[The headache has subsided, returning to regular updates. I'll have a burst of writing one of these days.]
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This time, Chen Nuo's mind truly went blank.
After sending Lu Xixi away, Chen Yanluo was filled with melancholy and loss, but in the blink of an eye, this woman had returned?
What, does she want to hear me spin more tales?
Yet Lu Xixi had already stepped over the collapsed door panel and walked straight into the living room.
Chen Nuo instinctively took a step back.
"Your door, it's fallen," Lu Xixi frowned.
Chen Nuo swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing.
The door falling isn't a big deal; I just hope she doesn't bring the whole house down later.
Lu Xixi stood in the living room, looked around, her gaze sweeping everywhere. "So this is your home, huh."
"...Yeah," Chen Nuo frowned. "Why did you come here?"
But Lu Xixi didn't answer; her eyes were frighteningly bright as she quietly watched Chen Nuo. She just looked at him for a good five seconds before countering, "Why did you lie to me?"
"Uh..." Chen Nuo felt incredibly awkward.
A little while ago, he'd had them stop at a fake residential complex entrance, then waited for the car to leave before slipping away... Being caught so directly was indeed awkward to explain.
Lu Xixi narrowed her eyes, just looking at Chen Nuo. After a while, she lowered her eyelids, gazed down at the floor, and said softly, "What's wrong? Thinking about how to fabricate an excuse?"
Chen Nuo felt unnerved.
"You're still holding a knife." Lu Xixi's eyes fell on the handle of the knife in Chen Nuo's hand. "Are you planning to chop vegetables or cut someone?"
"..." Chen Nuo took two more steps back, nearly reaching the corner of the wall.
Lu Xixi moved half a step forward, pressing in on Chen Nuo, and chuckled softly, "What's wrong? Why aren't you speaking?"
"Whew!" Chen Nuo exhaled deeply and said with a wry smile, "What can I say? I'm flustered."
He casually put the kitchen knife he was holding onto the nearby cabinet and spread his hands. "Miss, why don't you first tell me why, after you clearly left, you came back and even found your way straight to my house?"
Lu Xixi shook her head and laughed, "No! How about you tell me first why you gave me a false address and got out of the car at a place that clearly isn't your home?"
Chen Nuo scratched his hair, calmed the nervous pounding in his heart, steadied his breathing, and looked up, his young face full of sincerity. "You see…"
"Wait a second." Lu Xixi frowned, seemingly puzzled. "Why is it that whenever I hear you start a sentence with 'You see,' I get the feeling that you're about to tell a lie?"
Huh? Has this woman become so astute since regaining her memory?
Lu Xixi suddenly stepped forward, reached out, and seized Chen Nuo's wrist, her slender fingers gripping his pulse.
Empress Lu had a smile on her face. "Good, now you talk."
THUMP THUMP... THUMP THUMP... THUMP THUMP...
Chen Nuo's heartbeat began to accelerate.
Lu Xixi's fingers were ice-cold, resting on his pulse, and Chen Nuo felt his heart beat uncontrollably faster and faster...
"Say, say what?"
"Just tell me why you lied to me earlier, getting out of the car at a place that clearly isn't your home. Why were you afraid to let me know where you live?"
"...Uh." Chen Nuo took a deep breath, slowly saying, "Because we were battling in the desolate mountains in the middle of the night, making such a huge commotion, and you're incredibly strong and formidable. Although I saved you, I was also a bit scared. I don't want to get involved in any unrelated trouble. You know, for those of us in the martial world, the most important thing is to never intend to harm anyone, but you must always be on your guard against others."
Lu Xixi smiled, looking down at her fingers pinching Chen Nuo's wrist. "Okay, second question. Then why is your heartbeat so fast right now?"
"Uh..." Chen Nuo took a deep breath, looking straight into Lu Xixi's eyes, and said with conviction, "Because you're just too beautiful. You're so beautiful, and you're holding my hand... I'm a man, beautiful lady! Isn't that a normal reaction?"
Lu Xixi's face turned red, and a hint of peculiar shyness flashed in her eyes, yet she still didn't let go of Chen Nuo's hand. Instead, her fingers squeezing his pulse seemed to tighten even more.
"So, the third question," Lu Xixi said with a strange smile on her face, staring at Chen Nuo, "Why... when I actually do recognize you, do you pretend as if we're meeting for the first time in the wilderness?"
