The look Chu Xingxing gave Sheng Luzhi was like: Whoa, President Sheng sure takes this “older cousin” role seriously… he’s definitely a tough one.
Sheng Luzhi caught that look from Chu Xingxing and felt an odd urge to explain that he wasn’t the stiff, old-school type of brother she might be imagining.
Almost no one in the Sheng family could really manage Sheng Youshan. The smarter the kid, the more willful they are. Over the past couple of years, Grandma Sheng hadn’t been as spry as before and no longer had the energy to raise the younger generation the way she’d raised Sheng Luzhi.
The only one who could put a little academic pressure on her was her cousin, Sheng Luzhi, and even then, she’d only half-listen.
Otherwise, Sheng Youshan often wouldn’t do the homework her teachers assigned, preferring to study only what she liked, leading to some pretty severe academic imbalances…
Sheng Youshan batted her big eyes, trying her best to look like a pleading kitten: “Pleeease, the Huanggang practice tests are so boring.”
Sheng Luzhi patted her shoulder. With so many people around, he didn’t want to embarrass her, so he asked patiently, “So, what do you want?”
Sheng Youshan perked up instantly, her big eyes darting around.
The little girl stood up from her seat, slipped over to Chu Xingxing’s side, and said, “Sister Xingxing, I want an autographed poster of the JAM girl group! And can CBM Entertainment make some official ‘Xingxing Cookie’ CP merchandise? I really want some!!!”
Chu Xingxing: “Pfft…”
Sheng Luzhi’s temple twitched: “…”
Since when did a twelve-year-old even know what “CP” meant?
“I’ll get you the signed JAM poster. As for the ‘Xingxing Cookie’ CP stuff, the company definitely won’t make that, but…”
Chu Xingxing pulled out her phone from her clutch and scrolled through her photos until she found a selfie of herself and Cookie.
She showed it to Sheng Youshan: “I can send you this selfie of me and Little Cookie, and I’ll post more on Weibo about hanging out with Cookie from now on. Does that work?”
“AH!!! So my CP is REAL!!!”
Sheng Youshan’s face flushed with excitement. She jumped up and hugged Chu Xingxing: “Sister Xingxing, my future sister-in-law, I love you so much!”
Chu Xingxing reached out and ruffled Sheng Youshan’s hair, then gave Sheng Luzhi a helpless, amused look: “So, exactly whose CP is Shanshan shipping?”
Chu Xingxing thought to herself that Cookie was actually at an out-of-town signing event today and was supposed to rush back for the Saci red carpet, but her flight got delayed by a sudden thunderstorm.
Otherwise, she could have brought Cookie along and had the main dancer of JAM personally give her little fan Shanshan an autograph and a photo.
Sheng Luzhi simply lifted his little cousin off Chu Xingxing, his expression turning serious: “Where did you learn all this nonsense? And you can’t just call people whatever you want.”
“Ow…”
Sheng Youshan held her head in mock pain, whining, “I’m already a middle schooler! Can you please stop treating me like a little kid, Zhi-ge…”
The other kids in the room had also put down their tablets and phones, resting their chins on their hands, thoroughly entertained by the drama unfolding.
After all, they were usually on the receiving end of “discipline” from their big sister Shanshan.
Clearly, this scene was making Sheng Youshan, their “queen bee,” lose a lot of face.
Caught in the middle of a brother scolding his sister, Chu Xingxing wasn’t sure how to mediate. After all, she had only met Sheng Luzhi a few times, and it wasn’t her place to interfere in family matters.
Just then, Ai Puxin, with Xin’er hanging off him, walked over and handed a tablet to Sheng Youshan: “Alright, Shanshan, finish this set of problems, get an A+, and I’ll get you the deluxe edition of JAM’s latest EP.”
“Brother Puxin is the best…”
Sheng Youshan took the tablet and seized the opportunity to slip away, sticking her tongue out at Sheng Luzhi from across the round table: “Nyah nyah! If Zhi-ge gives me another Huanggang 100 Sprint test, I’m switching my support to Xin’er!”
Sheng Luzhi: “…”
Can someone please take my little demon cousin away!
Xin’er, hearing this, got all excited. She reached out her chubby little hand and wrapped it around Chu Xingxing’s arm from across the air: “Sister Xingxing, can you be my little uncle’s wife? Can you be my little auntie?”
Chu Xingxing’s eyes curved into a smile. She poked Xin’er’s adorable baby cheeks and shook her head.
Become a little auntie? She was meeting Dr. Ai for the first time!
Before she could figure out how to explain this to such a young child, Dr. Ai had already picked Xin’er up.
“No,” Ai Puxin said seriously.
“Why not!” Xin’er puffed out her round little belly, pouting, and raised her chubby hand: “Sister Shanshan already supports me!”
Ai Puxin didn’t use his baby-talking voice but spoke calmly, as if talking to an adult: “Shanshan was just saying that out of spite. You can’t take it seriously. Xin’er, you can’t just try to set your little uncle up with every pretty sister you see. That’s disrespectful and impolite to Sister Xingxing. If a good-looking boy from your school said he was your boyfriend just because he thought you were pretty, would you be happy?”
“No, none of the boys are as handsome as Little Uncle.”
Xin’er blinked, thinking it over, then nodded thoughtfully: “Mmm… Xin’er knows she was wrong…”
“And what should you do when you know you’re wrong?” Ai Puxin gently guided her.
