Hidden Assassin 141

In the rehearsal hall, Jia Ming’s singing stunned the audience, causing a minor embarrassment for the big-name star Fang Yusi. After a little commotion, she left with Zhang Jingfeng. Afterward, she was met with Ya Han’s scornful look and Fu Yan Jie’s complaints. Dongfang Wan was also fuming, repeatedly accusing him, “You did it on purpose, on purpose…” Of course, for Jia Ming, all of this didn’t matter. He had achieved his goal – to spark Ling Jing’s laughter and shyness in a place where both Dongfang Lu and Zhang Jingfeng were present. Naturally, Ling Jing wouldn’t be easily swayed by the attentions of others, but despite their relationship, a little novelty now and then was always good.

Jia Ming, not being a professional musician, naturally lacked any sense of professional dedication. He had been forced by Dongfang Wan to rehearse once, and he didn’t want to take the spotlight again. However, Fang Yusi was still a top-tier star, and the female students, including Ling Jing, who were accompanying her in the dance were extremely enthusiastic. Every day, the last class would be dedicated to endless rehearsals in the hall. As a result, Jia Ming’s absenteeism rate increased from three days a week to five. He didn’t say anything about it, but Sha Sha, one day, went to school to find Ling Jing when she hadn’t returned home by seven. The two girls returned together, and Sha Sha expressed her mild disapproval.

“You come home so late every day. The Yongsheng Gang is still planning to cause trouble, you know? Are they more important than Jia Ming and me? Is that Fang Yusi more important?”

“No, they just keep asking for more practice. I can’t help it…” She apologized, then took out Fang Yusi’s autographed notebook from her room. “Here, take it. Don’t be angry anymore.”

“Really!” Sha Sha complained, but she was actually a fan of Fang Yusi. Her eyes lit up. She snatched the notebook and then handed it back a moment later. “Forget it, I don’t want it… It has your name on it. Next time you see her, you have to get her to sign one for me too!”

“Of course, no problem. I told you, Yusi Jie and I get along really well. Yesterday she came over and we talked about a lot of things. She even asked about my family. I told her I run a martial arts school and my mom is a doctor. She said she wanted to come learn. If you had told me earlier, I would have gotten a signature for you yesterday! Hmm, I should get her to sign one for Jia Ming too, hehe…”

Their world, a world of three. Perhaps due to their complementary personalities, or perhaps due to the constant presence of a special figure like Jia Ming, they had never had many arguments or disagreements since childhood. Any occasional resentment was easily smoothed over, like children playing house.

However, Sha Sha’s mild complaint was not without reason. The Yongsheng Gang’s acquisition plan had gone quiet for two or three days after the death, but it seemed to have resumed from two days ago. It had become even more aggressive. On the one hand, there were rumors that the underworld would find the culprit at all costs and avenge the dead. On the other hand, the people who came knocking were now completely unrestrained ruffians, and some idle fellows could be seen wandering the streets, having several run-ins with A Shui and A Qiang. Although they hadn’t come to blows, the atmosphere was clearly tense. Ling Jing and Sha Sha could handle two or three thugs with their current skills, but as girls, they should be careful.

The rain stopped for two days, then started again. At school, Ya Han was busy arranging the school anniversary performance. Xu Yiting, who she had taken in, was already in the withdrawal stage of her drug addiction, so Jia Ming didn’t have to dress up as a woman to take care of her anymore. Ling Jing was busy with her dance, and Sha Sha had become the main player on the girls’ volleyball team, living a fulfilling life.

The captain of the Sacred Heart Academy girls’ volleyball team was a senior named Tan Su Yan. She was beautiful and was said to have pursued Dongfang Lu unsuccessfully, but she was always a popular figure at school. She didn’t see eye-to-eye with Sha Sha and they were always competing with each other. Every day when Sha Sha got home, she would talk about how she had outwitted Tan Su Yan. In contrast to their two lives full of purpose, Jia Ming was like a husband who had gone astray, constantly harassed by an unhappy Dongfang Wan, for various reasons.

“Chili, onions, sour cabbage, beef… Hey, hey, hey, are you really going to the supermarket just to buy these things, Gu Jia Ming? Domestic husband? You’re so virtuous…” Dongfang Wan poked the beef in the shopping cart and frowned. “It doesn’t look very fresh. Is it from last month? Hee hee… Why are you looking at me like that? Are you falling in love with me?”

Standing in front of the fresh meat counter at the supermarket, Jia Ming lazily withdrew his gaze from Dongfang Wan and sighed. “Are you bored? Find somewhere cool to stay and stop following me around.”

“I think it’s really cool here by the raw meat. Look, there are fridges and the lights are bright. It’s really cool, right?”

“Then you stay, I’m going.” He pushed the cart and turned to leave, but the nagging shadow followed. “MSG? Don’t you have MSG at home? … I think that brand of instant noodles is better, buying noodles is a pain, you have to cook it yourself… Hey, hey, hey, Gu Jia Ming, I think you really are a domestic husband… Why won’t you talk to me… Why are you looking at me like that? Are you falling in love with me?”

Jia Ming turned back and stared at her for a moment, then smiled. “I guess you’ve had enough cool time.”

“Of course. Who would want to stay by the fridge all the time, even in summer, it’s impossible, right?”

“Do you have to follow me?”

“Hey, Gu Jia Ming, don’t accuse me unjustly. I’m not following you, the supermarket is so big, wherever I go is my own business. Is this supermarket yours? But actually, the opposite is true. My family owns 15% of this supermarket, and I have this VIP card that I can use endlessly. Want to borrow it? … No, I won’t.”

