NOVEL WEB Chapter 148 - A Hero Saving a Damsel in Distress
Chapter 148: A Hero Saving a Damsel in Distress
Ah Shu returned to the bodyguard agency after feeling troubled and uneasy the entire day. He had felt jittery for no reason, which had made him somewhat frustrated.
He felt fine when he was busy, but once he sat down in his study room to take a rest, the events that had happened the night before would flash across his mind.
He had been drunk, and he initially couldn’t remember much about what happened the previous night, but certain parts of his memory gradually became clearer.
He recalled the words that the woman had said when she was drunk and lying on the table, remembering the way she looked as her dark long hair spread across the table, her fair and supple body, and her moans. He felt suffocated as the memories ran through his mind constantly.
The man, who had slept easily each time he laid down on his bed, had insomnia for the first time in his life.
He thought that Zhao Shan would come to look for him soon since she had previously bugged him to be responsible when he only took a glance at her body. He was convinced that she would not let him off this time, especially now that he had slept with her.
Ah Shu had decided that if Zhao Shan had come to look for him, he would bring her to meet Su Jiu and tell her that he would like to marry this woman.
However, it had been two days, and Zhao Shan hadn’t turned up.
The initial anxiety within Ah Shu had gradually changed to expectation as he looked forward to Zhao Shan coming to look for him. He would run out to take a look whenever he heard the sound of horse carriages, and he would get disappointed when he saw that it was only the arrival of the bodyguards.
On the third day, he finally could not take it anymore and headed out early in the morning to find Su Jiu.
Su Jiu was having breakfast alone, as Qiao An had already entered the palace before daybreak for the morning meeting at the imperial court.
Ah Shu sat right across from Su Jiu the moment he entered and said worriedly, “Chief, the woman didn’t come looking for me!”
He sounded unsure, unable to fathom the reason behind her absence.
Su Jiu shoved a bun into her mouth, which puffed up her cheeks on her fair and delicate face. She gulped it down before grinning and saying, “You should be glad that she didn’t come looking for you!”
Ah Shu knew that Su Jiu was teasing him and appeared slightly embarrassed. He had a brief moment of hesitation before saying sternly, “Chief, I have given it some thought, and I have decided that I want to marry her!”
Su Jiu swiped the crumbs from her bun off her hands and sniggered at him. “Zhao Shan may not be willing to marry you even if you want to marry her now! Otherwise, why would she not have come looking for you?”
Ah Shu’s face turned pale as he said in bewilderment, “This can’t be! She has already slept with me! How could she not want to marry me?”
“That might be the case if she was any other woman, but you have forgotten that Lady Zhao has always acted unpredictably!”
“Then, then what should I do?” Ah Shu instantly panicked and asked hurriedly.
Su Jiu raised her brows playfully when she saw how unnerved he was. “Why, have you changed your mind? Do you like her now?”
Ah Shu’s face turned a shade of crimson as he rubbed the back of his head and replied, “I don’t know, but I don’t detest her anymore, and… and I find that she’s much nicer than I’d thought!”
Su Jiu chuckled.
Seeing Su Jiu laugh at him, Ah Shu felt even more awkward. “Chief, will you help me or not?”
“I will! How can I not help my people?” Su Jiu finished off her bowl of lotus seed porridge and said, “I will go meet Lady Zhao first and find out what she is thinking. If she is willing to marry you, I will send the matchmaker to propose a marriage!”
Ah Shu broke into a silly laugh. “She will agree to it!”
Su Jiu glanced at him and said, “Hopefully!”
She could not help but feel elated by the news as well, as it would be the first joyous wedding event within their Dragon Conqueror Gang, should Ah Shu and Zhao Shan’s marriage be successful.
They had been poor and starving in the past and had never thought of marrying, as they could not possibly bring their wives along while robbing in the mountains. Furthermore, would their children have to follow their footsteps and become mountain bandits as well?
Things were different now, however, and it was time for these people to get married and settle down!
Su Jiu asked Ah Shu to wait for her good news as she took a horse carriage to Zhao Shan’s place.
The porcelain shop operated as usual; a shop assistant served guests in the lobby while a person who appeared to be a shopkeeper managed the accounts behind the counter.
A few people were picking out flower vases when Su Jiu entered the shop. Another shop assistant immediately stepped forward to welcome her. “Young Master, I can make a few recommendations if you let me know what you would like to get!”
Su Jiu said, “I’m not here to purchase anything. I am looking for Lady Zhao!”
Stunned for a moment, the shop assistant replied, “Does the Young Master know our Young Lady?”
Another shop assistant, who had attended to Su Jiu the day before, appeared as they were talking. “I see that the Young Master is here again!”
Su Jiu nodded. “Where is Lady Zhao?”
“She’s in the backyard! I will lead you there now!” the shop assistant said and gestured to the shopkeeper, before leading Su Jiu towards the backyard.
The shop’s backyard contained a warehouse and an office, as well as a resting area for the staff. They passed another gate before arriving at the yard where their boss stayed.
A maidservant hurried over as they walked along the corridor and asked, “What’s the matter?”
The shop assistant replied, “This Young Master is looking for the Young Lady!”
The maidservant looked at Su Jiu before replying politely, “Young Master, please hold on for a moment as our Young Lady is attending to our Old Master and changing his medicine. I will go inform her of your arrival now!”
“Sure!” Su Jiu smiled and said.
The maidservant went off, and Zhao Shan came out after a while. She was startled when she saw Su Jiu, but she smiled immediately after and greeted, “Young Master Su, please come and take a seat at the reception pavilion!”
She had heard Su Jiu and Ah Shu’s conversation previously when she was at the bodyguard agency and had realized that Su Jiu was a woman. She did not say anything as she saw Su Jiu disguised as a man, and she only smiled as she led Su Jiu into the reception pavilion.
After waiting for the servants to retreat, Su Jiu said directly, “I am here for the matter regarding Ah Shu!”
Zhao Shan’s face flushed instantly, but she did not appear embarrassed. Instead, she said with poise, “It looks like he has told you, Young Master Su. Please tell him not to worry, I will act as if nothing happened on that day, and I will not cling to him anymore!”
Su Jiu was confounded for a moment as she had not expected Zhao Shan to behave differently from before. She said hastily, “Ah Shu asked me to come as he would like to marry Lady Zhao!”
Zhao Shan was slightly shocked upon hearing her words, but she smiled as her eyes were gradually overshadowed with sadness. “He must have been reluctant to marry me! It’s fine, I was a willing party that day, and he doesn’t need to take responsibility for it.”
Su Jiu was not able to comprehend her words. “Lady Zhao, what do you mean? Do you not like Ah Shu?”
It was unfathomable that she appeared to be unwilling, now that both of them had already slept together.
“I was a willing party that day. Simply said, I schemed for it to happen,” Zhao Shan said frankly. “I asked Ah Shu to stay for a drink on purpose and seduced him after he was drunk.”
Su Jiu stared at her in disbelief.
“Young Master Su, you must think that I am a shameless woman, don’t you? I am indeed not even comparable to the women in the Drunken Joy Pavilion!” Zhao Shan smiled self-deprecatingly, her eyes filled with sadness. She continued, “I have felt like I will never be able to marry someone who truly loves me ever since the incident with my cousin. The men who came to propose marriage merely saw the huge inheritance behind our Zhao Family. I would rather stay single than get married to someone with an ulterior motive, and I will continue to guard the family business passed down from my father. However, I will inevitably grow old, so…”
Zhao Shan paused and took a deep breath, before continuing, “So, I seduced Ah Shu on purpose to have a child! I will have no regrets if I have a child to accompany me for the rest of my life!”
“I know that Ah Shu doesn’t like me, but I am not willing to be touched by any other man, and as such, I could only think of this solution.”
When Su Jiu heard Zhao Shan’s explanation, she felt that this woman was indeed special. She was more courageous and decisive than other women.
“Do you like Ah Shu that much?”
Zhao Shan smiled lightly. “Young Master Su, you must have been incredulous that I had fallen for him madly just because he peeked at my body. However, Ah Shu wasn’t aware that that day was not the first time that I’ve seen him. He has been to our place many times to load the goods. There was one time when a piece of porcelain slipped from the top of the horse carriage during the loading and was about to smash onto a bodyguard. However, Ah Shu pushed the man out of the way immediately, and his arm was injured as a result. His arm was cut and bleeding profusely, and yet, he only grinned and said that he was fine. I was watching him from the side, and he left a deep impression in my heart ever since.”
“He also helped me to carry heavy items and teased me that I had so much strength when I am a woman. I remembered him and every single word he said, but he has never taken me to heart.”
“I have secretly been in love with him ever since then, until the day when he saw me during my bath. Because of that, I decided to be thick-skinned for once and ask him to marry me.”
“He was not willing to marry me, but he still helped me many times. Maybe it was because I was exhausted from sustaining this household this entire time, that I fell for him even more deeply after he frequently lent me a helping hand.”
Su Jiu saw her speaking with sadness and quickly said, “Ah Shu does like you! He asked me to look for you today as he wanted to know how you felt! He will send a matchmaker immediately to propose marriage once you agree to it.”
Zhao Shan shook her head. “I am aware that he doesn’t like me. He would not have run away that morning if he likes me, and he would not have waited for two days. I am already surprised that he didn’t end up hating me. Let him know that he need not be guilty anymore or think about taking responsibility for me. We have already clarified on the day we were drinking that we would not be involved with each other anymore, and I will keep to my promise!”
“Ah Shu is a foolish person at times, but he has straightened out his thoughts now! Lady Zhao, please give him another chance!” Su Jiu looked at Zhao Shan hopefully.
Zhao Shan pursed her lips into a smile as she said, “Young Master Su, you need not say anything anymore. I have already made up my mind, so please convey my message to him once you get back!”
Su Jiu was speechless upon hearing her words, and could only leave.
Ah Shu was still waiting when Su Jiu arrived back home. He quickly asked when he saw her, “How was it? When are we sending the matchmaker to propose marriage?”
Su Jiu gave him the side-eye and said, “Forget about the marriage. Lady Zhao said that she won’t marry you!”
Ah Shu widened his eyes in disbelief and asked in shock, “Why not?”
Su Jiu gulped her tea and reclined on her chair lazily, placing her legs over an arm of the chair as she repeated Zhao Shan’s words to Ah Shu.
Ah Shu’s face transformed from a shade of crimson to a sickly pale white, before finally turning green with anguish, as if he was a color palette. He pounded on the table angrily and huffed, “Is this woman brainless or was she kicked by a donkey? I already said I was going to marry her! What’s the point of talking about whether I like her or not?!”
Su Jiu snorted. “It’s all your fault for being so heartless towards her previously! You have hurt her deeply, and you deserve it if she marries someone else while having your child!”
Ah Shu was flabbergasted. “She’s pregnant with my child?”
Su Jiu’s eyes flickered as she said with uncertainty, “I think so, everyone says that you will get pregnant if you sleep with someone!”
Ah Shu scanned Su Jiu up and down. “Then why are you not pregnant when you have already slept with Eldest Young Master Ji, Chief?”
Su Jiu’s face turned frosty, and she abruptly threw her teacup at him before saying through gritted teeth, “Who said that I have slept with him?”
Ah Shu caught hold of the teacup just in time and said with bewilderment, “Both of you have slept in the same bed for a year. Don’t tell me that you have yet to consummate the marriage? This is impossible, don’t tell me that there’s something wrong with Eldest Young Master Ji’s ability?”
Su Jiu’s face turned pale as she blustered, “You are the one who has something wrong with your ability! He… he…”
The woman’s ears turned red, and her face appeared stern as she was at a loss for words.
Ah Shu thought that he had uncovered the truth by accident and bobbed his head in realization. “No wonder there were so many concubines in the Ji Manor, and yet Ji Yuxian is still childless today! So it turns out that he has a hidden illness!”
Infuriated, Su Jiu slammed the table as she stood up. “Get out of my sight!”
“I was just talking about Eldest Young Master Ji! Why are you so upset, Chief?” Ah Shu squinted his eyes and looked at her teasingly.
Su Jiu was stunned for a moment, before turning to leave. “I will no longer care about your silly matter!”
“Please don’t! Chief, I am in the wrong, and I will no longer talk about Eldest Young Master Ji’s incapability!” Ah Shu stepped forward swiftly and grabbed hold of Su Jiu before grinning. “I am in the wrong, Chief! Please don’t be angry, I am depending on you to get back my wife and my child!”
“I wasn’t the one who slept with Zhao Shan! Why are you depending on me?” Su Jiu’s anger did not subside.
“Chief, you cannot neglect your people even if you are biased towards Eldest Young Master Ji!” Ah Shu said glumly. He saw that Su Jiu’s face had become even angrier and quickly continued, “Fine, fine, I shall not say anymore! But please help me think of a solution quickly; I cannot allow that woman to marry someone else while having my child!”
