Storm

Chen Jianghe clutched the contract, which still carried the faint scent of ink, and returned to the Xingyi Martial Arts Hall with a light step.

Ten taels of monthly salary, twenty catties of meat, four portions of Blood Qi Powder, and a share of the profits from future escort missions.

With these, his mother would soon no longer need to live in the woodshed, and his dream of renting a small house near the martial arts hall could finally become a reality.

The sun had already dipped toward the west, casting long, slanted shadows from the hall's paint-peeling wooden door.

He pushed the door open and entered the courtyard, his gaze habitually sweeping toward the kitchen. At this hour, his mother, Lin, was usually busy preparing the evening meal.

But today, the kitchen doorway was empty, and there was not even a wisp of cooking smoke.

Chen Jianghe's heart sank, and he walked quickly toward the woodshed in the back courtyard.

The door was left ajar, and the interior was dim.

He called out, "Mother!?"

No one answered.

Chen Jianghe's heart tightened, and he turned to walk briskly back to the front courtyard.

A few fellow disciples were resting under the corridor. Seeing him in such a hurry, one looked up and greeted him, "Jianghe, you're back?"

"Senior Brother Zhao, have you seen my mother?" Chen Jianghe stopped in his tracks.

Senior Brother Zhao scratched his head. "Aunt Lin? I saw her hanging laundry at noon, but I haven't paid attention since then."

Chen Jianghe nodded and turned to He Shouzhuo, who was hunched over in a corner, polishing his boxing gloves beside a stone lock. "Senior Brother He, have you seen my mother?"

He Shouzhuo looked up, saw him return, and stopped what he was doing. "Aunt Lin? She left about a cup of tea's time ago."

"She left?" Chen Jianghe's heart skipped a beat. "Where did she go?"

"A woman came looking for her, saying she was from Loach Bay and lived next door to you," He Shouzhuo recalled. "Surname Wang, around forty, dark and thin, and she spoke in a frantic rush. She said your family's boat had an accident and was leaking badly, and she urgently called for Aunt Lin to go home and deal with it. Aunt Lin panicked the moment she heard it; she didn't even untie her apron before following the woman away."

Chen Jianghe frowned.

Aunt Wang? There was indeed such a person living next door, but the two families rarely interacted beyond a polite nod.

Which boat in Loach Bay wasn't patched and mended? If it were truly leaking, neighbors would usually just help out; why go through the trouble of running all the way to the martial arts hall to fetch someone?

This didn't make sense.

"Many thanks for telling me, Senior Brother." Chen Jianghe cupped his fists and turned to hurry out the door.

"Jianghe," He Shouzhuo called out, standing up. "That woman's eyes were shifty, and she didn't dare look at me while she spoke. I felt something was off and wanted to stop them, but Aunt Lin was so anxious that I didn't feel I could force her to stay."

Chen Jianghe paused and looked back at He Shouzhuo. "I understand, Senior Brother. If my mother returns first, I'll trouble you to look after her for a moment."

"Go."

The streets of the outer city gradually fell silent in the twilight as vendors began to pack up their stalls and scattered lights flickered to life.

Chen Jianghe moved like the wind, his mind calculating rapidly.

There were two ways to get from the martial arts hall to Loach Bay:

One was the main road along the river, which was flatter but longer; the other was a shortcut through the alleys, narrow and winding, but much faster.

If Aunt Wang were truly in a hurry to take his mother back to deal with a "leaking boat," she should have taken the main road, which was smoother and allowed for hiring a donkey cart. But if she had ulterior motives...

He turned sharply and ducked into the familiar narrow alley.

After passing through two alleys, voices suddenly drifted from the intersection ahead.

Chen Jianghe stopped abruptly, sidestepping behind a corner wall piled with broken bamboo baskets, holding his breath to listen.