“I’m sorry, Sister Xingxing,” Xin’er turned her head and said obediently.
Her soft, sweet little voice melted Chu Xingxing’s heart.
She took the doll-like Xin’er into her arms and nuzzled the soft little one: “It’s okay, sister isn’t mad. I know Xin’er was just joking and said that because she likes me.”
Seeing Xin’er get cuddles from Sister Xingxing, the other kids looked at Sheng Luzhi’s icy face, then at Ai Puxin’s encouraging expression. They followed suit, coming over to “apologize” to Chu Xingxing.
This wasn’t an apology at all—it was a full-on group snuggle session!
Chu Xingxing could barely keep up, surrounded by a bunch of adorable, milk-scented little ones, all wanting kisses, hugs, and to be lifted up high.
——-
On the other side of the side hall.
Sheng Luzhi took off his jacket, and a side hall attendant took it away to hang up.
Xin’er was on Ai Puxin’s left, and there were two empty seats on his right.
Sheng Luzhi sat down next to Ai Puxin, leaving only the spot on his right still empty.
“Dr. Ai really has a way with kids. You’re practically the Pied Piper,” Sheng Luzhi said to Ai Puxin, wiping his fingers one by one with a wet wipe.
Ai Puxin poured his buddy a glass of the same additive-free fresh juice he was drinking, and chuckled, “President Sheng flatters me. But Shanshan isn’t a little kid like Xin’er anymore. She’s almost a teenager, about to hit puberty. She’s sensitive, so you can’t embarrass her in front of others.”
“Having a minor in child psychology really makes a difference. If you weren’t so busy, my grandmother would probably pack up all the Sheng kids and send them to you for discipline.”
After saying that, Sheng Luzhi placed his untouched glass of juice on the empty seat beside him and used a clean pair of serving chopsticks to put some pastries and hot dishes onto an empty plate.
Ai Puxin watched his every move, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
“Known you for over twenty years, and this is the first time I’ve seen the heir of Shengshi Group take care of someone?” Dr. Ai teased him.
Ai Puxin remembered from a young age that the Sheng family was exceptionally strict in grooming their heir—so much so that even the group of close friends who grew up together were shocked.
Everything was planned out: what he could and couldn’t do, who he could befriend, which social circles to engage with, what school to attend, and what major to choose. From the moment he was born, Sheng Luzhi’s life seemed like a path with a clearly visible end.
As a child, Sheng Luzhi was always surrounded by attendants, meticulously molded by Grandma Sheng into the proper successor of the Shengshi Group.
Ai Puxin’s experience was different. The Ai family were mostly大院子弟 (children of military/establishment families) who later went into business. His aunt, Ai Minli, had also been a lead singer in the military’s song and dance troupe. Although the family hoped he’d take over the family business, they were very supportive when they learned he wanted to study medicine.
The Ai family seemed strict but actually didn’t interfere with the younger generation’s career choices.
Being teased by his buddy, Sheng Luzhi explained matter-of-factly: “Xingxing was being dragged around by Wen Han and Ze at the cocktail party to ‘work’ all night. She probably didn’t get to eat anything, so I brought her here to get some food.”
His eyes followed the slowly rotating lazy Susan, and he picked up another piece of sweet cake that a girl might like, placing it on the plate.
Hearing that she hadn’t eaten all night, Ai Puxin put down his chopsticks: “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”
Ai Puxin cleared his throat, and with a single sentence, the kids flocking around Chu Xingxing returned to their seats—some eating, some doing problems on their tablets and phones.
The program the kids used for their practice problems was an educational app funded by the Ai family.
Dr. Ai could get the kids to behave and complete their tasks because he knew each child’s hobbies. He promised them that once they finished, they’d get the gift they wanted most—something their families wouldn’t easily give them.
Chu Xingxing was finally freed from the children’s grip.
Sheng Luzhi pulled out a chair for her.
“Thanks.” Chu Xingxing sat down gracefully and was surprised to find that the plate before her, like a dish from a Michelin-starred restaurant, had a small portion of every pastry and dish imaginable.
Before, she would have been flustered, thinking, How could I possibly deserve such service from a big shot?
But the more she interacted with Sheng Luzhi, the more she realized he wasn’t as “terrifying” as the book described. She was gradually getting used to their friendship-like dynamic.
Sheng Luzhi took a glass of water from the side hall attendant and said casually, “I didn’t know your preferences, so I picked a bit of everything. Try them out, and just leave what you don’t like.”
Chu Xingxing looked up with a smile, picked up her chopsticks: “I’m not a picky eater. I’ll eat anything.”
As a post-apocalyptic survivor, the spirit of eating is strong! There’s nothing Chu Xingxing doesn’t love to eat!
Ai Puxin teased Sheng Luzhi: “Aren’t you going to formally introduce us?”
Sheng Luzhi’s hand holding the cup stiffened for a moment.
He had intended to let Chu Xingxing eat first before formally introducing them.
Chu Xingxing put down her chopsticks, turned her head, and naturally extended her hand to Ai Puxin: “Hello, Dr. Ai. It was a bit chaotic earlier, so I didn’t get a chance to properly say hello. You’re really amazing—the kids all listen to you.”
Sheng Luzhi leaned back in his chair rather reluctantly.
If he hadn’t moved, Ai Puxin wouldn’t have been able to reach Chu Xingxing’s hand.
