Chapter 016: Unknown to All

The blood-stained gold chain was wrapped in a handkerchief and tucked into a pocket.

In the damp alley of the Sifang City, a streetlamp with a round, dim yellow bulb hung high on the wall near the alley entrance. She quickened her pace, tossed the leftover malt candy into a roadside trash can, and disappeared into the darkness around the corner.

When she returned to Sacred Heart Building, she ran into the barber, who was carrying his tools and just closing shop, on her way up the stairs.

Liang Kefeng greeted him, “Uncle Barber, why are you so late today?”

The barber laughed. “I was at the market listening to people talk about horse racing.”

Upon arriving at North Corner Building, she found everyone gathered in the living room watching TV. Aunt Liu saw her come in and called her over.

Aunt Liu handed Liang Kefeng a yellow triangular charm, and she quickly thanked her. “Thank you, Aunt Liu. How much should I give as an offering?”

“The offering is up to you. Just take the charm to the Tianhou Temple tomorrow morning and donate three or five coins, whatever you like.”

Liang Kefeng nodded. “And what about your fee, Aunt Liu?”

Aunt Liu took Liang Kefeng’s hand. The old lady’s hand was rough but warm.

“When others come asking for charms, if I’m in a good mood, I charge a hundred dollars per charm. If I’m in a bad mood, they couldn’t get one from me even if they offered me ten thousand. This charm, I’m giving to you willingly and for free. Just remember to look after my blockhead of a grandson if you ever make it big.”

It seemed Aunt Liu was using the charm as her investment in her future.

Liang Kefeng laughed. “Aunt Liu, it’s not like I can become successful just because I want to.”

“You can! Look at you today, glowing with good fortune. You must have done something good.”

She had just killed a drug dealer, though she wasn’t sure if that counted as a good deed.

Liang Kefeng smiled and thanked her again. “Thank you, Aunt Liu. I’ll accept it then.”

Aunt Hao, sitting on the outside, assumed Aunt Liu wanted to match her grandson with Kefeng. Normally respectful to Aunt Liu, she couldn’t help but interject today. “Aunt Liu, not to be blunt, but that Zhutuo Wei doesn’t seem like a good match for Kefeng.”

Aunt Liu rolled her eyes. “Of course I know that. My grandson has no education, no money, and only his looks going for him. I’m not delusional. And don’t think your family’s Ah Wei is a good match, either.”

Aunt Hao clicked her tongue and quickly defended herself. “My Ah Wei is well-educated and works in an office.”

“Yes, Ah Wei is very good. From his face, I can tell he’s destined for a peaceful life. A life of simplicity is also a blessing.”

In other words, he would live a mediocre life.

This Aunt Liu had a sharp tongue.

But since she was technically giving compliments, Aunt Hao couldn’t argue back and changed the topic. “Kefeng, where did you go so late?”

Liang Kefeng held up a bar of soap. “I went to buy some soap.”

As they were chatting, hurried footsteps echoed from outside. Liang Kefeng turned to see a young man running over, panting at the door. “Is Brother Xiao home?”

Aunt Hao pointed upstairs. “Yes, he’s up there.”

The young man dashed toward the staircase and bumped into Wei, who was just coming out of a room.

Wei grabbed him. “Hey, Quail! What’s with the rush, like you’ve seen a ghost?”

“Brother Dan is in trouble.”

“What happened?”

Quail made a throat-slitting gesture, and Wei’s eyes widened in shock. “And then?”

“He’s done for. Uncle Zhongzhi sent me to get Brother Xiao.”

Seeing Quail go upstairs, everyone gathered around Wei to ask what was going on.

Uncle Hao asked, “What happened to Ah Dan?”

Wei mimicked the gesture. “Someone slit his throat. He’s gone.”

Aunt Hao shuddered. “How horrifying! Aunt Liu, didn’t you say his brow looked dark the other day, like he needed to be careful? It actually came true!”

Aunt Liu probably hadn’t expected her words to be so accurate. She shook her head and sighed. “I told him his brow looked dark, and he said it was just lack of sleep.”

Liang Kefeng stood silently to the side.

Uncle Hao said, “Should have listened to Aunt Liu’s advice, now he’s paid the price.”

Aunt Hao added, “Good advice can’t save those destined for doom.”

The barber walked over with a bowl of rice. “I ran into Ah Dan this afternoon; he was looking for Brother Xiao. He even said he’d treat us to snake soup on the Lantern Festival. Who would have thought he’d end up as the feast instead? Who did it? Was it revenge?”

