Bai Ziyan’s dazed eyes instantly became much more spirited upon seeing the message.
Despite being trapped in the fear that she couldn’t tell anyone (telling them would mean admitting to murder), she hadn’t forgotten that so many brothers and sisters had placed their lives in her hands.
She had to temporarily cast aside her own fear and pull herself together.
Taking several deep breaths, she quickly typed and compiled a coded message: "Stand by. Maintain cover. You will be notified when to act."
After sending it, Bai Ziyan bit her lip hard, forcing herself to focus all her concentration on hacking into a certain overseas network.
She needed to understand someone’s specific action plan.
Although she knew very well that hacking into the heavily guarded network would immediately expose her, she was confident enough to disappear without a trace before the enemy could decrypt "Silver Ring Snake's" real IP address.
Her thumbs moved at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, tapping rapidly on the screen.
All her attention was focused on this.
She.
Bai Ziyan!
Was the king of the virtual network!!
No one could track her movements; they could only chase after her in a frenzy, utterly exasperated.
Unless—
Bai Ziyan's heart suddenly pounded.
This was a premonition, a warning signal that she was about to be locked onto by her real IP address.
"Who is tracking me?"
"How could anyone lock onto me so quickly in the vast network?"
"It's her!"
"The legendary hacker king."
As a flash of insight struck Bai Ziyan, she went offline with unprecedented speed.
*Whoosh.*
Bai Ziyan let out a long sigh of relief, feeling cold sweat trickle down her cheek.
So close.
So very close!
She had almost been captured by that legendary hacker king.
Fortunately, her keen sixth sense had played a crucial role, allowing her to retreat safely and timely.
She slumped onto the floor, exhausted, leaning against the edge of the bed.
Only after her boiling brain cells and taut nerves gradually returned to normal did she open her eyes.
She casually swiped her finger across the screen, habitually searching the internet for anything of interest.
"209 virus?"
Bai Ziyan frowned, her attention caught by a piece of information: "209, which had disappeared for a full twenty years, has somehow arrived in Tiandong through dark channels? Who is behind this? And what are they trying to do?"
This accidentally discovered piece of information piqued Bai Ziyan's interest.
Just as she was about to thoroughly investigate the source of 209, she saw four things out of the corner of her eye.
Her interest immediately vanished.
She stared blankly at the four severed hands for a long time without moving.
There were also four hands in the boss’s office at the ZhiZhi Club.
But these four hands belonged to living people, serving Li Qianfan his meal.
Each one was so tender and smooth, well-maintained.
Fingers long and slender, nails clean, the most natural pink.
And no unsightly bumps (fake nails) that would make Li Qianfan uncomfortable with just a glance.
Back in Lijia Village, Li Qianfan had heard the village wives and aunties talk about the amusing phenomena between men and women.
The gist was:
"When a woman is with a man, she might be reserved. But when two women are with a man, they become bold."
It was indeed so.
Whether it was Dai Paipai or Chu Yazhi, they had both been relatively proper when alone with Li Qianfan.
But with the inexplicable vying and flattering, their boldness began to expand rapidly.
Alas (๑◕︵◕๑), troublesome.
Of course, they knew clearly that a little teasing was acceptable, but crossing the line was not.
"Eat quickly, and then we’ll go home. I’ve been out for two days, taking leave from my wife to accompany my mother on a sightseeing trip. Turns out."
With a *snap*, Li Qianfan opened one of the hands and spoke, then suddenly stopped.
Did he say something wrong?
Seeing the two women with flushed cheeks and watery eyes, Li Qianfan’s expression turned somewhat awkward.
But it didn't matter; it was just a joke.
A breakfast that should have taken ten minutes to finish was dragged out for a full hour.
He didn’t know how it happened—
"Continue with your work. Contact me anytime if anything comes up."
As Li Qianfan was leaving, he said to Chu Yazhi, "After the Murong family was taught a lesson, no one will dare to trouble you. Alright, you don't need to see me out. I don't want to attract attention; I need to be low-key."
"Master, travel safely."
Chu Yazhi bowed deeply, her face full of reluctance, not feigning sentimentality.
On the way back to Qingyun.
Dai Paipai asked, "Dad, have you noticed that you've become different from before?"
Li Qianfan looked out the car window and casually asked, "How am I different?"
Dai Paipai replied, "I can clearly feel that in terms of relationships between men and women, you seem to be somewhat wallowing in decadence."
