Chapter 268: Ups and Downs

When she woke up, her head throbbed as if she were suffering from a hangover. But unlike a hangover, her entire body felt feverish, as though she were trapped inside a furnace. The discomfort was unbearable, and she couldn’t help but let out a groan.

Before long, she sensed someone approaching.

Instinctively, she tried to sit up, but a sudden, sharp pain in her waist stopped her.

“Don’t move—it’s me.”

Hearing his voice, she breathed a sigh of relief. Squinting against the piercing light, she slowly made out his face.

“Where is this place?”

“Don’t worry, you’re safe here.”

“Am I going to die?” Zhang Qian asked, staring at him.

“Do you think you’re a good person?”

She was taken aback. “Why would you ask that?”

“Because only good people die young.”

Zhang Qian gave a bitter smile. “I guess I won’t die just yet.”

Then she chuckled and scolded, “Couldn’t you just tell me I won’t die? Why beat around the bush with so much nonsense?”

“Maybe I was bored.”

“Ugh, you’re still as annoying as ever,” she muttered.

Lei Yin smiled and sat by her bedside. “The bullet’s been removed, but you lost a lot of blood and have a high fever. I’ve given you an antipyretic and antibiotics, so your fever should subside by tonight—provided you don’t move around and tear your wound open.”

“Don’t treat me like I’m an idiot,” she retorted.

Her throat was parched after speaking, but she knew she couldn’t drink water after losing so much blood, so she endured the discomfort.

Sensing her struggle, Lei Yin said, “Get some more sleep. You’ll feel better when you wake up.”

Zhang Qian nodded and closed her eyes.

As Lei Yin was about to close the door, he heard a faint voice say, “Thanks.”

Smiling, he quietly shut the door.

By midday the next day, Zhang Qian had fully regained consciousness and was able to consume some liquid food.

She fiddled with the bullet that had been removed from her body and smiled. “Looks like you saved me this time. But don’t expect me to thank you—I helped you once too, so we’re even now.”

Lei Yin didn’t respond, simply observing her. She seemed more cheerful than before. Previously, while captivatingly beautiful, there had always been a coldness in her eyes.

“Hey, why are you staring at me like that? Do you actually want me to repay you?” Her soft, lilting voice carried the charm unique to women from the Jiangnan region.

“I’d count myself lucky if you didn’t cause me trouble. How could I possibly dream of you repaying me?”

“Good. At least you know your place.” Zhang Qian covered her mouth and chuckled.

Lei Yin had always found it curious why most women covered their mouths when they laughed. If someone had unattractive teeth, it might make sense, but women like her—and others he knew—had perfect teeth and didn’t need to hide anything.

Though he had lived a previous life as a woman, at his core, he was still a man and couldn’t fully understand such behavior.

Shrugging off these idle thoughts, he asked, “Who were those people chasing you?”

Her expression soured as she glared at him. “You really know how to ruin the mood. Why bring up such depressing topics?”

Lei Yin smiled. “It’s unpleasant, sure. But it’s a matter of life and death. Sooner or later, we have to talk about it—better now than later.”

Zhang Qian sighed. “I really don’t know how your fiancée puts up with you.”

“Fish can’t understand the joy of being a bird, can they?”

Her gaze momentarily turned melancholic. “Back in elementary school, my teacher assigned us to write an essay on ‘My Ambition.’ Do you know what I wrote?”

“An angelic face and a devilish figure? If that’s the case, then congratulations—you’ve achieved your dream,” Lei Yin teased.

She rolled her eyes. “Do you think an elementary schooler would wish for something like that?”

“You never know. Maybe you were precocious. Besides, kids these days are way ahead of their time—kindergarteners already know how to date.”

“Stop making excuses.”

“Fine, fine, I’m wrong. So, what did you write?”

After a moment of silence, she rested her head on her knees and murmured, “I wrote that I wanted to be a good wife someday.”

Lei Yin found her answer amusing but quickly felt a pang of sorrow.

He knew that she had lost her parents at a young age and had endured a harsh life. Her desires weren’t for beauty or wealth—she simply longed for a home.

Suddenly, she felt a warm touch on her head. Looking up, she saw Lei Yin gently stroking her hair, his eyes filled with a soft warmth.

Under normal circumstances, being treated like a child by a man seven or eight years younger than herself would have made her feel uncomfortable. But at this moment, she didn’t resist. She simply wanted to savor his touch in silence.

