A sense of doubt crept into my heart. Did these people not match their reputation at all? How did they sound just like some ordinary, good-for-nothing petty thugs?
Never mind. It was actually a blessing that they split up. You reap what you sow, and since they were courting death, I had no reason not to grant their wish.
I moved my feet without making a sound.
By the time I had gathered all four men—each as limp as a dead pig—the sky was already turning pale, and they were all waking up.
I checked the tightness of the ropes binding them, slapped a piece of black duct tape over each of their mouths, and ignored their muffled groans.
Villains always die of talking too much; I was a villain who hated wasting breath.
I yawned and said, "I'm tired and sleepy, and I'm going to take a nap. Make yourselves at home."
I locked them in an empty room. I had no idea what the room was meant for, but since it was completely empty, it was just right for locking them up.
I placed a sensor by the window. Although I was certain they didn't have the high IQ required to escape, it was better to be safe than sorry.
Having been awake half the night, I needed to catch up on sleep. Today's study schedule was packed tight, and not a single minute could be wasted!
I collapsed onto the bed and sank into a sweet, deep sleep.
I was awakened by Huo Ni's phone call. I answered it.
"Nan Xing, are you feeling any better?" Huo Ni's voice was full of concern.
My brain was a bit sluggish, and I mumbled, "No, I'm dying."
"What? Nan Xing, what happened? Are you at home or in the hospital? No, I'm coming to see you, and Little Uncle is coming too!"
I jolted fully awake, filled with regret!
I hurriedly sat up in bed and put on a flattering smile. "Nini, don't worry, I'm fine, really fine. I was just half-asleep and talking nonsense, hehe, just talking nonsense!"
Huo Ni let out a sigh of relief. "Then how are you actually doing right now?"
Before I could reply, a deep voice came through: "Video call!"
My heart skipped a beat. It was Huo Jingchuan!
Then, sweetness flooded my entire heart.
Huo Jingchuan wanted to see me.
Little fool Huo Ni immediately chimed in, "That's right, Nan Xing, let's video call so we can see you."
She said *we*!
I immediately objected, "No, no, no! I've got a chickenpox blister right on the tip of my nose. It hurts and itches, and worst of all, it's so ugly. I don't even dare look in the mirror. Good Nini, just protect my self-esteem, won't you?"
Huo Ni had the softest heart. Without a second thought, she tried to comfort me, "All right, all right, don't be upset, I won't look, I won't look. I asked Dr. Lin, and he said chickenpox itches terribly, so you mustn't scratch it with your hands, or it'll leave a scar. Then it really will look awful. Just imagine, if a scar were left on your such perfect nose—"
"I won't touch it, I won't touch it! Even if it itches to death, I won't touch it. I'll have the servants tie me up! There's no way I'm letting a scar stay on my face!" I promised Huo Ni.
"You'd better remember that! I'm going to go to the science class today to get all your worksheets from these past few days and bring them to you. I'm sure Nan Yang would never think to ask for your worksheets!"
I planted a fierce kiss against the phone. "Nini, you're the best! You're so thoughtful. Do me a favor and tell Master that I'll press on despite minor injuries and will definitely review hard!"
Huo Jingchuan, scratching an itch from across a boot—how does that feel?
My mood instantly soared, and all sleepiness vanished.
I got out of bed, stretched, took a shower, and changed into a tracksuit. My mother's photos looked so dashing and cool, and I loved them. So, I had bought myself a few identical outfits online, believing I could completely replicate her look.
I inspected the house inside and out to see if those petty thieves from last night had damaged anything.
Everything was tidied up, and the takeout I had ordered arrived.
I found a small, simple table, pulled over a small chair, dragged them into the temporary cell, arranged my exquisite breakfast, and sat down to eat in a leisurely manner.
The four men groaned and wriggled, propping themselves up against the wall.
I ignored them, not even raising my head, and ate while browsing the news on my phone.
These four men were much like the thugs I had dealt with at school; none of them were anything respectable.
Therefore, I could deduce that this was another one of Nan Yang's dirty tricks.
I had ordered a bit too much breakfast and couldn't finish it.
I stood up, stretched a little, picked up a cup of soy milk, and walked over to the four men, looking down at them from above.
Their gazes followed me; some looked contemptuous, while others looked pleading.
I took a sip of soy milk and tore the tape off the mouth of the man who had been looking at me pleadingly.
"Ouch, ouch," he couldn't help crying out in pain.
I threw the tape away and simply sat cross-legged right in front of them.
He immediately put on a fawning expression. "Beauty, Beauty, we were wrong! Please show mercy and let us go! We promise we'll never come to bother you again!"
"What's your name?" I asked.
He was stunned, probably not expecting me to chat with him so earnestly.
He quickly replied, "My name is Tan Si."
He wriggled his body, gesturing with his head. "This is our boss, A Hu; the second brother, Da Xiong; the third brother, A Mang. Hehe, I'm the fourth, and everyone outside calls me Fourth Brother Tan."
I nodded. "Fourth Brother Tan."
"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. Hehe, Beauty, we meant no offense and caused a disturbance. Um, could you please show mercy and let us go?" Tan Si smiled until his eyes narrowed into slits.
I bent one knee, put down my soy milk cup, and grabbed the iron rod I had left nearby.
From the corner of my eye, I saw all four of them instinctively shrink their necks back.
Last night, it was with this very iron rod that I had struck the backs of their necks and captured them.
I flicked the iron rod, producing a crisp metallic ring, and said calmly, "I just want to know what you came here for."
Tan Si swallowed hard. Just as he was about to speak, A Hu, sitting to the side, kicked him.
Before A Hu could pull his leg back, I brought the iron rod down on his shin.
A Hu was in so much pain he practically jumped, rolling around on the ground with a face contorted in agony.
"Brother Hu! Brother Hu!" Tan Si was frantic, wanting to crawl over to comfort him, but unable to move because he was tied up.
"Have mercy, Beauty! Spare us!" He begged very sensibly.
My gaze was ice-cold as I looked at A Hu. "Not convinced, are you? Then you shouldn't have let yourself get caught by me! Don't you understand the logic that the victor writes the rules? You're already my prisoners, yet you still want to put on airs in front of me? It seems you've wasted your time in the underworld."
He curled up on the ground and stopped moving, breathing heavily as he glared at me with hatred.
I smiled. "There's no need to look at me like that. You should be thinking about how the person who hired you described me and this house. If you still can't figure out who caused you to take this loss, I think you really don't need to bother hanging around the streets anymore."
I stopped looking at him and turned to Tan Si. "What did you come here to do? You haven't answered my question yet."
Tan Si swallowed hard again and stole a glance at Brother Hu.
I raised the iron rod. "What? Want me to give him another hit?"
"No, no, no, don't, don't, Beauty! Heroine! No, Grandmama, Grandmama, we were wrong! It was our fault! Please show mercy, show mercy!"
"Answer my question!" I said coldly.
"We, we came to steal things," Tan Si stammered.
I suddenly raised the iron rod and snapped, "Do you take me for an idiot?"
Tan Si shrank his head and scuttled backward. "No, no! Spare my life! Spare my life! I'll talk!"
I tossed the iron rod to the ground with a *clatter*.
All four of them shivered in unison.
"We were... someone hired us to come... come here and grab... grab..." Tan Si peeked at me.
"Grab me, is that it?" I said coldly.
"Yes," Tan Si replied in a small voice, like a deflated ball.
"And then?" I asked.
Tan Si's little eyes darted over to look at me.
"After you grab me, then what?" I asked calmly.
"Sell... sell you," Tan Si said in a low voice.
I was shocked, then burst out laughing. They were truly vicious—they actually wanted to get rid of me once and for all.
I sat back down opposite Tan Si and looked at him.
Tan Si first managed a fawning smile, then wanted to beg, but ultimately couldn't find the right expression. His face was a riot of conflicting emotions, and he looked ready to cry.
I smiled.
I loved this feeling of having the initiative firmly in my own hands.
"One last question. Think carefully before you answer me," I said, looking at Tan Si.
Tan Si nodded like a pecking chick. "I'll tell you everything I know, and everything I say will be the truth."
"Who hired you? Where were they going to sell me? Have the buyers been lined up? How many people are in your gang?" I looked at Tan Si earnestly.
Tan Si licked his somewhat dry lips and said cautiously, "Beauty, that's... that's four questions."