“I am Chen Jiao. May I ask, Officer, what urgent matter brings you here?” Chen Jiao remained as charming and radiant as ever, as if the death of Sun Shigui yesterday had barely caused her any emotional fluctuation.
Shen Lang sneered inwardly and said, expressionless, “A friend of yours asked me to deliver a message. He said he once liked you very much, even gave up his dignity as a man for you, degrading himself to a lapdog, constantly revolving around you. But after all that he’s been through, he’s finally come to his senses. Since there was no love, why force it? The pain you caused him, he will remember for the rest of his life. Now, he’s leaving this bustling city to pursue his own true happiness. From this moment on, he will cut all ties with you and hopes you will reflect on your shameless, outrageous behavior.”
Chen Jiao froze for a moment and asked, “You’re talking about Zhao Anmin, aren’t you? Where is he? Why didn’t he come tell me himself?”
Shen Lang replied, “He said that just seeing your face now makes him feel sick, like he wants to throw up. So he asked me to bring you a song. Consider it a farewell for all the feelings he wasted on you. After all, he really doesn’t want to wear that green hat anymore. Compared to what he went through, even Fei Yangyang would step aside and shout 666 for you.”
Hearing that, Chen Jiao’s emotions instantly flared, “Impossible! He would never say something like that about me! Tell him to come see me! Where is he?!”
Shen Lang picked up his pipa and said, “Stop shouting. He’s never coming back, and he doesn’t want to see you again. This song expresses everything he wants to say.”
Before Chen Jiao could respond, Shen Lang plucked a string lightly.
From a short distance away, Jiang Mengxuan frowned slightly, her brows tightening. “There’s someone this talented in the Imperial Guard? How did I not know?”
The prelude of the pipa was smooth and melodious, entirely unlike the style of music currently popular in this world.
“The so-called deep affection, how cheap it sounds coming from your mouth. Today it’s me, tomorrow it could be someone else.”
As soon as the singing began, the entire hall fell silent.
Liu Qinghuan and Jiang Mengxuan were both drawn in by the sorrowful melody and emotional vocals.
“Your ever-changing promises, I’ve seen through your lies, they’re nothing but a bottomless abyss.”
“You always have a reason to twist right and wrong, turning truth into lies.”
“You keep entangling and exaggerating things until they become ridiculous. I no longer want to struggle through the pain alone, only to end up covered in scars.”
The lyrics seemed to resonate deeply with many of the men present, as if they were reminded of the woman they once chased who acted just like the one described in the song.
Jiang Mengxuan rested her chin in one hand, her eyes fixed on Shen Lang’s closed eyes as he sang with deep emotion.
Everyone who heard the song was captivated by both the voice and the lyrics—except for Chen Jiao, whose expression had turned blank, showing signs of emotional collapse.
“I wish that each time your heart stirs, the end is always a loss of love.”
“I wish you fall in love until your heart shatters, only to be replaced by someone else.”
“I wish you wear a wedding dress, yet no one comes to celebrate, no one stands by your side. I wish you’re hurt so badly that you can’t sleep alone.”
“I wish you give your all, only to always lose in the end.”
“I wish you miss someone so painfully, but no one understands, only your shadow to keep you company.”
“I wish your heart burns with longing, until your tears run dry.”
Boom. An emotional detonation.
If the first half of the song expressed a man’s sorrow from unrequited love, the second half was downright vicious—like a brutal curse.
Jiang Mengxuan narrowed her eyes, for the first time experiencing how powerful music could be. Especially the lyrics—each line was like a cruel punishment for betrayal.
The key was… it sounded amazing.
“Stop it! Stop singing!” Chen Jiao completely broke down, screaming hoarsely to make Shen Lang shut up.
“Impossible! Zhao Anmin loved me so much. There’s no way he would curse me like this! I don’t believe it! I don’t believe it!” she shrieked in despair and lunged forward to snatch the pipa from Shen Lang.
Crack—
In the next instant, the pipa’s melody was cut short and replaced by a loud, crisp slap.
“You…” she began.
“This is the second gift the client asked me to deliver,” Shen Lang said, “He said shameless women like you should be treated this way.”
That slap wasn’t light—it knocked out two of Chen Jiao’s teeth and filled her mouth with blood.
