Chapter 83

Zhao Guihua had lived through two lifetimes, and at her age, this was the first time she had ever attempted anything like being a "bandit hero."0

Well, it couldn't be entirely considered "theft," after all, the item in question was placed in a public restroom. Strictly speaking, it was ownerless. This was the reason Zhao Guihua dared to take action.0

If it had been in someone's home, she wouldn't have dared to mess around, no matter how crazy she felt.0

Even knowing that the Yu family's son was no good, even if she knew the item was there, Zhao Guihua wouldn't have done anything about it.0

The nature of the situation was completely different.0

So, with the item being in the public restroom at the alley entrance, Zhao Guihua felt she could take action. The weather had been bad for a few days, and today it even started hailing. Late at night, she put on her raincoat and said, "Do I look like a notorious pirate to you?"0

Old Man Zhuang: "Not at all, you're a good person."0

Zhao Guihua couldn't help but chuckle, "I don't look like a good person at all. I'm about to do something bad."0

She didn't turn on the light but looked outside and said, "Let's go."0

Old Man Zhuang: "Alright."0

The couple gently opened the door, not trying to be too stealthy. If someone saw them acting too suspiciously, it would only raise suspicions. They walked out as if they were just going to the bathroom at night, acting with confidence.0

Tonight, the sky was covered with thick clouds, and the darkness was complete. The sound of rain and hail covered the noise of them opening the door. Zhao Guihua and Old Man Zhuang ran together to the restroom. Old Man Zhuang went in first and then said, "No one's here."0

It was true; ever since the rumors of ghosts started, the restroom was rarely used at night. Generally, people tried to avoid it. Going to the bathroom at night was something most people tried to avoid, especially on a rainy day like today.0

Zhao Guihua: "Are you sure you can do this?"0

Old Man Zhuang: "Although I'm not as young as my son, I can still move quickly."0

Old Man Zhuang said, "You go to the door and keep watch. I'll climb up."0

Zhao Guihua: "Wait, let me find some stones to help you step on. It'll be easier for you."0

"Alright."0

The two worked together, and the rain seemed to be getting heavier, but it didn't affect their actions. Zhao Guihua was quite excited. She tiptoed and looked around, saying, "Be careful."0

Old Man Zhuang nodded.0

He stepped on the stones and climbed up the wall. Despite his age, he was strong. The work he did at the factory required a lot of arm strength, so he was more robust than the average person. Even his two sons might not be as strong as he was.0

After all, their jobs didn't require as much physical effort.0

He climbed up and stood on a cement column of one of the restroom stalls. He turned on his flashlight and quickly spotted the target.0

The bundle was not far from his current position. It was likely that someone had thrown it up from this spot. Old Man Zhuang reached out, grabbed it, and pulled hard. Oh, it was quite heavy.0

He exerted more force and quickly pulled the bundle to him.0

"Hmm?"0

He let out a surprised sound. Zhao Guihua heard it and asked, "What's wrong?"0

Old Man Zhuang whispered, "There's another bundle here."0

Zhao Guihua was also surprised and confused: "Another one?"0

She immediately thought that it must have been hidden by the Yu kid. If it wasn't his, he wouldn't have missed it when he came to hide his stuff last night. Finding someone else's hidden items here would make the place unreliable. But he still chose to hide his stuff here, which meant this must be his as well.0

"Let's get it out together."0

"Alright, but this one is stuck inside a bit, so it's a bit tricky to pull out."0

Zhao Guihua: "Wait, let me find something to help."0

She went out in the rain and found a stick. She helped Old Man Zhuang get the first bundle down and then used the stick to hook out the second one. Both of them were quite excited. Zhao Guihua felt the bundle was quite heavy.0

She didn't rush to open it but said, "Let's move the stones out and go back home first."0

Both of them were worried that someone might show up, although the heavy rain made it unlikely. Still, Zhao Guihua was cautious. The couple quickly returned home in the rain. Zhao Guihua was afraid that the sound of closing the door might attract attention, so she quickly carried the bundle inside, while Old Man Zhuang stayed behind to secure the door.0

Despite her boldness, Zhao Guihua was actually quite scared. Once home, she plopped down on the floor, feeling drained. Old Man Zhuang saw her like this and quickly asked, "Old lady, what's wrong?"0

Zhao Guihua looked up and said, "I'm fine, just a bit scared."0

Old Man Zhuang understood her feelings and helped her up, saying, "Since we've already done it, don't think too much about it. Besides, the item was in a public restroom, so it's not like we stole something from someone's home. Moreover, what kind of legitimate item would be hidden in a public restroom? This thing wasn't from a good source, so what we did wasn't wrong."0

Before the action, Zhao Guihua had been the one to calm him down; but now that they were done, it was Old Man Zhuang who was comforting her.0

Zhao Guihua nodded: "You're right."0

She wiped her face and said, "Look at me, I was the one who wanted to do this, and now I'm the one who's scared. I guess I'm just a coward."0

