Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Three Phone Calls
Lin Anran never thought that he could change the concept formed by Lin Anli over the past 18 years with just a few words. Lin Anli likes to make money and save money. There is nothing wrong with this habit. It is better than spending money indiscriminately.
Still, Lin Anli looked at the twins and said, "You two shouldn't skimp on food. If you don't eat well, how will you have the energy to work, or even work overtime? If you collapse from exhaustion and need to be hospitalized, it'll be a waste of money. Your health is everything."
Before Lin Anli could think clearly, Lin Anhua immediately raised her hand and said, "Sister, I agree with you, Anli. We can't eat meat once a week instead of once every two weeks."
Lin Anran was shocked again. She immediately turned to look at Lin Anli and asked, "Is this how you plan to reduce your monthly expenses to less than ten yuan?"
"Eating meat once a week is already great. I used to go months without it at home," Lin Anli said with a wry smile. Seeing Lin Anran's serious expression, she quickly changed her tone and said, "Sister, I'll listen to you. I won't change it anymore. Once a week."
Lin Anran couldn't help but reach out and tapped Lin Anli's head, then pointed at Lin Anhua: "Anhua, you can't listen to Anli when it comes to food, remember?"
"Okay, sister, I'll be obedient!" Lin Anhua was as happy as if he had received an imperial decree.
Lin Anli glared at Lin Anhua, who smiled with his eight teeth showing, and then quickly buried his head in eating the remaining half of the chicken leg.
Lin Anran seemed not to notice the quarrel between the twins. He glanced down at his watch and said, "After dinner, we will separate and go back."
She spent a lot of time on the road today because of the trip back and forth.
"Ah? So soon? Sister, shall we not go out to play today?" Lin Anhua felt a little disappointed.
Lin Anran asked, "Where do you want to go? Let me tell you, we don't have enough time. If we want to play, we can only play together for two hours at most. Do you want to go to the Shenzhen River? You can see the Xiangjiang River on the other side."
Lin Anhua cheered: "Okay, I want to go and see it. I heard that Xiangjiang is more prosperous than Shenzhen."
"Sister, Mom called you. Is everything okay at home?" Lin Anli asked.
Lin Anran shook her head and said it was okay. She thought about it and briefly talked about the little idea she had for the Lin family, which attracted the twins' curious looks.
"Don't look at me. The results won't come out so soon. Maybe in a month or two." Lin Anran said an approximate time. She was not sure whether the Lin family would set up a stall to sell things.
"Sister, how did you come up with this idea? That's amazing!" Lin Anli looked at Lin Anran with sparkling eyes.
Lin Anhua was even more curious: "Setting up a stall? It would be great if I could sell them and make some money."
"I just learned from other people's experiences." Lin Anran shook her head. She had never set up a stall herself.
The three of them were very curious about the final outcome of Lin Ma and the others, but they had to wait patiently.
The line outside McDonald's was still very long. After Lin Anran and the other two finished eating, they immediately got up and left to make room for others.
Lin Anran took the twins and walked towards the Shenzhen River. The twins walked on her left and right. Lin Anran first mentioned the electronics factory, and the twins chattered to her about their lives in the electronics factory, which made Lin Anran understand the electronics factory better. The electronics factory was run by a boss from Hong Kong and could enjoy many preferential policies in Shenzhen. They made a lot of money, and the boss paid overtime pay, but other treatment was average. However, the factory workers could endure hardships, and would complain occasionally, but would do their work as usual.
"So the land reserved by your factory for building dormitories hasn't been started yet?" Lin Anran was concerned about this because the twins had been living in a tin house. This was different from what the electronics factory said when it came to Lin Village to recruit workers. It clearly said that workers would be able to live in spacious and bright buildings after entering the factory. As a result, the twins were still living in the tin house after several months in the factory.
Lin Anhua, who was more informed, said, "The factory claimed they had begun construction on the dormitory building, but in reality, they only moved a few shovels of sand. After that, the land was left open, and no construction workers were seen."
Lin Anli: "It seems the factory doesn't have the money to build the dormitories right now. The boss said the money needs to be put into production and payroll."
Lin Anran complained: "Capitalists." This kind of electronics factory will go bankrupt sooner or later.
The electronics factory doesn't build the dormitory building as promised, and ordinary workers are completely helpless. The money and the right to speak are in the hands of the boss, and these small fry don't even have the right to speak. They can only endure it.
"Someone jumped off the bridge! Quick! Save him!"
