novellhall Chapter 173 The deed is done.
Chapter 173 The deed is done.
Sun Yongxian, unaware of what was going on, followed Zhuang Qingxiang outside.
"Sister Zhuang, what's wrong?" Why can't Factory Director Lu know?
Zhuang Qingxiang smiled apologetically: "I was thinking that you know a lot of people, so I wanted to ask you to help me find out if there are any houses for rent. I want to move to the county town."
"What?" Sun Yongxian exclaimed in surprise, "You want to move to the county town?"
"Hmm." Zhuang Qingxiang pursed her lips. "I don't have breast milk now, so I can't breastfeed the baby. It's not appropriate for me to stay at Director Lu's house any longer. Besides, I'm not suitable to go back to the village in this condition. Our village chief said he would give me a letter of introduction. I want to rent a house in the county town."
Sun Yongxian stared, mouth agape, before finally managing to stammer, "This... Factory Director Lu agreed?"
"Why doesn't he agree?" Zhuang Qingxiang pursed her lips. "Besides, it doesn't even require his consent, does it?"
Sun Yongxian frowned in disapproval.
Even the couple could see that Director Lu was treating Sister Zhuang differently. What's wrong with Sister Zhuang?
"Sister Zhuang..." Sun Yongxian thought for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "Tell me the truth, do you really have no feelings for Factory Director Lu? Or do you have some concerns? If you do, tell me, and I'll help you think it over?"
"What are you talking about? Don't talk nonsense. I really can't get away from going out, so I wanted to ask you for help. If it's inconvenient for you, then forget it," Zhuang Qingxiang said helplessly.
She could tell that Sun Yongxian really wanted to match her up with Lu Congyue, which made her feel a little awkward, as if they had discovered her well-hidden secret and wanted to drag it out into the sunlight.
If they really figured it out, what about the others?
Zhuang Qingxiang wanted to make a run for it and take her child to another place to settle down as soon as possible.
"Yongxian, please don't tell Factory Director Lu about the matter I asked you to do, I..."
"I understand, I understand, don't worry." Sun Yongxian took her arm and sighed, "But don't think too simply. These days, there's hardly any renting a place. At most, you can say you're borrowing. You need to find a reliable one. Don't rush, I'll look slowly."
"Mm." Zhuang Qingxiang smiled at her. "Thank you."
Back inside, the two men were curious about what they had talked about, but Sun Yongxian dismissed them with a single sentence.
"Don't pry into women's private conversations!"
Now that he heard that, it was really not a good time to ask any more questions. Lu Congyue suddenly remembered that he also had something to ask Shi Peiran. After thinking for a moment, he pulled Shi Peiran away.
That evening, Sun Yongxian asked Shi Peiran, "What did Factory Director Lu call you out to talk about today?"
"What did Sister Zhuang call you out to talk about?" Shi Peiran asked back.
Sun Yongxian got angry and started scratching and clawing at the man. Shi Peiran quickly intervened, pressing her hands down and whispering, "You'd never guess what he asked."
"What is it?" Sun Yongxian asked, even more curious.
Shi Peiran coughed lightly: "He asked me about contraception..."
Sun Yongxian nearly jumped up in surprise: "What? What? What what?! You mean, they..."
Shi Peiran nodded: "I reckon it's already... a fait accompli."
Sun Yongxian was even more confused. Since the two of them had already done *that*, why did Sister Zhuang still want to move out?
The thought made her want to run away. Sun Yongxian started grinding her molars: "Was it because Factory Director Lu forced Sister Zhuang and refused to take responsibility that Sister Zhuang wanted to move away from him?! Damn it, that must be it! I'm so angry! I never thought Factory Director Lu was this kind of person!"
"Wait, you said Sister Zhuang is moving out?" Shi Peiran caught the key point.
Sun Yongxian let slip that she had let something slip, and could only tell Shi Peiran about it. The two of them looked at each other in bewilderment.
