Choses dans l'étang

Chapitre 48

Hearing Mr. Xiao's words, Feng Junzi finally felt relieved. Although he was confident in Xiao Zhengrong's skills, he was still worried that Tao Muren might try something else. Now that Mr. Xiao was going to the scene, he was relieved that nothing unexpected might happen.

Part 4: A Pair of Chopsticks, Chapter 39: A Laughing Remark on the Fox's Incompetence in Borrowing a Tiger

The day Feng Junzi and Taomu Ren fought was May 22, 2004, which happened to be a Saturday. The location was chosen by Taomu Ren—a fitness center, which was actually a boxing gym under the Binhai Sports Commission. The fight took place in the boxing ring. Taomu Ren brought a large group of people and waited there early, while Feng Junzi's group included Xiao Zhengrong and his family of three, Chang Wu, Lin Zhenzhen, Yuan Xiaoxia, and others. Taomu Ling also came; she initially didn't want to see the Taomu family, but ultimately, worried about Feng Junzi, she couldn't help but follow them.

Without much pleasantry, Momoki Shinobu stood up and walked onto the boxing ring after seeing Kaze Junko. He said politely, "Mr. Kaze, you really keep your word. When can we start? You can go to the locker room to change now..." Momoki Shinobu's words suddenly stopped, his eyes fixed on the other side—he had suddenly spotted Momoki Rin in the crowd.

Momoki Rin bit her lip, her face expressionless, as if she didn't recognize Momoki Shinobu in the boxing ring at all. Seeing this, Kaze Junko stepped forward and said to Momoki Shinobu, "Mr. Momoki really has no patience. I just arrived and you're already trying to attack. I'll say it one last time, can we not fight?"

Upon hearing Feng Junzi's words, Momoki Shinobu turned her gaze away from Momoki Rin: "How can Mr. Feng go back on his word? Have you already admitted defeat? By the way, what's my sister doing here?"

Feng Junzi: "Who is your sister? It was extremely impolite of you to stare at my woman like that."

Momoki Shinobu was taken aback: "What! Your woman? What's your relationship with Momoki Rin?"

Feng Junzi: "Why do you like to meddle in other people's business? Didn't you come here to compete in martial arts? Why are you interfering with my picking up girls?"

Momoki Shinobu: "Alright, this battle is inevitable today. We'll talk after I win."

Feng Junzi: "Listen carefully, I will not fight you."

Momoki Shinobu was taken aback again: "You're not going to make a move? Then what are you doing here?"

Feng Junzi said unhurriedly, "My not taking action doesn't mean today's duel is canceled. The reason I'm not fighting you is simple: you're not worthy! With your skills, do I even need to personally intervene? My disciple can just give you some pointers."

Momoki Shinobu: "Your apprentice?"

Feng Junzi said, “By the way, my disciple.” He turned to the back and said, “Xiao Zhengrong, come out and experience this Mr. Taomu’s skills. Be careful when you make your move, don’t hurt him too badly.” He then turned back to Taomu Ren and said with a smile, “His name is Xiao Zhengrong. He is the weakest of my disciples, but he is enough to deal with you.”

Feng Junzi's words nearly made the two people present furious: one was Taomu Ren in the boxing ring, and the other was Xiao Zhengrong behind him. Xiao Zhengrong hadn't expected Feng Junzi to call him his disciple, and the most useless one at that. Although he was seething with anger, he couldn't afford to retaliate against Feng Junzi in this situation. He could only let out a cold laugh and leap onto the boxing ring.

Momoki Shinobu, who was on the boxing ring, wanted to say something to Feng Junzi, but in a flash, Xiao Zhengrong was already standing in front of him. Xiao Zhengrong had been standing behind Feng Junzi, about three or four meters away from the boxing ring, which, including the railing, was at least a meter high. This man had moved with surprising speed and was now firmly on the ring, demonstrating his skill. Seeing this, Momoki Shinobu took a step back and became alert.

Xiao Zhengrong came prepared, having already changed into a martial arts outfit. He clasped his hands in greeting to Momoki Shinobu on the boxing ring and said, "Mr. Momoki, I heard that you are an expert in martial arts and have come to China to spar with masters. My name is Xiao Zhengrong. Although I am not a master, I have practiced martial arts for a few years. Today, I have come to ask Mr. Momoki for guidance on behalf of my elders."