A loud shout came from the crowd in front, and with a rush, those who heard it rushed towards the source of the sound.
Lin Anran and the other two were about to cross the road. There was a bridge on their way and there were so many people that it was not an easy task to rush across. So when the three of them reached the edge of the bridge, the person who had jumped off the bridge had already been rescued and put on the ground for first aid. Fortunately, the person was finally rescued.
The onlookers all breathed a sigh of relief, but the person who had just been rescued stumbled to his feet and tried to rush to the bridge again, with one foot already raised and stepped over, as if preparing to jump for the second time. Everyone around was dumbfounded. There were still a few people who reacted quickly and pulled the person back together, but the person who jumped from the bridge was still struggling, so everyone could only work together to trap the person.
"Girl, if you're feeling down for the moment, don't jump off the bridge. What can't you get over in life?"
"Yes, yes, thanks to that big brother who jumped in to rescue you, otherwise you would have been dead."
"There's nothing you can't overcome, girl, just be positive."
"Hiss! She looks so miserable. Who beat her up? She's got black and blue face. Girl, I'll report you to the police right away. Don't be afraid. Explain it clearly to the police. It's really lawless. Who is so cruel to beat a girl like this?"
"Has she been bullied? No wonder she doesn't want to live anymore."
"What's so tragic? This woman is a mistress! The original wife brought people from Hong Kong to catch the adulterer, and they caught her red-handed. She deserves to be beaten! She was too embarrassed to live and jumped off a bridge!"
"I saw it too. It was right in front of us. After the original wife beat the man, the thugs she brought with her tied him up and took him back. Many people saw it."
All the heated discussions disappeared in an instant, and all the pity and sympathy turned into contempt and disdain.
"Even though she is the third one, we can't just watch her jump off the bridge, right?" someone said hesitantly.
Everyone was silent. They really couldn't bear to watch someone die in front of them. This woman didn't deserve to die.
The man who jumped off the bridge to save someone said, "I saved her and helped send her to the police station. As for what happened after that, it's none of our business."
"Yes, yes, send her to the police. She's been trying to commit suicide, and it's no use trying to stop her like this."
Who can stop someone who is determined to die? We don't have the time to waste.
"I won't dance anymore," the woman lowered her head, her voice hoarse, her messy long hair hiding her entire face, "Thank you..."
The man who rescued the woman sighed heavily. Seeing that the woman really didn't jump off the bridge anymore, he turned and left without saying anything.
Most people left silently, and some only left after making some sarcastic remarks. Once the crowd dispersed, Lin Anran and the other two, who had been standing at the edge and unable to squeeze in, were finally able to see the person in the center.
"That black and white dress looks so familiar. It's what Lin Baodi wore this morning." Lin Anran took a quick glance and never took his eyes off the woman kneeling on the ground. The woman's figure also resembled Lin Baodi.
Lin Anli was more familiar with Lin Baodi. She recognized her almost immediately: "It's her!"
Lin Baodi seemed to be frozen in place, unable to move. An old lady passed by and spat at her in disgust, but she didn't react at all.
"Should we go over there?" Lin Anran blinked, unsure. "If we, the acquaintances, go over there and Lin Baodi knows we know she was beaten, will she try to commit suicide again?"
For a moment, the three of them looked at each other, and no one could tell.
Finally, Lin Anli, who knew Lin Baodi better, said, "Go ahead. She said she doesn't want to dance anymore, and I'm worried about her like this."
Lin Anran took off his hat and put it back on his head: "Well, since you insist, I hope nothing will happen again."
Lin Anran has no friendship with Lin Baodi and is indifferent to Lin Baodi's current situation. This is the result of Lin Baodi's own choice.
"Baodi, it's me, Lin Anli." Lin Anli walked over, and Lin Anran pulled Lin Anhua a few steps behind.
Lin Baodi shuddered all over, looked up at Lin Anli, then quickly lowered her head, stood up, and ran away without looking back.
Lin Anli was stunned.
Seeing this, Lin Anran was relieved because Lin Baodi did not jump to the edge of the bridge, but ran away. It seemed that Lin Baodi did not have the urge to jump again for the time being.
"Stop daydreaming, let's just pretend we didn't see anything today." Lin Anran patted Lin Anli's head.
Lin Anhua: "Sister, we couldn't get in just now, so we really didn't see anything. It was indeed Lin Baodi. I saw her face."
Lin Anran was not familiar with Lin Baodi, and it was difficult for him to tell whether the person was Lin Baodi from the face that was swollen like a pig's head after being beaten.
