Chapter 32.1

With a plan in mind, Luo Lan remained calm in the face of adversity. The system quietly observed, curious to see if this host could navigate the grim narrative. After all, the male lead in this story was ruthless, especially in this era.

After starting her work, Luo Lan chatted with Sister Liu about everyday matters. Sister Liu was feeling down. “My husband was sent to a farm.”

“So, what are you planning to do?”

“Hmph, his fierce mother is acting like a little lamb in front of me now. She was so arrogant before, and now she’s as obedient as can be. Her daughter is far away, and her son is sent away. Now she knows who she can rely on at home.”

“Then take the opportunity to secure the money she’s taken from your husband over the years. That way, you’ll hold the power and can make the right moves.”

“That’s what I’m thinking. As for divorce, I’ll have to see how things unfold. If it affects me too much, I’ll have to cut ties.”

Luo Lan didn’t respond further. Her own husband had also been targeted. That man had been stringing them along, hoping to force their submission, but once he realized he’d been tricked, he would undoubtedly retaliate with a vengeance.

Luo Lan wasn’t sure about the outcome of the discussion between her husband and mother-in-law, but she thought if she could stall for a few days, it would work out. Three days would give Zhou Junhui enough time to recover. She’d be back to normal in no time. By the time she got home, Zhou Junhui proactively announced she was going to work.

“I’ll go to work. It will ease any doubts outsiders might have. You can trust that my health is always good. I’m fine after just one night of rest.”

No matter what, that major issue was resolved. She could return to work as usual. At worst, she’d just feel a bit tired from not resting enough. But she wouldn’t be caught off guard.

Luo Lan looked at her mother-in-law to gauge her response as a parent. Mother Zhoutypically didn’t take a stand, and seeing her daughter so determined, she simply nodded in agreement.

“It should be fine. I’ll make her some good food to help her recover. Going to work shouldn’t be a problem. When I had a miscarriage, Junhui was only four months old, and Qingshan was still young. Her father was away on business, but I managed everything without any issues.”

Well, since her mother was saying this, Luo Lan didn’t oppose it. After resting for a day, Zhou Junhui began working again, conducting herself normally at the office without raising any suspicions.

News of Luo Lan’s pregnancy spread quickly, and the man’s surveillance didn’t pick up any unusual activity from the Zhou family. No medication, no procedures. Instead, the family seemed genuinely happy, celebrating the impending arrival of a new addition.

That evening, the daughter from the south house came over, carrying a bowl. This was her first visit since she returned. Mother Zhou was not a confrontational person and welcomed her inside.

“Your daughter-in-law is pregnant. Is she experiencing morning sickness? I made some vegetarian dumplings tonight, and I brought some for her to try.”

“How thoughtful of you.” Mother Zhou responded casually. “She hasn’t been too sick. She’s just become picky. Foods she used to love, she won’t touch now. For lunch, I made noodles, but she didn’t eat them, so I made porridge for dinner. She said she wanted to eat pickled vegetables, so I cooked a plate.”

“That’s how pregnancy goes. It’s normal for cravings to change. Are your pickled vegetables ready? If not, mine is very sour, she can have some.”

“Mine are sour. I pickled them early. The mustard greens and carrots are almost ready to eat. If she likes sour, I have plenty to spare.”

Mother Zhou had plenty of experience when it came to pregnancy. She knew that the girl might not have good intentions, but it was unavoidable to deal with her. There were only a few dumplings in her little bowl, and she had no choice but to accept them. As she left, she kindly saw her to the door.

“Feel free to come by often. If the weather is nice, your mother can bring her out to enjoy the sunshine.”

“Thank you, Auntie.”

Luo Lan sat on a stool eating, and Zhou Qingshan still hadn’t returned. She completely ignored the daughter from the south house’s probing. It was in line with her usual style. Previously, they had quarreled endlessly, and her mother had helped those who had harmed them. Now, suddenly playing the good person was disingenuous.

“Mom, you really didn’t need to talk to her.” Zhou Junhui shared this attitude. She was different from Mother Zhou, as she didn’t like this kind of pretense. If she didn’t like someone, she wouldn’t pretend to be friendly.

“This is just how I operate. Now that your sister-in-law is pregnant, I can’t help but feel happy!”

“That’s true. Just be careful, don’t fall into anyone’s traps.”

“Of course, your mom may be soft-hearted, but she’s not a fool.”

As Mother Zhou spoke, she went to eat the dumplings, but Luo Lan reached out to stop her. “Mom, it’s better not to eat those.”

“It’s fine. She wouldn’t dare poison us. This is just a test tool. If we throw it away, it’ll only raise suspicions.”

“They’ve never gotten along with us, so it’s normal for us to be wary of her. Trust me, just throw them away.”

“Alright then.”

The dumplings were tossed into the trash, and the girl from the south house was watching them intently, so she definitely noticed the situation. The result was that the whole family in the hall grew wary of her.

