Chapter 7

Shen Junlan, with a literary and artistic bearing, was originally a sentimental person; seeing a yellow leaf blown down by the autumn wind would move her to tears.

After her family's Old Chu was taken away by the provincial disciplinary commission.

She became even more depressed and joyless.

Like a lost wanderer isolated and helpless in the cold wind, no matter which direction she looked, she could see no hope at all, only able to stand in place and wipe away tears.

She had not been this happy for Along time.

Not only because Lin Dongfan prepared a lavish seafood feast for her, but more importantly, Lin Dongfan successfully delivered the medicine to Old Chu's hands, resolving a worry of hers.

"The bruise-relief plasters you gave me, I've tried them for a few days; they work quite well."

Shen Junlan handed the biggest, fattest hairy crab from the plate to Lin Dongfan; her smile was full of an elder's affection for a junior.

Lin Dongfan, who never refuses anyone.

While peeling the crab shell, he chatted: "I guess it works too; you might not know that old Chinese medicine practitioner in East City, but he really has some skill."

"Another day, take me to have a look."

Born into an aristocratic family, Shen Junlan never lacked clothing or food from childhood.

After marriage, her life could be described as calling the wind and summoning the rain; her husband rose to a high position in a vice‑provincial‑level city, holding important posts such as member of the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee and secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission.

In the past, whenever she felt any ailment, she would go to the designated top‑tier hospital, where a top‑notch medical team would attend to her.

She had indeed never come into contact with those makeshift Chinese medicine clinics in the city's alleys.

This time, if she had not been reluctant to disappoint Lin Dongfan's kind intention, she would not have readily tried the bruise‑relief plaster from a folk old Chinese doctor.

But she did not expect the effect to be surprisingly good.

After applying it for just three days, the soreness from her lumbar muscle strain was greatly reduced; now she can stand up and move about without needing to support her waist with her hands.

"Come, eat more."

Seeing that Lin Dongfan had finished that hairy crab, Shen Junlan took another and placed it in his bowl.

With a worried look, she examined Lin Dongfan's complexion: "You've been through so much in the provincial capital this time; haven't you rested well? You've lost a bit of weight."

"Helping Section Chief Leng at the hospital look after his daughter every day, I really haven't rested much. But the gain is also considerable; Section Chief Leng now treats me as a friend." Lin Dongfan unabashedly sucked the crab juice from his fingers, then comforted Shen Junlan: "Rest assured, the truth of Secretary Chu being framed will surely come to light."

"This time I really owe it to you."

Shen Junlan smiled as she admired Lin Dongfan; the more she looked, the more relieved she felt.

In her view, Lin Dongfan's willingness to endure hardship staying at the hospital to help Section Chief Leng care for his daughter, and his efforts to befriend that Section Chief, were all aimed at opening a channel for Old Chu's grievance redressal.

His sincere devotion to the Chu family is no less than that toward one's own biological children.

Shen Junlan thought carefully, then tentatively asked Lin Dongfan: "There's something I've never asked you—how old are you this year? Are you married?"

"I'll be 28 in a few months." Lin Dongfan said while eating: "As for getting married, I haven't dared to think about it for now. Good‑conditioned girls simply wouldn't look at someone like me, a screw‑nut with no family background or connections. Besides, I'm not someone without aspirations; marriage is a lifelong matter, and I won't just settle."

"Having aspirations is good; young people should have aspirations."

Shen Junlan was very pleased with Lin Dongfan's answer, and joy showed all over her face.

Thinking of her own daughter Chu Lingxi, she is two years younger than Lin Dongfan.

Quite suitable.

No matter how high the Chu family's former spouse‑selection standards were, they now have no grounds to look down on Dongfan, who lacks family background and connections.

Just the things Dongfan has done for the Chu family merit the Chu family looking at him with higher regard.

The key is that this young man Dongfan has good character.

He is worthy of being entrusted with her daughter's lifetime.

Upon thinking this, Shen Junlan decisively created an opportunity for the children: "My daughter is returning home tomorrow; my waist injury hasn't fully healed. Could you spare some time to pick her up at the airport for me?"

"Your matter is my matter; no problem, I'll take care of it." Lin Dongfan laughed.

