Chapter Eleven: Spring Light Spills in the Embrace of the Towel

Chapter Eleven: The Sudden Unveiling of Spring in the Towel

Qin Wan’er sped all the way to the scene, only to find Xu Yun playing billiards alone, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.

Seeing her arrive, Xu Yun rested his cue on his shoulder. “Care for a game? I have a nickname—they call me ‘Little Rocket’!”

“Cut the nonsense. Didn’t someone report illegal gambling?” Qin Wan’er glanced around, but there wasn’t even a gambling machine in sight. She felt a wave of disappointment—had she been tricked?

Xu Yun tossed his cue onto the table and pointed toward the southeast corner. “If you don’t believe me, go check it out yourself.”

With a frown, Qin Wan’er walked over, half-skeptical. Sure enough, she discovered a hidden door! Startled, she tensed, then resolutely pushed it open and stepped inside. After pushing open a second hidden door, she was stunned by the bright scene that greeted her.

Dozens of gambling machines filled the room, and seventeen or eighteen dazed, battered men lay sprawled across the floor.

It was a real casino! Qin Wan’er was as exhilarated as Columbus discovering the New World. In Hedong City, this was no small operation.

“How’s that?” Xu Yun descended the stairs behind her. “This should at least count as a third-class merit, right?”

Qin Wan’er could hardly believe it. “How did you pull this off?”

“Wait a second.” Xu Yun entered a side room and dragged out Lü Bao, who was so terrified he’d wet his pants. “This is the guy who stole from the medicinal restaurant this afternoon—he brought me here.”

Qin Wan’er was even more astonished—Xu Yun had caught the thief!

Seeing the police, Lü Bao’s face turned ashen. He knew he was finished: burglary and organizing illegal gambling would keep him behind bars for a while. Worse, he might be locked up with the Four Wolves Gang, which meant he’d truly be in for a world of pain.

Xu Yun gave Lü Bao a kick. “Quit your bawling. Tell the officer everything you’ve done.”

“Officer, I— I was forced by the Four Wolves Gang!” Lü Bao wailed miserably.

He should have considered the consequences from the start. But Qin Wan’er was not known for her patience; she picked up a steel bar and smashed it down. “Shut up!”

Lü Bao was left with a lump on his forehead. He didn’t dare make another sound, not even a whimper.

“I’ll call for backup. You’ll come to the station with me and write a report,” Qin Wan’er said. Though she was a bit begrudging, she had to admit Xu Yun’s work had impressed her.

Xu Yun waved his hand. “No need for that—I hate trouble. Consider this casino my gift to you. If you want to return the favor, just keep me out of these messy affairs. I’d appreciate it.”

Qin Wan’er was taken aback. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you’re the one who busted the Four Wolves Gang’s casino and caught the thief. I’m just a law-abiding citizen cooperating with the police. I don’t want any part in what comes next.”

“I don’t care about these merits!” Qin Wan’er glared at him, then called the station to report the situation. The duty officer took it very seriously and immediately brought reinforcements.

After hanging up, Qin Wan’er looked around, but Xu Yun was nowhere to be seen. “Xu Yun!”

Just then, her phone buzzed—a message from Xu Yun: “I’m gone. I’ll leave the commendation to you—may you rise through the ranks.”

“That infuriating Xu Yun!” she huffed.

Xu Yun wasn’t about to waste time in that shady den; he took the recovered money and headed straight back to the medicinal restaurant.

As he approached the building, Qiu Yan’s figure flashed before him once more.

“Thanks for your help this afternoon.” Xu Yun, knowing she must have been hiding nearby, wasn’t surprised. He got straight to the point. “Didn’t know you were so skilled with hidden weapons.”

Qiu Yan’s face remained as cold as ever. “Why are you back?”

“What, worried I’ll do something to Guo Guo?” Xu Yun snorted, then looked up at the balcony and shouted, “Guo Guo!”

Qiu Yan’s expression changed instantly. As Guo Guo ran to the balcony and peered down, Qiu Yan slipped into the shadows.

“Daddy?” Guo Guo exclaimed. “Why are you back?”

“I caught the thief and got the money back.” Xu Yun grinned in the direction where Qiu Yan had vanished, triumphantly waving the cash at Guo Guo.

Guo Guo was thrilled. “I’ll come down and open the door!”

Ruan Qingshuang hadn’t appeared throughout—Xu Yun found it odd. If Guo Guo was still up, she shouldn’t have been asleep.

As soon as Guo Guo opened the door, she snatched the money from Xu Yun’s hand. “You got it all back, Dad?”

“Yep, and with interest.” Xu Yun smiled. “Guo Guo, where’s your mom?”

