Chapter 5: Trouble Arrives
After the vehicle set off again, Bai Lu sat on the crossbeam, her hands gripping the middle of the front handlebar lightly, afraid to exert too much force. Her body curled like a small cat, keeping low to avoid disturbing those riding behind her.
Lu Fan glanced at the girl and smiled, “You don’t have to make yourself so uncomfortable. Just sit normally; you’re not blocking my view.”
“Oh!” The girl slightly lifted her upper body but still remained somewhat hunched.
A faint scent of laundry detergent mixed with a pleasant, subtle fragrance emanated from her. The skin behind her ears and around her neck was fair with a hint of pink, and under the sunlight, a fine layer of down and tiny beads of sweat were visible.
In the past, Lu Fan had looked at Bai Lu from behind like this before, but at this moment, his feelings were indescribably complex.
There was helplessness, sorrow, a touch of hope, and a barely noticeable excitement.
His thoughts played like movie clips, replaying moments shared with Bai Lu.
“From today on, my sister is in your care. She’s my only family. I hope you treat her well. Life might be tough, and hardship is fine, but don’t let her suffer any injustice.”
“Lu Fan, I know you’ve failed in business before, but as the man of the family, you must come up with a plan.”
“Our house was demolished because it was an illegal structure. It took ages to get the compensation. Bai Shuang went with you, and I’m not planning to buy another house. Take this 500,000 yuan and start your business.”
“Lu Fan, Bai Shuang, thank you for being with me. I don’t feel my life was bitter at all. If there’s a next life, let’s still be family.”
This was Bai Lu’s final image. Having raised her sister alone, she endured many hardships, and her health was severely depleted in youth. She passed away before sixty.
Snapping back to the present, he saw a Lanzhou beef noodle shop nearby.
“Sis, let’s grab something to eat before heading back.”
“Ah?” Bai Lu almost tumbled off the beam like a startled rabbit.
“Oh, I mean there’s a noodle shop here. Let’s have some beef noodles before going home. There’s not much cooked at home.”
“Is it expensive?”
“Don’t worry, I have money.”
Without waiting for a reply, Lu Fan pedaled the bike to the shop entrance and gently set Bai Lu down.
Small bowls of beef noodles cost 2.0 yuan, large bowls 2.4 yuan. Lu Fan boldly ordered, “Two large bowls of beef noodles, extra beef on both.”
Soon, two steaming bowls arrived. The noodle chef had yet to perfect his knife skills, so the beef slices were quite thick.
Lu Fan, already famished, dug in heartily.
Bai Lu stared at the beef completely covering the noodles but hesitated to start eating.
Lu Fan could roughly guess why.
Bai Lu felt guilty eating so well when her parents and sister had never tasted such food. It felt like selfish indulgence.
Lu Fan smiled, “Go ahead and eat. I’ll buy some beef to take home afterward.”
“That’s not what I mean. I can’t finish all this. Can I ask the owner for a plastic bag to take the beef home?”
“No, the owner’ll get angry. He’d think his beef isn’t good if you take it away and throw it out.”
“Of course not!”
Lu Fan raised his voice, “Boss, cut me two pounds of beef and pack it up. I’ll take it with me.”
“All right.”
“That’s not what I meant!” Bai Lu was a bit anxious.
“I know. I want Bai Shuang... and Auntie to have something good.”
Only then did Bai Lu pick up her chopsticks and gently take a piece of beef, chewing slowly.
...
While they ate, an old jeep slowly rolled out from the residential compound of the Chang Le County Public Security Bureau.
Lu Dawei sat behind the wheel, Xia Hongying in the passenger seat. The back was piled with gift boxes: a crate of eggs, a box of pastries, a heart-shaped tin of candies, two bottles of Wuliangye liquor, and two packs of Red Double Happiness cigarettes.
Though unaware that their son had already arranged his marriage and spent all the family savings, causing Xia Hongying to fret all night, she still grit her teeth and prepared the gifts for her first visit to the in-laws.
Seeing his wife panting heavily, Lu Dawei felt sympathy. “We still have Maotai in the small storeroom. Why did you bring two bottles of Wuliangye? I was planning to visit old comrades soon and drink with them.”
“A gathering with comrades isn’t as important as our son’s marriage.”
“Isn’t Xiao Fan already settled? Today is just a formality.”
“He doesn’t know anything!”
After a moment, Lu Dawei asked, “Are you really bringing the future daughter-in-law home?”
“Of course. Fifty thousand yuan! In our neighborhood, who’s ever spent that much as a betrothal gift? Most are just a few thousand, the highest maybe eleven thousand. The Sun family spent thirty-five thousand because their kid’s clumsy and even bumps into utility poles. People laugh about it.”
“Don’t worry, Xiao Fan’s got a good eye. Whoever he picks will be worth that fifty thousand at least.”
“You really trust our son.”
“That’s right. His taste is like mine, and mine’s pretty good! Don’t you agree?”
A smile appeared on Xia Hongying’s lips.
“Old Lu, here’s my plan. That girl dropped out of school, right? When Xiao Fan goes to university, she can go with him as a companion student. Someone to look after him so I can worry less. We’ll rent a place near the university; they can cook their own meals, live comfortably without worries.”
Lu Dawei shook his head quickly, “That’s not a good idea. Letting two young people live together—how will Xiao Fan focus on his studies? Don’t let school suffer or health decline.”
“Why not? When we married, we were in our twenties. You were hot for a few days, then back to business as usual.”
“Back then, I was busy with work, had supervisors watching me. Kids today don’t have that kind of self-control.”
“Heh, now no one oversees you, and you’re not exactly enthusiastic.”
“Heh...”
Lu Dawei closed the thermos lid and pressed the accelerator hard.
The jeep’s engine roared with a trembling growl, emitting a plume of black smoke.
...
On the outskirts of town, a Chunlan truck reeking of manure and urine screeched to a halt by the roadside.
The tailgate dropped open, and a crowd of people clambered down—men and women, fat and thin, tall and short.
The commotion immediately drew some curious glances.
Someone quickly recognized it. “Isn’t that the truck that usually collects pigs? Why are they carrying people now?”
“That’s the truck from Qingkou Town’s slaughterhouse. I know what’s going on. That’s Zhang the butcher.”
“What’s happening? Tell me!”
“Look, the village matchmaker is inside. Recently, she’s been helping families with matchmaking for their daughters. Didn’t you know?”
“Ohhh, I get it!”
The crowd surged fiercely toward the alley where the Bai family lived. Behind them, a group of onlookers followed at a distance, pointing and whispering.