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“Big Gourd, if you dare to trick me, I swear I’ll make you pay for it... What time is it to be bothering me?”
The voice of Xiao Mu echoed in the courtyard. When the door swung open, he was taken aback to see four people outside. Big Gourd pointed his phone flashlight at him and said, “I could trick you, but look, it’s Ma Ye and Black Brother… and this gentleman here, do you recognize him?”
In the dim light, it was indeed Ma Yubing with his elongated widow's face. He smiled and said, “Young Master Mu, sorry to disturb you.”
“Oh, it’s nothing, nothing at all. If you have any instructions, just say so. I can change my clothes,” Xiao Mu replied, startled. The unfamiliar figure was Mao Shiping, Mourning Hair. His sudden appearance made Xiao Mu’s heart race.
“We’re heading to your place to take care of a small matter. It won’t take long,” Ma Yubing said. Hearing that they were really going to his house made Xiao Mu a bit anxious. He quickly interjected, “Wait a minute, Ma Ye… this is a tiny place…”
“What’s inconvenient about it? We’re not planning to sleep on the floor with you,” Ma Yubing chuckled. Noticing Xiao Mu’s awkwardness, he guessed, “Oh? Could it be that there’s someone at home…”
“Ah, yes! There’s a girl… You interrupted us just as we were getting started,” Xiao Mu admitted with some embarrassment.
Everyone was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter. Black Steel chimed in, “It’s fine; we don’t mind… Let’s go up and take a look; it won’t take more than a few minutes.”
“Oh, that works… Qingqing, hurry up and get dressed; my brother is here…” Xiao Mu shouted upstairs but was unexpectedly met with a crisp reply:
“Who is it? Coming to bother me in the middle of the night?”
The voice was both playful and angry. While others were snickering suggestively, Xiao Mu was taken aback and thought to himself: Damn, this girl is surprisingly perceptive.
Leading everyone upstairs, he found Guan Yiqing still dawdling at the door. The bed was messy, clothes were strewn about, and she was putting on her socks. Shoes were tossed aside by the bed, clothes hung over the edge, and her disheveled hair along with her flushed cheeks painted a scene that sparked the imagination.
"Not bad, so immersed in the scene," Xiao Mu was surprised for a moment, while Guan Yiqing shot him an annoyed glance, her expression perfectly fitting the current situation.
The newcomer left Big Gourd dumbfounded. "Hey, this girl looks unfamiliar. Young Master Mu, that chicken head introduced her to you; she's not bad... uh..."
Thud! Xiao Mu slapped him and said, "Shut your mouth... Hey, Qingqing, why don't you step outside for a bit? I need to talk to my brother."
"It's so late; where am I supposed to go? If I had known, I wouldn't have come," Guan Yiqing huffed, her expression vividly resembling that of a dissatisfied woman. Xiao Mu quickly stepped forward to block her and pulled her toward the exit, whispering, "Just for a moment... don't be angry. I'll take you shopping tomorrow, okay?"
As he gently reassured her, Guan Yiqing put on her coat and stepped outside. Once out of sight of everyone, Xiao Mu casually touched her chest and gave it a little rub. Startled by the sudden move, Guan Yiqing pinched him hard, causing him to wince in pain but not daring to retaliate. She hurried down the stairs, her heart racing as she struggled to find a direct connection between Widow Ma and Mourning Hair. Now she had it—both Widow Ma and Mourning Hair appeared together.
The room was too cramped for comfort. As they laughed together, when Xiao Mu turned back around, Big Gourd placed something on the table and politely bowed, asking, "Black Brother, Ma Ye... is there anything else you need?"
"You can wait downstairs too," Ma Yubing replied with a smile.
"Alright!" Big Gourd glanced excitedly at Xiao Mu before exiting. Xiao Mu understood that this was likely good news.
Now it was time for Xiao Mu to face the three of them: Ma Yubing, Black Steel, and the one he had never met—Mourning Hair. Just as rumored, Mourning Hair was bald with a shiny head—not shaved but naturally hairless.
Bald Mourning Hair scrutinized Xiao Mu up and down before asking in a deep voice, "Is this him? Old Yau never had anyone like this under his command."
Ma Yubing nodded and directly asked Xiao Mu, "Mu, how long have you been with Old Yau in Binhai?"
