The only option left was to have someone deliver it to Zhou Cheng.
Hadn’t Kang Wei upgraded her seat ticket to a sleeper last time? He must know people in Shangdu. Xia Xiaolan asked if someone could help bring the watch to Beijing.
Kang Wei found it strange over the phone:
“Sister-in-law, what’s so urgent?”
“April 18th is Zhou Cheng’s birthday. I bought him a watch.”
Kang Wei wanted to slap himself. Why did he have to ask? Wasn’t the answer just heartbreaking? Kang Wei got a face full of their loving relationship and still had to find someone to bring the watch to Beijing. Of course, he knew people in the railway system, otherwise how could those cigarettes circulate between different places?
Even without seeing the watch, Kang Wei was already extremely envious.
If he could find a girlfriend like Xia Xiaolan, he’d willingly be “henpecked.” Beautiful and caring, yet independent and ambitious – what more could one want? Apart from her modest family background, at Kang Wei’s age, between boyhood and manhood, before learning worldly wisdom, he didn’t think family background differences mattered much.
Or perhaps Xia Xiaolan’s demonstrated abilities made Kang Wei overlook such differences.
Kang Wei could converse with Xia Xiaolan as equals and respectfully call her “Sister-in-law,” not just because Zhou Cheng valued her, but because her capabilities earned Kang Wei’s respect.
Since she had him on the phone, Xia Xiaolan asked about the renovation progress.
“Basic renovations are complete, now we’re airing out the house while waiting for the carpenter to make furniture according to the drawings. Uncle Liu has already started helping with Shao Guangrong’s renovation, and we got the range hood…”
The house wasn’t large, and with Liu Yong’s team working day and night, they finished the basic renovation in just over two weeks. Kang Wei’s house needed extensive modifications, even custom windows, plus custom furniture following the drawings – it would take at least two to three months to complete. Liu Yong didn’t want to just wait around, so since houses needed time to air out during the renovation, he simply started work on both properties.
When Xia Xiaolan heard that Shao Guangrong’s house had also started renovation, she realized Gong Yang, the “art director,” wouldn’t return to Shangdu anytime soon.
Her plan to study at Shangdu University Library might only be possible with Officer Zhuo’s sister’s help.
Being highly proactive, Xia Xiaolan immediately went to the police station to find Zhuo Weiping. She was quite famous at the station – which officer could forget her?
Zhuo Weiping misunderstood.
“You’re here to ask about Ding Aizhen?”
Zhuo Weiping pulled Xia Xiaolan into a corner and whispered: “The court has sentenced her – Ding Aizhen got 12 years.”
12 years?
About what Zhuo Weiping had predicted.
Xia Xiaolan hadn’t come to ask about Ding Aizhen, but it was good to know. Ding Aizhen’s 12-year sentence was deserved. Old Zheng’s family from State Cotton Mill Three lived above the clothing store – they’d surely be happy to hear this news, though happiness couldn’t bring back Old Zheng’s son’s arm. Just as Xia Xiaolan was about to thank Zhuo Weiping for her concern and explain her actual purpose, Zhuo Weiping pulled her outside.
“Comrade Xia Xiaolan, there’s something I’ve kept to myself for a long time. The last time when I saw you still associating with Kang Wei, I wanted to say something but never found the chance… In Anqing County, it was Kang Wei and another man who helped catch those hooligans and brought them to the station, right? They later brought in someone called Zhang Erlai. When the station received the report and checked at the county guesthouse, they had beaten Zhang Erlai quite badly. We found several thousand yuan on Zhang Erlai, supposedly from him stealing public funds when he was caught in the act.”
Zhuo Weiping had always felt something was suspicious about this case.
After being caught, Zhang Erlai completely denied stealing public funds. Bad people always try to deny their crimes when caught, and Zhang Erlai was no exception. Zhuo Weiping heard him mention “Xia Xiaolan,” and coincidentally, the person Kang Wei and Zhou Cheng had helped earlier was Xia Xiaolan.
Zhuo Weiping didn’t think this was a coincidence.
She wanted to investigate further, but the station chief said not to pursue it, as it would harm the reputation of female comrades.
If they thoroughly questioned that scoundrel, and the women he implicated were revealed, how could they continue living their lives?
Besides, someone like Zhang Erlai perfectly fits the criteria for the Strike Hard campaign – no need to drag female comrades into it.
Zhuo Weiping was convinced by the station chief and didn’t pursue the matter. After transferring to work in Shangdu, she had even less time to think about old cases from Anqing County. Who would have thought she’d run into Xia Xiaolan again in Shangdu?
Xia Xiaolan seemed particularly close to Kang Wei.
Zhuo Weiping wasn’t meddling by revealing this now – she just wanted Xia Xiaolan to be careful. Last time the Joint Defense Team had been quite arrogant, but was eventually set straight by Kang Wei’s connections. Zhuo Weiping felt Xia Xiaolan’s understanding of Kang Wei was problematic… Yes, Kang Wei might have been helping Xia Xiaolan all along, possibly even getting Zhang Erlai sentenced to life imprisonment, but Kang Wei wasn’t as righteous as he appeared.
“Sister Zhuo… thank you.”
This was the first time Xia Xiaolan had heard about this, and she was naturally stunned.
Zhuo Weiping had misunderstood, thinking Kang Wei was her boyfriend, so she warned her, believing Kang Wei had two faces.
One side was “righteous and brave,” while the other was ruthless.
What could Xia Xiaolan say? Kang Wei wasn’t her boyfriend at all – Zhou Cheng was!
This must have been Zhou Cheng’s doing.
Zhang Erlai couldn’t have just happened to steal Zhou Cheng and Kang Wei’s “public funds.” The timing was too perfect – it was right after she and Zhou Cheng had met. Kang Wei had gone to the police station to ask about the three hooligans, learned about her bad reputation, and even acted awkwardly for a while.
At the time, Xia Xiaolan had thought about repaying their kindness, but if they couldn’t be friends, she wouldn’t force it.
It seemed Kang Wei didn’t just learn about her poor reputation – he must have investigated thoroughly to know about Zhang Erlai’s existence… Xia Xiaolan felt complicated emotions. People who could move cigarettes around, Zhou Cheng and Kang Wei weren’t the perfect “role models” like in movies.
Especially Zhou Cheng – knowing her reputation was bad, he neither distanced himself nor treated her casually.
Instead, he took action to cut off the source of her bad reputation!
After hearing Zhuo Weiping’s words, rather than feeling afraid or wary of Zhou Cheng, Xia Xiaolan suddenly realized just how much Zhou Cheng liked her.
Love at first sight?
Did such feelings exist?
When Zhou Cheng heard those unsavory rumors, what did he think? Did he doubt her? What made him believe she wasn’t as bad as the rumors suggested? And how did he decisively take action, directly catching Zhang Erlai and solving the source of the rumors?
Xia Xiaolan suddenly realized that the problem between her and Zhou Cheng might not be their differing views on marriage, but rather the fundamental difference in their emotional investment.
To Zhou Cheng, she was his first love, his first crush, and he was dedicated to marrying her as soon as possible.
But for her part, she approached their relationship with the attitude that they could date and split up if things didn’t work out.
Xia Xiaolan felt somewhat ashamed, not because she didn’t love deeply enough, but because she felt she hadn’t been sincere enough in treating Zhou Cheng and their relationship!