Most of the items are still inside the Flower God Ring, and the suitcase was only brought out to make the scene look better.
"Okay, let's go then." Zhang Mou scanned the area and walked towards the door again. She seemed a bit impatient, which Qin Xiangyi found quite strange.
"Sister Shuxuan, do you think Auntie is angry?"
"She probably isn't. From what I understand, she likely feels too much time has been wasted. I can't accompany you for the rest of the journey. You need to work hard once you get there, and keep in touch with me if anything comes up." Jing Shuxuan and Qin Xiangyi walked behind, each carrying a suitcase. Jing Shuxuan seemed more reluctant. Qin Xiangyi nodded, feeling a bit melancholic about the farewell.
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Chapter 122 [23] Sitting with a Beauty
The time was too short. If she had a few more days, she might have even been able to win over Jing Shuxuan. Qin Xiangyi thought helplessly, maintaining her usual pace. But when she looked back, she noticed Jing Shuxuan had fallen behind. She was walking very slowly, as if by walking slowly, Qin Xiangyi wouldn't have to walk at all.
They had now reached the underground parking lot. Even if they didn't walk, Zhang Mou's car would drive over later.
"Sister Shuxuan, this isn't a permanent farewell." Qin Xiangyi walked back, unsure how to express her complex feelings of helplessness. However, she didn't share the deep emotional bond with Jing Shuxuan and found it hard to understand the reluctance Jing Shuxuan was expressing.
The world is vast, and naturally, there are no eternal banquets. Even if Qin Xiangyi left now, the distance between Heaven City and Ocean City wasn't very far. As long as they wanted to see each other, Jing Shuxuan could even visit on weekends.
"I know... I just remembered my parents..."
Jing Shuxuan's face was a little pale. The current scene of parting reminded her of her parents' car accident. Qin Xiangyi suddenly understood. She also squatted down and said in a softer tone, "Sister Shuxuan, that was an accident no one wanted. And this accident won't happen again. I'll call you as soon as I get to Heaven City, okay?"
Qin Xiangyi felt like she was coaxing a child, but considering her own age, she was indeed a few years older than Jing Shuxuan. Jing Shuxuan's expression finally softened, and she stood up again.
"Yes, you're right... Let's go, we'll go to Auntie." Qin Xiangyi watched Jing Shuxuan take a deep breath, her eyes regaining their clarity. Qin Xiangyi continued to follow, while mentally adding a message to the other Flower People.
Qin Xiangyi: It takes two hours to get to Heaven City. If there's no major issue, don't come out during this time.
The Flower People nodded one after another. The memory sharing also made Oleander aware that Xia Shang was extremely perceptive. Even if the Flower People could turn invisible, Xia Shang would still notice their unusual presence.
Hua Nu: Then call us if Flower Master needs anything. I was planning to go into seclusion for a while anyway, as I've had some insights recently.
Shaoyao: I also want to see the changes after my evolution.
Finally, Oleander said: I also want to try and figure out how to strike without killing someone.
Naturally, Huangquan said nothing, and Qin Xiangyi habitually didn't ask. She just watched the car drive away. The butler, Little Grass, was driving. Zhang Mou sat in the passenger seat, followed by Xia Shang in the back.
"Miss, please put the suitcase in the trunk," the butler Little Grass said politely. Although he wanted to get out and help Qin Xiangyi directly, with Zhang Mou present, it wasn't appropriate for him to act too familiar.
Qin Xiangyi hummed in response and watched as the trunk opened. She and Jing Shuxuan put their belongings in. Qin Xiangyi then sat in the back seat, next to Xia Shang.
If the deceased Qin Xiangyi could see this dreamlike scene, would she happily crawl up from the underworld? But Qin Xiangyi's heart was still filled with anxiety.
Xia Shang gave a polite smile, but she seemed like the type who didn't talk much in the car. This was good for Qin Xiangyi too. No matter the world, talking less and doing more was clearly the best survival rule.
Seeing Jing Shuxuan still standing there, Zhang Mou thought Jing Shuxuan was reluctant to part with her and reminded her, "Little Xuan, you should go back... I'll come back after I've settled Xiangyi there."
"Okay, Auntie." Jing Shuxuan still secretly looked at Qin Xiangyi and waved goodbye.
The butler Little Grass started the car. Qin Xiangyi rolled down her window and waved goodbye to Jing Shuxuan. The car began to move, and Jing Shuxuan's figure grew smaller and smaller. She kept watching, seemingly still worried.
Worried that the same scene would happen again, worried that she would lose the most important person in her life once more.
