Master's Big Black Bird

Black Shadow darted out of the bedroom, but Ji Qinglin showed no sign of being on guard.

Thinking there was an ambush, Yu Ye instinctively warned, "Watch out!"

But after flying out, the black shadow actually landed steadily on Ji Qinglin's shoulder.

Only then did Yu Ye see that the creature was black as night, without a trace of stars or moon. If not for the light streaming in through the window to outline it, it would have been almost impossible to see.

As the lights came on, the thing perched on Ji Qinglin's shoulder revealed its true form: a jet-black crow.

Ji Qinglin took off his hat and gently stroked the bird's head a few times. The crow rubbed against his shoulder in return.

Caw caw—

The hoarse cries seemed to complain about why Ji Qinglin had returned so late.

The crow hopped and turned around, noticing Yu Ye standing behind it. It cocked its head and cawed twice more at Ji Qinglin.

Caw caw—

"Don't be afraid, this is—"

Before Ji Qinglin could introduce it, the crow hopped straight onto Yu Ye's shoulder and inspected her closely, then gently brushed its head against her cheek.

"You keep pets too?"

"It was just fate, same as you."

Crazy Night: Comparing us to his bird? Hm? Why did that sound even weirder?

After fulfilling Old Hu's final wish and burying his ashes in the Wilderness, Ji Qinglin had encountered a flock of crows on his way back.

One injured crow, chased into a corner, had actually landed directly on his shoulder. The rest of the flock no longer dared pursue it.

Ji Qinglin found it rather novel. This crow sure has some nerve, he thought, and did not drive it away.

Besides, he was someone who had died once. He had no interest in such pointless superstitions about whether crows brought good fortune or bad luck.

He just had not expected the crow to follow him all the way back to the General Store. Since he lived alone anyway, Ji Qinglin simply kept it as a pet and named it "Coal Boss."

At their first meeting today, Coal Boss was not shy at all and was quite affectionate toward Yu Ye, rubbing and brushing its head across her face from side to side.

Ji Qinglin silently cursed the damn bird. It was still the same, treating anyone with milk as its mother, without the slightest restraint. When male customers came to the shop, it ignored them unless they spent lavishly. But when female customers came, it would only go cuddle up to those with looks and a figure—especially someone like Yu Ye, with a pair of little white rabbits on her chest.

"It's called Coal Boss. Be careful not to get pecked."

Crazy Night: Let me pet it! Let me pet it! Yu Ye: Is that really necessary? After a night of nerves, only to find it had been a false alarm upon returning home, Yu Ye finally relaxed somewhat and reached out to stroke Coal Boss's sleek black feathers.

As Yu Ye lovingly petted it, Coal Boss happily rubbed against her arm, looking extremely affectionate.

It was never this close to him normally.

"You little pervert bird!"

Annoyed, Ji Qinglin flicked the bird lightly on the head.

Yu Ye smiled. "Coal Boss really has inherited Master's teachings."

"?"

Before Ji Qinglin could explain, Coal Boss bobbed its head up and down as though proudly agreeing.

"You black bastard, ruining my reputation!"

Seeing that it was about to be hit, Coal Boss fluttered back onto Yu Ye's shoulder, wearing an aggrieved expression that said, "You have to stand up for me."

"Alright, Yu Ye. Go take a bath first. From now on, you'll sleep on the sofa bed in the Living Room."

"Yes, Master."

Crazy Night: No guest room, and I actually have to sleep in the Living Room! Yu Ye: That's still far better than prison. What, did you want to sleep in the bedroom with him? Or sleep with his big black bird?

Entering the bathroom, Yu Ye took off her filthy, oversized prison uniform and underwear.

Looking at herself in the mirror, like some Garbage Collector, she could barely recognize herself.

She turned the shower to full blast and let the water wash away the sweat and dust from her body.

Veiled in steam, her exhaustion and unease were gradually washed away along with the grime.

Just as she was about to apply body wash, Yu Ye noticed a fold-out panel set horizontally against the bathroom wall. She gave it a light touch.

Click—

The panel extended outward, unfolding into a space-saving collapsible bathtub.

Crazy Night: It can actually be used for a bath! Fill it up, fill it up! Yu Ye: You're not complaining that it's dirty this time?

Crazy Night: I'd get in even if it were a puddle right now. Hurry, hurry, hurry!

Yu Ye turned the water inlet to maximum, bent down, and stepped into the bathtub. Water rapidly poured in from around the tub, rising over her soft body. Only when the two mounds of jade flesh on her chest began to float did she slowly lie down.

