Ah, My Right-Hand Man, How Could You Leave Me?

"Sister-in-law, I can do it myself. Really, I can."

Lin Fan hadn't expected his sister-in-law to be so warm. As soon as the hall master brought him in, she'd hurried over, taken his hand, and led him into the hall. Before long, she'd brought him a cup of tea.

It was almost too much warmth for him to get used to.

He'd never met her before, and had assumed that since the hall master kept a mistress outside, his wife must be old and faded. Who would've thought she'd be so fresh and lovely? At a glance, she seemed both virtuous and capable—the perfect wife to keep a home.

"It's all right. Make yourself at home, and don't be shy. If you're willing to consider me your older sister, then let's stop calling each other sister-in-law and brother-in-law. How about we just be siblings?"

Madam Wang gazed at Lin Fan with gentle eyes. He was handsome and full of vigor, and she couldn't help thinking of the younger brother she'd lost to illness as a child.

"How could I—"

Before he could finish, the hall master interjected, "Since your sister-in-law considers you her younger brother, then from now on, you can call each other siblings."

He knew his wife's circumstances better than anyone.

He sighed inwardly.

His wife had lost both parents when she was young. She'd had only one younger brother, whom they'd taken in, but a serious illness had taken him from them. It had nearly broken her. Fortunately, with his devoted care, she'd eventually pulled through.

The hall master had said so himself.

What else could Lin Fan say?

"Older sister," he called, a little bashfully.

"Good, good. Let's eat. I cooked all these dishes myself today. See if they suit your taste."

"Thank you, older sister."

She led him to the table. He felt a little awkward, mostly because this was his first visit, yet he was being treated so warmly. And his newly found older sister was especially attentive—more so than the hall master.

That damn hall master. He's got such a wonderful wife, yet he still keeps a mistress. He really doesn't know what he has.

They began to eat.

Lin Fan stared at the mountain of food piled in his bowl and nearly wept. His new older sister was so kind—she hadn't taken a single bite herself, and had spent the whole meal piling food into his bowl.

She even asked about his family. When Lin Fan told her he'd drifted here from elsewhere, her eyes reddened.

"Little brother, you must've suffered so much."

"It's all right, older sister. After I came here, I started working for the hall master, and he came to value me. Things gradually got better," Lin Fan said.

"He..." Madam Wang knew her husband all too well. "If you ever have a grievance, don't bottle it up. Tell me, and I'll stand up for you."

"Thank you, older sister."

"Eat, eat more. You're so thin, it breaks my heart."

Wang Changhai sat beside them, feeling utterly helpless. He didn't say a word, but couldn't shake the feeling that his right-hand man no longer belonged to him. He belonged to his wife now.

It was a hard feeling to describe. He wanted to say something, but had no idea what.

After finishing the food piled in his bowl, Lin Fan said, "Hall master, Sun Xiao's steward from the Fierce Tiger Gang came to the docks looking for me today."

"What? What did he want with you?"

Wang Changhai jolted. Damn it, they'd noticed how capable his right-hand man was and wanted to poach him!

Lin Fan said, "He said he wanted to get to know me, and insisted on treating me to a meal at Xianwei Tower. I figured I might as well eat for free, so I brought the dock brothers along."

"Xianwei Tower? That place is expensive."

"Yeah. I made sure to order the expensive dishes. We filled three whole tables. I don't know exactly how many taels it cost, but at least fifty or sixty."

"What? You went that hard?"

Wang Changhai gaped, stunned. They'd invited Lin Fan for the first time, and he'd eaten them out of house and home. He'd treated them like a fat pig to butcher.

"I had to. You don't often catch someone like that. Besides, he came to me because he wanted to recruit me. They need something from me, so I figure there'll be three, four, five, six, maybe even seven more invitations. I might as well eat as many meals as I can."

Wang Changhai: ...!!!

He was completely flabbergasted.

But Wang Changhai also felt relieved. Lin Fan had told him all this, which meant he had no intention of being poached. His trusted subordinate really was worthy of his confidence.

I really do have a good eye.

The thought pleased Wang Changhai.

"My little brother is so clever," Madam Wang said with a smile. She turned to Wang Changhai. "See? Having someone as capable as my little brother is a blessing you earned over three lifetimes."

"Older sister, being noticed by the hall master was my good fortune," Lin Fan hurried to say. Dear older sister, you can't put it like that. You've been so kind to me—your husband will get jealous.

"If I say it's his good fortune, then it's his good fortune. Husband, don't you agree?"

