Chapter 34.2

Just as Luo Lan was about to speak, she suddenly realized she knew this man. Their eyes met, and his face immediately turned awkward. 

Wasn’t he the second-in-command of that cold-faced guy? She’d given him cigarettes many times, and just last night, she overheard him getting scolded by the cold-faced man. 

“Uh, this is your…” 

The man quickly waved his hands. “I have nothing to do with her. Don’t misunderstand.” 

They usually met at night, and even with some light, it was dim. Now, before dark, she could clearly see him. He was surprisingly handsome, with very fair skin, much fairer than the woman pulling him. 

It looked comical to see such a good-looking guy being dragged by a burly woman. Luo Lan suppressed a laugh, thinking more highly of him again. She heard he was skilled, yet he let this woman pull him without fighting back. This showed he wasn’t a lost cause. 

He quickly distanced himself, and the woman grew anxious. “Who says we’re not together? You’re my boyfriend. We’re getting married.” 

“You’re talking nonsense. When did I become your boyfriend? Just because I ate a few meals at your place, you think you can tie me down? I said I’d pay for the meals. Is that not enough?” 

“That’s not it. I don’t want the meal money. I want you to marry me.” 

“I’d rather die single than marry you. Just give up on this idea.” 

The man’s face flushed with embarrassment, and the current situation made him feel humiliated. In his anger, he spoke very harshly, leaving no room for argument. When he saw the woman start to sulk, he softened his stance a little. 

“Zhang Tiantian, let me make it clear. There’s no chance for us. Stop doing things like this. You’re just making a fool of yourself.” 

“Wuwu,” the woman cried, “Ma Tianliang, you’re so cruel.” 

Before Luo Lan could step in, Ma Tianliang managed to send the woman away. They wrapped up their day, and as soon as the woman left, the man hurried off too. By the time she stepped outside, both of them were nowhere to be seen. 

That evening, she planned to bring food to Zhou Qingshan. In the cold winter, they had nothing but potatoes, radishes, and cabbage to eat. Wanting to change things up a bit, she thought a delicious meal could comfort their wounded hearts. 

She looked for a jar of lard for her sauerkraut but couldn’t find it anywhere. It dawned on her that her mother-in-law mentioned the lard was finished. This month, she only had a little cooking oil left in the bottle, just enough to last until the end of the month. 

Luo Lan: System, exchange one jin of lard.

System: Okay. Points have been deducted. Host, with today’s events, you and that guy have grown closer. Are you thinking of taking the next step? 

Luo Lan: I need to observe first. Wait for the right moment. 

Stir-frying the sauerkraut with lard made it particularly fragrant. Not wanting to hoard the lard and cause trouble, she used a generous amount. The sauerkraut, potatoes, and vermicelli came out of the pot smelling delicious, making her mouth water. 

She couldn’t prepare the staple food too extravagantly, so she steamed some corn muffins. After making sure she was satisfied, she thought about Zhou Qingshan, not wanting to neglect him. Her appetite had been particularly good lately, and her stomach growled as she cooked. 

She enjoyed her meal, feeling immense satisfaction. It was so delicious, better than anything she’d eaten before. 

Carrying a basket to the factory, she found Zhou Qingshan locked in an empty warehouse from before. Just as she arrived, she crossed paths with a man coming out. 

Upon seeing her, his face immediately flushed, clearly still embarrassed about what had happened earlier that evening. He didn’t say anything, and Luo Lan didn’t speak much either. They passed by each other with a shared understanding. 

Not sure if he had given instructions, but today, the door opened unusually smoothly. As the factory director ate, he couldn’t help but praise, “This morning, we had moldy pancakes for breakfast. If it weren’t for you coming every day, I wouldn’t have made it.”

“Have you talked about your plans for the future?”

Her gaze was fixed on Zhou Qingshan, checking if he had any injuries. His coat wasn’t torn, but he walked with an odd gait, so it seemed he had taken some hits.

“I’m fine, I’m healthy. This is nothing,” he said.

The factory director interrupted, “It’s all for me. Sigh, I’ve caused you trouble. Fortunately, I’ll be sent to the farm soon. If you can soften your approach with that guy, he might just let you go.”

Zhou Qingshan was in a precarious position, with his fate hanging on that man’s words. But that man’s target was Zhou Junfang, and as the big brother, he would never back down.

“I’m sorry,” Zhou Qingshan said, feeling guilty. He hadn’t expected these family issues to drag her in. He thought he could handle things after his transfer, but the changing circumstances had caught him off guard.

