Der Himmel ist das Ufer des sterblichen Staubs

Kapitel 66

Feng Junzi went to the Hanhao Bathhouse not because he was after a Soul Master; he wouldn't intentionally seek conflict with such people. It was simply a chance encounter. He went to Hanhao for Liang Yingying, or more precisely, to investigate what happened to Liang Yingying back then, hoping to find someone with inside information to ask about the situation.

Actually, after Feng Junzi distributed the relevant materials, he had no intention of getting involved in Liang Yingying's matter anymore. So what happened this time? He was forced into it. The information gathered by Young Master Sun's men was correct; several members of the Liang family were currently staying at his house, including Liang Yingying's father. This was a situation he himself had never expected.

One afternoon, Feng Junzi received a phone call from an old friend from his hometown of Wucheng, asking for his address in Binhai. The friend added that an acquaintance from his hometown was visiting Binhai soon and he might need to pay him a visit. Feng Junzi was naturally pleased to have a friend from his hometown coming from afar, so he gave him his address.

The man arrived the next day, his face vaguely familiar. After exchanging a few words, Feng Junzi realized he was the uncle of his middle school classmate. He had actually met him a few times back in Wucheng, so they were old acquaintances. This old acquaintance didn't come alone; he was accompanied by several people, including Liang Yingying's father and her former fiancé. As mentioned earlier, Liang Yingying's ancestral home was in Wucheng, but her family had moved to a coastal village called Suoyuquan, about 60 kilometers from Binhai city, starting with her grandfather. And this old acquaintance of Feng Junzi turned out to be Liang Yingying's cousin.

What a small world! Others might encounter this kind of thing and it'll just pass by. What Feng Junzi couldn't understand was why, once it came into his hands, the consequences seemed to follow one after another. Living far from his hometown, he always felt obligated to entertain fellow villagers who came to visit. Feng Junzi was always polite in inviting them into his home and having them stay for dinner. The food wasn't cooked by Feng Junzi; he called a restaurant to deliver it.

During the conversation, Feng Junzi learned that these people had come to Binhai City intending to cause trouble at Hanhao. Four years ago, Liang Yingying died. The Liang family made a scene and gained some benefits. Now, with Vice Mayor Sun leaving office and Liang Yingying's old case being brought up again by the media, the Liang family felt that their opportunity had come again and planned to cause trouble again, just like four years ago, only this time their appetite was much bigger.

Feng Junzi knew everything about Liang Yingying's affair; he and Chang Wu were the ones who sent out the materials. However, he couldn't reveal this in front of these people, so he simply echoed their sentiments, occasionally adding a few words of righteous indignation. Later, after drinking too much, everyone became flushed and said many inappropriate things. Finally, Liang Yingying's father said he wanted to stay at Feng Junzi's house for a while because it was close to Hanhao.

Feng Junzi, a man who valued tranquility, disliked being disturbed by worldly people. He was initially reluctant to agree to Liang's father's request, but after so many impassioned words spoken in the heat of the moment, he couldn't openly refuse. On the other hand, everyone has a sense of compassion, especially Feng Junzi. He sympathized with Liang Yingying's plight and had originally wanted to help the Liang family. Coupled with their shared hometown, he found it difficult to refuse outright and thus agreed. After all, he lived alone, and his house wasn't short of space. Now, however, there were five more people in the house. Feng Junzi inwardly cursed himself for being the one who deserved it, because he was the one who had first meddled in this mess!

Feng Junzi sympathized with Liang Yingying, but he deeply disliked the people living in his house. It wasn't because he was cold-blooded, nor because they disturbed his normal life, but simply because they made him uncomfortable. When they gathered to discuss Liang Yingying's death four years ago, Feng Junzi saw neither the sorrow of losing a daughter nor the desolation of parting from a lover on their faces. Their faces and eyes shone with an excitement. The core of their conversation revolved around how much compensation they might receive. Feng Junzi didn't understand why Liang Yingying's boyfriend from back then was also involved. Later, he learned that this man was a distant nephew of Liang Yingying's stepmother—the situation was quite complicated!

Feng Junzi was troubled, wondering when these people would leave. He only hoped this matter could be resolved as soon as possible. That's why he decided to go back to Hanhao to investigate, which led to his encounter with the Soul Master.

...

As usual, Liu Xin changed her clothes and left Hanhao Building after 1:30 a.m. She took the taxi that always waited in front of Hanhao and it took her all the way to her rented apartment building. Liu Xin got out of the car, took out her keys, opened the door to the building, and closed it. Only then did the taxi leave.

