Kill the beasts in the courtyard, I fled to Hong Kong, surrounded by beauties on both sides.

As dawn broke, the courtyard was filled with the acrid smell of burning paper money, mixed with the dampness of the morning dew, and it smelled like something was rotting.

The white banners at the Jia family's gate were still up, fluttering weakly in the morning breeze. The offering table in the mourning tent had been removed, leaving only empty bamboo frames and white cloth, which looked rather desolate.

As usual, Chen Fei got up "weakly" and carried a bucket to fetch water. When he passed the Central Courtyard, he saw Qin Huairu squatting by the pool washing clothes—not ordinary clothes, but the clothes that Bang Geng wore before his death, laid out one by one on the bluestone slab and soaking in the water.

She washed very slowly, her fingers red and frozen, but she seemed oblivious to the cold, scrubbing vigorously. When she saw Chen Fei, she looked up; her eyes were still swollen, but her gaze was vacant, as if her soul had already left with the stick.

"Sister Qin, so early." Chen Fei greeted her in a low voice.

Qin Huairu nodded without saying anything and continued to rub the clothes.

When Chen Fei finished fetching water and was walking back, he heard Jia Zhangshi groaning and suppressing coughing coming from Jia's house—a side effect of excessive opium use.

That old woman must have had another seizure last night.

Chen Fei returned to his room and closed the door. He didn't immediately begin his daily cultivation, but instead focused his mind and used his spiritual sense to investigate the Jia family's situation.

Madam Jia was indeed lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), her face sallow, her eyes half-open and half-closed, looking like a drug addict who had just finished a session. The oil paper packet beside her pillow was empty, but she was clutching it in her hand, unwilling to throw it away.

The opium paste is all used up.

Chen Fei withdrew his thoughts, a cold smile curling at the corner of his lips.

Very good. According to the plan, Jia Zhangshi will go to the black market tonight or tomorrow night to buy a new one.

He needed to scout out the black market in the west of the city beforehand, familiarize himself with the terrain, and develop a detailed action plan.

But not during the day. There are too many people around during the day, and a stranger like him wandering around in that kind of place would easily attract attention.

We'll have to wait until tonight.

Morning: Yi Zhonghai's Secret Investigation

Around 9 a.m., Chen Fei was practicing breathing exercises to restore his mental energy when he suddenly heard a noise in the yard.

He walked to the window and looked out through the crack.

Yi Zhonghai returned from outside, pushing his bicycle with a cloth bag hanging from the handlebars. He parked the bicycle in front of his house, but instead of going inside, he stood in the yard and looked around.

Finally, his gaze fell in the direction of Chen Fei's house and lingered for a few seconds.

Chen Fei's heart tightened, but he didn't move.

Yi Zhonghai watched for a while, then turned and went inside.

But Chen Fei noticed that when he entered the room, the cloth bag in his hand was bulging, as if it contained some kind of documents or something.

Could it be... that Yi Zhonghai is investigating something?

Chen Fei recalled what Xu Damao had said yesterday, as well as the argument between Yi Zhonghai and Sha Zhu.

Yi Zhonghai must have had suspicions. He suspected Bang Geng's death, he suspected the notes, he suspected everything that seemed amiss.

He might be investigating secretly.

Chen Fei took a deep breath and told himself to stay calm.

He was discreet enough to leave no substantial evidence. The ice hole appeared to be naturally formed—at least it seemed so. The note was written with his left hand, the handwriting illegible. Jia Zhangshi's opium addiction was her own secret.

Even if Yi Zhonghai had suspicions, he wouldn't be able to find anything.

But it's better to be safe than sorry.

Chen Fei decided to be extra careful today. He would minimize going out and contact with people in the compound, continuing to play the role of the "weak and grieving" Chen Fei.

Just then, I heard a knock on the door.

"Knock knock knock".

"Who?" Chen Fei asked.

"It's me, Uncle Yi." Yi Zhonghai's voice came from outside the door.

Chen Fei felt a chill run down his spine, but quickly composed himself and went to open the door.

