Chapter Eighty-Nine: Remuneration
Yang Haoran had no intention of continuing to involve himself in the Wu family's affairs. He was a Night Watcher for the Underworld Office, a guardian of the night. His duty was to guide spirits and subdue malevolent entities; he only needed to fulfill the responsibilities within his purview. As for matters outside his duties, it wasn't that he couldn't handle them, but that depended entirely on his mood.
After chatting with Guan Hai for a while longer, neither of them continued their previous line of conversation. Guan Hai wanted to know how Yang Haoran had sustained his injuries, while Yang Haoran wanted to know what Guan Hai had seen in the illusion last night.
Both seemed to have their own reservations, so neither gave the other a satisfactory answer.
After their usual banter, Guan Hai left. Yang Haoran had wanted to keep him for lunch, but Guan Hai found the idea of going back for a nap far more appealing than eating.
Unable to persuade Guan Hai, Yang Haoran didn't force the issue and simply let him leave.
Guan Hai had his own way of life, and naturally, Yang Haoran wouldn't impose his own ideas on him.
Yang Haoran watched Guan Hai depart. Not long after, a luxury car pulled up outside Yang Haoran's convenience store. Seeing the extravagant vehicle, Yang Haoran's eyebrows twitched, as if he'd already guessed something.
The car door opened, and a person stepped out. Yang Haoran recognized him; it was none other than the Wu family's butler.
After getting out, the butler quickly opened another door, and Old Master Wu and Wu Xiaoxiao stepped out one after another.
Although all three wore smiles, the meanings behind them differed.
Wu Xiaoxiao's smile was an outward expression of her inner happiness; beyond joy, her gaze towards Yang Haoran also held a hint of adoration.
The butler's smile was quite polite, but from his eyes, Yang Haoran still discerned a touch of gratitude.
As for Old Master Wu, his smile was amiable, yet Yang Haoran couldn't glean anything from his eyes.
Indeed, old ginger is spicier. For Old Master Wu to have reached his current standing, his shrewdness was undoubtedly profound; otherwise, he would have long since fallen.
Yang Haoran sighed internally, thinking how Yang Lu wasn't content after successfully seducing Wu Junior, and now harbored designs on Old Master Wu himself. If she truly crossed paths with Old Master Wu, she would likely find all her efforts in vain, ultimately being played until nothing was left.
"Young Brother Yang, how are you? Your injuries aren't too serious, are they?"
Old Master Wu arrived before Yang Haoran, greeting him with a smile. As he spoke, his smile grew even more amiable.
Though Yang Haoran wouldn't be deceived by the other party's outward amiability, a guest was still a guest, and he wouldn't abandon proper etiquette.
He struggled to stand up, a pained expression on his face.
In truth, it wouldn't have been so painful for Yang Haoran to stand. While his injuries hadn't healed, they weren't severe as long as he avoided strenuous movement.
Furthermore, he could have completely risen to greet Old Master Wu and the other two the moment they approached. Instead, he waited until they were right in front of him before struggling painfully from his chair, trying to stand. This, of course, was an act for them.
Leaving the Wu family last night, he hadn't received their remuneration. Now, with Old Master Wu personally visiting his convenience store, Yang Haoran figured the man must have come bearing payment.
Therefore, he felt he needed to put on a bit of a show—not overly pained, but certainly not too relaxed—to convey to Old Master Wu that, to settle his family's troubles, he, Yang Haoran, had given his utmost, even risking his life. The remuneration could only be more, not less.
Moreover, struggling to stand not only demonstrated his current poor physical condition but also fully highlighted his politeness and respect for Old Master Wu.
A simple act of rising to greet a guest was twisted into a performance by Yang Haoran. Seeing this, Old Master Wu quickly stopped Yang Haoran, urgently saying, "Lie down, just lie down! You're injured, so don't move around carelessly. You might tear your wounds!"
"That's right, Brother Yang, it's better for you to lie down like this. What if you accidentally fall? That would be troublesome. I think, in your current state, it would be better to go to the hospital and receive proper treatment. " Wu Xiaoxiao also spoke, her face filled with worry.
"No need for the hospital, I have my own methods for recovering from injuries."
Yang Haoran forced a faint smile, then, under Old Master Wu's insistence, he smoothly stopped struggling and slowly lay back in the chair.
"I'm truly sorry, it's quite difficult for me to get up in my current state, so. . . sigh, it's truly impolite of me. I hope the three of you don't mind. " Yang Haoran wore a contrite expression, looking as if it came from the heart, showing no flaw whatsoever.
"Not at all, not at all. Your intention is what matters. Besides, if we're truly speaking of impoliteness, it's our Wu family who is at fault. If it weren't for our family's troubles, you wouldn't have been injured. " Old Master Wu quickly waved his hand, his own face showing an expression of shame.
