After leaving the club, Mu Sijue drove back to the old house of the Mu family.

This time, he was sober enough that he didn’t wake up Aunt Zhou to enter.

But maybe he was too sober. He lay in bed, taking half an hour before even trying to sleep. Xu Youning constantly appeared in front of his eyes and he felt so empty, as if there were a hole in his heart.

But, Xu Youning didn’t belong to him anyway. So he didn’t lose anything.

When the east of the sky started to turn white, Mu Sijue got up and took several sleeping pills. Then he finally fell asleep.

By the time he woke up again, it was dark in the room and he couldn’t tell the time. He just saw someone vaguely.

A person whom he was familiar with that had a tall and thin figure. She had long hair and quick movements.

He sat up in a blank. He was about to utter “Xu Youning” when the person suddenly turned around and looked at him smilingly, “Xiao Qi, you’re awake?”

It was Aunt Zhou.

Mu Sijue finally came to himself and pressed his temple, “Aunt Zhou, how long have I slept?”

“It’s dusk now. It’s getting dark.” Aunt Zhou took some clothes for Mu Sijue. “When did you come back? Why didn’t I notice?”

“At midnight,” Mu Sijue said, “It was too late. And I didn’t have anything important so I didn’t want to wake you up.”

Aunt Zhou calmly sat by the bed and looked at Mu Sijue kindly. “Xiao Qi, are you really all right?”

When Mu Sijue was little, Aunt Zhou would always call him Xiao Qi, which contained love and tolerance. Her tone really sounded like Mu Sijue’s mother.

But only after a few years, Mu Sijue became powerful and sharp. There were more and more people who were respectful and scared of him. Gradually, Aunt Zhou stopped calling him Xiao Qi, only using his full name from then on.

Only when Mu Sijue was great or didn’t look great would Aunt Zhou call him by his nick name, just in the way she used to comfort him with a gentle voice.

At the moment, Mu Sijue didn’t know how to answer her question. He was fine or not fine. He didn’t have an answer, either…

Aunt Zhou seemed to have seen through his hesitation and asked, “Did you really make up your mind to get rid of Xu Youning?”

“… Tonight.”

Then, Mu Sijue realized it was already time. He looked out of the window and his heart felt like it had been caught by a hand full of thorns, tight and painful.

Aunt Zhou knew Mu Sijue well and didn’t miss any little expression of his. She caught his hand and said, “It’s not too late to change your mind.”

Changing his mind? Mu Sijue had to admit he wanted to, but, he couldn’t.

“Aunt Zhou, it’s already too late,” Mu Sijue said slowly as if he really didn’t care about Xu Youning’s life. He naturally changed the topic, “I’m hungry. Cook something for me. I’ll get downstairs after a shower.”

Aunt Zhou sighed. “Okay.”

After Aunt Zhou left, the room suddenly turned quiet. Mu Sijue looked at the cellphone by his bedside. He picked it up and then set it down.

What if he knew Xu Youning had been taken away or was still at the club? The thing that needed to happen that night had to happen.

Mu Sijue took up his clothes and was about to go to the bathroom when the phone rang and Ah Guang’s name was on the screen.

He picked up the phone without a second of hesitation. “Say it.”

“Seventh Brother,” Ah Guang said in a low voice, “It’s almost eight. I’ll set out right away to pick up Xu Youning and take her life on the mountain.”

“…” That thorny hand crushed Mu Sijue’s heart right at that moment.

He kept silent for quite a while and finally said in a normal tone, “Be careful. Xu Youning… is not as simple as you think.”

“I know,” Ah Guang said, ” I’ll give you a call after it’s done.”

“Not…”

The word “necessary” froze by Mu Sijue’s lips. He wanted to show that he wasn’t interested to know whether Xu Youning would be dead or alive. But before he could finish the words, Ah Guang hung up the phone.

His hand became weak and with a “bang” sound, the phone fell on the carpet. His heart fell with it too; the only thing left inside his chest was blood.

The bathroom was so close but Mu Sijue seemed to have lost the strength to get there.

This was the biggest bet in his whole life but he could only let others decide it.

In contrast, Ah Guang who should be the saddest had no reaction. Upon the arrival of the set time, he led Jie and Jason to the second floor underground.

Jie and Jason both had a pretty deep impression of Xu Youning.

A few months back, Mu Sijue had been attacked in Mexico. She was the only one who knew about it and reached the place to take care of Mu Sijue. Later, she had been kidnapped in the mall by Kang Ruicheng and Jie was later punished to stay in a deserted area for a long time because of this.

And just then, Ah Guang had just told them that Xu Youning was a spy sent by Kang Ruicheng and that Mu Sijue ordered to kill her?

“Brother Guang.” Jie was really shocked. “Is it true? Xu Youning is really the spy?”

Instead of answering his question, Ah Guang asked, “Are you doubting Seventh Brother’s judgement?”

“No, no, no!” Jie quickly waved his hand. “I’m just surprised, very surprised…”

“Why?” Ah Guang asked.

“I’m surprised that Seventh Brother wants to kill Xu Youning!” Jie said with great shock, “Everyone knows about the relationship between Seventh Brother and Xu Youning. It’s better to lock her up than to kill her. If we kill her… she will be gone forever.”

