4:58.
4:59.
...
5:00!
The instant quitting time arrived, Ch'en tossed aside the case files in her hands and bolted for the door. Just then, Hoshiguma happened to be coming in to look for her, and the two of them collided head-on the moment the door opened.
Fortunately, Hoshiguma was sturdy enough to take the hit. If it had been anyone else, Ch'en probably would have sent them flying.
"Hey, Old Ch'en, where are you rushing off to?"
Hoshiguma practically peeled Ch'en out of her arms and looked at her in confusion.
Ch'en felt a little awkward.
There was no way she could tell Hoshiguma that she was hurrying home. Bai Xiao had only just moved in, and if she started dashing home the moment work ended, wouldn't that make things painfully obvious?
So after a moment's thought, Ch'en said she'd been feeling a little stifled and wanted to go up to the rooftop to get some air.
Unexpectedly, Hoshiguma clapped her hands.
"Oh, then that's perfect. I came here to get you for the rooftop anyway. Missy's already waiting up there."
"Huh?"
She'd hit the mark by accident, and Ch'en could only suffer in silence. Seeing that something seemed off about her expression, Hoshiguma grew suspicious.
"What, do you have something to do?"
"No. Nothing at all."
Ch'en denied it flatly. When it came to stubbornly insisting otherwise, she remained an undisputed authority.
"Nothing? Then come on up. I even prepared herbal tea for you... hot herbal tea."
At that point, Ch'en had no choice. She reluctantly gave up on the idea of going straight home and made her way to the rooftop.
After all, someone was waiting for her at home.
Only on that point, Ch'en had miscalculated.
No one was actually waiting for her at home.
...
"Miss Lin, could you at least tell me first—what exactly does Mr. Lin want with me?"
Inside the car, Bai Xiao glanced cautiously at the expressionless Lin Yuhsia, who was driving, and asked in a careful tone.
He really was puzzled. Everything at the dock had been going about as usual, but today Lin Yuhsia had suddenly shown up, only to say a single sentence:
"Mr. Lin wants to see you."
After being here this long, Bai Xiao naturally knew who Mr. Lin was. What he couldn't figure out was why a figure like that would want to see him.
Lin Yuhsia had given him the option to refuse.
But Bai Xiao hadn't refused.
And now, as Lin Yuhsia drove him toward her home, she answered helplessly when he asked again, "I don't know either. I was only told to come notify you. Anything else has nothing to do with me."
Bai Xiao didn't quite believe that it had nothing to do with her, but he did believe she probably didn't know the details. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been sent personally to fetch him. This was the Lin family's eldest daughter. In all of Lungmen, there probably weren't many people worth her making the trip in person.
And yet he was getting that treatment now.
Bai Xiao felt a little uneasy. Just then, the car reached the mouth of a narrow alley. Lin Yuhsia stopped the car and said, "You get out first. I'll go find somewhere to park."
It was such an ordinary reason that it almost felt suspicious. The Rat King—Lungmen's underground emperor—didn't even have a home with a garage?
Apparently reading what was on Bai Xiao's mind, Lin Yuhsia gave him a slightly helpless look.
"If you don't want to get out, then come with me while I park."
Bai Xiao agreed immediately.
What a joke. Who would dare get out in a place like this? Given the Rat King's underworld background, Bai Xiao half expected a squad of men with cleavers to leap out of some corner the moment he stepped out.
If he stayed with Lin Yuhsia, then even if someone really wanted to make a move on him, they'd still have to think twice because of her.
So the two of them went together to park the car. The alley at dusk was quiet, with hardly any pedestrians around. There was only the faint smell of cooking in the air, making it seem like any other ordinary alley.
"The people living around here are mostly older folks. My parents are getting up there too, so they're more comfortable here."
Lin Yuhsia explained that almost unconsciously, as if even she didn't understand why she felt the need to.
Bai Xiao nodded to show he understood.
"Mom, I'm back—open up!"
Whether Lin Yuhsia was Lin Yuhsia or the Lin family's eldest daughter, she really wasn't all that different from any ordinary girl. If there was one difference, it was probably that she was much prettier. Otherwise, she was about the same—even down to the way she knocked at the door now.
Bai Xiao almost laughed, but held it back.
You couldn't be grinning frivolously while meeting someone's elders. Besides, the situation was still unclear. For all he knew, this could be a Hongmen Banquet.
The door opened.
A middle-aged woman stood there, greeting Bai Xiao with a warmth he absolutely hadn't expected. The moment she saw him, her face broke into a broad smile.
"Oh my, so you're little Bai, aren't you? Yuhsia talks about you all the time. Come in, come in."
Bai Xiao was somewhat overwhelmed by the reception, and Lin Yuhsia beside him looked even more baffled.
Since when have I ever talked about him?
Afraid Bai Xiao would misunderstand, she wanted to explain herself. But Bai Xiao, in fact, hadn't taken it seriously at all. Only a fool believed every polite word at face value. He might not be a schemer, but he certainly wasn't stupid.
Counting everything, this was only the second time he and Lin Yuhsia had met. Why would she be talking about him? Words like that weren't worth even one full point of credibility—they were on about the same level as I've long admired you, just empty courtesy.
So Bai Xiao didn't react to it at all. He simply offered a reserved smile, said, "Hello," and stepped inside when invited.
"Hehe, you and Yuhsia are about the same age, so just call me Aunt Lin."
"Alright, Aunt Lin."
Just like its exterior suggested, the house wasn't very large. It was compact without feeling cramped, and indeed seemed ideal for an older married couple.
But then Bai Xiao took another look—
and nearly yelped.
Holy—where did this enormous rat come from? And why is it sitting at the table drinking tea?!
If Bai Xiao hadn't already been here for quite a while, and if he hadn't known about the Elder races, he truly might have cried out. Fortunately, he held it in. That would have been unbelievably rude—borderline insulting, really.
"M-Mr. Lin."
"Mm." The giant white rat lifted his head slightly, the way an elder might casually greet a junior. "You've come? Sit down and have some tea."
Why did this big shot seem so strangely familiar with him?
Bai Xiao didn't refuse. Since he was already here, he might as well make the best of it. He sat down openly and directly across from the Rat King.
A trace of approval flashed through the Rat King's eyes. Then he turned to Lin Yuhsia, who had just changed her shoes, and said, "Yuhsia, go help your mother in the kitchen. Little Bai and I will chat for a while."
"Mm."
With that, only Bai Xiao and the Rat King remained in the living room.
The Rat King didn't speak.
So Bai Xiao didn't speak either.
He was perfectly patient. You're the one who invited me. If you don't want to talk, then fine—I'll just drink tea.
The two of them sat there drinking for a while. Only after the teapot had run dry did the Rat King finally let out a sigh.
"You're young, yet you have quite a rare temperament. No wonder Hui-chieh is taken with you."
There wasn't really much content in those words—it was just idle praise.
Bai Xiao smiled faintly.
"You overpraise me, Mr. Lin."
The Rat King shook his head and refilled Bai Xiao's cup.
"It's a good thing for a young man to have a bit of composure, but a person also needs some spirit. I don't know why Hui-chieh chose you, but her judgment is sound."
There was no question about it now. The way the Rat King kept referring to Ch'en as Hui-chieh made it obvious that his relationship with her was anything but ordinary.
Bai Xiao couldn't help trying to guess the reason the Rat King had invited him here.
But at that moment, the food was ready.
The Rat King slowly rose and walked toward the dining table.
"We'll eat first. Whatever it is, we can talk after dinner."
....
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