Chapter 85: The Days of Hardship Continue

During the past half month, in his spare time, He Zhixing taught the three women the top-level cake carving technique, elevating their skills to a new height. News of Liu Tian and his son, the acupoint uncle and his apprentice, as well as the Korean monk and his group having left, brought relief to He Zhixing—it was time for him to depart.

He bid farewell to the girls and left with a carefree spirit. The girls were reluctant to see him go, especially Zheng Huizhen, who hugged him before he left and urged him to remember to come back and visit them whenever he had time. He Zhixing promised he would.

He Zhixing did not leave immediately. Several days before his departure, he had already called Yufang and Hu Li, instructing Yufang to quickly make him a set of monk’s robes, saying he needed them. He didn’t chat much, just made the request and hung up. At this moment, He Zhixing entered a hair salon and asked the stylist to shave his head. Afterward, he requested a wig matching the length and style of his original hair and wore it, making it look as if he hadn’t cut his hair at all. He also bought a long-haired men’s wig and packed it away.

His actions puzzled the salon staff—why shave his head only to wear a wig so similar to his original hair? He Zhixing simply told them he was filming a movie, and they didn’t ask further.

In truth, He Zhixing had a deeper purpose. He anticipated that if those pursuing him caught up, he could easily disguise himself and escape danger at a critical moment. This was his precautionary measure, his way of leaving himself an exit.

He walked out onto the street, saw no suspicious figures, and proceeded to the bus stop, boarding a crowded bus. He found a spot near the rear door and realized he still hadn’t shaken off his pursuers. Just as the bus was about to depart, he saw a beautiful woman board from the front door—a familiar face. She had been with the Korean monk at Hundred Flowers Valley last time, the attendant of Park Jungjin, the twelve-dan karate master. Park Jungjin was nowhere to be seen, only this woman.

He Zhixing was startled—so they had found him after all. The woman seemed to spot him, stealing a glance in his direction, but for now she did not approach. She pulled out her phone and prepared to make a call.

As she dialed, the bus broadcast announced the next stop and advised passengers getting off to prepare at the rear door. The following stop was then announced. He Zhixing saw that the woman was still on the phone, and as the bus stopped at a small station and the door opened, he seized the opportunity, getting off at once. He ran to the side and quickly flagged down a taxi, getting in and saying, “Driver, quick! To Xi Pu Road, No. 2, Nuofeng Fashion Company, please.”

The Korean woman, the monk’s attendant, hung up her unfinished call in a hurry and got off the bus as well, but He Zhixing was already in the taxi, which had started and accelerated away. The woman anxiously tried to hail another taxi, fumbling in her rush.

He Zhixing took out his phone and called Yufang: “Yufang? It’s me. Quickly bring me the thousand-year lingzhi, the powdered thousand-year stalactite, and the dried powder of the black-green tree, and all the medicinal materials I left at Hu Li’s place. Also, bring the monk’s robes you made. Have your people wait for me at the entrance of the Haoyouduo supermarket, and prepare my car—I’ll arrive in twenty minutes.”

Yufang quickly asked what was going on. He Zhixing replied, “Nothing, just being tracked by five or six experts. They’re very capable, so I’m afraid you might be implicated. I have no choice but to do this. Take care of yourselves, don’t worry about me—I’ll look after myself.”

He Yufang said, “Alright, just be careful!”