Chapter 22: Scaring
Jiang Xu thought Zoe would come find him quickly, but it wasn’t until the sky began to darken that the other finally arrived.
He looked at the latecomer with obvious displeasure; he hated punctuality issues.
“Whoa, whoa, don’t look at me like that.” Zoe felt a cold gaze pierce him.
Indeed, if it had been a bullet, he’d be dead right now.
He looked over and, sure enough, it was Jiang Xu. He hurried forward to explain:
“I didn’t stand you up on purpose. I got ready quickly after getting back, but just as I was about to leave, an emergency happened at the company. I got busy, and then…”
He gave an apologetic, placating smile to Jiang Xu. “My mistake. I promise it won’t happen again.”
“Are you sure?” Jiang Xu’s gaze became less cold.
“Absolutely, definitely, positively, certainly sure—whatever ‘sure’ you want.” Zoe grinned. He didn’t put on any airs in front of Jiang Xu.
He knew the other’s personality and had made him angry once before; it had taken a whole month to appease him.
Jiang Xu nodded at the other’s fawning expression and didn’t press the matter.
Work was important, and he wasn’t one to be unreasonable.
Fei suddenly recalled Zoe’s image during interviews and compared it to the bug before him; the difference was more than just a little.
While he was thinking, another familiar voice drifted in, though it was one he felt he had heard somewhere before.
“Yo, isn’t this Major General Fei?”
Fei looked toward the source of the voice and frowned slightly; the bug looked familiar.
Soon, he spotted a familiar figure—Admiral Lan.
His gaze darkened instantly.
He remembered: this Xiongchong was Admiral Lan’s Xiongzhu. He had once blocked Fei’s path outside Admiral Lan’s office.
Recalling the other’s lecherous gaze, the temperature in Fei’s eyes dropped several more degrees.
Why is he here?
Jiang Xu also felt a headache coming on when he heard the voice. How could he have forgotten this Xiongchong?
Bernd didn’t need Fei to acknowledge him; he just went about sizing the other up.
If gazes could strip clothes, Jiang Xu believed the Cichong behind him would be completely naked by now.
Jiang Xu looked at him with displeasure and took a small step forward, blocking the other’s view.
At the same time, Zoe also took a step forward.
Fei was now completely shielded behind the two of them.
That piercing gaze could no longer reach him.
Bernd was a bit unhappy. He looked at Jiang Xu and Zoe and gave a playful tsk. “I say, what’s with those expressions? Is it really necessary? Good things should be shared between brothers.”
Noticing that neither of the bugs opposite him was responding, he turned to the Cichong beside him. “Isn’t that right, Lan?”
Lan was thus brought out into the open.
He looked over at Jiang Xu and the others with a detached expression, giving a polite and well-mannered bow. “Lord Jiang Xu, Lord Zoe, may you be blessed with gold and peace.”
Jiang Xu nodded in return.
“Who told you to take the initiative to greet them?” Bernd looked at Lan with displeasure, as if he had touched a nerve.
“Xiongzhu, please forgive my sin.” Lan shifted his gaze back to the Xiongchong beside him.
Bernd’s brow furrowed even deeper.
His tone became even more impatient. “Answer the question from earlier.”
His temper was acting up again. Lan looked at Fei, who was shielded behind the two Xiongchong, and remained silent, still unwilling to answer the question.
Especially in front of his subordinate.
He knew that because of his relationship with Bernd, Fei’s hatred for Xiongchong had only increased.
“Are you mute?” Bernd clearly didn’t intend to let the topic go.
“Xiongzhu, please forgive my sin.” Lan skillfully and efficiently knelt down beside Bernd.
The movement looked as if it had been done thousands of times; the practiced action made Jiang Xu frown involuntarily.
He then noticed the gazes of the other bugs at the banquet; they seemed accustomed to this scene.
They only looked for a brief moment before turning away.
“What are you doing?” Zoe gave Bernd a cold, emotionless look. “Mind the occasion. This is the Jiang house.”
“Tch, it’s just a Cichong. Look, those other bugs don’t have any objections.” Bernd gestured with his chin toward the others in the hall, only to find that not only was Zoe unhappy, but Jiang Xu was also looking at him with a freezing gaze.
Wait, I didn’t even do anything, did I?
Bernd was confused, but in this situation, he had no choice but to compromise.
He casually gave Lan a kick. “Alright, alright, get up quickly. Don’t you see where we are?”
Lan stood up, gave a nod of thanks to Jiang Xu and Zoe, and stepped back behind Bernd.
“Isn’t that your subordinate? Why don’t you go over and say hello?” Bernd’s tone was very flippant.
“Do you want to be kicked out?” Jiang Xu swept a glance over him, his look bone-chillingly cold.
Bernd felt that the two bugs opposite him tonight were just not going along with anything he wanted.
Unhappy, he directly questioned Jiang Xu: “I say, what’s with you? Weren’t you the one crying and screaming about not wanting to marry him? What kind of act are you putting on for me now?”
Fei looked at Jiang Xu in surprise. He hadn’t heard Cizu mention this.
So, since the other hadn’t wanted to marry him, why had he gone through with the marriage?
Was he forced by his Cizu? Or was it because of that ‘reason’ he would find out later?
Fei suddenly understood why Jiang Xu hadn’t shown up for the registration, and why he had been ignored for half a month afterward.
But then… why had he come to find him later?
He was a bit confused.
Jiang Xu said coldly, “What does that have to do with you?”
“Don’t forget, you previously…” Before Bernd could finish his sentence, he was immediately cut off by Zoe.
“Do you believe that I’ll give you a beating right now on behalf of your elders?!”
“……..” Bernd.
“Alright, alright. My mistake, okay?” he grumbled unhappily. “I specifically came early today to chat with you two, but you both insist on making things difficult for me.”
“Who’s making things difficult for whom?” Zoe said with a dark expression. “Don’t forget the purpose of the Jiang family banquet tonight.”
Bernd pouted and stole a glance at Jiang Xu and Fei.
“Fine, fine, you two have said enough. We haven’t seen each other for a week, and you didn’t even say you missed me. You just started nagging the moment I arrived.”
“Is it really worth it for a single Cichong?”
How could he not know the meaning behind tonight’s banquet?
He wasn’t a three-year-old child. Besides, what was wrong with having a little fun with his words? When beauty was right before him, of course he wouldn’t hold back.
It was just these two “ascetic monks” who had no interest in Cichong.
Wait, that’s not right.
One of them has broken his vows.
Bernd’s gaze settled back on Jiang Xu and Fei, and he amused himself with the thought. He continued:
“Fine, I was wrong, okay?”
“I really want to dig your brain out and see if it’s full of tofu dregs. Did you forget who organized this banquet? Do you have a death wish?” To be fair, Zoe was exaggerating for effect, but…
He was afraid this kid would keep acting like a fool in the future.
The cold gaze made Bernd shudder involuntarily.
But then something felt off.
Wait, he suddenly realized he’d been led astray by Zoe and argued back: “I am a Xiongchong!”
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