Chapter 13

Because Lu Yongzhang needed to prepare gifts for Zheng Xiaorou’s elder brother’s family, he returned to his parents’ home the next day after work.

Father Lu and Mother Lu were quite surprised by this. After finishing dinner and watching television together, their surprise gradually turned into shock.

The news was broadcast about the housing issues in Haishi, and Father Lu’s department collaborated on this project. He expressed his sentiments: “The issue of per capita housing area is a heavy burden; it seems it might not be resolved even in ten years.”

Lu Yongzhang nodded in agreement.

It had never been easy for people to have their own homes throughout history.

During the prosperous years noted in the historical records of the Daan Dynasty, which coincidentally was the year preceding Anshun’s era name, there was a documented initiative to involve private businesses.

The government encouraged these businesses to invest in housing construction for their employees by offering tax reductions. The court would allocate land for this collective housing project, and the employees could sign labor contracts with the businesses, paying a nominal fee for the deed.

In this way, all three parties could benefit.

Though he oversaw the Eastern Factory and did not participate in political affairs, he could not be absent from such a large-scale project.

Lu Yongzhang immediately perceived the predicament Father Lu was facing at work. He calmly suggested, “Isn’t the higher-ups encouraging economic activation? There are policies for both private and state-owned enterprises. Why not utilize these policies to integrate labor and housing? If everyone contributes a little and gives way, it wouldn’t be so difficult for the common people to benefit.”

Father Lu was initially taken aback, but soon, it felt as if he had received a profound revelation. His heart raced with excitement. This simple statement contained a remarkably intricate strategy.

The team was discussing this issue, and their unit was responsible for monitoring and supporting the implementation of policies. It seemed that he didn’t need to offer suggestions at this stage. However, the subsequent work would be much simpler if he could think through many problems in advance.

“Can you elaborate on the policies and how they could be coordinated?” Father Lu took out a pen and looked at his son as if waiting for the high-achieving student to provide problem-solving insights to a struggling one.

Lu Yongzhang didn’t hold back; he easily passed the responsibility to “foreign news.” “Looking at how things are done abroad, the best approaches usually involve tax and land strategies.”

After speaking, he combined this with a few economic questions from the news to extract the information he wanted.

“Mom, it’s getting late. I need to meet Xiaorou’s elder brother on Sunday to select some gifts as a courtesy.” Lu Yongzhang naturally “informed” the two, his tone calm but carrying an undeniable authority. “By the way, I think we should treat Xiaorou to a meal. What do you two think?”

Father Lu was engrossed in what Lu Yongzhang had just said, merely nodding along.

Mother Lu had no objections either and began drafting a menu while occasionally asking her son for his opinions.

Lu Yongzhang selected some common snacks and drinks.

Qin Yijun, who had just finalized the menu and wanted to talk to her son, glanced at the items he had prepared.

Though not extravagant, they were quite practical, and she felt a sense of approval.

“Mom, what’s the situation with the publishing house’s staffing?”

He was determined to find a solution after learning about Zheng Xiaorou’s work situation from Tian Xiao’e.

“There hasn’t been any change; it’s fully staffed.” Qin Yijun looked at her son with a strange expression. “You’re not trying to think of getting Zheng Xiaorou a permanent position, are you? Don’t even think about it; it’s impossible.”

Lu Yongzhang was no longer the newcomer he had once been; he had fully grasped the current mechanisms of social operation and understood the nature of staffing systems.

“No, I just wanted to know if any changes had occurred.”

If securing a permanent position was impossible, surely he could do something else to help her avoid unpleasant situations?

After selecting the items, Lu Yongzhang bent down to bid farewell to his parents. “Dad, Mom, I’ll invite Xiaorou over next week, so you two get ready.”

Once the door closed, Qin Yijun felt a sense of loss. “Oh, tell me, doesn’t our son seem like he’s being raised by someone else?”

Father Lu looked up from his notes and let out a soft grunt. “He is still our son.”

Whose son had such vision and magnanimity?

Lu Boshi put away his fountain pen, filled with pride.

—o—o—o—

Outside the Fulin Apartment, a girl stopped Lu Yongzhang. “Hello, Comrade. Are you Lu Yongzhang?”

Fulin Road was bustling with traffic, unlike the quieter Sanzhu Town; this was the city center of Haishi. Even at eight o’clock, the streets were still brightly lit.

Lu Yongzhang took a step back, maintaining a one-meter distance from her.

He had an excellent memory for faces and quickly recognized this unexpected visitor as the companion of the person who had drunk the orange soda he had given her that night at the cinema.

He squinted slightly, wondering what this person wanted from him.

Li Minglan looked up at the indifferent man before her. Unlike the previous night when she had seen him from a distance, he appeared even more impressive and exceptionally handsome up close. The news she had painstakingly gathered about him made her heart ache with bitterness.

What abilities did Zheng Xiaorou possess that had everyone acting like they were under a spell? Men were so shallow, only drawn to her looks.

Originally, Cheng Qian had promised to give their relationship a try. They had watched a movie together alone, and everything seemed to be going well. Yet, unexpectedly, they encountered Zheng Xiaorou again at the cinema.

Yes, although she had only caught a fleeting glimpse of a careless back, she had instantly recognized that the man who had bought them two bottles of soda was next to Zheng Xiaorou.

Just one night later, Cheng Qian sent Cheng Jiao a message to relay a message saying that the two were not suited for each other!

Where was Li Minglan inferior to Zheng Xiaorou?

