Slim Monkey came to the courtyard, wept bitterly, and poured out his grievances. After swearing to turn over a new leaf, he finally left trembling.
Feng Man stared at the man’s departing back for a moment, then looked at the tall man beside her and said with a beaming smile, “Comrade Cheng Lang, you’re too amazing! You even managed to reform a thief and set him on the straight path!”
Cheng Lang’s eyes flickered slightly. “You like that?”
“Of course!” Feng Man felt that such a man truly made everything around her feel safe. “Last time it was Feng… my dad, and this time the thief. You’re incredible. There’s no one in all of Ink River kinder or more upright than you!”
Cheng Lang’s gaze deepened a bit, a hard-to-discern emotion brewing. “As long as you like it.”
After leaving Cheng Lang’s home, Slim Monkey felt like he had finally picked up his life once he was far enough away.
All sorts of regret and fear flooded his mind, nearly overwhelming him. He knew Cheng Lang was no ordinary man—far more ruthless than the average thug or good-for-nothing. Though he didn’t have You Jianyuan’s power and influence, Cheng Lang was ruthless to the bone, while You Jianyuan was just putting on an act thanks to his family background.
Slim Monkey easily chose what kind of man could make him submit and fear from the bottom of his heart.
He went home, changed clothes, and headed to Liberation Mine District to report to You Jianyuan. By then, he had calmed down and repeated exactly what Cheng Lang had taught him. “That Feng’s probably does have a secret recipe, but I only heard them mention it while making food. I was about to make my move that day, but Feng’s helper and her man got in the way. Haven’t had another chance these past couple days.”
You Jianyuan’s thick brows shot up. Thinking of stealing the secret recipe from Feng Man and ruining her business brought a rush of vengeful pleasure.
“Hurry it up. If you can’t even steal one secret recipe, what good are you!”
“Yes, yes.” Slim Monkey hunched over subserviently, looking every bit the part of someone taking a scolding, but inwardly he grumbled.
Can’t steal one secret recipe? Do you know what kind of man Cheng Lang is? If you’ve got the guts, go steal it yourself!
If not for this guy’s backing from the You family, Slim Monkey suspected Cheng Lang would have toyed him to death a hundred or eighty times over by now.
After sending Slim Monkey away, You Jianyuan sank into thought. Feng Man must have some special secret recipe to make her food so delicious, tempting everyone around the mine district and even making him lose face.
He definitely had to get revenge.
Having Slim Monkey steal the secret recipe was one layer of insurance. He had just made Slim Monkey recount in detail the night before last when he tried to steal it, which mentioned Feng’s helper and her man arguing. From the words, it seemed her man wasn’t too keen on her working as a helper and even wanted her to quit…
You Jianyuan’s eyes lit up. He quickly called in his secretary Liu Lei and gave instructions. “Go find Feng’s helper Yuan Qiumei’s man, Zhou Yuejin. He’s unhappy his wife is helping at Feng’s, and Feng’s boss is Cheng Lang’s wife. This is the perfect situation to stir things up.”
As long as there was a crack, he could pry it open!
……
After getting off work, Zhou Yuejin left Red Star Mine District. Lately, aside from work, all he thought about was how to persuade his wife to leave Feng’s and stop helping out.
But Yuan Qiumei had become stubborn and refused to listen.
Even the night before last, after helping at Feng Man’s place to catch the thief, they argued all the way home in the alley.
Zhou Yuejin felt his wife cared more about her boss and Feng’s than him. Yuan Qiumei naturally denied it, and the couple’s words fell on deaf ears.
He wondered if his wife was home tonight. Every day when Zhou Yuejin got home, if he heard movement inside, a smile immediately tugged at his lips. If it was quiet and empty, his face fell instantly.
But today, halfway there, someone stopped him. Looking closely, it was Liu Lei, the lackey from Liberation Mine District where he used to work, You Jianyuan’s right-hand man.
“Brother Zhou, just off work? How’s it going at Red Star Mine District?” Liu Lei chatted him up. They’d met before, so he could always find familiar topics.
Zhou Yuejin had no good impression of You Jianyuan and thus didn’t care much for Liu Lei either. “What do you want?”
“Just catching up with an old coworker.” Liu Lei handed him a cigarette, top-quality Hongta Mountain. “Brother Zhou, I’ll cut to the chase. I heard your wife insists on helping at Feng’s, and you’re not happy about it?”
Don’t air your dirty laundry in public!
Behind closed doors, Zhou Yuejin could say anything, but outside, he naturally denied it. “What nonsense are you spouting.”
“Brother Zhou, we’re all brothers here. No need to be stubborn. Your wife really shouldn’t be messing around helping at Feng’s. Let me let you in on something—this stall won’t last much longer, so she won’t be helping for long either.”
“Huh? Real or fake? Can’t be. Feng’s business is booming!” Zhou Yuejin grew more puzzled the more he heard.
“We’ll talk about that later.” Liu Lei had no intention of telling him about the commercial district development, where You Jianyuan, as general manager, certainly wouldn’t go easy on Feng’s. He focused on stirring the pot. “Brother Zhou, here’s your chance to get your wife to stop helping and come home to take care of you. Seize it! Don’t worry—as long as you help out a bit, no one will know it was you. If you’re scared Cheng Lang finds out, Director You said he’ll get you back to Liberation Mine District, even give you a good position with a raise.”
Liberation Mine District was bigger than Red Star Mine District, with better prospects—anyone would know which to choose.
Sure enough, Zhou Yuejin didn’t outright refuse this time. “Let me think about it.”
