Chapter 111: Spending Money to Prevent Disaster
Danheng glanced at the clock on the wall; the hands were slowly approaching twelve o'clock. The direction of the gate remained quiet, with no footsteps heard.
The night wind blew in through the half-open glass window, turning the pages of the unfinished book on the table. The pages rustled softly, a sudden sound that seemed like a sign of unease.
Dan Heng reached out and placed a paperweight on the turning pages, silencing the annoying noise. But as the pages came to a stop, the turmoil in his mind only became clearer. The unease wasn't truly suppressed; instead, it pounded against his heart like a tide.
He stood up, his gaze sweeping across the empty room. After a moment's hesitation, he took the thin coat hanging on the chair and draped it over his arm.
He went to the door and turned on all the lights in the room one by one. The lights came on one by one, illuminating the room brightly, making it look like a bright and safe house.
After doing all this, Dan Heng stared silently for a moment, then slowly opened the door. Night immediately rushed in, bringing with it a chill and a faint dampness. Unlike the cool breeze of the daytime, the wind at this moment seemed to solidify the cold, seeping into the bones as it brushed against the skin.
The shadows of the trees in the yard swayed in the wind, and the rustling of the branches and leaves seemed to echo the sound of the pages of a book rubbing together, amplifying the worry in my heart.
Danheng walked to the doorway and stood quietly under the eaves. The lamplight cast a long shadow behind him onto the stone pavement. He unconsciously clenched one corner of the thin coat he was holding in his arms. His gaze remained fixed on the end of the street—the direction Chen Mi usually returned from.
He remained motionless, as still as a statue, yet his mind was constantly preoccupied. The sound of the wind, the shadows of the trees, and the darkness of night all seemed to be suppressed, leaving only the heavy pounding of his heart in his chest.
As he watched with bated breath, the sound of light, hurried footsteps finally approached from afar. The sound was extremely faint, as if the rhythm had been broken by the wind, its irregular and fragmented manner suggesting that the person making the footsteps was preoccupied with something on their mind.
Dan Heng subconsciously tensed his shoulders and back, staring intently at the corner of the road until that familiar figure gradually emerged from the night.
Shen Mi walked in, enveloped in the night wind, her steps hurried, her shoes clattering on the stone slabs. She seemed oblivious to the figure standing at the gate, her head bowed, preoccupied with considering her next move.
She didn't look up until she reached the door. The dim light cleaved through the night, revealing Danheng standing quietly on the veranda, still clutching the thin coat she had hung on the chair during the day. The lamplight poured down behind him, bathing him in a gentle yet cool glow.
Shen Mi froze, her steps faltering for a moment. In the darkness, she saw his gaze as calm as ever, but deep within his eyes lay a worry she rarely saw.
"Danheng... what are you doing here?" Shen Mi asked, somewhat surprised.
Dan Heng didn't speak immediately, but simply looked at her, his gaze shifting between her face and body, as if to confirm her safety. After a moment, he handed her the light jacket he was carrying, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable meaning:
"It's too late, I'll come out and wait for you."
Shen Mi was stunned for a moment, then reached out and took it, smiling as she put it on in front of him. The moment the clothes touched her skin, they felt warm and cozy, with a hint of the refreshing scent of vetiver.
Bathed in the lingering warmth, the delicate fragrance became even clearer in the night breeze, as if silently surrounding her, gradually soothing away her anxiety and unease along the way.
She exhaled softly, as if her soul had returned to her body, calm and serene.
At this moment, her heart seemed to finally calm down.
Looking up, she met Dan Heng's quiet gaze. The lamplight reflected in his eyes, and his dark pupils seemed to hold a sense of "peace," which dispelled her anxiety and the fear that had been disturbing her thoughts. The previously blurry images before her seemed to be gradually illuminated and become clearer.
"Let's go inside, Danheng."
Shen Mi took Dan Heng's arm and they stepped into the warm sanctuary together. As soon as the door closed, the night and the cool breeze outside were shut out, leaving only the soft light and faint fragrance inside.
Their conversation drifted softly through the wall, warm and ordinary:
"Danheng, what did you eat for dinner?"
"The dumplings were made with leftover filling from this morning."
Is there anything else?
"Yes, it's in the pot, still hot."
"Then I won't stand on ceremony!"
"Don't be shy, that was originally saved for you."
————
The next day, Shen Mi sat in her office chair with a stack of papers spread out on her desk. She wrote down everything she remembered, bit by bit, and then used lines to connect the relevant information, trying to sort out her chaotic thoughts.
On the white paper, the left side is covered with densely packed text and keywords, crisscrossing like a complex net, tightly weaving together fragmented clues. The right side—the part about Huanlong—is almost blank, with only a few words scattered across the surface.
Shen Mi frowned. The only certain information she had was that Huan Long was Sui Yang, and that Sui Yang had a weakness. Beyond that, she had nothing, leaving her feeling both anxious and helpless.
When did she take Tingyun's place? Did she have any accomplices in Luofu?
After much deliberation, Shen Mi finally concluded that he still needed to follow her.
But before she can officially begin the tracking plan, she must first prepare a piece of equipment to ensure her own safety.
Without a second thought, a name immediately came to mind for Shen Mi. This person was renowned, and it was said that his shop carried many rare and valuable items that could not be found elsewhere.
After getting off work, Chen Mi immediately rushed to Jinren Lane.
