Why did you provoke me?

Seeing Xiao Wen and the others return to Jingchuan Guild Hall, the cripple cheerfully opened the door for them, repeatedly saying, "It's alright, it's good that you're alright."

Xiao Wen didn't recognize him, and upon hearing this, he stopped and specifically asked, "Do you know we're in trouble?"

"Huh? I don't know." The cripple stared blankly at Xiao Wen.

Xiao Wen wasn't fooled and asked again, "Then why did you say that just now?"

The lame man cleared his throat and said awkwardly, "What do I say to everyone who comes back?"

Xiao Wen looked at him seriously again. "Really? Then say some auspicious words to us when we leave later."

"Oh, well, it depends on the situation." The cripple didn't agree to Xiao Wen's seemingly easy request.

"Do you really know what just happened between us?" Xiao Wen said this in a statement of fact.

"This is utterly unreasonable. I opened the door for you, and you treated me like a criminal." With that, he sauntered back to the gatehouse.

"Hey, you old man, what's wrong with me, Brother Xiao, asking you a few questions?" Yan Lei shouted at the cripple's back with dissatisfaction.

Hearing that Xiao Wen and the others had returned, Secretary Wu hurriedly came out to greet them. Just then, she heard Yan Lei shout.

"Hey Yan, what are you yelling about? You're bullying a disabled person."

Yan Lei felt very wronged when he saw Secretary Wu criticize him without even knowing the facts.

"Uncle Wu, where did you find this old gatekeeper? Brother Xiao said we should ask him to say something auspicious before we leave, but he said it depends on the situation."

"You're such a busybody," Secretary Wu said to him, then turned to Xiao Wen. "What happened? Why are you back?"

"Uncle Wu, something's happened. Let's go inside and talk."

"Then let's go to my office." Secretary Wu turned and walked towards his office. Xiao Wen and Yan Lei followed behind him.

He closed the door. Xiao Wen recounted in detail what had just happened. He concluded, "Uncle Wu, I think these people are the same group as them."

"Are you injured?"

"no."

"Do you remember what you said or what he asked?"

"My head is spinning. I only know that I said a lot, but I don't know what I said. But judging from the way they let us go, it seems that what we said was useless to them."

"Xiao Wen, I need to send a message to Teacher Yu and ask her to come over so you can explain the details." Secretary Wu said as she sent a message to Yu Meng using a voice message ring.

Yu Meng and Niannian arrived quickly. "You mean that group of people is not far from our guild hall?"

"It's only about twenty li." Xiao Wen nodded affirmatively.

"Besides that special car, what other buildings are there around it?" Yu Meng asked again.

"There wasn't anything special, just two inconspicuous little houses by the roadside," Xiao Wen recalled.

"Fourth Sister, shall we go take a look?"

Before Yu Meng could answer, Secretary Wu hurriedly stood up and stopped Niannian. "How could you go to such a dangerous place?"

"Uncle Wu, we're just going to take a look; we won't do anything. Maybe by the time we get there, they'll have already left?"

"That won't work either. Dangerous things can't be done. But if you insist, I'll send someone over to take a look first." Secretary Wu didn't rule out anything, because Yu Meng hadn't said whether she wanted to go or not.

"I'll go." Yan Lei immediately stepped forward. "I know the location; it'll be most convenient for me."

Niannian retorted, "You can't. They all know you now. If you go again, they'll definitely know you have a problem."

Xiao Wen hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "When I came back just now, the old gatekeeper said it was good that everything was alright. Should we ask him?"

Secretary Wu and Yu Meng exchanged a glance. "That works too."

Yan Lei and Niannian walked towards the door at the same time, saying, "I'll go ask."

Yu Meng waved. The two of them ran out the door together.

Xiao Wen looked at Secretary Wu and said, "Uncle Wu, where did you find this person? He seems to have some of the skills of fortune teller Hu."

"I didn't find him. He came to our clinic for treatment and then refused to leave, insisting on guarding the gate for us." Secretary Wu looked helpless.

Secretary Wu chuckled softly. "Such a capable person is guarding our gate, Uncle Wu, are you still feeling aggrieved?"

"Do you know who he is? Do you know his background? Do you know if he might pose a threat to the teacher?"

The three questions left Xiao Wen completely bewildered.

"We didn't find anything?"

"I still don't even know his name," Secretary Wu said, sounding somewhat dejected.

"Is this really that strange?"

"Yeah, I've used all the connections I could, but I still haven't gotten any information out of them."

Xiao Wen looked at Yu Meng. "Teacher Yu, are we sure we can manage using someone as capable as her?"

"He doesn't ask for much, he just wants three meals a day, and he doesn't even take a salary."

In the blink of an eye, Yan Lei and Niannian ran back.

"Fourth Sister, we asked, and he said, 'You didn't say you were going, so why should they wait for you?'" Niannian even rolled her eyes, mimicking the lame man's manner.

"He actually said it." Xiao Wen was somewhat surprised. "Back then, when I asked him to say something auspicious, he said he'd see how it went."

Nian Nian burst into laughter. "It all depends on the situation, doesn't it?"

Yan Lei stood awkwardly to the side, "I also asked him when would be an auspicious time for us to leave."

"Did he say that?" Xiao Wen asked.

Yan Lei had a sour face. "He just snorted and didn't say anything."

Yu Meng pursed her lips, wanting to smile as well.

"Alright, everything's been said. You can leave now." Secretary Wu began to urge them to leave.

"Uncle Wu, this whole ordeal has really scared me. Do you have anything to calm my nerves? I need one." Yan Lei pestered Secretary Wu, starting to act like a spoiled child.

Secretary Wu's face darkened. "Are you three years old? And you're scared?"

"Uncle Wu, we've been robbed twice already. Twice, Uncle Wu. If we had something that powerful, we would have fought back long ago. We wouldn't be acting like cowards now, doing whatever they tell us to do. Uncle Wu, it's so frustrating." After finishing, he even pretended to wipe his eyes.

Niannian's understanding was completely refreshed. He walked up to Yu Meng and asked in a low voice, "Fourth Sister, what is he doing? Isn't he embarrassing himself?"

Yu Meng pondered for a moment and then told Niannian, "This is also a form of robbery."

Niannian looked at herself, then at Secretary Wu standing in the distance.

She lingered and walked over, grabbing Secretary Wu's other arm. She looked at him pitifully. "Uncle Wu."

At that address of "Uncle Wu," Secretary Wu got goosebumps. "Stop, what do you want now?"

When Niannian saw him ask her, she quickly stood up straight and said in a clear voice, "Uncle Wu, they've been caught and released, which means they're no longer in danger. But it's different for me. They could come looking for me at any time, and I really need something good to protect myself."

Yan Lei glared at Niannian, "If you want something, you should take it. Why do you have to step on me to get it?"

"Then you need to find a reason to ask for things." Niannian retorted immediately.