Yao Jin’s back wound split open from the impact, and he hopped three feet in the air before finally recovering from the sting.
He bared his teeth and glared at Qin Qing, his face full of grievance.
“…You knew perfectly well and still asked!”
Qin Qing rubbed her fingertips together and said slowly, “This is the last time you’ll lose money. You were born with a vault carrying debt. Once it’s paid off, you won’t step into a casino again.”
Yao Jin’s face was full of shock. “Don’t tell me you calculated that too!”
He had gone to Macau on a business trip last week and had nearly lost his entire fortune in a casino.
It was a well-kept secret, but somehow Fu Yuanchen had found out and told the old man.
Yao Jin didn’t actually have much of a gambling addiction. It was just that every time he saw a casino, he would inexplicably walk in and lose a large sum.
This time, he got a severe beating.
It was because he had promised his maternal grandfather and his cousin that he would never touch gambling again.
People who get hooked on gambling find it hard to quit. One bet can ruin a life, and in the end, you either die or come out skinned alive.
Yao Jin was both ashamed and felt something was off. He felt like he’d been put under a spell—he didn’t even have a gambling addiction, yet he still rushed to be a fool throwing money away.
Qin Qing didn’t say anything. She just gave Yao Jin a look for him to figure out on his own.
She turned around, picked up the cup on the table, and drank it all in one go.
“No, wait! What do you mean I carry debt?”
Yao Jin raised his voice in protest, as if remembering something.
“I’ve lost so many times. Did I owe that many people in my past life?”
Qin Qing set down the cup, unaware that Fu Shuheng had been watching her for a moment before his gaze fell on the now-empty cup.
Qin Qing looked at Yao Jin with calm eyes, a meaningful smile appearing on her face.
“Go check whether that money all fell into the hands of the same person.”
Fu Shuheng, seated in the chair, answered the question for Yao Jin.
“It’s the same person.”
Yao Jin’s face twisted slightly. “Did I owe him that much money in my past life?”
Losing money and losing money to the same person—clearly the latter was harder for him to accept.
Seeing Yao Jin’s look of collapse, Qin Qing spoke up to clear his confusion: “A vault carrying debt doesn’t necessarily mean it’s owed from a past life. It could be repaying a favor debt. The reasons are all kinds of strange.
Your debt is almost paid off. No need to dwell on it further. In the future, stay away from casinos—they easily attract karmic entanglements and unclean things.”
“Really?”
Yao Jin dropped his refined and elegant demeanor, looking at Qin Qing with eager eyes.
Qin Qing gave him a gentle, harmless smile. Her voice remained cool and clear, but her tone carried an unmistakable hint of teasing.
“Don’t overthink it. And if you really do get hooked on gambling, don’t be afraid—I have hundreds of ways to make you quit.”
“…” A chill ran up Yao Jin’s back, and his hairs stood on end.
He had absolutely no desire to learn about Qin Qing’s hundreds of methods. He had a feeling they were all aimed at his life!
“Rustle—”
The crisp sound of papers being shuffled broke the silence of the living room.
Qin Qing turned around. Fu Shuheng’s expression was as usual, a proper faint smile at the corner of his lips—one could call him gentle and refined as jade.
Yet she sensed a hint of displeasure hidden beneath the man’s dignified and refined exterior.
Qin Qing nudged Yao Jin with her elbow and asked in a low voice:
“What’s wrong with him?”
Yao Jin was tight-lipped about it. He resumed the elite demeanor he’d had when they first met and walked over to the table where several documents lay scattered.
“Cousin, I’ll take the signed documents downstairs to process.”
“Go ahead—”
Fu Shuheng casually tossed the document he had just signed to Yao Jin.
Yao Jin organized everything as quickly as he could, then hugged the documents and limped away.
As he passed Qin Qing, he lowered his voice and reminded her: “Little sister-in-law, your ex-fiancé came looking for you. Cousin had someone chase him off.”
Qin Qing watched Yao Jin’s retreating figure, then turned her head to look at Fu Shuheng.
She asked in confusion, “What did Fu Yuanchen come for?”
Could he be here to fight the villain?
