Free Web NovelChapter 39: Chapter 39: Showing Off a Skill
"Don’t run off after school this afternoon. Stay on campus and wait for us to come pick you up." Zhang Minzhen was still worried, shouting another reminder after her.
"Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll stay at school, I won’t run off." Gu Nuan Nuan turned back and nodded without a hint of impatience.
"Let’s go. I’ll take you to request time off first, then you can come with me. My work starts late, so if we’re quick, we can go find that family friend Mr. Mu mentioned and ask about the case’s progress," Zhang Wei Qiang called for Zhang Minzhen to get on the bike.
"Big Brother, I can go ask for leave by myself. It’s not far from the supply and marketing cooperative anyway. Wouldn’t it save more time if you went to find that person directly?" Zhang Minzhen didn’t move.
"Stop wasting time. Get on."
"Oh."
Zhang Minzhen, feeling a bit helpless, obediently got back on the bike’s rear seat. Zhang Wei Qiang also straddled the bike and was about to speak when they both suddenly heard Gu Nuan Nuan, who had already entered the school gate, shouting in a voice strained with urgency, "Uncle, Mom, wait, don’t go yet—"
They both looked up to see Gu Nuan Nuan running back out, panting.
"Easy, easy, we’re waiting. What did you forget that’s got you in such a hurry?" Both amused and exasperated, Zhang Wei Qiang and Zhang Minzhen had no choice but to get off the bike again and put down its kickstand.
"Uncle, I have something to tell you." Gu Nuan Nuan went to Zhang Wei Qiang’s side, pulled him down to bend over, and then whispered a few quick, urgent words in his ear. Zhang Minzhen leaned in to listen as well, and the more they heard, the more solemn their expressions became.
"Is what you’re saying true?" Zhang Wei Qiang first frowned, then a smile touched his face. This was an unexpected windfall. "How did you manage to hear something so secret?"
’I knew I couldn’t fool my sharp uncle.’ Luckily, Gu Nuan Nuan had prepared for this. "It’s true, Uncle. You don’t know, but my hearing is really sharp. If someone’s talking inside a house, no one can hide it from me if I want to listen. That time, I saw Auntie and Grandma whispering mysteriously, so I focused my attention and heard them. I also heard Auntie say that the ledger is actually hidden in a secret compartment on the underside of their dining table."
What Gu Nuan Nuan told her uncle was information she had obtained in her past life. She had privately hired a detective to investigate the relevant people and had accidentally discovered a secret ledger. It detailed how Gu Jinhua’s father-in-law, Liu Donghai, had colluded with an accountant from the supply and marketing cooperative to embezzle funds and falsify accounts. Liu Donghai and that accountant had been lucky; in her past life, this matter was never exposed before they both died.
The detective had stumbled upon it by pure chance. That year, Gu Jinhua’s young grandson had been playing and accidentally pulled a ledger out from under the dining table...
Unfortunately, by then, the information was worthless. Not only had Liu Donghai and the accountant already died of old age, but even the supply and marketing cooperatives had become a thing of the past, living on only in most people’s memories.
"Is your hearing really that sharp? Just how far can you hear?" Zhang Wei Qiang’s focus immediately shifted, and he asked in amazement.
"If you and Mom whisper, I can hear you from over there. We can test it if you don’t believe me." Not wanting to frighten her uncle and mother too much, Gu Nuan Nuan casually pointed to a spot about fifteen or sixteen meters away and said confidently.
"Then let’s test it."
Zhang Wei Qiang was suddenly intrigued. It was still early, so a quick test wouldn’t cause any delays. He was on good terms with Mr. Mu’s youngest son, and the two often exchanged letters.
From him, he had heard about some strange people and unusual events, and he knew that some people in this world were born with extraordinary talents in certain areas—abilities that ordinary people could never achieve.
’To think his own niece was one of those people with such a gift.’
"Alright."
’I knew that if I didn’t give them a demonstration,’ Gu Nuan Nuan thought, ’my "overhearing" this or that secret would eventually make Mom and Uncle suspicious. Especially Uncle; he wasn’t as easy to fool as Mom.’
