Chapter 250

“Oh!” Sanyan snorted and sneered, “Dying is quite straightforward after all.” Jiang Sen asked, “Brother Dong, what about Guan Pei’s lover? Should we send someone to capture him?” Xie Wendong retorted, “Do you think someone like Guan Pei would reveal secrets to others, even if it’s someone closest to him?” Jiang Sen thought carefully, shook his head, and said firmly, “He won’t.” “So,” Xie Wendong smiled, “don’t do meaningless things.” “Then how can we find the person behind this?” Jiang Sen was stuck. Xie Wendong smiled confidently, “If one thread is broken, there will be others. If we can’t find the end, we can look for the beginning.” Li Shuang was confused and asked, “What beginning? Where is it?” “Hehe, naturally in Beijing!” Xie Wendong’s eyes sparkled. “Beijing? I don’t think I’ve ever been there!” Li Shuang grinned foolishly.

Guan Pei was dead. Although the person behind him hadn’t been found yet, it had at least relieved Xie Wendong of a major worry. He had planned to rest peacefully for a while and spend some romantic days with Peng Ling, but things kept piling up. New Year’s Day marked the end of the old year and the beginning of a new one, with festive joy naturally showing in people’s smiles. Although the north was less developed, it was relatively more relaxed, with a much slower pace of life compared to cities in the south, making it easier to feel the festive atmosphere. Throughout the streets, the sound of firecrackers and children’s lively laughter could often be heard. At night, the city was brightly lit, with neon lights adorning this city covered in ice and snow.

Xie Wendong and Peng Ling strolled leisurely along Central Street. Peng Ling wore a milky white wool coat and a pair of snow-white long leather boots, which accentuated her perfect figure. Her hair flowing over her shoulders in the wind added a touch of liveliness and innocence. Xie Wendong, as usual, was dressed in his favorite black clothes: a black coat, a black modern Zhongshan suit, black leather shoes, and eyes that shone blackly. Walking together, the contrast between the black and white of the two made them stand out sharply, drawing the attention of passersby from time to time. Xie Wendong couldn’t help but chuckle softly and said in a low voice, “You’re really charming!” Peng Ling was stunned and asked, “Why do you say that?” Xie Wendong replied half self-mockingly and half jokingly, “Walking with you makes even an ordinary person like me get a lot of attention.” Peng Ling burst into laughter, finally understanding what he meant. She took Xie Wendong’s arm and said smilingly, “You know, you’re not ordinary at all.” Xie Wendong’s face turned red as he scratched his head awkwardly and said, “Well, I haven’t realized that myself.”

A group of students ran ahead, holding fireworks that sparkled as they laughed and played as they passed by. Happiness is contagious. Peng Ling was already in high spirits, and now she grabbed Xie Wendong and exclaimed, “I want to set off fireworks too!” Seeing her rosy, frostbitten face and her natural innocence, Xie Wendong exerted all his self-control to resist the urge to kiss her cheeks. Though he thought it a bit childish for an adult to set off fireworks, he didn’t want to dampen her enthusiasm, so he nodded and smiled, saying, “Okay!”

However, it wasn’t until Peng Ling chased after him with the lit fireworks that he realized he shouldn’t be so soft-hearted. When he heard her bell-like laughter, it seemed everything else became unimportant again. “Stop! Don’t run!” Peng Ling panted, breath forming white clouds in the air. Xie Wendong smiled triumphantly, looking relaxed, and said confidently as he kept running, “As long as I want to run, even a marathon champion can’t catch up to me.” Though his words were exaggerated, his running skills were indeed beyond ordinary people’s, and he had run far more often than most.

Before they knew it, they had reached the end of Central Street. The Songhua River had turned into a glacier, covered in a vast expanse of ice. Peng Ling’s fireworks ran out, and Xie Wendong slowed down. He stood on the embankment, resting his hands on the railing and gazing into the distance. Who would have thought that just a few days ago he had been chased and nearly drowned in the river, while today he was out enjoying himself with a beautiful woman, in the same place, yet with completely different feelings? He bent down, sat down, stretched his arms, and sighed, “It’s been so long since I’ve felt this relaxed.”

