Chapter 101: A Clash of Values

As soon as Lin Hui saw the message, he quickly freshened up and then drove swiftly to the Criminal Investigation Brigade. Upon arriving, he took his seat and glanced at Fang Wenxuan sitting opposite him.

At this moment, the redness and the five finger marks on Fang Wenxuan’s cheek had faded beyond recognition. He was intently studying some files with his head bowed.

“Morning, Wenxuan,” Lin Hui greeted, looking at the lowered head of Fang Wenxuan.

“Morning,” Fang Wenxuan responded without raising his head.

“Have you had breakfast?” Lin Hui asked, still watching him.

“Yes,” Fang Wenxuan replied, still focused on the files.

Seeing that Fang Wenxuan was clearly not in the mood to talk, Lin Hui, feeling a bit dejected, sat down quietly.

Boss Xia rolled his eyes, too annoyed to answer my question, and instead dragged the packed luggage aside.

Silently grinding his teeth, he plucked the strings between his fingers with a skill that was mesmerizing, his deep brown eyes like they were submerged in icy water, freezing and driving away the hidden watcher lurking under the windowsill and behind the wall pillar with relentless waves of intensity.

He had lost his mother three months ago, and in his confusion, a third brother had appeared. Then the third brother’s mother passed away as well. This only fueled the whispered rumors in the officialdom that his father was a jinx to his wives, a name infamous enough to be “heard far and wide.”

No matter how much sweat or even blood you shed on the training ground, no matter how exceptional your talent, a single misstep would mean death at the hands of an equally skilled and battle-hardened opponent—often without even knowing where you went wrong at the moment of your demise.

Those “Red Spiders,” in their desperate attempt to catch the one who had shot them in the back—me—had weakened their defenses. Meanwhile, the humanoid blood monsters, once their own kind, refused to recognize their origins and clung madly to their tails, launching bloody hunts. More and more “Red Spiders” were joining the blood monster ranks.

Adding the family’s weaving business, the payments others gave grandpa for carpentry, and the short-term labor income from father and second uncle, the entire Gu family of ten earned at most 35 taels of silver a year.

Not all relatives are money-grubbing troublemakers, and An Ze understood well that even the closest kin should keep some distance—“far fragrance, near stench.” Though harsh to hear, it was an undeniable truth.

Yun Fengze had originally thought he was just being overly cautious and meticulous; neither Jin Xuansi nor Lan Yunyou had ever mentioned anything unusual about Lei’er. What troubled them most was that Lan Yunyou’s pulse diagnosis of Lei’er always showed no abnormalities.

“Qingyun, the pond over there is very cool; you can go wash your face,” He Qian, with his handsome and clean-cut features, suggested with a smile.

She hurried off to the restroom to tidy her clothes, not expecting Mu Xin to follow closely with concern. As a result, the jade pendant hanging from her neck beneath her coat was seen by Mu Xin.

For a project like Hongtao’s major enterprise, even if financial institutions within the industry charged less, they would compete fiercely to take it on. Because once this deal was secured, it wouldn’t be just a single transaction.

Song Hewan seriously doubted if this big brother had been raised on candy and honey—otherwise, how could he talk so sweetly and be so good at giving compliments?

Leading the way ahead, Bai Zeyuan leaned forward; his eyes turned deep red, like two blood-red beads, extremely intimidating.

“Zhiyan, you’re here,” Song Hewan greeted, and Shuyue beside her also said hello.

Watching teammates one after another trying to escape, Odin truly wanted to kill them first as a grisly offering.

“Tang Yuwen, come here,” Ling Yi said from behind without anyone noticing. She had been preoccupied with thoughts about Kang Yang’s construction project and hadn’t realized his presence.

He wished to be a good official but was unfamiliar with worldly affairs; he only knew how to bow and scrape, sitting all day like a clay statue, often deceived, and ending up with a tarnished reputation.

Returning to Linjiang City, Xu Yao immediately slipped away. Next, Lü Hong and several members of the Anglers’ Club went to the city lord’s mansion to receive an audience.

Why was she so persistent, like a restless spirit? Why did she have to cling to her so tightly? She had just earned praise for her medical skills and established connections with the wealthiest Liao family, only to have her miraculous healer’s reputation mercilessly shattered.