Sheng Shuihe was in the study, with only Gongsun Xi there at his service. But as before, he wore the mask called “Crow Slaughter” to cover his face as he did on the sea. The black apparel and the black cloak before were replaced by a white gown with a round collar, in the pattern of the pine, and a white cloak weaved out of white crane's feathers.

It was already summer. Even though it was cool on the island, a vulnerable girl like Sheng Weiqiao, who hadn't recovered from the illness, needed no more than a suit, let alone the wrap. But Sheng Shuihe still dressed so warmly, with a cloak added to the gown. He was literally severely injured.

The chin underneath the mask was unusually pale, which reflected the flawless and jade-like skin of the owner. But it was also a sign of insufficient vitality.

Seeing Gongsun Yingdun lead Sheng Weiqiao in, Gongsun Xi frowned while Sheng Shuihe stopped swinging the writing brush in his hand and put it on the brush rack, crossed his two hands against his chin, smiled and said with interest, “I know that you will come to see me!”

“See you?” Sheng Weiqiao was worried about him before, but hearing Sheng Shuihe's word, she freaked out right away, stared her almond-shaped eyes, and sneered, “I'm just strolling around here. Don't flatter yourself!”

“You're not here for me?” Sheng Shuihe sighed as if he had been disappointed, and then his tone got hilarious, “It's really letting me down! It looks like I'd better finish all the stuff here and go back to Sheng Family as soon as possible to compete for the family property and relatives' affection with you, also to tell grandfather on you every day…. Fear or not?!”

Sheng Weiqiao thought that she was literally crazy!!!

Wasn't it nice to stay in Gongsun Yingjiang's room to recuperate? What did she come to Sheng Shuihe for?!

She had asked for it herself!!!

She murmured to herself, “Gongsun Yingdun and Gongsun Xi are both here. As a legitimate daughter, how could you lose your temper because of a son of a mistress.” It took her quite some time to suppress the impulse to rush over and scratch Sheng Shuihe, and she smirked, “Grandfather was sympathetic with you who has wandered outside for many years and just went back, so he gave you some extra care! When it comes to the true love between the grandfather and grandchildren, as an outsider, how can you compete with me, a granddaughter raised by grandfather himself? You repeat that you'll tell grandfather on me, which is really an example of the saying 'we give you an inch, but you want a mile'!”

“But you're a girl!” Sheng Shuihe listened to the end but said happily, “You're already thirteen. So, you'll get married two to four years later. While I'll stay in Sheng Family forever! Do you know what that means? It means that you'll scarcely go back home after getting married, but I can always take care of my grandparents and parents! Ten years or twenty years later, who would remember you? They would remember only me. Right?”

He had a bright smile on the face with a widely-opened mouth, “Now tell me again. Are you here to see me?”

“….” Sheng Weiqiao clenched the fists in anger, stretched the fingers, and clenched again. She repeated several times and looked as if something had occurred to her. She stepped forward, put her hand on the table with which Sheng Shuihe supported his chin, glared at his eyes behind the mask, and enunciated, “You want to know what I come here for, right?! I! Will! Tell! You! Now!”

Before her voice faded away, she grabbed the inkstone on the table forcefully. Gongsun Xi and Gongsun Yingdun supposed she would hit Sheng Shuihe with the inkstone. The former flashed a murderous glance at her and was about to pull out the sword, while the latter felt startled for an instant, but after that, he manifested great respect, even some implicit pleasure. But Sheng Weiqiao, holding the inkstone, didn't thump it down. Instead, she shook her hands, and the ink remaining splattered on Sheng Shuihe's head and face!

“….” Sheng Shuihe withdrew secretly his hand which had pressed on the hilt of the sword which hanged on Gongsun Xi's waist, lowered his eyes, glanced at the ink on his clothes. It looked as if he had found something fun. He dipped the ink on the mask, smeared it on his chin and under his nose, and then grinned, “How is it? With the drawn beard, do I look more mature and reliable?”

Sheng Weiqiao, who still held the inkstone, felt speechless.

Why wasn't he mad?!

What kept him from being mad?!

Surprisingly, he wasn't mad at all!!!!!!!

Sheng Weiqiao was on the edge of freaking out!

“Yingdun, why are you here?” When she was considering if she should cast the inkstone at him, a sonorous voice suddenly came from behind her, with some surprise, “Haven't I told you that you shouldn't disturb your uncle with trifles?”

