12: Li Xunya

Chen Linsheng and Su Wan returned home.

Inside the house, the two sat facing each other. Su Wan looked at Chen Linsheng, hesitated, and then asked softly, “A Sheng, that five taels of silver... where did you get it?”

Chen Linsheng knew his sister-in-law was worried. He had already planned to tell her part of the truth to ease her mind.

He smiled and said in a relaxed tone, “Don't worry, Sister-in-law, the money is legitimate. I had good luck in the mountains these past few days and found a relatively rare medicinal herb. I sold it at the Hundred Herbs Hall in the county town today and earned some silver. After paying the tax, there is still some left.”

He omitted the life-and-death struggle with the Giant Python, the part where the Medicine Gang targeted him outside the Hundred Herbs Hall, and the bloody counterattack in the North Gate woods.

He would bear that darkness and danger alone; there was no need to make his sister-in-law worry.

Su Wan looked at his clear eyes, and the heavy stone in her heart finally dropped completely.

She trusted A Sheng. If he said it, she believed it.

Chen Linsheng paused, a hint of excitement appearing on his face. He took out the Yangwei Martial Arts Hall identity wooden token from his embrace and handed it to Su Wan:

“Sister-in-law, there's one more thing. I used the money from selling the medicine to sign up at the Yangwei Martial Arts Hall in the county town. I will start learning martial arts ten days from now.”

“Learning martial arts?”

Su Wan was stunned at first, and then a delighted smile blossomed on her face.

She took the smooth wooden token, her fingers gently tracing the two characters “exerting might” on it, her eyes slightly red-rimmed.

“Good! Good! A Sheng, you've made something of yourself! Father and Mother, having spirits in heaven, will surely bless you! Our Chen Family... our Chen Family truly has hope now!”

In her view, being able to enter the Martial Arts Hall was stepping onto the ladder toward a better life, the true beginning of escaping their current predicament.

Chen Linsheng felt a warmth in his heart as he watched his sister-in-law's genuine happiness for him, and he smiled, saying, “Yes, I will work hard.”

Su Wan carefully returned the wooden token to Chen Linsheng, as if it were a rare treasure, and then stood up, her tone much lighter: “You must be tired after running around all day. I'll go cook. We'll eat something nice today!”

Watching Su Wan walk briskly into the kitchen, Chen Linsheng also returned to his own room.

Instead of resting immediately, he lay down fully clothed and pulled out a thin, slightly worn booklet from his embrace. The three characters “Great Liang Law” were clearly written on the cover.

He had searched this book out from the corpse of the Medicine Gang minor leader.

He was surprised at the time that a gangster leader would carry a law book; it saved him the trouble of having to look for one.

“Understanding a country's laws is never a bad thing.”

Chen Linsheng thought to himself. Especially in this world that seems orderly but is actually ruled by the law of the jungle, knowing the law can sometimes not only protect oneself but perhaps even... defeat the enemy.

He casually flipped through a few pages. While he was pondering, he suddenly heard a loud “hualala” sound outside the window.

He got up and pushed open the window, only to see that a torrential rain had started outside at some point. Large raindrops fell densely, forming a curtain of water under the eaves, and the world was shrouded in a misty haze.

Chen Linsheng was startled by the sudden downpour, then a meaningful smile curled up at the corner of his mouth.

“Truly... even Heaven is helping me,” he murmured. “I doubt those people can find any clues now, can they?”

...“Heaven isn't helping you at all.”

Outside Qinghe County town, next to the small patch of woods where a brief and bloody fight had taken place.

A man dressed in official Constable attire, with a saber strapped to his waist, held an Oil-paper Umbrella and spoke to several Medicine Gang members whose faces were grim.

Rainwater dripped down the edge of the umbrella, splashing tiny droplets near his feet.

He glanced over the muddy ground, which had been thoroughly washed by the rain, and shook his head:

“The perpetrator is an old hand. The scene was already handled very cleanly, leaving no useful traces. Now that this heavy rain has fallen, all footprints, bloodstains, and signs of struggle have been washed away. The trail is broken. We are temporarily powerless regarding this case. You should send more people out to investigate yourselves.”

The leader of the Medicine Gang had an ashen face, looking at the woods, which were a scene of Chaos. He felt extremely stifled but dared not lash out at the Constable. He suppressed his anger and said respectfully:

“Yes, I understand. Thank you, Head Constable Li, for coming all this way for nothing.”

The man called Head Constable Li was named Li Xunya. He said nothing more, turned, and led several subordinates toward the county town.

After walking a few steps, a younger Constable beside him couldn't help but ask in a low voice, “Head Li, are we really not going to investigate further? Several people died.”

Li Xunya chuckled softly. The rain had soaked the cuffs of his Official Boots, but he paid no mind: “Investigate what? Not only are the clues gone, but helping this bunch of thugs who usually prey on the locals and act tyrannically is pointless. When we get back, just record in the file: 'Gang feud, killer at large, scene destroyed by rain, trail broken.'”

Hearing this, everyone nodded in understanding.

As people within the Official Sector, they naturally knew the reputation of the Medicine Gang.

Li Xunya walked unhurriedly through the city gate, holding his umbrella, but his mind was working: “Clean, decisive, ruthless execution, a master with a saber... Is it an outsider, a Crossing River Dragon, or has some extraordinary figure emerged in the territory of Qinghe County?”

...Xiaohe Village

The night was deep, and the rain gradually stopped, leaving only the residual rainwater dripping from the eaves onto the stone steps, making a monotonous and tranquil “drip-drop” sound.

Chen Linsheng had already lain down, and the room was dark and silent.

Suddenly, he heard a set of extremely faint footsteps approaching, tinged with hesitation.

Then, his door was gently pushed open. A slender figure stood at the doorway, hesitated, and then groped their way in, coming to his bedside.

It was Su Wan.

She was wearing only a thin Nightgown and seemed to be trembling slightly in the cool night air.

Chen Linsheng neither moved nor spoke, merely watching the blurred silhouette in the darkness.

Su Wan stood by the bed for a few seconds. As if having made some kind of decision, she gently lifted Chen Linsheng's quilt, slipped inside with a trace of coolness and a faint scent of Soapberry, and then carefully turned sideways, pressing her cheek against his chest, curling up entirely in his arms.

Chen Linsheng's body stiffened slightly. He could clearly feel the softness and coolness of her body, as well as her uncontrollable, slight trembling.

In the darkness, both could hear the sound of their hearts beating faster. Silence spread through the small space, carrying an ambiguous and tense atmosphere.

After several seconds, Chen Linsheng finally spoke, his voice sounding somewhat husky in the darkness:

“Sister-in-law...”

As soon as he finished speaking, Su Wan, nestled in his arms, seemed to have been pricked by a needle.

“Don't... don't call me Sister-in-law...”

Chen Linsheng instantly understood her feelings. A complex emotion surged in his heart: pity, stirring, and a flicker of excitement that had long been buried.

He paused, then readily changed his address, his voice carrying a hint of imperceptible tenderness:

“Wan'er.”

This single address seemed to break the final barrier.

Outside the window, the post-rain night was exceptionally quiet, with only the intermittent sound of dripping water, as if accompanying the tenderness quietly blossoming in the humble room.