Dumbfounded, Shen I watched as A Miao walked over to him.
"Chop off her hands and feed them to the dogs!" Shen Xinglan's bellow came drifting from inside. A Miao unabashedly shouted, "If you chop off my hands, you won't have anyone doing the stealing for you!"
Moments later, it sounded as if something was being thrown to the floor. When Shen I heard nothing else with his perked ears, he looked at A Miao with a complicated expression. "Come with me."
"What do you want to eat?" he asked when they entered another house.
"Meat!" A Miao answered without hesitation.
Shen I left without saying anything. A Miao looked around the room and realized that it was yet another attic. There was a pond outside and the water appeared hazy in the dark of the night and underneath the serene moonlight.
"Wicked capitalist!" She felt a deep sense of envy and once again cursed out Shen Xinglan's eight generations of ancestors.
She was driven home once she finished her meal and the driver was Shen I as usual. He observed her through the rearview mirror to the point that she finally noticed.
"Just say what you want to say!" When A Miao looked at the rearview mirror, she saw that Shen I had already looked away and continued to act as if he was mute.
A Miao curled her lip. Then she leaned to her side and fell asleep.
"Wake up. We're here." Shen I roused A Miao after an unknown amount of time. She conveyed her thanks and got off the car. Shen I watched her figure disappear at the crossroad before finally driving away.
It was now close to midnight. A Miao stared at the tightly-closed entrance to the villa and suddenly felt a bad premonition.
"Sigh..." She took out the key and tried twisting it. Sure enough... the door was still locked.
The next day, Xia Mei shouted the moment she entered the dining room. "Grandfather! A Miao didn't return last night! I'm sure she's run off to hang around improper people!"
"She didn't come back?" Xia Yongqiang lifted his head and put down the newspaper. "Xia Wan, go upstairs and take a look."
Xia Wan glanced at her sister. Just as she was about to get up, she saw A Miao walking down the stairs.
"A Miao!" Her eyes glinted. "Did you have a good sleep?"
Xia Mei violently turned her head. A Miao smiled faintly at her. "I slept very well!"
"How did you come in?" Xia Mei cried in disbelief.
A Miao displayed her astonishment. "Through the door, of course! Didn't you prepare a key for me?"
"Impossible!" Xia Mei screeched as she rose to her feet.
Yao Lili had never liked this niece of hers. She clasped her hands around her ears and said, "Xia Mei, look at how you're behaving. If you behave this way in public, you'll be a laughing stock." It was fine if she made a joke out of herself but she must not embarrass Xia Wan.
"Xia Mei, what's the matter?" Xia Wan was also curious about Xia Mei's reaction.
Xia Mei wanted to know what was going on as well. She had obviously locked the door from within. "I..." She glanced at A Miao, who had already calmly taken her seat and began eating.
"Xia Mei, what are you harping on about?" Xia Yongqiang glared at her. He then turned to ask A Miao, "What time did you come back last night?"
A Miao answered honestly, "Pretty late! I think it's around 11 pm!"
Xia Yongqiang nodded, not at all doubting her words. He warned Xia Mei, saying, "It's your sister's birthday at the end of the month and there will be guests coming. If you continue to show your temper, you're better off not attending at all."
"Grandfather!" Xia Mei glared hatefully at A Miao. She then made a promise, her voice full of grievances. "I understand."
It seemed that no one was aware of what had happened last night. A Miao glanced at Xia Wan, who was shooting a warning look at her. "Yesterday you said you're leaving because something happened to your friend. Is it settled?"
"No. I need to go back in a couple of days," A-Miao replied her. "Don't worry. I know what to do."
Next to them, Xia Mei continued to grumble. "Older Sister, why are you paying so much attention to her? She ran off on her own after I got into an accident. She wouldn't appreciate your kindness."
"Oh? What happened to you last night?" A Miao drank a mouthful of milk. "When I left..."
"A Miao!" Xia Wan cut off her words. "Xia Mei and Youran didn't know that you left. When they went up to look for you, they fainted due to coal gas poisoning."
"Coal gas poisoning?" A Miao winked at her. "How did that happen?"
"It's all because of that damned hotel!" Xia Mei prattled on. "Their coal gas pipeline burst and it so happened to burst inside the room's bathroom!"
Xia Wan fixed a glare at her. "Haven't I filed a complaint with the hotel already? Stop talking about it. If our grandfather hears about this, he'll ground you. I really wouldn't care about you then."
"I get it! I get it!" Xia Mei stuck out her tongue at Xia Wan.
A Miao lowered her head and slowly nibbled on her bread.
Xia Wan might be able to fool Xia Mei, but what about Bai Youran?
