Saturday mornings were usually lazy ones for Bai Xiaoya, but today she got up early and even went outside to play, which surprised Zhang Butler.
She usually slept in first, then spent the whole day playing games in her room.
“Old Zhang, don’t act like you’ve never seen this before. I do go out to exercise sometimes,” Bai Xiaoya said to Zhang Butler when she returned.
“By the way, can you help me look something up?”
Zhang Butler instantly snapped back to attention.
“Miss Bai, please speak.”
Bai Xiaoya stepped closer, lowering her voice.
“I’ve noticed Bai Xia has been acting mysterious lately, and it seems connected to Xinglong International. Go check into Xinglong International and find out who’s really running things there.”
At the mention of the Second Young Miss, Zhang Butler’s eyes sharpened.
“At your service, Miss. I guarantee the task will be completed!”
Meanwhile, Bai Xia spoke to Li Butler about something similar, only more tactfully.
Li Butler thought to himself, no wonder Second Young Miss suddenly asked about Xinglong International yesterday—it turns out she’s already done some investigating in secret.
“The Eldest Miss is up to no good, but rest assured, Second Young Miss. I will find her accomplices!”
After assigning their tasks, the two girls had lunch at home and left Bai Family Courtyard one after the other, meeting up at a nearby street corner.
Zhang Butler and Li Butler could never have imagined that these two young ladies, who seemed like sworn rivals constantly scheming against each other, were now walking side by side.
In a way, it was almost like a date.
The bright sunlit courtyard was far from the shadowy Underground Street.
It took a full subway ride, then a bus transfer to get there.
The good news was, once they transferred, there were very few passengers left on the bus.
Bai Xiaoya and Bai Xia sat by the window in the last row, enjoying the rare quiet.
“The Underground Street is full of all kinds of people,” Bai Xia whispered.
“But don’t worry, I’ll handle it.”
She knew that with Bai Xiaoya’s looks and figure, she would definitely attract unwanted attention in the Underground Street.
If anyone dared to make a move, Bai Xia was ready to break their arms and legs.
Raw strength alone can’t capture the intensity of double power—once it exceeds a certain threshold, many things become extremely fragile.
“Mm, got it. But,” Bai Xiaoya gave an innocent look, “why do we have to hold hands while talking?”
Bai Xia’s delicate face tensed slightly.
Isn’t this exactly when you should hold hands?
That’s how all the romance novels in our school desk say it.
“You don’t want me to hold your hand?” she asked.
“Not exactly, it’s just,” Bai Xiaoya thought for a moment, “it feels a little weird.”
They were just riding a bus—this wasn’t some mountain trail.
Holding hands felt kind of odd.
Bai Xia was about to let go because she agreed it felt strange—two people holding hands in the back of a bus—but once she heard Bai Xiaoya say that, she didn’t want to let go anymore.
Don’t want to hold hands? Fine, I’m holding on!
“When we enter the Underground Street, I’ll need to be on guard and might have to fight, so no holding hands then,” Bai Xia said.
“If we’re going to hold hands, it’s now or never.”
Bai Xiaoya gave a helpless smile.
“Isn’t it possible we just don’t have to hold hands?”
“No way.”
“…”
So holding hands it is.
At around four in the afternoon, the bus arrived at their stop.
Bai Xia led the way, weaving through some minor buildings before entering a small alley, and the so-called Underground Street came into view.
It was Bai Xiaoya’s first time in a place like this.
The alley was full of tattooed gangsters and women dressed provocatively, but not attractively. It was still early, so the streetwalkers hadn’t started working yet.
Just as Bai Xia predicted, Bai Xiaoya—the white-haired, well-endowed beauty—immediately drew all eyes.
Drunken men all over the street stared at her, drooling.
At first, Bai Xiaoya felt a bit scared, but when she realized they were only looking and hadn’t dared to do anything else, she relaxed.
Let them stare. If they’re looking, it means I’m attractive.
“Yo, isn’t this Miss Bai?”
An old man holding a pipe came up from under an apartment building and gave Bai Xia a thorough once-over.
“I heard Miss Bai was taken away by a benefactor not long ago, now you’re coming back all dressed up, huh?”
Bai Xia glanced up slightly and suddenly struck—
“Ah!!!”
Just then, a drunk had snuck up, pretending to be drunk, and tried to grope Bai Xiaoya’s chest while the old man was talking.
He failed miserably, instead having his arm instantly broken by Bai Xia.
“Ah! Ah! Ah!”
The drunk screamed in pain, clutching his arm on the ground as everyone on the street watched.
Bai Xia tossed some money onto him, then held another bill between two fingers and placed it in front of the pipe-smoking old man.
“I’m here to collect some things. Don’t cause trouble, understand?”
The old man glanced at the wailing drunk on the ground and cautiously took the money.
“Your place is fine—no one’s been inside. Others think there’s nothing valuable inside… Well, that’s not a bad thing.”
Bai Xia nodded and then ignored him, leading Bai Xiaoya into the old residence.
In truth, the house had only been empty for about half a month. Traces of the past several years of life remained faintly visible.
Bai Xiaoya’s first impression was that it was simple—more minimalist even than the room next to the Bai family’s chambers.
“There used to be a bed there,” Bai Xia pointed to the spot by the desk.
“After Mom and Dad passed away, we cleared it out.”
On the desk sat two black-and-white photo frames.
Bai Xiaoya walked over and looked at them, her heart heavy.
They were the biological parents of this body.
“That day, I was still in middle school when I suddenly received news of trouble at home. I went back, dropped out of school, and left the big house with Mom and Dad to live here.”
Bai Xia stood behind her, speaking slowly, “I thought the family was having money problems, so I wanted to work part-time to help ease the burden.”
Don’t ask what a middle schooler can do—online customer service was the answer.
“But soon I realized the shadow over my parents was not money, but something deeper and more terrifying. Under that fear, they spent all our savings and even owed a lot to high-interest loans, living in constant dread until that night when Dad came running home through the rain.”
Bai Xia closed her eyes, reaching into her pocket and gently clutching the pocket watch.
“He was covered in blood; the rain hadn’t washed away the stains. He told me that during those desperate days, he’d been led around like a puppet and made many wrong choices. But in the end, he finally understood and decided to gamble everything to bring ‘Fate’ back.”
Rare sadness crept into the girl’s voice.
“After giving me the item, he soon passed away from his injuries.”
Bai Xiaoya blinked.
“Back then, what exactly—”
“All I know is this. Once we find those few people and learn the business details, everything will become clear,” Bai Xia shook her head.
“Uncle Li told me that if luck’s on our side, I’ll get what I need by tomorrow.”
“Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore. Let’s chat about something happier.”
Bai Xiaoya sat down at the desk, glancing again at the black-and-white photos.
“Did they have any final wishes?”
Bai Xia looked Bai Xiaoya up and down… thinking, what a coincidence—they did.
And today, those wishes might just come true.