A friend in trouble?
Ye Qiu’s heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly asked, “Could you tell me which friend of mine is in trouble?”
The officer replied, “I don’t know his name, he refuses to say.”
Hmm?
Ye Qiu was puzzled and asked, “What does he look like?”
The officer answered, “An old Taoist.”
That old geezer?
He came to Jiangzhou so soon?
Ye Qiu’s face darkened instantly, and he said, “Sorry, I don’t know any Taoists, nor do I have any Taoist friends. You must have the wrong number.”
With that, Ye Qiu hung up.
He guessed the old geezer had probably been caught at some shady entertainment venue again. What a mess!
Ye Qiu walked out of the bedroom. Bai Bing had already invited Su Xiaoxiao and Su Luoying to the living room, and they were seated at the dining table.
Qian Jinglan came out of the kitchen with dishes in hand, smiling warmly, “Qiu’er, come sit and eat.”
Ye Qiu was indeed hungry and sat down. The group gathered around the table and began eating.
Bai Bing set aside her cold demeanor, acting like the lady of the house, constantly serving food to Su Xiaoxiao and Su Luoying, making the two women feel a bit embarrassed.
In less than ten minutes.
Ye Qiu’s phone rang again.
Seeing it was the same police station number, Ye Qiu hung up directly.
“Who’s calling? Why didn’t you answer?” Bai Bing asked, her eyes full of suspicion, almost as if she were asking if Ye Qiu had another woman on the side.
Ye Qiu said, “It’s the police station. That old geezer Changmei got himself arrested.”
Bai Bing looked confused, “What’s the situation?”
Ye Qiu explained, “I didn’t ask for details, but it’s definitely nothing good. I can’t be bothered with him.”
“Qiu’er, that’s not right of you,” Qian Jinglan put down her chopsticks and said, “Master Changmei is an enlightened figure and your friend. Now that he’s in trouble, how can you stand by and do nothing?”
“As a man, you must be loyal to your friends.”
“After dinner, go to the police station and find out what’s going on. If it’s not a big deal, get Master Changmei out.”
Ye Qiu didn’t dare disobey Qian Jinglan’s words and mumbled, “I’ll go after I finish eating.”
Beep, beep, beep—
The phone rang again, still from the police station.
“Answer it, find out what’s going on,” Bai Bing said.
Ye Qiu didn’t want to pick up, but seeing Qian Jinglan watching him, he pressed the answer button. Before he could ask anything, Master Changmei’s voice came through, “You little brat, I nearly died for you several times, and now I’m in a bit of trouble, and you’re too stubborn to help? You even said you don’t know me. Are you even human?”
“I see you for what you are, an ungrateful wretch.”
“Doesn’t your conscience hurt?”
Ye Qiu snapped back, “If you dare curse at me again, I’ll make sure you stay in jail for life!”
Seeing Ye Qiu fire back, Master Changmei immediately chuckled, “Little brat, don’t get mad. I was just venting a bit, don’t take it to heart.”
“You’re a generous man, don’t stoop to my level. Hurry to the police station and get me out.”
“Oh, by the way, I brought the sword talismans.”
Ye Qiu’s heart stirred. He was quite interested in the sword talismans, but the thought of two billion for one made his wallet ache. He decided to seize the chance to haggle with Master Changmei.
“My cultivation has surged recently, so the sword talismans aren’t that useful to me anymore,” Ye Qiu said.
Yeah, right!
No matter how strong your cultivation is, can it compare to the sword talismans?
You just don’t want to pay, do you?
On the other end, Master Changmei saw through Ye Qiu’s intentions, cursed inwardly, and said, “Get me out of the police station, and we can negotiate the sword talismans.”
Ye Qiu replied, “Let’s settle it now, so you don’t back out later.”
“Is there no trust between people anymore?” Master Changmei was annoyed, “In your eyes, am I just a dishonest scoundrel?”
Ye Qiu nodded, “Yes!”
You little—!
Master Changmei said, “Cut the nonsense, come get me out. One sword talisman for a hundred million. I brought ten.”
Ye Qiu said, “I’m a bit short on cash right now, I’m afraid I can’t afford that much.”
Master Changmei retorted, “You’re the leader of Longmen, with access to tens of billions in funds. You can’t scrape together a mere ten billion? And Lin Jingzhi, she’s the chairman of a listed company. She can’t come up with ten billion?”
Ye Qiu said calmly, “Can’t afford it.”
“I see what you’re doing, trying to take advantage of me!” Master Changmei fumed.
“How can you think of me like that? I’m not that kind of person, it’s just that I’m tight on funds lately,” Ye Qiu said shamelessly.
Master Changmei said, “Ninety million each.”
Ye Qiu, “Too expensive.”
Master Changmei, “Eighty million each.”
Ye Qiu, “Can’t afford it.”
Master Changmei, “Fifty million! That’s the lowest!”
Ye Qiu said, “Still a bit pricey…”
“Thirty million each!” Master Changmei declared, “Thirty million each, not a cent less, or I’m not selling…”
“Deal,” Ye Qiu laughed.
Master Changmei said, “Come get me now.”
“Don’t rush, I’ll come after I finish eating.” Ye Qiu hung up.
Little punk, you’re killing me.
On the other end, Master Changmei was shaking with anger.
Twenty minutes later.
Ye Qiu arrived at the police station and, after asking about the situation, couldn’t help but laugh and cry.
It turned out that Master Changmei had arrived in Jiangzhou yesterday. With nothing to do, he resorted to his old trade—street fortune-telling!
Two hours ago, a fifty-year-old man brought a young woman in her twenties to Master Changmei, asking him to read their marital compatibility.
Master Changmei looked at their faces and said they would love each other for life and have a happy family.
The man was delighted, and the woman was all smiles, generously giving Master Changmei a thousand yuan.
Master Changmei, feeling a bit guilty for taking so much money, added that the woman was pregnant with a boy.
At that, the man flew into a rage, slapped the young woman, and stormed off.
It turned out the man and woman had known each other for less than a week and hadn’t even kissed.
Furious, the woman reported Master Changmei to the police, accusing him of promoting feudal superstition and scamming money.
Ye Qiu bailed Master Changmei out of the police station.
Once in the car.
Ye Qiu scolded, “You’re the head of a sect, not short on money, so why do you keep fortune-telling on the streets?”
Master Changmei chuckled, “Because there are so many pretty girls on the street… I mean, this poor Taoist is trying to guide those destined for enlightenment.”
Shameless!
Ye Qiu cursed inwardly and asked, “Where are the sword talismans?”
Master Changmei grew cautious, saying, “Money first, goods after.”
Ye Qiu got Master Changmei’s bank account details and transferred three hundred million on the spot.
Master Changmei pulled a brocade pouch from his Taoist robe sleeve and handed it to Ye Qiu. Opening it, Ye Qiu saw ten sword talismans inside.
“With these sword talismans, the Forbidden City won’t find it so easy to kill me.”
Ye Qiu was secretly pleased.
“Little brat, get ready. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to find a thousand-year-old spiritual herb.”
“Where to?” Ye Qiu asked.
A glint of excitement flashed in Master Changmei’s eyes as he said, “Northeast, Changbai Mountain!”