The car soon drove out of the parking lot. Qin Xiangyi could no longer see the people behind her, so she rolled up the window and felt the cold air inside.
For ordinary people, this was a comfortable temperature in summer, but Qin Xiangyi noticed that Xia Shang seemed a bit uncomfortable with the low temperature. However, out of politeness, she didn't say anything and silently adjusted the air vent in the back seat to point elsewhere.
But that action didn't reduce the cold much, especially for someone sensitive to the cold. The air-conditioned room was simply torture.
Qin Xiangyi looked down at the sun-protection jacket she was wearing. She thought for a moment, then took it off and tentatively asked, "Professor Xia, would you like to wear it? The sun is quite strong over there."
Qin Xiangyi didn't directly ask Xia Shang if she was cold; instead, she pointed at the sun and inquired about sun protection. Xia Shang looked at the clothes in her hands, thought for a moment, and accepted, nodding. "Thank you."
Xia Shang seemed to find being tanned more unacceptable than being cold. She actually put on Qin Xiangyi's jacket and instinctively moved a little closer to Qin Xiangyi.
Perhaps it was the jacket that brought them closer, or perhaps it was simply to block the sun.
"Professor Xia, why don't we switch seats? It doesn't matter if I get tanned," Qin Xiangyi continued to express her warmth. Xia Shang looked at her white top and skirt, then at Qin Xiangyi's all-black attire, which made her look like a crow in the darkness. She then shook her head. "Black absorbs heat, and heatstroke wouldn't be good. Let's leave it like this."
Compared to the hostility she showed when she was Hua Linglong, Xia Shang was much gentler towards Qin Xiangyi, maintaining her usual elegance and amiability. A simple faint smile gave the illusion of being in a spring breeze.
The butler Little Grass drove attentively, while Zhang Mou focused on her phone. Qin Xiangyi could even hear the phone vibrating, knowing that Zhang Mou must be sending messages to Hua Linglong. But with Xia Shang sitting next to her, she didn't dare to flirt with Zhang Mou in this environment.
However, Qin Xiangyi was also very bored. Thinking that she had books from the Qin family in her backpack, she opened it and took one out. The book was wrapped in a cover, and its contents were somewhat dated. But judging by how it had been read, it was the previous Qin Xiangyi's favorite.
Now, Qin Xiangyi, bored in the car, began to search for answers within it.
The title of the book was [Criminal Psychology Profiling]. The publication date was even older than Qin Xiangyi's age. It contained professional knowledge.
How to deduce a person's personality and methods from their criminal footprints, how to infer a criminal's height and age from their methods, and how to analyze criminals.
Qin Xiangyi read very quickly. With just a glance at each page, her mind automatically built an information database, memorizing everything as if scanning an image. She flipped through the pages, and in a short while, she finished the book and took out a second one.
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Chapter 123 [24] Allow Me to Show Off
Xia Shang also seemed bored. She found Qin Xiangyi's book very interesting and said, "Can I borrow that book to read?"
Qin Xiangyi readily agreed, lending the book she had just read to Xia Shang, and then began to recite the second book.
Xia Shang intended to read the book directly but noticed Qin Xiangyi's peculiar way of flipping pages and couldn't help but remind her, "Books aren't meant to be read like that."
"I've already memorized the book. I was just flipping through it to consolidate the content," Qin Xiangyi explained. As she spoke, she lowered her head and continued to read the second book.
Xia Shang was a bit bewildered. Even she couldn't achieve the feat of eidetic memory. After some thought, she opened the book she was given and randomly selected a question to ask Qin Xiangyi.
Xiangyi's memories appeared in Qin Xiangyi's mind, not only with detailed content but also with the ability to filter and organize useful information for Qin Xiangyi to choose and memorize. It was as if Qin Xiangyi's brain had become a supercomputer.
After answering a few more questions, Xia Shang began to believe everything Qin Xiangyi said, and joy reappeared in her eyes.
"Xiangyi, have you decided what major you want to study in college?" Xia Shang even proactively inquired about Qin Xiangyi's future development, seemingly intending to build more connections with her.
"Naturally, it's criminal psychology, but my score is a bit low, and the university's admission score is very high," Qin Xiangyi subtly revealed her choice. Given Qin Xiangyi's fondness for Xia Shang, she definitely wanted to pursue a career similar to Xia Shang's.
"Oh, but with your eidetic memory, exams should be a breeze," Xia Shang became more interested and added, "But it's strange. Your grades weren't outstanding before, and you were generally introverted and rarely spoke. Why have so many changes occurred after your awakening?"
