Chapter 274: No, Don’t Get the Wrong Idea

"That’s true. If your relationship was good, he would have taken you in long ago," Shen Lu nodded in agreement.

Gong Tianhua was the director of a research institute. Even if he couldn’t cure Fu Cheng, he would have ways to extend his life or at least make him more comfortable.

But Gong Tianhua did nothing, acting as if Fu Cheng wasn’t his nephew.

"My aunt and my mother were not on good terms," Fu Cheng explained. "Even though they both married into the Imperial City, they never had any contact, just like strangers."

Shen Lu’s mind conjured up a whole melodramatic soap opera about a wealthy family. "Oh, so that’s how it is. No wonder your uncle-in-law ignores you."

There was another important point Fu Cheng didn’t mention. His aunt, Yun Lian, was not of the Yun Family’s bloodline. She was an orphan his mother, Yun Yao, had taken in. The two grew up together, as close as sisters, but in the end, they became enemies for some reason, and Yun Lian was expelled from the Yun Family.

As for the reason they became enemies, his mother had never said, so Fu Cheng had no way of knowing.

"Little Deer, are you still investigating the matter of the expired nutrient liquid?" Fu Cheng was a very perceptive man; he could read Shen Lu’s subtlest reactions as clear as day.

Normally, if Shen Lu wanted to use Gong Tianhua as a backer, she should have been a little disappointed after learning about his poor relationship with his uncle-in-law.

Yet, she didn’t seem disappointed in the slightest. In fact, she seemed almost happy.

That wasn’t normal.

’Then what is Shen Lu’s real goal?’

’After thinking it over, the only thing left seemed to be the expired nutrient liquid.’

Shen Lu vehemently denied it. "No, you’re overthinking things! It’s just my first time hearing about such a major figure, so I was just curious, wanted to gossip a bit."

Fu Cheng didn’t believe a single word she said, not even the punctuation.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, exasperated. "You won’t be able to find anything."

’Even if she doesn’t find anything, she’ll just stir up a hornet’s nest.’

"Fu Cheng, you’re so annoying." Shen Lu finally couldn’t hold it in. "How do you know I can’t find anything!"

Fu Cheng stared at her intently. "So you really are after the expired nutrient liquid? You want to find a breakthrough through Gong Tianhua? Don’t be foolish. His research findings are reported directly to the highest levels of government. Anyone with a lower rank than him has absolutely no access."

’He had to say it, even if it made her hate him. He couldn’t just stand by and watch her do something so foolish.’

"Hmph!" Shen Lu let out a heavy snort, then got up and stormed back to her room.

’She was afraid that if she stayed any longer, she wouldn’t be able to resist showing Fu Cheng just how many aces she had up her sleeve.’

’Her capabilities were far beyond what he could ever imagine. He shouldn’t underestimate her!’

’So frustrating! This feeling of having amazing abilities but not being able to show them off is just the worst.’

Shen Lu burrowed into her covers, fuming, and muttered under her breath about how heartless Fu Cheng was.

Fu Cheng was also troubled. He didn’t understand why Shen Lu was so fixated on the expired nutrient liquid.

The next day, the wind died down a little, and correspondingly, the blowing sand wasn’t as severe.

Shen Lu’s busy day began again.

After breakfast and signing for the ingredients, Kuku got started in the back kitchen.

The employees put on their buff-enchanted uniforms. That, combined with the satisfying celebratory staff dinner from the previous night, had everyone bursting with energy today. Each person was working with the vigor of two.

Their young boss, Shen Lu, was very pleased with this.

After getting things settled in the back kitchen, Shen Lu went to the backyard.

Before she even went inside, she heard Liu Yaozu’s passive-aggressive voice.

"Of course *you’re* not hungry. You were out front stuffing your face last night, weren’t you? Why would you remember Dad and me? Hah."

"N-no, that’s not it, I wanted to bring some back..."

"Then where’s the food? Are you even fit to be my mother? You only thought about stuffing yourself, not about me at all. You look down on me because I’m a cripple, don’t you? Fine then, just let me starve to death!"

