Chapter 610 - 608: Return Journey
Chapter 610: Chapter 608: Return Journey
’But she had disguised herself again for this trip to Sanyi Town. The whole point was to avoid being recognized here and prevent any unnecessary trouble.’
Qian Ying smiled faintly. "Have you forgotten? I’m extremely sensitive to auras. Yours is too unique—the aura of a Wood Spirit. You could search the entire world and probably not find five people with it."
Su Qing was speechless.
’Well, this woman certainly has a sharp nose.’
Su Qing made up her mind. ’I’m definitely never meeting this Qian Ying again. I can’t risk blowing my cover.’
Qian Ying smiled faintly and said to Su Qing, "I was waiting for you here in Sanyi Town. I knew you would definitely come back. My purpose in waiting was to thank you."
"Thank me for what?" Su Qing raised an eyebrow. "I haven’t done anything to help you."
"I’m thanking you for what happened to the Qiutian Family," Qian Ying said, her voice still gentle.
Su Qing looked at Qian Ying and shook her head. "Then you’re thanking the wrong person. I heard about the Qiutian Family’s theft too; it was all over the newspapers. But do you really think I’m capable of stealing so many things from them all by myself? You’re overestimating me."
"Is that so?" Qian Ying clearly didn’t believe her, but seeing Su Qing’s denial, she didn’t press the issue. "Then I suppose I’ve thanked the wrong person. But no matter what, I must thank whoever dealt the Qiutian Family such a heavy blow. After all, they are one of my enemies. It’s just that I can’t take revenge myself because I promised my master. My master once received a favor from the Qiutian Family."
As she spoke of this, sadness filled Qian Ying’s eyes. Old memories resurfaced, and her emotions were in turmoil. "Unfortunately, because the Qiutian Family is a renowned medical family, they’ve built up a lot of goodwill. Many people protect them, and my master happens to be one of them."
Su Qing pursed her lips. There was nothing she could say about the matter. The tangled web of gratitude and grudges in the world was often just this helpless.
Qian Ying took a deep breath, then smiled at Su Qing again. "Alright, let’s not talk about such sad things. In any case, the Qiutian Family has suffered a disaster, and I couldn’t be happier. Have a couple of drinks with me. I won’t hide it from you—I even secretly had someone spread some rumors. I told them to say that what happened to the Qiutian and Ye Yue Families was the result of the two families scheming against each other. I hope those rumors take effect. If they actually work, I would love to see the Qiutian and Ye Yue Families start fighting."
Su Qing thought of the man on the train who was stirring up public opinion and couldn’t help but smile. "You’re quite the schemer."
Qian Ying laughed. "I have no choice. If I weren’t this calculating, I’d probably be dead in a ditch somewhere by now. There’s no way I would’ve survived until today. Ultimately, I have only one goal right now: to avenge my grandfather and parents. After that, I’ll find a beautiful, secluded place to retire. I’ll plant groves of cherry blossom trees, build a wooden cabin, and live a simple life, working from sunrise to sunset. I imagine it would be quite pleasant."
"Then I hope your dream comes true soon," Su Qing said with a smile, raising her wine glass to Qian Ying.
"Thank you. I’ll take that good omen." Qian Ying was very happy to hear this. She drank her wine with a broad smile and added, "I know you people from Hua Country have always hated us from Japan. I understand. After all, even I can’t let go of such hatred, let alone what your people suffered back then, which was so tragic. But regardless of what you think, I, for one, consider you a friend. If you ever come back to Japan in the future, don’t hesitate to find me if you need anything."
"Thanks," Su Qing nodded and clinked glasses with Qian Ying again.
Qian Ying was in high spirits throughout the meal. She personally arranged a place for Su Qing to stay, said goodnight, and then went to rest.
That night, Su Qing left a bottle of healing pills in her room with a note explaining their use, then quietly departed from Sanyi Town.
Arriving at the coast, Su Qing slipped into the sea under the cover of darkness. Just as she was about to look for a ride, a shadow suddenly shot toward her.
Su Qing took a closer look. ’Holy cow, isn’t this the same killer whale that brought me here before?’
Seeing Su Qing, the killer whale was so excited it swam in circles around her, its tail thrashing back and forth. It was clearly overjoyed.
"You were waiting for me around here on purpose, weren’t you?" Su Qing was happy too, hugging the orca’s large head as she asked with a smile.
"YEE~" The killer whale nuzzled Su Qing gently with its snout as if seeking affection, its eyes shining with excitement. ’If this orca had arms,’ Su Qing thought, ’it would probably grab me and spin me around in circles.’
"Let’s go. Time to head back." Su Qing fed the killer whale several drops of Green Liquid, then added, "Oh, right. We can take our time on the way back. Let’s see what kind of seafood is in the ocean. I plan on grabbing some."
Su Qing repeated herself twice, using both words and gestures. The orca clearly understood, nodding at her. Once Su Qing was on its back, it carried her down toward the seabed.
The last time Su Qing rode the killer whale through the ocean, she had been in too much of a hurry to appreciate the underwater scenery. This time, she could finally take a proper look around.
Beautiful corals, glowing little fish, shells that nearly blanketed the sandy seafloor, and countless sea urchins. Su Qing even saw an especially enormous sea turtle. She stared, captivated. ’This is a sight you could never see on land.’
’It’s so beautiful!’
Perhaps Su Qing’s aura was very attractive to the sea creatures. After she had gathered some shells and sea urchins, she discovered a whole school of various fish trailing behind her. Some of the bolder ones even swam up curiously to nudge her, as if saying hello.
Su Qing was delighted. She gently stroked the fish, with no intention of catching them. The last time she went to A Tai, she had caught plenty of fish from the sea—enough to feed her and her family for a very long time. So this time, Su Qing only planned to gather some sea urchins and shells. The sea urchins especially were a real delicacy and tasted wonderful.
As a seasoned rover of the ocean, the killer whale knew the seabed like the back of its fin. Knowing Su Qing wanted sea urchins, it took her to several different spots. Su Qing’s harvest was incredible—she gathered over a thousand pounds of sea urchins alone.
"Thanks!" To thank the orca, Su Qing fed it a lot more Green Liquid. The delighted creature carried her in a high leap out of the water before diving headfirst back toward the seabed. Riding on its back, Su Qing’s smile was radiant. ’It’s nighttime, and there’s no one around anyway,’ she thought. ’Let the orca have its fun.’
Far in the distance, on a patrol boat, a crew member watched the dark silhouette of the killer whale leap into the air. He had the faint impression that someone was riding on its back. He blinked his eyes in disbelief.
’Am I so tired I’m seeing things?’