Golden Temptation – A Yuri Story - Chapter 64

The man behind Jing Cheng tugged down her collar, revealing a delicate chin. Slowly raising her head, a smug, wicked grin spread across her handsome face. The safety clicked off the gun pressed to Jing Cheng’s waist.

“Ajing!—”

“Xuan!”

Lan Qing and her group immediately recognized Jing Xuan’s voice, their tone shifting into surprise and joy. Qiao Fei, seeing that Jing Xuan was unharmed, was also filled with relief, but she nervously bit her lip, too afraid to cry out like the others.

Jing Xuan paid no attention to the group of friends and family. Instead, she snapped at Jing Cheng in a commanding voice, “Order them to stop! Now!”

“Heh, and why should I do whatever you say?”

“Oh? Are you afraid I won’t pull the trigger?” Jing Xuan sneered. “Technically, I should call you uncle, right? But dear Uncle, you’re so cruel—you won’t even acknowledge me, and now you want to kill me? With a heart like that, tell me—do you think I won’t shoot you in self-defense?”

As she spoke, she pressed the muzzle of the gun closer.

“Jing Xuan, let’s talk about this. I came looking for you because—”

“I don’t have time for your crap! Call them off. Now!”

“Jing Xuan, listen to your uncle—”

Bang!

“Ahh—!”

Without hesitation, Jing Xuan fired a shot directly into Jing Cheng’s calf. His body collapsed toward the injured leg, and Jing Xuan smoothly redirected her aim, pressing the muzzle against his spine.

“You talk too much. Do as I say!”

Jing Cheng was overwhelmed by pain. He truly hadn’t expected Jing Xuan to actually shoot. Now, with the barrel of the gun pressing into his back, he clenched his jaw against the agony and was forced to give the order.

“Do as she says! Cease fire!”

“And another thing! Tell your people to stop releasing the gas!”

Jing Cheng, frustrated, pulled out his phone and made a call. “Xiaofeng, abort the mission!”

At the secret tunnel’s entrance, Xiaofeng responded, “Yes, sir!” But in truth, he had already sabotaged the gas pipeline earlier when the release order was given—diverting most of it into the underground drainage system. Otherwise, even in the short amount of time that had passed, those inside would have been dead.

“I’ve done what you asked…” Jing Cheng began.
“We’re not done yet! Have your men come out and line up in front of you. Hurry!”

Resigned, Jing Cheng called his subordinates together for Jing Xuan’s inspection. In the crowd, Xiaofeng tried to look distressed, but deep down he was relieved—first, because the young master was safe, and second, because he knew she was confirming his safety.

“Is everyone here?”

“Jing Xuan, release your uncle. We can talk about this calmly. You’ve already shot me—I won’t hold it against you…”

“Shut up! Want me to throw in a free bullet?”

“Jing Xuan, there must be some kind of misunderstanding between us—”

Jing Xuan ignored his ramblings and addressed the bodyguards sharply, her voice filled with command.

“If you don’t want to see your boss’s chest explode right in front of you, then do as I say! About-face!”

The squad hesitated for a moment but eventually turned around reluctantly.

“March forward!”

A former U.S. Marine Corps captain, Jing Xuan issued her orders with authority. The squad marched stiffly toward the front gate, their synchronized movements making for a comical sight. Still, Jing Xuan couldn’t help but admire how well-trained they were. Her clear gaze turned sharp again.

“Follow me!” she barked, roughly dragging Jing Cheng along, showing no concern for his injured leg.

Lan Qing supported her father as they emerged from the secret passage and immediately caught sight of the absurd scene. She thought Jing Xuan was quite something—always full of tricks. Life with someone like her would never be boring. Then she scolded herself: What am I thinking? She’s Qing’er’s lover. Qing’er will surely be happy.

“Big sister! Are you okay? Were you poisoned? Why are you staring off like that?” Lan Qing rushed to Nianqing’s side the moment she saw her family was safe.

“Huh? Oh, no. I’m fine. What about you, Qing’er?”

