Chapter 81: What Do You Think of This Place?

"Gu Xia token?" Xue Tian'ai stared blankly at Ye Hairuo when she uttered this unfamiliar term, her face full of confusion. "What is that? I've never even heard of it."

"I don't know either. Your father mentioned it to me in passing. He said the reason the Ye family was wiped out back then might have been because they possessed the Gu Xia token," Ye Hairuo replied in a seemingly calm tone, though the sorrow in her eyes was impossible to hide.

Although Ye Hairuo had been young at the time, she remembered everything from that night—the events that unfolded, the roaring flames that engulfed the entire Ye family estate, the cries and sounds of struggle, the terrifying black-clad assailants. It was all vivid in her memory. If Xue Tian'ai hadn't shielded her at the last moment, picking up the knife from the ground, she too would surely have lost her life that night.

"I also heard your father say that the Qin family had a Gu Xia token as well. So I was wondering if that might be the reason why Qin Mengxue was targeted by assassins," Ye Hairuo analyzed calmly.

"That old man never tells me anything," Xue Tian'ai grumbled, her brows tightly knit, full of displeasure.

She'd called her father so many times before, yet not once had he mentioned the Gu Xia token!

"Perhaps he had his reasons, some difficulty he couldn't talk about, so he didn't tell you," Ye Hairuo quickly offered, trying to comfort her. She dreaded the idea of the father and son falling out again—and Xue Tian'ai disappearing for another ten years without a word. She couldn't bear that.

Frightened by her own thoughts, Ye Hairuo edged closer to Xue Tian'ai, their bodies already close, now nearly nestled in his arms. Feeling his warmth, her anxious heart finally found some solace.

Perhaps sensing her feelings in that small gesture, Xue Tian'ai gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, Hairuo. This time I won't leave like before. I've been angry with the old man for long enough."

"Mmm, you have to keep your word, Tian'ai! If you ever leave me again without a word, I'll jump off a building, I swear!" Ye Hairuo raised her small fist and waved it in front of his eyes.

"Silly girl, what nonsense is that?" Xue Tian'ai tapped her forehead with his free hand, scolding her. "You're still so young. Don't talk about dying."

"Ouch, that hurt, Tian'ai!" Ye Hairuo pouted, covering the spot he'd just flicked. "What if you knock me silly?"

"Then you'll just be silly, that's all. Wouldn't being a sweet, naïve girl suit you?" Xue Tian'ai chuckled, looking tenderly at Ye Hairuo leaning against him.

"If I turn into a naïve fool, I'll ruin your Tianming Group, drive it right into bankruptcy!" Ye Hairuo threatened, her expression fierce as a little tiger.

"That's fine, your brother's got plenty of money. It's just a small company, no big deal! Worst comes to worst, I'll just build another one!" Xue Tian'ai boasted, but then his tone suddenly changed.

"Hairuo, have you thought about what I asked you about earlier?"

"No! Absolutely not! Since the inception of Tianming Group, I've never haggled over prices. It doesn't work with me—I'm not doing it!" Ye Hairuo pouted, turning her head away.

"Hairuo, just give your brother a little discount on that batch of building materials. If I can't get the price down, I'll lose face—completely!"

"Weren't you just saying you have plenty of money? And now you can't spare a little for your beautiful, adorable, and kind-hearted sister?" Ye Hairuo shot back, her tone mischievous.

Xue Tian'ai's face darkened. Why had he been showing off just now? He'd only dug himself into a hole!

"Hairuo, can you really bear to see your handsome, dashing brother running naked through the Menghua Group offices?" Xue Tian'ai decided to try a pitiful act, his tone pleading.

"When you do, be sure to let me know! I'll bring my camera to Menghua Group and take plenty of photos!" Ye Hairuo ignored his pitiful plea, promising with conviction.

"..." Xue Tian'ai was speechless. Hairuo usually did whatever he said—why was she so stubborn this time?

"Besides, do you want your wife to make money, or your sister?" Ye Hairuo pressed on.

"Uh..." Xue Tian'ai was left at a loss for words by that question.

Seeing his awkward expression, Ye Hairuo couldn't help but burst out laughing, her previously feigned anger dissolving into a radiant smile. "Alright, alright, Tian'ai, I'll stop teasing you. As your most adorable sister, how could I ever leave you in the lurch?"

"Besides, Tianming Group is yours in the first place. You can make these decisions yourself. A price cut or not, for you, it's just money moving from your left pocket to your right."

Xue Tian'ai suddenly realized the logic. Forming a fist with his right hand and an open palm with his left, he clapped them together in surprise. "Hairuo, you make a good point!"

