At fifteen years old, Xiao Rui was already a head taller than Ah Sha. Because of the fact that Xiao Rui rarely smiled, Ying Qingcang once had a suspicion that he was the result of a cloning experiment performed on Boss Wan. Xunxun rarely smiled too, though he often made smartass and sarcastic remarks just to goad others. That said, Xunxun had a look of disdain on his face most of the time.
Xiao Rui, on the other hand, was legitimately expressionless. His eyes were cold and glacial, like ice. He wouldn’t look at you at all, though if you have the balls to look at him, be ready to face the possibility that you might be scared to death.
“Sis!” Now, those dark eyes gleamed at her. Only when he was speaking with Ah Sha or Xin Qing would Xiao Rui’s eyes have some sort of color.
Ah Sha put Chengcheng back down on the floor and reached out to ruffle Xiao Rui’s hair. “Look how fast you’re growing up,” Ah Sha said. “It won’t take more than a few years for you to catch up to Xunxun.”
On the couch, Xin Qing waved at Ah Sha. “Ah Sha, come here. Come sit with mommy!”
Beside Xin Qing, Ying Qingcang sat there with an impassive look on his face. He reached out and pulled Xin Qing onto his lap. “Are you cold?”
Xin Qing gave him an exasperated look. “Our home has floor heating,” she said. Ah Sha led Chengcheng by hand and plopped down on the couch beside Xin Qing. “Mommy! I just got the contract to be Xin Enterprises’ endorser today.”
Xin Qing grinned at Ah Sha. “It was meant for you from the start. Hey, how come you look like you’ve gotten thinner? Didn’t Xunxun feed you properly?”
“I think so too,” Ying Qingcang said with a straight face. “That is why our daughter should move back into the house!”
That remark did not sit well with Chengcheng. “I want to stay at home too,” he grumbled. “I don’t want to stay at the academy.”
“Oh? So you think that living together with me is bad, is that it?” Xiao Rui’s deep and eerie voice suddenly rang out. Chengcheng shuddered and said, “N-No, it’s Brother Wangwang. Brother Wangwang sucks.”
That comment was heard by Wangwang, who had just come downstairs. Wangwang picked Chengcheng straight up and said, “Say that again?”
Eight-year-old Wangwang looked a lot like Xin Qing, especially his eyes; he features were delicate, pretty and somewhat girlish.
“Alright, enough! Time to eat!” Ying Qingcang carried Xin Qing into the dining hall.
Xin Qing, Ah Sha, Wangwang and Chengcheng had always been the ones talking over the dining table; Ying Qingcang’s attention was focused on making sure that Xin Qing ate well whereas Xiao Rui never said much even during normal times. Today was different, however. When everyone was done, Xiao Rui rapped the surface of the dining table to get everyone’s attention.
“Mother, I have something to say.”
Everyone’s eyes were now focused on Xiao Rui. Xin Qing smiled at him. “Mm, go on, tell us!”
Xiao Rui pressed his lips together. “I’m leaving with Jiang Qianren.”
Clang! Xin Qing’s bowl toppled to the floor. “Wh-what did you say?”
Three months ago, when Jiang Qianren came to visit Xin Qing, he told her something during their conversation.
Jiang Qianren had a conflicted and sheepish look on his face back then. “I’m thinking of enrolling Xiao Rui at the Reece Academy in the United States.”
Out of suspicion and curiosity, Xin Qing had excused herself from her conversation with Jiang Qianren to make a call to Boss Wan.
What she heard from Boss Wan over the phone was shocking. “Reece Academy? Well, that’s a place where killing machines are nurtured. Any soldier who graduates from the academy is regarded as a military genius and one of the most elite soldiers in the world. Assassinations, espionage, black ops, detection, undercover cops, you name it; these guys know them all. Every year, there’ll be a tournament organized within the military. And guess what? The soldier who finishes first place in that tournament is always a graduate from the Reece Academy.”
Xin Qing shuddered and stole a glance at Jiang Qianren. “Then… Are there any students who failed to graduate?”
“No,” Boss Wan said. “Those who didn’t graduate are all dead.”
…
After hanging up, Xin Qing walked back to Jiang Qianren, though her eyes were now as cold as ice. “Tell me. Whose idea is it to enroll Xiao Rui in the academy? Your mother?”
“No… She, she merely suggested it.” Jiang Qianren balled his fists, looking like he was about to risk everything in whatever that he was about to say. “Look, if I had a choice, I rather it’s me, okay? But I’ve already surpassed the academy’s age limit.”
“Then why didn’t you go when you were younger?” Xin Qing snarled.
