Chapter 141: Other Ideas

October 13, 2023

Author: Zi Tao

Of course, Chu Xuan wasn’t here to express her gratitude, but it wasn’t easy to directly ask how the investigation into those suspicious items hidden in Feng Chunhua’s courtyard was going.

“Actually, Feng Chunhua and I have a grudge. I wanted to ask if you know of any dirt on her. If I had something to hold over her, she wouldn’t dare go around bad-mouthing me anymore. I don’t plan to get married, so my own reputation isn’t a big deal, but it could affect my brother’s future. That’s why I can’t just sit back and do nothing.”

Wei Qiang frowned, looking helpless, and spoke in a low voice. “Feng Chunhua really is out of line, but it’s very hard to get anything on her. Someone reported that she had valuable items of unknown origin, but by the time we got the search warrant and arrived at her house, there was nothing to be found. She must have gotten tipped off and moved everything. Let me warn you—Feng Chunhua has connections.”

Chu Xuan was secretly relieved that when she called Feng Chunhua, she hadn’t used her real voice.

“Thank you for telling me this. I’ll be going now.”

She turned to leave, looking a little disappointed.

Wei Qiang stopped her.

“Wait a moment.”

Chu Xuan turned back, trying to sound casual. “Is there something else?”

Wei Qiang lowered his voice even more. “Actually, I’ve seen Feng Chunhua’s old criminal record. If you want to bring her to justice, Qin Xuehong is the key. Be patient and wait for Qin Xuehong to wake up. With evidence in hand, no matter how powerful Feng Chunhua’s backers are, the Qin family won’t let her get away with it—especially since they have their own connections. You alone can’t take on Feng Chunhua’s supporters. You need to learn to use others’ strength to your advantage.”

Chu Xuan was a bit surprised—she hadn’t expected Wei Qiang to be so considerate.

“I’ll remember that! Thank you so much!”

She unlocked her bike and rode away.

Wei Qiang only looked away after watching her disappear from sight.

He couldn’t understand why he’d told her so much.

About ten minutes later, Chu Xuan walked into Mu Chenze’s hospital room, carrying a bag of yarn.

Mu Chenze was fast asleep.

Even though Chu Xuan had things she wanted to ask, she didn’t have the heart to wake him.

So she simply went out again and bought a set of knitting needles.

She sat on the stool in the hospital room, knitting a sweater.

Every half hour, she’d stop, gaze out the window into the distance to rest her eyes.

She went out for lunch, and when she came back, Mu Chenze was still asleep.

She kept knitting.

It wasn’t until after three in the afternoon that Mu Chenze finally woke up.

The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was Chu Xuan, completely absorbed in her knitting.

“You didn’t go straight home? You’ve been waiting for me to wake up? Is there something you want to talk about?”

Chu Xuan didn’t stop knitting, since it didn’t affect her ability to talk.

“Feng Chunhua’s valuables were moved before the authorities arrived—someone tipped her off.”

“The security team didn’t find anything?”

“That’s right.”

“Doesn’t that risk alerting her and making things harder?”

“Who knows! Anyway, let’s not talk about that for now. There’s something else.”

“What is it?”

“How much did you really pay for that bicycle?”

Mu Chenze insisted, “Two hundred yuan! Why?”

Chu Xuan didn’t bother beating around the bush. “I saw the receipt from the department store out of town—it was 220 yuan. But you sold it to me for 260. Why did you tell me it was 200? Were you trying to secretly subsidize me? Or do you just like being taken advantage of?”

She shot Mu Chenze a helpless glare.

Realizing he’d been found out, Mu Chenze stopped hiding. “Actually, I wanted to give you a bike, but I was afraid you wouldn’t accept it. So I figured I’d secretly cover part of the cost for you.”

“Sixty yuan is not a small amount! Mu Chenze, can’t you value your hard-earned money a little more? You work late every night delivering and selling goods—it’s not easy to make money.”

“I don’t think it’s hard at all! Sixty yuan isn’t much to me. Even if I paid for the whole bike and gave it to you, it wouldn’t matter.”

He meant what he said—he never minded spending money on Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan put down her knitting. “Shouldn’t you be saving your money for your future wife? Why are you always buying me gifts?”

“You’re my best buddy! What’s wrong with giving you gifts? I give Ji Ping gifts all the time too!”

As soon as he finished, Chu Xuan counted out sixty yuan from her pocket and put it in his hand. “Take it, or I’ll send the bike to your house and say you bought it for your mom.”

Mu Chenze surrendered immediately. “Alright, I’ll take it.”

His stomach growled.

Chu Xuan felt a little guilty—why had she rushed to settle accounts with him? He must be starving.

“What do you want to eat? I’ll go buy it for you.”

“I want your homemade hand-pulled noodles.”

“You’ll have to wait until you’re discharged for that. How about I go buy something ready-made for now? I promise it’ll be something you like.”

Before Mu Chenze could reply, Chu Xuan had already run out.

Mu Chenze suddenly realized that when he spent money on her, she always insisted on settling up. But when she spent money on him, she didn’t care at all—she even seemed happy about it.

Maybe he should change his strategy: spend more of her money, eat more of her food, take more advantage of her—then she wouldn’t insist on keeping accounts so clearly?

A dozen minutes later, Chu Xuan came back with a steaming lunchbox full of wontons.

It was a new lunchbox she’d just bought.

She’d washed it in the hospital cafeteria and scalded it with hot water before filling it with wontons.

Mu Chenze estimated there were at least thirty wontons inside.

Just right for his appetite.

He blew on them and quickly finished eating.

“Chu Xuan, is this a new lunchbox?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Can I have it?”

“Of course. I bought it for you.”

“Thanks! My family came in a hurry and only brought a thermos, a washbasin, towels, and such. They forgot a lunchbox, toothbrush, toothpaste, and a cup. Now that I have your lunchbox, could I trouble you to…”

“No problem. I’ll go buy toothpaste and the rest right now.”

Soon, Chu Xuan came back with a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a cup.

Mu Chenze accepted everything, and shamelessly declared that since Chu Xuan gave them to him, he wasn’t going to pay her back.

Instead of getting mad, Chu Xuan was delighted.

This only made Mu Chenze more certain of his thoughts.

But he didn’t say anything out loud.

“Chu Xuan, aren’t you going home?”

Chu Xuan smiled. “One more question, then I’ll go.”

“Go ahead.”

“What’s the story with the guy who sold you the bike? Was his brother really a pickpocket?”

“That guy’s name is Shan Anquan. He’s honest and hardworking. His brother, Shan Ningquan, really did use to be a pickpocket. He got caught and was about to be sent to the security team. When their mother heard, she knelt and begged for mercy, but no one would listen. She said she’d failed as a mother and would atone with her life—she killed herself on the spot. With a death involved, the victim couldn’t bear to press charges, so Shan Ningquan wasn’t reported. After that, he never stole again. Why do you ask? Did he steal your money?”

Chu Xuan hadn’t expected such a tragedy in the Shan family. There are many ways to resolve things—sacrificing your life isn’t worth it.

She felt a mix of emotions. “That’s right. But I don’t plan to report him. I want him to help me with something.”

Mu Chenze looked worried. “You’re not thinking of having him steal Feng Chunhua’s valuables, are you? If you two get caught, your lives will be ruined. Besides, the valuables have already been moved—it won’t be easy to find them. Or do you have another idea?”

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!"