"Are you still going to see the Shenzhen River?" Lin Anran asked to divert the twins' attention.
Lin Anli sighed, "I'm not in the mood to read it anymore. Maybe next time, sister. Anhua and I will go back to the electronics factory first. I don't know if Lin Baodi will be back yet. Boss... forget it. I want to go back and take a look. Maybe I can help."
"You can come back whenever you want. You can always see the Shenzhen River," Lin Anran said, reassuring her with a smile. "Don't be stubborn. If you have any questions, remember to call me. I may not be able to help, but I might be able to offer some advice. I'd love to hear what you have to say."
Lin Anli: "Okay."
Not long after Lin Anran returned to the villa, she received a call from Lin Anli: "Sister, Lin Baodi was fired, and we can't find her!"
Lin Anran's expression changed: "Is her luggage still there?"
"No one saw it. The boss lady had all of Lin Baodi's luggage thrown away at the garbage station. Someone saw Lin Baodi come back to the factory and she left quickly." Lin Anli explained quickly.
Lin Anran guessed: "Maybe she came back and took some of the luggage with her?"
She doesn't think Lin Baodi is a fool. Lin Anli said that Lin Baodi was at the top of her class when she was in school, and there was a teacher willing to vouch for her in junior high school. During the time when Lin Baodi was doing..., she probably asked for a lot of benefits, otherwise Lin Baodi's family would not be able to spend money so lavishly. However, it cannot be ruled out that Lin Baodi is willing to be a fool for her whole family.
Lin Anli: "Sister, I just asked, someone saw Lin Baodi leaving with a small luggage bag."
"Well, do you know where she will go? Have you searched everywhere?" Lin Anran asked again.
"We've looked for her, but we don't know what she's been doing these past few months. We don't know if she has other places to go or friends."
Lin Anran thought for a moment and said, "She's an adult and can go anywhere, but I really don't know if she'll be in danger. She just disappeared and left on her own, so calling the police won't work. Let's wait and see if she contacts you."
"Yes, it's no use for us to rush."
Lin Anran hung up the phone and touched his forehead with his fingers. To be honest, this matter of Lin Baodi was quite upsetting.
"Xiao Lin, did your brother and sister encounter any problems?" Aunt Li asked with concern when she saw Lin Anran's serious expression.
Lin Anran curled his lips and said, "It's not my sister-in-law, it's someone from the same village who came here to work. Something happened."
Aunt Li was curious: "What happened? Tell us and we can help you."
Lin Anran's expression froze as his boss and colleagues fixed their gazes on him. He then laughed it off, saying, "It's not a big deal. They can handle it themselves."
Lin Anran didn’t know whether Lin Baodi chose that path voluntarily or was forced to do so, but adults should be responsible for their choices.
Seeing this, everyone tactfully stopped asking further questions.
The next day, Lin Anran received two calls. The first was from Lin Anli: "Sister! I'm telling you, Lin Baodi ran away! She ran off to Hong Kong!"
Lin Anran was confused: "Huh? How did you run away?"
"Lin Baodi often went to social gatherings and dinners with the boss. She knew other Hong Kong bosses. She didn't know how she followed another Hong Kong boss, and that Hong Kong boss took her to Hong Kong." Lin Anli spoke very quickly, and every word in just a few sentences was the key point.
For the first time, Lin Anran felt that his brain was working too slowly, and he could only utter a breathy sound: "Hmm..."
Lin Anli added: "Maybe we won't see Lam Po-ti again. It's better for her to go to Hong Kong, even if she runs away. Her family is like that, they're always trying to squeeze her out."
Lin Anran cannot comment on Lin Baodi's choice and respects personal destiny.
Lin Anli hung up, and then her mother called again: "Anran, how about you take Anli and Anhua home? We farm and raise pigs and chickens, so we'll never starve. The story of Lin Baodi has spread throughout the village."
Lin Anran was hit hard again: "Ah? What did you say? I didn't hear clearly."
Lin's mother repeated, "What kind of place is Shenzhen? Lin Baodi is a good person, how could she go there and...? Oh!"
Lin Anran retorted: "The Shenzhen Stock Exchange is great. It's everyone's own choice. What does it have to do with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange?"
Anyway, Lin Anran liked Shenzhen. It was at the forefront of reform and opening up, and the ideological trends were the most open. So why would she go back to that secluded little mountain village of Lincun? No, forget it. She wouldn't go back even if she was beaten to death.
