Chapter 83 She didn't hide anything at all, she was laughing...
Dou Wenliang took Cao Fengyi to Jincheng, and entrusted everything in Bincheng to Lu Lin. He returned later and later, and Shen Rong could feel the undercurrents beneath the calm surface of the lake.
The year passed quietly. On New Year's Eve, Lu Lin went to the Security Command Headquarters after dinner.
Shen Rong took out her own money to give him a New Year's gift: "Your dad earned money for you to spend, so don't be angry, Xiao Ming."
Xiao Ming could only hold an empty red envelope; the money, of course, went from one pocket to the other and back into his mother's wallet.
He tried to bite, licked his mouth full of saliva, looked around with his head, but didn't see his familiar father, and was a little unhappy.
"Missing your dad?" Shen Rong teased him.
Shen Rong looked out the window; she also missed him a little.
He hasn't said anything about sending her back to Pingcheng these days, but Shen Rong has already started packing important things.
Lu Lin saw it, but didn't say anything; his eyes clearly showed some disappointment.
Shen Rong knew he had misunderstood, but she did not explain.
She just wanted to send her son back first, but she couldn't say for sure that she wouldn't abandon him and run away. She was terrified, even more terrified than others, because she knew all too well what the outcome would be if she didn't leave—a life worse than hell.
She rationally plans to run every day, wanting to run far away, but with Lu Lin here, Shen Rong can't bear to leave.
She thought, let's wait a little longer, it's not the last moment yet.
Lu Lin and his group were prepared and on high alert. Maybe... maybe things would be different?
Since waking up, she has been living under Lu Lin's protection. She depends on him and is used to his presence. The thought of being separated from him terrifies her.
She was afraid to face this chaotic world alone, so she hoped that Bincheng could be defended and that this outcome could be changed. She would not leave until the very last moment!
Two weeks later, Dou Wenliang and his wife returned. During this period, Lu Lin only returned twice, and both times he only stayed briefly and did not stay at home.
Cao Fengyi brought back many fine things and sent some to Shen Rong. She talked about her experiences in Jincheng, describing its bright lights, bustling streets, and peaceful atmosphere.
"They live better than us in Bincheng. Let's go visit them together next time we have the chance."
Shen Rong lowered her head, concealing the sadness in her eyes.
Cao Fengyi talked most about balls, about gaining experience, and about the social gatherings of high society, but he didn't say a word about the current situation.
Chen Rong's heart sank.
Cao Fengyi noticed her mood: "Don't you want to hear this?"
Shen Rong shook her head and smiled: "No, I just regret not going to see it for myself. Now that you describe it, I'm itching to go myself."
Cao Fengyi smiled and said, "Next time we have the chance, we can go together. I'll introduce you to Mrs. Wen. She's an interesting person too. You both have a Western style, so you'll definitely get along well."
Judging from her tone, it seems that the First Lady treats Cao Fengyi with great respect.
"The bird's nest I gave you last time was from her, and she gave me quite a lot again this time. I shared some with you. I heard it has amazing effects on beauty and skin care. She really takes good care of her skin and figure; maybe it's because of the bird's nest. Let's give it a try." Cao Fengyi winked at her.
Shen Rong sized her up a few times: "Sister-in-law, your looks are already enviable even without eating bird's nest. You'll be irresistible in the future."
Cao Fengyi wanted to punch her: "Go ahead and insult me. Luckily, I'm sober. I'm a mother of two, not like you young people."
Thinking about Dou Wenliang's recent coldness towards her, she felt somewhat gloomy.
“We women are at a disadvantage. We lose our youth quickly, and we age faster after having children.” She touched her face. “We worry a lot and age faster. I feel like I’ve aged a lot lately.”
Shen Rong comforted her, "Sister-in-law is still as beautiful as before, and even more mature and charming."
Cao Fengyi shook her head: "Men only like young and beautiful women. They only think that the women at home are all haggard and dull, like dead fish balls. They don't know how to appreciate mature charm."
"Why is my sister-in-law suddenly so sentimental?" Could it be that Dou Wenliang has a new romance? Shen Rong boldly speculated.
When Cao Fengyi met her curious gaze, she realized that she had overreacted and made up an excuse.
"It was during this trip to Jincheng that I saw all those officials' wives were so young; they were obviously married later in life. I got really angry."
