“What game?”
Pei Jing stepped back slightly. “I’ll count to three. If you can run out of this room, I’ll spare your life. If not…”
He narrowed his eyes warningly.
Three seconds? With his martial arts skills, he could just wave his hand and slam the door shut the moment she reached it. There was no way she could escape.
He was clearly doing this on purpose, treating her like a fool.
Jiang Fei wasn’t stupid either. She pointed at the object around her neck.
“Then you should at least release me first and let me get ready before we start.”
Pei Jing retracted his folding fan. “When can you—”
The person on the floor performed a kip-up, pulled open the door, and dashed out swiftly.
Pei Jing: “…”
Jiang Fei felt this was the fastest she had ever run in her life, even surpassing her best record of 13.8 seconds for the 50-meter dash in high school.
Rushing out of the private room and not seeing Jiu Tao, Jiang Fei headed straight for the staircase, afraid of wasting even a second.
After descending a few steps, she suddenly halted.
Downstairs, a man who was about to ascend the stairs looked up at her and frowned the moment he saw her.
Who else could this be but the infamous madman “Pei Jing”?
Jiang Fei had drunk too much water at noon and nearly wet herself from fright.
This was her instinctive reaction upon seeing “Pei Jing,” mainly because the author had portrayed him as so twisted in the book that it left a deep impression.
Wei Mingzhen was accompanied by several friends. One of them, who had seen Jiang Rufei before, pointed at her and said, “Isn’t she—”
Wei Mingzhen coughed lightly, and the person immediately fell silent. It was indeed improper to mention a young lady’s name in public.
“You go up first,” Wei Mingzhen said, turning his head slightly to the person beside him.
As the group stepped upward, Jiang Fei moved aside to let them pass, then kept her head down as she continued descending, praying that he hadn’t recognized her.
She soon reached the bottom of the stairs. As she turned to slip past him, a hand suddenly shot out and landed squarely on the railing.
Wei Mingzhen looked at Jiang Rufei with a hostile gaze and asked, “What are you doing here?”
“L-listening to opera.”
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
Wei Mingzhen glanced upstairs and snorted coldly. “What guilty thing have you done now?”
Guilty again? Jiang Fei had no idea what she should feel guilty about. Unable to hold back, she lifted her head and asked, “Why should I feel guilty?”
Wei Mingzhen was speechless with anger. “You shouldn’t feel guilty?”
Jiang Fei retorted righteously, “Is it wrong for me to build connections with others in advance?”
Wei Mingzhen’s eyes reddened with rage as he flicked his wide sleeve. “You—you’re utterly unreasonable.”
Just as Jiang Fei was about to speak, footsteps sounded behind her.
She turned to look and saw the “Wei Mingzhen” who had earlier threatened to kill her standing on the steps, one hand behind his back, twirling the folding fan that concealed a blade, with an amused expression on his face.
Jiang Fei then looked at the “Pei Jing” at the bottom of the stairs, whose face was even darker than before.
This was a bit hard to understand.
Hadn’t the book said that Pei Jing was the second male lead, who admired Wei Mingzhen’s sister, Wei Ciying?
Logically, since Pei Jing wanted to be Wei Mingzhen’s brother-in-law, he should be extra attentive upon seeing him. Why did he look like he wanted to kill him instead?
Jiang Fei was completely baffled. Standing in the middle of the staircase, her gaze shifted back and forth between the two men until she felt like she was turning into a spinning rattle-drum.
Wei Mingzhen’s face showed a look of understanding as he stared at Jiang Rufei and said coldly, “So this is why Second Miss Jiang is here—you’re with him again.”
Those words seemed to be squeezed through gritted teeth, carrying both frustration at her perceived weakness and deep resentment.
Jiang Fei thought to herself: He’s my fiancé. If I’m not with him, should I be hanging out with a lunatic like you instead?
“Come down!” Wei Mingzhen commanded sternly.
Jiang Fei trembled in fright.
