The Independent State:

  It was winter and heavy snow fluttered from the sky like goose feathers throughout the entire day.

  In the rear courtyard of the headquarters of Emperor Ji’s faction:

  Ji Xiuran was wearing a thick overcoat while his head of long hair was casually draped behind him.

  Currently, the man was kneeling down and meticulously caring for the fruits and vegetables he personally planted.

  “Brother Xiuran, are you planning to retire and return to civilian life?”


  Worriless Nie asked from her seat in the courtyard as she watched Ji Xiuran, who had quite a few splatters of rain and snow on his body.

  She didn’t understand why this man planted these fruits and vegetables.

  “Retire and return to civilian life…?” Ji Xiuran murmured softly, startled.

  “Mhm, retire and return to civilian life,” Worriless Nie said jokingly.

  “What? Is this the life you want?” Ji Xiuran turned to Worriless Nie.

  “The life I want…” Worriless Nie pondered for a moment with her chin propped on her hand. “A few fields, three meals of salted vegetables, working from sunrise to sunset… Ordinary and peaceful.”


  Ji Xiuran smiled. “Are you willing to leave it all behind?”


  “Why wouldn’t I? You though—are you willing to leave it all behind?” Worriless Nie asked Ji Xiuran.

  Ji Xiuran was startled. “Your future includes me too?”


  “Of course!” Worriless Nie dashed forward and looped her arm around his arm. “I can be without everyone… I just can’t go without you in my life.”


  “But I’m not willing.” Ji Xiuran shook his head.

  The anticipation in Worriless Nie’s eyes instantly turned into an indescribable emotion.

  “I’m not willing to make you eat only pickled vegetables for all three meals, so how about we add some sweet and sour spare ribs?” Ji Xiuran chuckled lightly.

  “…” F*ck, what’s going on with this man?!

  “Brother Xiuran, are you willing to leave this life and abandon everything…?” Worriless Nie was incredulous.

  In the Independent State, he was akin to an emperor who lorded over the world and possessed almost supreme power.

  Ji Xiuran shook his head and slowly stood up. He wrapped the girl’s jacket around her more tightly as he said, “I wouldn’t unless I was trading this life for you.”


  “Really?” Worriless Nie stood in her spot, watching his movements before meeting his enthralling, gentle eyes. She felt that her heart had been melted by his blazing warmth already.

  “What do you think?” The man tapped the tip of her nose with his finger.

  “Go in first; it’s cold out here.” Ji Xiuran turned around and picked some of the vegetables and fruits he planted. “I grew these myself since I don’t trust other people’s produce. Come over to eat often. These are all very healthy.”


  “You… planted all of this for me?” Worriless Nie was astonished.

  The corners of his lips turned up, happiness also surfacing in his eyes. After he finished picking the produce, he walked forward and grasped her hand before leading her toward the kitchen.

  Ji Xiuran’s culinary skills had been honed more and more exquisitely. His dishes looked and smelled amazing and tasted incredible, especially his sweet and sour spare ribs. Worriless Nie wanted nothing more than to inhale even the plate.

  However, the girl didn’t like eating vegetables and only consumed meat, aside from Ji Xiuran’s vegetables.

  That evening, anyone who looked down from the hilltop at Emperor Ji’s headquarters would have a panoramic view of the resplendence below.

  The man sat at the mountain top, the girl sitting next to him.

  “You’ve worked hard for all of this for a very long time,” the girl commented softly.

  “That’s right. I haven’t stopped since I was a youth.” Ji Xiuran nodded.

  “My Fearless Alliance is also very fearsome right now… it’s strange though—the factions that kept oppressing us before have all disappeared…” Worriless Nie said.

  “That’s good.” Ji Xiuran smiled.

  The girl turned to him. “Eh… It’s not your doing, right?”


  “It isn’t.” The man shook his head.

  “Suspicious!” Worriless Nie pursed her lips.

  2462 Side Story: Ji Xiuran 7

  “If you like it, all of this can be yours,” Ji Xiuran said with a chuckle as he looked at the world below him.

  “It can be mine?” The girl also surveyed the land underneath them. This was akin to an empire.

  “But you’re Emperor Ji. Are you willing to yield everything to me?” Worriless Nie joked.

  “If you want to become Emperor Nie,” Ji Xiuran replied.

  “Emperor Nie?” Worriless Nie hastily shook her head. “Forget it, that sounds terrible… I would rather keep being Bai Feng.”


  Before the girl could say anything else, the man tugged her into his arms.

  Caught off guard, the girl fell against his chest.

  When Worriless Nie recovered, a blush instantly covered her face.

  She’d never experienced this reddening and heart-racing feeling. Although there were many good-looking men in the world, Ji Xiuran’s uniqueness was irreplaceable.

  “Don’t work too hard,” Ji Xiuran softly said.

  “You’re the one working hard…” Worriless Nie retorted. “Oh right—lately, the Tong family, the Zhou family, and that Li Chun you defeated have released word that they want your life… You know about that, right?”


  “I don’t.” Ji Xiuran shook his head.

  “Huh? You don’t know?” Worriless Nie was stunned. “How could you not know? Isn’t that too dangerous?!”


  “I don’t care too much about things said by strays.” Ji Xiuran smiled.

  “You must protect yourself well, alright?” The girl was filled with worry.

  “Mm,” Ji Xiuran agreed.

  “Your complexion doesn’t look too good.” The girl carefully examined his face.

  “Maybe it’s because of the cold. Let’s go back inside.” Ji Xiuran stood up and naturally took her hand into his before leaving this place.

  …


  A few days later, inside the study of Emperor Ji’s headquarters:

  “Emperor Ji…” Skeleton quickly strode inside.

  “Speak,” Ji Xiuran said.

  “It’s regarding Miss Worriless.” Skeleton was hesitant.

  The man instantly furrowed his brows. “What happened?”


  “Miss Worriless… f-fell to the Zhou family, the Tong family, and Li Chun’s ploy… and was captured,” Skeleton reported truthfully.

  The always-calm man shot up instantly. Never-seen-before iciness and violent rage erupted from his eyes and veins bulged on his forehead.

  He set his hand on his desk as if he was trying to calm himself down.

  However, a loud “boom” rang out and wooden pieces scattered everywhere. The desk had been crushed.

  “Emperor Ji…”


  Skeleton was shocked. This was the first time in his life that he had ever seen his master on the brink of losing all rationality. When had the always-scheming and confident Emperor Ji look the way he did today?!

  “Who… leaked it out?” The man was expressionless.

  However, Skeleton could sense that the man was restraining the wild beast that was about to shatter its cage and leap outside of him.

  “Emperor Ji! No one knows about your relationship with the President of the Fearless Alliance, Bai Feng… I think that someone from our side probably saw Miss Worriless visiting our headquarters… and accidentally divulged it…” Skeleton hastily explained.

  “Find them and kill without mercy!” the man commanded.

  “Yes…”


  “How’s the situation at the Fearless Alliance?” Ji Xiuran asked.

  “The Fearless Alliance has no idea Miss Worriless was captured. The Zhou family, the Tong family, and Li Chun paid a huge price this time, but even so, they suffered extensive damage and a dozen or so higher-ups were killed. Miss Worriless fought to the verge of exhaustion, but unfortunately, her opponents were too contemptible and too great in numbers,” Skeleton replied.

  The man was frighteningly quiet, but Skeleton could sense the other man’s insuppressible violent undercurrents.