Su Jiu sat down on the doorsill directly and said coldly, “I cannot help you this time, as the doer should undo what he has done. You have to go get rid of the unhappiness that Zhao Shan has for you.”
Ah Shu sat down beside her and sighed, “Chief, I wouldn’t have looked for you if I knew what to do!”
Su Jiu looked at him and said, “Then I shall ask you, do you have feelings for Zhao Shan or not?”
Ah Shu struggled for a while to put his words together before saying, “Chief, help me analyze this. I detested her originally, but yet, my heart became empty when she began to ignore me. I was enraged when I heard her cousin humiliating her, and I was hateful when she sided with her cousin and blamed me. Also…”
He lowered his head in embarrassment. “I could not help myself as well that night when we slept together. She was more beautiful than those women in the brothels, so I could not control myself.”
He looked up at Su Jiu in confusion after speaking, “Chief, you are more experienced than me regarding these matters! Do you think I have feelings for her?”
Su Jiu contemplated for a moment before nodding her head earnestly. “This should be right, you have feelings for Zhao Shan!”
Ah Shu widened his eyes in disbelief. “Really?”
“Why should I lie to you?”
“Then what should I do?” Ah Shu became flustered upon realizing that he had feelings for Zhao Shan, but he felt extremely relieved at the same time.
“What else can you do? You have to make an effort to win her over if you want to marry her!”
“What should I do to win her over? I don’t have any experience!” Ah Shu was baffled as he had never gone after any woman and had no knowledge of how to go about doing it.
Su Jiu frowned as she pondered the question. Her eyes lit up all of a sudden as she smiled. “I came across a book back when I was staying with Ji Yuxian, and it had many ideas on how a man could win a woman’s heart! I will go retrieve the book, and we can discuss the ideas together!”
Elated, Ah Shu chirped, “Sounds good, Chief, you should go quickly!”
“Go quickly your *ss! It’s still bright and early in the day, I have to at least wait for nightfall before I can head to the Ji Manor to steal the book!” Su Jiu said.
“Sure, sure!” Ah Shu grinned goofily.
The nanny who was serving them tea did not know whether to laugh or cry as she spotted them. “Miss, Master Shu, why are both of you sitting on the doorsill when it’s chilly outside? Quickly go into the room before you catch a cold!”
Su Jiu stood up and flicked her sleeves before saying to Ah Shu, “You can return to the bodyguard agency first, and I will go steal the book tonight. You can come over tomorrow morning so that we can discuss this in detail.”
“I’m counting on you, Chief! You can even be my child’s godmother when he or she is born!” Ah Shu said in all seriousness.
“Fine, now go!”
After Ah Shu left, the nanny asked out of curiosity, “Miss, what are you going to steal? What ‘godmother’ was he talking about? Who is giving birth?”
Su Jiu smirked. “Nothing serious!”
Su Jiu waited till late at night before changing and leaving her room through the window.
She moved swiftly through the chilly wind of the winter night and hurried her way towards the Ji Manor.
As it was already late at night, everybody else had already gone to bed except for the guards on duty. The candlelights flickered in the same way the stars did in the night sky, and the entire Ji Manor was enshrouded with deafening silence.
Accustomed to the Ji Manor’s environment, Su Jiu got past several courtyards easily before stopping right outside the main pavilion.
Su Jiu stood there, gazing at the red candlelights littered along the corridor within the courtyard that she was once so familiar with.
The floodgate to her memories opened as images of her daily life with Ji Yuxian flashed through her mind. With heavy footsteps, she strode toward the study room after a long moment.
Ji Yuxian was not in the room, and Jin Feng was absent as well. Su Jiu pushed open the doors easily and entered the study room.
The room was dim, only illuminated by the moonlight shining through the windows. Everything within the room was hidden among the shadows, and the night was silent.
The room remained how it was before she left. The palace lantern that she had won with Ji Yuxian previously during the lantern festival was still hung on the bookshelf, together with the two masks that they had bought; one was a fairy maiden while the other was a devil.
The outer robe that she had worn frequently was still left on the couch as if she was still snuggling and cuddling with Ji Yuxian every night and had never left.
The faint aroma of the lotus flowers filled the air as Su Jiu got into a daze.
