Pei Yujang was momentarily stunned.
Was there no sedative in Yu Zhiwan's water? Or did she, like Pei Yujang, realize something was off and didn't drink it? But how could a blind person like Yu Zhiwan detect that the water had been tampered with, especially when sedatives are tasteless?
As if reading Pei Yujang's mind, Yu Zhiwan quietly answered:
"I never drink water given to me by strangers."
Being a beautiful Omega and blind at that, Yu Zhiwan had likely learned to be cautious in her interactions. Pei Yujang nodded, appreciating her prudence, and then remembered that Yu Zhiwan couldn't see. She reached out and tugged on the wheelchair.
"Stay close behind me, and be careful."
Yu Zhiwan softly replied, "Alright."
Pei Yujang found a piece of ribbon and tied one end to her belt, handing the other end to Yu Zhiwan so she could hold on, ensuring they wouldn't be separated.
With the utmost care, Pei Yujang pushed the door open.
The long glass corridor shimmered under the colorful lights, casting a rainbow-like glow. The light blurred their reflections as it passed through. Pei Yujang had only taken a single step when she heard voices from not far away, seemingly coming from the direction of the restroom.
The restroom was in the opposite direction, so the speakers wouldn't be able to see them. However, Pei Yujang realized that the wheelchair would make noise on the floor, potentially alerting anyone nearby.
Eavesdropping was awkward enough, and Pei Yujang almost suggested they forget it, but seeing the eager expression on Yu Zhiwan's face, she couldn't bring herself to say no.
She hushed Yu Zhiwan with a soft "shh," leaving the door slightly ajar before returning to her side. Pei Yujang knelt in front of her and gently patted Yu Zhiwan's hands.
Understanding the signal, Yu Zhiwan leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Pei Yujang's neck, allowing herself to be lifted onto her back.
Yu Zhiwan was light, and although not weightless, Pei Yujang, with her superior strength, had no trouble carrying her for a short distance.
Securing Yu Zhiwan's legs, Pei Yujang left the door slightly open and moved stealthily toward the restroom.
She picked a spot where she could hear but not be overheard, ensuring they could retreat quickly if needed.
But to her surprise, the conversation wasn't what she had expected.
The mayor's wife's friend spoke first, her voice low, making it hard to catch every word, but Pei Yujang pieced together the key points:
"How much is the final payment? Should I have them transfer it to you through a few accounts like last time?"
The mayor's wife mentioned a six-figure amount, and Pei Yujang quickly memorized the number.
"That's all?" the friend teased.
"It's in installments. I'm not that generous, haha."
The mayor's wife let out a forced laugh, followed by the friend's chuckle, both of them keeping their laughter subdued.
After a pause, the mayor's wife continued:
"But you want more land. The Land Bureau isn't easy to deal with. The director is my wife's confidant. If he finds out, that stubborn fool might report it to my wife, and that would be a problem."
The friend sounded anxious:
"But that's not what we agreed on. Last time, you—"
"Last time was different. The land was already abandoned and under no one's control. I suggested merging the three welfare centers, and my wife agreed, thinking it was a good idea to care for the community. Xiangcheng has many welfare centers, and she can't oversee them all. As more things came up, she stopped paying attention to the development zone."
The mayor's wife quickly explained:
"And you have to understand, I didn't let you move in right away last time. It took a while. If my wife had been more invested, your friend's relative would have had to move out. Or if you want to buy more land, why not buy some in the city? My friend works in real estate development. There's no profit in sewage treatment—business in the city would be much better."
The women's voices dropped to a whisper as they discussed something sensitive, but Pei Yujang had already gleaned enough information. Hearing the sound of them tidying up, she took the opportunity to retreat.
With three quick strides, Pei Yujang reached the door, where Yu Zhiwan pushed it open just in time for them to slip inside. In one fluid motion, Pei Yujang closed the door.
Both women returned to their previous positions, Pei Yujang lying sprawled on the sofa, feigning sleep, even letting out a soft snore.
A few minutes later, Pei Yujang heard a faint sound, as if someone had cracked open the door. The person peeked inside, saw nothing out of the ordinary, and quietly closed the door.