The elder Xiao Zhengrong referred to was not Feng Junzi, but rather Old Master Xiao, who was watching from below the stage. However, Tao Muren interpreted this as Feng Junzi calling on his disciple to fight. He frowned, turned to Feng Junzi, and said, "Mr. Feng, I think today should be a duel between the two of us."

Feng Junzi, sitting in the audience, shook his head: "You're wrong. You just want to teach Chinese Kung Fu, it doesn't matter who goes. Besides, those six idiots under your command caused me trouble at Longwangtang the other day, and you're scared now that I've only sent one disciple?"

Momoki Shinobu snorted coldly: "Since that's the case, then please, Mr. Xiao. I'll learn from Mr. Feng's skills later." The implication was that he would defeat Xiao Zhengrong before challenging Feng Junzi.

Xiao Zhengrong understood his meaning and said calmly, "If you can get past me, Feng Junzi will naturally take action."

Momoki Shinobu: "Mr. Xiao, please make your move."

Xiao Zhengrong: "Mr. Taomu, you are a guest from afar, so please make the first move."

Having said all that, Momoki Shinobu had no more reservations. A sharp shout suddenly escaped his throat, his left arm outstretched to protect his chest and abdomen, he pushed off the ground, and his right palm, like a knife, slashed straight at Xiao Zhengrong's neck. Feng Junzi, watching from below the stage, didn't seem to notice anything amiss, but Chang Wu beside him nodded secretly. Momoki Shinobu's chop was extremely fierce; the sound of the wind whipping up his arm could be heard even from below the stage. Such powerful force at such a short distance—Chang Wu knew he was no match for him.

At this moment, Xiao Zhengrong on the stage advanced instead of retreating, taking a step forward diagonally and crashing directly into Momoki Shinobu's arms. Although Momoki Shinobu's hand strike was fierce, the force of a straight arm swing was limited by distance. Xiao Zhengrong's bent-over step almost brought his face close to Momoki Shinobu's chest, and Momoki Shinobu's palm missed. Xiao Zhengrong practically emerged from Momoki Shinobu's arms with a palm strike, also using his palm as a blade, drawing a small arc in the air, and striking upwards directly at Momoki Shinobu's ear. This strike lacked the wind-whistling momentum of Momoki Shinobu's, but it arrived faster than expected. Momoki Shinobu's reaction was also quick. Seeing his opponent crashing into him, he retreated, leaping more than a meter high, and his right foot flew out, the toe aimed straight for Xiao Zhengrong's throat.

Seeing his opponent dodge his charge and kick in mid-air, Xiao Zhengrong didn't parry. Instead, he sidestepped, shifting his body to avoid Momoki Shinobu's toes, and then swept his palm upwards towards Momoki Shinobu's right knee. Momoki Shinobu was also skilled; his previous kick was just a feint, missing its mark. He had already retracted his right leg and was unleashing a flurry of horizontal kicks with his left. Seeing that Xiao Zhengrong had fallen for his trick, but Momoki Shinobu's powerful series of flying kicks had missed, Xiao Zhengrong followed the momentum of the kicks, spun around, and dodged to Momoki Shinobu's side and behind. Momoki Shinobu's toes had already touched his clothes, but the force had already dissipated.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye. From the moment they started, Feng Junzi's mouth was agape, not even having time to close it. Seeing Xiao Zhengrong's movements, a sudden flash of inspiration struck him—he remembered seeing this somewhere before—it was the first two moves of the four-style sword technique that Old Master Xiao had once demonstrated. This sword technique was created by Han Muxia, a patriotic martial arts master during the Republic of China era, and evolved from the 64-style Baguazhang (Eight Trigrams Palm). It only had four moves. The stab-killing technique learned by the Kuomintang's 29th Army's broadsword unit was this very technique; it wasn't just fancy footwork, but real combat against the Japanese at Xifengkou. When a master like Xiao Zhengrong used it, the sword technique transformed into a palm technique, naturally making it even more powerful. Thinking of this, Feng Junzi couldn't help but look at Old Master Xiao, recalling what Old Master Xiao had said to Xiao Zhengrong that night when he mentioned this set of sword techniques: "Zhengrong, you're wrong. It seems your skills aren't up to par. This set of sword techniques only has four moves. The most difficult part of Baguazhang is footwork, but Senior Han only used the four most basic footwork: stepping forward, stepping to the side, turning around, and stepping backward. The sword moves are: wrapping around the head, sweeping horizontally, opening flowers to the left and right, and chopping the horse and splitting the stake."

