MM Racing Chapter 1179 Gu Nan is going out
Chapter 1179 Gu Nan is going out
Gu Nan knew that Zhu Tao was waiting for an opportunity, a chance to completely crush him. If Gu Nan were to find any fault with him, given their connection, he would likely have no chance of recovery. But Gu Nan wasn't idle either; he was also waiting, waiting for an opportunity to expose Zhu Tao's weakness. However, Zhu Tao was too cautious in his actions. Aside from overseeing production and holding regular meetings, he usually stayed in his office, rarely even attending dinners. There was really nothing wrong with him, which made Gu Nan somewhat impatient, like clenching a fist but not knowing where to exert force.
That evening, after putting the child to sleep, Ran Qiuye tiptoed out of the inner room and saw Gu Nan sitting under the lamp looking at blueprints, his pencil drawing fine lines on the paper. She went over and poured him some water, her fingertips touching the cup; it was lukewarm. She casually asked, "Gu Nan, has the steel mill been particularly busy lately? I've noticed you're coming home later and later every day."
Gu Nan looked up at her, put down his pencil, and rubbed his temples. "Why are you asking this all of a sudden? I've been a bit busy, I just got a new batch of urgent work, and everyone in the workshop is working overtime to finish it. Is there something you need?"
Ran Qiuye shook her head, her fingertips tracing a faint circle on the rim of the cup. "I'm fine, but Lu Jia told me. She said He Yuzhu has been working overtime a lot lately and hasn't been home for dinner several times. She's been feeling quite bored being home alone."
Mentioning Lu Jia, Gu Nan's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. He always harbored a certain wariness towards this woman, feeling that her docile demeanor was like a mask, and no one could say what she was thinking underneath. "What else did she say to you?"
“She didn’t say anything else,” Ran Qiuye recalled the conversation that afternoon. “She just mentioned that He Yuzhu was too busy. She went for a prenatal checkup recently and wanted He Yuzhu to accompany her, but He Yuzhu said he couldn’t leave the cafeteria, so she had to go by herself, saying she was a little scared. Oh, and she also said…” Ran Qiuye paused, seemingly hesitating whether to continue, “that she often saw He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu going in and out of the courtyard together, sometimes late at night, when He Yuzhu would come out of the Jia family’s house, still smelling of alcohol.”
Gu Nan listened, a faint smile playing on his lips. Anyone in the courtyard who paid even a little attention could see the ulterior motive between the two, but everyone was too polite to expose it. But this had nothing to do with him, and he didn't want to get involved. He said calmly, "The kitchen has been busy lately, probably short-staffed. Qin Huairu could go and lend a hand washing vegetables and serving dishes. She's a widow with three children; it's normal for her to be busy. It's nothing for neighbors to help each other out."
Ran Qiuye felt that this was a bit far-fetched—who would be washing vegetables in the middle of the night? But she didn't press the matter further. Ultimately, this was a family matter for the He family; He Yuzhu was willing to ignore it, and Lu Jia was willing to tolerate it. It wasn't appropriate for an outsider like her to interfere. However, thinking of Lu Jia, heavily pregnant, going to the hospital alone to queue for prenatal checkups, she couldn't help but feel sorry for her—her heart and soul were devoted to her husband, while he was having an affair with another woman. But then she thought that Gu Nan and He Yuzhu had never gotten along, and if she told him these things, he might not take them to heart, and might even think she was being nosy. So she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
Gu Nan noticed her hesitation but didn't point it out. He simply said, "By the way, I have to go out of town tomorrow to urge them to approve some materials. The manufacturer there keeps delaying the delivery, so I have to keep an eye on it. I probably won't be back for about ten days." He paused, his eyes darkening, and his tone becoming more serious. "You stay home and keep an eye on things, take good care of the children, and don't get too close to He Yuzhu's family. That family... they're too complicated; there's nothing worth getting involved with."
Ran Qiuye was taken aback for a moment, then nodded: "I understand, go ahead without worry. Be careful on the road and wear an extra layer of clothing." Although she didn't know why Gu Nan suddenly said this, she understood that he wasn't speaking without reason and must have his reasons, so she kept his advice firmly in mind.
The moonlight outside the window had climbed up the window frame again, its silvery glow falling on the floor between the two people, like a thin veil, visible but untouchable. The people and events in this courtyard were always like shadows under the moonlight, clear to the eye but hiding too many unseen wrinkles, intertwined and entangled in the shadows, and no one could say what kind of entanglement would be drawn up in the next second.
The night passed in silence. Just as dawn was breaking, a thin layer of frost clung to the windowpanes, reflecting the grey light and carrying a chill of the early morning. Gu Nan tidied a canvas bag containing a few changes of clothes and a thick technical manual. He turned to look at the bedside; Ran Qiuye was bending over, tucking the blankets into her daughter's bed, her movements as gentle as if afraid of disturbing a butterfly.
"I've got it," Gu Nan walked over and repeated the instructions, his tone serious and leaving no room for doubt. "While I'm gone for the next few days, you absolutely must avoid contact with Lu Jia from He Yuzhu's family. She seems amiable, but she's actually a gossip and loves to stir up trouble. Don't listen to her ramblings, and definitely don't get involved in her family's messy affairs, understand?"
Ran Qiuye straightened up, smoothed the stray hairs at her temples, her fingertips slightly cool. She replied softly, "Okay, I know. When you're out there, be careful in everything you do. There are a lot of cars on the road, so be careful. Things haven't been peaceful at the factory or in the yard lately, with car thefts and arguments. It makes me feel uneasy."
Gu Nan nodded, stepped forward, and gently hugged her. Through the thin fabric, he could feel the soft warmth of her body. He then leaned down and kissed his daughter's sleeping face. The little one smacked her lips, turned over, and unconsciously clutched the corner of the blanket before falling back into a deep sleep. Ran Qiuye blushed slightly at his sudden intimacy. She lowered her head to smooth the wrinkles in his clothes, saying nothing more, but a surge of worry welled up in her eyes again.
When Gu Nan arrived at the steel rolling mill, the morning mist had not yet dissipated, like a thin veil shrouding the factory area, with only a blurry outline of the distant chimneys visible. The morning news was playing on the loudspeaker, the buzzing of the radio accompanied by the announcer's steady tone.
Zhu Tao was already waiting at the office building entrance, wearing a brand-new Zhongshan suit. Seeing him approach, he immediately beamed with a warm smile and quickly greeted him: "Deputy Factory Director Gu, we've been waiting for you! The factory leadership has decided to entrust you with this trip to another city for training—it's all advanced production technology. I heard the steel rolling line there can increase efficiency by 30%, which will be a great benefit to both you and the factory. Be sure to be careful while you're out there, and take good care of yourself on the road. Also, remember to learn well and bring back lots of experience. Our factory is waiting for you to take the lead in improving quality and efficiency!"