Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Lin Qian Wants to Look After the Children?

Zhang Cui’s quiet words warmed Su Tang’s heart.

The group went to Zhang Cui’s home, where she immediately started boiling dumplings.

Aunt Wang and Sister Li sat to one side, talking with Su Tang.

“Now that something’s happened to Hu Lili, there’s no one to look after the children in our family compound.”

As soon as Aunt Wang finished speaking, Sister Li chimed in, “Isn’t that the truth. But I heard Lin Qian from the cultural troupe volunteered for the job.”

As she spoke, Sister Li’s gaze fell on Su Tang and Lu Xiao.

Lin Qian was in the cultural troupe. When the troupe wasn’t required for performances, she would generally help out around the military base.

She was like a brick, moved wherever she was needed.

Sister Li didn’t believe Lin Qian actually wanted to watch the children. It was obvious her true intentions lay elsewhere.

She wasn’t after the children, but Lu Xiao.

Lu Xiao clearly understood the implication in Sister Li’s words, so he didn’t say anything.

In fact, for a moment, he couldn’t even recall who this Lin Qian the two women were talking about was.

Su Tang sipped her water and said nothing.

After a little while, the steaming hot dumplings were served. One bite filled her mouth with flavor.

Sister-in-law Zhang Cui had specially made them with a chive and egg filling, saying that eating chives could ward off bad luck.

Su Tang’s heart felt warm. The grievances she had been holding in for the past few days were mostly washed away by this comforting warmth.

As she ate in small bites, she couldn’t help but look at Lu Xiao, who was silently eating dumplings beside her.

His table manners were excellent—he ate quickly, but not crudely.

But it was clear he was truly hungry.

“Lu Xiao.”

Su Tang swallowed the dumpling in her mouth and asked quietly, “How did you know so much? You even knew where the poisonous weeds were hidden?”

When she came out, she overheard the old soldiers at the entrance talking and had pieced together what had happened.

So Su Tang was very curious how Lu Xiao knew so much.

“Where else would you hide something if not in a cabinet?”

After saying this, Lu Xiao paused his chopsticks, glanced up at her, then quickly looked down again.

The redness at the tips of his ears hadn’t seemed to fade completely.

“As for Hu Jianjun’s business, I didn’t investigate it alone.”

“It was all thanks to Geng.”

“Geng?”

Su Tang blinked. ’Who’s Geng? A friend of Lu Xiao’s?’

“Mhm, an old comrade-in-arms of mine.”

Lu Xiao nodded and picked up a dumpling.

“He’s well-connected and has good sources. It’s thanks to him we were able to find out so much this time.”

He paused and added, “He put in a lot of effort to help clear your name.”

Su Tang nodded. “Then… then we should thank him properly.”

The corner of Lu Xiao’s mouth seemed to curve upward slightly. It was faint, but Su Tang caught it.

’What is he smiling about?’

“Mhm.”

“After we finish eating, I’ll take you to town.”

The couple spoke in hushed tones, and even if Aunt Wang and the others overheard, they didn’t say anything.

After the meal, they helped Sister-in-law Zhang Cui clean up, then Lu Xiao and Su Tang left, planning to head to town.

Lu Xiao had wanted to let Su Tang rest for a bit before going, but she couldn’t sleep anyway. Thinking that the journey to town wasn’t short, she decided to go directly.

The family compound wasn’t too far from town, but it would still take a good half hour to walk.

Lu Xiao had borrowed a classic “28-bar” bicycle from somewhere. It was polished so brightly it looked brand new.

“Get on.”

He swung a long leg over the frame, settled himself steadily, and patted the back seat.

The shuttle bus to town had already left for the day, and the next one wasn’t for another hour. If they waited any longer, they wouldn’t be able to get back to the base.

They’d have to spend the night in town.

At that thought, Lu Xiao suddenly felt his face flush.

Su Tang looked at the high back seat, a little hesitant.

As if sensing her hesitation, Lu Xiao didn’t say anything. He just pushed the bicycle up against a small dirt mound nearby, causing the frame to tilt slightly.

This made the back seat much lower. There was a cotton cushion on it, so she wouldn’t get bruised.

Warmth spread through Su Tang’s heart. She pursed her lips into a smile, gently sat sidesaddle on the seat, and carefully gripped the metal rack at the edge of the seat with one hand.

Lu Xiao waited for her to get settled, then pushed off with his foot, and the bicycle glided out smoothly.

The bicycle bumped gently along the dirt road, and Su Tang’s body swayed along with it.

Whenever they hit a slightly larger pothole, she would subconsciously tighten her grip on the metal rack, and her body would inevitably lean against Lu Xiao’s broad back.

When he felt her arm quietly wrap around his waist from behind, Lu Xiao’s hands on the handlebars slowly tightened, and his spine grew even straighter.

He was keenly aware of her pressed against his back.

Su Tang felt a little awkward, too.

Lu Xiao’s back was hard as a rock, like a wall.

Every time a bump made her lean against him, she felt him tense up even more than before.

She quietly glanced up, only able to see the sharp line of his jaw and the bright red base of his ears.

Su Tang’s face grew warm as well, and her heart began to flutter wildly, like a frantic little deer.

She could only pretend to look at the scenery on the roadside, but unfortunately, all she saw was a stretch of yellow earth. When the wind blew, it gusted right into her face.

They arrived in the afternoon.

The town wasn’t large, but Geng’s shoe repair shop wasn’t easy to find.

After many twists and turns, Lu Xiao finally stopped in front of a place with a wooden door panel hanging up.

“Geng!”

Lu Xiao propped up the bike at the entrance and called out.

A sound immediately came from within the small shop with the boarded-up door.

The door panel was moved aside just a crack, revealing a scruffy, bearded face with sharp, bright eyes. It was Geng.

“What brings you here again? Hey, and this is?”

Seeing Lu Xiao, Geng grinned, revealing teeth slightly yellowed from smoking.

His gaze swept to Su Tang behind him, and his smile widened. “This must be your wife! Come, come, come on in! The place is small, don’t mind it!”

The shop was indeed small, filled with the thick smell of leather.

The walls were covered with all kinds of tools and shoes waiting to be repaired, and parts were piled on the floor.

Geng quickly and deftly cleared off two small stools.

“Master Geng, thank you so much for your help this time.”

The moment she stepped inside, Su Tang thanked him again solemnly, placing the things she had brought on the only relatively clean small wooden table.

Given her status, she didn’t dare be too conspicuous, so she had just bought a few things at the town’s supply and marketing cooperative.

They were all common, everyday food items.

When Geng saw the pile of things, his brow furrowed slightly, but then he heard Su Tang say:

“If it weren’t for your help, I don’t know when I would have ever been cleared of this false accusation.”

“Aren’t you being too formal?”

Geng waved his hand dismissively and picked up a large enamel mug from the table, gulping down some water.

“Captain Lu is my brother. His wife is my sister-in-law. If those sons of bitches dare to pull any tricks, I, Geng, will be the first to shut them down!”

“I’ve been around this area for years. I know people from all walks of life, so it’s not hard to ask around about things.”

“That punk, Scarred-eyed Old Black, used to peddle his shady goods right across from my shop. If he farts, I know what it smells like!”

After he said it, Geng realized his words had been a bit crude.

After all, she was from Shanghai, a well-educated woman, so he quickly tutted at himself.

Lu Xiao reached out and patted him, indicating it was fine.

“Su Tang is different. It’s fine.”

As brothers who had known each other for years, Lu Xiao could naturally see his friend’s discomfort at a glance.

Geng scratched his head and didn’t say anything more.

He was just a rough man, always afraid of saying the wrong thing and causing offense.

’After all, a wife as beautiful as a celestial fairy… if she hadn’t fallen on hard times, his brother probably wouldn’t have even had a chance…’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep