Chapter 87: The Fifty-Ninth Day of Knowing You
Chapter 87: The Fifty-Ninth Day of Knowing You
It clearly wasn’t a matter of feeling something was fishy—it definitely was a problem, for sure!
That guy, who had been nothing but a freeloader yet remained insatiable, logically should not have dared to come back to Spring City ever again. Not to mention Qin Jiuyue, even those who attended the party that day wouldn’t let him off if they saw him again.
And how could such trash get involved with Qin Jiuyue’s suitor?
No wonder Qin Jiuyue was so anxious, coming to him the moment he returned.
No doubt drinking and such were just excuses; she probably just felt too awkward to ask for help directly.
Ling Yi looked at Qin Jiuyue. “How did you find out that Wei guy was in your childhood friend’s company?”
Qin Jiuyue recalled for a moment and said, “I didn’t discover it. A friend of mine did. He happened to be there on business when he accidentally spotted Wei Bo Lin, felt a bit surprised, snapped a photo, and sent it to me.”
Ling Yi nodded. “Don’t worry for now. I think we should wait and see for a moment. At this point, you have no reason to rush over and question anyone.”
Qin Jiuyue said, “I understand. I have no relationship with him, and Wei Bo Lin is already out of my life too. It’s just that I think the two of them appearing together is not a good sign.”
To go from a young man with decent talent at the Second Stage Acupoint Activation to reaching the Fourth-Order Golden Body realm in just a few years clearly suggested he might have done more than simply join a Sect.
If he hadn’t been heavily nurtured, he couldn’t have advanced so fast!
Being fond of a graceful lady—that itself wasn’t anything strange.
But this person bringing Qin Jiuyue’s ex-husband from the contract marriage into his own company certainly raised suspicions about his motives.
“Come on, let’s go buy some food. We can chat while we eat,” Ling Yi said.
Then, together with Qin Jiuyue, he went to a nearby market, bought some groceries, and after returning home, Qin Jiuyue eagerly offered to help.
After she washed one vegetable, Ling Yi promptly sent her back to the living room.
A young lady from a wealthy family, who had never done any housework, really wasn’t cut out for kitchen chores and mostly just got in the way.
The young lady was a bit unwilling, thinking she could manage.
Ling Yi cooked in the kitchen while Qin Jiuyue watched TV in the living room.
But she didn’t watch for very long before starting to take calls frequently.
Being the CEO of a large company wasn’t easy.
The kind of boss lifestyle many imagined—casual yacht parties, playing golf, frequently attending high-society events, chatting and laughing with politicians from various countries—had nothing to do with Qin Jiuyue.
She was strong-willed by nature, and on top of that, she hadn’t been in charge of the company for long. She had few trusted aides, let alone capable people, so she had to handle many things personally.
During the time Ling Yi was cooking, Qin Jiuyue was almost constantly on the phone arranging work.
It wasn’t until Ling Yi finished preparing all the dishes that the phone calls finally paused.
Leaning against the doorframe, Qin Jiuyue looked at Ling Yi, her delicate face showing a bit of weariness, and said, “It feels really good to have a meal ready right after finishing work.”
Ling Yi glanced up at her. “Just order takeout.”
Qin Jiuyue looked woeful. “I eat that every day; I’m almost sick of it!”
Ling Yi chuckled. “Then hire an auntie who cooks well to make meals for you.”
Qin Jiuyue went to wash her hands, sat down at the dining table, and sighed. “I hired one once, but she quit on her own not long after.”
Ling Yi asked curiously, “Why? Did you mistreat her?”
Qin Jiuyue gave him a glare. “Am I that kind of harsh person?”
Then she said with a bitter smile, “My schedule is too irregular. For breakfast, I just grab something if I have the chance, or skip it altogether if I don’t. Lunch is mostly at the company. Only dinner… but my evenings are packed too.”
“That auntie cooked at my place for a month, and I only ate three meals she prepared. In the second month, she told me she wanted to quit. I asked if she was unhappy with the pay. She said no, but she felt disappointed preparing meals carefully every day only to have me not show up.”
“Not only was she let down, but she also felt it was a huge waste watching all the carefully prepared food go uneaten and get thrown away…”
Ling Yi thought: This auntie had principles!
