Chapter 2: First Confrontation

The space in the car was already cramped and small.

Now, with one more person, it felt even narrower.

The temperature inside the vehicle began to rise slightly.

As they got closer, the smell of blood became stronger, yet there were no visible wounds on the man's body.

Si Fuqing looked at him with interest and subtly tilted her head, her sharp ears catching the sound of chaotic footsteps mixed with sporadic gunfire.

The man spoke, his voice low and cold, almost mechanical—deliberately altered to prevent recognition.

Despite his attempt to disguise it, his tone still carried a natural elegance and grace. However, the suppressed note at the end of his words held an inherent chill, a cruelty deeply ingrained in his bones.

Si Fuqing had no intention of looking at his face again.

Since he had taken such precautions to change his voice, it was impossible that his face was left uncovered.

"Sure, but pay me," she said lazily, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers like a cunning little fox grooming itself, a faint smile playing at the corner of her lips.

The man paused for a moment before replying, "That makes sense."

He produced a jade pendant from somewhere and gently placed it on the car's dashboard.

The pendant was cool to the touch, clearly a piece of top-quality jade.

Si Fuqing pocketed the jade pendant and spoke slowly, "Do you need cooperation? I can play a fitting song for you. Do you prefer something majestic or seductive?"

She had always followed one unchanging creed—money first, everything else second.

"No need." The man's voice remained calm. "This is enough."

After speaking, he lowered his gaze slightly. His sharp eyesight allowed him to take in her features clearly.

She had an extraordinary appearance, her skin as pale and flawless as carved jade.

A rare beauty.

Si Fuqing propped her head on one hand and said nonchalantly, "As long as you're not tired, that's fine."

The man rested his arms on the dashboard and pulled her into his embrace with a slight movement. Though they were close, there was no actual physical contact between them.

However, from an outsider's perspective, the fogged-up, mottled glass gave the scene a certain ambiguous allure.

At that moment, the chaotic footsteps outside halted.

"Where is he? Did he run to the hospital?" A voice filled with rage rang out before rising in pitch. "What's that over there?!"

"Swish!"

A blinding light shone towards the car but quickly shifted away.

Seeing the car shaking violently, one of the men outside cursed, "Which damned couple is doing this kind of thing outside a hospital? So unlucky. Aren't they afraid of reviving the dead?"

"If I wasn't busy with something important today, I'd have taken that woman for myself!"

"Enough, stop talking. The mission is urgent," another voice cut in. "Where did he go? He's not here!"

"Let's check the hospital! We must not let him escape!"

The group of men gradually moved away, and the surroundings returned to silence.

Si Fuqing stretched her body and raised her chin. "Excuse me, let me drink some Coke."

The man withdrew slightly.

Si Fuqing reached out for the bottle, twisting the cap. But the next second, she suddenly turned and attacked, aiming directly for his shoulder.

His reaction was just as swift. His already dark eyes grew even deeper, unreadable.

Within less than ten seconds, the two had exchanged more than a dozen moves.

Bang!

Si Fuqing was pinned against the driver's seat.

She still couldn't see his face clearly, but she could feel his cool breath, his long, strong arms, and his broad shoulders.

Only a thin layer of clothing separated them, yet his warmth seeped through.

"Your wrist is injured, and your strength is weak. You're no match for me." He firmly held her uninjured right wrist. "If you continue, I can't guarantee what will happen next."

His eyes remained indifferent, unreadable—unshaken by any unexpected turn of events.

He was suppressive, aggressive.

Si Fuqing blinked, showing no change in expression, and slowly said, "Okay."

The man paused before releasing her wrist and said, "Thank you for today, young lady." His voice was steady and composed. "If fate allows, I will repay you in the future."

Just as he had arrived silently, he left just as quietly.

The scent of blood gradually faded.

Si Fuqing turned on the car's interior light and lowered her gaze to her palm.

A thin, metallic object, as delicate as a cicada's wing, glowed faintly in the darkness.

She hadn't won the fight, but she had taken something from him.

In the Great Xia Empire, there were many factions.

But among them, the one she could consider her own was the Zhongzhou Mohist School.

The Mohist School was an aristocratic family that had ruled Zhongzhou for centuries through their mastery of machinery and hidden weapons.

They had a history spanning thousands of years.

Si Fuqing fell into thought.

Although she had been of pure Great Xia descent in her previous life, she had rarely set foot in the Great Xia Empire. Most of her knowledge about it came from the intelligence network built by her second senior brother and various online acquaintances.

However, whether that man was part of the Mohist School or not was of no concern to her.

And he was right—she was currently too weak.

"You speak so formally that I almost thought you came straight out of ancient times." Si Fuqing smirked, pocketing the hidden weapon. "It's a pain communicating with you. You have so many enemies. Who knows if we'll ever meet again?"

She took the last sip of Coke, tossed the empty bottle into a distant trash can with precise aim, then leaned back in her seat for a moment before starting the car and driving away.

---

8:00 AM – The Zuo Family Residence

The funeral arrangements for Old Master Zuo were still ongoing.

Zuo Tianbei and Mrs. Zuo were not present. Only a few young members of the Zuo family remained in the house.

"Second Sister, we finally got rid of Si Fuqing this time." Zuo Qingya stirred the coffee in her cup. "It was so frustrating seeing how well Grandpa treated her. Who does she think she is? What makes her worthy of his kindness when she doesn't even bear the Zuo surname?"

"She even joined the entertainment industry. It's ridiculous. People in that industry curse her from all corners of the country. She has no self-awareness at all."

Zuo Qingya knew exactly how bad Si Fuqing's reputation was in the entertainment world.

It was terrible—beyond salvageable.

A so-called celebrity who had no talent and wasn't even particularly good-looking—how could she ever become popular?

Whenever she was in the mood, Zuo Qingya would hire a wave of online trolls to smear Si Fuqing's name.

As the third daughter of the Zuo family, Zuo Qingya looked down on the entertainment industry.

She never watched talent shows, but when she heard how Si Fuqing had embarrassed herself on Youth, she specifically downloaded the show just to laugh at her.

Seeing netizens mock Si Fuqing always amused her.

Zuo Xianyu didn't comment on her words. She only said, "Say less."

Of course, it wasn't because she wanted to defend Si Fuqing.

Si Fuqing simply wasn't worth her attention.