Once they become successful, they replace their original wives back home with new, modern women, claiming there's no love left. In the end, it's just that they think their original wives are too old and they're after the younger, more beautiful women. What talk of love and no feelings? What a load of rubbish!
So that's what it is. Shen Rong smiled but didn't agree. The original owner had used the same reason to get a divorce from Lu Lin.
Fortunately, Cao Fengyi didn't want to talk about this topic anymore, and the two talked about other things until Lu Lin returned, at which point she said goodbye and went back.
Seeing that Lu Lin's expression was not quite right, Shen Rong followed him into the study.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
He didn't go to report to Dou Wenliang, so why does he look so tired?
Lu Lin rubbed his temples and reached out to her.
Shen Rong leaned closer, and Lu Lin pulled her into his arms, burying his head in her shoulder: "Let me lean on you for a while."
Lu Lin's voice was somewhat muffled, and Shen Rong reached out and gently patted him a few times to comfort him.
After a while, Lu Lin composed himself and said, "Pack your things. I'll have someone send you back to Pingcheng in a few days. You don't need to come back."
Shen Rong keenly sensed something was off about Lu Lin's tone.
"Why?"
Lu Lin's eyes held a hint of disappointment and bitterness: "With external enemies at our doorstep, their primary concern is internal strife. I'll send you back to Pingcheng; don't come back." He stroked Shen Rong's hair.
It was thought that Dou Wenliang's trip to Jincheng would bring some good news, or that the Allied Forces would repel the enemy. However, the government officials chose to back down, asking them to avoid conflict with the Japanese and even asking Dou Wenliang to help clear out the rioters in Bincheng.
Shen Rong tightened his grip: "Arrest them?"
She became somewhat agitated: "You ordered me to arrest them? Did you actually do it?"
Lu Lin noticed that her expression was off.
Why is she so agitated? Could it be...?
Shen Rong grabbed his hand and shook her head: "You mustn't do it, you can't... Promise me, you can't get their blood on your hands."
Lu Lin was on a sinking ship, and Shen Rong was still planning to help him abandon darkness and embrace the light. She couldn't let him get entangled in blood feuds at this time.
Lu Lin stared at her intently: "What do you want to say?"
Could she be one of their people?
Lu Lin's heart tightened, and he was already planning how to silence her and eliminate everyone who knew her identity so that she would be safe.
To everyone's surprise, Shen Rong said, "What I mean is, you don't need to make enemies with them. The future is uncertain. Shouldn't the most important enemy right now be the Japanese?"
Lu Lin was both amused and exasperated: "Are you worried that I'll make enemies with them?"
"Otherwise what?" Shen Rong looked at him with a worried expression.
"Commander Han is in charge of this matter; I won't interfere."
Shen Rong breathed a sigh of relief, then took another deep breath.
Seeing her frown, Lu Lin sighed meaningfully, "They lost a lot of people in the south because of the sudden attack, which caught them off guard. They should all be hiding now, and they won't be so easy to catch."
Shen Rong could only console herself with this thought: she didn't know who they were, and she couldn't inform them!
A few days later, Cao Fengyi invited her over to play cards. Unexpectedly, she ran into Ma Langhua there as well. It seemed that Young Marshal Dou had calmed down.
"Han Xiwen has made a lot of contributions recently, and Wenliang is keen to promote him. It wouldn't be good for Han Xiwen to turn his cousin away. It would make him look bad in front of outsiders."
Cao Fengyi explained in a low voice, "Don't worry, Wenliang values Tianming the most."
Shen Rong forked a piece of melon and ate it slowly: "Sister-in-law, you're overthinking it. We're not jealous at all. As for the so-called left and right arms, of course, the more capable people you have, the better. I know that."
Cao Fengyi felt relieved and gently nudged her: "You're being strange. In my heart, you're much closer than her. Having a cousin like this is a real headache for me. What do you think Han Xiwen is after..."
Xu Youzhen is not much better than Ma Langhua.
Shen Rong lowered her eyelashes. What was she after? Naturally, she wanted to get closer to the Marshal's Mansion. Although it seemed that Dou Wenliang and his wife were tired of Ma Langhua, if they really didn't care about feelings, how could Han Xiwen have returned to Bincheng so quickly and become Dou Wenliang's right-hand man?
