Chapter 12: Great Kindness Must Be Thanked with Words
“A favor?” The middle-aged woman was clearly confused, her expression clouded with uncertainty.
“Sir, did you just say you needed a favor?” she asked again, her tone cautious and wary.
This time, Zhang Shen replied with firm conviction, “Yes, you misheard. I do have a favor to ask.”
“What is it? If it’s about your medical fee, I must admit I didn’t bring much with me today…” The woman thought it reasonable that the young man who had just saved her daughter might ask for compensation. However, she wanted to be upfront, as she didn’t have much cash on her.
“No, no, you’ve misunderstood me,” Zhang Shen replied, but hesitated, realizing this was hardly a dignified matter to discuss aloud. Instead, he took out his phone and typed a note: “Could you please pay for my meal? I forgot my wallet when I went out—my deepest thanks!”
After the woman read the message on his phone, she simply nodded and said, “Of course, that’s no problem.”
Hearing this, Zhang Shen took Jiang Muyun’s small hand and strolled leisurely out of the restaurant.
Everyone’s gaze was fixed on the little girl; no one noticed whether Zhang Shen and Jiang Muyun had settled their bill. By the time they realized, the pair was already gone.
After tidying her daughter’s hair, the woman approached the cashier and said, “Please charge the bill of the gentleman who saved my daughter to me.”
All of this had been observed in detail by Mu Qiao. In her eyes, Zhang Shen was a young man with some medical skill but questionable character. Pressured by her boss’s orders, Mu Qiao reluctantly sent a message to Jiang Zhengxing:
“Boss: I’ve seen Miss Jiang. As you expected, she’s with Zhang Shen. But from what I’ve observed, Zhang Shen is someone who relies on his wits to eat and drink for free wherever he can. Miss Jiang may suffer losses if she stays with him. What should I do next? Please advise.”
Within two seconds, Mu Qiao’s phone vibrated with a reply.
“Keep observing. If anything unusual occurs, bring Miss Jiang back at once.”
Mu Qiao understood her boss’s concern for his sister, but she also hoped that if she could quickly bring Jiang Muyun back, her assignment would be over. With that in mind, she began to devise a series of plans.
…
Meanwhile, Zhang Shen was guiding Jiang Muyun through the bustling alleys of Shunyi Lane, seemingly oblivious to any oddities. Jiang Muyun, however, felt slightly embarrassed—since leaving the restaurant, Zhang Shen had never let go of her hand.
As she was caught between feelings of happiness and confusion, Zhang Shen’s words, “We’re here,” pulled her from her reverie.
Looking up, Jiang Muyun saw a familiar storefront: “Storm and Cloud Internet Café,” where Zhang Shen worked as a network administrator. After all that, he’d just brought her to work!
Her heart, just moments before aflame with excitement, instantly cooled by half.
“Zhang Shen, what took you so long? My boyfriend’s been waiting forever!” Chen Tingting, having spotted Zhang Shen through the window, hurried out to greet him.
“Sorry, Tingting, something held me up,” Zhang Shen replied apologetically, forcing a smile.
Noticing Zhang Shen still holding Jiang Muyun’s hand, Chen Tingting immediately understood.
“It’s fine. Just let me know next time if something like this happens,” she said, clearly mistaking their relationship.
“Tingting, it’s not what you think!” Zhang Shen protested.
“Oh? Did I guess wrong?” Chen Tingting teased, making a face before clicking away on her high heels, leaving Zhang Shen and Jiang Muyun standing awkwardly in the wind.
“Well, what are you standing around for? Let’s go in!” Zhang Shen said, pulling Jiang Muyun inside.
He settled her at a computer, quickly setting up an all-night session for her, then turned his attention back to his medical studies.
As for Jiang Muyun, her mind was elsewhere.
“What was really going on with that patient earlier? Something seemed off,” she said, looking at Zhang Shen with earnest curiosity, hoping he would explain.
“Not bad, little one. You actually noticed something. I must have underestimated you before,” Zhang Shen replied.
“Hmph! If you keep this up, I won’t talk to you anymore,” she pouted, turning away angrily.
Amused by her display, Zhang Shen reached out and pinched her cheek.
It’s often said that a girl’s skin is as tender as water—Zhang Shen now believed it, unable to let go for a moment.
…
“Hey, look, doesn’t this guy look familiar?”
“Yeah, I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before.”
“Wait, I definitely saw him just now…”
“Isn’t he the network admin here?”
The noise from the crowd shattered Zhang Shen and Jiang Muyun’s peace. At first, Zhang Shen thought these people wanted to renew their internet time, but their next words made him uneasy.
“A reward is being offered to find this person. If you spot him, contact the patient’s family immediately.”
“Savior? Patient?” Zhang Shen was confused.
Nevertheless, a few regulars actually pulled out their phones and called the number from the missing person notice.
“Hello? Is this Mrs. Li? The person you’re looking for is at the Storm and Cloud Internet Café in Shunyi Lane.”
Zhang Shen wanted nothing more than to strangle the caller. He hadn’t even figured out what was going on, and now someone was acting on his behalf. If it was one of those “reward for miracle children” scams, his life would be ruined.
As Zhang Shen was lost in wild speculation, Jiang Muyun rapped him lightly on the head.
“Hey! What are you daydreaming about? You’re not up to anything good, are you?”
“Of course not,” Zhang Shen replied, trying to look innocent, though his guilty grimace gave him away.
“If I were you, the first thing I’d do is figure out what’s really going on. If something unexpected happens, you won’t know how to deal with it,” Jiang Muyun said, her tone deliberately grave—but her words reminded Zhang Shen what he needed to do.
He immediately opened his browser, only to find that Yuhu City’s top news story of the day was “Reward Offered for Missing Person!” Most crucially, the article featured a photo of him taken when he’d saved the patient.