HBWMA -Chapter 227 Fire

Living such a terrible life, just the thought of it made Fu Sui’er feel a chill run down her spine.

Fortunately, things were different now. Although she still feared fate, she was no longer afraid to face it.

Jiang Huashan patted her hand and shrugged lightly.

There was no need to say too much. Back then, she had deliberately claimed she could foresee the future simply to win Fu Sui’er over as quickly as possible and gain her trust. Now that Fu Sui’er was already sixteen and growing up well, there was no longer any need for further “proof” between them.

Fu Sui’er was smart. Jiang Huashan mentioned the bandits and the prophecy, yet deliberately left things unsaid. Fu Sui’er immediately understood that this was another secret that could not be spoken aloud, only understood implicitly.

They exchanged a glance and instantly understood each other’s thoughts.

Jiang Huashan let out a slight sigh of relief. “How is godmother doing? Has anything strange happened recently?”

“Nothing special, same as usual. Oh!” Fu Sui’er suddenly thought of something. “I heard from Aunt Feng that my dad has already brought that woman outside into the Fu family… along with his illegitimate son.”

In the previous life, that woman only moved into the house two years after Shen Jiao’s death. It seemed that since the Fu family already knew reconciliation was impossible, they no longer bothered to hide anything.

Jiang Huashan thought for a moment but couldn’t find any leads, so the two of them moved on to talking about school.

After the incident in the cafeteria that day, Shen Mianzhi immediately submitted a formal report to the school. The administration took it seriously, not only shortening the filming schedule of the production crew but also designating a specific filming area and strictly ordering them not to disturb students’ studies.

Unexpectedly, Shen Mianzhi had shown some backbone this time.

They chatted back and forth until, before they realized it, night had fallen. Fu Sui’er quickly took her leave; at eight o’clock that night, the political and legal channel would broadcast a live coverage of the latest legislative proposals, and she had to be in front of the television.

Jiang Huashan had slept all day and felt stiff from it. After seeing Fu Sui’er off, she quickly became bored again and decided to take the little “poor thing” out for a walk.

“Little poor thing? Little poor thing?”

She searched everywhere but couldn’t find the little turtle in the pink dress. In the end, she had to ask Zhang Ru for help.

“Aunt Zhang, have you seen Little Poor Thing?”

Aunt Zhang was in the main hall sewing a new dress for the turtle. Hearing Jiang Huashan’s question, she quickly put down her needlework and came out.

“I saw it wandering around the courtyard this afternoon. Maybe it’s hiding under the flower trellis? It’s been very lazy lately, just staying in one spot and not moving around.”

Jiang Huashan searched under the flower trellis. “No.”

“Maybe it’s under the leaves?” Zhang Ru followed her and searched again. “Strange… it usually just plays in this courtyard. It wouldn’t go far at all.”

Jiang Huashan’s expression darkened slightly. She had kept the little turtle for three years. Even though it still hadn’t learned to “love,” they already had an emotional bond.

Zhang Ru also began to panic, searching around the courtyard. “Where did it go? It was still here this afternoon…” She suddenly slapped her thigh. “I remember now—Gao Zhi! He took a lot of dried fish this afternoon. I told him not to feed it, and he even got unhappy. Could it be him?”

“Gao Zhi?” Jiang Huashan thought for a moment, then turned. “I’ll go find him.”

Shen Lanxi leaned against the window frame. The book Lunheng had been in his hands for ten years, but this was the first time he couldn’t read a single word.

All afternoon, Shen Lanxi had been thinking. The only thing lingering in his mind was the old master’s final instruction:

“Tell her this time you did not abandon her and A-Ling. This time, you did well.”

Shen Lanxi put down the book, stood up, and opened a hidden compartment in his desk. Inside lay a silver longevity lock. After three years of twists and turns, he still hadn’t returned it. Perhaps he could use returning the lock as an opportunity to explain the misunderstanding.

“Gao Zhi!!”

Just as he hesitated, a familiar shouting voice came from outside the window.

Shen Lanxi looked out. That figure had already entered the courtyard. After a brief pause, he took the silver lock, tucked it into his pocket, and walked outside.

Jiang Huashan entered the courtyard like a bandit raiding a village—lifting bricks and overturning jars without hesitation.

“Little poor thing~ where are you? Little poor thing?”

“What are you doing?”

Jiang Huashan straightened up and rushed over to Shen Lanxi. “Where’s Gao Zhi? He stole my turtle—my bestie.”

“Bestie?” Shen Lanxi processed it for a moment. “You mean that turtle?”

“Yes! Where is he?” Jiang Huashan looked around anxiously.

“He went out.”

“He went out?” Jiang Huashan’s eyes almost turned green with anger. “Then what about my poor little thing? Shen Lanxi, my turtle! Your bodyguard stole my turtle!!”

Shen Lanxi felt a headache coming on from her shouting. After a brief hesitation, he pulled his phone from his pocket.

The call connected quickly.

“Young master.”

Jiang Huashan stared at him intensely. Shen Lanxi turned away slightly and said, “Where’s the turtle?”

“What turtle? Young master, I’m at the dock. The wind is strong here and the signal is bad—I’m hanging up.”

“Bring it back,” Shen Lanxi said.

On the other end, Gao Zhi felt like the sky was falling. “Young master, can I bring it back tomorrow? I’m still monitoring this shipment at the dock. Didn’t you say this was very important and I must handle it personally? I really can’t leave now. I’m guessing something will happen tonight.”

Shipment?

Jiang Huashan immediately perked up.

What shipment?

Shen Lanxi thought for a moment, then turned to Jiang Huashan. “Tomorrow, I’ll have it sent back to you?”

“No way!” she rejected instantly.

“……”

Shen Lanxi closed his eyes and tilted his head slightly.

Jiang Huashan grabbed his arm. “Tell him to bring it back now. I heard everything—you sent Gao Zhi out on a mission! What if it’s dangerous and he dies, then what happens to my turtle? It’s very important to me—extremely important! I absolutely cannot let it be in danger!”

Seeing that Shen Lanxi wasn’t moving, her eyes turned fierce.

“Shen Lanxi, I’m not joking! If anything happens to Little Poor Thing, I’m done with you!”

Shen Lanxi pushed her hand away and, with a different hand, resumed the call.

“Have someone else take over surveillance tonight. You come back first.”

—

At the same time.

On the rooftop of a residential building one kilometer away from Nanwan Port.

Gao Zhi hung up the phone and started packing while cursing under his breath.

One moment he says to personally monitor it, the next he says to send someone else—does he think people don’t have tempers?

Gao Zhi picked up his case and patted the little turtle on his shoulder.

“I was going to take you out for some fresh air, but now we have to go back again.”

Just as he finished speaking—

BOOM—

A huge explosion erupted from the dock, followed by a pillar of raging fire rising along the riverbank.

Gao Zhi’s expression changed instantly. He quickly pulled out his phone and started recording.

Explosions followed one after another. The force was so strong that even from a kilometer away, the ground seemed to tremble.

“Ahhh!”

The ships docked nearby were engulfed in flames. People on deck screamed and scattered, trying to jump into the river to escape—but there was nowhere to go. The surrounding area had already become a sea of fire.