Chapter 144: The Building Collapses
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Upon Zhou Ling’s return to the old residence, he was greeted with a heartwarming sight.
“What’s with all the joy?” Zhou Ling handed his coat to Butler Li.
Liao Ning looked at him with surprise. “You’re back. The cubs and I were just discussing something about you.”
Zhou Ling was taken aback. “Me? What’s going on?”
“Let the cubs fill you in. It’s a surprise!” Liao Ning playfully blinked at him. “1 must say, I was genuinely shocked!”
Zhou Ling raised an eyebrow, instantly intrigued. “Well then, I’ll lend my ears to the cubs’ tale of how they managed to frighten our esteemed chef, Liao Ning.”
“I assure you, it’s enough to surprise Colonel Zhou,” Liao Ning teased, refusing to show any vulnerability. “I’ll go prepare dinner now. Listen to the cubs.”
“I’ll lend a hand too. You can hear the story later,” Zhou Ling offered, rolling up his sleeves as he made his way to the kitchen.
Liao Ning’s happiness surged, and she gladly accepted his help. “Alright, it’s rare for you to come home so early today. I’ll prepare a few extra dishes of your favorites as a reward!”
The two cubs exchanged glances and sensibly followed the two adults into the kitchen.
“Do the cubs want to help as well?” Liao Ning crouched down to ask. Seeing their nods, she beamed and said joyfully, “That’s wonderful! The cubs can help with washing the vegetables. Ling and I will take care of the rest!”
The butler stood in the living room, observing the four of them bustling about in the kitchen. For a brief moment, he felt transported back to the days when Brother Zhou Ling and his sister-in-law were still present. Those were the rare moments of tranquility within the Zhou family.
“Cubs, go wash your hands and get ready to eat!” Liao Ning brought the final dish to the table and urged the two little ones to clean up.
Today, Liao Ning had prepared five dishes and two desserts. With the addition of the butler, there were a total of five people present. Tonight’s dinner could be considered a truly lavish affair.
“Go ahead and try this sweet and sour fish, as well as the braised abalone.”
Liao Ning had prepared a variety of dishes for dinner, including two meat dishes, two vegetarian dishes, and a soup. In addition to the sweet and sour fish and braised abalone, there was also yam pork rib soup, cold eggplant, and stir-fried buns learned from Yu Ni.
After the meal, Zhou Ling diligently cleared the table and washed the dishes. Meanwhile, Liao Ning and the two cubs settled in the living room, enjoying their desserts while watching the news.
Once he finished tidying up, Zhou Ling joined them and informed Liao Ning about the Wei family. “The Wei family has already handed over the formula for the mental strength potion to the Prime Minister.”
“What?” Liao Ning was taken aback. Something didn’t add up. Why hadn’t the system notified her that the mission to bring down the Wei family had been completed? There were still clues regarding the whereabouts of Zhou Ling’s brother and sister-in-law!
Unfortunately, Liao Ning’s communication with the system had always been one-way. The system would only reach out to her when it required her assistance. If she needed anything, she had no means of contacting the system.
Left with no other option, Liao Ning turned to Zhou Ling and asked, “Has the
Wei family not completely collapsed?”
Zhou Ling nodded, surprised by her sharpness. “That’s correct. Ningning, you’re truly astute. The Wei family has only handed over the formula to the Prime Minister recently. The Wei family will only face complete ruin when the military court trial results are announced tomorrow.”
“In that case, who is being tried in the military court? Wei Nan or Wei Xuan?”
Zhou Ling let out a sigh. “Both father and son are involved. Eight years ago, Wei Nan sent substandard mental strength potions to the front lines. That alone is enough to bring about his and the Wei family’s downfall. Wei Xuan, too, was implicated by his father and was found guilty of murdering a fellow soldier. Once the military court delivers its verdict, Wei Xuan will likely have no future in the military.”
“It’s unfortunate, but there’s nothing we can do. Try not to dwell on it too much,” Liao Ning comforted, patting his shoulder.
Zhou Ling smiled wistfully. “I can’t say that I’m not saddened by it. I just feel sorry for him. After all, I’ve watched him grow since he joined the military. He’s a diligent individual. It’s a pity.”
“What about the Wang family? Have they received any news about your brother and sister-in-law?”
Zhou Ling’s expression turned grim as he shook his head. “Today, the head of the Wang family took the initiative to seek me out. The Wang family has also been implicated due to their involvement in recent and past events. The Prime Minister and the military have terminated the employment of most of the family’s descendants working in the logistics department who were connected to these matters. They have suffered a significant blow. The purpose of the head’s visit was to reconcile with me.”
With a disdainful snort, Zhou Ling continued, “How can I simply let go of the murderer who caused my brother and sister-in-law’s disappearance? While the head of the Wang family has consistently denied any involvement in the tampering of my brother’s flying car, Lan Yin and Gao Dian have discovered that the individual responsible was an officer affiliated with the Wang family.. How can I trust that the head of the Wang family is not the mastermind behind it all?”