Chapter 163: He’s Not Quite the Same

Fortunately, Chu Xuan managed to keep her wits about her. Otherwise, she might have lost control and foolishly agreed to date him right then and there.

She could sense that Mu Chenze was different tonight.

Normally, after helping her, Mu Chenze would deliberately belittle her, knock her down a peg, and only occasionally offer a compliment. But tonight, he was openly, if indirectly, confessing his feelings.

Under what circumstances would Mu Chenze let go of his reservations and confess so unabashedly?

Either his feelings had reached a point of no return, or he was about to risk everything on something dangerous.

Catching Liang Shi was definitely dangerous.

Was Mu Chenze worried for her safety and confessing in advance, or was he planning to risk his life to protect her at a critical moment?

She hoped it was the former.

She already owed him her life in her previous life; she couldn’t afford to owe him again in this one.

“Mu Chenze, if anything happens to you because you helped me, I’ll risk my life to be with you. We may not live together, but I’ll die with you. Remember that.”

Mu Chenze knew she didn’t want anything to happen to him, so he teased, “So can I take that as you agreeing to be my girlfriend?”

“No way. Only after we catch Liang Shi and you come out of it safe and sound will I agree.”

After saying this, the weight that had been pressing on Chu Xuan’s heart seemed to lift on its own.

She felt completely at ease.

Mu Chenze was overjoyed. He spun around a few times in the kitchen before sitting back down. “Alright. I’ll make sure to keep myself safe. You have to keep your word!”

“I will. If I lie to you, I’m a little puppy.” At that, Chu Xuan suddenly remembered a dream she’d had before.

In the dream, she’d been tied up, someone was about to stab her, and Mu Chenze appeared to save her—but the knife ended up stabbing him.

Just in case, she continued, “I know you’ll get involved in catching Liang Shi, and I can’t stop you. But you have to promise me one thing.”

“Name it. I’d promise you a hundred things.”

“When I act as bait, you have to wear stab-proof clothing.”

“No problem. But you have to wear it too.”

“Deal.”

Mu Chenze pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket. “This is payment for the goods. Count it.”

Chu Xuan didn’t even look at it. “No need. However much you give, I’ll take it.”

For the first time, she accepted everything so straightforwardly.

Mu Chenze was delighted—this meant their relationship had taken another step forward.

“I’ll figure out the stab-proof clothing.”

Chu Xuan reminded him, “If it’s hard to get, just buy some cut-resistant gloves from the glass factory. Bring them back and I’ll sew two sets of clothes from them.”

Those gloves were cut-resistant on one side and not on the other. She could sew the non-resistant side inside.

Mu Chenze didn’t want her to go to so much trouble. “I’ll ask my classmate for help.”

“What’s your classmate’s name?”

“Min Yi. Why do you suddenly ask?”

Chu Xuan had never heard the name Min Yi in her previous life—or rather, she’d never asked Mu Chenze what his classmate’s name was.

She only knew that because Mu Chenze had asked a classmate for help to get Chu Feng out of trouble, that classmate had been demoted.

It was probably Min Yi.

This time around, Chu Xuan planned to find a way to repay that debt.

“I was just asking. You should go home and rest early. Get enough sleep and you’ll be twice as effective tomorrow.”

“Alright, I’ll listen to you.”

Mu Chenze got up and left the kitchen.

At the gate, he turned back to look at Chu Xuan.

She stood at the doorway, and in the light from the courtyard, Mu Chenze could clearly see the emotion in her eyes.

It made him certain—Chu Xuan liked him.

His heart sped up. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to hug her.

But he held back.

After all, they hadn’t officially started dating yet.

A few more days wouldn’t hurt.

He waved, reluctant to leave, and finally walked away.

Only after his figure disappeared did Chu Xuan close and bolt the door.

She touched her face—it was burning hot.

Once they caught Liang Shi, would she really date him?

It seemed she’d already made that promise.

After washing up, she lay in bed, her mind replaying her conversation with Mu Chenze.

Excited and happy, she almost couldn’t sleep. Luckily, after two hours, she finally drifted off.

When Mu Chenze got home, Aunt Qin told him that a boss named Yu had asked him to call back.

He said he knew—Uncle Long had already told him.

After washing up, he lay in bed, replaying everything just like Chu Xuan, and only then fell asleep.

The next day at noon, Mu Chenze went into the city again to find Min Yi.

He begged him to help get two sets of cut-resistant clothing, and explained in detail Chu Xuan’s plan to use herself as bait.

Min Yi was a bit troubled—cut-resistant clothing was rare, and it was unlikely he could borrow any.

Still, he bit the bullet and asked his supervisor.

He was told the only two sets had already been lent out, and it was unclear when they’d be returned.

Remembering Chu Xuan’s suggestion, Mu Chenze decided to buy cut-resistant gloves from the glass factory. Min Yi’s uncle happened to be the factory director.

After discussing it, Min Yi took Mu Chenze straight to his uncle.

As it turned out, a new shipment of cut-resistant gloves had just arrived. Some had already been distributed—one pair per person.

Luckily, there was still a batch left in the warehouse, meant to be given out in two months.

These gloves were ordered from out of province and had to be reserved in advance.

Thanks to Min Yi, Director Min was happy to sell them.

The price was fair—just a bit more than cost, to cover shipping.

Mu Chenze spent 230 yuan to buy 200 pairs.

Director Min immediately told the accountant to order another batch from the glove factory.

A little after five in the afternoon, Mu Chenze delivered a large sack of goods to Chu Xuan. When people asked, he just said they were daily necessities.

Chu Xuan spent the night sewing clothes from the cut-resistant gloves.

Meanwhile, Feng Chunhua lay at home, racking her brains for a way to kill Chu Xuan without leaving a trace.

Chu Zhi was still in the hospital and couldn’t help her.

Chu Dashan wasn’t on her side, and she didn’t dare use him.

She could only rely on herself.

Suddenly, she thought of someone.

Liu Zhaodi!

If Liu Zhaodi refused to help, she’d threaten her with things from the past.

She didn’t know that Chu Xuan had lent Liu Zhaodi money—only that Liu Zhaodi had thick skin and kept coming to work at Chu Xuan’s house. She figured Liu Zhaodi must be good at winning Chu Xuan over.

The next morning, before dawn, Feng Chunhua hobbled over to Liu Zhaodi’s house on her crutch.

Mu Xing hadn’t been discharged yet, but would be back in a few days.

Feng Chunhua wanted to take advantage of the fact that there were no adults at Liu Zhaodi’s house—just the three kids, who were easy to fool.

She knocked on the door.

Liu Zhaodi was always diligent. She was in the kitchen making breakfast, and when she heard the knock, she hurried to open the door, worried about waking her two younger brothers.

When she saw it was Feng Chunhua, she knew this wasn’t a friendly visit. She gestured for silence. “Keep your voice down. My brothers went to bed late last night. I want them to sleep a bit more. Let’s talk in the kitchen.”

Feng Chunhua grunted in agreement and followed Liu Zhaodi inside.

The water in the pot was boiling. Liu Zhaodi poured in the cornmeal and stirred.

She could talk, but she couldn’t stop cooking.

Feng Chunhua curled her lip in disdain. “You’re just having cornmeal porridge for breakfast? How can that fill you up? You’ll be starving before noon.”

Liu Zhaodi rubbed her hands, looking helpless. “My family’s poor, there’s nothing I can do. Besides, we have debts to pay, so we have to tighten our belts. Granny Feng, did you come so early to offer me a way to make money?”

Feng Chunhua pulled a wad of cash from her pocket and got straight to the point. “Help me with something, and all this money is yours.”"