Peng Ling sat down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder, her face filled with happiness. She said, “So you should go out and do this more often from now on!”

Xie Wendong shook his head with a smile and said, “Human life is finite.” Peng Ling replied, “It’s precisely because it’s finite that we should enjoy it properly.” Xie Wendong clearly disagreed with her view. Looking up at the stars, he mused, “Because it’s finite, we should cherish and make use of every minute, not let it slip away easily.” Peng Ling turned her head, pouted, and said unhappily to Xie Wendong, “Do you know sometimes you can be so depressing?” “I know. That’s why I plan to go see the ‘legendary’ ice lanterns with you now!” Xie Wendong jumped up, pulling Peng Ling along with him. “Ice lanterns?” Peng Ling shook her head like a rattle and muttered, “What’s there to see? It’s crowded, and they’re all old-fashioned with nothing new. I think the riverside is better—quiet and romantic…” Before Peng Ling could finish, Xie Wendong had already started pulling her away.

As Peng Ling said, the “Ice and Snow World” where the ice sculptures were located was packed with people. Sometimes it made you wonder if everyone in the city had gathered there. Looking around, it was a sea of people—those outside rushing in, and those inside trying desperately to get out. Even if there was a beautiful ice sculpture right beside you, you wouldn’t have the heart to look at it; you could only move passively with the crowd. Ever since he entered, Xie Wendong’s frown hadn’t lifted. Peng Ling, held tightly by him, looked at him with a triumphant gaze and said, “Well? I told you you’d regret coming here!” Xie Wendong gave an awkward smile and said calmly, “It’s good to have many people. It’s lively.”

With so many people around, it was common to run into acquaintances. Just as Xie Wendong and Peng Ling found a slightly quieter spot, a voice calling out “Big brother” suddenly came from not far away, lifting his spirits. It was a familiar voice—a little girl he hadn’t seen in ages, dressed in a white down jacket. A white scarf covered her face tightly, leaving only a slit to reveal her bright, lively eyes. When she ran up to Xie Wendong and Peng Ling, she untied the scarf, revealing an angelically pure and beautiful face. The girl was under twenty, in the prime of her youth, her youthful radiance dazzling. She hugged Xie Wendong’s arm affectionately and called out loudly, “Big brother!”

Xie Wendong was initially startled and almost instinctively stroked the girl’s shiny black hair. Then he smiled and said, “Little girl!” His smile was bright but faded quickly as he realized his gesture was too intimate. A pair of beautiful eyes beside him glared coldly, and the temperature around them dropped several degrees in an instant. He smoothly pulled his arm away from the girl’s embrace, smiled at Peng Ling, and said, “This is my sister.”

Peng Ling’s face turned red as she felt ashamed for feeling jealous of a little girl just moments earlier. Yet when the girl hugged Xie Wendong and the two stood close together, looking so well-matched—both young and with bright smiles—she felt like an extra in that moment. Peng Ling was a very rational person. With a smile on her face, she stretched out her hand and said gracefully, “Hello, little sister. I’m Peng Ling. You can call me Sister Ling.”

Needless to say, there was probably only one person who could call Xie Wendong “big brother”—that was Jin Rong. It was only when Peng Ling spoke that Jin Rong noticed another person present—a woman as beautiful as a fairy, standing so close to her big brother. Almost instinctively, she felt a sense of rejection toward Peng Ling. Ignoring her outstretched hand in a friendly gesture, Jin Rong raised her head and shouted, “I’m not some little sister! I’m an ‘auntie’!” She emphasized the word “auntie” deliberately.

Puff! Xie Wendong almost choked on his own saliva. Peng Ling was only two or three years older than him, and Jin Rong was only five or six years old. No matter how you looked at it, they couldn’t be called aunties. This little girl really knew how to torment people! Xie Wendong closed his eyes in pain, guessing that Peng Ling’s temper might explode at any moment. But this time, to his surprise, Peng Ling wasn’t angry at all. Instead, she smiled sweetly, patted Jin Rong’s head, and said gently, “Little one, you really know how to speak.” She also emphasized the word “little one” heavily.

Jin Rong shook her head from side to side, finally shaking off Peng Ling’s hand. Fuming, she shouted, “Who told you to touch my head? Ugh!”

