Over the past week, residents of Yushui Street had experienced ups and downs from rumors flying to widespread panic to the truth coming to light. Life had returned to normal, but ripples still remained.
Security self-inspections in various residential complexes continued, with publicity reaching every household. The earnest persuasion and unease under the hot summer sun naturally diminished many people's leisure spirits.
Business at the Ling Zui’er Cold Cup[a] had become even more deserted since the night of Sister Tan's downfall, with daily revenue not even reaching a thousand yuan, already teetering the edge of operating at a loss.
The fall of an orthodox family feudal knight seemed to have created a vacuum in the underground world of Yushui Street in the short term. Almost every late night, Jiang Yan could sense faint unfamiliar Blood Clan auras drifting past in the night sky.
There were Blood Servants, Attendants, and occasionally even knights flashing by—everything was stirring restlessly. The mysterious family to which Sister Tan had once been affiliated seemed to have forgotten this place entirely, still showing no signs of movement.
Evening business preparations continued as usual. Jiang Yan's first encounter with Meng Huai after the blood infection incident didn't seem to affect her mental state. But Jiang Yao's emotions had remained difficult to recover since that day, heavy with worries and sensitive nervousness.
"Sister, are we really leaving here? After putting in so much effort, what a pity..."
While wiping the light box sign outside, then looking at the transfer information posted on one side of the shop door, Jiang Yao suddenly felt reluctant to leave.
"We haven't lost anything—consider it social experience. Xiao Yao, with Sister Tan gone, there are too many unknowns ahead. This place might not be suitable for us to stay anymore."
Grasping and gently kneading the hair strands hanging by her ear, Jiang Yan's gaze constantly wandered in several directions, her words somewhat absent-minded.
"Jiang Yan! Jiang Yan should be here, right? What's going on? This has been sitting at the station for half a month with no one picking it up... Both the sender's and recipient's phone numbers are randomly filled nonsense—both are disconnected numbers!"
A delivery scooter stopped on the street in front of the Snacks shop. The delivery worker walked over with a face full of complaints, holding a cardboard box.
My package? Taking the cardboard box from the delivery worker, Jiang Yan was also somewhat puzzled.
The signed-for box was very light. Shaking it gently, it seemed to contain something small in both volume and weight.
Both the sender's address and name were unfamiliar, but the recipient's address and name were clearly her own.
Returning to the shop and opening the box, a familiar small container appeared before her eyes—packaging containing two external hormone suppressants!
There was also a letter in the box.
"Little girl, you may not be able to understand the feeling of being repeatedly tormented between clear consciousness and the madness of late-stage blood thirst every day, the hysterical feeling where hope and despair merge into one. I think I've already gone mad...
"Your sister should be in dormancy, right? The pheromone fluctuations are too obvious and will attract some beasts. I'm staying here to watch over you one last time...
"If I die, leave quickly. Who knows what kind of person the Wang family will arrange to replace me.
"In the small park diagonally across from your home, I buried some cash—consider it payment for the blood you gave me last time. The burial spot is at...
"The child in my belly will come with me to find his father... External hormone suppressants are meaningless to me now, so I'm giving them to you. Live well, Tan Ling."
So Sister Tan had been keeping those black Blood Clan members who might covet Xiao Yao's dormancy at bay... A tear fell on the letter, and Jiang Yan quickly raised her hand to wipe her face, then lit the letter with a lighter.
"Sister, what is it?"
Jiang Yao walked in, curiously looking at the small box in Jiang Yan's hands.
"A gift from Sister Tan for you. Take it."
Stuffing the box containing the external hormone suppressants into Jiang Yao's hands, Jiang Yan picked up the broom again.
...
...
Past 1 PM in the afternoon.
The familiar luxury SUV stopped outside the shop. Wan Yue, dressed in a shirt, jeans, sneakers and sunglasses, appeared before Jiang Yan accompanied by Zhao Peng.
"Good eye for location—quite nice. If you could keep it going, you might not get rich, but supporting yourselves would be more than sufficient."
Looking around at the environment, Wan Yue removed her sunglasses and smiled at the nervously rising Jiang sisters, while Zhao Peng behind her nodded slightly.
"Sister Wan, Brother Zhao, is there something you need? Please sit, have some ice-cold beer to beat the heat."
Jiang Yan didn't respond to Wan Yue's opening remarks, just turned to retrieve two cans of chilled beer from the freezer.
"Those old turtles from the Wang family will rearrange for a feudal knight to come here—it's just a matter of time."
Wan Yue opened the can and took a refreshing gulp, then turned her gaze to the nervously composed Jiang Yao: "Hehe, the little girl has already advanced to mid-tier Attendant? Incredible..."
Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao looked at each other, knowing the other party must have other purposes for coming today, so they didn't become complacent at Wan Yue's praise.
"How should I put this? I've seen geniuses who advanced to knight in ten years and baron in thirty years, but I've never seen monsters who advanced from Blood Servant to Attendant in just two months... If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, this old lady would think she was a fake Blood Clan member."
Wan Yue drank her beer while her gaze flowed back and forth between Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao like she was admiring two pieces of clothing, the smile never leaving her lips.
"Sister Wan, we're just newcomers who don't understand anything, including ourselves... If you have something to say, please speak directly."