Shen Mi put on his mask and stealthily walked into the alley. Finally, in the alley at the two o'clock position of Qiankun Street, he found a shop called "The Inside of Brother Huo's Coat" with its half-open storefront and a faint light shining through.
A man stood at the door: he was wearing dark blue jogger pants, had a small bun on his head, and wore sunglasses at night.
Without a doubt, this person is Brother Huo the Third. It's not that Shen Mi is a prophet, but rather that this Brother Huo the Third looks exactly like the character model in the game.
Shen Mi took a few steps forward, revealing her intention to shop. Huo Sange keenly noticed her actions and immediately said, "Oh, boss, we meet again."
Although she knew this was just his usual way of greeting, Shen Mi still felt a strange, inexplicable feeling welling up inside her.
"Hello," Shen Mi replied politely, his voice steady.
"Come, come, this way please—I have all sorts of rare and precious treasures here, would you like to take a look, boss?" Brother Huo said as he warmly invited her into the shop.
Shen Mi nodded slightly. Seeing that the customer was interested, Brother Huo hurriedly led her into the shop, his gestures exaggerated and practiced, as if he was already used to every transaction during her visits.
"I wonder what you'd like to buy, boss? I have chanting machines, self-help products, fiery pepper sauce, fried sea anemones, sugar-coated fried pork, Qihuang detox pills, jade marrow and bone powder, fiery strong tea, five-grain jade liquid..." Brother Huo recited the recipes for all sorts of unusual dishes in one breath, like reciting a menu.
Shen Mi looked around and saw that the shop was filled with all kinds of food models, a dazzling array of shapes and sizes. She was slightly taken aback; it seemed like a wholesale recipe market, and a sense of astonishment washed over her.
She hesitated, her silence revealing a hint of uncertainty. Brother Huo didn't take it to heart, interpreting her silence as the shyness of a new customer, afraid to voice her needs.
So he took the initiative and said in a flattering tone, "Please don't be shy, just ask."
Shen Mi hesitated for a moment, then leaned close to Huo Sange's ear and whispered, "I want a miniature version of the Creation Furnace."
"What?" Brother Huo took off his sunglasses and stared wide-eyed, as if afraid he had misheard. He looked at the new customer in front of him; she was well-behaved and quiet, and didn't seem to have any mental problems, but this sentence puzzled him completely.
"Boss, are you referring to that enormous furnace of creation that powers the entire department, the very source of energy for the Industrial Creation Division?" he asked again, confirming his understanding.
Shen Mi nodded, his expression serious.
Brother Huo shook his head and sighed softly. He had thought he could open for business smoothly tonight, but he hadn't expected to encounter such a troublesome customer.
"Boss, you should go back." Brother Huo's tone was helpless and somewhat powerless. "If I had that technology, I would have mass-produced it long ago. I can't sell you what you want. However, if you need talismans to ward off the evil spirits... then I can get you a few."
Hearing him say that, Shen Mi couldn't help but feel that she had been somewhat foolish. She had only thought that the Creation Furnace could imprison the powerful Suiyang, making it perfect as a bargaining chip to threaten Huanlong, but she had overlooked the most crucial point—this thing was only controlled by the Bureau of Crafts, and she could not obtain it easily.
However, since she was already there, she decided to buy a few talismans for self-defense. Although she wasn't sure if they would actually work on Huanlong, it was better than leaving empty-handed.
"Then, how much are the talismans?"
Brother Huo smiled, as if he was already used to such questions. He pulled out a small stack of yellow papers from inside his clothes, and lightly ran his fingertips along the edges of the papers, revealing faint runes: "Ordinary amulets, three in a bag, can conceal your aura; slightly stronger ones are more expensive per piece, but the effect is better, and they also have offensive capabilities. Do you need one for short-term emergency use, or do you want one for long-term use?"
Shen Mi looked at the different types of talismans and weighed his options in his mind, deciding which one to choose.
Having long been accustomed to customers' hesitation, Brother Huo immediately seized the opportunity to actively promote his product: "How about this, boss, if you buy ten high-grade talismans, I'll give you five ordinary talismans for free, how about that?"
Buy ten, get five free. Brother Huo knew in his heart that almost no one could resist this offer.
Shen Mi frowned, secretly calculating in his mind: Although ten high-grade talisman papers were expensive, if he could get five more ordinary talisman papers, it would be worth it. Moreover, having more talisman papers was always more reassuring than having fewer.
She nodded slightly in agreement. Brother Huo smiled with satisfaction, deftly retrieved the talisman paper from under the counter, and skillfully arranged it.
"Boss, we need to order more high-grade talisman paper," he said while tidying up. "Please wait a moment while I contact the supplier. I'll let you know as soon as it's in stock. If it's inconvenient for you to come and pick it up in person, I can also have the Ingenious Bird deliver it to your door."
"To show my sincerity, how about I give you three more ordinary talisman papers?"
Since the other party was so sincere, Chen Mi didn't want to argue too much. She instructed them to ship the goods as soon as possible and then readily paid the amount. When Brother Huo heard the "beep" notification that the payment had been received, he nodded in satisfaction, neatly wrapped the talisman, and handed it to her.
"Boss, come again next time! Feel free to ask me if you need anything else!"
Shen Mi took the bag, nodded to him, then looked down at the deduction notification on her phone. She felt a pang of heartache; her newly received salary was gone just like that. She sighed helplessly.
Spend money to prevent disasters.
-----------------------
Author's note: My National Day holiday is over so fast! [crying][crying][crying] No way!!!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
