TRWSB – Chapter 86 Mu Tingxuan’s Accident

Tianlan Academy.

Disguised as Qianmian, Yi Fan looked at Zhuang Hao with a playful expression. “Zhuang classmate, why are you here? Could it be that you want to transfer to Tianlan Academy? If you do, the headmaster would surely welcome you with open arms.”

Zhuang Hao’s expression darkened as he glanced at Yi Fan. “I’m here to find someone.”

Yi Fan chuckled and said, “Young Master Zhuang, do you remember when I told you that one day you’d regret calling off the engagement? Fourth Young Master Qi is a rare beauty, unparalleled in his elegance. How about it? Was I wrong? I recall you didn’t think much of him back then.”

Zhuang Hao’s pupils contracted as he lifted his gaze to Yi Fan. “You’re the one who treated Cousin Zhuang Ling, aren’t you?”

Shrugging, Yi Fan replied, “You could say that. Strictly speaking, it was her father who sacrificed seventy percent of his power to save her. I didn’t do much.”

“You’ve known Qi Shaorong for a long time?” Zhuang Hao couldn’t help but ask.

“Of course. We’re very familiar with each other. So, how is it, Young Master Zhuang? Shaorong must be a handful for you, huh? I think you’d better give up early.” Yi Fan grinned.

Zhuang Hao clenched his fists, his face betraying his inner turmoil. Everyone else seemed to have been right, while he was the fool who was toyed with by Qi Shaorong. “Where is Qi Shaorong?”

“Busy,” Yi Fan replied.

“Busy with cosmetic surgery?” Zhuang Hao asked.

Nodding, Yi Fan said, “Exactly. Shaorong is quite the star here at our academy.”

Privately, Yi Fan felt that Qi Shaorong’s obsession with cosmetic surgery was somewhat frivolous, but there was no stopping his fervent pursuit of it.

Zhuang Hao strode toward Qi Shaorong’s cosmetic surgery center. Outside the door, a radiant unicorn lay lazily, gnawing on a roasted piglet.

When it noticed Zhuang Hao and Yi Fan approaching, the unicorn leapt up and wagged its tail enthusiastically at Zhuang Hao.

Seeing the unicorn’s fawning demeanor, Yi Fan sighed helplessly. No wonder Qi Shaorong often grumbled that the unicorn was disloyal. Judging by its bootlicking attitude toward Zhuang Hao, it was hard to refute.

“Shaorong has taken good care of this unicorn,” Zhuang Hao commented, his tone laced with irony.

Zhuang Hao frowned. It was clear that Qi Shaorong treated the unicorn exceedingly well—it was practically glowing with luxury, and its belly looked noticeably rounder. In contrast, Qi Shaorong’s words to him were always barbed.

“Qi classmate, you’re truly amazing!”

Through the slightly ajar door, Zhuang Hao caught sight of the operating room. Inside, a female student had just risen from the operating table, beaming as she admired her reflection in the mirror.

“Thank you, Qi classmate! I never imagined I could look this beautiful,” the female student exclaimed, rushing toward Qi Shaorong for a hug. But before she could reach him, Zhuang Hao swiftly grabbed her by the collar and tossed her out.

Seeing the girl who had almost enveloped him in a bear hug thrown aside, Qi Shaorong secretly heaved a sigh of relief.

Putting away his tools, Qi Shaorong glanced at Zhuang Hao standing outside the operating room. “Zhuang Hao, you really have no sense of cherishing beauty, do you?”

Gritting his teeth, Zhuang Hao retorted, “I could never compare to you in that regard!”

Qi Shaorong: “…”

“Why are you here?” Qi Shaorong asked.

“I’m here to talk to you,” Zhuang Hao replied.

“There’s nothing for us to talk about.”

Zhuang Hao’s face darkened as he sneered. “How could there be nothing to talk about? In the secret realm, didn’t you want to pull my pants off? Now I’m standing right here—you’ve got your chance.”

Qi Shaorong: “…” Had Zhuang Hao lost his mind? He always thought this guy was rather innocent.

Zhuang Hao moved closer to Qi Shaorong and said, “I remember you said my skin was nice. Want to touch it and see for yourself?” Grabbing Qi Shaorong’s hand, he pressed it to his chest.

Qi Shaorong: “…” This kid had to have taken the wrong medicine.

At that moment, Qi Heng pushed the door open and entered. “Young Master, bad news.”

Qi Heng stepped inside and immediately noticed another person in the room. Zhuang Hao had pinned Qi Shaorong to the surgical table, holding Qi Shaorong’s hand inside his shirt.

“Oh, Young Master Zhuang is here too!” Qi Heng remarked.

Seeing Qi Heng enter, Qi Shaorong secretly breathed a sigh of relief. “Get off me!”

Zhuang Hao snorted but moved aside without further action.

Qi Shaorong looked at Qi Heng and asked, “What’s the matter? You’re in such a rush—are the Qi family causing trouble again?”

“No, it’s Tingxuan. He’s gone missing,” Qi Heng said.

Qi Shaorong’s eyes narrowed sharply. “What happened?”

Qi Heng shook his head. “It’s unclear. News came in saying that a battle involving ninth-level magical beasts broke out in the Sirius Mountains. Tingxuan might have been caught up in it, and we’ve lost contact with him.”

“Lost contact? Could something have happened to him?” Qi Shaorong frowned.

Zhuang Hao turned to Qi Shaorong and asked, “What’s going on? Who’s Tingxuan?”

Qi Shaorong shot Zhuang Hao a cold glance. “None of your business.”

Zhuang Hao, unfazed, replied, “Don’t say that. Maybe I can help you find him.”

Ignoring Zhuang Hao, Qi Shaorong looked at Qi Heng and asked, “What about Qianmian? Did you tell him?”

