Strike Back, Proud Goddess!

Hongshi Mountain was in a scenic spot in the outskirts of City A that was two hours’ drive away from downtown. Tang Xi and the Xiao brothers left home at 7:10 am. Xiao Sa took a look at the Vacheron Constantin watch at his wrist and said, “We should be able to arrive there at about 9:30 if we drive faster. After arriving you might need to try on clothes. The shooting will start at about 10 o’clock. Rourou, do you have any problem with that?”

Tang Xi followed him out of the door and replied with a smile, “No. I used to serve as the endorser of Empire Group, but I just did some test shots and it worked out just fine.”

Noticing that she didn’t mind mentioning her past in front of them at all, Xiao Jing and Xiao Sa felt surprised yet moved. She was willing to tell them about her past, which showed that she regarded them as her trusted family in her heart.

Xiao Jing asked, “How much money did Empire Group pay you for the endorsement?”

Tang Xi gave a sly smile and took a look at Xiao Jing. “Empire Group was all mine. Do you think I needed any endorsement fee?”

“Sister, are you flaunting your wealth at me?” Xiao Jing joked with Tang Xi as they walked out of the yard, following which he opened the car door for Tang Xi.

Tang Xi smiled and winked at Xiao Jing as she said, “Don’t be sad, Brother. I’m poorer than you now.”

Xiao Sa laughed and told her that after the advertisement was shot today, she would be rich again. Tang Xi turned around to get in the car. Xiao Jing served as their driver. Xiao Sa opened the car door and sat on the passenger seat. Xiao Jing was going to start the car when the rear door was opened and he turned around, only to see Qiao Liang. He widened his eyes in astonishment and asked, “When did you come here? No, what are you doing here?”

Tang Xi also looked at Qiao Liang sitting beside him in surprise and exclaimed, “When did you come here?”

Qiao Liang sat down and took a look at Xiao Jing as he gestured for him to drive, following which he gave a nod to Xiao Sa in greeting before turning to Tang Xi and asking, “Didn’t you ask me to accompany you to Hongshi Mountain and watch you shoot the TV commercial?” A gleam of hesitation flickered across his eyes, but it was obvious that he was in a good mood. “Did you forget?”

Being stared by him, Tang Xi shook her head blankly as she replied, “No, I thought you would drive there yourself, and… and it’s not appropriate for you to go with us, right?”

Xiao Jing nodded in agreement as he drove. “Yes!” It’s really inappropriate for you, the president of Qiao’s International Group, a well-known figure in China, to accompany a girl to shoot a TV commercial. Wouldn’t it ruin your cool image if news of this spread out?

Qiao Liang stared at Xiao Jing to make him shut up, before leaning against his seat and rubbing between his eyebrows. He said hoarsely, “I worked overtime until 3:30 last night, and then I lost sleep. I’m too sleepy to drive.”

Xiao Jing stared at him with wide-open eyes and complained in his heart. Gu Yun would have been willing to drive for you! All your men would have been willing to drive for you! Was it necessary for you to come here so early in the morning to share a car with us? You could have gotten up late and asked them to send you there! Or, if you woke up at 10 o’clock, you could have been sent over with your private helicopter!

However, Tang Xi didn’t think this way. She immediately felt worry upon hearing Qiao Liang mention that he was suffering from insomnia, so she looked at him with a frown and asked in a low voice, “Have you had breakfast? You don’t have to accompany me. Go back to sleep.”

Xiao Jing and Xiao Sa nodded hard at her words. The latter said, “Yes, Qiao Liang, you didn’t sleep well last night. You don’t have to go with us. We’ll protect Rourou. You don’t need to worry about her.”

Listening to Tang Xi’s words of concern, Qiao Liang ignored the implication in Xiao Sa’s words. He rubbed Tang Xi’s hair lovingly and said flatly, “I can’t sleep in bed, so I may as well come and see you shoot the TV commercial.”

Tang Xi knew that Qiao Liang was still unable to forget about her death. Once he closed his eyes, he would either see the scene of her death, or of her body parts being taken out of the water. Only time and her company could heal him.

With this in mind, Tang Xi grabbed his hand and whispered, “Lean on my shoulder and have a good sleep.”

Xiao Sa and Xiao Jing looked so sad. Sister! How could you be deceived by him so easily? He just wanted your sympathy! Can’t you realize it? The two brothers exchanged bitter looks but dared not say anything and could only burn with jealousy…

Qiao Liang smiled but didn’t lean on Tang Xi’s shoulder to sleep. He instead asked softly, “Have you brought any food with you since you didn’t have breakfast this morning?”

Tang Xi frowned and began to fumble in her bag, after which she took out two loaves of bread and a carton of milk that she had intended to eat on the road and handed them to him, saying, “Your stomach isn’t good. Why didn’t you eat something before you came here?”

Qiao Liang took over the bread, took a bite of it and took a sip of the milk before looking at her and replying, “I was afraid you had gone.”

Tang Xi blinked and almost burst into tears. Perhaps Xiao Jing and Xiao Sa didn’t understand him, but she did. Gazing at him, her voice was hoarse as she said, “I won’t leave you. Ah Liang, I swear I won’t leave you. Whenever you want to see me, I’ll be there. Do you know?”

Qiao Liang paused as he looked at her and smiled. “I know.”

I didn’t know that you really wouldn’t leave me until I saw you.

The two bachelors sitting in the front felt as if they were shot in the heart by their sugared words. Xiao Jing gritted his teeth and looked at Qiao Liang, saying, “I remember that your insomnia wasn’t that serious. Would you like to see a psychiatrist?”

Qiao Liang slowly turned his gaze to Xiao Jing and asked him a question calmly, though his voice was cold. “Do you think I’m a lunatic?”

Xiao Jing frowned. “You know I don’t mean that. Many psychiatrists can cure insomnia. You can have a try. You can’t sleep well, so maybe…”

Feeling that the air around Qiao Liang was gradually growing heavy, Tang Xi hurriedly interrupted their conversation. “Qiao Liang doesn’t need to see a psychologist. He was just too worried about me to fall asleep. I’ll accompany him for a while this afternoon and help him have a good sleep.”

“What?!” Xiao Sa shouted. “You’re going to accompany Qiao Liang to sleep?”

Qiao Liang slowly ate his bread without batting an eyelid and looked up at Xiao Sa, asking, “Is there any problem with that?”

“Of course there is!” Xiao Sa growled. “You eat my sister’s bread and even ask her to sleep with you? Have you got my permission to do so?”

Tang Xi was speechless. “Sa…” In fact, he has gotten my permission…