Chapter 955 — No Choice but to Strike First
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"All right, I'll go right now," Li Cihua said with a nod.
"Where are you two going?" A voice came out of nowhere, giving Zhao Qibing and Li Cihua a start.
"Wei Zhao?" Zhao Qibing stared at the newcomer, scarcely able to believe his eyes. Who else could the man walking in be but Wei Zhao?
"Were you looking for me? If so, there's no need to come — I'm here." Wei Zhao eyed Zhao Qibing with something like mockery. "Your legs are better? No wonder you're bouncing around so merrily. Seems to me you'd be better off sitting quietly in that wheelchair."
"What do you mean by that, Wei Zhao? You're a crippled ruin, and you still dare come here? Tired of living?" Zhao Qibing was baffled by Wei Zhao's words. Had water got into the man's brain? Back when you had real power, I put up with your swagger, but now you've lost it all, and you're still strutting in front of me?
"Who told you I'm a ruin?" Wei Zhao regarded Zhao Qibing with some surprise. "Did you not sleep well? Can't tell dreaming from waking? Seeing things?"
Zhao Qibing was taken aback. But then he thought: Wei Zhao was finished — I had him tested by men of my own choosing; it can't be false. Steeling himself, he said, "Drop the act, Wei Zhao. The bald thug in the parking lot outside the Starlight Grand Hotel was sent by me. I know every last detail of your situation. You think you can come here and frighten me? Is Gu Pengzhan so utterly out of options that he had to send you to hold me steady?"
"Oh?" Wei Zhao's brow knit slightly. So the man in the parking lot had been sent by Zhao Qibing!
"If I guess right, Gu Pengzhan is probably packing his things and plotting to skip town right about now, isn't he? Sending you here to stall for time?" Seeing Wei Zhao's frown, Zhao Qibing took it as a hit on the man's sore spot, and smugly carried on with his deduction. "But Wei Zhao, are you stupid? How can you be this stupid? Even at a time like this, you're still selling your life for Gu Pengzhan. How much is he paying you? Sending you here to scare me is just sending you to be cannon fodder. Do you really think you can walk out of here once you've come? Don't you know I've wanted you dead for a long time?"
"Oh, Uncle Chu didn't send me. I came on my own," Wei Zhao said, ruthlessly demolishing Zhao Qibing's reasoning.
"Gah?" Zhao Qibing was stunned, then pressed on. "I've got it — you've always been sweet on that little girl Gu Mengyao, haven't you? For her sake you volunteered to sacrifice yourself! Am I right? Ah, since ancient times, retainers are a sentimental lot, willing to die for the young miss. I never thought I'd see a modern version! Wahaha, it's just too touching!"
"Your legs are better, so what happened to your head?" Wei Zhao looked at the self-satisfied Zhao Qibing and shook his head in pity. "Seems to me you'll be needing that wheelchair after all. If your intellect keeps developing along these lines, the late stage is likely to be a vegetative state."
"Damn you, what did you say?" Zhao Qibing slammed his palm on the table and jabbed a finger at the wheelchair a short distance behind him. "Wei Zhao, you come into my house and still dare talk like that? You really do want to die! You want me in a wheelchair? Do you know why I didn't throw my wheelchair away after I was done with it?"
"Because you foresaw it would still be useful?" Wei Zhao said, looking at Zhao Qibing with some astonishment.
"Ha! So you're not stupid after all! You know this wheelchair is prepared for you?" Zhao Qibing burst into loud laughter. "That's right — in a little while I'll have you come in on your feet and leave on your backside!"
"Oh, so it's not me who's stupid but you." Wei Zhao shook his head regretfully. "Wrong answer. I thought you were a prophet like Prophet Shu, and knew you'd be sitting in that wheelchair yourself in a moment!"