The failure to assassinate Yu Qingxue not long ago was something Feng Na had actually anticipated. If a mere two hundred thousand US dollars could take out Tsukiyuki Rio’s right-hand woman, it would only prove the Tsukiyuki Family was nothing special. The sniper Feng Na dispatched previously was considered a top-tier expert in the field. But in truth, truly formidable masters never operate in the open, and their prices are absurdly high.
That last assassination attempt was merely a probe.
For Feng Na, the attempt yielded considerable gains. She had installed a camera on the sniper, and the surveillance footage recorded the dark blue tachi in Yu Qingxue’s hand. That tachi is a weapon from the 23rd century. Such a weapon appearing in the 21st century is absolutely intolerable to the Time Management Bureau. Any drastic alteration to a world line indirectly causes fluctuations in other world lines, preventing their normal operation. Therefore, whenever a time traveler is discovered with concrete evidence, it triggers an investigation by the Time Management Bureau.
While the Tsukiyuki Family is a colossal, immovable entity in the current world, they are still out of their league if they have to contend with the Time Management Bureau, whose predecessors were the FBI and the CIA.
Feng Na rested her chin on her hand, secretly stealing glances at Gao Sijin’s profile throughout the class, her heart fluttering with springtime yearning. She swore repeatedly in her heart that she absolutely had to make Brother Sijin hers again. As for the Old Professor’s lecture on the Basic Cultural Studies Program, she absorbed absolutely nothing. For someone who once studied at MIT, the classroom content was as hypnotic as a lullaby.
However, whenever Feng Na teetered on the edge of sleep, Gao Sijin would gently nudge her with his elbow to keep her awake.
At universities in J-Country, students average about four hours of class time per day. Whether their schedule is busy depends on their course selections.
The morning’s class time slipped away quietly. As the professor left the classroom, Feng Na couldn’t help but feel a twinge of loss. Time had simply passed too quickly. In the blink of an eye, a required course had come to an end.
Perhaps it was also connected to Gao Sijin. Time naturally flies when you’re sitting in the same classroom as the older brother you admire.
“It’s finally over.”
Feng Na stood up and yawned. Her delicate, shapely figure became more alluring than usual as she stretched. With her golden hair and gentle, beautiful features, she easily became the center of attention in the entire classroom.
“Sijin, can I invite you to have a meal together?”
After stretching, she brushed back her silky golden hair, a hint of infatuation and sweetness in her eyes. The white dress symbolizing purity she wore elevated her aura to another level, like a bombshell. But faced with her invitation, Gao Sijin shook his head:
“I’m sorry, Xiaona. I’ve told you before, I already have someone I like. So I can’t accept your invitation. Please forgive me.”
“What kind of person does Brother Sijin actually like? Aren’t you still single, Brother Sijin? Don’t I have even a sliver of a chance?”
“What virtues do I possess to be favored by you all?” Gao Sijin shook his head with a bitter smile.
Yu Qingxue had also confessed to him not long ago. Gao Sijin had rejected her then as well. Now, Feng Na, a beautiful blonde girl he’d only just met, was confessing to him too, leaving him at a complete loss.
Right now, there was only Tsukiyuki Rio in Gao Sijin’s heart. There was no room whatsoever for anyone else.
“Xiaona, I believe you’ll definitely find a boyfriend more suited to you than I am. At this university, there are far too many people more outstanding than me. And right now, my heart has not the slightest place for you.”
Having said that, Gao Sijin stood up to leave the classroom. But Feng Na immediately followed, sticking close to his footsteps like a little puppy.
The two of them walked out of the Law and Letters Building No. 1 together. Gao Sijin tried to shake her off, but no matter what, he couldn’t escape the golden-haired girl following closely behind. Ginkgo trees bloomed on both sides of the path, stretching endlessly, giving a disorienting feeling of being trapped in a maze.
Even though Feng Na was a rare beauty, being followed so persistently made Gao Sijin feel utterly uncomfortable.
So, he stopped and turned around to ask:
“What else is there, Xiaona?”
But as soon as he finished speaking, Feng Na lunged forward like an arrow. Because she was wearing white athletic shoes, her speed was extreme. Before Gao Sijin could even react, her open arms wrapped around him in a tight embrace.
Gao Sijin tried to break free, but found her two powerful arms locked around him like a vice, making him completely unable to move.
“What are you doing?”
A powerful force shoved Gao Sijin’s entire body against a ginkgo tree. Though her chest was not as wicked as Yu Qingxue’s, it faintly held the budding charm of the girl next door, pressing soft and warm against Gao Sijin. Her petite and delicate body seemed pitifully fragile, yet harbored astonishing strength.
A blush tinged her fair, jade-like, delicate face.
“Brother Sijin, don’t you really remember me? Your memories have been tampered with, you know?”
“Xiaona, what nonsense are you talking about? Don’t do anything rash.”
Gao Sijin tried to pull Feng Na’s arms free from their rope-like hold around him, but it was a waste of effort. He noticed Feng Na’s gaze become dazed and infatuated, as if afflicted by a love poison. Her dreamy, fragrant orchid breath seemed intent on enveloping Gao Sijin completely.
Right here before her was the gentle big brother who had always worked hard writing for her and her sister.
Even living a life of poverty, he could still create small bits of happiness.
