TRWSB – Chapter 180 The news from Zuo Yunfei

Qi Shaorong looked at Zhuang Hao, who had just entered the room, and asked, “Eavesdropping again?”

Zhuang Hao nodded with a smile. “Something like that.”

Qi Shaorong looked at him, thinking: This guy is getting more and more skilled at eavesdropping.

“So, what did you hear?” Qi Shaorong’s face remained calm, but there was a hint of anticipation in his eyes, clearly showing his interest in whatever was going on between Qi Heng and Zuo Yunfei.

“They have deep-seated conflicts,” Zhuang Hao replied.

Qi Shaorong nodded. “Yes, Ah Heng did say Zuo Yunfei hates him.”

Zhuang Hao shook his head. “I don’t think Zuo Yunfei hates him. It’s more like he hates that Qi Heng doesn’t care about him.”

Qi Shaorong: “…”

“In my opinion, this Young Master Zuo Yunfei must have a masochistic streak. What a weirdo.” Zhuang Hao chuckled.

Qi Shaorong rolled his eyes. “Stop talking nonsense. Be careful, or he might come looking for you to beat you up.”

Zhuang Hao: “…”

Just then, Qi Heng walked in, and both Zhuang Hao and Qi Shaorong immediately stopped talking.

“Ah Heng, weren’t you heading out? Changed your mind?” Qi Shaorong asked.

Qi Heng closed his eyes, looking slightly frustrated. “Some idiot is blocking the door. I can’t get out.”

Qi Shaorong looked him over. “What’s going on between you and Zuo Yunfei? It seems like he’s still hung up on you.”

Qi Heng shot him a glare. “Young Master, what nonsense are you talking about? There’s nothing between us.”

“Then what’s the story between you two?” Qi Shaorong persisted.

“I used some extreme methods to treat him. Maybe that’s why he holds a grudge. Later, after his strength recovered a bit, he hid it from me and launched a surprise attack. I was caught off guard and got overwhelmed,” Qi Heng said darkly.

“And then you two ended up in bed?” Zhuang Hao asked.

Qi Heng nodded. “Pretty much.”

“You really got the short end of the stick. All effort and no thanks — being kind didn’t pay off.” Qi Shaorong muttered in indignation on his behalf.

Zhuang Hao: “…” He didn’t really see Qi Heng as that nice, but Zuo Yunfei did owe him a favor.

“He didn’t have it easy either. His strength recovered somewhat, but it remained unstable. I knocked him out, stripped him of everything he had, and left him in the wilderness,” Qi Heng said.

Qi Shaorong’s eyes lit up. “Ah! I remember now. That one time you came back with a bit of extra money.”

Zhuang Hao: “…”

Remembering Zuo Yunfei’s bitter and resentful look, Zhuang Hao half-jokingly asked, “Did you leave him naked to soak up some sunlight?”

Qi Heng nodded. “Correct.”

Zhuang Hao: “…” No wonder Zuo Yunfei looked at Qi Heng like he’d killed his parents whenever they met.

If Zuo Yunfei’s experience ever got out, his reputation would be ruined.

“Ah Heng, do you have some sort of grudge against Zuo Yunfei?” Qi Shaorong asked curiously. Although Qi Heng was a bit eccentric, he wasn’t the type to torment others for no reason.

“I just really don’t like him. The sight of him annoys me.”

“Because he’s handsome, and you’re jealous?” Qi Shaorong teased.

Qi Heng frowned. “Young Master, what nonsense are you thinking? I simply despise the Zuo family. They’re all a bunch of lechers, a chaotic, degenerate bunch.”

Qi Shaorong: “…” So someone in the Zuo family offended Qi Heng, and Zuo Yunfei ended up taking the blame?

Qi Heng looked at Qi Shaorong. “Young Master, if there’s nothing else, may I leave now?”

“Of course,” Qi Shaorong nodded.

Zhuang Hao tilted his head, staring at Qi Shaorong with sparkling eyes.

Qi Shaorong glanced at him. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Zhuang Hao shook his head. “Nothing. I was just wondering if you disliked me when we first met in the capital because I was too handsome.”

Qi Shaorong: “…”

…

Jiang Lin and the others sent the information they got from Qi Heng back to the Jiang family and soon received a reply.

“Brother, what did the family say?” Jiang Qinxin asked.

Jiang He frowned. “The investigation shows that the family did expel someone named Jiang Jin a decade ago. That person had a younger brother named Jiang Heng.”

“Qi Heng… Jiang Heng? Could it be that Qi Heng is using his brother’s name? But why?” Jiang Qinxin asked in confusion.

Jiang Lin took a deep breath. “Because his brother is already dead. Jiang Jin was expelled because his brother was sick, and he stole to pay for his brother’s treatment.”

