The eyes of the two met for less than a second in the air before Nie Qingkong immediately recognized the person before her: Xia Qingyu.
Xia Qingyu, however, did not recognize Nie Qingkong. She cast a casual glance and then shifted her gaze elsewhere.
Tonight, she was part of the service staff. It was fine to have a bit of fun, but she needed to maintain a certain alertness, to at least put on an act.
So, when Nie Qingkong picked up the drink cup she had placed, Xia Qingyu glanced over.
But it was only a fleeting glance.
Xia Qingyu could never have imagined that in that brief moment, she would be recognized by Nie Qingkong, who then directly stepped forward and grabbed her wrist.
She was startled.
Xia Qingyu followed the gaze along the impertinent hand that held her, moving upwards.
“Don’t play these little tricks,” Nie Qingkong said in a low voice. “Come with me.”
Hearing Nie Qingkong’s voice, Xia Qingyu also recognized the person before her. She frowned slightly, intending to refuse, but then, thinking that Nie Qingkong had likely boarded the ship with Xiang Xueyuan, she swallowed the words that were about to leave her lips.
Xia Qingyu glanced far at Xia Qingtian and saw that Xia Qingtian was on one side, observing the banquet with Bai Yuqi, while softly saying something about their surroundings.
Her gaze shifted slightly, and Xia Qingyu allowed Nie Qingkong to pull her into a corner.
On the second deck, Xiang Xueyuan, draped in a wool coat, held a vintage opera glasses in his hand. He looked in Nie Qingkong’s direction, a slight smile curling his lips.
Xiang Xueyuan’s gaze first focused on Nie Qingkong’s face through the opera glasses, then shifted to the staff member she was dragging. The person wore a half-face white mask, so he couldn't see clearly, but judging by their figure, they seemed somewhat plump.
He recalled that the Tang family’s hidden master, who had appeared at the Lei Corporation’s auction, was a girl with a round face and big eyes.
“Is this the Tang family’s hidden master?” After a moment, Xiang Xueyuan lowered the vintage opera glasses and turned to the woman standing not far behind him. “Gaia, some things are more interesting when you see them with your own eyes.”
Gaia did not reply upon hearing him.
She had always been one to follow orders.
She had no room to interject in matters between the master and the young master.
“Tarik is still a bit too youthful, too merciful,” Xiang Xueyuan mused for a moment before saying, “For this first test, help him from the shadows. Be quick and decisive, but not too cruel.”
Xiang Xueyuan walked towards Gaia and handed her the vintage opera glasses. “I’m old and soft-hearted, I can’t stand bloodshed, so I’ll be going back now.”
“Yes,” Gaia responded, accepting the item from Xiang Xueyuan with both hands.
“Gaia,” Xiang Xueyuan said as he passed by her. “For so many years, I’ve treated you as my own child. In my heart, you hold the same weight as Tarik and Xifu.”
“It is Gaia’s honor to receive your favor,” Gaia replied, lowering her head.
“When I retire, you will go to Tarik’s side and support him.” After saying this, Xiang Xueyuan adjusted his wool coat and gave a slight cough.
“Gaia will not disappoint the master,” Gaia replied with her head bowed, showing no excess emotion.
Over the years, she had become accustomed to living in darkness, resolving any problems Xiang Xueyuan needed solved.
Xiang Xueyuan then continued his way back, but he did not actually return to his room. Instead, he stopped before another room and knocked a few times rhythmically.
Soon, the door was opened, and a frail old man with white hair and thick glasses peered out from the gap.
The old man gazed at Xiang Xueyuan’s face, then shifted his gaze from Xiang Xueyuan’s face to the buttons on his wool coat. Once he saw the pattern on the buttons, the old man let out a scornful sneer. “You don’t even dare to reveal your true face. Xiang Xueyuan sent a thing like you to meet me? Is that what you call sincerity? You people look down on others too much!”
“Then let Xiang Xueyuan come and talk to you himself. Is that sincere enough?” Although Xiang Xueyuan’s face was disguised, his voice had not been altered or changed.
