [Miss, the Good Person Card needs you.] ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± [But something will happen.] ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± She wasn¡¯t darkened yet, so she was sure she wouldn¡¯t die. [Miss!!] The King¡¯s Account¡¯s voice rose, [If you don¡¯t go now, it will be too late. Please take being a good person seriously, okay!?] ¡°The Miss you are calling is not online.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s voice was as cold and mechanical as ever. Paired with her expressionless face, she was oddly endearing in contrast. The King¡¯s Account roared incessantly. Chuzheng pressed her head under the blanket, only to find that the voice was coming from her mind. I want a new head. [¡­] Why does Miss always have such messy thoughts? ¨C Chuzheng opened the door to her room. The corridor was very quiet. There were four units on this floor, but the original owner had never encountered any neighbors on this floor. According to her bored observations, this floor should be unoccupied. She lived in 902. Chuzheng looked across the hall¡ª904. The pervert who was wrapped up so tight that not even his eyes and nose could be seen? Bastard, are you wishing for my death to come quicker? Why bully me, the little pitiful one so much! Chuzheng, feeling dejected, walked to 904¡ªand lifted her foot to kick the door. The thudding sound echoed throughout the corridor. ¡°Who is it!¡± A gritty voice came from inside. Chuzheng couldn¡¯t be bothered to answer and continued kicking the door. Inside, the voice went silent. Chuzheng sensed someone watching her, likely the person inside looking through the peephole. She gave a sharp kick, and the door shuddered with the impact. The door was opened a crack, revealing a man¡¯s face. He sized up Chuzheng with a glance, asking impatiently, ¡°What do you want?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s head remained still, her gaze moving from the man¡¯s face down to his feet. He was wearing a cheap T-shirt, his hair greasy as though it hadn¡¯t been washed for ages, his palms rough with scars, and his nails full of dirt¡ªclearly a man accustomed to manual labor. His eyes were murky and vicious. They were nothing like the clear, sky-blue eyes she had seen the last time. Chuzheng took two steps back, then suddenly shot out with a kick. Clang¡ª The man stumbled backward, hit by the door. Chuzheng walked in boldly, her toe pressing against the door as it rebounded from the wall. ¡°Shit!¡± The man cursed lowly, picked up a wrench from nearby, and charged at Chuzheng. Chuzheng tilted her head to avoid the wrench, seizing his arm in the process, pivoted to the side, pushed down on his shoulder, and slammed him against the door. Their heads collided with the door, emitting a dull thud. Chuzheng pinned the man against the door, a cold blade pressed against his neck. The man hadn¡¯t seen the knife in Chuzheng¡¯s hand; now it loomed like the Grim Reaper¡¯s scythe, appearing silently. Chapter 333 - Chapter 333: Chapter 333: Glory From Below (10) Chapter 333: Chapter 333: Glory From Below (10) The man didn¡¯t dare to move. One twitch, and the knife would slit his throat. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I was wrong, I know I was wrong, please show mercy,¡± the man¡¯s face pressed against the door, his voice altered as he spoke. However, the man didn¡¯t hear Chuzheng¡¯s response; his vision darkened rapidly, and he lost consciousness. Chuzheng let go of the man, letting him thump to the ground. She looked inside; the overall layout of the house was similar to hers. The living room was cluttered with items but in an orderly fashion, and the environment was clean. The bedroom door was ajar. Chuzheng pushed open the door; the inside was a complete mess, a boy in loungewear tied to a chair, the chair had toppled over, possibly from the boy¡¯s struggles. Chuzheng went over to help him up. As the boy looked up, his deep blue eyes were filled with panic, identical to the pair she had seen before. ¡°It¡¯s okay now.¡± Chuzheng untied the rope for him. Once free, the boy¡¯s first reaction wasn¡¯t to ask about the assailants outside, nor to inquire her identity, but to stand up, move away from Chuzheng, pull up the hood of his loungewear, and cover himself. He clutched the hood tightly, seeming somewhat afraid. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard, you tell me, the Jiang Liang in the game, he¡¯s not a Good Person Card. [¡­The data shows, he is the one, absolutely him.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Then what¡¯s with the person in front of me!? Chuzheng: ¡°Are you okay?¡± The boy shook his head vigorously but pulled the hood lower, almost completely hiding his face from Chuzheng. Chuzheng scrutinized him, what¡¯s wrong with this Good Person Card? Scared just now? But that¡¯s not right¡­ A person frozen with fear upon being rescued should be tearfully grateful, right? Shouldn¡¯t they say she¡¯s the good person? Why does it seem like she¡¯s the villain, intent on doing him harm? Chuzheng withdrew her gaze: ¡°What should we do about the people outside?¡± The boy was nervously clutching his hood, his entire demeanor uneasy. Just when Chuzheng thought he wouldn¡¯t speak, possibly mute, the boy squeezed out a few difficult words: ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Jiang Liang. An orphan, possibly due to certain events in his childhood, he developed an aversion to contact with people, feeling nervous and anxious when talking to them. Unable to interact normally with people in real life, he was a completely different person in the virtual world. Arrogant in the extreme, provocative to others. Jiang Liang lived alone, supporting himself with his hacking skills. One day, a man posing as a downstairs neighbor, claimed there was a leak in his apartment and asked to come up for inspection. That led to the scene Chuzheng was now witnessing. The man was short on money, harboring thoughts of robbery. But after robbing the place, seeing Jiang Liang, though a boy, was prettier than most girls, he developed vile intentions. Just as the man was about to act on his unseemly desires towards Jiang Liang, another man suddenly appeared and saved Jiang Liang. This man would become Jiang Liang¡¯s nightmare. After saving Jiang Liang, he gradually got close to him, earning Jiang Liang¡¯s trust and dependence, making him unafraid. Then he began to entice Jiang Liang to use his advantages for criminal activities. First in the virtual world, then in real life. Criminals don¡¯t need much interaction with others. They can live in their own worlds. Under the influence of this man, Jiang Liang became corrupted step by step, committing various crimes. After receiving Jiang Liang¡¯s information, Chuzheng had only two words to say: horrifying. Why does someone as pitiable as me have to deal with such a terrifying person? Chuzheng dragged the unconscious man inside and shut the door. She had arrived early; that man had not yet appeared. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to take care of him in a bit.¡± ¡°Eliminate the root cause so he doesn¡¯t corrupt the Good Person Card.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really awesome.¡± However, Chuzheng waited for quite a while and no one came to the door. Chuzheng glanced into the room, where Jiang Liang was still consumed with anxiety, his head lowered, not daring to look at Chuzheng. He recognized her; she lived opposite him. He had even seen her threatening a boy with a knife before. Jiang Liang was socially awkward, but he was not foolish. He understood the situation at hand and even had a solution in mind, but he just couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it. According to the plot¡¯s timeline, the man should have shown up by now. Chuzheng guessed he probably wouldn¡¯t show up anymore. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was because he sensed something was off, or if it was because she had changed the plot, that he didn¡¯t appear. So now the question became¡­ ¡°This person¡­¡± Jiang Liang stepped back in panic, bumping into something behind him and causing a clattering mess as things fell. ¡°Forget it.¡± Chuzheng dragged the still dizzied culprit away. ¡°Today counts as me saving you, and you should think of me as a good person.¡± Chuzheng said emotionlessly while issuing herself a Good Person Card as she left, ¡°Do you understand?¡± Jiang Liang didn¡¯t know if he heard clearly but nodded hastily. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just open the door for anyone.¡± Chuzheng advised, ¡°I live across from you, come to me if you need anything.¡± Jiang Liang nodded again. With the door closed, Jiang Liang¡¯s entire body seemed to relax as if he had just let out a long-held breath, his frame slumping. Pulling his cap down, he revealed an exceptionally beautiful face with blue eyes that still held traces of panic, resembling a young animal that had just survived a catastrophe. He felt much more relaxed when there was no one else in the room. Jiang Liang went to the door and locked it. Then he peeked out through the peephole. The hallway was eerily empty, not a soul in sight; just as he was about to withdraw his gaze, he thought he saw a figure standing around the corner. The figure swayed, but upon another glance, there was nothing there. Jiang Liang thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. He tidied up the room before sitting down at his computer to log into the game. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: I encountered something today The person on the other side replied instantly. [Private Chat] Top Ranker: How big a deal was it? If Jiang Liang was the one to bring it up, it must be something serious, like a life-or-death situation. The Top Ranker became immediately curious. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: I was robbed at home. [Private Chat] Top Ranker: ¡­ Buzz buzz buzz¡ª The phone vibrated on the desk, causing Jiang Liang to glance at it nervously before pressing it off. It wasn¡¯t until after three missed calls that the caller stopped trying. [Private Chat] Top Ranker: Are you okay? Did you call the police? Was the culprit caught? [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: If I wasn¡¯t okay, how could I be messaging you? [Private Chat] Top Ranker: So did you call the police? [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: No. [Private Chat] Top Ranker: Why not? Where¡¯s the crook? [Private Chat] Top Ranker: Never mind, I¡¯ll come over in a bit. Don¡¯t pretend you¡¯re not there. I need to see you to rest assured. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: You don¡¯t have to come over, I¡¯m fine. Someone saved me. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Fan Fan, I think I¡¯m in love. [Private Chat] Top Ranker: ??? [Private Chat] Top Ranker: Are you sure you¡¯re alright? I¡¯m in the car already, wait for me! [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: ¡­ Chapter 334 - Chapter 334: Chapter 334: Glory From Below (11) Chapter 334: Chapter 334: Glory From Below (11) Ying Ze banged on Chuzheng¡¯s front gate so loudly it echoed. Chuzheng had no intention of opening the door and directly called the property management of the residential area to report a disturbance. Ying Ze was also a resident of the community, so the property management staff persuaded him to leave. When Xia Mufan was exiting the elevator, he bumped into this group of people. Ying Ze, his face ashen, charged at him before he could even step out of the lift. Xia Mufan¡¯s phone almost fell from the collision, which annoyed him, but he was more worried about Jiang Liang and didn¡¯t make a big deal out of it. Instead, it was Ying Ze who cursed at him for not having eyes. Xia Mufan: ¡°¡­¡± What a lunatic. What kind of place is Jiang Liang living in? He needs to move out of there fast. ¨C The state of Ying Ze¡¯s account was such a mess; all the gear was gone, and he was stuck with a bizarre name. He couldn¡¯t keep using it. In the end, he had no choice but to abandon the account. Luckily, he had been training a secondary account, although it was a pity that many items in his main account were limited editions¡­ Naturally, Sanyue Qinghuan also didn¡¯t want to be associated with a partner named ¡®I Am a Scumbag¡¯ and strongly demanded to break off the relationship with Yu Wuheng. Breaking up didn¡¯t mean they could get married to the secondary account immediately. They had to reach a certain level of intimacy first, so the two of them reverted to being single. This must have been the fastest divorce in the game. Ying Ze kept looking for opportunities to corner Chuzheng; he had to get some answers. At that moment, Chuzheng was controlling her splendidly equipped character, charging into a crowd of monsters. As she released her skills, a swath of smaller monsters fell, but soon after, her character also collapsed. Chuzheng used a potion to revive and continued to charge in, repeating this several times until she finally reached the main BOSS. [Nearby] Yue Wuheng: Chu Xi, let¡¯s talk. [Nearby] Number One on the Wealth Leaderboard: Busy, not talking. [Nearby] Yue Wuheng: Do you really have no regard for our past affection? Chu Xi, I really treated you like a sister and spoiled you. Is this how you repay me? Chuzheng suddenly gave up on the BOSS and dashed towards Yue Wuheng, unleashing two skills, causing Yue Wuheng¡¯s health to drop rapidly. Yue Wuheng¡¯s secondary account was not as high-level as Chuzheng¡¯s, and with the equipment Chuzheng had now, she dealt substantial damage. After a few more skills from Chuzheng, Yue Wuheng was dead. [Nearby] Number One on the Wealth Leaderboard: Are you satisfied with this repayment? [Nearby] Yue Wuheng: Chu Xi, what the hell is wrong with you? Chuzheng bound Yue Wuheng in place, went on to defeat the BOSS, then swaggered off. Chuzheng had not gone far from the scene. Sanyue Qinghuan appeared with a few female players with the ¡®Sanyue¡¯ prefix, followed by several male players. [World] Sanyue Qinghuan: Chu Xi, how can you be so excessive? Wuheng has changed his account, and you still won¡¯t let him go? [World] A Single Cucumber: What did you guys get from the dungeon yesterday? [World] A Single Cucumber: Oh, is there more drama? [World] I Am a Wolf: What has Chu Xi done now? Can anyone fill me in? I just came out of the dungeon and saw this message. [World] Super Cute Me: Daily dose of drama, you deserve it. [World] Number One on the Wealth Leaderboard: If he doesn¡¯t come looking for me, I won¡¯t lay a hand on him. He brought this upon himself. What¡¯s that got to do with me! [World] Grandma Selling Melons: According to reliable frontline information, Yu Wuheng¡¯s secondary account Yue Wuheng was corpse-locked near the Longshui River. [World] Sanyue Qinghuan: You¡­ you¡¯ve gone too far! The few words from Sanyue Qinghuan were brimming with grievance. [World] The Melon-Selling Granny: People say that if Yu Wuheng doesn¡¯t seek her out, she wouldn¡¯t make a move, proving that it was Yu Wuheng who approached her first. Goddess Qinghuan, did you not graduate from kindergarten with your reading comprehension? [World] Origin: Hasn¡¯t the issue of the great god¡¯s account being hacked been resolved? [World] I Am a Wolf: How could it be resolved? Weren¡¯t all those previously hacked accounts eventually left unresolved? Seeing that the ¡°World¡± channel was about to go off on a tangent, Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s supporters quickly straightened things out. [World] Sanyue Peach: Qinghuan, don¡¯t get angry; she¡¯s just looking for attention. The great god Wu Hen has already said he doesn¡¯t like her, yet she still does these things¡ªshe¡¯s just trying to get Wu Hen¡¯s attention. [World] Sanyue Apricot: Who else but you would stoop so low as to hack Wu Hen¡¯s account with such despicable means? [World] Rich God Leaderboard No.1: Talk with evidence, don¡¯t spread rumors without proof. [World] Sanyue Apricot: Who else could it be? Everyone knows it was you! Shameless bitch! Chuzheng casually reported Sanyue Apricot. In the game, cursing, spreading rumors, and causing chaos could all lead to being muted. For less excessive comments, nothing would happen without a report. But if someone made a report, there was a seventy percent chance of being muted. [System] Player Sanyue Apricot has made excessive remarks and is muted for 2 hours. [World] ¡­ This didn¡¯t fit their image of boastful and wealthy wastrels at all!! Shouldn¡¯t they have fired off a round of trash talk first, then slap with money? Chuzheng couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with them. Typing isn¡¯t tiring? No need for nonsense, let¡¯s just report them. [World] Sanyue Peach: Qinghuan, don¡¯t waste your words with her, avenge Wu Hen. As Sanyue Peach finished speaking, their skills were already being unleashed. As one moved, the players behind followed suit, launching their skills to besiege Chuzheng. Someone immediately started live-streaming the assault in the ¡°World¡± channel. Sanyue Qinghuan had rallied numerous high-level players. Chuzheng¡¯s level wasn¡¯t as high as theirs, but with the aid of items, they were evenly matched for the moment. However, as time passed, their opponents drained health and mana too quickly. Chuzheng, on the other hand, popped potions to recover, and the advantage became clear. ¨C [World] Origin: An unsurprising conclusion. [World] I Am a Wolf: I just want to know how many potions this newly rich tycoon purchased? [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: Suddenly turning into a pay-to-win player makes us poor sods shiver in fear. [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: Missy is so cool! [World] The Melon-Selling Granny: Chu Xi herself said that she doesn¡¯t like Yu Wuheng. I really don¡¯t know why you people are so eager to say that others like Yu Wuheng. Isn¡¯t that embarrassing? [World] Not Enough Bleeps: What are you talking about upstairs? If you don¡¯t know, don¡¯t talk nonsense. [World] The Melon-Selling Granny: Oh, what did I say wrong? [World] Jumping Pig: Chu Xi is just a foot-scratching dude. Why are you clearing his name? Disgusting. [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: Did this guy just come back from prehistoric times? The great god Wu Hen has admitted with his own mouth that Chu Xi is a missy. Are you questioning your god? [World] Jumping Pig: ¡­ [World] Jumping Pig: Then why is she so ambiguously involved with other players!? [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: Don¡¯t you know that there¡¯s something in this world called Photoshop? Because Chuzheng didn¡¯t care about the forum posts and their reckless spending had caused a sensation, everyone nearly forgot about it. The chat logs in the forum posts looked quite flirtatious, as if someone were playing the field. [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: Speaking of which, I had my friend check, and those images were photoshopped. I don¡¯t know who posted that thread to slander Chu Xi, but that¡¯s what¡¯s truly disgusting. Chapter 335 - Chapter 335: Chapter 335: Glory From Below (12) Chapter 335: Chapter 335: Glory From Below (12) Chuzheng took care of the troublemakers, including Sanyue Qinghuan and others. The word was already having a full-on discussion about the chat log, and they concluded with a big ¡°P¡±. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I just had a fight. And you all performed such a big drama? Chuzheng got ready to continue grinding. Not long after she walked out, a message suddenly popped up in the nearby channel. [Nearby] Peerless Wind and Cloud Number One: Miss, are you signing up for next month¡¯s city war? It¡¯s a new gameplay mode, really fun, and the rewards are generous ¡ª I heard there are divine pets!! Chuzheng, dragging the map, glanced around and saw the sword master not far away, titled ¡®Peerless Wind and Cloud Number One¡¯. Being the Peerless Wind and Cloud Number One, this boss sure had some style. [Nearby] Richest of the Rich Number One: No time. [Peerless Wind and Cloud Number One invites you to join a team] Chuzheng hit decline. [Nearby] Peerless Wind and Cloud Number One: Miss, you really lack a divine pet! [Peerless Wind and Cloud Number One invites you to join a team] I said I¡¯m busy! Don¡¯t you understand human language? She was busy squandering money, where would she find the time to participate in some city war? [Peerless Wind and Cloud Number One invites you to join a team] Chuzheng, frustrated, accidentally opened the team details and spotted Jiang Liang among them. Her hand trembling, she clicked decline. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I, I clicked the wrong button. What to do!! But Peerless Wind and Cloud Number One didn¡¯t send another invite. Chuzheng kept clicking her mouse, but Peerless Wind and Cloud Number One seemed to have given up. Invite me again!! Why aren¡¯t you inviting me anymore!! If you give up so easily, how are you supposed to accomplish anything great! Chuzheng angrily poked at her keyboard. But to proactively say she wanted to join, that was impossible, never in this lifetime. She still needed to maintain her image of being aloof and noble. ¨C City battles were a newly launched gameplay mode. They were taking sign-ups now, but the battles wouldn¡¯t start until next month¡­ though next month was just a few days away. In Peerless Wind and Cloud, every player would join a major city, and in the storyline of the game, these cities were in a state of hostility. Once the city war started, players would be transferred to a different map where they could choose to attack or defend a city. This was the game¡¯s first city war, and the gameplay was relatively simple. As the City Battle System matured, it was estimated that new gameplay modes would be introduced. Chuzheng created an alt to help gear up her main character; she wasn¡¯t short on money, so she went straight for top-tier equipment. Ever since that day Ying Ze was frozen by Chuzheng¡¯s corpse, he hadn¡¯t shown his face again. Rumor has it he was also busy leveling up. Planning to participate in the city war. Because it was the first city war, to attract players, the rewards were quite generous. Many people were busy gearing up and leveling up. [World] Richest of the Rich Number One: Next instance run, leveling up, a thousand gold per hour. [World] A Cup of Clear Tea: Me me me me!! [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: Chu Xi Xi, I want to come too. [World] I Am a Wolf: Holy crap, a thousand gold after one hour? This is like throwing money! Where at, count me in! Chuzheng quickly received quite a few requests to join her team, and she picked a few that seemed to have decent fighting power. With one spot left, Jiang Liang suddenly requested to join the team. Good Person Card! Is he seeking revenge on me? If he¡¯s really after revenge¡­ can I even fight back? [Team] A Cup of Clear Tea: Hello everyone, I¡¯m an archer, level 85. [Team] I¡¯m Super Cute: Miss sister, look at me, look at me!! I¡¯m a chemist!! [Team] Lemon: Going to get a close-up look at the rich guy, sword master. [Jiang Liang joined the team] The lively team suddenly quieted down. Jiang Liang, that tumor! A disaster! [Team] Jiang Liang: Why¡¯s everyone gone quiet? Weren¡¯t you chatting happily just now? You all know me, I¡¯ll skip the introductions. [Team] I¡¯m Super Cute: ¡­ [Team] A Cup of Clear Tea: ¡­ [Team] Lemon: ¡­ [Team] You Are A Pig: Jiang Liang, you dare to show your face in front of me!!! There¡¯s a player in the team who had been wronged by Jiang Liang, and the moment Jiang Liang showed up, they exploded. Three exclamation marks efficiently conveyed their rage. [Team] Jiang Liang: Why wouldn¡¯t I dare? Here I am, aren¡¯t I? Jiang Liang was much more arrogant. [Team] You Are A Pig: Chu Xi, kick this guy out of the team! [Team] Jiang Liang: I¡¯m of higher level than you, stronger than you, any smart person knows who should be kicked. [Team] You Are A Pig: Jiang Liang, I challenge you to a duel! [Team] Jiang Liang: I don¡¯t duel losers. [Team] ¡­ The rest of the players didn¡¯t dare to make a peep; Jiang Liang was¡­ a prime example of someone everybody wanted to hit! Just look at his arrogant demeanor. Chuzheng was also somewhat speechless. She thought that Jiang Liang didn¡¯t have social anxiety; he was a split personality. [Player You Are A Pig was kicked by the team leader] [Team] Jiang Liang: See that? [Team] Lemon: ¡­ [Team] I¡¯m Super Cute: ¡­ [Team] A Cup of Clear Tea: ¡­ You Are A Pig got kicked and immediately started shouting in the world chat. [World] You Are A Pig: Chu Xi, are you sick? Why kick me and not Jiang Liang, that scourge? [World] Number One Tycoon: You¡¯re too noisy. [World] You Are A Pig: You¡­ [World] You Are A Pig: Do you know who Jiang Liang is? You dare to keep him in the team, you¡¯ll regret it! [World] Number One Tycoon: None of your business. [World] You Are A Pig: ¡­ [World] Naturally Talented but Useless: What¡¯s the situation? Jiang Liang and Number One Tycoon? Who is Number One Tycoon? [World] Origin: Same question, what¡¯s the situation? Number One Tycoon is Chu Xi. [World] The Wind Has Arrived: Jiang Liang!! What trouble have you caused again!! [World] Dominating Solo: Where is Jiang Liang? Send coordinates! You Are A Pig immediately sent coordinates. [World] You Are A Pig: He¡¯s with that Chu Xi doing a dungeon, Chu Xi kicked me out. In the end, You Are A Pig also managed to attract some hatred towards Chuzheng. Chuzheng directly clicked on the dungeon and teleported inside. It¡¯s great Good Person Card didn¡¯t come to bother me. This no-name is babbling nonsense! [Team] Lemon: I¡¯ve never done this dungeon before. [Team] A Cup of Clear Tea: I¡¯ve tried it twice and never cleared it. [Team] Jiang Liang: You¡¯ve never done this dungeon before? [Team] Lemon: ¡­ [Team] A Cup of Clear Tea: ¡­ Detected a thick disdain and contempt. [Team] I¡¯m Super Cute: I¡¯ve done it, but I was carried by others; this dungeon is somewhat hard. [Team] I¡¯m Super Cute: However, it levels you up quickly, lots of experience points, good for leveling. [Team] A Cup of Clear Tea: What about you, Chu Xi big shot? [Team] Number One Tycoon: Haven¡¯t done it. The dungeon had just opened not long ago, and as I¡¯m Super Cute said, it¡¯s a bit hard to clear, but it offers lots of experience points, good for leveling up. The players fell into an awkward silence. No one in their team had done it before¡­ The only one who looked like they might have was the haughty scourge. How are they supposed to play like this! Didn¡¯t understand why the big shot would let this person stay in the team. [Team] Jiang Liang: I¡¯ll lead the team, is the big shot going to pay me extra? [Team] Number One Tycoon: How much do you want? This time Good Person Card is quite enlightened! [Team] Jiang Liang: Given my worth, big shot, you decide. Chapter 336 - Chapter 336: Chapter 336: Glory From Below (13) Chapter 336: Chapter 336: Glory From Below (13) [You have one new mail message] Jiang Liang clicked on the email. When there isn¡¯t item trading, game Gold Coins can be gifted through email. Jiang Liang counted the zeros¡­ Ten thousand? Jiang Liang confirmed it over and over, he hadn¡¯t counted wrong. [Team] Jiang Liang: This is from you, right? [Team] Number One on the Rich List: Yeah. The Good Person Card is so enlightened, of course you should give more. If it hadn¡¯t been for the limit of only being able to give ten thousand Gold Coins at a time, she would have liked to add two more zeroes. This game won¡¯t do; it¡¯s affecting my performance. [Team] Jiang Liang: Give me the team leader position. [Team] Lemon: ¡­ [Team] A Cup of Clear Tea: ¡­ [Team] I¡¯m Super Cute: ¡­ They wonder if it¡¯s still not too late for them to quit now. Chuzheng transferred the team leader position to Jiang Liang. [Team] Jiang Liang: Follow me and listen to my commands. I¡¯ll show you what a divine strategy looks like. [Team] Lemon: ¡­ [Team] A Cup of Clear Tea: ¡­ [Team] I¡¯m Super Cute: ¡­ This dungeon had a total of six stages. Jiang Liang was very familiar with this place. Although he spoke in an annoying way, the dungeon battle went smoothly, and they quickly arrived at the last big BOSS. [Team] Jiang Liang: Boss, do something, will you? You¡¯ve been freeloading for so long. [Team] Number One on the Rich List: I¡¯m paying you all to do it, so you guys should fight. Getting hands-on is out of the question. I¡¯m just here to leech some experience and level up. [Team] Jiang Liang: Alright then, you¡¯re the boss. Jiang Liang didn¡¯t really care, but with Chuzheng not participating, it created a gap in the five-person team. The other three thought they¡¯d be wiped out, but to their surprise, Jiang Liang turned the tide and led them to victory. After that, Jiang Liang led them through two more times. Jiang Liang was known as a disaster, yet hadn¡¯t been kicked out of the game, which spoke volumes about his skills. Chuzheng took care of supplying the items, so the teammates didn¡¯t have to worry about running out of backup resources. Then she held tightly to the principle of ¡®leeching experience and not lifting a finger,¡¯ freeloading the entire time. [Team] Lemon: This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a strategy¡­ [Team] I¡¯m Super Cute: This is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone leech experience like this. Miss, if you want to level up, why not hire a power-leveler? [Team] Number One on the Rich List: My account balance is too high, never mind. She was afraid that the balance in her account would scare off the power-leveler. Today, she is also trying hard to be a good person. [Team] I¡¯m Super Cute: ¡­ [Team] Lemon: An elegant and unconventional way to show off wealth. [Team] Jiang Liang: Are we continuing? It¡¯s really hard to carry you guys. [Team] Lemon: ¡­ [Team] I¡¯m Super Cute: I feel aggrieved, I¡¯m a Healer! I need protection! Miss, sniffle¡­ [Team] Number One on the Rich List: Continue. ¨C As the saying goes, practice makes perfect, and the other members also developed a tacit understanding, getting faster and faster with each run of the dungeon. [Announcement] Congratulations to players Jiang Liang, Number One on the Rich List, Lemon, I¡¯m Super Cute, A Cup of Clear Tea for unlocking the [Snow of Tianshan] Hell Mode dungeon. We invite all players to challenge it. The first players to clear Hell Mode will receive rare items and might even win pieces of the treasure map for the Divine Artifact [Spirit Wandering Sword]. The announcement floated across the top of the screen. The Hell Mode of the dungeon is unlocked by players achieving the System-set clear time. Hell Mode dungeons contain various hidden rare items, but so far, very few dungeons had been developed into Hell Mode. The times set by the game are simply insane. For this reason, the game company hadn¡¯t received few complaints from the players. However, the gaming company simply refused to change. [World] Number One Brother: Jiang Liang, you actually teamed up with Chu Xi!! [World] The Melon-selling Granny: Hell Mode¡­ impressive, Number One, I¡¯m just curious, why on earth would you be friends with someone like Jiang Liang? [World] Su Jin Nian Hua: Someone triggered the instance¡¯s Hell Mode, awesome! [World] Tian Tian You Xi: Jiang Liang? Chu Xi?? How could these two be in the same frame?! [World] Fen Shou Hou You Qian Le: Shouldn¡¯t your focus be on the Spirit Wandering Sword? [World] The Melon-selling Granny: Just map fragments, who knows when they¡¯ll be complete, nothing to get excited about. [World] Yi Gen Hua Gua: One look and you can tell Granny¡¯s been through a lot, but Granny¡¯s right, they¡¯re just map fragments, no need to get excited, especially since you won¡¯t be able to get them anyway. [World] Wo Shi Yi Ge Xiao Hao: If you get a fragment, come find me. [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: Little Account only pops up at times like this. Number One Brother rushed to the instance¡¯s entrance as soon as he could. Chuzheng and his group were just being teleported out. Number One Brother directly poked Jiang Liang. [Private Chat] Number One Brother: Why did you go into the instance with her? [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: She paid. [Private Chat] Number One Brother: ¡­ [Private Chat] Number One Brother: Who was it that said they wouldn¡¯t bow down for that amount of money? Have you forgotten what happened last time? She had you pinned down so that others could beat you up!? [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Ten thousand. [Private Chat] Number One Brother: ¡­ As if afraid that Number One Brother wasn¡¯t sufficiently provoked, Jiang Liang even added a special sentence. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Just today. [Private Chat] Number One Brother: This girl¡¯s family must own a mine, right? How was she so low-profile before? [Private Chat] Number One Brother: Is she really over Yu Wuheng, or is she playing hard to get? With so much money, would Yu Wuheng come back to her? [Private Chat] Number One Brother: Jiang Liang, don¡¯t mess around with her, I always feel like there¡¯s something off about her. [Sorry, you are not yet friends with the recipient, messages cannot be sent, please add them as a friend first] Number One Brother stared blankly at the prompt on his computer screen. What the hell? Why would Jiang Liang block him? What did he say wrong?! ¨C Chuzheng settled today¡¯s leveling and experience leeching fees with the others, knowing full well that they definitely couldn¡¯t clear Hell Mode in the instance. Today¡¯s instance was led by Jiang Liang. When they arrived, they thought it was just a regular instance, little did they know it would be this newly opened one that most players hadn¡¯t cleared yet. Suddenly, it was just Jiang Liang and Chuzheng left in the team. Number One Brother frantically sent requests to join the team, only to be ruthlessly rejected by Jiang Liang. Number One Brother felt like going mad. Both of them had actually blocked him. He surely couldn¡¯t just yell about it in the world channel, could he? [Team] Jiang Liang: Last time you asked me to hack an account, whose account did you want to hack?? [Team] God-level Spender Number One: No need now. [Team] Jiang Liang: Was Yu Wuheng¡¯s account hacked by someone you hired? [Team] God-level Spender Number One: Don¡¯t talk nonsense. [Team] Jiang Liang: There¡¯s no need for nonsense, isn¡¯t it obvious? A couple of days after you approached me, Yu Wuheng¡¯s account got hacked. What a coincidence. [Team] God-level Spender Number One: Do you have any evidence? [Team] Jiang Liang: ¡­ Obviously, there was no evidence. Otherwise, Yu Wuheng would have already taken the evidence to her. Chapter 337 - Chapter 337: Chapter 337: Glory From Below (14) Chapter 337: Chapter 337: Glory From Below (14) [Team] Jiang Liang: Do you really like Yu Wuheng? [Team] Number One on the Wealth Leaderboard: What¡¯s it to you? [Team] Jiang Liang: Just asking, can¡¯t I ask? [Team] Number One on the Wealth Leaderboard: I don¡¯t like her. Liking Yu Wuheng was something the original owner of the account did, she certainly didn¡¯t like her. Chuzheng¡¯s eyes inexplicably flitted to those deep blue pupils. Wondering if Good Person Card¡¯s hair was soft. [Team] Jiang Liang: Then what kind of person do you like? [Team] Number One on the Wealth Leaderboard: Someone with soft hair. Jiang Liang touched his own hair. Soft hair? Jiang Liang removed Number One Brother from the blacklist. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Is my hair soft? [Private Chat] Number One Brother: ??? [Private Chat] Number One Brother: I haven¡¯t touched it, how would I know. [Private Chat] Number One Brother: Jiang Liang, I can¡¯t believe you blacklisted me!! [Sorry, you are not friends with the other party and cannot send messages. Please add as friends first.] After blacklisting Number One Brother, Jiang Liang stood up and walked to the mirror to look at his hair. His hair wasn¡¯t very long, naturally carrying a bit of a linseed hue, with slightly curly tips; it should be soft, right? The handsome boy in the mirror blinked gently. He pursed his lips and walked back to the computer, feeling dejected. He simply couldn¡¯t communicate with people normally. He just couldn¡¯t do it¡­ Jiang Liang had hacked into Chuzheng¡¯s computer on the night she saved him, found out she played this game, knew her account, and then discovered that this person was the girl who sought him out before. Jiang Liang collected his emotions. [Team] Jiang Liang: Wanna do Hell Mode? I can carry you. [Team] Number One on the Wealth Leaderboard: Not doing it. Hell Mode sounded like a hassle. No, thank you. [Team] Jiang Liang: You can leech EXP. Leeching EXP = not lifting a finger [Team] Number One on the Wealth Leaderboard: Hmm. [Team] Jiang Liang: Wait for me. Jiang Liang once again dragged Number One Brother out from the blacklist and before he could let out a questioning wail, let him join the team. Number One Brother, with a mindset that his own kid couldn¡¯t be fooled, hurriedly joined the team. However, this kid not only joined himself but also demanded that he bring two strong players over. Number One Brother: ¡°¡­¡± What exactly did this girl say to his kid! [Player Murong Gousheng joined the team] [Player Huangfu Tieniu joined the team] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The names of these two were quite interesting. [Team] Huangfu Tieniu: Number One Brother, your dad is showing you favor, huh! [Team] Murong Gousheng: Jiang Liang is here too, aren¡¯t we just interrupting your private world? [Team] Number One Brother: Shut up! [Team] Huangfu Tieniu: We get it, we get it, gotta save face in front of your own Jiang Liang, we understand. [Team] Number One Brother: ¡­Can¡¯t you see there¡¯s another person here? And there¡¯s nothing but pure innocence between me and Jiang Liang!! Keep it to yourselves, don¡¯t project onto others! [Team] Murong Gousheng: An innocent brotherhood¡­ ah, this¡­ how come this girl has a couple name with you? Are you cheating? And got caught by Jiang Liang? [Team] Jiang Liang: You¡¯d be wasting your talent not becoming a screenwriter with such wild imaginations. [Team] Murong Gousheng: Jiang Liang, don¡¯t be scared, your brother will fight Number One Brother for you, with his morals, how dare he cheat, I¡¯ll fight him till he can¡¯t cheat anymore! [Team] Jiang Liang: Any more nonsense and you¡¯re all out. [Team] Huangfu Tieniu: No, no, we are well-behaved, what kind of dungeon are we doing? I still have class, Number One Brother suddenly made me come online, I¡¯m playing this game with my life! [Team] Murong Gousheng: This little sister¡¯s name is quite distinctive, Number One on the Wealth Leaderboard, are you really that wealthy? [Team] Number One Brother: She is indeed wealthy, the post I showed you guys the other day, that was her. [Team]Murong Gousheng: ¡­ [Team]Huangfu Tieniu: ¡­ Chuzheng spent two hundred thousand points on so many mall items. Someone posted this incident on the forum, and it instantly blew up. Murong Gousheng and Huangfu Tieniu were near graduation, frantically cramming for exams, and had little time for gaming. They were pretty clueless about the recent events in the game. Their source of gossip was the family heir with mines¡ªNumber One on the Popular List. [Team]Murong Gousheng: Respect for the rich, respect for the rich. [Team]Huangfu Tieniu: Respect for the rich, respect for the rich. [Team]The Richest Number One: Hmm. [Team]Huangfu Tieniu: My sister, why so aloof? [Team]Number One on the Popular List: Enough from you guys, I asked you to run a dungeon, why so much chatter? [Team]The Richest Number One: Hmm. [Team]Number One on the Popular List: ¡­What are you hmm-ing for? [Team]The Richest Number One: Too much blather. [Team]Number One on the Popular List: ¡­ [Team]Murong Gousheng: ¡­ [Team]Huangfu Tieniu: ¡­ [Team]Jiang Liang: Let¡¯s start. There were many who wanted to run the Hell Mode dungeon. But this sadistic game released too few Hell Mode dungeons, and if they were a step late, they wouldn¡¯t even get the scraps. The team leader was still Jiang Liang, and the other three had no objections. The environment in Hell Mode was different, creepily so. The monsters¡¯ health generally increased, comparable to previously encountered Elite Monsters. Hell Mode couldn¡¯t discredit the brilliance of Hell Mode. The team collectively bit the dust¡ªachievement completed. [Team]Huangfu Tieniu: No, sister, why didn¡¯t you move at all? You¡¯re a Summoner, right? [Team]The Richest Number One: I¡¯m here to leech experience. [Team]Murong Gousheng: ¡­ Leeching experience with such blatant entitlement was also admirable. [Team]Jiang Liang: Are you guys capable or not, or do we have to rely on a girl? [Team]Huangfu Tieniu: Jiang Liang, you should be asking Number One Brother if he¡¯s up to it, we¡¯re absolutely fine, strong as bulls. Number One on the Popular List couldn¡¯t be bothered with these two. [Team]Number One on the Popular List: Miss, are you really here just to slack off? If it were a dungeon they had already cleared, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem for someone familiar with the dungeon to bring along a freeloader. But this was a dungeon they hadn¡¯t cleared. Slacking off, what¡¯s your game! [Team]The Richest Number One: Do I look like I¡¯m joking? I! Never joke! If I say I¡¯m here to leech, then I leech! I absolutely won¡¯t lift a finger! Honesty is important in life. Otherwise, how can one be a good person! [¡­]King¡¯s Account declared it never taught this. [Team]Jiang Liang: We were slow during the countdown earlier, and also slow crossing to the second level¡ªalmost five seconds slow. We wouldn¡¯t have met those monsters if it were not for that. Are you up to the task or not? [Team]The Richest Number One: I have potions, want some? [Team]Huangfu Tieniu: Those potions? [Team]Jiang Liang: Is there anything in your head besides filth? [Team]The Richest Number One: Healing. [Team]Number One on the Popular List: There¡¯s a limit to the number of healing potions you can use in such dungeons. I have potions too, but even after taking them, it¡¯s all the same, useless. [Team]The Richest Number One: Boosts. My potions could never be the same as those out there. [Team]Number One on the Popular List: ¡­ [Team]Huangfu Tieniu: Hahahaha! [Team]Murong Gousheng: Hahahaha! Chapter 338 - Chapter 338: Chapter 338: Glory From Below (15) Chapter 338: Chapter 338: Glory From Below (15) ¡°` Chuzheng¡¯s potions are all the top-tier ones bought from the mall. Although many potions in the game are better when made by players themselves, the game caters to wealthy players by offering a similar batch of potions for sale. Chuzheng distributed the potions to them. A set of 30. Chuzheng handed out five sets per person. [Team]Huangfu Tieniu: ¡­ [Team]Murong Gousheng: ¡­ [Team]Number One Brother: ¡­ [Team]Jiang Liang: Thanks, boss. [Team]Master Zheng: You¡¯re welcome. The polite exchange between the two startled the other three. This is a true big-shot! The guy hands out stuff by the set, not by one or two. Where did this rich second generation pop out from? Thanks to the potions Chuzheng provided, which restored health quickly and added status buffs, the dungeon went much more smoothly than the first time. However, when it came to the big boss, they still suffered a team wipe. [Team]Number One Brother: Damn, I got squashed before my skill CD even finished. [Team]Murong Gousheng: Number One Brother, you¡¯re not on top of your game, you¡¯ve gotten old, eh? What was that positioning just now, like an old man pushing a cart? [Team]Number One Brother: As if you didn¡¯t get squashed. [Team]Huangfu Tieniu: Hahahahaha. [Team]Jiang Liang: If it wasn¡¯t for you guys, I wouldn¡¯t have died either. [Team]Murong Gousheng: Now, Jiang Liang, that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. How can you talk like that about your brothers? We just didn¡¯t perform well. Another try and we¡¯ll surely get it right! Half an hour later. They failed again. [Team]Jiang Liang: Another try and we¡¯ll surely get it right? Although it was just a line of text, it seemed as if one could see Jiang Liang¡¯s mockingly reproachable expression. [Team]Huangfu Tieniu: I refuse to believe it, let¡¯s go again! Huangfu Tieniu and Murong Gousheng were determined to beat this dungeon, as being told they couldn¡¯t do it was a disgrace to a man! Chuzheng just floated along; she came back from dinner to find these guys still at it. They just couldn¡¯t beat the boss. It¡¯s not just them; lots of people around the world were complaining that the boss was too powerful, unreasonably so. Players would get swatted by the boss as soon as they encountered it. The team wipes were perfectly synchronized. Players began to complain. Jiang Liang asked Chuzheng to remove him from her blacklist. Chuzheng thought of him as a Good Person Card and agreed to his request. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: Boss, do you think there¡¯s a problem with this boss? [Private Chat]Master Zheng: Don¡¯t know. I¡¯m just here to leech XP! Leechers ought to be conscientious. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: Can you take a look? [Private Chat]Master Zheng: No. [Private Chat]Master Zheng: Logging off. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: Don¡¯t leave As soon as Jiang Liang sent the message, he saw Chuzheng¡¯s avatar darken. This person¡­ why are they so hard to approach? [Private Chat]Number One Brother: What are you doing, Jiang Liang? [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: Nothing. [Private Chat]Number One Brother: Are we still going for the dungeon? [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: She¡¯s offline now, what¡¯s the point, let¡¯s not. He had joined this dungeon mainly because of her. Now with the main character gone, what dungeon was there to play? [Private Chat]Number One Brother: Didn¡¯t you tell me last time you fell in love? What are you doing now? Why are you trying to get close to Chu Xi? Jiang Liang, a person he had known for a long time, if it weren¡¯t for a purpose, he definitely wouldn¡¯t be so enthusiastic. Hadn¡¯t Chu Xi, in collaboration with others, ganged up on him last time? He couldn¡¯t be waiting for a chance to get revenge, could he? [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: She is the person I told you about. [Private Chat]Number One Brother: ??? [Private Chat]Number One Brother: What did you say? My signal¡¯s not very good, say it again. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: ¡­ [Private Chat]Number One Brother: Okay, then how do you know it¡¯s her? ¡°` Could there really be such coincidences in this world? [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: I hacked her computer. [Private Chat]Number One Brother: ¡­ I lost. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: Fan Fan, do you think she would like me? [Private Chat]Number One Brother: ¡­ I find it unlikely. Jiang Liang was not like this in the real world. That crippling social anxiety he had made him doubt Jiang Liang would ever find a partner in his lifetime, and he might have to settle for a platonic online romance that would die upon the light of day. ¡ª¡ª The kind that good looks couldn¡¯t save. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: I¡¯ll go study it some more, have those two log off first. [Private Chat]Number One Brother: No, but do you really like her? Do you even know who she is? You¡¯ve only seen her once; you don¡¯t even know her name!! He never imagined that one day, love at first sight would happen to Jiang Liang. When he first found out, he could only describe his feelings as horror. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: For saving my life, I should repay with my own. [Private Chat]Number One Brother: ¡­ To hell with repaying the life-saving grace with your own body. How come you never offered to do that for me in the past? Ah, spit! He almost got sidetracked by those two bastards; he¡¯s a straight man through and through! ¨C According to Bastard, her only tasks in this world, besides spending fortunes on games, are none for the time being. Chuzheng spent a sleep, maintained Master Zheng¡¯s languid dominance for half an hour, and logged in sluggishly. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: You online? Right after Chuzheng logged in, Jiang Liang sent a message. [Private Chat]Emperor of the Rich List: Mm. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: I¡¯ve found a method to clear the level, wanna run it? Chuzheng clicked on Jiang Liang¡¯s avatar, his online time was over twenty hours; didn¡¯t he sleep? Why does it seem like Good Person Card is particularly enthusiastic towards me? Could it be that he thinks I¡¯m a good person? [Private Chat]Emperor of the Rich List: Am I a good person? On the other side of the computer, Jiang Liang was puzzled by this question. What does that mean? But complimenting her should make her happy, right? [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: You are. [Private Chat]Emperor of the Rich List: Oh. Little liar. Good person, my foot! Chuzheng mercilessly declined Jiang Liang¡¯s invitation to run the level. Chuzheng¡¯s character was still at the spot where she logged off yesterday, and Jiang Liang appeared beside her soon after. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: Clearing a Hell Mode dungeon for the first time gives lots of experience points. You want to level up, right? I¡¯ll take you, and this time I guarantee you¡¯ll make it through. [Private Chat]Emperor of the Rich List: Not going. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: Then what do you want to do? [Private Chat]Emperor of the Rich List: Nothing. Just lying here like this. [Main Quest: Spend 300,000 Gold Coins within an hour.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard, you dog thing! [¡­]Got used to it, no big deal, isn¡¯t it, [Missy, cheer up!] I must smile and encourage the host! I am a system of quality. Chuzheng slammed the mouse down again! She sat for two minutes, then picked up the mouse. And then she found out the mouse was broken¡­ Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± [¡­Missy, would you like to know what doubling down is?] Damn it! [Missy, be civilized, don¡¯t you want your cool image?] How could Missy use foul language!! Chuzheng said righteously: ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t curse.¡± [¡­] I find myself at a loss for words. Chapter 339 - Chapter 339: Chapter 339: Glory From Below (16) Chapter 339: Chapter 339: Glory From Below (16) Chuzheng riffled through her room but couldn¡¯t find a spare mouse. So frustrating! Chuzheng stared emotionlessly at the broken mouse on the desk, mentally tearing it to pieces. Just one drop and it was done for, not durable at all. Eventually, Chuzheng had no choice but to make do with just the keyboard for the time being. Three hundred thousand Gold Coins, equivalent to 30,000 RMB. Relatively speaking, that was not a lot. Blowing it all on a Fortune Shines and Ten Thousand Gold would drain the sum completely. [Announcement] Player [Top Tycoon] lit up the Fortune Shines; a Lucky Bag is about to drop randomly. [Announcement] Player [Top Tycoon] lit up the Ten Thousand Gold; a Kongming Lantern is about to drop randomly. The announcements quieted the online world instantly. [World] I see the dream: Is Chu Xi splurging again? [World] Ding Dong Ding Dong: In my lifetime, I actually get to see such extravagant items officially; I¡¯ve only ever seen them in promos!! [World] Your girlfriend dropped this: Does Chu Xi really have so much money? [World] Origin: Lately, she hasn¡¯t been just squandering but indeed being a true mogul. [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: All I want to know is which map? [World] Super Cute Me: I want to have a look!! Coordinates please!! [World] I see the dream: Here at the Snow of Tianshan instance. The Snow of Tianshan instance was already a magnet for many players¡ªstudying the Hell Mode of the Snow of Tianshan¡ªand now with Chuzheng¡¯s stunt, even more players gathered. Some in the world complained about being disconnected due to the crowd. After all, these were items worth tens of thousands, not likely to be finished within just a minute or two. Combined, the two items would probably float around for half an hour. Players flocking for the Lucky Bags and Kongming Lanterns, as well as those coming to glimpse the tycoon¡¯s items, were numerous. Jiang Liang stood next to Chuzheng, watching the screen full of Lucky Bags and Kongming Lanterns. For effect, the map had been set to night time. It was as if in the night, countless Kongming Lanterns and glowing Lucky Bags descended slowly. The scene was both beautiful and stunning. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Why did you suddenly release this? [Private Chat] Top Tycoon: Got money. Chuzheng answered with unusual honesty. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: ¡­ Chuzheng left the account logged in and went out to buy a mouse. It¡¯s such a hassle without a mouse. There was a computer mall near the neighborhood where the original host lived, and Chuzheng headed straight there. The focus was durability against drops. The shop owner suggested, ¡°How about you get a wired one?¡± Chuzheng with an indifferent face: ¡°No, this one. Give me one.¡± This one¡¯s the most expensive. Shop owner: ¡°¡­¡± Is this for you to buy and throw around for fun? I¡¯ve seen people crunching potato chips but never throwing mice. That mouse isn¡¯t cheap, either. Don¡¯t rich kids know anything about the difficulties of earning money? Lucky he¡¯s not my kid, or I¡¯d have to discipline him severely. After purchasing the mouse and casually having a meal, Chuzheng leisurely made her way back. Ding¡ª The elevator doors slid open, and a delivery guy clad in uniform was standing there, headphones in and looking down at his phone, making a call to the next customer. Without checking if the elevator was occupied, he stepped in. Chuzheng moved aside to let him in, then exited after he entered. Click¡ª The door opposite Chuzheng opened, and a guy peeked out his head, thinking there was no one outside. However, once he turned, his gaze met Chuzheng¡¯s. His deep blue eyes immediately shaded with unease, and he swiftly retracted back into the apartment. The door slammed shut with a bang. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Do I really look that scary? Chuzheng glanced at the delivery package left at the doorstep. Suddenly, the door cracked open again, and the guy peered out with one eye, timid like a startled deer. ¡°Um¡­ I¡­¡± Jiang Liang stuttered and stumbled for ages, managing to squeeze out only three words. Chuzheng bent down to pick up the takeout and handed it to him. Jiang Liang seemed like he wanted to close the door, but he forced himself to resist and did not close it. ¡°For you to eat,¡± Jiang Liang¡¯s voice was full of nervousness, ¡°Thanks for last time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten,¡± Chuzheng¡¯s eyes were calm, ¡°You eat it yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Liang¡¯s palms were covered in cold sweat; the words he had spoken to Chuzheng were as many as he¡¯d typically say in a week. He pulled the door open wider, quickly took the takeout, and then slammed the door shut. Chuzheng¡¯s face was fanned by the breeze made by the door. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Can I take him down? [King¡¯s Account: ¡°Miss, I don¡¯t mind rewinding, I have no objections.¡±]¡± The voice from King¡¯s Account was crisp and cheerful. Chuzheng glanced at the door, took out her keys, and unlocked her door. By the time her door had closed, Jiang Liang was sitting on the ground, leaning against his own door, hugging the still warm takeout. He was so useless. Was it really that hard to say a few more words? After sitting for a while, Jiang Liang got up, placed the takeout on the table, pulled out a chair and sat down with a bit of delight and excitement. He took out his phone to send Xia Mufan a message. [Jiang Liang: Fan Fan, I talked to her today.] Xia Mufan, not aware of what he was doing, took a few minutes to reply. [Xia Mufan: Did you ask her name and phone number?] Jiang Liang instantly felt like a deflated ball, slumping onto the table. [Jiang Liang: No.] [Xia Mufan: How much did you say?] Jiang Liang counted¡­ [Jiang Liang: Ten words.] [Xia Mufan: You really outdid yourself.] Xia Mufan¡¯s words were a bit impolite, but Jiang Liang wasn¡¯t angry. He just prodded his phone, looking a bit miserable. [Xia Mufan: I¡¯ll come see you tonight.] [Jiang Liang: What for?] [Xia Mufan: If I don¡¯t help you, by now other guys could already be striding ahead.] ¨C Chuzheng tapped the keyboard, and the computer screen that had been off lit up, displaying a character in a dead state. The newest record on the enemies list was a player named ¡°Peerless Wind and Cloud.¡± This person¡­ Seemed to be Jiang Liang¡¯s enemy, right? Why attack her if he¡¯s Jiang Liang¡¯s enemy? Is he sick or something? [World] Jiang Liang: ¡°Peerless Wind and Cloud,¡± I¡¯ll wait for you in the PK arena. Just as Chuzheng finished looking up Peerless Wind and Cloud¡¯s profile, Jiang Liang¡¯s message appeared in the world chat. [World] I¡¯m super cute: Wow, Jiang Liang¡¯s PK, I gotta get a good seat!! [World] Totem: Jiang Liang is jumping around again, isn¡¯t that annoying. [World] Airplane Can¡¯t Fly: PK leaderboard¡¯s top big shot is calling someone out, what did Peerless Wind and Cloud do? [World] Peerless Wind and Cloud: Let¡¯s go, I¡¯m not afraid of you! [World] Jiang Liang: Even if you come, you¡¯ll lose, you better bring a coffin with you. [World] Peerless Wind and Cloud: Jiang Liang, you just wait for me! [World] Jiang Liang: I¡¯m waiting for you. Within Peerless Wind and Cloud, besides the all-important leaderboard, there¡¯s also a PK leaderboard that holds significant clout. The rules of the PK leaderboard are based on the number of victories in PK matches. The one-on-one PK battles between players generally don¡¯t allow for any props; the matches are won solely through one¡¯s gear and gameplay skills. Players on the leaderboard might not necessarily rank on the PK leaderboard, but those on the PK leaderboard will certainly make it onto the leaderboard. Jiang Liang ranked first on this leaderboard, with the second place trailing him by half the score. Players who had been challenged by Jiang Liang despised him, but there were also many who admired him. Chapter 340 - Chapter 340: Chapter 340: Glory From Below (17) Chapter 340: Chapter 340: Glory From Below (17) Chuzheng meandered over to the vicinity of the PK arena. The area outside the PK arena was surrounded by numerous players, and Jiang Liang had already taken his position on the largest PK stage. The ruler of the world had not yet arrived. The nearby channel and the world channel were abuzz with lively discussions. Chuzheng was about to get closer when suddenly a pop-up window appeared. [Player Yue Wuheng has challenged you, do you accept?] Underneath were the options ¡®Yes¡¯ and ¡®No¡¯. Yue Wuheng¡­ That scumbag, Ying Ze. Chuzheng clicked ¡®Decline¡¯. I¡¯m not going to PK with a scumbag. What a waste of time. [Player Yue Wuheng has challenged you, do you accept?] Decline. [Player Yue Wuheng has challenged you, do you accept?] Decline. [Player Yue Wuheng has challenged you, do you accept?] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Feeling frisky, aren¡¯t we!! Chuzheng clicked ¡®Accept¡¯. [Announcement] Player Yue Wuheng and Player Number One Tycoon will have a PK in ten minutes. Please proceed to PK Arena Number 8. The players in the world channel discussing Jiang Liang and the solitary tyrant were drawn by the announcement, and the messages in the world channel briefly stopped. [World] Qian Xiaxia: Eh? [World] I Am a Lone Wolf: The closest of friends now cross swords, what could this mean! [World] A Single Cucumber: Wow! Yue Wuheng and Chu Xi PKing, this is interesting! [World] Veggie in the Field: Wu Hen is actually an alternate account, but it seems he¡¯s gotten good equipment these past few days. As for Chu Xi¡¯s account¡­ with just that outfit and no summoner beasts, and their levels not being too far apart, Wu Hen has a bigger chance of winning. [World] Sanyue Peach: Chu Xi, can¡¯t you just not draw attention to yourself for one day? Now you¡¯re pestering Wu Hen with these antics, have you no shame? [World] Life¡¯s Not Worth a Damn: Is Chu Xi just pretending to let go but can¡¯t deep down? [World] Cute and Spoiled: Chu Xi has so much money, what kind of boyfriend couldn¡¯t she get? [World] Sprite in the Wind: Where that money comes from is another question, suddenly becoming so rich¡­ heh¡­ [World] Melon-selling Granny: I say, the way you people think is so dirty. [World] Melon-selling Granny: Maybe she was low-key before? [World] Melon-selling Granny: Rich men are just called second-generation rich, but women¡¯s money is ill-gotten? [World] Melon-selling Granny: Heh! The melon-selling granny¡¯s typing speed was astonishing. Chuzheng had just finished reading her first sentence when the rest came bursting through one after the other. That kid types so fast. Chuzheng sighed and then remembered the important matter at hand. Ying Ze, that bastard, wants to PK with me, and somehow it¡¯s my fault? Is it wrong that I clicked ¡®Accept¡¯? [World] Number One Tycoon: [Image] Chuzheng directly posted the screenshot. [World] Melon-selling Granny: Hahaha, I¡¯m telling you, could you people please clear the situation before speaking up, isn¡¯t it embarrassing? [World] A Single Cucumber: I can feel the awkwardness through the screen. Sanyue Peach did not make any further comments. Yu Wuheng probably didn¡¯t expect Sanyue Peach to suddenly pop out and say that. It must have made him somewhat embarrassed. He blocked the world channel and then walked up to PK Arena Number 8. Chuzheng took advantage of the remaining few minutes to have ¡®I am an alternate account¡¯ send over the items she had recently acquired. She couldn¡¯t fight wearing that outfit; posing in it was fine, but not for battle. Fully equipped, Chuzheng arrived at PK Arena Number 8 in the last ten or so seconds. The two faced off against each other in battle. Mutually locked in silent eye contact. Across the screen, neither knew what emotions the other harbored. [World] Counterattack: The suit on Chu Xi looks like¡­ Silver Phoenix? [World] Nightclub Prince: It¡¯s not just similar, it is the Silver Phoenix, when did she collect the whole set? Just like the Eight Directions Stealth, this set was also rare. No one in the game has heard of anyone having it yet. I didn¡¯t expect to see it here today. [World] Brutal Annie: I only know that the alt account is collecting it, did he sell it to her? With money, there¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t buy. [World] Cutest Monster Hunter: Just now they said her gear wasn¡¯t up to par, but comparing now, the Great God Wu Hen seems weak! [World] A Single Cucumber: Not necessarily, it still depends on how they operate, I¡¯ve never seen Chu Xi PK. Great God Wu Hen¡¯s PK skills are not too bad. [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: Didn¡¯t Super Cute team up with her for a dungeon run yesterday? [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: The boss paid us to run the dungeon, she just leeched XP, never lifted a finger from start to finish. [World] Cutest Monster Hunter: ¡­ [World] Brutal Annie: ¡­ [World] Night Club Prince: ¡­ Having money really lets you do whatever you want. The PK arena¡¯s map is large, and it¡¯s open-air. There are two PK matches, and the players don¡¯t know who to watch. In the end, most of the players gathered outside Jiang Liang¡¯s PK arena, but what the world discussed was over at Chuzheng¡¯s side. Not missing out on either side! They¡¯re really witty rascals. Chuzheng¡¯s face was tense with seriousness, staring at the person on the screen. Why aren¡¯t they coming to watch me? My PK skills should still be okay. I¡¯ve been practicing in secret! [¡­] I really want people to see the inner barrage of missy. The PK arena was counting down. The countdown on the screen ended, and it was time to enter the PK phase. On the other side, Yue Wuheng hadn¡¯t made a move immediately but sent a message instead. [PK Arena] Yue Wuheng: Chu Xi, I don¡¯t know what has happened to you, but I truly hope we can talk properly. You¡­ didn¡¯t you ask me here to fight? Why do you want to talk to me? I don¡¯t want to talk! [PK Arena] Yue Wuheng: I¡¯m with Sanyue Qinghuan, I know you¡¯re unhappy, but all of this is a virtual world, can you please not avoid me, Chu Xi? The messages inside the PK arena can only be seen by her and Yue Wuheng. [PK Arena] Number One Tyrant: Are you going to fight or not? [PK Arena] Yue Wuheng: Chu Xi, I don¡¯t want to hurt you. [PK Arena] Number One Tyrant: ¡­ But I can¡¯t wait to hurt you. Skill lights flashed, and Chuzheng started with the Summoner¡¯s ultimate. The person on the other side probably still typing, the sudden appearance of the skill didn¡¯t give him time to dodge immediately, and he lost a good chunk of health when hit. Yue Wuheng dared not type anymore. Two figures crossed paths in the PK arena, dragging long trails of light effects. Peerless Wind and Cloud¡¯s skill effects were particularly splendid, and the Summoner¡¯s even more so. [World] Night Club Prince: Jiang Liang is truly the PK God, commanding alone and well prepared, but still found himself at a disadvantage in just three rounds. [World] A Single Cucumber: Has he lost? [World] Origin: Not yet, but it¡¯s close, according to what Jiang Liang said earlier, he could take him down in five minutes. [World] Brutal Annie: ¡­ Presumptuous has always been Jiang Liang¡¯s signature. [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: Chu Xi¡¯s PK skills are not bad at all! Even pulled off Listening to the Wind and Rain as a Summoner. These are two skills, but some have discovered little tricks to use both simultaneously, which really tests the operator¡¯s hand speed and reaction time. [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: Cheering for Chu Xi! Yue Wuheng can¡¯t see the messages in [World]. Yue Wuheng hadn¡¯t expected Chuzheng to be such a tough nut; he hadn¡¯t fought her before, but from what he understood, she shouldn¡¯t be this formidable. As the light of the skill approached again, Yue Wuheng realized he had somehow been slowed down. He immediately gave up dodging and took the hit with a skill. Boom¡ª¡ª The light exploded. Health plummeted rapidly. Chapter 341 - Chapter 341: Chapter 341: Glory From Below (18) Chapter 341: Chapter 341: Glory From Below (18) [Announcement] Player God of Wealth ranked first in martial prowess and accomplished an unparalleled feat, winning this match. [Announcement] Player Jiang Liang, outstanding in martial prowess and accomplished an unparalleled feat, won this match. Both announcements were released simultaneously. [World] I¡¯m a lone wolf: I expected Domination to lose to me, but it¡¯s a surprise that Divine Artifact lost. [World] Domination: ¡­ [World] A Single Cucumber: So Chu Xi is not only good at spending money wildly. [World] Nightclub Prince Xiao Wang: Chu Xi¡¯s equipment is awesome, too much for Wu Hen to handle. Chuzheng jumped down from the PK platform, while Yue Wuheng was lying motionless in the PK arena, his corpse disappearing the next second. Probably to avoid the discussions in the world chat. Chuzheng could only silently lament the game¡¯s lack of flexibility. It affected her performance. The gaming company was no good. [Main Quest: Little Miss, please buy out the gaming company.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng slammed the mouse down with a smack. Letting your damn thoughts run wild. Bastard, always poking your nose where it doesn¡¯t belong! [Little Miss, think about it, if you owned the gaming company, you could change whatever you want, right?] [Little Miss, dominating the game is nothing, you need to dominate the gaming company. We can¡¯t aimlessly waste money, we need a goal, can¡¯t be so superficial.] [Little Miss¡­] Chuzheng blocked Bastard. She didn¡¯t want to hear it speak at all. There was no time limit for buying the gaming company, meaning she could do it whenever she wanted. Chuzheng picked the mouse back up and tested if it still worked. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Next dungeon run? [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: I¡¯ll take you. Chuzheng checked her own level. [Private Chat] Number One on the Wealth Ranking: Mhm. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: I¡¯ll make sure we get through today! [Private Chat] Number One on the Wealth Ranking: Actions speak louder than words. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: ¡­ ¨C Yue Wuheng didn¡¯t log off; he just turned on stealth mode. Flipping through the world messages, Yue Wuheng was quite angry. [Private Chat] Sanyue Qinghuan: Wu Hen, why did you PK with Chu Xi today? [Private Chat] Yue Wuheng: It¡¯s nothing. Maybe it was the way Yue Wuheng typed his message that gave Sanyue Qinghuan the impression he was in a bad mood, as she didn¡¯t reply for a good while. [Private Chat] Yue Wuheng: Qinghuan, I just felt there was something off about her, wanted to test her out. Yue Wuheng immediately explained. In reality, it was not that Yue Wuheng wanted to test Chuzheng; he just felt uncomfortable seeing Chuzheng and Jiang Liang together. Chu Xi used to always hover around him. No matter if he sought her out or not, she would always take the initiative to find him¡­ He could tell, she liked him. He didn¡¯t believe that in such a short time, she truly stopped liking him. [Private Chat] Sanyue Qinghuan: Is that so? Then did you find anything out? [Private Chat] Yue Wuheng: Her PK skills are better than before. I think she might have hired a power-leveler. This was the most reasonable explanation for Yue Wuheng. [Private Chat] Sanyue Qinghuan: Ah¡­ [Private Chat] Yue Wuheng: It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go increase our intimacy level. [Private Chat] Sanyue Qinghuan: But I want to go to the Snow of Tianshan dungeon. Wu Hen, will you come with me? I saw on the forum that people from other servers have cleared it. The first clear not only rewards precious items and fragments of Divine Artifact maps but also a gorgeous outfit. The outfits dropped in the dungeon are limited editions, unique within the server. Sanyue Qinghuan fell in love with that outfit at first sight when she saw it on the forum. Yue Wuheng was somewhat reluctant to go. His account was a bit low-leveled. And the Snow of Tianshan was already challenging, let alone in Hell Mode. But Yue Wuheng couldn¡¯t outright refuse a request from Sanyue Qinghuan. He had no choice but to gather a few people and head for the Snow of Tianshan. Yue Wuheng, with insufficient equipment and level, didn¡¯t even get a glimpse of the BOSS before the party was wiped out. [Private Chat] Sanyue Qinghuan: No worries, Wu Hen. They¡¯ve been at it for so long without success, failing once isn¡¯t a big deal. [Private Chat] Yue Wuheng: Mm. Sanyue Qinghuan considerately comforted Yue Wuheng. However, they failed several times in a row, and it wasn¡¯t even because the boss had killed them. Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s tone was clearly a bit dissatisfied. Yue Wuheng patiently coaxed her. Sanyue Qinghuan acted a bit petulantly, which made people feel sorry for her yet not annoyed; she had a good grasp on just how far to push it. [Announcement] Congratulations to players Jiang Liang, Top Tycoon, Resting Not Rising, Your Takeaway, Blue Mountain for clearing Snow of Tianshan on Hell Mode. [Announcement] Divine Artifact ¡®Spirit Wandering Sword¡¯ treasure map fragments have appeared. All players are encouraged to collect the fragments and find the Divine Artifact. [Announcement] Congratulations to team [Clearing Is a Breeze] on obtaining rare items like the limited edition outfit ¡®Flower Shadow Play¡¯ and the limited edition weapon ¡®Fiery Summer¡¯. Sanyue Qinghuan and Yue Wuheng suddenly saw several announcements flash by. Chu Xi¡­ It was Chu Xi again. How is she everywhere? Thinking that the outfit she had her eye on might be in her hands, Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s mood worsened. Yue Wuheng wasn¡¯t feeling much better either. ¨C Chuzheng didn¡¯t expect Jiang Liang to have really figured out how to pass the instance. Nor did she know how long he had been researching it. [World] Log In Right After Class: Whoa, Snow of Tianshan has been cleared? [World] I Am a Wolf: What¡¯s the deal with Jiang Liang and Chu Xi? [World] The Melon Seller Granny: Snow of Tianshan instance cleared? And it was done by Jiang Liang? [World] The Nightclub Prince: Also curious about the relationship between Jiang Liang and Chu Xi. [World] Featherflower: Flower Shadow Play is so pretty, I really want it, wuwuwu. [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: I want it too. Girls all like pretty things; a bunch of them in the world were crying out for Flower Shadow Play. A number of players who had girlfriends were planning to send a private chat to Chuzheng, asking if she would sell it. However, they all hit a wall. Chuzheng hadn¡¯t enabled the function to chat with non-friends. She had also closed friend requests. [Private Chat] Top Tycoon: How long have you not slept? [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: What do you like? Can I give you something? Otherwise, I¡¯ll give it all to you. Both messages appeared at the same time. Jiang Liang looked at the message and his heart skipped a beat. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: I¡¯ve slept, just didn¡¯t log off, you¡­ is this concern? [Private Chat] Top Tycoon: Don¡¯t want, no use. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: You don¡¯t like it? Jiang Liang felt a bit disappointed as he looked at the items in his bag; all these items were pretty. [Private Chat] Top Tycoon: No use. Don¡¯t want the Good Person Card for myself, why give it to me! It doesn¡¯t take up space, does it? [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: That¡¯s true, we didn¡¯t get any pets. I¡¯ll catch you a powerful one another day. Although Jiang Liang said this, when it came time to distribute, he was without hesitation; he gave her both the outfit and the weapon. The other three took the remaining items. It was Jiang Liang who led the team. How to pass was his call; they had no right to say how these items should be divided. [Private Chat] First of the Top Tycoon: Why are you giving these to me? I said I didn¡¯t want it! [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: I want to give them to you. Chuzheng looked at those three words and inexplicably pictured Jiang Liang¡¯s face in her mind, his timid, anxious expression¡­ Chuzheng fiddled with the keyboard. The little things were a bit tempting¡­ The Good Person Card is mine. A whole process in her thoughts, yet her face remained unchanged. [Private Chat] First of the Top Tycoon: I don¡¯t want it. Chuzheng returned the items to him. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: You can¡¯t take back something I gave you. Jiang Liang gave her the items again and swiftly went offline. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Why is he giving me this!! Chapter 342 - Chapter 342: Chapter 342: Glory From Below (19) Chapter 342: Chapter 342: Glory From Below (19) Ding Dong¡ª Chuzheng looked at the time, six o¡¯clock on the dot. At this time, had the original host¡¯s parents come back? No, that¡¯s not right. They had keys, so there was no need to ring the doorbell. So who could it be? Could it be that scumbag Ying Ze again? When Chuzheng went out, she casually picked up a fruit knife. Standing outside the door was a young man, who seemed to be just over twenty, youthful and fashionable, handsome and pretty. Walking down the street, he was the type that would make young girls turn their heads. Chuzheng hid the fruit knife behind her back. Xia Mufan saw a flicker of cold light in his peripheral vision, but he couldn¡¯t make out what it was. The girl in front of him was dressed in simple casual clothes, cool and clean, with delicate and pretty features, but her face was too cold, icy cold. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± She was certain, the original host didn¡¯t know this person. If the visitor meant harm, she would just deal with them. Chuzheng silently gripped the knife behind her, her little face tense, watching the person outside seriously. ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Xia Mufan cleared his throat, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Xia Mufan.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Last time my friend, Jiang Liang¡­¡± Xia Mufan, worried Chuzheng didn¡¯t know who Jiang Liang was, pointed to the door across, ¡°that is, the guy who lives opposite you, he ran into some trouble last time, and you helped him out. Jiang Liang is a bit introverted¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s called introverted?¡± Chuzheng interrupted him. This guy is talking nonsense. ¡°Uh¡­¡± It was just a euphemism; how could he possibly describe him as having social anxiety? That would ruin everything, wouldn¡¯t it? The happiness of his darling for the second half of life! Xia Mufan was so flustered by Chuzheng that he didn¡¯t know how to continue. Why isn¡¯t this girl playing by the rules! ¡°Ahem¡­ well, I just wanted to thank you. If it hadn¡¯t been for you, who knows what might have happened. I haven¡¯t come to thank you these past few days, really sorry about that. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to invite you to dinner, as a gesture of my gratitude.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was calm, ¡°You¡¯re welcome, it¡¯s what I should do.¡± Protecting the Good Person Card was her duty. To Xia Mufan¡¯s ears, that translated to¡ªseeing injustice on the road, drawing a knife to assist, it¡¯s what I should do. This is a good girl! Although she seems a bit cold¡­ but that¡¯s okay, as long as her character is good. He was on tenterhooks for his darling¡¯s sake. Without Chuzheng realizing it, Xia Mufan had issued her a Good Person Card. ¡°So about that meal¡­¡± Xia Mufan said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat at home; not going out.¡± Xia Mufan pointed next door. ¨C Chuzheng followed Xia Mufan to his place. Jiang Liang was sitting on the couch, wearing a hat and mask, only revealing a pair of deep blue eyes that were clear and beautiful, like gems. When Chuzheng came in, he sprang up at once, hiding behind the sofa like a shy animal. ¡°He¡¯s always like this, don¡¯t mind him.¡± Xia Mufan signaled to Jiang Liang with his eyes. I¡¯ve already brought the girl over. Would you please show some spirit! However, Jiang Liang had no reaction, standing nervously behind the couch, not daring to look at Chuzheng. ¡°Hmm,¡± Chuzheng responded indifferently, ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with him?¡± This guy seemed very familiar with Good Person Card¡¯s house. He better not be involving the Good Person Card in anything bad. This Good Person Card can be easily led astray. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Xia Mufan pondered for a moment, ¡°I¡¯ve known Jiang Liang for quite a while, so, just think of me as his brother.¡± ¡°Brother?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Xia Mufan said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m older than him.¡± Jiang Liang: ¡°¡­¡± By just one month. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Chuzheng.¡± ¡°Setting out for battle?¡± What kind of name was that, did his mom pick it? ¡°Take a seat, I¡¯ll have it ready in no time.¡± Jiang Liang¡¯s kitchen was an open plan, and Xia Mufan guessed that he had ordered takeout, simply plating the dishes to serve them. Chuzheng glanced over at Jiang Liang. The latter stood there, rigid and unmoving. She walked toward Jiang Liang, and as he sensed Chuzheng approaching, he instinctively stepped back. ¡°Are you very afraid of me?¡± Jiang Liang shook his head. His face mask covered most of his face; nothing could be seen. Chuzheng wanted to pull down his mask but seeing Jiang Liang¡¯s clueless expression, she controlled her impulse. ¡°If you¡¯re not scared, why keep such a distance?¡± In the game, weren¡¯t you very capable? Xia Mufan paid close attention to this scene, hoping his own kid would show some guts and at least say a few words, right? ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jiang Liang suddenly apologized and swiftly turned around, circling the couch, and dashed into the bathroom. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Sorry for what? ¡°Ha ha¡­¡± Xia Mufan chuckled nervously: ¡°Jiang Liang¡­ he might not be used to interacting with strangers. Don¡¯t be angry, it¡¯s not intentional; sometimes, he does this even to me.¡± Jiang Liang didn¡¯t go to such extremes with him but just didn¡¯t want to talk. With a tranquil and indifferent look in her eyes, Chuzheng revealed no sign of concern: ¡°How long has he been like this?¡± This is an illness! It needs to be treated! ¡°He was a bit like this when I met him, but it wasn¡¯t severe then, he could still make simple conversation with people. Later, it got worse and worse.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you take him to a psychologist?¡± ¡°We did,¡± said Xia Mufan. ¡°It didn¡¯t help.¡± They visited the psychologist when his condition wasn¡¯t as severe. But it had no effect. Now, Jiang Liang had almost completely cut off face-to-face communication with people. Xia Mufan was inwardly happy when he heard Jiang Liang say he might be in love; perhaps it might somewhat improve his condition. So now, Xia Mufan looked at Chuzheng as if she were a savior. Xia Mufan chattered non-stop to Chuzheng about Jiang Liang. Aside from his weakness in communication, he painted him to be practically perfect. But Jiang Liang was indeed especially smart. After middle school, he self-taught all his courses, sometimes with just an occasional recorded lecture from Xia Mufan, he¡¯d effortlessly complete all his studies. ¡°Really, our Jiang Liang is very smart.¡± Xia Mufan was basically saying ¡®my kid is the best there is.¡¯ ¡°I know.¡± No need to overpraise. ¡°Ahem¡­ I¡¯ve said too much, ha, let¡¯s eat,¡± Xia Mufan went to call Jiang Liang: ¡°Jiang Liang, come out and eat.¡± No one answered from the bathroom. Xia Mufan knocked for a while, and no matter how he coaxed, Jiang Liang just wouldn¡¯t come out. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± The crisp voice of a girl sounded from behind Xia Mufan. Xia Mufan stepped aside to give Chuzheng space. Chuzheng clenched her wrist and with Xia Mufan watching in confusion¡ªkicked the door off its hinges. Jiang Liang in the bathroom, and Xia Mufan outside, were both so startled that they froze. Chuzheng with a serious face: ¡°It¡¯s open.¡± Xia Mufan swallowed hard. ¡°Jiang Liang¡­¡± how about you find someone else to like? This girl seems a bit violent. Jiang Liang¡¯s hands were tightly clenched in front of him, his blue eyes brimming with determination. Jiang Liang: I won¡¯t! Xia Mufan: ¡­ I actually understood that! It¡¯s no use saying you won¡¯t, just talk already! Jiang Liang: I don¡¯t dare. Xia Mufan: ¡­ I actually understood that again! Chapter 343 - Chapter 343: Chapter 343: Glory From Below (20) Chapter 343: Chapter 343: Glory From Below (20) Xia Mufan, frustrated to the core, dragged him out from the restroom and pushed him towards the dining table, ¡°Eat your meal!¡± Jiang Liang bowed his head, cautiously picked up his chopsticks, and an air of discomfort emanated from him, as if he didn¡¯t even know how to hold them properly. Chuzheng reminded him, ¡°Your face mask.¡± This Good Person Card was a bit dully cute. Upon hearing her words, Jiang Liang almost buried his face in his bowl. Xia Mufan couldn¡¯t bear to look, bringing his hand to his forehead in despair. He was wrong. With Jiang Liang being in this state, it would be a miracle if anyone took a fancy to him. Jiang Liang carefully pulled down his mask and continued to eat with his head lowered. ¡°Cough,¡± Xia Mufan tried to alleviate the awkwardness, ¡°Do you drink alcohol? We have red wine and champagne, as well as soft drinks.¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t mind, ¡°Anything¡¯s fine.¡± Instead of getting wine, Xia Mufan grabbed a soft drink. ¡°Jiang Liang, say thank you to the lady,¡± Xia Mufan nudged Jiang Liang under the table with his foot. He set up this opportunity for him, yet he still didn¡¯t seem to grasp it. Jiang Liang abruptly put down his chopsticks. With both hands holding his drink, he bowed his head, lifted the drink high, drew breath from deep within, and shouted out, ¡°Thank you.¡± Jiang Liang¡¯s heart was pounding furiously. His cheeks tingled with a faint heat, spreading all the way to his ears. The hands holding the drink trembled slightly, drenched in cold sweat. Would she¡­ would she dislike him? Instantly, Jiang Liang was filled with self-loathing. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± This wasn¡¯t saying thank you, it was like offering incense to her. Xia Mufan: ¡°¡­¡± For his son to manage saying thank you was already an act of great courage. So embarrassing¡­ Xia Mufan covered his face with his hand, unable to bear watching the scene unfold. Chuzheng, composed as ever, gently clinked her glass against his. Amid the clear sound of their glasses touching, she said indifferently, ¡°No need for thanks.¡± ¡°Need¡­ Need to,¡± Jiang Liang stammered in reply. He downed his drink in big gulps. Although it was just a soft drink, his face turned as red as if he had just downed strong liquor. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± So cute. The Good Person Card is breaking the rules! Xia Mufan: ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s over, his son definitely stands no chance. Click. Jiang Liang placed his glass on the table and lowered his head to continue eating. As Chuzheng sipped her drink, Xia Mufan could only continue praising his son, hoping Chuzheng was blind to any shortcomings. But Xia Mufan felt it was improbable¡­ ¡°He lives here alone, and honestly, I¡¯m a bit concerned. If there¡¯s ever an issue in the future, I¡¯d appreciate it if you could check in on him for me. I¡¯d like to thank you in advance,¡± Xia Mufan said as he gestured as if toasting with a drink to Chuzheng. ¡°Of course,¡± My Good Person Card, after all. Xia Mufan: ¡°Girls as kind-hearted as you are hard to find these days.¡± Xia Mufan felt a slight oddness. But he couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly what was odd. Chuzheng thought indifferently: What¡¯s the use of giving me a Good Person Card? The Good Person Card itself doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m a good person. ¡°I used to come over sometimes, how come I never saw you?¡± Xia Mufan was curious. Jiang Liang had actually been living here for quite a long time. ¡°I don¡¯t go out much.¡± The original owner was also a homebody, preferring not to go out whenever possible, although the original owner had no social issues. ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Xia Mufan said with a smile, ¡°So you¡¯ve graduated? Are you working from home?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± The original owner was a senior, focusing on graduation matters recently, which is why she hadn¡¯t been online. Xia Mufan carried on with idle chatter. Jiang Liang emptied his bowl while sneakily glancing at the pair, his heart heavy with dejection. He wanted to speak but didn¡¯t know what to say. Everything seemed as though it would only add to the awkwardness¡­ The more Jiang Liang thought about it, the more disheartened he became. He seemed somewhat pitiful. After the meal, Chuzheng got up to leave. She glanced at the hair that was barely visible beneath Jiang Liang¡¯s hat, and really wanted to touch it to see if it was soft. But with Xia Mufan present, Chuzheng could only maintain her cool demeanor and politely say goodbye. ¡°Jiang Liang!¡± As soon as Chuzheng left, Xia Mufan exploded. ¡°Can¡¯t you muster the courage you have in the game?¡± Jiang Liang shrank on the sofa, hugging his knees, ¡°It¡¯s different.¡± ¡°How is it different? Aren¡¯t they all people?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see them, that¡¯s why.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t see them, so they¡¯re not people?¡± Xia Mufan said, hands on his hips, ¡°You communicate just fine in the game, okay?¡± Jiang Liang thought for a moment and nodded, ¡°Yeah.¡± Xia Mufan: ¡°¡­¡± With the way you are, you still want to get a wife? Dream on! ¨C Chuzheng didn¡¯t log into the game until nine o¡¯clock that evening. Private messages from ¡®I am a little account¡¯ had bombarded her. [Private] I am a little account: Are you selling the Spirit Wandering Sword¡¯s map fragment? [Private] I am a little account: Buying at a high price. [Private] I am a little account: Please contact me when you log in! Really high price, no cheating kids or seniors! Chuzheng checked her inventory and found that Jiang Liang had also given her this thing. The Spirit Wandering Sword was a Divine Artifact featured in the promotional video of Peerless Wind and Cloud. The dungeon had a chance of dropping map fragments. Only by collecting all these fragments could you find the Divine Artifact. Since this wasn¡¯t the first time map fragments of the Spirit Wandering Sword had appeared, players in the game weren¡¯t particularly excited. As someone had said before, it wasn¡¯t their turn, so there was no need to get excited. [Private] Number One Brother: You think I¡¯m short of money? [Private] I am a little account: ¡­ Talking about a high price to a profligate who easily squanders tens of thousands, ¡®I am a little account¡¯ felt they had made a mistake. [Private] I am a little account: I¡¯ve got plenty of other good stuff on hand, what do you need? [Private] Number One Brother: I don¡¯t need anything. The only thing I lack is how to squander money quickly. [Private] I am a little account: ¡­ ¨C [World] I am super cute: Ahhhhhh!!! [World] A Single Cucumber: Super cute, why are you imitating Number One Brother¡¯s flirtatious cries? [World] Number One Brother: Who¡¯s flirting! [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: Number One Brother spotted. [World] The melon-selling granny: Number One Brother, Jiang Liang has run off with someone, you¡¯ll have to keep an empty bed at home. [World] I am super cute: I just got Flower Shadow Play!! Flower Shadow Play, you know!! [World] Number One Brother: Who¡¯s Flower Shadow Play? [World] I am super cute: So gorgeous, I can¡¯t, my heart is pounding and it¡¯s about to leap out. [World] A Single Cucumber: Then aren¡¯t you about to die? Should I call an ambulance for you? [World] The melon-selling granny: Isn¡¯t Flower Shadow Play with Chu Xi? Who gave it to you? [World] I am super cute: A big shot gave it to me, said it was a gift for me, teehee, the big shot must have been conquered by my beauty. [World] A Single Cucumber: ¡­ [World] The melon-selling granny: ¡­ [World] Number One Brother: ¡­ Limited edition items, even if you offer a price that¡¯s off the market rate, people who like them will still pay up. The news that Chuzheng gifted the limited-edition outfit ¡®Flower Shadow Play¡¯ to I am super cute soon spread across the entire server. Based on the market value, that outfit must be worth several thousand at least. To give away something worth thousands in a single gesture¡­ and to a complete stranger at that. This must be a plant in the game, right?! Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Wealth was never my intention. But here I am, wealthy. What can I do about it? I am in despair, too. Chapter 344 - Chapter 344: Chapter 344: Glory From Below (21) Chapter 344: Chapter 344: Glory From Below (21) Since Chuzheng dined at Jiang Liang¡¯s place, she began to receive a nighttime snack at her door from time to time. It was definitely Jiang Liang who left it. But she never caught him in the act. He left the snacks at different times each time, like a thief. Every day in the game, Chuzheng would throw money around to have others help her leech experience points to level up. With the city defense battle impending, the world quieted down quite a bit as everyone was busy leveling up and gearing up. On the day of the City Battle System, the System underwent two hours of maintenance. Once the maintenance concluded and Chuzheng logged in, the City Battle System was already fully updated. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: Will you participate in the city battle? [Private Chat]Spending Money Like Dirt: Yeah. There¡¯s a lot of experience in the city battle. I can sponge off that. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: Then join our team. Jiang Liang felt fortunate that he and Chuzheng were in the same city, otherwise, they would have been on opposing sides. Each player¡¯s city affiliation was like their household registration, already determined when they chose their spawn point. Jiang Liang¡¯s team was made up of himself, Murong Gousheng, and Huangfu Tieniu, who were the top rankers on the Leaderboard. [Team]Murong Gousheng: Hi sister, good to see you again. [Team]Huangfu Tieniu: Hahahaha, it¡¯s like three autumns have passed since I last saw you, sister. Hello. [Team]Spending Money Like Dirt: Hello. Seeing these three give their proper greetings, the top ranker on the Leaderboard couldn¡¯t help but interject. [Team]King: Enough from you guys. [Team]Jiang Liang: There will be a reward for the team that comes in first place, so let¡¯s aim to take down as many players as we can. [Team]Huangfu Tieniu: Ey, wasn¡¯t I just here to make up the numbers, Jiang Liang? [Team]Murong Gousheng: I just wanted to see what the city battle is all about, I still have a thesis to write. [Team]Spending Money Like Dirt: I¡¯m here to leech experience. Chuzheng, with her precise aim to leech experience, was unwavering in her approach. [Team]King: ¡­ You guys might as well just quit! What use are you? [Team]Huangfu Tieniu: We¡¯re the pretty faces of the team. [Team]Murong Gousheng: The pretty faces ¡Á2 [Team]Spending Money Like Dirt: ¡­ Judging by how these two talked, combined with Jiang Liang¡¯s looks, there probably weren¡¯t many who could outshine him, right? [Team]King: Bullshit, where do you guys place Jiang Liang, then? [Team]Murong Gousheng: Yes, yes, your Jiang Liang is the best-looking. But how about you bring him out for us to see, huh? No picture, no truth. [Team]Huangfu Tieniu: Little Jiang Liang is our team¡¯s pet. [Team]King: Quite the precise roles you all have, then what about me and Chu Xi?! [Team]Huangfu Tieniu: Chu Xi is a big shot, and you¡­ you¡¯re just a little minion. King was probably about to explode with anger. Before the city battle had even begun, the team faced the risk of falling apart. [Team]Spending Money Like Dirt: It¡¯s starting. A countdown appeared on the screen. Once the countdown ended, the scene in front changed, and they were teleported to the city battle map. An additional [City] chat interface popped up on the panel. As this was everyone¡¯s first time, the chat interface was very chaotic. Chuzheng and Jiang Liang¡¯s group were teleported together; they now stood atop the city walls, surrounded by a throng of players. They were on the defending side, the blue side. There was half an hour before the battle officially began, giving players time to prepare. A voice chat room was announced on the city channel, and Chuzheng, not in the mood to switch interfaces, didn¡¯t join. King, Murong Gousheng, and Huangfu Tieniu all entered the room. [Team]Jiang Liang: Just follow me later, I¡¯ll protect you. [Team]Murong Gousheng: Hey, little Jiang Liang, how come you never offered to protect your big brother? [Team]Jiang Liang: No need, you¡¯re thick-skinned. [Team]Murong Gousheng: That hurts, you know. [Team]King: They¡¯ve already established command, what do we do now? [Team]Jiang Liang: Do whatever you want; I¡¯m not following them. Chuzheng had no intention of moving with the main troop either. With so many people, what if there was friendly fire? As the half-hour passed, the city¡¯s defenses were disabled, and players were free to come and go. Chuzheng moved immediately. [Team] Jiang Liang: Where are you going? [Team] Number One on the Wealthy Tyrants Leaderboard: Looking for a high place. [Team] Number One on the Power Leaderboard: What for? [Team] Number One on the Wealthy Tyrants Leaderboard: It¡¯s clearer to see from there. Otherwise, you want to stay here and get hit? Of course, I need to watch from afar. [Team] Murong Gousheng: ¡­ [Team] Huangfu Tieniu: ¡­ [Team] Number One on the Power Leaderboard: ¡­ There were more players on the city walls, and with the skill light effects, it really wasn¡¯t clear enough to see. But¡­ weren¡¯t you going to leech experience? Are you not leeching anymore? King¡¯s Account said with a sneer, if Miss¡¯s words could be believed, then pigs could climb trees. Jiang Liang had originally planned to take the top spot in the team, which came with nice rewards, but since Chuzheng didn¡¯t seem interested, he had no choice but to give up and follow Chuzheng. [City] Packing a Portion of Wu Year Cake: Damn, they¡¯ve got more people than us. [City] Run to Money: Who¡¯s commanding on the other side? [City] A Fool Also Has A Brain: Seems to be Yue Wuheng right? [City] A Drop of Ink: Is Yue Wuheng¡¯s command that amazing? [City] Thunderstorm Highway: Who knows, it¡¯s my damn first time playing a city battle. The opposing commander was better than theirs; the siege was progressing very rapidly, causing their players to complain bitterly. Although death meant you could revive, you had to make your way from the respawn point which already put you at a time disadvantage. [Main Quest: Please obtain the ¡®Spending Money Like Dirt¡¯ achievement within one hour.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m just here to watch the show. Leech some experience! Why on earth are you asking me to squander money! How am I supposed to squander like this? [Go, Miss! As long as you want to, there isn¡¯t a home you can¡¯t ruin!] King¡¯s Account reminded cheerfully. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I hope you cheer just as happily when I kill you. [¡­] I¡¯m out of here. Can¡¯t I avoid what I can¡¯t afford to mess with? Chuzheng¡¯s heart swelled with frustration like a pufferfish. That last time with the ¡®Throwing Money Away¡¯ achievement cost me so much. This time, it¡¯s definitely going to be no less expensive. Chuzheng, with a stony face, opened the store. She then found that many things in the store were dimmed and unclickable. During the city battle, there were limited items available for purchase. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± They¡¯re not even letting me set off fireworks! How am I supposed to ruin this home!! Waste my ass! [City] I¡¯m Super Cute: It¡¯s no use, I¡¯m out of mana. [City] Breeze Like Orange: I¡¯m out too. [City] Suddenly It¡¯s Summer: What the hell is the commander doing, can¡¯t they see there are so many people on the left? [City] Number One on the Wealthy Tyrants Leaderboard: Those who lack potions come to me, free of charge. [City] Number One on the Wealthy Tyrants Leaderboard: Coordinates 390.237 As soon as Chuzheng sent out this message, the city was silent for three seconds, after which it burst into frenzied chatter. [City] I¡¯m Super Cute: The big shot has actually joined!! [City] I¡¯m Super Cute: I¡¯m coming, wait for me, big shot! I¡¯m Super Cute appeared quickly. [City] Number One on the Wealthy Tyrants Leaderboard: Aren¡¯t you an apothecary? [City] I¡¯m Super Cute: Healer heal thyself not, even a wealthy apothecary needs care, whimper whimper. [City] Number One on the Wealthy Tyrants Leaderboard: ¡­ Chapter 345 - Chapter 345: Chapter 345: Glory From Below (22) Chapter 345: Chapter 345: Glory From Below (22) Chuzheng began handing out various potions that could be used in the city battle. Once she reached the purchase limit for lower-level potions, she started buying higher-level ones. This money-burning method left many players dumbfounded. #WealthyPeopleAroundUs# Supported by Chuzheng¡¯s potions, players didn¡¯t need to run to the respawn point, just pop a potion when they were low on health. The opposition was shocked by this sly tactic. One or two people popping potions is fine, but what the hell does it mean when a whole group does it? Did you all join a group purchase or something? In the game Peerless Wind and Cloud, useful potions for restoring health and mana had to be bought with real money or made by the players themselves. Chuzheng¡¯s finger was a little sore from all the clicking. [Team] Murong Gousheng: Today, I¡¯ve truly seen what a real spender looks like. [Team] Huangfu Tieniu: Number One Brother, compared to this tycoon, you¡¯re nowhere close. [Team] Top of the Leaderboard: I¡¯m very poor, thank you. [Team] Murong Gousheng: Damn it, stop crying poor and hit him! [Team] Huangfu Tieniu: Tycoon, are you going to go bankrupt with this kind of spending? [Team] Top of the Spending Leaderboard: I hope so. Who knows when Bastard will go bankrupt. [You can¡¯t possibly bankrupt, missy. With this time, you might as well spend more lavishly.] As if it could go bankrupt, hmph! Missy just hopes it will go bankrupt every day. But it just won¡¯t! It won¡¯t! [Team] Top of the Leaderboard: ??? Hope what? What do you hope for? [Team] Murong Gousheng: Tycoon¡¯s way of thinking is on a different level from us. [Team] Top of the Spending Leaderboard: What do you guys need? [Team] Huangfu Tieniu: Tycoon¡­ will you provide whatever we ask for? [Team] Top of the Spending Leaderboard: I would be grateful to you. Those who help me spend are good people. [Team] Huangfu Tieniu: Tycoon, can I ask a question? [Team] Top of the Spending Leaderboard: Hmm. [Team] Huangfu Tieniu: Why are you doing this? [Team] Top of the Spending Leaderboard: ¡­Because I have money. [Team] Huangfu Tieniu: ¡­ [Team] Murong Gousheng: ¡­ Can¡¯t afford to provoke, can¡¯t afford to provoke. ¨C Chuzheng¡¯s clicking hand was getting sore, but the Bastard had yet to announce task completion. No one knew how much needed to be spent for that Spending Money Like Dirt achievement in the game. If this kept up, she¡¯d hit the ceiling on all purchases soon. [System] Top of the Spending Leaderboard: How much do I need to spend to get the Spending Money Like Dirt achievement? Chuzheng bluntly went to poke customer service for an answer. [System] Two Two Two: Hello, the Spending Money Like Dirt achievement requires five million Gold Coins. Five million¡­ 500,000 RMB? Damn! How long is she going to have to spend to get through that much? [System] Two Two Two: By the way, may I ask how you knew about this achievement? This achievement is hidden. Normal players shouldn¡¯t know about it¡­ Even if she had already obtained such an achievement before and guessed there were more, she still couldn¡¯t possibly know the name of the achievement, right? [System] Top of the Spending Leaderboard: Didn¡¯t know. [System] Two Two Two: How could you know the name of the achievement if you didn¡¯t know? [System] Top of the Spending Leaderboard: Now I know. [System] Two Two Two: ¡­ So, does this player have inside information or¡­? With that much money, it wouldn¡¯t be strange to know someone inside the gaming company, right? Upon thinking this, Two Two Two didn¡¯t consider it a big deal anymore. Players spend money, but it¡¯s always the company that earns it, right? Chuzheng calculated the Gold Coins she had just spent and realized she was still far behind. Under the conditions and restrictions of the city battle¡­ What could she do! She was desperate too!! The Bastard was really making things difficult for her, the poor thing!!! In her fury, Chuzheng madly clicked around in the shopping interface, buying everything at the highest price, then sending it all out with ¡°Super Cute Aw¡±. Consequently, the enemy, still confused about the collective drug-taking incident, suddenly realized that their opponents had begun changing equipment again. The store¡¯s equipment was good and bad, but they all had one thing in common¡ªthey were expensive! But because of the bulk nature, they weren¡¯t very popular with players, many of whom used them as transitional gear. At this moment, Chuzheng sent out a batch. Players put on the new same style of equipment, and their momentum suddenly seemed different. [World] Mellonseller Grandma: According to the latest front-line report, the players of Red Flame City have all changed into uniform equipment. Sponsor: Spending Money Like Dirt, ranked first on the Godly Rich List. [World] Origin Point: ¡­ [World] Qi Nuan: Does the big shot have a mine at home? [World] Shallow Smile Song: More than just a mine. Ever since the issue with Wu Hen the God blew up last time, this hidden tycoon has started on a journey of squandering wealth¡­ [World] Nine Layers of Gauze Clothes: Admiring the tycoon a bit. [World] Mellonseller Grandma: After changing equipment, they are now starting to change weapons. [World] A Single Cucumber: Does Brother Chu Xi still need someone to warm the bed? [World] Mellonseller Grandma: You can stop dreaming, A Single Cucumber. Even if the big shot needs someone, they wouldn¡¯t want you. [World] A Single Cucumber: ¡­You are so unreasonable when you talk, many people like me okay! [World] Origin Point: Why does it feel like the style is off¡­ [World] Time Machine of Three People: I just want to know the psychological shadow on the opposing players. [World] I Am a Wolf: We are working hard to attack the city, yet you guys are secretly changing equipment. ¨C Indeed, Yue Wuheng was in command of the siege. Faced with the sudden cunning maneuvers from the other side, Yue Wuheng almost lost his stride, but they had slightly more people on their side. And it seemed like the opposition had chosen a poor commander. Even if the opponent pumped up on potions and changed their equipment, if their commander couldn¡¯t keep up, it ended up being a messy defeat. Therefore, Yue Wuheng quickly steadied his own people. Yue Wuheng¡¯s command was indeed flawless. On the other side, players who changed into uniform equipment could only rely on taking potions without better commands. Yue Wuheng was confident he could win today¡¯s city battle. The rewards for the first city battle wouldn¡¯t be too bad. However, just as Yue Wuheng felt full of confidence, he was suddenly forced offline. And his computer was completely unresponsive. It didn¡¯t react no matter where he clicked. Dammit! Ying Ze cursed out loud in anger. He grabbed his wallet, stormed out of the room, and headed straight for the nearest internet caf¨¦. His account wouldn¡¯t log in at the internet caf¨¦ either. Ying Ze had no choice but to sign in with another smaller account. However, this smaller account was not part of the city battle. The smaller account had hardly anyone added, he couldn¡¯t contact anyone in the city battle, Ying Ze could only watch helplessly as the city battle ended. [Announcement] Congratulations to Red Flame City for a successful defense and obtaining the first victory in the city battle. [World] Mountains and Rivers Unharmed: What¡¯s the deal with Yue Wuheng, damn it, we were clearly about to win, why did you suddenly order a retreat? [World] Green Prairie Lever: We were so close to winning, what the hell was that last move? [World] Poop-Scooping General: Could Yue Wuheng be a spy sent by the other side? The outcome of the city battle had just been announced, and before the victorious side even emerged to celebrate, the losing side began popping up, accusing Yue Wuheng. The bystanders of the world were baffled, not knowing what had happened. Ying Ze was also clueless. He immediately started messaging people he knew to inquire. After his account was stolen, there weren¡¯t any issues with the command, but at the very last moment, when they were about to win, he suddenly ordered a retreat. On the battlefield, following the commander¡¯s actions without seeing the big picture is the best approach. It was this withdrawal that led to their subsequent defeat. Chapter 346 - Chapter 346: Chapter 346: Glory From Below (23) Chapter 346: Chapter 346: Glory From Below (23) [World] Bastard: In the end, they clearly knew our battle plan. There¡¯s a mole! [World] Dragon Lord: Yue Wuheng, stop playing dead. Come out and explain! [World] Dominator of the Island: You lost, you lost. Now you¡¯re suddenly blaming the commander. Can¡¯t you accept defeat? [World] Bastard: If it wasn¡¯t for Yue Wuheng, we wouldn¡¯t have lost. What are you so proud of? If it weren¡¯t for relying on the top spender on the Rich List to provide you with potions, you¡¯d have no idea how many times you¡¯d have died. [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: You¡¯re just jealous of us, aren¡¯t you? [World] Origin: Thank goodness I didn¡¯t participate in this siege. [World] Melon-selling Granny: I¡¯ve set up my bench. Let¡¯s watch the drama. [World] A Single Cucumber: So in the end, did Yue Wuheng screw over everyone? Why would he do that? Players who lost the city battle were seething with rage. There were also a bunch of people stirring things up in the world, making the situation even more chaotic. [World] One Man¡¯s Allegiance: I am Yue Wuheng. First of all, my account was hacked, and I don¡¯t know what happened with the commands afterward. I have no idea how the battle plan leaked. Ying Ze was explaining himself in the world chat. He would have been better off keeping quiet. As soon as he spoke up, the players who lost the siege exploded. [World] Dragon Lord: You say your account was hacked, and it just so happens to get hacked every day? And at such a critical moment? Yue Wuheng, tell us, should we believe you? [World] Poop-Scooping General: We trusted you to command, but what did you do? [World] One Man¡¯s Allegiance: I really was hacked. A group of people were arguing in the world chat. There were also people defending Ying Ze. But with the majority being onlookers, Ying Ze¡¯s explanation looked very pale in the face of such a big incident. Eventually, someone stepped up. [World] All Rivers Run: Okay, let¡¯s have customer service check the IP, let¡¯s see the login IPs. Account hacked, you say? Then let¡¯s have customer service look into it. Ying Ze tried to log into his account again and found that he could log in. Everything inside was still there, but the name had been changed to¡ªI¡¯m a Scumbag No.1. [Notice] For a person of talent, resources will always find their use. Thousands spent will return. Congratulations to the player [Top Spender] for achieving the feat [Throwing Money Like It¡¯s Nothing]. [World] A Single Cucumber: ¡­ [World] Origin: ¡­ [World] Priceless: ¡­ While others were arguing fiercely above, the big spender quietly snatched the achievement. Poverty limited their imagination. ¨C After transferring the account, Chuzheng tossed her phone aside, heaved a sigh of relief, and patted her chest. Bastard wasn¡¯t wrong. She was really squandering non-stop. It was her who had someone hack Ying Ze¡¯s account. And she did it right at the last critical moment. While Ying Ze¡¯s side was in chaos demanding justice, Chuzheng¡¯s people were celebrating. They were still in the siege battlefield map. Many players were forming patterns and taking photos. [City] I¡¯m Super Cute: Big spender, can I take a photo with you? [City] Top Spender: Hmm. I¡¯m Super Cute immediately hopped over, striking a cute heart-holding pose. [City] I¡¯m Super Cute: Big spender, do you mind if it¡¯s a yuri photo? [City] Top Spender: I mind. [City] I¡¯m Super Cute: Whining, but I¡¯m really cute. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Is my Good Person Card cute? My Good Person Card is super cute. I¡¯m Super Cute left disappointed and turned around to post on the forum right away. #PhotoWithTheBigSpender #FangirlScream #FangirlScream #FangirlScream 1st Floor: Holy shit! 2nd Floor: Sofa. 3rd Floor: Is this the tycoon who was distributing potions during the siege? 4th Floor: The tycoon¡¯s gear looks okay, but it¡¯s not the best. That¡¯s not what I imagined. 5th Floor: The big spender doesn¡¯t need to fight himself; whether the gear is good or not doesn¡¯t matter. Apart from my super cute post, there were also posts about the city battle. Other servers¡¯ posts weren¡¯t as lively as this server¡¯s. #Shocking! The most extravagant city battle in history, all because of a female player¡­# The post didn¡¯t have much text, just a brief introduction to Chuzheng, this spendthrift tycoon. Most of the post consisted of pictures. The first image at the top was particularly striking. Players dressed identically stood atop the city walls, striking various poses for the game, resulting in several photos. 1st Floor: Sofa. 2nd Floor: The third floor is right. 3rd Floor: Damn! Is this equipment wholesale? 4th Floor: New marketing strategy by the gaming company? 5th Floor: Tycoons are just different, even playing a city battle in a unique way. 6th Floor: Tourist group from the neighboring server. 13th Floor: How much money did all this equipment cost? 23rd Floor: I¡¯m waiting for the day my dad tells me that I¡¯m actually a hidden rich second generation. 29th Floor: We¡¯re fighting city battles all prim and proper next door, is the adjacent server really so unrestrained? Forget it, I¡¯m switching servers! 34th Floor: I¡¯ve seen rich male players, but never such a lavish female player, please accept my knees. 47th Floor¡­ Chuzheng secretly watched the battle where Ying Ze was torn apart in [World]. Since Ying Ze couldn¡¯t prove his account was hacked due to being logged in from another location, there was no way he could clear his name. Ying Ze was definitely carrying the blame for this. Chuzheng peacefully closed [World]. [¡­] Should I chat with missy, the proper way of a comeback isn¡¯t like this. Always scheming secretly behind people¡¯s backs, this doesn¡¯t fit her noble and elegant image at all?! ¨C The top player on the Power Ranking List and the other two were similarly shocked by Chuzheng¡¯s maneuvers, now watching the drama unfold on [World] and forums. Jiang Liang, however, was very calm. In the virtual world, he wasn¡¯t the least bit worried. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Did you find someone to set up Yue Wuheng¡¯s account? [Private Chat] Top Tycoon of the Ranking List: No. What nonsense! How could it be me! Jiang Liang wasn¡¯t suspecting; he was certain. But since Chuzheng denied it, Jiang Liang didn¡¯t press further. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Do you really hate him now? [Private Chat] Top Tycoon of the Ranking List: I wouldn¡¯t say that. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Why? You still like him? [Private Chat] Top Tycoon of the Ranking List: Why hate someone who¡¯s insignificant? To Chuzheng, there were only two types of people. Men and women? NO! In her eyes, there were only useful and useless categories. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: He¡¯s an insignificant person to you? [Private Chat] Top Tycoon of the Ranking List: Mhm. The Good Person Card sure has a lot of questions. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Then I¡­ [Private Chat] Top Tycoon of the Ranking List: What. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Never mind, it¡¯s getting late, I¡¯m going to sleep, you should rest early too. [Private Chat] Top Tycoon of the Ranking List: ¡­ Just talk and stop midway! Jiang Liang logged off quickly; when Chuzheng looked again, his avatar was already blacked out. However, half an hour later, Chuzheng saw people in [World] starting to personally greet Jiang Liang. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What happened to going to sleep?! You damn slept your way into [World]? [World] Top Tycoon of the Ranking List: If you fail to kill the legend, come find me for 1000 gold. My Good Person Card is not something you can curse at, Bastard! Chapter 347 - Chapter 347: Chapter 347: Glory From Below (24) Chapter 347: Chapter 347: Glory From Below (24) [World] A Single Cucumber: Huh? [World] A Perfect Match: Big shot, photo op! [World] Origin: So¡­ are you and Jiang Liang having an affair? [World] International Handsome: What are you thinking, big shot? Why get involved with this scourge? [World] A New Storm Arises: Completely insane. No more talk, I¡¯m off to slay the Indomitable Myth! [World] Melon-selling Granny: ¡­ [World] International Handsome: ¡­ [World] A Single Cucumber: ¡­ Chuzheng stood up for Jiang Liang, and a bunch of people in the game were howling in distress, wondering what she was thinking to hook up with Jiang Liang. However, at this time, the protagonists being talked about calmly sent their messages in the world chat and turned off the game to go to sleep. Jiang Liang watched the messages on the world chat and couldn¡¯t help but smile. He tapped the first place on the leader board. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Fan Fan, do you think she likes me? [Private Chat] Leaderboard First Place: ¡­ Didn¡¯t notice. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: She just slayed the Indomitable Myth for me. [Private Chat] Leaderboard First Place: Maybe it¡¯s just because the Indomitable Myth annoyed her. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: ¡­ The first place on the leaderboard, worried about getting blocked, quickly added a message. [Private Chat] Leaderboard First Place: Have you told her who you are? [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: No [Private Chat] Leaderboard First Place: Why not? [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: I don¡¯t know how to say it. [Private Chat] Leaderboard First Place: ¡­ The leaderboard first place shattered their nerves trying to plot and strategize for Jiang Liang. ¨C In the following time, every time Chuzheng logged on, Jiang Liang would wait for her, but the two didn¡¯t do much ¨C just leveling up, defeating monsters, running dungeons, that sort of thing. Jiang Liang scored a lot of good stuff for Chuzheng. However, Chuzheng reciprocated by giving him even more. Jiang Liang felt a chill in his heart. Every time he consulted the leaderboard first place, he¡¯d get a good talking-to. Several times, Jiang Liang thought about telling Chuzheng who he was, but he never managed to say it. Yue Wuheng was being boycotted by a lot of people because of Chuzheng¡¯s outrageous operations, which made him feel like someone was always sticking a foot in whenever he did anything. Leveling up was hard, and so was getting equipment. Sanyue Qinghuan initially kept him company. But as time went on, when Yue Wuheng reached out to Sanyue Qinghuan, she began to make excuses. ¨C Chuzheng had already clarified that the original owner¡¯s account was stolen, and it was Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s doing. She deceived Yue Wuheng by claiming it was an accident, and out of love for her, Yue Wuheng pretended in front of the original owner as if he knew nothing. It¡¯s hard for a hero to overcome the barrier of a beauty! Sigh. Chuzheng walked in with a file in hand, entering the neighborhood. From a distance, she saw Jiang Liang standing with someone else. He seemed a bit afraid, his entire body tensed up like a primary school student being scolded. The man, wearing a hat and casual white clothes, exuded a gentle, refined elegance¡ª a kind of convincing aura. Chuzheng tapped on the file with her fingertips a couple of times. Is some scumbag competing with me for the Good Person Card?! Chuzheng immediately walked towards them. ¡°Be more careful next time. Are you really okay? Do you want me to take you to see a doctor?¡± the man asked in a gentle voice. Jiang Liang hung his head, just shaking it without speaking. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯m really sorry. If there¡¯s anything you need, you can call me¡­¡± The man was handing his business card to Jiang Liang. Before Jiang Liang could accept it, a pair of slender, fair fingers pinched the business card, pulled it away, and gave it a slight twist. The man followed the hand with his eyes. A girl with a cool expression was holding the business card, her gaze slightly lowered, looking at the card. Jiang Liang glanced at Chuzheng out of the corner of his eye, his heart pounding furiously. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t dare to look up and speak. ¡°Huo Xuyang?¡± The girl¡¯s clear and crisp voice pronounced the name on the business card. The man nodded, polite and elegant, ¡°Miss, who might you be?¡± Chuzheng casually clipped the business card into a file and looped an arm around Jiang Liang¡¯s waist, ¡°What do you want with him?¡± Jiang Liang¡¯s body stiffened slightly, as Chuzheng drew him closer to her side. The girl¡¯s sweet fragrance immediately intensified. Jiang Liang¡¯s heartbeat quickened. Huo Xuyang¡¯s gaze lingered for a few seconds on the hand Chuzheng had wrapped around Jiang Liang, ¡°It¡¯s like this, I accidentally hit this young friend here, and I offered to take him to the hospital, but he refused, so I could only bring him back.¡± Chuzheng eyed Huo Xuyang. Huo Xuyang¡¯s expression remained calm, but he felt a bit restless inside; the girl before him was not easy to fool. That was Huo Xuyang¡¯s first intuition. Chuzheng withdrew her gaze and leaned in slightly towards Jiang Liang, ¡°Did you tell him where you lived?¡± Jiang Liang¡¯s nervousness and unease intensified. He struggled to calm himself down. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t.¡± Chuzheng turned her eyes to Huo Xuyang, the light shining from beneath the girl¡¯s eyelashes seemed to carry a chill. ¡°So, how did you know he lives here?¡± Huo Xuyang felt a pang of unease. ¡°It¡¯s like this,¡± Huo Xuyang¡¯s expression remained unchanged, still gentle and courteous, ¡°I live in the neighboring compound, and I¡¯ve seen this young friend come in and out of this compound before.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face remained impassive, ¡°He barely ever goes out, and even if he does come and go from this compound, it doesn¡¯t mean he lives here. How can you be so sure?¡± Huo Xuyang: ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Liang gets nervous around strangers; it¡¯s harder for him to speak than to climb to heaven. So even if Huo Xuyang brought him back, Jiang Liang¡¯s anxiety probably wouldn¡¯t allow him to notice anything amiss. And even if he did, a convenient excuse could easily fool him. However, what Huo Xuyang hadn¡¯t expected was to encounter Chuzheng. And this girl seemed to him¡­ Huo Xuyang couldn¡¯t quite place the emotion. She seemed too indifferent, so devoid of any other emotion. Huo Xuyang smiled, ¡°Miss, I¡¯m not a bad person¡­¡± ¡°Bad people don¡¯t say they¡¯re bad,¡± Chuzheng cut him off, ¡°Don¡¯t let me see you around him again.¡± Chuzheng thought this person must be the scoundrel who lured Jiang Liang into committing crimes. He hadn¡¯t shown up before. And yet, he still coveted her Good Person Card. Chuzheng left with Jiang Liang. Jiang Liang obediently followed her. Huo Xuyang watched Chuzheng¡¯s retreating figure, his gentle gaze carrying a sense of scrutiny. ¨C Jiang Liang didn¡¯t dare to struggle or speak, docile as a harmless puppy. So Chuzheng felt fully justified in holding onto him. ¡°You¡¯re not afraid of strangers, so why weren¡¯t you afraid of that man just now?¡± Only Chuzheng¡¯s voice could be heard in the elevator. ¡°He¡­¡± Jiang Liang¡¯s lips parted, ¡°He makes me feel¡­ very safe.¡± ¡°Is that so,¡± Chuzheng said indifferently, ¡°What about me?¡± Jiang Liang glanced at the girl beside him, met Chuzheng¡¯s gaze, and hastily looked down. His ears hidden in his soft hair glowed red. Chuzheng pulled him closer into her embrace, ¡°I¡¯m talking to you.¡± Jiang Liang stuttered out, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re very nice.¡± The Good Person Card praised me! Chuzheng felt much better. But she still warned him, ¡°Don¡¯t talk to strangers, call me if anything happens.¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t have your number.¡± He did have it, actually, but he couldn¡¯t let her know, otherwise, he couldn¡¯t explain how he got it. Chuzheng thought about it and realized that was true; she changed her instructions, ¡°Then you¡¯re not allowed to go out alone.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aren¡¯t you supposed to give me your phone number? Jiang Liang obediently nodded. Chapter 348 - Chapter 348: Chapter 348: Glory From Below (25) Chapter 348: Chapter 348: Glory From Below (25) When Jiang Liang opened the door, Chuzheng still hadn¡¯t let go of him. He took a slight breath and turned the key. Chuzheng entered the apartment with audacious grandeur. She casually threw the documents onto the table, ¡°Has Xia Mufan not come by recently?¡± Jiang Liang stood in the living room but seemed like a guest, not knowing where to place his hands and feet, ¡°He¡­ he¡¯s been a little busy.¡± ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡± Jiang Liang shook his head. Chuzheng took out her phone to order takeout and asked him, ¡°What were you doing outside?¡± Instead of staying at home properly, you run into a pervert the moment you go out. Isn¡¯t that a loss? ¡°I¡­ was buying computer parts.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you buy them online?¡± ¡°That¡­ wasn¡¯t available.¡± Chuzheng looked up at him, finding it slightly difficult to tilt her head, ¡°Come over and sit down.¡± Jiang Liang clenched and unclenched his fists, slowly walked over, and sat down on the edge. ¡°What did that person say to you just now?¡± Chuzheng felt it necessary to ask properly. Jiang Liang shook his head. The flaxen hair swayed with his movement. The slight curl at the ends complemented the young man¡¯s handsome features, making him look like a delicate doll in a display window. Chuzheng stared at his hair, then suddenly reached out and pressed down on the top of his head. Chuzheng¡¯s expression became stern. Soft, so soft! Jiang Liang looked at her with slightly alarmed eyes, a deep blue expanse, clear and translucent. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Just touching the hair, is it necessary to look so bullied? Just now, I saved you from walking down the path of a pervert! What¡¯s wrong with taking a little interest? With that thought, Chuzheng felt much more justified. Jiang Liang was not accustomed to this, but he remembered that she had said before she liked soft hair. So, was his hair soft? Did she like it or not? Jiang Liang was filled with trepidation. After rubbing his hair twice and seeing Jiang Liang¡¯s almost defensive look, Chuzheng withdrew her hand, ¡°Eat the takeout yourself when it arrives.¡± I won¡¯t touch it anymore, won¡¯t touch it. If I make him cry by touching it, what if he doesn¡¯t let me touch it next time? I have to think about the future. With the pressure from her touch gone, Jiang Liang became more anxious, still wondering if she was satisfied when he heard Chuzheng say this. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re not eating?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten.¡± Chuzheng got up, ready to leave. ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Liang couldn¡¯t find the words to ask her to stay and could only watch as Chuzheng left. ¡°Your¡­ your things.¡± Jiang Liang called out to Chuzheng. He brought her things to her, his gaze falling on the logo and name on the documents. ¡°This¡­ is Peerless Wind and Cloud?¡± Jiang Liang felt a twinge of nervousness. ¡°Hmm.¡± She had gone to look for some information today. The Bastard had told her to buy a company, but she found out this company was a subsidiary, and they had no intention of selling. Now she had to start planning to buy the entire group. ¡°You¡­ You play too?¡± Jiang Liang of course knew that Chuzheng played, but now he wanted to tell her that he played too. ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng nodded, taking the documents from him. ¡°I¡­ I also play,¡± Jiang Liang said softly. He used his real name, so she should be able to recognize it, right? ¡°Hmm.¡± I know you play. ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Liang suddenly didn¡¯t know how to continue the conversation. Chuzheng didn¡¯t know what Jiang Liang wanted to say to her and waited patiently. However, Jiang Liang had nothing more to say, and the two of them stood there at the doorway. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back now.