A gust of chill wind entered the room as it blew open the windows. Su Jiu’s foggy mind cleared up in an instant as she stepped over to close the windows and headed to the bookshelf to look for the book titled “Appreciation of the Flowers and Fragrance.”
She finally understood how explicit the book was, now that she was clear about the sexual matters between a man and a woman.
Su Jiu spent a long time finding the book due to the dim lights until she noticed it right at the top row of the bookshelf.
She extracted the book and flipped through it casually, and she noticed that someone had added a line of words on the cover page.
The words were written elegantly and they said, “I have enjoyed this book together with my wife in the year of Jiawu, the twenty-second of the twelfth lunar month. You shall not read this book, or you will not be spared!”
Su Jiu chuckled, aware that Ji Yuxian had written this statement.
I have enjoyed this book together with my wife…
Su Jiu felt a pang of sadness as she smiled. She took a deep breath and tucked the book into her clothes before heading out of the room.
Su Jiu had changed and prepared to go to bed when she arrived back at the Eastern Courtyard. She had slipped the stolen book underneath her pillow, but she could not resist taking it out and looking at the words again. She touched the words gently with her fingers.
Ji Yuxian, were you being silly?
Other people would know about them reading such an obscene book in private should they come across the words.
Su Jiu was feeling irritated, but her eyes continued to well up. She grinned as she placed the book back underneath her pillow and shut her eyes.
Ah Shu came over the next morning.
He yelled out loudly upon entering the door, “Chief, did you manage to steal the book?”
Su Jiu sat along the corridor and acknowledged him. “I have gone through the contents and found something ideal for you!”
“What idea is it? Where is the book? Let me take a look too!” Ah Shu gushed.
Su Jiu felt too embarrassed to show Ah Shu that kind of book, so she glared at him instead. “Aren’t you illiterate?”
Ah Shu rubbed the back of his head and said awkwardly, “The accountant at the bodyguard agency said that it was inappropriate for me to be illiterate as the manager of the agency, and hence he has been teaching me for a while!”
“The content of the book is too difficult for you to understand!” Su Jiu said with a poker face.
“If I’m not able to understand, we can get Master An over and discuss it together!” Ah Shu suggested earnestly.
Su Jiu almost choked and quickly replied, “It’s sufficient that I go through it myself. Don’t tell me that you don’t trust me?”
“I do, I do!” Ah Shu squatted down on one of the steps and looked up at Su Jiu admiringly. “You said there was an idea for me. What idea is it?”
“I saw that the most common and most effective idea written in the book is called ‘a hero saving a damsel in distress’!” Su Jiu said.
“A hero saving a damsel in distress?” Ah Shu looked puzzled.
“Yes, you are the hero, and Zhao Shan is the damsel. She has been working hard to sustain their family business as a woman and will inevitably meet troublemakers frequently. Once you step out in time to save her from those evildoers, don’t you think her heart will flutter for you?” Su Jiu said smugly.
Ah Shu was brimming with respect for Su Jiu. “Chief, you are much more experienced compared to the past! You are speaking so eloquently, and you are starting to sound like Master An now!”
Su Jiu crossed one of her legs over the other and quipped, “Of course! I practiced my reading and calligraphy every day, my effort won’t go to waste.”
“But what if no troublemakers show up at the Zhao Family’s shop?” Ah Shu asked.
“If there are none, then we shall create some for them!” Su Jiu squinted her eyes as she schemed to make her idea work.
Both of them discussed their plan for a while more, before splitting up to execute it.
Su Jiu hopped onto the horse carriage and went to look for Zheng Changye.
Zheng Changye was about to head out with two of his attendants when Su Jiu arrived at his place. The bruises on his face had yet to heal, which made him look like an opera performer with his facial makeup on.
Although the Zheng Family was not as wealthy as the Zhao Family, they were still considered well to do. Furthermore, Zheng Changye was keen on showing off their status, and hence he would always bring two attendants along whenever he headed out.
He was dressed in a sky-blue robe with a silver thread lining that day. Su Jiu wondered where he was going to fool around.
Zheng Changye saw Su Jiu on the horse carriage at his doorstep and subconsciously covered his groin with his hands. He shrugged his shoulders and attempted to turn around back into his manor.
“Hang on!” Su Jiu sat on the shaft of the carriage with one of her legs curled up. She was chewing on a blade of long grass, which made her look like a scoundrel.
