Chapter 144: Doing It for My Wife Is Nothing to Be Ashamed Of

Bai Qingfeng, however, did not feel the slightest bit of appreciation.

He was well aware of the situation involving Tang Minxun—in fact, he knew quite a lot about it. It was precisely because he knew so much that he had abandoned any intention of trying to intervene. Otherwise, would he have needed this kid to suck up to him like this?

"The matter involving Third Brother is far too complicated; I cannot do anything about it," Bai Qingfeng said earnestly.

Wen Mubai frowned upon hearing this. "Even you can't handle it?"

It seemed there was no one simple in the Tang family; even his father-in-law, who looked like a crybaby, was anything but ordinary.

"What exactly is going on?" he asked, harboring little hope.

"You know the rules," was all Bai Qingfeng said.

Brows furrowed, Wen Mubai tapped his finger rhythmically against the table. "Let me think."

Based on his understanding of his wife, Banxia would not refuse, but how to invite her was the question. His own identity absolutely could not be exposed, nor could Bai Qingfeng’s. The only breakthrough was his mother-in-law, but her situation was even less optimistic, so she couldn't be counted on.

Thinking of this, he suddenly asked, "Are there three members of the Dragon Squad in the Tang family?"

When Bai Qingfeng first met Wen Mubai, he had found it incredibly strange. Members of the Dragon Squad were rare and elite, drawn from all corners of the globe. It was hard enough to find one fellow countryman, let alone three in the Tang family. Oh, wait, make that two; after all, Wen Mubai and Su Nan had already retired from the organization.

"The Tang family has a strange affinity with the Dragon Squad," was the only explanation.

Wen Mubai wanted to snap back at him, *If this affinity is so great, why don't you take it for yourself?* Those in the dark might yearn for the Dragon Squad, but those of them who were actually in it knew all too well how brutal it truly was.

Bai Qingfeng clearly understood the expression on Wen Mubai’s face and fell silent as well. The two ate the table full of dishes in silence.

Once full, Bai Qingfeng wiped his mouth and said, "I'll leave the matter to you," intending to take his leave.

"Wait!" Wen Mubai called out. "You haven't mentioned the compensation yet. Besides, I’m no longer part of the Dragon Squad. You’re asking me to do a job for you, and you don’t plan to pay me?" His face clearly spelled out: *How are you not ashamed of yourself?*

"I am your uncle-in-law," Bai Qingfeng managed to squeeze out.

"Even brothers must settle accounts clearly," Wen Mubai said, showing no mercy. "Where is my reward?"

"Aren't you a gold-digger living off your wife? What do you need money for?" Bai Qingfeng jabbed at him.

"That's none of your business!" Wen Mubai rolled his eyes. "Hurry up, the reward!"

Bai Qingfeng gritted his teeth. "I don't have it on me. I’ll give it to you when we go back."

"I don't want money," Wen Mubai pushed his luck. "I want antiques. I remember you have quite a collection; give them all to me."

"In your dreams!" Bai Qingfeng wasn't about to be led around by this brat. "One chest, at most."

"Two chests."

"Take it or leave it, I'll find another way." Bai Qingfeng refused to be held hostage by the kid he’d helped raise. "I’ll just go and show my hand to Banxia directly."

"Deal!" Wen Mubai knew without thinking that this guy was up to no good. "I accept!"

"If you dare to leak my identity, I’ll go have a chat with Auntie." As if only he had leverage.

"Go ahead," Bai Qingfeng said, unfazed. "Let’s see whether my wife believes you or me."

Wen Mubai: ...

Thinking of how doting his aunt was, he really wasn't sure. He sullenly stopped talking.

"You wolf cub, you’re still too green," Bai Qingfeng said, walking away with a flourish.

"Wait, you haven't paid for the meal!" Wen Mubai called out, but the man walked even faster, disappearing in a flash.

Auntie Xun appeared from somewhere. "What money? I’m just happy you’re here to eat. How could I take your money?" Her small eatery stayed in business peacefully precisely because the brothers from the organization looked after her; she would never take their money.

*Sly old dog!* Wen Mubai cursed inwardly, but when facing Auntie Xun, he put on a smiling face. "I was just joking with Uncle Bai." He fished money out of his pocket and stuffed it into Auntie Xun's hand, not giving her a chance to refuse, before slipping away himself.

