42: Xu Damao's conspiracy, Lou family discussion

Xu Damao and Sha Zhu had always been mortal enemies; their grievances had a long history, and their conflicts were deeply rooted.

The moment Xu Damao heard that Sha Zhu was going on a blind date, feelings of jealousy and resentment instantly surged into his heart like a torrent, making his entire being twisted.

He gritted his teeth and secretly vowed, determined to ruin this blind date, absolutely not allowing Sha Zhu to get his wish.

At this moment, Xu Damao didn't have a comprehensive plan in mind; he was just anxious to return to the Siheyuan and stand guard at the entrance.

He made up his mind that as soon as he saw an unfamiliar, beautiful girl about to enter the Courtyard, he would immediately step forward to block her, and with his eloquent tongue, he would add fuel to the fire and badmouth Sha Zhu—this was his specialty, a trick he had often used to trip up Sha Zhu in the past.

Not only that, but Xu Damao also started to have crooked thoughts.

If the girl who came was exceptionally beautiful and outstanding in appearance, he even planned to cut her off and claim her as his own blind date.

The thought of seeing Sha Zhu and Long Feiyang furious and enraged made him secretly pleased, and a sinister smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of his mouth.

As for whether doing this would invite retaliation, Xu Damao, immersed in his scheming, had long been blinded by jealousy and greed, completely disregarding these consequences.

At this time, because Long Feiyang had not yet set up the Skynet system in the factory area, Red Queen could not monitor the specific situation.

However, Red Queen still, with her keen observation skills, captured the scene of Xu Damao cycling away from the factory and fully recorded the relevant information, leaving it for Long Feiyang to review and handle later.

--- In the Lou Family mansion, Lou Zhenhua sat quietly on the sofa, clutching a document tightly in his hands, his expression strange, with a hint of doubt subtly revealed in his eyes.

"This Long Feiyang, he really was a hooligan before, he didn't lie to Xiao'e."

Lou Zhenhua frowned slightly, his voice low, and he said slowly.

"Really?" Tan Yali heard this, and an expression of surprise instantly appeared on her face, her eyes wide, full of shock.

She couldn't believe her ears; Long Feiyang was a knowledgeable figure in her daughter's words, so how could he really have been a hooligan?

Seeing Lou Zhenhua nod in confirmation, Tan Yali's face suddenly changed, instantly turning pale.

She immediately stood up, walking hurriedly upstairs while muttering, "I have to tell Xiao'e, she absolutely cannot go to Long Feiyang again. This is too dangerous; who knows if he will be harmful to Xiao'e."

Her tone was full of worry and anxiety, and her steps became increasingly hurried.

"Yali, don't rush, look at this information first before making a decision."

Lou Zhenhua quickly called out to her, reaching out to hand over the document, then continued, "There are some things in here that I also can't figure out; some parts are really too strange."

His eyes revealed a hint of contemplation, as if he was trying to sort through the information in the document.

Tan Yali took the document with a heart full of doubt and began to read it carefully.

Her expression kept changing as she read the content, sometimes frowning deeply, sometimes looking utterly surprised, and she muttered softly, "Turned over a new leaf... reported enemy agents with merit... saved a baby girl, Golden Eagle delivered wild game..."

Every word was like a pebble, stirring ripples in her heart.

After reading the document, Tan Yali looked up, her face full of disbelief.

"As the saying goes, a leopard can't change its spots. He associated with enemy agents for two years; he might have joined the enemy agent organization long ago. How could he turn over a new leaf so easily? No, no matter what, Xiao'e must stay far away from him. I cannot let my daughter take this risk."

Tan Yali's attitude was very firm, her eyes full of worry and determination, as if she was defending her daughter's safety.

"His family and two neighbors in the Siheyuan have been in close contact these past two days. If Long Feiyang's nature hasn't changed, wouldn't they have noticed? To be re-accepted, perhaps Long Feiyang really has changed. But is he doing this for another purpose?"

Lou Zhenhua narrowed his eyes slightly, lost in thought, and after a moment of contemplation, continued, "As for him saving the baby girl, either he still has a conscience and a kind heart, or he's deliberately putting on a show to change his image."

His words were full of uncertainty; each conjecture was like a fog, shrouding his mind.

"However, the matter of the Golden Eagle delivering wild game is very strange. This is openly eating meat, and taming two Golden Eagles is incredibly difficult. There must be some unknown secret behind this."

Lou Zhenhua's tone carried doubt and vigilance; his intuition told him that this matter was not simple.

"The key is, Xiao'e said he is knowledgeable. But this kid only has a primary school diploma; where did all that knowledge come from? This simply doesn't make sense."

Lou Zhenhua analyzed and speculated, and the more he spoke, the more solemn his expression became, as if he was uncovering a deeply hidden mystery.

"What if he is an enemy agent?" Tan Yali suddenly thought of the worst-case scenario she could imagine: Long Feiyang was a deeply hidden enemy agent.

If that were truly the case, the Golden Eagles might have been arranged by the enemy agents, which would explain many things, and they could very likely be using them to transmit secret intelligence.

After all, it wasn't entirely impossible for an underground force to tame two Golden Eagles.

And Lou Xiaoe finding Long Feiyang knowledgeable might just be because she was fooled by his sweet talk.

Enemy agents, to gather intelligence, must have learned many things; even without deep study, being articulate would be enough to deceive ordinary people.

The more Tan Yali thought about it, the more she felt uneasy, and she became even more determined not to let Lou Xiaoe go to Long Feiyang.

She thought to herself, if something were to happen, she would regret it immensely; her daughter's safety was paramount.

"He associated with enemy agents for two years. Even if he reported them with merit, plus the Golden Eagle incident, the public security bureau has probably already put him under surveillance."

