Chapter 174: He’s Acting

Chapter 174: Chapter 174: He’s Acting

Before Zhang Yun could react, Su Wan looked directly at Lu Zhengchuan. "Six months ago, Zhao Xiangxiang tried to take advantage of your third brother and ended up with nothing. Afterward, she came to me, wanting me to give the money back, but I refused. She never went to bother my parents at their stall after that. Do you know why?"

"Why?" Zhang Yun asked, a little unsettled.

Lu Zhengchuan took her hand and continued walking, signaling that he was all ears.

"Because your third brother investigated and found out that the only reason Zhao Xiangxiang wanted to date and marry him wasn’t because she liked him, but because she saw that our family business was doing well and made a lot of money each month. She needed money."

"And do you know what she needed all that money for?" Su Wan asked, her eyes fixed on Zhang Yun.

"Just tell me, Su Wan. I’m listening," Zhang Yun said, biting her lip.

Su Wan nodded. "She needed it to pay off her younger brother, Zhao Yuan’s, debts."

"What? Zhao Yuan is in debt?" Zhang Yun cried out, her face falling on the spot.

’My family’s financial situation is just average. If I marry Zhao Yuan and he’s in debt, how am I supposed to live?’

"No, that can’t be right, Su Wan. Ah Yuan has been in the county town for over half a year, all for me. He even gets money transfers from his elders every month. It’s not a lot, just thirty yuan a month, but it’s enough for our dating expenses in town."

"If he really was in debt, who would be sending him money? And where would his family get that kind of money?"

Su Wan shook her head. "That part, I don’t know. But the Zhao family’s parents are both working. They still have their jobs, and their combined monthly salary is at least a hundred yuan. Sending Zhao Yuan thirty yuan a month wouldn’t be a problem for them."

"So you mean... even if Ah Yuan was in debt, his parents have already paid it all off?" Zhang Yun asked tentatively.

Seeing Zhang Yun’s stubborn refusal to face the facts, Su Wan didn’t waste any more words. She just reached out and pinched the soft flesh of Lu Zhengchuan’s arm, lowering her voice. "I’m done with this. You solve it."

Lu Zhengchuan huffed lightly. "Wanwan, you’re my wife, and you’re also Zhang Yun’s sister-in-law. By telling me to handle it, are you saying you don’t care about my family’s affairs?"

"Does this mean you’re not going to care about my affairs in the future either?"

Su Wan couldn’t help but turn to look at him. "Are you serious?"

Lu Zhengchuan felt the danger in her gaze. Even if that was what he truly thought, he didn’t dare nod. He was afraid Wanwan would call him melodramatic.

"...I was just kidding. I just want you to pay a little more attention to me."

The anger that had just flared up in Su Wan was instantly extinguished. She reached out and pinched the soft flesh at Lu Zhengchuan’s waist. "Don’t worry, I still care about your affairs. After all, what’s yours is mine. But if you start acting as a personal ATM for your relatives and help the Zhang family without a second thought, I’ll make sure you learn the meaning of not being allowed back home and not being able to see your child."

The more Lu Zhengchuan listened, the more his brow furrowed. He reached out and caught Su Wan’s hand, feeling how delicate and fair her fingers were in his palm. He couldn’t resist caressing it a couple more times.

"No, Wanwan, you can’t do that to me."

"You and our child are definitely the most important things to me. You can’t be so heartless to me."

The very thought of that scenario was completely unacceptable to Lu Zhengchuan.

He shook his head, trying to banish the terrifying possibility.

Su Wan just glanced at him. Her message couldn’t be clearer: ’Let’s see how you handle this.’

Lu Zhengchuan cleared his throat and turned to Zhang Yun. "Zhang Yun, you came to the Capital. Why didn’t you call to let me know?"

"Cousin, it’s because I forgot..." Zhang Yun said, sounding guilty.

"Forgot? Then why did you come straight to the university to find your sister-in-law, instead of looking for me?"

"Cousin, it’s because I don’t know where you live, and I can’t get onto the military base. But for Capital University, anyone can tell you where it is. Oh, no, I didn’t even need to ask. Ah Yuan knew where it was."

Zhang Yun’s voice grew excited as she spoke. "Cousin, Ah Yuan knows the Capital so well! And he took great care of me the whole way here."

"His sister is definitely a problem, but he’s really innocent. Believe me, I’ve known him for half a year."

Lu Zhengchuan snorted. "What do you know? Zhao Yuan owes a mountain of debt because of illegal coal mining. In fact, his actions were already against the law. He was only fined a large sum of money because he wasn’t the ringleader. He just invested some money, partnered with others to get dividends, and wasn’t involved in managing the mine. He never even went to Xishan Province."

"The ringleaders who partnered with him have all been sent to labor reform camps. They might not get out in this lifetime."

"But... didn’t you say Ah Yuan already paid a sum of money? That must be the debt, right? Once it’s paid off, it’s all over, isn’t it?" Zhang Yun couldn’t help but argue on Zhao Yuan’s behalf.

Lu Zhengchuan’s face darkened as he scolded her. "Are you out of your mind? Is this about the money anymore? The problem now is that he deceived you! He hasn’t told you the truth from the very beginning. If he was willing to break the law for money once, don’t you think he’d do it a second time?"

Zhang Yun was used to being scolded by him, so she wasn’t scared. She just couldn’t help but mumble, "Cousin, you can’t be so prejudiced. Just because a criminal goes to prison, does that mean they can never be a good person when they get out?"

"Then are you willing to marry a criminal?" Su Wan couldn’t hold back anymore, asking calmly.

Zhang Yun froze. ’If I hadn’t met Zhao Yuan, I would have said no without a second’s hesitation. It’s not like I’m crazy. There are so many other people to date, why would I have to marry a criminal?’

’But...’

"Ah Yuan is different," Zhang Yun couldn’t help but say.

Su Wan knew it would come to this. "How is he different?"

"He’s been with me for half a year and has never done anything illegal or improper. He’s been very good to me. I can’t just abandon him because of something in his past. What kind of person would that make me?"

"It would make you the one who’s blind," Su Wan shot back.

Zhang Yun felt wronged but didn’t dare talk back to Su Wan, since she knew, deep down, that her sister-in-law was trying to help her.

"Cousin... why don’t you investigate Ah Yuan? If he does anything illegal or improper from now on, I’ll break up with him," Zhang Yun said nervously.

It was hard to say if she was more afraid that Zhao Yuan was really doing bad things behind her back, or that she wouldn’t be able to let go even if she knew he wasn’t a good person.

"You solve this. I’m done," Su Wan said, then quickened her pace and walked ahead.

She couldn’t be bothered to put on a polite front for Zhang Yun any longer.

Zhang Yun looked at Lu Zhengchuan in alarm.

Lu Zhengchuan ignored her and hurried to catch up with Su Wan. "Wanwan, don’t be angry. I’m not telling you not to get involved. It’s just that I’m only Zhang Yun’s cousin. I’ll investigate this matter first, and then I’ll tell my uncle and aunt. They’re Zhang Yun’s parents."

Hearing this, Su Wan finally felt somewhat relieved.

Zhang Yun followed silently behind them, feeling a little hurt but not daring to say another word.

She couldn’t even muster the courage to speak up for Zhao Yuan anymore. She didn’t understand why her sister-in-law was so certain he wasn’t a good match without ever trying to get to know Ah Yuan.