Chapter 71: Should I Take Responsibility for All of This?**

"Hello, are you Jiang Chenchen? This is City Hospital. Just now, your relative Jiang Jie'er had an accident and is currently undergoing emergency treatment at our hospital. Are you a relative of Jiang Jie'er? The situation is urgent, and we request you to come over immediately!"

At this moment, the police were investigating the accident, and it was connected to Jiang Chenchen's identity. The doctor urgently contacted her.

Jiang Chenchen listened to the information on the other end, responded in a low voice, and then hung up the phone.

Was this the only relative she had left in this world? Bleeding so much, could she die?

At the next stop, she got off the bus, flagged down a taxi, and headed to the hospital.

Jiang Jie'er was currently in the operating room, undergoing emergency treatment.

The doctor brought a consent form for surgery for Jiang Chenchen to sign. Holding the pen, Jiang Chenchen remained silent for a moment before signing her name.

She sat outside the operating room, waiting from the afternoon until it got dark.

The door to the operating room remained closed.

Xia Changli called her, asking why she hadn't returned, and she remained silent on the other end.

"Where are you? I'm coming to find you!"

Xia Changli rushed over, looking disheveled. She didn't ask anything, just sat beside Jiang Chenchen, waiting together.

The door to the operating room finally opened.

The doctor came out and looked at them. "Are you Jiang Jie'er's family?"

Jiang Chenchen stood up, nodding expressionlessly.

The doctor, thinking that the girl might be scared, softened his tone. "The patient has been stabilized, but she's still unconscious. Her injuries are quite severe—fractured thoracic vertebra, broken arms, both legs fractured. We managed to save her for now, but there might be more surgeries needed later."

"As for the expenses..."

The expenses were not small.

Jiang Chenchen had no money, not even enough with the card given by Sheng Mingsi.

The nurse urged her to make the payment.

Xia Changli quickly transferred the money she owed to Jiang Chenchen using her card and added another two thousand.

"Chenchen, I'm sorry, but this is my limit."

She knew it was definitely not enough, regretting why she was always so financially strained, unable to help at all.

Jiang Chenchen, without any expression, looked at her and said, "Lili, should I be the one to pay this money?"

Xia Changli hesitated. "Chenchen, who is this person you're talking about?"

A relative with the same surname?

But she had never heard of any relatives of Jiang Chenchen.

"A cousin of mine. The uncle is my father's younger brother. He took me out of the psychiatric hospital to sell to others for profit." Jiang Chenchen said, still emotionless. "I used to think it didn't matter, no matter what happened to me. I didn't care, but I heard he's dead now."

"It was my aunt who killed him. Now lying inside should be my sister. Should I take responsibility for all of this?"

She asked seriously.

Although it seemed like she was indifferent.

Xia Changli held her hand. She understood that feeling of being isolated and helpless. She didn't know that Jiang Chenchen had experienced something as difficult as her.

"Chenchen, no one can blame you for this. It's not a responsibility you must bear. If there's something you don't want to do, no one can blame you. I support whatever you decide."

The person from the operating room was pushed out by the nurse, covered in tubes.

Could she really just ignore it?

Thinking of the time when she lay on the experimental bed, if someone could have come to save her.

She helped to pay the bill with the money.

...

In the hospital room, the drip fell, entering the skin through the needle.

Jiang Chenchen sat by the bedside, watching the person still in a deep sleep. Xia Changli went outside to buy food, knocking on the door.

The two sat on the steps in the corridor, eating silently.

Jiang Chenchen opened the lunchbox, silently eating. Xia Changli handed her a cup of hot milk tea. "Chenchen, where did you get so much money?"

She had considered borrowing money from Mr. Sheng, who was rich, but according to her personality, if she had already accepted donations, she would never borrow money again.

She thought Jiang Chenchen might be the same.

Jiang Chenchen went to the driving school to get back the money she paid for the driving lessons. Now, she couldn't afford to continue learning.

The three men found her again.

This time, she took the business card.

"That day, I need a car."

The three men were overjoyed. "Really? Of course, no problem!"

"If I win against everyone, can you add more money?"

"This... We have to ask Brother Sun about it."

After Sun Bailong heard about it, he immediately transferred ten thousand yuan to her account.

"Is this sincerity enough?"

"Good."

Jiang Chenchen agreed.

First, she used the ten thousand to cover the surgery costs.

Jiang Chenchen didn't take care of the patient in the ward. Instead, she hired someone to take care of her. She only needed to earn money to save her life. Other than that, she didn't care.

Sheng Mingsi was also busy during this time. He had been sick before, delaying a lot of time, and now there were some banquets to attend at the end of the year.

When he came back, it was very late, and it was not good to disturb Jiang Chenchen.

But every time he came back, he would bring some desserts and put them on the table.

Afterwards, without attaching any notes, she should understand.

But tonight, the small cake he brought for her was untouched, not in line with her usual sweet-eating style.

After Sheng Mingsi came back, he put down the cake, went to the room to be busy, took a shower, came out to make coffee, and then found that the cake had not been touched. It didn't match her habit of eating sweets cleanly every time.

He sat on the sofa, slowly sipping his coffee.

In the group chat, Ye Xi was making noise again.

Handsome Xi: "Guess who I saw?! Young Master Sheng, why do I always encounter your wife everywhere?"

Shortly after, he attached a photo.

In the photo, Jiang Chenchen was dressed as usual, leaning against a red car. The wind on the mountain road was strong, blowing her hair a bit messy.

Under those disheveled strands of hair, her delicate face, illuminated by the street lamp, appeared cold and full of atmosphere.