Jiang Qinxin sighed in relief. “It’s understandable, but stealing is still stealing.”

Jiang Lin shook his head. “It’s not that simple. What he stole was actually his father’s belongings. After his father died, he and his brother had inheritance rights. But their uncle, Jiang Xingdong, interfered, and everything went to him.”

Jiang Qinxin’s expression changed. “It’s him?”

She had never thought highly of Jiang Xingdong. He wasn’t powerful, but he was extremely cunning. He liked adopting beautiful orphaned girls, grooming them into skilled, elegant women, and then offering them to influential figures.

Though his methods were distasteful, they had connected him with some powerful people, allowing him to maintain his status.

“If Qi Heng is really Jiang Jin, then his grudge against our Jiang family might be significant,” Jiang Lin concluded. His investigation showed that after being expelled, Jiang Jin ended up on the streets, was abducted by traffickers, and suffered greatly.

“Even if he is Jiang Jin, his hatred should be directed at his uncle, not our family,” Jiang Qinxin argued.

Jiang He sighed. “Let’s hope Qi Heng thinks the same way.”

Jiang Lin looked at Jiang He’s serious expression, feeling a sense of unease in his heart.

…

Zuo Yunfei wasn’t always blocking the door, so Qi Heng eventually slipped out when he wasn’t around.

Walking down the bustling street, Qi Heng felt a bit annoyed.

It was ridiculous. He hadn’t done anything wrong, yet he felt like a fugitive.

He entered a trading company and purchased a batch of magic scrolls.

As his strength grew, he needed higher-level magic scrolls, which weren’t easy to obtain. Wherever he went, he would visit large shops to stock up.

Because princes from various nations had gathered in the Yun Kingdom, magic scrolls had become a hot commodity. Despite the high demand, one could always get them for the right price.

“Buying so many magic scrolls? What for?” Zuo Yunfei’s voice suddenly came from behind.

Qi Heng turned and glared. “Can’t you just leave me alone?”

“Not a chance,” Zuo Yunfei replied without hesitation.

“Young Master Zuo, don’t you think you’re losing your dignity acting like this?”

Zuo Yunfei sneered. “Dignity? Do I have any dignity in your eyes? Just a pathetic fool you can experiment on, isn’t that right? Did you ever listen to anything I said back then?”

“Your illness was incurable. I did it for your own good,” Qi Heng replied.

“Of course! You weren’t just torturing me to see how close I could come to death. I’ve been ever so grateful all these years, dreaming of repaying you,” Zuo Yunfei said mockingly.

“I don’t need your gratitude,” Qi Heng said, turning away.

Zuo Yunfei’s smile grew colder. “Don’t be so quick to refuse. I heard the Fourth Prince of Yuan Kingdom chose you as one of his guards to enter the Rad Mountains. Is that true?”

Qi Heng’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know that?”

“So it’s true. You should decline,” Zuo Yunfei advised.

“I accepted. I won’t back out,” Qi Heng replied.

“When did you become so honorable, always keeping your word?” Zuo Yunfei scoffed.

Qi Heng smirked. “My principles are none of your concern. Or… have you fallen for me after just one night together?”

“My love life is none of your business,” Zuo Yunfei retorted coldly.

“Good. Now if you’ll excuse me…” Qi Heng started to leave.

Zuo Yunfei grabbed Qi Heng’s hand and pulled him aside. “You have no idea — Zhuang Hao has offended too many people. Several other nations have formed an alliance intending to eliminate him in the secret realm.”

Qi Heng looked at Zuo Yunfei. “Where did you hear this?”

“Doesn’t matter where I heard it. If Zhuang Hao is really as strong as the rumors say, I doubt that bunch of misfits can do much to him. But they might use a divide-and-conquer strategy. Among the four of you, the weaker ones could be picked off one by one,” Zuo Yunfei explained.

Qi Heng stared at him. “You think I’ll be the first one taken down?”

“Of course not. You’re definitely stronger than that Fourth Prince,” Zuo Yunfei replied.

“Are you worried about me?” Qi Heng tilted his head.

“I’ve spent all these years thinking about how to repay you. Now that I finally see you, I don’t want you to just die like that,” Zuo Yunfei said.

Qi Heng looked at him. “Instead of worrying about me, you should worry about yourself. Back then, you had a tough life, but that doesn’t mean your luck will always hold.”

“If I die, will you be satisfied?” Zuo Yunfei asked, his face serious.

Qi Heng smiled at him. “We have nothing to do with each other. Whether you live or die has nothing to do with me.”

Zuo Yunfei laughed coldly. “Right. I almost forgot — you’re heartless, ruthless, and completely indifferent. Nothing anyone else does can affect you.”