Xia Shang's gaze, like that of a researcher examining a specimen, made Qin Xiangyi realize that she had indeed gained Xia Shang's favor, but Xia Shang merely wanted to study her.
At Qin Xiangyi's age, awakeners were extremely rare, which was likely the reason for Xia Shang's strong interest in her. In fact, she was in this car precisely to investigate Qin Xiangyi, wanting to know if there was anything special about Qin Xiangyi awakening so late.
"I don't know. I just feel like these things suddenly became very simple, and my entire brain is operating at a very high speed. For example, when I recited Professor Xia's thesis title earlier, I had just happened to read it once in the library," Qin Xiangyi naturally continued the conversation, trying to keep Xia Shang curious about her.
Xia Shang showed more interest and looked at the Chosen One's mark on Qin Xiangyi's arm, continuing, "In that case, you should be a Chosen One of the Mental System, just like me."
Xia Shang offered an answer. Since Qin Xiangyi's memory had improved, her abilities should also be related to the mind.
"If that's the case, it would explain why Prince Qin became a vegetable and had no injuries other than a small hole," Xia Shang continued to speculate, thinking that Prince Qin was originally fine, but Qin Xiangyi had transmitted something through her thoughts, causing Prince Qin to become a living dead person.
"Is that so? That's wonderful, just like Professor Xia," Qin Xiangyi ignored the topic of Prince Qin and showed a joyful expression. Xia Shang smiled faintly but showed no intention of continuing the conversation. She flipped through the book in her hands, and the atmosphere returned to calm.
Qin Xiangyi didn't want to disturb her either. The two of them were in this space, quietly doing their own things...
Time passed quickly. When Qin Xiangyi heard a roar and looked up, she found that the surrounding scenery had changed. Heaven City was originally the site of an ancient imperial city, and many historical relics remained. The city's style was strongly Chinese, and one could even see women in qipaos walking around.
As soon as they entered the city, they registered over there and stored the car in the garage. Several rickshaw drivers were shouting, beckoning them to ride their vehicles. Qin Xiangyi looked around curiously but saw hovercars floating on the tracks above. Modernity clashed with antiquity.
It was a pity they didn't have a hovercar and couldn't experience traveling in the air. According to the butler Little Grass, only Heaven City's technology was far more advanced than anywhere else.
The three of them waited for a while. The butler Little Grass returned after parking the car. He took the two pieces of luggage from Qin Xiangyi's hands and asked about their next destination.
Zhang Mou thought for a moment and said, "Professor Xia, you've helped me so much. I must treat you to a meal. But I'm not familiar with Heaven City, so why don't you pick a place?"
Even though Qin Xiangyi was the main focus now, Xia Shang's presence seemed more important. Zhang Mou also thought of Xia Shang's attitude towards Qin Xiangyi just now, so she deliberately created an opportunity for interaction.
"If you're going to eat, I recommend Huayuan. It's economical and affordable, and most importantly, safe," Xia Shang suggested a name, but the latter part of her sentence was very subtle.
"Safe? Is the public security in Heaven City still that bad?" Zhang Mou's expression turned a little grim. As an ordinary person, it was difficult to adapt to the environment of the Chosen Ones.
"It's much better now, but there are still many dangerous places," Xia Shang continued to explain. She then took out a business card from her pocket and handed it to Qin Xiangyi, saying, "If you encounter any unsolvable problems, you can call me."
After saying this, she handed another business card to Zhang Mou and continued apologetically, "Although I'd love to chat with you both further, I just received a notification that I have to leave for something."
Zhang Mou showed a look of regret but didn't insist. She watched Xia Shang walk away. Qin Xiangyi also accepted the business card, believing that she would eventually have the ability to unlock Xia Shang's protagonist route. As for now, she clearly had no way to deal with Xia Shang.
Qin Xiangyi looked at Xia Shang's retreating figure a few more times. Zhang Mou brought the conversation back, "In that case, we'll go to the reserved hotel first. As for lunch, we'll eat nearby for now."
With the guest Xia Shang gone, Zhang Mou became more casual. Qin Xiangyi nodded indifferently, and the three of them quickly left in a rickshaw.
In the city, no cars could be seen on the ground. The streets were cleaned by robots. Because there were no cars, pedestrians were very casual on the road. There were shops everywhere, with various warning signs posted.
[Be aware of monster appearances at all times]
[Cherish life, private fighting is prohibited.]
It was also very common to see Chosen Ones. Everyone wore something like a bracelet, and some even flew in mid-air.
