From rejecting the beautiful female CEO to becoming extremely powerful

After Ning Shuang walked out of the basement, Ye Zhiwei remained standing in the same spot.

Her shoulders trembled twice, she raised her hand to wipe her eyes, turned around and rushed out the door.

Bai Wantang lifted her foot to chase after her, but Sister Lan raised her hand to stop her.

"Let her be by herself for a while."

Bai Wantang stopped by the door, glanced back at Lu Yunzhou, and then followed Ning Shuang out of the basement.

The iron gate closed again.

Sister Lan sheathed the dagger and sat down at the table.

Lu Yunzhou leaned against the wall, not in a hurry to speak.

"Bai Wantang will take good care of Ning Shuang, and Zhiwei won't go far."

Sister Lan looked up at him. "I have a few words to say to you privately."

Lu Yunzhou pulled out a chair and sat down, placing his hands on his knees.

Sister Lan picked up her water glass and took a sip.

"I've been chasing Gray Tower for eight years, and I've lost count of the people who have died because of it."

She spoke calmly, but the cup in her hand made a soft cracking sound as she squeezed it.

"Grey Tower is just the one doing the work; there's Ninth Master behind them. Every time we get to the crucial point, the witnesses die, the ledgers disappear, and the surveillance footage is replaced. There are people in Sheng'an clearing the way for them, and there are people overseas cleaning up the mess for them."

Lu Yunzhou looked at her without interrupting.

"I once arrested a member of the Gray Tower. He only uttered the name 'Ninth Master' before dying in the guard cell the next day. The door lock was intact, and the guards never left their posts, yet the surveillance footage was missing forty minutes."

Sister Lan put down her cup, her voice becoming a few decibels deeper.

"You've already run into the Gray Tower and the Seven Seats. If you continue investigating, Ye Churan, Shen Luoyan, and Mu Qingying will all be on their radar. The more people around you, the more opportunities you give them."

"You want me to leave?"

Lu Yunzhou raised his eyes, his tone direct.

Sister Lan's hand stopped on the table.

I want you to live.

"What will happen to Bai Wantang and Ye Zhiwei if I leave?"

Lu Yunzhou stood up, his shoulder bearing an old injury, but he didn't even frown.

"They won't live past thirty, but I have a way to cure them. Ning Shuang has carried the dead for so many years, and I won't push her out. Anyone who tries to harm them, I'll settle the score with them."

Sister Lan stared at him for a few seconds.

"What makes you think you can compete with Ninth Master?"

"I have fists, the Creation Manual, and a life."

Lu Yunzhou clenched his fist, his voice steady.

"If Ninth Master dares to come, I'll let him know who he can touch and who he can't."

Sister Lan didn't try to persuade her any further.

Looking at the young man in front of her, she suddenly recalled the scene of Ye Zhiwei and Bai Wantang standing in front of Lu Yunzhou.

The two girls knew they would die, but they still did not back down.

"Let's go to the rooftop and check on Zhiwei."

Sister Lan looked away. "She's over there."

Lu Yunzhou got up and left.

The door to the top floor wasn't closed properly, and the wind, carrying damp moisture, seeped in through the cracks.

Ye Zhiwei squatted by the wall, hugging her knees with her arms.

She lowered her head, tears falling onto her trouser legs, and her sleeves were already soaked.

Lu Yunzhou walked up to her and stopped.

"Sister Lan asked me to come and see you."

Ye Zhiwei raised her hand to wipe away her tears, her voice nasal: "I'm fine, you go back and have a drink."

Lu Yunzhou sat down next to her.

"You still hate Ning Shuang."

Ye Zhiwei gritted her teeth, and tears fell again.

"She killed so many people, why should I forgive her?"

You are free not to forgive now.

Lu Yunzhou looked at the rooftops in the distance and lowered his voice.

"She led a group to chase Gray Tower, which resulted in the deaths of her sisters. Later, she lost two more people. She drove herself out of Ravenfeather, hiding from you all, remembering the dead every day. She has suffered enough in her life."

