Volume One, Chapter 10: Protecting Those One Wishes to Protect

Xue Junping gave a cold laugh. "This is not something that can be solved with money..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the man behind him struck him on the back of the neck, knocking him unconscious.

They were all from impoverished families with ailing elders; money was the one thing they lacked the most. If they hadn't been starving to the brink of death, no one would have had the audacity to rob the military compound.

The tall one, Zhang Jinshui, spoke up. "Ten yuan. If you want to keep your life, you have to give us twenty!"

Bai Xuanxuan nodded. "No problem. But you have to tell me exactly what Shen Wen asked you to do."

Zhang Jinshui replied, "She told us to dump you in Miao Family Village and sell you off to any old bachelor we could find."

Bai Xuanxuan hummed in acknowledgement and tilted her chin. "Then let's go. However, there's no need to take me all the way to Miao Family Village; just drop me off at Qingshui Village."

In her previous life, after wandering around, she had ended up in Ying City, right next to Qingshui Village. There, she had apprenticed under a master and learned the craft of tailoring. Her master had been incredibly kind to her, taking her in and even securing identification papers for her, allowing her to successfully put down roots in Ying City. Having grown up in a large family with many children, she had rarely received much affection. In her heart, her master was the best person in the world—the one she trusted and relied upon most. It had been so long; she missed him dearly.

On the way, she demonstrated a set of punches for the three men and snapped a bowl-thick tree by the side of the road with a single kick. The three men were awestruck, even calling her "Big Sister." Having spent decades doing business in her past life, Bai Xuanxuan was long accustomed to tailoring her words to her audience. Within a single day of meeting, the three were ready to swear brotherhood with her, Peach Garden style. Learning that they had all received some schooling, Bai Xuanxuan told them about the upcoming resumption of the national college entrance exams in the latter half of the following year, mentioning that there were textbooks and her personal notes—filled with key exam points—in her room's drawer.

The three men happily escorted her to Qingshui Village. She kept her word, giving each of them twenty yuan and advising them to find honest work and stop idling away their lives. Though she felt a pang of heartache as she handed over the money—twenty yuan was equivalent to a month's wages for an ordinary family—she didn't waver. The three men departed after showering her with thanks.

Ying City was not far from Qingshui Village, and after walking for the better part of the day, she arrived. The city looked exactly as she remembered. By evening, a light drizzle began to fall. Without an umbrella, she moved from shelter to shelter, sneezing several times along the way.

When she reached the shop from her memories, a tall, slender figure stood under the soft yellow glow of the doorway, chatting with a customer. Beneath thin-rimmed glasses sat a high-bridged nose, marked by a barely perceptible tear mole. His lips were always curved in a faint, gentle smile, just as she remembered—as warm and refined as jade. He bowed slightly while speaking, exuding an air of scholarly grace and humility. She walked slowly to the man’s side and stood there quietly, watching him.

She could hardly believe that her master was alive again. She hadn't spent much time with him in her previous life. In their second year of knowing each other, he had returned to his family home in the capital. At a banquet there, he was tragically struck down by thugs in a fatal attack and never returned. During her darkest times, it was he who had cared for her without asking for anything in return, helping her and filling her life with warmth. In this life, she wanted to be the one to protect him. That was the very reason she had started learning martial arts: to become stronger and more resilient, so she could better shield those she cherished.

Fu Che finished with his customer and turned around, only to discover a young girl standing behind him. She wore her hair in twin braids and looked up at him with a fair, delicate face, watching him with an obedient expression. Her eyes were clear and bright, like polished obsidian. His gaze drifted downward; her clothes were plain and modest, now dampened by the rain, with faint water stains blooming across the fabric. Her fingers were trembling—she was clearly frozen to the bone.

He asked gently, "Young lady, are you looking for me?"

Bai Xuanxuan longed to bury herself in his arms and hug him like an old friend. She clenched her fingers, struggling to hold back. As she pursed her lips, tiny pearls of tears slid from her eyes. "Master, can you take me in?"

Seeing her shivering, Fu Che let her into the shop, stoked the fire in the hearth, and poured her a cup of warm water. "Are you lost? Where is your home? I will send you back."

Bai Xuanxuan shook her head. "I don't know. I've lost my memory. I only remember that my name is Bai Shanshan."

The man pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, "I should take you to the police station."

Bai Xuanxuan waved her hands frantically. "No, I don't want to go back. My family wasn't good to me."

Fu Che looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Didn't you say you lost your memory?"

Bai Xuanxuan hummed, her voice thick with a choked, raspy sob. "Yes, but I fell on the way and hit my head."

"I see. I suspect it's partial amnesia."

Fearing he wouldn't believe her, she gestured with shimmering tears in her eyes. "I only remember that they didn't want me anymore and threw me into the river. And that I left with someone else in a car, but they didn't leave me with anything. Their faces are all blurry; I can't see them clearly."

Fu Che lowered his head, murmuring to himself, "How pitiful."

Bai Xuanxuan sniffled. "Master, do you have a spare room? A small one? I have nowhere to go." Meeting his inquisitive gaze, she pouted pitifully. "I have money. I can pay rent."

A flicker of coldness appeared in Fu Che's eyes as he straightened up and leaned back. "Didn't you just say they didn't leave you with anything?"

Seeing his irritation, Bai Xuanxuan blinked, and a few more tears fell. "I don't remember clearly. But I have money in my pocket. I don't know anyone here, and I'm scared. I saw that you looked like a good person, so... so I wanted to ask for your help."

The man narrowed his eyes, scanning her carefully. His slender fingertips brushed against his lips as if weighing the truth of her words. Bai Xuanxuan stood up and took a needle and thread from her pocket. "Master, I know how to sew. I can help you with your work. I'm very hardworking and willing to do anything. You can decide on the wages."

As she spoke, she picked up a garment on the sewing machine that hadn't been finished. Seeing that the man didn't object, she deftly finished the seam. The man stood by and watched for a while; her hands were indeed nimble, and she was clever. The small section she had completed was exactly to his liking.

He curled his lips into a smile. "My home is on the street behind the shop. There is a vacant room in the attic. If you have nowhere else to go, you can stay there."

Bai Xuanxuan nodded happily, her dimples showing on her rosy cheeks. Her smile was incredibly sweet.

Twilight descended, and pedestrians hurried through the narrow alleys. Dim lights intertwined with the savory aroma of cooking stoves. The city's daily life slowly dissolved into the fine, misty rain. The man walked with long strides, and Bai Xuanxuan had to jog to keep up. Occasionally, Fu Che would turn back to wait for her, watching her follow him with a carefree air, smiling at him foolishly. A trace of imperceptible brightness flickered in his otherwise tranquil eyes.

A young laborer who didn't care about money and was nimble with her hands—what could she possibly want from him? He asked himself, aside from a reasonably handsome face, he truly had nothing worth the young girl's attention. He had been in Ying City for a while, and while other young women had taken an interest in him, she was the first to be so direct and bold. She didn't even seem afraid of being devoured by the "big bad wolf"; she was truly, foolishly adorable.