Zhao Shitian: "Where is this? Looks like fun."

Handsome Xi: "Wudao Mountain, night race. Today's heavyweight guests are Southern City's top racer, Jing Jiangning, and the surprise appearance of Young Master Sheng's little wife! I'm here too. If it's my wife, I'll let her have some face and not leave her too far behind."

He quickly sent messages in the group and

 then walked towards Jiang Chenchen.

Online, Qin Chi, who was casually watching the excitement, commented: "You're dead."

Handsome Xi: "Didn't I say something wrong?"

Not long after, his mobile phone rang. It was his eldest brother calling.

"Come home immediately, or your card will be frozen."

Ye Xi: "? Holy crap!"

In the group.

Handsome Xi: "Young Master Sheng, you're ruthless!"

Next Chapter▶▶

Chapter 153: Let's Talk

A young girl?

A nineteen-year-old young girl???

Bai Lu was truly shocked by Lin Jinfan's description, which was so astonishing and otherworldly that she lowered her head to take a look.

Normal height, normal weight, normal growth and development, no short arms or legs!

Indeed, when a brother looks at his sister, she will always be a forever-young girl.

Xiao Guofu and Li Hongying brought Bai Lu into the encirclement. During the Qingming Festival, Bai Lu and Xiao Cheng returned together to pay respects to their ancestors. Many people recognized Bai Lu, and with the chestnut acquisition matter, everyone willingly made way for her.

As the paths diverged on both sides, men held iron shovels and hoes, while women carried shoulder poles, all with an indignant and determined posture, ready for a fight.

The elderly were protected by the strong ones on both sides. The youth shouting and causing a ruckus in the front couldn't be stopped, persuaded, or appealed to.

Frustrated and anxious.

"You pushed someone!"

"It's you who got pushed. Standing in the front acting like a hero? Look at yourself, know your own weight. Be sensible and quickly make way, or you won't be able to leave with your head held high!"

"Spit! Making way is impossible. If you want to fight or kill, just do it. Spare us the talk!"

"Don't use violence! Don't use violence! Let's talk it out!"

"Make way, everyone! The village chief is here!"

"The village chief brought Bai Lu!"

The large crowd shouting and causing trouble immediately made way.

The young people of the Xiao family, having experienced Xiao Cheng's prowess, knew that Bai Lu being Xiao Cheng's wife, wouldn't be inferior. The hoes and shovels they wielded were immediately set aside.

Only the elderly still looked worried.

Grandpa and Grandma, upon seeing Bai Lu, immediately relaxed their furrowed brows and gave up the central position to her.

With explanations from Xiao Guofu and Li Hongying, it was revealed that Xiao Cheng had already gone to another province. The two elderly were momentarily disappointed but turned their gaze to Bai Lu with relief.

"Daughter-in-law, coming all the way back from afar, you've worked hard."

Bai Lu was immune to Grandma's affectionate address and replied gracefully, "No trouble, I came back by car."

Grandma and Grandpa, at their age, had seen many ups and downs and were sealed off from the outside world for the first time.

Even so, their weathered faces showed no signs of panic, completely ignoring the tense situation with crossbows drawn.

Grandma directly ignored the stern face of Li Chengbin opposite her and explained to Bai Lu in detail, "Early in the morning, these people came over, claiming that we were illegally mining sand and wanted to reclaim the sand in our home. They also wanted to close the mountain, revert the farmland, and reforest it. I haven't read many books, have low education, and don't understand these things, so I let Aifu and Aying go to the town to find you."

"I looked at the notice they brought. I couldn't make much sense of it. You've read more books and have broad knowledge. Can you help Grandma take a look?"

Bai Lu liked Grandma's words: "Sure, I'd like to see what this mountain closure order looks like."

On the way here, Bai Lu saw the bespectacled man standing next to Li Chengbin on the opposite side. He held a folded piece of paper behind him, seeming reluctant to let others see it.

On his chest, there was indeed the symbol of Pingcheng, but the department he worked for was hidden in the lapel of his suit.

Only the name on top was visible: Ding Wuliang.

Upon hearing Bai Lu's words, Ding Wuliang subconsciously glanced at Li Chengbin beside him, "Should I?"

After the shotgun incident last time, Li Chengbin held deep hatred for Bai Lu. He had people investigate Bai Lu's background hundreds of times, but no matter how they looked, Bai Lu seemed like someone who hadn't graduated from high school and didn't understand the law.

But the fact that Bai Lu had caused him great trouble was undeniable.

Understanding the law was also a fact.

Li Chengbin wouldn't underestimate anyone who could disrupt his plans; Bai Lu was no simple person.

Knowing that Xiao Cheng was from the same village, and Bai Lu, together with Bai Lu, had returned to the village during the Qingming Festival, Li Chengbin anticipated that these unruly mountain people might seek help from Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu if something went wrong.

So he had been prepared long ago, with the mountain closure documents, seals, and official personnel, leaving no room for any lapses.

Bai Lu came from a humble background, never leaving the village since childhood. Knowing the law was undoubtedly taught by her teacher.

Knowing the law was already Bai Lu's greatest ability, but Li Chengbin couldn't believe that Bai Lu also understood the ways of the officialdom.

Li Chengbin sneered, waving his hand.

Ding Wuliang immediately handed the notice to Bai Lu.

Bai Lu didn't need to read the contents of the document. She just glanced at the stamped area, and a cold smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

Without asking Li Chengbin or confronting Ding Wuliang, she walked towards the "police comrades" on the side.

"Police comrade, take a look at this notice. Did you get the wrong one?"