"Not long—just a few days since that place Shui Mu Nian Hua opened. I often went there; Master You frequently visited too. I helped him pick out girls a few times... well, he really liked me. Who knew it wouldn't last long..." Xiao Mu rambled on, trying to downplay his presence and muddle the timeline and characters. The others grew impatient; Ma Yubing remarked, "Alright, you little sly fox. No matter how slick you are, your tail is showing. Didn't You Bisheng tell you we're enemies with him?"
"Nope! I heard from people inside that among the notable figures in Binhai back then, Ma Ye and that guy were among the top. He couldn't even catch up with them back then," Xiao Mu exaggerated.
The bald man, Mourning Hair, smiled and said, "No one told you? Our brothers almost wiped out that bastard."
"He won't tell you that my name is Ma Ye, right? And who else?" Ma Yubing asked with a grin.
"It seems like it was Widow Ma... and someone named Mourning Hair?" Xiao Mu exclaimed, staring blankly at Mourning Hair's bald head, seemingly stunned.
"That's right. I haven't used this bandit name for many years; only Old Yau and his gang still remember it." Mourning Hair placed a bag on the table, zipped it up, and laughed as he said to Ma Yubing, "Ma Ye, you can't change that widow's face; it's hard for anyone in the underworld not to recognize you."
"Stop the nonsense and get to work; what time is it?" Ma Yubing urged.
Xiao Mu was still a bit dazed, unsure of what was happening. Black Steel reached out and affectionately pulled him close, asking, "Young Master Mu, we rough guys have some things for you to identify."
As Mourning Hair dumped out a bag of items with a flourish, the table was soon covered with various hand bags, bracelets, jade pendants, and other trinkets—there were dozens of items in total. Xiao Mu stared in surprise.
"Some are real, some are fake; there are replicas and A-grade goods. Take a look," Mourning Hair said without hesitation, pointing at the items.
Ma Yubing seemed uncertain and glanced at Xiao Mu, asking, "Young Master, can you at least identify a few?"
"It should be about right," Xiao Mu replied. He stepped up to the table and took a few glances but felt uncertain as several pairs of eyes were fixed on him.
Xiao Mu instantly understood that these were stolen goods.
Some bags had broken straps, and the colors varied widely; the styles were completely different—definitely not from one person.
He understood their purpose for being here as well. These items were specialized and required high expertise to identify; they weren't something they could easily recognize. Moreover, such items couldn't just be taken out on the street for appraisal.
With that thought in mind, Xiao Mu began to pick up the items.
A lady's handbag—he touched it, looked at it, even sniffed it, then tossed it aside with a thud. "Not worth anything, fake," Mu Shao declared.
A men's leather wallet—he touched it, opened it, and carefully set it aside. "This is genuine, Prada," Mu Shao said.
A jade pendant—his method of appraisal was even stranger. He held it in his hand and rubbed it for a moment, uncertain, then popped it into his mouth briefly before carefully placing it aside. "Genuine, but ordinary. Slightly better than high-temperature synthetic ones."
A bracelet—he played with it skillfully. With a flick of his wrist, the bracelet spun upwards like a flying saucer. When it came down, Xiao Mu reached out and slipped it onto his wrist. He placed it aside and remarked, "Genuine. If it were fake, the weight would be inconsistent; it wouldn't spin so evenly."
A beeswax pendant—genuine.
A lady's silver bracelet with diamonds—fake.
A Louis Vuitton bag—fake. Xiao Mu tossed it aside, saying, "You can even see the hidden stitches; it's obviously fake."
Then there were several brooches. Ma Yubing was surprised that Xiao Mu recognized such small items and even picked out two, commenting on their considerable value.
The table was filled with items, sorted quickly as if they were being grabbed and placed without a second thought. Not to mention identifying them; those around were already dazzled just by looking. However, to Xiao Mu, this was child's play. For someone who had once been aimless and frivolous like him, these items were professional-level. Each one of his kind would select different high-end luxury goods to showcase their uniqueness. He never expected that this seemingly trivial skill would one day prove to be immensely useful.
Look at Mourning Hair; just moments ago he had been disdainful but now he was dumbfounded, his expression frozen as his eyes darted around in disbelief, fixated on Xiao Mu's hands. Ma Yubing was pleased and pointed at Mourning Hair's foolish expression while speaking to Black Steel: "Did you see that? How did I guess? I told you! My eye for people is sharp; I can spot fakes easily... Hey, Young Master Mu, where did you learn this skill?"
"From antique shops and luxury boutiques," Xiao Mu replied.
"What were you doing there?" Black Steel asked in confusion.
