I was just about to say something when Little Leopard on the other end of the line hung up.

The thunderstorm, which had been brewing for a while, suddenly poured down on the ancient city. Passersby scrambled to find shelter under the eaves, but I stood frozen in place.

In the cold rain, I couldn't help but wonder: Is there some kind of fate that allows them all to stay by my side, without so much harm?

I immediately rejected this idea. If I really thought that way, I would be punished by heaven!

...

The rain shower lasted for twenty minutes before stopping, but the traces it left behind were quite obvious. Not only did a damp feeling permeate the entire ancient city, but many newly grown leaves on the trees were also blown off, and the lampshades of the streetlights appeared dimmer than usual because they were covered with a layer of moisture.

In short, the street I was on was much quieter because of the heavy rain. I mechanically pushed my motorcycle and continued walking towards Cao Xiaobei's shop. When I was almost there, I suddenly stopped.

I don't want to leave this motorcycle with Cao Xiaobei anymore, because I feel it's hard to face him, especially after receiving Xiaobao's call.

I propped the motorcycle up against the corner of the wall, then lit a cigarette for myself...

"Michael..."

I heard someone calling me. I turned around and saw the policewoman, Wang Xiaoling, sitting in the patrol car in her uniform.

I smiled and asked her, "Is there something you need, Officer Wang?"

"Just a heads-up, don't cause trouble in my jurisdiction. Someone told me today that they saw you taking a bunch of people to someone else's bar... What were you doing there?"

"Going to a bar is definitely for drinking."

Why drink alcohol in broad daylight?

I countered, "Are there any bars in the old town that are closed during the day? ...If they're open for business, why can't I go for a drink?"

Wang Xiaoling held a walkie-talkie, pointed at me, and said, "Let me tell you, Cao Xue has a criminal record and is a key person under surveillance by our police station... If you hang out with these shady people, be careful you don't get into trouble."

"You're really resourceful; you even know who I'm with."

"Have you ever heard the saying, 'The net of justice is vast, and though its meshes are wide, nothing escapes it'?"

"I've heard of it, but don't scare me. I'm a law-abiding citizen and I've never done anything illegal."

"Oh, what happened to that injury on your chin?"

I glanced at Wang Xiaoling, but I wasn't flustered. If she really wanted to cause trouble for me because of the fight, she wouldn't have waited until we bumped into each other to bring it up. I replied with a smile, "I accidentally bumped into something."

Wang Xiaoling looked at me and then replied meaningfully, "You're an adult now. You should be able to tell where it's dangerous and where it's safe. Don't keep going to dangerous places. This time, hurting your chin is a minor issue, but next time it might be a different story."

Thank you for your trouble.

Wang Xiaoling glanced at me again, said nothing more, and then got into the patrol car and went to the next street.

I had a feeling that her emphasis on Cao Xue was not just a simple reminder. She told me not to go to dangerous places, which was probably a veiled reference to Cao Jinbo. This made me wonder if she had some grudge against Cao Jinbo.

However, such speculation lacks any solid basis and is therefore merely conjecture.

...

Pushing the "Little Ninja" bike left by Yang Sisi, I returned to "Jiulongju" and happened to run into Brother Ping cooking noodles. I stopped in front of his house, and Chen Jin was there too. After spending a day together, he and Brother Ping had become friends, so when I entered the house, there were already a lot of empty beer cans on the table.

I ate a bowl of noodles for them, and then chatted with them about some trivial things, but I was always distracted...

It's impossible for me not to worry about Yang Sisi's condition at all, but there's nothing I can do about it. This feeling is really agonizing!

My attention was only diverted when my phone, which was on the table, rang.

This call was from Ye Zhi... She's not someone who likes to take the initiative to contact others, so the fact that she took the time out of her busy schedule to call me is enough to prove that she's already in a relationship and is trying to change herself.

I put down my beer can and answered the phone. Ye Zhi's voice was as pleasant as ever. She asked me, "Are you asleep?"

I smiled and replied, "It's not bedtime yet, I'm having drinks with my neighbor."

"Drink less."

My heart warmed, and I paused for a moment before replying, "It's just a few cans of beer, I won't drink too much... You've arrived in Shanghai already, right?"

"Um."

"How was the situation in Sanya ultimately resolved?"

"We did as you suggested... Now both the village head and the village party secretary are under investigation." After a slight pause, Ye Zhi asked in a cold voice, "Did you get into a fight today?"

Of course I didn't want to admit it, and I was also puzzled as to how Ye Zhi knew about such a thing. Suddenly I thought of Nicole and then I understood.

Seeing that he couldn't deny it any longer, he replied, "It was just a minor disagreement."

"They've already resorted to knives, is this still considered a minor conflict?"

I sighed, "People who sing well all have big mouths... Nicole really tells you everything!"

"Thank goodness for Nicole." After a slight pause, Ye Zhi lowered her voice and said to me, "Michael, I know you did this to win people over, but in the future, can you put your own safety first... If something really happened to you, could I stay at ease in Shanghai?"

Feeling Ye Zhi's care, I felt a warmth inexplicably welling up inside me.

Ye Zhi stopped there and then turned to me and said, "I didn't call you to scold you... I just wanted to ask what your aunt and uncle like. I want to prepare gifts for them before we go."

If what I felt just now was warmth, this is genuine emotion. Ye Zhi's initiative in inquiring about these things proves that she truly cares about me, including my family.

For a woman like her, this is extremely rare and precious!