Chapter 165: Returning to Ximen City (Part 6)

Attending this evening reception had initially raised hopes of gathering some useful intelligence, but the outcome left everyone disappointed. People had essentially come just to observe others and gauge the scale of the competition.

Boss Jin’s face was flushed as he chatted and drank with various other bosses. Having consumed quite a bit, he was somewhat intoxicated, yet his lips remained tightly sealed. Not a single word about the iridescent glowing jade passed his lips.

Xiao Qi and Liu Fei sat nearby, sharing their inner thoughts while also drinking quite a bit. They cast glances toward An Feng and Molan, a lingering trace of longing stirring in their hearts before ultimately dissolving into nothingness. An Feng and Molan spent most of the time simply sitting and observing the crowd, remaining oblivious to everything and learning nothing of value.

Seeing how heavily intoxicated Boss Jin had become, his two bodyguards promptly rebuffed anyone attempting to offer him more drinks and escorted him to the car. They waited for An Feng and Molan to emerge before heading straight back to the villa.

Qianyin remained alone on the rooftop, letting the cold wind wash over her for a long time as she gazed into the night. An occasional faint smile touched her lips. After standing so long that her legs grew numb, she finally squatted down, staring fixedly at the polished floorboards. After a brief period of reflection, she decided to prepare some dishes to take over for Leng Xue to enjoy.

Everyone returned and went straight to bed. Having had a bit to drink, they slept soundly. The only one unable to fall asleep was Qianyin. The more she thought, the less she understood, and the deeper her heartache grew.

Early the next morning, Qianyin went out alone to purchase the ingredients, then busied herself in the kitchen, intending to prepare a meal and ask Molan to accompany her. She had also prepared breakfast for the others, knowing how late they had returned the previous night.

One by one, they took their places at the dining table. Qianyin carried out the dishes, while Molan sat down with an apologetic expression. The fish porridge on the table emitted a wonderfully refreshing fragrance. Molan had always assumed fish porridge would inevitably taste fishy and therefore disliked it.

The people seated at the table did not waste any time. Each picked up a bowl, ladled a portion for themselves, and then used a small spoon to carefully taste a mouthful. It was utterly delicious.

"This is amazing! How was it cooked? All the fish bones have been completely removed, and there seems to be a subtle hint of gardenia flower fragrance in it, right?" Boss Jin still had a rather severe headache from waking up early, but the irresistible aroma of the fish porridge compelled him to eat. Having studied cuisine extensively, he possessed a keen discerning palate.

"You lot are just here to eat; don't ask so many unnecessary questions. Family recipes are never shared outside," Qianyin said with a smile as she placed the side dishes on the table and sat down, accepting the bowl of porridge Molan had dished out for her.

"Come on, just teach us," Xiao Qi coaxed with curiosity. Her mother had always loved fish soup, so if she learned how to make such fresh porridge, her mother would surely adore it.

Qianyin merely smiled in silence, lowering her head to drink her fish porridge. She still had more important matters to attend to. She placed the cooked food into an insulated container, planning to visit Leng Xue once more before heading out with the others. The auction would not commence until two o'clock that afternoon, leaving the morning free for wandering around.

Realizing that questioning her was futile, the others simply resumed eating their fish porridge. Since Qianyin had not cooked a large quantity, they finished quickly, blinking their eyes at her in eager anticipation. In their hearts, they found Qianyin truly remarkable—despite being a cold-hearted assassin, she possessed such impressive culinary skills.

Once finished, Qianyin set down her bowl and chopsticks, wiped her mouth clean, and ignored their pitiful expressions. She had work to do and refused to cook another batch for them. If they were still hungry, they could eat outside; she was oblivious and chose not to see.

Qianyin hurried into the kitchen, picked up the insulated container, glanced at Molan, and said, "Let's go."

Boss Jin initially thought Qianyin had gone to fetch more food, but when she emerged carrying a box instead, he wondered where they were heading. He looked inquiringly at An Feng, who offered no explanation. An Feng stood up and led the way outside. Molan smiled, stepped forward to take Qianyin by the hand, and the three of them departed together.

The remaining five were left sitting in a daze, utterly baffled by what had just transpired. They could only eye the remaining plain side dishes on the table, finding them thoroughly tasteless. Sighing in unison, they set down their bowls and chopsticks for the two bodyguards to clear away.

Having grown wiser from experience, they made a deliberate stop at a florist and a fruit shop to purchase fresh flowers and fruit, placing them in the back seat before driving toward the cemetery. All the way there, Qianyin wore a foolish, blissful smile, gazing at the flowers, the fruit, and the insulated container in her hands. Her heart felt sweet at the prospect of bringing food to him.

Molan glared resentfully at An Feng, as he had forbidden her from sitting in the back seat so that the flowers and fruit could occupy the space, forcing her to sit in the front. This move was clearly another attempt at public displays of affection, which would certainly upset Qianyin.

An Feng kept his eyes focused entirely on the road, ignoring Molan's expression and convincing himself he had done nothing wrong. Whenever he let Molan and Qianyin spend all their time together, he practically became a solitary figure. It was time to take matters into his own hands rather than letting them constantly pair off.

Upon arriving at the cemetery, the old man was nowhere to be seen; whether he had chosen not to come or simply had not arrived yet remained unclear. The three of them carried their items, serene smiles gracing their faces as they walked inside. Having walked this path before, their footsteps felt familiar and noticeably lighter.

Upon arrival, Qianyin's expression instantly drained of color. The container slipped from her grasp, hitting the ground with a loud thud. Soup spilled everywhere, and the contents spilled out, landing in the dust and getting completely dirtied.

The tombstone had been vandalized. Footprints were scattered everywhere, giving the eerie impression that the person inside had been dug up as well. The headstone itself had been ripped out of the ground and snapped into pieces, leaving nothing intact. Even the roses they had left behind a few days prior had been stolen.

"Who on earth could be so vicious?!" Qianyin shrieked, rushing forward to grab the photograph and clutching it tightly. The picture was covered in dust and had one corner torn away.

Molan placed the items on the ground nearby, stepped forward to embrace Qianyin tightly, and said soothingly, "Don't panic. We will find out who is behind this disruption very soon. We will get justice for you, and we will vindicate Leng Xue."

An Feng surveyed the surrounding area, his eyes lingering on the footprints in the dirt. A strange sense of familiarity washed over him—they belonged to the old man. An Feng lowered his head, touched the fractured tombstone, and activated his ability. A vision of that day's events suddenly flashed through his mind. What he saw was not Leng Xue, but rather the old man pacing back and forth here, seemingly deep in thought about this very matter. After all, his ability to view past events was subject to certain temporal limits.

"What did you find?" Molan asked, holding onto the struggling Qianyin with a cold expression. Who could it be? Aside from that old man, surely no one else knew they had come here. Why would the old man vandalize the tombstone? Did he hold a grudge against Leng Xue?

An Feng hesitated in silence. If he spoke the truth directly, would Qianyin rush off to find the old man and perhaps even attempt to kill him?

"You've arrived just in time, I—" The old man suddenly approached from behind. Catching sight of them gathered at the gravesite, he intended to step forward to greet them and discuss the situation.

Before he could finish, Qianyin shoved Molan aside, lunged forward, and seized the old man by the throat. Her eyes flushed red with fury as she demanded, "Did you do this? Why?!"