The Scheming Ex-Husband's Courtship
Chapter 185 - 176: Are You Right or Not?

Chapter 185: Chapter 176: Are You Right or Not?

Luan Yi stumbled and finally made her way to Gu Qili. Even though more than half the time had already passed, Gu Qili still had to complete this last leg. She glanced at Luan Yi, shouldered the sandbag, and started running forward with effort.

The sandbag wasn’t resting on her injured shoulder, but she had to keep her arm raised, which tugged at her old injury, making the pain worse with every step.

Gu Qili delivered the sandbag to the finish line; the team leader looked at his watch: "Thirty-six minutes."

Upon hearing this, the other employees immediately started to complain. A few female staff whispered about Luan Yi but didn’t dare let her hear, out of concern for her status.

"Luan Yi, pick up the pace in the next round; don’t slow everyone down just because of you," the team leader shouted from a distance.

Luan Yi stayed silent, sitting on the sand, rubbing her arm. This kind of exertion wasn’t for someone like her, who was used to writing; her hands were meant to type out beautiful, lively words, not to be sanded by the coarse bags into callouses.

Yet, when she saw Gu Qili clutching her shoulder, a painful expression surfacing subtly on her face, Luan Yi sneered silently.

The second round began anew, and because of the previous round’s failure, everyone summoned up all their strength, hoping to move faster. They wanted to make up for the time Luan Yi had lost. However, when the sandbag reached Luan Yi’s hands, she was still moving at a snail’s pace, causing those around her to sweat with anxiety.

Gu Qili frowned, the scorching sun nearly preventing her from opening her eyes, her clothes soaked with sweat underneath the long shirt and trousers.

When Luan Yi finally approached at a tortoise’s pace, Gu Qili suddenly said sternly, "Luan Yi, engaging in this kind of sabotage won’t benefit you. If it were me, I would never be so foolish."

Luan Yi looked at her coldly, with the smile of a victor: "Gu Qili, it’s okay if I am tired; I can stand it, but you..." She glanced at the location of Gu Qili’s left shoulder, "You seem to have an injury there, right?"

Gu Qili’s previous conversation with Zhu Ping was partly overheard by Luan Yi, who, plus noticing Gu Qili perpetually holding her left shoulder, guessed that Gu Qili might have injured it.

"Luan Yi, what’s the title of the novel you’ve written?"

Luan Yi was taken aback, unsure why she would suddenly ask that.

Snatching the sandbag from her hands, Gu Qili retorted without looking back, "Your depictions of the vile female antagonist must be excellent, since you are their most authentic template."

"You... you’re the real side character," Luan Yi shouted back at her, infuriated by her retreating figure.

Gu Qili ignored her; the pain in her left shoulder was becoming unbearable. She had to clench her teeth to carry the sandbag to the endpoint.

"Qili has a shoulder injury," Zhu Ping was very anxious, complaining to everyone, "That Luan Yi really... Does she think this place is for her to recuperate?"

"No wonder she looked in pain. In that case, we’ll talk to the team leader," suggested someone.

Zhu Ping shook her head: "Qili is very stubborn; if she wanted to mention it, she would have already done so by herself. She just wants to finish this game."

"I think Luan Yi is doing this on purpose, deliberately holding us back."

"How can someone be so disgusting? She writes novels, for goodness’ sake. Can hers even be worth reading? Could they be morally corrupt?"

The crowd had already started to grumble, but there was no choice but to start the third round again.

"Let’s see how much longer you can hold on," Luan Yi threw a cold laugh towards her before turning and heading to her spot.

How could Gu Qili ever admit defeat? Even if her arm were to become useless today, she wouldn’t let Luan Yi get her way.

At the sound of the team leader’s whistle, the game restarted. Luan Yi was moving as slow as ever, even slower than before. But before she reached Gu Qili, a tall figure approached from afar.

Last night, many had seen him and naturally knew who he was. Suddenly, everyone froze, stopping what they were doing to simply stare as he drew closer.

"Why is Young Master Qian here? To watch us, the junior staff, train?" someone whispered in the crowd.

"Would Young Master Qian have such idle time? With so many casinos worldwide, would he care about us?"

With her back to the shore, Gu Qili only focused on Luan Yi, not noticing the approach of the man. Meanwhile, Luan Yi, who had been distracted, noticed him instantly. She promptly straightened up, letting the sandbag on her shoulder drop. She couldn’t hide her astonishment and, seeing him walk towards her, quickly tidied up her hair and flashed a sweet smile.

But Mu Shuoqian had eyes for no one but Gu Qili.

"Young Master Qian," the team leader hurried over. He had been assigned by the company only this morning, and had heard that the big boss of the casino was also on site, but hadn’t had the chance to greet him. He didn’t expect him to personally watch their training.

"Cast her into the sea," Mu Shuoqian spoke coldly, his eyes briefly scanning the team leader, his voice steady and merciless, "Throw out those who hold us back. The casino has no need for them."