Since he'd married Qin Mengxue, legally and in name, they were family. Any transaction between Tianming Group and Menghua Group was, for him, simply money moving from one pocket to another.

"Yeah, yeah, rotten Tian'ai, bad Tian'ai, pig-headed Tian'ai! Now that you have a wife, you've forgotten your sister." Ye Hairuo pouted. "But since you're back, there's no need for me to keep making things difficult for Qin Mengxue."

"Making things difficult? You mean you targeted Mengxue on purpose before?" Xue Tian'ai stared in disbelief.

"Mengxue, Mengxue, you call her so intimately. You've only been back a few days, and you're already so close to her. Men really are all the same!" Ye Hairuo was a little jealous. "Of course I didn't do it on purpose. It was Uncle Xue and Uncle Qin who asked me to."

"They asked you to? Why would they do that?" Xue Tian'ai was baffled. Never mind his own father, but why would Qin Mengxue's father want Ye Hairuo to target his own daughter?

"They said that since Qin Mengxue didn't know who I was, I should sometimes act against her. That way, it would help both Qin Mengxue and Menghua Group to develop and grow. They said this kind of healthy competition would benefit Tianming Group as well."

"Oh, I see," Xue Tian'ai nodded, understanding.

Indeed, competition drives progress. If a company always operates in a comfortable environment, its development will be slow or even stagnate.

It's just like in gaming. When a game mode suddenly becomes popular, other companies immediately follow suit, making similar games. Players compare them, and naturally, the better ones rise to the top. The inferior games are forced to improve and catch up, while the top games feel the pressure and continue to innovate—improving graphics, storylines, and fluidity.

Now, it's common even for the same company to divide into two studios working on the same type of game. Though both belong to the same company, competition and comparison arise—like Timi Studio and Photon Studio under Penguin Corporation.

Though both studios are under the same parent, the competition is fierce. And it's proven beneficial. While Timi’s Honor of Kings outperformed Photon’s We MOBA, Photon’s Game for Peace overtook Timi’s All-Out Assault.

Competition leads to survival of the fittest, but progress is always the main trend.

"Let's keep our relationship a secret from Mengxue for now," Xue Tian'ai said after thinking for a while. "That way, she can continue to improve."

"So now your sister has to play the villain again! Really, I just wanted you to tell Qin Mengxue about us so I could rightfully move in with you," Ye Hairuo pouted. "After all, your cooking is still the best."

"Alright, alright, it's just a meal. Whenever you want to eat my cooking, call me. I’ll make it and bring it over."

"Then I'll call you every day!" Ye Hairuo giggled, nuzzling her head against his chest like a little kitten.

"Ah... have mercy on your brother," Xue Tian'ai laughed softly, gently stroking her hair.

...

Two hours later, Xue Tian'ai walked out of Tianming Group’s doors, holding documents about the revised construction material quotes. The burden in his heart finally eased.

He had always been apprehensive about seeing Ye Hairuo, feeling he owed her too much. But now, after finally facing her, all he felt was happiness and the joy of reunion.

He glanced back at Tianming Group's building one more time before walking away.

Behind him, in a black Audi, four burly men stared intently at his retreating figure.

"Damn, is this the guy Young Master Lü wants us to deal with?" One bald man pointed at Xue Tian'ai, taking a drag from his cigarette, his tone low. "Does it really take four of us? Isn't Young Master Lü overestimating him?"

"Young Master Lü said, as long as we don't kill him, beat him to a pulp and then drag him over," said another man in sunglasses. This was one of the two who had been following Lü Buyu earlier.

"Eh, whatever, Baldy. Jobs as easy as this are a blessing these days. Beats the usual violence," said the crew-cut man beside him.

"True. Let’s get out and follow him. Find a chance to finish it quickly," Baldy said, opening the door and jumping out.

The others exchanged glances, nodded, and followed suit.

The four of them began tailing Xue Tian'ai discreetly.

Xue Tian'ai seemed completely unaware of being followed, ambling into a convenience store to buy a bottle of cola, then wandering into a secluded alley.

His actions excited the four men—a deserted alley made things much easier. Luck was on their side.

They’d thought it would be tough to find an opportunity, but he’d walked right into a dead-end himself.

Quickly, they followed. When they turned into the alley, they saw Xue Tian'ai leaning against the wall, gulping down his cola, looking utterly nonchalant.

They also noticed the alley was a dead end.

"So, what do you think of this spot?" Xue Tian'ai finished his cola, smiling as he looked at the four men drawing closer.