Zhu Family Alley.

Shaanxi Lane.

Baishun Alley.

Jinqian Alley.

Qiao Jiuru spent over two hours silently checking all these alleys in the west district.

Fortunately, she had the foresight to buy an extra bicycle from the black market beforehand and stored it in her space.

Otherwise, running through all these alleys on foot would have taken at least three hours, which was impossible.

While going through the alleys, she also stopped by two black markets on the way and bought over a hundred jin (about 50 kg) of fine grains, plus eggs, pork, lard, and live chickens.

Anything she could buy and carry, she didn’t miss.

Before dawn, she quietly returned home again.

Su Ze happened to be up and was startled to see his mother come back from behind.

“This is breakfast for today. For lunch and dinner, we’ll just have sweet potatoes.”

Qiao Jiuru calmly pulled out from a cloth bag ten meat buns, eight eggs, and about three jin (around 1.5 kg) of sweet potatoes.

In the morning, when few people were paying attention, they could eat something better.

For lunch and dinner, since many would be watching and observing their family, they could only eat sweet potatoes to avoid suspicion.

As long as they weren’t hungry, it was enough.

Su Ze wasn’t too surprised by what his mother brought out.

On the contrary, the little worry in his heart grew a bit.

But since his mother’s expression didn’t show much fear or worry, Su Ze felt calmer.

Zhou Wanwan was quickly called to eat breakfast. The meat buns and eggs were warm and ready to eat without reheating.

“Xiao Ze, Xiao Wan, today we’ll continue to mend the clothes and quilts, then pack them up. Whatever else we can use and take, we’ll bring it when we leave.”

Since they no longer needed to go to school and couldn’t leave the house casually, Qiao Jiuru instructed her son and daughter-in-law to quickly prepare all the usable things to take with them.

When the time came, they would just pick it up and go.

Also, keeping busy helped keep their minds off worrying.

It was better than living in constant fear—already eating and sleeping poorly, and with the bad weather, getting sick would be disastrous.

After Su Ze and Zhou Wanwan finished eating, they were immediately ordered to work.

The couple, without much say, obediently did whatever they were told.

…

At the other side, at the Displacement Committee, shortly after work started, Lin Kesheng arrived.

He didn’t go back to his office but went straight to the locked room where Su Huaiyuan was held.

At this moment, he was staring at Su Huaiyuan with a sinister look, scrutinizing him for quite some time before speaking casually:

“I heard you sent your two grandsons to other people’s homes to hide?!”

Su Huaiyuan, who had kept his head low and remained silent for a day and night, suddenly raised his head upon hearing this, eyes full of shock and anger staring at the man in front of him.

Lin Kesheng couldn’t help but laugh at Su Huaiyuan’s reaction.

He knew no matter how tough a person seemed, there was always a weak spot; once found, he wouldn’t worry about whether they would confess.

“Su Huaiyuan, if you don’t tell me what else you’re hiding, I’ll bring them all here to keep you company—grandfather and grandsons reunited, surely everyone will be happy.”

If he dared not speak, Lin Kesheng coldly threatened, no longer smiling, warning that he would be ruthless.

Su Huaiyuan was angry, scared, and furious all at once.

First, he glared at Lin Kesheng, then seemed resigned and disheartened.

Finally, he moved his lips:

“I’ll tell you…”

Less than half an hour later, Lin Kesheng came out of the room very satisfied.

Soon after, he gathered a few of his trusted men at the committee, preparing to go out to collect the things Su Huaiyuan had revealed.

As he was about to leave the gate, Tan Shuwei suddenly chased out from his office, calling after him and lowering his voice beside him:

“Director, will you be back later?! I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?!”

“Is it very important?! If not, I can wait until you come back.”

Lin Kesheng, eager to collect the good stuff from the Su family, wasn’t in the mood to listen carefully and replied casually.

“It probably isn’t too important. I can wait until you tell me later.”

“Guangzi, after the matter is done, remind the director to come back for a moment.”

Tan Shuwei hesitated briefly and then said this.

Also, he seemed worried Lin Kesheng might forget, so he specially told a young man beside him.

Guangzi nodded heavily, meaning he had remembered and would definitely remind the director.

Lin Kesheng, already pushing his bicycle, saw this and knew it wasn’t anything big, so he didn’t care much.

Tan Shuwei watched Lin Kesheng and his group rush off excitedly, his eyes somewhat dark and unclear.

…

The afternoon almost passed, but Lin Kesheng still hadn’t returned.

Fortunately, near quitting time, Lin Kesheng finally showed up, looking very pleased—obviously with a big haul.

“Old Tan, what exactly did you want to tell me this morning?!”

Lin Kesheng was in a great mood, humming a tune as he sat opposite Tan Shuwei.

“Director, how about I invite you to a meal, and we talk privately?”

Tan Shuwei glanced at others in the office, hesitated, then spoke.

It seemed like this place wasn’t convenient for talking.

Lin Kesheng, in good spirits, immediately guessed Tan Shuwei’s matter might be related to him and became restless.

“Old Tan, it’s almost quitting time. I’ll treat you to this meal; why don’t we go earlier?”

He was eager to find out what Tan Shuwei wanted to say.

..

Half an hour later.

Lin Kesheng and Tan Shuwei sat in a small private room at a secretly run restaurant, with Western dishes and soup already on the table.

“Old Tan, did you hear any news?!”

Lin Kesheng had been thinking over and over about his recent actions but hadn’t figured out anything.

Finally, after the dishes were served and no one else was around, he asked impatiently.

“Director, to be honest, I did hear some rumors, but I don’t know if they’re true.”

Tan Shuwei didn’t mean to tease him; after a pause, he told him what he’d heard these past days.

“I heard someone above has noticed how many benefits our place has and intends to send someone here, though I don’t know what position they’ll be given. I guess it won’t be low—at least a deputy director post.”

“What?!”