Chapter 600: Unraveling Fate’s Question

To this day, Lu Xin still doesn’t understand what is really going on.

But the doubts in his heart have grown deep, and his curiosity has been truly ignited.

“Bah!”

“Why should I tell you?”

Yet the boy, dressed in tattered clothes but with remarkable backbone, said nothing else and spat, “If you can kill me, it’s just about money, right? I’m not afraid of you rich folks. In a life-for-life deal, I won’t lose out…”

“Who has time to swap lives on a whim…”

CEO Xiao, Gao Yan, and the others were both frustrated and speechless, repeatedly asking, but the boy stubbornly remained silent.

“You’d better speak up.”

Seeing his outburst, Lu Xin grew slightly anxious.

Although he enjoyed the way the boy mocked his wealth, he couldn’t let the quarreling drag on and cause trouble.

So, calming his emotions and looking kindly at the blunt, stubborn boy, he said, “Maybe I can help that girl…”

“You…”

The mention of Chen Wei’s name from Lu Xin made the boy suddenly snap, and he began struggling again.

CEO Xiao gasped and stepped back in fright, while Gao Yan and Little Meng quickly moved to intervene.

But the boy, long trained in his craft, was surprisingly strong. Despite Gao Yan’s tall frame, his old injury still unhealed, the boy broke free in one swift move. His face twisted as he lunged desperately in front of Lu Xin.

“Sigh…”

Lu Xin immediately frowned and drew a gun.

The dark muzzle was aimed directly at the boy’s face.

The boy froze for a moment, instinctively stepping back, then snarled, “A shabby gun? You…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Lu Xin fired.

“Bang!”

A bullet whizzed past his ear, punching a mud-splattered hole in the wall behind him.

The boy was struck dumb with shock.

His ears roared with the impact, flooding his mind with a deafening force.

Those holding him aside recoiled in fright, yet with no one preventing him, he dared not lunge forward.

His legs trembled and his body shivered uncontrollably…

“I was trying to help that girl because something strange was happening to her.”

Lu Xin slowly lowered his gun, his tone calm and friendly as he said, “So, don’t let your anger waste precious time.”

“Answer our earlier question.”

……

……

“I… I’m Zhang Weiyu. I’m… Chen Wei’s… older brother!”

“Ever since we were kids, Chen Wei and I grew up in the wild grassy alleys of South City. Her parents died young, so our grandmother took care of her. We lived together, went through elementary and middle school, and then high school side by side…”

“Later, after our grandmother passed away and money grew tight, I quit school to work and support Chen Wei’s education.”

“I wasn’t the brightest, but Chen Wei was sharp, so I dedicated myself not only to her high school but to her college as well. She said she wanted to graduate early and get married, but I refused—I wanted her to go to college…”

“…”

The once frenzied boy quieted after Lu Xin’s shot, and with Lu Xin’s sincere promise to help Chen Wei, he finally calmed enough to reveal his story.

“Wait, marriage?”

“You and Chen Wei… are you a couple?”

“…”

However, after just a few words, his confession left everyone utterly stunned.

Especially Little Meng, with a wad of paper stuffed in his nostrils, who exclaimed in disbelief, “When did this happen?”

“I… I can’t really explain…”

Zhang Weiyu looked up at Little Meng, ready to scold him, but softened when he caught sight of Lu Xin’s calm gaze. He continued, “We grew up together. Even before our grandmother died, she always said we should stick together. Back in school, I was even expelled after a fight because some thugs harassed her…”

“Maybe that night, deep down, we all understood…”

“…”

Everyone exchanged puzzled looks, at a loss for words.

Little Meng stared in disbelief, “I… have I always been the third wheel?”

Next to him, Vice President Xiao consoled, “Don’t worry, you never made it anyway, so it doesn’t count…”

Little Meng dejectedly added, “So there’s no place for me in this melodramatic love triangle?”

“And then?”

Lu Xin glanced compassionately at Little Meng and asked, “What happened next? How did things get this far?”

“Chen Wei…”

The boy’s voice trembled, choked with emotion, as if dreading the words, “She… seems to have changed…”

“She used to say she wanted to graduate quickly, find a job, and marry me. I even urged her to study hard and aim for the Main City. But… I never expected that when I delivered her living expenses a few days ago, I discovered…”

“She was actually dating someone else…”

“At first, I thought she was being deceived and worried about her, until…”

“Until just now…”

“She… she actually echoed the very words I once said…”

“…”

By the end, his voice broke into tears as he covered his face with his hand.