Wei replied, “No idea.”

Footsteps echoed from the stairs as Brother Xiao left quickly, with Quail following.

Wei grabbed his jacket to go out as well. “I’ll go take a look.”

Uncle Hao advised, “It’s dangerous out there. You should just ask Brother Xiao tomorrow.”

Wei replied, “It’s fine.”

Aunt Hao instructed him, “If you pass by the candy factory office, tell Ah Wei not to work late and to come home.”

“Got it.”

Uncle Hao then turned to Aunt Liu. “Aunt Liu, aren’t you going to stop your grandson?”

Aunt Liu, wise and pragmatic, replied, “He’s an adult; he can make his own decisions.”

Aunt Hao saw that Liang Kefeng was standing there, looking a bit shaken, and quickly reminded her, “As long as you stay home, you’ll be safe. And in the future, don’t go out alone at night, especially as a young woman.”

Liang Kefeng obediently nodded. “Understood.”

As everyone continued chatting in the living room, Liang Kefeng quietly went upstairs. Just as she reached the second floor, she ran into Sister Man.

Xiao Taozi, a young girl, stood at the doorway holding her clothes for a change, waiting for her mom. It looked like she was about to go downstairs to take a bath.

“Big Sister Feng!” Xiao Taozi wore a thick, pretty princess dress, looking cute and speaking sweetly.

Although they lived in an environment like the Sifang City, it was clear that Sister Man was doing her best to provide her daughter with a good life.

Liang Kefeng patted Xiao Taozi’s little head. “Xiao Taozi, why are you standing here alone?”

“I’m waiting for Mommy to go downstairs to take a bath.”

Sister Man came out of the room with a basin, and they greeted each other. Sister Man asked if something had happened.

Liang Kefeng shook her head. “They were saying someone was killed, but I don’t know the details. They’re discussing it downstairs.”

Holding Xiao Taozi’s hand, Sister Man led her downstairs. Xiao Taozi curiously asked, “Mommy, who got killed?”

Sister Man gently replied, “No one, Xiao Taozi must have heard wrong. Auntie is just going to kill a chicken.”

Hearing Liang Kefeng and Sister Man talking, Cheng Yaojin came out of his room. Until then, he had no idea what his boss had been up to. Who could have guessed she’d gone out and, without a word to him, cleanly took care of Ah Dan.

“Sister Feng, you’re really… something else! You really hit it out of the park!” Cheng Yaojin expressed sincere admiration, elevating her from a “sister” to a big sister figure.

Liang Kefeng responded quietly, “He recognized me and even dared to blackmail me…”

“Drug dealers like that deserve to die! No one saw you, right?”

Liang Kefeng shook her head. “No.”

She handed the gold chain wrapped in a handkerchief to Cheng Yaojin. “Clean it up and keep it.”

This was a tool for framing. As for who she would frame, she hadn’t yet decided. She would play it by ear.

—

That night, Brother Xiao came home late, and Cheng Yaojin managed to get some information from Zhutuo Wei. Apparently, Ah Dan’s boss, Uncle Zhongzhi from the East District, had vowed to find the real culprit and avenge Ah Dan.

The next day at noon, everyone except Sister Man and her daughter gathered at home for lunch. They were all probing Brother Xiao about Ah Dan’s situation.

Brother Xiao, in his thirties, was tall and well-groomed, usually seen sporting a light-colored pair of sunglasses. However, he was tight-lipped; no matter how much everyone asked, he only said, “It’s still under investigation, and there are no leads yet.”

Since Brother Xiao didn’t say much, Zhutuo Wei began to share what he’d heard. “I heard the killer was a pro. The wound was super clean, which means they’ve had training. Quail and the others were only separated from Brother Dan for less than three minutes before he got killed. Impressive, right?”

Uncle Hao passed him the salted fish from across the table. “Did you see the wound?”

“No, they didn’t let us look. I heard from Quail. At first, they thought the weapon was a razor blade. But razor blades are too thin and soft to cut so deep. It was probably a surgical knife or a barber’s blade.”

The barber chuckled, “My razor is definitely sharp enough—could slice a throat or even a pig.”

Aunt Hao immediately cautioned him, “Hey, barber, don’t joke around! You might get suspected!”

The barber scoffed, “Suspect me? I only cut hair, not heads.”

Everyone burst into laughter.

Cheng Yaojin casually asked, “Was it revenge or robbery?”