As far as Qin Xiangyi could see, a flying Chosen One directly collided with a hovercar.
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Chapter 124: [25th Chapter] Humble Companionship
The hovercar remained motionless, but the person fell down, coincidentally crashing onto a house. The shop owner roared, and the Chosen One, looking very embarrassed, raised his bracelet and scanned the code with the shop owner.
"Hmph, seeing your good attitude, I'll charge you less this time! I really don't understand you people. There are cars in the sky, so why do you still like flying so much!" the shop owner grumbled, seemingly accustomed to flying people.
The Chosen One said proudly, "Because flying is a man's romance! But I don't understand why there are only hovercars."
The shop owner showed a look of disdain but still explained, "You wouldn't know this, but too many people like you fall. And there are few flying monsters. To avoid casualties, hovercars are necessary. They can prevent you people who like to jump on the ground and roam the sky, and also reduce casualties. Sigh, I don't know when my bulletproof glass application will be approved. This is the third time this week!"
The shop owner cursed, feeling both headaches and speechless. When he seemed about to say something more, he looked back and saw that the Chosen One had already flown away. The shop owner gritted his teeth even more and shouted, "Number 9241, is it! Just you wait, I'll report you to the fullest!"
Qin Xiangyi, who had witnessed the entire scene, was even more bewildered. Zhang Mou's voice came over.
"What are you still standing there for? Come in." Qin Xiangyi looked and realized that besides herself, both of them had already entered the hotel. Qin Xiangyi followed them in. The Flower People ran out of the Flower God Ring and stared at everything in the hotel, curious like country bumpkins entering a village.
"Hello, how may I help you?"
"We have booked two rooms here. Our identification code is..."
Zhang Mou began the check-in process. Qin Xiangyi, who had been spacing out, suddenly turned around and looked at Zhang Mou when she heard that there were two rooms, very worried that things would develop in a strange direction again.
Hua Nu: Flower Master, Zhang Mou must know that you are Hua Linglong and wants to do with you what hasn't been done.
Qin Xiangyi: Stop joking, she couldn't possibly know!
Qin Xiangyi's reply was firm. The Hua Nu, unable to deceive Qin Xiangyi, seemed bored and began observing the surrounding furnishings.
Hua Nu: This hotel is a bit like the inns we used to stay in back in our time, but the things inside are much more advanced.
Shaoyao: Much more advanced is an understatement. Look at this place; it must have cost a lot of money, right? Flower Master, are you perhaps from a wealthy family? Even as an assassin, I wouldn't dare to go to such an inn.
The Flower People began to look around as if on a tour, seemingly interested in everything. Qin Xiangyi smiled helplessly, pretending not to hear, and continued to follow the two of them. They soon reached the room where she would be staying with Zhang Mou for the night.
When she opened the door, Qin Xiangyi was a little stunned. She saw one large bed, not two separate small beds.
Xiangyi was astonished. Zhang Mou's expression was also a bit subtle, but she still explained, "The double room has a discount."
"Mm."
This explanation made Xiangyi feel that it was just like a wrestling novel; no matter what happened, it would develop in an ambiguous direction. Fortunately, she was Xiangyi now, not Hua Linglong, so none of that could happen.
Xiangyi breathed a sigh of relief and put down her luggage. Zhang Mou also set down her small suitcase, then sat on the sofa and took out a pair of high heels from her suitcase to change into.
Xiangyi was a bit confused. Following this logic, she should have changed into comfortable flat shoes now, but Zhang Mou did the opposite, as if she needed her beautiful legs to stun the crowd with those shoes later.
"Mm, is something wrong?" Xiangyi's gaze lingered for a bit too long, and Zhang Mou spoke again.
Xiangyi shook her head and said, "No, I'm just very surprised. Auntie, why are you changing into high heels?"
Zhang Mou glared slightly, as if she thought Xiangyi was looking for trouble, but she still said grumpily, "We're going out to eat later, of course I have to dress up nicely."
Xiangyi asked with confusion, "But didn't you say we'd look for my place after dinner? Wouldn't that be inappropriate like this?"
Zhang Mou froze. She wanted to retort a few words, but after thinking about it, she put on her flat shoes again. This time, she even exaggeratedly changed into a new outfit, looking like a beautiful, stylish woman under thirty. Compared to Zhang Mou, Xiangyi, wearing glasses, seemed like an ugly duckling, feeling increasingly inferior the more she looked.
At this moment, Little Grass, the butler who hadn't appeared until now, finally came to knock on the door.
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