Wandering Gods of Day and Night-Chapter 37 - 34 Kidnapper
37: Chapter 34 Kidnapper
37 -34 Kidnapper
The Meite car pulled up to the outer courtyard of the Zhou Family’s Troupe.
Zhou Xuan and Li Shuangyi got out of the car.
Li Shuangyi coldly thanked Zhou Xuan, gently lifted the sleeping Tong Douzi from the car, and walked toward the disciples’ dormitory.
“Brother, you’re back?”
Leaning against the iron gate of the inner courtyard, Zhou Lingyi smiled and waved at Zhou Xuan.
“Sister.”
Zhou Xuan walked over.
“Here, take this,” Zhou Lingyi handed Zhou Xuan an iron key.
“What is this…”
“Sister-in-law mentioned to me that you should have a financial safe.
You’re grown up, after all, and it’s unsightly to not have any money on hand.
There’s three thousand bucks in the safe every month, and if it’s not enough, just let me know!”
After saying this, Zhou Lingyi walked into the inner courtyard.
Zhou Xuan stood there stunned, surprised that Xu Li, who had been eating at the donkey meat restaurant, had returned earlier than expected!
Indeed,
during rush hour, private cars always moved the slowest.
“By the way, brother!”
Zhou Lingyi remembered something, stopped, and with a faint smile said, “You did very well today at the Corridor River.”
“Hey, I’m a part of the Zhou Family, after all, just doing my part,” Zhou Xuan replied humbly.
…
After returning to his room, Zhou Xuan picked up his toothbrush cup, washbasin, and a change of clothes, and went to the outer courtyard.
There was a bathhouse in the outer courtyard with water heated by a large boiler.
The water temperature was intense, and once he was done, his whole body felt relaxed as he lay in bed, feeling completely lazy.
He opened the original owner’s diary, continuing from where he left off last time, reading through about twenty pages.
From the diary, it seemed the original owner was a typical playboy.
His life revolved around eating, drinking, playing, visiting theaters, appreciating actors, and fighting—quite viciously too, using iron rods on both disciples and teachers.
Setting aside the violent passages, it was basically similar to adult novels.
*If his mental state were better, perhaps he could read a few more pages,* but Zhou Xuan was already tired, and his eyelids were heavy, so he closed the diary and went to sleep.
…
The tea room had electric lights, but Yun Asi preferred not to use them.
Four oil lamps with some years on them hung on the walls, casting an orange-red glow throughout the room.
He liked this color; it was as beautiful as the old street alleys at sunset.
With his brows lowered, Yun Asi sat in the halo of light, rubbing a wooden fish with his hands, murmuring something to himself.
The White Paper Fan from the “Actor” Tangkou, Li Lisheng, clearly didn’t have his patience, pacing back and forth in the room.
Because of his irritation, he loosened the tie tightly bound around his neck and finally managed to breathe a sigh of relief, questioning Yun Asi, “Ah Si, I suspect you never killed Zhou Xuan from the start!”
“I have killed him.
The current Zhou Xuan is a fake, and I swear by my faith,” Yun Asi vigorously rubbed the wooden fish.
“Haha, the fake Zhou Xuan you speak of has already paid respects at the ancestral shrine.
If he were fake…
would the Zhou family’s ancestors not have noticed?”
“How he passed the ancestors’ test at the shrine, I don’t know, but he is definitely a fake Zhou Xuan, I swear by my faith!”
Yun Asi’s expression turned much more serious.
“Real or fake, I’m not arguing with you!
You said last time that Zhou Lingyi would personally kill Zhou Xuan.
And now…”
“Now?
Zhou Lingyi probably won’t lay hands on Zhou Xuan,” Yun Asi admitted dejectedly.
“So what about Zhou Xuan’s head?
When will you take it?” Li Lisheng only cared about when Zhou Xuan would die.
“I can’t take it.
I’ve already told you, there’s a Divine Person watching over Zhou Xuan at the Zhou Family,”
“According to my sources, that Divine Person has an agreement with the Zhou Family—he will only ensure Zhou Xuan’s safety within the Zhou Family’s courtyard.
But once Zhou Xuan leaves the courtyard, he no longer cares.
So why not…”
Yun Asi knew Li Lisheng was suggesting he go outside to act and kill Zhou Xuan again.
But he firmly rejected this seemingly reliable suggestion.
“I’m very cautious.
A cautious person fears variables most; acting outside poses too many variables.
I won’t do it.”
“Heh…
so you’re disobeying orders?
If the incense master finds out, you’ll…”
“If the incense master finds out, he’ll only think you’re foolish, not knowing how to wait for a good opportunity and insisting on wielding a weapon, throwing yourself into the fire pit,” Yun Asi mocked.
Li Lisheng was very angry.
He hated being called foolish the most.
Even though it was true, it couldn’t be spoken carelessly, especially in front of him.
He grabbed Yun Asi by the collar, ready to unleash his anger.
Yun Asi fluently said, “Zhou Xuan got himself into trouble this time.
Someone will deal with him…”
“You mean Mr.
Dai?”
“Dai Siming?” Yun Asi shook his head and said, “Just a dog wanting to cut its chain!”
