《The Girl Who Married a Tycoon Husband After Disfigurement》


 Chapter 1: Rise from the Ashes

    <h4>Chapter 1</h4>


    Ling Yue was overjoyed trying on her wedding dress. Her wedding with Zhou Mucheng would take ce next month, the event she had been waiting for many years. As scenes of her and Zhou Mucheng from childhood to adulthood shed through her mind, a sweet smile tugged at the corner of her lips.


    Stepping out of the fitting room, she looked at herself in the mirror: an elegant, sacred white wedding dress entuating her petite and rosy face. Her eyes were like water, cherry lips like flower petals, long ck hair cascading down her swan-like neck. She was just like a little princess who had walked out of a fairy tale.


    She couldn''t help but twirl in front of the mirror, shyly thinking: Would Brother Zhou Mucheng also really like her looking this way?


    Just then, Ling Yue smelled something burning. Looking in the direction it came from, she saw something was on fire. Shocked, she urgently yelled out the door, ¡°Come quickly, something¡¯s burning, hurry, put out the fire!¡±


    She shouted while rushing to get out, but when she got to the door she found it had been locked from the outside. Anxiously pounding on the door, she called out, ¡°Come quickly...help! Save me!¡±


    Behind her the fire grew bigger, soon consuming everything in the room. Searing heat washed over her. mes leapt up her pure white wedding dress, intense pain engulfing her body. Ling Yue could endure no more, slowly copsing to the ground. Eyes red from the smoke¡¯s sting, coughing incessantly, each breath more difficult than thest, a stream of tears slid down her face as she thought of the person she had always harbored feelings for in her heart. ¡°Brother Zhou Mucheng...I¡¯m sorry...I cannot marry you...¡±


    Fire trucks soon screamed onto the scene. Amidst the raging inferno, firefighters carried out an unconscious woman and rushed her to the hospital.


    Watching the fire truck race away, the crowds spected:


    ¡°Do you know who that woman is they carried out? She¡¯s North City Ling Family¡¯s young miss, Ling Yue. I heard she was getting married next month.¡±


    ¡°How unlucky, after such a huge fire, even if she didn¡¯t die, she must be disfigured.¡±


    ¡°I heard Miss Ling was the most peerless beauty in Jing City.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen Miss Ling Yue before, she was indeed very beautiful, but her personality, oh boy...¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Everyone looked questioningly at the speaker.


    He sighed and shook his head. ¡°Timid as a mouse, useless besides her face. Can¡¯tpare at all to the Ling Family¡¯s second young miss.¡±


    In a hospital room, a tall womany in the bed, her face and body wrapped in bandages, only her eyes peeking out from fluttering curlyshes. Suddenly, she opened her eyes: clear and cold as icy daggers, sharp and majestic.


    ¡°Where is this ce...¡± Ling Yue¡¯s phoenix eyes narrowed, scanning her unfamiliar surroundings: light blue walls, white sheets, a single bed that could just fit one person, a bedside table, the gentle breeze from the half-open window fluttering the blue curtains, vaguely showing the garden view outside.


    A bolt of pain shot through her body. Ling Yue frowned, memories not her own flooded her mind. The original Ling Yue was 20 years old. She was the young miss of North City¡¯s Ling Family. Her mother passed away when she was little. Her father remarried and his new wife gave birth to a daughter and son soon after joining the Ling Family, securing her position.


    On the surface, the original was the young miss. But in reality, even the servants had higher standing than her in the family, leading to her timid personality, causing the Ling Family to dislike her even more.


    When the original was small, her mother betrothed her to Zhou Mucheng, eldest son of the Zhou family. Next month would have been her wedding to Zhou Mucheng.


    Today, the original received a call from the bridal shop toe try on her wedding dress. Zhou Mucheng was also supposed toe but had something urgent he couldn¡¯t make it for. Mid-fitting, a fire suddenly broke out in the room and the original perished.


    A mocking arc lifted the corner of Ling Yue¡¯s lips. She was certain the fire was deliberately set: someone wanted the original dead. Raising her eyes to the shadowy figure floating in midair, she said: ¡°Rest in peace. I will avenge you.¡±


    Hearing this, the figure faintly smiled at Ling Yue before dissipating.


    Ling Yue was about to close her eyes to organize her thoughts when the door opened and an old woman rushed in, anxiouslying to her bedside. Seeing Ling Yue wrapped in bandages, tears spilled from her eyes.


    She reached out to grasp Ling Yue¡¯s hand but pulled back when she saw the bandaged hand. Eyes red, she tenderly looked at Ling Yue, ¡°My poor young miss, why must you suffer so? What will you do now?¡±


    She was Ling Yue¡¯s mother¡¯s wet nurse. She had apanied Ling Yue¡¯s mother to the Ling Family when she married in. After her mistress¡¯ death, she had been taking care of the young miss. Over the years she bore silent witness to how the Ling Family treated the young miss but as a servant there was little she could do.


    Just when she thought the young miss would finally find happiness, this fire ruined everything. She truly worried for the young miss, and didn¡¯t know if she could take the blow when she found out the Zhou family had already called off the engagement. Having cared for her since she was small, she well understood how much the young miss cared for Zhou Mucheng.


    ¡°Granny Xu...I¡¯m fine...¡± Ling Yue¡¯s voice was hoarse from the smoke.


    Granny Xu dabbed at her tears, noticing the IV bag was nearly empty. ¡°Young miss, don¡¯t move. Your saline drip is almost finished. I¡¯ll go find the doctor to change it.¡±


    She carefully tucked Ling Yue in before leaving to get the doctor.


    Not long after Granny Xu left, the door opened again.


    Thinking Granny Xu had returned with the doctor, Ling Yue looked up. But it was a middle-aged man with a stern expression who strode to her bedside, looking at her with disgust and indifference. ¡°I came to tell you the Zhou family has called off the engagement. Also, after you¡¯re discharged, you will move to the old house in the suburbs to live alone.¡± He had thought having her engaged to the Zhou family made her useful somehow. Now with her ruined face and broken engagement, if not for her share of his blood, he wouldn¡¯t even provide her the old house to live in.


    Ling Yue said nothing, merely peering at Ling Tianzheng with a trace of mocking in the depths of her eyes. She truly felt sorry for the original: dead without even her father¡¯s condolences, instead thrown out like garbage.

 Chapter 2: Past Lives

    <h4>Chapter 2</h4>


    However, this did not affect her at all. She was not the original owner to begin with, so she naturally did not have any feelings towards the original owner''s father. It would be good to move out of the Ling family. She was the honorable queen of Feng Country, could it be that she would starve to death on this low level ne?


    In her previous life, she was the queen with power over the royal court. The reason she died was because she fell in love with a man.


    That man was a spy sent by the Neighboring Country. He had been lying low by her side for many years, helping her resolve worries and getting her out of dangerous situations time and time again. She knew his true identity and had intended to kill him before, but in the end she could not do it. So she decided to give him a chance, as well as give herself a chance, gambling on whether he would abandon his national enmity for her. But in the end, he still chose his country andpleted his mission.


    Thinking of him, aplex emotion shed across Ling Yue''s eyes. He was the only man she had ever loved, as well as the man who had hurt her the most. She loved him, pitied him, and also hated him.


    She knew he loved her too, because in thest moment of her life, she saw two lines of blood tears roll down his eyes. He raised the dagger in his hand and stabbed viciously into his own heart. He crawled to her side with difficulty, reached out his blood covered hand and gripped her hand tightly, staring gently into her face, "Yue''er... I''m sorry... it''s my fault... If there is an afterlife... I hope we will no longer be enemies..."


    Her heart ached sharply, and Ling Yue forcefully suppressed the emotions in her heart. If they were to meet again in this life, she hoped they would be strangers.


    "Did you hear what I just said?" Seeing that Ling Yue ignored him, Ling Tianzheng''s expression became even colder.


    Ling Yue looked up at Ling Tianzheng, just about to speak, when the ward door was pushed open again. Granny Xu walked in with a nurse. Seeing Ling Tianzheng, Granny Xu was startled for a moment and respectfully called out, "Master!"


    Ling Tianzheng nodded with a dark face, then turned and walked out of the ward. "Granny Xu,e out with me for a moment."


    Granny Xu looked at Ling Yue, then hurried to catch up with Ling Tianzheng.


    Ling Tianzheng stopped at the door and looked at Granny Xu. "Granny Xu, I suppose you''ve heard about the Zhou family matter?"


    Seeing Granny Xu nod, he continued, "I''ve already told her earlier that after she recovers from her injuries, she will move to the old house in the suburbs. Are you going to follow her, or stay with the Ling family?" After this incident, the Ling family certainly could not tolerate Ling Yue anymore.


    Granny Xu looked at Ling Tianzheng in disbelief. "Master, Little Miss is your daughter. You can''t treat her like this."


    Ling Tianzheng let out a coldugh. "The Ling family never raises useless people." Having said that, he ignored Granny Xu and walked away.


    "Master! You can''t treat Little Miss like this. If Madam knew, she would be heartbroken. Master!" Granny Xu hurried after Ling Tianzheng, but he only left a cold back view for Granny Xu.


    Granny Xu knew Ling Tianzheng would not change his mind. She stopped and slowly walked back towards the ward. She stood at the door for a while before pushing it open and entering the ward.


    Meeting Ling Yue''s bright phoenix eyes, Granny Xu was reminded of Ling Yue''s mother. She had promised Little Miss back then that she would take good care of Little Miss for the rest of her life. So she had already decided that wherever Little Miss went, she would follow. She had some savings left which could support their living expenses after settling down. She believed that she and Little Miss would have no issues with their daily expenditure.


    Walking to the bedside, she picked up a cup of water from the bedside table. She dipped a cotton swab into it and applied it to Ling Yue''s chapped lips. "Little Miss, don''t think about anything for now. Focus on recovering from your injuries, and everything will be fine once you''ve healed."


    "Alright." Ling Yue nodded. These small injuries could not trouble her. She could absorb the ster power at night to cultivate, and she would recoverpletely in less than half a month.


    Seeing Ling Yue close her eyes, Granny Xu was full of heartache. Little Miss was such a kind person, so why did Master treat her this way?


    She let out a long sigh, her gaze falling on the gauze on Ling Yue''s face. She had asked the doctor about Little Miss''s condition earlier. The doctor said the burnt area on Little Miss''s face was veryrge. If she wanted to recover, she would need skin grafting surgery. Now that the Ling family had abandoned Little Miss, they certainly would not give her money for the surgery.


    When Ling Yue woke up again, the sky outside was already pitch ck. She nced at Granny Xu who was sleeping with her head down by the bedside, and the corners of her lips curled up slightly. She activated her cultivation technique to start absorbing the ster power.


    As her cultivation technique circted, strands of ster power entered her body, slowly alleviating the pain from her injuries.


    After a hour, Ling Yue exited her cultivation state. The ne she was in was different from her original ne, so the ster power here was scarce. After cultivating for just an hour, she could no longer absorb any ster power. It seemed she had to find other ways to cultivate.


    "Little Miss, you''re awake? Are you thirsty? Let me pour you some water." Granny Xu woke up to see Ling Yue looking lost in thought with open eyes. She hurriedly got up and walked over to pour hot water from the thermos into a cup of cold boiled water. After testing the temperature, she put in a straw and brought it to Ling Yue''s mouth. "Little Miss, drink some water to moisten your throat."


    Ling Yue was quite thirsty, so she drank a few mouthfuls through the straw. "Granny Xu... I''m fine now... It''ste, you should rest... Don''t worry about me..." Having absorbed some ster power earlier, she had regained some strength. The pain from her injuries had also alleviated somewhat.


    "I''m alright, I''m not tired. Little Miss, I''ll go out to see if I can buy porridge." Thinking that Ling Yue had not eaten anything the whole day, Granny Xu''s eyes reddened.


    "I''m not hungry... we''ll talk about it tomorrow... I''m tired..." Ling Yue said as she closed her eyes. She had to think about how to live in this world from now on. She certainly would not interact with the Ling family anymore. As for the house in the Ling family suburb, she would not live there either. Since she intended to sever ties with the Ling family, she would not have anything more to do with them. Moreover, the original owner had never spent any of the Ling family''s money from young. She had been using what her mother left behind.


    The next morning, warm sunshine filtered in through the windows. Outside, the birds in the trees chirped noisily, and their crisp calls lifted one''s mood.


    "Little Miss, I''m going to buy porridge for you. I''ll be right back." Granny Xu only left after the nurse had helped set up the IV drip for Ling Yue. She had seen several snack shops across the street from the hospital yesterday. It would take no more than ten minutes for her to buy the porridge. She had checked with the nurse earlier that this IV bag would need to be administered for at least an hour.


    Not long after Granny Xu left, the ward door was pushed open. A doctor walked in and put a bill on the bedside table. "Miss Ling, this is your bill for yesterday. You currently owe our hospital 1,500 yuan in medical fees. Please settle the payment as soon as possible, otherwise we''ll have to ask you to leave."

 Chapter 3: The Ex-Fiance

    <h4>Chapter 3</h4>


    Granny Xu bought breakfast and came back. At the hospital entrance, she met Zhao Yu who came to see Ling Yue. "Mrs. Zhou! Why are you here?" Zhao Yu was Zhou Mucheng¡¯s mother and the matriarch of the Zhou Family. She had a very good rtionship with Ling Yue¡¯s mother when she was alive. Ling Yue and Zhou Mucheng¡¯s engagement was decided by the two of them.


    "I''m here to see Yue Yue. How is she now?" There was a hint of guilt in Zhao Yu''s expression. She was very fond of Yue Yue and hoped that she could be her daughter-inw. It was just a pity that things never go as nned.


    After Yue Yue¡¯s mother died, the Ling Family didn''t want the engagement between her and Mucheng to continue. It was her who had been insisting on it, and the Zhou Family didn''t cancel the engagement only because of her persistence. Although Yue Yue was not favored in the Ling Family, she was still the Ling Family¡¯s rightful young miss. The marriage alliance would benefit both the Ling and Zhou families.


    But now Yue Yue was disfigured. The Zhou Family would never marry a disfigured woman. No matter how much she objected, it would be useless. She felt guilty for not fulfilling Yue Yue¡¯s mother¡¯s dying wish.


    "The young miss is in very bad shape. Not only her body, but her face is also burned..." When Granny Xu thought of Ling Yue''s situation, her eyes turned red. Appearance was the most important thing for a woman. How would the young miss face her disfigurement in the future?


    "What a pitiful child." Zhao Yu couldn''t help but tear up too.


    As they talked, they walked to the ward. Hearing the doctor''s cold words inside, Granny Xu pushed the door open and walked in, "Doctor, I will go pay the outstanding medical fees. Please don''t talk to my young miss like that, or I will file aint against you." How hateful the Ling Family was, not even paying the medical fees for the young miss. No matter what, the young miss was still the young miss of the Ling Family, and she had the Ling Family blood running through her veins.


    Granny Xu had been in Yue Yue¡¯s mother¡¯s family and served the Ling Family for so many years. Her aura was naturally notparable to ordinary people. Under Granny Xu''s imposing manner, the doctor''s attitude immediately softened. He smiled apologetically, "Alright, please go pay the medical fees as soon as possible."


    Zhao Yu looked at the doctor coldly, "Ling Yue is not someone you can bully at will. If I find out you are mistreating her again, don''t me me for being impolite." As the matriarch of the Zhou Family, it would be easy for her to get the hospital to fire a doctor.


    "I won''t dare to do it again." The doctor was so frightened that cold sweat ran down his back. Thedy before him was a person of status, not someone a small doctor like him could afford to offend.


    Zhao Yu let out a cold snort and walked to the bedside. Seeing Ling Yue¡¯s whole body wrapped in gauze, her eyes turned red again, "My poor child."


    "Auntie Zhao..." Ling Yue knew Zhao Yu sincerely cared for the original host.


    "Don''t move, focus on recovering. Auntie Zhao will definitely find the best doctors to cure you." As she spoke, Zhao Yu took out a bank card and put it on the pillow next to Ling Yue, "This is a little something from Auntie Zhao for you to use."


    "Auntie Zhao, take it back...I won''t take your money..." She was not the original host and didn''t want to owe Zhao Yu. Besides, the Zhou Family had already canceled the engagement so she had no rtionship with them at all.


    "I know you me me. I wish you could be with Mucheng too. But...Auntie Zhao couldn''t make that decision." Zhao Yu said with tears flowing down her face, full of guilt and distress. This was the only thing she could do now. She just wanted topensate Yue Yue.


    "Auntie Zhao...I don''t me you..." She knew the original host had never med Zhao Yu and also understood that Zhao Yu couldn''t decide the engagement.


    "You really don''t me Auntie Zhao?" Zhao Yu felt even more guilty. What a kind girl. Too bad Mucheng didn''t have this blessing.


    Ling Yue shook her head, "I don''t."


    Zhao Yu wiped her tears and said, "If you don''t me me, keep the bank card. Otherwise I''ll think you resent me."


    Ling Yue didn''t say anything else. Even if she took the card now, she would return it after leaving the hospital.


    After sitting at the hospital for a while, Zhao Yu left.


    Back home, she saw Zhou Mucheng sitting in the living room looking at documents. She went over and sat down across from him, "I just went to the hospital to see Yue Yue. Her condition is very bad now."


    Zhou Mucheng didn''t even lift his head, just nodded slightly. He had never liked Ling Yue. He only met her a few times because of their engagement. He liked independent women with their own opinions, not someone in and uninteresting like Ling Yue. Now that the engagement was called off, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Can you go see her? She''ll definitely be very happy to see you." Zhao Yu knew Ling Yue was very fond of her son. Whenever she saw Mucheng, her eyes were full of him. It was just a pity...


    "I''m very busy recently." Zhou Mucheng tly refused. Now that he finally got out of the engagement, how could he possibly go see that woman again.


    "Mucheng, do it for your mother, please go see Yue Yue." Zhao Yu hoped Ling Yue could be a little happier. It would also be good for her recovery.


    "Mom!" Zhou Mucheng looked up impatiently, "I have no rtionship with her anymore. I won''t go see her."


    As he spoke, Zhou Mucheng stood up and walked towards the stairs.


    Zhao Yu shook her head and sighed. Yue Yue was a good girl. Hopefully one day Mucheng wouldn''t regret this.


    After a few days of recuperation with the power of the stars, Ling Yue felt her body was recovered. She asked Granny Xu to process her discharge paperwork. She really disliked staying in the hospital, especially the smell of disinfectant that she found unbearable.


    "Young miss, you should stay in the hospital for a few more days. What if your wounds get infected after you''re discharged?" Granny Xu was worried. The young miss had only been in the hospital for a week and her injuries were not yet healed.


    When the nurse came to change the young miss¡¯s dressings yesterday, she saw that her wounds were still raw and bleeding. How could she be discharged now?


    "Granny Xu, I don''t want to stay in the hospital. Go get my discharge paperwork done for me, okay?" Ling Yue shook Granny Xu''s arm coquettishly.


    "Young miss, don''t move. Be careful not to hurt your wounds." Granny Xu didn''t dare move an inch, looking at Ling Yue''s bandaged hands worriedly.


    "Granny Xu, I want to be discharged. Just help me with the discharge formalities." Ling Yue continued acting coquettishly.


    "If she wants to be discharged, just let her. There''s no need to stop her." As the voice rang out, a beautiful woman dressed in a white dress walked in the door.


    Ling Yue looked towards the voice, her gaze turning cold. The neer was Ling Yue''s half-sister, Ling Meng.


    Ling Meng walked to the bedside and looked Ling Yue up and down,ughing mockingly, "It''s really pitiful to be injured like this. I heard burn scars can never heal for a lifetime. What will you do now, sister?"

 Chapter 4: Discharge from Hospital

    <h4>Chapter 4</h4>


    "There''s no need for you to worry about that, little sister," Ling Yue said, rolling her eyes. She was not the original Ling Yue, so she naturally knew that Ling Meng did note to see her out of kindness.


    Ling Meng was a little surprised by Ling Yue''s reaction but did not take it to heart. "Sister, you know that the Zhou family has called off their engagement with you, right?" Her purpose ining to the hospital today was to deliberately provoke Ling Yue. She was so obsessed with Zhou Mucheng - she must not be able to ept that the marriage contract had been cancelled. She just wanted to see Ling Yue fall apart.


    Ling Yue nced at Ling Meng as she reached for the ss of water on the bedside table and took a sip before slowly opening her mouth, "Does my sister think I would be heartbroken? No, I''m not, on the contrary I''m very happy. Three-legged toads are hard to find in this world, it''s not difficult to find a two-legged man. Why would I give up a whole forest for a crooked tree?"


    At the door, Zhou Mucheng, who was about to push the door open, retracted his hand. He had been annoyed by his mother''s nagging these past few days and had only agreed toe to the hospital after she pestered him. He did not expect to hear such words.


    Ling Meng looked at Ling Yue in surprise - this was not the reaction she had anticipated. Ling Yue should not have reacted like this, "Sister, I know you''re just putting on a brave face. If you''re upset then have a good cry, don''t keep it bottled up inside."


    Granny Xu looked sympathetically at Ling Yue, "Miss, you can cry it out if you''re hurting."


    Ling Yue red at Ling Meng, impatiently waving her hand, "You can leave now, stop wandering around in front of me, it''s affecting my recovery."


    Ling Meng''s eyes flickered in thought. "Sister, just now you said you wanted to be discharged right? I''ll go and process the discharge procedures for you." It had only been a week, surely Ling Yue''s injuries were not yet healed. Once she left the hospital, she would get her mother to make a call to ensure that hospitals across the city refused to admit Ling Yue. She wanted those wounds to fester until Ling Yue died from the agony.


    Ling Yue raised an eyebrow, "Since my sister is being so kind, I''ll have to trouble you with that. Oh yes, could you cover my medical fees first? I''ll pay you back once I have money." She felt no psychological burden at all over scamming Ling Meng.


    "It''s just a small amount, don''t worry about it," Ling Meng smiled casually and left the ward. She''d like to see Ling Yue try and get herself admitted once she realized how difficult it was, with wounds on the verge of festering but nowhere to even change her dressings.


    Zhou Mucheng hid himself as Ling Meng walked past before emerging from the corner and heading towards Ling Yue''s ward. But he decided against going in, thinking that Ling Yue would probably burst into tears and cling onto him if she saw him, begging him not to leave. It''d be better not to meet, less trouble that way.


    "Miss, why is Miss Ling Meng suddenly being so kind?" Granny Xu found it rather puzzling.


    Ling Yue smiled without answering. She knew exactly what Ling Meng was scheming.


    Ling Meng went to the doctor''s office first to ask about Ling Yue''s condition. She was told that her injuries were still very serious, and would definitely fester the moment she left the care of the hospital. What''s more, they would leave permanent, hard-to-cure scars.


    Feeling delighted, Ling Meng helped process Ling Yue''s discharge papers and headed towards the ward.


    "Miss, are you sure you want to be discharged? What about your injuries?" Granny Xu''s worried voice drifted out from the ward.


    "It''s fine. I just need toe back regrly after I''m discharged for dressing changes, don''t worry," came Ling Yue''s reassuring reply.


    As Ling Meng listened to their conversation, she was even more gleeful. For Ling Yue to insist on leaving the hospital despite her condition, she was practically seeking death! Although, Ling Meng understood why Ling Yue wanted to be discharged - she could no longer afford the medical fees. The Ling family hadpletely abandoned Ling Yue this time, unwilling to pay a single cent of her expenses. Still, Ling Meng looked forward even more to seeing Ling Yue tortured to death by those festering wounds.


    Pushing open the door to the ward, "Sister, I''ve settled your discharge procedures. Granny Xu, please help my sister pack up to leave."


    Granny Xu looked to Ling Yue, who nodded, then sighed reluctantly as she started gathering Ling Yue''s belongings.


    "Cough cough cough..." Ling Yue coughed weakly, her eyes brimming with tears from the violent coughing fit, looking extremely pitiful.


    "Miss!" Granny Xu hurried over and gently patted Ling Yue''s back to soothe her coughs. "Maybe we should stay a while more, you''re clearly not well enough to leave."


    Ling Yue looked up at Ling Meng, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.


    "I have other matters to attend to, I''ll take my leave first," Ling Meng was on the verge ofughing gleefully to herself. Insisting on being discharged in such a state, Ling Yue was inly courting death! Though, she understood why Ling Yue wanted to leave - she could no longer afford the hospital fees. After all, the Ling family hadpletely abandoned Ling Yue this time, unwilling to pay even a cent of her medical expenses. Still, Ling Meng looked forward even more to seeing Ling Yue tortured to death by festering wounds.


    "Miss, I''ll go get the doctor." Seeing that Ling Yue''s coughs showed no signs of stopping, Granny Xu hurriedly made to fetch the doctor.


    Ling Yue grabbed Granny Xu''s arm, "I''m fine now, don''t worry." She had to put on an act, or Ling Meng wouldn''t feel like the money she paid was worthwhile.


    "Are you sure you''re alright?" Granny Xu was still anxious.


    "I''m sure," Ling Yue nodded firmly. She guessed that over the next few days, someone from the Ling family would show up at the hospital. That''s why she deliberately prevented Granny Xu from paying the fees - after all, Zhao Yu had left word that the hospital dared not do anything to her.


    "But..."


    "Alright, let''s get discharged," Ling Yue sat up and took a set of clean clothes out from the cupboard before heading to the bathroom to change.


    After leaving the hospital, the two called for a taxi to take them to a small house that Ling Yue had previously asked Granny Xu to rent. She had Granny Xu go house hunting the day after she was warded - she certainly wasn''t going to live in the Ling family home.


    The smallpound was situated deep inside ane. Pushing open the doors revealed three single-storey houses enclosing a small yard of about a dozen square meters. A banyan tree grew in the yard, and there was also a well. Stepping into the house, a thickyer of dust covered all the furniture from having been unupied for an extended period.


    "Miss, have a seat here while I go tidy up. It won''t take long," Granny Xu wiped a chair clean and had Ling Yue sit down before hurrying off to fetch water for cleaning.


    She hade to view the house previously so she knew what condition it was in. Though it was rather outdated, the ce was peaceful and affordable - they would just have to make do. Especially since the savings she had now could only afford such housing.


    "I''ll help you clean too," Ling Yue felt the house was perfectly fine. A bit aged perhaps, but very quiet, and the little yard outside would be great for absorbing starlight energy at night.


    "No, Miss. Your injuries haven''t healed yet, don''t exert yourself. I can manage the cleaning on my own," Granny Xu quickly stopped her.


    While Granny Xu was out fetching water, Ling Yue took out a handkerchief and started dusting the furniture.


    "Aiyoh! My dear girl,e sit down this instance!" Granny Xu hurried in with a basin of water just as Ling Yue was wiping away the dust. She immediately snatched the handkerchief from Ling Yue''s hands.


    "Granny Xu, I''m really fine. Just let me help you clean up a bit, please?" Ling Yue pleaded with a cute pout. She knew exactly how her injuries were healing - a few more days of cultivation and she''d be good as new.


    "No!" Granny Xu refused no matter how Ling Yue cajoled.


    In the end, Ling Yue could only take a seat and watch Granny Xu do all the cleaning.


    After a morning''s worth of cleaning, the littlepound sparkled, with two rooms perfect for Ling Yue and Granny Xu to upy separately.


    "Do you know where the library is, Granny Xu?" Ling Yue''s knowledge of this world came solely from the original owner''s memories. But the original owner rarely ventured out so there were still many things she didn''t know about the outside world.


    Granny Xu racked her brains before replying, "I''m not sure about the library. But I know there''s a used book store right across from ourne." She remembered passing by it while house hunting previously.


    Hearing that, Ling Yue decided to visit the used bookstore that afternoon. They were in thete 1990s of this ne, so she wasn''t familiar with this world at all. In order to earn money here and change her current circumstances, she needed to understand more of this ne.

 Chapter 5: Old Book Shop

    <h4>Chapter 5</h4>


    Ling Meng returned home in a good mood and went to her mother''s room to tell her about Ling Yue''s discharge from the hospital.


    "That dead girl is being discharged already? Are her injuries healed?" Yang Xiner stopped painting her nails and looked surprised. Although she had not gone to see the dead girl, she knew her injuries were very serious, with fifty percent of her body burned, and even her face was ruined.


    Ling Meng smiled as she picked up an apple slice from the fruit tter on the table and put it in her mouth. "How is that possible? I asked the doctor, and he said her injuries would take at least another month to be discharged, and even if she gets better, she will have ugly scars in the future." Thinking that Ling Yue would have to live with an ugly face from now on made her happy. Every time she heard others praise Ling Yue for her beauty, she would be jealous and want to ruin her face. Now her dream had finallye true. Moreover, the Ling family had given up on Ling Yue, so she would be the young miss of the Ling family from now on.


    "Then why is she in such a hurry to be discharged?" Yang Xiner could not figure it out.


    "She''s run out of money to pay her medical bills!" Ling Meng said happily. Grandpa had ordered that from now on, no one in the Ling family was allowed to take care of Ling Yue''s affairs anymore, nor was Ling Yue allowed to step back into the Ling family. The Ling family hadpletely abandoned Ling Yue this time,cking only an announcement to sever ties with her.


    "Serves her right!" Yang Xiner admired her nicely painted nails and smiled satisfiedly. She had always disliked that dead girl Ling Yue because her face looked seventy to eighty percent like her dead mother''s. Every time she saw her, she would think of Ling Yue''s mother.


    "Mom, call Uncle Zhang and tell him to instruct all the hospitals in Jing City not to admit that dead girl. Don''t even change her medicine for her, let her die from the pain." Otherwise, she would have wasted her money.


    "Okay." Yang Xiner smiled and nodded. Her daughter was as clever as her.


    "Also, Mom, can you ask Dad to announce cutting ties with Ling Yue?" As long as the Ling family made an announcement, Ling Yue would bepletely unrted to them.


    "This..." Of course, Yang Xiner wanted it too, but it required the old master''s approval. Although the dead girl was disfigured, she still had the Ling family blood running through her veins after all.


    "Mom!" Ling Meng shook Yang Xiner''s arm coquettishly.


    Yang Xiner nced at Ling Meng indulgently. "Alright, I''ll talk to your dad about it tonight."


    "Mom is the best!" Ling Meng kissed Yang Xiner happily on the cheek. As long as the Ling family announced severing ties with Ling Yue, she would be the legitimate young miss of the Ling family.


    In the afternoon after Granny Xu left to buy daily necessities, Ling Yue also went out.


    She walked out of the alley and soon found the used bookstore Granny Xu had mentioned.


    There was a sign hanging on the door of the used bookstore that read, "Used Book Rental: 1 Yuan Per Day".


    Walking into the used bookstore, a middle-aged woman wearing ck-rimmed sses was organizing the bookshelves, and two young men were inside, one leaning against a bookshelf reading, and the other browsing for books.


    Seeing Ling Yue with gauze wrapped around her face walk in, all three people''s gazes turned to her at the same time.


    Ling Yue ignored their stares and walked to one of the bookshelves. Although this used bookstore only had some old books on its shelves, there were many categories¡ªold magazines, all kinds of romance novels, economics, history, medicine, and more.


    Ling Yue picked up a book, quickly flipped through it, and put it back on the shelf before continuing to the next book. She had an excellent memory and could remember every book she skimmed.


    Seeing Ling Yue pick up and flip through one book after another but not seeming to actually read them, the used bookstore owner approached her and said, "What kind of books are you looking for? Let me help you find some." In her store, people could buy books, rent them, or read them in the store. However, few people chose to read in the store¡ªmost would rent books to take home and return after finishing them. Renting books only required a 10 Yuan deposit.


    "No need, I''m just browsing randomly." Ling Yue ced the book in her hand back on the shelf and moved on to the next.


    Hearing this, the used bookstore owner stopped bothering Ling Yue. As long as she didn''t damage any books, it was fine.


    Unknowingly, the afternoon slipped away until Granny Xu, who had gone to buy daily necessities, came to find her. Only then did Ling Yue realize howte it was. She returned the book in her hand to the shelf.


    In one afternoon, she had read many books and basically understood this world¡ªit was thete 1990s here, and the Inte had just emerged in China. She felt that the Inte would continue to develop in the future and be intricately linked to people''s lives.


    When she had money, she would go to an inte cafe to see if she could find any business opportunities online. Since she hade to this world, she had to work hard to earn money and improve her life. No matter which world she was in, only with power and money could she stand at the pinnacle of the world and have a say.


    "Young Miss, I finally found you!" Granny Xu came home after buying daily necessities. Not seeing Ling Yue, she was scared to death. She rushed out to look for her, thinking that Ling Yue had asked about the used bookstore before. Finding her there, Granny Xu heaved a sigh of relief. As long as the young miss was alright, nothing else mattered.


    Ling Yue smiled apologetically. "Granny Xu, I''m sorry for worrying you."


    "As long as you''re fine. Do your wounds still hurt?" What Granny Xu worried most about now was Ling Yue''s injuries.


    "They don''t hurt anymore. Let''s go home." Ling Yue took Granny Xu''s hand and walked in the direction of their home.


    Granny Xu didn''t dare touch Ling Yue''s hand but let her hold it anyway.


    Back home, Granny Xu immediately went to the kitchen. She had bought some rice and vegetables just now. "Young Miss, I''ll go make dinner. Rest for a while."


    "Okay." Ling Yue knew Granny Xu definitely wouldn''t let her help, so she didn''t follow her into the kitchen.


    Sitting in the living room, Ling Yue propped her chin up in thought about what she needed to do next. What she needed most now was money, and the fastest way to make money was the stock market. However, she would need capital for stocks and an understanding of the market.


    Antiques and gambling on stones were other options, but those also required money. Where could she earn money from?


    "Young Miss, dinner is ready." Granny Xu carried the dishes out from the kitchen.


    "Coming." Ling Yue snapped back to reality and got up to take the dishes from Granny Xu.


    "Don''t move. Be careful of your injuries." Granny Xu avoided Ling Yue''s hands and set the food down on the table herself.


    Ling Yue shrugged helplessly. Sigh, another useless day.


    After dinner, when Granny Xu had finished cleaning up and gone back to her room, Ling Yue went out to the yard and sat under a tree to start absorbing the Power of the Stars.


    As she activated her cultivation technique, strands of ster power gradually converged towards her. Looking closely, one could see specks of blue light seeping out from under her bandages.


    Ling Yue stayed in that state until she could no longer sense the Power of the Stars. Then she exited her cultivation trance, opened her eyes, stood up and brushed the dust off herself before returning to her room. Her wounds were now seventy to eighty percent healed.

 Chapter 6: Antique Street

    <h4>Chapter 6</h4>


    Granny Xu finished her breakfast and tidied up, preparing to go out to find a job. Her savings were almost gone, enough tost at most another week. She didn''t mind enduring some hardship, but she couldn''t let Little Miss go hungry.


    "Little Miss, I''ve already prepared lunch and put it in the cupboard. Can you use your hand?" Granny Xu was still worried about Ling Yue''s hand. If they weren''t so short on money, she wouldn''t be rushing out to find work.


    "My hand is fine now, see." Ling Yue picked up the cup on the table and took a sip.


    Seeing that Ling Yue was holding the cup lightly and didn''t frown in pain, Granny Xu felt slightly relieved. She took 100 yuan from her pocket and gave it to Ling Yue, "Little Miss, take this money. If you want to read, you can borrow some books."


    "Okay." Ling Yue didn''t stand on ceremony with Granny Xu and epted the money. When she earned money in the future, she would repay Granny Xu many times over.


    "Well, I''m going now." Granny Xu gave Ling Yue some more instructions before reluctantly leaving.


    After Granny Xu left, Ling Yue went back to her room, put on a hat, and followed her out. She first went to the pharmacy to buy a face mask, then headed towards the antique street. In her previous life, she had seen countless treasures and could tell real from fake with one nce.


    Today wasn''t Sunday, so there weren''t too many people wandering the antique street, mostly some older folks taking a stroll.


    Ling Yue nced over the street stalls on both sides of the road. Her frown grew deeper and deeper when she saw they were all modern handicrafts.


    "Sir, this jade turtle was just unearthed from the soil, extremely valuable," a peddler quietly touted an old man who was looking at the things on his stall.


    The old man picked up the turtle the size of a palm carefully. The jade carving was exquisite, and there was some dirt on the shell, making it look as if it had been dug out from the soil.


    Ling Yue walked over and squatted down next to the old man, her gaze falling on the jade turtle in his hand. She was slightly shocked. The jade turtle emanated traces of ck energy - it had clearly been tainted by sinister forces. Buying it back would negatively impact the buyer''s health.


    "Sir, if you like it, I can give you a good price," the peddler ingratiatingly said. One look and he could tell this old man was loaded.


    The old man hesitated as he examined the jade turtle in his hand. He really liked it, but strangely, holding it gave him chills down his spine. Maybe it was just his imagination?


    "Don''t worry, sir. This is a steal," the peddler continued hustling.


    Ling Yue withdrew her gaze to an inconspicuous cup on the stall. Covered all over in ck without any luster, it looked like it had been smoked over a fire. "Boss, how much for that cup?" she asked, pointing at it.


    The peddler casually nced at the cup. "100 yuan." He had gotten it when he bought a rosewood box. After he sold the box, the buyer returned this cup to him, so he had kept it lying around ever since. Trash no one would look twice at anyway.


    "Could you sell it to me for 50?" Ling Yue asked.


    The peddler looked Ling Yue up and down and shrugged. "80. Take it or leave it." He didn''t have time to waste with this little girl when there was big business to be done with the old man.


    "How about 70?" Ling Yue bargained.


    "Fine, just take it," the impatient peddler said, shoving the cup at Ling Yue. 70 yuan was still money, and the cup was worthless anyway.


    Ling Yue took out the money from her pocket, counted out 70 yuan and handed it to the peddler, taking the cup. As soon as it was in her hand, she felt a rich spiritual aura emanating from it. The cultivation technique she practiced could absorb spiritual energy in addition to star power to cultivate. However, this world wascking in spiritual energy, so she could only rely on star power.


    Tucking the cup away, Ling Yue left. Whether the old man would buy that jade turtle had nothing to do with her - she didn''t want unnecessary trouble by meddling too much. Sometimes helping others doesn''t earn their gratitude.


    As she walked, she absorbed the spiritual energy from the cup. When it was depleted, she entered an antique shop. The spiritual energy had nothing to do with the historical value of the cup. As long as it wasn''t damaged, it still held value.


    Inside the antique shop, a bespectacled old man behind the counter inspected a blue and white porcin vase in his hand through a magnifying ss, a new acquisition. Hearing footsteps, he nced up at Ling Yue before continuing his appreciation of the vase.


    Ling Yue walked up to him and asked, "Hello! Do you buy antiques here?"


    The old man looked up at her. "You have an antique?"


    Ling Yue took out the cup she had just bought and ced it on the counter. "Take a look."


    The old man recognized it as the cup from Li San''s stall that he had seen before. It was worthless then, and still was now. "Little girl, this cup isn''t worth anything," he dismissed.


    Ling Yue smiled confidently. "Not necessarily. Could I trouble you for a basin of water?"


    The old man frowned slightly. Seeing the sh of confidence in Ling Yue''s eyes, he called for his shop assistant to fetch a basin of water from the backyard.


    When the assistant brought the water over, Ling Yue ced the cup inside. In the next moment, faint concentric circles of blue light emanated from the originally nondescript cup, filled with dots of stars as dazzling as the gxy itself.


    "How...how..." the old man gaped, dumbfounded.


    Ling Yue quirked her brow yfully. "Well? Will you buy it now?"


    "Buy it! Of course I''ll buy it!" The old man nodded repeatedly. This was the legendary ck Jade Star Cup, of which there was only one in existence, priceless! To think this youngdy had such discerning eyes - he had really looked down on her! As expected, appearances could be deceiving!


    "How much are you offering?" The old man scrutinized the ck Jade Star Cup through his magnifying ss.


    "2 million," Ling Yue stated. She knew the cup was worth far more than that - it could easily fetch over 10 million at auction.


    The old man hesitated. Of course he knew how valuable it was, but 2 million was no measly sum. It wasn''t his call to make.


    "If you don''t think that''s fair, I can ask around at other shops," Ling Yue said, moving to take back the cup.


    "Wait! Let me make a call," the old man hurriedly said. No way would he let Ling Yue take this to another shop. It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to obtain the ck Jade Star Cup that he couldn''t miss.


    "Alright then." At the old man''s invitation, Ling Yue went to the reception room to await his reply. She dared sit there because she wasn''t afraid of him ying any tricks. Although she hadn''t regained her previous cultivation base, dealing with a few ordinary people posed no problems. If the old man dared to scam her, he would find she wasn''t one to be trifled with either.

 Chapter 7: Apply for a Bank Card

    <h4>Chapter 7</h4>


    Before long, the old man walked over, smiling at Ling Yue, "Little girl, we''ll take the cup. Will it be a bank transfer? Or shall I give you a check?"


    "A bank transfer. But you need to apany me to the bank. I want to get a bank card," said Ling Yue. She had an ID card and nned to apply for a bank card at the bank to make things more convenient in the future. The ID card was given to her by Granny Xu when she was at the hospital.


    "Sure, let''s go to the bank," said the old man, looking at Ling Yue''s eyes. She was wearing a mask and he couldn''t see her appearance, but from the temperament and wisdom gleaming in her eyes, he knew this little girl was extraordinary. Moreover, for her to spot the leak of the ck Jade Starry Cup, she must know antiques very well. After all, even he, a professional, had missed it.


    Ling Yue smiled lightly and got up.


    The bank was not far from the antique street, just a 5-6 minute walk. This greatly facilitatedrge transactions for antique dealers.


    Upon entering the bank, it didn''t take long before it was Ling Yue and the old man''s turn.


    The two walked to the counter. Ling Yue took out her ID card and handed it to the bank clerk, "Hello, I''d like to apply for a bank card."


    Uncle Fu nced at the ID card and was slightly shocked. She turned out to be the young miss of the Ling family, Ling Yue. No wonder she had an extraordinary temperament.


    The bank clerk took out a form, "Please fill out this information first."


    Ling Yue nodded, took the form and a pen, filled out her name and ID number, then handed the form and ID back to the clerk.


    When the bank clerk saw Ling Yue''s ID card, she was stunned for a moment. Recently, two things were causing a sensation in the capital city: First, the young miss of the Ling family, Ling Yue, was disfigured in a fire at a bridal shop. Second, the eldest young master of the Zhou family broke off his engagement with Ling Yue.


    The clerk stole a nce at Ling Yue wearing a mask, unable to see her appearance. She shook her head regretfully. What a beautiful face, nowpletely ruined.


    Soon, the clerk had processed the bank card. Uncle Fu handed over his own card, "Xiao Li, please help transfer 2 million to this youngdy for me." His shop often hadrge transactions, so he went to the bank almost every day. Naturally, he was very familiar with the bank staff.


    "Sure, Uncle Fu," said Xiao Li as she took Uncle Fu''s bank card and started transferring money to Ling Yue.


    Before long, Xiao Li had finished processing everything for them. She returned the bank card and ID to them, "It''s done. Please keep your bank card and ID safe."


    "Please withdraw 20,000 cash for me," said Ling Yue. She currently had no money on her, so she definitely needed to withdraw some cash to carry with her and to spend on things in the future.


    "Sure, please wait a moment!"


    Shortly after, Xiao Li handed the 20,000 cash, ID and bank card to Ling Yue, "Do you need help with anything else?"


    "No thanks. Thank you!" Ling Yue put away the bank card, ID and cash. She left the bank with Uncle Fu. This was the first pot of gold she had earned since arriving in this world. She must utilize this money well.


    "Youngdy, if you get any other good items in the future, be sure toe to me. I will definitely give you a fair price," said Uncle Fu. Now that he knew Ling Yue''s identity, he felt a trace of pity for her. He had naturally heard about what happened to Ling Yue. What a nice girl, yet toyed by fate.


    "Sure," Ling Yue smiled lightly and nodded before leaving.


    Granny Xu had been out all day looking for a suitable job but hadn''t found one. She decided to continue looking tomorrow. She wanted to find a job where she could earn money and also take care of the young miss. With the young miss''s current condition, she definitely didn''t feel assured leaving her alone at home.


    Pushing open the yard gate, she smelled the fragrance of home cooking. Surprised, Granny Xu hurried towards the kitchen.


    Upon entering, she saw three dishes and a soup on the table. Ling Yue was sitting at the table reading a book. "Young miss, did you cook all this?" Although the young miss was not doted on in the Ling family, she had never personally cooked before.


    "No, I ordered takeout from a restaurant," said Ling Yue, closing her book and smiling at Granny Xu. In her previous life, she was the ruler of a nation - she naturally wouldn''t cook herself.


    Granny Xu breathed a sigh of relief. As long as it wasn''t cooked by the young miss herself, that would be fine. Her hand injuries hadn''t healed yet. She absolutely couldn''t handle water.


    "Young miss, wait until I get home to cook the meals from now on. Buying takeout is too expensive," said Granny Xu. She washed her hands, took out bowls and chopsticks from the cupboard, and sat down next to Ling Yue. She wanted the young miss to eat better too, but their current situation was limited. After buying daily necessities yesterday, she only had a few hundred yuan left. She had to find a job quickly.


    Ling Yue took 10,000 yuan from her pocket and handed it to Granny Xu, "Granny Xu, take this money."


    Granny Xu looked at the money in surprise, "Where did you get this money? It''s not from Mrs. Zhou, is it?" She remembered Mrs. Zhou had given the young miss a bank card.


    "No, I earned it myself. I''ve already returned Aunt Zhao''s bank card," she said. After leaving the bank today, she had specially gone to the Zhou residence to return the bank card to their steward, asking him to pass it on to Aunt Zhao.


    "You earned this?" Granny Xu was even more surprised.


    Ling Yue smiled and nodded, "I went to the antique street today and found a leak. I sold the antique I picked up."


    "Young miss, you really are amazing," said Granny Xu, beaming ear to ear.


    "Granny Xu, don''t look for work anymore. From now on, I''ll provide for you," said Ling Yue. She didn''t have the confidence to say this before, but now she did. She already had ns for what to do next.


    "Alright, I''ll listen to whatever the young miss says. Let''s eat quickly before the dishes get cold," said Granny Xu, putting some dishes into Ling Yue''s bowl. She would still look for work, but after the young miss''s injuries healed.


    As soon as Zhao Yu returned home, the steward handed her a bank card, "Mistress, Miss Ling asked me to pass this on to you. She said thank you for your kindness, but she won''t be taking this money."


    "That child is so stubborn," said Zhao Yu with a frown as she took the bank card. She was very aware of Ling Yue''s current situation. The Ling family hadpletely abandoned Ling Yue now. She even heard they were unwilling to pay her medical fees.


    The sound of footsteps came. Zhao Yu looked back and saw it was Zhou Mucheng. She red fiercely at him - this rotten brat was to me for everything. If he hadn''t gone to the Ling family to break off the engagement, how could Ling Yue have fallen to this state?

 Chapter 8: I’ll Make It Up to Her.

    <h4>Chapter 8</h4>


    Zhou Mucheng frowned, "Mom! I''ve told you many times before, I don''t like Ling Yue. Calling off the engagement was bound to happen sooner orter." When she was little, Ling Yue was cute and he treated her like a younger sister. But as she grew up, her personality became less and less likable. She always walked with her head lowered and acted obsequiously, nothing like a youngdy from a prominent family.


    If he had to spend his whole life with a woman like that, then his life would be ruined. He knew it was cruel to call off the engagement with Ling Yue at this point, but this was an opportunity and he didn''t want to miss it.


    "You! You''re really pissing me off!" Zhao Yu''s face flushed red with anger. She walked up and punched Zhou Mucheng''s shoulder.


    Zhou Mucheng didn''t budge at all, allowing Zhao Yu to vent her anger by hitting him.


    After all, it was her own son. After a few hits, Zhao Yu couldn''t bear to continue. She red fiercely at Zhou Mucheng and then stormed over to the couch to sit down. "So how are you nning topensate Yue''er?" No matter whose fault this was,pensation had to be made.


    "I''ll give her enough money to support herself for the rest of her life," Zhou Mucheng said evenly. Money was the onlypensation he could offer Ling Yue. He had nothing else to give.


    "If Yue''er was willing to ept money, she wouldn''t have returned my bank card," Zhao Yu said irritably, looking at the bank card in her hand. If Ling Yue had epted the card, it would have made her feel a little better at least.


    "I''ll take care of this properly," Zhou Mucheng said. He knew Ling Yue had feelings for him. She would be overjoyed to ept anything he gave her.


    Zhao Yu humphed and turned her head away, refusing to acknowledge Zhou Mucheng any further.


    Under the bright moonlight, Ling Yue sat motionless in the yard, absorbing the ster energy between heaven and earth. Perhaps due to the spiritual energy she had absorbed during the day, after absorbing the ster energy for a while, a trace of energy was generated within her body. Although the amount was pathetically meager and nearly imperceptible, it still signified that her recent cultivation efforts had not been in vain.


    After circting this energy through her body several times, Ling Yue no longer sensed any ster energy from her surroundings, so she exited her meditative state and opened her eyes before returning to her room.


    She removed her clothes and slowly unwound the gauze wrapped around her body. Where she had suffered burns before, the wounds had already healed, leaving only faint scars behind. She wasn''t worried though - these scars would disappear in a few days at most.


    After recing the soiled gauze with fresh, clean wrappings, Ling Yue removed the gauze from her face. The burns on her face were more severe. Except for the area around her eyes, there wasn''t a single patch of undamaged skin across her whole face. The uneven, pitted wounds looked gruesome and horrifying.


    She wrapped fresh gauze around her face again before tidying up the items on her table and going to bed, soon falling asleep.


    In the Ling Family residence, Yang Xiner tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. Ling Tianzheng hadn''te back yesterday so she didn''t get a chance to discuss severing ties with Ling Yue. Although he had returned today, he immediately fell asleep after drinking some alcohol.


    "Why aren''t you asleep yet?" Ling Tianzheng reached out and pulled Yang Xiner into his embrace.


    "I was thinking about something," Yang Xiner said, flipping over to face him and hugging him back.


    Ling Tianzheng forced his bleary, drunk eyes open and looked at Yang Xiner. "What is it?"


    Yang Xiner hesitated briefly before speaking. "Since the Zhou Family wants to call off the engagement, I was wondering if we''d have a chance to match Ling Meng with them instead if she became the Ling Family heir apparent. That way we could still form a marriage alliance with the Zhou Family." As she spoke, she slid her hand under Ling Tianzheng''s shirt to caress him.


    Ling Tianzheng immediately felt his blood rushing at her touch. He flipped Yang Xiner onto her back and pressed down on top of her. The Zhou Family was stronger than the Ling Family so he was also unhappy about dissolving the engagement. At the time, he had suggested substituting Ling Meng for Ling Yue to uphold the marriage agreement, but the Zhou Family patriarch rejected the idea, saying they would only marry the true daughter.


    After making passionate love, Ling Tianzheng and Yang Xiner resumed their earlier discussion. "So do you have any ideas about it?"


    Yang Xiner hesitated briefly before responding. "I just feel that Ling Yue has already been driven out of the family and they''vepletely abandoned her. It''s not suitable for her to keep using the title of Ling Family heir when she''s in that situation. If she did anything disgraceful it would just smear the Ling Family''s reputation."


    Ling Tianzheng''s eyes narrowed and a fierce glint shed through them before he flipped over with his back facing Yang Xiner. "Let''s go to sleep," he said curtly.


    Yang Xiner didn''t understand what Ling Tianzheng''s reaction meant and didn''t dare ask more. Ovee by drowsiness, she slowly closed her eyes as well.


    The next morning when Ling Yue left her room, she saw Granny Xu washing clothes by the well. "Good morning, Granny Xu!"


    Granny Xu looked up and smiled kindly at Ling Yue. "Good morning, Miss. Breakfast is in the kitchen - go eat."


    "Okay," Ling Yue nodded and headed for the kitchen.


    On the kitchen table was a bowl of rice porridge, a te of pickled cucumbers, and two steamed buns.


    Ling Yue sat down, picked up her chopsticks to grab a slice of pickled cucumber and took a bite. The salty-sweet vor spread through her mouth and she smiled slightly. She really enjoyed the tasty vor of these pickled cucumbers.


    After hanging up the cleanundry, Granny Xu came into the kitchen and saw Ling Yue had finished eating. She smiled and sat down next to her. "Miss, I''ll go with you to the hospitalter to change your bandages." The doctor had instructed them to change the dressings every day when she was discharged, otherwise the wounds could be infected.


    "No need. I''ve already changed them myself - see, the gauze is all new," Ling Yue said, stretching out her arm to show Granny Xu. She was certain that even if they went to the hospital now, the doctor still wouldn''t change her dressings. Ling Meng had paid so generously for her medical fees just to ensure she wouldn''t be able to return to the hospital after being discharged. Ling Meng wanted her to be unable to get her dressings changed so her wounds would be infected and she would suffer in agony. She would simply oblige Ling Meng for now and let her enjoy her moment of smug satisfaction.


    "You can''t change them yourself! What if your wounds get infected? No, you must go to the hospital," Granny Xu said disapprovingly. Miss''s injuries were extremely severe - when they changed her dressings at the hospitalst time, she personally witnessed just how serious the wounds were.


    Ling Yue was about to refuse at first but then changed her mind, a sly smile ying at the corners of her eyes. "Oh, alright then." She wanted to take this chance to embarrass the Ling Family. She was still the Ling Family heir after all. If the hospital dared to turn her away at the door, wouldn''t that be an outright p to the Ling Family''s face?


    "Granny Xu, I need to step out for a bit first. I''ll be right back," Ling Yue said, getting to her feet and walking outside. If she was going to make trouble, she might as well go all out. She wanted to see how the instigators would clean up the mess in the end.


    Ling Yue went to the small grocery store at the mouth of the alley and made several phone calls before returning to the yard in a cheerful mood. Seeing Granny Xu already waiting for her, she said, "Let''s go."


    "Alright," Granny Xu smiled and nodded.


    The two of them arrived at the hospital. Granny Xu had Ling Yue sit in the waiting area while she took her medical records to register her. But she was informed that the hospital had cklisted Ling Yue and she would need to go to another hospital to get her dressings changed.


    Seeing Granny Xu return with a dark expression, Ling Yue knew the situation was just as she had guessed. The corners of her lips curled up slyly. "Granny Xu, let''s go to another hospital. It doesn''t matter which one."

 Chapter 9: Declaration

    <h4>Chapter 9</h4>


    Granny Xu nodded and looked at Ling Yue with eyes full of pity. She was no fool. For the hospital to cklist Miss Ling Yue, someone must have instigated it. If she guessed correctly, it should be Yang Xiner and her daughter. If the young miss was here, little miss wouldn''t have been bullied like this.


    They went to another hospital, but got the same result as the previous one.


    "How could you reject patients like this? This is hical behavior. I''m going to file aint against your hospital!" Granny Xu was both angry and upset. What she worried most now was Ling Yue''s injury. What if her wounds got infected?


    No matter how much Granny Xu reasoned with them, no one from the hospital came out to respond.


    Ling Yue pulled the indignant Granny Xu out of the hospital. They went to several clinics, but always ended up with the same result.


    When Ling Meng got the news, sheughed happily. This was the oue she wanted. She wanted Ling Yue''s wounds to be infected, hopefully painful enough to kill her.


    The next day, the headlines of major newspapers were all about Miss Ling Yue of the Ling Family being cklisted by major hospitals and clinics, refusing to change her dressings. Below were several photos. Some newspapers even ambiguously pointed out that Ling Yue was abandoned by the Ling Family because of her damaged appearance.


    "Bang!" The Ling Family Patriarch angrily pped the newspaper on the table. "Who did this?!" Although he didn''t like this granddaughter Ling Yue, after all, she was still his granddaughter. Ling Yue being cklisted by hospitals was equivalent to pping their Ling Family in the face.


    Ling Tianzheng''s face was also very ugly. Recalling the pillow talk Yang Xiner had blownst night, after a moment of contemtion, he said, "Dad! Why don''t we take this opportunity to announce breaking off rtions with Ling Yue?" That daughter was of no use anymore. It would be better to give her position as Eldest Miss to Ling Meng. There might still be a chance to continue the marriage alliance with the Zhou Family.


    The Ling Family Patriarch looked at Ling Tianzheng with a gloomy face, "Breaking off rtions?"


    Ling Tianzheng nodded, "Ling Yue is now disfigured. No decent family will be willing to marry her in the future. With her upying the position of Eldest Miss, it will only make our family aughing stock. We might as well break off rtions with her. From now on, everything she does will have nothing to do with our Ling Family. Also, if Ling Meng bes the Eldest Miss, we may still have a chance with the Zhou Family."


    The Ling Family Patriarch raised his eyebrows and slowly took a sip of tea on the table. "To break off rtions, we need an appropriate reason."


    A trace of sinister shed across Ling Tianzheng''s eyes. "I already have a reason in mind." Since they had decided to break off rtions with Ling Yue, he would not let others find fault with their Ling Family.


    Old Master Ling nodded slightly. "I''ll leave this matter to you then." He was still at ease about his son. Moreover, he also felt that Ling Meng was more suitable to be the Eldest Miss of the Ling Family. At least she was scheming. Although he didn''t investigate, he could ascertain that the incident of hospitals refusing Ling Yue was rted to Yang Xiner and her daughter.


    Yang Xiner and Ling Meng were chatting and appreciating flowers in the garden. Seeing Ling Tianzhenge over, Yang Xiner gave him a charming smile. She stood up and took his arm. "Tianzheng, I made osmanthus pastry that you like the most. Come and try it quickly."


    "Dad!" Ling Meng said with a faint smile as she stood up, looking at Ling Tianzheng with eyes full of reverence and admiration for her father.


    Ling Tianzheng nodded with a smile. He sat down on the stone bench in the pavilion and said, "Let me tell you good news. I''ve decided to publicly announce breaking off rtions with Ling Yue."


    "Really?" Both Yang Xiner and Ling Meng had delighted expressions on their faces.


    Ling Tianzheng stroked Ling Meng''s head, "From now on, you''ll be the Eldest Miss of the Ling Family."


    "Dad! You really treat me well!" Ling Meng threw herself into Ling Tianzheng''s arms coquettishly. Her eyes were full of excitement and smugness. From now on, she would be the Eldest Miss of the Ling Family. She had finally waited for this day.


    The Ling Family soon announced a statement breaking off rtions with Ling Yue, along with a paternity test report. The report showed that there was no blood rtionship between Ling Yue and Ling Tianzheng.


    Looking at the statement in the newspaper, Ling Yue sneered derisively. But this was exactly the result she wanted. What she wanted was to break off rtions with the Ling Family so that she would have no worries dealing with them in the future.


    She knew that the Ling Family cared deeply about face. So early in the morning yesterday, she had called the newspaper office and told them that by following the Eldest Miss of the Ling Family, they would be able to take sensational photos. She did this to force the Ling Family to break off rtions with her. If the Ling Family didn''t break off rtions with her this time, she would continue to tarnish their reputation to coerce them into making the decision.


    "This is too much! Little miss is clearly the old master''s daughter. How could they distort the facts? No, I must go find them!" Granny Xu trembled with anger as she pulled Ling Yue to go out.


    Ling Yue stopped Granny Xu and let her sit down. She poured her a ss of water. "Granny Xu, don''t get angry. The Ling Family isn''t worth it."


    "But they went too far! The young miss had clearly never been with another man. How could they nder her like this? For Ling Tianzheng''s sake, the young miss even gave up..." Granny Xu realized she shouldn''t say the next words and stopped talking.


    Ling Yue raised her eyebrows slightly. "Granny Xu, don''t get angry anymore. When I have the ability, I will make the Ling Family pay the price for what they did today." Just to break off rtions with her, the Ling Family didn''t even spare the reputation of a dead person. It was utterly despicable.


    Granny Xu also calmed down. She looked at Ling Yue worriedly, "But what about your injury? What if it gets infected?" What she worried most now was the little miss''s injury.


    Ling Yue smiled faintly, "Actually my wound has already healed. When I changed the dressing myself yesterday, I saw that the wound had formed a scab."


    "Really?" Granny Xu didn''t quite believe it.


    Ling Yue undid the gauze wrapped around her hand. As the gauze was removed, a hand covered in scars appeared before Granny Xu''s eyes. "See, I didn''t lie to you, right?"


    "Mm." Granny Xu''s eyes reddened with heartache. Even though the injury had healed, the little miss would still be left with scars all over her body. What would be of her pitiful little miss?


    Should she take the little miss there? But she soon dismissed the idea. When the young miss left, her attitude was very firm. She said that even if she died, she would not regret it. She would never go back to beg them in this lifetime.


    Looking at the newspaper on the table, Granny Xu shook her head and sighed. She felt it was so not worth it for the young miss. The young miss had given up everything for that man''s sake, but only got such an oue in the end.


    Zhao Yu angrily tore up the newspaper. "The Ling Family went too far! They actually smeared Zuan Zuan''s innocence like this. Zuan Zuan loved Ling Tianzheng so much that she was willing to sacrifice her life for him, yet she got such a result in return. Ling Tianzheng is simply inhuman." She truly felt it was not worth it for Zuan Zuan to be blindly in love with a man like that.

 Chapter 10: The Apology

    <h4>Chapter 10</h4>


    Zhao Yu red fiercely at Zhou Mucheng, who was standing to the side, "This is all your fault! If you hadn''t broken off the engagement, would Ling Yue have been treated this way by the Ling Family? Now go and bring Ling Yue back, otherwise don''t recognize me as your mother!"


    "Mom, can you please be reasonable?" Zhou Mucheng''s face was solemn. When he saw the statement from the Ling Family in the newspaper, he was also shocked. He didn''t expect the Ling Family to be so ruthless.


    He knew that his broken engagement was part of the reason, but the real reason why the Ling Family issued the statement was that Ling Yue no longer had any value to utilize.


    In the big families, girls are originally tools used to consolidate the family''s interests. If Ling Yue hadn''t been disfigured, even if he had cancelled the engagement, Ling Yue could still have found a decent ce to belong to. After all, many families not as powerful as the Ling Family were very willing to be inws with the Ling Family.


    But now Ling Yue was disfigured, and it was clear from the Ling Family¡¯s attitude that they didn¡¯t value Ling Yue. So even if some families had this idea, they wouldn¡¯t rashly take action. Now that the Ling Family had issued a statement, it also meant that Ling Yue waspletely abandoned by the Ling Family.


    Thinking of the girl who was always bowing her head and obedient, Zhou Mucheng felt a surge of guilt in his heart.


    "How am I not being reasonable? Did I not regret the broken engagement? Or did I kick someone when they''re down?" Zhao Yu asked with hands on her hips, ring angrily at Zhou Mucheng. If he wasn''t her son, she would have beat him to death.


    Zhou Mucheng rubbed his aching temples wearily. "I still have things to do, I''m leaving first." He knew he had let Ling Yue down, but he didn''t want his future wife to be someone he didn''t love. Even more so, he didn''t want to regret meeting someone he truly loved one day.


    After leaving the Zhou house, Zhou Mucheng drove towards where Ling Yue was currently living. He had a responsibility in this matter and hoped topensate Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue walked happily out of the alley. She nned to go to an inte cafe to take a look.


    Zhou Mucheng sat smoking in the car. He wanted to find Ling Yue but didn''t know what reason to use to look for her.


    Seeing a figure emerge from the alley, upon seeing her silhouette, Zhou Mucheng immediately recognized her as Ling Yue. He hurriedly opened the car door and strode towards Ling Yue.


    Seeing the approaching Zhou Mucheng, a fierce light shed across Ling Yue''s eyes. Zhou Mucheng''s appearance was not bad, but it was a pity that he was a scumbag. Even if Zhou Mucheng did not break the engagement, she still would not have looked upon such a man.


    "Ling Yue, I have something to say to you." Zhou Mucheng lowered his head to look at her, but because Ling Yue was wearing a mask and cap, he could only see her eyes. At this moment there was only coldness and estrangement in those phoenix eyes.


    Zhou Mucheng was slightly shocked in his heart. Was she really Ling Yue? The Ling Yue in his memories, her eyes were always covered by ayer of mist, that made her seem weak, the look in her eyes towards him always carrying wariness, making him very unhappy. Today''s Ling Yue, those eyes showed keenness and indifference, it was as if she were a different person. Do people really change after going through some things?


    "I have nothing to say to you." Ling Yue raised her foot to circumvent Zhou Mucheng. She and Zhou Mucheng had no rtionship now, nor did she want to have any rtionship with him in the future.


    Zhou Mucheng caught up with Ling Yue and stood in front of her. "Ling Yue, I came to say I''m sorry to you." Though he didn''t regret breaking off the engagement, he had no feelings for Ling Yue and would never fall in love with her in this lifetime.


    He took out a bank card from his pocket and presented it in front of Ling Yue. "I know the injury I caused you cannot bepensated with money, but I still hope you can ept mypensation."


    Ling Yue''s gaze fell on the bank card in Zhou Mucheng''s hand. Sheughed contemptuously, "I don''t need it. As long as you never show up in front of me again from now on."


    After saying that, Ling Yue strode past Zhou Mucheng, walking towards the front. The original owner was already dead. No matter how much money, it couldn''t bring her back.


    Zhou Mucheng did not go after Ling Yue again, only watching her receding figure with much to think about. Was she really Ling Yue?


    Ling Yue looked around the streets to finally see an inte cafe. She walked in and was greeted by a strong smell of smoke. She wrinkled her brows slightly and continued walking in.


    The inte cafe was not big, with an inner and outer room. Each room had 6puters. At the moment there was only oneputer in the corner that wasn''t upied.


    "Need to use the inte? Two yuan for one hour." The youth behind the counter with a funky hairstyle, seeing Ling Yuee in, pointed to the sign on the counter.


    Ling Yue nodded slightly and took out 5 yuan. "I''ll use it for two hours first."


