Chapter 446 — Another Side of Qiu Lingshan: Wei Zhao Nearly Fell Flat on the Floor, Startled by Her Transformation

"Hehe, Xiao Song, it's about time you found a man who can keep you in line, or your temper will stay too wild!" Yang Huaijun laughed.

"Ah? Brother Yang... what... what nonsense are you talking? What man am I looking for?" Qiu Lingshan's eyes went wide, her cheeks flushing red as she glared at Yang Huaijun indignantly.

"A girl must marry when she comes of age!" But Yang Huaijun didn't care in the least. "Besides, when your big brother needs Wei Zhao's help, even I have to beg him!"

"You... even you beg him?" Qiu Lingshan had long been puzzled by Wei Zhao's identity. Even if he was a highly skilled bodyguard, there was no reason for Yang Huaijun to hold him in such high regard. After all, Yang Huaijun was not someone who was ever easily impressed—yet before Wei Zhao, he adopted an entirely deferential posture, willingly taking a step back. This baffled Qiu Lingshan.

Yang Huaijun had retired from that mysterious organization. Though injured and no longer at his peak in terms of martial prowess, he had once been a legend—and he possessed both courage and cunning. He could never have praised someone so casually!

But with regard to Wei Zhao... Qiu Lingshan truly couldn't figure out what kind of connection these two could possibly have! Most suspicious of all, when Yang Huaijun first laid eyes on Wei Zhao, he nearly lost his composure!

Yang Huaijun nodded solemnly. "I'm begging him right now to treat my illness!"

Yang Huaijun had been hoping to play matchmaker between Wei Zhao and Qiu Lingshan. Although the Song family was no weakling, their household hardly interfered with Qiu Lingshan's marriage prospects—especially since the Song family descended from an ancient martial arts clan that revered strength. For this reason, Old Master Song was quite supportive of Qiu Lingshan's declaration that she would only marry a man who could defeat her.

And Wei Zhao happened to meet this very condition! That alone would be reason enough to let him give it a try. But what troubled Yang Huaijun was the matter of Xiaoning. Knowing full well that Wei Zhao could never be accepted by Xiaoning's family, he nonetheless couldn't help himself from helping Xiaoning, time and again!

What kind of state of mind was this? He had taken the affection buried deep in his heart for Xiaoning and transformed it into a guardianship of her happiness!

"..." Qiu Lingshan was somewhat speechless. She had thought that having Yang Huaijun here today would bolster her courage, but it seemed she had miscalculated—Yang Huaijun... couldn't command Wei Zhao either!

"Heh... You questioned me earlier, so all prior agreements are off." Wei Zhao sat down on the sofa, right next to Qiu Lingshan.

Hearing Wei Zhao's words, Qiu Lingshan nearly vomited blood from regret. Had she known this would happen, why had she opened her mouth to score a quick verbal victory? She had thought Yang Huaijun could back her up, only to discover that her words had led to a grave blunder!

Watching Wei Zhao wear that air of "I don't need anyone's help, and you'd better not come bother me," Qiu Lingshan was furious enough to gnash her teeth, yet she was completely powerless. Wanting to ease the tension between them, she nudged Wei Zhao with her foot. "Hey... why so petty?"

"This isn't about being petty—it's a matter of principle. I won't help, and that's final. Everything's been cancelled." Wei Zhao was perfectly content. He had never wanted to get involved in Qiu Lingshan's affairs in the first place; had Yang Huaijun not put in a word, he wouldn't have bothered with her at all! Now that the opportunity had presented itself, Wei Zhao washed his hands of it completely.

Qiu Lingshan glared furiously but was utterly helpless. After a moment's hesitation, she tugged at the hem of Wei Zhao's shirt and leaned close to his ear, whispering, "The dumb girl says she's sorry, all right? Just forgive her this once..."

When Qiu Lingshan uttered those words, her body trembled slightly. When had she ever debased herself so before anyone? Yet with Wei Zhao, she had no choice but to lower herself! How was she so unlucky? Completely at his mercy, with not an ounce of room to fight back...

"Heh... All right, I'll forgive you this once..." Qiu Lingshan's pouting had stirred Wei Zhao's heart—he hadn't expected this little girl's coquettish act to actually move him...

No pretty girl was inherently unlovable; the key lay in whether she knew how to show her adorable side... Wei Zhao had drawn this conclusion. It seemed he still had a bit of a soft heart—and that was hardly a good sign!

What if someday a female assassin were to act cute toward him—would he let her go?

Although Qiu Lingshan's voice was soft and Guan Xuewen couldn't hear it, Yang Huaijun, seated right beside her, caught every word crystal clear! What were Yang Huaijun's abilities? Though currently diminished from his injuries, at his peak he had been a top-tier expert of the early Yellow Stage, so his hearing was naturally far beyond ordinary. Hearing what Qiu Lingshan whispered to Wei Zhao, he nearly passed out on the spot!

This! Was this still the Qiu Lingshan he knew? True, Qiu Lingshan sometimes showed her girlish side to him, but that was merely because she saw him as an older brother, an elder—nothing more was implied! But with Wei Zhao... wasn't Wei Zhao younger than her?

Could it be... that little Song had actually fallen for him this time?

Although Yang Huaijun had his suspicions, he could only pretend he hadn't heard. This was a matter of a girl's dignity—perhaps she could say such things in front of Wei Zhao, but if an outsider overheard, Qiu Lingshan would probably want to kill herself!

Qiu Lingshan shot Wei Zhao a resentful glare, but she had gotten the answer she wanted. She turned her head away, pouting furiously and refusing to speak to him.

Though Guan Xuewen had no idea what had happened, his instincts told him that the relationship between Wei Zhao and Qiu Lingshan was hardly ordinary, and he sighed inwardly. His granddaughter's feelings had not escaped him. Had it been any other young man, Guan Xuewen would have been confident of bringing the match about, but now that the man was Wei Zhao, he had lost all such confidence.

For one thing, Wei Zhao's medical skill surpassed his own; for another, beyond medicine, Wei Zhao was clearly extraordinary in other respects as well, outstanding in the extreme... One could catch a hint or two of it from the way Qiu Lingshan and Wei Zhao spoke to each other.

"Xiaoyi, hold on a moment. Xiao Yang and Xiao Song have some questions for me, and they've only just arrived. Once they've finished, we'll talk about other matters," Guan Xuewen said to Wei Zhao. As his acquaintance with Wei Zhao had grown more familiar, Guan Xuewen had come to regard him as half family, and so was no longer quite so formal with him.

"Mm, it's fine. I'll sit here a while," Wei Zhao said, then glanced at Yang Huaijun. "Or should I step out for a bit?"

As he spoke, Wei Zhao made to rise.

Qiu Lingshan could have clawed him back down on the spot. This was a matter she had wanted Wei Zhao's help with in the first place—what did he mean by stepping out?

"No need. You may as well listen in. If any clue turns up, you can lend a hand too," Yang Huaijun said with a wave of his hand, speaking up before Qiu Lingshan could.

Qiu Lingshan breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Captain Yang and Wei Zhao were on very good terms. Though Yang was the one asking Wei Zhao for help, it was plain that Wei Zhao never refused him.