"I like Shenzhen very much. I don't like the village. I really don't like it." Lin Anran emphasized.
Mother Lin fell silent, her voice trembling: "Okay, okay, Anran, if you don't want to come back, then don't come back. Just work hard in Shenzhen. Mom won't let you come back..."
Lin Anran paused, then said softly, "I'm not... I'm thinking of you in the village, but I don't want to go back now. I'm living very well in Shenzhen. Ask An Li and An Hua if they want to go back. So, many people in the village want to ask them to go back?"
Mother Lin immediately explained, "No, most of them don't want to, because those who go out to work send money back home. Some families are like me, worried that you won't have a good life out there, that you might end up on a bad path, so they want you to come home and at least have a stable life."
Lin Anran understood immediately that money is the most important thing.
"How will the Lin Laipi family react?" Lin Anran was really curious about what this family of blood-sucking worms would do.
"The Lin Laipi couple said they were going to the Shenzhen Electronics Factory to retrieve someone. They had packed their bags this morning, but the village chief stopped them. Without a Shenzhen pass, they couldn't go. They're probably still at home cursing Lin Baodi right now."
Lin Anran was speechless: "Didn't Lin Baodi give them a lot of money? And they're still not satisfied?"
Mother Lin said disdainfully: "How can that family know what it means to be content! By the way, the Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon this year, and you three are not at home, so it's so cold and lonely." Mother Lin's voice sounded a little lonely.
Lin Anran scratched her cheek. She didn't know how to comfort a mother who missed her child. She thought hard and said tentatively, "Then I'll wish everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival. We'll always have the chance to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival together as a family in the future."
"You kid..." Mother Lin laughed out loud, then expressed concern about Lin Anran's work, and finally hung up the phone reluctantly.
Lin Anran took her hand away from the phone and breathed a sigh of relief. She was very glad that the original owner had gone to Shenzhen to work alone when she traveled through time, so she didn't have to open her eyes and face the Lin family's unfamiliar relatives. Otherwise, she would have been in trouble in a minute. She was really too different from the original owner.
"Uncle Wang, what are you holding? Let me help you." When Lin Anran walked into the living room, he saw Uncle Wang carrying several cardboard boxes. He strode forward and stretched out his hand.
Uncle Wang shook his head gently: "No, Xiaolin, go and help me clean the tea set. I have to prepare tea for Mr. Zhou before he gets home."
"Mr. Zhou?" Lin Anran's mind was buzzing. Wasn't Zhou Heyuan in Beijing? And just like Lin's mother had said, the Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching. Why was Zhou Heyuan not staying in Beijing to celebrate with his family, but coming to Shenzhen now?
Uncle Wang's eyes fell on Lin Anran's somewhat stiff expression and he smiled slightly, as if he hadn't noticed at all: "Yes, Mr. Zhou has returned to Shenzhen and will be there in an hour."
Lin Anran clasped his hands together tightly, squeezing them slightly, and put on a sweet smile: "Okay, Uncle Wang, I'll go to the kitchen to clean the tea sets now."
"Thank you for your hard work, Xiaolin. Remember to say thank you to everyone." Uncle Wang nodded slightly and left with the paper box.
Lin Anran walked into the kitchen. Aunt Li, Chef Zhao, and Uncle Ding were sitting at their usual dining table, leisurely drinking herbal tea. The weather was too hot, so herbal tea was always available in the villa. Everyone loved to drink it to clear away heat and reduce internal heat. Lin Anran also liked it. If it were usual, she would immediately and happily join the herbal tea drinking team. But now?
Aunt Li invited warmly: "Xiao Lin, come here quickly. I'll pour you a cup of herbal tea."
Lin Anran shook her head slightly, looking at everyone's Buddhist and healthy faces. She was a little curious whether she would see the three elders' expressions change in an instant. She said with a bit of malicious intent, "Now is not the time for herbal tea. Uncle Wang said Mr. Zhou will be at the villa in an hour."
Aunt Li and the other two blinked: "???"
"Mr. Zhou is back?!" Chef Zhao is obviously a fat man, but the movement he jumped up from the chair was particularly agile.
Aunt Li put down her cup and stood up. "Xiao Lin, is it really Uncle Wang who said that? We didn't receive any notice before."
"I just ran into Uncle Wang in the living room. Uncle Wang should have just found out as well?" Lin Anran explained with a smile.
Uncle Ding stood up and said with a clear purpose: "I'm going to see the Clivia and the garden."