Liu Xin lived on the seventh floor. The motion-sensor lights in the hallway were broken again, so she groped her way to her door in the dark. As she walked from the sixth floor to the top floor, Liu Xin instinctively felt afraid, as if some danger was surrounding her in the darkness. This feeling was very similar to the feeling she had a few days ago when she followed Feng Junzi to the fire escape at the Hanhao Bath Center.

Liu Xin later heard that another suicide had occurred that night at the Hanhao Building, the eighth such incident in eight years. She was shocked upon hearing this news, and even felt a sudden urge to cry. She only breathed a sigh of relief when she learned that the victim wasn't Feng Junzi. Then she became frightened again, because that night she saw Feng Junzi go to the rooftop, yet another person had jumped! What was going on? She couldn't understand it at all, and even considered that Feng Junzi might be the murderer! Finally, she felt that this thought was absurd; although she didn't like Feng Junzi, she couldn't see him as a bad person.

This incident didn't make it into the newspapers or on television; it was only discussed among a few insiders. Some said that Hanhao was a strange place, requiring one person to jump off a building each year to fulfill the "quota," much like a certain seaside resort beach where two tourists drown every summer. Others were actually relieved that this year's quota had finally been met, allowing for another year of peace.

Lost in thought, Liu Xin arrived at her front door. She took out her key and struggled for a while before finally aligning it with the keyhole. When she tried to open the door, she turned it the wrong way, and it took her several tries to unlock it. Pushing the door open, the metal security door's hinges made a rough, grinding sound. Liu Xin lived alone now; Zhao Xue had moved out a few days ago. The living room was dark, the lights off. Liu Xin stepped inside, her hand instinctively reaching for the light switch on the wall. Suddenly, a sense of fear rose within her; she felt inexplicably dangerous inside, and almost immediately wanted to turn and run away.

Then she didn't turn around, or rather, she didn't even have time to turn around. Suddenly, a hand reached out from the darkness, grabbing her wrist like an iron clamp, while another hand covered her mouth before she could even scream. Liu Xin tried to struggle, but her body was limp and powerless. The person in the darkness kicked the door, but instead of closing it, she heard another person's low cry of pain.

Another figure suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Seeing Liu Xin being pulled into the house, it rushed forward and squeezed inside. The figure inside was just about to slam the door shut with its foot, and the person's forehead hit the edge of the door. The first figure, though a little clumsy, reacted quickly. After bumping its head on the door, it didn't stop but instead pushed its way in. Seeing the person grab Liu Xin, this figure seized the person's wrist with lightning speed and precision, even in the darkness. Liu Xin saw the figure in the shadows—it was vaguely Feng Junzi!

The man inside the room had his wrist grabbed, and the hand released Liu Xin, swinging backward. Although Liu Xin didn't know the power of this swing, she could feel its immense force. Feng Junzi was swung around in the air like a towel before landing on the floor inside the room. However, Feng Junzi didn't fly away; it remained tightly gripping the man's wrist.

The man waved his hand but failed to shake off Feng Junzi. He released Liu Xin with his other hand, spun around in place, seemingly trying to throw Feng Junzi. This time, Feng Junzi wasn't flung away like a towel; instead, his foot slipped, and he spun around the man like an ice skater. He still didn't let go. The two men's behavior was extremely strange! They were entangled in the darkness, yet neither uttered a word.

When the man released Liu Xin, she collapsed to the ground. She opened her mouth to scream, but found her chest pounding and she couldn't make a sound. She tried to escape to the door, but her legs felt weak and she couldn't stand up—a common reaction after sudden fright.

Liu Xin was speechless, but Feng Junzi spoke up. He whispered sharply, "Aren't you going to make a move?"

As soon as Feng Junzi spoke, Liu Xin felt another gust of wind sweep through the room, and her vision blurred. Feng Junzi had already separated from the other person, and two other figures were entangled. Someone else had somehow appeared in the room! The front hall of Liu Xin's rented apartment wasn't very large, and the two seemed to be fighting in the darkness, yet they made no sound and didn't touch anything in the room. The two figures moved swiftly through the middle of the room. Their movements were fast, and the light was dim; Liu Xin couldn't even see who was who, but she felt waves of silent power constantly bursting forth in the dark air…

Liu Xin was still in a daze when Feng Junzi crouched down and walked over, reaching out his left hand to pull her up. He whispered, "Liu Xin, are you alright? Come with me!"

