Chapter 15: You Are the First

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Qiao Ruyi didn’t let Yu Renyou slam his head down; she lifted her foot and pressed against him.

“I’m asking you.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Renyou no longer cared about bowing; he immediately sat upright with gravity. “Please, ancestor, speak.”

“What’s the background of the person who captured us?” Qiao Ruyi asked.

Tao Jiang glanced at Yu Renyou.

Though Qiao Ruyi’s question seemed casual and somewhat unreasonable, it held great significance. When she released Yu Renyou, she hadn’t revealed her identity yet, but from their brief interaction, she could tell Yu Renyou would question the other party’s identity—that was one. Secondly, she was certain she would meet Yu Renyou again, and when they met, he would inevitably bring her the answer.

Yu Renyou was well-versed in worldly affairs and had thought of this. Upon hearing her words, he trembled all over, his face showing shock as he looked at Qiao Ruyi, but soon admiration filled his gaze.

Truly worthy of being the ancestor; to think ten steps ahead with every move—remarkable indeed.

He didn’t beat around the bush; his reply was straightforward without any unnecessary padding. “I believe you already know the name of that person. He’s a longtime friend of Xing Lin and also the second shareholder of the horse ranch. Shen Que is quite capable, investing in many industries quietly and without showing off. The seven bodyguards were hired by him.”

“Hired bodyguards?” Qiao Ruyi raised an eyebrow slightly.

Tao Jiang understood her doubt. “Maybe he didn’t want to leave any traces.”

Since he was a wealthy boss, he should have bodyguards he used regularly. It seemed Shen Que intended a quick and decisive action last night and hired those bodyguards just for this job.

Yu Renyou nodded. “According to the bodyguards’ account last night, Shen Que paid them a substantial sum all at once.”

Qiao Ruyi rested an arm on the car window, rubbing her thumb and forefinger lightly, smiling softly. It was indeed a carefully calculated plan.

“Since it’s a one-time payment, their mission couldn’t be simple,” she pondered, raising her eyelids. “To kill me?”

“That is the ultimate goal,” Yu Renyou nodded. “But they can’t kill anyone in Gua County.”

Qiao Ruyi seemed amused, a slight curve of sarcasm tugging at her lips.

Tao Jiang chuckled. “This Shen fellow even planned carefully how to kill someone.”

A cold glint appeared in Qiao Ruyi’s eyes. “He acted behind Xing Lin’s back.”

“They are friends; do you really believe Xing Lin is unaware?” Tao Jiang frowned.

Qiao Ruyi thought for a moment. “He’s not aware.”

“So sure?”

“Just intuition.”

Maybe Xing Lin’s explanations were fabricated, but she trusted her own feelings.

Tao Jiang looked stunned and waved his hand before Qiao Ruyi’s eyes. “Intuition? You barely know him.” He emphasized, “And you’re not the type to be blinded by beauty.”

Qiao Ruyi smiled faintly.

Indeed, she rarely trusted people so easily. To her, Xing Lin was a stranger.

“Anyway, he agreed to show the way,” Qiao Ruyi said.

She glanced at Yu Renyou again, then turned to Tao Jiang. “The person you found isn’t bad.”

Quite clever.

Tao Jiang’s expression revealed pride. “Of course.”

Yu Renyou felt delighted after being unexpectedly praised.

Qiao Ruyi was about to get out of the car and tossed out a remark, “As for Tuhua’s move-in, we’ll talk when I get out of Guyang City alive.”

As soon as the car door closed and the window rolled down, Tao Jiang called after her, “Hey, you believe him, but I don’t.”

Qiao Ruyi smiled at her, said nothing further, and left.

—

When Xing Lin returned, he carried only a single suitcase.

Zhou initially thought he had bought the suitcase to enter Guyang City, but it was Qiao Ruyi’s. She hadn’t expected Xing Lin to find her suitcase so quickly and was momentarily stunned when accepting it.

“Boss Xing’s connections are impressive,” Qiao Ruyi sincerely thanked him. She hadn’t held much hope since she didn’t know exactly when the suitcase had been taken.

Xing Lin helped her carry the suitcase to the study and asked her to check if anything was missing, then returned to his room. Ten minutes later, a knock came at the study door. Qiao Ruyi opened it and saw Xing Lin standing there.

He had gone to take a shower.

His short, black hair was still damp, water droplets clinging to the tips, dripping down his graceful collarbones and soaking into his light-colored T-shirt.

