NOVEL NEXT Chapter 504: "She is not married yet, is she?"
Earlston, Scotland, 12:30;
"What are you doing?", Rong Xinghe asked, stepping into the study, her voice but a whisper.
"The last episode of FRIENDS.", the man replied, pressing the spacebar of his laptop as he paused the video.
"Already?", the girl was amused.
"I liked it.", Xi Yuan smiled cheekily, "Who were your favorites among the Six?"
"Um... Chandler and Phoebe.", the woman said after some thought. "The King of Sarcasm, and the Empress of Badassery. What about you?"
"Well, we agree on Chandler here.", the man clicked his tongue, "Though, I liked Rachel more. I mean, her character's development by the end was just remarkable!"
"True that.", Rong Xinghe laughed, "So you finish the series and I will cook today."
"Oh, I can watch it later. Let me--"
"No arguments.", the girl glared at the man, silencing him at once, "Just change clothes when you're done with this episode, alright?"
"Where are we going?"
"Edinburgh.", she answered.
"Why?"
"We're getting some Scottish souvenirs for our families, Mr. Xi.", Rong Xinghe smiled at the man meaningfully, "They will love the gesture, I am sure."
"And?"
"...And there's this amazing Art Gallery, situated right in the heart of the capital. Apparently, it even has original pieces from artists like Botticelli, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Constable, Turner, and Monet. Bro Bo once mentioned this Museum to me; so I have to go there before we leave for Country X.", the girl mumbled in one breath.
"There we go."
"Also, it's this club--"
"You have planned the schedules for all our remaining days in Scotland already, haven't you?", the man cut in, blinking at the woman in disbelief.
"I am in love with this place!", the girl exclaimed.
Now, that was a relief to him, really. The thought that Scotland had been able to distract her from Country X; was an assurance that she'd given herself the break she rightfully deserved.
He was in awe, though, by her insightful understanding of a foreign land's culture, and history, and food. Rong Xinghe had studied the countries beyond her own, just out of curiosity; but her knowledge amazed him still. She had a natural interest in how people across the globe were so different and yet, so similar to one another.
Often, he thought of how much the girl must've savored the tours back when she was in the 'Voice of the World'. It was a shame that she chose to give up on singing then. To date, people danced to the songs the woman had once sung; such was her fame at that time.
But being a Military Chief was no trivial achievement as well. Her evolution was just phenomenal. And the reasons, just as heart-wrenchingly painful. Sigh...
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City A, Country X, 18:30;
Whilst Rong Xinghe's family planned the huge upcoming event along with the Xi trio, on the outskirts of the city, a certain someone had returned from Italy. It had been quite a troubling month for Diablos, for there had been a bunch of age-old Mafia families wrangling with him over authority and business. It was tiring, frankly, and time-consuming; dealing with those cunning folks.
But that wasn't his worry, at the moment. It was the news he had just received.
"Wedding?", he chuckled coolly, looking at his right-hand man. Nifhel nodded, his gaze fixed to the ground. "One of the boys just filled me in on it."
As the man kept talking, Diablos smiled to himself. That Xi Yuan was one weird moron, he thought. It hadn't been too long since he'd sent the man, the pictures of Rong Xinghe sharing a night with him. How could he not want to confirm their authenticity first? Not only had Xi Yuan never tried to contact him after it, but he'd actually helped Rong Xinghe cover up a fairly tricky scandal recently. And now, a Wedding? Just what was he thinking, Diablos pondered.
"... It's time you let go of the idea of you and that woman now.", Nifhel said cautiously, "You can't lay a hand on that woman after she gets married. You realize that, right? That's the 'Werewolf Crew's third principle. We do not ruin families."
"I know.", the man rolled his eyes, his voice bone-weary, "I was the one to make those rules in the first place, Nifhel. It'd be too ridiculous if the leader of the gang was to exploit them himself. But..."
"But?", the other man frowned.
"She is not married yet, is she?", Diablos raised his brows, tilting his head to one side, "Anything can happen before that. After all, the future is, in fact, an unending mystery."
"Don't do anything impulsive, Boss."
"I can't promise.", the man laughed, "It's Xinghe on the other end, Nifhel."
"..."
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Earlston, Scotland, 14:00;
Huang Biu was scrolling through her Weibo, reading the comments underneath Xi Yuan's recent post when Rong Yufan's name appeared at the top of the device's screen. Sitting up straight on the bed, the woman pressed the phone to her left ear.
"Fly back to Country X.", the man instructed her as Gu Hong served him a spoonful of rice in a bowl, Rong Chang at his left.
"What?", Huang Biu asked, taking a moment to register the man's words.
"You can't stay there for longer.", Rong Yufan nodded, "They're suspicious of you. And in order to strike back, you'll have to stay alive. Now that the Snowstorm approaching the Scottish borders has changed its direction due to some jet stream, catching a flight won't be a problem."
"Uh... okay.", the woman ran her fingers through her hair, befuddled. As the man cut the call, his mother grabbed a chair facing him, "Scotland? Isn't that hussy over there as well?!", she asked.
"Who was it on the call, Son?", Rong Chang questioned suspiciously.
"It's work, Dad.", Rong Yufan chuckled, "Trust me. I cannot begin to explain how humiliating it was for me to be dragged down the MCO hallways for interrogation that day. I will never forget those few hours of my life.
"And I'll get my revenge on her someday for that, definitely. But this is not the right time. So don't worry."
"We're not worried, Yufan.", Rong Quiang, the man's grandfather spoke up this time, "We just want you to remember to act from the dark. No matter what you do to her, never let them reach you."