Chapter 140: Liu Guangtian's Dumb Luck

"Right, Yingnan, we still have a lot to talk about."

"Sure."

Mu Yingnan is actually a year younger than Wang Xiaoling, only eighteen now; Zhang Ping'an guessed she had returned this time because she had reached the age for matchmaking.

In the evening, Zhang Ping'an cooked two extra dishes to treat Mu Yingnan, while Dong Dani finished eating early and went into the room holding the child, not disturbing the three of them as they reminisced.

The little brother, Zhang Xile, was too mischievous and had been left at the home of San Jie Fu, Lao Jia, to keep Donglai and the others company.

"Old classmate, Xiao Ling is so silly that you really managed to win her over; I'm so envious that you two even have a child."

"Yingnan, I'm not silly, and Ping'an Ge is very good to me."

"Tsk tsk tsk."

"Hehe, Mu Yingnan, it's no use being sour; I'm afraid you came back this time for matchmaking, right?"

"That's right, Yingnan, you're old enough now; did you really come back this time for matchmaking?"

"Yes," Mu Yingnan admitted quite readily.

"And if it's confirmed, I will transfer back within these two years."

"That's great, Yingnan, you must confirm it; that way we can see each other often in the future. I'm so bored when you're not in Sijiucheng."

Aside from her best friend Mu Yingnan, Wang Xiaoling really didn't have many people she could speak her heart to; Si Jie Zhang Lanhua barely counted as one, and now she also had the makings of a best friend with Qin Huairu.

The three of them chatted until eight o'clock in the evening before stopping, and Zhang Ping'an pedaled the tricycle with Wang Xiaoling to take Mu Yingnan back.

"What's wrong, Ping'an Ge?" Zhang Ping'an stopped suddenly at the entrance of the Siheyuan.

"It's nothing, you go home first, I'll be back in a moment."

"Okay." Wang Xiaoling also seemed to have spotted a dark shadow in the corner.

After Wang Xiaoling walked far away, Zhang Ping'an approached the corner.

"Why are you two out again? Did your dad beat you again?"

"Zhang Shu..." The two raised their heads; it was none other than Liu Haizhong's designated punching bags, the brothers Guangtian and Guangfu.

Zhang Ping'an sighed; by the moonlight, both of them had swollen faces, and they likely had quite a few injuries on their bodies as well.

"I have some Ointment here; you two should apply it to each other." This was something Zhang Ping'an had brewed himself according to a medicinal formula, and it was very effective for bruises, inflammation, sterilization, pain relief, and reducing swelling.

Come to think of it, these two brothers were disappointing; one was ten and the other twelve, and their grades were a total mess, incomparable to Liu Guangqi, who was already in the third year of junior high.

In fact, compared to the show, this Liu Haizhong had restrained himself a lot, and under the long-term ideological guidance of the "crown prince" Liu Guangqi, he had reduced the number of times he beat the children, but unfortunately, these two brothers were truly disappointing, so Liu Guangqi had no choice but to do some damage control.

With Liu Guangqi as a shining example, the gap between them had grown even wider, so it was no wonder Lao Liu took his anger out on them whenever he had any.

Even Yan Jiecheng's grades were not as good as Liu Guangqi's, which once made Yan Bugui doubt his own son's genes—how could he have inherited nothing from him? He was a dignified teacher, yet his child at home couldn't compare to one who swung a sledgehammer.

"Thank you, Zhang Shu."

"Mm, keep this Ointment; go home early."

"Mm, okay."

Zhang Ping'an shook his head; he couldn't say much more, as the two were likely used to it, and they basically hid out until around ten o'clock every time before going home.

When entering the Middle Courtyard, Zhang Ping'an ran into Liu Guangqi, who was sneaking out with a Steamed Bun.

"Zhang Shu."

"Mm, they are in the corner outside the courtyard."

"Okay, thank you, Zhang Shu."

Zhang Ping'an returned to his courtyard, locked the door, washed up, and went back into his room.

"Was that Guangtian and Guangfu in the corner just now?"

"Mm, they got beaten again; I just ran into Liu Guangqi delivering a Steamed Bun on my way back."

