Being targeted

Since he used someone else's body, he naturally had to fulfill a responsibility and repay a karma. Before, when he was sent to the countryside, he couldn't just go back. Not to mention whether the team would issue a letter of introduction, even if they did, he could only stay for a few days before having to return.

Now that his household registration has been transferred back to the city, he has a proper work permit, and with the convenience of his identity at the Cultural Center, he doesn't need to clock in every day. So, he can go back for a visit.

Zhao Dongchuan thought for a while. The Chinese people's deep-rooted desire for reunion made him have to consider this issue. If he didn't go back for the Mid-Autumn Festival, he would definitely have to go back for the Spring Festival.

He didn't know if he could return to his original world, but he definitely had to go back to this world.

While thinking, Zhao Dongchuan slowly drifted off to sleep.

… … … … … …

In the following days, Zhao Dongchuan stayed in Huangyuan City, going to work and coming home as usual. Besides work, he read books, did practice problems, and wrote novels.

Occasionally, he would also go to Li Huiying to settle accounts for goods and commissions. These days, many watches had been sold, and a large amount of capital had been recovered. He was about to become a 'ten-thousand-yuan household'.

One evening, on his dorm bed, he spread out all the money. Looking at the bed full of colorful banknotes, Zhao Dongchuan was a little surprised. Unconsciously, he was already so close to being a 'ten-thousand-yuan household'.

In his original world, whenever he saw people discussing the 'ten-thousand-yuan households' of the 1980s, it always felt very distant to him. He never expected that he would now become a 'character in the play'.

After putting the nearly 7,000 yuan from the bed into his space, Zhao Dongchuan stopped thinking about it. At this time, he couldn't buy a house. Most people lived in housing allocated by their work units or in staff dormitories. Only a very small number had ancestral private homes that could be bought and sold, but these were extremely rare.

He also couldn't openly do business, so it couldn't be put to use for now. It was better to lie low for another two years. Things would be fine once the atmosphere changed.

… … … …

This day, Zhao Dongchuan, as usual, went to Li Huiying's home after work.

Something was strange. From the courtyard, a faint sound of crying could be heard. Zhao Dongchuan immediately felt that something had happened. He didn't knock on the door but directly leaned his ear to listen.

"Huiying, don't cry anymore. We'll find a way to track down those bastards!"

"Wuwu~~~ What should we do!"

Hearing Li Huiying and Old Liu's voices inside, Zhao Dongchuan felt relieved. As long as they were safe, it was fine.

Zhao Dongchuan knocked on the door.

Soon, the crying inside stopped. After a moment, the door opened. It was Old Liu who opened it. Zhao Dongchuan walked into the courtyard and closed the door.

"Little Zhao…!" Li Huiying choked, unable to speak.

"Auntie Li, don't cry. Tell me what happened, and we'll figure it out together," Zhao Dongchuan comforted her.

"It's like this…" Li Huiying slowly stopped crying and explained the whole story.

It turned out that this incident was caused by 'money'.

Li Huiying had been selling a lot of goods in the black market recently, and she had long been targeted by people with ill intentions. However, she had always been very cautious before, and the black market had its own rules. Those involved in the black market, for the sake of their reputation, had 'educated' those who didn't follow the rules quite a bit.

But wealth truly moved people's hearts. The total amount from the watches Li Huiying had sold, when calculated, was enough to make people take risks. They planned to wait until she left the black market to find an opportunity to strike.

Sure enough, today, when Li Huiying sold a few watches and came out of the black market, she was followed by several groups of people. Although Li Huiying changed her route several times, she was still closely watched.

It was likely that this ambush had been planned for a long time, and they had figured out Li Huiying's routine.

Out of female intuition, Li Huiying slowly noticed the abnormality. She always felt eyes constantly fixed on her, like thorns in her back. After realizing she was being followed, she felt extremely nervous and uneasy.

Fortunately, she and Zhao Dongchuan had discussed an emergency plan for such situations. When she turned a corner, instead of taking her usual route, she directly rushed into the crowd, shouted "Catch the pervert!!!", and then scattered a wave of money into the air to create chaos, and then escaped in the confusion.

Those who were following didn't dare to truly expose themselves, as they were doing something illicit and couldn't act openly. When the thugs saw money to pick up, they naturally picked up the money first. They also didn't expect Li Huiying to be so 'reckless' as to directly scatter money.

Caught off guard, they naturally lost track of her. Afterward, Li Huiying also changed her outer clothes, went around many circles, and then, using the excuse of asking for water, entered a household and chatted with people for a long time before slowly returning home.

Zhao Dongchuan frowned upon hearing this. It seemed that the continuous sales during this period had made some people jealous and want to rob her money, and not just money, but also goods. If Li Huiying hadn't felt something was wrong, and if they hadn't prepared some emergency plans in advance, she might have been followed home this time.

Zhao Dongchuan also felt a pang of fear. If something had happened, he himself would have been fine, but Li Huiying and Old Liu might have met a terrible fate.

Since they had already premeditated it and were operating as a gang, intending to rob money and goods, they were definitely not ordinary petty thieves. If they wore masks, it would be fine, as they usually only robbed for money.

But if they showed their faces, they would have to kill to silence witnesses.

No one could gamble their life on whether robbers would be merciful.

"Auntie Li, you did the right thing. Just as I said before, safety first. Don't feel bad about the money.

Don't go to the black market during this time. Go home and rest. Wait until I've handled things and confirmed it's safe before you go out again."

"Old Liu, I'll trouble you to take Auntie Li back to the village to avoid trouble. Remember to disguise yourselves. Leave tonight. If I don't come to find you, stay in the village and don't go out casually," Zhao Dongchuan turned to Old Liu and said.

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of Huiying. It's just that we're powerless against that gang of bastards!" Old Liu said somewhat dejectedly.

"You're doing things for me, so I'll handle this. You two pack up quickly and leave immediately. How about this, I'll go with you too."

Then Zhao Dongchuan settled the remaining payment with Li Huiying. After scattering over a hundred yuan, there was 360 yuan left, and Zhao Dongchuan directly gave 60 yuan to Li Huiying.

"Take this money. Don't be polite. This is also to calm your nerves. When I have time, I'll come to see you again."

Afterward, Li Huiying and Old Liu simply packed up and, under Zhao Dongchuan's escort, returned to the Yangou Production Brigade in Beiguan.

Along the way, Zhao Dongchuan carefully observed and found no suspicious signs. It seemed they had indeed not been followed home.

After seeing Li Huiying and the others off, he went straight back to his dorm.

Eat, do homework, sleep!

… … … …

In the following days, Zhao Dongchuan went to work as usual and didn't go to the black market.

He had already made his first pot of gold and wasn't in a hurry, because he knew that the other party was definitely more anxious than him.