78 Mysterious Number

He treated Lu Ning as his daughter, but he had been constantly troubling her for so many years. In the past two years, he managed to keep his family affairs relatively stable and had wanted to repay her properly, but something happened to the Lù family again and Lu Ning left.

In the end, something still happened after she left, and he still ended up meeting her. To think she would see him in such a sorry state again; one could only imagine the shame in Old Zhu’s heart.

Lu Ning looked at his baggy eyes and callused hands.

Realizing that he must have done manual labor for endless nights, Lu Ning could not help but think of Lu Zhi…

“Old Zhu, you’re getting on in years. Don’t do that back-breaking work at night, I’ll help you think of a way with the money. Don’t drive now, I’ll get a friend to send you back.”

Old Zhu was surprised, and he hurriedly held her back. “No, no! Young Miss, I don’t need it! I can do it, I can raise the money myself! I-I can’t drag you down anymore!”

He knew well that Lu Ning’s current situation was not good.

Lu Ning looked at him and quietly clutched his arm. “And what method will you use to get that money?”

Old Zhu was stumped by this single sentence.

He had already gone around borrowing money to the extent that even his relatives had all given up on him. Is he going to borrow from another loan shark to repay this loan shark?!

If he does, the issue would never be resolved, but only delayed…

“I know what I’m doing, don’t worry. Go home and get some rest; I’ll call you.”

The tears kept rolling down Old Zhu’s cheeks.

“Young Miss, I, I…”

After stammering for a long time he did not manage to say anything. In the end, Lu Ning led him out and had Gu Zi send Old Zhu back.

As she returned, she turned towards where she had been sitting; there was someone seated at the next table over, holding up and looking at a test paper. He leisurely raised his gaze and met her eyes.

Lu Ning walked over and sat opposite him.

“Teacher Huo, you’re pretty skilled at eavesdropping.”

Huo Jinyan raised an eyebrow at her. “Eavesdropping? I didn’t hide or skulk, I sat here openly.”

Lu Ning looked at him, and used her hand to brush away some hair dangling on her forehead.

Huo Jinyan took a good look at her forehead.

The gauze had been removed, and her wound had healed a fair bit. With her hair covering it, it was impossible to tell she had been hurt. Huo Jinyan had only seen it because she was fiddling with her hair.

“I saw your last test paper. It was not bad, so I’ll give you a break today.”

Lu Ning: “…”

If I remember correctly, the last time I only answered three questions correctly and scored six points. That’s considered ‘not bad’?

Lu Ning looked at Huo Jinyan, her gaze softening.

“I’ll get you some coffee.”

She turned around and left. Huo Jinyan looked at her back, his expression dour and inscrutable as always.

——————

Lu Ning was going to the hospital to see Shen Yunci after work. She rode the electric scooter slowly; everything that had happened recently kept flashing through her mind.

In the past, she had never yearned for money and neglected its importance. Now, Auntie Hong, Old Zhu, and her family all needed money, yet she was no longer that young lady who did not lack money…

Lu Ning heaved a heavy sign.

She completely failed to notice that there was a car following behind her.

——————

She wanted to shake off this oppressive mood, so Lu Ning bought some gifts for Shen Yunci when she went to visit. Shen Yunci was so elated that she could not contain herself from prattling to the other three about it.

“Ning’ning, quick, come over here.”

Shen Yunci called for her, but Lu Ning’s phone rang before she could go over.

She looked down and saw a familiar caller ID: a black skull and a money bag. Lu Zhi and Lu Qing were standing close by and caught a glance of her phone’s display from the corner of their eyes.

Lu Ning had always ignored their calls, but this time she picked up.

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