Chapter 54: This One Won't Do, the Next One Will Be Better Behaved

"Alright." The two finished their meal quickly.

Su Heng pushed his bicycle outside.

Su Wanwan shouldered the original owner's canvas crossbody bag, which contained ration tickets and money.

Only then did they step out and lock the courtyard gate.

She sat on the back seat of the bicycle.

Along the way, villagers they met pointed and whispered at them.

Sensing the strange gazes, Su Heng muttered, "These people really love to kick a man when he's down."

Ever since drinking the spiritual spring water every day, Su Wanwan's hearing had become exceptionally sharp, and she could clearly hear the passing villagers discussing her family's affairs.

"Second brother, once Mom and Dad come out, the truth will naturally come to light. What we need to do right now is to figure out the exact situation and then think of a solution."

"You're right." Su Heng pedaled faster.

Su Wanwan grabbed her second brother's clothes with both hands, truly worried she might be shaken off the bike the next second.

Involuntarily turning her gaze, she happened to see Xie Beishen and Lin Yu walking out of the educated youth point.

Their eyes met in mid-air for just a single second before Su Wanwan averted her gaze, acting as if she had never known this person.

Only she knew that her heart still couldn't help fluttering slightly.

How pathetic of her, just for a single glance.

She was not someone who liked to dwell on things. Since there was no possibility between them, she definitely wouldn't think of him anymore.

Besides, this guy was as cold as a block of ice. This one wouldn't do, the next one would be more obedient.

Yes, the next one would be more obedient.

Having figured this out, she instantly felt relieved.

Xie Beishen watched the person sitting on the bicycle unblinkingly, his gaze lingering on her for a long time.

He hadn't received her note this morning, leaving a sense of loss in his heart, as if a very important piece of him was missing.

Lin Yu glanced at his Brother Shen, whose soul seemed to have followed Su Wanwan away; that look was simply unwatchable.

He patted Xie Beishen's arm to pull his attention back and told him about the village rumors going around today.

Lin Yu asked, "Do you think the team leader really got himself into trouble?"

Just as he finished speaking, he inadvertently saw Ma Zhiming walking in their direction. His posture while walking was noticeably more relaxed than yesterday. Could it be?

He bumped Xie Beishen with his elbow.

Xie Beishen shifted his gaze to Ma Zhiming.

Walking over to Ma Zhiming, Lin Yu asked, "Educated Youth Ma, are you feeling better? Is that medicine really that miraculous?"

Ma Zhiming nodded, "It's simply a miracle cure, though it tasted a bit salty. Two hours later, it genuinely stopped hurting. Except for the bruised areas, everything else is healed. I finally got a good night's sleep last night."

Last night had been the most comfortable sleep he'd had in a week.

Today, he clearly had much more energy.

Ma Zhiming glanced at Xie Beishen. This man's presence was too overwhelming, radiating an exceptionally chilling and oppressive aura. Remembering the hand that had been stepped on by him, he instantly felt a twinge of pain again. "Well then, I'm off to work."

Lin Yu was completely dumbfounded. He looked at Xie Beishen and said, "How on earth do you think Su Heng managed that? I can't figure it out."

"There are plenty of things you can't figure out, not just this one. I'd also like to know how Su Heng pulled it off," Xie Beishen replied.

And the one who was even harder to figure out was Su Wanwan.

Meanwhile, having arrived at the county public security bureau, Su Wanwan first went to find Li Yuanyuan.

As the three of them stepped aside, Su Wanwan asked, "Li Yuanyuan, do you know how my dad is doing? Can he come home today?"

Li Yuanyuan shook her head. "I'm in administrative work, so I really don't know the specifics. Wait here, I'll go call my older brother; he knows much more than I do."

"Okay," Su Wanwan said.

Before long, Li Yuanyuan returned with Li Yuandong.

Li Yuandong greeted them with a smile, "My sister said you two came to find out about the situation?"

Su Heng and Su Wanwan nodded.

Su Heng asked, "Officer Li, when can my dad come home?"

"It's hard to say right now. The bureau is still investigating the evidence," Li Yuandong replied. "Your dad did indeed take over three thousand yuan from Su Mao."

Su Wanwan anxiously said, "Then you must have heard that this three thousand yuan is just the grain and elderly support money we gave them over the twelve years since the family split. Shouldn't we be taking that back?"

"Exactly, that belongs to our family in the first place," Su Heng said righteously.

Li Yuandong nodded. "I can believe you, but everything has to be based on evidence. Don't worry, as long as your dad didn't do anything wrong, he will come home."

Hearing this, what else could Su Wanwan do? She had no personal connections here, and even if she wanted to use money to smooth things over, she couldn't find anyone to approach.

Su Wanwan suggested, "It's almost noon, how about the two of us treat you siblings to a meal?"

"Sure," Li Yuanyuan said with a smile, giving her brother a nudge with her elbow.

"Let's go then, it's just about lunchtime," Li Yuandong said, wanting to spend a little more time with this young woman to see if there was any possibility of a relationship.

The group then rode their two bicycles to the state-run restaurant.

When they had finished ordering their dishes, Su Wanwan reached out for her money and ration tickets, but Li Yuandong stepped in and paid first.

Su Wanwan handed the money directly to Li Yuandong, saying, "We agreed that we were treating, why did you pay?"

Li Yuandong smiled and said, "It's all the same. Next time you treat us, we won't stand on ceremony."

Su Wanwan smiled. "Alright then, we'll treat next time, and you aren't allowed to rush to pay."

Having another chance to meet would be even better; connections were what she needed most right now.

With someone inside the bureau, her parents would have an easier time inside.

That was why she wanted to treat them to a meal, compounded by the fact that she and Li Yuanyuan got along very well.

At the dining table, the group ate and chatted, hitting it off wonderfully.

Su Wanwan paused her chopsticks and said, "Officer Li, I'd like to ask a favor of you."

Li Yuandong understood clearly in his heart that anything this young woman wanted to trouble him with undoubtedly concerned her parents.

Looking at the siblings, he said, "I'm older than both of you, just call me Big Brother Li. Go ahead and tell me what you need, I'll definitely help if I can."

Su Wanwan said, "I just wanted to trouble you to keep an eye on my parents for us. If anything happens to them, please let us know."

"Alright," Li Yuandong agreed.

Su Wanwan smiled, "Then thank you, Big Brother Li."

Li Yuandong thought that the young woman before him looked truly stunning when she smiled, causing his heart to skip a beat.

Su Heng chimed in, "Big Brother Li, thank you as well."

Only then did Li Yuandong shift his gaze from Su Wanwan to Su Heng. "No need to be so polite in the future. If your parents need anything over there, I'll be sure to let you know first."

After chatting a bit longer, Li Yuandong and Li Yuanyuan returned to the public security bureau.

Su Heng pushed the bicycle, deeply worried and frowning as he said, "What if something happens to Mom and Dad? We don't even know who to turn to for help. Should we go tell our oldest brother?"

Walking alongside him, Su Wanwan said, "It would take several days for our oldest brother to come back. Second brother, when real trouble strikes, the two of us don't even have anyone to turn to for help. We need to make ourselves strong so that when things happen in the future, we won't be completely helpless like we are today. Do you still think farming in the countryside is such a great life?"

Su Heng abruptly stopped in his tracks and looked at his younger sister, feeling as though she had truly grown up overnight.