“Hello, Chu Xingxing.” Ai Puxin gently touched her fingertips and immediately let go: “Thank you for looking after my aunt during your trip. I’ve heard about you from her and the younger ones at home. Our whole family really likes you.”
“Thank you, but it was really Grandma Ai looking after me,” Chu Xingxing said sincerely.
“Eat first. Aren’t you hungry?” Sheng Luzhi said softly, using the serving chopsticks to place a freshly made bamboo shoot and black pork dumpling onto her plate.
Sheng Luzhi deliberately turned his head to talk to Ai Puxin, changing the subject: “Dr. Ai, when are you taking your leave? What are your plans for this vacation?”
“Haven’t decided yet. Depends on whether the director approves. I’m quite envious of my aunt and the others being able to travel.”
Ai Puxin answered absentmindedly, reaching out to press the pause button on the rotating table. He scooped a bowl of Yan Du Xian (a traditional Shanghai-style soup with salted pork and bamboo shoots) that had stopped in front of him.
The Yan Du Xian at Sheng Hotel was excellent.
It used the first tender spring bamboo shoots after the spring rains—sweet and slender, with high water content—rather than the fibrous winter bamboo shoots that could irritate the throat.
The broth was made from free-range hens and fresh spare ribs. The salted pork was homemade by the hotel’s head chef, avoiding the overly assertive flavors of Jinhua ham.
The resulting soup was rich, the meat tender, and the bamboo shoots fresh—perfect for a rainy night with a lingering chill, warming you up with a steaming bowl.
Ai Puxin only picked a few of the most tender shoot tips, leaving out the meat. After selecting them, he filled the bowl to the brim with the rich, milky broth.
“You don’t eat bamboo shoots…” Sheng Luzhi asked, puzzled.
Just as Chu Xingxing was about to bite into the emerald bamboo shoot and pork dumpling she’d picked up with her chopsticks, a steaming bowl of Yan Du Xian was placed in front of her.
“Eat the soup first when you’re hungry. It’ll settle your stomach better.”
Ai Puxin’s surgeon’s hands hovered near Chu Xingxing for less than a second before moving away.
His fingers were long and well-defined, his wrist slender, with prominent blue veins visible beneath the skin.
His complexion was slightly darker than Sheng Luzhi’s pale skin, likely from his time providing medical aid in Tibet.
There was no denying it—Ai Puxin had beautiful hands.
“Thank you, Dr. Ai.” Chu Xingxing quietly lowered her head, realizing it was rude to stare at someone’s hands.
Now, she wasn’t sure whether to eat the dumpling on her chopsticks…
After all, Grandma Ai had said something similar to her on Pearl Island—that it was better to have some soup first when you’re very hungry.
But Sheng Luzhi had been so thoughtful in picking out all those dishes. Wouldn’t it be impolite not to eat any?
Sensing her hesitation, Sheng Luzhi gently moved the soup bowl closer to her and said, deliberately loud enough for Ai Puxin to hear: “Listen to Dr. Ai. Start with the soup; it’s better for your stomach.”
Relieved, Chu Xingxing put down her chopsticks, took a sip of the rich, savory Yan Du Xian that was so good you wouldn’t trade it for a slap in the face, and then took a big bite of the bamboo shoot and pork dumpling. She was almost moved to tears.
Sob, what kind of heavenly delicacy is this!
Having something in her stomach made her feel much more grounded.
“But…” Sheng Luzhi added, “I distinctly remember Dr. Ai being a surgeon. When did he become a ‘barefoot doctor’ of the ‘Health and Wellness’ variety?”
Ai Puxin picked up a clean bone china plate, used the serving chopsticks to take some stir-fried vegetables, and, right in front of Sheng Luzhi, placed it squarely in front of Chu Xingxing.
Chu Xingxing: “Thank you, Dr. Ai…”
Ai Puxin gave a faint smile and shook his head, but said to Sheng Luzhi: “Is President Sheng questioning my medical credentials? Does President Sheng think he knows more about medicine than I do?”
Chu Xingxing took a big mouthful of vegetables, pretending she hadn’t heard a thing, burying her head like an ostrich and chewing earnestly like a little hamster…
Help! I just want to have a nice meal!!!
——-
After quickly eating something to regain her strength, Chu Xingxing received a call from her manager, Jiang Changsheng.
“Abao looked everywhere for you. Where’d you go? You’re a celebrity now; don’t go wandering off, got it?” Jiang Changsheng’s voice sounded a bit anxious.
“I wasn’t wandering,” Chu Xingxing left the bustling side hall and went out to the balcony, whispering, “President Sheng said some of the Sheng family kids wanted a photo with me, so he brought me here to meet them and grab a bite.”
“Sheng Luzhi from Shengshi Group?” Jiang Changsheng paused, then said “Oh,” slowing down his speech: “I saw the photos Abao sent. All that food at the cocktail party is just fancy nonsense—cold plates and stuff, definitely nothing you’d like. Are you still hungry?”
“I’m not hungry. I actually ate quite a bit just now,” Chu Xingxing answered honestly.
“Oh. Got it.”
Jiang Changsheng was just entering through the side entrance of Sheng Hotel. He stopped walking and stood in the empty corridor.
Young Master Jiang was holding an insulated food container.
Inside was a freshly packed, still-steaming Jidi Congee (a Cantonese-style rice porridge), chicken wings braised with preserved plum and tangerine peel, Typhoon Shelter-style shrimp, blanched choy sum, and three flavors of sweet soup (tong sui).
