Chapter 7: Making Moves

After seeing off the Chen Family Three Brothers, Jiang Pan Yu finally felt a sense of relief.

Then, Jiang Pan Yu began to ponder how to save Tan Yanlu. After much thought, she decided that perhaps she could manipulate the circumstances of Tan Yanlu and Gao Shaolin’s first meeting.

So, under the pretext of preparing for her rural assignment, Jiang Pan Yu went to the department store. Her dual purpose was to buy necessary items and to scout the location.

Later, Jiang Pan Yu went to the department store with the rural assignment notice issued by the Educated Youth Office.

At the counter, she bought quite a few things. Oh, by the way, educated youths assigned to rural areas not only received certain subsidies but were also given corresponding coupons.

These coupons could be used to purchase items from the department store at very favorable prices.

Jiang Pan Yu spent all her coupons on a water bottle, a raincoat, a pair of rain boots, a backpack, two pairs of work gloves, and some miscellaneous necessities like toothpaste, toothbrushes, and menstrual belts.

While shopping, Jiang Pan Yu observed the layout of the department store. The first floor was filled with various daily necessities and food counters selling candies and pastries.

The second floor was dedicated to selling more expensive items like clothes, shoes, watches, and radios.

In Tan Yanlu’s memory, the wool yarn she wanted to buy was on the second floor, meaning that if it was crowded, one would have to queue from the second floor all the way down to the stairs.

The stairs to the second floor were particularly steep, and any collision or push could cause someone to fall directly from the second floor to the first floor without any buffer.

Jiang Pan Yu’s eyes darted around as she looked at the stairs. Moments later, exclamations of surprise echoed through the department store.

Passersby couldn’t help but peek inside, only to see someone tumbling down from the second-floor staircase, rolling all the way down to the first floor.

Jiang Pan Yu felt dizzy and disoriented. Although the Gossip System ensured she wouldn’t get injured, she still suffered some aftereffects.

Seeing this, the department store staff quickly ran over to help Jiang Pan Yu up. It took her a while to shake off the dizziness.

“Comrade, are you alright? Should we take you to the hospital?” asked a department store manager, dressed in a well-fitted Zhongshan suit, inquiring about Jiang Pan Yu’s condition.

Jiang Pan Yu’s fall was entirely intentional and self-directed. She had sprinkled some water on the stairs and deliberately missed a step to cause the fall.

If she couldn’t prevent Tan Yanlu and Gao Shaolin from meeting, she could at least disrupt the circumstances of their first encounter, ensuring Gao Shaolin couldn’t use a life-saving favor to morally bind Tan Yanlu.

Without the halo of being a savior, would Tan Yanlu so easily agree to Gao Shaolin’s proposal and promise her life to him? Probably not!

Jiang Pan Yu shook her head: “I’m fine, I just need to rest for a bit. But what’s with your stairs? They’re so slippery; I accidentally fell.

Luckily, there was no one behind me. If I had knocked over a few people, what would have happened then!”

Although Jiang Pan Yu kept insisting that she was fine, her body remained in a state of sluggishness. Even though she had taken the Nerve Repairing Agent, it wasn’t a miracle cure that would instantly restore her to normal. Returning to a healthy state would take time.

As a result, Jiang Pan Yu spoke at an unusually slow pace, her delayed reactions making people wonder if she had suffered brain damage. The person in charge watched her with growing concern: “Yes, yes, it’s our fault. Comrade, you really don’t seem well. How about we take you to the hospital for a check-up?”

The person in charge felt it would be better to send Jiang Pan Yu for a medical examination to ease his own worries.

However, Jiang Pan Yu repeatedly refused: “I’m really fine. But your stairs—shouldn’t you add some safety measures? If there had been something to prevent slipping, I might not have fallen. This was your oversight.”

What could the department store staff say? They could only nod repeatedly, promising to address the stair issue, and then watched as Jiang Pan Yu slowly gathered her things and left.

The person in charge wiped the sweat from his forehead, still uneasy. After some thought, he sent someone to follow Jiang Pan Yu, ensuring she made it home safely before returning.

He then immediately arranged for anti-slip mats to be installed on the stairs. To test their safety, he even ran up and jumped on them himself, only feeling reassured after confirming they were secure.

Jiang Pan Yu slowly made her way back to the welfare home. She was aware that someone was following her but didn’t mind. After all, she had already accomplished what she needed to do. Now, it was a matter of seeing whether Tan Yanlu and Gao Shaolin could spark a romantic connection without the life-saving incident.

Jiang Pan Yu asked the Gossip System: “Gossip, if Gao Shaolin hadn’t saved Tan Yanlu, and their emotional foundation wasn’t strong enough, would Tan Yanlu still go to the countryside? And if she didn’t go and didn’t have any emotional entanglement with Gao Shaolin, would that mean she’s avoided this calamity?”

The Gossip System shook its head: “Sigh, it’s not that simple. Tan Yanlu has been implanted with a psychological suggestion by the Weasel Spirit, and it’s too strong to easily remove. Besides, you’ve forgotten that Tan Yanlu’s fish scales are still with Gao Shaolin. So, she’s definitely going to sign up for the countryside.”

Jiang Pan Yu knew it wasn’t that straightforward. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been rewarded with a Personal Space and a courtyard house afterward. With such high stakes, even if the red thread between Tan Yanlu and Gao Shaolin were made of steel, Jiang Pan Yu would use a cutting machine to sever it.

Two days later, Jiang Pan Yu arrived at the department store at 4 a.m. She had already found out during her previous visit that today was the day the store’s wool shipment would arrive—the very place where Tan Yanlu and Gao Shaolin’s ill-fated relationship began. Jiang Pan Yu came early to lie in wait. Although the risk of Tan Yanlu falling down the stairs had been eliminated, who knew what other accidents might occur?

To be absolutely sure, she had to come and see for herself. She thought she was the earliest, but to her surprise, someone had arrived even before her.

Watching a group of women with baskets already lined up in front of the department store, Jiang Pan Yu couldn’t help but admire their determination. To buy fresh vegetables and meat, they got up so early in the morning, not just once or twice, but almost every day.

Such perseverance! Jiang Pan Yu couldn’t help but be impressed!

Jiang Pan Yu wasn’t there to buy wool yarn, so she just stood by and watched until the Gossip System dinged: “Host, quick, quick, Tan Yanlu is here, Tan Yanlu is here.”

Jiang Pan Yu perked up immediately and looked towards the crowd, spotting an exceptionally beautiful girl standing at the back of the line.

The girl’s features were exactly like the mermaid Jiang Pan Yu had seen.

Tan Yanlu was truly beautiful. Her face was a classic oval shape, small and gentle, with two sweet dimples that added a touch of charm and liveliness when she smiled.

Tan Yanlu’s eyes were slender, not sharp when she looked at people, and when she wasn’t smiling, there was a sense of serene detachment.

These eyes, paired with her features, gave her an ethereal quality. Her every movement exuded a sense of refinement, creating an image of an unattainable fairy.

That ethereal quality made her stand out in the crowd like a shining star, unforgettable at first glance.