A rather scruffy-looking girl in a grey uniform walked up and said:
"Dog-boy, what happened here?"
The one she referred to as Dog-boy put down his walkie-talkie and turned around, surprisingly, it was a deeply wrinkled old man. After a brief silence, he replied:
"Awu, something's happened to Xu Si!"
The girl, known as Awu, paused mid-step, surprised.
"Xu Si? That daft lad? What could possibly have happened to him?"
The old man couldn't hide his anger as he responded:
"The boy might not be daft, but he's always too clever for his own good! And now? He's run straight into a brick wall! Tell me, who is that boy? Xu Si got subdued far too easily!"
As he spoke, the old man picked up a photograph from the table. In it, Wentworth was following Xu Si, about to get into a taxi.
Just then, the fax machine began to whir. The old man hurried over and yanked out the sheet. After just a few glances, his expression changed drastically.
"This is bad! The idiot's in real danger!"
At that very moment, Xu Si and Wentworth were driving into the heart of Beijing.
Watching the unchanging scenery roll by, Wentworth turned and said meaningfully:
"Are you worried we might end up fighting and someone innocent could get hurt? Or are you just deliberately taking the long way to bleed my wallet dry?"
Xu Si chuckled awkwardly, his tone tinged with disbelief.
"How'd you know I was taking you the long way?"
"I was bluffing."
"...…"
Wentworth continued nonchalantly:
"You were trying to take me to that restaurant owned by your company, weren't you?"
Xu Si knew his earlier conversation with his father had already been overheard by this sharp-eyed youth, who seemed quiet on the outside but was anything but. So, dropping any pretense, he replied tentatively:
"Yeah. After all, why let outsiders profit, eh? How about this: I was in the wrong today, so the meal's on me."
Wentworth nodded slightly, then asked with a faint smile:
"You're paying? Can we go to Diaoyutai?"
"Excuse me?!" Xu Si stared blankly.
Seeing his stunned face, Wentworth pressed further, prompting Xu Si to let out a long sigh and force a smile.
"Could we… pick another place?"
Wentworth waved the matter off lazily:
"Then let's go to Quanjude."
Xu Si exhaled in relief.
"A pleasure to have you, sir!"
As they drove toward Quanjude, Xu Si couldn't hold back his curiosity.
"Hey, how come you speak Chinese so well for someone your age?"
Wentworth stared out the window, his expression unreadable.
"Because the whole world's speaking it now. Confucius's words are going global… everywhere…"
And so the two drifted into casual, disjointed chatter as they made their way through Beijing. For the most part, Xu Si spoke while Wentworth listened. But seeing that Wentworth hadn't taken out those eerie chopsticks again, Xu Si finally let himself breathe a little easier.
That is, until the car entered a narrow alleyway, and Wentworth frowned.
A sudden screech of brakes. Before Wentworth could react, Xu Si had thrown open the door, rolled out of the taxi, and disappeared, leaving Wentworth alone in the back seat.
From within a nearby courtyard, three figures emerged: an elderly man, a bespectacled young man in his twenties, and a girl of seventeen or eighteen.
When Xu Si saw them, his face lit up.
"It's so good to see you again! I thought I'd never get the chance! Dad, Bao'er (darling), and that idiot brother of mine!"
At this, the bespectacled man snapped:
"Xu Si, what the hell kind of way is that to talk to your brother?!"
Just then, Wentworth stepped calmly out of the car, leaned against its side, and watched the scene unfold with amusement.
Seeing him, Xu San and the bespectacled man quickly sobered, eyeing him warily.
Wentworth just spread his hands and said with a faint smile:
"Don't mind me. Carry on."
Then he pointed at the bespectacled man and asked Xu Si:
"That's your brother? So… is he Xu San? Or Xu Er? Xu Yi, maybe? No, no one names their kid Xu Yi… it must be… Xu Da?"
The old man burst out laughing.
"I must say, Mr. Wentworth Grindelwald, leader of the Alliance, your Chinese is not only fluent, but your understanding of our naming customs is impressively deep!"
Wentworth turned toward the old man, frowning slightly.
"And you are?"
With a pleasant smile, the old man nodded.
"Of course. Allow me the courtesy of a proper introduction. Wentworth Grindelwald, I am Xu Xiang, regional director for the Floo-Puff Company in North China."
He gestured to the bespectacled man.
"This is my son, Xu San. The taxi driver earlier, also my son, you already know, Xu Si. And the girl here is a temp working for our company."
Wentworth gave a small nod of understanding.
"So… why have you brought me here?"
Xu Xiang quickly waved his hands.
"Please, don't misunderstand. We're honored to host someone like yourself. Today, I've been authorized to invite you to visit our company headquarters. It would be our pleasure."
Wentworth looked around at the group with an amused expression.
"And if I refuse?"
Suddenly, the disheveled girl, whom Xu Xiang had introduced as a temp, moved in a flash, stepping protectively in front of Xu Xiang. In that same instant, a flash of cold steel: a short dagger appeared in her hand.
"Awu!"
"No, Bao'er!"
Startled, Xu Xiang and Xu Si both shouted in alarm.
Wentworth, hearing this, gave Xu Si and the girl a bemused look. A smirk curled on his lips.
"Xu Si… did you just call her Bao'er (baby)? She's not your daughter, is she?"
Flushed and furious, Xu Si shot back:
"Her name is Feng Baobao! What's wrong with calling her Bao'er?!"
Wentworth immediately lost interest.
Xu Xiang stepped in behind Feng Bao'er, speaking gently:
"What is it, Awu? What are you doing?"
But Feng Baobao kept her eyes locked on Wentworth, gripping the dagger tightly.
"There's killing intent coming from him… real, dangerous killing intent."
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This fanfic has been fully translated!