Ah?
This time, Chen Nuo was genuinely stunned.
Lu Xixi shook her head. "Although I was a bit unclear-headed after waking up, I actually remembered that I have seen you before."
Okay, he felt his legs going a bit weak.
Lu Xixi stared into Chen Nuo's eyes. "It was downstairs, at the noodle shop by the roadside, right?"
"Uh?"
"I remember, I went into that noodle shop looking for the owner... Um, and then I remember seeing you there. You were eating noodles at the time, and when you saw me, you looked quite shy. You even told me that the noodles at that shop were quite tasty."
Chen Nuo didn't speak.
Lu Xixi shook her head and said, "But why, when I regained consciousness, did you pretend you were seeing me for the first time? And even say you were practicing in the mountains and happened to encounter me fighting someone?"
Just as Chen Nuo was about to speak, Lu Xixi suddenly shook her head. "Don't tell me that you'd forgotten, alright."
As she spoke, a peculiar smile emerged on the Empress's face. "You just said I look very beautiful. For a woman as beautiful as me, surely you couldn't have seen me once and then completely forgotten me."
"..."
"How do you plan to explain this?"
"Uh... What if I say I was a bit nervous, would you believe me?" Chen Nuo gave a wry smile.
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind at lightning speed. Lu Xixi had recovered her memory! But her memory had only returned to the point of their chance meeting at Ramen Guo's shop that night! From that point in time, she had indeed seen him before.
"I was afraid that you would misunderstand, so I was too nervous to tell you the truth."
Chen Nuo sighed, his face showing that simple and bashful expression of a young man. "Alright, I did see you at the noodle shop. I also thought you were very beautiful. But I disguised my identity; I pretended to be an ordinary person. Then, when you and the shop owner started fighting, I was curious and couldn't help but follow to peek. I kept following, all the way into the mountains. I'm sorry, I admit it, I lied. I wasn't practicing in the mountains and happened upon you fighting. I was in the noodle shop, pretending to be an ordinary person, and then secretly followed you into the mountains. I was just curious, no ill intentions. I just wanted to sneak a peek at the action."
Lu Xixi nodded, seemingly smiling. "Hmm, so you're saying... you're actually a martial artist hiding in this mundane world. But you didn't want people to know. So... when you encountered a conflict between me and that owner in the noodle shop, you pretended to faint?"
"Yes."
"Then, while I fought with the owner, you secretly trailed us to watch the excitement, following us all the way into the mountains?"
"Hmm."
"Then I was knocked out, and you saved me?"
"Well, no need to be so formal. I just lent a hand when I found you... Your opponent was injured and had already run off."
Lu Xixi nodded, "I do remember fighting with the noodle shop owner before I passed out. Then we fought our way into the mountains, and eventually to the lakeside. Then someone ambushed me in the water. And then I got hurt and passed out. I remember all that."
"Hmm." Chen Nuo breathed a little easier.
"But, can you explain something to me?" Sparks seemed to flicker in Lu Xixi's eyes as she looked down at herself. "Why am I wearing a man's hoodie? Although I don't quite remember what I was wearing before, one thing is clear to me: I couldn't possibly own such a piece of clothing!"
"Uh oh..."
What to do. Suddenly, I really miss the amnesiac Lu Xixi, the one who was a bit dim-witted and so easy to fool!
Sweat appeared on Chen Nuo's forehead.
"Can't explain it?" Lu Xixi shook her head, her eyes narrowing, but clearly, the Empress's aura was cooling down.
Chen Nuo, steeling himself, said, "That, I really don't know... I was just following you guys into the mountains to see the commotion. You ran fast, I ran slow. By the time I got there, you were already engaged in an earth-shaking battle. I'm weak and was a bit scared, so I didn't dare get close... It was only after you finished fighting that I went over. When I got there, you were already like this. You're asking me, but who should I ask?"
Since he couldn't come up with a convincing lie, Chen Nuo decided to play dumb. The clothes you're wearing, how would I know where they came from?! You ask me, but who am I supposed to ask!
But Lu Xixi wasn't angry.
She silently listened to Chen Nuo finish, then nodded. "So, what you mean is, you don't know where this unfamiliar set of clothes I'm wearing came from? It has nothing to do with you?"
Chen Nuo forced himself to say, "Not at all..." but he had a nagging feeling that something wasn't right.
