Chapter Seventy-Four: Maybe Not the Inner Thigh

Chapter Seventy-Four: The Inner Thigh Is Off-Limits, Isn’t It?

Another weekend came to an end. Guoguo was still happily heading to school, while Qiu Yan, who accompanied her, seemed distracted and ill at ease. The wanted posters plastered all over the city weighed heavily on her mind, making her feel a suffocating pressure. She knew that catching the Red Scorpion was more difficult than reaching the heavens.

Qin Wan’er had come home very late the previous night and left early this morning. She looked listless, her face clouded with gloom. It seemed that failing to enlist the help of Xu Yun and Qiu Yan had left her deeply disappointed.

“Wait,” Xu Yun suddenly called out to Qin Wan’er.

She stopped, startled, and turned around. “What is it?”

Xu Yun couldn’t bear to see such a radiant young woman become so dejected. “What I said yesterday didn’t mean I wouldn’t help you. I just don’t want to get entangled with the police, but your issue—I never said I’d ignore it.”

Qin Wan’er’s sullen expression instantly brightened, her eyes wide with hope. “You’re willing to help me?”

“I can help you,” Xu Yun nodded. “But you must listen to me.”

Qin Wan’er nodded eagerly, like a pecking chick. “I’ll listen, I’ll do whatever you say!”

Xu Yun was satisfied. “Alright, get to work. Report any news promptly. I still trust the criminal investigation unit’s abilities.”

Getting hold of the Red Scorpion’s whereabouts as soon as possible was extremely beneficial for Qiu Yan and Guoguo. Xu Yun had considered that Qiu Yan might seek help from the Three Tigers of the Southern City to find information about the Red Scorpion. It wasn’t that he distrusted those streetwise characters, but he placed more faith in the abilities of the criminal investigators.

For Xu Yun, cooperation between civilians and police was a win-win. Yet he disliked being used as a tool by the police, which was why he’d told Qin Wan’er he was merely helping her. This way, she wouldn’t “sell him out” to the police bureau.

When Qin Wan’er first spoke, Xu Yun had already resolved never to be used by law enforcement. If there was to be cooperation, it would be on his terms.

“Xu Yun, do you mean what you say?” Qin Wan’er asked uncertainly.

“Of course,” Xu Yun nodded. “But the condition is—my identity remains known to you alone.”

Qin Wan’er hesitated. She had initially intended to report this to Director Chen. “Then you won’t get any official recognition.”

“Do I look like someone who cares about fame?” Xu Yun smiled wryly. “Also, if you get concrete information on the Red Scorpion’s hideout, I hope you’ll do everything you can to delay any operation. Tell me, and I’ll help you.”

Qin Wan’er narrowed her eyes. “People like that always warrant a special response unit. You don’t need to worry about that.”

Xu Yun’s face darkened. “A special unit? If your superiors thought that would suffice, they wouldn’t have sought my help.”

“Why would you say that?” Qin Wan’er was taken aback. She’d never mentioned what Director Chen had said to her. How did Xu Yun know?

Xu Yun smiled slightly. It seemed his guess was right. A shrewd head of public security would never fail to notice that Qin Wan’er couldn’t have achieved her recent feats alone.

Through conversations with the Three Tigers, Xu Yun had learned a bit about Director Chen Wei of the city’s public security bureau. Since his appointment five years ago, Chen had handled numerous major cases and subdued many notorious criminals. He was far too clever to believe that a young female officer could take down the Four Wolves Gang or single-handedly face an A-level wanted criminal like Gong You.

At the time of Gong You’s death, she bore a sword wound left by Qiu Yan. Xu Yun had been concerned the police might investigate, but nothing came of it. There were only two possibilities: either the coroner was blind, or someone with authority had chosen not to pursue it.

Obviously, the first explanation was impossible—a blind person couldn’t be a coroner. It could only mean someone high up closed one eye to let the matter drop. Later, when Qin Wan’er brought down the Hatchet Gang, no one questioned how she’d managed such an inside job.

From these small details, Xu Yun could deduce that Chen Wei was a wise leader. He knew what to say and what to keep quiet about. As long as it benefited the police, he wouldn’t probe too deeply into the process.

“Go on, it’s fine,” Xu Yun grinned. “If you trust me, follow my lead and we’ll work together. If you trust the special unit, you don’t need my help.”

Qin Wan’er shot him a glare and turned to leave.

After she’d gone, Ruan Qingshuang emerged from the kitchen. “Xu Yun, are you going to help Wan’er catch that fugitive whose wanted posters are everywhere?”

Xu Yun shook his head, not wanting her to worry. “Of course not, I don’t have time for that. I’m not the police, after all!”

“I know I can’t control what you do, but I still hope you’ll all stay safe,” Ruan Qingshuang said. “Just reporting information is worth half a million yuan, so this person must be very dangerous. Xu Yun, you—never mind, I’ll say no more.”

Xu Yun grinned. “I’m not the type to risk my life for money, Sister Shuang. You can rest easy. Even if I saw him, I wouldn’t report it.”

