Showing His Face
Sheng Zixu replied, “You’re complete strangers with her. Why are you helping her? With this time, you might as well investigate my background more.”
Jiang Wan couldn’t be bothered to argue with him, but she still explained, “I told you, the investigation will take some time. It won’t be resolved that quickly. Besides, I’m taking care of her at someone else’s request, so naturally I have to do my best.”
For a moment, Sheng Zixu couldn’t think of anything to say. He could only return to the rear courtyard in a huff.
He didn’t even know what he was angry about.
The only thing he knew was that Jiang Wan was paying more attention to someone else, and it made him somewhat angry. But he didn’t know why.
He even wondered whether he’d been poisoned somehow and whether this was a lingering consequence of that taste-testing incident.
Thinking of this, he slapped his hands together.
“That’s definitely it! It’s all that fish’s fault!”
He secretly made up his mind never to eat anything of unknown origin again!
Meanwhile, Jiang Wan handed the ointment the physician had prescribed to the blind woman.
“The physician said applying this will help your wounds heal faster.”
“It won’t leave scars.”
The blind woman timidly thanked her.
“Thank you.”
Jiang Wan gave a soft “Mm.”
Just then, someone pushed the door open.
“Manager.”
Jiang Wan gestured for the person to put the food on the table. The person then bowed and withdrew outside to wait, intending to return and clean up after the distinguished guest had finished eating.
“Miss, eat first. Someone will come in later to clean up, so don’t worry about it.” Jiang Wan briefly explained.
She had originally intended to help the blind woman over to the stool so she could eat, but the woman refused.
“Manager, you should… you should go and get busy first. I-I can manage on my own.”
Her voice remained timid and extremely soft. Unless one listened carefully, it would probably be difficult to hear her clearly.
Jiang Wan replied, “Alright. If you need anything, ask the people outside for help.”
Before leaving the room, she glanced back once.
The blind woman was feeling her way forward from where she had been sitting.
Then Jiang Wan clearly heard her say her own name.
“Ji Wei.”
“Alright.”
Jiang Wan completely left the room.
Over the past few days, she had moved her letters and some important belongings into the small room adjoining the main room.
A carrier pigeon flew in and landed on her finger. Jiang Wan skillfully removed the note from its leg.
There were only two short lines on the paper.
[The trail of the group using kidnapped children to lure and kidnap other children has disappeared. It seems to have been deliberately concealed. Should we continue keeping watch?]
—The Nameless One
Jiang Wan quickly picked up her brush and wrote:
[Whether you’ve noticed anything unusual or not doesn’t matter. Keep watching. You must investigate thoroughly: the location of their base, their methods, whose hands the children passed through, and the cause of death of Butcher Li’s newly married wife. All of it must be investigated clearly.]
She rolled up the note, tied it to the pigeon’s leg, and released it.
Afterward, she collapsed into a reclining chair and rubbed her temples.
One thing after another had been happening lately, leaving her mentally exhausted.
At that moment, the waiter pushed open the door.
“Manager, after you finish eating, get some rest. You’ve been busy nonstop these past few days. Everyone’s quite worried about you.”
Jiang Wan waved her hand.
“Mm, I know. Just leave it there.”
The waiter put down the tray and stepped outside to wait.
The tray was filled with food that looked, smelled, and tasted delicious. Even a hint of its aroma was enough to whet one’s appetite.
Jiang Wan wasn’t very hungry, so she only ate a little. After washing up, she lay down on the bed that had been set up inside and closed her eyes to rest.
Ji Wei’s food had been prepared according to the physician’s instructions. She was malnourished, so she needed to recuperate and regain her strength before she could start eating other foods.
After finishing her meal, she supported herself against the table and stood up. She groped around aimlessly in the air.
Fortunately, she didn’t fall and safely made her way to the edge of the bed.
Afterward, she leaned against the bedside and stared blankly into space.
Her vacant eyes were filled with loneliness, making her all the more heartbreaking to look at.
It wasn’t until she heard the sound of a carrier pigeon that her thoughts were interrupted.
She immediately recognized it as a carrier pigeon. She had heard the sound before, and the memory had left a deep impression on her.
