Chapter 4: The Pawn in the Scheme

"Heh."

Li Jiaci couldn't help but laugh.

Having come this far, she was still making excuses to herself.

"You didn't betray me."

Li Jiaci stared at her and asked: "What's the deal with the hat outside Wild Fire?"

"I—I don't know."

Li Qinglan swallowed and said: "Maybe it's just a surprise inspection."

"What kind of person is the boss of Wild Fire?"

"Do you think Maozi would idly go check his place for no reason?"

Li Jiaci pressed Li Qinglan against the wall: "The only reason they came over is that they knew Wild Fire would have a big incident, coming to claim credit."

"And we are going to take care of Zhao Pangzi at Wild Fire."

"Besides us few, only you know!"

"So, if it wasn't you who betrayed us, who else could it be? What's the point of your excuses?"

In his previous life, Li Qinglan was the one who first confessed her feelings to him, saying she liked him and wanted to live with him forever.

And Li Jiaci believed her words, sincerely treating her as his future wife.

Even if he had to go without food, he would take her to eat the best; even if he wore the same clothes for years, he would give her the best; even if he had no money, he would sell his blood to scrape together her tuition.

But he never imagined that this woman would be a white-eyed wolf that couldn't be tamed.

And seeing Li Qinglan press her lips tightly shut, saying nothing.

Li Jiaci could no longer contain the repressed anger in his heart, roaring at her: "Tell me, why on earth are you treating me like this? Why?"

Although he is a despicable thug, he is still a person and has feelings.

He believed he had never wronged Li Qinglan and had given her everything he could.

But she was utterly ungrateful, betraying him and even getting his brothers killed…

"If I die, then I die."

"What about Yihu? Chu Qiang? A Jiang? A Chen? And Xiao A Lan?"

"A Jiang braved the wind and snow of deep winter to bring you dumplings—have you forgotten?"

"Xiao A Lan normally wouldn't even buy himself a piece of candy, yet he saved the pocket money I gave him, just because he feared you'd be cold and wanted to buy you a scarf—have you forgotten?"

"They all sincerely called you sister-in-law, and genuinely treated you as family."

"But have you ever thought about what fate awaits them when they face those live-ammunition Maozi?"

If he did wrong, was caught, tried, and sentenced, he had no objections and held no grudges.

Just as in his previous life, after being caught he never uttered a word in his own defense, calmly accepting death.

But he could not accept letting his brothers die in his place.

In his previous life, it was he who killed Zhao Pangzi, and it was he who personally dismembered the body.

But because of this woman, his brothers ended up like that.

Li Jiaci could no longer suppress the anger in his heart and raised his hand to slap her.

Li Qinglan sat on the ground, her eyes somewhat hollow.

After a moment, she lifted her head to look at Li Jiaci: "Jiaci, you believe me, I didn't say anything, I—I didn't betray you all, I—I only—just didn't want you to come to harm, so I told him, hoping he could stop you."

"Heh."

"Do you even believe that yourself?"

In his previous life, Li Jiaci also didn't believe that she had betrayed him.

In his impression, Li Qinglan was a white lotus unstained by pollution.

Even when abroad, it was only his love for this woman that let him endure those hardships.

He had even thought that, when he someday returned to the country and found her, he would surely compensate her well.

But after he returned to the country, she had already vanished from the world, and he remained grieving for a long time, even staying unmarried for life.

Until shortly before his execution was to be carried out, a former cellmate who had once been a Maozi mentioned the events of those years, and only then did he realize just how poisonous this woman's heart truly was.

Li Jiaci then didn't want to waste more words on her, and directly said: "Who is that person? Tell me!"

Previous life.

He had always blamed his brothers' deaths on himself.

Only later did he learn that his brothers' deaths were entirely a setup, and that he and his brothers were merely pawns in this game.

But unfortunately, by the time he found out all this, it was already too late.

Now, Heaven has given him a chance to start over, giving him the opportunity to see this woman again, to confront the enemy who dragged him into the scheme, and naturally he wants to seize the chance to ferret out the person who plotted everything from behind the scenes.

But Li Qinglan at this moment tightly shut her mouth, saying nothing.

Seeing this scene.

Li Jiaci took a deep breath, then suddenly reached out and grabbed her throat: "Speak, and you may live; stay silent, and you will die!"

"Jia, Jiaci."

"I—I can't catch my breath..."

Li Qinglan glared with her eyes, her originally fair face flushing red,

Seeing killing intent surge in Li Jiaci's eyes, her heart filled with terror, she struggled to pry his hand off.

But who is Li Jiaci?

He is a figure who relied on sheer brute strength to fight his way from Jie Tou into the club; how could a little girl possibly shake his strength?

In the end, she could only plead for mercy with her tear-filled eyes toward Li Jiaci.

Just as Li Qinglan felt the darkness before her eyes growing deeper and the world beginning to drift away from her, a knocking sound came.

Only then did Li Jiaci slowly loosen his grip on Li Qinglan's neck.

Mm……

Li Qinglan weakly knelt on the ground, gasping heavily, her gaze toward Li Jiaci filled with fear.

Li Jiaci ignored her, walked straight to the door, pulled it open, and saw that the visitor was none other than Zhang Chuqiang.

Seeing him come out, Zhang Chuqiang immediately handed him a travel bag.

"These are the things we got from Brother Zhang."

"I had left it in the car just now and forgot to bring it up."

Li Jiaci glanced at the bag: "I know, go back to sleep."

"Mm!"

Upon hearing that, Zhang Chuqiang was about to turn around.

But at that moment he noticed the mess in the room, immediately frowned and asked, "Brother, did your place get robbed?"

Recalling the scene of his own return just now, Li Jiaci couldn't help but give a self‑mocking laugh.

"Don't ask, hurry back and rest; we still have things to do tomorrow."

This matter is not glorious for him, and he also does not want his brothers to know.

Zhang Chuqiang gave him a deep look and said, "If there's anything, just tell us; I'll head back first."

After seeing Zhang Chuqiang off.

Li Jiaci closed the door and returned to Li Qinglan's side.