Chapter 223  : Emotional Progress, Refreshed Data

“This package is... Miss Qin’s?” Cheng Huo asked in disbelief.

Cheng Shui had subconsciously thought of Cheng Juan after hearing “Yunguang Consortium” and didn’t expect the package to belong to Qin Ran.

He took the package. “I’ll give this to Miss Qin.”

Cheng Huo also turned and said to Leader Yuan, “Head to the meeting room first, we’ll come back immediately.”

Then, he trotted to catch up with Cheng Shui. Lowering his voice, he asked in surprise, “Does Miss Qin actually know people from the Yunguang Consortium?”

Cheng Mu had never mentioned this to them.

As soon as the two entered the gate, they saw Cheng Juan coming down from the second floor. He seemed to have slept well today and wasn’t as lazy as before.

“Boss.” Both Cheng Shui and Cheng Huo stopped and greeted him very respectfully.

“Yeah,” Cheng Juan responded casually and then paused. “Is this her package?”

Cheng Shui handed the package to him. “It’s Miss Qin’s. I was about to send it to the training room.”

“Give it to me.” Cheng Juan reached out and looked up at them. “I was about to look for them.”

Since Cheng Juan was delivering the package personally, Cheng Huo didn’t dare follow him and harass Qin Ran. Hence, he followed behind Cheng Shui on the way back, his heart still burning with curiosity. “Say, how does Miss Qin know someone from the Yunguang Consortium? Does she know the technicians there?”

They talked while heading to the chamber.

“Brother Cheng Huo.” Not far away, a clear voice sounded. It was Tang Qing.

Cheng Shui glanced at her and nodded slightly. He greeted politely but was distant. “Miss Tang.”

He sounded almost the same as usual, but Tang Qing felt like something was wrong. Cheng Shui’s attitude seemed a little strange...

**

In the training room on the first floor.

Qin Ran was standing on the side with her arms folded. Cheng Mu also retreated and made way for Shi Liming to punch the machine.

“Boom—”

His waist and crotch were suddenly charged with energy. After one punch, the machine trembled slightly.

At the same time, the records in the second and third rows were refreshed.

The highest record of this machine: 826.

Cheng Mu silently stood at the side and gaped at the record. He said casually, “Xiao Shi, you’re so good.”

“I’m just average.” Shi Liming scratched his head and looked down before explaining to Cheng Mu, “Most people score between 800 and 850. Any score above 850 requires a breakthrough in skills and quality. Mr. Cheng Shui scored 910, and up to today, nobody has broken this record.”

Cheng Mu glanced at his own scores of 687 and 673 and was speechless.

After watching Cheng Mu play for so long and score around 650 and 700, Qin Ran could estimate his strength.

Looking down, she rolled up her sleeves and stepped forward in her loose track pants. “Cheng Mu, come over and hit me once.”

At this, Cheng Mu recalled the scene of Qin Ran abusing the mercenary leader not long ago. “Miss... Miss Qin...” he stuttered.

Qin Ran looked relaxed and casual. “Take me as your opponent in a fight for life or death. Try to defeat me and beat me to death, or it’ll be the last time you ever stand in the ring.”

She raised her hands and took a fighting stance.

Shi Liming knew at one glance what Qin Ran was doing. He glanced at Cheng Mu enviously. “Brother Cheng Mu, why don’t you do it quickly? Can’t you tell that Miss Qin is teaching you?”

Fighting against a master, especially a super master, his strength would surely increase very rapidly.

Cheng Mu naturally thought of this and was stunned. “I... I deserve such a good thing?!”

Squeezing his fists, he jumped onto the middle playing platform.

After just one move, his whole body fell to the ground with a loud bang as if slammed by an iron hammer!

This move was cruel and straightforward.

Usually, Cheng Mu thought Qin Ran was frivolous and lazy. This was the first time he felt the state of her combat. Her expression was indifferent, and she was like a robot—cold and ruthless.

Without any reservations, she really acted as if she was an opponent in a fight for life and death.

This ruthless attitude caused Cheng Mu to gather his spirits and fight with all his might. But in the end, he was still beaten to the ground and couldn’t get up.

Standing at the side, Shi Liming looked on in shock and took a while to react.

Qin Ran looked down, rolled up her sleeves, and walked to Cheng Mu. “Life and death are exactly like this. If I were a real opponent, you would have died five minutes ago. Cheng Mu, do you want to become stronger?”

Cheng Mu’s hand was struggling to support himself on the floor. He looked up and clenched his hands into fists. “Yes.”

Qin Ran stood up and turned to the side.

Before she could speak, Cheng Juan, who had been leaning against the door, walked in and opened the package he was carrying.

He stood next to Qin Ran and looked down into the package. Quickly, he found a white medicine bottle marked 47 and threw it to Cheng Mu. “Two pills.”

After thinking about it, he said to Shi Liming, “Get him a bottle of water.”