“I’d like to know too.” Zhutuo Wei looked over at Brother Xiao, “I heard Ah Dan’s gold chain and wallet were missing. Does that mean it was robbery?”

Brother Xiao put down his chopsticks. “Alright, you all keep eating. I have something to do.”

Brother Xiao was the authority in this room, and since he wasn’t willing to share, no one dared press further. After he left, the rest continued discussing and speculating.

The barber suggested, “I think it was a robbery! Such a big gold chain hanging around his neck in an empty alley at night—who wouldn’t kill for that?”

Aunt Hao agreed, “I think so too. That’s why they say don’t flaunt your wealth. Isn’t that right, Grandma Liu?”

Grandma Liu, focused on eating, replied, “I’m not a cop, so how would I know?”

Ah Huan was the only one who disagreed, “Brother Dan was so fierce, no street robber could have killed him. He must have had a lot of enemies, and someone specifically targeted him. Also…”

Aunt Hao interrupted her daughter, “What do you know, young lady?! You should learn from Sister Feng. Look how Sister Feng quietly eats her food, like a proper young woman.”

Gentlewoman Liang Kefeng smiled slightly, “Ah Huan’s analysis is pretty accurate.”

Clear logic—she was the one closest to the truth.

“Right?!” Ah Huan happily served her a piece of fish. “I feel a connection with Sister Feng.”

Aunt Hao scolded her daughter again, then turned to her son, “Ah Wei, can you arrange for Sister Feng’s interview tomorrow?”

Although Ah Wei wasn’t much of a talker, he was reliable. “Tomorrow morning. I already told her.”

“If Sister Feng finds a job too, then you siblings can settle in here peacefully,” Aunt Hao said, genuinely happy for them and, equally, for the commission she’d earn.

After lunch, Liang Kefeng took a nap and didn’t wake until nearly three. She refreshed herself, dressed her wounds, and donned her wig.

At this time, the second floor was empty except for her.

Near her doorframe, there were several tiny holes. When she was sure no one was around, she used a wire to enlarge one hole until it was about the size of her pinky, like a peephole, just enough to see the hallway.

Once she was done, she went to the window, where a small corner of the newspaper stuck on the glass was peeled away, giving her a view of the vegetable patch, the entrance to the Sacred Heart building, and the South Corner building.

She returned to the door, sticking the removed newspaper piece over the newly created “peephole.”

Two peepholes, each like an eye.

There was a library in the union office downstairs with plenty of books. She’d asked Ah Wei to borrow some magazines and yearbooks to help her get familiar with Port City and the Sifang City.

Sitting by the window reading, she noticed how quiet it was outside, save for the occasional bird perched on the loquat tree at the end of the vegetable patch. She’d already grown accustomed to the roaring sounds of planes coming and going after several days here.

Her teacher used to say she was exceptionally adaptable—a natural talent for espionage.

She glanced at her watch. It was nearly 5:30. She was waiting for Uncle Kun’s people to deliver the “sweet potatoes.”

From her vantage point, she could see anyone approaching from the Sacred Heart building’s stairs.

As it happened, she spotted a group of men emerging from the rooftop stairwell, at least seven or eight, and they looked ready for trouble. Among them was the barber, who was being pushed forward.

Liang Kefeng quickly tucked the blade hidden in her sleeve back under her bed frame, along with the gold chain…

She rushed out to unlock Cheng Yaojin’s room.

His room was even more barebones than hers—no wardrobe, clothes stacked on the table, and his bedding a crumpled mess.

She lifted the mattress, tore open a small slit, and pulled out the gold chain. There was nowhere appropriate to hide it on her person, and she couldn’t find a more concealed hiding spot. In theory, she could hide it outside among the vines, but with people around, that wasn’t convenient either.

In the end, she stuffed the gold chain into her shoe, intending to take it out with her.

Closing the door, she walked downstairs. The first floor was bustling; members of the Shuanglong Hall investigation team had arrived to search the place.

Quail was there too.

The barber, looking distressed, said, “My razor really is gone! It went missing this morning. Brother Changan, you’ve got to believe me!”

The leader of the investigation team, Liu Changan, looked young and obviously didn’t trust the barber. “We investigated. Out of all the barbers, you’re the only one still outside after eight last night.”

“I was outside after eight because I closed up late. I was listening to people talk about horse racing.”

“And your witness? You don’t have one.”

“Everyone in the market talks about horse racing; nobody’s paying attention to who’s who! I had no quarrel with Dan, why would I kill him? Brother Changan, look how skinny I am; there’s no way I could’ve overpowered him!”

