"People only believe what they want to hear. Do they ever care about the truth of the matter?" Xu Ke retorted sarcastically, looking at the other person as if watching a fool.
"You and your spouse are birds of a feather. I must have misjudged both of you." The woman’s eyes first glanced at Xu Ke, then past him to see the person standing quietly behind him since he started speaking—like a shadow, watching Xu Ke with bright eyes as if looking at a deity.
The young woman shouted once and then turned around, wiping her eyes as she ran off.
The remaining people present were taken aback by her sudden outburst.
"What’s wrong with her? If she’s leaving, just leave; why shout all of a sudden and so loudly? She nearly scared to death." Lin ngyao, startled by the volu, snapped out of her daze. The unusual way of being awakened made her heart race uncontrollably.
"Pat pat, we’re not afraid." Xu Ke reached out and ruffled Lin ngyao’s hair, his expression visibly softening, like a snow-capped mountain gently thawing, with a hint of chill and warmth, a splash of green standing out in the white—a striking sight.
Seeing Lin ngyao suddenly becoming shy and the two of them close as conjoined twins, Bai Ru quietly made a teeth-gritting face. "You two continue shopping; I suddenly rembered I have sothing to do, so I’m heading off." Bai Ru winked at Lin ngyao and made a funny face, not giving her a chance to insist and leaving them behind as she ran off on her own.
With the unexpectedly pitiable passerby no longer causing trouble, and Bai Ru gone, Xu Ke and Lin ngyao strolled around the mall like lovers freshly in love, hand in hand.
Upon returning to the Xu Family, Xu Ke was summoned by Sheng Wenhao, still recovering from his injuries.
"How are your wounds? Do they still hurt?" Xu Ke asked Sheng Wenhao, who was lying on the bed, his complexion slightly poor but his eyes very bright.
"They stopped hurting a while ago." Sheng Wenhao sat up straight, careful not to reopen his wounds.
"I called you over because there’s sothing I need to tell you. Sheng Yi called today; he ntioned a flower show hosted by the Sheng Family next week. He insisted I must bring you along. Their whole family has malicious intentions, resorting to any ans to achieve their goals. Being so eager to have bring you can’t be a good sign." Sheng Wenhao expressed with a hint of disgust.
"I suspect they’ll send you an invitation in a couple of days. Just decline it; there’s no need to go." Sheng Wenhao watched Xu Ke with concern in his eyes.
Seeing his friend so worried, Xu Ke felt utterly reassured yet shook his head in refusal. "Actually, I received the invitation today. I never planned on declining it from the start."
Thinking of the information private detectives brought in recent days, Xu Ke’s brow unconsciously furrowed slightly, leading Sheng Wenhao to misunderstand.
"You don’t have to do this for . Even if you don’t go, it’s okay. I’ve dealt with them for many years and can handle them without needing you to take risks." Disapproval was written all over Sheng Wenhao’s eyes.
Knowing Sheng Wenhao misunderstood, Xu Ke didn’t intend to explain. The matter was a tangled ss, with more and more noble families getting involved, yet the path ahead was as foggy as ever. Under such circumstances, Xu Ke didn’t want to drag another person down.
"I trust you, but such situations can’t be avoided forever. If this continues, you’ll surely be exposed, making things worse for us. It’s better to be proactive and see what they plan to do. If we can have our revenge during the process, all the better." Xu Ke’s eyes narrowed slightly, a fox-like smile forming at his lips, appearing like a fox that successfully stole food.
Seeing Xu Ke display such an expression, Sheng Wenhao knew his friend must have plans and preparations and ceased his persuasion, solemnly saying to Xu Ke, "If there’s anything you need from , just ask. Don’t leave out because I’m injured; these injuries are nothing to ."
"Don’t worry, I won’t forget you." Xu Ke reached out and patted Sheng Wenhao’s arm.
The two brothers exchanged smiles, their eyes shining brightly with a hint of joy.
On the day of the Sheng Family banquet, Xu Ke didn’t bring Lin ngyao along. Instead, he left her at ho, unsure of what tactics the others might use, unable to guarantee her safety. So he used the excuse of her falling ill to leave her at the villa in the care of Housekeeper Zhao, which gave him so peace of mind.
"I’ll be back soon. Stay ho and wait for . Sorry for the inconvenience today." Xu Ke gently and earnestly kissed Lin ngyao’s forehead, sighing and apologetically remarked.
"Under normal circumstances, I should bring you along, introduce you to everyone, let them know you’re the Lady of the Xu Family. But now you must stay alone at the villa and wait for . Once the banquet is over and things settle down, I’ll host a special banquet at the villa for you, inviting prominent families from Shangjing to formally present your status, okay?" Xu Ke said, his forehead touching Lin ngyao’s.
"There’s no need for that. I’m not inconvenienced; really, being with you makes very happy." Lin ngyao held Xu Ke’s neck with her hands.
"Whatever you plan, rember I’m waiting at ho. Co back early." Lin ngyao lightly kissed Xu Ke’s cheek, her face radiating with a bright smile, free of worry or negative emotions, making Xu Ke feel a bit better.
After a sticky and affectionate farewell with Lin ngyao, once inside the car, Xu Ke’s smile vanished completely, maintaining a grim expression, making him look particularly unapproachable.
"Your face-changing skills are increasingly refined." Sheng Wenhao teased, watching the change in Xu Ke’s countenance, his eyes unexpectedly gleaming with nostalgia.
Glancing at his friend, Xu Ke’s icy expression gradually lted into warmth with the blink of an eye.
"You’ve always been like this since childhood, a master of disguise. The adults believed you were very obedient, but it was you who ca up with all the bad ideas, led the wildest escapades, and managed to escape punishnt in the end." Talking about childhood antics put a smile in both Sheng Wenhao’s eyes and Xu Ke’s.
"Who told you all to be so clumsy back then? Even when given ideas, you couldn’t control yourselves and exposed everything to the parents. Who’s there to bla?" Xu Ke shot Sheng Wenhao a sidelong glance and said.
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