Jiang Yan smoothed her hair, directly pulling Jiang Yao to sit in front of Wan Yue, looking straight into the other's eyes with a serious expression.
Tilting her head back to continue drinking, from the corner of her eye, Wan Yue noticed the two sisters dressed identically—the older sister sat with legs tightly closed in proper posture, while the younger was somewhat more casual.
Wan Yue tossed aside the empty can and smiled lightly: "If I'm not mistaken, you should have been blood-infected in D City and happened to be encountered by Huang Gu. The Tang family was in chaos those few days, making big moves... Don't be nervous yet. I'm temporarily not interested in hearing you make up stories, because there are too many things I haven't figured out myself, so I dare not draw conclusions."
Wan Yue's words were understated but shocking. Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao's palms gradually broke out in sweat, only able to sit silently in their chairs while slightly avoiding Wan Yue's gaze.
"What kind of feudal knight the Wang family old turtles will arrange to come here, nobody knows, but they might not be as easy to talk to as the last one."
Wan Yue stood up, crossing her arms in front of her chest as an aura containing superior authority quietly spread, her expression becoming much more serious.
"You're still too green. If you die at the hands of some worthless beasts, this old lady won't feel comfortable watching, and I still want to see what you can grow into... I'm still investigating what secrets the Tang family has. Don't you want to know what happened to yourselves?"
Jiang Yan was startled, slowly lowering her head. After more than ten seconds, she stood up with a gentle sigh: "Sister Wan, what if I don't want to know, what if I didn’t care if it means…"
"You don't care... what about her? Can you guarantee she'll live longer than you?
"Oddballs like you, continuing this way so self-righteously, will quickly become the most interesting thing in all Blood Clan eyes. The Wang family old turtles aside, if you're targeted by black Blood Clan, even barons will be chewed until not even bones remain! What, still think you can be like an ostrich and not care?"
Wan Yue lit a cigarette with a snap, her gaze toward Jiang Yan carrying traces of mockery: "You don't have the strength yet to maintain your so-called free and proper life. Once you've entered the Blood Clan world, you can't just assume whatever you want."
"To truly live peacefully, first you need to understand what you really are! Besides, when you weren't blood-infected, did you have more choices?"
Wan Yue's words hammered at her mind like heavy blows, making her dizzy. Jiang Yan suppressed the urge to argue with the other party, irritation churning violently in her heart.
Right, when I was still a normal person, did I have choices?
She thought of the orphanage, of the fear while lying in a sterile hospital room waiting for bone marrow transplant surgery, then of the third year of military service, just before discharge, when a mysterious officer appeared with mysterious transfer orders... The more she thought about, the more confused Jiang Yan became.
Quietly watching Jiang Yan's gradually unfocused eyes, Wan Yue suddenly showed a mysteriously cunning smile, even reaching out to lightly touch the other's black hair.
"Jiang Yan, from our first meeting, you gave me a strange feeling... How should I put it? This is the intuition of an old woman actually over eighty years old... Are you really a woman? Or rather, to protect her, you had no choice but to live like an older brother? You're foolish in too many ways—foolishly detailed, foolishly complex, foolishly unlike a woman!"
Speaking, Wan Yue pointed at Jiang Yao: "Anyway, in my view, all your previous choices were dead ends. You might as well learn from her—muddle through without psychological burden."
Jiang Yan's complexion changed slightly, her tightly closed lips trembling.
Being pointed out by Wan Yue, Jiang Yao's face also alternated between pale and red. She suddenly stood up, walked to Jiang Yan's side with a posture ready to fight at any moment.
"Hmph, speaking so mysteriously! What about my sister makes you look down on her?!" Jiang Yao said coldly through gritted teeth.
"Women only act foolishly through impulse and unreasonableness, while men act foolishly through careful consideration! Which type do you belong to?"
Wan Yue exhaled smoke, too lazy to deal with Jiang Yao, only looking at Jiang Yan's eyes with interest.
Hearing this, both Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao trembled almost simultaneously.
"Alright, no more stimulating the little kids. You two sisters help me with some things, I'll give you compensation—fair trade, nobody owes anyone. When you need to buy blood, don't expect bargains either."
Wan Yue dropped her cigarette butt, her expression returning to the relaxed smile from when she arrived: "You can't stay here anymore. Coincidentally, there's a place suitable for you to live. Get in the car."
Jiang Yan looked at the still somewhat huffing Jiang Yao, finally seeming to understand something as she nodded: "Thank you for Sister Wan's teaching. We'll do as you say."
"Sister! You!"
Jiang Yao looked at the black-haired girl before her in shock, caught off guard by Jiang Yan's change of mind.[b]
"Zhao Peng, handle the cleanup work for this shop."
Wan Yue took out car keys and walked toward the SUV without looking back.
"Yes, Sister Wan!"
Without any unnecessary words, Zhao Peng sent an approving and encouraging look toward Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao, then walked into the shop and took out his phone.
[a]You changed it back. xD I like this name better too. ^^
[b]Well, she did what she thought was the best for the both of them right now. Jiang Yan has it really tough, always needing to consider the most optimal choice for their safety going forward. This decision was probably hard for her as well. I really like her.