She looked at Ma Langhua. Since Commander Dou left, Ma Langhua had become much more restrained in her actions, presumably knowing that the person who would unconditionally indulge her was gone.
A lady beckoned to Shen Rong to draw cards, offering to give her her seat, but Cao Fengyi plopped down first, saying, "Let me have my turn first. Don't call her over. How can we win if she's around?"
That's right, everyone laughed, and they drew cards again.
Cao Fengyi asked Shen Rong to help her look at the cards.
"A true gentleman observes chess without speaking, and the same applies to playing cards. Madam, you can't do that. With you and Mrs. Lu involved, we can't continue playing cards. We might as well just pay up," someone objected with a laugh.
Everyone nodded: "That's right."
Cao Fengyi laughed and said, "Then let's not let her speak."
Upon hearing this, Shen Rong laughed and sat back down: "Then I can't hold back, I'd better not watch it."
Everyone chuckled again, and their attention gradually returned to the cards.
Shen Rong noticed that Ma Langhua had taken the child outside, and on a whim, she followed.
***
Shen Rong stood dumbfounded in front of Gulou Street, holding her child. With so many people and so many shops, how could she know who Han Xiwen and his group were targeting?
Looking around carefully, I didn't see anyone watching me. Which of these many shops could be my target?
She's wasted her time. What good will it do her comeback? Is she supposed to yell in the street, "Comrades, run! Someone's coming to arrest you!"
Ma Langhua only knew that Han Xiwen's people had been frequently visiting the Drum Tower area recently, but he didn't know what they were doing, so Shen Rong couldn't get any more information out of them.
Oh well, let's just treat this as a shopping trip! She took Guichun to visit each shop and bought quite a few things. Just then, she saw a hat shop ahead.
Gui Chun: "This is what they call the best hat shop in Bincheng."
Shen Rong laughed at her: "How do you know? Don't you recognize the sign?"
Gui Chun: "I recognize the mountain it painted. It's on their hats too. I saw someone else wearing it last time. Madam, let's go take a look!"
She looked excited, but remained noncommittal: "Then let's go take a look." If it's really good, we can buy two.
Shen Rong was about to go with the child when they were stopped halfway.
"Madam, what a coincidence! What brings you here?"
The person blocking the way looked familiar, but Gui Chun recognized him first: "Hu Zi, what are you doing here!"
"Is the gentleman here too?" she asked, looking around.
Shen Rong remembered that this Tiger's surname was Wang, and he was Lu Lin's subordinate in the Security Command. But what was he doing here? Could Lu Lin be nearby as well?
Wang Huzi rubbed his hands together with a smile: "The commander is not here. I was temporarily transferred here on business. Madam, it's not safe here. Why don't you go somewhere else to stroll around?"
Shen Rong glanced at the hat shop behind him and understood somewhat.
Tiger knew her, so he stopped her when he saw her heading to the hat shop, probably because he was worried about her safety. That's why the hat shop was their surveillance point.
Suppressing her excitement, Shen Rong forced herself to remain calm: "I was just saying I was going to buy your commander a hat, but the shop isn't suitable?"
Hu Zi lowered his head, somewhat embarrassed. Seeing that Shen Rong was Lu Lin's wife, he dared not hide anything: "There is a rebel hiding inside. We are keeping an eye on them to see if any accomplices come to join us."
Shen Rong exclaimed in surprise, took a few steps back, and said with a look of fear, "Then...then I won't go."
"Have the accomplices arrived?" Shen Rong asked, feigning curiosity.
Tiger shook his head: "We're still keeping an eye on things; the higher-ups don't allow us to alert them."
Anyone who entered the shop became a suspect, and people were sent to investigate them.
"Madam, please go back. It's dangerous here," Tiger urged her again.
Shen Rong glanced at the shop again. It was so close, but there was nothing she could do. If she rushed in recklessly, not only would the people in the shop be unable to escape, but Lu Lin would also be implicated.
What should we do?
Shen Rong unconsciously tightened her grip, and the child in her arms began to fuss uncomfortably.
The crying was quite loud and couldn't be soothed. The hat shop was the closest, and their waiter saw it, turned around, and took out a leather mouse from the shop to tease the boy.
