Xie Nanyou narrowed her eyes slightly. She had only left him to watch the little dumpling for a moment—could he have just dumped the child and run off by himself?
Zhang Qiling seemed entirely oblivious to the dangerous look in Xie Nanyou's eyes. "Went to play with Xiao Jiu." It wasn't that he didn't want to watch the child; it was simply that Xiaohua didn't like playing with him, and there was nothing he could do about it.
At that moment, Xie Yuchen was curled up on the living room sofa with Xiao Jiu, reading a storybook and taking the opportunity to complain to Xiao Jiu. "Brother Xiao Jiu, is that wooden block Great-Aunt's fiance?"
"Wooden block?" Xiao Jiu was puzzled for a second before nodding in sudden understanding. "Zhang Qiling? Why do you call him a wooden block?"
"He doesn't talk, and he won't read to me. Isn't he just a Menyinping?" Xie Yuchen tilted his head up to look at Xiao Jiu. Clearly, the man was supposed to be keeping him company, but he wouldn't say a word—he was just a wooden block.
Xiao Jiu rubbed the top of Xie Yuchen's head. "You shouldn't talk like that. He's your elder, so you must be polite." With that, he settled Xie Yuchen properly on his lap, holding the book steady in front of him. "Still, he really is a bit like a wooden block. But he treats your Great-Aunt very well, so we can overlook this little flaw of his, alright?"
Xie Yuchen nodded. "Alright."
Standing at the top of the stairs, the two of them listened to the conversation between the older and younger boys. Xie Nanyou glanced back at Zhang Qiling, seeing only his lips pressed into a tight line, before walking down the stairs and sitting on the sofa, quietly listening to Xiao Jiu read stories to Xie Yuchen.
In the study at the Xie Residence:
Xie Nanyou sat on one end of the sofa, propping her cheek with one hand resting on the armrest, holding a newly delivered message. "These people still won't behave."
Xiao Jiu sat on a nearby sofa, frowning involuntarily as he looked at Zhang Qiling sitting opposite them. Yet, hearing his Young Miss's words, he immediately chimed in, "Young Miss, should we go and teach them another lesson?"
These people had quieted down for a few months only to become active again. If not for a few core figures whose identities were still unconfirmed, they wouldn't have been left alone until now.
Xie Nanyou tossed the paper onto the coffee table. "Let's wait a little longer." She then looked at Zhang Qiling. "Don't you have anything to do?" This man had been lingering here endlessly. Did the Zhang family require absolutely no oversight from him at all, and why hadn't that bastard Zhang Rishan come to drag him back?
Zhang Qiling tilted his head to look at Xie Nanyou, appearing to give the matter serious thought before shaking his head slightly. Indeed, there was nothing he needed to do right now—he only needed to stay with her until the time for the Lightning Tribulation arrived, and accompany her to where she was supposed to go.
Seeing the man looking somewhat blank, Xie Nanyou pulled the cushion from behind her waist and threw it at him. "If you have nothing to do, starting tomorrow you can teach Xiaohua his martial arts." She glared at him and looked away, finding the sight of him annoying.
Zhang Qiling caught the cushion, stood up, walked over to sit beside Xie Nanyou, and carefully placed the cushion back in its spot. "Alright. Don't be angry."
Xiao Jiu suppressed the urge to slap a hand to his forehead, stood up, and said, "Young Miss, I'll be heading out first." Without waiting for Xie Nanyou to speak, he strode toward the door.
He really suspected that the Zhang Family Patriarch was intellectually deficient. Could he not tell that his Young Miss simply found him an eyesore? Moreover, ever since this man arrived, his Young Miss seemed prone to getting angry very easily—and her targets were always extremely clear.
Before Xiao Jiu could even step out of the study, Xie Nanyou's unhurried voice drifted over. "Tell that stinking blind man to move faster. Otherwise, I'm afraid my patience will run out before he gets his evidence."
It had been over three months since her elder brother passed away, and this man still hadn't investigated the matter fully. It completely ruined his reputation in the underworld. If it weren't inconvenient for her own people to move, she wouldn't have had to rush him into repaying a favor.
Xiao Jiu paused in his tracks, acknowledged the order, and hurried out of the study. He figured Black Glasses must be taking the fallout from Zhang Qiling's presence, but there was nothing to be done—he'd just have to chalk it up to bad luck.
Zhang Qiling glanced at the closed door. "Yaoyao, what is it? I'll go."
Xie Nanyou pressed the hand propping her cheek against her forehead. "The blind man should have news soon. Let's wait a bit longer." Given the blind man's cautious nature, even if he couldn't dig up anything substantial, he would still manage to protect himself and retreat unscathed.
If she sent her own people, they would only prioritize their mission, and this wooden head of a man would likely plunge headfirst into danger just to unearth something. No one was more suited for this than the blind man.
Half a month later, Xie Nanyou was sitting in the courtyard corridor, watching Xie Yuchen practice his stances on the opera stage. Zhang Qiling stood right by the edge of the stage, correcting Xie Yuchen's posture.
Xiao Jiu walked briskly up behind Xie Nanyou. "Young Miss, the blind man is back."
Xie Nanyou glanced briefly at Xiao Jiu. Seeing no one following behind him, she shifted her gaze back to the opera stage. "Where is he?"
"Xiao Ba brought him back. He's hurt, and Xiao Si is bandaging him up right now," Xiao Jiu said, his eyes drifting toward the stage. The weather had clearly turned chilly, yet beads of fine sweat already covered the little boy's forehead, his teeth clenched tightly in stubborn endurance.