Chapter 785: Another Girl
"Someone you know?" Xu Huo asked.
Bian Yongyi tried his best to keep up with his short legs. "We had a bit of a falling out before."
Xu Huo didn't press further, but when they arrived at the villa, they found a car parked outside. Seeing them, a young man with a buzz cut waved at Bian Yongyi. "So you really did manage to borrow a house. We're staying here tonight—give me the keys."
Bian Yongyi's face darkened. "Aren't you here with Young Master Xie? What, he can't even find you a place to stay?"
The buzz-cut man sneered. "Well, well, Bian Yongyi, growing some backbone, are you? Or have you forgotten the time you got stuffed into a toilet and ate shit? Want me to jog your memory?"
Bian Yongyi's forehead bulged with veins. "This is a house borrowed from a player under President Chang's command. Do you dare to stay here?"
"Whether I dare or not isn't for a dwarf like you to decide." The buzz-cut man got out of the car, clenched his fists, and walked over.
Bian Yongyi immediately stepped two paces behind Xu Huo.
Only then did the buzz-cut man seem to notice Xu Huo. He let out a mocking laugh. "So that's why you've got guts—you brought backup. A D-rank player like you, what kind of high-level player could you possibly know? Don't tell me he's also D-rank!"
"What, are you going to stick up for this shorty?"
"Personal grudges have nothing to do with me." Xu Huo paused, then added, "But I'm curious—is that story about you shoving him into a toilet real?"
"As a player, your methods of bullying others lack not only originality but also hygiene."
The buzz-cut man had a short fuse. At these words, he cursed and lunged at Xu Huo.
The villa district had a no-fighting rule, so Xu Huo grabbed Bian Yongyi and moved to the villa's entrance, took the keys from him, unlocked the door, and went inside, intending to shut the others out.
However, one of the players in the car was quick to react, instantly teleporting to the door and pressing a hand against it. But before he could say anything, Xu Huo's "Like Repels Like" sent him flying back, followed by a loud "bang" as the door slammed shut.
"Son of a bitch!" The buzz-cut man turned around and shouted, "Bian Yongyi, get the hell out here, or I'll fucking kill you!"
Inside, Xu Huo examined the well-secured house and said, "They probably don't have the guts to damage the villa. Wash up and get some sleep."
Bian Yongyi stared at him in surprise. "That's it?"
"You can go out and fight them to the death if you want." Xu Huo walked straight to the living room, ignoring the shouting outside.
Bian Yongyi hesitated for a moment, then ultimately chose not to respond. He gritted his teeth and found a guest room to sleep in.
The buzz-cut man's shouting didn't last long before it faded away—either the villa's security had been called or his companions had stopped him. After the sound of the car driving off, the area fell silent again.
The next day, Bian Yongyi, who had probably slept poorly, came downstairs early and peered out through the windows and doors. When Xu Huo came down, he asked anxiously, "No one lying in ambush outside?"
"No one." Xu Huo opened the empty refrigerator. "Any food?"
Bian Yongyi pulled out some bread and dried meat. "Just this for now. If you want something good, we'll have to go out. The villa district doesn't allow food delivery."
Xu Huo ate a few bites casually, then scrolled through Jiang Jiang's social media. When he saw a selfie she had posted of herself painting by a window, he took a sip of water and stood up. "I'm going to visit a neighbor."
Bian Yongyi also stood up, stuffing bread into his mouth. "I'm coming too."
Xu Huo didn't mind. Based on the photo's angle, he found the villa where Jiang Jiang was staying. Under the watchful eyes of two players on the second floor, he rang the doorbell.
A long-haired young man opened the door. He gave Xu Huo a thorough once-over before asking with a dark expression, "Who are you looking for?"
"I'm here to visit Jiang Jiang. She invited me before," Xu Huo said.
"That 'invitation' was probably just a casual remark—a gesture of goodwill. Showing up the very next day is practically stalker behavior." The long-haired man was clearly hostile.
Xu Huo smiled. "Why don't you ask Jiang Jiang about it?"
The long-haired man reluctantly stepped aside, casting a disdainful glance at Bian Yongyi behind him. "Jiang Jiang is having breakfast."
Xu Huo followed him to the dining room. When Jiang Jiang saw him, she greeted him with obvious delight. "I didn't expect we'd meet again so soon!"
"I left in such a hurry yesterday that I didn't even catch your name."
"My name is Xu Zhi." Xu Huo looked her squarely in the eyes.
Jiang Jiang's eyes curved into crescents, her smile carrying a purity that adults lacked. "My name is Jiang Jiang. So now we're properly introduced—we're friends. Have you had breakfast? Song Xu prepared way too much food, and I can't finish it all... If you don't mind, why don't you both join me?"
Bian Yongyi was flattered, especially when faced with Jiang Jiang's smile. He said with some excitement, "Miss Jiang Jiang, I absolutely love your paintings. I'm your fan!"
"Thank you." Jiang Jiang invited them to sit down, then said to the dark-faced long-haired man, "Song Xu, could you pass me the milk, please?"
Song Xu poured milk for Xu Huo and Bian Yongyi himself, then dutifully stood behind Jiang Jiang.
Besides him, there were three other players on the first floor of the villa—one in the kitchen, one in the living room, and one on the balcony next to the dining room. They moved silently, not like free players voluntarily protecting someone, but like trained, hired bodyguards.
Well-trained indeed.
"Try these sweet cakes. Song Xu made them specially for me. I've been getting fat from eating them every day." Jiang Jiang enthusiastically shared her favorite food.
"You're not fat at all." Song Xu, who had nearly glared daggers at Xu Huo and Bian Yongyi, was incredibly gentle with Jiang Jiang. "You stayed up all night painting a few days ago, and you actually lost a bit of weight."
"Really?" Jiang Jiang lifted her arm. "But I feel like I've gained weight. Is the scale at home broken?"
"No, it's not." Song Xu answered quickly. "Painting takes a lot of energy. Eating a little more sweets is fine."
"Eating too many sweets isn't good for you." Xu Huo forked a piece of sweet cake. "Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meat—those are the best for people."
"That's too bad," Jiang Jiang shook her head. "I don't like eating vegetables."
"There are plenty of supplements now that can replace the nutrients in vegetables. Not eating them is fine—happiness is what matters most!" Bian Yongyi immediately chimed in.
Jiang Jiang glanced at Xu Huo. "Nutritional supplements taste even worse. I'll just change my habits."
Then she turned to Song Xu with a smile. "Now you don't have to worry anymore."
Song Xu's expression visibly softened.
Xu Huo finished the sweet cake on his plate and checked his email. The second detective had sent a message. The other girl who had emigrated had changed her surname to match her adoptive parents and was now named Liu Yi. She attended a very famous art school abroad. Six years ago, her adoptive parents passed away from illness, and the girl dropped out of school to apprentice under a renowned painter. A year later, she debuted under the name she had used at the orphanage—"Jiang Jiang."
(End of Chapter)