“Her son is almost thirty, shouldn’t she be looking forward to grandchildren? Hmph, and she’s still so guarded against me. How bold does she think I am to poison them?”

“Keep an eye on her family.”

Zhou Junfang’s birthday arrived, and Mother Zhou made her favorite locust flower buns. The locust flowers were dried and preserved from spring, and they hadn’t had meat for the past two months while still owing others, so there was no meat in the buns. Mother Zhou added some vermicelli and tofu, doing her best to make them delicious.

Zhou Junfang spent the morning at home helping her mother with chores. At eleven o’clock, a classmate came to find her, and the two of them headed out together. The classmate led her toward the main street, but she stopped at the entrance of the alley.

“Let’s talk here. I promised my mom I wouldn’t go far.”

“It’s just up ahead. I’ve prepared a birthday gift for you.”

“No way.”

The girl had a round, doll-like face that made her look soft and cute. However, she could be quite stubborn, as she is now. No matter what her classmate said, she refused to move forward. Just as she was about to turn back home, a man walked over from the end of the alley.

Upon seeing the man, her classmate quietly left, leaving her alone to face him. The man wore a light-colored shirt and appeared quite refined. But the moment she saw him, fear gripped her. She never expected to encounter him out here.

“Happy eighteenth birthday! You’re an adult now. This is your birthday gift.”

“My mom won’t let me accept things from others.”

“It’s nothing valuable, just a silk scarf.”

“Thank you, but I still can’t accept it.”

“You listen to your mom that well? You’re really a good girl.”

Zhou Junfang’s gaze was fixed on the distance, toward where her sister-in-law would be coming home from work. Did this man think he was good at sweet-talking? She felt her scalp tingling with anxiety. Just seeing him made her frightened, and she sensed the fake smile on his face, worried that he might explode with anger at any moment.

“I have to go home now. Goodbye.”

Gathering her courage, the girl refused him, wanting to bypass him just like her sister-in-law would. What was wrong with him? He was so annoying. If she had to deal with his harassment every day in the city, she would rather go to the countryside.

“Don’t be in such a hurry to leave.” The man actually reached out and grabbed her. Zhou Junfang was terrified. She instinctively screamed and struggled to shake him off.

“Don’t touch me.”

Hearing her panicked shout, the man quickly released his grip. “Okay, okay, don’t shout. I’ve let go.”

Zhou Junfang turned to run, but the man suddenly changed his tone. “Your brother is in trouble. Don’t you want to help him?”

Zhou Junfang turned back, her eyes widening in alarm. “What happened to my brother?”

“It’s not convenient to talk here. Come on, I’ll take you somewhere we can talk.”

To be honest, this man was really good at exploiting vulnerabilities. Zhou Junfang was impressionable and deeply emotional. Her older brother was the pillar of their family. Hearing that he was in trouble instinctively made her want to understand what was going on.

After walking a couple of steps, she suddenly remembered her mother’s and sister-in-law’s warnings, so she stopped in her tracks. “Let’s talk here. I promised my mom I’d be home early; if I’m late, she’ll worry.”

“I’ll have your classmate tell your mom. Come on, it’s not far. There’s a great cook there who makes authentic Shandong cuisine. He’s prepared a special birthday meal for you, complete with Chinese flower buns.”

Luring her in like this was a powerful tactic against a naive girl. At her age, she naturally felt a bit of vanity and liked beautiful, exquisite things—be it food or anything else.

“No, thank you. My mom made me locust flower buns; I want to go home and eat those.”

The man was momentarily at a loss; perhaps he hadn’t expected that something as ordinary as locust flower buns would outshine his elaborate preparations. The girl in front of him seemed soft, yet she was quite stubborn.

“Don’t you want to know what happened to your brother?”

“Just tell me, I’m listening.”

Zhou Junfang cared deeply about her brother and was eager to know what had happened. However, with her family’s repeated warnings ringing in her ears, she ultimately chose to heed their advice.

“Junfang!” Mother Zhou’s voice suddenly called out, and it felt like a spell had been broken for Zhou Junfang. Her fear faded away, and she turned and ran.

“Mom, I’m here!”

The man didn’t chase after her. The Zhou family home was too close. Watching the girl hastily distance herself from him, a cold smile crept onto his lips. His original plan was for her classmate to lead her to the location, but this girl had stubbornly refused to go halfway. He had been cautious, but still couldn’t manage to take her away.

Zhou Qingshan was a tough nut to crack, but this soft girl continued to thwart him. The next step was for Zhou Qingshan to send her to the countryside. Once she was in that vast expanse filled with generations of impoverished farmers, his chances would diminish even more.

Zhou Junfang pulled her mother along, running swiftly. Mother Zhou stumbled slightly as she was dragged. “What’s the rush? Is there a wolf chasing you?”

“Yes, there is!”