Sheng Weiqiao turned back instinctively, only to see a man about twenty-seven or twenty-eight striding in.

This man was slightly tan, tall, with solemn features. You could call him handsome. He was in black everyday clothing. There were many old scars on his exposed arms and neck. Though he was smiling now, the eagle-like sharp glance and the strong murderous spirit through his body both indicated that he wasn't an ordinary person.

“Father, here you are?” How Gongsun Yingdun called him affirmed Sheng Weiqiao's guess. Seeing the man, the boy acted like a mouse who b.u.mped into a cat, abandoned all the teasing and unrestraint before, and went forward to greet, trembling. He explained hastily, “How dare I go against you? I'm here to guide my aunt. See?”

“Is this Miss Sheng?” Hearing that, Gongsun Su glimpsed at Sheng Weiqiao with a smile. He wasn't hostile. You could even say he was friendly. But the aggression cultivated by the slaughter of years still made Sheng Weiqiao receded when looking into his eyes.

Seeing that, Gongsun Su smiled more gently and tried to soften his voice, “I'm Gongsun Su, the master here. Since you're my little brother's sister, you're also my sister. Make yourself at home, and feel free!”

“I'm honored to see you!” Though Sheng Weiqiao thought that a lady like her shouldn't get involved with the pirates, she felt daunted to see this Sea Master, who was said to commit countless slaughters. She put down the inkstone immediately and said politely, “Sorry to disturb you in the past several days, Sea Master!”

Though she feared Gongsun Su, after all, Sheng Weiqiao couldn't make herself close to pirates. So, she only called him “Sea Master” instead of “brother”, as indicated by his words.

Fortunately, Gongsun Su didn't mind that and chatted with her with a kind smile. Having well played the role of a warm-hearted host, he excused himself and left.

Because of his interruption, especially that Sheng Weiqiao had put down the inkstone, she wasn't in the mood to haggle with Sheng Shuihe anymore. She just glared at him and was about to leave. Unexpectedly, before she suggested Gongsun Yingdun going back, Sheng Shuihe said to Gongsun Xi and Gongsun Yingdun, “You two go out for a second. I have something to tell my sister in private!”

Catching the sign of objection on Sheng Weiqiao's face, he made a gesture of muteness, “It's about Third Sister and Cousin Shen.”

Sheng Weiqiao instantly got serious!

She waited until Gongsun Yingdun and Gongsun Xi went outside and asked impatiently, leaning against the table, “Cousin and Third Sister are found? How are they now?”

“No.” Sheng Shuihe peered at her for a moment but shook his head and said, “Daimao Island is now besieged by Han Family and Pan Family. The material supply runs well, all thanks to the long-term work in Nanfeng County and the solid base of Gongsun Family. We couldn't possibly know about the information on the land like the back of our hand as usual, could we?”

He paused, “This news is from Han Family. So far, it's all my speculation. It may not be true.”

Hearing the word “Han Family”, her heart missed a beat. She uttered, “They were caught by Han Family?!”

“Very likely!” Sheng Shuihe's answer shattered her hope. Sheng Weiqiao's face turned pale. She composed herself and asked, “So, they are now?”

“Still alive.” Sheng Shuihe lowered his eyes to hide the blink in his eyes, pondered for a while and said, “Because we cooperated in killing Young Master Han before, I fear that the people in Han Family would take action for that, so I sent a spy to keep an eye on them. And I found that several days ago, Han Family once sent an elite squad to the land and got a group of people back, among whom there were two delicate, pretty ladies with gorgeous dressing at similar ages to Cousin and Third Sister. But the spy didn't see them himself, and he didn't know where they are confined, either. So, we're waiting to verify the news. I fear you worry too much, so I tell you now!”

Sheng Weiqiao supported herself with the table and stayed mute for a while with a pair of watery eyes. She was trying to suppress, but finally, she failed and burst into tears, “Why?”

For the girls captured by the pirates, especially the pretty girls like Shen Jiuniang and Sheng Weirao, was there any doubt about their endings?

Remembering the cousin who had been called “Little Jiuniang” by her for years, Sheng Weiqiao felt painful as if needles had stuck into her heart. When Shen Jiuniang was rejected by Xu Baomo at the time, Sheng Weiqiao consoled her that she would find someone much better than Xu Baomo. But only a few days later, Shen Jiuniang met with such a misfortune. Even if she was saved out of the pirate lair alive, wouldn't her life later on also be a problem?