“As soon as he heard about Tingxuan, he rushed out,” Qi Heng answered.

Qi Shaorong squinted. “Rushed out?”

Qi Heng nodded. “Yes.”

Qi Shaorong clicked his tongue. “I’ve always known there’s something unusual between him and Tingxuan. Those two must have a thing going on.”

Qi Heng sighed helplessly. “Young Master, now’s not the time for this.”

Zhuang Hao furrowed his brows as he listened to their conversation, unconsciously clenching his fists. It was becoming increasingly evident that Qi Shaorong’s relationships went far beyond simple master-and-servant dynamics with people like Qi Heng and Qianmian. Now another name, “Tingxuan,” had surfaced, leaving Zhuang Hao with an unsettling feeling of exclusion.

“Who exactly is this Tingxuan?” Zhuang Hao couldn’t help but ask.

Qi Shaorong glanced at Zhuang Hao. “Why are you so annoying?”

“Tell me, and I’ll stop being annoying!”

After a brief hesitation, Qi Shaorong explained, “Mu Tingxuan is one of my subordinates, a wood-element mage.”

“What does he look like?” Zhuang Hao asked.

“He’s disfigured. His face is covered in scars,” Qi Shaorong said flatly.

Zhuang Hao’s eyes widened in surprise. “But can’t you…”

“You’re asking why I, someone capable of cosmetic surgery, haven’t fixed his face? Do you think I don’t want to? I’ve tried persuading him many times, but Tingxuan refuses.”

“Why?” Zhuang Hao pressed.

Qi Shaorong sighed and explained, “Tingxuan was born into a large family. That family is deeply superstitious. Because of the timing of Tingxuan’s birth, a fortune-teller declared he would bring misfortune to the family. As a result, he was sent far away to be raised until he was five.

“When he turned five, the family experienced a calamity. Tingxuan’s uncle blamed him for it, disfigured his face, and threw him into the forest.”

Qi Shaorong continued, “Tingxuan has a cousin, his uncle’s son, who was born an hour earlier than him. Because of that hour’s difference, their fates diverged drastically. Tingxuan was branded a curse, while his cousin was hailed as a blessing.”

Zhuang Hao’s eyes widened further. “What kind of family does that? His uncle is unbelievably cruel!”

Qi Shaorong smiled brightly and said, “I told you before, Young Master Zhuang—you grew up in a bubble, sheltered from the harshness of reality. Tingxuan’s uncle had another reason for his actions. The fortune-teller said that the ‘blessing’ and the ‘curse’ couldn’t coexist. Tingxuan’s presence was said to bring great harm to his cousin.”

Zhuang Hao: “…”

Zhuang Family Residence

“Third Uncle, is there any news?”

Zhuang Renquan looked at Zhuang Hao and said, “You’re never concerned about family matters, but when it comes to Qi Shaorong, you’re all fired up.”

Zhuang Hao gave an awkward smile. “Third Uncle, is there any news or not?”

“That Mu Tingxuan has quite an unusual background. He’s a wood-element mage, seemingly mutated, with the ability to accelerate plant growth. He appears to be connected to the Qingcheng Cosmetics Shop. The raw materials for their cosmetics likely come from him,” Zhuang Renquan explained.

Zhuang Hao frowned. “But Qi Shaorong said Mu Tingxuan is his subordinate.”

“That means the Qingcheng Cosmetics Shop is probably tied to Qi Shaorong. Incidentally, Bi Liuyun also knows Qi Shaorong and is connected to that shop. It’s very likely Qi Shaorong is the true owner of Qingcheng Cosmetics. Considering Qi Shaorong’s mysterious methods, it wouldn’t be surprising if he started a cosmetics empire,” Zhuang Renquan speculated.

Zhuang Hao tightened his expression and remained silent.

Zhuang Renquan glanced at Zhuang Hao and chuckled. “Ah Hao, are you feeling the pressure?”

Zhuang Hao gritted his teeth and admitted with some dejection, “A little.”

Zhuang Renquan patted his shoulder. “I used to worry that no one in the capital was good enough for you. Now I’m worried that you’re not good enough for him. Work hard! If Qi Shaorong really is the owner of Qingcheng Cosmetics, it’s no wonder he won’t return to the Qi family. If he did, those shops might be confiscated by the Qi family.”

“Third Uncle, do you know where Mu Tingxuan is now?” Zhuang Hao asked.

Zhuang Renquan frowned slightly. “I just got a lead on someone who might be Mu Tingxuan. I’m not sure if it’s the person you’re looking for.”

“Third Uncle, stop being cryptic. Where is he?” Zhuang Hao asked urgently.

“He seems to have had some bad luck. He was caught in the aftermath of a ninth-level magical beast battle and was injured. Afterward, he was taken prisoner by the Mohe Mercenary Group and sent to the Tianyun Auction House. He’ll likely be auctioned off in a few days,” Zhuang Renquan replied.

Zhuang Hao’s eyes widened. “Third Uncle, did I hear that right?”

Zhuang Renquan shook his head. “You heard correctly.”

“I’ll go redeem him right now,” Zhuang Hao declared.

Zhuang Renquan shook his head. “I’m afraid that’s not possible. Once someone enters the Tianyun Auction House, they can only be bought at auction.”

“Then I’ll go find Shaorong,” Zhuang Hao said.

Zhuang Renquan handed him a card. “Take this.”

Zhuang Hao accepted the card, puzzled. “Third Uncle, what’s this for?”

“This wife of yours won’t be easy to win over. Consider this your romance fund—pay it back later,” Zhuang Renquan said with a grin.

Zhuang Hao smiled. “Thank you, Third Uncle.”