Crazy Night: Ahh~ This is heaven! The hot water immersing her whole body dissolved the last of Yu Ye's vigilance, and a wave of deep exhaustion swept over her.

Leaning against the edge of the bathtub, Yu Ye accidentally fell asleep before long. After quite some time, she finally heard a sound by her ear.

Knock knock knock—

Yu Ye immediately sat up and found that Ji Qinglin had already poked his head inside.

"If you like sleeping in water that much, I'll buy you a fish tank tomorrow."

Yu Ye hurriedly turned away. "Master, I'll be done right away!"

As soon as she said that, Coal Boss tried to fly through the crack in the open door as well, but Ji Qinglin reached out and grabbed it directly by the leg.

"Get out here! Who taught you that?"

Caw caw—

Yu Ye stared at the closed bathroom door for a moment, then smiled.

It had been a troublesome night, but there was finally a little sense of life here.

Ji Qinglin sat in the small Living Room, reading Yu Ye's prison file. It was only two simple pages.

Yu Ye had been smuggled over aboard the Duolong Maru. From interrogation to arrest to being released from prison, only a few days had passed. The photograph from when she had been arrested showed her looking even more bedraggled than she did now.

Duolong Maru? If he remembered correctly, it should have departed from Honshu Island.

Just as he was thinking of clearing things up tomorrow, Yu Ye emerged from the bathroom. Without the oversized prison uniform concealing her, her perfect figure was revealed without reservation.

Her graceful, alluring body made the bath towel wrapped around her seem like a custom-made qipao, brimming with temptation.

Within the misty white steam, her skin looked even fairer. Her Jade Foot touched the floor, her calves pressed close together, while that sinful bath towel concealed all beauty. Her lotus-root-like arms were held before her chest, and above her delicate collarbones and slender neck, the Positioning Restraint Ring somehow carried a hint of allure.

The hair that had previously been caked with dust was now clean and tied behind her head, with only a few black strands hanging before her face, droplets of water trickling down from them.

Her small melon-seed face, cherry lips, and peach-blossom mouth made her exceptionally pretty, while her almond eyes and willow-leaf brows possessed a heroic air. She still neither avoided nor shied away from Ji Qinglin's gaze, though the cold arrogance she had shown at first was gone.

Was that a bath? Damn it, she changed into an entirely different person!

Yet although Ji Qinglin was astonished that the Yu Ye who had looked so wretched in the photograph could become this stunning after washing up, nothing showed on his face.

"You should sleep in the bedroom with me instead."

Crazy Night: See! I knew he was a pervert! "Master, please don't make such—"

Ji Qinglin did not respond to Yu Ye. Instead, he continued speaking to Coal Boss on his shoulder.

"I won't feel at ease letting you sleep downstairs. It's better if you sleep in the bedroom with me. A place like the Living Room is better suited for Yu Ye."

Crazy Night, Yu Ye: ???

As he spoke, Ji Qinglin grabbed Coal Boss, which was trying to get a look at Yu Ye's little white rabbits, and prepared to return to the bedroom.

"Eh, Yu Ye, what were you saying just now? Please don't make what?"

"Hm? No, it was nothing."

"Then get some rest. We'll be busy tomorrow. The sofa bed is a little old, so don't crush it for your Master."

"Yes."

Crazy Night: He didn't do anything to you at all! There's something wrong with your Master's body.

Yu Ye: Stop talking nonsense.

Watching Ji Qinglin truly return to the bedroom, Yu Ye felt the weight in her heart ease. In its place came a strange sense of security and deep curiosity.

Ignoring Coal Boss's protesting caws, Ji Qinglin shook his head, forcing himself to recover from the feast for the eyes he had just seen.

Now was not the time to think about that.

He closed the window and dialed a familiar number. The phone rang for more than ten seconds before someone finally picked up.

"Hello? You damned profiteer, are you sick, calling this late at night?"

The woman's hoarse voice through the receiver was full of impatience.

Ji Qinglin seemed to have expected her attitude. Rather than bicker with her as he had with Yu Ye, he simply replied, "You guessed right. The person who bought the shop really did send people to kill me."

Upon hearing that, the woman's voice quickly turned serious.

"When?"

"Tonight. They hired an assassin from the Puppet Club."

"What did I tell you! So what are you going to do?"

"You know I never leave threats behind, especially threats that are still alive."