Peng Ling still smiled, leaning close to Xie Wendong with an intimate attitude. “Why is it okay for Wendong, but not me? Little one!”

Whether in terms of eloquence or reason, the naive Jin Rong naturally couldn’t compare to the mature Peng Ling. Seeing them so close, Jin Rong became furious. She rushed forward, pulled them apart forcefully, and stood in front of Xie Wendong, shouting, “It’s just not allowed! Because you’re a fox spirit!” Peng Ling was stunned for a moment before looking straight at Xie Wendong, her eyes slightly red. With a bitter smile, she said, “You… hello. So I’ve become a fox spirit after all.” Xie Wendong knew he had to say something now. He separated Jin Rong and hugged Peng Ling, saying apologetically, “You can’t be angry with a child, right?!” With a pained expression, Peng Ling forced a smile and said, “Her feelings for you are no longer those of a child.”

“This… I and that girl really haven’t…” Seeing Jin Rong’s eyes filled with tears, he swallowed his words. He felt obligated to take care of her, whether out of respect for Old Master Jin or for himself. Moreover, he had to admit that he really liked this little sister—only the element of affection in that liking was stronger. Xie Wendong was speechless. He wasn’t someone who knew how to speak sweet nothings, so he didn’t know what to say at all. After looking at the two of them, he sighed deeply, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and began smoking gloomily. When he couldn’t think of a solution, the “ostrich tactic” might be a good choice.

Just as he was at a loss, the phone suddenly rang. Like grabbing a life raft, Xie Wendong quickly took out his phone, thinking that no matter who called, he should thank them. It was San Yan calling, but what he said only made Xie Wendong’s already bad mood worse. “Brother Dong, the police just raided our two casinos and three dance halls. That damned Liu Dexin actually dared to shut down our places! Damn it, I think he doesn’t even intend to stay in this business anymore!”

Xie Wendong was stunned. The closure of Wendong Club’s venues in City H was even more absurd than a fantasy. Liu Dexin was the city chief he had personally promoted. Not only were their relationships good, but even someone unrelated would have to think carefully before trying to shut down Wendong Club’s territory—their revenge wouldn’t be something ordinary people could withstand. Calmly, he said, “Brother Zhang, don’t act rashly. Keep your people under control. We’ll discuss this when I get back.” He hung up quickly and said apologetically, “I have an urgent matter and must go back. Oh…” Rubbing his chin, he glanced at the two opposing people and then had an idea. He said to Peng Ling, “Don’t let me ruin your fun. Let Rongrong stay with you to keep watching the ice lanterns!”

“What?” Peng Ling and Jin Rong stared at him wide-eyed, saying in unison, “Let her stay with me?” “I’m not going to play with an old woman!”

Damn it! Xie Wendong slapped his forehead and pulled Peng Ling aside, whispering, “Can’t you give the kid some space?” If he hadn’t mentioned it, Peng Ling’s pent-up anger would have had no outlet. She shook her shoulder hard to get his hand off and snapped, “What’s your relationship with her? Give me a reasonable explanation!”

Actually, even Xie Wendong himself couldn’t explain clearly what his relationship with Jin Rong was. After a moment of silence, he said, “I consider Rongrong my own sister.” “Sister?” Peng Ling sneered. “Is that all? Don’t treat me as if I’m blind!” “Then what do you think?” Xie Wendong’s expression darkened. He wasn’t used to being pressed and questioned, especially by Peng Ling. “I think she’s more like your little lover!” “That’s just your assumption.” “But I can’t ignore the affection between you two.” With a cold expression, Xie Wendong stared at Peng Ling for a long time, then flicked his sleeve and turned away, saying, “Think whatever you want!” Without looking back, he took a few quick steps and disappeared into the crowded crowd.

Xie Wendong walked away quickly. Jin Rong didn’t even have time to shout before he vanished without a trace. She stamped her foot angrily, ready to chase after him, but accidentally caught a glimpse of Peng Ling’s misty eyes. She stopped again and let out a giggle. It wasn’t loud, but loud enough for Peng Ling to hear clearly. She turned to look at Jin Rong and asked sternly, “Why are you laughing?”