The young soldier coldly shook off Annieās hand, dusting off his sleeve with a look of disgust.
"Iām just a woman. What threat could I possibly be to your family? Iām not leaving, Iām not! Canāt you just let me stay here at the Song Family Pavilion?"
"Iām completely helpless, I..."
Just then, Ji Taixian drove the van a short distance forward, pulling up beside the sedan.
He glanced up and happened to see Annie still standing there, causing a fuss.
Annoyed, Ji Taixian immediately shoved the door open and grumbled, "Hey, what are you dawdling for? Youāre more trouble than anyone. Get in the car!"
His gaze suddenly paused beside Xie Ning.
A baby-faced young man bounced out from behind his big brother, pointing at Ji Taixian in utter surprise. "Xiao Xian? What are you doing here?"
"Bro??" Ji Taixian froze for a moment, then immediately turned and yelled to Wang Zongxuan in the car behind them, "Old Wang! Old Wang, get out here! Bro is here, Bro!"
Without waiting for Wang Zongxuan to get out, he dashed to Gu Chenās side and lunged at him like a long-lost brother he hadnāt seen in five hundred years.
Xie Ning watched as Mr. Gu rolled his eyes, then swiftly sidestepped to avoid Ji Taixianās bear hug.
The young woman lowered her head and scrolled through the videos on her phone. With a couple of sharp taps, she silently played one and held the phone horizontally in front of Gu Chen and the baby-faced man.
"Earlier, these two brothers of yours trespassed on private property, attempting to murder, rob, and pillage..."
"No, no, donāt! Sis, Sis!!" Ji Taixianās face went pale with fright. He lunged forward to snatch the phone from Xie Ningās hand.
"Get back!" Gu Chen snapped, his face grim.
The baby-faced Zhai Ruobai immediately doubled over with laughter. "Well, well, Xiao Xian, youāve really made something of yourself! Learned how to get rich by robbing and pillaging, have we?"
"No, no." Ji Taixian was on the verge of tears. He turned, wishing he could just kneel before his big brother. "Bro, I swear, Old Wang and I were set up! We didnāt mean to climb over the wall at first, I..."
Xie Ning silently played the video of him dangling from the wall, followed by the footage of Wang Zongxuan firing an air gun.
Ji Taixian and Wang Zongxuan were utterly crushed.
āWho would have thought this sly girl had another trick up her sleeve, silently saving screenshots from the surveillance footage?ā
āWith pictures, thereās proof. Whatās the point of arguing?ā
āWe already know we were wrong, and weāre already undergoing labor reform, so why canāt she just let it go? Waaah...ā
"Holy crap!" Zhai Ruobai immediately rushed forward, shaking his fist. "Bro, let me help you clean house!"
"Fengzi! Fengzi, get over here! Drag these two idiots away and beat them up! Broās orders." Zhai Ruobaiās baby face was flushed with excitement.
Gu Chenās head throbbed. He reached up and pressed his temple. "My apologies."
āThese pups are too much!ā
Xie Ning put her phone away and smiled at him. "Iām going to take Ji Taixian and Wang Zongxuan out for some labor reform now. You donāt have any objections, do you?"
Gu Chen smiled and extended a hand. "Then Iāll have to trouble you. Train them well. It will even increase their chances of survival. This is a rare opportunity."
Xie Ning instantly felt that the man before her, whose charming eyes curved into crescents when he smiled, was a truly reasonable and good person.
She also extended her hand and shook his lightly.
"Iām Xie Ning."
"Itās a pleasure to meet you." Gu Chenās eyes lit up slightly as he smiled at her.
Many years later, when Gu Chen looked back on this day, he would be incredibly thankful that he had planned the retreat route to the Song Family Pavilion.
It was a beautiful, sunny morning.
Aside from the bloody pile of zombie corpses on the ground, everything seemed absolutely perfect.