Jiang Changsheng seemed to lose all his energy, unable to muster any spirit.
If Chu Xingxing was full, then what was the point of all this?
Never mind. Abao and the driver can have it as a late-night snack.
Chu Xingxing, hearing silence on the other end, thought she needed to go back to “work.” She dabbed the corner of her mouth with a napkin and asked, “Is someone looking for me?”
“No. It’s about time. Celebrities never need to stay for the whole thing. I’ll have Abao take you home. Just go straight from the side hall to the back entrance.”
After saying that, Jiang Changsheng hung up and tossed the takeout to the driver.
Chu Xingxing returned to the side hall to say goodbye to the adorable kids.
Jiang Changsheng’s call was just what she wanted. She had been planning to leave early anyway.
It was less than a week until the second trip. She had an audition for Void Youth in two days, and there was still something very important she needed to do.
Tonight was a good time to “scout the location.”
After cuddling with the kids one last time, Chu Xingxing thanked Sheng Luzhi and Ai Puxin.
Dr. Ai nodded goodbye.
Ai Puxin, in some ways, resembled Grandma Ai Minli. When not smiling, he seemed somewhat aloof and distant.
According to Abao, Dr. Ai looked like the classic “untouchable high and mighty flower”—with, of course, the unspoken addendum that she’d love to pull him down from his pedestal and have her way with him.
Sheng Luzhi had intended to escort Chu Xingxing out through the hotel’s employee passageway. But when he learned that her assistant, Abao, was already waiting at the side hall entrance, he didn’t insist.
“Bye, and thanks for the hospitality,” Chu Xingxing nodded.
“See you,” Sheng Luzhi saw her to the door.
Chu Xingxing paused for a split second, didn’t think much of it, and left with Abao.
Chu Xingxing and Abao went back to the main banquet hall to say goodbye to Jiang Luoze and Wen Han as well. Then they went to find a few “old babies” who were already a bit tipsy.
These elders were usually all about health and wellness.
But today, in high spirits, they were happily enjoying their drinks. Even the usually aloof and serious Grandma Ai Minli seemed to mellow out after a few sips.
Chu Xingxing exchanged hugs (the “cheek-to-cheek” type) with Grandma Sheng Shuwen, Grandma Jiang Yao, and Grandma Ai Minli. After all, they’d see each other again in a few days.
She was looking around for Wen Xuelan to say she was leaving first…
…when she saw the normally boisterous Ms. Wen holding a coat handed to her by an attendant, also looking ready to leave.
Chu Xingxing quickly went over: “Grandma Wen, I have a business thing tomorrow and an audition the day after, so I’m leaving a bit early today.”
“Xingbao, leaving so soon?” Wen Xuelan came over to hug her, asking considerately: “What kid leaves this early? In a bit, after all the business people leave, we’ll have our after-party.”
“I can’t take it anymore. If I stay any longer, I won’t be able to get up tomorrow.” Chu Xingxing yawned, feigning tiredness.
It was only then that she noticed she couldn’t smell any alcohol on Ms. Wen Xuelan: “Huh? You didn’t drink?”
“Ah…” Ms. Wen Xuelan gave a slightly unnatural smile, waved it off, and said, “Xingbao, I’ve spoiled you for nothing. How could you think I’m the type to smoke and drink in private? I’m not like those other old ladies. I don’t like drinking. I’m leaving early today too, to go home and get my beauty sleep.”
“Okay…” Chu Xingxing stifled a laugh and changed the subject: “What perfume are you wearing today? It smells wonderful.”
She thought about how Grandma Sheng had once said, “Xiaolan can drink a mule under the table,” but she didn’t call her out on it.
Wen Xuelan: “It’s a gift Ah Ze brought back for us old ladies from Europe. A perfumer friend of his makes it. It’s a lychee scent. If you like it, Xingbao, I’ll ask Ah Ze for some more.”
“I rarely use perfume. You keep it for yourself. I just thought it smelled lovely and really suited you.” Chu Xingxing saw Abao approaching with her coat and said, “So, shall we head out together?”
Wen Xuelan linked her arm with Chu Xingxing’s: “Let’s go, let’s go. From now on, the two of us will only go to health-conscious gatherings. No more playing with the heavy drinkers.”
Abao chuckled behind them.
Grandma Wen was her favorite of all the grandmothers—so funny.
Outside an old residential building in the capital.
Abao accompanied Chu Xingxing upstairs, looked around to make sure no one was following, waited in the car until she saw the lights turn on in her boss’s apartment, and then left with the driver.
Abao had previously worked as an artist assistant at ZIN Entertainment, a rival company of CBM Entertainment, for two years and had an excellent reputation. When ZIN underwent internal restructuring, Jiang Changsheng seized the opportunity to poach her.
ZIN Entertainment usually provided housing or a housing allowance for promising artists on the rise.
Abao felt that the old neighborhood Chu Xingxing currently lived in—where people and cars weren’t separated—had way too much foot traffic and random people coming and going.
Chu Xingxing’s Weibo followers were skyrocketing, she had more and more business commitments, and she was constantly going to auditions and joining production crews, plus she had a show currently airing. She was clearly an up-and-coming artist with a lot of potential.
Living in such a neighborhood didn’t seem very safe.
