Hua Youlin was led to walk step by step by Gu Xiqiao, the warmth their joined hands gradually thawed the ice that had built up in his heart, calming him down.
It was like there was nothing to fear, as long as she was there with him.
And she didn’t ask him anything, not a single word.
Hua Youlin couldn’t help but tighten the grip he had on her hand.
Gu Xiqiao spared him a glance, and then realized something. This child really must be a tsundere.
There was a courtyard in front for them, and Yao Jiamu was already waiting for them the moment he got word that Gu Xiqiao had arrived. He grinned when she appeared in his line of sight, waving. “Boss Bai is waiting in the back room, go on ahead!”
Although he had recognized Boss Bai as his godfather, he was still calling him ‘Boss Bai’ all day long, not changing the way he addressed him at all.
Boss Bai wasn’t concerned by it either, since he was used to being called ‘Boss Bai’ anyway. Being called ‘father’ would be too elegant, and he wouldn’t stand for it, it would be even worse if he was called ‘godfather’ too.
Ever since Gu Xiqiao had cured Boss Bai in that one fell swoop, he had not seen her in person again. Later on, he received a message from Gu Xiqiao to cut off all goods supplied to the Bai family. At that time, Boss Bai felt that Gu Xiqiao was extremely bold, blatantly challenging the Bai family like that, but he didn’t hesitate to follow her instructions.
Although he was a little anxious in the beginning, it was the Bai family after all, how many people can challenge the Bai family and come out alive in the Imperial Capital?
However, seeing Yao Jiamu’s calm look, he was beyond curious, how much confidence did Yao Jiamu have in Gu Xiqiao?
Up till the day when news of the Bai family going bankrupt, and that many of their members had been punished. He was stunned for a long time. How did the Bai family go bankrupt? Were they really destroyed by a girl who was less than twenty? While the outside world was in an uproar, he was also in an unstable state.
As he was once a member of the Bai family, he knew more than anyone, that the most terrifying part of the Bai family was not politics or business, but a mysterious force that even he feared.
But Gu Xiqiao managed to overthrow them without so much as a blink? Needless to say, from that moment on, he had a new understanding of just how strong Gu Xiqiao was.
Not only did she possess the supernatural powers needed to cure his ‘illness’ back then, her methods were also extremely meticulous, covering every corner. Boss Bai felt that she wasn’t any regular being.
“Miss Gu, come and take a look, these are the things that I’ve gotten people to bring over.” Boss Bai waved his hands, signaling for the people to carry out the boxes upon boxes that held antiques in them to the yard for Gu Xiqiao to see.
The yard was full of people who were from the Bai gang, training. All of them were strong in terms of strength, bulky with muscle and they look very intimidating.
Gu Xiqiao glanced at them, then slowly walked toward the antiques. They seem to be all top-grade items, and her slender white fingers grazed and examined the items inside. Suddenly, her finger moved, and a golden tortoise glowing with a cold light was unearthed. She turned to Hua Youlin, narrowing her eyes as she said, “Do you like it?”
“No!” Hua Youline shook his head immediately, with one look you could tell it looked like some gaudy thing that rich people wore, why the heck would he like it?!
“It’s good that you do, this is yours,” Gu Xiqiao muttered to herself, pretending not to have heard him, and shoving the small tortoise into her pockets.
Hua Youlin: “…” Then what was the point of asking me just now?
If the system spirit had heard Hua Youlin’s words, it would definitely retort with: Of course it was just to make a fool out of you, child.
“These things are all customary,” Yao Jiamu said, and thought for a moment before continuing, “I’ll send someone to send it to your home later.”
There were so many antiques, and someone with a discerning eye could tell how valuable it all were with just a glance. The items were definitely not cheap, comparable to an entire fortune of a family in the Imperial Capital. Other than those bigger families, only Boss Bai would be able to spend so much money on procuring these antiques.
The people who were training in the yard had their eyes which were full of admiration trained on Gu Xiqiao. They had never seen her before, so they naturally didn’t know who she was, but looking at how cautious and respectful Boss Bai was treating her, they could tell that she wasn’t any ordinary person.
When Hua Jingya came back, she walked into this scene.
