He wasn’t sure whether he should rush to Yang City immediately or where else he should go.

His work unit had strict discipline, and having just finished a long leave, it was impossible to get another approval for time off. Besides, leaving so urgently meant he couldn’t properly arrange his work matters.

At this moment, Xia Xiao Lan called.

Zhou Cheng was angry at Xiao Lan’s rashness while worried about her safety. His call of “Xiao Lan” came out particularly loud, but he heard her voice on the other end sounding somewhat hoarse.

“It’s me.”

“Zhou Cheng, I miss you a little.”

His anger was immediately doused like water on fire, and Zhou Cheng’s heart tightened.

Something wasn’t right about Xiao Lan’s voice.

“Xiao Lan, where are you now?”

“I’m in Yueyang… I ran into some trouble in Yang City, so I shipped the goods back to Shang City and got off at Yueyang Station. I’m planning to buy a ticket back to Shang City today.”

Zhou Cheng breathed a sigh of relief – at least she was safe.

He couldn’t be angry with Xiao Lan: “I heard about the situation in Yang City from Bai Zhi Yong. Don’t go to Yang City for now, let me see how to resolve this matter.”

“Mm, I won’t go until before the New Year.”

Zhou Cheng could tell that Xiao Lan probably didn’t hold much hope that he could resolve the “Ke Yi Xiong” situation.

He didn’t make any chest-thumping promises either – a man’s actions speak louder than words, he just needed to show Xiao Lan the results. Many thoughts ran through Zhou Cheng’s mind: “When you go to Yang City next time, I’ll have Kang Wei accompany you.”

Zhou Cheng thought the oddness in Xiao Lan’s voice was due to being frightened by the gang leader.

Little did he know that Xiao Lan had just awakened from a great dream, and after much thought, felt that only Zhou Cheng could talk with her. This was Xiao Lan’s biggest secret, and with her wisdom, she couldn’t possibly tell it to anyone. Even intimate partners might become enemies, let alone Zhou Cheng, with whom she had just started dating.

Until the end of life, you never know if someone is truly worthy of trust.

Xiao Lan had no intention of testing human nature.

Hearing Zhou Cheng’s voice, she felt her heart slowly settling back to earth from where it had been floating. Of course, she existed! In this time of 1983, she even possessed precious things she didn’t have in her previous life.

She had Liu Fen’s affection, and her uncle’s family’s love, and following her instincts, she had found a boyfriend.

Her relationship with Zhou Cheng was purely about mutual attraction between a man and woman, with no school district housing, no asset positions, and no entanglement of interests. Xiao Lan felt this kind of relationship was comfortable.

She couldn’t be living any better.

Thinking of this, her voice softened:

“Mm, I’ll wait for Kang Wei. Zhou Cheng, I need to hang up now.”

“Let me know when you’re safely back in Shang City… I miss you too!”

Though disappointed at not finding anyone in Yueyang, Xiao Lan had also managed to put down a great burden.

Apart from having no traces of “Xiao Lan’s” life, this world was the same as she remembered. Her foreknowledge life experience and qualities accumulated from her previous life would be her support in this life. As a player who had participated in the “beta test” early but somehow retained her game experience, Xiao Lan quickly regained her spirits.

She checked out of the guest house and bought some fruit and candy to take to the police station.

The police officer had helped her yesterday, running around with her looking for her “relatives,” so Xiao Lan wanted to thank him.

Southern tangerines were only fifty cents per jin, and a few yuan could buy a big bag. This wasn’t considered a gift, and with two packages of candy added, it only cost about ten yuan in total. The police officer who helped yesterday didn’t know what to say.

“Comrade, we can’t accept gifts.”

“Officer, this is just a small token of my appreciation. You even paid for my lodging yesterday.”

When Xiao Lan was in her daze yesterday, it was Officer Wu who took her to the guest house and helped pay for her room. Xiao Lan came first to deliver the fruit and second to repay the money.