Chef Zhao groaned, drawing everyone's attention to him. Then he said, "I've been thinking about what kind of mooncakes to make this year. I wanted to send them to Mr. Zhou in Beijing before the Mid-Autumn Festival. If I had known, I would have started thinking about it sooner. Now it's too late."
"Uncle Zhao, it's not too late. There are still many days before the Mid-Autumn Festival. It's still in time." Lin Anran comforted him.
Chef Zhao calculated the time, rolled up his sleeves, and got down to work.
"Xiao Lin, let me help you wash the tea sets," Aunt Li said, approaching Lin Anran with a passionate attitude. "Luckily, we've replaced all the curtains in the villa with clean ones today, otherwise we wouldn't have enough time to do it in an hour."
Seeing the changes in Aunt Li and the other two's expressions, the strangeness in Lin Anran's heart caused by Zhou Heyuan's return slowly disappeared. Zhou Heyuan was the boss and she was an employee, there was no doubt about that. No one could say that her work was wrong, she did a great job, there was nothing to be awkward about.
Yes! That's it.
Aunt Li was busy with her work while calculating the date: "Today is the 12th, and the 22nd is Mid-Autumn Festival. Mr. Zhou will definitely return to Beijing before Mid-Autumn Festival. I guess Mr. Zhou won't be staying in the villa for a few days before leaving."
That’s really great! Lin Anran cheered in his heart.
But Lin Anran didn't show it at all. She tried to find a topic to talk about, "I just called home, and they said that this Mid-Autumn Festival, we're missing three people at home, so we can't have a reunion."
Aunt Li comforted Lin Anran: "It's not easy for you to go back. It's the same as going back to reunite with your family during the Chinese New Year."
"New Year's Day? That's too early. I haven't thought about things that far ahead." Lin Anran was stunned, and the faces of Lin's mother and father naturally appeared in her mind. She didn't know how to get along with them now. In her eyes, her parents have never had a positive image.
Fortunately, she has a long time to adjust and doesn't have to worry about this problem for the time being.
Lin Anran remained silent, and Aunt Li shifted the topic to Zhou Heyuan: "Why would Mr. Zhou suddenly come to Shenzhen before the Mid-Autumn Festival? It's strange, could it be work? Xiaolin, what do you think?"
"Maybe it's a very important job?" Lin Anran made a random guess.
Aunt Li agreed: "That's for sure."
"Heyuan, doesn't your company in Shenzhen have a manager? What kind of work is so important that requires you to come here at this time?" Guo Shuyan was puzzled.
"You only think about work? Heyuan has things more important than work." Qian Jiaming looked at Guo Shuyan proudly, with a kind of pride that "I know Zhou Heyuan's secret and you don't."
Guo Shuyan didn't want to pay attention to Qian Jiaming. This guy always had this look on his face recently. He really wanted to punch him. Only friends could tolerate him like this.
But Guo Shuyan was also curious: "So what's going on? He Yuan, aren't you planning to take your team north after Mid-Autumn Festival to do business with the people from the northern power? What could be more important than this? These few months are the most critical, and we can't miss this opportunity. According to the information I received, many people have already gone north to do business."
Zhou Heyuan opened his eyes and looked sideways at the scenery receding outside the car window. His eyes were calm as he said, "I have a plan. I'll come back to take a look."
Guo Shuyan: “???”
Qian Jiaming laughed heartily.
"What are you doing with me to Shenzhen?" Zhou Heyuan withdrew his gaze, closed his eyes again, and spoke in a faint voice.
Qian Jiaming said bluntly: "Heyuan, I just followed you to join in the fun. By the way, I also want to see Xiaolin. After all, I helped Xiaolin before, and I want to know if she has become better." This reason was made up on the spot, but it was still a reason.
The question was put to Guo Shuyan, who pushed his glasses and said through gritted teeth, "I just want to get away from home for a while. Too many people come to visit me every day."
Mid-Autumn Festival is a good festival. Guo Shuyan used to like celebrating it, but this year he suddenly doesn’t like it anymore. It’s fine for relatives to visit, but don’t introduce one girl after another to him.
Qian Jiaming understood instantly and laughed loudly, "Guo Shuyan, you have come to this day!"
Fang Jie drove very steadily and returned to the villa at the agreed time.
Lin Anran watched Zhou Heyuan get out of the car. Zhou Heyuan looked at her first, and their eyes met in the air from a distance of several meters.
Lin Anran did not look away and naturally showed her dedicated smile.
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