Which way to go is the road?

The study is a suite within the main house. On the right is a mahogany desk with a large tabletop displaying the Four Treasures of the Study, making it convenient for writing and painting. Two armchairs are placed on either side, and the bookshelves are filled with various books.

The father and daughter hadn't talked this much in a long time. Although their words revealed a hint of worry and unease, the fact that the two women were discussing a matter on equal terms showed that they had achieved something extraordinary.

"Dad, why didn't you join the army back then? Judging from your performance when you were young, you should have really wanted to join! And with Grandpa's connections, it shouldn't have been difficult to enlist, right?"

"It's all because of your mother. She was from a poor family background and couldn't join the army. She was assigned to go to the countryside in Inner Mongolia. I couldn't bear to see her go alone, so I went to the countryside as an educated youth too! Later, we got married on the grasslands, and then you were born!"

Qian Luomei looked at the family photo in the frame on the desk and smiled happily, but then frowned when she thought of that "Ninth Master".

"Is 'Ninth Master' back to get revenge on you?"

"That old bastard's been back for half a year, hiding very well. I wonder what kind of experiences he's had outside, how he's become 'Ninth Master'! If he wanted revenge, he would have come long ago, he wouldn't have waited until now! Nor would he have specifically chosen a time when there are no customers to cause trouble! If I'm not mistaken, in your area, the other businesses haven't been threatened, and you're the only one paying protection money!"

"You're right, I've asked around, and the supermarket and restaurants next door haven't received any threats or extortions. So why are they still causing trouble at 'Shuiyunjian'?"

"It shows that this guy is almost 60 years old, but he is still immature and has such a strong competitive spirit. He still wants to beat me and wants me to bow down to him!" Old Master Qian said with a smile.

"So what should I do? Should I give him the money or not?"

"Here! Now that this old guy is back, he must be a powerful figure with connections. Maybe it's related to an official from the Northwest who was recently transferred to Yandu!"

"Are we just going to give up like this, without even trying?"

"Do you expect me, at my age, to find some people to fight him? Forget it, I owe him for what happened in the past. Let him save face and be smug! I'm so old, what's the point of arguing with him!"

"But what if he becomes even more aggressive?"

"That chaotic era is over! He wouldn't dare go too far, and even if he did, his powerful backers wouldn't allow it! Today he went a little too far, and I don't think it was at his behest; it must have been his subordinates causing trouble!"

Qian Luomei picked up the paperweight beside her, fiddling with it as she pondered, her mouth moving in various gestures as she thought. Old Master Qian remained silent, taking a small sip of his teacup, savoring it carefully before swallowing. He reviewed everything he had said, confirming that his deductions and words were flawless.

"Did you go to investigate 'Ninth Master' this afternoon?" Qian Luomei put down the paperweight, which landed on the table with a crisp sound.

"I got a quick look and was thinking of seeing that old man. After all, forty years have passed, and I thought all the hatred should have turned to ashes by now, but it seems not! I didn't see him; he said he went out! I think he's hiding from me!"

"Then we don't need to be wary of him? Or should I talk to Brother Dazhi again?"

"No need. It would be a waste of your time and effort, and it might not even work!" Old Master Qian pondered for a moment. "It might even have the opposite effect!"

Qian Luomei suddenly remembered what Fang Dazhi had said to her in the attic: "Hmm, maybe it really did have the opposite effect!"

"Why do you say that? Did Dazhi really help?"

"Last time, those three hooligans caused trouble at the internet cafe, and Lao You and his gang taught them a lesson. I called Da Zhi and reported it to the police!" Qian Luomei paused slightly at this point, "At the time, I thought it was a small matter, so I didn't tell you!"

Old Master Qian stood up from his armchair and asked, "And then?"

"Later, Brother Dazhi sent a message to 'Ninth Master,' saying they'd be here today!"

"When did this happen?"

"Two weeks ago, after half a month of nothing happening, I thought what Brother Dazhi said had worked, but..."

Grandpa Qian interrupted his daughter, "It's alright, it's alright, nothing's wrong, don't be nervous! The fact that he only took these actions two weeks later shows that Wang Jianxin isn't too vengeful! Just do as I say, send the money on time every month, and everything should be fine!"

"Dad, you know some people too, can't you go up against him? I can't stand to see you lose to your old underlings!"

"They're riding high right now; going against the tide will lead to a huge fall! Ten years younger, maybe I would have done that, but not now. In life, you have to know when to bow your head; it's not a big deal. It's a pity I only learned this at almost 60. If I had understood this sooner, I could have avoided many detours!"

"Alright! I'll do as you say. But we can't tell Xiang Fei and the others this, otherwise, those young people will be really upset."

Grandpa Qian nodded slightly, said nothing more, got up and poured the tea into the bathroom. He put in fresh tea, added boiling water, and quietly watched the tea leaves rise and swirl in the water before slowly settling to the bottom of the cup.

Qian Luomei greeted the old man, left the study and went to the living room. Finding her mother absent, she gently pushed open the bedroom door and found her mother asleep. Not wanting to disturb her mother's rest, she closed the door and tiptoed out of the main room.

They went to the west wing and called Lao You. Half an hour later, they returned to Shuiyunjian together.

Xiang Fei, Bai Xue, Dong Lu, Zhang Fang, and everyone else were not playing games as expected. Instead, they were all sitting on the sofa at the front desk, their expressions serious and focused, as if facing a formidable enemy, directly in front of the revolving door.

"Why aren't you playing games on your computers today? What are you all doing sitting here? It's like New Year's Eve. It's not the last day of the lunar year, you don't need to stay up all night like this, do you?"

Qian Luomei's feigned ease elicited only awkward smiles from everyone.

"After what happened this morning, I was worried that I'd be at a disadvantage if I was on duty here alone! It's okay if I don't play games all day, but we have to ensure the safety of our brothers and sisters!" Zhang Fang explained.

Du Xinpeng nodded seriously and said, "That's right. However, when it comes to ensuring personal safety, there are priorities. Xiang Fei is perfectly capable of protecting himself, as is Lao You, and all of you. So you all need to prioritize protecting me, since I not only lack the ability to protect myself but also play a crucial role in our team!"

"What core role? I'd like to ask!" Xiang Fei wondered.

"The strategist! Every team's strategist plays a crucial role and must be a key figure to protect!"

"Protect you my foot! I don't know what else you can do besides being funny!" Lao You and Xiang Fei were both amused.

"Exactly, and besides, you're so tall, what's the point of having such a tall stature?" Zhang Chu said indignantly.

"I'm tall, but I'm also skinny. Look at me, I'm as thin as a stick. That's a sign of calcium deficiency, which makes me prone to fractures!" Du Xinpeng never admits defeat.

"Really? It's that easy to break a bone? Let me try!"

"Me too!"

"Me too!"

……

What was supposed to be a serious matter turned into a hilarious affair thanks to Du Xinpeng's disruption. Everyone laughed and joked helplessly, and the atmosphere returned to normal.

"Isn't today Saturday? Isn't there a guild war tonight? It's 9:10 now, hurry up and log on to join the guild war! We have to win the last match, or we'll drop a rank!" Qian Luomei glanced at her watch and suddenly realized.

"By the way, the internet cafe only has three empty computers left, we don't have enough seats!"

"Double or even triple-open, we can't lose this match! Get on the computer quickly, or we'll miss it! It takes 5 minutes to boot up!"

"Zhang Chu, send your account and password to my phone, and I'll log into your account! Together, we're invincible!"

……

Watching these people bustling and noisy as usual, Qian Luomei smiled happily. How could she bear to let anything disrupt such intimacy and harmony?