"Ha ha, I'm just taking a look. I can't afford it anyway... But even if I can't buy it, I still need to learn. In our line of work, you can't just ask people where they got their things, right? If you don't have an eye for quality, then your livelihood is at stake. Many wealthy people have peculiar habits; some are clearly rich yet drive domestic cars. Others, who are worth millions, wear old shoes. For those with quirks, you need to pay attention to their other belongings, like handbags, rings, and collectibles. Only those who are truly wealthy can withstand your scrutiny," Xiao Mu said. These eccentricities were easily recognizable among the fools surrounding them.
This was cross-disciplinary knowledge; a few sentences had indeed passed unnoticed. Mourning Hair said nothing and simply gave a thumbs up, astonished beyond measure. Black Steel asked a question and began to pack up the items on the table one by one, putting back what Xiao Mu had thrown on the floor. He turned back and asked, "Mao Ge, I still don't understand. Did he pick the right ones?"
"Yes, all correct. I slipped in a few fakes, and he spotted them all. Impressive! Old Horse, I want this brother," Mourning Hair replied without hesitation.
Ma Yubing chuckled and shook his head. "If you really want him, Old Cripple will fight you for it."
"I'll go talk to Lame Brother about that... Hey kid, come find me tomorrow at Dongyuan area, Eagle Logistics on Donghua Road. I'll get you some work," Mourning Hair said as he casually picked up his bag and spoke in an authoritative tone.
Xiao Mu felt nervous and stammered, "Big Brother, this... this doesn't seem appropriate. I just started working with Lame Brother."
"What’s inappropriate about it? I deal with solid goods here; Old Cripple only has junk. What kind of future do you think you'll have with him? It's settled then; I'll be waiting for you tomorrow," Mourning Hair seemed to have a fierce temperament and would not take no for an answer. Xiao Mu anxiously followed him and sought help from Ma Yubing, saying, "Ma Ye, should I... should I say something to Lame Brother first? It doesn’t feel right just going like this."
Mourning Hair was getting irritated by his hesitation when Ma Yubing pulled him back and smoothed things over. "Stop throwing your tantrum; this young brother is genuine. If he were someone who wanted to take advantage of both sides, I wouldn't even want to deal with him... No worries; tomorrow I'll arrange for Old Cripple to come out so we can have a good talk. Old Cripple is a reasonable person."
"Alright then, little brother, come along tomorrow. You shouldn't stay here anymore; I'll make arrangements for you," Mourning Hair said generously, creating an inexplicable sense of goodwill.
As they stepped out the door, Big Gourd and Guan Yiqing were waiting outside. The few of them cast curious glances at Guan Yiqing, who seemed frightened and hid behind Xiao Mu. Once everything was settled, they sped off in their vehicle. At that moment, Xiao Mu and Guan Yiqing both sighed in relief almost simultaneously.
"You scared me! I thought something serious was happening," Xiao Mu said.
"What was it really?" Guan Yiqing asked.
"I recognized some items—wow! There are so many interesting things among these guys," Xiao Mu replied.
“What's in the hideout? It's all stolen goods,” Guan Yiqing whispered.
“It's not just any stolen goods. We're talking about jade artifacts and collectibles. That little pendant is worth several thousand, and there are bags of all kinds—men's and women's, with a huge variety of styles,” Xiao Mu replied as they walked.
“What do you mean by that?” Guan Yiqing asked, confused.
“Sister, how did you become a police officer? What I'm saying is, it's like gathering a dozen or twenty rich people together and then stripping them of their belongings... How do you think that could be done?” Xiao Mu explained.
“Really? Are there thieves that skilled?” Guan Yiqing said skeptically.
“I've seen it with my own eyes. Do I need to doubt it?” Xiao Mu remarked, clearly frustrated with having to explain to someone who seemed oblivious to the outside world. He sighed and quietly urged Guan Yiqing, “Don't speak.”
“What’s wrong?” Guan Yiqing asked softly, bewildered by Xiao Mu's sudden action.
“These are all thieves. They might take the opportunity to plant a listening device on you,” Xiao Mu said seriously.
“Ah?” Guan Yiqing gasped in surprise.
“Don't move... You just brushed past them... Let me check.”
As Xiao Mu spoke, he began to seriously pat down Guan Yiqing's pockets. After checking her pockets, he moved on to her collar, then traced down her back until he reached her hips. At that point, he felt too embarrassed to continue and stifled a laugh. Guan Yiqing realized something was off, biting her lip and glaring at him as if she were about to slap him. Xiao Mu quickly withdrew his hands and said, “Looks like I was overthinking it; there doesn’t seem to be anything.”