Li Qianfan fell silent.
Dai Paipai was right. He believed that the experienced Chu Yazhi had also noticed.
"My wife is Su Ziyu."
After a long silence, Li Qianfan said softly, "But there's a very formidable girl, or rather, a family, that forbids us from being true husband and wife. If Ziyu and I become true husband and wife, she will die."
Dai Paipai was greatly shocked.
In her heart, this young man was already indescribably powerful.
She also envied and was jealous of Su Ziyu, who had waited for him for 26 years, and sincerely wished them a speedy birth of heirs and a long life together.
Yet, she had never dreamed that there was a formidable girl who wouldn't allow them to be together.
Dai Paipai could see how angry and helpless Li Qianfan felt as he spoke these words.
She didn't know how to comfort him.
She could only quietly take his left hand, allowing him to feel her meager comfort through its smooth silkiness.
"Actually, it's not entirely their fault."
Since Li Qianfan had opened up, he no longer hid anything, smiling self-deprecatingly. "It can't be blamed on my parents either. If anyone is to blame, it's only me for disappointing them, for making them utterly loathe me, which led to things escalating to this point step by step."
He began to speak from the "Grand Banquet of a Hundred Days" twenty years ago, when the eight elders of Lijia Village solemnly proposed marriage.
He recounted going to the woman's home seven years ago, and because he had glanced at a pair of legs in the crowd, he angered the girl, who then took him out and beat him up. Upon returning, she used his retaliation to stab him.
Finally, he mentioned the woman's parents finding his father and delivering an ultimatum with a clear attitude.
"As long as I don't touch Ziyu, even if you slept with Chu Yazhi these past two days, there would be no problem."
At this point, Li Qianfan once again gave a self-mocking laugh. "Paipai Boss, if you were me, would your mentality change?"
"It would!"
Dai Paipai nodded vigorously and said earnestly, "Forget about me, even anyone else would want to vent their frustration through decadence if they were in your situation. But few people, like you, could maintain their last shred of composure under the desperate temptation from me and Chu Yazhi."
Li Qianfan said nothing more.
He just looked out the car window, letting his left hand appreciate Dai Paipai's unique silky smoothness.
He didn't know if he should tell Su Ziyu.
If he did, Su Ziyu would only have two choices.
One, to break up.
Two, to die rather than not be his wife.
But neither of these outcomes was what Li Qianfan wanted.
As noon approached, Dai Paipai's car slowly stopped in front of a bank.
"Don't worry. I will keep everything you've told me a secret, not even a word to Hongti."
After parking the car, Dai Paipai said, "But I have a request."
Li Qianfan unbuckled his seatbelt. "Speak."
Dai Paipai pursed her lips and said frankly, "If you are extremely distressed and want to destroy the whole world, please consider Paipai first. Don't worry, I won't cling to you because of it."
"Heh heh, alright."
Li Qianfan opened the door and got out.
As he closed the car door, he said, "Be careful of Wang Mingshuai."
"He wouldn't dare touch a single finger of mine," Dai Paipai said with confidence. "Because what he wants most now is a quarter of Qingyun's industrial and commercial market."
"Be careful; it never hurts to be cautious," Li Qianfan added another piece of advice before closing the car door.
Five in the afternoon.
Su Ziyu and the old Mr. and Mrs. Su had already returned home early.
At seven o'clock tonight, the Su family of three would be meeting Li Qianfan's mother.
It was a paramount occasion: the daughter-in-law meeting her mother-in-law for the first time, and the old Mr. and Mrs. Su meeting their future in-laws.
Mr. Su, who had specifically changed into a white shirt, crisp trousers, and even a tie, was scolded by Mother Lan as soon as he walked out of the bedroom: "Why are you dressed so ostentatiously?"
"Ostentatious?"
Mr. Su spread his hands, looking puzzled. "This is my most formal attire."
"Qianfan, go back to your room first. There are some things I need to discuss with your father and Ziyu privately," Ning Xiaolan said to Li Qianfan with a gentle smile.
Li Qianfan agreed and simply walked out of the house, going to the hallway to smoke.
"What is it, Mom?"
Su Ziyu, who was also fretting over which outfit would best showcase her beauty, asked confusedly.
"We need to dress as simply as possible, even a bit sloppily," Ning Xiaolan whispered. "Only then can we avoid causing any potential inferiority complex in your mother-in-law."
————————
Happy Saturday, everyone. Remember to give gifts^_^