She deserved this?
Peng Zixian’s crying suddenly stopped. Looking up at the cold, impassive man in front of her, she couldn’t believe the words that had come out from his mouth.
Shouldn’t he be doubting Gu Xiqiao? Why was he reacting this way?
Gu Xiqiao reached out to poke Jiang Shuxuan on the back. “Brother Jiang, let’s go in…”
She had said that she would give Peng Zijie two days, so she would keep her word.
Jiang Shuxuan paused, they were in a public area, and it was an extremely rare day where Gu Xiqiao was very happy. He didn’t want any bloodshed to happen today. And so with a gesture of his finger, he led her into the mall.
***
In an area not far away, Murong Feiye was lost in his thoughts. He had known Jiang Shuxuan for a very long time, and he had never seen any other expression on his face before.
In his eyes, Jiang Shuxuan was calm and collected no matter what situation he found himself in. Even when the Japanese had come to provoke the ancient martial arts world in China, there had been no changes in his expression. With just a man with a sword, the pinnacle-stage ninja was easily cut down by his blade.
But today, he had actually seen the fire in his eyes?
Murong Feiyue couldn’t bear to keep this information to himself, so he made a call to Tang Qingqiu. As soon as the call got through, he spoke, “Qingqiu, I need ta tell you something fun…”
“If you have anything to say, I’ll listen to it later. I’m not free right now.” Tang Qingqiu hung up straight after he said that.
Murong Feiyue was left dumbfounded, staring at the phone in his hand. He seemed to have heard a female voice on the other side of the call, it was clear, melodious yet a little cold.
Dang.
Why did it seem like all those rough, single men all had found their youthful springtime after he had returned to the country?
***
Peng Zixian was dragged to Peng Zijie by two men in black.
No matter how angry and frustrated he felt toward her, Peng Zixian was still his little sister. After Peng Zijie finished his cigarette, he blew out a puff of smoke before slowly opening his mouth to speak, “Zixian, I have already arranged everything. You’ll be taking a private jet to America tonight.”
Hearing his words, Peng Zixian’s initial lifeless eyes flashed with a determined light.
***
Gu Xiqiao had bought a lot of clothes for Hua Youlin before returning.
Hua Youlin had never seen such a high-end community before, so when he was brought here by Gu Xiqiao, he was a little confused. But then he was quickly distracted by another thing, there were two pets on the left side of the door.
It was a white dog, and a flaming red bird.
“Chirp chirp chirp!” (Stupid dog, hurry up and come see!)
Haha lifted its head lazily. “Woof.” (A person.)
“Chirp chirp chiiiiiirp!” (Look, look at how Beauty Qiao is rubbing his head, rubbing his head! Ahhh not another coquettish bitch!)
Haha was indifferent as it responded coldly, “Woof woof woof.” (Whatever you say, whatever you say.)
Xixi continued on, not thinking there was anything wrong with the way Haha responded to it. “Chirp chirp?” (I’ve been dealt a painful blow, I want to be hugged, to be kissed, and raised high in the air!)
And it finally felt the cold, indifference that Haha had directed at it. “Chirp chirp chiiiiiirp?” (Why are you ignoring me when I’m talking to you? I only have you left now!)
“Woof woof woof.” (I love watching TV, it makes me feel the happiest when I’m watching.)
Xixi: … Stupid trash dog Haha!
“Miss Gu, what are they doing?” Hua Youlin asked as he pointed toward the TV, feeling a bit out of it. There was nobody in the room, but the TV was on? And it looked like the dog was watching the TV?
Was that for real, or was this to pull his leg?
Gu Xiqiao glanced at Haha and Xixi, and then she rubbed Hua Youlin’s head again as she laughed lightly. “Silly boy, they’re watching TV of course.” Then she turned toward Xixi. “Xixi, come greet Brother Youlin.”
Xixi responded reluctantly, “Hello Brother Youlin. Beauty Qiao, I’m hungry!”
It had a completely human expression on its face.
Youlin, who was startled out of his wits: Why are there still monsters after the founding of the nation[1]!
“I’ll let you eat soon.” Gu Xiqiao was satisfied with Xixi, and seeing Jiang Shuxuan come in with a pile of clothes, she asked, “Brother Jiang, did you give Xixi food this afternoon?”
When Jiang Shuxuan heard this as he walked in, he shifted his darkened gaze onto Xixi.
Xixi’s mind went blank at that, and it squawked, “Quack? What am I doing here? Why am I here?”
