Chapter Nineteen: Stirring Up Trouble

Old Street Park.

On a bench by the artificial lake, Li Can and Azure had been talking for nearly an hour. Aside from matters related to the car accident, they chatted about their recent lives.

“Oh, it’s almost three o’clock. I need to get back to school,” Azure glanced at the time.

“Leaving so soon?” Li Can held her delicate, boneless hand, reluctant to let go.

“I only took a day off to come out.” Azure stuck out her tongue playfully. “You know my school is kind of special.”

“That’s true. Better to go back while it’s still light out—it’s safer.” After the incident with Liu Huadong, Li Can had become much more cautious. This world wasn’t as safe as it appeared, especially since Azure, unlike him, didn’t possess any special abilities.

“Hmph, so you just want me gone?” Azure poked Li Can’s cheek with her finger, her tone a little indignant.

“Uh...” Li Can was bewildered. He thought to himself that women really were changeable creatures—their moods could shift faster than turning a page. Wasn’t she the one who said she needed to leave?

“Blockhead.” Azure hid a laugh behind her hand, her beautiful eyes curving like crescent moons. She didn’t linger, turning and heading out of the park.

Li Can scratched his head, suddenly realizing he hadn’t thanked Azure yet. The unexpected guests today had all been invited by her—most were old customers from his days at the Imperial Court. They’d come to support him, though he hadn’t expected that unpleasant run-in with Zhao Gang.

He hurried after her, but just as he reached the park gate, a figure blocked his way.

The man was handsome, refined, wearing rimless glasses, and exuded a sense of uprightness.

Who could it be but Luo Yuan?

“You’re still here?” Li Can’s tone was flat as he curled his lip. It was hard to believe these two had been close friends since childhood.

“I helped her sneak out of school, so it’s my responsibility to see her back safely,” Luo Yuan said earnestly.

“Then what are you standing here for? Go after her and protect her,” Li Can retorted.

“It’s about 680 to 690 meters from here to the subway station, with two stoplights and a pedestrian bridge in between. At Azure’s walking pace, she’ll just make the 3:15 train. So, before I catch up with her, I have five minutes of free time.”

Luo Yuan recited all this without a blink, his memory astonishing. Even more remarkable, this was his first time in Old Street, and yet he’d already mapped out the whole area in such a short span.

“Someone like you actually takes the subway? Can you even stand it?” Li Can felt a grudging admiration, but kept his face stony.

“If Azure likes it, I’ll ride anything,” Luo Yuan replied.

“She told you to go die,” Li Can said, exasperated.

“All right,” Luo Yuan responded without hesitation, as if it were the most trivial of things.

“You...” Li Can sighed. “You’re still not giving up?”

“That’s my business. I just want to remind you—there’s still one year left on my promise,” Luo Yuan said with unwavering resolve. “After that, I won’t just be a bystander.”

“Azure’s always seen you as an older brother,” Li Can grumbled.

“That’s only because I’ve never confessed my feelings. When we were kids, you and she were always closer, so I made a promise to myself: until she graduates, I’ll just be her brother.”

“So this is what you wanted to say in your carefully planned five minutes? Boring.” Li Can sidestepped him.

“Wait.” Luo Yuan turned slightly. “I had someone look into Zhao Gang. He’s not a simple character. If you ever need help, just ask.”

“Need your help? Back when you’d get beat up and cry, who was it that always fought back for you? When have I ever needed your help? Mind your own business!” Li Can called back as he walked away, “And by the way, you came with Azure at noon, not because I asked you. Don’t expect me to thank you. I’m off.”

Watching Li Can leave, Luo Yuan actually smiled for once, then hurried after Azure.

...

Sakura District, Old Street.

After the commotion with Zhao Gang, word about the neighboring bistro had begun to spread among the locals. Most still didn’t know the chef’s name, but they knew the restaurant only served shredded pork with garlic sauce—and for a price that made your teeth ache.

It wouldn’t be long before more detailed news reached even more people. This was a process; it would take time.

When Li Can returned to the restaurant, the main room was empty and there was no sign of Su Rui.

He rushed upstairs to check that the iron drum hadn’t been tampered with, then returned downstairs, finally at ease.

“There’s not much pork tenderloin left in the freezer. I wonder if it’s enough for tonight’s service,” Li Can muttered as he checked the ingredients in the kitchen.

Since this was the first day of the new rules—and with the lunchtime crowd mostly drawn by the excitement—the real results would only show in the evening.

Li Can felt uncertain.

Clang!

A metallic crash came from the front.

He pulled aside the curtain to see Su Rui bending down to pick up a dropped wrench, her hands grimy.

“Su Rui,” he called out.

“You’re back. Where’s your little girlfriend?” Su Rui looked up, even her face smeared with oil.

“Ahem.” Li Can coughed. “She left.”

“Well, would you look at that, you’re blushing.” Su Rui nudged his shoulder teasingly. “Who’d have thought—a chef like you with such a beautiful girlfriend. Tsk, tsk.”

Li Can felt a little stung, sensing there was another meaning behind her words—like a toad lusting after a swan.

“So, what were you doing with that wrench?” he changed the subject.

“The water pipe out back broke. I tried to fix it but couldn’t,” Su Rui said, rubbing her nose with her elbow, probably itchy. “Weird. I called Brother Liu several times but he didn’t pick up. I was hoping to get him to fix it.”

Your Brother Liu is dead!

Li Can’s eyelid twitched. “No need to call him. I can handle it.”

He grabbed the wrench and a roll of leak-stopping tape from her hand.

“Where is it? I’ll take a look.”

“Go out and turn right.”

Li Can said nothing more, grabbed the wrench, and walked out to the alley between the two restaurants. This spot was separated from the kitchen by just one wall, the ground thick with weeds and garbage thrown down from the apartment above—rank and foul-smelling.

He parted the weeds at the base of the wall and immediately saw the exposed pipe connecting to the kitchen.

“Su Rui, do you need the water valve shut off?” Her voice came through the exhaust vent.

“Not yet.”

Li Can moved closer, and before he could find the leak, he noticed a fresh dent on the pipe’s surface.

“Su Rui, did you hit the pipe when you were fixing it?”

“You mean that dent? It was there before I got there.”

At her reply, Li Can’s eyes narrowed.

So the pipe hadn’t broken on its own—it had been deliberately smashed out of place!

“So they’re already starting to retaliate...”

(To be continued…)