Only then did Ruan Qingshuang relax.

Of course, Xu Yun wouldn’t report it. Who would he report to? He’d rather confront the guy himself. What did he care about so-called top fighters? How would he know whose fists were harder without a fight? He didn’t have absolute confidence in winning, but he gave himself at least a fifty percent chance.

Suddenly, Ruan Qingshuang turned pale, clutching her stomach and frowning. “I’m going upstairs for a bit…”

Xu Yun raised his eyebrows, recognizing this as a common issue among many women.

She had only climbed two steps before her legs buckled and she nearly fell. A strong hand caught her just in time, holding her firmly.

“Careful, don’t push yourself,” Xu Yun said with his ever-sunny smile. With a twist of his wrist, he scooped her up in a princess carry. “I’ll take you upstairs.”

Ruan Qingshuang’s face was flushed scarlet. “No need… I can manage…”

“Don’t be stubborn,” Xu Yun insisted. “You’re pale, sweating, weak, and cold to the limbs—old problem, right? It’s already pretty serious. Yesterday you said you were buying herbal medicine; I saw you also got pain relief patches on your way back.”

Exposed on the spot, Ruan Qingshuang’s embarrassment only deepened, the blush spreading from her cheeks to her ears. She wished she could disappear. She’d always been shy and preferred to keep such matters private, and now a man had found out…

“It’s nothing—a problem needs treatment.” Xu Yun carried the speechless Ruan Qingshuang into her room upstairs and poured her a cup of hot water. “Worry and overwork easily cause this. Take care of yourself. I’ll give you a massage and you’ll feel better.”

“A massage? You’ll do it?” Ruan Qingshuang’s eyes widened.

“Sister Shuang, a healer’s heart is like a parent’s. Don’t think I have any ulterior motives.” Xu Yun saw her reaction and added with a laugh, “And let me be clear, I don’t do this for just anyone, even for money.”

“You know how to give massages?” Ruan Qingshuang was skeptical. Xu Yun was so young; usually, only experienced traditional doctors truly knew acupoints. The word “old” itself proved that mastery in traditional medicine took years.

Xu Yun patted his chest. “Don’t doubt me—I guarantee I’ll relieve your pain in ten minutes. Trust me, it’s much better than those patches you bought.”

She was still half-convinced. “Massaging requires knowing the acupoints. If you press randomly, it could be harmful…”

Xu Yun couldn’t help but protest. He’d always been the only one among his brothers with a gift for medicine. His teacher had taught him more about pharmacology and medical theory than anyone else, since he doubled as a pharmacist. He was no ignorant quack.

While she was still uncertain, Xu Yun had already picked up her right leg, using his left thumb to knead the inside of her lower leg, three inches above the inner ankle, behind the tibia. “This is Sanyinjiao—connecting the heart and kidneys, drawing fire downward. If you feel soreness, let me know.”

Faced with Xu Yun’s professionalism, Ruan Qingshuang was genuinely impressed. In just a minute, she felt the soreness and told him. Xu Yun immediately switched to her left leg, working the same acupoint.

“That really does feel better. Xu Yun, you truly have a talent,” Ruan Qingshuang couldn’t help but praise him.

Xu Yun then took her delicate feet in his hands. “The Taichong point between the big toe and the second toe is excellent for soothing the liver and relieving pain. If you feel that soreness again, let me know.”

“Um… maybe I should do this part myself?” Ruan Qingshuang was terribly embarrassed. Was Xu Yun about to give her a foot massage? She trembled all over; it was the first time anyone had held her feet. Strangely, the story of Ximen Qing and Pan Jinlian popped into her mind.

“I’ll demonstrate this time. Next time, you can do it yourself,” Xu Yun replied, continuing his movements.

After massaging the Taichong point, he said, “Bend your knee.”

Ruan Qingshuang did as instructed, now fully convinced of Xu Yun’s professionalism and reflecting deeply on her earlier assumptions.

Suddenly, Xu Yun pressed his overlapping thumbs into the inside of her thigh, just below the knee. Ruan Qingshuang shivered all over. A woman’s inner thigh is an extremely private area—this was more than she could bear.

“The inner thigh is off-limits, isn’t it?” she said faintly.

Xu Yun didn’t stop. “Doesn’t your left Xuehai point always hurt during your period? Stimulate this area more when you can, and use a hot water bottle on your waist at night. Massage your left leg more often.”

The flush that had finally faded from Ruan Qingshuang’s cheeks returned in force. She lowered her head and murmured, “Alright.”

She was simply too embarrassed.

“Sister Shuang? Brother Yun!” A voice called from downstairs—Dan Hongning had arrived. Ruan Qingshuang jumped up in a panic.

Xu Yun checked the time—only half past ten, not yet lunchtime. He motioned for her to sit. “I’ll handle it. You rest a bit and drink your water.”

Ruan Qingshuang nodded shyly, feeling an uncontrollable flutter in her heart at this first glimpse of Xu Yun’s gentle side…