Chapter 41: The Closed Door
Hu Shang Ke, ever the devoted follower, naturally recognized the proprietress of Extreme Net Cafe. He and Chen Yan had been classmates in university. Though not roommates, they had often sneaked out together for overnight gaming sessions. Once, they had even been caught during a dormitory inspection and had to write self-reflections side by side.
Hu Shang Ke still remembered the first time he laid eyes on the proprietress—he had been utterly bewitched. For a few days, he had tried his best to curry favor, but his advances led nowhere. The proprietress had no interest in his kind, and so, the matter ended before it truly began.
Chen Yan thought for a moment. “I don’t have her number. Send it to me.”
“Huh?” Hu Shang Ke was stunned. “You’re the one who knows her best, and you don’t even have her number?”
“Less talk, more action. Just send it over.”
“Fine, fine. I’ll send it as soon as we hang up.”
After the call ended, a message came through with the number. Hu Shang Ke had gotten it under the pretense of reserving gaming seats—many students had it for the same reason. Chen Yan, however, had never bothered to ask before.
With the number in hand, he dialed.
The first call was rejected outright.
No surprise there. The woman had just run into trouble—she likely wasn’t in the mood to answer unknown numbers. Besides, scam calls were rampant these days.
He called again.
This time, she answered.
Before she could speak, Chen Yan introduced himself. “Proprietress, it’s me, Chen Yan.”
A pause. Then a familiar, hoarse voice came through. “Little Yan?”
Chen Yan remained steady. “I heard you’re in some trouble.”
Another silence, then—
The sound of crying.
“My brothers were taken away!”
Chen Yan frowned. “Which one? Second? Third? Fourth?”
“All of them!”
Damn.
“What happened?”
“A fight.”
Chen Yan exhaled slightly in relief. At least it wasn’t murder.
In halting words, between sobs, the proprietress explained the situation.
Her three younger brothers, solid enough to serve as door gods, had gotten into a brawl. It seemed to involve some sort of vendetta. Fortunately, the victim wasn’t gravely injured—just some bruises and scrapes.
But those three… well, they weren’t exactly strategic thinkers. If they had to settle a grudge, why not find a discreet place to do it?
Instead, they had gone straight for their target in the middle of a shopping mall. A mall! Where surveillance cameras were as plentiful as leaves on a tree!
The victim had fled, but the authorities were quick. By the next evening, the police were knocking on their door.
Now, the proprietress was on her way to meet the injured party, hoping to apologize and negotiate compensation. More than anything, she needed to secure a letter of forgiveness—without it, a harsher sentence would be unavoidable.
Chen Yan made his decision immediately. “Send me the address. I’m going with you.”
“What? Little Yan, you—”
“No more discussion,” Chen Yan interrupted. “You’re walking into this alone, and if they’re still angry, they might take it out on you. Someone needs to stand in front of you if things get ugly.”
The line went silent. She was still hesitating.
After a few seconds, she spoke in a low voice. “Little Yan, really, there’s no need. I—”
“Just send me the address. We’ll talk when we meet.”
He ended the call.
Moments later, a message came through.
Chen Yan glanced at it—and his expression changed.
Falling Cloud Retreat.
Damn.
Who had those three idiots beaten up?
—
The marketplace where Falling Cloud Retreat was located bustled with life. Chen Yan arrived early and leaned against a lamppost, scanning the crowd. Before long, he spotted the proprietress making her way over, asking passersby for directions.
She looked haggard. Dark circles lined her eyes—clearly, she hadn’t been sleeping well. She had thrown on a trench coat in haste, mismatched with her shoes, and hastily tied up her hair without bothering to smooth it out.
As she approached, Chen Yan stepped forward, grabbed her arm, and guided her to the roadside.
She gasped, startled, but relaxed when she saw him. “Little Yan, the place is just ahead. We should hurry—”
“No rush,” Chen Yan said, pointing toward Falling Cloud Retreat. “I already checked it out. It’s right there. But before we step inside, tell me everything in detail.”
She bit her lip, anxiety flickering in her eyes. Still, he led her across the street to a teahouse he had visited before—the same place he had used as a vantage point when he had tangled with Falling Cloud Retreat last time.
Once inside, he picked a window seat and ordered tea.
The proprietress barely sat before leaning forward. “Little Yan, I know you want to help, but this isn’t something a young man like you can handle. Listen to me—either go home now, or if you insist on coming with me, just stand to the side and don’t speak.”
Chen Yan’s gaze darkened.
The innkeeper lady let out a long sigh. “My three younger brothers have never been easy to manage. Over the years, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to clean up their messes. Fights, trouble—every time, I’m the one who has to track down the victims, offer apologies, and pay compensation. If I can get them to sign a forgiveness letter, it lightens the punishment. I’ve done this so many times, I could do it in my sleep.”
