“How long does it take to go to the bathroom?”

Twenty minutes later, Gu Shen realized something was wrong.

He went to the restroom and confirmed that Song Ci had used peeing as an excuse to run away. There was no one inside.

Is that immoral bastard bullying me for being an outsider? Gu Shen gnashed his teeth in anger and returned to the noodle shop to pay. He saw the thin and tall boss with a towel hanging around his neck, sitting on a wooden stool and gazing into the distance with a smile. Only then did Gu Shen realize that… the boss seemed to have been sitting in that spot like this for a long time.

“Boss, bill please.”

The boss heard him but acted like he didn’t. He only slowly turned to look at Gu Shen and nodded with a smile.

This boss… seemed… a bit slow?

“Two large bowls with extra meat, eggs, and fried tofu, right? Thirty-six yuan. Including the wine, it’s forty-four. No tab for small transactions.” The sound of footsteps descending came from the second floor of the shop. The lady boss hurried down and looked at the empty seat with a frown. “You’re the friend Crow brought here, right? Did that kid run away alone after eating again?”

Again? Gu Shen was stunned. So, this isn’t the first time?

“Old Xu! Remember! Next time, make Crow pay before he eats!” the lady boss berated loudly while clearing the table. The boss was still sitting on the stool with his hands on his knees like a primary school student. He smiled while looking into the distance and slowly nodded.

The lady boss finished cleanly and carried the large bowls into the kitchen. She explained calmly to Gu Shen, “Sorry, Old Xu’s brain isn’t quite right.”

Gu Shen immediately understood.

After thinking about it, he suddenly understood the deeper meaning behind a few things Song Ci had said to him.

“He didn’t run away. He just had something urgent to do, so he left first,” Gu Shen said softly.

The lady boss, who was washing dishes in the kitchen, looked at Gu Shen in surprise.

The young man standing outside was clean and neatly dressed. He was clearly not the same type of person as Crow.

She wiped her hands on her apron and said, “You’re the first to speak for him like that. How long have you known him? Less than a day?”

“…” Gu Shen thought for a moment and said awkwardly, “Including this meal, a total of two hours.”

“Then, don’t believe a word he says, and don’t treat him as a friend,” the lady boss said casually. “Crow doesn’t have any friends, and there’s not a word of truth out of his mouth. A good young man like you shouldn’t associate with him. Anyone who does ends up unlucky.”

Gu Shen was silent for a moment before asking softly, “Then, what about the Little Lu he mentioned? Is she real or not?”

“Little Lu?” The lady boss smiled. “Little Lu is real. Did he take out a photo from his wallet to show off to you and brag that Miss Little Lu is his girlfriend?”

Gu Shen scratched his head. Only then did he realize that he had been deceived. He thought that he had at least shared a drink with Crow, but he hadn’t even seen a photo of Little Lu.

“Nonsense girlfriend. How could Little Lu like him?” The lady boss raised her eyebrows and sneered. “They played together for a few years as kids, and now he brags everywhere about it. As long as Song Ci takes a good look at himself in the mirror, he will know he’s a toad trying to match a swan. How can he be worthy of Little Lu? Everyone in the neighborhood can tell that he has a crush on her. He just talks big when he’s drunk, and only Old Xu believes his nonsense.”

She got angry as she spoke.

The lady boss slapped Old Xu on the head.

“Just mentioning him gets me angry!” she scolded fiercely. “Don’t let Crow in next time!”

Old Xu nodded aggrievedly. “Crow… isn’t bad.”

“No, no, no!” The lady boss was furious and gave him another rap on the forehead. Old Xu picked up the small stool, put it over his head, and ran off in a hurry.

Gu Shen found this scene both amusing and ridiculous.

“Little Lu isn’t from around here.” The lady boss sighed softly, grabbed a handful of melon seeds, and munched on them as she rambled. “That little girl is smart and beautiful, but she’s a little withdrawn and stubborn. But no matter how you look at her, you can tell that she isn’t a child that can be raised in our Old Town. I don’t know what her family was thinking, but they left such a lovely girl here alone for two years.”

“What is Little Lu’s full name?” Gu Shen asked curiously.

“Little Lu’s full name…” The lady boss had a puzzled look. After thinking for a while, she shook her head. “Everyone calls her Little Lu. We only know that her last name is Lu. No one knows her name, her parents, why she came here, and why she left.”

The lady boss leaned against the window and looked lazily at the sun casting mottled patterns on the alleys and walls of Old Town. “But we all knew… she would leave. This isn’t a place for her.”

…

“Hello.” Song Ci answered a call lazily with a toothpick in his mouth.

“Crow, where are you?” The woman’s voice on the other end was full of anger. “If you have the guts to cause trouble, don’t go missing! I’ll give you another hour. Don’t force me to use my Spirit Eye to find you!”

If Gu Shen were here and heard the voice on the phone, he would definitely find it familiar.

“Big Sister Liu, calm down. Getting angry is bad for your health.” Crow’s expression was indifferent and calm as he chuckled. “But is it really that big of a deal to give Chen San’s precious nephew a beating?”