    "Alright." The youth took the money and gave back one yuan to Ling Yue while pointing at theputer in the corner. "You can use that one over there."


    Ling Yue nodded and headed to the cornerputer. She had seen aputer-rted book at the used book store before and was quite familiar withputers now.


    After pressing the power button to start theputer, amidst lines of startup data, theputer screen lit up and several icons appeared.


    Ling Yue quickly nced at the icons and opened the one with a blue "E" icon. An interface jumped out.


    She looked over the content on it and opened a shopping website in it. Various clothes, shoes, daily necessities appeared on the screen as the website popped up.


    Ling Yue browsed through it before exiting the webpage. Her fingers quickly tapped a few times on the keyboard and a stock market chart appeared on the screen.


    She examined the trend carefully before analyzing the trends of the stocks on it. She now had funds and the stock market was the fastest way to make money.


    After one hour, Ling Yue exited the webpage and left the inte cafe.


    She had just looked up the address of Digital Street. She nned to go there to buyputer parts to assemble aputer.


    Half an hour after taking the bus, Ling Yue arrived at Digital Street. All kinds ofputer parts could be found here. Ling Yue looked around before selecting a shop to walk into.


    The boss was a middle-aged bespectacled man. He was currently helping a customer assemble aputer. From the corner of his eye he saw Ling Yuee in and smiled to greet her, "Youngdy, just take a look first, let me know if you need anything."


    Ling Yue nodded slightly. Her gaze swept past the counter and shelves filled withputer parts. The parts here were better than the ones she saw outside just now. Since she wanted to assemble aputer, she naturally hoped to get better specs.


    After selecting the parts she wanted, Ling Yue walked up to the middle-aged man. "Boss, I''ve chosen the parts. Can you help me take them down?"


    "Sure, please wait a moment, I''ll help her first." The boss told the customer waiting for him to assemble herputer before standing up.


    Ling Yue reported the parts she wanted one by one.


    The boss looked at Ling Yue in surprise. "Youngdy, you sure know your stuff." Though it wasn''t so surprising since she chose his shop out of so many. It showed she knew her way around this stuff because most of his parts were imported from overseas.

 Chapter 11: Buy a Computer

    <h4>Chapter 11</h4>


    The boss took out all the parts Ling Yue needed and put them aside, "You sit over there for a while. Let me assemble this customer''sputer first, then I''ll help you assemble yours."


    Ling Yue nodded and went to sit on a chair at the side.


    The boss walked to the customer and continued the assembly.


    Ling Yue watched the boss assemble theputer and felt it didn''t seem too difficult. She stood up and walked to the pile of parts she had chosen earlier. She took them out of the packaging one by one and started assembling.


    The boss nced at Ling Yue and smiled. This youngdy was quite interesting, but assembling aputer wasn''t as easy as she thought. Computers had just started bing popr in the country not too long ago. There weren''t many professionals who knew how to assemble them yet. He had studied for a long time before learning how.


    After the boss finished assembling the customer''sputer, he walked to Ling Yue''s side, "Youngdy, let me..." He stopped abruptly because Ling Yue had assembled the parts perfectly.


    "Looks like she''s a professional." The boss looked at Ling Yue with appreciation in his eyes, "Youngdy, are you interested in working at my shop?" His business was doing very well. Sometimes he was too busy to handle it alone so hiring someone would allow him to rx a bit.


    "Thank you, but I don''t want a job right now!" Ling Yue politely declined with a smile. She took out some money and handed it to the boss, "Boss, do you provide delivery services here?" The desktop and monitor weren''t too heavy, but the screen was too big. If she took them home like this, she would definitely scare Granny Xu. After all, she was still injured.


    "No, but I can call a trishaw for you." Nowadays, many people came to the digital district to buyputers, so there were more trishaws for deliveries.


    "That would be great, thanks." Ling Yue smiled politely in thanks.


    "You''re wee." The boss picked up the phone and called Old Li the trishaw driver, "Old Li, I have a customer here who needs delivery. Pleasee over. Okay,e quickly."


    After putting down the phone, the boss saw another customere in. "Youngdy, please take a seat and wait. The trishaw driver will be here very soon."


    "Okay." Ling Yue nodded.


    After a short while, the trishaw driver arrived. "Boss Yang, which customer needs the delivery?"


    "That youngdy over there." The boss handed a motherboard to his customer and pointed at Ling Yue.


    The trishaw driver walked to Ling Yue, "Youngdy, where should I deliver this to?"


    "Please help me deliver thisputer to East Street, thanks." Ling Yue stood up and pointed at theputer on the floor.


    "No problem." The trishaw driver walked to theputer, bent down to lift up the desktop and monitor, and walked towards the door.


    Ling Yue picked up the box containing the keyboard and mouse and followed the driver out.


    After loading everything onto the trishaw and settling on a price, Ling Yue got on.


    Granny Xu was worried when Ling Yue still hadn''t returned after a long time. She walked to the alley entrance and looked out, "Why isn''t the young miss back yet? I hope nothing happened to her!" The Ling family had just announced disowning her. She was truly worried Ling Yue might do something reckless in her distress. She should have gone with her earlier.


    Seeing a trishaw approaching from afar with Ling Yue sitting inside, Granny Xu finally felt relieved. She quickly went up to greet her, "Young miss, you''re back. Nothing happened right?" Her gaze looked Ling Yue up and down.


    Ling Yue waited until the trishaw stopped steadily before jumping down.


    "Be careful, don''t hurt yourself." Granny Xu quickly went up to support Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue smiled and held Granny Xu''s arm, "I''m fine. I went to buy aputer. Driver, please bring the trishaw into the alley. It''s thest house."


    "What''s aputer?" Granny Xu had never heard of such a thing in her life.


    "You''ll know in a bit." Ling Yue gave a mischievous smile and pulled Granny Xu towards the alley.


    After the driver carried theputer into the house, Ling Yue took out some money and handed it to him along with a cup of water, "Have some water, driver."


    The driver smiled and epted the money and water. He gulped down a few mouthfuls and returned the cup to Ling Yue, "Youngdy, please call me anytime if you need delivery services again. Here''s my number."


    "Sure." Ling Yue recorded down his number.


    After the driver left, Ling Yue and Granny Xu carried theputer into her room together.


    "Young miss, can we watch TV on this?" Granny Xu saw theputer monitor looked simr to a TV.


    Ling Yue connected the keyboard and mouse. "We can, but there needs to be an Inte connection first."


    "What does this look like? Let me connect it for you." Granny Xu thought it was some kind of woven.


    "It''s a virtualwork. We need to apply for it at the tels office first before we can use it." Ling Yue patiently exined again.


    Granny Xu smiled awkwardly, "There are so many new gadgets nowadays. Young miss, are you hungry? Let me go make soup so we can have dinner soon."


    Granny Xu was already walking out of the room as she spoke.


    Ling Yue smiled softly. She retracted her gaze and her fingers quickly tapped on the keyboard. Without an Inte connection, there wasn''t much she could do now.


    After dinner, Ling Yue continued practicing martial arts in the yard. She nned to apply for broadband services at the tels office tomorrow. She had quite a bit of savings now and intended to make full use of it.


    After absorbing the ster energy, Ling Yue returned to her room and unwrapped the bandages on her body. As theyers of gauze came off, the once scarred face now showed no visible marks. Being able to heal so quickly was not only due to absorbing ster energy but more importantly, spiritual energy. Otherwise, it would have taken at least a week to fully recover.


    Looking at her exquisite and beautiful face in the mirror, Ling Yue raised her hand and stroked her smooth and delicate cheek, curving her lips in satisfaction. "This face is quite simr to my previous life''s, about seventy to eighty percent. It must have been predestined for me to be reborn in this body." She took out fresh gauze from the drawer and rewrapped herself before going to bed.


    Time passed swiftly overnight. After breakfast, Ling Yue went to the tels office to apply for services. On her way across a bridge, she noticed a young man standing on the riverbank below staring nkly at the water.


    She looked away and continued walking. After taking a few steps, there was a "ssh" indicating something had fallen into the water. Ling Yue nced back and saw that the young man had fallen into the river.


    "Someone fell into the river,e help!" Someone noticed him fall in and shouted loudly.


    Ling Yue hesitated briefly before turning around and walking towards the bridge.


    Just as she was about to jump in and save him, someone else had beaten her to it.


    It seemed like the young man was determined to die. He pushed forcefully against his would-be rescuer.


    Seeing this, Ling Yue rolled her eyes silently and turned to leave. Since he was so desperate to die, saving him would be pointless.

 Chapter 12: Fall into the River

    <h4>Chapter 12</h4>


    More and more people gathered to watch themotion. Those standing behind pushed forward eagerly to see what was happening up front. Just as Ling Yue was about to leave, she was shoved hard by the crowd behind her and lost her bnce, falling into the river.


    Ling Yue adeptly flipped over in the water and surfaced with a ck look on her face, cursing, "Damn it, I knew it''s dangerous to watch a spectacle." Fortunately she knew how to swim and didn''t need saving.


    A big hand grabbed Ling Yue''s arm, pulling her toward the riverbank.


    "Let me help you ashore, rx your body," said a gentle voice by Ling Yue''s ear.


    "Thanks, but I can swim," Ling Yue shook his hand off and swam toward the shore herself.


    The people on shore quickly stretched out their hands and pulled Ling Yue ashore. At the same time, the young man who had jumped into the river and his rescuer were also pulled ashore by the crowd.


    Ling Yue nced down at her drenched clothes and walked away with a gloomy face. Fortunately she had worn a coat when she went out, so she wasn''t revealing too much of her curves.


    "Wait!"


    Ling Yue recognized the voice calling her belonged to the man who had tried to rescue her. She stopped and looked back to find an extraordinarily handsome faceing into view. Though totally wet, he didn''t look messy at all. On the contrary, there was an extra charm about his appearance. Water droplets slid down his hair onto his neck, finally disappearing into his drenched shirt, adding an air of mystery and temptation.


    The man came up to Ling Yue with a faint smile. "I''m a doctor. I see you have bandages on you, so you must be injured. Come to my clinic to change your medicine and clothes." He nced meaningfully at Ling Yue''s soaked attire. Though it was summer, there was still a chill when the wind blew.


    "No need," Ling Yue declined softly and walked on. After a few steps, she halted. If she went back like this, olddy Xu would definitely worry. She turned around to look at the man. "Let''s go then."


    Si Yuejing''s lips curved up slightly as he led Ling Yue to his nearby clinic.


    "A dentist?" Ling Yue looked at the dental clinic sign in surprise.


    Si Yuejing smiled lightly. "A dentist is also a doctor."


    "True," Ling Yue conceded with a shrug and followed Si Yuejing into the clinic.


    "Dr. Si, you''re back. Why are you drenched?" the nurse looked shocked when she saw Si Yuejing''s wet state. Wasn''t Dr. Si just going out to buy stuff? There wasn''t a downpour outside, was there? She nced out the window where the sun was zing brightly.


    "Do you have spare clothes to give this youngdy?" Si Yuejing nodded at Ling Yue next to him.


    The nurse looked at the equally soaked Ling Yue. "I bought a set of clothes yesterday that I didn''t bring home yet. Come with me, miss."


    Ling Yue nodded and followed the nurse, who took out a bag from her toolbox and handed it to her. "Here, go change inside."


    "Thanks!" Ling Yue took the bag and went into the room the nurse had pointed to.


    After taking off her wet clothes, Ling Yue removed all her soaked bandages. She changed into the spare clothes, but her underwear was still damp. Well, it was summer anyway.


    Si Yuejing was speaking with the nurse when the sound of a door opening made him turn sharply. The next moment, he couldn''t tear his gaze away. Fair and delicate skin, a pert nose, rosy lips, and most captivatingly, those phoenix eyes with peach blossom allure that could hook one''s soul...


    Ling Yue looked down at herself. "Something wrong?" The dress was a knee-length floral print that fit perfectly.


    Si Yuejing snapped out of it, his earlobes faintly red. He shifted his gaze awkwardly. "N...no... Do you want to change your bandages?"


    Ling Yue nodded. "And give me another face mask too."


    "Xiao Yu, bring them for her." Si Yuejing didn''t dare look into Ling Yue''s eyes again. They seemed able to bewitch one''s soul. Once he gazed into them he''d lose self-control.


    "Alright." Xiao Yu went to a nearby cab and took out a roll of bandages and a new face mask. "Do you need antiseptic as well?"


    "Just the bandages, thanks," Ling Yue called back. Her wounds had already healed. She only wrapped bandages now to avoid suspicion. After all, she had suffered serious burns. Such quick recovery would invite unnecessary trouble if discovered.


    "Let me wrap them for you," Si Yuejing hesitantly offered. Though a dentist, as a doctor he knew basic first-aid.


    "I''ll do it myself, thanks," Ling Yue took the items from Xiao Yu. "May I change inside?"


    "Go ahead," Si Yuejing nodded.


    After dressing her wounds, Ling Yue put on the mask and exited the room. "How much for this dress?" As the dress was newly bought by the nurse, Ling Yue wouldn''t take advantage of her.


    Xiao Yu nced at Si Yuejing with a faint smile at Ling Yue. "It''s nothing, take it."


    "Then let me pay you the tag price. Sorry the money is wet, just dry it off," Ling Yue took out some cash for Xiao Yu after seeing the price tag earlier.


    "Alright then," Xiao Yu epted reluctantly.


    Ling Yue looked at Si Yuejing. "Thank you!" She had heard him jump into the river when she fell in.


    "Don''t mention it," Si Yuejing smiled amiably with a wave of his hand. Just then the clinic phone rang urgently. Si Yuejing strode over to pick up. His expression changed drastically after the other party spoke briefly. "What happened to Grandpa? Okay, I''ll go to the hospital right now!"


    Si Yuejing hurriedly hung up and told Xiao Yu, "Something happened to Grandpa, I''m going to the hospital."


    Having overheard the call, Ling Yue knew Si Yuejing''s grandfather was likely afflicted, not ill. She recalled meeting an old man like that at the antique market. Si Yuejing had helped her so she decided to tag along to help if she could, to repay his kindness.


    Preupied with his grandfather''s plight, Si Yuejing didn''t object when Ling Yue offered to join him. "Let''s go quickly then."


    At the hospital, Si Yuejing rushed straight for the ward. Seeing the doctor still examining his grandfather, he kept silent by the bedside awaiting the checkup to finish.


    As Ling Yue entered the ward, she immediately sensed a malignant aura. Noticing the sufferer''s face, she recognized the old man she met at the antique market at a nce. He must have bought that jade turtle.

 Chapter 13: The Drawing of Characters

    <h4>Chapter 13</h4>


    After examining Old Master Si, the doctor walked over to Old Master Si''s family and said, "Old Master doesn''t have any issues. If you are still worried, he can stay in the hospital for observation for a few more days." The doctor was also very puzzled by this result. Old Master Si''s condition looked very bad, but after a series of examinations, no issues were found. This was the first time he had encountered such a situation.


    "Really no issues?"


    "He was clearly foaming at the mouth and convulsing all over earlier. How could there be no issues?"


    "Doctor, please examine Old Master again more carefully." Si''s family did not believe the results.


    "Alright, I will examine Old Master again for you." The doctor walked back to Old Master Si''s side and started carefully examining him again.


    Ling Yue withdrew her gaze and turned to Si Yuejing, saying softly, "Come out with me for a bit, I have something to tell you."


    Only then did Si Yuejing remember that he had brought Ling Yue here too. He nodded and followed Ling Yue out of the ward.


    When they reached the end of the corridor, Ling Yue stopped.


    "What do you want to tell me?" Si Yuejing''s mind was full of Old Master Si right now. He wanted to end the conversation quickly and go back to see Old Master Si.


    "Did your grandfather buy a jade turtle a few days ago?" Ling Yue asked directly without beating around the bush.


    "How did you know?" Si Yuejing was surprised. His grandfather had shown him the jade turtle when he bought it and brought it home.


    "The problem lies with that jade turtle. It was dug out from a tomb not long ago. It''s tainted with evil Yin energy. Prolonged contact with it will allow the evil Yin energy to invade the body. The reason your grandfather is like this is because the evil Yin energy has entered his body," Ling Yue looked at Si Yuejing. She would help him if he believed her. If he didn''t believe her, she would leave.


    "Then what should we do?" Si Yuejing had an incredulous expression on his face. However, Ling Yue had no reason to lie to him since they had just met today. Plus he hadn''t told her about the jade turtle before.


    Ling Yue smiled lightly. Her captivating peach blossom eyes were moving, "Apany me to buy some things." Si Yuejing was willing to believe her, so she was also willing to help him.


    "Then let me go inform my family in the ward." Si Yuejing hastily moved his gaze away. He quickly walked towards the ward. At this time, if one looked closely, one could see that the tips of his ears were tinged with a light shade of red.


    "He really is innocent." The smile at the corners of Ling Yue''s mouth deepened a little. She walked to the ward door to wait for Si Yuejing. In her previous life, she was an empress who held power over the world. Naturally, there was nock of handsome men around her. However, she had never favored anyone. She always thought she was heartless until she met him and found out that she too could fall for someone and be like those young girls, longing to see the man of her heart and wanting to be with him every moment.


    Thinking of that man, a sh ofplicated emotion crossed Ling Yue''s eyes.


    "Let''s go." Hearing Si Yuejing''s voice, Ling Yue came back to her senses and nodded lightly.


    Following Ling Yue''s directions, Si Yuejing drove to the antique market street. Although he was very curious why Ling Yue hade here, he did not ask further questions. Since he had chosen to believe Ling Yue, he would not doubt her.


    Ling Yue walked into the antique market and went into a shop that sold yellow paper. Thest time she wandered around the antique market, she had gone into this shop when she passed by it. This shop mainly sold yellow paper, cinnabar, and some ceremonial weapons that had been consecrated by spiritual masters. However, those ceremonial weapons were just too shoddy to provide any real protection.


    Si Yuejing took a look at the things in the store, puzzled, and looked towards Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue smiled lightly. She walked to the counter and said to the owner who was organizing the counter, "Boss, give me a stack of yellow paper and a cinnabar brush."


    The owner stopped what he was doing, nced at Ling Yue and Si Yuejing, took out a stack of yellow paper, grabbed a pack of cinnabar and brushes from the drawer, put them in a stic bag and handed it to Ling Yue, "That will be one hundred and five yuan total. Our ceremonial weapons are very spiritual, would you two like to take a look?" Many people who came to his store were here for the ceremonial weapons.


    "No need, just these, thanks." Just as Ling Yue was about to take out money, Si Yuejing had already paid first.


    Ling Yue stopped her motion of taking out money. She took the things on the counter, "Let''s go."


    After leaving the shop, Ling Yue walked towards a nearby teahouse.


    Si Yuejing quickened his steps to catch up.


    "Would you like some tea? Pleasee in," The teahouse service staff smiled and weed Ling Yue and Si Yuejing.


    "Do you have private rooms?" Ling Yue asked the service staff. She needed to draw talismans and required a private space.


    "Yes, yes, pleasee this way." The teahouse service staff smiled and led the way.


    The environment of this teahouse was very elegant and antique, exuding a faint scent of tea that gave people a veryfortable feeling.


    Led to a private room on the second floor, Ling Yue ordered a pot of tea. After the tea was served and the service staff left, she said, "Close the door."


    "Okay." Si Yuejing went forward to close the door.


    Ling Yue took out the things she just bought, poured some cinnabar into the cup, added some water and mixed it well, dipped the brush into the cinnabar water, and quickly drew a talisman on the yellow paper.


    From start to finish, Si Yuejing waspletely confused until Ling Yue handed him the finished talisman. He couldn''t help but ask about his puzzlement, "What''s this used for?" He had also seen simr talismans in the shop selling yellow paper earlier. He didn''t understand why Ling Yue had gone through so much trouble to draw it herself instead of just buying it directly.


    "This is a Purification Talisman. When you get to the ward, ce it on your grandfather''s forehead, then shout out a Ling word and it will be done. Also, it''s best to dispose of that jade turtle quickly." Ling Yue packed up the things and walked out carrying the bag.


    Si Yuejing carefully folded the talisman and put it in his pocket. He chased after Ling Yue, "Let me drive you home."


    "No need, I still have things to buy. You go to the hospital." Ling Yue knew Si Yuejing was very worried about Old Master Si.


    "Do you have a phone then? Can you give me your number?" Si Yuejing didn''t want to lose contact with Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue shook her head. "I don''t have one." She had originally nned to get a mobile phone from the tel store when she went to apply for broadband. She didn''t expect to get pushed into the water when she went to watch the excitement.


    "Then remember my phone number. Wait, let me write it down for you." Si Yuejing ran to the counter to borrow paper and pen to write down his phone number for Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue epted it and put it in her bag.


    Si Yuejing drove back to the hospital and quickly walked towards the ward.


    In the ward, Si''s family all wore worried expressions on their faces. Just now, the doctor''s examination showed the same results as before - nothing could be found.


    Si Yuejing pushed open the ward door and walked in, his gaze falling on Old Master Si lying in bed. "Has grandfather woken up?"


    "No, the doctor has examined him already. He said there''s nothing wrong with grandfather," said Si Qianqian with red swollen eyes. Grandfather always doted on her the most usually. Seeing grandfather like this made her very distressed.

 Chapter 14: It Really Works

    <h4>Chapter 14</h4>


    Si Yuejing squeezed the talisman in his pocket, a sh of determination passing through his eyes. Now he could only give it a try.


    He walked to the bedside and took out the talisman, cing it on Old Master Si''s forehead.


    "Little Yuejing, what are you doing?"


    "Big brother, what are you doing?" Everyone was shocked to see this and stared at Si Yuejing.


    "I''ll exin it to you in a bit." Si Yuejing said and was about to shout "Ling" as Ling Yue had instructed, when he saw his father quickly run to the bedside and reach out to remove the talisman from Old Master Si''s forehead.


    Si Yuejing quickly grabbed his father''s hand, "Dad, don''t move it."


    "Let go of me and tear up this thing." Si''s father red angrily at Si Yuejing.


    "Dad, please believe me this time. I won''t harm grandfather." Si Yuejing held on to his father''s hand. He believed in Ling Yue and believed that she wouldn''t lie to him.


    "Qianqian, tear off the thing on grandfather''s forehead." Seeing that Si Yuejing was stubbornly delusional, anger churned in Si''s father''s heart.


    "Okay." Si Qianqian quickly stepped forward.


    Hearing this, Si Yuejing no longer hesitated and immediately shouted "Ling!"


    Just as Si Qianqian was about to reach out to take the talisman on Old Master Si''s forehead, the talisman turned into a wisp of green smoke and disappeared, leaving only a smudge of ash on Old Master Si''s forehead.


    Everyone was stunned by this scene. What was going on?


    Old Master Si opened his eyes to see that he was lying in the hospital. "How did I end up in the hospital?" He remembered he was ying with the jade turtle in his room when he suddenly became dizzy and didn''t remember anything after that.


    "Grandfather, you''re awake? Do you feel ufortable anywhere?" Seeing Old Master Si awake, Si Yuejing let go of his father''s hand and looked at Old Master Si joyfully. Ling Yue''s talisman really worked. Just who was she to have such skills?


    "I''m fine, I feel great right now." Old Master Si sat up, he felt exceptionally energetic today and really wanted to go out for a walk.


    Everyone looked at each other. They didn''t expect that the yellow paper would really work.


    "Big brother, what exactly is going on? Where did you get that yellow paper from?" Si Qianqian asked what everyone was wondering.


    "Didn''t I bring a friend over just now? She told me that the reason grandfather became like this was because a few days ago, the jade turtle grandfather bought from the antique market was buried underground for thousands of years and had be tainted with yin evil energy, and grandfather was infected with the yin evil energy. So she drew me a talisman and I didn''t expect it to really work." Thinking of Ling Yue, a pleased smile appeared on Si Yuejing''s handsome face.


    "There''s something wrong with the jade turtle I bought?" Old Master Si carefully recalled what happened after he bought the jade turtle. It seemed like after buying the jade turtle, he always had a feeling of unease. It''s just that he really liked that jade turtle so he often held it and yed with it.


    "That''s what she said." Si Yuejing nodded.


    "Did she say how to deal with the jade turtle?" Si''s father frowned and asked. If they didn''t get rid of the jade turtle, wouldn''t the problem persist?


    "She said to ce the jade turtle where the sunlight is strongest and let it bask for nine days to dispel the yin evil energy." Si Yuejing told everyone the method Ling Yue had told him.


    "Can you contact your friend? Can you ask her to help us deal with the jade turtle?" Si''s father felt it would be safer to just get rid of the jade turtle, to avoid simr situations from happening again.


    "I don''t have her number. We just met today." Si Yuejing also hoped he could continue to interact with Ling Yue, but Ling Yue didn''t have a phone, and he didn''t know if Ling Yue would call him. For now, he could only wait.


    "Do you at least know where she lives? What''s her name?" Si''s father really wanted to meet Ling Yue. He felt she must be the legendary immortal, otherwise how could a single talisman resolve the yin evil energy in his father''s body.


    Si Yuejing shook his head. "She just said her name is Ling Yue. I don''t know where she lives."


    "Ling Yue?" Hearing the name, Si Qianqian cried out in surprise. In recent days, the hottest news in the capital had been about the Ling family and Ling Yue.


    "You know her?" Si Yuejing looked at Si Qianqian, with a glimmer of expectation in his eyes.


    "Ling Yue goes to the same school as me. She''s the young miss of the Ling family. But a few days ago, she was severely burned in a fire while trying on her wedding dress. I heard she was burned very badly on her face and body, and her family also disowned her. Big brother, don''t you read the papers? The papers have been full of news about Ling Yue and the Ling family."


    "She was burned in a fire?" Si Yuejing thought of the bandages wrapped around Ling Yue.


    Si Qianqian nodded. "Ling Yue is the school belle at our school. She''s beautiful and has an excellent fiance, Zhou Mucheng of the Zhou family. Ling Yue was originally going to marry Zhou Mucheng this week, but a fire suddenly broke out while she was trying on her wedding dress. She survived but was badly burned on her face and body, and her family also disowned her. Big brother, don''t you read the news? The papers have been full of news about Ling Yue and the Ling family these days."


    "I''ll go buy a paper." Si Yuejing didn''t know if the Ling Yue he met was the same Ling Yue his sister mentioned, but he really wanted to read the news reports about Ling Yue now.


    He usually only read some dental magazines and never nced at the newspapers delivered daily to his home, so he was oblivious to real news.


    At the newsstand outside the hospital, Si Yuejing bought two newspapers and quickly found the reports on Ling Yue. The reports included a photo of firefighters carrying Ling Yue out of the fire, her face obscured, but his intuition told him this was Ling Yue, the Ling Yue he knew.


    He didn''t expect her to have suffered so much yet remain so optimistic. The next time he saw her, he would definitely help her and let her know that even without family, she still had a friend like him who cared about her.


    At this time, Ling Yue was at the tel office applying for broadband service. She filled out the forms and handed them to the staff member.


    The staff quickly processed the application and handed Ling Yue two cell phones and the service contract. "Here are your phones and contract. The instation will be done tomorrow morning."


    "Thank you." Ling Yue took the phones and contract and left the tel office.


    Seeing it was still early, Ling Yue decided to stop by the stock exchange. She wanted to check today''s stock trends and see if they matched her analysis from yesterday.


    Entering the stock exchange, she saw it was crowded everywhere. Ling Yue nced around the lobby and saw an empty spot in a corner, heading over.


    She had just sat down when the auntie sitting next to her turned and cheerfully struck up a conversation. "Little girl, you''re here to trade stocks too? Have you got your eye on any particr stocks?"

 Chapter 15: Open an Account

    <h4>Chapter 15</h4>


    Ling Yue gently smiled, "I''m just taking a look."


    Auntie heard this and revealed an expression as if she knew it, "Youngdy, you have to watch stocks more, like me, Ie to the stock exchange every day. I won''t say I know 100% which stock will rise, but steady gains without losses. The stocks I boughtst week have made nearly 10,000 yuan now."


    "That''s quite good," Ling Yue nodded in agreement.


    Auntie looked around and moved closer to Ling Yue, "Do you want to buy the same stocks as me? I have inside information. That stock will definitely make you rich."


    Faced with Auntie''s enthusiasm, Ling Yue was a little overwhelmed. She shifted away to create some distance between them, "Thank you! I''ll just take a look myself."


    Seeing Ling Yue''s aloof attitude, Auntie chuckled and nced at the curve on the stock disy before bowing her head to continue knitting.


    Ling Yue watched the stock disy for a while before getting up and walking towards the trading desk.


    Auntie looked up at Ling Yue and curled her lips, "Not listening to the elderly leads to losses right before your eyes."


    Ling Yue arrived at the trading desk and nced around. Her gazended on a woman in a ck suit with a name tag pinned to her chest. She walked over.


    Liang Yu tapped away at her keyboard, eyes glued to theputer screen in front of her. Hearing someone call her, she looked up and revealed a professional smile, "Hello!"


    "I want to invest in a stock. Can you help open an ount for me?" Ling Yue handed over her ID card and bank card to Liang Yu.


    "Which stock are you looking at?" Liang Yu smiled and took Ling Yue''s ID card and bank card.


    "Star Ring Technology."


    Liang Yu was stunned for a moment. "Are you sure you want to buy that stock? Its performance has been quite poor these past few days. Why don''t I rmend some other stocks to you instead? Their performance has been great recently." Star Ring Technology had been dropping continuously these past few days. Buying that stock would probably lead to huge losses.


    Ling Yue shook her head. "No need. I want to buy Star Ring Technology."


    Seeing Ling Yue''s insistence, Liang Yu could only reluctantly agree. "Alright then. How much are you investing initially?"


    "1.8 million."


    Liang Yu was stunned again. She sized up Ling Yue before starting to operate theputer. Only big clients would invest such a huge sum at one go. Most were retail investors with just a few thousand to y around with.


    After helping Ling Yue open an ount, Liang Yu returned the ID card and bank card. "I''m Liang Yu. From now on, I''ll be your personal ount manager. Feel free to call me anytime. Here''s my name card."


    Liang Yu spoke as she handed a name card to Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue nodded as she epted the name card before turning to leave. She had analyzed Star Ring Technology''s stock charts earlier at the inte cafe. It was a foreign listedpany. The continuous decline was due to someone deliberately manipting it. If her guess was right, the stock would surge over the next couple of days.


    Liang Yu retracted her gaze and sighed. That money was going to be washed down the drain. Hopefully the other party could handle the loss when the time came.


    Ling Yue strolled leisurely along the tree-lined avenue. Seeing a smelly tofu stall across the street, she decided to buy some. The smell was pungent but it tasted delicious. She loved it.


    At the crossroad, Ling Yue stopped to wait for the traffic light. Her gaze fell on a lifeless youth squatting by the roadside staring at passing vehicles. She recognized him instantly as the one who had jumped into the river previously.


    After a moment of hesitation, she walked over. "What''s troubling you so much that you have to seek death?"


    The youth looked up in surprise and nced at Ling Yue with a bitter smile. "You don''t know the taste of despair."


    Ling Yue squatted down beside the youth. "Haven''t you heard of finding hope in despair?" Based on his facial features, he was destined for great wealth and sess. This must be what was meant by the saying ''Heaven grants heavy responsibility only to the capable, it first makes their mind endure suffering''.


    The youth shook his head. His eyes were full of despair. "I have no hope left in this lifetime." He was aputer science student. Feeling that the inte had good prospects, he had set up an online shopping site. To establish the site, he had borrowed from every rtive and friend he could, promising them high interest rates. But reality had pped him hard. Those funds were far from enough to operate the site. Now those rtives and friends came to his house every day to demand repayment. He was driven to desperation and that was why he had chosen to jump into the river.


    He was squatting by the road now, hoping to just dash in front of a passing car and get somepensation money perhaps.


    "Tell me your story. Let''s see if I can help," Ling Yue took out a candy from her pocket and handed it to the youth. It was given to her by Granny Xu when she left home this morning.


    The youth did not ept the candy. He heaved a long sigh and recounted what had happened to him. "Those peoplee to my house every day demanding money. My parents are now bedridden because of this."


    He grabbed his hair forcefully, anguish and self-reproach on his face. He had hoped to give his elderly parents a good life in their sunset years. But now he had brought them to this state. He deserved death.


    "I can invest in you. How much do you need?" Ling Yue also felt that the shopping site he had established was good with potential.


    The youth looked at Ling Yue in surprise before thinking of the mess he was in. He shook his head. "Thank you! But it''s not a small sum." He could tell this youngdy was just an ordinary person from her dressing. She definitely didn''t know the amount of funds needed to invest in a website. Still, he appreciated her gesture. It brought a ray of sunshine in his darkest moment.


    "I''m serious. I''m willing to invest but I have a condition. I want half the equity," Ling Yue looked at the youth earnestly.


    The youth stared at Ling Yue for a long time before slowly replying, "I ept your condition. I can give you 60% equity but I need 30 million." He had approached many people for partnership recently but was rejected every time. It wasn''t that they couldn''t produce 30 million. They simply didn''t see potential in the shopping site he had established. Repeated rejections and despair had driven him to take his own life.


    Ling Yue nodded decisively. "Alright. Do you have a mobile phone?"


    "Yes, but it''s been cut off," the youth replied awkwardly.


    Ling Yue took out 2000 yuan from her pocket and handed it to the youth. "Use this money first. Meet me here at noon tomorrow." She had invested all her money in the stock market. She would have to wait for the stocks to rise before selling. The fastest way to get money now was through antiques and gambling stones. She nned to bring the youth antique shopping tomorrow.

 Chapter 16: Liu Yan

    <h4>Chapter 16</h4>


    The young man did not believe Ling Yue could take out thirty million, after all that was not a small amount, but he wanted to give himself onest chance, ¡°My name is Liu Yan.¡±


    ¡°Ling Yue, remember my phone number.¡± Ling Yue told Liu Yan her phone number, and handed him the candy in her hand, ¡°You¡¯re not even afraid of death, what else is there to be afraid of?¡±


    Seeing the green lighte on, Ling Yue waved to Liu Yan and walked across the street.


    Liu Yan watched Ling Yue¡¯s back as she left, the corners of his mouth slowly curving up into a shallow smile. No matter whether she could help him get through this difficult time, he would try his best to live on in the future, she was right, he was not even afraid of death, what else was there to be afraid of?


    Granny Xu finished nting vegetable seeds, stood up and patted her back. She saw there was a small empty spot in the yard so she wanted to nt some vegetables, it would be a waste to leave it empty.


    Hearing the sound of the door opening, Granny Xu turned her head to look, seeing Ling Yue return, a smile appeared on her face as she went to greet her, ¡°Little miss, you¡¯re back, are you hungry? There are steamed buns I made in the pot.¡±


    Ling Yue picked up the bag of stinky tofu she was holding, ¡°I bought some stinky tofu, Granny Xu have some too.¡± She felt this world was not bad, not only were there all kinds of delicious food, but life was also very convenient.


    ¡°No need, you go ahead and eat, I¡¯ll just have the steamed buns.¡± Granny Xu smiled and waved her hand. She could not stand the smell of stinky tofu, just the odor made her unable to eat.


    Ling Yue smiled mischievously, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll enjoy the delicacies by myself then.¡±


    Granny Xu looked at Ling Yue indulgently. After Ling Yue went inside, she went to the well to wash her hands, then walked into the house, ¡°Little miss, you went to read books again today?¡± She felt the little miss had changed a lot after the big fire, bing more and more cheerful.


    ¡°I went to set up broadband service at the tel office. The tel technician wille to install the phone tomorrow morning.¡± Ling Yue spoke while handing the new mobile phone she had bought to Granny Xu.


    ¡°Little miss, why are you giving this to me? I have no use for it, you should use it yourself.¡± Granny Xu had of course seen mobile phones before, but she was just an olddy and didn¡¯t need such an advanced gadget. Plus she had heard phone bills were expensive.


    ¡°I have one, this one is for you.¡± Ling Yue stuffed the phone into Granny Xu''s hand.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the house was getting a phone installed? I¡¯ll be fine with just thendline, take this phone back and get a refund.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be refunded anymore, so you might as well just use it.¡± Ling Yue blinked yfully at Granny Xu.


    ¡°You child.¡± Granny Xu shook her head helplessly, but her heart was brimming with sweetness.


    Ling Meng returned home carrying bags of newly purchased clothes. Seeing Yang Xiner sitting on the sofa in the living room watching TV, she went over, ¡°Mom, I bought a silk scarf for you, see if you like it.¡±


    She took out a silk scarf from one of the bags and held it out in front of Yang Xiner. Every time she went shopping, she would buy a little gift for her mom. If her mom was happy, she would give her more allowance.


    Yang Xiner took the scarf andpared it against herself, nodding in satisfaction, ¡°Good taste, I really like it.¡±


    Ling Meng sat down next to Yang Xiner, hooked her arm around hers, and rested her head on her shoulder. ¡°Mom, school starts next week. Have you called the principal to have Ling Yue¡¯s enrollment revoked?¡± For several days she had not heard any news from Ling Yue, and didn¡¯t know if that wretched girl was suffering terribly from her wounds.


    Yang Xiner smiled and patted the back of Ling Meng¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t you trust your mom to handle things? That dead girl not only won¡¯t be able to go to school anymore, she won¡¯t even be able to find a job.¡± She had already put out the word that anypany who dared hire Ling Yue would be driven to bankruptcy by her.


    ¡°I knew mom is the best. But I feel we¡¯re letting that wretched girl off too easily. Why don¡¯t we send two people to finish her off and let her descendpletely into hell.¡± Her eyes were shrouded in resentment towards Ling Yue. In her previous life, Ling Yue had gotten her wish and married Zhou Mucheng, bing the young Madam Zhou. Zhou Mucheng had doted on her endlessly, not letting her suffer the slightest grievance.


    Once she had schemed against Ling Yue, and when Zhou Mucheng found out he had thrown her into a brothel. That period of time she had lived a fate worse than death. So before she died she had sworn that if she had another life, she would make sure Ling Yue suffered miserably and lived a life not worth living.


    Luckily heaven had given her another chance, allowing her to live her life over again. So whenever she had the opportunity she would goad her mother into bullying Ling Yue secretly, which led to Ling Yue¡¯s timid and weak personality.


    The wedding dress shop fire was also her scheme. She wanted Ling Yue to be the ugliest woman in the world, having to look at that ugly face every day for the rest of her life.


    Yang Xiner pondered for a moment, then nodded her head, ¡°Alright.¡± She also didn¡¯t want that dead girl toe back, though the possibility was minute.


    Ling Meng smiled victoriously. Get ready to weather theing storm, Ling Yue.


    After the tel technician finished installing the broadband and phone and left, Ling Yue suddenly remembered her appointment with Liu Yan. She nced at the time, called out to Granny Xu in the house, then hurried out the door.


    ¡°Little miss!¡± Granny Xu heard the voice and came out from the house, but Ling Yue was already gone. She could only shake her head helplessly and go back inside to continue what she had been doing.


    Liu Yan stood at the side of the road. He hadn¡¯t slept the entire previous night, thinking about whether or not he should believe in Ling Yue. Although he couldn¡¯t see Ling Yue¡¯s appearance clearly, looking at her eyes he could tell she was quite young.


    He nced at the time. Liu Yan looked around but didn¡¯t see any sign of Ling Yue, shaking his head bitterly. She probably wasn''ting.


    Just as Liu Yan was about to leave, hurried footsteps approached from the distance. He turned his head to look and saw Ling Yue running over. His eyes shed with pleasant surprise.


    Ling Yue ran up to Liu Yan and apologized, ¡°Sorry, something came up at home that held me up.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Liu Yan smiled and shook his head. As long as she hade, even if she couldn¡¯t help him, he was grateful.


    ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡± Ling Yue walked alongside Liu Yan.


    ¡°I''ve eaten.¡± As soon as Liu Yan finished speaking, his stomach let out an untimely growl, and his face instantly turned red. He hade to wait for her very early so he hadpletely forgotten about eating.


    Ling Yue held in herugh, ¡°Well I haven¡¯t eaten yet either, let¡¯s go get a bite together.¡±

 Chapter 17: Pick up a Leak

    <h4>Chapter 17</h4>


    The two came to a small restaurant, now was lunch time, there were quite a few people in the restaurant eating.


    Seeing there was still an empty spot by the window, Ling Yue walked over there.


    Liu Yan followed along.


    "What would you like to eat?" Ling Yue took the menu handed over by the server and asked Liu Yan.


    "I''ll just have whatever." Liu Yan didn''t have the mind to think about eating, he only wanted to know how Ling Yue would get 30 million, 30 million was not a small sum.


    "Then I''ll order randomly." Ling Yue opened the menu, "Tomato stir fried eggs, garlic eggnts, sweet and sour pork ribs, also a vegetable pork shreds soup and two bowls of rice."


    Returning the menu to the server, Ling Yue poured herself a cup of tea from the teapot on the table, "Let''s fill our stomachs first, we can think about other things after eating." Seeing Liu Yan''s absent-minded appearance, she knew what he was worrying about.


    "Do you really have a way to gather that much money?" Liu Yan also wanted to believe Ling Yue, but this was not a small amount, when he was starting his website previously, he had exhausted all means, and had only gathered a bit over 4 million, and this included mortgaging his house to the bank.


    Ling Yue slowly drank a mouthful of tea, looking at the peopleing and going outside the window, "Since I promised, I won''t go back on my word."


    Seeing the dishes served, Ling Yue put down her cup, picked up her chopsticks, put a mouthful of food in her mouth, "The taste is not bad, hurry up and eat."


    Seeing Ling Yue''s enjoyable appearance, Liu Yan''s mood improved somewhat, he picked up his chopsticks and started eating.


    After the meal, Liu Yan followed Ling Yue to the antique street, "What are we doing here?"


    "Picking up scraps." Ling Yue winked at Liu Yan.


    "Picking up scraps?" Liu Yan''s mouth twitched as he looked at the roadside stalls on both sides of the street. Although he didn''t deal with antiques, he also knew that the so-called antiques sold at this antique street were mostly modern handicrafts. Unless one was an expert in this area, wanting to pick up scraps here was harder than reaching the heavens.


    As Ling Yue walked, she looked all around, sensing a trace of spiritual energy up ahead, her eyes lit up as she walked towards the front.


    Liu Yan followed Ling Yue. Actually he didn''t have much hope in his heart, but he also didn''t want to discourage Ling Yue, because he knew Ling Yue truly wanted to help him.


    Ling Yue stopped in front of a roadside stall, her gaze falling on a yellow seal. That seal looked very ordinary, it also had many tiny spotted marks on it, looking very inconspicuous.


    "Boss, can I take a look at that seal?" Ling Yue pointed at the seal.


    The boss sized up Ling Yue and Liu Yan, thenughingly picked up the seal, "Little miss, you sure have good taste, this seal is actually an ancient seal from the Han dynasty, priceless!" This seal was dug up by his parents from the ground when they were working the fields. At first he thought it was some valuable antique, he had asked several experts, but they all said it was worthless. This little miss was clearly an outsider, he would naturally not scam or overcharge her.


    "Is that so? Let me see." Ling Yue stretched out her hand.


    "Well..." The boss pretended to hesitate, then after a while, as if having made a major decision, he carefully ced the seal in Ling Yue''s hand, "Be careful, this is a valuable item."


    Liu Yan rolled his eyes silently. One look was enough to tell this item was worthless, otherwise how could it be sitting at this little roadside stall.


    Ling Yue took the seal and inspected it for a bit, disdainfully curling her lips, she handed it back to the boss, "This item is worth 100 yuan at best. If you''re willing to sell it, I''ll buy it. If not I''ll just leave."


    "Little miss, take another look, this is made of Han jade, it''s value is not low." The boss deliberately hardened his face. Those experts he asked before said this seal was worthless.


    Ling Yue stood up about to leave, "Let''s go take a look elsewhere."


    "Don''t leave!" Realizing Ling Yue was leaving decisively without hesitation, the boss quickly called out to stop her. 100 yuan was still money, better than it sitting there unwanted. After all it was a worthless item.


    A smug look shed through Ling Yue''s eyes, she stopped and turned back to the stall, taking out 100 yuan to hand to the boss.


    The boss epted the 100 yuan and passed the seal to Ling Yue, "Little miss, you got a great bargain today. If not for me being in a good mood today, I wouldn''t have sold this to you."


    Ling Yue took the seal and put it in her pocket, then continued walking forward with Liu Yan.


    "You know this seal is fake right?" Liu Yan couldn''t help speaking up. He felt spending 100 yuan to buy a fake item really wasn''t worthwhile.


    Ling Yue turned her head, giving Liu Yan an amused look, "Fake? Not necessarily." This seal contained rich spiritual energy, how could it be fake?


    Liu Yan pursed his lips, not saying anything more.


    "Did you guys hear? The other day someone picked up scraps of a cup at the antique street, in the end that cup was sold for 2 million!"


    "Really? Which stall did they pick up scraps from? I should go take a look too, who knows, I might get lucky."


    "I heard too, the one who bought the cup was a young girl, she only spent a few tens of yuan to buy that cup."


    "That girl sure was lucky!"


    Hearing the discussion of the few people not far away, Liu Yan also felt somewhat envious of that girl. What hecked most now was money. Not to mention 2 million, even 200 thousand would temporarily improve his circumstances.


    At this time Ling Yue stopped again in front of another stall. She was inspecting a painting, "Boss, how much is this painting?"


    Liu Yan walked to Ling Yue''s side, his gaze falling on the painting she had opened, "Why does this painting look so ugly? It looks like a child''s random scribbles."


    Ling Yue nodded in agreement, "It is quite ugly, but buying this painting back also has benefits. At least it can boost one''s self confidence."


    "What do you mean?" Liu Yan didn''t understand.


    The stall owner was also confused.


    "A painting this ugly can be sold as an antique for money. When we go back let''s look for a teacher to properly teach us painting. Who knows, maybe our paintings could be antiques one day too, don''t you think?" Ling Yue''s eyes held a trace of yfulughter.


    Liu Yan couldn''t helpughing out loud.


    "Then it''s decided." Ling Yue turned to the stall owner, "Boss, how much is this painting?"


    The boss took an awkward look at the painting, scratching his nose, "How about 50 yuan." He also felt the painting was ugly, not sure if it was some random scribble by his grandson.


    Ling Yue inspected the painting, hesitating for a bit before taking 50 yuan out of her pocket to give the boss.


    "You''re really buying it?" Liu Yan looked at Ling Yue in shock. Although 50 yuan was just petty cash, it was still money!


    The boss quickly took the money from Ling Yue, "Sold items are not refundable or exchangeable." Next time he''ll get his grandson to draw a few more paintings, who knows might run into other suckers like her.


    Ling Yue shrugged, an ''as you can see'' look on her face, "Money''s paid already, let''s go."


    Liu Yan helplessly shook his head. He would just apany her empty-handed today.

 Chapter 18: Picture in Picture

    <h4>Chapter 18</h4>


    Ling Yue took Liu Yan around the antique street for a full two hours. Both of their hands were holding several small artifacts.


    "Shall we head back?" Liu Yan looked at the blue and white porcin bowl and thread-bound book in his hands, sighing helplessly in his heart.


    "No rush, let''s go to one more ce first." Ling Yue smiled at Liu Yan and walked towards the antique shop where she had previously sold her ck jade starry cup.


    The same old man was still in the shop, currently wiping a blue and white porcin vase. Hearing footsteps, he looked up and saw Ling Yue, his eyes immediately lighting up, "Youngdy is here again. What good stuff have you brought this time?" Last time, he had bought that ck jade starry cup from Ling Yue and made a huge profit.


    "I''ve brought several items for you to take a look at this time." Ling Yue walked to the counter and ced the few small artifacts she was holding onto it.


    Seeing how familiar Ling Yue was with the antique shop owner, Liu Yan felt somewhat surprised.


    "Alright, let me take a look." The old man carefully ced the blue and white porcin vase he was wiping back into the cab behind him. He took out a magnifying ss from the side and started scrutinizing the items Ling Yue had brought.


    After a long while, he shook his head. "These are all fakes, not worth much money." The youngdy was probably just luckyst time. There were not that many treasures that could be picked up on this antique street.


    Ling Yue was not in a hurry. She picked up one of the paintings and pointed to a spot at the bottom, "Take a closer look here."


    The old man looked intently at where Ling Yue was pointing with the magnifying ss. After a long while, he shouted in disbelief, "A painting within a painting?" He had heard before of people hiding their treasured paintings within another painting to prevent damage, but he had never seen one himself.


    Ling Yue raised her eyebrows, nodding approvingly.


    "Then I''ll get someone to lift the painting now." The old man was extremely excited. He really wanted to see thendscape masterpiece hidden inside as soon as possible.


    "Go ahead." Ling Yue nodded.


    The old man immediately went to make a phone call. "Old Xu, I have a painting within a painting in my shop. Bring your tools and get over here now. Good, I''ll wait for you."


    After hanging up, the old man hurried back to Ling Yue. He picked up the magnifying ss again. "Let me take another close look at these items." Since Ling Yue could identify something like a painting within a painting, perhaps these other things were real too.


    "Feel free." Ling Yue turned to Liu Yan, "Let''s go sit over there and wait." Although she did not know the history behind these items, she could discern from the spiritual energy they contained that they were from different eras. The less spiritual energy they had, the more recent they were.


    "You didn''t buy all these little things as antiques, did you?" Liu Yan asked softly.


    A hint of an unfathomable smile appeared in Ling Yue''s phoenix eyes. "You''ll find out soon."


    Liu Yan''s gaze turned to the old man using the magnifying ss to examine the items. A glimmer of hope welled up in his heart. If these things were real, perhaps he really could make it through this crisis.


    The old man inspected each item meticulously, his eyes shining brighter and brighter. If not for Ling Yue pointing out the painting earlier, he would not have noticed the details on these items either. After examining the details, he realized they were all genuine. It was just that their historical background was not prominent, making them easily overlooked.


    "Youngdy, I''m done looking. Apart from the painting, all these total up to 15 million yuan." The old man excitedly told Ling Yue. He could earn big again this time.


    Liu Yan''s eyes widened in shock. 15 million yuan!


    Ling Yue lightly nodded her head. "Alright."


    Seeing Ling Yue''sposure, the old man admired and wondered about her even more. After all, this was 15 million yuan. Even the lesser families of Beijing might not stay this calm when hearing such an amount.


    Just then, an old man in Tang costume rushed in anxiously. "Where''s the painting? Let me see!" After receiving the call, he knew Old Zhang had a painting within a painting here. He had immediately rushed over with his tools, extremely eager to see the true face of that painting.


    "Right here." Old Master Zhang smiled and took out the painting, unfolding it.


    Old Master Xu quickly stepped forward to take the painting and examine it closely. "It really is a painting within a painting. Let''s begin right away." He just couldn''t wait any longer.


    Old Master Zhang smiled and nodded, looking towards Ling Yue and Liu Yan. "Let''s go to the backyard."


    The few of them went to the backyard. Old Master Xu immediately took out his tools and started lifting the painting.


    Time slowly passed. After a full two hours, the painting hidden inside was finally revealed in all its glory.


    The scroll depicted majestic mountains and peaks, showcasingyers uponyers of undting hillscapes. Winding pathways threaded through low trees and thickets. Further beyond floated ethereal clouds and mist, dotted with towering pavilions, courtyards, bridges, and boats. Graceful figures boated and strolled, enjoying the scenery. Blossoming peach trees and verdant grass met rippling waters, all bathed in the warmth of spring.


    "It''s the Touring Spring Painting!"


    "I heard it was destroyed long ago. To think it was actually hidden inside another painting all this while. My horizons have truly expanded today!" Old Masters Xu and Zhang stared at the painting in front of them, faces filled with shock and disbelief.


    After a long time, the two finally regained their senses.


    Old Master Zhang looked towards Ling Yue. His voice shook slightly with agitation. "Youngdy, let me check with my boss first about this painting. Don''t worry, we will definitely give you a suitable price." He could make decisions regarding ordinary antiques, but this painting was too valuable. He did not know how much to offer Ling Yue.


    "The price is fine, but there is no need to meet." Ling Yue gently rejected the idea of meeting the boss. She probably would note to the antique street again in the future. Although antiques contained spiritual energy, there were barely any real ones here.


    Old Master Zhang was somewhat embarrassed. "But my boss is already on his way here."


    A sh of displeasure appeared in Ling Yue''s eyes. Her brows furrowed slightly. "Your boss just wants to meet me?"


    Old Master Zhang nodded. "My boss is very nice. He probably wants to invite you to our next month''s auction when he meets you."

 Chapter 19: A Man can Be Trusted

    <h4>Chapter 19</h4>


    "An auction?" Ling Yue was interested and raised her eyebrows slightly.


    Old Master Zhang nodded, "There will be a grand auction in this city next month. Not only will there be all kinds of precious jewels, antiques, but original stones will also be auctioned on site. You can''t attend without an invitation."


    "That does sound quite interesting." Ling Yue smiled yfully, her phoenix eyes bewitchingly beautiful, just like the noble and mysterious mand flowers, captivating.


    After waiting for a while, several people walked in, and in between them was a tall, demonic looking man. He exuded an aura of nobility and elegance, one look and you know he was no ordinary person.


    "Boss! You''re here!" When Old Master Zhang saw the man, he immediately went up respectfully to greet him.


    Song Ziyuan nodded lightly, his gaze falling on Ling Yue, "Is she the person you mentioned?"


    "Yes, the ck Feather Star Cupst time, and the ''Travel in Spring Painting'' were brought by her." Old Master Zhang replied respectfully.


    Liu Yan looked at Ling Yue in surprise. He had heard people on the street say that someone had picked up a cup and sold it for two million. So it turned out to be her.


    Song Ziyuan sized up Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue did not dodge or avoid his gaze, meeting it head on calmly.


    Song Ziyuan''s eyes revealed a hint of appreciation, a faint smile appeared as he stepped forward and held out his hand. His hands were beautiful, with distinct knuckles, long and fair, "Nice to meet you! I''m Song Ziyuan, very pleased to make your acquaintance." He couldn''t see her appearance because of her mask, but her eyes were beautiful, like a clear spring, captivating.


    Ling Yue shook Song Ziyuan''s hand, "Ling Yue."


    Song Ziyuan felt that the name Ling Yue sounded familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before, "Miss Ling, Old Zhang should have told you right? There''s an auction next month, I need an assistant like you who knows a lot about antiques. Would you be willing to attend with me?"


    "Okay." Ling Yue readily nodded.


    "Then give me your phone number, I''ll call you when the timees." Song Ziyuan took out his phone, waiting for Ling Yue to tell him her number.


    Ling Yue reported her phone number to Song Ziyuan, "I still have some things to do, you guys can settle the payment first." Liu Yan had said he wanted to take her to see thepany.


    "Old Zhang, help transfer the money." Song Ziyuan instructed Old Master Zhang.


    "Okay boss." Old Master Zhang went behind the counter, picked up the phone, "It''s still the same bank ount number asst time?" As long as he had the bank ount number, he could directly transfer over the phone.


    Ling Yue turned to look at Liu Yan, Liu Yan quickly reported his bank ount number. He was very excited at the moment, thinking that he had reached a dead end this time, he did not expect to meet Ling Yue, rekindling his hopes.


    Hearing the SMS alert sound from his phone, Liu Yan quickly took out his phone and opened the message to look at the number on it, his hand unconsciously trembling slightly. This was the first time he had seen so much money.


    "Received it." Liu Yan suppressed the emotions in his heart, but his voice still carried a hint of trembling.


    "Then we''ll take our leave first." Ling Yue nodded at Song Ziyuan and Old Master Zhang, and left the antique shop with Liu Yan.


    Song Ziyuan''s gaze followed them out before withdrawing it. He had remembered who Ling Yue was. She had been making waves with Zhou Mucheng recently, the Ling Family young miss Ling Yue whose face was burned and disfigured. But it seemed like the Ling Family had already issued a statement disowning their rtionship with Ling Yue.


    If this Ling Yue was really the one driven out by the Ling Family, then he could be certain that one day the Ling Family would definitely regret it, along with Zhou Mucheng.


    Just as he was thinking, Song Ziyuan''s phone rang. He took it out and saw the caller ID, the corners of his lips curled up as he answered the call, "Looking for me for something?"


    "Got time for a drink together?" Zhou Mucheng''s low and maic voice came over.


    "Sure." The smile at the corners of Song Ziyuan''s lips deepened slightly. He wanted to find out more about Ling Yue from Zhou Mucheng anyway.


    After leaving the antique street, Liu Yan''s agitated emotions finally calmed down a bit. He took a deep breath, "Boss! I''ll transfer the extra 5 million to you." Ling Yue had agreed to invest 30 million for him, and now there was an extra 5 million, he naturally had to return it to her.


    Ling Yue took out her bank card and handed it to Liu Yan. When she applied for the bank card, she had enabledrge amount transfer services, so 5 million could be directly transferred over the phone.


    After Liu Yan was done with the transfer, he returned the bank card to Ling Yue, "Boss! Why do you trust me so much? Aren''t you afraid that I would run away with the money?" That was 30 million, an amount that countless people work hard for their whole lives and still can''t earn. Yet she had just met him and knew nothing about him. What if he really had bad intentions and ran away with her money? What would she do?


    "Don''t suspect others, trust those you employ. Also, we are partners, just calling me by name is fine." Ling Yue was very confident in her ability to judge people. And even without her funding, Liu Yan would be very wealthy in the future. She wasn''t the only one in this world with the insight to recognize heroes. Some things were predestined, just like how she came to this world.


    "Ling Yue, I will not betray your trust." Liu Yan looked at Ling Yue with a determined and serious gaze.


    "Good, I look forward to your achievements." Ling Yue gave a dazzling smile, her phoenix eyes beautifully bewitching.


    Song Ziyuan arrived at the club where he had arranged to meet Zhou Mucheng. Entering the private room, he saw not only Zhou Mucheng but Ling Meng as well. His brows ticked up slightly in surprise.


    "Brother Ziyuan!" Ling Meng smiled and waved at Song Ziyuan. The Zhou, Song, Qin and Mu families were the four most powerful families in Jing City. Among them, the Qin family was the strongest, but the Qin family people were very low-key, only participating in some necessary banquets, rarely interacting with the other families.


    Song Ziyuan smiled gently and nodded, then went to sit next to Zhou Mucheng, "I heard you called off the engagement?"


    "Mm." Zhou Mucheng passed a ss of wine to Song Ziyuan. His broken engagement with Ling Yue wasn''t a secret, he had nothing to hide either.


    "You don''t like her, or is it because she was disfigured?" Song Ziyuan thought of Ling Yue. He didn''t know if her face was burnt by the fire, but her phoenix eyes were truly beautiful, seeming to be able to draw people in.


    Zhou Mucheng frowned at Song Ziyuan, not understanding why he was suddenly so concerned about his matters today.


    "Brother Ziyuan, my sister and brother Mucheng were engaged as children, they didn''t have any feelings for each other. It was my sister who kept pestering brother Mucheng. Now that the engagement is called off, it''s better for both of them, don''t you think so brother Mucheng?" Ling Meng tugged Zhou Mucheng''s sleeve. These days she would intentionally bump into Zhou Mucheng every now and then. Today when she knew he would being to the club, she specially waited for him here. Zhou Mucheng was the young master of the Zhou family, one of the four major families in Jing City. The Zhou family would be his in the future, so of course she had to hold on tightly to such an outstanding man.

 Chapter 20: There is no regret in my dictionary.

    <h4>Chapter 20</h4>


    Song Ziyuan nced at Ling Meng with faint disdain in his eyes. He could see through Ling Meng''s thoughts clearly - she just wanted to be Zhou Mucheng''s wife and the young mistress of the Zhou family. He really didn''t understand Zhou Mucheng''s taste.


    Zhou Mucheng''s face sank unpleasantly, his tone cold and indifferent, "Didn''t you say you have something to do?"


    Meeting Zhou Mucheng''s cold and sharp gaze, Ling Meng knew she had displeased him. She forced out a smile while getting up, "I forgot about it until you mentioned it, I''ll get going now. Goodbye, Mucheng brother, Ziyuan brother."


    After leaving the private room, Ling Meng resentfully bit her lips. She didn''t understand - she was so outstanding and behaved so gently and timidly in front of him, yet he was still so cold and indifferent to her, not even willing to give her a smile. Could it be that she was still inferior to that cheap woman Ling Yue in his heart?


    Thinking of Ling Yue, a vicious look shed across Ling Meng''s eyes. Ling Yue would be ruined soon, and by that time, she would let everyone in the capital know what a cheap woman Ling Yue was.


    Song Ziyuan withdrew his gaze, looking at Zhou Mucheng yfully, "Are you interested in her?"


    "Impossible." Zhou Mucheng gently swirled the red wine in his ss. He had no ns to find a girlfriend yet, having just gotten out of the shackles of his broken engagement. How could he tie himself down so quickly?


    "Ling Meng is not bad actually, great figure and good looks." Song Ziyuan raised his wine ss, smiling slyly.


    "I''m not that superficial." Zhou Mucheng raised his wine ss and clinked it with Song Ziyuan''s before downing a mouthful.


    "Could it be you still have feelings for your ex-fiancee? Speaking of which, I met her today." Song Ziyuan put down his wine ss andzily leaned back on the sofa, resting his head on his hands.


    Zhou Mucheng looked at Song Ziyuan in surprise. "You met Ling Yue? Where did you meet her?" Although he didn''t like Ling Yue, she was after all his ex-fiancee. Also, they would have gotten married already if not for that fire.


    "At the antique street. Your ex-fiancee has good taste - she picked up quite a valuable ancient painting there today." Song Ziyuan smiledzily.


    "You must have the wrong person. She doesn''t have that capability." Zhou Mucheng had known Ling Yue for so long and understood her well. He knew Ling Yue had changed a lot recently, but no matter how much she changed, it was impossible for her to have that level of capability.


    Song Ziyuan smiled smugly. "Zhou Mucheng, if the Ling Yue I met is really your ex-fiancee, you won''t mind if I pursue her right?"


    "It''s your freedom, it has nothing to do with me." Zhou Mucheng poured himself another ss of wine. He had never liked Ling Yue. Who she was with had nothing to do with him.


    "I''ll take your word for it, don''t regret it in the future." A sly, foxy smile spread across Song Ziyuan''s face.


    "The word ''regret'' doesn''t exist in my dictionary." Zhou Mucheng lookedpletely confident. Although he had grown up with Ling Yue, he truly didn''t like her timid and dull personality. So how could he possibly regret?


    On the other side, Ling Yue followed Liu Yan to hispany. She saw a spacious office, empty except for a girl with ck-framed sses focused on herputer screen, her hands dancing across the keyboard.


    Hearing footsteps, the girl turned to look. Seeing Liu Yan, she respectfully greeted him, "Boss Liu!"


    Liu Yan nodded slightly and walked over to the girl with Ling Yue. "She is Yang Jing, the only employee willing to stay when the others left." He had recruited over twenty employees previously, but they had all resigned as thepany ran out of funds.


    "This is Ling Yue, she is the new chairwoman of ourpany." Liu Yan introduced Ling Yue to Yang Jing.


    Yang Jing looked at Ling Yue in surprise. "Chairwoman?"


    "The chairwoman has invested in ourpany. Our crisis has been resolved. Please post a recruitment notice online. Also, reject all past employees who left us." Liu Yan was a decisive man. He knew those employees had left for better prospects, but he hoped his staff would be loyal to thepany and willing to weather hard times together, like Yang Jing. He would reward her in the future by arranging an appropriate role once thepany had stabilized.


    "Understood, Boss Liu. I''ll post it now." As Yang Jing spoke, she was already on a website posting a recruitment notice.


    Liu Yan nodded in satisfaction and turned to Ling Yue. "Let me show you the office."


    "Okay." Ling Yue followed behind Liu Yan.


    Liu Yan pushed open the office door for Ling Yue. "Have a seat, I''ll make you some tea."


    Ling Yue nodded and sat down, looking around the office. It wasn''t big, around ten square meters. But it was well-lit and spotless, furnished simply with a work desk, bookcases, two sofas for guests, and a coffee table.


    Liu Yan ced the tea on the coffee table in front of Ling Yue. "I''ll grab the business n for you to take a look, let me know if you have any suggestions." As chairwoman, he naturally wanted her input on thepany''s ns.


    Liu Yan went to the desk, unlocked a drawer and took out a file folder. He walked over and handed it to Ling Yue. "Here''s thepany n."


    Ling Yue reached out to take the folder and started going through it carefully before closing it and handing it back after a while.


    "Done reading it already?" Liu Yan asked in surprise.


    Ling Yue smiled lightly with a nod. "The n looks great, but I have a suggestion. We are an online shopping tform, so we''ll definitely need logistics and delivery. I propose we set up our own in-house logistics. That way we won''t have to worry about dyed or damaged goods, and can track shipments in real-time. It provides assurance to customers buying from us. What do you think?"


    As Liu Yan listened, his eyes shone brighter and he was filled with immense admiration for Ling Yue. "That''s an excellent idea! I''ll work on it once we stabilize. "


    "No rush, take it step by step. I believe in you." Ling Yue patted Liu Yan on the shoulder encouragingly.


    "I''ll work hard!" Liu Yan nodded vigorously, feeling motivated and hopeful about the future.


    Ling Yue sat in the office for a while before getting up to leave. Just then Xu Granny called. "Miss, when will you be back?"


    "I''m on my way." The softness in Ling Yue''s eyes and faint smile showed her fondness for Xu Granny.


    "I bought a chicken today and will cook you soup."


    "Great, thanks Granny." Ling Yue chatted for a bit before hanging up and turning to Liu Yan. "I should go back now. Call me if anythinges up."


    "I''ll see you out." Liu Yan stood up. Just then, the office door burst open as someone kicked it violently.