Grandpa Xiao remained expressionless, but his eyes held a hint of approval. As Feng Junzi looked at Grandpa Xiao, he noticed Xiao Yunyi was also looking at him with a questioning gaze. It seemed she had also recognized the sword technique and remembered what had happened that night. Xiao Yunyi winked at Feng Junzi and then pointed to the stage. Only then did Feng Junzi remember that watching the martial arts competition on the stage was more important.

Part Four: A Pair of Chopsticks, Chapter 40: Trying to be clever without restraint backfires.

In truth, Feng Junzi's gaze only lingered on the boxing ring for a fleeting moment, yet the outcome was already decided. Some people, perhaps familiar with martial arts films or kung fu movies, might imagine that duels are long and drawn-out battles, but the reality is quite different. Between masters, the time to determine a winner is very short, and there's little fanfare; sometimes they don't even touch each other's clothes. Any physical contact is likely a quick, decisive blow, completely different from the familiar boxing or taekwondo matches. Feng Junzi hadn't seen Xiao Zhengrong's third palm technique, "Blooming Flowers to the Left and Right," but it had already cornered Taomu Ren in the ring. Taomu Ren now knew he had met a master; with a loud shout, he suddenly lunged at Xiao Zhengrong with both hands outstretched—a desperate, all-or-nothing attack. Baguazhang's strength lies largely in footwork, and Xiao Zhengrong certainly didn't want to engage in a wrestling match with him on the ring. He took a step back, dodging Momoki Shinobu's lunge, and grabbed the other's wrist with his right hand. With his other hand, he supported Momoki Shinobu under his armpit. At the same time, he spun around in place, using the momentum to lift Momoki Shinobu into the air, and then swung him away.

Momoki Shinobu flew towards the audience, baring his fangs and claws, heading straight for the group he had brought. The kid was quite skilled; he spun in mid-air, managing to land on his feet without falling headfirst. Suddenly, a middle-aged man appeared from the crowd, reaching out to support the unsteady Momoki Shinobu. Only then did gasps rise from the audience, followed by loud applause and cheers—it was none other than Feng Junzi.

Feng Junzi cheered as he clumsily climbed onto the boxing ring, saying, "Wonderful! Wonderful! That was exhilarating! My disciple, you've worked hard."

Xiao Zhengrong ignored him and instead clasped his hands in a fist salute to Momoki Shinobu below the stage, saying, "Thank you for your concession!" He then turned and jumped off the boxing ring.

Feng Junzi, standing on the boxing ring, said to the ashamed-looking Momoki Shinobu, "Mr. Momoki, your wish to experience Chinese Kung Fu has been fulfilled, but the time was too short; I feel it wasn't enough. Let's end things here for today, and please don't bother us again." He prepared to leave the ring, but suddenly, a blur appeared before his eyes, and another person had appeared on the stage.

This was the middle-aged man who had helped Momoki Shinobu earlier. Feng Junzi didn't know how he got onto the stage. He only felt the entire boxing ring tremble slightly when the man landed, but without making a sound. He subconsciously took a step back and sized up the newcomer: "May I ask your surname? What brings you here?"

The man bowed politely and replied respectfully, "My name is Momoki Kenji, and I am Momoki Shinobu's father."

Tao Mujianci reached out and stopped Feng Junzi, who was about to leave the stage: "Mr. Feng just said that the time was too short and not enough. Why don't we have another match?"

Feng Junzi jumped back in fright: "What? You want to have another match with me? Why?"

Momoki Kenji: "I taught Momoki Shinobu his kung fu, and Mr. Xiao was your disciple. Momoki Shinobu is not worthy of Mr. Feng's help, so I, his master, have to go up and meet Mr. Xiao's master. I think Mr. Feng will not refuse this time, will he?"

Tao Mujianci's words sent a chill down Feng Junzi's spine. With his physique, he would never dare to fight Tao Mujianci. Now he realized that even borrowing someone else's power came at a price. However, Tao Mujianci was already upon him, and Feng Junzi couldn't simply turn and run. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and reply, "I'm sorry, I don't like fighting, and I've never been in a fight before. I think we should let's call it quits and leave it at that."

