Xiangzi and Girl Hu exchanged brief, polite words.

Girl Hu, head down, shoved a stack of ledgers his way. “Check today’s books. See if anything’s off.”

Xiangzi took the ledgers, poring over them by candlelight, marking errors with a charcoal pencil.

Their relationship wasn’t what the rumors suggested.

No matter how plain Girl Hu’s looks, she was Harmony’s sole heir—hardly likely to fancy a third-class puller.

As for Xiangzi, he had no such inclinations.

He wasn’t into that kind of trouble.

Fourth Master Liu’s rules were strict: daily accounts had to be reviewed.

Though they were just pennies and dimes, hundreds of entries piled up could make your eyes cross.

Girl Hu used to toil past midnight. Since Xiangzi started helping, she’d saved a lot of effort.

After about an hour, Xiangzi flagged a few errors and neatened the stack. “Fourth Master, three entries don’t add up—a silver dollar short in total.”

Fourth Master Liu, who knew only a few numbers, took the ledgers and studied them earnestly.

In the candlelight, his scarred face flushed faintly as he clucked. “Xiangzi, your math’s sharper than those schoolhouse scholars.”

“Xiangzi, it’s not right to keep leaning on you like this. How should I thank you?”

Fourth Master Liu was a man of the jianghu – his words were often just courtesy.

This past month, he’d said the same at the end of every accounting session.

But today was different. Xiangzi’s face grew serious as he cupped his hands. “Fourth Master, I met Ma Liu’s Fat Master today.”

Fourth Master Liu’s smile froze, the kerosene lamp casting a shadow that darkened his face.

“Xiangzi, tell me slowly.”

Xiangzi recounted everything, from Liu Tang’s errand to the events at Baolin Martial Hall.

When he mentioned Fan Fatty offering fifty silver dollars and a first-class puller’s spot for Harmony’s ore-hauling books, Fourth Master Liu slammed the table, tea splashing high.

This touched his raw nerve.

Harmony and Ma Liu, neighbors, had clashed for years, fighting over turf and business.

But the ore books and routes? Those were the yard’s lifeblood.

Without them, how could they deal with the embassy district?

The room fell so quiet you could hear the lamp wick crackle.

Fourth Master Liu stared at Xiangzi for a long moment, then broke into a grin. “Good lad! Anyone else would’ve been dazzled by those fifty silver dollars!”

“Xiangzi, you handled this like a true man!”

Xiangzi clasped his fists. “Fourth Master, I may be slow, but I know a full meal today can’t compare to a steady living tomorrow.”

Fourth Master Liu roared with laughter.

Then his tiger eyes fixed on Xiangzi. “They call you a fool outside, but to me, you’re sharper than a monkey!”

“By jianghu rules, Harmony owes you a big favor!”

“Name it—money, goods, anything!”

Xiangzi took a deep breath, bowing his head. “Fourth Master… I want to learn martial arts!”

Martial arts?

Fourth Master Liu’s smile froze.

Even Girl Hu looked up, startled, her gaze on Xiangzi.

In Forty-Nine City, learning martial arts wasn’t a small matter.

In Harmony’s small domain, only two places touched the martial world: the second-class pullers’ yard and the guards’ east building.

The moves taught to second-class pullers were basic, meant to strengthen bones and muscles.

Real skills? Those came from Liu Tang, trained in a proper martial hall.

So Xiangzi wanted to be a guard.

That simple?

Fourth Master Liu’s eyes held disbelief.

Rejecting Ma Liu’s offer was a massive risk.

As he’d just said, Harmony owed Xiangzi a huge debt.

And all he wanted was to be a guard?

“Xiangzi, think carefully! Being a guard means blood and blades every day—fighting thugs or taking bullets for the yard,” Fourth Master Liu said. “If you want, I’ll set up a desk in the accounting room. No wind, no rain, and as long as Harmony stands, you’ll have hot meals for life!”

This was rare sincerity from Fourth Master Liu.

For most, a bookkeeper’s job was a dream gig, hard to find even with a lantern.

But Xiangzi shook his head, stubborn. “Fourth Master, I’ve thought it through. I want to be a guard.”

Why rely on others’ handouts when you can trust your own fists?

“Good,” Fourth Master Liu said decisively. “Go to Liu Tang. Starting tomorrow, you’re a guard.”

“Regular guards get ten silver dollars a month. You’ll get fifteen.”

Xiangzi paused, then clasped his fists. “Thank you for the honor, Fourth Master!”

Without another word, he left the room.

Twilight deepened, the night breeze cool, the locust tree leaves at the alley’s mouth rustling.

Xiangzi tightened his coarse jacket, a chill creeping up his spine—Fourth Master Liu had mentioned fifty silver dollars

.

But Xiangzi hadn’t said a word about the amount.

The only answer was chilling: among the bare-chested thugs in the teahouse, there had to be Fourth Master’s spy.

Xiangzi’s heart grew cold.

Good thing he’d rejected Ma Liu outright.

If he’d agreed, his head would’ve been gone before he touched the books.

Truly, ruthless men thrive in chaotic times. A small rickshaw yard housed a cunning figure like Fourth Master Liu.

Watching Xiangzi’s retreating figure, Fourth Master Liu felt a touch of absurdity.

Xiangzi, learn martial arts?

At eighteen, what could he hope to achieve?

Martial arts prized childhood training. Every notable fighter in Forty-Nine City had honed their body from youth.

Besides, martial training was a bottomless pit. Could Xiangzi’s guard salary cover the daily food costs alone?

But Fourth Master Liu had no time to worry about Xiangzi.

His tiger eyes swept over Girl Hu’s towering frame. “Hu, tell your old man—what do you make of this?”

Girl Hu set down the ledger, propping her large feet on the kang, scratching a toe. “Depends on what you’re thinking, old man. Two paths.”

Raised motherless in the rough-and-tumble yard, Girl Hu had long lost any trace of softness.

“Ma Liu’s bold enough to target our yard—they’re up to no good. If you’re scared, sell the yard to Ma Liu. With your connections, they’ll pay a high price, right?”

“But if you can’t swallow that, bide your time, then rip Ma Liu out by the roots. Claim both Qingfeng and Baiyun Streets as South City’s rickshaw king!”

“Besides, old man, aren’t you already prepared?”

Girl Hu’s thick brows furrowed, her tone casual.

Two paths, but she knew her father couldn’t stomach defeat.

Ma Liu, thinking themselves clever with their police chief son-in-law, dared to target Harmony.

Bribing Xiangzi was one thing—yards had clashed like this for years.

But targeting the books and ore routes?

That was digging at Harmony’s roots.

With her father’s temper, he’d swallow Ma Liu whole.