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Chapter 326: Mistaken Identity



Wang Cuihua was dumbfounded.


She had just seen Bai Lu buying groceries at the market, and in the blink of an eye, the person was standing at the doorstep.


The casual clothes had been changed into a white dress, and the low bun had turned into a half-up, half-down hairstyle.


Holding a parasol, she stood in front of the door, behind the crowd, watching the old house being demolished.


Had Bai Lu flown back?


After Wang Cuihua saw the turned-around "Bai Lu," she finally got her answer.


"I mistook you for someone else. She's not Bai Lu. You just have a bit of resemblance to her back..."


But their appearances were nothing alike.


As soon as she turned around, the truth was revealed.


The shocked expression on Yun Ruolin's face had already returned to normal in the second she turned around, replaced by a faint polite smile.


It was an attitude of forgiveness and generosity, as if being mistaken by a stranger didn't matter much. She casually asked, "Is Xiao Cheng the owner of this house?"


With this statement, not only was Wang Cuihua surprised, but the neighbors were also incredulous.


Who in the entire Xinzhen didn't know Xiao Cheng?


Didn't know Bai Lu?


Didn't they know that this was Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu's home?


After her surprise, Wang Cuihua subconsciously said, "This is Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu's home, don't you know?"


"But I've never seen you in town before. Are you from out of town?"


Even in front of everyone's eyes, Yun Ruolin remained composed, showing no signs of nervousness on her face.


Nodding casually, she said, "One of my classmates is from here, I came to see her."


"Oh..."


Her accent didn't sound local.


Her dress and appearance clearly indicated that she came from a wealthy family, and she looked about eighteen or nineteen, the age of a student.


Just like Bai Lu.


Thinking of Bai Lu, the neighbors also remembered the national top scholar and couldn't help but feel proud.


"Bai Lu is also a college student now, the national top scholar, so amazing!"


"Since you're about the same age as Bai Lu, I wonder how many points you scored in the exam and where you go to university? Maybe you'll have a chance to become classmates with Bai Lu!"


The aunts loved to compare and gossip.


Wang Cuihua was no exception, "Is the classmate you're looking for living nearby? What's her name? Is it a boy or a girl? Do you need our help? You've been here for so long, could it be that you're looking for Bai Lu?"


"No."


Yun Ruolin denied subconsciously.


But her hands clenched, and after a moment of silence, she asked calmly about the question from Guangdong to the Xinzhen.


"Bai Lu, is she Xiao Cheng's wife now?"


"Of course!"


Wang Cuihua used to pretend not to know, but she was well aware of the relationship between Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu.


"Not only now, but Bai Lu has always been Xiao Cheng's wife. Everyone in the town knows this, don't you?"


The neighbors also echoed, "Right!"


"Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu live together, if they're not husband and wife, then what are they!"


"Girl, your question is really funny."


But Yun Ruolin couldn't laugh, her smile froze on her face, "Did they get married at the end of last year?"


Although Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu hadn't obtained their marriage certificate, they had a formal dinner with their elders to celebrate their marriage. Wang Cuihua, as Xiao Cheng's brother's wife and neighbor, knew this very well.


Subconsciously, she said, "After Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu got married at the end of last year, they've been living here all along. Why do you ask?"


Wang Cuihua's affirmation was like a huge bell of doom, ringing in Yun Ruolin's mind, making her face suddenly pale.


Her whole body trembled.


The woman Xiao Cheng referred to as the mistress of the house, his wife, his partner, was actually...


The Bai Lu who should have died!


Xiao Cheng's brother, Xiao Wei, hadn't disappeared either. He was still at the doorstep, directing the excavator to work.


Xiao Cheng wasn't going to be released from prison next month.


Instead, he had started his business in Guangdong earlier than next month, and he was completely unscathed from head to toe.


Completely unharmed.


He didn't look like he had just been released from prison, tortured, and sunk into the depths of darkness.


He didn't emit the aura of death and slaughter, like a soulless monster.


He didn't have the cold, emotionless demeanor of a demon that could kill demons and Buddhas alike.


Yun Ruolin had come a month early and waited for a month in Pingcheng to meet.


But the next moment, she was called away by her fellow workers.


The reason was that her father had urgent matters to call her.


