To Love You Again

The outside world have not calmed down with Xiong De's life imprisonment and the scandal of his daughter, Xiong Wuyue.

As a result, Xiong Wuyue could only live in hiding and hope that the storm would pass soon.

Xiong Zhi had been sleeping peacefully in the past few days.

Xiong De's matter ending in the worst prison of the country was like uplifting some heavy loads in her heart. Thus she slept peacefully. And whenever she opened her eyes, Linfeng's handsome face would appear in front of her and take care of her. Life was good to her in this second life.

This morning, she was having breakfast with her grandfather together. 

Ever since the court trial, Old Xiong frequently ate breakfast with his granddaughter.

"I've heard Xiong De is living a hellish time in Shangguan Prison. You chose the right prison for him," Old Xiong spoke as he drank his soup.

"He should be. I've also heard he was taught a lesson in his second day…"

…That time when he just arrived, Xiong De shouted all day and night. When he grabbed the food personnel's hand through the vent the next morning with red and sunken eyes, the food personnel was shocked and his food trolley was accidentally turned over. 

The Shangguan Prison was named the worst prison not only because the facility was lacking for its prisoners but also because its warden was a terrible nightmare to the inmates.

After the food personnel reported that the food was wasted by a criminal, the warden ordered his men to 'welcome' Xiong De according to Shangguan Prison's customs.

Xiong De who thought that he was finally given a chance to make a phone call to his assistant was immediately sent to a dark room with a batch of guards. 

A single, feeble punching bag against a large group of strong men. The result was obvious.

Xiong De had never been bullied like this. His body gave up halfway and he collapsed soon after. His heavily bruised body was sent back to his cell without food for the night, not to mention medicine.

Old Xiong did not question of how his granddaughter knew of this. It was expected that both of them would send their own people to check on this criminal once in a while.

The blood of the Xiong family had always been very ruthless.

"Grandfather is more terrible than me."

"I didn't do anyhting. It was Shangguan's custom. And I've heard that they are always 'strict' towards the inmates who are sentenced with life imprisonment," Old Xiong denied his connection to Xiong De's experience on the second day.

"In any case, I am not complaining about it. Is there any news from the second branch?"

Old Xiong knew what Xiong Zhi was talking about. Since Xiong De, one of the greatest holder of power in the second branch, was gone, the others naturally had a chance to grab dominion over the branch itself. 

Especially Xiong Bin.

"Well, they are quite lively for a while now. Your first uncle is intent in swallowing up Xiong De's network." 

When the owner was gone, the thieves would come.

"And second uncle?" 

Old Xiong shook his head. "There's nothing to worry about Xiong Cai. He was naturally foolish. He managed to get some of Xiong De's small business deals and projects, not seeing what the real benefits were. He would lose his momentum after some time."

Xiong Zhi nodded she thought so to. Now, what remained was…

"And Xiong Min was as still as the Pacific Ocean overseas. He hasn't moved yet."

(A/n: Xiong Min was the head of the second branch. Old Xiong's younger brother.)

Xiong Zhi nodded faintly again. She understood what it meant. It was likely that they were letting this storm pass. Since all eyes were on the second branch, they could only watch on the sidelines while Xiong De's scraps were eaten by the people in the second branch.

Recently, she seemed to be getting a weird, uncanny feeling every time she thought of the past.

In her past life time, Xiong Zhi did not have any thoughts with regards to that living granduncle at that time. 

The last time she had met him was on Old Xiong's funeral. At that time, she heard that he acted as the only senior in the Xiong family. He had returned to the country to help Xiong De manage the business and the family.

Xiong Zhi did not know the real connection of events behind the scenes before, but there was a time that Guan Gao Huan laughed at it. He had told her once during their mealtime in the isolated mansion that these people surnamed Xiong were looking down on him.

Xiong Zhi did not understand then what he was talking about. 

However, after living a second time and understanding the power struggles of the Xiong family and the Guan family, she understood something.

When Guan Gao Huan succeeded in kidnapping her, the power of the Xiong Empire fell on Xiong De's hands, thanks to Xiong Zhi's share that he had transferred to his own name. Then Xiong Min came back, helping him as his father.

Now thinking about it, it must be possible that Xiong De had to seek help from Xiong Min to topple Guan Gao Huan's influence. 

Since the battle for her inheritance was over, it was time to turn to each other.

Guan Gao Huan just laughed at them at that time and did not see them as a threat at all.

It was only until later that she heard news of this granduncle's death due to old age. His companies overseas were also taken over by a new power that was arising in the South.

She got the same uncomfortable, uncanny feeling again. 

The focal length of her eyes seemed to be trying to see something through a blurry window.

All these causes and effects seemed to be guided by a devil's hand, inexplicably connected.

The tragedies of the past, the progression of events. The people affected, the causes and effects.

Xiong Zhi thought of the company list she had seen in Lu Yin Ze's mother's flash drive.

The new power that suddenly rose from the South and ate Xiong Min's company…

The company list that ate the Xiong family's and Lu family's business empires…

That situation… was not a coincidence. It was an incredibly intricate conspiracy by someone.

But who…

Guan Gao Huan seemed to be impossible to defeat in her eyes in the previous lifetime due to her trauma. But after going back in time, she could finally tell, Guan Gao Huan did not have the power to do that alone.

There was someone behind him…

Who was it?

She had some inkling who was it since she saw the list before and after she had known where it came from. But she doesn't have enough proof. What she had gathered were just some scraps to have suspicions on that 'person'.

However, she doesn't know what was that 'person's ' connections to Guan Gao Huan at all.

Her mind repeatedly ran in circles, trying to find a piece to unlock the puzzle.

…Guan Gao Huan was targeting the Xiong family since the beginning…

…The fall of the Xiong family…The hatred in the Lu family...and the chaos in the Guan family..

A chill ran through her back.

Her hand trembled suddenly. A new thought emerged in her mind.

She recovered her calm and drank like nothing happened, ruminating over whatever she was thinking.

'This… It is possible…'

It seemed like she had to dig deeper into the history and origin of everyone in the four legendary families.