 Chapter 21: Ask for a Debt

    <h4>Chapter 21</h4>


    A few small gangsters walked in, led by a man with dyed yellow hair and a fat face, a cigarette dangling from his mouth - clearly not someone to be trifled with.


    Liu Yan stepped forward, shielding Ling Yue behind him. These people would do anything for money, and there was no telling if Yang Jing was safe.


    The man walked up to Liu Yan and mmed a debt note down on the table, snarling, "Today''s the final deadline for repayment. Pay up or yourpany''s done for."


    Liu Yan reached for the note, but the man pinned it down under his hand and red at him coldly. "What do you think you''re doing?"


    "I want to check the amount against what I actually borrowed. To make sure they match," Liu Yan exined. When he had urgently needed money before, a friend had introduced him to thispany, iming their interest rates were lower than banks. It was onlyter that Liu Yan realized they were loan sharks, charging exorbitant interest on top of the principal. Even after he repaid the original sum he borrowed - 100,000 yuan - the interest kept snowballing. Thest time they came to collect, they imed he owed 300,000 yuan.


    The man sneered derisively. "500,000 yuan, principal plus interest."


    Liu Yan''s heart jolted. "I only borrowed 100,000."


    "Less bullshit, more money. Today''s the deadline. Keep stalling, and we won''t go easy on you," the man threatened, shaking his meaty fist.


    "We can pay, but we''ll have to do it at your office," Ling Yue said, stepping out from behind Liu Yan. Her cool gaze swept over the gangsters. She knew how these loan sharks operated - the casinos in her country were simr. Gamblers who lost borrowed money they could never repay.


    "And why''s that?" the man asked, eyeing Ling Yue.


    Liu Yan understood Ling Yue''s intention immediately. His admiration for her grew.


    "To settle this face-to-face. Otherwise, you coulde back in a few days demanding we still owe you money, and we''d have no recourse," Ling Yue replied calmly. She was familiar with these tactics - even with the debt note, it could easily be fake.


    "You afraid we''re cheating you? The note''s right here!" The man looked slightly shocked by Ling Yue''s shrewdness. They did have something up their sleeve.


    "Then why not let us see it?" Ling Yue taunted, eyeing the note.


    "Pay up and I''ll return it, clear as day."


    Ling Yue shook her head with a smile. "We''ll pay at your office. Take it or leave it."


    "Fine by me," Liu Yan agreed.


    The man erupted angrily, shaking his fist. "Don''t push your luck. You won''t like the consequences."


    Ling Yue looked utterly unconcerned. "Oh?"


    Liu Yan stepped forward again, shielding Ling Yue. "It''s not that I won''t pay. I just want to settle this at your office, in person. What''s unreasonable about that?"


    "Enough bullshit. You have three minutes to decide. Time''s up and we won''t hold back," the man snarled, done talking. He was here to collect, and he would get the money one way or another.


    Liu Yan turned to Ling Yue. "Please, just go. I can handle this alone - it''s my problem, not yours." Though he''d never been in a fight before, he was still a man. He couldn''t drag Ling Yue into this.


    Ling Yue smiled gently at Liu Yan, then looked back at the men. "We don''t need three minutes."


    "Fine! No more ying nice!" At the man''s signal, the gangsters rushed at them.


    "Run, Ling Yue! This has nothing to do with you!" Liu Yan cried out, bracing himself.


    But before he even finished speaking, Ling Yue shot forward faster than the wind. In a blur of movement, she felled the men effortlessly.


    Liu Yan rubbed his eyes in disbelief.


    Ling Yue looked down impassively at the men groaning on the ground, then strode up to the leader and pinned his hand under her foot. "Ready to talk properly?"


    The man''s face contorted in pain. "T-talk...let go...we''ll talk at the office..." This woman was too much. He had to call the boss and give him a heads up.


    Ling Yue stepped back. "Get up. Let''s go."


    Still shaking, the man led his gang out without another nce her way.


    Liu Yan gazed at Ling Yue in awe, his eyes full of admiration. "You''re so incredible!" She was the most amazing woman he''d ever met.


    Ling Yue just smiled and headed for the exit.


    Liu Yan hurried after her.


    Outside the office, they found Yang Jing returning with several uniformed officers.


    Liu Yan rushed over apologetically. "Gentlemen, there''s no trouble here. Just a small dispute over debt. Sorry to drag you all the way out here for nothing."


    After seeing the officers off, Liu Yan and Ling Yue got in the gang''s van and headed for theirpany office to settle matters face-to-face.


    Having been tipped off, the boss had arranged for reinforcements well in advance. If these two wanted to be stupidly stubborn instead of just paying up, he''d teach them a lesson they wouldn''t forget.


    "Boss, they''re here. A man and woman," a subordinate reported deferentially.


    Lazily reclining on the sofa with a cigar, the boss took a long drag. "Send them in." He was curious what was so impressive about these two that they could terrify ck Dog and his crew.


    Soon Ling Yue and Liu Yan were escorted into the office.


    The boss sized them both up contemptuously. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"


    "We''re here to repay the debt," Ling Yue replied evenly, meeting his gaze. Her eyes were tranquil yet proud, noble even.


    The boss faltered under her stare and looked away. How could a mere chit of a girl unsettle him so? "Have a seat, let''s talk." He wouldn''t underestimate them again, especially not her.


    Without waiting to be asked twice, Ling Yue sat down across from him.


    Following her lead, Liu Yan also took a seat.


    At Ling Yue''s pointed look, Liu Yan cleared his throat. "I''m here to repay my debt. Three months ago I borrowed 100,000 yuan from yourpany. The contract stated a daily 1% interest fee, but today your employee imed I owe 500,000 yuan total, principal plus interest. He refused to even show me the debt note. That''s why I''vee to rify exactly what is owed."

 Chapter 22: Is She a Human

    <h4>Chapter 22</h4>


    The boss nodded slightly and threw the cigar in his hand into the ashtray nearby, "Go get the contract."


    Soon, his men brought the contract over.


    The boss took the contract and threw it to Liu Yan, "This is the contract you signed at the time. Take a look."


    Liu Yan took the contract and opened it, read the contents on the contract carefully, and his face became uglier and uglier, "The contract I signed at the time was not this one."


    "But it has your signature on it, and this signature cannot be forged." The boss looked at Liu Yan mockingly.


    Liu Yan thought carefully. He had read the contract carefully at the time. The interest rate points in the contract werepletely different from this contract. Before signing, he had confirmed it repeatedly. Even if he was in a hurry to use money, he would never sign such an unfair contract.


    He remembered that his friend identally dropped his pen at the time, and he bent over to pick it up. After that, he did not look at the contract again before signing, so the contract must have been switched at that time. What should he do now?


    Ling Yue took the contract and nced at the signature on it, "Is this your signature?"


    Liu Yan''s face was ugly as he nodded, "It''s my signature. I must have been tricked by them."


    Ling Yue nodded and looked at Boss Li, "If the money is paid back, the debt will be written off, right?" When she went to the inte cafe that day, she specifically looked up thews of this world online. This contract had Liu Yan''s signature, so it was legally binding. Even if Liu Yan used the other party of fraud, it would be useless because the other party had evidence and he had no evidence.


    "Yes." Boss Li looked at Ling Yue in surprise. What did she mean?


    "Then bring the IOU over and we will pay back the money." Ling Yue closed the contract and tapped the tabletop with her fingers.


    "ck Dog, bring the contract over." Boss Li beckoned to ck Dog, whose nose and face were bruised, next to him.


    ck Dog immediately walked over and took out the IOU and handed it to Boss Li.


    Boss Li took the IOU and handed it to Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue reached out and took it, nced at the IOU, and her eyes instantly turned cold, "This IOU is fake."


    Liu Yan looked at the IOU in Ling Yue''s hand and found that it was actually a photocopy.


    "I will naturally give you the real IOU when you repay the money." Boss Li smiled at Ling Yue and Liu Yan. Hispany was actually a loan shark that grew its business bypounding interest, so of course he would not easily let the borrowers pay off their debts.


    When theirpany went to collect debts, they usually took photocopies with them. If the other party did not recognize that it was a photocopy, then they could go ask for money again next time. If the other party recognized it was a photocopy, it did not matter either, because he still had the contract signed by the other party here. With the debt owed to hispany, unless the person died, they could never expect to pay it off in this lifetime.


    Ling Yue put the IOU together with the contract, stood up and patted the nonexistent dust on her body, "It''s not convenient today, we''lle back to repay the money another day, and we''ll pay the interest as agreed."


    Liu Yan looked at Ling Yue in surprise. He didn''t understand what Ling Yue meant, but he trusted her. No matter what she did, he would follow her.


    "Are you kidding me?" Boss Li was furious and mmed the table heavily as he stood up, ring at Ling Yue viciously. This was the first time someone had yed with him like this. He had to teach this girl a good lesson today.


    "What if I''m kidding you?" Ling Yue looked at Boss Li with a mocking smile. She didn''te today to repay the money in the first ce. Borrowing 100,000 and having to pay back 500,000, her money didn''t just blow in with the wind.


    "Break their arms and legs for me." Boss Li ordered the thugs next to him. His Li Jun was not vegetarian. If someone dared mess with him, they had to pay the price.


    Ling Yue raised her eyebrows, her eyes gleaming brightly. Her figure shed as she rushed towards the oing people.


    Liu Yan also hurried to join the fight. He knew Ling Yue was very good at fighting, but he couldn''t just stand by and watch.


    Li Jun had heard from ck Dog earlier that Ling Yue was a very good fighter, but he didn''t really believe it. Now he realized it was true. In just one minute, all of his thugs were knocked down.


    Ling Yue pped her hands to dust them off and swept her gaze towards Li Jun. Her figure shed again as she came to stand in front of Li Jun, "I didn''t originally want to get violent. You forced me to get violent. Aren''t you very cheap?"


    Li Jun swallowed nervously as he looked at Ling Yue in fear. He backed away until his back hit the wall before he had to stop. "What... What do you want to do..."


    Ling Yue moved closer and closer to Li Jun, the smile in her eyes bing more and more dazzling, "Just now didn''t you order your men to break our arms and legs? If I don''t fulfill your wish, wouldn''t that be disappointing?"


    "I...I was just joking earlier..." Li Jun''s heart was filled with fear. This woman was so scary.


    "Joking?" Ling Yue raised her eyebrows yfully, "I never joke around."


    "I... I''ll give you the contract and IOU... Please spare me..." Now Li Jun just wanted to get Ling Yue to leave.


    Ling Yue stopped, considered for a moment, "Then you reimburse our transportation fee here today andpensation for mental distress."


    Liu Yan looked at Ling Yue in surprise. That could be done too?


    "Okay...okay...you say how much..." Li Jun secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Just cough up some money. As long as she didn''t break his arms and legs, it was fine. He had plenty of money anyway.


    "Then a million will do." Ling Yue held up a finger.


    "A...a million..." She was even more ruthless than him!


    Ling Yue''s gaze swept over Li Jun''s hands and feet. "What? Not willing? Then forget it..."


    "No no no, I''m willing." Li Jun hurriedly interrupted Ling Yue''s words. A million it was then. As long as he could keep his hands and feet intact, it was fine.


    "Wait here, I''ll go get the money for you." Li Jun hurried towards the safe behind him, opened it, and took out stacks of cash from inside. His gaze fell on the hiddenpartment in the safe where he kept a gun, and a trace of sinister light shed in his eyes.


    From the corner of his eye, he nced at Ling Yue. The reason he chose to pay in cash was because he knew there was a gun in the safe. No matter how good her martial arts skills were, could she dodge a bullet?


    Seeing Ling Yue was looking out the window at the scenery, Li Jun quickly opened the hiddenpartment, took out the gun, turned around, and shot at Ling Yue.


    When Liu Yan saw Li Jun take out the gun, his eyes widened in horror. He quickly rushed towards Ling Yue.


    As Liu Yan rushed over, Ling Yue turned around, reached out to pull him behind her, while grabbing with her other hand in midair. Then with a flick of her finger, Li Jun let out a muffled grunt.


    Li Jun looked at Ling Yue in disbelief, his eyes filled with deep fear. She had actually caught the bullet. Was she even human?


    Ling Yue''s expression turned cold, and her phoenix eyes emanated a chill that pierced to the bone, as sharp as a de. She took step by step towards Li Jun.

 Chapter 23: Go Clean

    <h4>Chapter 23</h4>


    Looking at Ling Yue getting closer and closer to him, Li Jun felt as if he had fallen into hell. His entire body was shivering uncontrobly from the icy coldness, as if he had fallen into an ice cer.


    Ling Yue stopped in front of Li Jun, looking down at him contemptuously. Her eyes were like sharp knives, emitting a cold, murderous aura. "I gave you a chance, but you didn''t cherish it."


    Li Jun groveled on the ground like a dog, pleading to Ling Yue, "I was wrong... Please spare me... I won''t dare to do it again..." Now he really regretted it. If he had known she could even catch bullets with her bare hands, he definitely wouldn''t have tried to take advantage of her earlier.


    "Toote." Ling Yue kicked Li Jun''s leg.


    With a "crack" sound, followed by Li Jun''s miserable screams, the entire office was filled with horror.


    Li Jun''s men lying on the ground shivered uncontrobly in fear. This woman was a demon.


    Ling Yue disabled all four of Li Jun''s limbs. She then turned to look at the terrified Liu Yan and said, "Send all the data from theirputers to the police station." Since they had provoked her, she would destroy this entire organization today.


    "Okay." Liu Yan snapped back to his senses and walked over to theputer to start typing on the keyboard.


    Ling Yue walked to the liquor cab, opened it, took out a bottle of red wine, poured herself a ss, then casually went to sit on the sofa, gently swirling the blood-red liquid in the wine ss as the aroma of wine filled the air.


    She took a sip, narrowed her eyes in enjoyment, and said, "Not bad."


    "Ling Yue,e over here quick," Liu Yan shouted with a ugly expression, looking at Ling Yueplicatedly.


    Ling Yue got up and walked over to Liu Yan.


    "Look at the content above," Liu Yan pointed at the screen. He realized Li Jun was only a manager in this organization, and there were people above him. If he sent all this information to the police, those people might take revenge against Li Jun''s superiors.


    Ling Yue nced at the content on theputer screen, a yful smile on her lips. She put down the wine ss on the table. "Move over." She hadn''t expected the person behind this organization was none other than Ling Tianyang, the original host''s uncle. Since that was the case, she would certainly not miss this opportunity to make Ling Tianyang suffer a bit.


    Liu Yan got up from the chair to let Ling Yue sit down.


    Ling Yue sat down and her slender fingers quickly operated the keyboard. Although she had only been in this world for a few days, her learning ability was very strong. As long as she read something once, she couldpletely master it. She had just started usingputers recently, but simple operations were no match for her, such as hacking into the opponent''spanyputer and uploading viruses.


    Liu Yan stared at Ling Yue unblinkingly, his eyes filled with incredulity at her skills. I didn''t knowputers could be operated like that!


    "Done," Ling Yue said as she pressed a send button and stood up. She wouldn''t leave any future troubles for herself. Since she wanted to destroy them, she would be thorough.


    Ling Yue walked to Li Jun''s safe, nced at the contents inside, and took out a jadeite bracelet. The spiritual energy on this bracelet was very dense, clearly not an ordinary item.


    After taking the bracelet, Ling Yue headed out of the office. "Let''s go."


    "Okay." Liu Yan hurried to catch up with Ling Yue.


    Not long after Ling Yue and Liu Yan left, the police surrounded Li Jun''spany and took Li Jun and his men away.


    At the same time, Ling Tianyang also received the news that hispany''s system had been infected with a virus. Just as he was about to explode in anger, several uniformed personnel came to his door. "Ling Tianyang, pleasee with us."


    Ling Tianyang said a word to his housekeeper and followed the uniformed men out of the vi. He knew that those leakedpany documents had caused this, but he wasn''t worried. He was from the Ling family, those people wouldn''t dare touch him.


    As Ling Yue walked into an alley, she immediately sensed people hiding in the shadows. She continued walking ahead without changing her expression.


    Two figures rushed out from the darkness towards her.


    Ling Yue dodged to the side whileunching a counterattack at the same time.


    The two attackers were quickly subdued by Ling Yue, writhing in pain on the ground.


    "Who sent you?" Ling Yue''s voice was as cold as frost, piercing to the bone.


    "We don''t know either... Someone paid us money... and told us to get rid of you..."


    "We''ll give all the money to you... Please spare us..."


    Ling Yue stared into their eyes. Seeing that they didn''t seem to be lying, she took out her phone and called the police, then called Granny Xu to tell her she would be backte.


    When the police arrived, Ling Yue went to the police station and gave a statement.


    When Granny Xu saw Ling Yue return, her heart finally settled down. "Young miss, you''re not hurt, are you?" She had felt very uneasy with the young miss being out sote.


    Ling Yue held Granny Xu''s arm as they walked into the house. "I''m fine, everything''s been taken care of."


    Granny Xu breathed a sigh of relief. "That''s good. Do you know who sent those bad men?" She had been so worried about the young miss earlier. And her injuries weren''t even fully healed yet!


    Ling Yue shook her head, not wanting to continue on that topic. "I''m hungry. What delicious food did you make today?" The original host didn''t have any enemies in this world, so it wouldn''t be difficult to find out who had sent those two men. She guessed it was probably Ling Meng.


    "I made your favorite sweet and sour tfish, spicy beef, and fried mushroom with greens."


    "Wow! I''m in for a treat today, I''m going to eat several bowls of rice." Ling Yue beamed brightly.


    Seeing Ling Yue''s smile, Granny Xu''s mood was also infected. "Young miss, go wash your hands. I''ll dish out the food for you. There''s water in the basin over there."


    "Okay." Ling Yue went to the basin to wash her hands.


    At this time, Ling Meng, Ling Tianzheng, and Yang Xiner were sitting in the living room discussing matters. They had just received the news that Ling Tianyang had been taken away. The offense hemitted this time was not small, and they had received orders from higher up that no one was to bail Ling Tianyang out.


    "How could uncle be so careless," Ling Mengined.


    "Right, doesn''t this smear our Ling family''s reputation? How are we going to continue mixing in those circles in the future?" Yang Xiner also looked very dissatisfied.


    Ling Tianzheng red at them. "Both of you shut up!" He was just about fed up with this whole situation. If Tianyang''s matter wasn''t resolved, it would have a huge impact on the Ling family.


    Just then a phone rang. Seeing it was her own, Ling Meng took out her phone and looked at the caller ID number. "Dad! Mom! I need to take this call." It must be news from Ling Yue''s side.


    Ling Meng walked out of the vi and answered the call. "How did it go?"


    "Failed. Both of my men were caught."

 Chapter 24: Breakthrough

    <h4>Chapter 24</h4>


    "Useless fool! You can''t even handle such a simple task." Ling Meng''s face flushed red with anger. She had wasted so much money for nothing.


    "Miss Ling, you didn''t tell me your target was so skilled in fighting. Both of my men are seriously injured now. If you don''t want anyone to know you were the one behind this, give me 1 million yuan. Otherwise, I''ll have my men expose you."


    "You dare threaten me? Do you know who I am? Offending me will bring you no benefit." Ling Meng gnashed her teeth in rage. She was the young miss of the Ling family now. She could crush him with a flick of her finger. If not for fearing her father and grandfather finding out, she wouldn''t have gone to outsiders to deal with Ling Yue. When did Ling Yue be so formidable? Was someone helping her?


    "Of course I know who you are, but my brothers can''t be sacrificed for nothing. I''ll give you two options now. First, transfer 1 million yuan to me and my brothers will keep our mouths shut about this. Second, your name will be all over the news tomorrow, and Miss Ling''s reputation will be ruined."


    Ling Meng trembled with anger, clenching her teeth fiercely. "I''ll give you 1 million." With Second Uncle arrested now, she absolutely could not let anything happen at this critical juncture. She also could not allow the reputation she had painstakingly built be damaged.


    "Good. As long as the 1 million yuan is received, I guarantee no one will know about this. I look forward to our next cooperation, Miss Ling."


    Ling Meng mmed the phone down in anger. She didn''t want to keep talking to him, afraid she would lose control of her fury. And Ling Yue, she had escaped this time, but she wouldn''t be so lucky next time. Ling Meng was determined to destroy Ling Yue and prevent her from ever turning her situation around.


    Ling Yue sat down in the yard and took out the bracelet she had obtained from Li Jun. Closing her eyes, she began cultivating ording to the mystic art, strands of spiritual energy seeping out from the bracelet and flowing into her body.


    Ling Yue was overjoyed. This bracelet contained spiritual energy many times richer than any of the antiques she had previously acquired. It seemed likely she would break through to the second level of Qi Refining today. The interface she saw before represented a cultivation world. Anyone with spiritual roots could cultivate there, just via different mystic arts. And the mystic art she was cultivating was supreme, so her strength naturally exceeded ordinary people''s.


    The spiritual energy in her dantian grew increasingly rich. Ling Yue heard a crisp cracking sound as a feeling of refreshment spread through her four limbs. She opened her eyes excitedly - she had truly broken through to the second level of Qi Refining!


    Smelling a putrid stench, Ling Yue nced down to see ayer of ck sticky substance covering her hands. She smiled faintly. This was the impurities being expelled from her body, which would benefit her future cultivation.


    Rising to her feet, Ling Yue quietly slipped out of the yard. She nned on washing up in the smallke at the park, since the filth on her body couldn''t be cleaned off otherwise.


    The park was deathly quiet at midnight, with only some unknown insects chirping in the underbrush.


    Arriving at thekeside, Ling Yue looked around and saw no one else. She dove into theke waters.


    She swam leisurely like a mermaid, washing away the filth on her body. As Ling Yue emerged from the water, the moonlight fell upon her breathtakingly beautiful face, as enchanting as a bewitching spirit.


    After swimming for a while, Ling Yue was about to get out when she heard approaching footsteps. She quickly submerged back into the water.


    "Bro, will anyone find out if we dump it here?"


    "Stop yapping and hurry up."


    "Okay."


    Then a heavy thud sounded as something was dumped into theke. Ling Yue saw it was arge sack, shaped like a human body.


    Once the people left, Ling Yue swam over to the sack and opened it. Indeed, there was a person inside, still alive based on their pulse. She untied the ropes and rocks binding the person and brought them ashore.


    Laying the person on the grass, Ling Yue channeled some spiritual energy into their body.


    "Cough cough..." The man opened his eyes with a bout of coughing and stared nkly at Ling Yue''s exquisite beauty. "I must be dead, otherwise how could I see a fairy..."


    "Why did they want to dump you in theke?" Ling Yue asked coolly.


    "Are you human or fairy?" The man still hadn''te to his senses.


    "Of course I''m human." Ling Yue leaned casually against a tree trunk, looking coldly at the man.


    "I''m not dead yet?" The man sat up and pinched himself hard, breaking into a delighted smile. He was still alive, great!


    Ling Yue''s brows furrowed slightly. What a pitiful situation!


    "Thank you for saving me this time. I''m Hu Wei, Chief of Cardiology at the First Affiliated Hospital. You cane find me if you ever need anything." Hu Wei bowed to Ling Yue in sincere gratitude.


    Ling Yue nodded slightly before turning to leave. She had saved him by chance, not expecting anything in return.


    Hu Wei watched Ling Yue''s figure disappear into the night before slowly leaving himself. He was fortunate to survive this time. He would definitely avenge the grievance, just as he would definitely repay the kindness.


    Back home, Ling Yue wrapped clean gauze around her face and body before going to bed.


    Time flew by quickly overnight. After breakfast, Ling Yue opened herputer to check the stock charts. The stock she had chosen had fallen another dozen or so points, though this waspletely within her expectations.


    She called Liang Yu on her phone.


    Liang Yu had also been about to call Ling Yue. The stock Ling Yue picked had plunged over 10% overnight and was close to hitting the lower limit. They had to cut their losses soon or it would be a total loss.


    "Miss Ling, you should clear your position on that stock. Otherwise you''ll lose everything." Liang Yu persuaded kindly. She now knew Ling Yue''s identity and sympathized with her plight - disfigured by a fire, fianc¨¦ breaking off engagement, kicked out by the family. She worried Ling Yue wouldn''t be able to bear it if the stocks tanked too.


    "No need. Help me invest another 5 million." Ling Yue lookedpletely rxed gazing at the stock chart before her. She predicted the stock would start rising this afternoon.

 Chapter 25: Straight Up

    <h4>Chapter 25</h4>


    "What?" The phone in Liang Yu''s hand was so shocked that it almost fell down. She must be crazy. This stock has fallen so badly, yet she still wants to purchase five million more. Even if she has money, she can''t be so willful, right? Didn''t they say she was driven out of the Ling family? How could an abandoned woman have so much money?


    "Help me purchase another five million." Ling Yue''s tone was calm as she repeated it again.


    "But that stock has really fallen badly. If you purchase more, you will definitely lose all your capital." Liang Yu persuaded. She didn''t want to see Ling Yue end up in a miserable situation because of the stock.


    "I don''t want to repeat it a third time. If you can''t operate it, I''ll find someone else." Ling Yue''s tone was firm. She knew Liang Yu meant well, and she was very grateful to her, but she wouldn''t change her mind about things she had decided.


    Liang Yu shook her head helplessly, "Okay, I''ll operate it now." Anyway, she had already advised her, it was the other party who refused to listen. When she loses everything in the end, it will have nothing to do with her.


    "Hmm." Ling Yue responded lightly.


    Liang Yu put down the phone, operated the keyboard, transferred the money from Ling Yue''s ount to the ount, picked up the phone again, "Miss Ling, I have operated it, I will notify you if anythinges up."


    "Thank you!" Ling Yue hung up the phone, opened the news on herputer screen, and saw the headlines were all about Ling Tianyang''s news, and she curved her lips. This was just the first step, she would make the Ling family fall step by step, leave them with nothing, and make them regret how they treated the original owner.


    Liang Yu kept staring at the trend of Star Ring Technology''s stock market. Until one o''clock in the afternoon, she still did not see any upward trend in Star Ring Technology''s stock. She looked at Ling Yue''s ount, shook her head and sighed deeply. If this continued, the money in Ling Yue''s ount would be emptied.


    Liang Yu picked up the water ss, opened the lid and took a sip. She heard someone calling her, responded, got up and walked towards that person.


    After chatting with the other person for a while, Liang Yu returned to her seat and looked at theputer screen in front of her. Seeing the trend of Star Ring Technology''s stocks on it, she froze in ce, "It actually went up."


    Liang Yu stared at the screen excitedly, seeing Star Ring Technology''s stock continue to rise. She hurriedly picked up the phone on the table and called Ling Yue.


    The phone rang twice before Ling Yue''s shallow but pleasant voice came through, "Hello!"


    "Miss Ling, I''m Liang Yu. I have good news to tell you. The stock you bought has risen. The trend today will rise a lot." Liang Yu''s tone was full of excitement. Ling Yue was so lucky to have bought a potential stock.


    "Good, help me sell all the stocks before three o''clock in the afternoon." Ling Yue looked at the stock market dashboard on the screen, and her fair and delicate fingers operated the keyboard.


    "What?" Liang Yu was confused by Ling Yue''s words again. How could Ling Yue not y her cards ording tomon sense.


    Coming to her senses, Liang Yu asked again, "Are you sure you want to sell?"


    "Yes, sell everything before three o''clock." Ling Yue''s tone was unquestionable.


    "Okay." Liang Yu could only agree. She was just a customer manager. She could only do what the customer decided.


    In a private box of the stock exchange, Song Ziyuan and Zhou Mucheng were drinking wine while looking at theputer screen in front of them.


    "This Star Ring Technology stock is really weird. It rose more than ten points in less than an hour. It even made me a little tempted." Song Ziyuan tilted his head and took a sip of red wine, looking yfully at theputer screen.


    "Someone is just manipting it in the dark. Investing in it now will lose all capital immediately." Zhou Mucheng had studied Star Ring Technology. He didn''t think much of it.


    "Is that so?" Song Ziyuan didn''t quite believe it, but soon, Zhou Mucheng''s words were proven. As soon as the time reached three o''clock, Star Ring Technology''s stock plunged like diving.


    Song Ziyuan gave Zhou Mucheng a thumbs up, "You''re awesome!"


    Zhou Mucheng smiled faintly, "This is just the other party''s means of earning money."


    "It looks like many people will lose all their capital this time." Song Ziyuan shook his head and sighed.


    Liang Yu stared nkly at theputer screen. Her mind was now aplete nk. This was too thrilling. She had just sold the stocks, and the stock plummeted in an instant. If it had been a littleter, the resulting losses would have been immeasurable. Ling Yue was really amazing. It was as if everything was under her control.


    Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, Liang Yu picked up the phone and called Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue picked up her mobile phone on the table and pressed the answer button, "I already know." She had been keeping an eye on the stock market trend of Star Ring Technology.


    "Miss Ling, you are really amazing. Do you know how much you earned this time? A full 100 million." Liang Yu''s tone was full of excitement. This was the first time she had made such a big deal since joining the stock exchange. This time she could get a lot ofmission. Ling Yue was really her benefactor.


    "The money has all been transferred to my ount, right?" Ling Yue''s face was expressionless. In her previous life, she was the ruler of a country. This amount of money was nothing in her eyes.


    "Yes, you can call the bank to check."


    "Okay, also help me keep my identity confidential." Ling Yue hung up the phone and checked her bank ount. She raised the corners of her lips. Although the money was not much, she could buy some medicinal materials she needed, and she was also nning to buy this small courtyard.


    "I just went out and heard people talking about someone making 100 million." Song Ziyuan had heard several people talking while he was out going to the bathroom, but the customer information was confidential, so he didn''t know who was so capable.


    Zhou Mucheng was also a little surprised, "Do you know which stock that person bought?"


    "Star Ring Technology. That person purchased it yesterday, added another 5 million at noon today, and sold all the stocks at around 2:30 this afternoon. Right after she finished selling, Star Ring Technology''s stock started plummeting wildly. I really want to meet that expert and learn a few tricks from her." Song Ziyuan was now very curious about the mysterious person.


    "Can''t you find out the person''s information?" Zhou Mucheng was also curious about that person.


    "I asked, but they refused to say."


    Zhou Mucheng took out his phone and made a call, "Manager Yang, I want to know the information of the person who made 100 million."


    "Okay, please wait!" Manager Yang responded and began searching.


    After waiting for a long time, Manager Yang knocked on the door and walked in, "Young Master Zhou, Young Master Song, I''ve checked it. There is no information about the other party in theputer. I also asked the customer manager who opened an ount for that person, but she refused to say." He had tried persuading and even threatening Liang Yu, but she just wouldn''t reveal the other party''s information. Now Liang Yu had earned a lot of money for thepany, so even though he was her superior, he couldn''t fire her at this time.

 Chapter 26: Want to Know Her

    <h4>Chapter 26</h4>


    "Forget it," Zhou Mucheng didn''t insist on asking further. He got up and walked out of the private room. That man had made so much money in the stock market, he would definitelye back to the stock exchange again someday. There would be a chance to meet him one day.


    Song Ziyuan gulped down the wine in his ss and went after Zhou Mucheng, "Do you have time tomorrow? I''ll take you to a nice ce, guaranteed you''ll like it."


    Zhou Mucheng nced back at Song Ziyuan, "What nice ce?"


    "My friend smuggled in a batch of rough stones from Myanmar. Wanna go take a look?" Song Ziyuan was very interested in gambling stones. Last time at his friend''s ce he opened up a piece of red feicui, and that piece of red feicui had earned him tens of millions.


    Zhou Mucheng raised his brows, "What time tomorrow?" He happened to have nothing to do tomorrow, so going to take a look wasn''t a problem.


    "Nine o''clock," Song Ziyuan put his arm around Zhou Mucheng''s shoulder, a sly smile shed across his eyes. He nned to get Ling Yue toe along tomorrow to let Zhou Mucheng see how much his ex-fiancee had changed. He looked forward to seeing Zhou Mucheng''s regretful look one day.


    "What are you scheming?" Zhou Mucheng nced at Song Ziyuan. He and Song Ziyuan had grown up together since childhood. To put it bluntly, he knew Song Ziyuan inside out.


    Song Ziyuan smiled and touched his nose, "What schemes can I have? I was just thinking of asking a friend toe along tomorrow." He didn''t know what it would be like when Ling Yue and Mucheng met. He was looking forward to it somewhat.


    "Invite whoever you want, it''s none of my business." Zhou Mucheng basically knew all of Song Ziyuan''s friends.


    "Alright, I''ll call her in a bit." A smug smile shed across Song Ziyuan''s eyes.


    Zhou Mucheng frowned at Song Ziyuan. Why did he feel that this guy was up to no good?


    The evening breeze, carrying a hint of coolness, blew in gently through the open window, blowing up a few strands of the girl''s fringe. The girl brushed her fringe aside and closed herputer before getting up to stretchzily.


    "Miss, dinner is ready."


    "Coming." Ling Yue responded and pulled open the door to walk out to the kitchen. On the table were three dishes and a soup, while Granny Xu was scooping rice into bowls.


    "Miss, your dinner." Granny Xu walked over and passed the bowl of rice to Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue took the bowl, "Granny Xu, I can serve my own food from now on." Granny Xu didn''t let her do anything and she really felt bad about it.


    "It''s fine. You''re busy with your own things too, aren''t you?" Granny Xu smiled and sat down opposite Ling Yue, picking out a piece of braised pork to put into her bowl. She was satisfied as long as she could be with Miss.


    "Granny Xu, just call me by name from now on." Now, Granny Xu was her only kin in this world. She didn''t want there to be such distance between them.


    "I can''t do that. You''ll always be my Miss. I can''t possibly call you by name." She had promised the previous Miss that she would take good care of Miss for life and be loyal to her. Even though they had been chased out by the Lings now, Miss would always remain as Miss to her. She would never overstep her bounds.


    "Now it''s just the two of us without so much formality." Ling Yue said helplessly.


    "Miss, try this eggnt." Granny Xu obviously didn''t want to continue on the topic.


    Ling Yue could only go along with her intention. She picked up her bowl and epted the piece of eggnt Granny Xu had put in for her, "Granny Xu, I want to buy over this house."


    Granny Xu looked at Ling Yue in surprise, "Buy over?"


    Ling Yue nodded slightly, "I like this house. It''s quiet. I n to buy it over and get people to renovate it so we don''t have to keep moving in the future."


    Although the house wasn''t big, it was enough for her and Granny Xu. Even if she didn''t like it in the future, she could rent it out after buying a new house or sell it away.


    She had been looking up information on theputer the whole day today. She felt that there was a good chance housing prices would go up in the next two years. She nned to earn more money first before buying a piece ofnd. She would decide how to develop that piece ofnd when the time came.


    "Miss, the house isn''t cheap." When Granny Xu had spoken to thendlord previously, she had asked about the price too. Thendlord had quoted a hundred thousand. Miss had given her a sum of money but she couldn''t use that money. It was kept for Miss to use for her future marriage. She had already banked in that money.


    "I earned some money in stocks today. It should be enough to buy this house. Ask thendlord another day to arrange for me to meet him." Ling Yue put a piece of braised pork in Granny Xu''s bowl, "Eat more."


    "Alright." Granny Xu smiled and nodded. Miss was bing more and more sensible. If the previous Miss in heaven saw how sensible Miss was now, she would definitely be happy too.


    After dinner, Ling Yue wanted to help wash up but was stopped by Granny Xu. "Don''t move. I''ll handle these things. There''s watermelon in the fridge, take it back to your room to eat. Go on, be careful the oil stains get onto you."


    Ling Yue had no choice but to take the te of watermelon back to her room.


    Putting the watermelon on her table, she turned on herputer. Just then her mobile phone in her pocket rang.


    Ling Yue took out her phone and saw it was Song Ziyuan''s number, "What''s he looking for me for?"


    She pressed to answer, "This is Ling Yue."


    "Ling Yue, this is Song Ziyuan. Are you free tomorrow?" Song Ziyuan''s clear voice came from the other end.


    "Something on?" Ling Yue sat down on her chair and tapped lightly at her mouse.


    "It''s like this. I have a friend who specialises in the rough stone trade. Those stones that could possibly unearth jade when opened up. He told me there''s a new batch of rough stonesing in so I n to go take a look tomorrow. Want to go along?"


    Ling Yue thought for a moment, "Okay." She knew of jade. It was a very valuable stone. The jade bangle she got from Li Junst time was made of jade. The spiritual energy contained within it was much richer than antiques and would be good for her cultivation practice. She had checked online in the afternoon today on where jade was produced and knew its ces of origin were Yunnan and Myanmar.


    Upon hearing her reply, Song Ziyuan revealed a delighted smile, "Then I''lle pick you up at eight tomorrow morning. Send me your address."


    Ling Yue gave her address to Song Ziyuan. They chatted casually for a few more sentences before hanging up.


    Song Ziyuan hung up the phone in an ted mood and hummed a tune as he went to the kitchen to pour himself a ss of water.


    "Bro, why are you so happy?" Song Yanxue walked over to Song Ziyuan''s side and pulled at his arm.


    "Nothing much. When did you onlye back?" Song Ziyuan nced at the bags in Song Yanxue''s hands.


    "Meng and I went shopping for clothes. Let me show you the new skirt I bought." Song Yanxue took out a floral skirt from the bag and unfolded it, "Bro, what do you think, does it look good? Meng helped me choose it."


    Song Ziyuan frowned slightly when he saw the skirt, "I think this skirt doesn''t suit you. By the way, you and Ling Yue are from the same school right?" He had seen Ling Yue before but she was always bowing her head, looking meek and subservient. Hence he hadn''t paid much attention to her. But now he wanted to find out more about Ling Yue.

 Chapter 27: Why did you bring her here

    <h4>Chapter 27</h4>


    "You really have no taste." Song Yanxue unhappily threw the skirt in her shopping bag back in. "Why did you suddenly ask about her?" She didn''t like Ling Yue. Although she was from a prominent family, Ling Yue always looked like a bullied girl as if everyone was bullying her. Inparison, Ling Meng behaved more like the young miss of the Ling family. If Ling Meng''s love interest was not her brother, she would have insisted that Ling Meng marry her brother.


    "You don''t like her?" Song Ziyuan could tell from Song Yanxue''s disgusted expression.


    "I don''t like her. In fact, I really dislike her." Seeing Granny Wang walking over with a bowl of bird''s nest soup, Song Yanxue put her shopping bag on the nearby sofa. "Granny Wang, you can put that on the coffee table first. I''ll drink itter."


    "Yes, young miss." Granny Wang put the bird''s nest on the coffee table and picked up the shopping bag on the sofa. "Young miss, let me take your things back to your room."


    Song Yanxue nodded and sat down on the sofa, hugging a stuffed animal pillow. She gently squeezed it. "Help me cut up some fruitter."


    "Sure."


    Song Ziyuan sat down next to Song Yanxue. "I think Ling Yue is quite a nice person." Before interacting with Ling Yue, he didn''t actually like her either. Whenever he saw her, she always had her head down as if she was not presentable. But now his impression of Ling Yue hadpletely changed. On the other hand, he didn''t like Ling Meng. She always encouraged her younger sister to buy unsuitable clothes for her and made her sister dye her hair and put on heavy makeup, iming it was non-mainstream. Just looking at it hurt his eyes.


    Song Yanxue rolled her eyes in contempt. She picked up the bird''s nest on the table and took a sip. "Brother, do you have a problem with your eyes? If she was good, would the Ling family banish her from the family? Fortunately, Mu City brother canceled their engagement, otherwise Mu City brother''s life would have been ruined by her."


    "Maybe Mu City would regret it one day?" Song Ziyuan smiled mysteriously.


    Song Yanxue red at Song Ziyuan. "Impossible. Absolutely impossible." Were all the youngdies in the Capital City dead? There''s no way Mu City brother would go back to an ex.


    Song Ziyuan didn''t argue with Song Yanxue. "Go to bed early tonight. We''ll leave at 7:30 tomorrow morning. Also..." He nced contemptuously at Song Yanxue''s outfit. "Really ugly."


    "7:30? So early? What if I can''t get up?" Song Yanxue wailed. It was summer vacation now. She slept in every day until she naturally woke up. Making her get up early in the morning, she really couldn''t do it.


    "Then don''t go if you can''t get up." Song Ziyuan left those words and headed towards his room. He was really looking forward to Ling Yue and Zhou Mu City''s meeting tomorrow.


    Song Yanxue angrily stomped her feet. Remembering what Song Ziyuan just said about her being ugly, she looked down at what she was wearing. "Where is it ugly? This is obviously fashionable, non-mainstream. No appreciation."


    The morning air was exceptionally fresh. The dewdrops on the tree leaves shone brightly in the sunlight like crystals, making people want to pick them.


    Ling Yue had just finished breakfast when someone knocked on the yard gate.


    Granny Xu went to open the door. Seeing Song Ziyuan at the door, she was a little surprised. "You are Young Master Song."


    "Hello!" Song Ziyuan smiled politely. "I''m here looking for Ling Yue. We agreed to meet today yesterday."


    Granny Xu smiled and nodded. Facing the room, she called out, "Little miss, Young Master Song is here."


    "Coming." Along with a cheerful voice, a girl wearing a white T-shirt, jeans, sneakers, and a baseball cap thatpletely covered her face with a mask came out.


    Seeing Ling Yue''s bright eyes, Song Ziyuan felt regret. If that fire had not ruined her looks, how nice would that be.


    Ling Yue walked up to Song Ziyuan. "Let''s go."


    Song Ziyuan handed Ling Yue the bag he was holding. "I just bought breakfast on the way. This ce has really good food. Try it."


    "Thanks. But I''ve already eaten." Ling Yue shook her head with a smile. Turning to Granny Xu, she said, "I''m going," and followed Song Ziyuan out of the alley. The alley was secluded and narrow. The brick road was a little damp and dim. Several bricks in the darker corners were already covered in moss.


    Song Ziyuan didn''t insist. He smiled and took back his hand. "My car is parked outside the alley. My sister came along too. You should know her. She goes to your school, Song Yanxue."


    Of course Ling Yue knew her. In the original owner''s memories, the original owner did not get along well with Song Yanxue at all. Under Ling Meng''s instigation, Song Yanxue would often bully the original owner.


    Song Yanxue kept yawning. Last night, she had forgotten the time while readingics and only went to bed at 4 am. Now her eyes were so tired she couldn''t keep them open.


    Hearing voices, Song Yanxue turned to look. Seeing Song Ziyuan walking over with a girl wearing a mask, she asked, "Brother, who is she?"


    "Ling Yue."


    "Why did you bring her?" Song Yanxue''s face soured.


    "Ling Yue is my friend. If you don''t want to go with us, you can go home yourself." Song Ziyuan hardened his face too.


    "Who is more important to you, your sister or her?" Song Yanxue red fiercely at Ling Yue. She was so annoyed!


    "Are you going or not? If not, get out of the car." Song Ziyuan''s tone turned cold. He went forward and opened the passenger door.


    "Humph!" Song Yanxue red at Song Ziyuan and turned her head without saying anything more. She knew her brother''s temper. Arguing with him further would definitely get her kicked out of the car.


    Seeing that she had stopped talking, Song Ziyuan also didn''t dwell on it. He closed the passenger door and opened the rear door. "You take the back seat."


    "Ok." Ling Yue nodded and got into the car.


    Song Ziyuan closed the door and circled to the driver''s seat. After getting in the car, he started it up and nced at the rearview mirror. "It''s a bit far. There''s mineral water and motion sickness medicine in the back."


    "I don''t get carsick." Seeing newspapers in the back, Ling Yue asked, "Can I read the newspapers?"


    "Go ahead." Song Ziyuan gave a faint smile and withdrew his gaze.


    Seeing the interaction between the two, Song Yanxue became more and more angry. She took out her phone and sent a message to Ling Meng. Although Ling Yue was Ling Meng''s sister, she knew that Ling Yue was very afraid of Ling Meng.


    Ling Meng was half-asleep when she heard the notification sound. She reached out to grab her phone from the bedside table and opened her sleepy eyes to look. Seeing the message was from Song Yanxue, she opened it. Reading the content, she instantly became fully awake.


    "How did Ling Yue get together with Song Ziyuan? She really has some skills. I underestimated her before." Ling Meng gave a coldugh and replied Song Yanxue with a message: "Do you know the address?"


    Hearing the notification sound, Song Yanxue opened it and nced at it. She sent an address to Ling Meng.

 Chapter 28: Look at the Rough Stone

    <h4>Chapter 28</h4>


    Ling Meng received the address and immediately got up to tidy herself up, while making a call to Zhou Mucheng, "Brother Mucheng, are you busy today?"


    Zhou Mucheng was just about to go out, "I made ns with Ziyuan to go to his friend''s ce."


    "What a coincidence, I just got a message from Yanxue, she also invited me. Brother Mucheng, can we go there together?" Ling Meng put her phone on the bathroom counter, took out a tube of lipstick, and carefully outlined her lips. The color was a pink jelly color that made people want to taste it, wondering if it was as sweet as she imagined.


    Zhou Mucheng nced at his wristwatch, "See you in ten minutes."


    "Okay." Ling Meng looked at herself in the mirror, smiled satisfied, sprayed a little perfume on herself, looked at herself again, and went out satisfied.


    The car stopped in a parking lot outside a business center.


    "We''re here." Song Ziyuan got out of the car.


    Song Yanxue opened her eyes, rubbed them, yawned, and got out of the car. She had just taken a nap in the car and was still very sleepy.


    She nced at Ling Yue with a hint of ridicule in her eyes. Ling Meng would be here soon, and Ling Yue would definitely be scared like a mouse seeing a cat.


    Song Ziyuan walked to Ling Yue''s side, "This is an uncut gem field. My friend is inside. Let''s go in."


    "Okay." Ling Yue nodded slightly, with a hint of anticipation in her eyes. Even from far away in the car, she could feel the aura here. Compared to the aura in the antique street, the aura here was dozens of times more abundant, giving her the urge to stay here and cultivate.


    Walking into the gem field, it was filled withrge and small uncut gems, with many people squatting or standing using tools to examine the gems.


    There were also bursts of cutting machine noises from time to time in the distance, apparently gems could be cut on site.


    "Ziyuan, you came." A muscr man with tiger tattoos on his arms walked over. Heughed heartily and patted Song Ziyuan on the shoulder.


    "Brother Ma, this is my friend Ling Yue and my sister Song Yanxue. This is Ma Tao, just call him Brother Ma." Song Ziyuan introduced each other. He met Ma Tao by chance. Before being discharged from the army, he was a border guard. Ma Tao often went to the border areas of Yunnan. Once when he was on duty, he saved the then severely injured Ma Tao, and they became friends ever since.


    "Hello,dies!" Ma Tao smiled and greeted Song Yanxue and Ling Yue.


    Song Yanxue retracted her gaze after looking them over, "Brother Ma, I heard from my brother that jade is mined from these stones. Can I see how it is mined?"


    "No problem, but not every stone here contains jade, it depends on your luck." Ma Tao led Song Ziyuan and the two women to his own booth. Knowing Song Ziyuan wasing, he had sent several watermelons over yesterday.


    Ma Tao''s booth was at the northeast entrance, which was considered a very good spot in the entire market.


    "Sit down, I''ll cut some watermelon for you." Ma Tao had Song Ziyuan and the two women sit closer to the electric fan and changed the fan mode to osciting. "It''s too hot today and there''s no AC in the market, just use the electric fan."


    "It''s fine, this is good." Song Ziyuan smiled unconcernedly and nced at the time, it was almost nine o''clock, "Why aren''t peopleing yet?"


    "Brother, who else did you call?" Song Yanxue was irritated by the heat. If she had known it would be so hot here, she would have rather stayed home and enjoyed the AC.


    Song Ziyuan looked at Ling Yue, who was staring thoughtfully at the surrounding gems, "See one you like? I''ll have Brother Ma give you a discountter."


    "What''s the use of her picking one, she doesn''t have money to buy it anyway." Song Yanxue sneered disdainfully. She couldn''t even afford medical expenses, yet she wanted to buy gems.


    Song Ziyuan shot Song Yanxue a displeased nce, "No one thinks you''re mute if you don''t speak." He should not have brought her along.


    "I''m your sister. Why do you always bully your sister to help outsiders?" Song Yanxue''s eyes reddened grievously.


    Ling Yue paid no attention to the bickering siblings. All her attention was on the gems. She could clearly feel which gems had the most abundant aura. If she guessed correctly, the more abundant the aura on the gem, the higher the quality of jade inside.


    "Here, have some watermelon. This watermelon is very sweet. It was just picked from the field yesterday." Ma Tao came over with slices of watermelon, smiling as he put them on the table.


    "Ling Yue, have some watermelon." Song Ziyuan handed a slice to Ling Yue.


    "No thanks, I''ll go take a look at the gems." Ling Yue got up and walked towards a pile of gems not far away. She didn''t want Song Ziyuan and Song Yanxue to see her looks yet. Her appearance had fully recovered, and her skin was even better than before due to the marrow cleansing.


    Song Ziyuan regretfully watched Ling Yue''s back. Ling Yue must not want them to see her burned face.


    When they got back, he would call and ask if there were any doctors in China who were better at treating burns. Even if they couldn''tpletely cure her, any improvement would be good. A youngdy shouldn''t always have to wear a mask.


    Ling Yue stopped next to a ck gem about the size of a ser ball, with several deep cracks on it.


    She reached out and stroked the gem. A rich aura rushed from her palm directly into her body, making her limbs and bones feel refreshed.


    "You like this gem?" Ma Tao walked over to Ling Yue and looked at the gem she was stroking, "This gem has many cracks, some of which go deep into the stone. Even if there is jade inside, it will affect the jade." This gem was given to him as a bonus when he bought gems from a gem merchant before. It had been in his booth for a long time with no one interested, because the quality of this gem was too poor and had almost no chance of containing jade.


    "I think it''s pretty good. How much is this gem?" Ling Yue wanted to buy it.


    "You really want to buy it?" Ma Tao looked at Ling Yue in surprise. As a professional in gems, he wouldn''t have said those things to her if she wasn''t brought by Ziyuan. He would be happy to earn more.


    "Yes." Ling Yue nodded affirmatively.


    "Well..." Ma Tao looked over the gem, wondering how much would be appropriate, "Forget it, I''ll give it to you." After all, it was given to him for free by the gem merchant at the time, so he''d take it as making friends with Ling Yue.


    "That won''t do. I won''t take it if it''s not paid for." Ling Yue had her own principles. She and Ma Tao were not rted, she could not take his things for free.


    "What''s going on?" Song Ziyuan walked over.

 Chapter 29: Stir up Discord

    <h4>Chapter 29</h4>


    "She took a liking to this piece of rough stone, and I wanted to give it to her, but she insisted on paying me for it," Ma Tao said with a smile, pointing at the rough stone on the ground.


    Song Ziyuan looked at the rough stone and smiled at Ling Yue, "Since this is Brother Ma''s gift from the heart, you should just ept it."


    "No, I must pay for it," Ling Yue''s attitude was firm. Giving it to her and buying it herself were not the same. If there was no jadeite in this rough stone, it would be fine, but there was jadeite in this rough stone, and the quality was not low either. If Ma Tao regretted it after seeing the jadeiteter and wanted to take the jadeite back, they would definitely be unhappy, and Song Ziyuan would also be caught in an awkward situation. It was better to have a clear transaction of money and goods.


    Song Yanxue wiped her mouth with a napkin and walked over, "Brother, Brother Ma, since she insists on paying, just let her pay."


    She looked at Ling Yue scornfully. She knew that when Ling Yue was in the hospital, she couldn''t even pay the medical expenses and it was Ling Meng who paid for her. She was looking forward to seeing Ling Yue''s embarrassed state at not being able to pay.


    "This..." Ma Tao scratched his head awkwardly. He had always been a man of his word, and now having to ept money, he really felt a little embarrassed.


    Ling Yue nced at Song Yanxue, a yful gleam shing in her phoenix eyes, "It''s fine, I''ll pay however much it''s worth." She understood Song Yanxue''s thoughts. Song Yanxue must have heard about the medical expenses from Ling Meng and concluded that she had no money. Too bad she was going to disappoint her.


    "Yes, as the saying goes, clear ounts make long friends. Brother Ma, you also bought this rough stone with money, so you should collect the money due," Song Yanxue nodded in agreement. It would be best if he charged more.


    Song Ziyuan looked strangely at Song Yanxue. Didn''t she really dislike Ling Yue?


    "Alright then, one thousand it is," Brother Ma no longer hesitated.


    Ling Yue took out a stack of money from her pocket, counted out one thousand and handed it to Ma Tao, "Brother Ma, can we break open the stone here?"


    Song Yanxue stared nkly at the money in Ling Yue''s hands, "How do you have money? Didn''t you not even be able to afford the medical expenses?"


    Ling Yue bent down to lift up the rough stone. The rich aura kept drilling into her body, putting her in a good mood, toozy to bother with Song Yanxue.


    Ma Tao frowned at Song Yanxue, "We can, it''s in the back. I''ll take you there."


    "Okay," Ling Yue nodded and followed Ma Tao.


    "Let me carry that for you," Song Ziyuan reached out to take the rough stone from Ling Yue''s hands. Although this rough stone didn''t look big, it was definitely not light. Ling Yue was just a girl, being able to lift it up was already very impressive, but to carry it and walk, she definitely wouldn''t be able to.


    "No need, I can manage," Ling Yue was currently absorbing the aura from the jadeite and didn''t want to be interrupted.


    Song Yanxue gritted her teeth in anger and followed the three with heavy steps. When they opened up the ster, if there was nothing inside, Ling Yue would definitely be very upset.


    Thinking of this, her mood improved again. She looked forward to Ling Yue''s one thousand dors going down the drain.


    "Xuexue, Brother Ziyuan," Ling Meng''s tender voice came from behind.


    Song Ziyuan and Song Yanxue stopped and turned around. Seeing the two of them, smiles appeared on their faces.


    "We''ve been waiting for you for a long time, you''re finally here."


    Ling Yue seemed to not have heard the sounds behind her. Seeing Ma Tao stop, she said, "Let''s go first." She no longer had any rtionship with them, meeting was just like strangers, why should she stop for two strangers and waste time.


    Ma Tao had originally wanted to say hi to Ling Meng and Zhou Mucheng, but hearing Ling Yue''s words, he nodded and continued walking forward. Anyway they would meetter, no need to rush now.


    "Isn''t that woman big sister? Why is she here too?" Ling Meng deliberately pretended not to know Ling Yue was here.


    Zhou Mucheng also recognized Ling Yue with one nce. His good-looking eyebrows furrowed and a trace of displeasure appeared on his handsome face, "Why is she here?" Could it be that she knew he wasing and deliberately waited here for him? He and she were already over, they could never be together again. Didn''t she understand that?


    "I was the one who invited her," Song Ziyuan put his arm around Zhou Mucheng''s shoulder as they walked towards the stone breaking area.


    "You''re close with her?" Zhou Mucheng looked at Song Ziyuan in surprise. He certainly remembered that Song Ziyuan and Ling Yue had never spoken before, even when they met, and were almost like strangers.


    "We''re friends," Song Ziyuan nced at Ling Yue''s back and gave a faint smile, "I think she''s great."


    Zhou Mucheng disdainfully gave a coldugh, "I don''t see what''s so great about her. You should keep your distance from her too." If Ling Yue interacted with Ziyuan, she must be trying to get close to him through Ziyuan. No wonder she refused to take his money, turns out she still hadn''t given up on him.


    Song Ziyuan didn''t exin much. Zhou Mucheng would understand in the future.


    "How did your brother get so close with Ling Yue?" Ling Meng was very curious about this. Although Song Ziyuan was not as good as Zhou Mucheng, he was still one of the famous Four Young Masters of the capital. She was on such good terms with Song Yanxue to get close to Song Ziyuan. If she didn''t seed with Zhou Mucheng, then she would settle for Song Ziyuan.


    Song Yanxue disdainfully shook her head, "I only found out this morning that my brother was so close with her. My brother specifically went to pick her up early in the morning." Speaking of this, she got angry again. If it wasn''t to pick up Ling Yue, she wouldn''t have had to get up so early this morning. She was still very sleepy, it was all Ling Yue''s fault.


    Ling Meng''s eyes glittered as they shed a hint of coldness, "Could your brother have feelings for Ling Yue?" That cheap woman did have some skills, knowing it was hopeless with Zhou Mucheng, she actually seduced Song Ziyuan. But she would definitely not let her scheming seed, even if she didn''t like Song Ziyuan, she would absolutely not let Song Ziyuan be with Ling Yue.


    Song Yanxue scoffed disdainfully, "How is that possible? My brother''s eyes aren''t blind, how could he be interested in that woman? That woman isn''t even worthy of tying my brother''s shoes."


    "That''s what I think too, just worried some people may have ulterior motives," Ling Meng hinted vaguely.


    "She wouldn''t dare!"


    "Still better to be careful," Ling Yue continued fanning the mes.


    Song Yanxue looked at Ling Yue who was talking with the stone breaker master, her eyes full of disgust. "When I get back, I''ll tell my parents to talk to my brother, to tell him not to interact with that woman anymore in the future."

 Chapter 30: I Forgive You

    <h4>Chapter 30</h4>


    Ling Meng''s eyes shed with a fleeting look of satisfaction as her gaze fell on Ling Yue, revealing a sympathetic expression. "Actually, I feel quite sorry for my sister. I also hope that she can find someone who likes her to spend her life with in the future. It''s just a pity... her face!" she sighed.


    Song Yanxue rolled her eyes in disbelief. "She deserved it. Have you forgotten how she treated you before? Someone like that doesn''t deserve sympathy." She had heard from Ling Meng about how Ling Yue had bullied her many times. On the surface, Ling Yue always acted timidly, but in reality she was quite nasty and had done many disgusting things behind Ling Meng''s back. She would often secretly cut up Ling Meng''s clothes and toys when she wasn''t home, and would even secretly spit in Ling Meng''s food. If Ling Meng hadn''t caught her in the act once, who would believe that Ling Yue was capable of such repulsive behavior?


    There''s a reason for every pitiful person to be hateful. Ling Yue''s current situation was brought upon by herself. So she absolutely could not allow her brother to interact with such a disgusting person like Ling Yue.


    "But a girl''s face is the most important. With her face ruined, who would still like her? Not to mention she was also kicked out of the Ling family and has no money. I really worry about her," said Ling Meng, her tone tinged with a sob.


    "You''re just too kind-hearted," Song Yanxue said as she took out a pack of napkins from her pocket and handed them to Ling Meng.


    "Thank you!" Ling Meng took the napkins and dabbed at the corners of her eyes. Out of the corner of her eye, she nced at the mask on Ling Yue''s face, a calcting gleam shing in her eyes. She really wanted everyone to see Ling Yue''s hideous face, especially Zhou Mucheng and Song Ziyuan. If they saw it, they probably wouldn''t dare approach Ling Yue anymore.


    She had asked the doctor before. The doctor said most of the skin on Ling Yue''s face had been badly burned and that if she wanted to recover, she needed a full facial skin graft. But now, Ling Yue was just an abandoned daughter of the Ling family with no money. Where would she find enough money for facial reconstruction? Besides, no hospital would ept Ling Yue as a patient and offend the Ling family for her sake.


    "Don''t cry over someone like that. She''s not worth it," Song Yanxue said gently,forting Ling Meng.


    Ling Meng dabbed her eyes with the napkins. Turning her head, her eyes red, she beamed at Song Yanxue. "Yanxue, you are so good to me! Having you as a friend is the greatest blessing in this life of mine."


    Song Yanxue was somewhat embarrassed by Ling Meng''s words. "If I''m not good to you, then who am I good to? Are you thirsty? There''s watermelon over there. Let me get you a slice."


    As she spoke, Song Yanxue had already dashed over to the market to grab some watermelon slices for Ling Meng.


    Ling Meng withdrew her gaze, eyes settling on Ling Yue. How could she get Ling Yue to remove that face mask?


    Meanwhile, Ling Yue had just agreed with Master Jieshi on how to cut the raw jade stone. The stone looked to be about the size of a ser ball, but judging by the spiritual energy she had absorbed from it, the jade inside was likely not very big, about the size of a fist at most.


    "Then I''ll start cutting," said the master as he turned on the stone cutting machine, the loud, jarring noise immediately reverberating through the venue.


    Ling Yue walked to the side, picked up adle from the basin, and began sshing water onto the de of the cutting machine for Master Jieshi, preventing sparks from the high temperature of the stone.


    "Mengmeng, here''s some watermelon for you. Have some first," said Song Yanxue, carrying over several watermelon slices.


    Seeing the watermelon, Ling Meng''s eyes lit up. She had an idea now.


    Taking a slice, she headed over towards Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue''s gaze was fixed intently on the raw stone in front of her as she sprinkled adleful of water onto it from time to time.


    "Sis, have some watermelon. Let me ssh the water for you," said Ling Meng, crouching down and holding out the watermelon slice to Ling Yue.


    "Go away," Ling Yue snarled without even ncing at Ling Meng. As if she actually believed Ling Meng was being kind by offering her watermelon. She just wanted everyone to see her ruined face, didn''t she? Well Ling Yue was determined to thwart her ns.


    "Sis, let me take off your face mask for you so you can bite into the watermelon and cool down," said Ling Meng, already reaching out to remove Ling Yue''s mask from her face, unconcealed excitement and anticipation in her eyes. Soon everyone would be able to see Ling Yue''s ugly visage. They would surely be horrified and look at her in disgust.


    Ling Yue''s eyes turned icy cold. She pped Ling Meng''s hand away. "Get lost!"


    Ling Meng fell to the ground as if pushed, her face twisted in pain. "Sis, why did you push me? That hurt so much!"


    Zhou Mucheng strode over with a dark look, helping Ling Meng to her feet. He berated Ling Yue angrily, "How could you do that? Ling Meng was kindly offering you watermelon. Even if you didn''t want any, you didn''t have to push her!" If he hadn''t witnessed it himself, he wouldn''t have believed Ling Yue capable of such malice. It seemed she was not as timid and cowardly as she had appeared over the years. No wonder she had changed so much after that fire.


    Ling Yue handed thedle to Ma Tao beside her and got to her feet, her icy gaze settling on Zhou Mucheng''s face. "You seem so concerned about her," she said coldly.


    She gave a derisiveugh. "No wonder you never dared look me in the eye. Turns out your heart already belonged to another."


    Meeting Ling Yue''s mocking stare, Zhou Mucheng felt a stirring of unease in his heart for some reason. "Don''t talk nonsense. I only see Ling Meng as a younger sister."


    "Sis, there''s nothing between me and Brother Mucheng. To me, he''s just my sister''s husband," said Ling Meng, her eyes brimming red with grievance.


    Ling Yue nted a nce at Ling Meng, a frigid glint in her eyes. "Spare me your excuses. I have no wish to know the details between you two. Just don''t get in my sight, and stop calling me sis. My mother only gave birth to me."


    The tears Ling Meng had barely held back now spilled forth down her cheeks. "Sis, please don''t be like this. It was my fault just now. I''m apologizing to you now. Can you please not treat me this way? I really don''t want to lose you as my sister."


    Ling Yue raised her brows mockingly. "Oh, so you''re apologizing now? Then kneel down to show your sincerity."


    For a moment, Ling Meng was struck speechless as she stared nkly at Ling Yue. Had this woman lost her mind? Why was she acting so differently now? If it had been the Ling Yue from before, she definitely would have gone along with her demands.


    "What, you''re unwilling? Then stop putting on an act. Scram!" Ling Yue''s eyes were frosted with icy aloofness. Her entire aura was overpowering.


    Ling Meng shuddered fearfully. A feeling of disquiet rose within her. Ling Yue''s change was too drastic and beyond her ability to control now. No, she couldn''t allow things to deteriorate further. She had to get rid of Ling Yue soon and absolutely could not give her any chance to rise again.


    Zhou Mucheng could stand it no longer and burst out angrily, "Ling Yue, don''t go overboard! Ling Meng is calling you sister out of goodwill since you''re no longer part of the Ling family."


    Ling Yue''s shimmering phoenix eyes glinted mockingly. "So what? Should I be thanking her for her kindheartedness?"


    Zhou Mucheng pressed his lips thinly. "Yes, that''s how it should be."


    "Sister, I really see you as my sister from the bottom of my heart. Don''t me Brother Mucheng. Vent your anger on me instead. p me, curse at me, do whatever you want as long as you can forgive me," said Ling Meng, tear tracks still visible on her pitiful face.


    Ling Yue stepped forward and swung her palm forcefully at Ling Meng''s face. A loud p resounded as Ling Meng''s cheek swelled visibly within seconds. Ling Yue shook out her stinging hand. "Too thick-skinned. That really hurt my hand. There, I forgive you now."

 Chapter 31: Imperial Green Glass

    <h4>Chapter 31</h4>


    Everyone looked at Ling Yue in disbelief.


    Ling Meng covered her own stinging hot face, tears flowing down unceasingly, "You hit me." How dare she? Only she herself had the right to hit Ling Meng before.


    Ling Yue lookedpletely innocent, "Didn''t you say that as long as I forgave you, you would let me hit and scold you however I wanted? I''m just following your wishes, you won''t get angry, right? Or were you just saying it without meaning it?"


    "You..." Ling Meng gritted her teeth so hard they almost shattered. Of course she was just saying it, who would have thought that she would really hit her.


    "But did you have to hit so hard?" Song Yanxue red fiercely at Ling Yue and walked to Ling Meng''s side, softlyforting her in a low voice.


    Song Ziyuan''s eyes were filled withughter as he secretly gave Ling Yue a thumbs up.


    Ling Yue smiled back and turned to check on the jade stone cutting.


    Zhou Mucheng looked at Ling Yue withplicated eyes. She had really changed a lot, changing so much that he found her a bit unrecognizable. The her from before wouldn''t dare to say a harsh word, let alone hit someone. She was always like a transparent person following him, without the slightest sense of presence. But the current her had be vivid and lively. If her face hadn''t been burned, she should be dazzlingly bright now.