This time, when Yun Ruolin came to Pingcheng, she reported to her father that she was doing market research.


The workers were diligent and conscientious. When they received a call from above, they immediately came to find Yun Ruolin to return to the city.


The hotel in the city was waiting for her call.


As the blue bricks and black tiles were demolished, it was time to cook, and the neighbors dispersed.


When Bai Lu returned from buying vegetables, Luo Shiliu's excavator was clearing the debris of the old house. He dug it up and dumped it into the rear compartment of Xiao Dazhuang's brick truck parked on the side of the road, then drove it away.


Xiao Wei was excitedly watching the excavator work.


It seemed that boys really liked excavators.


Bai Lu remembered the last time when Xiao Cheng operated the excavator, Xiao Wei's eyes were shining with excitement.


She couldn't help but smile at the thought: "If you want to learn to operate an excavator, wait until your brother comes back, and I'll ask him to teach you."


Excited, Xiao Wei ran to help Bai Lu carry the basket of vegetables, "Brother Sixteen didn't know how to operate the excavator before. I wonder if he learned to operate it after seeing Big Brother operate it so coolly. I'm still too young to operate an excavator. When I grow up, I hope Big Brother will teach me."


Bai Lu praised his great aspiration to be close to his older brother: "He will, when you grow a little taller, I'll let him teach you how to operate an excavator."


Excited, Xiao Wei's little face turned red, and he walked briskly like a bird with wings.


As they walked, he suddenly remembered something, "I saw someone just now who looked a bit like Sister-in-law from the back. I thought you had come back from buying vegetables, so I was about to run over and call you, but luckily Wang Cuihua beat me to it."


Bai Lu paused for a moment, amused by the last sentence, "Wang Cuihua mistook someone else for me?"


Xiao Wei nodded, "Wang Cuihua also asked that person what they were doing in the new town. The person said they were looking for a classmate."


"Wang Cuihua asked if they were looking for a male or female classmate, but they didn't say. Instead, they asked about you and Big Brother."


Bai Lu's movements in washing the vegetables paused, "Is she from our town?"


Xiao Wei shook his head, "Auntie Wu said she's not a local."

















Chapter 327: Yearning for Home



She's not a local, but her back resembles hers, asking about her and Xiao Cheng's affairs.


Bai Lu inexplicably thought of someone.


The person who delivered hangover medicine to Xiao Cheng in the middle of the night, the one who brought him food on Valentine's Day, just as an "afterthought".


Yun Ruolin.


"Sister-in-law, the bucket is full."


Xiao Wei didn't want to disturb Bai Lu, but the water in the bucket had all been scooped out by Bai Lu, and the water in the washing basin had overflowed. Bai Lu hadn't realized it yet.


Bai Lu immediately snapped back to reality upon hearing the voice, pulling herself away from Xiao Cheng's memories from her past life, and releasing the ladle.


Rolling up her sleeves, she began washing the vegetables.


While washing, she asked the little helper beside her who was helping pick vegetables, "Did Luo Shiliu and Xiao Dazhuang say what they wanted to eat?"


They had been busy since early morning, helping with the move, cleaning the old house, and they still had to continue in the afternoon.


They couldn't go without lunch.


Xiao Wei, adopting a polite tone similar to the two gentlemen, said, "Anything is fine."


Bai Lu: "…"


She had asked before going shopping, and they said anything was fine.


After buying the groceries, they still said anything was fine.


These two brothers really weren't picky eaters.


---


In the coastal city at night, the moon was bright and the stars sparse.


The fruit processing factory had been thoroughly investigated, and Xiao Cheng had confirmed the manufacturers for the waterway transactions.


At the preliminary cooperation dinner, toasts were exchanged, and the discussions were formulaic, the conversations repetitive and dull.


Speaking too much made one numb, like operating a machine, devoid of emotions, monotonous and boring.


It felt like returning to years ago, when the first deal began, an endless cycle of collections.


The only difference was that back then, it felt boundless. Now... there was a longing for home.


The dinner finally ended, and Xiao Cheng walked out of the restaurant, looking at the unfamiliar streets, the colorful street lamps, and thinking of the distant girl.


For the first time, he had the urge to rush home.


"Finally, I can go home!" After a few drinks, Li Si was especially missing his third brother.


