Chapter 5: Fight

Upon seeing Master Yan Hao, Tang Jing seemed to be in a daze and left.

Tang Xin chuckled twice and said, “Quite charming, huh? Another person captivated by you.”

Yan Hao maintained a serious expression. “Miss Tang jests.”

Tang Xin raised an eyebrow. “Without Tenth Brother around, you don’t call me ‘Master’ anymore?”

Yan Hao pursed his lips. Referring to her as ‘Master’ was a bit embarrassing. After some thought, he uttered, “Master.”

“…Suit yourself.” Tang Xin stood up, surprised that she had chatted with Tang Jing for so long. Initially, Tang Jing seemed scheming, and in her mind, she labeled her as a “calculating woman.” Unexpectedly, she turned out to be not bad.

“It’s time to find the butler and go to the warehouse. There’s a lot of stuff waiting to be picked.” Tang Xin was about to leave when a knife was swung towards her. Tang Xin dodged, and a few strands of her hair were cut.

“Tang Ning, have you gone mad?” Tang Xin was furious. If she hadn’t dodged in time just now, the consequences would have been unpredictable.

“I want your life.” Tang Ning, with red eyes, swung the sword again.

He had entrusted the butler to deliver a message to his father, hoping his father would intervene for him. However, the butler regretfully informed him that Yan Hao was now Tang Xin’s guard, and the matter was settled with the approval of the family head.

Settled? Tang Ning immediately went back to his room to get a sword.

As long as Tang Xin died, Yan Hao would automatically return to the previous contract with the Tang family. Once Tang Xin, who didn’t know her place, was eliminated, no one else dared to provoke him. After two years, when he came of age, Yan Hao would be his.

The plan sounded perfect, but unfortunately, Tang Xin avoided the fatal blow.

Tang Ning snorted. So what if she dodged? In front of a fourth-level warrior, a second-level was like putty in their hands.

Unexpectedly, Tang Xin showed no intention of fighting and directly shouted, “Yan Hao, take him down.”

“Despicable.” Tang Ning glared at Tang Xin.

Knowing that he didn’t want to lay hands on Yan Hao, she still issued such an order, making things difficult for Yan Hao. She was not a responsible master at all. If Yan Hao became his guard, he wouldn’t make things difficult for him like this.

Tang Xin ignored him, pretending not to hear. Facing a fourth-level opponent as a second-level, she wasn’t foolish and didn’t want trouble. Her style was to dominate at the fifth level.

As it turned out, Tang Ning had overestimated…

Yan Hao acted decisively and effortlessly. He slapped Tang Ning’s wrist, causing him to drop the sword. Yan Hao then pressed Tang Ning’s hands behind his back, rendering him immobile.

Tang Ning, being restrained, didn’t struggle but rather said faintly, “I know you’re forced. You have no choice but to obey her orders; I understand.”

Yan Hao’s hair stood on end. He had no fondness for the Tenth Young Master who had been pursuing him, but rather felt a creepy feeling of being targeted by a pervert. His grip involuntarily tightened.

“Tang Ning, you’re quite capable. Dare to barge into my room with a sword and attack as soon as you enter.” Tang Xin approached as Yan Hao tightened his grip, speaking coldly.

“Lucky for you, you’re not dead.” Tang Ning was unafraid, glaring at her fiercely. “Don’t let me catch an opportunity; I will make you beg for life and find no escape.”

Tang Xin suddenly smiled. “You just attacked me, and now you’re in my hands. How to deal with you, I’ll decide. In this situation, where does your confidence to continue threatening me come from?”

“Do you dare do anything to me?” Tang Ning sneered. “Take advantage of the situation not escalating; let me go obediently. Everyone knows I am the future head of the Tang family.”

“I want to see how a dead person becomes the future head of the Tang family.” Tang Xin walked to the cabinet and took out a dagger.

The silver blade reflected a dazzling light, making Tang Ning’s heart race. Despite that, he defiantly said, “This is the Tang family. I don’t believe you dare to harm me.”

“Not harm you,” Tang Xin corrected, “kill you. Defending oneself when attacked, accidentally causing your death. No one can say anything.”

While speaking, she held the dagger and thrust it directly towards Tang Ning’s heart. Villains die from talking too much, and she never made that mistake.

The dagger hung in the air, only an inch away from the heart. It wasn’t that Tang Xin changed her mind; rather, the wrist holding the dagger was restrained by someone.

Tang Xin turned her head, and the butler smiled gently. “The Tenth Young Master was just joking with you, Eighth Miss. Why take it so seriously?” It was as if he wasn’t the one holding Tang Xin’s arm.

Tang Ning, seeing the butler’s happy expression, immediately lost his previous panic and became arrogant again.

Joking with a sword was one thing. How about she jokingly stabbed a few holes in Tang Ning’s heart? Tang Xin didn’t vent her inner dissatisfaction. She knew saying these words wouldn’t help: “Let go.”

The butler released her without resistance.

“Why did he come here acting so irrationally?” Tang Xin asked. She didn’t say whether she would release Tang Ning or not.

Tang Ning was about to speak, but the butler preempted him: “The family head ordered that since Miss Eighth has chosen her guard, there is no reason for further changes. The Tenth Young Master acted impulsively in a fit of anger.”

Tang Ning snorted twice, intending to retort, but thought about how the butler had saved him and restrained himself from arguing.

