The ex-wife of a former CEO regrets resigning to raise her child and retire from public life.

Chapter 36 Can you do me a favor?

As dusk settled, the lights of the old street resembled pale ink spreading on rice paper.

Shen Xingruo's eyes, sunken from excessive hunger, were fixed on the dishes on the table.

When I came to my senses, I noticed the clusters of brightly blooming opening flower baskets with red ribbons hanging at the entrance of "Human Fireworks".

This is a newly opened restaurant, and it doesn't seem to be someone else's residence.

Huddled in the shadows, she resembled a silhouette forgotten by the sunlight. Suddenly, she couldn't quite make out what was happening before her—the place was brightly lit, filled with laughter and chatter, several adults engaged in lively conversation. Was the owner having a family dinner? Or was it open for business? If it was open, could she go in like them, find a corner to sit down, and order something to eat?

But she had no money.

She subconsciously touched the empty pockets of her dress; apart from the rough feel of the torn fabric under her fingers, there wasn't a single penny inside.

If she hadn't escaped the orphanage, if she hadn't been kidnapped, she might have been able to get some pocket money at the orphanage, albeit a small amount, but at least enough for a good meal, instead of being like a rat in a sewer, scavenging for scraps scattered on the roadside.

She wanted to leave. The last vestiges of self-respect and the deep-seated inferiority complex within her seemed to constantly scream in her ear: "Go away, Shen Xingruo. You're so dirty, you're a jinx, don't go and ruin the cleanliness and liveliness there."

But her feet felt rooted to the spot. The aroma was so strong; it was the most delicious food she had ever smelled in her more than ten years of life. She felt that if she left this place, she might really "die."

A humble thought flashed through Xingruo's mind: Could she, could she talk to the owner inside and ask him to wash all the dishes in exchange for a meal, even if it was just leftovers?

The more she thought about it, the faster her heart raced. She'd done plenty of these kinds of chores back in the orphanage. Washing pots, mopping floors, taking out the trash—the chores the older children didn't want to do were often pushed onto her. Her hands, though small, were surprisingly strong, and she was confident she could wash them perfectly clean.

But when she looked up at the lively atmosphere in the main room, her courage vanished like a punctured balloon. She remembered the Lin couple's once kind faces, which had become ferocious after the bankruptcy, and their madness when they roared, "Don't bother me!"

She dared not. She was afraid that the moment she pushed open that door, she would be met with disgust and driven away, with eyes that looked at her as if she were "dirty stuff."

And so she stood there, frozen in place, like a statue, staring blankly inside.

At this moment, the store was bustling with activity.

Da Zhuang was chatting with Zhang Qiang, recounting all the funny things that had happened on the construction site over the years, while Zhang Dahai listened happily to Mengmeng's little mouth chattering away. Chen Feng had just brought out a plate of braised pork, the steaming white smoke blurring his vision.

He turned and walked towards the dining table, glancing up through the crack in the door and catching a glimpse of a dark figure huddled in the doorway.

Chen Feng stopped in his tracks. He looked in that direction and met Xing Ruo's dazed eyes.

Just one glance made Xingruo suddenly recall the reproachful faces of the Lin couple. Like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on, Xingruo hurriedly lowered her head.

Before she could think, she turned and made a move to disappear into the depths of the alley.

But what Chen Feng saw made his heart clench painfully.

Under the dim streetlights stood a frail girl. She wore a dress whose original color was no longer discernible, and the hem was covered with dried mud and stains.

What pained Chen Feng the most was the girl's face.

She should have been in the prime of her life, but her face was sallow and thin, her cheeks were deeply sunken, highlighting her high cheekbones, making her look extremely sickly.

Her hair was like withered roadside weeds, tangled and matted, with a grayish sheen. Her lips were chapped, and dark red veins of blood could be faintly seen in the cracks of the peeling skin.

More importantly, it was her eyes. Her eyes lacked the vibrancy a young girl should have; instead, they held a dullness. Yet, beneath that dullness, Chen Feng detected a hint of humble panic.

Her expression was like that of a young deer that had been seriously injured in the deep mountains and discovered by a hunter; she had lost all instincts to survive except to run away.

He had no idea how much suffering this child had endured...

Chen Feng's mind went blank. This was clearly not an ordinary homeless child; she exuded a strong sense of fragility. That extremely unstable mental state, as if she were about to collapse at any moment, made Chen Feng's heart clench.

"This child is probably starving."

Without thinking twice, Chen Feng casually placed the braised pork on the nearest table and called out to everyone at the table, "Everyone, please eat first, I'm going out for a bit!"

After saying that, he took a long stride and rushed out of the store.

Xingruo tried desperately to run, but her heels were already blistered and raw, and two days of wandering had exhausted her strength. With each step, the pain in her heels made her vision blur.

Before he had run ten meters, a tall shadow loomed over him.

Chen Feng stood like a mountain, firmly blocking her way.

