Chapter 1671

"Take your time paying it back, no rush."

"Which kind is this time? A slightly better super pajama, or a slightly better super pajama?"

"Probably neither, just take a look."

"Neither?"

Li Ruanyu picked one up in confusion.

The texture was silky and soft.

The moment Li Ruanyu touched it, she knew it was the newest and best material.

Her heart leaped with joy, but she froze when she saw the attributes.

"Huh??"

Zhao Chi had seen that reaction from her several times over the past few days, and every time it struck him as pretty amusing.

"Not surprising, not surprising — after all, it's Senior Zhang's work, it's just too powerful… Zhao Chi, could you help me ask him if I could meet him? I'd observe the etiquette of a disciple… ah, never mind… forget it, Zhao Chi, just pretend I never said anything… what did Senior Zhang say this time? Why would he give you so many pajamas?"

Zhao Chi improvised at random: "Same as before, Senior Zhang doesn't want to move around carelessly. From what I can tell of his situation, I'd guess he's hiding from some person or faction. So he gave me this kind of pajama and told me to… raise our strength as fast as possible, so that once things around here are stable, he can rest easy."

"I see."

"Right, last time I held back some of the pajamas and gave you the rest. When Senior Zhang learned we liked this kind of fashion, he gave me these."

Li Ruanyu was thrilled to hear this.

"Can you actually talk to Senior Zhang now? Then could you help me ask…"

"No."

"Huh? Oh…"

"Senior Zhang said the fashion can be given to me to sell, but he doesn't want me to bother him, and he strictly forbids me from bringing anyone else."

"Understood…"

Li Ruanyu nodded, her expression somewhat solemn.

She thought for a moment, then said: "We should still be extra careful. Recluses like this all have very strange tempers, but someone like him is already about as good as it gets — being willing to give us so many super-powered fashion pieces, we should be grateful… Senior Zhang wants to buy his peace with these fashion pieces, and we really shouldn't disturb him. Understood, understood…"

Zhao Chi thought to himself, not bad — that's an angle I hadn't even thought of; Li Ruanyu came up with it for him.

Li Ruanyu said: "Thank you, Zhao Chi, I really don't know what to say. But since you trust me this much, even if I died I would never tell anyone about you and Senior Zhang. And you're willing to sell me all these pajamas — that's an enormous favor. From now on, Zhao Chi, you're my man, and no one else is going to lay a finger on you! Here, take this."

Saying so, Li Ruanyu pulled out something very familiar.

Brown.

The surface was very smooth, like a block of wood that had been lacquered or waxed.

But the edges and the broken face on the back were very irregular, like a piece of tree bark.

Zhao Chi didn't need to pick it up to know it was a Fuxi Qin shard.

Li Ruanyu said: "This is a Fuxi Qin shard. I was originally keeping it for long-range communication and coordinated combat, but it doesn't matter — I'll give it to you first. This Fuxi Qin shard may not look like much, but it's very powerful. No matter which formation you're in, no matter what restrictions you're under, it doesn't matter. Even if you're in Dark Night City, you can contact me instantly. As long as you run into danger, I'll rush over the moment it happens. Go on, take it."

Another Fuxi Qin shard.

For Li Ruanyu, this prop really wasn't just for calling for help — it was a strategic prop.

Long-range contact with allies and coordinated combat — that was the real value of this prop.

"Sister, how many do you have in total?"

"I originally had three, but two were used up in a few important battles earlier, so now I only have this one left. It doesn't matter, I'll find a way to buy more later. You take it first — at the very least I need to keep you safe."

Zhao Chi really wanted it.

The more of these things, the better.

If Li Ruanyu had two, Zhao Chi would have taken them without a second thought, but she only had one.

The fact that she was willing to give it proved her sincerity.

Her sincerity was what mattered; Zhao Chi, however, couldn't really accept it.

After thinking it over, Zhao Chi decided to be honest: "It's fine, I have one too. Since you only have one as well, you don't need to give it to me. There will be plenty of battles ahead — it's more useful for you to keep it."

"Huh? You have one too?" Li Ruanyu didn't believe him at all: "You wouldn't be refusing because you heard me say it was a prop used up in important battles, would you?"

"How could I? Look."

