Chapter 21

Five million yuan?

As spending money?

Mu Baicheng lowered her head, doing her best to hide her unsophisticated expression from everyone present.

The arrangement was undeniably advantageous.

But wouldn’t Qin Xiyao essentially be selling herself?

Mu Baicheng worriedly glanced at Qin Xiyao’s profile from the corner of her eye.

She felt a little sorry for her.

Liu Sheng valued Qin Xiyao’s abilities, not because he felt any genuine affection for her.

Was Qin Xiyao truly going to sell herself merely for an identification card?

Qin Xiyao knew that without identification, she could barely function in this world.

However, accepting Liu Sheng as her godfather would bind them through karma.

Even though Liu Sheng had been born with the fate of an emperor, his destiny could not withstand the weight of Qin Xiyao’s Quasi-Saint fate. He would die prematurely.

That was considerably different from Qin Xiyao’s original idea of becoming a resident Daoist practitioner in Liu Sheng’s household.

Qin Xiyao shook her head indifferently.

“No.”

“Why?”

Liu Sheng had not expected that answer.

Discomfort arose in his heart.

Throughout his years of business negotiations, he had rarely encountered a true obstacle.

Yet today, a young woman had rejected him.

“If you make me your goddaughter, you will die prematurely.”

“Xiyao!” Liu Suhong hurriedly interrupted.

Liu Sheng’s grip tightened around his wineglass.

He stared sharply at Qin Xiyao.

Like a lion studying its prey, his dangerous eyes concealed an invisible trace of murderous intent.

How many people in all of Hu City would dare tell Liu Sheng that he would die prematurely?

“Why?” he asked, still unwilling to give up.

A powerful resident Daoist practitioner was extraordinarily difficult to find.

Qin Xiyao picked up an empty glass and placed it on the round table. Then she took the large bottle of orange juice from Mu Baicheng’s hands.

She pointed toward the glass.

“Mr. Liu, do you think this glass can contain all the orange juice in this bottle?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

Liu Sheng pointed at the glass.

“It holds less than two hundred milliliters, while the bottle in your hand contains two liters… You—”

Liu Sheng understood.

Qin Xiyao was saying that he was unworthy of containing her.

His household registration could not bear the weight of her existence.

“Heh. You certainly know how to make a comparison.”

Liu Sheng laughed.

Forget it.

If the young woman was unwilling, he could hardly force her.

Unknown to him, his decision earned him a trace of goodwill from Qin Xiyao.

People born with an emperor’s fate generally shared the same flaws: stubborn self-confidence and a tendency to listen only to those who agreed with them.

Liu Sheng possessed neither quality.

Had he lived in ancient times, he would have become a wise ruler remembered for millennia.

Qin Xiyao raised her glass toward him.

“You will become even more successful.”

“I’ll gladly accept your auspicious words.”

Liu Sheng relaxed and drank half the wine in his glass.

After he set it down, a thin layer of silver light appeared in the wine when he was not looking.

At that moment, he had received the blessing of a Quasi-Saint.

Ring, ring, ring.

Liu Sheng’s phone rang at an inappropriate moment.

As a businessman, he was ordinarily extremely busy. However, he had postponed his work for this dinner, so no one should have disturbed him.

The instant he saw the caller’s name, his relaxed features turned cold again.

This time, other complicated emotions were mixed into his expression.

He clearly did not want to answer.

The ringing continued like waves that would never stop.

Liu Sheng impatiently set down his utensils and stood, preparing to take the unpleasant call outside.

“Answer it here. If you fail to sever what should be severed, you will only suffer further chaos.”

Qin Xiyao did not raise her head and continued eating the Original Recipe chicken on her plate.

Liu Sheng was surprised, but he also knew she was right.

He looked at his daughter.

Liu Suhong nodded, indicating that listening to Qin Xiyao would be fine.

“Dad.”

The caller was Liu Sheng’s Omega father, Zhao Xuyang—the person he least wanted to contact.

Zhao Xuyang had recommended the estate to him.

At first, Liu Sheng had thought the property looked grand and was surprisingly inexpensive, so he purchased it without thinking much about it.

Only after the incident did he discover that Zhao Xuyang had deliberately found that deadly haunted estate for him.