Tang Xin squinted. “I didn’t even know about this. Why did he find out first?”

“Well,” the butler’s smile faltered, “I happened to run into the Tenth Young Master on the way.”

“Being the family’s assistant for so many years,” Tang Xin said calmly, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes. “Can’t you even manage such a basic thing as keeping your mouth shut?”

“I spoke out of turn,” the butler said with a stiff scalp.

“Out of turn? When I was choosing a guard, the butler misspoke just once. Actively admitting mistakes but never repenting, is that it?” Tang Xin said it with a half-smile.

The butler was tongue-tied, but a sense of resentment welled up in his heart. Which young master or miss didn’t give him a bit of a face when they saw him? Miss Eighth, on the other hand, didn’t care at all, repeatedly choking him with her words. Thinking about it again, Miss Eighth didn’t even give face to the Tenth Young Master; ignoring him was quite normal.

The butler smiled wryly. “Miss Eighth, I know you’ve suffered grievances. But this is still the Tang family, and nothing can happen to the Tenth Young Master.”

“I know. If it weren’t for this being the Tang family, he wouldn’t be here causing trouble.” Tang Xin glanced at him sideways.

When Tang Ning was wielding a sword at her, he was nowhere to be found. Now that she had a dagger and was about to stab Tang Ning, he suddenly appeared. He hadn’t even confirmed if Tang Ning was the next head of the family, and he rushed up to curry favor.

Besides a bitter smile, the butler didn’t know what else he could do.

However, Tang Xin had no intention of taking further action. She gestured to Yan Hao to release Tang Ning, and she pushed him against the wall.

“What are you doing?” Tang Ning, looking a bit panicked after almost being killed by a second-level warrior, was questioned with a stern expression.

With the butler watching, he couldn’t be killed, but at least she could vent some frustration verbally.

Tang Xin laughed and said, “As the elder sister is about to leave home, let me teach you a couple of lessons before I go. When you fall into someone else’s hands, don’t be too arrogant. People might find you annoying and just cut you down.”

“Are you daring me?” Tang Ning snorted.

Tang Xin smiled, and the next moment, the dagger stabbed into the wall, just a few millimeters away from Tang Ning’s ear, cutting off several strands of hair. This startled Tang Ning, causing him to break into a cold sweat.

“The second thing is that no matter how high your talent is, if your life ends here, everything becomes meaningless. It’s just potential, not strength. Don’t be arrogant,” Tang Xin said as she patted Tang Ning’s face like an amiable older sister.

“Eighth sister’s advice is worth heeding. If you’re too arrogant and get yourself killed before becoming the next head, how unfortunate. You’re the rare A-level gene in the Tang family, after all,” Tang Xin continued, mentioning “A-level gene” and “unfortunate,” but her face showed no fear.

At this moment, Tang Ning really wished to keep his distance from this seemingly crazy woman.

Having finished her business, Tang Xin walked easily to the butler and said, “Take me to see my father.”

The butler hesitated. “The family head is currently handling official matters; it might not be convenient to see Miss Eighth.”

“The butler misunderstood. I’m not asking you, not seeking your opinion; I am ordering you.” Tang Xin looked at the butler, repeating her words, “Take me to see my father.”

Seeing Tang Xin’s cold demeanor, the butler held back his refusal, bowed, and said, “Yes, as you command.”

Before leaving, the butler glanced back. Yan Hao followed Tang Xin, leaving Tang Ning alone in the room, and he couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. It seemed that there wouldn’t be any trouble.

On the way to the study, outside the door, the butler turned back and said, “I’ll go in first to report to the family head.”

“Go ahead.” Tang Xin waved her hand.

After the butler left, Yan Hao, who was beside her, spoke, “Aren’t you worried he might exaggerate and say something unfounded in front of the family head?”

Tang Xin shook her head. “Tang Ning’s attack on me is a fact. Even if the butler exaggerates, it can’t be denied that Tang Ning voluntarily went to my room. If we really investigate, causing harm to a family member is enough to disqualify Tang Ning from competing for the family head position. But Tang Ning is father’s beloved son, the only one born from his favorite, so father won’t stand by and watch Tang Ning lose his eligibility. Besides, even if the butler tells the truth, Father will find a way to exonerate Tang Ning.”

“You don’t mind?” Yan Hao asked expressionlessly, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

“From the moment I missed the chance to kill him, I knew this would be the outcome. The butler is a fifth-level warrior, and we can’t beat him if exposed. Getting angry won’t change the result, so I won’t waste my efforts. Moreover,” Tang Xin revealed with a sly smile, “If my father wants me not to pursue it, he should at least show enough sincerity.”

Yan Hao remained silent, his face as cold as ever, only a trace of doubt flickering in his eyes.

“What about you?” Tang Xin couldn’t help but ask, “Why didn’t you let go of him when I was stabbing Tang Ning with the dagger? Even if I were the one acting, you were the one restraining him, and you would have to take responsibility if anything happened.”

Yan Hao looked puzzled and asked in return, “Didn’t we agree? I worked for you for three years, loyal and unwavering, and you granted me freedom. You told me to restrain him.”

Tang Xin carefully examined Yan Hao’s expression, but his face remained as icy as ever, revealing nothing.

“You did well,” Tang Xin praised while secretly wondering: Is he truly willing to be loyal to her and follow her every command?