Lu Zhangke's eyes shifted, and he forced a smile even uglier than a cry onto his face. "Yangzhou hasn't been safe lately, especially in the dead of night. Let me see this through—save someone to the end, send Buddha all the way to the west. I'll escort you back, miss."
"No need. Thank you for your kindness, Senior." Cheng Yaojia shook her head slightly. She was actually rather tempted, but she knew Han Tuozhou's hiding place was of vital importance and absolutely could not be revealed to outsiders. She could only decline with an apologetic expression.
At that moment, Cheng Yaojia thought to herself that although this senior looked a little fierce, he truly was an exceptionally good person.
Seeing her refuse him again and again, Lu Zhangke began to grow impatient. He had never been much of a gentleman to begin with. His earlier righteous façade had merely been a passing whim, and now his patience was gradually wearing thin.
"Miss, I just saved you. How do you intend to thank me?" Lu Zhangke stopped her as she was about to leave.
Cheng Yaojia was startled and hurriedly slipped a jade-green bracelet from her wrist, offering it to him. "I was worried that mentioning a reward earlier might have been too presumptuous toward you, Senior, so... This is fine Buddha's-hand jade. It may not be priceless, but it is worth quite a bit of silver. I hope you will not find it lacking."
Lu Zhangke shook his head without taking it. Looking at the snow-white wrist exposed beneath her sleeve, he could not help swallowing. "I have no interest in gold, silver, or jewels."
A woman's natural sensitivity made Cheng Yaojia realize something, but upon seeing his age, she simply could not bring herself to think in that direction.