Yan Qinglu wasn’t exactly part of the demolition team. It’s just that even with a demolition team, they couldn’t get rid of the stubborn residents in this area, so they simply handed everything over to him.
For Yan Qinglu, there wasn’t much difficulty. It paid well and quickly, so he started doing this business.
Yan Qinglu knew that many people considered his group as bullies, who took advantage of others’ authorities and acting like a brutal, bloodthirsty gang. That’s why those stubborn residents feared them and quickly submitted.
These days, everyone was struggling to make a living. For someone like him, who started with nothing and was even looked down upon by everyone else, he had to work even harder, seize every opportunity, to one day break free from this quagmire.
He didn’t care about anyone else’s life or death.
Except for hers.
Subconsciously, Yan Qinglu didn’t want Wan Tong to know what he was doing.
But little did he expect, she had witnessed everything just now.
“Yan Wantong, what are you doing here?” Yan Qinglu swallowed the bitterness in his throat, straightened his face, and approached Wan Tong.
Wan Tong recalled the scene just now and replied softly, “I got lost.”
Although she knew what Yan Qinglu was doing and understood that he needed to experience these things to grow, she couldn’t help but worry when she thought of the dangers he had encountered in the plot.
Demolition teams made good money, but it was still a dangerous job. In the plot, during a confrontation with a resident, Yan Qinglu had been doused with lamp oil and set on fire. Although the fire was quickly put out, he was left with a large scar on his back, even spreading to his left jaw. He had a tattoo over it, reportedly more fearsome than the scar itself, so whenever he was mentioned, he could scare a bunch of little kids into tears.
Wan Tong was lost in thought. Yan Qinglu frowned. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the alley.
“How did you come here? Who did you come with?” he continued to ask.
Wan Tong answered truthfully, then stopped and looked up at him, “Don’t you need to continue working? I’ll go find my Youngest Sister first and come back by myself later.”
Yan Qinglu paused, turned to look at her, and seeing no disgust or mockery in her expression, he pressed his lips together and said softly, “I’m not in a rush.”
He wanted to ask her if she knew what he was doing, but he felt a bit apprehensive, afraid of getting an answer he didn’t want.
Wan Tong glanced at him a few more times, with a hint of surprise in her eyes. Normally, he would tease her and flirt with her when he saw her, but why was he so restrained today?
As they emerged from the alley, they saw Yan Wan’ying not far away, asking for directions.
“That’s my Youngest Sister…” Wan Tong felt a bit regretful; it seemed she couldn’t hang out with the boss today.
Yan Qinglu glanced at Yan Wan’ying’s figure, then suddenly grabbed Wan Tong and quickly blended into the crowd.
“What are you doing?” Wan Tong asked as she followed him.
“I don’t think she got lost. You don’t need to waste time on her,” Yan Qinglu said with a hint of sarcasm and coldness in his tone, which were barely noticeable.
Wan Tong pursed her lips and didn’t say anything more.
City A’s development level was quite high, and the people were quite open-minded. There were plenty of young girls wearing beautiful and fashionable clothes in the city.
Yan Qinglu had a good appearance, like a clothes rack, but the clothes on him seemed to be many years old, so they appeared a bit small and tight-fitting.
The light blue cotton jacket Wan Tong wore was something Yan Wan’ying discarded last year. Wan Tong couldn’t bear to throw it away, so she picked it up and wore it. Unexpectedly, it became the most eye-catching piece in her wardrobe.
The black cotton shoes on her feet were self-made and relatively new.
In Wan Tong’s eyes, the woolen coats, small leather shoes, and berets worn by the girls on the street all had a strong retro vibe, which was very pleasing to the eye.
On the other hand, she and Yan Qinglu seemed a bit shabby on the bustling streets.
Wan Tong even felt the gazes falling on her, probably mocking her rustic appearance.
She didn’t care though, after all, this outfit was the best one in her clothes box.
Yan Qinglu cared even less. However, when others stared at Wan Tong, he would express his dissatisfaction with fierce glances.
Passing by a newly opened clothing store, Wan Tong grabbed Yan Qinglu and took a few glances inside. The clothes were quite trendy, but unfortunately, she couldn’t buy them back to wear in the village, and nobody would appreciate them there either.
Yan Qinglu also stopped, with a smirk on his lips, leaning closer to ask, “Found something you like?”
“The clothes are nice, but the storefront isn’t well decorated,” Wan Tong replied casually. “Let’s go.”
Yan Qinglu chuckled softly, about to lead her away, but from behind came a voice tinged with dissatisfaction and disdain, “A village woman, what does she know? How dare she speak so boldly here.”
Wan Tong turned around to see three figures not far away, a middle-aged man, a young man, and a young woman who looked quite capable and attractive.
The one who spoke just now was the young woman, with obvious makeup and thin, arched eyebrows that seemed strange to Wan Tong, and she couldn’t appreciate this makeup either.
Judging by their demeanor, they should be the owners of this clothing store?
“Sorry for the offense,” Wan Tong apologized proactively. It wasn’t appropriate for her to say these things at the store’s entrance.
Her tone was calm, and her attitude sincere, which startled the three people.
