After Being Kicked Out, Seven Sisters Turned Against the Family One After Another

Chapter 30: Price:

The shockwave tore through the air, cutting through everything in its path and hurtling toward the three of them with a terrifying force.

Blinded by the flash, Li Ruochen felt a deafening pressure in her ears, followed by an earth-shattering roar. Her mind went blank, and without thinking, she clung tightly to Lin You’s arm.

Lin You, prepared for the blast, held onto Zhang Xi’s neck. 

Zhang Xi’s weight advantage proved useful as the three of them were blown off their feet by the wave and tumbled across the grass.

The explosion had occurred over five miles away at Sihai Restaurant, yet the force reached them with destructive intensity. This was a testament to the sheer magnitude of the blast.

Meanwhile, Zhang Hongqi, already overwhelmed with work, had just received the devastating call about his son’s supposed car accident. 

He told his wife about the news, and though he initially asked her to help out at the restaurant, she broke down into hysterics, insisting they leave together to see their son. Zhang Xi was their only child, and without him, their wealth would be meaningless.

The couple drove off in their Wrangler, panic etched across their faces. But barely ten minutes into their journey, before they had even traveled two miles, a thunderous boom shattered the night. The street behind them erupted in flames, and the shockwave flipped their car, pushing it more than ten meters down the road.

Crawling out of the overturned vehicle, Zhang Hongqi and his wife stared in horror at the inferno consuming Sihai Restaurant. Flames shot hundreds of meters into the sky, and thick smoke blanketed the area, turning Xiangcheng Street into a scene of pure devastation. Injured workers lay scattered among the debris, groaning in pain from falling objects.

Zhang Hongqi stood frozen, trembling as he watched the business he had spent more than a decade building burn to the ground. His wife fainted from the shock.

Back on the grassy hill, the explosion jolted Zhang Xi awake. The three of them climbed to their feet, walking to a higher vantage point to survey the destruction. When Zhang Xi spotted his family restaurant ablaze, cold sweat dripped from his forehead.

He turned to Lin You, his voice shaking, “Lin You… was this you?”

Lin You froze, caught off guard by the absurd accusation.

“It has to be you!” Zhang Xi shouted, his face red with anger. “You told me yesterday to cancel all the banquets. Then this happens? Who else could it be?”

Tears welled up in Zhang Xi’s eyes as he grabbed Lin You’s collar. “I bring you breakfast every day. I even helped you find work. Is this how you repay me?”

Seeing Zhang Xi’s outburst, Li Ruochen rushed forward, prying his hands off Lin You’s collar. “Zhang Xi, are you insane? Do you even hear yourself? How much explosives would it take to cause an explosion like that? Lin You is still a student. Where would he even get something like that?”

Lin You gently patted Zhang Xi’s hand and spoke calmly, “Fatty, if I had done this, why would I have told you to cancel the banquets? Why would I save your parents?”

Zhang Xi paused, the logic in Lin You’s words finally sinking in. His grip loosened, though his voice remained accusatory. “Then how did you know my restaurant would explode? Do you have an accomplice?”

Lin You sighed, unwilling to argue further. He sat down on a nearby stone pillar, pulled out his phone, and opened Xuan Chi’s Weibo account. The post predicting the explosion had been deleted, but the account itself remained active. For now, the page was quiet, but Lin You knew it wouldn’t be long before the post attracted massive attention, possibly setting a new record for comments.

Turning off his phone, Lin You closed his eyes and replayed the details of the Weibo post in his mind. His near-photographic memory allowed him to recall everything with precision.

Sweat broke out on Lin You’s forehead as he pieced it together. 

Among the 45 fatalities and 328 injuries listed in the post, there were no mentions of Zhang Hongqi or his wife. Xuan Chi had anticipated Lin You’s actions—calling Zhang Hongqi and urging him to leave.

Lin You was awestruck. 

How could my master know so much? Even after reliving his life, Lin You felt he knew less than Xuan Chi. The realization struck him like a bolt of lightning: the frail, seemingly insignificant monk he had always known was no ordinary man.

But why would Xuan Chi, possessing such power, live as an ordinary person, enduring mockery and humiliation? Two possibilities emerged in Lin You’s mind.

The first was that using this ability came at a tremendous cost. Knowing Xuan Chi’s deteriorating health and frequent hospital visits, Lin You guessed that the cost was Xuan Chi’s own life force. This explained why he used his power so sparingly.

The second reason could be a powerful enemy—someone Xuan Chi had to avoid by hiding at Dinghui Temple. Using such abilities might expose him and lead to certain death.

Lin You clenched his fists, his heart heavy with regret. His master had risked his life for him and his junior brothers. Yet, Lin You had chosen the reckless path to make money instead of fulfilling his responsibilities as the eldest son.

Tears streamed down Lin You’s face as he dialed Xuan Chi’s number, his hands trembling.

Sensing Lin You’s sorrow, Li Ruochen leaned against him, holding his hand tightly. Zhang Xi, meanwhile, stared blankly at the burning remains of his home, muttering to himself, “It’s over… everything’s gone. No more buns to eat, no pig’s trotters to chew, no new clothes to wear.”

When the call connected, violent coughing echoed from the other end, followed by the sound of spitting. Lin You’s heart sank. He could picture Xuan Chi vomiting blood.

For a moment, Lin You was too choked up to speak. On the other end, Xuan Chi’s weak voice finally came through, teasing, “You’er, do you have enough money yet? Stop hiding it at home and causing trouble for yourself.”