“I think you’ve been swimming in the water a bit too long.”

“Wh-a-t-e-v-e-r!” Seeing Jia Ming turn to continue walking, Dongfang Wan stood with her hands behind her back, following him cheerfully, feeling triumphant. She didn’t know how lucky she was. If it were a few years ago, Jia Ming might have thought of killing her if she had been harassed like this. However, he had begun to differentiate between ordinary people and those who were genuinely dangerous. Although he found Dongfang Wan annoying, he treated it as a small hiccup in his life and let her be.

“Hey, Gu Jia Ming, you live with Ye Ling Jing and Liu Huai Sha, and you used to skip class every other day, just to buy groceries and cook at home? I heard you’ve been good friends since childhood, so close you’re like family. Is that right? To be honest, I envy you, to have friends like that…”

“I don’t have many friends since I was young. Even when I was very, very little, I had a few good friends, but we mostly drifted apart. When I see them again, they all seem so foolish…”

“I bet they’d be very happy to hear your evaluation right now.” Jia Ming picked up a box of biscuits and put it in the cart, interjecting.

“Humph.” Dongfang Wan tilted her head. “Say, should I tell you the list? But it’s no use saying it, no one would believe you! Hmm, anyway, I don’t have many friends, but I think it’s really good to have friends. If I had two friends I loved that much, I would give them my whole heart, consider everything for them, and make sure they have the best future.”

“Friends aren’t your children, you don’t need to arrange their lives.”

“But I like someone, I want them to be happy!”

“What are you trying to imply?” Jia Ming smiled ambiguously. “Do you like me?”

“I despise you! Humph! I mean, you’re not worthy of Su Yan Jie, she wouldn’t like you either. Why don’t you let her go? Since you’re just friends with Ye Ling Jing, why don’t you let her find someone who deserves her love? Like my brother. Don’t tell me you don’t know my brother likes Ye Ling Jing!”

Jia Ming turned back. “How do you know that Ling Jing and I are just friends?”

“Of course I know. Even if she isn’t… Humph, it’s obvious, how could she like you? At most, she just considers you a friend. You know what your biggest flaw is?”

“Oh?” Jia Ming was surprised. “What?”

“It’s that you’re playing the role of a protector for two girls at the same time. You chase my brother and other pursuers away for Ye Ling Jing, and then you compete for Liu Huai Sha, making others lose face. Don’t tell me both girls like you, one is your big wife and the other is your little wife. And… you even have that kind of relationship with Su Yan Jie. Someone like Su Yan Jie wouldn’t allow this kind of thing. So… all your lies are inconsistent, I don’t believe a word you say!”

Dongfang Wan spoke eloquently, brimming with confidence, but there was a hint of unease in the depths of her eyes. Jia Ming stared at her for a while and shook his head with a smile. “…You’re too talented.” He pushed the cart and continued walking.

“Hey, Gu Jia Ming, don’t think you can get away with not saying anything. I’m telling you, my brother won’t give up. He’s the only one who is a perfect match for Ye Ling Jing. And Su Yan Jie, she definitely won’t like you, you let her go. Hmm, and your performance, you have to tell me the name, don’t be reckless. If you do something like that fight again, I warn you…”

Her voice stopped abruptly. Jia Ming spun around and slammed Dongfang Wan against the nearby goods display rack. This was a secluded corner of the supermarket, not many people came here. As he pushed her, he lightly pressed on her carotid artery. For a moment, Dongfang Wan became limp.

“You, you…”

She could feel Jia Ming’s fingers gently stroking her neck, his face getting closer and closer, almost able to feel each other’s breath. She couldn’t muster her strength, and she heard Jia Ming say softly, “I love you.”

“Actually, I don’t like Ye Ling Jing, Liu Huai Sha, or Jian Su Yan. I fell deeply in love with you the moment I saw you. I challenged you on purpose to get your attention. Come on, let’s start this relationship right now…”

In his gentle voice, Dongfang Wan felt her cheeks burn. She could only see Jia Ming’s lips getting closer and closer… Suddenly, she didn’t know where she found the strength, she screamed, “Get away from me!” Pushing Jia Ming away.

Her chest heaved, her cheeks flushed. She clutched her chest, her eyes blazing as she stared at Jia Ming. When someone heard the commotion and came over, she bit her lower lip and left without a word. Jia Ming calmly withdrew his gaze, pushed the cart, and muttered, “Little girl…” At the same time, a life-sized doll flew straight at him.

He quickly turned and caught the large projectile with his left hand. He saw a foreign girl in a white princess dress, with an angelic face, pick up another large doll next to her and angrily throw it at him, yelling in her clear, American-accented voice, “Gu Jia Ming!”

He extended his right hand and caught the second doll. At the same time, he saw a beautiful blonde woman with a smile. Then, a third doll flew at him, which he directly hugged.

“Aah—” The foreign girl, carrying the biggest doll, sped towards him. Then, she jumped into the air with the doll, perfectly charging towards Jia Ming.

The four large dolls and two people crashed together. Jia Ming fell to the ground. The little girl, perched atop a doll, raised her hand and beat Jia Ming’s chest and shoulders furiously, her clear English voice like a tongue twister.

“You’re bad, you’re bad, I don’t like you anymore. I said I was going to marry you, and you dared to kiss another girl. I’ll beat you, I’ll beat you… Waah…”

The little girl beat him, then she wailed.

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