After waiting a bit longer, Pei Yujang cracked open her eyes, crawling over to check the doorway. Finding no one, she signaled to Yu Zhiwan.
Throughout the act, Pei Yujang pondered how to explain the situation to Yu Zhiwan. On principle, she didn't want the protagonist getting involved, especially when the potential consequences were so dire.
But regardless of Yu Zhiwan's involvement, Pei Yujang was resolute.
She wanted to go home.
The desire to return home now surpassed any other ambition.
Much later, during a casual conversation, Pei Yujang would learn that this was the moment when the iron-willed tree of her heart had finally blossomed. But before the flower could fully bloom, she had ruthlessly snuffed it out, denying it the water and sunlight it needed.
In that moment, Pei Yujang didn't understand, nor did she reflect on her emotions.
To her, personal desires could never compare to the greater good. Even if she felt a bit of attachment to Yu Zhiwan, anything that might hinder her mission was swiftly pushed aside.
She swallowed, moistening her dry throat:
"That was a waste of time. I thought they were having an affair—how boring."
She tried to play it off, but Yu Zhiwan wasn't someone who could be easily fooled. Pei Yujang had learned this over time. Although Yu Zhiwan could be naïve in some aspects, she had a sharpness that rivaled Pei Yujang's.
Yu Zhiwan's clear voice cut through the air, her tone rising with excitement as she firmly contradicted her:
"How could it be boring? They're making shady land deals. Didn't you catch that?"
Pei Yujang was momentarily speechless.
Of course, she had noticed, but she hadn't expected Yu Zhiwan to be so direct.
Land deals were the kind of corruption associated with crooked officials. The mayor of Xiangcheng was remembered as a good leader, but her seemingly ordinary wife was engaging in these dirty transactions—far more alarming than an affair.
If this had just been a domestic issue, Pei Yujang wouldn't have cared enough to meddle.
What concerned her most were the terms "sewage," "remote," and "welfare center," all of which seemed to point to the very factory she had been investigating.
From their conversation, Pei Yujang deduced that the friend was likely a middleman, facilitating deals between the mayor's wife and the factory's new owner.
Land in Xiangcheng required public use permits. Changing the factory's management or purpose would need multiple approvals. But the mayor's wife might have found a way to bypass these processes, allowing the new owners to take over the factory.
Supposedly, the buyer wanted to profit, but how could a sewage plant be more lucrative than a business in the city?
The more Pei Yujang listened, the angrier she became. Even if the mayor's wife was unaware of the specifics, using her influence to illegally sell land was a crime. Worse, if the problems stemming from that factory spread, the mayor's wife would be directly responsible for dragging Xiangcheng into disaster!
She didn't have time to ponder whether the mayor knew about her wife's actions because Yu Zhiwan suddenly grabbed her sleeve, shaking it insistently.
"Isn't this interesting? At the very least, the mayor should know what kind of person her wife really is, right?"
Yu Zhiwan's slender eyebrows arched, her playful tone making the suggestion sound as casual as discussing the weather.
"What do you think, Pei Yujang?"
Even though she couldn't see, Yu Zhiwan liked to keep her eyes open. As she spoke, her beautiful eyes caught the harsh light of the KTV, her pale pupils shimmering like glass.
Being blind, Yu Zhiwan wasn't bothered by the brightness, relying on her senses to locate Pei Yujang. She sat in her wheelchair, tilting her head up like a mischievous child, refusing to let go until she got an answer.
Pei Yujang's breathing slowed as she leaned down to look directly at the blind girl. She stared at Yu Zhiwan for a long time, letting the silence stretch out, making the atmosphere increasingly awkward.
Since the trip to Ningxiang, Pei Yujang had grown accustomed to calling her by a nickname, but this time she addressed her by her full name with uncharacteristic seriousness.
"Yu Zhiwan—"
Do you know what's in that sewage plant on the outskirts?
Her heart skipped a beat as the question lingered, unspoken, on her lips. Before she could voice it, footsteps approached from the corridor.