"Who's heading towards Xindu Tower?"
"I'm going to Yuxin Garden, that's the same direction," Liu Nanfeng replied.
"Perfect, I have a delivery for Xindu Tower. Can you take it for me? My other orders are in the opposite direction."
"Sure, no problem."
"Little Liu, I really like how you are."
"Don't say that, I have a wife."
"Haha..." The other delivery drivers around them burst into laughter.
"Treat us to a meal, don't be stingy."
"Even a bottle of water would be fine."
"How could that be? Chang Sheng is so stingy. Haven't you seen his big water bottle? He can't even afford to buy water to drink himself."
"Do you think everyone is like you guys, with no pressure? He has a wife and children to support, and his wife is having a second child..."
Upon hearing this, everyone erupted in cheerful laughter.
In reality, among this group, aside from Liu Nanfeng who had no financial pressure, everyone else had their own worries. Otherwise, who would be willing to go out in such sweltering heat?
Liu Nanfeng first delivered the order to Xindu Tower, and then made a trip to Yuxin Garden.
Fortunately, everything went smoothly, without any complications.
As the saying goes, a forest with many trees will have all sorts of birds; a crowd of people will naturally have all sorts of individuals.
Besides being tiring, delivering food also often leads to frustration.
Not all customers are considerate. Some customers are truly bizarre and can drive you up the wall.
Order cancellations, complaints, and arguments—sometimes, at the end of the day, you don't make any money and even have to pay out of pocket. These are not uncommon occurrences.
After finishing this delivery, Liu Nanfeng didn't rush back. Seeing a small fried rice stall by the roadside, he walked straight in.
The shop wasn't very large, with only four tables. It seemed to primarily focus on delivery orders, so there weren't many customers inside.
After glancing at the menu on the wall, he said to the owner, "I'll have a beef and egg fried rice, with two extra eggs, two sausages, and four pieces of braised dried tofu..."
"Coming right up," the owner immediately responded.
"Young man, my fried rice portions are generous. Have you ordered a bit too much?" the owner kindly reminded him.
"It's not too much, boss. Let me tell you, I have a big appetite."
Hearing this, the owner didn't say anything further. Soon, the fried rice was served. It was ordinary fried rice, and the eggs and braised dried tofu tasted ordinary as well.
The only thing that surprised Liu Nanfeng was that they had given him two pure meat sausages.
"During Chinese New Year, we made a lot of these ourselves. With the weather getting hotter, if we don't sell them soon, they'll spoil. It's better to sell them to customers," the owner explained.
"Oh, boss, then I've struck gold today," Liu Nanfeng said with a smile.
Pure meat sausages like these, at five yuan each, were definitely a good deal.
The owner smiled at his comment.
"If you like them, come back tomorrow."
"Will do."
To the owner's surprise, Liu Nanfeng devoured the entire portion of fried rice with all the additions, bought a bottle of water, and then left the shop.
Looking at the scorching sun outside, Liu Nanfeng drank more than half of the water in his hand in one go, let out a long sigh, and then mounted his electric scooter, ready to continue.
He checked his phone. He was lucky; there was an order going in his direction, which he quickly snatched up. He then rode off towards the restaurant to pick up the food.
At noon, the weather was extremely hot. There were very few people on the road, and even fewer vehicles.
So, as Liu Nanfeng waited at a traffic light, a black BMW beside him caught his attention. He had a feeling someone inside was looking at him, but the windows were tinted with reflective film, making it impossible to see inside.
As soon as the light turned green, he sped off. Glancing in his rearview mirror, he saw that the car was still following him. He couldn't help but wonder who it could be. A ghost?
He had always been law-abiding and couldn't recall offending anyone. Besides, there was no reason for someone to follow him in a car, like some spy.
Just then, the BMW behind him sped past him.
"Uh... maybe I was just overthinking things?" Liu Nanfeng thought, feeling a bit embarrassed.
But when he arrived at the restaurant, picked up the food, and came back out, he saw the black car again.
Liu Nanfeng didn't want any trouble, so he turned his scooter around and rode into a small alley behind him. He decided to avoid the main roads and see if they could still follow him.
These alleys ran through from north to south. In the sweltering heat, they offered a slight coolness. Some elderly people were sitting in the shade of the walls, enjoying the breeze.
At that moment, Liu Nanfeng saw a burly man wearing a black t-shirt walking towards him.
The man was looking down at his phone, so Liu Nanfeng didn't pay him much attention.
However, as they passed each other, the man's face suddenly contorted into a fierce expression. He extended his arm horizontally across Liu Nanfeng's neck, attempting to pull him off the scooter.
Then—
"Quite amusing?"
Liu Nanfeng stared coldly at the man, completely unfazed by the man's thick arm pressed against his neck.
The burly man froze for a moment, then exerted more force. However, Liu Nanfeng remained seated on the scooter, unmoving.
"Getting feisty, are we?"