Taomu Kenji reached out and blocked Feng Junzi's path, still speaking politely: "I think things have only just begun. It's natural that Taomu's ninjutsu is inferior, but it was Feng who agreed to the duel. I don't think Feng would only send one disciple to fight."

Upon hearing Tao Mujian mention Xiao Zhengrong, Feng Junzi seemed to have grasped at a straw: "If you want to compete, compete with that Mr. Xiao Zhengrong. Your son is no match for him, and neither are you." Feng Junzi then became honest and stopped boasting that Xiao Zhengrong was his disciple.

Unexpectedly, Tao Mujian waved his hand and shook his head, saying, "I'm afraid this matter shouldn't be handled by others. I just heard Mr. Feng say that Tao Muling is your woman, which is related to our Tao Mu family. As her stepfather, I have no right to interfere with who Tao Muling chooses to go with, but she took away something that has been passed down in our Tao Mu family for generations, and I hope we can get it back. If Mr. Feng wants to get involved, how about we decide the ownership of that item through this battle?"

Feng Junzi finally understood the implication in Tao Mujianci's words. It turned out that he hadn't come on stage for no reason. So he looked up and asked coldly, "Is the thing Mr. Tao Mujianci mentioned a pair of ivory chopsticks?"

Momoki Kenji nodded politely: "Indeed, it is a pair of ivory chopsticks. I didn't know that Mr. Feng knew about it. Those chopsticks are an heirloom of our Momoki family. Although they are not very valuable, they are of great significance to me. So today I am taking the liberty of asking Mr. Feng for advice. If I can win, I hope that Mr. Feng can persuade Momoki Rin to return the item to us."

Feng Junzi stared at Momoki Kenji, utterly bewildered that someone so outwardly polite could utter such shameless words. Others might not know, but Feng Junzi was acutely aware of the origins of those chopsticks and the harm the Momoki father and son had inflicted on Momoki Rin. A nameless rage surged within him, and he forgot Momoki Kenji's threat, instead asking, "And if you lose? If you lose, can you disappear from my and Momoki Rin's sight forever?"

Tao Mujianci maintained his sanctimonious demeanor, nodding with a smile: "If Mr. Feng can defeat me even by a move or two, I will not take the item and will not bother you any further."

Standing not far from the stage, Xiao Zhengrong clearly heard the conversation between the two on stage and couldn't help but curse inwardly, "Shameless!" Anyone with martial arts skills could see that Feng Junzi's steps were unsteady when he went on stage, and his every move suggested he had never practiced any martial arts. In front of a master like Tao Mujianci, he was probably just a clothes hanger. Since Xiao Zhengrong could see it, Tao Mujianci couldn't possibly not. For a master to fight an ordinary person who knew absolutely no martial arts, and to do so with such high-sounding words, was truly shameless. Thinking of this, Xiao Zhengrong couldn't help but want to go on stage again to teach that guy a lesson, just waiting for Feng Junzi to give the order.

Just as Xiao Zhengrong was thinking this, an unexpected change occurred on the stage. Before Feng Junzi could answer, Tao Mujianci continued, "In that case, I must offend you, Mr. Feng, please accept my challenge—"

Part Four: A Pair of Chopsticks, Chapter 41: Feigning Power While Injuring Oneself

Before Momoki Kenji could finish speaking, a sharp shout suddenly escaped his throat. He stretched out his left arm to protect his chest and abdomen, pushed off the ground, and slashed his right palm like a knife straight at Feng Junzi's neck. This attack was almost identical to Momoki Shinobu's first move, but its speed and power were clearly far superior. Even Xiao Zhengrong, watching from below the stage, felt he might not be able to withstand it, let alone the clueless and unprepared Feng Junzi. Xiao Zhengrong wanted to save Feng Junzi, but it was too late; he could only close his eyes and hope that Feng Junzi's injury wasn't too severe. The others, clearly caught off guard by Momoki Kenji's sudden attack, gasped in surprise.

However, after the gasps of surprise, Feng Junzi did not collapse on the stage with a scream as expected. The scene on the boxing ring seemed to freeze: Taomu Jianci's arm, which had been attacking Feng Junzi, hung limply at his sides, and he stood there motionless like a statue; while Feng Junzi, opposite him, was even stranger, extending an arm, his right middle finger pointing at Taomu Jianci's shoulder, his body also motionless like Taomu Jianci, but his forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his expression was one of great pain.

