Chapter 44: Worried She’ll Be Lured Away

Zhang Yong and his wife were at home, dreaming sweet dreams.

Selling 200 copies a day earned them 10 yuan, 300 yuan a month, and over 3,000 yuan a year. In less than three years, they would become ten-thousand-yuan households.

Both were stunned when the police broke down the door.

“Zhang Yong, right? You’re suspected of illegal detention and assault. The crime is established. Come with us.”

At the same time, Zhang Yong’s mother, who was tightly bound, was also taken away in a police car.

…

Gu Yunze and Jiang Yiyi received the news half an hour later.

“They’ve been arrested. They’ll be convicted once the evidence is gathered,”

Zhao Jin said.

“Thank you.”

Zhao Jin appreciated their lack of questions, leaving behind a phone number. “If you encounter any difficulties in the future, you can call this number.”

Gu Yunze took it.

After Zhao Jin left, Jiang Yiyi went to tell Zhang Mei the good news. Zhang Mei’s eyes welled up again. “Yiyi, I really don’t know how to thank you.”

If it weren’t for Jiang Yiyi, she and her two children didn’t know what would have happened. She would gladly repay this kindness with her life.

“It’s nothing. Just keep helping me sell Liangpi diligently in the future.”

This wasn’t gratitude; it was clearly helping her. Zhang Mei’s eyes welled up even more.

Fearing Zhang Mei would express more gratitude, Jiang Yiyi took out five yuan and stuffed it into her hand. “Take this money to buy food for the next few days. If I have time, I’ll come over. If it’s not enough, tell me.”

Fearing she wouldn’t accept it, Jiang Yiyi added, “Consider this a loan. You have to pay me back when you earn money.”

Zhang Mei nodded gratefully. All her money had been stolen, and even if Jiang Yiyi hadn’t lent her money, she would have asked to borrow some.

“Yunze and I will go back now. If anything happens, go to the workshop to find my brother.”

…

Coming out of the hospital, Jiang Yiyi wanted to check the time and subconsciously raised her hand to look at her watch, only to remember she’d transmigrated. She lowered her hand, thinking she should buy a watch someday.

She thought it was a small action, and didn’t try to hide it, but Gu Yunze noticed. Something flashed in his deep eyes.

The two went straight home.

Gu’s mother and Gu Yunchi hadn’t gone to bed yet, waiting for them.

“Why are you back so late? Did something happen?”

Hearing the noise, Gu Yunchi came out of the room. He hadn’t seen them at the workshop in the evening and thought they had returned earlier.

“I’ll heat up the food; you and your older sister can talk.”

Gu Yunze went to the kitchen, and Jiang Yiyi went to Gu’s mother’s room, telling her about Zhang Mei’s situation. Both were very sympathetic to Zhang Mei.

“Even if Zhang Yong is sentenced, he won’t be imprisoned for long, and his mother-in-law won’t let it go.”

Gu Yunchi said.

“I’ve already thought about this. I plan to open a workshop in the city. If she’s willing, she can come with me.”

Gu’s mother didn’t react immediately. Wasn’t it about a partnership? Why suddenly open a workshop in the city? They wouldn’t know anyone there, and if something happened, no one would help.

“Did you talk to Yunze?”

she asked.

“Yes, he said he supports whatever I do.”

Since her son said so, Gu’s mother couldn’t say anything else, but she thought she would talk to her son early tomorrow morning before Jiang Yiyi woke up. Things were already good. Although she didn’t know how much money they had, it was certainly enough for the family to live a stable life. Why go to the city to open a workshop?

Gu Yunchi had already suspected something. If it were just a business discussion, his sister-in-law wouldn’t have stayed in the city for three days.

“Today, I delivered Liangpi to the state-run restaurant. Manager Huang said to call Manager Meng at 10 a.m. tomorrow.”

The location must have been found.

It was better to act sooner rather than later. She had to decide who was going to the city tomorrow.

Gu Yunze heated up the food, and after Jiang Yiyi finished eating and cleaned up, they both took a bath.

Gu Yunze had spared her last night, but tonight he wouldn’t. Jiang Yiyi was prepared, but she didn’t expect Gu Yunze to be even more intense than the first night.

“Gu, Gu…”

“Wife…”

Gu Yunze pressed against her ear, his hot breath spraying on her face. “Call me Yunze.”

“Yun, Yunze.”

“I’m here, wife.”

“You, you, you…”, Jiang Yiyi stammered, “Faster, faster, faster!”

“Everything is up to my wife.”

Gu Yunze was indeed fast, but not the kind of fast Jiang Yiyi wanted. He repeatedly brought her to the clouds.

Jiang Yiyi couldn’t take it anymore but dared not make a sound. She bit fiercely on his shoulder, but Gu Yunze seemed stimulated and became even more frantic.

When Gu Yunze finally released her, Jiang Yiyi’s hair was wet. Gu Yunze kissed her forehead lightly, put on his clothes, turned on the water to clean her, lay back beside her, and hugged her contentedly.

Considering he had taken precautions at the last moment, Jiang Yiyi didn’t push him away and slept in his embrace.

…

The next day, Gu Yunze got up early to go for a run, but Gu’s mother called him to her room. “We have enough money now. Persuade Yiyi not to open a workshop in the city. I’m not at ease with her being alone there.”

She wasn’t just worried about that. Yiyi was beautiful. Before, her outward appearance was attractive enough, but now, the aura she exuded from the inside out was even more attractive. Her son was often away from home, and she was worried that Jiang Yiyi would be lured away.

“Yiyi has her own ambitions. I can’t help her, I can only unconditionally support her. You don’t have to worry. I trust Yiyi.”

A mother knows her son best. Gu Yunze knew what his mother was worried about, but he wasn’t worried at all. Jiang Yiyi was his wife, and she would only ever be his wife.

…

Meanwhile, the Qin family’s world was collapsing.

After Zhao Qin left with his men, Qin Gang lay on the ground for over half an hour before he could get up. He slowly walked out of the dilapidated courtyard, trudged back to his rented place, and threw himself on the bed. At dawn, he rode his bicycle home.

Qin’s father and Qin Mu were shocked to see their son’s miserable state and repeatedly asked him what happened.

Qin Gang told them about the extortion.

Hearing that the other party wanted 20,000 yuan, Qin Mu collapsed in despair. They only had a few hundred yuan at home. Even if they sold their grain, they wouldn’t be able to gather that much.

“Let’s go report it to the police!”

Qin’s father remained calm. The crackdown had just ended, and yet someone dared to extort and threaten them.

Qin Gang also wanted to report it to the police, but he had been in business for several years and had heard of all sorts of things. He didn’t know who those people were, and even if he did, he wouldn’t dare report it. Those people weren’t easy to deal with. If he reported it, and everyone was arrested, that was fine. But if someone escaped, his life would be over.

“Dad, Mom, go to your relatives’ houses tomorrow morning to borrow money. Borrow as much as you can. Tell them I have a big business deal that needs investment. I can get the money back in six months, and I’ll double the money I borrowed when I pay them back.”