Officer Wu refused to take her money, so Xiao Lan forcefully left the fruit with him.

In the busy police station, it wouldn’t look right to keep pulling back and forth with a young, beautiful female comrade, so Officer Wu could only leave the fruit on the table. He felt sympathetic toward this girl who failed to find her relatives. Xiao Lan had a deceptively delicate face – even the slightest frown could evoke people’s pity.

“Are you going to continue searching?”

“No, I’m buying a ticket to leave Yueyang today.”

Officer Wu was silent for a moment, then put on his cap from the table:

“Come on, I’ll take you to the station.”

Xiao Lan declined twice but didn’t refuse the officer’s kindness. She wasn’t being pretentious – at times like these, she did need the people’s police’s protection.

Finally managing to buy a ticket to Shang City, Officer Wu bought two baked buns at the station and gave them to Xiao Lan:

“Young lady, be careful when traveling alone. Take care on your journey!”

Xiao Lan nodded.

“Thank you for your concern.”

She didn’t know if she would ever come to Yueyang again, and though her encounter with Officer Wu was brief, she would always be grateful for others’ kindness.

After seeing Xiao Lan off, Officer Wu returned to the police station.

Peeling a tangerine, it was sweet to the core. Officer Wu shared the fruit and candy with his colleagues at the station. How was Xiao Lan any different from other citizens? Just that she was beautiful, polite, and seemed particularly pitiful when unable to find her relatives.

Fate had brought about this brief intersection between Officer Wu and Xiao Lan, and though fleeting, it left a deep impression.

In Yang City.

Ke Yi Xiong listened to Cao Liu’s words, still smiling.

“Boss, you’re not angry?”

Ke Yi Xiong asked curiously, “Why should I be angry? I just wanted to meet her. Look at her – not only is she brave, but she’s also quite clever. Wouldn’t she make a suitable wife for me?”

The two men Cao Liu sent to follow Xiao Lan had lost her. They went to Yueyang’s next station, then turned back to Yang City. All their time and energy was spent on the train journey, learning nothing about Xiao Lan’s situation.

Ke Yi Xiong wasn’t angry about this either.

Xiao Lan would come back to Yang City eventually, and as long as they watched the train station, he would see her again sooner or later. There was also the old fellow who knew Bai Zhi Yong who came to pass on a message, asking him to keep a low profile. Ke Yi Xiong wondered why Bai Zhi Yong would protect her.

Was she Bai Zhi Yong’s woman?

Following Bai Zhi Yong meant being unable to keep the family business, and unable to survive in the underworld – what prospects did a poor soldier have?

Although Bai Zhen Zhu was protecting her, and Bai Zhi Yong had sent someone with a message, Ke Yi Xiong didn’t believe Xiao Lan was Bai Zhi Yong’s woman. How could an ordinary man keep such a beauty?

Ke Yi Xiong quickly found the stall where Xiao Lan got her goods.

Chen Xi Liang almost abandoned his stall completely.

“Boss Chen, congratulations on your prosperity!”

“Brother Xiong, whatever you need, just say it. Would you like a cigarette?”

The wholesale market was a mixed bag, and being close to the train station, it was right in Ke Yi Xiong’s territory. Chen Xi Liang maintained a very humble attitude – in business, harmony brings wealth. He didn’t want trouble, and he always paid his stall fees and respect in full amount. He didn’t know what Ke Yi Xiong wanted from him.

When Cao Liu explained their purpose, Chen Xi Liang cursed wildly in his heart – this was such damn bad luck! Both for Xiao Lan and himself. How difficult it was to do business, and even after paying “respect money,” they could still run into this kind of trouble!

“Brother Xiong, I don’t know anything. She just bought goods from me a few times. I don’t know her address or any other information…”

Ke Yi Xiong patted Chen Xi Liang’s shoulder, “Boss Chen, I don’t like being lied to.”