Chapter Forty-Four: Full of Substance

"Big brother, can you teach me? I promise I'll learn well," Stone said excitedly.

Liu Jingye smiled and shook his head. "You just practice what I showed you earlier. Remember, the most important thing is having the courage to face your enemy, and the confidence to knock them down. There's no need for violence—we live in a harmonious society; why resort to knives or guns?"

Stone wanted to persist, but Lin Shengnan suddenly stood up and said, "Alright, Stone, stop bothering him. Go out and buy something to eat. Brother Liu, if you don't mind, join us for a meal."

"Sure," Liu Jingye agreed readily, looking at the elegant and striking Lin Shengnan. He secretly thought, "This girl is certainly extraordinary, with a true leader's temperament. She knows how to assess situations and create opportunities."

Men's friendships often begin around the dining table. By drinking with them, Liu Jingye showed he was not an outsider, and as they became familiar, Stone and the others would still have a chance to learn from him.

Stone understood his big sister's kind intentions, answered, and ran out, but soon returned, scratching his head awkwardly. "Big sister, I don't have any money!"

Lin Shengnan shot him a look, pulled out a fistful of cash from her pocket—some bills, some coins—and tossed it to Stone. This action made Liu Jingye see her in a new light.

"Clearly, their lives are not easy, but from her casual attitude toward money, it's obvious she doesn't care much about it."

Stone soon returned with some food and drinks, setting them on the table. Strong liquor filled their glasses, and even Lin Shengnan didn't abstain.

After a round of drinks, everyone loosened up, Liu Jingye included. Alone in a cold hotel was far too lonely; he enjoyed lively company.

As the saying goes, in the north they play cards, in the south they play mahjong, everywhere they drink and boast—it's the same all over the country.

After several rounds, conversation flowed freely. Stone was full of admiration and curiosity for Liu Jingye. He asked, "Brother Liu, with your skills, were you also involved in the underground world before?"

"Ah, the past is hard to recall," Liu Jingye replied, feigning depth, as if tired of the life of blades and shadows, having left behind the clamor of great men, now living peacefully in retirement.

"Tell us about it," Stone and the others urged, faces full of longing, eager to hear tales of blood and thunder. Even Lin Shengnan perked up her ears.

Liu Jingye took a sip, lit a cigarette, and his eyes gradually turned dreamy, as if traversing the river of time, returning to those days of storm and drama.

He began in a low voice, "Back then, I was still young, notorious in the surrounding villages as a troublemaker. Many boys my age followed me. Once, to fight for territory, we agreed to battle another group, and within our own ranks, decided that the winner would become the boss."

"What happened next?" Stone asked impatiently.

"We met by the small river not far away. The fight was inevitable. My companions pulled out their Dragon-Slaying Blades, Holy Light Guns, and Aurora Swords, while I... I took out a fairy wand. In the end, we were utterly defeated. We could never play by the river again, our territory was taken, and I lost all qualifications to be the boss..."

'Thud!' Stone was the first to fall off his stool, nearly killing himself. The others were sprawled everywhere, and Lin Shengnan was coughing from the liquor. Truly, this story was full of twists and turns.

"Hmm, the sky's growing darker, looks like rain's coming. I should prepare for the damp. You all continue drinking," Liu Jingye stood and walked out.

"He obviously doesn't want to say more, Stone, stop asking," the steady Hu Ming said. "Let's think about what we're going to do next instead!"

"Yeah," Dan Niu said. "This 'anti-drug campaign' swept over like a hurricane. The police are acting crazy, arresting people everywhere, clearing out anyone connected to drugs. The street gangs have all been caught, any venue even slightly related to drugs shut down. We've lost our business, too, forced to hide to avoid being implicated."

"This campaign was sudden, and doesn't seem nationwide—it's just a local operation," Lin Shengnan put down her glass and calmly analyzed. "I've heard there's a batch of powder on the market lately, poor quality but high price, angering buyers and small dealers. It might affect the whole market."

"Big sister, are you saying the police are intentionally cracking down, actually just reclaiming this batch of inferior powder to stabilize the market?" Hu Ming asked, shocked. "That's too much—even if there's collusion, that's beyond belief!"

"The powder probably all came from the same seller. Those small dealers know that selling inferior goods cost them clients—they won't buy from that source again," Lin Shengnan explained. "It's like a distributor getting defective goods from a factory, losing customers. If you were the distributor, you'd switch factories too.

Using this campaign to reclaim all the bad goods, then releasing premium goods into the market, would win back clients and distributors."