Ah Guang stopped for a minute and then said seriously, “It’s one of Seventh Brother’s rules. Have you forgotten that betrayal is the most unacceptable behavior for him?”

Jie took a look at Jason. Jason shrugged, which meant he had no answer, either.

Soon, the three of them reached the second floor underground.

Ah Guang scanned his palmprint, pushed the door open and found Xu Youning sleeping in bed.

Jason groaned, “Sister Youning… is too courageous. Doesn’t she know she will die today?”

Xu Youning heard the voice and opened her eyes. Then she slowly sat up. “Of course I know.”

Jason was scared by Xu Youning. “Then why are you still sleeping?”

“Is there a rule that says I can’t sleep before I die?” Xu Youning slowly got down from the bed and her head reached Ah Guang’s. “Cuff me. There’s no regret for me now that Mu Sijue sent you to take care of me.”

Ah Guang took out the handcuffs and placed them on Xu Youning’s hands. “Do you have anything to say to someone, or… do you want to see anyone?”

“Yes.” Xu Youning smiled and said without a second thought, “I want to meet Mu Sijue.”

Ah Guang looked awkward. “Well…”

Jie and Jason were also confused. They were suspicious that Xu Youning might do something crazy before she died.

Xu Youning looked at their expressions and sighed. “You have no humor cells.”

Jie and Jason were both relieved. “You’re just kidding.”

Xu Youning shrugged and smiled as if nothing was wrong.

Only she knew that she wasn’t kidding.

She didn’t know what would happen next. No matter if she went back to Kang Ruicheng smoothly or was killed with gunshots… she would never see Mu Sijue again.

So she wanted to see him.

But she knew it was impossible. But it would be okay to ask Ah Guang to pass a few words to Su Jianan.

“Ah Guang.” Xu Youning made up a smile. “Then I will tell you something serious. Listen to me, I need you to apologize to Jianan and Brother Boyan. Tell Jianan that I’m really sorry that I almost caused their divorce. If I had known Kang Ruicheng wanted those files to threaten her, I would have never given them to him.”

“I will give your words to Mrs. Lu.” Ah Guang nodded and asked, “Is there anything else?”

Xu Youning shook her head. “No. Let’s go.”

Jie and Jason were basically doing the same work as Xu Youning. And those in the job particularly treasured their lives because they never knew when they would die. It was the first time that they had seen someone so fearless in front of death, so they curiously asked, “Aren’t you afraid of death?”

“No.” Xu Youning gave them a mysterious smile, “I have been waiting for this moment for so long.” Then, she looked at Ah Guang.

At that moment, Ah Guang seemed to understand what Xu Youning meant. He quietly gave her a look, then he took her to the first floor underground and got into a business car.

After the car went out of the parking lot, Ah Guang told Xu Youning, “We’re going to Enning Hill.”

Xu Youning was very familiar with City G; Enning Hill was the only hill which hadn’t even constructed into a place for sightseeing. The landscape was complicated, where normal people might easily get lost. But it was a good place to escape for someone who had a superior sense of direction like her.

She lightly replied with a “um” and said, “When you bury me, remember to choose a place with a good location.”

Jason looked at Xu Youning with a troubled expression. He said, “Holy ghost.”

Xu Youning glanced at Jason. “I’m still alive. You would indeed be running into a ghost if you can still see me after today.”

Jason: “…”

Soon, the car reached Enning Hill and stopped somewhere halfway.

At midnight on the mountain, the darkness covered every corner like a magical claw. The atmosphere was particularly weird. But it was nothing for them. They had been through many more horrifying scenes.

Jason hesitated, then he took out the gun. He looked at Xu Youning and said, “To be honest, I think it would be a pity if you die.”

Xu Youning shrugged. “What a coincidence? I think the same way.” Then, her smile became strange.

Jie and Jason were still thinking about Xu Youning’s mysterious smile when she unlocked the cuffs with the key Ah Guang gave her the day before.

“You will be seeing a ghost if you see me after today”—Jason thought of that sentence and understood her meaning. He said to Jie, “She wants to run!”

Right at that moment, Xu Youning’s foot flew by and got the gun in Jason’s hand. Then she held the gun in her hand and evaded a bullet Jie had quickly shot.

Jie and Jason finally knew how fierce Xu Youning was. They shouted at Ah Guang, “What are you still doing there? Get her!”

Ah Guang calmly walked toward Xu Youning, seemingly intending to fight against her. But when he got near her, he stopped fighting. Xu Youning naturally caught his hands and pointed the gun against his head.

Not expecting things to develop like this, Xu Youning was amazed for a moment and then got herself together. She shouted at Jie and Jason, “Don’t move. I’ll let you have a taste of these bullets if you do.”

Jie and Jason constantly signaled at Ah Guang to struggle but he just shook his head. They looked at Ah Guang in disbelief. “You…”

“Don’t move.” Ah Guang was calm enough as he spoke. “Don’t worry. The fault is on me if Seventh Brother looks into this. There won’t be any trouble for you two.”