Siheyuan: I just came across and wanted to chase me away

Chapter 1184 Zhong Yi is anxious

He Yuzhu's smile faded, as if he'd been doused with cold water. He knew Zhong Yi was putting on airs and being pretentious. He also understood that he wasn't confident he could compete with him—after all, Zhong Yi had been at the factory longer than him, rising from apprentice to foreman, with a deeply entrenched network of connections that he, a newly promoted chef, couldn't match. He could only suppress his displeasure and nod in agreement, "Understood, Director Zhong, I understand. Don't worry, I won't ask what I shouldn't ask, and I won't say what I shouldn't say."

Zhong Yi nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave. As he reached the door, he glanced back at He Yuzhu's restrained expression, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips—He wanted to use him to get rid of Gu Nan and then take his place? This He Yuzhu had big ambitions, but unfortunately, he wasn't smart enough; it probably wouldn't be that easy.

He Yuzhu watched Zhong Yi's figure disappear behind the curtain, clenching his fist tightly until his knuckles turned white. Just wait, one day he'd show everyone in this kitchen who truly held the reins. The iron wok on the stove still emitted wisps of steam, reflecting the ambition blazing in his eyes, like a fire that burned ever brighter, almost igniting the kitchen's fumes.

Zhong Yi didn't return to his office. He hurried through the factory corridor, his leather shoes clattering on the concrete floor, his brows furrowed deeply. He had a mountain of work to do—Zhu Tao's group had become increasingly blatant lately, openly inspecting safety procedures while secretly scrutinizing the factory's accounts, even digging up material requisition slips from three years ago; several older workers close to Gu Nan had also been targeted. Old Zhang had received a major demerit yesterday for "inadequate lathe maintenance," and it was obvious to everyone that it was aimed at Gu Nan. He had to keep a close eye on all of this; the slightest carelessness could lead to trouble.

His heart was burning with anxiety, like he was holding a lump of boiling oil, but he couldn't even catch a glimpse of Gu Nan. Before his master went on his business trip, he only said he was going south to expedite a shipment, without giving a specific address. He didn't have his master's phone number, so he could only pace back and forth between the workshop and the office like a headless fly, repeatedly muttering, "I'll talk to you when your master comes back." But Zhu Tao's demeanor clearly indicated that he was planning to close the net; there was no time to wait. Just the forged evidence of "Gu Nan embezzling public funds" that he had secretly seen was enough to ruin someone's reputation. He was so anxious that he was wringing his hands, but he didn't even have a chance to tip him off.

What troubled him even more was that he couldn't go to the courtyard to find his master's wife, Ran Qiuye. There were too many people and eyes in the courtyard. The third uncle squatted at the door every day to count his steps, and the second uncle wanted to scold everyone he saw. His master's wife was already having a hard time taking care of the child. If he, a young man, rashly went to her door, who knew what kind of rumors would spread about him, which would only cause trouble for his master's wife.

The day seemed to drag on endlessly. The wall clock ticked away at a snail's pace, and Zhong Yi counted the hands as they moved from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon, his palms sweating. He knew Zhu Tao's methods all too well—ruthless as a snake lurking in the shadows, leaving no survivors. But now he could only watch helplessly, utterly powerless to do anything.

At the same time, Lu Jia, living in the courtyard, also had her own ideas. She had already gotten the news from He Yuzhu that Gu Nan had gone out of town, and her mind was racing with calculations—this was the perfect opportunity to win over Ran Qiuye. With Gu Nan gone, Ran Qiuye was raising her child alone and needed companionship the most. By offering her some warmth now, she could uncover more about the Gu family's background later.

As evening approached, He Yuzhu rushed home from get off work and headed straight to the kitchen. Wearing his faded blue apron, he busied himself washing rice and cooking, the pots and pans clanging and clattering. Lu Jia, her round belly protruding, slowly walked out of the house, carrying a cloth bag in her hand, looking as if she was about to go out.

"What are you doing out so late?" He Yuzhu poked his head out of the kitchen, his brows furrowed. "It's already dark, and the roads are very slippery. You're pregnant, what if you bump into something? Just tell me what's wrong, and I'll take care of it."

Lu Jia ignored his sudden concern, her tone indifferent, as if chilled to the bone: "I'm going to visit Sister Qiuye. Didn't Gu Nan go out of town? She's raising the child alone. If there's any heavy or tiring work at home, I'll lend a hand."

He Yuzhu's heart skipped a beat, and he almost dropped the rice-rinsing ladle into the water vat. He had wanted to tell Lu Jia that he had already made contact with Zhu Tao and would be taking action against Gu Nan in a couple of days, which would secure his promotion to head chef. But he swallowed the words back, his eyes darting around: what if things went wrong? Lu Jia and Ran Qiuye were close, and she might be able to put in a good word for him with Gu Nan, leaving him a way out. It was better not to make a fuss for now, so he nodded, didn't ask any more questions, and turned back to work at the stove.

Lu Jia knew perfectly well that He Yuzhu's little schemes couldn't escape her notice. She also knew that this silly boy had been spending a lot of time with Qin Huairu lately; the two often secretly talked in the kitchen, and Qin Huairu's eyes were always hooked when she looked at He Yuzhu—her rekindled feelings for him were impossible to hide. But what did any of this matter to her? She only had eyes for Gu Nan—as long as Gu Nan lived, all the suffering she endured in the countryside, all those plans she'd been scheming for years, wouldn't have truly succeeded.

Pushing open her own courtyard gate, Lu Jia walked straight towards Gu Nan's house. Passing by the Jia family's house, Qin Huairu was standing at the door picking vegetables, the spinach leaves in her hands crumpled and messy. She looked up and saw Lu Jia, her face instantly breaking into a smile. Just as she was about to greet her, Lu Jia didn't even lift her eyelids, as if she hadn't seen her at all, and walked straight past, the hem of her cloth skirt brushing against the stone steps at the Jia family's entrance, creating a gust of wind.

Qin Huairu wasn't annoyed. She reluctantly withdrew her gaze, a smile still lingering on her lips. Her mind was now entirely focused on He Yuzhu—as long as He Yuzhu was willing to help her get Banggeng out of the police station, what did it matter if Lu Jia was happy or not? Moreover, Lu Jia was pregnant, and her temper had worsened. He Yuzhu was more wary of her and was paying more attention to her family, sending more food coupons and money than before. This made her feel even more confident about her long-planned scheme—to find a way to break off He Yuzhu's relationship with Lu Jia so she could take the opportunity to get close to him.

At Gu Nan's door, Lu Jia gently knocked, her voice carrying a hint of familiarity, as if visiting a relative: "Sister Qiuye, it's me, Lu Jia."

Ran Qiuye was washing diapers for her baby in the yard when she heard the noise. She quickly wiped her hands on her apron and hurried out to greet her. Since Lou Xiao'e moved away, there weren't many people in the yard she could talk to. Lu Jia was a new friend of hers; she was straightforward and didn't gossip like the others in the yard. She knew He Yuzhu was cunning, but she always felt that Lu Jia was a genuine person and was truly good to her.