Chapter 605 - 379: Culinary Scholar vs. Dark Martial Artist

Chapter 605: Chapter 379: Culinary Scholar vs. Dark Martial Artist

"The night before it happened, she told me their project was almost finished. She said that once work settled down, she would take me on a cruise with her."

"A cruise?" Han Ning committed the word to memory.

"Come to think of it, she’d been buried in work for months. She had very little free time, only managing to carve out a few precious hours on weekends to go shopping or eat out with us. She didn’t really hang out with many men. Besides you colleagues, I think it was just Xu Ping, Old Yang, and Ah Qing..."

"Of the people you mentioned, besides Xu Ping, it seems none of the others are here?"

"Ah Qing is out of town on a business trip. Old Yang... Old Yang has had his movements restricted by the authorities..." Zheng Yingping said.

"Movements restricted?" Han Ning was about to ask for more details.

Just then, a shrill, mournful cry came from nearby.

"Sob... Lulu, now that you’re gone, what are your father and I supposed to do~~"

The first-floor living room had been temporarily converted into a mourning hall, with a large, black-and-white portrait of Li Lu hanging in the center.

Li Lu’s mother sat on the floor in front of the coffin, her face gaunt and pale, her eyes red and swollen from crying.

A middle-aged woman sat beside her, holding her arm and staring at the floor in silence.

"Lulu’s death was so sudden, and those bastards from the authorities didn’t even bring back a body. Damn it, every year on TV they go on and on about how amazing those guys are, but when you actually need an explanation from them, they can’t even fart one out."

Listening to the woman’s miserable sobs from the mourning hall, Li Lu’s eldest uncle couldn’t stop himself from slamming a fist on the table.

"Big Brother, watch your words. We can’t afford to provoke those people from the authorities. This kind of talk should stay within these walls..." Her second uncle patted his older brother’s shoulder and let out a long sigh.

"Uncles... is there anything I can help with?" Xu Ping, who was by the table, heard the commotion and walked over.

"Oh? Xiaoxu is here."

The moment Xu Ping arrived, the elders sitting at the table suddenly fell silent.

"What’s going on? Why did you all stop talking when I came over? I just heard you mention the authorities. Can you tell me what happened?" Xu Ping asked, looking at Li Lu’s relatives.

Han Ning watched this scene unfold from the side, sensing their relationship was unusual.

"Xu Ping’s family and Li Lu’s family have known each other for generations. The two of them were childhood sweethearts... they were supposed to be a match made in heaven..." Zheng Yingping sighed softly.

After a few seconds of silence, her eldest uncle finally spoke. "Some people from the authorities came by this afternoon. They said there were special circumstances at the site of Lulu’s accident, and they wouldn’t allow the family to retrieve the body for now..."

"Meaning?" Xu Ping frowned, a suspicion forming in his mind.

"Lulu was likely used by some bad people," Li Lu’s father said in anguish.

"How is that possible? Her social circle was very clean... and she was always so busy with work. How could she have known any shady characters?" Xu Ping’s expression grew heavy upon hearing this.

Li Lu’s eldest uncle shook his head. "Those people from the authorities didn’t say much, but I suspect some rogue elements from the civilian population targeted Lulu."

"So, the people from the authorities are just a bunch of..." Li Lu’s father started to say, but then seemed to think better of it and shut his mouth.

"And Sister Lu, too. I told her not to hang around with Yang Huaiyi and those other shady types..." At that moment, a young woman sitting among the family, her eyes red, muttered a quiet curse.

"Xiaolian, shut your mouth!" Before she could finish, Li Lu’s eldest uncle cut her off with a stern voice.

The sound of Mrs. Li’s sobs drifted faintly from the hall.

Instantly, the atmosphere in the front courtyard grew even more oppressive and heavy.

"Forget it. Let’s not talk about it. It’s getting late. Second Brother, Little Sister... and our in-laws, you should all head home for now. Let our immediate family keep watch over Lulu for the night." After a long silence, Li Lu’s eldest uncle spoke up.

The others glanced at Mrs. Li in the hall, nodded lightly, went over to offer her a few words of comfort, and then left the villa.

"Dad, Mom, why don’t you two go home and get a few hours of sleep, too? You can come back at dawn," the young woman called Xiaolian suggested, seeing how exhausted her parents looked.

"We wouldn’t be able to sleep even if we went home. We’ll just sit here," the eldest uncle said, shaking his head.

"Xiaolian, and you too, Xiaoxu. Are you young people hungry? Shall I go to the kitchen and get you something to eat?" asked Li Lu’s eldest aunt.

Han Ning waved his hand. "No, thank you. I ate on the way here."

Out of politeness, the others also waved their hands in refusal.

But, also out of politeness, Li Lu’s eldest aunt went to the kitchen to busy herself anyway.

...

Time passed slowly, and before anyone realized it, it was past midnight.

Mrs. Li, who had been sitting in the hall the whole time, finally recovered slightly from her grief. Supported by others, she slowly walked out to the courtyard to sit down.

By now, her eldest uncle’s family was exhausted, dozing off with their heads on the table.

"Third Aunt."

Seeing her state, Xiaolian hurried forward to support her.

The middle-aged woman who had lost her daughter had a vacant look in her eyes. She seemed dazed and looked as if she could collapse at any moment.

Xiaolian helped Mrs. Li to a chair, then walked over to the drowsy Xu Ping. She tugged gently on his sleeve and whispered, "Brother Ping, come with me."

Xu Ping glanced at the others who were keeping vigil by playing cards, nodded, and followed Xiaolian into the villa. They went up to a quiet study on the second floor.

Nearby, Han Ning, who had been sitting with his eyes closed attempting his Cultivation of the Four Symbols Meditation Technique while continuously gathering information from his surroundings, slowly opened his eyes.

After asking someone where the restroom was, he quietly followed the pair.