Chapter 277 - Xiao Rui Is Leaving (1/2)

At fifteen years old, Xiao Rui was already a head taller than Ah Sha. Because of the fact that Xiao Rui rarely smiled, Ying Qingcang once had a suspicion that he was the result of a cloning experiment performed on Boss Wan. Xunxun rarely smiled too, though he often made smartass and sarcastic remarks just to goad others. That said, Xunxun had a look of disdain on his face most of the time.

Xiao Rui, on the other hand, was legitimately expressionless. His eyes were cold and glacial, like ice. He wouldn’t look at you at all, though if you have the balls to look at him, be ready to face the possibility that you might be scared to death.

“Sis!” Now, those dark eyes gleamed at her. Only when he was speaking with Ah Sha or Xin Qing would Xiao Rui’s eyes have some sort of color.

Ah Sha put Chengcheng back down on the floor and reached out to ruffle Xiao Rui’s hair. “Look how fast you’re growing up,” Ah Sha said. “It won’t take more than a few years for you to catch up to Xunxun.”

On the couch, Xin Qing waved at Ah Sha. “Ah Sha, come here. Come sit with mommy!”

Beside Xin Qing, Ying Qingcang sat there with an impassive look on his face. He reached out and pulled Xin Qing onto his lap. “Are you cold?”

Xin Qing gave him an exasperated look. “Our home has floor heating,” she said. Ah Sha led Chengcheng by hand and plopped down on the couch beside Xin Qing. “Mommy! I just got the contract to be Xin Enterprises’ endorser today.”

Xin Qing grinned at Ah Sha. “It was meant for you from the start. Hey, how come you look like you’ve gotten thinner? Didn’t Xunxun feed you properly?”

“I think so too,” Ying Qingcang said with a straight face. “That is why our daughter should move back into the house!”

That remark did not sit well with Chengcheng. “I want to stay at home too,” he grumbled. “I don’t want to stay at the academy.”

“Oh? So you think that living together with me is bad, is that it?” Xiao Rui’s deep and eerie voice suddenly rang out. Chengcheng shuddered and said, “N-No, it’s Brother Wangwang. Brother Wangwang sucks.”

That comment was heard by Wangwang, who had just come downstairs. Wangwang picked Chengcheng straight up and said, “Say that again?”

Eight-year-old Wangwang looked a lot like Xin Qing, especially his eyes; he features were delicate, pretty and somewhat girlish.

“Alright, enough! Time to eat!” Ying Qingcang carried Xin Qing into the dining hall.

Xin Qing, Ah Sha, Wangwang and Chengcheng had always been the ones talking over the dining table; Ying Qingcang’s attention was focused on making sure that Xin Qing ate well whereas Xiao Rui never said much even during normal times. Today was different, however. When everyone was done, Xiao Rui rapped the surface of the dining table to get everyone’s attention.

“Mother, I have something to say.”

Everyone’s eyes were now focused on Xiao Rui. Xin Qing smiled at him. “Mm, go on, tell us!”

Xiao Rui pressed his lips together. “I’m leaving with Jiang Qianren.”

Clang! Xin Qing’s bowl toppled to the floor. “Wh-what did you say?”

Three months ago, when Jiang Qianren came to visit Xin Qing, he told her something during their conversation.

Jiang Qianren had a conflicted and sheepish look on his face back then. “I’m thinking of enrolling Xiao Rui at the Reece Academy in the United States.”

Out of suspicion and curiosity, Xin Qing had excused herself from her conversation with Jiang Qianren to make a call to Boss Wan.

What she heard from Boss Wan over the phone was shocking. “Reece Academy? Well, that’s a place where killing machines are nurtured. Any soldier who graduates from the academy is regarded as a military genius and one of the most elite soldiers in the world. Assassinations, espionage, black ops, detection, undercover cops, you name it; these guys know them all. Every year, there’ll be a tournament organized within the military. And guess what? The soldier who finishes first place in that tournament is always a graduate from the Reece Academy.”

Xin Qing shuddered and stole a glance at Jiang Qianren. “Then… Are there any students who failed to graduate?”

“No,” Boss Wan said. “Those who didn’t graduate are all dead.”

…

After hanging up, Xin Qing walked back to Jiang Qianren, though her eyes were now as cold as ice. “Tell me. Whose idea is it to enroll Xiao Rui in the academy? Your mother?”

“No… She, she merely suggested it.” Jiang Qianren balled his fists, looking like he was about to risk everything in whatever that he was about to say. “Look, if I had a choice, I rather it’s me, okay? But I’ve already surpassed the academy’s age limit.”

“Then why didn’t you go when you were younger?” Xin Qing snarled.

Jiang Qianren sighed. “You think I didn’t enroll? Guess what. I did. But my father prohibited me from going. He said that I’m the only descendant of the Jiang family, that if I fail to return, the Jiang family would be finished.”

Xin Qing chuckled darkly. “Ah, now I see where this is going. Now that your family has Xiao Rui, you intend to send him off on a suicide mission. If he succeeds, the Jiang family would rise in status. If he fails, the family still has you, the son.”

Xin Qing laughed humorlessly and glared at Jiang Qianren. “How have I missed it all this time? That you’re just another shameless and despicable human being.”

“How can we possibly think that?” Jiang Qianren protested, feeling a surge of panic. “My dad thinks Xiao Rui has the capability to graduate from the academy as long as there aren’t any unforeseen accidents.” Jiang Qianren paused for a moment. All of a sudden, his voice became crestfallen and downcast. “Besides… This is also my brother’s wish.”

“When my sister-in-law was pregnant with Xiao Rui, my brother told us that his son must be a graduate of the Reece Academy in the future.”

Xin Qing interrupted him from speaking further. “I think you people from the Jiang family had mistaken on a thing. “Xiao Rui’s surname isn’t Jiang. It’s Ying. His name is Ying Rui!”

Like hell Xin Qing would agree to send Xiao Rui off to that kind of hellish place. When Jiang Qianren left that day, he begged her to at least tell Xiao Rui about it; Xiao Rui should have the right to choose his own path.

Evidently, Xiao Rui had already made his choice.

“Mother! Please, calm down. I’ll definitely make it back.” Xiao Rui stood up and walked over to stand beside Xin Qing.

Xin Qing’s eyes were starting to redden with unshed tears. “I heard that it’s not uncommon for that academy to not have any graduates for several years in a row. If anything were to happen to you, I’ll be devastated. Okay, fine. Forget about what I’d feel. What about Chieftain Mo Lin? How are we ever going to face him? The man sees you as his own grandson.”

“Mother,” Xiao Rui said, reaching for Xin Qing’s hand. “You know about what happened to my parents that year. Those people might still be out there hunting for me. I can’t just hang around like a sitting duck, waiting for them to execute me when they find me. I need to grow stronger.”

“Only by growing stronger can I protect myself, protect you guys!” Xiao Rui crouched down and hugged Xin Qing. “Mother, please let me go. I promise you I’ll make it back!”

That was the point where Xin Qing burst into tears. Ying Qingcang frowned and said, “Ah Sha, go grab a towel.”