The fact that Director Lu asked such a private question means he must have something going on with Zhuang Qingxiang, and it's clear that he treats Zhuang Qingxiang differently.
But Sister Zhuang didn't mean that at all; she even wanted to move away and leave Director Lu's territory completely...
"What are they doing?" Sun Yongxian couldn't understand.
Shi Peiran, however, had a guess: "There were rumors circulating before, but I didn't tell you. It was said that Sister Zhuang was detained for a few days for investigation because there was a problem with her identity. We don't know the specifics, but for it to alarm people from the capital to investigate, it must be a serious issue. Is that why the two of them can't be together?"
This explanation is undoubtedly plausible, because given Lu Congyue's current identity and status, and his future... the organization would not allow him to marry a wife whose identity is questionable.
Even if he were willing to abandon everything and start over, he wouldn't have the chance, and might even have to accompany Zhuang Qingxiang to the countryside for reform.
Sun Yongxian and Shi Peiran were at a loss for words and remained silent.
After a while, Sun Yongxian asked softly, "Should we find a place for Sister Zhuang to stay?"
"What are you looking for? Do you want to drive Director Lu crazy?" Shi Peiran replied. "Forget it, let's not get involved in their affairs, lest we cause problems and get blamed."
After discussing it, the two decided not to tell Lu Congyue, and to postpone their conversation with Zhuang Qingxiang until they could see how things developed.
Before going to bed, Sun Yongxian sighed, "I wonder what kind of background Sister Zhuang really has..."
Meanwhile, Zhuang Qingxiang was also tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She knew she shouldn't blame her mother, but she hated her biological father.
She has never received a father's love since birth, and her and her mother's existence would be abandoned immediately. So why would he have a wife and still harm the maid in the house? How despicable!
"Can't sleep?" Lu Congyue's deep voice sounded from outside the door. "Don't think too much, get a good night's sleep, everything will be alright."
He paused, then added, "I'm here, go to sleep."
I don't know why, but after listening to his words, my initially agitated mood gradually calmed down, and I soon fell into a deep sleep.
I slept soundly through the night. When I woke up, I heard the sounds of children crying, my daughter comforting her younger brother, and a man saying in a low voice that he would take the two children out to take care of them.
Zhuang Qingxiang didn't know if she was awake or not. It was as if she was still dreaming. In her dream, there was a home, lively and bustling. When the child cried, she was no longer the only one frantically taking care of him. There was someone else she could entrust with his care.
Soon, the sound faded away, and she fell asleep again.
When I woke up again, it was already afternoon.
Zhuang Qingxiang sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), her mind blank.
"Awake?" Lu Congyue looked into the inner room and saw that she was awake, sitting there with a dazed look on her face, her hair messy but cute. He couldn't help but smile. "Did you sleep well?"
Zhuang Qingxiang nodded subconsciously.
She felt like she had made up for all the sleep she had missed in the previous twenty years.
For the past twenty years, she has always had children to take care of, and she has never had a good night's sleep. She is always awake and easily startled. If she accidentally falls asleep and her younger siblings cry a little, she will be scolded by her stepfather and stepmother.
She has children now, she shouldn't be sleeping so long.
Zhuang Qingxiang suddenly snapped back to reality, groping on the kang (a heated brick bed) with both hands: "The child... the child..."
"The children are doing well out there," Lu Congyue quickly replied. "With Yueyue and me here, they won't go hungry."
Zhuang Qingxiang's mind finally cleared, and she suddenly realized something. Looking down, she saw that she was wearing a baggy, collarless, sleeveless tank top. She quickly covered herself with the blanket, blushing, and asked, "What time is it?"
"It's two in the afternoon, and the children are still asleep," Lu Congyue said softly. "Now that you're awake, they'll probably be awake soon too."
"Oh, I'll get up right away. Sorry, I overslept."
She said she was going to get up but didn't move because the man at the door didn't move either.