Old Man Zhuang disagreed: "You've done well. If it were someone else, they wouldn't have been as brave as you."0

Zhao Guihua: "Let's open it and see."0

Old Man Zhuang nodded. The sky was overcast, and the room was quite dark, but they didn't turn on the light. Zhao Guihua opened the first bundle, the heavier one that Old Man Zhuang had pulled out first.0

He said, "I wonder what's inside... uh!"0

His rambling suddenly stopped.0

Zhao Guihua also gasped sharply, feeling like she was suddenly short of oxygen, her breath quickening, her body trembling.0

"Ah... this... this this."0

For a moment, she didn't know what to say. The contents of the bundle were completely unexpected. Zhao Guihua had thought there would be something valuable inside, something worth hiding, but she never imagined there would be ten large gold bars.0

She almost trembled as she picked one up and said softly, "It's heavy."0

Old Man Zhuang was also shocked and asked urgently, "Are these real? I heard you can bite into them and leave a mark."0

He was about to take a bite when Zhao Guihua stopped him, saying, "Don't bite. Who knows how many hands this has passed through? You don't know if it's clean."0

Old Man Zhuang: "What's not clean about gold bars? Even if it's not, it's still a good thing. I'm not picky."0

Zhao Guihua couldn't help but laugh at his reaction.0

Old Man Zhuang sighed softly, "My family has been poor for eight generations, and this is the first time I've ever seen such a treasure." He had always thought that having enough to eat and drink was good enough. He never expected to one day hold such a valuable item in his hands.0

Zhao Guihua: "There are exactly ten bars. Old man, help me feel the weight; I'm not sure anymore."0

She was so nervous that she couldn't trust her own sense of weight.0

Old Man Zhuang: "These should be ten taels each. One bar is probably around 300 to 400 grams. If we follow the standard used in Beijing, one bar should be about 370 grams."0

Although their family had never owned anything so valuable, he had heard about these things. Generally, large and small gold bars were accumulated since the Republic of China era. The measurement units back then were different from now.0

However, these large gold bars usually followed the standard, with one bar being ten taels.0

Zhao Guihua vaguely remembered this and nodded, "You're right."0

She rubbed the gold bar, feeling the texture of real gold.0

Real gold indeed.0

Zhao Guihua: "Let me see the other one."0

She quickly opened the second bundle, inside of which were all kinds of jewelry. There were gold ornaments, silver bracelets, jade bead necklaces, and white jade bangles... To be honest, seeing this, the old couple's expressions changed slightly.0

They were both shocked. On their street, if anyone had even one of these items, they would be considered extremely wealthy. But now, there were so many of them. Isn't that terrifying?0

Although gold bars can drive people crazy, seeing so many pieces of jewelry at once can also be frightening.0

Old Man Zhuang suddenly grabbed his wife's hand and said, "How could there be so many valuable things?"0

He really hadn't expected that the bundle would contain so much. Hesitating for a moment, he said, "Should we turn them in?"0

But after saying that, he immediately shook his head, "No, we can't turn them in. If we do, it will bring endless trouble."0

Zhao Guihua glanced at him and said, "Turn them in? Forget it! We absolutely cannot turn these things in. If you turn them in, how do you explain where they came from? You say you found them in the bathroom, but why were you climbing into the bathroom in the first place? Then there might be all sorts of other issues, and they might pin everything on you. They could turn you into a thief even if you're not one. Besides, with the current environment, do you really think these things would end up in the right hands if you turn them in? Who do you think hid these things? Based on my guess, it was Yu Xiaozi. In just one year, Yu Xiaozi managed to amass so much wealth. It just shows how... And if Yu Xiaozi or his family finds out about this, do you think they would retaliate against us?"0

Zhao Guihua saw things more clearly than Old Man Zhuang.0

The Yu family wasn't easy to deal with. Even though they had cut ties with Yu Xiaozi and severed all ties, things were different now. Even if their relationship wasn't good now, and even if Yu Xiaozi had hidden these valuables, if they found out about this, they would still side with Yu Xiaozi because they are family.0

If the money is still there, even though Yu Xiaozi hid it, there's a chance they could get a share of it. But if it's turned in, it has nothing to do with them anymore. So if they followed Old Man Zhuang's suggestion and turned it in, it would definitely bring a big enemy.0

Besides, why should they turn it in?0

To put it bluntly, with the current situation, turning it in might not end well.0

There was a guy who tied gold bars and planned to walk from Beijing to Hong Kong, and now there's another guy who hid gold and silver treasures in a public bathroom. Who knows how many people are hiding things.0

Zhao Guihua said seriously, "Old Man Zhuang, I'm a selfish person. I only care about my own family. I don't have the heart to care about so many others. Instead of letting these things benefit some cunning petty people, I'd rather have them in my hands. You see, even though privately hiding these things carries some risk, everyone still does it. Why? Isn't it for having an extra safety net in case of emergencies? Besides, who knows what the future policies will be? Having something valuable on hand is always good."0