The team leader was stunned. He knew whom the big boss was referring to and couldn’t help but glance at Luan Yi.

Luan Yi turned pale upon hearing that. Was he really going to throw her into the sea?

And when Gu Qili heard that familiar voice, she hurriedly turned around. He was standing not far from her, his gaze coolly fixed on her.

This indifferent demeanor, was it because he was still angry?

"Do I need to say it a second time?" Mu Shuoqian frowned with displeasure.

Without hesitating any further, the team leader quickly strode to Luan Yi, and amid her screams, he hoisted her up and rushed towards the sea.

"How can you do this, my younger aunt is your elder sister-in-law. If she finds out, she will definitely be angry," Luan Yi’s gaze dropped down as she desperately tried to lift her head, but Mu Shuoqian did not even glance at her. The words she spoke were quickly scattered by the sea breeze.

"Mu Shuoqian, you can’t do this to me, how can you..." Luan Yi cried out in fear towards the end, "Somebody save me, please, don’t let him throw me into the sea, why are all of you just standing there? I can’t swim, I really can’t swim."

But no one paid her any attention, those who had just been victimized by her couldn’t wait to see her punished, standing more still than statues, looking forward to the spectacle.

The team leader walked into waist-deep seawater and said: "Sorry, but it’s your bad luck that Young Master Qian saw you."

With a forward throw of his arms, he tossed Luan Yi into the seawater.

"Ah, I can’t swim!" Luan Yi made a splashing noise as she fell into the water; she turned pale from fear, flapping her hands and feet in the seawater, "I really can’t swim, save me, save me!"

She might have really not been lying, struggling so desperately that she was gulping mouthfuls of seawater. After floundering for a while, she suddenly became still.

The team leader was also afraid of causing a fatality. Even though Mu Shuoqian, from beginning to end, didn’t even blink an eye, as if this person’s life and death had nothing to do with him, he still quickly fished her out. Luan Yi was already unconscious from being choked by the water.

The team leader brought her to the shore and hurriedly performed emergency rescue. Only after Luan Yi had coughed up the water in her stomach did he breathe a sigh of relief.

Mu Shuoqian looked toward Gu Qili, who had been silent all along, and coldly ordered: "You, come here."

Gu Qili could only silently follow him, the others didn’t understand, thinking that Young Master Qian was going to punish her as well.

"Qili is innocent, it has nothing to do with her." A colleague couldn’t help but try to plead for her.

Zhu Ping held back the colleague with her hand: "Forget it, I don’t think that’s what Young Master Qian means, he probably just wants to talk to her. Let’s not worry about it and just carry Luan Yi back to the hotel."

Mu Shuoqian walked ahead, Gu Qili followed hesitantly behind, until they faded from everyone’s sight. Suddenly, he stopped walking, and Gu Qili, not noticing, nearly bumped into his back.

As she raised her head, she saw a pair of blood-red, ruthless deep eyes,

Gu Qili was stunned for a moment; this place was bustling with people. Although none of her colleagues were around, others could still see them.

"Mu Shuoqian, put me down, I can walk," Gu Qili pushed against his chest and struggled a bit.

He looked down at her, giving her a fierce glance that unmistakably conveyed his anger, scaring Gu Qili into silence, and letting him carry her all the way through the hotel lobby to the elevator.

His embrace was warm, melting away all her fatigue, not caring if they were seen by others, knowing that he might still be angry about the morning’s incident.

Mu Shuoqian felt her damp breath, his body involuntarily tensed, but he still moved swiftly.

As the elevator doors opened, and the people inside walked out, Qi Meihui, who had just received the news, appeared.

Seeing Mu Shuoqian holding Gu Qili in front of the elevator, she was instantly enraged and blocked the elevator door, preventing them from entering: "Mu Shuoqian, Luan Yi may be my niece, but you still ought to show some compassion. How could you be so cruel as to throw her into the sea? She can’t swim, were you trying to drown her?"

Mu Shuoqian didn’t even look at her, and was deaf to her words. Seeing her blocking his way, he spoke coldly: "If you don’t want to die, move aside."

"Today, I just won’t move aside. If you don’t speak clearly, no one leaves," Qi Meihui was truly frenzied to talk back to Mu Shuoqian like that.

From Mu Shuoqian’s embrace, Gu Qili lifted her head and sighed as she watched Qi Meihui throw a tantrum.

Why do people who are clearly courting death always end up blaming others when things go awry,

"Gu Qili, are your legs disabled or your arms broken, needing to be carried like this, have you no shame? This is a hotel, not your bedroom," Such affection in Qi Meihui’s eyes was an extreme mockery.

Gu Qili raised her eyebrows and snorted lightly: "Are you jealous? If you’re jealous, have your husband carry you. I wonder if your husband would be willing to hold you, this plain-faced woman, or perhaps he’s busy holding someone else right now, not having the time to bother with you."

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