Ye Zhiwei raised her head, her eyes red-rimmed.

"Will suffering bring them back?"

"It can't be changed back."

Lu Yunzhou did not avoid her gaze.

"That's why she has to live and find out the truth. You can keep cursing her, or you can wait for her to come back before you hit her. But she can't bear this alone."

Ye Zhiwei lowered her head, her fingers gripping the hem of her pants.

When she rushed out, all she wanted was to get away from Ning Shuang.

After reaching the rooftop, all I could think about was Ning Shuang kneeling before Sister Lan.

That person is also being punished.

"I haven't forgiven her yet."

"I know."

"I don't want to forgive right now either."

"Then take it slow."

Ye Zhiwei sniffed and suddenly raised her hand to punch Lu Yunzhou.

The force landed on his shoulder, then was immediately withdrawn.

"You always take other people's side."

Lu Yunzhou patted her on the back.

I only say what I believe is right.

Ye Zhiwei held back for a long time, but finally burst out laughing.

She dried her face, got up and threw herself into Lu Yunzhou's arms, resting her forehead against his shoulder.

"My hugging you doesn't mean I forgive Ning Shuang."

"OK."

"You are not allowed to plead for her either."

"I'll listen to you."

Ye Zhiwei hugged him tighter and buried her face in his shoulder to wipe away her tears.

"That's more like it."

When the two returned to the living room, Bai Wantang had already set out the wine glasses.

Sister Lan sat in the middle of the sofa, with a freshly opened bottle of wine beside her.

She saw that Ye Zhiwei's eyes were red, but she didn't ask anything. She just pushed the cup in front of her.

Ye Zhiwei picked up her wine glass, tilted her head back, and drank it all.

After drinking the wine, her face grew even hotter, but her eyes relaxed considerably.

Sister Lan filled Lu Yunzhou's cup to the brim and then poured herself another cup.

"I heard that they almost gave their lives several times because of you."

Lu Yunzhou held the glass, his gaze falling on the surface of the wine.

"They have their reasons."

"I thought they had been scammed."

Sister Lan raised her glass and touched the rim of his glass, her voice very low.

"I saw you later, and I saw how you protected them. I'm so glad it was you."

Lu Yunzhou took a sip of wine.

"What if it were someone else?"

Sister Lan put the cup back on the table, her expression calm.

"I'll find out the truth before locking him up."

Bai Wantang, sitting next to her, couldn't help but chuckle.

Ye Zhiwei was also amused, and the tightness in her chest dissipated a little.

The four people were drinking around the coffee table.

When Sister Lan asked about Lu Yunzhou's affairs in Sheng'an, he only talked about what he could.

Bai Wantang occasionally chimed in with a few words, but when Ye Zhiwei heard that he had single-handedly stormed the cold storage and fought off a ninth-rank expert, she slammed her hand on the table and scolded him for showing off again.

Lu Yunzhou was scolded by her a few times, then lowered his head and continued drinking.

As the night wore on, more and more empty glasses appeared on the table.

Bai Wantang got up first to take away the wine bottles, while Sister Lan leaned back on the sofa and closed her eyes to rest.

Ye Zhiwei's cheeks flushed from drinking, but she still held onto her wine glass tightly.

"Are you still able to walk?"

Lu Yunzhou reached out and took her cup.

Ye Zhiwei looked up at him, swayed slightly, and grabbed his collar.

"What's it to you?"

Lu Yunzhou supported her arm.

I'm afraid you'll fall.

"I can't fall."

After Ye Zhiwei finished speaking, she turned around and pushed him against the wall.

Lu Yunzhou's back hit the wall, and he looked down at the person in front of him.

Ye Zhiwei propped one hand on his ear, her breath reeking of alcohol, her gaze more direct than usual.

Bai Wantang paused at the top of the stairs, then pulled Sister Lan away from the living room.

Ye Zhiwei took a half step closer and grabbed Lu Yunzhou's collar tightly.

"Confess honestly."

She stared at Lu Yunzhou, her voice low and fierce.

"When exactly did you get involved with Sister Lan?"