The leading "police comrade," who was suddenly asked, hesitated for a moment and instinctively looked at Li Chengbin.

He was just a bodyguard, not a real police comrade, and he didn't understand these things.

Li Chengbin gave him a malicious look.

The "police comrade" immediately understood. "What mistake? It's clearly written in black and white on the paper. The village of Xiao is illegally mining sand, and the chestnut trees on the mountain don't meet Pingcheng's standards. They must be reverted to farmland and reforested. The county office's big red seal is stamped clearly. Can't you see it?"

With this loud retort, the comrade with a police uniform, which didn't match his aura, gained a bit of confidence.

Li Chengbin nodded in satisfaction.

Bai Lu suppressed a cold smile and changed it to a professional fake smile. "So, what does this reversion to farmland and reforestation mean?"

"As far as I know, there is no cultivation of crops on all the mountains in Xiao Village."

The bodyguard comrade thought Bai Lu was deliberately making trouble. "Do you think I'm blind? So many chestnut trees are planted on the mountain, and you still say there is no cultivation of crops!"

White Dew calmly said, "Who said chestnuts are crops?"

Chestnuts are not crops, are they!?

The burly bodyguard comrade was confused and bewildered, looking at Li Chengbin subconsciously.

Li Chengbin, being a city person, had no idea whether chestnuts were considered crops or not. He suspected that Bai Lu was trying to deceive him again.

Wearing a stern face and remaining silent, he urgently thought about how to handle any possible changes.

Unable to get an answer, the bodyguard comrade, being stared at by Bai Lu, had to speak up, "If chestnuts are not crops, then what are they? What evidence do you have to prove that chestnuts are not crops?"

Bai Lu calmly and unhurriedly retorted, "Why ask me for evidence? Hasn't the country already provided it?"

"Standards set by the country's agricultural administrative authorities and the Crop Variety Approval Committee classify chestnuts as fruit crops. Chestnut trees are categorized as economic crops. Tell me, where did you see that chestnuts are considered crops?"

"And which department's relevant regulations have issued the mountain closure order against Xiao Village's chestnut mountain for violating the standards of cultivating crops, requiring reversion to farmland and reforestation?"

The bodyguard comrade was directly dumbfounded by Bai Lu's questioning, knowing nothing and unable to speak.

The villagers of Xiao had always treated chestnuts as staple food and were unaware that, in the standards for determining crops, chestnuts were only classified as fruit crops, not staple crops.

Bai Lu's words immediately boosted their confidence.

"Yes! Chestnuts are not staple crops. Why should we revert to farmland and reforest!"

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 118: Why isn't the second place awarded?

"Even so, I prefer the climax of Bai Muyao's piece. Setting aside the beginning and ending, the climax is truly inspiring!"

"I also like Bai Muyao's piece, but similarly, I only like the climax..."

As Li Yusha walked off the stage, she heard someone saying this. Her nails dug into her palms, but she maintained a calm demeanor, smiling and nodding to the crowd.

She couldn't deny that Bai Muyao's climax was indeed enjoyable, and her level of composition was definitely above hers!

Unfortunately, the beginning and ending fell short, leading her to second place.

Upon hearing the audience's appreciation for her piece, especially the climax, Bai Muyao felt happy and excited, feeling like she had stolen the limelight.

"Just now, the top eight winners have performed their winning pieces for everyone, and I believe everyone now has a better understanding of their rankings."

"Now it's time for the most important part of today's event—the award ceremony."

"Please welcome our renowned piano master, Teacher Cao, to present the honorary certificates to the winners from fourth to eighth place!"

The audience erupted into enthusiastic applause.

Cao Bin buttoned his suit and gracefully took the stage to present the certificates to the winners, taking photos with them.

After they left the stage, the host took the microphone again, saying, "Next, we have the president of the Piano Association, Qin Zhilan, to present the honorary trophies to the first to third place winners!"

The applause grew even louder, like thunder.

The third-place winner, Liu Feifei, the second-place winner, Bai Muyao, and the first-place winner, Li Yusha, left their seats and walked gracefully towards the stage.

They were all seventeen or eighteen years old, talented and outstanding in appearance, making them the highlights of the year.

As they approached, Bai Muyao waved and nodded to the crowd, also giving a nod to Li Yusha. However, Li Yusha seemed not to notice her gesture, not responding and instead waving and smiling at others.

Once on stage, Qin Zhilan presented the champion trophy to Li Yusha, the third-place trophy to Liu Feifei, and then looked at Bai Muyao with an extremely cold gaze.

That look was as sharp as a knife, as if she were looking at a thief!

The host was stunned for a moment, quickly trying to smooth things over, "President Qin, what do you mean? Do you think, after hearing Bai Muyao's performance just now, that she deserves a higher ranking?"

The host's words lightened the atmosphere. Those who had thought there was a problem with Bai Muyao's piece now breathed a sigh of relief, realizing it wasn't the case.

President Qin thought Bai Muyao's level was worthy of first place?!

Li Yusha, sitting nearby, instinctively tightened her grip on the championship trophy. Could it be that President Qin was going to publicly announce that Bai Muyao was more qualified for the championship?

"I'm asking you." Qin Zhilan didn't follow the host's lead but looked into Bai Muyao's eyes, asking each word, "Did you compose the piece you played just now all by yourself?"

Bai Muyao had already realized what was happening, feeling extremely nervous, her heart pounding, her whole body feeling weak. "Y-yes..."

"Meaning, every note, every melody in this piece, from beginning to end, was thought of by you alone, unrelated to anyone else?"