    Ling Meng red at Ling Yue''s back resentfully, the anger in her heart spreading and growing. She would definitely get back at this cheap woman a hundred times, a thousand times over. She wanted to make this bitch suffer miserably, groveling at her feet like a dog begging for mercy.


    Feeling the gaze behind her, Ling Yue''s mouth curved up slightly in disdain. She knew very clearly what kind of person Ling Meng was, but she was not the original owner. How could she possibly let Ling Meng make trouble for her as she pleased?


    "Crack!" With a sound, the jade stone on the machine was finally cut open.


    "It''s green!" Ma Tao saw a sh of vibrant green and quickly poured a scoop of water over it. As the water droplets slid down, the green became extremely concentrated. He shook with excitement, "It''s actually ss-type imperial green jadeite, heavens!" He had been in the jade business for several years, but this was the first time he had ever cut open ss-type imperial green jadeite. What a pity it didn''t belong to him.


    Ma Tao looked at Ling Yue enviously. Her luck was just too good. Of course he didn''t think Ling Yue understood gambling on stones. There weren''t many people in China who yed with gambling stones nowadays. Even immortals would have a hard time appraising an inch of jade.


    Ling Yue walked over, squatted down, and examined the jadeite. Although only a hint of emerald green had emerged from this piece of jadeite, it was translucent without any impurities, an extremely top grade piece.


    "Do you want to keep cutting?" Ma Tao''s voice even carried a hint of trembling. This piece of jadeite had emerged from his booth, and was also the first piece today. His business today would definitely be very hot. After all, who didn''t want a good omen?


    Ling Yue nodded slightly, "Continue."


    The machine started up again.


    The onlookers around them all gazed at Ling Yue with envy and jealousy.


    "This is the first time I''ve seen ss-type imperial green jadeite, it''s so beautiful."


    "That color, that quality, it''s so mesmerizing. I''d love to have a piece like that."


    "Her luck is just too good, to actually cut open ss-type imperial green jadeite."


    "Young miss, are you selling this jadeite?"


    "Sell it to me. I''ll definitely give you a satisfactory price."


    Everyone looked towards Ling Yue, their eyes filled with thick anticipation. Who wouldn''t want ss-type imperial green jadeite?


    Ling Yue swept an indifferent gaze over the crowd, her tone t and emotionless, "Selling, highest bidder gets it." She wanted the spiritual energy contained in the jadeite, and had no interest in the jadeite itself.


    "I bid 10 million."


    "20 million!"


    "50 million!"


    "..."


    The price kept rising.


    Watching this scene, Ling Meng''s jealous eyes turned red. This should have been hers. How could that cheap woman deserve it? She would tell her dad and have him order that cheap woman to hand over the jadeite to the family. Then she would have her dad make her a set of jadeite jewelry.


    Thinking of this, Ling Meng was extremely excited, as if the jadeite already belonged to her. She walked to Ling Yue''s side and spoke in amanding tone, "I have something to say to you."


    Ling Yue nced indifferently at Ling Meng, her tone icy cold, "I don''t want to listen."


    Ling Yue''s contemptuous attitude made Ling Meng want to walk over and p her in the face. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Ling Yue, I''m giving you one chance. As long as you hand over this jadeite to the family, I''ll go beg my dad to let youe back to the family." Of course she was just deceiving this cheap woman. She had finally driven her out of the Ling family, how could she possibly let her step back into the Ling family?


    "Who cares." Ling Yue looked at Ling Meng as if she were an idiot, "Keep your distance from me in the future. My hand might get itchy."


    Ling Meng hurriedly took a step back. The current Ling Yue was inscrutable to her. She really would hit people when she said she would hit them. After all, she had already been pped once, and her face still stung.


    Her gaze turned to the jadeite that everyone was fighting over. Ling Meng''s eyes were full of certainty that it would be hers.


    She went to the side to call Ling Tianzheng. Her dad''s words werew to Ling Yue. As long as her dad called, Ling Yue would certainly obediently hand over the jadeite.


    By this time, the price of the jadeite had already skyrocketed to 120 million, and fewer and fewer people were bidding.


    "130 million!" An elderly voice rang out from behind the crowd. A dignified old man dressed in traditional clothes slowly emerged from behind the crowd.


    "Older Tang!"


    Seeing the old man, the crowd greeted him one after another. Older Tang held considerable sway in the jadeite world. Fifty percent of the rough stones he fancied could produce jadeite.


    "Young friend, could you sell this jadeite to me?" Older Tang walked up to Ling Yue with a smile.


    Ling Yue gave a faint smile. "Highest bidder gets it." She had said so earlier, naturally she wouldn''t go back on her own word.


    "Alright." Older Tang looked towards the crowd. "Anyone else want to bid?"


    The crowd looked at each other speechlessly, and no one spoke up.


    "Young friend, you see." Older Tang smiled as he looked at Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue nodded slightly. "Then this jadeite belongs to you."


    "Wait a minute!" Ling Meng walked to Ling Yue''s side and held out her phone to Ling Yue. "Dad wants to talk to you."


    Ling Yue frowned and nced coldly at Ling Meng. Her tone was frigid. "I don''t have a dad."


    "You!" Ling Meng hadn''t expected Ling Yue to be so audacious as to deny even Ling Tianzheng.


    On the other end of the phone, Ling Tianzheng was also startled. He could tell the voice belonged to Ling Yue, but that voice contained a coldness and ruthlessness that he had never heard before.


    "Older Tang, Miss Ling, let''s go to my booth to handle this." Ma Tao walked up with a smile and brought the two to his booth.


    Song Ziyuan hurried to follow.


    Zhou Mucheng hesitated for a moment before catching up. He felt like he had never truly known Ling Yue at all.


    Ling Mengined to Ling Tianzheng for a while. Seeing everyone had left, her face flushed red with anger, she almost smashed the phone.


    "Let''s go over too." Song Yanxue pulled Ling Meng towards the gem show venue. Ling Yue today had also surprised her somewhat,pletely different from her previous impression.

 Chapter 32: Comatose

    <h4>Chapter 32</h4>


    Ling Meng pressed down the anger in her heart and walked with Song Yanxue towards Ma Tao''s shop. Suddenly, a wave of dizziness came over her, and then everything before her eyes sank into darkness.


    "Mengmeng, what''s wrong with you? Mengmeng, don''t scare me!" Song Yanxue was given a fright, and quickly supported Ling Meng who was about to fall down.


    Ling Yue soon finished the transaction with Older Tang.


    "Young friend, are you free at the end of next month? There will be a gambling stone exchange meeting in Myanmar at the end of next month. If you are interested, you can call me." Older Tang took out his own business card and handed it to Ling Yue. He admired her very much. If it was an ordinary person who bid a top-grade imperial green ss seed jadeite, they would definitely not be as calm as her, as if that top-grade imperial green ss seed jadeite was still just a stone in her eyes. Such grace was not something an ordinary person could possess.


    Even he had bid on so many jadeites before, but he would still be uncontrobly excited when seeing top-grade jadeites now.


    Ling Yue took the business card and took a look, nodded slightly, "Okay."


    "Can I have your phone number, young friend?" Older Tang wanted to keep in more contact with Ling Yue. Others thought she was just lucky to be able to bid out the imperial green ss seed, but he didn''t think so, because she was too calm.


    Ling Yue took out her mobile phone and dialed the number on Older Tang''s business card. Hearing the mobile phone ringing in Older Tang''s pocket, she hung up.


    "Well, let''s get in touch another day." Older Tang waved at Ling Yue with a smile and walked towards the back cutting workshop. He didn''t let the stone cutter master stop just now because he wanted to see how big that piece of jadeite would cut out to be.


    "Goodbye!" Ling Yue saw Older Tang off.


    "It''s bad, brother, Brother Mucheng, Mengmeng has fainted!" Song Yanxue rushed over anxiously, her face full of anxiety. She couldn''t support Ling Meng alone, so she first helped her lie down on a boulder by the roadside.


    Upon hearing this, Zhou Mucheng walked quickly towards the stone cutting yard. The person was brought here by him, so he was also responsible if anything happened.


    Song Ziyuan walked to Ling Yue, ¡°Shall we go take a look?¡±


    ¡°No, you go.¡± What was wrong with Ling Meng, she knew very clearly. As long as she didn''t make a move, Ling Meng could only be a vegetative person in the future. She was not the original owner of this body. When being bullied by others, the original owner would only swallow her grievances like a steamed bun.


    ¡°Then I won''t go either.¡± Seeing there was still watermelon on the table, Song Ziyuan picked up a piece and handed it to Ling Yue, ¡°Want some?¡±


    ¡°You eat it, I¡¯m going back.¡± Ling Yue shook her head and turned to leave.


    ¡°Let me take you back.¡± Song Ziyuan put down the watermelon he had just bitten and caught up with Ling Yue. Zhou Mucheng had a car, so he wasn¡¯t worried that his sister couldn¡¯t get back.


    Ling Yue didn''t refuse. It was indeed quite far from home here.


    "Ling Yue, I find that you really know how to make money." Song Ziyuan had always thought he was the best at making money, butpared to Ling Yue, he felt utterly inferior. In just a few days, Ling Yue had earned over 100 million. He was not as fast as her in terms of earning speed.


    Ling Yue curved her lips slightly. "Just luck."


    "I want to have such luck too." Song Ziyuan said enviously.


    On the other side, Ling Meng had already been carried onto Zhou Mucheng¡¯s car by him.


    Song Yanxue looked around for a while but didn''t see Song Ziyuan or Ling Yue, so she knew they had already left. She stamped her feet in anger. If not for Ling Yue, her brother wouldn¡¯t have ignored her. Just thinking about it made her angry.


    The car sped all the way to the hospital.


    Yang Xiner had just finished beauty treatments with several richdies and was about to go for lunch when her mobile phone in her bag rang. She took out her phone and saw it was Song Yanxue¡¯s number. She pressed the answer button, ¡°Xuexue, Auntie Yang is not at home now. If you are looking for Mengmeng, you can call thendline.¡± She thought Song Yanxue was calling her to find her daughter, because Song Yanxue had also called her before to look for Ling Meng.


    "No, it''s Mengmeng. She''s in the hospital." There was a slight sob in Song Yanxue''s voice. She thought Mengmeng had fainted from heat stroke and would wake up after a while, but only after arriving at the hospital did she know the severity of the situation.


    The doctor gave Ling Meng a full examination, but found no problems. However, no matter what methods were used, she just wouldn''t wake up.


    Yang Xiner felt a tightness in her chest and asked anxiously, "What? Which hospital? I''lle over right away."


    "The Affiliated Hospital."


    Upon hearing this, Yang Xiner didn''t even bother to bid farewell to the few richdies and hurried to the parking lot. Her son and daughter were her heart and liver. She would feel distressed for half a day even if they were slightly injured.


    Arriving at the hospital, Yang Xiner immediately came to the ward and saw Ling Yue with tubes inserted all over her body. Her face instantly turned pale and her steps staggered. "Doctor, how could my daughter be like this?" She was still fine just now.


    "Mrs. Ling! We have fully examined Miss Ling, and there is no problem with her body. We are still checking the cause of thea." This was also the doctor''s first time encountering such symptoms.


    "Hurry up and find out for me and wake my daughter up, otherwise I¡¯m going to make your hospital close down!" After threatening several doctors, Yang Xiner came to Ling Meng''s bedside and carefully held her hand. "Mengmeng, Mom is here. Hurry up and wake up.¡±


    Ling Meng on the bed remained motionless, like a porcin doll without life.


    Yang Xiner could no longer hold back her tears.


    "Auntie Yang." Zhou Mucheng walked to Yang Xiner''s side and handed her a napkin.


    Yang Xiner looked up at Zhou Mucheng, took the napkin, and asked, "Mucheng, why are you here too?" Zhou Mucheng was the best son-inw candidate she had eyed. If it wasn''t for Ling Yue''s mother engaging Ling Yue to Zhou Mucheng early on when they were young, she would have long matched her daughter with Zhou Mucheng. Fortunately, it was not toote. That cheap woman Ling Yue now has a ruined face. The Zhou family would definitely not want a woman with a ruined face.


    "I was the one who sent Mengmeng to the hospital." Zhou Mucheng''s eyes fell on Ling Meng¡¯s face, lost in thought.


    "What exactly happened? Why did Mengmeng be like this?" Yang Xiner looked at Ling Meng distressedly, noticing the swelling on her face, "Why is her face swollen? Who hit her?"


    Zhou Mucheng didn''t want to tell Yang Xiner that it was Ling Yue who hit her. Ling Yue had already been driven out of the Ling family. If Yang Xiner knew, she would definitely go find trouble with Ling Yue.


    "It was hit by Ling Yue." Song Yanxue said from the side.


    "That little b... Ling Yue hit her?" Yang Xiner almost blurted out cursing Ling Yue as a little slut.


    "Yes. At that time, Mengmeng''s face was more swollen than it is now.¡± Song Yanxue added fuel to the mes. If not for Ling Yue, her brother wouldn¡¯t have ignored her. Just thinking about it made her angry.


    Yang Xiner''s face sank, anger surging in her eyes. Good, very good. She actually dared to hit her Mengmeng. That little slut was really asking to die.


    "Auntie Yang, this matter is not entirely Ling Yue''s fault either." Zhou Mucheng wanted to exin for Ling Yue. He didn''t want to see Ling Yue get hurt.


    Yang Xiner clenched her fists and forced out a smile. "Don''t worry, as long as it''s not Yueyue''s fault, I won''t make things difficult for her." She would only make life worse than death for her.

 Chapter 33: The Girl didn’t lie to Her.

    <h4>Chapter 33</h4>


    As dusk fell, the streets bustled with people.


    Ling Yue carried the vegetables she had just bought from the market, walking down the narrow, winding alley. Before she reached home, she heard arguinging from inside. She quickened her pace, walked into the yard, and saw a fat aunt arguing with Granny Xu.


    "We signed a contract and paid three months'' rent plus a security deposit. How can you go back on your word and make us move out?" Granny Xu argued, her face flushed.


    "This is my house. If I want you to move out, you have to move out. As for your rent, deposit, and breach penalty, I''ll pay you every cent," the fat aunt said upromisingly. Someone had given her 10,000 RMB, so how could she pass up the chance to make money? Besides, it''s not like she couldn''t rent out the house after they left.


    Ling Yue walked up to the fat aunt, her gaze cold as it fell on the woman''s face. "Someone paid you to drive us out, didn''t they?"


    The fat aunt looked at Ling Yue in surprise. "How did you know?"


    "How much did they give you?" Ling Yue had already guessed who was sabotaging them. It must be Yang Xiner, furious that she had hit Ling Meng and wanting to teach her a lesson. Of course, this was just an appetizer. If these were the extent of Yang Xiner''s tactics, she would never have be the current matriarch of the Ling family.


    Yang Xiner was originally an orphan with no parents. She managed to seduce Ling Tianzheng and got together with him while the original hostess was pregnant with the original host.


    She deliberately befriended the original hostess and told her about her affairs with Ling Tianzheng. She deliberately let the original hostess see her being intimate with Ling Tianzheng, nearly causing her to miscarry the original host.


    This was why the original hostess grew depressed after giving birth to the original host and eventually died of depression. Not only did Yang Xiner feel no remorse, she moved in and gave birth to another son for Ling Tianzheng, firmly establishing her position as matriarch in the Ling family.


    Facing Ling Yue''s sharp gaze, the fat aunt inexplicably felt a hint of panic. She swallowed and took a few steps back. "They gave me 10,000 RMB."


    Ling Yue sneered. "Did you think that 10,000 RMB would cure your son''s illness?"


    "How did you know my son is sick?" The fat aunt looked at Ling Yue in shock. This was the first time they had met today.


    Ling Yue handed the vegetables she was holding to Granny Xu. "Granny Xu, go cook first. I''ll chat with her."


    Granny Xu took the vegetables and nced at the fat aunt before heading inside. Ever since the young miss left the Ling family, she had be more and more independent, which put Granny Xu at ease.


    After Granny Xu went inside, Ling Yue looked at the fat aunt. "I can tell from your face that your pce of children is dim, meaning your affinity with children is shallow."


    "You can even read faces?" The fat aunt was amazed. She had given birth to four children, but now only had one son left. She treasured this only son, holding him carefully as if he would break. But her son had suddenly fallen ill, and the doctor said he needed surgery but the chances of recovery were slim. To raise money for the surgery, she could only rent out her home, but the surgical fees were still far from enough.


    The corners of Ling Yue''s eyes curved up as she smiled. "If you''re willing to sell this house to me, I can change your fortune - your son''s illness will be cured, and you will have many descendants in the future." This house was deep in the alley, very quiet. She and Granny Xu both liked it a lot.


    "Really?" The fat aunt was skeptical.


    "Give me your hand," Ling Yue held out her hand.


    The fat aunt hesitated before extending her hand.


    Ling Yue took the fat aunt''s hand and quickly drew on her palm. "After you go back, press your palm on your son''s forehead. Your son''s illness will naturally be cured."


    The fat aunt stared at her palm. There was nothing on it, and she looked at Ling Yue doubtfully. Was the girl just messing with her?


    "Go back and try it. If it doesn''t work, you can still kick us out tomorrow." Ling Yue''s eyes smiled like two clear springs that could see straight to the bottom, as if peering into one''s heart.


    The fat aunt thought about it. "If my son''s illness really gets cured, I''ll sell the house to you." She had been thinking that as long as her son¡¯s illness could be cured, she would sell the house and everything else if needed.


    The fat aunt left the yard and headed straight for the hospital. She couldn''t wait to give it a try and see if what Ling Yue said was true. Although she didn''t have much hope, she didn''t want to give up even a sliver of hope.


    Walking into the ward, seeing her son as thin as a bag of bones lying in the bed, the fat aunt''s eyes immediately grew wet. She walked over and tucked the quilt around her son.


    "Auntie, don''t be sad. Your son will definitely get better," another patient''s family member consoled her. Everyone in the ward knew her situation and deeply sympathized.


    The fat aunt nodded gratefully to everyone. She raised her hand and looked at her palm, hoping it would really work.


    She slowly pressed her palm to her son''s forehead, feeling a sh of heat. But the heat came and went quickly before she could react.


    Drawing back her hand, the fat aunt stared nkly at it. She did feel a sh of heat, didn''t she? Or was it her imagination?


    "Mom..." A hoarse, feeble voice sounded in the fat aunt''s ears.


    The fat aunt looked at her son on the bed incredulously, her eyes full of excitement. "Dayou...you''re awake..." Her voice quivered with emotion. Dayou had been unconscious for days. The doctor told her he needed surgery urgently or he could die. That was why she had been desperately raising money these past few days.


    Dayou nodded weakly. "I''m thirsty..."


    "I''ll get you some water." Tears streamed unstoppably down the fat aunt''s cheeks. The girl didn''t lie to her. Her son was awake.


    After wetting Dayou''s lips with a cotton swab, she said, "I''ll go get the doctor."


    The doctor soon arrived in the ward and, after a series of tests, could barely believe the results. "Li Dayou has no major issues anymore. Keep him for observation a few days, and if nothing happens, he can be discharged."


    "Thank you, doctor!" The fat aunt was overjoyed. Her son was cured, really cured. That girl was too amazing. She had to properly thank her.


    Everyone in the ward also congratted the fat aunt when they heard the doctor''s words.


    The fat aunt happily chatted andughed with them. Now that her son was well, she could finally rx.


    Just then, the ward door was pushed open. A mean-looking middle-aged woman walked in, her gaze falling directly on the fat aunt.

 Chapter 34: A Taste of One’s own medicine

    <h4>Chapter 34</h4>


    The fat aunt recognized the middle-aged woman at first nce as the person who had given her money that afternoon. She walked up and said, "Let''s go out and talk."


    The middle-aged woman nodded slightly and turned to walk out of the ward. She didn''t like the smell in the ward either. If it wasn''t for the mistress''s order, she wouldn''t havee here.


    "Didn''t you ask them to get out? Howe they''re still living there?" There was a tone of questioning in the middle-aged woman''s voice. She looked at the fat aunt with a cold face.


    The fat aunt''s eyes turned around, pretending to look pitiful. "I drove them out but they refused to move, and they even beat me up. Look, my arm is bruised." She rolled up her sleeve to show the middle-aged woman the bruise on her arm. Of course, these bruises were made by her own pinching just now. She knew the other party would definitely look for her again.


    The middle-aged woman nced at the fat aunt''s arm with a frown. "Then report to the police."


    "I did, but they have a contract. The police said we have to resolve it ourselves." The fat aunt took out the 10,000 yuan the middle-aged woman had given her earlier from her pocket and handed it back to the middle-aged woman. "Here''s your money back. I really can''t fight them." Although she was uneducated, she had been a maid in thendlord''s house when she was young, and she knew that the person behind this middle-aged woman must be of high status and was not someone a smallmoner like her could afford to provoke. However, Ling Yue had shown her kindness, and she could not repay kindness with enmity and drive them away.


    The middle-aged woman snatched the money and red at the fat aunt. "Useless, can''t even handle such a small thing."


    Watching the middle-aged woman walk away, the fat aunt breathed a sigh of relief. First thing tomorrow morning, she would transfer the deed of the house to Ling Yue and the others.


    In a pink, luxurious room, the light from the crystal chandelier was bright. The bed, table and cab were full of all kinds of plush toys, all exquisitely made with top quality materials, specially brought back from abroad by Yang Xiner to give to Ling Meng, showing how much she doted on her daughter.


    Yang Xiner held Ling Meng''s hand with slightly red eyes, looking at Ling Meng lying in bed. "Mengmeng, wake up, don''t keep ying tricks on Mom, okay?" The doctor couldn''t find any reason. She had brought Mengmeng back home and asked Ling Tianzheng to invite several famous doctors from Jing City toe and consult about Mengmeng''s condition, but the results were all the same. She was really worried to death. Mengmeng was fine when she went out in the morning. How did she be like this when she came back?


    The person on the bed remained motionless, as if dead.


    "Mengmeng, Mengmeng." Yang Xiner cried and threw herself on Ling Meng.


    "Knock knock knock!" There was a knock on the door.


    Yang Xiner sat up, wiped away her tears, and said, "Come in!"


    The door was pushed open, and the middle-aged woman walked in. She respectfully walked to Yang Xiner''s side. "Madam!"


    "How did it go? Have they been driven out?" When Yang Xiner thought of Ling Yue, she wished she could kill her. She actually dared to beat Mengmeng. She wanted her to pay back ten times, a hundred times. She had already thought about it. First let that cheap slut Ling Yue end up on the streets, then find some people to humiliate her, take photos, and make headlines in major newspapers for everyone to point fingers at.


    Then sell her to ces of prostitution and let her live a life worse than death. Of course she would make arrangements for her clients until that cheap slut was tortured to death.


    The middle-aged woman pursed her lips. "They still live there." She repeated to Yang Xiner what the fat aunt had told her.


    Yang Xiner narrowed her eyes and smiled gloomily. "Then get someone to burn down the house." If that cheap slut died, it would be her luck. If she didn''t die, what awaited her would be endless abyss.


    "Yes!" The middle-aged woman took the order and left.


    The night was as dark as ink, with thick clouds in the gloomy sky that could rain down any time.


    Ling Yue sat under a tree cultivating. She heard rustling footsteps outside, and there was a pungent smell of gasoline. A hint of cold light shed through her eyes.


    She stood up, her figure shed, and disappeared from the spot.


    Two men were sneaking around carrying two buckets of gasoline. They looked around.


    "Let''s do it now."


    "Okay, you pour the front, I''ll climb the wall and pour into the house."


    With the division ofbor clear, the man nimbly climbed onto the surrounding wall, just about to jump down, when he felt pain in the back of his neck, and fell unconscious.


    The man below who was opening the gasoline heard something heavy falling above. His heart skipped a beat, and he looked up to ask the man on the roof, "What happened?"


    Before his voice faded, he felt a sharp pain at the back of his neck. He didn''t even see who was behind him before he cked out.


    Ling Yue looked at the two men lying on the ground, with coldness swirling in her eyes. She picked up one man with each hand, nced at the two buckets of gasoline on the ground, and a piercingly cold sneer turned up at the corner of her mouth.


    Yang Xiner was sleeping groggily when she suddenly heard screams outside, and when she listened carefully, she realized the house was on fire. She hurriedly put on her clothes and ran out.


    Thick smoke rolled, choking Yang Xiner and making her cough incessantly. A servant ran over and pulled Yang Xiner to quickly run out of the vi. At this time, the entire vi was already engulfed in mes, and the sound of crackling fire lit up the dark night sky blood red.


    Thinking of Ling Meng inside, Yang Xiner anxiously shouted, "Hurry up and save the youngdy!" Fortunately, her son was abroad with his aunt and not at home.


    The sound of fire trucks came from outside. Soon, several firefighters rushed in and began to deal with the fire.


    Yang Xiner paced anxiously. What she worried most now was Mengmeng. How was she now?


    Seeing a firefighter carrying Ling Meng out, Yang Xiner hurried forward. "Mengmeng, Mengmeng, you..."


    Seeing Ling Meng''s face clearly, Yang Xiner took a frightened step back. What to do? Mengmeng''s face was burned by the fire. If Mengmeng woke up and knew her face was ruined, she would definitely not want to live.


    A pair of eyes in the dark watched all this, and sheughed lowly, like a demon in the dark night. Her cold and aloof phoenix eyes were filled with mockery and coldness. She turned and disappeared into the night. She had always been someone who doesn''t bother others, but if others bother her, she will return it double. All this was brought upon themselves by Yang Xiner and her daughter.


    Ling Meng was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment, and after a night of rescue, she finally got out of mortal danger.


    Ling Tianzheng got the news and rushed over. He didn''t go homest night but spent the night at his mistress''s ce. It wasn''t until this morning that he received the news about the fire at home and that Ling Meng''s face was burned by the fire.


    "How''s Mengmeng?" Ling Tianzheng walked to Yang Xiner who was wiping away tears and grabbed her hand as he looked at the bandaged Ling Meng on the hospital bed.


    "Mengmeng, she...."


    A painful moan came from the hospital bed. Ling Meng slowly opened her eyes and saw her surroundings clearly. "Mom..." She said with difficulty, feeling as if there was a lump of lead blocking her throat that made her extremely ufortable.


    "Mengmeng, you''re awake." Yang Xiner wiped away her tears, stepped forward and held Ling Meng''s hand tightly, with deep heartache in her eyes.


    "What happened to me...why does my face hurt so much..." Ling Meng felt piercing pain on her face, and slowly raised her hand, wanting to touch her face.


    "Don''t move, be careful of the wound." Yang Xiner held Ling Meng''s other hand. She couldn''t let Mengmeng know her face was ruined, or she definitely wouldn''t be able to bear it. She knew best how much her daughter cared about her face.


    "Mom...what on earth happened..." Ling Meng had a bad premonition, making her even more want to know what had happened to her face.


    Yang Xiner looked at Ling Meng''s face wrapped in gauze bandages, with sad tears falling one after another, "Mengmeng, it will be alright, everything will pass, believe your mom and dad." She will definitely find out who set the fire and tear that person into ten thousand pieces.


    "Mom...what exactly happened to my face..." Ling Meng pulled at the wounds on her face, the pain making her whole face wrinkle up, and her body also slightly trembling from the pain.


    "Alright, just go ahead and tell her," Ling Tianzheng said, as he really could not stand to watch this anymore. What is all this, his eldest daughter''s looks ruined by the big fire, and now his youngest daughter''s looks also ruined by fire. Originally he had also nned to marry his youngest daughter into the Zhou family, but now it looked hopeless.


    Ling Meng stared fixedly at Yang Xiner, her eyes full of apprehension.


    Yang Xiner sniffed and after a long time, slowly said: "Yesterday there was a big fire at home, and your face was burned by the fire."

 Chapter 35: Don’t wanna See You

    <h4>Chapter 35</h4>


    "No! It can''t be true. How could I be disfigured? You must be lying to me!" Ling Meng pushed Yang Xiner''s hand away, as if she had gone mad. She touched her own face and found it wrapped in bandages. She screamed and frantically tore at the bandages. She didn''t want to be an ugly monster. If she turned into an ugly monster, her brother Zhou Mucheng would no longer love her.


    She felt a tearing pain in her hands, face, and body, and fresh blood seeped through the bandages. Ling Meng seemed oblivious to the pain as she desperately tore at the bandages on her face. All she wanted to know was whether her face was truly disfigured. She didn''t want to be an ugly monster.


    "No, Mengmeng, don''t do this. Mom and Dad will find the best doctors to cure you. You will be beautiful again, just like before. Mengmeng, listen to Mom, okay? Don''t hurt yourself like this, Mengmeng. Sob..." Yang Xiner''s heart was breaking as she held Ling Meng''s hand, preventing her from pulling off the bandages.


    "Let me go! Let go! I don''t want to be an ugly monster! I don''t want to!" Ling Meng screamed loudly, struggling and pushing Yang Xiner away. She scratched Yang Xiner''s hand with her nails, her eyes filled with madness and ferocity.


    Ling Tianzheng had no choice but to call a doctor.


    The doctor administered a sedative to calm Ling Meng down.


    A nurse brought new bandages and medicine, recing the ones on Ling Meng''s body.


    Lying on the hospital bed like a puppet without a soul, Ling Meng stared nkly at the ceiling. Tears rolled down uncontrobly. How did ite to this? Why was she disfigured?


    Yang Xiner gently held Ling Meng''s hand, brushing aside the hair on her forehead. "Mengmeng, Mom and Dad will find the best doctors to cure you. They won''t let a single scar remain. Be a good girl and don''t think too much."


    A glimmer of hope shed in Ling Meng''s eyes, but quickly faded. Could she really be cured? Would there be no scars left? Could she truly return to her former self?


    There was a soft knock on the door, followed by the door opening. Song Yanxue, Song Ziyuan, and Zhou Mucheng walked in. They had alle to see Ling Meng upon hearing the news. They were shocked because the Ling family was not an ordinary family. Every corner of their house was heavily guarded. How could it catch fire?


    "Ling Uncle! Yang Aunt!"


    Ling Tianzheng nodded slightly. "Please have a seat."


    "Mucheng, Yanxue, Ziyuan." Yang Xiner saw the three of them, wiped her tears, and forced a smile to greet them.


    Ling Meng caught sight of Zhou Mucheng and quickly covered her head with the nket. She couldn''t let her brother Zhou Mucheng see her like this¡ªso ugly.


    "How is Mengmeng now?" Song Yanxue asked, concerned, as she looked at Ling Meng lying in the hospital bed.


    Yang Xiner''s nose tingled, and tears almost welled up again. She shook her head. "The doctor said she needs a skin graft surgery."


    Ling Meng hid under the nket, listening to their conversation. She bit her lip forcefully, and blood trickled from her lips. But she couldn''t feel the pain now because the pain in her body was nothingpared to the pain in her heart.


    "Mengmeng, don''t be sad. You will be fine. Can you let me see you?" Song Yanxue walked to the bedside and softly asked Ling Meng.


    Ling Meng tightly clutched the nket. She didn''t want to see anyone right now, especially her brother, Zhou Mucheng.


    "Yanxue." Yang Xiner reached out and patted Song Yanxue''s shoulder, shaking her head. She knew her daughter didn''t want to see anyone at the moment.


    Song Yanxue sighed, "Aunt Yang, how did the fire happen?"


    Thinking about the big fire yesterday, Yang Xiner was also puzzled. "I don''t know. I''ve already asked someone to investigate." She had actually ordered someone to set fire to Ling Yue and the others'' house, so how did her own house catch fire instead? Could there be some connection?


    After sitting for a while, Zhou Mucheng and the others bid farewell and left.


    Only after Ling Meng heard the sound of the hospital room door closing and the footsteps fading away did she emerge from under the nket. Her eyes, red from crying, looked at Yang Xiner and asked, "Mom, will I really be okay?"


    At the moment she found out about her disfigurement, she truly wanted to die. It wasn''t until her brother, Zhou Mucheng, arrived that a glimmer of hope ignited in her heart. She had worked so hard to wait for Ling Yue and Zhou Mucheng to cancel their engagement, and she had finally be the youngdy of the Ling family. How could she give up now? She wanted to regain her original appearance and marry Zhou Mucheng.


    Yang Xiner lovingly touched Ling Meng''s head and said, "Yes, believe in Mom. You will definitely be as beautiful as before."


    "Okay." Ling Meng''s eyes flickered with a glimmer of hope as she slowly closed her eyes. She was truly exhausted.


    Ling Tianzheng heard his phone ring and took out his phone to look at the number on it. He walked out of the hospital room and answered the call, "How did the investigation go?"


    "It''s Madam. We set fire to Ling Yue and the others'' house as ordered, but we don''t know how gasoline ended up spilling in the garden. Unfortunately, someone flicked a lit cigarette onto the gasoline, causing a big fire."


    Ling Tianzheng''s face darkened, exuding a cold aura. After a few words, he hung up the phone and walked into the hospital room.


    Yang Xiner felt a sense of low pressure and turned to look at Ling Tianzheng. "Tianzheng, why are you looking at me like that?"


    "Ling Yue has already left the Ling family. Why won''t you let her go?" Ling Tianzheng stared at Yang Xiner with cold and furious eyes. Even if he didn''t like that daughter, they still shared a blood rtionship.


    "Where haven''t I let her go?" Yang Xiner felt a bit panicked. Did Ling Tianzheng find out about her ordering someone to set fire?


    "Don''t tell me you didn''t order the fire? Do you know how the house caught fire? It was because those two subordinates identally spilled gasoline, and it only ignited because someone carelessly flicked a cigarette onto it. You brought this upon yourself." Ling Tianzheng''s eyes were filled with piercing coldness.


    Ling Meng, in a daze, heard Ling Tianzheng''s words and opened her eyes, unable to believe what she was hearing. She looked at Yang Xiner and asked, "Mom, did you really do this?"


    Yang Xiner couldn''t meet Ling Meng''s gaze. "I heard from Xue Xue that she pped you, and I wanted to stand up for you." How could she have known that things would turn out like this? If she had known it would eventually lead to her daughter being disfigured, she would never have allowed someone to burn Ling Yue and her friends'' house. But now, everything is already toote.


    Ling Meng closed her eyes in pain. She knew she shouldn''t me her mother, but she couldn''t help but hate her in her heart. If it weren''t for her, she wouldn''t be disfigured, wouldn''t be a monster.


    "Meng Meng, Mom did all this for you. Can you forgive Mom, please?" Yang Xiner panicked and reached out to hold Ling Meng''s hand.


    Ling Meng pushed her away. "I want to be alone." She didn''t want to see her right now.


    "Meng Meng."


    "Leave, just leave. I don''t want to see you right now!" Ling Meng cried out.


    Yang Xiner felt a stab in her heart. "Mom really didn''t know it would turn out like this. Mom just wanted to help you let off some steam." It''s all because of those two good-for-nothings. They couldn''t even handle such a small matter properly. She was going to find them and make them pay.

 Chapter 36: Transfer of Ownership

    <h4>Chapter 36</h4>


    It seemed as though he had seen through Yang Xiner''s thoughts. Ling Tian calmly said, "Those two subordinates have already been burned to death by the big fire."


    Yang Xiner was stunned for a moment, cursing in her heart that they deserved it. If they hadn''t died, she would have definitely made them suffer a fate worse than death. If it hadn''t been for their carelessness, her daughter wouldn''t have be like this. But now that those people were dead, no matter how much she thought about it, it was useless.


    Ling Yue looked at the newspaper in her hand and gave a coldugh. Everything was the fault of Yang Xiner and her daughter''s own doing.


    "Young Miss, I just heard a piece of news that the Ling family had a sudden big fire yesterday and Ling Meng was disfigured," Granny Xu said excitedly as she walked into the room carrying a basket. When she heard this news, she found it hard to believe. The guards at the Ling residence were so strict, how could a fire break out? It wasn''t until she saw the news in the newspaper at the newsstand that shepletely believed it. Her heart felt extremely delighted.


    "I saw it too," Ling Yue said with a smile, waving the newspaper in her hand.


    "Don''t you think this is retribution from the mortal world? They drove you out of the Ling family because of your disfigurement from the fire, and it hasn''t even been that long before Ling Meng was also disfigured. They deserved it!" Granny Xu happily read through the news again, her face beaming like a fully bloomed chrysanthemum.


    Ling Yue smiled as she stood up and took the basket that Granny Xu was holding.


    "I was so happy that I forgot - I bought youtiao, soy milk, and xiaolongbao," Granny Xu said with a smile, pointing at the basket. She had originally wanted to make breakfast herself when she returned, but when she heard about what happened at the Ling family, she was overjoyed and bought some ready-made breakfast on her way back to celebrate with the young miss.


    Ling Yue took out the breakfast from the basket and ced it on the table. "Granny Xu, I spoke with Fat Auntie earlier. We''ll go take care of the property ownership transfer procedures after this."


    "Alright," Granny Xu said happily with a nod of her head before going to the kitchen to grab bowls and chopsticks. Now that they were getting a house, she and the young miss wouldn''t have to worry about not having a ce to live.


    Ling Yue picked up a xiaolongbao, took a bite, and the juices instantly burst in her mouth. Noticing that Granny Xu kept staring at the gauze wrapped around her face, Ling Yue looked up at her and smiled unconcernedly. She picked up a xiaolongbao and handed it to Granny Xu. "These xiaolongbao are pretty good."


    "Young Miss, your face can be cured. I know a doctor whose skills are incredible. As long as he helps treat you, your face absolutely won''t have a single scar left," Granny Xu said, a trace ofplicated emotions shing through her eyes. The young miss was of the young miss''s bloodline. That person should be willing to help, right?


    "It''s fine, I''m good like this," Ling Yue said,pletely unconcerned. After several days of cultivation exercises and the trial by fire and knife tempering from that day, her injuries had long healed without leaving behind a single scar. The gauze wrapped around her face was only to conceal things from prying eyes.


    Granny Xu didn''t say anything more and lowered her head to continue eating breakfast. She knew the young miss must be saying this to avoid making her feel bad. What girl didn''t wish to have a beautiful face? What girl didn''t care about looks? She would definitely invite that person toe treat the young miss.


    Right after they finished eating breakfast, Fat Auntie arrived. "Let''s go now. I brought the property ownership certificate."


    "Granny Xu, let''s go," Ling Yue said, picking up a bag that had been ced on the chair. Inside was Granny Xu''s household registration booklet and ID card. She nned to register the property under Granny Xu''s name after buying this courtyard house.


    At first when Ling Yue had suggested this, no matter what Granny Xu absolutely refused to agree. Only after Ling Yue persuaded her tirelessly for a long time did she reluctantly consent.


    There weren''t too many people at the property management bureau handling real estate purchases, so the three of them didn''t have to wait long before it was their turn. The procedures went very smoothly and werepleted within half an hour.


    Looking at the newly printed property ownership certificate, Granny Xu smiled from ear to ear. She and the young miss finally had their own house. Although the house wasn''t big, it was very cozy and warm.


    As the three of them walked out of the property rights bureau, Ling Yue was just about to head home with Granny Xu when her cell phone rang.


    She took out her phone and saw it was a call from Liu Yan. "Granny Xu, I need to take this call," Ling Yue said, pointing to a corner not far away. She didn''t want Granny Xu to know about her investing in Liu Yan''spany yet.


    Once she reached the corner, Ling Yue answered the call. "What''s the matter?"


    "Ling Yue, ourpany made a profit!" Liu Yan''s voice rang out excitedly from the other end.


    "That''s great," Ling Yue said with a faint smile curling her lips. Thepany making a profit proved that her direction was right - the Inte would have a huge impact on people''s lives in the future, likely not just limited to online shopping.


    "There''s another thing I want to discuss with you. I just met a friend who also runs an Intepany. He''s run into some difficulties with funding and wants to sell hispany. I feel hispany has good prospects, so I wanted to ask your opinion."


    "What''s the main focus of hispany?" Ling Yue had money now and wouldn''t casually invest, but she wouldn''t reject things outright either.


    "Chatting - it''s the really popr chat software online right now. Hispany developed it."


    Ling Yue thought about a chat software she registered on recently. Its icon was a dolphin if she remembered correctly. "Are you talking about the dolphin software?"


    "That''s right, that''s the software hispany developed. They already have over 100 million users now, but hispany''s servers can''t handle that many users. He wants to buy new servers but can''t afford the cost, so he''s thinking of selling thepany."


    "I want to meet him," Ling Yue felt Liu Yan made sense. Thatpany did seem to have good prospects, and she had used that chat software before too. It was pretty good.


    "Are you free tomorrow morning then?" Liu Yan was very excited internally right now. He thought highly of the dolphin software because the developer had a simr background to himself, giving him a feeling of empathy. That was why he called Ling Yue, wanting to know if she could help invest in the Dolphinpany.


    After hanging up the call, Liu Yan immediately phoned the person in charge at the Dolphinpany, Jiang You. "Jiang You, this is Liu Yan. I just called mypany''s investor and she wants to meet you. Are you free tomorrow?"


    Jiang You was just worrying about things with hispany when he received Liu Yan''s call. A trace of hope instantly ignited in his heart upon hearing Liu Yan''s words. "Alright, what time tomorrow?" Lately he had looked for investments from so manypanies but got rejected every time. He really had no options left. The bank was urging him to repay loans and he truly had no choice but to sell thepany at a low price, but thispany was his life''s work and he couldn''t bear to part with it.


    "9 AM tomorrow, in box 9 of the Huixiang Building."


    "Okay, I''ll be there on time for sure." Jiang You was in good spirits as he hung up the phone. He believed hispany''s prospects were absolutely not inferior to Liu Yan''spany. Since the other party valued Liu Yan''spany, perhaps they would look favorably on hispany too. Maybe this was a thread of hope.


    At this moment, the telephone on his desk rang again.


    Jiang You picked up the call. "This is Jiang You."


    "Mr. Jiang, do you still remember me? This is Yukihiko Oda," came a strained Chinese ent.


    Jiang You frowned. "May I ask what business Mr. Oda has calling me?" Due to national enmity between their countries, what he disliked most was people from Wo Country. He didn''t want anything to do with them.


    "It''s like this - I heard yourpany is looking for investors. I''m very interested in yourpany. Do you have time to discuss?" Yukihiko Oda took a puff of his cigarette, eyes full of arrogance and conceit.


    From his inquiries, he knew Jiang You was a very talented young man, and he felt the Inte would continue developing in the future to an unpredictable degree. Jiang You''spany was promising, so if he invested now, it was equivalent to grasping one of Xia Country''s economic lifelines.


    ¡°Mr. Oda, I''m very sorry! I''ve already found an investor,¡± said Jiang You, with a mocking look in his eyes. Even if hispany went bankrupt, he would never coborate with Yukihiko Oda, who knows what he''s scheming.


    Yukihiko Oda was not angry either, he justughed, "It''s okay, Mr. Jiang cane to me anytime if you need help."


    Jiang You and Yukihiko Oda exchanged a few pleasantries before hanging up the phone. Now he could only hope that the investor Liu Yan introduced would bring him hope at their meeting tomorrow.


    After putting down the phone, Yukihiko Oda chuckled coldly, "Go check who invested in Jiang You''spany, and give them a warning." He was determined to acquire Jiang You¡¯spany.


    Ling Yue came to the Huixiang Building where she had arranged to meet Liu Yan and knocked on the door before entering the private room. She saw that Liu Yan was chatting with a young man wearing gold-rimmed sses, who had a refined schrly air about him.


    Seeing Ling Yuee in, Jiang You looked at her doubtfully. She must have entered the wrong room!


    "Ling Yue, you''re here. Let me introduce you, this is Jiang You, the person in charge of Dolphin Company. Jiang You, this is Ling Yue, my investor and partner," said Liu Yan.


    Jiang You was taken aback, eyeing Ling Yue in surprise. He had only learned from Liu Yan earlier that her investor was a woman, which already shocked him. And now seeing her in person shocked him even more. Although he couldn''t see her face, he could tell from her exposed eyes that she was very young.


    He had imagined that the investor would definitely be a woman wearing a professional suit, exuding an aura of nobility and aloofness. But he didn''t expect her to be wearing a T-shirt and jeans, looking just like an ordinary little girl. Looking at her like this, he found it hard to believe that she could really help hispany.


    "Nice to meet you, Mr Jiang!" Ling Yue walked right up to Jiang You and held out her hand in greeting.


    Jiang You nced at Liu Yan, then shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Miss Ling!"


    Ling Yue drew back her hand, smiling faintly. "Let¡¯s sit down and talk.¡±


    "Alright." Jiang You nodded and sat down.


    "I heard from Liu Yan that yourpany is facing some financial difficulties. Can you tell me about yourpany''s future direction and ns?" Ling Yue took a sip of the tea that Liu Yan had poured, her gaze falling on Jiang You''s face.


    Meeting Ling Yue''s gaze, Jiang You faltered slightly. Her eyes were very beautiful, limpid and captivating, like the brightest stars in the night sky, shining with astute radiance. It was as if they could see through a person''s heart with a single nce. Maybe he really underestimated her earlier. Someone with such eyes could hardly be an ordinary person.

 Chapter 37: Black Seal Hall

    <h4>Chapter 37</h4>


    Jiang You took out a document from his briefcase and handed it to Ling Yue, "This is my proposal, take a look." This proposal was something he had prepared specifically for this meeting. Compared to just exining it verbally, presenting it this way would be more visual and detailed, preventing any omissions.


    Ling Yue took the proposal and flipped through it.


    After a moment, she closed the proposal, "Your proposal is well done, but I have some suggestions. Would you like to hear them?"


    "Sure," Jiang You looked at Ling Yue with a serious expression, a hint of anticipation in his heart.


    "I think you could incorporate some specific elements, such as private spaces where users can record their lives and little secrets they don''t want others to know about. Also music, games, novels... These could be offered as paid services on top of the free basic package. For example, users could pay to decorate their private spaces with page themes and essories. Music and novels could use a subscription model. Game equipment could be divided into tiers, with users having to pay to use higher-tier equipment."


    The more Jiang You listened, the more he admired Ling Yue. The things she mentioned were aspects he had never thought of. When he founded Dolphin Company, his initial intention was to allow people to connect through a virtual online world, hoping hispany''s chat software would be an indispensablemunication tool.


    "What do you think?" Ling Yue smiled at Jiang You, her eyes brimming with confidence.


    Jiang You nodded vigorously, his eyes filled with excitement, "Okay, I think your suggestions align well with the demands of today''s youth. I''m willing to give it a try. I hope we can be partners."


    Ling Yue smiled faintly, "I can invest in you, but I hope to be thepany''srgest shareholder."


    Jiang You pondered for a moment, "Alright, I agree." He believed that under Ling Yue''s leadership, thepany would only get better and better.


    "Then let''s work together happily!" Ling Yue stood up and extended her hand.


    Jiang You stood up as well and shook her hand, "Let''s work together happily!"


    At that moment, the private room''s door was pushed open, and Yukihiko Oda entered with a few men in ck suits. He smiled at Jiang You, "Mr. Jiang, I heard you were here, so I took the liberty ofing over."


    Jiang You withdrew his hand and forced a thin smile, "What brings you here, Mr. Oda?" He, of course, knew Oda''s intentions, but even if he hadn''t found Ling Yue as a partner, he wouldn''t work with him. He disliked the Japanese.


    "Of course, it''s to discuss a partnership with you." Yukihiko Oda sat down in the empty space next to Jiang You. "To show my sincerity, I can sign a contract with you on the spot. My requirements aren''t high; I only need 30% of thepany''s shares."


    He and his friends had analyzed Jiang You''spany. In the future, Jiang You''spany would likely reach unimaginable heights in the country. If he could control a portion of the shares, he would have a say in decision-making and could ess certain information through specific means.


    Jiang You put on an apologetic smile, "Sorry! I already have a partner. Maybe we can work together another time, Mr. Oda." He loved seeing the look of disappointment on the Japanese man''s face. He found it quite satisfying.


    Yukihiko Oda clenched his fist under the table, but the smile didn''t leave his face, "Your partner wouldn''t happen to be Mr. Liu Yan, would it?" He had naturally investigated Liu Yan. At one point, he had intended to invest in Liu Yan''spany, but when he wanted to discuss a partnership, he received information that Liu Yan didn''t need funding, so he had to give up.


    Jiang You nced at Ling Yue and received her signal, "That''s a business secret, I''m afraid I can''t disclose it. Mr. Oda, my friend and I still have matters to discuss today, so I can''t entertain you. I''ll invite you out for a meal another time when I''m free."


    Yukihiko Oda narrowed his eyes, a chilling glint showing through, but the smile remained on his face, "Very well, I won''t disturb you any further."


    Yukihiko Oda stood up and left the private room. After the door closed, he turned and gave one of the ck-suited men behind him a subtle signal.


    That man understood and nodded slightly.


    After finalizing the partnership details, the dishes Ling Yue and the others ordered were served.


    "The Huixiang Building specializes in Hui cuisine. This smelly mandarin fish is their specialty, and the braised pork is quite good too." Liu Yan picked up a piece of meat from the fish belly with the shared chopsticks and handed it to Ling Yue, "Try it."


    "Thank you!" Ling Yue took her bowl and epted the fish meat.


    The three of them chatted as they ate, and time flew by. By the time they finished their meal and left the restaurant, it was almost evening.


    "I''lle to yourpany to sign the contract tomorrow," Ling Yue and Jiang You had already discussed some partnership details, leaving only the contract signing remaining.


    "Okay, I''ll wait for you at thepany at 9 AM tomorrow." Jiang You felt relieved now that the weight on his mind had finally lifted.


    "Alright, see you tomorrow. Oh, this is for you." Ling Yue took out a yellow talisman from her pocket and handed it to Jiang You.


    Jiang You epted the talisman, looking at it with puzzlement, "What''s this?" It looked like one of those amulets people buy at temples for protection. He didn''t understand why Ling Yue gave this to him.


    "A protection talisman. I noticed your fate was darkening recently, so you might encounter some troubles soon. This talisman has the power to avert misfortune and help you ovee three crises." Ling Yue had full confidence in the talismans she drew. Unlike the ones sold outside, hers contained real power.


    Back when she ascended to be a deity, in addition to her formidable abilities, her talisman crafting skills were a key factor. She was the only talisman master in the entire realm who could create ninth-level talismans. This was also why other countries didn''t dare provoke her nation.


    If she hadn''t fallen in love with that man, giving her a weakness, she wouldn''t have been dethroned and ended up in this world.


    Jiang You''s lips twitched, but he extended his hand to ept the talisman and put it in his pocket, "Well, thank you then." He had never believed in such things, but he didn''t want to reject Ling Yue''s goodwill.


    "You''re wee!" Ling Yue knew Jiang You didn''t believe in the talisman''s effects, but it didn''t matter. He would soon find out. This was a second-level talisman. If Jiang You wasn''t her business partner and she didn''t want anything to happen to him, she wouldn''t have given him a second-level talisman. Who would have thought that now she could only craft second-level talismans?


    After parting with Ling Yue and Liu Yan, Jiang You carried his briefcase to his bicycle, using his key to unlock the bike lock. He had originally wanted to buy a car, but since he was still in the startup phase, he had to save money where he could.

 Chapter 38: Get Away with It

    <h4>Chapter 38</h4>


    Riding a bicycle, Jiang You hummed a tune with a happy heart, pedaling toward thepany. Tomorrow morning, Ling Yue woulde to thepany to sign a contract. He nned to have the contract drafted tonight and share this good news with his fellow co-founders. They would undoubtedly be excited too.


    Recently, although everyone appeared cheerful on the surface, they were all worried about thepany''s future. Thispany was their shared brainchild, and no one wanted to see it perish.


    When leaving thepany today, he had a meeting with the others and they entrusted him with the decision-making power.


    Recalling Ling Yue''s previous words, Jiang You felt his determination soaring, but he failed to notice a speeding car charging towards him until he heard the rmed shouts of bystanders. By then, the car was too close for him to dodge.


    Jiang You broke into a cold sweat, staring in horror at the rapidly approaching vehicle. A sense of despair and unwillingness surged within him. He didn''t want to die; he hadn''t yet witnessed thepany''s glory.


    At that very moment, a transparent glow emanated from his pocket. The car hurtling towards him suddenly halted as if obstructed by something. It then shot high into the air before crashing heavily onto the road with a tremendous sound, overturning on the street.


    Jiang You''s eyes widened in disbelief, his whole body trembling slightly. Was he hallucinating?


    The bystanders gaped at the scene, equally stunned. They had assumed Jiang You would perish, but instead, this dramatic turn urred, leaving him unscathed while the car was flung aside. Had they not witnessed it themselves, they would not have believed it.


    Coming to his senses, Jiang You hurriedly rode away on his bicycle, his heart still pounding. Thinking back to that moment, he remained shaken, having narrowly escaped death''s grasp. If the car had moved another meter forward, he would have lost his life today.


    Returning to the Dolphin Company office, Jiang You still couldn''t calm down. Anyone who came that close to death wouldn''t regain theirposure so quickly.


    "What''s wrong? Didn''t the negotiations go well?" Zhang Xun noticed Jiang You''s pale expression and guessed that today''s affairs hadn''t proceeded smoothly.


    Jiang You shook his head, took a deep breath to steady himself, and said, "No, everything went well. She''lle to thepany tomorrow morning to sign the contract. Contact the others and secure the servers."


    "Then why do you look so unsettled?" In Zhang Xun''s impression, Jiang You had always beenposed: a key reason he agreed to start this venture with him.


    "On my way back, a car suddenly charged at me. I barely avoided getting hit," Jiang You briefly recounted the incident, still finding it unbelievable. The car was no more than a meter away, and even with the best brakes, it shouldn''t have been able to stop so abruptly.


    "You really have a charmed life," Zhang Xun patted Jiang You''s shoulder with augh. "As the saying goes, ''great fortune follows great peril.'' It seems ourpany is destined for greatness."


    Jiang Youughed, "Go get the others. I have good news to announce."


    "Got it." Zhang Xun walked out of the office with a smile.


    When everyone had gathered, Jiang You informed them about Ling Yue''s investment in thepany.


    "Brother Jiang, the investor is a woman?" The others looked surprised upon hearing this.


    "What''s with those expressions? What''s wrong with a woman?" Jiang You frowned at them disapprovingly.


    Theyughed awkwardly. "No, it''s just unexpected for a woman to have such boldness."


    "Yeah, ourpany just started and hasn''t really taken off yet."


    "She has that much faith in us, without worrying about losing such a huge investment?"


    Thinking of Ling Yue, a faint smile appeared on Jiang You''s lips. "She''s different from ordinary girls. Not only is she willing to invest in ourpany, but she also offered many useful suggestions." He repeated Ling Yue''s words verbatim.


    "Is she a genius toe up with such great ideas?"


    "When is sheing? I''d love to meet her."


    "Me too."


    "Tomorrow at nine in the morning," Jiang You replied with a smile, also looking forward to the meeting.


    Meanwhile, Yukihiko Oda was enraged upon receiving the news. He mmed the phone down, cursing, "Useless fools!" He had originally nned a car ident to kill Jiang You. With Jiang You gone, he had ways to make the others at Dolphin Companyply. However, not only was Jiang You unharmed, but he also lost one of his men.


    The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He pped the desk in fury and called for his men.


    Two subordinates entered, bowing respectfully. "Master!"


    Yukihiko Oda red at them. "Tonight, infiltrate Dolphin Company and kidnap Jiang You. Take him to the suburbs." He made a throat-slitting gesture.


    "Yes, sir!" the two men answered in unison.


    Yukihiko Oda waved his hand dismissively, a cold smile ying on his lips. He always got what he wanted. Since Jiang You refused to cooperate, he would eliminate him. His target was Dolphin Company, with or without Jiang You.


    After finishing his work, Jiang You shut down hisputer and left the office. Tonight, he nned to stay at thepany, which had sleeping quarters. During the initial stages of establishing thepany, they often worked overnight, so he had set up beds in a few spare rooms for such asions.

 Chapter 39: Fail Again

    <h4>Chapter 39</h4>


    As Jiang You pushed open the door and entered the lounge, he had just closed the door behind him when he sensed someone was there. He quickly turned around to see two tall men dressed in ck standing in front of him. rmed, he took a few steps back. "Who are you?"


    The men in ck stared coldly at Jiang You, took out knives, and menacingly waved them. "Come with us, or don''t me us for being impolite." Although their goal was to eliminate Jiang You, acting here would be different from acting in the suburbs.


    Jiang You stepped back again until his back was against the wall. He took out his phone. "If you don''t leave, I''ll call the police."


    The men in ck sneered coldly, ying with the knives in their hands. "You''re wee to try. Let''s see if you can call the police faster than our knives reach you."


    Jiang You clenched his fists, trying to calm himself down. "If you have any demands, just say them. As long as I can do it, I''ll agree to anything, as long as you don''t hurt me."


    "Come with us."


    "Just say what you want to say here." Jiang You''s mind raced, looking for a way to escape. He nced at the window nearby. The door was closed, leaving only the window as an escape route, but this was the second floor. Jumping would certainly cause injury, but it was his only hope now.


    With that thought, he dashed towards the window.


    Seeing this, the two men rushed at Jiang You. The area below thepany was crowded. If Jiang You jumped out, it would certainly cause amotion, and their mission today would fail. Thinking of how ruthless their superior could be in punishing them, the two men shuddered involuntarily.


    Jiang You forced open the window, preparing to climb out, but the two men in ck had already reached him, their knives thrusting towards his back.


    Jiang You could even hear the sound of the knives slicing through the air. Was he really unable to escape?


    At that moment, he heard two heavy thuds behind him.


    Jiang You turned around, puzzled, and saw an unbelievable sight that made his mouth hang open. The two men in ck were lying on the ground, their own knives stabbed into their bodies, blood gushing out.


    It took Jiang You a while toe to his senses. He hurriedly took out his phone and called the police.


    After the two men in ck were taken away and Jiang You had given his statement at the police station, he still felt like he was in a dream as he left. He had narrowly escaped death twice today, and the circumstances of both escapes were quite bizarre.


    Recalling what Ling Yue had told him earlier, he touched his forehead. "Could I really have a ck mark on my forehead?"


    He took out the talisman Ling Yue had given him and saw that two corners of the previously intact talisman had turned ck. Connecting this to his two narrow escapes, Jiang You was deeply shaken. "This talisman really worked." His respect for Ling Yue grew, and he was once again convinced that she was no ordinary person. He had to get on good terms with her.


    Yukihiko Oda received a call informing him that not only had his two subordinates failed their mission, but they had also stabbed themselves. Furious, smoke seemed to pour out of the seven orifices of his head.


    "Damn it! I can''t believe they can''t even handle a small fry like Jiang You." Yukihiko Oda''s face twisted as he paced around the room, thinking of ways to deal with Jiang You. But before that, he had to take care of his two injured men, lest they cause him trouble.


    He walked to the desk, picked up the phone, and made a call, telling the person on the other end a few things. A satisfied smile appeared on his lips. As for Jiang You, he could let him live for two more days. Once the person Yukihiko found arrived, that would be Jiang You''s death date.


    Jiang You didn''t sleep all night and got up before five o''clock. He carefully reviewed the contract he had drafted several times, triple-checking that there were no omissions, before finally putting it away in the drawer with relief.


    He nced at his watch and saw that it was only a little past seven o''clock. He shook his head helplessly. "Why is time passing so slowly?" He was eager to see Ling Yue and ask her if she had any more talismans that she could give him. After his two near-death experiences yesterday, he felt uneasy.


    Finally, at 8:30 a.m., Jiang You arrived at thepany entrance, craning his neck and eagerly awaiting Ling Yue''s arrival. Before, he felt that a morning passed quickly, but today, he felt like time was dragging on endlessly.


    Atst, he spotted a familiar figure and broke into a happy smile, quickly walking over to greet Ling Yue. "You''re finally here. Please,e in."

 Chapter 40: Signing a contract

    <h4>Chapter 40</h4>


    Under Jiang You''s guidance, Ling Yue entered the office building and arrived at hispany on the second floor. Thepany was notrge in scale. After passing through a ss door, they arrived at the employees'' workspace, where rows of desks were neatly arranged. A dozen or so young people were intently staring at theirputer screens, their fingers rapidly typing on the keyboards.


    Seeing Jiang You entering with Ling Yue, they merely nced at them before returning to their work. At present, thepany''s server was unstable, and with countless users downloading and registering their software every day, the slightest carelessness could cause the server to crash. They had to be extremely careful.


    "Thispany was co-founded by me and some friends. The offices ahead are for us few partners. That''s my office, those are the lounges where we sometimes sleep when workingte, and that''s the storage room for office supplies," Jiang You exined to Ling Yue as they walked.


    "This is the conference room. They''re all waiting to meet you inside," said Jiang You as he opened the door.


    The chatting young people turned their heads toward the entrance upon hearing the sound. Seeing Jiang You entering with Ling Yue, their gazes fell on her, filled with curiosity, inquiry, astonishment, and disbelief.


    They knew the investor of theirpany was a woman, but she waspletely different from what they had imagined. Ling Yue wore a simple T-shirt and jeans, with a cap covering her head. Apart from her eyes, her face was concealed behind a mask. However, those eyes were beautiful, with long, curled, dense ckshes, and a brilliant, starry gaze that seemed to flow with a hint of mystery.


    Jiang You guided Ling Yue to the main seat as his gaze swept over the seated crowd. "Let me introduce her to you all. This is Ling Yue, our investor and also our boss. Let''s wee her with a round of apuse."


    Apuse erupted. A slight smile appeared in Ling Yue''s phoenix eyes. "Thank you, everyone! I''m delighted to be one of you, and let''s work together to create a brilliant future."


    Another round of apuse followed, with everyone''s eyes reflecting eagerness toward Ling Yue. She exuded an innate persuasive aura that seemed to demand obedience, even though her appearance was concealed, those eyes alonepelled submission.


    "Ms. Ling! Here''s the contract, please have a look," said Jiang You, handing Ling Yue the pre-prepared contract.


    Ling Yue took the contract, carefully scanned the contents, nodded, and unhesitatingly signed her name. Her calligraphy was bold and powerful, radiating an imperious air.


    Jiang You''s eyes flickered, his admiration for Ling Yue growing. As the saying went, one''s calligraphy reflected their character, and from Ling Yue''s signature, he could tell she was no ordinary person.


    After putting down her pen, Ling Yue returned the contract to Jiang You.


    Jiang You smiled as he collected the contract. "Ms. Ling! Let me introduce everyone: Zhang Tao, Xu Mo, Liang Yifeng, Yang Zheng, Hu Yunhua, and Zhang Xun."


    Ling Yue nodded and smiled at them. She had heard from Jiang You the previous day that hispany was established by him and several young people sharing the same dream, believing that one day, the inte would change the world.


    After a brief meeting during which Ling Yue transferred funds to thepany''s ount, she said, "I won''t participate much in thepany''s decisions. Jiang You will remain in charge of thepany''s affairs." She simply wanted to be a hands-off investor.


    After the meeting, Jiang You brought Ling Yue back to his office and told her about the previous day''s events. "Ms. Ling, do you still have that talisman? Could you give me two more?"


    Ling Yue seemed not to have heard Jiang You''s words as her fingers lightly tapped on the desk. "Do you think the first incident was an ident or deliberate?"


    Jiang You pondered for a moment. "It was probably Yukihiko Oda''s doing. He wanted to invest in mypany, but I refused, so he tried to get rid of me." Recalling the previous day''s events still made him shudder. If not for the talisman Ling Yue had given him, he might not be in this world anymore.


    "So, what do you n to do about him?" Ling Yue raised her eyebrows as she looked at Jiang You. If it were her, she would never give her enemy another chance to harm her.


    Jiang You contemted for a while. "Of course, I don''t want any involvement with him. If possible, I hope never to see him again."


    Ling Yue smiled faintly. "Then follow your heart and don''t give him another chance."


    Jiang You paused briefly. "You mean to make him disappear from this world, but how should I do that?" He also wanted Yukihiko Oda to vanish, but he had no power or influence. How could he deal with Yukihiko Oda?


    Ling Yue tapped on the keyboard. "Your technical skills should be decent, right?"


    Jiang You''s eyes lit up. "I understand." He had interacted with Yukihiko Oda a few times and always felt that Yukihiko Oda was not a simple businessman.


    Ling Yue gave Jiang You an approving look before standing up to make way for him.


    Jiang You opened hisputer and rapidly typed on the keyboard. Soon, he found information rted to Yukihiko Oda and carefully examined it. "He''s indeed not a simple businessman." As he had suspected, Yukihiko Oda had an agenda foring to Xia Country.


    He emailed the information to the relevant authorities, believing they would not sit idly after seeing Yukihiko Oda''s background. Even if they couldn''t sanction him, deporting him back to his country was certain.


    "Thank you, Ms. Ling!" Jiang You stood up and gratefully bowed to Ling Yue. Without her, not only himself but also thepany would have been in jeopardy.


    Ling Yue handed Jiang You a talisman. "I estimate Yukihiko Oda will still try to harm you, so don''t let your guard down." She noticed the ck aura on Jiang You''s forehead had not dissipated but had instead be denser.


    Jiang You excitedly epted the talisman. "I won''t be careless. May I ask where this talisman was bought? I''d like to get a few more."


    "I made them myself. It''s gettingte, so I''ll be going." Ling Yue nced at the clock on the wall before heading out. She had promised Mrs. Xu that she would return for lunch.


    "Someone will be sending over a lunch box soon. Eat first before leaving," said Jiang You, hoping to spend more time with Ling Yue.


    "No need, maybe next time." Ling Yue shook her head in refusal.


    "Then let me walk you out."


    Jiang You escorted Ling Yue out of thepany and watched her figure gradually disappear into the crowd before slowly turning his gaze away. Meeting Ling Yue was truly his good fortune.


    As he turned to head back to thepany, a voice called out to him.


