Chapter 124: Does the Key Work Well?

October 2, 2023

Author: Zi Tao

Xiao Huan supported Feng Chunhua with one hand and picked up the bicycle with the other, looking every bit the honest man. “Auntie, sit on the bike seat and hold on tight. I’ll take you to the hospital for a check-up.”

Chu Zhi, acting the dutiful son, also helped Feng Chunhua. “Mom, take it slow, move carefully onto the seat.”

Hiding in the alley, Chu Xuan struggled to hold back her laughter. When Chu Zhi put on the act of a filial son, he really did look the part.

Once the three of them left, Chu Xuan, dressed in men’s clothes and wearing gloves, walked up to Feng Chunhua’s courtyard gate. She carefully examined the position of the lock before taking out the key and unlocking it.

Chu Zhi never locked the door with the lock in the center.

After entering, she inserted the key back in place.

She headed straight for Feng Chunhua’s bedroom.

Taking out the key, she tried to open the lock.

Unfortunately, no matter how she tried, it wouldn’t open.

It looked like the lock had been recently changed.

Could it be that Feng Chunhua realized someone had copied her key?

Leaving just like that felt too frustrating.

If she tried to pick the lock, it would definitely alert someone.

After hesitating for a moment, Chu Xuan decided not to pick the lock.

She restored the bedroom door lock to its original position.

She tried to peek through the window, but the curtains blocked her view—she couldn’t see a thing.

She tried pushing and pulling the window, but it wouldn’t budge.

Without lingering any longer, she wiped away any traces of her visit, left the house, locked the courtyard gate, and put the lock back exactly where Chu Zhi had left it.

About ten minutes later, Chu Xuan returned to the backyard of Uncle Long’s shop and changed back into her own clothes and shoes.

She went to the front of the shop to find Uncle Long.

There was no one in the shop—perfect for a private conversation.

“Uncle Long, Feng Chunhua’s bedroom lock has been changed. I couldn’t get in. But the courtyard gate lock is still the same.”

Uncle Long looked puzzled. “That’s odd. If Feng Chunhua knew we copied her key, why would she only change the bedroom lock and not the main gate?”

At that moment, Xiao Huan was accompanying Feng Chunhua into the hospital’s outpatient clinic. His bike key had been taken by Chu Zhi, who said that if Xiao Huan tried to run, he’d sell the bike to pay for his mother’s medical bills.

Chu Zhi said to the doctor, “Please give my mother a full check-up. She was hit by a bike and feels unwell everywhere.”

Xiao Huan chimed in, “Yes, doctor, please write up the forms! I’ll go pay once you’re done.”

Seeing that they weren’t joking, the doctor quickly wrote up the forms.

Just then, Chu Zhi clutched his stomach. “My stomach hurts. I need to use the restroom.”

He rushed out.

After getting the forms, Xiao Huan helped Feng Chunhua to a bench in the corridor. “Auntie, wait here. I’ll go pay the fees.”

Feng Chunhua grabbed him. “You’re not going to run off, are you?”

“How could I? My bike key is still with your son! Just wait for me, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“Alright then.”

What Feng Chunhua didn’t know was that when Chu Zhi entered the restroom, someone bumped into him, and the key in his pocket disappeared.

A few minutes later, after finishing in the restroom, Chu Zhi realized he didn’t have any toilet paper. As he searched his pockets, he discovered the bike key he’d taken was gone.

Over twenty minutes later, Xiao Huan, back in his usual appearance, walked into Uncle Long’s shop.

Earlier at the hospital, one of his men had helped him retrieve the bike key, allowing him to get away smoothly.

Seeing Chu Xuan there too, he asked proudly, “How did my key work? Pretty good, right?”

He was very confident in his key-copying skills.

Chu Xuan replied helplessly, “It worked fine, but Feng Chunhua changed the bedroom lock.”

“Huh? She changed it? Did she realize the key was copied? Give me three days, I’ll get to the bottom of this! And I’ll copy a new key while I’m at it.”

Xiao Huan was always in a hurry. With a wave, he was about to leave.