Liu Xin, drawing strength from who-knows-where, stood up and, still groggy, followed Feng Junzi downstairs. They'd barely run a few steps to the corner of the building when several dark figures emerged from the shadows, their hands gleaming with a cold light, and they surrounded them. These were clearly knife-wielding thugs; it turned out that besides the people upstairs, there were also people lying in ambush downstairs!

In front of them was the community's green space, which hadn't been mowed for some time, and the grass had grown quite tall. Feng Junzi and Liu Xin wanted to escape; the fastest route was to run across the lawn to the residential area's exit. Liu Xin instinctively wanted to walk towards the lawn, but Feng Junzi grabbed her and ran around it. Who was this person? Even at a time like this, he didn't forget to protect the green space?

The four or five people following behind clearly lacked environmental awareness, taking a shortcut by stepping directly into the grass to catch up. However, a strange thing happened: after stepping onto the grass, these people fell one after another. Two of them even lost their knives, and one guy, when he fell, lost his grip on the knife and cut his shoulder. What was going on? If it were daylight, and you looked closely in the grass, you would see that someone had tied the tips of two adjacent clumps of grass together, creating a dense network of these tripping knots throughout the grass. People could easily trip over them after just a few steps. One of the tripped individuals didn't get up, but the rest used both hands and feet to get out of the grass and continue the chase.

This delay caused Feng Junzi and Liu Xin to fall behind the others. Liu Xin wanted to head towards the main road, but Feng Junzi pulled her into an alley. Four of the people behind them got up and caught up with them again. Then, one of them cried out and suddenly disappeared; he had fallen into a manhole at the alley entrance. The manhole cover at the alley entrance had been removed by someone. Upon closer inspection, the people who had caught up saw that there were several manholes in the area, all dark and open, their covers gone.

Three more people were chasing them, their footsteps drawing near. Feng Junzi, pulling Liu Xin along, had just run out of the alley when a loud crash echoed from within. Something collapsed, falling directly over their heads, followed by the sound of things rolling and clattering on the ground. The noise was deafening in the darkness, and lights immediately came on from the buildings on either side. A woman on the second floor opened a window and shouted, "Who goes there! You've disturbed my awning!"

Part 5, Goddess's Heart, Chapter 27: Looking Back, All is in Vain

Liu Xin's place wasn't very upscale; the people and buildings were a mixed bag. Near the alley's exit, a family had opened up a storefront, but it was unclear what kind of business they ran. A rain shelter stood in front, supported by two diagonally angled steel pipes, with various odds and ends hanging from it. As Feng Junzi walked past the alley entrance, whether intentionally or unintentionally, his shoulder bumped into one of the steel pipes. The pipe seemed tampered with, not very secure, and Feng Junzi easily knocked it open, causing the rain shelter and its debris to collapse.

This obstruction left the three behind. They exited the alley, turned a corner, and came to the roadside. An SUV was parked there, the engine running and the back door open. Feng Junzi didn't say a word, pulled Liu Xin into the car, closed the door, and the car started moving. The car lights were off, but by the light from the distant streetlights, Liu Xin saw the driver's face—it was Chang Wu, whom she hadn't seen in a long time!

From the attack on her way home to Feng Junzi's sudden appearance, and now him pulling her into this car, everything happened so fast and chaotic that she hadn't had time to process it all. Suddenly seeing Chang Wu, she felt a surge of warmth, as if her numb nerves were beginning to melt away. She also realized that someone was trying to harm her, and Feng Junzi, Chang Wu, and the person who later appeared in her house were there to rescue her.

Feng Junzi sat beside her, but her eyes were fixed on the back of Chang Wu's head, unsure of what to say. Chang Wu didn't turn around or speak. Hearing the car door close, he immediately started the car. The car didn't go far, but quickly circled the residential area. It stopped at the entrance of an alley on the other side of the residential area. Not long after the car stopped, a figure darted out of the alley, flashed to the car, opened the door, got in, and sat in the passenger seat.

"Done? A master is a master!" Feng Junzi, sitting in the back row, spoke up. Liu Xin looked at the person in front again. She recognized him; it was the man who had gone to Hanhao with Feng Junzi a few days ago.

That man was none other than Xiao Zhengrong. As soon as Xiao Zhengrong got into the car, Chang Wu started the engine and drove away. Xiao Zhengrong said, "That Wu Dan's skills were indeed impressive. If I hadn't seized the initiative, it probably wouldn't have been so easy to deal with him. I struck him with my palm; he should be seriously injured. He won't be able to make a move for at least a year or two… Feng Junzi, how did you get injured?"

Liu Xin then noticed Feng Junzi beside her. She saw that Feng Junzi's right eyebrow was broken, and blood was flowing down his cheek, staining his collar red.

"Brother Feng, you...you're bleeding!" This was the first thing Liu Xin had said so far.

"Damn it! I didn't check the almanac before I left home, and I bumped my head on the door!" As he spoke, Feng Junzi reached out his left hand and wiped his face. There was already blood on his face, and this wipe turned his white face into a red flower face.

"Feng Junzi, are you alright? Should we go to a clinic to get it treated?"

Feng Junzi: "My forehead is fine, but my right wrist... seems to be dislocated."

Xiao Zhengrong: "Let me see... You're really injured. You were all flashy just now, snapping your wrist and sliding your foot. I almost thought you were a martial arts expert. Turns out you're all show and no substance..."

Chang Wu: "I know a friend who runs a clinic at home. There shouldn't be any problem. I'll take you to see him."

Xiao Zhengrong: "My grandfather is the best person to treat this kind of bone and muscle injury. Why don't you come to my house?"

Feng Junzi exclaimed, "Forget it! I wouldn't dare disturb the old man in the middle of the night, and besides, your sister is still at home!"

Xiao Zhengrong glanced at Liu Xin beside Feng Junzi but said nothing more. Chang Wu drove Feng Junzi to the clinic. The roads were deserted at night, and Chang Wu drove quickly, arriving at their destination in no time. It was a roadside surgical clinic. Chang Wu got out of the car and made a phone call. After a while, the clinic lights came on, and someone wearing a coat opened the door. Chang Wu waved to Feng Junzi in the car, who got out, holding her right arm, and walked towards the clinic.

A bright streetlamp stood directly opposite the clinic entrance. When Feng Junzi got out of the car, Liu Xin saw his face—his face was covered in blood, obscuring his features. It wasn't until he stopped at the station that Liu Xin noticed his appearance. Feng Junzi looked rather disheveled; his clothes were covered in dust and other grime, and his coat was torn, with several scraps of fabric hanging out. Anyone else would have looked wretched, but Feng Junzi was different.

As Feng Junzi walked towards the clinic, Liu Xin noticed his back and was suddenly struck by his appearance. This man had a broken forehead and an injured wrist, his face covered in blood and his body filthy, but his gait was neither sleazy nor humble! His back was composed, even elegant, like that of a nobleman attending a cocktail party!

Suddenly, Liu Xin felt as if time had reversed, and she was back to that night four years ago at the entrance of the seaside park. It was that night that she resolved to end her life, but inadvertently helped a man in distress. His words and actions awakened her, making her decide to face life again—that was also the beginning of her career as a prostitute. At this moment, Liu Xin finally recognized Feng Junzi—this Brother Feng was the very person she had met four years ago!

A thousand thoughts rushed to Liu Xin's mind, and she felt as if something was blocking her chest, making her unable to speak. In everyday life, people's feelings of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness are all intentional, born of genuine emotion, and they feel they should act this way. But when emotions arise unintentionally, one becomes unaware of what truly resides within. Meanwhile, Feng Junzi had already stepped into the clinic.

...

"Liu Xin, where are we taking you?"

When Chang Wu saw Feng Junzi again, her face had been cleaned, a band-aid was on her eyebrow, and her right forearm was wrapped in a thick bandage. Chang Wu and Feng Junzi had returned to the car from the clinic, and Feng Junzi asked Liu Xin this question.

"Where can I go?" Liu Xin's answer was like a question directed at herself. Yes, where could she go in the middle of the night? Liu Xin wasn't entirely clear about what had happened at her family's house, or who the thugs who ambushed her were. The men in front of her must know something, but they hadn't said anything. She thought for a moment and then said, "I can go to my sister's."

Chang Wu shook his head: "No, you can't go to your sister's place unless you want to implicate her!"

Liu Xin fell silent, as if she had become a homeless vagrant! Chang Wu and Xiao Zhengrong both looked at Feng Junzi, meaning they wanted Feng Junzi to make a decision. Feng Junzi glanced at Liu Xin, sighed, and said to Chang Wu, "Chang Wu, drive me home. I'll take her to my house for the night, and we'll make arrangements tomorrow."

...

Liu Xin's mind was starting to wander. Anyone who had experienced so much tonight would probably be stunned. Ever since she recognized Feng Junzi, she listened to everything he said as if it were gospel. When Feng Junzi took her home, she followed him without a second thought.

