Chapter 26: Joyful Gathering

"Madam An."

Zhou Xianming saw Zhao Qingmei and immediately stopped crying. He cupped his hands towards her and said, "I am Zhou Xianming. My apologies for any offense."

"Ah!"

Zhao Qingmei looked at the person in front of her, who had a face like a pig's head, and exclaimed in surprise, "Are you Mr. Zhou? How did you end up like this? What grudge, what hatred, drove someone to use such ruthless tactics?"

"Sigh!"

Zhou Xianming sighed and felt even more sorrowful in his heart. "It must be my carelessness in daily matters that invoked the jealousy of some petty person."

"Truly pitiable."

Zhao Qingmei said with sympathy, "Just looking at you makes one feel unbearable pain. The blows must have been very 'forceful,' weren't they?"

Zhou Xianming felt as if salt had been rubbed into his wounds, making them hurt even more.

"Oh, isn't this Mr. Zhou?"

Tan Yun also emerged from behind, looking concerned. "Who was so cruel to beat you like this? Quick, apply some ointment."

As she spoke, she even reached out to touch Zhou Xianming's pig-like head.

"Ouch...!" Zhou Xianming couldn't help but let out a piercing scream.

Zhao Qingmei ordered, "Tan Yun, Mr. Zhou is having trouble moving. You help him apply some bruise ointment."

"I know, Miss. I will be very careful in applying the ointment to Mr. Zhou."

"Oh, Mr. Zhou, you haven't eaten yet, have you? I made some food. Let's eat together later."

"Indeed, the dishes our Miss cooks are delicious."

"You... you are truly good people."

Zhou Xianming had never felt such warmth before, and tears welled up in his eyes.

There is warmth in the Human World!

Even in a dark world, a ray of light always finds its way into your bleak life.

"So pitiful."

An Jing sighed.

For some reason, Zhou Xianming seemed very pitiable to him.

"An Jing! Come out here!"

While Tan Yun was applying ointment to Zhou Xianming, a loud shout came from outside the door.

Han Wenxin walked in, clutching his buttocks tightly, his gait awkward, and his eyes brimmed with visible rage.

"Brother Han, why are you so furious?"

An Jing looked at Han Wenxin and had a bad premonition.

"Bang!"

Han Wenxin stepped forward and slammed his longsword onto the table. "Brother An, I treated you like a confidant, but you have greatly wronged me."

Thinking about what had happened the previous night, Han Wenxin felt utterly humiliated and wished he could dig a hole, crawl into it, and bury himself.

An enormous disgrace!

How could he mingle among government officials and painted boat courtesans anymore?

His lifetime of glory was ruined!

"Brother Han, let's talk this out calmly."

An Jing's heart suddenly understood; it must have been Tan Yun's prank with the ground bean powder that caused this.

Admittedly, that was quite unscrupulous!

"What do you mean, talk calmly!?"

Han Wenxin sat heavily onto a chair. "Unless you give me an explanation today, I'm not leaving!"

"Dear, what did you do that made arrest officer Han so furious?"

Tan Yun looked curious, like a pure and innocent white rabbit.

An Jing glanced at Tan Yun's innocent eyes and inwardly thought, wasn't it because of you?

Tan Yun's words seemed like a fuse, causing Han Wenxin to become even angrier. If looks could kill, An Jing might not have held his ground against Han Wenxin at that moment.

"It's almost mealtime. Brother Han, why don't we eat first? You need strength to settle matters after all."

Zhao Qingmei said with a smile.

Han Wenxin, hearing Zhao Qingmei's words, immediately softened his tone. "Since Sister-in-law says so, I'll accept your hospitality."

"Very well, I'll go prepare the food now. Tan Yun, let's go."

Zhao Qingmei smiled and led the somewhat reluctant Tan Yun towards the kitchen.

As Zhao Qingmei and Tan Yun left, Han Wenxin's face darkened again.

"Brother Han."

"Don't call me Brother Han!"

"Arrest officer Han, what exactly happened?" Zhou Xianming couldn't help but ask upon seeing Han Wenxin so angry.

Han Wenxin, already fuming, turned to see who was speaking.

When he saw that face, it was as if he had seen a ghost; he jumped up instantly.

"Holy crap! Are you... are you a person or a ghost!?"

"Brother Han, stay calm!"

"Arrest... arrest officer Han... don't... don't...."

......

At the dining table.

An Jing, Han Wenxin, Zhou Xianming, and others each sat in a corner. The table was filled with steaming dishes.

Steamed bass, corn with green beans, crystal pork skin jelly, loach stir-fried with pickled beans, tofu spinach soup... the fragrant aroma made one's appetite soar.

"Sister-in-law is truly an excellent cook." Han Wenxin said, drooling at the food on the table.

"Brother Han, you flatter me."

Zhao Qingmei chuckled lightly.

The two of them looked enviously at An Jing on the side, envying his good fortune of having such a virtuous wife.

"Ding, ding, ding!"

At that moment, Tan Yun came up carrying a large plate of crabs. "I specially made these crabs."

"Crabs too?"

Zhou Xianming's eyes lit up. "These are excellent, nourishing and strengthening, highly beneficial."

Han Wenxin's spirits lifted as he glared at An Jing. "Brother An doesn't like these. Just place them in front of us."

"Yes, yes, just place them in front of you two." An Jing nodded repeatedly.

Ever since he had eaten crabs cooked by Tan Yun, he had been cured of his preference for crabs.

"Mr. Zhou, what happened to you earlier? You gave me quite a fright."

Han Wenxin took a piece of loach and ate it.

"Sigh, I don't know who hit me." Zhou Xianming said with a bitter face. "It seems that unfortunate events keep increasing lately."

"So vicious, such cruelty is rare." Han Wenxin said, sipping his wine lightly. "If it's not a gang, then it must be someone from the Jianghu. You might have offended someone."

Zhou Xianming's hand shook, nearly dropping his chopsticks. "Arrest officer Han, what should I do?"

"Don't scare Mr. Zhou." An Jing poured himself a cup of wine.

Zhou Xianming had a timid heart. Scaring him might give him heart problems.

Han Wenxin snatched An Jing's cup. "Nonsense, I'm not scaring him. The world is unsafe lately. Have you forgotten about Wang Zhiping and his nephew? And the mysterious swordsman recently appearing? These are all warnings."

"You are all commonfolk with no power to defend yourselves. You don't understand the treacherous dangers of the Jianghu and the inscrutable court. It's like a single hair can affect the whole body, understand?"

As he spoke, Han Wenxin downed the cup in one gulp.

"Indeed, arrest officer Han is very capable." Tan Yun obediently poured Han Wenxin another cup of wine.

"Thank you, Tan Yun." Han Wenxin chuckled, feeling significantly lighter, and continued boasting. "Haven't you seen how recently Cao Gang experts are searching everywhere for that peerless swordsman? If that peerless swordsman wasn't afraid, how come he doesn't show up? Clearly, he's scared."

"This shows something: the peerless swordsman is wary of Cao Gang. That means the power behind the peerless swordsman also fears Cao Gang."

Warnings? Nonsense!

An Jing inwardly retorted. You're just a small, nobody arrest officer.