A few days ago, she remembered Boss Bai searching for these things, and she had thought that he was doing it for her sake. She had helped the Bai gang so much after all, giving them medicated baths to triple the strength of the Bai gang’s people. Even Rong Feishuang was surprised, and this was also an area that Hua Jingya was extremely proud of. She was the only one in the world that could make this medicated bath!
The Hua family had been away from the world for a long time, and money was the first resource she needed when they emerged once again. This was the solution she came up with after a month, and so she managed to enter the Bai gang, and her objective was their finances and resources.
But she didn’t expect that Boss Bai would be dimwitted to the extent that he would give all these treasures to Gu Xiqiao. What a waste of all those valuable items on someone who probably didn’t know half the meaning of all these items here!
Hua Jingya let out an angry breath, feeling her heart bleed at the pile of antiques that she saw in front of her. She stood there and stared for a while, and turned to leave without saying anything.
From the corner of her eyes, Gu Xiqiao watched as Hua Jingya left. She turned slowly toward Boss Bai, her eyes bright as she said, “Boss Bai, be careful of vile people and traitors.”
Beware of vile people and traitors? What did that mean?
Boss Bai didn’t really understand her words, and he looked toward Gu Xiqiao, wanting to ask about it, only to find the other once again among the pile of antiques, not elaborating further on her statement.
Boss Bai would always place importance on the words spoken by Gu Xiqiao. For her to say them, there must be a reason behind it.
Vile persons were pervasive and unpredictable, and even if Boss Bai wanted to prepare according to Gu Xiqiao’s words, he would eventually be disrupted and be caught off guard.
Three days later, a group of traitors were uncovered in the Bai gang. There were some from the lower levels, and even the higher levels. They not only flinched money from the gang, they also took away a part of the forces and secrets from the gang. Money was nothing compared to the secrets that were taken, as the secrets itself could potentially bring ruin to the entire gang.
The person who had initiated the rebellion was Hua Jingya, and she took the group of people from the Bai gang to join the Qingyun gang, who was comparable in strength to the Bai gang.
“Miss Hua, welcome to our Qingqyun gang.” The boss of the Qingyun gang was a middle-aged man full of malicious aura. He had a scar that slanted across his face, and a smile that was terrifying. “Boss Bai didn’t see the treasure right in front of his eyes, we definitely won’t be making the same mistake!”
The leader of the Qingyun gang was named Li Xiang. In terms of notoriety, he was more well known than Boss Bai—his methods being extremely bloody and viscous. Even saying his name in the underworld was not encouraged.
During this period, the name Hua Jingya had also spread on the streets, and his plant in the Bai gang informed him that there was a divine doctor in the gang that could make a medicated bath to triple the strength of a person!
Boss Bai didn’t cherish this amazing and alluring opportunity, which indirectly pushed the person to join their Qingyun gang. The boss of the Bai gang who had never been at a disadvantage was also just a human who made mistakes, and Li Xiang’s eyes were full of disdain when he thought about it.
“Miss Hua, word on the street is that you can make this miracle medicated bath…” When Li Xiang mentioned this, the eyes of everyone in the room lit up, their smoldering gaze landing on the young woman.
Hua Jingya enjoyed the attention of everyone in the room on her, and she turned the wine glass in her hands slowly. Taking a breath, she opened her mouth, “Alright, I’ll let you see it tonight.”
At midnight, everyone present was rowdy and excited. The entire Qingyun gang was in a celebration mood and causing an uproar.
Li Xiang looked at the bulging muscles of his subordinates with an extremely pleased and excited smile on his face. “Haha! Miss Hua, you’re really a divine doctor. The day for our Qingyun gang to move forward in the world is not far off now!”
Hua Jingya had a smug smile on her face as she listened to his words. “Moving forward in the world, then for the first step, shouldn’t it be to erase the Bai gang?”
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, the two shared a glance, a sinister smile appearing on their faces as they did so.
The strength of the underworld had shifted, and the Bai gang who used to stand toe-to-toe with the Qingyun gang fell instantly from the ranks. The sudden change in it exploded in the streets, and the people could faintly guess that the underworld of the Imperial City had once again changed, and facing such a time, the most important thing was to know which side to stand on.
And it seemed that almost everyone was standing on the side of the Qingyun gang.