Bai Muyao was almost losing her balance; she didn't understand Qin Zhilan's meaning. Could it be that Qin Zhilan knew she had taken the climax from Ou Yan, so she was publicly questioning her?

No, it couldn't be. Who was Qin Zhilan? How could she know such a nobody like Ou Yan?

Unless Ou Yan had found her and told her something...

"President Qin, I don't know what others have told you." Bai Muyao decided to stick to denial; the best way to handle it now was to divert attention elsewhere!

"If it's because I admired you so much just now and wanted to be your disciple, and you thought I was being unrealistic and naive, I apologize."

Bai Muyao maintained the demeanor of a young lady, neither humble nor pushy, retreating to advance, "You said just now that you wouldn't accept disciples, and even if you did, you wouldn't accept anyone from our Bai family. I don't know what wrong our Bai family has done... But you're a senior, you have the right to choose your favorite disciples... I understand, and I don't force it, and I even feel that I'm not good enough to gain your favor."

"But just now, in front of so many people, you said I didn't deserve to wear Qinyan's clothes and jewelry. Perhaps you don't know, but you have always been my idol, and I have been working hard to learn the piano just to get closer to you..."

With just a few words, she portrayed President Qin as impolite, bullying the younger generation, and being proud and arrogant!

Qin Zhilan was seeing such a little white flower for the first time, so young yet so cunning, with a deep city!

"I didn't expect President Qin to be like this. Bai Muyao worked so hard to learn the piano just to get closer to her, and she not only refuses to mentor her but also says such hurtful things publicly. How sad Bai Muyao must be feeling?"

"I think Bai Muyao looks great in Qinyan's clothes. Is President Qin being too controlling? What business is it of hers what others wear or what jewelry they put on?"

"President Qin not only doesn't mentor and help the younger generation but also deliberately embarrasses them in such an important occasion..."

"I think President Qin lacks manners..."

"Bai Muyao has a strong mentality. After all, she's a young lady from a wealthy family, and her upbringing and tolerance are different from ordinary people..."

Most of the audience was praising Bai Muyao.

Bai Muyao, seeing how she had turned the situation around with just a few words, looked at President Qin with a hint of provocation in her eyes.

 Chapter 117: The Familiar Tune

On stage.

The eighth-place winner is playing a piano piece they composed themselves.

This year's competition not only tests the players' playing skills but also requires them to compose their own pieces for the competition.

Many talented piano players missed this year's competition because they couldn't compose.

At this moment, Song Qiaoying received a phone call, her expression relaxed, and she whispered to her two daughters beside her, "Your grandmother has been in a coma for many days and has finally awakened. We're going to see her, and we'll be back soon."

"Dad, Mom, you can go with peace of mind." Li Yusha showed her understanding side, "There's still some time before I receive the award, no rush."

"We'll try to be back before your award ceremony." Song Qiaoying said kindly, then looked at Ou Yan, "Yan Yan, call me if you need anything."

"Okay."

After Li Yuanfu and Song Qiaoying left, Li Yusha looked down on Ou Yan, asking slowly, "Sister, have you ever learned piano before? Have you won any awards?"

She looked at the stage, full of vigor, and said, "I started learning piano at the age of four. Andy, the teacher who never takes disciples, took me as his disciple after seeing my performance, you know who Andy is? A famous piano master in China... How many people want her guidance but don't have the qualifications... Under her guidance, my piano skills improved rapidly, and I've won over fifty first prizes since I was young!"

Her tone was proud, and she asked proudly, "What's the name of your former piano teacher? Have they won any awards in this field?"

Perhaps before Ou Yan could reply, she turned her head and saw that Ou Yan had put on headphones and was playing a game with intense focus.

Li Yusha felt a little angry, but upon careful thought, she realized that this country girl's life was probably like this forever. No ambition!

After some time passed, the host, holding a microphone, said passionately, "Next is the second-place winner of this competition, Bai Muyao, bringing us a piece called 'Sorrow'."

Bai Muyao heard the host's voice, smiled, and gracefully stood up, wearing worth millions outfit, and went on stage.

She sat at the piano, took a deep breath, and then slowly played this piece that won her second place.

Sitting in the front row, Qin Zhilan felt the first half was a bit unpleasant, but after hearing the entire piece, she felt strangely familiar, as if she had heard it somewhere before...

There were whispers in the audience:

"Her piece's climax is so beautiful! It's so atmospheric!"

"The playing technique is a bit rusty, maybe due to nervousness."

"Setting aside the beginning and end of the piece, the climax is really well done. A teenage girl can write such a beautiful piece..."

Many praised Bai Muyao.

Even the piano master Cao Bin smiled and said to Qin Zhilan, "President Qin, weren't you looking for talented students recently? What do you think of Bai Muyao?"

Qin Zhilan didn't like the Bai family, so she didn't have a good impression of Bai Muyao.

In terms of talent, she hadn't seen a more talented child than Ou Yan in recent years! But the piano skills of Ou Yan surpassed hers, far beyond her.

Even if she wanted to take disciples, that person would take her as a disciple...

But a master like Ou Yan, so young and talented, wouldn't even consider taking disciples!

"This second-place winner not only knows how to compose, but also does it well, especially the climax, which sounds so good."

"I was attracted by the climax of this piece. It's like being brainwashed, after hearing it once, I want to hear it again..."

"So do I!"

"She didn't write the beginning and end parts well, but the climax is really impressive!"

Several guests around Qin Zhilan praised Bai Muyao's piece.

As the piece ended, Bai Muyao slowly stood up, gracefully bowing to everyone in the audience.

