AGN -Chapter 350 Foolishness, Weakness, and Kindness

Qin Huai could hear a huge amount of information hidden within Shi Dadan’s simple words—he even picked up on what sounded like a murder case.

But at the same time, he could tell Shi Dadan didn’t want to go into detail. That was understandable. Shi Dadan had failed his tribulation because of this incident. Even though he had succeeded in overcoming it in this life, there was no guarantee it wouldn’t cause trouble again. Sensitive topics like this were better left unspoken if possible.

Qin Huai asked carefully, “About what happened back then… could you briefly tell me what exactly occurred?”

Shi Dadan thought for a moment. “Actually, I don’t really know the full details. I was too foolish back then. All I know is that Xu Nuo offended someone—someone with a deep grudge. They wanted him dead.”

“At first, I didn’t even know about it. I only heard that Xu Nuo had meddled in something he shouldn’t have and offended dangerous people. Factory Director Xu told him to stay home and not go out. But somehow Xu Nuo still secretly left the house. At that time, I was a truck driver at a cotton mill, delivering goods every Tuesday.”

“The route was fixed, but that Tuesday the higher-ups suddenly told me to deliver to a different place. I didn’t think much of it and just followed orders. It wasn’t my usual route, so I wasn’t familiar with the road. Not long after leaving the city, the main road turned into a small one, and on that road I saw a bicycle parked.”

“I saw from afar that the tire seemed flat. The rider was squatting beside it checking the tire. I honked and braked at the same time, but the brakes suddenly failed. The truck was fully loaded, and I only hesitated for a moment whether to steer and flip the truck—but then I hit him.”

Qin Huai said, “The person on the bicycle was Xu Nuo.”

“Yes.” Shi Dadan’s expression darkened with sorrow. “I’m not smart, but I’m not completely stupid either. I got into the cotton mill as a truck driver—with the help of some spirit friends—and worked there for years because I was careful. I always checked the vehicle before driving. That day, I clearly checked the brakes before leaving, and they were fine.”

“But right before departure, my supervisor suddenly told me to change routes. I went to sign some papers and left the vehicle for a while. After that, the brakes mysteriously failed.”

“Xu Nuo reacted quickly—he tried to dodge, but not completely. I rushed him to the hospital. The doctors did their best, but they said his internal organs were shattered and he had severe internal bleeding. There was nothing they could do. I could only watch him die in the hospital.”

“Later, Factory Director Xu investigated the scene and found that Xu Nuo’s bicycle tire had been punctured with nails. Someone had deliberately laid them there.”

“The people Xu Nuo offended wanted him dead. They knew he would take that road to the countryside that day, so they prepared the nails in advance, arranged for my route to be changed, and sabotaged my brakes.”

“What hurts me most is that even though I was set up, I still bear responsibility. I knew Xu Nuo had offended people and was in danger, but I never questioned why my route was suddenly changed. I also didn’t recheck the truck after returning.”

“At the time I kept thinking—if I had reacted faster and steered the truck off course… if I hadn’t hesitated between saving the cargo or saving a person… or if I had honked a second earlier… would Xu Nuo still be alive?”

“Even though I was the one who hit him, Factory Director Xu didn’t blame me. Within days, his hair turned completely white, yet he still comforted me, telling me it wasn’t my fault, and asked me to work with him to gather evidence.”

“From that moment, I knew I had failed my tribulation. I was foolish, stupid, cowardly. I didn’t have the courage to face reality. I couldn’t face Factory Director Xu. I couldn’t compete with those people. I couldn’t find out who killed Xu Nuo. I couldn’t even find the strength to live.”

“So I ran away. I chose suicide.”

Qin Huai finally understood. Shi Dadan’s failed tribulation wasn’t because he was simply foolish—it was because of cowardice.

“Even though I may not be qualified to say this,” Qin Huai said, “I still don’t think Xu Nuo’s death can be blamed on you. You did what you could. Life can’t be replayed, and there’s no undo button. Factory Director Xu was a very rational and kind person. His comfort was meant to help you live on, not blame yourself.”

Shi Dadan sighed. “I didn’t understand back then. It was only right that I failed my tribulation. Maybe I just didn’t want to learn. I never really learned how to be a proper person.”

“Later, when I was reborn carrying most of my memories, I finally understood Factory Director Xu’s restraint and intentions. Unfortunately… I still let him down. My suicide probably made him even more heartbroken.”

“If Factory Director Xu had already figured out the truth back then—even if he had avenged Xu Nuo—I still want to know what really happened. You mentioned Wang Gensheng; I know who he is. I just didn’t realize he was a spirit at the time—it’s hard to tell in earlier lives.”

“I didn’t interact much with him. He was closer to Xu Nuo.”

“If he wakes up, I might be able to talk with him. If Factory Director Xu had found the truth, Wang Gensheng would definitely know. I know you can’t easily ask him now—wait until he wakes up. I’ve eaten double-crab buns before, but I don’t actually know how they’re made.”

“However, you guessed correctly—the version Wang Gensheng ate probably wasn’t made by Master Jing. I can guess who made it.”

“Who?” Qin Huai asked eagerly.

“Xu Nuo.”

Qin Huai was shocked. “He knew how to make pastries?”

“Not just knew—he was very good at it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have insisted on working in a state-run restaurant. He even wanted to apprentice under Master Jing. But Factory Director Xu strongly opposed it, believing Xu Nuo should pursue a more promising future—becoming an engineer or technician to serve the country, not a cook.”

