Chapter 135

Chapter 6: Right, right.

　　Being a henpecked husband isn’t something you can just label someone as. As a definition, it has many conditions.

　　First off, you gotta have a wife, or at least a girlfriend.

　　Bai Ling glanced at the blonde-haired maiden who was currently promising the moon to her roommate. Clearly, she had one.

　　Then the next condition is being strictly controlled by said wife.

　　This wasn’t too bad. Although most of the time Bai Ling followed Ningning’s arrangements, when it came to more important matters, she still had considerable freedom.

　　Like gurgle gurgle and gulpy gulpy.

　　But why did everyone else see her as henpecked?

　　Bai Ling couldn’t figure it out, so she decided not to think about it anymore.

　　Over here, Yuan Xiaoling had also finished sweet-talking Gu Hui. The purpose of coming here today had been achieved, and it was time to pack up and go home.

　　”Let’s go,” Yuan Xiaoling led the way out the door, “I’ll find someone to call a car.”

　　Gu Hui quietly put away her notebook. This thing couldn’t be left lying around; if it wasn’t in use, it needed to be hidden carefully.

　　Reading someone’s surface thoughts—this ability wasn’t that strong, sure. It worked well on ordinary people with simple minds, especially those who didn’t know about her power.

　　But if you thought it was weak, enemies found it quite annoying. Not just because of secrets being overheard but even something as embarrassing as middle-school fantasies or shy little voices—if they were heard, it would be pretty mortifying.

　　So as a mind-reading Spiritual Energy Manipulator, Gu Hui felt like she probably had a high hate value. In the future, it’d be best to hide her abilities whenever possible and avoid being discovered by enemies.

　　She was so focused on her thoughts that she didn’t notice a white-haired maiden walking up beside her and suddenly speaking:

　　”Do you also think I’m henpecked?”

　　Gu Hui nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned around to see Bai Ling staring seriously at her.

　　Henpecked, oh yeah, that’s what the diary called it.

　　”N-no… I think…” she evaded the question, “this kind of thing is subjective.”

　　Bai Ling thought she had denied it, nodded, then asked again, “So what do you think? What should I do to not be called henpecked?”

　　Seeing how serious she seemed, Gu Hui thought carefully before answering,

　　”There are many methods. Depending on the situation, there are appropriate actions. First, you shouldn’t actually BE henpecked.”

　　Bai Ling listened and felt like there might be some sense in that, but then upon closer inspection, the last sentence didn’t feel right at all.

　　Aren’t you still calling me henpecked?!

　　…………

　　In the East District, Xin Lan happily returned to the courtyard, only to be stopped by a guard outside Yun Liang’s room.

　　”Don’t stop me, I have important intelligence to tell Brother Yun Liang.”

　　Can you afford the consequences if something big happens because of your delay?!

　　”Sorry, Miss Xin,” the guard said calmly, “Young Master has just finished listening to the report and is now analyzing the enemy situation alone. He’s very focused, so we’ve been told not to disturb him.”

　　”What report?” Xin Lan questioned.

　　”It’s the information Mr. Yun He obtained earlier in Tianhai City, such as an overview of local powers, and a rising star named Yuan Xiaoling.”

　　”She’s the key figure and biggest support for the local forces. No one knows when she broke through to Fourth-tier, but her combat prowess is astonishing.”

　　”With a surprise attack using artificial rain, even Mr. Yun He fell victim. Luckily, we kept footage from their first encounter, allowing us to analyze her fighting details.”

　　”To think, a girl at 18 years old could defeat Mr. Yun He, who’s late Fourth-tier. Truly remarkable.”

　　”Not to mention, her growth matches her amazing capabilities.”

　　The two guards chatted back and forth, leaving Xin Lan stunned.

　　Wait, so you guys already knew?

　　Then wasn’t my trip completely unnecessary?

　　”By the way, Miss Xin,” one of the guards suddenly asked her, “you mentioned earlier that you had important intelligence? Should I knock and inform him for you?”

　　”No, no need,” Xin Lan quickly stopped them, noticing their strange looks and giving an awkward smile, “I’ll wait until Brother Yun Liang has free time. I don’t want to disturb his focus right now.”

　　Speaking of which, Brother Yun Liang is currently focusing on analyzing Yuan Xiaoling’s combat video?

　　Xin Lan felt something was a bit off.

　　…………

　　After the “treacherous feast,” Yuan Xiaoling returned to the hotel and enjoyed a few days of peace.

　　After Gu Hui came back, she carefully hid her abilities and didn’t use them lightly. Qiao Lili was curious and kept asking what she had heard in the morning. Gu Hui said it was nothing, just some typical绿茶female dog.

　　Luo Zou Cheng and Wu Bian spent this period mainly dealing with municipal affairs, along with Liu Yaohua. Conversations went pretty smoothly. Compared to Yuan Xiaoling, who was straightforward and didn’t know how to talk, the municipal authorities preferred communicating with these socialites.

　　Her cousins also got into work mode. Despite arriving late and seeming rather incompetent at first, once they started taking over tasks, they showed great enthusiasm. After all, they were young people who loved games and had a bit of an anime vibe.

　　Sometimes Yuan Xiaoling would wake up in the morning, check her mobile phone, and find unread messages from Yuan Tong and others suggesting game improvements. Checking the time—it was four in the morning!

　　No wonder grandpa confiscated your phones back in Chunhai.

　　”Cousin Xiaoling, the game is good, but aren’t the models and illustrations dressed too revealingly? Will it pass the review?”

　　”No need for review, you’ll see in a few days.”

　　Yuan Xiaoling waved her hand, seemingly brimming with boundless energy.

　　Everyone was on track, enjoying the hard-won comfort. Only Bai Ling seemed a bit down these past few days, sometimes sitting by the window lost in thought.

　　Yuan Xiaoling was curious and once secretly sought out Gu Hui. Unable to resist Ningning’s insistence, Gu Hui cautiously eavesdropped. Bai Ling’s mental activity was—

　　Am I henpecked (confused), alright alright I’m henpecked (indifferent), I guess I am henpecked (self-mockery), (giving up and closing the window).

　　Then she sat back on the bed and picked up a book to read for entertainment.

　　What book? Don’t ask, it’s the book given by the newsstand grandpa.

　　Outside the door, Yuan Xiaoling quietly pulled Gu Hui aside.

　　”Sis, you must keep today’s matter a secret forever,” she said.

　　Gu Hui nodded vigorously, “Forever!”

　　One feared death, the other feared getting beaten.

　　As for the enemy’s movements, Yuan Xiaoling hadn’t received any updates. Ever since last week when the future head of the Yun Family, Yun Liang, arrived, the Yun family temporarily went into hibernation and didn’t do anything.

　　The only action during this time was Xin Lan going solo to the banquet to gather intelligence.

　　Yuan Xiaoling even considered inviting Xin Lan out again to eavesdrop on more information but abandoned the idea due to lack of proper justification.

　　Actually, it was unnecessary because Xin Lan herself didn’t know what plans Yun Liang had. All she knew was that he had stayed in his room for this period, watching the video of the Yun Family’s first battle with Yuan Xiaoling, rarely stepping out.

　　They weren’t doing anything, but Ningning had plenty to do. The game was ready to launch, and according to Luo Zou Cheng and Wu Bian, it would help them fully take control of Tianhai City’s Spiritual Energy Manipulator circle.

　　The final task before launch was heading to the Municipal Building to attend today’s hearing and convince those people to approve and fully support it.

　　At nine o’clock in the morning, there was a gentle knock on the door of the king-sized beach hotel room.

　　”Miss Yuan, the car is ready!”