The Number

The old butler at the door watched as Miss Wei Wei, whom he had seen grow up, went from surprise to anger to disappointment and then to feigned composure in a matter of seconds, as if she had seen a ghost.

Fortunately, he was an old hand. After ushering the maids out of the room, he merely muttered to himself:

"Young ladies always have to grow up!"

This sentence was actually specifically for Ronan, who was brushing past him.

However, although Ronan had sharp ears and eyes, he couldn't understand the hidden meaning of this sentence. He just looked at the old butler strangely, as if to say: Only girls grow up, don't boys?

Seeing that confused look, the old butler almost spat out a mouthful of old blood.

Unfortunately, he didn't have a chance to say anything to Ronan, because the latter had already walked in on his own.

The old butler sighed sadly and slowly closed the door.

This Young Master Ronan is also quite something!

Unlike Ronan, Wei Wei had a high fever after fainting that night and it persisted.

She was originally just a very ordinary girl, with a weak constitution. After being caught in a heavy rain and suffering a huge fright, it was inevitable that she would get sick. So she lay in bed for a full three days, and only today did she feel somewhat better.

"You look well." Wei Wei's gaze was a little strange. "I thought you were dead."

Ronan scratched his head: "I was very lucky, and I'm also very smart, right? When the mountain collapsed, I quickly hid behind a large rock. Although I couldn't completely avoid it, at least I wasn't completely buried."

Wei Wei nodded, a flicker of spirit in her eyes:

"It's good that you're okay. When I briefly woke up yesterday, Uncle Chi Feng told me about their experience rescuing you."

"They said, if it had been one minute later, you would have been dead."

Ronan put on a look of someone who had survived a disaster: "It seems my luck is indeed good!"

Wei Wei was noncommittal: "I didn't know you could drive before."

Ronan's heart tightened.

This girl is indeed not as simple as she appears on the surface? This sentence was actually subtly questioning Ronan's background.

At that moment, Ronan tilted his head innocently: "I drove a harvester on the farm, and it felt pretty similar."

Comparing a rough harvester to the Expeller, which was practically a work of art, was unique not just in the Emerald Star Region, but definitely in the Bo Ning District.

Hearing such a clumsy excuse, Wei Wei just smiled faintly and didn't say anything more.

The two of them just stayed quietly in the room like that.

Gradually, only the breathing of the two young people remained in the room—and their heartbeats.

Ronan was getting awkward.

He was just about to say, Why don't you sleep a little longer and I won't bother you, when who knew, at this moment, the girl suddenly asked:

"That night... were you really willing to leave me alone in the Dense Forest?"

Her eyes were very complex.

She couldn't be sure of Ronan's background. Even her closest father only told her that Ronan was very reliable, and as for the specific details, he was vague.

In Wei Wei's opinion, Ronan was very likely a secret weapon prepared by Yi Lin Manor for the Li Family—at the same time, he was also a death warrior. For example, to protect her, he could take that path of certain death.

If he was a death warrior, then Wei Wei would be a little nicer to him.

If he wasn't a death warrior, not forced by orders or a contract, but willingly went to his death for her... the girl's heart suddenly beat faster!

Ronan saw an inexplicable blush appear on Wei Wei's cheeks and couldn't help but be stunned: she actually still cared that he had left her alone in the Dense Forest.

There was nothing he could do about it, was there? Should he have taken her into the valley? He was protecting her, wasn't he?

These noble girls are too unreasonable, they have to haggle over such things with him?

Obviously, after arriving in this world, although Ronan had made great progress in dealing with emotional issues, he was still a long way from being a normal person...

So he bit the bullet and replied: "It has nothing to do with being willing, right? There was nothing else I could do."

The light in Wei Wei's eyes suddenly disappeared.

A bitter taste filled her mouth: As expected, he's a death warrior?

Yes, dying for me is also something that can't be helped.

He should be part of Father's plan to deal with the Li Family. If he's really a death warrior, Father probably wouldn't let him marry me. Everything is just a cover-up. My previous unreasonable behavior was truly unnecessary.

