Chengâer saw that she was gaining momentum and added urgently, âAh-Cheng, I can help you earn money and even pick out women for you. More importantly, Iâm the one whoâs most familiar with Liubei Trade Consortium. Just let me come back. 10 taels is 10 taels, I donât mind.â
She had thought it all out. As long as she could come back to the consortium, any old deal would get her plenty of silver. Ning Cheng didnât even want to speak anymore, but couldnât hold back after her words.
âYou can make money? All the silver you embezzled from Liubei Trade Consortium went to Carefree Joy, didnât it? You can earn money, then take it to earn more for your private stores!â Ning Cheng immediately detailed how Chengâer had been taking advantage of a few huge business deals to launder her money and even pointed out a few ways she couldâve done it better.
âIf you did it that way, itâd be seamless. A pity thatâŚâ Ning Cheng paused to pat her head. âA pity that youâre deficient upstairs.â
This was extreme humiliation, but Chengâer was fully convinced. Ah-Cheng had only used three days to become Liubei Trade Consortiumâs true master, which was already impressive enough. His words only earned her further admiration.
She was silent for a long while before she declared, âAh-Cheng, I want to take you as my master!â
Ning Cheng finally blew up at her words and roared, âAre you getting lost or not?!â
She had been hurt and humiliated, but how thick was this womanâs skin? What was her heart made out of? Wouldnât she get injured if she kept being so shameless?
Chengâer had steeled her heart to rely on this man. She lay back on the bed, pulled up the covers, and said, âIâm sleepy, so I canât get lost.â\nâHow much money do you want? Give a price,â Ning Cheng said coldly.
âLet me stay here and I promise not to be greedy for money anymore. I donât even want the 10 taels a month. Just keep me fed and clothed,â Chengâer said.
For a second, Ning Cheng considered tossing Liubei Trade Consortiumâs command token at her. After all, she was the best candidate to run the business besides him. But he didnât. He hadnât killed her before, so how could he push her into the first now? Just because someone could lead Liubei Trade Consortium didnât mean they could keep it. He needed someone with strong martial arts backing who was also familiar with business to inherit this consortium. Otherwise, when Le Zhengâs family came to seek revenge, no one would be able to block them.
Ning Cheng sat down and heaved a long sigh. Chengâer looked at him and subconsciously sat up. She was actually afraid to see Ah-Cheng so quiet and serious. Sheâd rather he yell at her. When he looked up, she immediately ducked her head.
Ning Cheng took out two keys and said. âThese are the keys to the treasure trove in that Immeasurable Peak. There are a total of three keys, the last of which is with Xiongfei. He helped with the assassination of Le Zheng, so he deserves a share. The rest is all yours.â
Chengâer wanted these keys more than anything else, but she didnât take them. She only asked cautiously, âWhat are the terms?â
âDonât disrupt Liubei Trade Consortiumâs business anymore,â Ning Cheng say word for word, âand leave immediately!â
âŚ
âI donât want to!â Chengâer refused.
Ning Cheng was taken aback. âDonât you want money? You should know that Liubei Trade Consortium might not make that much even in the next two to three years!â\nâI want you!â Chengâer replied without hesitation. âI donât want money anymore, I just want you!â
Ning Cheng gave a start before he laughed out loud as if hearing a massive joke. But for him, it really was a farce. He knew better than anyone else how greedy Chengâer was. Yet she actually chose him over money?
He leaned down with both arms resting on the bed as he pressed close to her. âChengâer, I donât want to play anymore. Even if you give me ten years, I have no way to earn more silver for you!â He patted her face and sneered, âWake up!â
His motions werenât hard at all, so her face didnât hurt. But for some reason, her heart ached fiercely. His every pat seemed to cause her chest to throb.
I feel miserableâŚ
She ignored it and smiled. âI donât care. At any rate, I just want you.â
Ning Cheng finally lost all patience and picked her up princess-style to stride out the door. He took a shortcut to the back gates and tossed her out without pity before slamming the entrance shut!
âXiongfei!â he shouted angrily.
Xiongfei hurried over. âMaster Cheng, whatâs wrong? Why are you so angry?â
âSpread word that anyone who lets Chengâer in again can get lost with her!â he said icily.
Outside the gates, Yujin helped Chengâer up and grew anxious at the wound on her head. âHe hurt you?â
Chengâer shrugged her shoulders. âNo, I asked for it myself.â
Yujin realized that Chengâer seemed to be in a good mood and asked doubtfully, âWhat happened?â
Chengâer burst into laughter. âJin, he really doesnât want to kill me!â She even infuriated him but he still spared her life, which was really unexpected.
Yujin was completely oblivious to what was going on by the time Chengâer dragged her away.\nâLetâs find a place to live nearby. I refuse to believe heâll never leave the gates!â Chengâer grinned mischievously.
Chengâer really did settle down somewhere nearby and took on the job of staring at Liubei Trade Consortiumâs main entrance while she had Yujin watch the rear. For a proper assassin reduced to gate duty, she didnât feel wronged, but she was bored to death. In the past two days, Ah-Cheng remained indoors. However, someone else did come to Liubei Trade Consortium: Batu!