"It's fortunate they have a good older brother."

At this moment, in the corner outside the Siheyuan, it was fortunate that it was summer; although there were mosquitoes biting, it was still better than shivering in the winter.

"Guangtian, Guangfu?"

"Big brother, we're here."

"Hurry up and eat; Dad and Mom will be asleep by nine o'clock, so be quiet when you come back later."

"Okay, big brother."

"What did you put on your faces?" Only when he got close did Liu Guangqi notice that both of them had gray-brown Ointment on their faces.

"It's what Zhang Shu gave us; it feels icy and cool when applied, and our faces and backs don't hurt anymore."

"Mm, you two be careful; I'll leave the door unlocked for you, I'm heading back now."

"Mm, okay."

The two were choking while eating the Steamed Bun, so they ran to the Middle Courtyard to gulp down some cold water before squatting back in the corner.

"Second brother, have you noticed that the mosquitoes aren't biting us anymore?"

"It really is true; Zhang Shu's Ointment is really effective." The two felt endless gratitude toward Zhang Ping'an in their hearts.

After eating and drinking their fill, they sat in the breeze and fell asleep before long. Liu Guangtian heard footsteps in his daze; he opened his blurry eyes and saw a masked person acting suspiciously, and he instantly became alert.

Liu Guangtian was bold by nature, and without calling Liu Guangfu, he followed stealthily on his own; the tense and exciting feeling made his heart pound.

Finally, he followed all the way to the third house of the Daozuofang at the Seventy Courtyard; Liu Guangtian memorized the location before heading back.

"Guangfu, let's go back."

"Mm... what time is it?"

"It's already the middle of the night, hurry home."

"Oh."

The next morning, as soon as Liu Guangtian woke up, he ran to report to the police, recounting the situation he had seen; in this era, reporting an Agent was something almost everyone had carved into their bones.

"Little friend, is what you said true?"

"It's true, I saw it with my own eyes last night."

"Then why were you still outside so late?"

"This..."

"Speak, lying is not something a good child does," the Public Security officer said with a stern face.

Liu Guangtian was, after all, still a child; frightened by the Public Security officer, he spilled everything like beans from a bamboo tube, explaining how he was chased out the door by his father, meeting Zhang Ping'an, and the Steamed Bun his brother gave him, telling it all exactly as it happened.

"Good, from now on, act as if you know nothing; we will investigate."

"Oh, okay."

Hearing Liu Guangtian's description, the Public Security officer knew he wasn't lying, but for the sake of caution, he still briefly verified Liu Guangtian's statement.

When Zhang Ping'an heard at the Rolling Mill Procurement Department that Public Security was looking for him, he thought it was Li Aiguo, but he didn't expect to see a stranger's face upon meeting them.

"Hello comrades, I don't know what business you have with me."

"It's like this..."

"Yes, he is a child from our courtyard; I also gave them Ointment after eight o'clock. Did something happen to them?" Zhang Ping'an stood up abruptly.

"No, comrade, don't be agitated; we are just conducting a routine inquiry, thank you for your cooperation."

"Oh, it's good that nothing is wrong." Zhang Ping'an began to mutter to himself, wondering what Liu Guangtian and the other had encountered late last night.

With Zhang Ping'an's confirmation, they paid even more attention to this matter and, along with another Public Security officer, went to the Seventy Courtyard under the guise of legal education.

They made subtle inquiries about the situation of the third household in the Daozuofang.

"You mean Lao Meng? He repairs shoes under the neighborhood office; he lives by himself, doesn't like to talk, and has no children. Since his wife passed away, he has been all alone."

"Living alone, solitary, unsociable personality." The two exchanged glances; good heavens, this person had practically stacked all the Agent buffs. Fearing they would arouse suspicion, the two Public Security officers asked other neighbors the same questions.

Upon returning to the station, the two filed a report on this matter and submitted it, while simultaneously placing that person under close surveillance.

Sure enough, within a few days, there was a major discovery; this person really was a big fish, and Liu Guangtian had stumbled into performing a meritorious service by accident.