CHAPTER 552: CHAPTER 552: SCARE

Even though she wasn’t really afraid, pretending to accept their help would make things easier.

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Outside, the sun had already started to set.

Gu Jin wandered slowly toward the execution ground. The place was mostly empty now, quiet and dusty. She walked over to a bench and sat down, facing a small store across the road.

The lights in the shop flickered gently, and in the display window was a red dress.

Gu Jin pointed at it and looked at one of the bodyguards. "Go buy that red dress for me."

The bodyguard looked surprised, but after glancing at the other two, she nodded and walked toward the store.

Gu Jin stayed sitting and then said softly, "I’m going to the bathroom. You don’t need to follow me inside."

The two bodyguards frowned. "We can’t let you go alone, Miss. We’ll wait outside."

Gu Jin blinked, looking a little embarrassed.

"I... I don’t want anyone standing too close. I don’t like the idea of people hearing me, you know... doing that."

The bodyguards looked at each other awkwardly, then cleared their throats.

"We’ll stand farther back. We won’t listen, we promise."

"Fine," Gu Jin said with a small nod, then walked toward the nearby public bathroom.

Once she was inside, she peeked out the window. The guards were standing at a distance, exactly as she wanted.

She smirked.

Then she moved fast.

She slipped out the back, ran across a few empty streets, hopped over some wooden crates, and turned into a broken alleyway.

At the end of the alley was a hidden tunnel entrance, almost invisible under a pile of bricks.

Gu Jin pulled the cover away and quietly climbed inside, closing it behind her.

Inside the tunnel, the air was damp and cool.

There, sitting around a small lantern, were Jiang Wei, Jiang Xuelan, Ming Rou, and Qin Ye.

They turned sharply when they heard footsteps—and saw Gu Jin entering with an unfamiliar face.

"Hey," Gu Jin said softly. "How are you all doing?"

They relaxed.

"Oh, it’s you," said Jiang Wei. "We’re okay. Just waiting. When will everything be done?"

"Soon," Gu Jin replied. "I’m really sorry for the wait."

The others looked puzzled. "Why are you apologizing?"

But before they could say anything more, their heads suddenly felt heavy. Their eyes drooped. And one by one... they collapsed to the floor.

Gu Jin watched them fall, her face calm.

She bent down and checked their pulses carefully.

But when she touched Qin Ye, she froze.

His heartbeat was steady... too steady.

He was pretending to be asleep.

Her eyes turned sharp.

Without any hesitation, she pulled out a small pill and forced it into his mouth. Then she pressed on his jaw, making sure he swallowed it.

Within seconds, his breathing slowed, and this time, he really fell asleep.

"Nice try," she muttered. "But not good enough."

Once all four of them were truly out, she waved her hand. All of them vanished and appeared in the space at the same time.

Job done.

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Gu Jin made her way back the same route. Quiet, fast, and careful.

By the time she returned to the public bathroom, the bodyguards were already looking worried. One of them was about to walk toward the door.

Just then, Gu Jin stepped out.

Her cheeks were a little red, and she looked at them shyly.

"Were you... about to come inside?" she asked.

The two guards froze, awkward.

"Uh... we were just checking if you were okay. You didn’t answer when we called."

Gu Jin blushed deeper.

"Oh no... did you hear anything?"

Both guards’ faces turned red.

"N-No! We didn’t hear anything! We swear!"

Gu Jin looked away shyly, hiding her smirk.

"Let’s go," she said.

The bodyguards nodded quickly, and all three of them began to walk back, completely unaware that while they waited outside the bathroom, Gu Jin had already finished one of the most important parts of her plan.

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Gu Jin returned to Xia Mansion with the two bodyguards following behind her. As she walked past the front gate, her eyes widened slightly.

The entire courtyard was busy and filled with people.

Beautiful lanterns were being hung up. Bright red decorations were scattered everywhere. Workers were rushing around, setting up long tables, flower stands, and even a stage.

What’s going on? Gu Jin thought, her steps slowing as she looked around.

Just then, Xia Lan spotted her from across the courtyard. He waved and hurried over with a big smile.

