Liu Lan Ying, of course, could not admit defeat. It was a crucial moment to showcase her culinary skills, and she displayed them with fervor, leaving no room for flaws.
Together, they prepared twelve dishes. As Ye Tian Cheng's appetite was whetted, dish after dish was served, creating a banquet-like atmosphere that was almost overwhelming.
"Brother Ye, quickly taste mine. I've specifically improved this braised pork. I used a blowtorch to sear the entire piece of meat beforehand, making it exceptionally firm. It tastes wonderful and isn't greasy at all, like eating jelly."
As the胖子 finished speaking, Liu Lan Ying, not to be outdone, chimed in, "Brother Ye, try my braised pig trotters. I want to pit this against his braised pork. The flavors are similar, but my braised pig trotters are so tender they're practically falling apart. You won't detect any imperfections, and they're incredibly delicious."
"Alright, I'll try them."
After tasting, Ye Tian Cheng couldn't help but give a thumbs-up. Both of their culinary skills were exceptional, each surpassing the other. Although he was in his own kitchen, Ye Tian Cheng felt as if he were in a lavish five-star hotel, savoring dishes prepared by master chefs.
"Brother Ye, which one is tastier?"
Ye Tian Cheng found it difficult to answer without offending someone, so he quickly changed the subject.
"Both are incredibly delicious, of course. But you need to show me some other unique skills. These dishes are all home-style and don't reveal much. I'd like to see what you can do with other specialty dishes to gauge your true capabilities."
The two then eagerly presented more food to Ye Tian Cheng. At that moment, Ye Tian Cheng felt like an emperor, experiencing the kind of treatment only an emperor might receive from a seductive concubine, making his heart flutter. His days were exceptionally comfortable.
After the meal, they had a bit of wine. Ye Tian Cheng had eaten too much and wanted to take a stroll to aid digestion. It was at this moment he realized that overeating could indeed be quite painful, and it was better to know when to stop.
"Fatty, let's go for a walk. I've sensed some dark energy, and I suspect Ouyang Xu Nuo might be making another move. We need to investigate and prevent it as best we can."
"Alright, Brother Ye. Although I, Fatty, am a bit of a coward, if I can save someone, I will do so without hesitation and won't be a timid runaway."
Under the cover of night, the two followed the dark energy, eventually arriving at the dilapidated residential complex where Chen Yue Jin had previously jumped to his death. This familiarity, coupled with an inexplicable premonition, struck Ye Tian Cheng and Fatty. After all, a previous incident had occurred there, accompanied by a potent killing intent. Now, with the addition of dark energy, another tragedy was imminent.
"Brother Ye, listen closely. Do you hear anything?"
Ye Tian Cheng soon heard it – a clear reading voice. Ye Tian Cheng was delighted because, within the reading, he detected a trace of dark energy. It wasn't that he was happy someone was being controlled by dark energy, but rather that he could finally prevent a slaughter. He felt genuinely pleased, even a little excited.
"Okay, this is it. We've found the right place. Let's hurry and save them."
With that, Ye Tian Cheng rushed upstairs and began knocking frantically. A woman opened the door. Her cheekbones were prominent, giving her a rather formidable appearance.
"Who are you? Knocking on my door in the middle of the night. Let me tell you, don't think I can't handle you just because I'm old. I'm quite capable. At worst, I can call the police. I don't believe they can't deal with trespassing."
Hearing the woman's words, Ye Tian Cheng realized she was not to be trifled with. He decided to explain as much as possible, deeming it unsuitable to play it cool at this moment.
"Is someone in your house reading?"
"Yes, so what? Is my grandson studying bothering you? Let me tell you, people from all sides have come to me. My grandson is an excellent student. If you can't even tolerate this little noise, you'll be hindering a future pillar of society. You'll regret it."
The old woman deftly shifted the focus, making it seem as if others were jealous of her grandson's academic prowess. But who knew the reality? Besides, how other people's children studied was of no consequence to them, nor did it bring them any profit. It made no sense to suppress one's emotions for the sake of another's child's studies.
"That's not the reason. Your grandson is being controlled by a mysterious force. I fear this internal power might lead him to jump from the building. He must have been suppressing a lot, which is why he's been controlled by this evil force. I'm here to save him. That power is growing stronger, and I worry the child won't be able to withstand it."
