Chapter 80: Aren’t You Curious?
In the blink of an eye, a week passed.
Xia Chenge successfully arranged for Wei Lixin to join Sheng Xia, and Wei Yu also entered Haicheng’s best elementary school.
Because Xia Chenge never publicly defended herself again, people’s misunderstandings of her deepened, and curses could be heard everywhere.
Xu Jingyun also took the opportunity to cultivate her persona, appearing more composed and sensible under Xia Chenge’s ‘foil,’ completely overshadowing Xia Chenge and transforming from a young lady targeted by Ling Hanmu into a goddess.
She even began to test Ling Hanmu’s attitude, making appearances intentionally or unintentionally.
However, Ling Hanmu suddenly changed his usual high-profile style. Not only did he stop targeting Xu Jingyun, but he also stopped protecting Xia Chenge, as if he had grown tired of someone like Xia Chenge.
But no one knew that the truth was that the 40-meter long saber Ling Hanmu had drawn was being held down tightly by Xia Chenge!
“This Young Master really can’t stand it anymore. Little Brother, why don’t you want me to step in? I can instantly eliminate these keyboard warriors!” This wasn’t the first time Ling Hanmu had complained. During this time, he forced himself not to go online to avoid seeing Xia Chenge’s negative news, but it still reached his ears.
Every time, he would find Xia Chenge with a belly full of anger, wanting to persuade Xia Chenge to let him handle these matters.
“Why are you in such a hurry?” Xia Chenge asked with a smile. “Besides, who isn’t talked about behind their back? These attacks don’t affect me; I won’t lose any flesh, so let them say what they want.”
“No, this Young Master can’t swallow this insult! This Young Master has lived for so many years and has never felt so wronged.” Ling Hanmu strongly objected. “Little Brother, I cannot tolerate others ruining your reputation like this.”
Xia Chenge’s gaze shifted to the window, landing on an unknown spot in the sky, her words carrying a hint of melancholy she herself didn’t notice: “What reputation can I possibly have? Reputation is just fleeting clouds. Even if the world considers me a murderer, it doesn’t matter, as long as my conscience is clear.”
Although she hadn’t fully recalled everything from the apocalypse, she still remembered some things. The genius girl of the apocalypse also carried various unfavorable rumors; not all genius girls were loved and respected by everyone.
Upon hearing this, Ling Hanmu looked at Xia Chenge with a hint of inquiry, an indescribable sense of unfamiliarity washing over him. This wasn’t the unfamiliarity of strangers, but rather Ling Hanmu felt as if the person standing before him was from another world.
“What’s wrong?” Xia Chenge keenly sensed Ling Hanmu’s scrutiny.
Ling Hanmu’s thought flashed and disappeared, and he returned to his usual self: “Nothing, I just feel very angry. Little Brother, let me handle those people; I promise not to mess up your affairs.”
“No, I said I have my own methods. Young Master Ling, please trust me this once. However, I do have something I need your help with. Your birthday is coming up, right? How about inviting me as your date then?” Xia Chenge said.
Ling Hanmu’s eyes immediately lit up: “Are you serious?”
“Is there any need for a joke?” Xia Chenge chuckled. “Don’t you want me to?”
“How could I possibly not give my Little Brother this face? This Young Master will personally deliver the invitation to you, don’t worry.” Ling Hanmu’s mood brightened, and he said with a smile.
“Then I thank you in advance.”
“However, I will arrange everything at the birthday banquet. You are not allowed to interfere. Can you agree to this?”
“It’s your territory, of course, you make the decisions!”
“I still need to seek your opinion, Little Brother, before I can make decisions. After all, in front of my powerful Little Brother, no one’s territory is guaranteed to be their own!” Ling Hanmu winked, his words carrying a hidden meaning.
Xia Chenge was stunned. This guy had actually followed her to P City secretly and witnessed the entire process of her dealing with Xu Jingyi!
And she hadn’t noticed at all…
How did Ling Hanmu manage it?
He always seemed to do things beyond her comprehension, exceeding her expectations!
Who exactly was Ling Hanmu? Was he also an Evolved Human who had transmigrated from the apocalypse?
But no matter how she observed him, she couldn’t tell that Ling Hanmu had evolved.
“Little Brother?” Seeing Xia Chenge’s dazed expression, Ling Hanmu couldn’t help but wave his hand in front of her.
Xia Chenge snapped back to reality and quickly feigned anger: “Shameless, you followed me again!”
“I was just worried you’d be bullied by Xu Jingyi, so I followed you secretly. Please don’t be angry, okay? I really have no other intentions, and I won’t use these things to blackmail you…” Ling Hanmu thought Xia Chenge was genuinely angry and quickly humbled himself to appease her.
“Aren’t you curious?” Xia Chenge asked back.
Ling Hanmu was taken aback: “Curious about what?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, he understood Xia Chenge’s meaning and immediately became serious: “Little Brother, everyone has their own secrets. I won’t be curious or investigate. One day, you will trust me and tell me your secrets yourself. Until then, I will patiently wait for your trust.”
Xia Chenge looked at Ling Hanmu intently, trying to discern from his eyes whether his words were sincere.
Ling Hanmu met her gaze calmly, without any sign of panic.
“Young Master Ling, I don’t have any secrets. These are just my trump cards.” After a long silence, Xia Chenge ultimately chose to conceal the truth.
No matter how good Ling Hanmu was to her, she remained wary of him because he was the only person she had encountered so far who could evade her detection and whose strength might surpass her own!
The survival rule of the apocalypse was: never trust humans.
Ling Hanmu saw Xia Chenge’s wariness towards him and sighed helplessly, reaching out to pat Xia Chenge’s head: The road ahead is long. When will this little girl let down her guard?
“Let’s go, I’ll treat you to a meal.” Ling Hanmu changed the subject. Some things really couldn’t be rushed, especially with a girl like Xia Chenge. If pushed too hard, it would only make her distance herself.
In his seventeen years of life, this was the first girl who had made his heart flutter, and he didn’t want to miss this opportunity, so he put aside all his pride.
“Okay.” As soon as food was mentioned, Xia Chenge’s face lit up with a smile.
Ling Hanmu sighed again and began to seriously consider the possibility of learning to cook to capture Xia Chenge’s stomach…
“How about I cook for you?” Ling Hanmu was a man of action.
Xia Chenge raised an eyebrow: “You can?”
“Whether I can or not, you’ll find out when you see it, won’t you?” Ling Hanmu averted his gaze somewhat guiltily. As the eldest young master of the Ling family, how could he possibly cook?
“Then let’s go!” Xia Chenge didn’t doubt Ling Hanmu’s cooking skills at all. She felt that with how intelligent Ling Hanmu was, learning to cook would be a matter of minutes.
However, stark reality made Xia Chenge understand the saying, ‘When God closes a door, he opens a window,’ and it taught her what disillusionment meant!
If she could, she would never have agreed to Ling Hanmu. Wasn’t living well enough? Why court disaster?