"There you are!" he said. "Come see what we’re doing."

Gu Jin walked toward him with a calm face, but inside she was suspicious.

Xia Lan pointed toward the decorations. "We’re getting ready for a grand banquet. It will happen in three days!"

"A banquet?" Gu Jin asked, her voice calm but her heart beating fast.

"Yes!" Xia Lan nodded.

"Father said it’s time we officially acknowledge you, Lian Rou, as the daughter of the Xia family in front of everyone. It’ll be huge. All the noble families will be invited!"

Gu Jin’s smile froze for a second.

Three days? I wasn’t planning to stay even two.

That meant she had less than two days to deal with Xia Wei completely.

She also needed to finish the teleportation array, explain things to Lian Rou, and prepare to leave without being caught.

It was too rushed.

Still, she couldn’t show any hesitation.

She forced a soft, happy smile and said, "Really? That’s amazing! I’ll look forward to it!"

She even giggled and spun a little like an excited young girl.

Xia Lan and Xia Fei, who had walked over, both laughed and smiled with relief.

"Then we’ll do our best to make the banquet perfect for you," Xia Fei said, patting her shoulder.

Gu Jin nodded sweetly.

But once she got upstairs and shut her door, her smile disappeared completely.

She quickly entered her space.

Inside, the world was quiet and green, with soft grass and galaxy colored skies.

In the middle of the open field, Long Yifan stood with his arms crossed, staring down at the four people, Jiang Wei, Jiang Xuelan, Ming Rou, and Qin Ye, who were all lying on the ground unconscious.

He looked deep in thought.

Gu Jin walked over and rolled her eyes. "Why are you staring at them like that? Do you know how to make a teleportation array or not?"

Long Yifan turned quickly, a little startled. Then he placed his hand on his chest dramatically.

"You scared me! I almost had a heart attack."

Then he grinned playfully and opened his arms.

"Since you scared me, you have to give me compensation. Come, hug me!"

Gu Jin’s expression darkened. She pushed him back hard.

But before she could slap him, Long Yifan suddenly smiled brightly, eyes shining with mischief.

"If you slap me, then I get a pass to kiss you. Fair deal, right?"

Gu Jin felt dizzy.

’This man’s shamelessness knows no limits.’

She pulled her hand back and glared at him, speechless.

Long Yifan laughed. "Go ahead, hit me. I won’t mind."

Gu Jin took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Do you know how to make the teleportation array or not?"

"I do," Long Yifan said, now lying lazily on the grass. "But I feel lazy today. Maybe if you gave me a reward... I’d work faster."

Gu Jin clenched her fists. Her teeth almost cracked from how hard she was grinding them.

A strange thrill spread through her. She hadn’t felt this kind of emotion—this kind of anger—for a long time.

But just as quickly as it came, it disappeared.

Her face became calm again.

It was like her body had flushed all her emotions away. She looked at Long Yifan with a cold, flat gaze.

"If you’re not going to help, I’ll throw you out of this space."

Long Yifan chuckled. "You can’t."

Gu Jin raised her brow. "You think you’re so important to me that I won’t?"

He didn’t answer. He only smiled, a little mysteriously.

’She doesn’t know,’ he thought. ’She can’t throw me out even if she wants to. I can move in and out of this space whenever I want. This space listens to me too.’

But instead of explaining, he just pointed to his cheek. "If you kiss me here, I’ll help."

Gu Jin rolled her eyes so hard it hurt. "Go die."

Then she turned toward the four unconscious people.

She looked at Jiang Xuelan thoughtfully.

’Maybe I should wake them up. They might be able to help create the teleportation array.’

Long Yifan chuckled behind her.

"If you do that, they’ll see your space. You really want them to know your biggest secret?"

Gu Jin crossed her arms.

"They won’t know for long. I’ll knock them out again after they finish the array. Not to mention, they won’t be in the space but outside the space."

Long Yifan shook his head, still lying on the grass. "You’re being too naive."

Gu Jin’s eyes narrowed. "I don’t trust them."