Chapter 709: Checked In a Month Ago

Huo Tu frowned, displeased. One moment, they were told there were no rooms, but the next, that Ye woman was staying here. How could they still claim there were no rooms?

"Honest business, my foot. This is just a crooked inn," Huo Liran snarled, her wrist aching so much she broke out in a cold sweat. But her words were still merciless.

The Shopkeeper looked over. "Watch your mouth, young lady. How exactly has our inn been ’crooked’ to you?"

"You said there were no rooms, so how did she get to go upstairs?"

"Miss Ye checked in a month ago. That’s hardly the same as right now." The Shopkeeper clicked his tongue, shook his head, and went back behind the counter.

A month ago?

Huo Tu was stunned. The horror in Huo Feng’s eyes was impossible to conceal.

Jiang Chenyi and Jiang Yue heard this as well. They exchanged a look of utter shock.

"You... You’re lying! There’s no way she could have checked in a month ago." Huo Liran came to her senses, shook off Huo Feng’s hand, and rushed to the counter.

"What’s there to lie about? We have it in our records. I was the one who checked Miss Ye into her room a month ago." The Shopkeeper couldn’t understand what was so shocking about someone lodging at his inn.

Huo Liran fell silent for a moment. Then, her face contorted as she turned around. "Second Uncle, Big Brother, I told you there was something wrong with her."

Huo Tu said, "There is."

And a big one at that.

Huo Feng agreed, "There definitely is."

Jiang Chenyi remained silent.

Jiang Yue also said nothing.

"Hmph. We could have reached shore in a matter of days, but she made us sail for over a month. We even ran into a storm and almost drowned. She’s so vicious!" Huo Liran seethed, grinding her teeth.

...

...

Upon hearing this, the corners of both Huo Tu’s and Huo Feng’s mouths twitched.

’Make landfall in a few days?’

’What a fantasy.’

Their ship had been sailing straight toward Dayu City. The city was surrounded by an endless sea on three sides; any detour would have only prolonged the journey.

Sailing in a straight line was the shortest route to the coast.

But...

If there was no shortcut, how had Ye Qianning managed to make it ashore in a matter of days?

If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, Huo Tu would never have believed something so bizarre could be possible.

"Miss Huo, if Miss Ye hadn’t pointed us in the right direction, we would have drowned at sea by now," Jiang Chenyi said, extremely displeased.

"We would have reached the shore within a month even without her, and maybe even sooner!" Huo Liran placed all the blame for the terror she had endured at sea on Ye Qianning.

"This is absurd." Jiang Chenyi didn’t want to spend another moment with the Huo family. "Yue’er, have our family members retrieve our belongings from the ship. In a few days, the Jiang family will take the official road back to Qingzhou."

"Good. I don’t want to travel with them either."

"Brother Jiang..."

"Say no more, Brother Huo. Let’s part ways here in Dayu City." Jiang Chenyi’s mind was made up.

Seeing this, Huo Feng could only nod. "Very well. But, Brother Jiang, the Huo family and the Jiang family have been allies for generations. We can’t let one trip to sea weaken our ties, can we?"

"Our fathers have been close for many years, so their relationship will certainly not fade. Brother Huo, we will take our leave now." After speaking, Jiang Chenyi gave Huo Feng a cupped-fist salute and departed with the members of the Jiang family.

The good relationship of the older generation didn’t necessarily extend to the younger one.

Huo Feng wanted to salvage the situation, but it seemed impossible now.

"By the way, esteemed guests," the Shopkeeper added with well-meaning advice, "everyone who’s come to Dayu City in the last few days without a reservation has been buying tents to pitch outside the city. You might want to consider buying a few yourselves."

Huo Liran’s expression twisted into an ugly sneer. She turned, her face savage, and spat out a single word: "Scram."

’How dare he tell us to sleep in a tent? He’s courting death!’

The Shopkeeper froze for a second, then stepped out from behind the counter again. He took a deep breath and began waving his hand as if shooing away ducks. "Out, out, out! Get out! Get the hell out of here, right now!"