She glanced at Chen Yan and hesitated for a moment before continuing. “I’ve already looked into it. The victim isn’t too badly hurt—just holding onto some resentment. When we meet, he might lash out, say some harsh words. No matter what, don’t step in for me. My brothers threw the punches; if I have to endure a few insults, that’s only fair. Do you understand?”
There were some thoughts she kept hidden, afraid that voicing them would wound Chen Yan’s pride. To her, he was just a young man—a fresh-faced fool barely a few months out of school. What did he know of the world? What could he possibly do? His willingness to help was appreciated, but she had no illusions; she’d have to rely on herself in the end.
Chen Yan could roughly guess what she was thinking, but he didn’t press the matter. After all, anyone would think the same way. Expecting blind trust from others was unrealistic.
He wasn’t about to announce to the world: “I am a master of the Dao.”
Why should she believe in him unconditionally?
“Since I’m already here, a few more minutes won’t hurt. Tell me everything, in detail. I’m not saying I can solve the problem, but I might be able to offer some advice.”
The innkeeper lady hesitated, then nodded at last.
—
The matter was much as she had described over the phone.
Her three brothers weren’t the type to pick a fight for no reason. She suspected they had taken money to do someone’s dirty work. They were hotheaded and reckless, lacking any real skills, so they often took on shady jobs. Never anything major, but always something troublesome.
Otherwise, why would they, living near University Town, cross paths with the people from Falling Cloud Retreat—and end up attacking one of them?
With how well she knew her brothers, it had to be some bad influence from their so-called friends—someone had offered them money, and they had jumped at the chance.
“A few days ago, they suddenly gave me several thousand yuan, saying they had earned it doing some work outside. Told me to save it for New Year’s shopping. That money must have been their payment.”
Chen Yan nodded. “What’s the victim’s name?”
“Luo Qing.”
Chen Yan’s lips curled slightly.
Ah. Uncle Qing.
Why was he not surprised?
What a coincidence.
—
The incident took place in a bustling shopping mall. Uncle Qing had been strolling with some companions when the innkeeper’s three brothers suddenly rushed in, fists flying. The first two punches landed straight on his nose, leaving him dazed. Before he could react, they knocked him to the ground and proceeded to kick him mercilessly.
But what truly enraged Luo Qing wasn’t the beating—it was the humiliation.
He took great pride in his carefully styled silver-white hair, always impeccably groomed. It gave him an air of mystique, making him look like an elder with profound wisdom.
But those three bastards…
One of them had brought an electric clipper.
They pinned Luo Qing down and, right there in the middle of the mall, shaved his hair into a hideous, patchy mess—leaving him looking like a bald dog gnawed on by wolves.
—
Chen Yan wasn’t shocked that Luo Qing got beaten up. The man had a habit of playing dirty. Given his methods, it was hard to say how many people he had crossed over the years. Retribution was bound to come sooner or later.
What made Chen Yan suspicious was—
Could this be Boss Fang’s doing?
If Boss Fang had been the one to hire these thugs, then Chen Yan himself was indirectly involved. After all, it was he who had exposed Falling Cloud Retreat’s scheme to scam Boss Fang.
That Grudge Bone Powder-laced sandalwood incense had left Boss Fang cursed for almost a month—sick, injured, and hemorrhaging money.
Boss Fang wasn’t the forgiving type. If he found out who was behind it, why wouldn’t he retaliate?
Chen Yan had no intention of blindly defending the innkeeper lady’s brothers. If they had harmed an innocent man, he would have simply helped with the legal procedures and compensation.
But Luo Qing?
That man deserved every bit of it.
Chen Yan had a simple philosophy:
Fighting is wrong.
But if the one getting beaten up is a villain… that’s another story.
—
“Don’t worry too much. Whether he signs the forgiveness letter or not, your brothers are going to be detained for a few days. The letter might shorten their stay, but it won’t erase the punishment.” Chen Yan spoke calmly. “They’re not kids anymore. They can’t keep living like this. Maybe spending some time in confinement will teach them a lesson.”
The innkeeper lady glanced at him and sighed. “You’re not wrong, but… it’s almost New Year’s. I don’t want them locked up during the holiday.”
Chen Yan kept his thoughts to himself.
[So what if it’s New Year’s?]
He had never understood this obsession with preserving face and tradition at all costs. ‘Since we’re here, we might as well…’—people always seemed willing to sacrifice reason for the sake of keeping up appearances.
But he didn’t say that aloud. Their relationship was good, but at the end of the day, those were her brothers.
“Let’s go. I’ll go with you to meet the one who got beaten.”
Now that he understood the whole situation, Chen Yan stood and motioned for her to follow. Together, they left the tea house and crossed the street to Falling Cloud Retreat. Inside, they found a shop assistant, and the innkeeper lady stated her request—
Only to receive a curt reply:
—
“He won’t see you.”
The innkeeper lady froze, her expression turning anxious. “I—”
The shop assistant had clearly been instructed beforehand. He shook his head. “Uncle Qing said he’s not taking visitors. And if it’s family of the attackers, especially not.”
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation