This World Has Changed

Lin Wen asked in surprise, "Why? Is someone in the commandery administration bullying you? Don't worry. As soon as you come back, I'll appoint you deputy commandery governor. You'll be below only me and above tens of thousands—no one but me will have any authority over you."

"What are you pretending for?"

At last, the girl's tears fell.

"Is the Qin Family sustained by selling off its daughters? Is the Bright Gang kept alive by selling women? Aunt Yao likes him so much—why doesn't she marry him herself? If you're all so eager to sell me, then sell my corpse to him!"

The moment Lin Wen heard that, he knew what kind of routine this was. He smiled. "The Qin Family is trash, the Bright Gang is a rabble, and that vile woman Aunt Yao is no better than dirt. Tomorrow, I'll have her dragged here and made to kneel before you so you can vent your anger. How about it?"

Qin Luoshuang froze.

"Don't come over! Stop lying to me! You're Sano's dog!"

"What the hell is Sano?" Lin Wen asked.

"You..."

Qin Luoshuang wanted to say, "Stop lying to me," but reason told her that Sano's subordinates were famed for their loyalty. They treated the organization's name as their very lives; they would never call Sano "what the hell is that."

"All right, Miss Qin. Let's stop wasting time."

Lin Wen said with a smile, "Come back with me. I can protect you. If that bullshit family or gang of yours comes for you, I'll break their dog legs and throw them straight out of the mountains. No one can take you away—not even the Jade Emperor himself."

"In exchange, you'll be my deputy commandery governor and work for me. What do you say?"

Lin Wen extended his hand in a gentlemanly invitation.

"Y-you... who exactly are you with?" Qin Luoshuang asked incredulously. "Why do you insist on finding me?"

Lin Wen smiled. "I told you, you're a Phoenix Chick. Uh, Phoenix Chick doesn't mean that... You've heard of Sleeping Dragon and Phoenix Chick, right? It refers to worthy people with great talents hidden among the common folk. I've taken a fancy to your abilities. I think you're a Phoenix Chick, and I want you to come start something with me. Got it? I have zero interest in your looks, and you'd better not take an interest in me either. You're reaching far above your station."

Watching the girl's face darken, Lin Wen scratched his head. Was there something wrong with that? Hadn't she been afraid that he had improper designs on her before?

After a moment of silence.

Qin Luoshuang agreed. "All right."

She slapped away Lin Wen's outstretched hand and stood up on her own, though she did not lower the gun in her hand.

Lin Wen did not mind. "Let's go."

"Wait. Tell me first—who exactly are you with?"

"What do you mean, who am I with?" Lin Wen asked. "I'm the governor of Long Mountain Commandery."

Qin Luoshuang stared at him for a while and saw no sign that he was lying.

"You're unaffiliated? No, that's impossible these days. Then are you neutral?"

"Oh." Lin Wen understood. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I guess I'm on Sheng Huaixuan's side?"

Qin Luoshuang's beautiful brows nearly knotted together. "You don't even know which side you belong to? Are you all right? How did you train such good body coordination? Didn't your teacher get angered to death?"

"Is that important?"

Lin Wen replied casually, "I walk between Heaven and Earth, head held high upon the great path. Vast righteous qi blooms from within my chest and belly. Beneath this whole sky, all men of justice are fellow travelers on my road. Why should I fear heretical demons and crooked paths? Why should I form factions and cower about?"

Qin Luoshuang covered her eyes. "How did you even become commandery governor? Why do I feel like you're not from this era? Did you burst out of a rock?"

Lin Wen said unhappily, "Stop rambling, Miss Qin. Put your clothes on. Let's go."

The ambiguity in his words made Qin Luoshuang's face flush faintly. She quickly realized that this man truly was as he had said—he had no improper designs on her.

She was wearing only her moon-silver undergarment and a pair of shorts even shorter than a miniskirt, with her slender arms, fragrant shoulders, and long legs all exposed. Her body was still wet, and parts of the moon-silver garment had become nearly transparent, yet he had barely looked at her.

