Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Ling Fang wanted to chase after the passerby and return the coins. But “disabled” as he was now, no matter how anxious he became, he could only inch along the ground.

That made him look even more pitiful.

There were few people out this late at night, but almost everyone who passed contributed a little kindness. As they left, each wore the satisfied smile of someone who had done their good deed for the day.

Ling Fang’s face darkened.

When Yu Wei reached the pedestrian overpass, he found Ling Fang lying on the ground beside a small pile of coins and banknotes, motionless and staring blankly into space.

“What are you thinking about, Director?”

Yu Wei approached, and Ling Fang came back to himself. With an unreadable expression, he said, “Nothing. Just thinking about what to do with Xie Qingling.”

Yu Wei nodded. “That girl really is far too reckless.”

But after a moment’s thought, he added, “Still, I think there’s something to be said for a young person like her. She dares to think, dares to act, dares to take risks and give it her all. She’s got spirit and energy. She often tries risky moves, but they often produce surprising results.”

“Risky moves? Surprising results?” Ling Fang gave a cold snort. “I just hope she doesn’t get herself killed with her antics.”

His brow furrowed tightly as he gave serious thought to how he would teach Xie Qingling a proper lesson.

Young though he was, his thoughtful frown held a maturity far beyond his years.

Seeing how thoroughly worn out with worry he looked, Yu Wei patted his shoulder sympathetically. “Troublemaking kids are hard to raise. I understand.”

Ling Fang had no words. He was a promising young talent, not some old nanny.

As for Xie Qingling, even a troublemaking child would be easier to manage than her!

“Enough wisecracks. Get me back.” Ling Fang looked at the moon high overhead and murmured, “We should be able to reach the office before Xie Qingling gets back.”

That would leave him a little time to consider exactly how to punish her.

As he thought it over, Ling Fang narrowed his eyes slightly.

Yu Wei lifted Ling Fang, whose limbs were stiff, and carried him on his back.

Seeing the fistful of money in Ling Fang’s hand dangling in front of him, Yu Wei could finally contain his curiosity no longer. “Director, what’s that?”

Ling Fang fell silent.

“Earned the department a little extra on the side,” he said in a muffled voice.

* * *

On a night with the bright moon high in the sky, rain suddenly began falling on the outskirts.

A rumble sounded. In the space of a moment, rain came pouring down.

It had arrived without warning, with something faintly inexplicable about it. Completely unprepared, Xie Qingling was soon soaked to the skin.

Staying by the old locust tree was plainly unsafe in this weather. Xie Qingling had no choice but to walk back to the desolate street through the rain.

It would be wonderful if there were a small inn or somewhere nearby still open, where she could rent a room by the hour.

It would take Ye Anran and the others about half an hour to reach her from the city. With this sudden rain making the roads harder to travel, it might take even longer.

All she could do until then was stand in the rain and wait for them. That seemed rather miserable.

Xie Qingling thought she might need a hot shower to wash away the cold and exhaustion clinging to her.

Even Spirit Wielders still had mortal bodies. They, too, feared catching a cold or coming down with a fever.

Besides, ever since facing the Bride in Red, she had felt a persistent trace of yin energy circling inside her body. Xie Qingling kept feeling that she would need a good stretch of rest before she could recover fully.

After walking for about ten minutes, she finally returned to the desolate street.

To her disappointment, there was not a single guesthouse or hotel nearby that stayed open twenty-four hours a day.

Following the news of the planned demolition, many nearby businesses had moved out ahead of time, leaving the street even more deserted.

The rain continued to pour.

By now, Xie Qingling was drenched through. Beneath her clinging clothes, the cold raised tiny goose bumps over her skin.

Having just fought for her life, Xie Qingling, now cold and hungry, suddenly wondered whether a base salary of only fifty thousand a month was a little too low.
Could she ask the Director for a raise when she got back?