Shen Lang didn’t feel a shred of guilt for hitting her. Was this even a woman? She was the very definition of a top-tier manipulator. Frankly, it was already merciful that he didn’t beat her to death. He even felt the need to apologize to the gentlemen watching from behind the screen.
Liu Qinghuan, watching the scene, turned to Jiang Mengxuan and said, “Seems like you have some passionate folks under your command, Sister. Judging by those lyrics, this woman deeply hurt a man who loved her. Women like her, who are fickle and treacherous, deserve to be treated like this.”
Jiang Mengxuan remained silent, watching Shen Lang attentively.
What concerned her now were the three henchmen from the Prime Minister’s residence who had been sitting next to Chen Jiao. They were clearly starting to stir after seeing her get slapped.
She wanted to see how her subordinate from the Imperial Guard would handle such a situation.
“Alright. The message from your friend has been delivered. Goodbye,” Shen Lang said. Without sparing a glance at the humiliated Chen Jiao, he turned and walked away.
“Stop right there!” a sudden roar rang out as the three henchmen stood up in unison.
“Kid, that was a pretty song you sang just now. But did you consider the consequences?”
Shen Lang slowly turned around and looked at the furious trio with disdain. “Who just spoke to me?”
One of them immediately stepped forward, pointing at Shen Lang’s nose arrogantly, “Do you know who I am? I’m from the Prime Minister’s residence—”
Bang—
Before he could finish, Shen Lang smashed the pipa directly onto his head. The blow was so hard his eyes rolled back, foam gushed from his mouth, and he died on the spot.
The scene made Jiang Mengxuan’s eyes brighten slightly, her interest in Shen Lang intensifying.
The remaining two thugs were stunned for a moment before grabbing their weapons and shouting, “You dare kill someone from the Prime Minister’s residence? Today we’ll—”
But before they could finish, a cold glint flashed before their eyes. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
“Aaah—!”
A scream rang out, followed by gasps from the guests on the second floor.
Shen Lang, holding a dagger in reverse grip, had only made one strike.
That one strike severed one thug’s hand and split the other’s mouth open wide like a torn gash, instantly silencing him in agony.
“Talking all day about justice isn’t as effective as one clean strike of a blade.”
Shen Lang sheathed his dagger, then stepped on the handless man’s chest and flashed his identity token.
“You dare lay hands on someone from the Imperial Guard? Never heard of the Emperor’s decree of act first, report later? Better sharpen your eyes in your next life and stop being so stupid.”
With Shen Lang’s cold eyes glaring down at him, the thug clutched his bleeding wrist and couldn’t even muster a single fart.
Slash—
Shen Lang put the token away and slit his throat cleanly before walking down the stairs without a backward glance.
Clean and decisive. Ruthless and efficient.
That was the second deep impression Shen Lang left on Jiang Mengxuan.
As he passed by a shaking waiter, Shen Lang gently pressed on the man’s trembling shoulder and said kindly, “Please go get the nearest patrol. Tell them it was done by the Imperial Guard. They’ll know how to handle it.”
Then he patted the waiter’s shoulder and strolled down the stairs.
As Shen Lang’s figure disappeared down the steps, Liu Qinghuan couldn’t help but say, “Sister, this officer seems very different. Ruthless and decisive—perhaps not everyone fears the Prime Minister’s residence after all.”
Jiang Mengxuan nodded, stood up, and said, “Sister, I’ll leave the Qingyi Tower to you. I have something urgent to do and must return to the palace.”
Liu Qinghuan said, “Go ahead and do your thing. Leave Qingyi Tower to me.”
“Thank you, Sister.”
Jiang Mengxuan was now eager to learn the identity of that young man. She had to get back and pull up the entire personnel file of the Imperial Guard for verification.
Just as she was leaving and stepped downstairs, she was stunned again.
There sat Shen Lang, calm and unbothered, in the corner of the first-floor hall, enjoying a bowl of beef noodles with two side dishes, eating leisurely.
Jiang Mengxuan felt a wave of astonishment. “He caused such a commotion, and yet he still has the appetite to sit here and eat?”
With curiosity in her heart, she found an empty table not far from Shen Lang, ordered a pot of tea, and quietly watched his every move.