Qin Luoshuang was no little girl. She knew perfectly well how irresistible she was to men in her current state; even women found it difficult to resist.

Yet he actually said I'm reaching above my station?

Qin Luoshuang felt both absurd and indignant. Slowly, she picked up her clothes and put them on piece by piece, making no particular effort to avoid his eyes.

Yet Lin Wen, some distance away, never turned around. He dragged the unconscious soldier to the riverbank, held him underwater for a while, and the man woke up.

Then, under the soldier's furious and anxious gaze, Qin Luoshuang calmly got into the car and sat beside Lin Wen.

"Hey."

"My name is Lin Wen."

"Governor Lin, let's make this clear first. I won't be your deputy commandery governor. At most, I can be your aide and advise you."

"Why?"

"Being deputy commandery governor is too conspicuous."

"You're afraid your family will find you? I'm here. You don't need to be afraid."

Qin Luoshuang looked at him without speaking.

Lin Wen turned toward her. They were very close.

"What? You want to kiss me? That won't do. For my first kiss, she has to be at least a Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden."

Though Qin Luoshuang had no idea what a Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden was, it was obvious that he meant she was not worthy.

"Very good." Qin Luoshuang said through gritted teeth, "Lord Lin, lofty and incomparably noble as you are, this humble little woman merely wishes to ask: is that idiot up front your trusted confidant? Can he hear anything?"

"Who are you calling an idiot?" the soldier Xu Lin shouted. "I'm of course County Chief Lin's confidant—no one is closer to him than I am!"

"A big man who got knocked flat by a little girl in a single exchange—so impressive! Are all County Chief Lin's confidants this formidable?"

"What did you say?"

Xu Lin sprang up at once, even abandoning the steering wheel. "I was careless back then—I didn't dodge. I never expected you to launch a sneak attack..."

"Drive!" Lin Wen promptly stopped Xu Lin's dangerous behavior.

Qin Luoshuang sighed, feeling utterly defeated by this idiot.

"The personnel files for a deputy county chief require very high-level authorization. Appointing a deputy county chief causes too much of a stir—there has to be a vote, then it has to be reported upward..."

"It's fine. All it takes is one word from me."

Qin Luoshuang frowned. If she had not run into Lin Wen in the county government hall in full view of everyone, she would absolutely have thought he was a swindler.

"How many days have you been county chief?"

Lin Wen counted on his fingers. "Seems like it's almost been a month."

Qin Luoshuang sighed. "Lord Lin, I think you should put me down and let me go."

Lin Wen asked in surprise, "Why?"

"I feel as though you emerged from some alternate dimension and took the place of this County Chief Lin. If you force me to stay, you'll only harm yourself—and me as well. Once word gets out, my father and the family he represents will soon grind you to dust. By then, I won't be able to run either."

"Bullshit!"

Before Lin Wen could speak, Xu Lin spoke first, cursing loudly, "That's utter dogshit! What the hell is your father? If he dares come, the 3,600 of us brothers will slaughter him until not a scrap of armor remains! Next year, you'll be going home to burn incense for him!"

Qin Luoshuang said in surprise, "You're from the garrison troops, right? Your County Chief Lin can directly mobilize the Imperial Army?"

Xu Lin said proudly, "Of course! County Chief Lin has command authority! Everyone admires him too!"

This time, Qin Luoshuang was genuinely shocked. She looked Lin Wen up and down for a long while. "You really have it?"

"Mm."

"Who gave it to you?"

"Sheng Huaixuan."

"Governor Sheng is that generous? Are you his confidant?"

"No. I've only known him for a short time."

"Then why?"

Lin Wen did not know either, but that did not stop him from spinning it out of thin air. "Because heroes cherish one another. Governor Sheng was shaken by my mighty turtle aura, so he decided to grant me command authority. That is also what I said earlier: beneath all Heaven, upon the righteous path, all are fellow travelers."

Qin Luoshuang covered her eyes. "Why do I feel like you're telling jokes with a straight face every time? Or has the world changed?"

Lin Wen smiled faintly.

"Since I arrived, this world has changed."