While her thoughts wandered, Xie Qingling found an overhang that offered shelter from the wind and rain. She leaned against the wall, crouched on the ground, and waited quietly.

Two or three minutes passed. Before her companions arrived, she found herself under an unexpected gaze.

“Young lady, what brings you back again?” A light had been shining through a small second-floor window diagonally across the street. The window was pushed open from inside, and a gray-haired head appeared.

After looking Xie Qingling over twice, the woman called across to her twice.

Xie Qingling lifted her head and glanced around. Without realizing it, she had reached the noodle shop she had visited twice before.

The old woman’s memory and eyesight really were excellent. After only two visits, she had firmly memorized Xie Qingling’s face and could still recognize her at a glance through such a heavy curtain of rain.

Xie Qingling stretched her pale lips into a smile. “I… I’m waiting for my friends to take me back.”

Her halting voice quickly dissolved into the sound of the rain. She had no idea whether the old woman across the street had heard.

Before long, the house opposite lit up brightly. Warm orange light shone into the dark, rainy night, its glow hazy through the cold mist of rain.

The old woman came out carrying an umbrella and hurried to Xie Qingling, drawing her beneath its shelter. Looking down at her, she said, “You poor thing. Why aren’t you asleep at this hour? What are you doing out here getting rained on?”

Xie Qingling said quietly, “I lost something and came to look for it, then forgot the time. My friends will be here to take me back soon.”

The old woman’s face filled with reproach. “Young ladies shouldn’t wander around outside in the middle of the night. It isn’t safe.”

“You must be frozen. Come inside with Granny.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Xie Qingling followed her inside.

The old woman lived alone. The room was small, but it looked warm and comfortable.

As soon as she entered, Xie Qingling caught a faint, pleasantly fresh scent of laundry detergent.

“Here, take a hot shower first. Don’t catch a cold.” The old woman tossed Xie Qingling a clean towel, then searched through her wardrobe and brought out an unworn set of undergarments for a young woman and a long, dark-blue qipao dress patterned with little daisies. She looked down at them, seemingly reminded of something. A trace of longing for bygone days entered her gentle, peaceful gaze. “These are clothes Granny wore when she was young. An old woman like me can’t wear such a fresh, youthful style anymore. Child, fate brought us together, so they’re yours. Go on, take a hot shower, then put them on.”

At last, Xie Qingling’s urgent wish for a hot shower had come true.

She was deeply grateful. “Thank you, Granny. When I have time, I’ll come back and thank you properly.”

The old woman waved a hand as though it were nothing, giving Xie Qingling’s promise little thought. She simply shooed her into the bathroom to hurry up and wash away the chill.

Xie Qingling did not dare spend too long washing. It took her only about ten minutes to get herself clean.

When she came out again, she felt refreshed all over. The warm water had soothed her icy skin, leaving a rosy glow in place of the bleak pallor the wind and rain had given her.

The old woman looked up and carefully inspected Xie Qingling in the fitted qipao. Her eyes filled with admiration and satisfaction. “Lovely. Truly lovely. You have a little of Granny’s charm from back in the day.”

Xie Qingling could not help laughing softly.

She folded her sodden clothes, planning to take them back with her later.

As for the red bridal veil and embroidered shoes… she felt them with her hand. They were still dry, without the slightest trace of dampness.

She had to admit, the quality of the Bride in Red’s products was excellent!

As Xie Qingling was handling them, hunger suddenly struck.

A rich aroma of meat drifted from behind her.

Turning, she saw the old woman approaching with a bowl of wontons.

A few pieces of seaweed, unfurled by the hot liquid, floated with dried shrimp on the rich, milky-white bone broth. Steam curled upward. Through their thin, translucent wrappers, the pinkish-white wontons revealed their fresh, tender, springy meat filling.
One sniff, and the broth’s aroma was like a feast for her hungry stomach. Xie Qingling’s stomach instantly began to rumble and gurgle.

The old woman said, “You looked so hungry and tired that Granny cooked you a bowl of wontons. I wrapped these myself. I don’t sell them in the shop. I only make them when my granddaughter comes home for the holidays, so you’re in luck today.”

“That’s what she gets for not coming home. I’ve secretly cooked her wontons for you instead.”

Perhaps the freshly cooked wontons were too hot, or perhaps the curling steam stung her eyes. Xie Qingling, who would not so much as blink before a vicious ghost, felt a faint sting in her nose.

She accepted the bowl with both hands and said quietly, “Thank you, Granny.”

She ate each wonton in a single bite. The filling of minced fresh meat mixed with shelled shrimp released a rich, savory flavor across her tongue and lips.

It was so delicious that Xie Qingling couldn’t get enough. “These are wonderful! Thank you, Granny! I’ll come eat at your shop more often when I have time!”

“And you won’t bring your friends?”

“I will, I will, I will!”

The old woman smiled happily. Then her gaze shifted, and she dimly spotted a red mark on Xie Qingling’s neck. She peered at it twice and frowned. “What’s wrong with your neck? How did you hurt it?”

“I accidentally hurt it at work.” Xie Qingling instinctively touched her neck.

The old woman’s brow furrowed deeply. “What kind of work is that dangerous? Don’t tell me you’re out here working in the middle of the night. You should find something safer, an office job. Easier on you. Don’t throw your life away for money.”

She began rummaging through cupboards and drawers for ointment. Watching from behind as the old woman bustled about, Xie Qingling said, “I was just thinking this job might be too stressful. But now I feel it’s worth it. Some things have to be done by someone, and I’m well suited to them.”

“Besides, without this job, I wouldn’t have gotten to eat such delicious wontons.” Xie Qingling made the most of her time, slurping them down one per mouthful.

The old woman shook her head and muttered something Xie Qingling could not make out.

All she found was a box of adhesive bandages. She handed it to Xie Qingling and told her to put one on. Watching Xie Qingling wolf down the food, the old woman grew momentarily distracted. It was as though she could see her own granddaughter sitting there.

She could not hold back her stream of admonishments. “Really, you too, girl – how can you dare wander the streets this late? Aren’t you afraid of unclean things? Ah, you young people are so bold.”

“I am. Of course I am.” Xie Qingling smiled.

She was not afraid of ghosts. She was afraid of ghosts causing trouble.

A little later, the low rumble of a motorcycle engine came from the street outside, just as Xie Qingling finished washing the bowl and chopsticks she had used in the kitchen.

She glanced out the window and saw Shen Huaizhou leaning beside his motorcycle, waiting for her. Turning back to the old woman, she said, “Granny, my friend is here to pick me up. I’m sorry for troubling you tonight.”

“Ah, then… then be careful on your way back.”

Xie Qingling nodded, picked up her wet clothes, gave the old woman a nod of farewell, and stepped out into the rainy night.

Shen Huaizhou’s motorcycle was parked by the roadside. When Xie Qingling appeared, his gaze could not help lingering an extra moment on her qipao. Then he tossed her a black raincoat and said tersely, “Get on.”

The motorcycle soon set off, speeding along the road. Later, the rain gradually eased, but the air suddenly grew colder.

Xie Qingling sneezed hard. Her head felt fuzzy, the soreness in her nose worsened, and her throat felt scratchy too.

Shen Huaizhou said, “I didn’t expect it to start raining on the way. Otherwise, I’d have come to get you in a car.”

Xie Qingling rubbed her nose. “It’s fine. I’m not that delicate. Saving time is what matters most – achoo!”

Sitting in front, Shen Huaizhou gave an unapologetic roll of his eyes. After a pause, he said, “Being sick might be a good thing.”

“W-why… achoo!”

“Play the pity card with the Director. Maybe you won’t have to write a self-criticism.”

Xie Qingling fell silent.

At that moment, she began to suspect that things were not looking entirely good.

Suddenly, she did not want to go back anymore.