231: Watching the Tigers Fight from the Mountain

"I really feel sorry for you," Pan Yawen said.

"Don't feel sorry for me. I think the real loser here is Deputy Director Miao!" Lin Qingyu whispered. "Because of yesterday's incident, Director Zhang decided to revoke his eligibility for the housing allocation! Otherwise, Deputy Director Miao would have surely gotten it!"

"What?" Pan Yawen was instantly displeased.

A few days ago, Miao Renda had promised her that if the factory allocated houses, he would give the new house to her.

She had been eagerly looking forward to the new house!

Now, because of yesterday's mess, that hope was dashed!

"What a shame, don't you think?" Lin Qingyu clicked her tongue and quietly bad-mouthed Su Hanyan. "This woman is a jinx. Everyone around her suffers, while she's the only one who prospers!"

"Exactly!" Pan Yawen ground her teeth. "If it weren't for her raising a fuss with Director Zhang over that trivial matter yesterday, Deputy Director Miao wouldn't have lost the house!"

"Absolutely right."

Lin Qingyu was about to continue when she saw Su Hanyan finishing her form and standing up. She quickly shut her mouth.

Su Hanyan walked over, tapping her finger on the desk. "Lin Qingyu, Pan Yawen, do you think everyone else here is deaf? Have you said enough bad things?"

"Enough, enough..." Lin Qingyu had seen Su Hanyan's formidable side recently and didn't dare provoke her.

Backing down wouldn't cost her anything.

Besides, with Pan Yawen around and given her unusual relationship with Deputy Director Miao, Lin Qingyu thought she could just stir the pot and watch the show.

"Good, then." Su Hanyan took the form and went upstairs, feeling quite lucky to have been allocated a house in the factory.

A house!

In ten years, housing prices would skyrocket, and in twenty or thirty years, owning property in Beijing would be worth a fortune.

Seeing Su Hanyan leave happily, Lin Qingyu was even more resentful.

"Did you know? This house wasn't originally supposed to go to Su Hanyan. It was because Deputy Director Miao's house was taken back that it fell to Su Hanyan!"

Pan Yawen was seething: This wasn't Miao Renda's house—it was hers! Su Hanyan had taken her house!

Feeling increasingly frustrated, Pan Yawen couldn't concentrate on work and decided to take a break.

She wandered around the workshop, overhearing some gossiping women talking about her.

"Hey, do you think that Pan Yawen from the publicity department is having an affair with Deputy Director Miao?"

"I heard they've already done it..."

"Geez! Why does the publicity department have such people?"

"Don't make stuff up. Su Hanyan was framed—she's clearly a decent person! But Pan Yawen is different, you can see the flirtation in her eyes!"

"She's so young; doesn't she mind being with an older man?"

"Older men! Hahaha, they know how to take care of you better than those young guys... Hahaha!"

Pan Yawen's face turned green with anger. She pointed at the women in the workshop, cursed them out, and stormed off.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She decided she had to talk to Miao Renda about this.

Late at night, Miao Renda crept to her door again.

232: Waiting for You to Support Me

After their affair, Miao Renda lit a cigarette and smoked slowly, with Pan Yawen nestled in his arms. Miao Renda wore a lecherous smile.

"You," Miao Renda mused, stroking her hair as his thoughts drifted.

Jin Ling, though beautiful, was fragile.

Pan Yawen was different; he liked her wild streak.

"That's more like it." Pan Yawen, satisfied with his answer, lay back down and began recounting the day's events at the factory. "The factory allocated houses today."

"Don't worry," Miao Renda said, caressing her cheek. "Once the house is allocated, it'll be yours! If you give me a son, the house will belong to you and our child."

"To me?" Pan Yawen sneered. "You haven't been to the factory, so you don't know what's going on! Let me tell you, your house was given to Su Hanyan!"

"What?" Miao Renda's eyes widened instantly. "Say that again?"

"Yes, the factory did allocate houses, but because of what happened yesterday, Director Zhang revoked your eligibility! The house wasn't originally meant for Su Hanyan, but when your eligibility was canceled, she took your place!" Pan Yawen's resentment grew as she spoke. "I suspect Su Hanyan meddled deliberately, knowing about the housing allocation, and used it to scheme against you!"

"Damn it!" Miao Renda threw his cigarette butt on the ground angrily. He put on his clothes, got out of bed, and paced the room, deep in thought. "That woman is really an eyesore! I knew from the start she wasn't easy to deal with!"

"And there's more!" Pan Yawen continued, feeling increasingly bitter. "The women in the workshop were gossiping about us today! They said we were having an affair! It must have been either Su Hanyan or Zhu Lin who spread the rumors!"

"How can you be sure?" Miao Renda turned sharply.

"Initially, the factory didn't address the matter out of concern for your position and my reputation, right? It wouldn't have been the factory leadership who leaked it. I'm sure it was Zhu Lin and Su Hanyan!"

"Those two women are asking for trouble!" Miao Renda gritted his teeth. "And Zhang Hong is no good either. I think it's time for a change in his position!"

