Chapter 734: Chapter 734: The Separated Body
How long does it take to drain the blood from an adult’s body? The answer is two hours.
Xu Ke and the female shopkeeper returned to the flower shop, destroyed the flower branches as Xu Ke had previously described, and cleaned the floor again. Seeing that the time was almost up, Xu Ke led the female shopkeeper back to the bathroom.
The man’s body in the bathroom had already become stiff and pale.
"What should I do?" The female shopkeeper asked, looking at the man’s body.
"It’s actually very simple. Have you ever cooked?" Xu Ke asked the female shopkeeper with a smile.
The female shopkeeper nodded.
"Then it’s very simple. Relax, it’s actually not as difficult as you imagine." Xu Ke said as he picked up the knife placed beside him, extending it toward the man.
Silver’s knife continuously cut into the man’s body. After Xu Ke demonstrated, the rest was handled entirely by the female shopkeeper herself.
"Originally, this was you helping me, and I didn’t want to cause you too much trouble, so leave the rest to me. I think I know what to do now." The female shopkeeper smiled at Xu Ke.
Her face was still wounded, but her smile was so bright, like the sun illuminating the sky after chasing away all the clouds.
Behind the female shopkeeper was the man, cut into several pieces.
"Here’s my contact information. If there’s anything you don’t understand or any problems you can’t solve, you can reach out to me," Xu Ke said, placing a piece of paper with his contact information into the female shopkeeper’s hand.
When Xu Ke returned to the hotel, it was completely dark, but Ely’s family was still waiting for him. Under the bright lights, the dining table was set with food that had already cooled.
"I’m really sorry, something came up unexpectedly, and I didn’t notify you in time. I didn’t expect you to still be waiting for me, that’s my fault," Xu Ke said, not lying; he was genuinely overwhelmed and had forgotten Ely’s family as they hadn’t contacted him.
Seeing them still waiting for him upon his return, Xu Ke inevitably felt a sense of guilt.
Ely smiled, "It’s okay. Have you had dinner? If not, we can eat together," Ely said, inviting Xu Ke with a smile.
"If it’s no trouble, I would be honored," Xu Ke did not refuse.
"But I need to go back to my room and take a shower first, so I’ll excuse myself for a bit," Xu Ke said with a smile, retreating after Ely nodded.
When Xu Ke’s figure disappeared up the stairs, the smile on Ely’s face faded. The shopkeeper walked over to her daughter and, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, asked, "What’s wrong, Ely? My dear, you don’t look very happy. Is it because he came back late? But you have to understand that men always have their careers; they need to work hard for them. Coming home late is very normal."
"That’s not it, Mom. It’s not because of that," Ely said, her eyes slightly teary as she looked at her mother.
"I think I’ve fallen for him," Ely told her parents.
"Though this news is sudden, I understand. From these days spent together, it’s clear he’s a very exceptional person. Plus, he’s helped our family, which shows he’s a kind-hearted person. It’s completely normal for my dear to fall in love with someone like that, so you don’t need to be sad over this," the shopkeeper said, feeling a slight pang in her heart but trying her best to console her saddened child.
"I’m not sad about that. Falling for him makes me happy, but I feel as if I’ve suffered heartbreak now. He left this morning in different clothes, but when he returned, he’d changed entirely. Maybe he fell in love, Mom. Perhaps before he came back, he’d spent a lovely afternoon with the one he loves, while I, like a fool, waited here for him helplessly. What’s worse is that my love story might have ended before it even began."
Experiencing this kind of blow at the onset of her feelings, Ely couldn’t control her tears any longer.
"Oh, my poor child, things might not be as bad as you think. Maybe his clothes just got dirty, so he changed them," the shopkeeper said, wiping the tears from her daughter’s eyes as she comforted her.
"You don’t have to comfort me like this, Mom. If it was really just dirty clothes, why didn’t he bring the dirty ones back? Obviously, someone washed them for him. Who would that be? It’s definitely his girlfriend," Ely said, her expression inevitably tinged with melancholy.
"Listen, my dear, don’t let your imagination run wild. If you truly like him, listen to me; be brave and go confess to him. We don’t seek an outcome, just that we don’t leave regrets in our hearts," the shopkeeper encouraged Ely.
"Of course, if you really like him and can’t let him go, you can also pursue him."
"Even if he already has a girlfriend?" Ely asked, looking into her mother’s encouraging eyes.
"It’s just a girlfriend, they aren’t married yet. As long as they’re not married, anything is possible. Go pursue what you like openly. It’s no big deal, and even if you fail, at least you’ve tried. When you look back, you won’t regret not pursuing him. Who knows who his wife could have been. Do you understand, dear?" The shopkeeper gently stroked Ely’s hair and looked at her lovingly.
"I understand, Mom. Thank you. I think I know what to do. I don’t want regrets in my future; I want to take this chance," Ely said, looking at her mother with determination.
"Then go. You need to know we are always your support. If you succeed, we’ll congratulate you. If you fail, don’t be afraid; we’ll always be your refuge," Ely’s eyes and nose turned red at the shopkeeper’s words.
"I think I must have done a lot of good things in my past life for God to let me have parents like you who love me. I love you both."
Xu Ke had no idea about the events stirred within Ely’s family regarding his change of clothes after he left.
He quickly washed himself, put on his clothes, and tossed aside the ones he wore today, feeling comfortable both physically and mentally.
Only things of his own feel the most comfortable, he thought, sighing contentedly.
The dinner they had prepared must have taken a lot of effort. Even reheated, despite having gone cold, it was still delicious and couldn’t hide the excellent quality of the meal.