“Enough nonsense! Which room is yours?”

The barber pointed inward, and a group went into his room while others turned the bathroom and living room upside down.

Aunt Hao stood nearby and gently reminded them, “Hey, young men, try not to make too much mess. I still have to clean up later. Quail! Quail! Say something to them!”

Quail looked helpless, but the investigators continued their heavy-handed search.

One of them was even more arrogant, snapping, “Auntie, step aside! Don’t stand here babbling!”

“Good-for-nothing Li Baozi!” Aunt Huan muttered from the side.

Aunt Hao quickly pulled her daughter aside, signaling her not to speak.

Liang Kefeng came over to Aunt Hao and quietly asked, “Aunt Hao, what’s going on?”

Aunt Hao scoffed, “Shuanglong Hall suspects the barber of killing Dan. He doesn’t even dare kill a duck; how could he kill someone?”

“What are they looking for?”

“The razor and a gold chain,” Aunt Huan answered for her.

Liang Kefeng looked around; the only people in the room were Aunt Hao and her daughter, Aunt Huan. She asked, “Where’s Aunt Liu?”

“She went to pray for someone.”

“There’s a bunch of scallions in her vegetable patch. I’ll go pick some and use them to make pickled scallions tonight.”

“Take what you want, and grab some greens while you’re at it. I’ll settle up with Aunt Liu later.”

Liang Kefeng grabbed a basket from the kitchen, and as she walked out, one of the investigators exiting the bathroom glanced at her and said, “Didn’t you hear Brother Changan’s order? No one’s allowed to leave the house!”

Liang Kefeng genuinely hadn’t heard, so she replied in a compliant tone, “I’m just picking some vegetables. I’m not leaving.”

Standing by the side door, she found a pair of Aunt Liu’s gardening sleeves in the bamboo basket. After putting them on, she slipped outside when no one was looking.

Aunt Huan quickly caught up with her. “Sister Feng, I’ll go with you to pick vegetables.”

Although she preferred to be alone, having someone along could serve as extra cover, so Liang Kefeng paused to wait for Aunt Huan.

They went to the nearby vegetable patch, where scallions and garlic were growing. Liang Kefeng had never picked vegetables before and wasn’t sure how to pick scallions.

Aunt Huan showed her, “Take a few of the bigger stems from each bunch. Don’t pull them all out. Weren’t you from the mainland? How come you don’t know how to pick vegetables?”

Liang Kefeng smiled evasively, “My family lived in the county; we didn’t have land to grow vegetables.”

The fresh scallions had a strong, pleasant aroma.

Scanning Aunt Liu’s vegetable patch, Liang Kefeng noticed some large cabbages not far away and stood up. “Your mom told me to pick some greens too; I’ll see which ones are good.”

“Anything’s fine as long as it’s not mustard greens. I’m tired of those,” Aunt Huan replied.

“How about cabbage?” Liang Kefeng walked toward the cabbage rows. There were four rows, and she quickly found her target—a half-open cabbage. She tucked the gold chain into the cabbage core, hiding it flawlessly.

Just as she finished, Aunt Huan came over with her picked scallions.

Without hesitation, Liang Kefeng twisted off a nearby cabbage.

Aunt Huan remarked, “The cabbages Aunt Liu grows are huge; one head can last for two meals.”

“With so many people, I doubt it’ll last two meals.” Liang Kefeng picked up the cabbage she’d twisted off.

Thud!

“Ouch!”

Aunt Huan had stumbled and fallen onto the cabbage patch, landing right on the half-open cabbage.

Liang Kefeng was speechless. What a stroke of luck.

She quickly helped Aunt Huan up, ready to improvise if needed.

But before she could say anything, Aunt Huan rubbed her backside and grumbled, “What was that? Something poked me.”

She turned to inspect the cabbage she’d squashed, and in the next moment, her eyes widened in shock. Clutching her throat, she whispered urgently, “Sister Feng! Look!”

She saw the character “Dan” engraved on the gold chain’s pendant, and her voice wavered with fright.

She mouthed, “Dan’s.”

Liang Kefeng quickly glanced toward the north corner of the building. A few people stood talking at the door, and one of them was looking in their direction.

She crouched down, shielding their view from the north corner, and calmly advised Aunt Huan, “Stay calm.”

“Who hid this here? The barber? No, it couldn’t be him. Then, Zhutuo Wei? Of course! This is Aunt Liu’s vegetable patch! It must be Zhutuo Wei!” Aunt Huan quickly concluded and assumed Zhutuo Wei was responsible, not needing any excuse from Liang Kefeng.

