Dr. Sen's Visit

"My name is Sen Ou Wai," the gentle doctor said. "First time meeting you, Shopkeeper."

Li Nai blinked, instantly putting on a professional smile, and warmly replied: "Hello, Dr. Sen, welcome."

"This is Ai Li Si." Sen Ou Wai gently pushed the little girl behind him forward. "Come, Ai Li Si, greet the shopkeeper."

The little girl named Ai Li Si looked at Li Nai, and as if frightened, silently gripped the corner of Sen Ou Wai's clothes.

"It seems I spoil her too much..." Sen Ou Wai smiled bitterly, raising his head to ask: "Shopkeeper, how should I address you?"

"Just call me Li Nai," Li Nai replied casually. Then, he considerately pulled out a chair and said thoughtfully: "It's cold standing outside in the wind. If there's anything, please come inside the shop to sit and talk."

"Then I shall trouble you," Sen Ou Wai nodded, leading Ai Li Si into the shop, not forgetting to gently close the door.

His words were polite, his gestures proper, looking like an educated, good-tempered father who extremely doted on his child. In short, he looked like an easy target to bully.

Jie Chuan Long Zhi Jie coldly observed Sen Ou Wai's every move, only withdrawing his gaze when the man sat down. He quickly ran to the counter, standing behind Li Nai before narrowing his eyes in satisfaction.

Sen Ou Wai was bumped into by this reckless youth but didn't get angry. He slowly walked to the counter, only pausing slightly when he saw only one chair had been pulled out. Looking at the youth's reaction, he knew he had successfully built his image—what could make people lower their guard more than a doctor with an obvious weakness?

But looking at the young shopkeeper smiling before him, Sen Ou Wai felt uncertain. Normally, seeing such a doting father, even out of politeness, one would pull out two chairs. If he minded the trouble, why did he actively invite them in? Perhaps he was just being paranoid. Those rumors were probably just baseless jokes.

Hiding his thoughts, Sen Ou Wai sat down naturally, glanced at Jie Chuan who was staring at him, and actively smiled, saying: "Shopkeeper Li Nai, this child really relies on you. He must be very obedient on normal days? Truly admirable. For some reason, the children I raise aren't very close to me..."

Li Nai blinked, thinking to himself that his shop didn't sell mother-and-baby products, so why did the conversation suddenly shift to a parenting channel? I am a youth of eighteen, don't drag me in to play "kind mother" with you!

"Not to mention the child I just picked up; he doesn't show his thoughts at all, sometimes even scaring me," Sen Ou Wai began to complain like any other single parent. "But my lovely Xing Zi left me... Ah, clearly I need her very much right now..."

"Customer," Li Nai interrupted with a smile, refusing to continue the small talk, "Aren't you planning to buy anything?"

Sen Ou Wai, who was about to probe, choked on his words and said helplessly: "Shopkeeper, you are indeed too direct."

"Then I will also get straight to the point," Sen Ou Wai adjusted his expression. "Shopkeeper Li Nai, I want to cooperate with you."

Li Nai blinked, waiting.

"You saw what happened tonight; that was just the beginning. When this shop becomes a tacit 'ceasefire zone,' more and more people seeking survival at night will come here." Sen Ou Wai looked out the door, as if seeing those wandering outside through the walls.

"Right now, the leader of the Gangkou Heishoudang is ill, with a volatile temper, tyrannical and incompetent. He controls a powerful machine but only knows how to expand conflicts, plunging Heng Xin into chaos. That is why the rumors spread so quickly. Perhaps everyone is too tired and is looking forward to the existence of such a 'ceasefire zone.'"

Sen Ou Wai looked seriously at Li Nai, saying in a deep voice: "Shopkeeper Li Nai, although those gathered here now are just a rabble, in the future, your shop could become a force that even the Gangkou Heishoudang must fear. Because... you are a rare hope."

Li Nai also put on a serious expression, looking straight into Sen Ou Wai's eyes.

"Oh," Li Nai said, "So in short, you still don't plan to buy anything?"

Sen Ou Wai: "..."

