Thanks to Xiao Yan’s care, Duan Yelin and his group stayed in Shanghai peacefully for nearly a month. Their injuries were mostly healed, except for Duan Yelin’s leg, which required him to use crutches for a month, but the rest of the injuries were not serious.
In three days, everything will fall into place, it’ll be the perfect time to return to Hezhou.
Xiao Yan prepared a boat for Duan Yelin and his friends at the dock, and it was still under repair. Xu Hang was watching in a daze on the shore. Xiao Yan said from behind him, “Your trip was in vain.”
The water surface sparkled, and Xu Hang’s voice was blown away by the wind: “Who said that?”
Xiao Yan’s ears twitched: “Don’t tell me that you still want to do something?”
Xu Hang hadn’t trimmed his hair for a long time, so it was a little long at the temples. He tucked it behind his ears and said, “Don’t you think that this is the time when the Zhang family’s guards are the most relaxed?”
The most dangerous time is also the safest time. One can’t get the tiger cub without risking it. This is a very tempting gamble.
Xiao Yan kicked the heel of his shoe on the ground and kicked away the garbage at his feet: “Young Master Xu, this is not like your style. Aren’t you good at being calm and composed and making plans? Why did you suddenly become so impulsive? It’s as if… something is forcing you to finish this matter.”
“I’m tired,” Xu Hang squatted down slowly, his long Changshan dragging on the ground. “I just suddenly want to live a more stable life and don’t want to calculate anymore.”
Xiao Yan couldn’t help but feel a little sad because of his loneliness. He squatted down with Xu Hang and said, “Sometimes I also think about disbanding the Yan Gang and going back to my hometown to farm. But this is only a sudden thought when I am exhausted after a fight. I have long been accustomed to the life of eating raw meat and drinking blood. It is not so easy to go back. Xu Hang, I am like this, you are the same, and Duan Yelin is even more so.”
Then he patted Xu Hang on the shoulder and walked away.
Xu Hang squatted there, drawing something aimlessly on the ground with his fingers until the sun went down.
Xiao Yan was right. He was anxious. Duan Yelin’s words yesterday disturbed his inner peace and made him confused. He wanted to rush to the Zhang family with a knife, chop Zhang Yaochen to death, and then bury everything in ashes.
He really hates it. Xu Hang suddenly bit the back of his hand hard, trying to use the sudden pain to suppress his inner restlessness.
What about reincarnation? What about karma? Why don’t those who are guilty of sin die quickly but even escape the fate?
He couldn’t bear it any longer, he really couldn’t bear it even for a second.
When the crescent moon first appeared, Qiao Song came in with dinner in his hands. He happened to see Xu Hang leaving the room, and he shouted, “Young Master Xu, don’t come out. I’ve brought the food for you and the Commander.”
Xu Hang glanced at him and said, “You guys eat, don’t wait for me.”
“Where are you going? It’s getting dark.”
He looked at the moon, with its pointed corners and incomplete beauty. But autumn is almost here, and the wind and clouds tonight seem a bit grim.
Xu Hang held the peony sachet in his wide sleeves, his fingertips turning white. Qiao Song saw that his hands were trembling slightly. He took out something that looked like a leaf and put it in his mouth to chew.
The chewing action was slow and seemed a little painful.
Then Xu Hang said, “I want to change the medicine for him. He is sleeping soundly now. Don’t disturb him. There is new medicine ready to be boiled in the yard. If he wakes up, you can feed it to him. Maybe… I will be back before the medicine is ready.”
Seeing that he was about to take one step out, Qiao Song quickly said, “Can’t we buy it tomorrow? We’ll be back in Hezhou in two days, there’s no rush.”
“Can’t wait any longer,” Xu Hang lowered his eyes and looked at his palms. “This medicine has been boiled for too long. It’s time to change it. Otherwise, the ulcer will not heal.”
He put his hands down dejectedly and walked out without looking back.
Qiao Song leaned against the door, looking at Xu Hang’s back, and actually felt a little worried.
Because this was the first time he saw the emotion called pain on Xu Hang’s face.
——————
In the Zhang Family Manor, everything seemed to be silent, yet someone seemed to be sighing.
The clock on the wall was ticking, and a pair of eyes watched it swing back and forth, with cloudy whites and clear pupils.
Zhang Xiuming just sat on the bed without turning on the lights, like a sculpture, waiting for someone to show up.
Just after twelve o’clock, there seemed to be some movement on the windowsill, and then the doors and windows were opened, and a figure walked in from outside in the moonlight.
The moonlight was like an icy river, and it was a bit chilly when he came in.
As soon as that person came in, he said, “There are no guards at all. Are you ready to die?”
Zhang Xiuming chuckled and said, “I knew you would come to play with me. I have been waiting for several nights already, and you’re finally here.”
There was no sign of a smile on his face, as if he was waiting for an old friend instead of facing the person who broke his leg.
“Sit down, Xu Hang. It’s tiring to stand.” Zhang Xiuming patted the side of his bed.
Xu Hang looked at him coldly: “You don’t even recognize your own legs, what are you pretending for[mfn]It implied that someone is pretending and putting on an air without understanding their limitations or reality.[/mfn]?”
Zhang Xiuming unconsciously touched his leg with one hand: “My body is not important, your body is more important.” He knew that the part under the quilt was empty, and it would be useless to touch it again, so he clenched his fist: “Instead of worrying about me, you should worry about yourself. Xu Hang, your body can’t hold on any longer.”
An evil smile blooms in the darkness.
Like a spell, Xu Hang’s hands couldn’t help but tremble. He immediately pinched his palms to relieve the twitching.
However, this action did not escape Zhang Xiuming’s eyes. He looked at the leaves leaking out of the sachet on Xu Hang’s waist and said proudly, “No matter how much you want to chew marijuana leaves to support yourself, I’m afraid you can’t do it. Once you get addicted, you can never quit. These days, do you feel like you’re addicted and your hands and feet are out of control?”
Xu Hang looked at his smile and had a strong desire to tear him apart.
This was Zhang Xiuming’s only successful move.
During the time when Xu Hang was imprisoned in the Zhang family manor, he added appropriate amounts of opium or drugs to his daily meals.
He was afraid that Xu Hang would discover it too easily, so he added an appropriate amount of anesthetic to paralyze his limbs as a cover-up.
It is easy to hide in prison, but it is hard to quit drugs. The drug he gave Xu Hang can make people addicted after just one-time use. It is a valuable drug that even he can hardly get, so he is confident that Xu Hang will come back.
Coincidentally, it was because of Xiao Yan’s move that all the opium in Shanghai was destroyed. Not to mention the purified drugs, even a gram of ordinary opium was hard to come by.
If he hadn’t been chewing a little marijuana leaves, he would have collapsed long ago.
Xu Hang tightened his jaw and said word by word, “Do you really think that using drugs can make me admit defeat?”
“I can’t?” Zhang Xiuming tilted his head. “You endured so much and didn’t ask anyone for help. Aren’t you afraid that Duan Yelin would find out?”