Haha, who sat beside it: What do I do if my neighbor is constantly retarded?
Gu Xiqiao picked up a bag of clothes and led Hua Youlin to the bath. Huo Youlin was still a little tensed up, and Gu Xiqiao was afraid that he wouldn’t know how to use the things in the bathroom, and explained to him in a lowered voice. Her tone was gentle, and although the expression on her face was cold, Hua Youlin could feel the warmth and kindness radiating off her person, and he felt his own heart warm at the gestures.
He closed the bathroom door and opened the shower, and mist filled the room as the water heated up. Under the warm spray of water, a sense of bitterness well up in his eyes.
At five o’clock in the afternoon, a man dressed in a black suit came to deliver a document. Gu Xiqiao received it and found that it was an entire archive, filling up the blanks of Hua Youlin’s childhood. She read through it and committed each word to memory.
Hua Youlin fell into a deep sleep after taking a bath.
At the same time, the system spirit who had been wandering outside, finally returned home.
“Beauty Qiao, Big Jiang is so scary!” It cried out the moment it reached Gu Xiqiao’s bedroom. “I swear I felt him looking at me the entire time since I walked into the living room, and he just kept on looking at me!”
Gu Xiqiao replied somewhat disdainfully, “Don’t worry, he won’t fall for you.”
System: “…” The point it was trying to emphasize was how could Big Jiang see it!
“What are you doing?” The system spirit asked, noticing that Gu Xiqiao was sitting in front of the computer and tapping away. “Huh? You’re hacking into the Security Department? You didn’t take me with you!” It used to be the system doing these kinds of things for her in the past.
Although it meant that Beauty Qiao was growing up and maturing, the system was happy, but the fact that she didn’t really need the system made it feel a little lost too.
“Lil system, let’s go have some fun.” Gu Xiqiao said as she pressed the ‘Enter’ key, and chuckled at the screen.
***
At eight o’clock that night, Peng Zixian was at the airport. She was wearing a mask, sunglasses, and a coat. It’s not like she had never dressed like this before, since she was a popular star and paid great attention to her privacy. But was this situation the same as previously?
At that time, she was still eye-catching and sought after by thousands of people, but now she was like a lost stray dog.
Fleeing abroad? What a joke, she was the daughter of the Peng family, and now she needed to run away?
“Young Master, the plane is ready.” A bodyguard came over and informed him softly.
Peng Zijie nodded in return. He turned around and looked at Peng Zixian. “Zixian, I paid a high price in order to send you to America. I hope you are able to find a good doctor to heal you.”
“I know, Brother.” Peng Zixian lowered her eyes, hiding the coldness in her eyes.
This was her brother that was related to her by blood, the one who had supreme authority in the Imperial Capital. However, now facing just a single woman, he wanted to send her abroad. He was even thinking of throwing her into jail just this afternoon, were any other brothers all like this?!
“Farewell.” Peng Zijie watched Peng Zixian’s disappearing figure, turning around and sighing.
There were still a lot of things that have yet to be resolved, and dealing with Peng Zixian was just one of the aftermaths. With the information held in Gu Xiqiao hands, he needed to handle that one personally, else he would be in deep trouble. But he wasn’t concerned about all these right now, Peng Zixian was safe abroad, and he has no worries.
Turning around, he looked up to see a familiar figure. The person gave him a faint smile. “Mr. Peng, you’re the one who didn’t keep your word.”
As soon as the words fell, Peng Zijie felt a cold chill up his spine. He snapped his head back and saw Peng Zixian, who had just boarded the plane, being pressed down on the ground in front of him by two black suit men!
When he opened his mouth to say something, he suddenly found someone walking toward them slowly. He was dressed in a crisp white shirt, and his deep eyes were as chilling as the aura that he radiated as he walked. Even when he walked in the darkness of the night, he was particularly eye-catching.
“M-Mr. Jiang.” Peng Zijie now knew why he couldn’t find out anything regarding Gu Xiqiao.
If she was involved with this person, then that would explain everything.
Peng Zijie wanted to say something, but then he caught the hatred that was boiling in Peng Zixian’s eyes when she looked at him. Hatred? Peng Zijie was dumbfounded when he managed to identify the emotion in her eyes, he had done so much for her, and he was even prepared to face the consequences without care for his own wellbeing, and she actually held contempt for him? For whose sake did he sacrifice so much for?