Liu Sheng also had a useless younger brother who spent every day idling at home.

After seeing Liu Sheng build a company and earn money, his younger brother constantly tried to leech off him.

“What’s wrong with you? Why did it take you so long to answer?”

It was always like this.

No matter how accomplished Liu Sheng became or how much money he gave his father, Zhao Xuyang always treated him with the same attitude.

“I just finished dealing with the burial ground you found for me. I’m eating outside. What do you want?”

Liu Sheng no longer intended to endure this treatment.

His wife had nearly died this time.

What if his daughter became the next victim?

“You…”

Zhao Xuyang had not expected Liu Sheng to expose the matter directly.

“Whatever you’re talking about, I don’t understand. Didn’t I tell you to appoint your younger brother as general manager of your company? Why did you give him an ordinary office job?”

Liu Sheng tugged at his collar, feeling suffocated.

He tore off his tie and slapped it onto the table.

“Dad, from today onward, I will no longer concern myself with whether he lives or dies. As for you, I’ll send you ten thousand yuan each month for living expenses.”

“What do you mean?”

Zhao Xuyang began to panic.

His eldest son had always been obedient.

Was he truly severing ties with him now?

Liu Sheng licked his dry lips and spoke coldly.

“Do you genuinely not understand what I just said?”

“You nearly caused my wife’s death, yet you still expect me to give your younger son a position?”

“Dad, I am your son. I am not an endless source of money for you and your younger son.”

“Worse, you wanted me dead.”

“I’ll tell you clearly today: even if I die, all my property will belong to my wife and daughter.”

“You’ve gone insane! Your daughter is only an Omega—”

“So what?”

“My daughter is exceptionally capable. She is certainly many times more capable than your younger son.”

“That’s all. If you can no longer live alone in your hometown, I’ll arrange for you to enter a luxury retirement home.”

Refusing to waste any more words, Liu Sheng ended the call.

Certain words had remained trapped inside his heart for far too long.

He raised his wineglass and finished the remaining wine.

Liu Sheng had never felt so liberated.

“Congratulations, Mr. Liu.”

Qin Xiyao covered her mouth and yawned.

She was still somewhat tired.

After all, she had not slept at all the previous night.

“Are you sleepy?”

Mu Baicheng moved closer, allowing Qin Xiyao to lean against her and relax.

Qin Xiyao waved her hand.

Doing so at the table would be impolite.

She estimated that dinner would end soon and indicated that she could remain awake a little longer.

It was rather frustrating.

In the past, Qin Xiyao could go centuries without eating or sleeping and suffer no consequences.

Yet after entering this world, she had become so weak.

Just as Qin Xiyao expected, dinner ended shortly afterward.

Liu Suhong drove them home on her way back.

Qin Xiyao could not remain awake for long. During the journey, she fell asleep against Mu Baicheng’s shoulder.

Once they reached home, Mu Baicheng carefully placed Qin Xiyao on the bed and covered her with a quilt.

Then she went into the living room and began studying.

It was probably impossible for Mu Baicheng to catch up to Qin Xiyao’s level of cultivation.

But she could still work harder and move a little closer to her.

In the middle of the night, Qin Xiyao habitually nuzzled toward the space beside her.

The bedding there was cold.

She frowned and opened her eyes.

Mu Baicheng was nowhere on the bed.

Had this woman run away again?

Qin Xiyao became annoyed.

Would Mu Baicheng lose a piece of flesh merely by holding her?

Her bare feet touched the floor.

Qin Xiyao opened the bedroom door irritably.

The living room was brightly illuminated.

Mu Baicheng sat there with furrowed brows, concentrating intensely on the book in her hands.

Qin Xiyao froze.

She left the door slightly ajar and looked through the gap.

The title of Mu Baicheng’s book was the Book of Changes.

Hadn’t she already learned Liuyao divination?

Why was she studying the Book of Changes again?

Qin Xiyao looked toward the clock.

It was already one in the morning.

Why had this woman suddenly become so diligent?

Forget it.

Qin Xiyao would spare her tonight.

After making that decision, she returned to bed.

Without Mu Baicheng beside her, Qin Xiyao slept poorly. She tossed and turned for a long time without falling asleep.

