Rong Xinghe and Xi Yuan had just reached the Farmhouse when the man's phone started ringing in his pocket. Still holding onto Rong Xinghe's one hand, the man picked it up absent-mindedly, bringing it to his ear.

"Is she okay?", Zhi Xi's voice came through the other end, "We just saw the headlines."

"Ask her for yourself.", Xi Yuan smiled, passing the device to the girl beside him.

"Hello, Brother?", the girl greeted, "I am fine."

"That's a relief, then.", the man replied, nodding at Lu Wei and Mo Zixuan sitting across from him assuringly, "Don't let such trifling issues bother you, okay? Simply focus on your health. We'll handle everything else here."

"Okay.", the girl grinned, "Um... can't Bro Al help Yuan with this problem, though? He is insanely nifty with computers and stuff. Can he, by any chance, figure out who might've hacked into Yuan's system?"

Zhi Xi listened to the girl calmly as he tilted his head to one side, his gaze traveling beyond the two men, halting at Zhi Al who was sleeping soundly, over his office couch. Did he have to sleep with his shoes on?! What a rascal. "Well... he is too tired right now, Kiddo. Sleeping like a cat. As soon as he wakes up, I'll ask him to call you."

"Isn't it four in the evening right now in City A?"

"Yeah, he was developing some sort of software or something for the International Code-a-thon the whole night. At least, that's what he told me before going to bed in the morning today.", the man laughed.

The girl giggled too, "He won't ever change, will he?"

"I am not counting on the possibility anymore, to be honest.", Zhi Xi shrugged.

"Alright, then. Love you, Bro Xi. Talk to you later.", the girl smiled.

"I love you too, Kid."

As the girl hung up on him, Zhi Xi glanced at Lu Wei, "She will be okay."

Mo Zixuan loosened his tie a tad, unbuttoning his Navy Blue suit, "So what do we do next? Should I suppress the news?"

"No need.", Lu Wei shook his head, grabbing an apple from the table for himself, "We will wait for them to react first. Since we've allowed all of this to happen in the first place, there is no point in looking back now."

"I agree.", Zhi Xi added, "Al has already played his part. All we need to do now is observe things from afar. In case the Xis are unable to take care of this, we'll have to eventually step in, anyway."

___________

Earlston, Scotland, 12:35;

Huang Biu stared at her phone's screen, shocked. As she read the hateful comments directed at Rong Xinghe, she realized just how vicious Rong Yufan was. His methods were twisted, but efficient and clean, leaving behind no trace. Initially, when he'd asked her to retrieve information concerning Xi Yuan's upcoming projects, she had believed that he was backing down from their deal. That he had no intention of hurting Rong Xinghe and was simply using her to aim at Xi Yuan. But the way he had turned the tables around against the woman in a matter of hours was astoundingly mind-blowing.

Come to think of it, everything he did was well-calculated from the very beginning. Xi Yuan was a mystery to literally anyone even remotely interested in the field of business, finances, and technology; which accounted for about 72% of the global population. The man's impeccable success and growth, along with his low-key conduct and ideal looks, made him the absolute grist for the gossip mill, as far as the tabloids were concerned. Who wouldn't want to know about such a man's private life, right?

After taking a shower, she pranced around the living room jauntily, her eyes searching for Xi Yuan. Accoutred in an Olive Green woolen dress, she wondered how he must be feeling right now. Betrayed. Hurt. Or furious, maybe. Maybe the two of them were in an argument. It'd be too satisfying to witness that, she thought. That woman had ruined her relationship with her brother Huang Ling, after all. She wouldn't mind watching her lose someone she loves too. An eye for an eye, indeed!

Just when the woman was daydreaming of her perfect revenge, the sounds of a man and a woman laughing reached her ears. And as if struck by the reality, she stopped in her tracks, stunned. Then, she followed the source of the laughter to the Farmhouse's garden, only to see the couple throwing snowballs at each other playfully.

"You're sooo dead!", Rong Xinghe squinted her eyes, bending over to gather as much snow as she could in her gloved hands, the man laughing at her as he juggled with three snowballs effortlessly.

"Just be careful.", he said, "And adjust your beanie. It's slipping down again."

The girl stood up, her one hand full of a not-so-perfect snowball, staring at the man, "This damned beanie is why I am losing!", she complained, annoyance evident in her tone, "Unlucky wench."

"I never knew that Military Chief Rong would turn out to be a sore loser.", Xi Yuan chuckled.

"You loser!"

"Childish!", the man clicked his tongue helplessly, directing yet another 'snowy' attack against the woman.

Huang Biu: "..."

This certainly was not the kind of argument she'd expected between them. Was he even aware of what was happening in Country X?! Or on social media, for that matter. How could the two of them be so carefree at such a time?

"Urgh!", suddenly, Rong Xinghe stumbled upon something and lost her balance, falling over the thick layer of snow. Worriedly, the man rushed over to her, her security staff following behind him. "Xinghe! What happened?", he asked, pulling the woman in his arms as he took a peek at her legs. She seemed to have sprained her left ankle, given the visible swelling and lack of motion. "I told you to be careful, didn't I?", the man looked at the woman then, anxiously, "Come on, now. Let's head inside."

"W-wait!", the woman clutched onto the man's shirt collar, her tone desperate.

"What is it?", the man furrowed his brows. But before he could respond to the woman's foxy smirk, Rong Xinghe pulled his shirt back a little, forcing a handful of the cold snow down his back.

"I told you. I never lose.", she chuckled. As the soldiers behind him suppressed their laughter, Xi Yuan just glared at the girl speechlessly. Did she even realize she was in pain so as to pull off such a stunt?! No wonder her brothers called her the 'She-Devil'. Quite the troublemaker she was...

"Fine.", he mumbled to himself as he lifted her up from the ground, "You win!"

"Yes!", Rong Xinghe smiled triumphantly, planting a soft peck upon her darling's cheek.