¡± Chuzheng was very straightforward in breaking the silence. Jiang Liang fiddled with the hem of his clothes and gave a barely perceptible nod of his head. It wasn¡¯t until the door on Chuzheng¡¯s side closed that Jiang Liang¡¯s face showed a mix of three parts distress and seven parts regret. ¡°Jiang Liang, you pig.¡± ¡°Why are you cursing yourself?¡± Xia Mufan patted his shoulder, ¡°How did you know I was coming, waiting for me here specially?¡± Jiang Liang: ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Liang turned and went back inside. Xia Mufan didn¡¯t mind and closed the door behind him with a chuckle. ¨C Chuzheng pulled out the business card from the documents. Moments later, she pressed it onto the table surface. He took out his phone and sent a text message. ¡ª¡ªHelp me check someone out. ¡ª¡ªBoss, who are we checking? ¡ª¡ªHuo Xuyang. ¡ª¡ªBoss, just giving me a name isn¡¯t useful, do you have a photo, phone number, or something like an email? Chuzheng sent over the phone number from the business card. Two days later, Chuzheng received the information sent by the other party. Huo Xuyang. Director of Yiyang Group. Graduated from a prestigious foreign university, young and promising, at a young age he is already a director of a group¡­ Quite a bit of information about Huo Xuyang could be found online. However, inside this set of information, there were many more private details. Huo Xuyang kept a very regular routine; apart from company schedules, he had almost no other activities. It seemed there was no problem. But¡­ It was too clean. How could a normal person only have work-related activities on their electronic devices, with not a single sign of personal activities? Like opening a web page, watching a movie, listening to music¡­ Huo Xuyang had none of that. Sometimes being too clean is also an anomaly. ¡ª¡ªIs there nothing else? ¡ª¡ªThat¡¯s it, this person is very cautious about privacy, there¡¯s nothing but work on his computer. ¡ª¡ªCould there be other devices? ¡ª¡ªThere might be, but I haven¡¯t found any yet. ¡ª¡ªKeep an eye on him and let me know if there¡¯s news. Chuzheng put down the phone. Working hard at being a good person today too! Chuzheng felt that Huo Xuyang wouldn¡¯t give up so easily; the Good Person Card was still very risky. ¨C [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: Hasn¡¯t God of Wealth been particularly unlucky lately? [World] Log in Right After Class: Who has God of Wealth offended this time? [World] Prince Turned Silly: Can¡¯t say, can¡¯t say. [World] Blossoming Elegance: Can¡¯t say who? [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: Don¡¯t talk nonsense; if the big shot wanted to bother him, would he need to sneak around? Chuzheng logged on and saw this message. This talk, well¡ªI¡¯m rather good at it. [World] Prince Turned Silly: See, you¡¯re doubting yourself; otherwise, how would you know who I¡¯m talking about. [World] Melon Seller Granny: Serves him right. [World] Melon Seller Granny: Why hasn¡¯t Sanyue Qinghuan been with Wu Hen lately? Yue Wuheng was being targeted, which meant that being with Sanyue Qinghuan would implicate her too, so why would Sanyue Qinghuan be willing to stick with him. Chuzheng was engrossed in reading when suddenly, she received a private message from Jiang Liang. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Going for the next book? [Private Chat] Number One on the Rich List: No. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: I¡¯ll give you some experience points. [Private Chat] Number One on the Rich List: Okay. Experience points to sponge off, why not, might as well take advantage of them. Jiang Liang invited Chuzheng to the team. Today, it seemed that none of the people Jiang Liang knew were around; he had casually called out to people outside the instance. [Team] Pomelo: Hello everyone, I¡¯m Pomelo, please take care of me. [Team] Dream God: Pomelo. [Team] Pomelo: Master. [Team] Master of Courting Death: I¡¯m so lucky today, can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing the big shot, I¡¯m going to buy a lottery ticket, soak up some of the God of Wealth¡¯s good fortune!! [Team] Jiang Liang: Try to survive this instance first. [Team] Master of Courting Death: ¡­Jiang Liang, do you know why nobody calls you God? [Team] Jiang Liang: They probably think the title ¡®God¡¯ doesn¡¯t fit me well enough. [Team] Master of Courting Death: ¡­ Suddenly, I kind of want to leave the team. [Team] Pomelo: Master, is this Jiang Liang really that amazing? [Team] Dream God: Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Pomelo¡¯s account level wasn¡¯t low, but she seemed like a newbie, unclear if it was someone else¡¯s account or one that was bought. Once they entered the instance, Chuzheng confirmed that this Pomelo was indeed a complete newbie. Chapter 349 - Chapter 349: Chapter 349: Glory From Below (26) Chapter 349: Chapter 349: Glory From Below (26) [Team] Jiang Liang: Even the simplest positioning you get wrong, what are you trying out for, go grind some field mobs! Jiang Liang in the game, was already in a state where he would start a fight at the slightest disagreement. Seeing Pomelo like this, he couldn¡¯t tolerate it. [Team] Dream God: Sorry about that. Dream God apologized for Pomelo. [Team] Pomelo: Why are you so aggressive, does everyone know how to play from birth? You think you¡¯re something special just because your level is high? [Team] Jiang Liang: People who don¡¯t know how to play wouldn¡¯t join this kind of instance after the requirements were made clear. He put up the requirements when recruiting. The requirements were to have the skills to pass. Pomelo¡¯s level and gear were not bad, so Jiang Liang didn¡¯t think much of it. Who knew he would bring such a farce upon entering. [Team] Pomelo: I¡­ even if I¡¯m not skilled, you don¡¯t have to say that about me! Pomelo probably hadn¡¯t been through something like this and felt extremely wronged. [Team] Pomelo: Besides, I did contribute just now, it¡¯s better than someone who¡¯s been freeloading the whole time, doing nothing, right? [Team] Pomelo: Why are you only picking on me and not her? Pomelo suddenly shifted the fire. The only person freeloadng in the team was one ¡ª Chuzheng. Chuzheng, who was bored, suddenly realized the topic had shifted to herself. What¡­ what does it have to do with me?! [Team] Troll Master: ¡­ [Team] Dream God: Pomelo, what nonsense are you talking about. Who is the number one on the Rich Maniacs List? She now is the true number one on the Rich Maniacs List. [Team] Pomelo: Master, he¡¯s bullying me! Pomelo didn¡¯t notice the atmosphere was off and complained to her own master. [Team] Number One Rich Maniac: I was here just to leech experience in the first place. Chuzheng replied with righteous indignation. [Team] Jiang Liang: I organized this instance just to let her leech experience, did I not say that? [Team] Jiang Liang: You choose to be blind to that? [Team] Pomelo: How can you be like this! [Team] Number One Rich Maniac: How am I? Chuzheng was getting a little impatient. You can¡¯t use your Good Person Card on me just because you¡¯re a girl! [Team] Pomelo: You¡¯re bullying me! [Team] Number One Rich Maniac: How are we bullying you? So what if the game bullies you, if you¡¯re not happy, you can bully back. So what if the game bullies you¡­ That sentence could be described as extremely arrogant and domineering. [Team] Pomelo: I¡¯m not as good as you guys. [Team] Number One Rich Maniac: Our being better than you, is that our fault? You¡¯re weak so you¡¯re right? I should give way because you¡¯re weak? Why the hell should I! I¡¯m still weak and helpless, why haven¡¯t I seen Bastard give me fewer tasks? [Team] Pomelo: ¡­You, you can¡¯t just bully people because your level is higher!! [Team] Number One Rich Maniac: Your weakness is your problem, what has it got to do with me? Jiang Liang looked at the words on the screen, his mood inexplicably agitated. Was she defending him? [Team] Dream God: Pomelo! I¡¯m sorry, Pomelo didn¡¯t mean it. Dream God¡¯s attempts to interject were being ignored. [Team] Dream God: Pomelo, stop being unreasonable. [Team] Pomelo: ¡­Me? I¡¯m being unreasonable?! [Team] Troll Master: Actually¡­ when Jiang Liang was recruiting, he did mention it was to carry the big shot for experience. Troll Master didn¡¯t dare to speak out. Is there anyone on this server who doesn¡¯t know who the Number One Rich Maniac is? It¡¯s a joke, right? Pomelo¡¯s level looks quite high as well. [Team] Dream God: I¡¯m really sorry. Dream God probably privately messaged Pomelo, and Pomelo stopped talking then. This game wasn¡¯t fun for anyone. It would have been better to play against the top-ranked players on the Fengyun list. Even though they talk too much, at least they wouldn¡¯t have caused this kind of issue. However, what Chuzheng didn¡¯t expect was that right after the game, this Pomelo immediately started making a fuss in the [World] channel. Claiming that she and Jiang Liang bullied others by using their higher levels. [World] I Am a Wolf: Who is this Little Cutie, saying Jiang Liang is a bully, hahaha. [World] Joy Every Day: It¡¯d be strange if Jiang Liang didn¡¯t bully anyone. [World] Phantom Chasing the Wind: Jiang Liang, you even bully women, you¡¯re a disgrace to men. [World] Jiang Liang: A disgrace is still better than you, so does that make you worse than a disgrace? [World] Phantom Chasing the Wind: ¡­If you have the guts, reveal your location! Pomelo probably didn¡¯t expect the [World] channel to react like this. This group of people didn¡¯t care at all about Jiang Liang supposedly bullying others. As for Chuzheng, they completely overlooked her. ¨C Pomelo¡¯s issue was just a minor interlude, Dream God privately apologized to Jiang Liang and Chuzheng. Presumably at Dream God¡¯s request, Pomelo also apologized to them. The incident wasn¡¯t really Chuzheng¡¯s or Jiang Liang¡¯s fault to begin with. Jiang Liang made it clear that he was only helping Chuzheng leech experience to level up, and it was Pomelo¡¯s lack of skill that dragged Chuzheng down. Ever since the incident, Chuzheng felt that Jiang Liang was a burden on her. She would rather spend money to find someone else to leech experience from. At least that way there wouldn¡¯t be any issues. In the end, it was Jiang Liang who became the one leeching experience. [Private Message] Number One on The Fengyun List: Miss, I want to talk to you about something. [Private Message] Number One on The Wealth List: Go ahead. When did I remove this fool from my blacklist? [Private Message] Number One on The Fengyun List: Then I¡¯ll just say it straight, don¡¯t be scared, okay? [Private Message] Number One on The Wealth List: ¡­ [Private Message] Number One on The Fengyun List: Cough cough. Number One on The Fengyun List wasn¡¯t talking about something else. It was about Jiang Liang. After long consideration, Number One on The Fengyun List thought this was the best approach, although it might scare the lady once she found out. But keeping her in the dark, only to find out later, wouldn¡¯t the result be the same? If he told her now, he could still persuade her to help improve Jiang Liang¡¯s situation a bit. [Private Message] Number One on The Wealth List: I know. I thought you had some big news. And it turns out you¡¯re telling me this. [Private Message] Number One on The Fengyun List: You know? When did you find out?!! Number One on The Fengyun List was stunned. The problem he had pondered for several days, and she knew it already?! [Private Message] Number One on The Wealth List: ¡­ I can¡¯t possibly say that Bastard told me, can I? [Private Message] Number One on The Wealth List: I just know. If I can¡¯t come up with a perfect reason¡­ then I won¡¯t bother. [¡­] I¡¯m really at a loss for words. [Private Message] Number One on The Fengyun List: ¡­ Clearly, Number One on The Fengyun List was also feeling resigned. That¡¯s just how the big shots are, so assertive. To know is to know. Without even giving a reason. How the hell did you find out, huh?! You knew yet you pretended like you didn¡¯t! Such a good actor, how come you haven¡¯t won an Oscar yet! [Private Message] Number One on The Fengyun List: ¡­So, since you know, then you are also aware of Jiang Liang¡¯s current situation. I¡¯m worried if he continues like this, something bad might happen. He actually really likes you but he¡¯s afraid to tell you. Could you possibly, help to make his situation better? [Private Message] Number One on The Wealth List: I think he¡¯s quite good. So well-behaved. As soft and tender as Little White Rabbit. It¡¯s great to keep him locked up. [Private Message] Number One on The Fengyun List: ¡­ Chapter 350 - Chapter 350: Chapter 350: Glory From Below (27) Chapter 350: Chapter 350: Glory From Below (27) Ding-dong¡ª Jiang Liang first checked who it was outside through the peephole. Seeing that it was Chuzheng standing there, he straightened his clothes before carefully opening the door. Although his clear eyes didn¡¯t hold their usual panic, there was still a trace of nervousness in them. The girl with the cold expression glanced at him and asked calmly, ¡°Have you had dinner yet?¡± Jiang Liang shook his head. ¡°Ordered¡­ takeout.¡± Chuzheng, the domineering CEO, said, ¡°You have five minutes to change clothes.¡± The young man¡¯s pale face showed a hint of confusion; his long eyelashes trembled as he stuttered, ¡°¡­What for?¡± ¡°To eat.¡± Jiang Liang¡¯s expression changed instantly. He instinctively shrank back into the door, feeling that inside was his safe zone. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want to go out.¡± Jiang Liang really wanted to go out with her, but instinctively, he didn¡¯t want to leave this place. There are so many people when eating¡­ Just thinking about that scene made Jiang Liang feel uncomfortable all over. ¡°You have four minutes left,¡± Chuzheng said emotionlessly. ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Jiang Liang followed Chuzheng into the restaurant. The restaurant was very quiet; only a manager was leading them inside, where all the tables around were empty, and no other guests were seen. It was the peak hour for dinner, which Jiang Liang found somewhat strange. He knew this restaurant; Xia Mufan sometimes would pack food for him from here. It was said to do good business¡­ Jiang Liang didn¡¯t dare ask, his heart filling with trepidation as he followed Chuzheng into a private room. ¡°Please wait, we¡¯ll serve the dishes immediately.¡± Chuzheng pulled out a chair for Jiang Liang, gesturing for him to sit. ¡°Why is there no one?¡± Jiang Liang asked softly. ¡°I booked the entire place,¡± Chuzheng replied. ¡°No one will bother you.¡± Jiang Liang: ¡°¡­¡± Book¡­ booked the entire place? Just to let him have a meal out? Perhaps because he had become somewhat familiar with Chuzheng, Jiang Liang wasn¡¯t as uncomfortable as he was at first. Nonetheless, he ate quietly with his head down during the meal, inexplicably cute. Chuzheng didn¡¯t eat much, and seeing this, Jiang Liang also didn¡¯t feel right to continue eating, and he thought about putting down his chopsticks. ¡°Eat more,¡± Chuzheng said, picking up food for him with clean chopsticks. Jiang Liang had no choice but to finish it. But as Chuzheng kept serving him more, Jiang Liang didn¡¯t dare to put down his chopsticks, worried that if he rejected her, she might get angry. In short, Jiang Liang thought about a bunch of messy things but just didn¡¯t dare to speak up. Estimating that Jiang Liang probably couldn¡¯t eat any more, Chuzheng finally put down her chopsticks. Jiang Liang secretly rubbed his stomach. He felt a bit bloated. ¡°From now on, come out and have dinner with me at night,¡± Chuzheng said. Jiang Liang was startled, ¡°Every¡­ every day?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s eyes were cold, ¡°Do you have a problem with that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Going out every day was a challenge for Jiang Liang. But¡­ He really wanted to be with her. Even if they did nothing, just being together made him very happy. ¡°Can we eat at home?¡± Jiang Liang peered tentatively at Chuzheng, ¡°I¡¯ll cook for you?¡± Chuzheng refused without mercy, ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t force him to agree right away. So Jiang Liang was torn. Exiting the tranquil restaurant, the noise from the outside surged over like a tide. Jiang Liang instinctively curled in on himself. Chuzheng looked back at him, then turned around and took his hand that was hanging by his side. Jiang Liang¡¯s fingers were a bit cold, but when they touched Chuzheng¡¯s warm palm, smooth and tender, her hand felt as if it had no bones. Jiang Liang felt his heart was overburdened. He was a little short of breath. Chuzheng led him out of the restaurant. The brilliant neon lights and the endless flow of traffic at night drew a breathtaking picture. When Jiang Liang got back home, he was still a bit dazed, and Chuzheng took the opportunity to stroke his hair. When Jiang Liang looked over, she immediately put on a serious face, ¡°Stop playing games, goodnight.¡± As Jiang Liang closed the door, he completely relaxed and excitedly jumped around in circles on the spot. He took out his phone and sent a message to Xia Mufan. ¡ª¡ªI went out to eat with her today. ¡ª¡ªAnd then? ¡ª¡ªShe held my hand. ¡ª¡ª¡­ Xia Mufan felt his guy was truly beyond help. But she actually took it in? Talking with her before, Xia Mufan felt she didn¡¯t seem to care too much, even thinking Jiang Liang like this was quite good. Xia Mufan thought it was better not to tell Jiang Liang that she already knew he was Jiang Liang from the game. Otherwise, he guessed he would become withdrawn again. ¨C The next day Chuzheng arrived at Jiang Liang¡¯s doorstep on time and rang the bell. Jiang Liang didn¡¯t have any chance to refuse. This time they changed to a different restaurant. But it was still cleared out. In the following days, Jiang Liang enjoyed the experience of dining in different restaurants booked out just for them every day. He realized Chuzheng was really cold. She didn¡¯t speak much, but unlike him, she just wasn¡¯t very fond of talking. That day, after eating, Jiang Liang gathered his courage, ¡°This is a waste of money, we shouldn¡¯t go out¡­¡± ¡°Not eating would be the waste.¡± Bastard, that damned guy, made me purchase a hundred different restaurants. A hundred of them! Different ones! Many restaurants are franchises; is it even possible to buy them whenever you want? ¡°Ah?¡± The youth¡¯s deep blue, clear eyes were full of bewilderment. Red lips slightly parted, a pink tongue peeking through them, seemingly inviting someone to taste without uttering a word. Chuzheng kept a serious face. Good Person Card seducing me!! Chuzheng leaned forward and kissed the youth¡¯s lips. Jiang Liang stepped back, pressing his whole body against the door, staring at Chuzheng in shock. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Jiang Liang felt his ability to speak had devolved to nonexistence. His cheeks started to burn wave after wave, his ears even more so, and his whole being seemed to be catching fire. Chuzheng¡¯s hand propped beside him, she leaned in again. The lips carrying a hint of warmth, soft as cotton, gently rolling over his own. The girl¡¯s enlarged face, reflected in Jiang Liang¡¯s deep blue eyes, her skin smooth and delicate, exuding a fragrant scent that made his head spin. She, she, she¡­ Chuzheng let go of him, her nose brushing his cheek, her breath spraying on his skin, bringing a tingling sensation. ¡°Goodnight.¡± Chuzheng patted his head. Jiang Liang¡¯s hanging hand grabbed Chuzheng¡¯s sleeve. ¡°I¡­ I, I¡­¡± Jiang Liang pinched himself hard. ¡°Take your time.¡± The girl¡¯s calm and tranquil voice soothed the chaos in Jiang Liang¡¯s heart. But he still didn¡¯t dare to look at Chuzheng, his skin as white as porcelain now flushed with crimson. It was as if he had made a major decision, ¡°Can¡­ can you like me?¡± ¡°If not¡­ what would it take for you to like me?¡± The youth seemed increasingly anxious towards the end, ¡°I know¡­ with me like this, you might not like it, but I will try hard to change.¡± Xia Mufan said, no one would like someone like him. No one would like someone who can¡¯t even communicate properly. Jiang Liang¡¯s heart was incredibly tense. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it,¡± Jiang Liang suddenly turned around, fumbling for his keys, opening the door in a fluster, ¡°Tell me your answer tomorrow.¡± He was afraid she would utter words of rejection. The youth closed the door hastily. ¡°¡­Do you want to come to my place?¡± Chuzheng, in her guise of a domineering CEO, silently completed the sentence. Chapter 351 - Chapter 351: Chapter 351: Glory From Below (28) Chapter 351: Chapter 351: Glory From Below (28) Jiang Liang returned home, restless and uneasy. Finally, he logged into the game and sneakily checked if Chuzheng was offline before heading to the PK arena. He dueled several players in a row, but his mood only worsened. It was like the moment of awaiting one¡¯s grades, too scared to look at his own results. Anxious, nervous, and unsettled¡­ Jiang Liang sent another player back to the respawn point, propped his chin, and stared at his character in the game. He really wished he could be Jiang Liang in the game. Rather than¡­ Sometimes, Jiang Liang even despised himself. He wanted to change, but he just couldn¡¯t manage it. [Private Message] Top of the Leaderboard: Did little sister treat you to a meal today? [Private Message] Jiang Liang: Yeah [Private Message] Top of the Leaderboard: Why the long face? A few days ago, when they talked about it, he was thrilled. [Private Message] Jiang Liang: ¡­ Jiang Liang didn¡¯t know what to do; he felt terrible and wanted someone to talk to. Top of the Leaderboard was the best choice, in fact, the only choice. [Private Message] Jiang Liang: She kissed me today. [Private Message] Top of the Leaderboard: !!! [Private Message] Top of the Leaderboard: She took the initiative to kiss you? [Private Message] Jiang Liang: Yeah. [Private Message] Top of the Leaderboard: Shouldn¡¯t you be happy then? It¡¯s your first time liking someone, she likes you back, and even kissed you¡ªthat¡¯s a huge step forward! Top of the Leaderboard thought, according to Jiang Liang¡¯s pace, holding hands would be a year away. But just a few days in, they kissed! His kid finally had things figured out! [Private Message] Jiang Liang: But¡­ she didn¡¯t say she liked me. [Private Message] Top of the Leaderboard: ¡­ [Private Message] Top of the Leaderboard: What do you mean? You two kissed, and she doesn¡¯t like you? [Private Message] Jiang Liang: I don¡¯t know. Jiang Liang briefly recounted the recent events to Top of the Leaderboard. [Private Message] Jiang Liang: Do you think she will reject me? [Private Message] Top of the Leaderboard: She shouldn¡¯t, didn¡¯t she kiss you on her own? Top of the Leaderboard was actually clueless. These things were so uncertain. Especially with that girl¡­ Top of the Leaderboard never really understood her. What if she was only attracted to his looks?! Thinking of this, Top of the Leaderboard felt it was extremely urgent. [Private Message] Top of the Leaderboard: Jiang Liang, I¡¯m telling you, you can¡¯t do anything with her!!! [Private Message] Jiang Liang: Like what? [Private Message] Top of the Leaderboard: [Image] Top of the Leaderboard sent Jiang Liang a very explicit picture. [Private Message] Jiang Liang: ¡­ Jiang Liang blocked Top of the Leaderboard. Just as Jiang Liang was about to log off, he caught a glimpse of his private messages, and Chuzheng¡¯s avatar popped up. His heart instantly started pounding. Jiang Liang even forgot to breathe normally. His gaze fixated on the bouncing avatar. He took several deep breaths, moving the mouse over to the avatar¡ª No, that¡¯s not right. She doesn¡¯t know he is Jiang Liang in the game. Jiang Liang had this thought, feeling like a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, chilling him to the core. He had hinted at it before; his name was so obvious, how could she not ask him about it? Jiang Liang, dejected, clicked on the avatar. [Private Message] Top Gold Spender: You kiss well. Jiang Liang: ¡°!!!¡± Jiang Liang¡¯s panic kicked the computer¡¯s power cord. The computer screen went dark in an instant. He must have seen wrong. It must have been a mistake. Jiang Liang calmed himself and rebooted the computer. The computer booted up quickly, but to Jiang Liang, his computer seemed to boot up really slowly. Once he logged back into the game and opened the private chat. [Private Message] Top Gold Spender: I can like you, but you have to behave. Jiang Liang: ¡°!!!¡± It¡¯s over! I¡¯m done for. Jiang Liang sprang up and fell back onto the bed behind him. ¡°` Ahhh!! She said she likes me!! ¨C Chuzheng was woken up early in the morning by the doorbell, she covered her head irritably, unwilling to get up. The doorbell rang briefly before quieting down, so Chuzheng continued to lie in bed and sleep. Half an hour later, the doorbell rang again. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Which lunatic! Coming to her door to go crazy so early in the morning. Chuzheng got out of bed, ran her fingers through her hair, and walked towards the front door, grabbing a knife from the living room on the way. As she opened the door, there stood Jiang Liang. Chuzheng immediately hid her hand behind her back. The young man was dressed in casual home attire, wearing a hat with rabbit ears that made him look particularly cute. His azure eyes shone bright, though there were dark circles beneath them. His complexion was pale, making these dark circles quite noticeable. Chuzheng watched him with an expressionless face. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Morning,¡± Jiang Liang greeted softly, with a hint of caution and joy. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng looked back to check the time in the living room. ¡°It¡¯s seven in the morning; you¡¯re not sleeping and came over to say good morning to me?¡± He had knocked on her door half an hour before. At six thirty, was he mad? ¡°I¡­¡± Jiang Liang instantly became somewhat flustered. Seven o¡¯clock¡­ time to get up. ¡°Come in,¡± Chuzheng said, stepping aside and stealthily placing the knife on a cabinet behind her. ¡°Ah¡­¡± He had just come over to say good morning. Jiang Liang entered Chuzheng¡¯s house feeling bewildered. He didn¡¯t know where to put his hands and feet and awkwardly followed Chuzheng inside. When he raised his head, he found himself following Chuzheng into the bedroom. Before Jiang Liang could react, Chuzheng had already roughly stuffed him into the blanket. ¡°I¡­¡± Chuzheng lay beside him and hugged him: ¡°Be quiet.¡± Jiang Liang: ¡°!!!¡± I just came to say good morning to you. Jiang Liang lay still, daring not to move. Feeling the warmth and the breath of the person beside him, Jiang Liang felt he was about to suffocate. ¨C Chuzheng was woken up by the ringtone of her phone. She reached out beside her and touched something that wasn¡¯t her own chest. Chuzheng took three seconds to react. She remembered Jiang Liang coming over to knock on her door early in the morning, and she had stuffed him into the blanket. Chuzheng got up, climbed over Jiang Liang, and grabbed her phone. The ringtone wasn¡¯t very loud, and Jiang Liang wasn¡¯t woken by it. ¡°Hello?¡± Chuzheng lay back down, and Jiang Liang snuggled closer, so Chuzheng instinctively hugged him into her arms. ¡°Zhengzheng, are you awake yet?¡± ¡°Mm,¡± the original owner¡¯s mother. ¡°Mom will be back soon, have you had breakfast?¡± ¡°!!!!¡± Chuzheng glanced at the person in her arms and asked with extreme calm, ¡°Where are you now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost there; have you had breakfast? If not, Mom will buy you some,¡± Mother Lin¡¯s voice was extremely gentle, with a bit of indulgence. Although they often weren¡¯t at home, they weren¡¯t lacking in their affection for the original owner. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then okay, Mom will buy your favorite for you.¡± After hanging up with Mother Lin, Chuzheng looked at the person in her arms, feeling a bit worried. How was she going to explain this to Mother Lin? She never comes back early or late, why such a coincidence now?! ¡°Jiang Liang,¡± Chuzheng pinched Jiang Liang¡¯s cheek. Is it¡­this soft? Chuzheng felt like she was pinching tofu. So soft and smooth. ¡°Mm¡­¡± Jiang Liang was sleepy; he had been too excited to sleep all night. ¡°My mom¡¯s coming back,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°Don¡¯t make a sound later.¡± Jiang Liang mumbled an acknowledgment in his drowsiness. Seeing that he was extremely sleepy, Chuzheng didn¡¯t disturb him anymore, laid him down properly, covered him up, and got up to leave. She had just finished washing her face when Mother Lin came in with her hands full of bags, large and small. ¡°` Chapter 352 - Chapter 352: Chapter 352: Glory From Below (29) Chapter 352: Chapter 352: Glory From Below (29) Mother Lin looked Chuzheng over and chatted away, urging her to eat breakfast. Mother Lin had taken some time off and would be home for several days. She put things down and started to tidy up the house. Chuzheng silently ate her breakfast, watching Mother Lin bustling around the room. Pill, pill. If she found out that she¡¯d secretly kept a Good Person Card, would she get so angry she¡¯d jump up? Chuzheng thought it was very likely. Imagining that scene¡­ So noisy! ¡°Zhengzheng, why can¡¯t your room be opened?¡± ¡°The lock is broken,¡± Chuzheng casually replied. ¡°Eh¡­ then, Mom will find someone to fix it.¡± Mother Lin said and did, immediately flipping through her phone to find a repair person. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng waited for Mother Lin to go to the bathroom, then quickly opened the door. Jiang Liang seemed to have just been woken up by the noise, sitting on the bed, looking at her blankly. Chuzheng pulled his hat over his head, flung back the covers, and directly picked him up. Jiang Liang¡¯s body lifted into the air, his eyes widening slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t make a sound,¡± Chuzheng reminded him before he could speak. Chuzheng carried him out the door, opened the room door, and put him outside. Chuzheng kissed him: ¡°Go back to sleep.¡± The door closed in Jiang Liang¡¯s bewildered gaze. Jiang Liang: ¡°???¡± Did he just dream all that? ¨C Chuzheng dodged Mother Lin¡¯s nagging and returned to her room to play games. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: I think my phone fell at your place. As soon as Chuzheng logged on, Jiang Liang¡¯s message arrived on time. Chuzheng suspected for a moment that Jiang Liang might have planted a bug on her. Chuzheng searched the bed and found the phone under the blanket. [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: I¡¯ll bring it over to you later. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: It¡¯s fine, no one really contacts me anyway. If Fan Fan calls, just hang up. [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: Who¡¯s Fan Fan? They sounded way too intimate! [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Xia Mufan. [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: Oh. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: ¡­Did your mom come back earlier? Jiang Liang asked cautiously; he had woken up after hearing noises outside. [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: Yeah. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: ¡­ [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: That¡­ Chuzheng sat on the chair with one leg crossed over the other, holding the mouse in one hand, idly clicking through the interface. After she had clicked around for a while, the ¡°that¡­¡± from Jiang Liang still had no follow-up. [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: That what. Chuzheng waited for nearly a minute before Jiang Liang replied. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: I¡­ am I your boyfriend now? Boyfriends could kiss and hug at will, stroke each other¡¯s hair¡­ After thinking about it, Chuzheng tightened her little face and typed seriously. [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: If you want to be the girlfriend, that¡¯s okay too. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: ¡­ Jiang Liang must have been shocked by the word girlfriend; it took him a long while to respond. Chuzheng didn¡¯t bother with him and clicked on ¡®I¡¯m Just an Alt¡¯. [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: Help me collect a set of top-level Sword Master equipment. [Private Chat] I¡¯m Just an Alt: Eight Directions Stealth? [Private Chat] I¡¯m Just an Alt: You¡¯re not even a Sword Master, what do you want this for? [Private Chat] Number One Tycoon: Light Divine Art. [Private Chat] I¡¯m Just an Alt: ????? [Private Chat] I¡¯m Just an Alt: Boss, that set of equipment hasn¡¯t even been released; how can I collect it? ¡°` The official announcement just came out, and it¡¯ll be at least two months before the update arrives. [Private Chat] Top of the Tycoon List: Oh. [Private Chat] I¡¯m Just an Alt: ¡­ What exactly was the bigshot trying to say with that ¡°Oh¡±? However, just two days later, I¡¯m Just an Alt suddenly found the game updated! The Light Divine Art came out too! This isn¡¯t like the official¡¯s usual tactics at all!! [Private Chat] Top of the Tycoon List: Can we do it now? [Private Chat] I¡¯m Just an Alt: ¡­ It¡¯s such a hassle to collect this kind of equipment. Chuzheng wouldn¡¯t bother with that. She originally planned to just have the game company give her a set directly. However, the people on that end said no, it would throw off the balance of the game. Chuzheng: ¡°???¡± I¡¯m the boss, aren¡¯t I?! What does it mean to refuse me! The person responsible for the game, who had dedicated his life to it, stood crying and howling on a 20-something-story window ledge, saying he would jump if she insisted on doing that. Chuzheng later thought it over. Getting it directly would make it seem too cheap. Why would Good Person Card think she¡¯s a good person. [¡­] Where exactly is the young lady getting her idea of a good person? ¨C Ying Ze had been terribly unlucky recently, and he couldn¡¯t use the account that had its name changed; he could only use a lower level alt, and could only sneak around when going online. About the city battle matter, Ying Ze figured it must have been Chuzheng¡¯s doing; after all, that ¡°I¡¯m a Scumbag¡± was too distinctive. He had originally planned to coax her in real life, but who knew she would treat him this way. [Private Chat] One Heart Returning: Qinghuan. [Private Chat] Sanyue Qinghuan: Wu Hen, you¡¯re online? [Private Chat] One Heart Returning: What are you up to? [Private Chat] Sanyue Qinghuan: I¡¯m not really doing anything, what¡¯s up? [Private Chat] One Heart Returning: Then, would you help me level up? [Private Chat] Sanyue Qinghuan: Er, but I have to go out soon. I¡¯m sorry, Wu Hen, could we level up later tonight when I get back? Sanyue Qinghuan sounded very patient. Although Ying Ze felt a bit uncomfortable, he did not get angry. He even reminded her to be careful when going out. But that night, Ying Ze waited and waited but Sanyue Qinghuan never showed up. In the following days, every time he looked for Sanyue Qinghuan, she would respond quickly, speaking very kindly, but whenever he asked her to come over, she had all kinds of excuses. Ying Ze knew his level wasn¡¯t enough, but he could work on it. It wasn¡¯t long before Ying Ze suddenly received a screenshot from a friend. The Sanyue Qinghuan, who had said she had things to do offline, was fighting a boss with another player. [Announcement] Player [Top of the Tycoon List] lights up thousands of homes and is about to randomly drop Kongming Lanterns. Ying Ze watched the screen full of dropping Kongming Lanterns with a sullen expression. What had she told him in the beginning? Her parents were just ordinary company employees, and since they lived in the same neighborhood, which wasn¡¯t a fancy one, Ying Ze didn¡¯t think much of it. But could ordinary employees really have that much money? Ying Ze felt a sense of being cheated at the bottom of his heart. When she was with him, he never saw her spend any money. So why was she spending money so lavishly now? [World] A Single Cucumber: Bigshot 66666. [World] Top of the Leaderboard: Miss, are you burning money because you have too much of it? [World] Not for Sale at Any Price: I just saw the bigshot together with Jiang Liang, this is literally risking a crown in a fit of anger for a favored man! [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: Is that really how you use risking a crown in a fit of anger? [World] Not for Sale at Any Price: Don¡¯t sweat the details, you get what I mean. [World] Ruler of the World: Pretty boy. [World] Phantom Chasing the Wind: Jiang Liang, have you been taken care of by someone? [World] Jiang Liang: Pretty boy usually refers to a man with good looks, so I¡¯ll take that as you complimenting me. After all, you¡¯d never get called a pretty boy even if you wanted to. [World] Ruler of the World: I¡¯m not shameless like you. [World] Jiang Liang: Because you¡¯re faceless. [World] Ruler of the World: Jiang Liang, you just wait! ¡°` Chapter 353 - Chapter 353: Chapter 353: Glory From Below (30) Chapter 353: Chapter 353: Glory From Below (30) ¡°` Ying Ze angrily shut down the world. Did he regret it? He must have. When he was with Chu Xi initially, although she wasn¡¯t as good at sweet-talking as Sanyue Qinghuan, she always listened to him. Now, this person who should have been revolving around him was getting along famously with another man. But what use was regret now? What infuriated Ying Ze even more was that Sanyue Qinghuan was actually with another player. He had spent a lot of money to buy an account online. He specifically infiltrated the team that Sanyue Qinghuan had recently been frequenting. And then he saw the chat logs that made him feel like his head was swathed in green. That player seemed very wealthy, very generous, and particularly good to Sanyue Qinghuan. The player¡¯s friend directly called Sanyue Qinghuan ¡°sister-in-law.¡± Ying Ze just felt like his head was swathed in green. Ying Ze sought out Sanyue Qinghuan for a confrontation. Sanyue Qinghuan showed no embarrassment or discomfort at being caught, as she had already dissolved her partnership with Ying Ze¡¯s character, and who she was with was her freedom. [Private Chat] Curse: I was so good to you, and this is how you repay me? You were the one who seduced me first! [Private Chat] Sanyue Qinghuan: Wu Hen, do you have to be so unpleasant? [Private Chat] Curse: Am I wrong? Would I have left Chu Xi and been with you if it weren¡¯t for you? [Private Chat] Sanyue Qinghuan: Are you blaming me now? [Private Chat] Sanyue Qinghuan: You were the one who pursued me first, and now you¡¯re blaming me, Wu Hen, don¡¯t you have any sense of manhood? Ying Ze had only played a few games with Sanyue Qinghuan initially, and they didn¡¯t have much contact. But Sanyue Qinghuan would call him whenever she needed anything. Gradually, they had more interactions. Plus, Sanyue Qinghuan was good at talking and at acting cute. Later, Ying Ze saw Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s photo, which was the kind that was very tempting, which man wouldn¡¯t like her. Ying Ze and Sanyue Qinghuan broke off. Ying Ze, blinded by anger, spoke without thinking. Sanyue Qinghuan, feeling aggrieved, immediately turned to complain to her new lover. Ying Ze was ganged up on and whitewashed by that player and his friends. In a fit of rage, Ying Ze made the whole thing public in the world. [World] A Single Cucumber: I¡¯ve told you all before, this Sanyue Qinghuan is no good, you wouldn¡¯t believe me, haha. To the one who¡¯s taken over, watch out for the color of your hat. [World] Lemon: ¡­ [World] A Single Cucumber: What else? Sanyue Qinghuan cheated, and our great god Wu Hen is infuriated, mounting a crusade in the world. [World] Origin: Weren¡¯t Wu Hen and Sanyue Qinghuan true love? Calling him Wu Hen the great god now was somewhat sarcastic. But no matter what Ying Ze said in the world, there was no response from Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s side. Chuzheng was enjoying the drama but didn¡¯t expect Ying Ze to suddenly approach her. But since she didn¡¯t add him as a friend, he could only speak in the [Nearby] channel. [Nearby] Curse: Chu Xi, I want to apologize to you for that thing with your account last time. [Nearby] Curse: At that time, I asked Sanyue Qinghuan to help me with my account, I didn¡¯t expect she wouldn¡¯t log off, and when you asked me, I was afraid you¡¯d be angry, so I didn¡¯t tell you. [Nearby] Curse: Chu Xi, please forgive me. Chuzheng thought Ying Ze had come to say something to her. But he was just passing the buck. Sanyue Qinghuan wasn¡¯t wrong in saying one thing. Ying Ze had no sense of responsibility whatsoever. How could the original owner have been so blind? Chuzheng sent a powerful spell his way; Ying Ze¡¯s character, aside from having a high level, had shabby equipment that was quite pitiful. With Chuzheng¡¯s powerful spell, Ying Ze immediately went down. [Nearby] The Top Tycoon: If you¡¯re not doing well, it makes me feel better. A bastard deserves to be miserable. Otherwise, I can¡¯t be at peace. If one of us has to be miserable, I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re the one who¡¯ll have to suffer. After all, I won¡¯t allow myself to suffer. ¨C ¡°Do we really have to go out?¡± ¡°` Jiang Liang cradled himself, looking around. If he were a young animal, his fur would surely be standing on end right now. ¡°Um.¡± Chuzheng nodded seriously. ¡°But I¡­¡± As pedestrians approached, Jiang Liang instantly lowered his head, not daring to look at them. The passing pedestrians were a bit puzzled; he was wrapped up like a star on an outing. Once the pedestrians had passed by, Jiang Liang continued, ¡°I don¡¯t like being outside.¡± ¡°Do you like me?¡± Chuzheng asked bluntly, without any cushion. Jiang Liang was tongue-tied, and it took him a long while to weakly respond, ¡°Like¡­ like.¡± How could she ask so directly!! Chuzheng nodded, ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Jiang Liang couldn¡¯t make sense of the connection between the two. What did liking her have to do with being outside? ¡°Chu Xi.¡± A boy ran over from another building. ¡°Chu Xi, I have something to say¡­¡± Ying Ze¡¯s gaze suddenly fell on Jiang Liang, who was covered up too thoroughly; Ying Ze only saw a tuft of Jiang Liang¡¯s flaxen hair. His gaze moved down to the hands clasped between Chuzheng and Jiang Liang. Ying Ze¡¯s face turned unsightly at once. ¡°Chu Xi, who is he?!¡± Ying Ze¡¯s tone was accusatory. As if Chuzheng had betrayed him, done something to wrong him behind his back. Chuzheng, holding a somewhat nervous Jiang Liang, said, ¡°None of your business.¡± ¡°Is this why you treated me that way before? Because of him?¡± Ying Ze¡¯s eyes held certainty that slowly turned into the anger of knowing the truth. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Does this guy have a delusion disorder? What relation do I have with you! ¡°Chu Xi, I want you to explain clearly,¡± Ying Ze suddenly demanded, feeling justified. ¡°I¡¯ll explain clearly.¡± Chuzheng pulled Jiang Liang back and picked up a wooden stick that someone had left outside the building, quickly knocking the person unconscious. Violence was indeed the most convenient and quick solution. Jiang Liang watched with wide, azure eyes, astonished at the person falling to the ground. Chuzheng nonchalantly placed the stick back in its place. Turning to Jiang Liang, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Jiang Liang: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m a bit scared. Chuzheng would always clear the place when eating, and Jiang Liang had gotten quite used to such an environment. ¡°You don¡¯t need to spend so much money.¡± Every time it was like this, it must cost a lot. As long as he didn¡¯t have to talk to others, he could overcome it a bit. ¡°I like peace and quiet,¡± Chuzheng stated emotionlessly. ¡°But it¡¯s a waste of money.¡± Earning money isn¡¯t easy. ¡°I have money.¡± If I don¡¯t spend it, I¡¯d have to rewind the tape! That¡¯s different from her choosing to rewind herself. How could I rewind just because of this! Jiang Liang opened his lips, but after a long pause, he couldn¡¯t find any words to refute. ¡°You just take care of spending my money,¡± Chuzheng said, patting his head. ¡°Me?¡± Jiang Liang pointed at himself, ¡°Why should I¡­¡± Chuzheng asked sternly, ¡°Do you want to be my boyfriend?¡± Jiang Liang almost bit his tongue, ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Then do as I say.¡± A Good Person Card that doesn¡¯t spend money is no good! [¡­Miss, it¡¯s about you being a good person, not about making the Good Person Card be good.] He had the words ¡°good person,¡± didn¡¯t he? Was he not living up to those words? [¡­] Although what you say makes no sense, I can¡¯t find the words to argue at all. Is Miss a demon?! I want to exchange for the girl next door! Exchange now, immediately, right away! Chapter 354 - Chapter 354: Chapter 354: Glory From Below (31) Chapter 354: Chapter 354: Glory From Below (31) Ying Ze reached out to Chuzheng in private, but in the game, he was still causing trouble with Sanyue Qinghuan. Sanyue Qinghuan had cuckolded him, and Ying Ze felt he couldn¡¯t save face, naturally demanding an explanation. Instead, Sanyue Qinghuan put on a wronged expression. As if Ying Ze had wronged her. Ying Ze got cornered by Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s new love and their crew, and within a few days, Ying Ze had disappeared without a trace. Chuzheng hadn¡¯t seen Ying Ze since then either. [World] Sanyue Peach: I¡¯m super cute, are you sick or something, suddenly snatching our monster! [World] I Am A Wolf: What exactly did you do, super cute? [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: What do you mean I snatched your monster? I was there first, and you guys suddenly showed up, blaming the victim first! [World] Sanyue Peach: The BOSS was our kill, how could you just pick up the Linglong Needle? [World] A Smile Asks the Blue Sky: Wow? The drop rate for the Linglong Needle is so touching, you guys actually farmed it? [World] Sanyue Apricot: We grinded for several days to get that, I¡¯m Super Cute is shameless, just running over. [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: Nonsense, how can you guys twist the truth like this!! [World] Misty Forest: I¡¯m Super Cute, give me the Linglong Needle and I¡¯ll buy it from you. [World] A Single Cucumber: ¡­ [World] Summer Night¡¯s Little Fire: ¡­ This person was none other than. Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s new flame. Though not very high-leveled. But this player¡¯s spending was quite generous. [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: This is what I grinded so hard for, why should I give it to you! I¡¯m Super Cute insisted she had farmed it. The other side was claiming I¡¯m Super Cute had stolen their BOSS. [World] Misty Forest: I don¡¯t care who farmed it, just sell it to me now, and we¡¯re good. Misty Forest was showing off his wealth from the get-go. Chuzheng was just watching the drama. She caught wind on the world channel that Misty Forest was Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s new darling. Misty Forest didn¡¯t need the Linglong Needle for himself. It must be for Sanyue Qinghuan¡­ Chuzheng perked up immediately. This she could sabotage. Chuzheng rolled up her sleeves and started typing vigorously. [World] The Wealthiest: Two hundred thousand Gold Coins. [World] Origin: ¡­scared me half to death. [World] A Single Cucumber: Big shot, can¡¯t you turn off your bling? You¡¯re blinding me! [World] The Wealthiest: I like it. Bastard said never to miss a chance to waste money! [World] The Wealthiest: Two hundred thousand, you selling? [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: Yes, I¡¯m selling! Two hundred thousand! The Linglong Needle wasn¡¯t worth that much money. I¡¯m Super Cute wasn¡¯t stupid, of course, she would sell. [World] Misty Forest: You dare to compete with me for something I¡¯ve set my eyes on? [World] The Wealthiest: Offer a higher price then. Chuzheng sincerely gave him advice. [World] Misty Forest: ¡­ [World] Misty Forest: Two hundred and fifty thousand! [World] The Wealthiest: Three hundred thousand. [World] Misty Forest: Are you sick or what? Is this broken needle even worth that much? [World] The Wealthiest: Not sick, just rich. [World] Misty Forest: ¡­ Misty Forest hadn¡¯t been playing this game for very long. He was used to spending a bit of money in games and having a crowd of players come over to please him. But in this game, he always felt something was off. The players on this server seemed very calm towards RMB (cash) gamers. [World] Misty Forest: Three hundred and ten thousand. Misty Forest felt he was being looked down upon; the money was nothing to him. [World] The Wealthiest: Four hundred thousand. [World] I¡¯m Super Cute: Big¡­ big shot, there¡¯s no need for this, right? It¡¯s just a Linglong Needle. Although it¡¯s a bit hard to obtain, it¡¯s not really that valuable. She felt a bit scared. [World] Misty Forest: Four hundred and fifty thousand! [World] Leader of the Divine Tycoons: Five hundred thousand. The messages from I¡¯m Super Cute were directly filtered out by the two of them. No one else in the world was chatting idly anymore, it was just the two of them. The price of a single Linglong Needle kept soaring. It had already surpassed the price of some Divine Artifacts in the game, which shocked all the players. Could the Linglong Needle have some hidden properties? However, some players dug out the official information. There was no hidden property to the Linglong Needle. [World] Misty Forest: Seven hundred and fifty thousand! Chuzheng didn¡¯t continue bidding, but instead, privately messaged I¡¯m Super Cute. [Private] Leader of the Divine Tycoons: Sell it to him. [Private] I¡¯m Super Cute: Big¡­ Big boss, I don¡¯t dare. The big boss is trapping Misty Forest. [Private] Leader of the Divine Tycoons: What are you afraid of, can he eat you? [Private] I¡¯m Super Cute: ¡­ With that much money, she¡¯d be crazy to take it! Chuzheng backed I¡¯m Super Cute, telling her to trade the Linglong Needle valued at seven hundred and fifty thousand to Misty Forest. [World] Misty Forest: You¡¯re scamming me! Misty Forest realized what was happening. [World] Leader of the Divine Tycoons: What does it have to do with me if your bid is higher. [World] Misty Forest: You¡­ [World] Leader of the Divine Tycoons: If anyone grinds Linglong Needles, come to me, I will buy them for two hundred thousand. [World] Misty Forest: ¡­ Once Chuzheng made that announcement, the players still marveling over Misty Forest spending seven hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins on the Linglong Needle boiled over. A single Linglong Needle for two hundred thousand Gold Coins, what if there were ten¡­ wouldn¡¯t that be two million? You¡¯re the tycoon, after all. The players¡¯ interest in grinding for Linglong Needles soared. So Chuzheng almost hoarded all the Linglong Needles in the game, which nearly pushed Misty Forest to challenge Chuzheng to a duel. [Private] Jiang Liang: What am I supposed to do with this? I¡¯m not an apothecary, it¡¯s useless to me. Jiang Liang hadn¡¯t logged in that day, so when he received Linglong Needle xN, he was completely stunned. [Private] Leader of the Divine Tycoons: Oh. [Private] Leader of the Divine Tycoons: Then just keep it for fun. [Private] Jiang Liang: ¡­ [Private] Leader of the Divine Tycoons: Come to Evil Dragon Valley. [Private] Jiang Liang: Okay. [Private] Jiang Liang: How about we get married. [Private] Leader of the Divine Tycoons: Can¡¯t do it. [Private] Jiang Liang: ?? Looking at those three words, Jiang Liang felt confused and disappointed at the same time. [Private] Leader of the Divine Tycoons: The Civil Affairs Bureau¡¯s marriage age regulations aren¡¯t met. But if you really want a Good Person Card, she could think of a way. Breaking her back over a Good Person Card. So annoying. [Private] Jiang Liang: ¡­ Fireworks were going off in Jiang Liang¡¯s mind. Momma mia! Just let me die. How could she always surprise him like this? Jiang Liang got excited by himself for a moment, then slowly calmed down. [Private] Jiang Liang: I mean¡­ in the game, so I can use the couple¡¯s teleport skill when I¡¯m looking for you. [Private] Leader of the Divine Tycoons: It¡¯s troublesome. Jiang Liang had already arrived at Evil Dragon Valley, making his way towards Chuzheng. On the computer screen, there was a message from Chuzheng. [Private] Jiang Liang: Don¡¯t you want to marry me in the game? [Private] Leader of the Divine Tycoons: What¡¯s the point? Get married in the game, change the account, and you¡¯re single again, right? It¡¯s useless. Chapter 355 - Chapter 355: Chapter 355: Glory From Below (32) Chapter 355: Chapter 355: Glory From Below (32) [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: ¡­ Even though it was the game world and not like the real one, he still found it a bit hard to continue. She¡¯s not responding as one would expect! What was he supposed to say? [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: What are you doing here? Jiang Liang changed the subject. [Private Chat]Number One Tycoon: Watching. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: Watching what? Jiang Liang looked around with the map open, everything seemed the same as before. It was still the same old Evil Dragon Valley. Jiang Liang remembered their previous encounter. She had stood at a distance, just watching him being attacked by others. He had thought she wouldn¡¯t do anything, but to his surprise, she suddenly came over and threw down some items. While Jiang Liang was reminiscing, the surrounding light suddenly dimmed. The entire map entered nighttime. The light gradually faded away. In Evil Dragon Valley, stars began to twinkle, and gentle moonlight sprinkled down, causing the tiny grasses on the map to emit soft points of light. Although Evil Dragon Valley had a somewhat fierce name, the scenery here was actually quite beautiful. The game had both day and night modes. But almost no player had ever witnessed the scene of the map switching from day to night. Jiang Liang felt as if he was pulled into that world, standing under the sky where stars began to emerge, with everything around him becoming soft and mellow. As if only he and she were left. [Announcement]Congratulations to player [Number One Tycoon] for obtaining the [Stacking Gold and Jade] achievement. Jiang Liang was startled awake by the sudden announcement. It was only then that Jiang Liang realized that this wasn¡¯t the day-to-night transition of the map but an item being used. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: Do you have a lot of money? [Private Chat]Number One Tycoon: Yeah, a bit. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: ¡­ He¡¯s a guy! He should be the one spending money. Why does she always like to spend money? This wasn¡¯t the same as his understanding of her! Yet, Jiang Liang didn¡¯t feel at the bottom of his heart that this was wrong¡­ Jiang Liang rubbed his face. How could he accept this so naturally? [Private Chat]Number One Tycoon: What do you like? [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: You. [Private Chat]Number One Tycoon: Pick something else. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: Can¡¯t I like you? [Private Chat]Number One Tycoon: Anything but me. [Private Chat]Jiang Liang: Nothing else. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s the use of having you! I can¡¯t even waste money on you. ¨C Every day, Chuzheng would take Jiang Liang on a spending spree in the game. This item is great! Buy it for the Good Person Card. This weapon is not bad. Throw it to the Good Person Card to play with. This outfit is pretty. Have the Good Person Card wear it. Everyone in the game knew that Chuzheng was keeping Jiang Liang. The players Jiang Liang had previously offended all came out, mockingly confronting him on the world channel. The end result was Chuzheng paying to have them killed. Misty Forest sought out Chuzheng twice and was intimidated by Chuzheng¡¯s money-throwing tactics, not to be seen afterwards. Sanyue Qinghuan, who was on the hot seat, dared not show her face, quietly behaving herself. At that moment, a post suddenly exploded onto the forum. #Revisiting The Boyfriends of Sanyue Qinghuan Over The Years# The post listed all the alt accounts Sanyue Qinghuan had used and the players she had flirted with using those alts. Not just that, the post also revealed that Sanyue Qinghuan, even in real life, was someone who snatched others¡¯ boyfriends. The forum users were all shocked. 12th Floor: OMG! 16th Floor: Sanyue Qinghuan is really something, huh? I used to think she was pretty. 27th Floor: Such a bold move. Does she specialize in homewrecking? 39th Floor: All the players she flirted with are rich big shots. Is she after their money? 48th Floor: Is this rejecting people not only in the game but in real life too? 50th Floor: Although I really disdain people like Sanyue Qinghuan, isn¡¯t it a bit too much to leak someone¡¯s real-life information? 53rd Floor¡­ Chuzheng looked at the forum posts, feeling a bit bewildered. Who is that! She was familiar with the ID of the post. Selling Melons Granny. The player who had always been at odds with Sanyue Qinghuan. Previously, it was only mocking and ridiculing on the world channel. Who knew she was holding back such a big move¡­ But what does this have to do with stealing my spotlight? Chuzheng returned to the game. There wasn¡¯t any discussion about this matter in the world chat, but the nearby channels were hotly debating it. As for Misty Forest, this new interest, Chuzheng wasn¡¯t sure how she would react to such a post. But the next day, she heard that Misty Forest had broken things off with Sanyue Qinghuan. She thought she was a pure and flawless goddess, but it turned out she was an old driver who had changed boyfriends more times than one could count. Chuzheng thought this would be the end of it. Sanyue Qinghuan wouldn¡¯t play games anymore. Little did she know that she had underestimated this beauty. She actually switched to a new account. But that¡¯s not the point. The point is, Ying Ze also switched to a new account, and it was a top-level account bought at a high price, with the highest level and equipment. Ying Ze intentionally pretended to be very rich and lured Sanyue Qinghuan. Sure enough, Sanyue Qinghuan took the bait. The two flirted for a while and quickly set a time to meet offline. When they met, Sanyue Qinghuan found out it was Ying Ze. Do you think Ying Ze would just slap her face and leave? Then you¡¯d be wrong. For some reason, when Sanyue Qinghuan realized it was him and wanted to leave, Ying Ze actually coaxed and harassed her into going to dinner with him. Sanyue Qinghuan was drugged by Ying Ze and taken to a hotel. You don¡¯t need to hear the rest to know what happened. Now Sanyue Qinghuan is suing Ying Ze for rape. ¡°Isn¡¯t this hilarious,¡± Xia Mufan said with a face full of emotion, ¡°Such a big issue has come up; Yu Wuheng has been sued for rape by Sanyue Qinghuan.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°Where did you get this news?¡± ¡°Hehe, Murong Gousheng¡¯s family owns a law firm, he heard about this case when he went to see his dad,¡± Xia Mufan said. Xia Mufan¡¯s eyes swept around, and seeing that Jiang Liang had gone to the bedroom, he immediately asked in a soft voice, ¡°Little sister, how far have you and Jiang Liang gone?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Xia Mufan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Your relationship.¡± What else could it be? Since Jiang Liang had been with her, there had been quite a few changes. Of course, there wasn¡¯t much progress in terms of communication. Chuzheng thought about it and seriously responded, ¡°We¡¯ve slept together.¡± ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Xia Mufan spat out all his water. Chuzheng dodged nimbly, her gaze cold as she looked at him. ¡°Sorry, sorry.¡± Xia Mufan hurriedly apologized. Xia Mufan scrambled to clean up, his peripheral vision skimming Chuzheng¡¯s icy demeanor. Things moved so fast? Is his kid not at a disadvantage? So when Chuzheng was not paying attention, Xia Mufan pulled Jiang Liang aside and quietly asked. ¡°You slept with little sister?¡± Xia Mufan asked with a father¡¯s heartache, ¡°Didn¡¯t I remind you not to rush things? What if she only likes you for your looks?¡± Jiang Liang was confused. ¡°I¡­ did not.¡± Xia Mufan: ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Liang: ¡°¡­¡± Xia Mufan swallowed hard. ¡°Jiang Liang, maybe you should change who you like? I feel like¡­ she¡¯s not reliable.¡± Jiang Liang pushed him away. ¡°No, I like her just the way she is.¡± Xia Mufan: ¡°¡­¡± Who can understand the heartache of this old father? * King¡¯s Account: I can understand the heartache of an old father. Little Fairy: You should still think about how to get me tickets! King¡¯s Account: I can¡¯t do that. Little Fairy: There¡¯s nothing that squandering money can¡¯t solve. King¡¯s Account: I really can¡¯t do it. Chuzheng: Hm? King¡¯s Account: ¡­I¡­ I¡¯ll try. Dear Little Cuties, why not cast a vote? You could have a King¡¯s Account~ Chapter 356 - Chapter 356: Chapter 356: Glory From Below (33) Chapter 356: Chapter 356: Glory From Below (33) Chuzheng felt that Xia Mufan¡¯s gaze towards her was a bit strange, but every time she looked his way, Xia Mufan acted as if nothing had happened. He always pulled Jiang Liang aside to whisper, not knowing what they were talking about. After surreptitiously observing for a few days and noticing nothing unusual with Jiang Liang, Chuzheng finally relaxed. If Xia Mufan dared to corrupt her Good Person Card, she would kill him! Ding¡ª Chuzheng took out her phone. The hacker Mr. who hadn¡¯t contacted her for a long time, had sent her something about Huo Xuyang. Huo Xuyang seemed genuinely clean. But after the hacker¡¯s relentless surveillance, he finally discovered a laptop that Huo Xuyang seldom used. This laptop wasn¡¯t at Huo Xuyang¡¯s home either. There were several websites in the notebook, all related to psychological crimes. And a forum. According to the hacker¡¯s findings, this forum was a gathering of perverts discussing how to kill people. Huo Xuyang logging into such websites¡­ ¡°Is Huo Xuyang that person?¡± Chuzheng asked the King¡¯s Account. [¡­Sister, you already think he is, why bother asking me now.] ¡°Just to confirm.¡± She felt it might not be certain, but if Bastard said so, then it definitely was. [Sister, I can¡¯t tell you¡­] ¡°Then, let¡¯s just corrupt the Good Person Card. I¡¯ll send him off to Huo Xuyang right away.¡± [!!!] The King¡¯s Account was shocked. This is your Good Person Card? You like him, don¡¯t you? How can you say something so utterly heartless and cruel!! [Sister¡­ you like him, right?] ¡°Yep.¡± Chuzheng did not deny it, admitting proudly: ¡°I¡¯ll send him to Huo Xuyang. When he¡¯s helpless and pitiable, I¡¯ll appear, and won¡¯t he think I¡¯m a good person then?¡± [¡­] Does your family know you are so heartless and cruel! [¡­It¡¯s Huo Xuyang.] The King¡¯s Account had no doubt: if it didn¡¯t tell her, she would really do something like that. ¡°We can still work together happily.¡± [¡­]No, we can¡¯t! The King¡¯s Account felt Chuzheng was harboring bad intentions. But it didn¡¯t notice anything wrong with her, she seemed very normal. Every day, she played games, teased the Good Person Card, occasionally blocked it, but not for long, and it didn¡¯t know what she was doing. Until¡ª A month later, the King¡¯s Account suddenly discovered that Huo Xuyang had been arrested. The charges were a bit much¡ªembezzlement of public funds, illegal possession of drugs¡­ [Sister, don¡¯t tell me you framed him?] ¡°What does it have to do with me?¡± The innocence in Chuzheng¡¯s tone almost convinced the King¡¯s Account. But this person had a history!! Believing her would be foolish! [Isn¡¯t this inappropriate?] The King¡¯s Account¡¯s voice was timid. ¡°What about me?¡± Chuzheng said assertively: ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± [Sister, don¡¯t I know you well enough? Let¡¯s be frank, was it you who did it to Huo Xuyang?] ¡°What if it was.¡± [Is that a good thing?] Chuzheng was dead serious: ¡°Isn¡¯t he the one who wanted to corrupt the Good Person Card?¡± [¡­Yes.] ¡°Isn¡¯t he the one who would have made the Good Person Card do bad things?¡± [¡­Yes.] ¡°Is he bad?¡± [¡­Yes.] ¡°So how is it inappropriate?¡± Chuzheng said confidently: ¡°Am I not being a good person? I didn¡¯t even kill him. I have improved.¡± I¡¯m trying to be a good person every day! I¡¯m so amazing. [¡­]The King¡¯s Account was so angry it was nearly explosive. That¡¯s not how you be a good person!! And you¡¯re praising yourself too! Is there anyone else like you!? When Huo Xuyang was arrested, he was completely bewildered. It was later that Chuzheng tipped off the police. Huo Xuyang was up to much more than just this. According to the police investigation, Huo Xuyang used psychology and hypnosis to turn people with the potential to become criminals into actual criminals. Jiang Liang wasn¡¯t his first target. According to his own records, there had already been several people before. But Huo Xuyang didn¡¯t admit to anything; whether he could be made to confess was now a matter for the police. Jiang Liang had no idea about Huo Xuyang¡¯s affairs. He was still figuring out how to make Chuzheng marry him in the game. Chuzheng felt it was a waste of time and useless, rejecting him outright with no room for easing up. ¡°Why won¡¯t you marry me in the game?¡± Jiang Liang sat on the floor, the laptop on the coffee table, as he lay on the edge, looking sideways at the person sitting on the sofa. The girl had one leg bent, resting her finger on her knee, even a casual seating position exuded coolness. ¡°It¡¯s pointless,¡± Chuzheng replied. She had learned about the marriage process in the game, which required building intimacy. This intimacy was a bit troublesome, involving various tasks, and Chuzheng gave up after looking into it. Jiang Liang rested his chin in his hands, staring at the character in the game. How could it be pointless? If it were pointless, why would the game company create it? Jiang Liang¡¯s wrist was grabbed, and he was pulled onto the sofa, falling into Chuzheng¡¯s arms. Chuzheng pinched his chin and kissed him while Jiang Liang was still bewildered. ¡°Is this what you really want?¡± Chuzheng asked him. Jiang Liang mumbled an affirmative. He always felt she was too cold, as if having no connection to this world; he wanted to find something that could somewhat bind her. Maybe it was to give himself some sense of security. She was like an ephemeral dream to him, and he feared that when he woke up, she would be gone. Chuzheng laid Jiang Liang on the sofa and kissed him gently. Jiang Liang found his wrists and legs firmly pinned by Chuzheng, incapable of getting free, with slight ripples appearing in his deep blue eyes. Like the surface of a calm lake stroked by a light breeze. Jiang Liang suddenly felt a chill; his rational mind started to return as he looked at the person on top of him. No¡­ this isn¡¯t right. He wanted to marry her in the game, not to do¡­ this! ¡°You¡­ hmm¡­¡± Jiang Liang¡¯s words were stifled by Chuzheng¡¯s kiss, and like stars scattered in the cosmos, his regathering rationality dispersed again, floating aimlessly. ¨C Jiang Liang turned over, and his body suddenly became weightless as he fell to the floor. He sat up somewhat bewildered, resting on the sofa with his eyes still unopened; it took a while before the sleepiness began to fade. Jiang Liang belatedly realized something was amiss. His murky thoughts grew clearer. Flashes of images crossed his mind, and his cheeks instantly flamed with color. Click¡­ Jiang Liang heard a noise from the door and immediately scrambled onto the sofa, wrapping himself in a blanket. Chuzheng, carrying things, entered from outside and glanced at him, her tone neutral: ¡°Awake.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah,¡± Jiang Liang nodded slightly, not daring to look at her. ¡°Your clothes are on the side,¡± Chuzheng reminded him. Jiang Liang looked beside him and saw his neatly folded clothes, complete from outerwear to underwear. Jiang Liang sat without moving, his face burning even hotter. How could she act as if nothing had happened? Jiang Liang wondered blankly. * The above story is purely a fabrication; please don¡¯t take it seriously. The author rambles on every day (¡Ñx¡Ñ;) Chapter 357 - Chapter 357: Chapter 357: Glory From Below (34) Chapter 357: Chapter 357: Glory From Below (34) Chuzheng put down her things and came over, pulling a shirt over his head, taking the opportunity to grab his hair twice. When it was time to put on pants, Jiang Liang finally moved and wouldn¡¯t let Chuzheng help him. He hastily pulled on his pants. Suddenly, two red items appeared in front of him. Chuzheng handed them to him, casually stroking his head, ¡°Don¡¯t argue anymore in the future.¡± Always arguing means you¡¯re not being good. Jiang Liang: ¡°¡­¡± Marriage certificates! ¡°Is this fake?¡± Jiang Liang blurted out. Chuzheng glanced at him, ¡°It¡¯s real.¡± Am I the kind of person who would use a fake to fool someone with a Good Person Card? ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Liang took a moment to find his voice again, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t I need to go?¡± Chuzheng, the domineering CEO: ¡°You don¡¯t need to.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Why don¡¯t I need to go?!! Jiang Liang flipped open the marriage certificate; he was unfamiliar with the photo on it. When had he ever taken such a photo with her? Had he really married her just like that? Jiang Liang felt a surge of warmth in his heart, as if there was a stream of heat flowing through him, reaching every limb. After the joy, Jiang Liang calmed down slightly. Something isn¡¯t right¡­ He had clearly told her before it was just a game. But this was much better than the game. Jiang Liang lay on the couch and snapped a photo to send to Xia Mufan. Xia Mufan, who had been playing games all night, was startled awake by the picture Jiang Liang sent and shakily typed a reply. ¡ªDid you photoshop this? ¡ªIt¡¯s real. ¡ªLet me take a moment. He had just gone to sleep. How did his boy get hitched to someone else the moment he woke up?! ¨C ¡°We¡¯re not telling Uncle and Auntie?¡± Jiang Liang followed Chuzheng around, visibly nervous and uneasy. ¡°If you want to tell them, then tell them.¡± ¡°¡­ They are your parents.¡± Jiang Liang had never seen his own parents and didn¡¯t know what it felt like to have a mom and dad. But the thought of interacting with someone other than Chuzheng made him somewhat afraid. Especially if that person was her parents. He was afraid of not making a good impression and them not liking him. ¡°Yeah.¡± Chuzheng said indifferently, ¡°If you want to tell them I¡¯ll speak to them, if you don¡¯t want to, then I won¡¯t.¡± It would save trouble anyway. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll tell them when I¡¯m ready,¡± Jiang Liang felt that Chuzheng was considering his feelings. She¡¯s so kind. Jiang Liang suddenly joked, ¡°Does this count as me marrying into a wealthy family?¡± Chuzheng looked at him strangely, ¡°You want to marry into a wealthy family?¡± Jiang Liang blinked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you one?¡± Chuzheng shook her head, ¡°Not at the moment.¡± I¡¯m just rich, it has nothing to do with being a wealthy family. ¡°¡­¡± Her level of wasting money, and she¡¯s not from a wealthy family? Jiang Liang felt that his own secret stash would be under a lot of pressure in the future. But if he worked hard, perhaps¡­ might¡­ possibly¡­ Jiang Liang scurried back to the bedroom, took out his card, then scurried back out, laying them all out in front of Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°!!¡± What are you doing! ¡°For you.¡± The boy¡¯s face wore an obedient smile. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Has the Good Person Card gone crazy? I asked you to help me spend money, now why are you giving me your cards! ¡°Jiang Liang.¡± Chuzheng called him, Jiang Liang carefully moved closer to Chuzheng, she hugged him into her arms, ¡°You don¡¯t have to give me money, you know?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Chuzheng kissed him without warning. After that, Chuzheng stroked his head, ¡°Good boy.¡± Jiang Liang: ¡°¡­¡± But aren¡¯t boys supposed to provide for their family? Jiang Liang¡¯s card wasn¡¯t given away in the end, but instead, Chuzheng stuffed a card into his hand. Jiang Liang later sneaked a peek at the balance on the card, and it scared him so much that he stuffed all his own cards into the bottom of a cupboard and weighed them down with a few books on top. It was too embarrassing. Jiang Liang felt that Chuzheng was very rich, but she didn¡¯t seem to come from that kind of wealthy, influential family. It didn¡¯t pressure him. So Jiang Liang didn¡¯t have conflicts like those seen on TV, due to different mindsets. ¨C Chuzheng was extremely pleased with Jiang Liang; he never thought about going out, so she didn¡¯t have to figure out how to keep him inside. But since the day Jiang Liang had asked to get ready to meet her parents, Jiang Liang had started thinking about going out¡­ ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chuzheng watched as Jiang Liang got dressed and put on a mask and glasses. Was he planning to run away?! When Jiang Liang glanced sideways and saw the person standing by the door, he suddenly became nervous: ¡°I¡­ I have an appointment with a psychologist.¡± He thought she had been asleep¡­ ¡°Psychologist?¡± Chuzheng pulled him back: ¡°What psychologist are you seeing?¡± Jiang Liang¡¯s beautiful blue eyes blinked lightly: ¡°I want to get better.¡± ¡°You¡¯re fine,¡± Chuzheng said with a stiff face. Jiang Liang froze for a moment, his speech suddenly stumbling: ¡°I want to get better, to be like normal people.¡± He had seen quite a few psychologists before, trying to get treatment. But it wasn¡¯t long before he gave up. Yet after a while, he would start looking for a new psychologist again. It was a cycle. ¡°You¡¯re fine,¡± Chuzheng emphasized. Was he really okay? Jiang Liang didn¡¯t feel good at all. But she said he was fine¡­ Jiang Liang¡¯s heartbeat sped up: ¡°Do you¡­ really think I¡¯m fine?¡± No one thought he was fine. Xia Mufan thought he was not okay the way he was, always wanting him to interact with more people and not be alone all the time, saying that such seclusion would ruin him. ¡°Mm,¡± Chuzheng nodded. The Good Person Card is of course good. It has to be good even if it¡¯s not. ¡°But I still want to go,¡± Jiang Liang said weakly. He really wanted to be like a normal person, to walk with her, and not be like that every time they went out. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng was silent for a few seconds before she went to change her clothes: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°You¡¯re coming with me?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Otherwise, what if you run into a weirdo when you¡¯re out! A smile appeared on Jiang Liang¡¯s face: ¡°You¡¯re really nice.¡± Chuzheng cast him a complicated look, reached out and stroked his hair a couple of times, the soft strands somewhat improving her mood. Even though the Good Person Card is duplicitous, since his hair is soft, I¡¯ll forgive him. Chuzheng felt both magnanimous and kind-hearted. [¡­]Miss, what exactly do you see yourself as! ¨C Perhaps because he was accompanied by Chuzheng, Jiang Liang found this therapy session much more relaxed. The psychologist said that Jiang Liang¡¯s situation was quite serious and needed to be addressed slowly. The doctor warned that if Jiang Liang kept going like this, it was very likely more conditions would emerge. Chuzheng was truly worried about Jiang Liang¡¯s health. No matter how unwilling she felt deep down, she would still take him for treatment on a regular schedule and supervise him to complete the tasks set by the doctor. ¡°There¡¯s a castle battle today. Are you logging in to the game?¡± Jiang Liang, clutching his laptop, ran over to Chuzheng, asking like a child with a question. Chuzheng thought of the terror of being dominated by the last castle battle. She decisively shook her head. No! Not logging in! ¡°Then I¡¯ll log in¡­¡± Jiang Liang said softly. ¡°Mm.¡± Jiang Liang, holding his laptop, wanted to return to his room but was pulled back by Chuzheng: ¡°Just stay here.¡± Jiang Liang was pulled onto the couch by Chuzheng, who wrapped her arms around him from behind. Jiang Liang pursed his lips and turned to kiss her on the face. Then he opened his laptop and logged into the game. Chuzheng rested her chin on his shoulder, boredly watching him play. Truly bored, Chuzheng began kissing him. Jiang Liang¡¯s focus was disrupted: ¡°Died¡­ died, stop kissing me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you like me kissing you?¡± ¡°¡­I¡­ like it.¡± Jiang Liang¡¯s ears reddened, and he was as docile as a Little White Rabbit: ¡°But I¡¯m playing a game.¡± ¡°You play your game.¡± ¡°¡­¡± How am I supposed to play with you like this!! Chapter 358 - Chapter 358: Chapter 358: Glory From Below (Finale) Chapter 358: Chapter 358: Glory From Below (Finale) [Private Chat] Number One Brother: Jiang Liang, I still find her a bit odd. You should be more careful, okay? [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Do you have a problem with me? Xia Mufan suddenly saw this message and inexplicably felt that it wasn¡¯t sent by Jiang Liang. He didn¡¯t know why; he just felt that way. [Private Chat] Number One Brother: Little sister? [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: What¡¯s so strange about me? Xia Mufan took a deep breath. Jiang Liang doesn¡¯t interact with people much, and Xia Mufan was always worried that he might be deceived. His kid is so good-looking after all¡­ But as he was about to speak ill of someone and got caught red-handed, his hands were even trembling as he typed. [Private Chat] Number One Brother: ¡­Wealthy. Xia Mufan had checked; her family could be considered well-off, but they were far from being wealthy. Where did she get the money from? [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Is it my fault for being wealthy? [Private Chat] Number One Brother: No¡­ [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: So what¡¯s strange about me? [Private Chat] Number One Brother: ¡­ [Private Chat] Number One Brother: I¡¯m just worried about Jiang Liang, not targeting you. If he is doing well, naturally I¡¯m happy. Xia Mufan truly wished the best for Jiang Liang. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Is he stupid? [Private Chat] Number One Brother: No. Jiang Liang is very smart. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: Has he ever been deceived? Xia Mufan thought for a moment and realized that he hadn¡¯t. [Private Chat] Number One Brother: No. [Private Chat] Jiang Liang: If that is the case, why do you think he will be deceived? Or do you just have a problem with me? [Private Chat] Number One Brother: ¡­ Xia Mufan felt that Chuzheng¡¯s logic was impeccable. Chuzheng blocked Number One Brother, clutching her Good Person Card, and asked him, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m deceiving you?¡± ¡°No¡­ not at all.¡± Jiang Liang shook his head. Chuzheng¡¯s tone carried a hint of coldness, ¡°What are you hesitating about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, I¡¯m just used to speaking like that,¡± the boy explained anxiously. ¡°Good boy.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s claws reached out to Jiang Liang¡¯s head, happily pulling at it for a while. The soft and fluffy Good Person Card, truly wonderful. Jiang Liang breathed a slight sigh of relief. ¨C Ying Ze and Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s lawsuit fell through as Sanyue Qinghuan withdrew the case. According to Xia Mufan¡¯s information, it seemed that Sanyue Qinghuan was pregnant, and both Ying Ze¡¯s and Sanyue Qinghuan¡¯s parents were aware of this; now the two were going to get married. It was said that Ying Ze¡¯s family paid several hundred thousand to get the marriage settled. Chuzheng, fearing a run-in with the two, moved with Jiang Liang. After Ying Ze and Sanyue Qinghuan got married, they didn¡¯t have a great time together. Both of them liked playing games and didn¡¯t hold proper jobs; eventually, they wholly relied on Sanyue Qinghuan deceiving men in the game to sustain their lives. Rumor has it that later on, Ying Ze had an affair, and the two of them had a major fight, making it known throughout the entire neighborhood. Of course, this was a story for another day. ¨C On Jiang Liang¡¯s birthday, Chuzheng gave him a set of Light Divine Art, something no one else in the entire server, or perhaps the entire game, owned. Jiang Liang was now the only player who possessed the Light Divine Art. [World] A Single Cucumber: I want to say, is this top spender Number One a shill for the game? [World] Yuan Dian: You¡¯re not the first person to have doubts. [World] A Single Cucumber: Which GM is here? I wonder, does your game company still need shills like this? [System] 222: Our company does not have any shills. Please rest assured, players, the top spender on the Rich List is a real player. [World] A Dog¡¯s Tail Can Be a Flower Too: I don¡¯t believe the top spender on the Rich List isn¡¯t a shill. Which real player plays like that? [World] I Am a Wolf: Maybe someone just has too much money and nowhere to spend it? [World] I Am So Godly!: If you¡¯re that rich, why play games at all? [World] A Single Cucumber: If you¡¯re rich and you don¡¯t play games, what do you do, work? [World] Number One on the Popularity List: That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. Why can¡¯t rich people play games? Does the game discriminate against wealthy players? [World] The Melon Seller Grandma: Number One Brother, Jiang Liang got snatched away by a big shot, aren¡¯t you heartbroken? [World] Number One on the Popularity List: You can¡¯t control a grown child. Sigh. [World] Top Spender on the Rich List: What did you say? [World] Number One on the Popularity List: A child can¡¯t control their parent. Number One on the Popularity List can bend and stretch. [World] I Am Super Cute: Hahaha, Number One Brother, you¡¯ve changed. [World] A Single Cucumber: It¡¯s not Number One Brother that has changed, it¡¯s that calamity Jiang Liang. He¡¯s actually busy dating and not causing trouble for players. [World] I Am Super Cute: In the word ¡®big shot,¡¯ I see favoritism! Jiang Liang is truly the one being kept. Big shot, are you still looking for someone to warm your bed? I¡¯m available!! [World] Top Spender on the Rich List: Not needed. It wasn¡¯t the first time that Chuzheng had been accused of being a shill in the game, and usually, it just led to discussions and that was that. But ever since Chuzheng gave Jiang Liang the Light Divine Art, some players discovered that the Light Divine Art had been monopolized. Chuzheng had me as a minor account constantly monopolizing the production materials for the Light Divine Art in the game, forbidding anyone else from making it. Of course, she spent money, and others sold the materials to her, which was generally unproblematic. But this hindered some wealthy players. Chuzheng was reported to customer service. They claimed she was disrupting the game balance. If the officials didn¡¯t resolve it, she would be deemed a shill. The game¡¯s customer service found themselves in a tough spot. This wasn¡¯t a shill¡­ She was an ancestor. [System] 222: Boss, the Light Divine Art is indeed great, but it¡¯s still not the best item in the game, why are you monopolizing it?! [System] Top Spender on the Rich List: I have money. [System] 222: ¡­ [System] Top Spender on the Rich List: I didn¡¯t ask you to cheat, so why do you care how I play? [System] 222: ¡­ So you wanted us to cheat for you before? Officials couldn¡¯t handle Chuzheng, and without a convincing explanation for the players, complaints rose. [World] Moron Hotline: Is this even playable anymore? Who does this top spender think they are? Even if they¡¯re not a shill, is this really okay? The game experience is terrible! [World] Oil Bottle: I also want to say, the Light Divine Art has been out for so long, but now only that calamity Jiang Liang has it, what is the gaming company thinking?! [World] Riding a Turtle Chasing Rabbits: Continue like this and your game will go bankrupt sooner or later! [World] A Single Cucumber: The big shot is trending again. [World] Top Spender on the Rich List: Whether the game goes bankrupt or not is my business. You can play if you like, or not. [World] ¡­ The world fell silent for almost a minute. [World] The Melon Seller Grandma: That¡¯s a lot to take in¡­ if we break this sentence down¡­ does the game company belong to Chu Xi? That set the world off. [World] Top Spender on the Rich List: Jiang Liang is mine. If I see anyone else speaking ill of him, you don¡¯t need to play this game. Chuzheng¡¯s words hung long at the top in bold, gold letters. If someone looked closely, they would see a line of small print below the description of Light Divine Art: With the blessing of the God of Light, you are truly unique. Chapter 359 - Chapter 359: Chapter 359 Heavenly Fortune (1) Chapter 359: Chapter 359 Heavenly Fortune (1) The night was as dark as ink, the pure moon hung high, its light frosty as it scattered among the mountains and forests. The wind on the mountaintop blew fiercely, the rustling leaves casting sinister, jagged shadows on the ground. Rustle rustle rustle¡ª Among the shadows, a dark figure writhed, causing a louder rustling of the leaves on the ground. Chuzheng sat up from the fallen leaves, reaching behind her. Her hand touched a warm, sticky liquid. Chuzheng lifted it to her face, calmly examining it in the moonlight. Blood! Which bastard cut open my back! Doesn¡¯t it hurt?! Chuzheng couldn¡¯t see the condition of her back, but she could feel the blood continuously flowing. If this continued, she would die from excessive blood loss. Chuzheng searched her body but didn¡¯t find anything like a phone. Chuzheng propped herself up, feeling dizzy. The night wind carried the scent of blood into the distance, where there seemed to be the howling of wolves. Her clothes soaked in blood and clinging to her body with the wind, making her even more uncomfortable. If I find out who did this to me, they¡¯ll regret it! ¨C ¡°Hurry, this patient needs emergency care!¡± ¡°Doctor, doctor¡­¡± ¡°Family members, please step back.¡± ¡°Stretcher, bring the stretcher here!¡± The hospital was brightly lit day and night, crowded with people in the lobby, doctors and nurses constantly arranging the patients. Just an hour ago, there had been a mass food poisoning outbreak at a school campus, and all off-duty and vacationing doctors and nurses were urgently called back. After much effort, the poisoned students were finally rescued the next day. The doctors and nurses, exhausted beyond caring, collapsed in the corridors. ¡°Last night there was this girl, oh my god, she was covered in blood. You didn¡¯t see it; when I first saw her, I thought she was a zombie.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been watching too many zombie movies.¡± ¡°Hey, you didn¡¯t see what it was like, really scary.¡± Amidst the chaos in the hospital, a girl covered in blood had walked in slowly. She left a trail of fresh blood on the path she walked. It was as if an evil ghost had crawled up from hell. ¡°Where is that girl now?¡± ¡°Seems like Doctor Chu took care of her.¡± ¡°Chu Wu?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°Why him?¡± ¡°We were short-staffed at the time¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s not going to kill her with his treatment, is he?¡± ¡°No¡­ right? Doctor Chu is so handsome, though.¡± ¡°Good looks don¡¯t equate to medical skills.¡± someone said. ¡°I¡¯ll check on her, hope nothing¡¯s gone wrong.¡± ¨C Two chunks of flesh had been gouged from Chuzheng¡¯s back, with brutal intensity. If the cuts had gone any deeper, even if she had survived, she would have been done for. The original host was Chuzheng, an entity with wings¡­ a Little Fairy. Well. Technically called a Guardian Angel. As a probationary Guardian Angel, the original host needed to complete an assessment task to become an official Guardian Angel. The original host¡¯s task was to protect a person named Chu Wu. However, the original host misidentified the person. The first person she met was named Chuu Wu. Same pronunciation as Chu Wu, but the characters were different. Unaware of this, the original host mistook Chuu Wu as her assigned charge. So she followed Chuu Wu around. Chuu Wu had no Guardian Angel, but he was accompanied by a Fallen Angel. The original host had only heard about Fallen Angels in class; it was said that they were angels who, not wanting to complete their tasks and return to heaven, stayed on Earth and transformed. They were forsaken by God. Chuu Wu, following the advice of the Fallen Angel, continuously exploited the original host. Eventually, he reached the pinnacle of power. When he became successful and learned that the original host might leave, Chuu Wu didn¡¯t want her to go just like that. So he conspired with the Fallen Angel to cut off the original host¡¯s wings. As long as Chuu Wu had the original host¡¯s wings, his life would be one of unceasing success, standing at the very top. The original host never imagined the person she earnestly protected would treat her this way in the end. An angel who lost her wings was extremely fragile, her abilities gone, no different from a normal person. If they weren¡¯t treated in time, they would die too. However, the fallen angel did not intend to let her go like that, handing her over to an underground laboratory. The original host had been tortured to death. After Chuzheng finished receiving the memories, she couldn¡¯t help but rub her arms. So cruel! That bastard actually chopped off my wings! Chuzheng¡¯s back had already been treated and was currently wrapped in bandages; she felt very uncomfortable and wanted to tear them off. When the doctor, wearing a white coat and a mask, came in, he saw the girl twisting her body, wanting to tear something off herself. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± The man¡¯s voice was very pleasant, but it carried little emotion. Chuzheng turned to look. The doctor in the white coat stood at the door, holding a medical record in his arms, wearing a surgical mask, revealing only a pair of eyes, black and deep as ink, filled with a cold luster. The doctor walked in. Chuzheng¡¯s gaze fell on the name badge pinned to the doctor¡¯s chest. Surgical Physician, Chu Wu. Chu¡­ Wu? That Chu Wu? Chuzheng stared intently, making sure she was not mistaken. It was that Chu Wu. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The very Chu Wu that the original host was supposed to protect. Is this considered enemies meeting¡­ Wait a minute. They¡¯re not enemies. The original host simply protected the wrong person. Yes! Right! I don¡¯t know him! Chuzheng found a reason for herself and instantly felt justified. Chu Wu¡¯s eyes were lowered, his slender hands flipping through the medical records, ¡°Your back wound is very special, how did it happen.¡± ¡°Forgot.¡± Would you believe it was done by someone with a knife?! ¡°Forgot?¡± Chu Wu slightly raised his eyes, the coldness in his dark pupils faintly brimming, like the chilling wind of March. His face was concealed by the mask, making it hard to discern his expression. ¡°Yeah.¡± Chuzheng nodded seriously. ¡°Heh.¡± Chu Wu gave an ambiguous chuckle and closed the medical records. ¡°You¡¯re Chuzheng, right?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± He knows the original host!? I¡¯m screwed! He wouldn¡¯t be looking for trouble, would he? After all, the original host screwed up the job! I better just keep denying it! After all, I¡¯m not the original host, I just happen to share her name. But Chu Wu wasn¡¯t looking for trouble, after asking the question, without waiting for her answer, he directly said, ¡°Let me check your wound.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± That¡¯s not necessary. We¡¯re not familiar. ¡°Chu Wu! What are you doing¡­¡± The door to the ward was pushed open, and a young doctor, gasping for breath, propped the door and quickly silenced himself upon realizing he was too loud. He strode in, pulling Chu Wu. Looking at Chuzheng with some apologies, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll get another doctor to check on you in a bit.¡± After saying that, he pulled Chu Wu away. Chu Wu was dragged away, and when he left the ward, he looked back at her. That look¡­ Chuzheng felt it was not good. Chuzheng believed she probably didn¡¯t have any serious issues with her body, after all, she had the Bastard for protection. So she decided¡ª to run away. I¡¯m not cleaning up the mess left by the original host! [Miss, you are just being overly optimistic, this body needs treatment, please don¡¯t¡­] If the King¡¯s Account had a physical form, it could only hold its forehead and sigh at this moment. Because Chuzheng had already decisively pulled out the IV drip. Chapter 360 - Chapter 360: Chapter 360 Heavenly Fortune (2) Chapter 360: Chapter 360 Heavenly Fortune (2) Chuzheng left the hospital ward. In the hallway, she saw Chu Wu and that young doctor standing together. The young doctor was saying something, but Chu Wu seemed impatient, showing an extremely uncooperative attitude. Chuzheng retracted her head. ¡°Eh¡­ why did you come down?¡± The nurse came from the other end of the corridor and, upon seeing Chuzheng at the door, immediately exclaimed in surprise. Chu Wu and the young doctor didn¡¯t seem to hear, and Chuzheng quickly retreated back into the ward, looking coldly at the nurse. ¡°Your injury is so severe, how could you come down here? Get back to bed,¡± the nurse said anxiously, trying to help her, worried about her injury. Chuzheng said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°How can you be fine?¡± the nurse asked, astonished. ¡°Is it the effects of the anesthesia that haven¡¯t worn off? You can¡¯t feel the pain? Your injury is quite severe, and it needs proper treatment.¡± As she spoke, the nurse¡¯s expression grew stern, seriously warning her. Chuzheng was pressed back onto the hospital bed by the nurse. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take better care of yourself, at such a young age¡­ Your injury is strange. How did you get it?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng was given another IV injection by the nurse. After giving her a few reminders, the nurse added, ¡°Right, we haven¡¯t found a phone or any contact information on you. Do you want to contact your family to come and pay the expenses? You need someone to take care of you alone¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± The former owner only knew of Chuu Wu, the person she needed to protect, and didn¡¯t recognize anyone else. In this world, she was almost like an orphan. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The nurse hesitated, ¡°I see. What about your expenses then?¡± [Main quest: Please spend thirty thousand within one hour. The money has been disbursed into your space, please check.] [Don¡¯t worry, Miss, I absolutely won¡¯t let you be without money to spend!!] Poverty is a word that has nothing to do with us, our aim is to become the biggest spendthrifts! What does your goal have to do with me? Just let me be poor. While the nurse was still contemplating how to deal with Chuzheng¡¯s expenses, she saw the girl suddenly pull out several wads of cash from under the blanket and hand them over with an indifferent expression. ¡°Is this enough?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, it¡¯s enough,¡± the nurse stammered. She hadn¡¯t seen her carrying cash when she came in. Where did this money come from? Confused, the nurse took the money and left to take care of the payment for her. Chuzheng pulled out the needle for the second time. But before she could get off the bed, the ward door opened again. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Is this never going to end? Can¡¯t a person leave in peace? The young doctor who had taken Chu Wu away earlier entered with another doctor and two nurses. ¡°Chu Wu treated her, you should take another look at her,¡± the young doctor said, patting the other doctor on the shoulder. ¡°Trouble you.¡± The other doctor was somewhat impatient, ¡°Can you tell Chu Wu to stop messing around, okay? We¡¯re dealing with human lives here. If anything really happens, our entire hospital could be implicated.¡± ¡°It was too chaotic yesterday. The interns called him. I¡¯ll speak to them about it,¡± the young doctor replied. The volume of their conversation wasn¡¯t loud; a normal person probably wouldn¡¯t have heard. But Chuzheng heard it all. After speaking, the young doctor left in a hurry. The doctor looked up and saw Chuzheng¡¯s hand bleeding where the needle had been. ¡°Why did you remove the needle!¡± he exclaimed. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng was given an injection again. She sat with a taut little face, expressionlessly watching the doctors and nurses bustling around her. The doctors, who were originally tense, relaxed a little after checking the wound. ¡°Your wound is pretty serious, but you don¡¯t need to worry too much, it will heal¡­¡± The doctor was much more diligent than Chu Wu, discussing not only the condition of her injuries but also advising her on things to pay attention to, giving careful instructions before leaving. After the doctor left the ward, he saw a young doctor standing outside. The young doctor asked, ¡°How is it?¡± The doctor¡¯s face changed several times, and although he didn¡¯t want to admit it, he still said, ¡°Chu Wu handled it pretty well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± the young doctor breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Back then, he was the most impressive person in our medical school. If his father hadn¡¯t suddenly left, maybe by now he¡¯d be the most impressive doctor.¡± The doctor frowned, ¡°I¡¯m not denying his expertise, it¡¯s his attitude that¡¯s problematic.¡± If his expertise really wasn¡¯t up to par, the hospital wouldn¡¯t have let him in at all. This hospital isn¡¯t a place for fooling around. The young doctor said, ¡°Hey, after such a big incident, let him take his time.¡± The doctor didn¡¯t criticize Chu Wu further and changed the subject, ¡°The girl¡¯s injuries inside are so strange. Did she say how she got them? That wound looked like it was gouged out.¡± ¡°Gouged out?¡± The doctor showed him the medical record. There were photos of the wound on it. The wound was very neat, indeed not looking like it was caused accidentally, and the edges were symmetrical¡­ ¡°This¡­ she hasn¡¯t contacted her family yet, under these circumstances¡­ should we call the police?¡± The young doctor, looking at the wound, felt somewhat uneasy. ¡°I¡¯ll have the nurse ask her again.¡± ¡°That sounds good, and if something is not right, then we¡¯ll call the police.¡± However, by the time the two finished discussing and turned around, they were informed that the patient in that ward had disappeared. ¨C Chuzheng left the hospital and changed into a new set of clothes first. As a Guardian Angel, the original host had an innocuous face that anyone would like at first glance. Her appearance screamed ¡®I¡¯m easy to deceive, easy to bully.¡¯ If she doesn¡¯t get bullied, who does?! Chuzheng¡¯s face was impassive, reducing the softness and adding a touch of cool pride. After changing clothes, Chuzheng stood on the street, watching the flow of traffic. The original host used to stay with Chuu Wu, following him around, so she didn¡¯t have her own place to live. So, where should I go now? Do fairies sleep on trees? Should I go find a tree? ¡°[Miss, do you realize now how important it is to have money?]¡± The King¡¯s Account incessantly brainwashed its owner. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Shut up! I don¡¯t want to hear your guide to squandering. ¡°[Main mission: Miss, please purchase Fanlu Manor¡¯s No. 6 Villa within twenty-four hours.]¡± Don¡¯t listen to the guide to squandering; let¡¯s go on a spending spree! Let¡¯s go, miss! Find yourself a place to live first! Chuzheng with a cold face, ¡°Can I apply to listen to the guide to squandering without actually squandering?¡± ¡°[Miss can¡¯t do that,]¡± came the cheerful voice of the King¡¯s Account, ¡°[But if miss wants to listen, I can also tell you.]¡± Repeat it a few times, and maybe miss will get brainwashed, right? Believe in your miss! Chuzheng impassively blocked the King¡¯s Account. But, where is Fanlu Manor? Having blocked the King¡¯s Account, Chuzheng couldn¡¯t possibly release it. Doesn¡¯t she have any pride? She cannot encourage the King¡¯s Account¡¯s arrogance. So, Chuzheng decided¡­ to find a place to sleep first. Anyway, she has twenty-four hours, doesn¡¯t she? Chapter 361 - Chapter 361: Chapter 361 Heavenly Fortune (3) Chapter 361: Chapter 361 Heavenly Fortune (3) Fanlu Manor. The most luxurious high-end villa district in our city. Living here seems to be a symbol of one¡¯s status. The villas here, even if up for sale, would not be seen in ordinary places, they are traded internally. Chuzheng, without a valid household registration, wanting to buy a villa here, that Bastard was simply making things difficult for her. She didn¡¯t even know whom to ask. The Bastard was getting more and more outrageous! After much difficulty, Chuzheng managed to contact someone and spent a hefty sum to enter the villa community. ¡°Ms. Chuzheng, this is our No. 6 Villa currently on sale, with its own small garden and swimming pool, each villa is properly spaced. There¡¯s no interference with one another, it offers a garden-like living experience¡­¡± The person in charge led Chuzheng in. The villas here dare to claim the title of high-end because they indeed have their unique features. Whether it¡¯s the exterior or the interior design, one would find no fault. Chuzheng glanced inside the villa: ¡°Is someone living here?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± the person in charge smiled awkwardly: ¡°Yes, someone lives here, he¡¯s the current owner of the villa, but he hasn¡¯t stayed here for a long time¡­ Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll clean up, all these things will be moved out.¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t care much for the villa as it was. Even if it were in ruins, she still needed to spendthriftly buy it. ¡°How much?¡± The person in charge was just about to introduce the entire villa, when Chuzheng suddenly asked the price, causing a brief moment of surprise. The person in charge tentatively said, ¡°The total price is 15 million.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± 15 million to the King¡¯s Account was simply a drop in the bucket. ¡°You¡­ will take it?¡± the person in charge didn¡¯t fully understand Chuzheng¡¯s ¡®hmm¡¯ response. Chuzheng nodded: ¡°I¡¯ll take it, where do I pay?¡± I don¡¯t have much time left! This villa had actually been on sale for a while, but most people just came to look and did not commit to buying. The main reason was¡ªthere were rumors that the villa was haunted. People with money and power didn¡¯t lack it. But if there were unsettling rumors, these tycoons wouldn¡¯t want to touch it. Chuzheng was so straightforward, naturally, the person in charge was happy. ¡°Then please follow me, I will take you to handle the procedures.¡± The person in charge took Chuzheng to the office area, and as soon as they stepped through the gate, they saw a man who was very familiar to the original owner. The man was dressed in a business suit, tall and straight, with handsome features and the aura of a successful person. He was none other than Chuu Wu. Chuu Wu was talking to someone and upon noticing someone entering, he casually glanced over, then quickly averted his gaze, but three seconds later, his gaze fiercely locked onto Chuzheng. Chuu Wu¡¯s pupils tightened. She¡­ How could she be here? She was actually alive! Chuu Wu felt no regret or guilt at all for what he had done, seeing Chuzheng only brought shock and confusion. Chuzheng met Chuu Wu¡¯s gaze. When Chuu Wu¡¯s eyes met Chuzheng¡¯s, a cold sweat suddenly rose on his back. The girl¡¯s eyes were so calm they were cold, her facial expressions devoid of any emotions, resembling an emotionless robot, and her presence was emanating a cold and distant indifference. She was quite different from the usually Soft and Tender person he remembered. Could it be someone who just looked like her? No¡­ That¡¯s not right. She was Chuzheng. After sizing up Chuu Wu, Chuzheng thought to herself: He¡¯s quite handsome, isn¡¯t he? You Bastard dared to clip my wings! Although Chuu Wu wasn¡¯t the one who physically did it, he could not be absolved of the blame; he was owed a part of this debt¡­ But Chuu Wu doesn¡¯t have wings, so where should I cut? Chuzheng¡¯s gaze slowly drifted downwards. For some inexplicable reason, Chuu Wu felt a chill down below, looking at Chuzheng with a complex and suspicious gaze. What is she looking at? ¡°Mr. Chuu will also buy No. 6 Villa.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already struck a deal on my side.¡± ¡°Mr. Chuu also¡­¡± The person in charge and another man muttered to each other; before today, not a single person had made a move on this villa, so how come they ran into two all at once today? What to do now? Neither party, unaware of the other, had nearly wrapped up the negotiations on their end. Someone said, ¡°Mr. Chuu is not someone we can afford to offend¡­¡± Chuzheng looked young, and they didn¡¯t recognize her. But Chuu Wu was different; he¡¯s a leading figure among the new generation in the business world, with limitless prospects. The person in charge asked someone to go and secure Chuu Wu, then he turned back to Chuzheng, ¡°Miss Chuzheng, the owner of No. 6 Villa has suddenly said they¡¯re not selling. I didn¡¯t receive the message earlier; I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you.¡± ¡°You just said that Chuu Wu wants to buy it,¡± Chuzheng said with an indifferent face. ¡°You want to sell it to him?¡± The person in charge: ¡°!!!¡± They had been discussing so quietly; how did she hear them? ¡°This¡­¡± For some reason, the person in charge felt the young girl¡¯s gaze was a bit frightening, breaking out in a cold sweat, ¡°Miss Chuzheng, Mr. Chuu came first¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already agreed.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°Are you going back on your word?¡± This bastard cut my wings, and now he¡¯s delaying my spendthrift ways, I simply cannot endure it¡­ Might as well get rid of him. The person in charge: ¡°¡­¡± He always felt that if he nodded, this girl would kill him. The person in charge swallowed hard. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, we have other villas for sale in our estate. Although none are as large as No. 6 Villa, they¡¯re still quite nice. Why don¡¯t I show you?¡± Chuzheng calmly said, ¡°I want this one.¡± The person in charge: ¡°¡­¡± It was also difficult to negotiate with Chuu Wu on the other side; he insisted on having this one. In the end, the person in charge even claimed that the villa was actually haunted, but Chuzheng and Chuu Wu showed no intention of backing out. The person in charge looked at the two people standing nearly ten meters apart, feeling as if they were lions competing for territory. In the end, it was unknown who suggested that the highest bidder would win. It was originally just an offhand remark. But Chuu Wu actually agreed. ¡°Sure,¡± Chuzheng agreed as well. Chuu Wu walked towards Chuzheng, his eyes half-closed as he assessed her: ¡°Are you sure?¡± After his initial shock, Chuu Wu had already calmed down. When he wasn¡¯t afraid of her in the past, now that she had lost her wings and had become an ordinary person, should he still be afraid of her? To him, ordinary people were no different from ants. Chuzheng¡¯s eyes and brows were filled with indifference: ¡°Sure.¡± ¨C The person in charge arranged a conference room for the two of them. Chuzheng sat on the left, with one leg crossed over the other, one hand on her knee, the other casually resting on the table, exuding the aura of a boss. On the right sat Chuu Wu, sitting upright and proper. The person in charge stood at the front, the atmosphere in the conference room making him so nervous that he couldn¡¯t stop sweating. ¡°Mr. Chuu, Miss Chuzheng, our No. 6 Villa is priced at fifteen million. Since both of you are interested, we are now going to proceed with the highest bidder wins. If you have no objections, we shall begin¡­¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t speak, her silence indicating no objections. Chuu Wu twisted his mouth into a smile, ¡°I bid sixteen million.¡± He raised the bid by one million right off the bat. The person in charge swallowed hard. Chuzheng casually tapped the table, ¡°Sixteen million and one dollar.¡± ¡°¡­¡± [¡­] Bastard immediately blew up. [What are you doing, sis?!] [Is this a price we can call out?!] [Call again!!] [Is this not embarrassing?!] We¡¯re a Spendthrift System with a goal, okay? What¡¯s this one dollar?! What is this one dollar!! Chapter 362 - Chapter 362: Chapter 362 Heavenly Fortune (4) Chapter 362: Chapter 362 Heavenly Fortune (4) Chuu Wu across from her simply burst into laughter. But he didn¡¯t say much, just called out a new number. ¡°Seventeen million.¡± ¡°Seventeen million and one.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuu Wu wasn¡¯t short of money at the moment, and he couldn¡¯t bring himself to bid like Chuzheng; after all, he was a man with a reputation to uphold. It would be laughed at if it got out. So, he could only raise the bid by millions at a time. However, Chuzheng unflinchingly added just one more dollar each time. No matter how the bastard ranted, she remained unmoved. ¡°Twenty-three million,¡± said Chuu Wu, his face turning an ashen blue as his eyes fixated on Chuzheng dangerously. Even if he were flush with cash, the soaring price had exceeded his budget. Chuzheng¡¯s tone betrayed no fluctuation, ¡°Twenty-three million and one.¡± The person in charge was wiping sweat on the side incessantly. Was there a gold mine inside that haunted villa? The price had now surpassed the highest they had ever sold. ¡°Twenty-six million!¡± Chuu Wu gritted his teeth. ¡°Chuzheng, don¡¯t oppose me, you have nothing now.¡± ¡°Twenty-six million and one,¡± said Chuzheng indifferently, ¡°I have money.¡± A surge of suspicion welled up from the depths of Chuu Wu¡¯s heart, ¡°Where did you get the money?¡± Was she suddenly showing up here because she had followed him, aiming for revenge? Chuzheng was indifferent, ¡°What¡¯s it to you.¡± As if money just falls from the sky. To clip my wings and still remain so composed upon seeing me, impressive indeed! Chuu Wu: ¡°Thirty million!¡± Chuu Wu raised the price to thirty million in one go. Wow! So rich! In an impassive tone, Chuzheng added one more dollar, ¡°Thirty million and one.¡± Chuu Wu¡¯s face turned as black as the bottom of a pot; if he weren¡¯t so handsome, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain his domineering CEO persona. With serene composure, Chuzheng looked at him, ¡°Going to raise the bid?¡± I can add many more dollars, just for you! To infuriate you, you damn thing! [¡­]I really didn¡¯t expect Miss Sister to play at such a level. But can¡¯t we crush him with our wealth? That¡¯s our normal play! Hit him with a billion! Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Starting with a billion, it¡¯s like I don¡¯t want to live anymore. Chuu Wu¡¯s hands clenched into fists, his eyes filled with malevolence, the liquid assets he could move at the moment were actually not that much; thirty million was already his limit. In the end, Chuzheng secured the villa for thirty million and one. As Chuu Wu was leaving, he warned her with a gloomy face, ¡°For the sake of our past, I didn¡¯t want to push you too far, but you forced my hand.¡± What do you mean I forced your hand? Who is forcing whom, exactly? Please, enough with the drama! Chuzheng: ¡°Do you think what you did before was charitable, lopping off my wings, and I should thank you for it?¡± Crazy! Chuu Wu sneered coldly and walked away. Chuzheng propped her chin, contemplating the best way to deal with Chuu Wu. The person in charge whispered on the side, ¡°Miss Chuzheng, can we sign the contract now?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng and the person in charge went to sign the contract, with most of the procedures being handled by their side. The only key point was¡­ ¡°Miss Chuzheng, could you please show your ID card?¡± Chuzheng was silent for a few seconds. She raised her eyes, looking seriously at the person in charge. The person in charge also tensed up, is there a problem? ¡°I¡¯ll go get one.¡± ¡°???¡± Miss Chuzheng secured the money first and left in the midst of the utterly perplexed manager. Manager: ¡°¡­¡± Isn¡¯t that a bit too trustful? ¨C ¡°Mr. Chu, your villa has been sold, and I will transfer the final payment to you shortly. Whenever you find it convenient, please come and collect your belongings so we can clean up.¡± Chu Wu hung up the phone. Not even three minutes later, the text message notification sounded. Chu Wu looked at the money transferred into his account, his brow slightly furrowed. Chu Wu took the initiative to call back. ¡°Why is there so much money?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this, Mr. Chu¡­¡± The other end explained the incident in detail. After listening, Chu Wu reached one conclusion: two idiots outbid each other, inflating the house price. He was in need of money, and if someone was giving it, he naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse. The money had barely warmed his pocket before Chu Wu transferred it out. ¡°Chu Wu.¡± The young doctor put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°How have things been working out for you?¡± ¡°I sold my house and have almost paid off my debts,¡± Chu Wu said. Normally, selling the house would have left him short, but the sale price was so high, it was enough to pay off all the money he owed. ¡°Ah?¡± The young doctor exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Where will you live now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Chu Wu¡¯s attitude was cold. ¡°How about you move in with me?¡± the young doctor suggested. ¡°No need,¡± Chu Wu rejected the offer without even thinking. The young doctor sighed, ¡°Chu Wu, if you need help, just tell me. I might not be able to help much, but we¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we?¡± Chu Wu looked down, ¡°Mmm, I¡¯ve got to go.¡± ¡°Eh¡­ but it¡¯s not time to leave work yet¡­¡± Watching Chu Wu leave, the young doctor sighed deeply. ¨C When Chuu Wu returned home, a well of anger surged within him, and he ended up trashing the living room. Black feathers drifted through the air. A young, beautiful girl floated above, her black wings unfurled behind her. Looking down at Chuu Wu, the girl asked with a high-and-mighty gaze, ¡°What¡¯s wrong now?¡± Standing amidst the wreckage, Chuu Wu looked up at her. ¡°Sang Meng, I saw Chuzheng today.¡± Sang Meng landed on the ground, her wings disappearing behind her, and with certainty, she said, ¡°Impossible, she¡¯s dead.¡± She had seen it herself. How could she still be alive? ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Are you sure it was her?¡± ¡°It was her, she admitted it herself,¡± Chuu Wu nodded. Sang Meng frowned, puzzled. How could it be? She had seen with her own eyes that Chuzheng was dead¡­ An angel without wings was as fragile as any human; how could she still be alive? But Chuu Wu had no reason to lie to her. Could it be she hadn¡¯t died back then? Grasping her hand, Chuu Wu insisted, ¡°She¡¯s really still alive, I feel like she¡¯s changed.¡± ¡°Changed how?¡± Sang Meng inquired. ¡°She¡¯s not like before¡­ She¡¯s become very indifferent. When she looked at me, I actually felt a chill run through me.¡± Chuu Wu carefully recounted the day¡¯s events to Sang Meng, leaving out not a single detail. ¡°She¡¯s lost her wings and is just an ordinary person now. Even if she¡¯s alive, there¡¯s no need to fear her,¡± Sang Meng said. ¡°I¡¯ll go and confirm it for myself. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried, just find it strange,¡± Chuu Wu shared her sentiments. Suddenly, Chuu Wu started up the stairs. Sang Meng followed him. Entering the study, Chuu Wu approached a bookshelf, pulling on one book. Slowly, the bookshelf moved. Pure white wings unfolded, affixed to the wall, presenting a stunning and striking visual impact. They seemed to bear a holy light, as if beholding a deity. Chapter 363 - Chapter 363: Chapter 363 Heavenly Fortune (5) Chapter 363: Chapter 363 Heavenly Fortune (5) Chuzheng faced the mirror, examining the wound on her back with difficulty. The wound looked somewhat terrifying. After all, the original owner was a Guardian Angel, and even though she was now a mere human, her healing ability should be much stronger than an average person. It should be better in a couple of days. Chuzheng put on her clothes. The wind lifted the sheer curtains from the floor. The lights in the room went out at the same time. In the mirror, Chuzheng saw the black wings gradually emerging outside the window. Such huge wings!! Alive! I haven¡¯t gone looking for you yet, and here you are coming to me! Bastard! How dare you slash my wings! Chuzheng turned around, gazing straight out the window at Sang Meng. Sang Meng landed on the balcony, her wings disappeared, and the two looked at each other through the fluttering sheer curtains. Sang Meng was a Fallen Angel; the aura she emitted was one of darkness and death. If one stared at her for too long, they would begin to harbor thoughts of death. Sang Meng sneered, surprised, ¡°You¡¯re really still alive.¡± ¡°Happy?¡± Sang Meng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuu Wu said Chuzheng had changed, but Sang Meng was not quite convinced. But now, Sang Meng had to believe it. If not for that face, Sang Meng wouldn¡¯t think the girl in front of her was Chuzheng at all. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you didn¡¯t die,¡± Sang Meng said, not taking Chuzheng¡¯s transformation to heart. ¡°You¡¯ve already lost your wings, and now you are just an ordinary person. Killing you would be as easy as flipping my hand.¡± Sang Meng attributed Chuzheng¡¯s change to the experiences she had undergone. When she was still an angel, Sang Meng could handle her. Let alone now that she had lost the most important thing of an angel. ¡°Hmm.¡± That makes sense! A silver light flashed in front of Sang Meng¡¯s eyes. She instinctively stepped back, her ankle felt cold, and she was pulled into the room and fell forward. Whoosh¡ª The black wings unfolded. Sang Meng flew into the air. Her ankle was still cold as if something was climbing up along her ankle. But Sang Meng could see nothing. Whoosh¡ª Sang Meng was dragged back to the balcony. When she fell, her wings beat against the balcony, the immense force shattering the glass. Sang Meng fell embarrassingly among the broken glass. She couldn¡¯t figure out what exactly had pulled her down. So fast, and so powerful¡­ How could she suddenly have such formidable strength? Sang Meng once more beat her wings, and a thick black fog spread out. The moment Chuzheng came in contact with the fog, a sentiment of self-loathing emerged from the bottom of her heart. What¡¯s the use of living. Better to just die. Death is a release. Go die¡­ Go die¡­ Go die¡­ The voice inside her head grew louder and louder. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What a joke! Who wants to die! The bastard who chopped off my wings isn¡¯t even dead yet, how could I die?! Whoosh¡­ The glass shards fell from the balcony without railings, plunging into the brilliance below. Chuzheng¡¯s toes halted at the edge. With just one more step, she would fall. Chuzheng looked up into the sky; Sang Meng was looking down at her from above, wrapped in black fog, as if she had merged into the dark night sky. Chuzheng stepped forward. Sang Meng¡¯s mouth curved into a smile. However, that smile froze on her face as Chuzheng didn¡¯t fall; instead, she floated up and stood opposite her. Silver light interwove at her feet. She walked on air, step by step, toward Sang Meng. With each step, silver light flickered into existence, like fireworks blooming in the dark night. ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s impossible¡­¡± Sang Meng was utterly shocked. She has lost her wings, how can she still fly into the sky? ¡°What¡¯s impossible?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s icy voice, mixed with the night wind, blew into Sang Meng¡¯s ears. A chill suddenly rose from the bottom of Sang Meng¡¯s heart. ¡°You¡­¡± Sang Meng¡¯s eyes widened: ¡°What¡¯s going on with you!¡± She should have lost all abilities. Become an ordinary person. ¡°As you can see.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s palm lifted lightly, and silver light flew out from her hand, striking towards Sang Meng like a meteor. Sang Meng didn¡¯t know what the silver light was, but she instinctively felt the danger. Sang Meng fluttered her wings to block the silver light. It sounded as if metal objects were colliding in the air. The silver light surrounded the black Fallen Angel; they appeared to be alive, continuously smashing against the wings. Silver light was everywhere around Sang Meng. There was no way to fight back. Only able to use her wings to protect herself. The bright moon had suddenly hidden behind the clouds, not a single star was visible in the sky, just the meteor-like silver light, flickering in and out of visibility. ¡°Ah¡ª¡ª¡± Sang Meng¡¯s wings were pierced by the silver light, and her body violently fell downwards, black feathers falling like rain. By the time Chuzheng followed her down, Sang Meng had vanished without a trace. The damn thing actually ran away! Chuzheng stepped to the edge of the pool, looking at the silver light reflected on the water¡¯s surface. The water shimmered and the silver light danced on the surface like crushed moonlight. She stretched out her hand, and the silver light gathered into a line, quickly winding around her wrist. Chuzheng turned around. She abruptly encountered a pair of deep, dark eyes and instinctively stepped backward¡­ Her foot found empty air. Splash! Water splashed in all directions. Chuzheng fell entirely into the pool. Damn it! Chuzheng surfaced, the man standing by the pool, now looking down at her. The refracted light from the water¡¯s surface, like tiny scattered stars, settled in the man¡¯s eyes. Chuzheng swam forward to the edge and hoisted herself up. The man¡¯s gaze followed her movements. Chuzheng looked at him expressionlessly. The atmosphere was quiet and eerie. Black feathers fluttered down from the sky, spiraling into the pool. In the moment that the man clearly seemed confused¡ªChuzheng kicked him. Scaring me, bastard! The man fell into the pool; Chuzheng stood on the shore, watching him struggle a bit before slowly sinking. [Hidden task: Please obtain one Good Person Card from Chu Wu. Chu Wu is the guy Miss just kicked into the water~] The King¡¯s Account naughtily reminded Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Please let me rewind three minutes. [Miss, that¡¯s impossible, even if you die now, you can only rewind to this very moment.] Chuzheng looked at the pond, now bubbleless. She thought calmly for a moment. Then let him rewind. Otherwise the Good Person Card would recall that I kicked him? How can I still be a good person then! [¡­] No matter how much you prepare, dammit, you can¡¯t prepare for Miss¡¯s outlandish maneuvers. The King¡¯s Account roared at Chuzheng to go down and rescue the man. ¡°I¡¯m injured,¡± Chuzheng said with righteous indignation. [¡­]You didn¡¯t seem to feel injured when you were fighting just now! ¨C Under the roaring of the King¡¯s Account, as well as the threat of issuing a bankrupting mission if she didn¡¯t go down for the rescue, Chuzheng got into the water and pulled the man up. Chu Wu had already lost consciousness. Chuzheng patted his cheek and checked his breath; it seemed there wasn¡¯t any¡­ but Bastard hadn¡¯t reset yet, which meant he wasn¡¯t completely dead. ¡­If he¡¯s not completely dead, I might as well give him a little something. [Can you please stop these morbid thoughts, Miss?] ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng, expressionless, pressed on Chu Wu¡¯s chest, starting emergency resuscitation. The King¡¯s Account felt that with Chu Wu still not thoroughly cooled down, his vitality was indeed tenacious. Chapter 364 - Chapter 364: Chapter 364 Heavenly Fortune (6) Chapter 364: Chapter 364 Heavenly Fortune (6) Thud¡ª The door was flung open, startling Chuu Wu. He saw Sang Meng stagger in and immediately he stood up. ¡°Sang Meng, what happened to you?¡± Sang Meng collapsed at the doorstep, her black wings suddenly appearing with a swish. There were several wounds on the wings, now bleeding profusely. ¡°What¡­ what happened to you?¡± Chuu Wu hurried to close the door, ¡°Who did this to you?¡± In Chuu Wu¡¯s memory, Sang Meng was very powerful. Sang Meng¡¯s face was pale, ¡°Chu¡­ Chuzheng.¡± ¡°How¡­ how is that possible?¡± It wasn¡¯t that Chuu Wu didn¡¯t believe her, but in his memory, that Guardian Angel wasn¡¯t as powerful as Sang Meng. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have ended up having her wings cut off in the end. Sang Meng said, ¡°She suddenly became very powerful.¡± Chuu Wu pressed, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that losing wings meant losing everything?¡± How could she have become powerful? She became powerful¡­ Could she be seeking revenge on him? Thinking of this, Chuu Wu¡¯s heart grew even more anxious. However, Sang Meng didn¡¯t know what was going on either. She was injured and lacking the strength to answer Chuu Wu¡¯s questions. Chuu Wu also realized that Sang Meng was seriously hurt and quickly moved her into the room. ¨C Chu Wu was awakened by the cold. Damp clothes clung to his body, and as the cold wind blew, it brought a bone-chilling coldness. He propped himself up from the ground, next to him was a pool rippling with waves, the bright moonlight cast upon the water, distorted by the wind. He remembered¡­ He had been kicked into the pool. The perpetrator? Where were they? Chu Wu turned his head and saw the perpetrator standing not far away, looking in his direction. She was hidden in the shadows, and Chu Wu couldn¡¯t make out her expression. Chu Wu got up from the ground. ¡°Are you still intent on helping Chuu Wu to kill me?¡± The man¡¯s voice was a bit hoarse, but incredibly calm, showing no emotion. Chuzheng said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you called Chu Wu? Why would I help you, to kill yourself?¡± It was a bit of a tongue twister. The man chuckled lightly, ¡°What act are you putting on with me?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°??¡± What am I pretending to be? Aren¡¯t you called Chu Wu?! Where did I go wrong?! Chu Wu: ¡°Did Chuu Wu tell you to follow me?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me to follow you.¡± Chuzheng said with a stern face. ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu took a deep breath, ¡°I¡¯m talking about the person you were following before.¡± ¡°Oh, that scumbag,¡± Chuzheng finally understood. ¡°I have nothing to do with him.¡± Wait a minute! Something seemed off. Had Chu Wu met the original owner before? Back in the hospital room, he did indeed call out her name directly. At that time, no one had asked for her name yet, so he shouldn¡¯t have known. But the original owner was a Guardian Angel, and only Chuu Wu was supposed to be able to see her¡­ How could Chu Wu have seen her? Could it be that he was the one the original owner was truly meant to protect? ¡°No relation?¡± Chu Wu flicked his wet hair, ¡°Do you think I¡¯d believe that?¡± ¡°Whether you believe it or not, what does it have to do with me?¡± Chuzheng asserted. ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu sized up the girl in front of him. The first time he saw her was at Chuu Wu¡¯s side. At that time, this girl followed him closely, but it seemed she was invisible to everyone but him. When he spoke to her, it was as if she couldn¡¯t even see him. Later, as Chuu Wu stepped on the Chu Family to climb to his current position, she was there by his side just the same. And on several occasions, he had witnessed this girl doing things for Chuu Wu, but he could only watch; he couldn¡¯t stop her, and no one would believe him if he told them. She was a person who did not exist. Like a hallucination of his. He had fallen to his current state, and this strange girl had also played a part. She was Chuu Wu¡¯s accomplice. When he first saw her in the hospital, he found that other people could see her too, and thought she just looked similar. But he later discovered that was not the case. She was the girl by Chuu Wu¡¯s side. He just didn¡¯t know why she had changed into such a form that others could see her too. He knew she was not an ordinary person. However, her medical reports¡­ were very normal. ¡°You keep appearing in front of me, what do you want to do?¡± Chu Wu narrowed his eyes slightly, ¡°Now I have nothing left.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was serious, ¡°¡­I said, I¡¯m actually your Guardian Angel, do you believe me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The air fell into an awkward silence. ¡°Guardian Angel? Mine?¡± Chu Wu said extremely slowly, enunciating every word. He knew others could not see her, but his thoughts had only extended to the existence of ghosts or similar beings, he had never considered a Guardian Angel. But even hearing it now, he found it laughable. How could his Guardian Angel be by Chuu Wu¡¯s side, allowing him to fall to his current state. ¡°If you are my Guardian Angel, then please tell me, where were you when I needed you?¡± Chu Wu fixed his cold gaze upon her. ¡°¡­¡± This fatal question. I, I can¡¯t answer that! Next question! ¡°You can¡¯t answer?¡± Chu Wu tilted his head slightly, a subtle smile lifting the corner of his mouth for a moment. ¡°Then let me answer for you.¡± ¡°You were by Chuu Wu¡¯s side.¡± ¡°Am I right?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Although what you said is correct, that wasn¡¯t me. So it¡¯s not correct. ¡°I was deceived by Chuu Wu.¡± Chuzheng puffed out her little face in frustration, ¡°He has the same name as you, I thought he was you.¡± Normally, a Guardian Angel should not make such a mistake. Even if the names are the same, if the other party cannot see the Guardian Angel, that person is not the one the Guardian Angel should be protecting. The problem was that Chuu Wu could see the original host. With all conditions satisfied, the original host, a new Guardian Angel who was easy to deceive, naturally believed him. ¡°Oh?¡± Chu Wu¡¯s tone rose, slightly hoarse with a unique charm, it seemed as if he was about to believe what Chuzheng was saying. However, what Chu Wu was thinking at the moment was: What else does she want to gain from me, to resort to saying such things. ¡°Mhm.¡± Chuzheng nodded solemnly, ¡°It was that damn thing who tricked me.¡± So actually, I am a good person. You should believe me. Chu Wu suddenly walked towards her. He raised his hand to grasp Chuzheng¡¯s chin, lifting it slightly; moonlight fell on the girl¡¯s face, coating it in a layer of luminescent glow. Chu Wu leaned in slightly, closing the distance between him and Chuzheng. Just as he was about to touch Chuzheng¡¯s lips, he suddenly turned his head, his warm breath sprayed on Chuzheng¡¯s ear. ¡°Angels all have wings. Where are your wings, huh?¡± Wings¡­ My wings were chopped off by that damn thing!! That damn thing actually chopped off my wings! So infuriating! Chuzheng felt like a puffed-up pufferfish inside, while her expression grew colder. Looking at Chu Wu even started to irritate her. Chu Wu felt that the girl before him suddenly emitted a fierce aura, slightly different from her cold distant demeanor just before. But¡­ Chu Wu inexplicably found her a bit cute. He was very close to her at this moment, up close he could see her fair and delicate skin, and the faint cold fragrance on the tip of her nose. Chu Wu, how could you be bewitched by the enemy! This must be one of Chuu Wu¡¯s schemes. This was what Chu Wu thought, yet his lips had already landed on Chuzheng¡¯s cheek. His lips, cool to the touch, fell like the soft brush of a feather, soft and chilling. Chapter 365 - Chapter 365: Chapter 365 Heavenly Fortune (7) Chapter 365: Chapter 365 Heavenly Fortune (7) Chuzheng was still annoyed about the matter of her wings being chopped off when suddenly a kiss from Good Person Card calmed the anger at the bottom of her heart. The flowing moonlight glided across the water¡¯s surface, casting onto the man¡¯s side face and outlining handsome contours. Long eyelashes under the eyelids created small shadows, like the quivering wings of a butterfly. Chuzheng tilted her head down, catching sight of the man¡¯s lips, wrapped her arms around the man¡¯s waist, and pulled him towards her. As Chu Wu was taken aback by Chuzheng¡¯s kiss, such a pull made him lean towards her. The gap between the two was squeezed tight until there was none left. A familiar yet strange emotion swept from the depths of the soul, Chu Wu couldn¡¯t help but shiver at the tips of his heart, and the trembling slowly spread from his heart to all his limbs. The girl¡¯s cold and faint scent lingered, and the warmth and softness of her lips suddenly brought Chu Wu back to his senses. He pushed Chuzheng away fiercely. Chuzheng stepped back two paces. Chu Wu raised his hand to wipe his lips, the moonlight laid a layer of cold frost in his eyes, ¡°Did Chuu Wu send you to do this?¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®this¡¯?¡± Chuzheng asked, ¡°It was you who kissed me first!¡± You¡¯re the one who made the first move! It was you! I wasn¡¯t finished kissing yet! Why did you suddenly push me away! Chu Wu had no retort, what Chuzheng said was true, it was he who kissed her first¡­ Chu Wu didn¡¯t think she was an angel. She was a demon that could tempt the soul. And he couldn¡¯t resist the temptation. ¡°Achoo.¡± Chu Wu suddenly sneezed and couldn¡¯t help but shiver, feeling dizzy and quite uncomfortable. Before Chuzheng could speak, Chu Wu turned and left first. He couldn¡¯t stay with her any longer. ¨C ¡°Why are you following me?¡± Chu Wu, holding a room card, looked at the girl standing behind him with an impatient and cold tone. ¡°The room where I was staying got wrecked in a fight,¡± Chuzheng said righteously. Of course, I want to kiss you! Good Person Card¡¯s kisses are so comfortable, how could I not kiss you a few more times to do myself justice?! A fight¡­ wrecked it? Chu Wu couldn¡¯t comprehend how a fight could wreck a room. But right now, he felt very uncomfortable, with his head heavy and just wanting to quickly go back to his room and change his clothes. Chu Wu swiped the card to enter the room. Chuzheng followed him in, and it was too late for Chu Wu to close the door. ¡°You¡­¡± Perhaps he had never seen such a shameless girl. Following a man back to his room in the middle of the night was one thing, but now she wanted to barge in as well. But then Chu Wu thought that she wasn¡¯t a normal person and felt much more at ease in his heart, too lazy to bother with her and went to find clothes to change. If she really was sent by Chuu Wu, apart from his own life, he didn¡¯t have much else to take. By the time he had changed clothes and come out, his headache was worse, and by instinct, he walked to the bed, pulled back the covers, and got in. Chu Wu felt a slightly cool hand placed on his forehead. It stayed there for a while before moving away. ¡°You¡¯re sick,¡± the girl¡¯s crisp voice sounded by his ear. ¡°¡­¡± No kidding. If it weren¡¯t for you kicking me into the water and talking about Guardian Angels in the wind, would I be like this? Chu Wu¡¯s consciousness began to sink. Just as he was about to fall completely asleep, a warmth suddenly landed on his lips. Then came the forceful prying between his lips. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Chu Wu struggled. With no strength in his body, he could only let Chuzheng kiss him. He¡­ didn¡¯t dislike her kisses. ¨C Chu Wu fell into the water and was blown by the cold wind, leading to a relentless high fever. Chuzheng fed him fever-reducing medicine, but it wasn¡¯t very effective. Chu Wu¡¯s forehead was burning hot, somewhat frighteningly so. Will continuous fever like this cause damage? So when Chu Wu regained consciousness, he found himself being held by someone who was about to throw him into the bathtub. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chu Wu¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°You have a fever.¡± ¡°So?¡± Chuzheng with a serious face, ¡°To cool you down.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu felt that she didn¡¯t want to cool him down, she wanted to kill him. ¡°Put me down.¡± ¡°I think you need cold water right now.¡± He was really hot, scarily hot, and cooling down with water would definitely help, wouldn¡¯t it? Men aren¡¯t that fragile. ¡°¡­Am I the doctor or are you the doctor?¡± Chu Wu¡¯s throat was uncomfortable, it felt itchy, he wanted to cough, but he forcefully held it back. ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng felt she was not mistaken, but the Good Person Card seemed reluctant. She had no choice but to put him down. Chu Wu had little strength in his body; he sat on the edge of the bathtub. He was only wearing a shirt, which was soaked due to the fever¡¯s sweat, clinging tightly to his body, presenting a semi-transparent state, inadvertently alluring. The ambiguous lighting followed his contours, outlining a perfect side profile. The man braced himself with both hands on the bathtub, his handsome cheeks had a rosy tint, lips as red as if smeared with rouge. His eyelashes drooped, and when he breathed, they trembled softly. Chuzheng silently thought: How can a Good Person Card be this good-looking. Chu Wu steadied his body before he spoke, ¡°What did you give me to eat?¡± ¡°Fever reducer.¡± ¡°Let me see it.¡± ¡°Go look for yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng glanced at Chu Wu twice, then turned around and went out to bring in the medicine. Chu Wu looked at the medicine Chuzheng brought in, ¡°You bought so much?¡± ¡°Afraid you wouldn¡¯t have enough.¡± It¡¯s better to buy more, just in case. ¡°¡­¡± I really thank you! Chu Wu asked Chuzheng what she had fed him, and Chuzheng rummaged through, picked out a box, and handed it to him. Chu Wu looked at it and saw no problems. It was his body that was the issue. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go in and soak?¡± Chuzheng was still not giving up, ¡°Maybe it¡¯ll get better.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Maybe I¡¯d be dead. She¡¯s definitely a spy sent by Chuu Wu. Chu Wu¡¯s headache was severe, he had no energy to argue with her. He braced himself against the side and stood up, staggering out of the bathroom. He poured himself water, took the medicine, and then lay back down on the bed. No sooner had he lain down than there was a thud beside him. Chu Wu was really out of strength and turned over to fall into a deep sleep. When he woke up again, it was already evening. The room was very quiet. Chu Wu looked around first, not seeing that figure. He should have felt relieved, but somehow he was a bit suffocated. It must be because of the illness. He lifted a hand to his forehead; the fever had subsided. Chu Wu propped himself up to sit, and found his cellphone. Chu Wu thought his cellphone had fallen into the water and couldn¡¯t be turned on anymore. Surprisingly, it still worked. As soon as the phone was turned on, text message alerts kept ringing. After reading the messages, Chu Wu returned the missed calls. Finishing all that, he leaned back on the bed, feeling somewhat aimless. The hospital group chat was abuzz with messages. Chu Wu opened it out of boredom, only to discover they were discussing someone who saw a figure with wings outside a certain hotel last night¡­ Isn¡¯t that the hotel he was staying at? Chu Wu scrolled up to find the original link. It was a video. Due to the Night Color, the video¡¯s clarity was pitiful. Still, one could see a shadow flying across the sky, massive wings spread out, like the angels from TV shows. Chu Wu did not believe what Chuzheng had said. He preferred to think of her as a ghost or a demon. But¡­ Chapter 366 - Chapter 366: Chapter 366 Heavenly Fortune (8) Chapter 366: Chapter 366 Heavenly Fortune (8) Chu Wu thought of the wound on her back. That scar¡­ It looked odd on its own; what kind of situation could have caused a wound like that? But considered in light of what she said and this video, it seemed to make sense¡­ Of course, the premise was that the video had to be real. In this age of advanced technology, even the realest of videos could be fake. Chu Wu scrolled through the comments online; the video had spread rapidly and was now trending. Discussions about whether she was an angel, a demon, or a bird person were intense among netizens. Chu Wu¡¯s vision was involuntarily clouded by the image of that bloody wound¡­ Her heart felt an inexplicable tightness. It was somewhat suffocating. It must have been because her illness hadn¡¯t fully healed yet. Chu Wu found a reason to reassure herself in the depths of her heart. ¨C When Chuzheng returned, the room was empty, not even a ghost to be seen. She ran away again! She really should¡¯ve locked the door when going out! Next time she would definitely lock the door! She must lock the door! Damn! Chuzheng kicked the foot of the bed in frustration. ¡°Miss, please accept Chu Wu¡¯s information.¡± King¡¯s Account had its own troubles with the Good Person Card. What kind of devil had she met! Fearing Chuzheng would pick on it, King¡¯s Account hurriedly released Chu Wu¡¯s information. Chu Wu. She was accustomed to misfortunes from a young age, but being born into a wealthy family, Chu Wu hadn¡¯t suffered too much apart from being somewhat unlucky. She should have gradually grown into a successful person under the protection of her original self. However, because her original self misjudged someone, the already unlucky Chu Wu faced an unending streak of bad luck. The Chu Family, once prosperous, started having all sorts of problems. Within a few short years, the Chu Family shrank significantly. The people Chu Wu was close to passed away one after another. In the end, the Chu Family declared bankruptcy, and some of the Chu Family members thought that because Chu Wu had been unlucky since childhood, the Family¡¯s downfall was due to Chu Wu, this disaster star. Eventually, Chu Wu was left alone to shoulder the enormous debts that came with the bankruptcy. She sold the remaining properties and some things her parents had left to pay off the debts. Chu Wu had studied medicine in college, but she returned to take over the Chu Family¡¯s affairs because of the sudden death of Father Chu. After losing everything, Chu Wu started working at a hospital. If it had only been this, Chu Wu might not have turned to the dark side. The problem was that Chuu Wu seemed not intent on letting Chu Wu continue like this. He bribed a patient, staged a medical accident, and thrust Chu Wu into the eye of a storm. Although Chu Wu was qualified, she hadn¡¯t practiced in this profession for several years, which was irresponsible to the patients. The medical accident embroiled Chu Wu in a lawsuit. It was after this incident that Chu Wu became corrupted¡­ In any case, it was her original self and Chuu Wu who led to Chu Wu¡¯s dark transformation. The original self might have been deceived by Chuu Wu, but she did indeed indirectly cause the later tragedy of Chu Wu. Chuzheng never expected that the tasks given by Bastard would get more and more difficult. In the past, the Good Person Card had nothing to do with her. Now it had evolved into a relationship with an enemy. How was she supposed to make the Good Person Card think she was a good person? By being affectionate to it? Chuzheng touched her chin, thinking the Good Person Card was actually quite tender when kissed. She wanted to kiss it again¡­ Too bad it ran away. It¡¯s all because of that damn Chuu Wu!!! [¡­]Why did Miss suddenly think about the Good Person Card and then jump to Chuu Wu?! Don¡¯t understand, don¡¯t understand. He¡¯s still a child. ¨C The night was as cool as water. The cold, frost-like moonlight scattered across the land as if the world had been draped in a layer of gossamer. The villas at Fanlu Manor were tiered among the lush greenery. The patrolling guard yawned as he walked down the tree-lined path, where a breeze blew from the end of the walkway, causing him to shiver involuntarily. Clutching his arms, the guard quickened his pace, planning to find someone for a drink after finishing his rounds. However, as he approached villa number six, he noticed a light coming from somewhere in the villa. No one lived in number six villa¡­ Instantly, the guard recalled the rumors about number six villa. He had only heard stories from others and never witnessed anything himself, but he hadn¡¯t expected to encounter it today. Swallowing hard, the guard, who was faint of heart, didn¡¯t dare to look in that direction and turned to run away. Chuzheng received a call from the person in charge of Fanlu Manor the next day, asking her to take a look at the house, and if there were no problems, they could proceed with the final steps. Chuzheng took a car to Fanlu Manor, where the person in charge was waiting outside to accompany her to villa number six. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, there¡¯s something I¡¯m not sure if I should say,¡± the person in charge began to speak hesitantly as they reached the area of villa number six. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°This¡­ this villa, it¡¯s haunted.¡± ¡°Haunted?¡± ¡°Yes, last night one of our guards saw lights flickering in number six villa, but no one has been living there for almost half a year.¡± Chuzheng, with a serious face, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just burglars.¡± But in a world where even professions like Guardian Angel exist to scare people, the presence of ghosts didn¡¯t seem too unusual. What exists above must have its counterpart below, right? ¡°It¡¯s definitely not burglars. Over the past six months, patrolling guards have seen this happen periodically. What thief would be so bold, and why always the same spot? That place can¡¯t possibly have a gold mine, right? I¡¯ve also checked it during the day with others, and we found nothing.¡± The house had been sold, so the person in charge wasn¡¯t afraid of Chuzheng backing out. But if he didn¡¯t say anything and she found out later, she would have reason to hassle them. ¡°Which place?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you there.¡± The belongings inside the villa were not as numerous as when Chuzheng had last seen them. It was unclear whether the original owner had moved out. The person in charge led Chuzheng all the way up to the third floor. ¡°It¡¯s this room.¡± The room was empty, nothing special about it. The person in charge explained that when the previous owner decided to sell, they found the room already vacant. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, if you¡¯re going to live here, please be careful.¡± The person in charge handed over the keys to the villa to Chuzheng, still unable to refrain from issuing a warning, after all, she was a young girl. Chuzheng coldly nodded her head to show she understood. After the person in charge chattered on, Chuzheng sent him away, finally enjoying some quiet. ¡°Mr. Chu, why have you come back?¡± ¡°There are still some things I haven¡¯t finished taking.¡± Chu Wu entered against the light, looking like he was surrounded by a halo, resembling a deity from Greek mythology, emerging from the radiance, dazzling and majestic. His long, straight legs stepped through the light as he moved forward at a leisurely pace. The somewhat dazzling light slowly receded. The man¡¯s tall and slender figure was revealed, and his facial contours became clear, a face that would make any woman feel inferior. His dark, deep eyes glanced over indifferently, as if carrying the secrets of the vast universe, mysterious and immense, yet cold. Chu Wu¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at the girl standing in the living room. Why does she keep lingering like a ghost spirit? ¡°Mr. Chu, let me introduce you. This is Miss Chuzheng, the one who bought your villa.¡± The person in charge returned and took it upon himself to introduce them both. Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± So this is the moron who jacked up the house price. To get close to me, she wouldn¡¯t stop at anything? Chu Wu became even more convinced that Chuzheng was sent by Chuu Wu. Chapter 367 - Chapter 367: Chapter 367 Heavenly Fortune (9) Chapter 367: Chapter 367 Heavenly Fortune (9) ¡°I recognize them.¡± The person in charge suddenly heard Chu Wu say this, and his words got stuck. He felt that the atmosphere was a bit off and forced a chuckle, ¡°So, you know each other, then I¡­ will take my leave first, you folks chat.¡± The person in charge quickly slipped away. The villa instantly became quiet, and they could even hear the sound of the wind blowing through the trees outside. Chu Wu walked towards the inside. He didn¡¯t look at Chuzheng but went straight upstairs. ¡°Do you want to take back what belongs to you?¡± The girl¡¯s crisp voice suddenly exploded in his ear. Chu Wu¡¯s footsteps on the stairs paused slightly. Take back everything that belongs to him¡­ What else belongs to him? Chu Wu¡¯s long hand grasped the handrail, tilted his body slightly, and looked at her sidelong, ¡°What kind of trick do you want to play now?¡± ¡°I can help you.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s expression was grave, ¡°Whatever you want, it¡¯s all possible.¡± ¡°All possible?¡± Chu Wu released the handrail and turned around completely to face Chuzheng, ¡°Do you really think you are a Guardian Angel?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°You said you recognized the wrong person?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± The wrong person was recognized by the original owner, not me. ¡°So¡­¡± Chu Wu¡¯s tone dragged slightly, and his eyebrows lifted, making his eyes appear even more mysterious and vast, as if gazing into the starry universe, ¡°How do you know now that you recognized the wrong person?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I can¡¯t tell you, it¡¯s a different person. Chuzheng asserted confidently, ¡°I just know.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even give a reason, why should I believe you? Even if what you say is true¡­ where are your wings?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Don¡¯t bring up wings, you¡¯re still my Good Person Card. ¡°I¡¯m a bit special.¡± Chuzheng said with a serious face, ¡°I don¡¯t grow wings.¡± ¡°Your wings were gouged out, right?¡± Chu Wu stepped mercilessly on Chuzheng¡¯s sore spot, ¡°Who did it? Chuu Wu? Is that the reason you¡¯re looking for me? Or is it¡­ part of your schemes?¡± That was the conclusion he came to with the information he had. Either she had a fallout with Chuu Wu. Or she was colluding with Chuu Wu, still wanting to go against him. Chu Wu continued, ¡°Before, others couldn¡¯t see you, but now everyone can, is it because you lost your wings?¡± Wings, wings, wings¡­ Chuu Wu, that damn dog! So infuriating. Chu Wu felt that the girl opposite him suddenly became fierce. Although there was still no expression on her face, her aura had changed. Did he anger her? A sneer rose from the depths of Chu Wu¡¯s heart, was she throwing a tantrum because he hit the nail on the head? ¡°Can¡¯t you just trust me?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Chu Wu turned his head back and continued walking upstairs, ¡°How do you expect me to trust you?¡± He only knew that for many years, she had been helping Chuu Wu. How was he supposed to believe her¡­ that she was his Guardian Angel, such an absurd notion? Chu Wu stood on the upper floor, looking down at her, ¡°If you were me, having experienced what I have, would you believe it?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng thought silently for a moment. I¡¯d trust you, my foot! If I encountered that, I¡¯d definitely take you out! To recognize the wrong person! What¡¯s the use of keeping such a Guardian Angel¡­ It¡¯s over. The Good Person Card completely doesn¡¯t trust me, what should I do? After pondering for a while, Chuzheng¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up¡ªwhy not make him lose his memory! Perfect! [¡­Miss, I¡¯m begging you, please don¡¯t take such a messy, crooked path, okay? We¡¯re really just a proper Spendthrift System, not some violent home-wrecking System!] What in the world is losing memory? How on earth did Miss come up with that idea? Even if the Good Person Card has amnesia, what if it remembers? Wouldn¡¯t the Good Person Card hate you to death? Miss is absolutely unbearable when she goes crazy. Chuzheng is eager to try. The King¡¯s Account roared at her to stop such dangerous thoughts, prattling on about the harms of causing amnesia. Chu Wu came downstairs carrying things. Chuzheng stopped him and handed him the key, ¡°You can continue living in this house.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Chu Wu refused. Chuzheng unceremoniously put the key inside the things he was carrying. ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, then throw it away.¡± She had no plans to live here anyway. It¡¯s haunted! Very scary. Chuzheng left before Chu Wu. Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Chu Wu stared at the key on the table, lost in thought. That villa actually didn¡¯t need a key; he could enter just by scanning his face. Since that day, the image of that girl kept flashing before his eyes. He had seen her before, but he had never felt this way¡­ Strange. Whenever he thought of her, his heart would uncontrollably speed up. ¡°Knock knock.¡± A knock on the door sounded. Chu Wu put the key into the drawer, ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Doctor Chu, there are a lot of patients today, one of them needs your attention.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Chu Wu actually didn¡¯t have many patients, at most a nurse could handle them. Last time, he could only deal with Chuzheng¡¯s injuries because of a food poisoning incident at the school, and it was late at night, many doctors hadn¡¯t arrived, only Chu Wu was able to treat such wounds. Chu Wu came out of the operating room and it was already night. He rubbed his neck, feeling somewhat tired. He had just returned to his office for a short while when a nurse came hurrying in to tell him the patient suddenly took a turn for the worse. The patient was rushed to the operating room for emergency treatment, but passed away within half an hour. His surgery was very successful, such an outcome shouldn¡¯t have occurred¡­ ¨C When Chuzheng arrived at the hospital, Chu Wu was being jostled by people, with a bloody forehead where someone had hit him, the bright red blood flowing down his cheek, dripping from his chin, staining his white coat. He stood amidst the chaos, not cursing back, not fighting back. ¡°You quack, my husband is gone just like that, wuu wuu wuu.¡± ¡°Give me back my son.¡± ¡°My brother was so young, dying at your hands, how do you expect our family to live.¡± The surrounding onlookers pointed and talked. ¡°Someone died?¡± ¡°I heard that doctor hasn¡¯t performed surgery for many years.¡± ¡°Really? Isn¡¯t that harming people?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Lucky I didn¡¯t encounter such a doctor.¡± ¡°Oh dear, what a sin¡­¡± ¡°Give me back my brother¡¯s life!¡± The patient¡¯s brother shouted as he raised his hand, about to strike Chu Wu¡¯s face, but it was caught by another hand. The patient¡¯s brother tried to pull his hand free, angry and struggling, but he found that the grip was extraordinarily strong. ¡°If you damage his face, can you afford to pay for it?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± The patient¡¯s brother glared at the owner of the hand, ¡°He killed my brother; how is my hitting him wrong? It¡¯s a life, a life!!¡± Chuzheng brushed the patient¡¯s brother¡¯s hand away and forcibly stood in front, protecting Chu Wu behind her. The girl looked frail, but the coldness and detachment on her face made people hesitant to approach her. ¡°He¡¯s responsible for causing a death with his treatment, he must pay with his life for my brother,¡± the patient¡¯s brother exclaimed angrily and agitated. Chuzheng produced a knife from nowhere, holding the blade and handing the handle to him, ¡°Pay with a life? Fine, you kill one and show me.¡± Immediately, the surroundings filled with gasps of shock. Chapter 368 - Chapter 368: Chapter 368 Heavenly Fortune (10) Chapter 368: Chapter 368 Heavenly Fortune (10) ¡°` The patient¡¯s older brother looked at the knife being handed to him, his face alternating between pale and flushed, more colorful than a painter¡¯s palette. ¡°Kill, then.¡± Chuzheng continued to push the knife forward. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it for avenging your brother?¡± Chuzheng said, ¡°Go on, do it.¡± Pressured by Chuzheng, the patient¡¯s older brother backed away as silence descended around them, and everyone stared at the girl in shock and fear. Who hands over a knife when someone causes a scene? Suddenly, the patient¡¯s older brother let out a yell, snatched the knife from Chuzheng¡¯s hand, and charged at Chu Wu. ¡°Ah!¡± The onlookers screamed in fright. However, the bloody scene they anticipated didn¡¯t happen. The seemingly delicate girl lifted her foot and kicked the patient¡¯s older brother in the stomach, sending him crashing into the wall behind. Clang. The knife fell on the tiled floor, ringing out crisply. The patient¡¯s older brother was probably stunned by the kick. When he finally came to, he didn¡¯t get up but instead sat on the ground, throwing a tantrum. ¡°Someone¡¯s been killed¡­¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s been killed!¡± ¡°Oh, this hospital not only kills patients, it beats people to death too. Is there no justice left in this world?¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t even glance at him and turned to look at Chu Wu: ¡°Are you alright?¡± Blood continued to stream down Chu Wu¡¯s forehead, and his dark, ink-like eyes slowly regained focus with the sound of Chuzheng¡¯s voice. The girl¡¯s reflection appeared in his pupils, her delicate features devoid of any emotion, indifferent and cold. ¡°I¡¯ll take you back to the office first,¡± Chuzheng said, seeing that he didn¡¯t respond, and she wrapped her arm around his waist, walking through the crowd. ¡°Don¡¯t let them go,¡± the patient¡¯s older brother roared: ¡°Stop them, we must have an explanation. Oh, my back¡­¡± Hearing this, two men among the patient¡¯s family members readied themselves to step forward. Chuzheng looked back, her eyes cold as they landed on them. A chill ran up the spines of the two men, who simultaneously stopped in their tracks. How could a little girl¡¯s gaze be so terrifying¡­ Intimidated by the young girl, the two men felt a sting of irritation inside. She was just a little girl; even if she had some fighting skills, could she really be a match for two grown men? With this thought, the two approached again. ¡°Oh no, this is serious, someone¡¯s been killed, come quick and see¡­¡± Amid the wailing and sobbing of the patient¡¯s older brother, the two men planned to grab one each. Chuzheng, holding onto Chu Wu, kicked one of the men¡¯s thigh sideways, then hooked, sending him sprawling to the ground. She followed through with a kick to the man¡¯s backside, changing the direction of his fall so he collided with the other man. The two men tumbled to the ground in a heap. ¡°Stop fighting!¡± A young doctor in a white coat, followed by others, pushed through the crowd, separating Chuzheng and the agitated family members. ¡°Everyone, please stop fighting. We haven¡¯t fully investigated the situation yet. Please remain calm¡­¡± ¡°My family member isn¡¯t the one who died, so of course you¡¯re not upset. Give me my husband back!¡± the patient¡¯s wife wept bitterly. The young doctor consoled, ¡°The hospital will surely investigate to understand exactly what happened in order to give you an explanation. Rest assured, we will get to the bottom of this. It¡¯s our responsibility to the hospital and to the deceased.¡± ¡°Responsibility? You assigned a doctor who hasn¡¯t operated in years. What kind of responsibility is that? Where are your leaders, let them come out!¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, nobody¡¯s leaving today.¡± ¡°She, she hit people too! Is there no law any more!?¡± The young doctor looked towards Chuzheng, whom they pointed at, with a slight look of surprise on his face. This isn¡¯t the one¡­ Thoughts flashed through the young doctor¡¯s mind, but without time to ponder, he simply stated, ¡°She¡¯s not from our hospital.¡± ¡°So she can hit people because she¡¯s not from your hospital? Look at her, standing with that murderer, they¡¯re in cahoots!!¡± ¡°You bunch of Executioners, you¡¯re not fit to be doctors! You¡¯re beasts!!¡± ¡°Give me back my brother¡¯s life! ¡± ¡°` Chuzheng, annoyed, walked forward two steps. The patient¡¯s brother who was kicked by Chuzheng, and those two men, simultaneously took a step back. Their retreat caused the noisy family members to also step back. The scene inexplicably quieted down. ¡°I called the police, quiet down and wait for them to come, stop making noise.¡± How annoying. ¡°Called¡­ the police?¡± The patient¡¯s brother¡¯s expression clearly changed, but he quickly adopted a tough attitude, ¡°You think just because you call the police, we will be scared of you?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re the victims, why would you be afraid of us?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was as cold as the ice and snow of the deep winter, ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with what you said.¡± The patient¡¯s brother was immediately at a loss for words. His facial expression changed rapidly. About thirty seconds later, the patient¡¯s brother stiffened his neck, ¡°Fine! I haven¡¯t even called the police yet! You hit someone just now, wait till the police get here, you¡¯ll see!¡± Chuzheng had indeed called the police. And it was before she had come in. So just as the patient¡¯s brother¡¯s words had not yet settled, the police had already arrived. Upon seeing the police, the patient¡¯s brother rushed over to them. His leg was no longer limp, and his waist no longer hurt. ¡°You¡¯re finally here, if you hadn¡¯t come we would have been beaten to death by these hospital people.¡± The patient¡¯s brother and a few family members surrounded the police, rattling off a slew of complaints. Hearing it was a medical incident, the police all felt a headache coming on. ¡°It was her; she hit people.¡± The police looked at Chuzheng, their first reaction being that she was too frail; facing these several big men, how could she possibly hit them? Moreover, these people didn¡¯t seem to have any issues. Instead, it was the young man behind the young girl who had blood trailing down his face. ¡°You hit someone?¡± But since they were all saying so, the police still had to ask. ¡°No,¡± Chuzheng denied seriously. Hit what people! Was that a hit? That was a kick! ¡°So many people were watching just now, she¡¯s still making excuses, she must be arrested!¡± the patient¡¯s brother clamored and didn¡¯t forget to seek confirmation from the people around, ¡°You all saw her hit someone, didn¡¯t you? She¡¯s covering for that murderer, hitting me, a victim¡¯s family member, is there no law anymore?¡± The police asked the crowd of onlookers. They confirmed that Chuzheng had indeed made a move. ¡°I was defending myself,¡± Chuzheng claimed boldly, ¡°They were the ones who brought out the knife first.¡± ¡°Bullshit! You were the one who gave me that knife!!¡± The patient¡¯s brother became furious upon hearing that, ¡°How can you distort the truth.¡± [¡­] Distorting the truth? Miss, you might just as well hand him a wok to carry. The knife was still on the ground, and the police picked it up, ¡°Is there surveillance here?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the young doctor replied. ¡°You all disperse these patients first, don¡¯t crowd around here,¡± the police instructed, ¡°and you all stop making a fuss for now, let¡¯s first clarify what happened.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do, they have to give us an explanation. Our relative died here; we can¡¯t let it go unaddressed,¡± the patient¡¯s brother insisted. The patient¡¯s wife joined in the commotion as well. The police¡¯s headache only grew worse. After calming the disruptive patient¡¯s family members, they began to resolve one issue after another. The first matter was Chuzheng hitting people and to whom the fallen knife at the scene belonged. Originally, this was a trivial matter since the knife hadn¡¯t injured anyone. But the patient¡¯s family was making a big fuss, insisting that the police arrest Chuzheng. The young doctor mentioned surveillance, but upon checking, it turned out that the cameras in that area were out of order due to maintenance needs. Chuzheng had taken the knife out, and many onlookers had seen it. But Chuzheng wouldn¡¯t admit to it. She demanded that they produce evidence to prove the knife was hers. Someone had taken a video at the scene, but because it was chaotic at the time, no one captured it clearly. Chapter 369 - Chapter 369: Chapter 369 Heavenly Fortune (11) Chapter 369: Chapter 369 Heavenly Fortune (11) ¡°` ¡°She touched this knife, the knife has her fingerprints!¡± Someone from the family yelled out. The police officers¡¯ expressions darkened a bit. They¡¯re not a criminal investigation team; are they supposed to be equipped with a professional team, too? However, though these officers were quite dissatisfied internally, their attitudes were extremely cordial, involving medical malpractice, if not handled properly, they themselves might be implicated. They hurriedly sent the knife back to the police station for examination. As a result, there were fingerprints of only one person on the knife ¨C and they didn¡¯t belong to Chuzheng. So many people claimed to have seen Chuzheng holding the knife, but in the face of the evidence, even though the police also found it a bit strange, they couldn¡¯t say anything. Chuzheng and the group of relatives were interrogated separately. ¡°Did you hit them?¡± ¡°No.¡± I kicked them, that doesn¡¯t count as hitting. ¡°What is your relationship with the hospital?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng silently for two seconds: ¡°Patient.¡± ¡°Why did a patient get involved in this matter?¡± the officer asked suspiciously. This was a case of a death, why would she, a patient, want to get involved in such trouble? This doesn¡¯t fit the normal human instinct to avoid danger. ¡°I saw injustice.¡± Pulling out a knife to help! ¡°So you still have such a sense of justice?¡± the officer raised an eyebrow, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that these people will not let you go either?¡± Medical malpractice wasn¡¯t common, but they¡¯d certainly encountered it before. When these relatives got stirred up, even the police suffered. Chuzheng¡¯s expression remained calm: ¡°Not afraid.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The officer shook his head. The statement didn¡¯t reveal anything useful, and after their verification, Chuzheng did indeed appear to be a patient here¡­ though she ran away after just a couple of days. No injuries were found on the body of the patient¡¯s brother or the other two men; not even a bruise. Even if Chuzheng had really hit them, it would just be a minor dispute, not enough to arrest someone. The patient¡¯s relatives definitely wouldn¡¯t be satisfied, but the police efficiently suppressed the situation. Next came the issue of the medical malpractice. This matter couldn¡¯t be clarified with just one or two sentences. ¨C Chuzheng escorted Chu Wu back to the office, pressing him down onto the chair. ¡°Do you have any medicine?¡± Chu Wu frowned slightly, his gaze fixed intently on her. The blood that had trickled down his forehead had already dried, turning a dark red hue, making his face look even more distinct and sharp. Not getting an answer, Chuzheng searched the office and found some gauze and medicine. She thrust the medicine in front of him: ¡°Apply it yourself.¡± Chu Wu¡¯s face was somewhat pale as he looked up at Chuzheng. ¡°This matter doesn¡¯t concern you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Chuzheng nodded, ¡°Apply the medicine.¡± ¡°Why did you interfere?¡± Chu Wu¡¯s voice was a bit hoarse, his dark eyes staring intently at Chuzheng, as if trying to discern something from her face. However, Chuzheng maintained a tight face throughout, expressionless. ¡°What does it matter to you whether I interfere or not.¡± Would I even be here if it weren¡¯t for you? ¡°This is my issue.¡± ¡°The person involved isn¡¯t just you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng slapped the table, a bit ferociously: ¡°Are you going to apply it or not?¡± The other didn¡¯t respond. Chuzheng pinched Chu Wu¡¯s chin, tilting it up slightly, and brushed aside the hair on his forehead: Not gentle. The first thought flashed through her mind, and only then did Chuzheng see the wound beneath the fallen hair. Did that group always carry an Erlang hammer with them? To make such a big wound. I was too light with those kicks! No good. Gotta find a chance to make up for that. Chuzheng was extremely close. ¡°` This distance reminded Chu Wu of when he had been ill before, how she was this close to him, and even more¡­ Chu Wu didn¡¯t know why these thoughts came to him. But it seemed his thoughts were out of control. The girl bent slightly forward as if to examine his wound, even reaching out to poke it. The wound that had stopped bleeding was prodded by her, and Chu Wu felt a warm flow down his cheek. ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu looked up slightly, and the girl¡¯s slender neck entered his view, leading down to the glimpse of a collarbone hidden beneath her clothing. Her breath fell on his face, bringing a soft tickle. Her cherry blossom-colored lips were gently pursed; they looked incredibly beautiful, and must feel comfortable to kiss¡­ Chuzheng didn¡¯t care whether it hurt or not while applying the medicine; she did it as quickly as possible. Her movements were brisk as she cleaned the wound, applied medicine, and bandaged it up. The whole process took only a few minutes. As their distance suddenly widened, Chu Wu woke up with a start and got to his feet, the chair having no room to retreat; unsteady, he instinctively grabbed the person in front of him. Chuzheng still held the medicine and gauze in her hand, and with Chu Wu¡¯s pull, she went tumbling down as well. Chuzheng braced herself on both sides of the chair, the gauze and medicine falling to the floor. Chu Wu sat in the chair, his head slightly reclined, a few barely perceptible signs of annoyance appearing on his handsome and indifferent face. Their gazes collided in the air, neither moving. Chu Wu was annoyed with himself for actually having imagined himself kissing her just now. When he was ill, his consciousness had been unclear, and he didn¡¯t remember much, but the vaguer the memory was, the more enchanting the image became, making him want to recall it more. Chu Wu held his breath, his pale face slowly flushing a pink hue. All of a sudden, Chuzheng bent her right leg and knelt between Chu Wu¡¯s legs, leaning down to capture his chin and went straight in for the kiss. Chu Wu¡¯s eyes widened suddenly. Chuzheng¡¯s kiss wasn¡¯t as soft and gentle as he had imagined a girl¡¯s kiss would be, but it was aggressive and domineering in a way that was impossible to resist¡­ Chu Wu didn¡¯t know if it was he who didn¡¯t want to resist or if she wouldn¡¯t allow him to resist. But he really¡­ wanted to immerse himself in it. Thump thump thump¡ª His heartbeat quickened gradually. He couldn¡¯t help but flick his tongue against hers, and that flick made the person kissing him even more presumptuous¡­ ¡°Chu Wu.¡± The door to the office was suddenly pushed open. The person at the door caught sight of the scene inside the office at a glance. He snapped the door shut with a ¡®click¡¯. Had he seen that incorrectly? Or was Chu Wu really kissing a girl? In the office, Chuzheng, disturbed by the interruption, bit Chu Wu a couple of times in dissatisfaction, then pulled back a bit. With a serious and stern look, the girl asked him, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± Chu Wu: ¡°??¡± What kind of immortal question was that! Where did it hurt him? What hurt him? The person outside probably collected his feelings and knocked on the door politely. Chu Wu, feeling quite flustered, pushed Chuzheng away and stood up, knocking over a chair in the process, creating a clattering noise. The people outside probably heard it. Chu Wu took a couple of deep breaths, not daring to look at Chuzheng, and walked toward the door with big steps, pulling it open. The young doctor peered curiously into the office. Chu Wu, whether intentionally or unintentionally, was blocking his view. The young doctor hadn¡¯t come for the gossip; he was concerned about a medical incident. ¡°Are you really sure there were no problems during the surgery? That everything was dealt with?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Chu Wu confirmed. ¡°Then why did he suddenly die?¡± The young doctor did believe Chu Wu, but his frown showed his confusion, ¡°The cause still hasn¡¯t been found. Maybe you shouldn¡¯t show up for now, or maybe you should leave the hospital for a while?¡± ¡°No need, this trouble was caused by me.¡± Chapter 370 - Chapter 370: Chapter 370 Heavenly Fortune (12) Chapter 370: Chapter 370 Heavenly Fortune (12) Chu Wu insisted on staying at the hospital, but the young doctor couldn¡¯t persuade him to leave. ¡°That girl in your office¡­¡± She was fierce before. In front of her, those noisy family members were like little chicks. He couldn¡¯t help but utter the word ¡°cool.¡± ¡°Me and her¡­¡± Chu Wu slightly frowned, ¡°It¡¯s complicated, I¡¯ll tell you about it later.¡± The young doctor nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, this matter will be investigated thoroughly. I believe in you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°What are you thanking me for.¡± The young doctor patted him on the shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ll go check on the situation, and I¡¯ll inform you as soon as there¡¯s news.¡± Chu Wu watched the young doctor leave, then he closed the room door. The sound from the corridor was blocked by the door, and the office suddenly fell into dead silence. Chu Wu could even hear the sound of his own heartbeat. His hand gripping the doorknob slowly tightened. He was actually nervous¡­ He had never been nervous during his first surgery. Chu Wu took a deep breath, calming the nerves at the bottom of his heart, and turned around¡­ Miss Chuzheng sat in the chair he had been sitting in just a moment ago, her hands casually resting on the back of the chair, her right index finger tapping it intermittently and lightly. Although she was a dainty girl, her sitting posture was quite open and bold. The standard chair found in every doctor¡¯s office seemed like a throne under her command. If she really came to bewitch him¡­ Chu Wu thought she had succeeded. He had no resistance against her whatsoever. ¡°Come here.¡± Miss Chuzheng, like a boss, waved Chu Wu over. As if possessed, Chu Wu walked over to her, his eyes casting down at the girl in the chair. The girl slightly tilted her head back, her neck¡¯s graceful and smooth lines stretching slightly and shining with a pearly light, like fine jade. ¡°Want to know who did it?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Chu Wu frowned. ¡°The incident that happened outside.¡± Miss Chuzheng stopped tapping her finger on the chair, ¡°Do you think it was just an accident?¡± ¡°The results haven¡¯t come out yet¡­¡± Chu Wu subconsciously replied. He still didn¡¯t know whether it was due to his mishandling that caused the death, or if it was some other reason¡­ ¡°Hmm.¡± Miss Chuzheng nodded, her tone flat, ¡°I¡¯m asking you, do you think it was just an accident?¡± Just an accident¡­ Chu Wu didn¡¯t believe it. He said, ¡°I¡¯m confident in myself.¡± The surgery had no risk, and he had handled everything correctly. Chu Wu stared at the girl in the chair. Why was she asking this? Was someone deliberately¡­ The girl raised her hand, hooked his little finger, and seeing he did not resist, gently pulled it, gradually brushing and holding his entire palm. ¡°So do you want to know who did it?¡± I can tell you! Her soft, seemingly boneless hand brushed through the center of his palm, causing a slight tremble in his heart. Something in the depths of his heart wanted to burst forth¡­ Chu Wu forced himself to ignore the sensations Chuzheng was bringing about. ¡°You¡¯re implying someone wants to harm me?¡± Miss Chuzheng¡¯s eyes remained calm as she looked at him, ¡°Do you want to know?¡± Do you want to know or not? Give me a straight answer! Chu Wu was silent for a few seconds, ¡°¡­go on, I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°Kiss me,¡± Miss Chuzheng slightly tilted up her chin, ¡°and I¡¯ll tell you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu wanted to shake off Miss Chuzheng¡¯s hand, but she was holding it tightly, making it impossible to pull away. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, please behave yourself.¡± Chu Wu was furious at heart. She must have come to play tricks on him on purpose. ¡°I¡¯m not heavy.¡± Miss Chuzheng was serious, ¡°Otherwise, how about a hug?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes, clear and indifferent, were now full of sincerity. In Chu Wu¡¯s mind, however, he was thinking of the girl grasping his hand, soft and tender, acting coquettishly¡­ Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± I¡­ must be crazy, thinking about such things. Chu Wu was cold-natured and dealt with everyone in the same manner. But at this moment, he was a bit irritable. ¡°This matter is very important to me. If you¡¯re just playing with me, sorry, I don¡¯t have time for that.¡± And you call yourself a Guardian Angel? Huh! ¡°Hmm, give me a kiss, and I¡¯ll tell you who did it,¡± Chuzheng tilted her head, ¡°It¡¯s a good deal.¡± A kiss wouldn¡¯t be a loss or a deception. How nice. You can¡¯t find a good person like me even with a diamond. What are you hesitating for! Why is it so hard to trick a Good Person Card into a kiss! ¡°Aren¡¯t you my Guardian Angel?¡± Chu Wu suddenly said, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you tell me proactively?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you disbelieve it?¡± Chuzheng replied calmly. Chu Wu¡¯s brows revealed his indifference, ¡°If you want me to believe, you should provide some convincing reasons. You don¡¯t even have wings, what kind of angel are you, and how do you expect me to believe?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Can we not talk about my wings? Why is the Good Person Card so obsessed with my wings! Can¡¯t one be an angel without wings? Chuzheng confidently bluffed, ¡°A fallen angel.¡± Chu Wu did not want to argue with Chuzheng about this juvenile angel issue¡ªthough he had almost come to believe it¡ªbut still felt it was too adolescent, like a plot from an anime. ¡°If I kiss you, will you really tell me?¡± Chu Wu¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lie to you.¡± The Good Person Card isn¡¯t easy to cheat, so Chuzheng¡¯s expression became more serious. Chu Wu bent over, propping on the back of the chair, his handsome face magnifying in Chuzheng¡¯s pupils. When he was just an inch away from Chuzheng, he suddenly stopped. The next second, his lips descended. The man¡¯s eyes were half-closed. From Chuzheng¡¯s perspective, she could see the shattered light in his eyes, as if someone had sprinkled diamonds inside, shining brightly. Chu Wu did not kiss for long and quickly released Chuzheng. ¡°Can you tell me now?¡± Chuzheng was a bit disappointed. She should have set a time limit. ¡°Chuu Wu.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Chu Wu waited for her to continue. However, Chuzheng, with her fingertips touching her lips and her eyes cast down, seemed to be deep in thought and showed no intention of speaking further. Chu Wu¡­ Chuu Wu¡­ ¡°You¡¯re saying Chuu Wu did it?¡± Chu Wu finally responded, realizing it was the man whose name sounded just like his. ¡°Hmm.¡± That damn bastard. Chuu Wu¡­ Hearing this name, Chu Wu was not surprised. But had she really¡­ drawn a clear line with Chuu Wu? Chuzheng was still holding onto Chu Wu¡¯s hand, her fingers brushing against his palm intermittently, preventing him from thinking clearly. ¡°He¡¯s still not willing to let me go?¡± He had already fallen to this state. Chuzheng: ¡°How could he bear to let you go.¡± Without your death, that bastard wouldn¡¯t be at ease. After all, he snatched everything from Chu Wu. ¡°¡­¡± Her words sounded odd. After a moment, Chu Wu asked, ¡°Does he want to see me ruined, my reputation destroyed?¡± If the medical accident were truly deemed his fault. He would be stripped of his medical license and forbidden to work in the field, and no one would dare employ him¡­ ¡°No.¡± Chuzheng pulled him closer to her side. Her hand encircled his waist. The girl¡¯s clear voice slowly circulated in the office, ¡°Why would he let you be ruined? He wants you¡­ dead.¡± Scared, aren¡¯t you? Chapter 371 - Chapter 371: Chapter 371 Heavenly Fortune (13) Chapter 371: Chapter 371 Heavenly Fortune (13) He wants you dead. These four words, as they fell into Chu Wu¡¯s ears, were especially clear. Chuu Wu¡­ It was him again. ¨C The hospital requested an examination of the body, but the family refused to consent under any circumstances. Without the family¡¯s agreement, there was no way to proceed with the investigation, so the police were working on getting their consent. Investigating the cause of death would require starting with the deceased. But the family, citing ¡®The person is already dead, why can¡¯t you leave him be?¡¯ refused to agree. The family gathered more people to make a scene in the hospital. They accused the hospital doctors of incompetence, causing death, and even allowing hospital staff to engage in violence. The incident was becoming a huge deal. Media from all sides converged upon hearing the news, joining the family members to encircle the hospital. Online, information about Chu Wu began to spread wildly. Especially about how he hadn¡¯t practiced medicine for several years. This point was undoubtedly a focus of interest. Even if you graduated with excellent grades, how can you ensure your skills are still sharp after several years out of the field? In the end, public opinion escalated to questioning the hospital for employing such a person. There are certain people online. They don¡¯t know the truth, but they speak as if they were on the scene, seemingly more knowledgeable than the people involved. Chu Wu, the person at the center of it all, was trapped inside the hospital. The hospital staff had quite a few complaints about him. ¡°Big brother, is it really okay to do this?¡± ¡°What could go wrong? As long as we don¡¯t let them perform an autopsy, there won¡¯t be any problems. You can relax; they wouldn¡¯t dare to do it forcefully, I¡¯ve asked around.¡± Without the family¡¯s consent, they had no right to touch the body. ¡°I still feel a little¡­¡± ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯m here. Now, go on back first.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± The woman slipped out from a corner, looking around to make sure no one was there, and left quickly with her head down. Chuzheng stood at the corner, her figure obscured by the green plants. Only after the woman disappeared without a trace did she step out and start walking. The man pushed open the door to the fire escape, and as he did so, his eyes met the girl standing outside. With her delicate face, the girl stared at him expressionlessly. Her clear eyes seemed to contain the frost and snow of winter, bone-chillingly cold. The man subconsciously took a step back. It was this girl again¡­ Chuzheng walked toward him. ¡°What do you want?¡± the man barked. ¡°Nothing much.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was flat, ¡°Just wanted to have a talk.¡± The door to the fire escape slowly closed, blocking their figures inside. Ten minutes later. Hospital rooftop. The man was tied to the railing by Chuzheng, who leaned casually with crossed legs, embodying a relaxed air. The man had snot and tears smeared all over his face, far from the arrogance he had shown before, now wishing he could just crawl into a hole and hide. He wanted to get as far away from this ¡®demon¡¯ as possible. ¡°I¡¯ll give you another chance, either go down and turn yourself in, or I¡¯ll send you down to see your brother,¡± she said. Her voice was scattered by the wind on the rooftop. To go down and see his brother¡­ That meant death, didn¡¯t it? The man glanced towards the edge of the rooftop and instantly felt his legs weaken. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll turn myself in, I¡¯ll confess,¡± he blurted quickly. Chuzheng glanced at him, ¡°Did someone put you up to this?¡± ¡°No¡­ no, it was my idea¡­ I wanted to extort a big sum from the hospital,¡± he said. ¡°Really, no one else?¡± ¡°No one, truly no one,¡± he insisted. He didn¡¯t seem to be lying. Chuzheng recalled the last time she encountered Sang Meng and the influence that meeting had brought her¡­ It seemed capable of awakening the darker side of a person¡¯s heart. Even of hypnotizing them. This must be the power of a Fallen Angel. There was no need for them to show up in person. Seems quite impressive. I wonder if I¡¯d be able to do the same if I cut off my wings¡­ Thinking about it is quite exciting. [¡­]King¡¯s Account repeated the customer service smile policy a few times, [¡°Miss, can you please not turn evil?¡±] The Good Person Card hasn¡¯t turned evil yet, and you¡¯ve already become evil! ¡°How have I gone evil?¡± Chuzheng asked innocently. [You¡¯re thinking about cutting off someone else¡¯s wings and claiming them as your own, and you¡¯re not evil?]You¡¯ve always been turning evil! Never surpassed! ¡°She cut my wings first; what¡¯s wrong with me cutting back?¡± An eye for an eye, how can I not retaliate for my wings being chopped off? Chuzheng defended herself righteously. [¡­] It seems¡­ there¡¯s nothing wrong with that. Ptui! [But we are the Spendthrift System.]Struggling, King¡¯s Account said, [¡°Miss, let¡¯s be spendthrifts.¡±] Send a mission to calm down the miss. [Main Mission: Please become a stockholder of ¡®Xinnan Hospital¡¯ within 72 hours.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard you damn thing! [¡­]I¡¯m used to it, calm. Chuzheng kicked the man beside her who was considerably frightened: ¡°Scram!¡± The man felt the girl in front of him was radiating ferocity; he dared not tarry. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about running. If you haven¡¯t turned yourself in by the time I get down there, I guarantee even if you run to the ends of the earth, I¡¯ll bring you back¡­¡± Chuzheng threatened the man with a cold tone. She had more to say, but the man didn¡¯t want to hear any of it. He truly had thought of escaping just before¡­ However, at this moment, with a look from Chuzheng, he felt a tingling fear. ¡°No¡­ I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± The man swallowed hard and stumbled downstairs, grabbing a police officer and yelling that he wanted to confess. ¨C The man was the big brother of the deceased, who was diagnosed with late-stage cancer six months ago. Over the past six months, the family had spent all their money on his treatment. Furthermore, the sick man had become especially irritable, causing misery for the whole family. So the man planned an ¡®accident¡¯ which resulted in the deceased being seriously injured. He had hoped to stage a scam to extort some money. But unexpectedly, the person who caused the accident fled. After the victim was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment, it seemed like there was nothing serious. However, just a few hours later, the patient suddenly died. Thus, the man came up with a plan to extort the hospital. He quickly summoned relatives and friends, telling them that the deceased was ¡®killed by the hospital¡¯s treatment¡¯. And so the following events unfolded. But as for how the deceased actually died, the man was clueless. With the family¡¯s consent, the police performed an autopsy on the deceased. They discovered that the deceased had died of a myocardial infarction. However, according to their statements, aside from cancer, everything was normal with the deceased. The nurse at the nurse station also said that there was nothing unusual with the patient at the time. He was fine when she checked five minutes earlier, but five minutes later, he was breathless. Although it¡¯s unclear why the deceased suddenly had a heart attack, it was certain that the doctors weren¡¯t to blame. Chu Wu was cleared of suspicion. But this did not calm the online crowd, and under pressure, the hospital had no choice but to fire Chu Wu. ¡°Chu Wu¡­¡± The young doctor looked at him, wanting to say more but hesitating. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Chu Wu was surprisingly calm. He started to pack his belongings into boxes. In fact, there wasn¡¯t much to pack¡­ In this world, there was not much left for him now. The young doctor advised, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take those online comments to heart. They don¡¯t know anything, just blathering on the internet.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The young doctor was filled with concern: ¡°How about you come and stay at my place for now? It¡¯s a bit humble, but it¡¯s spacious. You can stay there until you find a suitable place. How about that?¡± ¡°No need,¡± Chu Wu shook his head: ¡°I have a place to stay.¡± Chapter 372 - Chapter 372: Chapter 372 Heaven Sent Fortune (14) Chapter 372: Chapter 372 Heaven Sent Fortune (14) Chu Wu walked out of the hospital holding some belongings. Cars filled the road endlessly, and Chu Wu did not know where he should go at this moment. ¡°Beep¡ª¡± A black sports car stopped in front of him. The car window rolled down, revealing the face of a young girl; her fair chin lifted slightly, like that of a proud and elegant cat. ¡°Get in.¡± It was not a question. Chu Wu did not know where to go either; perhaps his mind was playing tricks on him, so he opened the car door and got in. ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°Anywhere will do.¡± Chuzheng drove the car, while Chu Wu rested his chin on his hand, watching the streetscapes flashing by outside the window. After a while, Chu Wu spoke, ¡°Why did that person suddenly confess?¡± ¡°A sudden attack of conscience,¡± Chuzheng answered nonchalantly. A sudden attack of conscience? How could that kind of person have a sudden attack of conscience? ¡°What did you do?¡± This affair was definitely related to her. Chu Wu did not know why he thought as much. But his intuition told him it was surely so. Chuzheng, gripping the steering wheel, glanced sideways at him. The man was not looking at her but still stared out the window, as though something particularly beautiful outside gripped his attention. Chuzheng felt a slight dissatisfaction in her heart. What was there outside worth looking at? Chuzheng closed the car window, but Chu Wu still did not withdraw his gaze. Chuzheng took a slight breath, ¡°Do you want to know?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu thought about the last time in the office; deep down, he was somewhat expectant, but he still said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to know.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s expression showed her disappointment as she looked away. Once again, the car fell into silence. The car eventually stopped at No. 6 Villa in Fanlu Manor. ¡°Why have you brought me here?¡± ¡°Do you have a place to live?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Chu Wu answered without any hesitation. ¡°Oh. But starting from today, you¡¯ll be living here,¡± Chuzheng said as she got out and opened the door for him. Chu Wu, still seated, did not move, ¡°I won¡¯t live here.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Chu Wu¡¯s gaze turned towards the villa, ¡°This place no longer belongs to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving it to you; it¡¯s still yours,¡± she retorted. Such a thing should be given to the Good Person Card! Chu Wu frowned, ¡°Can your kind of angels just conjure money out of nowhere?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then where did you get the money?¡± It couldn¡¯t have been stolen, could it? Those people before never saw her¡­ All of a sudden, Chu Wu thought it very likely. ¡°That¡¯s my business.¡± Bastard gave me lots of money, and you won¡¯t even help me spend it. What use are you! ¡°So where I live is my business,¡± Chu Wu retorted promptly. ¡°I won¡¯t live here.¡± Chuzheng stood silently outside the car. A minute later, she closed the car door, taking Chu Wu away from there. ¨C At Chuu Wu¡¯s home. Sang Meng¡¯s wings were healing slowly; she appeared somewhat pale and looked out the window with a gloomy expression, exuding a strong sense of death. ¡°Sang Meng.¡± Chuu Wu rushed in through the door, tugging at his tie, visibly agitated. ¡°That thing at the hospital is messed up.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Sang Meng frowned, ¡°How did it get messed up?¡± Chuu Wu¡¯s face was quite troubled, ¡°That person suddenly turned himself in, but the hospital still fired Chu Wu.¡± ¡°Being fired is good,¡± Sang Meng said. ¡°Now, all the news about him online is negative; no hospital will take him again. It¡¯s a step-by-step process.¡± ¡°Sang Meng, why must he die?¡± Sang Meng turned around, walked up to Chuu Wu, and touched his cheek with her fingertip, ¡°What, don¡¯t you want him dead?¡± Sang Meng¡¯s fingers were very cold, causing Chuu Wu to shiver uncontrollably. ¡°I¡¯m just curious why you are so determined to have him die.¡± ¡°Everything you have now was snatched from his hands,¡± Sang Meng said solemnly. ¡°His Guardian Angel brought him all his good fortune and has now brought it to you.¡± ¡°Now that Chuzheng is not dead and has returned to his side, if he doesn¡¯t die, you might lose everything you have now.¡± Chuu Wu¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, ¡°How could that be¡­ She¡¯s no longer a Guardian Angel.¡± He knew that everything he had came from the Guardian Angel. For fear she would one day learn the truth, under Sang Meng¡¯s instigation, he followed her suggestion. She had already lost her wings, how could she still cause him to lose everything? The things he had finally owned, he absolutely could not lose. Sang Meng held Chuu Wu¡¯s face and kissed his lips lightly, ¡°If she finds her wings again, she is still a Guardian Angel.¡± ¡°Wings¡­¡± Chuu Wu subconsciously looked upstairs, ¡°Then¡­ can¡¯t we just destroy them?¡± ¡°Do you think an Angel¡¯s wings can just be destroyed?¡± Sang Meng¡¯s lips curled up with a cold sneer. ¨C To Chu Wu¡¯s surprise, instead of forcing him to stay at Fanlu Manor, Chuzheng took him around to several places, letting him choose. ¡°I don¡¯t want to live in such a big house,¡± Chu Wu refused, emphasizing again, ¡°I have a place to live.¡± ¡°Oh. Where do you live?¡± I¡¯ll buy it. ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu didn¡¯t have a place; he had always stayed in hotels. ¡°Pick one,¡± Chuzheng laid several villa advertisements in front of him, ¡°If you don¡¯t choose, I¡¯ll buy them all.¡± Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like living in such a big villa,¡± Chu Wu squeezed out the words. ¡°Then I¡¯ll buy you a smaller one,¡± Chuzheng flipped through, ¡°Do you like this one?¡± Chuzheng slightly lifted her gaze. The two were so close at this moment that when she looked up, she met Chu Wu¡¯s eyes directly. They could almost feel each other¡¯s breath. Ambiguous air spread throughout the car. Chuzheng leaned into him, stealing his breath dominantly with a kiss. Her soft tongue swept over his lips, nipping and licking lightly, moving back and forth. After a while, she stopped kissing, her lips grazing his lightly, kissing several times in a teasing manner. ¡°Which one do you choose? Huh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± need. ¡°If you don¡¯t choose, I¡¯ll kiss you until you do.¡± Chuzheng kissed him again. Chu Wu struggled, pinned down firmly by Chuzheng. When she finally let go, ¡°Have you decided?¡± If not, I can keep kissing you! Her voice was low, and Chu Wu felt as if he was being bewitched. His gaze fell, and through the gaps, he looked at the promotional brochures in Chuzheng¡¯s hands. ¡°This¡­ this one.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Without even looking, Chuzheng took his breath away again. Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯ve already chosen!! ¨C The place Chu Wu picked, while only a high-end community with not a very large house, was still quite valuable due to its prime location. Chuzheng bought a fully furnished house; it was move-in ready. ¡°From now on, this is where you¡¯ll live,¡± Chuzheng put down Chu Wu¡¯s belongings, ¡°Don¡¯t let me lose track of you, otherwise¡­¡± There was a full threat in Chuzheng¡¯s icy tone. Dare to run and I¡¯ll break your legs! The Good Person Card is mine! Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± This was nothing like the gentle and kind Angel from the tales. Chu Wu felt he had been deceived. ¡°Thank you,¡± he suddenly said. The Good Person Card is thanking me!! Chuzheng turned around abruptly, her cool eyes shining with a trace of light: ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a good person?¡± Am I? Am I? ¡°???¡± Don¡¯t think so? Haven¡¯t I been good enough for you? Disappointed deep down, Chuzheng asked, ¡°Then what are you thanking for?¡± ¡°For the hospital incident, thank you,¡± Chu Wu said. In the face of that kind of person, reasoning was completely useless. Chuzheng¡¯s indifferent face, ¡°No need, just thinking I¡¯m a good person is enough.¡± Trying hard to be a good person today too! Chapter 373 - Chapter 373: Chapter 373 Heavenly Fortune (15) Chapter 373: Chapter 373 Heavenly Fortune (15) Chuzheng had to accomplish the task the Bastard gave her. But Chuzheng didn¡¯t even know which way the front door of Xinnan Hospital faced. Wasn¡¯t this making life difficult for the poor girl!! Even locating the hospital had taken her quite some time. Xinnan Hospital was a private hospital that initially operated fairly well. However, a medical accident that occurred a couple of years ago had plunged Xinnan Hospital into turmoil, and following the subsequent crackdown, the hospital never recovered. Now it faced the embarrassing predicament of shutting down entirely. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± This was her coming to clean up a mess! For the hospital, Chuzheng¡¯s arrival was undoubtedly like the God of Wealth descending from heaven. The last struggling shareholder, like someone tossing away a hot potato, eventually left Chuzheng as the sole shareholder. Chuzheng thought she¡¯d have nothing to worry about after closing the deal. Little did she know the Bastard wasn¡¯t planning to let her off so easily. [Main Quest: Please, miss, equip Xinnan Hospital with the latest medical devices.] Chuzheng sat in the conference room, looking at these unsatisfactory doctors, feeling such a headache she wanted to bang the table. The quality of the doctors at Xinnan Hospital used to be quite good. But since the incident, those who could leave did, and those who could disperse did, leaving only these few behind. The sudden change in ownership at Xinnan Hospital, especially to a young lady who seemed to know nothing, made the staff worry if this really was the end for Xinnan Hospital, and they were concerned about their own futures. Chuzheng knocked on the table: ¡°Who is in charge of hospital equipment purchases?¡± ¡°¡­Me.¡± The man sitting in the corner raised his hand: ¡°It was me, but we haven¡¯t updated our equipment in a long time.¡± The main reason was a lack of funds. Making payroll for their staff was already difficult enough. Chuzheng said, ¡°You are to replace all the hospital equipment with the most expensive ones.¡± Not the best or newest, just the most expensive! The man stayed rooted to his spot. ¡°Did you understand?¡± The man stammered, ¡°Our funds¡­¡± ¡°I will prepare the funds for you. You just need to tell me, can you complete the task?¡± The girl casually leaned back in her chair, her gaze cold and detached as she looked at them, like a queen sitting on her throne, her aura commanding. ¡°With¡­ with funds, there won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Chuzheng nodded her head. The man sat back down, his back breaking out in a cold sweat. This young lady exerted far too much pressure. Chuzheng estimated that this issue wouldn¡¯t be resolved quickly and made herself more comfortable. ¡°Who is in charge of hiring?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Someone stood up, looking a bit nervous. Chuzheng gave him a quick glance and coolly ordered, ¡°Recruit specialists for all departments, nurses. Pay the nurses twice the industry standard, doctors¡¯ wages will depend on their capabilities, allow poaching for high salaries, and offer the best benefits for all staff.¡± ¡°Close the hospital for renovation. Wherever needs refurbishing or anything is missing, take care of it.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was cold, her speech unhurried, spelling out each point with exceptional clarity. She laid out everyone¡¯s responsibilities in clear detail. She ended firmly, indicating that money was not an issue, the issue was them getting the job done properly. ¡°Did you all understand?¡± For some reason, everyone present couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of excitement. ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°Boss¡­ with the hospital closing for renovation, what about the current patients?¡± someone asked. What could be done? Get rid of them, of course. Chuzheng restrained the urge: ¡°Pay them, have them transferred to other hospitals.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The previously lifeless Xinnan Hospital was suddenly filled with smiles on the faces of doctors and nurses. ¨C Chuu Wu¡¯s assistant parked the car outside of Xinnan Hospital and frowned slightly upon seeing the ¡°Temporarily Closed¡± sign on the front gate. ¡°Why isn¡¯t it open?¡± the assistant wondered. ¡°President Chuu, should I go and ask?¡± The man in the backseat grunted in affirmation. The assistant got out of the car and entered the hospital. Renovation workers were moving in and out, carrying various items. ¡°Here to see a doctor? We¡¯re not seeing patients at the moment, you should go to another hospital.¡± Someone saw the assistant standing at the entrance and said something. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± the assistant asked curiously. ¡°Renovating,¡± the person replied. ¡°Can¡¯t you see?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Back in the car, the assistant reported to Chuu Wu, ¡°President Chuu, they said they¡¯re renovating.¡± ¡°Renovating? Xinnan Hospital still has money to renovate?¡± Chuu Wu frowned. ¡°I asked, but those workers don¡¯t know the details.¡± Renovation workers were just there to work; they wouldn¡¯t know the hospital¡¯s internal affairs. It was normal not to get any information. ¡°Then, President Chuu, shall I contact someone to ask?¡± Chuu Wu, appearing unconcerned, watched the interior of Xinnan Hospital for a long while before nodding slowly. The assistant immediately made a call. About ten minutes later, a man ran out from the hospital. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Li Minhang, the office director of Xinnan Hospital. You must be Mr. Chuu Wu?¡± Li Minhang knew of Chuu Wu, a young entrepreneur who had become quite prominent over the past two years. He was judged by outsiders to be bold and ambitious. But such a person¡­ Li Minhang had no idea why he would suddenly come to their Xinnan Hospital. He couldn¡¯t possibly be here to seek medical treatment, right? The current reputation of their Xinnan Hospital was something Li Minhang was quite aware of. ¡°I would like to meet with the person in charge of your hospital.¡± Chuu Wu had been unable to contact the highest-ranking official of the hospital. Otherwise, he would not have come here personally. Li Minhang said, ¡°Mr. Chuu, at the moment I¡¯m in charge of the hospital. Is there something I can do for you?¡± The rear car window rolled down, and Chuu Wu scrutinized the man before him. ¡°Are you in a position to decide?¡± ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Li Minhang responded with a smile and a nod. Chuu Wu frowned slightly and gestured for Li Minhang to get into the car. Chuu Wu had come in person because he wanted to discuss the acquisition of Xinnan Hospital. Listening to this, Li Minhang couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled. What kind of luck was Xinnan Hospital having recently? Had the God of Wealth descended upon them? The hospital had been on the brink of closing, and no one had seemed interested in saving it. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, Mr. Chuu,¡± said Li Minhang, who was adept at dealing with diplomacy and managed to handle Chuu Wu¡¯s inquiry skillfully, ¡°Our hospital has just changed owners. The previous shareholders have all dispersed, and now there is only one owner. If you wish to acquire Xinnan Hospital now, I fear it might not be that easy.¡± Their new owner, with her extravagant spending, seemed almost to want to build the entire Xinnan Hospital from money alone. She never appeared to fret about costs. Whenever a problem arose, she¡¯d throw money at it, and if money didn¡¯t solve the problem¡ªshe¡¯d just throw more. ¡°A change in ownership?¡± Chuu Wu had obtained information that Xinnan Hospital was barely maintaining itself, but there was no mention of a change in ownership. ¡°Yes,¡± Li Minhang, who was quite shrewd, immediately added upon seeing Chuu Wu¡¯s expression change, ¡°If Mr. Chuu would like to meet our owner, I can contact her for you. What do you think?¡± Chuu Wu pondered for a moment before responding indifferently to Li Minhang, ¡°You help me make the contact.¡± Li Minhang figured that Chuu Wu wanted him to make the call in his presence. In truth, he was somewhat afraid of that young girl. Every time she appeared, her face was expressionless, devoid of emotion, which made it hard to decipher her actual thoughts. People who are openly expressive are easier to deal with. As for the likes of her¡­ Li Minhang didn¡¯t enjoy interacting with such people. They were too hard to read. But she was the boss, and he had no choice. Chapter 374 - Chapter 374: Chapter 374 Heavenly Fortune (16) Chapter 374: Chapter 374 Heavenly Fortune (16) Just as Li Minhang was about to contact Chuzheng, he suddenly caught sight of a car approaching outside. Li Minhang said, ¡°What a coincidence, our boss is here.¡± Since Chu Wu¡¯s car was parked at the entrance, the car behind could only stop further back. Chuzheng looked coolly at Chu Wu¡¯s car. Li Minhang rushed over, ¡°Boss, someone wants to buy our hospital.¡± ¡°He¡¯s crazy.¡± ¡°????¡± Who is he cursing? ¡°Have him move his car,¡± Chuzheng said coldly, ¡°It¡¯s blocking the way.¡± ¡°Eh¡­ Boss, I just said someone wants to buy our hospital,¡± Li Minhang repeated. Chuzheng¡¯s gaze flickered toward Li Minhang. Li Minhang seemed to read Chuzheng¡¯s intention from her calm, icy eyes. ¡°Boss, I¡­ I understand, I¡¯ll go and reject him right away.¡± The boss isn¡¯t short of money, why would she sell! Li Minhang ran back to tell Chu Wu. However, Chu Wu took the initiative to get out of his car, probably wanting to talk. Seeing the person sitting inside the car, Chu Wu¡¯s expression immediately turned ugly. How is it her again? The new owner of Xinnan Hospital is her? Where did she get the money from? All sorts of questions instantly flooded Chu Wu¡¯s mind. Chuzheng¡¯s mood was much simpler ¡ª It¡¯s that damn thing again! She stepped on the accelerator and drove toward Chu Wu. Just as the car was about to hit Chu Wu, his body suddenly dodged to the side as if someone had pulled him away in haste. The car brushed past Chu Wu and smashed into the vehicle ahead with a ¡®bang¡¯. Li Minhang was completely startled. Wha¡­ What is the boss doing? Chuzheng looked at the flustered Chu Wu through the rearview mirror. Standing next to Chu Wu was Sang Meng. Li Minhang turned his head like a robot; he didn¡¯t even realize when that woman had appeared¡­ What happened? Where am I? Chuzheng¡¯s car moved again. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Sang Meng pulled Chu Wu away. ¡°She¡­¡± Chu Wu was reluctant, she had tried to kill him just now, had it not been for Sang Meng¡¯s timely appearance, he might have really been dead. ¡°Go,¡± Sang Meng said with a heavier tone. The car was already reversing toward them when black wings abruptly unfurled, pulling Chu Wu into the sky. Chuzheng¡¯s car crashed into the building behind and stopped. She glanced around; it seemed that the people on the street neither saw Sang Meng nor noticed someone suddenly flying into the sky. So what if you can fly! So what if you have wings! Chuzheng indifferently pushed open the car door and got out. Li Minhang recovered as if snapping out of a trance, ¡°Just now¡­ where did Mr. Chu and that girl go?¡± How did they disappear just like that? And did the boss just try to kill Mr. Chu? Recalling the incident, Li Minhang felt his legs go weak. That¡¯s against the law! Does the boss really have to be that ferocious! Chuzheng instructed Li Minhang, ¡°Dispose of the car.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Li Minhang looked at the car, which was not too badly damaged, repairable¡­ ¡°Yes, boss.¡± ¨C Sang Meng brought Chu Wu back to their residence. ¡°Why did we run? Aren¡¯t you very powerful? She just tried to kill me!!¡± Chu Wu lashed out at Sang Meng. He truly felt it, just short by so little¡­ He had been so close to death. ¡°It was daylight, with so many people around, any move I made could have been noticed,¡± Sang Meng said somberly. ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, you need to control your temper.¡± Last time she caused trouble outside the hotel, someone recorded it. It¡¯s still being shared all over the internet. She needs to be cautious. Chu Wu lost control for a moment, ¡°She wants to kill me, and you tell me to control my temper? How can I do that? Why don¡¯t you kill her? To you, isn¡¯t she just a piece of trash?¡± ¡°She gives me a bad feeling, stay calm,¡± Sang Meng said. Sang Meng couldn¡¯t quite articulate the feeling. All he wanted at that moment was to leave quickly. Chu Wu vented for a while and gradually calmed down. ¡°What about the hospital?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find another one,¡± Sang Meng said. ¡°Xinnan Hospital is the easiest to negotiate with, they¡¯re short on money, the others are more difficult to negotiate with.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s difficult, we still have to talk,¡± Sang Meng looked at him. ¡°Unless you can snatch Xinnan Hospital from her grasp.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuu Wu¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but race when he thought of his previous encounter. It was the closest he had come to death. ¨C Chuzheng pushed the door open and abruptly heard a soft meow. She looked towards the living room. A man sat on the sofa with a small, snow-white Little Bun perched on his lap. ¡°Meow~¡± Its soft, glutinous cry was enough to melt one¡¯s heart. Fur¡­Fur! ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Chu Wu looked up and stood up, holding Little Bun. The little guy had a pair of spirited ice-blue eyes, with its fluffy paws resting in Chu Wu¡¯s palm. The coldly handsome man and the soft, adorable kitten created a strikingly harmonious scene. The little guy meowed at Chuzheng, ¡°Meow~¡± ¡°Today, I went out and saw someone about to throw it away downstairs, so I brought it back, you don¡¯t mind, do you?¡± Chu Wu explained aloud. At the end, asking for her opinion, after all, the house wasn¡¯t his. Even though she said it was a gift to herself¡­ Chuzheng, changing her shoes, entered the house: ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± So fluffy, I really want to touch it! Want to touch, want to touch, want to touch, want to touch!! Inside, Chuzheng was about to roar like King¡¯s Account, but her facial expression remained as stable as Mount Tai. ¡°Do you want to hold it?¡± Chuzheng immediately accepted without any courtesy and stroked it a couple of times in her arms. Chuzheng¡¯s expression suddenly became serious. So, so comforting. Seeing her tense up her little face, Chu Wu thought she didn¡¯t like the kitten and wanted to take Little Bun back. But Chuzheng avoided him and sat down on the sofa. Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± So is this liking it or not liking it? According to Chu Wu¡¯s subsequent observations, Chuzheng probably liked it. Because from the moment she entered the door to dinner, she held onto it and never let go. He just couldn¡¯t understand, if she liked it, why was she still tightening her little face? Even more serious than usual. After eating, Chu Wu sat opposite Chuzheng, flipping through a book in his hand: ¡°I¡¯ll take it to the vet for a check-up tomorrow.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a doctor?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not a veterinarian.¡± There¡¯s a big difference between a veterinarian and a doctor. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come with you tomorrow.¡± Accompanying my fluffy Little Cutie. Chu Wu originally wanted to say it wasn¡¯t necessary. But in the end, he remained silent, flipping through the book in his hand. The next morning, Chuzheng drove with Chu Wu and Little Bun to the pet hospital. The veterinarian held Little Bun for examination, while Chuzheng paced back and forth with her hands behind her back, occasionally casting an icy glance at the vet, like an inspecting official. How come it¡¯s not done yet? It¡¯s been such a long time. Is this a quack? My Good Person Card could have completed an entire surgery by now. You¡¯ve been examining a cat for so long!! As the vet was still busy, Chuzheng walked around restlessly, going to find Chu Wu. Chu Wu was learning some details from the clerk. The man was tall and handsome, more good-looking than the movie stars on television. The clerk blushed as she spoke to him, sneaking glances at him, with pink hearts appearing in her eyes. Chu Wu¡¯s waist was suddenly embraced, surprising him, but he relaxed when he saw who it was. The clerk knew that Chuzheng came with this handsome guy. But at that time, they weren¡¯t walking closely together. The girl¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t focused on the man, so everyone assumed they were just friends. However, unexpectedly¡­ There seemed to be the sound of something shattering in the air. The girl¡¯s face rested against Chu Wu¡¯s shoulder: ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Looking at cat food,¡± said Chu Wu. ¡°Both of these are good, which do you think is better?¡± Chuzheng glanced at it and couldn¡¯t be bothered to choose: ¡°Buy both.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 375 - Chapter 375: Chapter 375 Heavenly Fortune (17) Chapter 375: Chapter 375 Heavenly Fortune (17) After returning from the pet hospital, Chuzheng just lay on the sofa with Little Bun, not moving an inch. Chu Wu¡¯s indifferent gaze swept over her. He didn¡¯t know why at this moment he had a feeling¡­ like they were living a life together. But what surprised him more was that he didn¡¯t dislike this feeling. Chu Wu gathered his emotions. ¡°It still doesn¡¯t have a name.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Chuzheng, too comfortable from petting, didn¡¯t even want to open her eyes. Not having a name doesn¡¯t affect my petting. Chu Wu: ¡°Do you want to give it a name?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°You name it yourself.¡± Chu Wu: ¡°You don¡¯t want to give it a name?¡± She¡¯s been holding it nonstop; doesn¡¯t she like it? Chuzheng: ¡°Too lazy to think.¡± Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± Then stop petting it! Chu Wu thought for a moment, his gaze lingering on Chuzheng slightly longer than usual. Chuzheng regarded him warily. Even if you stare at me, I won¡¯t think of a name! Chu Wu didn¡¯t understand what Chuzheng meant and slowly said, ¡°Let¡¯s call it Fubao.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Whatever its name, as long as it has fur. Fubao thus secured its place here, and if it weren¡¯t for Chuzheng petting it all day long, Fubao might think it was quite fortunate. ¨C ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chuzheng snatched away the thing in Chu Wu¡¯s hands. ¡°I want to find a job; I can¡¯t always stay here.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to stay here?¡± Chuzheng only caught one key point. Is there something wrong with this place? What¡¯s wrong with it? Chuzheng leaned forward, pinning Chu Wu down on the sofa, her eyes piercing into his: ¡°Where do you want to live?¡± Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng, like a ruffian, pinched Chu Wu¡¯s chin: ¡°Am I not good enough for you?¡± Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about leaving here? Huh?¡± Isn¡¯t it nice to just stay put, holding the Good Person Card? The outside world is so dangerous! Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± I have this weird feeling. ¡°I¡­¡± Chu Wu hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Chuzheng cut him off. She pinned him down and kissed him over and over again. Chu Wu was a normal man, and with a girl kissing him like this, how could he not react? Where the girl was touching him felt like a fire spreading through the grassland, endlessly spreading to his limbs and bones. Chu Wu despised himself in his heart for having so little willpower; it was just a kiss, and yet he acted as if someone ¡­ However, his body was utterly lost in it. He wanted the girl to leave even more marks on his body. Chu Wu¡¯s palms unconsciously caressed Chuzheng¡¯s back. The uneven touch beneath his hands jolted Chu Wu awake. He turned his head away, avoiding Chuzheng¡¯s kisses. ¡°Are you uncomfortable?¡± Chuzheng asked him. ¡°Your injury¡­¡± Chu Wu¡¯s eyes still held a trace of their hazy glow. Chuzheng felt Chu Wu¡¯s palm on her back; she kissed the corner of his lips nonchalantly: ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Let me see.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to see.¡± Chuzheng wanted to continue kissing him. Chu Wu avoided her: ¡°Then stop kissing me.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Why should I show my wound to others! But if I don¡¯t show it to him, he won¡¯t let me kiss¡­ Hm! What a tough choice! [Miss, you can show him; it will help you earn the Good Person Card.] King¡¯s Account plotted enthusiastically. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± No! How can a girl show her wound to someone else? [The Good Person Card isn¡¯t just someone else.] Still no! If no kiss, then no kiss! Chuzheng decisively stood up, picked up Fubao who was wandering on the ground, and stormed into the bedroom with an imposing air. Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± Just as Chu Wu was about to get up, Chuzheng suddenly burst out again with an imposing air, pushing him back down onto the sofa without a word. The girl glared at him fiercely, ¡°If I want to kiss you, I¡¯ll kiss you, why should I listen to you.¡± You belong to me, all of you. I almost got led astray! ¡°You¡­ mmm¡­¡± How can you be so unreasonable! ¨C Chu Wu¡¯s fair face was flushed as he breathed shallowly, his lips slightly parted, his shirt half-unbuttoned revealing his solid chest. A belt cinched his lean waist, the beautiful lines of his adonis belt stretching beneath, tempting one to tear away his restraints and feast their eyes. Slim fingers rested on his belt buckle and gently pressed down. Chu Wu suddenly reached out and held that hand. ¡°Chuzheng.¡± He breathed slightly heavily. ¡°Don¡¯t want to?¡± Chu Wu propped himself up to sit, and Chuzheng, following his movements, also slightly sat up. Chu Wu¡¯s gaze drifted, not looking at her, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be a Guardian Angel?¡± How could you do such things with him? And she still looked so righteous about it! ¡°So what if I¡¯m a Guardian Angel? Guardian Angels also have tran¡­,¡± Chuzheng hesitated for a moment, ¡°they also have physical needs.¡± Chu Wu frowned lightly, ¡°Would you do the same with Chuu Wu?¡± The thought of her being so intimate with someone else stirred waves of rage in the depths of Chu Wu¡¯s heart. She could not do the same with others. ¡°Aren¡¯t I with you right now?¡± Spouting nonsense about a Good Person Card. ¡°I¡¯m talking about Chuu Wu, not me.¡± ¡°Chu Wu is you, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°The other one.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Is it necessary to bring up that damn dog at this time?! Chuzheng pushed him back on the sofa, looking down at the person beneath her, ¡°As if that damn dog could compare with you.¡± This was not the first time Chu Wu had heard the term ¡®damn dog¡¯ from her lips. To his surprise, there was a sweetness in his heart. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that.¡± Chu Wu stopped Chuzheng. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to have se¡­¡± Chuzheng caught herself, ¡°don¡¯t want to do it?¡± Chu Wu did want to; he felt like he was about to explode from her teasing. ¡°Not now.¡± ¡°Then when is a good time?¡± If I forced him to sleep with me, would he still see me as a good person? ¡°First, let me see your wound.¡± Chu Wu still remembered the injury he had touched earlier. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± My whole person is right here, yet he¡¯s always focused on my injury. Chu Wu was silent for a few seconds, ¡°We¡¯ll talk after I¡¯ve seen it.¡± Chuzheng weighed her options for a bit. In the end, she decided against it. Watching Chuzheng leave, Chu Wu frowned, got up to follow her, and grabbed her arm, ¡°What exactly happened with your injury, why won¡¯t you let me see it?¡± Chu Wu himself hadn¡¯t realized the concern in his own voice. ¡°Why should I show you?¡± ¡°I am your¡­¡± Chu Wu didn¡¯t know what he was to her, he hesitated for a few seconds, ¡°your doctor.¡± After all, he had treated her before, and claiming to be her doctor wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s so great about being a doctor! I just won¡¯t show you. ¨C Chuzheng refused to show Chu Wu her wound, but Chu Wu was stubborn about it, constantly trying to check on it throughout the day. It was so annoying that it even disturbed Chuzheng while she was petting cats. Utterly intolerable. In the end, Chu Wu even learned how to kiss her on his own¡­ ¡°Let me see it.¡± ¡°Look, look, look!¡± Annoying as hell. Chu Wu sighed with relief, ¡°Turn around, take off your clothes.¡± Chuzheng asked quite seriously, ¡°All of it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu glanced at her, his face feeling inexplicably hot, ¡°Just¡­ just lift up your clothes.¡± Chuzheng turned around, rolled up the hem of her shirt, and exposed her back. The wound was suddenly laid bare in front of Chu Wu without warning. Chu Wu inhaled sharply. Two crescent-shaped wounds sprawled across the girl¡¯s delicate and fair back, the flesh raw and jarring to look at. Though not bleeding, the sight of the wounds struck fear in the beholder. For such a long time, she had shown no signs of abnormality, and he thought her injuries had healed. After all, she claimed to be a Guardian Angel, she must have some extraordinary abilities. He had thought that perhaps the wound healed quickly. But he had never imagined that her wounds looked no different from before. Chu Wu¡¯s heart trembled. Doesn¡¯t it hurt her? Chapter 376 - Chapter 376: Chapter 376 Heavenly Fortune (18) Chapter 376: Chapter 376 Heavenly Fortune (18) ¡°Are you done looking?¡± Chuzheng lowered her clothes. Chu Wu parted his lips, and it took him a moment to speak, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you applied any medicine?¡± ¡°Applying medicine won¡¯t heal it.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s indifferent attitude greatly annoyed Chu Wu. ¡°How can it heal if you don¡¯t apply medicine?¡± Chu Wu seemed to realize he had lost his composure and calmed down slightly, ¡°Wait for me.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Did the little thing just snap at me? Chu Wu quickly went into the room and came back out with a medicine box. ¡°Lie down on the couch,¡± Chu Wu said, ¡°I¡¯ll treat it for you.¡± ¡°No need.¡± It really won¡¯t heal. She didn¡¯t know why, maybe it was because of those wings¡­ Just thinking about the wings made her so angry! ¡°If anything happens to you, who will protect me then?¡± Chu Wu said with utter seriousness. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± How could anything happen to me! What a joke! Chuzheng was pressed down on the couch by Chu Wu, as she tried to rise, Chu Wu blocked her lips with his. ¨C Chuzheng lay on the couch while Chu Wu, with a stern face, sat next to her, treating the wound on her back. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± Chuzheng held Fubao and replied nonchalantly. [¡­]This is so frustrating; such a good opportunity and Miss just let it slip away. Chu Wu insisted on checking the wound every day, but several days passed with no change to the wound. ¡°I told you it was useless.¡± Chuzheng pulled her clothes down, ¡°Have you given up now?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Chu Wu¡¯s heart ached terribly as if someone were squeezing it, making it difficult to breathe. He felt pain for her. The more she acted indifferent, the more it pained him. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Chuzheng thought for a moment, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of my wings.¡± Chu Wu reached out and hugged Chuzheng, ¡°Did Chuu Wu do this?¡± ¡°Sort of.¡± Chuu Wu was an accomplice, he had a score to settle. Chuu Wu¡­ Chu Wu had always thought himself to be cold-blooded, and very calm, not overly emotional towards anyone. However, at this moment, he felt a sense of hatred growing in his heart. He wanted Chuu Wu to pay a price. ¡°How will your wound ever heal?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t let you see it. Chu Wu avoided the wound on Chuzheng¡¯s back and held her a bit tighter. For the following period, Chu Wu tried to find ways to heal her wound, but to little effect. ¡°The wound is on me, why are you acting like this?¡± Chuzheng stroked Fubao, not understanding Chu Wu¡¯s behavior. ¡°It hurts me,¡± Chu Wu spoke softly. ¡°Where does it hurt? Are you sick?¡± Chuzheng freed a hand to touch his forehead. Normal. No fever. ¡°Here.¡± Chu Wu pointed to his chest, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong¡­¡± Every time he saw her wound, he felt particularly distressed. Chu Wu lowered his gaze, his side profile sleek and sharp with the unique beauty of a mature man, so attractive it was hard to look away. Chuzheng felt a tickle in her heart and leaned in to kiss him. Chu Wu glared at her, then rose and left. Heartless. He was in pain for her, and she didn¡¯t feel it at all. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± If you don¡¯t want a kiss, don¡¯t glare at me. If I kiss you, doesn¡¯t it make you feel better?! Chuzheng roughly stroked Fubao a couple of times, annoyed, and flopped back onto the couch. Without a ¡°Good Person Card¡± kiss, I still have a cat to pet. ¨C On the weekend. ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± Chu Wu looked at the building in front of him, Xinnan Hospital? Why had they brought him to the hospital? Chuzheng led Chu Wu into the main entrance of Xinnan Hospital. Xinnan Hospital had not opened yet, but the renovation was almost complete, creating a bright and clean environment. Green plants decorated the hallways, making it feel very comfortable. Chuzheng pushed open a door and ushered Chu Wu inside. ¡°From now on you¡¯ll work here.¡± Chu Wu was initially stunned, then stepped out of the room to look at the sign on the door. Director¡¯s Office? Director! ¡°Stop joking,¡± Chu Wu frowned. ¡°This place¡­¡± ¡°I bought it,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to work?¡± Bought¡­ Bought it? Chuzheng folded her arms and leaned against the door. ¡°If you want to work, it¡¯s either here or stay at home. You¡¯re not allowed to go anywhere else.¡± ¡°Boss¡­ Good to see you,¡± Li Minhang hurried over as soon as he heard Chuzheng had arrived. ¡°Mm,¡± Chuzheng nodded and introduced him to Li Minhang. ¡°This is your director, Chu Wu.¡± Li Minhang looked Chu Wu over with surprise. So young? He looked somewhat familiar, too¡­ With Chu Wu¡¯s features, it didn¡¯t take long for Li Minhang to remember. There was a photo of him in the news about the medical scandal¡­ Though it was said to be a misunderstanding, and he wasn¡¯t involved. ¡°Good day, Director Chu,¡± Li Minhang greeted immediately, a smile plastered on his face. Director¡¤Chu¡¤Wu: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng instructed Li Minhang, ¡°Show him around, get him familiar with the place.¡± ¡°Of course, no problem.¡± ¡°Chuzheng¡­¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was cold. ¡°Would you rather stay at home?¡± I wouldn¡¯t mind that at all! Just nod your head! Chu Wu had indeed noticed that Chuzheng was increasingly restricting his outings. When he first moved in, he could come and go freely. However, as time went on, every time he wanted to go out, she either followed him or didn¡¯t allow him to leave. And so, Chu Wu became the director without really understanding how it happened. When the hospital staff learned that their new director was so young, the female staff were pretty accepting. A handsome man, after all, could be forgiven for his mistakes. But the male staff were somewhat resentful. A director is judged by experience and ability. How could Chu Wu become a director at such a young age? How were they supposed to respect him? But since he was personally brought in by Chuzheng, for such good treatment, these people only dared to discuss it privately. The medical incident related to Chu Wu naturally became a topic of gossip. Chu Wu occasionally overheard, but he pretended not to notice. ¨C When Xinnan Hospital reopened, it was unclear which generous soul had paid to invite all kinds of evil demons¡ªthe media¡ªto show support. Each one wrote promotional articles as if they were crafting novels. They hyped up Xinnan Hospital as if it were comparable to a holiday resort. Famous doctors from various departments were also exhaustively praised in the articles. Advanced medical equipment and professionally qualified doctors aside, they also lauded the well-trained nurses. ¡°To bring you the warmth of spring, the care of home¡­¡± Chuzheng flicked the advertisement. ¡°Who wrote this?¡± Isn¡¯t it too cheesy? Li Minhang chuckled. ¡°I hired someone to write it. Everyone says it¡¯s good.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I beg to differ. Maybe it¡¯s just a generational gap. Li Minhang was quite capable, and it was a mystery how he had recruited people, but now every department in the hospital had renowned doctors. Xinnan Hospital wasn¡¯t worried about lacking patients¡­ No, that¡¯s not right. Too good a business isn¡¯t good either. Alarms went off in Chuzheng¡¯s head. ¡°This way¡­¡± Chuzheng motioned for Li Minhang to come over. ¡°From now on, all patients get a 70% discount.¡± Chuzheng had wanted to make it free. But then she thought better of it. Making it free would cause too much strain on the hospital, and she would have to step in if any problems arose. Li Minhang: ¡°??¡± I¡¯ve heard of stores having sales. But I¡¯ve never heard of discounted medical consultations. Hospitals don¡¯t need promotional strategies¡­ Chapter 377 - Chapter 377: Chapter 377 Heavenly Fortune (19) Chapter 377: Chapter 377 Heavenly Fortune (19) ¡°Go get it done,¡± the boss said with a wave of his hand, very satisfied with his own decision. Li Minhang was utterly baffled. He conveyed the new policy in a daze. Everyone in the hospital was just as baffled as Li Minhang. How was the hospital supposed to make a profit now?! This would lead to losses!! Even if the boss was rich, this wasn¡¯t the way to squander money, right? Xinnan Hospital¡¯s 70% discount on medical services directly led to it trending on the hot search. The whole country knew about the eccentric hospital that offered discounts on medical services. This was good news for patients, and many people praised the decision. But there were also those who criticized it, claiming it was causing turmoil in the industry. The Xinnan Hospital¡¯s newly created official social media account quickly released a statement: The discounted amount for the patients would be entirely covered by the hospital, they were doing charity, and some people should not maliciously slander them; otherwise, they would receive a legal notice. With the hospital¡¯s strong financial resources, what else could anyone say? Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Charity? I just wanted to ruin the business. At the same time, Chuzheng also heard about Chuu Wu¡¯s acquisition of a private hospital. ¡°What¡¯s he buying a hospital for?¡± The last time Chuu Wu had appeared, Chuzheng hadn¡¯t bothered to inquire about his business. [Miss, you¡¯re asking me?] Is there another bastard here? [¡­] You swear at me while asking a question! [Miss, I really don¡¯t know.] Even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t tell you, so you can just curse me. Chuzheng rested her chin on her hands, lost in thought. When Li Minhang entered, he saw a girl taking up two chairs, sitting like a bandit and exuding a fierce aura. ¡°Bos¡­ Boss,¡± ¡°Li Minhang,¡± Chuzheng called out. ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, he felt a bit scared. As if she hadn¡¯t noticed Li Minhang¡¯s discomfort, she rested her chin on her hands and asked him, ¡°Do you do bad things?¡± Li Minhang shivered. ¡°Boss, I¡¯m a good person.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± I¡¯m a good person too! ¡°Help me with something.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Boss, I really am a good person!! ¨C The mahjong parlor was smoky and dim, and someone parted the curtains and called out, ¡°Brother Qiang, someone¡¯s looking for you.¡± At one of the tables, a man with a cigarette hanging from his lips looked back impatiently: ¡°Who is it? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m winning money here? Wait if it¡¯s anything!¡± ¡°Zhou Qiang.¡± This voice was different from the one before. When Zhou Qiang turned his head again, his expression instantly changed from irritation to obsequious eagerness as he ran over from the table, ¡°My, if it isn¡¯t Brother Zhao. What brings you here to see me?¡± The man referred to as Brother Zhao took a drag on his cigarette: ¡°Lord Zhao has a job for you.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhou Qiang became even more cautious. ¡°Got it, got it, no problem, let¡¯s talk outside.¡± ¨C Due to the low cost of medical services, Xinnan Hospital was bustling every day. But precisely because of this, Xinnan Hospital¡¯s reputation was once again boosted. To prevent an overload of patients, Li Minhang was exhausting himself with worry. Previously, the worry was the lack of patients. Now, the concern was too many patients. Chu Wu didn¡¯t leave Xinnan Hospital until nearly midnight, today¡¯s surgery had been complex, and the intense concentration of his spiritual power made him quite tired now. He looked around at the entrance. Chuzheng hadn¡¯t come to pick him up today? Chu Wu pulled out his phone, lit up the screen, then shook his head and put it back. What was going on with him? Why had he become accustomed to her treating him like a kept man? Chu Wu walked outside, preparing to hail a cab home. However, at this time, there were hardly any cars on the street. Squeal¡ª Two cars suddenly drove down the road and stopped right in front of him. The car doors opened, and several men jumped out. One of them had a syringe and aimed it at Chu Wu. Chu Wu had learned a bit of Taekwondo, so he was on guard as soon as the group approached. So the needle didn¡¯t make it into his body. But the group quickly surrounded him. ¡°What do you want?¡± No one answered him. Two of them advanced at the same time. Chu Wu exchanged a few moves with them, but his modest fighting skills were simply not enough. As Chu Wu¡¯s body fell to the ground, his consciousness fading, he vaguely heard someone speak. ¡°Damn it, finally caught the guy. Take him away, quick.¡± The group swiftly threw Chu Wu into the car. ¨C When Chu Wu came to, he found himself locked in a warehouse, his hands and feet bound. Two men stood not far away. Chu Wu surreptitiously sized up the situation. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake?¡± Someone approached him. ¡°Who are you?¡± Chu Wu asked calmly, unflustered as he looked at the person. He didn¡¯t recognize the man. ¡°Mr. Chu, the rich have short memories, huh?¡± said the man with a sneer. ¡°When can you pay back the money you owe?¡± ¡°Owe who money?¡± The money from selling the villa had been enough to pay off all his debts. ¡°Mr. Chu, you don¡¯t know who you owe money to?¡± Chu Wu fell silent. The other man didn¡¯t bother to play coy: ¡°It¡¯s Lord Zhao¡¯s money.¡± Lord Zhao¡­ A name flashed through Chu Wu¡¯s mind. ¡°I¡¯ve paid it back.¡± ¡°Paid back?¡± Zhou Qiang sneered. ¡°Mr. Chu, don¡¯t joke around. If Lord Zhao had received it, would I be here?¡± Chu Wu remembered that he had truly paid it back. It was a total of three million, and he had transferred it at the time. But Zhou Qiang said that Lord Zhao had never received it, and that the account he transferred the money to belonged to someone close to Lord Zhao, who had now run off with it. Chu Wu understood what was happening. They had come looking for trouble on purpose. ¡°You provided the account, one of your own people ran off with the money. What does that have to do with me?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s just Mr. Chu¡¯s bad luck, isn¡¯t it?¡± Zhou Qiang made no attempt to hide their purposeful instigation: ¡°With interest, that three million is now six million. How do you plan to pay it back, Mr. Chu?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the money.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have money, but the girl you¡¯re living with seems to be quite wealthy,¡± Zhou Qiang said. A chill flashed in Chu Wu¡¯s eyes: ¡°If you have a problem, come at me.¡± ¡°Mr. Chu has no money, huh.¡± Zhou Qiang feigned difficulty: ¡°You have half an hour to think it over, whether you call her to ransom you, or we pay her a personal visit.¡± Chu Wu clenched his fists, his eyes boring into Zhou Qiang as if he wanted to strap him to an operating table and dismember him. Zhou Qiang felt uncomfortable under that gaze and muttered to himself before he turned and walked away. Another person approached, speaking with sinister intent: ¡°Brother Qiang, this Chu Wu has such delicate skin and pretty looks, why don¡¯t we¡­¡± ¡°Are you disgusted or not?¡± Zhou Qiang made a look of revulsion. ¡°I¡¯m not into men.¡± The other person was itching with eagerness: ¡°Then, can I¡­¡± Zhou Qiang glanced over at Chu Wu: ¡°He¡¯s a man, after all. Just be careful not to make a mess of things.¡± With Zhou Qiang¡¯s approval, the man immediately perked up. Pounding his chest with assurance that Chu Wu would not appear to have a single issue. Zhou Qiang couldn¡¯t take the disgust, so he left the warehouse. ¡°Brother Qiang, what¡¯s Lord Zhao up to?¡± As Zhou Qiang exited the warehouse, someone outside struck up a conversation, ¡°Didn¡¯t Chu Wu pay the money back?¡± Now why were they hassling him? ¡°Lord Zhao¡¯s business is not for us to question,¡± Zhou Qiang took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth: ¡°Just do what we¡¯re told, don¡¯t ask unnecessary questions.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Brother Qiang is right.¡± Chapter 378 - Chapter 378: Chapter 378 Heavenly Fortune (20) Chapter 378: Chapter 378 Heavenly Fortune (20) In the warehouse. Chu Wu was tied to a pillar in the warehouse, they didn¡¯t gag him, proving they were not afraid of him calling out. Even though Chu Wu was bound and somewhat disheveled, he couldn¡¯t hide the innate dignity he possessed. The man¡¯s eyes were filled with lust as he happily approached Chu Wu. ¡°I have never encountered such a beauty.¡± Just thinking about such a noble and aloof person, calling out lasciviously on him, excited the man tremendously. The man swallowed, reaching out to touch Chu Wu. Chu Wu¡¯s handsome face remained expressionless as he turned his head away, eyes full of disgust. The man took this evasion as part of the thrill and continued reaching out, smiling, but Chu Wu dodged him several times. ¡°Damn it!¡± The man suddenly became angry, slapping Chu Wu across the face. A handprint appeared on Chu Wu¡¯s fair cheek. His head was knocked to the side, and his tousled hair fell across his eyes, hiding the surging killing intent within them. ¡°Don¡¯t you know where you are? Do you still think you¡¯re the high and mighty President Chu?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, serve me well today and I might make things easier for you.¡± As the man cursed, he started to pull at Chu Wu¡¯s clothes. Chu Wu slammed his head into the man¡¯s forehead. The man stumbled back several steps in pain. Chu Wu gritted his teeth like an aroused young beast, his entire being emanating sharpness. ¡°You¡­ you dare to hit me.¡± The man was dizzy from the impact, pointing at Chu Wu, ¡°I¡¯m not letting you cry and call me daddy today, or I¡¯ll take your surname.¡± Bang¡ª The warehouse door was suddenly smashed open, and Zhou Qiang flew in from outside, crashing to the ground and stirring up dust. The perpetrator seemed to be stunned by the sudden turn of events, not recovering for a long while. Zhou Qiang, clutching his chest, howled in pain on the ground. ¡°Brother Qiang¡­¡± Hearing Zhou Qiang¡¯s voice, the man rushed over to help him up, ¡°What happened?¡± Zhou Qiang¡¯s face was ashen, looking towards the direction of the warehouse entrance with fear. A blinding light shone on the warehouse door, with dust dancing in its beams. Shadows flickered, and the air around them seemed to still, as if a king was about to enter the stage. A petite and delicate girl slowly appeared. She had her hands tucked in her pockets, glancing over casually. The girl¡¯s lips, pale as cherry blossoms, parted slightly, ¡°Who wants to be his daddy?¡± Each word was like being wrapped in ice, slamming into their hearts and shattering into countless icy shards that rushed to their limbs. Chu Wu looked at the girl standing in the light, the tension on his face slightly eased. But the next moment, embarrassment and discomfort surged up, making him afraid to look at her again. His current disheveled appearance¡­ Chuzheng walked slowly into the warehouse, pulling out a hand from her pocket, her fingertips tracing through the air. ¡°Ah!¡± The man supporting Zhou Qiang suddenly crashed against the warehouse wall and fell heavily to the ground. Zhou Qiang¡¯s eyes deepened with fear. Just now it was the same; she did nothing, yet they had no ability to fight back. Chuzheng didn¡¯t look at Zhou Qiang; she moved past him and proceeded to untie Chu Wu. The handprint on Chu Wu¡¯s face was especially distinct. Chuzheng¡¯s eyes grew slightly colder. She raised her hand to caress his cheek, and Chu Wu¡¯s gaze suddenly collided with Chuzheng¡¯s cool pupils. He saw his own disheveled reflection. ¡°It¡¯s alright now.¡± Chuzheng cradled his face and kissed him. Chu Wu¡¯s heart felt as if it had been heavily struck, a warmth continuously pumped out, spreading to every corner of his body. Chuzheng lowered her hand, examining Chu Wu¡¯s wrist, where a clear bruise was visible along with traces of blood. In such a short time, he had become like this¡­ Indeed, he needed to be locked up. Zhou Qiang, seeing Chuzheng paying him no attention and disregarding the life and death of his companion, clutched his chest and sneaked towards the warehouse exit. Chuzheng waved her hand, and Zhou Qiang, who had reached the door, was violently flung back against the wall, crashing on top of the man from before. ¡°Did I allow you to leave?¡± Clear, indifferent, a voice without any fluctuation slowly spread throughout the warehouse. Like ice and snow melting, the trickling stream meandered its way into the depths of the heart. Zhou Qiang¡¯s heart trembled with fear as he looked towards the figure. The girl still kept her head down, looking at the man¡¯s wrist, not even sparing Zhou Qiang a glance. Zhou Qiang could only see the girl¡¯s taut chin and profile, the aura of authority belonging to those above, silently circulating around her. In front of this person, He was like an ant¡­ Zhou Qiang¡¯s back was soaked in cold sweat, his body trembling. He got up and knelt on the ground, begging for mercy, ¡°Madam, I was wrong, I know I was wrong.¡± ¡°I was just doing someone else¡¯s bidding.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to offend you.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was icy cold, ¡°Doing whose bidding?¡± Bullying my Good Person Card. Quite the guts, you dog thing! ¡°¡­Zhao¡­ Lord Zhao.¡± Zhou Qiang dared not hide anything. ¡°President Chu owes money to Lord Zhao, we came on behalf of Lord Zhao to collect the debt.¡± ¡°Does collecting money require what you did just now?¡± Chuzheng asked, holding Chu Wu¡¯s wrist, which was already red. ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Qiang cursed in his heart. What does this have to do with him? He glanced at the man still lying on the ground and kicked him, ¡°Was it your place to lay hands on President Chu, you worthless thing¡­¡± Zhou Qiang kicked him twice in succession. The man probably couldn¡¯t handle such ¡®favors¡¯ and vomited another mouthful of blood. Chuzheng let Chu Wu stand firmly, then walked over to the man, flipped him over with her foot, and stood on him. Zhou Qiang didn¡¯t dare to even breathe loudly on the side. ¡°Earlier, you mentioned wanting to be someone¡¯s father?¡± ¡°No¡­ no¡­¡± The man was shivering with fright. ¡°Did I hear wrong?¡± Chuzheng pressed down with the tip of her foot. The man¡¯s already poor complexion worsened. ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s not, I was talking nonsense, President Chu is my father,¡± said the man, his face full of terror. Chuzheng kicked him. The man curled up in agony. The girl asked menacingly, ¡°Which hand did you use to hit him just now?¡± The man, gasping for air like a fish out of water, was consumed by fear. Struggling, he extended his right hand. Chuzheng looked down from above at him, ¡°Hit yourself, keep hitting until he feels better.¡± The man: ¡°!!¡± Chuzheng¡¯s eyebrows drooped slightly, ¡°Any objections?¡± With an indifferent facial expression, surrounded by a chilling dignity that scorned all beings, no one dared to contradict a single word she said. She was the one who reigned¡­ ¡°No¡­ no.¡± The man struggled to sit up and hit himself with his right hand. The smack sounds echoed clearly in the warehouse. Zhou Qiang, frightened to the point of nearly wetting his pants, shook like a sieve. ¡°Who do you owe money to?¡± Chuzheng turned to ask Chu Wu. ¡°I¡¯ve paid it off,¡± Chu Wu¡¯s voice was low, ¡°They said they didn¡¯t receive it.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng glared at Zhou Qiang, ¡°Looking for trouble on purpose.¡± ¡°Madam, we were just following orders, we really don¡¯t know what happened, it¡¯s all Lord Zhao¡¯s doing,¡± Zhou Qiang¡¯s desire to survive was extremely strong. Chuzheng asked casually, ¡°How much does he owe?¡± Zhou Qiang¡¯s heart skipped a beat, answering timidly, ¡°Six million.¡± * The content above is purely nonsensical; please do not take it seriously. Chapter 379 - Chapter 379: Chapter 379 Heavenly Fortune (21) Chapter 379: Chapter 379 Heavenly Fortune (21) ¡°Within half an hour, I want to see Lord Zhao, no problem with that, right?¡± Zhou Qiang: ¡°¡­¡± There is¡­ there is a problem! The only ones he could meet were those around Lord Zhao, the person he called Brother Zhao. How could he possibly meet Lord Zhao? However, in the face of the desire to survive, he dared not say it was not possible. Chuzheng found a chair in the warehouse and placed it in front of Chu Wu. ¡°Sit down.¡± Chu Wu obediently sat down. She bent over to examine the palm print on his face that had been struck. Her breath sprayed onto his cheek, a cold fragrance assailing the senses. Chuzheng¡¯s gaze fell on Chu Wu¡¯s enticing lips, and she suddenly leaned close, capturing his lips with hers. Chu Wu was slightly startled. There were still people around! Chuzheng kissed him twice, not too excessively, and then quickly let him go. She calmly took out a bottle of medicine and sprayed it on his face. On the other side, Zhou Qiang racked his brains for solutions, completely oblivious to this scene. The other man still slapping himself naturally wouldn¡¯t have seen Chuzheng kissing him just now. Chu Wu felt a slight relief deep inside. But as this feeling subsided, he was overtaken by annoyance. He was no maiden. If someone saw, then so be it, what¡¯s there to be embarrassed about. ¨C Chuzheng said she wanted to see Lord Zhao within half an hour, but in reality, it took only twenty minutes for Lord Zhao to appear outside. Zhou Qiang was also surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected that Lord Zhao would really show up¡­ Lord Zhao arrived with a few bodyguards, making his slow appearance at the warehouse entrance. This Lord Zhao was over sixty years old, with a head of white hair, not looking very well, leaning on a cane, yet he possessed quite an imposing aura. ¡°Lord Zhao¡­ Lord Zhao¡­¡± Zhou Qiang immediately ran towards Lord Zhao. But before he got close, a bodyguard kicked Zhou Qiang down. Lord Zhao gave Zhou Qiang, who lay on the ground, a gloomy look and tapped his cane on the ground twice: ¡°Can¡¯t even handle a small matter properly.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re Chuzheng.¡± Chuzheng regarded Lord Zhao dispassionately. ¡°Came for me, huh?¡± Lord Zhao had come too quickly. Calling her name as soon as he arrived ¨C if it weren¡¯t for her, then whom? And trying to use the Good Person Card to lure her¡­ ¡°The girl¡¯s quite discerning,¡± Lord Zhao revealed a trace of admiration: ¡°In that case, the young lady should come with me.¡± ¡°Just because you tell me to come with you, I should?¡± Where should I put my face! Lord Zhao¡¯s wrinkles deepened: ¡°A wise person submits to circumstances.¡± Chuzheng spoke evenly: ¡°I¡¯m a woman.¡± What do heroes or great characters have to do with me? Lord Zhao¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, a dangerous gleam flickering in them: ¡°So you¡¯re saying, you won¡¯t come with me?¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t answer. Just stared at him coldly. Lord Zhao¡¯s mouth curved into a smile, and he snapped his fingers in the air. Outside the warehouse, the well-trained bodyguards swiftly blocked the entrance. Those people had bulging waists ¨C one could tell they were armed. To deal with a little girl like me, they actually mobilize this many people. Are they trying to scare me to death? Lord Zhao: ¡°Then don¡¯t blame me for being impolite¡­¡± Chuzheng decisively interrupted him: ¡°Lead the way.¡± [¡­Miss, what about the dignity you talked about?] They have guns! [What¡¯s there to fear from guns; you can easily take them down.] After all, his Miss has an Invincible mode. Do you want me to take them down? [No! I didn¡¯t mean that!] King¡¯s Account immediately denied, [I was just curious why you would go with them.] They have guns! Chuzheng¡¯s face was serious. How could I, a frail girl, fight against people with guns? Naturally, a wise person knows better than to fight against overwhelming odds. [¡­] The words of Miss only held for a minute. Chuzheng¡¯s sudden change of attitude puzzled both Lord Zhao and Chu Wu. But since Chuzheng was willing to go with him, Lord Zhao thought no more of it. Chuzheng was certain she couldn¡¯t escape. Chu Wu took two steps forward, lowering his voice, ¡°Are we really going with them?¡± Chu Wu hadn¡¯t expected that this group wasn¡¯t here for him. ¡°Otherwise, can you beat them?¡± ¡°¡­What do they want to do?¡± ¡°Won¡¯t we find out when we go?¡± Chuzheng said. Chuzheng wrapped an arm around Chu Wu¡¯s waist, pulling him close, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Chu Wu found it both sad and funny internally. Where was he afraid? He was only concerned that something unexpected might happen. ¡°Those two people¡­¡± Chuzheng pointed towards Zhou Qiang, ¡°I¡¯ll trouble you to take care of them.¡± My Good Person Card was bullied, how can I just let it slide. Lord Zhao: ¡°???¡± Was she talking to him? Obviously, she was talking to him. And if he didn¡¯t make a move, she seemed to have no intention of leaving. Lord Zhao stayed silent for a moment, then signaled someone behind him with his eyes. Zhou Qiang had been ineffective, and he had betrayed Lord Zhao before, so Lord Zhao couldn¡¯t keep him around. ¡°Lord Zhao¡­¡± Zhou Qiang¡¯s complexion underwent a drastic change. ¡°Lord Zhao, I was working for you, you can¡¯t do this to me¡­¡± ¡°Lord Zhao¡­¡± Seeing that the situation was against him, Zhou Qiang scrambled up from the ground, stumbling as he ran towards the warehouse exit. However, he hadn¡¯t run a few meters before a bodyguard took him down to the ground. ¨C Lord Zhao had a car prepared for Chuzheng and Chu Wu. A partition was set up at the front, leaving only Chuzheng and Chu Wu in the car¡¯s cabin. Chuzheng had Chu Wu lean on her, ¡°Scared?¡± Chu Wu felt cramped, but since Chuzheng showed no intention of letting him up, he could only adjust himself to get a bit more comfortable. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Chuzheng looked out the window, ¡°Nothing.¡± Chu Wu was somewhat skeptical. She clearly hadn¡¯t planned to go with them¡­ No matter what Chu Wu asked, Chuzheng maintained a serious and earnest expression as if she ¡®didn¡¯t want to do anything¡¯. Chu Wu realized he wasn¡¯t worried. All his unease always disappeared without a trace when he was by her side. With this thought, Chu Wu wrapped his arms around Chuzheng¡¯s waist and held her close. The car drove for over an hour before stopping. The door was opened by a bodyguard, Chuzheng stepped out first, then reached back into the car for him. Chu Wu took her hand and stepped down. The two didn¡¯t look like they were under duress, but rather, they seemed as leisurely as stars walking down the red carpet. ¡°Miss Chuzheng and Mr. Chu seem to be very close,¡± Lord Zhao commented, leaning on his cane and wearing a smile that made him the picture of a kindly old man. ¡°So?¡± Chuzheng asked earnestly. Lord Zhao: ¡°¡­¡± I was just making polite conversation. Lord Zhao seemed to sigh, ¡°Quite enviable.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng nodded as if it were only natural. Envy won¡¯t get you anything. The Good Person Card is mine! Lord Zhao: ¡°¡­¡± Lord Zhao had dealt with all kinds of evil demons and monsters. He had never met someone like Chuzheng before. Lord Zhao took a deep breath and made a beckoning gesture. Chuzheng didn¡¯t hold back, leading Chu Wu with a swagger right up to Lord Zhao, embodying the air of a boss to such an extent that Lord Zhao seemed like a mere follower. Lord Zhao: ¡°¡­¡± How many years had he been a big shot, and how long had it been since anyone treated him this way? When one has been at the top for too long, it¡¯s unsettling for someone to not go along with them. Lord Zhao felt the same way, his gaze at Chuzheng growing slightly dark. But he quickly suppressed his emotions. ¡°Miss Chuzheng isn¡¯t curious why I asked you to come here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find out eventually.