"I'm asking you again! Are you sure? The clothes I'm wearing have nothing to do with you?"
"No!!" Chen Nuo shook his head.
"Hmm." A strange smile suddenly appeared on Lu Xixi's face.
The woman let go of Chen Nuo's wrist, reached into her pocket, pulled out a small piece of paper, and tossed it on the table.
"Then, one last question... why is there something like this in my pocket?"
Chen Nuo glanced at the piece of paper on the table...
It was clearly a... furniture store's...
Delivery order!!
Item: Double bed.
Quantity: One set.
Price: 670.
Delivery address: XXX Road, XX Complex, Block XX, No. 504
Delivery contact: Chen Nuo.
Contact phone: 139XXXXXXXX
"You said you don't know where the clothes I'm wearing came from. Then why is there a delivery order like this in my pocket? And the address on it is yours! The contact person is also you?"
Chen Nuo: "..."
Yama.
K! O!
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Yu Naitang kicked away the box containing the snake.
Li Yingwan had already fainted from fright.
After what felt like a long interrogation, Li Yingwan kept her mouth shut tight, refusing to answer no matter what.
During the interrogation, Yu Naitang took out a picture of Lu Xixi for Li Yingwan to identify.
But Li Yingwan insisted she had never seen this woman.
Then Yu Naitang started to question Li Yingwan about Jiang Yingzi's assassination.
Li Yingwan still vehemently claimed to know nothing.
The long-legged girl's thoughts were simple: although she didn't know the background of this terrifying child in front of her, or what her ultimate goal was, she would absolutely never betray her Chen Nuo oppa! She would not speak, even if it killed her!
Li Yingwan's attitude, however, only deepened Yu Naitang's suspicions.
Actually, Little Candy's primary suspect for Lu Xixi's disappearance was not Jiang Yingzi. The assassination of Jiang Yingzi was a last-minute, haphazard task that Lu Xixi had taken on. And that night, Yu Naitang herself had called Lu Xixi, telling her to abandon the mission. Lu Xixi was still fine at that time.
In fact, Yu Naitang's prime suspect was Boss Guo. Boss Guo was the real target of the Star Sky Empress's mission to Huaxia. Moreover, from the information provided by Snow Domain, this Boss Guo was not to be underestimated.
The problem was, the first thing Yu Naitang did when she arrived in Jinling was to find Boss Guo... but he was nowhere to be found.
Unable to locate the primary suspect, Yu Naitang had to start with the second.
But... Li Yingwan's stubborn, tight-lipped attitude... instead aroused Yu Naitang's suspicions.
Clearly, this girl was hiding a secret, and her resolute stance made it plain she would rather die than speak. That made the nine-year-old Lolita suspicious! You were already the second suspect in Teacher's disappearance. Now that I've caught you, you're putting up this front of resisting to the bitter end, refusing to confess... Who else would I suspect, if not you?
Because she was thinking so deeply, she became somewhat engrossed. As a result, the clever Yu Naitang ironically overlooked an anomaly right beside her.
Zhang Linsheng, though gagged, had been tied to a nearby chair all along.
When Yu Naitang took out Lu Xixi's photo, Zhang Linsheng saw it too.
Then, Brother Haonan's face began to look very strange indeed!
This... This... This woman in the photo... Isn't she that guy Chen Nuo's "wife"?!
Previously, at the Shengjian bun shop on Tangzi Street, Zhang Linsheng had caught a glimpse of this woman when he went to find Chen Nuo. Although at the time Zhang Linsheng stood at the doorstep of the bun shop without going in, and Lu Xixi was sitting with her back to the door. But when Chen Nuo pulled Zhang Linsheng aside to talk on the sidewalk, Lu Xixi had occasionally turned her head to look their way.
Although it was just a fleeting glimpse.
But... a woman this beautiful, a man wouldn't forget her after just one look.
Brother Haonan, a strange look on his face, quickly lowered his head, not daring to let anyone see his expression...
Yu Naitang moved a short distance away, sat down, and picked up the phone she had confiscated from Li Yingwan, and began to scroll through it. She checked the recent contacts, call logs, and message inbox. Nothing special was discovered.
Yu Naitang naturally read the text message chats between Li Yingwan and Chen Nuo too. But Chen Nuo was very cunning. He had instructed Li Yingwan that any text messages with him concerning Jiang Yingzi's assassination were not to be sent using her regular phone. During the two days they protected Jiang Yingzi, they used anonymously purchased phone cards, which were discarded after use. The messages saved on Li Yingwan's own phone were just routine conversations with Chen Nuo.