After losing her sight, Ji Wei’s hearing had become exceptionally keen. She could hear even the faintest sounds.
Roughly two incense sticks of time later, she heard the sound of a pigeon flapping its wings, which gradually faded into the distance.
The pigeon had flown out from the room next door.
And the room next door belonged to the manager who was taking care of her.
It seemed that the manager was communicating with someone, but it had nothing to do with her.
As long as they didn’t harm her, that was enough.
Ji Wei was still looking forward to the happy moment when she would finally meet her relatives after recovering.
She really missed them.
She unscrewed the lid of the ointment and held it beneath her nose.
It had a faint fragrance mixed with the scent of medicinal herbs. It wasn’t unpleasant.
She carefully dipped her fingertip into it and applied some to her wound.
The wounds that had still been aching were immediately replaced by a cool sensation, followed by a long-lasting feeling of comfort.
The undercover contact also received Jiang Wan’s reply and quickly made adjustments to their arrangements.
However, high in the sky, a strange image resembling a red eye flashed across the heavens.
It lasted only for an instant, and no one noticed it.
Jiang Wan was awakened by a sudden, violent palpitation.
She covered her heaving chest as she struggled to catch her breath, cold sweat beading across her forehead.
She was somewhat puzzled by it, but the sensation lingered for a long time and she couldn’t recover from it. She could only lean against the bed rail and gently pat her chest, trying to ease the discomfort caused by the palpitations.
After quite a while, her breathing finally returned to normal. She pulled back the covers and got out of bed.
She walked over to the temporary dressing mirror and sat down. The person reflected in the mirror no longer looked as gaunt and sallow as she had at first. She had filled out somewhat and was no longer frail. Her features had become more refined, making her look quite attractive.
She simply arranged her hair into a bun, then chose a light-green ribbon to tie around it and put on a light-green outer garment.
The waiter had already cleaned everything outside. Nothing on the table had been moved; everything remained exactly as it had been. The calligraphy brush hung quietly in its place.
Jiang Wan closed the door and began inspecting the restaurant.
The people Ye Yurong had sent had alleviated the shortage of staff caused by the lengthy recruitment and screening process. The goods, mountain products, and other supplies she had sent also greatly eased the pressure of finding new suppliers on such short notice. This gave Jiang Wan more time to carefully select and find partners who could benefit both sides.
None of the original employees at Fuxin Restaurant had been replaced, except for Ma Lai, who had defected to another side.
When searching for new suppliers, Jiang Wan sent the head chef and the accountant together. One would inspect the ingredients while the other negotiated prices. Together, they could make the most of their respective strengths.
While inspecting the restaurant, Jiang Wan encountered Sheng Zixu, who was looking at something haphazardly.
She frowned and walked over.
“Why aren’t you in the rear courtyard watching the wine cellar? What are you doing here?”
Hearing her voice, he was startled.
“You—you! Don’t you make any noise when you walk?”
He lowered his head and secretly muttered under his breath,
“Just like a ghost.”
Jiang Wan wasn’t fooled and continued questioning him.
“Why are you here?”
Seeing that he couldn’t get out of the situation, Sheng Zixu secretly wondered whether he should make up some excuse.
She didn’t urge him. This was the corner of the second floor, so they wouldn’t interfere with the other customers or the waiters’ work.
Finally, unable to withstand Jiang Wan’s death stare, Sheng Zixu moved his lips a few times before speaking.
“The wine cellar is so damp and cold that I’m practically going to rot in there. If I don’t come out, I won’t even live to see tomorrow’s sun.”
Jiang Wan mentally held her forehead.
You’ve wandered way too far for that.
Sheng Zixu retorted, “There’s plenty of sunlight here. It’s much better for replenishing one’s yang energy.”
How had this man’s ability to spout nonsense with a straight face improved so much?
Replenishing yang energy? I’m not a ghost.
“Ha. Ha. Ha. Then the sunlight here really is abundant—so abundant that it’s all solid wood.”
Jiang Wan said each word one by one, without a trace of emotion.
Sheng Zixu refused to back down. He raised his head and puffed out his chest.
“Of course. You should thank me properly.”
Jiang Wan had the sudden urge to crack open his skull and see what was inside. She always felt as though something was missing from his head, as if he were somehow incomplete.
