Chapter 127: The Cabin on a Rainy Night

As Jiang Chen retraced his steps, he suddenly came to a halt. He lowered his gaze to the ground, where something had instantly seized his full attention; not the slightest detail could escape his observant eyes.

The appearance of another person’s footprints, seemingly out of nowhere, sent a jolt of vigilance through him. He was certain these tracks had not been there when he first arrived, meaning someone else had been present while he was inside the cabin inspecting it. That individual must have watched him enter and then slipped away without a sound.

Jiang Chen calmed his thoughts, considering the possibility that the rising night wind had masked the stranger's footsteps, preventing him from noticing them immediately. The crucial question remained: who was this person who had appeared and vanished in the shadows? Jiang Chen did not believe it was a mere passerby; the location was too far from the main road for anyone to be there without reason. If the stranger had also been seeking shelter from the impending rain, it was illogical that they hadn't entered.

Disturbed by the suspicious prints, Jiang Chen quickened his pace. A subtle, growing sense of unease gnawed at him, a feeling that something was about to happen. When he returned to Shen Xueying, he found that Lan Hui was missing.

"What's going on?" Jiang Chen asked cautiously.

Shen Xueying replied, "It's fine. Lan Hui is resting over there. I only came here because I heard some unusual noises."

"We must leave at once!"

Sensing that something was deeply wrong, Jiang Chen hurried to find Lan Hui. Only when he saw her sleeping soundly beneath a large tree did he breathe a sigh of relief.

"That is the situation; I fear we are being watched."

Once Jiang Chen explained about the mysterious footprints, Shen Xueying shared his apprehension. The atmosphere in the woods had turned strange, and their best course of action was to take shelter in the cabin after all, at least to escape the elements. Once there, they could decide on their next move.

Without delay, they woke Lan Hui and returned to the cabin. However, the dark, silent shack was now illuminated by the warm glow of candlelight.

"Could the owner have returned?" Shen Xueying wondered.

Jiang Chen glanced at the ground. Two new sets of footprints—one large, one small—led side-by-side into the cabin. "Come, let’s go in and see."

Jiang Chen pushed the door open to find an old man and a young boy huddled in the corner, tending to a hearth fire.

"Oh, my apologies! We saw the cabin was empty and thought we might take shelter for a while. The rain is about to start, and we have nowhere else to go," the old man said, bowing and scraping with humble courtesy. "If you would allow us to stay, we would be most grateful."

The boy, who appeared to be in his early teens, mimicked the old man’s gestures, nodding repeatedly, though he could only emit incoherent mumbles. The old man explained, "My grandson has been deaf and mute since birth, forgive him."

"You misunderstand; we are only seeking shelter ourselves and are not the owners. We are all strangers here by chance, so let us settle in as we please."

Jiang Chen helped Lan Hui onto the only bed, telling her to rest while he prepared food. Once she was settled, he pulled out a few flatbreads to toast over the fire. Shen Xueying, intrigued, moved closer, as she had never seen such a thing.

"What is this called? It looks like naan, yet it seems quite different."

"That is because I made it myself," Jiang Chen replied. "It’s called 'Sauce-Fragrant Flatbread.' If I hadn't been so busy lately, I would have been selling these at my pastry shop. Don't let its humble appearance fool you; it has a depth of flavor that would make the whole city fall in love with it."

This was another aspect of Jiang Chen that Shen Xueying found both novel and admirable. A man of such skill and intellect who was also a master in the culinary arts—it was truly incredible.

As the bread toasted, it released an enticing aroma that drew the eyes of the old man and his grandson.

"Here, have a taste." Jiang Chen distributed pieces of the bread, and the unique flavor immediately won everyone over.

"Indeed," Shen Xueying remarked, "the sauce is rich, and the crust is crispy while the inside remains tender. It is delicious!" The old man, after one bite, gave Jiang Chen a thumbs-up; he had never tasted anything so fine in his life.

Just as they were enjoying the meal, a heavy, dragging sound of footsteps approached from outside, drawing everyone’s attention.

"Passing through, hoping to take shelter from the rain. I hope you don't mind," a woodcutter said, entering with a large bamboo basket on his back. He seemed embarrassed to find so many people already inside.

"We are just passing through as well. Make yourself at home," Jiang Chen said, while his gaze drifted to the man's feet. He had been carefully observing the footwear of every stranger present, but none matched the mysterious prints. However, the woodcutter drew his particular interest.

"Brother, how did you end up cutting wood so late in the day?" Jiang Chen asked, testing him.

"Bad luck today," the woodcutter replied. "My dog, Big Yellow, ran off. I spent the whole day searching the mountains but couldn't find him. He and I have lived together since he was a pup; I couldn't bear to leave him, but now he has left me."

The old man offered a consoling word, "Perhaps he went home on his own. Dogs are loyal; he surely wouldn't abandon you."

"I hope you're right."

What struck Jiang Chen as odd was that the woodcutter never set down the heavy basket on his back, and his gait suggested that whatever was inside held significant weight.

"Are there mountain goods in that basket? If so, I would like to buy some." Shen Xueying, having served in the Night Justice Department, shared Jiang Chen’s suspicion and was equally focused on the anomaly.

"It is only firewood inside, nothing a young lady would care for."

Jiang Chen rose and walked over to the woodcutter, offering him half a piece of the flatbread. "Have a bite to eat." As he spoke, he tried to sneak a peek into the basket, but it was covered by a thick black cloth, revealing nothing.