Chapter 12: Yes, No, Maybe

The auction came to a close, to keep their identities hidden Qin Qianyu asked if the wolfs attendant or "sister" was familiar with or used hextext.

This was a dark web, black market messenger app made solely to hide and erase the identity of all its users and couldn't be used by those from the real world, only those that dealt in certain circles had access to it.

When Qin Qianyu had found out about this in her former life she used it a lot to purchase several items anonymously.

These were mainly hard to acquire plants and such that couldn't enter the country by normal means due to the country's bio hazard and environmental protection laws.

You could find any and everything there, if you wanted it they were selling it.

She used the backdoor method she knew of from her former life to regain access into this circle. What she used was a secret from a fellow hacker friend of hers from her former life when she traded information for information with him back then.

The seller sent Qin Qianyu their handle through the tablet and she added it straight away.

[Reconnect is asking permission from Hearts Lament to add to group.]

[Accepted.]

"Hey! Thanks for the add, I thought your handle would have been Phantom Fox but even this handle of yours is still cool and mysterious."

Qin Qianyu thought for a bit, she liked the name Phantom Fox, maybe she could use it as an alt identity in the future.

"Haha, thanks, Dr. Phantom Fox is actually another of my aliases. I bounce between that and Reconnect, the last one I use the most,"

"You're a doctor too? A martial arts fox doctor!"

"Mhm, I just know some things, nothing to really brag about. Well, I'm going to chill out till later tonight. Just so you know, my master will be sitting in the same restaurant during the date so don't over react if you see him."

"That's fine, I won't intrude either, even if you paid me. I just hope my brother finds a connection with the opposite sex, at least I won't have to worry once I get married haha."

The two chatted for a while, Qin Qianyu found that the seller was maybe being just a little too paranoid about the entire thing but she paid it no mind as all she kept thinking about was getting her hands on the needle.

The pair stopped messaging each other and went to go about doing their own things.

"Eldest brother don't let me down tonight, I know I put you in a tight spot but what can I say, it was their request for the item I wanted besides don't you like martial arts as well? At least you'll have something in common to talk about, oh and she's also a doctor! . . Maybe . . You know . . "

A young woman in a long evening dress with matching heels, wore a half bunny mask. Her painted lips beamed into a somewhat cute but mischievous smile as she spoke to the person next to her.

That person was the man wearing the Silver wolf mask that had bid on the rejuvenation holy pill.

He stood up from his seat, he was tall with long toned limbs a wide chest that matched his back. Even with his clothes on, one could tell he was fit, strong and well proportioned.

He looked down at his little sister, his gaze piercing through her as he became irritated and annoyed that his sister not only used himself for her own gains, she also wanted to bring a third party into the mix regarding a tightly guarded family secret.

The words he was about to say, he choked back on, after seeing her smile. He wanted to reprimand her, however seeing this made him go soft, he found it was hard to be so upset at her.

The harshness in his eyes dissipated and in a soft but still heavy tone he replied,

"Just this once."

The bunny's smile widened as she nodded like a chipmunk back at him.

The Silver wolf masked man then turned to the other person in the room. It was the seller of the pill,

"Apologies, once this little transaction of my sister's is over we'll leave straight away. I've already sent out men we'll meet them at the halfway point prior to fully proceeding."

"You have my thanks lord wolf,"

Came the reply from the woman wearing a full faceless mask.

The trio all stood and left the private booth together.

"Little bunny, TDL,"

"Oh! Ah, Time, 8pm, Duration until you're full I guest, and Location, West Ridge."

"Got it, during that time stay with faceless, and when I leave to fulfil the request for the pill you'll to stay with Guards 1 to 4. No mischief or funny business. Do you understand?"

"Mhm, got it big bad wolfman!"

On the other side Qin Qianyu and grandpa Wú were relaxing in their lounge room, it was an hour before they would actually go and make "payment" for the Silver Phoenix Talon.

"Master, should I change into a nice dress for tonight's date?"

"Huh!? Why would you do that? Disciple! Haise! Listen! People dress up for dates in order to impress and attract the other person. Are you wanting to take things further than that following this date?"

"Oh right I never thought about that, thanks for the reminder, guess I'll just change into some comfy home clothes then."

"Mhm, do that, oh and remove or hide any distinctive personal items, you never know how much you can find out about a person with minute and simple information like a certain piece of jewellery or physical features. Just remember to always be on guard."

" . . . "

"You're currently not at a level were you can fend off the truly strong let alone most of the idiots here . . At least not yet, but once you master the Wú arts you'll find yourself with not too many equals in the entire world, that I can guarantee."

Even though Qin Qianyu was, until recently almost 30, because of the way she lived and loved in her former life, she needed the advice and knowledge of a supporting elder now more than ever.

It was far from the advice that the elders of the song family gave, theirs were only for her to lay upon the bed and serve Song Zhaoge well and produce a son in order to carry on the Song lineage.

To them, at least, it didn't matter how many valuable and much needed pharmaceuticals she created in order to save the Song family.

To them, it was all for nought if there wasn't an heir to pass these things onto.

So with that in mind, she took to heart every tidbit of information grandpa Wú gave her as she came to know that grandpa Wú was giving her sound, valuable and heartfelt advice for her well-being and so she'd be safe.

For the entire hour before the date, grandpa Wú rattled on about this and that, sometimes it had nothing to do about anything but Qin Qianyu loved it, she became absorbed in his rants, all of it.

The time soon came for Qin Qianyu's date and she along with grandpa Wú made their way towards West Ridge.

The master and disciple pair saw the lone silver wolf masked man standing at the entrance. Many patrons kept casting glances his way especially the young women that came out to dine.

Grandpa Wú pulled on her arm and clasped her hand in his,

"Remember, I'll be right here if you ever need me, just take it as you having a meal at a shared table."

"I feel more assured now thank you grandpa Wú."

"You . . "

"This much is fine isn't it? We're the only ones in earshot, I'll feel too distant if I called you master while saying so. Hehe!"

"Go, go, before I knock you out and drive us far away."

Qin Qianyu aligned the vehicle and made her way towards her "date". As soon as he spotted her his lips twitched as he noted that all though she changed clothes it was like she was heading out to a market to beat the morning rush.

"The little bunny thanks you for the speedy transaction, they asked me to pass this on to you as well."

The silver wolf masked man handed over an ornate wooden box. Although she knew it was the needle she couldn't help but open it and have a little peek inside.

When she saw the needle her mouth formed into the most pleasant smile the wolfman had ever seen on another person.

He gave a light cough to not only distract himself but also to let Qin Qianyu know that she was staring at the boxes contents for a little too long.

Qin Qianyu brought her thoughts back to the present and reached into her pocket and gave the wolfman a small porcelain bottle.

"These are of my own creation, I call them restarts. They remove fatigue and have other benefits to the body also. There's 30 pills in this bottle. Take no more than 3 a day unless you want to surprise and have your Lady . . or Man boast about your prowess for an eternity."

The wolfman's mouth twitched again. He just nodded his head in affirmation and accepted the bottle of pills.

"Why did you pick such a thing?"

The wolfman asked as the pair entered the restaurant and waited to be served.

"Why can't I?"

Qin Qianyu looked to the tall wolfman a little puzzled at the question and eventually replied.

"It just seems a little weird that's all,"

"Oh!? Okay, well it's because I needed it."

"You needed a date?"

The wolfman mattered under his breath,

"Pardon?"

The wolfman just shock his head and didn't say anything afterwards.

"Why is he talking like I set up the date? I'll never understand the inner workings of the mind of a rich person."

"Why would someone like her ask for a damn date!? Is she ugly or something!? Argh forget, I'll never understand the inner workings of a woman's mind."

The wolfman and Qin Qianyu grumbled mentally to themselves. Soon a wait staff approached and told the pair that a private dining room for Mr Wolf and Lady Fox is prepared and ready for them.

"Lead the way."

Mr wolf says with indifference in his voice. Qin Qianyu just kept reminding herself that it's just a meal.

"I'm glad that it's only a meal and not a lifetime, this is torturous!"

In the private room the pair never said another word after ordering food. The meal was over within an hour.

All they did was eat and drink till each were full then they parted. The wolfman went his way and Qin Qianyu went hers.

She noted how he went to pay for the meal but overheard that it was already taken care of so he left and Qin Qianyu searched the restaurant for grandpa Wú.

After she found him, the pair went back to their villa were grandpa Wú and Qin Qianyu gushed over acquiring the needle. After chatting for awhile, grandpa Wú went to wash up before heading to bed.

Qin Qianyu did the same thing. Soon her phone lit up.

"Hey, it's me, so how was it?"

"If you're talking about the food it was great, everything else was so so. Actually, that's a lie, it was painful and tedious."

"Mhm, so what about my brother? Is he gay? Yes, No, Maybe? To tell you the truth all he ever talks about are men this and guys that, he's such a weirdo."

"No idea! You may get a straight answer if you ask him directly, but yeah, anyway thanks for the needle, I've been searching for it for along time now because it's actually part of a set, but thanks to you, now it's complete."

"Needle? Isn't it just a hairpin?"

"Haha, no, it's an acupuncture needle called the Silver Phoenix Talon. Anyway thanks for the easy transaction, I'm going head off to bed, I've got a long day tomorrow so thanks and bye."

"Wow who knew? . . Oh right! You did. Haha! Well who cares, it was worth it, least now it may see some proper use seeing that it's gone to the right person. It's fate, it's supposed to be. Alright bye for now let's keep in touch here's my main account."

Hearts Lament sent another handle to Qin Qianyu. She added it to her newly made Phantom Fox account and her Reconnect account.

"Xiaoling, like the mausoleum? Heh! what a weird name."

"Said the martial arts, fox doctor!"

" . . . "

Qin Qianyu left it at that and headed off to sleep. She wasn't lying to Xiaoling, tomorrow will be another long day as she'll be training with grandpa Wú before the pair head back home.