Chapter 38: Going to the restaurant

The next morning, at five sharp, Lin Xiao adhered to his decade-long habit. Yet today, the elderly man he had met the day before was nowhere to be seen.

Shaking his head, Lin Xiao let the thought pass. He made a mental note to visit the Chen Martial Arts Hall when he had the time.

During his service with the Dragon Sword Squad, he had crossed paths—and even exchanged blows—with ancient martial artists.

Though revered as the Night Emperor in the underground world, Lin Xiao knew that world was vastly different from the ancient martial world. The underground world teemed with assassins, international syndicates, drug lords, mercenary groups, and shadowy organizations—its chaos fueled by the pursuit of profit.

While there were masters of ancient martial arts present, few were from the ancient martial world. The two worlds were distinctly different.

The ancient martial world was shrouded in mystery. Lin Xiao had only heard that it still preserved traditions thousands of years old, with ancient sects and families.

However, his constant military duties had never afforded him the chance to truly explore that world.

Now, having crossed paths with someone he suspected belonged to the ancient martial world, he naturally felt the urge to look deeper.

After completing his morning regimen, Lin Xiao bought breakfast and returned to Yuan Yu’s home.

This time, Yuan Yu was up early.

“Big Brother Lin, you’re awake quite early.”

Yuan Yu had assumed that waking up at six was early enough, but she was surprised to find that Lin Xiao had risen even earlier.

“I got accustomed to waking up early for training while in the army.” Lin Xiao smiled.

Yuan Yu looked at Lin Xiao with admiration. “Big Brother Lin, you’re amazing. I find it hard enough to wake up at six every day. Waking up any earlier seems impossible.”

“It’s not that hard. All you need is practice and determination. Let’s eat now. After breakfast, I’ll take you to school.”

While having breakfast, Yuan Yu suggested, “Big Brother Lin, since you’re off work today, you should rest. I can manage to go to school on my own.”

“Well, alright,” agreed Lin Xiao, after a moment’s consideration.

He recalled the stir he had caused at the school when he had dropped off Yuan Yu yesterday. Considering Yuan Yu’s reputation, he decided it would be best to avoid going to the school if possible.

“Goodbye, Big Brother Lin. Have a good rest.”

“Be careful.”

After breakfast, Yuan Yu picked up her black bag filled with books, bid Lin Xiao goodbye, and headed off to school.

As Yuan Yu departed, Lin Xiao found himself somewhat bored, sitting aimlessly on the sofa, unsure of what to do next.

His eyelids grew heavy, eventually succumbing to the urge to rest, and he ended up lying down on the sofa.

Over the past few days, Wan Caixuan had been targeted in two assassination attempts. Even though Lin Xiao maintained a composed facade, he had, in reality, exhausted a significant amount of mental and physical energy.

Although the assassins in both attempts posed little threat to him and he had easily subdued them, they operated from the shadows while he was in plain sight.

Being on constant guard to protect Wan Caixuan took a toll on Lin Xiao’s energy. He had to stay exceedingly vigilant, scrutinizing his surroundings for any potential attacks on her. Consequently, Lin Xiao was feeling quite worn out.

The ring of his phone disrupted Lin Xiao’s sleep. Glancing at his phone, he noticed it was already past ten o’clock.

He reached for the phone and answered the call.

A clear, pleasant voice came through, “Hello, is this Mr. Lin Xiao?”

“Yes, who’s this?” Lin Xiao inquired, rising from the sofa.

“Mr. Lin, it’s me. Don’t you remember? A few days ago, you drove my brother to the hospital, saving his life.”

“Oh, I remember.”

Lin Xiao recalled who was on the other end of the line. A few days ago, he had been late picking up Wan Caixuan because he’d been busy rushing this woman’s brother to the hospital.

“Is something wrong? I saw your message. I’m glad to hear your brother’s doing better,” Lin Xiao said.

“Yes, he made it out of the danger zone soon after. I’ve been by his side ever since. It wasn’t until his condition stabilized that I finally had the chance to call you,” the woman said gratefully. “Mr. Lin, do you have a bit of free time? I really want to thank you properly.”

“That won’t be necessary. I only did what anyone should have,” Lin Xiao said politely. “The important thing is that your brother’s okay. If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up now.”

“Wait, Mr. Lin!” the woman on the other end quickly added. “I know you may not think much of my gratitude, but to me, if I don’t thank you properly, it’ll weigh on my conscience for the rest of my life. Would you really let me carry that burden?”

Lin Xiao paused. He couldn’t bring himself to refuse and finally nodded. “Alright. Where shall we meet?”

“Are you free this afternoon? If so, let’s meet at East Lake Restaurant. How does that sound?”

“East Lake Restaurant, huh? Alright. I’ll see you at noon,” Lin Xiao agreed.

After ending the call, Lin Xiao freshened up. Since he wasn’t on duty, he skipped the formal suit he had set aside for such occasions and instead chose something more casual before heading out to East Lake Restaurant.

Located in Jinghai City’s East Lake District, the East Lake Hotel was one of the most prestigious establishments in the area. Known for its luxurious amenities and upscale dining, it also came with a price tag to match.

The trip from Yongnan District to the hotel was a lengthy one. Nearly an hour and a half later, Lin Xiao finally arrived at the entrance. Without hesitation, he stepped through the doors.

The restaurant inside wasn’t particularly crowded.

Near a window sat an elegant woman. Dressed in a simple yet stylish long dress that hugged her graceful figure, she radiated a kind of refined allure. Her presence drew the attention of nearly every man in the room.

She spotted Lin Xiao as he stepped through the door, and a bright smile lit up her face. Standing gracefully, she waved him over.

Her gleeful gesture drew startled glances from the men in the restaurant who had been secretly admiring her. Curious, they followed her line of sight—only to land on Lin Xiao.

Clad in simple, casual clothes that couldn’t have cost more than 300 yuan on a Taobao street shop, Lin Xiao looked thoroughly ordinary. From his appearance to his bearing, he resembled a working-class migrant more than anything else. How had a man like him managed to win the attention of such a stunning, refined beauty? Was this some new trend they hadn’t caught wind of?

Oblivious—or perhaps indifferent—to the silent waves of envy and disbelief rolling through the room, Lin Xiao calmly made his way over and took a seat across from her.

“I apologize for being late,” Lin Xiao said as he took his seat.

The woman smiled and nodded. “No worries, I haven’t been here long.”

Not far away, a well-dressed, middle-aged man—clearly someone used to success—couldn’t help but twitch at the corner of his mouth.

He found it utterly absurd. Not only had that average-looking guy kept such a stunning woman waiting, but she was also lying for him. Not here long? He had arrived twenty minutes ago, and she had already been seated when he walked in.