¡± Chapter 380 - Chapter 380: Chapter 380 Heavenly Fortune (22) Chapter 380: Chapter 380 Heavenly Fortune (22) Lord Zhao: ¡°¡­¡± This little girl is quite adaptable? But think about it, why does it feel so irritating? He had coerced her. And she treated it like a vacation¡­ Lord Zhao felt that if he kept talking to Chuzheng, he would be infuriated to death sooner or later. Fortunately, they had already arrived. A detached villa with no other buildings around. The interior decoration of the villa was understated and luxurious, revealing the style of a person of importance. Upon entering, Chuzheng unapologetically took over the master¡¯s place on the living room sofa. Lord Zhao: ¡°¡­¡± Lord Zhao took a deep breath, leaning on his cane, and didn¡¯t bother sitting. ¡°Miss Chuzheng, please wait a moment,¡± he said. Lord Zhao left with his bodyguards. The room suddenly became quiet. Just as Chu Wu was about to speak, a series of clicking lock sounds came from around them. Chu Wu immediately got up to check the doors and windows. ¡°He has locked us in here.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Chuzheng replied calmly, sitting on the sofa. What¡¯s the panic? It¡¯s just being locked up. A small problem. It¡¯s inconvenient. Chu Wu frowned, looking at Chuzheng, who still posed as a guest on the sofa. Isn¡¯t she worried at all? ¡°What does he want to do with us?¡± Chuzheng lifted her eyes to the ceiling, where smoke was drifting in through the ventilation ducts. Chu Wu saw it too. Chuzheng gestured for Chu Wu to come over. Chu Wu frowned at the spreading smoke, which was quickening, and hurried over to her side. ¨C Lord Zhao stood outside, occasionally glancing at the watch on his wrist. From the outside, the villa was roiling with smoke, completely obscuring the view. ¡°Lord Zhao, it¡¯s been half an hour,¡± someone said. Lord Zhao tapped the ground twice with his cane and said, ¡°Notify Miss Sang Meng.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lord Zhao¡¯s gaze towards the inside was tinged with excitement. Miss Sang Meng made it sound so serious, he had thought they would be hard to handle, but it was surprisingly easy. Miss Sang Meng had suggested using Chu Wu as bait, just in case. But it seemed that Miss Sang Meng had overestimated these two. He would soon have a healthy body¡­ ¡°Miss Sang Meng is here.¡± Someone whispered in Lord Zhao¡¯s ear. So soon? Lord Zhao turned around and indeed saw the familiar figure. He immediately went to greet her. ¡°Miss Sang Meng, I have captured them for you,¡± Lord Zhao said with careful caution, devoid of the domineering air expected of a boss. ¡°Where are they?¡± Lord Zhao promptly replied, ¡°They are inside, rest assured, they won¡¯t wake up for a day.¡± Sang Meng nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s go inside and have a look.¡± Lord Zhao ordered his men to deactivate the mechanisms inside, waited for the smoke to dispel a bit, and handed Sang Meng a gas mask. ¡°I don¡¯t need it,¡± Sang Meng said and walked straight into the house. Lord Zhao, surprised at heart but recalling Sang Meng¡¯s capabilities, felt it was to be expected. He dared not go without protection, so he put on the mask before entering. The smoke hadn¡¯t cleared entirely, and the room¡¯s environment was somewhat blurry. ¡°Where are they?¡± ¡°Over there,¡± Lord Zhao walked towards the living room, ¡°They¡­¡± Lord Zhao¡¯s voice came to an abrupt halt. The smoke seemed to avoid the sofa, forming a vacuum zone around it. At this moment, Chuzheng sat on the sofa with one hand resting on the back of the sofa and the other holding Chu Wu. From head to toe, even her hair exuded an ¡®I am a big shot¡¯ domineering presence. ¡°Took you long enough to come,¡± the girl¡¯s calm gaze swept over them. ¡°Are you turtles?¡± Bastards are faster than you. ¡°You¡­¡± Lord Zhao was shocked. ¡°How are you unharmed?¡± Because Sang Meng had specifically instructed him, the drug he used had been increased tenfold. Yet there she sat, perfectly fine¡­ ¡°What¡¯s supposed to be wrong with me?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s gaze shifted slightly as she looked over Lord Zhao¡¯s shoulder at Sang Meng. Just knew it was this damned thing. Unable to confront me directly, so you scheme behind my back. Lord Zhao¡¯s heart pounded, and, valuing his life, he dared not stand in front any longer and retreated behind Sang Meng. Sang Meng gave Lord Zhao a glance as if looking at trash. ¡°Chuzheng, since you¡¯re alive, you shouldn¡¯t appear before me again. If I see you, you might not continue to live well,¡± Sang Meng said, her eyes flashing with a hint of ferocity. Now that she had been seen, death was the only outcome. Chuzheng¡¯s slender and delicate, jade-like fingers tapped lightly on the sofa as she spoke rhythmically, ¡°You could gouge your own eyes out.¡± Then you wouldn¡¯t be able to see me, would you? How nice that would be! Sang Meng sneered, ¡°You¡¯re quite sharp-tongued now that you¡¯ve ¡®died¡¯ once.¡± She paused, her tone turning sharply colder, ¡°But today is your death day.¡± ¡°My death day?¡± The frost seemed to gather between Chuzheng¡¯s brows, her aura chilling. ¡°You think too highly of yourself.¡± Sang Meng just sneered with confident complacency and clapped her hands. The surroundings suddenly darkened. Lord Zhao, terrified, spun around in place, his back soaked with cold sweat. Chuzheng remained unfazed. She pulled Chu Wu in for a kiss, ¡°Stay here, be good.¡± Sang Meng clicked her tongue lightly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will send him down to join you so that you both can have a lovely time together down there.¡± Sang Meng emphasized the words ¡®lovely time.¡¯ Chuzheng stood up and suddenly kicked the coffee table in the living room. The coffee table made a splitting noise and slid toward Sang Meng. Sang Meng¡¯s body leapt gracefully onto the coffee table, which then stopped sliding. ¡°If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t provoke me further,¡± Sang Meng said with a dark tone. ¡°Even if you have some skills left, don¡¯t forget, you¡¯ve lost your wings.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re not me,¡± Chuzheng¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°You dare to mention wings, you are quite bold.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Sang Meng let out a cold scoff, twisted her body, and the coffee table violently crashed toward Chuzheng. Chuzheng stood cool and calm, and just as the coffee table was about to hit her, she lifted her foot, her toes effortlessly stopping the coffee table. Her movements were clean and crisp, her posture stylish and dashing. Her indifferent face even gained a touch of handsomeness. It was heart-throbbing to witness and made people want to scream for her. Sang Meng¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She didn¡¯t just kick the coffee table back as simply as that; it carried her power within. How could this be¡­ If Sang Meng could see, then she would have noticed the coffee table was surrounded by silver threads. It was those threads that stopped the table. All Chuzheng did was lift her foot and strike a pose. [¡­] My understanding of Miss needs to be thoroughly refreshed. Not only were the silver threads wrapped around the coffee table, but the whole room was also crisscrossed with silver threads. Chuzheng pressed down with her toes, kicking the coffee table back. Not fast, the coffee table didn¡¯t seem like a threat to Sang Meng, but when she touched it, an invisible force sent her flying. Sang Meng flew in an arc through the air and ended up crashing into the stairway going upstairs. The wooden stairs were splintered at the edge from her crash and tumbled onto the floor, rolling a couple of times before coming to a halt. Sang Meng¡¯s first instinct was to rise. A pair of shoes came into her view and her movements abruptly ceased. The next second, her entire body was kicked down, violently pinned to the ground. The shattered wood from the floor embedded into her flesh, and blood began to seep out. Their bodies, like normal humans, would bleed and get injured, but under their abilities, they could heal extremely fast. ¡°So what if I anger you.¡± The clear and indifferent voice exploded above Sang Meng¡¯s head. Sang Meng only felt like in that instant, as if an invisible giant hand had grasped her throat, a suffocating sensation from all sides closing in. Chapter 381 - Chapter 381: Chapter 381 Heavenly Fortune (23) Chapter 381: Chapter 381 Heavenly Fortune (23) Lord Zhao was so startled by the sudden disaster that he didn¡¯t dare to make a sound, hiding in the corner of the living room. Sang Meng tried to turn over and get up but found her hands and feet inexplicably bound. She couldn¡¯t see anything and could only feel the cold touch on her wrists. What is this thing¡­ Sang Meng¡¯s body was suddenly yanked up and pressed against the broken banister of the staircase. At this moment, it wasn¡¯t just her wrists; her entire body felt the cold constraint. The more Sang Meng struggled, the tighter the thing binding her became. ¡°Chuzheng!¡± Sang Meng screamed in frustration and anger. ¡°Hmm?¡± The person below slightly raised their eyes and looked at her seriously and sternly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Not a single person capable of fighting. The loneliness of the invincible is incomprehensible to others. Sigh. Sang Meng¡¯s anger surged as she met Chuzheng¡¯s calm and indifferent gaze. What¡¯s wrong!? She actually asked me what¡¯s wrong. ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± How could an angel without wings still be so formidable? Impossible. Who is she¡­ ¡°Didn¡¯t you just call my name? Are you forgetful?¡± ¡°This is an illness that needs to be cured,¡± she paused slightly, ¡°Right, Lord Zhao?¡± Lord Zhao, suddenly named, shuddered as he met the girl¡¯s gaze, feeling a chill run from his feet to his forehead. What kind of person had he provoked! Having lived most of his life, Lord Zhao had seen all sorts of people. Even someone like Sang Meng with unusual abilities didn¡¯t give him the feeling he had at that moment. It was as if he was no longer in the world of the living but had fallen into the depths of Hell, on the verge of execution. Lord Zhao had no idea why Chuzheng suddenly asked him that; he looked at Sang Meng and then at Chuzheng, his legs going weak, propping himself up against a nearby wall, not daring to speak. Chuzheng didn¡¯t care and walked through the disarray to where Chu Wu was. She pulled out a scarf from nowhere and tied it over Chu Wu¡¯s eyes. ¡°Chuzheng¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, it¡¯s okay.¡± Chu Wu felt a slight warmth on his forehead, and then his ears were filled with music, drowning out all other sounds. ¡°Lord Zhao, I¡¯ll give you a chance,¡± Chuzheng said, standing by the couch, holding Chu Wu, preventing him from seeing or hearing. ¡°¡­¡± ¨C The black wings placed in the middle of the living room were so ominous that just one glance could make one feel uneasy. Lord Zhao leaned in the corner, his face showing none of his former boldness and only terror. Sang Meng was still bound to the staircase railing, her face ashen and filled with venomous hatred as she glared at Chuzheng. If looks could kill, Chuzheng would likely be riddled with holes by now. With Sang Meng¡¯s loss of wings, the light in the living room had returned to normal. Chuzheng calmly took out her phone and called Li Minhang, asking him to come over. The people Li Minhang called arrived quickly, and upon seeing Sang Meng and the wings on the floor, they took a deep breath. After the shock, only excitement remained. Lord Zhao didn¡¯t know who these people were and could only watch as they took the wings away. Chuzheng helped Chu Wu get up and as they passed Lord Zhao, she said, ¡°You know what you should say and what you shouldn¡¯t, right?¡± ¡°I¡­ I know.¡± Lord Zhao watched as Chuzheng left with Chu Wu. Her voice drifted slowly, ¡°Watch your step.¡± Such a ferocious woman was unexpectedly considerate to remind someone¡­ Thinking back, Lord Zhao realized that from the beginning to the end, she had taken care of Chu Wu meticulously. It didn¡¯t match her personality at all. It¡¯s like someone cold and heartless suddenly showing a tender side to a small animal. ¨C It wasn¡¯t until they left in the car that Chuzheng removed the scarf from Chu Wu¡¯s eyes, kissing him soothingly for a while. ¡°Were you scared?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He hadn¡¯t seen anything, hadn¡¯t heard anything, what was there to be scared of? ¡°What did you do to them?¡± Chu Wu had a bad feeling. He felt that what just happened wasn¡¯t that simple. ¡°I didn¡¯t do much,¡± Chuzheng replied with her usual calm tone, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Let¡¯s go home and play with the cat! The phrase ¡°let¡¯s go home¡± made Chu Wu¡¯s heart skip a beat. Did she consider that place home? Suppressing the throbbing in his heart, Chu Wu still wanted to ask, ¡°Them¡­¡± Chuzheng, feeling a headache coming on, didn¡¯t want to answer his question and covered his mouth with her hand. Chu Wu: ¡°!!!¡± Wouldn¡¯t it be better to be quiet? What¡¯s with all the questions? Explaining is tiring for me. What if I scared you? I still want to be a good person! Chapter 382 - Chapter 382: Chapter 382 Heavenly Fortune (24) Chapter 382: Chapter 382 Heavenly Fortune (24) ¡°President Chuu, this is the itinerary for this afternoon. If there are no issues, I¡¯ll go ahead and arrange it¡­ President Chuu? President Chuu, are you listening to me?¡± Plucking up his courage, the assistant reached out a hand and waved it twice in front of Chuu Wu. Chuu Wu snapped back to reality: ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°President Chuu, I was talking about this afternoon¡¯s schedule¡­¡± ¡°Go ahead and arrange it.¡± Chuu Wu waved his hand, signaling the assistant to leave. Seeing that Chuu Wu¡¯s complexion was not good, the assistant wisely made his exit, fearing he might get caught up in the aftermath. Once the office fell silent, Chuu Wu was sitting in the executive chair, his expression grim as he rubbed his temples. He hadn¡¯t been able to contact Sang Meng for nearly three days. Three days ago, Sang Meng said she had figured out a way to deal with Chuzheng. Three days had passed, and there was no word from Sang Meng. He sent his assistant to inquire at Xinnan Hospital. Chu Wu appeared on time, and Chuzheng had also shown her face. They were both unharmed. Where had Sang Meng gone? Distracted, Chuu Wu finished his work and drove home. The door to his home was ajar, the lights on. Chuu Wu¡¯s heart leapt with joy as he pushed the door open: ¡°Sang Meng, you¡¯re back¡­¡± Chuu Wu froze in the doorway, his heartbeat halting in that instant as his eyes reflected the image of the girl sitting on the sofa. In a moment, Chuu Wu raised his voice and questioned, ¡°You¡­ how are you here, how did you get in?¡± ¡°I walked in.¡± The girl¡¯s lips, pale as cherry blossoms, parted slightly: ¡°Otherwise, could I fly? I don¡¯t even have wings.¡± Chuu Wu suppressed the foreboding feeling in his heart. Feigning composure, he asked, ¡°Where is Sang Meng? Where is she?¡± ¡°You want to see her?¡± Chuu Wu¡¯s expression changed slightly, Sang Meng¡¯s sudden disappearance was indeed related to her. Sang Meng was so powerful¡­ At this thought, Chuu Wu¡¯s anxiety grew infinitely. ¡°What have you done to her?¡± Chuu Wu moved slightly to the right. Bang! An ornament at Chuu Wu¡¯s feet exploded, shattering into pieces. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± The girl¡¯s voice rose slowly. ¡°Next time, what I might smash could be your head.¡± Chuu Wu froze on the spot, his gaze dark as he stared at her: ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°I want to take back what belongs to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Her things? Chuu Wu¡¯s mind flashed with an image of those holy wings. Her wings! ¡°It¡¯s been quite a hassle for you to keep them for me, better to give them back,¡± Chuzheng said in an eerily calm tone. It was as if what she came for wasn¡¯t her wings. If it weren¡¯t for the wound on her back that hadn¡¯t healed properly. Chuzheng genuinely wouldn¡¯t have bothered coming to claim them. But the wound wouldn¡¯t heal, and every time she wanted to do something, the Good Person Card would start nagging. She had no choice but to retrieve her wings. To see if they could still be salvaged and reattached. Chuu Wu¡¯s forehead was beaded with sweat: ¡°Your wings were chopped off by Sang Meng, how would I know where she took them?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± So you start to burn your bridges this quickly?! How can you be so ungrateful after all that woman has done to help you? You are too devoid of conscience! ¡°Sang Meng.¡± Chuzheng suddenly called out towards the doorway. Chuu Wu¡¯s body tensed up sharply. He turned to look, but Sang Meng was nowhere to be seen at the door. A flame of nameless rage surged up in Chuu Wu¡¯s chest. However, before he could express that anger, he suddenly plunged toward the ground. His knees hit the floor, landing on the ceramic pieces, and Chuu Wu cried out in pain. The girl who had been sitting on the sofa moments before was now standing in front of him. When Chuu Wu tried to push her away, Chuzheng twisted his arm sharply. Crack¡ª The arm went limp and hung by his side. Chuzheng glanced at his other arm, weighed her options, and dislocated it as well. Chuu Wu¡¯s face contorted in agony. She pressed on his shoulder and moved behind him, casually closing the door with a swing. As the door shut, it creaked open again¡­ Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± She forgot, she had broken the door when she came in. Chuzheng cast a glance at Chuu Wu, who was facing away from her. Ahem! Chuzheng pretended she hadn¡¯t tried to shut the door. ¡°Sang Meng won¡¯t come to save you. She¡¯s in trouble herself now,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°If you want to avoid torture, tell me where my wings are.¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Chuu Wu stubbornly said. ¡°Go find Sang Meng, I don¡¯t know, I never took your wings.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Chuzheng forcefully pushed Chuu Wu down. The shards dug deeper, and Chuu Wu couldn¡¯t help but cry out. ¡°Don¡¯t yell,¡± Chuzheng slightly bent over, met his gaze, and warned menacingly, ¡°It would be bad if someone heard.¡± Chuu Wu desperately hoped someone would hear and come to save him. But he lived in a detached villa¡ªwho would hear, if not the patrolling security guards? ¡°Be good, tell me where the wings are?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Chuu Wu was still being obstinate. Sang Meng had said, everything he had now was because of her. Only by keeping those wings could he maintain what he had, or else he would lose everything. He couldn¡¯t tell. He just couldn¡¯t¡­ Chuzheng was getting impatient; she wasn¡¯t very good at torturing people, as it was troublesome. But her methods weren¡¯t something an ordinary person could endure. After resisting for a few minutes, Chuu Wu eventually gave in. Chuzheng dragged him upstairs. Chuu Wu¡¯s blood-soaked hands opened the secret mechanism of the study. The moment the bookshelf moved, Chuzheng felt a familiar presence, resonating with her soul. Behind the bookshelf, the immaculate wings slowly revealed themselves before her. It was as if she was seeing the angel descending from the myths, the holy wings surrounded by a glowing halo, so beautiful it was stunning, to be admired from a distance but not to be desecrated. Holy crap! Were the original owner¡¯s wings this gorgeous? They seem a bit¡­ soft. Chuzheng felt a tingling in her hands, wanting to touch them if it weren¡¯t for the concern that there was still that bastard here. ¡°I¡­ I brought them back and put them here, I never touched them,¡± volunteered the wretched creature. He was truly frightened. Fear was the only thing left in his eyes. His entire body was shaking violently. Chuzheng turned around, staring at the person on the floor. The pure white velvet carpet was stained red with blood, like scarlet plum blossoms blooming in the white snow. Chuzheng walked to the desk and found a pair of scissors on the surface. [Miss¡­ you don¡¯t have to kill him, right?] If you kill him, won¡¯t you just have to rewind again? Without the angel¡¯s wings and without Sang Meng, the following days would be very hard for Chuu Wu. Being miserable is their goal. But something about the King¡¯s Account felt off¡­ Moments later, the King¡¯s Account roared, furious at the waste! How could you settle things with these two so easily! The King¡¯s Account felt led astray by Chuzheng. Seething with anger. Chuzheng maintained an indifferent face. Cannot waste an opportunity. Frugality is a virtue. [¡­] Frugality is a virtue, is this how you apply it? Is this how you apply it?! Not content with simply sabotaging your own comeback, you even corrupted the System! ¡°I¡¯ve told you everything. What else do you want to do? Don¡¯t come any closer, all this was Sang Meng¡¯s doing, it was all her¡­¡± Frightened by the scissors in Chuzheng¡¯s hand, Chuu Wu began to babble. ¡°It was all Sang Meng, it¡¯s her, it¡¯s all her doing. When you appeared, it was her who told me to keep you. She plotted against you, it¡¯s all her doing, it¡¯s not related to me, seek your revenge on her, don¡¯t come after me, I don¡¯t know anything, I know nothing¡­¡± Chapter 383 - Chapter 383: Chapter 383 Heavenly Fortune (25) Chapter 383: Chapter 383 Heavenly Fortune (25) Rewinding the scene, Chuzheng¡¯s anger dissipated. But she soon had another problem to deal with. Her wings, which had automatically returned to her upon entering, now¡­ couldn¡¯t be retracted. The original owner could easily tuck them away with just a thought, a convenient and speedy process. No matter how she thought about it, though, the wings wouldn¡¯t budge. Chuzheng held her breath. She silently chanted to herself to retract them. The wings remained still. It was as if they were broken¡­ Perhaps the wings recognized a new owner? ¡°[¡­]Miss, what on earth do you ponder over all day long with those muddled thoughts?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s mind had wandered only for a moment before she became entranced by the feathers. She touched her wings, finding the feathers soft and smooth, a comforting sensation in her hands. Comfort spread through her from the bottom of her heart. She sat with a tense little face, petting them to herself for a long while. It took her some time to remember she needed to go back. With such a pair of wings, taking a car was definitely out of the question; she could only¡ªfly back. ¨C Chu Wu hugged Fubao closer in the cat bed, coaxing it to sleep, then glanced at the time. Past midnight¡­ Why hadn¡¯t she returned? Pacing back and forth in the room, Chu Wu made a phone call, only to hear the ringing from her own bedroom; she hadn¡¯t taken her phone with her. Chu Wu was restless. Whoosh¡ª A gust of wind suddenly swept through the balcony, and Chu Wu stood up to close the window. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a shadow on the balcony. The immense dark silhouette unfolded, casting itself against the glass indoors, somewhat eerie against the night. The glass door to the balcony was a little narrow, so Chuzheng simply walked straight inside. The next moment was met with a ¡®thud¡¯. Stuck, stuck. Chuzheng was inside, her wings on the outside. Not convenient. A minor issue. Chuzheng, with a tense little face, gave a vigorous tug, but the wings wouldn¡¯t move at all. She couldn¡¯t back out, nor could she fully enter. Quite fittingly stuck. This is infuriating! The wings are defying me! It¡¯s better to just chop them off! Chu Wu turned from the living room and upon seeing Chuzheng, a sigh of relief silently escaped her from deep within. However, before that relief could settle, it spiked again abruptly. ¡°Why are you on the balcony, what¡¯s that outside?¡± Had she brought something back with her? It looked somewhat like¡­ wings. Chuzheng immediately maintained a serious face, standing erect: ¡°Flew up.¡± ¡°Flew¡­¡± Chu Wu was startled. The place they lived in was more than ten stories high! Chuzheng continued, ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to see my wings?¡± Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± Wings¡­ wings. Indeed, were those wings outside? Chu Wu moved closer to the balcony, and the vague shadow became clearer. Chu Wu was dumbstruck Pure white wings unfolded behind her, so holy they seemed capable of purifying the soul. The girl, with wings as her backdrop, looked even more fair and delicate, radiating a dreamlike and ethereal beauty. He had, though, come to believe the claim that Chuzheng was an angel. But he had never witnessed it with his own eyes. ¡­ The video did not count. So it left him utterly astonished. These were the wings of an angel¡­ ¡°You¡­¡± Chu Wu swallowed hard, recovering his voice: ¡°You¡¯ve found your wings?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Chu Wu inched closer, the image growing ever clearer. ¡°You, you should come inside first, what if someone sees?¡± Chu Wu grew anxious. ¡°Touch them and see.¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t move, instead prompting Chu Wu to touch. Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± Pure white wings, exposed before his eyes, the broken light in his eyes was occupied by the pristine feathers as he, as if possessed by a spirit, reached out his hand. The tips of his fingers touched the feathers, the soft feathers brushing against his fingertips, causing a slight, ticklish sensation. He carefully placed his hand on the wings. Chuzheng¡¯s body imperceptibly shivered, she could feel the warmth from Chu Wu¡¯s fingers. That sensation was clearer than if he had touched her arm. She had no sensation when she touched it herself, she never thought it would be so sensitive to someone else¡¯s touch. Chuzheng instantly regretted it. But as a high-cold domineering CEO, Chuzheng could only grit her teeth in secret and endure. ¡°Come in first,¡± Chu Wu suddenly withdrew his hand. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping yet?¡± Chuzheng changed the subject. ¡°I was waiting for you.¡± ¡°You go to sleep.¡± I¡¯m freaking stuck! The Good Person Card knows, will he still think I¡¯m a good person?! [Miss, may I speak frankly, what does this have to do with being a good person?] Good people are perfect. They would never find themselves in such a situation. This embarrassing incident, the Good Person Card absolutely must never find out. No way! [¡­]I¡­ I¡¯m at a loss for words. ¡°You first come in,¡± said Chu Wu with a hint of confusion. Chuzheng with an indifferent face, if you don¡¯t move, how can I come in? ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Perhaps sensing something amiss with Chuzheng, Chu Wu moved closer: ¡°Not feeling well?¡± He had moved close enough to see the predicament of Chuzheng¡¯s wings being stuck. ¡°Are you¡­ stuck?¡± Chu Wu looked on, puzzled. ¡°No.¡± Who says I¡¯m stuck? I¡¯m not stuck! Not at all! The Good Person Card knows nothing but nonsense. Chu Wu, suspicious, his gaze shifting back and forth between the wings and Chuzheng¡¯s face: ¡°Then why don¡¯t you come in?¡± Chuzheng, with composure: ¡°The air is nice outside.¡± Chu Wu¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed, a rare smile appearing on his usually cold face: ¡°It is indeed nice, then I will come out to accompany you, make some room.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu reached out to touch her wings, pushing them outward, but they didn¡¯t budge. Chu Wu felt the wings were stuck tight, recalling the loud crash he heard earlier, unsure how much force she had used. ¡°Can¡¯t you fold your wings?¡± Chu Wu asked. ¡°¡­¡± If I could fold them, would I be stuck here, isn¡¯t this a foolish question? Chuzheng looked at him with an expressionless face, remaining silent. Chu Wu suddenly thought she was a bit cute, resembling the proud and elegant, yet adorably stubborn Fox, when it refused to be touched. After finding it cute, Chu Wu felt a slight urge to laugh. She had actually gotten herself stuck. And she didn¡¯t want him to know¡­ ¡°Let me take a look.¡± Chuzheng pushed him away: ¡°You go sleep.¡± Who asked for your help! Chu Wu suddenly leaned in close, kissing her cheek, and whispered a reminder. ¡°If you stand outside, you will be seen, and tomorrow someone will come knocking with trouble.¡± Trouble!! Chuzheng stopped trying to push Chu Wu away, and he embraced her from the front, first examining the positioning of the wings. ¡°How did you¡­ come in like this?¡± After a while, Chu Wu asked somewhat helplessly. She had recklessly barreled her way in. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I forgot I had wings. ¡°Can¡¯t you fold them? I thought I saw you before¡­ without these wings,¡± Chu Wu believed they could be folded. Chuzheng coldly shook her head. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°If I knew that, I wouldn¡¯t be here right now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu thought for a moment, perhaps there was an accident since she had just got her wings back¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll give a push, and you just tell me if it hurts.¡± Chu Wu¡¯s palm made contact with the wing, the sensitivity bringing a tingling numbness, like a faint current, spreading throughout her body. Chu Wu, unaware, carefully pushed on her wing. The small area of contact, the rubbing, the more obvious the sensation became for Chuzheng. She leaned into Chu Wu¡¯s embrace. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Thinking she was in pain, Chu Wu stopped to ask her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°Then shall I continue?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Chu Wu pushed even more gently. Feeling Chuzheng kiss his neck, he looked down at her: ¡°Stop fooling around, let me get you out first.¡± Chapter 384 - Chapter 384: Chapter 384 Heavenly Fortune (26) Chapter 384: Chapter 384 Heavenly Fortune (26) ¡°` Chu Wu struggled for a long time, but eventually Chuzheng couldn¡¯t stand it and let him dismantle the glass door. Chu Wu didn¡¯t think it was necessary to go to the extent of dismantling the glass door. Chu Wu went to the bathroom, took some shower gel, and after a strenuous ten minutes or so, finally wriggled his wings out. Chuzheng came in sideways, her wings damp and sudsy with bubbles. ¡°Get washed.¡± Chu Wu pulled her to the bathroom. The bathroom was quite spacious, but once Chuzheng¡¯s wings were inside, it seemed difficult even to turn around. Chu Wu took the initiative to wash them for her, warm water cascading over the wings, his palms gently gliding along the feathers, rinsing off the shower gel. Chuzheng sneakily touched the other side of herself. She felt nothing at all, like her left hand touching her right hand. But the side Chu Wu was touching felt¡­ The steam in the bathroom was swirling, and Chuzheng felt a bit hot. Perhaps sensing Chuzheng¡¯s gaze, Chu Wu turned his head and looked over, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chuzheng pulled back her hand and urged calmly, ¡°Hurry up and wash.¡± ¡°Done,¡± Chu Wu turned off the water heater. ¡°I will find something to wipe you down with¡­ um¡­¡± ¨C The next day. Chu Wu shifted his body slightly, the soft touch making him rub against it a couple of times involuntarily. Chu Wu suddenly felt himself being hugged tightly. He opened his eyes slightly, seeing only a faint light¡­ Was it not yet dawn? Clearly, that wasn¡¯t it. He was being held by Chuzheng, wrapped up in her wings. Chu Wu couldn¡¯t resist reaching out to touch the feathers. Chuzheng held his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± It tickles to death! Chu Wu moved his fingertips away from the soft feathers and, in the dim light, looked at the person holding him. The girl¡¯s expression was cool as she looked at him. There was none of the demure shyness expected of a girl, even carrying a hint of¡­ domineering scrutiny. Feeling uncomfortable being stared at, Chu Wu immediately got up and left. Chu Wu washed up in the bathroom, and as he dried his hair, he watched Chuzheng sitting on the bed, seriously touching her own wings. She wouldn¡¯t let him touch. But she was indulging in it herself. Yet, Chu Wu had to admit that the wings really felt nice to the touch. ¡°Are they going to stay like this?¡± If she couldn¡¯t retract them, how would she ever go out again? ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Chuzheng retracted her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t you like them?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± He really liked her wings, feeling as if seeing them made all the repression in his heart disappear. ¡°If they stay like this, how will you go out?¡± Chuzheng thought for a moment, ¡°Then I won¡¯t go out.¡± This way the King¡¯s Account won¡¯t have the chance to make me splurge, perfect! Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, Chuzheng grabbed him and asked earnestly and sternly, ¡°You won¡¯t run away, will you?¡± ¡°??¡± Chu Wu was utterly confused. ¡°Run from what?¡± They¡­ were already in this situation. Could he still run? Even if she wasn¡¯t ordinary, she was still a girl, and Chu Wu felt that it would be inhuman to act irresponsibly. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Chuzheng took his hand and, lowering her head, kissed the back of his hand. ¡°Be good and don¡¯t run, or I¡¯ll break your legs.¡± Chu Wu suddenly felt a chill down below. When she talked about breaking legs, which leg was she referring to? The girl¡¯s warm lips on the back of his hand, the hot breath brushing past, stirred up certain things that had just settled down. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll go cook,¡± he said. Chu Wu practically fled. Once out of the room, he wished he could slap himself. ¡°` She had merely kissed the back of his hand, so why did she feel as if she¡¯d been teased unbearably? However, just thinking about what had happened, Chu Wu¡¯s ears started to heat up, and it seemed as if her entire being was enveloped in pink bubbles. It wasn¡¯t that his self-control was lacking, she was simply too tempting. Sigh¡­ Chu Wu let out a breath. ¡°Meow~¡± The snow-white Little Bun lay on the sofa, giving him a docile and obedient call. Chu Wu went over to pick up Fubao, preparing to feed it first. Suddenly, a ¡®bang¡¯ noise came from behind. Chu Wu turned to look, the door was open, and the tip of a white wing flashed past, disappearing at the doorway. He pondered for a while, a smile forming on his typically indifferent face. Chu Wu tapped Fubao¡¯s forehead, whispering, ¡°She¡¯s really cute sometimes.¡± Having wings was truly inconvenient, moving through doors was like sidestepping like a crab. Her wings were too large, even when pressed against her body, she couldn¡¯t walk through normally. And the wings didn¡¯t really weigh anything to her, just as usual. Chuzheng moved haphazardly, inevitably bumping into things. Fubao ¡®meowed¡¯, seemingly unsure whether it understood or not. Chuzheng had managed to tidy up after much difficulty, carefully avoiding the door frame and letting out a sigh of relief as she sat at the dining table. It was too tough. Why was she so unlucky? Chu Wu was busy in the kitchen, glancing at her now and then, Fubao circled around Chuzheng¡¯s feet. Chuzheng seemed to try grabbing it, but with Fubao being swift and one of her wings being inconvenient, Fubao quickly disappeared from view. Chu Wu served breakfast on the table. Chuzheng didn¡¯t eat much, Chu Wu looked at her, suddenly feeling a bit uneasy, ¡°Doesn¡¯t it suit your taste?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Chu Wu glanced at the breakfast, wondering if he didn¡¯t make it tasty enough, ¡°Should I make something else tomorrow?¡± Chuzheng absentmindedly responded. She was figuring out how to retract her wings, having such large wings on her back made her very clumsy! A clumsy Fairy, was she even a qualified Fairy?! After breakfast, Chuzheng, with her twinkling large wings that prevented her from going out, could only shrink onto the sofa and read. Fubao jumped over from somewhere, Chuzheng caught a glimpse of it with the corner of her eye, remaining thoroughly still. Fubao also stared back, the standoff between the human and the cat was somewhat rigid. Finally, Fubao lazily lay down, and at that moment, Chuzheng swiftly caught it. Fubao let out a pitiful meow but couldn¡¯t escape Chuzheng¡¯s clutches. When Chu Wu came out, all he saw was the girl seriously petting Fubao, yet her eyes shone with a hint of brightness. Chu Wu stood behind and watched her for a while, the thought that she was cute once again surfacing in his heart. Really¡­ The more he watched, the cuter she seemed. ¡°Baby.¡± Chuzheng was suddenly taken aback by Chu Wu¡¯s use of that term for her, a flicker of strangeness crossing her heart. She lifted her head to look, and at that moment, the camera clicked. In the photo, the girl was holding the snow-white Little Bun, with her white wings in the background, creating a stunningly beautiful image, like a scene straight out of a fairy tale. Chu Wu watched, somewhat in a daze. After a while, Chu Wu turned around, showing her the photo, ¡°Take a look.¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t give any comments, only said, ¡°Don¡¯t share the photo.¡± Otherwise, I¡¯ll be caught and studied like a monster. ¡°I know.¡± Chu Wu certainly understood the importance, ¡°I won¡¯t show it to anyone else.¡± He didn¡¯t want to show it to anyone else, either. Chu Wu saved the photo, even adding encryption, before suddenly leaning over to give Chuzheng a quick kiss. Chuzheng, comfortably engrossed in petting the cat, had no interest in paying attention to Chu Wu. Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu reached to pet Fubao, but Chuzheng immediately shifted to the side, hiding Fubao in her embrace. Chapter 385 - Chapter 385: Chapter 385 Heavenly Fortune (27) Chapter 385: Chapter 385 Heavenly Fortune (27) ¡°President Chuu, are you at home?¡± ¡°President Chuu?¡± The assistant, seeing the door wasn¡¯t closed, carefully pushed it open. The room was dimly lit, oppressively so, as if filling the space with an air of heaviness. Swallowing nervously, the assistant¡¯s gaze swept over the living room, taking in the shattered ceramics on the floor and the dried bloodstains, his face turning pale instantly. What was this, a murder scene? It couldn¡¯t be that President Chuu had been¡­? ¡°President Chuu?¡± The assistant called out for quite some time, but no one responded. He looked at the scene in the living room, his heart pounding. The bloodstains in the living room continued in drag marks leading upstairs. Taking a deep breath, the assistant found a baseball bat in the living room and carried it upstairs. ¡°President Chuu¡­ President Chuu, are you there?¡± ¡°President Chuu?¡± Only the assistant¡¯s voice echoed along the hallway, its shadowy and profound environment sent chills down his spine. He followed the trail of blood to the door of the study. Hands trembling, the assistant pushed the door open. ¡°President¡­ Chuu?¡± At first glance, the assistant didn¡¯t see anyone; but on the second look, he saw Chuu Wu lying on the floor. The baseball bat dropped from his hand, and after three seconds, he dashed over. ¡°President Chuu, President Chuu, are you alright?¡± Chuu Wu was rushed to the hospital. After an examination, the doctor reported there was nothing serious. The assistant was frightened; Chuu Wu was covered in blood, and he had almost thought Chuu Wu was dead. ¡°Hiss¡­¡± ¡°President Chuu, you¡¯re awake.¡± The assistant, standing by the bedside, immediately moved forward. Chuu Wu¡¯s vision was blurry and it took him a while to see clearly. ¡°Where is this?¡± ¡°The hospital,¡± the assistant replied. ¡°President Chuu, what happened?¡± Chuu Wu, thinking of what he had gone through, clutched the assistant¡¯s hand in agitation, ¡°Call the police, call the¡­ No, don¡¯t call the police.¡± ¡°President Chuu?¡± The assistant was confused. Should they call the police or not? ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The assistant remained worried. This did not look like ¡®nothing.¡± Chuu Wu seemed dazed, asking anxiously, ¡°Is the company alright?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± the assistant said. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t get through to your phone, so I came to find you. Are you sure we don¡¯t need to call the police?¡± Hearing that the company was fine, Chuu Wu breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°No need. Go out for now.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± With the assistant gone, Chuu Wu slumped onto the hospital bed, resting a hand on his forehead, his gloomy eyes fixed on the ceiling. Chuu Wu¡¯s body might not have been seriously harmed, but he still needed to recover. ¡°Mr. Chuu, it¡¯s terrible, something has happened.¡± The assistant burst in without even knocking. Chuu Wu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, ¡°What happened?¡± The assistant said hurriedly, ¡°Someone is claiming that our company¡¯s baby formula contains carcinogens.¡± Chuu Wu¡¯s face darkened: ¡°How is that possible?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. On my way here, I received a call from the higher-ups; they want to inspect us.¡± Chuu Wu quickly calmed down: ¡°Don¡¯t panic, our formula doesn¡¯t have any issues, so we¡¯re not afraid of inspection.¡± ¡°But this kind of news, even if it turns out to be false, could still harm us.¡± Nowadays with baby products, a single stain could ruin everything. The unease that Chuu Wu had felt these past few days seemed to find confirmation now. Unable to stay in the hospital any longer, Chuu Wu took his assistant and hurried back to the company. The authorities had already arrived to inspect their products. When the departments from above spoke, Chuu Wu couldn¡¯t stop them. He ordered to suppress the news online and accompanied them for the inspection. Chuu Wu initially thought there shouldn¡¯t be any problems. But when the results came out, Chuu Wu was stunned. News online erupted instantaneously. The condemnation from netizens flew in like snowflakes. As the saying goes, ¡°Good fortune never comes in pairs, and misfortunes never come singly.¡± The issue with the milk powder wasn¡¯t resolved yet, and now there¡¯s a problem with the subsidiary¡¯s pharmaceuticals. ¡°How could these problems arise?¡± Chuu Wu was so angry that he smashed his office. The people standing in the office trembled with fear. ¡°President Chuu¡­ we don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know? You tell me you don¡¯t know? What am I paying you for?!¡± ¡°President Chuu¡­¡± They were truly innocent; their products had no issues. ¡°President Chuu, I think someone is sabotaging us?¡± someone spoke up. Chuu Wu obviously knew someone was sabotaging him. ¡°Who is it? I want to know who it is!¡± Chuu Wu slammed the desk and cried with fury, ¡°What¡¯s the use of telling me here? Go and investigate! Find out who is framing the company!¡± ¡°What are you standing there for? Go now!¡± The office staff, as if granted amnesty, quickly left the office. Chuu Wu leaned against the desk, gasping for breath. Without the wings of a Guardian Angel, would he really lose everything? Sang Meng¡­ Where on earth is Sang Meng! Chuu Wu¡¯s company was besieged from all sides, with public opinion and pressure from above constantly battering the company. The vast enterprise began to wobble precariously. When a behemoth falls, the parasites lurking around it start to stir, ready to swarm and devour it at any moment. ¨C The sunlight fell on the balcony, piercing through the glass window, pouring inside. The floor-length gauze curtains swayed in the wind, casting shadows on the floor. On the sofa, a girl with pure white wings lazed around, her wings pressed under her, making the sofa seem notably smaller. In her arms, she cradled a snow-white Little Bun, nearly merging with her wings. ¡°Meow~¡± Little Bun uttered a soft and glutinous cry. ¡°What are you meowing about,¡± Chuzheng said irritably. ¡°Your shit-scooper hasn¡¯t come back yet.¡± ¡°Meow~¡± Little Bun nuzzled Chuzheng with its head. ¡°Stop meowing.¡± Chuzheng scolded it. ¡°Meow~ Meow~¡± Little Bun kept meowing out of hunger. Chuzheng simply let go of it, embracing the tips of her own wings, looking coldly as Little Bun hopped down and sniffed around its food bowl. Fed up with its meowing, Chuzheng turned over, her back to it. Chu Wu entered the door, and Little Bun ran over excitedly, pleading pitifully around his feet. He hurried to feed Little Bun. Then, approaching the sofa, he paused for a moment, making sure Chuzheng hadn¡¯t fallen asleep before turning her over, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you feed it?¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hungry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry too,¡± Chuzheng declared boldly. ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu was at a loss for words. He took off his coat and started rolling up his sleeves, asking, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that I had a sudden surgery today, so I¡¯d be back late, and that you should order takeout?¡± ¡°Takeout can¡¯t be delivered here, I have to go down to get it,¡± Chuzheng said with an indifferent expression. ¡°How do I go out?¡± Go out and scare them to death, and then have someone drag me away for dissection? She didn¡¯t know what was wrong, but her wings wouldn¡¯t retract, and the abilities of a Guardian Angel hadn¡¯t returned. Of course, she couldn¡¯t become invisible or anything of that sort. Right now, she was just a winged¡­ bird person? That¡¯s so worrisome. The little creature wanted to pet her wings, and she wanted to pin it down and spoil it thoroughly. It¡¯s enough to drive someone crazy. ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± After hearing what Chuzheng said, Chu Wu¡¯s guilt surged, and he planted a kiss on her forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll go make you something to eat right away.¡± Chu Wu went into the kitchen to prepare food. Chuzheng sat up from the sofa, embracing the tips of her wings, and walked to the kitchen doorway. She leaned against the doorway, watching the man busily moving about the kitchen. Chu Wu turned around, saw her standing at the door, and couldn¡¯t help but let a slight smile lift the corners of his mouth, ¡°It¡¯ll be ready soon.¡± Chapter 386 - Chapter 386: Chapter 386 Heavenly Fortune (28) Chapter 386: Chapter 386 Heavenly Fortune (28) ¡°` Ding Dong¡ª Chu Wu looked toward the door with curiosity. Chuzheng ate her meal slowly and methodically, not even glancing up. Ding Dong! Ding Dong!! Ding Dong Ding Dong!!! The doorbell rang urgently, as if hurrying the owner to answer the door. ¡°Don¡¯t come over, I¡¯ll go check,¡± Chu Wu instructed Chuzheng. Chuzheng nodded indifferently. She was too lazy to move. Chu Wu first peered outside through the peephole and, seeing a familiar face, opened the door: ¡°What are you doing here?¡± The young doctor smiled, ¡°I came to see how you¡¯re doing, how have things been lately?¡± Chu Wu blocked the doorway, ¡°Pretty good.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to invite me in?¡± the young doctor gestured inside. ¡°It¡¯s not convenient,¡± Chu Wu said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside.¡± ¡°Not convenient?¡± The young doctor suddenly sported a meaningful smile, ¡°Got a girlfriend now? Hey, don¡¯t tell me¡ªI had always thought you¡¯d be single for your whole life.¡± ¡°Remember how the school beauty confessed to you back in the day? You didn¡¯t even give her a glance. Everyone at school said you were GAY¡­¡± ¡°Hold on, you don¡¯t have a boyfriend now, do you?¡± Chu Wu pushed the young doctor out and closed the door. The young doctor felt like he had gotten to the truth. If it really was about having a girlfriend, there¡¯d be no need to act like this. It must be a boyfriend!! The young doctor grew increasingly horrified at the thought. Chu Wu, completely oblivious to what the young doctor was thinking, took him to a nearby caf¨¦. ¡°Why did you suddenly come to find me¡­¡± Chu Wu suddenly paused, ¡°How did you know I live here?¡± After all, it was Chuzheng who had bought the house, and he had never told anyone. ¡°The last time you asked me to mail something for you, it was this address. I happened to be passing by and thought I¡¯d stop to see you,¡± the young doctor shrugged, ¡°Forgot?¡± Chu Wu remembered that incident. ¡°Yeah, what do you need?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I look you up if it¡¯s nothing important?¡± the young doctor said incredulously, ¡°We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we? I wanted to check in on you, see how you¡¯re doing¡­ What have you been up to lately?¡± His place, although not a villa, was in an expensive area¡­ Could he be kept by someone? The thought involuntarily streaked through the young doctor¡¯s mind as his gaze settled on Chu Wu¡¯s face. He thought¡­ it was quite possible!! ¡°Working.¡± The young doctor was quite surprised, ¡°Where do you work?¡± ¡°Xinnan.¡± The young doctor had heard of the prestigious reputation of Xinnan Hospital. ¡°That charitable Xinnan Hospital?¡± Yes! That¡¯s how Xinnan Hospital was known outside. Nowadays, many doctors and nurses were scrambling to get in. Some, who had initially been approached by Xinnan Hospital but declined due to a lack of prospects, were now regretting it so much that they were blue in the face. ¡°Mhm.¡± The young doctor got excited, ¡°Is the pay really that good there? I heard that nurses¡¯ salaries are almost matching ours now.¡± ¡°Pretty much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that good? Then I¡¯m going too,¡± the young doctor said, ¡°You¡¯re there, so you can get me in, right?¡± This person had helped him a lot when he was down on his luck. Chu Wu nodded, ¡°Whenever you want to come over is fine.¡± The young doctor raised an eyebrow, obviously not expecting Chu Wu to say something like that. You had to have some clout in the hospital to make such a statement. Originally, he had only made an offhand remark, but now that Chu Wu had spoken, the young doctor mulled over resigning in his heart. ¡°By the way, have you watched the news recently?¡± ¡°` Chu Wu shook his head. Since he had returned from the hospital, Chuzheng had been monopolizing his time. ¡°Chuu Wu is in trouble.¡± Chu Wu¡¯s eyebrows lifted, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°His company is in trouble¡­¡± The young doctor rattlef off the recent developments to Chu Wu in rapid succession. After speaking, the young doctor sighed, ¡°Do you think this could be his retribution?¡± Chu Wu¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. He didn¡¯t feel it was retribution, it felt more like¡­ someone was deliberately targeting him. How could all these coincidences happen one after another? However, these matters had nothing to do with him. Seeing that Chu Wu wasn¡¯t very interested in discussing it, the young doctor tactfully changed the subject. Chu Wu talked with the young doctor for half an hour, and when they parted, the young doctor hesitated, finally wishing him happiness somewhat awkwardly. Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± He always felt something was off. ¨C Chuu Wu¡¯s company faced continuous blows, leading to a break in its capital chain. The people around him, seeing the situation turning unfavorable, packed up their belongings and fled. The once rising star in their circles became someone everyone avoided. When facing him, it was as if they were facing the plague. ¡°President Chuu, it¡¯s not that I won¡¯t help you, but if I do now, even I won¡¯t be able to justify it on my side.¡± ¡°President Chuu, I¡¯m really sorry, but as an individual, I don¡¯t have the authority¡­¡± ¡°President Chuu, you should ask someone else¡­¡± Those who previously clamored to collaborate with him now used various excuses to refuse him. Chuu Wu was patching here and tearing there, and things that used to seem so easy had now become extremely difficult. The unluckier Chuu Wu became, the stronger Chuzheng felt her own powers growing. Occasionally, she could even retract her wings, though only for a short duration. The original host was supposed to protect Chu Wu, but she mistook the person, as if the good luck that was meant for Chu Wu had been placed on Chuu Wu¡¯s head. Now, the good luck that had been on Chuu Wu¡¯s head was gradually returning to her. So, her powers were being restored¡­ She could finally retract those broken wings. When Chuu Wu declared bankruptcy, Chuzheng would be able to completely retract her wings. She would also be able to use the original host¡¯s powers at will. Chu Wu came home and didn¡¯t see Chuzheng¡¯s wings, which caused him slight surprise, ¡°Can you retract them now?¡± ¡°Mhmm.¡± Chu Wu pulled her down to sit on the couch, ¡°Let me see your back.¡± When her wings were present, they looked quite normal, but he was worried that the wounds might still be there even after the wings were retracted. ¡°What¡¯s there to look at?¡± ¡°Just let me see, don¡¯t worry,¡± Chu Wu said as he tugged at the hem of Chuzheng¡¯s clothing, slightly lifting it to reveal her fair back. Her back was smooth and even, without any scars. Chu Wu¡¯s fingers brushed over the place where the wound had been, the skin beneath his fingertips soft and smooth like white jade tofu. Chu Wu let go of her clothing, embraced her from behind, rested his chin on Chuzheng¡¯s shoulder, and gently kissed her neck. ¡°Would you leave me?¡± ¡°Where to?¡± With the Good Person Card right here, where could she go? Chu Wu looked out at the sky. Guardian Angels¡­ should reside in heaven, shouldn¡¯t they? Chu Wu was actually quite worried about this, for she was not mortal and may not be able to be with him for a lifetime. ¡°Would you leave me?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± You haven¡¯t even acknowledged me as a good person yet, so how could I leave you? Always pondering over something, that Good Person Card. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Chu Wu held Chuzheng close, his voice deep, ¡°You cannot leave me until my death.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Chu Wu¡¯s kisses grew bolder, and the two of them fell into the sunlight, their intertwined shadows cast upon the floor. Chapter 387 - Chapter 387: Chapter 387 Heavenly Fortune (29) Chapter 387: Chapter 387 Heavenly Fortune (29) Xinnan Hospital¡¯s reputation kept growing. Patients who came to Xinnan Hospital not only paid less but also enjoyed VIP-like treatment, which made some of them reluctant to leave. Xinnan Hospital¡¯s wards were in urgent demand. Li Minhang was so worried he was nearly losing his hair. Li Minhang finally caught up with Chuzheng, who hadn¡¯t shown up for several months. ¡°Renovate.¡± Li Minhang hadn¡¯t finished reporting when Chuzheng blurted out those two words. ¡°¡­¡± He wanted to talk about policy issues, but why did it change when it got to her? ¡°Renovation is also fine. We¡¯re right next to an old neighborhood that could be demolished, but the money¡­¡± Li Minhang had already started calculating how much it would cost. ¡°No, boss, this can¡¯t go on.¡± Li Minhang snapped back: ¡°Those people aren¡¯t sick yet they¡¯re staying in the hospital, that¡¯s a waste of resources.¡± Go to ????????????????????.co Chuzheng thought in silence for a few seconds: ¡°Then beat them up.¡± Li Minhang: ¡°???¡± Chuzheng added leisurely: ¡°That way they can continue to stay.¡± How am I so clever. ¡°¡­¡± The boss must be from the underworld, right? That¡¯s a blatant threat! Li Minhang didn¡¯t dare to bring up the issue again for fear that Chuzheng would immediately have him go and hit someone. He¡¯d better solve this problem himself. ¡°Boss, are we really going to buy land for expansion?¡± ¡°When have I ever joked?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± With the boss being so wealthy and assertive, Li Minhang felt helpless. Chuzheng sent Li Minhang, who still wanted to continue talking, away and prepared to look for her Good Person Card. At the end of the hospital corridor, a youth stood unnoticed until now. The youth had bright golden hair and a handsome face that seemed as if it had stepped right out of a Greek myth¡ªan Angel. Yet strangely, the doctors and nurses passing through the corridor seemed unable to see him. Chuzheng recognized him. Her original Angel tutor. The youth took a step forward, and with a light wave in the air, an invisible barrier seemed to surround them, isolating them from the world. ¡°Chuzheng.¡± The youth stood still in front of her. Chuzheng looked at him expressionlessly. ¡°It seems something unfortunate has happened,¡± the youth said, not minding her attitude and asking casually, ¡°What happened?¡± It was only natural for the tutor to come down to check, as the original owner of the body hadn¡¯t returned for such a long time. Chuzheng calmly replied, ¡°Encountered a Fallen Angel.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The youth¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly, and it seemed as if there were golden lights flowing in his eyes: ¡°Where is that Fallen Angel now?¡± ¡°Captured.¡± ¡°Captured by whom?¡± The youth asked with interest. ¡°Human.¡± The youth¡¯s gaze became scrutinizing: ¡°Chuzheng, you have learned to lie.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± It was indeed caught by humans, how was she lying now? ¡°Do you know why you initially recognized the wrong person?¡± the youth suddenly asked. It wasn¡¯t me who recognized the wrong person, how would I know? ¡°Because Sang Meng made Chuu Wu see you, and so you believed it,¡± the youth seemed to know everything that happened below. ¡°Humans always say Angels are easy to deceive, and I seem to understand why they say that looking at you.¡± ¡°But you were also unlucky to encounter a Fallen Angel.¡± ¡°Sang Meng has already harmed several of our Angels, and I didn¡¯t expect her to fall into your hands in the end.¡± Chuzheng finally got a word in: ¡°If you knew about her, why didn¡¯t you deal with her?¡± Are you keeping that mutt around for New Year? ¡°Fallen Angels are not our responsibility to manage.¡± ¡°She killed Angels.¡± ¡°That can only be blamed on their bad luck, and their lack of strength.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I need to revise my understanding of Angels. The youth¡¯s smile lifted at the corners of his mouth as he explained to Chuzheng: ¡°Fallen Angels are still Angels; they abandon the deity and fall into darkness, sadly the God of Darkness does not welcome them, so to gain power, they must constantly plunder the power of us Angels.¡± ¡°Otherwise¡­¡± ¡°They will die.¡± The young man had a smile on his handsome face, but his voice was chillingly cold. It made one¡¯s spine shiver. Is this an angel? Or is he a pervert? ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng responded indifferently. Just for that, that damn thing chopped off my wings! The young man seemed somewhat dissatisfied with Chuzheng¡¯s reaction, but he said nothing more. He strode forward, passing by Chuzheng, ¡°When will you finish the task? We are waiting for you to come back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going back.¡± ¡°Chuzheng, it¡¯s not up to you to decide. You are an angel, and even if you die, you have to come back.¡± The young man¡¯s figure gradually dissipated. ¡°Finish the assessment early, and I will come to pick you up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Who agreed to that!! ¨C Chuzheng didn¡¯t take this matter to heart and continued her days of squandering money, stroking cats, and drinking red goji berries in a thermal mug like an old person caring for their health. Perhaps because her power had returned, Chu Wu¡¯s luck began to improve, and his reputation started to grow. Everyone at the hospital knew that their director and boss had some unspeakable secrets. Therefore, even though the director was very attractive, no one dared to entertain thoughts about him. And when the young doctor who had switched jobs heard this news, he nearly choked on his water. He had thought the director had come out of the closet. But it turned out¡­ he was being kept¡­ He did guess one thing right, at least. The young doctor couldn¡¯t have imagined that the girl who was once a patient at their hospital had transformed into the owner of Xinnan Hospital. Truly, appearances can be deceiving. When she had gone to the hospital before, it couldn¡¯t have been for an undercover investigation, right? Still, her injury was a bit strange¡­ After finishing a meeting, Chu Wu refused to chat idly with the young doctor and upon entering saw Chuzheng lying on his office desk, clutching the tip of her own wings. Chu Wu quickly shut the door behind him. Had she gone mad? She even dared to expose her wings in public. Chu Wu put down his things, took a coat, and draped it over her. No sooner had he covered her than Chuzheng woke up. ¡°Why are you sleeping here?¡± asked Chu Wu. ¡°What if you catch a cold?¡± ¡°Angels don¡¯t catch colds.¡± Now she certainly wasn¡¯t the weakling she used to be. How could she possibly catch a cold, what a joke! ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu choked for a moment, ¡°Put your wings away, what if someone sees them?¡± Chuzheng withdrew her wings. Chu Wu leaned against the desk, ¡°Don¡¯t you get tired of waiting here for me every day?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Chuzheng looked up, a slight expectation in her heart, ¡°Are you going to quit your job to keep me company at home? I have money.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was serious, not seeming jestful. She really wanted him to stay at home with her all the time. Sometimes, Chu Wu even felt like she wanted to imprison him¡­ Chu Wu startled himself with the notion. After all, she hadn¡¯t done anything too excessive. Yet, he still had that feeling. However, even if Chuzheng truly wanted to imprison him, deep down he was willing. But¡­ He reached out to touch Chuzheng¡¯s cheek, his eyes softening, ¡°If I don¡¯t do anything¡­ I¡¯ll feel like I¡¯m really useless.¡± The girl blinked her eyes. In her clear and indifferent pupils, his reflection was mirrored. Her lips, the color of pale cherry blossoms, parted slightly, ¡°You are useful to me.¡± Chu Wu paused, ¡°Am I that important to you?¡± Chuzheng nodded without hesitation, ¡°Mm.¡± The Good Person Card was of course important. The girl¡¯s gaze lifted toward him, her eyes brimming with his image. Chu Wu¡¯s heartbeat suddenly accelerated. He bent down slightly, pressing a kiss onto the girl¡¯s lips. Chapter 388 - Chapter 388: Chapter 388 Heavenly Fortune (30) Chapter 388: Chapter 388 Heavenly Fortune (30) If Chu Wu had another chance, he definitely would not have kissed her. Chu Wu, afraid someone might come in, was on tenterhooks, yet the secret thrill gave him a different kind of experience. Chu Wu¡¯s clothes were disheveled, and he looked like he had been ravished, with sweat-dampened strands of hair sticking to his cheeks. Chuzheng kissed along his cheeks, her body nestled in his arms, soft as if boneless. The intimate posture left no space between the two. Chu Wu reached out to hold her, ¡°Stop kissing, let go of me, someone might come soon.¡± ¡°Are you that scared?¡± ¡°This way¡­¡± Chu Wu¡¯s handsome face, as if bathed in the most beautiful sunset sky, with lips parting and closing, ¡°will look bad if someone sees us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re mine, what¡¯s there to be afraid of spreading?¡± Why should she, with her Good Person Card, be afraid?! You are mine. Those simple four words, like a heavy hammer, struck at the peak of Chu Wu¡¯s heart, his body softened by their impact. A desire that had just been released began to stir and gather again. Go to ????????????????????.co The storm of passion subsided. Chuzheng kissed him until she was satisfied, then stood up to put on her clothes, one piece at a time. Chu Wu¡¯s eyes met her straight, flawless legs, like fine mutton-fat white jade. Her delicate and exquisite feet stepped on the ground, even whiter than the porcelain tiles. Chu Wu, somewhat flustered, averted his gaze to put on his clothes and tidy up the place. After Chuzheng dressed, she nestled into a small sofa nearby, while Chu Wu silently chanted to himself, ¡°Form is emptiness, emptiness is form,¡± and tried to work with forced composure. But how could he continue to work. Luckily, there was no special work to do next. Otherwise, he would have certainly made a mistake. Chu Wu barely endured until the end of the workday, then pulled Chuzheng and left. ¡°Hey, Chu Wu¡­¡± A young doctor called out. Before the words were finished, the two were already in the elevator. Chu Wu went to drive the car out, and as Chuzheng opened the door, someone suddenly rushed over and grabbed her. The glinting knife flashed past. ¡°Chuzheng!¡± A panicked voice came from Chu Wu inside the car. The sharp knife grazed by Chuzheng¡¯s eye as she ducked and swiftly moved aside, landing a kick on the attacker¡¯s waist. Bang! The attacker was kicked onto the car door, and the open door slammed shut. Chu Wu had already gotten out of the car and was running towards her. Chuzheng held him back, pressing the assailant¡¯s head down, snatching the knife from his hand. ¡°Chuu Wu.¡± Chuzheng recognized the attacker¡¯s face. Chuu Wu, with a ferocious face, cursed loudly, ¡°You bitch! It¡¯s all your fault!¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you learned your lesson from last time?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s voice was so cold it was devoid of any emotion, like a machine, somewhat unsettling upon first hearing it. Subdued by Chuzheng, Chuu Wu was immobilized, resorting only to verbal attacks. ¡°Why are you doing this to me?¡± ¡°You bitch, it¡¯s all you! You made me lose everything.¡± Chuzheng, seemingly lost in thought, suddenly thrust the knife back into Chuu Wu¡¯s hand and pulled his arm, directing the blade towards herself just before security from the hospital could arrive. Chuu Wu seemed startled by this turn of events and forgot to react. ¡°Baby!¡± Chu Wu¡¯s pupils constricted. He dashed over with lightning speed, kicked Chuu Wu away, and supported Chuzheng. Chuzheng¡¯s abdomen was stained red with blood. Chu Wu was shaking all over in fear. As if he was the one who¡¯d been injured. Her icy gaze fixed on Chuu Wu, she pronounced every word, ¡°You are done for.¡± Chuu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± He¡­ he hadn¡¯t done anything! Security arrived quickly and subdued Chuu Wu. ¡°Call the police,¡± Chuzheng instructed the security, ¡°Knife assault, Mr. Chuu, enjoy your time in jail.¡± If I can¡¯t kill you, can¡¯t I find a way to deal with you? Hmph! [¡­] When Miss gets vicious, she really spares no one, even scaring the System to death. But did you have to stab yourself? This is faster. [¡­]Faster my ass! What if you died? What then? I still have the option to rewind, my chance isn¡¯t used up yet, so what about it? [¡­]I, I¡­ Just let me die! ¡°You¡­¡± Chuu Wu pinned to the ground: ¡°You framed me!¡± ¡°Do you have any evidence?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was indifferent: ¡°You attacked with a knife, and the surveillance captured it very clearly.¡± Chuu Wu¡¯s face turned the color of a liver. ¡°It was you who stabbed yourself, what has that got to do with me, let me go!!¡± ¡°She stabbed herself!¡± ¡°It¡¯s got nothing to do with me!¡± Chuu Wu shouted, but the security guards firmly pinned him down. Chu Wu only cared about Chuzheng¡¯s injury: ¡°Baby¡­¡± Chuzheng spoke indifferently: ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Chu Wu, silent, picked her up and quickly returned to the inside of the hospital. Not allowing anyone to help, he personally stitched up her wound. The wound was not deep, nor was it fatal, After Chu Wu finished stitching, Chuzheng showed no symptoms other than a pale face. His face looked terrible, his lips pursed, still without uttering a word. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Chuzheng asked him. Smack¡ª¡ª Crash¡ª¡ª The surgical tray fell to the floor, scattering noisily. Chuzheng silently looked at the things on the floor. What¡¯s there to be angry about? ¡°Why would you deliberately stab yourself? Do you not cherish your life?¡± Chuzheng denied: ¡°It was him¡­¡± ¡°I saw it.¡± Chu Wu was standing so close, he saw her hand the knife to Chuu Wu and pull him to stab herself. ¡°¡­¡± How did he see that. Chuzheng changed her statement: ¡°I¡¯m not going to die.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s nonchalant attitude made Chu Wu even angrier. ¡°Do you know how worried I was just now?¡± Chu Wu was still shaken: ¡°Do you realize¡­¡± His voice slightly choked up. The rims of his eyes instantly reddened. His hands were trembling severely now, he was truly frightened. Chuzheng had always been accustomed to doing things her own way, aiming only to achieve her goals quickly, unconcerned about anything else. Therefore, when it came to Chu Wu¡¯s feelings, Chuzheng certainly could not cater to or understand them. But if the Good Person Card wasn¡¯t happy, she wasn¡¯t comfortable either. How was she supposed to comfort him? He was on the verge of crying¡­ Chuzheng, looking at Chu Wu, felt more and more uncomfortable the more she watched. After a long moment, Chuzheng made a concession, squeezing out a few words: ¡°You don¡¯t like it¡­ I won¡¯t do this again.¡± Chu Wu¡¯s eyes were fiercely red, his beautiful eyes seemed to quiver with moisture, a sight that was heartrending to witness. He walked over to Chuzheng, crouching down beside her. ¡°Baby, I didn¡¯t mean to lose my temper at you¡­ But why did you stab yourself?¡± ¡°That way he won¡¯t have the chance to appear again.¡± Chuzheng said: ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± In her heart, Chuzheng didn¡¯t find any fault with herself at all, she was just going through the motions. Is this a normal tactic? Chu Wu didn¡¯t know what to say to her. ¡°A normal person wouldn¡¯t do this.¡± Chu Wu held her hands. ¡°I¡­¡± am an Angel, not a regular person. [Miss, I beg you, shut up!]King¡¯s Account interrupted Chuzheng. King¡¯s Account wished it could tape Chuzheng¡¯s mouth shut and push her back to bed. [If you act a bit weak, the Good Person Card will feel sympathy for you, take care of you, and be distressed for you, get it!!] I¡¯m not weak. Why should I pretend? Bastard, are you out of your mind? [¡­] I¡­ I¡­ Chapter 389 - Chapter 389: Chapter 389 Heavenly Fortune (31) Chapter 389: Chapter 389 Heavenly Fortune (31) ¡°I don¡¯t know how things are in your world, but here on Earth, what you¡¯re doing is not right,¡± Chu Wu gently persuaded her. ¡°By doing this, you make me sad, you hurt me, and I was really scared I was going to lose you just now,¡± ¡°Baby, promise me, no matter what, never use your own body as a bargaining chip,¡± Chuzheng silently looked at him. But it¡¯s so damn effective¡­ It¡¯s convenient and fast, why not? ¡°Baby?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng responded, but whether she took it to heart, only she knew. ¡°Baby, do you really understand?¡± Chu Wu was somewhat sad. He had said so much, but did she truly understand? Go to ????????????????????.co ¡°I understand, I understand,¡± Chuzheng nodded seriously. Whatever you say is right. Even when you¡¯re wrong, you¡¯re right. Chu Wu couldn¡¯t fathom Chuzheng¡¯s emotions; all he felt was helplessness, nothing but helplessness. Chu Wu loosely embraced her. ¡°Does the wound hurt?¡± Chuzheng shook her head expressionlessly. Hurt? Why would it hurt? A girl as awesome as me can¡¯t cry out over a little injury. ¡°If you do this again, I won¡¯t talk to you anymore,¡± Suddenly, Chuzheng hugged him, ¡°You can¡¯t, you belong to me.¡± ¡°Then you can¡¯t do this either,¡± Chu Wu said, ¡°You have to take good care of your body, for me, okay?¡± ¡°Mmhmm.¡± This isn¡¯t my body anyway, so promising doesn¡¯t matter. Chuzhang mentally gave herself a thumbs up for her quick wit. ¡°Director, the police¡­¡± The nurse knocked and entered, seeing their embrace, she quickly averted her gaze and swiftly added, ¡°The police are here.¡± ¨C That Chuzheng was injured was a fact, the wound and surveillance clearly recorded the process of Chu Wu¡¯s attack on her. From the surveillance, only Chu Wu suddenly stabbing Chuzheng could be seen; there was no clear evidence of what Chuzheng had done. Chu Wu defended himself, saying it wasn¡¯t him stabbing. It was Chuzheng who forced the knife into his hand and made him do it. Chuzheng firmly rejected the claim, questioning, ¡°Why would I stab myself when I¡¯m not sick?¡± and refused to admit anything. Although Chu Wu had seen everything, he would never say it out loud. The security guards at the time testified that it was Chu Wu who stabbed Chuzheng. There was both physical evidence and witnesses. Chu Wu had no excuses. With a knife attack and injuries involved, Chu Wu was bound to be convicted. Whether he could ever get out was uncertain. The King¡¯s Account speculated that Chu Wu was unlikely to be released. The lady would certainly not let him off. Just think, if it weren¡¯t for the lady, how miserable would the Good Person Card and the original owner be? Chu Wu deserved his fate. But¡­ We¡¯re the Spendthrift System!!! Angered, the King¡¯s Account sent Chuzheng several tasks in a row. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Not even the sick are spared. You¡¯re worse than a beast. [Miss, as a system, I¡¯m not suitable to be called a beast.] the King¡¯s Account gnashed its teeth. After a moment of silence, Chuzheng seriously offered two words, ¡°Machine beast?¡± [¡­] Don¡¯t make up words! Ah, you¡¯re driving me mad! Here¡¯s another task! Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Time seemed to fast-forward, and in the blink of an eye, two years had passed. Spring brought warmth and rejuvenation to all life. Little Bun had grown into a big bun. Chuzheng, carrying the cat listlessly, headed to the pet hospital. Why do I have to do this! My task is to pet cats, not to raise them, ugh! Raising a cat is such a hassle. Why does a cat need to eat and go to the hospital for checks? Can¡¯t it just become magical and go by itself! Chuzheng took Fubao to the pet hospital for a check-up, listening to the doctor¡¯s jumble of instructions and reaffirming in her mind that raising a cat is indeed a big hassle. Chu Wu used to handle all this before. She didn¡¯t care at all. Two days ago, Chu Wu had gone to a seminar, and she was too lazy to walk and reluctant to go with him. She should have gone! When exactly was Chu Wu coming back? Chuzheng¡¯s mind wandered aimlessly. As soon as the doctor finished speaking, she immediately carried Little Bun and left that terrible place. Just as she reached the area beneath her apartment complex, the environment in front of her suddenly came to a standstill. The noise vanished, leaving only the sound of her own breathing in the quiet surroundings. Chuzheng looked back calmly. A young man with brilliant golden hair was walking towards her. ¡°Chuzheng.¡± ¡°What are you doing here again?¡± Chuzheng asked, petting Little Bun and sizing him up nonchalantly. The young man¡¯s voice was soft and pleasant, ¡°You should go back.¡± In two years, with her by his side, Chu Wu had already secured a certain status in the medical community. As long as he continued on this path, his future would be bright. Chuzheng was just a trainee Guardian Angel; her mission was to see him through the hardest challenge, and once that was done, her assessment would be complete. However, she had been delaying her return, so the young man had come looking for her personally. ¡°I won¡¯t go back.¡± ¡°You are an Angel; you cannot linger in the human world.¡± ¡°Then I quit.¡± The young man¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The young man fell silent for a few seconds, ¡°Have you fallen in love with a Human?¡± ¡°So what if I have?¡± Her indifferent tone ignited a certain anger in the young man. ¡°Have you forgotten the Angel¡¯s code?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve forgotten it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The young man closed in on Chuzheng, ¡°Do you know the consequences of falling in love with a Human and lingering in the human world?¡± There were consequences? Chuzheng indicated¡­ she didn¡¯t know. Chuzheng shook her head. ¡°Humans have inherent flaws; they are selfish and greedy. Your love will only lead to the beginning of your demise.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was cold, ¡°If humans are so bad, then why are there Guardian Angels?¡± The young man scoffed, ¡°It¡¯s obviously a trade.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± A trade¡­ What trade? In the past, in heaven, the original being had only studied and lived alongside many other trainee Angels. She hadn¡¯t been exposed to much else. Therefore, she had no idea what the young man meant by trade. But from the information Chuzheng had read¡­ weren¡¯t Angels symbols of purity, beauty, and kindness? Why did it sound like something was off in the young man¡¯s tone?! ¡°What trade?¡± ¡°This is not something you should know now,¡± the young man leaned in, gazing into Chuzheng¡¯s eyes, ¡°You have one month to take care of your affairs down here, then come back with me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t¡­¡± The sounds of the world suddenly returned to her ears. The wind blew by her side, stirring up the fallen leaves on the path, and the rustling of the tree canopies. Chuzheng ground her teeth. Anger bubbled up inside her. That damn guy came and went as he pleased, and treated this place like what? A bus station? I just won¡¯t go back! What about it! ¨C When Chuzheng got back home, she found Chu Wu had already returned. He was standing at the door, seemingly waiting for her. As soon as she arrived, Chu Wu opened his arms and embraced her. ¡°Baby, did you miss me?¡± Chuzheng was direct, hooking her arms around his neck and kissing him. A tender longing flowed between their lips and teeth. The temperature in the room rose steadily. ¡°Meow~¡± Little Bun, feeling uncomfortable being squeezed, protested with meows, prompting them to separate. Chu Wu placed Little Bun on the sofa and carried Chuzheng towards the bedroom. The bedroom door closed. Little Bun wandered to the door, softly scratching at it with his paws. ¡°Meow~¡± So hungry, my master hasn¡¯t fed me yet! Chapter 390 - Chapter 390: Chapter 390 Heavenly Fortune (32) Chapter 390: Chapter 390 Heavenly Fortune (32) Chuzheng felt that ever since Chu Wu came back last time, he had been acting a bit strange. But she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on what was strange. It was just strange. Chuzheng covertly observed him for several days. ¡°Chu Wu.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Chu Wu lifted his head from the documents, ¡°What¡¯s up? Are you hungry?¡± Chu Wu checked the time. It wasn¡¯t lunchtime yet. Chuzheng, sitting on the sofa, raised her delicate chin, ¡°Come here.¡± Chu Wu put down what he was holding and sat down beside her, ¡°What is it?¡± Chuzheng pulled him down onto the sofa. Chu Wu¡¯s gaze darkened slightly, ¡°Baby, we just made love last night¡­¡± Go to ????????????????????.co Chuzheng flipped over and pinned him down, asking seriously, ¡°Chu Wu, are you okay?¡± Chu Wu looked puzzled, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Baby, why are you asking all of a sudden?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been acting a bit strange lately.¡± Chuzheng leaned closer, ¡°Are you sick? If there¡¯s an illness, we can treat it.¡± Chu Wu looked at her innocently, ¡°What¡¯s strange about me?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Chuzheng thought hard, ¡°You cling to me every night, you didn¡¯t used to do that.¡± Before, it was always her who took the initiative, and then he¡¯d respond. But lately¡­ He always seemed to be tempting her. Every single night. How was that not strange? ¡°I like you,¡± Chu Wu said, ¡°I want to make love to you, doesn¡¯t baby like it? Then I¡­¡± He paused, seemingly disappointed, ¡°Then I¡¯ll stop bothering you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± How can you not bother me! Who do you want to bother if not me! Chuzheng frowned tightly, ¡°You¡¯re a bit abnormal.¡± ¡°So me taking the initiative is abnormal?¡± Chu Wu blinked, ¡°Baby, I like you, of course I want to be the one to initiate closeness.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying, before, you didn¡¯t like me?¡± Which is why you never wanted to take the initiative? ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu felt he had dug himself a hole. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean¡­¡± Chu Wu¡¯s face inexplicably reddened. ¡°You didn¡¯t mean what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s you¡­¡± Chu Wu stuttered, ¡°You¡¯re always so bossy, I don¡¯t even get a chance to initiate.¡± He simply never had the opportunity. The moment he had even the slightest thought of taking control, it would be crushed by her, utterly and completely. ¡°You also never initiated making¡­ uh¡­¡± Chuzheng paused, ¡°moves at night.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like me being proactive?¡± Chu Wu asked. ¡°It¡¯s abnormal.¡± A sudden change in someone¡¯s behavior means either they¡¯re sick or there¡¯s something supernatural at play. Given that Chu Wu had left on his own before, Chuzheng suspected something supernatural. ¡°I just¡­ I just want you,¡± Chu Wu¡¯s ear tips were all red. ¡°You¡­¡± Chu Wu looked up and silenced Chuzheng with a kiss. ¨C Chuzheng checked the few days during Chu Wu¡¯s absence. During the seminar, Chu Wu stayed in the hotel the entire time without leaving, and he didn¡¯t have any special contact with anyone. Right after the seminar ended, he returned immediately. So¡­ Who exactly hit on my Good Person Card? While Chuzheng was observing Chu Wu, he seemed entirely normal, except for occasionally showing emotions that she couldn¡¯t understand. As soon as she looked at him, Chu Wu would conceal his expression and give her a gentle smile. Half a month went by like this. The blond young man appeared again. This time, he was directly in their home. The young man sat on the sofa like an exquisitely elegant little prince from a royal court. ¡°Is that human very important to you?¡± ¡°Will you ever stop?¡± Chuzheng was getting impatient. This guy was so annoying. Oh, wait. He¡¯s not a human. Just take him out. Chuzheng was itching to try. ¡°Human lives are extremely short, marked by birth, aging, sickness, and death¡ªboth pitiful and lamentable. To you, they are nothing but a speck of dust in the vast sea.¡± ¡°So what?¡± The young man didn¡¯t mind Chuzheng¡¯s indifferent attitude, ¡°As an angel, you possess eternal life. Are you really willing to give up eternity to stay in the human realm?¡± ¡°I am.¡± It¡¯s not like I can stay here forever. Eternity or not, what good does it do me? ¡°Chuzheng, think it through clearly.¡± The young man¡¯s tone grew stern. ¡°As your mentor, I am responsible for you, don¡¯t exhaust my patience¡­¡± ¡°Whoosh!¡± A fierce wind struck toward the young man. The young man¡¯s body swiftly flashed, appearing on the balcony. The fierce wind swept through the room, turning it into a chaotic mess like a violent storm had passed. On the young man¡¯s body, pure white wings faintly unfurled, in a semi-transparent state. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± He¡­ He, he, he¡­ His wings are even more beautiful than mine!! Why is that! Am I not the female lead? [¡­When did you start writing your own script, miss?] King¡¯s Account asked weakly. The novel says so, with a System like mine, without anyone to fight, I am definitely the female lead. [¡­That¡¯s all deceitful.] The young man flew out of the balcony and hovered in the air, looking down at Chuzheng. ¡°In half a month, I will come for you again, think it over thoroughly.¡± The figure of the young man disappeared into the air. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng kicked the sofa with one foot. Damn thing! I¡¯ll kill you next time you come! Click¡ª¡ª The sound of unlocking echoed from the entrance. Chu Wu walked in, and the room, which looked like the aftermath of a violent storm, made him pause at the threshold. ¡°Baby¡­ what are you doing?¡± Messing up the room like this. ¡°!!!¡± No, no, just a small issue. Chuzheng took a deep breath and calmly started to shift the blame: ¡°Fubao did it.¡± ¡°Meow~¡± Fubao, crouching in the corner, protested with grievance. ¡°Fubao?¡± Chu Wu looked at Fubao suspiciously, then turned to ask Chuzheng, ¡°What happened to it?¡± Chuzheng blurted out: ¡°Maybe it¡¯s in heat.¡± ¡°Meow~¡± Fubao¡¯s voice seemed even more aggrieved, its big, watery eyes looking pitifully at its own master. Chu Wu pondered: ¡°¡­I see.¡± Chu Wu didn¡¯t expose Chuzheng, knowing that Fubao had been neutered and couldn¡¯t be in heat. ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng nodded seriously, that¡¯s right. She raised her hand to the sofa, and with a ¡®swish¡¯ sound, the sofa collapsed right in front of her. Her fair and slender hand awkwardly lingered in the air. Chu Wu looked over meaningfully. Chuzheng rotated her hand, touching her own hair, and turned to walk towards the room: ¡°Cooking, I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¨C Night fell. Chuzheng fumbled sleepily beside her, didn¡¯t touch anyone, and abruptly sat up. Her gaze swept across the room and landed on the figure standing by the window. Chu Wu had been standing by the window for who knows how long. Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around his waist from behind, and the warm body pressed against his back. ¡°Not sleeping, are you moonbathing for cultivation?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s indifferent voice slowly rose in the darkness. ¡°Baby, I can¡¯t sleep.¡± Can¡¯t sleep? ¡°Then let¡¯s do something else.¡± Chu Wu was well aware of what this ¡®something else¡¯ meant. But Chuzheng merely said it without acting. Chu Wu pulled her into his embrace, and Chuzheng felt somewhat limp and disinclined to move, resting in his arms. He also remained silent, simply holding her quietly. Moonlight fell upon them, casting intertwined shadows on the floor. Chu Wu looked out the window, his gaze deep and heavy. After a long while, he lowered his eyes to look at the person in his arms, noticing that she had her eyes closed, breathing steadily, uncertain if she had fallen asleep. Chu Wu pressed his lips together, picked up the person, and placed her on the bed. He lay down beside her, holding Chuzheng close. As if wanting to meld her into his very body. Chu Wu¡¯s voice was hoarse: ¡°Baby¡­ don¡¯t leave me.¡± Chapter 391 - Chapter 391: Chapter 391 Heavenly Fortune (33) Chapter 391: Chapter 391 Heavenly Fortune (33) Chuzheng returned from her spending spree and, while grumbling about how wrong it was on her King¡¯s Account, irritably opened the door. ¡°Have you had enough? I already went on a spree for you, and you¡¯re still nagging?¡± [Miss, we should be civilized and have good manners, not threaten others into spending!] What did she just do? She actually threatened someone!? Is this the correct way to squander money? Who taught you this! ¡°As long as the money is spent, that¡¯s fine. Why do you have so many requirements?¡± Compelled by circumstance. [¡­] The King¡¯s Account roared inwardly, scratching the ground while silently reciting its service principle: [Miss, do you still want to go back?] ¡°Can you actually send me back?¡± [If you squander properly, returning is not a dream.] Stop solving problems with violence!! Go to ????????????????????.co ¡°Haha.¡± [¡­] It was infuriated to death. [Alert: The Good Person Card is blackening; please pay attention, host!] The voice of the King¡¯s Account suddenly changed. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± A person and a system in silence. Half a minute later, Chuzheng looked into the room, where there was a faint sound coming from the bathroom. Chuzheng dropped the messy stuff in her hands and bolted over, kicking open the bathroom door. The smell of blood wafted out from inside. Chuzheng saw the snow-white Fubao lying in the bathtub, while Chu Wu sat inside, holding a scalpel. Chu Wu, hearing the noise, glanced over. In his ink-like eyes, like a starless sky, darkness and repression lingered. Meeting his gaze brought an eerie chill. His shirt sleeves rolled to the elbows, revealing snow-white wrists, his long fingers like jade bamboo stained with cat fur and blood. The scene was dark and decadent, assaulting the senses. On his white shirt, two drips of blood were splattered. Like red lotuses blooming on white snow. They made his handsome face seem bewitchingly strange. The man¡¯s brow was tinted with hostility, looking at Chuzheng with an alien gaze, as though he was displeased at being disturbed. Chuzheng took a slight breath. What the heck is the Good Person Card doing!! She took a quick step forward and, before Chu Wu could react, chopped him down with the side of her hand. Chuzheng caught Chu Wu as he fell. Patted her chest, her small face tensed with utmost seriousness. Scared me to death. Chuzheng carried Chu Wu out, cleaned the blood from his hands, and brought him back to the bedroom. After a moment¡¯s thought, she decided to tie him to the bed. After dealing with that, Chuzheng returned to the bathroom. Fubao¡¯s snow-white fur was stained with blood, lifeless in the tub. Chuzheng checked and found that Fubao had merely fainted and was still breathing. For the sake of this fur¡­ Chuzheng took it to a pet hospital. The doctor informed her that Fubao had a cut on its leg, as if grazed by something. Though it bled a lot, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. But it still had to stay at the hospital. Since Chuzheng had no time to care for it, she left Fubao at the hospital for observation. To ensure the doctor took good care of it, Chuzheng simply bought the pet hospital. The doctor: ¡°¡­¡± The outrageous move scared all the hospital staff. The way everyone looked at Fubao immediately changed. To buy a pet hospital for just one pet. Is that really necessary for extravagance? ¨C Chuzheng didn¡¯t go home but headed to Xinnan Hospital instead. I was so good to him, how could he suddenly turn dark. He must have come into contact with someone who led him astray! ¡°Boss, why have you come?¡± Xinnan Hospital had recently become an internet sensation among hospitals, drawing in patients who would queue up every day. Li Minhang was now a very busy man. However, when Chuzheng, the big boss, came over, Li Minhang had to make time to accompany her personally. ¡°Who has Chu Wu been in contact with recently?¡± ¡°The director?¡± Li Minhang fretted inwardly: Could it be that the director has been cheating, and the boss found out? ¡°No, no,¡± Li Minhang¡¯s thoughts turned quickly, and he immediately said, ¡°The director is very punctual going to and from work every day besides work.¡± ¡°What about the patients?¡± ¡°The director has only had two patients lately.¡± Could it be that the director¡¯s escape was with one of his patients? That¡¯s not right¡­ All of the director¡¯s patients are men. He couldn¡¯t be coming out of the closet, could he?! Li Minhang¡¯s thoughts grew increasingly horrified. Chuzheng asked Li Minhang to show her the medical records. Nothing seemed amiss in the medical records, but Chuzheng followed the room numbers listed in the records. The first patient was a young man with a leg injury from a car accident; Chuzheng observed from the outside for a while and noticed nothing out of the ordinary. The second patient was a middle-aged man who had fallen from a construction site, now bedridden, but overall, there seemed to be nothing unusual. ¡°Do you want to know why he ended up like this?¡± A familiar voice sounded from Chuzheng¡¯s left. The young man leaned nearby, his broken golden hair slightly drooping, covering one of his eyes. His lips curled slightly, his tone sounded like a sigh mixed with regret, ¡°Humans are so fragile, any minor change can lead them to a dead end.¡± Chuzheng swept her gaze around the periphery. People walking back and forth in the hallway completely ignored them. Chuzheng¡¯s icy gaze fixed on him, ¡°What did you do to him?¡± The young man tilted his head, ¡°Chuzheng, I¡¯m your instructor, how could you suspect me?¡± ¡°What did you do to him?¡± The young man smiled faintly. He waved his hand. Suddenly, the scenery around them transformed. They were still in the hospital, inside Chu Wu¡¯s office. He was looking down, flipping through medical records when suddenly the door was knocked open, and a man in a hospital gown barged in. Chu Wu looked up, his eyes cold, ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± He then appeared slightly puzzled as he looked at the person who had come in. ¡°Save me, save me! Someone is trying to kill me! Someone is trying to kill me! Help!¡± Upon seeing Chu Wu, the patient immediately started shouting for help. Chu Wu frowned. Medical staff rushed in behind. The patient became even more agitated upon seeing them. ¡°Don¡¯t come over!¡± ¡°You all deserve to die!¡± Several medical staff were unable to handle a single patient, turning the office into a mess. Chu Wu was visibly displeased. He stood up and subdued the patient, giving the staff a sigh of relief. ¡°Director, sorry, he¡¯s a patient from the psychiatric ward; he suddenly ran up here.¡± Chu Wu said in a cold tone, ¡°Take him back.¡± The medical staff approached and fumbled to restrain the patient. As they were about to transfer him, Chuzheng saw a wisp of dark aura seep into Chu Wu¡¯s body. The scene shifted once more. A bustling airport. It was still the same patient, but now with a beard, wearing a duckbill cap, his head lowered as if he wouldn¡¯t be noticed without this moment¡¯s divine perspective. The man weaved through the crowd as if searching for something. All of a sudden, something caught his eye. He quickly made his way over there. Chu Wu was sitting with a group of people in the waiting area, occasionally discussing something with the person next to him but otherwise appearing uninterested. The man lingered nearby, and when the person opposite Chu Wu left, he immediately took the seat. He didn¡¯t do anything but sit there, taking out his phone to play with it. Yet, in the unseen, dark mist was infiltrating Chu Wu¡¯s body, thread by thread. Chapter 392 - Chapter 392: Chapter 392 Heavenly Fortune (34) Chapter 392: Chapter 392 Heavenly Fortune (34) The screen before Chuzheng vanished, and she still stood in the hospital corridor. The youth was still leaning beside her. Chuzheng, after watching, showed no fluctuation in her expression; the youth¡¯s eyes, unable to restrain themselves, began to deepen with understanding. This little guy¡­ Chuzheng glared at him, ¡°Did you have someone do this?¡± Chuzheng was unclear about what that mist was. But it definitely wasn¡¯t anything good. It was a bit like what Sang Meng did before¡­ ¡°Chuzheng, I am an Angel, I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing,¡± the youth said innocently, pointing upwards, ¡°The rules don¡¯t allow it.¡± That is to say. If the rules allowed it, perhaps he would have done so. Chuzheng indeed knew this. Go to ????????????????????.co Without rules, Angels with extraordinary powers would undoubtedly dominate the human world. ¡°Humans can¡¯t even be firm in their own hearts, liking them is undoubtedly asking for trouble,¡± the youth extended his hand towards Chuzheng, ¡°Chuzheng, your mission is complete, come back with me.¡± As an Angel instructor, if an Angel lingered below, he would also be punished. Chuzheng spoke with a somewhat fierce tone, ¡°I¡¯ll say this one last time, I¡¯m not going back with you.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t come back with me, you¡¯ll never be able to return.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± If she couldn¡¯t return, then so be it. She didn¡¯t want to be an Angel anyway. ¡°Chuzheng!¡± The youth couldn¡¯t help but raise his voice. Chuzheng felt irritable at heart, and the background behind her seemed to be emitting ¡®take him down, take him down, take him down¡¯ as a barrage. Chuzheng made a move without warning. The two exchanged blows in the corridor, a flash of silver light darting from Chuzheng¡¯s sleeve like a snake, surging towards the other person. ¨C Boom¡ª¡ª The outer wall of the hospital suddenly exploded, and amidst the flying cement and dust, a person smashed down. The youth stood up awkwardly from the rubble. He brushed the dust off his body. Looking up, he gazed upwards. Chuzheng stood above, her face coldly indifferent as she looked down. The youth seemed to realize something, his body abruptly turning transparent as wings spread out behind him, he took flight with a flap of his wings, ascending into the air. The mighty wings fluttered, sunlight as if casting a sacred halo upon him. ¡°Chuzheng, you¡¯ll regret this,¡± the youth dropped this sentence, fluttered his wings, and vanished into the clouds. ¡°Regret¡­¡± Chuzheng sneered coldly in her heart. If it¡¯s regret, then let it be, what¡¯s the big deal? After regret comes the strength to stand tall once more! Li Minhang rushed to the crime scene and, seeing Chuzheng, approached in fear and trepidation, ¡°B-Boss, what happened?¡± ¡°This wall isn¡¯t sturdy, replace it,¡± Chuzheng dropped these words and left with the aura of a grand socialite. ¡°¡­¡± What on earth had the Boss done? Li Minhang glanced outside and saw that many people were looking their way. He hastily pulled back, ordering people to go down and clean up the mess. ¡°Ouch.¡± Li Minhang walked fast, not paying attention to what was in front of him and bumped into someone. ¡°Vice President Li, why are you in such a fluster?¡± The young doctor steadied Li Minhang. ¡°Ah.¡± Li Minhang let out a sigh and walked away with a constipated expression. The young doctor: ¡°???¡± He looked in the direction Li Minhang came from. And then he saw the huge gap. Was this¡­ a medical dispute that resulted in blowing up the hospital wall?! ¨C ¡°Won¡¯t you go home and check on your Good Person Card, miss?¡± the King¡¯s Account couldn¡¯t help but speak out. Just leaving the Good Person Card there¡­ no, tying it at home, is that appropriate? Normally, one should be beside the Good Person Card, showing concern, being a good person. But she couldn¡¯t be bothered with that. They even tied him up. Is there anyone so heartless and crazy?! When the young lady becomes heartless, what¡¯s the Good Person Card worth to someone desperately probing the edge of darkness? ¡°Tied up so he can¡¯t run away, perfect,¡± Chuzheng said righteously. ¡°I¡¯m off to solve this trouble.¡± Otherwise, it¡¯ll be just another chaotic mess behind me. [¡­] The King¡¯s Account sighed, feeling like it had such a hard life. How could it boast to the neighboring system? It couldn¡¯t even keep boasting about itself. Chuzheng looked up the person¡¯s information at the hospital, which included an address. However¡­ Chuzheng glanced at the crisscrossing alleyways. Which one should she take? They all looked the same¡­ Even the map was helpless against these alleyways. Chuzheng looked around. As the night grew darker, no living creatures could be seen at the empty intersections. She stretched out her hand and randomly pointed in the air, finally selecting the middle one. Bad luck, it wasn¡¯t the address she was looking for. She walked out and continued to choose¡­ Searching through one alleyway after another, Chuzheng finally found it. Chuzheng stood outside the worn wooden door, took a deep breath¡­ Creak¡ª¡ª The wooden door opened, and a basin of water was thrown out without warning. Chuzheng quickly dodged, the breath caught in her throat almost making her cough. ¡°Ah!¡± Before Chuzheng could recover from the shock, the person at the door screamed first. Chuzheng suppressed the urge to cough. Her cold gaze shifted towards the wooden door. A slightly plump woman stood at the door, still startled as she looked at her. Perhaps realizing it was a person, the woman immediately spoke, ¡°What are you doing at my doorstep? You trying to scare me to death in the middle of the night? Lucky I don¡¯t have a heart condition.¡± ¡°Is this Tian Shengli¡¯s home?¡± Wanting to cough, but holding it back, holding it back. Chuzheng took a deep breath, forcing back the itch in her throat. The woman eyed Chuzheng suspiciously. In the dead of night, a young and beautiful girl showing up at her doorstep¡­ ¡°What do you want? What business do you have with our Old Tian?¡± The woman¡¯s gaze towards Chuzheng suddenly turned sharp, as if Chuzheng were a Little Demon come to cause trouble with the legitimate wife. Chuzheng was startled by this interpretation. And now even more eager to cough¡­ Chuzheng¡¯s hand in her pocket clenched her clothes. No good. She couldn¡¯t hold it back anymore. So, under the suspicious and cautious gaze of the woman, Chuzheng suddenly turned around and left swiftly. The woman: ¡°¡­¡± The alley was very narrow; Chuzheng rounded the corner and disappeared from the woman¡¯s view. Her expression changed back and forth. That bastard Old Tian, what kind of trouble did he stir up this time? That little girl came all the way to our door¡­ The more the woman thought, the more it felt wrong. Just as she was about to go in and settle accounts with Tian Shengli, she saw the girl who had hurriedly left turn back around. ¡°Is Tian Shengli at home?¡± The young girl¡¯s voice was clear and crisp, unexpectedly swirling in the night air, unexpectedly making one feel a chill. She asked so directly and coldly. The woman stood there, stunned: ¡°You¡­ what do you want with my Old Tian?¡± ¡°I have something to ask him,¡± Chuzheng said, pulling out a stack of money. Seeing the money, the woman¡¯s eyes instantly brightened. She dropped the basin and reached out with both hands to take it, as if afraid Chuzheng would retract the offer. With money-hungry eyes, she counted the money and ushered Chuzheng inside while doing so. ¡°My Old Tian is drinking; I¡¯ll call him for you.¡± ¡°Old Tian, Old Tian!¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡ª¡± Chuzheng heard the woman¡¯s scream and rushed in three steps as two. The woman sat on the ground, paralyzed with fear, and a meter away lay a man, foaming at the mouth, his face pale and lifeless. The floor was a mess with empty bottles and cigarette butts strewn around. The room reeked of a foul pesticide odor. Chapter 393 - Chapter 393: Chapter 393 Heavenly Fortune (35) Chapter 393: Chapter 393 Heavenly Fortune (35) Tian Shengli died. According to the police investigation, he apparently drank pesticide, mistaking it for alcohol after getting drunk. The clues seemed to stop there. But before the police arrived, Chuzheng found a feather on Tian Shengli¡¯s body. A black feather, which Chuzheng was all too familiar with. Sang Meng, that bastard! Chuzheng called the person who had taken Sang Meng away. ¡°Miss Chuzheng? Sang Meng? Ah¡­ she was taken by our professor, I¡¯m not clear about¡­ the professor¡¯s contact information? Wait a moment¡­ Let me find it.¡± ¨C All sorts of tubes spread across the floor, and the room was surrounded by instruments flashing various data and lines. A huge transparent glass tank stood in the middle of the room. A person was curled up inside the glass tank. Go to ????????????????????.co Her limbs and head had various tubes inserted into them, and she stared pale-faced at a certain spot. This person was Sang Meng. After being taken to the laboratory, she endured all sorts of torture. Now, she had been brought here by that so-called professor. There was another person in the room, facing away from Sang Meng, working on something on the computer. Sang Meng propped herself up to sit, and instantly the room¡¯s instruments started beeping with alarm. The professor turned around and warned her, ¡°Don¡¯t move around.¡± The professor walked up to the glass tank and examined her as if she was merchandise, looking her up and down. ¡°When will you tell me what I want to know?¡± A cold sneer twisted Sang Meng¡¯s pale face. ¡°How¡¯s the task I gave you coming along?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve done everything as you asked,¡± the professor replied. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for the results before I tell you,¡± Sang Meng said. ¡°Otherwise, even if you kill me, I won¡¯t tell you.¡± The professor¡¯s face turned slightly unpleasant. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll wait.¡± The professor snorted coldly and left, flinging his sleeves. Sang Meng¡¯s venomous eyes followed the professor¡¯s retreating figure. As the professor reached the door, he suddenly stepped back in, raising his hands slowly. Sang Meng was blocked by the professor and couldn¡¯t see the other side. But her instincts told her someone had arrived¡­ ¡°Miss¡­ Miss Chuzheng,¡± the professor said nervously, looking at the gun in Chuzheng¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s talk this over, be careful with that gun.¡± ¡°Bang¡ª¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The professor fell to the floor, clutching his leg and wailing in pain. Sang Meng saw the girl standing at the door. Her expression was as cold as an ancient ice pit, as she stepped in, reigning like a king returned from the abyss to the human realm. ¡°What did I warn you?¡± Chuzheng walked up to the professor, looking down at him from above. You dared to lay hands on the Good Person Card, thinking your life was too long, you bastard? The professor, clutching his leg, cringed backward in terror. The girl¡¯s words of warning were still ringing in his ears. At first, he had indeed kept his promise to her, but as his research progressed, along with Sang Meng¡¯s deception, he forgot that promise. He wanted to gain more information from Sang Meng. Therefore, he agreed to Sang Meng¡¯s suggestion¡­ ¡°Chuzheng!¡± Sang Meng, mustering strength from somewhere, slammed against the glass tank, emitting a dull sound. Her hands clenched into fists, and her face pressed against the glass was slightly twisted with her eyes filled with malice and hatred. ¡°How did you know it was me?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Chuzheng said calmly, as if speaking about the day¡¯s weather. ¡°I just came to try my luck.¡± After all, she had seen that black mist only around Sang Meng. As it turned out, her luck wasn¡¯t so bad. She had overheard Sang Meng and the professor¡¯s conversation upon arriving. Although it wasn¡¯t explicit, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess. Sang Meng suddenly calmed down, sitting back in the glass tank. ¡°Let me guess, you came here¡­ because something happened to your Chu Wu?¡± ¡°Ha. I won¡¯t let him die, don¡¯t worry. I want him to torment you.¡± Without Chuzheng asking, Sang Meng eagerly spoke up. ¡°The darkness deep in his heart will be magnified infinitely, no one can save him, unless¡­ you kill him.¡± ¡°But could you bear to kill him?¡± Sang Meng¡¯s smile was malicious. ¡°You can¡¯t bear to, can you? So¡­ all you can do is torment each other.¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t kill him, he will fall into a worse state due to those negative emotions, and in the end¡­¡± Sang Meng spread her arms, silently making a ¡®bang¡¯ with her lips. She laughed maniacally. She was a Fallen Angel, and what she excelled at most was fully unleashing the darkness and desires within a human¡¯s heart. ¡°If I can¡¯t feel good, neither can you, haha!¡± The room was filled with only Sang Meng¡¯s abrupt laughter, harsh and piercing. After a while, the laughter stopped, and Sang Meng clenched her fist and pounded it on the glass, roaring loudly. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you scared? What are you looking at me like that for? You should be afraid! You should beg me!!¡± Sang Meng imagined a scene where Chuzheng knelt down and begged her, feeling a surge of pleasure. ¡°In your dreams,¡± Chuzheng said coldly, interrupting Sang Meng¡¯s fantasy. Sang Meng angrily pounded the glass, dislodging the tubes on her body, and her blood splattered on the glass, smearing one bloody handprint after another with her hands. ¡°Then just watch him die! Hahaha!!¡± ¨C Chuzheng walked out of the building; a fine drizzle fell from the sky, and the foggy air made it difficult to see far. Someone next to her came with an umbrella, shielding her from the rain. ¡°Miss Chuzheng¡­¡± Chuzheng wiped the blood from her fingers with a clean handkerchief, took the umbrella, and as she did, the handkerchief slipped through her fingers and fell to the ground, getting trampled by someone¡¯s foot amidst the rain. The person who handed her the umbrella shivered uncontrollably as he watched Chuzheng¡¯s retreating figure. This girl¡­ Was terrifying. When Chuzheng got back home, the house was pitch dark; she didn¡¯t turn on the light but went straight to the bedroom. ¡°Baby?¡± Chu Wu¡¯s hoarse voice rang out. Click. The bedroom light came on, revealing the person on the bed. Chu Wu¡¯s eyes were red, and he looked at her with a pale face. ¡°Baby, why have you tied me up?¡± He had found himself bound when he woke up. No matter how much he shouted, no one responded. If he weren¡¯t in his familiar room, Chu Wu might have thought he was kidnapped. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what you¡¯ve done?¡± Chu Wu had a somewhat fuzzy impression. ¡°I seem¡­ Fubao was injured, I wanted to clean the wound, but¡­¡± Chu Wu¡¯s face turned even paler. He looked at Chuzheng somewhat at a loss: ¡°I¡­¡± Seeing the blood on Fubao¡¯s body, he felt as if he were bewitched. ¡°Fubao¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Chuzheng sat on the edge of the bed, reached out to brush his hair, then after a moment placed her hand on his head and gently rubbed it. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here.¡± Chuzheng comforted him briefly, but Chu Wu¡¯s complexion showed no signs of improvement. ¡°Baby, let me go¡­¡± Chu Wu looked at her pleadingly. ¡°No, you¡¯ve been naughty.¡± If I let you go, what if you take a knife and chop me up in my sleep? Chuzheng leaned down to kiss him: ¡°Are you hungry?¡± ¡°You¡­ let me go first.¡± ¡°No.¡± Chuzheng covered him with the blanket: ¡°I¡¯ll go get you something to eat.¡± Chu Wu: ¡°!!!¡± Chu Wu must be hungry after Chuzheng had been away for so long. With his hands and feet bound, Chuzheng held the food to feed him. Chu Wu, not wanting to dispute with his own stomach, ate obediently. Chapter 394 - Chapter 394: Chapter 394 Heavenly Fortune (36) Chapter 394: Chapter 394 Heavenly Fortune (36) Chu Wu thought Chuzheng was only afraid that he would commit another extreme act and that she would quickly let him go. However, he was wrong. Chuzheng had greeted Xinnan Hospital, and she had no intention of releasing him at all. Chu Wu was mostly normal, but sometimes he would suddenly ask her if she would leave him. Chuzheng was asked until she became irritable. ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I won¡¯t, what do I need to do to make you believe me?¡± Isn¡¯t it annoying? Asking every day. Asking every day! ¡°Baby.¡± When Chuzheng snapped at him, Chu Wu¡¯s tone became soft: ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m just scared.¡± ¡°What exactly are you scared of?¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­¡± Chu Wu¡¯s gaze drooped as if making a resolution: ¡°I heard everything you said to that man, you were going to leave with him, back to where you belong.¡± Go to ????????????????????.co Chuzheng was stunned for a moment. That man? Which bastard? ¡°I can¡¯t control myself from thinking that if you leave me, I feel like I¡¯m going to suffocate, needing a place to vent. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt Fatty.¡± Chu Wu¡¯s voice was suppressed. He was clutching the palm of his hand tightly. He was really scared¡­ So scared that she would leave him. He had never been so afraid before. He just wanted to be with her. He could give up everything¡­ as long as he could be with her. Chuzheng figured that the person Chu Wu mentioned must be that bastard with wings prettier than hers. Chuzheng asked, ¡°When did you hear it?¡± Chu Wu quickly glanced at her. ¡°It was the day I returned from the symposium¡­¡± Not just that day, but also the time the house was messed up and the time at the hospital, he had seen and heard it all. Chuzheng immediately realized. No wonder she felt that Chu Wu had been acting strange since he came back from the symposium. Wait a minute¡­ ¡°How did you hear it?¡± When she spoke to that person, outsiders shouldn¡¯t be able to see or hear it. ¡°I just¡­ just heard it like that.¡± Just like before, he could see her, who followed by Chuu Wu¡¯s side. He didn¡¯t know why either. ¡°I won¡¯t leave you.¡± Chuzheng cradled his face, earnestly saying, ¡°Trust me.¡± Chu Wu hesitated for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Then¡­ can you let me go?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Did the little thing hesitate just now because he was considering this question? Chu Wu¡¯s attempt to unlock was unsuccessful. Chuzheng squeezed Chu Wu¡¯s chin and kissed him. Perhaps because Chuzheng¡¯s presence gave him a lot of security, Chu Wu didn¡¯t exhibit any abnormalities for the next few days ¡°Baby, I want.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°You.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here though.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu gestured for Chuzheng to come over, whispering in her ear. ¡°You should take care of your health.¡± Chuzheng righteously rejected him. ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu felt that if he continued to recuperate, he would become a Fatty. Every day, all he did was eat and sleep. If you don¡¯t want me, why kiss me!! Chu Wu looked in a certain direction, feeling very aggrieved. Chu Wu felt that he needed to have a serious talk with her. Who exactly has the problem here?! ¡°Baby, I feel like I haven¡¯t had those thoughts recently, I don¡¯t have a problem, can¡¯t you let me go now?¡± ¡°No.¡± It¡¯s better to keep you confined, safe. ¡°Baby¡­ don¡¯t you think you have a problem too?¡± ¡°What problem?¡± Chuzheng argued confidently: ¡°If I don¡¯t watch you, you get into trouble, I am protecting you.¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t just keep me locked up like this¡­¡± ¡°Why not, aren¡¯t you mine?¡± ¡°¡­ I am yours. But I am a human, I need Space, or I will be suffocated.¡± Even though being with her was great, always staying here would really affect his body. Chuzheng seemed lost in thought, ¡°You want to go out?¡± The little creature always tricked me into releasing it; it couldn¡¯t be planning to run away, right? Chu Wu felt that Chuzheng¡¯s gaze was a bit dangerous. The words on the tip of his tongue took a turn, ¡°I just want to go out with you for a walk, take a stroll, is that okay?¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t want to agree, but Chu Wu was so annoying that she finally consented. However, she must accompany him whenever he goes out, and he¡¯s not allowed to go out alone. If he dares to go out alone, he¡¯ll get his legs broken as punishment. On one hand, Chuzheng was indeed afraid that he¡¯d go out and, getting suddenly stimulated, would turn dark again. On the other hand, it was her customary belief: The Good Person Card needs to be locked up to be safe. ¨C Chuzheng¡¯s pesky maneuvers had irritated another person quite a bit. She was now watching Chu Wu like she would watch a puppy, never leaving his side and not allowing him to interact with anyone who might pose a danger to him. Sang Meng¡¯s power only served to awaken and amplify the sinful side at the bottom of Chu Wu¡¯s heart. But the source of his sin was Chuzheng. He was afraid she would leave him. Now that Chuzheng was watching him like this, how could he possibly turn dark again? The young man was racked with a headache. If she really stayed in the human world¡­ he would have to take the punishment for her. That was absolutely not okay. It would hurt a lot. The young man hadn¡¯t even taken action to find Chuzheng when she came looking for him instead. Since this fella was always nearby her home, it wasn¡¯t hard for Chuzheng to find him. ¡°Chuzheng, think carefully¡­¡± Before the young man could finish speaking, Chuzheng stretched out two fair fingers, ¡°I give you two choices, one, never go back. Two, get lost.¡± Never go back¡­ What is forever? Death. She wants to kill herself. This thought suddenly sprang to the young man¡¯s mind unbidden. The young man was somewhat angry, ¡°You¡¯re no match for me.¡± ¡°You lost to me at the hospital,¡± Chuzheng coolly reminded him. The young man choked, ¡°That was only because I was concerned about the humans and didn¡¯t take you seriously¡­¡± ¡°Even if you took it seriously, you couldn¡¯t beat me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m supposed to be your mentor! Since when does a student surpass their mentor? Do you think just because you¡¯ve come down to the human realm, you¡¯re all that? ¡°Fine,¡± the young man suddenly gave in, ¡°Since you like this human so much, just beat me, and I¡¯ll never come looking for you again.¡± ¡°You said it.¡± ¡°I said¡ªdamn it!¡± The young man suddenly cursed. Without any warning, Chuzheng charged at him. When it comes to fighting, Chuzheng indicated¡ªshe¡¯s a pro. Even though the young man went all out in the fight against Chuzheng, he still realized she was tough to handle¡­ Not because her angelic strength was more formidable than his. But because something around was interfering with him, constantly tugging at him. There was something here that he couldn¡¯t see¡­ The key was that it was invisible, untouchable, unfelt. He had no idea what it was. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t guard against it. After a few exchanges, the young man began to look a bit disheveled. Yin Xian mischievously harassed the young man, and Chuzheng, working with Yin Xian, quickly knocked him to the ground. The young man lay on the ground, taking a while before he sat up and admitted defeat breezily. ¡°All right, since this was your choice, I respect your decision,¡± the young man said as he dusted off the non-existent dust from his body, ¡°Your choice today means you can never return.¡± ¡°I had no plans to return anyway.¡± ¡°Even if he dies?¡± If he dies, I¡¯m screwed. The young man smiled, ¡°Then I hope you won¡¯t regret it later.¡± The young man reached out his hand to Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What for? Are we supposed to shake hands before parting? Chapter 395 - Chapter 395: Chapter 395 Heavenly Fortune (37) Chapter 395: Chapter 395 Heavenly Fortune (37) Just as Chuzheng was considering whether to shake his hand politely, the young man said, ¡°Angel¡¯s Feather.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°!!¡± What was that? It took Chuzheng a while to retrieve the memory about the Angel¡¯s Feather from the original owner¡¯s mind. An Angel¡¯s Feather was a gift given to young angels by their elders upon their birth as a symbol of power inheritance and identity recognition. Removing the Angel¡¯s Feather meant one could no longer use the powers of an angel, nor would they be recognized by other angels. Upon meeting again, they would not treat her as one of their own. Such was the price for staying in the human realm. The corners of the young man¡¯s mouth curved into a smile, ¡°If you want to stay here, you must give me your Angel¡¯s Feather.¡± Chuzheng stepped back a few paces and spread her wings. A feather flew from her wings, shooting towards the young man at high speed. The young man pinched it between his fingers. Go to ????????????????????.co Having secured the Angel¡¯s Feather, he walked away. He suddenly paused and turned back, ¡°Chuzheng, as your mentor, I have one last piece of advice for you. Human lives are brief, and what you¡¯re trading for them is not worth it.¡± ¡°Worth is not measured by any standard.¡± ¡°¡­Indeed.¡± The young man smiled briefly, his figure gradually becoming transparent. He was in for a punishment back home. Alas. The little angels these days are becoming harder and harder to manage. ¨C Chuzheng had thought this bargain mentor would be tough to send off. That they would have to battle it out for hundreds of rounds, argue until they were blue in the face, and then endure a corny melodramatic plotline, like beating the lovebirds with a stick. But there was none of that!! It was resolved so easily. The bargain mentor left without any reluctance. Did you see that, Bastard? That¡¯s the advantage of being powerful. What use is your money at this time? You¡¯d still need strength even if you wanted to pelt him with cash. [¡­]I won¡¯t listen, I won¡¯t listen, Bastard¡¯s prayers are just noise. Chuzheng chuckled. Though Chuzheng had given away her Angel¡¯s Feather, her wings remained. Now, the purpose of the wings¡­ They were decorative items that could be extended or retracted at will. Occasionally they could serve as a mode of transport, but they were otherwise useless. Still, they were quite pretty to look at. ¨C With Chuzheng¡¯s company every day, Chu Wu behaved very normally and did not exhibit any further signs of turning dark. Perhaps still shadowed by a bit of psychological trauma, Chu Wu did not rush to fetch Fubao even after learning of his well-being. Chuzheng didn¡¯t mind. After all, she had wings. Self-sufficient. She couldn¡¯t let them go to waste. Chu Wu glanced at Chuzheng lying beside him, hugging her own wings, ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, Chuzheng rolled over and pulled him into her embrace. Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± At night when they slept, she always liked to wrap him with her wings. Although it was comfortable¡­ But it was now the dog days of summer, so hot!! Even with the air conditioning on, he felt warm. ¡°Baby.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you hot?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°But I am.¡± Chuzheng touched his face and didn¡¯t say anything, seemingly pondering something. While Chu Wu was perplexed, she said very seriously, ¡°Then let me cool you down.¡± An hour later. Chu Wu was soaked to the skin; he lay on the bed as the haze in his eyes gradually lifted, and his muddled thoughts began to clear. A blush of crimson flushed his cheeks, and sweat slid from his temple down to his collarbone. This was no sort of cooling down¡­ He felt like he was about to combust. Chu Wu turned over. His face buried in the crook of his arm. How could she make a person¡¯s heart race and face flush when recollecting¡­ Suddenly, Chu Wu¡¯s body lifted off the ground, and he instinctively held onto Chuzheng, steadying himself. ¡°Baby?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take a bath,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°Baby, I can go by myself.¡± Chuzheng lowered her eyes to look at him. Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± Just as he thought Chuzheng was going to hit him, she wrapped her arms around him, carrying him into the bathroom, and placed him into the bathtub already filled with water. She bent down to kiss his forehead: ¡°Call me when you¡¯re done.¡± Then she left without any hesitation. She left¡­ Left¡­ Gone¡­ Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu chuckled to himself, she could be so adorable at times. But at times she was so domineering it was hard to know what to say. Initially, Chu Wu didn¡¯t understand why he had to call her once he was done bathing when he could just walk out himself. But when he finished and realized there were no clothes in the bathroom, nor a towel he could use¡­ Not even his shoes. Chu Wu had no choice but to call for Chuzheng. Chuzheng lifted him out, gave him a quick wipe, and carried him back to the bed. ¡°Clothes¡­ Clothes,¡± Chu Wu said, somewhat awkwardly covering himself with his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t wear any,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hot?¡± Chu Wu was speechless. He was hot because of her wings, the fluffy ones sticking to his body. How could she attribute the heat to the clothes?! Chuzheng continued with a shocking statement: ¡°What haven¡¯t I seen? Why cover up?¡± We only differ in one place, what¡¯s there to hide. Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± Is that the same thing?! In the end, Chu Wu still sneakily put on his clothes; he really wasn¡¯t used to sleeping naked. However, he only found a shirt and no trousers, so he lay down wearing just the shirt. Chuzheng immediately pulled him into her embrace. Feathers brushed over his legs, making him involuntarily curl up. He reached out to touch Chuzheng¡¯s wings. Chuzheng immediately pulled his hand away. ¡°¡­Let me touch them,¡± Chu Wu said. Chuzheng hesitated for a moment, then pulled the tip of her wing closer: ¡°Touch the tip of the wing then.¡± Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng catered to him in everything, but she never allowed him to touch her wings, and Chu Wu sensed something fishy about it. So during their next friendly interaction, he purposefully touched her wings. Chuzheng noticed his little maneuver, but instead of stopping him, she just kissed him. After a few experiments by Chu Wu, he felt that Chuzheng¡¯s wings¡­ if he touched them, it might make her extremely sensitive. It has to be said, Chu Wu was spot on with his guess. Perhaps because she lost the Angel¡¯s Feather, Chuzheng did not feel as intensely as before. But when they were intimate, Chu Wu¡¯s touch made her unable to help herself¡­ ¡°Early this morning, after receiving a tip from a concerned citizen, a certain laboratory¡­¡± Chu Wu glanced sideways at the screen, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. He recognized Sang Meng in the photo displayed on the screen. ¡°What are you watching?¡± Chuzheng turned his face back to look at her: ¡°Not paying attention?¡± ¡°Baby, I don¡¯t want to¡­¡± Chuzheng tapped the bowl: ¡°Drink the soup.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He ate. In the end, Chu Wu still drank the soup that Chuzheng had served him. ¡°That Sang Meng,¡± Chu Wu put down the bowl. ¡°Is she¡­¡± Back at Lord Zhao¡¯s place, he hadn¡¯t really seen or heard anything that went on behind him, so he didn¡¯t know how she handled it. ¡°Scared?¡± Chu Wu shook his head: ¡°You said it¡¯s because of her that the mistake happened, that if it wasn¡¯t for her, you would have come to me sooner.¡± That¡¯s why, no matter what happened to Sang Meng, he had no sympathy for her. ¡°It¡¯s different.¡± If it had been sooner, it wouldn¡¯t have been me. Dummy. Chu Wu puzzled: ¡°How is it different?¡± Chuzheng glared fiercely at him: ¡°Why so many questions? If I say it¡¯s different, then it¡¯s different.¡± How am I supposed to explain to you? Do I tell you, before it wasn¡¯t really me? I am willing to speak, but Bastard, that darn thing, wouldn¡¯t allow it! Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± * Ladies and gentlemen, don¡¯t take after our female lead in solving problems! To be rich, democratic, civilized, harmonious, we all need to become Little Cuties¡ªwe are the successors of socialism! Chapter 396 - Chapter 396: Chapter 396 Heavenly Fortune (38) Chapter 396: Chapter 396 Heavenly Fortune (38) After dinner, the two went to pick up Fubao from the pet hospital. Fubao had recovered very well and, as the pet hospital¡¯s ¡°little owner,¡± the whole place was there to serve him. On the way back, Chuzheng seriously and earnestly stroked the cat. Chu Wu took the chance to pull out his phone and check the latest news. The news was very vague. Chu Wu reached for his phone and opened WeChat. He found many people discussing the topic. As Chu Wu browsed, he saw that the chat here was much more detailed than the news. It said that a study had been conducting human experiments and was exposed and shut down following a report. He took a slight breath. Sometimes he felt like he was living a dream. He cautiously glanced at the girl focused on petting the cat next to him, his lips involuntarily curling up. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Chuzheng hugged Fubao tighter. Chu Wu leaned in to kiss her, ¡°You look beautiful.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± It wasn¡¯t about getting the cat after all. Chu Wu couldn¡¯t help but laugh again, deepening the kiss. Chuzheng felt a bit troubled. The Good Person Card kissed nicely, and Fubao was nice to stroke as well¡­ Chu Wu slightly changed position, making it comfortable for her to hold Fubao and for him to kiss her. ¡°Meow~¡± Fubao pushed Chu Wu with his soft paws, expressing his dissatisfaction. He¡¯s squishing me. Annoying. [Main quest: Spend a million within half an hour.] The amorous scene inside the car was completely disrupted by the King¡¯s Account notification. Chuzheng pushed Chu Wu away, looked outside, and asked the driver to stop. She pulled Chu Wu towards the mall. Chuzheng¡¯s propensity for spending was not a new habit. Every other day, she would bring home some bizarre and fancy thing. These items all had one thing in common¡ªthey were expensive. Chu Wu was sometimes curious about where she got all that money. Xinnan Hospital was hardly making any money at all. Not only was it not profitable, but it was also losing money. Medicine for patients, salaries for the medical staff, maintenance of the hospital equipment¡ªthese expenses couldn¡¯t be covered by the hospital¡¯s meager income. She was always with him, and he never saw her do anything serious, who knew where she got the money¡­ Chuzheng stated: My serious business is spending money. [Let¡¯s go, Miss! We¡¯ll be the best at spending money!]> Shut up. Did I ask you to speak? [¡­] Feeling wronged. ¨C One year later. Chu Wu was locked in a room, calling for help in vain. He was pacing around the room as he tried calling Chuzheng. ¡°Baby, listen to me¡­¡± Beep beep¡­ Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu continued calling, but the call was quickly disconnected. He walked to the door and started knocking. ¡°Baby, open the door, let me explain.¡± ¡°Baby¡­¡± Chu Wu heard footsteps, then the door knob turned, and he immediately stepped back. Chuzheng pushed open the door and threw the ticket at him, ¡°Where were you thinking of going?¡± Am I not good enough to him, or what? Thinking of running away? ¡°Baby,¡± Chu Wu said with tears in his eyes, ¡°I really didn¡¯t plan to run away. I bought two tickets. You can check the pocket of my clothes if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± He had no idea how that ticket had fallen out¡­ Chu Wu suspected it was Fubao who took it out. Yesterday, when he came back, he had left his clothes on the sofa where Fubao was playing. And today, she found the ticket on the sofa and assumed he was running away, so without further ado, she locked him in. Chu Wu being locked up was not a first-time occurrence. He knew the drill. She wouldn¡¯t do anything to him, but each time, he had to spend a long time coaxing her to let him out. When Chu Wu had free time, he secretly read two novels about sickly possessive lovers. But what was written in them was completely different¡­ All sorts of unmentionable things in little dark rooms¡­ *Cough cough.* His baby did nothing but mind him and basically that was it. So Chu Wu couldn¡¯t figure out what Chuzheng really meant. Chuzheng raised her hand, signaling him to stand still and not move. Chuzheng went out and found another ticket inside his clothes. ¡°What are you buying tickets for?¡± You think by buying two tickets I¡¯ll be fooled? Chu Wu unlocked his phone. Pointing to the photo on the screen, ¡°I want to go to this place with you. I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t come with me, so I bought the tickets in advance.¡± ¡°With me?¡± Chu Wu nodded. He wouldn¡¯t dare to travel far alone. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng calmly handed him the ticket, ¡°If you want to go, just tell me directly. Don¡¯t use this method.¡± I was scared that I had done something wrong and that the Good Person Card was about to run away. Scared me to death. ¡°Would you have agreed?¡± Chu Wu asked tentatively. You even find going out too tiring. Chuzheng nodded: ¡°Mhm.¡± The requests from the Good Person Card must be met. Chu Wu¡¯s eyebrows and eyes were tinged with laughter. ¡°Then I¡­¡± He pointed towards the room, then towards the outside. Chuzheng shoved his hands into his pockets, turned, and went back to the living room. He didn¡¯t close the door, a sign that he could come out. Chu Wu breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he was going to be locked up for a few more days. Chu Wu wanted to go out and play, and since Chuzheng had agreed, he started packing. This needed to be prepared. That needed to be packed. He was busy like a little hamster. Chuzheng couldn¡¯t stand watching him, ¡°Just bring yourself, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°How could that be? Are the things outside convenient to use?¡± Chu Wu shook his head: ¡°And they¡¯re not clean.¡± ¡°¡­¡± So fussy. Chu Wu got carried away on his own while packing, but when it was time to depart, he was stunned. Chuzheng had no intention of taking the crowded train with him; she had chartered an entire train instead. And she didn¡¯t let him bring anything. Emphasizing that all he needed to bring was himself. Chu Wu: ¡°¡­¡± I just wanted to go out and have fun with you, not to be so extravagant and wasteful. Everything along the way was arranged by someone. But Chu Wu hadn¡¯t seen who was arranging all this; he never saw anyone from start to finish. Everything would be arranged by the time they arrived. Even the toothpaste he used was the same brand as the one at home. Chuzheng even often wanted to buy hotels, cars, houses¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that the scenic area wasn¡¯t for sale, she probably would have bought it. Li Minhang, the one secretly arranging everything: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m really tired. I have to manage a hospital, and I also have to take care of your food and entertainment. Li Minhang glanced at the balance in his account and felt he was full of motivation again. ¨C On the top floor of the hotel, in the presidential suite. The last rays of the setting sun fell on the balcony, enveloping the man sitting there, adding a warm glow to his entire being. He rested his chin on his hand, looking at the girl opposite him. ¡°Baby, what do you think I¡¯m keeping you as?¡± Chuzheng thought for a moment: ¡°Young master?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Young master? ¡°Baby, ¡®young master¡¯ isn¡¯t exactly a good term outside.¡± ¡°As long as it is here with me, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chu Wu laughed. ¡°Baby, do you know why I named Fubao that in the first place?¡± Chuzheng couldn¡¯t be bothered to guess, she straightforwardly said, ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± Chu Wu was used to her like this. ¡°Because I felt that you are my Fubao.¡± Those two words just popped into his mind at that time. She appeared out of the blue like Fubao, bringing him warmth. A luck charm falling from the sky. ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng was silent for a few seconds, her calm eyes looking at him, and her lips parted lightly: ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a cat?¡± What the heck?! ¡°Pfft¡­¡± ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± ¡°Baby, you¡¯re really cute. Hahaha¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Who asked you to praise me as cute! Say that I¡¯m a good person! ¡°Stop laughing.¡± ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t help it, hahaha¡­¡± Chapter 397 - Chapter 397: Chapter 397 Heavenly Fortune (End) Chapter 397: Chapter 397 Heavenly Fortune (End) ¡°Brother, brother.¡± Little Bun, carved out of pinkish-white jade, toddled toward a young boy. She hugged him tightly. Looking up, her eyes shone with a bright luster, ¡°Brother.¡± The boy was about seven or eight years old, still a child, yet his face was taut with a prematurely serious expression. He pushed Little Bun away with a hint of displeasure. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Like an octopus, Little Bun pried one of his hands loose, only for her other hand to wrap around again. ¡°Brother, brother, play with me, play with me,¡± Little Bun pleaded in her childishly endearing voice. ¡°No,¡± the boy replied irritably, ¡°leave me alone.¡± Yet Little Bun persisted, shaking his arm, ¡°Brother, play with me, brother, play with me.¡± ¡°Chu Wu, I have to go out with Dad, please take care of your little brother, okay?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co A woman¡¯s voice called out to him from not too far away. ¡°Take good care of your brother, did you hear me?¡± Chu Wu frowned, clearly unwilling to agree. But Little Bun was gazing at him with hopeful eyes, and the woman had already walked away after calling out. ¡°Brother, let¡¯s play.¡± Little Bun tugged at his arm. ¡°You¡¯re so annoying.¡± ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me.¡± ¡°Brother, brother¡­¡± Chu Wu had always hated Chu Ran. Because he was always clinging to him. Appearing at the most inappropriate times. Disturbing him from his own business. Every time after being scolded by Chu Wu, Chu Ran would run off looking as if he was about to cry, only to return a couple of minutes later. Chu Wu brought Chu Ran back to the villa. Ignoring Chu Ran¡¯s crying and fussing, he handed him over to the servants and dashed upstairs. At the turn of the staircase, he tripped over something and tumbled down the stairs. ¡°Little Mist, are you okay?¡± The maid exclaimed as she ran up to him. Chu Wu¡¯s knee was scraped and bleeding. He had always been unlucky from a young age, and Chu Wu was used to it. The maid carried Chu Wu downstairs and settled him on the sofa. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding, I¡¯ll go get some medicine.¡± Little Bun completely forgot about the sadness of Chu Wu not wanting to play with him and immediately crowded around, still with two shiny teardrops at the corners of her eyes, she asked in her babyish voice, ¡°Brother, does it hurt?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°Let Ranran blow on it for you.¡± Little Bun blew on his knee. It was somewhat cool. And ticklish. Little Bun¡¯s snow-white cheeks puffed out, exuding cuteness all around. As she blew, Little Bun suddenly reached out to hug Chu Wu and burst into tears, heartbroken. Chu Wu was startled by her, and for once, didn¡¯t push her away as he usually did. The maid chuckled upon seeing this scene when she came in response to the cries. Chu Ran refused to let go of Chu Wu. No amount of coaxing from the maid was effective. ¡°Little Ran, let Auntie apply medicine on Big Brother¡¯s wound, okay? It¡¯ll hurt if we don¡¯t,¡± she pleaded. Chu Ran sniffled, ¡°Don¡¯t want Big Brother to hurt.¡± ¡°Then can Little Ran let go of Big Brother first?¡± Chu Ran continued to sniffle, ¡°Okay.¡± Chu Wu still didn¡¯t like Chu Ran¡ªhe was too bothersome. But Chu Ran showed no self-awareness, following him around all day long, calling out ¡°Brother¡± this and ¡°Brother¡± that¡­ ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Chu Wu sat up in bed. It had been a long time since he dreamt of Chu Ran. Why did he suddenly dream of him now? Chu Wu calmed the emotions stirring inside of him. Soft arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him back down. The girl embraced him, rubbed gently a couple of times, and continued to sleep. Chu Wu couldn¡¯t sleep, but afraid of waking Chuzheng, he lay still without moving. The sudden ringtone of a cellphone erupted. It was Chuzheng¡¯s phone. She pulled the blanket over her head. Chu Wu quickly grabbed the phone. ¡°Hello, may I speak to Miss Chuzheng?¡± ¡°¡­What is it?¡± The person across from me was obviously startled. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, you can talk to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this, I¡¯m the manager of Fanlu Manor, can you tell Miss Chuzheng to come to the villa today?¡± Fanlu Manor¡­ Chu Wu clenched her phone slightly, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± ¨C The villa that Chu Wu had sold, the haunting had not ceased. The security guards used to only see lights inside the villa, but now they could hear sounds and occasionally glimpse fleeting shadows. Now the security team didn¡¯t dare to show up for work. Fanlu Manor was left with no choice but to call Chuzheng. Chuzheng followed Chu Wu inside. He pushed the door open to the room where the security guard had reported the anomaly. ¡°This was my little brother¡¯s room,¡± Chu Wu said in a subdued voice. ¡°You have a little brother?¡± Chuzheng leaned against the wall, casually surveying the room. ¡°Yeah.¡± Chu Wu walked into the room, standing in the empty space, ¡°His name was Chu Ran, five years younger than me.¡± ¡°What happened to him?¡± ¡°He died, an accident.¡± Originally¡­ The one who should have died was him. It was when he was twelve, and Chu Ran was seven. It was their parents¡¯ wedding anniversary, and they hosted a party on a cruise ship. Chu Wu disliked the noisy crowd, so after the formalities were over, he left alone. Chu Ran, like a little shadow, kept calling ¡®big brother¡¯ and followed him around. Later, the accident happened when Chu Ran suddenly pushed him¡­ He just watched as Chu Ran fell into a pool of blood. Chu Ran¡¯s death was a huge blow to Father Chu and Mrs. Chu. Especially Mrs. Chu. They moved to Fanlu Manor partly to spare Mrs. Chu the pain of constant reminders. Yet, Mrs. Chu actually brought all of Chu Ran¡¯s belongings over, preparing a room for him here. Exactly like his old one. Mrs. Chu was in very poor mental health, and Father Chu, having no other choice and over Mrs. Chu¡¯s objections, had Chu Ran¡¯s entire room cleared out. Following that, Mrs. Chu gradually showed signs of improvement. Since then, Father Chu and Mrs. Chu had been extra strict with their expectations for him, not caring what he liked or wanted to do, forcing him to follow their plans. It was as if¡­ They were blaming him. Sometimes Chu Wu thought he might truly be a cold-hearted bastard. ¡°Let¡¯s wait here,¡± Chu Wu said, ¡°to see what¡­¡± Ever since Chu Ran died. He moved out and lived alone. ¡°Yeah.¡± The two of them waited in the room. From dawn to dusk, and from dusk to dawn again, without any anomalies appearing. Chu Wu rubbed his somewhat sore eyes. ¡°Baby¡­ let¡¯s go,¡± he said hoarsely, his face showing no emotion. ¡°Yeah.¡± Chu Wu left first, with Chuzheng following behind. Just as she reached the doorway, she suddenly looked back. In the corner of the room stood a child, his form somewhat ethereal as if he might dissipate at any moment. The child was incredibly beautiful, like a meticulously carved doll in a display case. He raised his hand and waved at Chuzheng. His tender face bore a smile. ¡°Sister, I¡¯m leaving now, take good care of my brother for me.¡± The child¡¯s form began to dissipate. He kept smiling. Her gaze followed the gradually fading figure. Chuzheng shifted slightly to get a clearer view. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Baby?¡± Chuzheng stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her. She might have understood what her benevolent mentor meant by the bargain. Someone wishes you a lifetime of peace. Chapter 398 - Chapter 398: Chapter 398 Supreme Immortal Path (1) Chapter 398: Chapter 398 Supreme Immortal Path (1) ¡°Retreat!¡± ¡°The Supreme God is still inside!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t wait any longer, if this goes on, we will end up dead here as well.¡± ¡°The Supreme God is so powerful, she won¡¯t have any problems.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Go!¡± As soon as Chuzheng opened her eyes, she heard these conversations. Almost simultaneously, a gust of fierce wind rushed towards her face, and a sense of crisis soared sharply into Chuzheng¡¯s mind. She instinctively blocked it. The wind¡¯s force was brutal, sending Chuzheng¡¯s entire body flying. A streak of silver light shot out, swirling around her, stabilizing her body. When the fierce wind attacked again, Chuzheng immediately waved her hand, and silver threads danced with her fingertips, weaving into a net in the air. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Boom¡ª Chuzheng felt as if her eardrums were about to burst. A heat rose in her throat. The taste of blood surged up. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± wanted to vomit. Reason told Chuzheng she couldn¡¯t vomit. She swallowed the blood back down. Vomiting blood or something like that¡­ It¡¯s too embarrassing! She can¡¯t vomit! Chuzheng suppressed the surging blood taste in her body and calmly scanned her surroundings. The area was very open, with no obstacles. The only thing in the entire space was the round platform resembling an altar not far away. No one¡­ Maybe she should just vomit. Holding it in was very uncomfortable. ¨C The original host, Chuzheng, was a Supreme God. That¡¯s right, this is a world of immortals and martial arts. A living immortal. The original host had wonderful parents, so she was born as a Supreme God. Unfortunately, although the original host bore the title of Supreme God, she did not have the matching strength of a Supreme God. The original host¡¯s parents were no longer around, so this Supreme God was called perfunctorily by the people of the Divine Realm. Behind her back, they spoke extremely unpleasantly. Thus, the original host, as a Supreme God, didn¡¯t have a very good life in the Divine Realm. Consequently, she rarely left her Immortal Palace, staying inside to diligently cultivate. Perhaps all her luck was spent on the title of Supreme God, for no matter how she cultivated, her cultivation level couldn¡¯t compare to others. Under such circumstances, the original host was even less willing to leave the Immortal Palace. She had almost no contact with the people of the Divine Realm. The people of the Divine Realm had nearly forgotten her¡­ Until the original host met a man named Qing Xiao. Their meeting with Qing Xiao was an accident, but he began to actively seek her out, bringing her all kinds of novel trinkets. Not only that, but he also taught her cultivation. With Qing Xiao¡¯s guidance, the original host found that her cultivation indeed improved compared to before. Over the years, she couldn¡¯t help but fall in love with Qing Xiao. But she didn¡¯t dare to tell Qing Xiao, afraid that he would reject her. She could only keep her affection hidden deep inside, feeling blissful every time she saw him. So when Qing Xiao proposed to borrow the ¡°Soul Gathering Lock,¡± the original host merely asked him what the Soul Gathering Lock was. Qing Xiao said it was the amulet she had always worn around her neck. The original host didn¡¯t remember how it came to be there; she only knew she had always worn it. It didn¡¯t seem to have any use in her daily life. Qing Xiao needed it, so without thinking, the original host gave it to him. When Qing Xiao left, he told her he had matters to deal with and might not be able to visit for a while. So the original host quietly waited for him in the Immortal Palace. But she waited a long time, and Qing Xiao did not appear. Unable to wait any longer, the original host mustered the courage to go out and look for Qing Xiao. However, she didn¡¯t expect that Qing Xiao had already married and his immortal spouse, Xi Lan, had encountered a problem that required the Soul Gathering Lock to gather her soul. Because she seldom went out, she was completely unaware of these events. Qing Xiao had approached her just to get the Soul Gathering Lock. The original owner of the body learned the truth, felt as though a knife was cutting through her heart, and returned to the Immortal Palace alone, sinking into profound sorrow. Little did she know that before long, Qing Xiao would come to seek her out again. The Soul Gathering Lock belonged to the original owner. Qing Xiao, in fact, was incapable of using the Soul Gathering Lock. He came to plead with the original owner to save Xi Lan. The original owner¡¯s personality was not dominant to begin with. What¡¯s more, it was the person she loved who was asking her for help. Thus, the original owner agreed to Qing Xiao¡¯s request. However, the original owner was unclear on how to use the Soul Gathering Lock. Qing Xiao found a handwritten notebook from somewhere that recorded the method to use the Soul Gathering Lock. Following the notes, the original owner began the soul gathering process for Qing Xiao¡¯s immortal companion. This process took an extremely long time, a full thousand years. Of course. To the immortals. A thousand years was but a fleeting moment. Finally, Xi Lan finally regained consciousness. Although the original owner was heartbroken, she still silently wished them well. But Qing Xiao never told the original owner that the Soul Gathering Lock would shatter. The Soul Gathering Lock had been with the original owner since she could remember, and she had no memories of her parents. People in the Divine Realm also never mentioned her parents. But the original owner believed that the Soul Gathering Lock was left by her parents. Now shattered¡­ The original owner was even more distressed. Yet Qing Xiao, overjoyed to be reunited with Xi Lan, had completely forgotten about her. She could only watch from a distance. The original owner thought that her interactions with Qing Xiao would end there. Her affection was to fulfill him. However, the original owner soon discovered that her cultivation was increasing rapidly. Even if she did not practice deliberately, it would still grow, at a speed that frightened the original owner. Initially terrified, the original owner dared not speak to anyone about it. Of course, she had no one she could tell. Through her own observations, the original owner concluded that aside from the rapid increase in strength, there were no other issues. In fear and trepidation, she slowly calmed down. The original owner did not expect Qing Xiao¡¯s immortal companion to come to her. She didn¡¯t say much to the original owner, just the empty words of gratitude. In the following period, she kept appearing before the original owner. With the warmth of a confidante, she accompanied the original owner. Of course, in the original owner¡¯s heart, she had saved her, and her efforts to show gratitude by coming to keep her company made her a good person. Thus, the original owner was even less inclined to reveal her affection for Qing Xiao. One day, while the original owner was speaking with this lady, something unexpected happened to her body. When the original owner woke up, everyone was aware of her strength. Some asked her what had happened. The original owner dared not reveal that it was the shattering of the Soul Gathering Lock that caused her strength to increase in such a manner. She could only say she did not know. It had suddenly become like this. People of the Divine Realm took turns observing her, but no one could understand why. They assumed she was a Supreme God by birth, that her bloodline awakening simply did not happen at the same time as theirs. The original owner distinctly felt that since she had gained strength, the way people treated her had improved considerably. At least outwardly¡­ The next upheaval came a hundred years later when an Ancient Seal became loose, causing much anxiety among the inhabitants of the Divine Realm. The powerful individuals of the Divine Realm went to reinforce the seal, but all failed in their attempts. The seal had been set with the power of a Supreme God. Someone suggested that it might require a Supreme God to reseal it. Of the mere three remaining Supreme Gods in the Divine Realm. One was unaccounted for and might well have already passed away. One was in seclusion, and no one could enter the place where this Supreme God was meditating. The last remaining was the original owner. Although her strength had increased quickly, at the end of the day, she was only of the Supreme God bloodline, not someone who had battled through the Prehistoric Era to earn this title. Therefore, the people in the Divine Realm were skeptical about her. Nevertheless, the original owner stepped forward to volunteer. The original owner went to the Land of Seals. Chapter 399 - Chapter 399: Chapter 399 Supreme Immortal Path (2) No content Chapter 400 - Chapter 400: Chapter 400 Supreme Immortal Path (3) No content Chapter 401 - Chapter 401: Chapter 401 Supreme Immortal Path (4) No content Chapter 402 - Chapter 401: Chapter 401 Supreme Immortal Path (4) Chapter 401: Chapter 401 Supreme Immortal Path (4) By the time the young man arrived at the location, the first thing he saw was the little girl from just before. She was standing in the void, with several people lying on the ground. The youth swallowed hard. He recognized those people¡­ No, they were not people. All of them were creatures of this mountain who had cultivated to take on human form. Usually domineering and wicked to the core. For little demons like him, they were no match; if he ran into them and luck wasn¡¯t on his side, death at their hands was the only outcome. Chuzheng descended from the air and kicked one of the people lying on the ground, who ¡®swooshed¡¯ back into its original form, becoming a jackal. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± A wolf!! This damn thing dares to rob me! Do you think you can rob me? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Even if you¡¯re a wolf, it won¡¯t work! Who isn¡¯t a werewolf! Chuzheng suddenly looked in the direction where the young man was hiding. Swoosh¡ª¡ª The young man crawled into the bushes, his heart pounding like a drum. Chuzheng kicked some broken stones on the ground. Then turned and walked back. Chuzheng parted the bushes and the icy gaze fell upon him: ¡°What are you doing following me?¡± Do you also want to rob me? Looking at your skinny arms and legs, you¡¯re not even as sturdy as the one lying over there, not resilient at all. The young man was on all fours with his butt sticking up in the bushes. At this moment, he looked up at Chuzheng, eyes filled with a mix of fear and panic. ¡°I¡­¡± The young man got up from the ground: ¡°Are those¡­ demons all dead?¡± ¡°What are you doing following me?¡± Chuzheng repeated the question expressionlessly. ¡°I¡¯m not following you; I was just coming over to have a look,¡± the young man said quietly. Chuzheng sized up the brazen-looking kid, who didn¡¯t seem like he had the guts to sneak attack her. After a few seconds of silence, she retreated. The young man stood still, and once she had walked a bit further away, he cautiously left cover and checked on the several creatures on the ground. All¡­ all were dead. She was so formidable! The young man looked at the person who had walked far away and decided to follow her. Chuzheng turned back to look at him. The young man stopped immediately. Chuzheng continued on. The young man resumed following her. Chuzheng seemed to see the small lamb from before. ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng turned around, her tone a bit cold: ¡°What are you doing following me?¡± The youth looked as if he had made up his mind: ¡°Can you take me as your apprentice?¡± Chuzheng rejected decisively: ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Taking an apprentice was such a hassle, she¡¯d rather die than do that. ¡°I really want to learn from you,¡± the young man said somewhat urgently: ¡°All you have to do is take me as your apprentice, and I¡¯ll do whatever you ask of me.¡± His dark eyes looked at her with hope. If she could defeat those evil-doing demons, she must be very strong. Chuzheng ruthlessly shattered the boy¡¯s fantasy: ¡°I have no skills; I am very weak.¡± A tiny, helpless, pitiable thing like me cannot be found anymore! Alas! The young man¡¯s eyes widened slightly: ¡°You just killed those several demons.¡± ¡°When I arrived, they were already lying there,¡± Chuzheng began to blatantly lie. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Did you see me kill them?¡± ¡°¡­No, I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then it wasn¡¯t me who killed them,¡± Chuzheng declared righteously: ¡°Don¡¯t come to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¨C [Main quest: Spend ten Immortal Spirit Leaves within two hours.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The sun! Chuzheng looked at the city not far away. She walked into the city, irritated. She was an immortal, after all! A Supreme God! With a flick of her finger, she could destroy heaven and earth¡­ oh, she couldn¡¯t do that. Why waste away here?! Chuzheng entered the city with a fierce attitude, brandishing the leaves, but no one recognized their worth, and they looked at her as if she were insane. Bastard, are you retaliating against me? [Little Miss, what are you talking about? I will always stand by your side, I would never do such a thing, please trust me.] The King¡¯s Account asserted its position firmly. Heh heh. I didn¡¯t see you stand on my side at any time. All I saw was you pressuring me to squander. [¡­]Isn¡¯t that our task! How did it become my fault? Lady, can you please be reasonable?! Chuzheng with her indifferent face. If this thing can¡¯t be spent, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to squander, but you can¡¯t just double it! [Miss, these mortals don¡¯t recognize its value, you need to find someone who does.] King¡¯s Account explained. Who would recognize its value? [¡­] I might as well do the task for you! If Chuzheng knew what King¡¯s Account was thinking, she would definitely agree and send it a Good Person Card. Chuzheng turned back to glance at the young man following her. He had followed her all the way here¡­ Quite persistent. But taking an apprentice is out of the question. Impossible in this lifetime. Chuzheng gestured to him. The young man immediately smiled and ran over: ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°Do you recognize this?¡± Chuzheng asked, shaking the leaf in her hand. The young man shook his head: ¡°I don¡¯t recognize it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t recognize it?¡± Chuzheng eyed him suspiciously: ¡°If you don¡¯t recognize it, why would you want it?¡± ¡°¡­ Uh¡­ I felt a strong Spiritual Energy contained within, something I¡¯ve never seen before; it¡¯s beneficial for¡­ our cultivation.¡± The young man was nervous inside. She wouldn¡¯t be thinking of taking the item back, would she? But he had already given it to his little brother¡­ Chuzheng pondered for a moment, then asked him, ¡°Do you know where this can be put to use?¡± The young man was stunned. Put to use? It was clear at a glance that this was an extremely rare treasure from heaven and earth. Chuzheng spun the leaf in her hand: ¡°No idea?¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± the young man said, nodding hastily. ¡°Take me there.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, my lord.¡± The young man hurriedly led the way. ¨C Wanwu Inn. The young man pointed at the inn: ¡°This is the place¡­¡± It seemed the young man was somewhat scared of this place and had no intention of going in. Chuzheng walked into the inn. After only two steps, the young man was shoved and staggered, falling directly onto the inn¡¯s threshold. ¡°Hen Sheng, haven¡¯t seen you for such a long time, how come you¡¯re still so weak?¡± ¡°Hahaha, given his pace of cultivation, it¡¯s already not easy for him to shape-shift.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t say that, what if the guy has exceptional talent?¡± Mischievous teasing voices followed one after another. Hen Sheng¡¯s face turned pale and ugly, barely concealing a hint of hatred in his eyes. Chuzheng glanced sideways and saw three young men, with the young man in black in the center laughing the most joyfully. The young man in black signaled his companions, and the two stepped forward, hoisting Hen Sheng into the inn. ¡°Let me go!¡± Hen Sheng roared in anger. He was no match for them and couldn¡¯t break free. ¡°Oh dear, the little lamb is angry.¡± The young man in black laughed even harder: ¡°Everyone, come, today I bring you a fun little thing.¡± The words of the young man in black caught the attention of everyone inside the inn. The guests in this inn were all non-humans. Chuzheng used her immortal technique to take a look¡­ and quickly withdrew it. Scared the life out of me. A dance of demons. A veritable animal conference. Thrilling. ¡°Let me go¡­¡± Hen Sheng was still struggling. The young man in black rested his hand on Hen Sheng¡¯s shoulder, patting him: ¡°Hen Sheng, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t kill you, it¡¯s too boring to kill you, but¡­¡± Hen Sheng¡¯s face turned instantly pale. The young man in black smiled with ill intentions. ¡°We can have other kinds of fun.¡± Chapter 403 - Chapter 402: Chapter 402 Supreme Immortal Path (5) Chapter 402: Chapter 402 Supreme Immortal Path (5) The youth in black had all eyes in the inn on him¡­ no, all the demons¡¯ gazes had gathered on him. These demons watched the situation unfazed, as if it was nothing out of the ordinary. Some were even excitedly whistling, signaling not to dawdle and to start already, as they couldn¡¯t wait any longer. The youth in black said, ¡°Today we will play¡­ dart throwing.¡± Hen Sheng was shoved onto the stage in front of the inn. The crowd below jeered, laughed, and urged on, with all sorts of voices converging together. Hen Sheng stood on the stage, his frail body seemingly weak and easy to bully. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Suddenly, a person stood up in the corner of the inn. The youth in black looked over in the direction of the voice. The rest of the demons in the inn also paused, looking over in the direction where the sound came from. It was a woman. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï She had a gentle and soft visage, giving off an impression of tenderness at first glance. Her voice was also extremely pleasant. Like a cool breeze flowing slowly through the summer day. It had to be said that this woman was definitely the most beautiful among the group of demons. She looked at the youth in black with some anger, ¡°It¡¯s too much for you to bully a little guy like this!¡± The youth in black sized up the woman, a wicked smile playing at the corner of his mouth, ¡°Little Beauty looks unfamiliar, where are you from?¡± ¡°Let him go,¡± the woman pointed at Hen Sheng. The youth in black laughed out loud. ¡°Little Beauty, we can let him go, but you have to compensate us, right? It¡¯s not easy to find such fun, we can¡¯t just let it end like this, can we?¡± ¡°Right!¡± ¡°This Little Beauty really is pretty.¡± ¡°Where does Little Beauty come from?¡± The demon sprites in the crowd started to cause a commotion. The woman frowned, not backing down, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°What do we want¡­,¡± the youth in black¡¯s gaze roamed over the woman¡¯s body, ¡°How about we trade you for him?¡± The woman¡¯s face changed color. The youth in black continued, ¡°Isn¡¯t Little Beauty here to stand up for this fellow? Of course, it has to be a one-for-one exchange.¡± The overtly lecherous look in the youth in black made the woman feel uncomfortable all over. ¡°You¡­¡± the woman¡¯s face turned red. The surrounding demons started looking at the woman with restlessness in their eyes. The woman began arguing with them. But she alone, how could she outtalk so many demons. [Miss, stop watching the show. The stakes are getting doubled~~] The King¡¯s Account reminded Chuzheng, who was watching the show. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Double your grandpa! Chuzheng walked forward a few steps, picked up a chair from the side, and smashed it onto the head of the youth in black. The chair broke apart upon hitting the youth in black¡¯s head. A collective gasp sounded throughout the inn. Chuzheng had struck suddenly. Plus, with all the demons¡¯ attention on the woman and the youth in black, they hadn¡¯t noticed Chuzheng at all. The youth in black got hit and turned around with a dark face, before he could see who dared to hit him, another sound rang by his ear. ¡°Smack¡ª¡± Another chair broke on the head of the youth in black. The youth in black didn¡¯t feel the pain and was about to explode with anger when suddenly his vision darkened, and he lost consciousness uncontrollably. Chuzheng wanted to hit with a third chair. But she found the person had fainted. So fragile. Still a demon! Shameful. The crowd of demons: ¡°¡­¡± Who is this? They dared to smash the little tyrant of the Demon Realm! Do they no longer want to hang around the Demon Realm? The crowd of demons tried to recognize which demon sprite was so bold. But looking for a while, they only thought the girl in front of them was quite beautiful¡­ yet very unfamiliar, they didn¡¯t recognise her at all. Chuzheng looked up at the two flunkies of the youth in black, ¡°You two¡­¡± The two flunkies quickly backed away, their eyes filled with wariness. Three seconds later. Both of them stepped forward at the same time, grabbed the fainted youth in black, and dragged him away. ¡°Chuzheng!¡± The woman surrounded by the demon sprites suddenly cried out in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re okay, thank goodness, I knew you wouldn¡¯t be in trouble¡­¡± Her face was full of joy. Chuzheng gave her an indifferent glance, then turned to stare at the two henchmen, ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Who are you!¡± one henchman roared, ¡°How dare you hit our Boss, do you have a death wish!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I, I want to live. Chuzheng picked up the third chair and threw it at the two henchmen. Everyone: ¡°¡­¡± My¡­ X! This young lady is fierce. Chuzheng¡¯s actions proved that she not only dared to hit their Boss, but she was also bold enough to hit them. There was a clatter of disarray in the inn. The two henchmen lay gloriously next to the young man in black. Chuzheng threw away the table leg in her hand. A family should stick together. Um! Every day I try to be a good person! [¡­] Miss, please spare the good people. Chuzheng turned to look at the other demon sprites in the inn. Whoosh¡ª The demon sprites quickly retreated, and the space around Chuzheng suddenly became empty, as if she were some dreadful plague. They¡¯re all demons after all. Are they something you can knock out so casually? This young lady¡¯s strength must be high. Chuzheng: ¡°You¡­¡± Sprite A: ¡°We¡¯re not with them!¡± Sprite B: ¡°Right, right, right, we don¡¯t know them.¡± Sprite C: ¡°We¡¯re just passing by¡­¡± The group of demon sprites were very aware of the situation. Jokes. Just now, this young lady handled smashing sprites with practiced and swift ease, and those three couldn¡¯t even match up to her, so these little minions, of course, would disown them as soon as possible. Demons, after all. When disaster strikes, every sprite for themselves. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I just wanted to go on a spree. Chuzheng glared at them, ¡°What treasures do you have on you, bring them out.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Clang. A sprite threw something onto the table. Then there was a succession of clattering noises. Chuzheng fumbled inside her sleeve. The sprites there remained on high alert, worried Chuzheng might suddenly pull out some formidable weapon. A green leaf tip peeked out from Chuzheng¡¯s hand. Chuzheng walked over to the table where things were being thrown. She placed the Immortal Spirit Leaf down, picked two items that looked pleasing to the eye, ¡°I¡¯ll buy these.¡± ¡°Take them if the King likes them,¡± Sprite A said meekly. That leaf¡­ it looked very ordinary, was it worth their treasures? It must have been picked at random from the roadside! Of course, the group of demon sprites only dared to grumble inwardly. They wouldn¡¯t dare to challenge Chuzheng. Otherwise, they would end up keeping company with those lying on the ground. Chuzheng pushed the leaf over, ¡°Here.¡± The young lady looked at them expressionlessly while the temperature around her dropped for no reason, giving people the chills. Sprite A swallowed hard, shrank back, and picked up five Immortal Spirit Leaves. As soon as he had them in hand, his expression subtly changed. Then he hurriedly stuffed them into his pocket, as if startled, and shrank back into the demon crowd. Another sprite wasn¡¯t as smart; as soon as he got the Immortal Spirit Leaf, he shouted in surprise, drawing the attention of the other sprites. Amidst the discussing voices of the demon sprites, Chuzheng waved her hand, and the restraints on the boy tied to the platform came undone. He immediately stumbled down and cowered behind Chuzheng. ¡°Thank you, my lord.¡± ¡°Payment for leading the way,¡± Chuzheng said with an indifferent face. Chuzheng turned and walked towards the outside of Wanwu Inn. Hen Sheng glanced at the young man in black lying on the ground, hesitated for a few seconds, and ultimately followed Chuzheng out. Chapter 404 - Chapter 403: Chapter 403 Supreme Immortal Path (6) Chapter 403: Chapter 403 Supreme Immortal Path (6) ¡°Chuzheng, Chuzheng¡­¡± The woman from the inn had also chased after her. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re alright, why don¡¯t you go back? We¡¯re all very worried¡­¡± This person was none other than. Xi Lan herself. The companion of Qing Xiao. ¡°Worried about what?¡± Chuzheng retorted, ¡°Worried that I didn¡¯t die?¡± ¡°Chuzheng, what are you talking about?¡± The woman was shocked, a hint of hurt flashing across her face, ¡°I¡¯m really worried about you.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Why had the original owner so willingly volunteered to go to the Land of Seals? In the end, it was because of her. Xi Lan was extremely clever, she didn¡¯t directly ask her to go. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?0 Instead, she spoke to her with a worry-laden face, saying that only the strength of a Supreme God could reinforce the seal. In the Divine Realm, no one was up to the task. The look of deep concern had even made the original owner feel pained. So the original owner thought it over, considering herself a Supreme God, she should contribute to the Divine Realm. So, she went¡­ Only she didn¡¯t know what Xi Lan¡¯s true purpose was. Xi Lan felt increasingly uneasy inside, observing the cold demeanor on Chuzheng¡¯s face, her doubts slowly spreading. When did she start to have such an expression? It made her feel very uncomfortable. Xi Lan tentatively asked, ¡°Chuzheng, what happened inside the seal? Why has there been no activity recently?¡± As if afraid that Chuzheng might misunderstand, she quickly added. ¡°We wanted to go in and look for you at the time, but the entrance suddenly closed, and no matter what we did, we couldn¡¯t get in. You haven¡¯t had any accidents, have you?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face remained cold. So pretty, can¡¯t she be quiet for a bit? So many questions. Just kill her and be done with it. ¡°[Miss, patriotism, democracy, civilization, harmony, can you be a positive and upward good person?] Killing what? That doesn¡¯t suit us, okay?!¡± The King¡¯s Account feared Chuzheng might decide to kill someone on a whim. They truly were the Spendthrift System through and through. Why could the Miss from next door be positive and upward, but theirs could not? Crying my eyes out. Xi Lan gently called out, ¡°Chuzheng?¡± What was going on with her? XI Lan felt even more perplexed. What exactly happened to her in the Land of Seals? How did she come out? Why is there no movement from the seal? Could it really have been sealed by her? ¡°I¡¯m a Supreme God, right?¡± Chuzheng suddenly said. ¡°¡­Yes¡­ yes, you are.¡± Xi Lan was somewhat dumbfounded, not understanding the purpose of Chuzheng¡¯s sudden question. ¡°Is that how you show respect to a Supreme God? Even if you¡¯re pretty, you can¡¯t be rude!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xi Lan hadn¡¯t expected Chuzheng to suddenly bring this up. The way she had interacted with her in the past, she had never cared about such things. ¡°Xi Lan.¡± The tall and handsome man came from a distance, his face full of worry, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to wait for me, why did you¡­¡± Upon seeing Chuzheng, Qing Xiao¡¯s expression went blank for a moment. ¡°Superior God Chuzheng¡­¡± ¡°Xi Lan has seen the Supreme God.¡± Xi Lan suddenly curtsied deeply, a look of aggrievement on her face as if Chuzheng had forced her to do so. ¡°Xi Lan.¡± Qing Xiao hurriedly helped her up, his face showing great concern, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s icy gaze swept over them, ¡°Does Qingxiao Immortal think that her curtsying to me wrongs her?¡± Did the original owner like Qing Xiao? Did he know? He surely did. Or maybe from the very beginning, Qing Xiao intended for the original owner to fall for him, deliberately deceiving her out of the Soul Gathering Lock, and in the end coaxing her to save the person he loved for him. Too horrifying. Qing Xiao¡¯s tone grew more severe, ¡°Xi Lan was injured before and hasn¡¯t fully recovered, she¡¯s been worried about you every day, how can you let her bow to you?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Her injuries weren¡¯t because she saved me. Why should I take responsibility for her injuries? Chuzheng¡¯s self-righteous tone made Qing Xiao¡¯s anger surge, ¡°Chuzheng!¡± ¡°Supreme God.¡± Chuzheng reminded him, ¡°Mind your status.¡± How you speak to me! Qing Xiao: ¡°¡­¡± When had Chuzheng ever spoken to him like this. She had never put on the airs of a Supreme God. Even when her power had greatly increased recently, she had not done so. In his presence, she especially would not. Yet now she reminded herself that she was a Supreme God, reminding him that her status was more noble than his and that he should not be presumptuous. The joy she used to secretly harbor when looking at him was no longer present in her eyes. All that remained was indifference. It was as though it were a pond that had lain cold and still for a thousand years. Quietly radiating a chill. The feeling of loss within Qing Xiao¡¯s heart made him very uncomfortable. ¡°Husband.¡± Xi Lan tugged at Qing Xiao, ¡°The Supreme God might have encountered some displeasing matters while in the Land of Seals, don¡¯t argue with the Supreme God.¡± Xi Lan¡¯s manner of speaking shifted very quickly. Calling her Superior God in a way that was practiced and submissive, with an undertone of grievance. ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡± Xi Lan suddenly began to cough. Preoccupied with Xi Lan, Qing Xiao paid no attention to Chuzheng as he expressed his concern. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Husband, I¡¯m fine.¡± While Xi Lan spoke, tears began to fall, but how could she be fine? It was evident there was something wrong. Her gaze drifted almost imperceptibly over to Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What are you looking at me for! It¡¯s not like I made you cry!! But, in Qing Xiao¡¯s eyes, it was Chuzheng¡¯s sudden change that had upset Xi Lan. Fury grew within Qing Xiao, As if Xi Lan had been bullied. Chuzheng felt that good-looking people really were different. Those aggrieved little expressions. Those pitiable little tones. They made me¡­ really want to get rid of her. In her heart, Chuzheng had already figured out how to eliminate them and was eager to try. ¡°Bang!¡± Before she could act, two demon sprites suddenly flew out of the Wanwu Inn and smashed onto the ground. The sprite who had just gotten the Immortal Spirit Leaf was being chased by another sprite, cursing while fighting back as they flew out of the Wanwu Inn. Chuzheng stood outside the inn; as the sprites inside fought, she too was caught up in the disturbance. The sprites separated Chuzheng from Xi Lan and Qing Xiao, and as the flickering figures swayed, Chuzheng craned her neck looking for someone. Yet these sprites fought with gusto. By the time Chuzheng made her way to the other side, Xi Lan and Qing Xiao were nowhere to be seen. What does this mean? What does this mean?! ¡°You damn fat pig, I¡¯m going to kill you¡­¡± ¡°Who are you calling fat?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not fat, who is?¡± ¡°Say that again!¡± ¡°Fat pig! Fat pig, fat pig!¡± ¡°Ah!!!¡± The two sprites crashed into Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I¡­X! Chuzheng grabbed something from nearby and directly smashed it onto the head of the closest sprite. The sprite¡¯s eyes rolled back as it fell straight down. The one who had been calling out ¡®fat pig¡¯: ¡°!!!¡± Its expression changed, and it immediately turned to flee. ¨C The bruised and swollen-faced Sprite A whined and whimpered. Chuzheng walked ahead, with Hen Sheng trailing alongside. Sprite A glanced at Chuzheng and hastened to catch up. ¡°My lord, where are you headed? I know this place well, I could show you the way.¡± Chuzheng turned her head to see that bruised and swollen face, then swiftly averted her gaze, seriously looking straight ahead. Seeing that Chuzheng didn¡¯t respond, still with a tense face, Sprite A thought: The lord must not like talking. Sprite A then shifted its gaze to Hen Sheng. ¡°Little lamb¡­¡± Hen Sheng¡¯s expression changed, and he quickly sped up, running next to Chuzheng, vigilantly on guard as he looked at Sprite A. Sprite A found its face felt even more sore. Chapter 405 - Chapter 404: Chapter 404 Supreme Immortal Path (7) Chapter 404: Chapter 404 Supreme Immortal Path (7) ¡°My lord, I still have many treasures here. Do you have any more of those¡­ leaves?¡± Sprite A was shamelessly holding out his own treasures, eyes filled with eager anticipation. Chuzheng glanced at the treasures. ¡°Are those things very useful to you?¡± Sprite A nodded wildly. Otherwise, would he have been beaten up by those dead fairies looking like this? There were quite a few other demon sprites following behind, but they feared Chuzheng¡¯s strength in crushing sprites, so they didn¡¯t dare to show themselves. A bunch of cowards! Chuzheng pulled out a leaf for him. Sprite A¡¯s eyes lit up as he reached out to grab it. Chuzheng suddenly lifted the leaf high, just grazing Sprite A¡¯s fingertips. Sprite A had already felt the power contained within the leaf. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï His heart started pounding wildly. Although he didn¡¯t know what it was, the power within it would bring him great benefits. ¡°Not giving it to you.¡± The cold and elegant voice sounded, dousing Sprite A¡¯s fiery heart with chill, nearly stopping it from beating. Even worse, Chuzheng flipped her finger, and the Immortal Spirit Leaf landed in Hen Sheng¡¯s hand. Hen Sheng: ¡°???¡± He blankly looked at the young girl who gave him the Immortal Spirit Leaf. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Sprite A¡¯s envious and resentful gaze, with a hint of viciousness, and Hen Sheng instinctively gripped the Immortal Spirit Leaf tight, trembling. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Sprite A¡¯s heart trembled, and he hurriedly withdrew his gaze. Sprite A was bitterly resentful inside. This is too much!! That little lamb was so weak, how did he manage to strike up a relationship with her? ¡°My Lord, don¡¯t you fancy any of these treasures? What do you want, just tell me, and I¡¯ll make sure to get it for you.¡± ¡°Can you get me an Immortals?¡± Sprite A: ¡°¡­¡± If I had that ability, would I still need to ingratiate myself with you? Hen Sheng followed Chuzheng, glanced back at Sprite A, and then quickly averted his gaze. ¡°My lord, thank you for saving me.¡± Hen Sheng was shorter than Chuzheng and had to look up at her. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hen Sheng didn¡¯t expect Chuzheng to respond so seriously. ¡°My Lord, where are you heading to?¡± Hen Sheng asked cautiously. ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± Let¡¯s find a place to sleep first. [Hidden task: Please obtain a Good Person Card from Xue Yuan.] The sleepiness Chuzheng was feeling flew away at the notification from King¡¯s Account. Who is Xue Yuan? Completely a stranger. [Tip: Xue Yuan is the one Miss slapped back to the Land of Seals earlier.] Chuzheng thought for a moment. Fell silent. Then bluntly asked, ¡°That dog?¡± [¡­] Believe it or not, the Good Person Card could kill you. [¡­] ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng and King¡¯s Account fell silent simultaneously. If King¡¯s Account had a physical form right now, it would surely be staring at Chuzheng with wide eyes. After a moment, Chuzheng¡¯s inner world exploded. Bastard, you damn mutt, why didn¡¯t you remind me earlier? Are you doing this on purpose?! I already slapped him back there! Now you¡¯re telling me to be a good person, how could I? If someone slapped me back, I¡¯d make sure to slap them to death. How could they ever consider me a good person? Bastard is definitely messing with me! [¡­ No, I¡¯m not, Miss, don¡¯t talk nonsense! Please rush back to the Land of Seals quickly, otherwise, you will receive a Blackened Good Person Card, super fierce!! Go, Miss, you can do it!!] I won¡¯t! Lock up the blackened one if it turns black! [¡­] Moment of silence for the Good Person Card. [Miss, he has fur.] Chuzheng¡¯s eyes slightly hardened. [Super soft, super big.] ¡°A very big dog?¡± [¡­]The Good Person Card really will kill you! ¨C Land of Seals. Around the sacrificial altar were many people, men and women alike, each bearing the demeanor of an immortal, free from earthly taint. Cracks had appeared again on the altar. These people were simultaneously trying to slow the spread of the cracks. But despite so many people, the cracks only slowed, showing no sign of stopping. A flash of light in the space. Qing Xiao and Xi Lan appeared at the same time. ¡°Qingxiao Immortal, Immortal Xi Lan, hurry!¡± Someone shouted at them in anger. Xi Lan had been injured, so Qing Xiao did not let her act; he quickly joined in the effort. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Three months before, they had come to this place, and such an unexpected disturbance had happened, leaving Chuzheng inside. No matter what they did on the outside, they couldn¡¯t get in. But they found that the seal seemed to have been reinforced properly, with no signs of disturbance. They had been guarding on the outside for over a month. There had been no anomalies. Chuzheng had never come out, and they could not enter. Many in the Divine Realm thought that it was Chuzheng who had reinforced the seal from the inside. As for her not coming out¡­ To be honest, probably no one in the Divine Realm cared. But unexpectedly, after three calm months, the seal began to show disturbances again. The speed at which the cracks spread on the altar was becoming faster. Cold sweat started to bead on the foreheads of those present. Spurt¡ª One of the people in the middle couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and spat out a mouthful of blood. His spitting of blood caused what had been a relatively stable situation to suddenly develop a breach, as if someone had opened a gap. Crack crack¡ª Seeing the situation worsen, Xi Lan quickly took the place of the person who had just collapsed. The spreading cracks abruptly halted. But Xi Lan¡¯s complexion instantly turned pale. ¡°Superior God Chuzheng!¡± The person next to Xi Lan suddenly shouted. The others glanced over out of the corner of their eyes, the expression on their faces turning indifferent. The little girl, striding neither too quickly nor too slowly, approached, her skirt tracing a beautiful curve through the air like a delicate flower blooming. The little girl stood calmly ten meters away, Her gaze like a spring of melted ice and snow, filled with a chill. If the Chuzheng of the past merely possessed the empty title of a Supreme God, Then the Chuzheng of now truly embodied the aura and authority of a Supreme God. She was a god. Cold and elegant, unmatched in her nobility. A chill seemed to blow at the bottom of Qing Xiao¡¯s heart. It was as if something had suddenly left him, Something he could never possess again. A feeling of emptiness lingered within him. The person in front of him felt familiar, yet estranged¡­ ¡°Superior God Chuzheng!!¡± ¡°Come and help!¡± ¡°The seal is about to break, Superior God Chuzheng, hurry over and help!¡± One after another, their shouts echoed throughout the space. ¡°When you left me here, you weren¡¯t in such a hurry.¡± The girl¡¯s clear voice, mingled with the wind spilling from the altar, reached everyone¡¯s ears. Among those present, the faces of three people changed slightly. They were there at the time. But in that situation, her being trapped at the core, it was impossible for them to barge in and rescue her. ¡°Superior God Chuzheng, the situation was urgent back then, we had to retreat.¡± ¡°If we didn¡¯t, everyone there would have perished, we were also considering the Divine Realm.¡± ¡°We believed in Superior God Chuzheng, you see, you are fine.¡± ¡°Superior God Chuzheng, we can discuss this later, the most urgent task is to strengthen the seal!¡± The wind in the space began to pick up, gently lifting the hem of the girl¡¯s skirt. With an air of detachment, she lightly said, ¡°But I want to break the seal.¡± Chapter 406 - Chapter 406: Chapter 406 Supreme Immortal Path (9) Chapter 406: Chapter 406 Supreme Immortal Path (9) ¡°You¡¯re called Xue Yuan?¡± Chuzheng asked Black Fox. All black, yet named Xue Yuan? Did he think by calling himself this name he would become white? Naive! ¡°You are not worthy of addressing me by my name,¡± Black Fox snorted coldly, both arrogant and disdainful. ¡°I¡¯m called Chuzheng, and I permit you to use my name.¡± See, I¡¯m not like you; I¡¯m much more generous. Chuzheng reached for Black Fox¡¯s head. Black Fox shook his ears, tossing his head: ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± It was bad enough having his tail touched, now even his head was being petted! This detestable human! Chuzheng¡¯s hand glided along his spine, down to his tail. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã? Black Fox glared at Chuzheng, fuming with anger. The latter¡¯s expression grew more serious with every touch. Black Fox ground his teeth, waiting for the day he regained strength¡­ She would be the first one he killed!! ¡°What time is it now?¡± Calming down, Xue Yuan began to inquire about the outside world. He had no memory of how long he had been sealed. ¡°Eighty-nine thousand years in the Divine Realm.¡± Eighty-nine thousand Divine Realm years¡­ If this method of counting had not changed, Then¡­ He had been sealed for seventy thousand years. How endless it seemed. ¡°Is Wan Zhu still alive?¡± Wan Zhu? That name¡­ sounds familiar. Chuzheng thought for a moment. That Supreme God who disappeared without a trace¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Disappeared, whether alive or dead, who could say. ¡°What do you know?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was stern: ¡°You¡¯re really soft.¡± ¡°??¡± Xue Yuan¡¯s head was topped with countless question marks. Was this human flirting with him? ¡°Stop touching my tail!¡± Xue Yuan exploded in a flurry of fur. The youth¡¯s somewhat soft voice, coupled with that furious tone, along with his cute and petite form, appeared utterly endearing no matter how one looked at it. Chuzheng smoothed his fur, completely disregarding his roar. ¨C Xue Yuan. The only black fox in the world. He was born in the Prehistoric Era, no one knows exactly how. Ancient Ferocious Beast. In that era, Xue Yuan was able to fight on par with Supreme Gods. Latter on, Xue Yuan committed a crime, massacring innocent humans, and was narrowly bested and sealed by Supreme God Wan Zhu. That seal lasted seventy thousand years. Until after those seventy thousand years, the seal weakened, and Xue Yuan broke free. However, the breakout drained away his strength, leaving him extremely weak when he emerged. Xue Yuan was stealthily rescued by Xi Lan. Xue Yuan thought he was lucky, but Xi Lan harbored ulterior motives. She never really intended to save him. Xi Lan desired the power of Xue Yuan. When Xue Yuan learned the truth, considering that Xi Lan had saved him once, he decided to leave and not ally with her. Yet he had not expected that Xi Lan was well prepared and had placed a blood curse on him. The blood curse compelled Xue Yuan, constraining his power. Xue Yuan was forced to do things he disliked. Xue Yuan, known as an Ancient Ferocious Beast, was not just a title; when enraged, he was nearly a cataclysm that could destroy heaven and earth. Such control darkened Xue Yuan¡¯s nature, disturbing the peace of all realms. Xi Lan¡­ It was her again. Just what did this Little Beauty intend to do? The information given by the King¡¯s Account was quite vague; it mentioned nothing about what Xi Lan wanted Xue Yuan to do. Chuzheng rested her chin in her hand, deep in thought. When the seal was broken before, Xi Lan seemed to be helping, but on closer inspection¡­ Xi Lan had other little tricks up her sleeve. She deliberately caused the seal to break. Chuzheng hugged Xue Yuan tightly. Xue Yuan suddenly found himself squeezed too tightly, he almost couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°What are you doing! Are you trying to strangle me?!¡± Chuzheng grabbed his two claws and lifted them high, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you are not allowed to run off with anyone else anymore.¡± The black little fox, with flames in his pupils, reflected the girl¡¯s visage. Her features were delicate, not the flashy kind of beautiful. But she was the kind that one glance would make her unforgettable. There was a sort of settled chill about her. ¡°Why should I listen to you.¡± Whether he ran off with others¡­ bah! He would never run off with others, he would follow no one! He was just¡­ Merely a fox at the mercy of others! Chuzheng emphasized, ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, you are mine now.¡± ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re talking nonsense, who¡¯s yours, you humans are just shameless!¡± Xue Yuan cursed in exasperation, ¡°Let me tell you, I am a fierce beast! Do you understand what a fierce beast is?!¡± Chuzheng threatened by pinching his claw, ¡°If you dare to run, I¡¯ll break your legs.¡± The two were clearly not on the same wavelength. Xue Yuan was so angry that his fur puffed up; he wished he could scratch her face with his claws. Chuzheng added another line, ¡°Also, I¡¯m not human, I am a god.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Crazy. Once his strength returned, he would see how he would deal with her! Chuzheng made sure Xue Yuan was comfortably held and thought that Xi Lan, that damn creature, should be coming back soon. She left the place with Xue Yuan. Just as she was out, the entire mountain behind them began to collapse. Had she not run fast enough, she would have been buried inside. Xue Yuan rested his chin on his little paws and sneered coldly, ¡°I warned you, offending me brings bad luck.¡± Chuzheng calmly analyzed it scientifically, ¡°This is the influence brought by your appearance, what does it have to do with offending you?¡± Because Xue Yuan represented misfortune. Therefore, places where he appeared or people who came into contact with him would always encounter misfortunate events. This had nothing to do with offending him. Xue Yuan, exposed by Chuzheng, was clearly a bit infuriated. His breathing grew heavier. ¡°You seem to know quite a bit,¡± Xue Yuan gritted his teeth. ¡°Not bad,¡± Chuzheng said with a calm demeanor. ¡°Since you know that carrying me with you brings misfortune, why would you still keep me?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Chuzheng caressed his tail, lovingly unwilling to let go. It was of course safest to keep the Good Person Card in her possession. And besides, you have such a comfortable tail. She absolutely couldn¡¯t allow others to whisk you away. ¡°I will protect you well,¡± Chuzheng solemnly promised. ¡°¡­¡± Who needs your protection! Shameless human! Xue Yuan was so mad he didn¡¯t want to speak. He needed to save his strength. As Chuzheng walked some distance, she saw Hen Sheng waiting not far away. Upon seeing Hen Sheng, Xue Yuan licked the corner of his mouth, his voice sinister, ¡°That little lamb looks very tasty.¡± Although it seemed a bit frail. But as a snack, it wasn¡¯t bad. ¡°You don¡¯t need to eat,¡± she said. ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan ground his teeth, demanding like a boss, ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who wants me to follow you? Now I¡¯m hungry, I want to eat!¡± As if to appoint himself a little underling! To serve him food and drink. Thinking this way, Xue Yuan couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Hen Sheng. Hen Sheng had already seen them, and feeling the stare of Xue Yuan, the little lamb instinctively feared, nearly unable to maintain his transformation, with his horns almost appearing on his head. Just as Xue Yuan was considering devouring the little lamb, two leaves were stuffed into his mouth. ¡°Pah!!¡± Xue Yuan spat out the leaves. ¡°What is this crap you¡¯re feeding me?! I want to eat that little lamb!¡± After spitting them out, Xue Yuan realized something wasn¡¯t right. He sniffed with his nose, then swiftly pressed down on the leaves with his paw. It was as if the fox that just roared angrily wasn¡¯t him. He stuffed them into his mouth, chewed them a bit, and swallowed directly. After swallowing, Xue Yuan looked up at her, ¡°These are Immortal Spirit Leaves, where did you get them?¡± Chapter 407 - Chapter 407: Chapter 407 Supreme Immortal Path (10) Chapter 407: Chapter 407 Supreme Immortal Path (10) Where did it come from? Isn¡¯t this question making it hard for this little pitiful me? Bastard gave it for squandering. How come? Other demon sprites only know this thing is useful to them, but don¡¯t know what it¡¯s called. But Xue Yuan directly named this thing¡­ Chuzheng lowered her gaze, meeting Xue Yuan¡¯s eyes. Little Fox¡¯s eyes were bright, with fiery red pupils like gems, embedded in his eye sockets, lively and clear. ¡°You know what this is?¡± ¡°Hmph, of course I know,¡± Xue Yuan proudly puffed up his little chest, ¡°I am a Fierce Beast, I have been around since the Prehistoric Era, there¡¯s nothing I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Then you know Wan Zhu is dead?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï Little Fox glared at Chuzheng, this shameless human, clearly picking a fight with him. Chuzheng looked innocent. Didn¡¯t you say you know everything? Why are you glaring at me? ¡°If you mention Wan Zhu to me again, I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll what?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t really do anything to her in his current state, Little Fox gritted his teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll bite you.¡± After saying that, Little Fox bared his teeth. He displayed a fierce little expression. ¡­ He really looked like a Fierce Beast. ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng stroked his head, ¡°You¡¯re so powerful.¡± The Good Person Card must be complimented. Should I clap too? ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan felt an invisible humiliation, deeply aggrieved. A fox falls to the plain and is bullied by others! He, a magnificent Fierce Beast. Had actually fallen to this extent. He was so angry! ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject, you haven¡¯t answered my question. The Immortal Spirit Leaf has long been extinct, where did you get it?¡± The Immortal Spirit Leaf was a product of the Prehistoric Era. It grew in places where Spiritual Energy was most abundant. Each leaf contained Spiritual Energy. Due to its scarcity, even in the Prehistoric Era, it was extremely precious. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Who is the one changing the subject? But this crappy leaf, it¡¯s extinct? Where did Bastard get it from? Unable to explain, Chuzheng righteously declared, ¡°I just have it.¡± What can you do about it? ¡°¡­¡± Little Fox could bend or stretch, ¡°Do you have more?¡± Immortal Spirit Leaf would allow him to recover faster. Who cares where it came from, as long as it¡¯s useful. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Give me.¡± Little Fox looked at Chuzheng. Chuzheng sized him up, ¡°I can give it to you, but you have to promise me one condition.¡± Little Fox crossed his little paws in front of his chest, on guard, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you this, I don¡¯t sell my body! I¡¯m a Fierce Beast with status!¡± You¡¯re a Fierce Beast with status. I¡¯m an Immortal with status, too. Chuzheng: ¡°You have to listen to me from now on.¡± Listen to her¡­ How is that any different from selling oneself? But¡­ To recover on his own would take who knows how many years. Little Fox gritted his teeth, bargaining, ¡°I have the right to refuse any unreasonable demands you make!¡± Chuzheng was silent for a few seconds. Little Fox squinted his fox eyes, watching her. He thought she would say something like ¡®not possible¡¯, but instead, she seriously asked him, ¡°What¡¯s reasonable and what¡¯s unreasonable?¡± What¡¯s reasonable or not varies from person to person. ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan hadn¡¯t expected Chuzheng to ask so earnestly; he was unprepared. After pondering for a moment, Xue Yuan said huffily, ¡°In any case¡­ you can¡¯t make me do things I don¡¯t like!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°Like what?¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°Don¡¯t touch my tail.¡± Chuzheng calmly reminded, ¡°This is my doing, not yours.¡± Why can¡¯t I touch it. Aren¡¯t you my Good Person Card? If not touching the Good Person Card, whose should I touch!! Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± That seems to make sense¡­ Xue Yuan tried to use another analogy, but after finishing it, he realized he still hadn¡¯t freed his tail, which was incredibly frustrating. Chuzheng gave him an Immortal Spirit Leaf, which she didn¡¯t have much of herself¡ªit was from the two tasks that Bastard had issued. Xue Yuan held the Immortal Spirit Leaf, munching on grass with extreme pleasure. Hen Sheng had seen them both a long time ago, but it wasn¡¯t until now that Chuzheng and Xue Yuan had stood there for so long that he came over. Instinctually fearful of Xue Yuan, Hen Sheng couldn¡¯t help but tremble as he spoke: ¡°My¡­ my lord.¡± What happened in that mountain just now? The mountain has collapsed¡­ ¡°Why are you still here?¡± Asked Chuzheng, somewhat surprised. ¡°I¡­ I haven¡¯t taken you as my mentor yet,¡± Hen Sheng said bravely, avoiding looking at Xue Yuan. The youth with ram horns was inexplicably cute. ¡°I won¡¯t take you as a disciple,¡± Chuzheng refused coldly: ¡°Stop following me.¡± ¡°My¡­ my lord.¡± Little Fox squinted, sizing him up with ill intent: ¡°Though there¡¯s not much meat, he looks tasty. Why not let me eat him?¡± Hen Sheng¡¯s legs went weak with fear, and it took him a while to steady himself, revealing the little tail behind his back. This was also the reason for Xue Yuan¡¯s injuries at the time. The aura on his body was relatively calm; otherwise, Hen Sheng would have been scared back into his original form by now. Chuzheng, serious-faced: ¡°Eating grass is healthy.¡± Little Fox glared at Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± He is a Fierce Beast! What is a Fierce Beast doing eating grass. Chuzheng refused to let Hen Sheng follow her, and using her strength, she quickly shook him off. Little Fox used Chuzheng as a mount, quite rudely commanding her: ¡°Go where there are more people!¡± Chuzheng glanced at him, paying no mind. Xue Yuan scratched her with his paw: ¡°Did you hear the sovereign speak? Go to where there are more people!¡± ¡°What for?¡± ¡°To eat,¡± Xue Yuan said matter-of-factly: ¡°I am a Fierce Beast; eating humans is what I¡¯m supposed to do!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll eat vegetarian from now on.¡± Eating humans and such¡­too cruel. Too much trouble being chased all over by people. Not good. Vegetarian is safer. Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± You¡¯re making a Fierce Beast go vegetarian? What do you take a Fierce Beast for! No matter how infuriated Xue Yuan was, Chuzheng remained unmoved. Let the storm rage on, I stand tall like a mountain. Xue Yuan, the Fierce Beast: ¡°¡­¡± Wait, wait until I recover, then I¡¯ll settle the score with this shameless human! I¡¯ll remember this! ¨C Nightfall. Little Fox was being held by Chuzheng, who stroked his fur while he grimly nibbled on the Immortal Spirit Leaf. Even if this thing was useful to him, it was still unbearably nasty. It was tasteless, not to mention slightly bitter¡­ How did he, a majestic Fierce Beast, get reduced to such a state? It wasn¡¯t his fault. It was all because of this stinking shameless human. Daring to treat him this way¡­ Little Fox¡¯s gaze drifted to Chuzheng¡¯s wrist, he bared his fangs and bit down. His teeth pierced the skin, and the taste of fresh blood made Little Fox blissfully squint his eyes, greedily sucking away. Chuzheng merely looked down at him, not stopping his actions. Little Fox was much more measured this time. After a while, he retracted his fangs and licked the wound with his tongue. The bleeding wound was promptly staunched. Little Fox turned a few circles in Chuzheng¡¯s arms, then found a comfortable position to lie down. Fed and watered¡­ it was time to sleep. Little Fox lay obediently in her arms, not looking like a Fierce Beast at all. Chuzheng comfortably held him, her mind wandering as she gazed into the void. Chapter 408 - Chapter 408: Chapter 408 Supreme Immortal Path (11) Chapter 408: Chapter 408 Supreme Immortal Path (11) A certain forested mountain. Xi Lan¡¯s complexion was pale as she nestled in Qing Xiao¡¯s embrace, while the others stood around them, each with a solemn expression. ¡°Why would Superior God Chuzheng help that fierce beast?¡± Unable to endure the silence, someone suddenly bellowed in anger. To think that, as a being from the Divine Realm, one would actually side with a fierce beast, consorting with it! ¡°Will you speak up?¡± ¡°Say what?¡± an impatient immortal said. What could they say? Who knew why Superior God Chuzheng had suddenly decided to side with the fierce beast. ¡°The Black Fox has already emerged; everyone should think about how to deal with this matter instead.¡± ¡°If he could come out, isn¡¯t it because of Superior God Chuzheng? I always felt that the seal was broken too quickly. If someone was aiding from the outside, then everything could be explained.¡± Xi Lan¡¯s gaze darkened slightly. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã? She buried her face in Qing Xiao¡¯s chest and refused to look at anyone. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Qing Xiao asked with concern. ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Xi Lan weakly shook her head. She needed to figure out a way to separate from them quickly. The Black Fox had just broken through the seal; its power should be weakened¡­ The discussing group quickly came up with a plan. A party spread out to search for the Black Fox; if they found any trace, they would not act rashly but notify the rest. Another group was dispatched to the Divine Realm for reinforcements. Qing Xiao asked Xi Lan to return to the Divine Realm. Xi Lan agreed, but midway, she parted ways with the others. She had to find the Black Fox before them. Rustle rustle rustle¡­ The bushes shook, and Xi Lan looked over to see a youth emerging from them. Upon seeing someone, he froze, then immediately turned to run. However, he hadn¡¯t taken two steps before his body suddenly became immobile, and then uncontrollably, he started moving backward. Someone grasped his neck, and he saw the woman¡¯s face, gentle as water. ¡°Little guy, why are you running from me?¡± the woman¡¯s voice was also gentle¡ªif not for the fact that she was choking him, he wouldn¡¯t feel this woman was dangerous at all. Hen Sheng¡¯s complexion grew increasingly terrible. ¡°Tell big sister, where is that woman you were following just now?¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Hen Sheng said with difficulty. ¡°Hmm?¡± Xi Lan¡¯s grip tightened: ¡°How could you not know? Weren¡¯t you following her?¡± ¡°I¡­ really¡­ don¡¯t know¡­¡± Hen Sheng¡¯s breathing was labored as he gazed in horror at the gently smiling woman before him. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell, big sister might get angry,¡± she said. Xi Lan¡¯s expression slowly darkened. Hen Sheng shook his head. He didn¡¯t know. He really didn¡¯t know. As Xi Lan observed Hen Sheng, not seeming to lie, her beautiful eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flashing in them: ¡°Does she have a Black Fox with her?¡± Tears appeared in Hen Sheng¡¯s eyes. Still, he kept shaking his head. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything?¡± Xi Lan suddenly scoffed: ¡°Useless.¡± Xi Lan threw him to the ground. A sword suddenly appeared in her hand, and she thrust it into his chest. The youth¡¯s body instantly reverted to its original form. Xi Lan, apparently certain Hen Sheng wouldn¡¯t survive, didn¡¯t even consider delivering a second blow and immediately disappeared. Hen Sheng lay on the ground, his dark eyes fixated on a spot as his life force swiftly ebbed away. Was he going to die? ¡°Baaah¡­¡± A faint cry drew back Hen Sheng¡¯s dissipating consciousness. Something was pushed into his mouth. Spiritual Energy continuously flowed into his body, stemming the relentless loss of his life force. ¨C ¡°Fate works in mysterious ways; to not eat would be an offense to myself,¡± a familiar voice rose by Hen Sheng¡¯s ear, and before he could open his eyes, the first thing he felt was a terrifying presence. With a start, his eyes snapped open. He was met with a pair of fiery red pupils. The black fox stood on his chest, mouth wide open, revealing its sharp fangs¡­ ¡°Ah!¡± Hen Sheng screamed in fright. Then someone picked up Black Fox, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, you¡¯re not allowed to eat this stuff.¡± Black Fox protested, ¡°Are you trying to starve me or what! You treacherous human, I knew you meant no good, you¡¯re so malicious!¡± Malicious? The Good Person Card called me malicious! Look what I¡¯ve spoiled you into! So Chuzheng, now ¡®Malicious,¡¯ spoke in a cool tone, ¡°You won¡¯t die if you don¡¯t eat.¡± Black Fox grinded his teeth, ¡°I¡¯m hungry!¡± ¡°Just endure it.¡± You won¡¯t die anyway, what¡¯s all the fuss about. Chuzheng stuffed an Immortal Spirit Leaf into his mouth, ¡°Eat some grass.¡± Black Fox was bitterly trying to spit it out. Making him eat grass every day! Eating grass, eating grass, eating grass! He was about to turn green! Before he could spit it out completely, he thought better of it; he had to recover quickly. Only then could he teach this shameless human a good lesson. So Black Fox, fuming, chewed the Immortal Spirit Leaf as if it were Chuzheng. Hen Sheng found his little brother also by his side, the whole sheep was circled into a ball, shivering in terror. He quickly hugged his little brother tight. Watching Chuzheng with lingering fear¡­ holding Black Fox in her arms. Little Fox was angry, chewing with extra force, eyes fierce. Hen Sheng felt as though he was chewing on his own bones, shivering along with his little brother. [Main quest: Please spend twenty Immortal Spirit Leaves within two hours.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± In the wilderness! Where do you expect me to spend it? Chuzheng glanced towards Hen Sheng, holding the little lamb. However, Chuzheng overestimated Hen Sheng; he had nothing on him. ¡°M¡­ Master,¡± Hen Sheng swallowed hard, fear and terror hidden in his eyes, ¡°I¡­ I ran into¡­ someone before, seemed to be looking for you and this¡­ Lord Black Fox¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t tell her, I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Hen Sheng added hastily. The people from Divine Realm? It was normal for them to look for her since she took this Little Fox with her. Chuzheng asked him, ¡°What did she look like?¡± Hen Sheng: ¡°It was¡­ the woman we met outside Wanwu Inn last time.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°Xi Lan.¡± Hen Sheng thought for a moment, outside Wanwu Inn, that man seemed to call her Xi Lan. That damn Xi Lan is after me, definitely for Little Fox. She¡¯s coveting my Good Person Card. Must be taken care of! Absolutely must be taken care of! Chuzheng glanced at his body, ¡°Did he cause your wounds?¡± Hen Sheng nodded, lifting his head, ¡°Did you save me, Master?¡± ¡°No.¡± Chuzheng denied it. Indeed, it hadn¡¯t been her. Before Hen Sheng came around, she had just arrived here. Little Fox had rushed over to start eating, and she had¡­ just managed to stop him. Hen Sheng felt disappointed; wasn¡¯t it Master who saved him? He looked at the little brother shivering in his arms. That cry he faintly heard wasn¡¯t his imagination. ¡°Do you know where there is a Demon Sprite nearby?¡± In the wilderness, Chuzheng couldn¡¯t just throw money at a tree, she had to find a Demon Sprite. ¡°A demon?¡± Hen Sheng instinctively looked towards Xue Yuan. Is¡­ is it Master, want to find food for Lord Black Fox? Chuzheng nodded seriously, ¡°Do you know or not?¡± Xue Yuan, licking her little paws, noticed Hen Sheng¡¯s gaze, turned her fiery red eyes over, and snorted coldly with disdain. Hen Sheng lowered his head in panic. ¡°I¡­ know,¡± Hen Sheng stammered, ¡°There¡¯s a Great Demon near here.¡± ¡°Take me there,¡± Chuzheng motioned with her hand. Chapter 409 - Chapter 409: Chapter 409 Supreme Immortal Path (12) Chapter 409: Chapter 409 Supreme Immortal Path (12) Previously, Hen Sheng mentioned Ten-Miles Eight Mountains, which is actually a place name. The name is Ten-Miles Eight Mountains. Living atop Ten-Miles Eight Mountains was a Tiger Demon, who claimed the mountain as his kingdom and had many minions under his command. No demon sprites in the vicinity dared to oppose him. At this moment, the Tiger King was comfortably lying on his exclusive throne, basking in the sun. At his side were little demons massaging his shoulders and back. On another stone chair not far away, a Wolf Demon sat. ¡°Your Highness, Tiger King, we come with sincere intentions. You must have seen the recent changes deep in the mountains. That power suggests something formidable has emerged,¡± said the Wolf Demon, his expression unworried. ¡°Tiger King, you might not know about the frequent appearances of people from the Divine Realm recently, do you?¡± ¡°Divine Realm?¡± The Tiger King finally reacted. ¡°What are they doing?¡± ¡°What else could they be doing? It must be related to the thing that appeared before,¡± the Wolf Demon said. ¡°Right now, we don¡¯t know where that thing is. Considering the Divine Realm¡¯s past actions, they see us demons as thorns in their side. If necessary, they would rather wrongfully kill a thousand than let one slip by.¡± The Tiger King¡¯s face darkened. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.?¦Ï Knowing he had hit a nerve with the Tiger King, the Wolf Demon didn¡¯t continue and waited for him to ponder. After a moment, the Tiger King spoke up, ¡°Making an alliance isn¡¯t out of the question¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty! Your Majesty, someone¡¯s come up the mountain,¡± a little demon sprite hurriedly interjected. She kept babbling, interrupting him. ¡°A human?¡± the Tiger King was unconcerned. ¡°Capture them. Tonight, we feast.¡± ¡°Your Majesty,¡± the little demon sprite wiped her sweat. ¡°We can¡¯t defeat her.¡± The Tiger King abruptly sat up, startling the little demons that were massaging him. The Wolf Demon also glanced over. ¡°Can¡¯t defeat her?¡± the Tiger King¡¯s voice boomed. ¡°A cultivator?¡± ¡°No¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem like it,¡± the little demon sprite shook her head. They had seen many cultivators while following the Tiger King. The aura of those people was easy to distinguish. But the one who had come up the mountain now¡­ Well, how to say it¡­ she was powerful, yet it was completely unclear where her power came from. ¡°Let¡¯s have a look!¡± commanded the Tiger King. He had just leaped from his throne when suddenly, a demon sprite came flying from the distance and crashed at the Tiger King¡¯s feet. The Tiger King looked over and, through the rugged rocks, saw a slender figure slowly approaching. As the sun slowly set, her shadow stretched long and thin. The Tiger King¡¯s thick brows rose as he peered at the young girl approaching. In her arms, she held a pure black Little Fox. Right now, the Little Fox¡¯s head was buried, its furry ears drooping slightly as if asleep. A black¡­ fox? The Tiger King considered himself well-informed, but he¡¯d never seen a black fox before. Not sensing any danger from the Little Fox, the Tiger King turned his gaze to Chuzheng. The face of the young girl, unadorned with makeup, was pure and beautiful, like the finest suet-white jade, the last vestiges of sunlight casting a glow upon her. The Tiger King had never seen such a beautiful person. ¡°Who are you¡­¡± ¡°Do you have something for sale here?¡± Chuzheng interjected before the Tiger King could finish. Her voice was clear and cold, like a quiet, chill mountain pond suddenly stirred, creating ripples. The Tiger King looked at Chuzheng curiously. The young girl stood elegantly and indifferently atop a raised rock, her eyes cold and distant as she watched him, showing no hint of fear¡­ or rather, there was no emotion to be seen in her eyes at all. On Ten-Miles Eight Mountains, there were only demon sprites; what could possibly be for sale? And demons¡­ never conducted trade. With several thoughts racing through his mind, the Tiger King asked, ¡°What are you looking to buy?¡± With the girl¡¯s origins unknown and her strength unfathomable, it was best to play it safe. ¡°What do you have?¡± The Tiger King: ¡°The only things here are demons.¡± ¡°Eat!¡± The Little Fox suddenly looked up, its fiery eyes fixed on the Tiger King, showing a touch of craving. ¡°Tasty.¡± ¡°` This one looks stronger than that little lamb. It must taste delicious. Chuzheng pushed him back down. The Little Fox only looked up for an instant, but the Tiger King still saw his eyes and inexplicably shuddered, a chill running through his heart. ¡°Why won¡¯t you let me eat, he is full of slaughter, and I can¡¯t eat such a demon?¡± Snow¡¤Fierce Beast¡¤Yuan roared angrily, muffled a bit because Chuzheng was pressing down on him. ¡°You are going too far!¡± ¡°Eating him would be accumulating virtue!¡± ¡°Let me go! I will devour him!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± My family hasn¡¯t even been defeated yet, and you want to eat what? Tiger King: ¡°¡­¡± To think that after so many years of being the mountain overlord, someone wants to eat me today. Chuzheng hugged the Little Fox tightly, and his voice immediately turned into a muffled hum. ¡°Who on earth are you?¡± the Tiger King asked, eying Chuzheng warily. ¡°Tiger King,¡± the Wolf Demon who had been observing from behind suddenly stepped forward, ¡°I know her.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The Tiger King looked skeptically at the Wolf Demon. ¡°A few days ago, did you not injure a demon at Wanwu Inn?¡± the Wolf Demon¡¯s fierce eyes swept towards Chuzheng. ¡°No.¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t even think before refuting directly. The Wolf Demon snorted coldly: ¡°You hurt our Young Master and you dare deny it?¡± This attire was exactly the same as what their Young Master had described when he returned. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was serious: ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense without proof.¡± ¡°Hmph, you have the guts to hurt our Young Master but not the courage to admit it? You only have this little ability, and today I will get justice for our Young Master.¡± The Wolf Demon leapt down. Chuzheng: ¡°!!!¡± Let¡¯s be reasonable! Who is your Young Master? Do I know him? When did I ever hit your Young Master?! The Wolf Demon didn¡¯t forget to apologize to the Tiger King: ¡°Tiger King, she hurt my Young Master first. I must get justice for the Young Master, so please forgive me.¡± The Tiger King couldn¡¯t wish for anything more than someone testing Chuzheng first. Of course, he would not stop it now. The Wolf Demon¡¯s claws came out like an illusion, sharp as a blade, grabbing towards Chuzheng. The Wolf Demon looked at Chuzheng with eyes filled with malice, as if he really wanted me to pay for his family¡¯s ¡°[Miss, your points are about to double, oh~]¡± King¡¯s Account cheerfully reminded Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Who wants to double?! Why do you have to bully me, this poor little thing?! Chuzheng, with a cold face, dodged the Wolf Demon¡¯s attack, stepping on stones and gracefully leaping up to the Tiger King¡¯s platform. The Tiger King rapidly retreated a few steps. Chuzeng fumbled in her sleeve. The Tiger King raised his hand, and many fierce-looking demons emerged around, all staring menacingly at Chuzheng. Chuzheng peeled off the Little Fox¡¯s head, and the Tiger King, thinking she was about to unleash a big move, had a fierce expression and acted preemptively to strike. Green leaves hit the Tiger King right in the face as he charged over. The Tiger King first saw a flash of green. Thinking it was some magic artifact, he instinctively dodged to the side. Upon closer inspection, he realized the young girl was only holding a few leaves. ¡°¡­¡± The Tiger King felt deeply humiliated. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Beat him, and all this will be yours,¡± Chuzheng interrupted him with an imposing air. ¡°What kind of joke is this!¡± the King raged: ¡°A few broken leaves and you dare command me?¡± ¡°` Chapter 410 - Chapter 410: Chapter 410 Supreme Immortal Path (13) Chapter 410: Chapter 410 Supreme Immortal Path (13) Chuzheng raised her hand, and a leaf flew towards the Tiger King. ¡°A sincere suggestion,¡± she said, ¡°Try it.¡± The Immortal Spirit Leaf leisurely floated over. It looked completely harmless. Chuzheng¡¯s expression was serious and earnest, compelling the Tiger King¡­ he couldn¡¯t help but reach out to catch the leaf. The Tiger King¡¯s suspicious and wary eyes suddenly changed, looking at Chuzheng with astonishment. Meanwhile, the ignored Wolf Demon also took this opportunity to rush up. ¨C ¡°Tiger King, have you lost your mind? She¡¯s no good, and you¡¯re actually helping her against me!¡± The Wolf Demon, pinned to the ground, roared angrily at the Tiger King. Chuzheng, standing to the side stroking the Little Fox, looked indifferent throughout. ¡°Men die for wealth, as birds die for food,¡± the Tiger King said pretentiously. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï What Chuzheng gave him was much more substantial than what the Wolf King had offered. ¡°You¡­¡± The Wolf Demon didn¡¯t know what Chuzheng had given the Tiger King that made him turn against him directly, and he warned menacingly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared of the Wolf King¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha,¡± the Tiger King laughed loudly, giving the Wolf Demon a look as if he were an idiot, ¡°How would the Wolf King know that you¡¯ve encountered trouble here in my territory?¡± After a pause, the Tiger King added, ¡°Moreover, the Wolf King won¡¯t notice you¡¯re missing.¡± The Wolf Demon¡¯s face changed instantly. ¡°What¡­ what are you planning to do?¡± The Wolf King won¡¯t notice his disappearance¡­ But the Tiger King won¡¯t let him return. So¡­ Is he planning to find another demon to impersonate him? The Tiger King ordered the Demon Sprites to take the Wolf Demon away. He then turned to Chuzheng, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, young lady, what you wanted to buy from me just now?¡± ¡°I no longer¡­¡± Chuzheng was about to say she no longer needed it, when suddenly Bastard popped up. [Main Quest: Please subdue the demons of Ten-Miles Eight Mountains.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What does this have to do with squandering money? What does this have to do with squandering money! Subduing these creatures requires¡­ [Please, miss, no violence. Squander and subdue them! Immortal Spirit Leaf is enough!] King¡¯s Account hastily said, [Cheer up, miss! I¡¯m rooting for you!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m buying none of your bullshit. Where the hell did you scrounge up that Immortal Spirit Leaf?! Did you strip the trees bare?! Chuzheng, fuming, stroked Xue Yuan twice. Xue Yuan looked up and glared at her. The latter was staring intently at the Tiger King, who was acting polite, even a bit ingratiating. Xue Yuan licked his lips, his gaze ominous, craving¡­ Chuzheng didn¡¯t notice Xue Yuan¡¯s gaze; she was preoccupied with the thought that she might be slapped dead by the Tiger King. Can squandering really achieve this? This is like seizing someone¡¯s territory. Isn¡¯t it just like digging up someone¡¯s ancestral grave? Could the Tiger King agree? Bastard is definitely headed for a crash! I need to teach Bastard that having money isn¡¯t everything! With this thought, Chuzheng waved her hand assertively and made her demand, ¡°I want Ten-Miles Eight Mountains.¡± Yeah! You¡¯ve got to have the presence! ¡°???¡± The Tiger King was flabbergasted. The Tiger King was only dumbfounded for a moment, then he quickly said, ¡°No problem, Ten-Miles Eight Mountains will be yours from now on, order my minions to move out.¡± The last sentence was an order to the Little Demons nearby. He spoke as casually as if moving house were as simple as eating people. Chuzheng: ¡°??¡± No! This is your home, isn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t you want it anymore? Don¡¯t we have to fight it out or something? Your actions don¡¯t make sense at all!! [Miss, be aware that it¡¯s not just Ten-Miles Eight Mountains, but also these demons!] King¡¯s Account reminded Chuzheng. Oh! This isn¡¯t just about digging up graves¡­ It¡¯s about seizing the territory, and even the grass on top of their tombs. Is the Bastard a devil? [¡­]Who exactly is the devil! The King¡¯s Account fumed and spewed blood. After Chuzheng finished her snide remark, she calmly looked toward the Tiger King, ¡°The demons on the mountain must stay as well.¡± Only then did the expression on the Tiger King¡¯s face change. ¡°Miss, what do you mean by this?¡± Chuzheng hesitated, ¡°¡­I guess I¡¯m going to be your great King.¡± ¡°Miss, although the thing in your hand is¡­to me¡­¡± Chuzheng pulled out a handful of Immortal Spirit Leaves. The Little Fox swiped them with its paws and hugged them to its chest. Is this shameless thing stupid? These Immortal Spirit Leaves will be gone once they¡¯re used up!! They may not taste good, but that¡¯s no reason to just give them away to these demon sprites! What a prodigal child! ¡°Follow me, and these will all be yours,¡± Chuzheng said, disregarding him, and continued, ¡°What do you say?¡± The Tiger King stared at the leaves hugged by the Little Fox that Chuzheng held. He didn¡¯t know what those leaves were, but he could sense the power within them. That power made his cultivation which hadn¡¯t budged for years, actually feel like it was loosening. Who wouldn¡¯t want more treasures. But¡­ For him, the Tiger King, to become someone else¡¯s underling¡­ Chuzheng couldn¡¯t have been happier if the Tiger King refused; she would then have the chance to teach the Bastard a lesson with her fists. However, Chuzheng overestimated the Tiger King, this demon sprite. After pondering for a while, he actually agreed. As long as his power could increase, what did it matter to whom he played the underling. If she really was powerful, he would profit from it later on. If she just accidentally came into possession of these things, then he would trick her into giving them to him, and when the time came¡­ The Tiger King was plotting earnestly in his heart. Chuzheng gave him a cold look. You dog thing, have you no sense of being a demon? How can you submit so easily! Where¡¯s your pride! Your resolve! Your stance! If you don¡¯t maintain a firm stance, how am I to properly teach the Bastard a lesson! Tiger King: ¡°¡­¡± Not that, I¡¯ve already agreed; why does she seem unhappy about it? Chuzheng took the Immortal Spirit Leaves out from under the Little Fox¡¯s paws. ¡°Mine!¡± the Little Fox snarled fiercely. Chuzheng: ¡°Didn¡¯t you say they weren¡¯t tasty?¡± ¡°They¡¯re still mine!¡± Even if they¡¯re not tasty, they¡¯re his! The Little Fox let out a fierce beast¡¯s aura: ¡°Once something reaches my paws, there¡¯s no reason for it to be taken away!¡± Does he have no shame at all? Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng gave up on those Immortal Spirit Leaves and took out some more. The Little Fox was dumbfounded. How many does she have exactly? In the Prehistoric Era, he had never once seen so many Immortal Spirit Leaves at a time! Do you think that Immortal Spirit Leaves grow like normal leaves, all over the tree? An Immortal Spirit Leaf tree, at best, wouldn¡¯t have more than nine leaves; the rest are the good-for-nothing Immortal Spirit Flowers. The Little Fox watched, wide-eyed, as the Immortal Spirit Leaves were pocketed by the Tiger King. He was so angry that he scratched Chuzheng. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chuzheng looked down at him with drooping eyes. ¡°You¡¯re actually going to nurture other demons!¡± The Little Fox was furious: ¡°I won¡¯t allow it!¡± As his mount, how could he fraternize with other little demons? Especially ones so weak they could only be used to pick his teeth!! Xue Yuan completely forgot that he, too, was the weakling at that moment. ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng answered calmly. If you don¡¯t allow it, then you don¡¯t, What¡¯s that to me. The Little Fox glared with eyes like rubies, looking fierce, but his small size made him lack any semblance of menace; in fact, he looked rather cute. Chuzheng couldn¡¯t help but pet him twice. So comfortable. ¡°Behave, stop making trouble.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He¡¯s infuriated! Chapter 411 - Chapter 411: Chapter 411 Supreme Immortal Path (14) Chapter 411: Chapter 411 Supreme Immortal Path (14) ¡°` Chuzheng only found out later that the Tiger King had so easily given up Ten-Miles Eight Mountains because for demons¡ªchanging places was like changing an inn. Demons were not creatures known for their sentimentality. If it hadn¡¯t been for the Tiger King, these demons wouldn¡¯t have gathered in the first place. Chuzheng had the Tiger King distribute the Immortal Spirit Leaf. The demon sprites were puzzled; they couldn¡¯t understand why the Tiger King was listening to Chuzheng, a human. But they were all afraid of the Tiger King. So naturally, no one dared to say more. They just obediently took the Immortal Spirit Leaf. After they received the Immortal Spirit Leaf, the way these demon sprites looked at Chuzheng changed. The Little Fox would sharpen his claws nonchalantly, eerily watching the demons. Every time he seemed about to attack, Chuzheng would stuff a handful of grass in his mouth. The Tiger King watched with a pang of heartache. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï The Immortal Spirit Leaves that Chuzheng had given were not few, and the demons of Ten-Miles Eight Mountains had, in a short period, generally seen improvements in their magical cultivation. It was much faster than their own cultivation. Moreover, after absorbing the Immortal Spirit Leaf, they felt that their own cultivation became much quicker too. ¡°King¡­¡± A Little Demon sprite flew over, locking eyes with the Tiger King before quickly correcting itself, ¡°Tiger King, the Wolf King has brought his followers to the foothill, and they¡¯re coming in aggressively.¡± The Tiger King frowned. He hadn¡¯t even dealt with that Wolf Demon yet, so why had the Wolf King come all of a sudden? ¡°Let¡¯s go down and see.¡± The Tiger King led his underlings down to meet the Wolf King. The Wolf King was slightly smaller than the Tiger King in stature, but his presence was not less imposing in any way. The Wolf King lived right next to Ten-Miles Eight Mountains. There¡¯s a saying that goes, a mountain cannot accommodate two tigers. The Tiger King and the Wolf King usually did not get along. They fought every other day. ¡°Wolf King, what are you here for?¡± The Tiger King stood on the mountain, looking down at the people below. Carrying his Wolf Fang Saber, the Wolf King announced, ¡°I¡¯ve heard a young girl has come to your Ten-Miles Eight Mountains?¡± The Wolf King¡¯s voice echoed through the mountains; some of the Little Demons couldn¡¯t bear it and lowered their heads in fear. ¡°¡­What do you want?¡± ¡°That human injured my son, hand her over!¡± the Wolf King roared roughly. The Tiger King: ¡°¡­¡± He had thought that news of the Wolf Demon had leaked, giving him a scare. ¡°Where is she!¡± Seeing that the Tiger King didn¡¯t respond, the Wolf King roared again, waving his Wolf Fang Saber. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, that human hurt my child. If you don¡¯t hand her over today, don¡¯t blame me for turning hostile,¡± the Wolf King threatened. ¡°You still have a face?¡± the Tiger King retorted. ¡°Tiger King, I really want to make peace with you, so don¡¯t start trouble!¡± the Wolf King¡¯s gaze sharpened: ¡°That human is nothing to you, there¡¯s no need for you to protect her.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know shit,¡± the Tiger King cursed, ¡°You come roaring on my Ten-Miles Eight Mountains, bringing all these demons, what do you intend to do?¡± The Wolf King threatened, ¡°If you don¡¯t hand her over, don¡¯t blame me for being rude.¡± The Tiger King¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°We¡¯ve always been evenly matched in our fights¡­¡± The Wolf King continued the sentence, ¡°So there¡¯s no need to end up both battered. You also know about the recent events; I don¡¯t want things to become too strained between us.¡± Something had emerged in the mountains. Thinking about that oppressive force even now left him feeling uneasy. People from the Divine Realm were also roaming around in the mountains¡­ The Tiger King continued his previous thought, ¡°But now, things are different.¡± I¡¯m no longer who I used to be. The Wolf King: ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s different? You think you can beat me now? ¡°Underlings!¡± The Tiger King bellowed. ¡°Charge!!¡± A large group of Little Demon sprites surged down the mountain. The scene became chaotic in an instant. ¨C Chuzheng sat on the mountaintop, watching the chaos unfold below with a detached expression. The Little Fox was energetically munching on grass. ¡°Did you know someone was going to come cause you trouble?¡± he suddenly lifted his head to ask. Otherwise, why out of the blue, would you subdue the Tiger King? No, that¡¯s not right. That wasn¡¯t subduing. That was buying allegiance. ¡°` The mighty Tiger King is without a backbone! Without knowing it, the Tiger King had been branded with ¡°without a backbone¡±. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± The Little Fox snorted coldly, not expressing an opinion, and continued to nibble on his grass. Cunning and deceitful humans! The Little Fox¡¯s ears suddenly twitched. He chewed on an Immortal Spirit Leaf, looking in a certain direction. Chuzheng seemed to have also noticed something. The bushes were parted, and Xi Lan¡¯s figure gradually became clear. ¡°Chuzheng,¡± Xi Lan greeted, as though she was an old friend not seen for many years, genuinely lifting a smile. Chuzheng glanced downward with the corner of her eye, then turned to look at the gently smiling Xi Lan. Was today¡¯s drama directed by the Little Beauty before her? Xi Lan¡¯s gaze fell on the Little Fox, and excitement couldn¡¯t help but surge in her beautiful eyes. This was Black Fox Xue Yuan. ¡°Give it to me,¡± Xi Lan didn¡¯t bother with small talk and got straight to the point, ¡°Chuzheng, can you give me that fox?¡± Her voice was still warm and gentle. As if there was an incredibly close friendship between them. ¡°Why should I?¡± Chuzheng had an indifferent face. Just because you¡¯re good-looking, doesn¡¯t mean you can fight me for the Good Person Card! ¡°He¡¯s of no use to you,¡± Xi Lan said. ¡°Not only that, but he will also bring disaster upon you.¡± Absurd nonsense! The Good Person Card is of no use to me, does it serve you any purpose?! ¡°What use is he to you?¡± The girl holding Black Fox spoke with cold brows. Xi Lan did not like Chuzheng like this. She didn¡¯t know what happened¡­ But suddenly she became like this. However, Xi Lan didn¡¯t have time to concern herself with these matters. What she wanted most now was the Xue Yuan that Chuzheng was holding. Meanwhile, the Little Fox looked disdainful: ¡°Who are you to deserve me?¡± Xi Lan immediately responded, ¡°I can restore you.¡± Xue Yuan¡¯s fox eyes narrowed. Restore¡­ Xue Yuan naturally wanted to regain his strength so that he could trample the human who touched his tail, the shameless human, underfoot, showing these foolish humans the power of a fierce beast. However, Xue Yuan did not trust the woman smiling gently in front of him. He even disliked her¡­ In his heart, he¡¯d rather stay with Chuzheng. Xi Lan had more to say, but because Chuzheng was present, she eventually held back. ¡°I really can restore you,¡± Xi Lan could only emphasize. ¡°As long as you come with me, you can be restored.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone was cold as ice: ¡°Do you think I¡¯m dead?¡± Trying to poach right in front of me. Just because you¡¯re good-looking, doesn¡¯t mean you can do that! Have you asked for my opinion?! Despicable creature! She gripped the Little Fox¡¯s neck, threatening in a low voice, ¡°If you dare go with her, I¡¯ll break your legs.¡± The Little Fox, being choked, was furiously vocal. ¡°Did I say I was going to go? You think you can break my legs? Do you really believe I can¡¯t handle you?!¡± When I, the venerable one, get fierce, even I am afraid of myself! ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Chuzheng changed to caressing, ¡°Behave, and you¡¯ll have whatever you want.¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± It would be better if she choked him. ¡°I want to eat demons!¡± ¡°Eat grass,¡± Chuzheng stuffed an Immortal Spirit Leaf into his mouth. Xue Yuan spat it out with disgust, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I could have anything?¡± Chuzheng calmly said, ¡°You¡¯re not being good.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 412 - Chapter 412: Chapter 412 Supreme Immortal Path (15) Chapter 412: Chapter 412 Supreme Immortal Path (15) Chuzheng spoke to Little Fox, completely ignoring Xi Lan. Xi Lan clenched her fist, holding back her anger, ¡°Chuzheng, I don¡¯t want to be your enemy.¡± Xi Lan¡¯s face showed difficulty, as if to say, ¡®I¡¯m doing this for your own good, don¡¯t force me.¡¯ Chuzheng said coldly, ¡°Then leave.¡± You don¡¯t want to make an enemy of me, yet you show up before me, are you asking for death? ¡°¡­¡± Xi Lan was at a loss for words, her fingernails digging fiercely into her palm, smiling, ¡°Chuzheng, don¡¯t push me.¡± ¡°And what if I push you.¡± Come at me! So scared of you! Xi Lan was determined to get Xue Yuan. She raised her hand and snapped her fingers in the air. From the bushes behind, rustling sounds emerged. Shortly after, two individuals walked out. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? These two were dressed like cultivators and walked out of the bushes in uniform steps. But their eyes were lifeless as if they were controlled puppets. The two of them, without needing Xi Lan¡¯s command, charged directly at Chuzheng. Both were cultivators, possessing spells. Chuzheng, after all, was a Supreme God, mightier than them in magical power. However, these two seemed oblivious to pain. No matter where they were hurt, they would get up immediately and rush at her fearlessly and relentlessly. ¡°They will not stop until they¡¯re dead, you won¡¯t be able to handle them.¡± Xi Lan¡¯s voice rose slowly. ¡°Chuzheng, you¡¯d better hand over Xue Yuan to me, in consideration of the fact that you saved me before, I¡¯ll spare your life.¡± Chuzheng kicked away the person who lunged at her. My life needs your sparing? What a delusional dream this bitch is having! Just because you¡¯re pretty, does it mean even your dreams are beautiful? As Chuzheng complained, she raised her hand, Yin Xian flew out, coiling around one of the men and flung them towards Xi Lan. Xi Lan, noticing something amiss, seemed to want the man to stop. Despite struggling fiercely, it was to no avail. Seeing the situation go awry, Xi Lan swiftly dodged. Bang¡ª The man hit the spot where Xi Lan had just been standing. He still didn¡¯t know pain and shakily attempted to stand up. Before he could steady himself, he was sent flying again. The other person seized the opportunity to pounce on Chuzheng, but she kicked him away, and Yin Xian simultaneously coiled around this person too. Both men were hurled towards Xi Lan. Xi Lan realized the two were not heeding her commands and a sense of unease surged within her. She wanted to avoid the two men, but suddenly she felt a chilling sensation at her ankles, and then her entire body was as though fixed in place. She glanced quickly at her ankle. There was nothing there. She tried hard to move her feet. But the reality was that she didn¡¯t move an inch. The coolness at her ankle instantly shot up her spine, and she broke out into a cold sweat. As the two men crashed down, Xi Lan was sent flying. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Xi Lan screamed. ¡°Xi Lan!¡± Someone flew out of the bushes, catching the falling Xi Lan. ¡°Xi Lan, Xi Lan, are you all right?¡± Qing Xiao held Xi Lan, full of concern. A dread filled Xi Lan¡¯s heart. How could Qing Xiao be here? Her mind raced, her complexion turned pale in an instant, as if terrified. ¡°My lord¡­¡± Xi Lan stammered, ¡°Superior God Chuzheng¡­ for some reason, ordered people to attack me.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Hey! These are your people! Just because you¡¯re beautiful, you can¡¯t just shift the blame! Chuzheng had intended to simply dispose of the two people, but suddenly she withdrew her power, causing them to collide with the ground. ¡°Chuzheng!¡± Qing Xiao was furious upon hearing and questioned Chuzheng, ¡°Why did you order someone to hurt Xi Lan? Xi Lan has been so good to you, what are you still dissatisfied with? Do you have a heart of a viper?!¡± ¡°They were her people,¡± Chuzheng replied indifferently. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± ¡°I saw them attacking Xi Lan, and you still deny it!¡± Qing Xiao had the attitude ¡®whatever you say, I won¡¯t believe you, you¡¯ve bullied my Xi Lan.¡¯ Xi Lan feigned a cough, her complexion so unsightly it was as if she might perish on the spot. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Just a moment ago you were glowing with health, cheeks flushed, now you¡¯re suddenly on death¡¯s door, how do you even fake that? Rustle rustle rustle¡­ One after another, people emerged from the bushes, all from the Divine Realm. Given the Monster Qi soaring to the sky here, they thought something was amiss and rushed over, only to find two groups of monsters, who had eaten their fill with nothing better to do, fighting each other. Then, as if sensing something, Qing Xiao made his way up. They followed suit¡­ ¡°What¡¯s happening with Qing Xiao Immortal?¡± someone asked. Wasn¡¯t Xi Lan supposed to have returned to the Divine Realm? Why is she here? ¡°Why is Immortal Xi Lan here, what happened?¡± ¡°Chuzheng has injured Xi Lan,¡± Qing Xiao announced. ¡°Why?¡± someone was shocked and doubtful. ¡°Aren¡¯t Superior God Chuzheng and Immortal Xi Lan very close?¡± Ever since Xi Lan had awakened, the people of the Divine Realm all knew that she and Chuzheng were in a good relationship. Xi Lan shook her head, looking wronged: ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know, I was just looking for Superior God Chuzheng, and suddenly she just commanded those two people to attack me.¡± The two people Xi Lan was referring to were the ones Chuzheng had pushed onto the ground. Xi Lan certainly could not let the people of the Divine Realm know that these two were her people; otherwise, how would she explain it? So she struck preemptively, pinning the two people onto Chuzheng. Xi Lan¡¯s pitiable look immediately stirred up the men¡¯s protective instincts, ¡°Superior God Chuzheng, what are you intending?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face remained cold and indifferent. I¡¯ve already said it¡¯s not related to me. This isn¡¯t mine! Chuzheng¡¯s hand hidden in her sleeve moved slightly. Suddenly the people on the ground began to stir. The two individuals rose up from the ground, like puppets under control, their joints extremely stiff. As they moved, they made a crackling sound. ¡°What¡¯s happening to them?¡± ¡°It seems like they have no consciousness¡­¡± ¡°Are they being controlled?¡± Someone bellowed in anger, ¡°Superior God Chuzheng, what are you doing!¡± In front of so many of them, could she still be planning to attack them? The two people moved slowly, showing no sign of aggression. Xi Lan, held by Qing Xiao, glanced at the two people from the corner of her eye, feeling a surge of unease rising within her. She desperately tried to make the two people stop. However, they completely ignored her commands. Blood began to flow from their eyes and noses. ¡°Superior God Chuzheng, you¡­¡± The two people halted in front of Xi Lan, their lifeless eyes staring straight at her. They bent one knee, slowly kneeling down. Like knights swearing fealty unto death. Xi Lan: ¡°!!!!!¡± The crowd: ¡°????¡± The crowd had heard from Chuzheng that these two people belonged to Xi Lan¡­ They turned their gaze towards Xi Lan. If they were Chuzheng¡¯s people, why would they kneel to Xi Lan? ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ they¡­¡± Xi Lan was panicked as if truly terrified, ¡°This¡­ my lord, I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re kneeling to me, they were brought by Superior God Chuzheng.¡± Qing Xiao fully trusted Xi Lan, ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°Mine? Do you have any evidence? They¡¯re kneeling to you.¡± Chuzheng felt very innocent. Why target me, Little Cutie like this! Qing Xiao¡¯s face darkened, testifying for Xi Lan: ¡°When I arrived, I saw you directing these two people to attack Xi Lan, could it be that I saw wrong?¡± Chuzheng seamlessly retorted: ¡°You¡¯re blind.¡± Chapter 413 - Chapter 413: Chapter 413 Supreme Immortal Path (16) Chapter 413: Chapter 413 Supreme Immortal Path (16) ¡°¡­¡± Qing Xiao¡¯s face was an iron shade of blue as he stared at Chuzheng, as though trying to bore flowers into her skin with his gaze. What on earth was going on with this Chuzheng? She hadn¡¯t been like this before. ¡°Is that a Ghost Servant?¡± In the crowd, someone suddenly said. Ghost Servant? The atmosphere on the scene became strange because of these two people. ¡°Look at that person¡¯s neck,¡± someone pointed to one of them: ¡°That is a Ghost Servant.¡± Not just one of them, the other person had it too. The patterns on their necks were identical. Ghost Servant was merely a term. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï It first appeared among the Demon Clan. The Demon Clan somehow controlled those in the midst of their spiritual practice and refined them into their own Ghost Servants. Used for combat and information gathering. It is said that high-level Ghost Servants are no different from ordinary people. However, the Demon Clan and the Divine Clan had long made peace, with both clans having nothing to do with each other, a very peaceful coexistence. Why would a Ghost Servant appear here? ¡°This is the Soul Control Technique,¡± Black Fox Xue Yuan suddenly spoke, his tone arrogant and disdainful: ¡°You don¡¯t even recognize this, have you started regressing with age?¡± Xue Yuan¡¯s voice drew everyone¡¯s gaze onto him. A moment ago, the Little Fox was nestled in Chuzheng¡¯s embrace, not lifting its head; from their angle, Chuzheng merely seemed to be holding a dark mass. Now that Xue Yuan lifted his head, his fluffy ears and those fiery-red eyes were revealed. ¡°Black Fox!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± She held the Little Fox tight, warily watching the person opposite her. Don¡¯t even think about coveting my fur¡­ my Good Person Card! It¡¯s mine!! ¡°The Soul Control Technique extracts the soul for manipulation, and identical marks would appear on the body of the master and the puppet being driven. Usually, on the neck for the puppet, and on the wrist for the master, one glance is all it takes to know who¡¯s behind these two people.¡± Xue Yuan was completely unconcerned with the stares from the person opposite him. The Little Fox pushed Chuzheng¡¯s sleeve aside with his paw: ¡°She doesn¡¯t have it on her hands.¡± Her fair wrist was flawless. Chuzheng hadn¡¯t expected the Little Fox to know so much; it was good not having to talk herself. She hadn¡¯t raised him for nothing. Xue Yuan pointed his paw towards Xi Lan: ¡°Her turn now.¡± The crowd had never heard of the Soul Control Technique. All they knew was the Demon Clan¡¯s Ghost Servants¡­ Xi Lan¡¯s complexion was even paler than before. Huddled in Qing Xiao¡¯s embrace, she dared not respond, rapidly searching her mind for a way out. ¡°Scared?¡± Xue Yuan sneered: ¡°To know whom these two people belong to, all you need to do is roll up your sleeve and take a look.¡± Xi Lan pinched the palm of her hand, Xue Yuan was right; if she really brought it out¡­ She had dared to push those two people onto Chuzheng precisely because she thought no one would know about the Soul Control Technique. However, she had forgotten about the Ancient Ferocious Beast from the Prehistoric Era ¡ª Black Fox Xue Yuan. ¡°We¡¯ve never heard of it, so we should just take your word for it?¡± Someone spoke up. ¡°Exactly, aren¡¯t you just making this up? He¡¯s a Fierce Beast; can we really trust what he says?¡± ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t be deceived by a Fierce Beast.¡± Xue Yuan snorted coldly, the youthful voice laced with arrogance: ¡°As an Ancient Ferocious Beast, I need not bother lying to a bunch of old fogeys like you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When it came down to it, as an Ancient Ferocious Beast, the Black Fox¡­ was likely much older than them, no? Calling them old fogeys. What about himself? An Ancient old fogey? ¡°Xi Lan, show them,¡± said Qing Xiao, whose trust in Xi Lan extended from body to soul; he didn¡¯t believe Xi Lan would lie to him. Xi Lan¡¯s gaze dropped, and she bit her lips tightly. ¡°I¡­ My Lord, in front of so many people¡­¡± Xi Lan appeared to be embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s just a wrist, not your chest; what¡¯s there to fear?¡± Chuzheng said icily. The crowd: ¡°¡­¡± Little Fox glanced at Chuzheng, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit too direct?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Xi Lan felt a sense of urgency at the bottom of her heart. Little Fox licked its paw, ¡°If you dare not show us, then these two are yours.¡± Xi Lan: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Xi Lan?¡± Chuzheng suddenly darted forward. By the time Qing Xiao reacted, Chuzheng had already grabbed Xi Lan¡¯s arm. Xi Lan¡¯s pupils dilated as she tried to break free from Chuzheng¡¯s control. Without another word, Chuzheng lifted her sleeve. The same pattern that belonged to the two people was spread across her wrist, exposed under everyone¡¯s eyes. ¡°Nonsense.¡± Babbling on and on without any substantial progress, isn¡¯t this much simpler! Chuzheng coldly threw Xi Lan¡¯s hand away. She darted back to her original spot. The speed was so fast it was as if she had never moved at all. Xi Lan, in a panic, pulled down her sleeve to cover her wrist, a trace of dark hatred flashing in her eyes, but more than that, panic. What should she do now? ¡°Immortal Xi Lan¡­¡± Someone looked at her in shock, ¡°You¡­ what¡¯s going on, you¡­ why do you have a Ghost Servant?¡± They did not know what the Soul Control Technique was. But they were clear about Ghost Servants. That was something only the Demon Clan possessed. Not a single person from the Divine Clan had it. How could Xi Lan have one? Even though the Demon Clan and the Divine Clan had coexisted peacefully for many years, to the Divine Realm, the Demon Clan had always been a hidden threat. Once this matter was tied to the Demon Clan, they had no choice but to take it seriously. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Xi Lan¡¯s eyes were teary as she clutched Qing Xiao¡¯s clothes, ¡°Husband, you believe me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t panic.¡± Qing Xiao soothed Xi Lan. Xi Lan, with tears streaming like rain, said, ¡°I really don¡¯t know what happened, it was¡­ she framed me.¡± Xi Lan suddenly pointed at Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Again me! Why is it always me! You can¡¯t bully me just because I look weak, helpless, and pitiable! Xi Lan continued in a weakened tone, ¡°She suddenly came over and grabbed me, and then this thing appeared on my hand¡­¡± Chuzheng interrupted her, ¡°If you didn¡¯t have it, why didn¡¯t you show it earlier?¡± ¡°In front of so many people, how could I¡­ be so shameless.¡± Xi Lan¡¯s pale cheeks colored with embarrassment and annoyance. It seemed as if by exposing her wrist in front of so many, Chuzheng had acted shamelessly. Chuzheng, with a serious expression, said, ¡°The body is also a part of the Dao, what is there to hide? To be an immortal for so long and still be troubled by such worldly matters, how can you achieve the Dao? If you don¡¯t even have this realization, how did you cultivate and ascend to godhood, by going through the back door?¡± The crowd: ¡°¡­¡± It always seemed like she was spouting nonsense, yet no one could find words to refute it. Black Fox Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± If he hadn¡¯t known that this shameless creature had always forced him to eat grass, claiming it was good for his health, he would have believed her by now. Xi Lan opened her lips but couldn¡¯t find any words to retort for a long while. It was as if saying she lacked realization was equivalent to having taken a shortcut. To admit she had realization would lead to being accused of being troubled by worldly matters, unworthy of divinity¡­ Xi Lan clenched her fists tightly beneath her sleeves. No, that¡¯s not right. It seemed she¡¯d been led astray. Xi Lan suddenly looked up, her tearful eyes clashing with Chuzheng¡¯s clear, indifferent gaze, and the prepared defense she had in mind got stuck in her throat again. ¡°Immortal Xi Lan, are these two Ghost Servants yours?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°If they¡¯re not yours, whose are they? The evidence is on your hand,¡± Chuzheng helpfully and intimately reminded. ¡°It¡¯s you¡­¡± ¡°Can I even imprint it on you?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was indifferent, ¡°You think so highly of me, should I thank you?¡± ¡°You touched me just now.¡± Xi Lan struggled to defend herself. Chapter 414 - Chapter 414: Chapter 414 Supreme Immortal Path (17) Chapter 414: Chapter 414 Supreme Immortal Path (17) ¡°He touched you as well.¡± Chuzheng was looking at Qing Xiao. Why am I the only one under suspicion? Isn¡¯t everyone supposed to be equal? ¡°You¡­you shouldn¡¯t make unfounded accusations.¡± Xi Lan¡¯s beautiful eyes widened: ¡°How could my husband harm me?¡± That¡¯s not necessarily the case. Sometimes the person next to you in bed is the scariest of all. ¡°There¡¯s another method to identify who their true master is,¡± Xue Yuan yawned. ¡°As their master, your blood is what they like the most.¡± ¨C Clearly, the Divine Clan knew that this method was effective. Everyone¡¯s gaze was intently on Xi Lan. Whose Ghost Servants are these, after all? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Who is related to the Demon Clan? And what is their purpose?! Chuzheng, unconcerned, cut her palm, but the Ghost Servants kneeling on the ground didn¡¯t react. Xi Lan didn¡¯t want to use this method, but with everyone staring and Qing Xiao comforting her with a face full of ¡®I believe in you, don¡¯t be afraid,¡¯ Xi Lan was forced to cut her palm. The quiet Ghost Servants suddenly moved, rushing towards Xi Lan, jostling each other to get to her first. The expressions of those from the Divine Clan changed immediately. ¡°No¡­it¡¯s not me¡­¡± ¡°You all believe me¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening¡­¡± ¡°Immortal Xi Lan, what¡¯s your relationship with the Demon Clan?¡± someone demanded harshly. ¡°Why are you commanding the Ghost Servants?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Xi Lan shook her head frantically, her face so pale she looked like she might faint at any moment. Qing Xiao seemed shaken by this turn of events and took a while to hug Xi Lan and start arguing with the group of Immortals. Regardless of the truth, Qing Xiao firmly took Xi Lan¡¯s side. Looking at it this way, perhaps Qing Xiao was only harsh to his former master. To Xi Lan, it was true love¡­ Alas. Such a pity. The more these people argued, the more annoying Chuzheng found it. Her hand was itching to do away with them. Feeling Chuzheng touching her hand, Xue Yuan suddenly scratched. It wasn¡¯t like the previous touches. It was just a very light scratch. Then came a second one. Right on Xue Yuan¡¯s belly, the fingertips gently scraped over the black fur; for some reason, Xue Yuan felt it was more sensitive than when she touched herself. Xue Yuan shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t touch my belly!¡± Xue Yuan glared fiercely at Chuzheng. And protected her little belly with her paws. Touching his back, touching his tail was fine, but now she even wanted to touch his belly!! Shameless! ¡°Enough, all of you!¡± Qing Xiao shouted angrily. ¡°The most important thing right now is the Ancient Fierce Beast Black Fox!¡± Qing Xiao redirected the topic to Xue Yuan. Xue Yuan, covering her little belly, thought: ¡°???¡± What does this have to do with me! ¨C Obviously, in the eyes of the Divine Clan, the issue with the Ghost Servants could wait. The Ancient Fierce Beast that broke the seal was more pressing. They had been frightened by the imposing manner of the Black Fox¡¯s appearance at the Land of Seals. After all, it was a beast that Supreme God Wan Zhu had sealed at the expense of all his strength. Facing such a fearsome opponent, they lacked confidence. But after they left, they found that the daunting presence had disappeared. Following some discussion, they concluded that breaking the seal must have consumed most of the Black Fox¡¯s energy, and that it must have been weak at that time. When they finally came to this realization and went back, the Black Fox was gone. ¡°Superior God Chuzheng, why are you together with that Fierce Beast?¡± ¡°¡­¡± He¡¯s furry, alright! That can¡¯t be said. Must maintain face. Chuzheng asked calmly in return, ¡°Why can¡¯t I be with him?¡± ¡°He is a Fierce Beast.¡± ¡°Fierce Beast, so what, do you discriminate against Fierce Beasts?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°Don¡¯t you always say, all beings are equal, is discriminating against Fierce Beasts something you group of Immortals should do?¡± Chuzheng began with a grand principle. ¡°¡­¡± The crowd was taken aback, someone retorted, ¡°That¡¯s different, do you know how many creatures he has harmed?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± It has nothing to do with me. Xue Yuan was indignant, ¡°It was clearly them who attacked me first, and when I fought back, they said I was harming creatures, a bunch of old coots spouting nonsense, turning black into white, babbling incessantly and making baseless accusations!¡± Xue Yuan rattled off several idioms in one breath. Then he gasped for air. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Saying so much¡­ Isn¡¯t that burdensome? Chuzheng calmly stroked his head, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± You stroking my head only makes me angrier. An Ancient Fierce Beast¡¯s head, is it something you can just stroke? A Divine Clan member cried out in anguish, ¡°Back then, Supreme God Wan Zhu had a hard time sealing him, how could you stand by his side, Superior God Chuzheng, don¡¯t make a mistake, hand him over to us quickly, do not let him recover.¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± Dream on! Kind persuasion was futile. The people opposite began to make threats. ¡°Superior God Chuzheng, then don¡¯t blame us for being unkind! We must not let Black Fox wreak havoc; he must be sealed again!¡± Chuzheng considered seriously for a moment, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just kill him?¡± Crowd: ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng felt there was nothing wrong with her question. Why are they giving her such a strange look. To eliminate him would be the most straightforward and save trouble, why insist on sealing?? ¡°If we could kill him, would we need to seal him?¡± a straightforward Divine Clan member said angrily. ¡°Even Supreme God Wan Zhu could only barely seal him!¡± Could they be more powerful than Supreme God Wan Zhu? They only seal because they can¡¯t kill! Chuzheng: ¡°But his powers are very weak now.¡± Crowd: ¡°¡­¡± That seems to make sense. The situation became awkward. Xue Yuan wanted to scratch Chuzheng to death. What on earth is going through the mind of this mount, are they in cahoots?! When the Divine Clan people looked at Xue Yuan, their gaze suddenly sharpened. Before, they only wanted to press him back down and seal him again. Now they were thinking of how to crush him to death. Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Run!¡± Xue Yuan yelled at Chuzheng. ¡°Why should we run?¡± ¡°Can you beat them?¡± Xue Yuan was so angry that he wanted to scratch her to death. Chuzheng glanced at the people opposite, ¡°There are too many of them.¡± It would be troublesome to fight. ¡°Then aren¡¯t we running?¡± If I weren¡¯t so weak right now, this bunch of decrepit trash wouldn¡¯t be enough to get stuck in my teeth! I¡¯ll wait until I¡¯ve recovered and then fight! The Divine Clan, probably hearing Xue Yuan¡¯s shout, quickly spread out in a surrounding formation, attempting to encircle Chuzheng. [Main mission: Please spend thirty Immortal Spirit Leaves within two hours.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Is the Bastard being serious? [¡­] Seeing as the young lady called me Bastard, of course, I¡¯m serious! [Go, young lady!!]] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Shit! How am I supposed to squander like this? The people opposite are trying to hit me! You can¡¯t even hurt people with broken leaves! You¡¯re telling me to waste money at a time like this, are you a devil? Do you enjoy bullying this poor little thing? The King¡¯s Account, fearing that Chuzheng would lash out at it, rapidly scurried away. Chuzheng fumed. She was so angry she twisted. So angry she deformed. So angry that¡­ she plucked hairs. Chuzheng tugged at Xue Yuan¡¯s tail a couple of times, the fluffy tail helping her to cool down slightly. Deep breaths¡­ That damned Bastard. One day, it will pay for this in my hands. Chapter 415 - Chapter 415: Chapter 415 Supreme Immortal Path (18) Chapter 415: Chapter 415 Supreme Immortal Path (18) Chuzheng calmed down, glanced at the person opposite her, and abandoned the idea of smashing them with the leaf. She curved her finger, placed it to her lips, and the clear sound reverberated through the mountains. Below, the Tiger King, in the midst of an intense fight, trembled at the sound, slapped away the Wolf King with one paw, reverted to his original form, snatched onto a boulder, and scurried upward. The rest of the lesser demons swiftly followed the Tiger King. Wolf King: ¡°???¡± You just bail in the middle of a fight? What¡¯s the meaning of this? Looking down on me, huh?! The Wolf King swung his arm furiously, ¡°Chase them!¡± ¨C The Tiger King, with the Demon Sprites following, quickly landed behind Chuzheng. The large and imposing tiger transformed into human shape. ¡°My King?¡± The Tiger King was enjoying the battle when he was suddenly summoned. Glancing around at the people nearby, he asked, ¡°Who¡­ who are these people? When did they get here?¡± How had he not noticed them? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? They were dressed rather like civilized folks¡­ They didn¡¯t seem like demons! ¡°They want to fight me,¡± Chuzheng said. The face of the Tiger King changed, ¡°Damn, someone dares to bully our King? Which mountain are you lot from? Sneaking up here while I was exchanging blows with that wolf cub!¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t even think of causing trouble in Ten-Miles Eight Mountains!¡± Qing Xiao coldly snorted. The divine pressure of the Divine Clan was released. The imposing Tiger King immediately wimped out. ¡°The¡­ the Divine Clan!¡± The Tiger King hid behind Chuzheng. ¡°My King, these are from the Divine Clan!¡± How did you manage to provoke the Divine Clan?! Chuzheng casually said, ¡°What¡¯s so surprising? I¡¯m one of them.¡± ¡°Not a single one of these Divine Clan folks is any good¡­ wait¡­ you¡­ you¡¯re also one?!¡± The Tiger King took a step back in horror. He couldn¡¯t tell! He just thought that the young lady in front of him was somewhat aloof. She didn¡¯t seem like she belonged to the Demon Clan, but she didn¡¯t quite resemble a cultivator either¡­ Her demeanor was detached and cold, more akin to a human. Chuzheng pulled out an Immortal Spirit Leaf, ¡°They want to fight me, what do you think?¡± The Tiger King¡¯s gaze was instantly captivated by the Immortal Spirit Leaf. ¡°Immortal Spirit Leaf!¡± Someone from the Divine Clan side shouted out first. The others were all startled. ¡°You actually stole the Immortal Spirit Leaf!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°???¡± Weren¡¯t the Immortal Spirit Leaves said to be extinct? Chuzheng looked down at Xue Yuan. A flicker of embarrassment passed through Xue Yuan¡¯s fiery colored eyes. Xue Yuan quickly proclaimed righteous indignation, ¡°How was I supposed to know that these old immortals would sneakily plant the Immortal Spirit Tree in their own backyard!¡± The Divine Clan members, who were again called ¡®old immortals¡¯, turned red-faced and thick-necked with anger. ¡°How precious the Immortal Spirit Leaf is! How could you, Chuzheng¡­¡± Chuzheng flatly denied with an emotionless face, ¡°I didn¡¯t, stop talking nonsense!¡± That Bastard gave it to me. If it was stolen, it was the Bastard who stole it. What¡¯s it got to do with me? ¡°The Immortal Spirit Tree, the only one left, is in the Divine Realm. If you didn¡¯t steal it, where did you get it from?!¡± ¡°Do you have evidence that I stole it?¡± Falsely accusing me means asking for a beating! ¡°Do we even need evidence?¡± the other party asserted confidently, ¡°The sole remaining Immortal Spirit Tree is in the Divine Realm. If you didn¡¯t steal it, where did it come from?¡± Chuzheng glanced at the person speaking and pulled another bunch of leaves right in front of him. The members of the Divine Clan inhaled sharply. An Immortal Spirit Tree can¡¯t have more than nine leaves¡­ The Divine Clan¡¯s tree had only seven leaves, and yet, she could produce a bunch with each touch, clearly not from the Divine Clan¡¯s tree. The crowd felt a sting on their faces. Ignoring the shocked and complicated looks of the Divine Clan, Chuzheng thrust the Immortal Spirit Leaves in front of the Tiger King. ¡°Fight them, are you in or not?¡± The Tiger King swallowed hard. The opponents were from the Divine Clan¡­ Immortal Spirit Leaves¡­ Divine Clan¡­ The Tiger King, with a hardened heart, took the Immortal Spirit Leaf. ¡°Cheers!!¡± So what if they¡¯re from the Divine Clan?! What¡¯s there to be afraid of! This is his Ten-Miles Eight Mountains! Catching the Wolf King rushing up from the corner of his eye, the Tiger King¡¯s pupils spun slyly as he bellowed, ¡°How dare you bastards from the Divine Clan scheme against our Demon Clan! Today, this king will fight you to the death to defend the dignity of my Demon Clan!¡± Wolf King: ¡°!!!¡± Divine Clan?! The Wolf King was also a demon with a mind full of wild ideas. With that shout from the Tiger King, he had completely constructed the entire storyline in his mind. And he swiftly joined the ranks to defend the dignity and love of the Demon Clan. As a demon, they could fight amongst themselves, but they would never show disunity in front of the Divine Clan! The Tiger King and the Wolf King joined forces and started fighting with the people from the Divine Clan. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± When the Wolf King saw Xi Lan, protected by Qing Xiao, his expression suddenly changed. ¡°Ha! I knew something was off. You deliberately lured me here; you people from the Divine Clan really have no good intentions!¡± Xi Lan¡¯s already unattractive face darkened even more. Those nearby glanced over with subtle and inquisitive looks, puzzled as to how the Wolf King got involved with Xi Lan. Xi Lan ground her silver teeth to bits. Why was she so unlucky today? The Wolf King roared coarsely, brandishing the Wolf Fang Saber, ¡°You Divine Clan folks only know how to use despicable means! Disgusting! You won¡¯t manage to sow discord amongst our Demon Clan!¡± The Wolf King¡¯s own cub had been beaten, so he naturally wanted to regain some face. However, he couldn¡¯t find the one responsible. Then, at this moment, someone came to him claiming to have seen who had hit his cub and even knew where that person was. Bursting with rage, the Wolf King took his Wolf Fang Saber and went looking for them. Now that he knew Xi Lan was from the Divine Clan, the Wolf King concocted another dramatic scenario in his mind. He had been used!! Though his imagination was a bit off course. But the conclusion was correct. ¨C Chuzheng stood behind, stroking the Little Fox with composed ease. There was a drama to watch. A furry creature to pet. And if she had a cup of tea, it would be even better. The Divine Clan hadn¡¯t managed to annihilate the Demon Clan, which proved that the Demon Clan¡¯s strength was also not to be underestimated. Even if these two were self-proclaimed kings, but with the sheer number of their lesser demons, the ¡®sea of demons¡¯ tactic stood out as an advantage. Chuzheng observed for a while. She figured the Divine Clan couldn¡¯t best the Demon Clan¡­ probably because the demons were more rogue and shameless. You¡¯re fighting a proper battle, and suddenly they hit you with a dirty trick. Not bad at all. This group of demons had a promising future. Why bother with proprieties when being a demon? Of course, winning is all that matters. [Miss¡­ I think there¡¯s something wrong with your thinking.] What¡¯s wrong? Am I not a red-rooted and green-leaved good person? [¡­Your thinking is very problematic right now.] Miao Miao Miao? Red-rooted and green-leaved good person? What do you have to do with being a good person? The Spendthrift System would never believe it, even if beaten to death! [Miss, I must reiterate solemnly once again, we are a respectable Spendthrift System, please stop such dangerous thoughts, we really don¡¯t need them.] The King¡¯s Account urged her with heartfelt advice. Chuzheng: ¡°Have I not been seriously spending?¡± [¡­]When have you ever spent seriously?! [Please remember the values of prosperity, democracy, harmony, and civility, and be a positive and upward good person!!] Chuzheng nodded in agreement: ¡°I am strong.¡± [¡­]I¡­ I¡­ The King¡¯s Account was so exasperated it couldn¡¯t speak. Out of so many words, did you only see ¡®strong¡¯? The King¡¯s Account felt like it was going to be angered to death by Chuzheng. It needed a new host. It must be arranged right now, instantly, immediately!! * The System next door: What did I do wrong?! Chapter 416 - Chapter 416: Chapter 416 Supreme Immortal Path (19) Chapter 416: Chapter 416 Supreme Immortal Path (19) ¡°` The Divine Clan truly stands at the apex of the food chain. Although the Demon Clan has no shame, their strength is a notch below that of the Divine Clan, so it¡¯s only normal that they can¡¯t win in a fight. Someone from the Divine Clan broke through the defense line and charged towards Chuzheng. Chuzheng jumped in fright. What are you doing, what are you doing!! I don¡¯t want to fight you! You can¡¯t win against me anyway! The person from the Divine Clan didn¡¯t know the messy thoughts in the depths of Chuzheng¡¯s heart; they launched their spell attack straight at her. Chuzheng was forced to join the fray. Xue Yuan was jostled until he was dizzy¡­ When you fight, can you not hold onto me!!! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¨C Half an hour later. The members of the Divine Clan and the Demon Clan lay scattered on the ground, and even though they couldn¡¯t get up, they continued to attack each other with their gazes, determined to highlight the discord between their races. Chuzheng calmly patted her skirt and said, ¡°We¡¯re all adults here, why can¡¯t we settle this peacefully.¡± The Divine Clan: ¡°¡­¡± You damn well release us then!! Since when did Superior God Chuzheng become so powerful? In the eyes of the Divine Clan, although Chuzheng¡¯s strength wasn¡¯t what it used to be, she still wasn¡¯t capable of fighting off all of them alone! Just now, several of them who were weaker had been directly turned to dust¡­ Thinking of the scene just now, everyone felt a chill in their hearts. What kind of power was that¡­ The Divine Clan struggled to twist their bodies. But their bodies were firmly pinned to the ground. Like fish nailed to a board. At the mercy of others. Chuzheng walked up to Xi Lan and looked down at her, appraising her. Xi Lan and Qing Xiao were tied together, her eyes barely concealing the resentment and anger. Chuzheng bent down to pick up a sword that had been dropped by someone on the ground. No matter! I need to vent first! ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing!¡± Qing Xiao roared, struggling even harder to protect his Xi Lan. Chuzheng did not utter a word. Xue Yuan could only see the smooth lines of the girl¡¯s chin. He inexplicably swallowed. How could this despicable human seem a bit terrifying at this moment? No¡­ That¡¯s not right! As a proud Fierce Beast, how could I be scared by a human! Pfft¡ª Just as Xue Yuan finished his thought, he heard the sound of a blade piercing flesh. His little head tilted to the side. He met Xi Lan¡¯s wide-open eyes. Because of the pain, Xi Lan¡¯s facial features appeared distorted. But other than pain, there was no sign that Xi Lan was about to die. Qing Xiao bellowed, ¡°Chuzheng, you¡¯re insane!! If you¡¯ve got something against me, come at me, don¡¯t you dare touch Xi Lan!!¡± Chuzheng replied with a casual ¡°Oh.¡± Qing Xiao¡¯s heart ached for Xi Lan, ¡°Xi Lan is innocent, it was me who fooled you with the Soul Gathering Lock, don¡¯t you hurt Xi Lan.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve forgotten you¡¯re from the Divine Clan, not so easy to die.¡± Sorry, I didn¡¯t think of that. Chuzheng infused her spell into the sword and, under Qing Xiao¡¯s shocked and angry gaze, stabbed down again. ¡°Chuzheng!!!¡± [Congratulations, Miss, on completing your first rewind in this realm, loading save¡­] Chuzheng plunged into darkness amid Qing Xiao¡¯s roar. What¡¯s all the shouting about. You won¡¯t die. In a moment, your Xi Lan will be up and hopping again. ¨C ¡°Chuzheng, you¡¯re insane!! If you¡¯ve got something against me, come at me, don¡¯t you dare touch Xi Lan!!¡± Chuzheng silently looked at the sword in her hand. This is a bit awkward. The rewind in time had occurred just after her first stab at Xi Lan, which didn¡¯t kill her. Chuzheng¡¯s heart instantly exploded. This won¡¯t do! [I did give Miss a heads-up.]said the King¡¯s Account: [So Miss, let¡¯s not be so violent, it¡¯s not good for a girl to be too violent, and fighting doesn¡¯t fit your noble and elegant image, right? We just need to splurge and spoil ourselves with money!] All that nonsense, only to get to the point at the end. You Bastard are still you Bastard. Chuzheng¡¯s eyes were cold and fierce: ¡°It seems I must kill in one go.¡± That way, I won¡¯t end up in such an awkward situation like this. ¡°` [¡­] Your big sister is still your big sister. Chuzheng tossed aside the sword, feeling it was pointless, and a waste of time since they couldn¡¯t be killed. Chuzheng told the little demon sprites pretending to be dead on the ground to get up. Strip all these immortals bare and throw them out. How dare you come here to bully my Good Person Card! Demon Clan: ¡°¡­¡± Tiger King clutched his scant clothing tightly. ¡°Oh, right.¡± Chuzheng suddenly spoke up, ¡°For the matter of breaking the seal earlier, you also played a part. I thank you on behalf of Xue Yuan.¡± Good people should have manners. If someone does something good, you should thank them properly. Yeah! Working hard to be a good person today too! Xi Lan heard this, her pupils shrank suddenly, and her back, already soaked with cold sweat, clung to her body, making her shiver all over. ¡°What do you mean!?¡± a member of the Divine Clan asked with eyes red with anger. The matter of the broken seal. What did it have to do with Xi Lan? ¡°What I mean is that Xue Yuan could get out thanks to your Xi Lan.¡± Chuzheng casually glanced over, ¡°Otherwise, do you think a perfectly good seal would just break on its own?¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Qing Xiao was the first to refute. ¡°Everything is possible,¡± Chuzheng calmly stated. ¨C As Chuzheng was preparing to leave, Wolf King, who still couldn¡¯t get up from the ground, suddenly bellowed. ¡°You, stop right there!¡± Chuzheng glanced sideways at him. She asked coolly and indifferently, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Having witnessed Chuzheng¡¯s moves just now, Wolf King was feeling somewhat apprehensive. But for the sake of his wolf cubs, Wolf King still defiantly asked, ¡°Was it you who hurt my little cubs?¡± ¡°Who are your little cubs?¡± Chuzheng asked earnestly. ¡°Wanwu Inn!¡± Wolf King reminded. ¡°Nope, wasn¡¯t me. Do you have proof?¡± Chuzheng quickly denied. ¡°She said¡­¡± Wolf King looked toward Xi Lan. ¡°You trust her words?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Considering the scenario Wolf King had just imagined, he felt Xi Lan couldn¡¯t be trusted. ¡°Don¡¯t be swayed by others¡¯ slander. Your head is on your neck for a reason, not just for decoration,¡± Chuzheng¡¯s icy voice drifted leisurely, ¡°Moreover, that decoration of yours isn¡¯t even good-looking.¡± Wolf King: ¡°¡­¡± Psychological trauma ¡Á2 Wait a minute!! His little cubs had said the same!! By the time Wolf King realized it, Chuzheng had already disappeared. Wolf King: ¡°!!¡± He felt tricked!! ¨C As Chuzheng walked down the mountain, Little Fox perked up its ears and gave them a shake, before suddenly erupting. ¡°What did you mean by that just now!? Huh? What do you mean!!¡± Chuzheng was a bit confused. The Good Person Card¡­ had it gone rabid? An abrupt outburst. Should I take it to see a doctor?! Xue Yuan was extremely indignant deep down. ¡°I got out by my own strength. What gives you the right to say it was that old immortal who helped me? And you even thanked her? You shameless, I, a formidable Fierce Beast, need my dignity!!¡± He did it all by himself. He¡¯s very powerful!! ¡°I am such that¡­ are you even listening to me!¡± Chuzheng blinked and nodded seriously, ¡°I am.¡± ¡°You are what? You¡¯re not listening to me at all!!¡± Xue Yuan was so angry that even his tail curled up. Xue Yuan seemed to recall something and quickly tucked his tail back, but it was too late. Chuzheng grabbed his tail in one swoop. If you want to play with a tail, you¡¯ve got to be quick! Little Fox had learned to hide its tail. Not cute at all. Xue Yuan was furious, and the topic immediately twisted like a mosquito coil. * Extra: Your lovely Little Fairies, all replies and notifications are made using the author¡¯s account! There will be a blue ¡°Author¡± text after! Make sure not to mistake it!! Please recognize the author¡¯s account!! All other replies in the author¡¯s tone that are not from this account are fake, all fake!! Chapter 417 - Chapter 417: Chapter 417 Supreme Immortal Path (20) Chapter 417: Chapter 417 Supreme Immortal Path (20) The members of the Divine Clan were, without exception, thrown down the mountain, creating a momentarily awkward scene. But no one mentioned the idea of fighting their way back. The impression Chuzheng left on them was far too deep. The crowd quickly dispersed. It was not until they reached the more familiar areas that someone heaved a deep sigh of relief. ¡°What on earth happened to Chuzheng?¡± Someone asked, frowning. ¡°I want to know too, how did she suddenly become like a different person?¡± ¡°What exactly happened to her at the Land of Seals?¡± ¡°Could it be that Black Fox has bewitched her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, after all, that¡¯s an Ancient Ferocious Beast. It existed long before we even knew where we were.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï ¡°Where is Immortal Xi Lan?¡± Suddenly, someone looked around. They searched but did not see Xi Lan. A member of the Divine Clan said, ¡°She was just with Qingxiao Immortal just behind us. How could she suddenly disappear?¡± Everyone confirmed that neither Xi Lan nor Qing Xiao had returned with them. Their complexions immediately turned ugly. The last thing those Ghost Servants and Chuzheng mentioned was that Black Fox¡¯s seal had been broken, and it was also related to her. Even if in the end what Chuzheng said was to sow discord among them. But what about the Ghost Servants? How did Xi Lan get involved with the Ghost Servants? ¡°Qingxiao Immortal!?¡± Qing Xiao appeared in front of everyone. Before they could ask where Xi Lan had gone, Qing Xiao spoke first, ¡°Where is Xi Lan?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t she with you?¡± Qing Xiao, ¡°No¡­ I asked someone to bring her back first while I went to fetch some things for her.¡± He was not at ease, but he had to listen to what Xi Lan insisted on. ¡°She¡¯s not here?¡± Qing Xiao immediately became anxious. Everyone shook their heads. Xi Lan had not returned with them. They had always assumed that Qing Xiao was with her, and in their haste to leave that place, they naturally hadn¡¯t paid too much attention. A member of the Divine Clan asked with a frown, ¡°Whom did Immortal Qing Xiao send to bring her back?¡± In Qing Xiao¡¯s eyes there was nothing but tension, ¡°Immortal Jinyi. Didn¡¯t you see him?¡± All eyes turned toward a person at the back. Immortal Jinyi looked perplexed, ¡°No¡­ I was at the front, and I didn¡¯t see Xi Lan.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qing Xiao, ¡°Could something have happened to Xi Lan? Qing Xiao turned to leave, but someone grabbed him, ¡°Immortal Qing Xiao, calm down, we need to figure out what¡¯s going on with Immortal Xi Lan¡­¡± With unequivocal certainty, Qing Xiao said, ¡°I trust her! It must be Chuzheng framing her!¡± The Divine Clan member who held Qing Xiao frowned, ¡°Immortal Qing Xiao, please calm down. We have to clarify what¡¯s happened with Immortal Xi Lan.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Those two Ghost Servants, where did Immortal Xi Lan meet them? Could she be involved with the Demon Clan!¡± ¡°She¡¯s missing now!!¡± Qing Xiao, agitated, exclaimed, ¡°Maybe she¡¯s met with an accident, I have to find her! Let go of me, all of you, stop holding me back¡­¡± Qing Xiao broke free from the crowd and rushed back to search for Xi Lan. The people of the Divine Clan exchanged glances. ¡°What¡¯s with Immortal Qing Xiao¡­¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± ¨C Chuzheng found that her strength was growing without the need for cultivation. The situation was the same as the original host¡¯s in the past. But Chuzheng felt that the growth was somewhat slow. In the memory of the original host, her power increased much faster. Of course, Chuzheng did not care about that. What she was more concerned about now was Little Fox. ¡°Show me your dog tail,¡± Chuzheng demanded seriously while squatting in front of Little Fox. Little Fox leapt up instantly: ¡°I am Black Fox! Do you know who Black Fox is? You¡¯re the one with a dog tail!!¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Chuzheng acknowledged, ¡°Let me touch that dog tail.¡± Little Fox was so furious that its chest heaved and finally managed to squeeze out, ¡°Why are you so shameless!¡± Xue Yuan shook its ears and leaped to a higher place, clinging to the Immortal Spirit Leaf, refusing to pay any more attention to Chuzheng. Chuzheng got up, looking a bit worried as she raised her head to gaze at him. ¡°The Little Fox won¡¯t let me touch it, what should I do?¡± That was precisely the scene the Tiger King walked in on. ¡°Great¡­ Great King,¡± in recent days, the Tiger King had come to a whole new understanding of Chuzheng. The last time he threw the members of the Divine Clan down the mountain, he had thought a counterattack would come soon enough. Who would have known that so many days had passed without any reaction whatsoever. Tiger King: ¡°Great King, did you want to see me for something?¡± ¡°I have a task for you.¡± A task¡­ What task?? The Tiger King¡¯s heart was utterly lacking in confidence. He had a premonition that it wouldn¡¯t be any pleasant task. Chuzheng led the Tiger King a few steps away to another side: ¡°How many Demon Sprites are there around here?¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡± The Tiger King was a bit dazed: ¡°Great King, why do you ask this?¡± The Great King couldn¡¯t possibly want to catch Demon Sprites to feed to that one, could he? The Tiger King glanced at the Little Fox above, which was licking its paws and sinisterly staring right back at him. He swallowed hard with difficulty. It really was possible¡­ After all, that one was always clamoring for eating demons. Chuzheng coldly swept him with her gaze: ¡°Answer when asked, why ask so many questions?¡± The Great King: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m scared, okay!! The Great King counted on his fingers, but ultimately realized he had no talent for counting, and sheepishly said, ¡°There are quite a few Demon Sprites around here.¡± Chuzheng handed him a handful of Immortal Spirit Leaves: ¡°It won¡¯t be a problem for you to subdue these Demon Sprites with these, right?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± The shock was plainly written across the Tiger King¡¯s face. ¡°Any problems?¡± ¡°No¡­ no problems.¡± As a demon subjugator who had fought battles in the south and stormed domains in the north, the Tiger King had done plenty of such territory-snatching wars. There wasn¡¯t a battle that wasn¡¯t fought in a sea of blood! There wasn¡¯t a time that wasn¡¯t fraught with peril! However¡­ This time, the task Chuzheng gave him, the Tiger King declared, was utterly incongruous with his towering and fearsome image! He actually sat at the foot of the mountain, handing out the Immortal Spirit Leaves like an idiot!! Were the Great King¡¯s Immortal Spirit Leaves wholesale bought? So cheap! Anyone who comes can get them!! Chuzheng too was a bit curious: ¡°Bastard, giving me these Immortal Spirit Leaves, won¡¯t it cause chaos in this world?¡± With so many Immortal Spirit Leaves, if they were all absorbed, wouldn¡¯t that result in an invincible force across the world? [First: The Immortal Spirit Leaves are currently on the verge of extinction in this world. Second: Even if you distribute the Immortal Spirit Leaves to them, such a small amount won¡¯t make them unbeatable across the world. Third: Immortal Spirit Leaves are consumables and will be gone once used up.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Bastard, that¡¯s discrimination, isn¡¯t it? [¡­] What does this have to do with discrimination; it¡¯s stating the facts. It¡¯s forbidden to speak the truth now? The Immortal Spirit Leaves given to Chuzheng by the King¡¯s Account weren¡¯t actually numerous. When the Tiger King later realized this issue, he didn¡¯t go back to ask Chuzheng for more. Instead, he took it upon himself to change the terms from ¡®submit and receive Immortal Spirit Leaves¡¯ to ¡®bring your underlings to submit and then receive Immortal Spirit Leaves¡¯. Chuzheng didn¡¯t care how the Tiger King handled things; in the end, she only cared about the results. The number of Demon Sprites in the Ten-Miles Eight Mountains kept increasing. Xue Yuan stared at these Demon Sprites all day, wanting to sneak a few bites when Chuzheng was not paying attention. He was so envious!! Why can¡¯t they eat these lively, jumping things!! The shameless humans. When he recovers, he will devour them all. Xue Yuan hatefully nibbled on some grass, unable to eat, but he could at least feast his eyes¡­ Suddenly, Xue Yuan dashed down and pounced onto Chuzheng. ¡°What are you doing¡­¡± Chuzheng had not finished speaking when she felt a pain in her wrist. Chapter 418 - Chapter 418: Chapter 418 Supreme Immortal Path (21) Chapter 418: Chapter 418 Supreme Immortal Path (21) The sharp fangs of the Little Fox pierced through her skin. The swallowing sounds of the Little Fox quickly followed. Chuzheng pushed his head away, but the Little Fox quickly embraced her wrist, his reddish eyes glaring at Chuzheng. That look had a bit of the majesty of a Fierce Beast. However, Chuzheng responded with a cold stare. She pushed him away forcefully. ¡°You!¡± Xue Yuan glared at Chuzheng, ¡°You won¡¯t let me eat those, and you won¡¯t let me bite you, are you trying to starve me to death!!!¡± The shameless Human has a wicked heart!! ¡°Eat grass.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t eat!!¡± ¡°Then starve.¡± Chuzheng was uncompromising, ¡°Anyway, you won¡¯t die.¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?0 I want to bite her to death!! No one stop me!! Suddenly, Chuzheng looked down and met his angry eyes, ¡°You can drink my blood if you want.¡± Xue Yuan¡¯s eyes instantly lit up, ¡°Hmm?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s gaze fixed on his tail, ¡°Let me touch your tail.¡± Lately, the Little Fox had some abilities, and he wouldn¡¯t let her touch his tail. It seemed it was time to cut back on his grass. Still wanting to eat Demon Sprites. Wishful thinking!! Touching his tail was certainly not to Xue Yuan¡¯s liking. But¡­ All these Demon Sprites are out of reach, won¡¯t you have a drop of blood to quench your craving? Isn¡¯t it just touching a tail? A Fierce Beast should be able to bend and stretch!!! ¡°You better keep your word!¡± Chuzheng was dead serious, ¡°When have I ever lied to someone.¡± [¡­] If it wasn¡¯t for Miss¡¯s notorious past, I would almost believe her. Xue Yuan was skeptical¡­ Probably struggling within, he finally gritted his teeth, ¡°If you dare to deceive me, I will bite you to death.¡± Chuzheng tightened her face, nodding seriously, ¡°Mhm.¡± Xue Yuan reluctantly revealed his tail. It¡¯s not like he hadn¡¯t been stroked before. What¡¯s the big deal. A Fierce Beast should be able to bend and stretch. Suddenly, Chuzheng felt as if the clouds had parted and the mist had cleared in her heart. The tail. The tail. Having a tail to touch¡­ Chuzheng grabbed Xue Yuan¡¯s tail, and there was a strange light in his reddish eyes. He aimed for Chuzheng¡¯s wrist¡­ and took a fierce bite. This bite was harder than before, but Chuzheng¡¯s attention was on the fluffy tail. Xue Yuan wasn¡¯t actually hungry. He was just greedy. He wanted to eat. Perhaps realizing that offering his tail would let him drink Chuzheng¡¯s blood, Xue Yuan, the Fierce Beast, started to completely discard his shame. If Chuzheng didn¡¯t let him drink, he would fly into a rage. All day, he was nothing but an irritable Little Fox. ¨C In the blink of an eye, two months passed. The Divine Clan wandered outside Ten-Miles Eight Mountains twice, but there were no conflicts, probably just scouting for information. The Ten-Miles Eight Mountains were densely populated with demons. All were gathered by the Tiger King. Latterly, there was no more Immortal Spirit Leaf. With the demons from the earlier period as a foundation, if anyone dared to dissent later on, they would simply raise a hand to fight!! The nearby Demon Sprites ultimately had no choice but to submit to tyranny. No! They simply had no choice. Chuzheng looked down at the Demon Sprites below with mixed emotions. Making them help her squander away her fortune, why did it seem like there were more demons, but the Immortal Spirit Leaf wasn¡¯t used up much? The Tiger King, who was still feeling smug for having saved Immortal Spirit Leaves for Chuzheng, was called before her. ¡°Did you give them all the Immortal Spirit Leaves as I told you?¡± ¡°No, no, there¡¯s still some left,¡± the Tiger King quickly replied, feeling it necessary to do so. Even deep down he felt that by saving for Chuzheng, he would be commended. ¡°¡­¡± Why keep them, for the New Year? ¡°Didn¡¯t I say every demon gets one?¡± The young girl¡¯s eyes were especially cold. Instantly, the Tiger King wilted. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Isn¡¯t this kind of thing better the more you save? ¡°Issue the undistributed as supplementary.¡± Bastard¡¯s not wasting the unspent resources. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Tiger King worried, ¡°But my lord, if this is distributed¡­¡± How huge the quantity is! ¡°That¡¯s not your concern, you just need to do as I say.¡± Tiger King¡¯s heart was pounding, yet he dared not defy Chuzheng and could only agree. Tiger King quickly went to make up for the undistributed. It was truly a heartache. Do these little demon sprites really need these? Isn¡¯t it a waste to give it to them? Of course, Tiger King also dared not embezzle. He could only bear the heartache and tearfully distribute the Immortal Spirit Leaves. Chuzheng, watching the continuous consumption of Immortal Spirit Leaves, immediately felt much relieved. Bastard, are you satisfied now!! [¡­]Miss, this is a task, not about whether I¡¯m satisfied or not, [Keep it up, miss!!] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Damn thing!! [¡­]Can we not resort to insults? Chuzheng remained expressionless. If I don¡¯t cuss you out, who else! Who asked you to assign me such a ruinous task? And something about doing it in a ruinous way¡­ You deserve the scolding! £­ Chuzheng, in the process of recklessly strengthening the Demon Clan, caught the attention of the Divine Clan. ¡°What is Chuzheng trying to do??¡± ¡°She has gathered so many of the Demon Clan at Ten-Miles Eight Mountains, she wouldn¡¯t be thinking of waging war with our Divine Clan, would she?¡± ¡°It¡¯s unclear what Superior God Chuzheng is thinking, why would she collude with Black Fox?¡± A group of immortals criticized Chuzheng in various ways. ¡°If we keep waiting like this, won¡¯t Black Fox recover?¡± One of the Divine Clan blurted out this statement. The rest of the Divine Clan¡¯s expressions changed instantly, ¡°If Black Fox recovers, we¡¯ll be in trouble¡­¡± Supreme God Wan Zhu, who sealed the Black Fox back in the day, is now missing without a trace. If Black Fox comes back, how will the Divine Clan resist? ¡°Is there any news from Xi Lan and Qing Xiao?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ever since Xi Lan suddenly disappeared last time, and Qing Xiao went after her, both have lost contact. They later concluded that it truly was Xi Lan who must¡¯ve helped Xue Yuan. Otherwise, why did she run? ¡°Keep searching. Also, keep a close watch on Chuzheng and Black Fox, and figure out a way¡­¡± ¡°What is that!!¡± One of the Divine Clan pointed towards the east. The resplendent golden crow in the east seemed to have been bitten suddenly. Upon closer inspection, it was found to be dark and ominous miasma. Even from afar, they seemed to be able to feel the chilling presence. ¡°What is there?¡± The Divine Clan looked at each other in dismay, obviously also unclear about what was there. £­ Ten-Miles Eight Mountains. Chuzheng leaned back in her stone chair, casually watching the Little Fox sunbathing in the distance. Inside, she was contemplating how to deceptively coax that little thing to let her touch its tail, in a righteous yet aloof manner. Just then, a frightening presence surged from the east. Almost simultaneously, Chuzheng felt something wrong with her body. It was as if something was trying to burst out of her. The original owner has left her some treasure!! That feeling was getting stronger. The power roving inside her body was like waves on the sea, constantly pounding against her meridians. Chuzheng braced herself on the edge of the stone chair and stood up. Her fingers trembled slightly. It was a physiological reaction caused by her body. It had nothing to do with her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Little Fox hopped down from somewhere, eyeing her suspiciously. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Chuzheng tried to keep her tone unchanged. How could she possibly lose face in front of the Good Person Card! Not possible! Little Fox narrowed its eyes slightly. Why does she not look like it¡¯s nothing at all? Chapter 419 - Chapter 419: Chapter 419 Supreme Immortal Path (22) Chapter 419: Chapter 419 Supreme Immortal Path (22) Xue Yuan looked toward the east. The oppressive atmosphere there was getting thicker. He then turned his head to size up Chuzheng. ¡°What are you looking at? Go eat your grass.¡± Chuzheng shooed him away with her hand. If he didn¡¯t leave soon, she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on any longer. Xue Yuan¡¯s crimson eyes wandered over her, evidently plotting something. ¡°Your body¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Xue Yuan snorted coldly, ¡°I haven¡¯t said anything yet, why are you so eager to deny it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Chuzheng said, her expression righteous. ¡°Hmph.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï Little Fox flicked its black tail, looking haughty, its little paws pacing back and forth on the spot. ¡°Did you see that over to the east?¡± Xue Yuan tilted his chin up, gesturing for Chuzheng to look that way. ¡°I¡¯m not blind.¡± With such a significant commotion, how could she possibly not see it. This body of hers was very likely caused by that calamity. She also didn¡¯t know what kind of treasures the original owner had left for her. ¡°That is Ancient Demonic Qi.¡± ¡°Demonic Qi also distinguishes as ancient?¡± Isn¡¯t it all just qi? No. Who wants to chat with you, are you leaving or not!! Chuzheng thought about throwing away her Good Person Card. If he dawdled any longer, she would lose her stability. ¡°Of course,¡± Xue Yuan assumed an air of deep knowledge, ¡°Everything from Ancient Times is referred to as ancient, like me¡­¡± Chuzheng added, ¡°So weak?¡± ¡°This is an accident!¡± Little Fox instantly bristled, ¡°An accident, do you understand!!¡± ¡°Hmm, you can leave now,¡± Chuzheng said, dismissing him. Her hand gripping the stone chair tightened slightly, and a faint trace of veins showed on the back of her hand. Even so, there was not a trace of emotion on her face. Xue Yuan¡¯s gaze shifted away from the back of her hand and he said to himself, ¡°The beings of Ancient Times possessed power that ordinary people couldn¡¯t possibly match, not even the current Divine Clan.¡± ¡°Then you still got sealed,¡± I don¡¯t want to hear your stories, are you bloody leaving or not? The surging force within her body was becoming more ferocious, no longer just waves, now it was a tsunami. ¡°It was an ACCIDENT!!¡± Upon mentioning this, Xue Yuan would bristle up. Wan Zhu, that hypocritical gentleman, had simply been deceitful; otherwise, he would never be a match for him. Chuzheng coldly said, ¡°Whether it was an accident or not, the fact remains, you were sealed.¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± She was deliberately trying to drive him away. Did she not want him to notice her abnormality, afraid that he might lash out suddenly? Hmph! Such wishful thinking!! Today, he absolutely refused to leave. ¡°That thing over to the east¡­¡± Xue Yuan deliberately elongated his tone, a hint of mirth seemingly in the fox¡¯s mouth, ¡°comes from the same lineage as the power inside your body.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng reached out to grab Xue Yuan. Xue Yuan agilely jumped aside, his tail sweeping across the back of Chuzheng¡¯s hand, bringing a faint tingle. Just as Xue Yuan was about to turn around and look down on Chuzheng, the next second, his body was flung away. The entire fox hurtled down the cliff. Xue Yuan¡¯s first reaction wasn¡¯t to seize the opportunity to run away quickly. But that the shameless human actually dared to throw him! He had to regain face, otherwise, where would he put his Fierce Beast¡¯s reputation?? The second reaction was what had Chuzheng used to whip him¡­ Then he was shocked that she actually dared to whip him!! Xue Yuan climbed back up quickly, but Chuzheng¡¯s figure was nowhere to be seen. At the bottom of his heart, Xue Yuan felt a slight sink. He hadn¡¯t lied to her just now. He could feel the power inside her body, and it was the same as the power that had appeared in the east¡­ And it also felt strangely familiar to him. The Black Fox felt a vague concern. Why that kind of power would appear inside her body. Where had she gone? Could she be in danger? Xue Yuan realized that he was actually worried about her. He immediately spat. I wasn¡¯t worried about her, I was worried that if something happened to her, who would give me the Immortal Spirit Leaf in the future. Right! It¡¯s all for the Immortal Spirit Leaf!!! It¡¯s not for her at all!!! Xue Yuan snorted coldly and hopped off to find Chuzheng. £­ Tiger King, with a group of underlings, was watching the commotion in the east. This aura made him feel very uncomfortable. Even though they were still so far away¡­ ¡°Hey!!¡± Tiger King heard the voice and was about to scold whoever was being so disrespectful, but when he turned his head, he saw the Black Fox that Chuzheng couldn¡¯t let go of¡­ This Black Fox treated the Immortal Spirit Leaf like a snack. And the boss seemed quite happy about it¡­ Tiger King felt inexplicably afraid of him. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s wrong??¡± Xue Yuan¡¯s tone was harsh: ¡°Did you see that shameless bitch?¡± He had to maintain his Fierce Beast persona. In front of that shameless woman, he couldn¡¯t be imposing, and he couldn¡¯t even be imposing in front of these¡­ edible Xiao Yaos?? Tiger King felt Xue Yuan¡¯s gaze on him start to get strange¡­ As if he were looking at food. Tiger King immediately took a step back: ¡°You¡¯re asking about whom?¡± He even used respectful language. Who is the shameless one? Tiger King was completely baffled. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Xue Yuan felt it was more important to find Chuzheng: ¡°Your boss.¡± ¡°The boss?¡± Tiger King was confused. ¡°I didn¡¯t see the boss.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t see him?¡± Little Fox narrowed his eyes, with no use even for this, what was the point of keeping him? Eat him¡­ anyway, she¡¯s not here. Eating grass makes him want to throw up. Which Fierce Beast eats grass? ¡°I¡­ I saw it,¡± a Xiao Yao next to Tiger King saved him: ¡°The boss, he went¡­ that way.¡± Xue Yuan followed the direction the Xiao Yao pointed in¡­ The East? The place where the anomaly occurred. She went there alone? Has she gone mad?! ¡°I¡­¡± As soon as Tiger King uttered ¡°I,¡± a gust of wind swept across his cheek, and then the little black fox disappeared. £­ Duhui Village. This village was small, housing just over thirty families, and it was said that they had lived here from generation to generation. Although the village was poor, the villagers lived a relaxed and comfortable life. However, a month ago, a girl came to the village. The girl was injured, and the kind-hearted and simple villagers allowed her to recuperate. The girl was pretty and spoke softly; everybody in the village liked her. But then, half a month later, the girl suddenly took the men from the village up the mountain, claiming they were searching for some treasure. The men seemed bewitched by her and just followed her up. Leaving behind a village full of women and children. ¡°And then¡­¡± A woman was telling the story with a look of terror on her face: ¡°And then one day, our men just appeared outside our house, and he he he¡­¡± The woman was trembling all over. It was as if she could still see that scene right before her. ¡°He¡­ he¡­ he turned into a corpse, a mummified corpse!!!¡± The woman covered her face and sobbed in pain. ¡°That woman is a devil, she¡¯s the one who doomed my man!¡± Chuzheng had a splitting headache. But she didn¡¯t lose her temper, and instead asked coolly, ¡°Is that woman called Xi Lan?¡± ¡°Wuwuwu¡­¡± The woman lost herself in tears, crying even more heartbreakingly, and eventually cried so hard that she couldn¡¯t catch her breath, unable to answer Chuzheng at all. Seeing that she couldn¡¯t get an answer, Chuzheng struggled to leave, her body weak. The village that she was currently in was located at the foot of the mountain where the anomaly had occurred. Chapter 420 - Chapter 420: Chapter 420 Supreme Immortal Path (23) Chapter 420: Chapter 420 Supreme Immortal Path (23) Chuzheng found another person, one much better than the one just now. There were no signs of a breakdown with crying and wailing. ¡°Is her name Xi Lan?¡± Chuzheng asked. ¡°Xi Lan¡­ Xi Lan¡­¡± At Chuzheng¡¯s question, the person¡¯s expression suddenly changed, and she began to repeat the name incessantly. ¡°It¡¯s her¡­ it¡¯s her¡­ She¡¯s the devil!¡± The woman suddenly seized Chuzheng, her eyes unnaturally wide: ¡°It¡¯s her, she¡¯s the one who killed the people in our village!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng was shaken until she felt a bit dizzy. Why can¡¯t you just talk properly? What¡¯s with the getting physical! ¡°Do you know that she is a devil?¡± ¡°I do now.¡± Xi Lan, this Little Beauty, instead of being a proper fairy, bettered herself to the wilds from a desolate village, trafficking men. I really don¡¯t know what she¡¯s thinking. Is Qing Xiao not satisfying her? The woman suddenly pushed Chuzheng forcefully, her voice changing its tune: ¡°You know and yet you still look for her!! You are a devil too!!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 Chuzheng: ¡°???¡± What does it have to do with me? ¡°Someone come!! It¡¯s this woman who kidnapped our men. She¡¯s the devil, someone catch her and bring our men back!!¡± The woman began to roar unexpectedly. Bewildered, Chuzheng stood still for a few seconds, then turned and walked away. She had to leave before she¡¯d be attacked by a madwoman. ¨C Chuzheng stepped out of Duhui Village and looked up at the mountain. Though she appeared expressionless, as though nothing had happened, inside her, an immense tumult was raging. The closer she got to this place, the more that force inside her writhed violently. Chuzheng took a deep breath and started walking up the mountain. A black fox suddenly sprang out, blocking her path. Little Fox tilted her head up, her crimson eyes fixated on her: ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going.¡± That accusatory tone was like that of a wife who had caught her cheating husband. Chuzheng looked at her calmly: ¡°How did you get here?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Little Fox snorted haughtily: ¡°I came because I wanted to. Is it any of your business?¡± ¡°And is it any of your business where I¡¯m going?¡± Chuzheng shot back directly. ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan glared at Chuzheng: ¡°The power inside your body¡­¡± Before Xue Yuan could finish, Chuzheng cut her off: ¡°It¡¯s none of your concern.¡± Xue Yuan continued to glare at Chuzheng. Chuzheng couldn¡¯t be bothered with her and continued walking up the mountain. ¡°Stop right there!!¡± ¡°Stop right there!!!¡± Xue Yuan, livid, scratched the ground and huffily chased after her. ¡°Let me tell you, the thing on this mountain isn¡¯t something you can confront.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the power in your body?¡± ¡°Why are you involved with it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you a question!¡± Chuzheng silently continued walking up the mountain, the chilling atmosphere growing denser, the oppressive sensation like a great mountain pushing down, suffocating. Chuzheng paused to catch her breath slightly. She had a Little Fox following her and couldn¡¯t let him see. Stay calm. Stay calm. Just a little further and she would be there!! Why is he following me! ¡°Don¡¯t go up there any further!¡± Xue Yuan yelled desperately from behind. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± If I don¡¯t enter Hell, who will? Can I honor the treasure left to me by the body¡¯s original owner if I don¡¯t ascend? I must go up! To see who¡¯s messing with me! To kill the bastard! Xue Yuan couldn¡¯t stop Chuzheng and could only stamp her feet and follow behind. ¨C The mountain was silent, a light mist spread among the trees. There was no sound of wind. No chirping of insects. The whole world seemed abandoned, deserted. Crack¡­ A slight noise broke the silence here. It was a person, a villager withered to skin and bone as if void of flesh. He slowly emerged from the mist. His limbs were rigid. His gaze, lifeless. Whoosh¡ª The person suddenly turned his head, his expressionless eyes fixed on a certain spot. He slowly turned around, his body tensed up, and then he fiercely darted towards that direction. His speed was completely beyond what any villager should possess. Whoosh¡ª The mist surged, and the rushing figure was kicked out of the fog by something within. The fog slowly dissipated, revealing the person inside. Chuzheng looked at the person who had been thrown outside and touched her chest. I was scared to death¡­ She glanced at Xue Yuan, who was staring outside, not looking at her. She immediately put her hand down. ¡°They are all controlled by the Soul Control Technique,¡± Xue Yuan said. Whoosh¡ª An object whizzed through the air, and a sense of crisis emerged spontaneously. Chuzheng instinctively sidestepped. Just then, another villager burst out from the other side. Without any warning, he reached for Chuzheng. Chuzheng lifted her foot and kicked the villager in the stomach, and she also stepped back several paces. The villager waiting for an opportunity immediately rushed forward. Chuzheng dodged to the side, and the villager missed his lunge. Bang¡ª The villager prepared to attack was sent flying by a sudden force and crashed to the ground. Chuzheng looked in a certain direction. Little Fox was crouching not far away. Noticing Chuzheng looking at him, he immediately turned his head with a snort, ¡°Hmph.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Who asked you to be a busybody, you little thing!! I knew how to handle him myself!? You¡¯re affecting my performance! Chuzheng went to finish the job. The villager who tried to get up couldn¡¯t rise anymore. All these villagers were the ones who had disappeared under the village; however, their condition wasn¡¯t good at this moment. They were emaciated with no traces of blood, just skin and bones, which looked rather creepy. ¡°Is this also caused by the Soul Control Technique?¡± Chuzheng asked Little Fox squatting beside her. Is the Soul Control Technique that terrible? ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Does it need to be like this¡­¡± Chuzheng used her hands to gesture. Xue Yuan glanced at the villagers who looked like dry bones, and his little head shook, ¡°No need.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± So, did these villagers encounter a vampire? Xue Yuan carefully observed Chuzheng¡¯s expression. Seeing that she showed no abnormalities, he felt strange inside. ¡°What exactly is that power inside your body?¡± ¡°What power?¡± Chuzheng posed with a serious and stern expression, refusing to admit anything. ¡°Hmph, didn¡¯t you come here because of that power?¡± Xue Yuan lifted his little face. His expression was full of ¡°You think I don¡¯t know.¡± Pride mixed with a little arrogance. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Talking nonsense. Ignoring him, Chuzheng continued to walk deeper into the area. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m talking to you, did you hear me?¡± ¡°You stop right there!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Little Fox followed hastily with his short legs. Daring to treat me like this!? Wait until I regain my place, I¡¯ll make sure you know¡ªwhat it feels like to be unable to catch up! ¡°I¡¯m telling you, the power inside your body shares the same origin with this place. If you keep getting closer, who knows what could happen,¡± Xue Yuan warned Chuzheng. ¡°Are you annoying or what.¡± Chuzheng got a bit impatient. Chattering all the way¡­ Let¡¯s just deal with it!! She glanced at him coldly. Xue Yuan inexplicably felt a bit chilly. ¡°What are you looking at, you think I want to bother with you!¡± After speaking, Xue Yuan was also slightly startled. Whatever she wants to do, what does it have to do with me? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if I took the opportunity to slip away? To get away from this woman who always pulls my tail and has no shame. I should leave now!! Chapter 421 - Chapter 421: Chapter 421 Supreme Immortal Path (24) Chapter 421: Chapter 421 Supreme Immortal Path (24) ¡°The tail has been touched, can you talk now?¡± Xue Yuan gritted his teeth and squeezed out a few words. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng calmly stroked it twice more. She nonchalantly spat out a few words, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You¡¯re playing with me!!¡± It was agreed that if the tail was touched, he would be told! ¡°I really don¡¯t know.¡± Chuzheng was earnest. ¡°¡­¡± Do you think I¡¯ll believe you just because you put on such a serious face? Chuzheng indeed didn¡¯t know what was going on with her body. If she had known, she wouldn¡¯t have come here. ¡°Ah¡ª¡ª¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï A scream came from the depths. Chuzheng and Xue Yuan looked at each other and ran towards the source of the sound at the same time. In the thick fog, there were vague shadows stirring. Chuzheng arrived first, and the first thing she saw was Xi Lan standing in the mist. Xi Lan was wearing a bright red dress, her usually gentle temperament gone. All of a sudden, she seemed like a devastatingly enchanting beauty with a demonic air. At her feet lay the dried-up corpse of a villager. Xi Lan, hearing the noise, looked up, her gaze indescribably cold. In this environment, it seemed even more terrifying. Chuzheng paused in her steps. Damn! Why does Little Beauty¡¯s gaze look so horrifying? Is she trying to scare me to death? ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to come on your own.¡± Xi Lan¡¯s red lips parted, her tone lacking its usual warmth, with a touch of strangeness. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t come, were you planning to come to receive me?¡± Chuzheng asked with dead seriousness. ¡°¡­¡± Xi Lan kicked aside the villager¡¯s corpse at her feet, her red dress swaying slightly. ¡°I¡¯m actually quite grateful to you.¡± Xi Lan smiled eerily. Chuzheng suppressed the chaotic power within her body, ¡°I don¡¯t see your sincerity.¡± Is this how you show your gratitude? ¡°¡­¡± Xi Lan was choked up again, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you taking out the Soul Gathering Lock, I wouldn¡¯t be here now.¡± ¡°???¡± Soul Gathering Lock? What does that broken thing have to do with anything¡­ Chuzheng suddenly stopped. It seemed that the original owner of the body had started having issues after the Soul Gathering Lock was broken. Soul Gathering Lock¡­ So that¡¯s how it is. But what does that have to do with me? Chuzheng was utterly indifferent. Chuzheng¡¯s unmoved demeanor made Xi Lan all the more awkward. This reaction¡­ Xi Lan didn¡¯t even know how to continue the conversation. Xi Lan took a deep breath, ¡°Does your body feel uncomfortable?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s right if it¡¯s uncomfortable.¡± Xi Lan continued on her own, ¡°Because the power inside you is the Elder¡¯s power.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s ¡®I am not uncomfortable, you¡¯re spouting nonsense¡¯ got stuck in her throat. ¡°The Soul Gathering Lock sealed those powers. The device should have been in your parents¡¯ hands. Unexpectedly, I¡¯ve been looking for so many years, and I found the wrong person.¡± Chuzheng asked emotionlessly, ¡°Who are you?¡± Suddenly starting story mode. Did I ever say I wanted to listen? How presumptuous! ¡°Me?¡± Xi Lan laughed oddly, ¡°I am Xi Lan.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng was on the verge of cursing, but she held it back at the last moment. Cursing is not something a goddess should do. She must maintain an image of noble and cool beauty. Forget it. Let¡¯s just take her down first. ¡°The Elder will soon be able to come out!¡± Xi Lan suddenly shouted excitedly, startling Chuzheng. Who the hell is your Elder!! If you let out a bear kid, can¡¯t you manage it properly? Must you let it out to scare people? Before Chuzheng could get into the right stance to take down Xi Lan, Xue Yuan suddenly interrupted her, ¡°You want to let Du Hui out?¡± ¡°And who the hell is Du Hui?¡± Chuzheng spoke with an impatient tone, cold and a bit frightening. Isn¡¯t that the name of the village below? How did it become a person¡¯s name? Are you bullying me because I don¡¯t understand, as I¡¯m just a little pitiful? Xue Yuan glanced at her, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard of Du Hui?¡± His tone carried a hint of disdain and skepticism. Chuzheng¡¯s indifferent face: ¡°Which dog thing?¡± Is this ever going to end, can¡¯t you let me finish her off before talking? I can¡¯t stand it anymore!! The power within her body seemed to be searching for an outlet, incessantly surging through her meridians for lack of one. Xue Yuan: ¡°Du Hui is¡­¡± ¡°You dare to address the Master by name!!¡± Xi Lan suddenly scolded. Boom¡ª As Xi Lan¡¯s voice fell, the surrounding area suddenly began to shake. Only then did Chuzheng see clearly, behind Xi Lan, in the thick fog, there was a blood pond. And at this moment, the blood pond was bubbling furiously. It seemed as if something was about to emerge from below. Xi Lan¡¯s face lit up with excitement, her eyes gleaming. Chuzheng swayed slightly with the trembling of the ground. She took a slight breath. Little Fox glanced at her, snorted coldly. The shameless woman only knows how to hold out. ¡°Master¡­¡± ¡°Master.¡± Xi Lan looked towards the direction of the blood pond, calling out to the Master excitedly. The blood pond merely bubbled up without any sound responding to her. Boom¡ª The ground shook even more violently. The spider-web-like cracks spread unceasingly. ¡°Watch out!!!¡± Xue Yuan suddenly yelled. Chuzheng felt a void under her feet, the sensation of weightlessness hit, and she fell downwards. The incident was so sudden, not only Chuzheng was unprepared, even Xi Lan didn¡¯t anticipate it and fell down with Chuzheng. The light before her eyes was devoured by darkness. Chuzheng tried to stabilize her body in mid-air, but the power within her was relentlessly pulling her downwards. Crash¡ª There was a sound from below, like something heavy falling into the water. The dim light gradually brightened, and Chuzheng saw the blood pond beneath her. There were things floating in the blood water¡­ Dark hair, one could vaguely make out a human head and limbs¡­ A corpse fell past Chuzheng rapidly, hitting the blood pond, causing more heads to surface. Chuzheng quickly stabilized herself, and Yin Xian guided her away from the tragedy of falling into the blood pond. ¡°Catch me!!¡± The voice of Xue Yuan came from above. Chuzheng looked up to see, Little Fox, as if shot from a cannon, plummeting down. Chuzheng instinctively dodged. ¡°Catch me!¡± Xue Yuan shouted even louder upon seeing this. Chuzheng just watched with a cold expression. Xue Yuan landed beside the blood pond, rolling twice before coming to a stop. The first thing he did when he got up was to glare at Chuzheng: ¡°Why didn¡¯t you catch me!¡± ¡°Why should I catch you?¡± Chuzheng retorted. ¡°You¡­¡± Xue Yuan found no words to argue back. But anger bubbled up within him. ¡°Then don¡¯t touch my tail!!¡± Xue Yuan hopped in anger. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± In this world, the one thing that seemed alright to me, you even want to strip that from me? Why do you treat me, a weak and helpless little pitiful, like this? Chuzheng pondered for a moment, then walked towards Xue Yuan. ¡°What are you doing!¡± Xue Yuan watched her warily. Chuzheng bent down slightly, her face taut, and asked with serious assurance, ¡°How about you fall again, and I¡¯ll catch you this time.¡± ¡°!!¡± Xue Yuan looked at her with a shocked and incredulous gaze. Chuzheng nodded earnestly. I¡¯m telling the truth. I¡¯ll definitely catch you. Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± Get lost! Chapter 422 - Chapter 422: Chapter 422 Supreme Immortal Path (25) Chapter 422: Chapter 422 Supreme Immortal Path (25) While they were talking, more clutter fell from above into the blood pool, splashing the bloody water. A faint blood-colored mist rose from the surface of the blood pool. Bang¡ª Xi Lan also crashed to the ground. She looked around quickly and got to her feet¡­ Chuzheng burst out and kicked her. ¡°Chuzheng!¡± Xi Lan, furious, formed her fingers into claws and struck back at Chuzheng. The two exchanged blows at the edge of the blood pool. The mist over the blood pool grew thicker, and Chuzheng could barely see anything but the crimson fog in front of her. In the middle of the blood pool, a black silhouette slowly became visible. ¡°Ha ha ha ha¡­¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï The sinister laughter spread through the mist. It echoed distantly, as if coming from Hell, chilling to the bone and sending shivers down the spine. ¡°My lord!¡± Xi Lan immediately turned around, her face full of joy. The lord had really emerged! ¡°Who art thou!¡± The black silhouette wavered, drifting toward Xi Lan. Xi Lan, excited, watched as if a devout follower had finally seen their deity, with earnest reverence. ¡°My lord, I am your follower,¡± Xi Lan said, bowing her head in devotion. Her knees bent slightly as if she was about to kneel, but the next moment, she suddenly flew outwards. Something dragged her¡­ But what it was, Xi Lan had no clue. She just felt that her arms and legs were powerless. The thing dragging her pulled her high into the air, and then suddenly let go. Xi Lan¡¯s body whooshed downward in a fall. Xi Lan¡¯s expression turned dark. She stabilized herself as the sound of the air being split came from behind her, and the immediate danger made her hairs stand on end, prompting her to unleash an attack instinctively. In the flash of an eye, she saw who had attacked her. Chuzheng! This damned woman, interrupting her connection with the lord at this time. Damn it! The blood-colored mist in front of her grew denser, blocking Xi Lan¡¯s sight, forcing her to attack based on instinct alone. Xi Lan gathered her strength, preparing to deal Chuzheng a deadly blow, yet the next second, the mist in front of her cleared and the attack sped towards the black shadow rising from the blood pool. Xi Lan¡¯s complexion shifted dramatically. The shadow above the blood pool shook violently as the attack hit the blood, splashing blood everywhere. ¡°Impudence!¡± came a thunderous reprimand, fueled by rage. ¡°My lord!¡± Xi Lan turned pale with fear, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to, it was her¡­ it was¡­¡± Xi Lan looked around, but Chuzheng was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Is this how thou followest me?¡± Du Hui sneered. ¡°No,¡± Xi Lan said, anxious to explain, ¡°someone attacked me just now; I didn¡¯t mean to attack you, my lord.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Du Hui¡¯s tone was mocking and drawn out. ¡°Where is this person?¡± Person¡­ She had just seen someone, but in the blink of an eye, they had disappeared? Xi Lan¡¯s heart pounded like a drum. She asked cautiously, ¡°My lord, didn¡¯t you see anything?¡± ¡°See what?¡± Du Hui was clearly becoming impatient, ¡°Art thou playing games with me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Impossible! She had been standing right there; how could the lord not have seen her? ¡°My lord, there¡¯s someone else here, didn¡¯t you really see them? You have to believe me¡­¡± The shadowy figure became more humanoid, now with limbs, and it raised its hand slightly, pressing down. Xi Lan stopped speaking abruptly. ¡°Dost thou doubt me?¡± Du Hui was not pleased at all. What kind of follower was this, daring to question him? What he did not see, he did not see!! ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare¡­¡± Feeling the pressure emanating from Du Hui, Xi Lan trembled and couldn¡¯t even look him in the eye. ¡°Hmph.¡± Xi Lan bowed her head even lower. In her mind, she was tearing Chuzheng to pieces, also wondering how Chuzheng had managed not to be detected by the lord¡­ ¡°My Lord!¡± Xi Lan suddenly looked up, ¡°Can you feel the presence of a power very similar to yours nearby?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s body contains the power of the Lord, so the Lord must be able to feel it. This time Du Hui fell silent for a while. He indeed felt a power very familiar to him, as if it had split from his own body. It was nearby. Very close to him. Yet he could not see it. At that moment, Chuzheng and Xue Yuan were standing not far away, surrounded by silver threads. Xue Yuan looked curiously at these threads. ¡°What are these?¡± ¡°Threads.¡± He could obviously see they were threads, but what kind of threads? Xue Yuan: ¡°What kind of threads? Your Life-bound Magic Weapon?¡± ¡°Life-bound Magic Weapon?¡± Xue Yuan skeptically: ¡°No?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°No.¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± If they¡¯re not the Life-bound Magic Weapon, then what are they? They are so powerful, that old Du Hui can¡¯t even see them. Xue Yuan¡¯s eyes whirled, suddenly eager to try something. Completely ignoring the Yin Xian. ¡°Do you think if I go and hit him now, will he notice me??¡± ¡°You want to hit him?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Little Fox nodded frantically. Why wouldn¡¯t he want to? He¡¯d wanted to for a long time. ¡°Why.¡± ¡°What do you mean why, I just want to hit him,¡± Xue Yuan said with complete conviction in his crimson eyes. ¡­¡± Chuzheng was silent for two seconds: ¡°Can you win?¡± Xue Yuan immediately bristled. ¡°Who are you looking down on! I, who have fought unrivaled under the heavens, lose to that old man? You must be joking!¡± Chuzheng¡¯s gaze circled around him. As if to say: You¡¯ve fallen to this state and still claim to fight unrivaled under the heavens? Xue Yuan, furious, stamped his feet: ¡°Let me tell you, don¡¯t you underestimate me. Had you not taken advantage of my weakened state, would I fear you?¡± Taking advantage of someone¡¯s misfortune. What kind of hero do you think you are!! Shameless! Chuzheng¡¯s face remained cold: ¡°You are not human.¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng reached out and pulled a Yin Xian, winding it around Xue Yuan¡¯s paw: ¡°Go on.¡± Xue Yuan felt a chill on his paw. The Yin Xian was gradually disappearing into the air, leaving no trace to be found. ¡°Is this it?¡± Xue Yuan was a bit suspicious: ¡°You¡¯re not planning to harm me, are you?¡± Chuzheng gave him a sidelong glance: ¡°I wouldn¡¯t harm anyone, least of all you.¡± Do I have a death wish? Is the Good Person Card something that can be harmed so easily? Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan hung his head, as that sentence echoed in his ears like a curse. His heartbeat quickened. Thump, thump¡­ There was a sense of inexplicable anxiety at the bottom of Xue Yuan¡¯s heart; he didn¡¯t know what was going on with himself but it was just¡­ An indescribable, vague feeling. Sigh. Xue Yuan, not daring to look at Chuzheng, darted toward Du Hui. If Xue Yuan had turned back at that moment, he would have seen the pained expression on Chuzheng¡¯s face and the sweat seeping from her cheeks. Her body swayed slightly, slipping towards the ground as if she was drained of strength. As Xue Yuan approached Du Hui, Du Hui indeed had no reaction whatsoever, still conversing with Xi Lan. ¡°Since thou art my follower,¡± Du Hui spoke in a deep voice, ¡°then offer thy body to me.¡± Xi Lan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief: ¡°My Lord¡­¡± ¡°What, art thou unwilling?¡± Chapter 423 - Chapter 423: Chapter 423 Supreme Immortal Path (26) Chapter 423: Chapter 423 Supreme Immortal Path (26) Du Hui could only condense into a black humanoid shadow; he had no physical body. Xue Yuan found that even though he was so close, Du Hui had not discovered him, and he was instantly overjoyed. ¡°My lord¡­¡± Xi Lan had not expected Du Hui to make such a request, for she had planned everything to welcome him. Before Xi Lan could speak, the black shadow suddenly scattered as if struck by something. The black mist drifted over the pool of blood and condensed once again. ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± ¡°Your grandpa!¡± ¡°Xue Yuan!¡± Du Hui accurately called out the name, and with careful listening, one could tell there was a grinding of teeth in his voice. ¡°You¡¯re still alive!¡± Du Hui didn¡¯t know where Xue Yuan was and could only intuitively look in a certain direction, his alertness skyrocketing. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï How could he be here! Xue Yuan¡¯s voice slowly rose: ¡°If you¡¯re not dead, of course, I¡¯m alive!¡± When Du Hui heard the voice, he dashed towards the source immediately, but when he was about to step out of the blood pool, something blocked him, and he could no longer move forward. Xue Yuan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Du Hui still couldn¡¯t leave the blood pool. Xue Yuan¡¯s figure flickered in the blood-colored mist, and the shadow that Du Hui had condensed kept being scattered. Du Hui¡¯s furious roar followed closely. Xue Yuan and Du Hui were both beings from ancient times, one a demon, the other a monster. Originally, they should have supported each other as deviant creatures. However, both were competitive, each believing themselves to be the strongest and unwilling to concede to the other, their encounters always resulting in violent clashes. Over time, they became mortal enemies. Chuzheng stood idly by. The strength of the Good Person Card¡­ seemed to be recovering quite quickly. Hadn¡¯t he shown his capability before? Was he planning¡­ to deceive her and find an opportunity to run away? [Can you not be a bit more positive and upright?] Is that how you should think about the Good Person Card? Do you still want the Good Person Card or not! Chuzheng: ¡°How am I not positive and upright?¡± I¡¯m always being a good person. And I¡¯m not positive and upright? [You are very direct.] But there¡¯s no positivity or uprightness to speak of. ¨C ¡°My lord!¡± Xi Lan exclaimed in alarm. Chuzheng looked up and saw Du Hui getting scattered by Xue Yuan, barely able to maintain his shape. ¡°Xue Yuan!¡± Du Hui ground his teeth: ¡°If you have the ability, come out. What kind of skill is hiding and launching a sneak attack!¡± Xue Yuan replied righteously: ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± ¡°My lord!¡± Xi Lan asked anxiously, ¡°Are you alright?¡± At the moment, Du Hui did indeed look somewhat fragile, like smoke that could dissipate at any moment. With the blood of the villagers, Xi Lan had temporarily given Du Hui enough strength to recover to this state, but he had not yet broken through the seal. The boundary of this blood pool was the limit of his movement. ¡°Come here,¡± Du Hui called Xi Lan with a low voice. Xi Lan¡¯s heart skipped a beat, instinctively wanting to step back, yet her body moved forward. No¡­ Xi Lan¡¯s body suddenly flew toward the blood pool, and in the blink of an eye, she stood at the edge, the blood-colored mist entangling and quickly entering her body. Xi Lan¡¯s face shifted expressions. At times in pain, at times in madness, at times fierce, at times frightened. ¡°No¡­ don¡¯t¡­¡± Fear welled up in Xi Lan¡¯s beautiful eyes. ¡°Why not? Aren¡¯t you here to welcome me?¡± The voice of Du Hui came from Xi Lan¡¯s mouth. ¡°No¡­¡± Xi Lan shook her head. She did want Du Hui to come out, but not like this, not to strip her of her existence! ¡°My lord, I can find you a better body, I can do many things for you, please spare me,¡± begged Xi Lan in terror. She could have prepared all this herself, but it was Chuzheng who had ruined her plans. ¡°My lord, there is another person here; her body can!!¡± Xi Lan shouted loudly, ¡°Her body still possesses your power!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Xi Lan nodded furiously, ¡°She¡¯s right here, she really is right here.¡± Xi Lan was certain, Chuzheng was right here. She couldn¡¯t see, but the adults surely could. Clearly, Xi Lan overestimated Du Hui who had just emerged; he only sensed a faint trace of presence, unable to pinpoint where exactly the person was. ¡°No worries, I¡¯ll use your body first, find the person, and then switch,¡± said Du Hui, ¡°Aren¡¯t you here to pick me up? Are you unwilling to do even this much?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Somehow, Xi Lan found the strength to suddenly turn and run away. However, Xi Lan hadn¡¯t taken two steps before a cold wind struck her face-on, slapping her back. She vaguely saw a blurry figure in the mist, her pupils contracted, and her throat felt as if someone was choking her, rendering her unable to move. The expression on Xi Lan¡¯s face changed rapidly, ferocious and twisted. Don¡¯t want to¡­ ¨C Du Hui examined his new body, seemingly somewhat discontent. ¡°You even take over a woman¡¯s body, are you that desperate?¡± Xue Yuan squatted at the edge of the blood pool, launching into mock mode. ¡°Heh,¡± Du Hui sneered, ¡°You don¡¯t even have a human form now, what right do you have to speak about me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan, angered, retorted, ¡°That¡¯s still better than you using a woman¡¯s body!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a stopgap measure!¡± ¡°What stopgap measure, it¡¯s just that you can¡¯t do it yourself¡­¡± ¡°Xue Yuan, you damn Fox, what right do you have to speak about me!¡± Du Hui and Xue Yuan immediately started arguing on the spot. They behaved not with the enlightenment expected from Ancient beings but like two quarreling children. ¡°Have you two had enough?¡± Chuzheng was slightly annoyed, ¡°Are you fighting or not?¡± Du Hui¡¯s voice stopped abruptly; he accurately looked in the direction of the voice. There was nothing there, but he felt it, a power familiar to him. ¡°Who are you!¡± Du Hui called out in a low voice, ¡°Why do you possess my power within you?¡± ¡°I want to know that too.¡± Du Hui saw a figure gradually appearing in the mist. It was a young girl¡­ The young girl¡¯s voice was calm and cold, ¡°I also want to know why your power is inside my body.¡± Du Hui¡¯s gaze circled Chuzheng¡¯s face, seemingly recalling something, and he stepped back, ¡°What relation do you have with Ye Jiang!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°??¡± Who is Ye Jiang? Don¡¯t know them! [Your father!] The King¡¯s Account reminded. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The original owner never met him, how would I know! Ye Jiang is the father of the original owner, a Supreme God who existed during Ancient Times, contemporary with these two deviates. Since the original owner¡¯s body contained Du Hui¡¯s power, it made complete logical sense that Du Hui knew the original owner¡¯s father. Little Fox looked at Chuzheng, and whether it was Chuzheng¡¯s imagination, Little Fox seemed to become wary. Chuzheng maintained a composed face, ¡°What¡¯s it to you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a descendant of Ye Jiang?!¡± Perhaps because he was using Xi Lan¡¯s body, Du Hui¡¯s voice sounded a bit sharp and shrill, like a eunuch¡¯s. ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m not, but this body is, so theoretically, yes. Chuzheng¡¯s silence was taken as an affirmation by Du Hui. ¡°Xue Yuan, you actually joined her!¡± Du Hui¡¯s eyes darted towards Xue Yuan, ¡°Have you forgotten what Ye Jiang did to us back then?¡± Xue Yuan¡¯s body shifted slightly backward, ¡°I do not know of this.¡± Du Hui sneered, ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who claims to know everything?¡± Xue Yuan glared at Du Hui. Chuzheng interrupted them, ¡°What did Ye Jiang do to you?¡± Du Hui and Xue Yuan glared at Chuzheng simultaneously. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Why so fierce, I¡¯m just asking. If you don¡¯t want to say, then don¡¯t, I¡¯m not that interested to know. * Sorry, the narrative of this realm got disrupted because of my going out, I¡¯m not even sure what I¡¯ve written, please bear with it, everyone. I¡¯ll finish it as quickly as possible and start on the next realm. Chapter 424 - Chapter 424: Chapter 424 Supreme Immortal Path (27) Chapter 424: Chapter 424 Supreme Immortal Path (27) ¡°` Boom¡ª A muffled sound came from above. The ground was shaking along with it. In the blood pool, the blood water splashed chaotically, and there seemed to be the sound of something heavy falling from the sky. Looking up, several dark figures were descending rapidly. A few members of the Divine Clan smashed down from the sky, landing around the blood pool. ¡°Xi Lan!¡± The first member of the Divine Clan to land, upon seeing Xi Lan, had an expression that turned stern as he chastised, ¡°Where is Qing Xiao!?¡± ¡°Qing Xiao?¡± Du Hui had Xi Lan¡¯s memories and knew who that was, his laugh carrying a hint of eeriness, ¡°That foolish member of the Divine Clan.¡± The remaining members of the Divine Clan also landed one after another, first surveying the situation on the scene with caution and quickly taking their respective sides. Chuzheng and Black Fox were also here¡­ What has happened here? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?? The members of the Divine Clan were a bit bewildered. But for the sake of their own interests, they couldn¡¯t show any signs of fear or hesitation, no matter what had happened, they had to carry on staunchly. ¡°What did Xi Lan do to Qing Xiao?¡± ¡°We were really blind, misjudged people. Xi Lan, where did you take Qing Xiao? Hand him over quickly!¡± Qing Xiao chased after Xi Lan and left. At this moment, only seeing Xi Lan and not Qing Xiao, how could the members of the Divine Clan not be suspicious? Du Hui stood by the blood pool with his hands behind his back, the female¡¯s visage making the expression on his face seem incongruous. ¡°That member of the Divine Clan is not dead; you can rest assured.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± The member of the Divine Clan seemed to notice something off about ¡®Xi Lan¡¯s¡¯ voice: ¡°Who are you?¡± This was not Xi Lan. ¡°Isn¡¯t it clear what place this is?¡± Du Hui spread his arms wide: ¡°Has time really made you forget the past?¡± The members of the Divine Clan were genuinely a bit dumbfounded. Xue Yuan rolled his eyes, ¡°The Divine Clan has gone through quite a few generations, it would be strange if they recognized you.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Du Hui seemed a bit surprised. But then, thinking about the length of time he had been sealed, Du Hui quickly accepted this reality. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever heard the name Du Hui?¡± The people from the Divine Clan immediately whispered to each other. ¡°Du Hui?¡± ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°It seems¡­ it seems like¡­ it seems like a member of the Demon Clan.¡± One of the Divine Clan members spoke softly, ¡°That Demon Clan member who was as notorious as Black Fox Xue Yuan was called Du Hui.¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°Bullshit!¡± Du Hui: ¡°Nonsense!¡± Xue Yuan and Du Hui spoke out at the same time, exchanged glances, saw disdain in each other¡¯s eyes, and simultaneously looked away. The Divine Clan member who had spoken: ¡°No¡­ of course not.¡± In history, the only famous person named Du Hui¡­ was just this one. Xue Yuan scratched the ground with his little paw, in defiance yelled loudly, ¡°Who¡¯s as notorious as him? What nonsense are you spouting? I am so much more powerful than him! Whom are you insulting?¡± Du Hui: ¡°You¡¯re so powerful yet you don¡¯t even have a human form?¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°What¡¯s so good about a human¡¯s body? My true form is quite fine!¡± Du Hui: ¡°Heh.¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°What are you ¡®heh¡¯-ing at?!¡± Divine Clan: ¡°¡­¡± Is that really the point? Demon Clan, oh! The Ancient Demon Race! Why are they appearing here?! All of a sudden, Du Hui turned back and stared at Chuzheng: ¡°The Divine Clan knows more about Ye Jiang¡¯s affairs, why don¡¯t you ask them.¡± Divine Clan: ¡°??¡± What¡­ should we know? ¨C In ancient times, Ye Jiang was a very famous Supreme God who married Wan Qiong, the number one beauty of the Divine Clan during that era. At that time, Evil Demons ran amok, and the smaller races were facing the crisis of extinction. Ye Jiang led the Divine Clan in battle against the Evil Demons, protecting the weaker races. ¡°` However, one day, Ye Jiang suddenly disappeared. At the same time, the disappearance of Supreme God Wan Qiong was noted. Ye Jiang¡¯s disappearance caused chaos among the Divine Clan, and the Demon Clan seized the opportunity to launch an attack, resulting in heavy casualties for the Divine Clan. By the time Ye Jiang reappeared, he seemed like a changed person, although he still fought for the Divine Clan. But his attitude towards the demons was no longer mild. Every Evil Demon that died by his hand met a gruesome end. Initially, the Divine Clan thought Ye Jiang¡¯s hatred for the Evil Demons stemmed from the heavy blows and numerous casualties the Divine Clan had suffered during his absence. However, before long, they discovered that Ye Jiang was secretly accumulating the power of Evil Demons. It was only then that the Divine Clan realized Supreme God Wan Qiong had not shown her face since Ye Jiang¡¯s return. In the beginning, Ye Jiang acted covertly, but once the Divine Clan found out, he stopped hiding his actions. No one knew what Ye Jiang was planning. At that time, the Evil Demons themselves were terrified of encountering Ye Jiang. Dying by his hand was far worse than falling at the hands of any other Divine Clan member. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything back then. It was Ye Jiang who relentlessly pursued me,¡± Little Fox said with a hint of dissatisfaction in his reddened eyes. ¡°He was like a madman.¡± Little Fox had no interest in the battle between the Divine Clan and the Evil Demons. Chuzheng¡¯s face was cold and emotionless, ¡°So, what does this have to do with your power being inside me?¡± Du Hui glanced at her, a wry smile curling the corner of his mouth. Why hadn¡¯t Supreme God Wan Qiong shown her face? Because she¡¯d been injured. Moreover, she sustained injuries while with child. Supreme God Wan Qiong insisted on giving birth to the child, but due to her injuries, she had almost no chance of delivering the child successfully. Even if the child were to be born, it wouldn¡¯t have survived for long. It was for this child that Ye Jiang began to gather the power of the Evil Demons, trying to use it to save the child. How to save the child became the biggest dilemma. Ye Jiang somehow learned of a method¡ªto fight poison with poison. Supreme God Wan Qiong¡¯s injuries had severely affected the fetus, which had been tainted with the aura of Evil Demons. Therefore, it needed the aura of Evil Demons to nourish it. At that time, even with a common enemy, the relationship between the Demon Clan and Evil Demons was not very harmonious. Du Hui was the leader of the Demon Clan then. Xue Yuan held a very high status within the Demon Clan, but since Xue Yuan was uninterested, another Great Demon led the clan. Ye Jiang first sought out this Great Demon but soon realized it was no use. Afterward, he turned to Xue Yuan. But Xue Yuan had a quirky temperament and upon seeing Ye Jiang, he would beat him up first, then run away, with Ye Jiang unable to catch him. Later, Ye Jiang discovered it was the Ancient Demon Race that had injured Supreme God Wan Qiong. He needed the power of the Demon Clan. Thus, Ye Jiang turned to Du Hui. After the child was born, Ye Jiang used the Soul Gathering Lock to seal it so that no one could tell there was something wrong with the child. The only side effect was slow progress in cultivation. That persisted until the original owner used the Soul Gathering Lock to save Xi Lan. With the Soul Gathering Lock shattered and the seal lifted, her heritage as the offspring of a Supreme God became apparent. Her talent wouldn¡¯t be poor, and her strength began to spike rapidly. Yet, the Demonic Qi remained dormant within her, undetected by anyone. Now, with Du Hui¡¯s appearance, that Demonic Qi, as though summoned, fully awakened. ¡°It¡¯s my power that¡¯s protecting you,¡± said Du Hui, his voice full of resentment. ¡°Ye Jiang stole my power to give you life, and then he sealed me in this wretched place. You Divine Clan members pride yourselves on your lofty purity and your extraordinary righteousness¡ªis this what you call justice?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The father of the original owner seemed quite formidable. But I don¡¯t belong with the Divine Clan. With a dark look in his eyes, Du Hui swept his gaze over Chuzheng, ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to take back my power¡­¡± A body nourished by his power would be more compatible with him. This was all Ye Jiang owed him. With a tap of his foot, Du Hui¡¯s figure soared toward Chuzheng. Bang! ¡°Xue Yuan, what are you doing!¡± Chapter 425 - Chapter 425: Chapter 425 Supreme Immortal Path (28) Chapter 425: Chapter 425 Supreme Immortal Path (28) ¡°` Little Fox blocked Du Hui¡¯s attack for Chuzheng. Xue Yuan¡¯s sharp claws scored several fine marks on the ground. Little Fox¡¯s expression was ugly. God knows what he was doing. ¡°This person is mine,¡± Xue Yuan puffed out her little chest, dominantly declaring, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to touch her.¡± If Du Hui took away those powers, she wasn¡¯t quite sure what would happen to Chuzheng, but it definitely wouldn¡¯t be anything good. She hadn¡¯t even sought her revenge yet! How could she let Du Hui just finish her off like that? No way! She would take her own revenge! Du Hui¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°Xue Yuan, you haven¡¯t fallen for this goddess, have you?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°Pah!¡± Xue Yuan spat several times, ¡°Can¡¯t you speak properly? Me, like a goddess? I think your brain is still sealed and not quite out yet!¡± ¡°Then why are you stopping me?¡± Du Hui challenged, ¡°She¡¯s the descendant of Ye Jiang, remember how Ye Jiang chased you back then, or have you forgotten?¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± Of course, he hadn¡¯t forgotten. The Supreme Gods of ancient times were incomparable to the current Supreme Gods¡­ even to Wan Zhu. Not to mention that back then, Ye Jiang was the most formidable god among the Divine Clan. Xue Yuan still vividly remembered how wretched he had been. If he hadn¡¯t been smart enough, he might have ended up like those members of the Demon Clan, becoming another lost soul under Ye Jiang¡¯s hand. But¡­ There was a voice at the bottom of his heart, continuously ringing in his ears. He mustn¡¯t let her die. Before Xue Yuan could come up with an excuse, his body suddenly soared, and then he was embraced in someone¡¯s arms. Chuzheng touched his head, ¡°Have you talked enough?¡± I¡¯m getting really annoyed waiting, can we finish off this damn thing already?! Xue Yuan instantly bristled, ¡°Who¡¯s talking?¡± He was protecting her, alright? ¡°If you¡¯re done talking, then it¡¯s my turn,¡± Chuzheng spoke coldly. Talking more would only make it harder later, increasing the burden on herself, wouldn¡¯t it? She had to finish him now! It was perfect that he was using Xi Lan¡¯s body¡ªtwo birds with one stone! I¡¯m so great! Chuzheng set Little Fox on her shoulder, her slender and fair hand sweeping through the air, with a silver light flashing into existence, like a star falling to earth. ¡°You¡­¡± The wind scattered Xue Yuan¡¯s voice as his paws clung desperately to Chuzheng¡¯s shoulder to prevent falling. ¨C In the end, Du Hui had not completely broken his seals; he was using Xi Lan¡¯s body and powers for the moment. If he could take away the powers inside Chuzheng¡¯s body, perhaps he could become even stronger, but unfortunately, this was not realistic. Chuzheng¡¯s attacks were both fast and ruthless. Those silver lights were elusive, and Du Hui couldn¡¯t even get close to Chuzheng. What were these silver lights? He couldn¡¯t sense any presence from them, as if they didn¡¯t exist at all. He had never seen such a peculiar power before. Whoosh¡ª The silver light flashed in front of Du Hui, the red hem of his garment was torn, and it drifted leisurely down from the air. A crimson mist swirled like clouds, the figure within shadowy and indistinct. Du Hui suddenly broke out in a cold sweat on his back, he abruptly turned around and attacked behind him without hesitation. The attack missed. Only the crimson mist was behind him. ¡°I¡¯m right here.¡± The clear voice tilted down from above, Du Hui looked up, the silver light enlarged in his pupils, and his vision was flooded with white light. Du Hui¡¯s body was thrown, crashing into the edge of the blood pool, his hair and clothes soaking into the blood pool. His face underwent rapid changes. It was as if two individuals were vying for control over this face. As Du Hui fought to suppress Xi Lan within his body, Chuzheng simply went over with a kick, sending Du Hui flying back into the blood pool. Her movements were swift and fluid, like a leisurely drifting cloud. ¡°` Du Hui plunged into the blood pool, and a visible fog seeped out from Xi Lan¡¯s body. It wanted to return to Xi Lan¡¯s body once more, but it could only pass through. Struggling, Xi Lan crawled out of the blood pool, her fear driving her to distance herself from it, leaving a trail of blood on the ground. ¡°Come back! You come back!¡± Without a body, Du Hui could not leave the blood pool and could only roar to express his inner rage. She woke herself up, wanting to release herself, so why the regret now? At this moment, Xi Lan was covered in blood, trembling on the ground, clearly terrified by the recent ordeal. ¡°Xue Yuan!¡± Du Hui turned his gaze to Xue Yuan, ¡°We should be on the same side, let me out! The Divine Clan has ill intentions, and they will surely go after you. Helping me now is helping yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a three-year-old child, stop trying to fool me,¡± Xue Yuan refused to listen. What kind of demon Du Hui was¡ªhow could he not be aware of that? If he truly released him today, Du Hui would turn against him at the drop of a hat. No matter how Du Hui tried to tempt him, Xue Yuan maintained the demeanor of an Ancient Ferocious Beast: Say whatever you want, I¡¯m not listening anyway. Du Hui¡¯s voice was hoarse, ¡°Xue Yuan, you will regret this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business, take care of yourself first,¡± Little Fox snorted. ¡°So annoying,¡± Chuzheng, impatient, waved her hand, and Du Hui was pressed back into the blood pool again. A few bubbles surfaced in the blood pool, and wisp of mist appeared intermittently. However, those wisps of mist, as if someone was pushing their head down, couldn¡¯t escape, and underneath there were even strange noises like ¡®woowoo gurgling¡¯. The blood pool gradually calmed down, and the surface of the pool became tranquil again. Chuzheng, calm and composed, withdrew her hand and placed it in front of her, poised and serene. ¡­Not dead, miscalculated. Chuzheng intended to kill Du Hui. But finding out that Du Hui was but a form of gas, it would take some effort to kill him. As a nobly cold and elegant girl, she couldn¡¯t just strike a pose and not move for a long time, so¡­ she had to push him back for now. It certainly was much quieter after pushing him back. To think she had tolerated letting him out for a spin before pushing him back in. And he even dared to threaten her Little Fox. Intolerable! Must push back in! Crush to death! After striking her pose, Chuzheng turned to see a host of confused onlookers. Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± Divine Clan: ¡°¡­¡± Who are they? Where are they? What happened? It¡¯s over just like that? Gulp¡­ Suddenly, a string of bubbles emerged from the blood pool. Chuzheng¡¯s heart skipped a beat, not good! In an instant, she released Yin Xian, entwining the blood pool tightly. This way, I don¡¯t believe you can still come out! ¨C Du Hui¡¯s seal had not been fully broken, Xi Lan had only completed half of it. The Divine Clan discussed it, intending to seal Du Hui back again. Otherwise, if this ancestor of the Demon Clan came out, would the other demons remain seated? But how to seal him again became a problem. The Divine Clan¡¯s gaze fell on Xi Lan. She knew how to break the seal, maybe she knew how to seal it as well? ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Xi Lan shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know anything, don¡¯t ask me.¡± Divine Clan: ¡°¡­¡± No matter how the Divine Clan inquired, Xi Lan kept repeating the same statement. ¡°Chuzheng is the daughter of the Supreme God Ye Jiang, maybe she knows¡­¡± Someone from the Divine Clan suddenly mentioned this. As she was pulling on Xue Yuan¡¯s tail and suddenly got called out, Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What does this have to do with me? Don¡¯t look at me, it¡¯s no use watching me. Chapter 426 - Chapter 426: Chapter 426 Supreme Immortal Path (29) Chapter 426: Chapter 426 Supreme Immortal Path (29) Chuzheng had little desire to meddle in these trifles, but the power still rampaging through her body reminded her that if she didn¡¯t deal with this damn thing, she would have no peace. Chuzheng¡¯s face was cold, ¡°You guys leave here first.¡± The Divine Clan was puzzled, ¡°What¡­ what do you plan to do?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s calm gaze turned toward the direction of the blood pool, her lips parted slightly, ¡°Do you want to seal it?¡± The Divine Clan, ¡°¡­¡± Of course, they did! ¡°Then go.¡± You are spectating here, how am I supposed to do it¡­ sealing it!? The Divine Clan, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Can you¡­ really reseal him?¡± The people of the Divine Clan were dubious. ¡°Just now you said I could, now you doubt me?¡± Catching the ghost was your job, and releasing the ghost was also your doing. What do you want, to ascend to heaven? ¡°¡­¡± Choked by her remarks, the Divine Clan simply felt that Chuzheng might be capable, but they hadn¡¯t expected her to agree so readily. ¡°Are you leaving or not?¡± Seeing them unmoved, Chuzheng said impatiently, ¡°If you don¡¯t go, I will.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 ¡°Superior God Chuzheng, please take care of it,¡± a member of the Divine Clan immediately bowed with his hands clasped. As the Divine Clan left the place, everyone¡¯s face bore a trace of gloom. ¡°Are we really going to leave her there with Du Hui?¡± ¡°That is a member of the Ancient Demon Race!¡± ¡°What else can we do? Are you able to seal Du Hui?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°She also has Xue Yuan in her hands¡­¡± The people of the Divine Clan felt they had truly gone mad to have left the two ringleaders of the demonic paths together. They had previously been so against Chuzheng¡¯s actions, and if she made some agreement with those two, they would be the criminals. ¨C The Divine Clan waited outside, left and right, but Chuzheng never emerged. The surrounding gloomy atmosphere lingered, not dissipating. The entire mountain was shrouded in a hazy oppression, making people¡¯s skin crawl. ¡°No, I have to go in and see.¡± One of the Divine Clan couldn¡¯t wait any longer, and disregarding his companions¡¯ objections, decisively reentered. A quarter of an hour later. The Divine Clan member came back out, and the rest immediately swarmed him, bombarding him with questions, many looking behind him in attempts to spot Chuzheng. ¡°There¡¯s no one inside,¡± said the Divine Clan member with a not-so-good expression. ¡°No one?¡± Someone¡¯s voice pitched up, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What about Du Hui?¡± The Divine Clan member shook his head; he had not seen Du Hui, nor the blood pool. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Look over there!¡± Just as everyone was feeling anxious, someone suddenly pointed at the void. The shadowy darkness that had enveloped the void was gradually dissipating, the sunshine pouring down, warming everyone it touched. The people of the Divine Clan looked at each other for a moment. They searched around the mountain but found neither Chuzheng nor Xue Yuan. The Divine Clan had no choice but to take Xi Lan back with them. As a captive, Xi Lan was taken back and confined. ¡°Xi Lan, why would you do such a thing?¡± Xi Lan curled up inside, ignoring the person questioning her. ¡°Where is Qingxiao Immortal?¡± ¡°You still have a chance now, don¡¯t be so stubborn!¡± Xi Lan gave him a dark look, then buried her head completely into her knees. No matter what the outsider asked, she gave no response. The people from the Divine Clan, wanting to find Qingxiao, had no choice but to torture Xi Lan. However, Xi Lan kept her mouth shut tight, and they couldn¡¯t extract a single word. They didn¡¯t know why Xi Lan did what she did, nor did they know the whereabouts of Qingxiao. Xi Lan lay in the Immortal Prison, her face pale, her body mottled with blood stains. These were wounds inflicted with a Divine Artifact designed to combat members of the Divine Clan and would not heal automatically. Xi Lan¡¯s fingertips scratched fiercely against the ground. She was not Xi Lan. She was just a Soul Body. A soul body that has existed since the Ancient Times. Du Hui was her belief, the Great One she respected. She had followed Du Hui for many years, accompanying him in battles across the lands. ¡­it¡¯s just that Du Hui didn¡¯t recognize her, that¡¯s all. In Du Hui¡¯s eyes, she was perhaps just a dispensable minor character who could be sacrificed at any moment. The Soul Gathering Lock awakened her and allowed her to reside within Xi Lan¡¯s body. At the time, Xi Lan¡¯s soul was still present, but not as strong as hers, so she devoured Xi Lan¡¯s soul and completely took over the body. She also discovered that the girl who possessed the Soul Gathering Lock actually harbored Du Hui¡¯s power within her body. With these conditions, she could release Du Hui. If she could release Du Hui, she would then be seen in Du Hui¡¯s eyes, and she would become the only person Du Hui trusted. She knew where Du Hui was sealed, so she began to scheme. She just hadn¡¯t expected that her own plan would end up like this. Thinking back on how she was controlled by Du Hui, Xi Lan couldn¡¯t help but shiver. The person she admired the most had never seen her from the beginning to the end. She was still a minor character who could be sacrificed and abandoned at any moment. No¡­ She absolutely wouldn¡¯t let it end like this. ¨C Ten-Miles Eight Mountains. The Tiger King, a man of one meter eighty in height squatting on the ground, chatted with a few subordinates. Ever since Chuzheng returned, the Tiger King felt the pressure mounting. Chuzheng asked him to distribute more and more Immortal Spirit Leaves. The people of the Divine Clan said, were the Immortal Spirit Leaves from the Divine Realm, did their king rob the Divine Clan? He was afraid that the Divine Clan would come with troops to attack them. ¡°Tiger King, to give away so many Immortal Spirit Leaves, what a waste,¡± a subordinate lamented deeply. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Tiger King gave the subordinate a sharp glance. ¡°Tiger King, you say¡­¡± The subordinate leaned closer to Tiger King, whispering a few words into his ear. Before he could finish, Tiger King slapped the subordinate on the forehead twice: ¡°Are you stupid, are you stupid, if you want to die, don¡¯t drag me into it.¡± The subordinate, holding his head, begged for mercy: ¡°Tiger King, I was wrong, I was wrong.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you all.¡± Tiger King pointed at the rest of the subordinates: ¡°Do whatever the king asks you to do, whoever dares to have other ideas, if found out by the king, bear the consequences yourselves.¡± The subordinates huddled together, nodding repeatedly and eagerly to show they understood. ¡°Have you seen my dog?¡± A cold, clear voice suddenly arose from above. Tiger King looked up and saw the young girl standing on a slightly protruding rock, backlit so her facial expression was unclear. But he could feel that she was very annoyed at the moment, emitting a cold aura all over. Tiger King couldn¡¯t help but shiver and quickly stood up with his subordinates. ¡°Great King¡­ Your¡­ what dog?¡± When did the Great King get a dog? Did you see it? Tiger King used his eyes to question his subordinates. The subordinates shook their heads one after another. They didn¡¯t know the Great King had a dog! Chuzheng corrected: ¡°Xue Yuan.¡± The corner of Tiger King¡¯s mouth twitched instantly. Xue Yuan¡­ That¡¯s a fox, isn¡¯t it? How did it become a dog? Alright, if the Great King says so, then it must be so. Tiger King asked his subordinates: ¡°Did you see it?¡± The subordinates continued to shake their heads. ¡°Great King, none of us saw it¡­¡± Tiger King hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Chuzheng turned to leave, her voice trailing slowly: ¡°Go find it, bring it back to me when you do!¡± Tiger King: ¡°¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the Great King¡¯s words were¡­ filled with murderous intent! Mourning for the dog¡­ no, for Xue Yuan in silence. Tiger King saw the subordinates still standing there, delivered another slap: ¡°What are you dawdling for, go search!¡± Subordinate: ¡°¡­¡± Why is it always me who gets slapped! Chapter 427 - Chapter 427: Chapter 427 Supreme Immortal Path (30) Chapter 427: Chapter 427 Supreme Immortal Path (30) Chuzheng had only turned around for a moment, and Little Fox was gone. Chuzheng was quite annoyed, she shouldn¡¯t have let her guard down! Tiger King led the demon sprites all over in search of him, but they saw no sign of Xue Yuan. Xue Yuan was so small that he could easily slip into any corner, making him very hard to find. Chuzheng walked back to the cave prepared for her by Tiger King with a headache, pondering how to break Little Thing¡¯s legs once she found him. Rustle, rustle¡­ Chuzheng paused in her steps, looking into the cave. Green vines hung down in the cave, forming a natural screen. Behind the screen was a resting place. There was a sound coming from inside¡­ This cave was for her exclusive use, and though she had never forbidden anyone from entering, the demon sprites outside were all very well-behaved and wouldn¡¯t appear there without her permission. Chuzheng touched her wrist, calming herself as she walked inside. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã? Parting the hanging vines, she looked in. A black-clothed youth was curled up in a stone chair, one hand propping his chin and the other clutching a few Immortal Spirit Leaves, looking sullen as he stuffed them into his mouth. The youth¡¯s features were delicate, like a piece of ink jade, stunning in their sheer natural beauty without the need for any carving or polishing. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Done for! The tail is gone! Chuzheng mourned her own tail for a moment, then couldn¡¯t help but admire, Good Person Card really did look good. Xue Yuan¡¯s pointed ears twitched and his head tilted slightly, the reflection of Chuzheng in his ruby-like eyes. Xue Yuan set down his curled legs from the stone chair and stood barefooted on the ground, ¡°Where did you go?¡± The youth¡¯s voice was questioning, his tone naturally soft, making it impossible to feel annoyed at his tone. ¡°Looking for you.¡± ¡°Looking for me?¡± The youth twirled an Immortal Spirit Leaf in his hand, asking warily, ¡°I¡¯m right here, where did you go looking for me? Did you go finding other Little Demons outside?!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I was bloody going to find you! I was even thinking of breaking your legs¡­ looks like that¡¯s not happening now, sigh. [¡­] I always feel like Miss is so disappointed. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± The youth huffed, ¡°Did I guess right?! You humans are all about novelty and discarding the old, not one good thing among you.¡± ¡°No,¡± Chuzheng let go of the vines and walked in. ¡°I¡¯m telling you¡­ What are you doing! Put me down!¡± Xue Yuan was suddenly hoisted by Chuzheng, his terror evident in his shouts. He was now in human form! Not his original form, there was no tail for her to touch! And this way of holding was all wrong!! Chuzheng set him down on the stone chair. Xue Yuan felt uncomfortable and struggled free from her grasp, ¡°Are you crazy, suddenly hugging me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t hugged you before.¡± ¡°Is it the same?¡± Xue Yuan was angry. ¡°How is it different?¡± Chuzheng asked. ¡°I was in my original form then, how can it be the same?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you still you?¡± What¡¯s the difference, does changing form mean you¡¯re not yourself anymore? ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan had no argument against Chuzheng, glowering at her in huff. In his original form, he had no real power to intimidate, and now, in human form, he was even less imposing. Chuzheng reached out to rub his head. Xue Yuan dodged her hand in protest, ¡°Don¡¯t touch my head!¡± Xue Yuan¡¯s hair was smooth, like satin, but not as comfortable as fur¡­ Alas. Unsatisfying. Chuzheng crouched down, her palm gliding over his calf, taking hold of his ankle. ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t respond, silently taking out shoes and carefully putting them on him. The warmth from her palm enclosing his ankle, pressing against his skin, was gradually spreading a burning sensation through his body. He didn¡¯t quite like turning into human form. Even in the past, unless necessary, he hardly ever took on a human appearance. Yet he didn¡¯t know what had gotten into him, finding himself able to transform, he had done so immediately. The youth lowered his gaze to watch her, her earnestness causing him to be slightly distracted. Chuzheng finished putting shoes on him and arranged the hem of his clothing. Chuzheng casually asked, ¡°How¡¯s the recovery of your strength going?¡± Xue Yuan snapped back to reality, his gaze suddenly not daring to meet Chuzheng¡¯s, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ it¡¯s alright.¡± Wearing shoes made Xue Yuan very uncomfortable, as if another restraint had been added to his body. Chuzheng remained silent. Should I beat him up and make him revert to his original form? [¡­Miss, why on earth would you have such a morbid thought?] I want to touch his fur. [¡­] The King¡¯s Account probably felt like it was about to have a stroke. For the sake of fur, you¡¯re going to beat someone up back to their original form, are you a demon, Miss?! Have you considered the feelings of your Good Person Card? [Miss, I think you need to calm down.] Chuzheng sighed in her heart: I think so too. The King¡¯s Account found a bit of consolation: [Right, right, calm down. Think about it, he¡¯s your Good Person Card, how could you do such a thing to him?] Chuzheng continued to sigh: I need the fur to calm down. Chuzheng glanced behind Xue Yuan¡­ Xue Yuan jumped up as if his tail had been stepped on: ¡°I¡¯m telling you, no way!!¡± Shameless woman, he had already transformed, and she still wouldn¡¯t leave his tail alone! His tail is going to be rubbed bald!! Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I haven¡¯t even said anything yet. Chuzheng got up calmly, as if nothing had happened, and sat down to do her own thing. Xue Yuan stood in place, glancing at Chuzheng then down at the shoes on his feet. He tried taking a few steps, like a toddler learning to walk, unsteady and oddly adorable. Chuzheng observed him from the corner of her eye, and her previously gloomy mood slightly improved. The Good Person Card is really good-looking. Xue Yuan was very uncomfortable with the shoes on his feet, and after a few steps, he was all puffed up with irritation. What is this nonsense! Why does he have to wear this? He¡¯s a Fierce Beast! Xue Yuan kicked off the shoes and stood barefoot on the ground, feeling much more comfortable. Chuzheng looked up at him. Xue Yuan stood tall, ¡°I don¡¯t like wearing shoes!¡± Since when do Fierce Beasts wear shoes! Have you seen any Demon Sprites out there wearing shoes? Just wearing clothes, he¡¯s already doing much better than those Demon Sprites who only cover the essentials, okay?! ¡°The ground is dirty,¡± Chuzheng paused, her expression turning stern, ¡°You¡¯re not going to lick it, are you?¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°!!!¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°???¡± Xue Yuan almost lost his temper and reverted to his original form. Who¡¯s going to lick it! What does he have to lick!? Crazy! Xue Yuan turned and walked away, took a few steps, then turned back and slammed his hand on the stone table beside Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s the matter! Are you rebelling! The youth glared at Chuzheng: ¡°Don¡¯t you find me transforming surprising at all?¡± Since he came in, she hadn¡¯t shown the slightest surprise or any other emotion about his transformation. Having been with her for a while, he knew that this was just how she was. But he still wanted to know, wasn¡¯t she really surprised at all? Chuzheng seriously retorted, ¡°Why should I be surprised?¡± Why, why¡­ A sudden transformation, the normal reaction for humans would be surprise, right? How could she accept it without any barriers? As if he had always been like this¡­ Chapter 428 - Chapter 428: Chapter 428 Supreme Immortal Path (31) Chapter 428: Chapter 428 Supreme Immortal Path (31) Xue Yuan sat down, defeated. Chuzheng lowered her head, no longer paying attention to him. ¡°Hey.¡± Xue Yuan couldn¡¯t sit still and couldn¡¯t help but speak out. ¡°Hmm?¡± The girl¡¯s voice was faint, making it seem somewhat ethereal and intangible in the cave. Xue Yuan pouted and exhaled, ¡°Does my true form look good or not?¡± Without a second thought, Chuzheng answered, ¡°Good-looking.¡± Flattered by the compliment, Xue Yuan¡¯s mood instantly lifted, ¡°In ancient times, I was the best-looking fierce beast, that Du Hui¡­¡± When it came to Du Hui, Xue Yuan paused slightly. ¡°What did you do to him?¡± She had asked the people of the Divine Clan to leave last time, but he hadn¡¯t seen her do anything to Du Hui. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï It was just circling that blood pool a few times, then walking away as if nothing had happened. As a result, when he went out, he noticed the Demonic Qi had vanished, and the uncontrolled power inside her seemed to have calmed down as well. Chuzheng spoke nonchalantly, ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°I just want to know what you did to him.¡± Chuzheng was about to blurt out: Surely I took care of him, what else, to keep him for the New Year? The King¡¯s Account stopped her in time. [Don¡¯t be so violent in front of the Good Person Card! Make the Good Person Card think you¡¯re a reliable good person, okay? Okay?!] I helped him deal with someone he doesn¡¯t like, am I not a good person? Is such a good person like me even hard to find?! [¡­] Please, miss, don¡¯t misinterpret the term ¡®good person¡¯ so wildly, it¡¯s not like that at all! It¡¯s not! ¡°Nothing much,¡± Chuzheng corrected her answer. Xue Yuan didn¡¯t believe it, ¡°If it was nothing, why is there no sign of him?¡± ¡°How should I know?¡± Chuzheng responded, ¡°You ask him.¡± ¡°How do you not know? You must have done something to him.¡± ¡°What did I do to him? Did you see?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan choked up, ¡°If I had seen, would I need to ask you?¡± ¡°Since you didn¡¯t see, don¡¯t talk nonsense, I didn¡¯t do anything to him,¡± Chuzheng said seriously. How can one speak so carelessly without evidence! It¡¯s very impolite! Xue Yuan mused for a moment, ¡°Did you seal him back up, didn¡¯t you?¡± Xue Yuan felt it was very likely. After all, he had experienced it himself before. Chuzheng, annoyed, glared fiercely at him, ¡°Are you done yet?¡± So many questions. A reincarnation of a hundred thousand whys! ¡°¡­¡± Annoyed by Chuzheng¡¯s fierceness, Xue Yuan also bristled, ¡°Why so fierce? Don¡¯t think I¡¯m afraid of you, I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m not afraid of you right now!¡± After Xue Yuan roared, the more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and he turned to leave. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you! Stop being fierce with me!¡± Xue Yuan, losing his temper, huffed and puffed as he ran out of the cave. ¡°¡­Put on your shoes,¡± Chuzheng said calmly, finishing her sentence. ¨C Xue Yuan ran out of the cave and bumped into the Tiger King, who was about to come over to report. The Tiger King stumbled backward several steps, and upon seeing it was an unfamiliar young man, he asked warily, ¡°Who are you?¡± Red-ruby eyes fixed on the Tiger King, ¡°You don¡¯t recognize my true form, you¡¯re courting death!¡± The familiar voice made the Tiger King¡¯s tiger body startle. Xue Yuan?! Transformed? But why does he look¡­ so weak? The young man narrowed his eyes slightly, chillingly saying, ¡°You seem even more delicious than before.¡± Those Immortal Spirit Leaves were indeed not eaten in vain. Tiger King: ¡°¡­¡± No! I am not delicious at all! It was still that familiar voice that made him shiver. The young man didn¡¯t seem dangerous, but the Tiger King could feel the barely noticeable pressure emanating from the young man. Xue Yuan examined the Tiger King, ¡°What are you doing?¡± The Tiger King blurted out, ¡°Looking for a dog.¡± Upon saying this, the Tiger King felt as if he was rooted to the spot. All was lost. Had his brain been eaten by a dog?! ¡°What dog are you looking for?¡± Xue Yuan didn¡¯t give it much thought, just feeling a bit irritated, ¡°Does she want to raise another dog now?¡± Tiger King blinked, ¡°No, no. I was just, just casually looking¡­ just casually looking¡­¡± Xue Yuan looked at him suspiciously for a while, and Tiger King¡¯s back was covered in cold sweat. Suddenly, Xue Yuan strode away. Tiger King heaved a sigh of relief, his gaze following Xue Yuan. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Xue Yuan suddenly turned back. ¡°¡­¡± Tiger King shuddered. Was he not even allowed to look? ¡°I, I, I just thought you¡­ you look good, not like what I had imagined.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Of course, he looked good; he was the most handsome fierce beast of ancient times! The youth tilted his head, a glint of light passing through his crimson eyes, ¡°What did you imagine then?¡± Tiger King: ¡°¡­¡± What he had imagined was¡­ A fierce beast, naturally the kind with a burly figure that scared people at a glance. Who knew that the one who would transform was a youth, disturbingly beautiful and refined. Tiger King felt like if he spoke his thoughts, he might end up with no remains left. ¡°You are the Black Fox, I thought you would be more¡­ mature,¡± Tiger King stuttered out an answer, struggling to appease Xue Yuan, and felt like he had lost half of his life in the process. A subordinate ran over from a distance: ¡°Tiger King, Tiger King, the Wolf King is here.¡± Tiger King coughed, ¡°What does he want?¡± Subordinate: ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± Tiger King: ¡°How many demons did he bring?¡± Subordinate: ¡°None, just him.¡± Tiger King narrowed his eyes slightly: ¡°Let¡¯s go and see.¡± ¨C Chuzheng got the news from Tiger King at dusk that Wolf King wanted the Immortal Spirit Leaf. Chuzheng had plenty of Immortal Spirit Leaves, but the Wolf King¡­ ¡°King, Wolf King says he has figured it out. The issue at Wanwu Inn was his whelp¡¯s fault. He knows he was wrong and has specially come to apologize.¡± Tiger King relayed Wolf King¡¯s words. After returning from Ten-Miles Eight Mountains, Wolf King had questioned his offspring again. Wolf King was very clear about what kind of a rascal his whelp was when outside. Sure enough, with a bit of intimidation, the whelp confessed everything. ¡°Solve it yourself.¡± Chuzheng, finding it troublesome, directly tossed the matter to Tiger King. Tiger King: ¡°¡­¡± How am I supposed to solve this? Tiger King looked bewildered as Chuzheng walked away. On her way back, Chuzheng encountered several frightened Little Demons. The youth was squatting on a narrow path, a posture that seemed somewhat indecent, but because he was good-looking, it still appeared pleasing to the eye. Being good-looking really made a difference. ¡°What are you squatting here for?¡± Chuzheng approached and pulled him up. Xue Yuan leaned on her, soft and tender as if boneless, moving naturally, as though he were still the little fox from before. ¡°Hungry.¡± Want to eat! Want to eat those lively little Demon Sprites!! Chuzheng patted his back casually, ¡°You¡¯re a fierce beast, what are you hungry for?¡± Xue Yuan dissatisfied: ¡°What about fierce beasts? Don¡¯t fierce beasts need to eat? Are you discriminating against fierce beasts?¡± Fierce beasts should eat demons and humans! Leaning on Chuzheng, Xue Yuan could see her slender neck, smooth and delicate like jade. He couldn¡¯t help but lick his lips. ¡°Eat¡­¡± Chuzheng¡¯s word ¡®grassy¡¯ got stuck in her throat. The Little Fox moved closer to her neck, bit into her throat, his teeth piercing the skin, and the swallowing sounds were especially distinct. The tip of his tongue occasionally glided over the skin, bringing waves of tingling sensations. Chuzheng held him a bit tighter. The Little Fox grew more enthusiastic as he drank. Chuzheng could only speak up to stop him, ¡°Enough.¡± ¡°Delicious,¡± the youth responded vaguely, ¡°I want more.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Of course, the blood of the Divine Clan tasted good! It¡¯s precious! ¡°Enough,¡± Chuzheng pushed him away. The youth glared at her, ¡°You want to starve me, don¡¯t you! Let me tell you, mistreating a fierce beast will bring bad luck!!¡± Chuzheng¡¯s face was indifferent: ¡°Oh.¡± Chapter 429 - Chapter 429: Chapter 429 Supreme Immortal Path (32) Chapter 429: Chapter 429 Supreme Immortal Path (32) Chuzheng felt that Xue Yuan was truly a jinx, whenever she said she¡¯d be unlucky, she really did have misfortune befall her. Falling into a pit late at night! What bastard dug this hole here! ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± Chuzheng glanced at the little thing laughing heartlessly beside her, got up calmly, and brushed the dirt off her body. If it weren¡¯t for this little thing, would she have fallen? And he still had the face to laugh. ¡°Told you you¡¯d be unlucky,¡± Xue Yuan said, lifting his chin, the cold moonlight casting a halo on him, making his face even more exquisite. Chuzheng¡¯s hands itched to hit him. But in the end, she only pinched her own face. Soft, smooth, delicate, like a marshmallow. Chuzheng pinched him again. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã? Xue Yuan seemed startled, frozen in place, with no reaction. It wasn¡¯t until Chuzheng pinched him for the third time, finding it hard to stop, that Xue Yuan finally exploded, swatting Chuzheng¡¯s hand away, and angrily said, ¡°You dare to pinch this noble self!!¡± Touching him was one thing, but now pinching him too! The shameless woman, treating him like he¡¯s so easy to bully! Chuzheng¡¯s eyes were cold: ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Xue Yuan was dumbfounded: ¡°You pinched me in front of my face, and you still won¡¯t admit it?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t pinch you.¡± Chuzheng climbed out of the pit, standing at the edge, looking down at the boy gazing up from the bottom. ¡°I pinched you, that doesn¡¯t count as pinching, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s the difference! Splitting hairs! ¡°You stop right there, where are you going, come back here, did you hear me, I command you to come back!¡± Xue Yuan climbed out of the pit, chasing after Chuzheng, all the way back to the cave, making a racket. Chuzheng found him noisy and didn¡¯t hesitate to lock him outside of the cave. The world suddenly became quiet. [Miss, have you forgotten something?] Chuzheng looked herself over and confidently said: ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± [You¡¯ve locked outside¡­ your Good Person Card, remember?] the King¡¯s Account said through gritted teeth. Who would lock their Good Person Card outside!?? Chuzheng said earnestly: ¡°Men and women should be treated differently.¡± [¡­]Men and women should be treated differently? WTF? Do you even see men and women? [Miss, you¡¯ll make the Good Person Card unhappy with you, we shouldn¡¯t do such heartless things, okay?] Chuzheng: ¡°I didn¡¯t lock him in a small dark room, what¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± [¡­]So you want to lock him in a small dark room? No. It was wrong. The Miss always thinks about locking the Good Person Card in a small dark room. She¡¯s thinking about it all the time! Poor Good Person Card. ¨C Night fell. On the cave¡¯s stone walls, a dim glow flickered. The little girl lying on the soft fur-covered stone bed at the deepest part of the cave fluttered her eyelashes, her hand beside her body slowly clenched. The soft sound of footsteps and clothes rustling quietly circulated in the cave. Then there was a rustling sound. Chuzheng felt someone beside her, the familiar presence allowed her to relax her hand, turn over, and face away from the comer. Don¡¯t make noise, do whatever you want. She wanted to sleep. However, the person clearly had no intention of letting that be, as Chuzheng heard a rustling sound by her ear for a good while. Warm breath sprayed on her neck, and a soft touch grazed by. Chuzheng: ¡°!!!¡± Chuzheng quickly opened her eyes, but still wasn¡¯t quick enough to stop it. ¡°Xue Yuan,¡± Chuzheng called him calmly. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The boy responded, and then suckled heavily a couple of times, as if worried Chuzheng would swat him away. And Chuzheng indeed pushed him away. Chuzheng sat up, covering her neck. Xue Yuan sat beside her, licking his lips with the tip of his tongue, the taste of blood filling his mouth. The two faced each other across the darkness, in a silent stare. After a long while, Xue Yuan defended himself, ¡°I only drank a little bit.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only so much blood in my body,¡± Chuzheng said calmly. ¡°How much do you want to drink?¡± Xue Yuan struggled for words: ¡°¡­So, I¡¯ll drink smaller sips.¡± He was really starving!! A hunger that clawed at his insides! Ever since he emerged, he hadn¡¯t had a single satisfying meal! ¡°` This is abuse!! Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s the difference! Chuzheng coldly lies back down. Xue Yuan stares at her. Chuzheng opens her arms: ¡°Come here.¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± Hesitantly, Xue Yuan lies down next to her, and Chuzheng pulls him into her arms. Perhaps used to being held by Chuzheng, Xue Yuan doesn¡¯t realize that he is currently in human form and instinctively wants to curl up in her embrace. ¡°Want to drink blood?¡± The young man nods slightly. Yes! Her blood is so delicious! Damn it¡¯s tasty! Chuzheng places her finger on his shoulder: ¡°You can, but let me touch your tail.¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± The shameless one only covets his tail! Is he not good-looking? Why only look at his tail!? ¡°Not willing?¡± In the darkness, her voice is low and pressing, much like a creepy old man luring a well-behaved student. ¡°I¡¯ll transform¡­¡± Chuzheng presses him down: ¡°No, just like this.¡± ¡°!!¡± Are you a pervert! Xue Yuan struggles internally. Reason tells him this is unacceptable, it¡¯s practically a humiliation. Yet Xue Yuan doesn¡¯t immediately refuse. In the silence, he can even hear her heartbeat, steady and calm. Just like her. Deep down, Xue Yuan is very clear that he doesn¡¯t really dislike her. Chuzheng waits patiently for him. After several mental struggles, Xue Yuan surrenders. He doesn¡¯t want to starve! A true Fierce Beast knows when to bend and when to stand tall! Xue Yuan reveals his tail, which, perhaps because he¡¯s in human form, is much larger than his original body and fluffy and soft. Chuzheng knew her choice was not wrong! But she wanted Xue Yuan to transform into the size he was when they first met, that tail¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t you have nine tails?¡± Chuzheng suddenly realizes. ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan is almost crying with frustration: ¡°It¡¯s bad enough you covet one of my tails, now you¡¯re after the others, do you have no humanity!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m just asking. Xue Yuan¡¯s voice is full of accusation and grievance. Chuzheng dares not say more and pulls him closer into her arms. In a fit of pique, Xue Yuan bites down on Chuzheng¡¯s neck. He moves closer, pressing against Chuzheng, and begins to swallow in small sips. The sensation of blood loss isn¡¯t very pleasant, even though her body is from the Divine Clan, some reactions still occur. ¡°Slow down,¡± Chuzheng reminds him. Xue Yuan slows down reluctantly. How much can he drink like this!! The fluffy and soft tip of his tail sweeps around restlessly, while Chuzheng comfortably strokes it. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Xue Yuan suddenly lets out a soft moan. He stops his sucking action, and even his breathing seems to halt. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chuzheng asks him. Xue Yuan¡¯s lips are pressed against her neck, his body tense. ¡°You, you¡­¡± He squeezes out the words with difficulty: ¡°Where are you touching me?¡± ¡°Your tail,¡± she says. She hasn¡¯t touched anywhere else, okay! Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± That¡¯s not right! Xue Yuan feels something off with his body, but indeed, he only feels his tail being pulled by her, she hasn¡¯t touched anywhere else. A rather unpleasant thought flashes through Xue Yuan¡¯s mind. Could his luck be that bad? Yet the reaction of his body tells him ¡ª it is that bad! Damn it, he¡¯s actually in heat! ¡°` Chapter 430 - Chapter 430: Chapter 430 Supreme Immortal Path (33) Chapter 430: Chapter 430 Supreme Immortal Path (33) All beasts have their mating seasons, even a Fierce Beast like him is no exception. It¡¯s just that for a Fierce Beast, their mating period is generally much longer. It happens maybe once in tens of thousands of years. Xue Yuan believed he had good control over his desires, even during his mating season he wouldn¡¯t have much of a reaction. But just now¡­ At this moment, Xue Yuan only wanted to find a hole to crawl into. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chuzheng asked again. ¡°No, nothing.¡± Xue Yuan said, ¡°Have you touched enough?¡± ¡°Have you had enough to drink?¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t answer, instead questioning him. ¡°¡­¡± Of course not! But now all he wanted to do was to get away from her as soon as possible! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 ¡°If you¡¯ve touched enough, I¡¯ll leave first.¡± Xue Yuan slipped towards the edge of the bed. Chuzheng grabbed him, and stated seriously, ¡°I haven¡¯t touched enough.¡± How could one ever have enough of his soft fur! I could pet it for a year if left here! Can¡¯t let this opportunity slip! Trap him! Pfft! Pet him! Xue Yuan was dumbstruck: ¡°Have you no shame?¡± ¡°What does that have to do with me touching your tail?¡± Chuzheng asked very earnestly. ¡°¡­¡± How could it not be related? A person with shame wouldn¡¯t touch someone else¡¯s tail like this! ¡°You¡­ I¡­ this¡­¡± Chuzheng pulled him back, ¡°Stop messing around.