Chapter 3: More Friends, More Paths

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard this flight. We will soon be arriving at Nancheng International Airport. The aircraft is currently descending. Please…”

As the broadcast played, Tushan Jiu folded up the small tray table supporting her elbows and stretched lazily.

“Finally arriving. Airplanes really aren’t that comfortable—my head feels dizzy, and it’s like my ears are blocked. Ugh, so unpleasant.”

Zhang Xuefeng was still beside her.

Clunk. The plane touched down.

Zhang Xuefeng immediately pulled out his phone and long-pressed the power button to turn it on.

As soon as it powered up, it buzzed several times in a row.

He glanced at the screen. The first message that appeared was from his team captain.

[Xiao Zhang, we got Lin Fenglian! This time, you’re going to earn great credit!]

Zhang Xuefeng looked up at Tushan Jiu.

Because the whole situation had been so unbelievable, and things were too rushed, he hadn’t had time to explain anything to his captain.

But now, he had a problem.

He couldn’t take full credit for this case—but how on earth was he supposed to write the report?

The informant said she “calculated” the lead?

Tushan Jiu had no idea he was fretting over this. She slung her little backpack over her shoulders and squeezed toward the front.

Someone was picking her up at the exit—she couldn’t keep them waiting too long.

Meanwhile, among the crowd at the arrival gate stood two striking young men who stood out like cranes in a flock of chickens.

They looked about 70% alike, had nearly identical heights—around 185 cm—and with their tall, handsome figures, naturally drew a lot of attention.

The two were scanning the exit in both directions.

Xie Jingzhou and Xie Jingting had asked their eldest brother for a description of Tushan Jiu before coming.

But Xie Shiyu said he had no idea what she looked like now.

However, he also said she would recognize them on her own, and told them to just wait at the exit.

So now, they were essentially flying blind.

Xie Jingting couldn’t even be bothered to take off his sunglasses. He glanced impatiently at his watch.

“How long’s this delay been? I’ve got a game to catch later. This is such a waste of time!”

Xie Jingzhou shrugged. “I called earlier. There was airspace control in Yun City—some military activity. Delayed over forty minutes. Judging by the time, they should be landing any minute. Be patient, she’s our sister-in-law.”

Xie Jingting scoffed. “Sister-in-law? I don’t accept that. What age are we living in? I just don’t get it—Grandpa isn’t some old-fashioned relic, so why is he so hung up on my big brother’s marriage? That old man only showed up once all those years ago and never appeared again. Now some girl suddenly calls to ‘collect a debt’ and we’re supposed to believe it’s real?”

Since childhood, the person Xie Jingting admired most was his big brother, Xie Shiyu.

This so-called “sister-in-law,” the one responsible for years of people mocking his brother, was someone he absolutely couldn’t stand.

Xie Jingzhou glanced sideways at his younger brother. Having shared the womb, he naturally knew exactly what was bothering him.

“They’re the type whose values follow their faces—are you going to be like them too?”

“What, am I wrong? Ever since I can remember, people have whispered behind our backs that the heir of the Xie Group is engaged to some bumpkin girl from the mountains. I’m not saying all mountain folk are bumpkins. I just think it’s unfair that Big Brother can’t choose who he loves and has to settle for someone he doesn’t even like.”

Xie Jingzhou couldn’t be bothered to argue. He ignored Xie Jingting’s complaints and focused on watching the arrival gate.

Just then, a girl dressed in a flowing white Zen-style outfit, with soft and serene features, pushed two large suitcases through the exit—she looked like a fairy who had accidentally wandered into the mortal world.

Xie Jingzhou saw her. Naturally, so did Xie Jingting.

Tushan Jiu spotted the two brothers the moment she came out.

They were far too conspicuous.

She walked straight toward them.

Watching her approach, Xie Jingting remained unfazed by her beauty.

Tushan Jiu stopped in front of them.

Before she could speak, she heard Xie Jingting, clearly used to this sort of encounter, say, “Sorry, I don’t use WeChat. I don’t add strangers.”

Tushan Jiu paused for a second, then gave a polite smile. “Third Brother, hello. I’m Tushan Jiu—your brother’s fiancée.”

Xie Jingting: “……”

Beside him, Xie Jingzhou couldn’t help but laugh, his shoulders shaking visibly.

Tushan Jiu turned to him and greeted, “Second Brother, hello.”

Xie Jingzhou waved casually. “Hello, Sister-in-law. My brother had a transnational meeting scheduled yesterday that he really couldn’t get out of, so he asked us to come pick you up. Let’s go, the car’s in the parking lot.”

Xie Jingting, meanwhile, looked utterly defeated. His face was stinging.

Tushan Jiu nodded. She already knew. When she messaged Xie Shiyu yesterday, he’d told her.

And honestly, her visit had been sudden. It made sense that he couldn’t come in person.

If her grandfather hadn’t appeared yesterday to nag her again, she really wouldn’t have come so soon. She’d known Xie Shiyu’s phone number for a while but had never contacted him.

Just as she was about to walk with them, she suddenly remembered something and slapped her forehead hard. “Oh, my memory! I almost forgot!”

Xie Jingzhou and Xie Jingting exchanged puzzled looks at her sudden move.

She told them, “Wait here for a sec. I need to collect a debt. I’ll be right back.”

Collect a debt?

What debt?

From whom?

Where?

The two brothers looked at each other in total confusion.

Tushan Jiu didn’t actually leave. She just turned toward the exit, as if waiting for someone.

A moment later, a man walked out from the gate.

As soon as he saw Tushan Jiu, he walked toward them.

Xie Jingzhou glanced at the man again. He looked familiar.

After a moment, it hit him—wasn’t that the second son of the Zhang family in Nancheng? The one who refused to take over the family business and insisted on becoming a police officer?

He’d heard the guy had been living in Yun City all this time. Why was he back in Nancheng?

Back then, the Zhang family had opposed his career path, using all their connections to stop him.

But this guy was as stubborn as a mule—he left home without a backward glance and swore never to return.

Who would’ve thought they’d run into him in Nancheng after so many years?

By seniority, they were supposed to call him “Uncle.”

Xie Jingting recognized him too.

They were about to go up and say hello when they saw Tushan Jiu extend a hand toward Zhang Xuefeng.

“The prophecy has come true. The payment is one yuan. Pay up.”

Zhang Xuefeng was stunned. He’d called his colleague earlier, but by the time he hung up, she’d vanished. He came chasing after her just to ask how much the blade debt cost.

He’d imagined 300, 500, maybe even 10,000 or 20,000—but one yuan?

Tushan Jiu didn’t even need to look at him to know what he was thinking.

“This is a citizen’s duty. I’m a law-abiding good person. But rules are rules. For a Blade Debtor, once a deal is struck, payment must be collected. Otherwise, you couldn’t handle the consequences.”

As for how much? That depended on the person.

But mostly—it depended on Tushan Jiu.

“I don’t have any cash. How about we add each other as contacts? That way, if I need to follow up with another statement, I can reach you easily. How about that?”

Zhang Xuefeng instinctively used the polite 您 (honorific “you”).

Xie Jingting was stunned. He looked from Tushan Jiu to Zhang Xuefeng, then back again.

Even Xie Jingzhou looked baffled.

Tushan Jiu didn’t reject the suggestion. After all, Zhang Xuefeng was heading back to Nancheng soon.

Grandpa always said: More debtors—no, more friends—mean more paths.

“Sure. 151…”

After giving her phone number, she even reminded him, “Transfer exactly one yuan—no more.”

Then she turned to the bewildered twin brothers behind her and said cheerfully, “Second Brother, Third Brother, debt’s settled—we can go now.”