The thought of the engagement made Song Tangxue feel even more uncomfortable.

Regardless of the unresolved engagement or Xie Qianzhong's ambiguous attitude.

The land deed given out so casually was like dismissing a cat or dog. Was he just a pet that Xie Qianzhong could call upon and dismiss at will?

When I feel like it, I'll play with it for a bit; when I don't need it anymore, I'll just put it aside.

Song Tangxue sat sullenly in the courtyard, unable to even eat her favorite pastries. She didn't know why she was being so dramatic.

Even though I was prepared, when I truly faced it all, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable and irritable, as if I were being trapped by a drafty summer wind, with nothing but irritability in my breath.

That evening, Song Tangxue went to bed early. She had been busy with Doctor Xie's affairs and Haitang's affairs for the past two days and hadn't had a proper rest.

Haitang lowered the curtains, dimly blurring the candlelight outside: "Miss, please rest well. I see you don't look well today."

After giving her a long, rambling lecture, Haitang blew out the candle, closed the door, and shut her out. Song Tangxue closed her eyes in solitude.

The moment I close my eyes, I see Xie Qianzhong—smiling, frowning, cold-faced… countless versions of Xie Qianzhong.

The night was dark, as black as ink spilled across the earth.

Xie Qianzhong pinched his brow wearily. The image of the person he saw that afternoon was still lingering in his mind, so lively yet so infuriating.

He doesn't easily show kindness to others, but Song Tangxue was an exception. He always unconsciously led his heart forward, thinking of getting closer to Song Tangxue.

But such close proximity was fatal for both him and Song Tangxue.

In the afternoon, I didn't feel like myself.

It's just a matter of being rejected for good intentions. I can give and receive back what I've given. Why is it different for Song Tangxue? She gets angry and indignant.

Is this love at first sight?

Xie Qianzhong didn't know, and Xie Qianzhong didn't dare to think about it.

The flickering candlelight illuminated his bewitchingly beautiful features, like a venomous snake lurking in the darkness, beautiful yet deadly.

This is what Dong Zhao saw when she came in. She is one of the few female bodyguards by Xie Qianzhong's side.

Dong Zhao knelt on one knee: "They've already confessed. This is their statement." She held a stack of papers in her slender hand and handed it to Xie Qianzhong.

Xie Qianzhong lifted his eyelids and glanced at it: "Put it on the table."

Dong Zhao bit her upper lip reluctantly, leaning forward slightly. Her tight black clothes hugged her shapely body, igniting the deepest desires in any man.

"Master." Seeing that Xie Qianzhong was still leaning back in his chair without moving, Dong Zhao made a bigger move and stood behind Xie Qianzhong: "Master, you've worked hard. Let me massage your shoulders."

She placed her soft hand on Xie Qianzhong's shoulder, and Xie Qianzhong stood up and looked at her coldly.

Her instincts as a bodyguard made her want to kneel down and admit her mistake, and the desires in her heart urged her on. In the end, the long-dormant thoughts in her heart won out.

Dong Zhao smiled, a smile as intoxicating as wine, her bright and beautiful face slowly drawing closer, her fingers tracing the sleeve of Xie Qianzhong's robe: "Master, how about I serve you while you rest today..."

"ah."

With a soft cry, Dong Zhao fell to the ground. Everything happened so fast. Dong Zhao covered her cheek, her eyes flashing with fire: "You hit me?"

Xie Qianzhong picked up a handkerchief from the side and wiped it before hitting Dong Zhao's hand: "Can't I hit you? Or have you forgotten your responsibilities?"

Dong Zhao's hair fell loose, partially obscuring her beautiful face. She stood up and forcefully moved closer to Xie Qianzhong, her hand slowly sliding down Xie Qianzhong's neck, the icy touch making him feel nauseous: "Grandpa sent me here, Lord Xie, you should think this through."

Xie Qianzhong grabbed her hand and gripped it tightly. Dong Zhao felt as if the force was going to break her hand, and fear finally crept into her heart: "I was sent by Grandpa to serve you. Do you dare to touch me?"

After saying this, Dong Zhao seemed to have regained her lost courage. Ignoring the pain in her wrist, she whispered in Xie Qianzhong's ear, "Grandpa told me to serve you well, Master. Don't worry, Master, I will make sure you are comfortable."

The final note carried a distinctly seductive quality, and Dong Zhao, like a snake, softly tried to rub against him.

Xie Qianzhong grabbed her hand and threw her to the ground, looking down at her: "Did you really think I knew nothing about this?"

The knife on the table was picked up, and the warm candlelight fell on it, but it didn't make people feel warm at all.

Having followed Xie Qianzhong for many years, Dong Zhao could tell that the look in Xie's eyes was something he only gave when looking at his enemies—a ruthless and cold-blooded look that seemed to want to skin people alive.

"I haven't even finished asking you about the saltpeter powder issue, yet you're already coming here looking for trouble?"

The cold voice carried a chilling intensity, causing Dong Zhao's words to catch in his throat. How could this be? How could Xie Qianzhong possibly know?

"Do you want me to make it any more obvious?" Xie Qianzhong took out the "Dark Moon" token from the shadows and threw it on the table.

The sound of a thud made Dong Zhao's kneeling body tremble even more violently: "These subordinates are unaware of this."

His response was Xie Qianzhong's ambiguous snort: "You'd better be." The other side was becoming increasingly restless.

Dong Zhao smiled gently, but a sense of unease rose in her heart: "Master's plans have changed quite a bit lately. Is it because of that woman?"

"Which woman?" Xie Qianzhong picked up the token and fiddled with it, seemingly genuinely unaware of Dong Zhao's meaning.

Thinking of what those letters said, Dong Zhao was filled with anger. They said they had an excessive private relationship, talked happily, and stayed out all night.

These words are so glaring that I couldn't wait to come back today. I didn't expect that even after she brought up her grandfather, my master would still be so unyielding.

"Miss Song, didn't we say you've been getting quite close to her lately?" Dong Zhao wasn't sure if Xie Qianzhong was genuinely indifferent or just pretending not to know. "Don't forget our purpose!"

Xie Qianzhong lowered his cold eyes: "You're investigating me?"

Moonlight slid down from behind him, making him look as handsome as a celestial being, aloof and detached from the mundane world.

Dong Zhao felt as if he had been doused with ice water from head to toe. Xie Qianzhong probably knew about this investigation, but as long as they didn't bring it into the open, it didn't matter.

What did I just do? Was I blinded by jealousy?

"Alright, I'll talk to your grandfather about this. Get out of here." Xie Qianzhong's eyes flashed with malice. He threw the token onto the table again and closed his eyes, not wanting to see Dong Zhao.

Dong Zhao had taken a bath and burned incense before coming today, just waiting for this day...

"Yes." Dong Zhao reluctantly withdrew.

There's no smoke without fire. Regardless of the truth, nipping this in the bud is enough. It's just one more insignificant person dying.