They sat on the couch together, after which Pei Yi said, “The people from the headquarters came to discuss the strategies and actions to be taken against the cooperating nations. The nations have already begun attacking us more than a year ago, and the organization has also started planning long ago. No blunders are to be made at all. Putting that aside, Qin Guo, I’m giving you a chance now.”
“Ancestor, what chance…”
“I’ll allow you to leave the DK Organization. Although you’ve made a lot of mistakes in the past, I don’t want you to be implicated any further on account that you’ve worked for me for so many years.”
Qin Guo had never expected to hear those words from him. Shaking her head, she said, “I’m not leaving. I’ll go wherever you go, Ancestor.”
“You’re not leaving? I’m letting you leave and you’re turning the chance down? Have you really thought about it carefully? I’m only going to offer you this chance once. Qin Guo, I’m being serious. Make the right decision while I’m still in power.”
Needless to say, Qin Guo definitely was not aware of Pei Yi’s plans, for he would never inform her about what he and Jing Chu were intending to do.
“I’m not leaving. I’ve thought about it carefully. I’m an orphan anyway. I’ve been working for you and been through thick and thin with you for so many years. I don’t wish to leave you.”
“I”m only letting you leave on account of your loyalty to me. It’s all for your own good. Don’t be silly and make life hard for yourself.”
“I’m destined to live like this for the rest of my life. I don’t have any intentions to leave at all, so Ancestor, don’t bring this up again,” said Qin Guo.
“You must think that I never found out about the email that you sent to Tian Tian in the past, don’t you?”
Qin Guo spluttered in surprise, “Ancestor, I…”
Pei Yi said, “Enough, you don’t have to explain anymore. It’s all in the past now. You may go out.”
Qin Guo nodded and left the room, closing the door after her.
Jing Chu asked softly, “Did those people come to use you as a tool?”
Staring at her in surprise, Pei Yi said, “Not bad, my wife is getting smarter.”
“Really?”
“They discussed a plan with me to launch an attack on H Nation in a week’s time. They wanted me to make the first move and get the plan going. There may be lots of people in Mount Qingping but don’t be fooled. They may seem compliant to me on the surface, but they’re actually loyal to the headquarters instead.”
“I can tell that Qin Guo really fancies you.”
“How could you tell?”
“With both my eyes. Women’s intuitions are always very accurate. I guess she’s been carrying a torch for you for years. She probably never dared to confess her feelings for you for fear that she would infuriate you.”
He scoffed and said, “If she ever dares to admit that she has feelings for me, I definitely wouldn’t allow her to stay by my side. She knows that more than anyone else does. I will never fancy my subordinates.”
Jing Chu burst into laughter and asked, “Do you find Qin Guo pretty, then?”
“She’s fine.”
“I think she’s rather pretty, actually. She’s just too scheming.”
“I agree, but she’d have to be scheming in order to work for me. However, she’s just a small fry.” He leaned against her and pressed her down onto the couch. Staring at her tan skin, he smiled and said, “You’re almost becoming like charcoal…”
“Why? Do you despise me now?”
“No, you’re still beautiful even with darker skin.”
He kissed Jing Chu on the lips while she closed her eyes, feeling blissful at the thought of finally being able to start life anew.
A question popped up in her head while they were in the midst of a deep, passionate kiss.
“What if… they drop a few bombs on the forest? We…”
Pei Yi chuckled and said, “Are you silly? The royal family and the military troops have now held the DK Organization under control. Although they have a stable home base here, they wouldn’t dare to act so brazenly. Besides, that forest is so vast and there’s no reception there either. No one will find out that we’re in there. Who would think that we’d actually move to such a dangerous place? Do you remember the thick and high walls around the forest that I had told you about?”
“Yes. Didn’t you say that the beasts behind that wall are harmful to humans?”
“Yes. I’m guessing that the nation has been conserving the forest in a bid to protect those menacing beasts that are going into extinction. Didn’t they all say that marsupial lions have long become extinct? Why do they still exist in the forest, then? Although there’s only a small number of lions now, the nation would still have to protect them. Hence, I doubt humans will be granted entry for the next few decades. It’d be safe for us to live there for a long time. Besides, we don’t actually have to live there forever. If the DK gets wiped out completely, we can always return to civilization. No one will remember who we are by then.”
“If the DK gets wiped out, lots of lives will be lost, including those belonging to people battling against the DK Organization. It’s going to be a tough war… My wish is for there to be world peace,” Jing Chu said softly.
“It’s impossible to achieve world peace because there’ll always be villains in this world. Besides, humans are not the only entities in this world. The strongest will always be at the top of the food chain and the weak will forever fall prey to the strong. That’s just the law of nature.”
Jing Chu urged, “Hurry and get everything settled. We’ll leave tonight. I’m really worried and I don’t wish to stay here a minute longer.”
He nodded and said, “Alright.”
During dinner, Pei Yi instructed the cooks to prepare a sumptuous spread.
While they were in the midst of eating, Qin Guo reported about Tian Tian’s arrival.
Pei Yi would usually forbid her from entering. However, he let her in this time.
Tian Tian was shocked to see that all three of them were present.
Staring at Pei Ling, she extended her arms and said, “Let Mommy carry you.”
Jing Chu smiled and said, “Ms. Tian, he’s my son. Don’t call yourself his mother.”
Tian Tian scoffed and said, “Your son? Who gave birth to him?”
“You did, but he’s my son.”
“Since I gave birth to him, he’s my son! If you want a son, can’t you give birth to one yourself? Why can’t my son address me as his mother? You’re so thick-skinned, huh? Could it be that you’re infertile? You’ve already been married to Pei Yi for so long,” Tian Tian sneered.
Pei Yi remained calm and composed, for he knew that Jing Chu would definitely tell Tian Tian about the truth and get her riled up successfully.
Hence, he decided not to interrupt and instead continued to listen quietly.
“Ms. Tian, I don’t think you understood my words correctly. What I meant was, you may have given birth to Pei Ling, but he’s my son. The child doesn’t belong to you. He belongs to me and Pei Yi. I can explain it to you in further detail if you still don’t get it.”
Tian Tian looked at her before turning to look at Pei Yi. Having suffered a huge blow out of the blue, she took some time to recover from the shock before saying, “Pei Yi… the child… is not mine?”
“Didn’t my wife already explain it to you? Tian Tian, you were just a surrogate mother. It has been hard on you, but there’s something I need you to understand. Not everyone can become the mother of my child, especially not you.”
