Chapter 55 Why not mine?

A residence somewhere in the suburbs of the capital.

Miserable screams echoed through the dead of night.

Fortunately, the apartment buildings here were spaced far apart; otherwise, the neighbors would have thought a burglar had broken in and was murdering some poor, unfortunate homeowner.

Alcohol poured directly onto ulcerated skin was an excruciating experience. Every single pain receptor in the body shrieked, sending agonizing shockwaves through his entire skeletal frame. The veins on the side of Huo Yanzhi’s neck bulged, and his whole body was flushed crimson.

Huo Yanzhi had signed a contract with the system. The system helped him evade capture, and in exchange, he gave the system everything he had left.

The skin rotting away first was merely the warning sign.

A large patch of skin on his left arm had already rotted away entirely. He had just used a blade to slice open a pus-filled boil, and blood stained the alcohol, dripping down onto the sofa drop by drop, quickly staining a large area crimson.

With trembling hands, Huo Yanzhi poured alcohol over the ulcerated area once again.

"Ah—"

"..."

"How much time do I have left?" Huo Yanzhi asked weakly, his voice breathless.

"...Once the skin is completely ulcerated, your final deadline will arrive. You have entered into an eternal contract with the system. Regardless of whether the mission is completed by the deadline or not, your destiny belongs to the system."

Huo Yanzhi muttered a few words under his breath.

"..."

"There are gains and losses; I wish you good luck."

-

Pei Zongnian clenched the slip of paper in his hand and laughed out of exasperation. Meng Qing poured him a cup of tea and soothed, "Yuanbao is an adult; she knows what she’s doing. You sent people to drag her back, but can you lock her up for a moment and keep her locked up for a lifetime?"

Meng Qing effortlessly pulled the un-dialed phone away and placed it on the table.

Pei Zongnian wearily pinched the bridge of his nose. "If she were in the capital or anywhere nearby, the Pei family could guarantee her a lifetime of peace and safety. But she had to run off to Hong Kong without fearing death. The situation in Hong Kong is complicated, and she is still..."

Meng Qing pressed a cup of tea to Pei Zongnian’s lips. As the liquid dampened his lips, Pei Zongnian let out a helpless sigh.

-

Not long after Pei Yaoyuan checked into the hotel, someone knocked on her room door.

[Mom, the CP I ship is finally going to meet!]

[These two are like the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, only seeing each other once every half a month.]

[Yuanbao, hurry up and open the door. Your husband has come to take you home.]

Ever since the live-stream comments section had grown tired of Huo Yanzhi, a batch of shippers had inexplicably appeared, and their choice of words was exceptionally bold.

Ke Xianbai had two people following behind him, one of whom Pei Yaoyuan had previously met in the capital.

Pei Yaoyuan leaned against the doorframe, a smile that wasn't quite a smile on her face. "Young Master Ke is certainly well-informed. I’ve only just checked into the hotel, and you’ve already brought people here."

There was no trace of Ke Xianbai’s usual relaxed smile. "It’s not safe here. Gather your things and come back with me first."

After all, this wasn't her home turf, and Hong Kong was a complex melting pot of dragons and serpents. Once Pei Yaoyuan was settled, she would have had to contact Ke Xianbai anyway, so she didn't beat around the table and dragged her luggage away with him.

Ke Xianbai took the suitcase from her, a hint of a smile finally appearing in his eyes. "Why did you only bring these few things?"

Pei Yaoyuan glared at him. "It’s not like you don't know I ran away from home."

Ke Xianbai uttered an affirmative hum.

"I’ll take you out to buy more later. I’ll definitely make Miss Pei feel at home in Hong Kong, and make sure you’re dressed to the nines here as well."

The Mid-Levels Villa.

No sooner had Pei Yaoyuan finished tidying up than the clothes prepared by Ke Xianbai were delivered to her door.

From everyday casual wear to evening gowns, from shoes to matching fine jewelry, these items piled up the two-hundred-square-meter living room of the Mid-Levels Villa, making it appear exceptionally cramped.

"Did you move a shopping mall over for me?"

"..."

"Pfft—"

Tang Huan and Zhuiyun, standing behind Ke Xianbai, couldn't help but laugh out loud.

-

"..."

Ke Xianbai cleared his throat. "Then pick out some favorites to keep."

Pei Yaoyuan selected a few everyday outfits and had them hung in her temporary quarters.

Ke Xianbai frowned deeply.

The massive living room was still crowded. When Pei Yaoyuan made her selections, she deliberately avoided the expensive jewelry. Ke Xianbai simply had all the jewelry delivered directly into the guest room where Pei Yaoyuan was staying, and had an entire rack of evening gowns sent in after it.

"There's really no need for the jewelry."

From diamonds to jadeite, almost every piece was larger than a pigeon's egg.

"Why don't you want mine?" Ke Xianbai’s face tightened with a hint of displeasure.

"...I'm a stranger in a strange land here, and I don't need to attend any banquets."

Every piece of jewelry was worth millions. Even if the Pei family had old ties with Ke Xianbai’s late mother, she had neither the reason nor the status to accept items worth over a hundred million.

For some reason, Pei Yaoyuan saw the tension visibly ease from Ke Xianbai’s face.

"Is that your only reason?"

Pei Yaoyuan nodded hesitatingly.

Then she watched as Ke Xianbai took a stack of items from the housekeeper, rummaged through them, and pulled out a black, gold-stamped invitation letter. "As it happens, there's an auction tonight. Would Miss Pei do me the honor of accompanying me?"

Before she could reply, she heard Ke Xianbai add, "Formal attire is required, oh."