Chapter 17: Follow-up

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

When Xiang Wan arrived at Liu Gang’s house, he was standing on top of a wall repairing it.

Upon seeing Xiang Wan, he quickly jumped down from the wall.

“Miss Xiang, why are you here?” Liu Gang rubbed his muddy hands together and placed them behind his back.

“I came here today to ask you for a favor,” Xiang Wan continued, “You know that I’ve successfully reclaimed my old mansion, but I haven’t cleaned up the house yet. I’m also planning to go to the countryside for a while, and I’m not sure when I’ll be back. So, I want to hire you to help me look after the house and perhaps clean it up a bit.”

“No problem. I can go over there now.” Liu Gang agreed immediately.

“There’s no rush to go now. You can go tomorrow. I’d like to ask you to find out about the train to the countryside for me later,” Xiang Wan told Liu Gang.

“If you’re planning to travel to the countryside, you’ll need that travel permit. With the permit, they’ll allow you to travel,” Liu Gang informed Xiang Wan, concerned that she might not be familiar with the details of traveling.

“I’m aware of that. I’ll figure out the permit issue. I’d like to ask you to buy a ticket for tomorrow morning,” Xiang Wan planned to buy a morning ticket so that she could arrive in the afternoon.

Liu Gang readily agreed and tidied up a bit before leaving the house with Xiang Wan.

When they walked past the big locust tree, the middle-aged woman saw them and her gaze never left them.

“What’s the character of this family’s son?” Xiang Wan asked Liu Gang in a hushed voice.

Liu Gang shared the family’s situation with Xiang Wan.

It was a rather tragic story. The woman was named Sun Po, and she had a son. Several years ago, Sun Po’s husband had an accident while working and lost his life. The factory they worked for took advantage of their vulnerable situation as a widow and orphan and didn’t even offer proper compensation.

Sun Po had to raise her son alone, and when her son was ten, he had an accident. When he fell into the water, he hit his head. He was rescued, but his mental development froze at the age of ten.

Xiang Wan couldn’t help but sigh. Fate is often unfair, but as long as people strive and work hard, opportunities will eventually come.

“When you help me with the house, make sure to bring her son along,” Xiang Wan suggested.

She wasn’t willing to involve just anyone, but people like Sun Po, who dared to self-recommend and seize opportunities, were the ones she was willing to give a chance.

“Sure! He’s reliable and hardworking!” Liu Gang enthusiastically agreed. He had a good relationship with Sun Po’s son, Zhou Wei, and would always think of him for any work. Even if Xiang Wan hadn’t mentioned it, he would find an opportunity to ask.

Xiang Wan smiled and didn’t say anything. As long as someone’s character was good, the rest wouldn’t be too bad. Especially in this era where people would do anything for money, having good character was extremely important.

Liu Gang and Xiang Wan arrived at the pier and went their separate ways.

Liu Gang arrived at the station and inquired about the train to Jin Gang District.

“Move aside if you’re not buying a ticket! Don’t block others.” The ticket seller glanced at Liu Gang’s shabby attire and assumed he couldn’t afford a ticket. She said with a hint of disdain

Liu Gang awkwardly rubbed his clothes, remembering Xiang Wan’s request. He gathered his courage and said, “I’m here to buy a ticket for tomorrow morning to Jin Gang District. Could you please help me check the schedules?”

“Jin Gang District? There’s a train at 7 AM and another at 8 AM. Which one would you prefer?”

“7 AM, please.” Liu Gang took out money to buy the ticket.

Xiang Wan had given him the money. She wasn’t sure about the approximate price so she handed him 50 yuan.

The ticket seller hadn’t expected Liu Gang to have that much money. She looked at him in surprise, secretly realizing that she had misjudged him.

The ticket price was 12 yuan. After buying the ticket, there were still 38 yuan left. Liu Gang carefully put the money and ticket into the inner pocket of his jacket.

Outside the train station was a mix of people and chaos. Liu Gang was worried about potential mishaps, so he hurried back while the sky was still bright.

What he was afraid of came true. Liu had just left the train station when he was targeted.

Leading the group was a burly middle-aged man with a scruffy beard. Several henchmen followed closely behind him, and as soon as they saw Liu Gang coming out, they started tailing him.

The 50-yuan bill that Liu Gang had taken out to buy the train ticket was particularly tempting. The remaining balance was enough to sustain them for a month.

The burly man thought to himself that this poor kid was so naive. He didn’t know where the poor kid had obtained so much money. It was a shame that such a good opportunity was going to waste.

Liu Gang sensed someone following him and immediately became alert. He tightened his grip on his clothes and quickened his pace, heading towards the entrance of an alley.

The burly man signaled his henchmen, instructing them to block the other end of the alley. The henchmen understood and rushed to the opposite side.

The burly man briskly approached Liu Gang and grabbed him, pulling him into the alley.

“You guys…”