"It's not entirely my fault!" the woman protested, her voice laced with grievance.
"I've told Young Master Ming everything I know. If the person isn't here, it has nothing to do with me!"
"Then give the money back! I'm not running a charity. If it weren't for the old man's will, I wouldn't have come to such a run-down place. I don't care about anything else; if you can't find the person, I'm not done with you," Ming Kun said coldly.
She was just a woman he'd had a brief fling with. Could she possibly be more important than the old man's fortune? It was true that he hadn't heard from his sister for some time, and by rights, she wouldn't give up her inheritance.
Xing Yuan analyzed from their conversation that the person they were looking for seemed to be Ming Yue. Her eyes narrowed. In that case, they couldn't be allowed to leave so easily. She was very curious about what kind of story this world's older sister had!
Xing Yuan approached them subtly, then knocked out the woman. She then looked into Ming Kun's eyes with her azure gaze and began to probe his mind. Mermaids were extremely beautiful creatures, coveted by countless people since ancient times. Even though they hadn't appeared for a long time, countless legends about them still circulated in the world. For example, mermaids could bewitch minds. While it was difficult to succeed if the person's will was strong, Ming Kun was clearly not a person of strong will. She easily entered the depths of his mind and saw her sister's past.
The Ming family was a famous wealthy household with branches in many cities. However, the current head of the Ming family was a philanderer. "Love at first sight, then forget at first sight" described him perfectly. Still, he had some sense of propriety; apart from his legitimate wife, he didn't let any other woman give birth to his illegitimate children. If we were to consider the eldest legitimate child, Ming Yue was the eldest legitimate daughter of the Ming family. She should have been doted on by the Ming family. However, her mother passed away when she was very young. Ming Feng, who was always flitting among women, had no affection for his wife, who was married to him for business. Before long, he brought another woman he chose from outside home, and thus Ming Kun came into existence.
As a result, Ming Yue was naturally ignored by many. Apart from the old master of the Ming family, who cared for her a little, everyone else treated her as dispensable. Later, when Ming Kun's mother established herself in the Ming family, she reduced the living expenses provided to Ming Yue. Moreover, her father never paid close attention to his daughter, so Ming Yue did not have much money. Her personality was also quite stubborn; unwilling to return to a home without family, she went to work to earn her own living expenses.
After that, Ming Kun didn't know. After all, he had always wished he was the only child of the Ming family! It was only because the old master passed away and left a will requiring everyone to be present that he was forced to inquire about his sister's whereabouts everywhere, and then he met a woman who claimed to be Ming Yue's classmate.
Xing Yuan also knocked Ming Kun unconscious with a thud and carefully considered how to deal with these two. Just then, a cold wind blew, and in the next second, Ming Yue's figure appeared before Xing Yuan. She didn't even glance at the two lying on the ground. She walked straight to Xing Yuan, hugged her, and said in a deep voice, "Don't go!"
Ming Yue's breathing was a little rapid, and her voice still carried a slight nasal tone. Who knew how scared she was when she felt the barrier shatter? She thought this mermaid's patience had run out and she was going back to the sea! Fortunately, she was still here.
Xing Yuan gently struggled, somewhat surprised by Ming Yue's enthusiasm. Her voice involuntarily carried a hint of teasing, "What, Older Sister, you can't bear for me to leave!"
"Yes!" Ming Yue said in a deep voice by Xing Yuan's ear, hugging her even tighter. "Ah Yuan, I have no other family. I never thought of living for a long time. But since I won't die easily now, you have to stay with me. Who told you to take such great advantage of me back then."
Xing Yuan was slightly taken aback. That was indeed the case. However, Xing Yuan pointed to the two lying on the ground and asked, "What should we do with them?"
Ming Yue glanced at the two with disgust, understanding the reason Xing Yuan had broken the barrier. Her expression relaxed slightly, and then she said naturally, "Just throw them out."
"Okay! But, Older Sister, don't you want revenge? I saw her bullying you before," Xing Yuan's voice was muffled, and her face showed displeasure.
Ming Yue sighed, "That's all in the past. The me of today no longer wants anything to do with them." "Besides, if a dog bites you, and you bite it back, you'll only get a mouth full of fur. So, it's not important anymore."
"We can't just let them go like this," Xing Yuan was still indignant. Then, as if she had a good idea, her eyes lit up. She rubbed her chest against Ming Yue's arm and pouted, "How about we throw them into the sea? Whether they live or die will be up to fate. If they die, they can only blame their bad luck."
Ming Yue's gaze was fixed on Xing Yuan's exposed skin. She swallowed lightly, her face slightly flushed, and couldn't help but recall the most unrestrained days of her life. She answered a question with a non-sequitur, "Ah Yuan, don't you think your clothes are a bit too thin?"
"No!" Xing Yuan examined her clothes. They were made of fine鲛纱 (jiāoshā - mermaid silk), warm in winter and cool in summer, the best clothes. All mermaids dressed like this. Mermaid? Xing Yuan came to her senses and observed herself based on her past human experiences. She seemed to be wearing something a bit thin, as there was quite a lot of skin exposed.
"Ahem, a little. But I can't stay out of the water for too long right now, so these are the most suitable clothes for us mermaids to live in the sea," Xing Yuan explained earnestly. "Oh, right, I have a few more outfits. Would Older Sister like to try them on?"
"No need!" Ming Yue flatly refused. She had seen and even worn clothes made of 鲛纱. Although they were indeed comfortable, for a human like her, it was difficult to adapt to such fashion, both sensorially and psychologically.
"Alright!" Xing Yuan didn't insist, but suddenly said, "You haven't said whether it's okay to deal with these two like this!"
"Whatever you wish," Ming Yue said. Although she hadn't clearly heard what Xing Yuan had said before, she disliked her brother anyway. Since Ah Yuan wanted to play, she could play however she liked.
"Then thank you, Older Sister." Xing Yuan smiled happily and then took out a bundle of rope and tied the two together. In ancient times, there were legends of sacrificing to the Dragon God. Today, Xing Yuan would emulate them and offer these two as sacrifices.