Can a System Have Bad Intentions? - Chapter 67

Xue Tian’s father never dreamed that the honest and simple-looking outsider he planned to betray was actually a master of martial arts.

When the bandits attacked, their bright, sharp knives aimed at Liang Cheng’s father’s head, Xue Tian’s father thought his plan was going to succeed.

Six months earlier, he was genuinely grateful to the Liang family. But after a while, he regretted it, especially seeing Liang Cheng’s father running the shop more efficiently. He feared that, over time, the shop would belong to the Liang family.

So, he devised a plan to kill Liang Cheng’s father on the way back from delivering goods. With Liang Cheng and his mother left as helpless orphans, he had already arranged his next steps.

Watching Liang Cheng’s father swiftly kick down the bandits and tie them up within moments, Xue Tian’s father was so terrified he almost fainted.

If the matter had ended there, he might have found a way to cover it up. Unfortunately, the county magistrate happened to be passing by.

Everyone was taken to the county office.

In no time, the truth came out. Xue Tian’s father was sentenced to three years for attempted murder.

Liang Cheng’s father was stunned. He never imagined that this was the truth.

Grateful for his life, he returned to Sihe Town drenched in cold sweat.

Upon entering the town, he heard rumors that he had taken Xue’s business money and fled. The Xue family, unable to find him, planned to sell Liang Cheng and his mother to a human trafficker.

These events, half experienced by Liang Cheng himself and half recounted by his father, were vivid in his memory.

He could only imagine the bandit attack, but he clearly remembered being forced by Xue Tian’s mother to be sold to a human trafficker.

His mother swore she had not stolen any money, but a servant from the Xue family hit her on the head with a stick, causing blood to flow down her temple.

He cried, clinging to his mother’s leg…

At that time, it seemed all he knew how to do was cry.

As for Xue Tian, he stood aside coldly, watching them, occasionally taking a bite from a fruit.

This drama ended when his father returned.

Furious, his father took the family and left Sihe Town that night, taking only his share of the shop’s profits. He left the rest untouched.

The Xue family’s injustice was met with his father’s integrity.

The Liang family settled in Qingshui County and had no further contact with the Xue family. They started a new business in fabrics and prospered within two years.

When Xue Tian reappeared, Liang Cheng felt resistant. The first image in his mind was of Xue Tian eating fruit.

He wanted to ask Xue Tian, had he really forgotten their bond?

How could he, who called him brother every day, stand by and watch him be sold to a trafficker?

And how had Xue Min really died? He had been too young to understand, but as he grew older, doubts crept in. Was she really dead?

With a splitting headache, Liang Cheng sighed deeply.

The paper boats he folded to cheer up Xue Tian were often made from account book pages because Xue Tian demanded them, and Liang Cheng didn’t have time to find other paper.

He had been a typical mischievous kid, not caring about the account book’s importance.

But he never expected Xue Tian to bring it up today.

That account book…

His father had mentioned it once, saying it contained records of a private transaction not sold at the silk shop but sent elsewhere.

“Creak~”

The sound of the door interrupted Liang Cheng’s thoughts. He blinked, “Little Tang?”

Lu Tang chuckled, “How did you know it was me?”

Hearing her voice, Liang Cheng felt his heavy heart lighten. He sat up and smiled at her, “I just knew.”

His eyes fell on the tray Lu Tang was carrying.

It held a bowl of porridge and some side dishes.

“Eat something before you sleep,” Lu Tang said, placing the tray on the table. She smiled at him, “We grew up together as good brothers. You can’t hide things from us.”

Liang Cheng looked at the porridge, got up, and sat at the table, “Did you make this?”

Lu Tang boasted, “The cooks can’t make it like I do.”

Among their group, Lu Tang’s cooking was the best, but not compared to professional cooks. She was clearly trying to cheer him up, so Liang Cheng played along, “Yes, Little Tang’s cooking is the best.”

Lu Tang proudly tilted her chin up and then told him about Guo Dawei’s servant following Xue Tian.

“…I don’t know what your past was like, but don’t be foolish. He doesn’t mean well.”

Liang Cheng, eating his porridge, looked up at her, “Little Tang, has your family mentioned your marriage?”

Lu Tang: Huh?

Her mind went blank for a moment before she understood the sudden topic shift. She answered truthfully, “My sister mentioned it a while ago. She said some relative wanted to match me with their niece or something, but nothing came of it.”

At first, she had been worried about marriage.

But later, she realized that more than one person knew she was a girl, including her mother.

People proposed to her through her mother, who would block them for her, so she didn’t need to worry.

With that in mind, Lu Tang spoke lightly.

Liang Cheng felt a pang in his heart and coughed, “We’re still young, especially you. You’re younger than all of us. Xu Shen isn’t married yet. There’s no rush. Marrying early isn’t always good.”

Lu Tang: Huh?

Not understanding why he brought this up, she laughed it off, urging him to finish his porridge before it got cold.

She watched as Liang Cheng finished the porridge, swayed a bit, and then collapsed on the table, fast asleep.

Lu Tang sighed in relief and clapped her hands. Xu Shen, Zhou Shu, and Guo Dawei, who had been waiting outside, came in.

They quickly moved Liang Cheng to the bed.

Zhou Shu lay down next to him, “Don’t worry. I’ll take him away first thing in the morning. Gu Yunhe won’t find out.”

After a lot of fuss, it was now the hour of Hai (around 9-11 PM).

Lu Tang stayed in the inn’s hall for a while longer. As the night grew late, she locked up and went to her room.

Next door, Qin Mo heard footsteps in the corridor. He jumped up from his chair and quickly went to the door, which was slightly ajar.

Song Qingzhan: ?!

“What are you doing up so late?”

Baffled by Qin Mo’s strange behavior, Song Qingzhan yawned, sitting up from the bed.

Qin Mo said nothing, standing by the door.