Chapter 69: Did She Give You Anything?

Gu Rongjin grabbed the golden hairpin first, but unexpectedly it landed on a hand; the hand's owner stared at him with cold eyes.

"This golden hairpin is different; I gave it to Yuanzhi, she's worn it since childhood." Xiao Yichen said, his words full of boasting, "It's been ten years."

It really has been ten years; Mu Yuanzhi remembers it was when she was six, on her birthday, that Xiao Yichen gave it to her—actually, she had just pestered him for a birthday present, and he bought the golden hairpin on a whim.

She treasured it like a jewel and wore it for ten years; this time she deliberately left the golden hairpin behind, hoping he would recall their many years of affection and treat her a little better.

In truth, what affection? It was all her one-sided wish.

Gu Rongjin pulled his hand back in disgust, even wiping it on his clothes, and immediately asked Mu Yuanzhi, 'Xiao Yuanzhi, do you still want this golden hairpin?'

"It's just trash; otherwise how could I have lost it?" Mu Yuanzhi said.

Trash?

She actually said his gift to her is trash?!

Xiao Yichen instantly flared with anger, gripping the golden hairpin so tightly he didn't even feel if it pricked him.

"Have you heard, Grand Secretary Xiao? You're making a grand display filling the room—what are you trying to do? It just makes you look pitiful; Xiao Yuanzhi won't even glance at you anymore." Gu Rongjin said, laughing while shaking his fan.

Pei Yunxi watched them exchange blows, back and forth, feeling utterly unwell.

Brother Chen, what are you doing? Are you fighting over love?

Even earlier, when she saw the room full of things Mu Yuanzhi had given her, she felt Brother Chen was acting strangely today—what on earth was wrong with him?

Pei Yunxi tugged at Xiao Yichen's sleeve, trying to get his attention, but Xiao Yichen seemed oblivious, continuing to Gu Rongjin: 'All the things in this room were given to me by Yuanzhi; what about you? Has Yuanzhi ever given you anything?'

Gu Rongjin's face darkened instantly.

Indeed, Xiao Yuanzhi has never given him anything.

It's always been him showing kindness.

Having successfully struck a blow against Gu Rongjin, Xiao Yichen smirked triumphantly.

But the next instant he couldn't smile anymore, because Mu Yuanzhi took Gu Rongjin's hand and said, 'I am entirely Brother Rongjin's—what need is there to give gifts?'

Sudden happiness hit Gu Rongjin like a blow, and he couldn't react for a good while.

After he reacted, he felt wistful, thinking she must have said that just to provoke Xiao Yichen.

Xiao Yichen clenched the golden hairpin tightly; the broken ornament pierced his palm, making his hand bleed, yet he seemed oblivious to the pain.

Pei Yunxi panicked, quickly pulling out a handkerchief to staunch the bleeding: 'Brother Chen, you're losing a lot of blood!'

At this moment, Mu Yuanzhi understood why Xiao Yichen had been acting so strangely lately—it was possessiveness.

He felt possessive toward her, believing she ought to like him, ought to revolve around him, or else he would get angry.

What an arrogant, conceited man!

Gu Rongjin swept Mu Yuanzhi into his arms, smirking at Xiao Yichen: 'Have you heard, Grand Secretary Xiao? From now on, don't do anything that bothers my wife, or you'll look like you can't accept defeat.'

Every word of his struck a nerve in Xiao Yichen.

Defeat?

Xiao Yichen losing to Gu Rongjin? What a huge joke!

If it weren't for lack of evidence, he would have already had Gu Rongjin arrested and brought back for trial!

"Woof—! Woof—! Woof—!"

The urgent barks shattered the tense atmosphere; three huge wolf-dogs came flying like untethered wild horses, frightening many nearby scholars who couldn't even truss a chicken.

"Where did this unleashed dog come from?!"

"Ah! Don't come over!"

The instigator, Thus line: Xiao Chuchu, watched the chaos of flying chickens and dogs, smiling smugly.

Go on, go bite Mu Yuanzhi!

She's been waiting for this chance a long time!

Mu Yuanzhi fears dogs above all; even a tiny newborn pup would scare her to death, and these three huge wolf-dogs were the very guardians she once used to frighten Mu Yuanzhi so she wouldn't dare come to their house.

Watching the three huge wolf-dogs, at her behest, charge at Mu Yuanzhi whose face instantly turned pale, snarling, jaws wide open, baring fangs, Thus line: Xiao Chuchu couldn't help but feel excited.

She could already imagine how embarrassed Mu Yuanzhi would be later!

"Xiao Yuanzhi, don't be afraid—I'll protect you!" Gu Rongjin naturally knew Mu Yuanzhi feared dogs, and immediately stepped in front of her.

Xiao Yichen had certainly seen these three huge wolf-dogs before; they were his sister's pets.

He looked at the terror-stricken, pale Mu Yuanzhi, thinking if she asked him, he would help drive them away.

He knew just how much she feared dogs; whenever she saw one, her first reaction was to hide behind him.

Although his sister always acts rashly and impulsively, one has to admit she did well this time!

However, Mu Yuanzhi is no longer the former Mu Yuanzhi; though she still feels fear, she no longer panics and screams at the sight of a dog, but instead strives to stay calm and think of a countermeasure.

She knew this weakness, so she had already prepared some powder specially formulated to repel the wolf-dogs of the Grand Secretary's residence!

Mu Yuanzhi took out the packet of powder from her sleeve, about to scatter it, when she heard a sharp explosion: 'Help!'

The Qilin leapt even more fiercely than the three huge wolf-dogs; in his excitement, he grabbed whatever defensive weapon he had on him and flung it outward, regardless of what it was!

Oh no, I forgot there's another person who fears dogs just as she does!

Mu Yuanzhi's first reaction was to pull Gu Rongjin aside to dodge, but Gu Rongjin, focused only on protecting Mu Yuanzhi, almost got pricked by a needle flung from the Qilin.

"Phew! This couldn't be a poison needle, could it?!"

Gu Rongjin regretted a little teaching the Qilin martial arts—this kid is too dangerous!

Mu Yuanzhi: 'Remove the 'not'.'

Xiao Yichen wasn't so lucky—no one pulled him aside, and Pei Yunxi, frightened, jerked him about, a flying hammer glancing off his shoulder and smashing into his shoulder blade!

The Qilin kept throwing things wildly; while others weren't scared by the dogs, they were frightened by him and fled in all directions.

Mu Yuanzhi shouted loudly, 'Qilin, catch this—scattering this powder will drive away the dogs!'

Even if he went mad chasing the dogs, the Qilin still reacted instantly to Mu Yuanzhi's words; in the chaos he accurately caught the powder she threw, though he didn't know how he'd tossed it, and most of it ended up scattered he didn't know where.

Just as he felt regret, he suddenly saw the three big wolf‑dogs that had been chasing him make a 180‑degree turn and dash after Pei Yunxi!

So that's what driving the dogs means?

Good dog!

The boy who had just been scared witless now clutched his belly and laughed nonstop.

The reason is simple: it was now Pei Yunxi's turn to be scared by those three mad dogs and flee; she screamed and cried, calling out, "Brother Xiao, save me!"

Xiao Yichen drew his sword to chase the dogs, but he hesitated, not wanting to strike, because after all they were the dogs his sister had raised for many years; this hesitation cost him the chance, and the three wolf‑dogs succeeded in grabbing Pei Yunxi's clothes and biting wildly.