Bai Youran itched to throttle A Miao to death at this moment. With a face full of tears, Xia Wan had told him about the circumstances back then. She said that she had no idea what happened to him and Xia Mei until A Miao showed up saying that both of them were drugged. It was also A Miao who came up with the antidote. "Mom, I don't agree with the change in my fiancee. Get Grandma to tell the Xia family that we'll cancel the marriage alliance if I can't marry Xia Wan!" That wretched woman had schemed against him. Had Xia Mei not gone with him, he would have slept with that woman and he would have been forced to marry her. He would not have let A Miao off if not for the fact that Xia Wan worried about the impact on Xia Mei if this incident became public. Yan Huihong looked at her son and sighed. "Do you really like Xia Wan that much?" "This isn't about whether I like her or not." Bai Youran resolutely exhaled a breath of
At the end of May, the notable young lady of the Xia family, Xia Wan, held her 24th birthday banquet in their family villa. Every notable young ladies and young masters in their network were invited. Those in the older generation were well aware of how much Xia Yongqiang's greed had expanded over the years. They knew he was planning to pull two families, the Bai and Ji families, to his side. However, he would still have to get both families to agree. The Xia and Bai families had great relations over the course of three generations and the marriage agreement decided back then never specified names. Thus, the Xia family intended to marry off a girl who had come out of nowhere to Bai Youran. If the Bai family was to agree, it would be a loud slap across their faces. "Mom, I heard that the Xia family invited Shen Xinglan today." Yan Huihong appeared to be in a good mood on the outside but there was a hint of mockery in her smile. "The Xia famil
A Miao placed herself in front of Zhou Xiao. "This is my friend. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't show up in front of us." "What gives you the right to dictate that?" Xia Mei sneered. "This is my home! Do you trust that I'll go and get someone to throw her out?" "Very well. Go ahead and do it!" A Miao looked in the direction of the second floor. "Ruin Xia Wan's banquet and let's see who'll be the disgraced one in the end!" Xia Mei's expression changed. Truly, she had no courage to do so. She clenched her teeth. "Hey! You’d better be honest! If I catch you stealing things, I'll send you to the police station!" After threatening Zhou Xiao, she shot A Miao a glare before turning around to leave. Downstairs, Xia Wan appeared in the crowd with people surrounding her. Xia Yongqiang was currently introducing her to everyone. A Miao quietly brought Zhou Xiao to a corner of the hall. They sat
"Damn it!" A Miao cursed. She estimated that no more than two minutes had passed since the blackout. She could not make any more delay. However... The direction was headed toward the garden. She remembered that there was a large fountain there. She closed her eyes and in the next second, she turned around without hesitation. "Let her go!" The scene in the garden caused A Miao's anger to erupt. Xia Mei was suppressing Zhao Xiao at the fountain, forcing the latter's head into the water. A Miao ran to them and shoved Xia Mei aside. With a turn of her body, Xia Mei plunged into the water. "Zhou Xiao, are you okay?" A Miao helped Zhou Xiao sit down, frantically patting her back. "Ha... A Miao... Ha..." Zhou Xiao was gasping for breath. She then burst into tears and threw herself into A Miao's embrace. "A Miao! I thought I'm going to die! I nearly died earlier." Xia Mei pathetically c
"What's wrong with your car?" "The engine burnt out. I'm calling for a repairman." Bai Youran glanced at A Miao who was seated in the backseat without concealing his loathing at all. "Where are you going?" Xia Wan chuckled. "I'm treating A Miao to dinner today. Why don't... Why don't you come with us?" Thinking that he was being humorous, Bai Youran replied, "I'm coming along even if you don't ask me! I'll drive, so ask your driver to drive my car to your home." If it was Xia Wan who planned for their meeting with Bai Youran, then A Miao had become thoroughly stupefied after seeing Shen Xinglan in the restaurant... "Mr. Shen!" Xia Wan cried in surprise. "So you're also here for dinner!" Shen Xinglan was not alone and his female companion was a familiar face. A Miao felt like it was a face that she frequently saw on television. However, it was not the same one she met in Xi
A Miao was walking downstairs for her meal when she heard Xia Mei's voice. She then turned around to go upstairs. "Stop right there!" Xia Mei threw the photo at her. "It's fine if you embarrass yourself, don't get us involved!" The photo depicted A Miao, dressed in a chick costume, delivering condoms. She picked up the photo but before she could take a clearer look, Yao Lili's voice resounded. "What is this?" Yao Lili snatched the photo out of A Miao's hands. Before long, she began screeching. "Disgusting! How can you do something like this?" Seeing the development of events, A Miao thought she might as well sit down. "It's just a job. You all don't have to make a fuss about it." "Job?" Xia Mei grabbed the photo and waved it in front of A Miao's face. "This photo is pinned up in our school board. Now everyone knows that there's someone in Xia family that does this sort of shady busine
"Is this stinky tofu?" Shen I pinched a block of the tofu with his fingers and gave it a sniff. He nearly vomited. He rushed to the door, about to open it. "Don't open the door." Shen II stopped him while he opened the windows. "The smell will get out." Shen I was dumbstruck as he imagined the entire office floor being filled with the smell of stinky tofu. He could not help but wanting to retch. "Boss, why don't you take a shower and change your clothes?" Shen II did not dare to look directly at Shen Xinglan. Shen Xinglan, who had not spoken all this while, slowly raised his head. The first thing he did was loosening his necktie. Then he took off his suit and shirt and walked into the bathroom. While walking in, he began to slowly turn around. "Hehehehehe..." Shen I swallowed uneasily. "Boss..." "Oh no. Did he get so mad that he lost his mind?" "Go.&quo
A ripping sound resounded as the man tore A Miao's shirt and began touching her all over. She felt something rising from her stomach and then vomited all over herself and Xia Mingde. "Let me go… You bastard, let me go!" Without even bothering to wipe her mouth, she felt around for the table lamp on the floor and swiped Xia Mingde with it. "F*ck!" Xia Mingde blocked her attack with his arm and snatched it out of her hands. With a turn of his hand, he landed a hard slap on her face. "You bitch." A Miao fell on the floor. Xia Mingde once again grabbed her thighs and ripped her skirt with one smooth movement. "No! Let me go… Mom… Help!" A Miao stared at the ceiling with tears streaming down her face. The only thing she could think of was her mother's final words. Thud! Just as she was about to close her eyes and waited in despair for Xia Mingde to climb over her, the door abruptly opened. "Boss, how s