Faced with his wife's question—

"Yes, yes. It's my good fortune."

Wang Changhai had nothing to say.

"Hall master, there's something else. I'm preparing to take the Security Bureau exam." Lin Fan didn't hide it. He told him about his plans. Sooner or later, he'd have to say it.

Knowing the hall master, he'd decided it was better to speak now.

The hall master wasn't a devious, scheming man.

"The Security Bureau? What made you think of that? Aren't you doing well here?" Wang Changhai grew anxious. My right-hand man, you can't just leave me!

Everyone knew that Wang Changhai had a right-hand man who could fight like nobody's business.

When he faced the other hall masters, he could hold his head much higher.

Madam Wang said, displeased, "What do you mean, what made him think of that? It's a good thing that my little brother wants to take the proper path and get ahead. You know what Loyalty Hall is like: a mixed bag of fish and dragons, with plenty of dirty dealings. I don't want my little brother turning into one of those people."

"Little brother, do your best. I know the wife of an official clerk. I'll see if I can pull a few strings for you."

"Thank you, older sister," Lin Fan said gratefully.

He could tell that she truly wanted him as her younger brother. She wasn't pretending or putting on a show just to tie him to her.

Wang Changhai looked at his wife and felt like crying. Who pushed someone away like that?

At that moment, Lin Fan noticed how upset the hall master looked. "Hall master, a while ago, I got to know Captain Song from the Security Bureau. I helped him catch a murderer. He knows who I am, and he knows I want to join the Security Bureau, but he didn't seem to think my current position would cause any problems with the exam."

At that, Wang Changhai's eyes lit up. Hope appeared. "So even if you join the Security Bureau, you might still be able to oversee the docks?"

"I'm not sure." Lin Fan didn't want to promise too much.

Madam Wang said, "I think he can. I've heard a few things. Captain Song is an upright man, but he's been sidelined at the Security Bureau. He's always hated collusion between officials and gangs, because it cuts into a lot of people's profits. That's why people keep making things difficult for him. I think Captain Song wants my little brother to join the Security Bureau, too, so he can use him to fight black with black."

"Madam, where did you hear that?" Wang Changhai asked in surprise.

Madam Wang said, "I heard it while playing mahjong with the ladies. They were chatting about how Captain Song was hurting their business. Some people did bad things and didn't want to get caught, so they paid those ladies to make the problem go away. But Captain Song wouldn't allow it. He handled plenty of cases according to the law."

Lin Fan listened closely.

Thinking back to Captain Song pursuing the murderer with only Yang Ming at his side, he could see that the captain really had been sidelined.

Wang Changhai waved a hand. "Let's eat first. We can talk about it later. Whatever happens, I'll respect your decision."

"Thank you for understanding, hall master," Lin Fan said.

Lin Fan and his older sister chatted and laughed throughout the meal, both of them thoroughly enjoying themselves.

This was the first time since he'd crossed over—not, even before he'd crossed over—that anyone had shown him such care.

He'd found himself an older sister.

Wang Changhai, meanwhile, looked as if he'd taken a blow. He was weighed down with worry and couldn't bring himself to feel happy.

A long while later, when it was already late—

At the doorway—

Madam Wang took Lin Fan's hand.

"Little brother, be careful on your way back."

"I will, older sister. It's cold outside. You should go back in first."

"Changhai, what are you standing around for? Go see my little brother off."

"Madam, I know. Go on inside first. I have a few things to discuss with your little brother."

Madam Wang went back inside.

Wang Changhai patted Lin Fan on the shoulder. "Tell me honestly. What do you think of the hall master—your older sister's husband?"

Faced with the question—

Lin Fan wanted to say, Hall master, you really are a piece of work. My older sister is so virtuous, and you still keep a mistress. You don't care about her dignity at all. I'd love to smash your head in.

But could he say that?

Of course not.

"He's very good."

"That's it?"

"Yeah. Hall master, you should go back too. I'm leaving." With that, he turned and walked off.

Wang Changhai watched Lin Fan's retreating back, then raised his eyes to the bright moon. A glimmer of tears seemed to slip from the corner of his eye.

Even now, you won't call me brother-in-law?

My right-hand man—

How could you leave me like this, only to throw yourself into my wife's arms? Now that she has such a capable younger brother, will she still obey the three obediences and four virtues? Will she still give me any consideration?

Your hall master's place in the household—

How much could possibly be left?

Sigh!

One single sigh held the bittersweet joys and sorrows of countless men.