Home Visit

Mo Xie walked out of the office and down the corridor alone.

His face was cold. He was in a foul mood.

What angered him was Tang Yue's extreme approach—she had accused him without a shred of proof.

He understood that, as an adjudicator, Tang Yue was especially sensitive to the Black Vatican.

But she had confronted him without gathering a single piece of evidence, demanding to know whether he was a member of the Black Vatican. He couldn't understand it.

If he really had been a member, and had possessed a way to kill her in one strike, wouldn't she have lost her life?

He shook his head to himself. For an adjudicator, she was far too reckless.

For the first time, Mo Xie also felt a sorrow for this world.

In this world of magic, people with exceptional talent could be suspected of practicing strange arts or branded Heretics.

Calamity Victims among mages were especially likely to be taken away first.

They were called Calamity Victims because their magic was difficult to control, and every loss of control brought disaster.

As for those in power, they claimed to be maintaining social order and protecting people's safety.

But to put it bluntly... Hmph! They had simply grown too comfortable with their privilege to tolerate any power that might threaten their position!

Throughout history, who knew how many exceptionally gifted mages had been buried beneath the weight of power?

Mo Xie sighed, reined in his emotions, and entered his classroom.

The moment he sat down, Mo Fan turned to look at him curiously.

"Bro, what did the new beautiful teacher want with you? Maybe you're in for a little romance!"

Mo Xie had no desire to deal with his foolish younger brother. Resting his chin on his hand, he gazed out the window as usual.

When Mo Xie said nothing, Mo Fan heaved a dramatic sigh and went on talking.

"Ah, that beautiful teacher must have fallen for your handsome face. When will some beauty recognize the gem right in front of her and discover my fascinating soul?"

Mo Fan turned and winked at Zhou Min with a grin.

Mo Xie turned back. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he fixed Mo Fan with an unfriendly stare.

"I'm not in a good mood. Say one more word and I'll smack you. Got it?"

Mo Fan swallowed. A bead of cold sweat ran down his forehead.

He didn't dare say another word and stiffly turned back around.

There it was—the legendary power of an older brother!

After school that evening, Mo Xie rode his bicycle to Chenxi as usual.

It was "as usual" because he had been going to Chenxi every evening lately.

One project was particularly important to Chenxi's expansion, and Mo Xie had to keep a close eye on it.

He took the elevator to his office, where Jiang Ya and Lin Jiayu sat on the sofa working.

Several stacks of documents covered the low table. Clearly, they had been at it for a while.

"Sorry I'm late."

Mo Xie sat down at his desk and took the documents handed to him.

Chenxi's goal for the year was to establish subsidiaries in major cities and get them firmly on their feet.

Chenxi already had a presence in four cities: Imperial Capital, Magic City, Demon Capital, and Hangzhou.

They had established a stable foothold without too many setbacks, but going further would take sustained effort.

Mo Xie planned to build a solid foundation in those four cities, then expand into the surrounding areas. With Imperial Capital, Magic City, Demon Capital, and Hangzhou as its hubs, Chenxi would eventually become a company with a nationwide reach.

Jiang Ya picked up a document, rose, and walked over on long legs clad in black stockings to report their progress.

"Some of Chenxi's core staff have already been sent to the branches. Before long, we should be able to start hiring more employees... The Hangzhou branch is a little behind the other three, but it's catching up. It's nothing serious..."

Mo Xie closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, listening quietly.

Behind him, Lin Jiayu gently cradled his head against her chest and skillfully massaged his temples.

"With help from our biggest ally, the Zhao Group, Magic City has developed the fastest. But the other two..."

Jiang Ya hesitated, unsure whether to continue.

"What is it?"

Mo Xie opened his eyes and looked at her in confusion.

After a moment's hesitation, Jiang Ya explained.

"For some reason, two major powers suddenly stepped in to help us in Imperial Capital and Demon Capital: the Zu Clan and the Qin Clan, respectively."

The Zu Clan in Imperial Capital and the Qin Clan in Demon Capital?!

Mo Xie sat up straight, his pupils widening slightly. The news had clearly stunned him.

He couldn't understand why the Zu Clan and the Qin Clan would help Chenxi. What reason did they have?

As for the Zu Clan, plenty of possibilities flashed through Mo Xie's mind. But he had never told his master that Chenxi was his company.

The likeliest explanation he could think of was that the Zu Clan had used its own channels to discover Chenxi's owner was Mo Xie.

Was this how frightening a clan could be...? Mo Xie felt powerless. Then another question occurred to him.

Why had the Qin Clan of Demon Capital, which had no connection to Chenxi whatsoever, stepped in to help?

He turned it over and over in his mind, but couldn't find an answer, so he let it go.

"If the Zu Clan and the Qin Clan are willing to help, we'll accept it. The branches have only just found their footing. We can repay the favor later."

"Understood."

Jiang Ya nodded and turned to the next page.

Mo Xie leaned back against the soft cushion again... Hm. When did I get so used to this?

After finishing work, he rode his bicycle home. A red sedan was parked outside.

A visitor?

Mo Xie parked his bicycle and opened the front door.

A pair of elegant black high heels stood in the entryway.

He looked up to find Tang Yue sitting on the sofa, smiling at him.

Her bright eyes glistened above vivid red lips. She was tall, with a curvaceous figure, and even Ye Xinxia, seated across from her, couldn't match her ample bust.

She wore the same outfit as she had during the day. Her long legs, sheathed in black stockings, were crossed. Slippers covered her bare feet, though one dangled from her raised foot, swinging lightly enough to make his heart skip a beat.

Ye Xinxia sat opposite her, watching her with open hostility.

Tang Yue wasn't afraid of a young girl. She smiled back easily and took another sip of tea.

Seated nearby, Mo Fan felt the tension between them and could barely stand it.

The moment he saw Mo Xie, he scrambled upstairs as though help had finally arrived.

"Bro, it's all yours now!"

"How useless..."

Ye Xinxia muttered under her breath as Mo Fan fled.

Mo Xie loosened his tie and asked Tang Yue to wait while he went upstairs to change.

Tang Yue paused when she noticed his formal clothes, then watched him leave with a thoughtful look.

"Done looking?"

Tang Yue drew her gaze back and merely smiled at Ye Xinxia's question.

Damn it. Where did this temptress come from? Was she here to charm Brother Mo Xie?

Ye Xinxia couldn't help clenching her fists. She felt as though she were facing a formidable rival.

After all, the woman before her looked exactly like Mo Xie's ideal type back then!

Mo Xie came downstairs in casual clothes and sat beside Ye Xinxia, facing Tang Yue.

"Teacher Tang Yue, may I ask what brings you to our home?"

"I'm here for a home visit."

"A home visit?"

"Yes. More precisely, I'm visiting those of you who awakened early."

Smiling, Tang Yue tucked a fallen strand of hair behind her ear. Even that small gesture was captivating.

"Early awakening carries certain risks. As your teacher, I need to check on you. I'm going to ask you a few questions, and I hope you'll answer honestly."

Tang Yue asked several basic questions about cultivation, and they did concern the potential risks.

She had come with a smile, so Mo Xie answered honestly. They got along well, with none of the hostility they had shown at school.

Ye Xinxia watched them talk and laugh, unable to get a word in. She gritted her teeth, and the hostility in her eyes deepened.