Chapter 402: Chapter 401: Finding Ye Qing’s Hideout
The two of them had arranged to meet, and around two in the afternoon, Lin Wan dressed warmly, stood at the door for a long time, and seeing no one in the alley, quickly locked the door and went out.
As she walked towards the bus stop, Lin Wan looked left and right, afraid of bumping into someone.
Fortunately, nothing happened along the way, and it wasn’t until she reached Peibai’s house that she breathed a sigh of relief.
Lately, she’s been so cautious just to go out.
"Why did it take you so long? We’ve both been waiting for you for ages. Come on, let’s go." Just as Lin Wan arrived, she was pulled out by two people.
"What’s going on? I just got in and now you’re dragging me out."
"What do you mean? We’re all going to the department store today. I heard things are especially cheap over there these days. Let’s go check it out," said Su Ling, pulling the two of them out.
"How did you two know I have a day off today?" Yin Peibai laughed.
"I guessed," said Su Ling proudly.
"Ah... you guessed? What if we came and you weren’t home? Wouldn’t it be a wasted trip?"
"If she’s not home, you and I could go together. My mother-in-law finally went out today, and I finally got a chance to come out. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Speaking of Aunt Tang, I have something to tell you, Su Ling. Can you talk to your mother-in-law and ask her to stop matchmaking for my mom?"
"I’m really sorry, my mother-in-law just loves to introduce people," Su Ling said awkwardly, acknowledging the trouble her mother-in-law had caused.
"I know Aunt Tang means well, treating my mom as a good friend and worrying about her wholeheartedly. However, Aunt Tang doesn’t know that my mom has only cared for my dad in this lifetime. When I was little, my dad went to join the military, and ever since he left, he’s been missing, dead or alive. This unresolved issue has always been my mom’s emotional struggle, filled with both love and hate. So, she can’t take anyone else to heart. Uncle Du is a good person, but I’m afraid my mom just doesn’t have that kind of luck." Lin Wan didn’t want to create any rift between her good friend and her mother-in-law, so she candidly shared some family matters.
"Ah... Aunt Liang is truly a devoted person," said Su Ling and Yin Peibai, who only knew Lin Wan was from a single-parent family, unaware of her father’s story. Unexpectedly, Aunt Liang had such a sorrowful past.
"Yes, every family has its difficulties. Let’s not talk about this anymore. I really have something I need your help with today."
"What is it?"
"I’m looking for Ye Qing."
"Ah, the girl involved with Mr. Li, isn’t she from your village?" Yin Peibai knew this story well.
Of course, Su Ling was even more familiar with it, having secretly followed the situation afterward.
"Why are you looking for her?"
"I’ve been bumped into three times in the past few days. It’s suspicious, and I suspect it’s her doing. You know she worked at our store for a while, and it wasn’t her decision to leave, I kicked her out."
"Eh, why?" Although they disliked Ye Qing, they knew Lin Wan wouldn’t act like that without reason.
"You wouldn’t understand." Lin Wan shook her head, then continued, "Ye Qing and I grew up playing together. I always considered her my best sister, but somehow she started resenting me. I can’t figure it out because I’ve never done anything to wrong or hurt her."
"If you ask me, even if you didn’t harm her, she wasn’t a good girl. We all saw how she was involved with Mr. Li. She has a bad heart," Su Ling said.
"Xiao Wan, she resents you. Back when Mr. Li first showed interest in you, it was probably Ye Qing’s idea, wanting to ruin your reputation. She and Mr. Li were probably in cahoots long ago, forming an evil alliance. But when Li Liang couldn’t take advantage of you, they had a falling out. Now that they’re back on the same page, they’re targeting you again. You really need to figure out where you might have offended her, making her cling to you like this. It’s terrifying."
Su Ling was surprised, realizing the situation. So, Li Liang initially had eyes for Lin Wan, but she ignored him, leading him to turn to someone else later on.
Thinking about it now was frightening. Luckily, because of Lin Wan and Peibai, she didn’t fall for any deception.
"If I could figure it out, I wouldn’t need your help."