Old Man Zhuang's biggest trait is that he listens to his wife. He's not a very decisive person, but he listens to Zhao Guihua a lot.0

He said, "You're right. I'll listen to you on this. But where should we keep these things? It's not very safe to keep them at home."0

After a pause, he sighed, "And it's even less safe to keep them outside."0

Zhao Guihua started thinking and said, "Indeed, we can't just put them anywhere. There are small thieves in our courtyard. If we work hard and end up benefiting some small thief, I'll cry."0

If someone ends up benefiting from our hard work, she would be devastated.0

"So what do you suggest?"0

Zhao Guihua thought for a moment and said, "How about this? Let's extend the kitchen counter a bit and build it with cement. We can put these things in a box and embed it in the cement. It's far from the fire pit, so it won't be affected. And with the extra space, we'll have more room to store things and it'll be more convenient for cutting vegetables. No one would ever think to look there."0

Old Man Zhuang turned around and looked, feeling it made sense. He nodded, "That works."0

He had to admit, his wife's idea was quite clever. Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "My brain is sharp, isn't it?"0

She said, "I'll do it tomorrow. The sooner we get it done, the sooner we'll feel at ease."0

Old Man Zhuang said, "Your craftsmanship isn't as good as mine. I'll do it. You go buy the cement tomorrow, and I'll work on it after I get off work."0

Zhao Guihua didn't refuse and nodded, "Alright."0

She packed up the items and looked at the bundle cloth, saying, "I'll burn this tomorrow."0

Old Man Zhuang felt a bit sorry for the good fabric, but then thought it was the right thing to do. If someone saw it, it would be troublesome. It wasn't worth it for a small piece of cloth. The old couple temporarily hid the items in the kang hole and then went back to bed.0

It's worth mentioning that they weren't sleepy at all.0

How could they be sleepy?0

They had suddenly become wealthy. Although these things couldn't be eaten or drunk and couldn't be used to buy anything, they were gold and silver treasures. If they were bold enough, they could exchange them for money in the black market.0

Even if the black market couldn't handle it, there was the ghost market.0

However, neither of them had the intention to do so. They didn't need the money right now. Their life was still manageable.0

Old Man Zhuang asked, "Wife, how much money do we have left? I feel like we've been eating well lately. Do we have much savings left?"0

It's true that men shouldn't be in charge. Men always have no sense of the situation. Zhao Guihua gave him a look and said, "What do you mean? I still have several hundred yuan. Our savings haven't decreased much; in fact, they've increased compared to when we separated from the family."0

Old Man Zhuang: "Oh?"0

He was a bit surprised.0

Zhao Guihua said, "The reason we've been eating well isn't because of our savings. It's because of the harvest from the mountain. The meat we had earlier was exchanged for fish during the New Year. We haven't finished it yet. This time, the harvest from the mountain was also good. We haven't bought meat for several months. I exchanged our meat coupons for grain coupons. Haven't you noticed that we have more fine grain than before? It's all bought with those coupons."0

Old Man Zhuang: "Guihua, you're really good at managing the household."0

Zhao Guihua was proud and said, "Of course, can I be an ordinary person? I'm very capable."0

She said, "We have to plan for food and clothing. I've put a lot of thought into this family. You think I don't do anything just because I don't go to work? There's a lot to consider at home."0

"That's true."0

The old couple chatted on and on, and they really weren't sleepy. It's not just them; many people in the neighborhood couldn't sleep that night. Fortunately, the old couple didn't act hastily. They talked until midnight before going out. If they had gone out earlier, the Su family and the Zhou family wouldn't have been asleep yet.0

These two families had their own thoughts and worries.0

The Su family was really worried that this incident would affect them. After yesterday's efforts, although some people were a bit more open, most still maintained a cold attitude and weren't willing to get involved.0

It's also because the Bai father and son had offended people before, mainly Bai Fendou. Old Man Bai didn't offend people much, but Bai Fendou's sharp tongue often offended people without realizing it. This inevitably led to some big and small consequences.0

Since everyone wasn't willing to help, the Su family was exhausted.0

As for the Zhou family, Zhou Qun's thoughts were a bit complicated.0

He had indeed beaten Bai Fendou and his father, but he still felt a bit uncomfortable. The source of this discomfort was Jiang Lu. He knew Jiang Lu hadn't suffered, but it wasn't because of whether she had suffered or not that he felt uncomfortable.0

He felt uncomfortable because of Jiang Lu's ruthlessness.0

A woman had actually... kicked two men's... to pieces.0

He shuddered at the thought. How ruthless must a person be to do such a thing? This woman, though usually gentle, was all an act. Ever since that incident in the restroom, he felt instinctively uncomfortable whenever he thought of women, and he had no interest in them at all.0

He had never been interested in Jiang Lu to begin with, and now even less so. Even lying in the same bed with her made him feel nauseous.0