Especially happy, having completed this business trip with a hundred percent progress.


He poured out endless emotions, "Brother Cheng, the tickets for tomorrow have been booked. We can finally go home, see our third brother, see sister-in-law, see our brothers, and rule over our own territory...


"Tonight, I'll sleep well, dream well, and wake up tomorrow morning at home. Ah! How happy!"


With just a few peanuts, one wouldn't get this drunk.


Li Si squinted his semi-drunk eyes, looking at his eldest brother's handsome face, suddenly his eyes twitched, blinking a hundred reassuring glances.


"Brother Cheng, rest assured, you can sleep well tonight, there won't be any more disturbances from Yun Ruolin.


"When the second batch of goods with washing machines was shipped out, Yun Dingkun said that Yun Ruolin was going to help him expand his territory, doing market research in our southern city.


"The way he said it, you can't imagine how proud he was, saying that the southern city is so close to our Pingcheng, and if we happen to meet, we should make a landlord's friendship...


"I agreed on the surface... but in my heart... what friendship, when we get home, we'll close the door and let her go wherever she wants..."


Hearing that Yun Ruolin had gone to the southern city, Xiao Cheng's expression didn't relax, but instead, his brows furrowed.


"When did this happen?"


"Just the day before yesterday. After I finished unloading the goods and returned to the hotel, I saw that you were still busy organizing data for the fruit industry. After reporting the key points of the work to you, I didn't bother you with this small matter about Yun Ruolin." Li Si had an expression of "I'm very sensible, quickly praise me".


But he received a cold, chilling rebuke.


"Do you think what you said is the key point?" The big boss's tone was as cold as a frozen pond, his gaze sharp as a sword.


Li Si trembled with fear, "The content of the work... no, isn't that the key point?"


"Yun Ruolin going to the southern city... isn't it a good thing? Good things about her... are just... trivial matters..."


Before Li Si could finish speaking, a crisp sound of a hundred yuan bill came flying towards him.


"Go change it into coins!"


The aloof figure disappeared in an instant, reappearing in the opposite public phone booth.


Li Si was stunned for a moment, then quickly ran into the convenience store to change the bill into coins and bring them to the big boss.


Unfortunately...


Although he exchanged the coins, the phone, like that night of misunderstanding, couldn't be connected.


Xiao Cheng had visited four phone booths in rotation, but couldn't make a single call.


Perhaps because he had been drinking, when he forcefully pressed down the receiver, the force was so great that it cracked the surrounding phone receiver slot.


Those who wanted to make a call were frightened away.


Li Si feared that the big boss would smash the phone booth, so he risked being punched and swiftly took over this hot potato, "Brother Cheng, take a break, take a break. This phone booth's phone must be malfunctioning. I'll go to another one. You wait here, I'll connect you with sister-in-law immediately!"


Xiao Cheng stared at Li Si as he went into another phone booth, his eyes burning with an abnormal crimson, savage.


As if he was looking at someone who had committed an unforgivable crime, someone about to be executed without mercy.


Finished!


The big boss must be drunk!


He must have been angered to the point of drunkenness. If he couldn't make the call, he would definitely be punched!


Li Si finally realized that Yun Ruolin might not only have gone to the southern city but might also come to Pingcheng.


She might even come to the new town to cause trouble for sister-in-law!


Li Si's hands were shaking as he dialed the number.


His voice trembled even more: "Brother Cheng... don't get agitated, don't get agitated... calm down..."


"It will definitely connect... Doot doot... it's definitely because I didn't press the button properly. I'll press it again for you. Don't worry, I'll definitely... it's definitely that this phone's buttons are broken. I'll change to another one, change to another phone booth, it will definitely work..."


"Doot..."


A cold wind blew around him, murderous intent choking his throat, Li Si risked passing the sculpture of the big boss waiting outside the phone booth, swiftly moving to the next one.


"Doot doot doot..."


"This... this... this... it must be that sister-in-law's phone at home is broken again! We're moving today! Maybe the line is loose! I'll call the Pingcheng electronics store right away and have Zhang San bring people to fix the phone!"


"Doot... the number you dialed is currently in use. Please try again later..."


Li Si wanted to bang his head against the wall: "There are new goods, air conditioners and refrigerators have arrived. The business in the store is booming... Even late at night, there are customers calling the store... Un... Understand..."