¡± Xue Yuan was held tightly by Chuzheng, his tail still in her grasp, the warmth from her fingers travelling up his tail. It used to just tickle when she touched it, but now¡­ He felt a current flowing through his limbs, from head to toe, even the tips of his hair tingled with an unusual numbness, as if something inside him was awakening, making him excited. His entire tail was fluffier than before, lying on his body, it was hotter than usual. Xue Yuan held his breath. He tried to cool down the heat in his mind. He couldn¡¯t go into heat in front of this shameless woman. It would be too embarrassing for him as a Fierce Beast. However, Chuzheng¡¯s body heat, her evil claw petting his tail, and the occasionally sweeping breath, all sent him irreversibly down the path of mating excitement. Xue Yuan curled up into Chuzheng¡¯s embrace, his face buried in the crook of her neck, his breathing gradually growing heavier. His body instinctively leaned against Chuzheng. While Chuzheng was petting, she suddenly realized she was being hugged so tightly she could barely breathe. Was all this just for petting his tail? Was he planning on taking us both down? Chuzheng tried to pull away from him, but found Xue Yuan hugging her even tighter. ¡°Xue Yuan.¡± ¡°Xue Yuan?¡± At first, Xue Yuan was just nuzzling her neck, but now he had started kissing, and seemed somewhat dissatisfied with just that. After great effort, Chuzheng managed to push him back a little, but before she could speak, Xue Yuan¡¯s face leaned in close, pressing his lips against hers, stealing her breath away in an instant. The young man¡¯s kiss was clumsy and inexperienced, driven purely by instinct, relentlessly sucking, licking, and nibbling. Chuzheng¡¯s eyes widened, she watched him quietly for a while¡­ although she couldn¡¯t actually see anything. The cave was too dark. Sigh. Chuzheng sighed softly to herself. Considering he let me pet his tail, I won¡¯t push him away. The little creature had offered himself up¡­ Chuzheng considered that she might as well taste the moment. But before she could act, Xue Yuan suddenly pushed her away, jumped down, and ran out in a flash. Chuzheng: ¡°??¡± Chuzheng looked at the emptiness in her arms, then at the faintly swaying vines. What did all that mean? The little creature ran off halfway through the kiss? Chuzheng crossed her arms over chest and hugged herself, feeling quite pitiful. No more fur to touch. Distressed. ¨C Chuzheng slept like nothing had happened, waking up bright and early only to bump into Xue Yuan at the door. The moment he saw her, he ran off as if his butt was on fire. Tiger King came over, hesitating: ¡°Your¡­ Your Majesty, what¡¯s, what¡¯s wrong between you and Lord Xue Yuan?¡± He had been watched by Xue Yuan all of last night. It scared him so much he didn¡¯t sleep a wink. Chuzheng thought for a moment, then seriously replied, ¡°Frustrated desires, I guess.¡± Huh? Frustrated, frustrated desires? Lord Xue Yuan is frustrated? Chuzheng finished speaking and walked away, leaving Tiger King in a state of confusion. ¡°No¡­ No, Your Majesty, wait for me, I have something to tell you,¡± Tiger King came to his senses and hurried after her. Tiger King mentioned that a lot of demons had gone missing lately. Wanwu Inn sent out a warning, telling everyone in the Demon Clan to be vigilant. Wanwu Inn is akin to a chain information inn for the Demon Clan, established voluntarily by the demons to be alerted at the first sign of trouble, so they all can be informed. If there¡¯s a foreign enemy, it can also unite the demons in a very short time. Chuzheng asked nonchalantly, ¡°Is someone capturing demons to make soup?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Tiger King¡¯s mouth twitched: ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m being serious.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Chuzheng nodded: ¡°But what does it have to do with us?¡± I¡¯m not the one capturing them. They can¡¯t possibly be framing me, right?! ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Chuzheng raised her hand: ¡°Are there any disappearances in Ten-Miles Eight Mountains?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Then what does it have to do with us?¡± Chuzheng said: ¡°The less you meddle, the longer you live.¡± Translated, that means¡ªdon¡¯t ask for trouble! ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s voice was calm and cold: ¡°Quiet, don¡¯t be noisy.¡± Be a good tiger. Tiger King: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t really care about this matter, since she never considered herself a demon¡­ no, she wasn¡¯t a demon in the first place! Tiger King, on the other hand, was quite concerned about the issue. He came to report to her every day, who else had gone missing. Chuzheng was annoyed to no end. She just wanted to quietly pet her dog! However, ever since that night, Xue Yuan ran away whenever he saw her. Finally, Chuzheng seized the opportunity to confront Xue Yuan head-on. ¡°Why are you running?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s running?¡± Xue Yuan retorted, dissatisfied. Chuzheng¡¯s expression was indifferent: ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t run. What were you just doing then?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I exercise?¡± Xue Yuan said: ¡°Do you have to control what I do?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°You¡¯re mine, what¡¯s wrong with me managing you?¡± ¡°You¡­ I? I¡¯m yours? Since when?¡± Xue Yuan was utterly baffled: ¡°What nonsense are you talking about, who¡¯s yours!!¡± ¡°You.¡± Chuzheng emphasized: ¡°Mine.¡± Xue Yuan was so angry his chest heaved, pointing at Chuzheng: ¡°You¡­ you shameless thing, I¡¯m a proud Fierce Beast, how could I belong to you, have you no shame, how dare you claim to own me!¡± She claimed him as hers without his consent. Shameless. How could someone be so shameless! In the face of Xue Yuan¡¯s roaring, Chuzheng calmly took his wrist and pulled him into her arms, hoisting him up. Xue Yuan¡¯s pupils contracted slightly. The words he had been brewing reached his lips but before he could utter them, he found himself placed on a stone beside her. Chuzheng bent down, holding his ankle: ¡°I¡¯ve told you before to wear shoes. Why won¡¯t you listen?¡± ¡°Why does this sovereign need to wear shoes?¡± He wasn¡¯t human, why wear shoes? No, he wouldn¡¯t! It¡¯s uncomfortable! ¡°Dirty.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t touch me!¡± You¡¯re the dirty one! He was perfectly clean! Chuzheng ignored Xue Yuan¡¯s protests and proceeded to put shoes on him. Xue Yuan was about to take them off on the spot. Chuzheng pressed down on his knees, leaning in close to him. Instinctively, Xue Yuan leaned back, his back against the cold stone wall, and he couldn¡¯t help but swallow. Reflected in his eyes was a face he knew well, but he dared not look at it, his mind involuntarily flashing back to the scene from that night. Chapter 431 - Chapter 431: Chapter 431 Supreme Immortal Path (34) Chapter 431: Chapter 431 Supreme Immortal Path (34) While Xue Yuan was lost in fanciful thoughts, Chuzheng threatened coldly, ¡°If you dare to run around without shoes again, I¡¯ll break your legs.¡± How dirty is that! The young girl¡¯s face showed little emotion. Yet Xue Yuan felt a surge of fierce and ominous energy. Immediately, Xue Yuan felt a bit cowardly, his gaze sweeping the surroundings until he spotted a path and scampered down it. After running a distance, Xue Yuan leaned against a tree to catch his breath. ¡°Why should I, the great one, run?¡± Xue Yuan was annoyed with himself. He was a Fierce Beast, and an extremely fierce one at that. Run for what! Determined to regain his composure, Xue Yuan resolved not to flee next time they met and to reclaim his status as a Fierce Beast. ¨C Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï The Demon Clan kept disappearing, and finally, it was the turn of Ten-Miles Eight Mountains. Several Demon Sprites patrolling at the foot of the mountain suddenly vanished without a trace. If it were a normal day, perhaps they had fled on their own, but considering the recent intelligence, this was clearly not the case. As the ruler in name of Ten-Miles Eight Mountains, it would have been remiss of Chuzheng not to address such an incident. ¡°Have you noticed anything unusual?¡± Chuzheng stood at the suspected disappearance site, surveying her surroundings. ¡°No, we didn¡¯t hear anything from above, so we came down for a look, and they were just gone.¡± Although Chuzheng didn¡¯t pay much attention to the news from Wanwu Inn, Tiger King couldn¡¯t ignore it, and so the patrols in Ten-Miles Eight Mountains were exceptionally frequent. According to other intel, the disappearances were always silent. Chuzheng was irritated. The backdrop began to roll, displaying ¡®troublesome¡¯. ¡°You¡¯re making a ruckus here first thing in the morning, don¡¯t you have anything better to do?¡± A young man¡¯s proud voice, with a hint of softness, sounded from above. Chuzheng looked up to see Xue Yuan, lying on a tree branch, his head on his arm and his legs crossed. Beneath his black outfit, a pair of bare feet were visible. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The little creature isn¡¯t wearing shoes again! ¡°Xue, Xue Yuan, Your Excellency.¡± Tiger King¡¯s voice trembled. When did this ancestor get up there? Hadn¡¯t he been avoiding the ruler lately? The ruler¡­ had also said¡­ Xue Yuan was unsatisfied¡­ Tiger King¡¯s brain suddenly went off the rails. Chuzheng¡¯s gaze was cool: ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been here.¡± Lately, he hadn¡¯t dared to return to the mountain. At night, he wandered around its base, finding any spot to lie down for the night. Tiger King: ¡°Then¡­ then did Your Excellency Xue Yuan see¡­ see anything?¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°I saw it.¡± Tiger King¡¯s eyes lit up: ¡°May I ask what Your Excellency Xue Yuan saw? How did they disappear?¡± Xue Yuan gave him a sidelong glance. The young man snorted coldly, both haughty and disgruntled: ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± Tiger King: ¡°¡­¡± The youth¡¯s clothes fluttered as he gracefully landed, his red eyes gazing at the person in the center: ¡°You want to know, I might incline to tell you.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡± Chuzheng refused coldly. As the boy looked on in slight astonishment, she retrieved a pair of shoes: ¡°Wear them.¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± Tiger King silently watched as Xue Yuan was pressured by Chuzheng to put on shoes. When Xue Yuan¡¯s threatening gaze turned his way, he decisively covered his eyes. He hadn¡¯t seen anything. He hadn¡¯t seen a thing. Xue Yuan felt that his mating season wasn¡¯t over yet because whenever Chuzheng approached him, he felt like¡­ The worst part was that he couldn¡¯t help wanting to be near her. ¡°Don¡¯t you really want to know?¡± Xue Yuan shifted his attention. Chuzheng looked up at him, and Xue Yuan saw his own reflection in her pupils. Those eyes were calm and indifferent, without a ripple. Chuzheng lowered her head, not taking up the conversation. Xue Yuan looked away, murmuring resentfully: ¡°Last night, Demonic Qi appeared nearby, but I didn¡¯t see anyone from the Demon Clan. Those Demon Sprites disappeared into thin air.¡± ¡°Only Demonic Qi?¡± Xue Yuan glared at the Tiger King who had asked the question. How dare he question me! The youth¡¯s eyes were inexplicably fierce, an intangible oppression enveloping the area. The Tiger King¡¯s legs went soft from intimidation, he almost knelt before Xue Yuan. The Tiger King, on the verge of tears, said, ¡°Could it be the Demon Clan?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the Demon Clan,¡± Xue Yuan denied. ¡°¡­¡± How do you know that! The Tiger King held back, not daring to ask, fearing Xue Yuan would ¡°kill¡± him with another look. Chuzheng did not sense any Demonic Qi nearby. According to Xue Yuan, the Demonic Qi appeared, Xiao Yao disappeared, and then the Demonic Qi also vanished. If Xue Yuan hadn¡¯t witnessed it himself, probably no one would have noticed any Demonic Qi¡­ Now, there were no clues to follow. After pondering for a while, Chuzheng said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back first, we¡¯ll discuss it at night.¡± Chuzheng pulled Xue Yuan along as they left. Xue Yuan, wearing shoes, walked awkwardly, wobbling as if he might fall at any moment. Chuzheng reached out to support his waist before simply pulling him over and holding him. Below, the Tiger King stood and could faintly hear Xue Yuan¡¯s frustrated voice. ¨C The moon hung high, the night cool as water. Xue Yuan, feeling irritable, squatted in the bushes, casting occasional glances at Chuzheng beside him. Chuzheng leaned against a tree; the moonlight filtered through the foliage, mottling her figure as if frosted with a cool layer. Half of her face was hidden in the dark, revealing only a small portion of her side profile. For the first time, Xue Yuan realized she was very pretty. Not in an ostentatious way, but a restrained beauty that became more appealing the more you looked. Xue Yuan¡¯s mind was filled with her image. I can¡¯t think of her anymore! Xue Yuan averted his gaze, forcing himself to calm down, ¡°How do you know the culprit will come again?¡± ¡°There are many Demon Sprites in the Ten-Miles Eight Mountains,¡± Chuzheng replied calmly. ¡°¡­¡± The Demon Sprites of Ten-Miles Eight Mountains were more than many, they made him long to feast on them. Just the thought of all those lively Demon Sprites hopping in front of him, and not being able to eat them, made Xue Yuan utterly irritable. ¡°But he may not show up here,¡± said Xue Yuan. ¡°By the time you get there, he¡¯s long gone.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried?¡± Chuzheng shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve realized¡­¡± Xue Yuan paused. ¡°You are truly indifferent and cold-blooded!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng agreed unabashedly. She was indifferent and cold-blooded, so what? The world was vast, everyone had their way of living, and she liked it this way. Chuzheng remembered someone saying she only liked herself, cared only for herself¡­ Xue Yuan¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°Aren¡¯t you from the Divine Clan? Shouldn¡¯t you be compassionate and care for all living beings?¡± Having said this, Xue Yuan realized that Chuzheng was looking at him. ¡°I only care about you.¡± Others are not a Good Person Card; what¡¯s the use of caring? Xue Yuan¡¯s heart started pounding uncontrollably. After a long moment, he retorted dryly, ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ve taken a fancy to me!¡± Chuzheng considered for a moment, ¡°Hmm.¡± The Good Person Card is mine after all! No problem there! Xue Yuan: ¡°!!!¡± Xue Yuan had to admit, at this moment, he felt a bit flustered with a hidden flutter in his heart. ¡°I, I am a Fierce Beast!¡± The youth brought out the aura of a fierce creature. ¡°You¡¯re from the Divine Clan, and you fancy me, have you gone mad?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s gaze was cool as she glanced at him, then suddenly walked towards him, pinched his chin, and pushed him against a tree, ¡°Do you have a problem with that?¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m a Fierce Beast, damn it! Super fierce! Chapter 432 - Chapter 432: Chapter 432 Supreme Immortal Path (35) Chapter 432: Chapter 432 Supreme Immortal Path (35) The face so close at hand made Xue Yuan nearly forget how to speak. He swallowed hard. As Xue Yuan¡¯s lips parted, ready to speak, Chuzheng suddenly kissed him. Chuzheng¡¯s fingers released his chin and caressed his cheek, grazing across it and touching his earlobe. Xue Yuan¡¯s body tensed as if frozen, his pupils dilating slightly. The kiss from that night flashed before his eyes. But back then, he was a bit out of it, not as acutely aware as he was at this moment, and that time, he had been the one to initiate it. Chuzheng¡¯s kiss was fiery and domineering, stirring the desires deep inside him that had yet to cease. Xue Yuan was infuriated. Just when he thought his mating season was about to pass, her kiss ruined everything. When had his self-control become so poor?! Once the kiss ended, Chuzheng let go of him. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã? Xue Yuan breathed in fresh air and immediately said, ¡°I am a Fierce Beast, and you are from the Divine Clan; our races are different, there won¡¯t be a good outcome!¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Chuzheng¡¯s fingertip pressed against the corner of Xue Yuan¡¯s lips, gently caressing, her indifferent voice slowly rising, ¡°So what.¡± There was arrogance hidden within the calm. Chuzheng¡¯s lips descended again, but this time it was like a dragonfly skimming the water, quick and brief. ¡°What I want, must become mine.¡± ¡°¡­¡± How could this woman be even wilder than himself? Xue Yuan couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes, ¡°I haven¡¯t agreed yet, what makes you think you can decide on your own.¡± ¡°Then run away.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan looked at his current situation. How could he run? There was no way to escape, okay?! ¡°I¡¯m telling you¡­ mmm¡­¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s lips pressed against his, without further movement, but the heat of her breath was enough to make Xue Yuan¡¯s body warm. However, the situation was not right. Xue Yuan sensed Demonic Qi. But it was some distance from them. So¡­ Chuzheng continued the kiss. Xue Yuan: ¡°!!!¡± Chuzheng was seriously kissing him as if she didn¡¯t care about the emerging Demonic Qi at all. ¨C Following Chuzheng with heavy and uncertain steps, Xue Yuan was incessantly annoyed within; he, a formidable Fierce Beast, was actually humiliated like this! Unacceptable! It was just a kiss! Just kiss her back, what¡¯s there to fear! Next time, he mustn¡¯t show weakness! While Xue Yuan was wallowing in annoyance, they had arrived at the ¡®scene of the incident¡¯. The Tiger King and a group of little demons also rushed over. Xue Yuan hung his head somewhat unnaturally, feeling his ears and cheeks subtly burning, relieved that the focus of the demons was on the person in the middle, wrapped up like a silkworm pupa. ¡°This¡­ isn¡¯t this Qing Xiao from the Divine Clan?¡± Xue Yuan¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly, glancing over with his peripheral vision. Indeed, Qing Xiao was the one bound in the center like a silkworm pupa. Xue Yuan¡¯s attention was on the silver threads binding Qing Xiao; those threads¡­ were very strange. Xue Yuan looked around, noticing the traces of Yin Xian stretching taut and intertwining throughout the woods. Xue Yuan realized the truth in an instant. No wonder she wasn¡¯t worried at all; she had already set a trap, just waiting for her quarry to walk into it. There¡¯s an expression¡ªhell hath no fury like a woman scorned. This shameless wretch was truly terrifying. Setting a trap here, while over there, she was with him¡­ Pah! Xue Yuan shook the thoughts from his mind. ¡°My lord, this is from the Divine Clan¡­¡± The Tiger King, possibly thinking of Chuzheng, who is also from the Divine Clan, shut his mouth and looked on nervously. Chuzheng nonchalantly said, ¡°Tell someone from the Divine Clan to collect the body.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Collect, collect bodies? Had he heard wrong, or had the king misspoken? This one isn¡¯t still alive? Chuzheng glanced at him, Tiger King¡¯s expression turned solemn, and he obsequiously said, ¡°Great King, I¡¯ll take care of it right away.¡± ¨C In the dead of night, in the remote corners of Ten-Miles Eight Mountains, the crowd was indeed a bit scary and somewhat crowded. Tiger King had people move to a more spacious area. The Divine Clan arrived swiftly. Qing Xiao was still bound, and upon seeing him, the Divine Clan exhibited different expressions, fortunately, no one spoke rashly without understanding the situation. They were probably intimidated by Chuzheng before. No one dared to speak out of turn now. Whether Du Hui was sealed or what had happened exactly was not clear to the Divine Clan, but they were certain that Du Hui would no longer cause trouble. After that incident, Chuzheng, who now possessed a Fierce Beast, returned quietly to Ten-Miles Eight Mountains without any intention to stir up trouble. Consequently, the Divine Clan discussed amongst themselves and decided to wait for developments. The main reason was that the Divine Clan believed¡­ they might not be able to defeat Chuzheng. ¡°Qingxiao Immortal.¡± Someone stepped forward, trying to wake Qing Xiao. Chuzheng stood with her arms crossed on the side, watching indifferently. ¡°Qingxiao Immortal? Qing Xiao¡­¡± There was no response from Qing Xiao. ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s wrong with Qingxiao Immortal? How did he end up in Ten-Miles Eight Mountains?¡± And why is he bound like this? Tiger King glanced at the domineeringly posed and coldly indifferent Chuzheng and quickly stepped forward: ¡°Recently, there have been disappearances within the Demon Clan, have you all heard?¡± The Divine Clan exchanged glances but did not deny it. Because of the relationship between Chuzheng and Xue Yuan, they closely monitored the situation. Not only were they aware of the commotion within the Demon Clan, but they had also investigated covertly. ¡°The culprit¡­¡± Tiger King pointed to Qing Xiao: ¡°seems to be him.¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± The Divine Clan instinctively objected: ¡°How could Qingxiao Immortal do such a thing? He has no grievances with your Demon Clan¡­¡± Chuzheng interrupted his lengthy argument: ¡°This is the explanation your Divine Clan owes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When Chuzheng spoke, the atmosphere eerily quieted down. ¡°Your Qingxiao Immortal was missing, right? Who knows what he did while he was missing. You should first figure out what happened before defending him!¡± Xue Yuan¡¯s voice interrupted the silence. Everyone turned towards the sound and saw the black-clothed young man sitting at the back, with a log lying horizontally in front of him, leaning on it with great interest, his hand holding several Immortal Spirit Leaves. In the eyes of the Divine Clan, this was a display of schadenfreude. But¡­ Is this Black Fox? The aura is the same¡­ It shouldn¡¯t be wrong. Can Fierce Beasts look so good-looking? The Divine Clan withdrew their thoughts from Xue Yuan and returned to the main issue. Qing Xiao had been missing for a long time; they didn¡¯t know what he had done outside. The Divine Clan tried to awaken Qing Xiao, but no matter what they did, he did not wake up. The Divine Clan wanted to take Qing Xiao away, but Tiger King wouldn¡¯t allow it; they wanted to leave without explanation, but that wasn¡¯t going to be so easy. Ten-Miles Eight Mountains was filled with demons, and there was Chuzheng; if a fight really broke out, the Divine Clan would not fare well. So all could do was wait for Qing Xiao to wake up. The waiting time proved to be very awkward, the demons on one side, the Divine Clan on the other, as if they were about to start a brawl. Both sides glared, staring at each other intently. Later on, the atmosphere clearly became somewhat sinister. ¡°He¡¯s awake!¡± ¡°Qingxiao Immortal has woken up.¡± A member of the Divine Clan suddenly shouted, breaking the eerie atmosphere and successfully preventing a bloody conflict. Qing Xiao slowly came to his senses, surrounded by people, which clearly confused him. Divine Clan: ¡°Qingxiao Immortal, how did you end up here? Are the disappearances of those demons related to you?¡± ¡°What demons?¡± Qing Xiao looked around: ¡°Where¡­ where is this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 433 - Chapter 433: Chapter 433 Supreme Immortal Path (36) Chapter 433: Chapter 433 Supreme Immortal Path (36) Qing Xiao¡¯s restraints were released, and he clutched his head, his complexion terrible, showing a very confused and perplexed expression about where he was. The Tiger King squinted his eyes suspiciously, sizing him up, ¡°What are you doing in my Ten-Miles Eight Mountains?¡± ¡°Ten-Miles Eight Mountains? I wasn¡¯t¡­ How did I end up here?¡± Good! That¡¯s exactly the question you need to answer! ¡°Qingxiao Immortal, do you remember where you were before this?¡± Qing Xiao looked at the person asking the question, as if trying to discern who it was, his face filled with genuine bewilderment. His expression suddenly froze, as if he remembered something, and he covered his head with both hands, shielding his face from the crowd. When he lowered his hands and looked at the people again, there was a distinct change in his eyes and expression. ¡°Qingxiao Immortal¡­¡± One of the Divine Clan, who was nearest to Qing Xiao, cautiously approached, wanting to offer some concern. Unexpectedly, Qing Xiao suddenly grabbed him, choking his throat. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°What are you doing, Qing Xiao!¡± The Divine Clan was immediately frightened and their faces changed. ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer!¡± Qing Xiao barked, pointing at the crowd as silken strands of Demonic Qi began to emanate from him, ¡°Where have you imprisoned Xi Lan?¡± The members of the Divine Clan tried to dissuade him, ¡°Immortal Qing Xiao, don¡¯t do anything foolish, he is your colleague, hurry up and let him go!¡± Qing Xiao was completely unhearing, ¡°Bring Xi Lan to me, or else I will kill him!¡± ¡°Immortal Qing Xiao, Xi Lan tried to release Du Hui, she¡¯s no longer the Xi Lan you knew¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Qing Xiao grew agitated, the Demonic Qi on him becoming heavier, ¡°Do as I say, or I will kill him!¡± The members of the Divine Clan hurriedly tried to placate Qing Xiao with all their might. While they were negotiating with Qing Xiao, someone saw Chuzheng appear behind him. The change in the Divine Clan¡¯s facial expressions made Qing Xiao wary and he subconsciously turned around¡­ Bang! All went dark before Qing Xiao¡¯s eyes. He took a blow to the head, a buzzing in his ears, his vision focusing on a clear silhouette¨Cthe person who had struck him. Qing Xiao¡¯s expression instantly turned fierce, ¡°Chuzheng¡­¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± He didn¡¯t faint! Divine Clan members sure are different, haha! Not easy. No problem. Chuzheng, with a composed demeanor, raised her hand and struck again, this time with more force and even added a spell, she didn¡¯t believe he could still bounce around after that! Bang! Still not fainting. The ferocity on Qing Xiao¡¯s face intensified, his eyes bloodshot, a vengeful gleam flickering as if he intended to tear Chuzheng to shreds. Chuzheng, with a cold face, before Qing Xiao could react, ¡®bang bang¡¯ hit him several more times, Yin Xian wrapping around his feet from below, pulling him to the ground. Qing Xiao¡¯s eyes rolled back, and he finally passed out. Chuzheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Speed indeed is key! As long as you¡¯re fast, even Immortals can¡¯t leap around! Hmm! Perfect! The Divine Clan members were dumbstruck. Could you really do it that way? Xue Yuan seemed used to it and yawned out of boredom. Chuzheng gave him a glance, tossed away the weapon in her hand, and walked over to him, ¡°Heading back to sleep?¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°???¡± Tiger King: ¡°!!!¡± Your Majesty! It doesn¡¯t seem right to do this in broad daylight! ¨C When Qing Xiao pursued Xi Lan as they both left, Xi Lan quickly took control of him, making him her external support. After Xi Lan was captured, Qing Xiao had been trying to figure out how to rescue her. Since the place where Xi Lan was confined was special, Qing Xiao couldn¡¯t find it. So even if he rushed in, he wouldn¡¯t be able to rescue Xi Lan. At last, Qing Xiao devised a plan, intending to first incite a conflict between the Divine Clan and Demon Clan. Then seize the opportunity to rescue people. The outcome was¡­ captured by Chuzheng. Dead before he could prove his mettle. Qing Xiao¡¯s plan was quite good, actually. The Divine Clan really did start fighting with the Demon Clan, and the Demon Clan would certainly not be able to sit still; it would be total chaos then. He would take the opportunity to rescue people, and by the time the Divine Clan realized what was happening, they would have long since fled. However, before his plan could fully provoke the grudge between the Divine Clan and Demon Clan, he fell into his own trap. As members of the Divine Clan, Qing Xiao and Xi Lan¡¯s matters would naturally have to be handled by their clan. Superior God Chuzheng, they made a show of asking for her opinion. Chuzheng voiced her opinion very bluntly, asking them if they could eliminate them¡­ And then there was no more ¡°then.¡± Hypocrites! Chuzheng labeled the Divine Clan. [Miss, you don¡¯t have to kill them, really! Please spare them! They are now in line with our values!] The point is to let them live and watch Miss ascend to the pinnacles of life! Chuzheng: ¡°Are you sick in the head?¡± [¡­] King¡¯s Account took a deep breath, mustering a smile to serve Miss; he couldn¡¯t afford to be angry. [Main Quest: Please spend a hundred Immortal Spirit Leaves within two hours.] Issuing a quest to cool down. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± With the air of ¡®This mountain is mine, this tree is mine; if you want to pass, pay the toll,¡¯ Chuzheng stopped the Divine Clan members preparing to leave. The Divine Clan was very tense. ¡°Superior God Chuzheng, what are you about to do?¡± Chuzheng stood against the light from above, like a king surveying his territory, casually looking down at the people below: ¡°Do you have any treasures on you?¡± ¡°!!!¡± Is this a robbery?! ¡°Superior God Chuzheng, we left in a hurry¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re still wearing clothes.¡± The members of the Divine Clan shivered, remembering their previous experience, and started to feel a chill down their backs. Had Superior God Chuzheng planned to get rid of Qing Xiao and Xi Lan and they had not agreed, she seemed fine then; could this be a reckoning come autumn?! ¨C Half an hour later. Members of the Divine Clan, carrying Immortal Spirit Leaves, left Ten-Miles Eight Mountains with a vacant gaze. Where on earth did she get so many Immortal Spirit Leaves? If they didn¡¯t know for certain that these Immortal Spirit Leaves were genuine, they would¡¯ve thought Chuzheng was forging them¡­ Chuzheng threw everything she had scavenged from the Divine Clan to Xue Yuan, who was watching the spectacle. Xue Yuan jumped away disdainfully: ¡°What sort of trash is this, why are you giving it to me!? Are you mocking me!?¡± Who needs that bunch of near-dead things? Chuzheng piled the items in front of him and said earnestly, ¡°It¡¯s for you to play smash.¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan didn¡¯t want to admit, his heart raced and his ears heated up when Chuzheng said those words. Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey! Who wants her stuff! The items from the Divine Clan were actually not bad, but Xue Yuan had seen so much that he didn¡¯t value these things. For Chuzheng, anything given away or water spilled would not be taken back. Thus, this batch of items was left on Ten-Miles Eight Mountains. The Demon Sprites of Ten-Miles Eight Mountains were curious but dared not touch them. Gradually, these items became a scenic sight on Ten-Miles Eight Mountains. When members of the Divine Clan learned of this, they were nearly infuriated to death. Was Chuzheng seeking revenge on them? The Divine Clan revoked their earlier judgment on Xi Lan and Qing Xiao, stripping them of their divinity and, after severe punishment, condemned them to the mortal realm, to undergo the most miserable cycles of reincarnation. This surely would satisfy Chuzheng, wouldn¡¯t it? This was far more terrifying than death. Chapter 434 - Chapter 434: Chapter 434 Supreme Immortal Path (37) Chapter 434: Chapter 434 Supreme Immortal Path (37) Xue Yuan¡¯s estrus cycle intervals are long, and the duration of each cycle is also lengthy, plus Chuzheng keeps dangling in front of him, even sneaking kisses when he¡¯s not paying attention, so Xue Yuan feels as if his estrus period never ends. Xue Yuan doesn¡¯t dare to get close to Chuzheng. ¡°Lord Xue Yuan, what are you doing here? The king is looking for you,¡± the little demon sprite said curiously, looking at the young man standing in the corner. ¡°Cooling off!¡± the young man replied irritably, ¡°Get lost, get lost, get lost, none of your business.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lord Xue Yuan is so fierce. But so handsome. The little demon sprite, afraid of provoking Xue Yuan and risking her own life, scurried away. Xue Yuan fanned himself with his hand, gazing wistfully at the sky. ¡°Why have you been avoiding me recently?¡± A familiar voice suddenly rang in his ear. ¡°¡­¡± Why won¡¯t she leave him alone! Xue Yuan turned around stiffly to see Chuzheng standing outside, her gaze coolly fixed on him. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°I¡­ I think it¡¯s quite nice here!¡± Xue Yuan straightened his back, ¡°Who says I¡¯ve been avoiding you? Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng walked away expressionless. Xue Yuan let out a sigh of relief but felt oddly uneasy. She just left, like that? There must be a catch! The whole next day, Xue Yuan was on edge, always fearful that Chuzheng would suddenly appear. However, by nightfall, Chuzheng hadn¡¯t shown up, and he felt somewhat reassured. It turns out he was too naive. Xue Yuan stood at the bottom of the pit, looking up at the person above, and roared angrily, ¡°How immature can you get.¡± She actually dug a pit here for him to fall into?! How can she be so boring! Chuzheng squatted down, crossed her arms, and rested them on her knees, looking serious, but her posture somehow made her look unexpectedly well-behaved. ¡°Do you want to come up?¡± ¡°I could come up if I wanted to¡­¡± Xue Yuan leaped but didn¡¯t make it up, tumbling back down instead: ¡°You!¡± ¡°Do you want to come up?¡± Chuzheng asked again. ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan refused to admit defeat, but after several attempts, he realized he really couldn¡¯t get out. Xue Yuan felt that as a fierce beast who had traveled far and wide, he had encountered all kinds of things, so¡ªhe could bend or stretch, and he chose to concede. ¨C Chuzheng took Xue Yuan back with her. ¡°Why have you been avoiding me lately?¡± The Good Person Card kept avoiding her, and it¡¯s been several days since she had touched his tail, which was distressing. ¡°¡­You think I want to.¡± Xue Yuan felt dismayed, and he was suffering too! ¡°You can¡¯t control your own body? Or is someone threatening you?¡± Xue Yuan was already in a bad mood, and when asked by Chuzheng, he blurted out without thinking, ¡°I-I¡¯m in¡­¡± He cut himself off in time. Chuzheng was puzzled, ¡°In what?¡± Xue Yuan avoided Chuzheng¡¯s gaze, ¡°Nothing.¡± Something¡¯s off with the little guy. He kept saying he was hungry before. Lately, he hadn¡¯t mentioned being hungry and had been avoiding her¡­ Chuzheng lifted Xue Yuan¡¯s chin, and in his unguarded moment, kissed him. The tightly wound string in Xue Yuan¡¯s mind snapped, and all that was left in his head was the person before him. ¡°Are you in heat?¡± ¡°No!¡± Xue Yuan woke up with a start, almost jumping out of his skin, ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it is,¡± Chuzheng concluded firmly. ¡°¡­¡± Nonsense! Chuzheng¡¯s fingers brushed away the hair on Xue Yuan¡¯s forehead, ¡°It¡¯s not something you need to hide. Each species has these needs, it¡¯s just an instinct, totally normal.¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng kissed him lightly, ¡°Are you still in your rut?¡± Xue Yuan wanted to let go, but Chuzheng held him down as if she wouldn¡¯t let him off unless he answered. Xue Yuan reluctantly nodded, his ears burning hot, a wave of shame flooding him from within. When he didn¡¯t touch her, he only felt a bit irritable inside, but as soon as he touched her¡­ no, as soon as he saw her, he would think of all sorts of nonsensical things. ¨C Xue Yuan lay on the edge, the exposed parts of his arms and chest faintly marked. Suddenly, he flipped over, propping up his body to look at the person lying inside. Thinking of what had just happened, Xue Yuan couldn¡¯t help but grind his teeth. She actually pinned him down! So frustrating! ¡°Are you asleep?¡± Perhaps, because of the indescribable events he had just experienced, the young man¡¯s voice was softer, unintentionally laced with a seductive quality. It was a kind of allure he didn¡¯t need to strive for, where just a syllable could make one¡¯s body melt, lost in the sound of his voice. He was of the Fox Clan, and this was a natural talent he was born with. Chuzheng¡¯s voice was light, ¡°Want to go again?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan rolled his eyes, ¡°I wanted to ask you a question.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Chuzheng turned to her side, slowly opening her eyes to look at him, ¡°Ask.¡± The young man¡¯s face was flushed like peach blossoms, with the blanket draped around his waist and his ink-black hair spread out, shielding his body in a semi-concealed manner. Even in his tranquil state, there seemed to be a flirtatious charm about his eyebrows and eyes; one glance at him could make one¡¯s blood boil, a single look enough to itch at your heart, willing to do anything for him. Usually, Xue Yuan kept himself restrained, but at this moment, he held nothing back, fully embracing the innate gifts of the Fox Clan. Chuzheng bit her tongue to stay calm, waiting for Xue Yuan¡¯s question. Xue Yuan seemed embarrassed, opening his mouth and mumbling a few times before finally looking at her with a question, ¡°Why did you take a liking to me?¡± That¡¯s the question? ¡°Because I¡¯m a good person.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± Xue Yuan laughed out loud, bluntly ripping into her, ¡°If you said that tiger outside was a good person, I¡¯d believe it, but you being a good person¡­ that means the world has no good people left.¡± What kind of good person is this brazen-faced liar? Fooling ghosts! Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Why am I not a good person! How am I not one! ¡°Haven¡¯t I been good to you?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s tone became cooler. ¡°That has nothing to do with whether you¡¯ve been good to me or not,¡± the young man huffed, ¡°Anyway, you are definitely not a good person.¡± ¡°I just helped you with your¡­¡± The young man suddenly reached out to cover her mouth, glaring at her angrily. How could she dare to say anything! The young man slightly puffed his cheeks, growling at her with a hint of fierceness, ¡°Don¡¯t you mention that!¡± Chuzheng¡¯s mouth was covered, but it didn¡¯t stop her from speaking, though her voice was a bit muffled, ¡°Why can¡¯t I mention it, wasn¡¯t I the one who helped you with your¡­¡± ¡°You said it again!¡± The young man roared, ¡°If you dare to mention it once more, I will¡­ I will¡­¡± ¡°What will you do?¡± The young man seemed at a loss for words, finally gritting his teeth, ¡°Not let you touch my tail!¡± At the mention of the tail, Chuzheng¡¯s eyes brightened, and she moved closer to Xue Yuan, ¡°Xue Yuan¡­¡± Xue Yuan instantly backed away, warning her, ¡°This lord is tired, this lord wants to sleep! Keep away from this lord!¡± ¡°You sleep on your own.¡± Chuzheng pulled him back, coaxing him, ¡°Just be good.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t want to.¡± Xue Yuan resisted firmly. She wanted to hold him and also yearn for his tail. No way! Not given! The tail was his, and he was certain she couldn¡¯t touch it unless he showed it! However, Xue Yuan underestimated Chuzheng¡¯s shamelessness and childishness. He just didn¡¯t understand how she could do such shameless things so seriously while maintaining a face devoid of expression! Chapter 435 - Chapter 435: Chapter 435 Supreme Immortal Path (End) Chapter 435: Chapter 435 Supreme Immortal Path (End) Chuzheng always wanted to coax Xue Yuan into showing his tail when they were close. However, she never succeeded, as Xue Yuan, with his Fierce Beast pride, resisted and firmly rejected it. After trying a few times and not succeeding, Chuzheng gave up. Forcing a Good Person Card to do something they dislike is not what a good person should do. She was trying hard every day to be a good person! But whether Chuzheng really let go of that thought, the King¡¯s Account could swear on the neighboring System¡¯s reputation¡ªAbsolutely not! Definitely not! It understood its young miss who said one thing and did another all too well. Her words were just flatulence. Not a word, not a punctuation mark should be believed. The King¡¯s Account suspected that her constant stern face, posing as a cold high goddess, was just to make her deception easier. Chuzheng had no idea the King¡¯s Account was secretly dissecting her in such a way. ¨C Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï ¡°Do you have something you want to do?¡± Chuzheng sat down next to Xue Yuan. Xue Yuan propped his chin with one hand, ¡°Take revenge on Wan Zhu.¡± Wan Zhu? Hadn¡¯t that Supreme God been missing for a long time? ¡°And then what?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Xue Yuan shook his head. ¡°Then follow me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan glared at her, ¡°Are you just digging a hole for me to jump into?¡± ¡°Are you not willing?¡± Chuzheng stared at him threateningly. It seemed like if he dared to say he was unwilling, Chuzheng would dare to push him into the hole and bury him alive on the spot. ¡°As a noble Fierce Beast, why should I follow you? If anyone is to follow, it should be you following me!¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Chuzheng nodded indifferently, it doesn¡¯t matter, as you¡¯re mine anyway; different ways of saying it don¡¯t change the essence. Xue Yuan paused, then a moment later asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going back to the Divine Clan?¡± ¡°The Divine Clan¡­¡± Chuzheng hesitated, ¡°Go back to the Divine Clan to kill gods?¡± That¡¯s a bit of a challenging task, I choose to pass. ¡°!!¡± Xue Yuan almost thought he had misheard. Aren¡¯t you a fake Supreme God? In the following days, Chuzheng seemed very busy. Xue Yuan was a bit puzzled, but without her forcing him to wear shoes, Xue Yuan roamed freely, almost sneaking around and capturing Xiao Yao to eat. The Tiger King felt that if Chuzheng disappeared like a ghost for a few days, Xue Yuan indeed might start capturing Xiao Yao to eat. However¡­ The Tiger King watched the people coming up from the bottom of the mountain and swallowed hard. Is the King not allowing Lord Xue Yuan to eat Xiao Yao, and instead going out to capture people for Lord Xue Yuan to eat? Chuzheng was carrying a child in her hand; the child looked a bit despondent as if he had been tormented for quite some time. ¡°King¡­¡± Chuzheng passed by the Tiger King without even leaving a glance for him. Chuzheng, holding the child, landed on the clearing outside the cave. The youth leaning against a withered tree in the clearing, upon seeing Chuzheng return, just lifted his eyes to look at her and then dropped his gaze. The next second, he abruptly looked up. His eyes were tightly fixed on the kid in Chuzheng¡¯s hands. The youth jumped down from the withered tree, warily asked, ¡°Is this for me to eat?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Not for him to eat, so she wanted to keep it? Fine then! Thinking of something else when she has him! Chuzheng threw the child onto the ground, and the kid rolled a couple of times, instantly becoming a dusty mess from being previously fresh and tender. ¡°Wan Zhu.¡± Chuzheng pointed at the child. The child looked up blankly, innocently staring at Xue Yuan, then suddenly revealed a smile, saying crisply, ¡°Brother is so handsome.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xue Yuan took a deep breath, his beautiful face flushed red with anger. Xue Yuan mustered his anger and roared, ¡°Who are you kidding? Even if you wanted to find a replacement, shouldn¡¯t you at least do some homework? Does Wan Zhu look like this kid?¡± She had been goofing around these past few days and even brought back some weird kid¡­ Xue Yuan suddenly said, ¡°This isn¡¯t your illegitimate child, is it!?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng glanced at Xue Yuan with a complex look, ¡°What do you think about all day?¡± Xue Yuan: ¡°What are you up to?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°He is Wan Zhu reincarnated.¡± To confirm this, she had visited the entire Divine Clan. Since none of them knew Wan Zhu¡¯s whereabouts, she went through great lengths and finally found him. And now this little thing suspected he was her illegitimate child? Where was she supposed to get such a big illegitimate child! ¡°You were looking for Wan Zhu,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve brought him to you, how do you want to kill him?¡± Xue Yuan eyed the child about as tall as his knees, with puffy cheeks and pure, innocent eyes, looking up at him attentively. Then he glanced at Chuzheng¡¯s serious face and hesitated before asking, ¡°Are you¡­ really not lying to me?¡± Chuzheng, with an indifferent face: ¡°Why would I deceive you.¡± There were no tails to touch, anyway. ¨C Xue Yuan stared at the child who was almost as tall as his kneecap, his cheeks puffing up now and then. The child sat on the ground, looking up with clear, bright eyes, obediently gazing at him, ¡°When are you going to do it?¡± Chuzheng asked him. ¡°Are you waiting for an auspicious time?¡± Xue Yuan felt stifled: ¡°Is he really Wan Zhu?¡± Chuzheng nodded, a question asked a dozen times over. This was Wan Zhu¡ªreincarnated! Chuzheng nodded, and Xue Yuan felt even more irritated. If Wan Zhu were standing in front of him, he would have chopped him into several pieces long ago. But with the child being so small¡­ Xue Yuan couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. ¡°You¡­ take him back!¡± Xue Yuan turned around. ¡°Aren¡¯t you seeking revenge?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Xue Yuan angrily retorted, ¡°Would I, a Fierce Beast, take advantage of someone¡¯s weakness? I¡¯ll wait for him to grow up before I seek my revenge!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Since when do Fierce Beasts need to talk about benevolence and morality? Xue Yuan suddenly turned around, embraced Chuzheng, and muttered, ¡°Time is truly terrifying; it¡¯s the one existence that cannot be resisted.¡± A faint frown crossed Chuzheng¡¯s brow. Wanting to say something, but ultimately she just patted Xue Yuan on the shoulder. As the two embraced, Xue Yuan whispered in her ear, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You can thank me by¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t want to!¡± Xue Yuan immediately scoffed and let her go. ¡°Get rid of him quickly!¡± ¡°Really not going for revenge?¡± Chuzheng was a bit relentless, considering all the trouble she had gone to. ¡°No.¡± Since Xue Yuan refused to seek revenge, Chuzheng had no choice but to hand the kid over to Tiger King. Tiger King: ¡°???¡± Are you giving him to me as food? But I haven¡¯t eaten humans in so long. This kid looks tender and tasty¡­ Tiger King and the child locked eyes, the child seemingly unafraid as he began to pull on Tiger King¡¯s hair, ¡°Ugly, ugly, brother is more handsome.¡± Tiger King: ¡°!!¡± I¡¯ll eat him! Not knowing where to take the little one, Tiger King nervously asked Chuzheng. She gave him an address, and Tiger King let Xiao Yao take the child home. Yet within a couple of days, the kid appeared at the foot of the mountain. No matter how many times he was sent back, he always returned. Strangely, his family never came to look for him. So Tiger King ended up with a shadow that constantly called him ¡®ugly.¡¯ Tiger King spent his days playing the reluctant nanny, raging and storming. Every day, Chuzheng was content living her carefree life, earning Good Person Cards and watching Tiger King throw tantrums. Apart from the Good Person Card sometimes misbehaving, Chuzheng was quite pleased. If only Bastard didn¡¯t keep assigning her tasks out of the blue, she¡¯d be even more satisfied. Chapter 436 - Chapter 436: Chapter 436 Golden Tycoon (1) Chapter 436: Chapter 436 Golden Tycoon (1) ¡°` Swish, swish¡­ Chuzheng didn¡¯t know where she was, she felt herself rolling downwards. Her hands and feet were bound, and there was darkness in front of her, as if she had been put into a bag. As she rolled, she inevitably bumped into things, guessing there wasn¡¯t a single spot on her body that wasn¡¯t bruised. Not knowing how long she had been rolling, she finally stopped. Chuzheng lay there without any desire to continue living. She didn¡¯t want to move at all. So tired. After lying there like a corpse for a while and regaining some strength, Chuzheng started to move. Her first task was to extricate herself from the bag, enveloped by darkness outside, stuck amid the trees on a slope; otherwise, her rolling would resume. Which Bastard did this! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï My back. My tailbone. Pay up! ¡­No. The fear of being dominated by a Spendthrift came into Chuzheng¡¯s mind, paying up was too terrifying. Compensate with your life! [¡­]Miss, which is really more terrifying! ¨C The original host¡¯s surname was Xia. Abandoned at an orphanage when very young, she was later picked out by the Mercenary Organization. All the people here were selected from an orphanage. They trained together since childhood, and if one didn¡¯t train hard, they¡¯d be eliminated. And elimination meant death. Driven by the will to survive, the original host made it to the end. In the end, she even became a capable general in the organization. The original host fancied a man in the organization named Lin Feng. Lin Feng and she came from the same orphanage. Since joining the organization, they were almost inseparable. Lin Feng also had a sister named Lin Yan, and before the original host became the favored one by the Boss, the three of them were the Golden Triangle. The missions they undertook never ended in failure. Lin Yan was well aware that the original host liked Lin Feng and often joked about it with them. However, Lin Feng didn¡¯t seem to fancy the original host. The original host thought she had no chance until, from a certain day, Lin Feng suddenly started to be nice to her, responding to her. Naturally, the original host was happy. But what the original host didn¡¯t expect was that Lin Feng had an ulterior motive for being nice to her. Lin Feng conspired to frame the original host, leading the Boss to believe she had betrayed him. That time, the target they aimed to strike down was actually the Boss, but they failed, and to not implicate themselves, they pushed the original host forward. No¡­ All of this had been premeditated by them. If the action failed, the original host would be the scapegoat. The kindness Lin Feng showed to the original host was just to find out information about the Boss¡¯s movements and schedule. The original host was labeled a traitor, and since Lin Feng and Lin Yan contributed to this outcome, they took her place and quickly became the favored ones by the Boss. Meanwhile, the original host was locked in the Mercenary Organization¡¯s dark room. Fearing that the original host might disclose something, Lin Feng and Lin Yan plotted her quiet death. After Chuzheng finished absorbing the memories, she fell silent. The original host wasn¡¯t dumb either! Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have achieved the position of being the favored one of the Boss. But how did she fall for such a scheme by these two Bastards? [The original host considered them friends and let her guard down around them. It¡¯s normal that she got caught. That¡¯s why we need to counterattack!!] Chuzheng nodded thoughtfully. The King¡¯s Account felt somewhat reassured. ¡°So, no friends,¡± Chuzheng concluded. [¡­]King¡¯s Account apologized internally, it was wrong. It should have never harbored any hope for the young lady. How could her thought process be on the same frequency as a normal person¡¯s?! The King¡¯s Account resigned itself to silence. ¡°` The timeline now is exactly when Lin Feng and his sister planned to kill the organization¡¯s boss. The original host was drugged by them and thrown here to prevent her from getting in the way of the boss, and also to have her as a scapegoat in case they failed. Since the original host was not on guard against them, the siblings Lin Feng found it easy to drug her. Pitiful. Chuzheng leaned against a tree, rolled up her sleeve, and glanced at the time on her watch. Ten o¡¯clock at night. Two more hours until Lin Feng and his sister¡¯s plan was set to unfold¡­ In two hours, if Lin Feng and his sister¡¯s plan failed, the original host¡­ no, now it was her, she would become the mastermind behind this attempt. A hot potato was flying towards her¡­ Chuzheng took a breath and calmly checked her belongings. All the useful items had been taken away; she still had to thank those two siblings for not stripping her clothes. ¨C [Main Quest: Spend fifty thousand yuan within an hour.] Right as Chuzheng climbed up, the King¡¯s Account blurted out this sentence so cheerfully that Chuzheng almost choked. You bastard, are you trying to get me killed? [Miss, how could I let you die? This is for your own good!] The King¡¯s Account was very innocent: [You are now penniless, but it¡¯s different with money.] Chuzheng¡¯s face was indifferent: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯d rather be penniless. [¡­] It¡¯s been so long, miss, how can you still resist being a spendthrift. What¡¯s so bad about being a spendthrift! Chuzheng surveyed her surroundings, not knowing what kind of place it was; she walked a distance, saw a road, and a village. People in the village were asleep, and it was quiet at the moment. ¡°Woof woof woof!!¡± A dog owned by one of the households burst out of nowhere and started barking at her through the gate. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± You scared the hell out of me! Can¡¯t you have a heart for someone like me who just escaped death, so weak and helpless, desperately in need of assistance? ¡°Woof woof woof!!¡± ¡°Woof woof woof woof woof woof!!¡± The dog kept barking and even aroused the whole village¡¯s dogs, starting a chorus of barking that was incredibly eerie. ¡°Da Huang, what are you barking for?¡± The owner of the first barking dog, seemingly woken up by the noise, scolded unhappily. ¡°Woof woof woof woof!!¡± Da Huang barked even more fiercely. Da Huang¡¯s owner, probably annoyed by the racket, turned on the light. A shadow moved across the window, followed by the front gate opening. Chuzheng stood at the entrance to the courtyard. The courtyard gate was a metal one, and the person inside opened the gate and immediately saw a shadow standing at the entrance. Anyone would be startled at first glance. Da Huang¡¯s owner was no exception; Chuzheng saw him visibly step back. But maybe he was quite brave; he didn¡¯t scream but instead asked her loudly, ¡°Who¡­ what are you?¡± Chuzheng, expressionless: ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s something.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Da Huang¡¯s owner pulled out his phone, turned on the flashlight, and shone it on Chuzheng, possibly reassured by seeing the shadow on the ground, he visibly relaxed: ¡°Damn it! Who the hell are you? Scaring people outside my house in the middle of the night.¡± With the dog barking like that in the dead of the night, he thought there was a ghost. Turns out it was a person. Could it be a thief? Are thieves so bold nowadays? Chuzheng thought for a moment: ¡°God of Wealth.¡± I¡¯m here to bring money. I wanted to be a cold-blooded boss, but I ended up being a Spendthrift instead. Life, ah. You never know what kind of surprises will pop up next. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Da Huang¡¯s owner cursed: ¡°Get lost quick, my family is so poor we can¡¯t even lift the lid off our pot. There¡¯s nothing for you to steal!¡± Chuzheng was very satisfied: ¡°That¡¯s great, I¡¯m not poor, I have money.¡± ¡°¡­¡± This damn guy must be a lunatic! Running to his house in the middle of the night to make enemies. Chapter 437 - Chapter 437: Chapter 437 Golden Tycoon (2) Chapter 437: Chapter 437 Golden Tycoon (2) On the endless highway, a little e-scooter was moving forward slowly. The owner of the e-scooter was wearing a tight leather jacket, with the left sleeve rolled up high and the right one tattered and stained with some blood, appearing somewhat disheveled. On the desolate highway, the little e-scooter started to zigzag with reckless abandon. This e-scooter¡¯s rider was none other than Chuzheng. It was her purchased means of transportation¡ªafter all, it was the fanciest model available in that village. This situation profoundly revealed a problem. Money isn¡¯t everything! ¡°But without money, everything is impossible.¡± King¡¯s Account retorted unconvincingly, ¡°If you had no money, you wouldn¡¯t even have the e-scooter. You¡¯d have to rely on the number 11 bus. Think about how terrifying that would be? Miss, having money is king!¡± Chuzheng flicked her bangs out of her eyes and declared with domineering swagger, ¡°I could steal.¡± [¡­]Thug! Despicable! Shameless! Vulgar! ¨C Yunan Bay. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï This place was about to be developed into an upscale resort area, but construction hadn¡¯t started yet; it was desolate. At a clearing in Yunan Bay, several cars were parked, with uniformly dressed bodyguards walking back and forth, diligently scanning the darkness. Not far from the clearing, two people were hiding and observing the situation on the land. The woman on the left lit up her phone screen for a moment, immediately turned it on to take a look, and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s taken care of over there.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± the man on the right raised his head, ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s no problem?¡± The woman nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no problem. When do we make our move?¡± The man glanced at the time, ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡± The woman put the phone away and eyed the man, ¡°Do you really not like her at all?¡± ¡°Lin Yan!¡± the man said in a low voice, ¡°My overture to her was just to get information; I have no feelings for her.¡± Lin Yan chuckled, ¡°I was just asking, what¡¯s making you nervous?¡± The man said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget our goal.¡± Lin Yan¡¯s smile faded slightly, ¡°Of course I won¡¯t forget. I just thought, after all, she grew up with us and even likes you. Can you really be so heartless?¡± The man didn¡¯t say anything more but warned Lin Yan with his gaze. ¨C When Chuzheng rode the little e-scooter to Yunan Bay, there was already gunfire inside. She didn¡¯t know how long the show had been going on. Chuzheng didn¡¯t go in. Instead, she stopped the e-scooter outside and pulled out a loaf of bread. The gunfire inside grew more intense; flashes of fire could be glimpsed. Chuzheng finished a loaf of bread, and when the sound of vehicles moving inside could be heard, she calmly folded the bread bag and then looked up toward the inside. A four-by-four burst out, pursued by two cars. Someone leaned out, firing at the four-by-four. Just as the four-by-four was about to be encircled with no escape, a little e-scooter suddenly cut across. The little e-scooter performed an arrogant drift, scraping past the four-by-four. The driver, nearly scared to death by the e-scooter, barely managed to steady the vehicle when suddenly the e-scooter popped up again, exploiting its small size to slip alongside the car. The lazily slow e-scooter was now reaching its lifetime peak of speed. In the backseat of the four-by-four, someone aiming a gun at the pursuing vehicles suddenly noticed someone approaching and instinctively pointed the gun. ¡°Chuzheng!¡± They exclaimed in shock, quickly directing the gun away, and the bullet missed. ¡°Gun,¡± Chuzheng stretched out her hand to the person inside. The person reacted swiftly, tossing a gun out. Chuzheng had to control the e-scooter and catch the gun¡ªit was really quite challenging for this poor thing. Chuzheng used Yin Xian to wrap around the gun, maintaining her boss image steady as ever. Luckily, all was well. The little e-scooter abruptly widened its distance from the four-by-four. In a flash, the e-scooter weaved through like a dragon. The two cars behind, disrupted by the sudden appearance of the little e-scooter, were, at that moment, brazenly heading straight for them. The chasers, feeling provoked, floored the accelerator and went for the collision. Bang! Boom¡ª Amidst the firelight, the little e-scooter slid out and came to a smooth stop behind. The off-road vehicle stopped, with one of the two cars behind flipping over and the other exploding, its flames dispelling the darkness. Everything happened so fast that the people inside the off-road vehicle hadn¡¯t reacted yet. The man in the backseat opened the car door and rushed towards Chuzheng. ¡°Chuzheng, are you all right?¡± Chuzheng leaned on the electric scooter: ¡°The light is broken.¡± The man glanced at the electric scooter. The light had been smashed, but overall, there wasn¡¯t any significant damage¡­ But now wasn¡¯t the time to worry about a broken light, right? Chuzheng patted the electric scooter: ¡°It¡¯s expensive.¡± How expensive could a small electric scooter be? Judging by the brand, it wasn¡¯t more than a few thousand yuan. ¡°Chuzheng, the Boss is still inside.¡± The man suddenly remembered what was important. ¡°We were ambushed out of nowhere, these people came prepared! I need to call for backup¡­¡± He took out his phone to make a call. Meanwhile, the driver of the off-road vehicle dragged someone over. ¡°Chuzheng, this guy¡¯s still breathing.¡± ¡°Hurry up and kill him.¡± Why keep him breathing so he can heal and revive?! If not to strike now, then when! The man hung up the phone just in time to hear this sentence. The driver and the man exchanged glances. Why did Chuzheng seem so odd? The driver timidly said, ¡°Chuzheng, we can¡¯t kill him. We need to keep him for questioning.¡± They needed to question him? Was it really that troublesome? Chuzheng thought for a moment: ¡°Then break his legs first.¡± The man: ¡°¡­¡± The driver: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C The man named Ah Hua was wearing the Boss¡¯s clothes. He had disguised himself as the Boss, taking a car to lead some of the fire away. The Boss and the rest of the crew tried to retreat from another direction, but it seemed like they hadn¡¯t managed to escape yet. The ambush was set up by siblings Lin Yan and Lin Feng. Still, they definitely wouldn¡¯t make an appearance. If it was a success, that was great. If it failed and they were exposed, it would not be good for them. Chuzheng asked, ¡°Can the car still be driven?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be driven.¡± The driver shook his head: ¡°The fuel tank has been hit¡­¡± Bang¡ª The off-road vehicle exploded amid the driver¡¯s words, illuminating the bewildered faces of the three. The driver opened his lips, completing the last two words: ¡°¡­is ruined.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I saw it. They were a distance away from their departure point. By the time they ran back, the day would probably be over. Luckily, Chuzheng still had an electric scooter. However, the electric scooter had a limited capacity and could only take one person with it, Chuzheng took Ah Hua first, leaving the driver behind to wait for reinforcements, and to keep an eye on the prisoner who was still barely alive. The electric scooter swerved fancily, with Ah Hua¡¯s heart rocking unsteadily. ¡°Chuzheng, Chuzheng, can you drive more steadily?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very stable,¡± Chuzheng¡¯s calm voice came through the wind: ¡°I¡¯m very skilled.¡± Ah Hua: ¡°¡­¡± This swaying motion was just like that of a drunk person. How was this stable at all!! Chuzheng wouldn¡¯t have been drinking, right? Drunk driving is illegal!! But he didn¡¯t smell any alcohol either! Chapter 438 - Chapter 438: Chapter 438 Golden Tycoon (3) Chapter 438: Chapter 438 Golden Tycoon (3) ¡°Boss, Ah Hua has charged out, but those people seem to know we¡¯re still here, not many have left.¡± A few men armed with weapons surrounded a man in the middle. The man, however, was calm; the constant sound of weapons from outside didn¡¯t seem to affect him at all. ¡°Can we break out?¡± The men exchanged glances, one of them hesitated a bit: ¡°Boss, there are too many people outside, we¡¯ve lost quite a few brothers just now, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± The Boss swept them with a look. The men¡¯s backs instantly turned cold, and they straightened their spines: ¡°We can!¡± Only then did the Boss nod contentedly: ¡°They¡¯re just a few small fries, if you can¡¯t deal with them, following me all these years would have been in vain.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Although the outsiders were not that formidable, they had the advantage in numbers. Even two hands can¡¯t fend off four fists. Of course, the men didn¡¯t dare to contradict the Boss and started to discuss a plan. Just as they came up with a plan, the sound of weapons from outside suddenly stopped. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? Everyone was stunned; the Boss raised his eyebrows and gestured with his chin for someone next to him to go out and take a look. However, once he went out, there was no more activity. The Boss frowned; outside was too quiet, the person who went out hadn¡¯t returned, and after waiting for a moment, he stood up and walked outside. They had just been in a temporarily constructed shack, and there was a lot of stuff piled outside, conveniently blocking the view. To get out, one had to walk around that pile of things. The Boss felt wary; the surroundings were too quiet, eerily so. ¡°Boss¡­Boss¡­¡± The first person who went out was standing at the entrance, and upon seeing the Boss, he quickly made way. In front of them, the open space was a mess, with vehicles crashed into one another haphazardly. And in the middle of the open space, there was a small electric scooter, its owner was slowly walking towards them. ¡°Sister Zheng.¡± Someone called out, and the crowd behind visibly became excited. Had Sister Zheng come, did that mean reinforcements had arrived? The Boss¡¯s brows furrowed, looking at the approaching person, he remained silent. Someone next to the Boss couldn¡¯t hold back: ¡°Sister Zheng, where are the people outside? Did you bring people over for reinforcement?!¡± Chuzheng stood three meters away from them, her hands in her pockets, her tone exceptionally calm: ¡°No.¡± No? ¡°Then¡­where are those people?¡± Chuzheng looked back; Ah Hua ran back panting: ¡°Boss, Sister Zheng, they¡¯re all dead.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Boss, who had been silent all along, finally spoke, ¡°How did they die?¡± The Boss wasn¡¯t old, around forty years of age; accustomed to holding power for many years, he possessed an air of unassailable authority. Ah Hua shook his head: ¡°I don¡¯t know. Sister Zheng and I were planning to come in to rescue the Boss, but just as we got near the front, the sound of weapons stopped¡­¡± Ah Hua had just gone to check around and found those people lying on the ground. The situation was a bit strange, and Ah Hua couldn¡¯t quite explain it. When the rest heard this, they also felt it was bizarre, surely it couldn¡¯t be ghosts? Chuzheng quietly fiddled with her wrist, her achievements and fame hidden deeply. While everyone was bewildered, a car came from a distance. The group immediately became alert and took the Boss and Chuzheng back behind them. ¡°Boss! It¡¯s us!¡± someone shouted loud. ¡°Lin Feng?¡± Ah Hua recognized the voice. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Ah Hua first led some men out to make sure there was no danger before gesturing to the others to come out. Lin Feng quickly stepped forward, his handsome face showing some urgency: ¡°I received a message that the Boss was ambushed, and since I was nearby, I quickly brought a few brothers over. Boss, are you alright? Where are the people who ambushed you?¡± He had been close enough to hear the commotion here. But suddenly, there was silence, and he couldn¡¯t reach out to the others, so after waiting for a while, he pretended to have received a message and rushed over for reinforcement. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± The Boss emerged from behind the crowd. Chuzheng appeared alongside him. Lin Feng¡¯s pupils shrank when he saw Chuzheng. Why is she here? Didn¡¯t Lin Yan say everything was taken care of? Lin Feng felt turmoil stirring inside him but didn¡¯t show it on his face. Following protocol, he asked, ¡°Is Sister Zheng here too?¡± The original owner of the body was actually younger than Lin Feng. However, since her status was higher, Lin Feng had to call her ¡®sister¡¯. His question revealed his doubts, but he didn¡¯t elaborate. Chuzheng glanced at him coldly without responding. Boss looked profoundly at both Lin Feng and Chuzheng, silent as well, making the atmosphere slightly odd. After a moment, Boss asked Ah Hua, ¡°Is everyone dead?¡± Ah Hua nodded in affirmation, ¡°All dead, no wounds on their bodies, don¡¯t know how they died.¡± Thinking of this, Ah Hua felt a chill down his spine; this place was eerily sinister. ¡°Let¡¯s leave here first.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¨C Boss took them to a temporary safe house first, with those of lower status on guard outside, leaving only a few core members. Boss sat on the couch and lit a cigar. ¡°You¡¯d better give me an explanation for today¡¯s events.¡± Not many knew of his arrival here. The ambush here clearly indicated a leak of information, which meant there definitely was an insider. Both Chuzheng and Lin Feng, who weren¡¯t supposed to be here, were under suspicion. Lin Feng knew the situation had changed and had already prepared a strategy to deal with it. ¡°Boss, I came here after receiving a message from one of our brothers,¡± Lin Feng said calmly, ¡°Look.¡± He handed his phone to Boss. There was indeed a message requesting reinforcements in Lin Feng¡¯s phone. And Lin Feng was indeed on a mission nearby. He arrived here faster than usual after receiving the message, but speeding over late at night was still feasible. Lin Feng¡¯s explanation seemed to be without flaws. ¡°Chuzheng,¡± Boss pondered and then asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Leaning nearby, Chuzheng raised her head at the mention of her name. All eyes in the room gathered on her. Huh¡­ So many people looking at me?! Chuzheng stood straight and confidently started her bluff, ¡°Someone sent me a message saying there would be an ambush today.¡± Her serious and composed appearance showed no signs of cracks. ¡°Oh?¡± Boss raised his tone, eyes narrowing dangerously, ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± Chuzheng was brief, ¡°Encrypted message.¡± Boss gestured for Chuzheng to show her phone. Chuzheng paused. Her phone had already been taken away by Lin Feng and his sister, those damn bastards. She had no phone on her. Chuzheng was panicking. Miscalculation, miscalculation, miscalculation. I forgot about that. Not good. No big deal. Chuzheng spoke calmly, ¡°I got into a fight outside earlier and dropped it.¡± With that, the room¡¯s atmosphere turned all the more delicate. Lin Feng, clever as he was, said nothing. After all, he was under suspicion too. Anything he said now could very likely make things worse. What¡¯s most important is that he couldn¡¯t figure out why Chuzheng, someone who shouldn¡¯t be here, was here. What on earth had Lin Yan been doing! ¡°Chuzheng,¡± Boss took a puff of his cigar, dragging out his tone, ¡°you¡¯ve been with me for quite some time now, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°You know what I hate the most.¡± Chapter 439 - Chapter 439: Chapter 439 Golden Tycoon (4) Chapter 439: Chapter 439 Golden Tycoon (4) ¡°You suspect me.¡± The light in the room was somewhat dim, casting a hazy silhouette over Chuzheng, making her appear indistinct. ¡°Boss, Chuzheng was with us when we came,¡± Ah Hua spoke up for Chuzheng. ¡°She saved us.¡± The boss raised his hand and gave Ah Hua a warning look. Ah Hua mumbled and didn¡¯t dare to speak again. The boss¡¯s gaze was dark. ¡°Chuzheng, how can I not suspect you?¡± She appeared out of nowhere and couldn¡¯t produce solid evidence to prove her claims. Chuzheng met the boss¡¯s gaze. Her eyes were clear and bright, like a frozen mirror lake, cold and undisturbed. In face of such an important figure as the boss, the girl didn¡¯t show the slightest shrink back, calm and indifferent. A trace of strangeness flashed through the boss¡¯s heart. Was this Chuzheng? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?? Chuzheng called out, ¡°Ah Hua.¡± ¡°Chuzheng?¡± Ah Hua responded quietly. ¡°What about the person we caught outside?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Ah Hua was startled, then slapped his forehead. ¡°We brought him back. Boss, we caught a live one outside.¡± The boss stared at Chuzheng. Chuzheng maintained a serene demeanor, letting him look. Stay composed! Your aura must be strong! Lin Feng, however, felt a bit uneasy, clenching and unclenching his palms, afraid of giving himself away. He had a contingency plan in case his scheme failed, which was to frame Chuzheng. But this required time, and for the boss to investigate himself; if he brought it up, it would be easy to arouse suspicion. Now, Chuzheng was on the scene, though also under suspicion, but¡­ Lin Feng felt inexplicably uneasy. He always felt that in just a few hours, Chuzheng seemed different than before. The boss put out his cigarette butt. ¡°Bring him in.¡± ¨C The captured man was originally just hanging on to his last breath, and after being roughed up further, it was a miracle he was still alive. He was thrown in the middle of the room, and a basin of cold water was splashed on him, violently awakening him. Chuzheng crossed her arms and watched, showing no sign of panic due to the suspicion against her, eerily calm. The boss couldn¡¯t help but take a couple more glances at her. Ah Hua dropped the basin and grabbed the man by the collar. ¡°Who sent you?¡± ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± The man¡¯s half-swollen face barely allowed one eye to open. Realizing his situation, he pulled out a mocking smile. ¡°You guys kill me already!¡± ¡°Killing you is easy, but making your life worse than death is also easy,¡± Ah Hua, who was far less cautious around Chuzheng, retorted. ¡°If you want to try it, I can accommodate you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything¡­¡± the man stubbornly replied. ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll take him out for questioning, so we don¡¯t dirty the place,¡± Ah Hua asked for the boss¡¯s permission. Obviously, the boss trusted Ah Hua a lot, nodding his head. ¡°Everyone, please sit,¡± the boss was quite generous, not letting suspicion change his demeanor. Chuzheng immediately sat down on the opposite sofa, crossing her legs, striking a boss-like pose. Lin Feng glanced at her and sat down on the other side. ¡°I remember, Lin Feng came here with Chuzheng,¡± the boss asked. Lin Feng was cautious, not sure why the boss suddenly brought this up. He hesitated, then slowly nodded. ¡°Yes, Chuzheng, Lin Yan, and I are from the same orphanage.¡± ¡°Hmm, you were this tall when you came¡­¡± the boss gestured. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that in a blink of an eye, so many years have passed, and you¡¯ve all grown up so much.¡± The boss suddenly started reminiscing. Chuzheng was gathering information about the boss from her memories. In the original host¡¯s cognition, the Boss was actually not too bad¡­ although the organization¡¯s rules were strict and ruthless, a bit impersonal. But as long as one did not make mistakes, the Boss was very good to them. However, what he hated the most was betrayal. According to the original host¡¯s memory, once the Boss finished recounting, if he found out who the traitor was, the outcome¡­ Death by recollection! Truly terrifying! Ah Hua came in right on time, as the Boss had just finished his last sentence. ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve found out,¡± Ah Hua stood respectfully by the sofa, ¡°It was the Qing Gang.¡± The Boss¡¯s brow furrowed, his voice grave, ¡°How did they come to know the information?¡± The Qing Gang and he were sworn enemies; it made sense that they targeted him. The real concern was¡ªhow did they know he was here? Ah Hua answered, ¡°They said someone leaked the information to them, but they don¡¯t know who.¡± That was all the leads they had, and even if Ah Hua killed the other party, he couldn¡¯t find out who the informer was. The Boss looked at Chuzheng and Lin Feng, ¡°Does this mean the mole is among us?¡± This time, Ah Hua did not dare to answer. ¡°Boss, I have absolutely not betrayed you,¡± Lin Feng declared his loyalty in a timely manner but did not say too much. Chuzheng remained silent, her face devoid of any emotion, as impassive as a robot. She seemed not the least bit worried about her current predicament. The Boss was a bit surprised by Chuzheng¡¯s reaction. She could have at least defended herself¡­ How the Qing Gang got the information was unknowable to them. Between the two who should not have been there, Chuzheng was more suspect. Because the source of her information was unclear, but that wasn¡¯t necessarily proof¡­ After contemplating internally for a moment, the Boss did not convict them, nor did he seem intent on interrogating them. The Boss stood up, his gaze icy as he looked at them, ¡°Chuzheng, Lin Feng, I have watched you both grow up, don¡¯t do the wrong thing.¡± The Boss wasn¡¯t the kind of tyrant who would behead someone for a little suspicion, but he also wasn¡¯t the kind to suspect you without letting it show. He wanted you to know he was suspecting you, yet he treated you no differently than before, exerting psychological pressure. Of course, Chuzheng had done nothing and was therefore fearless. That being said, even if it had been her doing, she probably wouldn¡¯t feel any pressure at all. With an ambiguous pat on Lin Feng¡¯s shoulder, the Boss left with his people. The room was left with only Lin Feng, Chuzheng, and a trembling Ah Hua. ¡°Chuzheng.¡± Lin Feng called out to Chuzheng, who was preparing to leave. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Where should I be, then?¡± Wait until there¡¯s no one around, take out this scum, and relieve some anger! ¡°I mean no offense,¡± Lin Feng softened his tone, he hadn¡¯t exposed any slip-ups, she likely didn¡¯t know, so Lin Feng reverted to his usual demeanor, ¡°I¡¯m just worried¡­ this matter has nothing to do with you, right?¡± ¡°Worried about me?¡± Chuzheng¡¯s voice was ice-cold, ¡°You should worry about yourself.¡± After dropping these words, Chuzheng left straight away. Lin Feng stood there, frozen. What did she mean? Lin Feng, with a troubled frown, took out his cellphone and messaged Lin Yan. [Lin Feng: Xia Chuzheng, didn¡¯t you say you had taken care of it? Why did she show up here?] [Lin Yan: What?] [Lin Feng: Don¡¯t do anything rash. The plan failed, I¡¯ll explain when I get back.] [Lin Yan: What happened? What¡¯s wrong with Xia Chuzheng?] Lin Feng didn¡¯t reply anymore, but deleted all messages to avoid them being seen by anyone else. Chapter 440 - Chapter 440: Chapter 440 Golden Tycoon (5) Chapter 440: Chapter 440 Golden Tycoon (5) ¡°Boss, I checked, the information from Lin Feng is legit, it was sent by our people, and several others received it too, as a mass text.¡± The man in the backseat grunted in response. ¡°Lin Feng should be fine; he is the closest¡­ it¡¯s just Chuzheng¡­¡± The speaker hesitated. For Chuzheng, a woman, to be addressed as ¡®sister¡¯ by them showed the extent of her capabilities. ¡°Do you think she would betray me?¡± the Boss asked in a deep voice. The person in front couldn¡¯t give a guarantee; they were in the Dark, having seen too much, human nature¡­ is very easy to change. ¡°We must find out who the mole is this time,¡± the Boss said, obviously in a bad mood. ¡°Boss, rest assured, I will find out!¡± Ding-dong¡ª A text message alert. The Boss took his phone out of his coat pocket, opened the message; it was from an unknown number. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?? [Lin Feng has betrayed you. He aims to take your place.] The Boss glanced forward, both the driver and the person in the passenger seat kept their eyes straight ahead, nothing amiss. [Who are you?] [A good person.] The Boss replied again, but there was no further movement from the other side. The Boss certainly wouldn¡¯t trust a message from an unknown source. ¡°Keep a close watch on both Chuzheng and Lin Feng,¡± after a pause, the Boss added another sentence: ¡°And Lin Yan.¡± ¡°Yes, Boss.¡± ¡°Boss, I have another question.¡± The Boss gestured for him to continue. ¡°The people who ambushed us¡­¡± They died mysteriously, and no one knew who did it, which felt quite uneasy. The Boss glanced at his phone: ¡°If the other party has made a move, they won¡¯t hide for long, just wait and see.¡± ¨C Chuzheng discarded a disposable card and put a new phone back in her pocket. Ah Hua drove up in a car: ¡°Sister Chuzheng, heading back?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll drive you.¡± Having someone drive her, Chuzheng gladly accepted. ¡°Sister Chuzheng, the Boss must be doubting you,¡± Ah Hua started talking as soon as she got in the car: ¡°I believe you have nothing to do with this, but why were you at the scene?¡± ¡°Someone messaged me,¡± Chuzheng stuck with the same story. Ah Hua glanced at Chuzheng: ¡°Sister Chuzheng¡­ that explanation may not fly with the Boss. Don¡¯t think he hasn¡¯t said anything; he definitely knows what¡¯s up, you should be careful these days¡­¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Seeing Chuzheng reluctant to talk, Ah Hua tactfully closed his mouth. After driving a distance, the car suddenly stopped. Chuzheng looked around, they hadn¡¯t reached where the original host lived. Why stop here? ¡°Sister Chuzheng? We¡¯re here,¡± Ah Hua reminded Chuzheng: ¡°Is there something else?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ah Hua then realized and got out of the car to open the door for Chuzheng. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Chuzheng got out of the car, still puzzled. ¡°Sister Chuzheng, I¡¯ll head back now,¡± Ah Hua waved at Chuzheng: ¡°If the Boss has any news, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s the point of dumping me here! What happened to driving me home! It took Chuzheng a while to recall from the original host¡¯s memory why this happened. The original host never let anyone know where she lived¡­ that¡¯s not right, Lin Feng and Lin Yan knew. The original host was somewhat familiar with Ah Hua, every time she took his car, she would have him drop her off at a public square. So it was the same this time. Chuzheng sighed. Why go through such trouble late at night. Chuzheng thought about finding a hotel to sleep, but that didn¡¯t seem right; she decided to go home for a visit. The original host¡¯s two-story apartment was simply decorated with not many belongings. Chuzheng turned on all the lights in the apartment and began a late-night search through drawers and cabinets. Why is my life so bitter! Sometimes Lin Feng and Lin Yan would come here, incidentally framing and setting traps, which was very easy for them. Chuzheng indeed found two items. A bank card not in the original owner¡¯s memory. And a cell phone, which, apart from a few text messages, was empty. Those text messages were related to the attack tonight. The bastards dared to frame me! Chuzheng lay down on the sofa¡ªtime to sleep first, deal with it tomorrow. [¡­] Being bold. That¡¯s good. ¨C On the other side. Lin Feng didn¡¯t dare go to the Boss to plead innocence; it was best to act as if nothing happened, keep on doing what he was supposed to do. Lin Feng thought, even if the Boss investigated, it shouldn¡¯t link back to him. The only suspect thing about him was his presence at the scene. Fortunately, he had made preparations in advance, so there shouldn¡¯t be much of a problem. Lin Feng drove to Lin Yan¡¯s residence. Lin Yan had just come back too, and as soon as he entered, she hurriedly asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Lin Feng tugged at his tie, ¡°I don¡¯t know, those people are all dead.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Why are you shouting?¡± Lin Feng frowned, and Lin Yan immediately fell silent. Lin Feng recounted the evening¡¯s events to Lin Yan, ¡°The Boss now suspects me and Chuzheng.¡± Lin Yan didn¡¯t understand, ¡°Why would she be there?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I want to ask you.¡± Lin Feng said, ¡°How did you handle things?¡± ¡°I¡­ I took care of everything.¡± Lin Yan said aggrievedly, ¡°I saw it with my own eyes; you saw her drink that water too. You put the drug in it. She wouldn¡¯t wake up until tomorrow morning at least. Why would she appear there, how would I know?¡± Lin Feng seemed to recall something. They¡¯d gone through so much trouble to abduct Chuzheng, afraid she¡¯d have an alibi. They hadn¡¯t killed the Boss yet, so they could push her out to be the scapegoat. But they¡¯d never expected her to show up at the scene. ¡°Something¡¯s not right about this.¡± Lin Yan: ¡°Could someone have helped her?¡± Lin Feng frowned, ¡°The only one she¡¯s close to in the organization is Ah Hua, but Ah Hua has been with the Boss all the time, who could help her?¡± They knew almost everything about Chuzheng¡¯s life. They were clear about her hobbies, her friends. Lin Yan clutched Lin Feng¡¯s hand, ¡°Brother, do you think she knows¡­¡± Lin Feng, thinking about Chuzheng¡¯s gaze and her last words, felt uneasy. Lin Feng: ¡°Don¡¯t overthink, we¡¯ve never shown our faces in what we did, no one will know.¡± Lin Yan¡¯s heart was in turmoil, ¡°But¡­¡± Lin Feng: ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll find a chance to test her.¡± Lin Yan: ¡°What about the Boss?¡± Lin Feng: ¡°I¡¯m less suspicious than her, besides, haven¡¯t we already set things up beforehand?¡± Lin Yan and Lin Feng looked at each other for a few seconds, then slowly nodded. Whoosh¡ªwhoosh¡ªwhoosh¡ª Large raindrops beat against the window, pattering loudly. The emotions of Lin Yan and Lin Feng surged up and down with the rain, staying awake all night. ¨C Chuzheng was awakened by the cold, she propped herself up on the couch, the curtains fluttered in the wind, the sky was foggy, the rain pattered against the glass. Chuzheng glanced at the time. Seven o¡¯clock in the morning. She slumped on the couch for a while, packing up the things on the table, and had just changed her clothes when the doorbell rang. Standing at the door was the Boss, dressed in a suit and leather shoes. He looked refreshed, seemingly unaffected by last night¡¯s events. As the head of the organization, knowing where his subordinates live didn¡¯t seem problematic. But early in the morning¡­ Those who didn¡¯t know might think it¡¯s creepy, right? ¡°Morning, join me for breakfast,¡± the Boss said with a touch of a smile, akin to a kindly elder inviting a junior for a meal. Chapter 441 - Chapter 441: Chapter 441 Golden Tycoon (6) Chapter 441: Chapter 441 Golden Tycoon (6) Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± The Boss actually invited me to breakfast. Is he trying to poison me? A big shot¡­wouldn¡¯t do something so tasteless, right? Chuzheng ran through in her mind the various troubles she would face after refusing¡ªshe decisively nodded. ¨C It was still raining outside, and as soon as Chuzheng went out, her face was slapped by the wind-driven rain. Chuzheng took a deep breath, maintaining the image of a noble and cold goddess. During breakfast, the Boss just chatted casually, not mentioning a word about last night¡¯s incident. Chuzheng didn¡¯t know what this old fox was up to, so she kept a cold face and silently finished breakfast with him. ¡°Chuzheng, I don¡¯t like children who lie.¡± This was what the Boss said as he was dropping her off. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï Chuzheng calmly watched the car disappear into the rain and mist. Who are you calling a child! Who are you calling a child! [Mainline Task: Spend two hundred thousand within two hours.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Are you sick or something! You didn¡¯t say it before, and now that I have returned, you tell me, are you deliberately messing with me? [Little sister, exercise is good for your physical and mental health, oh.] I don¡¯t want to! Can¡¯t I just be a salted fish?! I¡¯m very healthy, body and mind! Bastard, you only know how to spread rumors! [¡­] Where did it spread rumors? It¡¯s just a reminder! The King¡¯s Account felt wronged beyond words. After Chuzheng spent the two hundred thousand and returned, she found the apartment door broken and the maintenance staff at the entrance contacting workers for repairs. So infuriating. Really infuriating! She was so mad she felt like chopping someone. The workers could feel the ferocious aura emanating from Chuzheng; they didn¡¯t dare to breathe heavily, constantly urging the repairmen. After several setbacks, she finally made it back home. However, as soon as she stepped through the door, she realized someone had been in her place. Even though the intruder had tried to restore everything, Chuzheng could still tell. The old fox had called her out just so someone could search her apartment? The Boss didn¡¯t want to blow things up; he hadn¡¯t found anything, so let¡¯s pretend nothing happened. She was still the Sister of the organization. Chuzheng clicked her tongue. These people really know how to play. Chuzheng still had things to do today; she had to retrieve her belongings, otherwise Lin Feng and Lin Yan, these two dogs, could take advantage and do something with it. ¨C Lin Feng came out of the apartment, talking on the phone with someone, seeming to discuss something. His eyes flickered when he caught sight of the person standing at the side of the road, and, after saying a few words, he hung up the call. ¡°Chuzheng.¡± Lin Feng jogged over to Chuzheng, his handsome face wearing a smile as if nothing had happened, asking, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± Chuzheng turned around, still donned in a tight leather jacket that outlined her perfect figure in its entirety. Her hands were tucked into her coat pockets, her expression indifferent, radiating an absolute big sister aura. Chuzheng¡¤The¡¤Boss: ¡°Isn¡¯t my phone with you guys?¡± Lin Feng¡¯s heart skipped a beat: ¡°Chuzheng, what are you talking about? Your phone, why would it be with me?¡± Before Chuzheng could respond, he continued: ¡°The Boss was there last night, so it wasn¡¯t convenient for me to talk to you more. Are you upset? Don¡¯t worry, the Boss believes in evidence. This matter has nothing to do with us, he won¡¯t make things difficult for us.¡± Yes. He won¡¯t make things difficult. But I¡¯m different. I will! ¡°It has nothing to do with me.¡± Chuzheng said: ¡°Whether it has to do with you, don¡¯t you have an idea?¡± ¡°Chuzheng¡­¡± Lin Feng frowned: ¡°What are you talking nonsense about?¡± Lin Feng felt a bit panicky. Her tone¡­ how did it seem like she knew everything? But this isn¡¯t right! ¡°My things.¡± Chuzheng held out her hand towards Lin Feng. ¡°I don¡¯t have your things, you¡­¡± Suddenly, Chuzheng made a move¡­ no, a kick, right in the private area. Lin Feng¡¯s expression turned pale in an instant, his legs clamped tight, he was in so much pain he couldn¡¯t make a sound. Chuzheng pinched his shoulder, her icy voice crashing into his ear: ¡°My things.¡± Lin Feng gasped for air, the pain in the private area still prevented him from speaking, as cold sweat ran down his forehead. It hurt! It hurt like death. All sorts of messy thoughts surged through Lin Feng¡¯s mind. She actually kicked him! And to kick him there of all places. Didn¡¯t she like him? Chuzheng quickly made it clear with her actions that not only did she dare to kick him, but she also dared to pinch him. Lin Feng clearly heard the sound of his arm dislocating. ¡°I have limited patience.¡± There were so many people watching, it wasn¡¯t good to fight in the street. At this time, there was a lot of traffic on the main road and plenty of pedestrians. Lin Feng, with a bizarre posture, sticking out his rear, while Chuzheng still clutched his arm, created a scene that looked so strange that many people looked their way. ¡°Chu¡­ Chuzheng¡­¡± Lin Feng panted: ¡°Is there some misunderstanding between us?¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Oh my God! This Lin Feng is quite something! I treated him like this, yet he still bears it. Mad props! There must be applause here. After Chuzheng finished her internal rant, with an ice-cold expression she glanced around and dragged Lin Feng to a secluded area. Lin Feng¡¯s ¡®body¡¯ was injured and was almost completely being pulled along by Chuzheng. ¨C Ten minutes later, Lin Feng was slumped helplessly in a corner, while Chuzheng went through her phone. The phone was roughly searched out from Lin Feng¡¯s possession by Chuzheng, who also hadn¡¯t expected her luck to suddenly turn¡ªhim actually carrying it on his person. Chuzheng suspected that Lin Feng was plotting something bad. It wasn¡¯t that she was negative. It was Lin Feng¡¯s actions that were off. Normally, he should have gotten rid of it as soon as possible. After all, she had signaled last night that she knew something. But not only did he not dispose of it, he carried it on his person, as if afraid she couldn¡¯t find evidence? If this isn¡¯t sinister intent, what is? Actually, there wasn¡¯t much on the original owner¡¯s phone. People in their line of work, if they can leave no trace, they definitely should not leave a trace. But since it was her possession, if anything did come up, she¡¯d have a hard time explaining it. Chuzheng glanced at Lin Feng, irked, and gave another kick. Lin Feng¡¯s eyes rolled back, and he passed out successfully. After making sure all her belongings were there, Chuzheng left Lin Feng behind and walked away. ¨C ¡°This young lady, robbing in broad daylight? She¡¯s pretty good-looking too, not living off her looks but off her strength.¡± In a nearby corner, a youth pushing a wheelchair spoke to the person seated in it with a tsk-tsk. The person in the wheelchair watched Lin Feng lying there, ¡°You love to fight injustice, why didn¡¯t you go out just now?¡± ¡°Hey, Bro, I was just saying. What¡¯s this got to do with me?¡± the youth immediately retorted. The person in the wheelchair scoffed lightly. ¡°No, Bro, at least you¡¯re a socialist successor serving the people. Not only did you not step in to stop the assault, you didn¡¯t even condemn it. Where¡¯s your conscience? Where¡¯s your justice?¡± ¡°Your socialist successor is about to starve to death. May I ask, can your hands and legs move yet?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Bro, did I owe you in my last life?¡± ¡°You owed me yesterday¡­¡± ¡°Bro, I was wrong.¡± The youth immediately began to push the wheelchair away: ¡°Don¡¯t say anymore, if Mom and Dad hear, I¡¯m done for! This is our secret, you can¡¯t tell!¡± ¡°Depends on your performance.¡± ¡°Bro, my dear brother!!¡± Chapter 442 - Chapter 442: Chapter 442 Golden Tycoon (7) Chapter 442: Chapter 442 Golden Tycoon (7) Chuzheng was under investigation, and so were Lin Feng and Lin Yan. Chuzheng naturally wouldn¡¯t miss such a great opportunity and planned to prepare a big surprise for them. However, Chuzheng didn¡¯t expect that the siblings Lin Feng and Lin Yan had plenty of tricks up their sleeves, and even after she had created some small props, they still managed to push out a scapegoat to clear themselves of suspicion. Did these two have a plan that was a hundred pages long?! It seemed a bit cruel not to let them succeed. After the appearance of the scapegoat, the case was brought to a complete close, and the Boss didn¡¯t pursue it further. The only doubt remaining was: who killed those people? But in the end, nobody knew. It became an unsolved mystery. ¨C Ding¡ª¡ª Chuzheng slumped on the sofa, fumbling around for a while before finding her phone and holding it up in front of her eyes. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?0 [You have a new task¡­] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± A task? What task? Isn¡¯t my task to be a spendthrift? Chuzheng took several seconds to react, slowly sitting up. [Task target: Jin Ning. Gender: Male. Hobbies: Unknown. Sexual Orientation: Unknown. Occupation: Idly living off his parents at home. Remarks: None. Task Details: First step, gain Jin Ning¡¯s trust; second step, as above; third step, as above.] Chuzheng: ¡°??¡± What kind of bizarre task is this? Who wrote this information, and are they really being this cheeky? Don¡¯t they have any sense of consciousness as part of the ¡®Dark¡¯ organization, too unaware! After ranting, Chuzheng threw the phone away. She wasn¡¯t necessarily required to accept tasks assigned by the organization; such notifications usually reached several people¡¯s hands. Their organization didn¡¯t only consist of assassins. There were other tasks too, such as seduction for intelligence gathering and whatnot; as long as the client wasn¡¯t having pipe dreams like becoming the president or colonizing the moon to lead the aliens, the organization could accommodate any reasonable request. They were impressively efficient. Unfortunately, Chuzheng wasn¡¯t interested. Chuzheng idled for a few days, and probably because the Boss couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, Ah Hua called her over for a meal. However, Chuzheng didn¡¯t expect that not only would she be there, Lin Feng and Lin Yan were also present, along with some others from the organization. Upon entering, Chuzheng greeted everyone one by one. The presence of the organization¡¯s number one sister had to be felt! Lin Feng, looking rather unhappy at the edge, got even more upset upon seeing Chuzheng. Lin Yan, on the other hand, was all smiles, talking with the Boss, exuding a woman¡¯s charm and seduction. ¡°Everyone, please take a seat,¡± the Boss invited everyone to sit down. ¡°The incident from the other day was a shock to us all, so I¡¯ve invited you all here for a simple meal.¡± ¡°What is the Boss talking about?¡± Lin Yan said in a coquettish voice. ¡°We are where we are today because of the Boss.¡± Lin Yan¡¯s flattery left the Boss beaming, and soon everyone started mingling freely, chatting among themselves, with the Boss surrounded by people, making the atmosphere seem very harmonious. Lin Feng silently drank his liquor, occasionally sweeping his gaze over Chuzheng. Ever since that incident, he had been keeping an eye on her and noticed that she had hardly ever left her house and had not secretly met with the Boss. Lin Feng was uncertain at the bottom of his heart. She knew it was them who had kidnapped her, but she hadn¡¯t asked anything¡­ yet seemed to know everything. ¡°Sister Chuzheng, are you not happy?¡± Lin Yan came over with a glass of wine. ¡°Have you been too tired lately?¡± Chuzheng with an indifferent face, ¡°Stay away from me,¡± fearing she wouldn¡¯t be able to resist getting rid of her. ¡°¡­.¡± Lin Yan paused, ¡°Sister Chuzheng, did I do something wrong?¡± Chuzheng raised her voice, ¡°Boss, I want to speak with you¡­¡± Lin Yan¡¯s forehead twitched, her expertly made-up face slightly changing color. She immediately stood up, with a decorous smile on her face, ¡°Sister Chuzheng, if you¡¯re unhappy, then I won¡¯t bother you.¡± She clenched her fists, walking to the side. Like Lin Feng, Lin Yan feared that Chuzheng would suddenly say something. Even if she had no evidence, arousing the Boss¡¯s suspicion would be very detrimental to them. The Boss had already heard Chuzheng¡¯s voice, ¡°What does Chuzheng want to say?¡± Chuzheng said a few noncommittal words, managing to fool the Boss, then she sat idly to one side, listening to these people chat. What they discussed was certainly not which star looked good or which TV show was appealing. Lin Yan pulled Lin Feng to the edge, ¡°Brother, what¡¯s going on with Xia Chuzheng?¡± ¡°What¡¯s happened to her?¡± Lin Feng asked absentmindedly. ¡°I was talking to her just now, and before I could say much, she made a move to call the Boss,¡± Lin Yan said indignantly. ¡°How much does she know exactly?¡± Lin Yan believed that she had a good relationship with her in the past. Due to Lin Feng¡¯s relationship, she had been quite considerate toward her. But now¡­ Lin Yan couldn¡¯t describe the feeling; it simply wasn¡¯t good. She seemed like a different person. Lin Feng: ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Lin Yan frowned, making a covert gesture, ¡°Bro, we need to¡­¡± get rid of her. No matter what was going on with her, that was the only way to be safe. Lin Feng frowned and didn¡¯t respond. ¡°What, you can¡¯t bear to do it?¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± Lin Feng scolded quietly. ¡°Lin Feng, Lin Yan, what are you talking about? Come over here,¡± someone called them. ¡°Coming,¡± Lin Yan replied, pulling Lin Feng back with her. The dinner ended uneventfully, and when Chuzheng left, she received a set of materials. The Boss specifically named her to undertake the task. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Why is being an ¡°Alien¡± so hard! Chuzheng opened the materials and saw that the task seemed simple¡­ All their tasks were backed by people who collected information ¨C the target¡¯s preferences, schedule, and even their favored positions in bed ¨C all detailed in the materials. They just had to execute the task. Chuzheng thought back to the materials she had seen before. Compared to what she held now, that other set seemed¡­ embarrassingly crude. Chuzheng tucked the materials away and, turning her head, saw Lin Feng and Lin Yan getting into a car. A flash of light sparked in Chuzheng¡¯s calm eyes. Feeling irritable. Needing someone to ease the boredom. But as Chuzheng stepped down from the stairs, she remembered she hadn¡¯t driven there, and following them would be a bit of a hassle¡­ Just as she was about to give up, Ah Hua drove up. ¡°Sister Chuzheng, let me give you a ride.¡± Chuzheng glanced at him, silent for a few seconds, then pulled open the car door and got in. ¡°Follow them.¡± Ah Hua looked ahead. Isn¡¯t that Lin Feng¡¯s car? ¡°Sister Chuzheng, isn¡¯t that Brother Feng¡¯s car? Why are we¡­¡± Chuzheng turned her head to look at him, her icy gaze making Ah Hua shiver, and he immediately started the car to follow the one in front. Lin Feng was very cautious, taking such a winding route that it made one dizzy. Fortunately, Ah Hua was driving a car he rarely used, and his tracking skills were exceptional in the organization, so he wasn¡¯t likely to be discovered and shaken off by Lin Feng. Lin Feng drove into an underground garage. Chuzheng instructed Ah Hua to park a little farther away, then she got out of the car¡ªwith an aura that appeared quite imposing in Ah Hua¡¯s eyes. ¡°Sister Chuzheng¡­¡± Ah Hua didn¡¯t call out, merely shaped the words with his mouth. Chuzheng gestured with her hand for him to wait in the car. Ah Hua: ¡°¡­¡± What was Sister Chuzheng up to? Chuzheng approached Lin Feng¡¯s car quietly; the people inside seemed not to have gotten out yet. The car¡¯s soundproofing was good, so Chuzheng couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying, she could only see their shadows. It looked like they were arguing, but it was unclear about what¡­ She stood in a dark corner, quietly waiting. Chapter 443 - Chapter 443: Chapter 443 Golden Tycoon (8) Chapter 443: Chapter 443 Golden Tycoon (8) While Chuzheng was considering whether or not to set a fire or something, Lin Yan, who was in the passenger seat, suddenly leaned close to Lin Feng. What kind of secret conversation is this, they¡¯re kneeling so close they can hear each other despite the soundproofing! However, what happened next shook Chuzheng¡¯s principles to the core. Lin Yan and Lin Feng actually kissed? Chuzheng rubbed her eyes, suspecting that she¡¯d seen it wrong due to the car¡¯s privacy features. But damn it, she was standing right in front! ¡­Is this some kind of thrill for them? I can hardly look at sibling intimacy anymore! The spot where Lin Yan and Lin Feng parked was secluded, and no one would have seen what was happening inside the car if Chuzheng hadn¡¯t deliberately walked around to the front. Chuzheng had just witnessed the full treatment. This isn¡¯t good. I need a moment to recover. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï Chuzheng adjusted her clothes, and with an air of calm composure, walked out of the shadows with an unconcerned knock on the car window. ¨C Ah Hua had been waiting in the car for quite some time, not daring to leave or get out, for fear of disturbing Chuzheng at work. Just as Ah Hua was becoming anxious, Chuzheng returned¡ªdragging someone along. Ah Hua¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Has Sister Chuzheng really become this fierce in doing business? ¡°Sister Chuzheng, this¡­¡± Ah Hua, recognizing the person Chuzheng was dragging, found his voice as if strangled. Isn¡¯t that Brother Feng! What in the world is Chuzheng doing! Chuzheng emotionlessly threw Lin Feng into the car and then left. In less than a minute, she dragged Lin Yan back as well. Lin Yan¡¯s clothes were still half-buttoned, her chest partially exposed, and traces of a fierce struggle were evident all over her. As astute as Ah Hua was, he could tell what had happened at a glance. Only, he was a bit puzzled¡ªwho could have done this? Surely it couldn¡¯t be¡­ Ah Hua¡¯s eyes fell on Lin Feng, who was similarly disheveled nearby. Shock! No way! Chuzheng stuffed the people into the back seat, then opened the passenger door, sat down, closed the door, and finished the sequence smoothly. ¡°Drive.¡± Ah Hua hadn¡¯t yet recovered from his shock. He stared blankly at the unconscious pair in the back seat. ¡°Drive,¡± Chuzheng repeated. ¡°Oh!¡± Ah Hua fumbled to start the car. Not until leaving the parking garage did Ah Hua find his voice again, ¡°Sister¡­ Sister Chuzheng, where are we taking Brother Feng and the others?¡± Right! Why had Chuzheng knocked Lin Feng and the others out! ¡°Just drive, I¡¯ll tell you when to stop.¡± Ah Hua swallowed hard. What had Lin Feng done to offend Sister Chuzheng? Wasn¡¯t it rumored within the organization that Sister Chuzheng liked Lin Feng? Could it be she saw Lin Feng with his sister and, out of embarrassment and anger¡­ This is bad, this is really bad. Am I going to be silenced too? All because I just had to get involved! Ah Hua felt like crying but had no tears, fearing for his life, silently contemplating which cemetery would be a good spot, hoping Sister Chuzheng would show some mercy and pick out a plot for him. ¨C Two and a half hours later. Ah Hua looked at the desolate highway and turned to ask Chuzheng, ¡°Sister Chuzheng, have we arrived?¡± Chuzheng kept her face stern, ¡°Almost.¡± Almost my ass! The night was so dark it felt like it was pressing down on them, and the lack of distinctive buildings on the roadside made for no reference points¡ªso, it seemed like she didn¡¯t remember the way anymore. Can¡¯t panic. Stay calm. As a girl, how could she be stumped by such a trifle. Chuzheng gazed out the car window and, at a spot that seemed quite suitable for ¡®body disposal,¡¯ told Ah Hua to pull over. ¡°Help me move him up,¡± Chuzheng instructed Ah Hua. ¡°Sister¡­ Sister Chuzheng, what are you planning to do?¡± Ah Hua trembled slightly. Chuzheng dragged Lin Yan out of the car, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re already on my side, and it¡¯s too late to back out now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± How is that supposed to reassure me!! Ah Hua, forced by Chuzheng¡¯s tyranny, moved Lin Feng upstairs. Chuzheng, getting hold of a rope from who-knows-where, tied him up and heartlessly pushed him down the slope. Ah Hua watched, dumbfounded. Even as he sat in the car, he still felt somewhat out of sorts. Lin Feng and Lin Yan used to get along so well with Sister Zheng, what happened? Lin Feng and Lin Yan couldn¡¯t possibly be dead, could they?! ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± Chuzheng said in a light, emotionless voice, ¡°You know what to say about today, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡­ I was sleeping at home!¡± ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll cover for you; no need to be moved.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wouldn¡¯t dare not be. ¨C Fuxilai Intercontinental Hotel. The young man, rushing into the hotel and pushing a wheelchair, shouted, ¡°Out of the way, out of the way, it¡¯s an emergency, move aside!¡± There were quite a few people in the hotel lobby; as he charged in, he yelled, weaving through the crowd, heading straight for the elevator, just making it onto one. ¡°Floor 38, thanks.¡± The young man panted as he spoke to the girl in the elevator. The girl glanced at him calmly and didn¡¯t move. The young man couldn¡¯t help but look up, ¡°You¡­¡± The girl was dressed in a black chiffon cocktail dress, off-the-shoulder design revealing attractive shoulders and collarbone, her slight curls hanging in front of her body. Her features were delicate, like a doll from a window display, meticulously crafted, beautiful just to the right degree. But¡­ She seemed a bit cold. The young man¡¯s voice seemed stuck as he blinked, was this girl not¡­ the robber from last time?! Upon closer inspection, she seemed even prettier! Damn it. He felt like he was falling in love. ¡°Could you¡­ press the button for me¡­?¡± The young man asked, his face reddening slightly, looking at the girl expectantly. ¡°No,¡± the girl refused flatly. The young man: ¡°¡­¡± Little Fairy was so indifferent. Just as the young man grew disappointed, the girl¡¯s voice came again, ¡°Don¡¯t have a card, can¡¯t press.¡± In the five-star hotel, aside from the public floors of the hotel, all other floors required a card swipe. And you could only go to the floor for which you had a card; you couldn¡¯t go to other floors. ¡°Ah?¡± The young man uttered dumbly. ¨C Jin Chen received a call from his own brother, standing bewildered in the hallway on the twelfth floor. ¡°Bro¡­ I¡­ I can¡¯t get up.¡± Little Fairy is gone, heartbroken, love-lost. ¡°¡­¡± There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment. ¡°Are you a pig?¡± ¡°¡­I am.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Jin Chen stopped a staff member and got help to swipe up to the 38th floor. Pushing the wheelchair in, he immediately saw the man sitting on the couch. He was only wearing a white shirt, casually holding a cup of tea, vapors twirling around his brows, like an Immortal enjoying a light sip of mountain tea. Why had the Creator given him a face that induced both envy and jealousy in others? Jin Chen felt desperate every time he saw him; even though they shared the same parents, why was there such a big difference? ¡°Bro,¡± Jin Chen called out. The man put down his teacup, ¡°Did the hotel elevator break, or were your legs broken?¡± ¡°Bro, you must wish my legs were broken, right?¡± ¡°Of course, brothers share troubles together.¡± Jin Chen was so angry his nose was crooked, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone like you!!!¡± The corner of the man¡¯s mouth twitched with an almost imperceptible smile, ¡°Now you¡¯ve seen. Happy?¡± Jin Chen: ¡°¡­¡± Jin Chen suppressed the urge to strangle him. This was his own brother. He couldn¡¯t strangle him. Otherwise, he¡¯d be strangled by his parents. Jin Chen took a deep breath and suddenly changed his demeanor, ¡°Bro, let me tell you, just now in the elevator I met a super pretty Miss, I think I¡¯m in love.¡± Chapter 444 - Chapter 444: Chapter 444 Golden Tycoon (9) Chapter 444: Chapter 444 Golden Tycoon (9) ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t encounter a ghost?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is that your reason for being late?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jin Chen closed his mouth; he decided it was better not to speak. Otherwise, his own brother would end up being the death of him. ¡°Brother, are you really going to attend?¡± The man didn¡¯t respond, just lowered his head to put on his watch. The hands of the watch weren¡¯t moving, frozen at 2:30 am. Jin Chen slightly furrowed his brow upon seeing this, wanting to say something but afraid of misspeaking, he felt stifled. The man grabbed his coat, casually draped it over his shoulders, and propped himself with the sofa to sit in his wheelchair. Jin Chen watched without any intention of helping. Once seated, the man said calmly, ¡°What happened to the family education you received from the Jin family?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? ¡°Brother, they obviously don¡¯t have good intentions, why bother¡­¡± The man¡¯s voice was flat, like an immortal unconcerned with worldly affairs, ¡°Don¡¯t take such trifles to heart.¡± Jin Chen: ¡°¡­¡± This isn¡¯t an immortal, this is a devil! Jin Chen pushed the wheelchair out, pressed the elevator button ¡ª 12th floor. A slight excitement stirred in Jin Chen¡¯s heart, maybe he would get to see his Little Fairy! The elevator contained only the two of them, the air very quiet. ¡°Feeling lovesick?¡± The man didn¡¯t even turn his head, as if he already knew what Jin Chen was like. Jin Chen rolled his eyes: ¡°Is it abnormal for someone my age to be lovesick?¡± ¡°Normal,¡± the man nodded. Just as Jin Chen was wondering what was wrong with his brother, he heard him say, ¡°When you get back, have Auntie make you some kidney tonics, don¡¯t disgrace the Jin family.¡± Jin Chen: ¡°???¡± Fuck! Ding¡ª¡ª The elevator door promptly opened, stopping the fratricidal tragedy that was about to unfold within. Jin Chen, angry, pushed the man out of the elevator. Standing in the hallway were the welcoming girls who, upon seeing them exit, were first startled by the man¡¯s appearance. After a moment, they recovered and, with polite smiles, came forward to lead them inside. Once the two were out of sight, the welcoming girls began to get excited. ¡°So handsome!¡± ¡°Who is that, and why is he so handsome.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a shame he¡¯s disabled¡­¡± ¡°But he¡¯s really very handsome, I¡¯m envious even though I¡¯m a woman!!¡± ¡°The young man pushing his wheelchair is also good-looking!!¡± ¨C The banquet hall was a flutter of gorgeous dresses and clinking glasses. The pleasant sound of music masked the conversations in the room. Chuzheng, following the flow of people, walked in. A beautiful girl always attracts attention. Yet most people were merely observing Chuzheng. Undoubtedly, she was beautiful. To the male species, she stood out through their visual filters, but no one dared to approach her. Why didn¡¯t they dare? None of them could quite explain. The girl stood there cool and detached, as if she was surrounded by a ¡®do-not-disturb¡¯ aura that kept people from approaching her. Chuzheng held a glass of champagne, her gaze casually sweeping across the room. She quickly located her target for the mission. The President of Hongguang Real Estate ¡ª Gao Desheng. ¡°Miss, I think we have enough money, you don¡¯t need to do this kind of task.¡± Chuzheng took a sip of champagne: ¡°If I don¡¯t do the task, I¡¯ll be the one who¡¯s done away with. The place I stay isn¡¯t an orphanage.¡± ¡°` [¡­]Pah! I bet you¡¯re dying for it! Her identity and profession dictated her actions. King¡¯s Account didn¡¯t say anything more, just silently issued a task. [Main Quest: Spend a million within one hour.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± Time was pressing! Chuzheng set down her champagne and walked into the crowd. Gao Desheng was chatting with someone, seemingly enjoying the conversation. Just then, a beauty next to him suddenly stumbled, splashing the wine in her hand onto Gao Desheng. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± The beauty immediately apologized. Gao Desheng frowned, giving the beauty a glance, looking somewhat impatient: ¡°What¡¯s going on with you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the beauty said, tears brimming in her eyes, looking too pitiful to anger anyone. But Gao Desheng wasn¡¯t any less angry! He was very upset: ¡°Did you do that on purpose?¡± ¡°No, no, I didn¡¯t know what I stepped on, I just slipped suddenly, I¡¯m sorry,¡± the beauty explained hastily. ¡°President Gao, why bother with a young girl, you better go to the restroom to tidy up,¡± someone spoke up for the beauty. Gao Desheng, out of respect for the speaker, didn¡¯t trouble the beauty further and walked away with an unhappy face. Murmurs from the crowd hinting that Gao Desheng was not fond of women and adored his wife were vaguely heard, making many envious. Chuzheng stood indifferently on the outskirts of the crowd. Seizing the moment when no one was paying attention, she followed in the direction Gao Desheng had left. ¨C Chuzheng calmly and rationally cleaned up any evidence that she had been there, and in the end, even checked her reflection in the mirror. She looked great. Bastard, the surveillance is your headache now. [¡­]King¡¯s Account was frantic: [Miss, you¡¯re not focusing on squandering money, and now you want me to collude with you!!] Let¡¯s not put it that way, if you don¡¯t help me, how can I spend it all within the set time? Look, it¡¯s nearly too late, I¡¯ll have to figure out the surveillance myself¡­ [Fine!]King¡¯s Account interrupted her. Chuzheng took out her phone. [Mission accomplished, wrapping up.] Yes, wrapping up was also someone else¡¯s responsibility. They were organized and disciplined social beings. Chuzheng stepped out of the restroom with calm and poise, as outside the door, a sign was hanging; after she departed, someone dressed as a cleaner approached and removed the sign. In the surveillance room. A security guard, yawning, aimlessly watched the screens, occasionally looking down at his phone, completely unaware that there had been a brief flicker on the surveillance footage. Chuzheng was in a hurry and decided not to go back to the banquet hall but to leave through the emergency exit instead. Just as she walked towards the emergency passage, she overheard voices coming from inside. The door of the emergency passageway was ajar, and from where Chuzheng was standing, she could see the man sitting in a wheelchair inside. He was looking down, and the dim light made it difficult to see his face. ¡°Mr. Jin, I¡¯m truly sorry, but in your current condition, I can¡¯t possibly stay engaged to you; I don¡¯t want to spend the rest of my life with a cripple.¡± The woman standing opposite the man was radiant and homey; she had her arms crossed and looked at the man with obvious disdain. The man, sitting in the wheelchair, didn¡¯t seem diminished in presence due to his disability; instead, he exuded an air of indolent nobility. His tone was calm and detached, ¡°It¡¯s just idle gossip between our families, no need to take it to heart, and you didn¡¯t have to tell me specifically.¡± He paused slightly, barely lifting his head, revealing a face that could captivate any soul. Though his face was expressionless, it didn¡¯t appear cold, but rather carried a touch of haughty laziness. His dark eyes, like jewels dipped in ink, were purely and naturally black. The man spoke with thin lips barely parted, each word distinct: ¡°After all, you and I have no relationship whatsoever.¡± The woman with the expertly applied makeup changed color at his words. Her engagement to him had been arranged by their elders. A long time ago, she had looked forward to it, but this man¡­ now he was calling it idle gossip between their families. It was she who had caused embarrassment for him today, so how come it now seemed as if she was eagerly stepping forward¡­ Chapter 445 - Chapter 445: Chapter 445 Golden Tycoon (10) Chapter 445: Chapter 445 Golden Tycoon (10) ¡°Jin Ning, you used to do whatever you wanted, showing no regard for anyone else. But look at you now, do you think you¡¯re still the same Jin Ning as before?¡± Another voice came from upstairs. The sound of footsteps approached with a patter. The well-dressed man stood on the steps, looking down at Jin Ning from his higher position, as if Jin Ning were an ant groveling at his feet. Jin Ning glanced casually, ¡°Wei Linxuan, is eavesdropping addictive, or is that just the family business?¡± Wei Linxuan¡¯s expression darkened with arrogance, ¡°Jin Ning, do you know what I hate about you the most?¡± ¡°Deep love breeds deep hatred, you need to face your feelings,¡± Jin Ning spoke calmly, as if they were good friends casually chatting for many years. Wei Linxuan: ¡°¡­¡± Crazy! What feelings does he need to face?! The thing he hated most was Jin Ning¡¯s mouth; it was infuriating. ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll have to spend your life in a wheelchair, not even a man. Jin Ning, do you think there¡¯s any point in living?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? That was a personal attack from Wei Linxuan. However, Jin Ning¡¯s eyes did not change in the slightest, ¡°As long as my living upsets you, then it¡¯s worthwhile.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wei Linxuan took several steps down the stairs, pulled the woman into his arms, and looked at Jin Ning provocatively, ¡°Jin Ning, your woman is now by my side. Do you think with your current state, you have any capability to compete with me?¡± ¡°Did you graduate from elementary school, Wei Linxuan?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I forgot, you finished last in your class.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wei Linxuan clenched his fists, veins throbbing in anger. What ancient history is he bringing up! You¡¯re a top student, aren¡¯t you great! Jin Ning ignored Wei Linxuan¡¯s angry look, ¡°This lady has nothing to do with me, so where does the term ¡®my woman¡¯ come from?¡± The man¡¯s voice was low and elegant, his words were polite, but what he said was exceptionally piercing. The woman¡¯s face turned pale, and when she looked at Jin Ning, it was as if she was looking at a monster. However, this was still better. When with Jin Chen, Jin Ning wouldn¡¯t even bother with surface politeness. Wei Linxuan¡¯s fighting strength was no match for Jin Ning; he¡¯d get angry and irrational after just a few words. Suddenly, Wei Linxuan moved closer to Jin Ning with a malicious smile on his face. ¡°Jin Ning, I heard it¡¯s not just your legs that are disabled¡­¡± Only then did Jin Ning¡¯s eyes grow darker. Wei Linxuan¡¯s hand rested on the wheelchair, his confidence seemingly flooding back. ¡°Wei Linxuan,¡± the woman called out with a frown. Wei Linxuan turned to look at her, ¡°Sweetheart, you still want to speak up for him? He never even spared you a glance before, trampling your feelings underfoot. Have you forgotten the humiliation he gave you?¡± The woman was immediately silenced. Wei Linxuan turned back, ¡°Jin Ning, why is it that even in this state, you are still so annoying?¡± Wei Linxuan pushed the wheelchair towards the edge of the staircase. Jin Ning had no reaction. The wheelchair stopped at the edge. If Wei Linxuan let go even slightly, the wheelchair would tumble down¡­ taking the man with it. [Hidden task: Please obtain a Good Person Card from Jin Ning for Miss.] Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m just¡­ watching the show! Why do I get tangled up in this mess?! Chuzheng silently cursed herself, that¡¯ll teach you to not mind your own business, watching dramas! Now look at the trouble you¡¯ve gotten into. ¡°Wei Linxuan, this could lead to someone¡¯s death!¡± the woman said, a bit urgently, ¡°Stop it now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, our Mr. Jin has a strong will to live,¡± Wei Linxuan spoke with a sinister tone, ¡°Beg me now, and I might let you off. How about that?¡± Clang¡ª The door to the emergency exit was forced open. Wei Linxuan instinctively turned around, but before he could see who it was, someone pulled the wheelchair away from his hands, and his left shoulder was forcefully pushed, causing him to fall to the side. The wheelchair retreated from beside him. In front of him were the stairs. Wei Linxuan¡¯s pupils dilated as he uncontrollably fell down. The woman¡¯s scream echoed in the stairwell for a long time. ¨C Chuzheng, pushing Jin Ning, quickly returned to the corridor, turned the corner, and took the service elevator down. From beginning to end, the man being pushed by Chuzheng remained silent. No panic, no fear, no wariness.. It wasn¡¯t until they left the hotel¡¯s main entrance that the man spoke, ¡°Who are you?¡± Chuzheng was very indifferent, ¡°A good person, no thanks needed.¡± Jin Ning frowned, ¡°Do you know me?¡± Chuzheng turned to face him and looked down to ask him, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The girl was very young, and her slightly curly hair complemented her palm-sized face, her eyes calm yet clear, untainted by dust. She was a good-looking girl. Jin Ning had a moment of distraction. His lips barely parted, and almost as if possessed, he revealed his name, ¡°¡­ Jin Ning.¡± ¡°Now we¡¯ve met,¡± the girl said calmly. ¡°Chuzheng, that¡¯s my name.¡± [Miss, you have ten more minutes, ooh~ It¡¯s going to double soon~~] That ¡®ooh¡¯ was particularly irritating. Chuzheng pushed him toward the road, Jin Ning frowned, ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± Chuzheng said, ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry.¡± I¡¯d really like to leave you here, but Bastard won¡¯t let me! Chuzheng¡¯s concise statement left Jin Ning temporarily unable to find an angle to respond. Right next to the hotel, a street led to the shopping district. Chuzheng pushed Jin Ning quickly; as the wind brushed his cheeks, Jin Ning felt that she was indeed in a hurry. But¡­ Jin Ning watched the girl checking out at the counter. Was her hurry all about shopping? ¡°That man is really handsome.¡± ¡°What a pity, he¡¯s disabled¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a real shame.¡± As Chuzheng was checking out, she heard people nearby pointing and commenting on Jin Ning. She turned her head for a glance. The man sat composed, paying no attention to the unusual gazes around him, looking with interest at the items in the glass counter. The store¡¯s crystal chandeliers cast a light that enveloped him. He looked like a deity standing in the center of a stage, unspeakably beautiful. Smack¡ª Chuzheng slammed down the items handed to her by the cashier, and the discussing group of girls instantly fell silent, turning their gaze toward the source of the sound. The girl was looking at them, her expressionless face a bit frightening. They didn¡¯t even get a clear look at what the girl looked like, but that intimidating gaze was enough to make them quickly lower their heads and leave the store dejectedly. The cashier, not having seen Chuzheng¡¯s face, also sensed that this customer was somewhat displeased, and became even more cautious and gentle in her handling. ¡°Wrap that one up,¡± Chuzheng pointed to the counter Jin Ning was looking at. ¡°Sure, which one would you like?¡± There were several models in that counter. ¡°¡­¡± Who knew which one Jin Ning was looking at? Consequently, Chuzheng had to settle for second best: ¡°All of them.¡± The cashier took a deep breath, her smile growing wider, ¡°Right away, please wait a moment.¡± The more items sold, the larger the commission for the cashier; of course they were happy. The cashier wrapped up everything and handed it to Chuzheng, who, finding too many boxes inconvenient, asked them to put everything into one box. Cashier: ¡°¡­¡± This young lady was beautiful, with an elegant and noble air, clearly well-educated, no doubt the child of a wealthy family. Why then did her actions resemble those of a newly rich and coarse person¡ªso crude? Chapter 446 - Chapter 446: Chapter 446 Golden Tycoon (11) Chapter 446: Chapter 446 Golden Tycoon (11) Once the packaging was removed, the bulk of these luxury items seemed to diminish. Chuzheng, holding a shopping bag, walked back to Jin Ning¡¯s side and hung the bag on the handle of the wheelchair. Chuzheng pushed him away from the mall, where it was a bit warm. Chuzheng, wearing an off-shoulder cocktail dress, didn¡¯t mind, but Jin Ning clearly felt the heat. What puzzled Jin Ning was why he was following her. Even more bizarre, he was quite patient at the moment and didn¡¯t feel annoyed at all. This was just a stranger¡­ ¡°What did you hear just now?