Ye Tian Cheng couldn't mention dark energy, as the old woman likely wouldn't understand. He tried to use the term "evil force" instead, hoping she would grasp some of it.
"Yes, that's exactly it. I think the evil force is you. Why aren't you sleeping in the middle of the night? You brought a fat person here and are bossing me around. If you're not an evil force, then what are you?"
Ye Tian Cheng frowned. The胖子 beside him couldn't help but interject, "Madam, please don't look down on my elder brother. He's a rural entrepreneur who specifically does good deeds. That's why he's here to help your grandson, not to cause trouble. Please, let us in to save your grandson."
The old woman not only refused to move aside but also spread her arms, blocking the doorway.
"What rural entrepreneur? You look like a farmer. Are you two trying to scam me? Speak up. It's late, and I don't want to waste any more time with you. Is two hundred yuan enough? One hundred each, and you'll both feel like you've met a great benefactor. You've got it so easy, don't you feel lucky?"
Faced with this garrulous woman, who was deliberately slandering Ye Tian Cheng and Fatty's intentions, her actions were truly laughable. She was unaware that dark energy was about to claim her grandson's life, yet she was shouting loudly, as if to attract a crowd to judge her, believing herself to be in the right.
"However, I must warn you, that's a young life. I want to save him, but if you insist on blocking me, I can't force my way in. I fear you'll report me."
If Ye Tian Cheng were like before, he would have simply paused everything and rushed in. The problem was that Ye Tian Cheng's true qi was insufficient for such an action. He could only try to negotiate his way into the house. If he forced his way in, he would be immediately arrested, and even if he saved the child, the old woman would cause trouble for him regarding the child not jumping. Therefore, before anything happened, Ye Tian Cheng could do nothing but stare, feeling utterly foolish.
"Heh heh heh, you criminals really come up with more and more excuses. If you're so capable, why don't you write novels? It's a waste of your talent to come here and show off like this."
As she spoke, the old woman's gaze was like knives, piercing Ye Tian Cheng and Fatty, as if she could shoot lasers through them.
"Fine. If something happens, don't blame me. I've done all I can. It's a shame you're so unappreciative."
Ye Tian Cheng was out of options. Moreover, the grandson might not necessarily jump. So, he decided to go downstairs with Fatty to check the situation. As soon as they reached the ground floor, they heard the old woman's heart-wrenching cry.
"Xiao Liang Liang, what's wrong? You can tell me anything. Why do you want to jump? Why are you so despondent? Thirteen years, I raised you to be successful, and now you're dead, so Grandma won't live either!"
The previous thud had been faint, as if he had misheard. This one was incredibly loud. Ye Tian Cheng heard it clearly and, along with Fatty, rushed over. They found the old woman lying face down, her head smashed, having died a tragic death.
As for the child beside her, he must have scraped against something while falling, so his injuries didn't seem severe. Ye Tian Cheng quickly rushed over, picked up the child, and put him in the car. Ye Tian Cheng and Fatty drove at high speed. Ye Tian Cheng, already low on true qi, had to exert all his strength to protect the child's life, feeling utterly exhausted.
"Brother Ye, hold on! No matter what, we must save this child. As for that old woman who looked down on us, her death or not is irrelevant. Let's save the child if we can."
Fatty shared the same sentiment, and his thoughts perfectly aligned with Ye Tian Cheng's. Ye Tian Cheng expended a great deal of effort to save the child. Although the child wasn't fully revived, his numerous injuries healed rapidly, thanks to Ye Tian Cheng's efforts. Ye Tian Cheng had truly depleted much of his true qi. Had it been anyone else, the child, even if he survived, would likely have suffered severe after-effects, possibly even losing limbs.
It was the sixth floor. Surviving such a fall was already a miracle; no further demands should be made.
Upon arriving at the hospital, they finally got the child admitted. Fatty looked at Ye Tian Cheng's face and couldn't help but feel a mixture of amusement and helplessness.
"What's wrong, Brother Ye? Did saving the person drain too much of your energy, and you can't hold on?"
"Yes, I can't hold on anymore. I feel so sick, I want to vomit. We can't wait here any longer. Take me home. I need to sort myself out, or I might not make it through this."
What Ye Tian Cheng meant by "sorting himself out" was to return and cultivate. If he continued to endure, Ye Tian Cheng feared he might faint. He felt an overwhelming urge to vomit and managed to throw up several times, finally feeling somewhat better. He then fell asleep in the car.