Chapter 12

Previously, when the original owner’s husband sent money back home, the address on the envelope didn’t seem to be a military district either. It had a post office address instead, which was very strange—almost as if he deliberately didn’t want the original owner to know which military district he was in.

Lu Zhiyao thought it over but didn’t recall anything at all.

Just after coming out of the train station, Lu Zhiyao saw quite a few people selling food outside.

There were steaming boiled peanuts, noodle stalls—whatever one wanted to eat, it was available.

Seeing the two children’s eyes sparkling, Lu Zhiyao held their hands and walked over to the noodle stall. “What kinds of noodles do you have?”

“Soy paste, meat sauce, beef.”

Hearing this, Lu Zhiyao sat down with the children and ordered two bowls of beef noodles—Da Bao and Xiao Bao shared one, and she had one for herself.

The food on the train wasn’t bad, but it was more expensive than outside and tasted pretty average.

The evenings had been a bit chilly these past two days, so a hot bowl of noodles followed by finding a guesthouse to sleep in sounded like a good plan.

Tomorrow’s matters could wait until tomorrow.

The two little ones were eating happily, smiling with squinty eyes. The mother and sons chatted as they ate, and Bai Shuishui finally squeezed out from the crowd.

She had been frustrated after losing track of Lu Zhiyao and the kids, but as soon as she turned around, she saw the three of them at the noodle stall, eating.

They seemed to be talking about something funny, laughing heartily.

Looking at the smile on Lu Zhiyao’s face, Bai Shuishui felt it was extremely unfamiliar.

Ever since she had known this woman, she always had a sorrowful expression—even after marrying Mu Qingyuan. Seeing her laugh like this was rare.

Watching Lu Zhiyao smile so freely, Bai Shuishui felt as if she was seeing a completely different person. She wondered if the long train ride had made her hallucinate.

The three of them looked so happy eating, and the aroma of various foods filled the air. Bai Shuishui’s stomach grumbled twice.

She glanced around and thought about buying some noodles too, but she had already spent quite a bit on the train, and some of her money had gone to buying pretty clothes. If she kept spending like this, she wouldn’t have enough to send money back next month.

If she couldn’t send enough back, and her family caused a scene at the army unit, even if she didn’t lose her job, her colleagues would gossip behind her back.

In the end, Bai Shuishui just bought a corn cob on the side.

Watching them eat so happily, she ground her teeth in frustration—why did Lu Zhiyao seem so fake?

Was she pretending to be pitiful in the village all this time?

Had she actually been hiding all the good things for this day?

No, that didn’t make sense. She had interacted with Lu Zhiyao before and never saw her as someone that deep or calculating—otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so easily manipulated all this time.

It was just so strange.

While Bai Shuishui stood there thinking, Lu Zhiyao and the boys finished their meal.

“Da Bao, Xiao Bao, are you full?” Lu Zhiyao asked with a smile.

The two little ones nodded vigorously. Xiao Bao even patted his tummy. “Mommy, look! I’m really full. My belly’s all round now!”

Lu Zhiyao laughed out loud.

She gently poked Xiao Bao’s tummy. “Yes, Mommy sees. Xiao Bao really is full. What about Da Bao?”

“I’m full too, Mommy, look!” he said, pulling up his shirt.

The two kids looked like chubby little penguins. Lu Zhiyao playfully poked their bellies a couple more times, then checked the time and stood up to pay.

After paying, they bought some boiled peanuts from a street vendor.

She also asked the vendor where the nearest guesthouse was.

After getting detailed directions, Lu Zhiyao took the children and headed toward the guesthouse.

Bai Shuishui squatted in the cold wind, nibbling her corn. When she looked up and saw Lu Zhiyao and the kids walking off, she quickly grabbed her things and followed.

“Mommy, Auntie Shuishui is behind us!” said one of the kids.

Bai Shuishui had been tailing them the whole time, and the two children tugged at Lu Zhiyao’s coat lightly.

“I know. Ignore her.”

Bai Shuishui had gone through so much effort just to stop her. Lu Zhiyao wasn’t going to pay her any mind.

Holding the children’s hands, she kept walking and soon arrived at a guesthouse. Lu Zhiyao entered and smiled, “Give me your best room.”

The girl at the front desk looked at her, noticed the two kids, and asked for identification.

After checking the ID, she handed over the key. “The third floor has our best rooms. You can head up.”

Lu Zhiyao nodded and took the kids upstairs. Bai Shuishui witnessed everything from outside.

She also overheard their conversation.

Lu Zhiyao had booked the best room. That meant… she wasn’t short on money.

On the train, while others were scrimping and saving, Lu Zhiyao and the kids were eating heartily.

Then after getting off, they ate another meal. Even if noodles weren’t that expensive, they were definitely pricier than her corn.

Staying at a guesthouse was one thing, but choosing the best room?

The more she thought about it, the weirder it all seemed.

But this wasn’t the time to be confused. Lu Zhiyao had arrived in the capital. If Bai Shuishui didn’t stop her soon, things could get even worse.

She saw them go upstairs and rushed in.

Just as she stepped inside the guesthouse, the front desk girl shouted, “What are you doing? I don’t remember you booking a room upstairs!”

“If you haven’t booked a room, you can’t just go up. Please leave!”

Bai Shuishui stopped and said, “I want to visit someone. The woman who just went up is my friend.”

“Doesn’t matter who she is. If you want to go up, you need to book a room,” the receptionist insisted, clearly suspicious of Bai Shuishui’s intentions.

“No exceptions.”

“But I’m not staying here. Why would I book a room?” Bai Shuishui argued.

“No room, no entry!” the girl insisted.

Bai Shuishui, now frustrated, gave in. “Fine, give me a regular room, but can I stay on the same floor as the woman with the kids?”

“No can do.”

“That’s our best floor. If you want a regular room, it’s second floor only.”

Bai Shuishui’s head was spinning.

“So, where are you staying or not?” the girl asked impatiently.

Bai Shuishui thought it over. “Alright, give me a room on the second floor.”

She hadn’t wanted to book a room, but it was already around 11 p.m.

She decided to stay and observe what Lu Zhiyao was up to.

While paying, she cursed Lu Zhiyao internally.

If Lu Zhiyao hadn’t insisted on staying at this guesthouse, they could have just found a smaller one—just a few cents a night!

Now she had to spend so much because of her!

Lu Zhiyao was a jinx.

She cursed Lu Zhiyao’s ancestors in her head, and finally the receptionist handed over the key.

“Which room is that woman with the kids in?” Bai Shuishui asked.

She assumed the receptionist would tell her now that she’d booked a room, but the girl shook her head. “We’re not allowed to give out that information.”

Room bookings were linked to commissions, so the receptionist was happy about that. But if Bai Shuishui wanted more info, she’d need to pay extra.

There was a risk involved, after all.

Hearing this, Bai Shuishui was so angry she nearly collapsed. “Didn’t you say you’d tell me if I booked a room?!”