Chapter 30: Reactions
“Brother Zhang, you all follow me. I’ll take you on a shortcut out!”
The three finally pushed against the crowd to reach his position. Wu Ming bared his big white teeth, grinning until his originally not-so-large eyes narrowed into slits.
“This way!”
Meeting Zhang Ze and Mao Jinqian’s inquiring gazes, Su Ning nodded without much thought. Having an acquaintance lead the way was always better than groping blindly.
It was more than ten minutes later when the group finally walked out of the train station completely.
The morning sun in Xiangnan hadn’t fully risen yet, but the temperature was already steadily climbing.
Waves of stifling heat assaulted them, forcing pedestrians on the road to unconsciously quicken their steps.
The clothes on their backs, not yet dry, were soaked with sweat again, making their whole bodies sticky and extremely uncomfortable.
Wu Ming left his address, emphasizing repeatedly that once they settled in, they must contact him if they came to Star City again. Only then did he reluctantly shoulder his big bundle, looking back every few steps, and board the bus he was supposed to take to leave.
One south, one north, different from Beijing City, yet Xiangnan Star City had its own unique prosperity.
Four- or five-story buildings were common at a glance, with gray-white walls bearing portraits of great leaders paired with various red slogans.
The train station in the city center had a clock tower spire design, with a guesthouse and commune canteen right across from it.
They still needed to transfer buses to go to Gu City, about six or seven hours away.
Su Ning glanced across the street, then looked down at her watch and checked the time in her mind.
“Brother Zhang, you take Brother Mao to the commune canteen and wait for me first. I’ll go to the post office to call Grandpa Fu. After we eat and rest a bit, we can still make the bus in time.”
“Okay.”
She wasn’t tired, but it was really hot. How could resting in a shady spot be bad?
However…
Zhang Ze casually wiped the sweat from his face with his shoulder and looked up to survey the surroundings. “Let Jinqian go first. I’ll go with you to the post office.”
“Right, Ning Ning, let Brother Zhang go with you.”
Tacitly taking the big snakeskin bag from Zhang Ze, Mao Jinqian persuaded her while swapping his lighter luggage from his hands and back to him.
Knowing they weren’t reassured about her going alone, Su Ning felt she could manage but didn’t insist. This was unfamiliar territory after all, so she really should pay more attention to personal safety.
Most people now were simple and kind-hearted, but that didn’t mean there were no bad people. She still remembered the sensational kidnapping case of Jin Hua that shocked the whole school last semester.
Right at the school gate, brazen human traffickers dragged people away without a word, claiming to be Jin Hua’s relatives and giving her no chance to respond.
Thinking of that situation where the victim couldn’t defend herself, with even all the onlookers siding with the pitiful traffickers to persuade the victim instead, Su Ning couldn’t help but shiver.
“Then Brother Mao, are you okay going by yourself?”
“No problem! This stuff is nothing, and it’s not far. I’ll go ahead and wait for you two over there!”
Mao Jinqian cheerfully finished speaking, loading his chest and back, his hands equally busy.
He truly showed no difficulty, walking with vigorous strides.
“Ning Ning, let’s go too.”
……
Beijing City, Steel Factory Family Courtyard.
Qian Huiru was getting on in years after all. After finally getting pregnant with this child over so many years, she nearly miscarried and stayed in the hospital for a few days until the fetus stabilized before being discharged home.
“Oh, who’s this? Isn’t it our Factory Director Xu!”
Xu Zixin and his daughter carefully supported Qian Huiru as they just reached the courtyard when a sarcastic greeting came to their ears.
“Aunt Tan, what do you mean by that?”
Hah, what did she mean?
Aunt Tan was full of indignation. Her own daughter had been so ruthless, beating her and abandoning her just like that!
She wanted to see if Xu Zixin would regret it later—what kind of precious gem could come out of Qian Huiru’s belly.
Never mind that her belly was flat now with no sign of pregnancy; even if it was a boy, so what? Did the Xu family have a throne needing a male heir?!
Just thinking that she could no longer see Su Ning that child often made her chest feel stuffy.
Aunt Tan’s gaze at him grew more and more disdainful. She snorted coldly, turned, and walked away without another word.
The people cooling off under the big tree nearby also shook their heads and gossiped softly.
Exchanging a glance with Qian Huiru, Xu Zixin suddenly had a bad premonition.
Over these years, no matter where he went, everyone looked up to him. Without boasting, especially in the family courtyard and steel factory, no one spoke ill of him.
But after just a few days away, what exactly had Su Ning done? Everyone’s impression of him seemed to have plummeted!
“Shanshan, when you came back for things, you really didn’t run into Ning Ning even once?”
“Dad, I really didn’t see her. Her room was locked.”
Xu Shanshan pouted, secretly annoyed at Su Ning’s thief-like behavior: so what if she had a few nice pieces of jewelry and clothes? As if no one else did.
“Let’s go home first!”
It wasn’t until a few minutes later at their doorstep that the three were dumbfounded.
He remembered the front door was kicked half off its hinges in a moment of anger that day, but why was the inside a total mess with no spot to set foot?!
“Oh my god, this… who did this!”
Qian Huiru couldn’t help crying out, her head spinning dizzily.
Then thinking of the money and ration coupons needed to replace everything inside and out, her heart ached sharply.
“Who else could it be.”
“Old Uncle Lian, what exactly happened?”
Old Master Lian, strolling by with hands behind his back, gave him a look of utter disappointment.
He used to think little Xu was great in every way. Soon after, his own son was transferred, and with him leading after formal appointment, everyone felt assured.
Now…
He shook his head darkly, his old eyes dimmed.
“Who else but that bold old man Fu.”
“Tsk, that old cripple with one lame leg, still swinging that stick with force~ You tell me, little Xu.”
Xu Zixin couldn’t help clenching his fist tightly: the Fu family was simply bullying them too much!
His molars ground with a creaking sound, so hard that his entire jaw trembled slightly.
Taking several deep breaths, Xu Zixin told the mother and daughter to go in and clean up first while he asked in detail about what had happened these past few days.
Once he fully understood everything, Xu Zixin walking back inside felt like devouring someone.
That old man and little girl had stirred up several scenes, collapsing half of the good reputation he had painstakingly built!
How could he not hate it?!
Fine, fine, fine, what a brilliant overt scheme. As expected of his daughter, playing retreat to advance with something from nothing masterfully!
“Old Xu, what exactly is going on?”
“Don’t ask. I’m heading out.”
Qian Huiru hadn’t even set down her things when she saw him storming out the door. She hurriedly chased a few steps. “Hey, Old Xu, where are you going?”
“Mom, what’s wrong with Dad? Where’s he going?”
Not daring to run vigorously, Qian Huiru could only watch his retreating back helplessly, stroking her chest and then slowly sliding her hand to her belly.
“Go inside and clean up!”
Rolling her eyes dramatically, Xu Shanshan stomped her foot and turned back to work.