It was already late at night, but the group of people staying at Feng Junzi's house were still awake, playing mahjong in a circle in the living room. Cigarette butts filled both ashtrays, and there were several beer bottles scattered on the floor. Liu Xin hadn't expected Feng Junzi's house to be in such a mess when she opened the door.

When Liang Yingying's relatives and friends saw Feng Junzi return late at night with a young woman, they greeted him with smiles, their smiles carrying a hint of ambiguity. Liu Xin also noticed that the way these men looked at her was no different from the men she usually encountered at the bathhouse; their gazes kept lingering on her face and chest. Liu Xin involuntarily frowned, and glancing at Feng Junzi again, she noticed that his frown had deepened.

"You don't like those people outside, do you?... Then can you do me a favor?" This was what Feng Junzi said to Liu Xin after closing the door in his study.

"What kind of help?"

"I have something to do, and I promise that after I do it, these people will disappear immediately. ... After they leave, please clean the room for me; my hand is injured."

"Cleaning the room? Those people will disappear?" Liu Xin didn't react.

Feng Junzi took a bluish-white jade ring from the bookshelf, handed it to Liu Xin, and said to her, "You should have seen this ring before. When I go out and sit there, and I stretch out my finger, you put it on me... No matter what you hear or see, don't make a sound. After they've all left, help me take the ring off, because my right hand is inconvenient."

Liu Xin took the ring. She recognized it; it was the same ring Feng Junzi had taken from Zhao Xue's hand when she was unconscious last time. Holding the ring, a chilling feeling washed over her; it felt heavy. Feng Junzi gave her a few more peculiar instructions before leading her back to the small living room.

"Hey! Xiao Feng's out again? That was fast!" a middle-aged man outside laughed.

Feng Junzi didn't laugh; instead, his face was serious. He kicked a chair over and sat down in the center of the living room. In a soft but clear voice, he said, "Gentlemen, please stop for a moment. Guess what I did today?... I found out some news about Liang Yingying. Would you like to hear it?"

As soon as Feng Junzi spoke, everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him. Feng Junzi didn't speak, but instead raised his left hand and extended his ring finger towards Liu Xin. Liu Xin followed his instructions and put the ring on.

...

When Feng Junzi opened his eyes again and regained consciousness, there was no one in front of him, only Liu Xin standing beside him with the ring in her hand.

"Where is he?" Feng Junzi asked Liu Xin.

Liu Xin: "You scared everyone away."

Part 5, Goddess's Heart, Chapter 28: Discussing Filial Piety Amidst Family Discord

To Liu Xin, an observer, Feng Junzi seemed to be performing a strange form of ventriloquism, speaking to everyone in the room in a woman's voice and identity. Liu Xin wasn't frightened away for two reasons: first, Feng Junzi had already told her he would speak as a woman and hoped she wouldn't be surprised; second, Liu Xin now saw Feng Junzi as a near-divine being, as if she could imagine anything that might happen to him.

Feng Junzi knew that his actions might scare away the Liang family, but he didn't know what Liang Yingying had said. The words came from his mouth, but he was the only one present who couldn't hear them. He asked Liu Xin, "What did I just say that made everyone leave?"

Liu Xin: "Don't you know what you said?"

Feng Junzi: "Please repeat it to me; I'm not entirely sure myself."

Liu Xin looked at Feng Junzi, wondering what kind of strange person he was. But she still relayed the conversation from earlier. She said to Feng Junzi, "You suddenly called that man in the middle 'Dad,' scaring him pale... You asked him why he wouldn't let you go to school and insisted on sending you to work at a hotel? Why could that woman's son, who wasn't as good a student as you, afford to go to university?... And you seemed to be saying that he abused you since you were little... Brother Feng, what exactly happened?"

Feng Junzi: "I was imitating her daughter's speech. That man had a daughter who died in an accident four years ago. ... The woman she was talking about was her stepmother. ... As for her father treating her badly since she was little, I don't know, but it's possible... Now tell me, what did I say to the young man next to me?"

Liu Xin: "Judging from his tone, he seems to be 'your' boyfriend. You said that half of your monthly money goes to your family, and the other half goes to this boyfriend... You gave him your body first. But he doesn't treat you well. You know he's been cheating on you with other women... He even told you he would wait to marry you in the future, but that was all a lie... You said you already found out last week, and he even gave that woman a ring."

Feng Junzi interrupted her, "Don't say anymore, I probably already know everything... What did they say?"

