On the way back, Li Zhonglou sat in the car, his mind racing.
There were many reasons why Li Hanlong hadn't contacted him for so long.
One of them was that he knew he couldn't withstand scrutiny. If Li Zhonglou was pushed too hard and the police were involved, even with his vast connections, he would be hard-pressed to escape death.
Having already placed him under house arrest once, he couldn't do it a second time.
In fact, the incident with the Huang man and Lian Zijian had thrown him into a panic, leading him to seek out Zeng Wang in desperation.
It was likely that he had heard of Zeng Wang's reputation long ago.
Counterfeiting and selling fakes, he never expected that such a person would still have nationalistic ideals in his heart.
Truly a lunatic.
"What? You want to go and find Li Hanlong yourself? No, it's too dangerous!" Lin Ying said resolutely when Li Zhonglou told her about it after returning to the Ning residence.
Although Li Hanlong wouldn't dare to harass Li Zhonglou openly anymore, it didn't mean he could openly seek him out.
Once discovered by Li Hanlong, he would immediately try to kill him.
Killing someone was nothing, how did Yan Bin die?
In fact, the water gun club reported to the police that same day, and what was the result?
Insufficient evidence, and Li Hanlong wasn't threatened in the slightest.
In this world, both the righteous and the demonic paths have their own ways, and throwing an egg at a rock is definitely a foolish act.
"The items obtained from Liu Ping'er are related to her orphan siblings, and cannot be easily used," Li Zhonglou explained. "Now that such a good opportunity is before us, if we miss it, we don't know when we'll have to wait again."
"Senior sister, let me try."
"At worst, don't I still have you?"
Seeing Li Zhonglou's playful grin, Lin Ying couldn't maintain her serious expression.
With a chuckle, she melted and gave him a charming glare, "You're so unprofessional. Senior sister, am I your bodyguard?"
"I can't doppelganger, and Auntie needs care?"
"If you have the ability, wake up Xu Lie and have him take my place."
Lin Ying understood what Li Zhonglou was saying.
The best way to bring down Li Hanlong and eliminate this great threat was through the law.
However, the legal path had already proven to be a dead end.
Just the requirement for evidence was enough to make those handling the case scratch their heads bald.
It still required them to rely on themselves.
However, Li Zhonglou's move was undoubtedly walking into a tiger's den, and it would not be as easy for her to save him as last time.
Moreover, who could guarantee that Li Hanlong wouldn't kill them in a fit of rage?
"Are there no disguise techniques?" Li Zhonglou's eyes spun, and an idea struck him.
Li Hanlong recognized him, so as long as he made himself unrecognizable, wouldn't that suffice?
Originally, Li Zhonglou didn't have such intentions. After all, a man should stand tall with his name and surname.
But since his senior sister was worried and didn't want his mother and Jiang Yuxin to be left with no support, he could only suppress his pride and choose this superior strategy.
"Disguise, you reminded me!" Lin Ying's beautiful eyes lit up. "Do you remember Shen Yishou?"
"That charlatan who almost killed you in Donglin last time."
"Of course, I remember." Li Zhonglou's eyes turned cold.
That damned charlatan, his strength was so low back then, he was like a chick in his hands, manipulated without any power to resist.
Now that he had entered the second level of the Heart Sutra, his strength had greatly increased, and he would definitely settle the score if he saw him again.
"He has a female disciple who is very skilled in disguise, and she is in Yong'an," Lin Ying said. "I happen to know her too, and I'll take you to see her the day after tomorrow."
"Is it reliable?" Li Zhonglou was suspicious.
Shen Yishou was his enemy, so could his disciple help him?
Would they start fighting if they met?
He didn't hit women.
"I have my ways," Lin Ying said mysteriously and got up to leave.
Li Zhonglou also pushed the door open and went out. Jiang Yuxin was sitting in the yard with his mother.
Ning Lang was brewing tea nearby.
Jiang Yuxin was drinking the tea he brewed, while his mother was drinking flower tea.
Seeing this, Li Zhonglou couldn't help but silently praise Ning Lang's thoughtfulness.
His mother had a heart condition and was particularly sensitive to things like tea and coffee. Jasmine flower tea was good for clearing heat and calming the nerves.
Since moving into this courtyard, his mother's mood had improved significantly compared to when she was in the hospital.
One was that her family was by her side and she didn't have to worry, and the other was that it was quiet amidst the hustle and bustle, with the environment being ten times better.
When the spirit improved, the body naturally recovered faster.
The few of them gathered and chatted for a while.
Zheng Xiumei was a bit tired and was pushed back to her room to rest by Jiang Yuxin.
At this moment, Li Zhonglou's WeChat rang.
It was from a girl named "Huakai Ban Zhi" who sent: "Benefactor, my father has been settled, and I would like to treat you to a meal. I hope you will grace me with your presence."
Seeing these words, Li Zhonglou remembered the girl who was robbed in the hospital a few days ago.
At that time, to avoid embarrassing her, he added her WeChat and then forgot about it.
He didn't expect her to actually send a message.
"I have something to do, I'm not free," Li Zhonglou replied.
The matter was over, and he didn't care about any repayment of favors. He had too many things to do.
It was much better to spend more time with his wife and mother.
"Then... I'll invite you again tomorrow..." the girl seemed very sensible.
Li Zhonglou then put the matter aside, too lazy to reply.
In the afternoon, Jiang Yuxin was bored and suggested making dumplings.
Over the years in the Jiang family, she had never cooked before, and Li Zhonglou was mostly responsible for cooking.
