It wasn't until he saw Helian Duo frowning deeply that Xue Lianyu guessed something must have happened. He leaned in closer, eager to find out, but Helian Duo dodged him. The next second, the letter vanished without a trace.
"Is there anything you can't tell me?" Xue Lianyu tried to search Helian Duo, but he couldn't get close no matter how hard he tried.
Upstairs, the rooms were separated not by a wall but by an eight - fold screen. Moreover, the room where Cheng Xiran was staying was tightly connected to Helian Duo's. As long as there was a bit of a commotion over there, she could hear it clearly.
Before long, Cheng Xiran heard a loud "boom" and a shrill cry of "ouch".
She thought assassins had come. She grabbed the long sword on the rosewood table and rushed through one screen after another. As a result, she saw Xue Lianyu lying on the ground. Since his body was leaning against the screen and Helian Duo had struck with great force, he fell along with the screen.
The culprit, Helian Duo, was sitting upright, sipping tea. Only his jet - black hair was a bit disheveled.
Cheng Xiran couldn't help bursting out laughing.
Naturally, it earned her Xue Lianyu's contempt. "I'm in such a state, and you're still laughing at me? You're just as heartless as this blockhead..."
Looking at the screen that had been broken by Xue Lianyu's relatively lean body, Cheng Xiran was only curious. "The quality of this screen doesn't seem that bad. Does Young Master Xue have profound internal strength?"
"Why don't you say it's because the blockhead used too much force..." Xue Lianyu struggled to stand up, clutching his waist. He glared fiercely at Helian Duo again. "You just bully me because you know I can't beat you. Aren't you afraid that I'll tell my father about you when I get back?"
Helian Duo remained calm. He took a slow sip of the hot tea and then gently put it down. "I haven't talked to your father about your recent situation for quite some time. I'm sure he'd be very eager to know which girls you've bothered last month and how much silver you've had to pay in compensation."
Helian Duo had an extraordinary bearing, and he had the capital to be so.
Tsk tsk tsk, Cheng Xiran couldn't help muttering to herself.
But on the surface, she still looked as well - behaved as ever. Because Xue Lianyu's situation was so comical, there was a faint smile on her face, which Helian Duo saw clearly.
Damn it. He had tried his best not to let his attention linger on her, but he just couldn't help noticing every frown and smile of hers.
He impatiently shooed Xue Lianyu away. "If you've got nothing to do, go and handle the things I've assigned to you properly. Don't stand in front of me all day and get on my nerves."
"This life is really unbearable!"
Xue Lianyu let out a theatrical roar. After noticing Helian Duo's expression, he scurried away like a rat with its tail between its legs.
He looked so much like a stray rat on the street that Cheng Xiran stared at his retreating figure for quite a while.
Her mind was only pulled back by Helian Duo's successive coughs.
"Is Your Highness not feeling well?" Cheng Xiran asked politely. Helian Duo must have heard the formality in her words, for his face turned a bit ugly.
But he still managed to reply, "I'm harassed by you lot every day. You're all troublemakers."
He thought he was scolding, but perhaps his tone wasn't quite right, or maybe Cheng Xiran simply wasn't afraid. Otherwise, how could she sit down beside him expressionlessly?
"By the way, where did Your Highness send the witnesses and the evidence?"
"Everything has been taken care of. You don't need to ask more..."
Remembering that she had accidentally witnessed him punishing Xiao Cheng before, he paused for a moment and added, "They're all fine. I've just sent them to a remote place."