Chapter 145

Chapter 145

Eating

To hide the fact that he could walk, Lu Hang insisted on waiting until everyone in the Lu family had gone to the fields before practicing in the backyard. He even kept it a secret from Lu Yuan, showing how determined he was.

Her medicine helped heal him, but getting past the mental hurdle was entirely up to Lu Hang himself.

Most people going through something like this would likely need a long time to convince themselves before easing into it gradually. But Lu Hang was different—if she hadn’t subtly held him back, he’d have been running around weeks ago.

“No!” Lu Hang said sternly. “When I was bedridden like a dead man, they didn’t spare me. If they find out I’ve recovered and see Zhang Dabang coming here, they’ll likely come down even harder, and my parents would be dragged into it.”

At this point, Lin Nannan, protected in the backyard, was safe. But his parents had to go out for the harvest, and his father and second uncle would even travel to other villages to run harvesters for extra income—making them sitting ducks. He didn’t dare take the risk.

Hearing this, Lin Nannan finally understood why he had been so cautious, even hiding his rehabilitation from his family.

If Lu Hang recovered, no matter how composed he was, his parents’ joy would inevitably show. If they accidentally let it slip, the entire Lu family could be in real danger.

Their enemies wouldn’t cut them any slack.

“Since Li Zhang and the others were arrested, there have been strangers in the village, but none have approached this area. It’s almost as if they’ve given up…” Lin Nannan said thoughtfully as she analyzed the situation.

“They haven’t given up. They’re definitely planning something!” Lu Hang said with certainty.

Lin Nannan prodded him. “Just because you can walk now doesn’t mean you should stand around all the time. Take it easy!”

Seeing him obediently turn and sit back in the chair, Lin Nannan raised an eyebrow and asked, “Did the interrogations of Li Zhang yield anything useful?”

Lu Hang shook his head. “They got some info out of them, but all we know is that he was acting under someone’s orders. As for who that person is—there’s no way to tell…” He paused, then added, “Li Zhang’s mission was to eliminate the two of us. As for the rest, they were instructed not to act unless they had to.”

“Are they holding back?” Lin Nannan wasn’t surprised that she was a target—after all, she had made a scene at the train station, making herself an obvious threat to any adversary.

But she found it strange that after the Lu family returned to the village, their enemies seemed restrained, acting totally different than they had in the city.

“If they truly wiped out a whole family, the consequences would be too severe for them to bear,” Lu Hang said, his eyes dark with something unreadable.

Lin Nannan thought for a moment before asking curiously, “So what’s your plan now? Hiding isn’t going to fix this.”

After a long silence, Lu Hang said, “Once I’ve fully recovered, I want to go back and investigate this thoroughly.”

“Will that be possible?” she asked.

“Yes. Zhang Dabang has agreed.” He was done being passive.

Lin Nannan didn’t hesitate. “If they approve, then go back. Compared to staying here, you’re probably more concerned about things over there…”

“But I’m worried about you,” Lu Hang said, conflicted.

“What’s there to worry about? Your parents are here—they’ll take care of me. It’s not like I’ll run off. What are you afraid of?” Lin Nannan retorted before reassuring him, “You need to resolve this first so we can live without looking over our shoulders. Otherwise, we’ll always be worrying about your parents.”

Lu Hang nodded immediately. He, too, wanted to put this to rest so he could finally sleep peacefully.

After their long conversation, A Da came in and said, “They’re asking if you’d like to eat in the front courtyard or have the food brought here.”

“Let’s go to the front courtyard,” Lin Nannan decided.

When she was busy, she often missed meals with them, hastily eating a few bites on her own. She missed sitting down together for a proper meal.

As for Zhang Dabang’s people, they had their own arrangements—apparently, they had set up a makeshift kitchen in the Han family’s backyard…

At this moment, the Lu household was particularly lively because Lu Fang and Lu Zheng had earned some money.

Yes, in addition to harvesting their own crops, they also went to other villages to run combine harvesters for extra income.

For their own fields, they got up early to help. Since Lu Ming was the one running the harvester, their family’s fields were done the quickest, while others were left waiting, itching to get their turn. Unwilling to miss the opportunity to earn more, they went to assist neighboring villages with their harvest. By the end of the day, not only had they made a decent sum, but they also brought back plenty of delicious food.

"Their village head was overjoyed—so much so that he was afraid we wouldn’t agree to go. He even tried all sorts of ways to coax us, and when we were leaving, he even tucked some meat into our bags..." Lu Fang recalled the scene with both delight and a touch of emotion.

So, gaining respect was just that easy—all it took was genuinely considering the people’s needs.

In previous years, those who ran the harvesters were treated to good food and drink, yet they still slacked off. If the sun was too harsh, they refused to work, and when the time came, they milked the job to drag it out and earn more money. As a result, many crops were ruined due to delayed harvesting.

The villagers fumed but couldn’t do a thing. The Lu brothers, however, were the complete opposite. They worked tirelessly for the villagers, out at dawn and back at dusk, even skipping their midday break to help harvest several extra acres. The villagers couldn’t thank them enough and treated them with warmth and hospitality.

"Same here—they wouldn’t stop singing our praises!" Lu Zheng was also thrilled, especially by the sense of being recognized. Words couldn’t capture it, but it sure felt good.

When Lin Nannan and Lu Hang arrived, they overheard the lively discussion about the past few days. Though they were glad to see them adapting well to the work, Lin Nannan still offered a gentle reminder.

"Dad, Second Uncle, your work’s getting too much notice. Be careful and try to come back earlier if possible," she said with a smile.

Even setting aside people with grudges, the original harvester drivers who lost work because of them wouldn’t take it lying down—especially when their income was cut off. So, it was best to stay cautious.

"No sweat, we stick with the group—never alone!" Lu Fang reassured her.

"Right, no need to fret. The village head has everything arranged," Lu Zheng added.

"Alright, enough about that. Now that everyone’s here, let’s eat first. We can chat while we eat—Nan Nan’s probably starving," Grandma Lu interjected, urging them to the table.

At the mention of food, Lin Nannan lit up immediately, playing along and making Grandma Lu and the others laugh heartily.

While serving rice and setting the tableware, Lu Fang and Lu Zheng quickly rinsed off with sun-warmed water before sitting down with their hair still half-damp. The family ate, chatted, and kept the mood light.

Lin Nannan and Lu Hang watched them, their expressions softening with affection...

"Nan Nan, if you’re busy with your work, make sure you’re looking after yourself!" As the conversation wound down, everyone’s attention turned to Lin Nannan.