"Who has the power to get the police to do their bidding?" Hu Ming suddenly brightened. "In this city, only Imperial Dynasty could pull that off. I didn't expect their influence to be so vast."

Out in the yard, Liu Jingye heard every word clearly, and his doubts were instantly dispelled.

"Imperial Dynasty's protection within the police force has finally mobilized," he thought. "But I didn't expect such a grand move—a special campaign just to help Imperial Dynasty reclaim defective goods, and twice in one day arranging for Yuan Xiaoying to walk into their trap. I wonder if the protector is one person or several."

"I hope Yuan Xiaoying wakes up soon, or she'll be in increasing danger. I hope today's five gunmen deaths will serve as a warning to Imperial Dynasty, and they'll rein themselves in."

Liu Jingye began to worry inexplicably for Yuan Xiaoying. Just then, a large drop of rain fell on his face, reminding him that clothes were still hanging in the backyard, all washed by Wei Xiaorou's own hands.

Thinking of Wei Xiaorou, his concern for Yuan Xiaoying faded sharply. At that moment, Lin Shengnan got up and walked upstairs, glancing out the window, and in that instant her charm made Liu Jingye's heart race.

"Ah, is this the legendary Peach Blossom Calamity?"

Liu Jingye suddenly felt a headache coming on. He was, after all, emotionally clueless, totally incapable of handling such relationships. Should he accept all advances, or play dumb and wait to be pursued? That was the question!

The rain fell harder. Liu Jingye hurried to the backyard to collect the clothes, not wanting to let Wei Xiaorou's hard work go to waste.

He quickly gathered the clothes, turned to go inside, and caught sight, out of the corner of his eye, of thick white smoke pouring from a room on the second floor.

"Fire?" Liu Jingye was shocked. Listening closely, he heard movement inside. "Someone's still in there? Could someone have gotten drunk and started smoking, setting something alight?"

He worried about the house, but even more about lives.

Dropping the clothes, he dashed toward the house, leapt from the base of the wall, body aching but light as a dragonfly. He pressed his foot against the wall, soared again, grabbed the second-floor windowsill, and entered with remarkable agility.

As he steadied himself, he suddenly froze.

There was no thick smoke, no flames, only a young and beautiful woman undressing—Lin Shengnan, the big sister herself.

Her white T-shirt was pulled up, covering her head, leaving everything else exposed. The pale blue lace couldn't contain her proud curves, truly ready to burst forth.

"Ah..." A scream, both shocked and furious, rang out. Lin Shengnan hastily pulled her T-shirt down. Seeing Liu Jingye staring dumbly at her, she roared, "What are you doing?"

Liu Jingye quickly spread his hands, flustered. "I—I saw white smoke, thought there was a fire, so I came to check."

"White smoke?" Lin Shengnan was livid. She glanced behind her, and at the foot of the bed, sure enough, thick white vapor was pouring out. Gritting her teeth, she pointed at its source. "Look closely—is that smoke or mist?"

Liu Jingye looked and frowned. "What is it?"

"Humidifier—a humidifier!" Lin Shengnan shouted. "I have rhinitis. With the weather gloomy and pressure low, my nose feels uncomfortable, so I use the humidifier."

"Oh, sorry, my mistake," Liu Jingye laughed awkwardly.

"Then hurry up and get out." Lin Shengnan, seeing his gaze linger on her chest, covered herself and scolded.

"Alright, alright..." Liu Jingye turned to leave, instinctively heading for the window.

Lin Shengnan, both angry and exasperated, pointed at the door. "This way!"

"Yes, yes..." Liu Jingye obeyed, head down, walking past her. As he passed, he couldn't help but glance again—not intentional, just instinct, the natural reaction of opposites.

"Get out!" Lin Shengnan shoved him out forcefully.

She had thought he was a gentleman, a mature man with stories and depth, only to find he was a lecher, unable to tell smoke from mist, unfamiliar with a humidifier—clearly just trying to take advantage...

Lin Shengnan stewed angrily, diving under the covers, her face burning, heart in chaos.

Liu Jingye, cigarette dangling from his lips, went downstairs. He truly didn't recognize a humidifier; he'd spent the past few years living in the jungle, where it rained for months, humidity always off the charts.

"But I didn't expect that this tall, slender woman would be so voluptuous—quite something!" Liu Jingye thought slyly.

He had seen Yuan Xiaoying, a classic case of flat and fierce; Wei Xiaorou, with a standard figure and beautiful shape; but Lin Shengnan belonged to the grand and rolling waves category.