    Jiang You paused and saw that the caller was a schrly-looking young man, apanied by another person who exuded an air of importance, suggesting a significant identity.

 Chapter 41: Rejection

    <h4>Chapter 41</h4>


    "Do you have any business?" Jiang You showed a professional smile.


    The two men approached Jiang You, "Hello Mr. Jiang! We''vee to discuss a potential partnership with you. This is our CEO, Mr. Zhou."


    Xu Qing introduced the man beside him, Zhou Mucheng. He was Zhou Mucheng''s personal assistant.


    Zhou Mucheng gave a slight nod. He had analyzed Jiang You''spany and thought it had great potential, so he nned to invest in Jiang You''spany, or directly acquire it to make it part of the Zhou Family''s business.


    He had reviewed Jiang You''s background. Jiang You graduated from Oxford University and had returned from abroad just two years ago. He was a rare talent. Zhou Mucheng had always valued talent, so he would assign Jiang You an important role in the future.


    Jiang You nced at the two men, "Please,e in!" As guests, he couldn''t reject them at the door, and he also wanted to know their purpose for seeking him out.


    Leading Zhou Mucheng and Xu Qing into his office, "Would you like tea or coffee?" Pulling all-nighters wasmon in their line of work, so tea and coffee were essential.


    Xu Qing looked to Zhou Mucheng to decide.


    "Tea," Zhou Mucheng said tly.


    Jiang You poured a pot of Longjing green tea from the teapot on the coffee table, serving Zhou Mucheng, Xu Qing, and himself each a cup. "What brings you gentlemen to mypany today?"


    Zhou Mucheng gestured for Xu Qing to speak. Xu Qing nodded and began, "Mr. Jiang! We''vee to discuss a potential partnership with you. Our CEO Mr. Zhou is interested in investing one billion into yourpany, bing the highest controlling shareholder. Alternatively, you could choose to sell yourpany directly to Mr. Zhou, and we would provide you with a satisfactory price based on its market value."


    Jiang You took a sip of tea before slowly replying, "You gentlemen are toote. I''ve already found an investor and signed a contract with them. Perhaps we can partner another time."


    Zhou Mucheng''s face darkened with displeasure. "We have more advantages to offer. You should reconsider." If not for seeing the potential in Dolphin Company, he wouldn''t havee in person today.


    "I think my current partner is excellent, so I don''t wish to change partners for now. She''s already the highest shareholder in mypany." Jiang You knew Zhou Mucheng''s status was significant, and partnering with him would have many benefits, but he still preferred to work with Ling Yue.


    "Mr. Jiang, you should consider this carefully. Our CEO is from the Zhou Family of Jing City," Xu Qing said with a hint of threat in his tone. The Zhou Family was one of the Four Great Families in Jing City, and no one dared offend them.


    A look of surprise shed across Jiang You''s face. He had guessed Zhou Mucheng''s status wasn''t simple, but he didn''t expect him to be from the Zhou Family, one of the four most powerful families in Jing City.


    "I''ll give you one day to consider." Zhou Mucheng stood up and strode out of the office with his long legs.


    "Mr. Jiang, you should think this over carefully," Xu Qing said before following Zhou Mucheng out.


    Jiang You sat on the couch, staring nkly at the tea cup in front of him. He couldn''t afford to offend the Zhou Family, but Ling Yue was his life-saver and the first person willing to invest in hispany. He couldn''t let her down.


    His gaze gradually grew determined. If worse came to worst, thepany would go bankrupt.


    Jiang You stood up and walked to his desk to grab his phone, nning to call Ling Yue and tell her about what had just happened.


    But before he could dial, "Bang!" The sound of shattering ss rang out as a bullet pierced through the window, heading straight for Jiang You''s head.


    Jiang You had no time to react before the bullet nearly reached him. But when it was just ten centimeters away, the bullet suddenly stopped in midair, as if it hade to life, and turned around to retrace its path.


    The man lying prone on the rooftop of the opposite building smirked triumphantly. He was a world-ss assassin ranked in the top ten, and he had never missed a target before, so this job would be just as easy as his previous ones. In fact, this assignment was so simplepared to his usual jobs that he wondered if his employer was just trying to pay him extra money.


    But in the next moment, his eyes widened in disbelief as a fresh, red hole appeared in his forehead, oozing crimson liquid.


    "How could this be..." The man fell lifelessly.


    Jiang You wiped the cold sweat from his brow, having clearly felt the breath of death just then. Fortunately, he had the protective charm Ling Yue had given him.


    After calming himself, Jiang You called Ling Yue.


    Zhou Mucheng settled into his car and nced at the office building in the distance. "Find out who signed the contract with Jiang You."


    "Yes, sir." Xu Qing respectfully acknowledged and started the car.


    Ling Yue was walking home when her phone rang in her pocket. Seeing it was Jiang You calling, she answered, "What is it?"


    "Ms. Ling! The Zhou Family just came to see me. They wanted to invest in thepany, but I rejected them." Jiang You recounted the details of what had happened.


    "Don''t worry about them," Ling Yue said coldly before hanging up. If Zhou Mucheng dared to make a move against Dolphin Company, she would make him pay dearly for it.

 Chapter 42: The Identity of Her Mother

    <h4>Chapter 42</h4>


    "Young Miss, you''re back. We can have dinner now." Granny Xu brought the chicken soup to the table and went to prepare bowls and chopsticks for Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue washed her hands in the washbasin and walked to the table to sit down. "There are so many dishes today, and even chicken soup."


    "Young Miss, have a chicken leg." Granny Xu put a chicken leg in Ling Yue''s bowl, smiling affectionately at her.


    "You have some too, Granny Xu." Ling Yue served Granny Xu the other chicken leg.


    "I don''t need any. You eat, Young Miss, and replenish your body." Granny Xu pushed the chicken leg back. She had already contacted the other side, believing that someone woulde to treat the Young Miss''s injuries very soon.


    "If you''re not eating, then I won''t eat either." Ling Yue picked up the chicken leg from her bowl, about to put it back in the y pot.


    Granny Xu shook her head helplessly. "Alright, I''ll eat."


    Ling Yue smiled and put the chicken leg in Granny Xu''s bowl. "That''s better."


    Granny Xu looked at Ling Yue with helpless adoration. "Young Miss, someone wille to treat your injuries in a few days." She felt she should tell the Young Miss in advance, to mentally prepare her. After all, the visitor was the Young Miss''s close rtive and had the right to know. However, she didn''t know if they would be willing to acknowledge the Young Miss.


    Initially, the Young Miss had snuck down the mountain and met Ling Tianzheng, falling in love with him at first sight. She insisted on marrying him against her family''s objections. The Lord and Lady were furious, giving the Young Miss two choices: either marry Ling Tianzheng but never contact her family again or tell him anything about them, or never see Ling Tianzheng again.


    The Young Miss resolutely chose to be with Ling Tianzheng. Although angry, the Lord and Lady ultimately couldn''t let go of their daughter, so they let Granny Xu stay by her side to care for her. But Ling Tianzheng had eventually betrayed the Young Miss, and Granny Xu truly felt the Young Miss didn''t deserve that.


    Ling Yue looked up at Granny Xu. "No need. I can just apply some herbs myself."


    "That won''t do. Young Miss, you must listen to me this time." Granny Xu''s tone was unusually firm.


    "Alright, I''ll listen to you." Ling Yue lowered her head and took a bite of the chicken leg. Granny Xu was her only family in this world. As long as she was happy, that was enough. As for her injuries, she could always brew a disguise talismanter if needed.


    "Young Miss, there''s something I need to tell you." Granny Xu put down her chopsticks and looked at Ling Yue seriously.


    Ling Yue nodded and also put down her chopsticks, waiting for Granny Xu to speak.


    "Young Miss, the personing to treat your injuries this time is from your maternal family. Your mother is not an ordinary person but the youngdy of one of the Three Great Hidden World Families, the Valley of Divine Doctors. Your maternal grandfather is the Patriarch of Valley of Divine Doctors."


    Ling Yue nodded slightly, showing no sign of surprise. She had already sensed something unusual about Granny Xu. Although already in her sixties, Granny Xu had excellent vigor and spirit, and Ling Yue could sense an inner energy from her, so she knew Granny Xu was not as simple as she appeared.


    "Young Miss, if the Lord and Lady are willing to acknowledge you, would you like to return to the Valley of Divine Doctors?" Granny Xu looked at Ling Yue with a hint of apprehension. She knew the Lord and Lady doted on the Young Miss, but she was concerned they might not like Ling Yue since she was Ling Tianzheng''s daughter.


    "We''ll see when the timees. Let''s eat for now." Ling Yue didn''t care about having family or not. She wasn''t the original soul in this body and only wanted to live happily in this world. As for rtives, if they acknowledged her, having more family members didn''t matter. If not, she wouldn''t force them.


    Granny Xu looked at Ling Yue for a long while, then picked up her chopsticks and began eating. It was good that the Young Miss felt this way.


    The summer breeze blew gently, but even people shading themselves with parasols could not escape the scorching heat of the sun.


    Inside the air-conditioned room, the gentle cool breeze made the entire space refreshingly cool. Yukihiko Oda was sitting on the sofa, drinking red wine and chatting on the phone in a rxed manner. "Things are almost settled on my end. Once Jiang You is dead, Dolphin Company will be ours."


    "I''ve hired someone. Jiang You won''t live past today." He had repeatedly suffered losses at Jiang You''s hands, so he could finally vent his frustrations.


    Yukihiko Oda heard somemotion outside and frowned in displeasure. After saying a few words to the person on the phone, he hung up and stood to go check what was happening.


    As soon as he opened the room door, he saw a few uniformed officers standing at the entrance. Yukihiko Oda was taken aback for a moment, then put on a friendly smile. "Can I help you officers?"


    One of the uniformed officers held up an arrest warrant. "Yukihiko Oda, you are suspected of illegally entering our country to steal important military information. Pleasee with us."


    Yukihiko Oda nced at the arrest warrant in the officer''s hand and smiled faintly. "I''m just an ordinary businessman. I haven''t done anything illegal. Isn''t this a misunderstanding?" He was a spy from Wo Country who hade to Xia Country posing as a businessman to steal military information. However, he had been very discreet, and his identity documents were ssified. Aside from the highest leadership in his country, no one knew his true identity. He wanted to acquire Dolphin Company to facilitate his operations.

 Chapter 43: The Shield

    <h4>Chapter 43</h4>


    "Yukihiko Oda, please cooperate, or we will enforce it by force," the uniformed officer warned sternly. They were from Xia Country, and they would never forget the numerous atrocitiesmitted by the people of Wo Country in Xia Country years ago.


    Yukihiko Oda pursed his lips, suppressing the anger in his heart. "I would like to make a phone call."


    "You don''t have that right now," the uniformed officer said, no longer wasting words with Yukihiko Oda. They stepped forward and pushed Yukihiko Oda from both sides.


    Yukihiko Oda struggled furiously, shouting angrily, "I am an international friend! You have no right to treat me like this. I will file aint with the Foreign Ministry about you."


    The uniformed officers remained impassive, saying nothing. Their task was to take Yukihiko Oda to where he was supposed to go, and others would be responsible for what happened next.


    No matter how Yukihiko Oda protested, he was still put into a car and taken away.


    That evening, an interrogation was conducted, and after confirming his crime, Yukihiko Oda was immediately deported back to Wo Country and cklisted, forever forbidden from setting foot in Xia Country again.


    As Yukihiko Oda sat on the ne returning to Wo Country, just as he stepped off the ne, he suddenly suffered a myocardial infarction and died despite attempts to save him.


    Ling Yue watched the news broadcast and learned of Yukihiko Oda''s death, a faint smile curving her lips. Jiang You was now her business partner, and Yukihiko Oda had repeatedly tried to kill Jiang You, so how could she leave such a scourge alive? As the saying goes, if you don''t cut the grass from the roots, the spring breeze will make it grow again.


    As soon as Jiang You saw the news, he called Ling Yue, his voice full of excitement, "Director Ling, I just saw the news. Yukihiko Oda was deported back to his country, and he had a heart attack and died as soon as he got off the ne."


    "I saw it," Ling Yue said, ncing at the television. The news broadcast had ended, and she stood up and turned off the television. She watched the news broadcast every day after dinner, as it helped her better understand the world.


    "The wicked reap what they sow," Jiang You said with a happyugh. "Oh, I have good news for you. Thepany''s new server has arrived. With the new server, we won''t have to worry about the registration of too many users causing the server to crash anymore. Our user base has also exceeded 200 million."


    Everything that had happened that day was good news, giving Jiang You a surreal feeling. Ever since he met Ling Yue, it was as if he had been favored by the goddess of fortune, with good news after good news, and problems that were previously unsolvable were now easily resolved. Perhaps Ling Yue really was his benefactor in life.


    On the other side, Zhou Mucheng was listening to Xu Qing''s report.


    "Mr. Zhou! I''ve found out that the person who invested one billion yuan in Jiang You''spany is Ling Yue."


    Zhou Mucheng was slightly taken aback. "The Ling Yue you''re referring to is the one I know?"


    Ling Yue had made a fortune from gambling on gemstones that day, but based on his understanding of her, he didn''t think she would have such foresight.


    "Yes, it''s her," Xu Qing said, also surprised when he discovered it was Ling Yue. He had seen Ling Yue many times, and every time, she always kept her head down, looking like she didn''t dare face people. How did she be so confident and intelligent after being disfigured by the fire? Not only did she gamble on gemstones, but she also understood investing. If she had been this outstanding before her disfigurement, Mr. Zhou wouldn''t have called off their engagement.


    "So it really is her," Zhou Mucheng said, aplex emotion shing in his deep eyes. Thest time he saw Ling Yue, he felt she had changed and became unfamiliar, as if she were a different person. Could it be that one truly had to experience death to change so drastically?


    "Do you know her phone number?" Zhou Mucheng wanted to meet with Ling Yue and have a proper conversation with her, as well as formally apologize to her. His calling off the engagement had indeed caused some harm to Ling Yue, but if given another chance, he would make the same decision because he and Ling Yue didn''t have feelings for each other, and forcing themselves to be together would not bring happiness.


    Xu Qing gave Zhou Mucheng Ling Yue''s phone number.


    Zhou Mucheng wrote down the number and ended the call, then dialed Ling Yue''s number. As he listened to the waiting tone, a sense of nervousness and anticipation welled up within him. Would she be happy to receive his call? Would she call him "Brother Mucheng" like she used to?


    At that moment, Ling Yue''s indifferent voice came from the other end of the line, "Hello!"


    "Ling Yue, it''s me, Zhou Mucheng. I want to meet with you. I have something to tell you."


    "There''s no need. We have nothing to discuss. That''s all." Ling Yue hung up the phone and immediately set Zhou Mucheng''s number to reject iing calls.


    Zhou Mucheng frowned and called Ling Yue again, but no matter what, he couldn''t get through. He realized that Ling Yue must have cklisted his phone number.


    He picked up the desk phone and dialed Ling Yue''s number, and this time, he was able to get through.


    Ling Yue nced at her constantly ringing phone, knowing it must be Zhou Mucheng calling. She pressed the reject button and cklisted the number again. Since they were no longer in a rtionship, there was no need for further contact.


    Zhou Mucheng angrily hung up the phone. Since she wouldn''t answer his calls, he would go find her in person tomorrow.


    At that moment, his phone rang, and Zhou Mucheng picked it up irritably. Seeing that it was Ling Meng''s number, he thought for a moment and answered.


    "Brother Mucheng, can youe and see me? I''m having surgery tomorrow, and I''m so scared," Ling Meng''s pitiful voice came through the phone.


    "I have an important meeting tomorrow. If I have time after the meeting, I''lle and see you," Zhou Mucheng said dismissively.


    "Okay, but you must make time toe. I miss you so much," Ling Meng''s voice carried a hint of coyness.


    "We''ll see tomorrow," Zhou Mucheng said coldly and hung up.


    Hearing the call disconnect, Ling Meng was so angry that she nearly bit through her dental crowns, identally pulling at the wound on her face and causing her entire face to contort in pain.


    Tears streamed down uncontrobly, her eyes filled with resentment. In this lifetime, she had to have Zhou Mucheng, and she had to make him her husband.


    In her previous life, without the fire, Ling Yue and Zhou Mucheng smoothlypleted their wedding. Although Zhou Mucheng didn''t love Ling Yue, he treated her well, and they had two children together, living a very fulfilling life.


    In this life, the position of Mrs. Zhou would definitely be hers. Once her injuries healed and her appearance recovered, she would find a way to make Zhou Mucheng take responsibility for her. The Zhou family cared deeply about face, and they would definitely make Zhou Mucheng be responsible for her.


    With this thought, Ling Meng let out a lowugh. "Zhou Mucheng, you belong to me. You can''t escape. In this lifetime, you can only belong to me."


    Zhou Mucheng, who was sitting on the balcony enjoying the night view, suddenly shuddered for no apparent reason. A flicker of doubt crossed his eyes. The weather forecast said it would be 34 degrees tonight, so why did he suddenly feel a chill?

 Chapter 44: Cousin

    <h4>Chapter 44</h4>


    After a night of cultivation, Ling Yue felt that her strength had increased again. When she heard movementing from inside the house, she knew it was Granny Xu getting up. She rose from under the tree and walked towards the room.


    Not long after, Ling Yue heard Granny Xu closing the courtyard gate and leaving to buy groceries. Every morning, Granny Xu would take a basket to the nearby vegetable market to buy ingredients, thene back and make breakfast for her.


    Ling Yue dragged a washbasin from under the bed and went to the well to fetch a basin of well water. She brought it back to the room and took a bath, changing into a fresh set of clothes. Last night''s cultivation had left her body covered in grime once again.


    Just as she was about to take the wet clothes to the well to wash them, there was a gentle knock at the courtyard gate.


    "Who could that be so early?" Ling Yue tossed the clothes she had just changed out of into the washbasin and walked out of the room to open the gate. Outside stood a tall, handsome young man with a noble and aloof air about him. One could tell at a nce that he was of extraordinary birth. "Who are you looking for?" she asked.


    "You must be Ling Yue," the young man said, his gaze resting on her phoenix-like eyes. Those eyes were so much like her aunt''s. He was already nine years old when his aunt left the Valley of Divine Doctors, so his memory of her was still quite vivid.


    "I am. And who are you?" Ling Yue recalled what Granny Xu had mentioned before and immediately made a guess about the young man''s identity.


    "I''m your cousin Lan Ji, and I''vee to treat your injuries this time." Lan Ji examined the bandages wrapped around Ling Yue''s face. His grandmother had received a letter from Granny Xu, informing them that his aunt had passed away, leaving behind a daughter who had been disfigured by a fire. His grandmother had cried for a long time before sending him to treat his cousin''s injuries. If his cousin was willing, he would take her back to the Valley of Divine Doctors.


    "Come in," Ling Yue said, stepping aside to let Lan Ji enter.


    Lan Ji walked into the small courtyard, looking around. Although the courtyard was notrge, it was arranged in a cozy and peaceful manner. There was arge banyan tree in the middle, with a table and chairs set up beneath it. On such a day, sitting under the tree and enjoying the cool breeze with a few slices of watermelon would be perfect.


    "Have you had breakfast yet?" Ling Yue asked, gesturing for Lan Ji to take a seat under the tree.


    The morning wasn''t too hot yet, and the gentle breeze under the tree was quite pleasant.


    Lan Ji smiled and shook his head, his gaze never leaving Ling Yue. "Not yet." He had left the Valley of Divine Doctors the night before and rushed straight here to Jing City, eager to see his cousin as soon as possible, so he hadn''t had a chance to eat breakfast.


    "Granny Xu will be back soon. We''ll eat together then." Ling Yue went inside and poured a pot of tea, filling a cup for Lan Ji and herself. This tea was the new harvest that Liu Yan had gifted her the other day, saying it had a nice vor.


    Lan Ji picked up the cup and took a sip. The tea was light and sweet. "This tea isn''t bad at all."


    Ling Yue took a small sip. "A friend gave it to me."


    "Yue Yue, can you show me the injury on your face? The letter said it was quite severe." Lan Ji set down his cup. His primary concern at the moment was the injury to Ling Yue''s face, and he was determined to heal her.


    Ling Yue picked up the teapot and topped up Lan Ji''s cup with a bit more tea. "Let''s take a look after breakfast." She had only wrapped bandages around her face for now, and beneath the bandages, her face didn''t have a single blemish. If she showed it to him now, wouldn''t that give everything away?


    "You don''t need to be afraid of scaring me. I''m a doctor; I''ve seen all kinds of injuries before," Lan Ji said with concern, gazing at Ling Yue. Girls care about their appearance, and she must have been devastated to have her face disfigured by the fire. And that Zhou Mu Cheng was truly despicable, actually breaking off the engagement with her cousin simply because she was disfigured. When he saw Zhou Mu Cheng, he would definitely give him a good lesson.


    "We''ll look in a bit. Granny Xu is back." Ling Yue heard the familiar footsteps outside the gate and knew it was Granny Xu returning with the groceries.


    The courtyard gate opened, and Granny Xu entered carrying a basket. Seeing Lan Ji, she paused in surprise. "You are...?"


    Lan Ji stood up and gave Granny Xu a smile. "Granny Xu, it''s me, Lan Ji. It''s been a long time." He did have some memory of Granny Xu. Back then, his grandmother was worried that his aunt would be bullied living alone in the Ling Family, so she had Granny Xu go and stay with his aunt. In the blink of an eye, twenty years had passed. Time really did fly.


    Granny Xu''s eyes immediately turned red. She took a step forward. "Young Master Lan Ji, have youe to treat our youngdy''s injuries?"


    "Yes, Grandmother instructed me toe and treat Yue Yue''s injuries." Lan Ji nced at Ling Yue. "The letter said the Ling Family doesn''t acknowledge Yue Yue as their own."


    "That''s right. The Ling Family even issued a statement saying our youngdy has no blood rtion to Ling Tian Zheng." Just mentioning this made Granny Xu angry. The youngdy had done so much for Ling Tian Zheng, only to be betrayed by him in the end. And on top of that, because the youngdy was disfigured, the Zhou Family broke off the engagement. Yet Ling Tian Zheng had the audacity to dere that the youngdy was not his daughter, which was lower than a beast.


    "The Ling Family really is despicable. Yue Yue, do you want to destroy the Ling Family?" Lan Ji turned to Ling Yue. The moment he read the letter, he had thought of destroying the Ling Family. However, this decision ultimately rested with Yue Yue, as Ling Tian Zheng was her biological father.


    Granny Xu also looked at Ling Yue.


    A faint smile appeared on Ling Yue''s face. "Of course." From the beginning, she had never intended to remain in the Ling Family. It was just that her current abilities were limited, so she had to bide her time.


    A look of admiration shed in Lan Ji''s eyes. "Then I''ll help you destroy the Ling Family." He had been worried that Yue Yue might hesitate due to her rtionship with the Ling Family, but it seemed she was more resolute than he had imagined.


    "Good." Ling Yue nodded. She had originally nned to take things slowly, but now that Lan Ji possessed such capabilities, why give the Ling Family more time? A swift and decisive victory was the best solution, lestplications arise.


    "Yue Yue, you are quite beyond my expectations." Lan Ji gazed at Ling Yue with admiration and delight in his eyes. This cousin was bing more and more likable the more he saw of her. She certainly embodied the Lan Family''s motto of repaying grievances ten-fold. The Lan Family had always believed in not offending others unnecessarily, but if wronged, they would strike back with multiplied force.


    "You two chat. I''ll go make breakfast." Granny Xu took the basket to the kitchen to prepare the meal, listening happily to the conversation between Ling Yue and Lan Ji outside.


    Lan Ji and Ling Yue chatted about various topics, and the more they talked, the more they found they had inmon.


    "Yue Yue, I didn''t expect you to be so well-read," Lan Ji said, growing fonder of Ling Yue by the minute. He wished he could take her back to the Valley of Divine Doctors right away.

 Chapter 45: The Lesson

    <h4>Chapter 45</h4>


    "Knock knock knock!" The sound of knocking interrupted the two people''s conversation.


    Lan Ji stood up displeased and went to open the door.


    Zhou Mucheng saw the person opening the door and was momentarily stunned. He stepped back twice, checked the room number to make sure he wasn''t mistaken, "Is Ling Yue here?"


    "You''re Zhou Mucheng?" Lan Ji''s unfriendly gaze fell upon Zhou Mucheng. He looked decent but didn''t act like a decent person.


    "Who are you?" Zhou Mucheng saw Ling Yue behind Lan Ji and tried to step inside.


    But Lan Ji blocked him, "This ce is not for dogs like you to enter."


    Zhou Mucheng got angry and threw a punch at Lan Ji. His martial skills were quite formidable, which was why his family had designated him as the future head of the Zhou family.


    Of course, he also had a secret identity unknown to others - the leader of the Fighting Wolves Group, the strongest mysterious force in Xia Country. Every member was carefully selected, and it was no exaggeration to say that each one had the power to take on a hundred opponents.


    Lan Ji disdainfully curled his lips and met Zhou Mucheng''s attack with his fist.


    Zhou Mucheng became more and more shocked as the fight went on. They had exchanged around twenty moves, yet he hadn''t even touched Lan Ji''s clothes, while he himself had been pummeled countless times. Just who was this person? How could he be so strong?


    Lan Ji kicked Zhou Mucheng in the stomach, and he flew out like a kite with its string cut, crashing hard against the opposite neighbor''s wall before heavily dropping to the ground, his face contorted in pain.


    Lan Ji disdainfully nced at the battered and bruised Zhou Mucheng on the ground, took out a handkerchief, and carefully wiped each finger, "Don''te looking for Yue Yue again, or I''ll beat you up every time I see you." It was good that Zhou Mucheng had broken off the engagement with Yue Yue, otherwise marrying such a waste would have been too much of an insult for Yue Yue, who deserved the best.


    Zhou Mucheng clutched his stomach and slowly climbed up from the ground, his gaze falling on Ling Yue''s face, "Ling Yue..." He wanted to know her stance. She had loved him so much before, surely she would feel pity for him now.


    Ling Yue gave Zhou Mucheng an ambiguous look and said to Lan Ji, "Don''t bother with him. Close the door, let''s go have breakfast." Even if Zhou Mucheng died right in front of her, her heart wouldn''t have the slightest ripple.


    "Alright!" Lan Ji tossed away the handkerchief, gave Zhou Mucheng a taunting smile, and shut the door in his face.


    Zhou Mucheng stared at the door in front of him, asionally hearing the sounds ofughter from inside, and a indescribable feeling welled up in his heart, as if someone was squeezing his heart, making it feel stuffy and painful.


    It seemed she really didn''t care about him anymore. Before, whenever she saw him, she would blush and sneak nces at him. If he identally bumped into something, there would be concern in her eyes, but now she remained unmoved and even closed the door in his face.


    His phone rang at that moment, and Zhou Mucheng took it out to see it was Ling Meng calling. He pressed the reject button. He didn''t want to talk to anyone right now.


    The phone rang again, and Zhou Mucheng rejected it again.


    Seeing her call rejected once more, Ling Meng''s mood instantly turned sour.


    "Meng Meng, don''t call anymore. The doctor is here, let''s go to the operating room," Yang Xiner reached out to take the phone from Ling Meng''s hand.


    "Get lost! I don''t want to see you," Ling Meng pushed Yang Xiner away. If not for her, she wouldn''t have been disfigured by the fire.


    Yang Xiner staggered a few steps before regaining her bnce, tears flowing uncontrobly. For the past few days, her daughter hated her, Ling Tianzheng didn''t speak to her either and stayed at some other woman''s ce every day. What had she done wrong? Why were they treating her like this? Everything she did was for them, wasn''t it? Where had she made a mistake?

 Chapter 46: He Misses Her So Much

    <h4>Chapter 46</h4>


    Ling Meng looked at Yang Xiner with disgust, "Stop crying and whining here, it''s annoying to see."


    Yang Xiner wiped away her tears and left the room with her head lowered, "I''ll go call the nurse to change your clothes." She knew Meng Meng was in a bad mood because of her injuries, but she had already hired the most renowned burn specialist doctor, who would definitely be able to cure Meng Meng.


    Ling Meng ignored Yang Xiner. As long as her appearance didn''t recover, she would never forgive her, nor call her mother. Her greatest wish was to marry Zhou Mucheng and be thedy of the Zhou family, but Yang Xiner had ruined all her hopes.


    Since she was hospitalized, Zhou Mucheng hadn''t visited her except for that first time, and even when she called him, he would make excuses about being busy. He must not want to see her because she was disfigured. It was all Yang Xiner''s fault. If it weren''t for her, how could she have ended up like this? She hated her to death.


    The nurse changed Ling Meng''s clothes and wheeled her into the operating room.


    Yang Xiner stood guard outside the operating room, staring at the red surgical light, her heart aching. Meng Meng was her daughter; how could she not feel heartbroken seeing her suffer?


    Thinking of the person her daughter yearned for, Yang Xiner took out her phone and called Zhou Mucheng. As long as she could get him toe to the hospital, Meng Meng would be delighted to see him aftering out of surgery.


    Zhou Mucheng was in an irritable mood. He found that Ling Yue hadpletely changed and be unrecognizable. Before, whenever she looked at him, her eyes were always filled with love, as if there was no room for anyone else in her eyes except him. But now, her gaze towards him was cold and aloof, as if he were a stranger.


    Hearing his phone ringing in his pocket, Zhou Mucheng took it out. Seeing the number, his expression immediately became serious as he answered, "This is Zhou Mucheng."


    "Come to the Fighting Wolves Group, there''s a mission." A cold, stern, and maic voice came from the other end.


    "Yes." Zhou Mucheng rushed toward his car.


    The Fighting Wolves Group was the most mysterious and powerful force in Xia Country. Every member of the Fighting Wolves Group had undergone strict selection; they were all top-notch inbat skills and various other abilities.


    Zhou Mucheng parked his car and hurried toward the office.


    Reaching the office door, Zhou Mucheng paused, took a deep breath, and knocked.


    If asked who he respected the most, apart from his grandfather, it would be the leader of the Fighting Wolves Group, Qin Lie.


    Qin Lie, like Zhou Mucheng, was a young master of one of the four great families of the capital city. However, the Qin family was the head of the four great families, with unmatched power that even the other three families couldn''t rival.


    "Enter!" A low and icy voice rang out.


    Zhou Mucheng opened the door and walked in, his gaze falling upon a man wearing a silver mask. Although the mask covered most of his face, it couldn''t conceal his striking features: a chiseled nose like a mountain ridge, a sculpted beauty; thin lips like a metal-carved de, decisive and ruthless; and eyes beneath the mask that shed with a chilling ferocity that made one avoid direct eye contact.


    "Leader!"


    Qin Lie''s cold gaze swept over Zhou Mucheng.


    Zhou Mucheng felt a chill, straightening his body even more.


    "Go run twentyps outside, thene back," Qin Lie''s emotionless voice sounded.


    "Yes!" Zhou Mucheng didn''t dare disobey and swiftly left for the training ground. In the Fighting Wolves Group, Qin Lie''s words weremands that no one could defy, or else they would be expelled. Bing a member of the Fighting Wolves Group was a dream for countless people, as it brought honor not just to the individual but also to their family.


    Qin Lie didn''t even spare Zhou Mucheng a nce, his slender fingers gripping a pen as he wrote something on the paper in front of him.


    Zhou Mucheng returned, panting afterpleting the twentyps. "Leader! I''ve finished running."


    Qin Lie tossed a file to Zhou Mucheng.


    Zhou Mucheng caught the file, saluted Qin Lie, and was about to leave when his phone rang in his pocket.


    Qin Lie''s icy gaze fell on Zhou Mucheng.


    Zhou Mucheng shuddered. Damn it, he had forgotten to turn his phone off.


    "Twentyps."


    "Yes!" Zhou Mucheng hurried outside to run. Afterpleting theps, he would have to block the caller''s number.


    Qin Lie put down his pen and looked at the painting he had justpleted. It depicted a graceful woman standing upright, dressed in a red phoenix robe, exuding a noble and icy elegance like a regal queen.


    His fingers traced the woman''s features on the painting: her captivating, shimmering eyes seemed like polished gems, radiating a luminous allure that drew one''s gaze irresistibly. "Yue, I miss you so much! Where are you?"


    He had awakened in this world ten years ago and had been living here ever since. During these ten years, he thought about her every day. In his previous life, he loved her with every fiber of his being and would have given up his life for her. However, he had a mission, and he could only choose between her and his country. So, when he learned that she intended to kill him, he willingly presented himself before her, ready to die by her hand.


    But she didn''t kill him.


    In the end, he was forced to take action, intending for her to fake her death so he could take her away and live an ordinary life with her, forever removed from worldly affairs. But he hadn''t expected that someone hadced his sword with a deadly poison, and even though he had deliberately struck askew, she still couldn''t escape death.


    "Yue, you must hate me so much. I hate myself too." A hint of redness appeared at the corners of Qin Lie''s eyes. If he could go back, he would let her kill him instead of harming her even a bit. He didn''t want Yue to hate him.


    Rolling up the painting and putting it away in a drawer, Qin Lie took out a new sheet of paper and began painting again. Over the years, he had been searching for her in secret, hoping that like him, she had also entered this world. But each time, he was met with disappointment.


    He knew he had lost her forever and could only express his longing through painting, capturing her every smile and nce on canvas, etching the painted figure deep in his heart.


    After eating, Ling Yue returned to her room for a while beforeing out to find Lan Ji and Granny Xu already waiting for her in the courtyard.


    "Yue Yue,e sit here. Let me unwrap your bandages and take a look," Lan Ji waved at Ling Yue. This time, he had brought many precious medicines, which he was confident would help Yue Yue''s facial injuries recover.


    Ling Yue sat down on the stone bench.


    Lan Ji wiped his hands with an alcohol swab and carefully began unwrapping Ling Yue''s bandages.


    Asyer afteryer of bandages was removed, a face covered in horrific wounds emerged.


    Even with prior mental preparation, the sight of Ling Yue''s face caused Lan Ji and Granny Xu''s hearts to sink: it was even worse than they had imagined.

 Chapter 47: Nasty People

    <h4>Chapter 47</h4>


    Lan Ji looked at Ling Yue with sympathy. He took out a bottle of medicinal powder from the medicine box on the table, opened it, and said to Ling Yue in a gentle voice: "This is a special injury treatment powder made by our Valley of Divine Doctors. It''s very effective, but it will sting a little when applied. Bear with it."


    "Okay." Ling Yue nodded. The wounds on her face were created by disguising talismans, looking terrifying but without any pain.


    Lan Ji carefully sprinkled the medicinal powder on Ling Yue''s face, gently applying and blowing on it.


    Ling Yue only felt a soothing coolness on her face, veryfortable.


    "Done." Lan Ji capped the bottle and handed it to Granny Xu beside him. "Granny, could you please take care of Yue-Yue''s other wounds?" Although he was a doctor, he was still a man, and Ling Yue would not agree for him to apply medicine on her body.


    "Sure, Young Master Lan Ji," Granny Xu took the bottle.


    Lan Ji took out fresh bandages from the medicine box and re-bandaged Ling Yue''s face. "Don''t wash your face or take a bath for a few days. Granny Xu and I will help you change the dressing every day. With our Valley''s medicine, your wounds should heal within a month at most. Our medicine is priceless: even the Battle Wolf Team scrambles for it."


    Besides treating Ling Yue''s injury this time, he also came to trade with the Battle Wolf Team. Last time, they ced an order with the Valley for injury treatment medicines. He had an appointment with the Team Leader to deliver the goods tomorrow.


    "Okay," Ling Yue obediently nodded.


    After Lan Ji finished bandaging Ling Yue, Granny Xu took her to the room to help change the dressings on her body. She hoped the youngdy''s wounds would heal soon and she could regain her original appearance.


    On the other side, after a long surgery, Ling Meng was pushed out of the operating room back to her ward, her face and body still heavily bandaged.


    "Doctor, how is my daughter? Will her wounds heal?" Yang Xiner approached the doctor anxiously. This doctor was an authority on burn treatment, whom she had hired at a high price.


    "She will need two more surgeries for her facial wounds to fully recover, but her appearance may be altered after healing," the doctor replied.


    "I understand." Yang Xiner saw the doctor out, then sat by Ling Meng''s bedside, watching her closed eyes. "Meng-Meng, I''ve asked the doctor. Your wounds will heal, don''t worry."


    Ling Meng turned over, not wanting to acknowledge Yang Xiner. She had heard the doctor''s words too.


    "Meng-Meng, I know you want to see Zhou Mucheng. Let me call him over now." Yang Xiner took out her phone and dialed Zhou Mucheng''s number again. She had already called dozens of times earlier, and could get through at first, but it was turned offter. She guessed Zhou Mucheng must be busy.


    Ling Meng opened her eyes and looked at Yang Xiner expectantly.


    "The number you dialed is switched off, please try againter..." Yang Xiner heard the mechanical female voice on the line and hung up helplessly. "His phone is off. He must be busy. I''ll call him againter."


    Ling Meng red at Yang Xiner and closed her eyes again.


    "Don''t worry, Mom will definitely call Mucheng over," Yang Xiner thought of Zhou Mucheng''s mother and found her number in her contacts to call.


    Zhao Yu was getting a facial at the beauty salon when her phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, she scoffed and tossed the phone back on the table.


    She never liked Yang Xiner and disliked associating with her. She only had Yang Xiner''s number because of Ling Yue. Although Yang Xiner was Ling Yue''s stepmother, she handled all of Ling Yue''s affairs, so they had discussed the wedding details between Ling Yue and Zhou Mucheng before.


    "Why don''t you answer the call?" The wealthydy getting a facial with Zhao Yu asked curiously.


    "Someone I dislike. Don''t want to answer," Zhao Yu closed her eyes, letting the beautician massage her face. After the treatment, she would block Yang Xiner''s number.


    Yang Xiner made several more calls, but no one answered, so she had to give up.


    Ling Meng sneered contemptuously. As expected, Yang Xiner was useless. Once she recovered a bit, she would call Zhou Mucheng herself.


    At dusk, the night breeze was gentle.


    Granny Xu had specially bought arge watermelon today. She cut a small half for Ling Yue, gave her a spoon, and said, "I''ve chilled this watermelon. It''s so sweet, youngdy and Young Master Lan Ji, try it."


    Ling Yue took the watermelon and spoon, scooped a spoonful into her mouth, and the icy sweetness was delightful. She nodded, "Very tasty."


    Lan Ji took a bite of the watermelon Granny Xu handed him. "Eating watermelon on a day like this is so refreshing. When we return, I''ll bring more watermelons back." The Valley of Divine Doctors was located in a remote area, and their daily necessities and food were all transported from the outside. Although the Valley had its own influence in the outside world, few people knew about it.


    "Cousin, where is the Valley of Divine Doctors?" Ling Yue had be very curious about the Valley after hearing Lan Ji talk a lot about it today. She knew it was not only proficient in medicine but also an ancient martial arts sect.


    Lan Ji wiped his mouth with a napkin. "In the Shennong Mountain area. When your wounds heal, I''ll take you to the Valley. I''ve sent word to my grandparents and they''re eager to meet you."


    "Okay," Ling Yue smiled and nodded. Since getting along with Lan Ji, she was no longer as averse to those rtives in the Valley. However, she still needed to meet them in person before deciding if they were worth her affection.


    In her previous life, she was born a candidate for the throne. Those so-called brothers, sisters, and rtives only felt fear and hatred towards her. They hated her and wished for her death, yet also feared her, because she was ruthless and cold-blooded, a bloodthirsty monster in their eyes.


    But who would willingly be a monster? She was human too, longing for familial love, but she was born with responsibilities and a mission. As the emperor, she had to protect her subjects, so she had to force herself to be merciless, without any weakness, lest her enemies exploit it.


    Until he appeared: his gentleness, care, and protection caused her heart to soften uncontrobly. She discarded all her disguises and developed a weakness.


    The three chatted andughed, time passing unnoticed.


    After returning to her room, Ling Yue waited until Lan Ji and Granny Xu were asleep before going to the courtyard to begin her daily practice.

 Chapter 48: The Friend

    <h4>Chapter 48</h4>


    "Grandma Xu, Yue, I''m going out for a while. Don''t wait for me for dinner." Lan Ji had to go to the Fighting Wolves Group today to trade with the group leader, Qin Lie. He didn''t know when he would return. He and Qin Lie had known each other for nearly five years, and they were good friends, so whenever he had time, he would go to the Fighting Wolves Group in person.


    This time, he originally didn''t have time toe, but since he had to treat Yue''s injury, he took on this task as well.


    Driving to the Fighting Wolves Group''s base, Lan Ji presented his ID to the guard at the gate for inspection. After confirming his identity, he drove his car into the Fighting Wolves Group.


    Before getting out of the car, Lan Ji put on a ck mask over his face. Every time he came to the Fighting Wolves Group, he wore this disguise. Except for Qin Lie, who had seen his true appearance, no one else in the Fighting Wolves Group had seen his face. This was also the reason why Zhou Mucheng didn''t recognize him.


    Coming to Qin Lie''s office, Lan Ji knocked on the door.


    Qin Lie''s clear and maic voice came from inside, "Come in!"


    Lan Ji pushed open the door and walked over to the chair opposite Qin Lie, sitting down casually. "Qin Lie, long time no see. What have you been busy withtely?"


    Qin Lie put down his pen and looked up at Lan Ji. "Didn''t you say you didn''t have time toe?"


    "My cousin was injured, so I came to treat her. She''s the former fianc¨¦e of your subordinate, Zhou Mucheng. By the way, where is that bastard Zhou Mucheng?" Mentioning Zhou Mucheng made Lan Ji''s hands itch. He had gone easy on him yesterday, and he wanted to throw a few more punches at him, hopefully disfiguring Zhou Mucheng''s face so he couldn''t seduce young girls anymore.


    "Were the injuries on his face caused by you?" Qin Lie stood up and went to make tea for Lan Ji.


    "He bullied my cousin, so I hit him, but I went easy on him. If I see him again, I''ll hit him some more." Lan Ji''s gaze fell on the painting on the desk. "Still haven''t found her?"He knew that Qin Lie had been looking for a woman all these years, but hadn''t found her yet.


    Qin Lie handed the brewed tea to Lan Ji. "When are you going back?" He didn''t want to talk much about Yue.


    "Once my cousin''s injuries heal, I''ll go back." Lan Ji took the tea and put it aside, removing the mask from his face. With his rtionship with Qin Lie, he didn''t need to disguise himself.


    Qin Lie extended his hand, and Lan Ji handed him a slip of paper.


    Qin Lie nced at the paper and nodded slightly, taking a check out of the drawer and handing it to Lan Ji. "Next time, I''ll need twice as many medicines."


    Lan Ji raised his eyebrows. "Okay." He didn''t ask further questions. If Qin Lie could tell him, he would.


    After chatting for a while, Lan Ji got up to leave.


    "Let''s have a meal together," Qin Lie said, inviting him to stay.


    Lan Ji thought about it. "Alright, since we''re brothers."


    Putting their masks back on, the two went to the cafeteria. It was lunchtime, and the squad members were eating in the cafeteria. Seeing Qin Lie and Lan Ji enter, everyone unconsciously straightened their backs. They revered the team leader and admired him. His battle record made them feel unattainable, and he existed in their hearts like a god.


    Qin Lie led Lan Ji to the food counter. "Get whatever you want."


    Lan Ji didn''t stand on ceremony, picking up a tray and starting to serve himself. This wasn''t his first time eating here, so he was familiar with the ce.


    After getting their food, the two sat down at an empty spot.


    Zhou Mucheng walked into the cafeteria at this time. He hadn''t slept all night after finallypleting his mission sessfully.


    His gaze fell on the two men eating by the window, and Lan Ji''s figure seemed familiar. He frowned, trying to remember, and headed towards the food counter. He was exhausted and hungry, only wanting to eat and then rest.


    "It''s that bastard." Seeing Zhou Mucheng made Lan Ji feel annoyed, and his fists clenched.


    "Wait until after eating to fight," Qin Lie calmly nced at Zhou Mucheng. He knew that Zhou Mucheng''s former fianc¨¦e was Ling Yue, whose name and appearance were almost identical to Yue. At first, he thought she was his Yue, but after meeting her a few times, he had given up hope. Yue was born a ruler, and she would never be as timid and cowardly as Ling Yue.

 Chapter 49: I am Ling Yue’s Cousin

    <h4>Chapter 49</h4>


    Zhou Mucheng was preparing food, but he didn''t know why he kept feeling a chill running down his spine.


    Carrying a tray of food, he found an empty spot and sat down, quickly picking up his chopsticks and starting to eat. He needed to finish quickly and leave this ce.


    Lan Ji withdrew his gaze, his thin lips curling into a mocking cold smile. Eat away, eat your fill, then little master will beat it out of you.


    After Zhou Mucheng finished eating, he put his tray down and hurried out of the dining hall.


    Just as he stepped out of the dining hall, azy voiceced with cold intent came from the side, "Zhou Mucheng, let''s have a bout."


    Zhou Mucheng followed the voice and saw Lan Ji, wearing a mask,zily leaning against the wall. His eyes behind the mask were emitting a faint cold glint. Zhou Mucheng had seen Lan Ji before, but every time he came to the Fighting Wolves Group, Lan Ji always wore a mask. Apart from the leader, no one had seen his true face.


    "What''s wrong? Too scared?" Lan Ji said with a mocking smile, his eyes full of provocation.


    Zhou Mucheng pursed his lips. If it were any other time, he would have eagerly epted the challenge. In the Fighting Wolves Group, his strength was among the top, but today he simply didn''t have the energy.


    "Qin Lie, isn''t he the leader of your Fighting Wolves Group? How is it that he doesn''t even dare to spar with me, truly embarrassing your Fighting Wolves Group." Lan Ji turned his gaze to Qin Lie beside him.


    It was only then that Zhou Mucheng noticed Qin Lie was there too. He hurriedly stood up straight and saluted Qin Lie, "Leader!"


    Qin Lie''s sharp gaze swept over Zhou Mucheng, his voice icy cold, "Group Leader Zhou has forgotten the rules of the Fighting Wolves Group."


    Zhou Mucheng swallowed hard in fear, "I ept the challenge, please instruct me!"The rules of the Fighting Wolves Group: Never shy away from battle, never retreat.


    Lan Ji smiled triumphantly, cing his hand on Zhou Mucheng''s shoulder, "Let''s go, we''ll spar at the training ground."


    Zhou Mucheng could only follow.


    Knowing that Zhou Mucheng would face off against Lan Ji, the members of the Fighting Wolves Group flocked to the training ground to watch the excitement. Everyone knew Zhou Mucheng''s strength, but no one had seen Lan Ji in action, so they were curious about his abilities.


    "Who do you think will win this match?"


    "Definitely Group Leader Zhou. His strength is well-known. Apart from the leader and deputy leader, Group Leader Zhou''s strength is the strongest."


    "Go Group Leader Zhou!"


    Lan Ji smiled in amusement, stepped forward, and made an inviting gesture towards Zhou Mucheng, "Your move!"


    "Please instruct me!" Zhou Mucheng said, his fist unleashing a fierce attack towards Lan Ji. He wanted to settle this quickly.


    Lan Ji raised his hand and caught Zhou Mucheng''s fist effortlessly. With a slight exertion of force, a crisp "crack" resounded.


    Cold sweat beaded on Zhou Mucheng''s forehead, his eyes filled with shock. Lan Ji''s strength was truly formidable.


    Lan Ji curved his lips, raised his fist, and delivered a heavy blow to Zhou Mucheng''s abdomen. For bullying his cousin, how could he let Zhou Mucheng off lightly?


    "Urgh~" With a surge of intense pain, Zhou Mucheng felt his stomach churning violently, and the food he had just eaten came spewing out.


    Lan Ji didn''t stop, raining blow after blow upon Zhou Mucheng until he was lying on the ground, unable to get up. Only then did Lan Ji pat his hands, feeling unsatisfied, "Group Leader Zhou concedes."


    Zhou Mucheng wanted to open his eyes, but Lan Ji had also struck his eyes, making it impossible for him to open them. "Have I offended you..." He felt like Lan Ji harbored a grudge against him, his attacks showing no mercy.


    Lan Ji leaned down close to Zhou Mucheng''s ear, "I''m Ling Yue''s cousin."


    Zhou Mucheng froze. No wonder he felt Lan Ji''s presence seemed familiar - he was the one who had beaten him up yesterday.


    Lan Ji walked over to Qin Lie, "I''m leaving."


    "Hmm." Qin Lie gave a slight nod.


    Lan Ji''s gaze shifted, revealing a sly, fox-like smile as he leaned closer to Qin Lie, "Qin Lie, you could consider my cousin. She''s quite a catch, and then we would be rted by marriage."


    Qin Lie did not respond to Lan Ji, his expression nk as he headed towards the office. His heart had long been upied, and even if he could never find his Yue''er in this lifetime, he would never love another woman. No one couldpare to his Yue''er.


    "So dull." Lan Ji shrugged and walked towards his car.


    Zhou Mucheng was helped up by two team members and sent to the hospital. After examination, it was found that his ribs, hands, and feet had all suffered varying degrees of fractures, requiring three months of rest and recovery.


    Ling Yue heard the footsteps and knew Lan Ji had returned. She went to open the door and saw his radiant expression, "What good thing has happened?"


    "Today, I gave that bastard another beating. For the next three months, he''ll be bedridden." Recalling Zhou Mucheng''s pitiful state made Lan Ji happy.


    "Zhou Mucheng?" Ling Yue heard Lan Ji''s words and immediately thought of Zhou Mucheng''s name. The term "bastard" did fit his demeanor well.


    "Yes, that bastard. His ribs, hands, and feet were all broken by me. Yue Yue, your cousin really helped you get some well-deserved revenge this time. For the next three months, he''ll only have his bed to keep himpany." Lan Ji felt extremely satisfied at the thought.


    Ling Yue turned and went back into the room, bringing out a te of sliced watermelon to give to Lan Ji, "This is a reward for you."


    Lan Jiughed heartily, took the watermelon, picked up a slice and popped it into his mouth, "Your cousin made a big business deal today. Oh, and this is for you." He took a check out of his pocket and handed it to Ling Yue.


    "I have money." Ling Yue shook her head, refusing. Recently, her stocks had earned her over a billion yuan, making her a small wealthydy.


    "This is your cousin''s allowance for you. If you don''t ept it, your cousin will be upset." Lan Ji deliberately put on a stern face. Yue Yue had suffered too much in these years. From now on, he would never let Yue Yue suffer again.


    "Thank you, cousin!" Ling Yue felt a warm current flowing through her heart as she epted the check. So this was the feeling of having family - it was truly wonderful.


    Lan Ji reached out to ruffle Ling Yue''s hair but withdrew his hand when he realized it was stained with watermelon juice. "Silly girl, from now on, buy whatever you want. If you don''t have money, just ask your cousin. No need to be polite with me."


    "Okay." Ling Yue shed a brilliant smile, her phoenix-like eyes glistening alluringly.


    For a moment, Lan Ji was dazed. He needed to find a way to restore Yue Yue''s appearance as soon as possible. A beautiful girl with such captivating eyes should naturally have a wless face.


    Time flew by, and half a month passed in the blink of an eye.


    It wasn''t until Ling Yue received a call from Song Ziyuan that she remembered there was an auction today. Song Ziyuan told her that among the items on disy at today''s auction were many rare, priceless treasures.


    "Yue Yue, let your cousin change your dressings." Ling Yue had just ended the call when Lan Ji walked in.


    Every time he changed her dressings these days, Lan Ji could see Ling Yue''s face getting better, and now the burn scars were almost invisible.

 Chapter 50: Ancient Martial Arts Law

    <h4>Chapter 50</h4>


    Ling Yue nodded slightly, and walked over to a nearby chair to sit down.


    Lan Ji gently removed the gauze bandages from Ling Yue''s face. As theyers of gauze slid off one by one, an exquisitely beautiful face was revealed¡ªa full and rounded forehead, eyebrows like delicate brushstrokes, eyes sparkling like dew, a poised and graceful nose, lips as delicate as cherry blossoms, and wless porcin-like skin. This breathtaking beauty was as intoxicating as an opium poppy.


    Although it wasn''t the first time he had seen her, Lan Ji still felt a sense of awe at her beauty. "Yue Yue, your facial injuries havepletely healed. You no longer need to apply medicine."


    "Mmm." Ling Yue wasn''t fond of having her face wrapped in gauze every day either.


    "But with a face like that, you might attract too much attention. Perhaps your cousin should make you a mask." Lan Ji looked at Ling Yue''s face with concern. Such a beautiful little sister couldn''t be allowed to be harassed by others.


    "It''s okay, I''ll just wear a face mask." Ling Yue took a mask out of her pocket and put it on, revealing only her captivating eyes that could make one lose themselves in their depths.


    Lan Ji''s brow furrowed as he looked into Ling Yue''s eyes. This was worrisome. How could he deal with such a beautiful little sister? He would have to teach her ancient martial arts.


    "Yue Yue, are you interested in practicing martial arts?" Lan Ji asked.


    Ling Yue shook her head. In her previous world, martial artists were the lowest of existences. Those who practiced martial arts did so because theycked spiritual roots.


    "Why not?" Lan Ji didn''t understand. Martial artists were respected wherever they went, even by the heads of great families who dared not show disrespect to them.


    "I recently bought a martial arts manual from an antique street. I''m practicing the techniques from that manual now." Ling Yue didn''t n to tell Lan Ji that she was a cultivator just yet, but she would let him know that she wasn''t a helpless victim to be bullied.


    "You can''t just randomly practice those kinds of techniques. They could lead to demonic cultivation. Don''t practice them anymore. Your cousin will teach you proper cultivation methods, and I guarantee that you''ll be an invincible martial artist, and no one will ever dare to bully you again." Lan Ji hadplete confidence in the martial arts cultivation methods of Shenyi Valley.


    "Cousin, let me show you first." Ling Yue took out a tattered old book from under her pillow and handed it to Lan Ji. This martial arts manual contained top-tier cultivation techniques that countless martial artists dreamed of possessing. In her previous life, she had identally stumbled upon this ancient martial arts manual in the pce library''s archives and memorized every word without meaning to.


    She had recently transcribed the techniques to give herself an excuse for learning martial arts. After all, in her previous state, she was someone that anyone could bully. Such a drastic change couldn''t happen overnight. As for making the manual look old, she had used a talisman to aplish that.


    Lan Ji took the manual and casually flipped through it, but his expression gradually became more serious, filled with disbelief. This martial arts manual was countless times more advanced than the ancient martial arts he was cultivating.


    "Yue Yue, did you really acquire this manual from an antique street?" Lan Ji''s voice trembled with excitement. He knew that Yue Yue sometimes visited antique streets.


    A smile graced Ling Yue''s eyes. "I''ve been practicing the techniques in this manual, and I can already feel a flow of energy in my body. If you like it, cousin, I''ll give this manual to you as a gift."


    "No, no need. You should keep it." This was Yue Yue''s fortuitous opportunity to obtain such a manual. How could he take that away from her?


    "It''s fine, I''ve already memorized it. This manual is my gift to you." Ling Yue had intended to give the manual to Lan Ji all along. Lan Ji had been so good to her these past few days, and she needed to repay him in kind.


    "But this manual isn''t ordinary. Even in the entire martial arts world, you couldn''t find a manual of higher caliber than this one." Lan Ji was afraid that Ling Yue didn''t understand the significance of this manual.


    Ling Yue smiled and nodded. "Then cousin should keep it safe. When we return, let our grandmaster and the elders cultivate it too, so that Shenyi Valley can be even stronger."


    "You silly girl." Lan Ji felt touched, his eyes reddening slightly. From now on, he would treat Yue Yue even better.


    Feeling a little ufortable with the emotional atmosphere, Ling Yue cleared her throat and changed the subject. "Cousin, I have to attend an auctionter. Would you like to join me?"


    "An auction?" Lan Ji recalled the call he had received earlier from Qin Lie, who had asked if he was interested in attending an auction. He had declined, but since his cousin wanted to go, he would go as well to experience it.


    "The auction is being held at the Weixin Tower. A friend told me that many priceless treasures will be auctioned off this time." Song Ziyuan was taking Ling Yue to avoid identally bidding on counterfeit items.


    Although each auction item underwent strict verification, some counterfeits were so well made that even experienced antique experts could be fooled. Song Ziyuan had mentioned that at an auction in Shanghaist year, someone had paid a high price for a fake Tang Tricolor Ceramic Horse.


    "Then I''ll go with you. A friend of mine is also going." Lan Ji took out his phone and called Qin Lie, telling him they would meet at the auction entrance.


    As their car pulled up to the Weixin Tower, a valet rushed over to open the doors for Ling Yue and Lan Ji. Upon seeing Ling Yue''s casual T-shirt and jeans outfit, the valet paused in surprise. All the distinguished guests attending today''s auction were dressed formally, and he had never seen anyone dressed so casually before. She probably wasn''t here for the auction.


    Ling Yue stepped out of the car. Although dressed casually, her innate noble bearing and graceful air were undeniable.


    The valet took a step back, finally daring to exhale. This woman, despite her casual attire, exuded such a powerful presence that he didn''t dare approach her.


    Ling Yue immediately noticed Song Ziyuan, Song Yanxue, and an elderly man in a traditional zhongshan suit waiting nearby.


    "Cousin, my friends are over there. I''ll join them." Ling Yue gestured towards Song Ziyuan''s group.


    Lan Ji had initially wanted Ling Yue to stay with him, but remembering Qin Lie''s temperament, he changed his mind. "Yue Yue, bid on whatever you like. Your cousin will pay for it."

 Chapter 51: The Auction

    <h4>Chapter 51</h4>


    Ling Yue gave a faint smile and waved at Lan Ji, then walked towards Song Ziyuan and the others.


    Song Ziyuan also saw Ling Yue and walked towards her. "Miss Ling, the auction is about to start. Let''s go inside."


    Ling Yue nodded slightly and followed Song Ziyuan into the auction hall.


    Song Yanxue wore an unsatisfied expression and followed behind the two. She had told her brother not to bring Ling Yue to the auction, but he insisted, which infuriated her.


    However, it didn''t matter. After her insistence, her brother agreed to let Uncle Li, a renowned expert in antiques,e to the auction. Uncle Li has appraised countless ancient artifacts. She would definitely have Uncle Li expose Ling Yue''s ignorance and embarrass her. She knew exactly what Ling Yue was scheming - to climb back into the upper-ss circle by getting close to her brother. She would never let that happen.


    Meanwhile, Lan Ji also noticed Qin Lie and quickly walked towards him.


    "Why did you change your mind at thest minute?" Qin Lie had been friends with Lan Ji for many years and was quite familiar with his temper. Once he made a decision, he wouldn''t change it.


    "My cousin wanted toe, so I''m here to apany her," said Lan Ji with a smile, seeing Qin Lie''s expression darken slightly. He patted Qin Lie on the shoulder. "I know your stubborn temper. My cousin won''t be with us."


    Qin Lie waved away Lan Ji''s hand on his shoulder and headed towards the auction hall.


    Lan Ji shrugged and followed Qin Lie. "Qin Lie, I''m serious. Consider my cousin. You don''t want to miss this opportunity."


    Qin Lie shot a cold nce at Lan Ji. "Do you want to end our friendship?"


    Lan Ji made a zipping motion across his lips. With Qin Lie''s stubborn temper, he would never find a wife in this lifetime.


    As they entered the auction hall, most of the seats were already upied, and people were gathered in small groups, discussing the items up for auction.


    Ling Yue sat down in the front row with Song Ziyuan. Given the Song family''s prestigious status in the city, it was only natural for them to sit in the front row.


    As soon as Ling Yue sat down, she noticed someone sitting next to her. She turned and nced at the person, slightly frowning. Truly, fate brings foes together.


    Zhou Mucheng didn''t expect to encounter Ling Yue here either. After being beaten by Lan Ji, he had been bedridden for half a month. If it weren''t for his father finding a potent medicine, he wouldn''t have recovered yet.


    Recalling Lan Ji, Zhou Mucheng shuddered involuntarily and shifted away, surreptitiously ncing around. Not seeing Lan Ji, he let out a silent sigh of relief. That man had left a deep impression on him, striking without regard for his status as the young master of the Zhou family.


    Ling Yue coldly withdrew her gaze and picked up the catalog provided by the organizers, introducing the auction items. To her, Zhou Mucheng was now a stranger.


    The catalog detailed the historical backgrounds and photographs of the items to be auctioned.


    "Putting on airs," Song Yanxue snorted disdainfully.


    Ling Yue narrowed her eyes slightly, her icy gaze sweeping towards Song Yanxue. If not for Song Ziyuan''s sake, she would have taught Song Yanxue a lesson long ago.


    Meeting Ling Yue''s piercing stare, Song Yanxue felt a chill run down her spine and hastily looked away. Realizing she was intimidated by Ling Yue, Song Yanxue clenched her fists in vexation. Just wait, I''ll make sure you''re publicly humiliated.


    Ling Yue gave a faint, disdainful smile and continued flipping through the catalog. That''s all the courage she has.


    Zhou Mucheng''s gaze towards Ling Yue was filled withplexity. She had truly changed so much that he could hardly recognize her anymore.

 Chapter 52: Qualification for Auction

    <h4>Chapter 52</h4>


    A staff member walked over and respectfully handed Ling Yue a bidding paddle. "Miss Ling! This is your bidding paddle."


    "You must be mistaken. She came in with my brother and has no right to bid." Song Yanxue snatched the paddle away.


    Song Ziyuan also looked at Ling Yue in puzzlement.


    The staff member bowed to Song Yanxue. "Miss Song! I did not make a mistake. The bidding paddle is from the guest in the Purple Hall for Miss Ling."


    "What did you say?!" Song Yanxue stood up in disbelief. Only the legendary young master of the First Noble Family, Qin Lie, who was also the mysterious leader of the Fighting Wolves Group with unfathomable power, could be seated in the Purple Hall. Although the Song Family and the Qin Family were both among the Four Great Families, there was still a significant gap between them.


    "The bidding paddle is from the guest in the Purple Hall for Miss Ling," the staff member could only repeat himself. As an ordinary staff member of the auction house, he dared not offend these noble guests.


    Song Yanxue gritted her teeth and flung the paddle at Ling Yue. "How shameless, ruining your face but still shamelessly flirting around."


    Ling Yue caught the paddle and pped Song Yanxue''s face in return. "I let it go before out of respect for Song Ziyuan, but it doesn''t mean I don''t have a temper."


    Song Yanxue covered her burning face, staring at Ling Yue with shock and anger. "You dare hit me?" From childhood until now, even her parents had neverid a finger on her. How dare she hit her?


    Ling Yue looked at Song Yanxue as if she were an idiot.


    Zhou Mucheng gazed at Ling Yue with aplex expression, feeling a tinge of bitterness. If Ling Yue had been this assertive before, how could the Ling Family have bullied her like that?


    "Brother, please kick her out," Song Yanxue cried, tugging at Song Ziyuan''s clothes.


    Song Ziyuan felt conflicted. His sister was indeed in the wrong, but as her brother, he couldn''t just stand by and watch her get hit.


    "Please help me change seats," Ling Yue stood up and called out to the departing staff member. She had never been one to tolerate humiliation. Since both parties were unpleasant, why should she stay here?


    The staff member stopped and respectfully replied, "Certainly, please follow me."


    "Ling Yue," Song Ziyuan called out to her. He had brought her here to help appraise antiques. What should he do if she left?


    "Let her go. We have Uncle Li here, what are we afraid of?" Song Yanxue now despised Ling Yue and would definitely not let her off after the auction.


    Ling Yue gave Song Ziyuan a faint smile and left.


    The staff member led Ling Yue to the rightmost seat in the front row. "Miss Ling, please have a seat here."


    Ling Yue nodded slightly and sat down.


    Lan Ji had seen everything that happened and was so excited that he was about to wave a g and cheer from the private box. "My Yue is so awesome! This is how you deal with rude people. Qin Lie,e and see how amazing my Yue is."


    Qin Lie nced at Lan Ji, pinching the bridge of his nose with a slight headache. When did this guy be so chatty?


    As the host took the stage, the auction officially began. A staff member carried a tray covered with a red cloth onto the stage.


    "The first item we are auctioning today is a blue and white lotus bowl from the Tianshun period of the Ming Dynasty. It stands 13.5 cm tall, with a mouth diameter of 33.2 cm and a foot diameter of 17 cm. The bowl has a red mouth, a slightly rounded body, and a shallow foot ring. The body is slightly thick, with a glossy white ze tinged with a bluish hue. The interior rim is decorated with a woven pattern, and the inner bottom depicts a double blue ring with a lotus design. The inner walls feature four groups of foliated peonies, roses, chrysanthemums, and camellia patterns. The outer rim near the foot and the foot wall are both decorated with double-string patterns in blue. The outer walls also depict lotus designs, with rippling water and wind-blown blossoms. The base is zed white, without any mark. This generously sized bowl features densely decorated patterns, executed with bold and fluent brushwork, and the blue color is rich and vibrant, making it a superb piece from the Tianshun period."


    The host smiled at the audience. "The starting bid for this blue and white lotus bowl is fifty thousand. Interested guests, don''t miss this chance. The bidding starts now, with each bid increment no less than one thousand."


    As he finished speaking, the audience began raising their paddles, and the bidding voices rose in a mor.


    Ling Yue gazed at the blue and white lotus bowl on the auction stage, sensing faint spiritual energy emanating from it, indicating that it was indeed a genuine piece.


    She circted her spiritual power, absorbing wisps of spiritual energy into her body.


    Qin Lie, who had been observing the blue and white lotus bowl, moved his fingers slightly, a hint of surprise shing in his deep, ocean-like eyes as he scanned the crowd below. He could confirm that there was a cultivator present; otherwise, the spiritual energy would not have disappeared without reason.


    Lan Ji noticed Qin Lie surveying the venue, as if searching for something. "What are you looking at?"


