"You actually got her to add you?"
Shen Bing was somewhat surprised.
She had tried adding her best friend using an alternate account, but the requests were never approved.
Based on Shen Bing's description, Tao Bai had sent a friend request with the nickname: [Guicheng Tony Leung].
It was approved within minutes, and Yu Qiong immediately demanded a photo.
Tao Bai replied that he was busy and would send a photo later, or they could verify via video call.
Yu Qiong sent a "pitiful" emoji, attached with: [Chat later then!]
…
"Mhm,"
Tao Bai responded with a nasal hum.
"How long has it been since you contacted this best friend of yours?"
"Over seven years. It's like she vanished from the face of the earth."
"Before the incident with the Tao family, did you ever go out for drinks with her?"
"Yes,"
Shen Bing replied without thinking.
"Yu Qiong and I were classmates and roommates in university;
We would go out for drinks from time to time."
"Be careful when drinking out in the future."
"No way... Are you saying she was the one who put the Gu on me?"
Tao Bai didn't answer her.
Instead, he took a photo of the drawing he had just made and sent it to Tan Yang:
[Tan, what kind of talisman is this?]
After replying to messages, Tao Bai stood up and looked at Shen Bing.
"This talisman pendant only temporarily suppresses the Love Gu.
The spiritual power on it will likely last for about another year.
To completely break the Gu, we must find the caster.
I'm going to give it a try.
I'm very curious as to who exactly poisoned you and who had designs on the Tao clan."
With that, Tao Bai turned to leave.
The Wind-Devouring Gu (also knowns for The Wind-Devouring Bug) flashed with golden light and vanished into his body.
Watching Tao Bai walk further away into the glow of the setting sun until he disappeared from sight, Shen Bing's eyes grew misty.
Reaching out toward his direction, her spread arms slowly closed, mimicking the motion of an embrace...
Around five in the afternoon, Tao Bai returned to his residence.
He commanded the Wind-Devouring Gu to burrow into his face and modify his facial features.
After a bout of bone-piercing pain, Tao Bai looked in the mirror—
He now bore a seventy to eighty percent resemblance to Tony Leung.
His brows were relaxed, his contours refined and soft.
From a distance, he carried an air of warm detachment, and his deep eyes held the charm of a mature man.
His smile was captivating.
He took a photo in the mirror and sent it to Yu Qiong.
A reply came quickly:
[Wow, is this you? How should I address you, handsome?]
Tao Bai: [It's your turn to send a photo.]
A few minutes later, Yu Qiong sent a photo.
Tao Bai could tell at a glance that it was an old photo.
Laughably, she had sent a group photo of herself and Shen Bing taken in their university dorm.
Tao Bai: [Which one is you?]
Yu Qiong: [Guess.]
Followed by a snickering emoji.
Tao Bai: [If I guess right, what's the reward?]
Yu Qiong: [I'll give you a kiss.]
Followed by a kissing emoji.
Tao Bai: [Alright then. I guess you're the one on the left.]
Yu Qiong: [Correct!]
Followed by another kissing emoji.
Actually, Tao Bai had intentionally guessed the wrong one, yet she claimed he was right.
Tao Bai: [Can you send a few more?]
There was no reply for a long time, and Tao Bai didn't send any further messages.
Half an hour later, Yu Qiong initiated a QQ video call on her phone.
Tao Bai let it ring for a while before picking up.
Despite the blurry quality and some lag, the two chatted for about ten minutes.
Perhaps Tao Bai had met her before, but he had no impression of her now, so he treated her like a new online acquaintance.
In the video, Yu Qiong wore light makeup.
She had a standard melon-seed face, curved eyelashes, and smiling eyes.
When she smiled, she revealed two white rabbit teeth and two shallow dimples; she was indeed quite charming.
Through their chat, he learned she was currently in Wucheng, living in a high-end villa area near the Xijiang River.