“Their hearts are more wicked than the thieves themselves,” Guan Yiqing said indignantly as she adjusted her clothes. Just as she was about to explode in anger, Xiao Mu quickly turned and headed back.
As soon as he dashed into the room, there was a gentle knock on the window. Xiao Mu stepped onto the bed's edge to open it, and Shen Lingchen, who had been hiding outside, effortlessly flipped in through the window. He brushed off the dust from his clothes, startling Xiao Mu who exclaimed, “Wow! With those skills, you’d make a great thief—much more promising than being a Political Commissar!”
"You're the one who talks too much," Shen Lingchen lightly flicked Xiao Mu's hair, and with a gleam of excitement in his eyes, he said, "Xiao Mu, do you know what just happened means?"
"Does it mean I'm about to level up?" Xiao Mu replied with a smile.
"Level up? It's more like taking a leap into the sky! I told you, every talent has its use. How could you possibly be useless? Turns out your usefulness lies in this kind of thing," Shen Lingchen exclaimed, his words slipping out without much thought and sounding a bit harsh. Xiao Mu shot him a sideways glance, clicking his tongue in annoyance, seemingly unable to accept such praise. He retorted sarcastically, "Oh, look at you! So I'm just naturally this kind of talent?"
"Yes! You performed so well just now; it was so natural. Tsk tsk," Shen Lingchen praised. Noticing Xiao Mu's displeasure, he quickly added, "I genuinely meant to compliment you; I had no other intentions... Hey, where's Xiao Qing?"
Xiao Mu paused for a moment, realizing that the shy one hadn't come up. Shen Lingchen looked at him warily and warned, "Xiao Mu, you didn't pull any tricks, did you? I warn you; just look at Guan Yiqing's eyes—something's off. You better give up on that idea."
This statement provoked Xiao Mu; he flared up in anger and retorted, "Who are you trying to scare? Let's go; you're disturbing my sleep."
With that, he pushed Shen Lingchen out without any courtesy. Shen Lingchen reminded him, "Hey, make some time tomorrow; I'll be waiting for you outside."
"I have things to do tomorrow; we'll talk when I'm in a better mood." Xiao Mu slammed the door shut without leaving any room for negotiation.
Just as Shen Lingchen was about to knock again, the lights in the room went out. It was indeed getting late. After thinking for a moment, he decided to leave. He couldn't understand why emotions had shifted so quickly. As he gently descended the stairs and got into the car, he curiously asked Guan Yiqing, "What happened with you guys just now?"
Guan Yiqing blushed and stammered, "Nothing much? What's wrong with the master?"
"This brat suddenly got emotional; was there any emotion earlier?" Shen Lingchen asked.
"It didn't seem like it; he was quite happy," Guan Yiqing replied, her teeth itching from tension.
"Then maybe he was just a bit nervous. It looks like Mourning Hair and Widow Ma are going to take him under their wing. This Hideout is deep water; we need to take it slow... Yi Qing, organize today's thoughts; I think there's a strong possibility. From the police's perspective, they often can't see or think of a suspect's criminal mindset. We need to verify this as soon as possible..." Shen Lingchen said.
"Alright, I'll take care of it right away." Guan Yiqing replied softly, her heart still racing and her cheeks flushed. The boldness of this scoundrel didn't surprise her; she was just a bit taken aback. It seemed she didn't feel anger, but rather a strange thrill, a fluttering heart, and a warmth that shouldn't be there. Was it possible that... she liked him in some way?
She spat at herself in frustration and turned to look at the house that had vanished into the night; the lights were already out.
Perhaps this was not the life he wanted.
Guan Yiqing inexplicably thought of those melancholic eyes and that weary face. She felt a strange resonance, much like her own relentless days as a police officer. What she once yearned for now felt different; being in it made her realize it wasn't what she loved most.
The two ghostly taillights disappeared from view as he gently lowered the curtain and slowly lay back on the simple bed. He felt exhausted, utterly drained. He knew he couldn't be as thoroughly wicked as Widow Ma or Mourning Hair, yet he also couldn't be as openly good as Guan Yiqing or Shen Lingchen. This weariness stemmed from that very contradiction.
It was a tangle, much like the worries he could never let go of. In this lonely, desolate night, he found himself missing home, thinking of that place that had long since ceased to exist...
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