Chapter 15 – An Interesting Event

Instinctively, Fang Tinglan dropped to a crouch, then retreated sideways with a woosh. The silver blade flicked past his hair, just barely missing his neck. Had he been any slower, he would have met the same end as that body lying in the alley.

Fang Tinglan didn’t stop after stepping back. Still dressed as a gardener, he continued to evade the other’s blows. Without any weapon of his own, he didn’t dare to face his opponent head on. Fortunately, only his opponent’s first strike aimed to kill; his following strikes were simply a display of power, mocking Fang Tinglan.

Both helpless and amused, Fang Tinglan dodged another two strikes in a series of rather undignified movements.

“You’re bullying me, cousin… ” He drawled.

His tone implied countless miseries; even the best from the Grand Theatre couldn’t put so much emotion into their voice. This servile tone made his opponent pause; the knife originally making a graceful arc sharply swerved. Laughter burst from the sidelines before said “cousin” managed to think up a retort.

This sound broke through the tense atmosphere and prompted the attacker to lower his weapon. The laughter’s source was none other than the girl Fang Tinglan had previously been following; she sat off to the side twirling her hair between her fingers and watching the two.

“Go on, why don’t you continue?” She raised an eyebrow and taunted them.

“Did you hear him? How am I supposed to continue?” The “cousin” sighed and tucked his dagger away.

The girl rubbed her fingertips together, causing dark red to flake away from her skin. Her bluish gray eyes swept over the two and her lip quirked up playfully.

“You pair of brothers are quite interesting. Rather than fighting, I’d say you were flirting —”

“Ya Li.” Hai Lian called the girl’s name.

“Fine, fine. I’ll leave now. Happy? Feel free to continue without me around.” She rubbed her nose, but couldn’t keep the teasing tone from her voice. Before leaving, she couldn’t resist turning to Hai Lian.

“Today’s job wasn’t worth it, you should pay for the ruined skirt. That one was my favorite, but now that it’s soaked in blood, I won’t be able to wear it in the future.”

The fight simply couldn’t continue after this sort of interference. After Ya Li left, Hai Lian spoke up first.

“What sort of nonsense were you sprouting just now? What do you mean you were excited because of me?”

“I meant it in the literal sense,” Fang Tinglan said immediately.

“…” Hai Lian didn’t know how to respond.

“Really. Before I arrived in Nanjing, someone once told me that Tisu was only peaceful at a surface level. I didn’t believe them then, but now I do.” Fan Tinglan continued, “You’re working for that sheriff, aren’t you? When we arrived five days ago, you suddenly left. It was to accept this job, wasn’t it?”

“We never said that I would only work for you when we made our deal.”

Hai Lian’s words were tacit acknowledgement. Fang Tinglan laughed.

“What did the victim do that warranted his death if even the public security department couldn’t officially touch him? Then, I suppose that the sheriff with a distinctive voice will write this case off as a mystery? Or maybe he’ll push the blame to someone that everyone finds suspicious but cannot touch? Someone like… your emperor?”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying.” Hai Lian furrowed his brows.

“Also, you never learn. I told you not to stick your nose in my business.”

“It was a coincidence.” Fang Tinglan fixed his clothes. “I was just guessing. Who knew that I’d guess correctly?”

Hai Lian hummed.

This little pirate was too pure and simple. He kept telling others not to look into his matters, but he himself had managed to tell everything. Fang Tinglan stopped his inquiry here. He then smiled and offered Hai Lian a hand.

“Want to fight again to let off some steam? Or should we go home together? Or we could have a drink at the bar? My treat.”

“None of the above,” Hai Lian responded ruthlessly. He gave Fang Tinglan a once-over before leaving.

“You should stick with your own clothes.”

This murder case became the news of Jiumeng City; business boomed at Madam Jingling Hua’s establishment, especially for Ya Li. Many people paid extra to see her, just to hear her tell them once again how Helake screamed and fell on her. Ya Li also kept that dirtied skirt; some clients with special interests would ask her to wear it. That way, they too could share in the “excitement” of the murder.

This old and restless city lay steeped in the fragrance of flowers and an incessant ocean breeze, but found vitality through the luster of blood and gold.

“… Someone from the Grand Theatre told me that he could help me become a dancer.” Ya Li sat with her arm draped lightly across the back of her chair. Her cheeks, smeared with cheap blush, glowed an exaggerated red under the afternoon sun.

“Maybe I’ll be the next Lady Nanduo. Didn’t she go from rags to riches just because some old knight took a fancy to her while she was dancing?”

“Yes… that’s nice.” Hai Lian answered indifferently, focusing on the task at hand.

“But I think she was lying. After all, men take and lose interest quickly.” Ya Li became unhappy as she spoke.

“Moreover, my looks aren’t anything special; if only my nose were a little higher.”

“I think you look quite pretty.” Hai Lian looked up at her.

“What use is it if you think I’m pretty?” Ya Li pouted, “You’re gay.”

Hai Lian chuckled.

“Is he also gay?” Ya Li asked.

“Who?”

“Your ‘cousin’, of course.”

These days, it seemed Fang Tinglan had finally taken Hai Lian’s words to heart. The man had always been mysterious, but Hai Lian hadn’t seen the head nor tail of him in the last couple of days and didn’t care to find what the man was up to. Suddenly hearing Fang Tinglan’s name from Ya Li, Hai Lian was taken by surprise.

Ya Li didn’t notice; she twisted a ribbon between her fingers and continued speaking to herself.

“Us sisters have been talking about him — he’s really quite strange, living in a place like this but never asking for a single girl nor sparing a second glance at those next door… Say, does he have a problem down there?”

“He shouldn’t be,” Hai Lian answered subconsciously.

“How would you know?” Ya Li asked, shocked.

“I… guessed.” Hai Lian didn’t know what else to say, so he promptly changed the subject.

“Enough about him… Has the security department bothered you?”

“Why would they? Faluko brought me to the station a couple times for a token interrogation and hasn’t bothered me ever since. That young officer though, has been quite annoying. He keeps trying to apologize to me; the other day he even got me flowers.” Ya Li pouted, “So naive…”

Hai Lian half listened to the girl’s rambling; finishing the last stitch, he expertly tied the thread, bit off the loose end, and returned the needle to Ya Li.

“Done?”

“En, thank you.” Hai Lian put the newly patched smock back on, then stood up and stretched his arms.

“Just now, you said something very true; the people are about to lose interest.”

“Why?” She blinked.

“Because…” Hai Lian checked his equipment again, “another interesting event is about to take place.”