Chapter 383
“Alright.” Lin Mengyao agreed to Xu Ke’s arrangement, and the two of them slowly walked behind Ariel, who was humming an unknown tune ahead, looking quite happy.
The two arrived at Arthur’s residence, and as they entered the living room, a surge of the smell of blood hit them, causing Lin Mengyao to immediately retract her foot that had just stepped over the threshold.
“Why are you still standing outside? Come in.” Ariel, wearing fluffy white slippers with bunny ears, stepped on the dark carpet. The areas she stepped on sank in and red liquid seeped up, staining the edges of Ariel’s white slippers red.
Lin Mengyao watched this scene, her eyes widening instantly, her stomach churning with nausea, while Xu Ke appeared calm and unruffled, much to Ariel’s liking.
“If you don’t like it, we can go back.” Xu Ke whispered into Lin Mengyao’s ear, his eyes filled with concern as he looked at her.
“No need, since we’re already here.” Lin Mengyao shook her head, holding onto Xu Ke’s arm.
“Don’t force yourself. If you don’t want to stay, I can still take you out of here.” Xu Ke said, supporting Lin Mengyao’s arm.
“Really, it’s alright, I can handle it.” Lin Mengyao’s face still looked a bit pale, and when she smiled at Xu Ke, there was an indescribable sense of fragility and pity. For a moment, Xu Ke wanted to take Lin Mengyao away, but seeing her determined eyes, he stayed.
Lin Mengyao changed into the slippers handed over by a servant and walked in with Xu Ke.
Upon entering the living room, one could immediately see Ariel sitting like a little princess on the sofa, with an old man with thinning hair and weight issues beside her, a room full of tall, strong youths holding guns, and a man lying on the floor, his body covered in blood, and his arm severed from his torso.
Ariel behaved as if nothing was happening, picking at grapes from the fruit plate, and smiled as she welcomed Xu Ke and Lin Mengyao when they walked over.
“Why did you just come in? I’ve been waiting for you for a long time. Come and taste our family’s grapes, they’re especially sweet.” Ariel gestured for the two to sit down and pushed the fruit plate towards Xu Ke and Lin Mengyao, inviting them to try.
Xu Ke calmly picked a grape, tasted it, found it nice, and then offered another to Lin Mengyao, saying softly, “It’ll help mask the taste, you’ll feel much better.”
After eating a grape, Lin Mengyao indeed felt much better and gave Xu Ke a warm smile.
“Drag him away, but don’t kill him yet, we’ll question him another day. Don’t scare the young lady’s friends,” the old man wiped his hands and said in a somewhat aging voice.
“Yes.” The man collapsed on the ground like a dead dog was dragged away before he could react, and the well-trained servants began to clean up the living room, though the bloody smell lingered.
“Where did you find these people? Bringing them home without notifying me; what if they’re frightened?” The old man didn’t even glance at Xu Ke and Lin Mengyao, his eyes filled with indescribable affection for Ariel.
“Not this time, this time my friends are especially brave, didn’t you see they were just eating the grapes I gave them?” Ariel coquettishly clung to the old man’s arm.
“And you have the nerve to say, the servant washed a bowl of grapes and I didn’t touch a single one, waiting for you to come back to eat together. But you ate them yourself instead and then gave them to others, not even thinking of me, truly breaking this old father’s heart.” The old man looked at the two still eating grapes with a displeased gaze.
Feeling embarrassed by the old man’s comment, Lin Mengyao put down the grapes in her hand, but Xu Ke seemed to hear nothing, not only eating another grape himself but also feeding one to Lin Mengyao, causing the old man’s half-squinted eyes to widen in anger.
“What are you coming out for? Did dad call you? Get back,” Ariel coldly told the two men who had stepped out.
The two bowed their heads and quickly retreated. Ariel then turned her head and snuggled into the man’s arms, cooing, “Daddy, don’t be mad. I really like them, and I want them to stay with me. I never had friends growing up, and they’re the rare people I like. Could you let them stay, please?” Ariel’s voice turned soft and pleading.
In an instant, the man who was fiercely angry softened, reaching out to stroke Ariel’s golden hair, affectionately but helplessly saying, “Alright, if you want them to stay, then they can stay.”
“Thank you, daddy, I knew you loved me the most.” Ariel happily gave the old man two loud kisses on the face, then enthusiastically instructed, “Tonight, let the kitchen make two servings of lamb chops, and if they’re not done well, I’ll turn them into lamb chops.”
“You must try the lamb chops our chef makes tonight; they’re fantastic. By the way, I’ll have the servants arrange rooms for you, and tonight we can play games together,” Ariel clapped her hands happily as she spoke.
From beginning to end, no one asked for the two’s opinions. Decisions were made as if they were mere puppets.
Lin Mengyao disliked this feeling of being arbitrarily arranged, but seeing the entire villa protected by armed men, she could only suppress her discontent. In contrast, Xu Ke seemed unperturbed by the father and daughter’s arrangements; in fact, even if Ariel hadn’t asked, he would have found a way to stay.
Before arriving, Xu Ke had a hint of uncertainty, but now, seeing everything with his own eyes, his suspicions were ninety percent confirmed. Whether he could withdraw from this city unscathed or even claim a share of it, this step was crucial.
Thinking of this, Xu Ke squinted slightly, hiding the burst of brightness in his eyes.
This game was getting more interesting.
He wondered if they would regret choosing someone like him as their pawn when the game’s outcome was revealed. After all, the final victory would belong to him alone.
Xu Ke sighed deeply in his heart.
The corners of Xu Ke’s mouth turned up slightly.
“There’s nothing much in the living room. Let me show you around my room. You can choose a nearby room to stay in, and I’ll have the servants prepare it. You can accompany me at home these days.” Ariel said cheerfully, her smile pure and endearing.