Yang Haoran's heart remained unruffled, but on his face, he displayed a look of pleasant surprise. He quickly spoke, "Not at all, not at all, Old Master Wu, you're overstating it. It was merely a small effort, a trivial matter, truly not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning at all!"
As his voice trailed off, Yang Haoran feigned a few violent coughs. This frail demeanor bore no resemblance to a "small effort" at all; anyone unaware would surely think he had climbed a mountain of blades for the Wu family.
Seeing this, Wu Xiaoxiao's worry intensified. Yang Haoran observed her, and couldn't help but sigh again, lamenting that Wu Xiaoxiao was indeed a naive child.
Old Master Wu's face also showed concern, and he even gently patted Yang Haoran's back, appearing like an elder caring for a junior.
However, Yang Haoran didn't take Old Master Wu's reaction to heart.
"This time, if Young Brother Yang hadn't intervened, our Wu family would have no idea what chaos might have erupted. To you, Young Brother Yang, our entire Wu family is truly grateful."
Before Yang Haoran could speak again, Old Master Wu shot a glance at the butler. The latter understood, pulling out a bank card and handing it to Old Master Wu with both hands.
"There are two hundred thousand New Beginning Coins in this card; it's the remuneration for Young Brother Yang's efforts this time. Later, I'll have the butler transfer another one hundred thousand New Beginning Coins into the card as additional compensation for Young Brother Yang's injuries. Though the amount might be a bit small, it is my sincere token of appreciation, and I hope Young Brother Yang won't refuse."
Speaking thus, Old Master Wu handed the card to Yang Haoran, his face still bearing that amiable smile.
Yang Haoran's heart quickened slightly. This time, he genuinely felt that Old Master Wu was truly amiable and endearing.
The reason he was acting was precisely to achieve such a result. Old Master Wu was very perceptive; regardless of whether he saw through Yang Haoran's true intentions, the price had certainly been raised, by a full one hundred thousand!
Yang Haoran didn't let the excitement in his heart show on his face. He still appeared utterly calm and weak. After a few coughs, he spoke with a wry smile.
"Old Master Wu, you're too polite. Injuries are unavoidable when handling such matters; one can only blame their own limited ability, not others. However, since I agreed to help you, I would have resolved the issue completely, even if it meant risking my life. Therefore, you needn't give any extra compensation; this is what I should do."
Old Master Wu chuckled upon hearing this. "Alright, there's no need to be so formal with me. I came here today empty-handed, which is already quite impolite. Don't make things difficult for an old man like me."
"This. . ."
Yang Haoran looked at the bank card being offered, his face bashful and troubled, making no move to accept it.
Wu Xiaoxiao, standing by, couldn't bear it any longer. She snatched the bank card from Old Master Wu's hand and forcefully shoved it into Yang Haoran's arms.
"Brother Yang, it's just a small sum. Just take it quickly. I see your little convenience store is small and the environment isn't great, so you probably aren't too well-off. Don't be polite."
The speaker had no intention, but the listener took it to heart. Yang Haoran's expression froze, and Old Master Wu's smile also turned awkward.
Sometimes, what's most dreaded in human interactions?
It's honest people, especially those who are naive and innocent.
Although Wu Xiaoxiao was a bit naive, she wasn't stupid. The moment the words left her mouth, she realized she had likely said the wrong thing. Sure enough, seeing Yang Haoran and her grandfather's reactions were off, she knew her guess was correct.
"I didn't mean to say Brother Yang was poor, I just meant that little bit of money really isn't much. . . No, no, I meant that our family isn't short on money, no, no—"
Wu Xiaoxiao tried to explain, but in her haste, her words became incoherent, and the more she explained, the worse it got. Her rambling was so much that even the butler, standing by, couldn't stand it anymore and pretended to pull out his phone to take a call.
"How are you speaking, child? If you don't know how to speak, then don't! Young Brother Yang is a man of true skill; with his abilities, acquiring wealth would be as easy as catching something with his hand. Stop making a fool of yourself here! " Old Master Wu's face showed displeasure as he rebuked Wu Xiaoxiao.
"No, don't misunderstand, I meant to say—"
"Don't say anything else, I can tell you're an honest child. " Yang Haoran said with a laugh, though his smile was somewhat strained.
Old Master Wu wanted to scold Wu Xiaoxiao a few more times. Seeing this, Yang Haoran quickly interjected, urging, "Old Master, please don't lecture Xiaoxiao anymore. She was merely stating a fact; she didn't say anything wrong."
"Young Brother Yang, Xiaoxiao hasn't entered society yet, and we usually lack proper discipline for her at home, so she's not very good with words. Please don't take it to heart. " Old Master Wu said with an apologetic expression.
"No harm done. I didn't feel any sarcasm in her words. Besides, everyone who knows me knows I'm not a petty person, so of course, I wouldn't take such a small matter to heart."
Yang Haoran truly didn't take Wu Xiaoxiao's words to heart, but whether he was a petty person or not, that remained to be seen.
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