Chapter 39

Zhang Jiu appeared in the doorway.

Seeing Luo Qingchen soaking in the wooden tub, he smiled broadly. "Brother Luo, are you taking a medicinal bath?"

Luo Qingchen replied calmly, "Yes, I am. Is something the matter, Captain?"

Zhang Jiu smiled but did not answer right away.

He walked over to the tub and sniffed. Then he smiled and said, "Brother Luo, you've been resting for more than ten days. You should be feeling better, right? Two new guards arrived at the establishment today. I'm planning to introduce you to each other."

Then he sighed. "Captain Zhou and the others are leaving today. They have other things to take care of, so starting tonight, we'll have to take turns patrolling by ourselves. I'll take the first shift tonight, and tomorrow night you'll patrol with your new teammate. Is that all right?"

Luo Qingchen nodded. "That's fine."

"Good."

Zhang Jiu smiled and glanced at the packet of medicinal supplements resting nearby. "Then I'll let you get back to it, Brother Luo. I'll introduce you to each other tomorrow."

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly turned back. "By the way, Brother Luo, I heard that Senior Brother Tian went down the mountain to take on a mission. That means you won't have to give blood for the time being, so you can spend more time recovering."

Surprise crossed Luo Qingchen's face. "Captain, you're amazing. You even know what's going on up above?"

A smug look appeared on Zhang Jiu's face, though his tone was modest. "Not at all. Some friends told me."

With that, he waved and left the room.

Luo Qingchen watched him walk away. Only then did he slowly loosen his grip on the dagger he had been clutching.

Good thing he hadn't drawn blood just now.

He waited for about half a stick of incense. When nothing seemed amiss outside, he quietly cut his wrist underwater and began drawing blood.

"Tian Feng went down the mountain on a mission?"

No wonder the other man hadn't come down to take his blood again lately.

He'd thought the other man had shown mercy and deliberately given him a few extra days to recover.

This was a rare opportunity.

He had to make the most of it to cultivate, and try to break through before the other man returned!

After his medicinal bath, he cleaned the stone room and immediately went back to his room to cultivate.

That afternoon, he slept for two hours.

When night came, he got up and continued cultivating.

The medicinal energy within his body endlessly tempered his bones and sinews.

The next day.

He went out for breakfast, then returned to his room to sleep.

He slept until noon, when Zhang Jiu came to knock on his door and introduce the two new guards.

Both were young men in their twenties, one tall and one short.

The tall one was named Zhao Nan, and the short one was named Yang Guang.

Zhao Nan was assigned to Zhang Jiu's team, while Yang Guang was assigned to his.

The two new guards seemed unaware that a murder had taken place here. They happily settled into the rear courtyard.

Since Yang Guang was on his team, he treated Luo Qingchen with great respect and humbly asked him all sorts of questions.

Luo Qingchen didn't know much himself, so he only told him about some of the rules at the establishment.

"I'm so glad I'm on your team, Brother Luo. Yesterday, I ran into Brother Zhou and Brother Sun and tried talking to them, but they weren't interested. I thought everyone here was hard to get along with. I didn't expect you to be so kind."

Yang Guang seemed very happy, his smile looking completely guileless.

Luo Qingchen didn't say much more. After exchanging a few pleasantries and agreeing on when they would patrol that night, he returned to his room to continue cultivating.

Soon, night fell.

The two of them went to the kitchen for dinner, then headed to the front courtyard.

Luo Qingchen said, "Let's make a round outside first, then go into the building."

"Sure. I'll follow your lead, Brother Luo."

Yang Guang seemed quite satisfied with the job. His face held a bright, eager smile the whole time.

They quickly made a round outside, then went into the building.

Luo Qingchen said, "One of us will patrol upstairs and the other downstairs. Which do you want?"

Yang Guang thought for a moment, then smiled. "I'll take downstairs. I just got here, so I'll start by getting familiar with the lower floor."

Luo Qingchen nodded and said no more. He went upstairs.

Just then, Sun Ping, the establishment's manager, came up behind him and quietly warned him, "Guard Luo, don't tell anyone about what's happened here lately. Don't let it get out—not even to your new partner."

Luo Qingchen said, "Don't worry, Sister Sun. I know the rules."

"Good."

Sun Ping said no more. She went downstairs to greet the customers.

Luo Qingchen patrolled along the corridor. Just as he was about to take up his post at the corner, the door to the first private room opened.

Zhao Yun came out. When she saw him, her normally blank expression turned into a smile. "Brother A-Chen, I haven't seen you for days. I heard last time that you nearly fainted after they took your blood. Are you feeling better now?"

Luo Qingchen nodded. "Much better. Thanks for having Xiao Cui bring me food last time."

Zhao Yun smiled with quiet restraint. She seemed to want to say something, and glanced downstairs, but didn't dare. Instead, she said softly, "Brother A-Chen, I know some things have happened here lately. I just hope you take care of yourself and stay alive."

Luo Qingchen gave a slight nod. "You too."

"Mm."

Zhao Yun replied softly and prepared to go downstairs.

Luo Qingchen asked, "Where are you going?"

Zhao Yun sighed. "Business hasn't been good lately, so Sister Sun asked two of us to stand at the entrance every night and call in customers. Qingmei and I are on duty tonight."

Something suddenly occurred to Luo Qingchen. He reached into his robes, pulled out the pink purse she had given him before, and held it out to her.

Inside were the pieces of silver he had counted earlier, twelve taels in all.

Zhao Yun glanced at it but didn't take it. She said softly, "Brother A-Chen, I don't need money right now, and I've already paid Qingmei back for her share. Keep this silver for now. I know cultivators like you need money, so use it. There's no rush to pay me back."

After a pause, she looked at him warmly. "Just think of it as me leaving it with you. If I need it, I'll come ask for it, all right?"

Luo Qingchen hesitated, then nodded. "Thank you."

Zhao Yun smiled and went downstairs.

Luo Qingchen watched her slight figure leave the building and disappear into the darkness outside.

As he was lost in thought, footsteps sounded in the corridor.

Then a shrill, spiteful voice rang out. "Childhood sweethearts, each in love with the other. How touching."

The woman named Qingmei, draped in a thin veil, emerged from the far end of the corridor. She gave him a cold laugh. "What a pity. She'd rather have fun with other men than let you have her."

"Guard Luo, do you know why?"

She suddenly leaned close, her face twisted in a sneer. She beckoned to him with a scarlet fingernail, both seductive and taunting, and whispered, "Because she thinks she's dirty. Here's a secret: her own father told me in bed. Back then, he wanted to force her into selling herself, to break her down and make her give in. Before she came here, he'd already sent her to be used by all sorts of men. And that's not all. Her father even tied her up and made..."

"Get out."

Before she could finish, Luo Qingchen cut her off coldly, his gaze icy as he stared at her.

"Heh, can't bear to hear the rest?"

Qingmei chuckled, her face full of scorn. She seemed to enjoy seeing him lose his temper. "Guard Luo, when you're ready to hear it, come to my room. I'll tell you every last detail."

With that, she laughed loudly and swayed her way downstairs.

"Hmph! Why does someone like you have a sweetheart? Why does a lowlife like you have someone who cares about you? Why do the customers like you more? I spit on you!"

Qingmei muttered curses as she went downstairs, her face twisted with jealousy and resentment.

Chen Ju's death had crushed all her hopes.

Seeing those two speaking so tenderly just now, the irritation and despair in her heart had turned into seething jealousy and rage.

"Why should you get to live well when I don't?"

She gritted her teeth in secret.

When she left the building and saw Zhao Yun at the entrance, she put on another fake smile.

"A-Yun, I said a few things to Guard Luo upstairs just now. I hope you don't mind. Your father told me all that. I figured it was no big deal, and Guard Luo probably wanted to know, too."

She smiled brightly.

Zhao Yun looked at her calmly. After a moment's silence, she asked, "What did you say?"