Hidden Assassin 198

## Volume Three: Cohabitation Era, Chapter 198: Early Winter

**2013-02-08**

Jiang Hai City Grand Library.

The north wind swept through the city streets. With the temperature plummeting in recent days, most people had added extra layers to their clothes. Around eleven o’clock in the morning, the red wooden door of the large conference room above the library swung open. A meeting bearing the titles “National Teachers…” and “National Educators…” temporarily adjourned, and Ya Han, wearing a gray trench coat, walked out with the crowd. She wiped her plain glasses, put them on, and her beautiful features radiated an attractive intellectual aura, as well as a hint of melancholy.

“Hey, hey…”

Hearing the voice, Ya Han turned her head. A foreign man with blond hair and blue eyes caught up from behind, smiling as he extended his hand toward her. “Hi, hello, I’m Roger, from Peking University. I was…” He waved his hand vaguely, “sitting behind you.”

“Oh, is there something you need?” Seeing the charming smile on the man’s face, Ya Han responded with a polite smile and a nod.

The man did not introduce himself, which was clearly unexpected. He hesitated slightly, then said with a smile, “Heh, well… I saw you drawing on your notebook back there, and I thought it was interesting… Oh, don’t get me wrong, don’t get me wrong, I mean, this was just a boring meeting. We came here just for sightseeing. By the way, are you a local from Jiang Hai? I thought your accent sounded like it.”

A foreigner adeptly assessing the accents of different Chinese regions—Ya Han found it amusing. She smiled and said, “Well, I’m not a university professor. I just came here to listen casually, to learn a few things. I teach high school, at Sacred Heart Academy in Jiang Hai City.”

“Sacred Heart of Jiang Hai!” The foreign man named Roger’s eyes lit up. He was clearly pleased to have found a topic to discuss. “I’ve heard of it. Your teaching methods are quite novel, some are even pioneering in Chinese high school education. Your students are more independent and hands-on than those at ordinary schools. Hey, I think we should find some time to talk about it.”

Silence fell for a moment. Ya Han raised her wrist and glanced at the time. “Sorry… I don’t think I have time today.”

“Heh, that’s alright. I’ll be here in Jiang Hai for quite a few days. By the way, this is my first time here. Can you recommend some interesting places?”

“Hmm…” A faint, ambiguous smile played on her lips as Ya Han nodded lightly. Her thoughts had already drifted away from this pointless conversation. She had come here today to discuss recommendations with a representative from a key university. Afterwards, she would listen in for a while, but she still had a mountain of things to handle this afternoon. Just as she was about to politely decline, a voice rang out from behind her: “Ya Han, why are you already out? I was looking everywhere for you.”

It was Xu Mo who came running from behind. Although Ya Han had completely ignored him for the past half year, this infatuated man had been pursuing her with the perseverance of a man trying to move a mountain. Since he hadn’t given up when Ya Han had a boyfriend, there was no reason for him to give up now that she didn’t. Even though he had friends at this meeting, everyone knew he was here for Ya Han. Seeing her being bothered by someone, he naturally rushed over, putting on a familiar act: “Heh, this is… Oh, I’m Xu Mo, Ya Han’s colleague. Hello.”

“I’m Roger, both my Chinese name and foreign name are the same.” Keeping up his enthusiastic attitude, Roger continued with his charming smile. He shook hands with Xu Mo, then smiled, “Ya Han?” referring to her name.

“Yeah.” Ya Han nodded softly, without saying much. The two men chatted enthusiastically with each other, the atmosphere like a battle without smoke. Feeling bored, Ya Han was about to say goodbye, letting the two men slowly engage in a battle of affection, when her gaze turned towards the lobby below. A flash of azure blue caught her eye.

Amongst the bustling crowd, Ling Jing, dressed in a long blue dress, stood there holding two books, waving towards a corridor where Ya Han couldn’t see. Her heart tightened. Usually, either Jia Ming or Sha Sha was with Ling Jing. Could it be Jia Ming? Before the figure on the other side appeared, she had already instinctively turned her head. “Sorry, I have to go. My sister’s waiting for me. You two can continue chatting.”

“Uh.” Roger’s smile froze, and Xu Mo also looked puzzled. “Sister?” He knew, of course, that Ya Han didn’t have a sister.

But without explanation, Ya Han had already descended the spiral staircase and reached Ling Jing’s side. The two of them were very similar in temperament, except that Ling Jing was young and Ya Han was mature. From the outside, they truly looked like sisters.

“Ling Jing.”

“Ah… Ya Han jie.” Ling Jing turned around as Ya Han patted her shoulder. Ya Han looked in the direction Ling Jing had waved, but there was no sign of Jia Ming. At the counter for storing belongings, Xu Yiting, with a pink canvas bag slung over her shoulder, was organizing things. Ya Han felt a surge of relief, yet a tinge of disappointment. Her gaze fell on the book in Ling Jing’s arms. The cover depicted a piano.

“Coming to borrow books about music?”

“Beethoven’s biography.” Ling Jing smiled and waved the book around. “I bumped into Xu Yiting on the way, so we came together. Ya Han jie, you… Ah, were you here for a meeting?” Since the first time Ya Han and Jia Ming had a falling out, she hadn’t visited Ye’s Martial Arts Studio anymore. When Ya Han found out about the three of them living together, Ling Jing also felt awkward. Although they still had a sisterly bond, she felt a little embarrassed in front of Ya Han.

“Just here to build some relationships. Hmm? Why are you dressed so lightly? Aren’t you cold?”

Ya Han gathered the thin lavender-colored jacket around her, sticking out her tongue apologetically. “I went for a run this morning. I didn’t feel cold when I came back. I thought it would be warmer during the day, so I came out. Who knew there would be a sudden gust of wind… But it’s okay, I’ll be heading back soon.”

“Jia Ming isn’t watching you…” Ya Han lightly chided, then took off her coat and put it on Ling Jing’s shoulders, despite her protests. “I have two more jackets. Don’t say anything, put it on. My car is parked outside. I’ll drive you two back.”

“Jia Ming went with Sha Sha to Uncle Liu’s place. I plan on going back to the martial arts studio. Ya Han jie, you should go there for dinner too.”

“Uh… I have things to do this afternoon…”

“But that’s still in the afternoon. You haven’t been there in ages. My mom keeps asking about you.”

As they were talking, Xu Yiting, who had finished organizing her things, came running over. “Zhang laoshi.” She used to be timid and insecure, especially after her father’s death, she even had thoughts of suicide. But after Jia Ming’s help with borrowing money, Dongfang Wan asked her to help with the toy factory. Although she wasn’t a genius, she had gained a composed air through repeated learning and experience. She had only spoken a few words when the phone rang from her bag. It was the phone Dongfang Wan had given her.

“Hmm, uh… The document? It’s in my bag. I was about to take it to you this afternoon… Need to take it to Dongfang xuechang right away? Okay, I know. Hmm… Going now.”

It was a holiday. It was supposed to be time for Dongfang Wan, who had been paid, to relax. Even though she was just a high school student and only excelled in rote calculations, she was still highly valued by Dongfang Wan as her first confidante. After all, in Dongfang Wan’s eyes, talent and excellence weren’t the focus. The most valuable thing was having a collective spirit, meaning being able to follow orders and complete her requests. Therefore, Dongfang Wan allowed Xu Yiting to participate in anything within her capabilities, anything that could help her learn. Now that she had received the call, she smiled and chatted briefly with Ya Han and Ling Jing before leaving. Ya Han wanted to drive her, but Xu Yiting declined politely.

“I’ll take a taxi. It’s reimbursable anyway.”

She waved goodbye and ran out of the library. As she got into the taxi, she looked out the rear window and saw Ya Han and Ling Jing walking out of the entrance, chatting and laughing. She couldn’t express her gratitude to Ya Han, who had helped her quit drugs. Seeing Ya Han also made her think of Su Yan jie, whom she hadn’t seen for a long time. Finally, a strange feeling welled up inside her. She thought of her cousin Jia Ming.