"Wait, let me try again."


"Doot... the number you dialed is currently in use. Please try again later..."


Before Zhang San could make his last struggle, he was picked up by the big boss by the back collar.


Thrown into another phone booth.


"Call Lu Lu!"


Li Si couldn't believe it. The same "Lu Lu" as before, last time he heard it so gentle and indulgent.


Now, it had become an ancient execution order, the horn of death before the executioner's axe fell.


The enraged big boss was like a ferocious dragon, his eyes bloodshot, fierce and icy, a voice climbing out of hell, assaulting the soul, crushing everything into pieces.


Li Si, trembling, held the coins "given" by the big boss, and forcefully pushed them into the phone card slot.


"Brother Cheng, wait, wait, wait, this time it will definitely connect..."













Chapter 328: Lu Lu is Good


Late at night.


The time when Bai Lu was rudely awakened by urgent knocking on the door was 1:30 in the morning.


Zhang San and the phone couple were here again.


This time, the inspection speed was thousands of times faster than last time, as if there were evil spirits chasing after them with knives.


As soon as they entered, they quickly explained the reason and swiftly went to repair the telephone line. This vacant house also had a backyard and a vegetable garden, but it wasn't as big as Xiao Cheng's house.


There were only two big trees, and the inspection was quickly completed.


The result was... the telephone line wasn't broken.


After urgently checking both inside and outside the house along the telephone line, they finally found the cause of the fault.


The interface behind the telephone's landline was loose.


Probably during the move, it was accidentally bumped into. The connector didn't fall off completely; it was still in the slot, but it was loosened halfway, causing poor contact and thus unable to connect.


With the cause found and repaired, the telephone finally returned to normal. After surviving the ordeal, Zhang San wiped the nonexistent sweat from his forehead and had a thousand words to say to Bai Lu.


He opened his mouth, but in the end, he hurriedly bid farewell: "Sister-in-law, there's no need to see us off. Brother Cheng has something urgent to tell you. You must wait for Cheng ge's call and must not fall asleep..."


If you fall asleep, I'm doomed!!! Zhang San clasped his hands together, praying to . My nu nu my with the utmost sincerity, begging Bai Lu to spare his life by staying up late.


After pleading, fearing that Bai Lu might not agree, he quickly turned around and fled with the phone couple.


With legs like motors, he disappeared in an instant, leaving only the faint night, quiet and silent.


"Ding Ling Ling—"


The urgent ringing of the phone shattered the silence of the night.

  The forceful ringing served as proof that everything that had just happened in the past three minutes was real.

  Bai Lu answered the phone, hearing an anxious and tense voice on the other end: "Lu Lu?"

  "Is that Lu Lu? Is Lu Lu okay?"

  Bai Lu rubbed her eyes, banishing the last traces of drowsiness, her voice tinged with a hint of laziness.

  Frightening the child: "There's something..."

  "What!" The child's nervous voice almost shattered the receiver: "What's wrong with Lu Lu? What happened!"

  "Did someone bully Lu Lu? Is Lu Lu hurt? Where are you hurt, Lu Lu? Tell me quickly!"

  Bai Lu remained silent for a moment, deliberately pausing for three seconds before softly speaking: "My eyes... are tired."

  On the other end of the phone, the frantic breath seemed to stop abruptly, subdued by the gentle voice.

  Outside the phone booth, Li Si stood stiffly, watching the big shot inside, gripping the cracked receiver.

  From uncontrollable agitation, to restless pacing, to a stunned halt.

  Quiet, calm, in less than three seconds.

  What kind of divine call was this?
  What kind of celestial voice could instantly calm madness, quell agitation, and tame the beast?

  Making the big shot obedient.

  Suddenly becoming cooperative, answering questions readily, and even admitting to his mistakes with sincerity: "Only had five drinks."

  Li Si: "..." It seemed more like five and a half drinks.

  Should he remind him?
  "Li Si was there the whole time."

  A row of icy knives slashed through the air.

  Li Si: "..."

  Better continue pretending to be invisible.

  Saying the wrong thing would land him in tongue-ripping hell.

  As Li Si listened to the big shot continue chatting softly on the phone, he finally understood why the big shot no longer cared for Yun Ruolin's hangover remedies, because he had something better...

