Chapter 389: Side Story 9: Homecoming

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The corner of Tang Qinghong’s mouth twitched when he heard that. “I have no idea how many card game software she has designed in the past at this point. Her brain can’t be matched, not even by a supercomputer. The three of you challenged her to a game of cards? You got completely wiped out haven’t you?”

“…”

Madam Tang, who was hoping to hear some words of comfort, was speechless when she heard Tang Qinghong’s response.

“I’m not gonna waste any more time here. I’m heading over to the Peace Manor.” Tang Qinghong got up from his seat with a disappointed expression. He thought there was something bad that had occurred. So she had spent the entire day playing cards?!

Ugh!

Listlessly, Madam Tang asked Tang Qinghong, “Why are you going there? There aren’t a whole lot of people there.”

“It’s been ten years since Miss Gu has returned. There is a projection that something great will shake both the ancient martial arts world and the secular world. Perhaps something great will happen, and I’ll definitely be there when that happens.” Tang Qinghong waved his hand in the air at Madam Tang. “As for the people that left the Peace Village. They’re all pretty intelligent, and I’m sure they’ll come back immediately.”

There was a brief pause before Madam Tang cursed under her breath. “Hmph! Can’t stand living in peace can you?”

“Thank god she’s back,” she murmured after letting out a sigh. It’s been so many years since they last met. And she thought that there’d be no chance of them seeing each other again. She then made a phone call. “Little Yun, are you tired?”

“No, not really.” Xiao Yun had just finished taking part in a film over in France. There was no denying it. Filming was far easier than what she had done back in the ancient martial arts world.

Nothing much about Xiao Yun had changed over the years. She had a popular nickname within the entertainment industry; a lot of people called her the “evergreen goddess”. The longer she remained in showbiz, the more popular she became. At this point, she had already reached the stage of being a world superstar.

Madam Tang understood that filming was a fairly simple task for Xiao Yun, but she couldn’t suppress her concerns as her doting mother-in-law. “Remember to take a rest whenever you’re tired.”

Xiao Yun laughed. “I know Mom, but why did you suddenly call me? Did something happen?”

“Um…I have something I want to tell you.” Madam Tang paused to recollect her thoughts. “Right, did you browse the internet for the past couple of days?”

“I’ve been really busy with Director Cheng’s film project. He’s dissatisfied with the female lead no matter what, so I had to finish filming my parts first.” Xiao Yun took a napkin offered to her by her assistant and used it to wipe the sweat off his forehead.

Being so busy, how could she even have the time to browse the internet for the latest gossip? She would rather spend her time memorizing her script than wasting her time on the internet. Director Cheng was still the same old picky fellow. He would never be satisfied unless she burned her lines into her brain.

“So I assume that you aren’t aware that Qiao Qiao’s coming back?” asked Madam Tang. She then went silent, awaiting a response from Xiao Yun.

It was as if she had already hung up the call. No response was audible from her side, not even the sound of her breathing.

It felt like an eternity before Madam Tang heard Xiao Yun respond with a hoarse voice. “I-Is that true?”

“I’m not lying to you,” Madam Tang’s voice sounded much more relaxed now. “Hurry up can come back home, Little Yun. I heard that it doesn’t seem like she’ll be here very long.”

“I’ll come back immediately.” Xiao Yun hung up after saying that.

“Miss Xiao?” the young assistant was slightly puzzled by why the superstar’s face was flushed red after answering that phone call. “Director Cheng’s calling for you. It sounds like he’s not very happy.”

The newcomer had to repeat her scene over ten times now. Director Cheng’s patience had run out. “Which investor sent this joke of an actress to me?! She can’t even cry for god’s sake! Quick! Switch her out! Switch! Her! Out! Xiao Yun? What are you standing there for?! It’s your turn now!”

For some unknown reason, Director Cheng’s temper suddenly turned explosive ever since he started filming this movie.

He was like a gunpowder keg. He even started yelling at Xiao Yun.

The rest of the team were watching Xiao Yun and Director Cheng cautiously from the side. They feared that if things escalate any further, the entire set would be flipped upside down!

Surprisingly, Xiao Yun did not seem to mind being yelled at by Director Cheng. She raised her head and told him, “I’m going back to China now.”

“Say what?” Director Cheng was stunned. His expression darkened immediately. “We’ve already reached this point so can you cut me some slack?”

“I’m not trying to do anything extra. I really have to return home.” Xiao Yun’s tone was calm, a stark contrast from how fiery Director Cheng was.

Director Cheng’s mood was already pretty sour but hearing what Xiao Yun said made it go into an all-time low.

The people standing around the set looked down at the ground. They wanted to bury themselves in the soil to avoid the director’s wrath, which was notorious for driving his victims insane. Once the match was lit, there was nothing one could do to control his anger.

However, this was about to be proven wrong in the next few seconds.

“Director Cheng, she’s back.” Xiao Yun’s stone-cold face suddenly warmed up. “I must return.”

Without waiting for the director’s response, she grabbed her phone and left. Even her assistant did not have enough time to process the entire interaction.

It’s all over now!

Director Cheng’s gonna explode!