When she raised her eyes, she saw Gao Yang in the audience looking at her with affection and admiration, applauding for her.

Bai Muyao felt a little excited in her heart.

Then she looked at Qin Zhilan, expecting to see a regretful expression on her face. After all, not having such a talented disciple like her would be Qin Zhilan's loss!

But Qin Zhilan's expression wasn't very good, she even frowned, tapping her fingers on the table, seemingly lost in thought.

What's wrong? Was her playing just now not good?

Bai Muyao was about to retract her gaze, but inadvertently, she saw Ou Yan sitting in the third row, only two seats away from the daughter of the richest man!

She couldn't believe it, and felt incredulous, how could it be?

That whole row of seats was either occupied by people of high status and position, or by winners or their families.

But what qualifications did Ou Yan have to sit there?

Was it because Li Yusha was kind-hearted and didn't care?

Or is she accompanying a wealthy sponsor?

Bai Muyao looked intentionally to the side again, but there was no opposite gender beside Ou Yan, and she didn't know what kind of sponsor could bring Ou Yan to sit on par with the daughter of the richest man...

Ou Yan's life is too good!

Because Bai Muyao gracefully bowed, there was enthusiastic applause from the audience, even the teachers and elders at the award podium couldn't stop praising this child.

"The name of this piano piece is 'Sorrow', but I heard hope in the climax, like encouraging those who have suffered from natural disasters and man-made calamities to live bravely and strive to live on. There's still a lot of beauty in life..."

"Yes, when I heard the climax, images of earthquake aftermath and the courage to rebuild suddenly flashed in my mind..."

"So coincidental, I also thought of natural disaster scenes in my mind..."

"Me too."

Qin Zhilan suddenly realized where this familiar feeling came from—earthquake, inspiration, courage, resilience...

She looked at the girl who had just stepped down from the stage, her eyes full of displeasure!

Next, the host invited Li Yusha on stage to perform as the highlight of the awards ceremony. Li Yusha, the daughter of the richest man, received continuous applause as soon as she stepped on stage!

Although she didn't invite Si Yechen to watch her award ceremony today, she still made Ou Yan envy and jealous. She considered it a win!

She sat gracefully at the piano, performing her own piece very elegantly.

Five minutes later, she stood up gracefully and thanked everyone. But when she looked at the audience, she found that her parents hadn't returned yet, and Ou Yan was still playing games, showing no signs of envy or jealousy!

Li Yusha was suddenly furious!

The applause from the audience continued.

"Li Yusha's piece is really well written! Just as outstanding as she is."

"No wonder she's the daughter of the richest man, outstanding in everything from a young age!"

 Chapter 182: Predicting the Situation

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 181: Going to Discuss Business

Next Chapter ▶▶

Chapter 636: Seemingly Gentle and Elegant, But Full of Evil Intentions

Wei Linchen stood about ten meters away from the Huangju tree.

The dark power from his golden whip struck the trunk of the Huangju tree with extreme precision.

"Ah ah ah!!!"

The little girl hidden inside the Huangju tree let out a scream of extreme pain.

It was so clear and loud.

Qin Ruan heard the sound and a smile appeared on her face.

How dare this little ghost provoke her? She clearly needed a lesson.

After absorbing the batch of resentful spirits in her hand, she lightly waved it, and dozens of evil ghosts were thrown to the open space not far away.

Immediately after, Qin Ruan continued to absorb another batch of resentful spirits.

Thick and continuous dark power flowed in, and Qin Ruan felt the abundant power running wild in her body.

Behind her, Wei Linchen, who held the golden whip, seemed to be controlled by an invisible force. He skillfully twisted his wrist and whipped the Huangju tree again and again.

The sturdy tree trunk was soon split open by him.

The face of the girl on the trunk of the tree could no longer bear the pain and broke free from the Huangju tree.

Seeing this, Wei Linchen quickly reacted and swung the golden whip towards the little ghost as it floated out of the tree trunk.

"Snap!"

The whip struck with full force, and the sound was loud.

"Ah ah ah!!!"

The little ghost eyes widened, filled with hatred, staring at Wei Linchen fiercely. Her small features looked ferocious and twisted.

The ghost was injured by the dark power of the whip, and the ghost's body began to tear.

She glared at Wei Linchen with a face full of resentment. "I will kill you! Kill you!"

The little girl rushed towards him like a gust of wind.

Wei Lincen remained calm, and his gaze playfully looked at the opponent's embarrassed appearance.

Now that he had a magical weapon in hand, he was not afraid of this little ghost.

However, he found it strange that the little girl seemed to have a stronger aura of resentment compared to other resentful spirits.

A child this young shouldn't have such a strong aura of resentment, even if she was trapped in this place after her death.

As the little girl charged, Wei Linchen raised his golden whip again.

However, this time, he couldn't lift his wrist.

The golden whip in his hand felt like it weighed millions of kilograms, pressing down and causing his body to topple forward.

Wei Linchen was forced to kneel on both knees, and his hand holding the whip was firmly pressed against the ground.

This sudden change left him dumbfounded.

"Little ghost, I advise you not to seek death on your own," a cold and indifferent voice sounded from the front. Wei Linchen looked up.

Qin Ruan stood a few meters in front of him, confronting the little ghost surrounded by black mist.

The little ghost stared at Qin Ruan and Wei Linchen with hatred. "The tree is dead! We are all going to die, and you all deserve to die!"

Her young face no longer wore the previous disguise of innocence; only the mature hatred accumulated over time remained.

While facing the little ghost, Qin Ruan and Wei Linchen also looked at the Huangju tree not far away.