A figure flashed, and Old Master Xiao suddenly appeared behind Feng Junzi, reaching out to support him. Feng Junzi's body trembled, and he withdrew his raised hand, then used his left hand to support his right, his expression of pain intensifying. Neither Old Master Xiao nor Feng Junzi spoke, but Tao Mujianci, opposite him, took a deep breath, swayed slightly, and barely managed to steady himself, his joints making a series of soft cracking sounds. Then, in a weak and hoarse voice, he spoke: "Mr. Feng is indeed extraordinary, to be able to withstand my move like that. Today's match is a draw. I'm sorry, I must take my leave." With that, he turned and walked off the boxing ring, his steps heavy, completely lacking the imposing aura he had when he stepped onto the stage.

The crowd was still reeling from this sudden, dramatic turn of events, and Xiao Zhengrong, with his keenest eyesight, was even more puzzled. Judging from the scene just now, Tao Mujianci's hand strike hadn't even touched Feng Junzi, while Feng Junzi had clearly taken the initiative and subdued him, seemingly having the upper hand. Yet, Tao Mujianci had declared it a draw, then turned and left, without Feng Junzi even trying to stop him.

In truth, Feng Junzi wasn't unwilling to speak; he simply couldn't. He was in excruciating pain from his right hand down his arm, shoulder, and chest, especially his right middle finger, which felt like it was about to split open. He was drenched in cold sweat and unable to utter a word, only able to watch helplessly as Taomu Jianci left. It turned out that when Taomu Jianci launched his sneak attack, Feng Junzi hadn't even had time to react. He couldn't even see the opponent's movements, let alone dodge. In that instant, even Feng Junzi himself didn't know what happened; he simply took a half-step forward instinctively, his right hand flashing out, his middle finger piercing Taomu Jianci's shoulder. It felt like hitting a metal plate, and a sharp pain shot from his finger to his chest, leaving him numb and unable to move.

"I haven't seen anyone use Senior Brother Feng's God-Sealing Finger technique in over sixty years!" Old Master Xiao sighed to himself, looking at Feng Junzi, who was covered in cold sweat. The audience was now very quiet; almost everyone had heard Old Master Xiao's words.

...

"What exactly is the God-Sealing Finger technique? Is it very powerful?" This was in Mr. Xiao's home. Feng Junzi looked miserable, shirtless and leaning against the sofa, with a string of silver needles inserted from his right arm to his chest. Mr. Xiao's moxibustion was emitting a wisp of faint blue smoke, while the Xiao siblings and Tao Muling sat around them, asking questions with curiosity.

Mr. Xiao slowly replied, "The God-Sealing Finger is my senior brother's family secret technique. It should be a profound acupoint striking skill. Anyone who is struck will become weak and unable to move. Even a master will not be able to exert any strength for several hours."

Xiao Zhengrong then asked, "So you're that good? Grandpa, why didn't you teach me?"

Grandpa Xiao frowned: "The God-Sealing Finger is also known as the Romantic Finger. It was a skill practiced by a notorious womanizer in the past. I don't know how Senior Brother Feng's ancestors learned it. How could I possibly learn it?"

Hearing Old Master Xiao's words, Xiao Zhengrong felt a little embarrassed. But thinking about it, the "Romantic Finger" was indeed aptly named; if a womanizer knew this skill, it would certainly be a great help to his "business acumen." Xiao Yunyi changed the subject, asking, "Since this skill is so powerful, how come that Peach Wood Swordsman seems unharmed, while Feng Junzi is injured?"

Old Master Xiao: "Practicing kung fu isn't that simple. Feng Junzi injured himself. With his limited skill, he couldn't possibly use such a profound finger technique. I don't know how he suddenly used the Divine Finger Technique. The peach wood swordsman was only paralyzed for a moment, but Feng Junzi's own meridians were injured by his own kung fu. Fortunately, the power he unleashed with this move was limited, otherwise the injury would have been much more serious."

"Feng Junzi, when did you learn the skills of a flower thief?" Xiao Yunyi turned to ask Feng Junzi.

Feng Junzi replied weakly, "I've said it so many times, what God-Sealing Finger? I've never even heard of it, I really don't know what it is."

