"Well, just test him; don't get into a real fight. Just lift something from him and make him think you're a petty thief. Even if you can't get away cleanly, a trip to the Law Enforcement Bureau is nothing."
Bie Yuan had originally considered pretending to be drunk, but realized that wouldn't be appropriate in such a high-end coffee shop.
Starting an actual brawl would be too abrupt and might lead back to the Boss, which they couldn't allow. That left pickpocketing as the only viable option.
It just so happened that one of his subordinates was a "master thief," capable of swiping items without anyone noticing. His nondescript appearance allowed him to blend into any crowd, making him perfect for the job.
Most importantly, the man was already in Shangjing.
"Understood, I'll give it a try," the man muttered under his breath. "I'll take my earpiece out first. He’s quite sharp; if he discovers it, the payoff won't be worth the risk."
"Right, I'll leave it to you, Xinhua. Just probe him. I only want to know if he’s actually from the Kill Camp. Also, remember to take a look at his... well."
Bie Yuan narrowed his eyes. He and the Boss had spent over a month in the hospital; they couldn't let this grudge go unpunished.
If this man was from the Kill Camp, the Boss would likely kidnap him and tear him apart to vent his anger.
"Wait, what?" Xinhua froze for a second.
"This is the man the Boss has his eye on. We have to look out for the Boss's happiness, don't we?"
Bie Yuan whispered.
"Understood." Xinhua coughed, pulled out his earpiece, and shoved it into an inner pocket.
Soon, he saw Quan Xijuan walk in.
Among men, there really wasn't much to hide.
Xinhua completed the task easily. Even though he was a man himself, the moment he remembered this was the man the Boss wanted, he didn't even know where to look after a brief glance.
Still, he had to admit the guy was worthy of the Boss—fit, handsome, and generally... not bad at all.
Quan Xijuan felt that the man nearby was acting weird, glancing at him from time to time. He didn't think much of it, but then wondered: *Is he gay?*
In this day and age, there wasn't much discrimination against homosexuality, so the possibility wasn't low.
After finishing their coffee, both men went to the sinks to wash their hands.
As they wiped their hands and walked out together, Quan Xijuan and Xinhua were side-by-side.
Two steps out, Quan Xijuan’s eyes sharpened. He raised his hand, seized Xinhua’s arm, and in a flash, pinned him against the side wall.
"Who are you?" Quan Xijuan squinted, looking at Xinhua's hand. There was nothing in it, but he had clearly felt that hand dip into his pocket. "A thief?"
"What are you spouting? How am I a thief? Are you sick?" Xinhua’s heart skipped a beat, but he swore as he tried to yank his hand back, only to find he couldn't move it.
His wrist was gripped tight, causing a sharp, stinging pain.
"Speak. Who are you, what are you trying to steal? Or did someone send you to take something from me?"
Quan Xijuan was expressionless, his eyes cold, his words clipped.
"I didn't steal anything from you! If you don't believe me, search yourself! See if you lost anything! I give up, I was just standing close to you, how does that make me a thief?"
Xinhua’s eyes flashed with irritation; he raised an eyebrow, looking impatient. "If you really have a problem, let's check the surveillance or go to the Law Enforcement Bureau, shall we?"
He shouted, appearing annoyed and frustrated with Quan Xijuan.
Quan Xijuan stared at him deeply, then a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "My apologies. I must have been mistaken."
He let go.
Xinhua muttered curses as he returned to his seat, downed his coffee in one gulp, and immediately left the cafe.
Quan Xijuan pulled out his phone and made a call. A voice answered instantly: "Captain?"
"Sha Jing, Du Shang Cafe. Look into someone for me. I want to know who he is and where he goes."
He licked his lips. Could someone be looking for revenge?
Many people had seen his face; it wouldn't be impossible if someone wanted to settle a score or get their hands on something he had.
But he had come out on a whim today, and no one had been following him lately...
He frowned, not dwelling on it.
Regardless, once the investigation was done, he would know the situation.
Xinhua walked out and took a taxi straight home.
Once inside, he put his earpiece back on. "Brother Yuan."
"You’re home? It seems he suspected you." Bie Yuan knew Xinhua was a cautious person; if he hadn't been suspected, he would have reported back on the road instead of waiting until now.
"Yeah, he suspected me, so I took a normal taxi home. On the way, I even complained to the driver about some lunatic I met at the cafe. The driver even consoled me."
