Chapter 265: 265: Jiang Zhi protects his wife, Xu Fang rescues uncle from fire (Second Update)

Luo Mansion only had three floors. As soon as the fire started, people began running outside one after another. Everyone was now in the courtyard, visibly shaken.

Xu Yunci was still trembling with fear and asked her daughter, “Are you hurt?”

Luo Yinghe, covered in soot, was annoyed, “No.” She questioned one of the Luo Family’s servants, “What happened? Why did it catch fire?”

Between the butlers, the drivers, and the gardener, there were about seven or eight of them, all shaking their heads, clueless about what happened.

Xu Yunci questioned the oldest, Lao Qi, “Is everyone out?”

Lao Qi scanned the area briefly, “Oh no!” He immediately became frantic. “The chairman hasn’t come out yet. He’s in the study with Mr. Zhou.”

In the face of the raging fire, everyone was only thinking about escaping, neglecting everything else.

Xu Yunci quickly gathered the people, “You, go inside and rescue them.”

None of them moved.

Xu Yunci became desperate, “I will reward you.”

Still, no one moved; nobody wanted to trade their life for money.

Luo Yinghe made a cold remark from the side, “With such a big fire, who would go in?” She glared at the servants and reprimanded harshly, “Don’t just stand there, call the police!”

Lao Qi urgently dialed the fire department.

Meanwhile, Aunt Liu from the kitchen noticed someone lying on the ground.

“Xiao Hui!”

It was the Luo Family’s new servant, lying motionless on the lawn.

Aunt Liu went to wake her, “Xiao Hui, wake up!”

The girl opened her eyes, still dazed.

“Why are you lying here?”

She held her head and asked, “Why am I lying here?”

Aunt Liu slapped her face, “Scared silly?”

“I don’t know. I fell and hit my head while running downstairs. I must have fainted. Why would I be lying here?”

Aunt Liu guessed, “Someone must have carried you out.”

It was Zhou Xufang who had carried her out.

She only wanted to burn the Luo Family, not harm the innocent.

The wind was exceptionally strong that night. The fire grew fiercer with the wind.

She squatted on the roof of the adjoining attic, surrounded by the wind. She couldn’t hear any noises from inside.

“Are they dead? They must be,” she murmured dreamily.

“Zhou Xufang.” Someone called her from behind.

Zhou Xufang turned around, seeing the person, she suddenly panicked: “Jiang, Jiang Zhi.” Like a child caught misbehaving, she was at a loss.

Jiang Zhi had rushed over in a hurry, wearing only a black sweater and no coat. He glanced at the oil drum she still clutched in her hand.

“Did you start the fire?” he asked.

Zhou Xufang jumped down from the attic roof, went up to him and nodded in admission, “Yes.” It was she who had started the fire, splashed the gasoline, and even lit the microwave in the kitchen.

Jiang Zhi questioned, “Where did you get the gasoline?”

“From an auto repair shop.”

He continued, “Did anyone see your face, were you recorded?” His tone was stern.

Zhou Xufang shook her head.

“What about on the way here? Did anyone see you?”

She shook her head again.

Jiang Zhi took the two empty gasoline containers from her hand, checked her gloves, still not reassured, he wiped off the areas she touched with the sleeve of his sweater, and solemnly instructed her, “Today, you were at home, you didn’t leave, and you certainly weren’t here at Luo Mansion, understand?”

He was covering for her.

“Jiang Zhi.”

Jiang Zhi couldn’t fuss about the particulars, his eyes deep and serene like a bottomless sea, “Listen, go home quickly.”

She stood before him, unmoving, “What about you?”

He replied, “I’ll stay and handle the aftermath.” He would take the blame if someone found out, allowing her to walk away scot-free.

Zhou Xufang knew his intentions well.

“I’m not leaving.”

Jiang Zhi, flustered by her, exclaimed–“Zhou Xufang–”

She tugged at his sleeve, “I started the fire, I intended to kill.”

She wasn’t afraid initially, but after his arrival, fear crept in.

For the first time, she was acting recklessly without regard for the consequences, only realizing the trouble she caused afterwards…

“It doesn’t matter whether you started the fire or I did.” He set down the objects, hugged her, “Zhou Xufang, I won’t wait for you if you go to jail. I’ll break you out, and in the end, I will still be committing a crime.”

If she committed arson and murder, he would definitely be her accomplice.

That was undeniable.

The wind scattered his voice, echoing in her ear, “Fang Bao, behave, go home.”

The study was in complete disarray.

Although Luo Huaiyu was old, Zhou Qingrang was seriously ill and immobile. Luo Huaiyu snatched his walking stick, pushed him to the ground, and had just touched the doorknob when his leg was grabbed.

Luo Huaiyu covered his mouth and nose, his eyes reddened by the smoke, furious, he roared, “Zhou Qingrang!”

Zhou Qingrang clung to his leg, dragging him backward.

Luo Huaiyu staggered and kicked Zhou Qingrang hard on the shoulder, “Let go!”

He looked up, his eyes barren and lifeless, breathing rapidly, his pale face almost translucent, he said, “Only if I die.”

Luo Huaiyu kicked hard, “Let go! Let go!”

Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, his legs numbed, unable to straighten his back, but he kept his head raised, refusing to bow.

Luo Huaiyu, exhausted from the effort, his pupils red, teeth clenched, said, “Even if I die, I will haunt you as a ghost.”

“Then you be the ghost first.”

Zhou Qingrang was smiling, looking out at the flames engulfing the heavens, tears melting the frost in his eyes, sparkling as he muttered to himself, “Sister, Qing Rang kept you waiting.”

Twenty-three years.

He left his sister in the underworld, surviving miserably for twenty-three years.

Luo Huaiyu picked up a vase from the cabinet, aiming at Zhou Qingrang’s head, and swung down hard–

“Bang!”

The door was suddenly kicked open, and the vase stopped mid-air.

A person dressed in black, face covered with a mask, entered, “Were you about to hit him?”

The room filled with thick smoke, Luo Huaiyu couldn’t see clearly, he immediately cried for help, “Who are you? Get me out of here!”

Save him?

Zhou Xufang grabbed the vase and swung it directly at Luo Huaiyu’s head.