My Apologies for Scaring You

Su Qing left Hu Lin'er's room...

After she departed, Hu Lin'er began to dispose of the body. The process was quite simple. She used her innate divine ability to clean up the remains. As a fox demon, she was more than capable of producing a bit of Fox Fire.

The Fox Fire burned away every trace of the man. Aside from those already in the know, no one would ever discover what had happened here or that anyone had even visited the night before.

"Finally, it's done..." Hu Lin'er breathed a sigh of relief. She had finally completed one of the tasks Su Qing had given her. However, while one task was finished, she still had the ongoing duty of looking after the little one.

"I'm really starting to dislike you, you little brat," Hu Lin'er muttered with a hint of helplessness as she looked at the infant lying on the bed, staring back at her with innocent eyes. "I hope when you grow up, you won't forget how well I treated you."

She said it, but Hu Lin'er knew she wouldn't be staying with the girl forever. When the time came to part, she likely wouldn't feel much lingering attachment. After all, taking care of her was just a job.

On the other side of the inn, Su Qing found Ao Yiyi.

Ao Yiyi had just finished her sutra recitations. Seeing Su Qing approach, she leaned in with a smile and asked, "Sister Su... did anything unexpected happen last night?"

"Nothing much... just an assassin who tried to cause trouble, but Hu Lin'er took care of him," Su Qing replied casually.

"But... why would the head of the Su family do such a thing? To actually send an assassin after a child."

"Who knows? Maybe he's just mentally warped," Su Qing said with a roll of her eyes. "Forget the Su family's affairs; we have other things to do now!"

Hearing this, Ao Yiyi knew Su Qing wouldn't be bothered with that matter anymore. She asked, "Then... what's next on the agenda, Sister Su?"

"Didn't I say it yesterday? I'm opening a medical clinic here. Today, of course, we're going to pick out a location!" Su Qing gave Ao Yiyi a pointed look. "But there's no rush. We'll go after breakfast."

Only then did Ao Yiyi remember that Su Qing had indeed mentioned it the day before. She nodded obediently.

After breakfast, Su Qing and Ao Yiyi went out to wander the streets, planning to visit a brokerage to inquire about suitable locations for a clinic. Meanwhile, Hu Lin'er stayed at the inn to look after the little one as usual.

The two moved quickly and arrived at a brokerage before long. As soon as they stepped inside, several brokers swarmed toward them. Regardless of their clothing or appearance, these men converged like hyenas scenting blood. After all, this was their livelihood. They earned a commission on whatever was sold, so they were naturally eager.

Moreover, Su Qing and her companion didn't look poor. At the very least, poor people didn't wear such fine clothes or carry themselves with such refinement.

"Ladies, what are you looking for? I won't boast about much, but I've worked in this brokerage for over ten years. No matter what you need, I can recommend the best value for your money," one broker said, his face stretched into a professional smile that made it hard to tell if it was genuine.

The others chimed in as well, not forgetting to trample on their colleagues by accusing them of bragging. Such scenes were common in brokerages; everyone was used to it. If anyone was uncomfortable, it was the 'sheltered' Ao Yiyi, who found herself a bit overwhelmed by the pushy brokers.

Fortunately, Su Qing had seen many great storms and wasn't about to be flustered by a few agents. She quickly settled the group and chose one who looked relatively reliable.

Whether he was actually reliable didn't matter much to her; as long as he could help her find a shop and a location for the clinic, that was enough.

"I intend to open a medical clinic in the city. Do you have any locations or shops to recommend?" Su Qing didn't waste words and got straight to the point.

The broker's eyes lit up instantly. If these ladies were only looking for a servant or some trinkets, he might not make much, but if they wanted to buy a shop, there was a real profit to be made. For a moment, he could feel the envious glares of his peers.

Seeing the broker dazed, Su Qing arched an eyebrow and asked, "Well? Do you have any recommendations?"

The broker snapped out of it and nodded vigorously, terrified she might change her mind and go to someone else.

"Of course, of course! But how large a shop does the lady require, and in what kind of district? We have many prime locations to choose from! I'm sure there's one that will catch your eye," the broker said with a grin.

Su Qing nodded and briefly listed her requirements.

"I have just the place," the broker said, beaming. "I'll lead you there right now."

Su Qing didn't say much, merely nodding. After hearing a rough description of the location and condition, she followed him to see the shop. The first one wasn't quite right, and Su Qing wasn't satisfied, so they moved on to others.

Fortunately, Linzhou City was quite large, and there were plenty of well-positioned shops. After spending the entire morning searching, Su Qing finally found a place she liked.

Firstly, there was a high volume of foot traffic, making the shop quite visible. Secondly, she simply felt the feng shui was decent. Thirdly... Su Qing was getting tired of picking and choosing, so she decided to settle for one that was good enough.

Even though she considered it 'settling,' the shop was actually excellent. The only drawback was that it wasn't very large—just barely enough for her needs.

"I plan to buy this place. Roughly how much silver will it cost?" Su Qing turned to ask.

The broker was stunned, shocked by the lady's extravagance. In this district, the rent alone was astronomical; to buy it outright... he couldn't even imagine the price. He swallowed hard, realizing that poverty truly limited his imagination.

"This... I'm not entirely sure. Usually, shops like this are for lease. However, if the lady truly wishes to buy it, I can go and inquire for you," the broker replied.

Whether it was a lease or a sale, as long as the deal went through, he would get paid. The larger the transaction, the more he earned, so he was more than willing to do his best.