Xinhua’s counter-reconnaissance skills were sharp; he wouldn't be discovered easily.
"How was it? What’s your take on him?" Bie Yuan trusted Xinhua's judgment.
"He's definitely from the Kill Camp, and his rank probably isn't low. His counter-reconnaissance instincts are too strong. I went to the cafe on the spur of the moment, I pretended to be a pickpocket, and I didn't even succeed. I acted exactly like a normal thief would, yet he still managed to pin it on me. Either he has so many enemies that he's instinctively wary of anyone who gets close, or his subconscious sixth sense told him I was off. If it's the former, he’s probably not in a high position. If it's the latter, I can't imagine what he's been through to have senses this sharp—they're almost as good as the Boss’s."
Xinhua had entered the Combat Division through his special skills in theft and had learned other things later.
He had been discovered by the Boss just like that, and now he had been discovered by Quan Xijuan. No wonder the Boss was interested in him.
"Almost as good as the Boss's?" Bie Yuan’s pupils constricted. "Fine, I see. Keep living normally for now. The best way to hide is in plain sight. I’ll call you if there’s a mission. Don't draw Quan Xijuan's attention for the time being."
"Got it. I won't be in contact for a few days, then," Xinhua said in a low voice and hung up.
Bie Yuan drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, licking his lips. "It can't be... could it be what I'm thinking?"
He remembered that the new leader of the Kill Camp was from Shangjing. Being so young and sitting in that position—military merit was one thing, but there had to be another identity pushing him up.
Quan Xijuan’s information was hidden, and he couldn't find anything. Now that Xinhua had confirmed Quan Xijuan was a member of the Kill Camp...
The Quan family was one of the Four Nobles of Shangjing. The elder of the Quan family was a military man, formerly under the command of Old Marshal Xiu. Quan Xijuan was rarely seen; he must have been in the military.
If he didn't hold a high-ranking position in the military, that only left the Kill Camp. No one knew the identity of the new leader, but his age had leaked.
He couldn't help but wonder if the Boss had asked him to send someone to test him because he had already guessed that Quan Xijuan was the leader of the Kill Camp.
He was also the man who had fired a single shot that sent the Boss to the hospital for a month.
He switched to WeChat and sent a message to the Boss, confirming that Quan Xijuan was definitely from the Kill Camp.
*
Meanwhile, in the studio, the program "Ask Me Anything" officially began.
The earlier interlude had passed quickly.
But the news about Xiu Mumo’s stunning looks was already trending.
#XiuMumoStunningLooks# (New)
#StunningLadyIsTheXueFamilysEldestDaughter# (Hot)
#WhatIsAnUprightPersonalityReallyLike# (Hot)
#XiuMumo179.8XueAnyan175# (Explosive)
#XiuMumoMocksXueAnyanForNotBeing175# (Hot)
A program with almost no traction had suddenly hit so many entertainment trends, drawing a massive crowd to the live stream.
And the Q&A was only just beginning.
"We originally compiled ten questions based on what the netizens most wanted to know, all directed at Ms. Xiu. However, since Ms. Xue is also here, we’ve decided to adjust these questions slightly to ask you as well, for fairness’ sake. Is that alright?"
Rao Xingsi thought the netizens would surely want to see Xue Anyan, too.
Even if she wasn't as pretty or as fit as Xiu Mumo, she was still a very popular rising star.
"OK," Xiu Mumo said, unfazed.
"No problem," Xue Anyan nodded.
"The first question: There are rumors online that during the Xue family's annual meeting, you said you would never change your name, nor would you return to the Xue family. Is this true?"
Rao Xingsi went straight for the biggest question—the one all the viewers were most curious about.
"Yes. I said it at the annual meeting: I will not change my name, and I will not change my surname. I am called Xiu Mumo, and I will be forever. Furthermore, I have no interest in the Xue family. Whether their assets are vast or modest has nothing to do with me. I only appeared because I was curious about what my 'biological parents' were like. I left as soon as I saw them."
Xiu Mumo’s tone was matter-of-fact, as if this were a trivial matter.
[Oh, what about those who said she was faking it? This is a live broadcast, not an edit. She clearly looks down on the Xue family.]
[She probably doesn't understand what kind of family the Xue family is.]
[That's not impossible, but you can look up their family industry online, right?]