Now, let that happiness materialize and become reality.
“Let me make brother remember all of this. Although I feel a bit sorry for big sister, I don’t care so much anymore. It’s all brother’s fault. Brother is just too enticing.”
Feng Na gently rose on her tiptoes, her hands suddenly cupping Gao Sijin’s face. Then, Gao Sijin’s mind went blank. He never imagined his first kiss would be stolen so easily. He had always thought his first kiss would be with Tsukiyuki Rio. Yet it was taken by a girl he met for the first time today. Her scorching body pressed seamlessly against his.
He was being forced into a kiss.
A slippery, soft, pink tongue stirred wildly in his mouth, sucking greedily and fearlessly. This foreign sensation in his mouth made Gao Sijin feel both humiliated and angry. Feng Na was indeed a beauty, but that was no reason to force a kiss on him. A buzzing filled his brain. Feng Na’s unblinking gaze was filled with a terrifying possessiveness that chilled him.
A flame of indignation made Gao Sijin want to try biting her tongue to make her recoil, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it, couldn’t bear to.
He wanted to push her body away, but was only held tighter.
Gao Sijin didn’t know how long Feng Na would keep kissing him. Just then, a girl with wheat-colored skin immediately rushed forward from behind, swinging a fist at Feng Na. Gao Sijin remembered her. Her name seemed to be Emilia.
He had seen her before at the welcome party dance. She was Yu Qingxue’s Good Bestie.
The sudden fist was sharp as a razor. Quick as a flash, Feng Na immediately turned her head and caught Emilia’s fist with one hand. Immediately after, Emilia launched a kick at Feng Na. Her attacks were fierce, as if aiming to kill, but Feng Na dodged without any sign of panic.
Feng Na wiped her soft pink lips with a hint of unfinished satisfaction, while Emilia’s eyes blazed with fire.
Actually, when Gao Sijin first met Emilia in Mumbai, she seemed to possess a subtle, Buddhist-like air of detachment. But now, her whole body radiated a faint killing intent that was somewhat terrifying.
“Stay away from him!” Emilia shouted sharply.
“Who do you think you are?” Feng Na also assumed a professional boxer’s ready stance. “You dare interrupt my long-awaited tender moment with brother? Do you have a death wish?”
“Don’t fight!” Gao Sijin rushed between them at that moment. “Both of you back down! This is a campus, a place for learning!”
Emilia gently pulled Gao Sijin’s arm and drew him aside to protect him.
“Are you alright, Sijin? My name is Emilia. We’ve met before.”
“I remember you.” Gao Sijin nodded, then looked back at Feng Na. “How could you do something like that without my permission just now?”
“Brother Sijin, are you angry?” Feng Na’s large, glistening eyes flickered with a hint of grievance. “Did I make you uncomfortable when I kissed brother just now? That was my first kiss just now. I wanted to give my first kiss to the person I like. Please, brother, don’t be angry with me.”
“Stay away from me from now on.”
Being forcibly kissed by a girl he’d just met, acting incomprehensibly, Gao Sijin felt he had every right to be angry. But besides anger, Gao Sijin actually felt a bit frightened. When their lips were pressed together, being stared at so intensely by Feng Na gave him a suffocating feeling of being taken and possessed.
Right now, he just wanted to return to his apartment as soon as possible, to get as far away from Feng Na as possible, and never see her again from this day forward.
On the other hand, Feng Na watched Gao Sijin’s departing back and chuckled softly:
“Brother really gets embarrassed so easily…”
So what if kissing is Tsukiyuki Rio’s line of death?
The struggle between her and Tsukiyuki Rio was a life-and-death battle to begin with. What line of death was there to speak of?
Feng Na walked alone, turning into a deserted alley. She took out a white earpiece and dialed a call to the future.
It was also time to report the situation to the organization.
“Dr. Hououin, the latest intel. I’ve gathered evidence in Tokyo, J-Country. The Tsukiyuki Zaibatsu does indeed harbor a time traveler. That time traveler, without a doubt, should be Tsukiyuki Rio. The weapon used by the maid under her command is a tachi from the 23rd century.”
From the other end of the earpiece came an aged and authoritative voice.
“Send over the collected evidence, Agent Feng.”
“Yes, Dr. Hououin. Please dispatch personnel from the organization quickly, so that the criminal wantonly destroying world lines faces due punishment.”
“We will handle this matter as soon as possible, Agent Feng. Have you committed any disciplinary violations this time?”
“No, Doctor. I have strictly adhered to the principles of the Time Management Bureau throughout this mission. No violations whatsoever. Please dispatch agents to assist as quickly as possible.”
“The organization will handle this matter shortly. In the meantime, exercise caution. Also, be sure not to violate local laws and affect causality. Once this mission is over, you will return to the future.”
“Yes, Doctor!”
Return to the future?
Having finally reunited with Brother Sijin and Sister Xiaohe, how could she possibly go back?
Don’t even think about it. No matter what, she could never return to the future again. She belonged only to this current era. The Time Management Bureau was merely a tool to be used.
Savoring the kiss from earlier, Feng Na remained lost in the feeling for a long time.
Half an hour later, she finally snapped out of it and walked toward the car that had been waiting for her for quite some time.
The gang still had many matters requiring her attention.