    Qin Lie withdrew his gaze. "Nothing." That fleeting trace of spiritual power disappeared too quickly for him to pinpoint its source.


    Ling Yue nced up at the private box. Earlier, she had felt a spiritual power trying to capture her own, so she hastily retracted her spiritual energy. She knew that Lan Ji and the young master of the Qin Family were in the private box. Lan Ji practiced martial arts without spiritual power, so it had to be the young master of the Qin Family.


    She recalled the original owner''s impression of the young master of the Qin Family. He constantly wore a silver mask, revealing only a pair of hawk-like eyes, and no one had ever seen his true face.


    His name was Qin Lie, just like the one from her memory. If she coulde to this world, it wouldn''t be surprising for him to be here as well.


    If it was indeed him, she would keep her distance from him in this lifetime and never be entangled with him again. She would not repeat the mistakes of her past life and focus solely on her cultivation and career.


    For the subsequent auction items, even if they exuded dense spiritual energy, Ling Yue no longer absorbed any of it. Regardless of whether this Qin Lie was the one she knew or not, she would stay far away from him.


    Qin Lie continued to wait for the other party to release spiritual power, but there was no movement. It seemed that his spiritual power had been detected. Who could it be?


    "Now we are going to auction a painting. Please take a look," the host said as a yellowed painting was slowly unrolled, depicting distant mountains and nearby scenery, with ovepping peaks and breathtaking beauty.


    "This painting was entrusted to our auction house by a client for sale. Although the historical background of this painting is unclear, the craftsmanship is exquisite, and the brushwork is delicate, clearly the work of a master. Interested guests, don''t miss this opportunity. The starting bid is ten thousand, with a minimum increment of one thousand."

 Chapter 53: Bidding

    <h4>Chapter 53</h4>


    The moment Ling Yue saw the painting, she was ovee with excitement. This painting was no ordinary painting, but her spatial treasure, and she never expected it to havee with her to this world.


    "Without a historical background, even the best painting is useless. Let''s take it down and not waste our time."


    "Yeah, we''re here to bid on premium items today, not to collect trash."


    "Actually, this painting is quite well-painted and should have some collection value."


    "You never know, it could be a modern imitation. Better take it down."


    The people in the audience grumbled with displeasure. They were all sessful individuals with status and position, so naturally they wouldn''t bid on something without a historical background.


    The host was a bit troubled, but this painting was designated for auction by the distinguished guest of the Purple Hall.


    "I''ll take this painting for a hundred thousand," a crisp, cold voice suddenly rang out amidst the mor.


    Everyone turned their gaze toward Ling Yue, who had bid, with varying expressions.


    Qin Lie''s gaze fell upon Ling Yue, his eyes deep in thought. This painting was one he had acquired at an auction, immediately recognizing it as belonging to his beloved Yue Er. So he had brought it back and put it up for auction as a medium to reunite with the one he had longed for. That day, he had set up an array and learned that he would soon be reunited with his beloved, and this painting was the key.


    "My sister has finally made a move. You can''t outbid her for something she has set her sights on," Lan Ji had been waiting for Ling Yue to bid, but the auction was almost over, and he was getting anxious. He wanted to give Yue Yue a gift, but it had to be something she liked.


    "Does she even have a hundred thousand?" Song Yanxue sneered, though she suddenly recalled the day when Ling Yue had opened an extremely precious jadeite during a gamble, earning over a billion.


    ring fiercely at Ling Yue, Song Yanxue snatched the bidding paddle from Song Ziyuan''s hand and raised it. "One million!"


    She looked at Ling Yue defiantly, as if challenging her to follow suit.


    "Ten million!" Ling Yue''s crisp, cold voice rang out again. This painting was her spatial treasure, how could she let it go to someone else?


    "Twenty million!" Song Yanxue continued raising her paddle.


    Song Ziyuan had wanted to stop her, but considering Ling Yue''s knowledge of antiques, he changed his mind. If she valued this painting so highly, its value must not be low.


    "Fifty million!" Ling Yue followed without hesitation. If Qin Lie wasn''t present, she would have directly cast a silence spell on Song Yanxue to stop her from revealing her true identity as a cultivator.


    "One hundred million," Song Yanxue gave Ling Yue a triumphant smile. One hundred million was just a drop in the bucket for the Song family, but for Ling Yue, it was her entire fortune. She didn''t believe Ling Yue could keep up.


    Lan Ji was itching to rush down and give Song Yanxue a beating. "So it''s about who has more money? Don''t be afraid, Yue Yue. Your cousin has plenty of money for you to bid with."


    Ling Yue smiled and nced toward the VIP box. "Two hundred million." Of course, she wouldn''t use Lan Ji''s money.


    "Which family''s young mistress is she? I''ve never seen her before."


    "To be seated in the front row, her status must not be simple."


    "She''s the abandoned daughter of the Ling family, isn''t she?"


    "That''s right, it''s her. She''s even wearing a mask to cover the burns on her face. I heard she was disfigured in a fire, and her face is terribly scarred."


    "Speaking of which, the Ling family has been quite unluckytely. Besides this former young miss, the current young miss has also been disfigured. And it seems the Ling family has offended someone, as all the families they had partnerships with have cut ties with them. The Ling family probably won''tst much longer."


    Song Yanxue tightly gripped the bidding paddle in her hand. She wanted to continue bidding, but seeing Ling Yue''s half-smiling expression, she hesitated, worried that if she bid again, Ling Yue might not follow suit, leaving her stuck with a painting not worth two hundred million.


    "Enough," Song Ziyuan took the bidding paddle from Song Yanxue''s hand. He didn''t think the painting was worth two hundred million either, so there was no need topete with Ling Yue.


    Song Yanxue secretly breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at Ling Yue, who had lowered her head. She assumed Ling Yue only had the over one billion from selling the jadeite, so she couldn''t possibly afford two hundred million. Her mood lightened as she wondered how Ling Yue would handle this.


    "Two hundred million going once!" The host looked around at the crowd, seeing no one bidding further. "Two hundred million going twice!"


    After a moment, the host brought down the gavel. "Two hundred million going three times! Congrattions to the youngdy on acquiring this painting. Please proceed to the back office toplete the transaction."


    Ling Yue rose and headed toward the back office.


    Song Yanxue quickly followed, determined to see how Ling Yue woulde up with two hundred million.


    Zhou Mucheng hesitated for a moment before also following.


    Song Ziyuan shook his head helplessly and walked toward the back office. He was worried his sister would provoke Ling Yue again, who was no longer the meek, subservient "bun" she used to be.


    "I''m going to pay for my Yue Yue," Lan Ji excitedly got up and followed Ling Yue to the back.


    "I''ll go with you," Qin Lie stood and followed Lan Ji. He wanted to see Ling Yue, who waspletely different from the one in his memories. Recalling the results of the array he had cast, a feeling of nervousness and anticipation welled up inside him. Could it be his Yue Er had returned?


    Ling Yue handed her bank card to the staff member.


    Song Yanxue wore an expression like she was waiting for a show.


    The staff member took the card and swiped it in the POS machine. "I''m sorry, Miss Ling, but the bnce on this card is insufficient."


    "Haha!" Song Yanxue couldn''t help butugh out loud. She knew Ling Yue didn''t have that much money. She had been acting so calm before, but now the truth was out.


    Ling Yue took back the card and looked at it. "My apologies, I took out the wrong card." This card was one she had specifically obtained for Jiang You to conveniently transfer money to her.

 Chapter 54: Meet

    <h4>Chapter 54</h4>


    From her pocket, Ling Yue took out another bank card and handed it to the staff member.


    The staff member epted it and was about to swipe the card.


    "Yue Yue, let your cousin pay for this," Lan Ji and Qin Lie walked in.


    Zhou Mucheng saw them and quietly took a few steps back, trying to minimize his presence.


    "No need, I''ll swipe my own card. I have money," Ling Yue gestured to the staff member to swipe her card.


    Lan Ji stepped forward, snatched the bank card from the staff member''s hand, and handed his own card to the staff member instead. "Swipe mine."


    He held the bank card in front of Ling Yue. "Be good, let your cousin pay. Otherwise, your cousin will get upset."


    Ling Yue could only put her card away reluctantly. As for the money Lan Ji paid for her, she would find a way to pay him back.


    Lan Ji revealed a happy smile, took the bank card and the painting from the staff member, and handed them to Ling Yue. "Keep them."


    Qin Lie had been observing Ling Yue. The more he looked at her, the more he felt that she resembled his Yue''er, both in her innate noble air and her eyes, which seemed so familiar to him. Could she be his Yue''er?


    His heart raced uncontrobly. Qin Lie struggled to control his emotions, his urge to approach her. But he dared not, fearing that she was not Yue''er, fearing that she had forgotten him.


    Ling Yue naturally noticed Qin Lie''s gaze. Now she waspletely certain that Qin Lie was the man who had wronged her in their previous life.


    "Brother, is that man really Ling Yue''s cousin?" Song Yanxue pointed at Lan Ji, who was talking to Ling Yue, feeling resentful. Wasn''t Ling Yue an orphan? How could she have such a wealthy cousin? Moreover, she had just seen Ling Yue''s cousin arrive with Qin Lie, and their rtionship seemed close.


    "Your cousin is helping you get justice," Lan Ji ruffled Ling Yue''s hair and turned his cold gaze towards Song Yanxue. "Miss Song, have you been bullying my sister repeatedly because you think she has no one to rely on and is easy to bully?"


    Song Yanxue clutched Song Ziyuan''s clothes in fear, hiding behind him.


    Lan Ji sneered disdainfully. "Let me tell you, if you bully my sister again, I won''t hesitate to hit you, even if you''re a woman. As for the Song family, I won''t spare them either. I always keep my word."


    "On behalf of my sister, I apologize to Miss Ling! This won''t happen again," Song Ziyuan promised. Although he didn''t know Lan Ji''s identity, anyone who could be with Qin Lie couldn''t be an ordinary person.


    Lan Ji wagged his finger. "My sister won''t ept your apology. She needs to apologize herself." His finger pointed at Song Yanxue.


    Song Yanxue trembled. "Brother!"


    "If you''ve made a mistake, you should apologize. Otherwise, I''ll talk to the head of the Song family," Qin Lie''s cold voice rang out.


    Song Ziyuan, Song Yanxue, Zhou Mucheng, and Lan Ji were all stunned. Qin Lie was actually helping Ling Yue speak up. They must have misheard.


    A look of understanding shed in Ling Yue''s eyes. This man seemed to have recognized her.


    Qin Lie took a step forward, standing beside Ling Yue. The faint fragrance from her body made his heart beat even faster. His deep eyes brimmed with excitement. "Aren''t you going to apologize?" She was Yue''er, his Yue''er. In this life, he would cherish and love her properly, never letting go of her hand again.


    Ling Yue took two steps to the side, keeping her distance from Qin Lie. In their previous life, he had stabbed her with a sword without hesitation. In this life, she would never forgive him.


    "Brother..." Song Yanxue trembled all over, truly afraid now.


    "Apologize," Song Ziyuan pulled Song Yanxue out from behind him. He finally understood why the Ling family had fallen to their current state. Qin Lie was not someone the Song family could provoke.


    Song Yanxue bit her lip, her eyes filled with humiliated tears. "I''m sorry..." This was the first time she felt so wronged, but she had no choice. She couldn''t afford to offend Qin Lie.


    "Didn''t you eat?" Qin Lie''s dissatisfied voice rang out.


    Song Yanxue shuddered in fear, about to apologize again, but saw Ling Yue turn and walk away.


    Ling Yue hadn''t spared Qin Lie a single nce from start to finish. Even if she wanted to get justice, she didn''t want that wretched man to do it for her.


    "Yue Yue," Lan Ji hurried to follow her.


    "No next time," Qin Lie left those words and went after them. He knew Yue''er had recognized him too, and that she was ignoring him because of what had happened in their previous life. But he wouldn''t give up.

 Chapter 55: I’m Going After Her

    <h4>Chapter 55</h4>


    Lan Ji looked at Qin Lie with a puzzled expression, "Have you been possessed or something? The Qin Lie just now seemed so unfamiliar to me. I can''t believe you actually stood up for your cousin."


    Qin Lie gazed at Ling Yue walking ahead, his dark eyes filled with undisguised joy and affection. "I changed my mind. Your cousin is great."


    Lan Ji stumbled, "Whoa, what do you mean?"


    "I like her. I want to pursue her," Qin Lie said with a tone of excitement and determination. "Because she is my moon, the one I''ve been longing for, the one I love with all my heart and soul. In this life, I will never let her down again."


    "What?!" Lan Ji gaped in shock. Did he hear that right? Qin Lie said he liked Yue Yue? That he wanted to pursue Yue Yue? He wanted to feel Qin Lie''s forehead to check if he had a fever.


    When Ling Yue heard Qin Lie''s words, a tinge of mockery shed in her eyes. Pathetic man.


    "Brother, are you kidding me?" Lan Ji felt like he must have been hallucinating. He took his own pulse. It seemed fine.


    "I never joke," Qin Lie said seriously, quickening his pace to walk beside Ling Yue, his gaze fixed on her profile like a lecherous man, his eyes brimming with delight. His moon, he had finally found her.


    Ling Yue walked on without sparing Qin Lie a nce.


    "My dear moon," Qin Lie''s voice was gentle enough to wring water.


    Lan Ji shuddered, looking at Qin Lie as if he were a monster. Qin Lie was really going too far. Just a moment ago, he had been aloof and unapproachable, but now he had transformed into apletely different person in front of Yue Yue.


    Ling Yue gave Qin Lie a cold nce, her voice devoid of warmth, "We''re not that familiar. Please call me Ling Yue, or Miss Ling."


    "My dear moon, I apologize to you. Whatever you want me to do, I''m willing to do it, as long as you can forgive me," Qin Lie gazed at Ling Yue, his eyes like a puppy begging its owner to pet it.


    "Stay away from me," Ling Yue opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat. "Cousin, let''s go home."


    "Okay." Lan Ji snapped out of his daze and walked over, just as he was about to open the driver''s side door, Qin Lie had already opened it and gotten into the car. He tossed his car keys to Lan Ji, "You drive my car."


    Lan Ji caught the keys dazedly, and the next moment, he saw his car drive away in a cloud of dust. "Did Qin Lie really fall for Yue Yue? But isn''t this a bit too fast?"


    Zhou Mucheng came out of the venue and happened to witness this scene, an inexplicable bitterness welling up in his heart, making him feel irritated.


    "I knew she wasn''t a good person. She had just broken off her engagement with Brother Mucheng not long ago, and now she''s seducing Qin Shao. Who does she think she is? She''s not even worthy of taking off Qin Shao''s shoes," Song Yanxue''s heart was filled with jealousy and resentment.


    In Xia Country, Qin Lie was the dream lover of countless unmarried women, but he had always kept his distance from the opposite sex. Once, a woman had tried to seduce him, but Qin Lie had his men throw her into the sea. Not long after, that woman''s entire family had left Jing City. Since then, no woman had dared to approach Qin Lie.


    But now, a woman whose face had been disfigured by a fire and who had also been dumped by her fianc¨¦, had actually set her sights on Qin Lie. How could Song Yanxue ept that?


    She was the esteemed daughter of the Song family, blessed with beauty and status. How could she be inferior to Ling Yue, a disowned outcast? The more she thought about it, the more resentful she felt. If even Ling Yue could win over Qin Lie, why couldn''t she?


    "Stop talking nonsense. Let''s go home," Song Ziyuan nced at Lan Ji in the distance, then pulled Song Yanxue towards the parking lot. He had never met Lan Ji before, but he had noticed that Zhou Mucheng seemed afraid of him. And anyone who could be in the same VIP room as Qin Lie must have a weighty background.


    "But I have to say it. What is that Ling Yue anyway? If she took off the mask on her face, she would scare people to death. Yet she has no self-awareness and dares to pursue Qin Shao. She''s a shameless bitch," Song Yanxue retorted.


    "Who are you calling shameless?" Lan Ji''s cold voice rang out as he approached the Song siblings, his peach blossom eyesced with a chilling aura.


    Song Yanxue shuddered and hid behind Song Ziyuan. "I didn''t say anything wrong. Ling Yue did disfigure her face."


    Song Ziyuan pulled Song Yanxue back two steps. "I''m sorry! My sister doesn''t know how to speak properly. Let me apologize on her behalf."


    Lan Ji curled his lip disdainfully and gave Song Yanxue a contemptuous nce. "Your apology means nothing to me. Since she has a foul mouth, she deserves to be punished."


    "Brother..." Song Yanxue clutched Song Ziyuan''s clothes in fear.


    "I can make amends," Song Ziyuan took out a bank card and offered it to Lan Ji.


    Lan Ji nced at the bank card in Song Ziyuan''s hand, a mocking curve on his lips. He turned and walked towards the parking lot.


    Seeing Lan Ji leave just like that, Song Ziyuan and Song Yanxue were both baffled, but it was better this way.


    "From now on, don''t speak recklessly. Don''t offend Ling Yue again, no matter if it''s that man or Qin Lie. They''re not people we can afford to provoke. Don''t forget what happened to the Ling family," Song Ziyuan warned Song Yanxue.


    The once powerful Ling family was now just a precarious shell in Jing City, and it wouldn''t be long before they disappearedpletely. Even if Qin Lie and Ling Yue didn''t do anything, those forces that the Ling family had wronged in the past would take action. The destruction of the Ling family was inevitable.


    "I understand," Song Yanxue bit her mrs resentfully. When they got home, she would tell her parents. She was the esteemed daughter of the Song family, one of the four great families of Jing City. How could she be afraid of Ling Yue, a disowned outcast? As for Qin Lie, he must have helped Ling Yue out of respect for Lan Ji. Otherwise, with his temperament, how could hee to Ling Yue''s defense, that ugly freak?


    Song Ziyuan knew Song Yanxue well enough to realize from her expression that she hadn''t taken his words to heart. He shook his head with a sigh and headed for the parking lot. When they got home, he would have their parents talk some sense into her. Although the Song family was one of the four great families of Jing City, they were not invincible. Countless forces were secretly plotting against them.


    "My face is so itchy," Song Yanxue felt like there were countless tiny ants crawling on her face, making it itch unbearably. The more she scratched, the itchier it became, until she felt like tearing the skin off her face.


    Hearing this, Song Ziyuan turned to look at Song Yanxue and saw that her face was covered in small red bumps. "Did you eat something you''re allergic to?"


    "No, I only had the apples, watermelon, and drinks prepared by the venue, and you ate the same things. Besides, I''ve never been allergic to anything," Song Yanxue scratched her face vigorously, feeling moisture on her hands. She looked down and saw streaks of fresh red on her fingernails.

 Chapter 56: It’s a Small World

    <h4>Chapter 56</h4>


    "Brother, is my face broken? Hurry and take me to the hospital," Song Yanxue said urgently. She had always treasured her face the most and carefully tended to it every day. How could she let even the slightest imperfection mar it?


    "Okay." Song Ziyuan turned the direction and sped toward the hospital.


    On the other side, a jeep cruised steadily along the bustling street.


    Ling Yue did not look at the man beside her even once, admiring the scenery along the way. The summer breeze blew through her silky ck tresses, causing a few strands to yfully dance across her face.


    "Yue''r, could you say something to me?" Qin Lie pleaded, his voice tinged with hurt.


    "Stop the car," Ling Yue said impassively.


    Qin Lie pulled over to the side of the road. "Yue''r, I know I was wrong. You can punish me however you like¡ªkneel on a keyboard, kneel on a durian, kneel on a rake, or even stab me a few times. Just look at me, please?"


    Ling Yue opened the car door. "Qin Lie, I don''t want to see you again." Whatever grievances they had in their past life were over, but in this life, she didn''t want any rtionship with him or to feel anything for him again.


    "Yue''r." Qin Lie grabbed the departing Ling Yue, looking at her imploringly with reddened eyes. "Yue''r, give me another chance, please? I finally found you again, and I don''t want to lose you anymore."


    Ling Yue shook off Qin Lie''s hand and walked out of the car, mming the door coldly behind her.


    "Yue''r." Qin Lie hurriedly followed her out, not daring to get too close in case she became angry. He trailed behind her at a distance, silently watching her. She ignored him, which pained him, but seeing her also satisfied him because he was no longer alone in this world. He now had someone to care about, and his heart had finally found where it belonged.


    Ling Yue knew Qin Lie was following behind her. If he liked to follow, let him follow. After all, the street didn''t belong to her, and she had no right to forbid him from walking on it.


    The two proceeded one after the other.


    Ling Yue returned to the small courtyard where she lived and closed the gate in front of Qin Lie. She didn''t hide her address from him since it would be easy for someone of his standing in Xia Country to find out where she lived.


    Qin Lie stood outside the gate, gazing at it and listening to the voices of Ling Yue and Granny Xuing from inside.


    "Young Miss, why are you alone? Where is Lord Lan Ji?" Granny Xu paused in her pruning of the flowers and nts to look at Ling Yue. These flowers and nts had all been sent by Lan Ji, who said the courtyard should have more greenery so that when the flowers bloomed, seeing them would brighten one''s mood.


    Noticing Ling Yue''s somewhat displeased expression, Granny Xu asked, "Young Miss, what''s wrong? You don''t look in a very good mood."


    "It''s nothing. I''m going to rest for a while." Ling Yue didn''t feel like talking at the moment and just wanted to be alone.


    "Alright, go rest then. I''ll call you when the food is ready." Granny Xu looked at Ling Yue''s retreating figure with concern. "What''s bothering the Young Miss so much?"


    Ling Yue closed the door to her room and sat on the bed, closing her eyes to try cultivating for a bit. However, she couldn''t calm her mind no matter what, so she opened her eyes in annoyance. "It''s all because of that wretched man. Why can''t he just disappear from my sight forever?" She knew she still had feelings for Qin Lie, but she really didn''t want anything more to do with him.


    Noticing the painting she had just brought back on the table, Ling Yue reached for it and slowly unrolled it, revealing a magnificentndscape painting.


    Ling Yue''s red lips curved into a slight smile, her mood improving a little. Her slender, fair fingers traced the painting lightly, tracing a talisman that caused a golden radiance to emanate from the painting. The entire painting condensed into a small golden point that entered Ling Yue''s brow and instantly vanished.


    Touching her brow, which had a refreshingly cool sensation, Ling Yue smiled in delight. With a thought, she suddenly appeared in a vast wilderness. In the distance wereyered mountain peaks, forests, streams, rivers, deserts... This was like a miniature world.


    Ling Yue''s form flickered, and in the next instant, she appeared inside a magnificent pce. The pce was resplendent with gold and jade, utterly opulent. Night Luminescent Pearls the size of fists were used merely asmps for illumination. Various precious materials and Spirit Stones were piled high like small mountains, while Spirit Fish frolicked merrily in the Spirit Lake.


    Removing her clothes, Ling Yue entered the Spirit Lake, intending to have a refreshing bath. This miniature world was something herte mother had passed down to her. Apart from their secret talismans, even if someone else obtained it, they would be unable to unlock it.


    Lan Ji spotted Qin Lie standing at the gate like a guardian statue from afar. He arched an amused eyebrow and approached him. "Why are you standing outside instead of going in?"


    "Yue''r won''t let me in," Qin Lie said, a hint of dejection in his voice.


    Lan Ji rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Can''t you speak properly? You don''t even sound like yourself anymore."


    Qin Lie remained silent, head lowered. He didn''t want to act this way either, but he was truly heartbroken. Yue''r wouldn''t forgive him or see him, and his heart felt as if it were being twisted by a knife.


    Lan Ji shook his head helplessly, walked over, and pushed open the courtyard gate. "Come in, then."


    "Okay." Qin Lie hastened to follow him. It wasn''t that he had entered on his own ord¡ªLan Ji had told him toe in, so Yue''r shouldn''t be upset with him, right?

 Chapter 57: If only She could Forgive Him

    <h4>Chapter 57</h4>


    "Young Master Lan Ji, you''re back?" Granny Xu was cooking in the kitchen. Hearing the noise, she came out and saw that Lan Ji was not alone. She hurried to the kitchen to brew tea for them.


    "Have a seat!" Lan Ji sat down on the stone bench under the tree. He wanted to ask Qin Lie why he had fallen for his sister at first sight. Previously, when he had mentioned that they were adding anotheryer to their familial bond, Qin Lie had rejected the idea with a cold indifference.


    Qin Lie gazed longingly towards the house, hoping that the graceful figure would appear before him.


    Lan Ji shook his head in disbelief. "Tell me, why did you suddenly fall for my cousin at first sight?"


    Qin Lie averted his gaze. He didn''t know how to exin it. After some thought, he said, "I was smitten the moment Iid eyes on her." Whether in his past life or this one, only she could strum the strings of his heart, making him repeatedly sumb to her charm, rendering him powerless.


    Lan Ji couldn''t help but burst intoughter. "Wow! Brother, do you have to be so intense? I thought you weren''t interested in women. Turns out you''re such a smoldering romantic." His sister''s allure was truly great.


    Qin Lie felt a little awkward and touched his nose.


    "Qin Lie, you should know that Ling Yue was disfigured by a great fire, right?" Lan Ji was curious how Qin Lie could have fallen for her at first sight without even seeing her face.


    "I know," Qin Lie nodded.


    "Her face is covered in scars, and she looks ugly. Are you really okay with that?" Lan Ji probed.


    "I don''t mind. As long as it''s her, it''s fine." He didn''t care about those things. As long as it was his beloved Yue, no matter what she looked like, he would love her.


    Lan Ji smiled and patted Qin Lie on the shoulder. "Brother, I support you. Go for it! If you ever need my help, just say the word." He had been friends with Qin Lie for so many years and was well aware of his character. If Qin Lie could truly end up with Ling Yue, he would be delighted.


    "Thank you!" Qin Lie expressed his sincere gratitude.


    Granny Xu brought over the brewed tea. "Young Master Lan Ji, have some tea. I''ll go get the sliced watermelon."


    "Where''s Ling Yue?" Lan Ji called out to Granny Xu.


    "She''s in her room. She seemed a bit down when she came back," Granny Xu said, ncing worriedly towards Ling Yue''s room.


    "I''ll go check on her." Lan Ji got up and walked towards Ling Yue''s room.


    Qin Lie also wanted to go see her, but he knew that Ling Yue''s low mood was because of him.


    Ling Yue had just taken a bath and was lying on her bed, eating Spirit Fruit. Hearing a knock on the door, she shed out of her spiritual space and opened the door to find her cousin Lan Ji standing there. "Cousin!"


    The moment Lan Ji saw Ling Yue, he was stunned. He knew she was beautiful, but he didn''t expect her to be this breathtakingly gorgeous, like a celestial fairy from the heavens. Her beauty was captivating, enchanting, and alluring, with an innate grace andziness that exuded a fatal charm, bewitching without effort.


    "Cousin." Ling Yue waved her hand in front of Lan Ji''s face. Her injuries had healed, so she didn''t need to disguise herself at home.


    Lan Ji snapped out of his daze and cleared his throat awkwardly. "Granny Xu said you were in a bad mood, so I came to check on you."


    "I''m fine now." Ling Yue''s mood was great. She had found her own little world, where nothing was missing, and after bathing in the Spirit Lake, her cultivation had also improved.


    "That''s good. Granny Xu has cut some watermelon. Let''s go have some." Lan Ji knew Qin Lie was eager to see Ling Yue, so as a friend, he had to help him.


    "Okay." Ling Yue didn''t think too much about it and followed Lan Ji out.


    Hearing the footsteps, Qin Lie looked up, and the moment he saw Ling Yue, he couldn''t take his eyes off her. She looked exactly the same as in his memories. He longed to hold her in his embrace and feel her sweet, fragrant presence against him.


    Surges of desire coursed through him, and Qin Lie found himself reacting. He quickly averted his gaze and circted his cultivation technique to calm himself down.


    As soon as Ling Yue saw Qin Lie, her expression turned cold. "What is he doing here?"


    "I met him at the gate and invited him in to sit for a while," Lan Jiughed awkwardly. Why did it seem like Ling Yue really disliked Qin Lie?


    "I''m not feeling well. I''m going back to my room." Ling Yue turned and headed towards her room.


    "Ling Yue," Lan Ji felt like he had done something wrong.


    "Yue''er," Qin Lie rushed to her side and grabbed her hand. "Yue''er, I was wrong. I was really wrong. Please give me another chance?"


    Ling Yue coldly shook off Qin Lie''s hand and walked towards the house.


    Watching Ling Yue''s retreating figure, a tinge of redness appeared in Qin Lie''s eyes, but his gaze gradually became resolute. He would definitely win Ling Yue back, no matter what punishment she had in store for him. As long as she forgave him, he could endure anything.

 Chapter 58: A Few Moves With Me

    <h4>Chapter 58</h4>


    Lan Ji looked at Ling Yue as she entered the room, then turned to Qin Lie. Seeing his dejected expression and reddened eyes, he walked up and patted his shoulder. "Brother, the path of love is always full of obstacles."


    Qin Lie gave a bitter smile. It was his own fault for wronging Ling Yue, and she would not forgive him. He deserved this punishment.


    He gazed wistfully at the room where Ling Yue was staying, then turned and left the courtyard.


    "Qin Lie." Lan Ji wanted to follow and console him, but didn''t know what to say, so he let it go.


    Qin Lie left the courtyard and knocked on the door of the neighboring one.


    After a moment, a middle-aged woman with a harsh appearance opened the door. Seeing Qin Lie outside, she was slightly taken aback, her eyes filled with surprise. "Did you knock on the wrong door? This man''s attire is strange, even wearing a mask on his face."


    "I want to buy this courtyard. Name your price," Qin Lie stated directly.


    "I''m not looking to sell the house. You must be mistaken," the middle-aged woman said, about to close the door.


    "One million." Qin Lie spoke calmly.


    The woman trembled, stopping herself from closing the door. She looked at Qin Lie in disbelief. "You''re not joking with me, are you?" One million was enough to buy a house ten times better than this courtyard, with money left over.


    Her family lived together with her inws and brother-inw''s family, ten people cramped in this small courtyard. It was inconvenient for using the bathroom, washing clothes, or cooking. If they had the money, who would want to live so crowded?


    "I never joke," said Qin Lie.


    "Let me discuss with my family." The woman desperately wanted to ept but needed her husband and father-inw''s approval to buy a house.


    "Three days," Qin Lie said, then turned and left.


    The woman watched his departing figure, overwhelmed with excitement, and hurried back inside. She had to share this great news; everyone would be overjoyed.


    Meanwhile, at the Song family home, the family doctor finished examining Song Yanxue but found no issues.


    "Could Xue Xue be allergic?" asked Mrs. Song, holding Song Yanxue''s scratching hands as her face was red and swollen.


    "The test results show no problems. Miss Song is not allergic," the family doctor said, unsure of the cause as he had never seen such a case.


    "Can we give her something to stop the itching?" Mr. Song looked at Song Yanxue''s face, scratched raw and bleeding.


    The doctor took out a medicinal ointment. "This ointment is specifically for the skin. Let''s try it."


    Mrs. Song opened the ointment and carefully applied it to Song Yanxue''s face.


    "Ah!" The moment the ointment touched her skin, Song Yanxue cried out in pain, tears streaming down.


    "Bear with it for a bit. It''ll get better," Mrs. Song said gently, slowing her movements.


    "Mom, stop. It hurts so much!" Song Yanxue pushed her mother''s hand away, clutching her face as she wept. Her face now felt like countless knives shing, like mes burning, making her wish for death to end the agony.


    "Doctor Zhang, what''s going on?" Mrs. Song asked anxiously.


    "Let me take a look." Doctor Zhang leaned in to examine her.


    Moving Song Yanxue''s hands aside, they all froze at the sight of her face - swollen and beet red, even her lips puffed up like two sausages. It was bothical and pitiful.


    "We should take her to the hospital for a full examination," Doctor Zhang suggested, having never seen such a case before.


    Mr. Song quickly scooped up Song Yanxue and rushed out.


    Even after thorough testing at the hospital, the cause of Song Yanxue''s condition remained unknown.


    The Song family was distraught over this.


    "Ziyuan, tell me what happened at the auction today," Mr. Song said, feeling they needed to investigate the root cause.


    Song Ziyuan nodded and recounted everything that urred at the auction.


    "Qin Lie actually stood up for Ling Yue?" Mr. Song was astonished. Qin Lie was known to be uninterested in women and to mind his own business. Why would he defend a discarded daughter of the Ling family today?


    "Perhaps out of respect for that mysterious man, Ling Yue''s uncle," Song Ziyuan said. He had heard Lan Ji call Ling Yue his niece.


    Mr. Song frowned in thought for a moment. "From now on, you should interact more with Ling Yue. It would be best if you could marry her." Not long after Ling Yue left the Ling family, they fell into decline. He didn''t believe it had nothing to do with her.


    Ling Yue''s uncle was friends with Qin Lie, suggesting he was no ordinary person. Marrying Ling Yue would only benefit the Song family.


    Song Ziyuan was taken aback. His father wanted him to marry Ling Yue? Didn''t he always dislike her, saying she was too unsophisticated for a noble family''s daughter, unworthy of Zhou Mucheng? Why the sudden change of heart?


    "Ling Yue''s uncle is no ordinary person. Marrying her would only benefit our Song family," Mr. Song carefully exined his reasoning to Song Ziyuan. He may not think highly of Ling Yue, but he recognized the power behind her - strong enough to bring down the Ling family so rapidly. An entity not to be underestimated.


    "I understand, Father." Song Ziyuan nodded obediently. He had no intention of marrying Ling Yue; his interest in her was mere appreciation, nothing more. He knew as part of a noble family, he should prioritize its interests. But he still hoped to find a woman he truly loved to spend his life with.


    Satisfied with Song Ziyuan''s response, Mr. Song took out his phone and dialed Qin Lie''s number. His daughter''s current condition must be rted to Qin Lie. It seemed he would have to intervene personally and ask Qin Lie for a favor.


    Qin Lie had just returned to the Fighting Wolves Group headquarters when his phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, he gave a cold smile. He could indeed cure Song Yanxue''s affliction, but it was her deserved punishment.


    Ignoring the incessant ringing, Qin Lie strode towards his office. Passing a group of squad members training, he ordered in a deep voice, "When you see Zhou Mucheng, tell him toe to my office."


    "Yes, sir!"


    A military jeep slowly pulled into the parking lot. Zhou Mucheng got out of the car, and a squad member ran over.


    "Commander! The Captain wants you in his office."


    A sense of dread washed over Zhou Mucheng.


    "Captain!" Zhou Mucheng entered the office, apprehensive.


    Qin Lie''s cold gaze fell on Zhou Mucheng with a hint of amusement. "It''s been a while since we''ve sparred. Apany me for a few rounds today. To the training ground." Zhou Mucheng''s treatment of Ling Yue would not go unpunished.


    "Cap...Captain..." Zhou Mucheng tried to make an excuse. He was still recovering from Lan Ji''s beating.


    "That''s an order."

 Chapter 59: SMS

    <h4>Chapter 59</h4>


    Zhou Mucheng waspletely powerless in Qin Lie''s hands and could only be beaten passively. Finally, he was carried away on a stretcher.


    Qin Lie flicked his hands in a cheerful mood and headed towards his office. He had just ordered someone to take pictures of Zhou Mucheng''s miserable state, and now he would send these photos to Ling Yue.


    Back in his office, Qin Lie opened his phone and sent the pictures one by one to Ling Yue via multimedia messages.


    Ling Yue was eating when she heard the continuous message notification sounds. She reached for her phone, opened it, and clicked on the messages to see a series of horrific photos. At a nce, she recognized the person in the photos as Zhou Mucheng.


    A message popped up.


    "Zhou Mucheng''s flesh is quite firm, my hands are still aching and need to be fanned."


    "Boring." Ling Yue rolled her eyes, added Qin Lie to her cklist, and put her phone aside. Although Qin Lie seemed aloof, he was actually quite yful.


    After a long wait without receiving a reply from Ling Yue, Qin Lie couldn''t help but call her. He really wanted to hear her voice, but all he heard was a mechanical female voice, and his eyes dimmed. He must have been cklisted by Ling Yue.


    After thinking for a while, Qin Lie made a call to Yang Housekeeper, "Yang Housekeeper, I want to buy a courtyard house. Please help me negotiate with the other party." He couldn''t wait any longer; he had to move next door to Ling Yue as soon as possible.


    After Qin Lie left, Lin Ping was excited all day long. When her husband came home from work, she immediately dragged him into the room, "Head of the household, I have something big to tell you."


    "Wait a moment, I''m exhausted today. Let me lie down for a while." Li Xing had been busy all day. Recently, there was a shortage of workers at the construction site, and he had been working like a dog every day. He had to rush to the construction site early the next morning.


    "Someone came knocking on our door today, saying they wanted to buy our house," Lin Ping excitedly said.


    Li Xingy down on the bed and red at her when he heard what she said, "If we sell the house, where will we live?" Even if he agreed, his father and younger brother wouldn''t.


    "Don''t be hasty, let me finish," Lin Ping excitedly held up a finger. "One million! We can never earn that much money even if we work our whole lives."


    "What?!" Li Xing sat up in shock from the bed. Had he heard it right? Someone was willing to pay one million to buy their dpidated courtyard house? Their house would be worth no more than fifty thousand at best.


    "The other party gave us three days to move out," Lin Ping said excitedly.


    Li Xing took Lin Ping''s hand, "You''re not joking with me, are you? Someone really wants to pay one million to buy our house?"He thought either his wife had gone crazy or the person who wanted to buy the house was crazy.


    "It''s true, it''s true. How could I joke about something like this?" Lin Ping nodded vigorously, imagining their future new life. With one million, she could buy a big house for their family to live in, and they wouldn''t have to squeeze in with her parents-inw and younger uncle''s family anymore.


    "Let''s go tell everyone this good news." Li Xing pulled Lin Ping and headed out. One million! If he and his younger brother split it, that would be five hundred thousand each. With five hundred thousand, why would he need to work like a dog at the construction site every day?


    Li Old Man was sitting on the small bench, smoking and reading the newspaper. Seeing his eldest son and eldest daughter-inw rushing in, he red at them unhappily, "What''s the rush? You''re both grown-ups, yet acting like kids."


    "Dad, let me tell you some good news. Someone wants to pay one million to buy our house," Li Xing excitedly told Li Old Man.


    Li Old Man frowned, put the newspaper aside on the table, and stood up, "Are you guys having some kind of crazy dream?" Their house was so dpidated that it wouldn''t be worth one hundred thousand, let alone one million. Unless the person had too much money to spend or was mentally ill, no fool would pay one million to buy their broken-down house.


    "We''re not lying to you. The other party gave us three days to move out," Lin Ping said, her mind still filled with the one million yuan.


    "Enough, don''t say anymore. They were just kidding with you. Our house is so broken down, what fool would pay one million to buy it?" Li Old Lady waved her hand impatiently.


    "What''s this about one million?" Li Yuan walked in.


    "Today a young man came and said he wanted to pay one million to buy our house," Lin Ping recounted the story again.


    "Sister-inw, you must have run into a scammer," Li Yuan didn''t believe it either. How could something like a pie falling from the sky happen to them?


    "Whether you believe it or not is up to you," Lin Ping didn''t argue. The result would be known in three days anyway.


    "Eldest daughter-inw, go help your mother-inw cook," Li Old Man flicked the cigarette ash on the ground. He had always disapproved of this eldest daughter-inw, who was always loud and fussy.


    Lin Ping didn''t get angry and nodded as she headed towards the kitchen.

 Chapter 60: Tang Xin

    <h4>Chapter 60</h4>


    At that moment, there was a knock at the door.


    Lin Ping turned around and went to open the door. She saw an elderly man dressed formally and exuding an air of affluence standing at the entrance. "Who are you?"


    "I''m here to discuss purchasing your house," Yang Housekeeper said.


    Lin Ping''s eyes lit up, and she quickly ushered Yang Housekeeper inside. "Dad! The head of the household,e out quickly, someone''s here to buy our house."


    Li Xing, Li Yuan, and Li Old Man heard this and all ran out from the hall, seeing Lin Ping leading an old man inside.


    Yang Housekeeper nced around disdainfully. This courtyard was truly filthy; how could the young master consider buying this house?


    "Are you here to buy our house?" Li Xing approached Yang Housekeeper, his facial muscles quivering slightly with excitement. When his wife mentioned it earlier, he didn''t quite believe it, after all, their house wasn''t worth that much money.


    "Yes," Yang Housekeeper nodded nonchntly. He naturally had to carry out the young master''s instructions.


    "You''re really here to buy our house?!" Li Old Man eximed in response, pinching his thigh hard. He felt like he was dreaming.


    "Move out today, and ten million will be in your ount immediately, with an additional one million aspensation," Yang Housekeeper said bluntly, as he always did.


    The people present were dazed by the mention of ten million. They never imagined such good fortune could befall them.


    "We''ll move out right now. Old One and Old Two, go pack your things quickly," Li Old Man made the decision immediately, afraid that the opportunity would slip away if they dyed.


    Li Xing and Li Yuan didn''t hesitate, rushing toward their respective rooms.


    Lin Ping''s smile was radiant. Ten million! She had never seen that much money in her life.


    The Li family moved quickly, taking only two hours to pack up all their belongings. They had just discussed that the whole family would stay in a hotel for a few days first. After all, they were wealthy now and didn''t mind spending a little money.


    As agreed, Yang Housekeeper gave them the money, and as soon as the Li family moved out, he immediately called people in to clean up the courtyard.


    Ling Yue emerged from her space and heard themotion next door. She stepped outside. She had never been to the neighboring courtyard, but she knew arge family lived there, and she would sometimes encounter them when going out.


    "Yue Yue," Lan Ji had just returned from next door. Seeing Yang Housekeeper, he understood what was happening. Qin Lie''s move truly opened his eyes.


    "Why is it so lively next door?" Ling Yue asked, hearing people moving things.


    "I''m not sure either," Lan Ji didn''t intend to tell Ling Yue that Qin Lie had bought the neighboring courtyard. Qin Lie was his brother, so he had to keep it confidential from her. As for his sister, he could only apologize in his heart, because he really wanted Qin Lie to call him ''brother.'' Just thinking about it felt great.


    Ling Yue didn''t pry further, as she never liked meddling in other people''s business.


    "Cousin, I need to go out for a trip tomorrow. I might not be back for a week."


    "Where are you going? Let me apany you."


    "A friend invited me to attend a gambling stone exchange event in Myanmar." Ling Yue hadn''t nned to go initially, but after attending the auction, she felt she didn''t have enough money. The stock market had been stabletely with no significant ups and downs, so gambling stones seemed like the fastest way to make money.


    "Myanmar is very dangerous. I should go with you," Lan Ji had been to Myanmar once, and it was very chaotic, with looting, arson, and robbery beingmonce, along with various ck market dealings. He wasn''tfortable with his sister going alone.


    "It''s fine, I can protect myself," Ling Yue decided to research Myanmar online after deciding to go. It was indeed chaotic, with various factions battling for territory, constant wars, and death being a daily urrence.


    "Alright, it''s decided then," Lan Ji made the final decision.


    Ling Yue smiled and didn''t say anything further.


    The next day at dawn, Ling Yue and Lan Ji bid farewell to Granny Xu and set off for Myanmar.


    At the airport, Older Tang was already waiting for them. Seeing Ling Yue and Lan Ji, Older Tang greeted them with a smile. "Little friend Ling Yue, little friend Lan Ji, let me introduce you. This is Zhu Yang, the president of the Gambling Stone Association, and this is Older Jiang. Any original stone he approves is without a doubt. And this is my granddaughter Tang Xin. These are Ling Yue and her cousin Lan Ji, the little friend who unveiled the top-grade Emperor Emerald ss speciesst time."


    "Hello!" Ling Yue and Lan Ji nodded at everyone.


    "Ling Yue," Tang Xin approached Ling Yue with a happy smile. "I didn''t expect you to be the one who sold the Emperor Emerald ss species to my grandfather."


    Ling Yue smiled faintly. "I didn''t expect you to be Older Tang''s granddaughter, either." Tang Xin and the original owner attended the same school and were in the same ss. They had a very good rtionship, and Tang Xin was the original owner''s only friend.


    "You two know each other?" Older Tang was somewhat surprised.


    "We''re ssmates and good friends," Tang Xin smiled, taking Ling Yue''s hand. Ling Yue was often bullied at school, which Tang Xin couldn''t stand, so she stood up for her. Over time, they became good friends.


    Thest time Tang Xin heard that Ling Yue had been burned in a fire, she rushed to the hospital to see her after returning from a trip, only to find that Ling Yue had been discharged. She wanted to visit the Ling family to see Ling Yue, but the next day, the Ling family issued a statement saying that Ling Yue was not a member of their family and had no blood rtion to them.

 Chapter 61: Gone Away

    <h4>Chapter 61</h4>


    Older Tang heard these words andughed heartily, "Ling Yue, it seems we are truly destined to meet." He didn''t expect his granddaughter to have such an outstanding friend.


    "Grandfather Tang, just call me Ling Yue." Since she and Tang Xin were friends, she naturally addressed his grandfather as an elder.


    The old Mr. Tang was also not pretentious, nodding with a smile, "Alright, Ling Yue, after this gemstone trading conference is over, you muste visit Grandfather Tang''s home."


    "Yes." Ling Yue nodded in response.


    "Ling Yue, how is the injury on your face? My grandfather knows a doctor who specializes in burn treatment. His medical skills are excellent. When we return, I''ll have my grandfather introduce that doctor to you," Tang Xin said worriedly, looking at Ling Yue''s face. She had heard that Ling Yue''s entire face was ruined by a big fire. As a girl, how would she manage in the future? A girl''s face is the most important thing.


    "Ling Yue, your face was burned?" Older Tang asked with concern upon hearing this. He had previously seen Ling Yue wearing a mask and thought she just had a cold. He didn''t expect that she had actually been burned in a big fire. No girl doesn''t love beauty, so she must be feeling very upset inside.


    "It''s nothing, my cousin is a doctor, and the injury on my face has almost healed," Ling Yue replied. Hearing the boarding announcement, she said, "Let''s get on the ne."


    "You''re not lying to me, are you?" Tang Xin didn''t believe her. Burn injuries are the most difficult to heal. She had once seen a person whose face was so disfigured by a big fire that he lookedpletely different from his original appearance.


    "It really has almost healed, see." Ling Yue leaned closer to Tang Xin and removed the mask from her face.


    "Oh my god!" Tang Xin''s mouth opened wide in disbelief, her eyes filled with incredulity. She had thought Ling Yue''s face would be covered in horrific scars, but instead her skin was smoother and more delicate than her own, like a peeled egg.


    Ling Yue put her mask back on. "Do you believe me now?"


    Tang Xin nodded dazedly, "Your cousin''s medical skills are just too good! This can''t even be called medical skills anymore, it''s like divine sorcery."


    Lan Ji raised his head proudly. Of course, the medical skills of their Valley of Divine Doctors were unmatched in the world. There were no injuries they couldn''t heal.


    After boarding the ne, Ling Yue found her seat. Tang Xin had a lot to talk to Ling Yue about, so she switched ces with Lan Ji.


    "Ling Yue, I''ve noticed you''ve changed a lot," Tang Xin said, passing Ling Yue one of the nkets an attendant had given her. The old Ling Yue always kept her head down and was timid, like a pitiful creature. But the current her exuded an aura of noble confidence, as if she were a different person.


    "People always change," Ling Yue replied, epting the nket.


    Tang Xin took Ling Yue''s hand, her expression serious. "Ling Yue, if you ever have any difficulties from now on, you cane to me. I will definitely help you." She knew Ling Yue had been driven out by the Ling family, so she must be having a hard time now.


    "Okay," Ling Yue nodded with a smile.


    The two chatted happily.


    Qin Lie received a call from Yang Housekeeper saying the small courtyard was ready and could be moved into at any time.


    Qin Lie hurriedly drove to the small courtyard and opened the door. He saw that it had been cleaned thoroughly, with potted nts arranged in the yard and a small artificial mountain in the northeast corner. Underneath the mountain was a small lotus pond with a few lotus flowers nted, creating a serene and elegant atmosphere.


    After putting his clothes in the room, Qin Lie couldn''t wait to knock on the neighboring courtyard''s door. He was eager to see Yue''er and missed her terribly.


    Granny Xu opened the door and, upon seeing Qin Lie, smiled and invited him in.


    "Granny Xu, where are Lan Ji and the others?" Qin Lie nced inside the house.


    "They''ve gone on a trip and won''t be back for a week," Granny Xu replied.


    Qin Lie paused. "Where did they go?" That guy Lan Ji didn''t even tell him¡ªweren''t they brothers?


    "They went to Myanmar for a gemstone trading conference. Have a seat, I''ll go cut some watermelon for you," Granny Xu said, heading toward the kitchen.


    "Don''t bother, Granny Xu. I just remembered I have something else to do. I''lle visit you another time." Qin Lie felt a bit gloomy. He had moved here to be closer to Yue''er, but she had gone on a trip. What was the point of moving here then?


    Qin Lie returned to his own courtyard in low spirits.


    Suddenly he remembered there was a missioning up in Myanmar, and his eyes lit up with a faint smile. He immediately made arrangements for a ne.


    The moment he stepped off the ne, a wave of heat hit him.


    "It''s so hot! Hotter than Xia Country. I feel like I''m being roasted alive," Tang Xin fanned herself, but it was no use.


    "Grandpa, when is the caring? I''m going to die from the heat."


    "Soon, just bear with it a bit longer. The car will be here soon." Older Tang had attended the gemstone trading conference in Myanmarst year, so he was somewhat familiar with the weather here. At the very least, it was five or six degrees hotter than their country.


    Tang Xin turned to ask Ling Yue if she was hot, but saw her looking calm andposed. "Ling Yue, aren''t you hot?" She was even wearing a mask over her face.


    "No," Ling Yue shook her head. As a cultivator, this temperature had no effect on her.


    As they spoke, a van slowly approached and stopped in front of them.


    The door opened and a bearded man got out with a smile, walking up to Older Tang and extending his hand. "Older Tang! Sorry to have kept you waiting. Let''s get in the car."


    "Not at all, we just arrived ourselves." Older Tang shook the man''s hand and introduced hispanions to him, as well as introducing the man to Ling Yue and the others. "This is Ma La Nian. He owns his own mines and quarries and is one of thergest raw gemstone suppliers in Myanmar."


    The security situation in Myanmar was very chaotic, with various factions controlling their own territories. If you came to Myanmar without knowing anyone, you could easily be tricked and sold on the ck market, or directly kidnapped¡ªthe lucky ones bing tel scammers, the unlucky ones turned into blood farms or simply having their organs harvested.


    "Let''s talk in the car," Ma La Nian invited everyone aboard the van.


    Without air conditioning, being inside the van felt like being in a sauna, and everyone was soon drenched in sweat.


    "Endure it for a bit longer. The hotel is very close, just ten or so minutes away," Ma La Nian said apologetically. His luxury cars had all been borrowed by friends visiting Myanmar, leaving him with only this dpidated van.


    "No problem, there will at least be some wind while driving," Older Tang replied casually, making small talk with Ma La Nian. He and Ma La Nian had been introduced through a mutual friend, and their rtionship wasn''t particrly good. Ma La Nianing to pick them up in person was already showing a lot of face.

 Chapter 62: Qingyun Pill

    <h4>Chapter 62</h4>


    The car moved slowly along the road, rocking back and forth due to the uneven and bumpy surface.


    Tang Xin''s face grew increasingly pale, and she stuck her head out the window, feeling a bit better.


    "Miss Tang, this is for you," Lan Ji said, handing her a pitch-ck pill.


    Tang Xin took the pill with a puzzled look, sniffing it. "Is this medicine?"


    Lan Ji nodded. "It prevents motion sickness and heatstroke if you take it." He had just remembered carrying some Qing Yun Pills, a unique creation of the Valley of Divine Doctors, extracted from various precious herbs. They had a wide range of effects, not only boosting energy and focus but also aiding digestion. On this trip, he had mostly brought medicines for treating burns but had a few Qing Yun Pills with him.


    "Thank you!" Tang Xin popped the Qing Yun Pill into her mouth. Expecting it to be bitter, she was surprised to find it sweet and refreshingly cool, immediately relieving her feelings of heat.


    Lan Ji took out another Qing Yun Pill and offered it to Old Mr. Tang.


    Old Mr. Tang waved his hand with a smile. "We''ll be at the hotel soon, so I don''t need it. Give it to Ling Yue instead." As he grew older, he became increasingly averse to taking medicine, so he avoided it whenever possible.


    "Grandpa, this medicine isn''t bitter at all, and it works really well. Give it a try," Tang Xin said mischievously, winking at Old Mr. Tang. She knew her grandfather hated taking medicine.


    Old Mr. Tang eyed the ck pill in Lan Ji''s hand with a polite refusal. "No, thanks." He just couldn''t believe a pill that dark wouldn''t be bitter.


    Seeing that Old Mr. Tang really didn''t want it, Lan Ji didn''t insist and offered the Qing Yun Pill to Ling Yue instead. "Yue, you have one too."


    "I''m fine, you can keep it," Ling Yue declined with a shake of her head. As a cultivator, ordinary medicine had no effect on her, and she had many spirit pills in her own small world, though those weren''t suitable for mortals.


    Lan Ji smiled and put the Qing Yun Pill into his own mouth. Since he had already taken it out, putting it back into the bottle would reduce its efficacy.


    The car stopped in front of a three-story small hotel building. At a nce, it was clear that the building was quite old, with cracks and peeling paint on the outer walls.


    Upon entering the hotel, the sanitary conditions were equally discouraging, with cigarette butts and litter scattered across the floor.


    Ling Yue scanned the area with a slight frown. Not only had the hotel fallen into disrepair over the years, but it was alsoden with heavy negative energy.


    "Mr. Ma La Nian, could you help us find another hotel?" Tang Xin asked, feeling uneasy as soon as she entered.


    "I''m so sorry, Miss Tang," Ma La Nian said apologetically. "There are too many people attending the Gambling Stone Exchange Meeting this time, and all the hotels are fully booked."


    Old Mr. Tang red at Tang Xin. "Mr. Ma La Nian, please don''t mind the child''s ignorance."


    "No problem. I''ve already arranged rooms for you. Just check in, and you''ll be all set," Ma La Nian said before bidding them farewell after exchanging pleasantries with Old Mr. Tang.


    Afterpleting the check-in process, Ling Yue and the others went to their respective rooms.


    Ling Yue and Tang Xin shared a room, which was quite spartan, containing only two single beds and no other furniture. The bathroom reeked of a musty odor when they opened the door.


    "This ce is so dirty," Tang Xin said with a look of disgust. She had expected Myanmar to be fun, and with the summer vacation not yet over, it seemed like a good opportunity to visit. But upon arrival, she realized how underdeveloped the country was,pletely different from her expectations.


    "We''ll make do," Ling Yue said, cing her backpack on the bed. It was her only piece of luggage.


    "I guess we have no choice." Tang Xin pushed her suitcase against the bed andy down with resignation, realizing they would just have to ept the situation.


    "I''m going to wash my face," Ling Yue said, entering the bathroom and closing the door. She summoned a talisman and tossed it towards the bathroom, causing a plume of ck smoke to rise before the air became noticeably fresher.


    When Ling Yue came out, Tang Xin grabbed her clothes, towel, and toiletries and headed to the bathroom. "I need to take a shower; I stink of sweat. Huh? The musty smell is gone."


    "I opened the window," Ling Yue replied, closing the bathroom door for Tang Xin.


    "Oh, that makes sense," Tang Xin said, setting her things on the sink and starting to run the water for her shower.


    Ling Yue went to Lan Ji''s room next door and knocked lightly. The few rooms they were staying in weren''t very clean, and if the negative energy wasn''t cleared, it could affect their health.


    "Yue," Lan Ji greeted her with a bright smile as he opened the door.


    "May Ie in?" Lan Ji and Old Mr. Tang were sharing a room.


    "Of course,e on in," Old Mr. Tang called out from inside, brewing some tea.


    Ling Yue entered the room and scanned the area. When the two men weren''t paying attention, she tossed a talisman into the bathroom. Bathrooms, being ces where dirt and grime umted, were naturally where negative energy thrived.


    "Ling Yue, I''m sorry for the inconvenience this time," Old Mr. Tang said, pouring her a cup of tea.


    Ling Yue took the tea cup. "It''s no problem. This ce is quite nice."


    "Oh, take this invitation. You''ll need to present it to enter the Gambling Stone Exchange Meeting, or they won''t let you in." Old Mr. Tang handed her an invitation. Earlier, when he had called Ma La Nian, he had specifically asked for an extra invitation, as each one allowed a maximum of three people. Since he was bringing Tang Xin, he needed an additional invitation for Ling Yue, who was also bringing her cousin.


    "I understand. Thank you, Old Mr. Tang," Ling Yue said, epting the invitation. After chatting with Old Mr. Tang and Lan Ji for a bit, she took her leave.


    Later, when Old Mr. Tang went to use the bathroom, he noticed the air seemed fresher,cking the musty odor from before.


    Puzzled, he looked around. "Was I just imagining it?"


    Ling Yue had intended to visit the other travelers in their group but decided against it since she wasn''t well-acquainted with them. It wouldn''t be appropriate to knock on their doors unexpectedly. Instead, she nned to give them some protective talismanster in the evening.

 Chapter 63: Too Pretty to Look

    <h4>Chapter 63</h4>


    The sun was gradually setting, and the afterglow filtered through the window, casting a soft reddish hue over the entire room.


    Tang Xin had taken a nap and felt much better. She nced at her watch and said, "No wonder I''m hungry. Ling Yue, let''s go downstairs for dinner." She had asked the front desk earlier, and they said the hotel provided dining for guests at a restaurant on the first floor.


    "Okay." Ling Yue had been leaning on the windowsill enjoying the view. Hearing Tang Xin''s words, she walked to the bed, picked up her hat and mask, and put them on.


    "You don''t need to wear the mask. It''s too hot today."


    Ling Yue paused with her hand on the mask, thought for a moment, then took it off and put it back down. After all, they would return to their room after dinner.


    As they stepped out of their room, they heard the door next door open, and Old Mr. Tang and Lan Ji emerged.


    "We were just about to call you two," Lan Ji said, his smile deepening as he noticed Ling Yue wasn''t wearing a mask.


    Old Mr. Tang was slightly taken aback by Ling Yue''s beauty. "I didn''t realize you were so gorgeous." Before, he had only noticed her beautiful eyes, but now he saw that her entire face was exquisitely perfect. Such beauty could be a blessing or a curse. He suddenly felt a bit worried.


    He almost reminded Ling Yue to put on her mask, for they were in Myanmar, and if someone had ill intentions toward her, he might not be able to protect her.


    "Grandpa, let''s go. I''m starving," Tang Xin said, hooking her arm around Old Mr. Tang''s and heading downstairs.


    Old Mr. Tang smiled helplessly. He would remind Ling Yueter. After all, this hotel was mostly upied by guests from Xia Country, so it should be fine. Besides, one couldn''t wear a mask while eating anyway.


    When they arrived at the restaurant, Zhu Yang and the others were already eating.


    "Old Tang, you''re here," Zhu Yang greeted Old Mr. Tang and the others warmly, his eyes shing with admiration when he saw Ling Yue. She was so beautiful!


    "When did youe down?" Old Tang asked with a smile as they approached Zhu Yang.


    "Just now. Come, join us," Zhu Yang invited them, his gaze frequently drifting toward Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue and the others took their seats and picked up the menus, casually ordering a few dishes.


    "There''s a market behind the hotel where you can gamble for gemstones. Would you be interested in checking it out?" Zhu Yang asked, his eyes settling on Ling Yue''s face as he gave her a friendly smile.


    Ling Yue frowned slightly, disliking Zhu Yang''s gaze.


    Intrigued, Tang Xin turned to Ling Yue and asked, "Do you want to go?" She really wanted to try cutting open a raw stone herself and see if she could unearth a piece of jade.


    "Let''s take a look," Ling Yue replied. Earlier, while watching the scenery from the windowsill, she had noticed the lively street and detected an intense spiritual energy emanating from one of the shops, indicating the presence of superior jade.


    "It''s too dangerous to go out at night. We should wait for the gemstone gambling exchange meeting tomorrow," Old Tang cautioned.


    "It''s fine. I''ll keep them safe," Lan Ji said confidently.


    "But..." Old Tang wanted to dissuade them further.


    "Grandpa, please let me go, pretty please?" Tang Xin pleaded, swinging Old Tang''s arm.


    Old Tang felt dizzy from the swinging. "Juste back early then. Ling Yue, don''t forget to wear your mask when you go out." His biggest worry now was Ling Yue''s striking appearance.


    "I know, Old Mr. Tang," Ling Yue said, swallowing her food and nodding.


    "I''ll join you too," Zhu Yang said, picking up a napkin and wiping his mouth and hands, his eyes lingering on Ling Yue suggestively.


    Lan Ji shot Zhu Yang an irritated nce. How dare he have designs on his sister? Did he not know his own standing?


    Ling Yue had intended to give Zhu Yang and the others protective talismans, but she changed her mind. She had no connection with them, so whether they suffered any harm or not was none of her concern. At worst, they would just lose some spiritual energy, but their lives wouldn''t be in danger.


    Zhu Yang shuddered under Lan Ji''s gaze. As Ling Yue stood up, he hurriedly followed suit. It was rare to encounter such a beautiful woman, so he couldn''t miss this chance to spend time with her. Although he was older, he came from a good family, was wealthy, and was the president of the Gambling Stone Association. With his impressive credentials, perhaps Ling Yue would be swayed.

 Chapter 64: The Rough Rock

    <h4>Chapter 64</h4>


    The night market was still bustling with crowds.


    Upon closer inspection, most of the people were foreigners interested in jade gambling from abroad.


    There were hardly any visitors at the handicraft and snack stalls; everyone had gathered in the various raw jadeite shops. Approaching the entrance of these shops, one could see people inside, some squatting on the ground examining raw jade pieces with shlights and magnifying sses, asionally sshing water on the surface, while others were bargaining with the owners.


    In the northeast corner of the market, a constant whirring of machinery, sighs, and cheers could be heard, evidentlying from the jade cutting area.


    "Let''s buy a piece of raw jade too; who knows, I might get lucky," Tang Xin said eagerly, pulling Ling Yue into a raw jade shop.


    The shop''s floor and shelves were piled high with raw jade pieces of various sizes, from fist-sized to seemingly low-quality ones bundled together at thirty or fifty yuan each, mainly to satisfy customers'' gambling urges rather than yield any green jade.


    Therger pieces were categorized and priced individually, especially those with "windows" cut into them, through which the quality of the jade inside could be clearly seen.


    However, even jade with visible quality through these windows did not guarantee a profitable yield, as the visible part might only be a thinyer of green skin, or the jade could undergo color changes. Experience, keen eyes, and luck were crucial in this trade, giving rise to the saying "even immortals struggle to judge a cun of jade."


    "So many raw jade pieces!" Tang Xin''s eyes were dazzled by the vast assortment, unsure which one to choose.


    "Miss Tang Xin, look at that piece over there," Zhu Yang, the president of the Jade Gambling Association, pointed to a piece on a nearby shelf. "Its thin skin is yellowish-white, with fine crystals. It must be from the Pagan Old Pit. If it yields green jade, it will undoubtedly be of high quality, with excellent transparency and color."


    He grinned at Ling Yue, "Miss Ling Yue, would you like me to help you pick a piece of raw jade? I guarantee it will produce green jade."


    "No need," Ling Yue replied coolly, walking towards the pile of thirty-yuan raw jade pieces.


    Lan Ji shot Zhu Yang a cold re and followed Ling Yue. How dare he make a move on his sister without considering his own character?


    Tang Xin approached the piece Zhu Yang had pointed out, a football-sized raw jade priced at five hundred thousand yuan.


    "So expensive!" Tang Xin hesitated. It wasn''t that she couldn''t afford it, but she merely wanted to experience jade gambling for fun. As a first-timer, she was reluctant to spend such a considerable sum, fearing potential losses.


    Zhu Yang, examining a jade piece with a cut window, overheard Tang Xin''s remark and turned towards her. "The more expensive, the more likely it is to yield green jade. If you don''t want it, I''ll take it." He had his eye on that piece from the start and would have bought it if not for wanting to show off his expertise in front of Ling Yue.


    Tang Xin stared at the piece, conflicted. "Ling Yue, do you think I should buy this raw jade?"


    Ling Yue bent down, picked up a ck raw jade piece from the thirty-yuan pile, and grabbed another as she heard Tang Xin''s question. "Why don''t you buy this one instead?" The jade inside the piece Tang Xin was considering had poor quality, with only a faint trace of spiritual energy, likely indicating a low-grade "peas species" jadeite.


    Even if Tang Xin decided to buy it, Ling Yue would have dissuaded her, as a friend, from making such a costly mistake.


    "Okay," Tang Xin replied, running over to Ling Yue and epting the piece she offered. "Let''s get this one then."


    Zhu Yang clenched his teeth in displeasure, approaching the piece Tang Xin had been eyeing. He scrutinized it with a magnifying ss and shlight, then turned to the shopkeeper. "I''ll take this piece, and that one too. Can you cut them here on-site?"


    The shopkeeper approached enthusiastically, "Of course, just over in the northeast corner, we have arge cutting area. Pay for them, and I''ll have the workers deliver them there."


    Zhu Yang handed the shopkeeper his bank card. "Charge it, I''ll take this piece and that one too." He pointed to the other jade he had examined.


    "Certainly, one moment please!" The shopkeeper scurried off to process the payment.


    Zhu Yang shot a smug smile at Ling Yue''s group. It was their loss for not picking that raw jade piece; they would soon regret it.


    Ling Yue and Lan Ji didn''t even spare him a nce, viewing Zhu Yang as nothing but a fool.


