Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Qu Yixian really didn’t know about this.

She hadn’t expected that Jiang Yun, looking soft and fragile like a little marshmallow, would be so bold in her actions.

So Yuan Ye stammered, hesitant to speak, just to tell this story?

Qu Yixian touched her chin and asked: “Did you open the door for her?”

Fu Xun closed his eyes: “I did.”

Qu Yixian clicked her tongue twice and asked again: “What did she want?”

Fu Xun: “Altitude sickness. She wanted me to open some glucose for her.”

The glucose injection that Qu Yixian gave Jiang Yun was in a glass vial—solid, not easy to open. If you tried hard, you couldn’t get a grip.

And being in the hotel, even if she wanted something sharp, there was nothing handy.

Thinking this way, Qu Yixian felt… Jiang Yun’s knocking on the door was entirely reasonable.

But she couldn’t resist teasing, and asked: “Just to open a bottle of glucose?”

Fu Xun opened his eyes and glanced at her: “What else did you want to hear?” His tone was calm, low and even.

Qu Yixian pretended not to catch the hint of danger in his tone, grinning teasingly: “You were already at the door, not going to invite her in to sit?”

Fu Xun found it amusing: “When you were at my door, I invited you in to sit?”

Qu Yixian, full of question marks: “Why are you dragging me into this? I can’t be like Jiang Yun!” Jiang Yun’s intentions toward him were written all over her face—she practically asked him, “Can you look at me a little more?”

“Different,” Fu Xun closed his eyes, voice muffled before tucking his face into his jacket like biting on a cigarette: “You don’t get a share. Who does she count as?”

What?

Qu Yixian didn’t hear clearly.

She turned her head and glanced at the front passenger seat.

Damn it, speaking unclearly and then falling asleep—he’d better not get struck by karma!

——

The car reached a small town before the salt lake.

Though called a small town, it had only developed recently in the last two years due to tourism. Buildings and streets were sparse, and beyond the main road, hardly a soul could be seen.

The weather was pretty much what Qu Yixian expected. Entering the town felt like passing through a layer of rain; raindrops drizzled down the windshield.

During the rainy season in Nanjiang, it felt like thirty-two days of the month were spent in fog and rain. Whether it rained or not, the sky was overcast, and roofs always bore a thick layer of insulation. When it rained, it was only fine drizzle at first, barely noticeable, but after a while, eyebrows, eyelashes, and hair were coated with misty droplets, each drop hazy beyond steam.

Unlike Nanjiang’s rain, the northwest was arid; snow fell more often than rain. Here, rain was solid and real, each drop distinct. From forming to falling, it happened in localized patches, as if afraid of too much.

She looked up at the stacked clouds, like an ink wash painting in midair. Then she lowered her eyes, picked up the walkie-talkie, and notified Jiang Yun: “Chaka Salt Lake is almost here. Pack your things and get ready to get off.”

Jiang Yun used Yuan Ye’s handheld radio to reply: “Got it.” Her voice was muffled, as if still sulking about Fu Xun switching cars with her.

The car entered the scenic area.

The entrance of Chaka Salt Lake had a large parking lot. Even with overcast and rain, it was full of tour buses and cars from all over.

Qu Yixian picked an empty spot and parked.

She glanced at Fu Xun, still asleep, debating whether to wake him or let him sleep, when Jiang Yun, holding an umbrella, tapped on Qu Yixian’s car window.

Qu Yixian just opened the door and got out.

Jiang Yun raised the umbrella to cover Qu Yixian: “Yuan Ye said Chaka Salt Lake is free for Zhejiang residents. I came to get my ID.”

She tilted her chin, pointing at the trunk: “I put it in the trunk.”

Jiang Yun grabbed her ID and, before the trunk closed, looked at the front passenger seat and muttered: “Mr. Fu isn’t getting out again?”

He’s not here for tourism—why would he get out?

But there was no need to say this to Jiang Yun.

“Maybe she’s just not interested in these spots.” Qu Yixian handed her the umbrella and pointed the way: “Walk straight in this direction to the end. Once you leave the parking lot, that’s the ticket entrance to the scenic area.”

The rain grew heavier. Qu Yixian stood under the open trunk like a fussing mother, warning Jiang Yun: “You’re alone, so watch yourself. Call me before you get all the way out—I’ll come get you and we’ll have lunch together.”

——

Yuan Ye sat in the car, sour and bitter.

In the past few years, besides being Qu Yixian’s partner and assistant, he had also been her landlord, yet he’d never seen her so considerate and attentive.

