HBWMA -Chapter 280 Break, Let Go, Cut Off

“……”

It bounced back?

This thing can even reflect attacks? Is it toxic or something?

Jiang Huashan’s face darkened. She huffed and sat back down on the bamboo chair. She knew it—how could a top-tier heartbreaker be that easy to hook?

Seeing her angry, Shen Guiling’s eyes carried a bit more amusement.

【Ding——】

【Congratulations, hidden storyline “Heart-Throbbing Arc: Saving the Poor Little Thing” has been triggered. Completion progress: 99%】

Are you kidding me?!

Jiang Huashan stared blankly at him sideways. Is there something wrong with you?

Even though Shen Guiling was clever, he couldn’t possibly imagine that this girl had a “progress meter” targeting him in her head. He only assumed she was still upset about the incident with Lei Xing closing the gate.

He walked around the bamboo chair and stood in front of her, taking out a thick stack of black note cards from his chest pocket.

“Here.”

Jiang Huashan glanced at them and asked with an arrogant tone, “What is this?”

Shen Guiling said, “Didn’t you say you wanted a hundred requests? There are a hundred memo cards here. Tear off one card, and it counts as one request.”

The corners of Jiang Huashan’s tightly pressed lips finally broke. She couldn’t hold back anymore and curled them into a smile.

“How can I accept this?” she said, pretending to refuse while snatching it immediately anyway.

But before she could even feel happy for two seconds, her expression stiffened slightly. With a slap, she let go of the cards.

Oh no.

Shen Guiling… this guy really likes her too much.

It made her feel unworthy of it.

A little guilty, she glanced at him before quickly looking away. “Let me be clear first, you gave these voluntarily. I… didn’t do anything.”

I did NOT seduce you.

Shen Guiling hummed lightly and looked at her. “Did you read what I gave you?”

Jiang Huashan straightened up properly and cleared her throat. “I read it. Also… will you tell your father that I investigated him?”

She had originally gone to the bamboo garden to ask him this directly.

If he already knew what she was doing, why did he still warn her about being exposed?

What exactly was his purpose?

Shen Guiling understood her concerns. Knowing she tended to overthink, he explained directly: “As repayment for you keeping Bai Zheng’s matter secret for me, I will keep this confidential.”

“Also… I need to remind you. Since I can investigate it, others can too. Whatever you want to do, the path you were on before is no longer viable. The people you’ve been relying on may not be trustworthy anymore.”

Jiang Huashan gave a soft “oh.”

On this point, they surprisingly agreed. That was exactly why, even though she had already gathered ten million, she still hadn’t contacted Liang Xu.

The incident on the rooftop of the International Trade Center had given her a lot of insight. She had always thought Shen Mianzhi’s death was due to heartbreak, but now that the scene was replayed in her mind, assassins had actually been lying in wait. That meant things were far more complicated.

It was highly likely that Shen Mianzhi’s death in her previous life had been a carefully laid trap. Even if she hadn’t jumped, she would have been killed.

Thinking deeper sent chills down her spine. As Shen Mianzhi said—it was a network. A group trying to erode the Shen family like white ants consuming a towering tree.

She was now the only one who knew the full “script.” She knew there was a traitor, but the traitor didn’t know her. Once her identity was exposed, that advantage would be gone—and she could be in mortal danger at any time.

So she absolutely could not make a wrong move.

She had to admit, Shen Guiling had helped her a lot this time.

She glanced at the boy and shamelessly pulled off a memo card.

“I want Bai Zheng’s information.”

Shen Guiling had already guessed her intention. He took the card and said, “Alright. I’ll go back to Nanyan and prepare a full report for you.”

Jiang Huashan froze. “You’re going back to Nanyan?”

“Yes. The competition is already over.”

“It’s over?” she looked surprised. “So it wasn’t you? Then… was it Shen Lanxi?”

She had assumed the S-country plotline involved Shen Guiling. Looks like she had the wrong direction.

Shen Guiling lifted his eyes. “He didn’t win either.”

Jiang Huashan: “……”

Lan Garden

“Young master? What’s wrong? Are you unhappy because you lost the competition?”

Gao Zhi leaned on the windowsill, poking his head into the study. Even with sunglasses on, his curiosity was written all over his face.

Curiosity one: Why is the young master unhappy?

Curiosity two: Why did he come back and stare at his own calligraphy?

Curiosity three: How long did the “useless young master” actually last?

Inside the room, Shen Lanxi stared at the hanging calligraphy piece reading “Stillness.”

His mind was filled with rising desires.

The moment he closed his eyes, he could feel someone holding his waist, someone wrapping around his neck, someone clinging to his shoulders—all with the same face, smiling mischievously and wickedly.

The drug had worn off, but desire had not. This lucid descent into temptation forced him to face himself again.

He stepped forward, removed the calligraphy, and with a crack, the word “Stillness” split in two.

“The Dao follows nature. Acting on desire is also the Dao.”

He lowered his gaze, suppressing the turbulent emotions in his eyes.

Gao Zhi was startled and quickly jumped down from the window, retreating into the courtyard.

The young master is breaking his seal—unrelated people should evacuate immediately!

Back from the Bamboo Garden, Shen Guiling immediately called Shen Qian to report the results.

Upon hearing that the winner was Shen Qingyu, Shen Qian finally relaxed a little. Though unexpected, it was still acceptable—after all, Shen Qingyu was from the second branch.

He didn’t blame Shen Guiling for failing to secure the opportunity to accompany them this time either. Now that his authority had returned and he was at his peak again, keeping Shen Guiling by his side was not a bad thing.

“A-Ling, since the competition is over, when are you coming to Nanyan?”

Shen Qian had been lying low in Nanyan for three years; it was now his stronghold. Before returning to Whale Harbor, he had to ensure the forces there were well hidden.

Shen Guiling was watering flowers. Hearing this, he put down the watering can, picked up the scissors, and snipped off all the unopened buds of a young plant.

“Leaving this afternoon. I’ll go and take my leave from Grandfather shortly.”

He looked at the buds.

When flowers bloom, they consume the nutrients meant for growth, weakening the roots. To help a plant grow strong, gardeners often cut off all side shoots and buds, forcing stronger roots for future spring growth.

Just like him.

Fragile and uncertain of the future. If he wanted to keep spring, he had to cut off the present.

So he had to go to Nanyan.

He needed power.

He had to carve out a path through blood and pressure.

He would devour Nanyan…

He needed to become strong.