Chapter 333, Don’t Play with Fire (First Update)

"Mom, if dad saw how excited you get around other men, our house would probably be filled with the smell of vinegar."

"Then let him soak in his vinegar jar," Veya said with a laugh.

"Just ignore him."

Jiang Yisheng listened, his smile deepening at the corners of his mouth.

"Asheng, when did you meet Mr. Ji?" Veya asked curiously, "How come I’ve never heard you mention him before?"

"He’s a friend of Jiuliang," he said.

"He’s a friend? Invite him over sometime," Veya suggested.

"No need. I’m not close with him," Jiang Yisheng replied calmly, with an even tone.

"You little rascal, that young man seems quite personable. You don’t have many friends; it’s good to make more," Veya said helplessly.

Jiang Yisheng hummed noncommittally, "Mom, I’ve got work to do. We’ll chat another time."

After ending the video call, he turned around, unexpectedly meeting the man’s deep and clear black eyes.

Jiang Yisheng was startled.

When had he come out?

Ji Mingqian stood with his hands in his pockets, his gaze on Jiang carrying a trace of indescribable emotion.

An eerie silence stretched on endlessly.

After a while, Ji Mingqian shifted his gaze away and left without a word.

A breeze blew by, strands of hair brushing across his clear green eyes, Jiang Yisheng pursed his lips, his grip tightening on the phone in his hand.

Suddenly, he walked into the living room, where the servant informed him that Ji Mingqian had already left.

"Asheng, why are you alone? Didn’t Aqian come over?" Ye Jiuliang’s voice came from behind him.

Jiang Yisheng lowered his gaze, "He left."

"He left?" Ye Jiuliang was astonished, "Didn’t he say he was going to have dinner here tonight?"

What was that guy playing at?

"I’m not sure either," Jiang Yisheng replied.

Ye Jiuliang furrowed his brows and dialed a number on his phone.

"Aqian, where did you run off to?"

Next to him, Jiang Yisheng’s steps faltered, almost imperceptibly retreating.

"What are you doing in country F?" Ye Jiuliang asked.

Whatever Ji Mingqian said on the other end of the phone made Ye Jiuliang’s tightly furrowed brows gradually relax.

"Hmm, then take care of yourself."

Jiang Yisheng pulled his thoughts back and turned to head upstairs.

Well, that’s that.

**

Late at night, the headquarters were brightly lit.

When Gu Xinuo arrived, everyone was already arranging supper.

"Boss Nuo."

"Boss Nuo, want to join us for supper?"

"Boss Nuo is definitely here to see Master Chu; we better not be third wheels."

"Exactly, being a third wheel might get you a beating from Master Chu."

A burst of laughter rang out, reaching for the sky.

Gu Xinuo rolled her eyes at them, unamused.

These offbeat fools.

Suddenly remembering something, a schadenfreude smile appeared on her lips.

"I’ve got good news for you guys. Next month’s headquarters trial will be led by Master Jiu. Eat and drink up, don’t leave yourselves with regrets," she said.

Instantly, the laughter stopped dead.

Everyone frowned, their lips trembling, uncertain whether to cry or to cry.

The sky is about to rain, moms are about to remarry, and they were about to be out of luck.

Seeing their faces looking like they wanted to cry but couldn’t, Gu Xanuo laughed even louder, "Should I interpret that expression as being overjoyed?"

Look at the deterrence power of my Ajiu, the expressions on these young men’s faces are so "cute."

"Big Boss Nuo, is there any room for negotiation?" one of the young men swallowed and asked tentatively.

The others looked at her with eyes full of hope.

Gu Xanuo stopped laughing and seriously spit out two words, "No."

Just you guys try to tease me, let’s see if you can still laugh then.

"..."

Everyone was petrified.

Someone, please save the children.

Master Jiu, we are not meeting.

"All right, keep eating your late-night snack and don’t put on such long faces. Master Jiu would be unhappy if he knew," she said.

Having thrown a depth charge among the crowd, Gu Xanuo hummed a little tune and left in a cheerful mood.

When she arrived at Chu Chen’s office, the deep-colored door was ajar, and a soft light spilled from the narrow opening.

Gu Xanuo’s eyes gleamed, and she raised her hand to knock.

"Knock, knock—"

"Come in."

A deep and magnetic voice resonated from inside.

Gu Xanuo pushed the door open and raised her eyes to see a man focused on work at his desk.

She walked slowly to the desk, clenched her fist, and gently tapped on the surface, "Boss Chu, want to join me for a late-night snack?"

Before she finished speaking, the man who had been buried in the documents suddenly looked up, meeting the woman’s beaming face with an involuntary smile of his own.

"Why are you here so late?" he stood up, walked around the desk, and approached her.

"Then why are you still here, looking at files so late?" Gu Xanuo retorted.

"They’re all having a late-night snack, why didn’t you join them?"

This workaholic only knows to remind her to eat on time but neglects himself for paperwork.

"I’m not hungry," Chu Chen replied, grasping her hand and bringing it to his lips for a kiss.

Gu Xanuo switched off his computer and pulled him towards the door, "I’m hungry, come on, let’s go for a late-night snack."

Not hungry my ass, he probably didn’t even eat much for dinner.

"Wait a second, let me grab my phone and coat," Chu Chen held her back, half-laughing, half-crying.

Putting on his coat, Chu Chen turned off the office lights and led her out by the hand.

"Where do you want to eat?" he asked.

"Let’s go to that night market that the four of us used to frequent," she suggested.

"Fine, I’ll follow your lead," he agreed.

"Achen, the base has recently taken on a lot of orders, many snatched from Dark Hall. Do you think we’ll end up fighting with them if this continues?"

Organization power struggles were full of smoke and blood, and they had long since become accustomed to this. However, if the opponent was Dark Hall, they needed to weigh the situation more carefully.

"Is Ajiu ever going to come clean to Li Mochan about his identity?" Chu Chen frowned and straightened his face.

Without making their identities clear, a clash between the two powers was inevitable.

"Ajiu said he’s leaving it to Li Mochan to discover for himself. The two of them are so alike in temperament, and Ajiu loves to have fun. I’m not sure what he’s thinking," Gu Xanuo replied.

"Make sure to remind him not to play with fire," Chu Chen said with schadenfreude.

Gu Xanuo grinned and patted his arm lightly, "You’d be flattened by Ajiu if he heard you say that."

"If she did, which side would you be on?" Chu Chen stopped, his gaze intense as he looked at her.

"I’d be on Ajiu’s side," she replied with a smile, her blunt answer leaving Chu Chen feeling like coughing up blood.

"Forget it, I don’t want a late-night snack anymore."

With that, he turned to go back to his office.

Gu Xanuo hugged his arm, wanting to laugh for some reason, "Come on, I was just teasing you. Let’s go, let’s go have that late-night snack."

"Then which side are you on?" Chu Chen persisted, as though he would not proceed without the answer he wanted.

"I’m on..." Gu Xanuo drawled, smiling mischievously, "neither side. I’ll just watch the drama with Aqian."