True, she wasn’t as beautiful, but her family background was much better, right? Besides, what did Zheng Xiaorou have aside from her looks?

She was lacking in everything else.

Li Minglan was preparing for the college entrance examination, and once she succeeded, she would be a college student!

Just thinking about this made her feel nauseous.

However, her elder brother, who had always indulged her, advised her not to rush and to wait for opportunities—wait for what? She had waited for years for Cheng Qian, even hoping that Zheng Xiaorou’s reputation would take a hit, yet Cheng Qian still didn’t like her! How could she accept this?

She had to do something!

Looking at this person, who was said to be the most formidable in Sanzhu Town, Li Minglan mustered her courage and stared at him. “You’ve been deceived.”

The dim streetlights softened the harsh lines of Lu Yongzhang’s face, creating an illusion of approachability.

But the moment he turned his gaze to Li Minglan, his eyes were cold and distant, as if he were looking at an inanimate object.

There was no surprise, no shock, not even the slightest curiosity.

Lu Yongzhang stood straight, his expression showing no sign of fluctuation. “Go on, what have I been deceived about?”

In those brief seconds, Li Minglan reconsidered this person’s notorious reputation in Sanzhu Town, concluding that he probably wouldn’t hit a woman. She boldly blurted out a rumor she had long since grown tired of: “Your girlfriend, Zheng Xiaorou… she… she’s been married before, you know?”

Lu Yongzhang’s hands, which had been hanging by his sides, clenched tightly.

This was the first time he had heard those words that sent him into a rage since arriving in the world.

He instantly recalled the scene of Zheng Xiaorou in tears, saying her reputation was poor and desperately assuring him that there was absolutely no such thing.

Amid his fury, he remained calm, merely raising an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Seeing his expression waver, Li Minglan felt a flicker of lightness in her nervous heart as if she had been encouraged. She took a deep breath and blurted out the rest of her words: “She got married in Yunnan and divorced to come back to the city. Her ex-husband was a crude pig farmer; she was just unwilling to settle for that…”

Without warning, Lu Yongzhang stepped forward and suddenly grasped her throat.

Having served as a soldier in a field army for several years, his physical condition was excellent, and his grip was astonishingly strong.

As his thick fingers mercilessly tightened around her neck, it exuded an intense sense of deadly threat.

Li Minglan immediately struggled to breathe; the pressure on her throat felt like a steel rod.

She saw stars flickering in her vision and instinctively reached up to push him away but found she couldn’t budge him.

The sounds of traffic on the road faded into the background, leaving her only with the sound of her own labored breaths and the frantic beating of her heart.

She began to fear—was this person insane?

It felt like an eternity had passed, and just as she was about to lose consciousness, Lu Yongzhang released his grip and pushed her forward.

Fresh air rushed into her nostrils and trachea, and she doubled over, clutching her knees and gasping for breath.

Li Minglan looked up at Lu Yongzhang, who was gently wiping the palm of his hand with a handkerchief, the area that had just touched her neck, showing his disgust without reservation. “You think you’re worthy to compare yourself to her?”

His voice was as cold as a blade of ice stabbing into Li Minglan’s ears.

She widened her eyes, staring at him in terror.

The streetlight filtered through the leaves of the sycamore trees, casting a dappled light and shadow across his face.

His indifferent expression conveyed disgust, making him resemble a fearsome deity.

He, along with everyone else, loved Zheng Xiaorou so deeply.

This realization filled Li Minglan with a strong sense of defeat, but an even stronger unwillingness to accept her situation came alongside.

She twisted her expression and venomously said, “You don’t know her well, do you? You probably don’t know that she and Cheng Qian have been exchanging letters for five years! In the end, he didn’t want her…”

After saying this, Li Minglan felt a rush of satisfaction.

With a loud crack, Lu Yongzhang stomped down on a piece of broken stone on the road. “How could that scum possibly be worthy of her?”

Li Minglan opened her mouth, unsure of what to say.

He had gone mad!

This person must be a lunatic! Not only was he violent towards women, but his thinking was also completely different from others.

Her eyes brimmed with tears. “You don’t believe me? How can you not believe me?”

Her brother had told her that no man would be indifferent to such matters and that no family would take it lightly. As long as enough people speak about it, even lies can become truths after hearing them a few times.

But she had already revealed that Zheng Xiaorou had been corresponding with Cheng Qian, a fact that made her feel incredibly bitter.

She had shared that, yet he didn’t even ask for clarification; he simply called Cheng Qian scum!

Lu Yongzhang looked down at her, his dark gaze icy enough to make one shudder. “Get lost.”

Li Minglan touched her neck, filled with a mix of hatred and fear. After stepping back a few paces, she turned and walked away.

Lu Yongzhang changed his mind; instead of returning to Sanzhu Town, he headed to Pang Haifan’s home.

Pang Haifan opened the door and was taken aback upon seeing Lu Yongzhang holding gifts. The resentment he had felt from being treated like a subordinate vanished in an instant, replaced by a fleeting sense of guilt.

Moved, he reached out to take the bag. “Buddy, why are you being so polite? I’m not used to this.”

Lu Yongzhang raised his hand to avoid Pang Haifan’s gesture, quickly scanning the situation inside the Pan household before stepping through the door. “The gifts aren’t for you.” After the door closed behind him, he lowered his voice, which carried a hint of coldness. “Put everything else aside for now. First, investigate Li Minglan, Cheng Qian’s blind date.”

—o—o—o—

T/N: The ML is too crazy