As she spoke, she glanced at Xue Anyan and smiled faintly. "So, you don’t need to treat me like such a formidable enemy. I won't affect your status in the Xue family, and you don't need to act like a delicate little flower in front of me. It's quite uncomfortable to watch."
Xue Anyan met those eyes and choked.
She truly hadn't expected that Xiu Mumo didn't look down on the Xue family as a performance—she genuinely didn't care.
[LMAO, slapped in the face. Xue Anyan came knocking on her own, didn't she? Is she afraid Xiu Mumo will steal her spot?]
[Well, she isn't biological, so being afraid is normal, right?]
[Our Yanyan clearly wishes she could return the position to Xiu Mumo; why would she be afraid? Hilarious.]
[Can't help but laugh at the comment above.]
"I’ve made myself very clear, so don’t bring your petty schemes to me. I have a short temper. If you cross my bottom line, I’m not sure what I might do."
Xiu Mumo’s brows were gentle, but she clearly wasn't joking.
"I didn't," Xue Anyan retorted, her eyes reddening. "Does Ms. Xiu think that because I’ve occupied your place as their daughter all these years, you have to say such spiteful things? Mom and Dad have always been looking forward to you coming home. Now that you’ve finally returned, how can you say such things to break their hearts?"
Her voice wasn't loud, but it was deliberately affected—sweet, but pleasing to the ear, especially to the men who heard it and couldn't help but smile.
[See? I told you. Our Yanyan is so kind; how could she be jealous over such trifles? People really do just talk to hear themselves.]
[They're still your parents, after all. Aren't you afraid of retribution for talking like that?]
[I'm not. And if lightning strikes, it’ll strike someone brainless like you.]
[Yanyan is so good, thinking of others, yet she gets scolded for not being called 'sister'. What is this?]
The comments were flooding the screen; more people were speaking up for Xue Anyan.
Fans had filters on, and they had their own set of "interpretations."
Stinginess was called "frugality," having too many romantic interests was "being popular"—as long as they didn't commit serious crimes, even if their morals were gone, fans would find a way to whitewash them.
The fan circles were like this—already deformed, and there was no easy way to fix it.
"Do you want to leave so badly? If you feel you’ve occupied my status, then leave of your own accord. What’s the point of just paying lip service? As for whether I return or not, that’s my business. You wanting to prove that you don't want to monopolize the status of the Xue family’s eldest daughter is your own personal business."
Xiu Mumo’s tone remained peaceful; nothing Xue Anyan said could cause a ripple in her emotions.
[Her emotional stability is so solid. This lady is both rational and logical. It really has nothing to do with Xiu Mumo, right?]
[I think so too. It has nothing to do with her. If she really wanted to leave, she would have just left silently. Why talk about it here?]
[Tea-detecting expert, well played.]
Xue Anyan was choked up again, her fingers clenching. "I just..."
"You just wanted to wait for me to come back, you were just afraid Mom and Dad wouldn't have a daughter, you just... oh, I don't know how else to spin this."
Xiu Mumo smiled slightly, a sight that felt like a predator to Xue Anyan.
She hadn't expected Xiu Mumo to be this difficult to handle.
[Hahaha, I’m dying, this is so funny.]
[Hilarious. She predicted her prediction. You really know how to throw shade.]
[Why is she talking like that? Is something wrong with her?]
[Here come the little Xue-flowers, they’re starting to jump.]
[Both are thousand-year-old foxes, what kind of 'Strange Tales' are you playing here?]
Rao Xingsi remained impassive on the surface, but inwardly, he admired Xiu Mumo. If it were anyone else, they would have likely put on a facade for the sake of appearances.
He believed it now: Xiu Mumo really had no intention of entering the entertainment industry.
If she had, this would be a public execution.
"Host, didn't Xue Anyan have questions too? You can ask her now. I've finished answering mine."
Xiu Mumo’s eyes were deep as she gazed at Xue Anyan, a smile playing on her lips.
"Mr. Rao, just ask me," Xue Anyan said, desperate for a way out.
Even if it meant losing face.
"Ms. Xue, you knew long ago that the Xue family had a daughter who was abducted, didn't you? What were your thoughts then, and what are they now?"
Rao Xingsi’s questions were relatively sharp—which was exactly why the program wasn't popular. Because some questions couldn't be answered ambiguously, and some words would be endlessly magnified by netizens.
