In ten minutes, Chen Qing had thrown away nearly 300,000.
But—it felt amazing!
Satisfying to the utmost!
Apart from the pack who'd killed him, the one Chen Qing hated most was Huang Xue's household.
The other two were Chen Shan and Chen Kuan.
They'd vanished without a trace, gone for six years.
But in the last life, three days before the Blood Moon, Chen Kuan had actually come home.
He'd left two paper blades and two sets of paper armor.
It was precisely on that gear that Chen Qing and Chen Man had survived to the third Blood Moon.
Only, that day both brothers happened to be out, and they'd missed him. Never even saw his face.
Maybe they had their reasons. But abandoning the two of them for six years!
Chen Qing had been no more than a grade-schooler when they left!
Raising Chen Man alone—the hardship of it beggared imagining.
Chen Qing hated it!
Hated that Chen Kuan hadn't even come to see him once.
Hated that they'd never offered a single word of explanation!
Even just "I had my reasons" would have been enough!
But not one word.
Not even one look.
His thoughts churned.
Once the attendants had tidied the room, Chen Qing turned his gaze to the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda.
Just now he hadn't taken the cash from the safe—he'd drawn it straight from the pagoda.
Having reached the Soul-Stir realm, he could let his spiritual qi seep outward and retrieve objects across space.
Paying it no more mind, Chen Qing sank back into cultivation.
He had to learn the Black Prison Ghost-Pact Art as soon as possible.
***
Elsewhere, Chenxi walked toward the Areya Hotel, full of hope.
She carried a basket of fruit, carefully decorated, with nine odd little flowers tucked in.
These were Soma flowers, the Yi people's sacred bloom, their flower-language "restrained love, forever yours"—a choice she'd made after sifting through over a hundred kinds. Niche enough not to be common, and the meaning suited perfectly.
After that whole police-station affair, she'd honestly wanted to give up.
But then she heard two pieces of news: the renovation on Chen Qing's home was reportedly near ten million! And Chen Qing had scored a Grade S on the talent test!
The moment she learned this, Chenxi couldn't sit still any longer.
A high-potential stock!
A super-high-potential stock!
She had to lock him down!
Turning it over carefully, in her recollection she and Chen Qing had gotten along rather splendidly.
Apart from that misunderstanding on the subway.
But good things come through trials—which only made their bond seem out of the ordinary.
Just like an idol drama, a love earned through countless misunderstandings and setbacks is a love that holds.
Right now, for instance, she could naturally come to apologize, then work a few little tricks.
Tonight she could stay the night here.
When she gave up her first time, what sort of face should she put on?
Pain? Fear?
Though she'd been through it many, many times before, a re-broken seal did still hurt a little...
Men, after all!
Every one of them harbored a beast in his heart.
And what gives them the greatest sense of conquest—that membrane had to rank first, didn't it?
Her top was a half-draped shawl, not too revealing, but a touch away from slipping off. Beneath a micro-skirt stretched a pair of long, straight legs.
The elevator rose slowly, and against its mirror-bright wall she made one last adjustment.
Stepping out, Chenxi shifted into a different expression:
A little timid, a little joyful, her lips deliberately painted two coats, red to just the right degree, glossy as if about to drip.
She pressed the doorbell.
A moment later, Chen Man poked his head out.
Seeing Chenxi, he turned back and called, "Chen Qing, someone's here for you."
"Say I'm not in."
Chen Man very earnestly shut the door. "Chen Qing's not in."
Bang!
The door closed.
"..."
Chenxi froze.
Of all the countless developments she'd rehearsed in her head, not one had been this.
"It's cursed!"
"This... this is cursed!!"
She drew a long breath and sent Chen Qing a voice message. "Chen Qing, open up, it's me~"
Chen Qing didn't react.
He was busy running the circulation cycle.
Chenxi adjusted her stance at the door.
Toes together, head lowered to gaze at her toes, striking a pose of full timidity laced with anticipation.
The instant Chen Qing opened the door, she'd slowly raise her head...
In her mind she was speed-rehearsing the scene to come, complete with background music and special effects.
But...
Five minutes passed.
Not the slightest stir.
Had he not seen her?
Chenxi gradually lost her composure and sent another message:
"Chen Qing, open the door for me~ I... I came to apologize."
Another five minutes passed.
Her heels were starting to ache.
Still not the slightest stir.
"Damn it!"
Chenxi gritted her teeth and pressed the doorbell again.
Chen Man peered at her through the gap once more, not undoing the safety chain.
"Chen Qing, she's back!"
"Whoever it is, don't open up!"
Chen Qing's tone was impatient:
"There are too many painted little sluts these days—a lot of them are rotten to the core. Ignore her."
Chenxi's cheeks flushed hard.
How ugly!
She had, admittedly, played around a bit for a while.
Could he have found out?
Chen Man was about to close the door again when Chenxi wedged a foot against it and called inside, "Chen Qing, it's Little Xi. Open up for me~"
"What did you come for?"
Chenxi's eyes reddened a little. "I... I wanted to apologize~"
She sniffled faintly, gazing down at her toes. "That subway business was my fault. I know I made you angry. Here, I bought you some fruit."
"Fruit again, damn it!"
Chen Qing cursed.
Chenxi blanked for a second. What was that supposed to mean?
Chen Qing had just hit a crucial point in his cultivation, and his lingering temper from the Huang Xue affair hadn't cooled; he truly had no time for her.
"Chen Qing, big brother~ Won't you... let me in? I've been standing out here so long."
"Come in? Come in for what?"
Chen Qing frowned.
Chenxi blanked again. For what?
Isn't it obvious what I'm dressed like this for?
But she could hardly treat herself as takeout delivered to the door.
For a moment she was at a loss, then stamped her foot hard and sobbed, "You... you-you... you're bullying me!"
And with that she covered her face and scurried off, vanishing down the far end of the corridor.
The instant she was in the elevator, Chenxi's brow furrowed.
She was wronged!
So terribly wronged!
She was certain she'd done nothing wrong—so how did every development slip beyond her control?
She drew several deep breaths and replayed her exit just now—the movements, the tone.
She decided things were still within her grasp.
Barring surprises, Chen Qing's message would come through any moment.
The phone rang.
There it was!
Chenxi's heart leapt—but the caller ID was Chenkun.
Why him?
"Sis, where are you?"
"I'm at the Areya..."
The moment it was out, Chenxi slapped her forehead.
Sure enough! Chenkun snapped, "You went to that bastard Chen Qing? Have you no shame?!"
Chenxi felt so wronged the tears nearly spilled:
"Do you have a conscience? Who am I doing all this for? For you!"
"And you still talk to me like that!"
"..."
Chenkun was silent a moment, then said, "All right, all right, I shouldn't have said that. But sis, you absolutely have to come meet someone."
"Who?"
"A man whose family, looks, and potential all beat Chen Qing a hundred times over!"
Chenkun's voice carried a note of excitement. "His name is Ji Luo. His parents are both big shots—and get this, he's a Grade SS talent! Already at the Soul-Stir realm!"
"Word is every community's about to be organized into war zones, and his family's got inside information, so he came to Ximing City specially. Get a foot in that door, and Chen Qing's nothing!"
Chenxi understood at once!
A young master here to gild his résumé—maybe with an eye on racking up some battle merit, too.
Chenxi was thoroughly tempted. "Where is he?"
"We're together right now. We'll come pick you up."
"Not the hotel—come get me at... uh, in front of the Dahua Bookstore."
Soon, a big G-wagon pulled up outside the bookstore.
Chenxi held a copy of Jane Eyre, feet together, a smile on her face, seeming not to notice the car at all, gazing instead in some other direction.
The very picture of girlish charm.
"That's your sister?"
Ji Luo's voice carried a note of amazement.
His family was noble, but he'd always lived a half-cloistered life—studying martial arts or hitting the books—and truly hadn't met many girls his own age.
Ji Luo hurried down from the car, a touch of excitement in him, and put out his hand. "You're Chenxi? I'm Ji Luo."
Chenxi extended her hand—only for it to be clasped tight, and her face went red at once, her voice thin as a mosquito's whine. "You... please let go."
Ji Luo quickly released it, and seeing the book in her hand, liked her all the more. "You like Jane Eyre too? I especially love the master of Thornfield—there's a manly spirit about him that I admire."
Ji Luo's heart was on fire!
He'd struck it rich!
His very first outing, and he'd run into a top-tier girl like this!
Fine features, first-rate figure, well-read, gentle in temperament, the very model of a homemaker!
Premium wife material!