Chapter 21

Unfortunately for Tong Luo, Qi Wu would not give her a chance to gossip as she instantly picked up her phone and hid in the bathroom as soon as they entered their room.

Qi Wu kept Chang Xun’s instructions fresh in her mind. She could not mention a word about Chang Xun or Jin Si, and she could only call them at places where there were no cameras around.

She also knew that Jin Si was a very famous man, so she could not mention his name at all. She could only use the term “debtholder” whenever she referred to him.

*

Meanwhile, in a dark basement.

Jin Si sat on the throne placed in the middle of the room as he slowly peeled away his blood-stained gloves.

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Just like one of the noblemen from the Middle Ages, his movements were elegant and steady at his own pace. Nevertheless, the bloody gloves were a clear indicator that his noble grace was just a façade.

That was because madness still lurked in his eyes.

In front of him was a middle-aged man, tied to the chair he was sitting in.

The man’s hair was a mess and soaked with sweat. His head hung feebly down as though he was barely holding on to life.

His left shoulder was stained red with fresh blood that slowly flowed down his arm before dripping onto the ground.

The two emotionless bodyguards standing next to the tied-up man were indifferent to the man’s injuries.

Under the dim glow of the basement, Jin Si looked like a sharp, lethal blade as light and shadow mixed on his face.

Lou Ying walked into the room from the door behind Jin Si, walked over to him, and respectfully leaned over to whisper into his ear, “Sir, I can find the remaining men of the group based on the intel he provided. I’ll have the men search for them immediately.”

Just then, Jin Si’s phone rang. When Jin Si saw the name “Tiny Lemon Drop” displayed on the phone, he glanced up at Lou Ying.

Lou Ying immediately stopped his report.

As soon as Jin Si answered the phone, Qi Wu’s cheerful voice called out, “I just had lunch, Jin Si.”

Lou Ying was rendered speechless. He was close enough that he heard every word she said.

He instinctively shuffled away.

It was best to stay away whenever Jin Si was on the phone with that ghost. Otherwise, Lou Ying would start to question his life once more.

“Why are you telling me that?”

With Qi Wu’s happy-go-lucky voice as a comparison, the icy nature of Jin Si’s voice was highlighted.

Due to his location, his core personality was showing, and had yet to fully regain the mask he previously used.

“That’s because I want to tell you that your cooking is still the best!”

Qi Wu did not seem to be affected by the change and continued to shower praise on him with a gentle warmth in her voice.

However, just by hearing her voice, Jin Si could imagine what she looked like right now.

She must definitely look rather… silly.

The image Jin Si envisioned cheered him up so much that the bloodthirsty glint in his eyes had vanished, slowly replaced by his usual regal gaze.

After giving Lou Ying an order through hand gestures, Jin Si ignored Lou Ying’s gossipy eyes and walked out of the room.

Through the door, Jin Si stepped out into the sunlight, leaving behind the familiar darkness. His scowl eased up as well. “No matter what you say, I will not show up at the filming location just to cook for you.”

Qi Wu seemed to be very dissatisfied with his answer as she huffily retorted in a voice that betrayed her sulking mood, “I didn’t think that at all!”

Jin Si silently chuckled. “As my bodyguard, you ran off to join a talent show instead of protecting me. Say, should I fire you?”

Qi Wu’s eyes went blank.

However, she was not as easily fooled as before and promptly started to argue back using the logic she had acquired. “You agreed to it!”

“When did I do that?”

“When you bought me the phone.”

Qi Wu had spoken in a matter-of-fact tone.

She had assumed that she was given a phone because Chang Xun wanted a way to contact her. Jin Si had also said she could do as she wished.

Her memory was so very good that she could clearly repeat every single word spoken during the conversation. Once she was done explaining her logic, she added, “Still, it’s so strange. They took away my phone, but then gave me an identical phone later.”

Jin Si let out an amused huff. “Every item appearing in the show is there because the sponsors want it to be there. Without those sponsors, those items would never appear in the show. The phone you have is the latest model Chaoqi Group’s subsidiary company created. They are investors in the show.”

Qi Wu nodded, vaguely understanding what he was saying.

Jin Si then recalled her innocent and naïve personality. “Did anyone say anything weird to you today?”

As someone who was also part of the entertainment industry, he was naturally familiar with the schemes and tricks often used by others in the industry.

When someone who stood out from the crowd in every way appeared, she would become the focus of attention.

“Hm?” Qi Wu tilted her head and obediently replied, “Not at all. Well, there was a disabled person who kept uttering nonsense. This production team is so amazing! They have so much respect for the disabled.”

“Disabled…?”

There was a lost look in Jin Si’s eyes as though he was doubting his very ears.

“Yes. Her legs aren’t working that well, and neither are her eyes and ears,” Qi Wu responded.

Jin Si felt at a loss for words.

Despite how tactful Qi Wu was, he only needed to use a little bit of logic to understand what her train of thought was.

It looked like she would not be a pushover for everyone.

Suddenly, Qi Wu asked, “Would you like to hear me sing, Jin Si?”

He had helped her so much that she wanted to pay him back for it, even if it was just a little bit.

Silence fell.

Jin Si did not say a word.

Qi Wu waited for a full minute before she started to hum softly. Her joyful and warm melody traveled through the phone and into his ear.

Just by listening to her voice, Jin Si could envision her softly humming with her eyes closed. She would have looked so peaceful and perfect.

His throat bobbed up and down as he subconsciously turned on the recording function on his phone.

His mind went blank like it was lost in a dream full of fluffy white clouds. A dark abyss yawned below him while he steadily walked across it.

However, at the end of the song, the gentle dream shattered into pieces. The abrupt sensation of falling jolted Jin Si back to his senses.

Confusion flashed in his eyes.

Before Jin Si could think, he started speaking in a deep voice. “You…”

“Do you like it?”

Qi Wu had interrupted him.

Jin Si paused for a moment before calmly shifting his gaze to somewhere else. “It’s barely passable.”

“Oh… Okay.”

Qi Wu did not feel upset or anything like that. She calmly acknowledged before letting out a huge yawn.

“Good afternoon, Jin Si.”

“Afternoon.”

Even after hanging up on the phone, Jin Si continued to stand there in silence for a very long time.

He was reminiscing, savoring the memory of what he just felt, yet he was also overwhelmed by apprehension.

Jin Si could not help but mind the loss of control, but deep down, he wanted to savor that feeling of freedom once more.

The conflicting feelings warred in him, tearing his heart into pieces. It made it impossible for him to do anything else but stand there for a very long time.

When Lou Ying eventually walked out of the room, he watched as Jin Si set a recorded melody as his ringtone with a blank look in his eyes.

Lou Ying was confused.

What did he miss?