Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  When Xue Xi was ready, Lu Chao stretched out one hand and he stressed. “You gotta use strength and must be quick. But you’re a girl and your reaction is slow……”


  Before he could finish his sentence, she gave him a kick.

  Lu Chao felt a powerful force coming at him and he backtracked five, six steps before steadying himself.

  By the time he regained his senses, he was confused.

  Xue Xi ended off in a suave pose as she turned to look at him. “Do I need more strength?”


  She grew up in the orphanage since she was young and had to do heavy manual labor such as washing sheets and blankets. Hence, she was much stronger than the average person.

  Unfortunately, she had not learned martial arts in the past and did not know how to fight.

  Lu Chao hurriedly signaled. “It’s enough.”


  He moved his numb hand and said, “Do this ‘hit’ action. Mhm, relax and you don’t have to use too much strength.”


  After learning it two times, Xue Xi had gotten hold of the boxing’s key elements. Taking a look at the time, she hurried to where Qin Shuang was.

  The sky was getting dark and the lamps in the alley were lit. By the time Xue Xi got there, she saw the seven Flames and Qin Shuang squatting dazedly beneath the faint light from the lamp. Meanwhile, Gao Yanchen was still leaning against the wall and playing with his phone. They looked quite hilarious like this.

  Flame Number One was holding a grass stalk, which he got from somewhere, in his mouth, and he said, “Sh*t! Could she have lied to us and won’t be coming back?”


  Qin Shuang anxiously replied, “It’s not her business to begin with. Brother Chen, you can choose to just beat me up or let me go!”


  Gao Yanchen sneered and kept quiet. Then, his ears moved slightly and he heard light footsteps coming.

  Tilting his head slightly, he saw the girl walking toward them, and she was expressionless just as before. She appeared apathetic and her eyes seemed naturally dazed as she said slowly, “I’ve finished learning.”


  Feeling anxious, Qin Shuang said, “Xue Xi, knock it off! Brother Chen is really good at fighting and nobody in this area could beat him……”


  Gao Yanchen raised his brow.

  Usually, he did not mind anyone and would beat both men and women. However, for some unknown reason, when he saw a good girl like her, he could not bring himself to do it.

  Maybe he should go easy on her and not let her be defeated too badly.

  Thinking of which, he said, “Let’s start.”


  Just as he said it, the quiet girl moved. By the time she completed the series of moves—”kick, hit, slam, seize, and twist”—Gao Yanchen was lying flat on the ground while she got him into an arm lock.

  “.……”


  Everyone present was taken aback and stared blankly at them.

  Too fast.

  It was so fast that before they could even cheer, it had ended.

  Gao Yanchen tried to forcefully break free of the girl’s control. Even though she seemed weak, he could not break free!

  He shouted, “I wasn’t well-prepared just now. Let’s do it again!”


  “.……Oh.”


  Xue Xi nodded and let go of his arm. She stretched her fist and her right foot took a step back. Looking serious, her eyes seemed blank and her position did not change at all.

  Gao Yanchen warmed up, and when he was ready, he shouted, “Start!”


  Twenty seconds later, Gao Yanchen, who was lying flat on the ground, began to doubt his life. He had clearly seen through her tactics, but he just could not catch up with her speed!

  With his face burning red, he balled his fists and said indignantly, “I admit defeat.”


  Xue Xi let go of him.

  Gao Yanchen stood up and patted the dust off himself as his face was filled with grievance and stubbornness. “Just wait and see, I’ll defeat you one day. When that day comes, you’ll be my subordinate and will dye your hair red.”


  Xue Xi: “.……Oh.”


  He felt as though his powerful fist landed on cotton and could not muster any strength.

  After he took in a deep breath, his hands waved and the rest stood up straight. Next, all of them bowed at Xue Xi and shouted in harmony, “Sister Xi!”


  Xue Xi: “?”


  Flame Number One shot a glance at Gao Yanchen, and, after obtaining his approval, he asked, “Sister Xi, do we need to dye our hair black?”


  Looking at their hair, she replied, “Anything.”


  Everyone had different preferences and she would not force them.

  Taking her school bag from Qin Shuang’s hands, she turned around and left.

  Gao Yanchen tried to resist it but could not, so he asked, “Where are you going?”


  Xue Xi paused. “Going home to do questions.”


  “.……”


  After the students had left, Xiang Huai and Lu Chao appeared from the darkness.

  Lu Chao sighed. “Boss, Sister-in-law’s skills are not bad; truly a good seedling!”


  Upon finishing his words, he stole a stealthy glance at Xiang Huai, only to see his face all tensed as he looked ahead with shimmers in his eyes.

  Lu Chao could not help but ask, “Boss, what secrets do you think that little sister-in-law is hiding such that you have to stay here personally?”


  The man shot him a glance and the latter shut his mouth immediately, pretending as though he did not say the last sentence……

  Gao family.

  Elder Gao, who was in his sixties, was anxiously pacing up and down in his room. When his secretary entered, he asked in haste, “Have you found it?”


  The secretary lowered his head respectfully. “I can’t find any hint of General Xiang’s whereabouts.”


  Elder Gao frowned as he sat on the sofa and smoked a cigar. As he exhaled the smoke, he said, “General Xiang’s movements have always been stealthy and odd. It would be weird if we could find his whereabouts! Anyways, since he is in Bin City, let’s be more careful. Tell the rest that this weekend’s gathering is canceled and we won’t be receiving any gifts. If General Xiang finds out about it, we’ll be in for some scoldings.”


  The secretary nodded. “Yes.”


  Elder Gao gave it a thought for some time. “Start with that tea and investigate where the tea went. General Xiang’s fiancée is in Bin City. Don’t offend her accidentally.”


  “Yes.”
……

  Xue family.

  Xue Sheng, who’d gone on a business trip, was finally back. He first greeted Old Lady Xue and quickly pulled Ye Li into the bedroom as he asked nervously, “Are you hurt?”


  She shook her head and narrated what happened yesterday.

  Upon hearing that the old lady wanted to exercise the family’s punishment, his face turned terrifyingly dark. She then sighed. “Mom didn’t go too overboard in the past, so what’s wrong recently? I feel that she’s against me.”


  They had been married for nearly twenty years. Although the old lady was not fond of Ye Li, she had never hit her and embarrassed her in front of outsiders.

  Xue Sheng’s eyes darkened and he sighed. “That’s because I’m taking over the company.”


  Ye Li was not a silly and naive girl. She held herself aloof from the world in the past because she lost her daughter and all her hopes were dashed to pieces. Now that Xue Sheng had said it, she instantly understood what he meant!

  Her eyes constricted as she reeled from the shock. “If I had really left yesterday, your reputation would have then crumbled…… Mom is going too overboard! She is biased without any limits!”


  Seeing that her husband was not looking too good, she knew he must be feeling worse. She hurriedly comforted him. “Never mind, you still have me and Xixi!”


  Xue Sheng nodded and hugged his wife. After leaning in each other’s embrace for a while, she asked curiously, “That tea, where did you get it from?”


  He was taken aback upon hearing that. “Didn’t Mom buy it?”