The expression on his face changed, the silence radiating a cold and bloody aura, suddenly transforming from a gentle father into a cold-blooded commander on the battlefield. Standing behind Li Nai, Jie Chuan immediately went on alert, warily staring at Sen Ou Wai.

"Li Nai, I'm not joking," Sen Ou Wai said coldly. "Do you really think that just by hiding, the Gangkou Heishoudang will let you off?"

Jie Chuan's deep black eyes locked onto Sen Ou Wai, his coat hem slowly extending in the darkness, turning into sharp blades silently aimed at the man opposite.

"I'm not joking either," Li Nai withdrew his smile, saying disappointedly. "It seems you really don't plan to buy anything."

He thought it was a potential new customer, but the man talked a lot and bought nothing! Truly a thief of time!

"...You really don't yield to either carrots or sticks." Sen Ou Wai narrowed his eyes, a silver light flashing in his palm. "Fine, let me see..." Sen Ou Wai held the scalpel that suddenly appeared, pointing the blade straight at Li Nai, and said in a deep voice, "Are you just playing dumb or are you truly naive?"

With that, he leaped up, swinging his scalpel as he rushed over the counter, the cold light aiming straight at Li Nai's neck.

Neither Li Nai nor Jie Chuan moved. Jie Chuan coughed lightly, pressing his hand on the red scarf wrapped around his neck, whispering: "Help me, I will use his blood to dye you."

Instantly, red silk ribbons exploded like a surging sea of blood, covering the entire space in a brilliant red, changing shape under the influence of his ability. From the darkness under the table, countless sharp spikes stabbed out, along with the red sharp tips above, simultaneously rushing toward Sen Ou Wai!

Sen Ou Wai hurriedly spun around, quickly backflipping to evade this oppressive attack, his dark red eyes looking up. A strong sense of pressure. But if he wanted to bear the "hope" to confront a force like the Gangkou Heishoudang... this much was still not enough!

A light flashed in Sen Ou Wai's eyes, and Ai Li Si silently appeared behind Li Nai, raising the giant syringe in her hand.

"Mr. Li Nai!" Jie Chuan's pupils shrank, unable to react in time.

Exploiting Jie Chuan's moment of distraction, Sen Ou Wai quickly flicked his wrist, and three scalpels held between his fingers flew straight toward Li Nai! Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Despite being at the center of the chaos, Li Nai seemed more delighted, the corners of his mouth curling up.

"Customer, the shop forbids the use of violence against the shopkeeper," Li Nai said with a smile. "Are you sure... you want to break the rules?"

Facing Jie Chuan's inescapable net of attacks, Sen Ou Wai had remained calm, but now he rarely hesitated because of a light sentence from Li Nai. Looking into those deep black eyes full of amusement, Sen Ou Wai felt a chill run down his spine, his instincts telling him to stop. But very quickly, cold reason took over, and he closed his eyes.

Li Nai's smile widened. Sen Ou Wai swung his wrist, the scalpels leaving his hand, three silver lights shooting straight toward Li Nai! Li Nai still sat still without dodging, his face full of excitement.

Just as the scalpels were about to touch Li Nai, a loud shout rang out: "Stop!"

Sen Ou Wai was startled, recognizing this voice. Although he didn't have time to think, out of trust in the owner of that voice, he still shouted: "Ai Li Si!"

Ai Li Si reacted instantly, jumping from behind Li Nai onto the counter. After three crisp "clang clang clang" sounds, the scalpels were all blocked by the syringe in her hand.

Li Nai: "..." The smile that had just bloomed on his lips instantly vanished.

Jie Chuan, who was always paying attention to Li Nai, paused slightly upon seeing his reaction, his black eyes deep in thought. In the end, what did Mr. Li Nai really want?

The red scarf moved slightly, shrinking back to its normal length, wrapping around Jie Chuan's neck like a harmless object, revealing on the floor... a cat? The voice that had stopped Sen Ou Wai just now had come from this cat. Li Nai looked toward the door, just in time to see the slightly open door slowly closing.