Chapter 86: You Actually Know Someone from the Main Star?
Seeing her so adamant, Han Yu also thought it was unlikely to be a coincidence. But then again, maybe Bai Zhi really did just happen to own a Flying Sports Car.
So he didn’t press the issue, only saying, "I just wonder who it is that’s important enough for so many factions to come scrambling from the Main Star to find."
Seeing he didn’t press the matter, it was clear he believed her.
Yun Xi quickly cut him off. "Alright, stop thinking about it. We’ll find out when they do. Besides, it has nothing to do with us anyway. We should be thinking about how to make them believe us and delay them from noticing anything is wrong."
Han Yu frowned. "If we had any other choice, we wouldn’t have to take such a huge risk. You know the consequences of offending a major power are severe."
At his words, Yun Xi’s heart ached. She stepped forward and hugged him. "It’s all my fault. If only I hadn’t been so impulsive."
Otherwise, they would still be fine right now and wouldn’t have had to resort to this.
Han Yu hugged her back. "Don’t overthink it. I’m helping you because I want to. I’m just curious, why do you hate her so much? She likes to compete with you, sure, but she’s never done anything to actually harm you. Why does it have to go this far?"
Yun Xi bit her lip, hesitating over whether she should tell Han Yu. But then she thought about how she had gotten him into this mess, yet he was still comforting her. She suddenly felt it was unfair to keep him in the dark.
So she said, "Because when I was younger and didn’t know any better, I did some things that hurt her. She knows now. If I don’t strike first, you’ll be the one finding my corpse."
As Yun Xi spoke, she deliberately glossed over the specifics.
Hearing this, Han Yu’s arms loosened. He placed his hands on her shoulders, pushed her back slightly, and frowned. "Then why didn’t you say anything before?"
Yun Xi explained, "The way she was before, she couldn’t affect me at all, so I didn’t pay her any mind. I never thought she would change right under my nose! I don’t know what she did to suddenly get better... and rich."
Han Yu grew thoughtful. "It is a bit strange."
Then, he said, "Let’s avoid confronting her for now. Once we get to the Main Star, she won’t be a threat anymore."
Yun Xi nodded, but what she was really thinking was, ’Once we get back on our feet, dealing with Bai Zhi will be much easier. Next time, though, I’ll have to come up with a much more thorough plan.’
She still couldn’t figure out where on earth Bai Zhi could have hidden to evade all those people’s eyes.
Or rather, what method did Bai Zhi use to make sure they couldn’t find her?
If she couldn’t figure that out, she was worried Bai Zhi would just disappear the same way next time, and all her efforts would be for nothing.
Although, her rational mind told her that people couldn’t just disappear.
Or... had those people been bought off by Bai Zhi?
Hiding her whereabouts, claiming she disappeared, and getting paid by both sides?
The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. After all, they were just a bunch of hardened criminals who lived on the edge; they would do anything for money.
What’s more, Bai Zhi seemed to be extremely wealthy now. If she offered them far more Star Coins than Yun Xi had, those people would definitely switch sides.
Thinking this way, Yun Xi stopped agonizing over Bai Zhi’s disappearance.
After all, how could someone just vanish into thin air?
*
After dinner, Xing Fan gave Bai Zhi the necklace she had made for her.
Bai Zhi looked at the necklace and said in delighted surprise, "Xing Fan, you’re so skilled! I love it!"
A faint smile touched her lips. "I’m glad you like it."
After examining it closely, Xiang Ling’s eyes filled with astonishment. She kept looking back and forth between Xing Fan and the necklace. "You made this?"
Xiao Yu blinked, already used to this. "Xing Fan’s family has a legacy stretching back for centuries. Almost all the jewelry for the Imperial Palace and the nobility is custom-made by her family. Didn’t you know?"
As Xiao Yu spoke, she looked at Bai Zhi with some surprise.
Xing Fan said with a helpless tone, "It’s not that exaggerated. It’s only a small portion of it."
Bai Zhi was too shocked to speak. She never imagined that both Xiao Yu’s and Xing Fan’s family backgrounds were so impressive!!
Bai Zhi’s eyes went wide. "That’s still incredible! I guess I’m using something made for royalty now!"
Xiang Ling wasn’t familiar with such things, so even after learning Xing Fan’s family made items for the Imperial Palace and nobility, she was only mildly surprised and didn’t have a strong reaction otherwise.
Xiang Ling also nodded. "That’s right. Most people never even get to interact with the royal family."
Xing Fan explained, "Usually, a special envoy from the palace just brings us the designs. Other than my great-grandfather and grandfather, no one else in my family has even been inside the Imperial Palace, let alone met anyone from there."
Bai Zhi said with a serious expression, "That’s still very impressive."
After all, making bespoke jewelry for the royal family was something to brag about in any era.
Yet Xing Fan was so modest about it.
Hearing this, Xiao Yu’s voice filled with pride. "Her craftsmanship is the best of her generation. She often helps her father with his work."
Xing Fan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as she reminded her, "Xiao Yu, you’re exaggerating."
Xiao Yu stuck her tongue out at her. "Oops."
Xing Fan smiled and said, "Alright, we should be heading back. I’ll take pictures for you all. If you want new Crystal Stones, I can bring some back for you."
Bai Zhi and Xiang Ling said in unison, "Be safe, then."
After Xing Fan and the others left, Xiang Ling also said her goodbyes and went home.
Bai Zhi immediately ran to ask Hu Yan why he had agreed to let the Grey Family help again.
Hu Yan had just finished taking the clean dishes from the dishwasher and putting them away. Hearing Bai Zhi’s question, he explained, "Anyone can find out you’re good friends with Lila Grey with a little digging. As far as they’re concerned, it’s only natural you’d ask her for help."
Bai Zhi frowned, asking in confusion, "Then why did you still let the Grey Family help?"
Hu Yan walked out of the kitchen, saying as he went, "It’s misdirection. We’re using their subconscious assumption that you’ll hide in the place they’ve arranged for, but we don’t necessarily have to actually hide there."
Bai Zhi thought for a moment and said, "I was actually just thinking we could leave directly on a Starship."
Hu Yan explained, "A Starship’s trajectory has to be registered. Otherwise, how do you think the Female Alliance found your location so quickly last time? Besides, no matter where you go, you need the proper documents. If you’re caught without them, you’ll be arrested by the Alliance Army."
Bai Zhi understood. It was like an ID card, but not quite the same. Without it, they couldn’t even leave Blue Star.
Hu Yan said, "I’ve already arranged for someone to forge them. He’s in the group that just arrived. You can start thinking about where you want to go."
Bai Zhi’s eyes widened in shock. "When did this happen? You actually know people from the Main Star?!"
Hu Yan gave a helpless smile. "Doesn’t everyone have a few friends?"
But just then, Sang Mo interjected out of the blue, "If you’re really at the end of your rope, I suppose I could be persuaded to take you in. I guarantee they would never find you."