Qiao Yanze and Cen Xi and stared at each other for a few seconds, an invisible fire seemed to crackle in the air. The atmosphere was incredibly stiff, as if the tension would erupt anytime.
Cen Xi waited for a few seconds. Seeing that the man didn’t seem to want to take her life, she pushed him away with all of her energy, before she turned and left the interrogation room.
In the end, Qiao Yanze was left staring at her back, an uncontrollably fire emitting in his beautiful eyes.
Bam!
It was only after she disappeared from his sight that he kicked the chair ruthlessly.
…
In Crown Palace.
Nan Zhi returned and saw Qiao Yanze sitting on the sofa, smoking, so she went to sit next to him. Seeing a bandage wrapped around his right hand, he furrowed his eyebrows tightly. “Uncle, why is your hand injured?”
Qiao Yanze tapped the cigarette ash away, looking at Nan Zhi’s pretty face from the corner of his eyes. “It’s nothing. I came to ask about Cen Xi.”
After being bit once, he would be twice as shy and wary. Besides, Cen Xi was Xiao Ying’s younger sister as well. Qiao Yanze didn’t dare believe that she was good, however, her actions made him think that she was different from Xiao Ying.
She was clear about her likes and dislikes. She never acted against her wishes and never bowed down to pressure. Not only that, she was extremely clever and never acted superficially, showing her emotions as they were.
When she liked and admired him, she was extremely nice to him. However, when she was bitter and disappointed, she didn’t hesitate either.
She was decisive, strong and determined. It was hard to imagine how she had so much strength within her small body.
Qiao Yanze glanced at his injured hand. F*ck! If he didn’t stop her in time, she might have really pushed that sharp arrowhead into her heart!
After their wedding, Nan Zhi went on a honeymoon with Mu Sihan, so she didn’t know what happened between Qiao Yanze and Xiao Xi. Hearing Qiao Yanze mention Cen Xi, Nan Zhi didn’t hide anything from her uncle. “Back then, we were able to get the Prince’s deeds because Cen Xi helped us. She’s completely different from Xiao Ying and is a really kind and brave girl.”
Nan Zhi glanced at Qiao Yanze in confusion. “Why did you mention Xiao Ying? Uncle, did you transfer your hatred for Xiao Ying onto Xiao Xi?”
Qiao Yanze stared at the intelligent Nan Zhi, a small smile on his lips as his cold expression softened as well. “When will my Zhizhi stop being so clever?”
Nan Zhi glared at Qiao Yanze. “Uncle, we cannot change what happened in the past. Even if we avenge ourselves, Xiao Xi didn’t know what Xiao Ying did. You shouldn’t implicate innocent people!”
Narrowing his eyes, Qiao Yanze had nothing to say. When Zhizhi and Ye Sihan got married, he asked his older sister about Cen Xi and she had said the same things as well.
Even Zhizhi too, was not telling him to not hurt her.
His family hated Xiao Ying to the core as well. Reasonably, they wouldn’t like her younger sister, but now that he heard Zhizhi’s words, it seemed like her impression of Xiao Xi was pretty good.
To be able to get Zhizhi to defend and praise her, it was clear that Cen Xi wasn’t a bad and scheming person.
“When I first found out she was Xiao Ying’s younger sister, I did have some bad thoughts. However, her actions today surprised me, making me realize that she is different from Xiao Ying.”
Nan Zhi noticed something different. “Why did Xiao Xi do today?”
“It’s all in the past now. From today onwards, I will stop treating her as my enemy’s young sister. I won’t… hate her anymore as well.” Qiao Yanze leaned back on the sofa, slowly exhaling a mouthful of smoke, his eyes darkening.
After today, he would treat it as a completely new start! It was time for him to let go of all those grievances from the past!
“She’s in XX jail. Zhizhi, you should go and bail her out!” Qiao Yanze threw his unfinished cigarette in the ashtray, before he got up and prepared to leave.
“What? Jail? How did you get her into jail?”
Instead of answering, Qiao Yanze merely put his hands in his pockets and walked out.
Nan Zhi chased after him for a few steps. “Uncle, since you already put down the hatred in the past, shouldn’t you consider settling down? I heard some young ladies are interested in you. What do you think?”
Qiao Yanze didn’t stop her, merely saying, “I’ll consider it.”
…
After Qiao Yanze left, Nan Zhi brought Yi Fan and a lawyer to XX Jail.
Even though she was the Queen, she still had to follow the proper procedures to bail people out of jail. When Cen Xi was brought out again, she never thought that she would see Nan Zhi here.
“Your Majesty?” Cen Xi thought she had seen wrongly.
Who was she to have a Queen come and bail her out personally?
Nan Zhi nodded at Cen Xi. “I’ve understood a little about your situation. It’s nothing big and you just have to explain things clearly. Don’t be stubborn either. Tell those people what happened properly, that you have no relation to Young Master Li and aimed your crossbow at my Uncle because you were scared. It’s understandable, since Uncle wanted to disregard your safety and attack Young Master Li.”
Cen Xi’s long lashes fluttered. “I… actually never thought of shooting him for real.”
“I know, Cen Xi.”
Since Nan Zhi was here to bail her out, everything was done really smoothly. Once the procedures were settled, Nan Zhi led Cen Xi out. However, Cen Xi suddenly stopped.
Nan Zhi glanced at Cen Xi, who looked like she wanted to speak, asking, “What’s wrong?”
Cen Xi bowed at Nan Zhi. “Your Majesty, I-I have a favor to ask from you.” Although Cen Xi didn’t know Gu Meng for long, they felt like they had been longtime friends. When the female inmates wanted to bully her, Gu Meng would stand up for her. That type of righteousness was rarely seen nowadays.
She couldn’t ignore Gu Meng now that she could leave. Besides, Gu Meng had never committed a crime. She had been detained for more than two months now, having suffered more than enough.
Nan Zhi glanced at Cen Xi. Seeing her act so serious, Nan Zhi nodded. “Say it. Let’s see if I can help you.”
“I met a friend in jail. Her name is Gu Meng. She trespassed the area during your wedding with the King and was ordered to be detained here by the Third Prince. However, she’s innocent…”
Hearing Gu Meng’s name, surprise flashed in Nan Zhi’s pretty eyes. “Gu Meng, as in Mengmeng?”
Cen Xi looked up at Nan Zhi. “Your Majesty knows Mengmeng too?”
Nan Zhi nodded. “Yes. Wait here for me, I’ll go and settle this.”
After about half an hour, Nan Zhi led Gu Meng out.
Nan Zhi stared at the two girls with a fair degree of heartache. “I’ll bring you two to the mall to buy some clothes first, before we go and get some supper. As for the men who sent you here, let’s ignore them for now. Rest and heal yourselves first! They’ll be the ones who regret it later.”
Gu Meng and Cen Xi stared at the Queen, who was so approachable and was even thinking for them, their eyes turning red from being so touched.
Soon after, Nan Zhi brought them to the branded mall Xiao Yi owned. When Xia Yanran found out, she hurriedly got Xiao Yi to take her over.
Once she arrived, Xia Yanran led the group to a brand’s flagship store, saying generously, “Just take anything you like.”