Sensing Yuan Ye’s gaze, after Qu Yixian saw Jiang Yun off, her eyes shifted and landed on the Jeep across from them.

Yuan Ye’s heart leapt. Watching Qu Yixian close the trunk, she didn’t hold an umbrella and walked over.

Qu Yixian got into the car and sat in the front passenger seat.

The distance was just a few steps, but her jacket was already wet on the shoulders. Fortunately, it was waterproof; otherwise, in this weather, wet clothes that couldn’t dry would be miserable to wear.

Yuan Ye didn’t speak, quietly handing her a whole box of tissues to dry herself.

Without his usual boastful energy, Qu Yixian felt a little unaccustomed. While drying her shoulders, she gave him a sidelong glance: “Why are you quiet? It was just Jiang Yun knocking on Fu Xun’s door last night. I even asked for you—it was just to open some glucose.”

Yuan Ye, like a little puppy, lifted his eyes, a crease forming at the corner, looking both aggrieved and harmless: “Did you ask for me or on your own?”

Qu Yixian “Hmm?”—she didn’t understand what he meant.

Yuan Ye had been restless all night, turning and tossing. Now, this trivial matter, she acted like she had nothing to tell him—his temper flared immediately.

“Qu Ye, I’m not saying anything bad about you. These years, we haven’t exactly risked our lives together, but the camaraderie we’ve had—surely that’s real, right? And you hide everything from me, I feel really upset.”

Qu Yixian’s hand froze mid-dry. She looked up at Yuan Ye.

He was used to joking around, but Qu Yixian could easily tell when he was serious. Right now, it was clearly the former.

She finally felt a pang of conscience and reflected—had she been neglecting this little guy lately?

Yuan Ye wasn’t very used to discussing serious matters; he preferred joking even when talking about them. But today, the timing was right, and he needed to be serious.

He cleared his throat, face solemn: “Qu Ye, remember what you said to me before dinner last night? You told me to count—see how many times Jiang Yun glanced at Fu Xun during one meal.”

“I counted—less than ten times. All when Fu Xun was talking, Jiang Yun looked naturally and politely. But you, you looked over a dozen times, like you were mesmerized.”

Qu Yixian was shocked.

She had looked at Fu Xun that many times? Seems like her eyes were out of control—she’d have to gouge them out sometime.

Seeing her silent, Yuan Ye continued: “Do you think I couldn’t sleep because Jiang Yun knocked on Xun Ge’s door in the middle of the night? I usually fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. How come I couldn’t sleep last night—don’t you want to know?”

Qu Yixian saw he was serious. She crossed her arms and sat quietly, listening to him vent.

“After you sent me a message, I went to your room. Knocked—no answer. Fu Xun’s room had no lights. I thought you two were in the car. So I went to check the dash cam…”

Qu Yixian raised her brows, resisting the urge to slap him, her eyes cold and sharp: “Then?”

At her tone, Yuan Ye immediately weakened.

Stammering, he said: “I-I saw you deliberately send me away, and me and Jiang Yun…” He paused, voice lowering further: “…alone with Xun Ge, just the two of you in one car.”

“That’s nothing,” Yuan Ye, thinking further, felt no guilt and hardened his tone: “If you like Xun Ge, want to pursue, want a relationship, that’s fine. But hiding it from me, using me as a pawn—doesn’t that cross the line?”

Qu Yixian laughed: “You wanted to say this to me this morning?”

Yuan Ye retorted: “What’s wrong with this? It’s serious—our bond is cracking, trust is at risk.”

One night and already cracks in the relationship, trust at risk?

Qu Yixian almost lost it, silently reminding herself: my little brother, my little brother, my little brother.

Three times, she calmed herself and said: “You’re overthinking. There’s nothing romantic between Fu Xun and me. You saw us alone in a car—did you see us fighting?”

Fighting???

Yuan Ye was dumbstruck: “What…? My Xun Ge is all righteous and proper, and he actually hits a woman!” He rolled up his sleeves, looking like he was going to confront Fu Xun.

Qu Yixian didn’t stop him.

She watched Yuan Ye open the car door at leisure, then turned with a look that clearly said, “Why didn’t you stop me?” and awkwardly closed the door.

“I’m not suited for romance.” Qu Yixian adjusted the seat a few inches back, stretched her legs, grabbed one of Yuan Ye’s cigarettes, and lit it.

She hadn’t smoked since last night; her mouth felt bland.

