"Crash!"
On the second floor of the Gold Jade Hall, Old Six Hu glared at Houzi and Huzi, who had returned empty-handed. In a fit of rage, he smashed his teacup at their feet.
"Two grown men, and you can't even catch one little girl," Old Six Hu sneered, his face dark with anger. "Not only did you fail to capture her, but she also made fools of you. Hah!"
Huzi hung his head in shame, unable to speak. He already felt humiliated for being effortlessly taken down by a woman, and Old Six Hu's words only deepened his mortification.
Houzi stared at the shattered porcelain on the floor, equally silent.
"I, Old Six Hu, have ruled the gambling world for over twenty years. Not just in Lingshan Town, but in all of Baoji County, everyone involved in gambling knows my name!" Old Six Hu laughed bitterly. "And now, along comes this 'Gambling Queen,' destroying my lifelong reputation. I bet all those losers I've beaten over the years are laughing at me now..."
Old Six Hu slumped in his chair, struggling to accept that he had been bested by a mere girl, yet unable to resign himself to the fact.
"You don't know how those people were looking at me just now. They were all staring, smirking, as if I were some fool who didn't know his place... I've never suffered such humiliation!" Old Six Hu snarled through gritted teeth.
A heavy silence fell over the room. After a while, Houzi lifted his gaze from the broken teacup and turned slightly to his companion. "Huzi, go downstairs for now."
Huzi nervously glanced at Old Six Hu, who showed no reaction. As long as Old Six Hu didn't object, Houzi's word was law. Huzi left the room with palpable relief, closing the door quietly behind him before exhaling deeply.
"Uncle, that woman is trouble," Houzi said gravely once Huzi had gone. "She's incredibly skilled. She knocked Huzi out in the blink of an eye and appeared behind me without a sound, holding a knife to my throat..."
Houzi trailed off, unconsciously touching the thin cut on his neck, his eyes glinting dangerously.
"Does it still hurt?" Old Six Hu asked with concern, frowning as he noticed the wound.
Houzi shook his head. "Uncle, I think our priority now should be to identify this woman and find out where she lives. Then we can plan our next move."
Old Six Hu nodded in agreement.
Houzi continued, "Lingshan Town isn't that big. She wears a veil, which makes her stand out. Someone must have seen her. If we ask around carefully, we're bound to find her."
Old Six Hu pondered for a moment. With no better options available, this seemed like the best course of action.
"Have our men ask around. Find out who she is and where she came from. We need to know if she's someone we can afford to cross. If she's too powerful, we'll have to swallow this bitter pill and let it go. But if she's just an ordinary person..." Old Six Hu's eyes gleamed with malice, leaving the rest unsaid.
"Understood, Uncle. I'll take care of it!" Houzi promised, turning to leave.
"Zehua," Old Six Hu called out, using Houzi's given name. Concern for his nephew evident in his voice, he warned, "Just find her, don't try to confront her again. This time she only gave you a small cut on your neck. Who's to say she won't slit your throat next time? I don't want you taking unnecessary risks. If anything happened to you, how could I face your parents in the afterlife?"
Touched by his uncle's heartfelt words, Houzi nodded. "I understand, Uncle. Don't worry, I won't do anything rash."
"Alright then, off you go. I need to rest," Old Six Hu said, waving him away.
As Houzi left the room, he glanced out the hallway window. The once-clear sky had turned dark and gloomy, with low-hanging clouds threatening rain.
"Is it going to rain?" Jiang Ning asked Liu Ming'an as they walked home, noticing the change in weather.
Liu Ming'an, carrying a bundle of writing supplies on his back and newly purchased clothes in his hand, looked up at the sky.
"It shouldn't. This time of year, Lingshan Town usually goes a whole month without a single drop of rain," he said confidently.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a light drizzle began to fall on their faces.
Jiang Ning gave him a pointed look. "Not a single drop, you say?"
Liu Ming'an chuckled awkwardly. "It's fine, it's just a light shower. It won't get heavy."
Jiang Ning remained skeptical.
Sure enough, within five minutes, the rain had intensified just as Jiang Ning had anticipated. It wasn't just heavy; it was a downpour. Large raindrops pelted their faces, making it difficult to keep their eyes open. They were both soaked to the bone, resembling drowned rats.
With no shelter in sight, Liu Ming'an tried to shield Jiang Ning by holding his bundle over her head, but the rain was too heavy for it to make much difference.
"Don't bother," Jiang Ning shouted over the noise of the rain. "It's just a cloudburst. It'll pass quickly."
Liu Ming'an wiped his face and watched the rain beating down on Jiang Ning. Without hesitation, he opened his bundle and draped one of the new garments over her head.
The wet cloth clung to her skin, and while it did lessen the impact of the raindrops, it made her feel even colder. Jiang Ning weighed her options and reached up to remove the makeshift cover.
"Don't!" Liu Ming'an grabbed her hand. "It's better than nothing. Just bear with it for now."
The rain had soaked through Jiang Ning's veil, plastering it to her face. She pulled it off and tucked it into her clothes before addressing Liu Ming'an. "The wet clothes make me colder."
Liu Ming'an paused, realizing he could feel the chill of her skin through his grip on her hand. Seeing that she was about to remove the clothing he'd draped over her, Liu Ming'an made a quick decision and enveloped her in his arms.
Liu Ming'an's only thought was to make Jiang Ning more comfortable, oblivious to her wide-eyed surprise and the way her body had stiffened like a statue in his embrace.
The rain continued to pour around them, but with the cloth over her head and Liu Ming'an's chest before her eyes, Jiang Ning felt oddly isolated from the world.
"Let's wait for the rain to stop before we continue," Liu Ming'an's voice came from above her head. Jiang Ning's forehead rested against his chin, and she could feel his warmth through his clothes. The faint scent of soap lingered in the air around them.
Suddenly, Jiang Ning felt a sense of calm wash over her, reminiscent of the first time she had left Liu Ming'an's house and gazed upon the sleeping Lotus Flower Village in the early morning light.
In the midst of the downpour, they stood silently together, waiting for the storm to pass.
After about half an hour, the heavy rain finally subsided. The sky brightened a bit, and Liu Ming'an removed the cloth from Jiang Ning's head, folding it carefully. With a smile, he said, "It's finally over. Let's go home."
Jiang Ning stepped out of his embrace. Her dark hair clung to her pale face, making her look like an exquisite porcelain doll. As she silently gazed at him with her clear, dark eyes—now glistening with raindrops—Liu Ming'an felt a flutter in his chest and quickly averted his gaze.
"Let's go home," Jiang Ning said after a moment, eyeing Liu Ming'an's still-dripping hair.