Chapter 82: While I Was At It

Chapter 82: Chapter 82: While I Was At It

Early that morning, Zhang Minzhen could tell her big brother was in a great mood. She’d asked him about it on the way, but he just smiled without a word. Only after they had cycled some distance from Zhang Family Village did Zhang Wei Qiang suddenly stop his bike, turn, and hand Zhang Minzhen an oil-paper packet.

"Here."

"What is it?" Zhang Minzhen asked, hopping off the bike and opening the packet as she took it. The words had barely left her mouth when her eyes widened. Inside were a familiar bank passbook, loose cash, and all sorts of grain and oil coupons. "Big Bro, you... you..."

Gu Nuan Nuan had already clambered off the bike. She peeked over, and a smile touched her lips the moment she saw the contents. She reached out and took the packet from her mother’s hand. "Mom, I’d better hold onto this. I told you to take everything before, but you just had to overthink it. See? In the end, you still had to make Uncle go to all this trouble."

"You little smarty." Zhang Wei Qiang patted Gu Nuan Nuan’s head with his large hand, a hidden smile on his face. "Help your mom put this stuff away, and don’t breathe a word of it to anyone, understand?" He got back on his bike and, as he started to pedal, said to Zhang Minzhen, "I went to pick something up last night and just grabbed these on the way."

"You didn’t leave any traces, did you?" Zhang Minzhen was annoyed at her earlier indecisiveness. She was also terrified that if her brother had accidentally left a clue, Gu Lihui would report it to the police and get him in trouble.

"Mom, you’re so silly. How could Uncle possibly leave a trace? He’s so capable. Of course, even if he did, it would be fine. As long as he wasn’t caught red-handed, it’s no big deal. He’s my uncle. Isn’t it normal for there to be traces of him in our old home?" Gu Nuan Nuan rolled her eyes, thinking her mom was just letting her worry get the best of her.

"Our Nuannuan is the sharp one. She really knows how to get straight to the point." Zhang Wei Qiang’s heart felt a little itch. ’Someone with this kind of natural intelligence who can cut to the heart of the matter, and who even has special abilities... What a shame...’ He suppressed the temptation, reminding himself again that this was his dear niece. He wasn’t a saint; he had to consider things from her perspective first.

As he thought this, he couldn’t help but sigh with regret in his heart.

"...Right. Nuannuan is definitely much more capable than her mom." Zhang Minzhen felt awkward. Realizing she had been too nervous and lost her composure, her face flushed slightly.

"Hee hee." Gu Nuan Nuan stuck out her tongue and grinned, then asked Zhang Wei Qiang, "Uncle, did you get the ledger back?"

"I knew I couldn’t hide it from you. Now that I’ve encountered a parasite like him, how could I tolerate him getting away with it any longer?" The information had come from Gu Nuan Nuan in the first place, so Zhang Wei Qiang never planned on keeping it from her. Otherwise, he could have just secretly given the items to his younger sister. Why do it in front of Nuannuan? He also wanted to test her, to see how she would react upon learning what he’d done.

He didn’t realize it yet, but he had subconsciously begun to stop treating Nuannuan as a simple ten-year-old child.

"Uncle, what are you planning to do with the ledger?" Gu Nuan Nuan was a little worried her uncle was too upright and might just bluntly reveal himself and hand over the ledger. Her voice carried a hint of concern.

"What’s your brilliant idea?" Zhang Wei Qiang asked in return.

"I don’t have one, really. But I think if you’re going to report him, you should do it secretly. Otherwise, people might dislike you. For example, there’s this kid in my class who’s always snitching on everyone to the teacher. We all hate him behind his back and no one wants to play with him." Gu Nuan Nuan’s eyes darted around. She was quite pleased with what she felt was a great explanation and waited expectantly for her uncle’s praise.

She waited for a while, but when her uncle didn’t respond, she turned to look at him. She found him grinning from ear to ear but not saying a word. Unable to help herself, she wheedled, "Uncle, do you think I’m right or not?"

"Right. Absolutely right. Uncle will listen to you. From now on, with a little strategist like you around, Uncle will have someone to consult with." Zhang Wei Qiang let go with one hand to pat Gu Nuan Nuan’s head. He was very pleased that her idea coincided perfectly with his own.

His initial plan was to remain anonymous. After investigating, he would make a copy of the ledger for his own records and mail the original to a reliable, relevant official. ’Nuannuan is such a promising talent.’ He was suddenly overcome with a deep appreciation for her abilities, feeling an urge to teach her everything he had learned that could be passed down.

"Uncle, if you ever need my help with ideas in the future, just ask! I’ll be sure to tell you everything I know, holding nothing back!" Gu Nuan Nuan puffed out her chest in mock pride, making a grand promise.

"PFFT—"

Zhang Minzhen burst out laughing. "Give you one compliment and you’re already floating on air, huh? How much could you possibly know, making such a bold claim? You’re not even embarrassed. It’s a good thing your uncle won’t laugh at you. If it were anyone else, they’d call your bluff in a heartbeat."

"Mom, you’re the worst! What’s wrong with letting me be happy for a second? Uncle is better. I like Uncle the most." Gu Nuan Nuan wrinkled her nose and wheedled. She was discovering that acting cute felt really good, especially when there was someone who would let her do it to her heart’s content. The feeling was addictive.

"Fine, fine, go on and like your uncle then. That works out perfectly. This Sunday, I’ll go to the city by myself to buy a bicycle. I’ll get to enjoy all the good food and fun things all by myself. Won’t it be great not having a little shadow tailing me?" Zhang Minzhen smiled happily, her face full of mischief.

"You’re horrible! Uncle, look, Mom’s bullying me! You have to be on my side," Gu Nuan Nuan whined.

"Alright, Uncle’s on your side. Let’s condemn her on moral grounds together, shall we?" Zhang Wei Qiang was quick to pick a side.

"Condemn me all you want. Even if your condemnation puts me in a bad mood, a solo trip to the city on Sunday to unwind will definitely cheer me right back up," Zhang Minzhen said with a wicked smile. She refused to believe her daughter could resist surrendering after she’d said that.

"Sigh..."

Feeling threatened, Gu Nuan Nuan turned back to Zhang Wei Qiang with a helpless look and blinked. "Uncle, you know the saying, ’Only a mother is truly good in this world. A child with a mom is a treasure; a child without one is like grass.’ So I guess I still have to like my own mom a little more. Sorry to make you take second place. You’re not going to get mad too, are you?"

Zhang Wei Qiang blinked back at her and laughed heartily. "Don’t worry. I’m not as petty as your mom."

"That’s more like it. Since you know what’s good for you, I suppose I’ll take you to the city on Sunday after all. But whether you get any treats or fun things will depend on your performance for the next few days." Zhang Minzhen, sitting on the back of the bike, smiled with the corners of her lips curled up. She knew she was the most important person in her daughter’s heart, but hearing her daughter say otherwise, even as a joke, had been a little uncomfortable. Now that her daughter was willing to take it back, she didn’t care how the two of them ganged up to tease her about being petty.