Nie Qingkong knew this guy had improper intentions towards Xia Qingyu!
"Okay, fair competition." Nie Qingkong wasn't afraid of competing with anyone.
"What fair competition? Count me in!" Shi Xingwu didn't understand what they were talking about and squeezed in with a grin, saying, "I want to compete too."
"..." Nie Qingkong and Li Xiaozhong both rolled their eyes.
"This has nothing to do with you," Li Xiaozhong said impatiently. This Shi Xingwu was always so refreshingly idiotic.
"How does it not concern me! Now that you have new friends, you've forgotten your old brother? No way! Li Xiaozhong! You heartless man! You scoundrel!" Shi Xingwu wailed dramatically, craning his neck.
"Stop embarrassing yourself!" Li Xiaozhong looked at the people staring and wished he could disown Shi Xingwu on the spot.
"You're calling me embarrassing now! You! Mmph!!" Shi Xingwu's words were cut off by Li Xiaozhong covering his mouth.
"Just shut up!"
Seeing this, Nie Qingkong silently shuffled a step away, maintaining his distance.
He wasn't familiar with these two.
Xia Qingyu and Lei Xirui, walking ahead, heard the commotion behind them and looked back.
"These guys are really something else..." Xia Qingyu couldn't help but laugh, "They don't seem very bright."
"A bit clumsy," Lei Xirui said, her eyes fixed on Shi Xingwu, "but cute, right?"
Xia Qingyu's gaze fell on Nie Qingkong, and she curved her lips, saying, "He's alright, I guess."
Then she turned back and continued walking with Lei Xirui.
Their future was long, and every step held infinite beauty.
...
After settling Gaia, Xia Qingtian immediately set off for the Wen family.
Wen Jiu was just finishing reporting everything to the Wen family head and was about to go back to his room for another nap when he saw Xia Qingtian return. He immediately went to greet her, "Qingtian~ you..."
"Don't speak yet, I'll settle accounts with you later!" Xia Qingtian glared at Wen Jiu and walked past him, heading towards the Wen family head sitting in the main seat.
Seeing Xia Qingtian's aggressive demeanor, Wen Jiu couldn't help but shrink his neck.
The Wen family head's eyelids twitched upon seeing Xia Qingtian.
"Patriarch Wen, you truly play a masterful game!" Xia Qingtian stood before the Wen family head, her smile chilling, and said in a cold voice, "To get rid of Xiang Xueyuan, you single-handedly concocted this treasure gimmick, all for this trap of catching a pheasant in a pot. What a grand scheme!"
"I don't understand what you're talking about," the Wen family head said, his expression unchanging. Inwardly, he felt this woman was too difficult to deal with. At the same time, he moved the hand resting on his knee, signaling Wen Jiu to leave.
"It's okay if you don't understand, Wen Jiu!" Xia Qingtian called out, stopping Wen Jiu who was about to slip away.
"!" Wen Jiu froze in place, looked at Xia Qingtian, and forced a smile, "Heh heh, Qingtian..."
"You seem very familiar with that island," Xia Qingtian said, looking at Wen Jiu with a smirk. "Not only were you able to reach the treasure spot before everyone else, but you also found a closer route on the way back, setting up ambushes step by step. What is it, did you go there before, or did someone guide you?"
"Ah, this..." Wen Jiu's tone was somewhat stiff, his eyes darting towards the Wen family head, a silent plea for help. "Why is this happening..."
Seeing that the Wen family head ignored him, Wen Jiu glanced at the screen at the front of the hall.
Damn it, someone save her.
The Wen family head found it unexpectedly amusing to see his own unruly troublemaker cowering before Xia Qingtian.
"Xia Qingtian, I will tell you what you want to know," the Wen family head decided not to hide it any longer. "I have indeed been to that island, I know all the routes, and I gave Wen Jiu a safer and more detailed map in advance, but this was for your safety."
"So, placing a pile of scrap metal to impersonate treasure, and counterfeit replicas as genuine artifacts on the island, was also for our safety?" Xia Qingtian raised an eyebrow slightly.
"..." The Wen family head did not answer directly, but observed Xia Qingtian's expression. Only when he confirmed that Xia Qingtian was not trying to trick him did he take a deep breath and say, "Don't worry, you will get what you are owed."
"Then tell me, what are we not supposed to get?" Xia Qingtian asked, crossing her arms.
"Are you questioning me?" The Wen family head was displeased with Xia Qingtian's attitude.
"Questioning you? How dare I?" Xia Qingtian smiled. "You are a national hero, how could I possibly have the right to question you! I am asking for a reasonable explanation!
Before, at the Lei Corporation, you prepared a trap for us to fall into.
Just because we fell into your scheme doesn't mean we are stupid. If Yaoyang hadn't been soft-hearted, do you really think we would have risked our lives for such trivial external possessions?
Let me tell you, don't think that just because Yaoyang is kind and easily bullied, you can bully him again and again!
What you promised him, not a single bit less, and the pressure and baseless responsibilities you shouldn't have given him, stop it here!
Don't think that now that the Lu family is gone, he can be manipulated by you at will!
As long as I am alive! No one will be able to bully him again!"
Xia Qingtian had indeed been dazzled by the gleaming vessels on the island and had genuinely felt happy for Lu Yaoyang, as this included a share for the Lu family, a legacy left by the Lu family for Lu Yaoyang.
But when Xia Qingtian saw that painting, after a brief moment of shock, she finally understood.
This was all a setup by the Wen family.
Especially Wen Jiu's appearance, which further solidified Xia Qingtian's conviction.
Thus, this anger had been suppressed until now.
She exploded.
Lu Yaoyang's life had not been easy. Why should these people still bully and scheme against him, risking his life like this!
"Who gave you the nerve to talk to me like that?" The Wen family head looked at Xia Qingtian with cold eyes, releasing the solemn killing intent honed by years of battle. The temperature in the entire hall seemed to drop significantly.
Admittedly, Xia Qingtian was intimidated by this aura, but she also knew she couldn't back down now. The Wen family was in the wrong. If she didn't make it clear now and let the Wen family know that Lu Yaoyang was not to be trifled with, who knew how they would deceive Lu Yaoyang next, and what dangerous tasks they would make him undertake!
No! She had to stand firm!
"Patriarch Wen, it is not difficult for you to make me disappear from this world," Xia Qingtian said, looking into the Wen family head's eyes. "But have you considered this: the mines for new energy materials are under my name, the leader of the largest jewelry merchant in the country, Yue Shi Jewelry, is my maternal grandfather, and the world's number one hacker, Mobius, is my man. The Lu, Miao, and Tang families have rarely reunited. You wouldn't want to cause more trouble, would you?"
The Wen family head did not respond, only stared at Xia Qingtian with a stern expression and cold eyes. Xia Qingtian felt her calves trembling, but she stubbornly refused to budge an inch.