While her cousin Sheng Weirao was one year younger than her. She was only twelve!

After she killed Young Master Han, Sheng Weiqiao was anxious that she would have nightmares where Young Master Han's spirit would come to seek revenge on her. But at the moment, she sincerely hoped that Young Master Han had a spirit so that she could slaughter him for one thousand more times!!!

“As long as they're alive, it will be the best outcome.” After all, Sheng Shuihe came back to Sheng Family not long ago, and Shen Jiuniang and Sheng Weirao were both his cousins, who were comparatively less important to him. So, he was quite composed at the time and said slowly, “No matter what, it's much better than before when we knew nothing about them.”

Sheng Weiqiao asked in hatred, wiping her tears, “How soon can you save them out?”

As for as she was concerned, she wanted to bring some people and save the two cousins back now and gave them some good consolation. But she knew that she was in Daimao Island, but not in Sheng Family, where everyone would obey her.

So, at the moment, all her wish was that Sheng Shuihe would keep this thing in mind for the sake of their family.

Luckily, Sheng Shuihe nodded and said, “I've got a plan. Wait until father arrives, and I'll talk it over with him. Then we'll act.”

Sheng Weiqiao didn't know much about this stuff, so she didn't ask further questions, but bit her teeth, “If Little Jiuniang and Third Sister were really in their hand, spare their life and I'll dismember them myself!!!”

“So, you're not here to see me. What else are you up to?” Sheng Shuihe skipped the question directly. Was she kidding? She had cut down Young Master Han's head at one stroke. It was such a way clean and fast, but she remained unconscious for four whole days. If he really let her dismember someone, would she be able to hold it?

Being agitated, Sheng Weiqiao didn't notice his avoidance. She said casually, “I heard that Miss Gongsun was thrown into the sea yesterday. She fell ill today since she couldn't come back until half a night later. So, I want to ask you which evil person did that?!”

Because Gongsun Yingjiang was the daughter of a Sea Master, Sheng Weiqiao's compa.s.sion for her was limited. But she just heard of Shen Jiuniang and Sheng Weirao's news, so for Gongsun Yingjiang who was of a similar age to her cousins but gentler and more submissive, she held a similar affection.

Her tone got emotional, “Let alone Han Family and Pan Family are peeping at us outside, to launch infighting is suicide! Miss Gongsun is only a delicate and quiet girl, who could she impede? Having treated her so cruelly, was he a human? Capable as he was, he didn't go to kill the people in Han Family and Pan Family, but targeted at such an innocent girl. How cheeky he was!!!”

She cursed to let out her temper and raised her head, only to see Sheng Shuihe peering at her with a pair of thoughtful eyes, and he called gently, “Sister!”

“Hm?” Sheng Weiqiao was confused.

“Look at me. Would such a cultivated person as me behave evilly?” Sheng Shuihe said softly, “Would I do any cheeky thing? Sister, you should speak with your conscience!”

Sheng Weiqiao stared her eyes, speechless. After a while she stumbled, “It… it was you who threw her into the sea?! Why?!”

“Because she came to my bed at midnight in a dress weaved by voile and fastened with bells, hoping to dance for me.” Sheng Shuihe was extremely calm, “I thought she was a ghost, so I threw her into the sea under the cliff outside the window!”

Sheng Weiqiao, “….”

She asked almost blankly, “Why did she want to dance for you?”

“According to her, it was Brother Xu who gave her the advice.” Sheng Shuihe was still calm, “I didn't believe her words, so I left her in the sea for half a night to let her think it over and give me a better answer!”

Sheng Weiqiao, “… Then what did she say half a night later?”

“Nothing couldn't be made up during half a night, right?” Sheng Shuihe glimpsed at her with a vague smile, “So I wasn't interested in her answer after the sunrise and let her go back directly. I'm busy now, so have I the time to fuss over such a trifle?”

A trifle?!

For such a trifle, you threw the girl from the cliff into the sea?! And you forced her to soak for half a night?!

Then if it had been something important in your eyes, would you have killed their whole family?

Sheng Weiqiao peered at him, scared and indignant, and it instantly occurred to her that based on her harsh words to him these days, especially the act of sprinkling the ink just now…. What would he do to her?