Chapter 88 It's time to exercise tonight.
Zheng Zecheng's place was not easy to find; it was in an old alley on the east side of the county town. The alley was winding and twisting, and the children around him were running around naked. People on the street were arguing and making a lot of noise.
Liu Nian took the address given to her by Wu Qianli and went to each house number one by one. Just as she looked up, she saw Zheng Zecheng carrying a chamber pot and walking out from around the corner, bumping into Liu Nian face to face.
He still had an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth as he looked at Liu Nian and Su Xu, biting the cigarette holder.
"You're looking for me?" he asked, a cigarette dangling from his lips, as he moved the chamber pot aside and said, "I was just taking care of my old lady. Please wait a moment."
After saying that, he strode into the public restroom in front of him.
"I didn't expect him to be so filial." Su Xu nodded and said, "Looking at him, I thought he was a good-for-nothing."
He had a buzz cut, a scar on his head, and walked with a smug, roguish air, a wicked grin on his face. Zheng Zecheng washed his hands, flicked the water droplets off, and walked over, asking, "How did you know where I live?"
Liu Nian asked Su Xu to hand over the fruit she had bought, saying, "This is the address Wu Qianli gave me."
It's never appropriate to visit someone's home empty-handed.
Zheng Zecheng accepted it without ceremony, but his expression suddenly became dazed. "Wu Qianli?"
He slowly and softly repeated the name between his teeth, "Wu Qianli".
He lowered his head, gave a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, then raised his head and said, "What do you want? Let's go inside and talk."
The cigarette dangling from his mouth never got a chance to be lit; it was tucked behind his ear, and his melancholy expression was fleeting.
Zheng Zecheng invited Liu Nian and Su Xu into the house. The house was very small, and in the inner room there was an old woman who had been paralyzed in bed for many years and kept cursing.
"Ignore her." Zheng Zecheng tossed a stool to Liu Nian, then looked at Su Xu and said, "You're a grown man, so just stand there."
Liu Nian and Su Xu exchanged a smile. Su Xu helped Liu Nian put the stool away, and only then did Liu Nian speak.
"This person may be involved in the trafficking of cultural relics. Can you do me a favor?" Liu Nian explained his purpose and also told Zheng Zecheng about Wang Donglai.
Zheng Zecheng grinned mischievously, "Aren't you afraid I'll pocket it?"
"You should repay the favor you owe me. People like you value relationships above all else." Liu Nian smiled at him.
"Oh." Zheng Zecheng smiled, "People like us also know how to treat people differently depending on their status."
Based on—Zheng Zecheng looked at the note Liu Nian had placed on the table; the handwriting was delicate, just like her.
“But I helped you,” Zheng Zecheng said. Only after Liu Nian and Su Xu left did he pick up the note and gently rub the words on it with his thumb.
He then carefully placed the note in the pocket next to his heart.
Liu Nian and Su Xu returned to Jiangjuntun. On their way, they passed a construction site, and Liu Nian spotted Aunt Cui and Li Dapeng arguing from afar.
"Aunt Cui, these are things from the construction site, we still need them!" Li Dapeng stopped Aunt Cui, who was carrying a snakeskin bag that was half full of cement.
Aunt Cui said matter-of-factly, "Oh, I only need a little! You have so many, it won't make a difference!"
Her face fell, and she said, "Besides, this isn't yours. What right do you have to tell me what to do? We live in the same village. It's just a little bit of stuff. Even if Liu Nian is greedy, she shouldn't refuse to lend it to me, right?"
"I borrowed it, not that I'm not going to return it!" Aunt Cui glared at Li Dapeng. "It's not yours, yet you act like a gatekeeper dog, and people know about your favors!"
Li Dapeng was so angry he wanted to curse. It was really exhausting to talk to this unreasonable old lady.
"These are my things, I paid for them! Why should I give them to you?" Liu Nian walked straight over to Li Dapeng and said, "You take the cement from me! Let's see if she dares to say another word!"
Aunt Cui's arrogance vanished the moment she saw Liu Nian; she had the nerve to argue after being caught red-handed taking someone else's things.
Aunt Cui only dared to mutter softly, "I'm only borrowing a little bit, what's the big deal? We're all from the same village, don't be stingy."
Liu Nian took a deep breath; she had had enough of Aunt Cui.
She gritted her teeth, comforting herself, thinking that as long as she waited patiently for a few more days... just a few days would be enough!
Liu Nian had Su Xu go to Aunt Cui's house again that night to steal the items, and then ordered a counterfeit version from Taobao to put back.
This was the key she used to bring down Aunt Cui.
It was a blue and white porcelain piece. Liu Nian examined it carefully, knowing that it was priceless, but he understood the principle that ill-gotten gains should not be taken.
A few days later, Wang Dong secretly returned home in the middle of the night and excitedly told Aunt Cui that he had found a buyer and that they could get the money directly after the transaction was completed.
Aunt Cui immediately rushed into the cellar and took the things out. "Son, I've been watching over things for you! Don't forget your mother now that you've made a lot of money!"
Wang Donglai nodded, "Of course! I will definitely take care of you!" He had already begun to imagine his wonderful future life. Holding the porcelain bottle wrapped in newspaper, he left Jiangjuntun with a brisk pace.
Zheng Zecheng had been watching him for several days, confirming that he was going to sell a batch of cultural relics, and figuring out the time and place before communicating with Liu Nian.
If the police arrest them all, what about Aunt Cui? Even if Wang Donglai goes to jail or is executed, Aunt Cui won't be there, so she can simply say she knows nothing.
At most, she would suffer some criticism because of Wang Dong, which is not the result Liu Nian wanted. She is clearly not innocent.
That means we need to ensure that Aunt Cui is involved in the entire incident.
"You need to get some exercise tonight." Liu Nian's eyes swept over Su Xu, who narrowed his eyes. "Exercise?"
"What kind of exercise?" Su Xu moved closer to Liu Nian and put his arm around her waist. "Speaking of which, it's been a long time since we've exercised."
The warmth of his breath and the man's body temperature were both "scorching" Liu Nian.
"I'm so glad you made this request," Su Xu whispered in Liu Nian's ear. "I'll definitely be very gentle tonight!"
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