His dislike for women intensified even more after she kicked someone today. He couldn't sleep at night and only dozed off late into the night. Maybe because he slept late, several households in their courtyard woke up late as well.0

The hail had stopped by morning, but a light rain still drizzled in the courtyard. Aunt Sui from the back courtyard was cursing—not people, but the hail. The hail had flattened the scallions she had planted by the door, and she was heartbroken, stomping her feet in frustration. If not for her loud cursing, the front courtyard wouldn't have woken up either.0

Soon, everyone got up and rushed off to work, starting a new day of busyness.0

Zhuang Zhixi left for work early, and Ming Mei went with him. Zhuang Zhixi reminded her, "Drive slowly in the rain. Don't always act like you're flying."0

Ming Mei pouted and said, "Alright, okay."0

As soon as she got on her bike, she pedaled off, her speed not slowing down at all.0

Zhuang Zhixi shouted, "Slow down!!!"0

Ming Mei: "Okay."0

She was already going slow, this Zhuang Zhixi...0

Zhuang Zhixi shook his head at her, thinking that Ming Mei was always so energetic.0

He arrived early, as he usually did. When starting a new job or department, it was customary to arrive early to make a good impression. If you started off poorly, it would be embarrassing.0

Zhuang Zhixi wasn't shy about his thick skin, but since he was new, he wanted to leave a decent impression.0

As he was wiping the desk, he saw Zhou from their department enter. It seemed every department had a gossipmonger, and their department's was Zhou. Zhou arrived early and immediately announced, "Big news, big news! Did you hear? Bai Fendou is done for."0

"Done for?"0

"Really? Yesterday, they said it could be stitched up. What happened? Did the stitching not work?"0

"I've only heard of sewing clothes, not that... It definitely won't work."0

"Bai Fendou doesn't even have an heir. Bai's family line will end with him. He's letting down his ancestors."0

"Are they still in security?"0

Everyone chimed in with questions, and Zhou enjoyed the attention. "They're not in security; they're still in the hospital. His injury is in a sensitive area, and security wouldn't let him leave so easily. After all, it's a matter of future generations."0

"That makes sense."0

Zhuang Zhixi listened with great interest. The security department in their factory was quite lenient. If it were a stricter security team, Bai Fendou and his father would be in jail by now, regardless of their condition.0

But this time, they considered that Bai Fendou wasn't married and had no children, so they sent him to the hospital for treatment.0

"So the stitching didn't work?" Zhuang Zhixi was curious. As a man, he was naturally intrigued by such topics. He had never seen anything like it.0

Zhou: "It's hard to say if the stitching worked. I asked a doctor. Apparently, it was shattered beyond recognition, like an egg dropped on the ground."0

"My god."0

"Oh my."0

"That's terrifying."0

"You can't mess with women, really can't."0

Zhou: "Quiet, quiet, let me finish. The doctor stitched them up on the spot, but whether it will work in the future is uncertain. It depends on how they recover. Plus, they'll need more checks."0

Zhou paused and continued, "This situation was already critical, but who could have guessed that despite the security department's leniency and the doctor's efforts, the patient kept making things worse."0

"Huh?"0

Zhuang Zhixi asked, "What happened?" Did they cause more trouble?0

"Apparently, last night, the father and son got into an argument in the hospital. No one knows how it started, but they ended up blaming each other. The father called the son a ingrate, and the son blamed his father for being reckless. By the time people heard them, they were already injured again."0

Zhuang Zhixi: "Wow~"0

"It seems both of them pulled on their wounds, causing them to bleed again. They had to be re-bandaged. The doctor said their chances of recovery have decreased..."0

"Oh, this..."0

"These two are really something."0

"It's no one else's fault."0

"Exactly, it's all their own fault."0

Soon, the news spread throughout the factory. After all, there were many gossipmongers in the factory. Such a sensational story was unheard of.0

When Zhou Qun, Bai Fendou, and others fell into the cesspool, it almost became a tourist attraction. People even came from far away to see it. If not for the ghost rumors, it would have remained a hotspot.0

But now, Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou had brought new excitement to the factory.0

Everyone listened with glee, despite it not being a happy event. But there was little entertainment, so listening to gossip made the day more exciting. The factory couldn't show movies every day, but it could have daily drama from people causing trouble.0

Zhuang Zhixi: "Ah, these people, these people..."0

As he was sighing, he heard someone call him at the door. It was Zhang San from security. Zhang San said, "Xiao Zhuang."0

Zhuang Zhixi: "Something the matter?"0

It was work time, so it couldn't be a casual chat.0

Zhang San: "I'm here to verify some information with you."0

Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow and nodded, "Alright, go ahead."0

Zhang San: "Zhou Qun claims he heard from you that Bai Fendou was going to the small warehouse in the afternoon. I need to confirm this."0