"Very good. From now on, don’t tell anyone about this ability of yours except for me and your mom. Not even your grandpa and grandma, understand?"
After testing Gu Nuan Nuan’s "ability," Zhang Wei Qiang was afraid his niece wouldn’t understand the gravity of the situation and would go around telling everyone. When he learned that no one else knew, he patted her head in approval and warned her sternly.
"Uncle, I’m not that silly. If I told everyone, wouldn’t they all guard against me like I’m a thief?" Gu Nuan Nuan said with a grin.
"As long as you know. Now hurry up and get to school." Zhang Wei Qiang smiled. ’It seems my niece is a smart one.’
On the way, Zhang Minzhen sighed, "I was already wondering yesterday, how does our Nuannuan seem to know every secret? So this is why."
"You absolutely cannot mention this to anyone else. Don’t even bring it up with Mom and Dad. Every extra person who knows puts the child in more danger. It’s hard to say if a child having this kind of ability is a blessing or a curse.
"We have to guard against people with ill intentions finding out and tricking her away to exploit her. Even if a special government department found out and came to recruit her, you and your daughter would never be able to see each other easily again. You’d have no one to turn to, even if you cried your eyes out."
Zhang Wei Qiang glanced around to make sure no one was there before whispering his warning.
"I won’t say anything. I’ll never say anything again." Terrified, Zhang Minzhen clamped a hand over her mouth. Neither of the scenarios Zhang Wei Qiang described was something she wanted to see happen.
"Don’t scare yourself into a panic. As long as you don’t spell it out, it’s not something others would easily think of."
"Mhm, mhm." Zhang Minzhen nodded repeatedly. After a moment, she said, "Big Brother, you really don’t have to come with me to the supply and marketing cooperative. It’s broad daylight; it’s not like there’s no law and order. I don’t believe those people from the Gu family can do anything to me."
"I’m not convinced. It’s hard to say if your mother-in-law and sister-in-law are waiting to block you at the entrance of the cooperative right now."
"I’m not afraid. I’m not the one with a guilty conscience," Zhang Minzhen said indignantly.
"A wise man doesn’t fight a battle he knows he’ll lose. It’s fine to reason with reasonable people, but what’s the point of wasting your breath on unreasonable ones?"
"But you’re a man. If Gu Lihui’s mother and his older sister refuse to be reasonable, you can’t just get into a physical scuffle with them, can you?" Zhang Minzhen recalled what her sister-in-law had said the previous night and couldn’t help but worry. She was afraid that if her brother got into a tussle with them, his reputation would be maliciously ruined and it would affect his job.
"Who told you that getting into a scuffle with two old women is my only option?" Zhang Wei Qiang said, amused. "There are plenty of ways to handle this. Don’t worry. They’re just small-time clowns. I can handle them."
"What kind of ways?"
"You’ll see when the time comes." Zhang Wei Qiang smiled with complete confidence. If he let someone bully his own sister right in front of him, he might as well give up on life and die of shame.
’Back when I secretly took care of Mr. Mu and saved him, it wasn’t for nothing. In my early years, Mr. Mu had privately taught me quite a few things. That’s why, during the years when everyone else was eating bran and wild vegetables, I dared to secretly go into the mountains to hunt and bring back some meat to supplement everyone’s meals.
’In the village, I’d always been a big name, undefeated in a ten-li radius. I was even secretly given the nickname "Leopard," making me a "somebody," more or less.
’Even though I’ve long since stopped getting into fights so easily, I never gave up my martial arts training in my spare time. When it comes to combat strength, I dare say that even if the entire Gu Family came at me at once, they wouldn’t be my match.
’It wasn’t that I had a rule against hitting women, but even if I did, couldn’t I at least restrain them?
’In fact, I almost hope the Gu family won’t be sensible. I had tolerated them before because this rotten business hadn’t been exposed yet, and I had to endure it for my little sister’s future. But now... Hmph—I wouldn’t mind at all showing the Gu family why flowers are so red.’
Zhang Minzhen fell silent. Subconsciously, she had great faith in her big brother.