Being a very responsible assistant, Abao felt it was the company’s problem and called Jiang Changsheng directly.
“Assistant Jiang, I don’t think the security and property management at Chu Xingxing’s place are very good. If she gets a sasaeng fan or something, it’s hard to guarantee her safety.”
After hearing this, Jiang Changsheng considered just finding her a new place outright.
He owned several properties himself. There was a small, hundred-square-meter apartment in a centrally located, heavily secured building that would be perfect. He’d bought it with the first pot of money he’d earned from trading futures when he was fifteen.
But making that decision for her seemed disrespectful. Moving was something he should probably discuss with her first.
Jiang Changsheng: “Got it. Sister Chu has a lot of business stuff coming up, plus the audition for Void Youth soon. Bringing this up now might upset her. I’ll talk to her about it when she gets back from the second trip.”
“Okay, what I meant was, for the time being…”
Before Abao could finish, Jiang Changsheng said directly: “Go buy a few more security cameras, replace the old door at Sister Chu’s place with a fingerprint lock, and install alarms inside too. Then get the receipt from Finance.”
“Got it, got it.” Abao nodded, satisfied.
“Wait,” Jiang Changsheng added, “I’ll arrange it. The alarm system and locks I use at home are pretty good. I’ll send someone to install them tomorrow.”
Abao: “Wow, that’s efficient! Sister Chu just went up. She’s tired today and will probably sleep early. I’ll tell her tomorrow morning.”
——-
Arriving home, Chu Xingxing first changed out of her Saci gown and went to the bathroom to wash off her makeup thoroughly.
After cleansing and skincare, she changed into a dark gray athletic suit, layered a black down vest over it, and put on the sneakers that were best for… well, running (which was totally the plan).
Then, she found a dark blue knitted hat, put on a gray mask, and checked herself in the mirror.
Perfect.
She looked like she was just going out for an evening jog.
Chu Xingxing opened the balcony window and glanced down.
She confirmed that the van and Abao had indeed left.
She stuffed her phone and wallet into the “bottomless pit” pockets of her down vest, grabbed her keys, and headed out.
Hailing a taxi at the gate of the neighborhood, she gave the driver an address.
It was the current address of Diao Wenduo that she’d gotten from Sheng Luzhi after the first trip, when she’d gone to “repay a favor.”
“Should I follow the GPS?” the driver asked.
“Yep, follow the GPS,” Chu Xingxing nodded.
“Alright, just a sec…” The driver entered the address and turned back to confirm: “You’re going to Kangle Sanatorium, right? It’s already 9:30. Visiting hours might be over at this time.”
Chu Xingxing paused for a moment, took out her phone, and opened her WeChat chat with Sheng Luzhi: “Is this address… the address of a sanatorium?”
She’d been too busy the past few days and had only used the map on her phone to check the driving distance from her place to the address Sheng Luzhi sent.
She’d even looked at the satellite view to confirm there was a riverside park and running track nearby. She hadn’t noticed the destination was a sanatorium!
“Yes, just confirming. Qinghe Road, number one-six-eight…” The driver repeated the address. It matched the one in her WeChat perfectly.
“Yes, that’s where I’m going. Please drive.” Chu Xingxing nodded and fastened her seatbelt.
“Got it.” The driver, though curious about the strange young passenger, didn’t ask any more questions.
Arriving at the location, Chu Xingxing jumped out of the taxi.
She first pretended to be out for a run, stretching in the riverside park while carefully observing the Kangle Sanatorium.
“There’s no way Sheng Luzhi would give me the wrong address…” Chu Xingxing muttered to herself.
She had come here to “scout the place,” intending to find a way to avenge Sister Xiaonuan. She couldn’t figure out why Diao Wenduo’s current address was a sanatorium.
If it was a sanatorium, she could chat up the guard to find out visiting hours, using some “slight tricks” to gather information about Diao Wenduo.
Could this sanatorium be part of the Diao family’s holdings, managed by Diao Wenduo himself?
As she was thinking, she suddenly spotted a tall, slender woman’s figure at the side entrance of the sanatorium. She was dressed in a black trench coat, black boots, and wearing a black hat, a black mask, and huge black sunglasses.
The woman was peeking in furtively.
Hold on, is there a rival scout here too???
The more Chu Xingxing looked, the more familiar the figure seemed—like a “female agent” straight out of a 90s movie…
Wasn’t she a bit familiar?
Pretending to jog, Chu Xingxing casually approached the “female agent.” She could smell a faint, familiar lychee perfume scent on her.
No way…
Stopping in her tracks, Chu Xingxing circled back and found herself face-to-face with the “female agent” in the huge sunglasses.
“Grandma Wen???”
Chu Xingxing’s face was full of surprise.
“Xingbao???”
The “female agent,” Wen Xuelan, was completely caught off guard and nearly fell backward into the flower bed behind her.
Luckily, Chu Xingxing was quick. She reached out and caught Ms. Wen.
“What are you doing here?” Chu Xingxing asked, both amused and confused, taking off her mask.
Ms. Wen Xuelan also took off her sunglasses, but instead of answering, she fired back: “Xingbao, what are you doing here?”
“I came here to…” Chu Xingxing paused for a few seconds, thinking quickly.
Since Ms. Wen Xuelan had already found this place, it meant she knew about Diao Wenduo’s atrocities against Xiaonuan. She could tell her the truth.
