Chapter 486: Day Off

The fish soup at Grandpa's place was just as he had described—truly delicious and very nourishing.

It had been simmered for a long time, to the point where some of the fish meat had dissolved into the water. The broth was milky white, with specks of green scallions floating on top. Scooping up a ladleful and feeding it into his mouth, he was immediately struck by an extreme freshness. The rich, smooth, and fragrant fish soup slid down his throat into his stomach, leaving a lingering aroma in his mouth and nose.

Chen Nuo didn't know what Grandpa's name was, only that he shared the same surname, Chen.

From occasional conversations while going up and down the stairs, he had learned that Grandpa Chen was one of the oldest residents in the public housing estate. He had moved in during the early 90s when the building was first completed. Of that original group, some had moved away and others had passed on; currently, he was the longest-tenured resident in the entire building. There wasn't a neighbor on any floor he didn't know.

"Come on, scoop up some fish meat."

"Grandpa, no need, I'll just have some soup."

"That won't do. Since you're here, eat a bit more. I can't finish all this by myself... By the way, I'm talking to you, A-Jun."

"What is it, Grandpa?"

"I feel like you look quite a bit like a movie star, A-Jun."

"Huh?"

"I can't quite put my finger on who it is right now. You're always wearing a mask; I thought you had a scar on your face. But you're such a handsome lad, why wear a mask? No wonder you can't find a girlfriend. If you were willing to take that mask off, there'd definitely be girls willing to date you."

"Grandpa..."

"What? Work is work, making money is making money, but you have to balance labor and rest. Getting a girlfriend won't stop you from working."

"It's not that, Grandpa. Do you smell something?"

Grandpa twitched his nose, his expression changing: "Oh my, it does seem like there's a smell!"

A minute later, the old man and the young man stood at the door of the apartment next door.

Grandpa Chen began to knock.

Knock, knock, knock.

"A-Qi!"

Knock, knock.

"Are you home? A-Qi!"

Knock, knock, knock.

"A-Qi——!!!"

There was not a sound from inside, but that strange odor became increasingly obvious, seeping out from the door crack.

The door of a neighboring unit suddenly opened, and a man with a flat nose and a wide mouth poked his head out. "Uncle Chen, are you looking for A-Qi?"

Grandpa Chen said: "That's right, A-Kun. Do you smell gas? It seems to be coming from A-Qi's room."

The man sniffed the air and said: "I just saw A-Qi go back in a moment ago. She's probably cooking. It's nothing, don't worry, Uncle Chen."

"No, no, how could cooking produce such a strong smell?" Grandpa Chen said. "My wife died of gas poisoning just like that."

"Huh?" The man called A-Kun's expression changed. "You mean..." As he spoke, he prepared to open the security gate.

Unexpectedly, a sharp woman's voice suddenly came from inside: "You bastard! If you dare to meddle in that vixen's business, you can die at the doorstep! Damn your mother! You don't go out to make money all day, you just stare at women! Zhou Bingkun, you deadbeat, you family-ruining piece of trash, you..."

A-Kun looked at Chen Nuo and Grandpa Chen awkwardly, giving a sheepish smile. "Uh... my wife is a bit unhappy... I... forget it."

With a bang, he closed the door.

"Alright, alright, shut up, you old hag, I won't go, okay!"

After the iron gate closed, the woman's furious voice could still be heard from inside:

"That kind of slut, let her die if she wants to, why do you care? Always dreaming, wanting to be a star, yelling and screaming in the room like she's possessed, it's so noisy I want to die! Does she think she's Maggie Cheung? She's got a hole in her head! Better to die early and be reincarnated."

Grandpa Chen's face darkened. "A-Jun, A-Kun is afraid of his wife and won't help, now it's all up to you."

Chen Nuo blinked hard. "What do you mean, Grandpa?"

Grandpa Chen said: "Of course, kick the door open and save her! A-Qi must be burning charcoal inside; my wife died of poisoning just like that back then. Only you can save her now."

Chen Nuo froze for a moment, then twitched his body and turned to leave.

Grandpa Chen grabbed his sleeve. "What are you doing? A-Jun, aren't you going to save her?"

Chen Nuo struggled but couldn't break free, and not daring to use force, he said helplessly: "Grandpa, this is an iron door, how can I save her? Even if I shatter my shoulder, it's useless! The most important thing now is to use my phone to call the police and get the officers here to save her!"

"The police? By the time the police arrive, we'll be collecting A-Qi's corpse. A-Jun, saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda. A-Qi is such a pretty girl, it's a real shame if she dies like this. Her parents went to the countryside and haven't returned; if they come back and see their daughter as a corpse, how do you think they'll feel? Parents burying their child—they won't be able to go on living."

Chen Nuo sighed.

During this time, he had been filming with Xu Xu Anhua. Although he hadn't watched much of the footage, Xu Xu Anhua was truly a master at "getting people into character." That punch he threw at Jim Chim was the best example; if he hadn't pulled his strength at the last second, he would have really bruised the man's face.

Hearing Grandpa Chen's sorrowful words, the part of him that was Xie Jiajun truly felt a bit soft-hearted.

He looked at the iron door and said: "Alright, Grandpa, you go call the police, I'll try to ram the door."

Grandpa Chen beamed with joy: "A-Jun, you're such a good person, you'll definitely be rich and prosperous in the future, everything will go smoothly for you!"

Chen Nuo took two steps back, took a deep breath, sprinted forward, and leaped with his whole body—

"Yah!"

A loud bang.

The door remained unmoved.

Chen Nuo felt a bit dizzy, and his arm hurt.

"Good job, A-Jun! Two more tries, it'll definitely open."

Chen Nuo shook his head, took two steps back, and yelled "Yah!" again.

He sprinted forward.

Bang!

Chen Nuo clutched his shoulder and said: "It's no use, Grandpa, I can't ram it open, this door is really made of iron!"

Grandpa Chen said: "I know it's iron. But put some effort into it, A-Jun! Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda! You look very strong, try again!"

Bang! Bang!

"Grandpa, I really can't do it, if I keep ramming, I don't know if A-Qi will die, but I'll definitely die."

"A-Jun, what are you saying? You're so tall and strong, you'll definitely be able to ram it open! Once it's open, Grandpa will treat you to more fish soup. When Grandpa was as young as you, a door like this would open with just a breath..."

"Enough, Grandpa, don't say any more." ===== CHAPTER 487 =====