“I’m fine too!”

“Good! You’re ignoring even Dad for me now?” Iga Jonin grumbled. Though secretly relieved to have escaped death, he couldn’t help feeling slightly bitter about being overlooked.

“Dad, I was worried about you too! But you were still mad, so I didn’t dare say anything…”

Iga Jonin pulled Lan Qing into a tight hug. “Good girl. It’s my fault. I made you suffer out there.”

“Dad…”

Nianqing was moved as well and joined the embrace. Iga Jonin wrapped an arm around each of his precious daughters. In that moment, he realized they had both grown up—and he had let them down.

Meanwhile, guests attending the wedding were gradually escorted out through the secret passage. The explosions had drawn attention, and the police and ambulances had already arrived. Jing Xuan expelled all of

Jing Cheng’s people from the Iga estate. She herself got into a car, and once it had driven out of Tokyo’s city limits, she suddenly flung the door open and jumped out.

Jing Cheng shouted for the driver to stop, but Jing Xuan had already tumbled down the embankment and vanished from sight. Enraged, she emptied the rest of her bullets in her direction, then hurled the gun after them.

“Damn brat! Don’t let me catch you again! Move out!”

Jing Xuan circled back to the Iga estate in disguise, now dressed as one of Jing Cheng’s bodyguards. But by then, the estate was surrounded by police, and access was restricted. Her plain appearance wasn’t enough to get her through security.

Lan Qing was giving her statement to the police. Jing Xuan watched from afar, her gaze fixed on her. As if sensing it, Lan Qing paused mid-sentence, and without caring about onlookers, ran straight into Jing

Xuan’s arms, wrapping her arms tightly around her neck and kissing her hard. Only when both were breathless did they pull apart.

“Xuan~ You scared me to death!”

“But I came back alive, didn’t I?” Jing Xuan smiled and hugged her tightly. But when she caught Qiao Fei’s hurt gaze, she couldn’t help but soften her hold. Letting go of Lan Qing, she gently took her hands and smiled warmly.

“Let’s go.”

“Ajing!”

“Shuangji! Junye!”

“You okay?”

“I’m fine. You should’ve seen how pathetic Jing Cheng looked—ha!”

“But… that shot you fired…”

“That was just the start. He’s ruthless? Then I’ll show him what it means to be a tiger’s daughter. I’m going to settle the scores for my father, my mother, and Uncle Movis—no, Uncle Yan. All of them! By the way, are you all alright? Were the guests rescued?”

“Yes, everyone’s safe. The ones affected by the gas have been sent to the hospital.”

“Good. Thank goodness we acted in time.”

“Wait, where are the Nishikawas?”

“They escaped during the chaos. Turns out they were in cahoots with Jing Cheng the whole time. The marriage alliance was a cover—they were planning to wipe out the Iga family!”

“How terrifying…”

—

Throughout everything, Jing Xuan never once spoke to Qiao Fei. Though worried, Qiao Fei didn’t know what to say. It felt as if a huge distance had opened between them, and she no longer had the right to love

Jing Xuan.

Lan Qing noticed and gently tugged Jing Xuan’s fingers, then led Yan Junye and Gao Zhe to help the others.

Now only Jing Xuan and Qiao Fei were left. The atmosphere was awkward. Jing Xuan gave a sheepish smile and cleared her throat.

“You…”

Qiao Fei sighed and tried her best to put on a smile. “You…”

They spoke at the same time, then both stopped.

After a moment of silence, Qiao Fei looked into Jing Xuan’s clear, bright eyes and said softly, “I’m just glad you’re okay… I’ll go help too.”

Jing Xuan didn’t say anything. She didn’t even look back. Just like before, the two of them let each other go, too proud to reach out again.

Jing Xuan gave a bitter laugh to herself.

“Idiot. Still hoping for something? It’s impossible. Wish her happiness.”

But what she didn’t know was that just as Qiao Fei was about to blend into the crowd, she stopped—and turned back.