Chapter Sixty-Seven: Encounter

Qin Tian and Nangong Xiao’e sat on the bed, talking about all that had happened to them over the years.

Qin Tian’s original name was Qin Lei. After he was taken away by Old Kong, he changed his name to Qin Tian and followed Old Kong, earning a living with the Heavenly Horse Circus, traveling from place to place and never returning to the orphanage.

As for Nangong Xiao’e, a year after Qin Tian left, she too was adopted by an elderly couple.

This couple was incredibly wealthy—so rich that even their toilet seats were made of gold!

When Nangong Xiao’e was seven, the couple suddenly gave her a martial arts manual, and by studying it, she became a formidable master herself.

Later, she discovered that the old couple who adopted her were, in fact, the legendary Male and Female Assassins, occupying the top two spots on the world’s assassin rankings!

When Nangong Xiao’e turned fifteen, the couple, knowing their age would soon force them into retirement, wanted to find her a good match.

So they arranged a marriage for her, but she refused, declaring she would rely on her own abilities to make her way in the world.

In a fit of defiance, she founded the Mayfly Assassin Organization, and in just three years, it became one of the world’s top ten assassin groups!

Still, the Male and Female Assassins insisted she accept the arranged marriage. They knew they had too many enemies; once they were gone, even with her organization ranked ninth, Nangong Xiao’e would be unable to withstand the tide of vengeance from those enemies. Only by marrying into that powerful family could she guarantee her safety.

After hearing her story, Qin Tian thought that her life was dramatic enough to be made into a television series—perhaps called “The Rise of a Female Assassin”!

Adopted by a legendary assassin couple, becoming the leader of a top ten assassin organization herself—truly a life fit for dreams.

“By the way, who sent you to kill me?” Qin Tian asked, keenly interested.

“I don’t know. Both sides of the transaction remain hidden; we never know each other’s real identities or appearances,” Nangong Xiao’e replied apologetically.

“Can you trick the person into revealing themselves?” Qin Tian pressed.

“Trick them? That’d be difficult. What excuse would I use to ask for a meeting?” she asked.

“Tell them the assassination was successful, and invite them over to see my body?” Qin Tian suggested.

“That won’t work. Usually, we just take a photo and send it over. The client never shows up,” Nangong Xiao’e replied. “But I can help you investigate in secret to find out who it was. Whoever it is, they’re generous with their money—clearly not an ordinary person. Qin Lei—have you offended anyone important?”

“Just call me Qin Tian. It feels strange when you call me Qin Lei,” he said.

“All right, Qin Lei,” she nodded.

Qin Tian was speechless.

“To be honest, I have offended the four major conglomerates in Wu City, but they probably wouldn’t dare target me. It’s likely someone else, perhaps someone I crossed unintentionally,” he said.

“Shall I assign some people to protect you?” she offered.

“No need. You’ve already seen what I can do,” Qin Tian replied with a smile.

Remembering their earlier fight, Nangong Xiao’e’s cheeks flushed. After all, Qin Tian had spanked her just moments before! But being spanked by her own brother surely wasn’t a big deal, right?

“By the way, aren’t there several foreign bodyguards outside? Where are they? How did you get in so easily?” Qin Tian asked, puzzled. After all, the bodyguards sent by Wade Griffin should have been patrolling outside.

“Those little shrimp? I’m ranked ninth among assassins worldwide. It’d be a miracle if they could spot me!” Nangong Xiao’e said proudly.

“Yet you still lost to me,” Qin Tian teased.

“Who was it trying to escape through the window earlier, only to end up with a massive bump?” Nangong Xiao’e shot back, unwilling to be outdone.

“Oh, you dare tease me now? You really have grown up! Let’s see if you’re still ticklish!” Qin Tian said as he reached over to tickle her.

“Qin Lei, let me go! I won’t do it again, it’s ticklish!” Nangong Xiao’e burst into laughter, sounding like a goose.

At that moment, Jiang Yingying, having heard the commotion, appeared at the door. She stared wide-eyed at the feathers floating out from a burst pillow and at Qin Tian and Nangong Xiao’e wrestling on the bed.

“What are you two doing?” she demanded.

A strange woman had suddenly appeared at home and was now “rolling on the bed” with Qin Tian. As the lady of the house, how could she tolerate this?

“Qin Tian! Y—you actually called a prostitute?” A bleary-eyed Shen Xiaoqing appeared at the door as well, exclaiming in shock.

“What nonsense are you spouting? Who are you calling a prostitute? Do you want me to tear your mouth apart?” Nangong Xiao’e was instantly outraged.

“That’s what they always say on TV…” Shen Xiaoqing muttered, hiding behind Jiang Yingying and shrinking back as Nangong Xiao’e glared at her.

“Qin Tian, who is she? What’s going on here?” Jiang Yingying pressed.

“It’s… a long story,” Qin Tian said, at a loss for how to explain.

“Get dressed and wait in the living room,” Jiang Yingying snapped, then marched off to Jiang Tianxiang’s room and wheeled him downstairs as well.

Qin Tian glanced at Nangong Xiao’e and gave a wry smile. This was going to take a while to explain.

The atmosphere in the living room was tense. Jiang Tianxiang sat in his wheelchair in silence. Shen Xiaoqing, clutching a bucket of popcorn, crouched on the sofa and, after popping some corn into her mouth, dared not even chew, letting it dissolve slowly instead.

Jiang Yingying sat on the left sofa, staring coldly at Nangong Xiao’e, who sat on the right, glaring back defiantly.

Qin Tian was stuck in the middle, smiling awkwardly and feeling anxious.

“Speak. Who is this woman?” Jiang Yingying demanded.

“She’s… my sister,” Qin Tian said. It wasn’t exactly a lie; Nangong Xiao’e was like a sister to him, just not by blood.

“And how did she get in?” Jiang Yingying asked.

“I opened the door and let her in,” Qin Tian replied.

“It’s past three in the morning—your sister comes to visit at this hour?” Jiang Yingying glared at him.

Qin Tian was at a loss for words.

“What, can’t we be close?” Nangong Xiao’e interjected for him.

“Look at the way she’s dressed. Any woman like that can’t be any good,” Jiang Yingying said sarcastically.

“What did you say?” Nangong Xiao’e shot to her feet, hand going to the knife at her waist.

“All right, that’s enough! I’ll come clean, okay?” Qin Tian sighed. He decided it was best to tell the truth; after all, Nangong Xiao’e’s identity was not something that needed to be hidden absolutely.