Chapter Ninety-Six: Danger Approaches

Staring at Xiao Lin, who wore an expression of mockery, Liu Yidao’s face was like an overturned spice jar—black, red, and purple hues shifting in rapid succession. He had expected that Wang Yuqing and Xiao Lin, upon hearing his words, would be anxious to leave with him immediately. Yet dreams are beautiful and reality cruel; Liu Yidao’s clumsy trick had been seen through by Xiao Lin.

“Young man, I don’t understand what you mean,” Liu Yidao decided to brazen it out.

“What do you mean, you ask? Although I can’t tell exactly what you wanted to trick us into, it’s obvious you’re up to no good. And honestly, you disgrace your master—fortune telling, really? The vermilion brush is used to ward off evil, when did it start breaking zodiac compatibility? And by the way, I’m also born in the Year of the Dog. Looks to me like you’re actually a pig. Plus, with that sly, mean face of yours, you might as well have ‘I’m a bad guy’ written across it. So, uncle, why don’t you get some plastic surgery before you try to scam people again?” Xiao Lin tilted his lips, speaking with wicked amusement.

His biting words provoked an uproar among the crowd. This boy’s tongue was too sharp! The waiting room was already crowded, and now, with the commotion, many people gathered around. No one could figure out what the confrontation between the young man and the middle-aged man was about, but one look at Liu Yidao’s hollow eyes, sallow cheeks, collapsed nose, and now, with his face flushed purple from rage, compared to Xiao Lin’s fresh, handsome, confident appearance, and it was clear where people’s sympathies lay.

“You brat, are you looking for trouble? I’m Liu…” Liu Yidao was so furious he could barely breathe. When had he ever been insulted like this? He was a well-known figure in the underworld, and everyone who met him called him ‘Master Liu’ with respect. Not only had he failed to trick Wang Yuqing, but Xiao Lin’s gaze was more than he could bear. Realizing he’d been played, he lost all reason, determined to teach this insolent boy a lesson. When a scammer’s trick is exposed, they usually make one of two choices: flee in panic, or explode in rage. Driven to desperation, Liu Yidao clearly chose the latter.

“Oh?” Xiao Lin raised his brows. Was this fraudster actually going to start a fight here?

“Scammers these days are outrageous—can’t swindle, so they resort to violence. What’s the world coming to?”

“Exactly! Where are the station police?”

“We have to help this young man. We can’t just watch him get bullied by a scammer!”

Liu Yidao’s words had sparked public anger; several nearby men rolled up their sleeves, ready to teach the brazen scammer a lesson, while a few elderly ladies pulled out their phones to call the police. The skinny boy saw things were going badly and, forgetting about exposing himself, quickly tugged Liu Yidao’s right hand, urgently whispering, “Boss, we can’t start a fight here. There are too many people; the police will be here soon.”

Just about to make his move, Liu Yidao heard his subordinate’s warning. He glanced around and finally regained his senses. Casting a venomous look at Xiao Lin, he spat, “Kid, the mountain doesn’t move but the water does. The days ahead are long. Next time Master Liu sees you, you’ll regret it.” With that threat, Liu Yidao led the skinny boy quickly out of the waiting room.

“Young man, you must be careful when you’re out and about. People like that always hold grudges,” a kindly elderly lady advised Xiao Lin earnestly.

But Xiao Lin was unconcerned; if it came to a real fight, who would suffer was still up in the air.

“That uncle was a scammer?” Wang Yuqing was still a little dazed. She couldn’t understand how the amiable man who’d been chatting with her moments ago could be a fraud, and that unlucky, frail boy was his accomplice.

“You really are a little fool, aren’t you? With your intelligence, how can I ever feel safe letting you go out alone?” Now that the scammer had left and the crowd was dispersing, Xiao Lin walked up to Wang Yuqing, feigning a look of deep disappointment.

Seeing Xiao Lin’s expression, Wang Yuqing glared at him with wide eyes and punched him angrily—how dare he say that about her!

“Hey, Xiao Lin, how did you know he was a scammer? And what was he trying to trick us for?” Wang Yuqing still couldn’t figure it out, so she asked Xiao Lin.

“At first, I didn’t notice anything, but the things he said were too absurd. All that talk about the Book of Changes and Eight Trigrams—no one can claim to truly master it. Those fortune-tellers are all con artists; they rely on reading people’s expressions to trick them. But that guy wasn’t acting like a fortune-teller; the way he looked at you was weird, like he was eyeing a rabbit, and when you held out your hand, he was way too eager, which made me suspicious. So when he asked about our zodiacs, I deliberately lied. Sure enough, he immediately said we weren’t compatible and tried to get us outside. Ha, tricks like that only work on naive girls like you,” Xiao Lin explained patiently.

Wang Yuqing nodded, half understanding, “You’re impressive, but what was he trying to scam us for? He never mentioned money.”

Looking at Wang Yuqing’s pretty face, Xiao Lin couldn’t resist pinching her cheek, speaking mischievously, “If I’m not mistaken, that scammer probably had his eye on my Yuqing.” He sighed dramatically, “Ah, the trouble caused by beauty!”

His words provoked Wang Yuqing’s anger once again, and Xiao Lin endured several playful punches before she forgave him. This guy, always taking advantage and then pretending innocence.

Meanwhile, Liu Yidao stormed out of the train station, his face still dark. The more he thought about it, the more his anger boiled—he’d been looked down upon by a student, and worst of all, he’d left in disgrace. The skinny boy dared not say a word, afraid his boss would vent his rage on him.

“Pole, go. Right now, get me two tickets to Donghai City, train K805X. Damn it, I refuse to let this go.” Liu Yidao couldn’t swallow his humiliation. If word got out in the underworld, he’d lose all respect, so he had to reclaim his reputation. While trying to trick Wang Yuqing, he’d seen the seat number on Xiao Lin’s ticket; he planned to follow them to Donghai to settle the score.

The skinny boy looked disbelieving—is the boss still not done? He moved his lips, wanting to advise him, but before he could speak, Liu Yidao barked at him. Not daring to say more, the boy slunk off to buy the tickets, knowing full well Liu Yidao’s methods.

“Kid, I’ll show you what happens when you offend Master Liu,” Liu Yidao grinned cruelly.

Half an hour later, the delayed K805X train finally arrived. Xiao Lin and Wang Yuqing carried their luggage through the ticket gate, their hearts filled with the joy of returning home, neither noticing the sinister gaze fixed upon them.

Once on the train, they found their seats. Xiao Lin had bought consecutive tickets, so they sat together. He stowed their luggage in the overhead rack and placed several packs of snacks on the small table—Wang Yuqing’s favorites: Sweetheart Biscuits, Golden Egg Rolls, Banana Chips, Raisins... But Wang Yuqing wasn’t interested in snacks now; she was hugging the little box with her “Lovebirds,” admiring her cherished pets. She wanted to take the birds out as soon as she boarded, but worried the train attendants would notice. She didn’t realize that on regular trains, the rules weren’t so strict; it would have been fine.

Unlike high-speed trains, regular trains weren’t just slower—the environment inside was far more chaotic. Passengers came from all corners of the country, with every dialect and accent mingling together. Strangers, bored by the journey, struck up lively conversations. Sitting across from Xiao Lin and Wang Yuqing was a couple; the girl ignored her own seat and sat on her boyfriend’s lap, feeding each other snacks, kissing frequently, their smacking sounds causing Wang Yuqing to blush and lower her head to play with her birds, too shy to look up.

Xiao Lin, on the other hand, was made restless by the couple’s intimacy. Glancing at the bashful Wang Yuqing beside him, he longed to steal a kiss, but he knew her temperament—she was shy even in private, hiding like an ostrich at the slightest hint of affection. In public, it was out of the question. So, for the entire journey, Xiao Lin could only watch enviously as the couple flirted, while he played with his phone in resignation.

From Qiqihar to Donghai, the regular train should take three hours, but delays were common, so they arrived half an hour late. It was already five in the afternoon by the time the train pulled in, and winter days were short, so Donghai was nearing dusk.

“Haha, my beloved Donghai, I’m finally home!” Xiao Lin shouted joyfully, putting down his luggage as he squeezed out of the crowd.

Wang Yuqing took a deep breath, inhaling the familiar scent of home, her eyes forming crescent moons. “Yes, finally home.”

Not far behind them, Liu Yidao watched with a vicious expression.

“Pole, did you get the hat?”

“Here, boss!” The skinny boy ran up holding a wide-brimmed hat.

Liu Yidao took it, put it on, and with a twist of his wrist, revealed a sharp blade. The skinny boy shivered involuntarily—it wasn’t a pickpocket’s blade, but one meant to injure. Liu Yidao chuckled darkly, pressed down his hat, and headed toward Xiao Lin and Wang Yuqing.

Meanwhile, the excited pair had no idea that danger was drawing steadily closer.

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