  The ultimate hangover remedy on earth—his sister-in-law.

  "Why are you still not sleeping so late?" Bai Lu leaned against the back of her chair, stifling a yawn.

  At this moment, she really missed her phone. Phones were great, you could lie in bed and answer calls.

  Chatting on the phone under the covers, placing it next to your pillow, and falling asleep while talking...

  The breathing by her ear grew shallower, lazy and soft, and suddenly Xiao Cheng spoke up: "Lu Lu?"

  Bai Lu: "Hmm."

  "Have any strange people come to see you?" Without the irritable child, the anxious tone became more pronounced.

  Bailu didn't scare the child anymore, simply asking: "What kind of strange people?"

  Outside the phone booth, Li Si eavesdropped, unsurprisingly receiving another row of cold knives.

  But he was fortunate enough to hear the big shot utter that name for the first time, a name he seemed reluctant to pronounce, as if it would soil his lips and taint his tongue, a name he had never mentioned before, from beginning to end.

  In a tone devoid of any emotion, three clear words: "Yun Ruolin."

  Bai Lu lazily raised her hand, gently twirling the pink roses in the vase: "I didn't see her."

  She didn't know if Xiao Wei and Wang Cuihua had seen her, but anyway, she hadn't.

  The child didn't care whether she had seen her or not, and explained: "Yun Ruolin went to the southern market for a survey. I didn't ask her to go, it has nothing to do with me. Lu Lu, don't misunderstand!"

  "Okay okay okay... I understand." Bai Lu chuckled softly, unable to contain her laughter.

  In her past life, when she accessed Xiao Cheng's memories, he didn't have such a childish side.

  She wondered how he developed this adorable little personality in this life.

  "I don't know if Yun Ruolin will go to Pingcheng or to your house." He continued explaining.

  Clear and distinct in his words: "If Yun Ruolin comes to your house, no matter what she says, don't respond to her. I've only met her three times. The first time was to discuss air conditioner cooperation, the second time was that evening when she brought hangover remedies to the hotel, I didn't accept them, so she left. Lu Lu, don't misunderstand!"

  "Okay okay okay... I won't misunderstand." Bai Lu's voice was as gentle as the night breeze: "And the third time?"

  The last trace of the child's irritability was dispelled by the gentle voice, and he explained obediently: "The third time was on the evening of Qi Xi."

  Li Si was eavesdropping with his ears perked up, but as soon as he heard the word "festival," another row of cold knives swooshed past.

  He immediately withdrew his ears, looking at the sky, the ground, and his toes.

  The big shot's irritable temper was back!

  What was the reason?
  Of course: "Li Si reported his work and didn't lock the door when he went out. Yun Ruolin said she was a delivery service staff and was called away by other customers with urgent matters. She came to find me and deliver food on the way. Seeing the door unlocked, she came in.

  "The matter of Yun Ruolin looking for me is about the building materials issue Lu Lu heard on the phone. I haven't seen Yun Ruolin since then. Lu Lu, don't misunderstand!"

  After hearing the explanations from the big shot and the child, everything was clear to Bai Lu, and there was no more misunderstanding.

  "Ah Cheng did great! Fantastic, he did everything right and correctly. Ah Cheng is the best and the most obedient~"

  With coaxing and praise, even the child laughed happily.

  Li Si watched in astonishment, his eyes almost popping out, no wonder he was so shocked.

  Even the passersby were stunned into stillness.

  Even the stray dogs passing by had their eyes shining, dazzled by the feast of the grim reaper one second and the heavenly god the next in the phone booth, their mouths watering...

  "Lu Lu, wait for me to come home and don't run around." The child was stubborn but also domineering.

  But his voice penetrated deep into the heart like the night.

  Bailu looked at the calendar on the wall, smiling softly: "Okay, I'll wait for you to come home."

  The child was satisfied, speaking with a naturally extravagant tone: "Lu Lu, be good, I'll buy you big prawns when I come home."

  "Hmm... Actually, Ah Wen has already bought them." So even if she doesn't behave, she still has prawns to eat.

  "Ah Wen bought small prawns, I'll buy big prawns for Lu Lu when I come home!"

  "Okay."

  "Lu Lu, be good."

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