He still carried the scent of shower gel—citrus, fresh and clean, mingled with a faint aftershave fragrance, lending a slight chill. Yet, fresh from the shower and with the lingering moisture, he appeared less distant, more approachable.

“Anything missing?” Xing Lin leaned against the doorframe and asked.

Qiao Ruyi answered, “Everything is complete.”

Xing Lin tilted his head slightly, his gaze dropping into the study. “May I take a look?”

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Qiao Ruyi didn’t immediately grasp what he meant by “take a look.” Before she could ask, Xing Lin strode into the room and went straight to the open suitcase.

The suitcase was spread open when the knock came; she hadn’t had time to close it.

He wanted to look at her... suitcase?

Indeed, he was after her suitcase. Before reaching in, he glanced at Qiao Ruyi, as if seeking permission. She was unsure what he wanted to see but, considering there was nothing secret inside, nodded.

He took out a packing bag filled with clothes, unzipped it, and began pulling out the garments one by one. Qiao Ruyi froze when he took out a piece of black lace.

She snatched it away immediately, her face flushing.

The packing bag was large, so she quickly stuffed the underwear back in with the rest. Such matters were awkward, and she silently hoped her movements were swift enough that Xing Lin hadn’t clearly seen what he had just held.

But then he said above her head, “Sorry, I didn’t expect...”

Qiao Ruyi looked up sharply.

Of course, he had not only seen clearly but saw everything distinctly.

His ears flushed a deep red, even redder than when she had teased him before. His face was visibly embarrassed, and even his apology sounded low and husky.

“Are you shy?” Seeing this, Qiao Ruyi suddenly felt less awkward.

Wanting to tease him further, she stepped closer and stared into his handsome face. “Never handled a woman’s lingerie before?”

The lighting in the study was dim. They were close, their scents and the moisture in the air blending, creating a faint, ambiguous intimacy.

She was bold and deliberate. Xing Lin was momentarily caught off guard, slightly turning his face away to avoid her gaze, stepping back a little.

But Qiao Ruyi, in her playful mood, found teasing him amusing and took a step forward.

They were nearly pressed together again.

This time, Xing Lin didn’t retreat. He lowered his head to look at her. Whether it was the dimness of the room or some other reason, when Qiao Ruyi looked up at him, his eyes seemed exceptionally dark, profound and vast, as if containing all things.

That feeling returned.

Qiao Ruyi felt once more that his gaze was like looking at an old acquaintance.

More precisely, it seemed he was looking through her to see an old acquaintance.

Why was that?

For a moment, she could not understand his eyes, nor the strange, inexplicable sensation rising within herself. His eyes seemed tinged with sorrow, faint but sharp as a delicate blade tracing her heart...

Painful.

Light, but present.

It felt as if it had always been there.

Xing Lin didn’t let the passive moment linger; he gently pushed her away. The distance between them made the previous intimacy flicker with a subtle ambiguity.

“If you’re going into Guyang City, your clothes won’t do.”

Only then did Qiao Ruyi understand his earlier actions. She said, “I only brought windproof clothes.”

Except for the qipao she wore when setting off, which she hadn’t had time to change out of before losing the suitcase.

“You’re not facing an ordinary sandstorm. Thin fabric will be torn by the sand,” Xing Lin said seriously.

Qiao Ruyi asked deliberately, “If it’s not an ordinary sandstorm, then what is it?”

Xing Lin stared at her for a long moment. “A black sandstorm.”

Qiao Ruyi laughed. Finally, he admitted it.

This man was really stubborn.

“How should I prepare my clothes?” she asked earnestly.

She was joking; when life and death were concerned, she could bow her head anytime. She had never been through the barren northwest and couldn’t truly understand the wind and sand of the Hexi Corridor. So she aimed for professional gear, not wanting to have useless fancy clothes in Xing Lin’s eyes.

Xing Lin said, “You need to change. I’ll figure something out.”

Qiao Ruyi responded with an “Oh,” then asked, “What about the underwear you saw just now? Should I change that too?”

Xing Lin was momentarily stunned, then his expression turned serious. “Miss Qiao, please take this seriously!”

His ears flushed red again.

Qiao Ruyi stifled a laugh, feigning innocence. “You’re strange. I’m sincerely asking.”

She could see a trace of amusement in his eyes, yet his lips pressed tight, his gaze darkening as if suppressing some emotion. But it didn’t look like anger.

After a moment, he spoke lightly, “Change your clothes. I’ll take you out for a walk.”

