Walking to the farmers' market, Xu Wuyan began to ponder his current situation. Yao Can’s appearance had been completely unexpected. He had originally intended to find a part-time job, save for tuition, and wait for the semester to start. Such a life would have been simple, ordinary—the kind of life an eighteen-year-old ought to have.
However, with his encounter with Yao Can, his future would inevitably be entangled in the power struggles of the Yao Family. This was an uncontrollable variable. His understanding of the Yao Family was not as superficial as he let on; the things he had said to Lin Zhiyue at the hospital were not things just anyone would know. Precisely because he knew, he wasn't very optimistic about Yao Can. She currently lacked the ability to go toe-to-toe with those old foxes.
"Forget it. I'll just help her get those shares first. A lot can change in four years; I can think about the rest then."
Yao Can's birthday was next week. On that day, she intended to reclaim the shares stipulated in Old Master Yao's will. Combined with the shares she already held, she could freeze the Yao Family's assets. But how could such a thing ever be simple?
He looked around. Although he had tried his best to erase all traces of Chen Fan, this city was far too familiar to him. The residential complex where Yao Can lived was a famous area for the wealthy. While many of the units were small, the privacy was excellent, and the security was surprisingly strict. Such an environment was perfect for hiding a mistress; according to rumors he had heard, many celebrities had been spotted here. There had even been numerous incidents of spouses catching their partners in the act. For this reason, the guards scrutinized everyone entering the complex. Someone like him, for instance, was considered a person of interest, and he frequently saw guards watching him from a distance.
Following his memory, he easily found the local farmers' market. Even though large supermarkets were more convenient, he preferred the lively atmosphere of the farmers' market. The humid air was filled with the smell of fish, and the shouting of vendors mingled with the honking of electric tricycles—this was the scent of everyday life. Xu Wuyan wove through the crowd carrying his shopping bag, which contained the pork ribs he had just bought, along with other side dishes and a large bag of seasonings. He had never even been to Yao Can's kitchen, yet he was certain she wouldn't have any on hand.
Just as he was thinking about what else he needed to buy, a person wearing a baseball cap slammed into him head-on. The shopping bag in his hand was knocked loose, and its contents scattered across the ground.
"Watch where you're going! Are you blind?"
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
Xu Wuyan frowned. The person who had bumped into him was a woman with short hair and a baseball cap. She looked flustered and appeared to be in a great hurry.
"Forget it. Be more careful next time."
The sealed bag of dried mushrooms had spilled out. The two of them squatted down to pick things up at the same time. As her wrist was exposed, Xu Wuyan noticed a tattoo of a Green Snake. He didn't think much of it—plenty of people had tattoos these days—though a snake wasn't a common choice. The woman in the cap picked up her things, continued to stammer apologies, and quickly vanished into the crowd.
This made Xu Wuyan glance after her once more; he felt like something was off. After triple-checking that none of his own items were missing, he decided not to dwell on it and headed home to cook.
When he saw Yao Can again, she had changed into sportswear. Her expression was unfriendly, but that didn't faze Xu Wuyan. He firmly believed that no one would hit a smiling face.
"Boss, I bought a lot of things for you. It's on me today, so I won't ask for a reimbursement. Just get ready for a feast."
With a cheerful smile, he showed his haul to Yao Can before diving into the kitchen. In the living room, Yao Can’s desk was cluttered with half-opened snacks scattered everywhere. He was a man with a good eye for detail; he couldn't let his boss clean up. Ignoring whether Yao Can agreed or not, he put on an apron and started tidying up, grumbling as he went.
"You should eat less of this fried junk. It’s not good for your health."
"This stuff is all additives; too much will cause cancer."
"Cut back on the sodas, too."
"Wait, what’s this? Oh, sorry, sorry! I didn't see that this was your—"
Yao Can’s glare was murderous.
"Get out and go cook! Who told you to touch my things?"
"Right, going now!"
Xu Wuyan felt awkward. A woman on her period was not to be trifled with. He retreated into the kitchen and pulled the sliding door shut, breathing a sigh of relief.
He skillfully started the rice, cleaned the ribs, and chopped the vegetables, whistling happily as he worked. Yao Can had leaned against the sliding glass door at some point, watching him with interest. Xu Wuyan caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye but said nothing, focusing on his work.
"Do you think I'm handsome? Boss, if you like my cooking, you could consider giving me a raise."
"No, I was just wondering: do you cook often?"
"That goes without saying."
Yao Can’s expression turned strange, which made Xu Wuyan pause. Could there be an issue with his identity? He asked quickly, "What? Is there a problem?"
Yao Can shook her head. "Keep going."
"Alright. Give it another half hour. I’m planning to stew the ribs with some mushrooms. You don’t mind, do you, Boss?"
"Mm."
After putting the ribs into the electric pressure cooker, he picked up the bag of mushrooms he had bought. Just as he was about to open it, he frowned in confusion.
"What's wrong?" Yao Can sensed something was off and asked.
"I think I bought a knock-off."
He noticed that the vacuum-sealed "mushrooms" had no brand name on the packaging, only the words "Premium Dried Goods."
"Let me see." Yao Can walked over to take a look.
"Some bulk goods on the market are like this. At least they put it in a vacuum bag for you; usually, it’s just a plastic bag."
"Is that so? I hope there’s nothing wrong with it." Suspicious, Xu Wuyan tore open a corner.
A pungent, chemical odor burst out, forcing them both to turn away and cover their mouths.
"What is this? Why is it so irritating?" Yao Can ran out immediately and threw open the window.
Xu Wuyan’s face fell. Clearly, he had bought fake mushrooms. "Damn it, merchants these days are so crooked. The mushrooms must have been bad, so they used additives to preserve them. But this smell—is it ever f***ing pungent!"
"Throw it away! It smells awful."
"It's just a fake product, why are you zoning out?" Outside the room, Yao Can stood with her hand over her mouth, seeing Xu Wuyan's face turn increasingly grim after his initial outburst.
She moved closer, still covering her mouth, and saw Xu Wuyan reach out, take a piece, and taste it. It was this action that made his expression turn deadly serious.
"Boss, we might have stumbled into big trouble."
Xu Wuyan felt like crying. He had just gone out to buy groceries—did the universe have to play such a cruel joke on him?
"Big trouble? Why?"
He let out a long breath. He was in no mood to cook now; he turned off the stove and found a bag to seal the mushrooms inside. He wasn't sure whether to tell Yao Can. With things like this, the fewer people who knew, the better. He was no stranger to drugs; when Chen Fan’s life was coming to an end, he had used a large quantity of medication every day, including many controlled substances. However, those had been medical supplies, so there was no illegality involved. But the bag of mushrooms in his hand? The implications were severe.
This wasn't just a fake product; it was a bag of contraband. A very specific kind of contraband.