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◎Forgive◎
“Not entirely,” Jiang Mu told the truth. “At the time, he approached one of my friends and asked if I could help him. He promised some benefits, and I thought he could bring me those benefits. I happened to be free at the time, so I helped him.”
Jiang Mu's answer was realistic and truthful, which didn't surprise Mu and Qing. That's probably how things are between businesses.
She quickly lost interest and changed the subject.
"Why do you have so many friends? Do you interact with each of them like we do? I seem unable to make friends on my own initiative."
Jiang Mu was both amused and exasperated; Mu and Qing were surprisingly naive. "Of course not. If everyone were like that, I would be exhausted and completely deceived."
"I see." Mu Heqing smiled sheepishly. After graduating from high school, she lost the ability to interact with others. If it weren't for Tang Ruxing, she would definitely be very withdrawn now.
Jiang Mu discovered that after Mu and Qing placed him in a circle of people he could befriend, he became incredibly naive, and he suddenly felt a sense of unease.
He took out his phone, opened the birthday photo of Mu and Qing from before, and said, "By the way, in the birthday photos you posted before, were all the people in them very important to you?"
"Yes."
"Are these your parents?" Jiang Mu pointed to the middle-aged couple in the photo.
Mu and Qing nodded.
Okay, let's skip the parents.
"What about this one?" Jiang Mu pointed to Li Heyue.
“She’s my aunt, she also lives in Ancheng.”
Okay, let's skip the auntie too.
"What about this one?" Jiang Mu pointed to the sweet-looking Tang Ruxing.
"He was my classmate in junior high school and college, and we are still friends now."
Jiang Mu narrowed his eyes. He vaguely remembered this person. There was a company in Ancheng that he had visited when he was the regional president of Guihui in the Southwest region. As soon as he entered the company, he saw a girl cursing.
The insults were so vulgar; he had never heard such foul language in his life. They were all kinds of insults, including those directed at ancestors and genitals. Was she really Qing's friend?
"And this one? Is she also your friend?" Jiang Mu pointed to Deng Qian.
"That's right."
Jiang Mu narrowed his eyes again. Although the photo was filtered, he could still tell that this woman had definitely trained, probably in boxing. He could tell from her hands and her aura. Jiang Mu also worked out and practiced self-defense regularly; he was very familiar with it.
Moreover, this woman has a fierce expression; even when she's smiling, there's a sense of ruthlessness about her.
This person is also Qing's friend?
Jiang Mu had many thoughts in her mind, but she still smiled and said, "I really hope I can celebrate your birthday with you next time."
Mu and Qing were unaware that Jiang Mu had just added their two friends to the list of prime suspects, and she nodded in agreement without knowing it.
Just as Jiang Mu was about to ask about her relationship with that male high school classmate from their last meeting, Mu and Qing stood up.
“We’ve been out for too long, I have to go back to the art exhibition,” Mu Heqing said.
What if Consort Si doesn't see her and comes out looking for her?
“Okay, I’ll go back with you.” Jiang Mu stood up as well, figuring he could ask again later.
When Mu and Qing re-entered the art exhibition, the two people she had encountered before finally started arguing.
Standing between the two was none other than Si Fei, who looked completely innocent.
“Miss, do you think this painting has great artistic value?” the gray-haired man said.
Sifei tilted her head: "I can't see it, but I think what you said makes a lot of sense. Now that you mention it, this painting is indeed very novel."
"Novel? Don't be fooled by him. He can only fool a beginner like you. This painting is all nonsense. You can come to our association, and I'll show you a real painting," Qin You said.
"You're killing the future of a promising young person with your conventional approach!" the middle-aged man retorted.
The two argued in a very civilized manner, without using a single swear word. Mu and Qing were not interested in such civilized arguments.
Moreover, they were unaware that the true creator of the painting was standing among them.
She looked at Sifei, who was standing between the two of them, and Sifei was smiling and enjoying herself.
Mu Heqing then realized that this was the purpose of Sifei's art exhibition; she wanted to see people argue about her paintings.
Likes and dislikes, tastes.
Sifei was still stirring things up, her face showing a hesitant expression. She said, "I think what you're all saying makes sense, so how should I draw it?"
As a result, the two argued even more fiercely.
Mu and Qing pretended not to see Consort Si.
Sifei did see her, and she happily ran to Mu Heqing's side, hugging her arm, "Heqing, you're here! I've been looking for you for so long."
Mu and Qing were helpless; how did they end up seeing her at a glance?
Jiang Mu stood silently to the side. He had inquired a lot about Guihui this time, including about this girl named Sifei. How come she was so familiar with He Qing?
Mu and Qing were dragged away by Si Fei, and she could only wave goodbye to Jiang Mu, indicating that they would see each other again next time.
Jiang Mu smiled and said goodbye to her.
Anyway, they've gotten to know each other better now, so they'll have plenty of opportunities to meet.
Jiang Mu slowly walked out of the art exhibition. Mu Heqing wasn't there, and he wasn't interested in the paintings.
As he reached the door, a woman wearing a Guihui employee badge around her neck stopped him.
"Mr. Jiang, our chairman would like to have a talk with you."
Jiang Mu was not surprised; Ouyang Zhu couldn't possibly not know that he was coming to the art exhibition.
He left with the woman.
…………
Mu and Qing were dragged by Si Fei to a new floor of the Guihui Building.
