Blinded chapter 44
Chang Xin was very dissatisfied with Xie Li’s handling of the matter.
“You clearly didn’t have to throw them away.”
Xie Li lifted his wine glass and took a sip. “The bar belongs to Xiaojia. I couldn’t risk them being discovered in the bar.”
Chang Xin looked at him. “Are you unwilling to involve Xiaojia?”
Xie Li replied calmly, “It’s not just Xiaojia who would be involved.”
Chang Xin smiled, one arm leaning on the dining table, and one leg raised. “Anyway, you’ve disappointed me.”
Xie Li remained silent.
Suddenly, the kitchen door was pushed open, and a petite and pretty girl with slightly curled long hair appeared at the door, wearing a long shirt that might belong to Chang Xin. It almost covered her thighs, giving the impression that she was wearing nothing underneath.
“Chang Xin!” The girl cheerfully exclaimed, only noticing there was someone else in the kitchen after she spoke.
Chang Xin said coldly, “Go back and wait for me inside the room.”
The girl hesitated for a moment, then put away her smile and said, “Oh.” She stole a glance at Xie Li, turned around, and left the kitchen.
After a while, Xie Li heard voices coming from the stairs. He stood up from the high stool and said, “I’m going upstairs too.”
Chang Xin didn’t say anything, just drank his wine.
Xie Li came out of the kitchen and walked towards the second floor. As expected, he saw Chang Xiaojia standing on the edge of the stairs, seemingly talking to the girl.
Xie Li didn’t know what Chang Xiaojia had said, but he only heard the girl laughing and saying, “Then I’ll go back inside the room.”
Xie Li saw the girl entering Chang Xin’s room on the second floor. He then approached Chang Xiaojia and asked him, “What did you say to her?”
Chang Xiaojia said, “I told her that my brother is scum.”
Xie Li couldn’t help but find it amusing. He smirked and asked, “And what did she say?”
Chang Xiaojia said, “She said she thinks my brother is good.” After a short pause, he added, “Maybe she doesn’t care whether Chang Xin is scum or not.”
Xie Li slowly approached him. “Where were you off to?”
Chang Xiaojia looked at him. “To find you.”
Xie Li already knew the answer to that, so he kissed his forehead, held his hand and said, “Let’s go back inside.”
Before entering the room, Chang Xiaojia said, “I also asked her to help me get Teng Song’s autograph.”
Xie Li entered the room first, pulling him inside and locking the door. While carrying him toward the bathroom, he asked, “Who is Teng Song?” He felt like he had heard this name somewhere.
Chang Xiaojia raised his hand around Xie Li’s neck. “A celebrity.”
Xie Li said, “Oh. How will she manage to get a celebrity’s autograph?” He placed Chang Xiaojia down, suddenly curious as he looked at him. “What does Teng Song look like?”
Chang Xiaojia reached into his pocket, took out his phone, and, with a focused expression, found a photo. He turned it around to show Xie Li.
After looking at it, Xie Li said, “Not bad.” After a moment, he asked, “Am I more good-looking than him?”
Chang Xiaojia, began undressing and got into the bathtub, sat down with arms hugging his knees, looked at Xie Li and said, “You’re more good-looking.”
Xie Li smiled.
Chang Xiaojia’s hand slipped into the hem of Xie Li’s shirt, touching his firm abdominal muscles. “The best-looking and attractive person I’ve met.”
Xie Li boldly took off his shirt, revealing his attractive body to Chang Xiaojia. He then bent down to kiss his lips.
Chang Xiaojia was dizzy from the kiss, and his toes tensed.
Xie Li said, “I’m going to visit Hu Minxin tonight.”
Chang Xiaojia, with a dreamy look in his eyes, asked, “Who?”
Knowing that Chang Xiaojia might not pay much attention to what he said at the moment, Xie Li said, “Don’t worry about it. He just needs some help with something, and I’ll bring you dinner when I come back. What do you want to eat?”
Chang Xiaojia held onto Xie Li’s arm tightly, breathless, and said, “I want to eat you. Come back soon.”