“Oh, okay.” Shi Liming finally reacted. He got a bottle of mineral water from the lounge and handed it to Cheng Mu.

While Cheng Juan gave instructions, Qin Ran stood at the side coldly, her hands in her pocket. Her eyebrows were drooping and she didn’t speak.

“Do you have a pen and paper?” Cheng Juan continued to ask Shi Liming.

A stack of paper and a pen were placed on the stool not far away, brought over by Qin Ran. Shi Liming ran over and picked them up.

After giving instructions and recording the state of recovery of Cheng Mu after taking the medicine, Cheng Juan picked up Qin Ran’s coat which had been thrown to the side and reached out to put it on her. Then, he grabbed her hand and took her out of the training ground.

Instead of going to the study or heading downstairs, he took her to the top floor.

The top floor was a garden with a huge glass cover overhead. It separated the cold air and yet allowed direct sunlight, ensuring that it wasn’t cold.

There were iron chairs next to it with soft cushions on it. The top floor overlooked the whole manor.

Cheng Juan asked her to sit on the chair. Qin Ran seemed to sense the atmosphere and subconsciously took a step back.

With one hand clasped on her waist, Cheng Juan glanced at her and said, “Sit down, let’s talk.”

His voice was rather soft.

Qin Ran looked up and wanted to abandon this unnatural atmosphere. “Talk about what?”

Cheng Juan took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. He didn’t ignite it, but his voice became muffled. “Three years ago. Why did you suddenly disappear?”

“I went back to find Mingyue.” Qin Ran turned to look at him. She thought she might never be able to say anything about this.

She thought it would be buried deep in her heart forever until it rotted to ashes and couldn’t be dug up.

But for some reason, it didn’t seem particularly difficult to talk about it now.

“Oh.” Cheng Juan nodded, then pointed at the low wall behind him, instructing her to sit down.

Qin Ran looked at the training ground not far downstairs and said faintly, “I miss everyone, but I wasn’t enough. I couldn’t dig further.”

Cheng Juan’s hand twitched against the wall.

“I could have saved them,” Qin Ran said.

“You were only sixteen years old. It was impressive enough to save one person.” Cheng Juan felt distressed and reached out to turn her head. He stared intensely at her and continued, “You have always been protecting her, covering up her identity, helping her transfer schools, and letting Feng Loucheng protect her.”

“I know, but I still regret it.” Qin Ran glanced at Cheng Juan and suddenly smiled. It wasn’t the kind of casual smile, but a rather brilliant smile that caused her eyes to shine brightly. “I thought I would feel uncomfortable talking about this, but I don’t.”

“If you had contacted me back then,” Cheng Juan looked at her and said quietly, “Maybe I could have dug for you.”

Qin Ran was speechless.

She coughed and avoided his gaze. “I really didn’t think about that.”

Cheng Juan thought she was rather justified. Seriously, he had pondered about this for three years, but she hadn’t even thought of this.

“If only you had thought of it then...” Cheng Juan lowered his head and rested his chin on her shoulder.

Qin Ran glanced sideways at him. In that instant, she really couldn’t imagine what it would have been like if they had followed through the appointment three years ago. They might have really rescued the three of them and even went to the professional game together?

Then there wouldn’t even be Yang Fei now?

“Let’s go and find Cheng Mu.” Qin Ran patted his shoulder.

Cheng Juan hummed slowly but didn’t move. His voice was dull as he murmured, “Wait a moment.”

Oh.

Qin Ran looked up. The sky seemed especially blue today.

She came out of her solemn state.

**

Outside, in the open-air training ground.

Jerry, who had beaten Cheng Mu yesterday, was talking to Tang Qing.

“Jerry, that piece of wood and Shi Liming didn’t come to training today. Could they be afraid of you?” Someone came over and picked up a weapon.

He also greeted Tang Qing.

Yesterday night, Tang Qing’s name had spread throughout the whole manor.

Jerry smiled disdainfully. “Those two people probably went out to play. If this goes on, I’m afraid they’ll get demoted to servants next month.”

Instead of talking further of Cheng Mu and Shi Liming, he turned to Tang Qing and said in a slightly more respectful tone, “Miss Tang, try this boxing machine.”

If Cheng Huo had brought her in, her strength was certainly good.

Women were inherently weaker. Her punch score was 712.

It was comparable to the scores of the weaker ones in the procurement hall.

Jerry smiled. “Miss Tang is indeed impressive.”

Tang Qing frowned. Compared to 910, 712 was two hundred points lower, so she wasn’t very satisfied.

“Mr. Cheng Shui was the one who scored 910. Nobody has broken this record in several years.” Jerry glanced at Tang Qing and knew what she was thinking.

He had just finished speaking.

All of a sudden, the highest record in the first line was refreshed. 910 jumped slightly and was then refreshed into a piece of new data.