She claimed to be the owner of a small company and had made some money in the gemstone business.
However, due to being busy with her career and having high standards, she was currently thirty years old and still single.
She asked if Tao Bai had a job.
When Tao Bai said no, she extended an invitation.
She suggested that if he didn't have a job, he should come to work for her as an assistant.
Room and board would be covered, and there was a high salary involved.
Tao Bai said, "Sis Yu, you aren't joking with me, are you?"
After hanging up the video, Yu Qiong sent Tao Bai a phone number, stating:
[This is my number. Call me when you get to Wucheng, and I'll come pick you up.]
Tao Bai tried dialing the number.
When it connected, it was indeed her voice.
Tao Bai let out a long breath and hung up.
Ultimately, he resisted the temptation of the "high salary" of five thousand a month and sent a message on QQ:
[Let me think about it. I don't want people around me saying I'm a 'soft rice man' (kept man)...]
Yu Qiong:
[What 'soft rice man'?
That sounds so ugly.
They are clearly just sour grapes because they can't eat the grapes themselves!]
Followed by a mischievous emoji.
Tao Bai:
[I'm different from them.
Even if I can't eat Sis Yu's grapes, I say Sis Yu's grapes must be sweet!]
Followed by a grinning emoji.
Yu Qiong sent a shocked emoji:
[Why you... Liang Chaobai! You dare tease me like this!]
Followed by three "going crazy" emojis.
Tao Bai:
[How did I tease you? You're wrongfully accusing me!]
Yu Qiong:
[Hmph, just keep being stubborn on QQ...]
Tao Bai:
[I would love to tease you, but I'm in Guicheng right now.
My WHIP is long, but it cannot reach!]
(Note: A play on the idiom "beyond one's reach," carrying a double entendre.)
Yu Qiong:
[If you have the guts, come to Wucheng! See if I don't service you properly!]
Followed by two "seductive" emojis.
Tao Bai:
[It's a pity this handsome guy hasn't scraped together the bus fare yet!]
…
The two went back and forth, chatting heatedly on QQ.
"Ah!"
Gui Nianqiu, returning from work at 7 PM, saw Tao Bai upon entering the door and thought she had walked into the wrong room.
Fortunately, she recognized Tao Bai's Daoist robe and his aura.
"Tao Gege, what happened to your face?"
"Heh, new face, new mood,"
Tao Bai laughed.
"How about it? Is this face more handsome?"
"I still prefer the way you looked before," Gui Nianqiu said.
"How did you change your face?"
"The Wind-Devouring Gu burrowed into my face and modeled it after a photo of Tony Leung. It hurt like hell..."
"Change it back. It looks a bit jarring to me. Your original look was fine."
With a thought from Tao Bai, the Wind-Devouring Gu swam beneath the skin of his face, raising its claw-blades to slice the facial muscle tissue again.
After repairing and adjusting with spiritual energy, Tao Bai reverted to his original appearance.
"That looks much easier on the eyes now. Did you see your fiancée in Langcheng?"
"I saw Shen Bing. I don't have a fiancée anymore."
"Alright. What's the situation now? Do you have a lead?"
"Yes. In a few days, I might need to go back to Gui Province."
"Going back again?"
"Nianqiu, it's much safer here than in Yangcheng. Besides, you have some ability to protect yourself now. You should stay here for the time being. I'll probably be back very soon!"
"When are you leaving?"
"In three days!"
Days turned into fucks.
Tao Bai spent the time in dual cultivation with Gui Nianqiu and in meditative training.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
On the day of their brief parting, after lunch, the two engaged in a third battle.
Gui Nianqiu and Tao Bai were locked in a fierce struggle for over two hours...
After more than three hours of sword flight, Tao Bai finally landed in the night of Wucheng.
Upon landing, he dialed Yu Qiong's number.
"Sis Yu, I've arrived in Wucheng."
"Where in Wucheng? I'll come pick you up."