Realizing he had been tricked, the foreigner kicked over a nearby bench in frustration.
Ji Nian, with an innocent tone, said, "If you hit it, you can't hit me, okay?"
The foreigner was so enraged that he no longer cared about his employer's order to "avoid killing the innocent."
But before he could act, a sudden noise came from the other side.
At the critical moment, Ji Tingzhou used the last of his strength to kick the floor, creating a loud sound.
As expected, the foreigner immediately dropped Ji Nian and headed toward the noise.
Ji Nian was stunned.
["What are you doing, princess?"]
She reached for the gun in her arms.
Yes, a gun.
She had managed to snatch it from a corpse during the chaos.
In her previous life, she had taken a few shooting lessons, so she knew how to use it.
Why else would she provoke this idiot? Not for fun, but to enrage him and then use her harmless appearance to take a shot at him.
["But it's not too late now."]
She aimed the gun at the foreigner's unsuspecting back as he walked toward Ji Tingzhou.
A scene straight out of a drama unfolded.
A small girl, shorter than the bench beside her, clutched the gun tightly with both hands. Her dirty black dress was wrinkled, and her curly hair was disheveled. Her calm, emerald-green eyes were a stark contrast to her fragile appearance.
With some effort but no hesitation, she pulled the trigger—
Nothing happened.
The gun was out of bullets.
Ji Nian: "..."
Damn, I forgot to check the magazine!
"Hahahaha! I'm going to be rich!"
The foreigner found Ji Tingzhou and immediately pulled out his phone to record the bloodied and dust-covered man, as per his employer's instructions. With trembling hands, he also drew his gun.
"Ah!!"
Just as Ji Tingzhou was about to die, the foreigner suddenly felt a sharp pain in his leg.
Looking down, he saw the little girl had pounced on him and was biting his thigh fiercely.
"Damn it! You little brat, how dare you bite me?!"
The foreigner grabbed Ji Nian by her hair, tore her off his leg, and threw her to the ground.
Ji Tingzhou watched helplessly as Ji Nian gave up the escape chance he had created for her and instead threw herself back into danger. He saw her crash heavily onto the floor.
A few strands of her soft, curly hair, which he had barely touched before, floated to the ground.
You little fool... How could anyone be so selfless?
For the first time, Ji Tingzhou wished the child had inherited the Ji Family's cold, selfish streak.
Veins bulged on his forehead, and his emerald eyes turned bloodshot with murderous intent.
...
When Wei Yang, covered in blood and driven by rage, walked in, he saw Ji Tingzhou cradling a small girl with steady breathing, leaning against a cross.
Without hesitation, Wei Yang approached, passing a grotesque corpse on the way.
The body was twisted, its head facing upward, jaw dislocated, mouth gaping unnaturally wide, and its own severed arms stuffed inside.
The horrifying sight made Wei Yang glance away quickly.
A flicker of confusion crossed his previously murderous eyes.
What had this person done?
His brother hadn't killed like this in years.
...
When Ji Nian woke up, the first thing she saw was Zhiliao entering the room.
Seeing her awake, Zhiliao immediately called for a doctor to perform a series of examinations.
"Just some minor injuries. No abnormalities in the brain."
Hearing this, Zhiliao sighed in relief.
"Ji Nian, how are you feeling? Any pain?"
Zhiliao looked at the child, who always seemed to be caught in misfortune, with deep concern.
Ji Nian shook her head, then opened her arms and hugged Zhiliao, complaining of hunger.
Zhiliao indulged her, immediately ordering food to be brought over.
Little did she know, the child she imagined to be pitiful was grinning from ear to ear.
["So fragrant, Zhiliao~ So soft~"]
["Hehehehe, I'm hurt, so I need Zhiliao's hugs to feel better!"]
The System: ["...Have you forgotten something?"]
Ji Nian, buried in Zhiliao's embrace, blushed: ["Huh? What did I forget?"]
After being fed a meal by Zhiliao under the excuse of her injuries, Ji Nian finally remembered.
Oh, right.
"Zhiliao, how is the family head?"
The little girl, who had been patting her round belly, suddenly looked at Zhiliao with concern.
Zhiliao chuckled and pinched her nose.
"Only now you remember to ask."
Ji Nian giggled sheepishly.
"The family head... he's not doing well. He's still unconscious."
Hearing this, her smile froze.
Ji Nian remembered hearing a horrific scream before she passed out, but she couldn't tell who it was from before she blacked out.
Seeing Zhiliao's serious expression, Ji Nian panicked and jumped out of bed, not even bothering to put on her shoes as she ran out.
Zhiliao quickly caught her and picked her up.
"I'll take you there."
This time, Ji Nian's worry was genuine. Zhiliao felt the child's tense body and sighed inwardly.
At the same time, she felt a pang of anger.
Those damn people. They had known for a while that a group was targeting Ji Tingzhou, but no matter how they baited them, the group wouldn't take the bait. Whether it was setting traps or feigning weakness, the slightest hint of danger made them retreat.
This time, Ji Tingzhou had taken a huge risk, bringing only a few people to finally lure them out. They had expected the attack to happen on the way back, but the group had acted sooner. The only silver lining was that they had waited until after Wei Yang's mother's cremation and burial.
However, they had underestimated the enemy's determination to kill Ji Tingzhou, who had hired an entire army of mercenaries.
Wei Yang had even been nailed into a coffin and had to use brute force to escape.
But there was some good news: they finally had a lead on the mysterious figure who had been targeting Ji Tingzhou for nearly four years.
Cutting off her thoughts, Zhiliao carried Ji Nian into Ji Tingzhou's hospital room.
Ji Tingzhou lay on the bed, pale and unconscious, with a breathing mask over his face. His upper body was wrapped in bandages, and even the exposed bones of his fingers were bruised.
Ji Nian sat by the bed, silently staring at Ji Tingzhou, who looked more vulnerable than she had ever seen him.
If it hadn't been for her, Ji Tingzhou wouldn't have been so badly injured.
Ji Nian suddenly felt a wave of guilt.
Since arriving in this world, she had always held herself above everyone else, treating them like NPCs and even looking down on her so-called "scumbag father."
But seeing the man she had toyed with risk everything to keep her safe, only to end up bloodied and near death, left her with complicated emotions.
Ji Nian stayed by Ji Tingzhou's bedside all day, refusing to leave no matter who tried to persuade her. She sat there, small and silent, a quiet guardian watching over the man on the bed. It was a heartbreaking sight.
The cook, who had prepared Ji Nian's favorite dishes, hurried upstairs.
Seeing the child, pale and exhausted, stubbornly staring at the unconscious family head, tears welled up in her eyes.
This child, why is she so mature?
And so endearing.
She quickly wiped her tears, not wanting Ji Nian to notice, and approached with a plate of the child's favorite snacks.
"Miss, I made your favorites: coconut milk jelly, mango coconut pudding, savory fish jerky, green grape jasmine milk tea, and crispy chicken strips. Please eat something."
Ji Nian shook her head.
"Auntie, it's not time to celebrate yet."
The cook: "..."
On the bed, Ji Tingzhou's eyelid twitched.