Liu Yi suppressed her anger and replied coldly, “Just a beating? You broke eight of his ribs and almost sent him into the hands of the King of Hell. The South Hall used a Salvation Relic to keep him alive. Now, the entire South Hall is looking for you. Chen San is furious and says he wants to skin you alive.”

“How terrifying.” Crow smiled. “Since they’re going to skin me alive, how dare I appear?”

Liu Yi fell silent.

“Regarding this matter, you have to give Chen San an explanation.” She sighed weakly.

“Explanation? Chen San’s nephew picked a fight, so I fought him.” Song Ci shrugged indifferently. “Who knew that he wouldn’t be able to take it. I only punched once, and he went down… Could he be trying to set me up?

“We agreed before that there’s a boundary between the north and south of the Sincere Society that shouldn’t be crossed. If someone wants to cross that boundary, then I’ll follow the rules. Now that I’ve beaten the young and provoked the old, you want me to give an explanation. What explanation can I give? I’m just following the rules set by Old Master Zhao and him.”

Crow suddenly lowered his voice and chuckled. “Why don’t you ask Chen San if he dares to come to River Shoal without that titled person? I’ll definitely appear and give him an explanation in person.”

Liu Yi didn’t dare to answer. Crow’s tone already had a hint of desperate ferocity.

“Let me talk.” A gloomy voice sounded.

“Yes.” Liu Yi handed the phone over, and the voice changed to a man’s.

He didn’t sound old, but he wasn’t young either. He was in his thirties, and his tone was gloomy and angry. “Crow, I’m currently discussing business with the Chen family. You went and beat his nephew up. What do you expect me to do?”

The man reprimanded in a low voice, “You’re just a lowly errand boy. Can you afford the losses of the Zhao family?”

“Ah… So it’s Young Master Zhao Qi.” Crow laughed brightly. “Long time no see. Have you stopped fooling around and started doing business now?”

Zhao Qi responded coldly, “If you show up now, there’s still room for negotiation.”

“I didn’t realize you had the talent for business… And you’re even doing business with the Chen family. How bold.” Crow asked, “Is it in the name of the Blossom Flag Group?”

Zhao Qi fell silent.

“About this… did the old master give his approval? Did Mr. Cui agree? What about her?” The smile on Crow’s face disappeared in an instant. He didn’t show any respect whatsoever for the only heir of the Zhao family. Finally, he said coldly, “Just as you said, I’m just a rotten, lowly boy… But the person I run errands for isn’t you. I only listen to the madam.”

He paused.

“So… your business is in trouble,” Song Ci said expressionlessly. “What does it have to do with me?”

With that, he hung up.

The phone rang again.

He hung up without even looking.

Then he turned his phone off.

Song Ci felt that the entire world was peaceful now. He casually climbed over a wall, found an abandoned roof where no one lived, and moved a rickety old rattan lounge chair over. He lay in the afternoon sun, lazily humming a tune and closing his eyes to rest. But there was a faint furrow between his brows, and an inexplicable sense of restlessness lingered in his mind.

After some time, the sunlight moved from his face to his feet.

The scorching heat had abated.

Song Ci woke up from his fretful state of rest. He slowly opened his eyes and instantly felt refreshed.

A large umbrella had opened, shielding him from the sunlight. Holding the umbrella was a beautiful woman dressed in white. She was like a radiant jewel possessing a scared aura that could only be admired from afar and not blasphemed.

Song Ci shook himself awake.

He quickly sat up from the lounge chair and said softly, “Madam…”

Who would believe that this man, who was currently feeling guilty, was the same ruthless person who dared to challenge Zhao Qi over the phone?

The madam held the umbrella and stood on the dilapidated roof. This roof had long been abandoned and was littered with mechanical components and obsolete electrical appliances. The only thing worth looking at was the scattered potted plants stubbornly surviving amidst the wind and rain, although they were now covered in cobwebs.

With the madam’s arrival, the dilapidated roof seemed to transform into a picturesque scene. The broken components and machinery now appeared to be unique decorations.

“I sent someone to pick you up, but you didn’t want to come. I called you, but you didn’t want to answer.” Her expression was devoid of anger. Instead, it radiated calmness. “So, I could only come myself.”

Crow quickly turned on his phone and saw a series of missed calls popping up. He said helplessly, “It’s because of Zhao Qi and Liu Yi…”

“Yes, I already know. You don’t need to say more,” the madam said softly. “The matter has been resolved.”

“… Huh?” Crow was stunned, feeling at a loss as he stared blankly at the madam, who was as pure as moonlight. Only then did he realize that he might have really caused trouble. He said anxiously, “I just wanted to lay low… How did you solve the matter?”

“Because of the boundary crossing, Chen San apologized personally, but Zhao Qi’s business failed as a result,” the madam said calmly. “During this period of time, the relationship between the North and South Halls will be tense. Try not to appear. I’ll handle Zhao Qi. He won’t dare to trouble you.”