Unconventional [Rebirth] - Chapter 71

When Xiao Lunan returned from his phone call, he was met with a bizarre sight.

Jiang Rui was earnestly holding one of Little Wu’s hands with both of his own, gazing at the boy with… intense, soulful eyes. The rest of the men stood in stunned silence, unsure of what had just been said.

Xiao Lunan’s lip twitched. Seeing Little Wu scramble toward him as if he had just been granted a divine pardon, Xiao asked, “What happened?”

“Boss! Boss!” Little Wu cried, slapping Xiao Lunan’s arm while pointing a trembling finger at Jiang Rui. “Go check on Brother Rui! What’s wrong with him?”

Xiao Lunan kept his eyes on Jiang Rui. “Oh?”

Jiang Rui gave a cheeky grin and rubbed his nose. “Little Wu… you, and Mo Zhao… might face some trouble in the coming days.” Ignoring their bewildered expressions, he looked at Xiao Lunan with sudden gravity. “Has the jade I gave you previously cracked yet?”

Xiao Lunan froze. He reached into his shirt and pulled out the copper-coin-shaped jade hanging from a cinnabar cord Jiang Rui had braided himself. Indeed, the stone was covered in jagged, web-like cracks.

“How did you know?” Xiao Lunan asked, baffled. “I’ve carried this thing like a treasure, never even taking it off to bathe. These cracks just appeared out of nowhere.”

Jiang Rui nodded. “It has blocked enough calamities for you. It’s time for it to retire.”

The jade had been a crude creation from when he first met Xiao Lunan. It was a miracle it had lasted this long. As soon as it touched Jiang Rui’s palm, the jade lost its structural integrity and crumbled into a pile of dust.

Xiao Lunan stared in shock. The sense that Jiang Rui was a supernatural force grew even stronger. He watched as Jiang Rui performed a “magic trick,” pulling a new necklace from his pocket.

“Here, this is for you. The purple one is for Mo Zhao…” Jiang Rui then handed a black jade pendant to Little Wu, his tone stern. “This is for you. You must keep it pressed against your chest at all times. Do you understand?”

Little Wu, dazed by Jiang Rui’s intensity, could only nod dumbly.

“Vitality Jade exists to bring fortune to its wearer. Xiao Lunan, consider this part of what I owe you,” Jiang Rui said with a sudden, enigmatic smile.

Xiao Lunan’s brow snapped together. “What kind of ghost talk is that?!” He glared at Jiang Rui, his eyes blazing. “If you ever say you ‘owe’ me again, don’t blame me for not recognizing you as a brother! To put it bluntly, everything I have today—my status, my life—you gave to me!”

He didn’t believe their first meeting was a mere coincidence. From the first moment he saw Jiang Rui, he had felt a strange, inexplicable familiarity. Now, Jiang Rui’s talk of debts genuinely angered him.

“I’m not good with words,” Xiao Lunan growled. “But I’ll make this promise: if you are ever in danger, Jiang Rui, I will trade my life to keep you safe!”

Little Wu gripped his new jade pendant, his gaze turning solemn. He looked at his Boss, who was fuming, and his Brother Rui, who was smiling… realizing it wasn’t a good time for a dramatic oath of loyalty. He signaled the other “brothers” with his eyes, ushering them out of the room to give the two some space.

Jiang Rui chuckled. “I was joking. Don’t take it so seriously.”

Xiao Lunan snorted and sat down, tapping the table. “That Wang Chenghui from Qing City… you know him?”

Jiang Rui’s eyes clouded as he nodded. “We’ve crossed paths.”

“He’s found some powerful backing,” Xiao Lunan said angrily. “He’s cut off thirty percent of the medicinal herb trade coming out of Qing City. My share has been nearly halved.”

“Are you planning to go legit?” Jiang Rui asked.

“Yes.” Xiao Lunan wiped his face. “You advised me before—get what I can from the underworld and then move to the light. I’ve kept that in mind. All these years, I’ve lived through bullets and blood. I didn’t care back then, but now… I have too many people to worry about.”

Jiang Rui felt a wave of relief. He had been wondering how to pull Xiao Lunan away from the darkness, only to find the man was already looking for the exit. “It’s good that you think that way. As for Wang Chenghui… he and I have an account to settle.”

Xiao Lunan started to speak, but Jiang Rui raised a hand. “This is between him and me.”

“If you need help, tell me,” Xiao Lunan insisted.

Since he was back in Qing City, Jiang Rui decided to visit his relatives. Reborn, he found his affection for his family had grown deeper.

He visited his second uncle’s home while invisible. Jiang Xi was doing her homework, her clothes clean and her hair neatly tied in a ponytail. His uncle, Jiang Jianheng, was watching the news while Huang Wenhua cooked in the kitchen. The atmosphere was harmonious; it seemed Huang Wenhua was truly making an effort to be a good stepmother.

As Jiang Rui stood near Jiang Xi, the girl seemed to sense something, looking around in confusion before returning to her books. He listened to his uncle and Huang Wenhua discussing Jiang Xi’s transition to middle school, worrying about getting her into a top-tier school despite her shaky foundation.

Satisfied with the peace in their home, Jiang Rui called Yang Feng to handle some business and then moved on to his first uncle’s house. Jiang Min was coding at his computer. Jiang Jianlin was out; word was he had started a small, legitimate business and was becoming more reliable. Jiang Rui checked the warding talisman on Jiang Min’s neck—it was intact.

Finally, he went to see his maternal aunt, He Fumei. She was feeding her one-year-old, Yuan Yuan.

“Auntie!” Jiang Rui smiled as he walked in.

“Ruirui?! What are you doing here?” She beamed, nearly dropping Yuan Yuan to hug him. She ended up thrusting the baby into Jiang Rui’s arms. Little Yuan Yuan grabbed Jiang Rui’s arm, trying to drink his milk while being too distracted to let go, making Jiang Rui laugh.

“My parents come back tomorrow; I came ahead to look around,” he explained.

As they chatted about his twin cousins and life, Jiang Rui teased the baby, playfully moving his fingers so Yuan Yuan couldn’t catch them.

But in that moment of play, the baby’s body suddenly jolted. Yuan Yuan let out a sharp, terrified wail. Simultaneously, miles away, Huang Wenhua felt a sudden, agonizing jolt in her heart, her breath catching as a wave of spiritual unrest swept through the city.