Finally, everyone decided Xiao Yao would report the situation to her brother, cancel the operation, and immediately retreat!
But… how to leave? Someone discovered the most troublesome part—
“Where’s the car? How can we leave without a car?”
“There’s this one, everyone squeeze in, it should work!” When that luxury sports car became the only hope, everyone naturally turned to the man.
“You go, talk to him.”
“No, I’m scared. Better to send Yao, she’s the main person involved.”
After some pushing and shoving, Xiao Yao, elected by popular vote, stepped forward, “Qin, can you help us leave—”
“Cannot.” Three words.
Huh? Everyone’s request turned into gasps of surprise.
“Hey, why are you being so stingy?”
“Right, it’s on the way anyway…” Immediately, complaints arose.
Only Xiao Yao remained unusually quiet, her cheeks burning red.
“Yao, say something fair!”
It was time to speak… Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yao’s voice was almost a roar—
“What are you looking at? There’s nothing to see!”
Enough! When Xiao Yao realized his gaze was still stuck on her chest, she really couldn’t take it anymore!
But this low growl made everyone freeze.
In the rare moment of restored silence, a low laugh was particularly noticeable.
Xiao Yao was stunned again. He could actually laugh? Oh no, he wasn’t just laughing, but laughing charmingly. “What are you laughing at?”
“Why don’t you grow your hair long?”
“No way, I get hot easily and am too lazy to tie it—” Stop! The rest of her words stuck in Xiao Yao’s throat, his image frozen in her wide eyes. What? At this moment, where was he going with this?
Impatient onlookers began to noise again: “Hey, what are you rambling about? At this critical moment, you’re talking about hairstyles? We need to escape quickly before the owner returns!”
Jue Qing turned, pulling his attention back to Xiao Yao, and began surveying the surroundings.
Seeing the marble platform filled with mud, the rose bushes with only broken branches… It looked quite a mess. Refocusing, he faced everyone and said: “It seems you can’t leave for now.”
“Are you kidding? Not leaving means waiting to be caught?” Big Niu, holding a flower bouquet, scoffed.
“Already caught.” Jue Qing shook his head and laughed.
“Already…” What did that mean?
“I am the owner.” A casual sentence.
Thunderbolt from a clear sky! Every face turned coal-black, as if struck by lightning, with smoke rising.
Jue Qing spoke, calling back wandering souls: “Anyone willing to help tidy the garden?”
“I’ll go.”
“Me too.”
Everyone wanted to escape the scene, but not everyone could do so.
“You.” Jue Qing pointed at the petrified Xiao Yao, “Come with me.”
Finished! Amitabha Buddha! May the road be smooth…
Watching Xiao Yao’s mechanical steps following the man inside, mourning sounds began to echo in the garden.
There was no turning back now! Xiao Yao thought while walking, her thoughts tangling at a critical point—which American president cut down the cherry tree? Never mind, she had already drafted her statement; telling the truth was the only thing she could do now.
She followed him step by step, staring intently at the back of his head.
Lu Qing put down his luggage, turned around, and met her eyes directly. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
”Because…” she stammered.
”Do you find me familiar?”
”Yes, how did you know?” She blinked in surprise. Does this man have mind-reading abilities?
”Because I also find you familiar. Maybe… we know each other,” his deep gaze fell on her face.
”Know each other? Is that possible?” She also tried to find clues from his face, but the moment she met his eyes, her heart skipped a beat.
His gaze was so… beautiful! Xiao Yao couldn’t find a better way to describe his dazzling, gentle eyes.
Yet this gaze made her feel uncomfortable. Deliberately avoiding his eyes, she stammered: “Impossible, how could we know each other? I remember Zhima saying the owner of this house is surnamed Gao, but I don’t have any friends with the surname Gao. So if you say you’re the owner here… you should be surnamed Gao too, right?”
This question was just right. Lu Qing moved his lips and heavily responded: “Should be.”
What does “should be” mean? Xiao Yao didn’t know how to respond.
”The name Gao Luqing should be strange to you,” he suddenly said.
”Gao Luqing?” Is this his name? Xiao Yao was stunned, then a flash of lightning struck her brain, and she remembered!
A few days ago, her mother had pointed at a TV news report, exclaiming about an unparalleled beautiful man; and the name of that person was Gao Luqing!
Xiao Yao was excited as if discovering a new continent. “I know who you are!”
”Really?” Lu Qing clearly felt his heartbeat become irregular.
”You’re the one surrounded by reporters that day… the CEO of that… what group…”
”Huawei Group,” he completed for her, but his eyes dimmed instantly. “You only got half right.”
She still couldn’t remember. Or perhaps she had long forgotten? But the necklace was still hanging on her chest…
”Half?” Still puzzling over his words, Xiao Yao suddenly noticed his eyes were fixed on her chest again, and her delicate eyebrows immediately furrowed.
Here we go again! His eyes are really restless!
”Your necklace is beautiful.”
Necklace? Xiao Yao was stunned for a moment, finally realizing. “So you’ve been looking at my necklace?”
”What else?”
She would say? She wouldn’t mention such an embarrassing hypothesis! Lowering her head to play with the pendant, Xiao Yao laughed awkwardly.
”What if I want to buy it?” he suddenly said.
”Ah?” She quickly looked up. “This can’t be sold!”
”What if the price makes you very satisfied?”
”No amount of money is negotiable.” A very firm answer.
”Why?”
”Because this necklace isn’t mine. It’s a friend’s, and I naturally have the obligation to keep it safe.” Righteous and imposing.
”Oh? What kind of friend?”
”A friend from a very long time ago.” This topic made Xiao Yao recall various memories. “I’ve been wearing this necklace, waiting for its owner to appear. I miss him, but…”
”But what?” Ripples flickered in his clear eyes.
”But… I’m also a bit afraid to see him again.”
For Xiao Yao, this necklace also represented a certain regret. All these years, she had never been able to find the “tricycle aunt” and complete “Stone’s” entrusted task, which made her always feel guilty.
Here is the English translation:
“Well, I know. It’s just that I went to someone else’s home without the owner’s permission.”
“What else?”
What else? Xiao Yao was stunned.
Would the flower garden with “footprints” that had been “cruelly destroyed” also count? She said nervously, “If I caused any damage, I said I would take responsibility…”
“That’s not it.” He interrupted her, Ju Qing shaking his head with a smile, his expression softening. “Let’s talk about your brother’s issue. What do you think you can do to help him? Borrowing the villa for a day? A month? Or a year? How long do you think this kind of deception can last?”
“I…” Xiao Yao was speechless.
He suddenly stood up, facing her directly. “You are being dishonest.”
This sentence made Xiao Yao’s heart suddenly tremble. This scene, this dialogue felt so familiar…
“Only by truly relying on your own abilities can you succeed. Don’t you understand?” he added.
“You, how did you—” How could he be saying the same words as Shi Tou? Xiao Yao was dumbfounded, her heart racing.
His words, and that gentle gaze, brought some message that shuttled rapidly through her brain, causing her to lose her composure…
“Little braid…”
His soft call directly pierced a chaotic area of her brain, completely prying open all her memories.
