The image of Qian Hong immediately flashed through Xu Ke's mind. Was she the one who gave the key to Yang Qing, letting her in?! But he quickly dismissed the idea.

Qian Hong had no reason to do that. Yang Qing wasn't the scion of some major family. Since Qian Hong had already offended the Li Family, why would she risk offending him for Yang Qing's sake?

Yang Qing quickly answered his unspoken question. "Because you left a key with Siao Jia."

She stood up and walked toward Xu Ke, a key dangling from her hand.

Xu Ke's eyes darkened slightly.

That's right. When he was with Siao Jia, he had left a set of keys with her. It was just that Siao Jia herself looked down on the urban village and had never bothered to visit.

"Then why are you here?" Xu Ke asked.

"To see you, and to let you see me." Yang Qing stood a short distance from Xu Ke. Her body exuded the seductive scent of perfume as she gently swayed the hem of her skirt, making the red dress bloom like a flower.

"I'm not interested in seeing you. You can leave," Xu Ke said flatly.

"That won't do. I need you to know what I've been through recently!" A chill glinted in Yang Qing's eyes.

"Recently?" Xu Ke raised an eyebrow.

"Nine days ago, someone from the Huang Family asked me to come and seduce you. Your self-control is impressive; you didn't take the bait. But do you know what happened because of that? I offended the Huang Family, and I even lost my job!"

A deep-seated hatred filled Yang Qing's eyes.

She had been summoned by the Huang Family with the sole purpose of disrupting Xu Ke's state of mind. The Huang Family had intended to unsettle him before the life-and-death duel, but Yang Qing knew nothing about that; she just followed their orders.

But to her dismay, she failed.

As a result, she offended the Huang Family, and their anger even cost her her job at the bank. After losing her job, she saw on the news that Xu Ke's relationship with Wong Qifu had been exposed, and she assumed he would end up just as miserable as she was.

But in reality, she was the only one suffering. Xu Ke was the same as always, completely unaffected.

"Oh, is that so? How tough for you." Xu Ke stepped forward, took a pair of scissors from the counter, and pointed the blades at Yang Qing. "Are you finished?"

Seeing his blunt threat, Yang Qing laughed with fury. "Are you really so heartless?"

"Siao Jia is dead, Wong Teng and Li Jun are dead, Siao Fan has been put away, and Chang Xiujuan has been tormented by you to a state where she's neither human nor ghost. All those people are gone. Now I'm your only remaining old acquaintance, and you're not even willing to listen to me?"

Xu Ke laughed. "Yang Qing, you've got a lot of nerve. I have plenty of old acquaintances, but you are definitely not one of them."

Yang Qing's expression darkened.

"You're comparing yourself to a bunch of dead people. Are you trying to become one too?" Xu Ke's tone was laced with menace.

Yang Qing's face grew even uglier.

"Finally, I'm warning you, I don't like listening to nonsense. Give me the key and get out of here. Otherwise, I'll call the police."

After he spoke, Yang Qing's expression turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

Xu Ke had a strong urge to throw the scissors in his hand. But Yang Qing's appearance was too bizarre, and he had been caught completely off guard. The best option was to get her to leave peacefully, not to make any rash moves.

However… Xu Ke kept his attention fixed on the corners of the room. He didn't know if Yang Qing had brought anyone else with her.

Yang Qing laughed in rage. "You really are unreasonable."

WHOOSH.

THUD!

The scissors flew from his hand and embedded themselves in the stool not far in front of Yang Qing. This was the same stool he had pierced a hole in when threatening Qian Hong at noon.

The sudden attack made Yang Qing jump, and she screamed, "Ah, what are you doing?!"

The scissors were buried deep in the stool, and the sight sent a shiver down her spine. If that had hit me, wouldn't it have pierced right through my waist? When did Xu Ke get so strong?!

Xu Ke said, "I stabbed the stool. Are you blind?"

Yang Qing gritted her teeth. "You've really changed since you got with Wong Qifu."

Xu Ke watched her quietly.

"Fine, I'll tell you why I'm really here." Seething with frustration, Yang Qing pulled her phone from her bag. "Do you know Wong Ting?"

As her words fell, Xu Ke's pupils shrank.

Wong Ting?!

"From the look on your face, you're well aware of your formidable rival in love." A mocking smile curved Yang Qing's lips.

Seeing Xu Ke's expression finally change, Yang Qing was very satisfied. What she hated most was how, for some time now, Xu Ke had constantly worn that placid, infuriating expression, as if he had everything under control.

"What about him?" Xu Ke asked.

Yang Qing sat back on the sofa, calmly smoothing her skirt. "He wants me to deal with you, did you know?" In that moment, she was once again the haughty, superior Yang Qing.

"And?" Xu Ke pressed.

Yang Qing unlocked her phone and placed it on the table. "Aren't you going to ask why I'm telling you this? Don't you think I'm actually helping you?"

She gave Xu Ke a seductive look, her gaze brimming with charm and a hint of temptation.

But Xu Ke's expression didn't change as he maintained his distance. "I think you're insane."

Yang Qing was left speechless. This man was truly infuriating!

She took a deep breath. "I want to tell you that I don't like Wong Ting. I like you more."

"So, when Wong Ting asked me to deal with you, I decided to use his information and his people as my pledge of allegiance to you."

"Xu Ke, let's team up! I can provide you with powerful assistance!"

After speaking, Yang Qing crossed her legs, revealing a stunning length of pale skin that seemed to gleam under the light. She gazed seductively at Xu Ke. "And I can make you very happy in bed!"

An inside source on Wong Ting is exactly what Xu Ke needs. He's a son-in-law to the Wang Family in all but name, after all! In the future, Wong Ting's arrival will surely be his worst nightmare!

But Xu Ke's eyes weren't on Yang Qing at all.

His ears twitched slightly…

Then, Xu Ke shook his head. "The help I need isn't something a worthless person like you can provide."

Yang Qing drew a sharp breath, unable to hide the rage flaring in her eyes. "What more do you want?! I've betrayed Wong Ting for you! Do you really think you're that charming?"

Xu Ke scoffed. "You've been spouting nonsense from the moment you walked in. Wong Ting asked you to deal with me? Where's your proof?!"

"Proof?" Yang Qing pointed at the phone, her voice laced with anger. "Isn't this the proof?"

Xu Ke glanced at the phone, then stepped forward and picked it up. As he read the message inside, his pupils contracted…

Seeing Xu Ke completely engrossed in the phone, a triumphant smirk touched Yang Qing's lips.

Just then.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

With a sharp slicing sound, a volley of tiny, diamond-shaped darts shot out from behind the curtains. Coated in poison, they flew directly at Xu Ke's back.

Xu Ke's expression changed.

He moved to dodge, but it was too late.

The diamond-shaped darts struck home.

BANG!

Xu Ke collapsed to the floor.

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