Stagnation

"Brother Chen, I hope you'll take care of me in the future."

The two Yamen Runner Captains who had come with Min Baoyi saw Min Baoyi turn and leave, and then they smiled at Chen Mu, their tone not daring to be presumptuous at all.

Although both of them were older than Chen Mu, they both addressed him as 'Brother Chen' as soon as they spoke, and they didn't even dare to call him that in front of Min Baoyi. After all, Min Baoyi had Chen Mu address him as 'Old Brother,' and they weren't qualified to be on fraternal terms with the Yamen Director.

"You're too kind."

Chen Mu cupped his hands at the two Yamen Runner Captains.

He naturally knew these two as well. One was surnamed Wang, and the other was surnamed Zhong. Because they weren't the Yamen Runner Captains in charge of him, they hadn't had much interaction in the past. Occasionally, when they met, they would bow their heads and salute him, but now they were not only taking the initiative to show goodwill, but even lowering their stance.

"Brother Chen, if you have something to do, go back first. I'll take care of things here."

Yamen Runner Captain Wang said to Chen Mu with a smile.

Chen Mu didn't stand on ceremony too much, cupped his hands, and walked directly into his house.

And as soon as he left.

Yamen Runner Captain Wang turned his head to look at Wang Zhao and the others, the smile on his face immediately turned cold, and he raised his hand and slapped Wang Zhao in the face, saying, "You ungrateful thing, you even claim to be from the same family as me. Is Brother Chen someone you can provoke? Get up, all of you!"

Wang Zhao and the others all looked pale, trembling, but they didn't dare to disobey, and staggered after Yamen Runner Captain Wang.

At this moment,

the entire street, which had seemed to freeze, gradually thawed. Behind the closed doors, pairs of eyes peeking out from the cracks moved and looked at each other, their eyes still filled with shock.

As neighbors in the same street, they naturally all knew Chen Mu, but their past impression of him was just a poor Yamen Runner with nothing to his name. Who knew that today would be like a thunderclap from a clear sky? What was going on?

But even though they didn't know how Chen Mu had gotten to know such a high-ranking figure like Min Baoyi, everyone knew in their hearts that Chen Mu from now on would be completely different.

In the distance.

Several Red Gold Gang members who had come after hearing the news watched the entire farce, then looked at each other in dismay, and then turned around and left quickly.

They had to report this matter to the Incense Master and the Gang Leader as soon as possible. A person who had suddenly emerged and could be on fraternal terms with Min Baoyi was definitely extraordinary and a significant event.

"The Chen family's son is going to rise to prominence."

An emaciated old man sitting at the entrance of the alley, smoking a dry tobacco pipe, watched Chen Mu's doorway become quiet again, exhaled a puff of smoke and sighed, then stood up, tapping the board lightly with his pipe as he walked, humming:

"Year after year the flowers are similar... year after year the people are different..."

His figure gradually disappeared into the alley.

At the entrance of another alley.

Zhang Hai's somewhat bloated half of his body was hidden behind a mud wall. At this moment, his whole person seemed to be plastered to the mud wall, frozen there motionless, his small eyes full of dullness.

His heart was even more filled with confusion and chaos.

He had arrived early and watched the whole process. He had originally wanted to see Chen Mu's embarrassment, but the course of events took a sharp turn with the appearance of Min Baoyi.

He was shocked that Min Baoyi, a dignified Yamen Director, would appear in such a place, and then he was even more shocked that his eyes almost popped out and fell to the ground, and his chin almost shattered.

What had he seen?

Min Baoyi... addressing Chen Mu as a brother!

What kind of existence was Min Baoyi? The Yamen Director of the South District, a figure high above, almost as different from ordinary commoners as clouds and mud. Even those gentry gentlemen living in the inner streets of Nine Stripes Ward had to be polite and respectful when they saw Min Baoyi.

Incomprehensible.

Such a thing couldn't even happen in a dream.

This scene directly shook Zhang Hai's heart, leaving him in a daze, not knowing where he was. He couldn't hear or see what happened afterward, his ears seemed to be stuffed with cotton, and his eyes were covered with painted powder.

He stood there blankly, not knowing how long had passed, his legs numb from standing. He stumbled and finally came back to his senses, but after shaking his head vigorously, he still felt his mind was a mess, confused and at a loss.

Walking into the house.

Chen Mu immediately saw Wang Ni, who was quite frightened and seemed about to cry, and Chen Yue, who seemed to be carefully listening to the movements outside and blinking her eyes as she looked at him.

"Brother?"

Chen Yue called out.

Although she and Wang Ni were hiding in the corner of the room and couldn't see the scene outside, they could hear the sounds. However, what she heard left her somewhat dazed, because even she was a little confused. How did Chen Mu know someone like Min Baoyi?

The City Guard Yamen Director of Nine Stripes Ward... she knew that he was in charge of patrolling and maintaining security for tens of thousands of households in the entire Nine Stripes Ward. Chen Mu had even told her that in this chaotic world, the Yamen Director was almost like a local emperor in the area.

Although Chen Mu had said some things to her these past few days, such as 'moving' and 'good days are coming,' Chen Mu had always said things like that in the past, so she didn't have a very strong feeling about it.

But...

Today's scene made her vaguely feel that things were different.

The City Guard Yamen Director personally came and addressed Chen Mu as a brother.

What used to be just an expectation, a hope, a ray of light supporting her forward, suddenly felt within reach, and it seemed that she could touch it with a hand. This was somewhat sudden, making her little head a little dizzy.

Chen Mu walked up to Chen Yue, smiled, and reached out to tap her delicate nose. Then, with some emotion, he looked around, looking at the bare mud walls and the faded, decaying tables and chairs, and the patched-up cotton quilt.

He had more than ten years of memories here.

And three years of living.

Eating old rice, gnawing on coarse flour buns, cornbread... In winter, there weren't even enough thick quilts, so he had to huddle together with Chen Yue, hugging her to keep warm in the same bed.

Unable to afford new clothes, unable to add new padded jackets, because the world was unstable, he could only keep Chen Yue at home and not let her go out.

He was cautious in everything, afraid of offending anyone, afraid of getting involved in any trouble, keeping his head down, being careful in his work, diligent and conscientious, day after day, year after year, and finally, from a few days ago, he had money, strength, and confidence.

And until today, he was about to completely change his appearance.

Chen Mu stepped forward, hugged Chen Yue in his arms, hugged her tightly, then took a light breath, touched her head, and said, "I'll go to the City Guard later, and then tomorrow... we'll move."

"...Okay."

Chen Yue raised her head and nodded vigorously and heavily in Chen Mu's arms.

In her pair of lovely big eyes, there was a light shining with 'hope and joy'.

These past two days had been full of ups and downs, from the fright at night to the commotion during the day, it could be said to be a great rise and fall, but she had always believed in Chen Mu, believed in every word of her brother, and no matter how scared or panicked she was, she endured it and held back.

Finally.

Such days had ushered in a glimmer of dawn.

After Chen Mu soothed Chen Yue and Wang Ni, he didn't delay for too long. He hid the silver, placed the Gold Jade Mo Pi Fa close to his body, and then set off for the City Guard.

The door bolt was broken.

But Chen Mu didn't care. Now, even just leaving the door ajar was more 'secure' than the previous bolt.

Wang Zhao and the others were nowhere to be seen outside the door, and the two Yamen Runner Captains were also gone. Only scattered figures remained in the distant alleys, gathering in twos and threes, not knowing what they were talking about.

Seeing the door open and Chen Mu walking out, those people immediately fell silent.

As Chen Mu walked over, people along the way gave way one after another. Whether it was the nearby neighbors or a few idle thugs, they all carefully stepped aside, even offering a smile when Chen Mu's gaze fell upon them.

Chen Mu ignored them, walking straight through the alley and quickly disappearing, leaving behind only a sea of ​​awe and envy.