Volume 1, Chapter 36: Protecting Qiaoqiao in the Presence of Chief Fu

"I know someone at a photo studio; I should be able to borrow the equipment to develop these."

"Shall we go now then?" Ye Qiaojiao asked impatiently.

Fu Juechuan nodded in agreement.

It took an hour to develop the photos. There were only two. One showed Zhong Qing kissing Zhou Cong; the other captured Ye Qiaojiao setting off fireworks under the moonlight on a hillside. Ye Qiaojiao had six or seven copies of the former printed, intending to keep them in various places, while Fu Juechuan kept the latter for himself.

"Brother Fu, why did you print my photo?" Ye Qiaojiao asked, feeling a bit shy.

Fu Juechuan’s fingers paused as he held the photo. "To send to the capital, so they don't forget what you look like..."

A carriage departed discreetly from the imperial palace, heading toward the east city gate. After summoning the guards to open the gate ahead of schedule, it left the capital.

She was never one for socializing, and being teased the moment she arrived left her feeling quite flustered.

Ai Su’s expression shifted slightly, her brow furrowing. Was it truly because of her that the senior didn't come to school?

As the sound of the explosion faded, Luan Peishi walked over with a smile, pried the storage ring from the charred corpse, and happily slipped it onto his own finger. With all the precious herbs collected, the group turned their attention to the bodies of the Monarch-realm experts, though no one made a move.

Yu Yao’s mind was a chaotic tangle. She tilted her head slightly and locked eyes with the man’s intense, unblinking gaze.

The group trekked through the terraced fields, wandering across the beautiful landscape. Mi Haize kept pulling up radishes from someone else's field, only to be scolded by Yu Xinrui, forcing him to put them back.

"The company may require you to resign from your position as lead singer of the campus band; you must execute the tasks assigned by the company!" Song Shizhen continued.

As he spoke, Shino raised his palm slightly, his chakra bugs continuing to systematically drain the chakra from the ninjas, leaving them completely incapacitated.

This time, the items were a rectangular bottle and a kunai stained with a black, viscous liquid.

Qin Ya’s current mid-grade divine artifact, the landscape scroll, was different; as long as no major disturbance was caused inside, it could contain even an Upper God, making it perfect for hiding people. He explained the scroll’s functions to the group, leaving the decision to them.

Bringing Asar Huairun along, he summoned Yakumo Ran back to the beast-kin city. It wasn't unusual for powerful people to keep a pet or two, but being able to tame a foul-tempered dragon was something that drew admiring glances.

Sensing the wind behind him, Qin Fan felt a surge of alarm. He instantly activated his "Thunder Escape Technique," leaping high and spinning in mid-air. He shifted his punch, originally aimed at the White Fox’s head, toward the tail behind him.

Treating the blue-clad assassin, Hong Feiming, as the target, Yang Ren immediately prioritized his talismans: the Strength Talisman, Escape Talisman, Iron Armor Talisman, Barrier Talisman, Invisibility Talisman...

My heart ached, and I gripped his hand without a word. Memphis’s hands had grown harder and stronger than before.

Seeing her leave, I flipped through the paper scroll in my hand and scanned it, feeling a mix of absurdity and helplessness.

"Wanqing, don't worry. Nothing will happen if you miss a day at the group. If nothing else, I’ll go over and take a look later," Ye Tian consoled her from the side.

Gao Haoyu felt a sharp pain in his face. He knew that if he didn't take action, the consequences would be unthinkable. In desperation, he struggled to curl his tightly bound legs and kicked Han Ruoyu in the stomach. With a delicate cry, she was sent flying backward.

"You aren't participating in the duel with Lu Siyin, so what’s the use of sparring with you?" The large black panther turned to look at Long Wu and chuckled.

"That old hag—" Ruan Jiankang’s forehead throbbed. He didn't say anything aloud, but he decided that until the two million was in his hands, he wouldn't let Yang Ren perform any soul-summoning.

Zhan Beijie didn't care for people who were overly enthusiastic right from the start. He was feeling sullen and wondering how to rebuff her when Mo Yunqi suddenly looked his way. Zhan Beijie pointed to his meal.

"Dad, we were fully supportive of your divorce, so why say things like that now? He only came to see Qiuqiu. You're overthinking it," I said.

The office was quite spacious. Director Lin was very attentive, brewing two cups of tea, handing one to me and keeping one for himself, his mouth stretched into a friendly, approachable smile.

"Sister Man, let me tell you, I bought so many fun things last time, and they're all in the cabinet!" Yan Xi said as she went to open it. It was stuff Yan Shu had bought them yesterday; there was too much to carry, so they left it in the hospital room.

I covered my face, my eyes red. The physical pain was no longer just pain; I could endure it. Su Yinghe’s violent treatment resulted in nothing but superficial wounds.

I gritted my teeth, swaying like a withered leaf hanging on a branch in the autumn wind—a single gust of cold air would be enough to send me plummeting.

The three of them took their seats. When Huo Yicheng ordered, he was quite the gentleman, asking after their tastes.

Mu Bai sat cross-legged in meditation. At some point, a bright moonlight appeared behind him, a white jade disk hanging behind his head like a halo of holy light.

The bluestone path was desolate and long. After a brief interlude, Mu Bai and the others set off again. Wind and snow swirled, gradually swallowing their figures. Time passed without a trace until the afternoon.

It was framed as a discussion, but his tone was heavy, with a hint of "you must agree."

Yet, the sister from before had been gentle, virtuous, dignified, prudent, and modest—she never laughed with her teeth showing or walked with her feet exposed, and she even spoke softly for fear of startling others.

Zheng Zhengyang seemed determined to be the protector of the flowers. Whoever approached, he would simply toast them. With his handsome looks and good job, many infatuated girls felt a stir of attraction toward him.

"Master, since you stole that military tally, it should be useful!" Weiyang steered the conversation toward the Dragon Guard Army.

"Not really. There's a competition coming up, but our gym’s star fighter injured his back last time; I'm afraid he can't make it to the ring. I see you have innate talent—could you take his place?" Brother Yi said.

But the people playing politics had huge appetites; these few crates of apples wouldn't satisfy them. Helpless, Lee Soo-man had to use every means to cash out to ensure the matter was handled perfectly.

Was he scared out of his wits? Joanna felt a pang of regret; she shouldn't have come over to strike up a conversation.

"Lingfeng City does not need a guild to exist," he declared coldly, setting himself against the entire city once again.

From beginning to end, she maintained the perfect smile. Whether it was a faint, calm smile or a hazy, tearful one, she didn't miss a beat. Only after watching Xie Yun leave did the smile on Shuying's lips gradually grow cold and stiff.

This was Liu Han’s only flesh and blood. If the child fell into the hands of villains, he would surely die, but how could he possibly protect the child?