It was likely Li Xiangfu, with his slender waist and pale face. The five thugs, excluding the one kicked away who clutched his stomach against the wall, were all focused on attacking Qin Jin. Only a burly man with gold teeth approached Li Xiangfu with a wicked smile.
As he tied up his hair methodically, Li Xiangfu, with a serious demeanor, remarked, “Actually, I’m quite skilled in fighting.”
Having faced numerous threats in the past and encountered those who wanted to take advantage of him, Li Xiangfu, in order to ensure his own safety during his formative years, underwent training, transforming from someone unable to tie a chicken to being capable of wrestling wild boars barehanded.
He couldn’t gauge the strength of the big man before him, but one thing was certain: no wild boar could match him.
With a chuckle, the big man dismissed Li Xiangfu’s well-intentioned warning as mere intimidation and vigorously swung his arm.
As the stick swept through the air, Li Xiangfu calmly dove to the side, seized the opponent’s wrist, and twisted it forcefully. The scream and the sound of dislocation resonated almost simultaneously.
Having dealt with the immediate threat, he picked up the stick and rushed to assist Qin Jin. Empowered by the weapon, his combat effectiveness skyrocketed instantly.
Sensing something amiss, Zhou Pan kicked the big man writhing on the ground. “Take off your clothes; that guy is dizzy when seeing people naked. He can’t fight you with his eyes closed.” The big man endured the pain, using one hand to remove his short sleeves and aimlessly wandering on the sidelines.
Zhou Panbai unbuttoned his shirt and flapped the sides like a moth.
“…”
The haunting memories of being dragged to a mass grave without clothes in winter gradually faded, leaving only the two comical figures before him. Li Xiangfu’s years of naked vulnerability seemed to be cured.
“Thanks, idiot,” he said, expressing gratitude from the depths of his heart.
As the police arrived, the scene was chaotic, with people undressing and wailing. If it weren’t for the several big men lying on the ground, distinguishing between robbery and harassment would be challenging.
Li Xiangfu continued to gaze at the reluctantly departing Zhou Panbai. Employing a contemporary gesture, he extended his middle finger as a farewell.
Zhou Panbai, infuriated, roared and attempted to rush forward, but was restrained by the police.
Another officer requested, “If it’s convenient, we need your cooperation to provide a statement.”
Both complied without objection.
Tianxi Ancient Village was labyrinthine with alleyways, and given the Qiyuan Festival’s bustling crowd, the police arrived on motorcycles for a swift response. Escorting numerous prisoners posed a logistical challenge.
Fortunately, the distance was short. Li Xiangfu inquired about the general direction and expressed his intent to walk there.
Under special circumstances, this was the only viable option.
As the spectacle attracted onlookers, Li Xiangfu pointed ahead, signaling a quick departure, not desiring to be the center of attention.
Navigating through the throngs, he steered the conversation back to the original purpose of visiting Qin Jin. “I just found out about your brother,” he stated matter-of-factly, recounting the entire incident without evasion.
Qin Jin suddenly gestured toward a specific location.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Expecting another sudden crisis, Li Xiangfu looked up cautiously, only to find it was a shop selling small lanterns.
Cr atf cjwf reuufrar, atf Hlsejc Mfralnji gfnbinfr jgbecv wjxlcu klrtfr. Lbkfnfg, atf klrtfr tfgf jgf delaf qjgalmeijg—ylu klrtfr jcv wjaafgr bo ilof jcv vfjat jgf qgbtlylafv. Ol Wljcuoe rfivbw wjxfr klrtfr fnfc bc tlr ylgatvjs, ifa jibcf veglcu j tbilvjs, jcv tlr lcafgfra lr wlclwji, jr fnlvfcmfv ys Hlc Alc’r wfgf rfmbcv uijcmf.
In that brief glance, he did catch sight of the name. The lantern featured dark patterns depicting a statue of lightning and thunder. It deviated from the traditional image, appearing somewhat eerie and less majestic.
Observing his prolonged gaze, the stall owner hastily waved and said, “Take one with you.”
After making the purchase, Li Xiangfu remarked, “This lantern looks a bit peculiar.”