After a glance, Yu Naitang made a judgment: These were texts between Li Yingwan and a boy she was very fond of. It was just the usual stuff like, "Have you eaten? What are you doing? I miss you..." and so on.
While flipping through the call history, Li Yingwan's phone suddenly rang!
Yu Naitang looked at the caller ID on the phone: Jiang Yingzi.
The nine-year-old Lolita felt a stir in her heart and slowly stepped a few paces away.
She pressed the answer button.
"Li Yingwan, are you with Mr. Chen Nuo?" Jiang Yingzi's voice came through, speaking in South Korean.
Yu Naitang took a deep breath, then cracked a smile and said, "No, Omma, I'm out eating."
The little girl actually managed to mimic Li Yingwan's voice! Although only about eighty or ninety percent similar, at first listen it was enough to deceive. Moreover, Yu Naitang spoke fluent South Korean!
"What?" Jiang Yingzi's tone was very serious. "Weren't you going to find Mr. Chen Nuo? Why did you go out to eat?"
Yu Naitang did not answer.
Jiang Yingzi quickly said, "You're being too reckless! The matter of my assassination isn't over yet! Mr. Chen Nuo forbids you to run around! I agreed for you to find Chen Nuo because it might be safer by his side! How can you just run off on your own to play?! This is too much!"
Yu Naitang's face was smiling, but her voice sounded aggrieved, "Omma..."
"No more excuses! Come back immediately! Or go to Mr. Chen Nuo's side right now! Only with his protection can I rest assured!"
CLICK.
Yu Naitang hung up the phone.
A mischievous smile appeared on the nine-year-old Lolita's face.
HAHAHA! I've found you! Chen Nuo? This person is definitely key!
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Chen Nuo broke out in a cold sweat.
The delivery note on the table, at this moment in Chen Nuo's eyes, was practically a death warrant.
"Have you thought about how to answer my question?" Lu Xixi seemed not to be in a hurry.
But Chen Nuo noticed that Lu Xixi was positioned right between him and the front door.
Chen Nuo gave a bitter smile.
"Well... If I tell the truth, will you beat me to death?"
"Let's hear it," Lu Xixi squinted.
"Okay," Chen Nuo sighed.
His face revealed guilt, self-reproach, helplessness, and unease.
"Miss, I'm sorry... I lied to you just now. I apologize." Chen Nuo spoke softly, "It's like this..."
...
...
"So, you admit that the clothes I'm wearing are yours?"
"Um..." The young man's face turned red, and he looked down in shame.
"You said earlier that you saw me injured and unconscious, so you took off your clothes for me to wear?"
"Um..." The young man continued to blush.
"After I was injured, my own clothes were too torn, and you, out of kindness, changed me into your clothes?"
"Um..." The young man kept his head down.
"You were afraid to tell me the truth at first... because you were afraid I would misunderstand? Misunderstand that you were a lecher who took advantage of my vulnerability?"
"Um..." The young man, ashamed, looked at his feet.
Lu Xixi scrutinized Chen Nuo carefully.
Empress Lu's face was expressionless, making it impossible to tell what she was thinking, or whether she believed him.
Finally, Chen Nuo heard Lu Xixi let out a soft sigh.
"...Although there are still many doubts and you told me many lies, at least, I can be sure of one thing: You haven't harmed me." Lu Xixi frowned. "Indeed, you didn't do anything bad to me... I can feel it. And you did use Telekinesis to heal me; I can sense the residual waves of your Telekinesis in my consciousness."
Lu Xixi took a deep breath, and a hint of a smile appeared on her face. "So, all in all, I actually should thank you."
Chen Nuo breathed a sigh of relief internally.
"Alright then." The icy aura Lu Xixi had exuded just moments before suddenly vanished.
Empress Lu looked at Chen Nuo. Then, her gaze suddenly fell on Chen Nuo's phone on the nearby table. She picked it up and pressed a few keys, which displayed the phone's number.
Lu Xixi smiled and said, "This is your cell phone number, right? I've memorized it."
"Huh? Why did you memorize my cell phone number?"
