Chapter 262
The conversation had reached this point, and they could only wait for Zhang Jiangqing’s news.
Wen Yu then asked Laba to find Qi Wu.
Turning her head, she asked Hu Fei, “As Mr. Hu said, you came to the capital city due to unforeseen circumstances. But why did you stay here after you regained consciousness?”
Hu Fei remained silent.
“Mr. Hu, with your prominent family and vast estate, it doesn’t make sense for you to be a follower here. If the Hu family finds out how we’ve treated you, their anger wouldn’t be easy to bear, would it?”
“Fifth Madam Qi, you don’t need to worry about that. I haven’t returned to my clan for my reasons. The Hu family would be grateful for you and Miss Yan Zhu saving me. There won’t be any anger.”
“I’ve also heard about your situation… Even if Yan Zhu saved you in the past, you also saved Yan Zhu today. It’s a tit for tat. From now on, we’re even. Mr. Hu… I’m afraid it’s not convenient for you to stay any longer.”
Hu Fei remained silent.
“Mr. Hu, you’re a wise man, so you must understand what I mean…”
“Fifth Madam Qi, I want to propose marriage to Yan Zhu!”
“Mr. Hu! I address you as ‘Mister,’ so please be respectful!” Wen Yu was displeased.
Hu Fei’s expression remained indifferent, and he didn’t speak.
His attitude made Wen Yu’s hair stand on end, “You and Yan Zhu, in terms of status, age, and experiences, are you even remotely compatible!? As far as I know, she has shown you kindness! She helped you regain your clarity from chaos, and you should show her respect.”
“It’s precisely because I respect and admire her that I’ve made this decision.”
“Your decision is useless to us!” Wen Yu said coldly.
“Fifth Madam Qi, I’ll personally discuss this matter with Yan Zhu when she’s in a better state!”
“Mr. Hu, Yan Zhu is naive and kind-hearted. She can’t bear to see others suffering. So, you don’t need to talk to her. I’ll make the decision for her!”
“Fifth Madam Qi, I’m afraid you can’t make this decision!”
“You…” Wen Yu was extremely annoyed and was about to say something when Qi Wu arrived.
“Ah Yu, what happened?” Qi Wu asked as soon as he entered. Suddenly, he saw Hu Fei and his white hair, and he blurted out, “Hu?”
Hu Fei was having a difficult conversation with Wen Yu, so seeing Qi Wu enter, he nodded and said, “Hu Fei.”
“It really is you! Why are you here?” Qi Wu was also surprised.
“It’s a long story. He’s the Gu Yue that Yan Zhu mentioned! He’s been working at the shop for so long, and we didn’t even notice!” Wen Yu was very irritated. “Husband, something happened…”
She told Qi Wu about the incident.
“Zhang Jiangqing and the others went to investigate and haven’t returned yet. Mr. Hu just said that the skills of those people resemble those who tried to assassinate him before. They might be from Prince Wu’s Residence. But I don’t understand why they would target Yan Zhu. Do you think it could be related to the incident we encountered last time?”
Qi Wu knew what she was referring to.
Hu Fei stared straight at Wen Yu. What? They had encountered something before? He felt even more uneasy. No way! This time, I must marry her and protect her myself.
Qi Wu thought for a moment, “We can’t be sure yet. I’ll go investigate further. Is she alright?”
“She’s just frightened, but physically unharmed!”
“Ah Yu!” Zhang Jiangqing returned. He also noticed Hu Fei at first glance; his white hair was too conspicuous.
Hu Fei recognized Zhang Jiangqing and nodded, feeling somewhat depressed.
Zhang Jiangqing didn’t ask further questions and said to Wen Yu, “When we arrived, the local officials were already there, and many passersby were watching. We went to the government office, and the coroner examined the bodies. I won’t mention the cause of death. But the people I brought could tell that they were all trained individuals. They had calluses on their hands, strong physiques, and some had even been injured. However, they had no belongings, and their clothing was ordinary, both inside and out. It seems they weren’t ordinary bandits.”
Wen Yu nodded.
Zhang Jiangqing continued, “The officials said they would investigate the surrounding area in the next few days. They’ll inform me if there’s any news. On our way back, we also asked the city gate guards and will see if there’s any information from that side.”
At this point, they could only wait.
Zhang Jiangqing approached Hu Fei, and Hu Fei briefly explained the situation to him.
At this moment, Magistrate Wen arrived with Li Jiang.
Li Jiang, with his big mouth, rushed to the inn to report the news as soon as he returned to the city. Magistrate Wen was anxious upon hearing it and hurried over with him.
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Magistrate Wen was already somewhat flamboyant, and with his excitement, he bombarded them with questions as soon as he entered.
Wen Yu had to explain the incident to him again. She was halfway through when… Magistrate Wen saw Hu Fei. His eyes narrowed, and he asked coldly, “Who are you?”