Jiang Shuxuan was acquainted with Peng Zijie. When he had led a few teams from the special forces before, Peng Zijie had been a very promising character. He opened his mouth to speak, “Don’t concern yourself with the what follows after this.”
If a talented person like this disappeared from the country, it would still be a big loss to themselves.
Peng Zijie nodded in a daze, he could feel his heart grow cold. He had exerted so much effort, and what had he got in return? A look full of resentment, aimed at him by the person that he had given his all for.
***
Peng Zixian, who was being held in prison, had collapsed to the ground completely. But no matter how much noise she made, no one paid her any attention.
Finally, she tried softening her tone, begging for the person outside the cell to let her make a call.
The person in prison knew that her identity wasn’t anyone simple, so as long as she stopped making those godforsaken noises, he passed her a phone.
Half an hour later, a middle-aged man in a suit walked in. Seeing Peng Zixian, he asked, “Miss Peng? You were looking for me?”
Peng Zixian grabbed the bars of her prison, looking straight into his eyes. “I know all of Peng Zijie’s secrets. As long as you kill someone for me, I will tell you everything. You will be the sole heir to the Peng family!”
“Why should I believe you?” The man straightened up, a slight interest flashing in his eyes.
“Peng Tao, Peng Zijie is the reason I’m sitting here, rotting in this disgusting place. Is that enough?” Peng Zixian growled out, her teeth gnashing together in anger. After thinking a while, she rattled off an address to Peng Tao.
“Alright, deal!”
Peng Zixian could feel the hope surging up in her, and not only hated Xiao Yun now, she also felt a healthy dose of hate toward Gu Xiqiao.
So what if she was in prison? The corners of her mouth quirked up as she smiled darkly. She could still kill her somehow!
Her uncle’s methods were so underhanded and vicious, once you fell into his hands, it was almost impossible to get away!
Peng Zixian waited for news with satisfied feelings, and when the call finally came, she didn’t expect to hear Peng Tao’s angry voice coming from it. “Peng Zixian, I really must have lost my mind to believe your words! Gu Xiqiao is an ordinary person? Do you know who the person she was with?! The Jiang family!!”
Peng Tao hung up roughly without saying anything further.
And Peng Zixian, who had been waiting in anticipation for good news, was left with a stiff, cold smile on her lips.
The prison door opened with a ‘creak’, and she turned, meeting a grim, solemn face.
She was startled, and before she could react, a blinding white light flashed in front of her, and she felt a sharp pain through her hand.
Her voice was muted, and she couldn’t make any sound when she tried to shout.
Jiang Shuxuan glanced at the figure that was rolling around on the ground, a frosty glare in his deep onyx eyes.
“Jiang, that was some big move.” It was the same lingering, slightly awkward voice that spoke. “When Qingqiu mentioned that you even went against the heavens, I thought he was just exaggerating.” Looking at what was in front of him, it clearly was not an exaggeration at all, in fact, it didn’t do it any justice at all.
Murong Feiyu’s heart skipped a beat. “Was this for the sake of the lady in the afternoon?” He had thought that Jiang Shuxuan was just fooling around.
He had expanded so much effort just for the sake of that girl? First he used his own power and connections to intimidate the Peng family, then he came in person to torture a person, turning her hope into despair.
He was really serious about this. Murong Feiye’s eyes widened just a fraction as he came to this realization.
Only Peng Zixian was left on the ground of the dim, dirty prison. He wasn’t even sure if she was still alive. Murong Feiyue was silent for a while, before pulling out his phone and making a call. It was picked up after two rings.
His lips curled slightly. “Miaoxue, I have good news and bad news.”
“Bad news first.” Murong Miaoxue, who had just exited the training tower, wiped the sweat off her face as she replied.
“There seems to be an extra person standing at Shuxuan’s side, it looks like your chances are even slimmer now.” Murong Feiye said slowly. “However, it seems like that person isn’t someone from the ancient martial arts world, so you have an advantage there. Of course, provided that demon girl actually gives up, you probably won’t have a snowball’s chance in hell anyway.”
Hearing those words, Murong Miaoxue was startled for a bit, before saying softly, “Cousin, you’re wrong. Even though she isn’t from the ancient martial arts world, she’s far more terrifying than Jiang Tong.”
[1] T/N: The term originated from the ban circulating from the administration of radio, film and tv in 2014. ‘After the founding of China, animals are not allowed to be trained to be refined (i.e human-like)’. The internet often used this term to tease animals that are cute and smart and often act like humans among others, later on.