Jiang Qianren sighed. “You think I didn’t enroll? Guess what. I did. But my father prohibited me from going. He said that I’m the only descendant of the Jiang family, that if I fail to return, the Jiang family would be finished.”
Xin Qing chuckled darkly. “Ah, now I see where this is going. Now that your family has Xiao Rui, you intend to send him off on a suicide mission. If he succeeds, the Jiang family would rise in status. If he fails, the family still has you, the son.”
Xin Qing laughed humorlessly and glared at Jiang Qianren. “How have I missed it all this time? That you’re just another shameless and despicable human being.”
“How can we possibly think that?” Jiang Qianren protested, feeling a surge of panic. “My dad thinks Xiao Rui has the capability to graduate from the academy as long as there aren’t any unforeseen accidents.” Jiang Qianren paused for a moment. All of a sudden, his voice became crestfallen and downcast. “Besides… This is also my brother’s wish.”
“When my sister-in-law was pregnant with Xiao Rui, my brother told us that his son must be a graduate of the Reece Academy in the future.”
Xin Qing interrupted him from speaking further. “I think you people from the Jiang family had mistaken on a thing. “Xiao Rui’s surname isn’t Jiang. It’s Ying. His name is Ying Rui!”
Like hell Xin Qing would agree to send Xiao Rui off to that kind of hellish place. When Jiang Qianren left that day, he begged her to at least tell Xiao Rui about it; Xiao Rui should have the right to choose his own path.
Evidently, Xiao Rui had already made his choice.
“Mother! Please, calm down. I’ll definitely make it back.” Xiao Rui stood up and walked over to stand beside Xin Qing.
Xin Qing’s eyes were starting to redden with unshed tears. “I heard that it’s not uncommon for that academy to not have any graduates for several years in a row. If anything were to happen to you, I’ll be devastated. Okay, fine. Forget about what I’d feel. What about Chieftain Mo Lin? How are we ever going to face him? The man sees you as his own grandson.”
“Mother,” Xiao Rui said, reaching for Xin Qing’s hand. “You know about what happened to my parents that year. Those people might still be out there hunting for me. I can’t just hang around like a sitting duck, waiting for them to execute me when they find me. I need to grow stronger.”
“Only by growing stronger can I protect myself, protect you guys!” Xiao Rui crouched down and hugged Xin Qing. “Mother, please let me go. I promise you I’ll make it back!”
That was the point where Xin Qing burst into tears. Ying Qingcang frowned and said, “Ah Sha, go grab a towel.”
Ah Sha picked up Chengcheng and left the dining hall. Wangwang gave Xiao Rui an eye signal. “Mother,” Wangwang said, “brother is very strong and skilled. You should let him go!”
“Mother… Please.” Xiao Rui held Xin Qing’s gaze.
Ying Qingcang’s frown deepened. “Ah Qing, calm down, okay? Don’t cry.”
Ah Sha returned with Chengcheng in tow. Chengcheng was holding the towel. “Mommy, please don’t cry!” Chengcheng climbed his way into Xin Qing’s lap. Xin Qing picked up the boy. “Chengcheng, you’re such a good boy,” Xin Qing said. “So obedient, unlike your brother Xiao Rui.”
Then, Xin Qing buried her head against Ying Qingcang’s chest. “Ah Cang, I’m tired,” Xin Qing said. Clearly, the discussion had reached an end.
Xiao Rui was just about to say something else when he received a warning glare from Ying Qingcang. Then, Ying Qingcang carried Xin Qing upstairs.
“It’s okay,” Ah Sha said, patting Xiao Rui’s shoulder. “Daddy will convince Mommy, I’m sure of it!”
Xunxun noticed the strange vibe when he came to pick up Ah Sha.
“What happened?” he asked.
Ah Sha told Xunxun everything about Xiao Rui’s wish to attend the Reece Academy and Xin Qing’s fear of it. After hearing everything, Xunxun did not seem worried at all, which was surprising. “Aunt Qing will agree, you’ll see,” Xunxun said, helping Ah Sha into his car.
Indeed, not two days later, Ah Sha received a call from Xiao Rui.
“Sis, I’m leaving now.”
Ah Sha sniffed. “Promise me you’ll return, okay? Otherwise, otherwise I’ll throw out every single one of your naval ship models in your room!”
On the day of Xiao Rui’s departure, everyone went to send him off at the airport. Xin Qing had cried until both of her eyes were swollen. If the daggers shooting out from Ying Qingcang’s eyes weren’t metaphorical, Jiang Qianren’s body would’ve been covered in knife wounds by now.
“If he fails to return, Ah Qing will hate you for the rest of her life,” Ying Qingcang told Jiang Qianren.
A grave look formed on Jiang Qianren’s face. “I give you my word that I’ll ensure his return. Otherwise, we, the Jiang family, will pay with our lives.”
Ah Sha did not have time to feel sad over Xiao Rui’s departure; by the end of November, she began filming the commercials for Xin Enterprises. Since the commercials were meant to promote the underground hot springs, most of the filming was conducted at the hot springs.
The reporters had taken a keen interest in the scandal involving this showbiz debutante and the boss of Stars Entertainment; every day, there were at least a few people with cameras hanging around the filming location. Then again, the reporters had already managed to capture a juicy photo on the very first day of filming.
“Didn’t I ask you not to come?” Ah Sha glared at Xunxun the moment she got into the car. “It’s only four in the afternoon now. Why are you getting off work this early? Don’t you have a job to do?”
Xunxun buckled Ah Sha’s seatbelt. “Fetching you is my job.”
“Hehe! But I’m not planning on paying you a salary.” Ah Sha had just finished speaking when she felt Xunxun’s hands on her face and his lips pressing against hers.
Pulling Ah Sha’s lips between his teeth, Xunxun deepened his voice and said, “That’s alright. Just let me kiss you more often and we’re good.”
Xunxun vaguely noticed a bright flash coming from the car’s windshield. He frowned.
“What’s wrong?” Ah Sha said, pushing him away. “Hey, no biting. Otherwise I’ll have to apply ointment again tonight.”
Xunxun touched her cheeks. “Nothing’s wrong,” he said. “Hey, what do you feel like eating?”
“Hotpot!” Ah Sha said. “Tsk, tsk. I mean, none of the hotpots I tried overseas were even authentic.”
Xunxun brought Ah Sha to a restaurant which served authentic hotpots. Although the restaurant was old school, its interior decor was surprisingly modern. A lot of rich second generations and celebrities were frequenters of the place.
Before the meal, Ah Sha visited the bathroom.
On the way out, she was stopped in her tracks by a man. “Are you Mei Jing?”
Ah Sha took two steps backwards, her eyes filled with panic as she stared back at the drunken man. “You… Who are you?”
“Not bad at all. You look pretty in person too.” The man reeked of alcohol and was now leering at Ah Sha. “It’s doesn’t matter if you don’t know me. You just have to know that I’m no less wealthy than Wan Qingsi.”
The man’s hand shot out to grab Ah Sha’s arm. Ah Sha sidestepped him with ease, and yelled, “Don’t come any closer! Or else I’ll start screaming!”
When the man noticed Ah Sha’s rejection of his advances, he launched into a vulgar diatribe. “Drop the act! I can turn you into a superstar as well!” he said. “You girls are all out there to sell your bodies, anyway. It doesn’t f*cking matter whom you sell your body to. You should be honored that you’ve caught my eye.”
A threatening look formed on Ah Sha’s face. “Is that so? Honored?” Gone were the terror and the look of panic in her face. Then again, the man was too out of it to notice it. He pounced again. Ah Sha sidestepped and flicked her wrist once; a needle punctured the skin of the man’s waist. With another flick, a second needle stabbed into the man’s shoulder.
The man stumbled to the floor. A cold glint flashed in Ah Sha’s eyes. Just when she was about to launch a third needle, a cold voice sounded.
“What’s going on here?” Xunxun came over to her in a few steps. The man on the floor was climbing back to his feet by then. Xunxun’s leg shot out in a kick. The unfortunate b*stard stumbled again, this time knocking his head on the wall. The prick passed out instantly.
“Did he touch you?”
Ah Sha shook his head. “No. He was drunk, and he tried to grab me. But then he fell down on his own.” When she saw Xunxun wanting to charge at the man again, Ah Sha quickly pulled him away. “Enough, enough. I’m fine. Nothing happened to me. Let’s go eat something! I’m so hungry I could die.”
After they left, a man dressed in a black shirt stepped out around the corner. The smile on his face was that of deep contemplation. He gave the unconscious man on the floor several kicks. Then, he crouched down and touched the man’s waist.
A thin needle—about as long as his index finger—appeared between his fingers.
“Haha. This needle belongs to one of the bounty hunters, the poison queen. I can’t believe it showed up in the hands of a young starlet. How interesting.” The man in black glanced at the unconscious man on the floor. Out of nowhere, he produced a knife with a long and thin blade.
“Hah. You unlucky b*stard. Consider this my gift to the poison queen!”