Free Web NovelThe sun had fully risen, and sunlight streamed through the window, filling the entire room.
The girl woke up in the simple bedroom, opened her eyes, looked at the white ceiling, and after a few seconds of Stunned, picked up the phone on the bedside table.
Jiang Li was woken up by her phone ringing. From the first message A Hua sent her at 5:30 AM until now, 8:42 AM, more than three hours had passed, and her phone had accumulated over thirty unread messages and more than ten missed calls.
"I actually slept through it..." Jiang Li rubbed her temples and murmured.
It had been so long since she was rescued from the Eclipse Society's stronghold, and this was the first time she had slept soundly outside of the Amber House.
And it was in a place like Happiness Community, where danger could appear at any time.
In fact, at first, she was still in a half-asleep, half-awake state, and would wake up with even the slightest sound, just like when Lu Yibei got up and left the room.
But later...
After pondering for a moment, Jiang Li gently shook her head, attributing the reason for sleeping soundly to the familiar bowl of instant noodles she ate last night.
If the Uncle was here to guard me, I should be able to sleep too, right?
Thinking this, Jiang Li picked up her phone and called A Hua back.
"Beep—beep—!"
The phone only rang twice before A Hua's anxious voice came through.
"Miss, is that you, Miss? You finally called back, you scared me to death, wuwuwu!"
"Last night..." Jiang Li's lips parted slightly, and the various experiences from last night flashed through her mind, causing her to lose herself for a brief moment.
"That kid didn't do anything to you, did he?"
"Nothing, we went to bed very early..."
"Oh my god!" A Hua on the other end of the phone suddenly exclaimed, "Miss, you, you already went to bed?"
"I knew that kid was good at doing bad things, but I didn't expect him to dare lay a hand on our Miss? Damn it! This time I have to teach him a lesson!"
A Hua had always felt that if she had been a little more resolute in her attitude when Jiang Li drove her away, perhaps Jiang Li wouldn't have been kidnapped by those thugs from the Eclipse Society.
Therefore, under the influence of this excessive self-blame, after A Hua returned to Jiang Li's side, she often showed excessive protectiveness towards Jiang Li and made some abnormal actions.
"A Hua..."
"Hmm? Miss, say it!"
"You also know that her current state is female..."
"Miss!" A Hua interrupted seriously, "Same-sex preference has existed since ancient times! Girls with girls also need to learn to protect themselves!"
Jiang Li rubbed her forehead and said, "A Hua, none of the things you're thinking about happened."
"Really?"
"Yeah." Jiang Li responded faintly, "Can you come over sometime later?"
Speaking of this, she lowered her head and looked at her chest.
Since her clothes were accidentally damaged last night, she had been covering her chest with an apron from the rental house. It would be inconvenient to go out like this.
"...Help me bring some clothes and daily necessities. I might have to stay here for a few days."
----
Before leaving the bedroom, Jiang Li was still thinking about the instant noodles, pondering how to say it in a way that wouldn't seem weak, so that Lu Yibei would cook her another bowl.
However, as soon as she pushed open the bedroom door, she smelled an unusual fragrance. Following the scent, she found Lu Yibei busy in the kitchen.
"So fragrant..."
Lu Yibei, who had already anticipated Jiang Li approaching from behind, pursed her lips and turned around, saying, "Of course, this is our Old Wang family's ancestral skill!"
Jiang Li rolled her eyes and teased, "It's not the Old Lu family this time?"
"This... Of course not, I said last night that your head wasn't clear then!" Lu Yibei retorted, then turned back and continued to get busy.
When Lu Yibei was little, if she had enough time in the morning after buying buns from the bun shop, she always liked to process them slightly before giving them to her.
The processing was not complicated, just pan-frying the buns with scallion oil and sprinkling a little white sesame seeds when taking them out of the pot. Simple steps could elevate the texture and aroma of the buns by a notch.
The buns Lu Yibei was handling at the moment were bought at the community entrance this morning, and the scallions and white sesame seeds were borrowed for free, uh, borrowed from the neighbor last night. Might as well use them.
"Sizzle—!"
After Lu Yibei evenly sprinkled a handful of white sesame seeds on the pan-fried buns, she flipped them over. With a light sizzling sound from the oil, she quickly took the golden-brown pan-fried buns out of the pot and placed them on a plate before the sesame seeds burned, then brought them to Jiang Li.