Zhuang Zhixi nodded and said sincerely, "There was such a thing, but no one from us told Zhou Qun. We weren't sure about the small warehouse either. At lunch, Doctor Wang from the clinic gossiped with me, saying she heard the Bai father and son were going to meet someone in the small warehouse in the afternoon. She didn't hear the details clearly, and we weren't sure either. To be honest, I thought he was meeting Wang Xiangxiu, so I didn't plan to watch the commotion. We're neighbors after all, and it's not good to watch such commotion. Later, I heard they got into a fight. I had no idea he was tricking Zhou Qun's wife."0

"Did you talk to Bai Fendou?"0

Zhuang Zhixi shook his head, "No. I did see him at lunch. He was behind us at the cafeteria. I stopped to say hello, but he ignored me and hurried off."0

"I know, we went to the cafeteria together at noon." Sister Cui said, "Why is this blaming Xiao Zhuang? We did talk about this at the cafeteria, but it wasn't Xiao Zhuang who brought it up first. Besides, Xiao Zhuang didn't talk to Bai Fendou or Zhou Qun. We were together the whole time—going to the cafeteria together, back to the office together, not even going to the restroom."0

"Yes, I was there too."0

"Me too."0

Many people in the propaganda department were together, and they could all vouch for each other. Zhang San: "Alright, I'll note that."0

He said, "It's not about accusing you, but the factory needs to figure out how Zhou Qun ended up there. By the way, Sister Cui, we also need to talk to you."0

Sister Cui: "Oh, come on, sit down. You're going to ask everyone, right?"0

"Yes."0

"Then let's start."0

The matter wasn't complicated. Basically, Zhou Qun had accidentally overheard them talking about Bai Fendou's affair. He must have had a grudge against Bai Fendou, otherwise, he wouldn't have gathered people to catch him in the act.0

However, they didn't expect that the person being caught in the act would be his own wife.0

The most crucial part was Old Man Bai's "push," and since only Bai Fendou was in the room, the situation became quite serious.0

The specifics didn't really concern them, but Zhang San still said, "In the future, if you hear about such things, you should report them to the security department. I know none of you want to get involved, but you never know when something small could turn into a big deal."0

"Got it."0

Everyone nodded sincerely.0

Zhang San: "Alright, I've confirmed everything with you. I need to get back now; I don't know how Bai Fendou is doing."0

"Oh, didn't it break again?"0

"They say so... but let's not talk about it. We're all colleagues, after all."0

Everyone exchanged knowing smiles. You're acting like you don't know, but your eyes are sparkling like a lighthouse.0

After a few more polite exchanges, Zhang San left.0

Zhuang Zhixi shrugged and returned to his seat.0

In this new department, he hadn't even started working yet, but the environment was already lively. Director Song walked in and saw the bustling scene. He coughed lightly, understanding the situation but reminding them, "Old Huang, take your apprentice and create a bulletin board. Given what happened with Bai Fendou, let's make one that calls for respect for women."0

Old Huang: "Sure."0

Their department was indeed keeping up with current events.0

He said, "Let's go."0

Zhuang Zhixi quickly followed.0

He asked, "Master Huang, what kind of bulletin board should we create? We have the theme, but I'm not sure what to draw."0

Old Huang: "This is where your personal skills come into play. Let me tell you, when the higher-ups give you a theme, you need to figure out the common elements associated with it..."0

He counted off on his fingers, explaining to Zhuang Zhixi. Unlike his usual quiet self, he was quite eloquent now. Zhuang Zhixi listened intently, nodding constantly. He knew that to establish himself quickly in the publicity department, it wasn't just about luck. He needed to get up to speed with the work to secure his place.0

"Master Huang, so according to you, experience is crucial."0

Old Huang nodded, "Experience is indeed important. And at this point, you can't just draw whatever comes to mind. You need to be aware of what themes might touch on sensitive areas. Always be cautious. Work is work, but don't get yourself into trouble."0

"I understand."0

Zhuang Zhixi quickly got into work mode.0

Compared to his focused morning, others seemed a bit distracted. The most troubled was Wang Xiangxiu, who used the excuse of going to the restroom to look for Zhou Qun.0

Today, Zhou Qun was the center of attention. Wang Xiangxiu knew it wasn't the best time to approach him, but what could she do? She had to talk to Zhou Qun; otherwise, Bai Fendou would be in serious trouble.0

Today, she and her mother-in-law had split up.0

She came to find Zhou Qun, while her mother-in-law went to the hospital to try and gather information from the Bai family to figure out how to smooth things over. She had been waiting most of the morning, making several trips to the restroom. Finally, she found an opportunity and blocked Zhou Qun at the restroom entrance.0

Ever since his ghostly encounter, Zhou Qun had developed a habit of frequent urination. He visited the restroom often, which only fueled rumors that he and his wife couldn't have children because he had been with too many older women, leading to kidney issues.0

Otherwise, why no kids?0

Otherwise, why so many bathroom trips?0

Because of this, every time he went to the restroom, his face was dark, and he looked like he wanted to avoid everyone.0

It was during one of these moments, when no one was around, that Wang Xiangxiu blocked him.0

Wang Xiangxiu quickly stepped forward and said, "Qun Ge."0

Zhou Qun immediately took a step back, disdainfully asking, "What do you want?"0

Wang Xiangxiu put on a wronged but charming smile and said coquettishly, "Why are you so cold? We used to have such deep feelings. Now that time has passed, you don't even care about me anymore?"0

She added a touch of softness, knowing that Zhou Qun liked women who were submissive and admiring.0

She said, "You don't know how much I've missed you these days. I really miss your heroic presence."0

She blinked at him flirtatiously.0

Zhou Qun: "Just say what you want. Don't blink at me. It's disgusting."0

He took another step back, pulled out a handkerchief, flicked it, and wiped his hands.0

Wang Xiangxiu: "..."0

Damn it, I didn't even disdain you for being dirty, and you're disdainful of me?0

She bit her lip and said, "Do you have to be so cold?"0

Zhou Qun sneered, "We were a business transaction—me paying, you selling. What feelings do we have? I don't disdain you? That's funny. Just say what you want. Are you here to beg for your old lover? Let me tell you, no way!"0

He coldly added, "I absolutely won't let him off."0

He said menacingly, "Since he dared to have designs on my wife, I'll make sure he pays."0

Wang Xiangxiu: "Why be so ruthless? I believe he didn't mean it; there must be a misunderstanding. If you're willing to let him go, I'll do anything you ask. I'm willing to help you."0

She blinked, her eyes full of innuendo.0

But Zhou Qun remained unmoved: "Get out of my way."0

He said, "You're disgusting, with your cheap, flirtatious demeanor."0

He snorted, "I don't want anything to do with you."0

After that, he wiped his face with the handkerchief again and turned to leave.0

Wang Xiangxiu was shaking with anger.0

What did he just call her?0

Flirtatious?0

Back then, he wasn't disdainful of her—he even said he liked her like that the most. Now he's changed? Men really are unreliable. Today they say this is the best, most charming, and tomorrow they'll call it disgusting.0

She glared at Zhou Qun, wishing she could put a sack over his head and beat the crap out of him.0

She was paid, sure, but with his attitude, who would do it for free?0

He couldn't even satisfy a widow, pfft!0

Wang Xiangxiu's face darkened, but she quickly remembered her purpose. She wasn't here to rekindle their past relationship but to beg for Zhou Qun's mercy. She gritted her teeth and stomped her foot, then chased after him. By now, Zhou Qun had walked a distance.0

Wang Xiangxiu quickly caught up and said, "Zhou Qun, tell me, what will it take for you to let Bai Fendou go? Just say it, and I'll do it. As long as you go to the security department and say it was a misunderstanding between you and your wife, I'll do anything you ask."0

“Do anything? What else do you want to do? Let me tell you, Wang Xiangxiu, I’m not interested in women. Get lost!” Zhou Qun pulled out his handkerchief again, flicking it and looking even more disdainful.0

Wang Xiangxiu finally couldn't take it anymore: "Can you stop pulling out that handkerchief? You're so effeminate!"0

Zhou Qun: "!!!"0

He widened his eyes in anger: "How dare you, Wang Xiangxiu! You're not even trying to help your old lover now, are you? What I do is my business, and I enjoy it! Who do you think you are? Get lost!"0

He had already spoken to Wang Xiangxiu in this harsh tone multiple times today. Wang Xiangxiu couldn't believe it—this man who had once been so affectionate with her was now so cold and heartless. She was red-eyed with anger, but she knew she was in a position of weakness and had to resolve this quickly. Otherwise, if the Bai family was dealt with, they would lose their meal ticket.0

Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip and said, "Then tell me, what will it take for you to let Bai Fendou go?"0

She got straight to the point, revealing her true intentions.0

She spoke seriously: "As long as you set the conditions, I will find a way to meet them."0

Zhou Qun sneered: "You're quite sincere with your lover, even though you're just milking money from me."0

Wang Xiangxiu ignored his mocking remarks. No matter how much he said, it was his actions that mattered. She spoke earnestly: "If you like any woman, I can help you find a way..."0

Zhou Qun's eyebrows furrowed, and he said coldly: "Wang Xiangxiu, I'm not as disgusting as you think. I don't need anyone's help to find a woman."0

He had always been able to charm women effortlessly.0

Moreover, he hadn't been particularly interested in women lately.0

The thought of women only brought to mind ghosts, and the idea of ghosts left him with no interest at all.0

"You're wasting your time here. I am determined to make Bai Fendou pay."0n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Wang Xiangxiu tried to calm Zhou Qun's anger, saying: "Why go to such lengths? If Bai Fendou really ends up in trouble, you won't gain anything from it, will you? At most, you just don't like him, but is there any mortal feud between you? No. If he ends up in trouble, people might initially think you're a man of justice. But over time? Your reputation, Zhou Qun, is already not great. This will only make it worse. Besides being entangled with old women, you'll also gain a reputation for being ruthless. Some might even speculate that maybe your wife, Jiang Lu, has something going on with Bai Fendou, which is why you're so determined to send him to his doom. I know you look down on Bai Fendou, but he's already suffered a significant loss. Why push him to the brink? I understand your thoughts—you probably wish someone else would embarrass themselves first. But isn't it better to leave Bai Fendou alone now? He's already suffered a humiliating injury. People will gossip about him, not about your affairs with old women. Why not take this opportunity to gain some benefits? If he and his father end up in trouble, their house will be reallocated, and who knows who will move in. Think carefully—you're not gaining anything from this."0

Zhou Qun remained silent for a long time before he said: "You're quite something, Wang Xiangxiu."0

Wang Xiangxiu took a deep breath and said: "I just hope you understand that sometimes, taking revenge for a petty grudge is not worth it. Why not gain more instead? Life is all about interests."0

Zhou Qun chuckled coldly: "What can I gain from Bai Fendou? Everyone might not know him, but I do. He's already been drained dry by you and your mother-in-law, those two vipers. His family has nothing left. Besides, I make over ninety yuan a month. How much does he have to give me?"0

Although Zhou Qun said this, Wang Xiangxiu could sense a crack in his resolve. She quickly said: "That's not entirely true. Think about it—you can still gain a lot. If you agree, we can write a promissory note..."0

"Wang Xiangxiu, I find you utterly shameless. A promissory note? Are you trying to fool a simpleton? Don't think you can trick me with this. I don't want any promissory note from Bai Fendou. He has nothing to repay me with, so what good is a note to me?"0

Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip, realizing that Zhou Qun was indeed difficult to deal with. However, she was relieved that she and her mother-in-law had prepared multiple contingency plans the night before. Even today's attempt to persuade Zhou Qun was part of their planned strategy.0

Otherwise, relying solely on Wang Xiangxiu's own wits, she would never have been able to pull this off. Such matters required Aunt Su's expertise.0

Wang Xiangxiu: "What about a child, then?"0

She looked earnestly at Zhou Qun and said: "I will give you a child in exchange for Bai Fendou's safety."0

Her eyes flickered as she added: "You know I'm very fertile. If I want to, I can definitely have a son. Then your family will have an heir. I know this is what you want most right now. I'm willing to use this to help Bai Fendou in exchange."0

Zhou Qun's breathing quickened as he stared intently at Wang Xiangxiu. But soon, he calmed down and said coldly: "You're pregnant? What happens then? Will you stop working? Wang Xiangxiu, it seems you really think I'm a fool. I'm telling you, these little tricks of yours won't work on me."0

He glared at her menacingly and said: "In fact, your actions only make me more determined to destroy Bai Fendou! Then, let's see who will help your family. You'll end up starving and freezing, and it will serve you right, Wang Xiangxiu, you despicable woman. How dare you mock me!"0

His tone was almost gritted.0

Wang Xiangxiu panicked and said: "I didn't, I..."0

"No need to explain. Do you think I don't know what you're trying to do? You didn't even think this through before coming to me with such a story. You really think I'm a fool, don't you? Well, think again! Besides, even if you were willing, I wouldn't be. The mother of my child must be pure and virtuous. Someone like you, who flirts around the factory, who knows whose child you'd end up having? Moreover, even if you did get pregnant, you'd probably use that child to cling to me. I don't want to be stuck with your leech-like family. All you do is suck blood, and nothing else! With your family's reputation—women earning money through questionable means, and the younger ones stealing in the neighborhood—even if you were the most fertile woman alive, I wouldn't want your child!"0

Wang Xiangxiu: "You!"0

"Save your breath. I don't want to see you..."0

"Thud!"0

The sound of something falling startled both of them, and they quickly turned toward the source of the noise.0

There, they saw Zhuang Zhixi and Old Huang, both staring at them in shock, clearly never having witnessed such a scene before.0

Old Huang: "...................................."0

Zhuang Zhixi forced a smile, which looked extremely unnatural, clearly not a skilled actor.0

He stammered: "You... you two, continue."0

He hadn't expected to stumble upon such a situation. To be fair, this wasn't something they had intended to eavesdrop on. They were just working when they saw the two of them approaching.0

And then... the content of their conversation had left him appalled.0

He was a pure young man, and this was just... too much.0

His ears felt tainted.0

"Zhuang Zhixi!!" Zhou Qun's face turned pale with anger. Similarly, Wang Xiangxiu's face was even more horrified. She had always maintained a delicate yet strong image at the factory. But now, her sinister side had been exposed.0

She was utterly embarrassed, but quickly moved to grab Zhuang Zhixi's hand. Zhuang Zhixi quickly stepped back: "Stay away from me."0

He retreated, and Old Huang, despite his age, also hurriedly moved back, clearly unaccustomed to dealing with such women.0

Zhuang Zhixi firmly said: "Stay where you are and keep your distance. I find you repulsive. Don't worry, I have no interest in your dirty affairs and won't spread them. But stay away from me."0

