Chapter 135: A Helping Hand

Lu Yalan was bewildered. "Old Man Yan? Who is that?"

"He arrived long before you did, and he’s often away, so it's no wonder you haven't seen him until now," Auntie Zhang explained. "Old Man Yan is quite mysterious. He looks like a scrawny, scruffy old man no one would want, but my husband says the pipe he carries is an antique! My husband saw an identical one at the home of the richest man in the city, Master Li. There’s no doubt about it!"

"Oh, I see!" The Jing-Tian District was a melting pot for all sorts of people, so encountering a mysterious old man wasn't exactly strange. What interested Lu Yalan more was, "Why does everyone rush to take their children home the moment they hear he’s back?"

"Goodness, it’s just because Old Man Yan is so fearsome!" Auntie Zhang slapped her thigh, looking quite indignant.

Qin Lekai was always clever when it came to pleasing his mother. He specifically took a taxi to the "Bai-Ji" shop to buy her favorite roasted chicken and headed home, feeling quite pleased with himself.

Consort Song sat in the side hall of the Feiyu Palace, looking at the impeccably clean room and the colorful clothes in the wardrobe, feeling a sense of smug triumph from the tips of her hair down to her toes.

"No," Lin Jiu said, his expression unchanged. "I just realized..." It was rare for him to offer to tell someone’s fortune, and they hadn't even appreciated it or believed in fate. Suddenly finding Huang Huabao an eyesore and wanting to get rid of him, he had come up with that excuse to drive him away.

"Do not ask about things that do not concern you." The voice of the Grand Eunuch remained cold, devoid of any emotion.

Jiang Houde had been happy and proud lately; his son was successful, and from now on, everyone would look up to him. It was a pity he hadn't nurtured Jiang Hongxin properly in the past; otherwise, given Jiang Hongxin's intelligence, he might have achieved even greater things.

He then discovered he was still clutching that so-called "long poem" by Chu Qianhan. It was like adding fuel to the fire; he crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it to the ground in a fit of rage before stalking off.

The Imperial Garden was patrolled by palace guards at regular intervals. He hoped no one had seen them meeting earlier.

He spoke with great force and utter sincerity, much like someone who had discovered a long-lost, dust-covered pearl.

Upon hearing this, Consort Jing’s face flushed red and turned pale. She rose to excuse herself and departed with her head bowed.

An Jin’an was momentarily stunned. Lu Ning’s dramatic reaction was clearly abnormal, but there was no one else in the house. Who was she putting on a performance for?

On the contrary, the Han people living in the border regions had frequent contact with ethnic minorities, leading to a blending of cultures. They had even adopted their festivals. Over time, these had evolved into the grandest, most unique annual celebrations found only in the Qingzhou region.

Mu Yi could not help but recall the subtle, almost imperceptible resistance in the air as she walked through Le Di’s desolate spiritual world.

Ever since the day in the flower garden when he confessed his illicit affair with Feng Huan, only to be rejected by He, Yuan Ke had continued to be a dutiful son to his mother and a caring brother to his siblings, but he was never as joyful as he had once been.

Yet, no amount of joy or comfort could suppress the guilt in his heart. This was the child he had personally abandoned all those years ago.

A quarter of an hour later, Zhao Liudao returned with all his brothers. Everyone who had been waiting for the outcome stretched their necks to get a look. Zhao Liudao had a bit of a reputation in Yizhen County; many recognized him, and many had sought his services.

Xu Yingdong gauged the distance between himself and the other person based on the sound of footsteps. Just then, an elevator arrived. He slipped inside, pressed the button for the third floor, and then, a moment later, pressed the button for the sixth.

When Ghost Li heard the term "this humble one," his brow furrowed even deeper. He could not understand why Faxiang had appeared here so suddenly, and without a single companion. Was he trying to get himself killed?

Bingbing was also stunned for a long time, staring blankly at Tang Long, a flicker of surprise appearing at the corners of her mouth. She never expected that the stranger she had trusted so much would be the famous forensic expert Tang Long. Tang Long was her idol, the master she looked up to in her heart.

"Send people to retrieve the body," Tang Long said, having nothing more to add. The most urgent task was to recover the remains.

Though he was not physically imposing, the aura he exuded was astonishing and powerful—enough to strike fear and dread into the hearts of many.

Half a day ago, this figure had walked shoulder-to-shoulder with him, but now, he had to look up to this thin, weary silhouette, fearing that for the rest of his life, he would always be looking up.