At three in the morning, the bedroom door opened again.

Mu Baicheng cautiously entered.

The summer night was not cold, but Qin Xiyao’s body temperature was naturally low.

Mu Baicheng worried that she might have kicked off the quilt and came to check.

In the dim light spilling from the living room, Mu Baicheng saw Qin Xiyao’s back and thighs exposed.

The quilt had been rolled into a bundle and held tightly in her arms.

Mu Baicheng gently pushed Qin Xiyao’s shoulder and tried to pull the quilt free.

Before she could cover her, Qin Xiyao seized her wrist and dragged her onto the bed.

Mu Baicheng fell into the soft bedding.

Qin Xiyao immediately slipped into her embrace.

Magical power flowed continuously into Qin Xiyao’s body in fine, unbroken strands.

Qin Xiyao released a soft, contented moan and nuzzled deeper into Mu Baicheng’s arms.

Seeing her behave like such an obedient cat made Mu Baicheng’s heart pound like a drum.

She already understood her feelings toward Qin Xiyao.

This was the ultimate test of her self-control.

“Qin Xiyao?”

“Don’t make noise,” Qin Xiyao mumbled.

Her forehead brushed against Mu Baicheng’s neck.

Why was she so hot?

Startled, Mu Baicheng touched Qin Xiyao’s forehead.

It was not only her forehead.

Her entire body was burning with a frightening heat.

The Omega’s pheromones poured from her gland and spread through the air, incessantly announcing their presence.

Even though Mu Baicheng was an Alpha with an underdeveloped gland, she knew exactly what this meant.

Qin Xiyao’s heat had arrived without warning.

“Qin Xiyao, wake up.”

Mu Baicheng became anxious.

They had no Omega suppressants at home.

If Qin Xiyao continued burning like this, something might happen to her.

Mu Baicheng gripped her shoulders and shook her with some force.

But Qin Xiyao’s vision was blurred.

The unfamiliar sensation had drained every trace of strength from her body.

“Hold me…”

Qin Xiyao pulled Mu Baicheng’s hands away and collapsed into her embrace.

“Sister Mu, hold Yaoyao.”

The person acting spoiled had no idea how devastating those words were to Mu Baicheng.

Alpha pheromones drifted from Mu Baicheng’s underdeveloped gland.

The ascetic fragrance guided Qin Xiyao toward its comforting source.

Following the pheromones, she found the Alpha’s gland.

Her lips pressed against it.

Qin Xiyao inhaled deeply.

She loved this scent.

“Qin Xiyao…calm down.”

Mu Baicheng’s body temperature had also become abnormal.

She had never experienced a rut before.

The panic and agitation surging through her were completely unfamiliar.

Mu Baicheng gripped Qin Xiyao’s shoulders.

Her eyes had begun turning red.

She could not do something like this while Qin Xiyao was not clear-headed.

Moisture gathered in Qin Xiyao’s black eyes.

She stared unblinkingly at Mu Baicheng.

“Are you abandoning me again?”

“Are you leaving me again?”

“I’m not.”

Mu Baicheng’s heart involuntarily ached beneath her gaze.

“I only…”

“Hold me, Sister Mu.”

Qin Xiyao leaned into the Alpha’s embrace and shed the disguise she had maintained for a thousand years.

She missed her.

She missed her so much.

Mu Baicheng did not know what to do or where to place her hands.

Then she felt dampness against her chest.

Her heart skipped painfully.

Qin Xiyao was crying.

“Don’t cry.”

Mu Baicheng held her tenderly and softened her voice as she whispered beside her ear.

“Sister Mu, I missed you so much.”

“Hold me…kiss me…”

Qin Xiyao’s words came in broken fragments between sobs.

She raised her head again.

Her normally tranquil eyes now shimmered with tears, nearly overflowing.

Her expectant gaze settled upon the Alpha’s thin lips.

Mu Baicheng gently held Qin Xiyao’s chin.

“Yaoyao, I haven’t abandoned you.”

The Alpha lowered her head and kissed Qin Xiyao.

Their pheromones intertwined in the air.

Mu Baicheng slowly closed her eyes and allowed herself to sink into the kiss.

As her eyelids fell, the brilliant golden light disappeared behind them.