Chapter Seventy-Three: Encountering Wang Ning Once Again

At the entrance of Silk Pistil Group’s lobby, cheers and laughter erupted, mingled with astonishment and disbelief. Zhang Hua’s expression was vacant, while Lin Sha, though delighted for Yang Jiekai, felt her heart pounding for reasons she could not explain.

Normally known for his miserly ways, Gongsun broke with tradition and declared he would treat the entire company to a street food feast in celebration. Qin Feng could not stop laughing.

Yet none of this mattered to Yang Jiekai at the moment. What mattered was that the appointed day was approaching.

Five million! A sum he once wouldn’t have bothered to glance at now stood before him like an insurmountable chasm. He sped through the city in his car, racing endlessly.

“If all else fails, I’ll just announce my return!” The thought flickered through Yang Jiekai’s mind. If he chose to reveal to the mercenary world that Night Owl was still alive, not only would five million be trivial—even fifty million would pose no difficulty. Employers would spare no expense for the privilege of hiring him. So what was a mere few million?

But he instantly dismissed the idea. He had quietly returned to China precisely to escape his old life, to live in peace and simplicity. If he made a comeback, money would never again be a concern. Yet what meaning would that have? Better to face the impending disaster head-on—even if struck dead by lightning, it would be preferable to returning to that blood-soaked, brutal existence.

Screech—

After driving for some time, Yang Jiekai suddenly hit the brakes.

He glanced out the window, parked, and stepped out.

It was near dusk. The river murmured softly, and smoke rose from the street stalls by the water. Groups of people, weary from a day’s work, gathered to enjoy rare moments of leisure.

Yang Jiekai thought of someone. Not long ago, at dusk, he and Wang Ying had shared a meal at these very stalls. That night, something happened between them. Afterward, they had not been in touch.

Yang Jiekai always felt guilty toward Wang Ying, sensing he’d wronged her. He’d tried several times to muster the courage to reach out, but each time gave up. Recently he’d heard she was getting married. Perhaps now she was happily preparing for her wedding.

Yang Jiekai gave a bitter smile. “But what does that have to do with me?”

He wandered aimlessly along the riverbank, his mind a jumble of thoughts. Even he could hardly believe he’d reached this point. This was the life he had once yearned for—quiet, simple—yet fate had dealt him an incomprehensible blow.

In a few days, if he could not survive the ordeal without the medicine, would he truly be able to face everything calmly? What would happen then? Total destruction, or transformation into a mindless, savage monster?

If so, would anyone miss him? Han Ning? Mama Wang? Liu Yan? Xia Han? Wang Xiang? And Qin Feng and the others—would his disappearance sadden them?

At that moment, someone suddenly shoved him from behind, accompanied by a stream of curses. “Damn, are you blind? Didn’t see I was coming through?”

Yang Jiekai turned to see several burly, drunken men swearing at him. The riverside path was wide, not at all blocked as they claimed.

“Oh? So what should I do?” Yang Jiekai replied mildly.

“Get out of the way!” the leader shouted, not caring in the slightest about the slim-looking Yang Jiekai.

“Oh.” Yang Jiekai moved aside. The men cursed some more, laughed, and walked past him, not forgetting to shoulder him hard as they went.

Yang Jiekai’s expression did not change. He gave a slight smile, as if nothing had happened, and continued walking slowly along the river.

He truly had no inclination to get angry.

Just then, Yang Jiekai, his head down, sensed someone blocking his path ahead. Without thinking, he tried to step around, but the person seemed determined to obstruct him, moving whichever way Yang Jiekai tried.

“Could you please let me pass…” Yang Jiekai looked up politely, but when he saw the person’s face, he froze.

“How… how is it you?” Yang Jiekai stared in disbelief.

The person did not speak immediately but sized him up, sighed softly, and asked, “Why didn’t you confront them just now?”

Yang Jiekai smiled. “I was afraid I couldn’t take them?”

“Can’t take them?” The person laughed. “A man who can single-handedly take down an armed, vicious criminal gang, who kills without batting an eye, and now you tell me you’re afraid of a few petty thugs? Do you think I’d believe that?”

Yang Jiekai hesitated, then burst out laughing, throwing an arm around the other’s shoulders. “Officer Wang, long time no see! Come, let me treat you to street food—the spiciest dishes, the strongest liquor!”

