Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Exploding Corpse

None of us could have imagined that the chubby white man would go from “playing dead” to “exploding dead.” The power of it, especially the “smell,” was beyond description. I only caught a whiff, and was instantly overwhelmed by the foul stench that had festered within him; Xuan’er was so overcome that she fainted outright.

During the entire ordeal, I saw nothing—only remember something incredibly heavy pressing down on me, after which my mind went utterly blank, filled with nothing but despair. I was certain death was inevitable. The moment I lost consciousness, those venomous snakes bursting from the corpse’s stomach would slither into my wounds and devour me from the inside out.

I have no idea how much time passed.

I recall that when I finally regained awareness, I found myself surrounded by people, and felt a hand continuously slapping my cheek. It wasn’t just the slapping—there was cold water on that hand, bone-chilling cold, so that each contact sent a shiver through my entire body.

Eventually, I couldn’t bear it any longer and was jolted awake—entirely by that icy little hand.

Startled, I snapped wide awake. Without hesitation, I grabbed the wrist of the hand striking my face and barked, “Wang Hou, you bastard! I’m about to die and you won’t even let me go in peace, slapping me like—”

I stopped short, words dying in my throat.

Because the hand’s owner was... why was it Xian Hongye?

I stared in disbelief, utterly unprepared for this scenario. How could she be here? And how was I still alive? Didn’t Xiao Jiu’er intend to—my mind was a muddle of confusion.

Events had spiraled so unexpectedly, my thoughts went from one blank to another, my memories completely fragmented.

I even forgot to let go of Hongye’s hand.

After I stared blankly at her for a moment, she became embarrassed. She lowered her gaze and gave me an awkward smile, indicating her wrist, which I was still gripping tightly. “Brother Tian... that hurts a little,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her words were as effective as a slap in the face!

I actually blushed with embarrassment—what a disgrace! I managed a sheepish smile and quickly released her hand, then looked around in confusion.

What was I looking for? Naturally, Wang Hou.

I was desperate to discover what had happened while I was unconscious, and above all, to find out if Wang Hou was safe.

But as soon as I looked around, I was dumbstruck.

I was no longer inside the Zhenwei Private Kitchen.

To be precise, I was lying in the stone alley outside the restaurant. Behind me was an ambulance; in front, officers from the police, armed police, and fire department moved back and forth.

Staring bewildered in the direction of the restaurant, I was shocked to see thick smoke billowing from behind the vermilion gate, punctuated by sharp, frequent explosions.

“Wang Hou!” Suddenly remembering my comrade through thick and thin, I turned to Hongye, blurting out, “Have you seen Wang Hou? He’s under Xiao Jiu’er’s bed. And why is the restaurant on fire? Why are the police here?”

My string of questions left Hongye flustered, but it was mostly my fault; my mind was still blank. I had no idea what had happened after the chubby man exploded.

And hadn’t Xiao Jiu’er gone to seek revenge on Xian Hongye? So why was she standing here safe and sound, surrounded by police, with the restaurant in flames? Had she managed to turn the tables? That couldn’t be…

While I was lost in these wild speculations, a man in a police uniform approached.

He squatted beside me, patted my shoulder, and said, “You’re awake? Are you Tian Buer?”

I was startled by his question, but nodded.

He nodded back, then pointed at Hongye and admonished, “Don’t go playing hero again, it’s far too dangerous! You and your friend nearly died in that fire. If your wife hadn’t called the police, you’d both be dead... Next time you come across a criminal gang, call the police first.”

The more I listened, the more shocked I became. Before he could finish, I interrupted, “Wait, comrade, what did you just say?”

Thinking I hadn’t heard, he leaned in and repeated loudly, “I said, when you see a crime being committed, call the police first! Don’t try to be a hero on your own! Don’t—”

“That’s not what I meant!” I cut him off again, eyes wide. “The earlier part! Who did you just say was my wife?”

“Must be the carbon monoxide talking,” the officer muttered, glancing between me and Hongye and rolling his eyes. “You don’t even recognize such a beautiful wife? You’d better get a CT scan later, it’s on the house…”

I was left speechless by this overzealous officer, inwardly lamenting my fate.