"...Sister Lin, don't be anxious. A boat leak is a small matter, just patch it up." It was Aunt Wang's voice, carrying a deliberate tone of comfort. "It's just that the cost for the repair materials needs to be paid upfront. I happen to know an old craftsman who is skilled and charges a fair price. Why not sit at my place for a while, and when the craftsman arrives, we can go back together?"

Lin's voice sounded anxious. "Aunt Wang, how could I trouble you further? I still have some copper coins on me, and if it's not enough, I can owe him the rest... I will definitely pay the craftsman's wages later..."

"Oh, we're neighbors, why say such things?" Aunt Wang laughed. "I just see that you're a lone widow with a child and it's not easy. Besides, it's a coincidence today that we ran into this kind soul from the 'Sun Moon Cult'..."

Another voice cut in—a man's, with a gentle tone that carried an indescribable, cloying quality. "Greetings, Auntie. My Sun Moon Cult takes saving the world and helping the suffering as its duty; I cannot bear to see the hardships of the common people. I heard your family is in dire straits, with a leaking boat and a crumbling house—this is the very moment for the Holy Lord to bestow blessings and dispel disasters. Why not follow me to the altar to pay your respects and offer a bit of sincerity? The Holy Lord will surely bestow grace, ensuring your family's peace and prosperity, free from illness and disaster from this day forward."

Chen Jianghe felt a chill run through his heart as he listened from behind the wall.

He leaned out slightly, peering through the gaps in the bamboo baskets—

At the mouth of the alley, three people were standing and talking.

His mother, Lin, was bowing her head, her hands nervously twisting the corner of her apron, her expression filled with panic.

Aunt Wang stood beside her, one hand lightly supporting Lin's arm, a smile plastered on her face, though her eyes darted toward the man beside them from time to time.

The man wore a gray-white robe embroidered with sun and moon patterns. He looked to be in his thirties, with a fair complexion, and he toyed with prayer beads in his hand, a faint, inscrutable smile hanging on his lips.

"I... I don't understand these things." Lin shrank back. "Jianghe will be back soon; he's still waiting at the martial arts hall..."

"Oh, Sister Lin, this is a stroke of fate!" Aunt Wang hurriedly interjected, her voice lowering. "You don't know, but so many people in the outer city want to join the Sun Moon Cult and can't find a way in! This Master Zhang is a devotee of the cult; he just happened to be giving alms in Loach Bay today and heard about your family's situation, so he came specifically with me to take a look. This is the Holy Lord showing mercy!"

Master Zhang toyed with his prayer beads, his smile deepening. "Indeed. This humble one observes that you, Auntie, seem to have hidden worries. Is it that your child is practicing martial arts?"

Lin looked up abruptly, a flash of panic crossing her eyes.

Master Zhang nodded in understanding, sighing, "The path of martial arts is perilous, harming both others and oneself. Is it that you worry constantly for your kin, fearing they might lose their lives in the fray? My sect's sacred teachings can dispel disasters and resolve hardships, shielding your loved ones in peace. One need only offer a modest tribute and kowtow with a sincere heart, and the Holy Lord will naturally bestow protection. Even for those who practice martial arts, the Holy Lord's blessing can ensure smooth circulation of qi and blood, leading to rapid progress."

Aunt Wang chimed in from the side, "That's right, Sister Lin! I hear Jianghe is training at the Xingyi Martial Arts Hall—how much silver must that cost? And you have to live in fear every single day! If he joined the Holy Cult and had someone to rely on, wouldn't life be much more stable? You'd have far less to worry about, wouldn't you?"

Just then, Chen Jianghe stepped out from behind the wall.

"Mother."

His voice was not loud, yet it startled all three people at the mouth of the alley.

Lin looked up to see her son, her panic slightly subsiding, only to be replaced by even greater unease. "Jianghe? You... why are you here?"

Chen Jianghe walked to his mother's side, subtly guiding her away from Aunt Wang's grasp and shielding her behind him before turning his gaze toward the two.

