Misty Rain of the Old Times

He stepped forward and knocked on the door. Chen Xuan looked around the small courtyard in front of him. What puzzled him was that he could not see any mechanisms or layouts at all, at least not on the surface. He had even penetrated hundreds of feet into the ground with his true essence, but he had not found any secret rooms or anything like that.

This is a bit unreasonable; it doesn't fit the image of an assassin's residence. It's clearly just an ordinary person's home.

Knowing her identity, from a normal person's perspective, the more she acted this way, the more suspicious Chen Xuan felt she was. Oh well, he decided not to dwell on it too much and just play along for a bit. He would ask her directly what she wanted to do later.

It has to be said that she is quite cautious. Even without being face to face, you can feel her paranoia, just like back in the abandoned mansion in Mo City, where she was unaware of my existence and tried every means to investigate but could not be completely at ease.

Standing at the door, upon hearing her words, Chen Xuan almost burst out laughing. She was clearly very beautiful, yet she called herself an old woman. To be honest, she did make it quite convincing. If one didn't know her background, probably very few people would recognize her.

For an assassin, disguise is a basic skill. Especially after reaching the Innate Realm, her disguise skills have reached a new level, directly altering her musculoskeletal structure. She doesn't even need makeup; she can change the color and wrinkles of her skin simply by circulating her cultivation techniques.

"Buying two pieces of tofu is quick, why turn away business when it comes to us?" Chen Xuan continued. This wasn't asking anyone to do anything unreasonable. It wasn't long after dark, and anyone doing business normally, as long as they weren't asleep, wouldn't miss any opportunity to make money.

Despite knowing Chen Xuan's identity, and despite having no prior interaction with him and not seeming to be looking for trouble, the assassin sister remained vigilant. In their line of work, carelessness rarely lasts long.

Could he really be here to buy tofu? Just because Luo Erdan mentioned that my tofu is delicious?

Thinking it over, she still refused, saying, "This...it's really inconvenient. Please leave, guest. I'm a widow living alone, and I don't want people gossiping so late at night. I still have a reputation to uphold. Why put yourself in such a difficult position? If you continue like this, I'll have to call for help."

This is a normal reaction. After all, she could only hear his voice but couldn't see him in front of her. She didn't know Chen Xuan, and what kind of woman living alone would open the door to a stranger at night?

However, Chen Xuan felt both amused and exasperated. You've become a widow? You're clearly a virgin, aren't you? You probably haven't even tasted the flavor of a man, and you've never had a man die.

He chuckled to himself and said directly, "It's me. I met you once before at Zhiwei Restaurant. I'm Chen Xuan, Luo Erdan's partner. I heard your tofu is of very high quality, and after trying it, I can confirm it's quite good. So I stopped by on my way home to buy a couple of pieces for a late-night snack."

Upon hearing this, the assassin sister was filled with suspicion. She had heard that my tofu was delicious, so she came all the way here to buy it. You are the owner of Zhiwei Restaurant, so you could just take it from the store. Could you have come here for some other purpose?
'The Gao family is a prestigious clan, and this Chen Xuan comes from them. To ordinary people, they would be incredibly influential. Could it be that my arrival has aroused suspicion, or perhaps I was inadvertently noticed while investigating Yang County?'

These thoughts flashed through her mind quickly. She wasn't afraid of overthinking; she was just afraid that some detail might go wrong.

So far, Chen Xuan suspects that she came to Yang County on a mission, while she suspects that her identity has attracted the attention of some people. It's like the two of them are playing a battle of wits with thin air.

But they're not wrong from their perspectives.

Although the assassin's identity is secretive and cannot be seen in the light, as long as one exists in the world, there are certain levels where there are no secrets. The Gao family may not be able to reach that level, but the assassin sister still has to be careful.

At this point, Chen Xuan had already said all that. Having only recently arrived in Yang County, she was engaged in the tofu business, and Zhiwei Restaurant was her biggest customer. No normal person would turn away such a customer, and if she refused again, it might arouse suspicion from others.