Although she called him cousin, she didn’t feel close to Jia Ming. He was too ordinary, too reclusive, yet too unconventional. Yet, the elegant Ya Han laoshi was his good friend, the beautiful and brilliant Ye Ling Jing was his good friend, the energetic and admirable Liu Huai Sha was his good friend, the stunningly beautiful Japanese girl Xun was his good friend. Dongfang Wan said that Su Yan jie was also his good friend. And he was even able to design such an electronic pet, which had made Dongfang Wan somewhat admire him recently. It felt as if all these outstanding people were revolving around a seemingly unremarkable boy.

Such a strange feeling…

After thinking about it for a while, she shook her head.

Forget it… Maybe it was true, as Dongfang Wan said, some people are good at planning, some are good at strategizing and calculating, some are good at lying and playing pranks, and some… are just inherently difficult for everyone to understand. **********************************************************

The taxi pulled up in front of Dongfang’s villa.

After paying the fare, she informed the maid of her purpose. Soon, Dongfang Lu, dressed in blue and white sportswear, with the warmth of the spring sun and a completely non-oppressive demeanor, greeted her with a smile. Although Xu Yiting emphasized that she would leave after delivering the documents, she couldn’t resist Dongfang Lu’s seemingly casual tone.

“It’s getting late, it’s almost noon. Xiao Wan is really something, couldn’t she just take it over in the afternoon? Come in, it’s okay, I informed the kitchen to prepare an extra set of chopsticks when I came down. What’s there to be troubled about… Come in, why are you standing at the door talking? You’re not an outsider…”

In fact, Xu Yiting had only been to the Dongfang villa a few times, and those were all with Dongfang Wan. This was the first time she had met Dongfang Lu alone. However, Dongfang Lu had a natural ability to make people feel like they were “not outsiders.” It was a talent he seemed to have been born with.

As they entered the living room, Dongfang Lu flipped through the documents while handing Xu Yiting a glass of juice, chatting casually. Since Dongfang Ling Hai was still recovering, the spacious villa was only occupied by Dongfang Lu and a few maids, so there wasn’t a lot of pressure on Xu Yiting. It was just that the thought of being alone in a room with Dongfang Lu made her blush a little. Dongfang Lu was always the white knight in the eyes of the school girls: good family background, handsome, excellent grades, yet without any airs. It was natural to have some extra thoughts when she was with such an outstanding male classmate. Thankfully, Dongfang Lu was always focused on the documents, only glancing up occasionally, and he didn’t seem to notice her slight abnormalities. After he finished reviewing the documents, he seemed to have noticed something. He told Xu Yiting to relax, then went upstairs to revise them and send a fax.

Only then did Xu Yiting breathe a sigh of relief.

She sat on the sofa, sipping her juice, casually observing the elegant yet unpretentious surroundings. A spotted Dalmatian dog walked in from the entrance, looking curiously at her. Even though she knew it was just a pet, Xu Yiting suddenly felt tense.

Go away, go away… She turned her head and muttered to herself.

However, the Dalmatian couldn’t hear her thoughts. It slowly walked towards her and stopped in front of the coffee table, about five feet away from Xu Yiting. It stared at her with an endearing expression.

Ignore it… Xu Yiting stared blankly ahead. Then, the Dalmatian let out a gentle bark, which made Xu Yiting jump. She turned her head, her gaze sharp, fixed on the Dalmatian’s eyes. The sudden sharpness of her gaze even startled the Dalmatian, making it take two steps back. Then, it stared curiously at Xu Yiting’s eyes. The two remained frozen in the living room.