Saying so, Zhao Chi pulled out the Fuxi Qin shard Shangguan Ting had given him.

"You really do have one… huh? This is Shangguan Ting's?"

Zhao Chi was stunned.

How did Li Ruanyu know?

Li Ruanyu was stunned too: "You robbed Shangguan Ting???"

Her face was full of confusion.

Saying something she herself didn't even believe.

Zhao Chi said, speechless: "Sister, do you even hear what you're saying? Me rob her? I'd be thanking my lucky stars if she didn't rob me — how could I possibly rob her? And… how did you tell?"

Li Ruanyu pointed at the two shards and said: "Every shard is a little different. The material and size are roughly the same, but the details vary a lot — they really do look like pieces broken off a wooden qin."

Zhao Chi looked at the two shards as well, and indeed found the details completely different.

Li Ruanyu frowned: "Zhao Chi, did you steal it? You didn't leave any traces, did you? That woman Shangguan Ting is very difficult to deal with. Tell me quickly, I'll help you think of a way to head off the trouble."

Zhao Chi said: "Sister, how could I possibly steal someone else's stuff? This is… even though it's hard to believe, Shangguan Ting gave this to me."

"Impossible!"

Li Ruanyu blurted out: "I recognize this shard because it left a deep impression on me — after all, last time the two of us nearly came to blows fighting over this shard, and Shangguan Ting even turned hostile on the spot. How could she possibly give it to you? Did she… have you two already…? No wonder she specifically asked to see you last time, and she had that kind of look on her face… that dead woman!! How dare she…"

Zhao Chi suddenly saw fury on Li Ruanyu's face.

The usually gentle and refined Li Ruanyu was actually grinding her teeth?

But it was all in her imagination…

Zhao Chi hurriedly made something up: "Ruanyu, calm down. Nothing happened between me and Shangguan Ting. The reason she gave it to me… is because I had previously sent her some fashion items to clear up our misunderstanding."

"Huh? Is that so?"

Li Ruanyu's expression softened.

Zhao Chi nodded: "That's right, exactly like that."

"What kind of fashion items did you send her?"

"Just… just the most ordinary stockings."

"You mean this kind?"

Li Ruanyu pointed at her own legs.

Zhao Chi looked at her pale legs and nodded: "Yes."

"That doesn't sound right, does it? This kind of fashion item is indeed very rare, but… that's a Fuxi Qin shard."

Zhao Chi kept fabricating: "Besides these stockings, of course there were also high heels and a blouse—counted as a full outfit—so she got impulsive and gave it to me."

"Oh… that woman really is simple-minded, often acting on impulse. If it was a full set… it actually could be possible."

Li Ruanyu nodded silently.

Then she asked again: "But she didn't come back asking for it, did she? I'm just afraid that once she comes to her senses, she'll cause you trouble. After all, that Fuxi Qin shard isn't easy to obtain, and it should be very important to her too."

"She never came looking for me."

"Oh, that's good then."

"Alright, sis, let's not talk about her anymore."

"I don't want to mention her either—just bringing her up makes me angry, but this matter is always going to be a hassle. How about this—if Shangguan Ting comes looking for you, just tell her you've already given that Fuxi Qin shard to me, and have her come straight to me! I'll deal with her for you!"

"Haha, alright."

"Mm, as long as she doesn't bother you, I can rest easy… Originally I wanted to thank you, but how did the topic keep drifting off? Let's get to the main point. The stats on these pajamas really are quite nice. How much does Senior Zhang plan to sell them for?"

"50 gold coins."

"That cheap again?"

"Mm, didn't I already say? What he wants is for us to develop as quickly as possible and create a stable environment for him."

Li Ruanyu nodded.

Although she felt this reason was very far-fetched, it did seem to hold up.

"Zhao Chi, I won't hold off on paying you this time. Since there are so many new fashion items, and there are male styles too, I'll sell the previous styles to the other lords in our squad, and sell some of these new ones as well. I should be able to get you a sum of money pretty soon."

"Mm, it's fine."

"I don't know how to thank you properly. Let me first thank you on behalf of the entire Jade Squad."

Saying so, Li Ruanyu gave Zhao Chi a standard salute.

Dashing and valiant.