Left with no other choice, she changed her tone and said, "So it's the owner of Zhiwei Restaurant. I apologize for my rudeness. Please wait a moment, I'll be right there."

His tone was unexpectedly ingratiating, yet also tinged with the anxiety and bitterness of someone from the lower class. His acting was truly remarkable.

Rolling her eyes inwardly, Chen Xuan thought to herself, "Keep pretending. To be honest, it's quite interesting to watch her put on an acting show before she makes things clear."

Soon she went out carrying a lantern, her body slightly hunched, a smile on her face, looking cautious and timid. In her other hand she carried a lotus leaf bag, from which came the smell of tofu.

Arriving at the courtyard gate, she opened it and handed the lotus leaf package to Chen Xuan with a smile, saying, "So it's Young Master Chen. If you wanted some tofu, just let me know, and this old woman would have brought it to you. There was no need to trouble yourself to come all this way."

Chen Xuan reached out and took it, smiling, "Sorry to bother you, how much is it?"

"No money, no money, this is for Young Master Chen. Thank you for patronizing Zhiwei Restaurant. This old woman is only able to make a living, so please accept this as a small token of my appreciation. I hope you will continue to support me in the future," she said with a fawning expression, perfectly portraying the plight of someone from the lower class.

Shaking his head, Chen Xuan almost burst out laughing, but still said seriously, "There's no reason not to pay when buying things. Wouldn't that make me take a kickback and bully people? Everyone has their own difficulties. Whatever it is, that's what we should pay."

You're quite a nice person, after all, you're a scholar. Speaking of which, a few years ago you went to study at Liuyu Academy with your young master. In recent years, Gao Jingming's reputation has grown quite a bit, but we're not on the same wavelength, so I haven't had the chance to meet him. He's certainly got a handsome appearance. If you're like this, I wonder what kind of demeanor that top scholar must have.

Thinking it over, she quickly shook her head and said, "Really, there's no need for money. Young Master Chen is kind-hearted. I would be more than happy as long as he continues to supply tofu to Zhiwei Restaurant. How could I dare to ask for money?"

"Oh, alright then. Since you don't want the money, I'll talk to Zhiwei Restaurant and have them use the purchasing department's account. Making tofu is hard work, I can't possibly take advantage of you," Chen Xuan said seriously, putting the two large coins he had taken out back.

She was surprised, but still gratefully said, "Young Master Chen is such a kind person. Please understand, it's getting late, and I live alone, so I won't keep you any longer." From beginning to end, she had no intention of letting Chen Xuan into the courtyard, let alone inviting him into the house. The words "avoiding suspicion" were practically written on her forehead.

To be honest, the face she's currently disguising—rough hands and big feet, sallow skin that looks like she's been working hard all year—is not ugly, but it's not exactly attractive either. She's the kind of person who's completely unremarkable and would easily pass for an old woman.

Having been neighbors for many years and knowing her fairly well, Chen Xuan found it amusing. Carrying the tofu in one hand, he had no intention of leaving. Instead, he smiled and said, "Won't you invite me in for a cup of tea?"

The assassin felt a chill run down her spine. Seeing Chen Xuan's gaze as if he'd seen a ghost, she feigned shock, taking a step back and clutching her chest with one hand while simultaneously closing the door with the other. She said anxiously, "Young Master Chen, please don't joke like that. This old woman is old and faded, and has even lost a man; I can't take such a fright."

At this moment, she cursed inwardly. This little guy is so handsome, what kind of girls wouldn't rush to him? Could he have some kind of psychological problem, that he actually has a weird taste and likes this kind of old and ugly guy?

Chen Xuan immediately glared and stomped his feet as if he had been insulted, saying, "You old woman, you are simply unreasonable! I was just thirsty and wanted a glass of water, how could you slander me like this!"

Could it be a misunderstanding? The assassin quickly closed the door, saying, "I'm so sorry, I've misunderstood. Young Master Chen, please leave. If this continues, people will laugh at us."

He raised his hand to hold the door shut, and Chen Xuan stubbornly said, "No, you better explain yourself. You actually... you actually... it's uncivilized, uncivilized... ugh!"

The already suspicious assassin sister was immediately alerted by Chen Xuan's relentless pursuit, realizing something was amiss. Even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance that he had ulterior motives, she was determined to find out the truth.

So before Chen Xuan could finish speaking, she acted without hesitation. To Chen Xuan's 'surprise', she swiftly struck his pressure points, held a lantern in one hand and a dagger to his neck in the other, dragged him into the courtyard, kicked the door shut, and abducted him into the house. The whole action was done in one smooth motion.

Inside the room, by candlelight, the assassin pressed Chen Xuan into a chair, held a dagger to his neck, and, no longer pretending, said with icy eyes, "Tell me, what exactly do you want, or who sent you!"

"I just wanted a drink of water, you're really going to take this seriously? Take it easy, it's dangerous," Chen Xuan said, pretending to be dumbfounded, thinking to himself that this neighbor was not easy to tease.

She sneered, pressing the dagger against Chen Xuan's neck, and said coldly, "I advise you to put away your petty thoughts. I know you come from the Gao family. Do you think that alone is enough to make me hesitate to act? If you don't explain yourself clearly, you're a smart man, so you'd better consider the consequences!"

However, Chen Xuan showed no remorse for being a prisoner. Instead, he laughed and said, "You're decisive enough. You disguised yourself very well, and you didn't hesitate to act as soon as you realized something was wrong. I admire you. But since you've stopped pretending, you probably don't intend to let me go, right?"

"As expected of someone close to the top scholar, you're clever. I really didn't intend to let you leave. Don't think that just because you're a servant of the Gao family, or even if you were a young master of the Gao family other than Gao Jingming, I could kill you without a second thought!" She said frankly, and with her innate cultivation, she certainly had the confidence to do so.

No wonder he's an assassin; he's ruthless enough to not consider the consequences, otherwise he wouldn't be able to do this job.

Chen Xuan said speechlessly, "Seriously? I just wanted a drink of water, and you're going to kill me?"

"Enough nonsense. Since you're a smart person, you should understand who's in control right now and what their purpose is. Tell me the truth, or you won't leave here alive today. If you confess honestly, you'll suffer less!" the assassin sister said coldly.

Chen Xuan seemed oblivious to the cold dagger at his neck, and said casually, "Of course I'm in control. Could it be you? To be honest, it would have to be you. Anyone else, even a complete stranger, who dared to put a knife to my throat would probably be dead eight hundred times over by now. Forget it, let's stop playing around. Now it's my turn to ask you, what are you doing here in Yang County all of a sudden?"

Upon hearing this, the assassin was terrified. He seemed to know about her past?

As a heartless killer, he wouldn't waste any more words at this point and would strike without hesitation.

However, she was dumbfounded the next second. Chen Xuan, who was clearly under her firm control, suddenly appeared two meters away, leisurely looking around the room.

She could swear on her conscience that she hadn't even blinked. How had he escaped her control? And when had his pressure points been released? He clearly had no cultivation whatsoever, and looked like a weak scholar.

Chen Xuan did not use the Purple Mystic Illusionary Eye to deceive her senses. The difference in strength was obvious, and it would be easy for him to break free from her control. Looking around the simple residence, Chen Xuan laid his cards on the table and said, "You have been living such a simple life all these years?"

"Who are you?!" she exclaimed, her heart pounding.

Turning back and winking, Chen Xuan smiled and said, "Guess?"

Then he couldn't hold back anymore, laughed, pointed at her, and said, "Your reaction is a bit slow. I overestimated you. Besides, you don't look good like this. Don't you feel awkward? Try to straighten out."

...(End of chapter)