That day, Qi Huan was checking the accounts in the restaurant.
The light in front of her was suddenly blocked, and when she looked up, she saw Tao Su staring at her with a troubled expression.
"Miss Qi, may I have a word with you?"
Leading her to the private room, Qi Huan poured two cups of tea and gestured for her to sit down: "What's the matter that you need to discuss with me privately?"
"Miss Qi, I've been hesitating about this matter. I've been wondering whether to reject it directly or tell you first before refusing."
Tao Su fidgeted with her fingers, her gaze gradually becoming more determined: "My mother once said that there is no such thing as a thief who steals for a thousand days. So I've decided to tell you, so that you can be prepared."
Confused by her words, Qi Huan slightly furrowed her brows: "Get to the point."
"Yesterday, my father came to see me. He said someone had given him ten taels of silver to find an opportunity to drug and render you unconscious, and then send a message to him so he could come and pick you up. I said I couldn't repay kindness with enmity, so he bribed me with two taels of silver and told me to think it over.
Originally, it was him who sold me, and you who bought me. So, is there really a need to think it over? Of course, I'm on your side, Miss Qi, so I wanted to warn you that someone is plotting to harm you.
As for my father, don't worry, the next time he comes, I will firmly refuse him."
Qi Huan put down her teacup and pondered for a moment before making a decision: "No, you should agree to him. Your mother is right, there is no such thing as a thief who steals for a thousand days. Instead, let's follow the trail and see who is the mastermind behind this."
Her mother's words were appreciated, and Tao Su felt proud, saying confidently: "Miss Qi, you can rest assured. I will perform the role of a treacherous person, not letting my father suspect anything."
With that, she stood up to go and give her father the reply.
Inside the room, Qi Huan picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and found the tea had gotten a bit cool, but she still drank it all.
Clearing her tangled thoughts, she went next door to find Li Shuchen.
After recounting Tao Su's words, Qi Huan outlined her initial plan: "I will play along, pretend to be unconscious, and see what their intentions are. You follow behind, and if necessary, appear and capture them, interrogate them to find out the mastermind, and settle the score with him. What do you think?"
"Not good enough." Li Shuchen's expression turned cold. He absolutely would not allow Ah Huan to take any risks.
Extending her index finger, Qi Huan poked his tense cheek and smiled: "Don't worry, I trust you. Moreover, one must enter the tiger's den to get the tiger cub."
"I'll find someone to replace you." Li Shuchen insisted on not letting her take the risk.
"Who?" Qi Huan asked.
*
In the evening, Qi Huan looked at Yan Qinghe, who was wearing women's clothes and had the same bun hairstyle as her, with a complicated expression.
She tugged at Li Shuchen's sleeve: "Ah Shu, are you serious? Don't you think he's too tall?"
"It doesn't matter, cover him with a burlap sack."
Saying that, Li Shuchen put the burlap sack over Yan Qinghe's head, gave him a quick once-over, and then said, "Curl up."
Inside the sack, Yan Qinghe felt the purse at his waist. He thought: He didn't want it to be this way, but Li Shuchen gave him too much...
Gradually, the dusk faded, and the night fell. A crescent moon hung on the treetops, the moonlight was dim, and only blurry silhouettes could be seen.
Tao Su paced in the courtyard, heard three barks from outside the courtyard, and then tiptoed to the back door, opened the wooden lock, and led the people in.
The three-cornered-eyed stepmother smiled warmly at her for the first time.
"Susu, where is Miss Qi?"
Brushing off her hand that was climbing up her arm, Tao Su turned to her father: "Just the two of you?"
"You nosy girl, what's the use of asking so much? Just hurry up and lead us to get the person."
Tao Su did not move her feet, and with her left hand outstretched, she demanded: "Where's the two taels of silver as promised?"
"Here, here, you're like a debt collector. Do you think your dad would renege on your silver?" Bai Second impatiently threw the two taels of silver shards into her palm, and then scolded: "Keep your mouth shut about tonight's matter. The employer said that as long as our mouths are tight, we can even get some extra hush money. If your dad has meat to eat, you'll have soup to drink."
In the night, Tao Su disdainfully pursed her lips, but obediently agreed: "Okay. Dad, Miss Qi is in the back kitchen."