Qin Jiuyue glanced at the table. “Where’s the wine? Why isn’t there any?”
“Well, never mind. Wait a moment; there’s some in my car. Let me go get it. It’s parked at the entrance of the alley…” Saying this, she stood up and walked out, muttering as she went, “How can we have a meal without wine?”
Ling Yi: “…”
From the old house to the alley entrance wasn’t too far, but it wasn’t exactly close either. Walking out and back normally would take at least five or six minutes.
For the sake of drinking, the young lady didn’t hesitate to go fetch it.
Ling Yi was quite impressed.
After waiting just a few minutes, Qin Jiuyue came back inside carrying a bag and said, “Later, I’ll have someone send you a few cases of wine. You’re a grown man; isn’t it embarrassing not to have any wine at home?”
Ling Yi looked at her. “Who’s going to drive you back if you drink too much later?”
“Why do you have to ask such buzzkill questions?” Qin Jiuyue glanced at him helplessly. “Don’t worry, I definitely won’t stay at your place!”
“Oh, okay, good, good.” Ling Yi patted his chest.
“…”
Qin Jiuyue never drank alcohol from outside. No matter the occasion, if she drank, she always brought her own, even her glass!
The wine was naturally of high quality and not available on the market.
And from the way Qin Jiuyue expertly opened the bottle and poured the wine, it was clear she genuinely loved to drink.
It was rare to see a young, pretty woman who enjoyed strong liquor.
She filled the two-and-a-half-ounce glass to the brim.
Ling Yi grimaced. “Any more and it’ll spill!”
Qin Jiuyue looked calm. “It won’t. This wine clings to the glass. It can be slightly above the rim. Let me show you!”
Ling Yi: “…”
He’d thought the young lady had come to drink with him, then realized she was troubled about something, but in the end… it turned out she really had come to drink with him.
Alright, with such a full-blown routine, Ling Yi had nothing to say.
Qin Jiuyue held her glass and looked at Ling Yi earnestly. “Come on, let’s toast to the fifty-ninth day of knowing each other.”
Without waiting for Ling Yi to respond, her slender fingers holding the two-and-a-half-ounce crystal glass, elegance and boldness merged perfectly in that moment.
She downed the entire glass in one go.
The fifty-ninth day of knowing each other?
Was that made up or for real?
Which day did they meet?
What’s the date today?
Ling Yi was a bit confused.
Then he stared blankly at Qin Jiuyue, her face slightly flushed after finishing the glass.
“Drink! Don’t be like last time!” Qin Jiuyue urged, looking at Ling Yi.
“Alright, for the sake of your ‘fifty-ninth day of knowing each other,’ let’s have a toast.” Ling Yi smiled and also drank the wine in one go.
Smooth and mellow, after swallowing, a wave of warmth quickly spread through his body.
This wine was even better than what they drank last time!
Ling Yi even felt a bit curious and specifically picked up the bottle to look at it.
Only then did he notice the bottle was a white porcelain one, with no label at all.
“Do you like it? I’ll have someone send more later. This wine… well, you can’t buy it on the market.” Qin Jiuyue paused slightly while speaking.
Ling Yi didn’t pay it much mind and shook his head, refusing. “I won’t be staying here much longer. Don’t send any over, or it might get stolen.”
“It’s okay…” Qin Jiuyue poured Ling Yi another full cup of wine and asked, “I haven’t asked you yet, what are your plans next?”
Ling Yi put down his chopsticks and leaned back. “Improve my cultivation.”
“Then go take revenge?” Qin Jiuyue looked at Ling Yi and said very seriously, “Although I don’t have much right to advise you, I still want to give you a suggestion.”
“Hmm?” Ling Yi looked at her.
“It’s said that Lu Qingming is not only at Peak Dao-Entry, but his origins are also very mysterious. People say he comes from a mysterious super sect… Of course, that’s just hearsay, but…”
Qin Jiuyue’s beautiful eyes stared at Ling Yi. “Just around him, there are at least seven or eight known Dao Enlightenment experts! And that doesn’t even include his many disciples. There’s a reason he’s called the Grand State Preceptor of Chu.”
“I know you’re talented—exceptionally talented, I should say!”