He pointed at Wang Xiangxiu and said: "Especially you. Keep your distance."0

Wang Xiangxiu's eyes welled up with tears: "Zhuang Zhixi, you've misunderstood me. It's not what you think. I had no choice. I can't abandon Fendou. You..."0

"Stop acting, Wang Xiangxiu. I know exactly what kind of person you are." Zhuang Zhixi had calmed down a bit and said: "There's no need to pretend. I've already said, your affairs are none of my business. I have no interest in exposing your true nature. In fact, there's no need to expose it—everyone already knows who you are. So stop acting. Enough already."0

He coughed in disgust and said: "I don't provoke others, and I don't want others to provoke me. Stay away from my family, and I won't bother you. Otherwise, I'll make you regret it."0

He rubbed his ears and said: "I really don't want to hear any more of this. It's utterly disgusting."0

Zhou Qun stared intently at Zhuang Zhixi for a long time before saying: "You really won't spread this?"0

While they could deny it, his reputation was already bad, and he didn't want it to get even worse.0

“You promise.” He demanded.0

Zhuang Zhixi was too lazy to bother with him, saying, “Believe it if you want!”0

Zhuang ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‍Zhixi: “Take care of your crazy dog at home.”0

Zhou Qun's face turned uglier, but he still nodded: “Alright.”0

It’s just about keeping his old mother in check.0

He could do that.0

Recently, the old hag had been making too much noise, it was time to rein her in.0

Zhou Qun glanced at Old Huang, who had a wooden expression, saying, “I’m even lazier than you when it comes to your petty schemes.”0

Compared to Zhuang Zhixi, he trusted Old Huang more, as the man was known for not gossiping about others at the factory. He was the type who was stubborn, unyielding, and didn’t like to socialize, so he felt more at ease with him.0

He sneered, “If you don’t want people to know, don’t do it.”0

Zhou Qun replied stiffly, “That’s none of your concern.”0

Wang Xiangxiu: “You’re really misunderstanding me…”0

She was still trying to act, but everyone present found her utterly disgusting. Who would want to watch her performance?0

Zhuang Zhixi rolled his eyes and turned around, Old Huang’s face became even more wooden, and Zhou Qun was fuming: “Get lost! If it weren’t for you dragging me into this nonsense, I wouldn’t be so humiliated. You’re such a vile woman, don’t ever show up in front of me again.”0

He vented his anger on Wang Xiangxiu, who was furious but still tightly grabbed Zhou Qun’s sleeve, saying, “Let’s talk in the small warehouse.”0

Zhou Qun: “What for!”0

He really was throwing caution to the wind, not even refusing outright in front of everyone.0

Zhuang Zhixi: “??????”0

At this time, do you really dare to go to the small warehouse?0

The small warehouse has recently become a popular spot for everyone.0

They really weren’t afraid of anything!0

Zhuang Zhixi sneered, saying, “Don’t just demand things from us. Both of you, I advise you to be more careful in your words and actions. Don’t discuss such sordid matters in public without caring if anyone is around. And don’t go to the small warehouse in broad daylight. Otherwise, if something happens, don’t blame us. Today we might not say anything, but tomorrow someone else might see and talk.”0

He really couldn’t believe it!0

How could he be so kind as to warn these two? What a good neighbor he was!0

If it weren’t for not wanting the reputation of their neighborhood to be ruined by people caught in scandals, he really wouldn’t bother to remind these two fools.0

What a mess.0

He rubbed his temples and said sincerely, “I mean, even if you’re up to no good, can’t you at least be a bit more discreet?”0

He offered his sincere advice: “Talk after work at home, find a secluded spot in the woods, or just find a place to talk openly. Isn’t that better than sneaking around? What’s with all this… In any case, please spare our factory’s small warehouse. Okay? It’s such a nice place. It’s being ruined by you. It’s really a pity for the small warehouse. You’re lucky to have a good neighbor like me. If it were someone else, not only would they spread it around, but they’d also bring people to watch the spectacle, just like what Zhou Qun did…”0

Zhou Qun’s face turned a mixture of colors, really, he didn’t know what to say at this point.0

He felt that every time he got involved with Wang Xiangxiu, his brain just stopped working.0

He glared angrily at Wang Xiangxiu, then looked at her hand still gripping his sleeve, and with a forceful shake, he left.0

This unlucky woman, there was never any good when he got involved with her!0

Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip, unwilling to give up: “Wait for me!”0

She simply couldn’t wait until work ended.0

She knew it was risky to talk about these things at the factory, but what could she do? She was just a woman, all she wanted was to save Bai Fendou and his father.0

“Zhou Qun, wait for me, let’s find a place to talk. As long as you’re willing to let Bai Fendou off…”0

******0

Old Huang was dumbfounded, his previously serious face finally collapsing; he was speechless: "Unbelievable!"0

Zhuang Zhixi nodded in agreement, feeling the same: “Exactly!”