Liu Xin: "They were all terrified when you spoke, and kept asking if Mr. Feng had gone mad. Then you said you weren't mad, that you were Liang Yingying, and you questioned them about why they ignored you and why they treated you like this... As you were talking, you started crying. Sobbing and wailing... They packed their things and ran away, without even putting on their shoes properly. Brother Feng, what are these people doing at your house? And who is Liang Yingying?"

Feng Junzi touched his cheek and, sure enough, there were still a few tear stains that hadn't dried. He sighed and said to Liu Xin, "This story is quite long. I'll tell you in short. Liang Yingying died in an accident four years ago, and they suspect she was murdered. They've come to settle accounts with the killer."

Liu Xin: "To avenge this girl? If they came to avenge her, why were they scared away when they heard her voice? Also, Brother Feng, how did you do that just now?"

Feng Junzi shook his head and said, "You misunderstand. They're not here to avenge their daughter or lover. They're here to settle scores. Revenge is revenge, and settling scores is settling scores. These people have no sense of justice or benevolence. They only care about profit. Liang Yingying's death isn't about the grief of losing a loved one for them, but about what they can gain from it... That's why I had to drive them away. As for how I did it, it's because I know the whole story... Actually, the accident you encountered tonight is somewhat related to this matter."

Liu Xin: "Me? What does that have to do with me?"

Feng Junzi: "There's something I need to apologize for. Chang Wu and I unintentionally dragged you into this... Actually, the murderer who killed Liang Yingying back then, and the one trying to assassinate you today, are the same group. They're targeting you to teach Chang Wu and me a lesson... They think you're one of us... I know you're not, but you've been dragged into this. Many people in this world aren't so reasonable... Also, that Liang Yingying died in Hanhao, on the night of April 28th, four years ago..."

Four years ago, on April 28th, Liu Xin remembered that date so vividly! Almost instinctively, she asked, "Brother Feng, was it the night four years ago when I first met you in front of the seaside park?"

Feng Junzi stood up, looked at Liu Xin, his eyes filled with complex emotions, neither joy nor sorrow. He asked Liu Xin softly, "You finally recognized me? I'm the person you helped four years ago."

Liu Xin's nose tingled, and she felt an urge to cry. But she held it back. In a slightly hoarse voice, she replied, "Yes, I recognized you at the clinic just now... Actually, I've always wanted to thank you. You practically saved my life back then. I even doubted it was all a hallucination... Until today, I'm certain that I really did meet someone like you that day..."

Four years ago, Feng Junzi encountered Liu Xin. She helped him up from the ground and offered him money. Feng Junzi sensed that Liu Xin was contemplating suicide at the time and couldn't help but speak to her, trying to bring her back to reality. He wanted to ask her what happened that night, how Liu Xin had come to her senses. But in the end, Feng Junzi didn't ask. Now, Liu Xin was standing there safely, and that was enough. As for what Liu Xin had been doing these past few years, he knew perfectly well, but it was no longer something he could control.

"You don't need to thank me. Actually, I should thank you... I still owe you a handkerchief and a dollar."

Liu Xin: "How can you compare a dollar to a life? You saved me."

Feng Junzi: "Your life is your own, not something I gave you. How could you say I saved you?"

Liu Xin: "And tonight? You really did save me this time."

Feng Junzi: "We caused this whole thing. It's not that I saved you, it's just that I made up for my mistake. ... I'm just wondering, why is it that every time your life is in danger, I'm the one who ends up with a bloody head?"

Liu Xin finally smiled! Feng Junzi was telling the truth. She had faced mortal danger twice: the first time when she attempted suicide, and the second time when someone tried to kill her. Both times she escaped unscathed, but both times it was because of Feng Junzi, who was left with a bloodied head. If this was her luck, then Feng Junzi was truly unlucky! Looking at the man before her, who had just experienced such a harrowing scene, yet remained calm. Not only calm, but after returning home, he even had the leisure to "pretend to be a ghost" and scare people. After the person was frightened away, he sat down and talked to her about what happened four years ago. What kind of person was this?

Liu Xin stared blankly at Feng Junzi, who looked exhausted. The events of the night had worn him out; he'd even been gloriously injured. He yawned and said to Liu Xin, "I'm sleepy. Let's talk about it tomorrow. Since you said I saved you, you should repay me..."

"Brother Feng, what do you want me to do?" Upon hearing Feng Junzi's words, Liu Xin had an instinctive professional reaction. The men she usually encountered were almost all clients of prostitutes, and when a man said he wanted to repay a debt, it seemed to mean only sleeping with him.