Hong Wei dropped his act immediately, hands fumbling with the locks as the door swung open.

Ethan motioned for Lin and her father to enter quickly. “Inside, now.”

They nodded, slipping through the doorway without hesitation.

Ethan cast one final sweeping glance down the darkened street, probing for any watchers. Satisfied they hadn’t been followed, he stepped inside and secured the door behind them.

Inside the dimly lit restaurant, Hong Wei and Tiana locked eyes for the first time in what felt like forever. The boy froze mid-step, sudden emotion washing across his young face.

“Older sister,” he said, his voice small and unexpectedly vulnerable.

“Hong Wei,” Tiana replied, a genuine smile breaking through her exhaustion. Something glistened in her eyes as she took in the boy who’d grown so much in such a short time.

They had been inseparable once—the trio from Mrs. Chen’s orphanage. Ethan leading, Hong Wei following, and Tiana keeping them both out of trouble. Now reunited under circumstances none could have imagined.

Lin and her father moved deeper into the restaurant, giving the reunion space while they secured windows and lit lamps against the gathering darkness outside.

Something unfamiliar tightened in his chest as he watched Hong Wei and Tiana.

The sight triggered memories that weren’t quite his—the original Ethan’s recollections of growing up together in the orphanage.

“We need to talk,” he said, bringing everyone’s attention back to the pressing situation. “All of us. Plans have changed.”

Lin finished lighting the last lamp, casting the restaurant in a warm glow that belied the danger lurking beyond its walls.

Lin’s father nodded.

“Are you guys hungry? Let me prepare some food whilst we talk.”

Growl~

Hong Wei’s stomach growled making his cheeks flush in embarrassment.

“Sorry,”

Uncle Lin smiled.

“I will go prepare now. It will take us ten minutes, Lin come with me,”

Lin nodded and got up.

“Thank you,” The trio said.

Ten minutes passed, and Lin came back with her father and a massive container.

…

“The monster horde?” Lin’s father asked, already ladling rich stew into bowls.

“Yes. The monster horde.” Ethan accepted the bowl with a nod of thanks. “Uncle Lin, I want you to close your restaurant for the next few days. Things will get dangerous. We need to barricade the entire building.”

Lin’s father frowned, calloused hands pausing mid-task. “That serious?”

“Worse than you imagine,” Ethan replied, his voice level. “You all will stay here while I go out regularly to check our surroundings and help with the defenses. My priority is keeping this place safe, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

“What about supplies?” Lin asked practically, already mentally cataloging their inventory.

“I’ll handle it,” Ethan assured her. “I have resources now.”

Tiana spread a city map across the main table. “We should mark safe routes, fallback positions in case we need to evacuate quickly.”

Hong Wei leaned in, eager to contribute. “I know all the shortcuts in this district. Nobody knows them better than orphanage kids.”

They spent the next hour planning meticulously—food stores, water collection, barricade materials, emergency signals.

“The main floor can be rearranged,” the older man offered as they finished. “We can move the tables against the walls, create another sleeping area. Give everyone more space.”

“That would help,” Ethan nodded gratefully. “Let’s do it now.”

The group worked efficiently, transforming the restaurant’s dining area into a functional living space. Tables became barriers. Cabinets were reorganized for easier access to necessities. Windows were reinforced with wooden slats from the storage room.

As they worked, Ethan noticed Hong Wei watching him with questions burning in his eyes. Questions that couldn’t be asked in front of others.

When the work was finally done, Lin yawned, stretching tired muscles. “We should get some rest. Tomorrow will be busy.”

Her father nodded in agreement. “I’ll prepare breakfast before dawn. We’ll need strength for what’s coming.”

They bid goodnight, climbing the stairs to their modest living quarters above the restaurant, leaving Ethan, Tiana, and Hong Wei alone in the newly arranged space.

The moment their footsteps faded, Hong Wei’s demeanor changed. His shoulders stiffened, boyish energy replaced by something harder, colder.

“What happened to Han Wei?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan met his gaze directly. “He’s dead.”

Three simple words. A universe of meaning.

Hong Wei’s posture immediately relaxed, tension flowing out of him like water. “Good,” he muttered, voice catching as tears slipped past his control, tracking silent paths down his cheeks.

Ethan placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder, the gesture awkward but sincere.

“Did he suffer?” Hong Wei asked after a moment.

“Enough,” Ethan replied simply. “He knew why he was dying. He knew it was for the orphanage.”

Hong Wei nodded, wiping tears with his sleeve. “And the others? The ones who helped him?”

“All dead,” Ethan confirmed. “Every last one.”

Tiana watched them silently.

“Mrs. Chen would say revenge doesn’t bring peace,” Hong Wei said softly, echoing thoughts from earlier. “But she’s not here to say it anymore. Because of him.”

“The dead are beyond our help,” Ethan replied, unexpected wisdom in his voice. “The living aren’t. That’s where we focus now.”

Hong Wei straightened, something in Ethan’s words reaching him. “You’re right. What can I do to help?”

“Get some rest,” Tiana interjected gently. “Tomorrow we have lots to do,”

“I won’t let you down,” Hong Wei promised, heading toward the sleeping mat prepared for him in the dining area.

They had converted the dining room into a makeshift dormitory, with mats arranged strategically near exits and away from windows. The storage room had been cleared to give Tiana private quarters, while Ethan and Hong Wei would sleep in the dining area.

After talking with Tiana for a while, Ethan stood up.

“Get some rest,” Ethan advised. “Your mind works better when you’re not exhausted.”

She nodded, fatigue evident in the shadows beneath her eyes. “What about you?”

“I’ll keep watch for a while. Make sure we’re secure.”

Ethan closed the door gently behind him as he left, giving her the privacy she needed.

When he returned to the dining area, Hong Wei was already curled on his mat, breathing slow and steady in apparent sleep.

Ethan knew better—the slight tension in the boy’s shoulders revealed his wakefulness but he respected the pretence.

Sometimes silence was easier than conversation.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep