"Silly child," the Lei family head said with a helpless smile, seeing Lei Xirui's state. He then looked at Xia Qingtian and said, "Please take good care of Xirui."
"Xirui is gentle, kind, and pure-hearted. I couldn't wish for a more intimate sister," Xia Qingtian replied with a smile.
The Lei family head looked at Lei Xirui, but his gaze seemed to look through her at someone long gone. "Xirui's disposition is like her mother's."
Coming back to his senses, the Lei family head smiled and said, "Then you should do what you need to do."
"Okay," Xia Qingtian stood up, and then reached out to pull Lei Xirui up. Just as they were about to leave, Xia Qingtian's gaze swept over the Third Young Master Lei. Her beautiful eyes flickered, and she stopped, looking back at the Lei family head. "Master Lei, there's something I'm not sure if I should ask."
"Go ahead and ask," the Lei family head nodded, looking at Xia Qingtian.
"I heard Third Young Master Lei mention it, and learned that the treasure map related to the treasures of the Lu, Miao, and Tang tribes is now in the Lei family's possession," Xia Qingtian said, her eyes fixed on the Lei family head, her gaze open and honest, as if asking about a simple matter.
"Xia Qingtian! You!" Third Young Master Lei choked, his eyes immediately widening.
So the map was revealed, huh?
She had acted so indifferent before, but now she was asking so eagerly!
And she deliberately exposed him in front of his father!
This woman was truly ruthless!
Xia Qingtian ignored Third Young Master Lei, waiting for the Lei family head to respond.
"You're asking about this," the Lei family head said with a dry chuckle. "In business, my Lei family is in the auction business. This treasure map will naturally be put up for auction. What? Do you think my Lei family would embezzle it?"
"How could I?" Xia Qingtian smiled. "As Third Young Master Lei said, if you want the treasure, you have to have the ability to swallow it, right, Third Young Master Lei?"
Third Young Master Lei's face had turned completely dark.
The Lei family head clenched his fist by his side, his smile unchanged. "That's true,呵呵."
"When is the auction for the treasure map? I'll go and join the fun then," Xia Qingtian said with a smile.
"Oh? You're also interested in that treasure?" the Lei family head looked at Xia Qingtian, a hint of suspicion in his eyes.
"We young people, who doesn't like to join the fun?" Xia Qingtian showed no flaws on her face. "Master Lei hasn't said when yet~"
The Lei family head was silent for about ten seconds before he spoke, "Three days later, at the Third Auction House in the capital, the diamond hall. I'll have Third Young Master send you an invitation then."
"Then I respectfully accept," Xia Qingtian smiled at Third Young Master Lei, raising an eyebrow, the corners of her mouth curving into a subtle arc. "See you in three days, Third Young Master Lei."
Third Young Master Lei was so angry he felt like spitting out a mouthful of old blood. However, with the Lei family head present, he couldn't show it and could only forcefully suppress his anger. After Xia Qingtian left with Lei Xirui, he rushed to the Lei family head and said angrily, "Father! The treasure map cannot be auctioned! I have already found someone to cooperate with, he—"
*Slap!*
Before Third Young Master Lei could finish his words, he was interrupted by a loud slap. "You scoundrel!"
The Lei family head no longer had a trace of a smile on his face. "You dare to hide Lei family property! I'm not dead yet!"
Third Young Master Lei covered his numb, stinging cheek, not daring to speak.
"My Lei family has been doing its legitimate business for so many years, what are you dissatisfied with?" the Lei family head berated Third Young Master Lei, his eyes blazing. "Do you really think you can swallow the treasure by cooperating with others? Will the Miao family and Tang family let you go? Will the Wen family watch you swallow such a large sum of money? The precedent of the Lu family is there! Are you blind or stupid! If you want to die, find a rope, find a wall, or at the very least, go to the tallest building in the capital and jump off with your eyes closed!
Why do you have to drag the Lei family to death with you!
You brainless fool!"
The Lei family head was trembling with anger, pointing at Third Young Master Lei, wanting to scold him further, but ultimately could not. In the end, he only said, "Go back to your room and reflect! You are not allowed to step out of your room without my command!"
Third Young Master Lei's expression was grim. Although unwilling, he still stomped back to his room.
Standing at the entrance of his room window, Third Young Master Lei saw a car leaving the gate of the Lei family's outer courtyard, getting further and further away.
Gritting his teeth, Third Young Master Lei spat out a sentence from between his clenched teeth, "Xia Qingtian, you snatched my sister and still plotted against me! Just you wait!"
Even if this treasure sank to the bottom of the sea, or fell into the hands of any Tom, Dick, or Harry, it absolutely could not fall into Xia Qingtian's hands!
Damn it!
Sitting in the car, Xia Qingtian shivered inexplicably and then rubbed her arms with both hands.
"Sister Qingtian, what's wrong?" Lei Xirui asked curiously.
"It's nothing, maybe I caught a chill on the plane," Xia Qingtian said with a dry laugh. "Miao Tong, you'll have to work hard today and accompany Xirui to Z City to see Shi Xingwu. After that boy is confirmed to be alright, you can come back."
"Alright," Miao Tong nodded and readily agreed. Then he seemed to remember something and hesitated, "What about the treasure map..."
After all, that treasure was related to the Miao family, and he couldn't just stand by.
"I'll contact your mother, don't worry," Xia Qingtian said. "Leave this matter to me."
"Are you very familiar with my mother?" Miao Tong was a little surprised. In his memory, his mother had never been particularly close to anyone. Even with him, her own son, his mother would scold and threaten him. How come with Xia Qingtian, she seemed so familiar?
"It's alright, just a like-for-like acquaintance on our social media circles," Xia Qingtian said. "Your mother's social media is quite interesting."
"My mother has social media?" Miao Tong took out his phone and clicked on his mother's WeChat profile. He then discovered that his mother's social media was invisible to him.
Er Ya saw this and, for the first time, didn't add a sarcastic jab. Instead, she looked at Miao Tong with an expression of almost pity.
In an instant, Miao Tong felt an unprecedented sense of desolation. What was all this?
"Heh heh, my condolences," Xia Qingtian glanced at Miao Tong's phone, then patted Miao Tong's shoulder with a somewhat感慨ed dry laugh, before turning her gaze back to Lei Xirui and saying, "Xirui, you don't have to worry too much about Shi Xingwu. That boy has the face of a long-lived person."
"Mm," Lei Xirui curled her lips into a shallow smile, but her heart had already flown to Shi Xingwu's side.
At this moment, Shi Xingwu, in Z City, was gradually waking up from his coma.
Looking at the snow-white ceiling, smelling the scent of disinfectant in the air, and seeing Li Xiaozhong and Xia Qingyu looking worried on either side of the hospital bed, Shi Xingwu rasped, "Times... have changed..."