"Then take your time, Ahan, you take good care of Xiaojiu," the elder Mrs. Jiang instructed with worry.

Li Mochan nodded, and Ye Jiuliang followed suit, standing up as both left together.

Fearing being urged to marry again, Jiang Yisheng hurriedly followed them out, "I’m full too, I’ll go with you."

Watching his rushed figure, Veya muttered, "He’s full without having eaten a bite, that child."

...

"I want to make a phone call, don’t you have ears? Lend me a cellphone, are all of you deaf?"

In the hospital room, the hoarse voice continued endlessly, inducing an inexplicable irritation in those listening.

Ye Jiuliang had informed the doctors here, so despite Mo Lingling’s incessant ranting, no one paid her any heed.

The lights in the hospital room were on, creating a stark contrast with the dark night sky outside.

After having finally gotten rid of the plaster, she wasn’t confined to bed rest anymore, yet just as the old injuries healed, new ones had been added.

Compared to last time, she was injured more severely; after receiving so many slaps, her face swelled up like a pig’s head, and this time both of her hands had been put in casts, wrapped up like a sticky rice dumpling.

The external wounds seemed serious, yet they hadn’t touched her critical points, or else she wouldn’t have woken up screaming her lungs out.

After shouting herself hoarse, Mo Lingling took a break and stared blankly at the graying ceiling.

That bastard Ye Jiuliang, one day she would return these injuries to her a hundredfold, a thousandfold.

A gust of cold wind poured in from the outside window, swaying the partially closed door.

The orange light spilled out, elongating the shadow at the doorway.

The slender figure was visibly a woman.

Her black high heels tapped against the polished floor, making a "tap, tap" sound.

Mo Lingling, hearing the noise, looked down to see, and upon catching sight of that familiar mask, she felt both shocked and overjoyed.

"It’s you."

Stopping by the hospital bed, the masked woman paused in her steps.

Looking down on Mo Lingling lying in the bed, a sneer crossed the depths of her eyes.

"The old injury just healed, and now there’s a new one?"

"Stop with your sarcastic remarks," Mo Lingling replied irritably, her face still swollen, making her speech unclear.

The previous injuries were also thanks to her, and yet she dared to tease her about it.

"Ye Jiuliang leaving you alive was somewhat surprising to me. It seems she was lenient because of your grandfather’s sake," the woman assessed the injuries on Mo Lingling’s body as she spoke indifferently.

Mo Lingling, restless, demanded, "When exactly will you deal with Ye Jiuliang? Now that the four of them have fallen out, and Gu Xinuo and the others have left the K organization, when are you going to fulfill what you promised me?"

"Why the rush?" The woman glanced at her. "Whether Ye Jiuliang and the others have truly fallen out, I still need to observe for a while. Acting rashly will only endanger myself."

"They’ve truly fallen out. Ye Jiuliang harmed Chu Chen, even stabbing him with a dagger. What more is there to doubt?" Mo Lingling said frantically, "I grew up with them since we were children; I understand them better than you do."

Overexcited, she carelessly tugged at her wounds, gasping in pain. After a moment, she continued, "Gu Xinuo won’t tolerate a speck of dust in his eyes. With Chu Chen protecting me, Gu Xinuo absolutely can’t stand it. Ye Jiuliang has always stood by Gu Xinuo’s side, and with this incident, Ye Jiuliang will only become Chu Chen’s sworn enemy."

"You’re saying Ye Jiuliang injured Chu Chen?" The woman latched onto the key point in her words, asking in a deep voice.

Mo Lingling nodded, describing vividly, "That day in the apartment, I told Gu Xinuo that Heart of the Sea was in my possession. Later, when Ye Jiuliang arrived, they started fighting. Gu Xinuo and Chu Chen faced off, and Ye Jiuliang sided with Gu Xinuo. Chu Chen never fought back and was miserably beaten by the two of them."

Upon hearing this, a surreptitious glint flashed in the woman’s eyes.

It seemed this plan had been mostly successful.

If Ye Jiuliang and the four of them had indeed had a fallout, she could report back to the old master. She needed to head back and report the situation as soon as possible.

"I don’t want to stay here, get me out," Mo Lingling demanded.

Who knew if Ye Jiuliang would suddenly come again? She was nearly half-dead now; how could she withstand any more trouble from her?

The woman looked at her with cold disdain and said indifferently, "Where do you plan to go with your injuries? You should stay here and recover. I’ll have someone protect you in secret; Ye Jiuliang won’t get a chance to take advantage of you."

"But I..."

"If you don’t listen to me, and you end up not getting Chu Chen, then there’s nothing I can do."

Hearing this, Mo Lingling reluctantly submitted.

"I understand."

"Take this cell phone, I will contact you again." The woman took a cell phone from her pocket and stuffed it under her pillow, "As for Chu Chen, find your own way to gain his trust, it’s best if you can."

Mo Lingling nodded, and the woman lifted her hand, adjusting the brim of her hat before turning to leave.

...

Country M

The afternoon sun was dazzling but warm, dispelling some of the chill from Yudong.

After a nap, Ye Jiuliang woke up to find Li Mochan’s figure gone from the room.

She changed her clothes and went downstairs to look for him.

In the living room, only Jiang Yisheng was there. Hearing footsteps, he turned around to look.

"Jiuliang, your cousin asked me to tell you, he’s gone to the company and will be back later."

Ye Jiuliang nodded lightly, her gaze falling on the book in his hand.

She frowned slightly, thinking how dull it was.

"Asheng, I’m going to the club, do you want to come along?"

"The club?" He was slightly startled.

"There’s a big motorcycle race tomorrow, and it should be quite lively at the club. Aqian will be there too; I’ll take you to enjoy the buzz," Ye Jiuliang said.

Jiang Yisheng’s calm eyes became unsettled, and his tone involuntarily lifted at the end, "Isn’t Ji Mingqian in country Y?"

"He came back with us, but he went to his own place and didn’t come with us," Ye Jiuliang said, picking up an orange and peeling it as she spoke.

"Are you coming or not? If you’re not, I’m leaving."

"Wait for me then, I’ll go change," Jiang Yisheng closed his book and got up to head upstairs.

Ye Jiuliang popped a segment of the orange in her mouth and turned to sit on the sofa.

Suddenly, her phone in her pocket rang.

The exclusive ringtone; she knew immediately who it was.

Ye Jiuliang curled her lips, biting into the orange, and took out her phone from her pocket.

She slid to answer and mumbled through the orange, "My dear Li Wuye, what are your orders?"

On the other end of the phone, Li Mochan smiled, "What are you eating?"

"An orange," Ye Jiuliang narrowed her eyes, "I’m about to finish all the oranges on the table; buy me some more when you come back."

Li Mochan chuckled and agreed, "Is there anything else you want to eat?"

Ye Jiuliang spoke with a soft voice, "Any snack will do."

Hearing footsteps, she turned her head to see Jiang Yisheng coming downstairs, changed into different clothes.