SES Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Should she go to Xiaoshang River or not?

Mu Dai hesitated. Xiaoshang River wasn’t exactly around the corner. It was a long and tiring trip, not something she could just stroll over to. Honestly, she was feeling a little lazy.

But it wasn’t just about her curiosity. She also wanted to help Aunt Hong uncover the truth: what she had witnessed—the moment someone was pushed into the river, believing it was the end—was only the beginning.

Luo Ren had told her about Ping Ting’s strange behavior, and he’d confirmed one thing: the spot where Zhang Guanghua fell into the water was very close to the place Liu Shuhai’s car had flipped over.

Maybe the loose end they needed to untangle was now tied to Ping Ting.

But… what did “Break bamboo, join bamboo, fling earth, chase meat” mean?

She frowned, muttering those words over and over until she caught Yiwansan’s attention. “What are you mumbling, Boss Lady?”

Mu Dai replied, “Lyrics.”

Lyrics? Yiwansan was sure he’d heard her say the word “meat.” Were songwriters these days getting that random?

Thick-skinned as always, he asked directly about the eight words: “Boss Lady, are you sure you heard it right? Have you ever heard that song ‘The Song of the Seven Sons’ from when Macau returned?”

He cleared his throat and sang, “Do you know Macau is not my real name…”

Mu Dai stared at him. So Yiwansan was tone-deaf. Good to know.

Unaware of her inner judgment, Yiwansan continued explaining, “I never understood it as a kid. I always thought it said, ‘A sesame stalk tall, can’t see my true heart.’”

It was possible that Uncle Zheng had misheard the original line. Those eight words might not be accurate. Mu Dai wasn’t exactly a music buff, and her knowledge of songs was limited. Yiwansan eagerly declared that he’d take care of it.

Though Huo Zihong had given him his “freedom,” the whole thing had happened so suddenly that Yiwansan hadn’t figured out what to do next. If he still wanted to keep conning and scheming for a living…

After all, who knew when the Boss Lady would come back to take over? With the bar now under the hands of a second-generation owner, Yiwansan figured it was time to suck up hard.

For the first time, he posted a serious question on a forum—not to show off, but to genuinely ask for help.

Sure enough, the internet delivered. In just twenty minutes, he came back all smug and ready to report his findings.

“Boss Lady, that song is called The Song of the Sling. It’s a super old folk tune—some say it’s from the primitive era, others from the slave era. Either way, it was passed down orally, even older than the Book of Songs.”

The song had just eight characters: “Break bamboo, join bamboo, fling earth, chase meat.”

Meaning: cut wild bamboo, bind it into a bow, shoot pellets, and hunt for food.

Mu Dai got it—and yet she felt even more confused.

She immediately called Luo Ren. He wasn’t as surprised as she expected, probably because he’d also done his research. After a brief chat, he asked, “So, have you decided? Coming or not?”

It was hard to say. She had enough reason to go, but not going made sense, too. Unlike Luo Ren or Aunt Hong, she wasn’t directly involved. She was one step removed.

Luo Ren chuckled. “If you come, everything’s covered—meals, lodging, even travel expenses. Ever ridden a camel, Mu Dai? If there’s time, we can try it in the desert.”

Mu Dai straightened her tone. “Even if I go, it’s for the case, not for fun. I’ll think about it.”

After hanging up, she held back as long as she could—but still ended up Googling “desert camel riding.” The sunset-lit caravans, the swaying camel bells… her eyes lit up just looking at the pictures.

She’d never seen a desert in her life.

Later, she sidled up to Uncle Zhang. “Uncle, I need to take a trip. Going to Xiaoshang River. In Yinchuan.”

She paused, then emphasized, “Official business.”

A new batch of drinks and food had just been delivered to the bar. Uncle Zhang was organizing it with Yiwansan’s help. As they hauled boxes, he sighed, “Knew it. The Boss Lady’s heart was never in this business… But Xiaoshang River, huh…”

Huo Zihong had always encouraged Mu Dai to go out and see the world. But her travels had mostly been to big cities like Chongqing—carefully planned, safe trips.

Xiaoshang River, though? That was the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

He asked Yiwansan, “Didn’t you ride your bike across the west once? Is that area… safe?”

What was he implying? That Uncle Zhang want to go on a bike tour?

“It’s Mu Dai I’m worried about,” he added. “Thinking maybe you could go with her… but then again…”

He reassured himself, “She’s trained in martial arts for eight years, after all.”

Yiwansan quickly weighed the pros and cons. Nope—pros vastly outweighed the cons.

Free trip, no labor, maybe even a business travel allowance. And who knows? He might even meet a beautiful stranger on the road and start a romantic adventure…

“Uncle Zhang, have you ever been to Yinchuan?”

“Nope.”

Perfect. That was all he needed to hear. Yiwansan cleared his throat and said solemnly, “It’s pretty dangerous out there.”

In the story he spun next, women disappeared every year. And when the police finally found them—after much effort—they were usually living in some remote mountain village, married off for years. Martial arts were no match for sweet-talking conmen. Only his sharp eyes could spot the traps…

And just like that, the decision was made.

Mu Dai landed at Hedong Airport. According to her research, Xiaoshang River was a bit out of the way. She had to transfer to Zhongwei and from there catch another ride.

The trip from Yinchuan to Zhongwei was still lively and crowded. But Zhongwei’s south-side bus station was quiet, with just a small convenience store next to the waiting area. As Mu Dai wandered between shelves, something caught her attention. She suddenly reached out and grabbed two boxes of crackers.

