Of course, I later learned that Mu Jiahe had never been married, nor had she ever had a boyfriend. As a business magnate, I was instantly filled with admiration for her.
After several weeks of recuperation, Xiao Xun also checked out of the hospital and returned to the villa.
After touring Mu Jiahe's luxurious villa, his parents' first question was, "Where does our son sleep?"
Xiao Xun blushed. Mu Jiahe had also forgotten about this, not having prepared a bedroom for him in advance.
His mother chuckled and said to Xiao Xun with a knowing look, "I understand, I understand. Young people are like this nowadays."
Mu Jiahe felt embarrassed by the comment.
After the tour, Xiao Xun's parents proposed to return to their hometown that very night. Their restaurant was temporarily managed by relatives, and they were too worried to leave it for long.
Xiao Xun didn't try to persuade them to stay. His mother grabbed Mu Jiahe's hand and said, "During Chinese New Year, you must let this rascal drive you back home." She then looked at Xiao Xun, "Did you hear that?"
Xiao Xun said with visible impatience, "I heard, I heard. You say it eight hundred times a day."
His mother smiled awkwardly, "See, 'the mother cannot control the son.' What he said is exactly right."
That evening, Yun Mei cooked a meal for the two of them, while Xiao Xun's parents had already safely arrived home in the early hours.
Mu Jiahe looked at Xiao Xun's worried expression and asked, "Do you know who masterminded the attempt to kill you?"
Xiao Xun shook his head, "I don't know, and I don't want to know."
Mu Jiahe gently patted Xiao Xun's back, "I know you've been wronged, and it's my fault for not paying enough attention to you."
Xiao Xun looked into Mu Jiahe's eyes. Her thoughts seemed to be elsewhere. "What should we do now?"
Mu Jiahe said to Xiao Xun with firm conviction, "Living in the present is the most important thing."
As the appointed time arrived, the two returned to the other world.
Xiao Xun lay on the bed, feeling an unusual warmth. He looked at the fireplace not far from the bed, filled with firewood, burning with a fierce flame that made the entire home incredibly warm.
"I remember there used to be an iron cabinet there! How did it become a fireplace?"
Mu Jiahe explained, "That was always a fireplace. It was mainly covered with a cabinet to prevent anyone from entering through the chimney."
This fireplace had been specially reactivated because Xiao Xun had just recovered from a serious illness, and considering the cold here, it was ordered to be used again.
Xiao Xun gazed at Mu Jiahe's face illuminated by the fireplace's glow and couldn't help but exclaim, "You are so beautiful."
Mu Jiahe gently cupped her cheek with the back of her left hand, looking at Xiao Xun's profile. "Really?"
"Mmm!"
Xiao Xun, unsure of what he was thinking, gently walked over and hugged her.
As dawn broke, the fire in the fireplace gradually died down, and white smoke slowly drifted out through the chimney.
The three northwestern cities had not received news of the two families reconciling. Apart from Jisde provoking Xin Zhi City, the mayors of the other two cities showed no particular movement. Instead, they were rampant in purging dissidents within their own cities, consolidating their power, and acting as local emperors.
As for Jisde, he had not given up after his setback in Xin Zhi City.
Among the three cities, his strength was the weakest, and his foundation was the most unstable. He knew that with his current strength, a direct assault on Xin Zhi would be difficult to achieve.
And with Xin Zhi remaining unsettled, it was like a wedge driven deep into the three northwestern cities by St. Tiroman, which would inevitably become a future problem. Therefore, Jisde secretly worked hard to unite the other two to attack Xin Zhi together.
However, these nominal allies completely ignored him. Bijies even found an excuse to defer, while Karul simply sent his envoy back without any reason.
With things having reached this point, Jisde had no choice but to accept his fate and no longer harbored any thoughts of Xin Zhi City.
Jisde suffered continuous setbacks and vented his accumulated displeasure onto the common people, causing suffering to the elders and the populace. Jisde drank almost constantly, with beautiful women accompanying him daily.