"Where is this? Do you know those two who were arguing just now?" Mu Heqing asked.
Sifei spun around in the open, flat space, her fluffy ponytail following suit.
"This is the new art studio that Ouyang found for me. The old one was too small. Is this one alright?"
"That's good. Are your paintings still in your old studio?"
Mu and Qing didn't see any paintings in the empty single-level space, only some painting tools and miscellaneous items.
"Wait for Ouyang to find someone to transport it to me."
Transport it over? Those paintings by Sifei shouldn't be shown to anyone, right?
“They’re all covered with cloth.” Sifei understood Mu and Qing’s thoughts, and she continued to answer Mu and Qing’s question, “I don’t know those two people, but it’s quite interesting to put people with different opinions in the same space. They will argue about all sorts of things.”
Sifei walked over to Mu Heqing and said, "However, Heqing, it would be better if you stayed here. It would be much more interesting. Didn't Li Shi come with you this time?"
“He went back to the Li family for dinner. If he comes with me, he can only eat dead food, and it’s food that has been dead for a long time.” Mu Heqing scratched her face. She was happy that Li Shi wasn’t with her.
"That's wonderful!" Consort Si was overjoyed to hear that Li Shizhen hadn't come.
Sifei took a small knife from the front pocket of her overalls.
"What do you want to do?" Mu Heqing was startled.
“You know, we’ve done this before.” Sifei picked up the knife, walked into the pile of junk, picked through it, and took out a piece of white cardstock.
Sifei then found another pen and began to scribble on the paper.
As the painting was nearing completion, she cut her wrist, letting her blood drip onto the cardstock, then smeared it with her hand, completing the final step of the artwork.
She handed the card to Mu and Qing.
Mu and Qing knew what it was, so she didn't take the card.
Seeing that Mu and Qing did not accept it, Si Fei still maintained the gesture of offering it.
"He Qing, the bond between us is up to you. This piece of paper has my blood on it, which means I agree to it forever."
“Sifei, I…” Mu Heqing did not understand the meaning of Sifei’s actions.
Sifei stuffed the card into Mu and Qing's hands and said, "We're fine as we are. As long as you're willing to come and keep me company, don't worry. The links on this card are entirely up to you. You can connect them if you want, and disconnect them if you want."
Mu and Qing's connection was like WiFi; they could connect whenever they wanted, unlike Li Shi's, which had been connected for three months without being disconnected. But Li Shi's connection, once established, didn't generate any data usage unless not in use.
If Sifei gets connected to this thing, she'll go crazy.
"Heqing, I'm sorry for what I did to your aunt before. I was just a little angry. You haven't seen us for seven years, but you have other important people in your life. I couldn't hold back for a moment. Last time you chose Lishi but not me, so you must still be angry with me. I hope you can forgive me." Sifei lowered her head and apologized sincerely.
Mu Heqing pursed her lips, hugged Sifei as if she were a friend, and buried her face in Sifei's neck.
“He Qing.” Si Fei’s pupils dilated slightly as she hugged Mu He Qing tightly.
Mu Heqing whispered in Sifei's ear, "I accept it, Sifei. I trust you."
What the hell!
Mu Heqing didn't believe her at all. Sifei must have studied somewhere, or it was one of Ouyang Zhu's subordinates who gave her this bad idea. They were trying to play mind games with her, thinking she would be soft-hearted?
If she hadn't seen Consort Si's madness before, she would have believed it.
I'll burn this card when I get back.
“Yes, yes, if Qing needs my power, just look at this painting,” Sifei said with a sweet smile.
Mu and Qing stuffed the card into their small handbag and decided never to look at it again.
The two held hands like real sisters.
Mu Heqing asked, "There hasn't been any news about Yin Yin recently, has there?"
Unable to find Yinyin, she still felt vaguely uneasy.
She always felt that he would suddenly appear and disgust her at some point.
"No, I'm here, he wouldn't dare come over. He Qing, do you hate him?" Si Fei's words were full of disdain for Yin Yin.
She hated all of them, especially the Shadowy Ones who couldn't communicate properly and the other random guys. It made her feel like she was facing a monster, a monster beyond her comprehension, that brought back vivid memories of her past.
Sifei and Lishi are alright; at least they still look like humans, so she can still fool herself into thinking they are normal human beings, even if their behavior is a bit strange.
Can be hidden in the shadows...
What is the ability of "Hidden Shadow"?
Sifei exclaimed in surprise, "He Qing, didn't you know that you had established a connection with him before?"
Mu Heqing said, "Your relationship with Ouyang Zhu, Li Shi and the Li family, and your relationship with me are completely different. After establishing a link with Yin Yin, I can only use his shadow. I have no idea what will happen between him and humans."
Mu and Qing had seen Yin Yin's shadow in Gao Zhou's shadow before, but she didn't know he had the ability to enter other people's shadows.
As mentioned before, she thought she knew them well enough, but she didn't at all.
She had no idea what changes would occur to her high school classmates after interacting with humans. As the only human in the 13th High School, they had never used these other abilities on her.
After entering human society, her strange high school classmates all experienced complex chemical reactions.
"If that's the case, then I don't know about Yin Yin's abilities either," Si Fei shook her head regretfully.
After she finished speaking, a red and blue light suddenly appeared on Sifei's chest.
Mu and Qing were startled. What was going on? Was Consort Si about to transform?
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