GHLCS Chapter102

The day after Duan Yelin’s birthday, Xiao Yan came to Xu Hang to ask for people.

 

Xu Hang looked at him with a half-smile: “You feel sorry now?”

 

Xiao Yan put one foot on the stool, supporting himself with his elbow. “Isn’t this the effect you want? My coming to you was part of your plan, right? Physician Xu, Xu Hang, only Duan Yelin can’t see through you.”

 

Xu Hang glanced at Xiao Yan twice more. This man had been working hard in Shanghai since he was young. He had reached his current status not entirely by relying on his fists. He was quite smart.

 

“I can’t give you the person now.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because it’s meaningless,” Xu Hang motioned Xiao Yan to sit down and talk. “If you snatch him away again, what’s the difference from before? He still thinks of himself as your teacher, and this hurdle is still insurmountable. Only when he takes the initiative to bow his head, can this matter be considered complete.”

 

Xiao Yan’s face was somewhat dejected: “He… he won’t.”

 

Xu Hang pushed a cup of Longjing osmanthus tea in front of him and smiled slightly: “There are some things in this world that Ghost Master can’t do, but I can.”

 

Xiao Yan’s eyes suddenly lit up. Only then did he understand the significance of Xu Hang’s plan. It turned out that he was well prepared. His eyes began to turn scrutinizing: “You?”

 

“If you trust me, within five days, I can let Teacher Shen come to you. And he will do it willingly as well.”

 

What an attractive bargaining chip.

 

Xiao Yan had to admit that he was very tempted, but at the same time he was very sober: “What are your conditions?”

 

Finally getting to the point, Xu Hang sat up straight and said seriously, “My condition is a favor from Ghost Master. If I need Ghost Master’s full support in the future, you must help me and never refuse.”

 

The two pairs of eyes locked onto each other, an unspoken tension hanging in the air. In that fleeting moment, silence conveyed more than any words ever could.

 

Something that can make the Yan Gang devote all its efforts to help will definitely cause a stir in the city. In the information Xiao Yan found, Xu Hang was a rabbit raised by Duan Yelin. Now it seems that this information is worth further investigation.

 

He stared at the osmanthus flowers floating in the tea bowl and thought for a while. This price was really high, but compared to Shen Jingmo…

 

Xu Hang is very good at prescribing the right medicine. Seeing Xiao Yan’s hesitation, he said, “Don’t worry, what I want Ghost Master to do will not harm the good people or the country.”

 

In this case, there is nothing that cannot be agreed upon. Xiao Yan stared at Xu Hang and said two words solemnly: “Fine.”

 

Xu Hang emphasized again for the sake of safety, “Ghost Master, please listen carefully. I said that no matter when, where, or what, you must help me, even if your life is in danger.”

 

Once Xiao Yan said it, it was difficult for him to take it back: “Fine.”

 

Xu Hang picked up the tea bowl, drinking tea instead of wine, and smiled faintly: “Then today’s appointment is fulfilled. Please wait for good news, Mr. Ghost.”

 

————

 

In Xiaotong Guan, Qiao Song placed some official documents regarding personnel changes on Duan Yelin’s desk.

 

When Duan Yelin was looking through it, he saw Yuan Ye’s file, and he started to miss him. When Yuan Ye was still around, he was very capable and not arrogant or impatient. It is hard to find such a good person now.

 

Seeing Duan Yelin staring at the things left by Yuan Ye and thinking, Qiao Song said, “I don’t know if Young Master Yuan is doing well or not. How about I have someone send a letter abroad someday?”

 

Duan Yelin nodded. “Forgot about him. How is Gu Fangfei? I haven’t heard from her for a long time already.”

 

Qiao Song sighed, “Miss Gu’s family has been forcing her to go on a blind date. Miss Gu was afraid, so she went to Shanghai alone and opened a new company there.”

