Xie Nanyou rubbed her forehead. "Why don't I remember ever seeing the Zhang Family Patriarch?" Had this man seen her before?
Watching the phantom of the Nine-tailed Fox behind Xie Nanyou slowly shrink back until the shadow returned to its normal form, Zhang Qiling silently breathed a sigh of relief. "South of Changsha City."
Xie Nanyou looked at Zhang Qiling and narrowed her eyes slightly. "The year I left, was that you who intervened from the shadows when I was attacked outside the city?"
When she left back then, she had taken nothing except the people her mother gave her. She hadn't expected to be ambushed outside the city; most of her guards were lured away, and then another group appeared, trying to take her by force.
She hadn't had to lift a finger at the time, because someone in the shadows had struck first. She had thought about it afterward, assuming those people were their mutual enemies who just happened to help her as they passed by, but she hadn't expected it to be him.
"Well, since I saved you this time, we're even. Put the thing away, and I won't see you out," Xie Nanyou said, rubbing her forehead with one hand. She hadn't kept her power under control earlier, and now her head was pounding fiercely. She just wanted the man before her to leave immediately.
Zhang Qiling bypassed the desk and stood beside Xie Nanyou. "Lightning Tribulation." With that, he pressed down on Xie Nanyou's hands, placed both palms on her temples, and gently massaged them. "You cannot lose your temper." Her bloodline was not fully awakened; losing control now would be dangerous.
Xie Nanyou leaned back in her chair and narrowed her eyes slightly. "Since you know, are you looking for me to help you with something? But I'm afraid I can't help you much right now." Her final Lightning Tribulation was still more than a decade away; anything could happen in such a long time.
"To protect you," Zhang Qiling said softly as he massaged her head.
He didn't know how to phrase it so she would believe him, but he was sincere. When he found her, she was in danger, and after saving her, he couldn't find her again. Now that she had finally appeared, he certainly wouldn't let her leave.
Xie Nanyou chuckled softly. "I hardly think I need anyone to protect me right now. Besides, I can't afford the remuneration for the Zhang Family Patriarch."
Just as Xie Nanyou's voice faded, a knock came from outside the door. "Young Miss, did you call for someone?" The person pushed the door open as she spoke, but upon seeing the man standing behind her young miss, she looked puzzled while instinctively reaching toward her side.
"Xiao Ba, go tell everyone on night watch today—every single one of them—to report for punishment tomorrow during the day." Someone had slipped into the inner courtyard and even climbed up to the second-floor study without a single person noticing.
Xiao Ba looked at Zhang Qiling. "Yes, then..."
"It's nothing, you can go."
Xiao Ba nodded, sliding her hand holding the dagger back behind her. "Understood. Young Miss, rest early." With that, she glanced at Zhang Qiling, stepped out of the study, and pulled the door tightly shut.
Zhang Qiling glanced at the tightly closed door, completely unconcerned that Xie Nanyou's single sentence had made her subordinate loathe him. "Kirin Blood can lessen the Thunder Penalty. You have a place you need to go." Her final Lightning Tribulation required her to return to where she belonged.
Xie Nanyou brushed away the hand on her forehead. "The Zhang Family Patriarch truly is a man of few words." If she hadn't known what he was talking about herself, she would have suspected that if anyone else heard him speak like that, they would fly into a rage and start swinging.
Zhang Qiling stood beside Xie Nanyou, picked up the Jade Ring from the desk, and slipped it back onto her finger. "Earnest. A betrothal gift."
Xie Nanyou looked at the Jade Ring on her hand, then raised her head to meet Zhang Qiling's eyes. "Zhang Qiling, let's make a deal..." She didn't believe in any betrothal gifts; she only believed in mutual interests.
The next day, Zhang Rishan arrived at the Xie Residence. As soon as he stepped through the front gate, he was hauled into the courtyard by Xu Ansheng, who had been waiting on the side. "President Zhang, your Zhang Clan members are acting beneath their dignity. Please hurry and take your man back." With that, he dragged the bewildered Zhang Rishan toward the inner courtyard.
The struggling pair caused all the surrounding people to murmur in discussion. Zhang Rishan tried to push away the person pulling him, but his arm was gripped so tightly that he couldn't break free at once, and he was already being dragged into the inner courtyard.
Entering the parlor, he saw a man sitting on the sofa, staring intently at Xie Nanyou.
Zhang Rishan suppressed the urge to massage his forehead. "Patriarch, why are you here too?" He hadn't even known his own patriarch had returned, and judging by the way he was staring at Young Miss Nanyou, he couldn't have just arrived at the Xie Residence.
Besides, the wound at the corner of his patriarch's mouth hadn't healed yet—had he been in a physical fight? Surely his patriarch hadn't started a brawl while people were holding a funeral here, had he?
Zhang Qiling glanced at Zhang Rishan. "Wife. Address her properly." With that, he stared back at the Jade Ring on Xie Nanyou's hand. Although he had sustained a minor injury, the betrothal gift had been accepted, so he would make sure she never went back on her word.
Zhang Rishan was momentarily stunned. He turned to look at Xu Ansheng, half-suspecting he had misheard just now.
Xu Ansheng glared at the sluggish Zhang Rishan and gave him a shove from behind, signaling him to hurry and take the man away.
Because of the Zhang Family Patriarch, everyone on night watch last night was going to be punished today, yet the Zhang Family Patriarch was still lingering shamelessly by their young miss's side.