Zhang Qian’s feelings toward Lei Yin had always been complicated.

Her unique background and the ugliness she’d seen behind men’s polished exteriors made it hard for her to feel anything for them. Even with Lei Yin—a man she didn’t dislike and might even have some affection for—it was no different.

Though they had once shared an intimate encounter, it had been more an emotional release than a genuine expression of love.

Although this man was much younger than her, she often felt a peculiar illusion, as though he were someone from her father’s generation. Being with him gave her a unique sense of security. Perhaps it was this inexplicable feeling that made her show vulnerability in front of him, even initiating an intimate encounter with him.

Acting as if nothing had happened, she moved his hand from her head to her face, then gazed at him and asked, “Why are you so kind to me? Are you pitying me?”

Lei Yin replied bluntly, “You have an angelic face and a devilish figure; no one would pity you.”

Zhang Qian laughed.

After a moment, she said, “There are some things I shouldn’t tell you, but General Yang Xiao sees you as one of his own, and I accidentally let it slip while unconscious. So, it’s not really my fault.” As she spoke, a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes.

Lei Yin understood her meaning and responded with mock seriousness, “You’re absolutely right. You’re still unconscious, and I’m just overhearing your sleep talk.”

Seeing how he played along, Zhang Qian couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Once her laughter subsided, she said, “Actually, my mission this time was to investigate the Andes cult, a newly emerging religious group. You’ve probably heard of it, right?”

Lei Yin nodded, waiting for her to continue.

Zhang Qian went on, “Originally, this religious organization, which originated in Europe, had no conflict with us. But recently, the Ministry of Defense discovered that this group has been making efforts to infiltrate various Asian countries, and the trend is becoming increasingly apparent. Normally, we wouldn’t interfere with religious organizations. However, during the investigation, it was found that many wealthy individuals and officials in European countries are followers of this cult.

What’s even more baffling is that these wealthy people and officials secretly try every means to raise funds for the cult, and the amounts involved are staggering. Some officials have even donated embezzled funds to the organization.

To prevent this religious group from attempting similar actions in our country, the National Security Bureau assigned a few agents to investigate the Andes cult. However, they failed to uncover much, and two colleagues who successfully infiltrated the organization even went missing.

The two missing agents weren’t ordinary people. One was an esper like me, and the other was a skilled operative proficient in many disciplines. Logically, no matter how bad the situation, they should have been able to protect themselves. But they just disappeared.

Since I’m more familiar with foreign affairs and my abilities are relatively strong, headquarters reassigned me from Lei Li’s side to carry out this mission. But don’t worry, we’ve sent two other espers to replace me and protect your senior brother, Lei Li.”

Hearing “Senior Brother Lei Li,” Lei Yin felt a bit uncomfortable. The thought of suddenly being demoted from that kid’s master to his junior brother was depressing. But there was no helping it—he had crafted this lie himself and had to endure the consequences.

Unaware of Lei Yin’s odd expression, Zhang Qian continued, “Originally, I planned to infiltrate their headquarters in France. However, for some reason, their vetting process for new believers suddenly became extremely strict, and I couldn’t get in. So, I settled for their Tokyo branch instead. I heard that a scandal involving a leader there caused chaos in the Tokyo branch, so I thought I could take advantage of the disorder to infiltrate.

With the help of some colleagues, I finally succeeded in joining as a candidate believer. But when I saw the rituals they performed, I was shocked.”

Lei Yin interjected, “You can skip the part about the rituals.”

Zhang Qian was taken aback. “You’ve seen their rituals?”

“I’ll answer that question later. Continue with the rest.”

Casting a puzzled glance at him, Zhang Qian said, “Three months later, I officially became a member of the cult and could freely move about the church. However, I discovered that the third floor of the church was off-limits. Guards were stationed there, and even the two deacons couldn’t enter, only the newly appointed leader could. I thought the cult’s secrets might be hidden there, so one night, I sneaked up to investigate.”

Lei Yin narrowed his eyes, sensing that her mission wouldn’t go smoothly. After his previous rampage there, the security measures must have been significantly strengthened.

Sure enough, Zhang Qian gave a bitter smile and said, “I didn’t expect that just as I was about to open one of the rooms, a dozen armed church staff surrounded me. As you know, someone like me, with special abilities, isn’t usually in danger even when faced with guns. But I didn’t expect that the new leader was also an esper, and his abilities were on par with mine.”