The old man recognized Xiang Xueyuan’s voice. He was first stunned, looked around, and then quickly opened the door to let Xiang Xueyuan in to talk.
As soon as the door closed, it was as if nothing had happened.
The surveillance room equipment was still running, yet a living person had entered that room. On the monitor screen, it remained a quiet corridor with no one passing through.
Lu Yaoyang’s gaze swept across the screen, noticing no abnormality. However, Xia Baiyuqi’s voice came through his communicator.
“The person trying to approach Miao Tong has been subdued by the imposter,” Bai Yuqi said with emotion. “You know, the Wen family is quite reliable at times like this. Next time we have something like this, we should cooperate with the Wen family!”
“You can’t just ask the Wen family to help whenever you want,” Lu Yaoyang retorted dismissively. “These imposters were all applied for by Wen Jiu.”
“Tsk, what’s with all the sarcastic remarks? It’s not like you’ll die if you say less,” Bai Yuqi complained. Just then, Xia Qingtian, standing beside him, exclaimed, “Huh? Where’s Qingyu?”
“Qingyu? Wasn’t she…” Bai Yuqi immediately looked towards the area where Xia Qingyu had been standing, and also belatedly asked, “Where’s Qingyu?”
“Don’t worry,” Lu Yaoyang tapped the main control panel a couple of times with his fingertips. “Found her. She’s behind the door at your nine o’clock position. She seems to be talking to someone, and her body language doesn’t indicate any danger.”
Hearing Lu Yaoyang’s words, Bai Yuqi immediately relayed them to Xia Qingtian. Xia Qingtian also relaxed slightly, her gaze drifting towards the nine o’clock direction. Behind the bustling crowd, she spotted a half-open door and Xia Qingyu’s partially visible figure.
“Qingtian, don’t keep staring over there. I’ll help observe Qingyu,” Lu Yaoyang reminded her. “Someone is monitoring you. Unnecessary movements will expose Qingyu.”
Upon hearing Bai Yuqi’s relayed message, Xia Qingyu immediately withdrew her gaze, took a sip of her drink, and naturally turned her head.
Meanwhile, Xia Qingyu looked at the rather unfamiliar face and the all-too-familiar eyes before her and asked, “Any advice? Enemy?”
“You shouldn’t be here tonight,” Nie Qingkong said coldly, ignoring the teasing in Xia Qingyu’s words. “This place is very dangerous.”
“How dangerous? More dangerous than being called to a place like this alone by an enemy?” Xia Qingyu retorted.
“Xia Qingyu, are you done?” Nie Qingkong frowned, her tone showing slight impatience as Xia Qingyu repeatedly uttered that name.
“Didn’t you say it first?” Xia Qingyu met Nie Qingkong’s gaze directly and said, “The next time we meet, we will be enemies.”
“…” Nie Qingkong pursed her lips, staring at Xia Qingyu for a long while. Seeing that Xia Qingyu had no intention of backing down, she was the first to concede, letting out a long sigh and softening her tone unusually. “I was wrong, alright?”
“Hmph,” Xia Qingyu let out a soft snort and cast a sidelong glance at Nie Qingkong. Her gaze dropped and she noticed an unnatural bulge at Nie Qingkong’s waist, hidden by her suit. She immediately reached out towards Nie Qingkong’s waist. Nie Qingkong flinched and instinctively covered her waist, accidentally trapping Xia Qingyu’s hand beneath her own palm.
The base of Xia Qingyu’s palm felt the cold shape, and her expression shifted. She looked up at Nie Qingkong and asked in a low voice, “Nie Qingkong, what are you planning to do tonight!”
Nie Qingkong’s face also changed. She pushed Xia Qingyu’s hand away, offering no answer.
The music behind them was boisterous. Occasionally, a gust of sea breeze blew through the crowd and towards Xia Qingyu’s back. Xia Qingyu felt the chill creep into her collar, chilling her to the bone.
“Nie Qingkong,” Xia Qingyu asked coldly, her eyes fixed on the person before her. “Tonight, who are you going to kill?”