Lin Feng's eyes were as cold as blades, his body suppressing a bloodthirsty rage. "The ledger!"
"Because of the ledger?" Peng Tao frowned, his heart skipping a beat. "Where's the ledger?"
Lin Feng went upstairs to his room and indeed found his belongings and clothes strewn everywhere. The box containing the ledger...
It was gone.
A frost spread across Lin Feng's entire body. He walked downstairs. Seeing Lin Feng's state, Peng Tao quickly said, "Don't be rash. Perhaps your sister-in-law took Lin An out. This doesn't look like there was a fight. Find your sister-in-law and Lin An first."
Lin Feng looked around. It truly didn't look like there had been a fight, only signs of a search. The frost in his eyes did not diminish, and he was about to go out to look for Lin An and Fu Wenwen.
Fu Wenwen and Lin An returned with their arms full of spoils, followed by a weary Zou Xiaomei.
Zou Xiaomei watched Fu Wenwen and Lin An walk ahead, feeling a strong blow. The three of them, two adults and one child, had toured Fengcheng all day. She was already too tired to walk, her legs feeling as heavy as if they were bound by lead, unable to lift. Yet, why did this seemingly frail mother and son still have so much energy, not looking tired at all?
This was unacceptable.
Was she too weak, or were they too strong?
It was one thing to not be able to compare to Fu Wenwen, but to not even be able to compare to Lin An?
"Aunt Xiaomei, we're almost home. Just hold on a little longer, keep going!" Lin An encouraged Zou Xiaomei.
Zou Xiaomei choked back a sob. "It's one thing that I can't compare to her, but I can't even compare to you. How could this happen..."
"Don't compare yourself to Lin An. He's been running around the village since he was a child. I can't even compare to him," Fu Wenwen said with a smile. "As for me, I've been in the countryside for quite some time, so walking is something I can manage."
"Waaah... you're bullying me," Zou Xiaomei cried. "My legs can't carry me, how can you walk so fast? I'm so tired, I really can't walk anymore. I don't want to take another step."
Fu Wenwen and Lin An exchanged a glance and returned to Zou Xiaomei's side. Fu Wenwen lifted Zou Xiaomei and supported her as they walked home. "We're almost home, just a little longer."
Leaning on Fu Wenwen for support, Zou Xiaomei slowly walked towards her house. Just as they turned into the alley, they saw a jeep parked in front of Fu Wenwen's house.
Zou Xiaomei immediately perked up and said to Fu Wenwen, "Wenwen, is that legendary jeep in front of your house?"
"Yes," Fu Wenwen said with a smile. Zou Xiaomei actually let go of Fu Wenwen's arm and ran towards the jeep.
She was completely devoid of the weakness and inability to walk she had displayed moments before.
Lin An watched Zou Xiaomei run towards the jeep and looked at Fu Wenwen in surprise. "Mom, didn't Aunt Xiaomei say she couldn't walk anymore? Why can she still run?"
"That's the strength that comes from seeing something that makes her happy," Fu Wenwen explained with a smile.
"Oh," Lin An nodded, as if he understood.
As soon as Fu Wenwen and Lin An entered the house, Fu Wenwen was suddenly embraced. Just as Fu Wenwen was about to struggle, she saw Lin Feng, who looked as if he had narrowly escaped a disaster, and was stunned. "What's wrong?"
"Ah! Dad, Mom! There was a thief in the house! Someone rummaged through our things while we were out!" Lin An said, carrying the toy his mother had bought him. He was about to put it in his room when he discovered that the house had been ransacked, and his and Fu Wenwen's clothes had been thrown on the floor.
Hearing Lin An's words, Fu Wenwen looked at the somber Lin Feng and Peng Tao. Lin Feng nodded. "It was likely for the ledger. The ledger is gone."
"For the ledger?" Fu Wenwen narrowed her eyes. It was fortunate that she had been cautious and placed the ledger in her space. Otherwise, the ledger would have been lost, and the house would have been ransacked?
Fu Wenwen scanned her surroundings, walked past Lin Feng towards the locked bathroom. Lin Feng and Peng Tao watched Fu Wenwen, thinking she had an urgent need. To their surprise, Fu Wenwen emerged from the bathroom carrying a box.
Lin Feng recognized the box as the one containing the ledger. He rushed over and took the box from Fu Wenwen's hand.
"You..." Lin Feng opened the box and saw that it indeed contained the ledger. His eyes, fixed on Fu Wenwen, sparkled.
"Zou Aunt's youngest daughter said she'd show us around Fengcheng. Before we left, Lin An rummaged through your box. I was worried it wouldn't be safe outside, so I locked it in the bathroom. I didn't expect... they searched everywhere but the bathroom," Fu Wenwen explained.
"Sister-in-law, you are truly..." Peng Tao stood beside Lin Feng, his eyes shining with excitement seeing that all the ledgers were still there. "You are truly our lucky star."
"This ledger is so important, take it back quickly! To avoid further trouble," Fu Wenwen reminded them. Peng Tao and Lin Feng had the same thought.
"Lin Feng, escort me back personally, then you can come back," Peng Tao felt it would be safer with Lin Feng by his side.
Lin Feng remained silent and looked at Fu Wenwen. "I'm worried about their safety."
He was not at ease leaving Fu Wenwen and Lin An at home; it was too dangerous. What if those people came back?
"Then let's all go together!" Fu Wenwen said.
"Yes, sister-in-law is right. Let's go back together!" Peng Tao also agreed with Fu Wenwen.
"Lin An, let's go, we'll escort Uncle Peng back," Lin Feng nodded and called out to Lin An.
"Dad, I'm coming!" Lin An quickly ran out with his precious toys. Lin Feng scooped Lin An up in his arms.
Peng Tao led them out the door. Fu Wenwen said apologetically to Zou Xiaomei, who was excitedly admiring the jeep, "Xiaomei, we have something to attend to, we can't entertain you..."
"It's okay, it's okay. You guys are busy. I can go home by myself." Zou Xiaomei had also heard Lin An's words and knew that Fu Wenwen's family had encountered trouble, so she had been standing at the door without going in, just taking a few more glances at the jeep.
Fu Wenwen got into the jeep. Lin Feng placed Lin An in Fu Wenwen's arms before getting into the car himself.
Peng Tao personally carried the box into the car and said directly to Xiao He, "Go."
Xiao He quickly started the jeep and drove out of the alley.
The jeep sped along. Fu Wenwen held Lin An tightly, and Lin Feng protected Fu Wenwen. They drove at top speed to Yong'an Town.
"You can't enter the military compound. I'm afraid you'll have to make do with a guesthouse here for the night," Peng Tao said to Fu Wenwen with great apology. Fu Wenwen shook her head.
After getting out of the car with Lin An, Fu Wenwen said to Lin Feng, "Remember to come find us at Number Seventy-Three later."
"Okay," Lin Feng nodded and instructed, "Wait for me, I'll be back to find you soon."
After Lin Feng escorted Peng Tao back to the barracks, Fu Wenwen took Lin An back to the courtyard in Yong'an Town. Seeing that the courtyard was still so clean after being uninhabited for so long, Fu Wenwen raised an eyebrow.