They originally thought that someone who could say such things would probably cause a scene like a shrew.
Her behavior made them realize that they had underestimated her.
However, the woman couldn’t let go of her pride, her expression still not very pleasant as she crossed her arms and said, “I’m curious, what’s wrong with the storefront in your opinion?”
Wan Tong blinked, her wrist suddenly held by Yan Qinglu.
She turned to look at him, seeing a sense of hostility emanating from him.
He stared in the direction of the three people, a cold arc formed at the corner of his mouth, his eyes icy and intimidating. “Just because the store is here, others can’t comment? Who do you think you are? You dress nicely, but lack even a bit of manners.”
With that, his snake-like cold gaze swept over the three of them, and then he pulled Wan Tong away.
“You!” The woman was infuriated, her face turning pale, but the young man beside her tried to calm her down, “Rui’er, don’t be angry, don’t be angry…”
“Rui’er, you’ve gone too far.” The middle-aged man finally spoke up. He glanced at the front of the clothing store, then nodded, “Indeed, the decoration is not very good.”
Due to the excessive pursuit of class, the brand names were designed in a way that made the original characters hard to read. The entrance was too small, making it difficult to even tell from the outside that it was a clothing store.
Wan Tong quickly put the matter of the clothing store out of her mind. It was Yan Qinglu who maintained a serious expression until he led her to a small restaurant, where his expression finally softened.
“Are you treating me to dinner, or shall we split the bill?” Wan Tong asked softly as she looked at the menu.
After walking around outside for a while, it was getting dark, and she was indeed feeling a bit hungry.
Yan Qinglu’s eyes sparkled with a hint of a smile again. He smirked, “I took you for a stroll, so of course, you’re treating.”
Wan Tong actually lowered her head to pat her small purse, then looked at him dishearteningly, “But my money might not be enough for both of us to eat.”
And she was reluctant to spend it.
Her father did give her some pocket money in the afternoon, which she had kept close to her body. But before she could earn money herself, she definitely wouldn’t easily touch that money.
Seeing her pitiful appearance, Yan Qinglu couldn’t help but laugh, “Come on, I don’t believe your dad Didn’t give you any money. You’re probably just reluctant to treat me to dinner.”
Her thoughts were exposed by him, but Wan Tong didn’t feel embarrassed. She replied seriously, “Money should be spent wisely.”
Yan Qinglu stared at her with his dark eyes, almost wanting to pat her head.
She had tied her hair up and even braided it at the back.
He had seen others with braids, but hers seemed a bit different. While others usually had three strands of hair, hers had more variety, and the red hair tie at the end was mischievously flipping up. He just thought it looked better than others’.
Moreover, the scar on her face was hardly visible unless one looked closely.
“The medicine really worked,” he suddenly said.
Wan Tong was taken aback, then remembered the expensive scar removal cream he had given her before leaving the village.
However, she had only used it symbolically a few times.
Now her scars were almost gone. Second Brother said it was because of his medicine, and Yan Qinglu also thought the medicine he bought was effective.
Well, let them think that way; she didn’t need to explain anything.
He poked at the pink mark with his finger, feeling its smoothness. This made him smirk, “You’ve gained weight.”
Wan Tong : “…”
She impatiently slapped his hand away, “Girls don’t like to be told they’ve gained weight.”
She also felt like she was getting fleshier day by day. Previously she was as thin as a willow, fragile and delicate. Now, her three brothers wouldn’t even let her do much farm work.
Moreover, she has been feeling stuffy in her chest recently, and her bras don’t fit anymore…
Speaking of which, she really needs to buy some clothes tomorrow, at least two sets of well-fitting bras.
When Wan Tong was lost in thought, Yan Qinglu blinked his eyes across from her and said softly, “I like fat people.”
“…” Wan Tong stared at him.
His fingers mischievously pinched her cheek, “Yan Wantong, I’ll come to your house to propose during the New Year, what do you think?”
Wan Tong was startled and put down the tea cup in her hand, “What did you say?”
“Or should I find a matchmaker1?” He continued talking to himself.
“I think you need to go to the hospital for a check-up here…” Wan Tong pointed to his head.
Although people in the village get married early, isn’t he thinking too early? After all, they’re only eighteen.
Yan Qinglu grabbed her hand and rubbed it against his cheek, “Then I’ll take that as a yes.”
Wan Tong forcefully pulled her hand back, “Rogue!”
But Yan Qinglu said, “If I were really a rogue, I would have kissed you here.”
Wan Tong felt both angry and helpless, so she ordered three dishes in one breath, knowing that in the end, Yan Qinglu would definitely foot the bill.
Yan Qinglu kept staring at her, his smile charming and indulgent, making Wan Tong feel like he was treating her as a child throwing a tantrum.
rokumi’s note : Sorry for missing schedules previously, and suddenly changing the schedule to sporadic without notice. Anyway, updates will be back on schedule (every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday) starting next week! This time, for real!
- a matchmaker is part of traditional Chinese marriage ritual, as someone who acts like the mediator between the two families, especially when the two families were not close. The matchmaker’s role is to connect the two families, especially based on their reputations and social standings. The matchmaker also match the groom and bride based on fortune-telling of their birthdates. ↩︎