“But have you thought about it? You’re all alone, and it’s become such big news. Now the whole world knows you want to kill him… Do you think you still have a chance?”
Qin Jiuyue raised her wine cup, took a small sip, finishing half the cup. Then she fixed her gaze on Ling Yi without blinking.
Ling Yi stayed silent and did not answer her right away.
He wasn’t surprised that Qin Jiuyue knew about this.
The words Zhao Tianping spoke before his death had already spread all over the world through the live broadcast.
Nowadays, unless someone was completely offline, everyone knew that the people who caused the death of Zongwu Academy’s Old Principal were Zhao Tianping, Lu Qingming, and others.
Zhao Tianping provided the information, and Lu Qingming led the ambush to kill.
Although Great Chu and Lu Qingming’s side had never responded, this matter was almost confirmed as fact.
Qin Jiuyue put down her wine cup and said to Ling Yi, “In people’s eyes, you managing to kill Zhao Tianping was already a miracle. Many guessed that the mysterious woman standing beside you that day secretly helped. As for Lu Qingming… nobody believes you can take him down.”
Ling Yi nodded. “I know. In people’s eyes, Lu Qingming might be even harder to kill than the Monarch of Great Chu!”
Qin Jiuyue said, “Yes. In Great Chu, you might not know the Monarch’s name, but you can’t not know who Lu Qingming is. The name Lu Qingming is almost the most sacred name in the hearts of all martial cultivators across Great Chu!”
She looked at Ling Yi. “Without exception.”
“In fact, when it came out that he was the real culprit behind the Old Principal’s death, many people couldn’t even believe it was true.”
“Because in many people’s minds, Lu Qingming was almost a perfect person.”
“Only after this incident was exposed did people suddenly realize that this Grand State Preceptor of Chu would actually go and assassinate someone…”
“But only those who truly understand the current situation would grasp the meaning behind Lu Qingming’s move against the Old Principal.”
“It’s a sign that Great Chu is about to wage war again!”
Qin Jiuyue looked at Ling Yi, her voice gradually turning clear and serious, as if she had become the young female CEO giving orders in her company again.
“Don’t be fooled just because Zongwu Academy is once again under Military control now. Zongwu with Principal Shen and Zongwu without Principal Shen are completely different things.”
“What Lu Qingming did was to cut off the foundation of Great Qin!”
“What’s hateful is that even someone like Sun Qingbo, the Deputy Prime Minister of Great Qin, secretly stirred the waters, helping the enemy plot against his own people.”
“So the collapse of Sun Qingbo’s interest group, though it might hurt Great Qin’s vitality in the short term, is absolutely a blessing for Great Qin in the long run.”
Qin Jiuyue finally sighed softly. “It’s just uncertain, under these hidden turbulent currents, whether Great Qin… can last that long.”
Her voice then softened again. “Under such a grand situation, I think you should either go into seclusion to train seriously—for ten, twenty, thirty years… that’s fine!”
“As long as you live well, then with your talent, sooner or later, you’ll catch up and surpass him.”
“Or… you might as well just forget this grudge.”
Qin Jiuyue said lightly.
Ling Yi looked at Qin Jiuyue.
Qin Jiuyue looked back at him and said, “Throughout history, many families have been wiped out, but you rarely see descendants succeed in bloodline revenge. Rather than… letting yourself live in hatred without freedom, it might be better to forget the hatred and start a new life. Perhaps that is the right choice.”
Ling Yi shook his head. “That’s impossible.”
Qin Jiuyue sighed softly. “I guessed you wouldn’t choose the latter. So, my suggestion is that you could join a Sect and become a true Sect disciple. That way, not only would you have backing, but you also wouldn’t have to worry about cultivation resources. Just look at the change in that guy who’s been pursuing me—the power of a Sect is beyond your imagination. With your talent, once you enter a Sect, you’ll definitely have a chance for revenge someday.”
Ling Yi was a bit speechless. So you didn’t come to drink with me, nor were you troubled by that annoying matter? You went around in such a big circle just for this?
He looked at Qin Jiuyue, raising an eyebrow. “So?”
Qin Jiuyue said, “So, I happen to know a Sect that’s very interested in you…”
“No.”
Ling Yi refused outright.