Zheng Changye noticed that Su Jiu was alone and was only accompanied by a young and small-sized carriage driver. As such, he felt brave enough to speak, “I have not been to bother the Zhao Family these last few days.”
“I know!” Su Jiu stroked her nose and said, “I am here to inform you that I will no longer care about the Zhao Family’s matters. That woman, Zhao Shan, was too ignorant and refused to comply with our Master Shu, and as such, we will have no involvement with the Zhao Family from today onwards! You may feel free to go seek revenge from them if you want!”
Zheng Changye’s jaws dropped in incredulity, his mouth wide enough to fit an egg.
“Do you understand?” Su Jiu asked coldly.
“Yes, I understand!” Zheng Changye bobbed his head hastily.
Su Jiu broke into a huge grin and ordered Er Mao to drive their carriage back.
“Oh, yes,” Su Jiu said before she left. “It will be better to bring a few more men if you are going to look for trouble at the Zhao Family’s shop! You can help our Master Shu seek revenge as well!”
“Yes, noted!” Zheng Changye laughed flatteringly and said, “Please have a safe trip back!”
Zheng Changye’s face turned icily cold once Su Jiu’s horse carriage left.
He was enraged after being chased out of the Zhao Family’s place and being beaten up so badly that he had to recuperate for a few days. Moreover, his mother had been complaining that he was useless for the past few days as he had missed a good opportunity.
He was waiting for a good chance to create some trouble at the Zhao Family’s place!
As long as the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency did not care about Zhao Shan’s matters, the Zhao Family’s inheritance would fall into his hands.
Zheng Changye thought through it quickly and decided to go look for the Zhao Family today. It would be fine if Zhao Shan agreed to marry him, but if she rejected him, he would bring his men along to create chaos in their porcelain shop every day. How would she be able to continue with her business?
“Go, get a few more men for me!” Zheng Changye ordered his attendants.
“Yes!”
One of his attendants ran towards the back alley, while the other entered the courtyard.
Within a short period, a group of hooligans, who were for hire to beat up people on behalf of their clients, were rounded up. There were over twenty of them, including the attendants from the Zheng Family. Zheng Changye led them to the Zhao Family’s place menacingly.
Su Jiu’s horse carriage had stopped in the alley across the street, and she saw that Zheng Changye had set off with his men. She hurriedly told Er Mao, “Quickly go inform Ah Shu!”
“Noted!” Er Mao sprinted his way to the bodyguard agency.
Su Jiu raised her brows as she watched the group of people passing by, and muttered silently in her heart, “I’m sorry, Lady Zhao, but I’m doing this for the sake of you and Ah Shu.”
She could tell that Zhao Shan still had feelings for Ah Shu, but she was unable to overcome the knot in her heart. As such, she had to help them using this method.
Su Jiu hurriedly followed the group of people as they had already traveled for a distance. She had to go personally to ensure that Zheng Changye would not hurt Zhao Shan.
Er Mao arrived at the bodyguard agency and saw that Ah Shu had already gathered thirty other bodyguards on standby at the entrance. Upon seeing Er Mao, Ah Shu eagerly led his group of men over to the Zhao Family’s place without waiting for him to speak up.
Zhao Shan was a woman after all, and he would not want her to be frightened.
Furthermore, she was pregnant with his child!
He would cripple Zheng Changye should he dare to touch her!
On the other end, Zheng Changye had broken into the Zhao Family’s shop together with his men. Over twenty people entered the shop at the same time, filling up the entire space.
These men appeared fierce and menacing as they wielded knives and wooden sticks in their hands. The guests in the shop knew they were here to create trouble, so they quickly ran for their lives.
The staff had all hidden away, except for the assistant shopkeeper who bravely stepped forward and smiled. “Isn’t this the cousin of our Young Lady? What… what brings you here today?”
The attendant placed a chair behind Zheng Changye, which he casually sat on. More than twenty men stood behind him, giving off a majestic vibe.
He shook the fan in his hand and grinned menacingly. “Get Zhao Shan over here now!”
“The… the Young Lady went out earlier on and is not in the shop!” The assistant shopkeeper smiled and served tea to Zheng Changye personally with both of his hands.
Zheng Changye’s face turned ghastly upon hearing his words, and he swiped the tea out of the assistant shopkeeper’s hands. The teacup shattered into pieces as it fell onto the ground with a loud bang.