The sturdy tree had been beaten to decay, and its leaves had withered.

The Huangju tree had escaped in human form before their arrival, and now its original body was utterly lifeless.

Qin Ruan let out a cold smile, her dim eyes fixed on the little ghost.

She raised her hand to tidy up the broken hair around her ear and said coldly, "Whether I live or die has nothing to do with you. As for your life, it's all in my hands now."

"Hahaha..." The little ghost laughed manically.

She pointed at Qin Ruan, laughing so hard that she bent over.

"Hahaha..."

The laughter continued, as if Qin Ruan's words were incredibly funny.

Wei Linchen, kneeling on the ground, was tormented by the piercing laughter.

Frowning, he licked his dry lips and called out to Qin Ruan's back in a low, hoarse voice, "Qin Ruan, turn around and look at me."

His voice sounded hoarse and helpless.

The power suppressing the golden whip wasn't light, but it didn't harm him.

He just didn't like the undignified posture of kneeling on the ground.

Qin Ruan turned back, and Wei Linchen's kneeling posture came into her view.

A look of surprise appeared in her eyes as she looked at the whip in his hand, realizing what had happened.

Wei Linchen had left the area where she released her dark divine power.

To control the whip, he needed to stay within the range of her dark power.

Once he moved away from her, the whip would no longer be under his control.

Qin Ruan couldn't help but laugh and tease, "Professor Wei, it's not a special occasion. I'm really flattered by such a grand gesture from you."

"Qin Ruan!" Wei Linchen gritted his teeth.

In his heart, he thought that this girl was really difficult to deal with.

In the classroom at school, she appeared quiet and calm, but when she wanted to argue with someone, she wouldn't hold back with her words.

The Qin Ruan in the WeChat group even mistakenly believed him to be a lady at first.

After finding out his true gender, she considered him to be a venomous-tongued person with a scheming personality and twisted sense of humor.

Qin Ruan walked up to Wei Linchen, skillfully pinching her fingers into a gesture, and the pressure from the golden whip on Wei Lincen's hand consciously returned to her palm.

Ignoring his disheveled appearance, Wei Linchen sat on the ground, rubbing his sore wrist.

He looked up at Qin Ruan with a meaningful expression.

In a soft tone, he asked, "Qin Ruan, have you read the 'Code of Conduct'?"

Qin Ruan touched the vivid Amaryllis flower on the handle of the whip and shook her head gently.

Wei Linchen smiled at the corners of his mouth, and in a low, hoarse voice, he said, "A person has three lives: one is the life given by their parents, the second is the life nurtured by their teachers, and the third is the life they establish for themselves."

"Parents give birth to the body, while teachers cultivate the soul, and then they establish their own fate."

"Therefore, teachers are like a second set of parents; they are fathers for a day and fathers for a lifetime. That's what we call teacher-father."

Qin Ruan blinked at him, not understanding what he meant. "So?"

Wei Linchen put on the airs of a teacher and said seriously, "During this period, I haven't seen you at school. The essay I assigned earlier hasn't been handed in by you alone."

"Now I officially notify you to submit a paper in a week on the topic of the psychological health and study of contemporary college students on how to respect teachers and cultivate virtue."

Qin Ruan's lips twitched. "Professor Wei, such deep hatred for such a big assignment. Why do you torment me like this?"

Wei Linchen's black eyes were filled with affectionate amusement. "This is my deep love for your talent as a teacher."

"Hehe..." Qin Ruan's breath seemed to stagnate, and she coldly laughed twice, her smile a bit forced.

She really wanted to use the whip to lash out at this man who seemed gentle and righteous but was actually so petty.

Wei Linchen dusted off his clothes and stood up.

He appeared gentle and elegant on the surface but was full of sinister intentions.

He had truly lived up to Master Hui Cheng's words to Qin Ruan. Wei Xishi was indeed a refined person but an animal!

Confronting Qin Ruan's beautiful and cold gaze, Wei Linchen also knew that his approach was a bit inhumane.

He coughed lightly twice. "Qin Ruan, that little crazy girl behind you is still staring at you."

"I know."

Qin Ruan's expression was indifferent, and she didn't care about the little ghost behind her.

  Chapter 33: Binding Interests

Knowing that the bailiff in front of her wouldn't bring Captain Sun over, Chen Xue sighed, hoping he wouldn't take credit for himself.

After thinking for a moment, Chen Xue spoke up, "This is a medicinal herb business, with profits ranging from a few hundred taels to over a thousand."

"A medicinal herb business?" Bailiff Qian's eyes lit up. He hadn't done this business before and was not clear about it, but hearing Chen Xue say that the profits could reach over a thousand taels, he couldn't sit still.

"Tell me more!"

However, Chen Xue remained silent.

"Master Qian, leaving these supplies on the ground is not feasible, and we still need to continue our journey..."

Bailiff Qian's face immediately turned cold, knowing that Chen Xue was trying to leverage this matter against him, but he tolerated it, considering he didn't yet understand how the business operated.

"Move the boxes back and continue the journey."

He instructed his subordinates to move the supplies back onto the carriage. If Chen Xue wasn't lying, and this business could indeed make money, then these few supplies were insignificant.

After the supplies were returned, Bailiff Qian instructed everyone to continue the journey while walking and talking.

"It's like this. Our business is straightforward: we transport medicinal herbs to the Southern Barbarians and then sell them at high prices. Think about it, Master Qian, in the Southern Barbarian territories, resources are scarce. Items that cost one or two taels of silver here can be sold for double or triple the price, and people are eager to buy..."

