The electric scooter quickly arrived at the shop entrance. Xu Yaya took the key from Yu Daohhen's pocket, opened the shop door, and walked in. Yu Daohhen pushed the scooter into the backyard.
Xu Yaya walked to the backyard and looked at the two willow trees. "Brother Yu, where's my dad?"
Yu Daohhen steadied the scooter and shook his head. "I don't know. I haven't seen him since I asked him for help last week."
It was after that incident that Xu Gensheng started drinking every day, getting himself completely drunk.
When it was time for dinner, Xu Yaya insisted on cooking herself. Yu Daohhen had no choice but to let her. Soon, the dishes were served: one soup, two meat dishes, and two vegetable dishes. Judging by their appearance, they were quite appetizing.
Yu Daohhen picked up a piece of meat and put it in his mouth, chewing. Xu Yaya blinked her big eyes and looked at Yu Daohhen. "How does it taste?"
Yu Daohhen picked up another piece and put it in his mouth. "Mmm, it tastes good."
Only when Yu Daohhen said it tasted good did Xu Yaya eat with satisfaction.
Yu Daohhen picked up a piece of meat and put it in Xu Yaya's bowl, asking, "I'm transferring you to Jiangdu to study, how do you feel about it?"
Xu Yaya looked up at Yu Daohhen, her eyes shining with excitement. "Really?"
"Really," Yu Daohhen nodded.
Xu Yaya quickly scooped a few pieces of meat into Yu Daohhen's bowl. "You mean it, don't go back on your word."
Yu Daohhen smiled and nodded. "I won't."
After dinner, Xu Yaya insisted on washing the dishes. Yu Daohhen nodded and walked to the front of the shop, lit the stove, and prepared to open for business.
Xu Yaya walked to the front of the shop and looked at Yu Daohhen lying in the rocking chair. "Brother Yu, I'm not sleeping upstairs tonight. You don't need your room anyway."
Yu Daohhen looked at the slightly wronged Xu Yaya and smiled. "Alright."
He then took out a dagger from his waist and handed it to Xu Yaya. "Here, for self-defense."
Xu Yaya took the dagger, glanced at it, made a face at Yu Daohhen, and walked towards the backyard. Upon entering the room, Xu Yaya lay on the bed, hugged the quilt, and sniffed it.
At midnight, Yu Daohhen opened for business. This line of work was such that when business was good, a customer might come every three days, and when it was bad, the shop wouldn't open for a week. In the middle of the night, Yu Daohhen, as usual, lay in the rocking chair, his eyes closed, resting.
Xu Yaya, inside the room, suddenly opened her eyes. She glanced at her phone, got up, put on her clothes, and walked towards the corner of the backyard wall. Looking at the wall, which was more than twice her height, Xu Yaya placed her left foot on a tree, pushed off to the right, and simultaneously used the momentum to step onto the wall. Her hands grasped the top of the wall, and she flipped over.
On the deserted old street in the dead of night, a lone figure walked along the thoroughfare.
At the Flaming Fire Bar, Lu Cheng emerged from the bar with a girl in his arms, heading towards the adjacent street. As he rounded a corner, Lu Cheng felt a figure following him. He turned his head and saw a person dressed in black, wearing a baseball cap pulled low, obscuring their face.
Lu Cheng's heart tightened. He saw the figure pull a black dagger from their pocket and charge towards him. Lu Cheng shoved the girl beside him forward and ran towards his car.
Seeing the woman pushed towards him, the figure struck her neck with a backhand palm. The girl fainted instantly. Seeing Lu Cheng nearing his car, the figure swung the dagger. A scream was heard: "Ah!" Lu Cheng's thigh was pierced by the dagger, and blood flowed uncontrollably.
Before he could react, the figure had already reached him. It was then that Lu Cheng saw clearly that it was Xu Yaya.
Lu Cheng stared at Xu Yaya with a look of horror, stumbling backward, his voice trembling. "Xu Yaya, don't do anything rash, or I'll make sure you pay."
Xu Yaya's eyes turned cold. She kicked Lu Cheng in the stomach and simultaneously pulled the dagger from his thigh, plunging it towards his heart. Lu Cheng stared at Xu Yaya with a distorted expression. Xu Yaya's gaze was icy. "If you have to blame someone, blame yourself for saying what you shouldn't have."
Before Lu Cheng could utter a single word, he collapsed. Xu Yaya was about to deliver a second blow when a voice called out from behind, "Murder!"
Seeing this, Xu Yaya put away her dagger and ran into a small alley. Soon, the sound of police sirens could be heard.
Early the next morning, just as Yu Daohhen was about to get up and close the shop, he saw four people walking towards the shop: three police officers and a middle-aged man in a Taoist robe. The man entered the shop and said with a smile, "Yo, still not closed, Master Yu?"
Yu Daohhen glanced at the three police officers outside and asked curiously, "Old Yang, what's going on?"
Yang Yuan glanced at the three police officers outside. "Last night, a man named Lu Cheng was stabbed on the street next to the Flaming Fire Bar. Although he didn't die, one foot is already in the grave."
Yu Daohhen took the copper coin and examined it carefully. Seeing Yu Daohhen scrutinizing the coin, Yang Yuan added, "I've investigated everyone in the underworld in Jiangdu, and only your place is left, Master Yu."
Yu Daohhen handed the copper coin back to Yang Yuan. "Just summon his soul and ask him, and you'll know."
Yang Yuan shook his head helplessly. "It's no use. I've tried. It's as if something has sealed it; I can't summon it at all."
Yu Daohhen glanced at the backyard. "So you think the person is here?"
"No, no, everyone in the underworld knows your abilities, Master Yu. I'm just here to confirm," Yang Yuan quickly explained.
Yu Daohhen nodded. "I won't make it difficult for you. Go ahead and search."
Yang Yuan waved his hand. "Since Master Yu says there's no one, I won't disturb you." With that, he turned and walked towards the door.
Yu Daohhen watched the four people leave and then turned to walk towards the backyard. As he approached the room and was about to knock, the door was pulled open, and Xu Yaya walked out, yawning. "What's up, Brother Yu? Is something wrong?"
Yu Daohhen shook his head and smiled. "Nothing, just checking if you were awake."
"Just woke up," Xu Yaya nodded.
Yu Daohhen stretched and yawned. "I'm going to sleep for a while. I'm tired."
Yu Daohhen entered the room. Xu Yaya said, "I'll wake you for lunch," and closed the door.
Looking at the closed door, Yu Daohhen shook his head helplessly. The art of concealment was one of Old Xu's signature skills. Lying on the bed, he closed his eyes and sighed deeply.
In a daze, Yu Daohhen had a very strange dream. He dreamt of a man standing on the edge of a cliff, looking down at the bottom with a solemn expression.
Suddenly, a figure soared up from the bottom of the cliff, straight into the clouds. The moment the figure entered the clouds, the sky began to flash with lightning and rumble with thunder, followed by a torrential downpour.
A roar was heard, the heavy rain stopped abruptly, and the sky returned to its calm. The scene gradually blurred.