Seeing how bold Xiao Yun had acted, everyone on the set froze up. They weren’t as fiery as Xiao Yun, nor were they as bold as to leave the set immediately. After all, this was Director Cheng’s film. Being part of the cast was an affirmation of their skill in acting too.

But. One second, two seconds, three seconds… a few minutes had passed and they still hadn’t heard Director Cheng’s deafening roar.

What was happening?

They raised their head, cautiously trying to get a look at Director Cheng. They were surprised to be greeted by Director Cheng’s expression, which was one of pure shock and disbelief!

“Li Yu, what did Little Yun say just now?” asked Director Cheng.

Li Yu took out his phone and logged onto the Chinese internet server through a VPN to show Director Cheng the hottest news on Chinese media.

Director Cheng swiped his finger across the screen. “I-Is it really her?”

“Director Cheng looks like I’m gonna have to request for a leave for the coming few days.” Li Yu tucked away his phone and got up from his seat. “I need to return to China as soon as I can.”

He contacted the French airline company he was using and scheduled a private flight back to China.

Director Cheng only returned to his senses after Li Yu left. He quickly took out his phone to find that he had received messages from Ning Qing, Su Wen, Song Guanjing, Luo Wenlang and a couple of others. They all said the same thing…Miss Gu had returned!

“Oh god, she’s really back,” murmured Director Cheng to himself. And yet, he was wearing a smile on his face. With a wave of his hand, he announced to everyone that they would be having a short vacation for the time being. He then dashed out of the set. “Li Yu, wait up! Let me ride shotgun back to China!”

The staff working on set looked at each others’ puzzled expressions. What the hell was going on?

Who did Miss Xiao refer to when she said “she”? All the heavyweight individuals in the cast had left, no questions asked. That person had even calmed down Cheng Zhou, who was in the middle of a raging fit.

Simultaneously, scenes similar to this were happening.

At the penthouse of a building in N City.

“President,” said a young female secretary after placing a folder of documents on the desk. Next to the desk was a tall young man whose face seemed cold and calculating. As cold as his expression was, his eyes were shining bright.

Scratch scratch— He crafted his signature on the document beautifully, with smooth flowing lines.

He was the young president of their company, a person who was at the top of the hierarchy within N City.

The way his secretary looked at him indicated how much admiration she had for him. Despite how tough and stoic the newly-appointed mayor of their city was, even he had come to visit their president like a child seeking for advice!

“What’s our next task?” asked Luo Wenlin after signing the document.

The secretary snapped out of her little reverie. Although she was daydreaming, she was a professional nonetheless. She opened up her little memo pad. “There will be a board of directors meeting in five minutes. It’ll focus on the development on the southern side of the city. Then, at 8 at night, there’ll be a charity banquet, followed by…”

Before the secretary could finish speaking, she heard the phone of the president ring. The secretary was a little taken aback when she saw the president take the call. This was her first time seeing him answer a private call in their company!

It was a phone call from Luo Wenlang.

Seeing the caller ID, Luo Wenlin waved his hand back and forth, a gesture for the secretary to leave the room. The secretary nodded before leaving the room reluctantly.

“Dalin,” said the voice over the phone. It was clear from his tone that Luo Wenlang was actually incredibly excited.

“What’s the matter?” Luo Wenlin was surprised. It’s been so many years since he last heard his brother speak with such a tone.

Luo Wenlang took in a deep breath before telling him, “I need you to come back to the capital as soon as you can.”

“The capital?” Luo Wenlin did not expect his brother to say this. Why the urgency?

“Dalin, Miss Gu has returned,” replied Luo Wenlang.

Luo Wenlin’s phone slipped out of his hand, dropping onto the floor like a brick. He remained in the same position as if he had been frozen into ice.

Such a long time had passed that the secretary knocked on the door of his office. It was time for his meeting. Luo Wenlin regained his composure and hurriedly picked up his phone before putting on his jacket. While heading towards the meeting room, he issued an order to his secretary. “I need you to book a flight ticket for me to the capital. Immediately.”

“Immediately?” The secretary was stunned. “What about the meeting?”

“Cancel it! I want you to cancel all other scheduled events for today!” said Luo Wenlin as he entered the elevator. He swiftly pressed on the ‘close’ button and left his secretary standing outside the elevator.

With a shocked expression, the secretary returned to the meeting room. The board of directors already had their respective documents laid out before them. Realizing that instead of the president of their company, it was his secretary that had come forth, they couldn’t help but ask, “Where’s Mister Luo?”

“Mister Luo has returned to the capital. He ordered for today’s meeting to be canceled.” The secretary felt as if her body was floating upwards when she said this.

“Back to the capital?” One of the directors was wide-eyed. He could not believe his ears.

Another director suddenly remembered something. He picked up his phone and swiped across the screen a few times. With a baffled expression, he told the rest of the directors, “She has come back…”

The directors currently present in the meeting room had all experienced what had happened in the past. Naturally, they knew straight away who he was referring to.

“So it seems, shall we go back and see her?” one of them suggested.