His tone was entirely different from how he spoke to Wen Yu and the others, devoid of any respect.
Thinking of Wen Ruoqing’s constant attitude towards him, Hu Fei’s anger flared up, “Hu Fei from Nanxu.”
“Hu…” Wen Ruoqing clearly knew who he was, but his attitude remained unchanged as he sized Hu Fei up and down with an arrogant gaze.
Wen Yu quickly interjected, “Magistrate Wen, we owe a great deal to Mr. Hu this time.” She then finished explaining the situation.
Wen Ruoqing remained expressionless. After pondering for a while, he suddenly smiled, “So that’s how it is! I’ve long heard of Mr. Hu’s great name but never had the chance to meet you. I often sighed upon hearing about the misfortune that befell Mr. Hu… I didn’t expect to have such a connection with you! Mr. Hu, with your unique appearance, I wonder who is older between us…”
Hu Fei’s amber eyes stared at Magistrate Wen. The pressure was intense.
But Wen Ruoqing was unafraid, “Then I’ll be bold and call you Brother Hu… I’m sure you won’t mind.”
Wen Yu was surprised by Wen Ruoqing’s sudden change in attitude. As she listened, she felt delighted: Wen Ruoqing was truly exceptional! This godfather was worth acknowledging!
“I’m also somewhat aware of how my daughter saved you. Tsk tsk, I’ve met you a few times before, but I didn’t sense your current charisma. It seems Mr. Hu can adapt to any situation and is incredibly resourceful. Not to mention that silly girl Zhu Zhu, even I can’t figure you out!”
“My daughter helped you in your time of need, and today, you saved my daughter. This is excellent! This karmic debt is considered settled. You return to your clan, and my daughter acknowledges me as her father. Ah, everything is perfect! Mr. Hu, if you’re not in a hurry, stay for our acknowledgment dinner before leaving!”
Wen Yu almost burst into laughter. He was practically kicking him out.
How could Hu Fei tolerate this? Even Yan Zhu had never treated him this way…
It was that brat Li Jiang… He glanced over, and the boy was cowering in a corner…
How could Li Jiang not know Mr. Hu’s identity? He probably remembered his previous rude behavior towards him and was terrified! He wanted to escape, but his damned curiosity kept him rooted to the spot.
Seeing Hu Fei looking at him, he forced a smile that was uglier than crying.
“Magistrate Wen…” Reason and his intuition made Hu Fei suppress his anger, “Let’s not rush into this brotherly relationship. Zhu Zhu has been through a significant ordeal. Until the matter is resolved, we must be cautious because we don’t know if it’s truly over.
I experienced it firsthand today. If the assailants were truly skilled, I’m afraid no one could guarantee Zhu Zhu’s safety. So, let’s set aside any thoughts of kinship or further consideration for now!”
Hu Fei’s words made Wen Ruoqing somewhat embarrassed, but his thick skin had long been cultivated. He nodded, “You’re right… Fifth Madam Qi, let’s proceed with acknowledging her as my adopted daughter quickly, shall we!?”
Wen Yu hesitated, “I haven’t had a chance to discuss this with Zhu Zhu yet, and now…”
“Fifth Madam Qi, you must understand that having me as her adopted father is an added layer of protection for Zhu Zhu. Today’s incident is highly suspicious. It’s unclear whether it’s related to my situation. If it is, then it means we need to act even more swiftly! Don’t you agree!?”
He was asking Wen Yu, but his peripheral vision also swept over Hu Fei.
Hu Fei was naturally unwilling. He already had Wen Yu, the protective mother tiger, blocking his path. Now, adding this “father-in-law”… How difficult would it be for him!?
“Fifth Madam Qi, I was serious about what I said earlier. No matter what, Miss Yan Zhu must make the decision. Moreover, if you don’t have a safer place to accommodate her, I’ll have my people stay here. Otherwise, I’ll take her away!”
“You dare!” Wen Ruoqing was alarmed upon hearing this.
“Magistrate Wen! This is no joking matter. If anything happens to Miss Yan, regrets will be useless!”
Wen Yu frowned, looking at Qi Wu and Zhang Jiangqing. To her surprise, both of them nodded slightly…
“Go to the inn and book a suite. Have Song Shang arrange for people to guard it!” Wen Ruoqing said decisively, thinking to himself, you can’t do anything about this, can you?
However, to his surprise, Hu Fei nodded, “That’s a good idea!”
Therefore, Wen Yu prepared Yan Zhu and took her to the inn. By the time they were finished, it was already evening.
Magistrate Wen was very pleased with himself, feeling like a genius… He was about to bid farewell to “Brother Hu.”
But he discovered that Hu Fei had also booked a suite. He entered his room and closed the door!
“…” This persistent fellow, this scoundrel, this…
