Chapter 87

Not only were there landmines, but Qi Xiang was also surprised to find that around the beautiful girl, there seemed to be a mysterious force swirling and protecting her.

Qi Xiang was very curious and wanted to study the roots of this mysterious force, but he was afraid of causing any misunderstandings and did not dare to move recklessly. However, just by observing, he had some insights.

The force was yin in nature, slightly cold. The most bizarre thing was that although the force should be formless and intangible, Qi Xiang felt as if it contained sharp edges, as if it could transform into tangible blades.

"An illusion?"

Qi Xiang pondered, his eyes fixed on the force.

Time seemed to pass unnoticed. Suddenly, the beautiful girl on the bed fluttered her long eyelashes and then silently opened her eyes, her gaze like water, shimmering with light.

Qi Xiang noticed and looked over.

Their eyes met, and Qi Xiang wondered if her first reaction would be to scream in surprise, and whether he should cover her mouth.

To his surprise, the beautiful girl's expression was very calm. After a moment of lively glances, she smiled and said, "Thank you for saving me."

"Cough..." Qi Xiang blinked. "You're welcome, it's what I should do."

"You..." The beautiful girl placed her slender hand on the bed and sat up, composed and unperturbed, her soft voice very sweet. "By the way, what's your name? Where are you from? Although great kindness doesn't need thanks, I still want to repay you."

"My name is..." Qi Xiang glanced around and smiled. "I'm Lei Hong, from Jinling. What about you, miss?"

"Lei Hong?" The beautiful girl pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "I'm surnamed Bai, and my name is Lianhua."

"Bai Lianhua..." Qi Xiang clicked his tongue and sincerely praised, "What a beautiful name, it suits you."

Both of them laughed, knowing very well that the other wasn't telling the truth.

"Anyway, thank you again for saving me."

At the same time, the beautiful girl gracefully got out of bed, standing tall and graceful, indeed resembling a white lotus about to bloom in a deep pond.

"It was just a coincidence," Qi Xiang shook his head. "Saving lives and helping the injured has always been the principle of my Lei family. We must never stand by in times of danger."

The beautiful girl smiled but said nothing, just quietly watching Qi Xiang put on a show.

Qi Xiang couldn't keep it up and immediately changed the subject, asking, "By the way, Miss Bai, when I entered the bamboo forest, I vaguely heard you arguing with someone. It seemed like they were trying to take something from you. What happened?"

Hearing this, the beautiful girl's smile froze, then she said nonchalantly, "Nothing, I just mistook a wolf for a panda."

"Oh?" Qi Xiang nodded lightly.

"Mr. Lei, let me give you a warning. If you ever meet someone named Gu Shanhe, be careful of his hidden daggers," the beautiful girl said, her voice tinged with barely suppressed anger.

"Got it." Qi Xiang took it to heart.

"Also..."

The beautiful girl paused, took a small step, and was already at the door. She opened it, stepped back into the corridor, and smiled, "I should go, but I think we'll meet again soon. When we do, I'll have the chance to repay your kindness."

"Click!"

The door closed, and there was no sound outside.

Qi Xiang frowned, then relaxed. Although he had many questions and wanted answers from the beautiful girl, he didn't expect her to be so cautious and reveal nothing.

"Where did I slip up?"

Qi Xiang pondered, "Was I too calm, or... wait, Lei!"

Qi Xiang slapped his head, finally realizing his mistake. When the thunder struck in the bamboo forest, everyone like Mr. Wu, his cousin, and his great-uncle fainted on the spot.

Only he remained unharmed, his curiosity piqued, and he went to the center of the bamboo forest to see what was happening.

Perhaps the beautiful girl didn't think much of it at the time, but when he mentioned the thunder and called himself Lei Hong, wasn't he deliberately telling her that something was off?

Qi Xiang sighed, realizing he had made a small mistake.

"Still calling her Bai Lianhua, is she really that shrewd?" Qi Xiang smirked, his gaze lingering. He noticed something on the bed.

Qi Xiang walked over and looked down. On the bed was a card.

The card was square, the same size as a regular playing card, but it wasn't a playing card. The material was unknown, with a dark, plain surface.

However, upon closer inspection, Qi Xiang could see some fine lines etched on the card. The lines seemed random but had a certain pattern, quite mysterious.

Seeing the card, Qi Xiang examined it and wondered, "Was it lost by accident, or left on purpose?"