Time slipped by until noon. Since he had said he wouldn't be back for lunch, he didn't intend to return. He wandered around the area until dusk before heading back.

The next few days followed the same pattern: he went out to wander during the day and returned to the Tang courtyard at night, playing the part of a country bumpkin in the city to perfection. This leisure was broken only when Bai Qingfeng paid a sudden visit to the Tang courtyard.

Wen Mubai watched the rising sun, his brow twitching; a bad premonition welled up in his heart.

"Father-in-law, Mother-in-law," Bai Qingfeng said with his usual unhurried composure.

"Qingfeng, why are you here at this hour?" Mother-in-law Tang asked, surprised.

"There is news about the person Mubai asked me to look into a few days ago, so I came to tell him," Bai Qingfeng said with a smile.

The pressure shifted to Wen Mubai, who felt like jumping up and kicking him twice. "Yes, I was helping a fellow villager look into it. I didn't expect Uncle-in-law to find out so quickly."

Father-in-law Tang looked over with a scrutinizing gaze. Wen Mubai cursed Bai Qingfeng inwardly; this man was not easily fooled. He gave an awkward smile. "To be precise, it’s about a wife looking for her husband—a husband who disappeared without a trace after attending the worker-peasant-soldier university."

Understood.

"Go on, then," Mother-in-law Tang said, as she despised such men.

Receiving permission, Wen Mubai nodded. "Then I’ll go with Uncle-in-law."

"Come back early tonight," Mother-in-law Tang instructed.

"Understood."

The two left the courtyard, one after the other. Once they had walked a certain distance, Bai Qingfeng’s expression turned grim. "Dog Luck is in trouble."

Dog Luck was the bald guy, Gouzi.

"Everyone in the team has been sent out; you’re the only one who can make this trip," Bai Qingfeng said, not even turning his head, as if he were discussing something trivial.

Wen Mubai struggled internally. He didn't want any further entanglements with the Dragon Squad; running into Bai Qingfeng was completely unexpected. But this was Dog Luck—the man who had looked after him ever since he joined the squad.

"Give me the details." He couldn't just abandon Dog Luck. He gave the man beside him a cold look; this guy must have counted on this when he came looking for him.

There was no time to waste, so Bai Qingfeng didn't dawdle. He immediately laid out the cause and effect, the mission of Hou Xingyun, and the predicament he was in.

"You mean Dog Luck went there because of the human trafficking case involving gambling?" Wen Mubai looked puzzled.

"Correct. This matter is complex and goes far beyond simple abduction. Dog Luck went there to investigate this exact thing." Bai Qingfeng was sharp. "Do you know something about it?"

Wen Mubai shook his head. "No." He then added, "But this matter also has something to do with me." He recounted how he had discovered the situation and reported it to the police.

"That’s too much of a coincidence, isn't it?"

Wen Mubai could swear on his life that it was pure coincidence, as his idea of playing the "black-on-black" heist had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. Surely no one could monitor his thoughts?

Bai Qingfeng was suspicious for a moment, but the most important thing now was Dog Luck. "Have you thought about how to tell the old couple?"

"Isn't the excuse already there?" Wen Mubai shrugged. "A righteous young man like me, encountering a heartless scoundrel, naturally has to intervene, right?"

"Will the old couple believe that?" Bai Qingfeng was skeptical.

"Believe it or not, it doesn't matter," Wen Mubai said, acting like a dead pig unafraid of boiling water. "They already know my identity anyway." At this, he gave Bai Qingfeng a malicious look. "As for you, that’s your own problem."

*You ungrateful wolf cub!* Bai Qingfeng cursed.

"Get lost, get lost!" With one trouble after another, he could no longer maintain his mask of scholarly grace.

"Wait, I want ten chests for my reward," Wen Mubai demanded, opening his mouth like a lion.

Bai Qingfeng: "Have you fallen into a pit of money?"

"It's for my wife; there's no shame in that," Wen Mubai said with a warm smile. "So?"

"Fine, fine, fine!" Bai Qingfeng snapped. "I shouldn't have saved you back then."

"There's no medicine for regret in this world; it's too late for you to regret it now!"