A hint of coldness flashed in Lou Zhenhua's eyes; he wasn't the type to sit idly by. Since he perceived a threat, he had to quickly uncover the truth.

If Long Feiyang truly posed a threat, he would not be soft-hearted and would definitely eliminate this hidden danger to protect his family's safety.

"Actually, we can let Xiao'e go to that Siheyuan. I'll send people to protect her secretly and investigate. Moreover, this is also a good opportunity for Xiao'e to integrate into the working class."

Lou Zhenhua paused briefly, then continued, "No. 95 Nanluoguxiang Courtyard is mostly occupied by Steel rolling mill employees and their families. As far as I know, there are at least three unmarried young adults of marriageable age there. If Xiao'e can find a suitable partner there, we won't have to worry about her marriage anymore."

His eyes revealed a hint of anticipation.

"Isn't this risky?" Tan Yali immediately objected upon hearing this.

She felt that it was too dangerous; how could she let her daughter take such a risk?

If it weren't for the compelling circumstances, she would never be willing to let Lou Xiaoe marry a worker.

In the past, emphasis was placed on matching social status, so her daughter would not suffer grievances.

But now, the status of workers and peasants was important and their reputation good. Their Lou Family had been capitalists, and if they didn't change, Lou Xiaoe might be implicated by her family's status in the future.

"Don't worry, if Long Feiyang is truly a deeply hidden enemy agent, he won't rashly harm anyone. The Golden Eagle incident has already made him suspicious to the public security bureau, and under close surveillance, he won't easily expose himself to save his life."

Lou Zhenhua's tone was confident; he trusted his judgment that a smart enemy agent wouldn't do anything foolish at a time like this.

However, Long Feiyang attracting two Golden Eagles either meant he had another purpose and wasn't afraid of being suspected, or he was too foolish, thinking he could deceive everyone.

Of course, all of this was based on the assumption that Long Feiyang was an enemy agent.

After hearing this, Tan Yali, though still full of worry, also knew there was no other way for now, so she reluctantly agreed.

She turned and slowly walked upstairs to call Lou Xiaoe.

"Mom, how is it? Did Dad agree?" Lou Xiaoe heard the knock on the door, rushed to open it, and seeing her mother, asked eagerly, her tone full of anticipation.

"Xiao'e, your dad agreed for you to go to No. 95 Nanluoguxiang Courtyard this afternoon."

Tan Yali tried to keep her voice calm, not wanting her daughter to sense her inner worries.

"Really? That's great!" Lou Xiaoe jumped with joy upon hearing this, a brilliant smile blossoming on her face, like a blooming flower.

Tan Yali looked at her happy daughter, but worry, like a dark cloud, constantly lingered in her heart.

However, she didn't tell Lou Xiaoe about this worry, not wanting to affect her daughter's mood.

"Your dad still has something to tell you," Tan Yali said softly.

Lou Xiaoe excitedly responded, running downstairs like a cheerful little bird.

"Xiao'e, this is Long Feiyang's investigation report, take a look."

Lou Zhenhua handed over the document with a calm expression. In his opinion, one should act openly and honestly. Since it concerned the safety of his family, there was no need to hide it, so Lou Xiaoe had the right to know the investigation results.

Lou Xiaoe took the document, and after reading just a few lines, her eyes widened, her face filled with an expression of disbelief.

As she read further, her expression became increasingly complex, her eyes full of surprise, doubt, and contemplation. This information clashed greatly with her image of Long Feiyang, making it difficult for her to accept at once.

"Dad, you agreed for me to go, does that mean you're sure Long Feiyang has truly turned over a new leaf and is no longer dangerous?"

Lou Xiaoe looked up, her gaze filled with anticipation, and asked Lou Zhenhua.

Lou Zhenhua gently shook his head, and said with a solemn expression, "I'm not sure either. So you can go, but you must be careful and cautious. I'll send people to protect you secretly, don't worry too much."

In reality, besides protecting Lou Xiaoe's safety, these people also had the task of secretly investigating Long Feiyang.

If it was truly discovered that Long Feiyang was an enemy agent, Lou Zhenhua would take action without mercy, absolutely not condoning him.

After hearing this, Lou Xiaoe hesitated.

After all, knowing there was a risk, who would easily take it?

But if she gave up just like that, without clarifying the truth, she would be unwilling.

Recalling that Long Feiyang had honestly said he was a hooligan before introducing himself, from this point alone, Long Feiyang didn't seem to have lied to her.

Lou Zhenhua looked at Lou Xiaoe's hesitant expression and felt a trace of relief in his heart.

He thought to himself, at least this child knows the danger and won't blindly take risks; she's still rational.

"Xiao'e, don't worry, looking at the current situation, there's no danger for now. Don't you want to see the legendary Golden Eagle with your own eyes?"

Lou Zhenhua's words seemed to have a magical power, instantly arousing Lou Xiaoe's strong curiosity about the Golden Eagle.

Lou Zhenhua's assurance slightly relaxed Lou Xiaoe's tense nerves, and her curiosity about the Golden Eagle further prompted her to make a decision.

"Alright, I'll go. I want to see if this Long Feiyang has designs on me."

Lou Xiaoe's eyes became firm, as if she was ready to face the unknown.

"It's almost time. I heard the Golden Eagle appears around four to five in the afternoon. If you're going, you need to leave early."

Lou Zhenhua glanced at the clock on the wall and reminded her at the appropriate moment.

Upon hearing this, Lou Xiaoe immediately understood her father's meaning and quickly turned and hurried upstairs to get ready.

Her heart was filled with both anticipation and nervousness, as well as unease, wondering what truth her visit to the Siheyuan would uncover.