Now that she intended to be a good wife and mother, she naturally had to learn about these things.
Dumplings were simple and delicious, the best choice.
Seeing her so proactive, Li Zhonglou was delighted, but there were no dumpling wrappers at home.
Seeing that it was still early, he decided to go to the wet market himself.
Among everyone present, he had the most experience buying groceries. Not to mention his three years in the Jiang family, and his previous life spent immersed in the study of antiques, he never married, and he took care of his own life.
Buying groceries was naturally his responsibility.
He asked Zheng Rui for the car keys and drove alone to the wet market about three kilometers away from the main courtyard.
He bought some pork and some celery.
All that was left was the dumpling wrappers.
He looked at several places but was not satisfied. After all, it was afternoon, and either the best ones were picked, or they had lost their elasticity due to being stored for a long time.
Li Zhonglou actually had a bit of a perfectionist obsession when it came to food.
He would rather go hungry than compromise.
As he was walking, a surprised voice suddenly sounded from behind him: "Benefactor? What are you doing here?"
Li Zhonglou turned his head at the sound and found the woman who had been robbed nearby, dressed in a black long dress, standing gracefully, her eyes shining as she looked at him.
Her expression was a mixture of surprise and joy.
"How is it you?" Li Zhonglou's scalp tingled. She was truly haunting.
He had already rejected her, and yet he met her at the wet market.
No one would believe it was a coincidence.
Could it be that fate was playing its hand?
Having lived to Li Zhonglou's age, he had seen through many things. The so-called "knowing destiny" was the destiny that was subconsciously at play, what ordinary people called fate.
He could not resist.
"I have a shop at the wet market, selling spices and dried goods," the woman said, appearing very enthusiastic. She walked up to Li Zhonglou and was about to help him carry his things.
Li Zhonglou lightly brushed her aside.
"I still need to buy dumpling wrappers. You go ahead and do your thing," he said, preparing to leave.
"Benefactor, since we met here, why don't you come to my place for a cup of water?" the woman asked sincerely. "I know where to get good dumpling wrappers, follow me."
Looking at her ethereal eyes, Li Zhonglou, who had intended to refuse, finally nodded and agreed as if guided by a supernatural force.
It was just a cup of water and a short sit, letting her repay the favor and break this karmic connection.
Besides, he could see if there were any dried goods or spices he could buy along the way.
The woman led Li Zhonglou around twice and arrived at a noodle shop, asking the owner to take a bag of hand-rolled wrappers from the refrigerator.
Indeed, they were fresher and more resilient than those from other shops.
After picking three stacks, he followed the woman to her shop.
The shop was not large, only about ten square meters, and it was filled with all sorts of spices.
The goods were dazzling, but there was no sense of clutter; it looked very comfortable.
On one wall, many sealed dried fish and rabbits were hanging.
"My name is Jin Jing, and I still don't know your distinguished surname, Benefactor?" the woman poured a cup of green tea and handed it to Li Zhonglou with both hands, asking.
"Li Zhonglou."
"Good name, it's a medicinal herb that saves people from peril," Jin Jing spoke nicely, and her appearance was beautiful, her smile captivating.
When they were alone, she didn't show the shyness she displayed in public.
At her age, in her twenties, with such high emotional intelligence, it was evident that life was not so pleasant.
If it weren't for the pressures of life, who would force themselves to become someone who could sense the emotions of others?
"You're the first person to say that," Li Zhonglou smiled.
His name, according to his mother, was given by his missing father. When they were young, there were many snakes and insects.
His father often got bitten while working in the fields.
In the countryside, there were no pharmacies, so they had to rely on self-help.
Zhonglou was a medicinal herb that was very good for treating snake and insect bites, also known as seven-leaf-one-flower.
Thus, his father gave him this name.
However, Jin Jing had only half-right.
Zhonglou could not only save people but also had poisonous properties.
It all depended on who he was facing.
"Brother Zhonglou, when you leave later, take some dried fish back to try," Jin Jing nimbly took four bags of large dried squid from the wall.
Each bag weighed about five to six kilograms.
It looked a bit strenuous for a girl to hold them alone.
These dried squids were the most expensive items in her shop. Li Zhonglou had saved her and her father, and the kindness was greater than the sky.
"Put them down, I don't eat seafood, and no one in my family eats seafood," Li Zhonglou stopped Jin Jing's actions and refused.
At the same time, he sighed inwardly, this girl was taking things too seriously.
There was really no need for this.
"Xiao Jing, you're back? I come every day and see your shop closed, I miss you so much." Just then, a flirtatious, nasal voice sounded from outside the door.
The next moment, a skinny man with slightly buck teeth and a slicked-back hairstyle walked in with a swagger.
He completely treated Li Zhonglou as if he were air.
With a lewd smile, he asked, "How's Dad doing?"
Upon hearing this, the smile on Jin Jing's face instantly disappeared. She glared at the man and cursed angrily, "Cheng Daqi, get out."
"If it weren't for you beast, my dad wouldn't have suffered a brainstem injury and almost lost his life."
"You still have the nerve to come looking for me, you scoundrel!"
Hearing this, the lewd smile on the man's face gradually turned into a sinister grin, "Jin Jing, don't forget, I am your legal husband."
"We're not divorced yet, and you're kicking me out?"
"Can you kick me out?"
"If you want me to leave, you have to give me this."
He said, pinching three fingers, with a greedy look.
His meaning was clear: he wanted money.
"As long as you give me money, I can turn a blind eye, and I don't care if you're having an affair!" Cheng Daqi said, glancing at Li Zhonglou with ill intentions.