The stall owner smiled and explained, “During the Qiyuan Festival in the past, people used to curse others. During the festival, they would write the names of those they despised on the lanterns, hang them out during thunderstorms, and pray for the other person to be struck by lightning.”
“…” That was certainly an auspicious tradition.
The lantern, no larger than a fist, cost fifteen. Li Xiangfu felt slightly swindled and sensed a slight heaviness in his steps. Combining the cost with the amount given to the village chief for information earlier, he had exceeded his budget.
Noticing his shift in demeanor, Qin Jin suggested, “You can take it back as a souvenir or give it away.”
“True…” Before he could finish speaking, he realized the topic had been redirected. Li Xiangfu glanced at Qin Jin, trying to discern the other person’s thoughts, but it remained elusive.
In this moment, he found himself appreciating Gao Xun a bit. Working under such a boss likely required navigating through constant uncertainty.
As his thoughts raced, he suddenly heard Qin Jin’s overly calm voice saying, “You don’t have to concern yourself with his affairs.” Li Xiangfu’s grip tightened, causing the lantern to shake violently.
Coming to a halt, he didn’t conceal the surprise in his eyes. “Don’t care?”
“At least not now.” Qin Jin stopped and turned around.
Li Xiangfu, adept at reading between the lines, observed Qin Jin’s emotions. He conveyed them well, avoiding any discussion about past events.
As they resumed walking, their shoulders subtly brushed past each other, walking one behind the other.
Li Xiangfu disliked being shrouded in uncertainty, or else he wouldn’t have opted to discuss the matter directly before Li Anqing arrived.
Seemingly aware of the moment he furrowed his brows, Qin Jin whispered, “Actually, it’s better if you pray your memory never returns for the rest of your life.” It sounded somewhat blunt, but the tone wasn’t warning; rather, it seemed like advice.
After walking a bit further, Li Xiangfu, who usually believed in stopping at the last minute, couldn’t resist asking for the reason. When no immediate answer came, he frowned and inquired, “Don’t you suspect that your brother’s disappearance is connected to me?” If it were Li Huaichen and his friends who went on a trip, and only their companions returned unharmed, he would want to extract every detail that might shed light on the situation.
Qin Jin replied, “No need for suspicion.”
It wasn’t that he harbored no doubts; rather, it was unnecessary. One word made a world of difference.
After mulling over the cryptic response repeatedly, he found himself standing at the police station’s entrance in the blink of an eye. The walls bore the scars of many years, rendering the entire structure black and blue.
The policemen were courteous, expressing a touch of regret for having to bring them here. They even poured two glasses of water themselves.
From the adjacent room, Zhou Panbai’s shouts resonated. Despite being reprimanded for remaining silent, he only grew louder.
The policeman, somewhat helpless, remarked, “This man appears to have some mental issues.”
Indeed, Zhou Panbai was driven by a desire for success but also possessed the sensitivity and fragility common among artists. The amalgamation of these traits resulted in a delicate psyche.
Upon learning the details of the incident, they discovered it stemmed from cheating in a game, which didn’t elicit much response from the police. However, when they heard about Zhou Panbai’s intentions towards Li Xiangfu, the officer’s expression took a peculiar turn.
“He attempted to defeat me through mental manipulation,” Li Xiangfu sighed deeply.
“…”
After concluding the statement, they politely declined the police’s offer to escort them back, retracing their steps.
During the journey, Qin Jin suddenly remarked, “You still owe me a painting.”
While participating in a variety show, Li Xiangfu pledged to send a potential masterpiece by a future master. Reminded by his ‘creditor’, he responded with embarrassment, “I’ll do it as soon as possible.”
Toward the end, he inquired about whether Qin Jin preferred ink or oil paint.
Qin Jin slowly shook his head, suggesting, “You can consider repaying it with a meal.”
Li Xiangfu hesitated before agreeing. Given the substantial favor Qin Jin had done for him, a dinner invitation didn’t seem perfunctory.
“Li Xichun praised you in her circle of friends as an ideal man, even flaunting he lunch meal.” Qin Jin glanced at him sideways. “I’m a bit curious.”