"Then hurry up! Once you become the factory director, I'll quit my job and wait for you to support me!" Pan Yawen hugged Miao Renda from behind.

"Dealing with Zhang Hong will take some planning. But those two women need to be dealt with first..." Miao Renda pondered, "What's the best way to handle them?"

Pan Yawen's eyes lit up as she remembered something. She whispered, "Do you know a woman named Lin Zhiqiu who used to work at our factory?"

"Yeah, I know her. Why?"

"I heard from someone that after Lin Zhiqiu was fired, she was assaulted by several men one night... She never showed her face again after that!"

Miao Renda's eyes brightened. "You mean..."

[jin chen will skin you alive and i'll be eating sunflower seeds while watching]

233: No Face to See People in This Life

"Yes! Exactly what you're thinking," Pan Yawen said, wrapping her arms around his neck and whispering a few words in his ear. "Get some people to deal with those two, and then take a few photos! Let's see if they dare to speak out again. If they do, we'll spread the photos and make sure they never show their faces again!"

"Great idea." Miao Renda gave her a thumbs up. "Let's do it, though finding the right people might be tricky."

"It's not tricky at all. You probably don't know this, but in those small hidden video halls in the alleys, you'll find all sorts of people. As long as you pay, they'll keep their mouths shut!"

"Alright then. Money is not an issue, as long as the job gets done right!"

"Yes."

The more Miao Renda thought about it, the more he liked the idea. "Once something like this happens, women won't report it to the police! They'll worry about not being able to get married. Even if someone wants to marry them, the gossip will drown them. They won't have a good life. This is a brilliant plan!"

"See? We're the same type of people!" Pan Yawen clung to Miao Renda again. "Brother-in-law, you're originally from a poor background. You and my cousin aren't a good match at all! You should leave her and be with me. I'll take good care of you every day!"

"Hahaha!" Miao Renda pinched her cheek. "Don't worry, we'll talk about it once you give me a son."

...

Ring ring~ ring ring~

The phone on the desk kept ringing incessantly. Su Hanyan, annoyed, picked it up and hung up immediately, then continued writing her draft.

"Why aren't you answering the phone? It's been ringing for a while!" Zhu Lin, puzzled by her reaction, asked.

"Su Jingrui." Su Hanyan mentioned the name with disdain. "My third brother! He used to hate me so much because of Lin Zhiqiu, but now that Lin Zhiqiu has deceived him, he regrets it and keeps bothering me! He wants to apologize, bring me things! I couldn't care less!"

"But he's still your brother!" Zhu Lin said.

"You don't understand my family's situation." Su Hanyan felt a wave of frustration. "Let me put it this way: each one in my family is more selfish than the other! Their issues are complicated, and I'd rather not get involved! As for Su Jingrui... if I didn't care about my dad, I wouldn't bother with him at all."

"Oh. I see... Well, you're doing well on your own now, just keep it that way." Zhu Lin, not wanting to intrude on family matters she didn't fully understand, changed the subject. "Are you going to your English class tonight?"

"Yes. Come with me, you can listen in too, and we can come back together in the morning! Shaoyu went home today, so it's just the two of us!" Su Hanyan's English classes were thriving, leaving her with no time to tutor her friends individually. Instead, she invited them to join her classes.

"Okay. Your place is spacious, I like it."

Su Hanyan smiled warmly. "Alright, you'll cook tonight then!"

"No problem."

After work, around six o'clock.

Spring nights still arrived early, and by the time the two women packed their things and left the factory, it was already dark, with the streetlights just coming on.

A bus approached, and they boarded.

Just as the door was about to close, three or four young men jumped on. They glanced in the direction of Su Hanyan and Zhu Lin, then moved to the back of the bus and sat down.

234: Trailing

During the journey, the two girls chatted casually with their heads close together, discussing ordinary matters. Unbeknownst to them, their conversation had long been overheard by those trailing them.

After getting off the bus, they walked into an alleyway. This area had many migrant residents, mostly renters. The entrance to the alley was dark and deep, with several turns needed before reaching their homes.

The moon had not yet risen, leaving the alley pitch-black. It was dinner time, and pedestrians hurriedly passed by.

Several men who were following them saw the two girls walking leisurely ahead but hesitated to make a move. If they failed this time, they would spend the rest of their lives regretting it in jail.

"Yanyan, your students have classes at seven, and when do they finish? Can we still make it for dinner?" Zhu Lin asked.

"They finish at nine. Each class is two hours!" Su Hanyan smiled. "It's too late to eat now. We'll eat after nine! Bear with it for now, and once the kids leave, we can cook something good. I have meat here!"

"That sounds great. I get to attend class and eat free meat! Yanyan, I'm loving this place of yours!" Zhu Lin grinned.

"Come often with Xiaoyu in the future. But there's a condition—you both have to cook for me!"

"No problem."

Unconsciously, they arrived at the door of their home. The students had already gathered at the door, waiting. Upon seeing Su Hanyan return, they greeted her and made way for her to open the door.

Su Hanyan took out her keys from her bag and opened the door. "Are you all in a hurry? Come on in!"

Quickly, all the students entered the courtyard, and the wooden door closed softly behind them.

"Liang Ge, what should we do now? They've all gone inside!"

"With so many people, how do we act?"

Liang Ge, the man they called, flicked his cigarette ash and took a few deep puffs. "Wait. Did you hear? They finish at nine. We'll wait until after class, when there are fewer people, and then make our move!"

"Got it! We'll listen to Liang Ge."

"Are all the things prepared?"

"Don't worry, everything's ready."

"Let's go." Liang Ge threw his cigarette butt on the ground and stepped on it. "We'll come back later!"

Inside the courtyard, after a while of reading aloud, Su Hanyan began her class. Everyone listened attentively and took notes seriously.

The two-hour class passed in a flash. Su Hanyan checked the time and announced the end of class. "That's it for today's lesson. If you have any problems you don't know how to solve, write them down and give them to the class monitor. I'll answer them collectively in the next class! Remember, daily reading aloud is essential! Class dismissed!"

"Goodbye, Teacher Su!" The students stood up and bowed to Su Hanyan before leaving in groups.

Near the entrance of the alley, the men who had been waiting saw the students all leave before standing up and walking towards the alley where Su Hanyan lived. They found the door to her rented house already closed.

Liang Ge approached and knocked on the door.

Bang bang bang—

Zhu Lin and Su Hanyan were in the kitchen preparing dinner when they heard the knocking. They exchanged a glance.

"Who could it be at this hour?" Zhu Lin asked. "Is it someone from your family?"

"I have no idea." Su Hanyan was also puzzled.

They heard a voice from outside saying, "Teacher Su, I accidentally left my book in the classroom earlier. I came to look for it!"

Zhu Lin sighed in relief. "It's just someone who lost their book. I'll go and open the door!"

[no girl u dumbass]

235: Dragged Down Completely

"These kids are always so forgetful!" Su Hanyan shook her head helplessly. "Just last week, a student left their house keys here! What if they lose their exam admission ticket?"

"Let's remind them more often," Zhu Lin chuckled as she left the kitchen to open the door.

As she unlocked the latch, four unfamiliar men barged in. Zhu Lin looked at them skeptically—they didn't seem like students, their careless demeanor suggesting something sinister.

"Who are you...?"

"Grab them!" Liang Ge ordered abruptly.

His accomplices acted swiftly—one blocked the door, two rushed forward, one muffling Zhu Lin's mouth with a towel while another twisted her arms behind her back.

Poor Zhu Lin couldn't even cry out before being subdued.

"Find a room and get ready with the camera! We'll deal with her properly later!" Liang Ge instructed. "Hurry, find the other one."

In the kitchen, Su Hanyan heard the commotion outside and cautiously peeked out. What she saw sent her heart racing.

Stay calm! She must stay calm!

Quickly analyzing her options, she made a decision. She barred the kitchen door with a table loaded with dishes, climbed onto the stove, and shouted out the small window onto the street.

"Help! Help!"

At this hour, not everyone might hear her cries over dinner, but someone nearby definitely would.

After shouting a few times, she searched the kitchen for anything she could use for defense.

A kitchen knife was out of the question—it could end up hurting them or herself. After searching for a while, she spotted a long iron poker used for poking the coal stove. It was sharp at one end, suitable for defense.

Since it was long, it could keep those men at a distance.

From the kitchen came the sound of the door being kicked. In no time, the door had a hole kicked into it, along with the table being shattered.

Liang Ge and his men rushed in, spotting Su Hanyan standing by the stove with the large iron poker in hand, her eyes fixed on them with vigilance.

"Well, well! This little lady's got some fire in her!"

"Listen, put down what you're holding. We won't hurt you. If you don't listen, you'll suffer!" Liang Ge warned.

"Don't come any closer!" Su Hanyan shouted, brandishing the poker. "This thing isn't careful. If I accidentally stab one or two of you, I won't be responsible!"

"Ha, talking tough, aren't we?" Liang Ge sneered, gesturing to his men. "Get her!"

Several of his accomplices charged forward. Su Hanyan didn't hesitate to swing the poker wildly, connecting with a few clangs.

"Ow! That hurts!"

"Let's get serious!"

After a brief discussion, they all rushed at Su Hanyan together, overpowering her and snatching away the iron poker.

Su Hanyan told herself not to panic. She threw everything she could find at hand—salt shakers, vinegar bottles, soy sauce containers. Finally, she laid her hands on a tea caddy filled with rapeseed oil.

"Don't mess around!" She warned. "If you push me too far, I'll pour this into the stove. One match, and I'll drag you all down completely!"

[LETS GO ARS0N !!!!!!]

This bluff managed to freeze them in their tracks. They stood there, bewildered.

At that moment, Su Jingrui's voice rang out from the courtyard, "Hey Yanyan, I'm here! Why aren't you opening the door?"

[sjr redemption arc lets gaur]