"1.5 million? Are... did you miscount? Let me count again," Du Ziteng said, his hand trembling, unable to believe the cash piled on the ground before him.
"1.5 million! How did Hong Fei earn it back? When I was on the wrong path, I never made more than a few hundred yuan in a year! Could this be the reason I can only be a lackey, and he can be the overlord of South City?"
Master Huang, standing beside him, was also utterly astonished by the final figure, even doubting himself.
Only Zhang Liunian remained the most composed among the three. Since the money was unexpected, he didn't pay too much attention to it. "It's getting late, we should head back and rest early!"
It was already ten o'clock at night, and any further delay would mean waiting until tomorrow.
Du Ziteng stopped counting, but the shock on his face was still evident.
"Who?" Jiang Qingqing, who had just started to feel sleepy, was startled by the embrace from behind. However, she quickly relaxed upon smelling the familiar scent.
Zhang Liunian reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her cheek, and smiled, "It's me. Did I wake you?"
"No, why are you back today? Didn't you say it would take a few days?"
"The matter in Jiangcheng is settled, so I came back."
Jiang Qingqing turned to face him, their eyes meeting at close range. "That's good."
She had heard a bit about the Jiangcheng situation and knew their shop there had been burned down. Zhang Liunian's return now seemed to indicate that things were indeed resolved.
Seeing her a bit groggy, Zhang Liunian gently rubbed her cheek and said softly, "Go to sleep!"
"I can't sleep now. Tell me about Jiangcheng!" Jiang Qingqing hadn't been back in a long time and wondered how her family was doing. She imagined they were living better than when she was home, perhaps even happy that her absence didn't disturb their peace.
Zhang Liunian, seeing the nostalgic expression on her face, immediately remembered that she was a sent-down youth from Jiangcheng. He felt a pang of regret. "I almost forgot, Qingqing, you're from Jiangcheng, aren't you? After you finish your confinement, I'll take you back to see your parents. It's my fault, too. We've been married for so long, and I haven't taken you to your family home even once."
Zhang Liunian didn't know the specifics of the Jiang family, but he assumed a girl who had been away for nearly a decade would miss her home.
Jiang Qingqing did miss it a bit, but she mostly wanted to know what life was like there without her. She had been sent to the countryside entirely by her parents' arrangement, to fill a spot for her elder brother. At the time, she knew she would suffer in the countryside and was naturally unwilling, but she couldn't go against her parents' wishes, and thus ended up in the Shili Production Brigade. Fortunately, she met Zhang Liunian here, and her life began a happy chapter.
Thinking of this, Jiang Qingqing nestled into Zhang Liunian's embrace and rubbed against him. "No need, it doesn't matter whether we go or not."
Zhang Liunian was surprised by her attitude. He reached out and stroked her hair. "But those are your family. How can it not matter?"
Jiang Qingqing fell silent for a long time. Zhang Liunian then had a guess. He lifted her chin and asked with concern, "Is there some misunderstanding with your family, or did something unpleasant happen when you were sent down to the countryside?"
Meeting her husband's caring gaze, Jiang Qingqing's expression turned somber. "They don't like me." Although Jiang Qingqing was beautiful, it was precisely this face that made the entire Jiang family dislike her. Her parents seemed to suspect she wasn't their child, and therefore treated her poorly. She didn't want to voice these words, as they were just speculations, and she didn't want Zhang Liunian to think she was a woman of unknown origin.
"It doesn't matter. They don't like you, but I do. Whether we visit them in Jiangcheng in the future will be entirely up to you." Seeing his wife looking hurt, Zhang Liunian quickly pulled her into his arms to comfort her. He truly hadn't known that Jiang Qingqing's situation in the Jiang family was also difficult. In his previous life, after Jiang Qingqing died, he couldn't find the Jiang family, and naturally, no one from the Jiang family came. Later, when he had money, he looked again but still couldn't find them. Therefore, he had no contact with the Jiang family and was unaware of Jiang Qingqing's circumstances when she was with them. Coming back again, he learned that the Jiang family didn't like Jiang Qingqing, which made him very angry.
"Okay, let's see closer to the New Year." If possible, Jiang Qingqing still didn't want to go back. But as Zhang Liunian said, it was where she was born and raised, and she still had some feelings for it, so she couldn't hide forever.
"Whatever you say. Don't force yourself."
"..."
At the same time, the Secret Youth was leading Tang Shikui to where Hong Fei hid his belongings.
"This is the place." The Secret Youth pointed at the blue brick, large tile house before them, showing reluctance to enter. This was the second time he had revealed this secret. He felt that if Zhang Liunian wasn't foolish, he would have entered immediately. The Tang family finding him now meant they were a step behind. If they entered and found nothing, wouldn't he be in trouble?
"Go in and lead the way." How could Tang Shikui not see his intention to leave midway? But how could he let him go? If Hong Fei had hidden anything valuable here and Zhang Liunian got it, he would be implicated. Therefore, if he couldn't find anything useful inside, the informant deserved to die!
"Mr. Tang, I really don't know anything. I just saw the boss go in twice. Can you please let me go?" The Secret Youth trembled, cupping his hands in a plea.
Tang Shikui frowned at this and then gestured to two men behind him. These two immediately flanked the Secret Youth and carried him into the large tile house. From then on, the Secret Youth never saw the sun again.
Of course, Zhang Liunian was unaware of this. He was currently on his way to South City to submit evidence when he encountered several waves of people inexplicably looking for trouble.
"What's going on? Have these people eaten the wrong medicine today, picking fights as soon as they see us? They even grab us when we try to pass them. Something's not right!" Du Ziteng, who was accompanying Zhang Liunian to South City, chewed on a blade of grass, looking puzzled.
Zhang Liunian watched the fifth wave of attackers he had repelled, thought for a moment, and guessed, "Perhaps the Tang family has become alert. It seems unlikely we can enter South City smoothly today."
"Impossible, right? Hong Fei is still in jail, and the evidence is conclusive. He couldn't have notified the Tang family." Du Ziteng spat out the grass, somewhat disbelieving that the Tang family could react so quickly.
"If they didn't have any reaction, they wouldn't be able to run rampant in South City." Zhang Liunian never underestimated the Tang family, except for Brother Tang, of course.
Seeing Zhang Liunian so certain, Du Ziteng also thought it was possible, and they continued their journey towards South City. As Zhang Liunian predicted, they soon encountered another group of people blocking their path. This time, they didn't pretend. As soon as they saw Zhang Liunian and Du Ziteng, they didn't say a word, grabbing clubs and charging at them.