Chapter 42: Casting the Net

  Fang Xiaoling rarely saw Zhang Zuoyan's furious appearance, and found it quite interesting. She couldn't help but join in on the fun. "Mingting, who is Leiguniang?"

  Xun Qing smiled meaningfully and said, "You'd better ask Zuo Ye about that. To be honest, she's so beautiful and devoted to you. If you marry her, you can fulfill your lifelong wish, I really don't know what you're thinking."

  "How could you think that?! Zhang Zuoyan's voice rose in indignation, "A man of my stature needs to rely on a woman to fulfill his own ambitions? Even if I didn't have Yingying, even if I didn't have someone I liked, it's impossible for me to do something so beastly!!"

  Fang Xiaolong narrowed his eyes and sized him up from head to toe, then let out a disdainful snort. Zhang Zuoyi's hair stood on end even more fiercely, his right hand accurately grasping the back of her collar, just like grabbing a mischievous cat, and he swung her around in mid-air, baring his teeth and threatening: "Little thing, your fur has grown long enough to start acting wild?!"

  "... Fang Xiaoling wanted to cry but had no tears, her head hung low. She secretly vowed that from now on she would keep a distance of at least three feet away from Zhang Zuoyan, "You can actually see me, right?"

  "Probably... " Zhang Zuoyan scratched his head, a rare hint of uncertainty.

  Xun Qing took advantage of the opportunity to rescue Fang Xiaoling from his clutches, and said helplessly: "You shouldn't always bully her."

  "What the heck is this answer?! Xiaoling fell to the ground, kicked her legs, and quickly floated behind Xunqing, hiding behind her with only a pair of big, shiny eyes exposed."

  Zhang Zuoyan spread his hands, looking very innocent: "At first, I could only hear it, now I occasionally see a vague shadow. At the beginning, I was so scared that I almost died, how do you want to compensate me?"

  Compensate your grandfather!! Aren't you very energetic?? You this ghost, ghost!!

  The little house spirit bared its teeth at him and didn't plan on paying attention to him again.

  Xun Qing patted her head and told her to calm down for a while, then turned to Zhang Zuoyan and asked, "Are you free now?"

  Zhang Zuoyan raised an eyebrow and looked at him: "If I had nothing better to do, would I be standing here?"

  "Then come with me for a walk." Xun Qing lifted his leg and walked out, with a faint smile on his face. "It's still early now, maybe we can catch a big fish."

  "It's my pleasure." Those who don't look for fun are fools, and those who don't participate in good things aren't fools but cowards. Zhang Zuoyan has always been a troublesome guy, if he doesn't stir up some trouble this time, how can it be worthy of him rushing here after leaving behind the beauty?

  ……

  In less than half a day, a rumor spread throughout the Xun Mansion that the assassin had been captured after killing the young master and was now being held in the backyard. Moreover, Xiaobi's body had also been found and tied together with the assassin to comfort Xiaobi's spirit in heaven.

  Fang Xiaoling stared at Xun Qing with a fixed gaze, as if she didn't recognize him. In her impression, Xun Qing had always been a soft and cute good boy, but now he was showing his sharp claws in front of her for the first time.

  "You've seen him like this before, haven't you?" Zhang Zuoyan had somehow appeared beside her.

  The house is small and cannot be denied, still with a silly and foolish look.

  "Men, after all, never want to be protected by women, especially the one they care about most." Zhang Zuoyan seemed to have a hidden meaning, but when Fang Xiaoling looked at him, he pretended to be dumb and narrowed his eyes, only watching Xun Qing mingle among the servants.

  "Alright, let's go to the backyard and wait for the harvest. What were you guys just talking about, so happily?" Xun Qing finished his task, walked over with a smile, still looking harmless as usual.

  "Nothing, let's go. Sounds like it'll be fun, Mingting who do you think will come?" Fang Xiaoling quickly got over it. Boys will grow up one day, she only knew this was her Mingting, that was enough.

  "Who knows? Maybe it's not just one, but a whole batch." Xun Qing hooked his arm around Zhang Suo Yan's shoulder, "At that time, we'll have to trouble you, Suo Yan."

  "Hey, when did I become your free punchbag?!" Zhang Zuoyan shouted in discontent.

  Xun Qing Man replied nonchalantly, "I treated you to such a great show, and you can't even give me some sweet rewards? That's not fair. Moreover, this injury of mine is all thanks to you..."

  "Alright alright alright, I'm just so unlucky!"

  Fang Xiaoling covered her mouth and giggled on the side, watching this rascal fox eating a bitter melon was really satisfying.

  All the way chatting and laughing, the dark clouds that had been assassinated earlier had long since dispersed. In the midst of conversation, they soon arrived at the backyard.

  "Zhang Suoyan, bring those little things with you and hand them over quickly." Xun Qing didn't show any courtesy either, and directly reached into Zhang Suoyan's body.

  Zhang Zuoyan was caught off guard, his face stiff as he watched Xun Qing sweep away a large bundle of silk threads, small bells and iron wires. "Brother Xun, when did you start becoming a bandit?"