Across from her, someone ducked their head at lightning speed.

She crooked her finger at the narrow gap. “Look up.”

After a pause, Yiwansan slowly raised his head with a sheepish grin.

Bosses and employees never get treated the same. Mu Dai had flown in; Yiwansan had taken the train, timing it just right.

He didn’t want to follow her around openly—that wasn’t fun at all. He told Uncle Zhang the Boss Lady didn’t like him anyway. Better he stay in the shadows and “protect” her discreetly.

He’d managed to travel alongside her without her noticing by taking separate buses. But from Zhongwei onward, there were fewer routes, and it was only a matter of time before he got caught.

Trying to play it off, he said, “Mainly it’s Uncle Zhang… he’s just worried about you…”

He even had a whole list of concerned texts from Uncle Zhang to back him up. The messages were long-winded, filled with loving worry, true elder energy. Kind of touching.

—Yiwansan, don’t doze off on the road. Keep a close eye on Mu Dai. She may be tough, but she’s still just a girl. Stay alert for strangers hitting on her, especially the shady ones. Even the not-shady ones. Conmen can act innocent too…

—If something happens, call the police right away. Don’t let her get in fights. And if she does, you better be the one to step in first…

Mu Dai felt a warm pang in her chest. Uncle Zhang had worked with Aunt Hong for years—technically just a colleague, but more like family. Still, he overestimated Yiwansan. Him stepping in? He’d be lucky not to run the other way.

She tossed the phone back at him. “Got the tickets?”

Sensing a break, Yiwansan nodded quickly. “All set!”

He made a big show of helping with luggage and grabbing seats on the bus. He even dusted off her seat before letting her sit down. Mu Dai gave him a side-eye—said nothing, but clearly approved.

Yiwansan thought smugly: I used to just not care. But when I do care—heh—unstoppable.

As the bus rolled out of the station, Yiwansan turned toward the window when Mu Dai wasn’t looking and shot a signal to someone in the shadows.

Cao Yanhua returned it with a discreet “okay.”

The road to Xiaoshang River was rough—with long stretches of bumpy terrain. By the time they arrived, it was close to sunset. Mu Dai called Luo Ren, who gave her directions.

She was annoyed: You knew I was coming all this way and didn’t even bother to pick me up? What’s the Hummer for—feeding it carrots at home?

She felt a little unappreciated, like she hadn’t exactly been “invited” warmly.

But Yiwansan cheerfully asked for directions, then ran back over. “This way, Boss Lady!”

Mu Dai dragged her feet, lacking energy. Thankfully, it wasn’t far. Luo Ren opened the door and smiled. “Was the trip okay?”

Mu Dai grunted, her expression sour. Yiwansan stared at Luo Ren. “Wait, aren’t you the guy from that night—”

Hard to forget that evening: Huo Zihong screaming, shoved to the floor, the bar buzzing with rumors, and Mu Dai chasing someone out…

Luo Ren seemed to know what he was thinking. “Yeah, that was me.”

Mu Dai’s room was already prepared. They hadn’t expected Yiwansan, but there were plenty of rooms. After settling her in, Luo Ren led him down the hall. As they passed one room, Yiwansan kept glancing back.

The door was odd—like a security door with part of it cut out and fitted with bars, almost like a cell.

The second time he looked, a face appeared behind the bars. A woman wearing a white high-neck sweater. Her pale, delicate face was framed by long, straight hair and soft eyebrows. Her eyes were deep, like bottomless water…

Who was she? Luo Ren’s girlfriend? Damn, lucky guy. But she looked so sad… Luo Ren must treat her badly, right? Otherwise, why didn’t he introduce them? They were guests, after all…

From the hallway to the room was only ten seconds, but Yiwansan’s inner drama probably surpassed everything he’d felt in the last month.

Luo Ren opened the door. “Here we are.”

Mu Dai lay on the bed for a while. It was drier and colder here than in Yunnan. Her lips were chapped, the sheets were cool, and the chill seeped right through her clothes.

Luo Ren came in, turned on the heat. “Not feeling well?”

She didn’t move. “Mm.”

He pulled up a chair next to the bed. After a pause, he said, “I wanted to pick you guys up. But Uncle Zheng had to take Li Tan to the hospital. He hasn’t been doing well. And I can’t leave Ping Ting alone, either. I hope you understand.”

Oh. Mu Dai instantly felt a little guilty. He did have more important things to deal with. But wait—why’d he say “I hope you understand”? Had he noticed she was upset?

Before she could reply, he asked, “What do you want to eat tonight? Roast lamb leg?”

“There are a lot of people today. Uncle Zheng can start a fire in the courtyard, roast a lamb leg. Ningxia lamb is different from elsewhere—they’re free-range on the Salt Lake steppes, where over twenty types of wild herbs grow. It’s like natural medicine. No gamey flavor at all. There’s a great shop in town—we can get a pre-marinated leg. Uncle Zheng can baste it with honey and grill it over the fire…”

Mu Dai turned her head to look at him. Only now did she realize how tired he looked—deep, dark circles, like he hadn’t rested in days.

She felt even worse. Her earlier irritation suddenly seemed pretty pointless.

She sat up and mumbled, “Anything’s fine… no need to go all out.”

“It’s no trouble. You’re a guest.”

After a beat, he added, “And this way, everyone can enjoy a good meal. None of us has been eating properly these past few days.”