Chapter 231 - 4.57

Needless to say, the rest of Xu Jiaqi's adventures was practically set in stone. She did prepare for a musical themed comeback in the background, wanting to use her tragic past as a stepping stone to further propel herself out there without much hardships at all.

Thus, the only thing that continued to bug her even after all that she had done was undoubtedly nothing else than the side quest. The irregular side quest that was filled with nonsensical marks and cryptic codes that not even the System was able to crack.

Xu Jiaqi's annoyed expression that transcended from the space into reality was naturally picked by her man, Tang Yizhou. Nothing could escape his radars if it was something concerning the woman's wellbeing. Seeing her distraught like this made his heart itch, a voice inside him calling out and telling him to tend to her.

"Why do you have that kind of look? Is there something bothering you still? If it's about the Song monkey, don't worry. I have everything set in stone, he will never make it out to the world as a successful man. I also made sure to hunt his family crimes down and gave the confidential information to their rivals. Sooner or later, the Song family business will probably begin to deteriorate and perish, seeing as to how many enemies they have lurking about."

Xu Jiaqi shook her head, indicating Tang Yizhou's misunderstanding on her worries.

"...The Zhao family.. All three of them are in the jail, right? Is it possible if I pay a special visit to them?"

This was the most sensible conclusion that the System and her could come up with. Perhaps, the side quest is something that involved taking down the Zhao family in a separate form or way, not just placing them in the jail cell.

"By special visit, you mean?" Tang Yizhou's brows knitted. Xu Jiaqi was suggesting something completely out of his guesses. Who would've thought that she would become this eager to meet them again after what had happened?

"Like, getting in touch with them. I just want to test something out." Xu Jiaqi sighed, knowing that it would probably be quite hard to convince Tang Yizhou.

It was hard for Tang Yizhou to agree because there was always the slightest chance that the encounter could go wrong, especially after how he had seen the vicious family act around their schemes. If Xu Jiaqi entered their sights in the state that she was in right now, how would they react?

Perhaps, their maniacal attitude would turn into drastic actions.. That could steal Xu Jiaqi away from him once again.

He went silent for a few seconds, before coming back to his senses after Xu Jiaqi called out to him multiple times.

"Is it a no, after all?" Xu Jiaqi pouted, ruffling his hair, pretending to be annoyed that the man did not respond to her right away and zoned out when she was right here.

"...Well, it could be arranged." Tang Yizhou sighed.

Tang Yizhou himself thought that he might be worrying too much. Even if all the danger signs were blaring, he could always use his personal means to make sure that the trio wouldn't dare to do anything silly to his woman.

Even if that meant using brute force. After all, his source of happiness came from seeing Xu Jiaqi enjoy being herself. If he took away her joy, it would be the same as taking away his own.

"Yay! Yizhou, you're the best," Xu Jiaqi left a subtle kiss on his lips in a playful manner.

Tang Yizhou smiled helplessly.

"Come to think of it, Yixiu requested to meet you after all the heat died down. If you're free, we should arrange a proper meeting with him."

Tang Yixiu was still studying abroad, and there was still about two years until his education was formally completed. Although he still held frequent video calls with his brother, it was undeniable that meeting each other in person would be much more memorable and special.

Tang Yixiu was also one of the few who routinely checked up on Xu Jiaqi's condition, worrying about her all the time. He recognized how big of a presence the woman had on his brother, almost like a tight leash placed on his neck. It was both a good and bad thing.

He chose to support his brother's decision since he believed that the other would know what suited himself the best, so he didn't interfere in the matter.

Now that Xu Jiaqi was all recovered, he sent messages conveying his wish to meet up once his holiday hits.

"..Are you not looking at me right now? Obviously, I'm free. The free-est I've ever been. And whose fault is that, if you ask? Ladies and gentlemen, it is none other than the man in front of me right now.. The cheeky man who doesn't even allow me to do anything on my own." Xu Jiaqi voiced out her disapproval.

"I get that you're.. you know, you're just worried about me, worried that something might happen to me, but I promise you that I can take care of myself." She added.

"Really? Qiqi, do you really think that.. that's the case with you?" Tang Yizhou's voice trembled by the slightest bit as he spoke.

Without much thinking, Xu Jiaqi, who had a strong mind reading prowess, immediately identified the reason for his troubled look.

She opened and closed her mouth multiple times, not knowing where to start and where to end.

"That day.. I did deliberately put myself in danger, but there was a perfectly fine reason for it, en? Now, the three of them are successfully placed in a tight jail cell. If I hadn't gotten into the grave accident, she wouldn't have been charged as severe as the other two. I trusted that everything would go well, and you would save me, so I didn't.. protect myself to the best." Xu Jiaqi stated.

Xu Jiaqi knew. She knew that the man realized what she was planning. The moment he started investigating, clear signs pointing out to the fact that she went out of her way to expose herself to possible danger would be revealed. It was as clear as day, there was no way Tang Yizhou would miss the clues.

She threw herself in danger, and she knew that there was someone aiming for her life from the very beginning. She made herself act as a bait without a second thought of how things could turn out. Since the building was old and dilapidated, there were no surveillance cameras placed that could let them have a look at the incident that happened, but Tang Yizhou could tell.

He could tell that the one who inflicted the injury was nobody else but Xu Jiaqi, even though the gun was supplied by Zhao Xinran with the help of Yu Xuan.

The fact that he hadn't mentioned it even once to her after she woke up meant that he was still in denial, or at least trying to turn a blind eye on the matter.

It had to be noted that Tang Yizhou had became dependent on the woman named Xu Jiaqi. His world revolved around hers ever since he fell deep into the hole called love. Obsession. The desire to protect Xu Jiaqi, and at the same time tie her down to his side so she could never leave his sight.

It made him feel an endless amount of happiness, and at the same time brought him so much despair.

The love he held was just as toxic to him as it was a form of medicine. One that soothed his soul, dragged him out of the cursed condition, and restored his sanity. Every day, as his sanity improved, it also spiralled downwards.

A double edged sword.

The fact that he didn't know what she was plotting. The fact that she put herself in harm's way. The fact that he.. was just unwilling to accept everything the way it is. He shut his mind off and tended to Xu Jiaqi, caring for her, but the unforgettable fact still laid within his mind no matter what.

"..I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry for what happened that day, I know that you are the one who cares about me the most. Even more than how much I care about myself." Xu Jiaqi hugged him tightly.

This was a problem that she sought to solve from the beginning after she sensed that something was wrong with Tang Yizhou and his overly paranoid mindset that escalated even more than what it had been before she entered a near death experience.

Xu Jiaqi admitted that she was selfish in her actions, especially after she had accepted the man's offer to tie their vows together once and for all. She had disappeared from his life just like that. Left him behind.

Tang Yizhou was quiet. He didn't speak, until much later.

A sad smile was present on his face, one that caused a sharp pang inside Xu Jiaqi's heart. Bits of pain.

"En.. You must promise me, alright? No more of those foolish acts. Just stay with me, that's all I need. Nothing else."

Tang Yizhou's tone, gesture, look, everything.

He was begging her.

Begging her to stay by his side.