Shen Wuxiao and Hong Ye exited the police station and spotted two familiar figures waiting nearby—one was her colleague, and the other a man from the Supreme People’s Procuratorate.
Clearly uncomfortable, the two men stood awkwardly on the roadside, too nervous to approach or leave.
Seeing this, Hong Ye walked over to them. Shen Wuxiao, on the other hand, casually strolled toward the parking lot and started the car. He pulled over to the roadside and waited for her to get in.
The two men exchanged uneasy glances. Fear lingered in their eyes.
Having witnessed everything that happened inside the interrogation room—and Shen Wuxiao’s cold-blooded methods—they were terrified. Who knew if they’d even make it back alive?
The man from the Procuratorate swallowed hard and said carefully, “Director Hong, we won’t breathe a word about Young Master Shen…”
Hong Ye sighed and responded calmly, “Some things are better left unspoken. For now, stay in Zhonghai for a few days.”
She glanced at them and added, “Don’t worry. I know him well. You two weren’t involved in what happened. He won’t come after you.”
The man nodded quickly. “Yes, yes, of course. We understand. Lin Fan attacked Zhou Sheng, and then resisted arrest. He was shot dead during the conflict!”
Hong Ye didn’t reply. Whether they spoke up or not didn’t matter. This incident would never be pursued any further by the authorities.But since they had come together, she offered some reassurance out of courtesy.
After finishing, she turned and headed for Shen Wuxiao’s car.
She got in, and the vehicle quietly pulled away from the curb.
Inside the car, Hong Ye sat in the passenger seat, her gaze lingering on Shen Wuxiao.
“What is it, Miss Hong?” he asked with a lazy grin.
“Wuxiao, did you come today just to kill Lin Fan?” she asked softly.
Shen Wuxiao shook his head. “Honestly, no. I came because I heard you were here.”
“I always planned to kill Lin Fan, sure—but not necessarily today,” he said casually, keeping his eyes on the road.
“I just wanted to see you after all these years. It was a nice bonus that the timing was perfect.”
“Really?” Hong Ye raised her eyebrows, her expression playful.
“Really.” Shen Wuxiao nodded sincerely. “We grew up together. I watched you grow up. How could I lie to you?”
He wasn’t someone who liked detailed planning. There were always too many variables, and plans were easily ruined by one unexpected event.
Originally, he had intended to keep Lin Fan locked up for a while, humiliate him slowly, and eventually have him executed by fabricating enough false charges.
If Lin Fan tried to escape, all the better. He would become a wanted S-rank criminal, ripe for slow torture and maximum point farming.
But the opportunity presented itself early today, and the results were the same—1.5 million points gained. It was good enough.
Hong Ye rolled her eyes but smiled anyway. “You talk nonsense so convincingly, I actually believe you.”
Though she pretended to be annoyed, she was clearly happy.
“Enough with the mushy stuff. Let’s get lunch, then I’ll take you home for a nap. My bed’s soft and big!” Shen Wuxiao teased.
Hong Ye immediately hugged herself. “You shameless thug. What do you want?”
“I want,” he replied with a smirk.
“Dream on,” she muttered.
“Relax,” he grinned. “I just want to introduce you to my woman.”
That caught Hong Ye off guard. Her happy expression faltered slightly.
“Your… woman?”
“Yeah. I figured you two should meet early and get to know each other. That way it won’t be so awkward later,” Shen Wuxiao said matter-of-factly.
It was a blatant suggestion—no sugarcoating.
Hong Ye didn’t quite catch the full implication, but her mood dimmed slightly. Still, she forced a smile. “Fine. Let me see what kind of woman Young Master Shen has his eye on.”
The two of them chatted as they headed to a restaurant.
Shen Wuxiao didn’t take her to a fancy place. At their level, flashy displays didn’t matter. Taste was more important than price.
He chose a reputable, long-standing Chinese restaurant.
They sat by the window, across from each other.
Since it wasn’t peak lunch hour, the place wasn’t crowded. Guests were sparsely seated.
“What do you want to eat? Their food here is excellent,” Shen Wuxiao said, leaning back lazily as he passed her the menu.
While Hong Ye browsed the menu, Shen Wuxiao’s eyes drifted to a nearby table.
It was a mother and her daughter.
The little girl looked about five years old, and the woman opposite her appeared to be in her mid-twenties.
They stood out—not because they were loud, but because of the mood around them.
The woman was stunning, with an elegant, gentle aura. Her red eyes suggested she had been crying, but she forced a soft smile as she comforted her daughter.
The girl was bald—clearly undergoing chemotherapy. On their table was a small birthday cake.
Shen Wuxiao glanced over without much thought.
Their food arrived shortly after. He served Hong Ye some signature dishes.
“Try this. Don’t say I didn’t treat you right,” he said.
Hong Ye raised an eyebrow suspiciously but took a bite. The flavor bloomed instantly in her mouth.
“Not bad,” she admitted. “I thought you were going to prank me again.”
“When have I ever bullied you?” Shen Wuxiao laughed.
Meanwhile, at the nearby table, the little girl was speaking.
“Mom, when will Daddy come back?” she asked softly. “It’s my birthday. Won’t he come celebrate with me?”
The woman’s face tightened, but she kept smiling. “Tuantuan, be good. Daddy has something very important to do right now. He’ll come back when he can.”
“As long as you stay strong and follow the doctor’s instructions, Daddy will appear.”
The girl nodded obediently. “Okay! I’ll be good. Really good.”
“Mom, didn’t you say Daddy can fly airplanes? Is that true?”
The woman gently touched the girl’s cheek. “Yes, your father is amazing. He’s a real hero.”
“Wow! Then I’ll wait for Daddy to take me flying!” the girl said excitedly.
The child spoke innocently, but her words struck a chord.
Shen Wuxiao smirked quietly.
What a lie.
Judging by the woman’s expression, her husband was likely dead or missing for a long time.
Compared to that kind of man, he figured he wasn’t too bad.
At least he wouldn’t disappear on his family.
But it wasn’t his business, and he didn’t dwell on it.
His attention returned to Hong Ye.
“Come on, eat up. Don’t let it go cold.”
“Got it, you foodie,” she replied with a smile.
And just like that, in the calm ambiance of a small restaurant, after a storm of blood and death, the villain enjoyed a quiet lunch with the woman who’d been part of his childhood.
The world, at least for a moment, was peaceful again.