 

“Send a few people to Shanghai to keep an eye on her. That way, if anything happens, we can handle it in time—so Yuan Ye won’t be upset when he returns.” Actually, it was mainly Xu Hang who was concerned about them, although he didn’t say it.

 

Most of what Yuan Ye left behind were notes from past investigations—mostly old cases with little value. But Duan Yelin paused when he came across the file on Yuan Sen’s case.

 

He frowned and flipped through the two pages, but he always felt something was wrong.

 

“Qiao Song,” He shared his doubts with Qiao Song, “In Yuan Sen’s case, it was later said that the murderer disappeared in the alley because he went into the underground air-raid shelter and came out from another entrance, right?”

 

Qiao Song recalled, “That’s what it said. What’s wrong, Commander?”

 

Duan Yelin pointed to his notes and said, “I suddenly remembered that the underground air-raid shelter hadn’t been completed at the time. I had asked Shaotang to draft the blueprints, but he only finished half of them—so only half of it was ever constructed. The report given to me at that time said that there was a lot of dust in the air-raid shelter and there was only one set of footprints. I am very curious, if the murderer just went in on a whim, how could he be so familiar with the layout of the air-raid shelter?”

 

These air-raid shelters were essential during wartime, and even the workers had to be brought in from distant towns. The laborers for the first phase of construction all came with name lists, which were sent back after the inventory was completed, and then a new batch was recruited.

 

Qiao Song carefully thought about what was wrong: “Commander, do you think there is something wrong with the people around us?”

 

That golden hairpin is very close to us, or… much closer to you, Commander, it’s just that the Commander just can’t see through it—this is what Yuan Ye once said to Duan Yelin, and it suddenly popped up at this moment.

 

There have been so many things going on recently that he always forgets that there is a golden hairpin killer hiding in this city.

 

“Qiao Song, go check it out. Get a copy of all the names of people you handled and take a look.” Duan Yelin said as he closed his notebook and put it aside.

 

At this moment, he heard a panicked sound behind the door. Duan Yelin frowned and shouted, “Who’s outside?!”

 

Qiao Song rushed over in two steps, opened the door, and asked in surprise, “Chan Yi?”

 

Chan Yi was startled by Qiao Song. She patted her chest to calm down, then walked in with the box. “Aiya, I came at an inopportune time. You two were talking, so I didn’t dare to come in. Commander, this is something the Head of the Household asked me to deliver.”

 

Duan Yelin relaxed his brows when he saw Chan Yi: “What is it?”

 

“The Head of the Household said you had too much tonic wine yesterday and were exposed to the wind for quite a while. You might look fine now, but your constitution could be affected, so he asked me to bring you some medicine.”

 

Chan Yi opened the food box, and there was a bowl of boiled medicine with a small dish of crispy candy next to it.

 

Duan Yelin understood at a glance that the medicine was prepared by Xu Hang, and the sugar must have been Chan Yi’s idea. He picked up the medicine and shook it: “Chan Yi, you little girl, where did Xu Hang find you? You’re small, but so considerate. It’s a pity Qiao Song married so early—otherwise, I definitely wouldn’t let someone else snatch you away.”

 

“Humph!” Chan Yi pursed her lips. “Why, Commander, are you trying to turn everyone in Jinyun Tang into someone from Xiaotong Guan? I won’t marry anyone!”

 

Qiao Song was also amused: “As I recall, Chan Yi seems to be the child of Young Master Xu’s nanny, and also the only one left from the old days in Jinjia Tang. How is the elder doing? Is her health still holding up well?”

 

“Ai, she’s already confused. She only remember me and the Head of the Household. She doesn’t know anything else.”

 

Duan Yelin took the medicine and drank it all. He tasted the candy and then realized its flavor. He asked, “Why did Shaotang suddenly think of sending me medicine? Is he ill himself?”

 

Chan Yi shrugged her shoulders, looking helpless.

 

Duan Yelin felt that he had gone too far last time, and he would have to coax him well when he got back.