“Lou Ze, help me double-check that none of the ‘Blizzard’ members have any missions scheduled for that day.”
Bai XingQi stood before the mirror, dressed in a cheongsam, eyes fixed on her reflection. Outside the room, the scarred man named Lou Ze held a list in hand, studying it with quiet seriousness.
“Boss, I’ve already confirmed it. No one's got any assignments for that day.”
“Good. That day is the Gu family’s banquet. ‘Blizzard’ needs to halt all activities. We can’t afford to let any of our people stir up unnecessary trouble.” Ever since Bai XingQi’s last conversation with Gu WeiJun, she’d sensed something off in the organization’s atmosphere.
But if she were to investigate directly, it would only cause unrest within the ranks.
That’s why she entrusted the matter to Lou Ze—it was simply the safest choice.
Lou Ze was someone Bai XingQi trusted more than anyone else.
Back when she reclaimed control over ‘Blizzard,’ Lou Ze had been the first to stand by her side.
They’d been through life and death together—there was no reason for her not to believe in him.
“Oh, right—Lou Ze, what do you think of my outfit?”
She opened the door. Lou Ze stared, momentarily stunned.
But almost immediately, he lowered his head, avoiding her gaze. For some reason, whenever he looked at Bai XingQi, he felt a gnawing guilt.
Maybe she never imagined that he would be the one to betray her in the end.
“…You look beautiful.”
“Go buy yourself a suit this weekend,” Bai XingQi said casually. “We’re going to the Gu family’s banquet together. Besides, I have a few things I want to discuss with Gu WeiJun.”
The mention of Gu WeiJun brought a slight warmth to her tone.
They did share a bit of history—back from before Gu WeiJun got married.
She hadn’t expected him to marry so quickly, let alone already have a child, while she remained single all this time.
Still, she didn’t mind. These days, her focus was on dragging ‘Blizzard’ out from under the shadows, making it a true part of the Bai family legacy.
And of course, the one to ultimately take control of the Bai family—had to be her.
“By the way, have you been keeping an eye on Bai YongKang? Lately, every time I go home, he’s never there. I have no idea what he’s secretly up to.”
“I looked into it,” Lou Ze reported. “Bai YongKang’s been busy handling company affairs. It’s unexpected. I suspect he’s trying to gain recognition from the other Bai family members by delivering results at the company.”
At that, Bai XingQi chuckled, though her laugh dripped with mockery.
“Trying to prove himself now, after all these years? If Bai YongKang had done anything decent before, the Bai family wouldn’t be in this mess. My father wouldn’t have had to come begging me at ‘Blizzard.’ Back then, he blinded himself chasing profit and went against the Gu family—this downfall, he brought on himself.”
As for her brother, Bai XingQi felt only hatred.
It was because of him that she’d been cast out of the Bai family and forced to survive the hell that was ‘Blizzard.’
And yet… it was also because of this place that she met two wonderful girls—her sisters in all but blood. Even though they were no longer by her side, she hadn’t stopped searching for them all these years.
Finding them now was like looking for a needle in a haystack, but Bai XingQi had never once considered giving up. She knew, deep down, she would find them one day.
“It’s late. You should get some rest,” she said with a smile to Lou Ze. “You’ve been working hard lately.”
But her smile dimmed when she caught sight of the scar on Lou Ze’s face.
Her hand reached out on instinct, gently brushing over it.
“…I’m sorry, Lou Ze. You nearly lost your face because you tried to save me.”
“What are you saying, Boss? I chose this myself.” Lou Ze took a step back, his eyes flickering with emotion.
Bai XingQi awkwardly withdrew her hand and cleared her throat.
“Alright, enough. Go get some rest—it’s late.”
She returned to her room, and Lou Ze stood there for a moment, silent, before finally turning to leave.
But as he lifted his head, Bai XingQi’s words about Gu WeiJun echoed in his mind.
His fists clenched. A strange frustration welled up in his chest.
“…Am I really doing the right thing?”
He walked toward his room, not looking back—but his steps were uncertain.
HuMing looked at the message from Ye QiuXue and felt a little puzzled.
She said Shi Ren wanted to talk to him—said he had some things to discuss.
HuMing knew Shi Ren was part of ‘Blizzard,’ but there was something oddly familiar about the guy, as if they’d met before.
Yet he was certain that he had no memory of ever seeing him.
Which raised a troubling question—who exactly was Shi Ren? Was he someone the old man had planted for him? Or… was he working for Shi Zhong?
HuMing figured speculation wouldn’t get him far.
Might as well just meet the guy and see what he’s really after.
He leaned against his bed, and suddenly, a thought of Kang Xin crossed his mind. He hadn’t checked in on her for quite a while.
He had no idea how she was getting along with her classmates lately.
That thought made HuMing sit up abruptly. He strode toward Kang Xin’s room.
But to his surprise, even after knocking, she didn’t respond.
He frowned. His phone still showed the messages he’d sent her. Normally, she would’ve replied right away. But this time—nothing.
A cold unease crept in. The Gu family had been unstable lately… It wouldn’t be strange if someone targeted those close to him.
Without hesitation, he twisted the door handle and pushed it open.
Just as he entered, he heard the shower shut off in the bathroom. Then his phone buzzed—Kang Xin had just replied.
At the same time, her voice floated out from the bathroom.
“Yeah, it’s me. I thought something had happened to you.”
“I was in the shower. Sorry I didn’t reply right away.” The bathroom door opened—and Kang Xin stepped out, wrapped only in a white towel. Her pale, long legs brushed softly against the carpet.
It should’ve been a picturesque moment, beauty stepping from the bath—but HuMing’s eyes caught something strange.
Just as Kang Xin turned, there seemed to be… something behind her.
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