Hearing Chen Xue's words, Bailiff Qian fell into contemplation. He had escorted several groups to the Southern Barbarians before and knew more about the situation there than Chen Xue did.

Take ordinary cloth, for example. In the capital, you could buy it for a few taels of silver, but in the Southern Barbarians, you couldn't even get it for a dozen taels. In other words, even if you had money, you couldn't buy it.

Therefore, many merchants would take goods to the Southern Barbarians to sell. In reality, they were doing the same thing.

In their carts, besides transporting some food for the prisoners, there were also some common items that they and the captain pooled their money together to purchase and sell at high prices in the Southern Barbarians.

Although they had never dealt in medicinal herbs before, they felt there was potential for profit in this line of business. After all, in the field of medicinal herbs, the profits were enormous.

However, as small bailiffs, they had no connections and couldn't participate in this line of business.

But Chen Xue's words made Bailiff Qian's eyes light up. After all, he wasn't selling goods in the capital, so he wouldn't be touching the interests of those bigwigs.

Think about it, a medicinal herb worth ten taels, when brought to the Southern Barbarians, even if sold for twenty taels, there would still be a profit.

Moreover, for goods like medicinal herbs, even if the price was multiplied tenfold, there would still be buyers.

"Not bad." Bailiff Qian nodded in satisfaction. "I will mention this matter to the captain..."

"Master Qian, about the previous matter..." Chen Xue couldn't help but speak, referring to the threats he made against them, the charges of escape and assaulting officials.

"Those matters were all misunderstandings." Bailiff Qian waved his hand. "I'll let it go this time. If there's a next time, don't blame us for being ruthless."

At this moment, Bailiff Qian's mind was solely focused on the lucrative business opportunity. He had no interest in paying attention to Chen Xue, so he casually dismissed her and left.

Once the bailiff left, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Back in the carriage, Chen Xue's mother looked worried. "Is the matter resolved this time?"

"It's temporarily resolved!"

"Temporarily?"

Upon hearing Chen Xue's words, her mother's heart tightened. "Why do you say it's temporary?"

Chen Yuan, who had been silent all this time, spoke up, "Because, no one knows which bailiff will come looking for trouble next time!"

Despite his previous status as a former Ministry of Revenue official, he was now just a prisoner under custody, bullied by lowly bailiffs and unable to resist.

"What should we do?"

"Mother, don't worry." Chen Xue smiled. "As long as we can handle Captain Sun this time, we'll be safe in the future."

"How easy is that!" Chen's mother shook her head. "Didn't you try to test him before? That Captain Sun is not easy to win over."

"It's not certain this time." Chen Xue's eyes sparkled.

"Does Xiao Xue have a good idea?" Chen Yuan was curious. He hadn't intervened before, fearing he might ruin his daughter's plan, so he wasn't aware of her intentions.

"What was that business you mentioned to the bailiff? Why didn't I know about it?"

"Well, you want to use interests to bind Captain Sun to us, right?" Chen Yuan saw through Chen Xue's plan at once. "But if you tell the bailiff directly, aren't you afraid he'll take the credit and tell Captain Sun himself?"

If the bailiff were to inform Captain Sun about the business in his own name, then it wouldn't have anything to do with them.

They wouldn't be able to use this business to bind Captain Sun to them, let alone link their interests with his.

"Don't worry, as long as Captain Sun isn't a fool, he will come to us." Chen Xue revealed a mysterious smile.

Then she looked at Xiao Die. Xiao Die usually didn't speak much, but she was quite good at acting.

...

"Captain!"

Bailiff Qian soon found Captain Sun, and seeing him return empty-handed, Captain Sun's face darkened.

"Failed?"

Bailiff Qian looked embarrassed, but quickly explained, "Captain, it's not my fault. The Chen family was deceived by the Stationmaster."

"Oh?" Captain Sun became interested. "Explain."

Bailiff Qian briefly explained that the Chen family had gathered a considerable amount of silver, bribed the Stationmaster, and then bought supplies from him. However, they were deceived, as each of the six or seven boxes contained only a small amount of supplies.

"That sounds like something that Stationmaster would do." Captain Sun didn't doubt it. Taking money without delivering goods was quite common. After all, the Chen family were just prisoners, even if they knew they had been deceived, there was nothing they could do about the magistrate.

"Without supplies, won't you ask the Chen family for money?" Captain Sun gave him a stern look. Last night, Guo Qiang's men had approached him again, asking him to cooperate with Zhao Guang in dealing with Chen Yuan.

He pretended to agree, but he had no intention of taking action. However, it didn't prevent him from suppressing the Chen family.

Moreover, he also took the opportunity to gather information and knew that behind the Chen family were supporters such as the Minister of Personnel. Compared to the Minister of Personnel, they were inferior, as the Minister of Personnel had the support of the Prime Minister.

Therefore, he understood Guo Qiang's determination and knew that the Chen family wouldn't survive much longer. So he thought he might as well squeeze out as much value as he could from them before they collapsed.

Upon hearing this, Bailiff Qian felt helpless. "Captain, you also know about the rumors surrounding the Chen family. Moreover, they have probably spent all their money on these supplies."

Captain Sun suddenly remembered the sensational news in the capital about the Chen family's assets being seized. Not even a single tael of silver was confiscated, so Chen Yuan had gained the reputation of being "penniless."

This was a bit tricky. Most of the Chen family's wealth had already been seized, and what was left was probably hidden away by them. But now, it seemed they couldn't squeeze much value out of them.

"Captain, I've discovered a new business that can definitely make a lot of money." Bailiff Qian suddenly spoke up.

"What business?"