Divine Doctor Hua, the magical medicated bath. These were the only two things that attracted everyone’s attention, what else could be stronger than this?
***
At the same time, the Bai gang was in an uproar. Yao Jiamu had gotten word of it and rushed over with his own people.
Although he had acknowledged Boss Bai as his adoptive father, he didn’t want anything from him, he just wanted to follow behind him to gain experience. Even the smaller gangs that had been relying on the Bai gang had taken advantage of the chaos to join forces with the Qingyun gang, making it more difficult for the Bai gang that is already worse off.
“At this time, it looks like you’re the only one who’s still willing to come.” Boss Bai said, his eyes flashing suddenly.
It had only been a day, and Boss Bai looked like he had aged so much.
Yao Jiamu felt his heart clench when he looked at the older man, and he directed his own men to chase away the mob that had gathered in the nightclub.
Boss Bai’s eyes still held a glint as he straightened up, a little surprised. “Your subordinates are pretty good.”
“Of course.” Yao Jiamu was proud when this fact was mentioned, these were the people who had trained with the techniques that Gu Xiqiao had given them after all, so their strength was definitely not comparable to other regular people.
“Young Master Yao, please have some tea,” Ah Gen said respectfully, pouring him a cup of tea.
“Pfft, you still have the heart to be drinking tea at this time.” A sneer came from outside the door, and a man walked in after. He had a shaved head, and a large green dragon tattoo on his neck. This was the Bai gang’s former division leader, an orphan that Boss Bai had taken in—Bai Jianbin. He should be filled with gratitude toward Boss Bai, and it was unexpected that he would betray the older man like this.
Yao Jiamu glanced at Boss Bai subconsciously. He knew that Boss Bai didn’t have any children, and had always seen Bai Jianbin as his own son.
However, there was not a single trace of emotion on Boss Bai’s face, just a cold, chilling indifferent expression as he watched the commotion in front of him.
“B*stard!” Yao Jiamu couldn’t help it, he raised his fist toward Bai Jianbin, knocking him down with a single punch. “You were taken in and raised by Boss Bai, how could you be such a ungrateful dog, Bai Jianbin!”
Bai Jianbin took the punch and went down, but he looked at Yao Jiamu with a look full of disbelief. He had already soaked in the medicinal bath in the Qingyun gang’s place yesterday, so his strength and speed had definitely improved. He didn’t expect that even with that, he was still no match for Yao Jiamu.
Yao Jiamu’s fist had felt like an extremely heavy hammer when it came at him.
Hearing Yao Jiamu’s words, Bai Jianbin spit out the blood in his mouth as he retorted fiercely, “You’re saying that I’m cruel and unscrupulous? What right do you have to say that?! He treats me like a dog without a home to return to! I wanted to take the medicinal bath, and he didn’t agree! I wanted the nightclub, and he didn’t agree either! But whatever he does, he brings you instead, and even acknowledged you as his godson! Gang Leader Li is different. The first person he let into the medicinal bath was me! Compared to Boss Bai, he’s so much more generous!”
“You!” What a useless, brainless dog sh*t! What good can come from a medicinal bath that triples your strength overnight? Didn’t he even stop to think, for whose sake did Boss Bai do everything for!
Yao Jiamu felt his heart go cold for Boss Bai. Even if it were a dog, you would still feel affection for it after ten years of raising it.
“Yao Jiamu, don’t let it get to your head. Gang Leader Li already has the secrets of the Bai gang in his hands. It won’t be long before you guys get jailed, maybe even tomorrow.” Bai Jianbin’s eyes flashed with delight as though he had thought of something happy, and his smile became more and more contemptuous.
“You leaked those secrets?” Yao Jiamu clenched his fist, feeling like even his bones were rattling with anger.
“So what?” Bai Jianbin shot back coldly, scanning the surrounding people in the room. In the end, because he was still afraid of Yao Jiamu, he left with his people. They were just a gathering of some insignificant ants, just wait for tomorrow, they would be the ones crying.
“You guys should go,” After Bai Jianbin left, Boss Bai spoke, “All those who stayed behind are those who have lived and died with me before. There is still some money in the safe, take it and leave tonight, leave the Imperial Capital. Consider it as the last gift as your boss.”