Zheng Changye clenched the assistant shopkeeper’s collar and shoved him. “Don’t try to fool me! She does not usually go out at this time! I will get my men to smash this shop if you don’t get her here right now!”
He gestured to the men behind him upon speaking.
One of his attendants immediately raised his wooden stick and smashed a tall porcelain vase beside him. The vase shattered, and pieces of porcelain flew all over the place.
The assistant shopkeeper quickly stopped him. “Stop smashing, stop smashing!”
He pleaded with Zheng Changye as he tried to stop his men from continuing. “Young Master, the Young Lady is not in the shop! We can talk things over nicely! Our Old Master is your uncle, after all, so please stop smashing our shop for his sake!”
“Uncle? That old man is about to die, and Zhao Shan refused to acknowledge me as her cousin. I do not care about my relationship with him! I will smash everything in this shop if you do not call for Zhao Shan to come over right now!”
He turned around and ordered his men, “Start smashing!”
“Wait!”
A cold voice rang out, and a woman entered from the back door. She was dressed in a smart-looking, light-green long dress, and her hair was coiled at the back of her head and accessorized with a jade hairpin. She looked valiant as she walked over slowly.
She stared at Zheng Changye coldly as she asked, “What are you doing here again?”
“Young Lady, please leave quickly! I will shelter you!” The assistant shopkeeper stepped in front of Zhao Shan in an attempt to protect her, as he had sensed Zheng Changye’s evil intentions.
“Uncle Zhou, I will settle this myself! Please go take care of my father in the backyard!” Zhao Shan showed no sense of fear as she said calmly.
“Young Lady…”
“Quickly go!”
The assistant shopkeeper had no choice but to retreat to the backyard, but he remained hidden behind the door as he was worried about Zhao Shan.
“You look more beautiful after not seeing you for many days! That rascal deserves to die for lying to me that you were not here!” Zheng Changye stomped over, his face seething with hatred.
“Didn’t we make things extremely clear on that day? Why are you here again?” Zhao Shan asked coldly.
“Uncle arranged for you to marry me, so you are my wife! Why do I need a reason to come to my own house?” Zheng Changye retorted, playing with a strand of Zhao Shan’s hair. “I am in the wrong for taking your money without telling you, and I will inform you next time. Don’t be angry anymore, we should quickly pick an auspicious date to get married, and you can take a break when I help out in the shop in the future!”
Zhao Shan pushed his hand away and glared at him in disgust. “Zheng Changye, I will not marry you! Get out of my place right now, or I will not let you off!”
Zheng Changye squinted his eyes as he gave a burst of evil laughter. “Why, are you still dreaming of getting married to the manager of the Qinglong Bodyguard Agency? Why are you being so pathetic when he does not want you anymore?”
Zhao Shan’s face turned pale in the next instant. “This is a matter between me and him, and it’s none of your business! I won’t marry you even if I don’t get married to him! Get out of here right now!”
Zheng Changye’s face turned cold as his gaze darkened. “Cousin, don’t refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. You should appreciate my favor as I am allowing you to save face! Our parents agreed to our marriage, and if you still insist on doing things your way, this shop will not be able to survive. Do you want your father’s effort to go down the drain if this business is destroyed?”
“You…!” Zhao Shan trembled with anger. “Don’t you dare! I will report you to the officials if you dare to touch any of our things!”
Zheng Changye cackled fearlessly and held onto Zhao Shan’s chin tightly. “Report me? Let us see how you will go and report me after consummating our marriage today!”
Upon speaking, he grabbed Zhao Shan by the arm and dragged her towards the backyard.
“Jerk! You are a jerk! Let go of me!” Zhao Shan struggled with all her might and slapped Zheng Changye loudly across the face.
Zheng Changye grew savage as he restrained Zhao Shan’s arms behind her back and yapped shamelessly, “Wait till I take you in front of your father! You will have to marry me then!”
“Shameless! Despicable!” Zhao Shan’s eyes turned red and she snapped furiously. However, she was, after all, a woman, and her strength could not be compared to that of Zheng Changye. She failed to get out of his restraint after struggling, causing her to panic.
“Let go of me! You are a jerk!”
Zheng Changye laughed menacingly and dragged the woman by her hair towards the backyard.
Su Jiu stood right outside the shop and had heard the commotion within. She was aware that Zheng Changye was about to force himself onto Zhao Shan and began to feel nervous.