Wang Ying did not resist his affectionate gesture, laughing heartily. “I don’t dare eat with you. The last time cost me dearly, who knows what’ll happen this time?”

Yang Jiekai laughed. “Maybe the sky will fall!”

They chose a Sichuan-style stall, ordered a table full of spicy dishes and several bottles of potent liquor, and began to feast.

“Officer Wang, this bowl’s to you! You can use a small glass.” Yang Jiekai drank from a bowl.

Wang Ying frowned. “Looking down on me? Waiter, bring me a bowl—biggest you have, bigger than his!”

“Haha, then I’ll just drink straight from the bottle!”

“Whatever you like—let’s see who goes down first!”

They kept their word, rolling up their sleeves and chugging from bottles as if it were beer.

For some reason, seeing Wang Ying, Yang Jiekai suddenly felt in excellent spirits—none of the embarrassment or awkwardness he’d imagined, only immense ease. Wang Ying seemed equally unfazed, as if nothing unusual had happened, as if they were simply old friends reunited after a long time. Apart from the details of Yang Jiekai taking down the gang, neither mentioned anything else from that night.

After a while, both had put away a bottle of liquor each, and with their hearts weighed down, they were both tipsy.

“Officer Wang…”

“Just call me Wang Ying—it sounds odd otherwise.”

“Alright, Wang Ying, about that night, actually…”

“Stop, enough!” Wang Ying stuffed a crayfish into Yang Jiekai’s mouth. “Let’s never speak of that again. I know you didn’t mean it. Let’s pretend it never happened.”

Yang Jiekai thought a moment and nodded, mumbling, “Actually, you were the one who meant it…”

“Say that again!” Wang Ying’s ears were sharp; she heard his muttering and threatened him with an empty bottle.

Yang Jiekai waved his hands, laughing. “I didn’t mean that. I really didn’t want to bring it up, but recently I heard you were getting married, so I felt guilty…”

“Getting married?” Wang Ying’s brows shot up. “Who said that?”

Yang Jiekai replied, “A police officer told me. He said…”

“Utter nonsense!” Wang Ying abruptly cut him off. “Tell me his name and badge number!”

Yang Jiekai hadn’t expected such a strong reaction, sensing something had happened. “Was it a rumor? But he didn’t seem to be lying…”

Wang Ying sighed, called for two more bottles of liquor, and said, “Forget it, let’s drop it. By the way, why are you here tonight?”

“I missed you!” Yang Jiekai replied casually. “Ever since you stopped talking to me, I come here every day, reliving our first meal together—and that night… Oh, not that night, I don’t remember anything about it.”

Wang Ying shot him a sidelong glare. “Yeah, right!”

“I’m not exaggerating!”

“Sure you’re not!”

Yang Jiekai raised three fingers in a solemn oath. “I swear to the heavens, not a word is false. If I lie, may lightning strike me five times!”

As he swore, Yang Jiekai thought, Either way, I’ll be struck by lightning in a few days, lie or not.

But Wang Ying didn’t believe him at all. “Well, I hope you enjoy being struck by lightning! Are all men like this—swearing as if it’s a game?”

Yang Jiekai was puzzled. His acting wasn’t Oscar-worthy, but he’d fooled kings and presidents before. How could he not fool a female cop?

“How are you so sure I’m lying?” he asked.

Wang Ying poured a full bowl of liquor and placed it before him. “Drink first, then I’ll tell you.”

Yang Jiekai thought a moment, then drained the bowl in one gulp, licking his lips. “Done. Now tell me how our great detective saw through my lie.”

Wang Ying smiled. “It’s simple, no analysis or deduction needed.” She paused for effect, then continued, “Because since that night, I often come here. If you really came every day like you said, why haven’t I ever run into you?”

“Ah, so that’s it!” Yang Jiekai slapped his forehead. But after a moment, he stared intently at her. “But I have a question—why do you come here so often? Don’t tell me it’s for patrol—you’re a detective, you wouldn’t be working here every day.”

Wang Ying’s face flushed red, realizing she’d said too much, and hastily covered. “Why do you ask so many questions? It’s a police secret!”

Yang Jiekai chuckled. “I don’t know about police secrets, but it sounds more like the secret heart of a lovesick girl to me.”

“Get lost!” Wang Ying’s cheeks burned even hotter. “Who’s lovesick? You are!”