Hearing this, Lei Yin was surprised. Zhang Qian was not an ordinary esper. She had undergone gene fusion experiments, making her far more powerful than most naturally gifted espers.

It seemed as though she could read his thoughts. Zhang Qian said, “I was just as surprised. Aside from the other modified special espers who are already dead, this was the first time I encountered someone with such strong powers. With over a dozen people pointing guns at me, I had no choice but to escape. However, during my confrontation with that leader, I overexerted myself, and someone pursuing me managed to shoot me. The rest, you should already know.”

“A powerful esper, huh?” Lei Yin muttered to himself. He began to feel that the Andes cult held more secrets than he initially imagined.

At this moment, Zhang Qian asked, “Now it’s your turn to answer my question.”

“What question?”

“Don’t play dumb with me.” Zhang Qian glared at him indignantly.

With a smirk, Lei Yin replied, “You guessed right. I have indeed seen one of their ceremonies. Moreover, I know some of their hidden secrets. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you—the chaos at the Andes’ Tokyo branch not too long ago? That was my doing.”

Zhang Qian stared at him as if she had seen a ghost.

Lei Yin found her expression amusing and, trying to suppress his laughter, feigned nonchalance. “Your wound has just been redressed. Get some rest; I’ll be leaving now.”

Suddenly, Zhang Qian grabbed his collar. “You bastard. If you don’t explain everything to me today, you’re not going anywhere.”

“Calm down, will you? Watch out, or your wound might reopen.”

“Who cares! Just spill everything you know, word for word!” Zhang Qian looked like a furious wife who had just caught her husband red-handed.

Her reaction was understandable. After expending so much manpower, resources, and time to infiltrate and investigate, her mission ended in failure. Not only did she come up empty-handed, but she also alarmed the enemy and got shot in the process. Now, hearing that this man knew something about the cult’s secrets made the sudden shift in her emotions feel almost unreal.

Lei Yin realized that if he didn’t explain, she might truly lose it. So, he sat back down and stopped teasing her.

After leaving Zhang Qian, Lei Yin drove toward China Town.

Since China Town had only recently opened less than a month ago, there was a mountain of issues to address. As the hidden boss, Lei Yin couldn’t always remain uninvolved. Whenever he had the time, he would return to lend a hand.

When he entered his office, the newly hired secretary greeted him, “Mr. Gennai, Miss Huang just called looking for you. Should I inform her?”

Lei Yin nodded. “Tell her to come over.”

“Also, Manager Zhang asked me to pass three documents to you for review this morning. I’ve placed them on your desk.”

“Got it, thank you.” With that, Lei Yin opened the door to his office.

Sitting in his chair, he casually powered on his computer.

While waiting for the system to boot, he quietly mulled over some thoughts.

After a while, the ringing of a phone interrupted his musings.

Lei Yin pressed the intercom button on his desk. “What is it?”

“Miss Huang has arrived.”

“Let her in.” She was fast.

“You’re finally back. I almost thought you went missing and was about to call the police,” said Huang Yin, the current financial director of China Town, half-jokingly as she walked in.

“What’s so urgent?”

“There are several payments awaiting your signature. Also, here’s the income and expenditure summary for this month.” Huang Yin handed him several documents and a ledger.

Lei Yin picked up the documents and began reviewing them carefully.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

When it opened, his secretary entered with a tray holding two cups of coffee.

After placing one in front of him, Huang Yin thanked her.

Picking up his coffee, Lei Yin suddenly said, “Miss Guo, if it’s not too much trouble, could you bring me tea next time?”

The secretary froze momentarily, then smiled. “Got it.”

After she left, Huang Yin teasingly remarked, “Men are all the same: the uglier the wife, the more secure they feel; the prettier the secretary, the happier they are. With such a beautiful secretary, better watch out—your fiancée might get jealous.”

“Jealous, my foot. That’s Zhang Mingyu’s hire, nothing to do with me,” Lei Yin retorted grumpily.

Huang Yin shrugged. “I just hope you’re not saying one thing and thinking another.”

Ignoring her, Lei Yin continued reviewing the documents and ledger.

Although Huang Yin was technically his subordinate, she also owned an accounting firm still in operation. Even if it were taken over, she would remain a boss in her own right. Knowing that Lei Yin disliked putting on airs, she had become quite casual in her interactions with him over time.