Lu Xixi opened her eyes wide at Chen Nuo. "Of course, I have to remember it. You saved me once, and I have to repay you. Plus... I still can't remember a lot of things right now, and there might be some questions I need to ask you."
"...Okay, as long as you're happy," Chen Nuo said helplessly.
"Well, I'm going to leave now." Lu Xixi turned and walked to the door, glanced at the fallen door panel. "Your front door really needs to be fixed."
"...I know," Chen Nuo sighed.
Lu Xixi turned and went out, walking down the stairs.
The moment she turned around, a slight smile appeared on the corner of the Star Sky Empress's mouth.
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Back at the hotel, after getting a new room card from the front desk, Lu Xixi returned to her room.
The moment she entered, Lu Xixi felt something was off!
There was an extra suitcase in the room.
On the silver-white Rimowa suitcase were several cartoon stickers.
After a moment of stunned silence, Lu Xixi's face broke into a happy smile.
After searching around the room, Lu Xixi took a spare cell phone out of the bag she had left in the hotel.
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Yu Naitang's brain was working at high speed.
This name, Chen Nuo... He must be Jiang Yingzi's expert protector! And Jiang Yingzi herself knows about the assassination attempt... So, Lu Xixi's disappearance... it seems I can follow this clue! However...
Yu Naitang scratched her hair in frustration.
I'm only nine years old! Even though I have some strange skills, like voice mimicry... but when it comes to fighting... how much combat power can a nine-year-old loli possibly have? If that Chen Nuo guy really is the expert who caused Lu Xixi's disappearance... Never mind whether this Chen Nuo fellow is stronger than Lu Xixi. Even if he only has half of Lu Xixi's strength, if we fought, he could probably blow me away with a single breath! A direct confrontation is definitely out of the question... Then, the only way is to use Li Yingwan as leverage! The text messages on Li Yingwan's phone suggest she has a rather ambiguous relationship with Chen Nuo, right? So... Kidnap Li Yingwan and use her to threaten him? Hmm... that's one way to do it. Worth a shot.
Yu Naitang quickly made various calculations in her mind.
Then she picked up Li Yingwan's cell phone and dialed Chen Nuo's number.
RING... RING...
"Hello, Li Yingwan? It's so late, what's the matter?" A young man's voice came from the other end of the phone.
Yu Naitang immediately realized: this Chen Nuo guy sounded quite young too.
"May I ask if this is Mr. Chen Nuo?"
The nine-year-old loli deliberately used a cold, emotionless tone as she slowly spoke.
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"May I ask if this is Mr. Chen Nuo?"
Chen Nuo: "...?????"
Chen Yanluo was taken aback!
A delicate and clear voice. Dammit! Ox-Head! Is that you, Ox-Head?! Don't think I can't recognize you just because you're putting on a voice, you white-haired, black-bellied loli!
"Hello? Mr. Chen Nuo? Why aren't you speaking? Hmm... is there a bad signal? Hello! Hello!! HELLO!!!"
Chen Nuo frowned, looking at his cell phone: The caller ID confirmed it was Li Yingwan.
"I am Chen Nuo..."
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!" Over the phone, the nine-year-old loli deliberately let out an unbridled, loud laugh—the kind that all villains in movies use before committing evil acts or delivering threats, an exaggerated and juvenile cackle.
Chen Nuo clutched his phone, feeling a wave of resignation.
"...HAHAHAHAHA! Mr. Chen Nuo, if you still want to see... Ah! Wait a minute! Just wait!!"
On the other end of the phone, Yu Naitang was about to say something when suddenly another ringtone sounded.
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Yu Naitang hung up Li Yingwan's cell phone straightaway.
Then she fumbled to pick up another ringing phone on the desk in front of her!
Because the caller ID showed: Lu Xixi NO.2
Meaning, Lu Xixi's second spare cell phone.
"Hello, my dear disciple! So you've come to Jinling too! I saw your luggage in the room!" Lu Xixi's distinctively soft and charming voice came through the phone, cheerful and carefree. "My dear disciple! Where are you? Hurry back to the hotel, let Teacher give you a good hug! MUA MUA MUA MUA!"
Yu Naitang clutched the phone, the expression on her nine-year-old face shifting from anxious excitement to calm composure.
She cleared her throat softly and took a deep breath...
Then...
"LU!! XIXI!!
WHERE THE HELL DID YOU DISAPPEAR TO?!!!"
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[Double chapter, see you tomorrow.]
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