Qin Chuan exhaled a turbid breath, slowly stood up, and gazed out the window, muttering to himself, "I said I would shield you from everything!"
But just as his words fell, the urgent ring of a cell phone suddenly filled the air.
When he saw Xiao Mengyi’s name on the caller ID, he was stunned for a moment.
Ever since Xiao Mengyi had been taken back to the Xiao Family, they had completely lost contact. He knew she had been placed under house arrest and never expected her to call on the day of her engagement.
Once the call connected, he heard a familiar voice, "Qin Chuan, I’ve thought a lot these past days and have come to understand that, from my birth, I was destined to be a sacrificial pawn in a family alliance."
"I’ve understood this since I was young, so I’ve always worked hard to make myself more excellent, excellent enough that the family would be reluctant to use me as a matrimonial sacrifice."
"Only recently have I realized that no matter how excellent I become, I can’t change the fact that I am a woman of the Xiao Family. The more excellent I am, the greater the benefits I can bring to the Xiao Family."
"To escape all this, I would have to sever ties with the Xiao Family completely, but I can’t!"
Throughout it all, Qin Chuan didn’t say a word and just listened quietly to Xiao Mengyi’s outpouring.
"That night, let it be a beautiful encounter..."
After a brief silence, Xiao Mengyi continued, "From now on, if we meet again, we shall be strangers."
"Qin Chuan, goodbye!"
After uttering her last words, she hung up the phone.
Qin Chuan held the phone, his expression vacant.
For some reason, Xiao Mengyi’s words caused him to feel as though his heart was being wrung.
It was as if something he cherished greatly had flown away. He wanted to grasp it, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t catch it, and could only watch helplessly as it flew higher and farther away.
Meanwhile, at the Xiao Family’s small villa in the provincial city where Xiao Mengyi was under house arrest.
"Now, are you satisfied?"
Xiao Mengyi looked at Xiao Qing standing before her with red-rimmed eyes, brimming with disappointment.
Xiao Qing immediately revealed a satisfied smile and said, "Xiao Yi, don’t blame your mother. Although it’s for the Xiao Family, it’s also for your own good."
"Chen Kun is after all the future head of the Chen Family. Once you marry him, you will be the future mistress of the Chen Family—with wealth and honor that one couldn’t exhaust!"
"What’s so good about that boy? He’s nothing but useless trash. Compared to Chen Kun, he is refuse!"
Xiao Mengyi did not utter a word, only gazing fixedly at Xiao Qing with her red-rimmed eyes.
Xiao Qing felt extremely uncomfortable under such scrutiny, but with the engagement banquet scheduled for noon, she had to forcibly suppress her anger.
"The makeup artist will be here soon; make sure you cooperate," Xiao Qing instructed, before turning to leave.
Just as she was about to step out of the room, Xiao Mengyi’s voice suddenly rang out behind her, "I’ve done as you said and cut all ties with Qin Chuan. I hope you will keep your promise and recall the strong protector you’ve stationed beside his sister."
A cold glint flashed through Xiao Qing’s eyes, but without turning back, she said coldly, "As long as you cooperate with the engagement procedure, I assure you nothing will happen to the siblings."
With that, she walked away.
Only after Xiao Qing had gone did two lines of tears roll down Xiao Mengyi’s cheeks as she murmured, "It’s not that I wanted to sever ties with you, but if you were to show up at the engagement party, your sister’s life would be in danger!"
Qin Chuan was her only hope to leave the Xiao Family, but how could she bear to implicate him?
After leaving, Xiao Qing went straight to Xiao Tianquan.
"Dad, rest assured, I was watching when Xiao Mengyi called Qin Chuan. That boy won’t show up at today’s engagement banquet," she reported.
Xiao Qing said with a proud face, "Additionally, over at the East Sea Grand Hotel, I have already arranged for ten experts of the Dark Energy Peak Realm to ensure that no one will cause trouble."
"Besides that, I have arranged for the best obstetrician at the East Sea First People’s Hospital. Once today’s engagement banquet is over, I will take Xiao Mengyi to get an abortion, ensuring that her pregnancy remains a secret."
Xiao Tianquan’s brows furrowed. Even though Xiao Qing had made good arrangements, he still felt uneasy, as if there were still some oversights.
"If this young man does not die, I will not be at peace!"
Xiao Tianquan looked gloomy as he asked the Long Family Steward beside him, "Have you still not received any new information?"
The Long Family Steward shook his head with a bitter expression, "I offered a bounty of a billion yuan on the dark web for an assassination task, but until now, the task has yet to be completed."
Although Xiao Tianquan really wanted Qin Chuan dead, he was also aware that killing Qin Chuan would not be easy. If he could find someone in the East Sea capable of killing Qin Chuan, he would not have offered a billion yuan for the Long Family Steward to post the task on the dark web.
"This young man must die!"
Xiao Tianquan suddenly spoke, instructing the Long Family Steward, "Increase the bounty by another billion! Offer a twenty billion yuan bounty for an indefinite assassination task!"
Upon hearing these words, both Xiao Qing and the Long Family Steward were shocked.
"Family Head, isn’t the price too high?"
The Long Family Steward cautiously stated, "With this amount of money, even assassinating a Grandmaster Expert who has just entered the Energizing Skill realm would be sufficient. Could this young man really be as strong as an Energizing Skill Strong?"
Xiao Tianquan said with a grave expression, "It doesn’t matter what realm of expert he is. What’s important is that before Xiao Mengyi officially marries into the Chen Family, any man that has had any relationship with her must die!"
"Furthermore, she is pregnant with this man’s child!"
The Long Family Steward dared not say anything more and hastily responded, "Yes, Family Head! I will add to the bounty and publish the new task right away!"
Meanwhile, at the summit of Yunfeng.
Qin Chuan stood on the rooftop of a lavish residence, feeling indescribably uncomfortable since hanging up Xiao Mengyi’s call.
"What’s wrong with me?"
He suddenly laughed bitterly and shook his head, "Since she has chosen to accept the arranged marriage, what right do I have to interfere?"
"Forget it, let’s pretend I never knew her. It would be better to return to Jiangcheng City!"
Just as he was about to leave, his phone suddenly rang.
He answered the call and asked, "Xiao Yan, what’s the matter?"
Song Yan said, "There’s something we were planning to tell you when you got back, but after thinking it over, we’ve decided to tell you now."
"Just last night, my grandfather received an anonymous text message. The person advised us to ensure your sister’s safety."
Hearing Song Yan’s words, a chilling coldness burst forth from Qin Chuan.
Song Yan could feel Qin Chuan’s anger even over the phone and hurriedly added, "There’s more, Grandfather Qin Wang came yesterday. He took Nian Nian, saying that he was going to take her to pay respects to her parents."
"But don’t worry, my grandfather has already contacted Tang Zhonghan to protect Grandfather Qin and Nian Nian in secret."
Qin Chuan then breathed a sigh of relief; with Tang Zhonghan, an Energizing Skill Middle Stage Realm expert, secretly protecting them, they would be safe.
"There’s one more thing!"
Song Yan spoke again, her voice sounding very downhearted.
Qin Chuan said, "Speak!"
Song Yan said, "Xiao Mengyi is pregnant with your child!"