Having not slept all night, I fell asleep on the way back without much conversation with Mr. Song, sleeping until we reached the police station's compound.
The sky was already bright, though the sun hadn't risen yet. It was a clear blue, promising another sunny day.
I stretched and opened the car door to get out.
Just then, I saw Brother Hui, already handcuffed, walking dejectedly towards the interrogation room. He stopped abruptly at the door, looking at me as I got out of the car. In a calm voice, he said, "The younger generation is formidable, kid. You won. Remember, take good care of your life and wait for me to settle the score in the next life!"
I smiled and didn't reply. He was facing death, yet still eager for a verbal spar. He hadn't lived well in this life, and now he was waiting for the next. With the sins he'd committed, would he even have the right to be reborn as a human? Even becoming a pig would be an insult to pigs.
The officer pushed him along, telling him not to linger. He turned his head back in defiance and walked inside.
Mr. Song gestured for me to go to another building.
After giving my statement, Mr. Song invited me to stay for breakfast. I politely declined. I was embarrassed by my own smell of sweat and dirt. Moreover, I had been away for over ten days, and my family, as well as Jing Lei and Lan Ya, were worried about me. And Nana, she was pregnant; I longed to fly home to see them.
Mr. Song dropped me off at the compound. Wen Siqiang's car was already parked, waiting for me. As I walked over, Wen Siqiang quickly got out to open the door for me. Mr. Song took my hand, and as we parted, he told me again, "Don't be so impulsive in the future. Trust our capabilities, and don't push yourself too hard. Money can't be earned endlessly."
I nodded, agreeing with his words and understanding his concern. However, in the martial world, one often has no control over their circumstances. Some things aren't as simple as wanting them to be. Take this incident, for example: Brother Hui sent waves of assassins after me. If I hadn't been lucky, I wouldn't be alive today.
This simple and brutal method was still the best: a complete severance, sending him to where he belonged.
As the car drove onto the road, Wen Siqiang asked, "Where to?"
I said the shopping mall. Although I desperately wanted to go home, in my current state, I would surely frighten my parents. And Xie Nana, I was in rags, my upper arm bandaged, with bloodstains on me. It might even cause her pregnancy to be unstable.
Jing Lei's office had a bathroom. I decided to shower and change clothes there before going home.
Wen Siqiang was the same as ever; if I didn't speak, he never asked.
"Where is Qian Fugui? I don't see him."
"This morning, when I picked you up, I was afraid there wouldn't be enough seats in the car, so I didn't bring him. He's at the hospital now, looking after the injured person you brought back. He told me they know each other; they both served in the General's army before."
"Oh, what a coincidence? This young man is named Ah Bei. He played a crucial role in this incident and suffered greatly. I feel I owe him a lot."
Wen Siqiang mentioned that Senior Brother and his Daoist brothers had returned to the hotel to rest, and Qian Fugui was guarding the hospital.
"What about Zhou Yingying?"
"Zhou Yingying has also been arranged in a hotel. I feel her mental state is not very good. She didn't say much to me; after settling in, she said she was tired and went to her room alone."
I hummed in response. The mission I assigned her this time was not easy for her. She had to protect our secret while also appeasing Brother Hui and keeping him from suspecting anything. Brother Hui was already twisted, so she must have endured a lot these past few days.
It's unclear if Brother Hui still has people looking for us outside. Zhou Yingying shouldn't go home for now; staying with us is for her safety and to prevent anyone from using her as leverage.
Having dealt with Brother Hui, even if he has any remnants out there, without his orders, they probably won't act rashly. Our days should be temporarily peaceful. But who knows what will come next? At the very least, I know the son of Duke Kang of Nancheng, the Crown Prince's father, won't let me off easily.
I won't think about that for now. The immediate priority is to shower and get a good night's sleep. I've been in a state of high tension these days, like being in a wolf's den. Yesterday, I first fought three burly men, then was almost swept away by the rapids, and then engaged in combat with the men in black. After a day and a night, my bones felt like they were falling apart. All I want now is to quickly wash up and go to sleep.
Earlier, at the police station, the medical staff cleaned and disinfected the wound on my arm and stitched it up. Mr. Song insisted I get it properly treated at the hospital. I smiled and said it was fine; this small wound was nothing.
Reluctantly, the doctor gave me some anti-inflammatory medication and a tetanus shot.
While it was being treated, I discovered the wound was only a ten-centimeter cut on my bicep, not deep, just a little into the dermis. Blood had flowed down, dyeing my entire arm red, making me think it was much longer and that my whole arm was injured due to the pain.
I specifically asked the doctor to cover it with a waterproof cloth. Hospitals might not always have such things, but the police station did. Their nature was different from hospitals; they often dealt with emergencies, making such waterproof materials indispensable.
It might have been too early, as the mall hadn't opened yet. I asked Wen Siqiang to pack some food for me, and I went up through the employee entrance. I told him to go to the hospital to accompany Ah Bei, and I would call him if needed.
I took the employee elevator to Jing Lei's office floor. Stepping out of the elevator, it was dark. It seemed I had indeed come too early, and Jing Lei might not be here yet.
Her room had a combination lock. I turned the dial a few times and opened it. Let me explain, the old combination locks weren't like the chip-based ones we have now; they were mechanical, with a dial on the outside and many markings, similar to the locks on old safes.
I tiptoed inside, planning to surprise her. Or perhaps, it would be a fright.
Imagine finding a room full of tattered black clothes, a man lying on the bed, and me not having notified her of my return. Seeing all this, she might just faint.
I entered the room and turned on the light. The familiar environment and smell made me feel a sense of warmth and comfort, and my body and mind instantly relaxed. I walked into the bathroom, turned on the tap to let the water run, and took off the smelly, blood-stained black clothes.
I found a bag and stuffed these clothes into it, placing it by the trash can. I had spare clothes here, so I could change directly later.
The region of Ruili has mild seasons; most clothes can be worn in any season.
Some people can get by a whole year wearing just one set of clothes, so by looking at their attire, you could recognize who they are.
Here, winter isn't that cold, and summer isn't too hot. There are only two seasons: the rainy season and the dry season. As for the distinct four seasons north of the great river, they have no concept of that here.
The icy and snowy landscapes of the Northeast are like scenes from a fairy tale to the people here. They can't even imagine what that world would be like.
While the bathtub filled with hot water, I first rinsed my body under the shower. Otherwise, the mud and dried blood on me would turn the water into a muddy soup.
I hadn't had a proper bath in many days. My accommodations elsewhere were basic; I only managed simple rinses. My body was likely covered in a layer of grime that required vigorous scrubbing to clean.
I used body wash several times before I felt somewhat refreshed.