chapter 23
Hai Ge hesitated, a flash of unwillingness in his eyes.
After a moment, he spoke angrily, “Let them all go.”
“Brother Hai, if we let him go, how are we supposed to report back?” the blond man objected.
Gu Qingning sneered coldly, “If you want to report back, you need to have the life to return first.”
Being hit in a sore spot, Hai Ge’s expression darkened even more. “I said, let them go!”
The blond man gritted his teeth and reluctantly let go.
The scar-faced man quickly ran to Gu Qingning’s side. Gu Qingning grabbed Hai Ge and took a few steps back.
She lowered her voice, warning, “No one is allowed to follow us. Otherwise, if my hand slips, I can’t guarantee anything.”
At her words, the others were forced to stop in their tracks.
Once outside the internet café, Gu Qingning transformed her hand into a blade and struck at the back of Hai Ge’s neck.
“You…” Hai Ge’s eyes widened as his body went limp and fell to the ground.
He closed his eyes and fainted.
Gu Qingning put away the dagger and glanced at the stunned man beside her. “Why are you still standing there?”
The scar-faced man snapped out of it and, seeing Gu Qingning turn to leave, hurried to follow her.
The shabby alley was dimly lit, the streetlights flickering eerily.
One figure walked ahead, another followed behind, weaving through the alley.
Suddenly, the figure in front stopped, and the scar-faced man halted as well.
Gu Qingning turned around, a cold wind blowing past her. Her layered hood fell, and the long hair under her cap lifted with the breeze.
The scar-faced man froze. She was a woman?
“Speak. How do you plan to repay me?”
The cold voice hit his ears, and the scar-faced man suddenly came to his senses.
“I don’t want your life,” Gu Qingning added.
The scar-faced man scratched his head awkwardly. “Then… how do you want me to repay you?”
Gu Qingning’s expression was calm. “I like money. Do you have any?”
Meeting her bright dark eyes, the scar-faced man first froze, then couldn’t help but laugh.
He pulled out his wallet, inside were a stack of red bills—roughly twenty or thirty notes.
He took all the bills out and said, “This is all I have. Or do you want to give me your number, and I can transfer it to your card later?”
Gu Qingning walked up to him and took half of the stack.
“No need. This is enough,” she said.
The scar-faced man looked stunned. Just like that?
Before he could speak, Gu Qingning threw the dagger to him. “This money covers the favor. We’re square now.”
Having said that, she turned and walked away, her proud silhouette leaving him far behind.
The scar-faced man reacted and dragged his heavy steps to catch up. “Wait!”
Gu Qingning stopped and cast a cool glance at him. “Anything else?”
“Maybe I should give you my number. If you ever face trouble, I’ll do my best to help,” he said.
She had saved his life—he owed her that much.
Gu Qingning pressed her hand over her cap’s brim and said, “No need. You give me money for the favor—I saved you, you pay up. That’s enough.”
She walked on. Passing by him, her low, cold voice was carried away by the wind: “This place isn’t safe. If you want to live, leave immediately.”
The scar-faced man glanced at her retreating figure, then looked down at the dagger in his hand. A flash of ruthlessness passed through his eyes.
If Heaven lets him live, he won’t spare anyone who betrays him.
…
Around dawn, Gu Qingning woke up.
She had checked into a hotel last night on short notice. She hadn’t slept all night, whether due to the bed or other reasons, only dozing off briefly in the early morning.
She sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed her brow, trying to shake off the fatigue.
After a while, she stood up, grabbed the backpack at the foot of the bed, and headed out.
It was Monday. She probably wouldn’t make it to morning reading, but she still needed to go to class. Yizhong should be fun enough.
After checking out, she walked out of the hotel with light steps.
She bought breakfast across the street and ate while walking toward the bus stop.
Although it was again peak hour, at least today she had a seat.
She sipped her yogurt lazily, her delicate cool eyes scanning the passengers on the bus.
Most were office workers and students. She recognized the purple-and-white school uniform and its school emblem instantly.
It was Yizhong’s.
Yizhong’s uniforms were different from other schools. Each grade had its own color, not just the same for everyone.
For example, the first-year uniforms were purple-and-white.
Her own uniforms were still at the Gu residence, so going to school later might be a bit inconvenient.