Outside the door, Yi Zhonghai stood holding a paper package, his face bearing his usual "kind" smile: "Xiao Chen, are you inside?"

"Uncle, is there something you need?" Chen Fei stepped aside.

Yi Zhonghai entered the house and placed the paper package on the table: "This is relief food issued by the neighborhood office. I collected it for you. There are five catties of cornmeal and two catties of sweet potatoes."

Chen Fei was taken aback. Would Yi Zhonghai be so kind?

He glanced at the paper package, then at Yi Zhonghai, a look of "gratitude" on his face: "Thank you, sir. But... shouldn't I collect this relief food myself?"

"Since you're not feeling well, I'll collect it for you," Yi Zhonghai said. "Besides, your family's food ration book is with me, so it's convenient for me to collect it."

"That's the same excuse again." Chen Fei sneered inwardly, but outwardly remained grateful: "Then I'll trouble you, sir."

Yi Zhonghai waved his hand, sat down in the chair, and asked casually, "Xiao Chen, don't take what Xu Damao said yesterday to heart. He's just a scoundrel, talking nonsense."

"I know," Chen Fei lowered his head, "I just feel...wronged. I clearly saved someone, but I'm being suspected."

"The innocent will clear themselves," Yi Zhonghai patted him on the shoulder, "but Xiao Chen, I have something I want to ask you."

They've arrived. Chen Fei was on guard, but remained outwardly calm: "Please speak."

"Yesterday you said you went to the black market to buy grain and passed by Shichahai," Yi Zhonghai looked at him, "Which road exactly? How many roads are there from the Deshengmen black market to Shichahai?"

This is a tricky question. If Chen Fei is unfamiliar with the route, or if he gives a wrong answer, it will arouse suspicion.

But Chen Fei was prepared.

He recalled the original owner's memories—the original owner did indeed frequently visit the black market and was very familiar with the routes.

"I took Gulou West Street, then turned into Yandaixie Street, and went over from the Yinding Bridge," Chen Fei said. "That road is shorter and less crowded."

Yi Zhonghai nodded without speaking, but a thoughtful look flashed in his eyes.

Chen Fei knew he was checking. Yi Zhonghai had worked at the steel rolling mill for thirty years and was very familiar with the streets and alleys of Longcheng. The route Chen Fei mentioned was indeed a shortcut to Shichahai.

"That road is shorter," Yi Zhonghai said, "but there's a police station there. Aren't you afraid of being investigated?"

"I was scared," Chen Fei said with a wry smile, "That's why I took the back roads and went through the alleys. I only got onto the main road when I was almost at Shichahai."

This explanation makes perfect sense. Black market transactions are illegal, so it's normal for them to avoid the police station.

Yi Zhonghai then asked a few more detailed questions: the price of grain on the black market, what the people selling the grain looked like, when they went there, and when they came back...

Chen Fei answered each question meticulously, leaving no room for error.

He was telling the truth—he did go to the black market, he did buy food, and he did take that route. He just concealed the length of time he "stayed" at Shichahai and the "details" of the rescue.

After asking his question, Yi Zhonghai nodded and said, "Okay, I understand. Xiao Chen, get some rest and don't think too much."

After saying that, he got up and left.

Chen Fei saw him to the door, watched him walk away, closed the door, leaned against the door panel, and let out a long sigh.

That was close.

Yi Zhonghai was indeed investigating. And the detailed questions he asked clearly indicated that he had become suspicious.

But Chen Fei's answer was flawless. Even if Yi Zhonghai had doubts, he couldn't find any evidence.

However, being stared at like this is very uncomfortable.

Chen Fei walked to the table and opened the paper package. Inside were indeed five jin of cornmeal and two jin of sweet potatoes, and they looked quite good.

What does Yi Zhonghai mean by this? Is it a slap followed by a sweet treat?

No, it's not that simple.

Chen Fei picked up a sweet potato, examined it carefully, and smelled it—no problem, it was just an ordinary sweet potato.

But he still didn't dare to eat it. Better safe than sorry.

He stored the grain in the system space—time was frozen in the space, and things were exactly the same when they came out, which was safer than leaving them in the house.