Shen Lu pushed the door open and walked in. Liu Yaozu’s expression immediately switched to one of fawning subservience.

"Sister, you’re here! What’s for breakfast? I’m starving."

"You’re not official employees. Aside from your wages, you aren’t entitled to any benefits. You’re on your own for meals."

Liu Qiang grumbled, "What kind of boss are you?"

"It’s like this everywhere else. Have you never looked for a job anywhere else?" Shen Lu shot back.

Liu Qiang fell silent. What Shen Lu said was true.

Shen Lu set down a bag of seeds and a few farming tools. "Mom, you’ll start clearing the wasteland today. You two will stay inside and sort seeds."

In truth, Shen Lu wasn’t an expert at farming either. She had just looked up some information on her Light Brain, casually bought a bag of seeds and some tools, and found something for the three members of the Liu Family to do.

Yang Jing was baffled. This wasn’t what she had imagined at all. She had thought they would only start working once Liu Qiang and Liu Yaozu were able to work in the fields.

Most importantly, she didn’t know how to farm, let alone clear a wasteland. She was clueless.

Shen Lu didn’t care about any of that. ’If you don’t know how, you can learn.’

"First, you’ll till the soil." Shen Lu gave Yang Jing her task for the day. "I’ll go out in a bit and section off the backyard for you. You just need to turn over one plot each day."

Yang Jing nodded. This arrangement made her feel much more relieved.

Shen Lu turned to the Liu father and son. "Your job today is to sort seeds. This bag contains eighty-eight pounds of scallion seeds. You need to separate them into three grades: Level 1, Second Level, and Third Level. Since it’s the first day, you’ll each sort eleven pounds to get the hang of it. I’ll be back to check at five this afternoon. If you’re not finished, you won’t get paid for today."

Liu Qiang couldn’t help but speak up again: "I’ve never heard of having to sort scallion seeds."

When he was younger, the government had tried to establish a plantation in the Lower City District. They needed a lot of workers, and Liu Qiang had been hired. He worked there for a while.

In the end, the plantation went bankrupt.

The reason was that as soon as the vegetable seedlings sprouted, they would be pulled up and eaten by unruly workers before they had a chance to grow.

The problem persisted despite repeated prohibitions, and eventually led to serious conflicts. In a fit of rage, the government shut down the plantation. After that, all agricultural and livestock industries were established exclusively in the Upper City District.

So, Liu Qiang did know a thing or two about farming.

"And?" Shen Lu raised an eyebrow. "Are you the boss? Are you the one paying wages? If you’re the one paying my salary, then sure, if you say we don’t have to sort them, we won’t."

Liu Qiang was completely shut down. He was so angry he could have exploded.

He slammed his hand on the plank he was lying on and roared, "That’s it, I’m not staying here! Yang Jing, Yaozu, we’re leaving! The Lower City District is huge. You think we can’t find another place to live?!"

’Do we have to stay here and be at Shen Lu’s beck and call, listening to her arrogant pronouncements?’

This wasn’t the first time Liu Qiang felt his dignity as a father had been challenged!

But he just couldn’t get a handle on Shen Lu, which made Liu Qiang feel extremely frustrated.

He even started comparing them in his head, thinking that Shen Lu was inferior to Shen Lan. At least the old Shen Lan, even when she was disobedient, would never have challenged him so brazenly to his face.

The more he thought, the angrier he became. In a fit of pique, Liu Qiang heaved himself right off the flatbed cart. He’d only been nursing his thigh for two days and the wound had just started to heal. The movement tore it open again, instantly staining the gauze red and soaking through his pants.

In the blink of an eye, a small pool of blood formed at his feet.

"Husband!" Yang Jing scrambled to support Liu Qiang, trying to get him to lie back down on the cart. Tears of panic welled in her eyes. "Don’t move! The wound is bleeding again! What are we going to do?"

Liu Qiang shoved Yang Jing away and roared, "Look at this wonderful daughter you’ve raised! She’s a heartless, ungrateful monster! I think she’s just trying to kill me with anger!"