The onlookers exchanged helpless glances and shook their heads in resignation.

After so many questions, they felt almost indifferent.

In the end, it was nothing more than a clichéd yet common tale…

This young man worked hard to earn money, raise the girl, and support her schooling, which was admirable. But it was natural for her, once educated, to aspire beyond a humble life.

From Little Meng’s perspective, the living conditions in Cao Ye’s household were far from ideal.

Yet compared to Zhang Weiyu, his advantages were evident.

After graduation, when it came to choices, it wasn’t unreasonable for her to lean toward someone like Cao Ye.

Yes, there was little one could do—it all felt quite pitiful.

……

……

“No, something still doesn’t add up…”

But as all the adults began lamenting the situation, Little Meng, from the sidelines, shook his head in confusion and said, “Chen Wei isn’t like that. The girl I love—don’t I know her well? She’s not that unscrupulous.”

Hearing him, Zhang Weiyu’s face contorted in pain as he clutched his head tightly.

“Sigh… People do change…”

The others looked at Zhang Weiyu with sympathy before shaking their heads at Little Meng.

It seemed rather cruel to let a young, tender-hearted person learn that love can sour.

Yet perhaps, when he grows up, he’ll be grateful for the lesson.

After all, everyone goes through such trials in life.

Experiencing these changes with youthful vigor is far better than being trapped later on with no escape.

……

……

Silence fell as everyone started withdrawing.

They hesitated to leave the heartbroken boy alone, feeling it might be too cruel.

At that moment, Lu Xin looked up and said, “I agree, this shouldn’t continue.”

Instantly, all eyes turned to him.

Little Meng quickly shifted his gaze, hope sparking in his eyes.

Lu Xin’s expression showed a troubled contemplation as he sorted through his thoughts.

In the past, he would have never noticed such subtleties.

But now, Lu Xin felt he understood human relationships better—though he still had much to learn.

Perhaps for that very reason, he began to find the whole matter increasingly suspicious.

After a moment’s pause, he slowly said, “You might think this all makes sense, but I still sense something amiss…”

“For instance…”

He paused before asking, “If that girl truly is the type who turns her back on everyone as soon as she finishes school, then how could someone so unfeeling rush to defend her boyfriend physically?”

“If it were merely for personal gain, then…”

Glancing at Little Meng, he added, “His circumstances seem even better than the other guy’s.”

The group exchanged puzzled looks, at a loss for words.

“Honestly, I think you made a very good point earlier…”

Lu Xin, surveying the hesitant faces around him, slowly looked at Little Meng and said, “If that guy really comes from an average background, has poor character, and isn’t even handsome—especially considering he doesn’t seem to genuinely care for that girl,”

“then, by all accounts, there’s no reason for Chen Wei to fall so hard for him.”

“Loving someone…”

He hesitated briefly before declaring firmly, “Must have a reason.”

……

……

Perhaps it was Lu Xin’s persuasive words, or maybe no one dared to contradict him.

Suddenly, silence fell as everyone exchanged uncertain glances.

After a long pause, Little Meng cautiously asked, “So what should we do, Brother Lu?”

“Can you hurry up? That hotel’s already been entered…”

“…”

The others shot him reproachful looks, wondering why he was still hesitating at such a critical moment.

“This really is pretty important…”

Lu Xin pondered seriously; matters like these were undoubtedly tricky.

Even he only sensed something was off without solid evidence, while the two involved seemed to have mutually agreed to it…

How do we handle this?

Just then, a booming shout erupted from outside the nearby hallway, “Everybody freeze! Did someone just fire a shot?”

Everyone jumped and then looked up in even greater horror.

They saw two patrol officers in uniform, guns pointed at them.

Only then did they recall that Lu Xin’s shot had created quite a commotion, drawing the police’s attention.

Upstanding citizens, they quickly raised their hands while casting worried glances at Lu Xin.

Little Meng was growing anxious—this was a critical moment, and being hauled in for questioning by the police would be disastrous.

But Lu Xin, noticing the two officers, suddenly recalled something, and a smile spread across his face.

“Relax, you don’t need to be so nervous.”

Laughing, he reached into his overcoat pocket for his ID, raised his hand, and walked over while showing it to them.

The two officers examined the ID and were visibly shocked.

Then Lu Xin lowered his voice, his expression turning grave as he said, “I’m reporting that hotel over there for illegal… room use?”