Chengâer wanted to bite him as soon as she saw him at the door. Yujin only said calmly, âAlthough he burned down Carefree Joy, Ah-Cheng was the one who caused it all.â
Resentful, Chengâer said, âLiubei Trade Consortium did a lot of deals for the Wolf Sect last year, but Batu wasnât the one in charge. Why did he come here?â
Yujin shrugged her shoulders as if to say, no use asking me. Chengâer was too lazy to say more, either.
She could only wait.
Batu went in for a long time before emerging with an exceptionally ugly expression.
âJin, I have a bad feeling,â Chengâer said in a low voice.
Yujinâs gaze grew complicated as she murmured back, âSince itâs a sense of foreboding, letâs withdraw.â
Chengâer glared at her and said nothing else.
That very afternoon, Chengâerâs premonition was fulfilled. Batu came back again, dragging a middle-aged woman from the carriage after him. This was none other than Carefree Joyâs proprietress! Chengâer was sitting at the window as she muttered to herself, âJin, Iâm done for.â
She thought Batu would kill the old proprietress, but he actually brought her with him. Now that he was here, it was clear the woman had betrayed her!
Yujin looked back at the disheveled Chengâer and said helplessly, âWhy do you keep raising people who betray their master?â\nChengâerâs reply was even more helpless. âWhen Ah-Cheng offered a reward for my capture, everyone knew I was out of money. Any human would sell me out!â
Yujinâs voice was cold and quiet. âSo, Iâve never been human in your eyes?â
Chengâer wanted to laugh, but couldnât. She was very clear how serious things had turned. Behind Batu was the Wolf Sect, which few could afford to offend. Last year it was Ah-Cheng in charge of the deals between Liubei Trade Consortium and the Wolf Sect, but she knew about them too. The current person in charge of the Wolf Clan, Eldest Miss Han Xiang (éŠéŚ), was an extremely protective and unforgiving master.
Ah-Chengâs business with the Wolf Sect were not for making money, but connections as friends. The Wolf Sect was the strongest power in southern Mysterious Continent. Le Zheng had once told Ah-Cheng that being on good terms with them would make business much easier for Liubei Trade Consortium. No one would dare to smash them.
But from what she knew, that Eldest Miss Han was full of ambition and always wanted to be the partner of Liubei Trade Consortium. Le Zheng had refused, along with Ah-Cheng, because once Han Xiang entered the consortium, both of them would lose their right to speak and be reduced to servants.
Chengâer was silent for awhile before she suddenly stood up. âIâm going to take a look!â
Yujin quickly pulled her back. âAre you courting death? Do you think Batu will spare you after you tricked him?â
âEveryone has to take responsibility for his or her own deeds! I canât implicate Ah-Cheng and Liubei Trade Consortium!â Chengâer declared.
âThat guy has a lot of skills, maybe he can help you instead,â Yujin soothed.
âBatu can crush him with one finger, Jin, you know that. In a place like this, true ability comes from martial arts,â Chengâer intoned.\nâThen thereâs less reason for you to go. Is that fellow Ah-Cheng supposed to throw away his life to protect you?â Yujin asked seriously. âYouâre no fool, so why think of others as fools?â
Chengâer pursed her lips resentfully before going back to the window. She would wait!
She waited all the way until nightfall before she saw Batu coming out. The old proprietress wasnât with him. Chengâer didnât know the situation and wanted to charge inside to find out, but she was blocked by the guards despite multiple attempts. When she tried one last time, Ah-Cheng suddenly opened the rear entrance himself. She walked quickly towards him and asked, âWhat did Batu find you for?â
Ning Cheng didnât speak beyond looking at her coldly.
âDid he threaten you?â Chengâer asked next.
Ning Cheng remained mute and Chengâer simply turned to leave. Only then did he ask, âWhere are you going?â
âTo find him! It was my fault, so Iâll clean up my own mess,â Chengâer replied.
But Ning Cheng only said, âChengâer, why the rush?â
Chengâer looked back in confusion.
âBatuâs already killed that old proprietress. Heâs currently rushing to claim credit in front of his master while I promised to talk to Eldest Miss Han tomorrow about a cooperation between us.â
Ning Cheng smiled. âYou should know that the powers behind Le Zheng arenât weak. After killing him, I can only cooperate with the Wolf Sect.â
âYouâŚâ Chengâer was stunned.
âIâve long planned it out. I have to thank you for leading Batu here, or else I wouldnât have found a chance to do something I didnât want to again. After all, I rejected Eldest Miss Han in the past,â Ning Cheng said icily.
Chengâer looked at Ah-Cheng and felt for the first time how scary and strange he was. She realized she actually knew very little about him. But even so, she refused to believe he was willing to be someone elseâs dog. She preferred to think he had his own bitter troubles.\nâYou knew I was nearby, so why didnât you hand me over?â she insisted on probing.