“What should we do, Sister Feng?” she asked nervously.

“Put it in another cabbage and pretend we know nothing,” Liang Kefeng suggested.

Aunt Huan nodded vigorously. “You’re right! We’ll pretend we know nothing. But what if he finds out and silences us?”

Aunt Huan’s vivid imagination made her close her eyes as if she could already see Zhutuo Wei coming at her with a cleaver.

Liang Kefeng was speechless at her imagination.

“Hey! You two, hurry up!” an investigator yelled at them.

Liang Kefeng replied with a quick acknowledgment.

Moving quickly, Aunt Huan picked up the gold chain and shoved it into another cabbage with impressive speed, surprising Liang Kefeng.

Once it was hidden, Aunt Huan stood up, brushing herself off.

Liang Kefeng twisted off the cabbage that had been squashed and placed it in the basket.

“Let’s keep this to ourselves. No need to tell my brother or your family. The fewer people who know, the better,” she said.

Aunt Huan nodded emphatically. “I won’t say a word. My mom can’t keep a secret. Sister Feng, this is our secret.”

Liang Kefeng gave her an approving look.

Back at the house, the Shuanglong Hall people asked Liang Kefeng to go upstairs and unlock the door to her room, as they intended to search the second floor. For rooms that couldn’t be unlocked, they’d force the doors open.

Aunt Man and Brother Xiao returned as well. With Brother Xiao present, the investigation team was less aggressive than before, though they still turned the second floor upside down.

In the end, they even searched everyone in the house.

Just then, Zhutuo Wei and Cheng Yaojin arrived, having heard about the search. Seeing Liang Kefeng calmly peeling garlic by the side door, Cheng Yaojin relaxed, knowing the gold chain was safely hidden.

Zhutuo Wei couldn’t help but lash out at the investigation team as soon as he returned: “Are you kidding me? The barber just lost his razor—how could he possibly have killed Brother Dan? And you trashed my place! Unbelievable, doing this to one of your own!”

This group was the “218 Incident Investigation Team,” made up of members from various districts, with their leader, Liu Changan, randomly selected from the four major districts.

Out of respect for Brother Xiao, Liu Changan offered an explanation: “There’s no other way with so many people working; we’re pressed for time. A thorough search to clear any suspicions will put everyone at ease.”

Zhutuo Wei replied, “If that’s the case, do you need to search me too?”

Liu Changan kept a businesslike face. “Yes. Now that you’re back, we’ll need to search you as well.”

Zhutuo Wei grumbled to himself, *Give a water ghost power, and he thinks he’s a city god!*

Quail quickly tried to mediate, “Just cooperate, Zhutuo Wei. Look, Brother Xiao hasn’t said a word and is fully cooperating.”

“I’ve got nothing to hide—go ahead, search me!” he said, puffing up his chest.

The investigation team searched Zhutuo Wei and Cheng Yaojin. Watching this, Ah Huan leaned over to Liang Kefeng and whispered, “You can’t judge a book by its cover—what an actor!” She was mocking Zhutuo Wei.

Liang Kefeng quietly responded, “Or maybe that guy deserved what he got.” She was referring to Brother Dan, and Ah Huan understood. “True,” she agreed.

The investigation turned up nothing, but they still took the barber back for further questioning. Some from the North Corner House tried to stop them, but Brother Xiao stepped in.

“It’s okay; they’re just going to ask some questions at Zhonghua Hall,” he reassured. “They need to do their job properly. I’ll go with them, so don’t worry.”

Brother Xiao accompanied the investigation team downstairs. Just as they were leaving, two men came in carrying large sacks.

Not the best timing.

Liang Kefeng quickly went to meet them. “Here to deliver the sweet potatoes? This way.”

The older delivery man grumbled, “Too many people at this hour. I wanted to deliver earlier, but they insisted I come through the north gate! What a hassle.”

Liang Kefeng’s heart skipped a beat—this guy really couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

Sure enough, Li Baozai, one of the more arrogant investigators from North District, overheard and stopped in his tracks. “Why couldn’t you deliver them earlier?” he asked.

The delivery man dropped his sack on the floor with a thud. “Just regular sweet potatoes! They were already checked at the north gate!”

The younger guy behind him unloaded the other sack. Liang Kefeng knew resisting would look suspicious, so she stepped forward. “It’s alright, sir, just show him the sweet potatoes. Maybe he’s worried about the quality control at their north gate.”

