C8 Yaen Qing

After finishing work, it was well past ten in the evening when Nie Feng and his two companions arrived at the food stall beneath Gao Yang's building. Gao Yang had already ordered and was waiting for them, but Yaen Qing was nowhere to be seen.

"Yang, these are the guys I mentioned to you, Little Monkey and Lee Erniu. Call them over," Nie Feng said as he took a seat.

"Yang!" Little Monkey and Lee Erniu called out, eager to show their respect.

"Sit down, everyone. Yaen Qing will be here shortly," Gao Yang assured them with a nod.

While they were making small talk, a striking girl in a black leather jacket and ponytail took a seat next to Gao Yang. Nie Feng did a double-take and said, "Excuse me, miss, but that seat's taken."

"Yang, what's up? Why'd you call me?" the girl asked, ignoring Nie Feng and addressing Gao Yang directly.

"Ah, Xiao Qing, there you are! I didn't even notice you—it's been so long, and you've gotten even sharper. Remember what I told you? The stuff you lifted last night has landed my buddy in hot water, so..." Gao Yang said, his smile unwavering.

Nie Feng and the others were taken aback. Yaen Qing was a woman? Then the wine and cigarettes they bought were for nothing.

"Yang, I came out of respect for you, but you know how it is in our line of work—once something's in our hands, it doesn't go back, especially when it's as valuable as this haul," Yaen Qing said, her smile undimmed.

"I get it, which is why I'm here to talk. My little brother here isn't having an easy time of it, working security and not making much. The Swallow Sect has always been about taking from the rich to give to the poor, but what you did this time was a bit out of line," Gao Yang explained.

"Yang, I'm not fond of that tone. I still target the wealthy, and I'll donate ninety percent of it, just like my ancestors did. Sorry, but I can't agree to your request," Yaen Qing replied, still smiling.

"Sure, you're robbing from the rich to help the poor, but did you stop to think that by stealing those two million, you're making another poor person pay for your actions?" Nie Feng interjected, his brow furrowed.

The little monkey nodded and quickly shot Lee Erniu a meaningful glance. Catching on, Lee Erniu stammered, "Sis... Sister, my family's really struggling. My mom's bedridden, and we're drowning in her medical bills every month. My... My sister's still in school, and I'm the one covering her tuition and living expenses. I just can't cover two million yuan. I'm begging you, please show some mercy!"

"What your family's going through is none of my concern. Farewell!" Yaen Qing said, giving a customary fist salute before turning to leave.

"Hold it right there!" In that instant, Nie Feng slammed his hand on the table, leaped to his feet, and launched a kick at Yaen Qing.

Yaen Qing's pupils shrank as she quickly raised her arms to shield herself. Despite Nie Feng using less than a tenth of his strength, the impact left her arms tingling and forced her to retreat repeatedly.

"Listen up! If you don't swap back the items today, I'll have no choice but to arrest you and take you to the police," Nie Feng declared icily.

With Nie Feng making his move, Lee Erniu and the little monkey sprang into action, encircling Yaen Qing.

"So, Gao Yang, you've set me up, huh?" Yaen Qing seethed, shooting Gao Yang a venomous look.

"Xiao Qing, here's the deal. You're not going anywhere today," Gao Yang stated, clearly aligning himself with Nie Feng under the circumstances.

"Hmph, as if you could catch me. Maybe in your next life!" Yaen Qing scoffed. With a powerful thrust of her legs, she soared three to four meters into the air, vaulting right over the little monkey's head.

Nie Feng wasn't about to let her get away that easily. He activated the Dark Night Spell in a flash, channeling his Genuine Qi and launching himself forward like an arrow released from a bow. Before Yaen Qing could even react, he had her in his grasp.

"You... You're a cultivator?" Yaen Qing gasped, staring at Nie Feng in astonishment.

"Hmph, scared now, are you? I'll have you know, there's no escaping today. You'd better comply with our demands willingly, or you're in for it," Nie Feng said with a cold huff.

"Hey, what's this? Looks pretty valuable," the little monkey remarked, spotting a jade pendant on Yaen Qing's waist and swiftly snatching it.

"Hand it over, now!" Yaen Qing's voice was tinged with panic as she desperately tried to wriggle free from Nie Feng's iron grip, but to no avail.

"You want this, huh? Then give back what you stole," the little monkey taunted, dangling the jade pendant before Yaen Qing's eyes, a sly grin on his face.

"Let me see that," Gao Yang interjected, snatching the pendant and inspecting it closely. His eyes widened in recognition. "Well, well, this is the Swallow Sect's treasured emblem, a symbol of the sect master. Xiao Qing, losing this would be a grave dishonor to your master. You'd better think this through! And let's not forget, this is worth far more than two million. If you refuse, we'll just sell it. Not only will we clear the two million, but we'll also make a tidy profit."

Yaen Qing's brow furrowed deeply as she glared at the shrewd Gao Yang, realizing he had no intention of honoring their past camaraderie.