In the dim moonlight, the three guilty-conscience people didn't even bother with a lantern. Bai Second carelessly threw the burlap sack on his shoulder, and suddenly stumbled.
"So heavy?"
Seeing his suspicion, Tao Su quickly explained according to the plan: "Miss Qi has a small frame, but she's plump, so although she looks thin, she's not actually that thin."
The three-cornered-eyed woman also chimed in: "That's right, the rich people who run restaurants are all chubby, plump little darlings, aren't they?"
Bai Second was having some trouble, and he gave her a sidelong glance: "Then why don't you come and help carry it?"
Under the cover of darkness, the two carried the 'Qi Huan' in the burlap sack to the appointed location, and then immediately turned and left.
They didn't know who the employer was, only that the black-robed man who had approached them on that day had directly and generously thrown them a silver ingot. The rules of the martial arts world are, take the money and do the job, and the rest is not to be curious about.
As soon as Bai Second and Mrs. Bai entered their home, they were knocked out by the following Yan Jiu, bound with rocks, and thrown into the river.
On the other side, in the low and cramped mud house, Yan Qinghe had been lying in the burlap sack for another two quarters of an hour before five big men surrounded him.
"Where's the water bag? Pour the drug into it." Knife-Scar Face kicked the man next to him, Old Third, and ordered.
Old Second and Old Fourth hurriedly started untying the burlap sack, while Old Fifth drooled excitedly: "Hurry up, don't keep the little beauty waiting."
In no time, they had stripped off the burlap sack, and the little beauty he mentioned suddenly jumped up, coordinating with Yan Wu who broke in through the window, knocking them all to the ground.
Old Fifth shouted: "Who are you, let me go!"
"Don't waste your breath, even if you shout, no one will come to save you." Yan Qinghe laughed mockingly.
Old Fifth: "This line sounds a bit familiar."
After opening the door, Li Shuchen led Qi Huan to slowly enter, his gaze icy and glaring at the men, coldly saying: "Tell me, who's the mastermind?"
The five brothers, who made a living in the martial arts world, relied on the principle that if they could beat you, they would be arrogant, and if they couldn't, they would quickly admit defeat.
Old Fifth raised his hand and said, "I, I don't know. I'm sorry, I was wrong, don't kill me."
The eldest brother looked at him in disappointment and scolded, "Where's your guts? You've completely ruined the reputation of us, the Five Flower Thieves."
Glancing sideways at Li Shuchen, the eldest brother secretly hated: So the 'little beauty' they were supposed to have easy prey turned out to have such powerful martial arts experts protecting her?
If he had known that, he would never have taken this job.
The muffled sound of the night watchman's beating echoed in the distance, it was already the third watch.
Qi Huan couldn't help but yawn.
Noticing that she was getting sleepy, Li Shuchen became even more impatient with the five men.
With a gloomy expression, he coldly said, "Teach them a lesson."
Saying that, he pulled Qi Huan and turned around, leading her to the courtyard.
The cold wind blew, and Qi Huan immediately felt more energetic.
Hearing the successive cries of agony from the house, she couldn't help but snuggle closer to Li Shuchen.
Seeing her little gesture, Li Shuchen pulled her into his embrace, his back to the wind, his chin resting on the top of her head: "This way, you won't be cold."
Listening to his strong heartbeat, Qi Huan's cheeks flushed, and she wrapped her arms around his waist, agreeing: "It's very warm."
At this moment, Yan Wu completed his task and just walked out to see his lord embracing Miss Qi with a serene smile. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
After confirming that his eyes were not playing tricks on him, he covered his eyes and reported from a distance: "My lord, they confessed... But they only know some scattered clues, the mastermind behind the scenes still needs further investigation."
"Investigate."
The night grew deeper, and his little miss should be sleeping. Li Shuchen lifted her into his arms and walked a few steps, then paused.
"After finding out the mastermind, how do you want to handle it? Kill or execute?"
"Neither is necessary."
Qi Huan shook her head, with a charming smile, and sweetly said, "Of course, it's an eye for an eye. We'll return the few big men he sent, and let him enjoy them at his leisure."
