Chapter 26: I’ll Make You Noodles
Chen Xue Wen slept soundly until the morning light filled the room. When he opened his eyes, it was already past ten.
He quickly got dressed and stepped out of his room. The sound of the television echoed through the living room.
Walking in, he saw Fang Ru lounging on the sofa in her silk pajamas. Even though the world outside was a frozen wasteland, the warmth inside the house made it feel like spring. Her form-fitting attire outlined her graceful figure, impossible to ignore.
Noticing she was alone, Chen Xue Wen took a cautious step back.
“Sister Ru, where’s Fifth Master?” he asked.
Fang Ru turned her head, her beautiful face lighting up with a flirtatious smile.
“You’re awake! Fifth Master took some men out.”
Chen Xue Wen frowned. “Out? What about my situation…”
Fang Ru gestured at the TV. “Look, it’s on the news.”
He turned to see the Peaceful City News reporting an incident about a single-family villa in the outskirts catching fire due to the improper use of heating equipment. Three people were reported dead.
Chen Xue Wen’s heart raced. That villa—it was Zhou Wan Cheng’s villa.
They actually labeled it as an accident?
And only three casualties? That number was far lower than the truth. He had taken out eighteen people that night. Now, the severity of the incident had been drastically reduced.
His shock deepened. The reach of Fifth Master Hou was far beyond what he had imagined. To alter a case this significantly overnight—this was no small feat.
“Only three reported dead? What about the other fifteen?” he asked.
Fang Ru smirked. “More than half of them were wanted criminals, people who couldn’t show up in official records. Their bodies were disposed of quietly. As for the rest, we’ll just fabricate some other ‘accidents’—a car crash here, a drowning there. Once the autopsy reports are prepared, no one will question it.”
“Fifth Master will also pay off their families, ensuring everything stays quiet.”
Chen Xue Wen suddenly understood. This wasn’t the first time Fifth Master Hou had handled something like this. He was a master at covering tracks. Killing a few people meant nothing to someone with his power.
Fang Ru patted the space next to her on the sofa with a teasing smile. “Why are you standing there like a fool? Come sit and watch.”
She even moved over slightly, making room for him.
Chen Xue Wen glanced at her, then shook his head. “Thank you, Sister Ru, but I’d rather stand.”
Her smile grew even more playful. “What, afraid that Fifth Master might see? Don’t worry, it’s just us here. Everyone else left with him. The only ones close by are the guards outside, and they won’t come in unless I call them.”
The implication in her words was clear—they were alone, a man and a woman.
But Chen Xue Wen remained still. His expression was calm. “No need. I slept all night—I prefer to stand.”
Fang Ru’s delicate brows furrowed slightly, her expression turning displeased.
Men usually fawned over her at the mere hint of interest. A single glance was enough to make them kneel at her feet. But Chen Xue Wen? Even after she made herself so obvious, he barely looked at her. It was the first time she had ever doubted her own allure.
Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile again. “Are you hungry? Want me to make you something?”
“No need, Sister Ru. I’m not hungry.”
Fang Ru felt a burst of irritation. Was this guy an idiot?
Chen Xue Wen kept his attention on the news. After reporting the villa fire, the broadcast shifted to another case—his case.
The murder of the school beauty.
The Law Enforcement Team had obtained the autopsy report, proving that she had been killed by someone else. The witnesses who had falsely testified against him had also retracted their statements.
The authorities publicly declared that Chen Xue Wen was innocent. They even announced that he would be compensated for the wrongful accusation.
Chen Xue Wen stood frozen in place.
He suddenly felt like crying.
He had finally cleared his name!
But the cost was far too great. His parents were gone.
Taking a deep breath, he said, “Sister Ru, I need to go home. When Fifth Master returns, please tell him for me. Once I’ve handled my parents’ funeral, I’ll come back and work for him.”
Without waiting for her reply, he turned and walked away.
Fang Ru’s face darkened. Chen Xue Wen had barely looked at her the entire time. She felt humiliated!
Leaving Fifth Master Hou’s villa, Chen Xue Wen hopped onto the motorcycle from last night and sped toward the city.
Half an hour later, he arrived at the familiar alleyway.
His home was in the Peaceful City Countryside, a forty-square-meter old house his parents had bought years ago. He had grown up here.
Walking through the alley, memories flooded his mind. He couldn’t hold back his tears any longer.
He was home—but everything had changed.
The parents who had waited for him every night at the dinner table were now gone. Separated by life and death.
The pain in his heart grew unbearable. The closer he got to the house, the harder it became to breathe.
Finally, he saw the familiar doorway.
Two people sat outside, anxiously waiting.
One was Li Er Yong, supporting himself with a crutch.
The other was Wu Li Hong, her hair disheveled, still in her nightwear, having rushed out in a panic.
Both of them craned their necks, eyes locked on the end of the alley, desperately waiting for him.
When they saw him walking toward them, they froze. Then, in the next second, their faces lit up with joy.
Wu Li Hong leapt up and ran straight at him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. Tears streamed down her face. “You’re back! You’re really back!”
Li Er Yong hobbled forward on one leg, shouting, “Xue Wen, I knew you’d be fine! You promised me, and I knew you’d keep your word!”
He laughed. Then, he cried.
Looking at these two dear friends, crying their hearts out, Chen Xue Wen felt a bit of the weight in his heart lift.
His parents were gone.
But at least, he wasn’t alone.
There were still people waiting for him at home.
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation