Back in the shop, Qiangzi was fast asleep on the table, snoring. Yu Daohan, with a sigh, lay down on the rocking chair and soon felt drowsy. He closed his eyes and drifted off.
The next morning, a phone ring shattered the silence.
Yu Daohan was woken by the sound. He took out his phone and saw it was his own alarm. Glancing at the time, it was already half-past eight. He yawned, stood up, stretched, and went over to Qiangzi. "Qiangzi, wake up."
Qiangzi, eyes half-closed, drooled as he mumbled, "What time is it?"
"Half-past eight," Yu Daohan replied.
Qiangzi rubbed his eyes and tilted his head, producing a few crisp cracks. "Slept on the table all night. My neck is killing me."
Yu Daohan shot him a look. "Only Xu Yayya has a room in the back, and your wife is sleeping upstairs. If you weren't sleeping on the table, would I be?"
The two began to pack. Besides healing Qiangzi's injuries, they also needed to find the spiritual spring.
Neither Yu Daohan nor Qiangzi had ever seen a spiritual spring, let alone knew where to find one.
As they were packing, Yu Daohan was about to go to the back to call Xu Yayya when the shop door was pushed open. Both men tensed. Qiangzi immediately drew the copper coin sword from his waist and reached for a talisman with his other hand, ready to throw it.
The moment the figure stepped inside, Qiangzi quickly stopped the talisman.
It was Xu Yayya, carrying bags of steamed buns and soy milk with fried dough sticks.
They both breathed a sigh of relief. Yu Daohan had found it strange earlier; by Xu Yayya's usual habits, she would have woken him up by now.
Seeing their tense expressions, Xu Yayya looked puzzled. Qiangzi, pocketing his copper coin sword, gave an awkward smile. "Xiaoya, don't misunderstand. It's just a reflex."
Xu Yayya nodded. "I know Brother Qiangzi means no harm."
Xu Yayya placed the breakfast on the table, and they began to eat. Qiangzi grabbed a steamed bun and stuffed it into his mouth, mumbling, "After half a month of Yunnan specialties, I've almost forgotten what other flavors taste like."
The mention of Yunnan specialties sent a shiver down Yu Daohan's spine. He was reminded of Qiangzi eating a ten-centimeter-long white grub raw. The fried dough stick in his hand suddenly looked more and more like a grub.
"Xiaoya, are you going to school these days?" Yu Daohan asked, putting down his fried dough stick.
Xu Yayya shook her head. "I'm already on holiday."
Yu Daohan nodded and cleared his throat. "How about you help look after Su Qing?"
Xu Yayya nodded obediently. "I was planning to look after Sister Su Qing anyway."
Qiangzi flashed his usual lecherous grin. "Thanks, Xiaoya."
Xu Yayya shook her head. "You're Brother Yu's friend."
They ate and chatted casually for a while longer. Yu Daohan slung his backpack over his shoulder and hung the Kang Long Jian on his lower back. He instructed Xu Yayya, "Call me anytime if anything happens."
Xu Yayya nodded obediently, a sweet smile on her face. "Have a safe trip."
Yu Daohan nodded and called out to Qiangzi, who was still eating, "Qiangzi, let's go."
Qiangzi nodded, slung on his bag, and followed Yu Daohan out of the shop.
They left the old street, and Qiangzi hailed a taxi to Yangzhou City.
The taxi driver rolled down the window. Yu Daohan was about to speak when his face changed. How could it be the same driver again?
Seeing Yu Daohan and Qiangzi again, the taxi driver directly quoted his price: "Two hundred yuan."
Yu Daohan pursed his lips. He dared to ask for two hundred yuan? Did he think I wasn't from Jiangdu?
"Master Yu, let's get in," Qiangzi said indifferently.
For Qiangzi, two or three hundred yuan was nothing. But it was different for Yu Daohan. In this world, he was the one who took advantage of others, not his friends taking advantage of him.
Yu Daohan gave Qiangzi a look and said, "Alright, get in."
Qiangzi looked bewildered. What did Master Yu mean by this?
The two walked to the back and got into the car. The taxi driver in front smiled, thinking to himself that these two were indeed foolish and rich.
Not long after the car started, Yu Daohan, sitting in the back, suddenly spoke, "Qiangzi, I didn't expect you to be so ruthless. One blow with that steel pipe directly broke that young girl's leg. It's a good thing the buyer didn't haggle."
Qiangzi looked at Yu Daohan, utterly confused. Yu Daohan gave him a knowing look.
Qiangzi then understood what Yu Daohan meant and nodded in understanding. "What's this? Master Yu, I'm not bragging, but back when I was running goods in Myanmar, there was this Burmese guy who dared to haggle with me. I chopped off both his hands and feet and threw him into the Mekong River to feed the fish."
The taxi driver in front, overhearing their conversation, his expression turned grim. In Yangzhou City, he had seen the two of them with a woman. One of them had something long hanging behind him, wrapped in cloth. What kind of thing needed to be wrapped in cloth? It didn't take much to guess it was a knife. Judging by their appearances, these two didn't seem like good people.
Seeing the driver's tense expression in the rearview mirror, Qiangzi smiled and leaned closer to Yu Daohan, lowering his voice. "Speaking of which, Master Yu, isn't it a bit improper to be carrying a knife like that?"
Yu Daohan waved his hand. "What's this? Back when I was on the Yunnan border, I always carried a gun when I went out."
Although their voices were not loud, the taxi driver in front heard everything clearly.
As soon as Yu Daohan finished speaking, he stared coldly at the taxi driver ahead.
The taxi driver felt a chill down his spine and couldn't help but tremble.
After awakening, there was a killing intent. Although ordinary people couldn't see it, their bodies' instincts would subconsciously avoid danger, telling them through fear that this person was very dangerous.
If you stared into the eyes of a butcher for too long, you would feel a chill down your spine, and your eyes would subconsciously avert.