    Tang Xin didn''t bother looking at Zhu Yang''s situation, instead crouching beside Ling Yue. "Ling Yue, help me pick another piece, good thingse in pairs."


    Ling Yue scanned the pile and handed Tang Xin a piece with a thicker, grayish-yellow skin. "How about this one?"


    "Great, I''ll take this one," Tang Xin said happily, epting the fist-sized raw jade.


    "I''ve made my purchases. Have you chosen yours?" Zhu Yang asked, rejoining them after retrieving his bank card.


    Ling Yue stood up, and along with Lan Ji and Tang Xin, they went to pay. Each had selected two pieces.


    "Let''s go get them cut," Tang Xin said impatiently, having longed to experience jade gambling. Her family''s basement housed raw jade pieces, but her grandfather and father had never allowed her entry.


    Ling Yue nodded, and they headed towards the cutting area.


    Before they arrived, cheers erupted from the crowd.


    "Green jade! That''s the first raw piece to yield green jade today!"


    "Based on its quality, it seems to be yang green jade. This young man is incredibly lucky."


    "Young man, don''t cut it further. I''ll offer one million for that raw jade."


    "I''ll give you one and a half million, sell it to me."


    "Two million!" The crowd outbid each other fervently.


    The young man nced at them impassively. "Sorry everyone, but this jade is not for sale."


    "Excuse us, we need to get some jade cut," Tang Xin said, squeezing through the crowd while carrying a stic bag containing her two raw jade pieces, pulling Ling Yue along.


    Hearing someone wanted to cut jade, the crowd parted to create a path.


    "Littledy, you want to cut some jade? If it yields green jade, consider selling it to me. I guarantee a price you''ll be satisfied with."


    "Sell it to me, I won''t let you lose out."


    Tang Xin shook the stic bag. "I''m just doing it for fun."


    Seeing the two small pieces of raw jade in the bag, the crowd fell silent in disbelief.

 Chapter 65: Calcite

    <h4>Chapter 65</h4>


    "Master, could you please cut these raw stones for us?" Tang Xin walked up to a jade stone cutter named Master Zhang who was waiting for customers, swinging the stic bag in her hand.


    Master Zhang nced at the stic bag Tang Xin was holding. "Little girl, it costs fifty yuan to cut one raw stone. Are you sure you want to cut them?" He hadn''t opened for business today because the past few days he hadn''t managed to cut out a single piece of green jade. For gamblers on jade stones, they needed to have a lucky start, so customers would naturally choose a master who had good luck to cut stones for them.


    "Yes, I''m sure," Tang Xin nodded.


    Master Zhang hesitated a bit, "Little girl, I''ve had a streak of bad luck these days. You may want to find another master instead."


    "No worries, just cut them for us." Tang Xin handed the stic bag containing the raw stones to Master Zhang.


    Ling Yue and Lan Ji also passed their chosen raw stones to Master Zhang.


    Master Zhang smiled as he took them, "Are you really okay with my bad luck?"


    "We don''t mind," Ling Yue, Tang Xin, and Lan Ji shook their heads with a smile.


    "Alright then, I''ll cut them for you. I''ll charge twenty yuan each." Master Zhang ced one of the raw stones on the machine, putting the rest beside the machine. For raw stones of this size, cutting them was quick.


    "No need for a discount, just charge the market price," Lan Ji took out money and paid Master Zhang.


    "You guys are really kind," Master Zhang was touched.


    "Master, do you have a pen? I want to draw on them," Ling Yue spoke up. Although these few raw stones were small, the quality of the jade inside was excellent. However, three of them didn''t contain any jade at all. If they had chosen six raw stones and all six contained jade, that would have been too conspicuous.


    "Yes, yes," Master Zhang took out a pen from his pocket and handed it to Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue received the pen and drew lines on the raw stones as if he knew what he was doing.


    "He''s putting on quite a show, as if these raw stones could actually produce jade."


    "They must be first-time jade gamblers, thinking every raw stone will have green inside."


    "You can tell from their age that they''ve never gambled on jade before."


    After drawing lines on all six raw stones, Ling Yue returned the pen to Master Zhang. "Master, I''ll leave the rest to you."


    "Alright!" Master Zhang bent down and ced one raw stone on the machine, starting it up. As the machine rumbled, sparks flew from the stone.


    In less than three minutes, the raw stone was cut open.


    Tang Xin hurried over to check and saw that the cut surface waspletely white, feeling a bit disappointed.


    "Hahaha... I knew it wouldn''t produce green jade."


    "If these few dozen yuan raw stones could produce green jade, I''ll eat them myself."


    "I can guarantee the next few will be the same."


    Master Zhang nced at Tang Xin, then picked up the second raw stone and started cutting it.


    As the machine rumbled again, the second raw stone was quickly cut open, and the situation was the same as the first one - the cut surface waspletely white.


    Mockingughter and jeers sounded from the crowd asionally, as no one expected Ling Yue and the others'' chosen raw stones to produce jade.


    Next, the third raw stone was ced on the machine.


    Zhu Yang walked over with a smug smile, "My raw stones have arrived too. You might as well check mine out. Don''t bother cutting the rest, they won''t produce any green jade."


    Ling Yue and Lan Ji didn''t even give Zhu Yang a nce.


    Tang Xin really wanted to re at Zhu Yang, but remembering his identity, she forcefully held back. Her grandfather would still have to deal with Zhu Yang in the future, so she couldn''t offend him and make things difficult for her grandfather.


    "Green jade! Green jade!" Master Zhang eximed excitedly.


    Hearing this, Tang Xin hurried over and scooped up adle of water, sshing it onto the cut surface. A gorgeous emerald green hue shone into her eyes, dazzlingly beautiful.


    "What a beautiful green!"


    "This is golden silk bright green jade. The luck is just too good!"


    "I didn''t expect them to actually cut out green jade. It would be even better if this piece of jade was a bit bigger."


    "Will you sell this jade? I''ll offer two million."


    "Two million one hundred thousand."


    "Two million five hundred thousand."


    Zhu Yang stared at the emerald green hue in disbelief, his expression filled with incredulity. How was this possible?


    "Ah~" Tang Xin cheered excitedly, running up to hug Ling Yue as she jumped up and down. "Green jade, we cut out green jade!" This was the first time in her life, and she didn''t expect to be so lucky. All thanks to Ling Yue, as he was the one who helped her choose the raw stones.


    "Don''t get too excited, there will be plenty more of this in the future," Ling Yue smiled and patted Tang Xin''s shoulder.


    "Yeah," Tang Xin nodded happily, unable to wipe the smile off her face. Her grandfather would be thrilled to know about this too.


    Master Zhang was also very excited. After so many days, he had finally cut out green jade. His streak of bad luck was finally over.


    Picking up a grinding machine nearby, he carefully ground away the stone shell from the jade, as he had noticed earlier that the jade was only about a centimeter away from the shell. Using the cutting machine could easily damage the jade inside, so he had to slowly grind away the surface stone shell with the grinding machine.


    Asyer afteryer of the stone shell was ground off, the jade gradually revealed its true form. The color, luster, and texture captivated everyone present, their gazes unable to move away.


    "Little girl, will you sell this jade?"


    "Of course not," Tang Xin stepped forward and took the jade from Master Zhang''s hand, cradling it lovingly in her palms. This was the first jade she had ever cut out in her life, so she would definitely keep it as a cherished possession.


    The onlookers were all disappointed. What was going on today? Why did no one want to sell?


    Master Zhang continued cutting stones, his energy renewed after cutting out a piece of jade.


    On the other side, Zhu Yang''s raw stones also began being cut.


    Amid the rumbling of machines and swirling dust, the cutting continued.

 Chapter 66: The Best Purple Philippe

    <h4>Chapter 66</h4>


    "It''s out in the green!" Master Zhang''s excited voice rang out again.


    Everyone''s gaze immediately turned to the jade in Master Zhang''s hand.


    "This is purple jadeite, my goodness! What incredible luck to cut out two pieces of superb jade in a row."


    "Will you sell this piece of jade? I''ll offer two million!"


    "Three million!"


    "Four million!"


    "Five million!" The people started bidding again, their eyes tinged with hope. This purple jadeite not only had good color and luster, but was also fine and translucent, a rare gem among purple jadeites. It''s known that purple jadeite is extremely rare in the world of jade, and when it does ur, it''s usually in small bean or milky varieties, which is why the saying goes: "Nine out of ten are wood, one in ten is jadeite."


    When the bidding slowed down around Ling Yue, she spoke softly: "One hundred million, and I''ll sell it." Although this purple jadeite was small, it was a ss-type variety, enough to make three bangles, eight pendants, with the remaining fragments used for rings and iys: its value would certainly exceed one hundred million.


    "Little girl, you''re shooting for the moon. This jade hasn''t even been fully uncovered yet, and you''re already asking for one hundred million. Have you gone money-crazy?"


    "This jade is worth at most ten million."


    "Exactly, if you don''t want to sell, just say so. Don''t waste our time."


    Ling Yue''s expression remained calm. "Master, could you please grind off the outeryer of the jade?"


    "Sure." Master Zhang deftly started grinding with the sanding machine.


    As time ticked by and the whirring sound of grinding stopped, the jade revealed its true splendor. Not veryrge, about the size of two adult fists, but its color was a gorgeous deep purple, its luster transparent: unmistakably a top-quality ss variety.


    The people present were transfixed by the jade, mentally calcting how much profit they could make if they bought it for one hundred million.


    "I''ll take this purple jadeite for one hundred and ten million." The booming voice came from Older Tang, who walked out from the crowd with a smile. He had been waiting at the hotel for a long time and came looking for them when they didn''t return. He had just arrived when he saw the purple jadeite in Ling Yue''s hand. This girl''s luck was too incredible: first the emerald green ss jadeite, now this ss purple jadeite. He had been gambling with jade for over a decade and had never encountered luck like hers.


    "Grandpa!" Tang Xin ran over to him, showing the jade she had uncovered. "Look at the jade I uncovered, isn''t it beautiful?"


    Old Mr. Tang nced at the jade in Tang Xin''s hand, somewhat surprised. "Not bad luck!"


    Tang Xin smiled proudly. "Ling Yue helped me choose this one."


    "Oh?" Old Mr. Tang looked at Ling Yue in surprise. Could she really tell if there was jade inside the raw stones? If not, how could her luck be so outrageous?


    Ling Yue smiled back at him. "One hundred million for you, Old Mr. Tang."


    "Sure, but since you helped Xin Xin choose this stone, I should give you some money too." Old Mr. Tang nced at the jade in Tang Xin''s hand, mentally calcting how much he should give Ling Yue.


    "That was just Tang Xin''s luck, it had nothing to do with me," Ling Yue smiled and declined. If she were to im credit for every stone, she might as well have bought that thirty-piece lot for herself in the first ce.


    "No way, you picked out the raw stone for me. The luck is half mine, half yours, so the money should be split too," Tang Xin insisted after the jade was uncovered.


    Ling Yue smiled helplessly and pointed to the previously discarded waste stone. "I picked that one too."


    "That one doesn''t count," Tang Xin was stubborn.


    Unable to sway Tang Xin, Ling Yue said, "Alright, if you insist on thanking me, then you can take me out for a nice meal when we get back home. I''ll choose the ce."


    Tang Xin thought for a moment, nced at Old Mr. Tang who nodded, and replied, "Okay then, but you have to pick an expensive ce."


    "Sure," Ling Yue smiled and handed the jade to Old Mr. Tang. "Old Mr. Tang, the jade is yours."


    Old Mr. Tang happily epted it, his eyes crinkling into crescents. "Wonderful! Truly wonderful! The color and texture of this purple jadeite is superb, not a single w. Such a rarity!"


    The people who hesitated watched Old Mr. Tang with envy, regretting their inaction. They had calcted that if they bought this purple jadeite and had it made into bangles, Buddha pendants, and rings, they could easily profit thirty to forty million. But s, it was toote now.


    "It''s my turn now." Lan Ji stepped forward and ced the raw stone he had chosen into the machine.

 Chapter 67: Hide the Green

    <h4>Chapter 67</h4>


    The first block did not yield any green, so Lan Ji ced the second piece of raw jade onto the machine. Gambling with jade stones dependsrgely on luck, so not yielding green is normal.


    On the other end, Zhu Yang''s gaze was fixed intently on the raw jade in front of him. Hearing a "crack" sound, he quickly looked over and saw a tinge of green on the cut surface, his face revealing a delighted expression. He picked up adle and poured some water onto the cut surface. He had said that the raw jade stones he selected with his keen eye would definitely yield green.


    The water flowed over the cut surface, washing away the dust, and revealed the true appearance of the jade''s emerald color.


    "How can it be bean jade?" Zhu Yang''s face turned unsightly. Bean jade is the least valuable type in the jade world. A bangle made of bean jade can sell for at most a few hundred yuan, with the lower quality ones fetching only a few dozen yuan, rendering them virtually worthless.


    "Cut it again," Zhu Yang stubbornly told the jade carving master. This raw jade was from the entrance of the Pa Gan old pit. Based on the appearance of the raw jade, the emerald inside had a high chance of having a ssy luster, so how could it be the worthless bean jade?


    "It yielded green! It yielded green again!"


    "This luck is unmatched, six raw jade stones yielded three pieces of emerald jade, and they are all of superior quality."


    "This is a Three-Colored Blessing of Longevity!"


    Upon hearing this, Zhu Yang turned to look and saw that the emerald jade Lan Ji had just uncovered was a Three-Colored Blessing of Longevity, making him grit his teeth in anger. What rotten luck.


    "Young Lan, would you sell this jade to me as well?" Old Mr. Tang had been wanting to find a Three-Colored Blessing of Longevity, but had been unable to encounter one, especially one with such good color and luster.


    "Old Mr., you can''t be so greedy, leave one for us too."


    "That''s right, who doesn''t want a fine jade like this?"


    "Just let us have this one."


    Old Mr. Tang smiled apologetically at everyone, "Apologies, everyone! I really like this Three-Colored Blessing of Longevity. However, I won''t let young Lan be at a loss. Let''s have a fairpetition, highest price wins. What do you all think?" As jade lovers, everyone naturally wanted to acquire such a high-quality jade when they saw it.


    "Okay, let''s have a fairpetition, highest price wins."


    As the outeryers of the raw jade were gradually polished away, the Three-Colored Blessing of Longevity jade fully revealed itself. Upon closer inspection, its shape resembled a galloping stallion.


    This further heightened everyone''s excitement.


    "This is truly a masterpiece of nature, even without carving, you can see it''s a stallion, with its raised head, sturdy body, and natural tail."


    "Three million, I''ll take it!"


    "Five million, I''ll take it!"


    "Ten million!" eximed Old Mr. Tang excitedly, his beard quivering slightly.


    "Thirteen million!"


    "Fifteen million!" Old Mr. Tang did not hesitate to call out this price.


    After he shouted this price, the surrounding crowd fell silent. This Three-Colored Blessing of Longevity jade was indeed very valuable, but fifteen million yuan was already the bottom line. Any higher would not be worth it. Moreover, they hade to attend the jade gambling exchange event. If they spent all their money on this Three-Colored Blessing of Longevity jade, they would not have funds left if they saw good raw jade stones tomorrow.


    So after considering, everyone decided to give up.


    Old Mr. Tang joyfully hugged the two pieces of jade and walked towards the hotel where he, Ling Yue, and Tang Xin were staying.


    Zhu Yang sat on the ground with an unsightly expression. The first raw jade stone had now been cut into three small pieces, but the emerald jade uncovered was still bean jade, worthless.


    Normally, if a raw jade stone was cut to waste, it wouldn''t matter. But thinking about Ling Yue, Tang Xin, and Old Mr. Tang, he felt a lump in his throat that he couldn''t swallow. They had randomly selected a raw jade stone costing only a few dozen yuan and uncovered premium jade, while the raw jade stone he had bought for fifty thousand yuan only yielded worthless bean jade. How could he not be angry?


    "Keep cutting?" The jade carving master saw Zhu Yang''s unhappy expression and asked softly.


    Zhu Yang red at the jade carving master and pointed to another raw jade that had been windowed. "Cut this one." He had examined this jade carefully. The area where the window was cut had very transparent jade color. When a shlight was shined through, a faint green light could be seen inside, indicating a high possibility of uncovering imperial green jade. This raw jade stone had cost him one million yuan.


    The jade carving master immediately called two assistants to help move Zhu Yang''s raw jade onto the cutting machine.


    The noisy sound of the machine rang out.


    Zhu Yang stared intently at his raw jade, full of anticipation. If he could uncover imperial green jade, then at tomorrow''s jade gambling exchange event, he could buy a few more raw jade stones.


    Time ticked by second by second, and the surrounding crowd not only did not shrink, but grewrger. They had alle after hearing that three premium jades had been uncovered here in session.


    "Crack!" The raw jade was finally cut open.


    Zhu Yang hurried over to inspect it and saw a white patch in the middle. His face instantly turned pale as he copsed to the ground. "How could it be skin-deep green?" This raw jade stone had cost him one million yuan.


    "Cut...cut again."


    The jade carving master could only follow Zhu Yang''s instructions and cut another slice, but the result was the same, just a white patch.


    Zhu Yang refused to give up and snatched the cutting machine from the jade carving master''s hands, cutting the jade himself.


    One raw jade stone was cut into four or five pieces by him, but in the end, apart from the thinyer of jade near the skin, there was nothing else.


    Zhu Yang sat dejectedly on the ground, staring nkly at the surrounding waste stones.


    Twopanions who had taken the same flight to Myanmar with him happened to be in the crowd of onlookers. Seeing Zhu Yang''s state, they came over and helped him back to the hotel.


    The night grew deep, and even though it was past midnight, the mor from the market outside could still be heard. The market was operating 24 hours during these few days to allow clients attending the jade gambling exchange event to gamble with jade at any time.


    A few shadowy figures crept stealthily along the corridor.


    "Is this the room?" a gruff male voice asked in a low tone.


    "Yes, two girls are staying inside, one of them is very pretty, while the other is wearing a mask, so I don''t know what she looks like."


    "Quietly, open the door."


    Ling Yue had woken up when she heard the noise outside. Seeing the door being gently pushed open and three men entering from outside, she flicked her finger, sending a talisman flying out.


    As the three men entered the room and saw Ling Yue and Tang Xin lying on the bed, they were about to take out ropes to tie the two up when they felt as if their heads had been heavily struck. Their vision went ck as they passed out.


    Ling Yue got up and walked over to the three men, taking out a talisman and sticking it to one of their foreheads. A golden light shed, and the man''s memories yed out in Ling Yue''s mind like a movie.

 Chapter 68: Restless Night

    <h4>Chapter 68</h4>


    These three people were professional human traffickers. The reason they were able to enter the room smoothly was that the manager of this hotel was part of their organization.


    Every year, tourists who came to visit this ce would mysteriously disappear from this hotel. Some were taken away, while others were killed right in their hotel rooms, and they didn''t even spare children. It was for this reason that the hotel was shrouded in an ominous atmosphere, filled with the resentful energy of these ghosts.


    With a wave of his hand and the activation of a Fire Spirit Talisman, the three men were instantly consumed by mes and vanished without a trace.


    Tang Xin slept deeply,pletely oblivious to everything around her.


    Ling Yue dispelled the barrier and returned to the bed to continue her cultivation.


    On the other side, Zhu Yang tossed and turned, unable to sleep, his mind constantly reying the scene from the stone gambling earlier that day. Thinking about the one million he had lost made his heart ache.


    "Drip! Drip!" The sound of dripping water came from the bathroom.


    Zhu Yang turned over, not thinking much of it, but then there was a rustling sound of footsteps.


    The footsteps stopped at the edge of the bed. Zhu Yang felt as if someone hadin down next to him, assuming it was a colleague who had sleepwalked into the wrong bed. He turned over and came face to face with a pale, blood-covered face. He tried to scream, but no sound came out, and he fainted.


    At the edge of the sky, the red sun slowly rose, its golden-red light illuminating the entire world. The clouds churned like waves, creating a beautiful, poetic scene.


    Tang Xin rubbed her drowsy eyes, opening them with a satisfied expression. "It''s morning... I slept so well." She usually dreamed every time she closed her eyes, butst night she didn''t have a single dream, sleeping soundly until morning. Today, she feltpletely refreshed.


    Ling Yue got up, went over to the window, and opened the curtains and windows, letting in a warm breeze carrying the scent of the morning sun.


    After stretchingzily, Ling Yue went to the bathroom to freshen up.


    The two had just finished washing up and changing clothes when there was a knock at the door.


    "Xin Xin, Yue, are you ready?" came Old Mr. Tang''s affectionate voice from outside the door.


    Tang Xin opened the door, greeting Old Mr. Tang with a radiant smile. "We''ve been ready for a while." She hooked her arm through his. "Where''s Big Brother Lan?"


    Old Mr. Tang patted the back of Tang Xin''s hand indulgently, smiling at Ling Yue. "Lan Ji has gone down already. There are a lot of people eating breakfast early, so he went ahead to find seats."


    Ling Yue nodded. "Let''s go down then."


    The three arrived at the downstairs restaurant, expecting it to be crowded with people eating breakfast, but instead found it nearly empty, with only a few people dining.


    "Where is everyone?" Old Mr. Tang seemed perplexed. Today was the stone gambling exchange meeting. If they didn''t eat breakfast soon, they wouldn''t make it to the venue in time.


    He took out his phone and called Zhu Yang, but the call rang for a long time with no answer.


    Old Mr. Tang frowned in confusion and dialed Zhu Yang''s number again.


    "Hello..." A weary, weak voice came from the other end.


    "President Zhu, it''s Old Tang. It''s gettingte. Why haven''t you alle down for breakfast yet?"


    "We''ll be right there..." Zhu Yang sat up weakly from the bed, recalling the horrifying scene fromst night that sent shivers down his spine.


    He nced toward the bathroom, swallowing hard in fear. He couldn''t tell if what happenedst night was a dream or not, but it felt so real - that bloody figure had walked out from the bathroom.


    He shook his head forcefully to clear the terrifying image from his mind, thinking that he would have to change roomster.


    "Old Jiang, wake up." Seeing the person on the other bed still sleeping, Zhu Yang reached over and shook him.


    Old Jiang opened his eyes groggily, only to be met with Zhu Yang''s face looming over him, making him scream in fright. He had also had a night filled with nightmares, and just thinking about them now made him scared.


    "What are you doing? You scared me!" Zhu Yang was so startled that he fell back onto the floor with a painful thud.


    Old Jiang was fully awake now. Seeing that it was already daylight outside, he let out a sigh of relief. "What time is it now?"


    "It''s almost seven. Let''s hurry down, or we won''t make it to the venue in time." Zhu Yang''s brow furrowed as he slowly got up from the floor. He felt like this trip to Myanmar had been extremely unlucky for him. He had opened two raw stones, both of which were worthless, and on top of that, he had that horrifying dreamst night. Being scared awake by hispanion had made him fall and hurt himself.


    The two men quickly washed up and headed for the restaurant.


    "Old Zhu, I feel like the room we''re staying in is unclean," Old Jiang said once they were out of the room.


    Zhu Yang turned his head stiffly. "Did you encounter something unclean?"


    Old Jiang nodded and recounted the nightmare he had had the previous night.


    After hearing it, Zhu Yang''s face went pale, and beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead. Old Jiang had the same dream as him - could it be that it wasn''t a dream at all?


    "What''s wrong with you?" Old Jiang noticed Zhu Yang''s pallidplexion.


    "I encountered something too..." Zhu Yang said shakily. No, he had to change rooms today, no matter what.

 Chapter 69: Change Rooms

    <h4>Chapter 69</h4>


    Old Mr. Tang saw Zhu Yang and Old Jiange in, and beckoned to them. Noticing their pale faces, he asked, "What''s wrong with you two? You don''t look so good."


    "Didn''t sleep well," Old Jiang said, not wanting to borate on the previous night''s events.


    Zhu Yang sat down and silently ate his breakfast, his mind unsettled.


    Ling Yue could tell at a nce that they had been invaded by the malicious energy of vengeful spirits.


    "Old Zhu, are you not feeling well? Why don''t you go to the hospital?" Old Mr. Tang asked with concern.


    Zhu Yang seemed not to have heard Old Mr. Tang, keeping his head down as he ate.


    "What''s wrong with him?" Old Mr. Tang asked Old Jiang.


    Old Jiang hesitated, then said, "The room we stayed in wasn''t very clean, so we didn''t sleep wellst night."


    Old Mr. Tang looked incredulous. "You two must have just been too tired." He didn''t believe in ghosts or spirits at all.


    "It''s true. Zhu Yang and I both saw a bloody figure who even slept on our bed," Old Jiang said, trembling at the memory and his eyes filled with fear.


    Zhu Yang''s reaction was even more extreme, his face pale as a sheet and sweating profusely.


    Seeing them so terrified, Old Mr. Tang pondered for a moment, then turned to Lan Ji. "Lan Ji, why don''t we switch rooms with them? It''ll be more convenient since we''re just next door."


    "Sure, no problem," Lan Ji agreed, indifferent to which room they stayed in.


    "You''re really willing to switch rooms with us?" Old Jiang asked excitedly. They had inquired at the front desk beforeing to the restaurant, and all the rooms were fully booked, so switching wasn''t possible.


    "It''s no big deal, just switching rooms. We''ll do it when we get back," Old Mr. Tang said with a casual smile. He had seen it all in his travels, except for ghosts and spirits. If they did exist, it would be an eye-opener for him.


    "Thank you so much!" Old Jiang expressed his gratitude profusely to Old Mr. Tang and Lan Ji, who looked rested and energetic, clearly having had a good night''s sleep.


    After breakfast, Ma La Nian''s van arrived to pick them up, the same one from the previous day.


    The group boarded the van and endured a bumpy ride on the uneven roads for a while before reaching the venue.


    This jade gambling exchange event was being held on a grand scale, with two rows of armed guards standing at the entrance to protect the safety of the attendees.


    No ce in Myanmar was truly safe, with the potential for violence at any moment.


    Especially at gatherings of wealthy individuals like this, danger could strike at any time. Even with government intervention, some forces would take the risk for money.


    "Please show your invitation," the guard at the entrance said to Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue presented her invitation, which the guard examined carefully before handing it back. "You may enter."


    Inside the venue, the expansive za was filled with boulders of raw jade, each one marked with a number. Next to each boulder was a bidding box for the jade gamblers to submit their bids.


    The raw jade was divided into sealed bids and open bids. For sealed bids, the gamblers would write their ID numbers provided by the organizers, their names, the boulder number, and their bid price on a form and deposit it in the corresponding bidding box. Since the gamblers didn''t know each other''s bids or prices, this was called "sealed bidding." When unsealed, the winning bidder and price would be announced for each boulder.


    Open bidding was lessmon, typically in the form of auctions for boulders with openings showing the jade inside.


    Around four-fifths of the jade at each event was sold through sealed bidding.


    Standing amidst the jade, Ling Yue could feel the spiritual energy converging from all directions, flowing into her body in strands, making her feel refreshed. Now that she had her Small World, the spiritual energy there was sufficient for her to cultivate.


    "Yue Yue, look at that boulder," Lan Ji said in amazement, pointing to a massive, jet-ck boulder weighing several tons. It was the first time he had seen such a huge piece of raw jade - if there was jade inside, it must be enormous.


    Ling Yue followed Lan Ji''s gaze. "Let''s go take a look."


    As they approached the boulder, several people were already examining it. Such a massive raw jade boulder was a rare sight at the venue.


    "That boulder is too big, even if there''s jade inside, it''d be inedible," one person remarked.


    "I saw this boulderst year too, but no one dared to bid on it," said another.


    "Who would dare? If there''s nothing inside, that money would be wasted," a third person chimed in.


    "Based on the appearance of this boulder, the chances of it producing high-quality jade are very high. It might even yield an exceptional piece," someone else opined.


    "Old Gao, why don''t you bid on it so we can satisfy our curiosity?" another suggested.


    Ling Yue ced her hand on the boulder, sensing a pure stream of spiritual energy emanating from within. She raised an eyebrow slightly, picked up a bidding form from the box, and began filling it out.


    All eyes turned to Ling Yue. Surely she wasn''t really going to bid on this boulder? It would cost at least three hundred million at the minimum.

 Chapter 70: Find fault with

    <h4>Chapter 70</h4>


    Ling Yue threw thepleted bid slips into the bidding box. To obtain this raw gemstone, she needed to bid higher than the other bidders, and the raw gemstone would be hers if her bid price was the highest.


    As for the bidding results, they would be announced tomorrow morning at the bidding conference, along with the other sealed-bid gemstones.


    Ling Yue and Lan Ji continued walking, and whenever Ling Yue spotted a promising raw gemstone, she filled out a bid slip. By noon, she had bid on no less than twenty gemstones.


    "Ling Yue, how many raw gemstones did you like?" Tang Xin and Old Mr. Tang approached them after seeing Ling Yue and Lan Ji.


    "Around twenty, I guess," Ling Yue didn''t hide it from Tang Xin. She judged gemstones based on the spiritual energy emanating from them, unlike others who had moreplicated methods. This allowed her to select gemstones faster and more easily.


    "That many! Grandpa only liked seven." Tang Xin had followed Old Mr. Tang all morning, who examined each raw gemstone meticulously, often spending ten to twenty minutes on each one before carefully selecting seven after deep consideration.


    "The more you bid on, the higher the chance of winning some," Old Mr. Tang smiled. He too wished to bid on more gemstones, but they weren''t just vegetables in a basket - careful selection was necessary.


    The gemstones here were vastly different from those at outdoor stalls, each costing hundreds of millions or even billions. Choosing the wrong one would be like throwing money away.


    "Grandpa, I''m hungry. Let''s go eat first," Tang Xin had only eaten a bowl of porridge and a fried dough stick for breakfast, and her stomach was already growling.


    Old Mr. Tang gave Tang Xin a helpless yet indulgent look. "Alright, let''s go to the dining hall. Ling Yue, Lan Ji, would you like to join us?" The venue had a dedicated dining hall for attendees of the gemstone exchange fair.


    "Let''s go together."


    The four arrived at therge dining hall, which could amodate hundreds of people, though not many were there for the meal.


    At the self-serve area, Ling Yue took a te and selected a few dishes and desserts she liked before heading towards an empty table for four.


    Just as she was about to sit down, a woman charged straight at her. Ling Yue dodged, but some soup still spilled onto the woman.


    "Can''t you watch where you''re going? The soup spilled all over my dress!" The woman screamed angrily, pointing at the stain on her dress. "Apologize to me and pay for this dress, or there will be consequences."


    Without even giving the woman a nce, Ling Yue ced her te on the table and sat down.


    Enraged by Ling Yue''s reaction, the woman swept Ling Yue''s te off the table and onto the floor. She had intentionally picked a fight with Ling Yue because of the alluring look in her eyes that drew her husband''s gaze while she wore a mask.


    Just moments ago, she and her husband were examining gemstones when Ling Yue passed by. Her husband couldn''t take his eyes off the woman.


    Ling Yue''s eyes turned icy cold in an instant. She stood up and pped the woman hard across the face. "Go to the hospital if you''re sick."


    The p sent the woman tumbling to the floor, right into the mess of food Ling Yue''s te had made, leaving her in pain and humiliation.


    Seeing themotion, Lan Ji rushed over with his te, not even bothering to get food. "Yue Yue, what happened?"


    Tang Xin and Old Mr. Tang also hurried over.


    "It''s nothing," Ling Yue gave the woman on the floor a cold nce before walking towards another empty table.


    "You stay right there!" The woman scrambled up from the floor, trying to grab Ling Yue''s hair.


    Ling Yue easily dodged the woman''s grasp and kicked her hard in the stomach at the same time.


    The woman flew several meters before crashing heavily to the ground.


    At that moment, the woman''s husband entered the dining hall. Seeing his wife lying on the floor, he rushed over. "Li Caifeng, what are you causing a ruckus about again?" He hadn''t nned on bringing her to Myanmar this time, but she insisted oning, threatening to fly there herself if he didn''t let her. Reluctantly, he had no choice but to bring her along.


    Clutching her stomach in pain, Li Caifeng broke into cold sweat. "She hit me... Didn''t you see it... Xu Yangchun, you unfaithful man... How could you do this to me... To our children..." she wailed.


    Furious, Xu Yangchun clenched his fists and pulled Li Caifeng up from the floor. "Back to the hotel with me. If you embarrass me again, I''ll send you right back home!" Over the years, he had grown weary of this woman. If not for the sake of their children, he would have divorced her long ago.


    "Xu Yangchun... So you really have taken a fancy to that vixen... I''ll gouge out those eyes she uses to seduce men today!" Li Caifeng seemed to find newfound strength as she shoved Xu Yangchun away and charged towards Ling Yue with a crazed expression.


    Ling Yue''s eyes turned icy cold, her killing intent surging. She took a step forward and grabbed Li Caifeng by the throat. "Since you''re asking for death, I''ll grant your wish." She was no pushover to be trampled on.


    "You... What do you think you''re doing... Let go of me..." Fear gripped Li Caifeng''s heart as she met Ling Yue''s murderous gaze, her legs struggling as if she might suffocate.


    "I''m sorry! I''m sorry! I apologize on her behalf, please let her go," Xu Yangchun rushed forward, seeing Li Caifeng''s struggles to breathe.


    Ling Yue''s icy re fell on Xu Yangchun as she tossed Li Caifeng to the ground. "Keep your people in check. If there''s a next time, I won''t be so merciful." Had they not been in a public ce where killing was prohibited, Li Caifeng would now be a corpse.


    "Thank you! Thank you!" Xu Yangchun breathed a sigh of relief and went to help the coughing Li Caifeng up from the floor. Although he had grown disgusted with her, she had still been his wife for so many years, and he couldn''tpletely abandon her.


    Lan Ji shot a cold nce at the couple, contemting what price they should pay for provoking his Yue Yue, who wasn''t so easily bullied.


    "Wait! I have a question for you," Xu Yangchun called out to stop Ling Yue. He had something to ask her, as her eyes seemed vaguely familiar, which was why he had been staring at her earlier.


    Ling Yue ignored him and walked to the self-serve area to get another te and select her food again.


    Xu Yangchun red fiercely at Li Caifeng before dragging her outside to a secluded corner, where he shoved her away. "Why did you have to pick a fight with her?"


    "Then why were you staring at her?" Li Caifeng''s anger reignited as she recalled how Xu Yangchun had been ogling Ling Yue earlier.

 Chapter 71: The Fat Sheep

    <h4>Chapter 71</h4>


    "Just for that?" Xu Yangchun was utterly speechless. "Can''t you stop being so suspicious all the time? I think she has eyes that resemble the person who saved me back then."


    Over twenty years ago, when he was still a child, his family was impoverished, and his parents were starving. He ventured out into the snowy mountains, hoping to find something to eat, but instead of food, he encountered wolves.


    When he was in despair, a woman as beautiful as a celestial fairy appeared and rescued him, even giving him some money. It was because of that money that his family survived that bitter winter without freezing to death.


    Over the years, through his own efforts, he had finally achieved some sess. He had been searching for his benefactor who saved him all those years ago, but to no avail. If it weren''t for the money he received back then, he would have thought it was just a dream.


    Today, when he saw Ling Yue''s eyes, they were identical to the ones in his memory, so he stared at Ling Yue''s eyes for such a long time.


    "Why didn''t you say so earlier..." Li Caifeng knew about Xu Yangchun''s childhood experience of being saved. She was also grateful to the person who had rescued him.


    "How dare you say that." Xu Yangchun red coldly at Li Caifeng and turned to leave. He had decided that once he returned, he would divorce Li Caifeng. Otherwise, his child would be corrupted by this unreasonable and overbearing woman.


    "Wait for me..." Li Caifeng hurried to catch up with Xu Yangchun, but she was in so much pain that she could barely stand, let alone walk. She stumbled and fell to the ground, trembling in agony. "Yangchun, don''t leave... Yangchun... I know I was wrong... I''ll apologize to that woman..."


    However, Xu Yangchun acted as if he didn''t hear her, not even pausing his steps.


    After dinner, Ling Yue and Lan Ji took a stroll around the venue and then left. They had already bid on most of the raw gems they were interested in and were now waiting for the auction results the following morning.


    "Yue Yue, let''s go for a walk. It''s too early to go back now," Lan Ji suggested, spotting a grocery store nearby. He took Ling Yue''s hand and headed towards the store.


    Ling Yue nced at her watch, seeing that it was just after one o''clock, and nodded in agreement.


    Lan Ji entered the grocery store and asked the shopkeeper, "Ma''am, do you sell popsicles here?" It was scorching hot, and he wanted something icy to cool down.


    "Yes, they''re in the freezer. Help yourself," the shopkeeper replied, gesturing towards the freezer as she attended to a young customer.


    Lan Ji approached the freezer, opened it, and saw that there weren''t many popsicle varieties. "Yue Yue, which one do you want?"


    "I''ll have this one," Ling Yue said, reaching for a creamy popsicle.


    "Then I''ll have the same," Lan Ji grabbed another creamy popsicle, closed the freezer, and walked to the counter to pay the shopkeeper.


    "Are you here for the gemstone auction?" The shopkeeper took the money, eyeing Ling Yue and Lan Ji calctingly.


    Lan Ji nodded slightly, and he and Ling Yue left the grocery store.


    After they had gone some distance, the shopkeeper picked up the phone and made a call. "Wu! Two decent targets just came into my store, probably here for the gemstone exchange. They''re fat sheep."


    Ling Yue''s red lips curved into a cold, deadly smile. With her keen hearing, she had heard the shopkeeper''s conversation crystal clear.


    With a slight movement of her finger, a talisman silently appeared and then vanished without a trace.


    The shopkeeper hung up the phone, humming happily. Once those two were taken away by Wu''s men, she would receive a hefty tip, as she had done countless times over the years, bing one of the few wealthy people in the vige.


    Would she feel guilty? Of course not. Who told those people toe sightseeing in Myanmar? Wasn''t it like sendingmbs into a tiger''s den? This was the Golden Triangle, awlessnd. Anyone who came here for tourism had to be prepared to lose their life at any moment.


    She felt a slight sting on her calf, as if something had bitten her. The shopkeeper looked down but saw nothing. As she was about to tidy the shelves, the pain in her calf intensified, as if countless ants were gnawing at her entire body. The agony slowly spread throughout her body, and the shopkeeper writhed on the floor, howling in pain.


    The torment grew increasingly unbearable, and the shopkeeper started banging her head against the wall, hoping to alleviate the suffering, but to no avail.


    Finally, in desperation, she grabbed a pair of scissors from the table and plunged them into her own throat. This kind of pain was worse than death, and she could no longer endure it.


    As her blood dripped onto the floor, the shopkeeper''s ordinary yet sinful life came to an end.


    Ling Yue and Lan Ji strolled along the bustling street when a car pulled up beside them. A young man wearing a floral shirt and sunsses leaned out of the window. "Hello there! You look like you''re from the Summer Nation. I''m from there too. Where are you headed? Let me give you a ride."


    Before Lan Ji could refuse, Ling Yue had already epted. "Sure."


    Lan Ji gave Ling Yue a puzzled look.


    Ling Yue mischievously winked at Lan Ji, opened the car door, and got in.


    Lan Ji shook his head and smiled, following her into the car. If anything did happen, he was confident in his ability to protect Yue Yue.


    The car started moving, and the young man nced at the rearview mirror, a satisfied smile crossing his lips. "When did you guyse to Myanmar? Are you here for tourism or the gemstone auction?"


    "Tourism," Ling Yue gazed out the window at the passing scenery. "But this doesn''t seem to be the route to the hotel, does it?"


    "That''s right. It''s rare to meet fellow countrymen in a foreignnd, so I thought I''d take you to see some of the best sights in Myanmar," the young man said, handing Ling Yue and Lan Ji two bottles of mineral water from the front seat. "Up ahead is the famous Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar''s most renowned tourist attraction."


    Ling Yue and Lan Ji epted the mineral water, knowing it was likely tampered with without even needing to open the bottles.


    "It''s gettingte today, so we''ll just take a look from afar. Tomorrow morning, I''ll take you for a proper tour," the young man said with a mockingugh as he saw Lan Ji open a bottle and take a sip of the water. Not even the slightest bit of caution - they deserved to be tricked.


    The young man was quite chatty, his demeanor making it seem as if he was genuinely happy to have met fellow countrymen, constantly introducing Ling Yue and Lan Ji to various tourist attractions in Myanmar along the way.


    An hourter, the car entered apound.


    "What is this ce?" Ling Yue surveyed the scenery outside the window, a flicker of realization in her eyes. They had arrived at their adversary''sir.

 Chapter 72: He Just saw a play.

    <h4>Chapter 72</h4>


    The young man stopped the car and turned his head, looking at Ling Yue and Lan Ji with a chilling smile, "Of course this is my home." Once they entered here, they would be like turtles in a jar, unable to leave unless carried out.


    "Oh? Then we should take a good look around," Ling Yue said with a half-smile, her phoenix-like eyes glistening with an icy killing intent.


    Lan Ji had already known the young man''s intent, but as a practitioner of ancient martial arts, it wouldn''t be difficult for him to take Yue with him and leave this ce with his speed.


    Looking at Ling Yue, he saw her give him a subtle signal with her eyes, and he nodded calmly in response. Yue wasposed; since she had decided to follow the other party here, she must have had a n.


    "Cousin, give me your hand," Ling Yue extended her hand.


    Lan Ji gave her his hand, and Ling Yue grasped it, a silent white light sinking into his palm. He was a practitioner of ancient martial arts, but that didn''t make him invulnerable. After the car entered the estate, she had noticed the tight security, with every guard carrying weapons.


    "Stop dilly-dallying, get out of the car," the young man revealed his true colors, pulling out a gun and aiming it at Ling Yue and Lan Ji.


    Ling Yue withdrew her hand, stepped out of the car, and nced around, a cold arc crossing her lips.


    The young man led Ling Yue and Lan Ji into the house. As soon as they entered, they saw three tall, fierce-looking men beating a man and a woman. The woman was already on the verge of copse, though she didn''t seem to have any physical injuries. The man, however, was not so lucky, with his clothes stained red with blood, and his face covered in it, his original appearance indiscernible.


    "As long as you cooperate obediently, we won''t harm you. But if you resist, then they will be your cautionary tale," the young man pointed at the two people on the ground.


    Ling Yue let out a low chuckle, as if she had heard a joke.


    The young man narrowed his eyes dangerously, "Now take off the mask on your face, and go kneel over there." He barked the order at Ling Yue. Some of those captured earlier had refused to obey, and their ultimate fate was to be executed on the spot, with their organs harvested.


    Ling Yue didn''t move.


    Lan Ji looked at Ling Yue questioningly. With just one word from her, he would immediately take her and leave.


    The young man grew irritated, aiming his gun at Ling Yue''s forehead, "Since you''re seeking death, I''ll grant you that wish." As he spoke, he pulled the trigger.


    But in the next moment, he felt an overwhelming, terrifying aura, his whole body feeling like it was crushed by a giant rock, or like he was drowning, unable to even catch his breath.


    The other three men experienced the same thing, their faces gradually losing color, hands grasping randomly in pain, their eyeballs even bulging out, with blood slowly seeping from their noses and mouths.


    Lan Ji watched the four men on the ground, filled with shock. Yue was actually capable of projecting her aura outward, her power was so terrifying, no wonder she had maintained a calm andposed demeanor from start to finish. Her strength was many times greater than his. He had clearly underestimated his cousin.


    The four men quickly lost their lives in agony.


    "Let''s go elsewhere," Ling Yue withdrew her gaze and started walking forward. Since they hade here, she would take care of this ce today.


    "Oh!" Lan Ji nodded dazedly and followed Ling Yue.


    Along the way, heartrending screams kept echoing from various rooms.


    Ling Yue and Lan Ji swept through room after room, those people didn''t even have time to pick up their weapons before being dispatched by the two.


    Ling Yue kicked open the door to one room, revealing seven or eight women huddled on the floor, their hair in disarray. Seeing someone enter, they shrank back in fear.


    "If you want to leave this ce, follow us," Ling Yue said to them, then turned and walked out of the room. This was thest room, and all the henchmen in the vi had been wiped out by them.


    The women exchanged nces and hurriedly followed Ling Yue and Lan Ji. They had suffered immense torment after being captured here, so they naturally didn''t want to miss this opportunity to escape.


    Following Ling Yue and Lan Ji outside, they saw the people they had rescued earlier, crouching on thewn outside, surrounded by over a hundred armed men aiming their weapons at them.


    Seeing Ling Yue and Lan Ji, some of the men turned their weapons toward them.


    The few women following behind Ling Yue and Lan Ji quickly crouched down, trembling in fear, their eyes filled with despair. They knew that if they couldn''t escape this time, they would face the depths of hell.


    Ling Yue and Lan Ji acted as if they didn''t even notice the weapons in the men''s hands, maintaining their calm demeanor.


    "p, p, p!" With a crisp round of apuse, a tall man emerged from the crowd, his head shaved, skin dark, a vicious scar on his left cheek. At first nce, it was clear he was a ruthless character.


    "No wonder you dared to kill so many of my men, you certainly have some guts. But since you''vee here, don''t think about leaving again, or I can''t guarantee you won''t end up as bloody messes." Dan Tuo sneered coldly at Ling Yue and Lan Ji, his narrow eyes radiating a chilling re. These two didn''t seem like simple characters. If they were willing to work for him, he would spare them for now. But if they insisted on defying him, then he couldn''t be med for being ruthless.


    Ling Yue let out a lightugh, as if she had heard a joke, meeting Dan Tuo''s icy, sinister gaze, "Then you can try to see whether it''s us who end up as bloody messes, or your men here, including you, without a single one left."


    Instead of growing angry, Dan Tuoughed, slowly raising his hand, "I''ll give you onest chance. If I put my hand down, you''ll have no chance to regret it."


    Ling Yue made a mocking gesture, her attitude extremely arrogant.


    If it weren''t for the hundreds of guns aimed at them now, Lan Ji wouldn''t have been able to hold back hisughter. His cousin was simply too arrogant, too freaking cool. If there was a camera, he would have recorded this scene to show everyone back in the Valley of Divine Doctors this awe-inspiring side of Yue. He wholeheartedly gave her a mental "bow" of respect.


    Dan Tuo had never encountered someone so arrogant and fearless in the face of death. He was both enraged and incensed, wanting to order his men to open fire, but somehow he just couldn''t put his hand down. This interesting woman, he was reluctant to let her disappear from this world. What should he do?


    His gaze shifted to Lan Ji, "Kill him first."


    His subordinates turned their guns toward Lan Ji.


    Lan Ji looked on with resignation. He was just there to watch the show. Did he really look that easy to bully?

 Chapter 73: The Search

    <h4>Chapter 73</h4>


    Dan Tuo provokingly looked at Ling Yue, "If you don''t want him to be a ho''s nest, then follow me and work for me from now on." Such an interesting woman would be too much of a pity to kill. He wanted to tame her, and when she became obedient, he would slowly torture her to death - that would be truly amusing.


    "You can try if you want, to see whether your men act faster or die faster," Ling Yue said in a voice devoid of any warmth, looking at Dan Tuo as if she were staring at a dead man.


    Dan Tuo inexplicably felt a surge of unease in his heart. He gritted his teeth and lowered his raised hand. "Kill her!" This woman was inscrutable to him, it would be safer to eliminate her.


    But the gunshots never rang out. Instead, there were sounds of heavy objects falling to the ground.


    Dan Tuo followed the sounds and stared nkly at the scene before him. All of his men had copsed on the ground, their state of life or death unknown.


    "Are you human or a monster?" Dan Tuo looked at Ling Yue, his eyes filled with intense fear. This was the first time he had tasted what it meant to be afraid.


    Ling Yue did not answer Dan Tuo''s question. She nced at her watch, "It''s about time."


    As her words fell, Dan Tuo felt an excruciating pain in his head, as if it were about to explode. He crouched on the ground in agony, clutching his head and letting out piercing screams...


    Fresh red liquid slowly oozed out of his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. He curled up on the ground, his eyes bulging with pain and horror, and slowly lost his breath.


    Ling Yue did not even spare Dan Tuo a nce. "Cousin, take them out first. I''ll deal with some things here."


    "Okay," Lan Ji replied, leading the rescued people away from the estate.


    Those people cast fearful nces at Ling Yue before following Lan Ji out.


    Ling Yue waved her hand, and countless tiny starry lights instantly appeared in the sky. Those starry lights scattered like fireflies, flying towards the departing people and silently entering their minds.


    Everyone''s steps faltered, a trace of confusion in their eyes. Was there something they had forgotten?


    Ling Yue curved her lips into a smile and walked towards the vi. She had just remembered something - since this was Dan Tuo''sir, his possessions must be kept here.


    After rummaging through the vi, Ling Yue''s haul was truly substantial: more than a dozen pieces of top-quality jade, several deeds to estates, two mining sites, and piles of gold, silver, and jewels.


    She swept all the items into her miniature world, then strode out of the estate in her car to rendezvous with Lan Ji. These things were all obtained by Dan Tuo through uwful means, but she had eliminated Dan Tuo and his forces, which was like avenging those he had killed. So, it was only right for her to take the spoils aspensation.


    She parked the car next to Lan Ji''s. "Cousin, get in."


    Lan Ji got into the car. "Yue Yue, what level of martial artist are you exactly?" He had been wondering about this. With Yue Yue''s age, even if she had been practicing martial arts since childhood, she should not have been able to break through to the Celestial Level and be a Celestial Level Martial Arts Grandmaster. Yet, the prowess Yue Yue had just disyed far exceeded that.


    "You''ll find outter," Ling Yue mischievously smiled at Lan Ji, started the car, and drove towards the hotel they were staying at. She was not a practitioner of ancient martial arts, but a cultivator of immortality. Her abilities were naturally beyondparison to those of ancient martial artists.


    Ancient martial arts cultivation was divided into four levels: Terrestrial, Celestial, Profound, and Primordial. An ordinary martial artist who broke through the Primordial Level was considered to have crossed the threshold into the ranks of ancient martial artists. However, breaking through the Celestial Level of ancient martial arts was merely stepping into the realm of immortal cultivation.


    Immortal cultivation was inherently more difficult than martial arts cultivation. One had to possess a spiritual root and have ample spiritual energy to cultivate. Otherwise, even with a spiritual root, it would be in vain.


    The cultivation method she had practiced in her previous life was quite special, allowing her to harness the power of the stars. Even if she died, as long as her spirit remained intact, she could continue to cultivate. Her spiritual root had long since merged with her spirit, so when she entered this original host''s body, she could cultivate through this physical form.


    "Yue Yue, when we get back this time, would you like toe with me to the Valley of Divine Doctors?" Lan Ji looked at Ling Yue, a hint of anticipation in his peach-blossom eyes. Last time, Yue Yue had promised him that she would go to the Valley of Divine Doctors with him after the Gambling Stone Exchange Meeting. He wondered if she still remembered.


    "Mmm," Ling Yue nodded. She had promised Lan Ji that she would go to the Valley of Divine Doctors with him, and she would not go back on her word.


    Lan Ji smiled happily, "Then after we return, we''ll go to the Valley of Divine Doctors right away." Grandpa and Grandma had been calling him repeatedly, asking when he would bring Yue Yue back.


    "Okay," Ling Yue smiled and nodded. Perhaps because of their blood rtion, she felt a faint sense of anticipation in her heart.

 Chapter 74: Who Will It be

    <h4>Chapter 74</h4>


    Tang Xin stood in front of the hotel entrance. After returning, she went back to her room and waited for a long time, but Ling Yue didn''te back. She tried calling her phone but no one answered, and she was almost worried to death.


    Seeing Ling Yue and Lan Jie back, Tang Xin quickly approached them, "Ling Yue, where did you two go? I was so worried." She originally wanted to go out and look for them, but Grandfather said Myanmar was very dangerous, and it wasn''t safe for a girl to go out alone, so he didn''t allow her to leave.


    When Ling Yue saw the worried expression on Tang Xin''s face, a hint of warmth passed through her heart, and she smiled faintly, "We just went out for a stroll. Here''s a little something for you." She took out a red jadeite ring from her pocket and handed it to Tang Xin. She had seen this red jadeite ring earlier and thought it would suit Tang Xin perfectly.


    "I can''t ept this," Tang Xin immediately loved the red jadeite ring, but she had been taught about the value of jadeite since she was young and understood that this small yet exquisite red jadeite ring must be extremely expensive. How could she ept such a precious gift from Ling Yue?


    "Just take it. I got it at a bargain, and it didn''t cost much. Besides, it''s a bit big for me, but it will fit you better," Ling Yue had scavenged many jadeite jewelry pieces from Dan Tuo this time, and this red jadeite ring was only of ordinary quality among them.


    "Then let me pay you for it," Tang Xin really liked this red jadeite ring.


    "Don''t you consider me a friend?" Ling Yue showed a sad expression.


    "Of course I consider you a friend," Tang Xin said hurriedly.


    "Then just ept it," Ling Yue blinked her shimmering phoenix eyes.


    "Okay, thank you!" Tang Xin took the red jadeite ring and put it on her finger, and it fit perfectly. She wondered what gift would be appropriate for Ling Yue.


    Back in the room, Tang Xin closed the door and remembered what Grandpa Tang had said earlier. She walked over to Ling Yue, "Yue Yue, Grandpa said Myanmar looks peaceful, but it''s actually very dangerous. Many people have gone missing here already. Be careful when you go out, and don''t talk too much with strangers."


    When Grandpa said that, it had scared her. She had thought Myanmar would be a fun ce, but she didn''t expect it to be so chaotic.


    "Okay," Ling Yue took out her change of clothes from her backpack and walked towards the bathroom.


    On the other side, Lan Ji and Grandpa Tang had already moved their luggage to the adjacent room. Earlier, Grandpa Tang had promised Zhu Yang that they would switch rooms, so as soon as Lan Ji returned, the two of them switched rooms with Zhu Yang''s group.


    As they entered the room, a damp, musty smell assaulted their nostrils.


    Lan Ji and the old man Tang frowned in unison. They had smelled this odor the first time they entered the adjacent room, but it had disappearedter.


    After unpacking their belongings, Lan Ji took his clothes to the bathroom, intending to take a shower. They had been out all day, and even without sweat, they were covered in dust.


    A knock sounded at the door.


    Lan Ji ced his clothes on the bathroom rack and went to open the door. It was Ling Yue outside, so he showed a smile and let her into the room.


    When Ling Yue finished showering, she suddenly remembered that Lan Ji and the others were supposed to switch rooms with Zhu Yang''s group. Compared to their previous room, the ominous atmosphere in this room was much thicker.


    "I just came to see if you had moved in alright," Ling Yue didn''t go inside, only chatting with Lan Ji for a bit at the door before returning to her own room.


    Lan Ji closed the door and went back to the bathroom, suddenly noticing that the musty smell from before was gone, reced by a fresh scent in the air. Recalling yesterday''s events, a faint smile appeared on his thin lips. This little sister of his was not so simple!


    The night passed peacefully, and early the next morning, Ling Yue''s group took a car to the jade gambling venue. The results of the bidding would be announced in the morning session. The winning bidders could choose to have the raw stones cut on-site or transport them back to their home country.


    Ling Yue walked around the venue, casting a nce at the bidding boxes for the lots she had bid on.


    They had just arrived at the venue arranged by the organizers when the ce was already in an uproar. Most of the seats inside were already upied, with groups of familiar faces gathered together, discussing who would win the Raw Stone King.


    "Yesterday I saw that there were already several bids in the box for the Raw Stone King. I don''t know who will win that lot today."


    "The Raw Stone King is huge, but the chances of finding green jade are slim. Otherwise, it wouldn''t have been passed overst year."


    "If it cracks when being cut, that''s still several billion gone to waste."


    Ling Yue saw Lan Ji waving at her and walked over to join him.


    As soon as she sat down, the screen on the stage lit up, and an elderly man wearing a ck Manchu robe and a hat, with a vigorous spirit, walked onto the stage. He showed a faint smile and scanned the crowd with sharp eyes, "Wee, honored guests, who have traveled far to attend this jade gambling and exchange event."

 Chapter 75: Bitter Rivals

    <h4>Chapter 75</h4>


    As the elder came into view, the people below became excited.


    "It''s Elder Zhang, I never expected him to be in Myanmar."


    "No wonder we haven''t heard from Elder Zhang for a long time."


    "Elder Zhang is a legend in the gambling stone world. At the Gambling Stone Exchange Meeting two years ago, he singlehandedly won the bid for nine raw stones, and seven of them turned out to be jadeite, causing a great sensation at the time."


    "As they say, even immortals find it hard to judge jade. Elder Zhang is simply a living immortal."


    "Many people wanted to be his disciples, but unfortunately they were all rejected."


    "You didn''t know, did you? Elder Zhang has his own mine in Myanmar, and most of the raw stones at this Gambling Stone Exchange Meeting were transported from his mine."


    "Elder Zhang is truly incredible, to actually own a mine in a ce like Myanmar."


    Listening to the discussions and the admiring gazes cast at him, the smile on Elder Zhang''s face deepened. He raised his hand in aposed gesture, and the venue immediately fell silent. "I know everyone is eagerly anticipating the results of the bidding. Please look at the big screen."


    As he spoke, the numbers of the raw stones and the bidding numbers of the merchants who won the bid started to scroll on the big screen.


    Some were delighted, while others were saddened.


    Ling Yue watched the scrolling screen, and seeing that she had won the bid for several raw stones she had bid on, she revealed a satisfied smile.


    "Only the king of raw stones is left. I wonder who will win the bid."


    "I also bid on that king of raw stones."


    "I came just for the king of raw stones. I set my sights on itst year, and this year I''m going all in, either heaven or hell."


    "If I win the bid for that king of raw stones, I''ll reveal its quality right here on the spot."


    With everyone''s hopeful gaze, the screen finally disyed the number of the king of raw stones and the bidding number.


    "It''s 92, I noticed they''ve already won several bids."


    "Who''s 92? They''re so powerful to have won so many bids."


    Elder Zhang waited until the results were announced on the big screen, then smiled and scanned the crowd. "Unexpectedly, someone has won the bid for the king of raw stones. May this esteemed guest please stand up and let us all get to know you?"


    Upon hearing this, everyone curiously looked around, wanting to know who 92 was. Who had such boldness? They should know that the king of raw stones cost several billion to win the bid for.


    Although those present were not short of money, spending a few billion to bid for a raw stone was not something everyone had the courage for. Gambling on stones carried huge risks: you could be rich overnight, or lose your entire fortune.


    A tall and slender figure slowly stood up. Ling Yue did not mind that everyone now knew she was 92, because she nned to reveal the quality of the stone on the spot, to have a public outlet for the wealth she had extracted from Dan Tuo.


    Upon seeing Ling Yue, everyone revealed expressions of surprise and disbelief.


    "It''s actually a woman. Although I can''t see her face, I can affirm that she''s definitely not very old."


    "I wonder which family''s youngdy has such boldness."


    "If that king of raw stones doesn''t turn out well, I wonder if she''ll cry?"


    Elder Zhang''s gaze fell on Ling Yue''s face, showing a slight gentle smile, but his eyes shed with a hint of sharp coldness. "This young friend has quite the boldness. Do you intend to reveal the quality on the spot?"


    Ling Yue met Elder Zhang''s gaze with a faint smile, her demeanor dignified and arrogant. "Of course!" She never expected this Elder Zhang to be a cultivator. It seemed this world was moreplicated than she had imagined.


    Elder Zhang extended his thumb approvingly and smiled at Ling Yue. "Great boldness! Then when the bidding for the remaining few raw stones is done, I''ll arrange for a master to help you reveal the quality." This youngdy was definitely not a simple person.


    "Sure." Ling Yue nodded slightly with a faint smile and sat down.


    "Next, we will bid for three raw stones. Everyone, please look!" As Elder Zhang spoke, two workers pushed a cart onto the stage with three raw stones of varying sizes.


    "First, we will bid for Raw Stone No. 1. This raw stone is from the Old Quarry of Cheebyay, with a predominant yellowish-gray skin and few cracks. You should all know that the Old Quarry of Cheebyay often produces blue patterns with good luster. Interested guests shouldn''t miss this opportunity. The starting bid for this raw stone is 500,000, with unlimited increments."


    "600,000!"


    "650,000!" People immediately started bidding at the venue.


    Ling Yue was not interested in the three raw stones on stage. Although they all contained jadeite, one of them did not have very good quality.


    "Yue Yue, my grandfather wants to ask you which raw stone is more worth bidding on." Tang Xin leaned over and whispered to Ling Yue. After spending the past two days together, her rtionship with Yue Yue had be even better than before.


    "Bid on No. 2," Ling Yue replied. Of the three raw stones, No. 2 had the most concentrated spiritual energy, undoubtedly an extraordinary piece of jadeite.


    "Okay, thank you Yue Yue!" Tang Xin happily turned to tell Old Mr. Tang Ling Yue''s suggestion.


    Old Mr. Tang smiled at Ling Yue. He had also favored Raw Stone No. 2, so he wanted to ask for Ling Yue''s opinion. Of course, if she also wanted No. 2, he would notpete with her, but he would not let others have it either.


    Raw Stone No. 1 was quickly won with a bid of 3 million.


    "Next, we will start the bidding for Raw Stone No. 2. This raw stone is from the Mong Mit quarry, with a ck schist skin. The starting bid is 500,000."


    "550,000!"


    "600,000!"


    "610,000!"


    The bidding for Raw Stone No. 2 was not as intense as for No. 1. Apart from some merchants who were particrly familiar with raw stones from the Mong Mit quarry, not many people bid.


    Raw stones from the Mong Mit quarry generally had poorer luster and often contained ck fibers or white mists, so many did not dare take the risk.


    "1 million!" Old Mr. Tang raised the number te in his hand. He had always been decisive in his actions. As long as he set his sights on something, he would not hesitate. This was also the reason why he had been able to build such arge fortune in just a few decades.


    "1.01 million!"


    Old Mr. Tang followed the voice and saw it was his sworn enemy. He frowned slightly. "2 million!"


    "2.01 million!" His opponent gave Old Mr. Tang a provocative smile.


    "3 million!" For this raw stone, Old Mr. Tang was determined to win it.


    "3.01 million!"


    Old Mr. Tang gritted his teeth and turned to look at Ling Yue. Seeing her give a slight nod, he raised the number te in his hand. "10 million!" If his opponent continued, he would give up on this raw stone.


    His opponent smiled meaningfully and gestured for Old Mr. Tang to go ahead. He did not have high expectations for this raw stone. His bidding against Old Mr. Tang was simply to annoy him, since Tang''s jewelry store had always done better business than his.

 Chapter 76: An Eye for an Eye

    <h4>Chapter 76</h4>


    Old Mr. Tang called out this price, so naturally no one else bid against him. He smoothly won the auction for the second raw stone. Although the price was a bit high, he believed in Ling Yue. Since she had instructed him to bid, that raw stone must be able to produce an exceptional jade piece after being cut.


    Yang Hai smiled smugly at Old Mr. Tang. He did that intentionally to annoy the old man.


    Old Mr. Tang suppressed his anger, letting out a cold snort and turning his head away.


    Yang Hai felt extremely delighted and cheerfully asked his master beside him, "Are you certain that the third raw stone will definitely produce red jadeite?"


    "Absolutely certain," the master assured, thumping his chest. "I just went backstage and had a look at those three raw stones. With my experience, the third stone is the most promising for producing jadeite, while the second one has the worst quality among the three."


    "Great!" Yang Hai nodded with a smile.


    On the stage, Elder Zhang began introducing the third raw stone, "Next, we will auction the final raw stone. This stone is from the Muludanwei quarry, which is known for producing violet and red jadeite. The starting bid is five hundred thousand."


    Ling Yue leaned over and whispered a few words into Lan Ji''s ear. Lan Ji''s eyes lit up, and he turned to murmur something to Old Mr. Tang.


    Old Mr. Tang smiled and nodded. He had the same thought. His nemesis had only won one raw stone in the silent auction, so he would surely go all out in the open auction. Since he had failed to bid sessfully for the first two stones, he would undoubtedly pin all his hopes on this final one.


    As expected, the opponent soon raised his bidding paddle, "One million!"


    "One million and one thousand," Old Mr. Tang followed without hesitation.


    Yang Hai red fiercely at Old Mr. Tang and continued bidding, "Two million!"


    Old Mr. Tang smiled and matched the bid, "Two million and one thousand!" The opponent had annoyed him earlier, so he was paying him back in kind.


    "Five million!" Yang Hai angrily raised his paddle. He was determined not to miss out on this third raw stone, and even if he couldn''t win it, he wouldn''t let Old Mr. Tang have it either.


    Old Mr. Tang bid one thousand higher than Yang Hai each time, taking great delight in seeing Yang Hai''s increasingly sour expression.


    "Ten million!" Yang Hai yelled through gritted teeth.


    Old Mr. Tang shrugged and gestured for Yang Hai to continue.


    Yang Hai was shaking with rage, but remembering his master''s words, his mood improved again. Once he produced red jadeite from this stone, he would make Old Mr. Tang green with envy.


    "I dere this auction session aplete sess," Elder Zhang smiled at Ling Yue. "Little friend Ling, do you want to arrange for your imperial stone to be cut now?"


    "Yes," Ling Yue rose and nodded with a faint smile.


    "Then let''s move to the cutting area. This way, please," Elder Zhang gestured invitingly to Ling Yue.


    Ling Yue and Lan Ji walked up to Elder Zhang. Ling Yue smiled graciously at him, "After you, Elder Zhang."


    Upon hearing this, everyone followed behind the three, eager to witness whether that imperial stone could truly produce emerald jade.


    The imperial stone was soon brought to the cutting area.


    "Little friend Ling, how would you like it cut?" Elder Zhang met Ling Yue''s phoenix-like gaze.


