The robbery case thus came to a close. The helicopter had been part of the Zhang Family's search team. What surprised Jiaming was that two people aboard were carrying sniper rifles, the sort used by professional special forces soldiers or mercenaries. He could not help marveling at the Zhang Family's formidable power.
The search party had arrived in time. The two robbers were not dead yet, though they appeared to have only their last breaths left. After listening to Yahan's rough account of what had happened and examining Scarface's wounds, the two special forces soldiers gave Jiaming several particularly careful looks. In the end, however, they took no action that suggested suspicion.
Jiaming was not worried about these people. Although his luck in this incident seemed almost too good, exceptionally good luck was not unheard of. From the wounds, he was confident that no one would be able to detect anything unusual. In fact, even if there were something suspicious, his identity as a child would be enough to dispel others' doubts.
The only flaw lay with Scarface.
He had deflected the man's attack with one stroke, then slashed his arm, cut open his thigh, and finally drove the dagger into his buttock. Everything had been clean, swift, and seamless.
Too clean!
It had been pouring rain, with darkness all around and the downpour interfering with everything. This had been Jiaming's first time taking action since gaining this body. He had not dared hold back, and because of that, he had left behind his sole weakness.
Once Scarface regained consciousness and thought carefully over the events, he might well become suspicious of Jiaming. Moreover, when the helicopter landed and Liu Huaisha ran over from afar, crying as she embraced Lingjing and Jiaming, Jiaming clearly saw Scarface, barely alive on the stretcher being carried down from the helicopter, still staring at him with an incomparably venomous gaze.
I should have made it look like an accident and killed him outright.
This new life was far too precious. Therefore, Jiaming wished to face his future life in the purest possible state. It was not that he disliked killing; he simply did not want to leave behind any unusual hidden dangers. Having once been an assassin, he naturally understood the necessity of every measure of caution.
Still, the man had committed armed robbery and kidnapping, and, if one wanted to press the matter, attempted rape as well. On top of that, he had offended a great family like the Zhang Family. He would not be getting out without serving seven or eight years at least. While it would not have been difficult to go to the hospital and eliminate him before his trial, doing so would involve an even greater risk. After thinking it over, Jiaming decided to let it go.
He was only an insignificant thug anyway. When the day came that he was released from prison, Jiaming could simply find a sniper rifle and pick him off.
As for Zhang Yahan, she probably found something strange about him, but it did not amount to suspicion. Since she would not be marrying Huang Haoyun, they would have few chances to interact from then on. It did not matter.
After bathing at a hotel near the airport, changing into clean clothes, and eating bowls of Three-Fresh Noodles, the group was driven home in a Zhang Family car. Zhang Yahan sat in the front passenger seat, dressed in white-and-green casual sportswear, her hair tied into a ponytail behind her head. She looked fresh and athletic. Lingjing and Huaisha chattered away in the back seat, recounting the thrilling events of the previous night, while Huaisha marveled endlessly at Jiaming's good luck.
When they arrived at the Ye Family Martial Arts School, the three prepared to get out. Zhang Yahan turned back and said with a smile, "Well then, goodbye."
"Goodbye, Sister Yahan." Lingjing had always been polite. Jiaming merely nodded, thinking, Farewell forever.
They had just gotten out of the car when Yahan poked her head out the window again. Looking at the Ye Family Martial Arts School sign, she said in delighted surprise, "Wow, Lingjing, does your family run a martial arts school?"
"Yes."
"That's wonderful." Yahan pushed open the car door and stepped out. "After what happened yesterday, I was just thinking of finding somewhere to learn some self-defense."
That's terrible, Jiaming thought, but he said aloud, "This is a martial arts school for children!"
"What does that matter?" Yahan smiled sweetly. "I'm a child too, just a little older than you. Your big sister here is only nineteen."
"Sister, don't listen to Jiaming's nonsense. Dad never said he only teaches children. It's just that all the students right now happen to be kids. Sister, come with me." Having brought business to the family, Lingjing promptly sold out her childhood friend and led Yahan into the martial arts school. Jiaming sighed inwardly, wondering how much of her desire to learn martial arts was aimed at him.
In any case, the Ye Family Martial Arts School taught without discrimination. From then on, the beautiful and highly educated Zhang Yahan joined the ranks of those learning martial arts, never missing a day throughout the summer vacation. Whenever Jiaming saw her practicing Wing Chun with Lingjing, grunting and shouting, he could not help wanting to laugh.
However, taking on such a female student brought quite a bit of extra business to the martial arts school. Yahan was a teacher. Though she had not officially begun teaching yet, she was extremely enthusiastic about teaching children. Whenever she gave Lingjing advance lessons in middle-school subjects, many children would bring over their homework to ask questions as well, and she patiently explained everything one by one without the slightest annoyance.
Once word spread that the Ye Family Martial Arts School had a teacher who had returned from studying at Cambridge, families that had still been hesitating hurriedly sent their children over too. During the final month of summer vacation, the martial arts school's business was truly booming. Lingjing was immensely happy about this, and her relationship with Yahan became exceptionally close. Only Jiaming suffered, because whenever Lingjing listened to Yahan's lessons, she insisted on dragging him along to improve together, tormenting him to the point of nearly going mad.
But he still had to endure it!
Zhang Yahan's interest in him was clearly not over. In Jiaming's estimation, she probably thought he was some child genius with an IQ of 180, someone who hid his intelligence and endured in silence because of his precocious maturity and lack of importance within his family. Whenever she looked at him with that faintly smiling, unreadable gaze, Jiaming could sense it. Fine, let her think whatever she wants.
Not long afterward, the case against the two robbers concluded. Triangle-eyed was sentenced to eight years, while Scarface, the principal offender, received ten. That was considered a heavy sentence for such a case, likely due to the Zhang Family pulling strings. In truth, if they had been released outright, their outcome would probably have been even worse. Not only would Jiaming have eliminated them himself, but the leader of the Sand Bamboo Gang had already declared that the moment he saw either of them, he would have them hacked to death.
After finally getting through the long, boring summer vacation, with that self-assured woman constantly probing him as well, September arrived. Yahan began preparing to teach at Noble Academy and came to the martial arts school far less often. Jiaming, Lingjing, and Huaisha entered Xinghui Middle School together, stepping into their middle-school years.
Before you continue