After some thought, Qi Xiang picked up the card. From the texture and pattern, the material seemed to be bamboo.

The issue was that the card was pitch black and shiny, very different from the natural color of bamboo. Perhaps there was a type of bamboo that was naturally black, or the black color was artificially applied...

Qi Xiang pondered for a moment and flipped the card. Instantly, his eyes widened in surprise. On the other side was a vivid portrait of a person.

The person was in military attire, holding a weapon, poised to strike, exuding a solemn and deadly aura.

Qi Xiang squinted, noticing a faint character on the person's chest. The lines were very thin, finer than a hair. If not for his keen eyesight, he might have missed it.

Most importantly, he didn't recognize the character. However, he had a strong intuition that it was related to the Water Moon Secret Script, perhaps even the same...

"Interesting, an unexpected find."

Qi Xiang smiled, put the card away, and left the inn.

On the street, he hesitated, unsure whether to return to Little Bamboo Village to ask Mr. Wu's great-uncle to make a pen or to go back home and come another day.

As Qi Xiang was indecisive, a group of people approached from the end of the street.

The group was large, taking up most of the street. They were numerous and intimidating, forcing passersby to step aside.

Although Qi Xiang was preoccupied, he was always aware of his surroundings. Noticing the situation, he naturally moved to the side of a shop to wait.

"Stop!"

Suddenly, someone shouted, and the crowd halted. Then a person stepped forward, surprised to see Qi Xiang. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Huh?"

Qi Xiang was taken aback and looked up, equally surprised. "Young Master Zhu?"

The person was indeed Zhu Qiao, the young master of Wuxi's Ten Thousand Tea Mountains. It was no wonder he was so arrogant and domineering.

"It's me... weren't you... someone?" Zhu Qiao blinked, trying to remember, but he didn't care and simply beckoned. "Hey, you're here, come with me to see something."

Qi Xiang's lips twitched, and he refused outright. "No time!"

"How can you have no time when you're just wandering the street?" Zhu Qiao was unhappy. "Helping me see something is an honor. I'll pay you, and you'll benefit."

"I have something to do, really no time." Qi Xiang stood firm, refusing to bow for a few coins.

"What is it? I'll help you solve it." Zhu Qiao puffed out his chest, being very generous.

"I can handle it myself, no need for your help." Qi Xiang shook his head. "Young Master Zhu, since you have something to do, I won't disturb you. See you later!"

"Stop!" Zhu Qiao was angry, acting like a spoiled rich kid. "I said I'll help you, so I will. Tell me what you need, and I'll solve it first, then you can help me see something."

Qi Xiang was speechless, rich kids were really capricious.

Moreover, seeing Zhu Qiao angry, his followers immediately surrounded Qi Xiang, blocking him in. Some even clenched their fists, looking menacing.

"Is it really necessary?"

Qi Xiang, despite being idle, didn't want to fight over such a trivial matter and expose himself.

"Absolutely necessary."

Zhu Qiao acted like a domineering CEO, arrogant and condescending. "In my memory, only I have the right to refuse others. No one dares to refuse me... those who do, I beat until they don't dare anymore!"

"Fine, fine." Qi Xiang was helpless. "Tell me, what do you want me to see?"

Qi Xiang wasn't afraid, but he was afraid of the trouble. People like Zhu Qiao were like sticky plasters; if he couldn't deal with them quickly, they would keep bothering him.

He wasn't cruel enough to kill a group of people over a few words. Sometimes, he felt he was broad-minded and had the demeanor of an ancient sage.

"Shouldn't you have agreed earlier?"

Zhu Qiao was smug, ignorance was bliss.

Qi Xiang glanced at him, sighing inwardly, very composed. "Are you going to tell me or not? If not, I'm leaving."

Zhu Qiao looked at Qi Xiang suspiciously, unsure if it was a trick. He felt Qi Xiang's gaze was off, as if he was looking at roadside flowers, devoid of emotion...

"Must be a trick, definitely a trick."

Zhu Qiao steadied himself and explained, "I want you to help me check a plate, to determine if it's genuine."

"A plate?"

Qi Xiang was surprised. "What kind of plate is so important to you?"

Zhu Qiao, being a rich and powerful young master, had always had people around him, naturally fostering a self-centered personality.

Of course, that wasn't the point. The key was his extravagant lifestyle, which would have given him high standards. What kind of plate could make him come in person?

...