Chapter 235: 235, Qing Zhen's cross talk performance (Third update, requesting monthly votes)

Qing Shi, Barrier 111.

At the moment when midnight passed, the central copper bell of the barrier was struck by Qing Shi’s staff.

The auspicious bell of the New Year spread continuously, followed by many wealthy families lighting firecrackers in front of their homes, while children in new clothes excitedly watched, clutching small firecrackers they had taken from the main ones, overjoyed.

Qing Zhen stood in the courtyard of the villa, his hair grown long, for he and Luo Lan, confined here, could not even summon a barber.

Suddenly, a crow flew from the night sky, weaving through the firecracker sounds unharmed.

Qing Zhen raised his hand, and the crow obediently landed on his arm. He took a small piece of bread and smiled, "Don’t mind, our food is scarce too. Luo Lan has been starving thin lately."

The crow lowered its head and pecked the bread into its mouth, while Qing Zhen, smiling, gently smoothed its feathers.

Black crows have always been seen as omens of ill fortune, for wherever death lingers, they fly.

Yet Qing Zhen showed no aversion to the bird, but rather a genuine fondness.

His gaze fell to the crow’s leg, where a tiny bamboo tube was tied. He plucked it off, drew out the paper within, and his smile deepened.

"Alright, the message has been delivered. Go back and let your master feed you something good. It’s New Year’s too, no time to rest," Qing Zhen said, shaking his arm. The great crow spread its wings and vanished into the night.

As Qing Zhen entered the villa, Luo Lan sprawled on the sofa: "Those old Qing Shi men are too much! On New Year’s, they won’t even give us a full meal, won’t let us get a haircut, and often cut off water and electricity. We’re their heroes—how can they treat us like this?"

Qing Zhen laughed, "You can eat my bread. Who told us to guard a barrier that’s gone?"

"Was that our fault?" Luo Lan protested. "Who could’ve predicted an earthquake? And it’s New Year’s—how can one go hungry then!"

"Don’t worry," Qing Zhen smiled. "This day will end soon."

At that moment, the doorbell rang. Luo Lan heaved himself off the sofa: "Is someone bringing us food?"

"Your uncle wouldn’t be so kind. He’s clawed his way up by clinging to Qing Shi’s thigh—why would he risk being ostracized to help us?" Qing Zhen said calmly. "Now’s the time to cut ties."

Internal strife in a consortium is always filthy and vile.

The Qing Shi consortium not only imprisoned Qing Zhen and Luo Lan in this isolated villa but also dispatched Luo Lan’s uncle to oversee them.

Perhaps the board’s leaders suspected Qing Zhen and Luo Lan of betraying the family, so they wished to let them taste the sting of kinship’s betrayal.

Qing Zhen and Luo Lan shared a father but different mothers, and Luo Lan’s uncle had once risen in Qing Shi through Luo Lan’s influence—now he was here to guard him.

Yet the uncle showed no mercy for old ties, instead intensifying his persecution to prove his loyalty to the consortium.

He reduced their food, cut off utilities, and denied all their requests.

Sometimes, one can hardly imagine what a person might do to curry favor.

Luo Lan walked to the door, muttering, "I don’t get along with him either. Don’t keep using that against me—your uncle isn’t a good man…"

He opened the door to find a middle-aged man standing there, holding a plate with a smile.

Behind him stood two rows of soldiers. Since Qing Zhen’s escape, the consortium had reinforced the villa’s guards, even on New Year’s Eve.

Luo Lan said, "What do you want?"

The middle-aged man smiled, "Don’t you call me uncle?"

Luo Lan sneered, "Do you deserve it?"

The uncle remained unfazed: "It’s New Year’s Eve. I came to check on you and brought some food."

"What food?" Luo Lan asked.

"I had leftovers from my meal tonight. I figured you must still be hungry, so I brought them over."

Luo Lan laughed, "Am I the kind to eat leftovers?"

The uncle flung the plate to the ground: "If you won’t eat, I won’t force you."

Luo Lan’s face darkened as he glared at the blood-related man before him.

Qing Zhen suddenly spoke to the uncle: "Hey, go wait outside a moment."

The uncle hesitated, but Qing Zhen’s name still carried weight in Qing Shi. After a long silence, he stepped out.

He stood outside, watching fireworks soaring from the barrier, his mood light.

Then the villa’s door swung open. Two rows of soldiers raised their guns, aiming at the entrance. Qing Zhen and Luo Lan emerged from the villa and stood firm.

Qing Zhen smiled at them: "On this festive occasion, since we can’t return to our families, we wish to offer our greetings."

Luo Lan: "Yes, greetings."

Qing Zhen: "Let me introduce myself. I’m Qing Zhen, and this is Luo Lan, the teacher."

Luo Lan: "Yes, it’s me."

Qing Zhen looked at Luo Lan: "Since it’s a greeting, there must be a performance."

Luo Lan: "What kind of performance?"

Qing Zhen looked at the uncle: "We’ll perform a play… a nephew killing his uncle in the first month!"

Luo Lan: "Alright!"

The uncle laughed coldly: "Are you children? Playing such a vile game?"

"Shh," Qing Zhen placed a finger to his lips, then raised the scissors in his right hand and snipped Luo Lan’s hair.

The uncle said coldly, "Take them back!"

Qing Zhen looked at him and smiled, "Happy New Year."

A brilliant firework suddenly erupted from the barrier, its radiant glow illuminating Qing Zhen’s smile. Beneath the dazzling display, a sniper bullet erupted from a gun hundreds of meters away. In an instant, the uncle’s chest exploded in a mist of blood, his body hurled away by the force!

Qing Zhen’s gaze shifted from the fireworks and he smiled at the two rows of soldiers: "How was that performance… did you enjoy it?"

All trembled in fear. They had thought Qing Zhen merely sought to disgust them, but never imagined he would kill so readily!

A soldier stammered, "Commander Qing Zhen… won’t the board punish you?!"

Qing Zhen stood unmoved, his expression serene: "No. They need me now."

At that moment, a car roared down the long street, its ginkgo leaf emblem flickering in the fireworks’ glow.

The car stopped at the villa’s entrance. The board’s secretary, Zhou, leapt out and, eyeing Qing Zhen, said coldly, "By order, Qing Zhen and Luo Lan are to proceed to the front lines immediately as military advisors!"

Only then did he notice the bloodstained scene at the door. He turned to the soldiers: "What happened?"

The soldier stammered, "They killed their captain."

Zhou looked at the shattered corpse and sneered, "Fool."

…

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