As soon as Liu Nanfeng finished speaking, he landed a punch on the man's face. The man was instantly dazed. The immense impact left him feeling dizzy, his head buzzing.
But before the man could recover, Liu Nanfeng, still on his scooter, delivered a kick to his chest. The burly man slammed against the wall behind him with a muffled thud. He felt his breath catch, and then he passed out.
Seeing the man slump powerlessly to the corner of the wall, Liu Nanfeng let out a sigh of relief.
"Damn it, if I can't beat those demons and monsters, can't I at least beat a single person like you?" Liu Nanfeng grumbled inwardly.
In fact, without his previous encounters, he might not have been able to defeat the burly man in front of him.
He then glanced behind him and indeed saw another man of similar build striding towards him.
Liu Nanfeng didn't want to get entangled with them, but he also wanted to know who they were, so he parked his electric scooter to the side.
The increase in his strength gave him ample confidence. Just as he thought, perhaps he still couldn't compare to those demons and monsters who had cultivated for many years.
However, dealing with a human or two was absolutely no problem, as long as they didn't resort to firearms.
But in Da Xia, possessing firearms was still very rare.
Therefore, Liu Nanfeng wasn't the least bit intimidated.
Seeing Liu Nanfeng stop his scooter, the approaching man also slowed his pace, cautiously advancing.
He was also wearing a black t-shirt and had a buzz cut. The only difference was a pair of sunglasses on his face.
"Who are you people?" Liu Nanfeng asked.
He asked casually, not really expecting an answer.
But to his surprise, the man replied.
"Our boss wants to meet you."
"Who is your boss? Do I know them?" Liu Nanfeng asked, slightly bewildered.
"You'll know when you meet him, Mr. Liu. Please accompany us."
He glanced at his companion who had collapsed in the corner of the wall, his tone sounding a bit hesitant.
"You're crazy. If he wants to see me, he can come himself. What a pretentious attitude!"
"Mr. Liu, we are merely following orders. Please don't make things difficult for us."
Liu Nanfeng was taken aback by this.
"Look at you, all big and strong, and you've learned to be so double-faced. What, are you following imperial orders? Did you forget it's morning? Whether you make things difficult or not, what's it to me? You're talking nonsense."
Unable to get any useful information, Liu Nanfeng got back on his scooter, preparing to leave. He still had deliveries to make and didn't want to be late.
"Mr. Liu, wait a moment."
Seeing Liu Nanfeng about to leave, the man's tone became slightly flustered.
But Liu Nanfeng completely ignored him and rode away.
He glanced in his rearview mirror. The man wasn't chasing him but was instead going to help his companion up.
Judging by their appearance, they looked like bodyguards. He couldn't recall ever knowing any rich people who needed bodyguards when they went out.
With a mind full of questions, Liu Nanfeng completed his current delivery and decided not to take any more orders. Instead, he headed directly to the coffee shop.
The other party also seemed to have retreated, no longer following him.
"Huh? Why are you back so early today?" Su Jinxiu asked, looking surprised to see Liu Nanfeng.
Liu Nanfeng glanced at her, not answering the question. Instead, he said, "Get me a cup of coffee."
He then walked straight to an empty seat. Su Jinxiu understood what he meant and quickly prepared a cup of coffee, bringing it to Liu Nanfeng and sitting down opposite him.
"While I was delivering food earlier, two people blocked my way and said their boss wanted to see me," Liu Nanfeng said, taking a sip of coffee.
Su Jinxiu was startled by this and then anxiously asked, "You're not hurt, are you? Did they do anything to you?"
Liu Nanfeng felt a warmth spread through his heart. Su Jinxiu's primary concern was his safety, which touched him deeply.
"Do I look like I'm injured? I managed to take one of them down."
Su Jinxiu breathed a sigh of relief. "It's good that you're alright. Did they say who they were?"
Liu Nanfeng shook his head and then added, "Judging by their appearance, they looked like bodyguards, very strong and robust. But they ran into me."
After saying this, Liu Nanfeng couldn't help but feel a bit proud. No matter how formidable a man was, he couldn't help but show off, even in the smallest matters, in front of the woman he liked.
Su Jinxiu rolled her eyes at him and then said, "I know you're strong now, but don't get overconfident. There are many powerful people in this world, let alone those demons and monsters..."
As Su Jinxiu spoke, her expression suddenly changed.
"What's wrong?" Liu Nanfeng asked.
"I think I know who it is." A cold glint flashed in Su Jinxiu's eyes.
"Who?" Liu Nanfeng asked curiously.
"Don't worry about this for now. I'll handle it," Su Jinxiu said with a stern expression, clearly very angry.
"Okay."
Liu Nanfeng nodded immediately, not asking further, as this was the trust between a married couple.
"Oh, right. Huamei will be coming to stay for a while in a couple of days."
"Really?"
"You seem very happy?"
Although Su Jinxiu had been mentally prepared, she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. That's just how women are.