Uncle Long stopped him.

“Xiao Huan, when you copied the bedroom key, did you forget to wipe off the ink?”

Xiao Huan answered with certainty, “I remember very clearly—I wiped the ink off the key completely.”

Suddenly, Chu Xuan thought of Chu Zhi’s character. “Maybe after you, Chu Zhi also tried to copy the key and forgot to wipe off the ink? The more he can’t get into a place, the more he wants to.”

“I’ll check. I’ll give you an answer in three days!”

Xiao Huan hurried off.

Chu Xuan didn’t linger either and took her leave.

As she passed the bus stop, she happened to see Mu Chenze getting off the bus.

She greeted him.

“Boss Mu, you’re back! How’s business?”

Mu Chenze looked cheerful. “Just look at my face—you can probably guess.”

Neither of them mentioned last night’s events, as if those words had never been spoken.

Still good buddies.

“Did you sell all the grilled fish snacks?”

“Yep. Lian Mei’s relatives bought them all. Come with me to the credit union? I need to deposit the money and count out your share.”

“No problem. You don’t have to give me all the money—keep your share of the profits.”

“Didn’t we always settle accounts first and split profits later?”

“From today on, we’ll split profits daily. I’m the boss of the grilled fish snacks, so I make the rules!”

That way, when it came time to split profits at the end, Mu Chenze wouldn’t end up with less.

Mu Chenze replied happily, “No problem, you’re the boss! Whatever you give me, I’ll take. If I end up with less, I’d be an idiot! I’ll save it up for my future wife!”

He said it on purpose to tease Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan just smiled calmly. “As long as you’re happy.”

Mu Chenze almost choked—he hadn’t managed to tease Chu Xuan, and instead got teased himself.

On the way to the credit union, he stayed silent.

Once there, he deposited two amounts: three thousand yuan and one thousand yuan.

Chu Xuan didn’t ask.

He explained quietly, “The smaller amount is my private savings. Keep it secret for me.”

Chu Xuan replied in a low voice, “If you want to keep it secret, you probably shouldn’t have brought me.”

They whispered to each other.

“There’s a reason I brought you.”

“What reason?”

“I wanted to share my secret with you. Also, I want to ask you to help me hide the bankbook. The one with a thousand yuan—my family can’t know about it.”

“Since you’ve helped me so much, I’ll do it.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Chu Xuan found herself holding a bankbook with Mu Chenze’s name and a thousand yuan, plus 240 yuan in cash.

“Is this the fish snack money minus your share of the profits?”

“That’s right.”

“You didn’t deduct transportation costs.”

“Thanks for reminding me. I’ll take back ten yuan.”

Mu Chenze quickly snatched ten yuan from Chu Xuan’s hand.

It was the first time he’d settled accounts so clearly with Chu Xuan. He decided to keep doing it this way, so Chu Xuan wouldn’t always think he was getting the short end of the stick.

Once he saved up more money, he’d deposit it in the bank and keep having Chu Xuan look after the bankbook.

Chu Xuan put away the money and bankbook.

They left the credit union together.

Chu Xuan asked the question on her mind, “The fish snacks sold quickly, and you delivered the seafood fast too. Why are you back so late? It’s already afternoon…”

Mu Chenze smiled mysteriously. “That’s my secret. No more questions!”

“Aunt Liu is still waiting to sell men’s long-sleeve shirts! If you can get some wholesale, don’t forget to set aside about twenty for her.”

“What a coincidence—there’ll be a batch tomorrow. I’ll pick them up when I go to the city. Want to invest?”

“I’ll pass.”

Every time she partnered with Mu Chenze, he ended up losing out.

Chu Xuan would rather not work together than see him suffer a loss.

“Alright then! After I bring back the shirts tomorrow, where should I find Aunt Liu?”

“Just leave them at Uncle Long’s jade shop. Uncle Long will pay.”

“Okay.”

After that, they went their separate ways.

When Chu Xuan got home, she took out the bankbook with Mu Chenze’s name from her pocket. She felt like something was off, but couldn’t quite put her finger on what…"