Chapter 2: The First Encounter

The space inside the car was already cramped and narrow.

Now that there was an extra person, it felt even more constricted.

The temperature rose subtly.

Being closer, the scent of blood grew heavier, yet there were no visible wounds on the man.

While watching him with interest, Si Fuqing twitched her ears, clearly capturing a series of frantic footsteps interspersed with several gunshots.

Only then did the man speak: "I am borrowing this lady's space to take cover."

His voice was low and cold, sounding almost mechanical; he had clearly altered his tone to avoid being recognized.

Yet, his cadence still carried his usual elegant and romantic air, though the suppressed undertones held a certain chill—a bone-deep cruelty and violence.

Si Fuqing had no intention of looking at his face again.

He was cautious enough to change his voice; it was impossible that his face wasn't concealed.

"Sure, pay up." She toyed with her hair like a lazy little fox grooming its fur, the corners of her eyes curving into a smile. "Once the money arrives, everything is negotiable."

The man paused. "It is not necessary."

He unfastened a jade pendant from somewhere and placed it gently on the car's dashboard.

Upon contact, the jade felt delicate and cool, clearly of high quality.

Si Fuqing stowed the pendant away and spoke unhurriedly, "Do you need assistance? I can download some erotic music as accompaniment. Do you prefer something grand and imposing, or something predatory and watchful?"

Taking money to do a job—this was the only unchanging creed she had held throughout her years of wandering.

"No need," the man said indifferently. "This is enough."

Having said that, he lowered his gaze slightly, his excellent vision allowing him to see her face clearly.

An exquisite countenance, skin like ice and bones like jade.

A rare beauty.

Si Fuqing shifted her weight, propping her head up with her other hand. "As long as you aren't tired."

The man braced his arm against the dashboard, encircling the girl within his embrace. With a slight application of clever strength, the car began to rock.

Though they were close, there was no actual physical contact between the two.

However, from the outside, the sight of them through the misted, mottled glass created an air of romantic intimacy, lending the scene a peculiar, sultry allure.

The frantic footsteps stopped at that moment.

"Where is he? He didn't go to the hospital, did he?" An angry voice rang out, then suddenly escalated, "What's that over there?!"

*Swish!*

A piercing light flashed toward the car before quickly moving away.

Seeing the car rocking violently, someone cursed, "Where did these wild lovers come from, doing this kind of thing outside a hospital? How unlucky. Aren't they afraid of scaring the dead back to life?"

"If I didn't have important business today, I'd snatch that woman right now!"

"Stop talking, the mission is more important," another person said quickly. "Where did he run to? He's not here!"

"Let's go, into the hospital, keep chasing! We absolutely cannot let him get away!"

The group gradually departed, and the surroundings returned to silence.

Si Fuqing stretched her body and tilted her chin up. "What a hassle. Let me have a sip of Coke."

The man withdrew slightly.

Si Fuqing reached out her right hand as if to unscrew the cap, but in the next second, she abruptly pivoted, striking straight for his shoulder.

The man's reaction was incredibly fast; his already dark eyes instantly turned pitch black.

In a mere ten seconds, the two had exchanged over a dozen moves.

*Thud!*

Si Fuqing was pinned against the driver's seat.

She still couldn't see his face, but she could feel his cold aura and his long, powerful arms and broad shoulders.

There was only a layer of clothing between them, and his warmth flowed continuously toward her.

"Your wrist is injured and lacks strength; you are no match for me." He gripped her intact right wrist tightly. "If this continues, I cannot guarantee what I might do."

His eyes held neither joy nor anger, remaining undisturbed as if no sudden accident could move him.

Yet, he possessed an overwhelming sense of pressure and aggression.

Si Fuqing blinked, her emotions unmoved, remaining slow and casual. "Fine then."

"Thank you for today, lady." The man paused, releasing his grip. His voice was steady and powerful, neither rushed nor slow. "If I am fortunate enough to see you again, I will come to your door to express my thanks."

He had arrived silently and departed just as quietly.

As the scent of blood dissipated, Si Fuqing finally turned on the car's interior light.

She looked down at her palm.

A metal object, thin as a cicada's wing, glinted faintly in the darkness.

Though she hadn't defeated him, she had managed to swipe something from him.

The Great Xia Empire was divided into many factions.

But one that she could actually name was the Mo Clan of Zhongzhou.

The Mo Clan was a prominent family in Zhongzhou, renowned for their mechanical contraptions and hidden weapons.

Their heritage had lasted for over a thousand years.

Si Fuqing fell into thought.

In her past life, although she possessed pure Great Xia blood, she hadn't spent much time in the Great Xia Empire; much of her information came from the intelligence network established by her second senior brother and friends she had met online.

However, whether that man was a member of the Mo Clan was of no concern to her.

He was also right; her current physical strength was too weak.

"Talking so formally... one would think you're from ancient times." Si Fuqing gathered her thoughts and slipped the hidden weapon into her pocket. "Communicating is such a hassle, and I have too many enemies. Who would want to run into you again?"

She finished the last sip of her Coke, tossed the bottle into a distant trash can, and sat quietly in the car seat for a while before starting the engine and driving away.

***

8:00 AM, the Zuo residence.

The arrangements for Old Master Zuo's funeral were still underway. Neither Zuo Tianbei nor Madam Zuo were present, leaving only a few of the younger generation in the Zuo house.

"Second Sister, we finally managed to drive Si Fuqing out." Zuo Qingya stirred the coffee in her cup. "It makes me so angry to see Grandfather being so good to her. What exactly is her identity that he treats an outsider so well?"

"And she even ran off to join the entertainment industry. It's hilarious. The people cursing her in the industry are practically international. She has zero self-awareness."

Zuo Qingya knew Si Fuqing's reputation in the industry very well.

It couldn't be worse. A star who couldn't do anything and wasn't even good-looking—what kind of popularity could she possibly have?

Sometimes, when she felt like it, she would specifically hire a wave of internet trolls to smear Si Fuqing.

As the third young lady of the Zuo family, Zuo Qingya naturally looked down on the entertainment industry and never watched talent shows. It was only after hearing that Si Fuqing had made a fool of herself on *Youthful Teens* that she specifically downloaded it to watch.

Seeing netizens curse Si Fuqing made her happy.

Zuo Xianyu did not comment on this, merely saying, "Say a little less."

She wasn't saying this to defend Si Fuqing, but rather because Si Fuqing wasn't even worth her attention.