Chapter 109: Bringing Warmth

September 22, 2023

Author: Zi Tao

She thought that with the recent bad weather and supplies hard to come by, now was the perfect time to bring some warmth to others.

Mu Chenze put down the rain pants and shoe brush in his hands, shook the water off his fingers, and said, “Mom, how about this? Once I finish scrubbing the rain pants, I’ll go deliver it. I don’t feel comfortable letting you go—the roads are muddy and slippery.”

Hearing this, Qin Mahua felt a sweet warmth in her heart. Her son always thought of her first.

“Alright then!”

She set the basket down in the kitchen.

Mu Chenze quickly finished scrubbing the rain pants, went back to his room, changed into a brand-new short-sleeved Dacron shirt, fiddled with his hair for a bit, grabbed a new umbrella, picked up the basket, and headed out.

He had no idea about the whispered conversation between Qin Mahua and Fu Qing.

“Xiao Ze is like a peacock showing off his feathers—he cares about his appearance more than before.”

“Chenze really has been paying attention to his looks lately.”

About ten minutes later, there was a knock at Chu Xuan’s door.

Soon, Chu Xuan opened the gate and, seeing it was Mu Chenze, gave him a look that said, “You again?”

Mu Chenze immediately felt a little unwanted. “I really didn’t want to come out. My mom insisted I bring you and Xiao Feng some meat pies.”

He handed over the basket.

A smile instantly appeared on Chu Xuan’s face as she took it. “Thank Auntie Qin for me. Wait a second, I’ll go put this away. Can you take the basket back with you?”

She headed toward the kitchen.

Mu Chenze felt a bit disappointed—she hadn’t even glanced at his new Dacron shirt, nor invited him inside.

Less than a minute later, Chu Xuan returned to the gate with the basket.

“I fried some peanuts. Take them home and share them with your family. It’s about to pour and get really windy, so I won’t invite you in. You’d better hurry home!”

She was telling the truth. In her previous life, there had been a heavy rain around five o’clock on this very day. She remembered it clearly because Feng Chunhua had asked someone to fetch her to the county hospital, and she’d ridden her bike there in the rain—only to fall on the way…

Right now, Mu Chenze only had an umbrella, no raincoat or rain pants. If it poured, he’d definitely get soaked.

Mu Chenze felt a bit better and joked, “Are you the rain god or wind god? Just because you say it’ll rain and get windy, does it mean it really will?”

Chu Xuan replied confidently, “I just learned how to read the weather. If I say it’ll happen, it will. If you don’t believe me, let’s bet on it.”

“A bet? Sure, what are we betting?”

“A meal of dumplings. How about it?”

“Deal! Whoever loses tomorrow has to make dumplings and deliver them to the other!”

“It’s a promise!”

“It’s a promise!”

Mu Chenze left with the basket.

Chu Xuan closed the gate, went back to her room, and said cheerfully, “Xiao Feng, we’ll be having dumplings tomorrow!”

Mu Chenze was sure to lose.

Chu Feng had already overheard their bet and covered his mouth, laughing. “No matter who wins, I get to eat dumplings.”

Chu Xuan said confidently, “Of course I’ll win!”

Not long after Mu Chenze got home, the wind and rain really did come.

He started thinking about how he’d make dumplings tomorrow, and whether his dough-kneading skills were up to the task…

Meanwhile, Hua Daling was listening to the commotion next door through the wall.

But the wind and rain were so loud, she couldn’t make out a word of what was being said.

Her husband, Ge Dagen, hobbled over on his crutch. “What are you doing?”

Hua Daling shushed him. “Quiet! Chu Dashan and his mistress next door are being all lovey-dovey!”

As soon as Ge Dagen heard this, he got even more interested than she was.

He made a simple eavesdropping device out of a bamboo tube and pressed it against the wall.

Whispering, he said, “I can hear them! Heh heh… They’re whispering sweet nothings.”

Hua Daling tried to snatch the bamboo tube and whispered, “Let me listen for a bit.”

Ge Dagen wouldn’t give it up. “Let me listen a bit longer. Maybe they’ll say something even more scandalous soon.”

