Chapter 27: If You Live, Live Grandly
At noon, Chen Xue Wen went out to buy some groceries, and Wu Li Hong took charge of the kitchen, preparing a grand feast.
Li Er Yong sat at the table, his eyes widening in amazement at the spread before him. “Wow! Sister Hong, I never knew you could cook so well!”
Even Chen Xue Wen was surprised. He had never imagined that this fierce, street-smart woman had such impressive culinary skills. The food on the table was rich in color, aroma, and taste—almost as good as his mother’s cooking.
Wu Li Hong smirked proudly. “Hmph, I started cooking when I was eight years old. Back then, I was the one feeding the whole family!”
Chen Xue Wen raised an eyebrow. “Eight years old? Your parents really had no problem making you work so young, huh?”
At his words, Wu Li Hong’s expression shifted slightly, her eyes growing misty. Chen Xue Wen suddenly recalled something—back in school, he had never seen Wu Li Hong’s parents attend any school events. Even when there were parent-teacher meetings or when she got into trouble and had to be called in, only her elderly grandmother ever showed up.
He had never thought much about it before, but now, for the first time, he realized that Wu Li Hong’s home life might not have been as easy as he had assumed.
“Alright, I’m starving!” Li Er Yong broke the silence, picking up his chopsticks and devouring the food ravenously.
The three of them hadn’t eaten much since last night, and hunger gnawed at them.
Watching the two men eat, Wu Li Hong’s lips curved into a rare smile. She got up, walked into the kitchen, and returned with two bottles of foreign liquor.
“To Wen Zi’s new beginning! Tonight, we drink until we drop!” she declared.
Li Er Yong instantly grabbed a cup, but Chen Xue Wen stopped him. “You guys drink. I’m not having any.”
Li Er Yong frowned. “Come on, man. This is a celebration! You gotta drink!”
Chen Xue Wen waved him off. “The last time I drank, my whole family was destroyed. I’m done with alcohol.”
Silence fell over the room. Li Er Yong and Wu Li Hong exchanged glances before quietly putting their cups down.
His parents’ deaths were wounds that Chen Xue Wen would carry forever.
After the meal, Wu Li Hong swiftly cleaned up while Li Er Yong pulled out a pack of cigarettes, offering one to Chen Xue Wen. “How about a smoke? Nothing beats a post-meal cigarette!”
Chen Xue Wen chuckled and shook his head. “In prison, someone once told me—if you want to be truly powerful, never let yourself get addicted to anything. Only those who can control their desires can climb higher than the rest.”
Li Er Yong, cigarette dangling from his lips, stared blankly at Chen Xue Wen. “Damn, Wen Zi, where’d you pick up all these deep insights? It’s just a cigarette!”
Chen Xue Wen only smiled in response.
After taking a few puffs, Li Er Yong tossed his cigarette to the ground and crushed it under his foot. “So, what’s the plan now?”
Chen Xue Wen leaned back slightly. “If none of this had happened, I’d be in another city attending university right now.”
Li Er Yong spat. “Damn that Zhou Hao, that bastard ruined everything! Why don’t you go back to school? You’re only nineteen, you still have a chance.”
Chen Xue Wen shook his head. “Forget it. After six months in Peaceful City Prison, after everything that’s happened—I can’t go back.”
A bitter smile appeared on his lips. “My parents spent their entire lives playing it safe, only to be bullied till the very end. Their biggest wish was for me to make something of myself. Now that I’ve survived, I have to fulfill that wish.”
His eyes darkened with determination. “If I’m going to live, I’ll live grandly.”
Li Er Yong studied him for a long moment before grinning. “Damn, Wen Zi, prison really changed you. You never used to talk like this.”
Chen Xue Wen just smiled. His path was set.
At that moment, Wu Li Hong walked out after finishing the dishes. She grabbed Li Er Yong’s cigarette pack, expertly lighting one for herself. “What are you guys talking about?”
Li Er Yong snickered. “See that? Even a woman is braver than you! A cigarette isn’t a big deal!”
Chen Xue Wen smirked and then turned to Wu Li Hong. “By the way, I remember you have a younger brother. What’s he up to now?”
For a second, Wu Li Hong froze. She lowered her head, letting her long hair veil half her face. Taking a deep drag, she exhaled slowly. “He’s not well. He’s… recovering.”
Her evasiveness didn’t go unnoticed, but Chen Xue Wen chose not to pry.
Finishing her cigarette, Wu Li Hong stood up. “Alright, I’ve got work. You two can handle dinner yourselves.”
As she reached the door, she suddenly turned around and tossed a heavy bag onto Chen Xue Wen’s lap. “Since you’re not dead, take this back.”
He opened the bag. Inside—were the five gold bars.
He blinked in shock. He never thought a woman as money-hungry as Wu Li Hong would return them.
Li Er Yong smacked his forehead. “Oh right! I need to return the money and gold bars I was holding for you too. Since this whole mess is settled, I don’t need it anymore.”
Chen Xue Wen waved a hand. “No need. What’s given is given.”
Li Er Yong spat. “What kinda bullshit is that? You risked your life for this money, how could I keep it? Even Wu Li Hong, who’s struggling, returned the gold bars. How could I do any less?”
Chen Xue Wen frowned. “She’s struggling?”
Li Er Yong stared at him. “Wait, you don’t know?”
Chen Xue Wen shook his head. He never truly understood Wu Li Hong. If it weren’t for recent events, they might never have crossed paths again.
Li Er Yong sighed. “She’s had it rough. When she was just a kid, her parents died of illness, one after another. Her grandparents raised her—that’s why she started cooking so young. Later, her younger brother was diagnosed with kidney disease. He’s been in the hospital ever since, needing dialysis every week just to survive. She had no choice but to work the nightlife, trying to earn enough for a kidney transplant.”
Chen Xue Wen sat in stunned silence. He had always looked down on Wu Li Hong, thinking she was just another woman who had thrown away her dignity. But now, he finally understood—she had never had a choice.
Compared to her, that so-called School Beauty he once admired was nothing at all.
With a sigh, he muttered, “In the end, it all comes down to money.”
He turned to Li Er Yong. “Tell me, what’s the fastest way to make money?”
Li Er Yong smirked. “You’re asking me? I only know how to spend it.”
Chen Xue Wen massaged his temples. “We need to find something profitable. We can’t just keep drifting aimlessly.”
Li Er Yong suddenly leaned in with a sly grin. “How about we find some rich ladies to keep us? Easy money, and plenty of fun!”
Chen Xue Wen smacked him. “All you think about is selling yourself. You think anyone wants that ugly ass of yours?”
Li Er Yong grabbed a mirror, fixing his hair smugly. “You don’t get it. Rich ladies love my type.”
Ignoring him, Chen Xue Wen turned away, heading to his room for some rest.
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation