Chapter 252: What a Peculiar Ugly Name

"Jin who?" Shen Lu asked.

"Jin Dalang."

"What a uniquely ugly name."

Xue Can: "..."

’Is that really the point?’

Shen Lu said seriously, "I don’t know him. I’ve only met Mr. Sun and General Manager Chen from the Commerce Association. I think the Xiangmantian Chain Restaurant belongs to them."

"They’re so arrogant. When they couldn’t ruin me, they decided to just kidnap and teach me a lesson?" Shen Lu fumed. "If they’re so capable, why don’t they just fly to the heavens?"

Xue Can pondered for a moment. "That’s a possibility."

But he felt there had to be a deeper reason.

...

In the small Western-style house, Boss Jin had already learned of the failed kidnapping.

He angrily smashed another cup.

"Didn’t I hire three mercenaries? How could you still fail?!"

Jin San trembled with fear. "Everything was going smoothly at first. We even caught her. But who would have thought Xue Can would suddenly show up? He’s a Level 4 Superpower User, a higher level than any of us. We couldn’t beat him..."

"Useless!" Boss Jin glared, his brows furrowed. "You have the nerve to say that? I heard Xue Can joined the corps later than you, and now he’s a Level 4 Superpower User while you’re only a Second-level Superpower User! After getting kicked out of the corps, you didn’t even try to improve yourself. All you do is slack off and play cards every day. I ask you to do one little thing, and you can’t even do it right!"

Jin San was stunned by Boss Jin’s tirade and couldn’t snap out of it for a long moment.

Ever since he was kicked out of the Gale Mercenary Corps, he had faced repeated setbacks trying to join other corps. Left with no choice, he had come to find his big brother.

His brother had always been quite patient and pleasant with him. Jin San really thought Boss Jin was a good-tempered person.

Turns out it was all an act.

But he wasn’t the type to take abuse lying down, and he exploded on the spot.

"I’m useless? And you’re so much better? I gave you that crucial piece of information, but you were too scared to do this, too hesitant to do that. If you had just done what I said from the start and interrogated her after catching her, we’d be honored guests of the government by now! You’re the most useless one, timid as a mouse!"

"Jin San! Say one more word and see what happens!" Boss Jin, who was rarely defied, had a face as dark as water. He wished he could strangle this brainless little brother with his own hands.

"I’m done with this! Do whatever the hell you want!" Jin San flung his arm and stormed out, fuming.

Boss Jin wasn’t the only person with power and means. If it weren’t for the fact that they were brothers, Jin San would never have told him about that matter.

Now that they had fallen out, Jin San planned to find a new partner to cooperate with.

Someone decisive and ruthless. And most importantly, someone stronger than Xue Can.

But Boss Jin knew his brother all too well; he could tell what Jin San was up to with a single glance. He had a bodyguard who usually stayed hidden in the shadows, only appearing when Boss Jin was in danger.

At that moment, Boss Jin gave the bodyguard an order: stop Jin San.

Jin San was no match for the bodyguard and ended up with his arms twisted behind his back, completely subdued.

"Jin Dalang! Are you insane?!" Jin San shouted in a rage, using Boss Jin’s real name.

Boss Jin despised his own name, Jin Dalang. It sounded incredibly unlucky. Since becoming a boss, he hadn’t heard anyone call him that in a very long time.

"Lock him up," Boss Jin ordered coldly. "Don’t let him out without my command."

"Yes, sir."

Jin San was shoved into a dark room, cursing and swearing the whole time.

A servant came forward, cleaned up the broken shards on the floor, and brought a new cup of tea.

Boss Jin lit a cigarette in frustration. The chance to become a man above all others was right in front of him—he could see it, but he couldn’t grasp it. The feeling was agonizing.

No, it wasn’t that he couldn’t grasp it.

He had to find a way to capture Shen Lu, force her to reveal the identity of that mysterious ingredient supplier, and then take her place.

...

Her original plan to go out had been ruined. Shen Lu was still shaken and couldn’t be bothered to check on the situation at Fragrant Sky.

She asked Cai Su to help buy two sets of clothes suitable for Fu Cheng’s rehabilitation, while she obediently stayed in the shop.

Today, it was Liu Qiang who came to deliver scrap metal. He was carrying a heavy load and had to stop to rest every few steps before continuing.

Shen Lu had already finished ringing up the Wang sisters and Fang Ming, but he still hadn’t reached the shop’s entrance.

"Where’s Mom?" They usually came together, so Shen Lu asked out of curiosity.

"Your mom is at home taking care of someone," Liu Qiang said, setting down the bag from his back. "I picked up some extra today. See what you can take."

Shen Lu had the system scan everything, picked out the acceptable pieces, and calculated the price. It came to a total of 189 Star Coins.

Shen Lu counted out the money and handed it to him.

"Little Deer, your birthday is in a few days. Let’s have a meal together," Liu Qiang said suddenly.

Shen Lu’s heart stirred. She hadn’t expected Liu Qiang to remember.

She felt that Liu Qiang and Yang Jing weren’t people who particularly valued their daughter. Strictly speaking, they favored sons over daughters.

"We’ll see," Shen Lu said, not agreeing immediately. "I don’t know if I’ll be free that day."

"Sigh." Liu Qiang was a little disappointed. "Your boss is too unreasonable. It’s your eighteenth birthday, after all."

People here placed a lot of importance on one’s eighteenth birthday. After all, a child born in such harsh conditions wasn’t guaranteed to grow up smoothly.

Turning eighteen represented adulthood and was a major milestone.

"It can’t be helped. Who told me to owe him so much money?"

Liu Qiang wanted to say more, but in the end, he said nothing, hoisted his bag, and left.

Her Light Brain suddenly flashed. Shen Lu looked down and saw it was a message from Li Qin.

Li Qin: Are you coming tomorrow? If so, I’ll make arrangements in advance.

The research institute wasn’t a place one could just walk into. Li Qin’s authority was limited, and she needed to apply in advance to receive outside visitors.

Shen Lu tugged at her ear, feeling conflicted.

She had originally planned to hide out in the shop for a few days to calm her nerves, but Li Qin’s message meant she had to go out again.

’The mission has to be done, of course, but my life has to be protected, too.’

Shen Lu turned her head and saw Fu Cheng.

Fu Cheng’s wheelchair didn’t need pushing. Wu Jun walked briskly behind and to the side of him, and they reached the shop’s entrance in no time.

Wu Jun was tight-lipped and hadn’t told Fu Cheng about the attack on Shen Lu, and Shen Lu herself was even less likely to bring it up.

"How was your training today?" Shen Lu asked.

"It was fine." Fu Cheng noticed something was off about Shen Lu. "Did something happen today?"

"No," Shen Lu blurted out. Seeming to realize her reaction was too strong, she added, "Everything’s normal. Nothing unusual at all."

Fu Cheng watched her with a heavy gaze. Feeling guilty, Shen Lu avoided his eyes. "I’m going to make dinner."

Once in the kitchen, Shen Lu paused.

’What do I have to feel guilty about? So what if I don’t tell Fu Cheng?’

’He’s still in a wheelchair himself, and he hasn’t fully recovered. Even if he knew, what could he do besides worry along with me?’

’I’m doing this for his own good.’

Not wanting to miss the opportunity, Shen Lu went to ask Xue Can after dinner if he was free to take a mission the next day.