Chapter 164

Chapter 164

Switching Trades

Something the younger generation didn’t know was that the Qiao family had gone to great lengths to clean up their image, earning a surprisingly good reputation in the process. As a result, many of their secrets remained hidden and difficult for the younger generation to uncover.

Lu Hang had received valuable information from Old Hu and had also uncovered the identity of a key person—Qiao Lu’s mother, who was no simple figure.

Back home, he discussed everything with Commander Zhang. Both agreed that someone influential must be supporting the Qiao family; otherwise, they wouldn’t have reacted so quickly with information.

“Should we keep an eye on them?” Lu Hang asked.

Without solid evidence, confronting them directly wasn’t an option. They needed proof before taking action.

“Keep tabs on them!” Commander Zhang decided firmly, then added, “But you should stay under the radar. My father noticed someone investigating you. They might already be suspicious, especially since you’ve been away for so long. They could start doubting whether you were ever really paralyzed. No telling what they might do next. You should let your family know and tell them to be careful.”

Lu Hang nodded seriously, not taking the matter lightly at all.

What frustrated him most was his inability to figure out why he was being targeted. Even after discussing it with Commander Zhang, they still had no leads.

If they could find a clue, they’d have a way to fight back. But right now, they could only sit idle and wait.

He had hoped capturing Qiao Lu would reveal something, but it turned out the Qiao family wasn’t behind everything after all. He was already in a bad mood, and now his family was being watched too—it was infuriating.

“You take care of the Qiao family. I’ll head back first and come back if anything happens.” Unable to shake his unease, he made the decision.

Zhang Shengguo gave him a knowing pat on the shoulder and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure someone keeps watch. The Qiao family won’t have room to stir up trouble.”

After thanking him, Lu Hang packed his things and prepared to leave.

Before departing, he called Lin Nannan and told her to watch out for strangers…

“Right now, strangers can’t even set foot in the village!” Lin Nannan held the phone, smiling brightly. “Thanks to Qiao Lu, the villagers are done putting up with nonsense. They’re on high alert against outsiders, so no one gets close to the farmland or us.”

“Good. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Knowing she’d stay vigilant, Lu Hang didn’t say much more.

They hung up after a short conversation. Lu Hang bought a train ticket and headed home, while Lin Nannan carried this not-so-good news back to the Lu household.

As soon as she walked in, before she could even speak, Zhang Xiaofeng called out, “Nan Nan, come try these chestnut cakes! Are they any good?”

“Did they come out right?” Seeing her mother-in-law in such a cheerful mood, Lin Nannan held back what she was going to say. She didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere, so she smiled and walked over.

“I think they did. Try one!” Zhang Xiaofeng replied, then went back into the kitchen. A moment later, three people came out carrying plates of sweet-smelling pastries, making Lin Nannan’s eyes light up.

“The patterns are different—are the flavors different too?” Lin Nannan asked.

“Yes, each one is unique. Here, try this!” Pan Xiaoping put hers down first and handed a piece to Lin Nannan.

It was another chestnut cake.

The first bite filled her mouth with flavor, making her squint with delight. It was delicious—even better than the ones Lu Hang had bought before.

“This is amazing! Light and not too sweet, with a rich chestnut aroma. Soft but full of flavor—I could eat these forever!” After finishing one, Lin Nannan immediately started gushing, making the Lu women beam with pride.

They tried some too and found the taste just as good. Lin Nannan hadn’t exaggerated at all—it was almost unbelievable.

“I thought making pastries like this required special ingredients. Who knew we could make something this good with what we already have?” Pan Xiaoping exclaimed.

“Exactly! When Nan Nan first suggested it, I was skeptical. But the flavor really is this good.” Zhang Xiaofeng agreed, then suddenly frowned. “The pastries we bought before were way overpriced. Just for adding milk? Those sellers are total rip-off artists.”

Nan Nan was clueless, but Pan Xiaoping and Grandma Lu remembered what had happened and their faces fell.

"These folks are downright heartless!"

Seeing Lin Nannan completely lost, Zhang Xiaofeng quickly explained.

Once they figured out the process, they could estimate the cost, so they realized just how much profit the sellers were making—and that really burned them up.

"If it’s so profitable, you could set up a stand too. Even if you don’t charge as much, little by little, you’d stack up some cash," she said. Hungry to get her hands on the Lu family’s land, she spared no effort in trying to convince the entire Lu household to take up a trade unrelated to farming. That way, as someone who loved farming, she could eventually own all of their land.

The Lu women had no idea about Lin Nannan’s ulterior motives. They stared at the beautifully made pastries, exchanging glances—no one said a word.

This was way out of their comfort zone. They had never even considered going into business themselves.

"But I don’t know the first thing about it. Are we really cut out for this?" Pan Xiaoping asked hesitantly.

Lin Nannan picked up the mung bean cake she had shaped like a plum blossom and held it up. "Auntie, don’t underestimate yourself. Look how pretty these pastries are—they make your mouth water just looking at them. And the taste is just as good, no worse than any others. So what’s the big worry?"

She glanced around and, seeing her mother-in-law and grandma warming up to the idea, continued, "Besides, if we can’t finish them, there are so many people in our household—we’ll polish them off no problem."

The way Lin Nannan spoke made them exchange another look, and they began to take it seriously.

The pastries really were delicious—maybe they could give it a try.

No one would ever complain about having too much money at home, especially Pan Xiaoping. Her son was all grown up and needed to settle down. She wanted to buy a plot of land near their home to build him a house, which would improve his marriage prospects. She refused to let anyone talk down to her family.

After making her suggestion, Lin Nannan stepped back.

The decision was entirely theirs. If they were willing to do it, she would spare no effort to help them. If not, she wouldn’t push them. If she ever ran short of land, she could always buy from other villagers—it didn’t have to be the Lu family’s land.

Her reasoning was that if the Lu women were willing, taking over their land would be the best option—it would avoid complications.

If she couldn’t buy land and had to rent instead, unreasonable people might do anything, so unless absolutely necessary, she wouldn’t go for someone else’s land.

Just as her mind wandered, lost in thought, they finally reached a decision.

"Nan Nan, we’ve decided. We can sell these pastries, but we don’t need a shop. We can try setting up at the market on market days," Zhang Xiaofeng said.