“Give it to me!”

Hua Daling raised her hand to hit him, but he blocked her.

“Don’t make a fuss. Chu Dashan just gave that woman money—quite a bit, too.”

“How much?”

“Thirty yuan, told her to go to the county and buy herself a new outfit. Generous, huh? Who knew Chu Dashan was so loaded.”

“Don’t you dare tell anyone about this.”

“Of course I won’t. Otherwise, how will we keep eavesdropping in the future?”

Unable to win the bamboo tube from Ge Dagen, Hua Daling had no choice but to go find her own. She copied his method and pressed it against the wall.

Outside, the rain was coming down harder and harder.

Chu Dashan let Liu Dafa stay over at his house.

Liu Dafa happily agreed.

With that, Hua Daling was in no rush to go to Chu Xuan’s house to report the news.

She went to the kitchen to cook.

Ge Dan had been dragged back from his mother-in-law’s house, given a beating, and locked in his room.

He still needed more discipline.

Because she’d overheard his mother-in-law encouraging Ge Dan to do illegal things, saying as long as he didn’t get caught, it was all profit. And even if he did get caught, at least there’d be free food in jail…

The next morning, the wind and rain had eased up a lot.

Chu Xuan had just finished her herbal medicine when there was a knock at the door.

“Xiao Xuan, it’s me.”

It was Hua Daling’s voice.

Chu Xuan had already prepared a bag of fried peanuts.

She opened the door.

“Xiao Xuan, Liu Dafa just left. She spent the night with Chu Dashan, and they were at it half the night. You’re not married yet, so I won’t go into details.”

“Auntie Hua, thank you for coming to tell me. Please take this home to eat.”

Chu Xuan insisted on giving her the bag of peanuts.

Unable to refuse, Hua Daling accepted.

After watching her leave, Chu Xuan told Xiao Feng she was heading out, put a bit of money in her pocket, deliberately put on a pair of men’s rain boots, a mask, and a black raincoat.

These raincoats were unisex.

Half an hour later, she arrived outside Liu Dafa’s house.

Just as she knocked, Liu Dafa was about to go back to sleep.

Annoyed, she shouted, “Who’s banging on my door so early?”

Chu Xuan didn’t answer, just kept knocking.

Liu Dafa had no choice but to get up and open the door.

Chu Xuan, using a man’s voice, said, “Liu Dafa, you did a good job serving Chu Dashan last night.”

Liu Dafa was so startled she took a few steps back. There were no neighbors nearby, so she wasn’t worried about being overheard, but she was still scared.

“Who… who are you? How do you know about that?”

“You’ve got marks on your neck! I followed you yesterday and saw you go into Chu Dashan’s house with my own eyes. I came early today to discuss a deal with you!”

“Brother, as long as you keep this a secret, I’ll cooperate however you want. I can even serve you if you like.”

“Pah! I wouldn’t touch you! I’ll keep your secret, but you have to help me get some information.”

Liu Dafa trembled all over. “What do you want to know? Just say it, I’ll do my best!”

“Good! Tonight, go to Chu Dashan’s house again, get him drunk, and ask him a few questions.”

“What questions?”

“Ask where his wife’s money really came from, whether his wife has any important connections, and about his biological son…”

Chu Xuan gave her detailed instructions.

Liu Dafa nodded repeatedly, promising to get it done.

Chu Xuan stuffed thirty yuan into her hand. “There’ll be more reward if you succeed. Do a good job!”

“Understood, understood.”

Liu Dafa’s eyes lit up at the money, nodding and bowing as she saw Chu Xuan off.

Only then did she lock her door and go inside to count the cash.

Making money from both sides—why not?

She decided to skip her nap, take advantage of the lighter rain, go out to buy some liquor, and prepare to earn more at Chu Dashan’s place that night…

When Chu Xuan got back to the village entrance, she happened to run into Mu Chenze.

She couldn’t let herself be recognized.

There were some things she didn’t want Mu Chenze to know.

But since she was in disguise and wearing a mask, there was no way he’d recognize her.

She boldly walked right past…"