“I came here to get revenge for Xiaonuan…”
“I came to get revenge for Xiaonuan.”
Ms. Wen Xuelan and Chu Xingxing said it at the same time.
Chu Xingxing: “…”
Wen Xuelan: “…”
Well, well, well. What a coincidence, huh…
——-
At the side entrance of Kangle Sanatorium stood a mother out for revenge and a sister out for revenge.
Neither Chu Xingxing nor Wen Xuelan were related to Wennuan by blood, but both were willing to do something about the suffering Wennuan had endured.
Chu Xingxing’s plan was to first find out about Diao Wenduo’s current situation—his daily routine and what he valued most—then find a way to threaten him, completely destroy his reputation, and make his life miserable.
After all, this was a society governed by law. Chu Xingxing couldn’t just solve things as simply and brutally as she did in the apocalypse—
A bullet to the head.
Though she really wanted to.
Revenge was most effective when it was simple and brutal.
“How do you plan to get revenge?” Chu Xingxing glanced at Ms. Wen Xuelan’s outfit, which looked like something from a 90s “female agent” movie, and had a sinking feeling.
“I…” Wen Xuelan clutched the large black “hitman-style” bag in her hand.
Chu Xingxing sighed.
She could probably guess. This woman—a Triple Crown Best Actress who’d been sheltered all her life by her family, her husband, and her children—would most likely choose a “naive” way to get revenge.
“Can I see what’s in your bag?” Chu Xingxing thought for a moment, then added: “Since we’re both here to get revenge for Xiaonuan, why don’t we team up? You know my skills.”
Wen Xuelan bit her lip, took a step back, and shook her head: “But Xingbao, I don’t want to drag you into this. What I’m planning to do… it’s against the law. You can’t do it with me.”
“Then tell me your plan, and I’ll help you re-strategize? I have a lot of experience with this stuff.”
Chu Xingxing coaxed the little old lady gently.
“Alright…” Ms. Wen Xuelan unzipped her “hitman bag,” and said angrily, “My plan is to first knock Diao Wenduo out with a hammer, tie him up with rope, and then use moxa sticks to burn huge pus-filled blisters all over him!”
Chu Xingxing peeked inside.
Indeed, Ms. Wen Xuelan’s bag contained what looked like a hammer…
A Stanley rubber mallet.
A coil of rope that didn’t look very sturdy…
A clothesline.
There were five or six thick moxa sticks, plus a lighter.
Chu Xingxing sighed. Good thing she came today.
Otherwise, with this “Bronze-tier” revenge gear, Ms. Wen would be lucky if she wasn’t taken down by Diao Wenduo, a grown man.
“This…” Chu Xingxing casually took the “hitman bag” from Ms. Wen, pulled out the Stanley rubber mallet, and patiently explained: “This isn’t a hammer. It’s a rubber mallet for laying tiles. It won’t knock anyone out. If you swing it too hard, it’ll slip out of your hand and bounce back and hit you.”
Next, Chu Xingxing pulled out the clothesline: “This rope isn’t very strong. A man in his early forties like Diao Wenduo could easily break free.”
To demonstrate, she took a piece of the rope, wrapped it around her hand, and with a yank, it snapped cleanly in two.
Finally, she pulled out the moxa sticks: “The only thing here that could burn him is this moxa. But think about it—you can’t knock him out, you can’t tie him up. How are you going to burn him?”
Wen Xuelan stood frozen for a full minute, speechless.
Suddenly, like a child caught doing something wrong, she stomped her foot in frustration, and large tears rolled from the corners of her eyes down to her chin.
She snatched the “hitman bag” back from Chu Xingxing and threw it onto the grass. “I hate Diao Wenduo so much! Why did he do this to someone else’s daughter? He’ll get married and have kids someday. Hasn’t he ever thought about his own children meeting someone like him?
And I hate myself too! I wasn’t a good mother. After Xiaonuan started school, I took on a film shoot out of town. I was only home on weekends. When I came back, I noticed something was wrong with her mood, but I just thought it was because she wasn’t adjusting to the English-only curriculum and felt bad about her grades…
And, and when I came home, I didn’t sleep with her. If I had, maybe I would have noticed her scars earlier. She wouldn’t have had to suffer alone.
I hate Diao Wenduo! I hate myself! My husband was right—I wasn’t ready to raise a daughter. I might as well not have brought her back. Then she wouldn’t have suffered so much. I can never forgive myself…”
Chu Xingxing felt a sting in her eyes. She reached out and hugged the distraught Wen Xuelan, gently patting her back and soothing her: “It’s not your fault. None of this is your fault… No parent who truly loves their child would ever want them to be hurt.
You did everything you could back then to give Xiaonuan a home. Sister Xiaonuan told me herself that she loves you very much and has never blamed you.”
After Wen Xuelan cried for a while, Chu Xingxing picked up the bag, took out some tissues, and wiped away her tears.
Ms. Wen Xuelan blew her nose loudly: “I’m sorry, Xingbao. I’m so old, and I’m losing it in front of a younger person…”
“Don’t be silly. Everyone gets sad. Kids have their sorrows, young people have theirs, and older folks have theirs too. It has nothing to do with age.”
Chu Xingxing pulled out more fresh tissues and handed them to her: “Doesn’t it feel a little better to let it out?”
“Mhm…” Wen Xuelan said, her voice muffled.
“Okay. I think we’re not properly equipped for revenge today.”