Mr. Xiao said thoughtfully, "Feng Junzi, you said that you practiced internal alchemy when you were young. Although it is different from martial arts, the principle of internal energy circulating through the meridians is the same. Otherwise, no matter what kind of fortuitous encounter you had, you would not have been able to unleash this attack with the God-Sealing Finger formed by internal energy. It's just a pity that your meridians are too weak and cannot withstand such powerful internal energy. You were injured before you could even injure anyone else."

Xiao Zhengrong seemed to understand something: "It's like an overloaded engine, a small horse pulling a large cart, resulting in internal injuries. But why would that Peach Wood Sword Master flee without a fight?"

Old Master Xiao: "He was scared away. He didn't know what was going on with Feng Junzi. Even you probably didn't know the inside story at the time. Would you have taken action under those circumstances?"

Tao Muling, who had been silent until now, spoke up: "Sir, although I don't understand what you're talking about, Feng Junzi is injured. Should we take him to the hospital?"

Old Xiao: "The hospital probably can't detect this kind of injury, so it's better to treat him here. Don't worry, he'll be fine. He'll just need to rest for a few days and can't put too much strain on this arm."

None of those present were quite clear on why Feng Junzi had become like this; even Elder Xiao could only give a general explanation. However, Feng Junzi himself had a vague idea. Those strange chopsticks with the peach wood bell had somehow become sentient, practically possessed, leaving a shadow on Feng Junzi—the shadow of Feng Xingzhi from years past. This was probably why Feng Junzi had suddenly unleashed Feng Xingzhi's signature move, the Divine Finger Technique, in that critical moment. Unfortunately, Feng Junzi was not Feng Xingzhi, and this instinctive attack immediately resulted in internal injuries. Thinking of this, Feng Junzi didn't know whether he should thank or curse those chopsticks.

Part 4: A Pair of Chopsticks, Episode 42: Calmly Discussing the Turmoil and the Pleasures of Wine and Women

"Momoki Shinobu, try not to provoke that Wind Gentleman, and don't have any direct conflict with him. Just keep an eye on his and Momoki Rin's whereabouts. You must be careful." This was Momoki Kenji instructing his son in Momoki Shinobu's office.

"Is that kid that powerful? Do we need to be afraid of him? Even if he knows some kung fu, he's still just flesh and blood. We have weapons." Momoki Shinobu was unaware of the situation and her tone was still unconvinced.

"That kid doesn't just know a little kung fu, he's unfathomable. I couldn't even block one of his moves. Flesh and blood can't withstand bullets, but if you're facing a master like that, you probably won't even have a chance to draw your gun and aim. Besides, this is Chinese territory after all, so we have to be careful and not let our guard down."

Momoki Shinobu: "I understand. What should we do?"

Momoki Kenji: "We've gathered almost all the information we need. Now all we're missing is that pair of chopsticks. Don't forget our goal. Getting those chopsticks is all that matters; nothing else is important. I doubt that Feng Junzi can carry the chopsticks around all the time. As long as we keep an eye out, we'll have a chance to get them..."

Feng Junzi, who was recuperating at home, naturally didn't hear the conversation between Tao Mu and his son; otherwise, he would have found it quite amusing. Unexpectedly, his inexplicable injury earned him a "profound and unfathomable" assessment from Tao Mu. Leaving aside the fact that Tao Mu and his son had secretly placed men to keep an eye on Feng Junzi, Sun Weidong wasn't idle either. That day, he was also gathering his men to discuss matters, and Zhou Song was also present.

Sun Weidong: "According to our investigation, Momoki Kenji and Momoki Shinobu have indeed recently sent their men to operate in the Longwangtang area. It seems they are targeting us. We still don't know their purpose. Zhou Song, you need to be especially careful."

Zhou Song: "Brother Sun, do you think these two Japanese men are investigating that shipment? Could they be government spies?"

Sun Weidong frowned: "The Japanese authorities would be overjoyed if such things could be shipped abroad for processing. They would be happy to turn a blind eye. Why would they send someone to investigate in China? What I'm worried about is that the gang disputes there might drag this into the matter, or that someone might have something on us to blackmail us. Wasn't the person who called last time just asking for money? If that's the case, we don't need to be too afraid. Binhai is, after all, our territory."

