It was the boy who saw the performer during the day.
It seemed that he had been hit hard, and just about to get up, he fell down with a groan.
Bai Fanlu's body froze, and through the crimson tulle bed curtain, a certain part was actually touched by something soft.
"..." Bai Fanlu's face was slightly green, he took a deep breath, and raised his knee silently.
Hearing a muffled moan of pain, the boy rolled off his body and rolled aside, but unfortunately, the back of his head hit the collapsed bed board again.
Bai Fanlu lifted the curtain of the bed and was standing up to sort out his clothes. When he saw the young man's eyebrows and eyes wrinkled, shrinking into the shape of a big shrimp ball, he couldn't help laughing after being annoyed just now.
Just as he was about to say something, there was a knock on the door, "Guest officer, I heard a loud bang just now, but what's the matter?"
Bai Fanlu looked up at the big hole in the roof, then looked down at the culprit who was covering his chest with one hand and rubbing his head with the other. Shi Shiran took a few steps forward and opened the door.
"This... this is..."
The first thing that catches the eye is the messy room, the collapsed bed, and the person lying beside the bed.
What was the shopkeeper's first understanding, Bai Fanlu read it from those shocked and ambiguous little eyes.
"Look at the top." He was speechless, and did not explain the cognitive concepts of this world.
Only then did the shopkeeper notice the big hole in the roof, from which you can see the moon and stars, although it seems very romantic and atmospheric, but... He pointed with a clear mind and asked, "Guest officer, did this little brother fall from above?" down?"
Hmm, as you said. Bai Fanlu raised his eyebrows.
"Hey, little brother, are you still doing it?" The shopkeeper walked up to the boy.
The young man supported him to stand up tremblingly, his brows were still furrowed, he shook his head, and said dully, "Success... no, no!"
As if he suddenly thought of something, he yelled, "Too bad, I still have to go after that flower picker!"
Flower thief? When Bai Fanlu heard this word, his mentality as if he was watching a play changed subtly.
The shopkeeper was smiling politely just now, seeing the young man about to run away, he hurriedly grabbed him, "Wait! You ruined my house, so you want to leave like this?"
The boy said eagerly, "I really have to catch up with him quickly, otherwise something will happen again tonight!"
again? Bai Fanlu pondered for a while, "What kind of flower picker?"
Hearing him ask, the young man looked at him, and stopped the movement of rushing out. Seeing that he didn't really want to renege on his debt, the shopkeeper didn't pull him hard anymore, but still held on to his sleeve.
"It's the one wanted by the government. It's been the fifth day. Every night he spoils a girl..."
Hearing what the shopkeeper said lightly, the young man became anxious and said loudly, "It's not as simple as ruining it. Those girls committed suicide the next day. He's hurting nature and killing people!"
Speaking of this, I was even more anxious, "No! I have to go quickly! I'm sorry for the store, and I will definitely come back tomorrow to compensate you!"
As he spoke, the boy broke away from the shopkeeper's hold of his hand, and flew out of the door.
"This... Hey! You—" The shopkeeper hurriedly chased him out to see where there was still half a figure of the boy.
"This, this, these are all swindlers, this is going to run away, who do I go to?"
The storekeeper stomped his feet, suddenly remembered that there was another person in the room, and changed his expression again, walking to Baifan Road with a half smile and half consultation.
"Guest officer, look at this..."
Bai Fanlu didn't know why, but he didn't like his phrase "charlatan" just now, and this emotion made him make a move that he didn't expect.
He took off the jade around his waist and slapped it on the table.
"This is a mortgage. I will redeem it when he pays you back tomorrow."
When the shopkeeper saw the jade pendant, his eyes lit up immediately, and he went up to get it with a smile on his face.
Bai Fanlu flicked his wrist, and the hilt of his sword lightly clasped the shopkeeper's hand that was going to take the jade, as if he was in a hurry, but also like a heavy weight.
"Don't play tricks."
"..." The shopkeeper's face froze, and he laughed, "How dare you, how dare you? My lord, I can't live in this room, you come with me, I'll give you another room!"
The title was also changed to "Young Master", Bai Fanlu shook his head in his heart, a businessman is a businessman, but he can understand.
Entering the room, just laying down on the bed, Bai Fanlu remembered the "flower picker" they called, the young man didn't look like he was really skilled, even if he caught up with the flower picker, would he be able to stop him
Do you want to help
As soon as this idea came up, Bai Fanlu was startled by himself.
His principle in this world should be to be wise and protect his life, and stick to it until the finale. At most, he would do some small tricks to advance the main line, which was never mentioned in the book of the flower picker. If that is the case, why should he, an outsider, care about justice
Let's not bother.
As for that jade pendant... Hey, I was on the spur of the moment, in case the boy really doesn't come back, let's buy it as a lesson.
Bai Fanlu pulled up the quilt and forced himself to cover his head to sleep.
Finally, I felt a little sleepy in the second half of the night, thinking that I could finally go back to sleep without being disturbed by anyone or anything, but in the end I was woken up when it was just dawn.
"What's going on? Who was crying outside early in the morning?" Someone commented.
Bai Fanlu pushed open the door of the room, and there were several other guests staying in the hotel like him, they all looked at each other, not knowing why.
The store owner came upstairs and said to the customers one by one, "something happened, not in the store, but in the market opposite, and the government is dealing with it." Let the guests go back to rest with peace of mind.
Arriving at Baifan Road, the shopkeeper's expression became more trembling. Bai Fanlu saw it and asked, "What's going on?"
Other guests didn't ask this question. Most of the inn guests are foreigners and don't know much about Dongchang. In fact, Baifan Road is also the same, but the storekeeper's eyes told him that this matter has something inextricably linked to him. associated.
Sure enough, the shopkeeper lowered his voice, "Yes...it's the flower picker."
"Caught it?"
"No, it's another crime."
That is to say, the boy really missed, but did he not catch up, or did he catch up and hit him? Or... Bai Fanlu's heart tightened, and he decided to go down and have a look.
After leaving the inn door, it is still very early, and most of the doors on both sides of this street are closed, so at a glance on Baifan Road, there are a few officials who look diagonally opposite, and they are surrounded by them, sitting on the ground Howling woman.
Bai Fanlu approached a little closer, and saw clearly that the woman was holding a little girl in her arms, her limbs were limp, her head was tilted back weakly, her eyes were opened, and she seemed to have died.
Thinking of a certain possibility, it was as if a knife had been stabbed in his heart.
The shopkeeper looked at Baifan Road going out, and seemed worried, so he also came over at this time, "Master?"
"Is that the girl?"
"This..." the shopkeeper sighed, "Hey, yes..."
Bai Fanlu clenched his hands tightly in his sleeves. That girl was only about ten years old depending on her stature.
Ten years old... Bai Fanlu heard a sneer in his heart.
Looking up again, I saw an eye-catching wanted reward order on the notice board opposite.
Didi! Almost at the same time as he had an idea in his mind, a reminder sounded in his head.
"Unlock the side mission 'Evil is rewarded with evil', mission objective: kill flower pickers."
"Mission achievement reward: 'Reader's Brain Hole' fragment x 3, activate hidden events to get additional rewards."
"Mission Cheats: The environment is born from the heart, there is no truth in the false, the devil arises from its own nature, and the false in the true."
Listening to the system introduction, Bai Fanlu had already stood in front of the notice board, tore off the reward order with one hand, and looked at the portrait on it.
Seeing this, the shopkeeper couldn't help asking, "Master, you... do you want to catch that flower picker too?"
His tone of voice is obvious, as long as you look weak, can you do it
Bai Fanlu didn't answer, he kneaded the paper into a ball in his hands, twisted it lightly, and crushed it into powder. Then he turned back to the inn and went upstairs.
The storekeeper was left staring at the snow-white ground, it was chilly early in the morning, but the bean-sized beads of sweat rolled down his head.
To catch the flower pickers, you have to wait until night, so Bai Fanlu decided to stay for one more day, and by the way, wait for the boy to come to the shop.
Although it is said in the novel that the original owner's jade pendant was given by Yun Zhan, it is very meaningful, and somehow the jade pendant can magically stay in the same place after changing clothes, but in reality this thing is of no use to him.
But at least it is a real piece of jade, and I am not willing to leave it to a greedy innkeeper like this, even if it is pawned and exchanged for silver, it is better than this.
After calming down, Bai Fanlu still felt a little bit of regret, not for pledging the jade pendant, nor for picking up the reward order, but for not following the boy last night.
What he wasn't sure about was whether the boy who chased the flower picker last night would come today.
But fortunately, the boy returned to the inn in the morning, and the shopkeeper took him directly to the second floor.
Seeing that he seemed to be intact except for the bump on his head, Bai Fanlu was a little relieved, but when the young man saw Bai Fanlu, he scratched his head in embarrassment.
"Young master, I'm really sorry to cause you trouble."
"Where," Bai Fanlu said, "I should admire your narrow heart and keep your promise."
"I..." the young man lowered his head, "but I just calculated with the shopkeeper, I don't have enough money to pay for it, and I have nothing else to pay for it. Young Master's jade pendant..."
The young man raised his head and looked at Bai Fanlu sincerely, "The shopkeeper said that the young master will only stay for two days, can you... can you ask the young master to stay for a few more days? When I have saved enough money, I will definitely redeem the jade pendant and return it to you."
The boy's voice was like the gurgling of spring water, and his eyes were also very bright, like a crescent moon reflected in the spring water. When the boy looked over, he seemed to be blushing slightly because of embarrassment.
Bai Fanlu was stunned for a moment.
He is obviously about the same size as him, but the pure and natural feeling is shown on this face and physique, which does not make people feel unsuitable at all.
When I saw his profile for the first time yesterday, that strange sense of familiarity returned.
"Young master?"
"...It doesn't matter." Realizing that he was lost in thought, Bai Fanlu looked away and took out his purse, "I still have money here, the shopkeeper, how much is he still short of?"
"Ah, not much, not much, just five taels." The shopkeeper said hurriedly.
"But son..."
Just as the boy was about to grab the white, Bai Fanlu raised his hand and put the few five taels of silver left on the table, "I think it's better to redeem the jade pendant as soon as possible."
The boy lowered his head, grabbed the corner of his clothes, and remained silent.
His little action also caught Bai Fanlu's eyes. After receiving the jade pendant from the store, Bai Fanlu checked it and tied it back around his waist again.
Then the shopkeeper took the money and left, the boy didn't follow, he bit his lip as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't know how to say it.
Bai Fanlu said, "Sit down."
The young man sat on the stool as he said, and Bai Fanlu poured him a cup of tea and pushed it in front of him, "You don't have to worry about it, this little money is no big deal to me."
Although I don't know how the original owner made money, there is always a way.
But the boy shook his head, bit his lower lip even tighter, and when he opened his mouth to speak, he could see clear tooth marks.
"But I don't mind, son, I have to return your money to you. Last night I was too stupid to chase after it and killed that girl. Tonight I must catch the thief, and there will be a bounty at that time. I will pay you back."
Bai Fanlu didn't care about the bounty, what he cared about now was, "How is your skill?"
"I... still, okay."
It doesn't sound very reliable.
"How did you find the flower picker last night?"
Bai Fanlu asked, this is also the biggest problem he needs to solve.
Acting at night, committing crimes indiscriminately, and Dongchang City is so big, finding a flower picker is tantamount to finding a needle in a haystack.
At this time, the boy smiled heartily, "I rely on Zhizhi!"
"Squeak?"
The boy whistled, and the little white monkey who played tricks yesterday suddenly rushed in through the window, jumped onto the boy's arm, and let out a creaking sound.
"That's it. The flower picker has a stench on his body. If you can smell it, you can find him! But if you chase it for too long, you won't be able to smell it. That's why I chased it to the end last night. gone."
That's it, Bai Fanlu nodded, "Well, let's go together at night, you follow the flower picker, and I will deal with him."
The boy opened his eyes wide in surprise, "Sir?"
Bai Fanlu didn't blame his eyes, he looked a little too harmless, more like a frail scholar than a cultivator.
"One more person is better than one less. To earn a bounty, I only need five taels."
"Then how?"
"It's all right, wait until someone is caught."
Bai Fanlu had already sharpened his knife, and an imperceptible determination and coldness flashed in his soft eyes.
He may not have noticed the change in himself at this moment, but across from him, the young man has been quietly watching his expression, and now his face is darkened, and his lips are pursed tightly.