“Thank you. Now can you go back and continue guarding your post?”
Her expression remained as calm and indifferent as ever.
He clasped his hands behind his back, his fingers unconsciously fidgeting, and quietly said,
“I found someone to take my shift.”
Jiang Wan immediately caught that.
“You found someone to take your shift?”
Sheng Zixu’s confidence immediately dropped a little—but not by much. He quickly straightened up again.
“It’s so damp and cold in there. Don’t you know how to show some consideration for my well-being?”
She thought about it and nodded.
“Indeed, it’s bad for your health. Let’s renovate it into an ice cellar. It’s summer now, so we might even attract more customers.”
He immediately stepped forward, as if saying, Look at me, look at me.
“That was my contribution.”
Jiang Wan replied, “Then you can supervise the renovation.”
Sheng Zixu calmly accepted the assignment.
“Mm. I suppose I’ll have to make this sacrifice.”
After finishing her inspection of the entire restaurant, Jiang Wan was preparing to rest for a while before handling her other affairs.
A waiter came looking for her.
“Manager, the person you specifically reserved that room on the fourth floor for has arrived. Would you like to go see them?”
Only then did Jiang Wan remember.
The room had originally been prepared for special circumstances when she needed to meet someone privately.
“Mm. I’ll go myself.”
“Alright!”
On the fourth floor, inside the room, a man dressed in an elaborate brocade robe and wearing a veiled hat was pouring himself tea.
When Jiang Wan pushed open the door, he took another teacup, filled it with tea, and placed it exactly where she would sit.
“Are you from the undercover network?” Jiang Wan asked cautiously.
The man gave a faint response.
“Manager Jiang.”
After confirming his identity, Jiang Wan asked, “Has something happened?”
The man’s expression immediately turned serious.
“The new wife of Butcher Li—the one you asked us to investigate—died under suspicious circumstances. According to Butcher Li himself, she accidentally fell into the river while washing clothes. Her body was never recovered, no matter how much they searched.”
“They made her an empty grave and claimed that the woman simply had no luck. Then I heard that a matchmaker had already gone to his house to arrange another marriage for him.”
Jiang Wan understood immediately.
The new wife must still be alive. The only question was where she was being hidden.
“She definitely isn’t dead. She’s still alive. Do you have any leads?”
The man shook his head. “Not yet. It’s just that…”
“Just what?”
“The mastermind behind using kidnapped children to lure and kidnap other children has taken several more children.”
Jiang Wan clenched her fists.
“Looks like we need to speed things up.”
The man nodded in agreement.
“It’s getting late. To prevent anyone from noticing anything suspicious, I’ll leave first.”
Jiang Wan watched him leave. After returning to her room, she immediately picked up her brush and wrote a letter to the informants she had stationed elsewhere, instructing them to intensify their efforts.
She then wrote another letter, compiling everything that had happened over the past few days, and sent it to the wharf.
The following day, at noon
It was the busiest time at the restaurant when people from Cangman Restaurant showed up again.
The person leading them was their head manager. He ordered his men to drive the restaurant’s customers out and even began smashing things.
Jiang Wan showed no mercy and immediately had someone summon the yamen officers.
The officers took everyone away.
This time, the punishment was even harsher. They were not only sentenced to be paraded through the streets, publicly apologize, and compensate for the damages, but were also sentenced to receive a beating with the wooden paddle.
Their actions only brought even more disgrace upon their own restaurant.
Their stupidity was practically laughable.
Their reputation became “famous”—though certainly not in a good way.
Even the few remaining customers hurried to distance themselves from them. Travelers passing through the town and stopping to rest also heard about what had happened. Everyone said the same thing:
“That manager really brought this disaster upon himself.”
After being punished, Cangman Restaurant closed down completely. They still owed money for their supplies and were relentlessly pursued by their creditors.
Meanwhile, the second manager, who was still in prison, no longer had anyone greasing palms on his behalf, and his days became increasingly miserable.
After witnessing what had happened to Cangman Restaurant, the other restaurants and eateries that had been itching to make a move all abandoned the idea.
Everyone went about their own business, keeping out of each other’s way, afraid that they would end up suffering the same fate as Cangman Restaurant.