“Stop apologizing; I don’t want to hear it.”

In marriage, one can either flee in times of trouble or face hardships together. She chose the latter, believing she could support him through this, waiting for the dawn to break.

After leaving him some medicine, she went out and waited by the wall. Soon, the man appeared, and in the darkness, the awkwardness between them faded.

“Are you planning to deal with that Xu guy?” 

“Don’t you want to?” he replied with a counter-question, refusing to fall into her verbal trap. 

“He’s currently in a position of power. To take him down, it has to be a big deal.”

“Is that woman connected to him?” 

“She’s his cousin.” 

That made sense. He wouldn’t have been dragged into the Women’s Federation by a woman he didn’t like. The way his face turned crimson back then was clear evidence of his inner frustration.

“Are you prepared? We’ll have to make a bold move to publicly take him down. You might be able to rise up afterwards.”

“You’ve got something to gain here, so don’t act like you’re doing me a favor. We’re cooperating for mutual benefit. If I help you bring him down, what’s in it for me?”

“Zhou Qingshan’s situation isn’t a big deal. It’s just a matter of speaking up. Right now, it’s Xu who is intentionally targeting him. If we don’t take him down, you’ll never have peace. I’m willing to take risks with you, but you have to share the detailed plan with me.”

Her words were clear: they were both targeting a common enemy. But before he acted, he needed to ensure the plan was effective.

“Spy.”

“Evidence?”

“Foreign language letters.”

“Do you know someone who speaks foreign languages? Make sure they’re competent. I don’t want a half-baked amateur causing trouble. How do you plan to place the letters in his house?” 

“You don’t need to worry about that. Just listen for my signal and bring people to search. I’ll give you a signal with my eyes when we reach the probable location.”

“If you don’t clarify, what if I search and come up empty?” 

“You’re so timid. Why are you even resisting? Just do it right under his nose. If he wants you to marry his cousin, just go ahead. Once you’re family, he’ll have to respect you.”

“Bullshit. I’d rather stay single than marry that woman. Fine, I’ll follow your lead, and we’ll do this.” 

“Wait for my signal.” 

With the groundwork laid, her provocations immediately took effect. With a strong internal ally, her plan had the conditions for implementation. The system exchanged two foreign language letters. The letters praised that man, stating how much money was deposited in his account at a foreign bank, promising him wealth and beauty upon his arrival overseas.

With the letters ready, she crumpled them in her hands. It was getting late, so she decided to contact that thief tomorrow, asking him to find a way to slip the letters in quietly.

That night, she felt at ease sleeping, but the next morning, her elder brother came running in a panic. Without waiting for her to ask, he opened up about the situation.

“Lan’er, Junfang is sick. She’s talking nonsense and has fainted.” 

“Where is she now?” 

“Your mother-in-law came to find me. I sent her to the city hospital overnight using the brigade’s cart.” 

As she spoke, Luo Lan was already putting on her coat and changing her shoes, preparing to leave. “Has the doctor checked her? What did they say?” 

“They couldn’t find anything. Junfang still hasn’t woken up. Your mother-in-law is distraught. You need to go give them some guidance. The doctor suggested transferring her to a larger hospital.” 

How could it suddenly turn out like this? Did she fall ill out of nowhere? Luo Lan took all her money, preparing to transfer her to a larger hospital. On the way, she suddenly remembered the system. It had good medicine. 

Luo Lan: Can you do a check-up? Junfang suddenly fainting and not waking up—what if a big hospital is no better? 

System: I can’t do that.

What? It can’t do that? She was troubled all the way, but upon arriving at the hospital, Zhou Junfang had woken up. The girl, who had once looked rosy, now had no color on her face. When she saw Luo Lan enter, tears streamed down her face. 

Luo Lan rushed over in a few steps, “Don’t cry, don’t cry. You’re awake, that’s good. Do you feel any discomfort? Did the doctor check you?” 

Mother Zhou chimed in, “They checked; everything is normal. They’re letting her out.” 

That was strange. Luo Lan’s face was full of confusion. One moment she fainted, and now she was suddenly fine. Who was playing tricks here? She looked at Zhou Junfang, whose big eyes were full of tears but wouldn’t say a word. 

“Junfang, did you have any symptoms before fainting? Was there something wrong?” 

“Sister-in-law,” the girl called out, and tears fell like pearls from a broken string. Luo Lan was curious, wondering what was happening. Why was she being so secretive? 

Had she been kidnapped, threatened with a knife to keep silent?