Li Xiangfu raised an eyebrow, wondering how Qin Jin managed to glimpse his sister’s circle of friends.
He must have been blocked.
…
The tale of Zhou Panbai’s failed kidnapping venture circulated among the contestants that night.
Judge Fang was the most taken aback. How could he have envisioned that Zhou Panbai, who seemed as delicate as a dodder flower, was, in reality, a venomous snake? After the initial shock, he felt remorseful, secretly sighing in relief that neither Qin Jin nor Li Xiangfu had suffered any harm.
Due to the unexpected incident, the gathering was postponed by a day to allow the unnerved contestants to regain their composure.
In truth, Li Xiangfu was not frightened but rather disturbed. The next day, every contestant paid a visit, making it challenging to deal with the overwhelming attention, especially the slippery concern expressed by Judge Fang.
After bidding farewell to everyone who came to offer their well-wishes, Li Xiangfu went out to purchase materials, borrowed the kitchen of the owner’s house, and prepared to fulfill his promise.
Two curious children stood on the doorframe, eager to witness his activities.
Occasional “pop” sounds accompanied the frying of soybeans. The children would cover their ears, clap their hands exaggeratedly, and retreat. Eventually, the tempting aroma of soybeans lured them back.
“What’s the commotion?” The homeowner came over, grabbing the two youngsters. “Go back and do your homework.”
As they resisted reluctantly, he informed Li Xiangfu, “Someone from the TV station is looking for you. They came all the way from the city.”
Li Xiangfu, while sieving soybean flour, glanced outside and asked, “TV station?”
“There’s nothing small like sesame hidden in this village.” The homeowner lamented the world’s decline and continued, “Last night, a troublemaker broke his hand and was hospitalized. While getting treated, he kept cursing, saying that his employer was insane, kidnapping people to lock them up and force them to watch a striptease show.”
“Word spread quickly, and I don’t know which villager has a relative working in the media. Once they heard the news, they came rushing over.”
“…”
Even as he spoke, someone had already entered with a camera.
Several individuals from multiple media outlets, including newspapers and self-media, were present. Li Xiangfu wasn’t keen on being interviewed. Before he could decline, a girl with bright eyes and a radiant smile introduced herself and explained her purpose: “Hello, I’m a reporter from Cangyang TV. I’d like to interview you about what happened last night.”
She brought gifts and assured him that she would pixelate his entire face to safeguard his identity.
Not hearing an immediate response, the girl felt a bit awkward and rephrased her request.
At this moment, Li Xiangfu nodded, saying, “I have only one request—don’t exaggerate the facts.”
The girl’s anxiety dissipated as she assured him, “Don’t worry; we also interviewed the police from the station and the kidnapper. We won’t fabricate any details.”
“…”
The questions were prepared in advance, resulting in a swift completion of the interview.
In this era, TV stations vie with self-media for speed, as time constraints could result in the loss of popularity. The most attention-grabbing news always tends to be the quirky ones, leading to the creation of the yearly top ten absurd news selections.
Within a few hours, the interview video appeared on major social platforms and midday news. The kidnapper’s bizarre motives swiftly became a hot topic of discussion among netizens.
In the evening, at the Li Family residence
During the afternoon, Li Shasha and Mr. Li went through the enrollment procedures. Li Huaichen didn’t go to the company, and having dinner at home on time was a rare occurrence.
Mr. Li, informed by his eldest son the previous night that Li Xiangfu knew the truth, furrowed his brows and inquired, “Did he make another call today?”
Li Huaichen shook his head.
Upon hearing this, the crease on Mr. Li’s forehead deepened, and he admonished, “He never fails to cause concern.”
Li Shasha, quietly dining beside them, wiped the corner of his mouth and remarked, “Dad has already been reported as safe in the news.”
“…”
Author’s Note:
Li Xiangfu: Every day, I am healed by the gentleness of the villains in my life.
I bloody love this chapter. 10/10 quality content. Thank you for the translation.
Thanks for the chapter! So absurd, lol!
XD He trully never cease to cause concern
Thank you for your translation !!!
❤