SES Chapter 163 Part 1

Chapter 163 – Translated (Clean Version)

Luo Ren didn’t respond.

Mu Dai pulled herself out of his arms and reached up to smooth the creases on his clothes. “I’ve always felt that something is missing between us.”

“I don’t mean you treat me badly, and I don’t mean we’re hiding things from each other on purpose. It’s just… some things between us never quite settle. Like one knot after another that we can’t completely undo.”

Luo Ren smiled faintly. Mu Dai had always been perceptive. Then again, he thought, who in this world is truly oblivious?

He lowered his voice. “Did I make you uncomfortable?”

Mu Dai shook her head. “Not really.”

“We were never the same to begin with. Before you met me, you were already the sharp-edged ‘Little Knife’ Luo. You’ve got so many things weighing on you—if you had dumped them all on me from the start, maybe I wouldn’t have been able to handle it. Maybe I would’ve run away.”

When two people first meet, they’re drawn to each other’s appearance or demeanor. No one is obligated to love your pain, your history, your thoughts, or what lies beneath the surface. But slowly, as feelings deepen—if you smile, she smiles too. If you hurt, she cries.

She rose on her toes, gave him a light kiss, and said, “Little Knife, let’s take things slowly. We have time.”

Cao Yanhua had returned and was waiting nearby. Mu Dai winked at Luo Ren and turned to leave.

She had only taken a couple of steps when Luo Ren suddenly caught up to her, grabbed her arm, and pulled her aside.

Cao Yanhua, completely oblivious, called out, “Little Master, we need to scan the tickets.”

Luo Ren snapped, “Get lost!”

The station broadcast was already announcing the train’s arrival. Luo Ren knew his time was short. “I need to go back to the Philippines.”

His expression turned serious. Mu Dai felt a jolt of unease. “Is it dangerous?”

“Yes.”

“Are you coming back?”

Luo Ren hesitated. “As long as I’m alive… wherever you are, that’s where I’ll return.”

That answer clearly didn’t satisfy her. She stared at him, eyes slowly filling with tears.

Luo Ren didn’t know what to do. After a moment, he cleared his throat. “Don’t be like this. Your master’s sick, you need to go back—”

He didn’t finish. Mu Dai turned and walked away.

Cao Yanhua scurried after her. “Little Master! Wait for me—wait!”

Luo Ren let out a helpless laugh. People rushing for their trains shoved past him, and he was pushed to the side. Noise filled the hall—chaotic, overwhelming. He slowly sat down on a bench.

He understood why Mu Dai was angry. It was his fault for hiding things too long, and telling her everything right at the last second—when time was ticking down—and on top of that, telling her he might not survive…

Suddenly, he heard Cao Yanhua again: “Little Master! Hey—where are you going?!”

Luo Ren instinctively looked up and saw Mu Dai pushing against the flow of people, trying to force her way back out. Twice she was shoved back by the crowd entering through the gates.

He had a feeling she was coming back for him and quickly walked over.

Separated by the turnstile, Mu Dai reached out and grabbed the front of his shirt—hard.

“I’ll take care of things with my master as fast as I can. As soon as it’s settled, I’ll come find you. Did you hear me?”

He had never seen her so fierce; eyebrows drawn together, cheeks puffed like a steamed bun—almost cute enough to pinch.

“I heard you.”

“You’ll message me every day to tell me you’re safe. Where are you? Where do you sleep? Got that?”

“I got it.”

“Every day—”

She suddenly got stuck, couldn’t think of what else to say, glared at him twice, released his shirt, and stormed off.

Luo Ren watched her disappear into the crowd. Then he looked down. The front of his shirt was wrinkled from her grip. He tried smoothing it out, but the folds wouldn’t disappear.

How much force had she used, that little girl…

Back at his car, he found Wan Sanshan holding a mountain chicken under one arm while Yan Hongsha sat as far away as possible, covering her nose.

Letting his Hummer carry a chicken? Wasn’t that something poultry trucks were for?

Luo Ren frowned. “You’re letting that chicken sit in my car?”

The chicken seemed to understand and looked sad and shy at the same time.

Wan Sanshan said, “Doesn’t matter. Or it can run behind the car. If it keeps up, I won’t complain.”

Yan Hongsha leaned out, looking at the hunting lights on top of the vehicle. “Luo Ren, we could also tie the chicken to the roof. When we’re speeding, its head will face the wind. A super-chicken ride.”

Ridiculous. Luo Ren almost threw both of them out.

He couldn’t drive with the bird loose in the car—what if it made a mess?

So he dropped the two of them off at a market to buy a cage, and maybe some air freshener.

While he waited, his phone rang. The number belonged to Dr. He’s psychology clinic.

Odd—Dr. He never called him first. Did something happen to Pingting?

Luo Ren answered. “Hello?”

Static crackled. Then a voice: “Ren?”

Luo Ren tensed. “Aoki? Why are you at the clinic?”

“I’m here to pick up Pingting. Unless I’m mistaken, you once said she’s the most important family you have.”

True. They weren’t related by blood, but after his uncle’s death, Pingting was indeed the closest family he had. So why was Aoki suddenly taking her?

“The Leopard has entered the country.”

Luo Ren’s mind buzzed, blank for a moment.

He steadied himself. “Are you sure?”

Aoki gave a cold, humorless laugh.

He was a proud man—his words, his intel, his actions were always reliable. He hated being doubted.

So he didn’t answer Luo Ren’s question and instead continued, “I know you’re away. I came to secure Pingting first—The Leopard enjoys tormenting the people you care about. Your little girl was proof of that.”

Luo Ren swallowed.

“Do you know where she is now?” he asked.

“No. She has only just entered. She shouldn’t act immediately. But sooner or later, she’ll come for you, Ren. You took one of her eyes.”

“Good. Saves me the trouble of hunting her down.”

Aoki paused. “One more thing. Her men entered the country months ahead of her. They’ve been moving around remote areas. I’m still investigating—if I find anything, I’ll tell you. And Ren—keep your little lamb safe.”

“What?”

“Your girlfriend. If the Leopard uses her against us, you’ll hold back. So hide her. Don’t let her cause trouble.”

—

On the train, Mu Dai sat across from Cao Yanhua.

Her thoughts were a tangled mess—Luo Ren, then her master, then Luo Ren again. She glanced at Cao Yanhua and suddenly asked, “Why’d you buy that chicken?”

“Fate.”

“Oh.”

The Little Master, believing that, so easily left Cao Yanhua bewildered—he thought she’d slap him.

Mu Dai asked, “Do you know how my master accepted me as her disciple?”

Her master lived far south of Chuxiong, near the Ailao Mountains—a remote but peaceful place.

They met in Kunming.