Jiang Qingyan knew the joke.
But she wasn’t Yufen. Yufen had Biao Ge, but she had no one.
Still, her mouth remained stubborn. “Shen Lingxi, you don’t have to gloat like a petty villain. We have plenty of time ahead.”
“Who’s Plenty?”
Shen Lingxi’s wide, fluttering eyes were full of protest. “I don’t want to be with you.”
“?” Jiang Qingyan couldn’t follow her train of thought.
Just then, the scolding and threats from her father’s phone call flooded her ears again, and the little bit of spirit that had been holding her body up suddenly vanished.
She instinctively reached into her coat pocket for a lighter and a cigarette.
But when she pulled out the cigarette case, it was actually a box of lorazepam. (Anxiety disorder)
Damn it, wrong one!
Her trembling hands grew even worse.
Jiang Qingyan couldn’t even manage to hide the medicine box back in her pocket.
Shen Lingxi averted her gaze, picked up Song Zhili’s cigarette case, and stood up. Two slender cigarettes then “accidentally” fell onto the bench.
“Let’s go, Li Li baby. This place isn’t fun.”
“Might as well find a hidden corner to watch a little movie.”
“I found a new male lead this time. I’ll let you see the thinness of his super-tender, lean muscles—so explosive.”
As she spoke, Shen Lingxi turned back angrily.
To Jiang Qingyan, she said, “Hmph~ I won’t let you see.”
“Otherwise, you might learn something and try to seduce my Jinglan Gege.”
Everything felt so natural, including the dropped cigarettes.
Once Shen Lingxi and Song Zhili left, Jiang Qingyan stiffly lunged toward the bench.
After finishing two cigarettes, the physical discomfort eased considerably.
When she looked up again, Shen Lingxi had already walked to the pavilion behind the garden and was taking photos of Song Zhili.
To get the right angles, Shen Lingxi struck many exaggerated poses.
One leg deep in a squat, the other stretched out long, or sticking out her round, perky butt… even lying flat on the lawn, pressing down her delicate, alluring figure beneath her fragrant coat.
Shen Lingxi laughed as she took photos, her voice sweet and crisp.
The wind tousled her hair, and even the air seemed to grow sweeter.
Beams of light fell on her, as if wrapped in a natural filter.
How could such a charming, adorable girl not be liked by Fu Jinglan?
Jiang Qingyan covered her face, leaned over the bench, and sobbed.
“Why am I not good at studying, not good at personality, never a lovable child since I was little…”
Apart from the villa buildings, the estate was filled with beautiful scenery everywhere.
Shen Lingxi and Song Zhili enjoyed the views and took photos along the way, unconsciously arriving at the estate’s highest scenic hill.
“So beautiful, no wonder the wealthy and powerful always live at the highest points.”
Shen Lingxi was photographing Beizhou Sea below the hill. As her lens panned, the view suddenly froze.
“Li Li, do you see that?”
“Y-yes, I see it.”
On the other side of the hill was a surprisingly large-scale military base.
Inside, fighter jets, tanks, and cannons were all present.
Standing at the very center of the base at that moment, Shen Lingxi could tell from his silhouette that it was Fu Jinglan, who had been emotionally unstable since morning.
He wore a black overcoat, suit pants, and leather shoes, his back straight and tall, imposing and severe.
Standing beside him was Mu Suizhou.
He, too, was unusually serious, completely different from his private demeanor.
Not long after, the camouflage-clad man from the morning walked out of the base’s office building.
He was dragging another man by the arm.
As soon as they descended the steps, the camouflage-clad man lifted his powerful leg and kicked the latter squarely in the back. The man stumbled forward a few steps from the immense force before barely stopping about twenty meters away from Fu Jinglan.
At that moment, Mu Suizhou handed Fu Jinglan a black AK.
Fu Jinglan swiftly loaded the magazine, chambered a round, and flicked off the safety—all in one fluid motion.
Throughout the entire process, Shen Lingxi and Song Zhili stood frozen, holding their breath.
Fu Jinglan questioned the man.
The man answered with a smile.
Whatever he said, Fu Jinglan was clearly dissatisfied.
He raised the AK, shouldered the stock, tilted his head slightly, and took aim.
Without a moment’s hesitation.
Bang! Bang!
Two bullets flew out, striking the man’s knees with precision, forcing him to his knees instantly.
Did you think that was the end?
Bang! Bang!
Two more bullets pierced through the man’s arms with deadly accuracy.
Shen Lingxi’s eyes widened in shock.
The man, kneeling and swaying unsteadily, was still speaking, but his words were too faint to make out.
It wasn’t over yet.
Fu Jinglan raised his arm once more, without the slightest hesitation, and fired the final shot at the man.
Bang!
Straight through the heart.
Blood splattered everywhere.
Afterward, Fu Jinglan gestured with the AK toward himself, signaling for the man to be brought to him.
The bloodied man was dragged over by a soldier in camouflage and thrown at his feet.
Mu Suizhou promptly handed Fu Jinglan a pair of gloves.
He put them on slowly and methodically, his demeanor so calm it was as if he hadn’t just dealt with a man.
Then, Fu Jinglan bent down and retrieved something from inside the bloodied man’s clothing.
From a distance, it looked like a photograph.
Finally, the bloodied man was dragged away by the soldier in camouflage.
Shen Lingxi finally took a breath, her ears still ringing from the gunshots.
Looking at Fu Jinglan again, his silhouette seemed even taller and more imposing, radiating a chilling aura.
His posture was ruthless and resolute.
Song Zhili was also witnessing such a scene for the first time, her heart pounding wildly.
“Axi, does Mr. Fu have eyes on the back of his head?”
“He… he killed that man. He won’t kill us too, right?”
Only then did the two of them realize how easily they could be spotted standing at the top of the scenic mountain.
“Quick, hide. After all, Fu Jinglan’s emotions are extremely unstable.”
One moment he’s fine, the next he’s throwing a tantrum.
Harder to control than a monkey.
Shen Lingxi quickly pulled Song Zhili behind a large tree.
Both of them slumped to the ground, their legs giving way.
But the most terrified was Song Zhili.
She frantically lit a cigarette, and only then did her heartbeat stabilize a bit.
They say men smoke after sex; Song Zhili smoked too, and that’s how her addiction started.
Not for pleasure, but to make herself feel better.
Shen Lingxi took Song Zhili’s hand—it was ice-cold. “Lili, are you okay? Were you scared?”
A life had just been forcibly ended before their eyes, blood gushing out.
Song Zhili closed her eyes for a moment, then came to a realization.
Apart from life and death, everything else is just a scratch.
“Axi, I know the man in camouflage—Bo Yuesheng.”
Song Zhili smiled, like a young girl reliving her youth.
“The first time I saw him, I couldn’t help but marvel—how could there be a boy in this world so clean and so handsome?”
Song Zhili took drag after drag of her cigarette, talking nonstop.
The first time she met Bo Yuesheng was at the home of Uncle Bo, who was sponsoring her.
At the time, Song Zhili had just lost the last of her family, and Uncle Bo arranged for a driver to bring her to the Bo residence.
After the driver left, Bo Yuesheng descended the stairs.
He was tall and slender, radiantly handsome, with a fair and gentle face beneath slightly tousled hair.
He perfectly embodied the phrase—a clear-eyed, handsome young man.
Song Zhili knew Uncle Bo had a son, so she timidly called out, “Brother, hello.”
Bo Yuesheng immediately laughed, “Sweetie, you got it wrong. I’m your Xiao Shushu.”
Later, Uncle Bo asked Bo Yuesheng to tutor Song Zhili in English.
He taught very well, making time whenever he could, and Song Zhili’s English scores jumped to the top three in her class.
Later still, on Song Zhili’s eighteenth birthday.
Bo Yuesheng knocked on her door and brought her a cake.
And shamelessly gave her himself as well.
Song Zhili lit another cigarette, “Ah Xi, and then later, when the family thought he was tutoring me with homework, we were actually… making love.”
Shen Lingxi’s heart ached terribly upon hearing this, tears streaming down her face.
“Silly girl, how could you have suffered so much in secret.”
“Was that fair-faced beast any good in bed?”
“If he wasn’t, that would be even more of a loss, waaah~”
Seeing Shen Lingxi cry so sadly and hearing her say this, Song Zhili suddenly laughed.
Ah Xi was so optimistic, never dwelling on things.
Even under dark clouds, in the mud, she would minimize big problems, seize every bit of hope, and live with a smile.
Song Zhili shook Shen Lingxi’s hand; the words that had been so hard to say suddenly didn’t seem so difficult anymore.
“Ah Xi, don’t cry. He was actually pretty good.”
Shen Lingxi wiped her tears and hugged Song Zhili.
“Baby, you have to be brave and say no, but you also owe the Bo family a debt. Here’s what—I’ll give you all the jewelry Fu Jinglan gave me, and you can use it to repay him.”
“Wait, no, you can’t repay him. He took you and still wants jewelry?”
Song Zhili felt a weight lift from her heart, “No repayment. He doesn’t deserve it.”
Bo Yuesheng had destroyed all her hopes for love, sex, and even marriage.
…
Neither of them noticed the rustling of leaves behind them.
Immediately after, a pleasant yet dangerous male voice descended from above.
“Shen Lingxi, who gave you permission to smoke, hmm?”
Shen Lingxi’s jaw tightened abruptly.
Before she could even turn around, Fu Jinglan had already lifted her by the back of her neck with one hand.