“Caught Red-handed”

Wei Lan was bewildered and asked sincerely, “What exactly is this ‘Ba Zi’ thing?”

This question surprised Tang Xue, who widened her eyes in disbelief, as if she couldn’t believe her own ears: “You… you actually don’t know what ‘Ba Zi’ is?”

Wei Lan looked a little embarrassed and awkwardly smiled, “I mean, how come Ming Yi Ge’s ‘Ba Zi’ just doesn’t match?”

Tang Xue couldn’t help but laugh, shaking her head: “’Ba Zi’ refers to a person’s birth year, month, day, and hour—eight characters in total. Fortune-tellers use these to calculate a person’s destiny and see if it aligns with others. If the ‘Ba Zi’ clashes, it’s said to be incompatible, and good things are hard to happen.”

Wei Lan blinked, nodding as if she understood, but then asked, “So the ‘Ba Zi’ compatibility depends entirely on the fortune-teller’s words? If they deliberately say it’s incompatible, wouldn’t that ruin someone’s good marriage prospects?”

Tang Xue chuckled and shook her head, “Well, not everything can be trusted from a fortune-teller. But many people love hearing such things. If you, Miss, don’t understand how Ming Yi’s Ba Zi is incompatible, then I’m even more confused.”

After hearing Tang Xue’s explanation, Wei Lan frowned and thought for a moment. Suddenly, she slapped her hand and smiled, “This is probably because he hasn’t met the right person! If Ming Yi Ge never actually liked her, then the ‘Ba Zi’ incompatibility might just be an excuse. After all, who doesn’t want to find someone they’re truly happy with? If it’s not a genuine match, forcing a marriage would make life miserable.”

Tang Xue’s eyes lit up as if a light had shone on her thoughts, “So you think the same! If the right person hasn’t appeared, then it’s better to be single than settle.”

She seemed to have made up her mind and said with determination, “I understand now.”

Wei Lan was still confused, blinking and asking, “What did you understand?”

Tang Xue smiled faintly and didn’t answer. Wei Lan’s words, “If the right person hasn’t appeared, the ‘Ba Zi’ incompatibility is just an excuse,” made her wonder: Could it be that Ming Yi hasn’t married yet because he only has her in his heart? Could it be that his silence and waiting all these years were for her, and not for any other reason?

Feeling this, Tang Xue was filled with an unprecedented courage: If Ming Yi could wait for her, how could she easily submit to the worldly arrangements? She made up her mind: No matter what, she would never marry Old Master Lei! She would be like Ming Yi and bravely resist societal norms for her own happiness.

Just then, Cui Liu gently knocked on the door and called, “Miss, the dishes are here.”

Tang Xue responded, “Come in.”

Cui Liu entered, holding a beautifully gilded tray. On the tray, a golden-brown roasted chicken emitted a fragrant aroma, surrounded by a beautifully crafted plate of pastries, which made one’s mouth water. Cui Liu gently placed the tray on the table and stepped back.

Seeing Cui Liu enter, Tang Xue stopped talking and pulled Wei Lan to sit, saying, “These are all for you, eat more, don’t be polite!” She then picked up chopsticks, placed a piece of roast chicken on Wei Lan’s plate, and carefully added a few pastries in front of her.

Wei Lan didn’t decline, “Since you’re so kind, I won’t be polite.”

She picked up the chopsticks and took a bite of the roast chicken, praising, “The roast chicken from Old Tang’s restaurant is the best! The skin is crispy, and the meat inside is tender—this kind of deliciousness can’t be found anywhere else.”

Tang Xue smiled with a hint of shy pride, replying softly, “Of course, this roast chicken is my father’s specialty. There’s no place that can compare.”

As they ate and chatted, the conversation flowed from daily matters to neighborhood gossip, with soft laughter echoing through the room.

After eating some, Wei Lan wrapped the leftovers, saying, “I’ll take these back to eat later.”

Just then, Huang Li returned, holding a delicate little box, softly saying, “Miss, I’ve brought the item.”

Tang Xue took the box, placed it gently on the table, and said softly, “This is the Zhi Bao Dan from the Tang Manor. Take it to compare with the one from Bao Yuan Tang and see which one is real.”

Wei Lan took the box from Tang Xue and stood to leave, saying, “Thank you, Miss Tang. I’ll take it to Ming Yi Ge now and have him compare them.”

Tang Xue nodded and softly said, “Go ahead, be careful on the way. If anything happens, come find me.”

Wei Lan smiled, nodded, and left the room.

Upon returning to the medical clinic, Wei Lan went straight to Ming Yi’s office and handed him the box, saying, “Ming Yi Ge, I brought the Zhi Bao Dan from the Tang Manor. Take a look.”

Ming Yi took the box and placed it on the desk, carefully comparing it with the one from Bao Yuan Tang. He picked up the Tang Manor’s Zhi Bao Dan first, gently rubbing it between his fingers. The pill was orange-yellow, with a warm, soft color like the morning sun. It was round and smooth.

Next, he examined the one from Bao Yuan Tang. Ming Yi furrowed his brow. Although it was also orange-yellow, its color was darker, like orange peel aged by time. It was somewhat irregular in shape, with rough edges as if it had been hand-molded. The surface was smooth, but when touched, it felt slightly gritty compared to the Tang Manor’s version.

He brought both pills close and smelled them. The Tang Manor’s Zhi Bao Dan had a rich, fragrant aroma, with a hint of sweetness, as though it contained the essence of nature. The one from Bao Yuan Tang had a medicinal smell, but it was sharp and pungent, as if to cover up its roughness with added fragrances.

He shook his head and smiled, “The people at Bao Yuan Tang still need more refinement. It’s not poorly made, but the difference from the real deal is obvious.”

Wei Lan leaned in, also examining the pills, and nodded, “The Bao Yuan Tang one is similar, but it’s just imitation. They probably think most people haven’t seen a real Zhi Bao Dan and are trying to trick them.”

——

That evening, by the well in the southern part of the city.

Shun Xing, after taking over Wei Lan’s task, knew the importance of this job. He and San Qi had made a plan to take turns guarding the well, each on duty for six hours. Tonight, it was Shun Xing’s turn alone.

The night was dark, and the spring breeze carried a hint of coolness. The grass by the well swayed in the wind, rustling gently. Shun Xing hid in the weeds by the wall, where he had a perfect view of the well, yet was hard to detect.

He crouched in the grass, his body slightly curled like a lurking leopard, his eyes fixed on the well opening.

Suddenly, there was a rustling sound from deep within the grass. Just as he was about to concentrate, a gray-brown mouse darted out from the grass and scurried past his feet, disappearing into the darkness.

Shun Xing furrowed his brow and looked down at his feet, then couldn’t help but laugh at himself for being too jumpy.

As he thought, faint footsteps could be heard from afar, light and cautious. Shun Xing leaned forward, instinctively gripping his hands tighter, his fingertips turning white, ready to strike at any moment.

A shadow silently approached the well, moving lightly but with a strange sense of unease. The person looked around to make sure no one was watching, then quickly pulled a small bottle from their pocket. Their fingers trembled slightly, as if nervous, but they quickly regained composure, preparing to pour it into the well.

Shun Xing’s heart tightened, but his face remained expressionless, his eyes gleaming coldly. He squinted, watching the person’s movements and silently calculating the right moment to act.

Just as the person was about to pour the contents of the bottle, Shun Xing moved like a ghost, instantly appearing in front of the person. He made no sound, his movements swift as lightning.

The person’s wrist was suddenly twisted, their arm forced behind their back by an irresistible force. They lost their balance, and the bottle fell with a sharp “clink,” shattering on the ground.

They turned in terror, but only saw a calm and cold face. The person tried to struggle, but soon realized they couldn’t escape.

“Don’t move!” Shun Xing’s voice was deep and calm, with no emotion.

He pulled a rope from his waist, lightly flicked his wrist, and the rope coiled like a snake, binding the person’s hands tightly. The whole process was seamless.

After confirming the person couldn’t escape, Shun Xing slightly shifted his body, removing the cloth covering their face. In the moonlight, a panicked face appeared, full of fear and disbelief. Their lips trembled, but they couldn’t say a word.

“Who… are you?” the person finally managed to stammer, their voice shaking.

Shun Xing coldly looked at them, his eyes betraying no emotion: “Who I am doesn’t matter. What matters is that you poisoned the well, and that’s a serious crime.”

Shun Xing lightly tugged, pulling the person up from the ground, and brushed the grass off their clothes. “Let’s go. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the authorities.”

He glanced at the shattered bottle and raised an eyebrow. Then, he bent down to pick up the remnants of the bottle and wrapped it in a cloth. This was the key piece of evidence.

The person swallowed hard, a slight whimper in their voice: “Big Brother, I… I know I was wrong. Can you spare my life?”

Shun Xing’s eyes were full of disdain: “If you knew it was wrong, you wouldn’t have poisoned the well. I won’t deal with you now, but tomorrow, the authorities will.”

By now, it was deep into the night. The authorities had long since closed their doors, and it would be impossible to disturb them in the middle of the night.

Shun Xing thought for a moment, then turned toward the medical clinic, saying, “I’ll lock you up in the clinic first and interrogate you to see if you have any accomplices.”

Before long, the two arrived at the clinic. Shun Xing pushed the person into a vacant room, casually closing the door and tying them to a pillar with rope.

Once everything was done, Shun Xing sat on a nearby wooden stool, arms crossed, coldly watching them. “Now, you can think carefully about how to confess.”

The person, feeling the weight of Shun Xing’s gaze, lowered their head, their voice growing softer: “I… I really know I was wrong…”

Shun Xing smiled slightly, but the smile was cold: “Knowing you were wrong is good, but knowing isn’t enough. You need to explain everything clearly, or else tomorrow the authorities won’t be as kind as I am.”

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