Chapter 53: How Dare You Think That?
In the supreme private room on the second floor of the Blue’s Bar, Gu Yunqi lay on a sofa, sipping wine.
Dressed in a cheongsam and with her feet clad in black stockings swaying in mid-air, her cheeks flushed with the intoxication of too much wine, she hummed a nursery rhyme, lost in her own world.
The knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Gu Yunqi frowned, climbed off the sofa, and slipped into the high heels tossed aside. “Come in,” she said, allowing entry.
The guard entered cautiously, keeping his head low and not daring to look up. “What is it?” Gu Yunqi asked lazily, setting her wine glass on the coffee table, her voice sultry and soft.
“There’s someone claiming to be your junior brother wanting to see you.”
“Oh? My junior brother?” Gu Yunqi raised an eyebrow playfully.
“Yes, he appears to be around twenty years old…”
“Alright, I’ll call him.” The guard, relieved, quickly exited the room, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Gu Yunqi’s presence was overwhelmingly intimidating.
Back at the entrance, the guard respectfully informed Ye Chen, “Sir, our boss invites you in. She’s in the number nine private room on the second floor.”
“Thank you,” Ye Chen replied with a smile and made his way upstairs to the private room.
Knocking on the door of room nine, Ye Chen entered upon Gu Yunqi’s permission. “Senior sister…” he greeted, slightly taken aback.
Gu Yunqi looked different from his memories of her in the mountains. Her hair was styled in wavy curls, and her face was lightly made up, less innocent and more enchanting.
“When did you come down from the mountain?” Gu Yunqi asked curiously, indicating that Ye Chen must have reached the Innate realm, as per their sect’s unspoken rule that only disciples who attained the Innate realm could leave the mountain.
The world was far more complex than it seemed; higher cultivation meant greater survival chances.
“About ten days ago…”
“Why are you looking for me instead of your senior sister?” Gu Yunqi queried, aware of Ye Chen’s special feelings for Shen Qingqiu that everyone but Shen Qingqiu herself knew.
Shen Qingqiu, always engrossed in her training, never noticed Ye Chen’s affections, and their sect strictly prohibited such relationships, so Ye Chen had never confessed his feelings.
“This is a complicated matter,” Ye Chen said with a bitter smile, deciding not to disclose how he was beaten by his senior sister. “I need your help with something, senior sister.”
“What do you need?” Gu Yunqi asked, sipping her wine. Despite not being close to Ye Chen, she was willing to hear him out as his senior sister.
“Do you know Jiang Che?” Ye Chen inquired, taking a deep breath.
“The young master of the Jiang family? Of course, I’ve heard of him. What about him?” Gu Yunqi was puzzled, not understanding why Ye Chen suddenly brought up Jiang Che.
“I’ve had some conflicts with him… I want you to help me deal with him,” Ye Chen said, his eyes flickering with an intense hatred towards Jiang Che.
“What did you say?” Gu Yunqi was shocked, nearly unable to believe her ears. “You want to take on Jiang Che?”
Ye Chen confirmed, “Yes, I want to take down Jiang Che and the entire Jiang family!” His eyes were filled with a fierce resolve, indicating deep-seated animosity.
“Do you have a personal vendetta against him?” Gu Yunqi furrowed her brows, sensing the undeniable murderous intent in Ye Chen’s eyes.
Ye Chen nodded but didn’t elaborate further, knowing Gu Yunqi wouldn’t help him if she knew Jiang Che was his senior sister’s fiancé.
“Do you even realize what kind of power the Jiang family holds?” Gu Yunqi asked with a hint of self-mockery. She would have liked to eliminate Jiang Che herself but was restrained by her responsibilities towards her family.
“The Jiang family is just one of the four major families in Linjiang City, right? Do they have some other background?” Ye Chen asked, confused, not aware of any other rumors.
“It’s not as simple as you think,” Gu Yunqi shook her head. “The Jiang family has a significant influence in the entire Jiangzhou region. You can’t afford to provoke them, just give up.”
She bluntly discouraged Ye Chen, not to undermine his confidence but because his plan was utterly unrealistic. She herself had never even considered retaliating against Jiang Che.