All the women who entered the mansion never left, as if they had vanished into thin air.
However, if anyone dared to demand their return, they would often disappear after entering the mansion.
A few days later, a shocking piece of news emerged.
A wealthy merchant in the area, well-respected in St. Tiroman, went to demand the return of his concubine who had been captured.
As a result, not only did he fail to get his concubine back, but the merchant was beaten by Jisde. His skin was flayed and hung on the city wall. Jisde also sent people to confiscate his property, and all three hundred members of his household were imprisoned.
This caused every household to live in fear, lest their daughters be favored by Jisde. Because once a woman was favored by the mayor, no matter how powerful her family, she could not compare to this Jisde. From then on, no one dared to demand the return of people from Jisde's mansion, and the entire city-state was plunged into a sea of suffering.
It is said that on this day, an old man, holding a staff with a fierce snake coiled around it, arrived at the mayor's mansion to request an audience with Jisde, claiming to be an old acquaintance.
Originally, the servants in Jisde's mansion were extremely arrogant, but seeing the old man's attire, they dared not ask further questions and had no choice but to report to the mayor.
Jisde, half-believing, invited the old man into the mansion. Jisde examined the old man for a long time before strangely asking, "Do we know each other?"
The old man chuckled, "The mayor is very forgetful! However, you can't blame the mayor for that. Although I know the mayor, the mayor may not necessarily know me."
Jisde took a sip of wine, feeling that he was being mocked. He was displeased and said, "Can I possibly know everyone in the city-state?"
The old man shook his head and smiled, "I am not from this city-state. Some days ago, on the battlements of Xin Zhi City, I had the opportunity to see the mayor."
Upon hearing Xin Zhi City, Jisde wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. His face immediately turned red, but since he had been drinking, outsiders could not really tell. Jisde coughed twice and said, "Are you from Hodesa?"
Thinking of Hodesa, Jisde couldn't help but shiver.
The old man shook his head repeatedly, "The mayor is overthinking it! Although I know Hodesa, we are not close friends. Those who know me respectfully call me Zu'an. Currently, I am a strategist for the Barbarian King Sion."
"Barbarian King Sion?"
Jisde certainly knew who Sion was.
The northwestern barbarians had always been a special existence. They hid in the hundred thousand mountains of the northwest, a place of extreme danger, not only with a harsh natural environment but also with countless ferocious beasts.
Although Jisde was brave, he had never ventured deep into the barbarian lands.
He had only heard that it was the territory of the Wu tribe, with many Wu tribes living there. And the one he had the most contact with was Chi Liang. He had personally witnessed the ferocity of the Chi Liang soldiers.
And Barbarian King Sion was the most powerful among these Wu tribes. It was said that all Wu tribes followed his lead, earning him the title of Barbarian King.
Therefore, Jisde dared not underestimate this overlord who dominated the most mysterious region of the northwest. Upon hearing that Zu'an was a strategist for Barbarian King Sion, Jisde realized with a sudden clarity, "So you are a strategist for Barbarian King Sion! It's a pleasure to meet you. May I ask what guidance you have for me, Zu'an?"
Jisde was clearly very surprised by Zu'an's arrival. They had only met once, yet this old man had traveled so far to find him, which was truly strange.
Zu'an looked at Jisde's side. Jisde straightened his body and waved away the people around him.
Zu'an looked at Jisde with a smile and said, "I dare to ask, Mayor, after the three cities become independent, what are your next plans?"
Jisde's interest was immediately piqued. He had originally had some plans, but after experiencing various setbacks, he was now unsure of how to proceed and was looking for a way out. Although he thought this, his expression remained unchanged, and he casually said, "Oh? Why is Zu'an asking this?"
Zu'an naturally knew that Jisde would not easily reveal his plans to a stranger. He seemed to have prepared his response: "If the Mayor only wishes to stay in a corner of the land, then I need not waste my breath. If the Mayor has aspirations to achieve great things, then I am willing to offer some planning for the Mayor."