"Yes, we chatted with Feiyang for a while before we came back. If something happens, can the police let us talk?" Xiaohu added.

"Ah, you saw Feiyang! How is he?" Aunt Qian stood up straight excitedly as soon as she heard that she had seen her son.

"He's perfectly fine, he's just a little worried about you," Ye Cheng told the two elders a lie to reassure them.

"This child, even at a time like this, is still thinking of us." Aunt Qian said, and then started crying again.

"Why are you crying? They already said it's okay."

After offering some advice, Old He took Aunt Qian back to rest.

Ye Guowei watched the two walk away before asking,

"Ah Cheng, is Fei Yang really alright?"

"Brother, it's really nothing, just going through the motions." Ye Cheng didn't need to add so many embellishments to his older brother.

"How come you got injured on your face? Did you get into a fight?" Ye Guowei asked, pointing to the bruises on Ye Cheng's face.

Ye Cheng grinned.

"It wasn't exactly a fight, it was just helping the police take down this pyramid scheme."

Ye Guowei chuckled sheepishly.

"Okay, okay, the police are all pushovers. It's all your doing. Alright, get some rest. Don't go out to sea for the next couple of days. Come over for dinner whenever you have time."

Damn, he's supposed to be my brother, and he doesn't even believe me.

After Ye Guowei left, Xiao Hu also went home, and Ye Cheng washed up and went straight to sleep.

I slept so hard last night that my back ached, and I was exhausted today, much more tired than when I was fishing.

...

The sun shines brightly, and the flowers smile at me.

Ye Cheng woke up at eight or nine o'clock, his fatigue completely gone.

Ye Cheng had originally planned to make some instant noodles, but when he saw a steamed bun and a bowl of soup on the table—typical Northwestern dishes—he immediately understood that Widow Zhang had prepared them for him.

Although I feel guilty about eating so many carbohydrates and oils so early in the morning, it's quite comforting to have some hot soup now that the weather is getting cooler.

This mutton soup is different from the milky white mutton soup in the north; it's clear broth with white meat, a style of eating in Northwest China.

A layer of oil floats on top, along with a few scallions and cilantro, and some spices. It doesn't look hot, but it's actually quite hot when you drink it. A burst of heat goes straight from your throat to your stomach, then spreads throughout your body, with every pore radiating heat.

Cool!

Ye Cheng broke off a piece of bread and threw it into the bowl to soak. This was similar to the mutton soup in Northwest China, but only the boiled bread is called mutton soup. The uncooked bread is called mutton broth, which is also called mutton soup in Luoyang. They are all very similar.

Actually, mutton soup is mainly about the broth, and there isn't much meat. However, Widow Zhang's bowl was mostly mutton, so she really went all out.

After eating half a pancake, Ye Cheng felt a little full. Just then, Widow Zhang came over and happily walked in when she saw that Ye Cheng was awake.

"Ah Cheng, is it delicious?"

"Absolutely OK!" Ye Cheng gave a thumbs up.

"I'm glad it's delicious. I didn't know when you got up, so I've been watching from outside the whole time," Widow Zhang said, a little embarrassed.

"Auntie, you don't need to work so hard. I can eat instant noodles anyway." Ye Cheng slurped up a mouthful of mutton soup, and the satisfaction he showed made Widow Zhang smile broadly.

"That won't do. Although you are young, men need to take care of themselves from the beginning. Otherwise, it will be too late to do so when they get older."

"Cough cough." Ye Cheng choked twice. What this widow said, "I'm only in my twenties, why would I need to take supplements?"

"If you like it, Auntie will cook more for you in the future, and I'll also make you some lamb testicles, lamb kidneys, lamb penis and stuff."

"Pfft!" Ye Cheng couldn't hold it in and almost spat it out.

"No, Auntie, I'm still young. If you give me these supplements, I'll make a mistake."

Lamb kidneys, lamb penis—those are treasures! But how could a young man like Ye Cheng handle them?

"What mistake did you make? You still have Xiao Tao, don't you?" Widow Zhang said sourly, with a hint of jealousy.

Ye Cheng was stunned for a moment upon hearing this.

"Auntie, there's nothing between me and Sister-in-law Han, don't talk nonsense."

"Tch, I've been through this myself, do you think I don't know?" Widow Zhang tossed her hair and squeezed herself in.

“She went out alone those few nights, and came back with her face flushed and her hair tied up. After that, she would avoid looking at you. How could she possibly run away?”

Holy crap!

That's how you figured it out. Why don't you become a detective?

"Um, Auntie, you might have misunderstood something. There's really nothing between me and Sister-in-law Han," Ye Cheng explained.

"She's just shy; she blushes as soon as she speaks, and there's nothing I can do about it."

"Fine, fine, you men are all like this," Widow Zhang said, her tone rising, a hint of displeasure in her voice.

Ye Cheng's face darkened, and he gently put down his chopsticks.

Upon seeing this, Widow Zhang immediately realized she had misspoke, and she quickly stood up.

"Well, Cheng, I didn't mean anything by it. Don't worry, I won't care who you go to. As long as you're willing to eat my cooking, I'll be happy."

"Take your time eating. I'll come and collect it when you're done."

After saying that, Widow Zhang ran away as if she were fleeing.

Looking at Widow Zhang's retreating figure, Ye Cheng was speechless.

Everything has its limits. Ye Cheng can give them some benefits, even money, but he also needs to let them know who's in charge.

However, Widow Zhang was also a pitiful person. She probably felt that life had hope again because she suddenly had Ye Cheng to rely on.

Then, a younger woman named Han Xiaotao suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and she felt a little threatened.

Forget about it, Ye Cheng finished the soup and ate his fill.

Just as I was thinking about what to do, Little Tiger suddenly arrived.

"What brings you here? Came to play games?"

"No, brother, Guowei told me to stay with you these next few days, in case you get beaten up."

"I was beaten up? Who beat me up?" Ye Cheng was confused. Was he really that hated now?

Xiao Hu rolled his eyes at him, then took out a cigarette and lit it.

"Tch, you think everyone loves you? There are plenty of people who want to beat you up. There are more than a dozen people in the village who bought that Feiyang stuff."

"Damn it, they're breaking the law. I'm just saving them, and they're repaying kindness with enmity!"

"Who cares if you break the law? They just want their money back."

"Hmph, getting the money back isn't that easy. Who knows if they've even spent it?"

Ye Cheng doesn't know what will happen with the money, so he can only listen to the Municipal Bureau.

Based on the procedures of later generations, he felt that it was highly likely that the remaining money would be returned to the victims proportionally.

As for how much can be refunded, that's unknown.

"And another thing, brother, Chen Jinfa bought ten of them, which cost 40,000 yuan. He hates you to the core right now."

"No way, he really bought ten?" Ye Cheng was a little surprised. Had this guy lost his mind?