"Here, eat!"
Jiang Li looked at Lu Yibei, then at the golden, fragrant, and tempting pan-fried buns on the plate, and tentatively asked, "You got up so early just to make this for me?"
"Tsk!" Lu Yibei spat in disdain, "I've noticed that you're not only beautiful, but you also think beautifully. Of course, I made this for myself to eat. You're just a leech who mooches off meals."
It's just that I remembered Old Dad last night, and when I woke up this morning, I suddenly missed his cooking skill...
Muttering to herself, Lu Yibei picked up the chopsticks on the table, picked up a bun, and put it in her mouth.
Jiang Li watched as Lu Yibei prepared to put the third bun into her mouth, then finally came back to her senses and picked up her chopsticks.
If she didn't start eating, the buns would be eaten up by Lu Yibei.
As the saying goes, in this world, only love and delicious food cannot be let down. Who would have a problem with delicious food?
Although Lu Yibei's words were unpleasant, her cooking was delicious!
While Jiang Li was eating the buns, Lu Yibei suddenly said casually, "Oh right, when I bought these back just now, I met the property management people at the entrance. They invited us to a welcome party this weekend."
Jiang Li was stunned for a moment, frowned, and said, "You agreed?"
"Uh-huh..." Lu Yibei responded indistinctly while sticking out her pink tongue to try and lick the soup dripping from the corner of her mouth. Just as Jiang Li couldn't stand it anymore and was about to get her a tissue, she raised her hand and wiped the corner of her mouth herself, then put her finger into her mouth.
Her pink lips, crystal clear from the soup, sucked on her slender, pale fingernails, creating a very alluring scene.
Jiang Li slightly furrowed her brows, "..."
Why is this person acting so flirtatious even while eating breakfast?
Is there something wrong with her as a person, or do certain male behaviors seem flirtatious when done by a female?
Jiang Li muttered to herself for a couple of sentences, then calmly asked, "So, what are your plans regarding that party?"
The property management's welcome party definitely has to be attended. In the current situation where clues are unclear in all aspects, attending the party might be a good breakthrough.
However, the urban legend hidden within Happiness Community are bizarre. It's essential to plan a little before going.
"My plan is..." Lu Yibei put down her chopsticks, looked into Jiang Li's eyes, and said seriously, "It's for you to plan!"
In this situation where the battle could potentially affect the surrounding residents at any time, investigating urban legend, she is much more professional than me. Lu Yibei thought.
After all, Happiness Community is home to thousands of people!
It's not like the mobile game world of love and magical girls. Could it be like White Little Flower, tearing down buildings to get materials and gold coins? Lu Yibei thought.
Is she considering the safety of the surrounding residents? Jiang Li stared at Lu Yibei in silence for a second or two, then nodded and said, "Since you said so, then I will arrange the matter of attending the party."
"At that time, you should speak and do less, try to have less presence, and don't interrupt randomly in matters that don't concern you. You just need to assist me in battle at critical moments."
She said, deliberately emphasizing the words "interrupt."
Lu Yibei sighed silently, "How little faith do you have in me?"
"What do you think?" Jiang Li tilted her head and retorted, "Honestly, if we encounter a situation while attending the party, I'll be thanking heaven and earth if you don't abandon me and sneak away."
"How could I possibly do something like that? After all, I still love you!" Lu Yibei said, and danced a little dance for the girl sitting opposite her with her eyebrows.
Facing her trash talk, Jiang Li's expression was indifferent, as if the person sitting opposite her was an idiot, "So, your love is the kind that can disappear at any time, right?"
Lu Yibei shrugged, giving up the idea of arguing about this... After all, she is a core operative of the Night Watch, and I am a Strange Tale.
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Even if I told her that becoming a Strange Tale and causing trouble was not my wish, she would have to believe it.
However...
She's absolutely right!
----
After Lu Yibei quickly ate four or five buns, she got up, had her Coat change into a loose, casual outfit that didn't show her figure, and walked towards the door.
Seeing this, Jiang Li slightly furrowed her brow and asked, "Where are you planning to go?"
"There are some things I need to take care of," Lu Yibei said, turning around. "After all, you only gave me three days to prepare, and I still have a whole list of things I haven't finished!"
