Yang Xiaojin knew that Ren Xiaosu had jumped through the kitchen window. So when Pei Wenjin started checking the kitchen windowsill, she got really worried for him.
However, Pei Wenjin did not find anything suspicious.
If not for the fact that there were so many people watching, Yang Xiaojin would have applauded Ren Xiaosu. This was the Ren Xiaosu she was familiar with. He was always vigilant and cautious to the end.
Ren Xiaosu had always acted calmly since Yang Xiaojin first met him. When Yang Xiaojin looked back on her trip to the Jing Mountains, she had a feeling that Ren Xiaosu would not die no matter how bad the situation.
But after Ren Xiaosu became a supernatural being, he started letting up a little.
It was just like how a person who suddenly received a large sum of money would unintentionally show off their wealth and feel a little conceited.
Ren Xiaosu was not a saint, so he could not avoid having such a mentality. He even got used to resorting to solving problems with his strength.
To be more precise, after becoming more powerful, the brave and fearsome side of his personality got magnified. For example, the determination he had when he thanked himself seven times.
Later on during their trip to the Sacred Mountains, Ren Xiaosu even acted a little impulsively because of Yan Liuyuan. This left Yang Xiaojin with no choice but to remind him to stay calm.
But Yang Xiaojin realized Ren Xiaosu had started changing his mentality ever since her reminder to him.
He was able to wait patiently for the right opportunity to arrive in the Sacred Mountains during the later stages of the expedition. After that, when traveling together with the Trinity Institute, Ren Xiaosu was also able to promptly detect the presence of the deserter and the Kong Consortium’s reconnaissance troops, helping him anticipate Zhong Zhen’s screening of the spies.
And now, Ren Xiaosu even made sure not to make any mistakes when he headed out in the night. Yang Xiaojin was sure the Ren Xiaosu she knew had finally returned.
This was his growth after gaining power. His mentality had become completely different.
Yang Xiaojin believed Ren Xiaosu had found a new balance between caution and bravery.
At this moment, Wang Jing looked at Pei Wenjin and wondered, “Director Pei, what were you looking for just now?”
“Oh, nothing much.” Pei Wenjin smiled and said to his subordinates who were standing guard around the perimeter, “Let’s fall back. There’s still other places we need to check. Looks like we won’t be getting any sleep tonight.”
After that, Pei Wenjin decisively left the villa. He even took the two sentries who were watching the villa away with him!
Only at this moment did Ren Xiaosu finally breathe a sigh of relief. Moreover, he was sure Pei Wenjin only had some suspicions of the Trinity Institute and did not have any actual evidence against them.
Honestly, Ren Xiaosu was a little annoyed by Wang Shengzhi’s arrangement now. Although joining the Trinity Institute helped him keep his identity better concealed, Wang Jing and the others should not have to get involved in the war for no reason.
Ren Xiaosu made a decision. The medical exchange would officially last for seven days, so he would convince Wang Jing to leave the Kong Consortium immediately when it finished. After that, he would sneak into Stronghold 31 and continue with his plan to rescue Wang Yun. This way, Wang Jing and the others would not be implicated.
At that time, even if he were to turn the Kong Consortium upside down, Ren Xiaosu would not have to restrain himself anymore.
However, what Ren Xiaosu did not know was that the Pyro Company’s troops in the north had embarked on a new battle plan tonight. Meanwhile, farther north, a new enemy was waiting for their opportunity.
At this moment, Wang Jing said to everyone who was still in a state of shock, “Everyone, please go back into the house. I know you guys have a lot to say, so let’s go in first.”
Everyone returned to the warm house. All of them had a lot to say, but they did not know where to start.
Wang Jing gave it some thought and said, “I really regret bringing all of you to the Kong Consortium now. It’s not that I’m giving up on the medical exchange being held, but the current situation is not something you all should risk your lives over. I would like to apologize to all of you.” Wang Jing surprisingly bowed to everyone.
Ren Xiaosu was silent for a while before saying, “You didn’t do anything wrong. There’s no need to apologize.”
Sima Gang looked at Wang Jing and said firmly, “Actually, I only realized how much effort you and the other veteran doctors have put in for the progress of medicine after making this trip with you. I don’t regret it at all. In fact, I’m even more determined now.”
“I don’t regret it either,” Meng Nan said.
“Me neither!” Liang Ce said.
Wang Jing was stunned. He did not expect the fire in his heart would actually get ignited despite the immense stress. He burst into laughter. “It’s my honor to be able to work with all of you. Everyone, rest early. We still have a meeting to attend tomorrow.”
Then Wang Jing straightened his back and returned to his bedroom. He did not look like an old man in his sixties at all. And the others also became a little more motivated when they saw his back.
Ren Xiaosu suddenly realized the power in one person could really influence and motivate another person, and within a group, that power would spread to even more people. It was just like how a single spark could start a prairie fire.
The others also returned to their rooms, leaving only Meng Nan, Liang Ce, Ren Xiaosu, and Yang Xiaojin behind in the hall.
Ren Xiaosu saw Meng Nan sitting in the nook of a couch and not returning to her room. She was clearly feeling a lack of safety at the moment.
He whispered to Liang Ce, “Don’t say that I didn’t remind you. Now’s your chance. If you grab it, you’ll see hope.”
In fact, although Liang Ce often acted foolishly on the journey thus far, he was always a very responsible person. Although Meng Nan did not say anything, her attitude towards Liang Ce had indeed relaxed a lot over the past two days.
When Liang Ce saw Meng Nan sitting alone in the corner, he quickly went over to talk with her. When he got closer, he realized she was looking at a photo. It was a portrait of a family of three. In it were Meng Nan’s parents and her childhood self.
Liang Ce asked in a low voice, “You miss home?”
“Mhm,” Meng Nan grunted. Girls often did not have a sense of safety when they went traveling outside. Besides, after all the recent incidents, this was probably when Meng Nan was feeling her most vulnerable.
Liang Ce sat next to Meng Nan and looked at the photo. “Are these your parents?”
“Yes.” Meng Nan said, “Before we left for this exchange, my mother cried for three days. She said she was worried I wouldn’t eat or sleep well outside. If she knew what we were going through now, she would probably cry again.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll definitely return safely. As long as I’m here… never mind.” Liang Ce was a little discouraged.
Liang Ce wanted to say something that girls liked to hear, but when he realized he did not have any useful skills and did not even know how to fire a gun, he could not bring himself to say those sweet words. He was the kind of person who would not easily make promises if he could not do it.
Meng Nan had a rough understanding of the kind of person Liang Ce was. She did not want to make things too awkward for him, so she changed the topic and asked, “By the way, it’ll be Valentine’s Day in a few days. What are you going to do since you don’t have a girlfriend yet?”
Liang Ce chuckled and said, “Do we have to kill a family member in advance if we have no one to visit during the Qingming Festival? If I have no girlfriend, so be it.”
Even with Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin’s wits, they were not expecting an answer like this!
Meng Nan immediately stood up and went back to her room, leaving Liang Ce, who was still hesitating to speak, sitting alone on the sofa.
Ren Xiaosu walked over and patted Liang Ce on the shoulder to comfort him. “If you don’t need a brain, donate it to those who need it.”
Liang Ce was speechless.