Su Qing felt a slight twinge of disappointment but didn't show it. She nodded and asked, "Very well... how long will it take?"

"By tomorrow at the latest."

"That's not too long. Let's leave it at that, then. I'll wait for your news," Su Qing said casually.

"I understand. I shall do my utmost for you, My Lady," the broker said hurriedly.

Su Qing didn't care much for his platitudes. After a few casual remarks, she left the name of the inn and her own name before departing.

Su Qing and Ao Yiyi walked down the street, looking as if they were wandering aimlessly.

Ao Yiyi asked, "Where are we going next?"

"To another brokerage," Su Qing said. "Now that the shop is settled, we need a place to live. We can't stay in the clinic forever."

Ao Yiyi nodded blankly, not entirely sure why that was the case, but since Su Qing said it, there had to be a reason. She didn't ask further; asking too much made her feel a bit foolish.

And so, Ao Yiyi followed Su Qing to many more places. While Su Qing was busy solving the housing problem, Ao Yiyi was quite idle. She realized she couldn't help with this matter at all, so she spent the journey buying snacks.

The process of buying a house turned out to be much easier than buying the shop. Su Qing soon picked a place and paid the deposit. Once the deposit was handled, the rest was simple; most of it could be left to the broker.

The house Su Qing bought wasn't far from the clinic's location, yet it was situated just far enough to avoid the noisiest areas. It was an excellent residence.

With the locations for both the house and the shop confirmed, Su Qing and Ao Yiyi stopped wandering and headed back to the inn.

Inside the inn, Hu Lin'er was coaxing the fussy little girl to sleep. When she saw Su Qing return, a fleeting look of resentment crossed her eyes. Though it vanished instantly, Su Qing noticed it. She simply smiled at her and said, "Once she's a bit older, she won't be such a headache."

Hu Lin'er nodded slightly without contradicting her. She continued trying to get the little thing in her arms to sleep. She even wondered if she should try using some supernatural means if the girl didn't settle down soon.

After a long while, the little girl still refused to rest quietly. Frustrated, Hu Lin'er simply used a spell to put her to sleep. For the first time, Hu Lin'er thought to herself how convenient it was to know magic.

'But if the Young Miss finds out, will she scold me? Probably not... her attitude toward this girl seems pretty casual,' Hu Lin'er thought, smoothing a stray lock of hair at her temple.

Time passed quickly. Three days went by in the blink of an eye. Thanks to the 'banknote power' of her wealth, Su Qing's house and shop were fully settled. It wasn't an exaggeration to say it was smooth sailing all the way, which was why everything was arranged so quickly.

Once the properties were secured, the next step was renovation. Su Qing didn't need to worry about that; there were people to handle it for her. Consequently, she remained quite idle for the following period. Once the house was ready, Su Qing moved into her new home.

The courtyard wasn't particularly large—it couldn't even compare to the County Magistrate's manor in Ningyuan County—but it was more than enough for the three of them and the little girl. It didn't feel crowded at all.

While Su Qing enjoyed her leisure, Old Master Su was growing increasingly agitated. He was exceptionally bewildered. Why hadn't the man he sent out reported back after so long? It was as if he had vanished from the face of the earth.

That man was a mid-tier martial arts master. Forget killing a child and a woman; even assassinating a County Magistrate wouldn't have been difficult for him. Yet now, so many days had passed without a single word. It made him suspect whether the man had run off with the money or if he had been killed.

"She's just a woman. Could she really have the ability to kill him? Could that person be a martial arts master? But even if she were, there would have been some noise if they fought. If there was a commotion, it's impossible that word wouldn't have spread through the city."

Old Master Su frowned deeply, thinking to himself: "Could he have been killed in a single blow? Sister, oh Sister, what kind of luck do you have to find such a monster? You're already 'dead,' yet you won't just stay 'dead' quietly. Are you really going to force me to discard our sibling bond and kill you too?"

Old Master Su naturally knew where his sister was. The reason he hadn't made a move for so many years was partly because he thought she couldn't return, and partly out of a lingering sibling affection; he felt there was no need to be so ruthless. But now, things had changed, forcing his hand.

"Fine... first, I'll find out where my man went—whether he's dead or gone—and then I'll decide on the next step."

He was a man of action. Once he made a plan, he quickly arranged for things to be handled.

Another day passed. Su Qing still paid no mind to the Su family. Instead, she went to the nearby City God Temple, intending to explain her presence to the City God. After all, since yesterday, small ghosts had been loitering in front of her door, looking as if they wanted to knock but didn't dare. She could have ignored them, but such ghosts would eventually scare people, so she had to deal with it. Besides, she had already planned to visit the City God.

Inside the temple, Su Qing took three sticks of incense and gave a slight bow toward the statue of the City God.

With that single bow, the City God behind the statue felt a chill run through his entire body. He scrambled out of the statue in a panic.

"Immortal, please, you mustn't! You mustn't bow! This small god cannot bear it!" the City God cried out, his heart still pounding with fear.

This local City God didn't recognize Su Qing. He was only a minor deity with limited access to information. His only ambition was to protect the people within his small jurisdiction. He wasn't particularly interested in the affairs of the Heavenly Court.

But even if he didn't know who she was, the experience just now had left a deep impression on him.

"Oh... my apologies. I didn't realize that would scare you," Su Qing said with an awkward smile, feeling a bit embarrassed.