"Not really, I'm just a bit surprised. Weren't they saying there was a lot going on in Jinling? Why is she suddenly coming to Jiangcheng? What about the matters in Jinling?"
"I have a feeling things are about to get chaotic in Jiangcheng recently. With her here, she can also help look after you," Su Jinxiu said softly, gazing out the window.
"Am I that weak?" Liu Nanfeng muttered quietly.
However, Su Jinxiu heard him. She turned back and looked at him with a smile.
She consoled him, "Weakness is only temporary. I believe you will become stronger."
Although these were comforting words, Liu Nanfeng couldn't help but feel unhappy listening to them.
"Should I still go out and deliver food? Is there any danger?"
"It's fine. Once Huamei arrives, everything will proceed as usual. We can't stop living our lives just because of a little setback, right?"
"That's right. If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up."
Liu Nanfeng was also very pragmatic.
However, Su Jinxiu didn't feel much happier hearing this, as she feared Liu Nanfeng might be that "tall one."
With this thought, she became even more unhappy. She snorted, stood up, and turned her back to Liu Nanfeng.
Liu Nanfeng scratched his head, somewhat confused as to why Su Jinxiu was suddenly angry.
The next two days passed uneventfully. The people who had come to cause trouble for Liu Nanfeng didn't reappear.
On Saturday morning, just as dawn broke, Liu Nanfeng was woken up by Su Jinxiu.
"Do we have to get up this early?" Liu Nanfeng mumbled, rolling over and getting out of bed.
"I told Mom we're coming back today, and she said she wants us to have breakfast with them. We can't keep them waiting, can we?"
"Is that necessary? We can just grab breakfast outside."
"Stop being so fussy. Hurry up and get washed." Su Jinxiu playfully hit him on the chest.
"Huh? Wife, have you been up for a long time?"
Only then did Liu Nanfeng notice that Su Jinxiu was not only dressed but had also applied a light makeup, making her look exceptionally charming and radiant.
"Yes, I packed some things and didn't want to wake you, so you could sleep a little longer," Su Jinxiu replied.
"Wife, you're so kind," Liu Nanfeng said, leaning in to kiss her, but Su Jinxiu dodged him with a look of disdain.
"Go brush your teeth and wash your face."
"I don't mind you, but you mind me," Liu Nanfeng complained, scratching his backside.
Su Jinxiu playfully punched his shoulder and said coquettishly, "Stop fooling around and go already."
When Liu Nanfeng came out after washing up, he saw that the table was covered with bags and packages. Some were things Liu Nanfeng and Su Jinxiu had bought together, while others were purchased by Su Jinxiu alone in the past couple of days.
"There's so much?" Liu Nanfeng asked, surprised.
"Besides the wine and tea for Dad, I also bought them a few sets of summer clothes. And since the weather is so hot now, I bought Mom some oral solution. There are many mosquitoes in the countryside, so I..."
Listening to Su Jinxiu's incessant chatter, Liu Nanfeng stepped forward and gave her a deep kiss, interrupting her.
"So early in the morning." Su Jinxiu pushed Liu Nanfeng away, her cheeks flushed.
Then, she took out a key and handed it to him.
"Drive this car today."
"Huh? Did you buy a new car? A Lincoln?" Liu Nanfeng asked, looking at the car logo on the key.
"Yes, my Mini is indeed too small and not suitable for you to drive."
"But..." Liu Nanfeng didn't know what to say.
"Alright, we're family. Why talk so much?" Su Jinxiu picked up the bags from the table.
Liu Nanfeng quickly stepped forward to help her. Hearing Su Jinxiu say that, he couldn't help but add, "Thank you."
"I told you, we're family." Su Jinxiu rolled her eyes at him.
"Besides, this isn't something I bought for you. Huamei gave it to you."
"Oh?" Liu Nanfeng was very surprised to hear this.
Just as he was about to say something, Su Jinxiu had already picked up the bags and walked towards the door, so he quickly followed.
But when they reached the garage, Liu Nanfeng was even more astonished.
It was a Lincoln Navigator.
"Huamei is really rich," Liu Nanfeng couldn't help but exclaim.
Su Jinxiu couldn't help but roll her eyes at him, then asked him to open the trunk to put the items inside.
"I always feel like I'm living off my wife's money."
"What, you don't like it?"
"No, of course I like it. Please give me more," Liu Nanfeng said with a cheeky grin.
Su Jinxiu chuckled at his words.
Then, she reached out and tidied the corner of Liu Nanfeng's shirt, saying, "Don't worry about these things. Compared to the kindness you've shown to my sister and me, what are these material possessions?"
"???"
Liu Nanfeng looked at her with a question mark on his face. He wasn't worried about it.
"Alright, let's hurry. Don't keep your childhood friend waiting." Su Jinxiu said.
"Okay."
Liu Nanfeng didn't say anything more and got into the newly purchased car.