“Boss, I’m not leaving!” Ah Gen exclaimed, shaking his head. He looked around the empty nightclub with a fierce determination in his eyes. “This is my home.”
After his resolute statement, the others were also even more adamant not to leave.
Boss Bai looked at Yao Jiamu last. “They can stay, but you can’t. That Miss Gu of yours really is something else, she could actually predict that there would be traitors in the Bai gang. Being what she is, it won’t be hard for her to help you. Just remember not to dip yourself in the waters of the Imperial Capital after this.”
Wait? What did Boss Bai just say?
Yao Jiamu was stunned. “You said that she predicted this?”
Boss Bai sighed heavily. “The last time she was here, she warned me that there would be vile people and traitors in the gang. I took those words to heart and weeded out a few, and I was especially cautious of Hua Jingya. However, I didn’t expect the person to betray me would turn out to be Bai Jianbin.”
Bai Jianbin had been raised by Boss Bai, and his words were quite high in authority within the Bai gang. He would usually be in the center of tackling any issues that arises within the gang, and he also held countless secrets in his own hands.
When he betrayed the gang, he not only took a part of the gang with him, but he also took those secrets with him, landing a big blow on Boss Bai that had taken him by surprise.
Boss Bai had always regarded Bai Jianbin as his own son, who would have expected him to be the one to betray the Bai gang?
“Boss Bai, wait a moment!” Yao Jiamu’s eyes burst with hope as he pulled out his phone in a hurry, making a call. The call connected after a single ring.
A clear, melodious and cold voice came through the phone, and Yao Jiamu felt inexplicably moved when he heard the familiar voice. “Miss Gu, something has happened in the Bai gang.”
***
Hearing that it was Yao Jiamu’s voice coming through, Gu Xiqiao scratched her nose. “I understand, wait a while, I’m coming soon.”
Gu Xiqiao hung up the phone, and called out toward the upstairs, “Brother Jiang, I’m going out for a bit!”
“Bring Xixi.” Jiang Shuxuan replied to her comment, reminding her. By the excited tone in her voice, he knew that she had found something interesting to play with again. And so that was the reason he let her go, as long as she didn’t bring down the entire Imperial Capital.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a problem even if she did demolish the entire Imperial Capital.
Xixi opened its wings to fly over to Gu Xiqiao’s shoulder immediately, and Gu Xiqiao gave it a look. “Don’t make any noise later.” Boss Bai and the others were regular people, it would give them a heart attack.
“I know, Beauty Qiao. Let’s go let’s go let’s go!” Xixi squawked out as it glanced at Haha smugly.
Haha ignored its gaze, taking a drink of water from the bowl. Haha even turned purposefully, letting Xixi see its behind instead.
Xixi: … Using this trick every time, is it meaningful anymore?
Haha: It doesn’t need to be a new trick, as long as it’s useful. ^_^
When she arrived at the nightclub, Gu Xiqiao was stunned. The floor of the nightclub was empty, while the luxurious ballroom and bars, tables, and chairs were all in a mess.
Yao Jiamu thought that she was in shock, and immediately moved to reassure her. “It’s okay, only the things were smashed, no one was hurt.”
Gu Xiqiao glanced at him, replying quietly, “How much money will it take to repair all this…”
The corner of Yao Jiamu’s mouth twitched a little. ‘… You were worried about this?!’
“Little Yao, you can take all of this.” Boss Bai and a group of people appeared from the upstairs, with Ah Gen following behind him, holding a safe in his hands. “There are also a few antiques in here, you can have any that you like, Miss Gu. It was originally intended for you in the first place.”
“Boss Bai, what are you intending to do?” Gu Xiqiao asked, blinking. Why did it sound like he was instructing for things after his funeral?
“The Bai gang is going to be dissolved.” Boss Bai sighed, looking around the club.
Seeing Xixi flying around the safe in Ah Gen’s hands, Gu Xiqiao was getting dizzy from its antiques, so she reached out to smack it down before turning to Boss Bai, a smile on her lips. “What are you talking about Boss Bai, we’re just about to begin.”
With those words from her, Yao Jiamu finally felt some relief enter his heart as he breathed a sigh of relief, his tensed shoulders relaxing. He knew that she already had a plan, from the way she was acting.