Aunt Wang's face broke into a smile. "Oh, Jianghe is here! Perfect, just perfect! Your family's boat had an accident, and your mother and I were just discussing it!"

Master Zhang smiled faintly and performed a formal salute toward Chen Jianghe. "Is this young brother a top student of the Xingyi Martial Arts Hall? I am Zhang Mingyuan, a disciple of the Sun Moon Cult. I happened to pass by and saw your mother in distress, so I came to offer my assistance."

He turned to his mother, his voice softening. "Mother, the boat is fine. I just came from Loach Bay and checked it myself; it's perfectly intact. It seems someone either saw wrong, or... intentionally spread false information."

He spoke the last half of the sentence slowly, his gaze sweeping over Aunt Wang.

Aunt Wang's expression shifted, and she let out a dry, awkward laugh. "This... how could I have seen it wrong? I clearly saw..."

"Aunt Wang." Chen Jianghe looked at her, his eyes sharp. "If my family's boat were truly leaking, you should have sought out a shipwright or called the neighbors for help. What is the logic in running all the way to the martial arts hall to fetch my mother, ignoring those closer at hand?"

Aunt Wang was rendered speechless, her mouth opening and closing, unable to find a reply.

Zhang Mingyuan, however, remained smiling and stepped forward half a pace. "Young brother, please do not misunderstand. Aunt Wang only acted out of kindness, fearing your mother would worry, which is why she came to find her personally. As for the leak, perhaps it was indeed a mistake, but meeting is a matter of fate. I observe that you possess vigorous qi and blood, as one who practices martial arts should, but have you ever felt your progress in cultivation is slow? My sect possesses a secret 'Qi Nourishing Method' that can help martial artists clear their meridians and accelerate the flow of qi and blood..."

Chen Jianghe cut him off. "That won't be necessary."

He turned to Lin, his tone gentle. "Mother, let's return to the martial arts hall. The boat is fine."

Zhang Mingyuan's smile stiffened slightly before returning to normal. He took a wooden token from his robes and offered it to Lin. "Aunt, this is a token of my sect. Since the timing is not right today, I shall not force the matter. If you have need in the future, you may bring this token to the 'Sun Moon Altar' in the south of the city to find me. The Holy Lord is merciful and keeps the gates of convenience wide open."

Chen Jianghe reached out to block the token, staring directly at Zhang Mingyuan. "We appreciate Master Zhang's good intentions, but we have no need for outsiders to concern themselves with our family affairs."

With that, he took Lin's hand and turned to leave.

Aunt Wang called out anxiously from behind, "Hey! Sister Lin, you..."

Chen Jianghe glanced back at her.

His gaze was so fierce that the rest of Aunt Wang's words caught in her throat, and she could not utter another sound.

The mother and son walked out of the alley and turned onto the main street. The lamps were brightening, and the sound of the crowd grew somewhat boisterous.

"Jianghe..." Lin gripped her son's sleeve, her voice trembling. "Those people... are they..."

"Mother, it's alright now." Chen Jianghe turned around, his tone softening. "You go back to the hall first. With Senior Brother He there, these gangs and cults won't dare to cause trouble near the hall."

Lin's eyes reddened. "It's all my fault for being useless and believing Aunt Wang's words..."

"It is not your fault." Chen Jianghe held his mother's hand. "In this world, there are too many scams, impossible to guard against. It is I who lack the ability, leaving you to worry over such things."

He paused, his tone firm. "But it will be soon. I have already accepted a job with the escort agency; the monthly pay is generous, and I will surely save enough silver soon. We will rent a room near the martial arts hall. From then on, we will have a home of our own on land and won't have to return to the boat."

Tears fell from Lin's eyes as she nodded vigorously. "Mother believes in you... I will go back now and stay put."

"Yes." Chen Jianghe let go of her hand. "Walk along the main road and don't take any shortcuts. My third senior brother just helped me find this job and we have an appointment to eat tonight; I'm running out of time, so I'll head off now."

With that, he turned and walked in the other direction.