“That… uh?” Dongfang Lu, who had finished his work, came down the stairs. Sensing the strange atmosphere, he was also taken aback. Seeing his master, the Dalmatian, after staring at Xu Yiting for a while, trotted over. Dongfang Lu patted it: “Little Q, go play outside. Don’t come in and scare people.” The dog whimpered in distress, turned around, and ran away. Xu Yiting gulped down her orange juice, looking slightly embarrassed. Dongfang Lu smiled and asked, “Little Q is just a pet dog, he doesn’t bite. Did he scare you?”

“No… Not really. But I’m afraid of dogs.” Xu Yiting smiled awkwardly. “After being stared down by two Neapolitan Mastiffs with Dongfang classmate that time…”

“Dongfang classmate… Xiao Wan?”

“Yeah…” Xu Yiting nodded. “Didn’t she tell you? By the way, Jia Ming cousin was also there that time.”

“Heh, Xiao Wan is so strong, she wouldn’t tell me about anything embarrassing. Especially the embarrassing things she did with Gu Jia Ming around…” Dongfang Lu chuckled, then fell into contemplation. “Neapolitan Mastiff? Are you sure it was Neapolitan Mastiffs?”

“Yeah, two really big ones. They weren’t on leashes, and we three had nowhere to run. We thought we were going to be bitten to death. Uh… Actually, it was all my fault…” While mimicking the ferocious appearance of the Neapolitan Mastiffs with her hands, Xu Yiting shyly recounted the story of her father’s drug addiction and debt, how she was caught, how Jia Ming and Dongfang Wan saved her and they ran away together. “…That’s how we ended up in that courtyard. The Yongsheng gang members chased after us, and we thought we were safe. Then, those two big dogs came out from behind the unfixed flower bed, baring their teeth at us, drooling wildly. They weren’t even on leashes. If we wanted to turn and run, we wouldn’t have made it in time…”

“What happened then? Did their owner come out?”

“Where would he be? No one came out. Xiao Wan recognized those two dogs as Neapolitan Mastiffs from Italy. I heard that the Mafia uses those dogs to kill people. We were all terrified. Then Jia Ming… Jia Ming cousin, he said that if you stare into the eyes of an animal, you can scare it away. We three stared for ages, and the two dogs finally ran away…”

Dongfang Lu looked incredulous. “Staring into… their eyes?”

“Yeah, I checked some books, and it seems to say the same thing…”

“Uh, I’ve watched Animal Planet too…” Dongfang Lu shook his head, a little helpless. At that moment, the maid’s call for dinner interrupted his thoughts. He smiled and led Xu Yiting towards the dining room.

She enjoyed the meal. ******************************************************

At two in the afternoon, when Chen Gu Xia walked into the living room of the Dongfang villa, Dongfang Lu was sitting on the sofa, staring at the poor Dalmatian. It was clear that the pet was on the losing end. He was scared, unable to understand why his master was suddenly looking at him with such anger.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing… I heard that if you encounter a ferocious animal, staring into its eyes can scare it away. Chen laoshi, is that true?”

“Ferocious animal… Little Q does seem to be quite terrified of you, but he’s not exactly a ferocious animal…”

“What about an Italian Neapolitan Mastiff?”

“Neapolitan Mastiff?” Chen Gu Xia furrowed his brows. “One of the most ferocious dogs in the world. It would probably be able to fight a wolf and win. It’s aggressive and bloodthirsty. If you were to fight one bare-handed, even an ordinary special forces soldier could get hurt. What’s going on?”

“Could I possibly scare one away?”

“You could probably kill one, but scare it away… You mean just by staring it down? That requires killing intent and fierceness. If you were thrown onto a battlefield, maybe after ten years, if you survived, you could do it. Some experienced hunters, it’s said, can escape from a tiger’s claws using that method, but that’s because they’ve killed enough creatures…”

“So…” Dongfang Lu nodded, muttering to himself. “Xiao Wan certainly hasn’t been on a battlefield…”

“Uh? What?”

“Nothing. Chen laoshi, let’s start the afternoon lesson.”

Rising from his seat, Dongfang Lu smiled. No one knew that beneath this warm smile, a strange chill suddenly ran through his body. There was surprise, excitement, trepidation, fear…

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