Chapter 849: Xu Meijing's Worries
Three days later, inside Yang Haoran's study, two figures sat opposite each other. One smoked, the other sipped tea. A restraining barrier completely enveloped the study, isolating it from everything outside.
Of these two, one was naturally Yang Haoran, the master of the house, and the other was Xu Meijing.
"Yang Haoran, I never realized I underestimated you. A Great Demon, a Three-star Demon Hunter, and a Pharmacist. . . Hehe, you're quite something, keeping so much hidden. Be honest, how much more are you keeping from me? " Xu Meijing took a sip of tea, then looked at Yang Haoran, with a faint, knowing smile, as she asked.
Yang Haoran let out an awkward laugh. He hadn't even had time to take a puff from the cigarette he'd brought to his lips before hastily removing it, then said to Xu Meijing, "Hehe, you know all my little tricks now. What secrets could I possibly have left?"
Naturally, Yang Haoran's words weren't true. He was secretly cultivating quite a few spectral entities, and each of them was powerful, with even the weakest having broken through to the Evil Spirit realm. However, he wasn't prepared to tell Xu Meijing about this yet. It wasn't because he didn't trust Xu Meijing; on the contrary, she was the person he trusted most. The reason he didn't want to tell her now was that he hoped, if the opportunity arose, he could give Xu Meijing a surprise – or perhaps a fright. Thus, faced with Xu Meijing's slightly teasing inquiry, he denied it very decisively.
"I'd believe a ghost before I'd believe you! It's not our first day knowing each other; don't you think I know what kind of person you are? You're a devious one, full of schemes, and not a single true word comes out of your mouth. If I were to believe you, I probably wouldn't even know how I died!"
Yang Haoran, already awkward, became even more so upon hearing Xu Meijing's blunt words. "Hehe, it's. . . it's not as serious as you make it sound, is it?"
"Not that serious? I almost got killed by you this time, and you're still saying it's not that serious? !"
"Sigh, yes, indeed. This time, I truly led you into a pit; you almost lost your life on Broken Head Mountain. Even now, thinking back, I still feel a lingering fear. If something had truly happened to you, I'm afraid I'd never forgive myself."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Yang Haoran, I was just joking with you, don't take it seriously. Forget that I didn't die there; even if I truly had, I wouldn't have regretted it, nor would I have blamed you. Since you could gamble your life for me back then, I, Xu Meijing, can likewise gamble my life for you, Yang Haoran."
As Xu Meijing spoke these words, the earlier resentment vanished from her face. Her expression became serious, and her tone grew exceptionally earnest.
"But I still feel very ashamed in my heart. " Yang Haoran said with a bitter smile. Seeing Yang Haoran's bitter smile, Xu Meijing waved her hand and then said,
"Alright, alright, stop putting on a show in front of me. Isn't it enough that I know your acting skills are superb? Let's talk about something serious."
Xu Meijing paused slightly, then frowned faintly, and continued, "Our strength has been completely exposed to that Demon Hunter this time. Are you sure he can keep his mouth shut?"
The Demon Hunter Xu Meijing spoke of was, of course, Ye Zhiqiu. Although she didn't say it explicitly, Yang Haoran knew exactly who she meant.
"Ye Zhiqiu and I are fundamentally in the same boat; we prosper and suffer together. So he shouldn't be loose-lipped."
Xu Meijing was somewhat displeased with Yang Haoran's answer. "What do you mean 'shouldn't'? Either he will, or he won't. Your uncertainty makes it difficult for me to make a decision."
A faint smile touched Yang Haoran's face. After a moment's thought, he gave his reply anew. "You know I never like to speak with absolute certainty, because I can't guarantee that no unexpected situations will arise. Not only I, but no one can guarantee that. However, what I can affirm is that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Ye Zhiqiu will not betray me."
Even after receiving Yang Haoran's affirmation, Xu Meijing remained somewhat uneasy, confirming with him once more. "This matter is no small affair. If any mishap truly occurs, you and I will be in big trouble. You understand the stakes involved, I'm sure, so are you really certain he won't be a problem?"
Yang Haoran nodded gently, once again giving Xu Meijing an affirmative reply. "Firstly, Ye Zhiqiu and I are on the same boat. If something happens to me, it won't benefit him at all; on the contrary, he'll suffer alongside me. So, as long as he's not out of his mind, he absolutely won't do something that harms others without benefiting himself."
After a slight pause, Yang Haoran continued, "Secondly, I'm quite familiar with Ye Zhiqiu's character. Although he's usually quiet and appears unkempt, he has his own principles and boundaries. As long as I don't cross those principles and boundaries, he has no reason to harm me."
Only after receiving Yang Haoran's renewed assurance did Xu Meijing feel considerably more at ease. "I have no dealings with this Demon Hunter, so I don't know his character, and naturally can't speak of trusting him. However, I trust you. Since you trust him so much, there's nothing more for me to say."
Yang Haoran pondered for a moment, then spoke with a comforting smile. "It's perfectly normal for you to have worries about this; if it were me, I'd have the same concerns. After all, nobody wants to expose their secrets to a stranger, because that would be very troublesome. But rest assured, I, Yang Haoran, would harm anyone before I harmed you. I'll find an opportunity to talk to Ye Zhiqiu alone."
Hearing this, Xu Meijing sighed, a helpless expression on her face. "If he weren't your man, I would definitely find a way to eliminate him, or at the very least erase that memory from him, so that I could feel at ease. But since you trust him so much, I can't say much more. Besides, our Jingling Continent Underworld Office is currently in turmoil. Both Luo Yao, your and my immediate superior, and the other Guardians, are probably all scrambling to climb the ranks. Even if this matter truly leaks out, we shouldn't have too much trouble in the short term."
Yang Haoran took a drag from his cigarette, thought for a moment, then smiled at Xu Meijing. "I'll make some preparations in advance for this. If our strength truly becomes known to the higher-ups, I'll be able to muddle through their inquiries more easily and won't be so passive."
Yang Haoran's words brought a smile to Xu Meijing's face. "I have absolute confidence in your ability to fool people. Sometimes, I can't even tell which of your words are true and which are false. For a dangerous character like you, it's better if I keep my distance, lest one day I get sold out by you and this old lady is still counting money for you."
Yang Haoran could only smile bitterly. However, he knew Xu Meijing was just teasing him, so he didn't take it to heart.
"We can't keep hiding like this forever; a secret can't be kept forever, so this problem must be resolved. I already have a plan in mind. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, in just a few years, the two of us will be able to openly display our strength in front of others, without having to worry about the trouble that comes with exposing our power."
An interested expression appeared on Xu Meijing's face. She looked at Yang Haoran and asked with a smile, "Tell me, what's the plan? Oh, never mind, forget it. You're so good at keeping secrets, even if I asked you now, you definitely wouldn't say. I might as well not ask."
The smile on Yang Haoran's face turned mysterious. He stubbed out the cigarette in his hand, choosing not to tell Xu Meijing his plan just yet. "If I tell you now, you won't get that feeling of surprise later. So, it's better if I don't say anything for now. I'll give you a surprise when the time comes."
Xu Meijing wore an "I knew it" expression and rolled her eyes at Yang Haoran before finally speaking. "Hehe, then I shall wait and see."
At this point, Yang Haoran recalled another very important matter. "Oh, right, you just said that the higher-up has been busy climbing the ranks recently. Have you heard any rumors? What position has he reached? Can he surpass everyone else and climb all the way to the top in one go?"
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