Chapter 163: The Housekeeper and the Wedding Ring
Chapter 163: The Housekeeper and the Wedding Ring
Li Zian returned to the Worry-free Workshop with the materials. Tang Qing had already prepared her part. She’d mixed the Incense Clay with sandalwood ash, paper shreds, Movement-Halting Ointment, and Body-Poisoning Ointment. The stick for the incense was ready too—about thirteen inches long, as thick as a chopstick. Just looking at it, Li Zian knew this would be a large, short, thick incense stick.
“Brother Zian, why did you buy so many snacks?” Tang Qing asked curiously as Li Zian pulled packets of snacks from a grocery bag.
“I bought them for you,” Li Zian said.
Tang Qing laughed. “I’m not a child. Why buy me all these snacks? I thought they were for Xiaomei. You scared me.”
Li Zian smiled. “I’ll put the ice cream in the fridge. The other materials are here. Oh, right…”
“Hm?”
Li Zian didn’t want to tell her about Da Chui spying outside. He worried she’d get afraid. Still, he decided to warn her. “Don’t go back to your rented place tonight. Just stay in my guest room.”
Tang Qing suddenly went silent. Her dark, bright eyes fixed on Li Zian, saying nothing. She seemed to be guessing his meaning.
Li Zian didn’t explain. He carried a big pack of snacks toward the fridge in a corner.
Tang Qing kept watching him. She only looked away when he’d nearly emptied the snacks. Then she put on rubber gloves to make the incense.
Li Zian walked over, watching Tang Qing work. Feeling he should explain, he added, “It’s mostly for safety. This client isn’t trustworthy—he wants to harm me. Going home alone would be dangerous for you.”
“Oh, I thought you…” Tang Qing stopped midsentence.
After all, she was facing the man who’d spent over seven hundred thousand for her and saved her from a desperate situation. A little sensitivity and imagination were natural.
“What?” Li Zian asked.
“I thought you wanted me to make another gadget,” Tang Qing said.
Li Zian replied, “I actually do want you to make me another knife. One that’s extremely sharp.”
Tang Qing looked surprised. “Why do you need a knife?”
“For self-defense.”
“I won’t make you a knife. Those are regulated weapons. You couldn’t board a flight or take the subway with it, either—it’d just get you in trouble if you’re caught.” Tang Qing thought for a moment. “How about I make you a mechanical pen? Like the props in spy movies. You twist it, and it shoots… though bullets won’t work. I don’t have any bullets anyway. I’ll fit it with a sharp spike. You can apply poisonous ointment on the spike. That’d be more useful than a knife.”
Li Zian chuckled. “Yeah! If I had a pen like that, it’d be like carrying a gun. But take your time making it later—don’t get too tired.”
“Mm,” Tang Qing answered softly.
Half an hour later, the Large Incense was ready. The two toxic ointments made it pitch-black and about the width of a thumb. At the base of the incense, two small sticks poked through the clay. They were actually matchsticks pressed against a matchbox strip. Pulling either gently would ignite the whole incense stick in seconds.
The original plan had just one matchstick, but Tang Qing thought that risky. So she hid an extra one. She’d even sprinkled white phosphorus powder between the matches and the strip. Even if the match heads failed, only the wood remaining would catch fire from the white phosphorus’ flammability. That would light the compartmented slot and ignite the entire incense.
Tang Qing even carefully dried the Large Incense with a hairdryer.
Meanwhile, Li Zian prepared his materials. Using a brush bought from a stationery shop, he dipped it in green dye and wrote nine symbols onto the incense. He’d initially thought of including nine sets of Nine Heavenly Diagrams, but those were too complex to draw well. The symbols alone would be enough to trick Huang Bo.
Li Zian turned off the lights when he finished.
The Worry-free Workshop plunged into near-total darkness, lit only faintly by dim hallway light filtering through the frosted glass door.
Glow powder needed only a little light to shine. The incense’s symbols were painted with glow powder mixed into the green dye. After absorbing light, they now emitted an eerie green glow. Nine symbols glowed clearly in the dark, giving the entire incense stick a mysterious aura.
Done.
……
Night fell, and the River Embankment sparkled with lights.
Li Zian stood by the window, spying on the embankment through a gap in the curtains.
Da Chui sat on a stone bench beside the river, eating a boxed meal. Every now and then, he looked up at this building.
So grueling. Even being a bad guy was tough these days.
Li Zian turned away, taking out the mobile phone Da Chui had given him.
The screen showed 9:00 p.m.
Li Zian dialed the earlier number, hoping to give Huang Bo some reassurance. Instead, he heard the system prompt: This user is powered off.
Huang Bo’s awareness against surveillance was sharp. He probably used those cheap phones seniors bought for a few bucks—calling once then tossing it. Untraceable.
Knock, knock.
A knock sounded at the door.
Li Zian quickly tucked the phone away and headed toward the door. He wondered if Yu Meilin was knocking. Upon opening it, he saw Tang Qing.
“Brother Zian, the ring is done. Give it to Sister Meilin,” Tang Qing said, handing him a small jewelry box.
Li Zian took it. It was an elegant box. Opening it revealed a ring. It resembled Li Zian’s Mechanism Ring—after all, it was a “Wedding Ring.” The face bore a Taiji Symbol too, except the dark and light sections were crafted from jade. One white, one green. Beautiful.
