Chapter 28: Wu Lihong Stays the Night

In the evening, Li Eryong returned home leaning on his crutches.

Chen Xuewen sat alone in the empty room, his mind swirling with a thousand thoughts. After sitting in silence for a long while, he walked into the inner chamber and brought out a bag. This was the bag Old Du had carried with him when he escaped from prison. Aside from some cash, it contained other items. Although Chen Xuewen did not know Old Du’s true identity, such a cunning old fox was certainly no ordinary man. Whatever he had insisted on keeping with him under such dire circumstances must have been of extreme importance. Chen Xuewen had not had the time to attend to these things before, but now that everything was settled, he wanted to see what exactly Old Du had risked his life to protect.

He opened the bag. Inside, the contents were wrapped layer upon layer in plastic, sealed tightly. Beneath the plastic, they were wrapped in several more layers of kraft paper, which showed just how much importance Old Du placed on them. Unfolding the paper, the contents were finally revealed: two yellowed, antique books. One was titled "The Art of the Mind," and the other, "The Eight Extraordinary Meridians."

Chen Xuewen was somewhat surprised. Were these just two books? Was it really necessary for Old Du to carry them around? He opened them and flipped through the pages. "The Eight Extraordinary Meridians" recorded the human body's meridian system, but with specific annotations near certain acupoints—such as what would happen if certain points were injured, or which points, if struck, would prove fatal. After reading through it once, Chen Xuewen realized that this book was essentially a secret manual on how to kill. The methods Old Du had previously taught him were likely derived from this very volume.

As for "The Art of the Mind," Chen Xuewen was deeply shocked after reading it. It was a manual dedicated entirely to the methods of deciphering the human heart and manipulating psychological tactics. Some of the content was exactly what Old Du had told him before, though it was clear Old Du had withheld much from him, sharing only a superficial fraction. Having finished the book, Chen Xuewen felt a profound impact. He finally understood why Old Du had regarded this book so highly. The contents could fundamentally alter a person’s worldview. If one could master "The Art of the Mind," it would be enough to propel an ordinary person to the pinnacle of power.

Feeling as though he had discovered a treasure, Chen Xuewen clutched "The Art of the Mind" and read it through the night, his thirst for knowledge unquenchable. By the time he finished, it was already the early hours of the morning.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Startled, Chen Xuewen grabbed a dagger and hid it in his sleeve before walking to the door and asking, "Who is it?"

"It's me," came the voice of Wu Lihong from outside.

Chen Xuewen paused. Why was she here again? He opened the door, and Wu Lihong, dressed in a short skirt and looking incredibly bewitching, walked straight in. She reeked of alcohol and appeared quite disheveled; she staggered and collapsed onto the sofa.

Chen Xuewen frowned slightly, but still poured her a glass of water. "Why are you here?"

Wu Lihong downed the water in one gulp and leaned back against the sofa. "I got off work, and I had nowhere to go, so I thought I’d stay at your place for the night. What, is it inconvenient?"

"It’s not that," Chen Xuewen replied. "It’s just that I’m the only one home right now. For a girl like you to stay here..."

Wu Lihong cut him off. "Pfft, I’m not afraid, what are you afraid of? You don’t think you’re going to eat me, do you?"

As she spoke, she reclined on the sofa, crossing her legs. Her slender, shapely legs, clad in high heels, swayed back and forth as if to provoke him.

Chen Xuewen sighed helplessly. "Alright then, which room do you want?"

"Whichever," she replied.

In the end, Chen Xuewen had no choice but to give his room to Wu Lihong while he went to his parents' room. Lying in bed, he felt restless. After all, he was a young man, and with a beautiful woman sleeping just next door, it was inevitable that he would have certain thoughts. Eventually, however, he suppressed these urges and forced himself to fall asleep.