Zheng Changye would realize that this was a trap if she showed up, and she was supposed to let Ah Shu turn up as a hero to save his damsel in distress. How could she go save Zhao Shan right now?
Su Jiu gritted her teeth and was about to rush into the Zhao Family’s backyard to protect Zhao Shan when she heard the sound of horses galloping coming from a distance away.
She turned around to see Ah Shu leading the pack of bodyguards and was instantly elated. He had finally come.
Ah Shu arrived in front of Su Jiu in a jiffy, feeling anxious as well.
Su Jiu winked at him, and he immediately understood her intention. He quickly led the thirty men behind him into the shop.
In the meantime, Zheng Changye was still dragging Zhao Shan towards the backyard, while his men gloated and watched lewdly from the side.
Ah Shu kicked the door open with a loud bang and ran in furiously. He was enraged when he saw Zheng Changye dragging Zhao Shan and immediately leaped forward to give him a hard kick.
Zhao Shan fell to the ground, her hair in a mess. She quivered in fear.
Ah Shu squatted down beside her as his heart ached. “Don’t be afraid, I’m here now!”
“Ah Shu!” Zhao Shan exclaimed and rushed into his embrace, her body continuing to shiver as she said softly, “I was so scared!”
“Don’t be scared! Don’t be scared!” Ah Shu patted her shoulders tenderly and hugged her tightly in the next instant.
Zheng Changye had knocked into a water tank and was yelling in pain. His men were about to step forward when they saw more than thirty men rushing into the shop all of a sudden, and all of them appeared strong and agile. Their blood ran cold upon seeing them, and they quickly retreated to the back instead.
Ah Shu turned around and said furiously, “Throw them out and give every one of them a good beating!”
“Noted!”
The bodyguards had been annoyed with the group of hooligans, and upon hearing Ah Shu’s words, they eagerly stepped forward and dragged them outside.
The hooligans either fled for their lives or tried to fight back, with some of them even trying to plead for forgiveness. Chaos broke out at the entrance of the shop and the commotion attracted a crowd of spectators, who were curious about what had happened.
Su Jiu sat on the fence in a restaurant just across from the Zhao Family’s shop as she munched on a plate of nuts and watched Zheng Changye’s men being beaten up at the same time. From time to time, she would fling a handful of nutshells and cheer loudly.
Zheng Changye attempted to escape through the back door amidst the chaos.
Ah Shu let go of Zhao Shan and went after him. He caught up with him within a few steps and raised his fist in an attempt to hit him.
“Master Shu, please spare my life! It was the Young Master who had approached me and said…” Before he could finish his sentence, however, Ah Shu punched him hard in the face.
Fresh blood gushed out of Zheng Changye’s mouth, and he spat out two broken teeth. He could not continue speaking anymore.
Ah Shu glanced at Zhao Shan behind him with a guilty conscience, and proceeded to punch Zheng Changye continuously as he said, “Do you still dare to create trouble?”
“Let me tell you right now that Zhao Shan is my woman! I will kill you if you dare to touch her!”
Hearing Ah Shu’s words about her being his woman, Zhao Shan instantly flushed.
Zheng Changye was not able to speak, and could only falter as he pleaded for his life with his face full of blood.
Afraid that someone would get killed, Zhao Shan hurriedly ran over to grab hold of Ah Shu. “Don’t hit him anymore, he will end up dead!”
Ah Shu stood up immediately and grinned. “Sure, I will listen to you and spare his life!”
Zhao Shan was stumped by Ah Shu’s friendly and joyful tone. She looked away quickly and told Zheng Changye, “Get out of here quickly and don’t come to my place anymore!”
Zheng Changye was in tremendous pain as he struggled to get up and ran for his life.
His men followed behind him in a fluster as they saw him running off.
The spectators were all residents living nearby and were aware of Zheng Changye’s scumbag behavior. They cheered wholeheartedly as they watched him getting beaten up and running off pathetically.
The bodyguards of the bodyguard agency were thrilled as well and darted into the shop to look for Ah Shu.
Su Jiu stopped them and said gleefully, “Ah Shu is busy right now, but you all can follow me back to the bodyguard agency. Thank you for all the hard work today. I will treat everyone to drinks!”
“Noted, Master Jiu!”
“Thank you, Master Jiu!”
Everyone was in a joyous mood. They got onto their respective horses and carriages as they headed back with great strength and vigor.