Xie Li chuckled, “Sure.”
Even though he knew the risk of being discovered by Chang Xiaojia was significant, Xie Li still went to the hotel room agreed upon with Ruan Qiuyuan on the evening of the 15th.
On the way, Xie Li even had the taxi driver stop to buy a bouquet of flowers for her.
Somewhat absent-minded, he walked to the door of the agreed hotel room, knocking and waiting for Ruan Qiuyuan to open the door.
After just a few seconds, Ruan Qiuyuan opened the door for him from the inside.
“Thank you for the flowers,” Ruan Qiuyuan walked ahead, showing little interest in the flowers, casually placing them by the window.
Xie Li closed the door, locked it from the inside, and then sat down on the bed, unbuttoning his coat as he looked at Ruan Qiuyuan. “Is there something important you want to tell me?”
Ruan Qiuyuan drew the curtains, leaving only a dim yellow floor lamp in the room. She sat on the sofa by the bed and said to Xie Li, “Du Shenglian found Han Yue.”
Xie Li asked, “You mean Han Yue from the older generation of Hongfang? Does he have some leverage over Chang Guanshan?”
Ruan Qiuyuan shook her head, “Du Shenglian didn’t want to reveal too much to me. I overheard him and Wu Can talking privately. On the 13th of the lunar calendar, during the traditional Hongfang single-sword meeting, they plan to have Han Yue take action to bring down Chang Guanshan.”
Xie Li frowned, “Such a big matter, how did Du Shenglian dare to let you know?”
Ruan Qiuyuan said, “I have my ways, and Du Shenglian’s intention is only to bring down Chang Guanshan. But Wu Can is different; he wants to take advantage of the chaos and directly kill Chang Guanshan and his son.”
After a moment of silence, Xie Li asked, “Where is Han Yue?”
Ruan Qiuyuan shook her head, “I don’t know. I can’t find out at the moment.”
After a while, Xie Li nodded and stood up. “Thanks for letting me know.”
Ruan Qiuyuan looked at him, seemingly struggling, “What will you do?.”
Xie Li said, “I’ll figure something out.”
Ruan Qiuyuan still frowned slightly, not fully reassured.
Suddenly Xie Li, Seeing Ruan Qiuyuan, a woman, navigating around Du Shenglian and Wu Can, he felt upset. He asked, “Is today really your birthday?”
Ruan Qiuyuan looked at him with some surprise, “Yes, why do you suddenly ask?”
Xie Li walked slowly to the window, picked up the bouquet, and handed it to her with a serious expression. “Happy birthday.”
Ruan Qiuyuan smiled as she accepted it, “Thank you.”
Seeing her holding the flowers and looking down, after a while, Xie Li couldn’t help but ask, “Tell me, are you willing to sacrifice so much for Haiman?”
Ruan Qiuyuan’s smile gradually faded, and she looked up at Xie Li. “Yes, for Haiman, and for the mission.” Then she asked, “And you? Is it for Haiman?”
Xie Li replied with the same answer, “For Haiman, and for the mission.”
Ruan Qiuyuan stood up, holding the flowers, “What about Chang Xiaojia?”
Xie Li avoided her gaze, his voice low, “He’s different from Chang Guanshan and the others. He’s not like them.”
Ruan Qiuyuan said, “I don’t know what kind of person Chang Xiaojia is, and I won’t judge. I just hope you remember how Chen Haiman died.”
Xie Li remained silent.
Ruan Qiuyuan continued, “Haiman liked you, do you know that?”
Xie Li tightened his lips, swallowed, and took a deep breath. “I know. She confessed to me, but I turned her down.”
Tears suddenly fell from Ruan Qiuyuan’s eyes, and she said, “So that’s how it is.”
Unable to see her cry, Xie Li couldn’t help but hug her. The bouquet between them was pressed out of shape. Xie Li said, “I swear I won’t let the real culprit who killed Haiman go, no matter who it is!”
Xie Li told her, “Everyone will get what they deserve.”