    "Any way is fine," Ling Yue replied nonchntly. The jade inside this imperial stone was located twenty centimeters beneath the surface, so no matter how it was cut, jade would be revealed.


    "Then let''s start with a conservative cut from the left side," Elder Zhang suggested.


    "Alright," Ling Yue nodded.


    With her permission, the master picked up the stone-cutting machine and began slicing into the imperial stone.


    The machine''s sound soon echoed across the entire area.


    Everyone stared unblinkingly at the imperial stone, though most secretly hoped it would fail to produce jade. Otherwise, if such a massive stone yielded jade, it would be worth an astronomical fortune, making them burn with jealousy.


    Time ticked by amid the sound of the cutting machine.


    After a full hour, the imperial stone was finally cut open.


    "Emerald jade!" someone with sharp eyes spotted the greenish hue showing through the cut.


    Lan Ji poured adle of water over the cut, making the green color even more vivid and alluring, captivating everyone''s gaze.


    "This... This is top-grade imperial green ss jadeite..."


    "Heavens! Such a massive piece of top-grade imperial green ss jadeite must be worth hundreds of billions. With a single cut, she has be fabulously wealthy."


    "How I wish this jadeite belonged to me."


    "If only I had boldly risked everything I had to bid on it back then."


    People turned their envious, jealous, and resentful gazes towards Ling Yue.


    But Ling Yue''s expression remained indifferent, as if this imperial green ss jadeite was a mere worthless stone in her eyes.

 Chapter 77: She Is the Realist

    <h4>Chapter 77</h4>


    "Yue, you hit the jackpot this time." Tang Xin was so excited that his hands were trembling. He had seen high-quality jadeite before, but never a piece of imperial green ss jadeite this massive.


    Ling Yue smiled faintly and nodded. She had known from the beginning that there was jadeite in the raw stone, so this was no surprise.


    Elder Zhang walked up to Ling Yue with a smile, "Congrattions, little Ling! Would you be willing to sell this piece of jadeite to me?"


    Ling Yue sensed Elder Zhang''s imposing aura bearing down on her and she inwardly sneered. At the same time, she released an overpowering pressure towards him. "Elder Zhang, as long as the price is reasonable, of course I''ll sell."


    Elder Zhang''s heart pounded furiously as he stared at Ling Yue in shock. "Little Ling, how generous..." Her aura was actually stronger than his own.


    Ling Yue arched an eyebrow with amusement. "Elder Zhang tters me!"


    Elder Zhang forced out a stiff smile and stepped back a few paces. Only he knew how severely he was injured. This dead girl, her hand was indeed ruthless. He had only wanted to use his aura to intimidate her into keeping the jadeite, but he never expected her to inflict such grave internal injuries upon him.


    Ling Yue ignored Elder Zhang and walked over to her master who was cutting stones. "Let me do it myself."


    "This... can you handle it?" The stone-cutting master eyed Ling Yue doubtfully. She looked frail and delicate, clearlycking in strength. Not only handling the cutting machine, but even lifting it might be a challenge.


    "I''ll give it a try." Ling Yue took the cutting machine and began slicing the raw stone.


    The master had expected Ling Yue to return the machine shortly, but to his surprise, she quickly got the hang of it and cut the stone more efficiently than he could.


    Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, Elder Zhang turned and left. After a few steps, he could no longer hold back and coughed up a mouthful of blood. He cursed Ling Yue bitterly in his heart and staggered away.


    Ling Yue nced sideways at the retreating Elder Zhang, her petal-like red lips curving into a faint smile. Since he had provoked her first, she naturally wouldn''t go easy on him.


    As the humming of the cutting machine continued, the stone''s outeryers were sliced away one by one, finally revealing the jadeite''s true imperial green ss splendor. The entire piece was over a person''s height, requiring two people''sbined effort to embrace its massive bulk.


    "Heavens! This is the first time I''ve seen such a huge piece of jadeite, and imperial green ss at that."


    "To witness such an exquisite jadeite in one''s lifetime is truly a privilege."


    "Would you sell this jadeite? I''d like to buy a small piece."


    This was imperial green ss jadeite, even a small piece was worth a fortune.


    "I want to buy a piece too."


    People mored eagerly, afraid of missing out, for this exquisite imperial green ss jadeite was a rare treasure. A set of jewelry made from it would undoubtedly be a family heirloom.


    Ling Yue looked at the crowd. "As long as the price is reasonable, I''ll certainly sell." To others, jadeite was priceless, but to her, it was really no different from an ordinary stone. She ced more value on the spiritual energy contained within.


    Upon hearing this, people began discussing prices.


    Ling Yue set down the cutting machine and waited for them to settle on a price before continuing.


    "I want a small piece like this." A middle-aged man stepped forward and pointed to a corner section. "I''ll give you two million, is that alright?"


    Ling Yue nced at where the man was pointing and nodded. "Alright."


    "Thank you! Thank you!" The middle-aged man was so excited he almost danced. If only he had brought more money, he would have bought more pieces, what a pity!


    Ling Yue picked up the cutting machine and sliced off the corner, handing it to the man.


    The man excitedly epted it, admiring it fondly.


    With someone taking the lead, others soon followed suit.


    Before long, the jadeite was divided into pieces, and Ling Yue had earned a substantial sum.


    Lan Ji gave Ling Yue an admiring thumbs-up. "Yue, your earning speed is truly impressive. Your brother pales inparison." He had thought himself quite skilled at making money, charging at least a hundred million per medical consultation, butpared to Yue, he was instantly reduced to a novice.


    "Just luck!" Ling Yue smiled mischievously.


    Lan Ji gave her a look that said, ''I don''t believe you.''This sister of his was bing more and more enigmatic the more he interacted with her, like an unsolvable mystery. The more he tried to understand her, the more perplexed he became.


    Elder Zhang sat in the car on his way back, his internal organs burning like a raging fire, causing him excruciating agony.


    "Sir! Are you alright? Should we go to the hospital?" The driver looked at the rearview mirror with concern, seeing Elder Zhang''s deathly pale face in the reflection.


    Elder Zhang had no mind to respond to the driver. He only wanted to return and inform his master about Ling Yue. He could now confirm that Ling Yue was definitely a cultivator.


    Seeing Elder Zhang''s silence, the driver stepped on the gas, elerating towards their destination as instructed.


    Elder Zhang trembled violently. If he weren''t a cultivator himself, he would have passed out from the pain long ago. Once he recovered, he would definitely make Ling Yue pay for this grievance.


    Ling Yue sensed the spiritual imprint she had left on Elder Zhang moving rapidly and chuckled softly.

 Chapter 78: Who the Hell is it

    <h4>Chapter 78</h4>


    Elder Zhang pushed open the car door and stumbled out of the car.


    The driver hurriedly came forward to support him.


    "What''s going on?" A young woman walked out from the house, she exuded a chilly aura, her gaze devoid of warmth fell on Elder Zhang.


    "Mas..." Elder Zhang had barely uttered a syble when he felt the spiritual power within his body be chaotic, all rushing towards his dantian, his eyes widening in horror, "Help..."


    The woman sensed something was amiss and quickly dodged away.


    The next moment, there was a "bang!" sound of self-detonation, Elder Zhang exploded like a balloon into a cloud of blood, taking with him the driver who was supporting him and the car behind them.


    The woman looked at the carnage in the distance, her eyes piercing with bone-chilling coldness, "No matter who you are, for killing my disciple, I will never let you off lightly. Find out who Zhang Yi came into contact with today."


    Ling Yue returned to the hotel in high spirits. Her gains were huge today, just the Raw Stone King alone that she had opened earned her over a hundred billion, she would never have to worry about money in this world again. There were also those two mines she obtained from Dantuo, she nned to find someone trustworthy to help her manage the mining of the ores.


    As for the person behind Elder Zhang, she was not afraid, perhaps her current strength was inferior to the other party''s, but it was not so easy for the other party to find her either.


    The Divine Consciousness mark she had left on Elder Zhang had disappeared without a trace along with his death. Moreover, through the Divine Consciousness mark, she had also learned the identity of the person behind Elder Zhang, before her strength was inferior to the other party''s, she would try her best to avoid them.


    "We''ll be going back tomorrow, I''m really going to miss this ce," Tang Xin said wistfully, leaning on her palm as she gazed out at the scenery.


    "There will be opportunities in the future." Ling Yue picked up the tea on the table and walked over to Tang Xin, looking out at the scenery together with her.


    At this moment, the market downstairs was bustling with people, especially the few shops ying with Raw Stones which had a constant stream of peopleing and going.


    "Why don''t we go open a few more Raw Stones?" Tang Xin saw that some of the people who hade to Myanmar with them had entered one of the Raw Stone gambling shops, and she felt a little itch too.


    "I won''t go, do you want me to ask my cousin Lan Ji if he wants to go?" Ling Yue had already lost interest in gambling Raw Stones. Previously she had only yed with Raw Stones for money.


    Tang Xin''s face turned red, "If you''re not going, then I won''t go either." She didn''t feelfortable being alone with Ling Yue''s cousin Lan Ji.


    Ling Yue raised an eyebrow, "I thought you two were getting along quite well?" She had seen them chatting all the way back.


    "That''s because you were there," Tang Xin said with a reddened face, twisting her fingers. Lan Ji was indeed her type.


    There was a knock on the door at this moment.


    Ling Yue went to open the door, seeing her cousin Lan Ji outside, "Cousin!"


    Hearing this, Tang Xin''s face turned even redder, she stole a nce at Lan Ji, pretending to look out the window at the scenery.


    "Do you guys want to go out for dinner? I heard from the hotel staff that there''s a pretty good restaurant nearby."


    "Xin Xin, do you want to go?" Ling Yue asked Tang Xin.


    Tang Xin took a deep breath and turned to look at Ling Yue, "I''ll go if you go."


    "Okay, then let''s go out for dinner." Ling Yue decided.


    The three of them left the hotel and walked towards the location the staff had mentioned, after about ten minutes they saw a restaurant.


    They entered the restaurant, finding it was almost full with hardly any empty seats, only a small table in the corner was vacant, so the three of them walked over there.


    The three had just sat down when a waitress came over with menus, "What would the three of you like to order?"


    Lan Ji took the menus and passed them to Ling Yue and Tang Xin, "You two order."


    Ling Yue and Tang Xin each ordered a few dishes.


    "You can try our house special fruit juice, it tastes really good," the waitress suggested, pointing to the drink on the table next to them.


    Ling Yue nced at the reddish-purple liquid the waitress was pointing at, it looked like grape juice. "No need, just give us three Cokes."


    "Okay." The waitress took the menus and left, a hint of disappointment shing across her eyes as she turned away.


    "Yue Yue, why didn''t we order the fruit juice?" Tang Xin asked, turning her gaze back. She had seen the two people at the next table seemed to really enjoy drinking that fruit juice, and she wanted to try what it tasted like too.


    Ling Yue leaned close to Tang Xin''s ear, "The juice is spiked, if you drink it you''ll get addicted." As a cultivator, her five senses were naturally more acute than ordinary people''s, she could smell that the fruit juice had been adulterated with prohibited substances just by smelling it.


    Tang Xin was stunned, "Really?" That was really terrifying.


    Ling Yue nodded slightly.


    "What if the food is also spiked?" Tang Xin asked worriedly. She didn''t really feel like eating anymore.


    "We''ll see in a bit, my cousin is a doctor, he''ll be able to smell it, right Cousin?" Ling Yue stopped the topic when the waitress brought their dishes. After all, there was no ce that was absolutely safe in the Golden Triangle, it could be said to be a paradise for crime, human trafficking, drug dealing, and telmunications fraud were rampant here.


    Tang Xin looked at the vividly colored dishes, her questioning gaze turning to Lan Ji.


    Lan Ji nodded, indicating it was safe to eat.


    Only then did Tang Xin dare to pick up her chopsticks and dish up some food. Originally she had been reluctant to leave this ce, but now she only wanted to leave as soon as possible, Xia Country was still the safest.


    Ling Yue lowered her mask and picked up her chopsticks, putting a piece of meat in her mouth, finding the dishes still tasted pretty good.


    "Yue Yue, school is starting again next week, are you going?" Tang Xin thought of this question, swallowing the food in her mouth and looking at Ling Yue. Previously, Ling Yue had told her that after marrying Zhou Mucheng, she had taken a leave of absence from school to stay at home and take care of her husband.


    "Of course." Ling Yue nodded. She understood the importance of education in this world, and she also wanted to experience what it was like to go to school.


    "That''s great," Tang Xin said happily. She had persuaded Ling Yue several times before, telling her not to focus all her attention on Zhou Mucheng, feeling that Zhou Mucheng was not a good match for Ling Yue. Sure enough, as soon as Ling Yue was disfigured, that scumbag Zhou Mucheng had called off the marriage.


    Her gaze fell on Ling Yue''s exquisitely beautiful face. The current Ling Yue was even more beautiful than before, and her temperament had also changed, no longer the meek, subservient girl who let everyone bully her. She really liked the current Ling Yue, beautiful, graceful, confident, and smart. She was certain that scumbag Zhou Mucheng would one day regret it.


    "Why are you staring at me like that?" Seeing Tang Xin grinning foolishly while staring at her, Ling Yue raised her eyes to look at her.


    "I think that scumbag Zhou Mucheng will regret calling off your marriage one day. Yue Yue, you absolutely must not give him another chance."


    "I won''t." Ling Yue''s tone was firm. Whether Zhou Mucheng regretted it or not had nothing to do with her, she was not the original owner of this body.

 Chapter 79: Take Me to Your Boss

    <h4>Chapter 79</h4>


    On the other side, Zhang Yi''s master was listening to her subordinate reporting the results of the investigation.


    "Are you sure no one has been in close contact with Zhang Yi? No one has had any conflict with him?"


    "Yes, my lord! This is the list of people who attended the Gambling Stone Exchange Meeting." The subordinate handed a list to the woman.


    The woman stretched out her hand, and the list seemed toe alive, flying into her hand. She opened the list and carefully looked through it. The list was very detailed, clearly marking not only the names but also the ages.


    The woman frowned and closed the list. She didn''t find any suspicious people on it. Whoever killed Zhang Yi must have been a cultivator, but none of these people gave her the feeling of being cultivators. Perhaps she would have to meet those people in person to find out.


    After finishing their meal, Ling Yue and her twopanions took a stroll back to the hotel.


    As soon as they arrived at the hotel entrance, Ling Yue sensed a dangerous aura. Without making a sound, she walked into the hotel.


    The woman''s divine sense swept over Ling Yue and herpanions but found nothing unusual about them, so she withdrew her divine sense. She had already checked everyone, and none of them were cultivators. How did Zhang Yi die?


    Ling Yue felt the divine sense withdraw, and a slight smile curved her lips. Her spiritual power was gathered in her mini-world. Unless she wanted to release it, even cultivators at the Tribtion realm wouldn''t be able to sense that she was a cultivator. It was for this reason that she dared to kill the old Zhang.


    The woman stubbornly probed again, but the result was the same. She could only leave. The person who attacked Zhang Yi probably wasn''t among those who attended the Gambling Stone Exchange Meeting. It was possible that it was someone from that ce. Last time Zhang Yi went there, he had a conflict with someone over a spiritual weapon. Maybe this time, that person came to seek revenge on Zhang Yi.


    The night gradually deepened, and dark clouds gathered in the sky, as if a heavy rain was about to fall.


    Ling Yue got up and went to close the window.


    Her gaze swept over the figures downstairs, sneaking into the hotel. Her eyes narrowed. It seemed the hotel owner wanted to try the same old trick again. Since that was the case, she would let them experience what it felt like to be haunted by vengeful ghosts.


    Footsteps sounded on the corridor outside, rustling softly.


    "The person who won the Raw Stone King at the auction is staying in this room," a low voice said outside, sounding like one of the hotel staff.


    "Open the door."


    As the words were spoken, the door was gently pushed open from the outside.


    Four tall figures entered from outside, the same ones Ling Yue had seen when closing the window.


    "What do you want?" Ling Yue''s icy gaze fell on the four of them, her eyes like sharp des that sent a chill down their spines.


    The four were startled, not expecting the people inside to still be awake at this hour. But it didn''t matter; they were here to take the women back anyway. The staff member had told them that the two women were both very beautiful, especially the one wearing a mask, who was as beautiful as a fairy.


    Ling Yue took a step forward, slowly walking toward the four, emanating a chilling aura.


    The four retreated in fear. "What do you want?"


    "Shouldn''t I be the one asking you that?" Ling Yue''s voice was cool and melodious, but in the silent night, it sent a bone-chilling sensation.


    Meeting Ling Yue''s icy gaze, the four couldn''t help but shiver. A chill seemed to crawl up their spines like caterpirs, chilling them to the bone and filling their hearts with dread.


    "We... we got the wrong room..."


    Ling Yue looked at them with a faint, mocking smile. "Then how did you get the room key?"


    "The staff member must have grabbed the wrong key..."


    "Yes, that must be it..."


    "We''ll leave now..." The four mumbled as they backed out. They needed to report this to the boss quickly.


    "Wait!" Ling Yue called out, stopping them.


    The four immediately froze in their tracks, not daring to move a muscle.


    "Take me to see your boss."


    "Huh?" The four stared at her in bewilderment. Did they hear her correctly? She wanted them to take her to see their boss? Surely they must have misheard.


    "Do you need me to repeat myself?" Ling Yue''s voice grew colder.


    "You... please..." The four hurriedly led the way. Initially, they were worried about being punished by the boss, but since she wanted to go with them, it had nothing to do with them anymore.


    Ling Yue closed the door and tossed out a talisman.


    They got into a van driven by the four men. Just a few hundred meters after leaving, heavy rain began to pour down,rge raindrops hitting the windows with a pitter-patter sound.


    From the moment she got in the car, Ling Yue closed her eyes to conserve her energy.


    The few men in front had been sneaking nces at Ling Yue several times. This was the first time they had seen someone being taken away so calmly. Wasn''t she afraid at all? Their boss was no softy; he was the underground king of Myanmar, with over ten thousand men under hismand, each with blood on their hands.

 Chapter 80: I’m Not Kidding

    <h4>Chapter 80</h4>


    The car sped through the night rain.


    Half an hourter, the car entered a manor.


    Ling Yue opened her eyes and scanned the manor outside the car, letting out a low chuckle. It seemed that tonight would not be a peaceful one.


    "We''re here."


    "Get out of the car."


    The car door was forcefully pulled open. Perhaps on their own turf, the four men felt emboldened.


    Here, there were thousands of men, all armed with weapons. Even if she was capable, could she really wipe out a thousand men?


    Ling Yue stepped out of the car, the raindrops falling on her hair, clothes, quickly drenching her entire body. Yet she seemed unfazed, walking step by step towards the manor, like a supreme ruler surveying her domain.


    One of the four men had already run inside, reporting to their leader that Ling Yue had been brought in.


    "Boss! We''ve brought the woman."


    The boss was embracing a beauty and drinking wine. Upon hearing his subordinate''s report, he drained the cup, "Bring her in."


    As Ling Yue entered, she saw a bearded man embracing a woman, forcefully pouring the wine from his cup into her mouth. Although the woman looked pained, he seemed oblivious, only stopping when he had poured the entire cup down her throat.


    "Cough cough cough..." The woman coughed miserably.


    The man tossed the cup aside, pushing the woman away with disgust. His gaze fell upon Ling Yue''s face, "Remove her mask." Having seen countless women, he could tell from her phoenix-like eyes that she must be a great beauty.


    Ling Yue let out a coldugh, "You can look, but the price is quite steep. Are you sure you want to see?"


    "Oh? What price?" The man smiled nonchntly. Here, he was the king, his word wasw. Not only could he demand to see her face, he could even have her strip naked with just a word.


    "Your life," Ling Yue''s voice was devoid of warmth.


    "Hahaha..." The man burst intoughter, "Wanting my life, that''s the biggest joke I''ve ever heard. Do you have what it takes? Don''t forget, this is my territory. With just a word from me, you''ll be beaten to a pulp."


    Ling Yue sat down at an empty spot, "You can try."


    Her arrogant attitude irked the man as he suppressed hisughter, his face darkening, "Do you think I''m joking with you?"


    Ling Yue met his gaze, her eyes reflecting disdain and cold-bloodedness, "I don''t like jokes."


    "It seems you won''t cry until you see the coffin. Fine, I''ll oblige you." The man drew a gun from his waist and aimed it at Ling Yue''s forehead. He didn''t believe she wasn''t afraid.


    Ling Yue''s expression didn''t change at all.


    The man heard a crisp "click" and felt a piercing pain in his hand. His hand had somehow been severed. How was this possible?


    Now, his eyes on Ling Yue had changed, "Just who are you?"


    "You don''t have the right to know." With a wave of Ling Yue''s hand, the once bright hall was plunged into darkness as countless vengeful spirits surged towards the man.


    The woman beside the man was so frightened that she fainted.


    The man''s face drained of color as he tried to escape and call for help, but found himself unable to move, forced to watch as the vengeful spirits tore and gnawed at his flesh.


    The indescribable agony spread through his body, clear and vivid, worse than death itself.


    Ling Yue calmly averted her gaze and stepped out of the hall, releasing a powerful aura that caused the rushing subordinates to feel as if a mountain was pressing down on them, unable to breathe.


    Blood slowly seeped from their eyes, noses, mouths, and ears, quickly filling the surroundings with a bloody stench, like a hellish purgatory.


    Ling Yue dissipated her terrifying aura, plundered all of the man''s wealth, and silently disappeared into the rainy night.


    The two men locked in the man''s secret room felt a chill and slowly opened their eyes to find the ropes binding them loosened, and the guards at the door gone.


    The two men exchanged a puzzled nce and cautiously made their way out.


    Seeing the corpse-strewn scene outside, they were stunned. Even after experiencing countless bloody battles, they had never witnessed such a sight.


    A tall figure approached from the rainy night, yet not a single drop of water from the puddles sshed onto his pants.


    Detecting an overwhelming scent of blood, Qin Lie frowned slightly and vanished from his spot. His mission this time was to rescue the two anti-drug officers who had been captured. They had infiltrated the drug cartel''s organization but were unfortunately discovered.


    Upon entering the manor and seeing the scene before him, Qin Lie was also momentarily stunned. Extending his consciousness outward, he sensed that apart from two staggering figures approaching, there were no living souls. The most gruesome sight was in the main hall, where the man''s flesh had been devoured by vengeful spirits, leaving only bare bones.

 Chapter 81: The Reason

    <h4>Chapter 81</h4>


    Qin Lie walked up to the two men, "Do you know what happened?" He had examined the corpses with his spiritual sense, and they had all died from bleeding from the seven apertures, which is something only a cultivator could achieve. So who might the culprit be?


    "No idea," the two men shook their heads and retreated. They didn''t know if Qin Lie was friend or foe.


    Qin Lie nced at their injuries and took out two healing pills from his pocket, offering them to the men. "Take these."


    The two looked at the pills in Qin Lie''s hand, exchanging nces, unsure if they should take them. They didn''t know who Qin Lie was, so how could they dare consume his medicine?


    Qin Lie showed them his identification, "I''m here to rescue you."


    Upon seeing his ID, the two were stunned, filled with shock and disbelief. How were they so fortunate as to be rescued by the leader of the Fighting Wolves Group, the most mysterious and powerful force of Xia Country that carried out unimaginable missions?


    Excitement welled up in their hearts as they trembled, taking the healing pills from Qin Lie''s hands and putting them in their mouths. As the pills took effect, the agonizing pain from their wounds slowly subsided, and the shallower wounds visibly began healing at an astonishing rate.


    "This..." The two men couldn''t believe their eyes. Had they not witnessed it themselves and felt the pain subsiding, they would have thought it was a dream that so thoroughly shattered their understanding.


    "Let''s go," Qin Lie turned and headed for a car not far away.


    "Oh!" The two men snapped out of their daze and hurried to follow. They truly felt like they were dreaming.


    Qin Lie drove the two men out of Myanmar and handed them over to the border guards before driving back into Myanmar. Apart from rescuing these two, his main purpose for this trip was to see Ling Yue. He knew she would never forgive him, but he wouldn''t give up.


    Arriving at the hotel where Ling Yue was staying, it was already past 5 AM. Qin Lie had checked Ling Yue''s schedule and knew she would be taking a 9 AM flight back to Xia Country that day.


    Since all the hotel rooms had been booked by those attending the gemstone trading conference in Myanmar, Qin Lie paid extra to reserve the hotel''s breakfast service and waited for Ling Yue in the restaurant.


    After freshening up, Ling Yue nced at the time and called out to the still sleeping Tang Xin, "Xin Xin, time to get up."


    "Okay..." Tang Xin mumbled groggily, reaching for her phone. Rubbing her bleary eyes, she saw the time and sat upzily, "I want to sleep more..."


    Yawning, she slipped on her slippers and headed for the bathroom.


    Downstairs in the restaurant, which was already packed with people, Ling Yue felt someone watching her. Turning, she met a pair of deep, ink-ck eyes, gentle as water. Why was he here?


    Qin Lie gave a faint smile, his gaze even more tender.


    Ling Yue''s expression remained impassive as she averted her eyes, going with Tang Xin to another area. She didn''t know why Qin Lie had appeared here, but she didn''t want to see him, didn''t want anything to do with him in this lifetime. If he had betrayed her in their previous life, why was he pretending to be affectionate now?


    Qin Lie pursed his lips, swallowing the bitterness in his mouth. He knew Ling Yue must hate him deeply, but in their previous life, he had no choice but to act as he did to protect her.


    In their previous life, he was the regent prince of a neighboring country. It was he who had requested to be sent as Ling Yue''s male consort. For so many years, he had stayed by her side, not for his own country, but for her. The first time he saw her on the battlefield, his heart was lost to her.


    He had been by her side for so long that she eventually fell in love with him too. But their happiness didn''tst. He received word that the kings of several other countries had secretly enlisted the help of experts from the Four Deities Temple and Celestial Pavilion to set up the Demon ying Formation at the Dragon Vein, intending to kill Ling Yue, whose immense power had be a threat.


    Once activated, the Demon ying Formation would cause Ling Yue''s soul to dissipate, preventing her reincarnation.


    When Qin Lie received this news, he had just returned to his own country after being summoned with word that his mother was deathly ill and wanted to see him onest time. Only then did he realize it was all a ploy.


    He rushed back as quickly as he could, but the Demon ying Formation was alreadyplete. Realizing he couldn''t save Ling Yue, in that critical moment an idea struck him - to use the Qian Kun Transfer Soul Formation. Their primordial souls would transfer to another world through the sword meant to kill Ling Yue as a medium. As the Demon ying Formation activated, the Qian Kun Transfer Soul Formation would simultaneously activate, sending their souls to be reborn in another realm.


    However, he didn''t expect that it would take ten years in this world before Ling Yue appeared.


    "Yue Yue, it seems like he''s been watching you. Do you know him?" Tang Xin also noticed Qin Lie''s gaze and turned to look at him, immediately captivated by his ethereally handsome face. How could there be a man so devastatingly good-looking in this world? He was a perfect match for Ling Yue''s beauty.


    "No," Ling Yue didn''t even spare Qin Lie a nce.


    After hurriedly finishing breakfast, Ling Yue left the restaurant and returned to her room to get her luggage before heading to the airport with Lan Ji, Tang Xin, and the others.


    Once on the ne and in her seat, someone immediately sat down beside her. Thinking it was Lan Ji, Ling Yue didn''t look until the refreshing scent of wood reached her nose. Then she knew it was Qin Lie.


    Ling Yue''s face turned cold as she gazed out the window.


    "Yue Er," Qin Lie''s gaze was gentle as he studied her profile, savoring her faint fragrance. He had dreamed of being with her like this countless times, only to wake and find it an illusion. Now, being able to see her up close filled him with immense joy.


    Ling Yue stood up, "Move!" She didn''t want to be around Qin Lie for even a minute.


    Qin Lie pulled her back into her seat, his deep ck eyes serious as he gazed at her. "Yue Er, give me a chance to exin. I..."


    "Let go!" Ling Yue shrugged off his hand and closed her eyes, ignoring him. No matter what he said, she wouldn''t listen. Betrayal was betrayal.


    Qin Lie watched her for a long while before slowly averting his gaze. He shifted slightly closer to Ling Yue, a faint smile on his lips. Being this near to her made him happy.


    Throughout the flight, Ling Yue didn''t spare Qin Lie a single nce until the nended safely. Only then did she open her eyes and, seeing he was still there, stood and said, "Move!"


    Qin Lie didn''t budge, only gazing at her tenderly. He didn''t want to part from her so soon.

 Chapter 82: She Should Hate Him

    <h4>Chapter 82</h4>


    Ling Yue couldn''t stand Qin Lie anymore. She stomped on his foot fiercely and walked past him towards the exit. Earlier, she didn''t change seats when the ne was about to take off, but now that it hadnded, there was no way she was sitting with him.


    Qin Lie watched Ling Yue''s figure, helpless yet indulgent, as he smiled. As long as Ling Yue calmed down, he would dly endure having both his feet stomped on.


    Lan Ji caught up with Ling Yue and walked towards the cabin door with her. "Yue Yue, how did your talk with Qin Lie go?" His original seat was with Yue Yue, but Qin Lie found him and said he needed to talk to Yue Yue, asking to switch seats with him, and he agreed without hesitation.


    Ling Yue gave Lan Ji a cold nce.


    "Are you angry, Yue Yue?" Feeling Ling Yue''s anger, Lan Ji felt a bit anxious.


    Ling Yue snorted coldly and stepped forward. Shouldn''t he have asked for her opinion before switching seats with Qin Lie?


    Lan Ji caught up with Ling Yue. "Yue Yue, I was wrong. Can you forgive me this time? I promise there won''t be a next time." Even if Qin Lie was his good friend, he wouldn''t have agreed to switch seats if he knew it would make his sister angry. He just couldn''t understand why his sister disliked Qin Lie so much, especially since they barely knew each other before.


    "Not setting a precedent."


    "Okay, I''ll never make you angry again, and I won''t switch seats no matter who asks me." Lan Ji raised three fingers to make his promise.


    Ling Yue curved her lips.


    Seeing Ling Yue smile, Lan Ji breathed a sigh of relief. "Yue Yue, I''ve already told Grandpa and Grandma. We''ll leave for the Valley of Divine Doctors early tomorrow morning. They''re so happy about it."


    Thinking about her conversation with the two elderly people earlier, Ling Yue''s heart softened a bit.


    "Yue Yue." Tang Xin ran over and held Ling Yue''s hand reluctantly. "I''m leaving now. When will you be free? Let''s go shopping together?" After this time together, her rtionship with Ling Yue had improved.


    "I''m going to go back with Big Brother, so it might have to wait until school starts." Ling Yue said. As for the rough stones she took pictures of, someone from Myanmar would have them shipped over, which would probably take about a week to get to Jing City. By the time she came back from the Valley of Divine Doctors, they should be almost here.


    "Okay then." Tang Xin sounded a bit disappointed. She wanted to go shopping with Ling Yue tomorrow.


    "If Ie back early, I''ll call you."


    "Great." Tang Xin smiled happily.


    Qin Lie followed Ling Yue not too far away, watching her every move, with a hint of smile on his lips. If one day she could smile at him like that, it would be great.


    Granny Xu knew that Ling Yue and Lan Ji wereing back today, so she had prepared a table full of good food.


    Hearing the door open, Granny Xu hurriedly walked out of the house. "Young Master Lan Ji! Little Miss! You''re back."


    She walked up and reached out to take the bag from Ling Yue''s hand.


    "It''s not heavy. I can carry it myself." Ling Yue smiled and refused.


    "Then you two go back to the room, put away your luggage, wash your hands, and we can eat." Granny Xu smiled at the pair, realizing she forgot to buy drinks. "I''ll go out and get a couple of bottles of drinks. What would you like?"


    "Anything''s fine," Ling Yue said, carrying her bag and heading inside.


    Pushing the door open, the room was just as clean as when she left, showing Granny Xu''s dedication to keeping it tidy every day.


    Lan Ji ced the luggage down. Hearing a knock at the door, he opened it to find Qin Lie outside, somewhat surprised. "Howe you''re here?"


    "I''m staying next door," Qin Lie gestured towards the adjacent courtyard.


    Lan Ji''s eyes shed with understanding. He approached and whispered, "Are you really interested in my sister?"


    "Yes," Qin Lie admitted frankly.


    "But it seems like my sister isn''t very fond of you," he intended to say ''it seems like my sister really dislikes you,'' but considering this was Qin Lie''s first time showing interest in a girl, he didn''t want to be too blunt.


    "I know," Qin Lie''s gaze turned mncholic. If he could do it all over again, he would still make the same choice, just to protect Yue, even if she hated him, he wouldn''t regret it.


    Hearing footsteps, Qin Lie looked up.


    Ling Yue had known Qin Lie wasing; she was a cultivator, naturally having better hearing than ordinary people.


    "Yue, I''d like to talk to you," Qin Lie looked at Ling Yue, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.


    "We have nothing to talk about," Ling Yue''s tone was icy as she walked to the well to wash her hands.


    Qin Lie stood next to Ling Yue, "Yue, I know you hate me, but can you give me a chance to exin?"


    Ling Yue looked up at Qin Lie, frostiness coating her delicate face. "Qin Lie, no matter what happened in the past, I don''t want any further involvement with you. Don''t show up in front of me again, or I might not be able to stop myself from killing you."


    "As long as you can forgive me, I''m willing to die by your hand," Qin Lie gazed earnestly at Ling Yue.


    Clutching her fist, Ling Yue''s hand tightened incessantly. She hated herself, why did her heart ache uncontrobly every time she saw him? She should be hating him instead.


    Turning away, she left Qin Lie with a cold back.


    Lan Ji walked up to Qin Lie, cing his hand on his shoulder. "What''s going on between you and my sister?"


    Qin Lie remained silent, removing Lan Ji''s hand and walking away. He woulde back for Yue at night.


    Lan Ji nced at the departing Qin Lie, then back at the house, shrugging before heading inside.


    The Ling family had fallen on hard timestely. Ling Tianzheng made numerous calls, but no one was willing to help. Finally, through connections, he found out that Lan Ji was the one going against the Ling family.


    After some inquiries, he found out that Lan Ji was somehow involved with Ling Yue.


    Looking at the courtyard in front of him, Ling Tianzheng hesitated for a long time before deciding to knock on the door.


    "Is that Ling Tianzheng?" Granny Xu returned with the drinks, spotting someone standing at her doorstep. As she got closer, she recognized Ling Tianzheng, somewhat surprised. Was he here to see the Little Miss?


    Ling Tianzheng might be the father of Little Miss, but he had never fulfilled his duties as a father, so she harbored no fondness towards him.


    Turning around, Ling Tianzheng saw Granny Xu, unsurprised. "I''vee to check on Yue Yue."


    Granny Xu approached with a cold demeanor and opened the door ahead.


    Following Granny Xu into the courtyard, Ling Tianzheng found it small yet exuding an understated elegance, radiating warmth andfort.


    "Little Miss! Young Master Lan Ji!" Granny Xu paid no heed to Ling Tianzheng, proceeding into the house on her own ord.


    Ling Tianzheng trailed behind Granny Xu and upon seeing Ling Yue inside, he froze. Her face had remarkably healed.

 Chapter 83: Who is Rare

    <h4>Chapter 83</h4>


    Ling Tianzheng and Ling Yue''s faces both turned cold when they saw Lan Ji.


    Ling Tianzheng quickly walked up to Lan Ji. "Hello Mr. Lan Ji! I am Ling Tianzheng, and I''vee to ask you to be lenient and spare our Ling family this time."


    Lan Ji let out a cold snort. "Give me one reason why."


    "I know you are doing this for Yue Yue''s sake. I promise that if you spare the Ling family, I will make a public statement telling everyone that Yue Yue is still the young mistress of the Ling family." Ling Tianzheng knew what mattered most to Ling Yue. Besides, her appearance has already been restored, and even if Zhou Mucheng is unwilling to marry her, there are many young masters from prestigious families who would be willing to marry her, which would only benefit the Ling family.


    Ling Yue let out a mockingugh. "Who cares."


    A sh of displeasure crossed Ling Tianzheng''s eyes, but thinking of the purpose of his visit, he forced a ttering smile. "Yue Yue, Dad knows you are speaking out of anger. It was Dad''s fault in the past, but from now on Dad will pay more attention to you."


    "Dad? You don''t even deserve to call yourself that." Ling Yue said contemptuously.


    A surge of anger rose in Ling Tianzheng''s heart as he clenched his fists. "Yue Yue, Dad really knows he was wrong, and Dad will make it up to you in the future." This dead girl actually dared to speak to him in such a manner, bing more and more bold. Once she returns to the Ling family, he will definitely have someone properly teach her some manners.


    "No need, you can leave now, don''t disturb our meal." Ling Yue took the c from Granny Xu''s hand. She was not the original owner, and she found this scumbag of a father utterly repulsive.


    "I am your father, how can you speak to me in this manner?" Ling Tianzheng could no longer hold back his anger, ring furiously at Ling Yue.


    Lan Ji stood up, walked in front of Ling Tianzheng, grabbed his cor, and dragged him out to the courtyard gate, throwing him out.


    Ling Tianzheng fell to the ground, wincing in pain, but as soon as he saw the gate close, ignoring the pain, he quickly got up from the ground and rushed to the gate. "Mr. Lan Ji, please open the door, I''ll agree to any condition you have as long as you spare the Ling family."


    "Oh?" Lan Ji raised an eyebrow yfully.


    Ling Tianzheng nodded vigorously. "Whatever conditions you have, I''ll agree to them."


    "Then have your wife, along with your two children, kneel here and apologize to Yue Yue. As long as Yue Yue forgives them, I''ll spare the Ling family."


    "Really?" A look of delight crossed Ling Tianzheng''s face.


    Lan Ji nodded. "I always keep my word."


    Ling Tianzheng, having gotten the confirmation, quickly turned and left to call Xiner and the children over to apologize to Ling Yue.


    Yang Xiner was sitting in the living room sofa, peeling an apple for Ling Meng. "Meng Meng, I received a call from the doctor this morning, he said you only need two more surgeries to look as beautiful as before."


    Ling Meng didn''t even spare a nce at Yang Xiner, continuing to stare at the TV drama. Even if she recovered, she would never forgive Yang Xiner. If it wasn''t for her, she wouldn''t have suffered so much, and now she didn''t even dare look at her own face.


    Yang Xiner''s heart was filled with bitterness. "Meng Meng, Mom knows it was all Mom''s fault. Once you recover, Mom will go to the Zhou family and speak to Zhou Mucheng''s parents about your marriage."


    "You mean it?" Ling Meng''s eyes suddenly lit up. She had always liked Zhou Mucheng, and in her previous life, they had missed their chance. This lifetime, she was determined to be his wife, to be the young mistress of the Zhou family. Otherwise, what would be the point of her rebirth?


    "I mean it." Yang Xiner smiled and handed the peeled apple to Ling Meng.


    Ling Meng took the apple and took a bite, her mind filled with the image of herself and Zhou Mucheng together. The wife of Brother Mucheng can only be her. As for Ling Yue, she can deal with her slowly after she marries Brother Mucheng.


    Hearing footsteps, Yang Xiner turned to look, seeing it was Ling Tianzheng. She stood up and walked towards him. "Tianzheng, you''re back." She knew about the recent events in the Ling family, but she didn''t know who was targeting the Ling family.


    "Call Xiao Bao back, I have something for you all to do." Ling Tianzheng had no time to talk to Yang Xiner about other things, he just wanted to bring them to apologize to Ling Yue.


    "What is it?" Yang Xiner walked to the coffee table, picked up the phone, and prepared to call her son.


    "The person targeting our Ling family is called Lan Ji. I just went to see him, and he said that as long as you all go apologize to Ling Yue, he''ll spare the Ling family." Ling Tianzheng didn''t hide anything, since they would find out soon anyway.


    "I won''t go apologize." Ling Meng angrily stood up from the sofa. How could the young mistress of the Ling family go apologize to that vile woman Ling Yue?


    "You have to go!" Ling Tianzheng''s face darkened. "This is about the future of the Ling family."


    "I won''t go!" Ling Meng turned her head angrily.


    Yang Xiner''s heart was also unwilling to go apologize to Ling Yue, but seeing Ling Tianzheng''s increasingly gloomy expression, shefortingly patted his shoulder. "Tianzheng, is there no other way?"


    Ling Tianzheng sighed and shook his head. "That girl and Lan Ji seem to have a very good rtionship. This time, Lan Ji is clearly standing up for her. Call Xiao Bao and tell him toe back quickly."


    Yang Xiner nodded and called her son, telling him toe back as soon as possible. Although she was also unwilling, if the Ling family was gone, what would be of her? She had gotten used to this life of luxury and privilege over the years.


    Ling Meng was so angry that she almost bit down on the silver spoon, "I won''t go." If she went, how would she maintain her status in the circle in the future? What would those people think of her? What would Brother Mucheng think of her?


    Ling Tianzheng''s face darkened as he walked up to Ling Meng. "If you don''t go, then get out of the Ling family."


    Ling Meng thought Ling Tianzheng had agreed to her not going, and was about to be happy, but Ling Tianzheng''s next words plunged her into the depths of despair. She stared at him with disbelieving eyes, tears welling up but not falling. "Dad..." He actually wanted to kick her out of the Ling family for the sake of that vile woman Ling Yue?


    "Answer me, go or not go?" Ling Tianzheng had no time to coax Ling Meng now.


    Ling Meng bit her lip hard, the tears silently sliding down her face, but her gaze was defiant.


    Ling Tianzheng''s heart ached, after all she was the daughter he had doted on since childhood. Seeing her like this pained him, but he really had no other choice now. "Meng Meng, just sacrifice this one time for the sake of the Ling family."


    "Meng Meng, listen to your dad. He''s doing this for the Ling family, for us. If we don''t have the Ling family, how will you marry Mucheng in the future." Yang Xiner persuaded.


    Hearing Yang Xiner''s words, Ling Meng''s resentment dissipated. Mom was right, only with the Ling family can she be the young mistress, only then can she marry Brother Mucheng.


    Ling Meng nodded, "I''ll go." After the Ling family gets through this difficulty, she will definitely make Ling Yue suffer terribly.

 Chapter 84: An Apology

    <h4>Chapter 84</h4>


    Ling Yue and Lan Ji were enjoying the cool evening in the courtyard when they heard a knock on the door. Lan Ji went to open it.


    Seeing Ling Tianzheng outside, with Yang Xiner, Ling Meng, and Ling Xiaobao trailing behind him, Lan Ji gave an amused smile. "Have you alle to apologize to Yue Yue?"


    "Yes," Ling Tianzheng nodded. He was reluctant in his heart, but he had no choice but to bow his head under this circumstance. This was the only option he had.


    "Yue Yue, they''vee to apologize to you," Lan Ji turned his head and winked at Ling Yue behind him.


    Ling Yue put down the watermelon in her hand, wiped her mouth with a paper napkin, stood up, and walked to the door. Her indifferent gaze swept over Ling Tianzheng and the others. "If you want to apologize, you need to show sincerity."


    "Did you hear that?" Lan Ji smiled at Ling Tianzheng and the others.


    Ling Tianzheng nced at Ling Yue, pursed his lips, and said, "Let''s kneel down."


    When Ling Meng saw Ling Yue''s perfect and wless face, her eyes were filled with shock and disbelief. Her face had healed, how was that possible?


    Ling Yue gave Ling Meng a half-smile, "Surprised?"


    "How did your face get better?" Ling Meng wanted her own face to heal quickly too.


    A cold sneer appeared on the corner of Ling Yue''s mouth, "Why should I tell you?"


    "You!" Ling Meng angrily clenched her fists, wishing she could kill Ling Yue right then and there.


    Ling Yue turned her gaze to Ling Tianzheng, her tone mocking, "Master of the Ling Family, it seems your words don''t carry much weight."


    Ling Tianzheng''s face turned ashen, and he shouted at Yang Xiner and the other two, "Didn''t you hear me? Kneel down!"


    Yang Xiner hurriedly knelt down, reaching out to pull her son and daughter, "Hurry up and kneel, don''t anger your father."


    Ling Xiaobao gave a cold snort and knelt down, his eyes ring angrily at Ling Yue, filled with hatred and murderous intent. Ling Yue, you just wait, I''ll make you pay back a hundred, a thousand times for the humiliation I''ve suffered today.


    Ling Tianzheng''s warning gaze fell on Ling Meng.


    Ling Meng forcefully closed her eyes, then slowly knelt down, clenching her fists tightly, her nails digging into her flesh and causing a stinging pain. She would remember this moment deeply.


    Ling Yue''s gaze fell on Ling Tianzheng, carrying a hint of mockery, "Isn''t the Master of the Ling Family going to kneel?"


    "But I''m your father," Ling Tianzheng didn''t expect Ling Yue to demand that he kneel as well.


    "Forget it then," Ling Yue turned and walked back into the courtyard.


    Lan Ji waved his hand at Ling Tianzheng, "Get out of here."


    "Does that mean you''re willing to let the Ling Family go?" Ling Tianzheng didn''t understand what Lan Ji meant.


    "You wish," Lan Ji sneered coldly, reaching out to close the door.


    "Wait, I''ll kneel," Ling Tianzheng hurriedly called out to Lan Ji, slowly kneeling down. As long as he could preserve the Ling Family, that was enough.


    Lan Ji smiled in satisfaction, walking over to sit beside Ling Yue, "What a bunch of fools. Even if they kneel to death here, I won''t let the Ling Family off the hook."


    "It''s going to rain soon, let''s go inside," Ling Yue stood up and headed towards the house.


    "Rain?" Lan Ji looked puzzled at the sky. The moon was bright, and the stars were twinkling. There was no sign of rain. Plus, he had just watched the news, and the weather forecast said it would be sunny for the next two days.


    As Lan Ji followed Ling Yue into the house, strong winds suddenly picked up outside, dark clouds gathered in the sky, and lightning shed continuously among the clouds.


    "It really is going to rain!" Lan Ji eximed in surprise. "Those people outside will have to run then. Good riddance." After all, Ling Tianzheng and the others weren''t fools. They wouldn''t kneel in the pouring rain.


    Ling Yue gave a profound smile, "Let''s sleep early tonight and enjoy the show tomorrow."


    Lan Ji scratched his head in confusion, "What show?"


    Outside, Ling Tianzheng and the others wanted to get up when they saw the impending rain, but they found that they seemed to be held down by something, unable to stand up no matter how hard they tried.


    "Can you guys get up?" Ling Tianzheng''s heart sank as he turned to ask Yang Xiner and the others.


    "I can''t get up, it''s like something is holding me down."


    "Me too."


    "Dad, did we encounter something... unclean?" Ling Meng looked around fearfully, but the dark alley revealed nothing.

 Chapter 85: Stuck in the Rain All Night

    <h4>Chapter 85</h4>


    At that moment, a bolt of lightning struck down right beside the group, sting a crater into the ground.


    "Ah!" The group was terrified, their souls scattering as they tried to flee but couldn''t move.


    Another bolt of lightning struck down, directly hitting Ling Tianzheng and the others, frightening them so much that they nearly wet themselves. They tried to pass out but couldn''t.


    Then a torrential downpour began, drenching them from above. At first they could tolerate it since it was summer and warm, but as the rain continued pouring, the icy chill pervaded their bodies. They began to shiver uncontrobly, their minds growing hazy, until finally everything went ck as they lost consciousness.


    The rain poured ceaselessly through the night. In the crisp morning air lingered the fresh scent of wet earth after the rain.


    Lan Ji emerged from his room, stretchingzily. He walked to the courtyard gate, opened it, and saw the four figures lying outside, blinking in puzzlement. "Could it be? They stayed out here all night?" He couldn''t help but wonder if Ling Tianzheng and the others had lost their minds - even children knew to seek shelter from the rain, yet these four had let themselves be drenched all night.


    Ling Yue came out, casting a dismissive nce at the prone figures on the ground. "Let''s go." Today they were headed to the Valley of Divine Doctors.


    "What about them?" Lan Ji wasn''t concerned that Ling Tianzheng and the others might die, but this was Ling Yue''s home after all - it seemed inauspicious for anyone to die here.


    "I''ve already called the Ling family. They''ll be here soon."


    "Oh!" Lan Ji smiled and nodded, turning to retrieve his luggage before departing with Ling Yue.


    Not long after the two left, Qin Lie returned disheveled from his journey. He had intended to find Ling Yuest night, but no sooner had he arrived home than he received an urgent summons to handle a critical task.


    Seeing the figures lying at Ling Yue''s gate, Qin Lie''s gaze flickered with surprise before darkening as he recognized who they were. He had nearly forgotten the Ling family - how they had mistreated his beloved Ling Yue. He would not let them off so easily.


    With a wave of his hand, he flung a talisman at the unconscious Ling Tianzheng and the others.


    The Ling family soon received word and rushed over, carrying the unresponsive four back to the hospital.


    After examination, the doctors found their conditions grave, especially Ling Meng whose existing injuries had only worsened from the drenching rain, causing inmmation in many areas.


    After a day and night of emergency care, Ling Tianzheng and the other three finally stabilized, out of mortal danger.


    Ling Tianzheng opened his eyes, finding himself in a hospital room. Turning his head, he saw the old patriarch of the Ling family dozing nearby. He tried to speak but the words came out beyond his control: "Hahaha...you old fart...your wife wore the green hat...birthed a bunch of turtles..."


    As he spoke, he pped his hands mockingly.


    The old patriarch awoke to the sound, furious as he shook upon hearing Ling Tianzheng''s words. He stood and approached, only to be struck in the face by a pillow Ling Tianzheng threw, stumbling backwards and falling down.


    Ling Tianzheng tried to control his actions but couldn''t, his body moving of its own ord to strike the fallen patriarch again. "Your wife wore the green hat, birthed a bunch of turtles, hahaha..."


    The old man, battered and in agony, coughed up blood and passed out.


    Across the way, Yang Xiner, Ling Xiaobao, and Ling Meng were in simr states - their minds clear but speech and actions entirely beyond their control, behaving like lunatics.


    Hospital staff rushed in, barely able to restrain them.


    "Doctor, what''s wrong with them?" the old patriarch asked, face bruised and bloodied, after being helped up. Tianzheng was his most promising son - he prayed the boy hadn''t lost his mind entirely.


    "It seems their fevers have caused brain damage," the doctor replied. The four had arrived with high fevers the previous day.


    The patriarch''s legs buckled and he fainted dead away. The Ling family was ruined.


    In the end, Ling Tianzheng and the other three weremitted to an asylum.


    Meanwhile, Ling Yue had apanied Lan Ji to the Valley of Divine Doctors, a remote valley surrounded by treacherous peaks that ordinary folk could never find the entrance to.


    Lan Ji produced a jade que, approaching a rocky outcrop and cing it into a crevice. Instantly, a single-log bridge appeared before them, spanning a bottomless abyss - a single misstep would mean certain death plummeting into the depths.


    A flicker of surprise crossed Ling Yue''s eyes. This was an arcane formation.


    Seeing Ling Yue''s hesitation, Lan Ji extended his hand. "Ling Yue, take my hand. As long as you follow my steps, you won''t fall."


    Ling Yue recovered with a faint smile. "I can cross on my own."


    Lan Ji smiled, retracting his hand. "Then you go first."


    "Mm." Ling Yue stepped onto the bridge, making her way across.


    "After crossing the bridge and walking a few hundred meters, there''s a peach orchard with veryplex terrain. One wrong step and you could be lost inside," Lan Ji exined, following behind Ling Yue.


    As the two finished crossing the bridge, they spotted a group of people ahead.


    "It''s Grandfather and Grandmother and the others," Lan Ji said, his handsome face breaking into a radiant smile as he pulled Ling Yue toward the group.


    Ling Yue looked up to see an elderly couple at the front, their kindly gazes holding a hint of tenderness and remorse.

 Chapter 86: The Family

    <h4>Chapter 86</h4>


    Seeing Ling Yue and Lan Ji, the members of the Lan family immediately came over to greet them. Their eyes were fixed on Ling Yue, filled with tenderness and sympathy.


    They all knew about what happened to Ling Yue. They originally thought that no matter how despicable Ling Tianzheng was, he wouldn''t do anything to harm his own daughter. But unexpectedly, he treated Ling Yue so cruelly after she was burned in a fire. He didn''t care about her at all and even issued a statement saying that Ling Yue was not his daughter.


    When they heard about this incident, they were furious and wanted to confront Ling Tianzheng, crush his bones to ashes, and destroy the Ling family.


    Initially, they opposed Jun''s rtionship with Ling Tianzheng, believing he was not a good husband. But Jun was stubborn and insisted on marrying Ling Tianzheng no matter how they tried to dissuade her.


    Because of this, they had to break off Jun''s childhood betrothal, offending the Cloud Heaven Sect in the process. Over the years, the Cloud Heaven Sect had been making things difficult for the Valley of Divine Doctors, causing them great suffering. However, as they were in the wrong, they could only endure it.


    "Yue, you''ve suffered so much over these years," Old Madam Lan said, holding Ling Yue''s hand as tears welled up in her eyes. She knew her daughter had given birth to a granddaughter, and she wanted to see her too. But when Jun left, they said they would cut off ties with her since she chose to marry Ling Tianzheng. So even though they missed Jun, they refrained from visiting her all these years.


    If it weren''t for Granny Xu''s letter, they wouldn''t have sent Lan Ji. But they didn''t expect Jun to be so stubborn as to not even let Granny Xu inform them of her passing.


    "Grandma! I''m fine," Ling Yue said, her nose tingling. Perhaps this was the bond of blood rtions.


    "From now on, you can stay in the Valley of Divine Doctors. No one will bully you here," Old Madam Lan said, tears streaming down her face as she looked at Ling Yue''s features, so simr to her daughter''s.


    "Grandma, I''m just here to visit you this time. In a few days, I''ll have to leave again. There are still many things I need to do out there," Ling Yue said, not wanting to upset the elderly woman but also unwilling to lie.


    "Weren''t you driven out of the Ling family?" Old Madam Lan asked in surprise. The letter said the Ling family didn''t give them a single penny, and they couldn''t even afford medical expenses.


    Ling Yue reached out and wiped away Old Madam Lan''s tears. "I can earn money myself. I started a small business and I''m doing well now."


    "That''s right, Grandma. Yue is amazing. Do you know how much money she earned in Burma gambling on gems?" Lan Ji said, walking over to Old Madam Lan and putting his arm around her with pride, as if he were the one who earned the money.


    "How much?"


    Everyone was very curious.


    "She earned over a hundred billion just from a single raw gemstone," Lan Ji said proudly.


    "What?" Everyone was stunned. Over a hundred billion? The Valley of Divine Doctors was not short of money, but earning over a hundred billion was no simple feat.


    "Yue is amazing, isn''t she? And that''s not all. She also gave me a secret martial arts manual. In just a few days, my abilities improved significantly. Look." As Lan Ji spoke, he released Old Madam Lan''s arm, threw a punch at a massive boulder in the distance, and shattered it into pieces with a thunderous boom.


    The others stared at the shattered boulder in stunned silence for a long while before finally snapping out of it and turning their gazes of surprise and curiosity towards Ling Yue. Wasn''t she supposed to be a poor, pitiful girl? How did she get a secret martial arts manual?


    Feeling embarrassed by their intense stares, Ling Yue rubbed her nose. "I just happened to acquire it by chance."


    Old Master Lanughed heartily, his eyes full of gratification. "It seems our Yue is quite extraordinary."


    He had been observing this granddaughter. Her demeanor was graceful, and she had an innate noble air about her. One could tell at a nce that she was no ordinary person. But he was curious - if his granddaughter was so outstanding, why would the Ling family be so blind as to abandon her?


    "Let''s talk as we walk," Old Madam Lan said with a smile crinkling her eyes.


    Everyone started walking forward.


    After passing through a peach tree grove, a secluded paradise appeared before them, just like the one described in the famous poem "The Peach Blossom Spring" by Tao Yuanming - suddenly opening up to a t expanse ofnd with houses and good fields, pools, mulberry trees and bamboo groves.


    The group arrived at the guest hall and took a seat. Throughout the journey, Old Madam Lan had been holding Ling Yue''s hand, unwilling to let go.


    "Yue, sit next to your grandma. Let me introduce everyone to you. This is your grandfather, your eldest uncle Lan Yuzheng, second uncle Lan Yuxi, third uncle Lan Yuze, your aunts, and your eldest cousin Lan Ling, second cousin Lan Feng, third cousin Lan Ji, and two younger cousins who are out on an errand."


    Ling Yue smiled and greeted everyone politely.


    The others took out gifts they had prepared for Ling Yue''s visit.


    "Yue, this is a small token from your eldest uncle and aunt. Don''t think too little of it," her eldest aunt said, taking out an exquisite box and handing it to Ling Yue. Inside was a round, lustrous white pearl of great value.


    "Thank you, Uncle and Aunt!" Ling Yue epted the box with the pearl.


    "This is a gift from your second uncle and aunt. Open it and see if you like it," her second aunt said, handing Ling Yue another box.


    "Thank you, Uncle and Aunt!" Ling Yue opened the box to reveal a ginseng root over a thousand years old, emitting a faint mystical energy that Ling Yue could sense as soon as she held it in her hands.


    "This is from your third uncle and aunt," her third aunt said, handing Ling Yue a jade bottle. "It contains beauty pills that will make you even more beautiful when a youngdy takes them."


    "Thank you, Uncle and Aunt!" Ling Yue smiled and epted the jade bottle.


    "Yue, your grandparents also have a gift for you," Old Madam Lan said, presenting Ling Yue with a jade bangle of deep emerald green. It was a family heirloom that they had originally intended to give to Jun, but she left the Valley of Divine Doctors to marry Ling Tianzheng before they could.


    "Thank you, Grandfather and Grandmother!" Ling Yue reached out to ept the bangle. "I also have gifts for everyone."


    Ling Yue opened her luggage bag, which was filled with exquisite small wooden boxes. She took out two and handed them to Old Madam Lan and Old Master Lan. "For you, Grandfather and Grandmother."


    "How thoughtful of you, Yue!" Old Madam Lan and Old Master Lan happily epted the boxes.


    Inside were an intricately carved white jade orchid hairpin and a jade dragon pendant, both incredibly lifelike.


    "So beautiful! Grandma loves it," Old Madam Lan said joyfully, taking out the jade orchid hairpin to admire before pinning it in her hair bun.


    Old Master Lan also put on the jade dragon pendant around his neck. He wasn''t sure if it was his imagination, but after putting it on, he felt a gentle, soothing warmth flow through his body, making him feel veryfortable and at peace.

 Chapter 87: Troupe Pet

    <h4>Chapter 87</h4>


    Ling Yue presented the gifts she had prepared to everyone, and they were all very happy.


    "Yue Yue, you must be tired from the journey. Grandma has already prepared a room for you to rest in. Why don''t you take a break?" Old Madam Lan gently patted Ling Yue''s hand, her eyes filled with indulgence. She was determined to take good care of her granddaughter and never let her suffer any grievances.


    "Okay." Ling Yue nodded, standing up and smiling at everyone.


    "Yue Yue, let me take you to your room." Lan Ji walked to Ling Yue''s side and led her out of the living room.


    As they watched the two of them leave, the faces of the others were filled with contentment and joy.


    "I never imagined that Yue Yue, growing up in such an environment, could still be so outstanding."


    "Yes, when I received Aunt Xu''s letter, I thought Yue Yue was a poor little thing who could be bullied by anyone."


    "The Ling Family must be blind. Yue Yue is so excellent, yet they actually drove her away."


    "Thank goodness the Ling Family drove Yue Yue away, or we wouldn''t have known that she had been mistreated by the Ling Family all these years, and also Little Sister..."


    Thinking of the early death of Lan Jun, the expressions on their faces were not very pleasant.


    "We absolutely cannot let that Ling Family off."


    Old Master Lan suppressed the sorrow in his heart, his sharp eyes exuding apelling aura. "Yuxi, go inform Zhang Fu and spare no effort in dealing with the Ling Family. I want the Ling Family to be utterly ruined." He was not only seeking justice for his granddaughter but also seeking vengeance for his deceased daughter.


    "Yes!" Lan Yuxi replied solemnly. He would never show mercy to the Ling Family. He would make them regret their actions, make them gradually lose everything, and finally plunge into endless hell to atone for his little sister.


    Unaware of what was happening in the living room, Ling Yue followed Lan Ji to the room. The room was quaint and elegant, exactly her style.


    "Yue Yue, rest for a while. I''lle to call you for dinnerter." Lan Ji exchanged a few words with Ling Yue and then left for the living room.


    After Lan Ji left, Ling Yue raised her hand and threw out a talisman, stepping into her own pocket dimension. Right now, all she wanted was to take a nice bath.


    Entering the Spirit Spring Pool, Ling Yue closed her eyes infort.


    Time passed unknowingly, and Ling Yue heard footsteps. She immediately emerged from her pocket dimension.


    "Yue Yue, are you awake?" Along with a gentle knock on the door, Old Madam Lan''s voice came from outside the room.


    Ling Yue went to open the door. "Grandma!"


    Old Madam Lan smiled gently at Ling Yue, reaching out to hold her hand and walking into the room with her. She nced around, "Yue Yue, if there''s anything unsatisfactory here, you must tell Grandma." Lan Ji had just told them a lot about Ling Yue, not only what she had done these days but also her experiences over the years, all of which Lan Ji had learned from Granny Xu. They were truly heartbroken for Ling Yue and harbored even more resentment towards the Ling Family.


    "It''s quite nice here." Ling Yue picked up the teapot on the table, tested the temperature with her hand, and found that the tea had cooled. She opened the teapot lid and added some hot water from the nearby thermos.


    "Don''t rush, Ling Yue. Grandma came to call you for dinner. Everyone is waiting for you. Let''s go." Old Madam Lan reached out to take the thermos and ced it aside, then took Ling Yue''s hand.


    Ling Yue nodded and followed Old Madam Lan towards the dining room.


    The table in the dining room was filled with delicacies, and the aroma filled the entire room, making people drool.


    "Yue Yue is here, please sit down quickly." Seeing Ling Yue, Aunt Lan smiled and waved at her.


    Ling Yue walked to Aunt Lan''s side and sat down in the empty seat next to her.


    Old Master Lan looked at Ling Yue with a gentle smile and picked up the chopsticks on the table. "Let''s eat, Yue Yue, don''t be polite. This is your home, so feel free to take whatever you want." This child is really remarkable, enduring so much hardship and still being so outstanding.


    "Okay, Grandpa!" Ling Yue smiled and nodded, reaching for the chopsticks.


    "Yue Yue, try this steamed white jade Buddha''s hand." Aunt Lan used the serving chopsticks to pick up a piece of steamed white jade Buddha''s hand for Ling Yue.


    "Thank you, Aunt Lan." Ling Yue smiled faintly at Aunt Lan.


    "Why are you being so polite with Aunt Lan? Try this squirrel-shaped Mandarin fish." Aunt Lan served Ling Yue several dishes.


    Others also served Ling Yue, and soon her bowl was filled.


    Looking at her bowl piled up like a small mountain, Ling Yue felt a bit helpless, but warm inside. In her past life, born into the imperial family, she never felt any affection. Her siblings only wished for her to die quickly so they could inherit her position. As for her parents, all they wanted was a qualified and powerful heir. They didn''t care who the heir was, as long as they could strengthen the country. So even though her siblings fought fiercely, her parents turned a blind eye.


    "Yue Yue, this sweet and sour pork is also good." Aunt Lan served Ling Yue a piece of sweet and sour pork, putting it in her bowl. She really liked this niece of hers, beautiful and with a good temperament. She wondered who would be so lucky to marry her in the future.


    "Okay." Ling Yue nodded, and with her head down, she started to eat the food in her bowl.


    The meal ended in a joyful atmosphere.


    Everyone moved to the living room.


    "Yue Yue, there are many medicinal herbs nted in the back mountain. Tomorrow I''ll take you to see them." Cousin Lan Feng picked up a piece of watermelon from the fruit te with a toothpick and handed it to Ling Yue. At first, he thought Ling Yue was a pitiful girl, but upon meeting her, he realized she was very outstanding. He really liked this cousin of his.


    "Sure." Ling Yue nodded and took the watermelon. She was very interested in medicinal herbs. Her little world also had many medicinal herbs.


    "We also have a cave in the back mountain with beautiful scenery. Yue Yue, would you like to go see it?" Cousin Lan Ji leaned close to Ling Yue''s ear and asked softly. He had been in that cave before, and it was indeed beautiful, with stctites hanging upside down, showing exquisite craftsmanship. The cave was interconnected, sometimes narrow, sometimes wide, deep and mysterious, with twists and turns, making it seem both remote and mysterious.


    Ling Yue''s eyes lit up, and she nodded eagerly.


    "Tomorrow morning, I''ll take you there, but you can''t let anyone else know," Lan Ji nced at the others. He had sneaked off to that cave before, only to be caught by his grandfather who scolded him. He couldn''t understand why his grandfather wouldn''t let him in, considering how beautiful the scenery inside was.


    "Okay," Ling Yue nodded with a smile.


    "What secret are you two whispering about?" Lan Ling felt a pang of jealousy seeing how close the two were.


    "Yeah, share with everyone," Lan Feng chimed in. That rascal Lan Ji had been with Yue Yue for so long, yet he still monopolized her.


    "It''s nothing, just casual chat. Right, Yue Yue?" Lan Ji winked at Ling Yue.


    Lan Ling walked up to Ling Yue, pushed Lan Ji aside who was sitting next to her, and handed her a colorful stone. "Yue Yue, this is for you." He had originally prepared a ck card for Ling Yue, but upon hearing Lan Ji mention that Ling Yue had made over a hundred billion with just one raw stone, he changed his mind. He decided to give Ling Yue a meteorite he had treasured for a long time, wondering if she would like it.


    Ling Yue''s eyes widened in shock as she gazed at the colorful meteorite in Lan Ling''s hand. "Is this..."


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