Chu Xingxing zipped up the bag and linked her arm through Ms. Wen Xuelan’s: “If you’re feeling a bit better, how about we pretend to be mother and daughter and go check out the Kangle Sanatorium? We can say we have an elderly relative at home whose health is failing and we’re looking for a place. We heard about it from a friend and want to ask if Diao Wenduo is here.”
“Okay,” Wen Xuelan wiped the last of her tears away and took Chu Xingxing’s hand.
——-
Over half an hour later.
Chu Xingxing and Ms. Wen Xuelan walked out through the front gate of Kangle Sanatorium.
Chu Xingxing was frowning, her arm linked with Wen Xuelan’s.
Wen Xuelan had a complicated look on her face.
Shock. Disbelief. Questioning…
With Wen’s top-tier acting skills and Chu’s sweet-talking, this makeshift “mother-daughter” duo quickly “won over” the guard at Kangle Sanatorium.
The guard spilled everything he knew.
The most important piece of information: Diao Wenduo was indeed living there. However, Kangle Sanatorium wasn’t a Diao Group asset. The Diao family had paid for a VIP package to send Diao Wenduo there for care and treatment.
Four years ago, the night before Diao Wenduo’s wedding, he got into a serious car accident and nearly died.
The accident site was near a private club in the northern part of the city. To protect guest privacy, the winding mountain roads there had no security cameras.
It was said that the Diao family’s second son was only found the next morning. He had multiple fractures, severe internal injuries, and was barely clinging to life.
And the strangest part: Diao Wenduo had countless water blisters—including on his most sensitive areas—burned into his skin by something like a cigarette butt. In the subsequent treatment, the wounds kept getting infected, ulcerating, and oozing pus, causing him immense pain.
Later, when the police came to question him, he seemed dazed and claimed he couldn’t remember anything.
After a long time in the hospital, Diao Wenduo seemed to have lost the will to live. Physical therapy could have helped him walk again, but he refused to do any form of rehabilitation.
Diao Wenduo’s fiancée was from the Fang family in the capital, the daughter of real estate tycoon Fang Jianping.
The Diao family had tried to keep things quiet, but the Fang family still found out that Diao Wenduo had gone to that kind of club before his wedding—reportedly after receiving anonymous photos and videos. The Fang family not only broke off the engagement but also completely severed ties with the Diao family.
The Diao family had one daughter and three sons. With this second son out of the picture, they still had three “spares.” They gradually abandoned Diao Wenduo, placing him in Kangle Sanatorium and telling the outside world that their second son had gone abroad.
Now, Diao Wenduo was nothing but a shell of a man—completely dependent, like a walking corpse. He often had nightmares at night, screaming that someone was coming to kill him and that a ghost would never let him go…
Outside Kangle Sanatorium.
Chu Xingxing took off her down vest and draped it over Grandma Wen Xuelan’s shoulders.
It seemed someone had already avenged Xiaonuan four years ago. But who?
Chu Xingxing had no idea.
“I don’t understand, Xingbao…” Wen Xuelan knitted her brows, then suddenly covered her mouth: “Xingbao, come back to the old house with me?”
“Okay.” Chu Xingxing nodded.
Given Ms. Wen Xuelan’s current state, she didn’t feel comfortable letting her go home alone.
The Wen family’s old house was located in a central villa district east of the Fourth Ring Road in the capital—once the most luxurious area, now somewhat dated.
It was a European-style, single-family villa spanning nearly 2,000 square meters, with a garden covering almost 10,000 square meters.
After her husband passed away, Wen Xuelan no longer lived in the old European-style house. Instead, she bought a plot of land outside the Fifth Ring Road, had an architect design a minimalist, eco-friendly villa—not very large in square footage or footprint—and moved in a year later.
However, she’d only lived there for a few days before being fetched by her eldest and second sons to live with them in the US for a while.
Wen Xuelan and her husband were deeply in love, and his sudden passing due to a heart attack caused her immense grief for a long time.
But life always moves forward, and Wen Xuelan knew her husband would want her to live well.
Chu Xingxing followed Grandma Wen Xuelan into the grand, albeit slightly dated, mansion.
A distant relative of Mr. Wen’s family lived here, overseeing the villa and garden.
Although the rooms were maintained and kept in their original state, the house had an eerie silence and stillness about it—the vitality of its heyday long gone.
The sound of footsteps approached.
“Sister-in-law, here are your keys.” A man in his fifties or sixties, wearing a thick coat, came out of a first-floor guest room and handed her a long string of keys.
Chu Xingxing followed Wen Xuelan upstairs to a room on the second floor.
Wen Xuelan took out a key and opened the door.
As the light flicked on, Chu Xingxing let out a small gasp of surprise.
It was a very vintage princess room.
Even the faded and chipped furniture couldn’t disguise the fact that this daughter’s room, thirty years ago, had been the dream bedroom for countless little girls.
Wen Xuelan pulled open a drawer. Inside lay a photo frame.
The photo was of a family of five at Disneyland in the US.
Wen Xuelan and her husband each had an arm around one of their sons. In the center, in front of them, was thirteen-year-old Wennuan, wearing Mickey Mouse ear headbands and an elf princess dress.
After Wennuan left, this room stayed empty.
Later, the Wen family had Wen Han.
Wen Xuelan and the whole family discussed it. Everyone agreed it was best not to tell the youngest son about Wennuan.