"I knew when I was adopted. So I’ve always known that I was the one who replaced Ms. Xiu’s identity, and I also took her place in receiving a good education and my parents' love. I have always felt guilty toward Ms. Xiu, which is why I volunteered to participate in this program—I wanted to reconcile with her."
Xue Anyan’s eyes were red. She spoke slowly, though not particularly coherently, sounding a bit scattered.
She was projecting sincerity—an intense sort of sincerity—meant to make people believe she wasn't faking it.
As a popular rising star, Xue Anyan’s acting skills were sometimes on point.
[Look, the girl is shattered. What is this expression on Xiu Mumo’s face?]
[Ms. Xiu, hurry up and hit back! I’m laughing at this 'shattered' act. You lived a good life for so many years, why pull this stunt now?]
"Don't kidnap me with morality. I have no morals. Your mom is your mom, your dad is your dad, your brother is your brother; it has nothing to do with me."
Xiu Mumo waved her off immediately. "I’m not looking for reconciliation. I only ask for peace."
[Pfft, hahaha, I knew it! Ms. Xiu is so good. 'I have no morals'? Seriously?]
[And 'Your mom is your mom'? Amazing. She really doesn't care for the Xue family at all, does she? The lady is so cool!]
Rao Xingsi almost couldn't hold it together. His years of hosting experience were nearly brought to an abrupt end right there.
God, this was hilarious.
One was crying and sobbing, the other just wanted the person to be quiet as a chicken.
Xue Anyan’s eye twitched, her body trembled for a second, and she was so blocked she couldn't get a word out.
"Why the silence? Nothing to say? I think I’ve made myself clear. I won't play your games, and I have no interest in you people. This is the last time: please, Ms. Xue, don't play the 'deep sisterhood' act in front of me. Whether you stay in the Xue family or leave, it has nothing to do with me."
Xiu Mumo’s expression was indifferent, a faint, mocking curve to her lips. "Host, you can proceed to the next question."
Compared to the people she had encountered, Xue Anyan’s level was simply too low; she didn't even have a shred of interest left.
When it came to "green tea," she’d seen far better; when it came to "white lotuses," Xue Anyan couldn't even rank. It was just boring.
"Right, let's move on to the next question."
Rao Xingsi asked the second question: "Ms. Xiu, are you aware of the Xue family’s status in Shangjing? Rumor has it you turned down the shares offered by the Xue family. Do you know how much those shares are worth?"
The question was still relatively sharp, almost a direct confrontation.
"I do. The Four Nobles of Shangjing, right? The Xue family’s shares are indeed very valuable, but it doesn't have much to do with me. I just know that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. If I take these shares, I have to accept the Xue family’s arrangements. I’m a rather spontaneous person; I don't like being arranged by others. If there's any arranging to do, I’ll be the one doing it. Besides, don’t you find it strange? I was abducted for so many years, and the Xue family never bothered to look for me. How is it that they suddenly found me now?"
Xiu Mumo looked into the camera, speaking nonchalantly.
Her aura always gave people a cool, detached feeling.
[Damn, she’s so right. She’s really clear-headed. It’s absolutely linked to benefits.]
[Sister is really killing me. Can’t call Xue Anyan 'sister', but can I call you that?]
[Damn, is this real? How can someone be so fake? I don’t believe this for a second.]
The "little Xue-flowers," seeing the heat in the live stream shift to Xiu Mumo, couldn't help but feel their anger flare, and they started spamming the chat.
Many passersby found it hard to comment, as more casual viewers had joined the stream.
Rao Xingsi was also stopped by this question.
It was true—for all these years, there had been no news of the Xue family searching for any daughter. How did they suddenly find the eldest daughter, who had been missing for twenty years?
And adopting a substitute, with a name almost identical to the biological daughter... this...
It was hard to judge.
"I was just raising a question, not asking you. I’ve already answered what I should."
Xiu Mumo added.
"Understood." As the comments were actively debating, Rao Xingsi looked at Xue Anyan. "What are your thoughts on your name being Xue Anyan, while Ms. Xiu’s original name is Xue Wanyan?"
He felt speechless just thinking about the name. Even if they really wanted a substitute, they wouldn't choose a name like that, would they? Who knew if it would be awkward?
"Thoughts? My adoptive parents loved Ms. Xiu very much, which is why they gave me the name Anyan—because 'An' represents peace. They once told me that the significance of giving me that name was the hope that their biological daughter, Xue Wanyan, would be safe and sound in this world."