“They argued many times over this. Wang Gensheng was just an ordinary accountant at the time. Even though he was valued as a university graduate, he didn’t have enough seniority to rise quickly. The reason he was appreciated so much was partly because of his relationship with Xu Nuo, which also made Factory Director Xu value him more.”

“Factory Director Xu pinned his hopes on Wang Gensheng, hoping he could convince Xu Nuo to give up cooking, go to university, and pursue further studies instead of becoming a chef.”

“With Wang Gensheng’s salary, he definitely couldn’t afford Master Jing’s double-crab buns. So if Xu Nuo gave them to him, they were either made by Master Jing—or made by Xu Nuo himself at home. After all, he had the recipe.”

Qin Huai suddenly understood.

Shi Dadan had pointed him toward a direction—though it was one he had already suspected.

“Then… have you ever eaten Xu Nuo’s double-crab buns?”

Shi Dadan paused, then said unwillingly, “No.”

“That kid—he made something that good and only gave it to Wang Gensheng, not me. Every time I came back from deliveries I even brought him good food.”

“Forget it. Respect the dead.”

Qin Huai: “……”

“Do you understand Xu Nuo’s style in making pastries?”

Shi Dadan had always said he was stupid, that in his first life he couldn’t understand people’s hearts and couldn’t deal with their schemes. But from Qin Huai’s interactions with him, he felt Shi Dadan was just deliberately acting simple and honest—he was actually very good at reading people and understanding human nature.

Maybe after suffering from that lesson in his past life, he had gained a lot more experience in that regard this time.

Shi Dadan immediately caught Qin Huai’s implied meaning: “If you need help, just call me anytime. I can come over to your place anytime… what do you call it again? Oh right—tasting.”

“That would be wonderful. Thank you so much,” Qin Huai said gratefully.

Shi Dadan chuckled. “No need to thank me. I don’t know if Master Cao has taken you as an apprentice, but she doesn’t praise people easily. She’s complimented your skills several times these past few days, so you must be pretty good.”

“I’ve got a big appetite and I love staple foods. I won’t be a burden if I come eat at your place, right?”

“Don’t worry—staple food will be unlimited!”

Shi Dadan chuckled again, then checked his phone and realized they had been talking for quite a while. If they didn’t leave soon, Qin Huai might miss his flight.

He reset the navigation to the airport and set off again.

Qin Huai actually still had many questions. After all, it was only their first day meeting, and Shi Dadan had already reached a “successful tribulation” state. Qin Huai hadn’t had time to gather much information yet. They could talk for five or six hours and still not run out of things to discuss.

But catching the flight was more important. They could always continue chatting over WeChat calls. If he missed the flight, there wouldn’t be any later flights today—he’d have to wait until tomorrow.

That would delay customers at Yunzhong Canteen by another day before they could eat Qin Huai’s pastries. After a few days of training in Guangdong Province, his skills in thickening sauces, heat control, and knife work had improved significantly. He really wanted to return to City Shan and share the good news with everyone.

“Riches not returning home is like wearing fine clothes at night without anyone seeing them.” If he didn’t hear Zang Liang personally say “what the hell,” Qin Huai would feel uncomfortable all over.

Worried that talking might distract Shi Dadan again and cause him to take the wrong road, Qin Huai stayed completely silent in the passenger seat. Only when it was impossible to miss the route did he slowly ask the question he most wanted to ask.

“I actually still have one question, though it might be a bit inappropriate.”

“I’ve already briefly introduced my situation and the general situation of spirits. I’ve talked with many spirits, so I understand a bit about tribulations.”

“Normally, after successfully passing a tribulation, to prevent any accidents or reversals, aren’t they supposed to directly end their own lives? The restaurants in Quxian closed down many years ago, so why are you still staying in the human world selling seafood?”

“Is it because Master Cao’s cooking is too good and you can’t bear to leave, so you’re staying just to eat?”

Shi Dadan countered, “Am I the kind of spirit who would risk everything just to stay in the human world for a few good meals?”

“…Kind of.”

“Alright, I am.” Shi Dadan laughed. “But not entirely.”

“Do you remember I told you that in my previous life when I came to the human world for tribulation, I met a spirit friend who helped me a lot—and even helped me find work?”

Qin Huai nodded.

“At the time, he also needed help from others, and I promised I would help him. But later I failed my tribulation and committed suicide, so I never fulfilled that promise.”

“After being reborn, I had to start over as a baby. I only managed to start doing business in my teens. And this life, my priority was to succeed in my tribulation again, so twenty-something years were delayed like that.”

“I don’t even know whether that friend succeeded or failed his tribulation. If he succeeded, that’s good. But if he failed… I still want to fulfill my promise to him.”

“So I continued my seafood business. I believe that if fate allows it, I’ll meet that spirit friend again.”

Qin Huai didn’t know what to say for a moment. The reasons spirits failed tribulations were all different, each with their own obsessions. Some were chaotic and neutral like Bi Fang, while others like Luan birds and Juju birds were inherently kind.

But this Dangkang spirit was simply too kind—so kind that he was willing to stay in the mortal world nearly twenty more years, risking another failure of his tribulation, just to fulfill a promise from his first life.

In a sense, he was a lot like Qiu Jing—they were both people who had received too much kindness from the world, and therefore chose to repay it with kindness in return.

Qin Huai could only say, “You will meet him. And if you don’t, it means he already succeeded in his tribulation—that’s a good thing.”

Shi Dadan smiled and nodded. “I hope so too.”