“Most men can’t hold me, and I’ve never seen anyone worth letting ruin. Between Fu Xun and me, there’s… stuff I can’t talk about.” She exhaled the smoke lightly, saying, “I’m not hiding it from you, Yuan Ye. I just keep things to myself—unlike you, who can’t wait to broadcast everything that happens.”

Squinting slightly, her tone softened: “Don’t ask. If you can see or figure it out yourself, then it’s not me talking too much.”

She turned her head and waved her hand: “Yuan Ye, I want you to find out something for me.”

Hearing this, Yuan Ye’s heart thumped. He didn’t respond immediately, replaying her words in his head several times. Finally, hesitantly, he asked, “Qu Ye, you didn’t get involved in… anything important, right?”

“No.”

If she said no, then it was no.

Yuan Ye relaxed instantly, letting go of the little grudges he’d been holding: “Okay, what is it?”

“Fu Xun has a lot of depth. You might think his money comes from family business? Not at all.” Qu Yixian stubbed out her cigarette and lowered her voice: “He does cultural relic appraisals. The money he invested in Xinghui—that’s all earned from that. Nothing to do with business or family investments.”

Yuan Ye was stunned: “But he said it himself! You remember… that day, when Peng led the welcome dinner? You hadn’t arrived yet, so I asked him. He said his family was wealthy, does some small business. He asked if I knew Fu Yan, a famous young entrepreneur in Nancheng City—that’s his brother.”

“See, you’re easily fooled.” Qu Yixian sneered. “Rich family, does some small business—fine. He just used that as a cover. Fu Yan is his cousin, not his younger brother.”

Yuan Ye’s face turned pale and then red, his lips pressed together several times: “I understand why he wouldn’t tell… And he didn’t lie to us. I jumped to conclusions first.”

Exactly. That’s what Fu Xun wanted—someone jumping to conclusions.

Everything according to what he allowed, all to his benefit. When he used them as pawns, they didn’t even notice.

After returning to her room last night, Qu Yixian had been thinking about the connection between Fu Xun and Xiang Xiaolong. One is a relic appraiser, the other handles “dirty goods.” Their only connection is probably that “dirty goods.”

Fu Xun said he couldn’t be completely transparent—he just wanted to recover the “dirty goods.”

But from what she could see now, Fu Xun spoke very few truths. When he did, it was buried in a pile of information, some true, some false.

He didn’t speak, and she didn’t want to hear.

In the Northwest, she controlled the territory—no outsider could stir the waters.

“Dunhuang is more familiar to you. Ask someone to help me check these three pawnshops.” She took her phone from Yuan Ye’s holder and typed the names of the three shops into the memo.

“On June 25th, there was a young man wearing a gray jacket.” Qu Yixian recalled Xiang Xiaolong’s features: “He has a scar about three centimeters from his left ear to his temple.”

If one didn’t look carefully, the scar would be easy to miss. But Qu Yixian guessed that whatever “dirty goods” he had that warranted Fu Xun personally pursuing it was not ordinary.

Anyone pawning it would surely notice—how could they not see clearly?

“And,” she lowered her voice, “most importantly, check if Fu Xun had any appraisal accidents in recent years. The more detailed, the better.”

Yuan Ye, essentially the outward face of the Xinghui rescue team, had contacts across industries. Checking this information was easy for him.

Listening, Yuan Ye’s mouth went dry. He licked his lips and cautiously asked, “Are you worried it’s about Xun Ge and an accident he had to clean up?”

“Don’t know.” Qu Yixian toyed with the cigarette pack, casually: “Fu Xun is tight-lipped. Even Captain Peng probably doesn’t know much. Don’t mention it to the team leader—it’ll just be annoying.”

Yuan Ye nodded.

No reminder needed—he understood.

This matter was purely for Qu Ye; he would keep his mouth shut.

Once the serious discussion ended, the car fell into silence.

After a while, Yuan Ye hesitantly asked, “Qu Ye, when you take Xun Ge to the alien ruins this afternoon, is it really to check the stalls at the entrance selling antiques for clues?”

“Half and half, then.” Qu Yixian tossed the cigarette pack back to him. “These cigarettes are so hard to smoke—you might as well quit.”

Yuan Ye looked utterly puzzled: “Then why did you smoke the whole one?”

Qu Yixian lifted her chin slightly, giving him a sidelong glare: “I already smoked it, of course I’m not going to waste it. Can you have some sense and stop blaming me for everything? That’s it for today.”

“I, Qu Yixian, from today, quit smoking!”

Fu Xun just offering a box of candy to make her quit?

Pfft! She decided to quit because Yuan Ye’s cigarette was impossible to smoke, not him!