Xingruo was so frightened that she stopped abruptly, her already swaying body almost falling to the ground. She lowered her head, her hands tightly gripping the dirty hem of her skirt, her whole body trembling. She dared not look up, only seeing the clean, spotless leather shoes in front of her.

"Are you... here to eat?"

A voice came from above.

Xingruo was stunned. The voice wasn't loud, but it was extremely warm and had a deep, magnetic quality. It wasn't the driving away she had expected, nor was it the condescending tone tinged with pity.

The voice sounded just like a freshly roasted sweet potato in an orphanage on a winter's day, carrying a warmth that could seep into one's very bones.

Xingruo seemed to be bewitched, and shakily raised her head.

That was the first time she had seen Chen Feng up close.

The man before me was very tall, backlit, with the last rays of the setting sun outlining a golden edge around his shoulders. His features were exceptionally handsome, his brows and eyes deep-set yet not sharp, and his dark eyes were now filled with worry.

He was wearing a black chef's uniform, the cuffs neatly rolled up, revealing strong, powerful arms. In that instant, Xingruo's mind flashed back to that dream—the tall, omnipotent figure in her dream.

Is it him?

A wave of bittersweet inferiority washed over her. Xingruo looked down at her mud-covered feet, then turned to look at the man before her who seemed to radiate a healing aura. She felt so ashamed she wanted to disappear into the ground.

"No, no... I just... happened to be passing by. I have no money... I have no money for food."

Xingruo spoke haltingly, her voice so soft it was like a mosquito's buzz, even tinged with a sob. She stared intently at her toes, her fingers gripping her tattered dress so tightly they created deep wrinkles.

Chen Feng looked at the child before him. Upon closer inspection, the lifelessness emanating from her body pained him even more. Her chapped lips trembled slightly, and her thin, bony neck looked as if a gust of wind could break it.

He didn't know what had happened to her, but he wanted to keep her there, at least to serve her a bowl of hot rice and let her sit in the warm light.

However, seeing the girl's panicked expression, he knew that if he directly said "I'll treat you to a meal," she probably wouldn't accept.

"Gurgle—"

At this stalemate, Xingruo's already empty stomach let out a long, mournful cry, which was extremely inopportune.

In the quiet old streets and alleys, the sound seemed particularly abrupt.

Xingruo's face turned bright red instantly, even her earlobes looked like they were about to bleed. She buried her head even deeper, wishing she could bury herself completely in the ground.

Chen Feng smiled. It was a gentle smile, with the kind of tolerance one would show when looking at a child who has caused trouble.

He noticed that the girl had calluses on her knuckles, probably because she often did heavy work.

A plan formed in Chen Feng's mind. He slowly squatted down.

He looked directly into Xingruo's eyes, which were darting around nervously, and said in a negotiating tone, with a hint of "deception":

"Well then, young lady. Look, it's my shop's first day of business, and business is booming."

Chen Feng deliberately sighed, his tone carrying a hint of an old father's weariness: "There are hundreds of unwashed dishes piled up in the kitchen. My childhood friend Qiangzi and I have been busy all day, and we're just too exhausted. I don't have the energy to wash the dishes either."

Seeing Xingruo's somewhat dazed expression, he continued, "If you feel bad about eating my meal for free, could you do me a favor? When you come inside later, have a good meal first, and after you're done, wash all the dishes in the kitchen for me. How about we do it... work for pay?"

Xingruo's heart was in turmoil.

She thought of the Lin couple, and those once kind faces that had ultimately turned into devils. She feared it was all another beautiful trap, feared that endless abuse would follow the meal.

But... the aroma of braised pork wafted over from inside the house again. The fragrance of the pork, perfectly blended with the caramelized sugar and fat after long stewing, was an irresistible temptation for her.

Seeing that she was still struggling, Chen Feng deliberately rubbed his wrist and said in an extremely sincere tone, "Can you help me? I really... feel like I can't wash anymore, my hands are so sore."

This sentence became the last straw that broke Xingruo's defenses.

Having grown up in an orphanage, she couldn't bear to see others suffer. That feeling of being needed overwhelmed her fear of the unknown at that moment.

She raised her head, glanced quickly at Chen Feng, and then quickly looked down again.

Finally, that little head, which was hanging low, nodded very, very lightly.

"Thank you... thank you so much."

The voice was still very soft, but it carried a faint, almost imperceptible tremor.

The huge weight in Chen Feng's heart finally lifted. He suppressed the stinging in his nose, stretched out a large, warm hand, and gently placed it on Xing Ruo's messy, straw-like hair, as if comforting a frightened cub.

"Let's go eat."

Xingruo's body stiffened like a stone in that instant.

She hadn't felt this tenderness from his palm for so long, far too long. She instinctively wanted to pull away; she hadn't showered for days, and she was afraid she was too dirty and would soil his hands, that he would be disgusted.

But Chen Feng quickly released his grip, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far from Xing Ruo.

Xingruo lowered her head and followed closely behind Chen Feng's back as they walked toward the shop with the words "Human Fireworks" engraved on it.