  "Just now." Xun Qing said with an innocent face. He buried his head in that pile of things, picking and choosing, and didn't forget to scold his good brother, "Why is this broken copper rope still here? Didn't we try it before and it couldn't be used?"

  "Mind your own business! Use it if you want, otherwise get out!!" Zhang Zuoyan's temper was also rising, and he almost got into a fight with the guy in front of him.

  "What are these used for?"

  Zhang Zuoyan was instantly excited, he rubbed his hands and picked up a piece of iron wire: "Look, this side has a curved corner in the front section, which can just reach the lock tongue. As long as it is inserted into the door lock and gently lifted up, ordinary door locks are no problem at all. If it's a Li Ji shop door lock, you need to insert another small hook like this under the head..."

  Fang Xiaoling was stunned, this didn't seem like something a noble young master should be doing, probably even the most notorious pirates would have to admit defeat to him.

  Xu Qing slapped his palm towards his head, rudely interrupting his lengthy speech. Judging by his current mood, the fish would have swum away before he even finished a third of it.

  "Here, let's start casting the net." Xun Qing handed him a large ball of silk thread, and he had some in his own hand too. "Ling'er, want to play?"

  Fang Xiaoling nodded in agreement, and as she pulled at the tangled thread, she silently lamented her own downfall.

  "Fourth brother, just rumors might not be enough. How can you be so sure that someone will make a move?" Zhang Zhaoyan still felt that something was off. Having been in the Xun manor for such a long time without anyone discovering anything unusual, he must have had an extraordinary composure and adaptability that ordinary people didn't possess.

  "Since that assassin can play with human skin masks, we naturally can too." Xun Qing smiled and didn't seem to want to explain much. "Look, the bait is here."

  The newcomer was a woman wearing a hooded shirt and skirt, with a figure similar to Xiaobi's. The half of her face exposed under the hood was also very similar to Xiaobi's.

  "Who is this..." Fang Xiaoling's eyes widened as she watched her walk towards the backyard.

  Xun Qing rubbed his chin and smiled slyly: "Old Sun's craftsmanship is getting better and better."

  "It can't be real human skin, right......" Fang Xiaoling rubbed her arm, inexplicably feeling a chill.

  "How is it possible?"

  "Old Sun... I remember he's the noodle maker at West Street corner." Zhang Suoyan quickly reacted and understood, "Being flattering has its benefits, eh... Last time I asked him for a favor, he almost drove me out with a stick, this treatment is too different!"

  Xuan Qing gave him a slanted glance and said: "Who allowed you to move his precious daughter?!"

  Zhang Zuoyan abruptly stopped talking and quietly went to set up the net.

  Fang Xiaoling laughed and was very arrogant, right in front of him she scolded: "Those who bring trouble upon themselves cannot live." As soon as the words left her mouth, before Zhang Zuo could react and grab her ponytail, she floated up onto the roof.

  Zhang Zuoyan clenched his teeth and unconsciously tightened his grip. As a result, the small wooden stick tied with twine suddenly 'cracked' in half, and in the blink of an eye it shattered into only remnants.

  Fang Xiaoling was stunned and secretly felt grateful that being a non-human had its advantages.

  Xun Qing shook his head helplessly, finished the work in his hands, and stood up to greet them, "I'll go to the backyard to hand over some things, you continue. If someone comes, pull the second bell from the bottom up on that mulberry tree."

  Zhang Zuoyan nodded slightly as if in agreement. Fang Xiaoling flashed to Xun Qing's side, "Mingting, I'll go with you."

  "Ling'er, you stay here. If something unexpected happens and that person arrives too quickly, Zhang Suoyan alone won't be able to handle it."

  Fang Xiao's expression was very determined, "Zhang Zuoyan knows some martial arts skills, the most dangerous person is you."

  "...Xiu Qing suddenly became speechless, although she was telling the truth, but somehow it felt...very hurtful."

  Zhang Zuoyan was sitting on a tree at this moment, with his two legs dangling in the air. He propped up his chin and began to think of Liu Yanyan.

  Negotiations failed, Fang Xiaoling continued to be his backer with a satisfied heart.

  Xun Qing took big strides forward, while Fang Xiao Ling's mind wandered elsewhere, creating an unexpectedly harmonious scene.

  Arriving at the small room where she was supposedly being held captive, Xun Qing was pleased to see that the hooded woman was holding a 'corpse' of a woman.

  Fang Xiaoling went up to take a look, and her hair stood on end. The woman was holding onto the corpse at this moment, but it didn't have a face!!! She carefully supported its waist with one hand, while the other hand was meticulously applying makeup to the "corpse", painting and drawing with a crimson brush, eerie and cold.

  (Lala~~~~ This is the inspiration given to me by a certain movie, super loving the atmosphere at that time, you guys shouldn't be scared, right? Okay, actually I'm a faithful fan of violent aesthetics. Although when I first watched it, unfortunately I fell asleep in the cinema, shy and covering my face~~~ Okay, I'll go reflect on myself. Experiments show that I've already developed terrible antibodies against horror movies, identification complete. A full chapter is presented to you, are you satisfied, readers?)