“It’s gorgeous. Your hands are so skilled,” Li Zian praised.
Tang Qing blushed shyly. “Don’t praise me so much. I just like making little trinkets, that’s all. The dark fish part is jadeite. The light one is Hetian Jade.”
“Pricey?” Li Zian asked absently, admiring the ring. He liked it more the longer he looked.
“Not too bad. I got scrap pieces from a jeweler. Hetian Jade cost five hundred, the jadeite eight hundred.”
“I’ll transfer it to you,” Li Zian said, an instinctive response.
Tang Qing quickly grabbed his hand before he could pull out his phone. “Why do you always want to pay me back? Don’t you remember giving me that card? I used that to buy the materials. Besides… this Wedding Ring is your gift to Sister Meilin. Using your funds makes it sincere, wouldn’t you say?”
Li Zian smiled awkwardly. “Sorry. I forgot.”
Tang Qing released his hand. “Go give it to Sister Meilin. Getting this ring will make her very happy.”
Li Zian nodded. “Right.”
“Off to bed now.” Tang Qing headed to the neighboring room.
Yet Li Zian stood rooted in the doorway, debating whether to deliver the ring now. Before Tang Qing knocked, he’d planned to leave. The place was far. He’d wanted to light the incense early to enter the Incense Burning State for reconnaissance.
After some thought, he still carried the box upstairs.
Tonight was life or death. He was well-prepared, but anything could happen. If he never returned, the Housekeeper would never get his wedding gift… such a regret. Plus, he really wanted to talk to Yu Meilin, almost like settling “last words.”
Her door was closed.
Li Zian knocked.
It opened quickly. Yu Meilin stood framed by the door, wearing a short white nightgown. Soft, clinging fabric hugged her skin. Under the lights, every outline stood out sharply.
She apparently never wore her heavy mask to bed. Her prominent assets were clearly visible.
Good points rarely came singly. Often, they arrived in pairs.
Li Zian froze briefly. The Housekeeper was undeniably sexy. He’d imagined her like this countless times before, but fantasies couldn’t rival the thrill of reality.
Their eyes met.
Yu Meilin showed a hint of surprise. She paused momentarily before smiling. “Come in.”
Li Zian had meant to hand her the ring and leave. But that felt wrong. He nodded and entered her room.
Yu Meilin quietly shut the door behind him.
Her room smelled fragrant. Li Zian couldn’t tell if it was perfume or her natural scent. Either way… it was pleasant and unnerving. He’d been mentally framing the gifting. But the scent muddled his thoughts.
Yu Meilin smiled. “What brings you here tonight?”
She’d noticed the jewelry box in his hand. Deep inside, excitement and joy surged, impossible to hide. But men should be the ones to initiate such moments. Women just needed to act demure.
Li Zian presented the box to Yu Meilin with both hands, mildly embarrassed. “I couldn’t afford a ring when we married. So I asked Tang Qing to make a pair. One for you, one for me. They’re not valuable, but… but pretty. Hope you like it.”
Yu Meilin seized the box. She didn’t even peek inside. Instead, a soft gasp escaped her. Arms flew around his neck, holding him tight. Unmasked this time, he felt her curves press firmly and heavily against him.
Twenty-eight years old, yet her figure didn’t lose to twenty-three-year-old Taozi’s at all.
“I’ve waited too long for this,” Yu Meilin murmured in his ear.
Li Zian had already reacted slightly. Nervously, he said, “Let me put it on you. See if you like it.”
“Mm,” she conceded, but not before placing a soft kiss on his cheek.
Li Zian stiffened involuntarily and dared not reciprocate verbally.
Mu Chuntao may have urged him to “submit his homework” to Yu Meilin… but he still held some unresolved feelings. Time might be needed. Besides… tonight’s situation felt critical, almost like the tales from Three Kingdoms where Lord Guan drank warmed wine before slaying Hua Xiong. Li Zian lacked Lord Guan’s legendary valor, but he should be preparing to fight Huang Bo with weapons, not… settling affairs with Yu Meilin.
Yu Meilin opened the box to glance inside. Love at first sight. “So unique. I love it.” She extended her hand. “Put it on me. I want to wear this forever.”
Li Zian took the ring and slipped it onto the ring finger of her right hand.
Yu Meilin then seized his right hand, inspecting his ring. Surprise lit her face. “Yours looks different. Much thicker. Less vibrant. Why didn’t you match it?”
Li Zian pressed the mechanism button along the band gently. The ring-face popped up, revealing the spring-loaded Alloy Barb glinting below—already coated with Movement-Halting Ointment.
“Th-this ring… has a mechanism?” Yu Meilin gasped in astonishment.
Li Zian quickly explained. “This one’s for defense against bad people. Or medical uses sometimes. Needs the thickness. Yours… just needs to be beautiful.”
Yu Meilin lifted her gaze to meet his eyes intently. “Why suddenly give me this Wedding Ring now?”
Li Zian smiled faintly. “What kind of question is that? You’re my wife. Without a ring, others would laugh at you, right?”
He’d barely finished speaking when Yu Meilin’s arms looped tightly again around his neck. Her lips covered his in an instant.
Soft… warm… sweetly perfumed… damp.
Alongside his utter shock and dazed thoughts…