“She’s taking a bath.” Guo Guo was too busy counting the money to care about anything else, her little fingers flying as she muttered, “A hundred, two hundred, three hundred, four hundred…”

A vision of Ruan Qingshuang stepping out of the bath filled Xu Yun’s mind, and he felt his face flush. He needed to keep his composure—getting a nosebleed now would be embarrassing.

“Oh right, Dad, Mom forgot her underwear. Why don’t you bring it in for her?” Guo Guo kept counting, “Four thousand six, four thousand seven…”

Xu Yun nearly choked. Wasn’t this a bit too exciting? Guo Guo was indeed a worthy goddaughter!

He patted her head. “Good girl, but godfather won’t help with that. When your mom comes out, remember to tell her. I’ll head off now.”

“Nine thousand eight, nine thousand nine, ten thousand!” Guo Guo finished counting and sighed with satisfaction. “You don’t even have that much courage? Are you really my godfather?”

What did she mean by ‘real godfather’? Father is father, godfather is godfather. Xu Yun was left speechless. “Of course I am.”

“Mom! Come down!” Guo Guo suddenly shouted upstairs.

Ruan Qingshuang had been drying herself off, waiting for Guo Guo to bring her nightwear. But the little girl hadn’t come, and now she was shouting from downstairs.

Her heart leapt into her throat. Not caring about her attire, she wrapped the towel around herself, cinched it tightly, and dashed out.

“What’s wrong, Guo Guo?!” she called as she hurried downstairs.

“Daddy’s here,” Guo Guo replied nonchalantly.

Ruan Qingshuang had barely reached the halfway point when she looked up and saw Xu Yun and Guo Guo standing at the bottom, looking up at her.

Xu Yun let out an awkward laugh—he hadn’t expected her to come out dressed like that.

“Mom, be careful not to let your towel slip,” Guo Guo said, covering her eyes.

Flushing deep red, Ruan Qingshuang stifled a scream and rushed back upstairs, her cheeks as red as a little monkey’s bottom.

“Dad, did you see anything?” Guo Guo asked nervously.

Without a second thought, Xu Yun shook his head. “Nope, didn’t see a thing.”

“With the towel up that high, you still didn’t see? Dad, your eyesight must be terrible.” Guo Guo sounded disappointed. “I saw it anyway—Mom was way too careless.”

Oh, come on! If you hadn’t screamed like you were being kidnapped, would your mom have come running out in a towel, forgetting her underwear?

Xu Yun admitted defeat. “Uh… I’m very nearsighted…”

…

When Ruan Qingshuang came out again, now fully dressed and composed, she tried to speak calmly. “Xu Yun, what brings you here?”

“The money was stolen by Lü Bao. I got it back, and Qin Wan’er has taken him away. He won’t bother you again.”

“Ten thousand yuan!” Guo Guo announced proudly.

Ruan Qingshuang’s lips parted in surprise. “It was really him? But I thought he didn’t take that much.”

Xu Yun smiled. “Consider the extra interest. For someone like him, this is getting off lightly.”

“Exactly!” Guo Guo piped up, clearly disliking Lü Bao.

“If there’s nothing else, I won’t disturb your rest,” Xu Yun said. “We all have an early day tomorrow.”

Guo Guo looked hopefully at her mother, wishing she’d invite Xu Yun to stay; he always brought good things. But Ruan Qingshuang, still flustered from her wardrobe mishap, didn’t know what to say. “Take care on your way home,” she finally managed.

“I’ll lock up for you,” Xu Yun offered, closing the door before heading toward the alley beside the restaurant, humming to himself.

Whoosh!

A soft arrow suddenly blocked his path. Luckily, Xu Yun was alert and stepped back in time.

“Is this how you greet people?” Xu Yun was speechless, but since it was Qiu Yan, he didn’t expect gentleness.

She withdrew her flexible sword, which vanished soundlessly at her waist.

“Are you really so afraid to see Guo Guo?” Xu Yun smiled subtly. He knew Qiu Yan feared that her internal injuries were beyond cure. Meeting Guo Guo would only bring more pain, not comfort.

Qiu Yan knew that, no matter what she did, she would die. She’d rather let Guo Guo believe she was already gone than let the girl see her again, only to lose her once more. That would only deepen Guo Guo’s hurt.

“My affairs are none of your concern,” Qiu Yan replied, her voice as icy as ever, though a trace of melancholy flickered in her eyes. “If I die… I hope you’ll look after Guo Guo.”

“I am her godfather,” Xu Yun said gently. “You can rest easy on that score.”

The sound Qiu Yan made was hard to decipher—perhaps reassurance, perhaps disdain, or maybe just self-mockery.

Suddenly, she said no more. She leapt onto the restaurant’s rooftop, and with a few swift, elegant moves, crossed several hundred meters to the roof of a nearby inn. In the blink of an eye, she vanished through a corridor window on the third floor.