"Gao Yang, how can you betray my master like this?" she demanded, her voice seething with indignation.

"Hey, don't bring your master into this! That's a separate matter. I'll always remember his kindness, but when a brother's in trouble, I, Gao Yang, can't just stand by," Gao Yang retorted, dismissing her with a wave of his hand.

Lee Erniu cast a grateful glance at Gao Yang. Without the help of him and Nie Feng, he'd have been at a loss.

"Fine, fine, fine! I'll do it, you pack of thieves!" Yaen Qing spat out the words with venom.

"There you go! That's what I wanted to hear, so I wouldn't have to go through all this trouble," Nie Feng chimed in, pocketing the jade pendant. "I'll hold onto this for now. Bring back what you owe tonight, and come get this from the security room first thing tomorrow. If you're late, I'm selling it."

"If there's even a scratch on my jade pendant, I'll hold you accountable!" Yaen Qing warned, shooting Nie Feng a fierce glare before vanishing into the shadows of the night.

"Yang, do you think she'll actually follow through? Is this piece really that valuable?" Nie Feng mused, turning the pendant over in his hands.

"Nonsense, this is an ancient relic over a thousand years old, crafted from the finest green jade. It's just a bit aged, but this piece is easily worth tens of millions. Plus, it's the Swallow Sect's prized treasure. She'll have no choice but to comply," Gao Yang said, giving Nie Feng a knowing look.

"This thing's worth that much? If we sell it, we'd be rolling in dough, right?" Little Monkey's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"What are you thinking? Are we the type to break our promises? If we decide to sell, we'll wait until Yaen Qing defaults on the deal," Nie Feng said, his smile betraying his own excitement at the thought of ten million yuan. He was becoming increasingly aware of the value of money.

"Feng, Yang, I owe you big time. Without you guys, I'd have been done for," Lee Erniu expressed his deep gratitude.

"Don't mention it. Feng's friends are my friends," Gao Yang replied, his smile warm and genuine.

"Man, I didn't expect Yaen Qing to be a woman. All that cash spent on smokes and booze for nothing," Little Monkey lamented.

"Nothing's wasted if it's spent on me. Hand them over; they're mine now," Gao Yang declared, greedily seizing the cigarettes and liquor. "Consider it my fee for all the trouble!"

"Come on, Old Gao, that's not fair. Those cigarettes and booze cost a pretty penny! How can you just take them all?" Nie Feng protested.

"You don't get it, kid! Yaen Qing and I are through, and these goods barely cover my losses! I just solved a two-million problem for you! What's a few smokes and bottles to me?" Gao Yang retorted, fixing Nie Feng with a stern gaze.

Before Nie Feng could respond, Lee Erniu quickly interjected, "Yang's right. We owe him big time for this one. Let him have the cigarettes and alcohol."

"See? Even the kid agrees. I won't hold back then. Hahaha! It's getting late, you all should head back. My wife's waiting for me to come to bed. Good night!" With that, Gao Yang, his eyes crinkling with mirth, swaggered off towards home.

After parting ways with the little monkey, Nie Feng returned to his rental. Upon opening the door, he was taken aback, thinking he had entered the wrong place. The once filthy and cluttered space was now spotless and orderly. His dirty laundry had been washed and hung out to dry, and the garbage that had piled up over months was nowhere to be seen.

"You're back?" Wuh Lingyue greeted Nie Feng with a smile.

He nodded and crept inside, surprised to find the girl hadn't left. Not only had she stayed, but she had also cleaned the entire house. Was she planning on making this a permanent arrangement?

"I went job hunting today. I got a gig as a janitor at a company, earning 80 yuan daily. So, I don't have enough to rent a place yet and will need to crash here a bit longer. Sorry about that. But don't worry, I won't be freeloading. From now on, I'll handle all the household chores," Wuh Lingyue explained.

"Alright, stay as long as you need to!" Nie Feng replied, seeing the bright side of having someone to help with the housework. Besides, Wuh Lingyue was quite the looker—it was definitely a perk to cohabit with such a beauty.

"Oh, and I have something for you!" Wuh Lingyue said, handing Nie Feng a necklace crafted from a bullet casing. "You've been a huge help, and I'm not sure how else to thank you. It's not much, but it's a token of my gratitude. When I'm better off financially, I'll get you a nicer gift."

Nie Feng was momentarily taken aback, examining the bullet. It was just a regular alloy replica, something you could pick up for 20 yuan at any street stall. "Why'd you buy this? It's just a waste of money. You could've spent it on something tasty instead."

"While I was doing your laundry, I noticed you have a military uniform. You must be a soldier, right? I wasn't sure what to get you, so I chose this. If you don't like it, no worries," Wuh Lingyue said, her lips pursed in a slight pout.

"No... I love it. Anything from a beautiful lady like you, I'm bound to cherish," Nie Feng assured her, slipping the necklace around his neck. And truth be told, the craftsmanship was impressive. The necklace even bore a small dagger engraving, which suited Nie Feng quite well.