"Including but not limited to, continuing to chat with the Old man, continuing to practice at the art center, and..."
Seeing that Lu Yibei was about to enter BB Ji mode, Jiang Li quickly waved her hand to interrupt, "Then hurry up and go. Just come back earlier."
You said this... Lu Yibei's heart rejoiced. She turned around, waved her hand at Jiang Li with her back to her, and left the rental house. As soon as she stepped out of the main door, her gaze slightly condensed.
The chatting must continue, and the suona must continue to be practiced.
But more importantly, she had to meet with that foreman. If she could get information about the person who took the ancient sword, she might be able to get her hands on it before the welcome party.
As for why she didn't tell Jiang Li about such an important matter...
That ancient sword sounded like a very powerful Spiritual Energy item. If it was handled by the Night Watch, it might be confiscated, and Lu Yibei couldn't bear to part with it.
Let's see the situation first. If I can't beat them, it should still be in time to report it. Lu Yibei thought.
----
Hua City New District, Tanghan Art Trading and Transportation Company.
In the office full of ancient charm, an Old man hung up the phone.
He looked a bit old, but his mottled white hair was meticulously combed, his suit was sharp, and his eyebrows were firm, giving him an air of authority without being angry.
The Old man's name was Li Shunnian, and he was the behind-the-scenes boss of this company.
Behind the desk, a young man who looked seven or eight parts like the Old man was lounging on the sofa. While eating grapes, he casually raised his head and asked, "Dad, what did they say over there?"
The young man's name was Li Tanghan, the Old man's son, and the nominal legal representative of this company.
Li Shunnian glanced at Li Tanghan and said calmly, "We gave him tens of thousands of yuan, and that person has shut up."
"Hmph!" Li Tanghan sneered, "That guy surnamed Qin was just a small foreman before. If you hadn't spared his life back then, could he be alive now? He actually doesn't know what's good for him!"
"Old man, I'm telling you, how much money have you spent on him over the years just to keep him quiet? If you ask me, when it's time to cut ties, you should just..."
"Bang—!"
Li Shunnian's teacup shattered in front of the young man. Hot water splashed, almost making him jump up in fright.
"Shut up, you idiot! What do you know? If he dies, and even a little bit of information leaks out, it's hard to guarantee that the events from back then won't be discovered by the Night Watch!"
Li Shunnian glared at the young man, "If the Night Watch investigates, do you think our little temple can still keep that kind of treasure? By then, even with the protection of the Heavenly God, your Old Dad might have to suffer greatly!"
"..."
Li Tanghan was stunned for a long time, then stubbornly said, "Wasn't I just trying to help the family?"
After speaking, he was silent for a moment. Seeing that his Old Dad still hadn't spoken, his eyes rolled around, the corners of his mouth curved up, and he tentatively asked, "Old man, I've always had a question. Is that thing really a part of a Calamity Spiritual Energy item?"
Li Shunnian glanced at Li Tanghan and said, "Of course. Could the Heavenly God's judgment be wrong?"
"But I always feel like it's not! The Spiritual Energy fluctuations of that thing are so weak... Old man, why don't you lend it to me to study? Maybe I can figure out the correct way to use it?"
"Shut up! I think you're deliberately trying to anger me to death today! Cai Jin? Cai Jin! Come in!"
Li Shunnian's face changed. He slammed the table and shouted loudly. Immediately after, a tall and strong man with a buzz cut walked in from outside the door.
"I don't want to see this prodigal son anymore. You take him back for me." Li Shunnian said coldly, "Also, keep an eye on him. If he keeps talking without restraint like this, you pull out ten of his teeth every time he does!"
"Dad! I'm not..." Li Tanghan was full of grievances, wanting to speak but hesitating.
Li Shunnian was so angry that he didn't want to bother with him anymore. He closed his eyes, silently got up, and quickly left the office.
Li Tanghan wanted to chase after him and say something, but the person named Cai Jin blocked him with his body. Soon, he was dragged away by a group of Li Shunnian's bodyguards.
----
Li Tanghan returned home, lay on the bed, and stared blankly at the magnificent antique palace lantern on the ceiling for a long time.
Thinking of his experience in his Old man's office earlier, he was filled with resentment. If it weren't for his Old Dad, he probably would have erupted right then and there.