Beaming with joy, Shen Junlan again served Lin Dongfan some vegetables: "Come, eat more. Lingxi takes after me; sometimes she acts silly all over. Tomorrow you need to hold up a sign, otherwise she'll stand there like a blind person, dazed."

"Professor Shen, you certainly don't have that all‑over silliness; in my mind you are the embodiment of gentleness and virtue."

In the midst of chatting and laughing, it did not affect Lin Dongfan's hearty eating at all.

He tore off a meaty crab leg, took a satisfying bite, the sound slurping loudly, embodying utter frankness without a trace of affectation.

The next day, weekend.

Lin Dongfan broke his habit of sleeping in and got up very early.

First he went to borrow a car from Su Yuhong.

Then he went to an advertising shop and made a delicate sign, emblazoned with two large, eye‑catching lines: "Lingxi Lingxi, where are you? Look this way!"

He arrived at Nanzhou International Airport at ten in the morning and ran into Li Hengbo at the pickup exit.

All of this was as expected.

Today Li Hengbo was dressed very formally, in a crisp suit, polished leather shoes, and holding a large bouquet of roses; at first glance one might take him for a suave gentleman.

"Who let you come?"

Li Hengbo adopted a leader's posture and, upon meeting him, released a reproachful tone.

Lin Dongfan, neither humble nor arrogant, puffed out his chest: "It's not work hours now; I don't need to report to you what I do privately, do I?"

"You're not needed here; leave immediately!"

Li Hengbo's commanding gaze was like despising a tiny insignificant ant; he simply didn't put Lin Dongfan in his eyes at all.

Lin Dongfan stood his ground: "Secretary Li, are you overstepping your bounds?"

"You want to challenge my bottom line?" Li Hengbo sneered lightly: "It looks like you think your usual work pressure is too low and you want to shift somewhere."

"Threatening me?"

Lin Dongfan smiled, unfazed.

Li Hengbo said: "I just wanted to remind you that you can't even satisfy Fang Xiaoqian, yet you're chasing Chu Lingxi—have you forgotten your own worth?"

"Yawn!!!"

Lin Dongfan suddenly sneezed, directly spraying Li Hengbo's face.

Li Hengbo was startled all over by the spray, almost popping his eyes out; he glared at Lin Dongfan, for a moment forgetting what he wanted to say.

Lin Dongfan pulled out a tissue, wiped his nose: "Sorry, I just caught a whiff of scum and couldn't hold it in—didn't scare you, did I?"

"Is there anything more scummy than you here?!"

Li Hengbo angrily clenched his fists, seeing people coming and going nearby, he again restrained the urge to strike.

He sized up Lin Dongfan's cheap street‑stall outfit worth nine ninety, a natural sense of superiority flashing across his face: "Even a toad wants to eat swan meat, without even pissing on itself to look! Since you're asking for humiliation, I'll oblige! Once Chu Lingxi comes out, I'll properly introduce you to her as a piece of trash."

"Secretary Li, could you trouble yourself to lift your noble foot and move a bit?"

Lin Dongfan wore a gloomy expression.

Li Hengbo seemed to have expected this, chuckling: "Asking me to lift my noble foot now—isn't it a bit late? You really should be nervous, after all, stepping on you is as easy as stepping on an ant..."

"You've misunderstood."

Lin Dongfan interrupted his sense of superiority.

With a look of disdain, he waved his hand to fan the air:

"You reek of a beast in human garb; I'm allergic to that smell, afraid I might sneeze again and spray you, so please move two steps away and stay far from me."

"!!!"

Li Hengbo's face changed instantly, like being pierced by ten thousand arrows; the anger he had barely suppressed seemed to surge again, rushing to his head, his eyes bulging as if about to pop out.

"Was I not clear enough? Please stay away from me!"

From the moment they met at the airport, Lin Dongfan had figured it out—wasn't this just enemies meeting on a narrow road? Wasn't it just foes meeting, eyes red with hatred?

Life and death are seen lightly; if you're not satisfied, just fight!

"If you dare to strike today, you bastard, I'll let you taste the violent frenzy of a street‑fighting boxer—who's afraid of whom? That heavy sandbag hanging at home isn't just for show."