Liu Lei knew Zhou Yuejin was skilled at work but stubborn, looking down on everyone. He laughed. “Alright, Brother Zhou. This is good for your wife and you! After all, with Cheng Lang’s wife egging you two apart like that, can they be good people? Once you’re back at Liberation Mine District in a high position, your wife will listen to you. How great is that? Think it over. I’ll come find you in a couple days.”
Liu Lei returned confidently to report back. Zhou Yuejin wasn’t like He Chunsheng and those loyal to Cheng Lang—he was just an ordinary worker. With opportunity dangling in front of him, only a fool wouldn’t be tempted.
But he didn’t know that the next day at work, Zhou Yuejin went straight to Cheng Lang.
“They think yours truly is what kind of person!” Zhou Yuejin had held it in until that morning at the mine district, not wanting to alert the enemy prematurely. “No matter what, I wouldn’t do something like betraying my own people.”
Cheng Lang had anticipated You Jianyuan having more tricks up his sleeve, but he hadn’t expected him to target Zhou Yuejin.
Once Zhou Yuejin explained, he felt it was no longer his business. “I didn’t agree right away last night. Thought I’d give you a heads-up first. You handle it from here—no business of mine. I’m off.”
“Brother Zhou, hold on.” Cheng Lang stopped him. “Of course there’s still something for you, and it’s big.”
“What big thing?” Zhou Yuejin was puzzled.
Cheng Lang’s expression turned stern as he arranged for Zhou Yuejin. “Since they’ve targeted you, help them out.”
“You—” Zhou Yuejin’s face scrunched up as he instantly understood Cheng Lang’s meaning. “What, you want me to be a spy?”
With the boss speaking, Cheng Lang analyzed forcefully and logically, leaving Zhou Yuejin no room to refuse.
“If you refuse, who will You Jianyuan go to next? Won’t we be more passive? Better to turn their scheme against them.”
“Brother Zhou, you’re the boldest in the mine district. Who else could I entrust this to?”
Cheng Lang spoke deeply and steadily, with the imposing presence of a towering mountain, making it hard to refuse. Zhou Yuejin’s lips moved, but before he could think of a refusal, Cheng Lang patted his shoulder. “Alright, it’s settled. Thanks for your hard work, Brother Zhou.”
Zhou Yuejin: “…?”
In two days, he had turned two people into double agents. When Feng Man heard Cheng Lang mention it, she couldn’t help but be shocked.
You Jianyuan’s petty schemes kept coming—he was detestable. But she hadn’t even made a move, and Cheng Lang had handled it?
Quiet and reticent, yet getting things done silently—Feng Man increasingly felt this man was great.
Following Cheng Lang’s plan, Zhou Yuejin came home and rehearsed lines with Feng Man. Liu Lei had shown up that morning, and now Zhou Yuejin would help cover for Slim Monkey when the time came. The two would work together inside and out to “steal” the secret recipe.
His visit now was, on the surface, per Liu Lei’s suggestion—to pretend to patch things up with Feng Man, saying he’d come around and let his wife keep helping. In reality, it paved the way for the theft later.
Feng Man nearly laughed listening to it. Both people You Jianyuan had arranged were now under Cheng Lang.
Your own men helping us—how could we lose?
“In a few days, we’ll stage it. I’ll prepare a fake secret recipe for you to ‘steal.’” Feng Man was also ready to turn the scheme against them.
Slim Monkey couldn’t come openly, so Zhou Yuejin would contact him secretly—which aligned with You Jianyuan’s thinking too.
Zhou Yuejin came during lunch break and left in a hurry. As he departed, Feng Man gave him milky white fish soup and sesame flatbread. “Thanks for the trouble, Brother Zhou. Take some for the road.”
“Mm.” Zhou Yuejin still looked stern as he agreed, but inwardly he sighed. This couple—one black face, one white face. What do they take me for?
Leaving Cheng Lang’s courtyard, Zhou Yuejin still needed to meet Slim Monkey to coordinate… But as he walked, something felt off.
Wait, didn’t I want my wife to stop working at Feng’s? How did I end up roped in too? Damn it, now I’m working for Feng’s!
Feng Man naturally had no secret recipe—or rather, no written one. Everything was learned from Grandma, with many methods adjusted by her on the fly, all in her head.
To make the act convincing, Feng Man prepared a fake secret recipe. At noon, as she wrote it out at the table, someone arrived at the door.
Cheng Yulan had just heard that the night her son and daughter-in-law visited, a thief had broken in here. She came to check.
Feng Man ladled a bowl of fish soup for the old lady. “Auntie, weren’t you cold coming all this way? Have some fish soup to warm up.”
Though Ink River didn’t snow, winter was still harsh. Going out could freeze hands and feet.
Cheng Yulan’s sharp, hawk-like eyes scanned the surroundings. She saw the sturdy new lock on the door, the sharp glass shards reset on the courtyard wall, and the big yellow dog guarding the gate. She could guess whose handiwork it was and nodded approvingly.
Taking the fish soup, her thin lips touched the bowl’s rim. One sip went down, and the fresh flavor surged through her, warming her limbs.
Cheng Yulan looked at her niece-in-law. “Weren’t scared that day?”
“Not too bad, just surprised. Didn’t expect a thief. But I hid inside and didn’t confront him.”
“Mm.” Cheng Yulan saw Feng Man’s calm composure and was quite satisfied.
“Auntie, how’s the fish soup? Do you like it? It’s nutritious, tonic, and warming—perfect for you.”