—

Because there was no wind or sandstorm last night, today’s Gua County was livelier.

There were pedestrians on the streets and groups of cars here and there. Some small eateries had opened sporadically, and the customers inside ate hastily, unwilling to linger, finishing their noodles quickly before continuing on.

Xing Lin drove himself, with Qiao Ruyi in the front passenger seat.

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He said they were just going for a walk, but the way he drove was anything but aimless—it was clear he was heading straight somewhere.

Qiao Ruyi asked, “What kind of walk?”

Xing Lin was concise. “To buy clothes for you.”

“Boss Xing,” Qiao Ruyi turned to look at him, “You’re not some mall plant, are you? Sent to lure out-of-towners to spend money.”

Xing Lin kept his eyes on the road. “You’re a tourist?”

Qiao Ruyi smiled. “Honestly, until now, I thought my clothes were fine. Take this windbreaker I’m wearing; the fabric isn’t thin.”

“It’s not about thickness,” Xing Lin said, instinctively glancing at her coat.

A short, coffee-colored windbreaker hung open, revealing a black thin shirt underneath. The fitted clothing outlined her figure clearly, and the exposed neck was delicate and fair to the point of dazzling.

Xing Lin looked away.

Too late, though—he felt parched and restless, familiar agitation licking at his reason. The black lace lingerie flashed before his eyes. Though she was fast, he had seen it clearly.

The style, fabric, contour, even her size.

His throat moved once, hot blood surging. He clenched the steering wheel tightly to ease the burning in his palms. At this moment, he regretted not letting Zhou take her instead. The car was filled with her medicinal fragrance—a cold, clear scent that hooked him like a lure.

Qiao Ruyi didn’t know what he was thinking but felt he hadn’t finished his sentence.

She waited and waited, yet Xing Lin didn’t continue.

What kind of speaking habit was that?

—

Gua County had no large shopping malls. Scattered clothing stores were either closed or going out of business. They passed two outdoor gear shops, but Xing Lin didn’t stop.

The wind began to pick up again, sand rattling against the window.

Xing Lin led her through the streets until they stopped in front of a building. Qiao Ruyi ducked down to peer through the windshield; it was an ordinary two-story residence, not even a storefront, with no signboard.

Xing Lin turned off the engine. “Get out.”

Qiao Ruyi almost believed he was teasing her until they pushed open the door and found something surprising inside.

It was an outdoor gear store.

The store was divided into sections, displaying a dazzling array of equipment. Though Qiao Ruyi had never traversed the Gobi Desert, before coming to Gua County, she had researched tirelessly. She wasn’t an expert, but her eyes were sharp.

The gear was highly professional—from military-grade tents to even the smallest, inconspicuous guy lines, all very carefully selected.

The owner was a middle-aged man with deep creases on his face and dark skin, clearly someone who spent much time outdoors. Seeing Xing Lin arrive, he was pleased and clapped him on the shoulder. “Why come yourself? Why not send your kid to pick things up?”

His gaze shifted to Qiao Ruyi.

Xing Lin said, “She needs to try on two pieces of clothing.”

The owner’s eyes sparkled with interest—a hint of gossip.

Upstairs was the clothing, shoes, and hats—an entire room packed full. Many brands Qiao Ruyi didn’t recognize, but following her principle of avoiding scams, she looked up one brand.

It was a favorite among serious outdoor enthusiasts, top-tier quality.

And very expensive.

The shop was empty except for the owner, who followed them upstairs and deliberately asked Xing Lin, “You gonna wear this?”

Xing Lin picked up a garment. “Friend.”

Two short words, seeming to tell the owner that it was for his friend, and at the same time satisfying the owner’s curiosity about their relationship.

Whatever his intention, Qiao Ruyi’s heart stirred.

Friend?

The owner chuckled, smiling knowingly. From his attitude, it was clear that this explanation from Xing Lin only complicated the story.

Xing Lin indeed had a way of making things worse.

The owner took the initiative to chat with Qiao Ruyi. “Young lady, you’re his friend? He doesn’t have many friends. It’s not easy to be his friend. He’s never brought a girl here before—you’re the first.”

Qiao Ruyi smiled faintly.

What kind of nobleman’s tale was this?

Was he going to say next: “I’ve never seen him smile at any girl before…”

Xing Lin didn’t give the owner more gossip opportunity. He piled the selected clothes into Qiao Ruyi’s arms and nodded toward a small corner room. “Try them on.”