Chapter 11: Sister Lin's Desperate Plunge

Mr. Liu didn't take it seriously. In his view, no amount of money could be more important than one's health. Working until dinner time before eating lunch was simply trading health for money.

Everyone has their own aspirations.

After dinner, Liu Tianming dragged Luo Li into the Sihai Woolen Sweater Store, insisting on joining the excitement and buying Luo Li a sweater. Luo Li didn't want it, but with Mr. Liu's persistence and the store owner's persuasive sales pitch, they both walked out wearing new sweaters. By then, it was already dark, and the street's incandescent lamps flickered with a dim yellow light.

Walking along New Street, they laughed and complimented each other as they headed home. Just as they reached the entrance of He Ji Tofu Shop, they heard a shout. Suddenly, a man dashed out, nearly colliding with Liu Tianming. Startled, Liu Tianming quickly stepped aside, barely maintaining his balance.

The man didn't even glance at them, bent over and ran off at top speed, disappearing in an instant.

Huh!

The two looked at each other, puzzled and uncertain.

Luo Li looked at the door that the man had left open, feeling worried and wanting to go check. Mr. Liu quickly grabbed him and shook his head, then pulled Luo Li away.

Back home, Mr. Liu began to scold Luo Li:

"You don't know what's going on, and you still want to interfere? Aren't you afraid of getting into trouble? Lin Yuhe's husband isn't home, and a man runs out of her house at night—is that something for you to meddle with?"

Luo Li understood that Mr. Liu was worried about his lack of social experience. "Brother, I wasn't just meddling for no reason. It was because it was Sister Lin's house that I wanted to check."

Seeing Liu Tianming's face darken further, Luo Li quickly explained, "This morning when I went to buy soy milk, I looked at Sister Lin's face and saw that she would have a calamity soon, and it involved a man. It might even endanger her life."

Seeing how serious Luo Li was, Mr. Liu realized the situation might be more serious than he thought. He asked, "Did you see who that man was just now?"

Luo Li looked at Mr. Liu and guessed, "Who do you think it was?"

"Niu Fuyun?" Mr. Liu's mouth fell open.

Seeing that his guess matched Luo Li's, his heart sank.

Since that incident the other night, Luo Li had secretly observed Sister Lin a few more times, noticing that the mole on her cheek had turned even darker. But whenever he brought up the mole, Sister Lin would get upset. Once, they even argued in front of the shop, and someone mocked Luo Li for having bad intentions. Furious, Luo Li left with harsh words: "Within seven days, you'll be in big trouble, Sister Lin!"

Since things didn't work with Sister Lin, Luo Li thought of approaching Niu Fuyun. But Niu Fuyun seemed to have vanished from Changping in the past few days, without a trace.

At this time, news had spread that the culprit responsible for harming Liu Tianming's family had been punished by the heavens. Mr. Liu, who seemed to have been in a better mood, sank back into a low mood.

Luo Li spent his days trying various ways to distract him, not having the energy to worry about people who "don't appreciate a good person's heart."

The day for the Changping market came again.

Luo Li leisurely got ready and went to work as usual. He treated the Changping market like a game; due to the Niu family's influence, his business wasn't doing well, and he was heavily ostracized.

After the market, the family ran out of rice, so Luo Li went to the grain store to buy some. He overheard a few women gossiping:

"Hey, is what you're saying really true?"

"If it weren't true, would Niu San's wife be pointing at her nose and cursing?"

"Tsk tsk. Who would have thought? She always acts so prim and proper but ends up doing such a shameful thing."

"What's so proper about her? Didn't you notice how slim her waist is, like a water snake, and how her hips sway perfectly when she walks? Even at thirty, her skin is still as smooth as a girl's. A seductive woman like her is irresistible to men; they flock to her like bees to honey!"