The argument between the harmonious cousins did not escalate too much, but it continued for a few minutes. Hu Lei could not help wondering why they were so comfortable quarrelling like that in her presence. However, she did not mind. It was interesting, and she gathered a few bits of information from the conversation.

Apparently, Ting Wan was an adopted child of a sort-of distant aunt. She did not belong to the Bei Gong family in Supreme City, but the ever-kind Miss Jiu had helped her get adjusted. However, though they got along on the surface, they were not-so-secretly dissatisfied with each other.

Ting Wan obviously thought that her rich cousin was dumb, and her show of kindness was just a way to be condescending while looking good. As for Bei Gong Jiu, she was not clear as they quarrelled. She kept insisting that she had helped Ting Wan and been betrayed. Then, she burst into tears.

"Ladies, there is no need to argue like this. Why don't we all have a cup of tea and chill out?" Hu Lei interjected, tired of the cyclic conversation.

The two women turned their unfriendly gazes to her. It took a moment before their expressions turned ugly. How could they have been inflamed so easily? Suddenly, they felt foolish, especially when they saw the careless and unrepentant look on Hu Lei's face.

Bei Gong Jiu was particularly angry because she had not been able to maintain her image.

"I don't know how big brother Feng would have such bad judgement by choosing you as his friend." Her tears had dried up as she spoke softly but with venom.

Hu Lei heard the sound of waves crushing in her ears. Then, she felt an unbearable weight in her chest, and her mind seemed to become blank and black. For a moment, she seemed completely frozen. The two people in the room looked at each other in puzzlement and missed the darkening of her eyes.

Pa! A sudden slap landed on Bei Gong Jiu's face. She felt the sting penetrate her bones, and her cheek seemed to be on fire. She lifted her hand to her cheek.

"How could you? Big brother Feng…" Before she could say 'won't forgive you', two more slaps landed on her face.

"Do you believe that I will tear out your tongue if you keep talking?" The voice was completely still, without inflection.

Bei Gong Jiu felt fear in her heart, and she once again began sobbing. The sound would perhaps have evoked pity in other circumstances, but it did not in this case. Hu Lei only felt irritation, especially because she had given in to that darkness subconsciously when she had heard those words. And the person she was now did not care much for weak lotuses.

She folded a fist in anticipation of punching the sobbing mess of a girl. However, her punch was stopped midway by Ting Wan. Hu Lei turned to her with apathetic eyes to the taller woman and looked her up and down.

"I didn't think you had any loyalty in you." Her cold voice caused a wave of goose pimples to rise on the women's skins.

She withdrew her fist and looked at the two people with critical eyes, so unlike the regular happy-go-lucky girl.

"Cousin, you should leave. Don't worry about me." Ting Wan said in an emotional voice while maintaining a defensive stance.

Hu Lei's eyes shifted fully to this person who was supposed to be her assistant or bodyguard. Logically speaking, there was no need for this dramatic farewell. The strength she had used in her fist was low because she had not planned to cripple the frail Bei Gong. Therefore, Ting Wan should assume that she could beat her.

Her eyelids narrowed, leaving slits with glowing yellow orbs.

"You really have a flair for the dramatics, don't you?" She said lazily but with an edge.

Ting Wan felt her heart skip a beat. Could she have seen through her?

"I don't know what you are talking about. But I will not let you harm Bei Gong Jiu while she is under my care." She said with the same emotion.

"Oooh, so you are committed to your script? I hope you are willing to die for it." Hu Lei said.

She moved like a shadow slowly but unseen and appeared before Bei Gong Jiu. Ting Wan could not even react in time. Hu Lei snatched a phone from the woman's hands. It was just as she expected. The woman had taken the opportunity to start recording a video. So unimaginative!

Ting Wan attacked her ferociously. Hu Lei was about to dodge and then realised that the action might expose some books to harm. Even though she was her darker self in the moment, she was still Hu Lei. Her instincts, thoughts and memories were unchanged. The library was her special place, and it had been made for her by Zhong Feng.

She would not allow any damage to come to things she liked. There was no difference if she took a direct approach. She caught the wrist of the arm coming toward her and twisted it before kicking Ting Wan's shins. She immediately went down, and Hu Lei stepped on her back and applied pressure.

Bei Gong Jun was too shocked to even cry.

"You know, we could have had a nice cup of tea like ladies." Hu Lei said.

However, with her emotionless voice, the words sounded a little eerie.

The internal door to the library opened, and there was a dangerous shift in the air. The three people looked at the door and saw a dark-faced Zhong Feng enter into the library. Ting Wan tried to stand, but Hu Lei's foot dug deeper into her back.

"Big brother Feng!" Bei Gong Jiu cried out in a tearful voice.

Hu Lei did not hesitate to step off Ting Wan and slap the woman twice. Ugh, she really wanted to make her mute before she nauseated her to death. As expected, Bei Gong turned tearful eyes of suffering injustice to Zhong Feng.

Maybe she would poke out her eyes too.

Zhong Feng could see that Hu Lei was different than usual. Not the usual different. She was the person he had found chained in a cold cell, dodged a bullet and looked at him defiantly in Antarctica. She was the woman who had masterfully left the country, leaving only the barest traces.

But she was still his Hu Lei.

He walked up to her and looked into her cold eyes which looked back defiantly, as if daring him to rebuke her. In truth, every part of Hu Lei was waiting with apprehension, but she did not show fear or nervousness. She wanted to know if he could like even this side of her.

"You really need some discipline." He spoke darkly, grasping her chin in his hand tightly.

She did not turn away from his dark and cold aura. Instead, she stood on her tiptoes and stretched upwards towards him and looked into his eyes.

"Maybe I do." She whispered in a sultry voice.