Volume 1, Chapter 57: Aftermath

"Jinhua, it's alright, it was just a nightmare." Affected by her lingering illness, nightmares plagued her repeatedly. Awakening, she found a warm embrace holding her, keeping her company.

With those words, she slowly lay back down on the bed. Her gaze fell upon the fruit and the fruit knife left on the bedside table by Mother Ou, while her mind quietly harbored unspoken thoughts.

Xiang Bei returned home covered in bruises and cuts, his expression dazed. He could not comprehend why heaven was mocking him so cruelly, making him a laughingstock in public and subjecting him to both physical and psychological torment.

Quan Mo lay there, a flash of triumphant satisfaction sweeping through his eyes. He raised an eyebrow, as if to say, "See? I knew all along that you would surrender."

The cell phone Chen Hege had left behind was completely ruined. She had considered transferring the SIM card to her own phone for use, but ultimately feared that Fu Shenxing might have tampered with that device, making the risk too great. Yet, she found no opportunity to go out and purchase a new phone; Fu Shenxing watched her far too closely, ensuring that whenever she stepped outside, someone was always trailing her.

The high-end birthday banquet had not been underway for very long before Ange's lips were already slightly swollen. Whatever questions she intended to ask were cut short as waves of congratulatory guests stepped forward in turn to block her.

Everyone realized that this could not possibly be a coincidence. Screams echoed continuously inside the studio as the audience surged toward the emergency exits in a desperate bid to escape. Even the cameramen and the host lost their composure, standing completely helpless. Total chaos consumed the venue.

The initial taste of the tea was bitter yet carried a lingering sweetness, and the faint fragrance of the leaves remained upon her lips and teeth, refusing to disperse for a long time.

During the previous two days, he had been entirely focused on hurrying back to Jinling, refusing to let the troop rest for even a moment. Until midnight struck, he would never seek a place to halt.

Then he turned to Lu Jiahua and said, "Let's go. It has been a very long time since I last came here." It truly had been a long time—so long that even those who belonged to her had turned to dust, and she had never returned once since.

Cha Xuan was genuinely panicked, yet she had no idea what to say at this moment, because everything that needed to be said had already been spoken.

"Sincerity? Today I will show you what our sincerity looks like!" Without the slightest warning, Wang Yongzhu delivered a fierce flying kick, sending Hunter Qin crashing against the courtyard gate with a deafening bang before he rolled down from the gate into the courtyard itself.

It was much like obtaining an exquisite and expensive pearl, outwardly clever and alluring, coveted by all and of priceless value.

After the construction site was completed, he drove home. While negotiating the winding mountain road, a boulder detached from the mountain above and hurtled down directly in front of his hood. Qin Yi reacted with lightning speed, swerving hard to the right to clear it. Fortunately he turned right; had he turned left, the vehicle would have plunged straight into the mountain ravine.

At that moment, the sound of knocking on doors echoed once more, and several men walked in from outside. The one leading them was pot-bellied and greasy, bearing all the hallmarks of seasoned street ruffians.

Never had she imagined that Song Chongjin, who was always stern and unsmiling on ordinary days, could be like this at home.

Seeing the actions of Wang Hengjiang and the various elders, Xiang Yu's expression of contempt grew even thicker as he said dismissively, "Hmph."

In the same breath, she repeatedly urged Mother Wu to take down and display the household Guanyin statue. She needed to offer fervent prayers, preferably begging the Bodhisattva to ensure that both the Wang woman and Song Yin fell gravely ill and never recovered.

Liren was similarly preoccupied, his mind entirely consumed by thoughts of steel. He knew that his current forces could not guarantee absolute immunity from enemy attacks; he desperately needed to forge a hidden trump card of his own to safeguard against provocations and assaults in the turbulent years of the postwar era ahead.

I watched at the station for a while before Doghead sent word, informing me that the matter was resolved and it was finally my turn to make an entrance. Unsure whether Yang Zizi or Gong Chang would emerge as the ultimate victor, I could only wait with patient endurance.

To the sixteen-year-old Sun Fengzhao, where he eventually settled mattered little. Remembering the kindness of the Blood Grave Village residents who had assisted in burying his parents, he readily agreed to Village Chief Zhao's invitation and arrangements.

Hearing this, Shen Lie instantly snapped back to his senses. He hurriedly scooped up their garments and rushed to the edge of the hot spring. Lacking soap bean was of no consequence; scrubbing them clean with plain water would suffice just as well.

It was rare for him to wear such a radiant smile in everyday life; at most, he would merely curve his lips without showing his teeth. Yet now, smiling with such vernal brilliance, he suddenly possessed a breathtaking beauty that shone with dazzling splendor, a peerless grace impossible to conceal. Even the background seemed to sprout pink bubbles and blossoms on its own.

Just as the figure lunged forward, the humanoid bat instantly vanished without a trace. The strike missed entirely, and Liren immediately reined in his contempt, spinning around to slash behind him. With a sudden "Whoosh!" several deep yellow hairs drifted down to the ground. Liren hurriedly withdrew his blade and assumed a defensive posture.

Wang Mazi refused to yield to superstition and retorted, "Dexin, you won't say when asked. If this delays things later, will you take the beatings of the board for me?" With that, he prepared to lift his foot and step inside. Just as he raised his foot, the few soldiers who had entered moments earlier rushed out in the exact same flustered manner as Li Si, collapsing onto the ground to vomit.

Long Zuhai had long since discovered the leaking roof, yet he had never found a moment of leisure to undertake repairs. Not long ago, a torrential downpour had soaked the interior completely. If repairs were delayed further, the structural integrity of the walls might be compromised, and the entire house could very well collapse.

After all, this was someone brought directly out of the divine palace back then; her level of loyalty and reliability remained unquestioned.

Upon catching sight of Yu Zhen, the dark shadow paused briefly, clearly not anticipating encountering another person in this place.

Tang Mingxuan nodded. Three minutes later, Leng Lie handed the flash drive over to Tang Mingxuan, tidied up his belongings, exchanged a brief farewell, and departed.

With those words, he pulled Qingluo toward the seating area in the corner of the banquet hall. Watching Qingmu leave, Mo Yushang shook his head with helpless resignation and resumed his task of arranging the items.

Facing the rushing Pinto, Sun Wu effortlessly executed a smooth, flowing flick, sending the ball soaring over Pinto's head. Sun Wu then gracefully bypassed him and tapped the ball into the empty net.

Though his vitality remained formidable, the gaping hole in his chest posed the most troublesome problem. While the wound showed signs of closing, it was barely noticeable, and his lung injury only worsened his coughing spells, further hindering the healing process.