Ji Mingyu was mortified to death, uneasy all over.

Honestly, who knew what Ninth Master and Miss Jiu’er had been doing in there, but one thing was absolutely clear—he had interrupted Ninth Master’s good moment.

Judging by the tone in Ninth Master’s voice… he might get himself killed sooner or later.

“Ninth—Ninth Master, Xia Zi has something she wants to tell you.”

Xia Zi?

Jiu’er perked up at once.

“Ninth Master, let’s hear what she has to say.”

Lu Beicheng’s expression turned quite unpleasant.

Was this Xia Zi more compelling than he was?

Otherwise, why would this girl look so eager and expectant? When she was with him, she never showed that kind of anticipation.

Ji Mingyu ended up bringing Xia Zi in after all.

Lu Beicheng remained seated behind the desk, with Jiu’er standing to one side.

After Xia Zi entered, her gaze flicked briefly across Jiu’er’s face before settling on Lu Beicheng. “Ninth Master…”

“You can sit here and talk.” It was Jiu’er who spoke.

After Xia Zi came in, Jiu’er had already set up a stool at least ten steps away from Lu Beicheng’s desk.

At such a distance, whatever Xia Zi might be planning, Lu Beicheng’s skills would be more than enough to respond in time.

To Jiu’er, Xia Zi remained an unknown and dangerous figure.

Whether she was connected to the assassins behind everything, Jiu’er didn’t know either.

But no matter what, keeping her distance was the safest approach.

Xia Zi didn’t sit down, but she understood Zhen Jiu’er’s intention, so she didn’t step any closer either.

She simply looked at Lu Beicheng, her expression dimming for a moment before returning to calm.

“Ninth Master, I know you all suspect me, but I really didn’t kill the professor, and also…”

Her gaze fell on Jiu’er again, hiding something deep and murky beneath.

“Also, I’m not the professor’s lover. I’m only his assistant. I ask that Ninth Master not casually believe whatever gossip others feed you, slandering my character.”

What she meant was that the one feeding Ninth Master gossip was none other than Zhen Jiu’er.

Jiu’er didn’t take it to heart at all, just smiling. “Miss Xia, why don’t we get to the point? Tell us who the man in black you saw that night was.”

This was something Jiu’er had to tell Lu Beicheng.

Even though Lu Feifan had tried hard to stop her.

But to Jiu’er, Lu Beicheng was what mattered most—after all, he was her Ninth Imperial Uncle.

Yet, hearing her words, Ninth Master seemed to show no reaction at all?

Zhen Jiu’er looked at him and began to understand.

“You already knew?” And here she’d hesitated for so long over whether to tell him.

After all, Lu Feifan was Mu Mu—Lu Feifan had hoped she wouldn’t say anything.

Lu Beicheng only glanced at her flatly and said nothing more.

Jiu’er let out a breath, then looked at Xia Zi again.

But she saw that Xia Zi’s face had gone deathly pale, her fingertips clenched tight, as if unsure what to do.

She walked over and sat down beside her. “Perhaps you could be honest with Ninth Master. If someone is coercing you…”

“No one is coercing me, and I haven’t seen anyone.”

Xia Zi’s palm clenched tight in an instant.

“Zhen Jiu’er, I just…”

She looked at Jiu’er, and suddenly her eyes darkened.

“I just want you dead!”

The moment the words fell, Xia Zi suddenly lunged straight at Jiu’er.

A flash of silver light cut through the air, silvery-white tinged with a hint of dark blue-black.

The knife in her hand was poisoned!

Jiu’er hadn’t expected that she would actually come to assassinate her.

All her guard had been focused on protecting Lu Beicheng, leaving herself completely exposed—there was no time to dodge!

The knife was about to strike her body…