"Okay, no worries. We’ll help you gather information. If she’s in S City, she can’t escape."
"Yes, don’t worry. Such a wicked person can’t be allowed to roam freely."
Seeing the two willing to help, Lin Wan felt happy. She had made a few good friends since coming here for a few years.
The three of them chatted as they walked, and before long, they reached the department store.
Despite the freezing weather and poor road conditions, the department store was incredibly bustling.
"What things are cheap here?" As Lin Wan and Su Ling stood on either side of Yin Peibai, holding her hand to avoid falling.
"There are quite a few cheap fabrics today, and also thermos bottles and washbasins."
"Ah, a thermos! We only have one at home. We use a lot of hot water in winter, so buying another one is a good idea."
Married women think differently from unmarried ones; after marriage, the first thought is always for their little home.
They have to worry about everything from pots and pans.
Lin Wan initially thought of buying a big thermos, but they had a smaller version, same girth but a bit shorter, and it looked adorable. Made of iron, light blue with big white flowers.
"Xiao Wan, what do you think of this fabric?" Su Ling held a piece of soft cloth.
"What do you want to make?"
"A little quilt for the baby."
Lin Wan frowned, thought for a moment, and said, "Our baby is due in the summer, right? We probably won’t need a little quilt then, will we?"
"Uh... seems like it."
"Xiao Wan, Su Ling, it’s still early for you guys. Check this out first." Lin Wan looked at a piece of checkered fabric and asked, "What do you plan to use it for?"
"How about making a fake collar for spring? It’ll match the clothes well."
"Hmm, looks nice," Su Ling thought it was nice, and so did Lin Wan. So the three of them each got two yards of fabric.
The three of them bought a lot of things at the department store, then prepared to rent a tricycle outside to carry everything and drop them off at their homes.
Yin Peibai went out first to find a tricycle, instructing Su Ling and Lin Wan to watch the items inside. Just as she found one, a flash of green passed beside her. Knowing it was a Wei soldier, Yin Peibai looked up, surprised to encounter Ye Qing.
Yin Peibai was startled; Ye Qing was actually with a soldier. Could it be she’s found another partner?
Thinking this, Su Ling hurried over to Lin Wan and Su Ling and quickly said, "I just saw Ye Qing."
"Where?" Su Ling was more excited than Lin Wan, quickly asking.
"Outside, with a soldier."
"Come on, let’s check it out." Lin Wan hurriedly pulled them, hastily loading their things onto the tricycle.
"Driver, driver, hurry up."
Once on the road, Yin Peibai looked back and forth. The green silhouette was too conspicuous, and they spotted it right away, pointing not far away. "Over there."
"Those two seem to be waiting for the bus," Lin Wan observed the bus stop sign.
"Driver, follow that soldier in front, quickly." Su Ling, an impatient person, quickly got on the vehicle and said to the driver.
"Uh... comrades, with the three of you and so many things, my strength is limited," the driver said with a bitter face.
"I’ll add another five yuan for you," Lin Wan knew what he meant and didn’t haggle.
As soon as she spoke, the driver’s face lit up with a smile, "Comrades, sit tight, rest assured I’ll catch up for you."
"Not catch up, just follow, don’t lose them."
"Rest assured," he said as he pedaled faster than anyone.
But before they had gone far, the two had already boarded a bus.
"Driver, quickly, follow that Route 6 bus," Yin Peibai urged.
"Ah... comrade, how can my legs race with a car? You’re making things difficult for me."
"I’ll add two more yuan."
"Ah... alright, comrades, sit tight," he said.
Fortunately, the road was slippery now, so the bus didn’t travel fast, making it barely possible to keep up. They could faintly make out the people getting on and off at each stop.
At the second stop, Ye Qing and the soldier got off.
Lin Wan then got a clear look; this soldier was Mei Langchi.
Lin Wan seemed to instantly understand, though she didn’t know how the two ended up together.
"Peibai, Su Ling, I know that soldier."
"You know him?"
Lin Wan nodded, "Han Yi from my family doesn’t get along with him."