"I don't know his name—he was only held for seven days and has already been released. But luckily, my friend at the detention center secretly snapped a photo of him with their phone as he was leaving. They've already sent it to me," Madam Wu said as she pulled out her phone and brought up the picture.
Jiang Chen took one glance and immediately recognized the man in the photo—his face was brutish and wide, with a split upper lip that gave him the look of a wild wolf.
"I know this guy!" Jiang Chen said.
"What? Are you sure you're not mistaken?"
"I'm certain. Not long ago, he tried to ambush me on the highway outside the county under the orders of Rong Yufang, the boss of that antique shop in Xuefu County. I beat him up."
"Can he still be found?"
"Let me work on it. He's got a cleft lip—too distinctive. That face is destined for trouble!"
As Jiang Chen spoke, he clenched his fist and slammed it down on the tea table.
The teacup on the table jumped, and the wooden surface beneath his fist instantly dented with a loud thud.
Madam Wu's eyes widened in awe and admiration. She hadn't expected the man before her to be hiding such formidable strength.
A ripple stirred in her heart. That uniquely feminine yearning for powerful masculinity made her pulse quicken, and a flush crept across her cheeks. Thankfully, the sun had already set and the dim light hid her blushing face.
"I don't want you acting recklessly," she said gently. "I only hoped you could gather some information on this man for a future legal case. Don't use violence. That would only cause trouble."
Originally, she had wanted Jiang Chen to not only investigate the cleft-lipped man but also give him a good beating to vent her anger. But seeing Jiang Chen's calm strength had stirred something else within her—an almost overwhelming urge to surrender herself. Her heart had changed in an instant. Concern for his safety now outweighed her thirst for vengeance.
"All right, I understand. I'll be careful," Jiang Chen said.
Noting the deepening dusk and that this was their first real meeting, Jiang Chen decided it was best not to stay too long. He stood up to leave.
Madam Wu took out a large envelope and pressed it into his hands. "Just a little something for your time and trouble. Please take it."
"Sister-in-law Wu, Brother Wu's business is mine too. Taking money for this would cheapen it."
"If you don't take it," she said sternly, "then I'll find someone else to look into the cleft-lip."
Jiang Chen had no choice but to accept. "You're too kind."
Suddenly, her demeanor softened. The dignified widow facade fell away, revealing the gentle charm of a girl next door. In a soft voice, she said:
"Don't call me 'Sister-in-law Wu' anymore. Your Brother Wu is gone. Every time you say that, it hurts. My name is Meng Fengying. From now on, just call me Sister Ying."
"Sister Ying, please don't see me off. I'll take my leave."
Jiang Chen got into his car and drove off.
In the rearview mirror, he saw Meng Fengying standing at the gate, waving at him. The fading sunset bathed her slender figure in a deep amber glow.
A wave of sadness stirred in Jiang Chen's chest. What a pitiful woman.
If I can help her tenfold, I won't stop at nine—that's the least I can do to honor Brother Wu's memory.
With that thought, he turned the steering wheel and drove straight toward Xuefu County.
When Jiang Chen arrived at the front of the Guqu Hall antique store, it was 9:30 p.m.
The antique street was brightly lit and bustling with tourists.
Peering through the shop's window, Jiang Chen saw several customers inside. Rong Yufang was all smiles, speaking animatedly with a well-dressed businessman, apparently closing a deal over an ancient painting.
"Hmph!" Jiang Chen marched inside and cleared his throat loudly.
Rong Yufang froze. Just as the deal was about to close, the sight of Jiang Chen made his face go pale. His jaw dropped in shock. "You—"
Jiang Chen crossed his arms and gave a light stomp.
Crack!
The square stone beneath his foot shattered and caved in.
"Ahhh!"
Everyone in the store stared in stunned silence at the broken floor tile.
What kind of martial arts is this?
"Rong!" Jiang Chen roared.
He reached out and seized Rong Yufang by the collar, twisted his arm back, and slammed him to the ground like a pig ready for slaughter. One foot pressed hard on his back.
Rong Yufang's face turned ashen. Foam bubbled from the corner of his mouth. Trembling, he begged for mercy: "Please, sir, have mercy!"
The customers in the store whispered among themselves:
"Someone's come to settle a score!"
"Bet it's because he sold fakes."
"This shop must be shady."
The businessman tossed the painting onto the counter. "Forget it. I'm not buying."
Jiang Chen ground his shoe against Rong Yufang's face until it turned bloody. "Did you send cleft-lip into the detention center?"
"Innocent! I swear!"
"Then who did? If you don't name someone, I'll assume it was you."
"I wouldn't dare get involved in an assassination!"
"Oh? So you already know it was an assassination?" Jiang Chen said coldly and pressed harder with his foot. Rong Yufang's face distorted; he was barely breathing.
"Speak! Or I'll take you straight to the police!"
Rong Yufang's father had once warned him: There are three kinds of people in this world you must never offend—shamans, crime lords, and martial artists.
This Jiang Chen clearly belonged to the third kind.
And if he really did drag him to the police, everything he'd previously done—using cleft-lip to do his dirty work—would probably be exposed.
"I'll talk! I'll talk!" Rong Yufang's eyes were full of fear. "This time, cleft-lip wasn't my doing—I heard it was the Xu Corporation in Jiangcheng. They paid for it."
"Xu Wenbin from the Xu family? I know him. Who else?"
"I… I can't say. If I do, I'll lose my head!"
If Xu was involved, then the other party had to be Li Yuzhu from the Li Corporation.
"If you don't talk, I'll take your head off right now!" Jiang Chen pressed harder.
"It—it was Li Yuzhu and the Li Corporation."
Just as I thought!
Xu Wenbin and Li Yuzhu had clearly joined forces.
"And where's cleft-lip?"
"He's got no home. Just drifts around. Usually hangs around the county's 'barbershop street.'"
"Don't try to play me."
"I swear! If I'm lying, may I suffer a heart attack mid-hiccup and get hit by a car while farting!"
Jiang Chen finally lifted his foot off his face. "I'll believe you—just this once. But hear me: if you ever scam the public in this shop again, I'll personally turn this place into a demolition site."
"I wouldn't dare. Never again." Rong Yufang scrambled to his feet.
Jiang Chen left the county and drove back to Jiangjia Village.
Wen-xian was already asleep. The moonlight fell across her body, the blanket rising and falling with her breath, outlining her graceful curves.
Earlier that day, Jiang Chen had seen Meng Fengying's alluring figure—it had stirred his desires, and her image had haunted him ever since.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at Wen-xian's body, he couldn't help but feel drawn to her.
He quietly undressed, slipped under the covers, and wrapped his arms around her warm, fragrant body. He buried his face in her hair and breathed in her scent deeply.
Forget Meng Fengying, he thought. My Sister Wen is still the best.
Wen-xian was already awake. She turned to him and hugged him tightly, sleepily murmuring, "You're finally home?"
"Came back a bit late."
She reached out, touched his body, then took off her nightgown and whispered, "Were you thinking of me?"
"I didn't want to wake you…"
She flicked his forehead and said playfully, "What do you mean you didn't want to wake me? I'm your woman. If you want to use me, just pull me under you—what's there to be embarrassed about?"
Then she lay flat and closed her eyes.
As Jiang Chen lay on top of her, Meng Fengying's face flashed through his mind. For one brief moment, he nearly called out "Madam Meng" instead of "Sister Wen." But he quickly refocused and managed to complete the act without further incident.
The next morning, Jiang Chen called Zhao Liang and asked him to help track down cleft-lip.
Zhao Liang was well-connected locally, and it didn't take long before he called back.