“Miss Gu, what do you mean?” Boss Bai was lost for words, astonishment on his face.
“I say, how about absorbing the Qingyun gang into the Bai gang?” Gu Xiqiao’s eyes swept around. “At the moment, there seems to be twenty three members left in the Bai gang. I believe that they’re all your elite subordinates, staying by your side in life and death situations. I don’t need to ask anymore about the degree of their loyalties, nor where they lie. So, Boss Bai, answer me this, do you want to spread the Bai gang across the globe?”
This girl in front of him stood with a lazy expression on her face. Her gaze was clear and bright, filled to the brim with quiet confidence. She wasn’t even twenty years old yet, and nothing could conceal her youthfulness, and yet here she stood, speaking without reserve about expanding the Bai gang across the world?!
When Boss Bai finally processed the words that had been said, he almost couldn’t hold in the burst of laughter that threatened to come from his mouth. What a bold and impressive declaration! He met those clear eyes with his own, and said, “Miss Gu, I know that you have done impossible feats, but…” He sighed, gesturing to the messed up nightclub around them, trying to make her see the reality in front of them all. “Look at the state the Bai gang is in now. We have so few people left, and the life of the Bai gang is basically in the hands of the Qingyun gang already. I can hardly even protect myself, much less the gang.”
Spreading and expanding across the globe? That was just too wishful thinking.
“The remaining people are the ones that I want,” Gu Xiqiao replied, flashing him a smile. “Boss Bai, tonight, I invite you to watch a great show. After that, let me know your decision.”
Boss Bai was bewildered, he opened his mouth as though to say something, but Gu Xiqiao turned around. “Xiao Mutou, call Luo Wenlang. Get him to send me what I want; this uncle, run to the police station for me; Ah Gen, find me a laptop that I can use, as long as it’s able to run…”
She listed her orders clearly, and after Yao Jiamu finished his call, he pulled up a chair and table for her.
***
Luo Wenlang was cooking for Luo Wenlin at home. Yu Ning and Mu Zong were also there with them.
After the short call, Luo Wenlang instructed Yu Ning, “Go to the study and send the thing on my laptop to Boss Gu!”
“Using me as a slave just because he’s feeding me!” Yu Ning muttered under his breath, getting up to send the items to Gu Xiqiao as instructed without further complaint. At a glance, he saw a compressed folder labeled with ‘Boss Gu’s Special File’, and he attached it and sent it off to Gu Xiqiao.
After he sent it off, he unzipped the file and looked through it, a stupefied look on his face. “Luo Wenlang, these boring things are the reason you’ve been so busy lately?”
“Can’t help it, if Boss Gu has an order, you wouldn’t dare to object, right?” Luo Wenlang also had a suffering expression on his face. Recently, Mu Zong had taken the dealings of international affairs from him, so he was free. And that was when he was snapped up by Gu Xiqiao to do this work.
“She really doesn’t attend to her actual work, it’s almost been a week since she stepped foot into Nine Heavens. I’m confident she has found something new to play with!” Yu Ning pouted.
Luo Wenlang brought out another dish, adding his agreement to Yu Ning’s words. Mu Zong took the dish and set it on the table, giving them a light smile. “Miss Gu is old at heart, you guys have to understand.”
Yu Ning: …
Luo Wenlang: …
***
At the same time, at the Qingyun gang’s base.
“Boss Bai has sent people to the police.” Bai Jianbin reported, as he had been the one paying attention to the movement of Boss Bai and the remaining members, his eyes dancing mockingly.
“The police?” sneered a brawny man with a white tiger tattoo on his body who stood beside Li Xiang. “Don’t tell me he intends to report it to the police, and let them call the shots? When did Boss Bai become so naive?”
As soon as the words were said, everyone else who was sitting down below roared with laughter. A gang leader taking the initiative to find the police, what a joke!
Li Xiang sipped on a glass of wine, letting out a sigh. “The only pity is Yao Jiamu, he’s such a talent.”
“What pity? Just wait for him to kneel to you and cry for mercy!”
“All of this has to be credited to our Miss Hua.” Li Xiang said, raising a glass to Hua Jingya.
Hua Jingya smiled, but before she could reply to that, she was interrupted by a young man who staggered in from the door. “There’s a bunch of police officers outside!”