Chapter 20: A Woman Should Be Wise

“Ugh... my head hurts.”
In the middle of the night, silence reigns.
Suddenly, a soft moan echoes from the guest room in the backyard of Mingran Medicine Shop. The young woman in a short skirt, unconscious for several hours, awakens. By the faint moonlight, she strains to observe her surroundings—simple and unadorned, with a roof overhead, like a bungalow.
“Where am I?” She frowns, and suddenly catches a pungent smell of urine. Looking down, she realizes she has wet herself. In that instant, her memory returns: she had passed out in the Grass Carp Ruined Building, and the urine must have been from when she was scared into losing control.
A sense of foreboding sweeps over her. She gets out of bed, moves quickly to the door, and bursts out.
“You’re awake.”
A voice startles her so badly she nearly screams. Looking toward it, she sees a man reclining on a chair not far to her left. Though the dim light obscures his features, she instantly recognizes him as the one who chopped off Brother Biao’s left arm.
Her face turns pale with terror, almost causing her to collapse.
“What... what do you want with me...”
Li Xin’s smile is calm and composed. In just these few short hours, his mindset has undergone a profound change, and even his personal charisma seems altered.
“Don’t worry, I won’t kill you. I saved your life.”
The woman is still afraid, but she knows Li Xin isn’t lying. Leaning against the doorframe, she sits and thinks for a long time before finally calming herself, taking a deep breath, and smiling gently. “Thank you.”
“No need.”
“If there’s anything you want to ask, go ahead.” she suddenly says. Li Xin is a bit surprised. For this woman to stand out among all the women around Brother Biao and receive so much favor, she must be quite extraordinary.
“Come, have a seat.”
She deliberates briefly, nods, and walks briskly over to sit beneath the grape arbor. Li Xin means no harm, so she has nothing to fear. After all those years following Brother Biao, she has seen a bit of the world.
“I’d like to ask you about Brother Biao’s background. I didn’t kill him, but I can’t guarantee he won’t try to come back for revenge.” Li Xin is direct and candid, his voice steady and serene, giving him an air of a worldly sage.
“Brother Biao...” she murmurs, gathering her thoughts.
...
Just past six in the morning, Li Xin is still asleep in the armchair, while the shop door is already open. Someone rushes in, anxious and hurried.
It’s Li Yao.
Last night, Li Xin knocked her out, and she slept straight through until five-thirty. Upon waking, she took a cab straight to the shop. She has too many questions and confusions, and wants to hear explanations directly from this big brother. She cannot accept that Li Xin has become a ruthless killer; if possible, she feels compelled to counsel him, to stop him before he goes too far.
“Brother Li.”
She calls several times before Li Xin groggily wakes, muttering, “Yao Yao, you’re up early.”
“Brother Li, I need to ask you, last night you...”
“Did you sleep well last night?” Li Xin interrupts her.
“Very well, Brother Li, but last night you...”
“Oh, it’s been ages since I’ve gotten up this early. The air is really nice.” Li Xin interrupts her again.
Li Yao grows impatient, grabbing Li Xin’s arm and pinching hard. “Brother Li, stop dodging the question.”
“Ahem~~~ I’m so hungry, I’m off to get breakfast. Have you eaten?”
“You...”
“Oh~ you haven’t, then I’ll get something for you too.” Li Xin shakes his head and heads toward the bedroom. “By the way, I still owe Yu Xin Restaurant several days’ worth of meal money. I’ll settle it now.”
Li Yao is truly infuriated, stomping her feet in place. This boss is simply too exasperating—always dodging, never giving her a chance to ask anything. Her warmth is wasted on his cold indifference; it’s embarrassing and maddening. Seeing Li Xin already grabbing money and heading out, Li Yao bites her lip and decides to chase after him and get to the bottom of things.
“Sister, wait.”
A gentle voice suddenly calls out from behind. Li Yao is startled—when did a woman come into the courtyard? Turning, she freezes. Isn’t this the same woman from the Grass Carp Ruined Building last night?
“You...”
“Heh, it’s me.”
“How did you get here?”
“Your boss saved me.”
“Oh.” Li Yao nods and turns to leave.
“Stop! Don’t you understand his meaning?” The woman calls out again.
Li Yao frowns, her dark eyebrows arched like earthworms, matching her uneasy mood.
“His meaning?”
“He doesn’t want to talk, which means he doesn’t want anyone to know his secret. Think about it—how long have you known him? Has he ever acted this way before? If not for saving you, he probably never would have revealed himself as a peerless master. Everyone has their own secrets; neither you nor I have the right to pry. Silence is golden.”
The woman leans against the doorframe, her body tilted to show off her alluring figure. She covers her chest with her left hand, her right hand elegantly posed. Her words are graceful, composed, and full of confidence, bearing no trace of last night’s fear and timidity. This aura quickly sweeps over Li Yao, leaving her stunned and deep in thought.
“Hello, my name is Wang Huiyan. How should I address you, sister?”
“Ah? Um~~~ I’m Li Yao...”
...
Yu Xin Restaurant.
A red sign at the entrance, white lettering clearly displayed.
[Specializing in: Sichuan cuisine, various noodles, catering for all kinds of banquets.]
[Business hours: 10:30-14:30, 17:00-21:30]
[Breakfast sold: 6:00-7:20]
The so-called quick breakfast is sourced from elsewhere: soy milk, fried dough sticks, and buns.
There’s not much to choose from, so Li Xin buys a bit of everything, thinking that Dr. Chu and others can eat when they arrive. Settling all his outstanding debts, Li Xin cheerfully teases the young waitress.
“Hey, Ke’er, you’re only twenty-one—why aren’t you in school? With looks like yours, so fresh and pretty, it’s a shame to be stuck in a smoky restaurant all day.”
“Hmph, Brother Li, how do you know I’m not in school? I’m a Zhejiang University student.” Jiang Ke’er replies with pride, arching her willow brows. It’s only six o’clock, so few people are buying breakfast and the shop isn’t busy. Li Xin is a neighbor and familiar face; chatting a bit is fine.
“Zhejiang University?” Li Xin is surprised, looking her up and down, making her cheeks burn red and her ears flush, as if she were exposed.
“What are you staring at, Brother Li?”
“Nothing.” Li Xin smiles awkwardly. “Zhejiang University is in Hangzhou, right? Hangzhou is over a hundred kilometers from Wujiang. Are you flying back and forth every day?”
“Yes, I used to fly back and forth.” Jiang Ke’er jokes, and Li Xin assumes she’s kidding.
“I’m a junior, majoring in art, transferred from the main campus to a branch campus. The branch is right here in Wujiang—you didn’t know that?”
“Uh…” Li Xin is taken aback. So that’s how it is.
After chatting for a bit, more customers arrive, so Li Xin says goodbye to Jiang Ke’er and heads back to Mingran Medicine Shop. As he enters the front shop, before reaching the backyard, he hears women’s laughter—two voices, in fact. Li Xin’s heart skips a beat; he knows the two have already met, and he quickly rushes inside.
“Well, speak of the devil and he appears.” Wang Huiyan throws him a flirtatious glance and laughs as she heads into the guest room.
Li Yao hesitates, sticks out her playful tongue, and follows after her.
“How did they suddenly become so friendly? What are they doing in the room? I’m not the Big Bad Wolf,” Li Xin mutters awkwardly, rubbing his nose as he walks to the grape arbor. “Hey, you two, come out and eat breakfast.”