Chapter 133: The Perfect Timing

October 8, 2023

Author: Zi Tao

Chu Xuan didn’t even need to ask to guess what was going on. Her expression remained calm. “Aunt Li, did Madam Feng come over to badmouth me again?”

“That’s right. My son happened to be home and told me not to pay her any mind, said Madam Feng isn’t a good person.” Aunt Li smiled as she pointed to the main room. “Let’s go inside and talk!”

The real reason was that she wanted to find an excuse to keep Chu Xuan for a meal.

Chu Xuan gently shook her head. “Auntie, I really have something to do today. Next time, I’ll make time to come over and tell you all about the mess between me and Feng Chunhua’s family.”

Seeing that Chu Xuan truly couldn’t stay, Aunt Li didn’t insist. “Alright, but you have to come by soon! I can’t wait to hear the whole story.”

Actually, after Feng Chunhua’s visit, her son had already told her a bit.

That’s when she learned how tough Chu Xuan’s life had been.

She was just saying this to get Chu Xuan to visit again.

Chu Xuan promised she’d definitely come, then took her leave.

Aunt Li didn’t look away until Chu Xuan’s figure had disappeared. Then she turned her attention to the sea duck on the ground.

It was plump.

She planned to keep it in the backyard and save it for when her son had time off, then they’d slaughter it for a meal.

Meanwhile, Chu Zhi was reporting to his mother.

“Ma, Chu Xuan went to Wei Qiang’s place again, and this time she brought a fat sea duck. Looks like she really wants to cozy up to the Wei family!”

Feng Chunhua snorted coldly. “She wishes! That fat girl who can’t get married, casting her net everywhere. I’m going to Wei’s house again to spill the dirt on her, tell them about her kissing Mu Chenze. I don’t believe Old Lady Li won’t care!”

She made as if to grab her cane and head out.

Chu Zhi hurriedly stopped her. “Ma, don’t go! Chu Xuan knows my secret, and I haven’t even found a wife yet. If you badmouth her, she’ll spread rumors about me everywhere. Let’s think of another way to bring her down!”

“You’re right. I’ll have to think carefully. Help me to my room to lie down.”

“Okay.” Chu Zhi carefully helped his mother into her bedroom, then continued, “Ma, your leg will take another two or three months to heal. You can’t go to Haishi for now. Should I go for you?”

“No need. You don’t know the market. Even if you take those things to Haishi, you won’t get a good price.”

“Ma, what about the valuables? Are they not in this house?”

Chu Zhi glanced around the bedroom.

Feng Chunhua chuckled. “Of course not. Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘A crafty rabbit has three burrows’?”

“Don’t tell me you bought another house?”

“Smart boy. But don’t tell your father yet. That old fool barely stayed in town for a few days before asking for money to run back to the village. He must be showing off his cash, trying to attract women! Just wait till my leg heals—I’ll give him a piece of my mind!”

At the end of last month, Chu Zhi had gone to the village to check on Chu Dashan as instructed by Feng Chunhua.

As it happened, Chu Dashan was home with a fever and no one to care for him. Chu Zhi arranged for the village tractor to take him to the hospital. Now that he’d recovered, he was eager to return to the village.

Feng Chunhua didn’t stop him.

At this moment, Chu Dashan was outside Liu Dafang’s house.

“Dafang, open up! I need to talk to you.”

Liu Dafang didn’t dare open the door.

Ever since her brother Liu Dalin caught her coming out of Chu Dashan’s house, he’d dragged her back to their family home and given her a severe beating, making her promise to behave herself from now on.

Even now, Liu Dafang’s backside still hurt too much to sit on a bench.

“Chu Dashan, just go home! My family found out about us. My brother said if I see you again, he’ll cripple you. We can’t meet anymore, or we’ll both get beaten. There’s a widow in our village, Widow Huang—she’s not bad looking. Why don’t you go talk to her?”

Chu Dashan had met Widow Huang once—she was around forty, still attractive.

He was tempted, but wouldn’t admit it.

“How could I go to her? You’re the only one in my heart. If you ever change your mind, come find me. I’ll always be waiting for you…”

He said a few sweet words before leaving.

Liu Dafang sighed. Maybe it was for the best to cut things off with Chu Dashan. Her sister-in-law had warned her that Feng Chunhua was not to be trifled with, and it was better to get out before things got messy.

And that mysterious man had never come back for information.

Which was just as well—she didn’t want to be sent to seduce Chu Dashan again.

She had no idea that person was actually Chu Xuan.

At this moment, Chu Xuan wasn’t in a hurry to go home. Instead, she wandered around town.

She was trying to recall if Feng Chunhua had bought any other houses in her previous life.

She had no memory of it.

Feng Chunhua did have some valuables, but they weren’t kept in the house in town.

She remembered that when Feng Chunhua had her accident in the county and injured her leg, she’d been carrying a package that day. Where could she have hidden it?

Could it be that she’d bought a house in the county too?

Chu Xuan wanted to find someone to help investigate.

But who?

Wei Qiang?

Should she use the public phone to contact him?

But would he really help her?

After all, they weren’t close.

Why would he go out of his way for her?

In the end, Chu Xuan decided not to call.

Just then, she saw Mu Chenze jump off the bus.

Mu Chenze had a classmate in the city’s security team—maybe she could ask him for help.

But she didn’t want to drag Mu Chenze into this.

She decided to look for another way.

She pretended not to see him and turned to leave.

Unexpectedly, Mu Chenze spotted her immediately. “Chu Xuan, wait! I need to talk to you.”

She stopped and turned around, giving an awkward smile. “What a coincidence!”

Mu Chenze frowned. “Why do I feel like you were just trying to avoid me?”

“No, no. I was just lost in thought, didn’t notice you.”

“Alright then. I have something to tell you. You don’t know about Feng Chunhua buying a house in the county, do you?”

Chu Xuan thought to herself, “Is this someone handing me a pillow just when I’m sleepy?” (meaning: help arriving just when needed)

“I didn’t know. I suspected, but I don’t know the exact location.”

“I know!”

“How do you know?”

Mu Chenze wasn’t about to admit he’d specifically asked his classmate to find out. Instead, he put on a proud face. “I just happened to find out today. I was passing by that area in the county, chatting with the old lady next door, and she mentioned the owner was Feng Chunhua.”

“Feng Chunhua sure has money. I bet there’s a lot of valuables hidden in that house. Who knows if they were obtained legally.”

“Want to find out if they’re legal? That’s easy! We can call the county security team and say there’s suspicious goods hidden there. Then…”

Before he could finish, Chu Xuan was already on board. “Give me the address, I’ll make the call. I can disguise my voice—no one will trace it back to us.”

“Alright.”

Mu Chenze pulled a slip of paper from his pocket with an address on it.

Chu Xuan instantly recognized it wasn’t his handwriting. “You’re lying! You didn’t just happen to find out—you asked someone to check! Mu Chenze, you’re really not afraid of getting into trouble, huh?”

Mu Chenze hadn’t expected Chu Xuan to recognize his handwriting, but he wouldn’t admit it. “You can disguise your voice, I can disguise my handwriting. Don’t believe me? Watch me write!”

He could easily mimic his classmate’s writing.

He pulled out pen and paper and started writing.

Chu Xuan compared the two—sure enough, it was the same handwriting. “Sorry, I misunderstood you.”

Mu Chenze pretended to be angry. “It’s fine! Just don’t keep flattering yourself. I wouldn’t risk trouble for your family’s sake!”

He was deliberately teasing Chu Xuan."