With the crazy tyrant issuing orders online, though she didn’t understand why, how could Jiang Fei dare to disobey? She lifted her foot and began slowly making her way down.
The moment she moved, Pei Jing upstairs spoke leisurely, “Xiao Cui, if you leave now, our agreement will be void.”
Jiang Fei froze instantly, stuck between going up or down.
Just moments ago, “Wei Mingzhen” had genuinely wanted to kill her. If she hadn’t run fast enough, she might have already died under that flashy fan of his.
Who knows how the author created these characters—neither the male supporting character nor the second male lead were normal people.
Between two evils, choose the lesser. Whoever looks back is an idiot. Currently, this lunatic seemed safer than him.
Steeling herself, Jiang Fei quickly descended the steps and stood beside “Pei Jing,” asking sincerely, “Did you call me down for some instructions?”
Wei Mingzhen was taken aback and turned to look at Jiang Rufei.
Those eyes were too clear and deceptive. The expression directed at him now held genuine sincerity, somewhat bewitching.
He raised his gaze to the upper floor. Pei Jing still wore a smile, but it had transformed into a sinister grin that sent chills down one’s spine.
Wei Mingzhen knew Pei Jing was moody, but he couldn’t understand why he’d suddenly taken an interest in Jiang Rufei.
He stepped forward, shielding Jiang Rufei, and said to Pei Jing upstairs, “Go wait in the carriage. I still have words for you.”
After he spoke, there was no movement behind him.
Wei Mingzhen turned back, frowning at Jiang Rufei.
Jiang Fei pointed at herself, “Were you talking to me?”
Wei Mingzhen looked at her with exasperation, “Who else would it be?”
Jiang Fei was speechless, thinking this guy was truly sick, seriously ill. You’re talking to me but staring at him—who could figure that out?
She gave an awkward smile, took a few uneasy steps, then glanced back at the person upstairs, just in time to meet his gaze.
As the young master of Dingyuan Marquis Manor, Pei Jing probably wouldn’t kill him on a whim. After all, Wei Mingzhen was Wei Ciying’s brother—even if not for the monk’s face, then for the Buddha’s face.
Pei Jing watched the figure disappear through the restaurant entrance.
If he wasn’t mistaken, that girl had just looked back at him with concern in her eyes.It’s just that she seemed to be worrying about the wrong person.
After leaving the restaurant, Jiang Fei indeed saw Jiu Tao squatting by the entrance.
It was early April, with the scorching sun high in the sky—especially during the hottest noon hours.
Jiu Tao’s cheeks were flushed red from the sun. Seeing Jiang Rufei emerge, she quickly stood up, “Miss.”
“Why did you come outside?” Jiang Fei asked.
“The waiter told me to wait out here.” Jiu Tao sighed in relief, “Miss, can we go home now?”
Jiang Fei wanted to leave too, but the lunatic had ordered her to wait outside for him—how dare she run away?
There was indeed a carriage parked to the right of the entrance, though she didn’t know if it belonged to Pei Jing. Still, standing outside felt cooler than being inside.
“We have to wait a while longer.The two stood under the eaves to avoid the noon sun when Jiang Fei heard a very loud gurgling sound.
Jiu Tao rubbed his stomach, looking somewhat embarrassed at her. “I’m not hungry, it’s just making noise on its own.”
Jiang Fei felt a pang of regret thinking about the barely touched dishes on the table. She pulled out a handful of copper coins and handed them to Jiu Tao. “There’s a meat pie stall over there. Go buy a few to fill your stomach first.”
“How many can I buy?” Jiu Tao clutched the coins.
“With this much money, buy as many as you want.”
Jiu Tao dashed off and returned in no time.
Jiang Fei stared wide-eyed at the large string of pies skewered on a bamboo strip in Jiu Tao’s hand – at least ten of them. “You bought so many? Can you finish them all?”
Jiu Tao said sheepishly, “They might not be enough.”