Chapter One Hundred and Two: Thanks to McKinny Chicken

That was him?

What a small town this really was.

“What is it? Why are you staring at me like that?” Yu Chun asked with a frown.

Lin Sangqian came back to herself and immediately smiled with natural ease. “Nothing. I just think you, sir, are especially handsome.”

“Is that so?” Yu Chun stroked his chin, not suspecting a thing. “You little girl have quite the silver tongue. No wonder you can run a business at such a young age.”

Lin Sangqian said nothing more. She quickly fried a chicken leg, wrapped it in greaseproof paper, and handed it to him with a cup of watermelon juice.

“I’ve long heard your fried chicken is delicious. At last I can taste it. Little girl, if I like it, I’ll come every day from now on.”

“Of course.” Lin Sangqian smiled.

When one cannot find what one seeks after wearing out the iron shoes, it comes as effortlessly as if gained without any search.

Praise be to McKin Chicken.

After McKin Chicken closed that afternoon, Lin Sangqian and Lin Wenyan ate something at a nearby noodle stall, then took up position in a不起眼 corner near the gambling den.

Sure enough, before long, Yu Chun came again and, without much hesitation, walked inside.

“Little sister, how did you know he would come again today?” Lin Wenyan asked.

Lin Sangqian said, “Yesterday I heard him muttering that he had lost a great deal. Since he lost, of course he’ll want to win it back.”

It was a pity, though. Once you sat down at the gambling table, where was winning ever so easy?

Perhaps today would be her chance.

A carriage passed by, then suddenly stopped in front of them.

Lin Sangqian frowned and looked up.

The curtain at the side was drawn back, revealing Guan Yanqing’s face.

“Master Guan?” Lin Sangqian said in surprise. “Why are you here?”

“Out for a stroll.” Guan Yanqing looked at her, then at the gambling den beside her. “What are you doing here?”

“Taking care of something.” Lin Sangqian wore an innocent and harmless smile.

Guan Yanqing: “...”

Why did he feel that this girl’s smile was somehow strange?

“Children shouldn’t come to a place like this,” Guan Yanqing said. “Go home. Get in; I’ll take you.”

As he spoke, he gave Lin Wenyan a faint glance, as if blaming him for bringing Lin Sangqian here.

Lin Wenyan: I am truly wronged.

“I really do have something to do,” Lin Sangqian said with a smile. “Master Guan, rest assured, we’re not going into the gambling den.”

Hearing this, Guan Yanqing had no choice but to nod and let the coachman drive on.

Lin Sangqian watched the carriage recede, smiling broadly.

Guan Yanqing may seem cold and indifferent, but he was actually rather kind.

After the carriage turned a corner, Guan Yanqing said, “Anyu.”

“Yes, Young Master,” Anyu answered at once. “What are your orders?”

“Send two people to protect them in secret.”

“Yes.” Anyu knew he meant Lin Sangqian and Lin Wenyan, and immediately turned and left.

They waited a full two hours, until their legs were nearly numb.

Lin Sangqian gnawed on a roasted sweet potato, thinking that this time, she hoped her long wait would not be wasted.

As if heaven had heard her plea, a commotion suddenly erupted at the entrance to the gambling den.

“Little sister, look! Yu Chun’s run out,” Lin Wenyan said in a low voice.

Lin Sangqian hurriedly looked up and indeed saw Yu Chun rushing out of the gambling den, his face full of panic.

Just as he was about to flee, someone seized him by the collar.

Then four or five burly men came out as well. One of them shoved him straight to the ground and planted a foot on his face.

“Yu Chun, do you not even know whose turf this is? You owe money and still want to walk away?”

“Brother, big brother, please let me go first. I’ll definitely pay it back!” Yu Chun cried out miserably. “I, I have a sweetheart, and she’s rich! Once I get the money from her, I’ll return it to you right away!”

“Nonsense! You think I’d believe your ghost stories?” The burly man ground his foot harder into Yu Chun’s face. “Either pay up now, or I’ll chop off one of your hands today!”

Such scenes happened often enough at the entrance to the gambling den that no one found them unusual anymore. Passersby all hurried away faster.

“Don’t!” Yu Chun was nearly in tears. “I’ll definitely repay it, please spare me!”

“Big brother, hurry,” Lin Sangqian said at once, pulling Lin Wenyan to his feet. “Let’s walk past the gambling den entrance and pretend we were just passing by.”

“All right.”

Lin Wenyan nodded and walked forward with Lin Sangqian.

Still, he kept her firmly behind him the whole time, afraid she might be caught in the crossfire.

When they passed in front of Yu Chun, he recognized her at a glance.

“Little sister! Help!”

Lin Sangqian gave a startled little jump, clutching tightly at Lin Wenyan’s sleeve as she asked timidly, “Are you calling me? Who are you?”

“Little sister, have you forgotten me? I just bought a chicken leg from your shop today!” Yu Chun cried piteously. “Please save me! I’ll surely repay your kindness!”

Lin Sangqian looked at him again and revealed an expression of sudden realization. “Oh, it’s you, sir! What happened to you?”

“Little sister, you know him?” the burly man sneered. “If that’s the case, then you can repay his debt for him! Otherwise, I’ll chop off his hand!”

“Don’t chop off his hand.” Lin Sangqian shrank back a little.

“Little sister, you already run a shop, so you must have money, right? Please help me pay first, and I’ll surely give it back to you!” Yu Chun pleaded.

“Well, all right then,” Lin Sangqian said. “How much does he owe you?”

“Twelve taels!”

Lin Sangqian winced a little.

Twelve taels!

Still, if one would catch the wolf, one had to be willing to part with the child.

She took out a purse and carefully counted out twelve taels from inside, then handed them over to the burly man with a pained expression.

The man took it, checked the amount, and seeing it was right, lifted his foot and then kicked Yu Chun again.

“You brat, your luck is really something—finding such a fool to pay for you! All right, get lost!”

The burly men all returned to the gambling den, and Yu Chun finally let out a long breath.

“Sir, you can get up now.”

Yu Chun looked up and saw a smiling face.

At that moment, to him, that face was like a bodhisattva’s.

“Little sister, thank you,” Yu Chun said, rising from the ground and thanking her over and over. “If it weren’t for you today, I’d surely have been finished.”

Lin Wenyan said, “Then don’t forget to pay the money back to us.”

If he didn’t mention repayment, it would seem too false.

Fortunately, Yu Chun had visited McKin Chicken today and become acquainted with Lin Sangqian. Only then could Lin Sangqian naturally show softness of heart and help him pay.

“Rest assured! I’ll go ask my sweetheart for the money tomorrow!”

“Sir, what is a sweetheart?” Lin Sangqian asked curiously.

“A sweetheart is... well, just think of her as my wife!”

“Oh, so that’s it.” Lin Sangqian nodded. “Sir, your wife must be very rich.”

“Haha, of course.”

Just then, Yu Chun’s stomach gave a loud rumble. A little awkwardly, he said to Lin Sangqian, “Little sister, could you lend me a bit more money for a meal?”

“Since we’ve met today, it must be fate. We were just about to go eat as well. Sir, come with us.”

Lin Sangqian smiled.