"Selling medicinal herbs!"

As expected, just as Chen Yuan had thought, Bailiff Qian did not reveal that it was Chen Xue's idea, but rather presented it as his own discovery.

PS: Frustrated, these days there have been new collections, 4, 8... and dropped from the new book list... sigh...

In addition, thanks to the reader yy333 for the reward, knowing that someone is reading, little fish has motivation.

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 Chapter 70: Simply Unfazed**

Three men wearing sunglasses, with the one in the middle lifting his chin, asked, "Is your name Jiang Chenchen?"

Jiang Chenchen glanced at them and tried to bypass them, as the driving school was not far ahead.

Driving schools are usually located in more remote areas.

Feeling ignored, one of the men said, "Hey, can't you hear us?!"

"Hey, less talk. It's her," another one said.

Seeing Jiang Chenchen stand still, the three men exchanged glances and nodded at each other.

The middle one continued, "Seeing that you're not willing to talk, we can discuss this matter differently. As long as you agree to our request on behalf of our brother, the damage to the car will be considered settled."

Another one added, "Since you seem to know how to drive, our brother invites you to a night race. There will be other teams, and if you can defeat the driver from the Southern City, all expenses for the race will be covered. What do you say?"

Having heard them out, Jiang Chenchen, recalling Sheng Mingsi's mention of negotiating the compensation for the car, wasn't easily intimidated or lured by their threats.

She just walked away.

Seeing her leave, the three men's expressions changed, revealing an aggressive look. They approached her, intending to stop her.

One of them tried to grab her shoulder, but Jiang Chenchen swiftly turned, grabbing his wrist. With a twist, there was a distinct crack in his joint, and the man screamed in pain.

"Ah, it hurts!"

The other two hesitated, showing a mix of fear and reluctance to approach.

Not that they were afraid of her; it was the person behind her. They had heard that she was associated with the young master of the Sheng family. Their boss, Sun, had explicitly instructed not to resort to violence but to use persuasion and deception.

Unexpectedly, this elegant beauty was not easily manipulated.

Jiang Chenchen withdrew her hand, looked at them expressionlessly, and continued walking.

The three men followed her, saying, "You should think about this carefully. The cost of compensating for the damaged car is something you can't afford for a lifetime. But participating in a night race could settle it, and you might even win a prize. What do you think?"

One of them handed her a business card. "Our contact information is on it. Think it over and contact us. Either pay or participate."

Jiang Chenchen didn't take the card.

Another one urged, "Three days later, there's a night race at Wudao Mountain. Our brother is waiting for you there!"

Jiang Chenchen was already far away.

The three men took off their sunglasses, frowning. Why was this woman so difficult to deal with?

"Sun didn't allow us to use force. What can we do? If it were in the past, we could have just kidnapped her directly. Why make it so complicated?"

"Don't talk nonsense. Sun found out that this woman was driving Young Master Sheng's car. Sun got warned by his people not to touch them directly. You don't mess with the young master of the Sheng family, even if Sun is the overlord of the capital."

"You don't understand. Sun is the overlord among ordinary people, but the Sheng family, with their wealth and status, makes Sun bow down."

He extended his little finger. "Not even close!"

"No, not even that!"

The guy fell silent, knowing it was better not to say much.

"But isn't Sheng known for being uninterested in women? Are the rumors false?"

The other guy stroked his chin. "A beautiful woman like her, do you think any man wouldn't be tempted?"

"Fair point."

The guy with the injured wrist snorted. "Beautiful or not, she's ruthless."

"Why did Sun send us to confront Young Master Sheng's woman here?"

"Sun can't accept it. His car was hit by a woman, and Young Master Sheng even sent someone to talk to him. Sun is irritated and wants this bold beauty to humiliate the so-called 'Lightning' driver from the Southern City."

"But the beauty didn't buy into it. Looks like it won't work."

The three men walked away.

Jiang Chenchen registered for the driving school and didn't dwell on the roadblock incident.

On her way home, due to a nearly empty wallet, she took the bus, being quite frugal.

Suddenly, the bus braked sharply, narrowly avoiding hitting the vehicle in front. The car in front collided with someone who had jumped from the pedestrian bridge. The person, a high school girl, landed on the car's hood, shattering the windshield. Blood flowed down the glass.

Screams filled the air as the bus came to an emergency stop. The scene was chaotic.

Jiang Chenchen, along with other passengers, craned their necks to see the condition of the accident.

"The pressure on students nowadays is so high. I've seen many such news, but I never expected it to happen right before my eyes. It's terrifying!"

"How much pressure can they have? It's just studying! These kids need to think about the parents who raised them. Too selfish!"

"But, seriously, students face immense pressure now. Parents should reflect on themselves and not burden their children too much; otherwise, mental health issues may arise."

Amid the passionate discussions, someone suddenly said, "Why does this girl look so much like the one from the Jiang family, the daughter involved in the case where the mother killed the father?"

This statement stunned the crowd.

"What? The mother killed the father?"

"I'm sure; she's the daughter of my daughter's classmate from the Jiang family. Her father gambled, owed debts, and the company went bankrupt. He wanted to sell his daughter, but her mother killed him to protect the daughter!"

"Is this girl so miserable? Is that why she wanted to end her life?"

Those words echoed in Jiang Chenchen's ears as she looked at the scenery outside the bus window, lost in thought.

So, her uncle was already dead.

Her aunt killed him.

Jiang Jie'er attempted suicide by jumping off the pedestrian bridge. Was it because of this?

Her phone in her pocket vibrated.

Regaining her composure, she took out her phone. It was an unknown number.

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