Someone nearby said, "And that Taomu Ling, she's been going to the police station a lot lately. I'm worried this might cause trouble. Brother Sun, what do you suggest we do?"

Sun Weidong: "I've inquired. Tao Muling was sent by an American university to participate in a project between the Normal University and the Ganquan Branch Bureau. She has nothing to do with this matter for the time being. However, you'd better have people keep a close eye on her and try not to have any direct conflict with Tao Muling. After all, she hangs out with the cops every day. Just keep an eye on her secretly."

...

Feng Junzi's seemingly peaceful life was now rife with undercurrents. His injuries weren't serious; a few days of rest would be enough. Tao Muling, on the other hand, continued to go to work every day, participating in their so-called collaborative research. On the surface, life appeared perfectly calm, but secretly, two groups of people were constantly watching his and Tao Muling's every move. These people tried to remain hidden, avoiding Feng Junzi's detection. However, Feng Junzi was already on guard, and he also had a mysterious accomplice by his side—the ghost of Qingye Yazi. Naturally, what was happening in the shadows couldn't escape Yazi's eyes, and Feng Junzi was well aware of it.

One night, Feng Junzi leaned back on his pillow, his right hand gently stroking the silky smooth body of Tao Muling nestled beside him, while his left hand held a cup of slightly steaming warm wine. He sighed contentedly, "A fine night, with fine wine and beautiful women by my side, what more could I ask for in life!"

Peach Bell asked in a lazy voice, "Feng Junzi, what kind of wine are you drinking? Why does it need to be heated? It smells strange; I've never seen it before."

Feng Junzi: "This is the most distinctive Chinese yellow wine, and you certainly don't have many opportunities to see it."

Tao Muling: "I looked at the packaging when I was brewing the wine. What does 'Eighteen-Year Daughter Red' mean? What a poetic name."

Feng Junzi: "This is just a marketing gimmick by the manufacturer. Where can you find 18-year-old Nu'er Hong wine in supermarkets these days? This is only about 8-year-old Huadiao wine. But the taste is still pretty good. I like it. It's just a pity that some people don't have this kind of luck!"

Peach Bell: "Hua Diao? That's a nice name too. Who wouldn't be lucky enough to have that?"

Feng Junzi sighed again: "It's a dark and windy night, and there are two groups of people who are deliberately making themselves miserable by staying up all night. Never mind them, Peach, have a drink with me, and I'll tell you the story behind Daughter's Red wine..."

Feng Junzi was indulging in wine and women, while the two groups secretly watching him vaguely sensed each other's presence. This led to an interesting misunderstanding—they both mistook the other for Feng Junzi or the Taomu family. This was a residential area, unsuitable for conflict, and both sides were ordered to proceed with caution, resulting in a stalemate. Ironically, Feng Junzi, caught in the eye of the storm, was the most comfortable.

The next day, Tao Muling was picked up by Chang Wu early in the morning. Before leaving, Feng Junzi placed an antique wooden box on the bookshelf—the same box Tao Muling had first used to store her chopsticks. Inside the box, of course, was a pair of ivory chopsticks, a masterpiece made by Feng Junzi and Tao Muling. Feng Junzi was taking a gamble: first, he gambled that even if Tao Muling and her father had seen the chopsticks, they wouldn't have examined them closely; second, he gambled that although the other party might be suspicious, they would eventually fall for it. The chopsticks were placed on the bookshelf not far from the windowsill. When Feng Junzi left, he deliberately left a gap in the PVC window, not locking it completely. Feng Junzi's windows had railings, preventing people from entering, but they weren't too high off the ground—he lived on the second floor.

Part 4: A Pair of Chopsticks, Chapter 43: A Series of Misdeeds Leads to One's Own Trap

After work that day, Feng Junzi didn't go home. Instead, he went out to see a movie with Tao Muling. They ate dinner out as well, and he didn't return home until very late. When he got home, Feng Junzi checked the wooden box. The chopsticks were still there, but the markings on the bookshelf indicated that someone had touched them. Feng Junzi just smiled to himself and ignored it.

About three or four days later, Feng Junzi and Tao Muling returned late again. He still habitually drew the curtains and opened the wooden box to check it. Tao Muling, who was in the kitchen, suddenly heard Feng Junzi call her: "Lingdang, come here for a moment and take a look at these chopsticks."