C8 The Murderer Who Dreams to be a Cook

After Dan Hengmo had spoken those words, Ruan Ruan remained quiet throughout the night. Dan Hengmo, too, slept soundly. Embracing Ruan Ruan in sleep was incredibly comforting, a thought that struck him upon waking.

The morning sun cast a special warmth. It was the same sun as every day, yet today it felt particularly cozy. Was it her presence that made the difference? Dan Hengmo gazed at the slumbering Ruan Ruan and instinctively planted a kiss on her lips before rising to make breakfast.

He had grown tired of instant noodles and doubted Ruan Ruan could prepare anything to his liking. It wasn't just her; there were few dishes on Earth that met his discerning palate. He was particular about flavors; anything less than perfect was mere garbage to him. Yet, he had surprisingly shared instant noodles with Ruan Ruan the day before.

A breeze stirred the curtains, lightly lifting Ruan Ruan's hair and tickling her face. She awoke to find Dan Hengmo's face close to hers, nearly startling her into a scream. She checked her clothing, relieved to find herself properly dressed in yesterday's attire. "I've already given you the bed. Are you now competing with me for the sofa?" she asked, exhaling in relief.

Dan Hengmo chuckled at her comment. He couldn't decide if she was naive or just plain foolish.

He typically avoided lengthy conversations with fools, but for some reason, he found himself fond of this particular fool, Ruan Ruan.

The realization that he liked her took him by surprise.

His expression darkened. His interest in her was limited, and should she dare to leak any information about him, he would not hesitate to end her life without mercy.

Ruan Ruan was intimidated by the ominous look in his eyes. Had her words been too offensive? She was willing to change; after all, she feared death more than anything.

"Um, I..."

"Time to eat," Dan Hengmo interrupted coldly before she could finish.

Ruan Ruan didn't dare argue. She suspected that someone like Dan Hengmo had to be psychologically troubled; no normal person could switch moods so abruptly without any forewarning.

People always say that girls are the most enigmatic creatures, but Ruan Ruan would argue that Dan Hengmo is truly the most inscrutable of all. You can never predict when he might fly off the handle.

She silently berated him as a lunatic in her mind, a testament to her inner discontent.

It wasn't until she had fully come to her senses that she realized she had commandeered Dan Hengmo's bed. The fact that he hadn't harmed her for it was a relief beyond words. She silently chanted a few rounds of 'Amitabha' in gratitude.

Approaching the dining table, she found it laden with a variety of dishes, including her beloved braised eggs and juicy soup dumplings.

Ruan Ruan eagerly grabbed a dumpling and took a bite. Delighted by the taste, she inquired where Dan Hengmo had purchased them, vowing to do the same in the future. Despite her time in City A, she had never come across dumplings this scrumptious. Were they a new offering?

The dumpling skin was delicate, the filling generous, bursting with flavor in just the right balance of seasoning, and there was an alluring aroma that made her crave another immediately. She wondered if there was a secret ingredient, like poppy.

Having polished off one, Ruan Ruan grabbed another and asked, "Where did you buy these Dan Hengmo dumplings?"

Dan Hengmo, seated and leisurely enjoying his porridge, replied, "I made them."

"You can cook? That's surprising," Ruan Ruan remarked, having pegged him as someone who could do nothing but kill.

The thought of killing made Ruan Ruan freeze. She eyed the dumpling in her hand warily, recalling those movies where psychopathic killers made dumplings out of human flesh to sell to the unsuspecting public.

Dan Hengmo sighed at her wild imagination, fitting for a web novelist who could conjure up such thoughts over a simple meal.

"If you don't stop with these crazy ideas, I might just turn you into a dumpling," Dan Hengmo teased, handing her a braised egg.

Caught with her thoughts laid bare, Ruan Ruan offered an embarrassed smile.

The braised egg Dan Hengmo prepared looked just like any other, with no excessive seasoning, yet it tasted extraordinary to Ruan Ruan.

"This is incredibly delicious. Dan Hengmo, I think you could have a second career as a chef," Ruan Ruan said, setting down her chopsticks and looking at Dan Hengmo with admiration.

Dan Hengmo sipped his porridge quietly, the epitome of elegance, exuding an unmistakable air of nobility. Had Ruan Ruan not known he was a murderer, she might have mistaken him for a wealthy gentleman.

"I once dreamed of becoming a chef," Hengmo revealed, his tone so even it betrayed no emotion, after he finished his meal.

"That's a wonderful dream, far better than... well, the alternative," Ruan Ruan replied, careful not to allude to his actual profession.

A faint, somewhat bitter smile crossed Hengmo's lips. "Not everyone has the luxury of following their heart's desire."

Ruan Ruan chose not to probe further. Everyone has their hidden struggles, and though she might be naive, she could still read the room.

After breakfast, Ruan Ruan silently took it upon herself to wash the dishes. Hengmo had prepared the meal, so she didn't expect him to clean up.

Returning from the kitchen, she found Hengmo lounging on the couch, absorbed in a television broadcast. The screen displayed entertainment news, still abuzz with the recent engagement of Yuh Jinnian and Shi Xuerong. The report detailed their upcoming wedding, an event months in the making.

The sight stung her eyes with unbidden tears. There are some people you just can't afford to think about—because the more you do, the more it hurts.

"Yuh Jinnian, the heir apparent to Yuh's Group and eldest son of the chairman, and Shi Xuerong, the starlet daughter of Haoshi Group's chairman, Shi Zheng," Hengmo commented, having had someone look into Jinnian the previous night.

"Jinnian and Xuerong have been an item for months, and their families have long since become acquainted," he continued, his intention clear: to show Ruan Ruan that a future with Jinnian was out of reach.

Ruan Ruan approached him and turned off the TV, feeling as if her heart had been ripped open anew, the pain magnified a hundredfold.

"How do you know all this?" she asked, no longer seeing him as just a common murderer or hitman.

"You're questioning me, but let me assure you, in this world, if there's something I want to know, there's nothing that remains unknown to me," Hengmo declared. To anyone else, his words might sound conceited, but Ruan Ruan felt a strange confidence in his ability, inexplicably believing him wholeheartedly.

It must have been his gaze, brimming with apathy. There was none of the typical youthful arrogance, nor the inflated rhetoric of the naive.

Ruan Ruan was at a loss for words, and the silence that followed was palpable. The doorbell's chime was a welcome interruption, for which Ruan Ruan was silently thankful. Without it, she wouldn't have known how to break the uncomfortable stillness.

Upon opening the door, she found Shi Xuerong standing there. Ruan Ruan recalled Dan Hengmo mentioning that Xuerong and Yuh Jinnian had been together for a few months. A chill swept through her eyes, and she felt an urge to shut the door.

"Ruan Ruan, you're still as cowardly as ever," Xuerong declared with the air of a conqueror.

Ruan Ruan paused her motion to close the door. Xuerong was dressed impeccably, as she always was, exuding elegance.

"What brings you here, Miss Shi?" Ruan Ruan asked, her tone devoid of warmth. The thought of facing this woman, once a dear friend, now filled her with bitterness. Their past closeness seemed like a cruel joke.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" Xuerong asked, her voice dripping with condescension, as if a regal swan had deigned to visit the home of an unsightly duckling.

The presence of Dan Hengmo in her home crossed Ruan Ruan's mind, along with the fear that Xuerong might sully her floors. Deep down, Ruan Ruan's dislike for Xuerong had turned into outright loathing.