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

Chapter 1158 Going for a stroll

What Zhu Tao didn't know was that, aside from his secret meeting with Li Jianjun, which Gu Nan remained unaware of, Gu Nan had already heard about all of Zhu Tao's underhanded tactics at the steel rolling mill—getting the accountant to dig up the material requisition records Gu Nan had handled three years ago, having apprentices monitor Gu Nan's daily arrival and departure times in the workshop, and even asking around about Gu Nan's childhood home and fights with various people—from his familiar coworkers. Old Wu secretly slipped him a steamed bun, whispering, "The accountant's looking through your old records"; Little Li handed him a cloth to wipe his sweat beside the lathe, mumbling, "Someone's asking about your past." But Gu Nan kept quiet. These underhanded methods, buzzing like flies, weren't worth his time to deal with.

At dinner time, the aroma of millet porridge filled the entire house. Gu Nan watched as Ran Qiuye brought the last bowl of porridge to the table, along with a plate of pickled radishes and cucumbers, all of which she had made herself. He suddenly said, "Tomorrow is the weekend, and there's nothing much to do at home. How about we go for a walk? It's been a long time since I took you to Beihai Park. I heard the chrysanthemums there are in full bloom, with purple and white flowers covering half the park."

Ran Qiuye paused for a moment, her chopsticks hanging in mid-air, then smiled, her eyes shimmering with a gentle light, like a pool full of moonlight: "Okay, I was just thinking of getting you some blue cloth to make you a new shirt, the cuffs of yours are all worn out. Let's go to the department store, I heard they just got some fine Shanghai cloth, it'll be cool to make a shirt."

The moonlight crept quietly up the windowsill, falling like a silver veil on their smiling faces, making the hidden schemes and conflicts seem distant. The only sounds in the room were the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks, and Ran Qiuye's rambling, "I have to get up early tomorrow, or there won't be anywhere to park my bike at the park entrance," a peaceful melody like an unfinished poem.

Ran Qiuye nodded gently, a hint of weariness hidden in the fine lines at the corners of her eyes, like moonlight veiled in a thin gauze. "Staying in the courtyard these past two days has been quite stifling." She brushed a stray hair behind her ear, her voice as soft as a feather. "I wanted to mention it to you a few days ago, but seeing you come back from the factory every day with your brows furrowed and collapsing into your chair as soon as you walk in, I knew you were really busy, so I swallowed my words."

She turned to look at Gu Nan, the moonlight on the windowsill falling into her eyes, rippling with a gentle light, and a smile spread across her lips: "Okay, it's good to be able to go out for a walk. I thought you were too tired to even lift your arms, so I didn't dare to say anything."

Gu Nan reached out and pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head, her hair carrying the fresh scent of soap. His voice was tinged with apology, as if it had been warmed by gentle water: "Recently, things at the factory have been one problem after another. Zhu Tao and his gang are always causing trouble. Yesterday, they ransacked the warehouse ledgers, and today they deliberately made things difficult for you at the meeting. I've been so busy that I completely forgot about taking you out. It's my fault; I've made you suffer."

Ran Qiuye leaned against him, listening to the steady beating of his heart, gently shook her head, a faint smile playing on her lips, and said nothing more. She understood his difficulties—Zhu Tao was forming cliques in the factory, openly and secretly sabotaging him; even the canteen chef dared to give him half a spoonful less food. It was already remarkable that he had managed to endure this long. What did this little bit of stifling grievance matter?

Gu Nan knew in his heart that he had indeed neglected her during this period. He used to take her boating in the park every week, or to Wangfujing for a bowl of wontons, but in the past month, he hadn't even had time to have a proper conversation, let alone go shopping. He clenched his fist. He would have to get rid of Zhu Tao sooner or later. Once he had sorted things out at the factory, he would take her to Beidaihe to see the sea and the sunrise, and make up for everything he owed her.

The night slipped away silently, like sand in an hourglass. While Gu Nan and Ran Qiuye were reading under the lamp, Bang Geng felt like he'd been thrown into a spinning top, completely disoriented. He was first shoved into a stuffy freight car, then dragged into an abandoned warehouse, and finally thrown into this old classroom—he was moved to three different places.

At first, the security was extremely tight. All the doors and windows were locked, and the iron bars were rusty but very sturdy. Two burly men took turns guarding the outside, their footsteps echoing back and forth in the corridor. Even breathing felt like being watched, and he couldn't find the slightest chance to escape.

Later, one by one, the children around him were called out, their small bundles loaded onto the truck, supposedly to be sent to the countryside for rural work. The number of children left dwindled, from over twenty to a dozen, and finally only five or six remained. The guards gradually relaxed—after all, there were only a few teenagers, the oldest only fifteen, and they figured they couldn't cause any trouble. Banggeng huddled in the corner, looking at the empty seats, but his eyes lit up, as if a spark was hidden within them—his opportunity was probably coming.

By this time, Yan Jiefang and Liu Guangtian had already been taken away, leaving only four or five children in the room. The others huddled in a corner wiping away tears. A little girl with braids sobbed uncontrollably, repeatedly calling out, "Mom, I want to go home." Only Banggeng didn't cry. He just kept his head down, his fingers unconsciously tracing lines on the rough cement floor, already planning his escape route: one of the bars on the back window was loose; he had touched it during the day and might be able to pry it open by hitting it with a stone; outside was a narrow alley, and three turns would lead to the moat... He knew that the more difficult the situation, the more he needed to remain calm, like a cat catching a mouse, waiting for the most opportune moment.

In the dead of night, moonlight streamed through the window, casting dappled shadows on the floor like spilled ink. Banggeng hadn't slept a wink, his ears pierced, listening intently to every sound outside, even the rustling of a mouse scurrying along the wall. He mentally rehearsed every step of his escape, where to crouch, where to run faster, and where to hide if he were discovered…

Sure enough, the two men guarding the door began to talk in hushed tones, their voices drifting in through the crack in the door. One of them, the older one, who was about thirty years old, spoke with a slightly husky voice and looked weary. He winked at the younger man beside him: "Come on, let's go out for a couple of drinks to warm up. This shabby house is as cold as an icebox; if we stay any longer, our bones will crack from the cold."

The older one is called Liu Di, who is a small leader here. It is said that he used to work at the docks and his arms are so strong that a horse could run across them. The younger one is called Li He, who just came from the countryside. He still has a student-like look on his face and speaks softly.

Li He paused for a moment upon hearing this, then hesitated, clutching the hem of his clothes: "Brother Liu, this... isn't this a bit inappropriate? We still have to stay here and monitor these children who are going to the countryside. If something goes wrong, the higher-ups will blame us."