After a while, Lei Yin closed the ledger and looked up. “From the looks of it, China Town’s income situation is much better than we anticipated.”

Huang Yin nodded and said, “If this progress continues, we should be able to recover the full investment within three years.”

Taking a sip of coffee, Lei Yin asked, “How many vacant shop spaces are left in China Town?”

“You’d need to ask Zhang Mingyu for the exact number. But as far as I know, there are about ten or so, with varying shop sizes.”

Lei Yin paused in thought. “Yesterday, Mingyu told me there are a few businesses in the home appliance and IT sectors interested in moving into China Town. My original plan was to maintain a traditional atmosphere for the area, but Mingyu made a good point—being too traditional might make it seem out of touch with the times. I’m inclined to agree to let them in.”

“Do whatever you want; you’re the boss. It’s all up to you,” Huang Yin replied nonchalantly, showing no sense of responsibility.

As they continued discussing a few other matters, the secretary suddenly informed Lei Yin through the intercom, “Miss Hasegawa is here.”

“We’ll talk next time. If I’m free tomorrow, I’ll come by again,” Lei Yin said to Huang Yin.

Huang Yin chuckled. “Next time it is. I’m already used to being taken advantage of. But a word of caution—the soundproofing here isn’t great.” With a mischievous smile, she walked to the door.

Lei Yin smiled to himself. This woman has her quirks too.

—

“Miss Naoko, you’re here. Is that for Mr. Gennai?”

“Could it be the soup you mentioned last time, made with those ingredients?”

Seeing her blushing, Huang Yin teased, “Alright, I won’t laugh at you. I’ll be on my way.”

After saying goodbye to Huang Yin at the door, Naoko, her face slightly flushed, walked into the room carrying a thermos. Lei Yin approached her, took her delicate hand, and led her to the sofa.

As Naoko placed the thermos on the coffee table, Lei Yin asked, “What’s inside?”

“It’s soup I made. But I’ve never made this kind of thing before, so I’m not sure how it tastes,” Naoko said as she opened the thermos.

Curious, Lei Yin asked, “Who taught you to make soup?” He knew Japanese people typically didn’t prepare slow-cooked soups; even making clear broth was considered decent.

Naoko smiled. “Miss Huang taught me. She said slow-cooked soup is more nutritious. So, I looked up some information online, and today is my first attempt.”

Lei Yin smiled. “You really take her advice seriously.”

After she poured a bowl of soup, Lei Yin took a sip.

Naoko watched him nervously, like a student awaiting their grades.

After a moment, Lei Yin glanced at her and then drank the entire bowl in one go. Only then did Naoko smile with relief.

Lei Yin realized that intelligent and patient women could excel at anything they set their minds to.

After finishing the rest of the soup in the thermos, Naoko took out a prepared handkerchief and gently wiped his mouth.

As she finished, Lei Yin gave a wry smile. “One of these days, you’ll spoil me into becoming the type of man who can’t even lift a finger.”

Naoko chuckled softly. “If that happens, I’ll help you get dressed and feed you.”

Though simple, her words filled Lei Yin with emotion, and he couldn’t help but lift her into his arms, holding her close.

Like a contented cat, Naoko rested against his chest.

After a while, Lei Yin suddenly asked, “Naoko, when you were in elementary or middle school, did you ever write essays like My Ambition or What I Want to Be When I Grow Up?”

Naoko thought for a moment and said, “Yes, in second grade, the teacher once asked us to write an essay titled My Ambition.”

In a soft voice, Naoko added, “Don’t laugh at me, okay? Back then, I wrote that I wanted to be an ice cream vendor.”

Lei Yin, intrigued, asked, “Why would you have such a dream?”

“Because near where I lived, there was someone like that. Every time he came around, the children playing nearby would gather around him. I was really envious of him back then.”

Lei Yin pondered for a moment and then understood. Her dream likely stemmed from a lonely childhood.

Due to her heart condition, she couldn’t play outside like other children. Perhaps the only way she could see that ice cream vendor was through a window.

Gently stroking her hair, Lei Yin said, “No matter how much ice cream you make in the future, I’ll eat every single one.”

“Silly, ice cream vendors don’t necessarily make their own ice cream.” Moved by his words, Naoko hugged him tightly around the waist.