"Old geezer, you just don't like the sight of me anyway, everything I do is wrong, right?"
"You yourself can collude with those evil and wicked deities, and you won't even allow me to gather a few urban legend underlings?"
"Damn it, if I can't deal with you, can't I deal with that guy surnamed Qin?"
People are sometimes like this. The more you think about enduring it for a moment, the angrier you get. The more you think about taking a step back, the more you feel like you've lost.
Li Tanghan knew he couldn't do anything about his {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Old man, so he could only endure it and decided to vent all his anger on that parasite named Qin Dalin. freewebnøvel.coɱ
----
The address of the foreman Qin Dalin was asked by Lu Yibei the last time she went to see Tang Deye.
That time, she had originally gone to express her gratitude and incidentally invite Tang Deye to eat his favorite buffet. But who knew that as soon as Tang Deye heard it was a buffet this time, his face immediately turned pale, as if someone was about to subject him to torture. He refused Lu Yibei's invitation without hesitation.
That fellow Lu Yibei, just inviting someone for tea can make their bladder hurt. If he were to go to a buffet with someone, how could that turn out? It might even cause a death!
So, under Lu Yibei's repeated invitations, Tang Deye gritted his teeth and told her Qin Dalin's address, repeatedly cautioning her not to spread it, otherwise she might suffer great misfortune.
Seeing how mysterious Tang Deye was being, Lu Yibei suddenly wanted to meet Qin Dalin even more. Her intuition told her that Qin Dalin definitely had a way to find the person who originally pulled out the ancient sword from Happiness Community.
----
After leaving Happiness Community, Lu Yibei hailed a taxi by the roadside and went to the address given by Tang Deye.
Before setting off, she had checked the map. From the map, Qin Dalin's place was not very far, only about ten kilometers away.
But in Hua City, the complexity of the roads is only slightly less than places like Shuangqing. Navigation is practically useless. The taxi stopped and went all the way, taking more than an hour to reach the destination.
Upon reaching the destination and getting out of the car, Lu Yibei couldn't help but murmur as she looked at the building ahead, "In this day and age, someone actually dares to live in such a remote and dilapidated old building?"
"I don't know what Qin Dalin is thinking. Isn't he afraid of running into urban legend when he gets up to pee in the middle of the night?"
Ahead, wild grass grew on both sides of the crooked cement road. The dense canopy of the street trees almost completely blocked out the sunlight. Through the sparse branches, one could faintly see a cluster of red brick houses with a strong sense of age in the distance.
Following the winding cement road, after walking about a hundred meters, Lu Yibei finally arrived near the address given by Tang Deye.
It was a courtyard surrounded by dark gray high walls. The architectural style resembled Soviet-style buildings from the 1950s and 1960s. There was only one entrance, which had a large rusty iron gate.
Old buildings like this, which are broken and remote and have a high probability of being haunted before the night becomes long, are now places where people with even a little bit of means wouldn't continue to live.
After Lu Yibei entered the building, the situation inside was exactly as she expected. The long, dark corridor with severely aged walls was empty. The corners were piled high with garbage that hadn't been cleared in time, and the entire corridor reeked.
"How strange. According to Tang Deye, Qin Dalin made a fortune from the Happiness Community project. Why would he live in this kind of haunted place?" freёwebnoѵel.com
"Tang Deye isn't trying to fool me, is he? If that's the case, I'll just have to treat him to an ice cream buffet another day."
As Lu Yibei was softly muttering, the door near the stairwell suddenly opened a crack. The old iron door creaked open and closed with a groan, instantly attracting her attention.
"Hello." Lu Yibei walked towards that room, but the owner seemed unwilling to show their face. The door only opened halfway, vaguely revealing half the body of the person behind it.
The light in the corridor was dim. Lu Yibei could only roughly make out that the person behind the door should be a woman. Her eyes were bloodshot, her mental state was very poor, and she had a large dark red birthmark on her face.
"Excuse me, do You know where Qin Dalin lives?"
Although Lu Yibei couldn't smile, she tried her best to make her tone sound kind. However, what she didn't expect was that the other person's reaction was very strange.
As soon as she finished speaking, the woman behind the door glared at her fiercely and slammed the door shut with a "Bang!". After waiting for a long time, Lu Yibei knocked on the door twice more, but the woman didn't come out again.