Thinking of this, Wei Wei suddenly felt sleepy and tired again.

She said to Ronan very wearily: "Thank you."

"I'm very tired and want to rest."

Ronan was greatly surprised when he heard the words "thank you", and then heard the standard dismissal, so he felt as if he had been granted a great pardon, nodded in greeting, and quickly left Wei Wei's room.

His swift movements were intended to let Wei Wei rest earlier, but in the latter's eyes, it was ironclad proof that Ronan didn't want to stay with her.

The rare warmth and emotion that had ignited in the girl's heart slowly extinguished.

And the person involved was completely unaware.

It was already afternoon when Ronan left Wei Wei's room. Since he was already deep within the manor, he might as well go see the Earl's study. His current status was quite free; he could move around the manor as he pleased.

The reason he wanted to find Earl Will was to find out when the restrictions on him would be lifted, and also about his future arrangements.

However, he hadn't gone far when he saw a beautiful woman walking towards him, led by the Old Butler.

"Miss Christine."

Ronan still understood basic courtesy.

A hint of surprise flashed in Christine's eyes, but she also responded to Ronan gracefully. As the Governor's daughter, she knew more about the assassination attempt a few days ago than most people.

She was well aware of what this boy in front of her had gone through, so she was surprised by his resilience.

Anyone who had experienced such a terrifying event would surely be psychologically affected, right? But this Ronan, how could he look completely fine?

What a guy with a big heart.

Christine recalled the confrontation between Ronan and Xiang Feihu at the banquet that night, and a smile couldn't help but curl up at the corner of her mouth.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two said goodbye to each other. Christine was in a hurry, clearly having heard that Wei Wei had woken up and was coming to visit her best friend.

Ronan, on the other hand, took a small path and walked towards the Earl's study.

Inside the cozy room, the low, pleasant whispers of two beautiful young girls could be heard from time to time.

"Thank you, Christine," Wei Wei said softly. "Coming to see me at a time like this, your father must be in a difficult position."

Christine smiled sweetly, "The battles between families, that's their men's business; why should we women bother with it? What's more, my father is just the Governor, he doesn't have much power. The secret struggle between the Li Family and your Yi Lin Manor, as long as it doesn't become public, my father can just turn a blind eye, and it has even less to do with me!"

"I'm just here to visit my good best friend!"

Wei Wei's eyes were slightly red, "What about Xiaoman and the others?"

Christine shook her head, "After the assassination attempt last time, the entire Bo Ning District was under martial law. Before the truth comes out, those families have placed them under house arrest. Xiaoman originally wanted to secretly disguise herself and escape with me, but unfortunately, she was caught by her father and directly locked back up."

Thinking of the usually clumsy Wang Xiaoman attempting to disguise herself just to visit her, Wei Wei found it amusing, but also couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

Indeed, at critical moments, it's these good sisters who are reliable.

Unlike that guy, who looked unhappy the moment he saw me, and left looking like he was fleeing in panic. Am I really that annoying?

Thinking of this, Wei Wei felt even more angry.

She said to Christine with some shyness, "Do I look bad?"

Christine's eyes widened, revealing an expression of disbelief:

"It seems this incident has dealt you quite a blow, you've even lost your normal confidence."

"The noble young men in the Bo Ning District who are pursuing you could line up from the upper three floors to the lower three floors!"

"It's just that you've always looked down on them. You haven't even forgotten this, have you?"

Wei Wei's little face turned red. She didn't say anything more.

Christine was perceptive and seemed to sense something. She suddenly smiled and said:

"When I just arrived, I ran into Ronan."

Wei Wei frowned, "What did you talk about?"

Christine smiled, "Just normal pleasantries. He seems to have recovered much faster than you, like nothing happened."

"Oh, speaking of Ronan, there's something I need to ask you for help with."

Wei Wei asked curiously, "What is it?"

Christine smiled slightly, "Can you tell me Ronan's phone number? I'm too embarrassed to ask him directly."

Wei Wei's face stiffened.