¡± The wheelchair rolled over the tile, making a faint sound. ¡°What?¡± Chuzheng looked at the window next to her without much interest, where their reflections appeared. ¡°Back in the emergency exit, what did you hear?¡± In the emergency exit, Chuzheng moved too fast ¨C not only did Wei Linxuan fail to react in time, even Jin Ning didn¡¯t quite catch up. ¡°I heard everything.¡± Chuzheng was very honest. ¡°¡­¡± Jin Ning fell silent for a few seconds, then said politely and indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to see that.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï ¡°It was quite funny.¡± Chuzheng nodded seriously. Jin Ning was stunned for a moment. His lips moved slightly. He wanted to ask who it was that was funny. Himself? Or someone else? But in the end, he swallowed the question and didn¡¯t ask. Sometimes it was better not to probe too deeply. Leaving the mall, Jin Ning immediately spotted Jin Chen running towards them. He was staring at his phone, bumping into several people along the way while apologizing and continuing forward. Jin Ning¡¯s mouth corners pressed down. Jin Chen just looked up and saw Jin Ning¡¯s stern face. He quickly hid his phone behind his back without having figured out how to deal with his own brother, but his gaze shifted and he noticed the person standing behind the wheelchair. Jin Chen¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. Little Fairy! It must be fate! It was undoubtedly fate bestowed by the heavens! Jin Chen couldn¡¯t even pay attention to his own brother, as his eyes were glued to Chuzheng. ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± said Jin Chen, seizing the opportunity and not willing to let it go. ¡°Hello¡­ my name is Jin Chen, can we get acquainted?¡± ¡°Sure, my name is Chu Cheng,¡± Chuzheng nodded solemnly. ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°You know him?¡± Chuzheng asked Jin Ning. Jin Ning nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going.¡± Got it! Retreat!! Chuzheng handed over Jin Ning to Jin Chen, hailed a cab, and left without any hesitation. Jin Chen: ¡°¡­¡± Why did Little Fairy leave again! ¡°Brother, she¡¯s the one I told you about. Isn¡¯t she pretty? Ahhh, I think I¡¯m falling in love.¡± Jin Ning extended his hand: ¡°Phone.¡± Jin Chen¡¯s excitement instantly deflated. ¡°Brother, it¡¯s not me¡­ it¡¯s mom¡­¡± After such a big incident involving Jin Ning, the family feared he might run into trouble. Jin Ning would occasionally find tracking devices in his belongings. ¡°Phone.¡± Jin Chen hesitantly handed over the phone with both hands. Jin Ning turned on the phone, saw the tracker app, and his expression turned even uglier. ¡°Brother, I didn¡¯t want to do this, but when you disappeared, I was worried about you¡­¡± ¡°Why would I disappear?¡± Jin Ning returned the phone to him and snorted softly. ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± Jin Chen¡¯s face fell: ¡°Come on, brother, people have emergencies, okay? I just went to the restroom, and when I came out, you were gone. It scared me to death!!¡± ¡°By the way, there was an incident in the hotel.¡± If it hadn¡¯t been for the incident at the hotel, Jin Chen wouldn¡¯t have been in such a hurry. His brother, although a bit abnormal since the incident, overall, wasn¡¯t as exaggerated as their parents thought. Jin Ning glanced at Jin Chen and didn¡¯t dwell on the tracking anymore. ¡°What happened.¡± ¡°Gao Desheng is dead.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Gao Desheng¡­¡± He thought for a moment, realizing his brother didn¡¯t pay attention to such people, and changed his reference: ¡°The big boss of Hongguang Real Estate.¡± When Hongguang Real Estate was mentioned, Jin Ning got the picture. ¡°The Gao Family fighting over inheritance is yet another spectacle, your favorite kind of gossip.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Jin Chen nodded, then a moment later reacted, ¡°No, brother, Gao Desheng died in the hotel, sudden cardiac arrest. Don¡¯t you find that strange? How could he suddenly have a heart attack out of nowhere?¡± ¡°Accidents can happen at any time, like that car about to hit us.¡± Jin Chen startled, looked over, and saw a car reversing¡ªprobably a novice who hadn¡¯t seen them standing there. Although slow, it kept coming without any signs of stopping. Jin Chen quickly pushed Jin Ning out of the way. Jin Chen glared at Jin Ning, not quite knowing what to say. He took a breath, still curious, ¡°Brother, you really have no thoughts about Gao Desheng¡¯s death?¡± He felt Gao Desheng¡¯s death was too hasty. How could someone who was fine just suddenly have a heart attack? ¡°No.¡± ¡°Brother, you¡¯re supposed to be the successor of socialism, let¡¯s see some of your professional intuition. Analyze it with me, even if¡­¡± Jin Ning cut him off: ¡°The successor of socialism now wants to go home. Are you coming or not?¡± ¡°¡­Coming!¡± Jin Chen gritted his teeth. Jin Ning¡¯s thoughts seemed to travel back to the banquet just a while ago. The girl was cool and elegant, holding a glass of champagne, standing indifferently in the crowd like a blooming rose but covered with frost, hazy and distant, deterring anyone from approaching. While everyone¡¯s attention was drawn elsewhere, she left with a man¡­ If he remembered correctly, someone called that man President Gao, that should be Gao Desheng. ¡°Brother, why were you with Little Fairy? Do you know her? What¡¯s her name? Do you have her number?¡± Jin Chen interrupted Jin Ning¡¯s reminiscence. He called out, ¡°Jin Chen.¡± Jin Chen looked expectantly at his own brother. ¡°She¡¯s not suitable for you.¡± ¡°Why? I think she and I are a perfect match,¡± Jin Chen said joyfully. ¡°That¡¯s an illusion.¡± ¡°I bumped into her twice today, twice ah, what are the odds!! That¡¯s textbook leading man and lady in TV shows!!¡± ¡°Watch less of those stupid dramas.¡± Jin Ning stressed again: ¡°She¡¯s not suitable for you.¡± ¡°Why!!¡± Jin Chen protested. Jin Ning fell silent, and Jin Chen followed suit. His brother never hung out with women before, but today he saw Jin Ning with Little Fairy. And it seemed that before that, it had been Little Fairy pushing him¡­ That was indeed a rare sight. Jin Chen pondered on his own for a long time. Even after the young master of the Jin Family had returned home, he couldn¡¯t figure out the reason. ¡°Brother, is this yours?¡± Jin Chen took the bag from the wheelchair. Jin Ning glanced at it: ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then whose is it¡­ Little Fairy¡¯s?¡± Jin Chen opened the bag right away, hoping to find some information that would lead him to Little Fairy. Inside, there was only a card and nothing else. The card had two neatly written characters on it. ¡ª¡ªFor you If there weren¡¯t any ink marks, Jin Chen would have thought it was printed by a computer. ¡°For¡­ you?¡± Jin Chen held up the card in front of his brother with a hint of wariness, ¡°Brother?¡± Chapter 447 - Chapter 447: Chapter 447 Golden Tycoon (12) Chapter 447: Chapter 447 Golden Tycoon (12) ¡°What¡¯s up with Jin Chen, looking like a frostbitten eggplant? No energy first thing in the morning¡ªis this how a young man should be?¡± Jin Chen lay on the sofa like a dead fish. Mother Jin came downstairs and caught sight of such a salted fish, and immediately began to scold him. Jin Chen mumbled incoherently. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°My brother bullied me!!¡± Jin Chen sat up, his face full of anger, ¡°He¡­¡± ¡°Enough from you,¡± Mother Jin cut him off directly, ¡°Don¡¯t go against your brother, and don¡¯t provoke him.¡± ¡°!!!¡± Jin Chen was stunned. Do you have any idea who is provoking whom, Mom? I¡¯m the one who¡¯s being provoked, okay? My brother is just fine! He isn¡¯t as fragile as you all make him out to be! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°Mom, I¡¯m telling you¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to say? Hurry up and get changed, and then take breakfast to your brother. He¡¯s living alone, and I can¡¯t help but worry, oh¡­¡± ¡°But he¡­¡± Mother Jin waved her hand, indicating for him to stop dawdling and to go quickly. Jin Chen got up from the sofa, panting with anger and stomping upstairs, making a lot of noise. Beast! Bastard! Stealing my Little Fairy! Wuu wuu wuu! His romance faded away like a tornado. Why did he have such a devil for an older brother!! ¨C Jin Ning. Born with a golden spoon in his mouth, he has been the model example of someone else¡¯s child since kindergarten, garnering countless jealous looks. Such a person, with talent, skill, and connections, should have had an easy path, completing his studies, inheriting the family business. Then expanding that business to great success should have earned him admiration and respect. But against all expectations, he didn¡¯t want to take over the family business and became a police officer instead. Smart people excel no matter what they do. Just like Jin Ning. He had just graduated and joined the police force when he cracked a major case. Then there were several more serious cases. In just two short years, he rose to a position others would die trying to reach. Yet, he had the audacity to act as if he was just ¡®messing around¡¯. Armed with his background and ability, he didn¡¯t give a damn about anyone in the precinct. And then, karma struck. During an investigation, the criminal was fiercely violent, causing Jin Ning to be hit and left with both legs disabled, wasting all the martial arts he learned. After the accident, Jin Ning resigned. Not a police officer anymore, he was still the Jin Family¡¯s eldest son. But the Jin Ning who had lost his legs became the subject of gossip for those same people. The once-praised Son of Heaven was always compared to others, and now that he had suffered retribution, how could they resist the chance to mock and trample him? They feared the Jin Family too much to go too far, but they didn¡¯t hold back on verbal attacks. Those who were once engaged to him, flaunting their new loves in front of him. Jin Ning may not have cared, but couldn¡¯t stand their repeated provocations. Of course, these were all trivial matters. But it was these trivial matters that kept building up in Jin Ning¡¯s heart, which was already suffering from physical trauma, accumulating bit by bit into a monstrous burden, until one day it all exploded. Chuzheng finished collecting Jin Ning¡¯s information. Good Person Card, Good Person Card. So pitiful, so pitiful. Not pitiable, not evil. [¡­]Miss is so wet! ¡°Bastard, I have a question for you.¡± [???]King¡¯s Account became alert: [What do you want to ask, Miss?] Chuzheng sat in the chair, legs crossed, resting on the edge of the table, arrogant and domineering. If she had a cigar in her mouth, a Big Gold Chain, and sunglasses, she could instantly become the perfect gangster. Chuzheng stared meaningfully into the void, King¡¯s Account initially on guard, but as time passed, it turned to unease. Miss, what do you want to ask it? Why do I have a bad feeling about this? Just as King¡¯s Account was about to be overwhelmed by the silence, Chuzheng¡¯s voice slowly rose, ¡°Are you a male or a female?¡± [¡­] You brewed all this time just to ask that!? Scared it to death!! [Miss, listen to my voice.] ¡°Your voices can be changed at will, whatever you want, you have,¡± she thought it was fooling her like a naive person? [¡­]King¡¯s Account mentally prepared itself, then said, [Miss, why do you ask this?] ¡°Nothing much, just asking.¡± After Chuzheng finished speaking, her gaze dropped as if she had lost interest. King¡¯s Account wisely didn¡¯t follow up on that. ¨C Chuzheng had Ah Hua check Jin Ning¡¯s information and combine it with King¡¯s Account¡¯s information to get a more comprehensive picture. Jin Ning was now living alone, without any particular entertainment activities, and spent most of his time at home. ¡°Sister Zheng, are you going to take on this task?¡± Ah Hua knew about the task and thought Chuzheng wanted it because she asked for the information. Chuzheng was reminded by Ah Hua and then remembered that there was such a task. To gain Jin Ning¡¯s trust? Why? Is someone coveting my Good Person Card? ¡°Has anyone taken it?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Ah Hua said, ¡°but they failed in just a couple of days. Others have tried too, with no success, no one can even get close to him.¡± Those who could take on this task were well-known experts in the organization. Yet they couldn¡¯t even strike up a conversation with Jin Ning before being sent packing. This wasn¡¯t about killing someone, but about gaining Jin Ning¡¯s trust. How could one gain trust without getting close to Jin Ning? Chuzheng replied calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ huh?¡± Ah Hua was surprised, ¡°This task is hanging there, are you sure?¡± The target of the task was difficult to handle. ¡°There¡¯s no punishment for failing, so what¡¯s there to fear?¡± Chuzheng said indifferently. Ah Hua thought about it and agreed, ¡°Then I¡¯ll report it for you.¡± Chuzheng took the information and left. On her way out, she bumped into Lin Feng and Lin Yan, who stood apart from each other, not looking very close. But in Chuzheng¡¯s mind was a looping replay of the incident she had witnessed. She immediately thought that these two were also¡­ quite the actors. It would be a pity not to enter the entertainment industry. Sigh. Lin Yan looked so attractive, so why did she fall for her own brother? Lin Yan seemed to want to come over, but Lin Feng held her back. With a distance between them, they looked at each other from afar, and Chuzheng, finding it boring, left first. ¡°Brother, why are you holding me? She knows about last time¡­ ¡± ¡°Do you think we haven¡¯t exposed enough?¡± Lin Feng scolded in a low voice, ¡°You need to behave yourself recently.¡± ¡°Brother!¡± Lin Yan¡¯s eyes turned red with anger, ¡°She knows so much, we must eliminate her, you figure it out!¡± Lin Yan turned and left as well. Lin Feng felt a headache. Chuzheng knew a lot, but she never spoke of it¡­ This puzzled Lin Feng, what exactly did she mean by that. Chuzheng didn¡¯t speak of it, instead, she secretly sent everything to Boss¡¯s phone. The more she sent, the more the Boss would suspect Lin Feng and the others, and even if they couldn¡¯t take them down immediately, their lives would be made difficult. Wasn¡¯t this the effect Bastard wanted? How could I be so awesome! [Miss, what we wanted was to achieve this effect through ruinous ways, look at what you¡¯ve done!!]Doing things so sneakily, does it match your noble and aloof image? Does it!? King¡¯s Account felt utterly hopeless. ¡°I think I did a great job.¡± [¡­]Haha! Chapter 448 - Chapter 448: Chapter 448 Golden Tycoon (13) Chapter 448: Chapter 448 Golden Tycoon (13) Chuzheng checked the address on her phone, put away the phone, and then pressed the doorbell. No one opened the door for a long time. Not at home? Chuzheng turned around, ready to leave, but her arm bumped into the door, and instantly a crack appeared. Chuzheng stared at the crack, and after a moment, she reached out and pushed the door open. The apartment¡¯s decor was dominated by black, making the whole space seem cold and rigid, casting an oppressive discomfort. There was the sound of running water from the bathroom, unceasingly whooshing, presumably drowning out the ring of the doorbell. Chuzheng had no intention of intruding; she casually inspected the room. She didn¡¯t wander around but just stood in the living room. Chuzheng checked the time. How long had it been? Was the person inside preparing to be boiled alive? Impatient, Chuzheng went over to knock on the door. Suddenly, the sound of water stopped. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°Jin Chen, how many times have I told you not to use the spare key!¡± a man¡¯s voice came from inside, tinged with a coolness. Chuzheng spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The bathroom fell abruptly silent. Then Chuzheng heard rustling noises, probably him putting on clothes. Clang¡ª¡ª A heavy object hit the ground. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chuzheng politely asked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Jin Ning¡¯s voice came through. Since Jin Ning said it was nothing, Chuzheng didn¡¯t ask further. However, she had been outside for a long time, and the person inside still hadn¡¯t come out. So much time had passed¡ªa speech of thanks at an awards ceremony would have finished by now. Why was he dawdling so much? Chuzheng paced back and forth a few times, her irritation rising by the minute. Until her frustration was reflected on the scenic backdrop behind her, she pushed the bathroom door open directly. The bathroom, with its dissipating steam and mist, was, like the outside, enveloped in dim colors. The entire bathroom had been remodeled, customized for his convenience. At that moment, the man was sitting on the floor, trying to lift himself between the wheelchair and the bathtub. Chuzheng suddenly pushed the door open, and the man, as if startled, grabbed a towel next to him and draped it over his body. He looked up, and his fair face¡ªperhaps flushed from the bath¡ªhad a touch of liveliness he didn¡¯t have before. His lips slightly parted, he did not show embarrassment or discomfort from Chuzheng¡¯s sudden intrusion but looked at her with a baffled expression, ¡°Miss Chuzheng, what brings you here?¡± His voice was still polite and didn¡¯t lack elegance. Even though he was somewhat disheveled, sitting on the bathroom floor. Chuzheng calmly took out a document, ¡°Starting today, I¡¯m taking care of you. This is the contract. Would you like to see it?¡± That¡¯s right! She was there on official business! Not trespassing at all! Jin Ning was baffled by Chuzheng¡¯s words. He¡­ since when did he need someone to take care of him? And a contract? Was this the doing of someone from the Jin Family? ¡°May I ask¡­ who hired you?¡± Jin Ning found that he couldn¡¯t help but soften his voice in front of this girl. ¡°Your father.¡± Jin Ning always needed someone to look after him. Although he said he didn¡¯t, how could the Jin Family rest easy? Jin Chen couldn¡¯t always look after him all the time, so Chuzheng noticed the job advertisement. Mr. Jin was a decisive man; Jin Ning had no doubt that his father would find a good candidate and send them directly over. When the accident had just happened, his father did exactly that. But he had driven them away. Nevertheless, Mr. Jin didn¡¯t give up and kept sending people over. It only stopped for a while when Jin Chen took a leave from school for personal reasons and stayed by his side. Mr. Jin finally settled down. Jin Chen seemed about to return to school¡­ so it had started again? ¡°Sorry, Miss Chuzheng, but I might not need¡­¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Chuzheng said, glancing meaningfully at his legs. Jin Ning¡¯s face seemed to become even redder than before. If it hadn¡¯t been for her sudden appearance, such a mistake would never have occurred. But Jin Ning couldn¡¯t deny that he was unable to get back onto his wheelchair at this moment. ¡°The contract has been signed; breach is not accepted,¡± ¡°I can pay the penalty for breach of contract,¡± Jin Ning said. ¡°Breach of contract is not accepted.¡± Chuzheng emphasized, ¡°Don¡¯t understand?¡± ¡­ Who exactly is the one being employed? Chuzheng handed over the contract, flipping to the last page. Mr. Jin¡¯s signature was already there, and there was one more column left; she passed the pen as well: ¡°Sign.¡± ¡°Miss Chuzheng, I don¡¯t need¡­¡± ¡°If I say you need it, then you do,¡± Chuzheng bent down to put the pen in his hand, glancing at his still somewhat wet hair, her palm covered it and stealthily plucked at it. She¡­ actually touched his head? Even though it was just a moment, Jin Ning was still shocked. ¡°Be good, don¡¯t force me to use extreme measures.¡± Her tone was not fierce, but neither was it gentle. Yet, Jin Ning felt like the tone was calming, almost coaxing¡­ Jin Ning had never encountered such a situation before. In the past, with just one glance from him, those women who wanted to crowd around him would consciously scatter. Little did he expect that one day he would be forced to sign a contract in the bathroom? And it was an employment contract, no less! ¡°You have three minutes to sign,¡± Chuzheng reminded him. His fingers were slightly curled, the tips still slightly damp. The soft touch lingered in the palm of his hand. So soft. Jin Ning looked down at the contract; the last page was neatly inscribed with the name Xia Chuzheng. So her family name is Xia. Jin Ning was silent for a while, his slender, fair fingers holding the pen, inscribing his name. The handwriting was forceful and spirited, flowing and elegant. It was somewhat similar to the celestial aura he had carried before. ¨C Chuzheng stepped forward, intending to lift Jin Ning up. Jin Ning frowned slightly, ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°You still want to sit on the ground?¡± ¡­ Who was it that had him sit on the ground and forced him to sign a contract? ¡°Just support me, that will do.¡± Her little arms and legs thinking of lifting him, not afraid of crushing themselves. ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng responded. Then she directly lifted Jin Ning up and placed him on the wheelchair. Jin Ning: ¡°¡­¡± Didn¡¯t you agree with me! Jin Ning¡¯s upper body was clad in a shirt, soaked with water, now clinging to his body, revealing the shapes underneath the cloth. The trousers were pulled up halfway, but now covered by a bath towel, hiding everything. For the first time in public, Jin Ning felt embarrassed. He was someone with a strong mental constitution; even when he had just had the accident, faced with all the strange looks, he could stay composed. For some reason, faced with this girl, he suddenly felt a bit overwhelmed. Chuzheng pushed him out: ¡°Bedroom.¡± Jin Ning pointed in a direction. Chuzheng pushed him into it. Seeing Chuzheng open the wardrobe, with the intent to change his clothes, Jin Ning quickly spoke up: ¡°I can do it myself, you can leave first.¡± Chuzheng glanced at him, then suddenly flipped open the contract, pointing to a clause, and read with serious formality: ¡°Party B is obligated to assist Party A with all aspects of daily life when Party A is inconvenienced. If Party A does not cooperate, Party B may enforce compliance.¡± Jin Ning looked down at the contract; that line of text was sandwiched in the midst of numerous clauses, easy to overlook. Jin Ning: ¡°¡­¡± What kind of highway robbery contract is this? Jin Ning began to suspect what exactly he had signed just now. Chapter 449 - Chapter 449: Chapter 449 Golden Tycoon (14) Chapter 449: Chapter 449 Golden Tycoon (14) Chuzheng closed the contract and, looking at Jin Ning with all seriousness, announced, ¡°You are currently in an inconvenient situation.¡± Chuzheng found choosing clothes a bit annoying, but luckily all the clothes in the wardrobe were matching sets, so she just needed to pick one. ¡°I can do it myself.¡± Jin Ning was not angry¡ªhe couldn¡¯t afford to be¡ªjust helplessly said, ¡°Miss Chuzheng, there are differences between men and women, it would be better if you stepped out for a bit.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± It¡¯s all just my Good Person Card, seeing it sooner or later makes no difference. ¡°I mind.¡± Jin Ning noticed Chuzheng had stopped. The girl¡¯s gaze was cool and indifferent, as if it were on him, yet not really seeing him. After a while, she placed the clothes on the bed and left the room without a word. Jin Ning¡¯s heart skipped a beat, wanting to call her back, but in the end, he didn¡¯t make a sound. ¨C Having changed his clothes, Jin Ning went out. Chuzheng sat on the sofa with the contract carelessly tossed on the table. Seeing him emerge, she merely glanced over without any reaction. Was she really here to take care of him? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï She was simply acting like the lord of the manor. This thought flickered through Jin Ning¡¯s mind. Jin Ning asked her, ¡°How did you come in just now?¡± ¡°I walked in.¡± What else could I do, teleport through walls! ¡°¡­What I meant was, how did you open the door.¡± He had heard something from the bathroom earlier and thought it was Jin Chen sneaking off with his spare key. Who knew it would be her. Her voice was quite unique; he recognized it instantly. ¡°The door was open,¡± Chuzheng answered honestly, ¡°You didn¡¯t close it.¡± Jin Ning glanced toward the door: ¡°Is that so.¡± Chuzheng nodded. That¡¯s right. I¡¯m not the type to go around picking other people¡¯s locks. [Indeed, you would just kick it in.] The King¡¯s Account couldn¡¯t help but mock. ¡°¡­¡± Hush! Jin Ning looked away, asking with a hint of curiosity, ¡°Why do you want to take care of me?¡± The girl on the sofa, without even lifting her head, said, ¡°You deserve it.¡± Someone like me, I¡¯m the blessing you earned in your last lifetime. Jin Ning was perplexed. Deserve it? What did he deserve? Chuzheng¡¯s words were always concise; Jin Ning asked several questions and found the answers all incredibly baffling. ¡°That contract wasn¡¯t given to you by my father, was it?¡± Jin Ning suddenly threw out this question. ¡°So what if it was.¡± Chuzheng had no intention of hiding it and argued with confidence, ¡°You¡¯ve already signed the contract, are you thinking of backing out?¡± No way! Jin Ning spoke indifferently, ¡°Since it wasn¡¯t given to you by my father, then it has no legal force, Miss Chuzheng, you should understand that.¡± ¡°So what.¡± The girl¡¯s response was arrogant and aggressive. Completely unconcerned. She slowly lifted her head, her pale pink lips parting slightly, ¡°If I want it to have legal force, it will have it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Not even the head of the Jin Family was as audacious as she was. Jin Ning was silent for a few seconds, not dwelling on this issue any further. After all¡­ He wasn¡¯t exactly keen on breaking the contract either. He was curious about what kind of changes this new person in his life would bring. Maybe it would be less boring than before. Jin Ning pushed his wheelchair away and came back a few minutes later. ¡°This is something you left behind.¡± A bag was placed on the coffee table in front of Chuzheng. ¡°It¡¯s yours now,¡± Chuzheng paused before adding, ¡°I left you a card.¡± Jin Ning¡¯s lips curled slightly, beholding the beauty captivating like an immortal, ¡°Miss Chuzheng, you needn¡¯t worry about such valuable things.¡± Just the items in this bag were worth no less than a million. Chuzheng reached into the bag and felt around. She pulled out a watch and grabbed Jin Ning¡¯s hand. Jin Ning had a watch on his wrist, its hands stood still. ¡°Broken?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jin Ning tried to pull his hand back, but Chuzheng lightly held it in place. Her fingers were also beautiful, nails neatly trimmed, fingertips translucently pale, and the pads of her fingers touching his wrist, bringing a slight warmth. ¡°Just as well, get a new one.¡± Jin Ning frowned, his expression, rarely seen somber in front of Chuzheng, darkened, ¡°We have an employment relationship, you can make arrangements for my life, but please do not interfere with my personal belongings.¡± A polite yet cold tone. Clearly a bit angry. Chuzheng glanced at him, her demeanor cool and indifferent, hard to read. Her fingers let go of his, gliding over the surface of the watch. Jin Ning felt her fingertip tap lightly on it. A very gentle tap. She nonchalantly threw the brand-new watch back into the bag. It was as if she were tossing a coin. Then Jin Ning saw her take out a necklace from the bag and lean over to him. Her face suddenly loomed large. The girl¡¯s face was unadorned with makeup, flawlessly fair, her eyelashes were long and dense, her eyes clear and bright, but somewhat cold. A cool fragrance wafted to Jin Ning¡¯s nose. It caused his heart to flutter. Jin Ning wore nothing around his neck. Chuzheng¡¯s hands encircled him, and suddenly there was a cool sensation on his neck. The jade cross rested against his chest, its jade color exceptionally beautiful. Once Chuzheng had put it on, she released him and sat up straight, ¡°Wear this.¡± It was bought with money, after all. Wasting it would not be good. The effects of the Good Person Card must be fully utilized! Jin Ning: ¡°¡­¡± After having it put on him, wasn¡¯t it a bit late to say that? ¡°Bro, I brought you¡­¡± As Jin Chen stepped into the room, he saw Chuzheng sitting on the sofa, and delight instantly blossomed on his cheeks, ¡°Little Fairy!¡± Ahhhh! He had encountered the Little Fairy again! So wonderful! But just as Jin Chen¡¯s excitement settled, a glimpse of his own brother felt like being doused with a bucket of cold water, thoroughly chilling him. ¡ªShe¡¯s not right for you. Although Jin Ning had not explained why in the end, Jin Chen could still discern that his own brother probably had different feelings for the Little Fairy. Now, seeing her in his brother¡¯s house, Jin Chen was convinced of this notion. His own brother had moved so quickly! A beast!! He had barely taken a liking to a Little Fairy, and now his own brother wanted to snatch her away! Detestable! It was time to cut ties! Jin Ning leaned back slightly against the chair, his voice cool, ¡°Have you now thrown all your home training to the dogs, or is it your hand that¡¯s the problem, not knowing how to knock? Moreover, I have told you, never to use my spare keys.¡± Just as Jin Chen was about to sever ties, he burst out angrily, ¡°I didn¡¯t, you probably didn¡¯t close the door properly, I pushed it open, don¡¯t smear my name!¡± Jin Ning had no desire to listen to his excuses and extended his hand, ¡°Where is my spare key?¡± Jin Chen: ¡°¡­¡± Jin Chen¡¯s eyes darted around, as he stepped inside, shoes off, making a beeline for Chuzheng. ¡°Little Fairy, have you eaten? Look, I¡¯ve brought so much food over¡­¡± ¡°Jin Chen.¡± The man in the wheelchair called out in a level tone, not harsh but not soft either. It wasn¡¯t very threatening, but Jin Chen abruptly fell silent. His neck stiffened as he turned, ¡°Heh, bro¡­ that¡­ Mom insisted I take the keys, it wasn¡¯t me, really.¡± ¡°Give them to me.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Meeting his brother¡¯s gaze, Jin Chen meekly fumbled in his pockets. He raised his eyebrows slightly and quickly passed the keys from his pocket to his brother. Strange¡­ He had looked everywhere yesterday and couldn¡¯t find the keys, thinking he had lost them while out having fun. How come today, he found them again? But this was something Jin Chen would never tell his brother. For fear of getting a beating. Chapter 450 - Chapter 450: Chapter 450 Golden Tycoon (15) Chapter 450: Chapter 450 Golden Tycoon (15) ¡°Little Fairy, how come you¡¯re at my brother¡¯s place?¡± Jin Chen naturally cozied up to Chuzheng, not even caring about his own brother. ¡°Taking care of him.¡± Chuzheng gestured to Jin Ning with her chin. ¡°Ah?¡± Jin Chen¡¯s gaze shifted between Chuzheng and his brother, tinged with unwillingness, anger, and a hint of resentment. What had his brother done while he was away!! How did he manage to get Little Fairy to take care of him?! Bastard!! ¡°Brother, what do you mean by this?¡± Jin Chen pushed Jin Ning into the room, like a child who couldn¡¯t get candy, ¡°Why did you have her take care of you?¡± How did you hook up with Little Fairy! ¡°I¡¯m not as idle as you.¡± ¡°Then why is she here?¡± Jin Chen was dissatisfied, ¡°You said she wasn¡¯t suitable for me, so she¡¯s suitable for you? Do you like her?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï ¡°I never said that.¡± Jin Ning said, ¡°She came on her own.¡± Jin Chen paused abruptly. He opened his mouth and asked with a touch of suspicion, ¡°What does she want to do?¡± Jin Chen liked Chuzheng quite a bit, but that didn¡¯t mean he could disregard Jin Ning¡¯s safety. Come to think of it, her appearance was indeed a bit strange. How did she get to know his brother? ¡°Do you have the memory of a fish?¡± Jin Ning¡¯s lips curled up slightly as he teased his younger brother mercilessly. ¡°¡­¡± That was a roundabout way of scolding him for having a bad memory! Chuzheng had answered when he first asked, saying she came to take care of him. ¡°Am I really your biological brother?¡± ¡°No.¡± Jin Ning said, ¡°You were picked up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jin Chen pointed at Jin Ning, speechless for a long moment. ¡°If I weren¡¯t your real brother, I would have strangled you to death already.¡± Jin Ning¡¯s brows seemed to lift with a faint smile, ¡°Your luck.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Jin Chen, holding his shattered heart, went off to chat with Chuzheng, whining and humming. Although Chuzheng wasn¡¯t much of a talker, she would still respond when she could. Jin Chen had a lot to say, and for a moment, there was no awkward silence. Jin Ning sat in his wheelchair, silently watching Jin Chen and Chuzheng, and as the sunlight from outside the window fell on them, he suddenly felt that it was somewhat blinding. ¡°Jin Chen, what are you doing here?¡± Jin Ning interjected to break up Jin Chen¡¯s endless chatter. ¡°Mom¡¯s afraid you¡¯ll starve to death.¡± Jin Chen muttered discontentedly, ¡°How can such a big man starve to death, she¡¯s just worrying over nothing.¡± Always sending him to deliver this and that. Is he a delivery guy?! ¡°Now that you¡¯ve delivered it, you can leave.¡± Jin Ning shooed him away. ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± ¡°You still owe me from last time¡­¡± ¡°Brother, I¡¯m going.¡± Jin Chen got up and waved cheerfully to Chuzheng, ¡°Little Fairy, I¡¯m off.¡± While Jin Chen came to deliver things, he also left an invitation card. Chuzheng saw it was from the Jin Family Old House. A big red word for happiness. It was a wedding invitation. ¡°Your brother was testing me.¡± Chuzheng suddenly spoke up. Jin Ning¡¯s gaze shifted from the invitation, calmly replying, ¡°He¡¯s just bored, don¡¯t mind him.¡± Jin Ning knew that Jin Chen cared about him. ¡°Do you also think I have ulterior motives with you?¡± Instead of using the chance to change the subject, Chuzheng went straight to the heart of the matter. Jin Ning¡¯s fingertips tensed up slightly in his palm when Chuzheng asked her question. ¡°I have ulterior motives regarding you.¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t wait for his answer, speaking for herself, ¡°So you don¡¯t have to be afraid since you can¡¯t run away anyway.¡± Listen to how she put it. Bastard wished he could kill his own little sister. Is that something a good person would say? Isn¡¯t that what a bandit would say! Jin Ning¡¯s surprise didn¡¯t show on his face, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want from me.¡± The girl sitting on the sofa raised her head in the sunlight, her clear eyes reflecting his image, as if in a moment, intimately wonderful. ¡°You.¡± ¨C Ding-dong¡ª¡ª The doorbell broke the slightly eerie atmosphere in the room, and Jin Ning went to open the door. The person standing outside was someone Jin Ning knew. The man with the crew cut hesitated before calling out, ¡°Captain Jin¡­¡± Jin Ning: ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me that, I¡¯m not your captain anymore.¡± The crew cut man parted his lips, but as a grown man, he just couldn¡¯t articulate his deep feelings. ¡°What¡¯s the matter.¡± Polite, yet distant. As if they had never been colleagues. Jin Ning didn¡¯t seem to want to let them in, but the crew cut man was used to it. That¡¯s how Jin Ning was back when he was at the station. ¡°It¡¯s about¡­¡± the crew cut man sighed, ¡°Gao Desheng¡¯s case. When we were checking the surveillance, we found that you, Captain¡­ Brother Ning, were also at the scene, so I came to ask and also to see how you¡¯re doing.¡± Jin Ning frowned slightly. ¡°Come in.¡± Jin Ning relented. The crew cut man smiled in relief, extending his hand to push Jin Ning. Jin Ning politely declined, wheeling his own chair into the living room. Chuzheng had already stood up from the sofa, and the crew cut man was visibly surprised when he saw her. How could a man like Captain Jin have a girl in his house? The crew cut man was shocked but didn¡¯t dare to ask Jin Ning who she was. Chuzheng moved forward, gripping the handle of Jin Ning¡¯s wheelchair; Jin Ning, who had just refused someone else¡¯s push, now sat quietly. Chuzheng pushed him to the edge of the sofa and leaned over to speak to him, ¡°Sit on the sofa, it¡¯s more comfortable.¡± Jin Ning had no right to refuse. With others watching, Jin Ning didn¡¯t dare to struggle and cooperated as Chuzheng helped him move to the sofa. Chuzheng draped a blanket over his legs and then left the living room. The crew cut man: ¡°¡­¡± How sensible this young girl was. But her attitude¡­ The crew cut man couldn¡¯t describe what he felt, but something was off. ¡°Take a seat.¡± Jin Ning interrupted the crew cut man¡¯s wandering thoughts. ¡°Oh, okay, Brother Ning.¡± The crew cut man and another colleague took their seats, caught up on old times briefly, inquired about Jin Ning¡¯s condition, and then got straight to the point. ¡°At the time of Gao Desheng¡¯s death, you were also at the scene, Brother Ning. I wanted to ask if you noticed anything unusual?¡± Jin Ning: ¡°Didn¡¯t Gao Desheng die of sudden heart failure?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The crew cut man scratched his head: ¡°But the Gao Family has been making a fuss, claiming it was murder for financial gain. They¡¯ve been blocking our police station every day, causing quite a scene.¡± Hongguang Real Estate, which Gao Desheng managed, had grown significantly in recent years. Even when the real estate sector was generally in decline, Hongguang Real Estate continued to rise. Gao Desheng was outwardly clean-living, not touching gambling, drugs, and driving away women who threw themselves at him. He had a reputation as a good family man of the Gu Family. However, after Gao Desheng¡¯s death, their investigation revealed that this man was not as good as he appeared. He didn¡¯t mess with gambling or drugs. But he was a child predator, and he preferred them younger. The evidence was in the police station, and they all felt like flogging Gao Desheng¡¯s corpse. But beyond that, Gao Desheng had no other issues. Gao Desheng had two brothers, who were somewhat indifferent to his death, more concerned about the distribution of Hongguang Real Estate¡¯s assets. The biggest commotion was caused by Gao Desheng¡¯s wife. She insisted that Gao Desheng was murdered. Chapter 451 - Chapter 451: Chapter 451 Golden Tycoon (16) Chapter 451: Chapter 451 Golden Tycoon (16) Jin Ning listened to the buzz-cut man¡¯s account and was inexplicably reminded of the girl¡¯s retreating figure as she left that day. ¡°Brother Ning, did you notice anything unusual at the time?¡± The banquet that day was hosted by the Wei family. Wei Linxuan was inexplicably injured and hospitalized, while Gao Desheng died mysteriously at the banquet. But upon investigation, no one was suspected. Gao Desheng had died of a sudden heart attack. It could be said that the situation was very strange. Jin Ning calmed his mind, ¡°No.¡± Jin Ning was not a suspect. He just happened to be there, and the buzz-cut man came over to ask if he could find any clues. When Jin Ning said no, the buzz-cut man had no more to ask. After exchanging a few more words with Jin Ning, he stood up to take his leave. After the buzz-cut man left, Jin Ning took out his phone and sent a text message to a number. [Send me a copy of the surveillance footage from the hotel where Gao Desheng died.] Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?? ¡°Is he gone?¡± Jin Ning secretly turned off his phone and looked up at Chuzheng, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°They¡¯re from the police station.¡± Jin Ning¡¯s gaze lightly fell on her, ¡°They came to ask about Gao Desheng¡¯s matter.¡± Chuzheng replied with a cold face, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Does this little thing suspect me? Although I did it. But how could I admit it? Impossible! I will never admit it in this lifetime! Jin Ning suddenly laughed, she was indeed sharp. ¡°Nothing,¡± Jin Ning shook his head and naturally changed the subject, ¡°I usually live here alone. Clean up the room next door and you can live there.¡± Jin Ning¡¯s apartment was quite spacious. And for convenience, there wasn¡¯t much stuff in the apartment. Chuzheng just made the bed in her room and did not touch anything else. Find a chance to touch Good Person Card¡¯s hair. So soft. It¡¯s irresistibly tempting! ¨C After Chuzheng had finished tidying up, she saw Jin Ning sitting in his wheelchair, staring at the door, lost in thought. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jin Ning turned around and started ordering Chuzheng around, ¡°Find someone to change the lock.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Why change the lock out of the blue? I¡¯m not planning on locking you in yet. ¡°Jin Chen still has a key. I don¡¯t like him coming in suddenly,¡± Jin Ning explained. Chuzheng nodded thoughtfully, ¡°Okay, will do.¡± Jin Ning returned to his room and closed the door. Before long, he received a package containing video data. He locked the door, turned on the computer, and connected it to his phone. The video was from the day of Gao Desheng¡¯s incident. Jin Ning watched it all the way through. There was no sign of Chuzheng in the video, as if she had never been at the banquet. Jin Ning touched the jade on his neck, which had warmed up to his temperature. ¡°Who are you, really?¡± Jin Ning murmured softly. ¡°Xia Chuzheng.¡± ¨C Chuzheng said she came to take care of Jin Ning, but sometimes he felt that was not the case at all. Every day, they either ordered takeout or went out to eat for meals. Is this what a qualified caretaker does? Hmm¡­ She also often brought back heaps of random expensive items, tossed them on the table, and then never looked at them again. Occasionally on a whim, she would throw something at him. What is a person who isn¡¯t short of money doing, staying with a disabled person like him? What is she seeking? ¡°Jin Ning.¡± Chuzheng handed him a cup of water. Jin Ning took it and thanked her politely. He took a sip; the water was hot and just right. To say she is not good at taking care of people¡­ it seems she kind of is. ¡°Have you seen a doctor about your leg?¡± Jin Ning paused his drinking, then slowly set his cup down, ¡°I¡¯m fine as it is.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to stand up?¡± Being pushed around every day, doesn¡¯t it annoy you? I don¡¯t want to push! Start freeing your hands the moment you stand up!!¡± Jin Ning looked at the water in the cup, his tone somewhat weary, ¡°Some things, just because I want them, doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re possible.¡± ¡°Then you can start wanting now,¡± Chuzheng said. ¡°I will make it happen.¡± Jin Ning stood frozen. These words¡­ Why do they sound like lines from a TV drama? And yet, when she uttered them, they carried a certain commanding presence. However, his heart was still warm. As if something had suddenly filled up his empty heart. ¡°I¡¯m a bit sleepy, I¡¯m going back to my room. Don¡¯t call me for dinner tonight.¡± Jin Ning was somewhat in a flurry to escape. Escaping the issues with his legs, as well as the somewhat flirtatious words Chuzheng had said. His legs¡­ ¡­had a chance of recovery, but he had given up, and now it was probably too late. Although Jin Ning had said he wouldn¡¯t eat dinner, Chuzheng still knocked on his door when it was time to eat. Jin Ning looked at the time, 6:30 pm. Not a minute more, not a minute less. Every day at this time. Very regular. Jin Ning refused to open the door and eat, Chuzheng didn¡¯t insist, and it became quiet outside. Jin Ning didn¡¯t know how long he had slept, when he woke up, it was already 11 pm. He propped himself up in bed, moved onto the wheelchair with some difficulty, and then wheeled himself out. The living room floor lamp was on. Jin Ning wheeled into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, took a bottle of water, twisted it open, took a sip and looked towards Chuzheng¡¯s room. He hesitated for a moment, put down the water, and wheeled over. No light was on in the room, Jin Ning listened quietly for a moment. Sleeping already? Ding¡­ In the silent space where you could hear a pin drop, a sudden light sound rang out, like a coin falling onto the floor, creating a noise on impact. Jin Ning¡¯s eyebrows knitted suddenly, and his hand reached under the wheelchair. He looked toward the direction of the bathroom. It was pitch dark. Just as Jin Ning tensed up, preparing to go over and check, the door at the entrance suddenly opened. A slender figure appeared at the door and with a ¡®click¡¯, all the lights in the living room turned on. Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± F*ck! Scared the living daylights out of me! Jin Ning, hidden from the floor lamp¡¯s reach in the living room, became visible only after Chuzheng turned on the lights, and then¡­ The Good Person Card had come out, waiting specially to get rid of me? The guns are all prepared!! The Good Person Card actually has guns!! Chuzheng stood coolly at the entrance. Just a gun. A small problem. Jin Ning sat in the wheelchair, gun in hand, barrel pointed at the bathroom door, the two faced each other in silence. ¡°Where have you been?¡± Jin Ning spoke up, his voice betraying nothing unusual, gun still aimed at the bathroom. Chuzheng glanced at the bathroom, then calmly closed the door, took off her shoes, ¡°Felt a bit hungry, went out to buy some food. What are you doing up?¡± She walked inside, her slippers making a measured sound. ¡°Getting water,¡± Jin Ning paused slightly, ¡°It¡¯s late. Better get some sleep.¡± Chuzheng looked at him, picking up a baseball bat from the corner of the wall. ¡°Mhm.¡± Before the echo faded, Chuzheng had kicked open the bathroom door. Jin Ning heard a clattering noise from inside, and in less than a minute, Chuzheng came out. She was dragging a person behind her. Beaten up, bloody, and looking particularly miserable, the person was now staring at Chuzheng with a face full of terror. Chuzheng dropped the person on the floor: ¡°What¡¯s this one here for?¡± She was asking Jin Ning. Jin Ning had already put away the gun, and Chuzheng sized him up to see there was nothing unusual on his person; it was probably hidden somewhere on the wheelchair. ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± Jin Ning said. ¡°Could be a thief.¡± Chuzheng indeed found items that she had placed on the table on the person, even the least valuable among them worth tens of thousands. Chapter 452 - Chapter 452: Chapter 452 Golden Tycoon (17) Chapter 452: Chapter 452 Golden Tycoon (17) Chuzheng called the police, and they came to take the person away, bombarding her with a stream of questions. Chuzheng hit someone, but since the other party was breaking and entering, her self-defense was justified and she was not held responsible. After being busy for most of the night, the police left with the individual in custody. The room quieted down, and Chuzheng¡¯s gaze turned to the person sitting beside her, ¡°When you resigned, you didn¡¯t turn in your gun?¡± ¡°Got it from somewhere else,¡± Jin Ning didn¡¯t hide the truth, ¡°I¡¯m used to it.¡± Used to carrying a gun. ¡°You¡¯re not afraid of guns?¡± Jin Ning asked in turn. ¡°I even know how to use one.¡± Chuzheng¡¯s answer was quite the departure from the usual ¡°seductive vixen.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jin Ning knew she was not ordinary, the way she fought earlier was quite a sight. ¡°You¡¯ve done quite a thorough investigation on me.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Chuzheng pulled out a chair to sit down and poured herself a glass of water to calm her nerves, ¡°Otherwise, how could I get close to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï The two had a candid conversation. Yet both reserved their last questions, neither delving deeper. A perfect unspoken understanding. Gurgle, gurgle¡­ Jin Ning¡¯s stomach suddenly growled. He had not eaten dinner, and after all the commotion that night, he was long since hungry. ¡°Hungry?¡± Jin Ning nodded, ¡°A bit.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Chuzheng deeply sympathized. Fighting really takes it out of you. It¡¯s troublesome and a waste of energy. Jin Ning: ¡°¡­¡± Is this how you take care of me! In the end, it was Jin Ning who made two bowls of noodles, tomato and egg noodles. ¡°Your cooking skills are pretty good,¡± Chuzheng didn¡¯t forget to compliment after finishing her meal. The Good Person Card, clever and dexterous, with soft hair too, how nice. ¡°Thank you,¡± Jin Ning said with polite gratitude. After eating, Jin Ning went straight back to his room. Chuzheng, who knew the sentiment of ¡®eating from someone else¡¯s hand softens the heart,¡¯ put the bowls in the dishwasher. ¨C In the room. Jin Ning sat quietly in the middle of the room, without turning on the light, his entire figure shrouded in darkness. It¡¯s unknown how much time passed. He unlocked his phone and dialed a number. ¡°Get the person out and ask who sent him here,¡± Jin Ning said, his voice no longer casual and indifferent, but tinged with a sense of grimness. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the person on the other end responded with great respect. ¨C Chuzheng went back to her room, lay on her bed, and looked at the materials Ah Hua had just given her. After contemplating, she picked up her phone to send Ah Hua a text message. However, Ah Hua replied to her message very quickly. [Sis, the guy was taken away on the way to the station, they said it¡¯s related to some major case. What¡¯s up, did he bother you?] [It¡¯s nothing.] Chuzheng put down her phone and looked towards Jin Ning¡¯s room. The Good Person Card really cannot be let down for a moment. It¡¯s better to lock it up. The next day, Jin Ning found someone changing the door. Yes. Changing the door, not just the lock. Last time he told her to change the lock, she acted just as quickly. Chuzheng leaned over to watch, and came over when she saw him come out, ¡°You¡¯re up.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not safe after a burglary, so I¡¯m changing the door,¡± Chuzheng said, pushing him towards the dining table and opening the breakfast boxes on it. Even though she can¡¯t cook. But the breakfast she provides every morning is never the same. Even if there are repeats, they¡¯re never from the same shop. Jin Ning felt a bewildered sense of being doted upon. Even his parents, with their utmost care, had never gone to such lengths. ¡°I suggest you get your leg checked out.¡± During breakfast, Chuzheng calmly gave him the suggestion. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go.¡± ¡°What if I insist on you going?¡± ¡°Miss Chuzheng, we are merely in an employment relationship.¡± It was his body, after all, and it was not up to outsiders to make decisions for him. Like pulling a rabbit out of a hat, Chuzheng produced the contract, flipped to a certain page, and read: ¡°When Party A neglects their own health, Party B has the right to make decisions on behalf of Party A that are beneficial for Party A¡¯s health.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jin Ning put down his fork and wiped his hands with a napkin. He leaned back slightly, his gaze fixed on the girl opposite him. She wore casual clothes, her hair casually thrown behind her, one hand propped under her chin, her gaze lowered, her long lashes casting small shadows beneath her eyelids. Very pretty. Those three words flashed through Jin Ning¡¯s mind. Jin Ning quickly recollected himself, ¡°Miss Chuzheng, what is your opinion on my leg?¡± ¡°I want you to stand up.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be pushing you around when we go out.¡± Chuzheng stated her reason righteously. ¡°But didn¡¯t you say you would take care of me?¡± ¡°Hmm, I said that casually, otherwise how would you have let me in.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jin Ning was utterly defeated. She was a bit too honest. It left him unsure of how to respond. Jin Ning frankly asked, ¡°So, what exactly do you want from me?¡± Chuzheng let go of her chin and rested her folded hands in front of her, like a diligent student listening in class. ¡°I want to be a good person.¡± She was trying to be a Good Person Card every single day!! ¡°Hmm?¡± Jin Ning was a bit puzzled, ¡°To be a good person, Miss Chuzheng, you could do charity outside, and surely many people would thank you.¡± ¡°No.¡± Her tone was calm and serious, ¡°I just want to be your Good Person Card.¡± What does that have to do with me! Jin Ning: ¡°¡­¡± After being single for over twenty years, Jin Ning had been repeatedly and expressionlessly flirted with by a young girl. And to make things worse, he felt¡­ slightly moved? ¡°Think about it carefully, I won¡¯t force you.¡± Chuzheng went to the kitchen to tidy things up, the door there was also fitted, Chuzheng settled the bill there, and then just stood at the door without moving. ¡°Jin Ning, come here.¡± Jin Ning drew a shallow breath and wheeled himself over. The girl swiftly took his hand and pressed it against the door, recording his fingerprint. Her hand held his fingers like that, lifting and pressing again. The tips of her fingers occasionally grazed the center of his palm, tickling slightly. Jin Ning¡¯s heart fluttered discreetly as he gazed out at her profile. After recording all of Jin Ning¡¯s fingerprints, Chuzheng¡¯s eyes were lowered, intently tapping the screen, looking especially charming. The more he watched, the more beautiful she seemed. Jin Ning couldn¡¯t help but reach out¡­ ¡°Hey, Little Fairy!¡± Jin Chen¡¯s voice suddenly broke in, and Jin Ning immediately lowered his hand as if caught in the act, his heartbeat quickening. Jin Chen¡¯s cheerful voice caught Chuzheng¡¯s attention, ¡°Little Fairy, what are you doing by the door, did you know I was coming?! Wah, I¡¯m so touched, unlike my brother that devil¡­¡± Jin Chen approached and then realized Jin Ning was sitting right behind the door. Oops. Caught by his own brother. ¡°Brother¡­¡± Jin Chen called out ingratiatingly. ¡°I¡¯m a devil, not your brother.¡± Jin Ning showcased his grudge-holding skills on the spot. ¡°No, no, you are my dear brother.¡± Jin Chen dared not offend Jin Ning, he still needed to ask him for a favor later. After pacifying Jin Ning, Jin Chen turned back to Chuzheng, ¡°Little Fairy, what are you two doing?¡± Standing by the door early in the morning¡­ ¡°Got a new door?¡± Before Chuzheng could answer, Jin Chen figured it out himself, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fingerprint recognition too; record mine as well.¡± Jin Ning looked coldly at him. Jin Chen backed down instantly, smiling sheepishly, ¡°No need, no need, no need.¡± He¡¯ll secretly do it! Hmph! Chapter 453 - Chapter 453: Chapter 453 Golden Tycoon (18) Chapter 453: Chapter 453 Golden Tycoon (18) Jin Chen squeezed through the doorway, dumping the stuff his mother had asked him to bring onto the table. Upon seeing the items on the table, Jin Chen¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°Brother, when did you become so corrupt? What happened to your integrity, thriftiness, and virtue?!¡± The table was cluttered with a variety of luxury goods. Jin Chen had seen these items often enough to recognize them at a glance. ¡°You must be mistaking me for someone else,¡± Jin Chen responded coolly. ¡°¡­¡± He too felt that he must have mistaken his brother. Damn it! It was bad enough that he¡¯d snatched away his Little Fairy, and he did it so brazenly! But what could he do? He had to let it go, even if it hurt, because that was his own brother. Otherwise, he¡¯d be beaten to a pulp. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï Wuwuwu, his Little Fairy. So infuriating. ¡°I¡¯m returning to school tomorrow,¡± Jin Chen mentioned the important matter at hand. ¡°With your IQ, it doesn¡¯t make a difference whether you study or not.¡± ¡°¡­¡± His IQ was perfectly fine! Jin Chen glared at his brother, but remembering he still needed a favor, he quickly plastered on a smile, ¡°Brother¡­¡± ¡°No money to lend,¡± Jin Ning cut him off before Jin Chen could even ask. Jin Chen¡¯s hiatus at home was due to getting into a fight at school. After sending someone to the hospital, Mr. Jin and Mother Jin, through a family meeting, unanimously decided to cut off Jin Chen¡¯s allowance. Although Jin Chen didn¡¯t understand what his allowance had to do with the fight, the result was that he was so broke he needed to borrow money from Jin Ning to get by. ¡°Aren¡¯t we brothers?¡± Jin Ning replied swiftly, ¡°The gulf in our intelligence proves otherwise.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Despite claiming he wouldn¡¯t lend the money, Jin Ning eventually handed over a card after Jin Chen¡¯s persistent nagging. The money, said to be a loan, likely wouldn¡¯t be returned. After securing his spending money, Jin Chen was all smiles as he served Jin Ning tea and ran errands for him like a flatterer. ¡°By the way, remember to attend our cousin¡¯s wedding,¡± Jin Ning frowned. ¡°Brother, even though the people from the old house look down on us and aren¡¯t decent, our cousin has always been good to us. It¡¯s her wedding, after all. She specifically called to make sure you¡¯d attend,¡± Jin Chen said. ¡°¡­ I know.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll have Mother arrange a bodyguard for you. If anyone dares to talk, they¡¯ll get beaten so bad even their parents won¡¯t recognize them!¡± Jin Chen waved his fist, protecting his brother earnestly. Jin Ning: ¡°¡­¡± Jin Ning managed to send away the chattering Jin Chen, who also wanted to drag Chuzheng into the conversation. ¨C Jin Ning¡¯s father had a falling out with the Family Head when he was young. Starting from scratch with funds secretly given to him by his mother, his wealth could now be said to have exceeded that of the Jin Family Head. However, since the Jin Family Head bore the name of a century-old distinguished family and Mr. Jin wasn¡¯t very high profile, most people still considered the Family Head¡¯s family to be more prestigious. The Family Head¡¯s side particularly looked down on Mr. Jin¡¯s household. Jin Ning looked at the wedding invitation for a long time without a word. ¡°Shall I accompany you?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Jin Ning came back to his senses, ¡°What?¡± ¡°The wedding,¡± Chuzheng said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± While Chuzheng seemed to be asking, it wasn¡¯t really a question; she had already decided. Jin Ning pursed his lips, considered several thoughts, and finally nodded, ¡°Mm.¡± The Jin Family Head¡¯s residence was not in the same city. They needed to go in advance, and since neither Mr. Jin nor Mother Jin would attend, it ended up being just Chuzheng and Jin Ning. Chuzheng took Jin Ning to the airport. When they got out of the car, Chuzheng handed him a mask. ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± ¡°Smog,¡± Chuzheng said solemnly. Jin Ning looked up at the sky. The sky was simply a bit foggy. And they were about to head inside anyway, was it necessary? Jin Ning didn¡¯t take it, so Chuzheng leaned over and put it on him herself. A passing young girl snapped photos with her phone, capturing the image of the young woman bending slightly, her eyes earnest and attentive as she secured a mask on the man. The fog blurred the background as if they were the only two left in the world. The young girl who took the photo instantly sent it to her roommate group chat. [White Fatty: Look at me, look at me, I found a national beauty at the airport!!!] [Roommate One: Where¡¯s the face?] [Roommate Two: Thumbs down!] [Roommate Three: Even though I can¡¯t see the face, just look at that temperament, obviously not just anybody. That girl¡¯s profile is so pretty, is she a celebrity?] [White Fatty: Really so beautiful! I took the photo too late, didn¡¯t capture her wailing.] The girl was crying her heart out in the chat when suddenly someone snatched her phone away. ¡°You¡­¡± The girl looked up, wanting to scold whoever was so rude, but froze the next second. One of the subjects of her stealthy photo session was holding her phone, his long fingers tapped the screen a few times, then handed it back to her. ¡°Don¡¯t photograph him, thank you.¡± The girl¡¯s voice was so ice-cold that even the words of thanks felt wrapped in frost, bone-chilling. The young girl stood there stunned. [White Fatty: Aaaaahhhh!!!!] ¨C Chuzheng walked back to Jin Ning¡¯s side as if nothing had happened, noticing Jin Ning glancing elsewhere, her fingers quickly found the top of his head and gently rubbed it. Her little face was tense. So comfortable! ¡°Miss Chuzheng, you shouldn¡¯t touch a man¡¯s head carelessly, haven¡¯t you heard?¡± ¡°No.¡± Chuzheng was about to withdraw her hand. But after Jin Ning said that, she rubbed his head two more times. So what if I touch it? What are you going to do, hit me? In such a public space, Jin Ning couldn¡¯t behave aggressively towards Chuzheng; his eyes, however, darkened a bit. Seeing her chance, Chuzheng quickly guided him inside. Jin Ning thought they¡¯d stay in the airport for a while, but as soon as they entered, someone ran over. ¡°Miss Xia, Mr. Jin, this way please.¡± Chuzheng followed the person, unfazed. The man led the way while on the phone: ¡°Miss Xia and Mr. Jin have arrived, prepare for takeoff.¡± Jin Ning: ¡°¡­¡± They were the ones being waited for, not the other way around. Jin Ning couldn¡¯t help but glance at Chuzheng. Just how wealthy was she? Why would such a person come to his side? As she said¡­ to be a good person? Or to be a good person just for him? On the plane, the flight attendants served only the two of them. As soon as Chuzheng got on the plane, she lay down and didn¡¯t move, projecting a ¡®don¡¯t bother me¡¯ attitude. Jin Ning sat outside, reading a book. A flight attendant approached with a polite smile: ¡°Sir¡­¡± Jin Ning put up a finger to his lips, signaling her not to speak, then shook his head politely. The flight attendant glanced at Chuzheng and left with a smile. Yet internally, she felt as if her heart was bleeding. Such a handsome man already had a girlfriend? But that Miss was also beautiful. Together, they looked exceptionally well-matched. The only regrettable part was that the gentleman had trouble with his legs. Jin Ning put down his book and glanced at the girl beside him. She seemed to be sound asleep. The girl, with her eyes closed, seemed a bit less frosty, yet there was still an intimidating chill about her. Jin Ning slowly extended his hand. Just as his fingertips were about to touch the girl¡¯s cheek, he was suddenly stopped. The girl opened her eyes and glanced at him, her look clear and indifferent, devoid of any emotion. ¡°I¡­¡± She took his hand, laid it in front of her, and closed her eyes again. Chapter 454 - Chapter 454: Chapter 454 Golden Tycoon (19) Chapter 454: Chapter 454 Golden Tycoon (19) Jin Ning¡¯s hand had been hot to the touch, only letting go after they disembarked the plane. Jin Ning¡¯s hand was burning hot; he tucked it into his sleeve and said to Chuzheng, ¡°I want some water.¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Chuzheng left and quickly returned with a cup of warm water in hand. Jin Ning took a sip and somehow tasted sweetness. It was especially delicious. ¨C Chuzheng didn¡¯t take Jin Ning to the Jin Family Old House but booked a hotel instead. Of course, Jin Ning had no intention of going either. Still, someone came to see him. The door opened by Chuzheng and in came a very beautiful woman, exuding the gentleness and grace of a lady from a traditional household in every aspect. She looked at Chuzheng with a bit of curiosity; her gaze shifted and, upon seeing Jin Ning who she had wheeled over in a wheelchair, immediately brightened with a smile. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°Ning Ning.¡± ¡°Auntie.¡± Jin Ning called out in a rather gentle tone. The woman entered and gave Jin Ning a hug, ¡°Auntie has missed you to death, you heartless thing, not even a phone call.¡± Chuzheng closed the door calmly, her gaze icy as she stared at the woman hugging Jin Ning¡¯s hand. That¡¯s mine! Mine!! ¡°If someone hadn¡¯t seen you at the airport, I wouldn¡¯t have known about your arrival today,¡± Jin Rourou released him, her tone half complaining and half concerned. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to trouble you.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Auntie can¡¯t wait to spoil you.¡± Jin Rourou was the latecomer daughter of Old Master Jin and wasn¡¯t much older than Jin Ning, just a few years his senior. She might be called auntie, but she was more like a sister. And no one knew why, but Jin Rourou got along quite well with Jin Ning. Their closeness was evident from the fact that Jin Rourou, despite her busy schedule, had made a point of visiting him at the hotel on the eve of the wedding. Chuzheng leaned against the door, watching Jin Rourou chatting with Jin Ning. At this moment, Jin Ning seemed to be more relaxed, a faint smile hanging on his lips, looking incredibly handsome. The term ¡°exceedingly handsome¡± wasn¡¯t wrong at all! That was the conversation Chuzheng had overheard between a girl who secretly took photos and her friend. But him smiling so attractively at others¡­ That was not attractive at all. Chuzheng felt annoyed. She opened the door and left the room. Jin Ning, hearing the door close, glanced that way and slightly furrowed his brows. Jin Rourou immediately smiled and asked, ¡°I meant to ask earlier, is that girl your girlfriend? You didn¡¯t even introduce her, so I don¡¯t know how to address her.¡± ¡°She¡­¡± Isn¡¯t. ¡°You¡¯re not getting any younger, a girlfriend would be good for you,¡± Jin Rourou spoke tenderly, ¡°Xiao Chen told me you¡¯ve been uncooperative with treatment. Ning Ning, if you don¡¯t think for yourself, you should at least think about your girlfriend, right? How can you make her happy like this?¡± When it came to the topic of treatment, Jin Ning showed a hint of resistance. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking, Auntie.¡± ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t tell?¡± Jin Rourou snorted lightly, ¡°The way you looked when that girl left earlier was as if your own girlfriend had run off.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Was it that exaggerated? All he did was glance over. Jin Rourou spoke earnestly to him, focusing mainly on the topics of a girlfriend and treatment. It wasn¡¯t until there was a hiccup with the wedding arrangements that Jin Rourou got up to leave. She opened the door and turned to see Chuzheng leaning by the door. ¡°Hello,¡± Jin Rourou greeted with a gentle smile, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± That brat hadn¡¯t mentioned the girl¡¯s name until the end, making her wonder what he was hiding. ¡°Chuzheng.¡± Chuzheng replied indifferently. ¡°Chu Zheng?¡± Jin Rourou didn¡¯t dare say that she found the name appealing. ¡°I¡¯m Ning Ning¡¯s auntie; I was preoccupied talking with Ning Ning earlier, my apologies.¡± She paused, then gave an encouraging fist-pump, ¡°It¡¯s going to be a hassle for you to take care of Ning Ning, but you can do it!¡± Chuzheng: ¡°¡­¡± What the hell!? Why should someone else¡¯s Good Person Card bother me? ¨C Chuzheng pushed open the door and went in; seeing her return, Jin Ning felt an inexplicable sense of relief, not understanding what he had been worried about. ¡°That was my auntie.¡± He took the initiative to explain. ¡°Hmm.¡± Chuzheng nodded, ¡°Are you hungry?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jin Ning wasn¡¯t very hungry, so he shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s take a bath first,¡± Chuzheng said, pushing him towards the bathroom. The hotel¡¯s bathroom was not like the one in his apartment, which had been specially modified. Taking a bath here was a bit of a challenge for Jin Ning. ¡°Let me help you,¡± Chuzheng said calmly and sincerely. Must strive to earn the Good Person Card! ¡°No need¡­¡± Jin Ning squeezed out two words: ¡°No need to wash, I¡¯m clean¡­¡± ¡°Take a bath,¡± Chuzheng suddenly bent down, her warm breath spilling on his ear: ¡°Be obedient, I don¡¯t like the scent of others on you.¡± Jin Ning¡¯s heartbeat skipped half a beat suddenly. Jin Rourou had sprayed perfume, and now Jin Ning was entirely enveloped in that scent. It wasn¡¯t unpleasant. But she didn¡¯t like it. It had to be washed off. ¡°I¡¯ll wash myself,¡± Jin Ning took a deep breath: ¡°You go out first.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not capable.¡± ¡°I can.¡± Chuzheng paused for a few seconds: ¡°Call me if you need help.¡± Jin Ning watched Chuzheng leave, and his lifted heart finally settled down. He opened his palm, sweaty and clammy all over. His tense body leaned against the wheelchair, and he looked up at the bathroom light. ¡°Knock knock¡­¡± The sound seemed to tap on the tip of Jin Ning¡¯s heart. Causing ripples of sensation. ¡°What¡­ what is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve put your clothes at the door,¡± the girl¡¯s light and brisk voice came through. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Jin Ning turned on the shower, and the sound of water rushing drowned out all other sounds. Jin Ning sat in the bathroom, his gaze cold as he looked at his legs that, no matter how hard he tried, had no sensation at all. ¡ªEven if you don¡¯t think for yourself, you should at least think about your girlfriend, right? The words of Jin Rourou echoed in his ears. Jin Ning¡¯s thoughts drifted to Chuzheng for no apparent reason. He shook his head and splashed his face with water. What was he thinking about? ¨C ¡°Clang¡ª¡± The bathroom door was suddenly pushed open in a flash. The showerhead pointed skyward, and water cascaded down, shrouded in mist. The man¡¯s well-defined body was fully exposed. He was fine, just sitting there properly; it was just the showerhead that had fallen to the floor, likely because he wasn¡¯t used to the setting and had let it slip. Jin Ning was stunned for a full ten seconds before he hastily grabbed a towel from beside him and draped it over himself: ¡°You¡­ why did you just barge in?¡± ¡°Should I have taken off my clothes first?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jin Ning was taken aback: ¡°I meant, what are you doing here!?¡± Chuzheng stood at the door, her face blurred by the mist. She took two steps inside: ¡°It would be very troublesome if you died.¡± Just got rewound! As a girl, she shouldn¡¯t be rewound! Only she could choose to rewind! [¡­] Psycho! ¡°I¡¯m fine, you can go out now,¡± Jin Ning¡¯s voice trembled slightly, for some reason he couldn¡¯t fathom, and he dared not let his gaze settle on her. Chuzheng didn¡¯t leave. Instead, she walked in, bent down to pick up the showerhead from the floor, turned off the water, and put it back in its place. She leaned over, silent, examining him; her cool eyes seemed veiled in mist, making them indecipherable. The Good Person Card doesn¡¯t work without me, huh. Just refuses to be obedient. Kind of troublesome. But he can¡¯t be killed off. Even more troublesome¡­ Jin Ning met Chuzheng¡¯s gaze and subconsciously gripped the towel around him. Chuzheng¡¯s hands slipped under his knees and, with a bit of effort, she lifted him up. It was as easy as if she were carrying a large pet. Jin Ning: ¡°!!!¡± Chapter 455 - Chapter 455: Chapter 455 Golden Tycoon (20) Chapter 455: Chapter 455 Golden Tycoon (20) Chuzheng placed Jin Ning on the bed, tore a clean towel, and wiped his body. The towel wasn¡¯t the kind you¡¯d find in a hotel; she must have had it sent over at some point. While Jin Ning was lost in thought, the bath towel draped over his legs was taken away. Jin Ning snapped back to reality, grabbing a corner of the bath towel and holding it in front of him. ¡°Miss Chuzheng,¡± he said with a bit of heaviness in his enunciation. Chuzheng pulled hard, and the bath towel fell from his hands. Jin Ning, left with no choice, covered himself with his hands. Chuzheng didn¡¯t even glance at him; she turned around to get his clothes and calmly helped him get dressed. Jin Ning: ¡°¡­¡± In this posture, why did it seem like he was the one being pretentious?! Chuzheng knelt down to button his shirt, her expression as serious and solemn as ever, as if she wasn¡¯t facing a naked man but just a mannequin. ¡°Your heartbeat is a bit fast.¡± After buttoning the last button, Chuzheng suddenly looked up at him. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Jin Ning felt his cheeks burning hot; he didn¡¯t know what he looked like at that moment, but he certainly had lost his usual composure. His voice was slightly hoarse: ¡°You heard it?¡± Chuzheng confidently: ¡°Mm, my hearing is quite good.¡± Jin Ning parted his lips, suddenly at a loss for words. The articulate heir of the Jin Family found all speech faded to insignificance in front of this girl. ¡°A fast heartbeat isn¡¯t good for your health.¡± ¡°???¡± That¡¯s what you¡¯re telling me? Clearly, that was exactly what Chuzheng wanted to say. She stood up after speaking and took a pair of pants. Holding the intimate garment in her hand, she treated it like a coat with no trace of impure thoughts in her eyes. Chuzheng helped him into his pants, tucked the shirt in, and fastened his belt with unrushed movements. Warm yellow light bathed her face, casting a faint layer of shadow, and the indifference between her brows also looked exceptionally beautiful. The closer she leaned in, the faster Jin Ning¡¯s heartbeat raced. The room seemed to be filling with an ambiance of intimacy. Chuzheng bracing on either side of him: ¡°Are you sick?¡± ¡°¡­No,¡± Jin Ning looked away, trying to suppress his racing heartbeat. ¡°I¡¯m very good. I¡¯m a bit hungry; can we go eat something?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Chuzheng rose to her feet, taking his clothes off and directly tossing them away. Jin Ning: ¡°¡­¡± Those clothes were worth quite a bit. She really was¡­ domineering. Just because they had caught a whiff of a scent, his cousin¡¯s at that, they had to be thrown out. I wonder¡­ Jin Ning stopped his wild thoughts. He didn¡¯t even know the real purpose behind this person coming to him. ¨C The Jin Family¡¯s legacy had been passed down for centuries, and their old mansion was that quaint kind of estate. These days, such estates were priceless and could not be bought with any amount of money. At this moment, quite a few people stood in front of the Jin Family¡¯s grand entrance, with series of luxury cars stopping one after another. The newlyweds stood at the door to welcome these guests. Wei Linxuan got out of the car with Ruan Siyu, and upon seeing this, Jin Rourou¡¯s face fell. ¡°Rourou,¡± the groom reminded her, ¡°don¡¯t forget your manners.¡± ¡°What rubbish!¡± Jin Rourou cursed under her breath. The groom was somewhat helpless, comforting her by patting her hand: ¡°I¡¯ll handle it later; you don¡¯t say anything.¡± Don¡¯t be fooled by Jin Rourou¡¯s gentleness, that was only for those she liked. Towards those she disliked, Jin Rourou could make you understand what it means to be gently brought to tears. Over there, Wei Linxuan had already brought Ruan Siyu over. ¡°Congratulations,¡± Wei Linxuan said, draping an arm around Ruan Siyu, his smile carefree and playful. ¡°Heh,¡± Jin Rourou scoffed coldly. The groom hurriedly took over, ¡°Please come inside, both of you.¡± ¡°Miss Jin.¡± Ruan Siyu called out softly, ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Who is your aunt? Don¡¯t call me that. If you¡¯re not coming in, don¡¯t block the way!¡± Jin Rourou was very impolite. Ruan Siyu was no stranger; she was the one who had spoken about calling off the engagement with Jin Ning at the last banquet. Before Jin Ning¡¯s accident, Jin Rourou also liked her very much. After all, she came from a prominent family, dignified and proper, elegant and generous, a good match in terms of social status, and her words were always pleasing. Who knew that as soon as Jin Ning had an accident, the Ruan Family¡¯s attitude became strange. Ruan Siyu was even more elusive. Latter on, Jin Rourou heard that Ruan Siyu was often seen in public with Wei Linxuan ¡ª while Jin Ning lay in the hospital bed. Although Jin Ning had never revealed his feelings for Ruan Siyu, Jin Rourou felt disgusted when she thought about the Ruan Family¡¯s behavior. When Jin Ning was well, they couldn¡¯t wait to marry her to him. But as soon as trouble struck, they cut off all relations immediately. Wei Linxuan sneered, ¡°Jin Rourou, is this how you treat your guests?¡± Jin Rourou, not heeding the groom¡¯s attempts to stop her, said, ¡°What guest? Our Jin Family certainly can¡¯t afford to entertain the likes of you.¡± ¡°Jin Rourou!¡± Wei Linxuan laughed rather than becoming angry, ¡°The Jin Family has long cut ties with you, you defend him so fiercely, picking a fight with me, what do you think the old man would say if he knew?¡± ¡°I am just¡­¡± The groom desperately held onto Jin Rourou. He lowered his voice to console her, ¡°Rourou, don¡¯t make a scene at the wedding, once it¡¯s over, I¡¯ll have someone teach him a lesson, we only have this one wedding, you don¡¯t want to hold on to bad memories, right?¡± Jin Rourou did stop making a scene, but her eyes wandered elsewhere. The groom looked over in bewilderment. A car had stopped over there at some unknown time. The first to get out was a girl, who took a wheelchair from the trunk, unfolded it, and then opened the passenger door. It wasn¡¯t clear whether it was the pretty girl attracting the attention, or Jin Rourou, the bride, looking in that direction, but either way, everyone¡¯s gaze converged there. Chuzheng placed Jin Ning in the wheelchair and turned around to find herself the center of attention. Startled, she immediately employed a commanding presence. With so many people looking her way, she couldn¡¯t afford to lose face. ¡°Ning Ning.¡± The bride went straight up to them, her face beaming, ¡°The young lady is here too.¡± Chuzheng nodded as a greeting, her demeanor calm and indifferent. Jin Rourou looked at her with a bit of shock and curiosity. She hadn¡¯t felt this little lady was so cold back at the hotel entrance¡­ Jin Ning held a nicely wrapped gift box, handing it to Jin Rourou, ¡°Cousin, happy wedding.¡± ¡°Your presence is enough; you shouldn¡¯t have brought a gift.¡± Jin Rourou reached to pat Jin Ning¡¯s shoulder. Jin Ning hadn¡¯t intended to avoid it, but thinking of the person standing behind him, he subconsciously dodged. ¡°Hey, you kid.¡± Jin Rourou¡¯s hand fell through the air, she scolded playfully and quickly invited, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go inside. Your cousin will take you in.¡± Jin Rourou didn¡¯t push his wheelchair because Chuzheng was standing behind, not making way at all. Jin Rourou couldn¡¯t help but take a few more glances at the young girl. Such a pretty little lady. But¡­ Isn¡¯t she a bit too indifferent? Jin Ning himself was quite reserved, and here was his girlfriend, colder than him¡­ Jin Rourou felt a bit worried. But then she thought of her dear Ning Ning¡¯s legs, and decided not to think about anything at all. ¡°Jin Ning.¡± Wei Linxuan blocked the door, enemies meeting with heightened animosity. Wei Linxuan hadn¡¯t mentioned the incident at the last banquet to anyone, first because it was embarrassing, and second, still embarrassing. Despite a thorough search, he hadn¡¯t found out who the person who had burst in that day was. But¡­ Wei Linxuan¡¯s gaze fell on Chuzheng, and now it seemed he had found her. A fleeting glimpse, unforgettable. Chapter 456 - Chapter 456: Chapter 456 Golden Tycoon (21) Chapter 456: Chapter 456 Golden Tycoon (21) ¡°Move.¡± Jin Rourou¡¯s face bore not a hint of softness as she demanded impatiently. ¡°What are you afraid of, Jin Rourou?¡± Wei Linxuan¡¯s gaze was unfriendly, ¡°I¡¯m just talking to Jin Ning, and you won¡¯t even allow that? You¡¯re not his mother, are you overstepping your bounds?¡± The groom was holding onto Jin Rourou. Fearful they would start fighting right at the entrance. There were so many people here. And not lacking were some members of the media. What would the media write about this? Chuzheng had only one thought. This bastard was too noisy. Wanted to get rid of him. But with so many people around, it was not easy to do anything. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Endure it! Endure, endure, endure, endure! ¡°Wei Linxuan, even dogs know where to pee, how come you lack even that basic common sense?¡± Jin Ning stood with his arms crossed, resting in front of him, staring at Wei Linxuan. His tone was as always, elegant and polite. Jin Rourou suddenly calmed down, rolling her eyes like a gentle and beautiful person, ¡°He¡¯s not even as good as a dog.¡± The groom was very anxious, ¡°Rourou, mind the occasion.¡± Wei Linxuan was also pulled away by Ruan Siyu, who was trying to calm him while moving inside. Plus, people inside heard the commotion and ran out to stop them, which prevented the scene from escalating. Jin Rourou turned her head back and resumed her gentle demeanor. Jin Rourou couldn¡¯t be bothered with the other guests and left the groom by himself, personally taking Jin Ning inside. The Jin Family members had a slightly peculiar expression on seeing Jin Ning. But since Jin Rourou was personally with him, nobody came up to start trouble. This showed that Jin Rourou¡¯s status within the Jin Family was quite high. ¡°You guys sit here for a while, I¡¯ll go out now. Don¡¯t pay attention to those Jin Family people; they are all fools.¡± Jin Rourou led them inside without staying long. ¨C The area they were in had fewer people, and Jin Ning didn¡¯t have much to do with the Jin Family side, so most of the guests maybe had heard the name but didn¡¯t recognize him. Therefore, nobody came up to bother him. ¡°I would like some water.¡± Jin Ning said to Chuzheng. Chuzheng looked around; there were prepared drinks, but they were all cold. She told Jin Ning to wait here, and she went to find a place to get hot water. As soon as Chuzheng left, people with clear ill intentions gathered around. ¡°Isn¡¯t this our valiant and mighty Captain Jin, the scourge of the public enemies?¡± The newcomer, a young man about the same age as Jin Chen, had long hair tied back with a band, which bounced as he walked. His speech had a strange, annoying intonation that made people irritable just listening. ¡°Ah, I forgot, you are no longer Captain Jin. Sorry, cousin, I just didn¡¯t realize it for a moment.¡± This person was the son of Mr. Jin¡¯s brother. Jin Ning didn¡¯t have much of an impression, as they didn¡¯t see each other often. However, judging by the malicious look of the comer, Jin Ning guessed he had probably been disciplined by him in the past. Jin Ning casually replied, ¡°There¡¯s no cure for being inherently slow to react; I won¡¯t blame you, but I suggest you see a doctor more often, especially a neurologist.¡± The young man¡¯s expression twisted momentarily. The young man, followed by a few of his peers of similar age, surrounded Jin Ning. ¡°Cousin, is your leg really messed up?¡± The young man eyed Jin Ning¡¯s leg with malice, ¡°Just wondering, as a man, is that ¡®thing¡¯ of yours also useless now?¡± That ¡®thing¡¯. What else could it be referred to? All men understand. A person next to the young man said, ¡°As a man, if that doesn¡¯t work, it would be terrible.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so terrible? If it doesn¡¯t work, you can still lie down. With our cousin¡¯s looks, look around; lots of people are waiting, aren¡¯t they?¡± The young man used extremely vulgar language. Yet, even with such offensive words, Jin Ning remained very calm. He even wore a slight smile, ¡°Are you jealous because I¡¯m better-looking than you?¡± The young man immediately retorted angrily, ¡°Who¡¯s jealous of your good looks?¡± ¡°An angry outburst,¡± Jin Ning affirmed, ¡°You¡¯re just jealous of me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jin Ning¡¯s appearance was so striking that even TV stars might pale in comparison. It was enough to make women jealous. ¡°Jin Ning, aside from your sharp tongue, what else do you have going for you?¡± Wei Linxuan appeared from behind without notice. Without a second thought, Jin Ning retorted, ¡°I¡¯m better looking than you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What use is being good-looking?¡± Wei Linxuan sneered, ¡°Just like what your lovely cousin said, to lay there and be mounted? Do you want me to introduce you to someone?¡± ¡°No need, save it for yourself,¡± Jin Ning replied. ¡°After all, someone like you might have a hard time finding resources.¡± ¡°Jin Ning! You¡¯re just a cripple now, what¡¯s with the arrogance? I haven¡¯t even¡­¡± Bang! Suddenly, Wei Linxuan was sent flying, crashing into the flower stand behind him. A clattering noise erupted, startling the guests in the distance. The girl placed a glass of water in Jin Ning¡¯s hand and walked over to Wei Linxuan. She stepped on the seething Wei Linxuan as he tried to get up, and asked fiercely, ¡°Who did you just call a cripple?¡± ¡°Who are¡­¡± As Wei Linxuan got a clear view of the person, his expression darkened, ¡°It¡¯s you, I haven¡¯t settled the score from last time, and you still dare to show up in front of me.¡± Chuzheng pressed down with the tip of her shoe, and Wei Linxuan immediately felt a stifling pressure in his chest, struggling to breathe. The assailant, calm and composed, propped herself on her knee, ¡°What happened last time, and what account do you want to settle with me?¡± ¡°You pushed me down the stairs at the party!¡± Wei Linxuan bit out through clenched teeth. He tried to struggle to his feet but couldn¡¯t muster the strength. ¡°I didn¡¯t, don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Chuzheng flatly denied. ¡°Daring to do it but not to confess!¡± Wei Linxuan was certain; he recognized the woman from that day. He had identified her as soon as they met today. ¡°Why should I confess to something I didn¡¯t do? Do you have any evidence?¡± Without evidence, don¡¯t play the rogue with me! ¡°¡­¡± If he had evidence, he would have come for her already. Wei Linxuan seethed through his teeth, ¡°Standing up for a cripple, what do you see in him? He can¡¯t even perform in bed.¡± ¡°Have you tried?¡± Chuzheng asked in an even tone. Wei Linxuan: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you haven¡¯t tried, then you are spreading rumors,¡± Chuzheng stated unhurriedly. She leaned in closer, reducing the distance between herself and Wei Linxuan, ¡°Who were you calling a cripple just now?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes seemed to hide ice blades, capable of slashing through a person¡¯s soul. Wei Linxuan shivered without reason. ¡°Was I wrong? Jin Ning originally¡­ Ah¡­¡± Wei Linxuan screamed in pain. ¡°Who is a cripple?¡± ¡°Jin Ning that cripple!¡± Wei Linxuan was sweating profusely, his eyes brimming with rage and hatred. To be a man of his stature, trampled by a woman, and with so many onlookers. Humiliation! Rage! Yet it was all futile. Because of Chuzheng¡¯s actions, more onlooking guests started to gather. Chuzheng emitted a fierce aura, like a bandit that had suddenly burst in, and no one dared to intervene. ¡°I¡¯ll ask one more time, who is the cripple?¡± Wei Linxuan clenched his teeth, refusing to yield. As Chuzheng applied more pressure, Wei Linxuan¡¯s face turned a deathly shade of blue, and he finally gave in, ¡°I¡­ I am the scum.¡± ¡°Louder.¡± ¡°I am the scum¡­¡± Chuzheng was satisfied, ¡°Good to know.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wei Linxuan felt the pressure on his chest ease. Fresh air rushed in voraciously. He greedily inhaled the fresh air as the oppressive shadow before him receded, and he heard the sound of footsteps walking away. Chapter 457 - Chapter 457: Chapter 457 Golden Tycoon (22) Chapter 457: Chapter 457 Golden Tycoon (22) ¡°Linxuan!¡± Ruan Siyu hurried over and helped him up. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Wei Linxuan¡¯s heart was a mix of resentment and anger, as he looked at Ruan Siyu with a displeased expression. ¡°Jin Ning, how could you hit someone?¡± Ruan Siyu initially stood up for Wei Linxuan. Jin Ning, holding a cup of water, heard Ruan Siyu¡¯s voice and slowly regained his senses from the initial shock. ¡°If your eyes are working, you should have seen that the one who made a move was me. Why are you dragging him into this?¡± Chuzheng turned around and looked at Ruan Siyu. Having struck someone in public, Chuzheng couldn¡¯t deny it, so she admitted it very openly. ¡°Would you dare to do it if Jin Ning didn¡¯t tell you to?¡± Ruan Siyu¡¯s eyes were red. ¡°Do you have any evidence that he instructed me to do it?¡± Chuzheng seriously countered. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°When doing things, speak with evidence,¡± Chuzheng said coolly. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï Be careful you don¡¯t get hit. The Good Person Card is not something you dogs can just casually speak of, is it? Chuzheng stared at her for three seconds, then turned and went back to Jin Ning¡¯s side, leaned down and whispered something to him. Jin Ning seemed to nod in a daze, and then the two of them left under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, walking away boldly. Ruan Siyu was frightened by Chuzheng¡¯s last look, standing stiff on the spot, speechless for a long time. ¨C Half an hour later. Someone from the Jin Family came to fetch Jin Ning, saying that Old Master Jin had summoned him. Old Master Jin¡­ Jin Ning¡¯s grandfather. ¡°You don¡¯t have to accompany me; I can go by myself,¡± Jin Ning stopped Chuzheng. ¡°This is my family matter.¡± Jin Ning was assertive in his attitude, and Chuzheng watched as he was escorted away by people from the Jin Family. Chuzheng sat on a chair, sinking into silence. She took out her cellphone and opened a webpage. [Mission Target: Jin Zhiyuan.] Chuzheng turned off the phone in an instant. Jin Zhiyuan was a junior member of the Jin Family, two years younger than Jin Ning. With the Jin Family¡¯s protection, Jin Zhiyuan dared to do anything in pursuit of thrills. Eventually, he went too far, offended someone who wanted to cripple him. Right. Reckless. They wanted to cripple him. Chuzheng pondered how she could create an accident to fulfill her employer¡¯s request and get a five-star rating. It¡¯s not easy being an assassin. ¡°Rourou, slow down.¡± ¡°Be careful with your dress.¡± The groom¡¯s anxious and nervous voice reached Chuzheng¡¯s ears. She looked in the direction of the sound and saw Jin Rourou running fast, holding up the hem of her dress. ¡°What happened?¡± Chuzheng went out to stop Jin Rourou. ¨C Three minutes later. The closed door was pushed open. The first thing Chuzheng saw was the cane about to land on Jin Ning. She rushed forward immediately, grabbed the descending cane, and pushed it backward. ¡°Who are you!¡± The owner of the cane, Old Master Jin, who was pushed back a few steps by Chuzheng, glared angrily. ¡°Have you no manners! Is this a place you can just barge into?¡± Chuzheng completely ignored him, looking down at the person on the floor. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jin Ning¡¯s wheelchair lay on its side. He sat on the ground, his face pale. He didn¡¯t speak, but his complexion showed that he wasn¡¯t doing too well. Chuzheng set the wheelchair upright and helped Jin Ning into it. Her expression was cold, betraying no emotion. ¡°Dad!¡± Just then, Jin Rourou arrived. Clad in a pristine white wedding dress, her exquisite makeup couldn¡¯t hide the anger on her face. ¡°Dad, what are you doing!¡± She rushed to Jin Ning¡¯s side. ¡°Ning Ning, are you okay?¡± Jin Ning covered his arm with one hand and shook his head. He just hadn¡¯t expected Old Master Jin to suddenly lash out. After all¡­ His body wasn¡¯t like before. The accident had taken more than just his legs. It had also rendered the martial arts he¡¯d studied for so many years useless. The elderly man¡¯s face was stern as he commanded in an uncompromising tone, ¡°What are you doing here, go entertain the guests.¡± Jin Rourou turned her head to face her father, ¡°What did you just do to Ning Ning?¡± ¡°I¡¯m disciplining a junior, is there a problem?¡± ¡°Dad, Ning Ning is a guest I invited, not your grandson!¡± Jin Rourou quivered with anger, ¡°He has nothing to do with the Jin Family.¡± The old man leaned on his walking stick, ¡°He has the blood of my Jin Family flowing through his veins, what¡¯s wrong with me disciplining him?¡± Old Master Jin had called for Jin Ning. It was no secret that someone had gossiped about a prior event. The long-haired young man was Old Master Jin¡¯s favorite grandson, and with an exaggerated account of the story along with Jin Ning¡¯s attitude, which was less respectful upon arrival, there was a scene of Old Master Jin wanting to educate Jin Ning on behalf of Mr. Jin. Jin Rourou, ¡°Wasn¡¯t my brother driven out by you back then? He had already cut ties with you long ago, what relation does Jin Ning have to you!¡± Jin Rourou also harbored great resentment toward Old Master Jin. Today¡¯s wedding was supposed to be held at the groom¡¯s house. But Old Master Jin wouldn¡¯t allow it. If she didn¡¯t agree, she wouldn¡¯t be able to marry. In his youth, Old Master Jin was headstrong and arrogant, and now that he was old, he was still the same. Only his other two sons, who were not very capable, flattered him and did whatever he said. The Jin Family would eventually be ruined. ¡°You¡­¡± Old Master Jin trembled with rage, ¡°Fine, you want to stand against me now, is that it!¡± ¡°Ning Ning, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± Old Master Jin¡¯s walking stick banged loudly. Jin Rourou was still showing some consideration, but Chuzheng didn¡¯t have so many scruples and pushed Jin Ning away. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Old Master Jin bellowed. Chuzheng paused momentarily, then turned to look at Old Master Jin, ¡°You better pray he¡¯s not seriously injured.¡± The girl¡¯s gaze was piercing, rooting Old Master Jin to the spot. It wasn¡¯t until Chuzheng and Jin Ning had vanished from the doorway that Old Master Jin came back to his senses, ¡°Who is she? Who is that little girl?¡± Jin Rourou gave him a look and without responding, picked up the hem of her dress and dragged her groom away. ¨C Hospital. Chuzheng, without a word, instantly insisted on a full-body examination for Jin Ning. ¡°There¡¯s nothing serious about the injuries on his body, a little treatment will do, but¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± ¡°The patient¡¯s legs are quite severe. Hasn¡¯t he been properly treated? If this continues, it will no longer be just a matter of not being able to stand up; there could be even greater risks¡­¡± Chuzheng¡¯s eyes were heavy as she walked out of the office. If Jin Ning¡¯s legs kept deteriorating, he would be facing the risk of turning to the dark side¡­ Although she felt turning to the dark side wasn¡¯t necessarily bad, after all, nothing couldn¡¯t be solved by locking up, but¡­ It would pose risks to Jin Ning¡¯s body. This was a bit troublesome. Chuzheng pushed open the door to the ward, Jin Ning looked over, ¡°You¡¯re making a big deal out of nothing; it¡¯s just a bruise, no need for hospitalization.¡± How much damage could Old Master Jin really do. ¡°He hit you and you didn¡¯t know to dodge?¡± Jin Ning¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°I forgot, you can¡¯t dodge,¡± Chuzheng said, ¡°So, have you decided, do you want to treat your legs?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jin Ning lowered his head, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not here to discuss it with you, I¡¯m notifying you.¡± I gave you the chance to think it over; that was my kindness. It turns out you can¡¯t be too kind with Good Person Cards, ¡°You¡¯ll start treatment when you get back.¡± Jin Ning parted his lips, ¡°You don¡¯t have the right¡­¡± Chuzheng asked leisurely, ¡°Need to read the contract again?¡± Jin Ning, ¡°¡­¡± That tyrannical contract had no legal force whatsoever!! Chapter 458 - Chapter 458: Chapter 458 Golden Tycoon (23) Chapter 458: Chapter 458 Golden Tycoon (23) Jin Rourou visited Jin Ning later, full of apologies. She hadn¡¯t expected Old Master Jin to be so extreme. Chuzheng expressed no opinion or comment on this. But the next day, Jin Ning heard that Old Master Jin was injured, and so was his cousin. If someone hadn¡¯t found them in time, they might have died. ¡°Did you do this?¡± Jin Ning didn¡¯t phrase it as a question. Chuzheng paused while drinking water, playing dumb, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Old Master Jin and my cousin.¡± ¡°What happened to them?¡± Chuzheng asked, her expression unchanged. ¡°The old man was injured, the cousin nearly lost his life.¡± Jin Ning stared at Chuzheng, trying to read something from her face. They didn¡¯t die, huh. What a pity. Chuzheng felt a tinge of regret in her heart but remained calm as she put down the glass, ¡°It¡¯s karma.¡± They deserved it for bullying you! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï Jin Ning was suspicious, ¡°It wasn¡¯t you?¡± Chuzheng turned her head, ¡°What does it have to do with me?¡± Jin Ning hesitated, could it really be just an accident? Jin Ning didn¡¯t believe it. Accidents aren¡¯t that coincidental. Especially when it involves two people who have conflicts with oneself, both having accidents at the same time. Soon, Jin Ning received news of a third accident. Wei Linxuan had an accident as well. Chuzheng insisted it had nothing to do with her, everything was karma. Jin Ning couldn¡¯t find any evidence and eventually had to let it go. ¡°Let¡¯s go back tomorrow,¡± Jin Ning said. His main reason for coming here was to attend Jin Rourou¡¯s wedding. With all the unpleasantness, he didn¡¯t want to stay any longer. ¡°In a few days,¡± Chuzheng said, ¡°I still have things to do.¡± The mission target isn¡¯t taken care of yet. One must be serious in life. You can¡¯t give up halfway! I said I would take care of you, and I will! ¡°What is it?¡± Jin Ning was curious, since she came into his life, he hadn¡¯t seen her do anything substantial. ¡°Personal matters.¡± I¡¯m a cold-hearted assassin! ¡°¡­¡± Jin Ning fell silent for a few seconds, ¡°Miss Chuzheng, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s unfair?¡± ¡°What¡¯s unfair about it?¡± Go ahead and say it. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to change anyway. ¡°You know everything about me, but I know nothing about you.¡± Chuzheng said earnestly, ¡°You know my name.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Must you play word games? Jin Ning, ¡°You know what I mean.¡± Chuzheng, ¡°¡­¡± As an assassin with professional integrity, how could I reveal my identity? What if I scare off my Good Person Card? What if he doesn¡¯t like me anymore? What if he thinks I¡¯m a bad person? What if he won¡¯t let me touch his hair? I can¡¯t tell! Chuzheng racked her brains and couldn¡¯t come up with a good reason. This is asking too much of poor little me! Jin Ning sat on the hospital bed, looking up at her with a face that could turn the world upside down, wearing the uniform hospital gown with an unusual quality. His hair was soft and droopy from just waking up, looking docile and seemingly begging to be touched. Chuzheng blinked. Just a touch¡­ that couldn¡¯t hurt, right? I¡¯ll just¡­ touch it once. Chuzheng¡¯s gaze roamed restlessly between Jin Ning¡¯s hair and face, contemplating her approach. Suddenly, Chuzheng closed in on the hospital bed with lightning speed. Jin Ning instinctively leaned back, caught by Chuzheng with one arm wrapped around his waist and the other hand placed by his side. The face in Jin Ning¡¯s eyes rapidly enlarged. Then his cheek felt warm. She had just drunk water and her lips were still moist. Jin Ning¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Chuzheng¡¯s hand at his waist moved up slowly, touching the hair she had longed for. It was indeed soft. But her kiss was soft, too. Jin Ning was pressed down by Chuzheng. Her serene scent wrapped around his nose, spreading all the way to the tip of his heart, and couldn¡¯t be dispelled anymore. The beating of his heart seemed to be right beside his ear. As clear as could be. Something in his blood began to stir. Jin Ning came to his senses somewhat, but when he locked eyes with the girl¡¯s attractive brows and eyes, the eyes he¡¯d opened slowly closed again. Chuzheng was half-pressing on him, kissing him a bit wantonly at first, then somewhat absent-mindedly later. It was like she didn¡¯t want to kiss anymore, yet didn¡¯t want to let go of him either. ¡°Enough.¡± Jin Ning finally squeezed out two words. Chuzheng, still seeming to want more, moved her hand from his head to her side, and suddenly dropped it. She said very composedly, ¡°It seems Wei Linxuan got one thing wrong.¡± Jin Ning¡¯s face turned beet red. ¡°Let¡­ go.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chuzheng released her hold, asking considerately, ¡°Do you need me to take you to the bathroom?¡± Jin Ning¡¯s face became even redder: ¡°Get out.¡± Chuzheng nodded and left promptly. Touched his hair, happy, And even got a kiss! Kissing the Good Person Card sure is comfortable. Kiss him more. He will definitely think I¡¯m a good person. Chuzheng couldn¡¯t help but walk with a light step. [¡­] The Good Person Card would think you¡¯re a hooligan! No! Right now, it also thinks Miss Sister is a hooligan, one pretending to be serious, a cultured scoundrel, a well-dressed rogue! No one knows Miss Sister¡¯s true face. The King¡¯s Account is crying its eyes out. This is a sad story. ¨C The room fell quiet, and Jin Ning took a deep breath. He looked down at a certain part of himself with mixed feelings. He clenched and then unclenched his fist, finally covering himself with a blanket, refraining from doing anything indecent. But Chuzheng was different. As soon as she came in, she asked, ¡°Do you need to change your pants?¡± Incredibly straightforward! As if she wasn¡¯t a girl at all! ¡°No need.¡± Jin Ning clenched his teeth, his ears red: ¡°Why¡­ why did you kiss me?¡± I wanted to touch your hair so you wouldn¡¯t struggle, that¡¯s why! Always so clever! [Miss Sister, just shut up!] If you say that out loud, the Good Person Card will block you in a minute, believe it or not. Unable to express herself freely, Chuzheng could only say, ¡°You seemed very kissable.¡± [¡­] Oh heavens! Oh earth! What kind of rogue line is that! It never taught such a rogue line! Acting like a rogue with a straight face. Truly a beast in gentleman¡¯s clothing! Jin Ning: ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Jin Ning didn¡¯t want to stay in the hospital. Chuzheng handled the discharge procedures, then booked a room in a nearby hotel. However, ever since Chuzheng had kissed Jin Ning, Jin Ning had been avoiding her, not daring to meet her eyes. As soon as she came in, he would either feign sleep or play with his phone. Chuzheng didn¡¯t mind; as long as he was hers, that was all that mattered. Cajole? What a joke. She was a cold-blooded assassin. How could she go about coaxing someone? Such a loss of face! Jin Ning avoided Chuzheng for two days, then suddenly realized she wasn¡¯t around him much anymore. Was it because his attitude was too cold and she got angry? But Jin Ning didn¡¯t know what to do either. He had never encountered such a tricky situation before. Even when he dealt with huge murder cases, facing vicious criminals, he didn¡¯t feel like he did now. Anxious, restless, at a loss. Various emotions pressed down on him so heavily that he could hardly breathe. What made him even more distraught was that every night, he dreamed of her, With tender, sorrowful entanglements, so realistically imagined as if they truly happened, and then waking up in the morning, utterly embarrassed. Chapter 459 03-25 - Chapter 459: Chapter 459 Golden Tycoon (24) Chapter 459: Chapter 459 Golden Tycoon (24) Chuzheng accomplished the mission and sent the results to Ah Hua. She stepped into the hotel in sync with the midnight chimes. Just stepping out of the elevator, she saw a vaguely familiar figure hurrying ahead. This person was none other than Lin Yan. Lin Yan looked back warily, and Chuzheng immediately retreated into the still-open elevator. That was close. Chuzheng peeked out and saw that Lin Yan had vanished, so she immediately exited. Following Lin Yan, who finally stopped at a room door, knocked, and went inside. Click¡ª Chuzheng quickly hid around the corner. Lin Yan was pushed out, ¡°Don¡¯t come looking for me again, our cooperation is terminated.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Lin Yan checked her surroundings and lowered her voice, ¡°Give me one more chance, this time it¡¯s real.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï ¡°Last time¡¯s incident has already sounded the alarm for him, I don¡¯t want to take risks, Miss Lin, goodbye.¡± The room¡¯s door was mercilessly closed from inside. Lin Yan bit her red lip, appearing unwilling to give up. Chuzheng waited for Lin Yan to leave before texting Ah Hua to ask what the Boss was up to lately. Of course, the wording wasn¡¯t exactly like that. Did Lin Feng and his sister find another opportunity? Ah Hua replied that the Boss had no special plans recently. Ah Hua, who ran errands for the Boss and sided with Chuzheng, also needed the Boss¡¯s trust. If he said there were no special plans, unless the Boss was keeping it from everyone, then it was indeed true there were no plans. What scheme was Lin Yan concocting? Chuzheng glanced at the room door and covertly used another phone to tattle to the Boss, sending over the video she just recorded. Words were baseless; a video was proof, which was far more convincing. No matter what scheme you¡¯re plotting, I¡¯ll take you down first! Strike first, gain the upper hand. It would be even better if I could finish you off. How much trouble that would save! Ah. Too bad, eliminating you means going back in time, which is troublesome. ¨C [Main Task: Please acquire Rongsheng Enterprise within one day.] Chuzheng was unfazed and did not respond. She had become accustomed to it. Truly accustomed. If Bastard didn¡¯t issue tasks, it wouldn¡¯t be Bastard. But one day¡­ This Bastard is simply insane!! In the past, buying a company at least allowed several days¡¯ time, but now there¡¯s only one day. Is it right to prey on someone as fragile and helpless as I am? [¡­]Is Miss misunderstanding the word ¡°fragile and helpless,¡± or misunderstanding something about herself? Fragile and helpless has nothing to do with you! If you¡¯re fragile and helpless, then is there anyone in the world who is? Under the pressure of time, Chuzheng didn¡¯t even return to the hotel but directly ordered room service for Jin Ning. Indulging in a shopping spree non-stop, Bastard¡¯s adjective was not misused at all. I want to chop him to pieces! [¡­]Scared, trembling, holding onto my little tail tightly. ¨C Rongsheng Enterprise was at a critical juncture, and only after looking it up did Chuzheng realize she could go there with money and be the boss¡ªthe reason why Bastard set such a short time¡­ Chuzheng thought about it in secret. This time constraint seems to be related to the difficulty of the task. It also relates to the distance from a shopping spree. As for other relationships, Chuzheng didn¡¯t know yet. Maybe it¡¯s just that Bastard is pleased and decides to do whatever he wants. After all, Bastard doesn¡¯t seem like any good bird with integrity, saying he would double¡­ No, that he would turn coat on a whim. Chuzheng didn¡¯t know what use it was to become the boss of a company that was about to go under. [Miss, if you go there, Rongsheng won¡¯t go under!]King¡¯s Account cheerfully reminded. ¡°¡­¡± Haha. I¡¯m going to give money, of course, it won¡¯t go under. Chuzheng walked into the lobby of Rongsheng Enterprise, glanced around, and approached the front desk. ¡°Is Director Zhou available?¡± ¡°No time.¡± The receptionist responded without raising her head, her tone somewhat impatient as the phone at her side rang incessantly while she constantly picked it up and put it down. ¡°I need to see your Director Zhou,¡± Chuzheng said in an even tone. ¡°I told you¡ªDirector Zhou¡­¡± The receptionist looked up, met Chuzheng¡¯s face, and hesitated, ¡°You¡­ What do you need with Director Zhou?¡± The girl opposite her had an extraordinary demeanor and didn¡¯t seem like an ordinary person. The receptionist did have that much discernment. Chuzheng maintained a serious attitude, ¡°To save your company.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Chuzheng followed the person leading the way upstairs. Inside the CEO¡¯s office, it was also a hub of activity, with the sound of telephones ringing nonstop in the chaotic environment. Chuzheng walked through the office area, arriving at a comparatively quiet corridor ahead. The door of the meeting room swung open abruptly, and several people came out. ¡°Mr. Jin, we will think it over,¡± they said. The other party¡¯s attitude was cold, ¡°Who dares to take over now? Director Zhou, think carefully, the one pressed for time isn¡¯t me.¡± ¡°Understood, certainly,¡± Director Zhou replied. ¡°I¡¯ll see Mr. Jin out.¡± ¡°No need.¡± The two parties parted ways at the meeting room door, only to turn around and see a young girl standing not far away. Old Master Jin had a firm impression of her. On the spot, disregarding his own dignity, he forcefully took Jin Ning, that good-for-nothing away. It¡¯s said to be Jin Ning¡¯s girlfriend¡­ Old Master Jin looked at Chuzheng from all angles with displeasure. Old Master Jin was even wrapped in gauze. [Miss, how can you not even spare an old man!] Who made him mess with my Good Person Card. [¡­] In Chuzheng¡¯s eyes, there are no distinctions for elders or children, anyone who offends her gets dealt with! Old Master Jin, despite his injuries, came to Rongsheng Enterprise in person, showing he was not as indifferent as he claimed to be. Was this Bastard task intended to kill him with anger? I¡¯m already crazy with grief and you have the audacity to blame me? Who gave you the courage! [¡­] Disappear, disappear, disappear. Old Master Jin carried himself with the air of a big shot and huffed coldly as he left with his entourage. He didn¡¯t think Chuzheng could stir up any troubles. But he clearly underestimated Chuzheng. In just over two hours, Old Master Jin received news that Rongsheng Enterprise had changed hands. And that person was none other than the girl he looked down upon at the bottom of his heart. She did nothing but raise the offer again and again. While others schemed ways to lower the price, she did the opposite by raising it. Rongsheng Enterprise, desperate for money to survive, had no choice but to agree. It was said that Old Master Jin was so angry that he ended up hospitalized. ¨C ¡°Jin Ning, you come out here!¡± The door to the hotel was being knocked continuously, rudely and without any manners. The person on the couch irritably pulled the blanket over their head. Who¡¯s this impolite so early in the morning! She¡¯s not called Jin Ning, ah! Why come knocking here! ¡°Jin Ning, you damn well come out!¡± Bang bang bang¡ª Chuzheng suddenly sat up from the sofa. She looked over to the bed, Jin Ning had also been woken up by the noise, propping up his body, looking towards the door, and shifting his gaze to her when he saw she was awake. Their gazes met in the air. The girl¡¯s hair was a disheveled mess, but her expression was as cold as ice in the dead of winter, giving off an extremely fierce vibe. All of a sudden, she stood up, ignoring the noise outside, and closed in on the side of the bed. While Jin Ning had a slight frown with a hint of puzzlement, she pinned him down and kissed him fervently for a long time. ¡°Are they very noisy?¡± Chuzheng suddenly asked. Jin Ning, still dazed from the kissing, didn¡¯t respond. ¡°I¡¯ll go take care of them.¡± Then the girl let go of him, put on a jacket, and went to open the door with a fierce momentum. Chapter 460 03-25 - Chapter 460: Chapter 460 Golden Tycoon (25) Chapter 460: Chapter 460 Golden Tycoon (25) Bang¡ª The door was slammed shut forcefully. Jin Ning struggled to sit up from the bed, his body uncomfortably hot and restless. He tugged at his pajamas, subconsciously licking his lips, which seemed to retain her warmth and scent. It was a fascinating sensation for him. There was no sound from outside. Jin Ning¡¯s mind suddenly replayed the last sentence she had said, and alarm bells went off inside him. However, the moment he looked up, he noticed that the wheelchair had been placed far away from the bed. Jin Ning hadn¡¯t paid much attention before. Every morning when he got up, it was she who pushed the wheelchair over to him. But now that he thought about it carefully, she pushed the wheelchair away every evening¡­ That behavior wasn¡¯t quite normal. Fortunately, his cell phone was still there, so he called Chuzheng. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã? A girl¡¯s voice, shallow and calm, came from the phone. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything rash,¡± Jin Ning said. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Chuzheng denied. ¡°What happened? Those people outside came for me.¡± ¡°No, you heard wrong,¡± she said. ¡°¡­I heard it,¡± he insisted. ¡°Hallucinations can occur when you get up in the morning, you heard wrong,¡± Chuzheng stressed. ¡°I¡­¡± Beep beep beep¡ª The call was disconnected. Jin Ning sat on the bed, bewildered. How could he have hallucinated and heard wrong? She had just kissed him! Jin Ning had, after all, worked at the police station, and even if his body was weak, his intelligence and judgment were still intact. Was she trying to fool him?! And she did it blatantly. She didn¡¯t care about his opinion at all. What she said went. Just like she had said before¡ª ¡°If I want it to have legal effect, it will.¡± ¨C Next door. Chuzheng hung up the phone. Several people were squatting in front of her, shivering like sieves, some with barely audible sobs. ¡°This is your last warning. If you dare to harass Jin Ning again, I have a way to deal with the entire Jin Family,¡± she said with an icy voice that flowed through the room. Each word was like a boulder, crashing down on the hearts of these people. Fear, dread¡­ All sorts of emotions were nearly drowning them. The woman in front of them was too terrifying. Yet the girl spoke indifferently, ¡°Go back and tell that old man, life is short, don¡¯t seek death, cherish your life.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Did you understand?¡± The several people nodded furiously: ¡°Understood, understood.¡± [Little Fairy, didn¡¯t you say you were going to take care of them?] If you help me get rid of the bodies, I will do it. Are you willing? Chuzheng was somewhat hopeful. [As if I was never here.] As expected, one shouldn¡¯t trust Little Fairy¡¯s words. If she really wanted to do it, she probably wouldn¡¯t say it. The things she says out loud are not necessarily going to happen; it¡¯s all just to fool people. Although Chuzheng didn¡¯t take care of them, These people soon found themselves in the police station. The reason¡ªorganizing prostitution. Because of this, the Jin Family was also pushed into the limelight, as these were people from the Jin Family. And while this was happening, Chuzheng was taking Jin Ning back home. Jin Ning looked at the news message, his eyebrows tightly furrowed. ¡°Was it you who did this?¡± ¡°No.¡± Her denial came swiftly, as usual. ¡°You act a bit extreme,¡± Jin Ning was sure in his heart that it was her doing. ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± Chuzheng asked. ¡°¡­¡± Jin Ning put away his phone, ¡°Your way of doing things doesn¡¯t concern me, but please don¡¯t get me and my family involved.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Chuzheng said with a cold face, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± The implication being: nobody could catch her out. ¨C No matter how much trouble the Jin Family was in, it had nothing to do with them anymore. After returning, Jin Ning and her relationship became somewhat delicate, it wouldn¡¯t be called tense, but it wasn¡¯t harmonious either. Whatever Chuzheng said, he responded indifferently. But he would still sneak a look at her from time to time. Chuzheng turned her face away, ¡°Don¡¯t peek at me.¡± Jin Ning, caught in the act, quickly averted his gaze, insisting that he was just looking at the scenery. ¡°If you want to look, then look,¡± Chuzheng said again, ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jin Ning felt like he was being teased. He wheeled himself back to his room. When he reached the door, he heard her answer a phone call, then came the sound of footsteps; she left without saying goodbye. Jin Ning frowned. Self-willed, extreme in her actions, domineering, and unreasonable. These were the labels Jin Ning now stuck on Chuzheng. Jin Ning even thought she might have some mental illness, yet she seemed completely normal and never showed any signs of losing control like a mentally ill person. But still¡­ He was still fascinated by her. Maddeningly fascinated. [Jin Ning: What does it mean if you dream about the same person all the time?] [Jin Chen: That depends on what you dream about, right?] [Jin Ning: Very intimate things.] [Jin Chen: Oh~ bro, you¡¯ve got spring fever.] [Jin Chen: ¡­Bro, you didn¡¯t defile my Little Fairy, did you!!] [Jin Ning: She¡¯s not yours.] [Jin Chen: Hmph!] ¨C Shanshui Beiyuan. After a series of interrogations, Chuzheng was let in. Ah Hua was waiting for her, and hurriedly approached as she entered: ¡°Sister Chuzheng, there¡¯s been trouble.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± The call she received only told her to come back quickly without specifying what the matter was. ¡°Lin Feng and Lin Yan got into trouble,¡± Ah Hua said. ¡°The Boss is very angry now, and a lot of people have been called back.¡± Chuzheng ¡°¡­¡± The evidence she had given the Boss was not insignificant. It had taken this long to act, the Boss was slipping. Chuzheng followed Ah Hua inside. Sure enough, there were quite a few people standing inside. Moving forward, there were eight chairs, with a few people already seated. The Boss was sitting at the top, looking somewhat grim but with no other apparent emotion. Lin Feng and Lin Yan were tied up, kneeling on the carpet. Lin Feng had been tortured and was covered in bloodstains. Lin Yan looked disheveled but without serious harm. There was one empty chair, and Chuzheng walked towards it with composure. There should have been ten chairs, reserved for the organization¡¯s aces. But since Lin Feng and Lin Yan were kneeling on the ground, two chairs had been removed. ¡°Sit down.¡± The Boss gestured for Chuzheng to take a seat. After Chuzheng sat down, the Boss spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Everyone is here; it¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve all gathered together.¡± The tone of the Boss was almost as if they were there to catch up on old times. The people below each remained silent, showing little emotion. Compared to these well-trained individuals, Chuzheng appeared much more casual, leaning back in her chair, supporting her chin, and looking carelessly at those kneeling on the ground. In this posture, it seemed like she was the Boss. The Boss instead became a spokesperson, representing her. ¡°From the moment you joined the organization, I have told you that your lives belong to the organization and not to harbor any thoughts you shouldn¡¯t have, but there are always some who don¡¯t listen.¡± Lin Feng and Lin Yan couldn¡¯t help but shiver. ¡°You are all people I watched grow up, and I treat you like my own children.¡± ¡°Whatever you need, you don¡¯t have to say it, I will prepare it for you.¡± The Boss spoke slowly. He spoke the truth. If one could overlook the nature of the organization, the Boss really did take great care of this generation, as if they were his children. Money was too easy for them, so whatever they desired, as long as it wasn¡¯t unattainable, would quickly materialize before them. When they were sick, if the Boss was free, he would visit in person and command others to take good care of them. ¡°But¡­¡± His tone grew heavier. ¡°Today, there are still those who have betrayed me.¡± Chapter 461 03-25 - Chapter 461: Chapter 461 Golden Tycoon (26) Chapter 461: Chapter 461 Golden Tycoon (26) ¡°Bring the person up here.¡± The bloodied and mangled individual was dragged forward and thrown in front of Lin Feng and Lin Yan. Lin Yan¡¯s body shuddered, not daring to look at the person. Her fingernails dug fiercely into her palms, her trembling body betraying her fear at the moment. ¡°Now you know fear? Why didn¡¯t you think of that before?¡± the Boss¡¯s voice cooled down, ¡°I wasn¡¯t stingy with you, yet you joined hands against me, Lin Feng, Lin Yan, you two siblings have truly opened my eyes.¡± ¡°Boss¡­¡± Lin Feng¡¯s voice was hoarse, ¡°I didn¡¯t, someone framed us.¡± The Boss walked down the steps. He stood in front of that bloodied and mangled person. ¡°Lin Feng, you¡¯ve followed me for so many years, I thought you should understand how I operate.¡± Lin Feng¡¯s breathing hitched. How could he not understand? The Boss was someone who wouldn¡¯t take action unless he had solid evidence in hand. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï The Boss lifted his foot and stepped on the person¡¯s face. The barely living individual screamed miserably. That sound circulated in the room, chilling to the bone. Apart from the person sitting in the chair, everyone standing around averted their gazes. The Boss¡¯s gaze swept over the room, satisfied with the reaction of the person in the chair. ¡°You colluded with the Qing Gang, coveting my position, huh?¡± ¡°Boss¡­¡± Lin Yan tried to explain. However, the Boss raised his hand, and the side projector displayed an image. Lin Yan saw herself meeting with that person on the screen. Her face drained of blood, and she could no longer utter a word. It was over. Completely over. ¡°I just want to know, why?¡± The Boss¡¯s voice was very low. It was unclear whether he was asking the Lin siblings or himself. Lin Yan¡¯s body was already failing to support her, she collapsed on the ground. Lin Feng gave her a hand, and they leaned on each other. ¡°Why betray me?¡± the Boss suddenly intensified. That look was one Lin Feng and Lin Yan were both familiar with¡ªit was how he expressed his anger. The Boss rarely showed anger; at most, his face would darken, leaving his pleasure and anger inscrutable. But now he was truly angry. ¡°Why?¡± Lin Feng looked up at the Boss. ¡°Heh heh heh¡­¡± A blood-stained face suddenly broke into a smile, ¡°Why¡­ Why indeed! Ever since I got here, she¡¯s always been above me!¡± Lin Feng suddenly pointed at Chuzheng. ¡°Even though my performance was no worse than hers, why did she have to be above me?¡± The hatred in Lin Feng¡¯s eyes was something the original owner had never seen before. It was resentment towards her. Lin Feng, Lin Yan, and Xia Chuzheng joined the organization together. Since they came from the same place, they were supposed to look out for each other. And at first, it was indeed the case. However, as time passed, with the changes in training, one by one, people around them were eliminated due to failures. Xia Chuzheng began to stand out and caught the attention of the higher-ups. Eventually, because of her, all three of them were taken to another place for training. It was as though all his efforts were because of Xia Chuzheng. Even later, when they went on missions together and were jokingly referred to as the ¡°Golden Triangle¡± by the organization. But what he heard the most was how outstanding Xia Chuzheng was. With his self-esteem repeatedly damaged, as a man, how could he stay calm? Chuzheng never expected that Lin Feng¡¯s betrayal of the original owner was simply because the original owner outclassed him¡­ ¡°Do you know why I prefer Chuzheng over you?¡± Boss listened quietly, then asked calmly. ¡°Why?!¡± Lin Feng also wanted to know, ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s better than me.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re too eager for quick success and instant benefits,¡± Boss said. ¡°When you went on tasks together before, on several occasions, it was Chuzheng who turned the situation around. You have the ability, I won¡¯t deny that, but your actions determine how far you can go.¡± He had pointed this out to him long ago. Unfortunately, he had not understood. So he reassigned Chuzheng to prevent him from ruining the person he had high hopes for one day. However, he did not expect Lin Feng to have such thoughts deep down. Lin Feng seemed to realize something, his lips quivering slightly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more I can say at this point,¡± Lin Feng gritted his teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to whatever you decide.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Boss let out a cold laugh. ¡°Brother¡­¡± Lin Yan called him, shivering, ¡°I don¡¯t want to die.¡± Lin Feng glanced at her and finally softened, ¡°This matter has nothing to do with my sister, it was me who forced her, please, Boss, have mercy.¡± Boss lit a cigarette. The room suddenly fell quiet. ¡°Chuzheng.¡± Boss called Chuzheng¡¯s name, ¡°What do you think?¡± His deep gaze fixed on her, would have unsettled anyone else, but Chuzheng seemed oblivious, answering with a flat tone, ¡°Go by the rules.¡± ¡°You heard her,¡± Boss was pleased with Chuzheng¡¯s response, ¡°Rules are rules, and no one is allowed to break them.¡± Lin Feng raised his head, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at Boss, ¡°I¡¯ve done so much for you, can¡¯t you let me off this once for old time¡¯s sake?¡± ¡°If you remembered the rules, you wouldn¡¯t have ended up here.¡± ¨C The evidence was right there, leaving Lin Feng and Lin Yan with no room to argue. Boss called everyone together, intending to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys. To betray him, to betray the organization, was a fate worse than death. After dealing with the traitors, Boss let everyone else go but kept Chuzheng behind. ¡°Chuzheng, I heard you used to like Lin Feng?¡± Boss, puffing on his cigar, asked casually as if making small talk. ¡°That was in the past.¡± The original owner thought her affection was well concealed and undiscoverable, but it seemed that Boss knew everything. Boss glanced at her, crushing the cigar butt into the ashtray, ¡°Those messages were sent by you, weren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°What messages.¡± ¡°The ones related to Lin Feng,¡± Boss said. ¡°Although in our line of work we don¡¯t often talk about rules, such things still require evidence,¡± Chuzheng calmly explained, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me.¡± Boss chuckled softly, ¡°Alright, it doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t admit it. You just need to know that the organization is where you belong, never betray it.¡± My place of belonging¡­ How could it possibly be here. Bullshit! ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be going now.¡± The Good Person Card is still at home. ¡°I heard you took on that task from Jin Ning?¡± Boss mused. ¡°¡­¡± She had reported the mission to the organization, unable to deny it. Boss continued, ¡°Have you earned Jin Ning¡¯s trust?¡± ¡°He has a list in his possession, I need you to find it.¡± ¡°What list?¡± Chuzheng asked. ¡°You need to find that out yourself, I only know he has it, but I¡¯m not clear on what form it takes,¡± he said. Otherwise, the task wouldn¡¯t be so difficult. ¡°How am I supposed to know what I¡¯m looking for?¡± Was this intentional difficulty?! Boss spoke with a hint of depth, ¡°Chuzheng, you¡¯re very clever.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Even if you praise me, I can¡¯t find something when I completely don¡¯t know what it is and without any clues! If it really was found. It wouldn¡¯t be found. It would be fabricated!