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Novel Catalog
Chapter 31
Lin Wen raised an eyebrow, looking puzzled for a moment. “I know him? Who are you talking about, Yuzhen?”
Lin Yuzhen hesitated before answering, glancing over at Jiang Ning. She didn’t want to reveal too much too soon, especially considering how complicated things seemed to be. But the situation had been resolved thanks to him, and she couldn’t exactly hide it from her father.
“The person behind those men who were causing trouble… it’s Hei Hu’s crew. But Jiang Ning is the one who made them work for us. It’s… complicated,” she explained, still unsure how to fully describe the situation. She didn’t want to go into the darker parts of the world Jiang Ning seemed to be a part of.
Lin Wen didn’t press further. Instead, his gaze shifted to Jiang Ning, who was busy enjoying the pork rib Su Mei had given him. Despite his earlier worries, he couldn’t help but notice how comfortable Jiang Ning was in their home.
Su Mei, always the one to care for others, was quick to notice Lin Wen’s silence. She lightly patted her husband’s arm. “Don’t worry too much, Yuzhen is in good hands with Jiang Ning. I can see that he’s someone who would never let her down.” Her words were calm but filled with quiet conviction.
Jiang Ning looked up, sensing the shift in the atmosphere. He grinned, pleased with the meal and the praise. “Thank you, Mom,” he said before turning to Lin Wen. “I just did what I had to do, Uncle. The construction site needed the manpower, and those men wanted a way out. It worked out for both sides.”
Lin Wen’s frown deepened. “I don’t want you to keep putting yourself in these situations for Yuzhen. You’ve already helped her a lot. I just worry about you getting mixed up in trouble that doesn’t concern you.”
Lin Yuzhen quickly interjected, trying to reassure her father. “Dad, it’s okay. Jiang Ning knows what he’s doing. And besides, it’s more than just a favor for me. Those men would have caused a bigger problem for the factory if Jiang Ning hadn’t stepped in. I… I trust him.”
Su Mei looked between Lin Wen and Jiang Ning with a thoughtful look. “He’s not just helping, he’s becoming a part of our family now. We should be grateful.”
The conversation paused as Jiang Ning savored the rest of his meal, seemingly at ease. But inside, he was quietly weighing his options, already planning his next steps. He wasn’t just involved in the factory project or helping Lin Yuzhen. He had bigger plans, and the way things were unfolding—especially with the men from Hei Hu’s gang—was just another piece in his carefully constructed game.
When dinner was finished, and everyone had cleaned up, Lin Yuzhen sat quietly at the table, her mind racing. How did Jiang Ning really manage to persuade those men? What exactly was going on behind the scenes? She wanted to ask him, but there was something about the way he carried himself—always in control—that made her hesitate.
As she looked at him, she wondered what his true intentions were. He had already done so much for her, but was it all just part of his plan? Or was there something more between them, something deeper she hadn’t yet figured out?
“Jiang Ning,” she started slowly, breaking the silence, “Can I ask you something?”
He looked up from his phone, meeting her gaze. “Sure, what’s on your mind?”
“You’ve been helping us a lot lately, and… well, I just want to understand. What do you want from all this?”
The question hung in the air between them. Lin Yuzhen wasn’t sure if she was ready to hear the answer, but the curiosity was gnawing at her. Jiang Ning’s smile faltered just slightly before it returned, but it was enough for her to notice.
He leaned back in his chair, studying her for a moment. “Nothing that you haven’t already figured out, Yuzhen. I just want things to go smoothly. Help you, help myself. It’s a win-win.”
“That’s it?” Lin Yuzhen pressed, feeling a mix of relief and suspicion.
“That’s it,” he replied with a shrug, though his eyes gleamed with something more.
Lin Yuzhen let the conversation go for the moment, but in the back of her mind, she knew that Jiang Ning wasn’t someone who did things without a deeper motive. The question was: what was his endgame?
As the night wore on, she couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was about to get much more complicated. And despite the calm exterior, Jiang Ning seemed like a man with many secrets—a man who had his own reasons for doing things, reasons she wasn’t sure she was ready to fully understand.