His words embarrassed Hongye as well, but with her refined upbringing as an executive, she politely exchanged a few words and sent him on his way.

As he left, I hastily waved my hands at Hongye. “Don’t take what he said to heart! People in our county call every woman sister-in-law... or auntie... or wife—ugh! I can’t even explain myself.”

At that point, I wondered if I was still dreaming.

Yet, compared to my flustered state, Hongye was remarkably composed.

She offered a radiant smile—the likes of which I’d never seen from her—and said, “I understand, they must have been mistaken just now...”

Hearing her say that stunned me. Mistaken? If this was a misunderstanding, what on earth had happened while my mind was blank?

I was desperate to know everything. Fortunately, Hongye could see my need for answers.

Once I'd calmed down, she explained in detail everything that had happened outside the cursed restaurant, much of which I’d been oblivious to.

She told me that after we left, she couldn’t settle down, endlessly tossing and turning in my restaurant. Sensitive and meticulous as she was, she kept re-examining Wang Hou’s plan, realizing it was full of risks and holes, most crucially lacking any backup. If we got trapped, there’d be no one to raise the alarm.

But with her sharp mind and decisive nature—no wonder she was a state enterprise manager—she quickly devised a “perfect” backup plan for us in under half an hour.

According to her calculations, if we weren’t back by midnight, and couldn’t be reached, something was definitely wrong. If that happened, she would call the police immediately.

Sure enough, we failed to return by midnight, and our phones were unreachable. Hongye reported it without hesitation.

Not only that, but worried the 110 hotline wouldn’t take it seriously—assuming it was just some local thugs brawling—she “subtly” told the police that Wang Hou and I had uncovered a “drug manufacturing den” in the county, and that we’d been captured while trying to gather evidence, now trapped and our lives at risk.

At this point, I was both embarrassed and impressed by her—truly a woman who dared to speak and act, worthy of her managerial position.

Thanks to her phone call, the entire county’s armed forces were mobilized! Late at night, the county’s armed police unit, criminal investigation division, narcotics squad, and every doctor and nurse on duty at the county hospital all sprang into action. Led by Hongye, they charged toward the restaurant, brimming with righteous fury.

But when they arrived, they were all stunned—the restaurant was already ablaze.

The scene grew even more chaotic. The fire confirmed Hongye’s report and galvanized the fire department. Armed police, regular police, and firefighters moved in, sealing off the entire area.

The firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control and rescued many female diners who’d been hidden among the frozen pork in the cold storage.

As for Wang Hou and me, the firefighters had to use axes to break into Xiao Jiu’er’s private kitchen, where they found us both unconscious.

According to the armed police present, when they saw the horrific scene inside, they were all shocked speechless. No matter how much Hongye pressed for details, all they would say was, “The white boss looked as if he’d swallowed a hand grenade…”

I later heard that the scene was so gruesome almost everyone vomited. When they found Wang Hou and me amid the carnage, they nearly mistook us for corpses and almost zipped us into body bags.

Hongye told me, “The firefighters said when they found you, Wang Hou was lying on top of you—he probably shielded you from the explosion. He’s still unconscious, just sent to the county hospital.”

Hearing this, my heart sank.

In those last moments of the explosion, I’d vaguely felt something heavy pinning me down—it had been him.

“That fool!” I shook my head, fighting back gratitude and tears. “Why didn’t he just stay under the bed? Why be a hero?”

But the truth was, I was deeply thankful for my comrade, who never abandoned or gave up on me.

I asked Hongye, “Do you know how he is now?”

She thought for a moment. “He should be fine. The doctor said it was carbon monoxide poisoning. He’s under observation at the hospital, but it’s nothing serious.”

That reassured me greatly.

Hongye continued: the police had found many “kidnapped” women in the restaurant’s storeroom, all in a state of suspended animation from the cold and urgently needing medical attention. Because there weren’t enough ambulances, they had to prioritize those in critical condition, leaving me and a few other less severe cases on-site for emergency care. Compared to the other girls who’d been cursed, my condition was “the lightest of the light.”

So, after a quick check of my eyelids, the doctor simply gave me some oxygen and let me wake up naturally.

Through it all, Hongye stayed by my side.

Now, I finally understood everything. I also understood why the police had mistaken Hongye for my wife.