The little guy still had tears on his face, but he was already laughing and starting to pull on other people's toys.
"It's for the young master."
Shen Rong was about to pay when the waiter said, "It's not worth much. It's all made from leftover materials used for making hats. If you want to buy a hat, Madam, you can come into the shop and take a look."
He noticed that the woman was originally going to enter her own shop, but was stopped halfway there, and then her child started crying. He wondered if she had encountered some trouble.
His eyes turned to Hu Zi beside him.
Tiger stared at him warily. Xiao Er was somewhat puzzled.
Shen Rong was a little embarrassed: "I was going to buy a hat, but I'm not going now, thank you."
She turned to Hu Zi and said, "You should go back now, don't delay your errand. I'm not going to the hat shop."
Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for the waiter next to her to hear.
Sure enough, the waiter's expression changed. He glared at Tiger as if someone had delayed a big business deal, then turned and went back to the shop.
Seeing that they had a lot of things, Hu Zi insisted on putting them in the car. Since he was so enthusiastic, Shen Rong couldn't refuse. She could only ask him to put the things back in the car first, and that she would come later.
Xiao Ming played with the leather toy mouse in his hand, while Shen Rong glanced at the hat shop with a hint of worry, wondering if the shop assistant had understood.
However, there was no unusual reaction at all, so it seems they probably didn't hear it.
She was disheartened! Those few mumbled words were indeed difficult to understand.
“Madam, isn’t that Dr. Wen?” Gui Chun said, pointing to a figure from behind.
Shen Rong turned to look, and it was indeed true. However, today Wen Zhongda was wearing a long-distance running outfit and a hat.
"Zhongda!"
Wen Zhongda turned around upon hearing the sound and walked over, quite surprised: "Sister-in-law, what are you doing here?"
He looked around: "Where's Lu Lin?"
“He wouldn’t have time to be outside at this hour,” Shen Rong asked him. “Didn’t you go to work today?”
Wen Zhongda sighed, "Sister-in-law, please let me go. I've worked three consecutive night shifts, and I finally got a day off, but you're already urging me to go back to work." He looked utterly hopeless.
Shen Rong laughed at him.
He invited Shen Rong to have coffee: "It's better to meet by chance than to invite someone. This shop has very good coffee beans. Shall I treat you to a cup?"
The shop that Wen Zhongda pointed to happened to be right next to the hat shop.
Shen Rong sighed: "Let's go, I'll take you somewhere else to drink. It's probably not going to be peaceful here today."
Wen Zhongda asked, puzzled, "What's wrong?"
Shen Rong lowered his voice: "There are people lying in ambush around here, ready to arrest us. Let's leave."
Wen Zhongda was stunned for a moment, then looked around nervously: "Who are you arresting! It's not my coffee shop, is it?"
"No, it's next door." But it's so close, it wouldn't be good if we got caught in the crossfire.
Wen Zhongda breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. Since they haven't caught us yet, I'll go get the coffee beans I ordered. I need them to keep me alive. Sister-in-law, wait for me, I'll be there soon."
He hurried towards the coffee shop, while Gui Chun stamped her foot, "Madam, we can't wait for him anymore. What's wrong with Dr. Wen?"
I told him it was dangerous, but he still went. Is coffee that important?
Shen Rong understood him. For Niu Ma, coffee was truly a necessity, and as a doctor, it was even more indispensable.
A few minutes later, Wen Zhongda returned carrying the paper package.
"Come on, sister-in-law, let's go to coffee, no, let's treat you to a meal. Lu Lin is keeping a close eye on you. I've offered to treat you to a meal several times, but he won't let me." Wen Zhongda kept grumbling about Lu Lin's shortcomings along the way.
Back home, Shen Rong made a point of inquiring about what was happening on Gulou Street. Lu Lin said it seemed they hadn't caught anyone. The shopkeeper of the hat shop said he had gone to get more stock, and Hu Zi and the others had come up empty-handed.
Lu Lin glanced at her: "I heard you went to Gulou Street today too?"
Shen Rong smiled sincerely and said, "Yes, I heard that it's a very prosperous place, so I went to take a look."
Although it's uncertain whether the shopkeeper's escape was related to her, the fact that they haven't caught him is good news.
Lu Lin shook his head inwardly; she wasn't hiding anything at all, smiling so brightly.
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