He paused, seemingly mocking Dai Siming and self-mocking, coldly chuckling, “Hah, can he cut it?
Without a chain, it won’t be long before he’s leashed again!
Just changing a master…”
Yun Asi completely deflated, his head hanging as he said, “Zhou Xuan shouldn’t have dug up that Earth Temple—that’s the main temple of the ‘kidnappers.’ The best among them—Dog King, Chun Meng, Yan Zhongdao—have quick tempers and will settle accounts with Zhou Xuan.
The two of us, let’s just enjoy the show.”
Kidnappers,
within Ping Shui Prefecture,
were the most infamous hall of ghostly figures.
…
Zhou Xuan slept until the sun was high, stretching lazily, feeling comfortable all over except for a bit of puffiness in his eyes.
He looked in the mirror but didn’t see any changes, nor did he see that ancient temple or snow again.
“Self-healed?”
Zhou Xuan thought that since there was nothing wrong with his body, he shouldn’t overthink it and create problems where there were none.
He picked up his toothbrush cup and squatted by the water ditch outside to brush his teeth.
“Youngest Brother.”
Lv Mingkun, holding a paper bag, walked over.
Zhou Xuan finished brushing his teeth, put away the cup, and asked, “Fifth Brother, what’s up?”
“Brought you two flower rolls.”
Zhou Xuan took the bag and started eating the rolls.
“Fifth Brother, you’re too kind, bringing me breakfast specially.”
“Just picked them up along the way.
I’ve got another reason to find you.”
“What’s the matter?”
“Wasn’t there an incident with the troupe yesterday?
The class leader said he’d throw a banquet tonight to ease everyone’s nerves.”
*Throw the banquet, I’ll join in when the smell hits me, no need to tell me in advance,* thought Zhou Xuan.
“The banquet is being prepared by Master Yuan.
He said it’s okay to cook the other dishes casually, but the main table with the class leader and older brother, he wants to make a few new dishes and asked you to discuss the menu with him,” Lv Mingkun said.
*Discuss what!*
*That old man Yuan Buyu still hasn’t returned my borrowed book.*
“I don’t know anything about it.
What should I do there?”
“Just go,” Lv Mingkun coaxed, pushing Zhou Xuan toward the kitchen.
It was still early for lunch.
The stove wasn’t on yet.
Only a few chopping apprentices were “bang-bang-bang” chopping meat and vegetables.
Yuan Buyu sat by the window, reading a newspaper with Lao Ma, who managed the bathhouse boiler.
Lao Ma was completely illiterate.
His newspaper reading relied mainly on Yuan Buyu reading aloud while he listened for fun, occasionally urging Yuan Buyu to read faster.
The two of them together, it was like the saying: “You are my eyes, showing me…”
Overall, an interesting elderly duo.
“To seek longevity, Dai Siming accepted the Alien Ghost’s enlightenment and restarted the long-forgotten Longevity Blood Sacrifice ritual at the Corridor River…”
“Read faster, this news is interesting.”
“If you rush me again, read it yourself…” Yuan Buyu said with a touch of impatience.
Lao Ma sat upright on the little stool, feeling wronged.
He struggled to count from 1 to 10, reading the newspaper like reading the Heavenly Book.
Yuan Buyu continued reading the news aloud, and after a couple of paragraphs, he slapped the newspaper into Lao Ma’s hands, cursing, “Not reading anymore, what rubbish news!
That Corridor River Big Belly Monk incident from nearly thirty years ago is still being exaggerated!”
As Zhou Xuan entered the room, he listened to Yuan Buyu’s complaint, suddenly viewing him in a new light.
“Wow, that Old Spouter Yuan is well-informed, knowing about the Big Belly Monk?”
Zhou Xuan walked over to Yuan Buyu and asked, “Old Man Yuan, have you heard the story of the Big Belly Monk?”
“Hmph, I, Lao Yuan have roamed far and wide; that Big Belly Monk’s tricks can’t be hidden from me!
He, no skill except for turning humans into food with his magic trick.”
Oh!
This Lao Yuan had some knowledge after all.
Yuan Buyu took the newspaper and pointed at the image of the Earth Temple Blood Sacrifice, saying, “See this Buddha?
Behind this Buddha, there’s a stone talisman that ordinary people wouldn’t know the origin of…
I know.”
“Could you tell me about it?” Zhou Xuan became genuinely interested in Yuan Buyu.
He had always considered Yuan Buyu merely a hot-tempered old cook, not expecting him to be a treasure trove inside.
“Tell…
can’t just tell without some merit, right?” Yuan Buyu gestured as if drinking.
“Wait, I’ll get two buckets of beer for you, I’m thirsty too,” Zhou Xuan said as he turned to leave the kitchen.
Watching Zhou Xuan’s departing back, Yuan Buyu secretly smirked, “This kid took the bait.”
He now felt like taking Zhou Xuan as an apprentice.
The newspaper rant was deliberate, aiming to leave an expert impression on Zhou Xuan and lay a solid foundation for a future teacher-disciple relationship. frёeωebɳovel.com
“Taking on an apprentice needs slow cooking, can’t rush it.”
“Especially with a youngster like Xuanzi, having two hundred and six bones in his body, with two hundred and five of them being stubborn; he’s not easy to handle.”