By then, their eldest son had already decided to join the family business, starting at the grassroots level, and their second son’s field of research could support the family company.
Maybe “Xiaonuan” wasn’t meant to be part of the Wen family. His parents and older brothers decided that Wen Han should grow up carefree in her place—doing whatever he wanted, as long as he was happy and healthy.
Also because Wen Xuelan and her husband no longer trusted that international school, Wen Han was the only child among their family’s circles who didn’t attend one.
Before going to high school in the UK, Wen Han always attended public schools in China, with a private tutor to supplement his English.
“I think, if my husband left any clues, they’d be in Xiaonuan’s room.”
Wen Xuelan wiped the dust off the photo frame with her finger.
But Chu Xingxing noticed that the back of the frame seemed unusually bulging: “Grandma Wen, take a look at the back of the frame. Is there something in there?”
Wen Xuelan felt the bulge too and frantically tried to pry the frame open.
“Let me help you. Be careful, you might cut yourself.” Chu Xingxing used a key to pry open the metal clasps on the back.
Behind the photo frame were several folded sheets of letter paper.
——-
After reading the letters, Wen Xuelan let out a deep sigh, lowered her head, and stroked the ring made from her late husband Ji Huai’s ashes with her right hand.
“Can I read them?” Chu Xingxing asked hesitantly.
“Yes.” Wen Xuelan handed the letters to her.
After reading them, Chu Xingxing blinked rapidly to control the burning sensation in her eyes and let out a soft breath.
The letters consisted of two parts.
One was a confession letter from Ji Huai, Wen Xuelan’s late husband—or rather, a letter of self-incrimination.
The other was a letter from Ji Huai to his wife, Wen Xuelan.
The truth of everything was pretty much what Chu Xingxing had guessed.
It was Ms. Wen Xuelan’s husband, Ji Huai, who had exacted revenge on Diao Wenduo. For decades, he had never stopped investigating Wennuan’s departure.
Because he knew it was a deep-seated anguish for his wife Wen Xuelan. He was determined to find the truth for her.
But when he finally uncovered the truth, he was too afraid to tell her.
Ji Huai knew Wen Xuelan too well. If she ever learned the truth, her kind-hearted, impulsive nature would drive her to seek revenge, no matter the cost, and no one could stop her. He also knew his wife had never stopped searching for the truth herself.
Rather than leaving this “time bomb” of unknown detonation, Ji Huai decided to be the “knife” of revenge himself.
That way, whether he died before his wife or after, she would have no regrets, and he would protect her from doing anything foolish.
Besides seeking revenge on Diao Wenduo, Ji Huai also exacted varying degrees of “retribution” on the other members of the bullying group, including the homeroom teacher who knew the truth and turned a blind eye—leaving no one involved in that school bullying incident unpunished.
Ji Huai did all this to seek justice for Wennuan, who was briefly his daughter.
But a more important reason was for Wen Xuelan.
In his confession letter, Ji Huai made it perfectly clear that his wife Wen Xuelan was unaware of his actions, as were the rest of the family. He alone was responsible.
“Grandpa Ji was…” Chu Xingxing put down the letter, at a loss for words for a moment.
A very good man.
A man who had been a law-abiding citizen his entire life, but took up the “knife” for his wife.
“Tch. That stubborn old man loved me more than I ever imagined,” Wen Xuelan said with a breezy grin, trying to sound lighthearted.
Even as she laughed, tears began to stream down her face.
Chu Xingxing’s fingertips felt cold. She seemed to faintly, vaguely grasp a tiny sliver of what love might mean.
Was true love simply…
You want to kill someone, so I’ll be your knife?
That night, Chu Xingxing stayed with Grandma Wen Xuelan for a long time in Wennuan’s room.
At times like these, Chu Xingxing didn’t know what to say, so she just stayed quietly by Grandma Wen’s side.
Later, the two “would-be avengers,” one old and one young, went to a convenience store to buy non-alcoholic beer and some JiuJiu spicy duck neck, duck wings, and duck collarbones. They headed back to Wen Xuelan’s secluded villa together.
The non-alcoholic beer was Ms. Wen Xuelan’s last shred of stubbornness—something she bought for Chu Xingxing.
Her own villa’s wine cellar was stocked with fine wines from all over the world.
Her cigar room held various cigars and tobacco flown in from Cuba.
Chu Xingxing smiled apologetically and politely…
Oh, so at the Saci cocktail party, you told me you weren’t the type to smoke and drink in private, huh?
And just hours after declaring she would “only go to health-conscious gatherings from now on,” Ms. Wen Xuelan proceeded to give Xingbao a live demonstration of what “a thousand cups without getting drunk” actually looked like.
Chu Xingxing nibbled on a sweet and spicy duck collarbone and took a sip of her non-alcoholic pineapple beer, keeping Grandma Wen company for a rare “indulgent” night.
One night of skipping self-care probably won’t affect her overall lifespan, Chu Xingxing consoled herself.
Ms. Wen Xuelan was a good drunk—she didn’t go crazy or make a scene, just got a little chatty.
She held Xingxing’s hand and told her, over and over, the love story between her and her husband.
Chu Xingxing listened quietly, as naive as a child when it came to love.
Finally, Wen Xuelan put her hands on her hips and shouted at the diamond ring on her finger: “Hey! Old man! Don’t worry. I’ll be a mature woman from now on…”