Fu Shuheng’s vitality was stable, and the dense Malevolent Aura around him seemed like an enticing dessert tempting her—he didn’t look like he’d been in a fight.
Fu Shuheng’s calm, unrippled eyes swept over Qin Qing, the smile at his lips unchanged.
“What do you hope he came for?”
Qin Qing said with little interest, “Who knows what he wants.”
Fu Shuheng rose and walked to stand before Qin Qing, a smile at his lips as he asked with a teasing, probing tone: “Don’t you wish he’d come to regret and try to win you back? Or fight me to take you away?”
Qin Qing gazed into the man’s eyes. “Are you serious?”
Fu Yuanchen and Liu Qingyan were completely locked together.
Having the male lead regret and try to win her back, or having the villain fight to take her away—that was no different from wishful thinking.
Fu Shuheng almost scrutinized her expression, and when he detected nothing unusual, he abruptly changed the subject.
“Last night, after you fell asleep, you called Fu Yuanchen’s name eighteen times.”
“…” A look of astonishment appeared on Qin Qing’s cold, stunningly beautiful face.
She let out a soft sigh, her words carrying a hint of helplessness: “If I told you that in my dream, I chased Fu Yuanchen and sent him to the eighteenth level of hell eighteen times, would you believe me?”
Who knew her obsession with Fu Yuanchen would run this deep.
In her dream, she had hunted him down eighteen times, and each time she sent him to the eighteenth level of hell to suffer.
Fu Shuheng’s brow lifted slightly at the corner, and the curve of his lips rose as well.
“As long as you say it, I’ll believe it.”
The man’s words sounded sweet, but Qin Qing knew he didn’t actually believe her.
Qin Qing had no idea how to explain herself. It seemed no matter what she said, it was useless—her reputation was already ruined beyond repair. Everyone knew she was Yuan Chen’s devoted follower.
Fu Shuheng ruffled her hair. “Don’t treat me as a pawn in your revenge against Fu Yuanchen.”
His tone was gentle, yet carried the unconscious authority of one accustomed to command.
Qin Qing’s anger flared up instantly.
Why did everyone assume she was hopelessly devoted to Fu Yuanchen?
She suppressed her irritation and said coolly, “You’re overthinking it. Even if Fu Yuanchen were the last man on earth, I wouldn’t spare him a thought, let alone marry a stranger to get back at him.
I don’t think I’ve told you yet—you have a Heavenly Scourge Constitution, and I have an Extreme Yin Constitution. I need a steady supply of malevolent aura to sustain my life. Your greatest use to me is keeping me alive. Understand?”
With that, Qin Qing turned and walked away, heading straight toward the dining area as if she owned the place.
Fu Shuheng quickly caught up and took her hand, steering her in another direction.
“Don’t touch me.”
Qin Qing shook off his hand, her beautiful eyes blazing with irritation.
Seeing how fiery her temper was, Fu Shuheng softened his voice to placate her. “I’m a few years older than you. I don’t want to see you make a wrong turn.”
Qin Qing smiled without warmth, deliberately pitching her voice high as she retorted.
“Nine years older, Uncle Fu!”
Her intention was to drive a knife into the villain’s heart and make him just as unhappy.
Fu Shuheng’s breath hitched for a moment. His dark, turbulent eyes locked onto Qin Qing, tracing inch by inch over her curved red lips.
His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, and his voice came out low and husky. “Am I really that old?”
Sensing danger approaching, Qin Qing instinctively stepped back.
“Just a joke. You’re not that petty, are you?”
The villain’s gaze was terrifying—like he wanted to devour her, bones and all.
Fu Shuheng met Qin Qing’s clear, sly eyes. They were pure and innocent, clearly still unaware of such things.
He raised a hand and pinched the bridge of his nose, then instructed a nearby servant.
“Take the madam to the small dining room.”
“Yes, sir—”
The servant hurried forward and led Qin Qing toward the dining area.
Fu Shuheng, believing Qin Qing was still naive, didn’t see the mischievous smile that curled at the corner of her lips as she turned away, her clever eyes glinting with a hint of wickedness.