Another director’s eyes flashed. “That’s right. I have a joint-project to tend to at the capital as well. I must return immediately.”

“Me too…”

“…”

In less than a minute, the entire meeting room was now empty. The only person remaining here was the secretary, whose glasses had fallen off her nose. “Who is that person? Who is ‘she’?”

***

At Mingzhou.

Hua Youlin had just come out of the operation theatre.

Twenty years had passed and Hua Youlin had now grown into a dashing young man with a pair of long eyelashes. Sporting a pair of glasses, his lashes were so long that they brushed slightly against the lens of his glasses every time he blinked.

The Hua family had grown to become the most famous family of doctors and healers in Mingzhou. They had already surpassed the peak of their family’s achievements during their supposed ‘glory years’!

He took off his white lab coat and handed it to his assistant. “How’s the nutrient research coming along?”

The assistant’s facial expression seemed conflicted. “We’re almost there but…”

Hua Youlin glanced at the assistant. “Spit it out.”

“But sir, why did you decide to pick this field of research? That thing, it’s taste is just…” The assistant covered his mouth as he gagged. “Although nutritional supplements are simple and convenient, they are simply incomparable to actual human food. Why did you choose to study this topic?”

“We’re still in the starting phase. As we start making progress, the taste will definitely be improved.” Hua Youlin disinfected his hands with rubbing alcohol. “As for why I decided to go into this field of research, this wasn’t my idea in the first place.”

“Then whose idea was it?” asked the assistant. “To be able to think of this topic, that person must be a real genius. There are so many fields in medicine and yet they’re able to think this up?”

“Who, you ask?” Hua Youlin smiled as memories floated back into his mind. “Well, the person who thought this up had no other reasons apart from the fact that she was too lazy to put in the effort to chew her food. She felt that the time one used to eat could be better utilized to do other things, which was why she came up with this idea.”

The assistant was at a loss for words. “This person…sounds like fun.”

He paused mid-sentence before he decided to settle with the word ‘fun’.

Without responding to his words, Hua Youlin made his way towards the entrance of the hospital. That was his final operation of the day. It had been 18 hours since he last slept. As powerful as he was physically-speaking, eighteen straight hours of complete focus and attention took its toll on his mind. What he needed most now was some rest.

As soon as they left the hospital, his assistant froze up. “S-Sir.”

Oh no! That woman’s here! His poor subordinates would definitely get bossed around again!

Hua Youlin did not speak. He looked up at the blonde-haired mixed-race woman who was standing outside her pink roadster. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest and her legs were long and slender. With a face as pretty as an angel’s, she made countless heads turn as she stood there waiting for Hua Youlin.

His brows furrowed at the sight of the woman. He turned around and started walking in the opposite direction.

This was Mingzhou. Even if it was Yin Aoxue, he could easily stop her from stalking him.

And still, Yin Aoxue’s voice broke the silence as soon as he turned around. “What are you running away for? I’m not trying to do anything to you alright. I’m just here to tell you that Big Sis Gu has finally come back.”

She stood there, waiting for Hua Youlin to turn around after saying that.

As expected, Hua Youlin turned around and with a pair of shining bright eyes as he asked her, “Is it true?”

“Of course! Why would I lie to you about this?!” said Yin Aoxue as she rubbed her nose.

Hua Youlin knew that Yin Aoxue would never resort to such dirty tactics. So, he immediately marched up to Yin Aoxue’s car. Although he had his own car, he slipped into the driver’s seat. “Let’s find Mister Zhuge first.”

The assistant was left standing there alone. He then sent a message into the group chat of his family.

“O young maidens! Your prince has been snatched away by Yin Aoxue!”

***

In the world’s largest forest reserve.

A tanned man wearing a black vest was wrestling with a group of giant ants. He did not use any weapons or powers innate to him. It was a battle of brute force!

No doubt, any outside who sees this will be shocked beyond words!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

One by one, the ants fell under his fist!

And yet, instead of retreating, the ants were swarming around the man in an attempt to smother him to death.

The man wiped the corner of his mouth before raising his iron fists. “Come!”

It was at this moment that he suddenly felt a familiar aura descend upon the world. The man’s fist loosened up as he was caught off-guard by disbelief. “This aura…it’s Miss Gu!”

Sensing that he had been distracted, the mutant ants intensified their offensive. They wanted to kill the delicious morsel of food standing before them!

Just as the razor-sharp pair of incisors were about to close in on the man’s neck, a powerful wave of energy burst forth from his body. “Miss Gu has returned! Little ant friends, I’m sorry but I have to go now!”

With a wave of his hand, he tore a hole in space and the ants around him were reduced into ash before being swept away!

The ants’ last words, if they were sentient, would’ve been: You’re already so powerful and yet you treat us like your personal punching bag. Is this fun for you?! What sick joke is this?!

The people who were conducting their missions across the world felt this presence at the same time.

That included people in the supernatural worlds of both America and Japan.

The president of the Federation of Supernatural Forces sprung up from his seat immediately. “It’s her! She’s back!”

Standing before him was a junior. Looking up at the president, he wore a puzzled look. What’s the matter with him? And who was he talking about? Who’s back?