Li Baozai, slightly taken aback, was at a loss for words.

Cheng Yaojin rushed over to smooth things over. “Brother Bao, I’m part of the Qinglong crew—he’s one of ours.”

Li Baozai looked at him, clearly not recognizing him, but Zhutuo Wei quickly added, “He’s one of us; there’s no need for this.”

Quail nudged Li Baozai. “It’s not like they’re taking things out. Let’s not waste time. Let’s go; we don’t want Brother Changan calling us out.”

Li Baozai was about to let it go, but the delivery man muttered again, “Inspect if you want.”

The man handed a receipt to Liang Kefeng, who signed it quickly. “Sweet potatoes delivered. You’re just a few steps away—you can handle the rest. I’ve got more deliveries to make,” he said and left with his partner.

Just like that, the troublesome delivery man had left, taking the headache along with him. Zhutuo Wei, of course, joined in on the scene.

Aunt Hao walked over and asked quietly, “Who delivered the sweet potatoes?”

Liang Kefeng replied, “A relative of mine.”

“Wow, that’s thoughtful—huge sweet potatoes, must be worried you two will go hungry. Let’s store them and I’ll tally up the cost for your food expenses.”

Cheng Yaojin carried the sweet potatoes into the storeroom, where he discreetly retrieved the weapons concealed inside them.

At dinner, Zhutuo Wei came back with news: Li Baozai had gotten into a scuffle with the delivery man at the north gate, badly beating him up.

“Li Baozai and his guys beat him up; it was chaos—two teeth knocked out! If I hadn’t stepped in, someone might’ve died.”

Aunt Hao sighed, “What a tragedy, being beaten for no reason. That Li Baozai doesn’t look like a decent person.”

Liang Kefeng stayed silent. Annoying as the delivery man was, Li Baozai’s bullying was worse.

She started plotting in her mind; they still hadn’t found a fall guy for the gold chain incident, and maybe Li Baozai was a perfect candidate to taste some real trouble.

Ah Huan whispered beside her, “Honestly, the more I see him, the better Zhutuo Wei seems!”

To her, Zhutuo Wei was just “the Pig.”

Suppressing a laugh, Liang Kefeng gently reminded her, “Forget about the chain. It’s got nothing to do with us.”

Ah Huan thought about it, then nodded. “You’re right. I can’t keep staring at him—I’ll just act like I know nothing.”

—

Meanwhile, Liang Dalong was upstairs admiring the portrait Mr. He Cong had brought. He was quite pleased.

“Looks just like her, very dignified. Ah Cong, send this to the Luo family right away.”

“Yes, Master Liang.”

Since the Liang and Luo families had arranged a marriage between their grandchildren, the Luo family had soon sent over Luo Qiming’s birth details and photo.

Liang Dalong, who had watched Luo Qiming grow up, naturally knew his appearance. Still, the Luo family seemed uneasy about his granddaughter’s looks, hoping Liang would reciprocate with her portrait.

All he had was a black-and-white photo of Liang Kefeng, a group shot with a mismatched background, so He Cong had a painter create a portrait based on it.

Elegant and respectable.

Not long after, Mr. Luo called to compliment Kefeng’s beauty and auspicious appearance, saying the whole family was delighted.

Flattery, surely, but it still made Liang Dalong happy.

They agreed to arrange a meeting for the young couple after they graduated from college, at the latest by summer.

Later in the afternoon, word came from Zheng Fuying that Liang Kefeng might be in the Sifang City.

—

That night, Liang Dalong stood at the doorway, tossing out pieces of raw beef to feed the dogs.

He had two German hunting dogs, and when he wasn’t walking, feeding, or playing with them, he usually spent his time with them.

The old man was in a good mood today.

A car pulled up at the front gate—He Cong had returned. Approaching quickly, he spoke in a low voice, “Master Liang, the afternoon’s news was accurate. Miss is indeed in the Sifang City, and she’s currently safe.”

Liang Dalong put down the tongs he’d been holding and waved for someone to take the dogs away. A rare smile appeared on his face.

Safety—that was the best news he could hope for.

He Cong lowered his voice further. “However, Ma Ying says that we can’t bring Miss back just yet. There are some things he needs to clarify.”

“What does Zheng Fuying want to investigate?”

He Cong hesitated briefly before answering, “Miss’s identity.”

Liang Dalong gazed into the pitch-black night sky and said quietly, “Keep an eye on Zheng Fuying for me.”