Chapter 45: In the Same Boat

"Let's go, next one!" Zhou Sen waved the bank draft in his hand with excitement, flashing Bai Yulan a smug grin. He'd never had so much money before. Without further ado, the two of them climbed into the carriage and set off for their next chosen bank.

Inside the carriage.

Her stomach grumbling, Bai Yulan pressed a hand to her belly, her face flushed as red as rouge. She hadn't even had time for breakfast before they left this morning, and now her hunger was unbearable.

"It's getting late—let's get you something to eat first," Zhou Sen chuckled. Even a goddess needs to eat, after all; she wasn't immune to the needs of ordinary folk.

He took her to the old Sheng's Lamb Noodle Shop recommended by Ye San’er. In the depth of winter, nothing was more comforting than a steaming bowl of lamb noodles.

"I know you have refined tastes. I bet you've never eaten in a place like this before," Zhou Sen said with a laugh, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the chopsticks clean. "My handkerchief—never used."

He handed the freshly cleaned chopsticks to Bai Yulan.

"Thank you." Bai Yulan didn't actually mind these small street eateries. She hadn't come from a wealthy family and had lived through hardship in her early years. It was only after marrying Old Ma that she could no longer show herself in public like this, dining casually at roadside stalls.

"Officer Zhou, is this the new officer?" The owner brought over two bowls of noodles, greeting them warmly.

"Yes, just arrived," Zhou Sen replied with a grin. He didn't bother correcting the owner's mistake; it happened to coincide with a new recruit joining his unit anyway.

The noodles came in large bowls, with half the bowl filled with generous chunks of tender, well-braised lamb. The meal was hearty and inexpensive—the owner thrived on small profits and a steady flow of returning customers.

A sprinkling of fresh, emerald scallions crowned the lamb, making the dish look as appetizing as it smelled.

"Try it. If you find it too greasy, add a little vinegar," Zhou Sen suggested, tossing some chili into his own bowl. "Would you like some chili?"

Bai Yulan shook her head. Women were always the most wary of spicy food.

Wuen, sitting nearby, had already started tucking in without ceremony—his appetite was large, so Zhou Sen had ordered him two bowls.

"I think after what we've done today, by tomorrow morning every big shot in Ice City will have heard of it. They might not guess your true identity, but now that you suddenly have money, those who want to harm you will start analyzing and speculating," Zhou Sen said between bites.

"Are you afraid?" Bai Yulan asked, eating her noodles in small, measured bites. Even the way she ate was beautiful.

"Not exactly afraid, but if Su Wenqing and Old Qin find out, they'll hate both of us," Zhou Sen replied.

"What are you getting at?"

"We can't just sit here and take the blows—we need to strike back. Both Old Qin and Su Wenqing have their eyes on you. Old Qin's a lecher, still dreaming of making you his seventh concubine—never mind his decrepit state. And do you really think his two sons want you in their home? As for Su Wenqing, he's a business tycoon who commands both the underworld and the legitimate world. His wife is dead—if you marry him, he'll make you his official wife. But though he hasn't remarried or taken concubines in all these years, he's never lacked for women, yet not one has borne him a child. Odds are, the problem lies with him..."

It was only because Bai Yulan was the woman she was that she tolerated Zhou Sen's bluntness—anyone else would have lost their temper.

Though his words were harsh, every one of them hit the mark.

"Do you have any clever ideas?"

"As for Su Wenqing, I think you should start with his daughter, Su Yun. She's just returned from Beiping. I've met her once—she's received a modern education, is rather naive, but has a strong will. Su Wenqing dotes on her, so if she opposes something, it becomes an obstacle for her father," Zhou Sen explained.

Bai Yulan lifted her head and looked at Zhou Sen with newfound respect. Clearly, judging a person shouldn't be based on mere hearsay.

Sometimes, seeing with one's own eyes is believing; what you hear can be deceiving.

"Now, as for Old Qin's two sons—the eldest, Qin Xiong, runs the Qunfang House, always in competition with you. He puts on a gentle, scholarly facade, but men like him are the most dangerous. I believe he has designs on you too, but he doesn't dare go against his father yet. Most of Old Qin's businesses are managed by Qin Xiong, while the second son, Qin Lang, is only responsible for the Taiping Bridge casino. When Old Qin dies, the two brothers will inevitably split the family fortune. I suspect Qin Xiong has his eyes on the land where Ningxiang House stands, not on the establishment itself. That's why he's been sparing no effort to suppress you—others just want a slice of the clientele fleeing Ningxiang House."

"Su Wenqing forced down prices and snatched away the big order from Tongji, leaving your stock piled up in the warehouse and your capital tied up. Though you could absorb some of it yourself, the volume's too large, and you don't want to sell at a loss. So the goods are stuck in storage, which isn't cheap, and the longer your cloth and silk are held up, the less they're worth. In the end, you'll not only have no profit but lose a fortune..."

Zhou Sen enumerated Bai Yulan's predicaments as though reading from a ledger, analyzing every detail and laying bare her most painful points.

Aside from Su Wenqing's machinations, there was also Bai Yulan's own misjudgment of the situation—especially the dumping of Japanese cotton cloth onto the Manchurian market, which had halved the value of her stock, even the spot prices.

Her warehouse was rented; every day in storage added more rent and more losses.

Su Wenqing had helped set her up, encouraging her to believe cotton prices would rise and pushing her to buy heavily. In the end, Tongji, in the name of cost control, had chosen to buy cotton from Wenqing's own Chamber of Commerce.

Now, this batch of cotton was worthless—even selling at cost attracted no buyers, let alone when the market was flooded with cheap cotton.

"You want to sell off the cloth at a low price, but no one will step in—because Su Wenqing has quietly warned any potential buyers that helping you means becoming his enemy. With his current influence in Ice City, no one dares cross him. So you can't free up your capital, there are too many people scheming against you, and even a tiger is helpless against a pack of wolves. You're a woman without strong backing—if you fall, they'll just divide the spoils, watching you struggle and even wondering whose hands you'll finally end up in."

"Must you be so blunt?"

"Isn't this the style you prefer?" Zhou Sen countered.

Bai Yulan shot him a glare—she was beginning to understand this man. He was a troublemaker, and the problem was, she'd already been ensnared.

"Eat your noodles," Zhou Sen said, turning to see Wuen nearly finished with his second bowl, while his and Bai Yulan's were barely half-touched.

Bai Yulan was truly hungry—she managed to finish most of the large bowl of noodles and lamb, a feat deserving a thumbs-up.

"Here," Zhou Sen handed her his handkerchief, gesturing to her lips.

Bai Yulan hesitated, then took it, wiping the corner of her mouth. As she was about to fold it, Zhou Sen snatched it back, wiped his own mouth, and tucked it into his pocket.

"You—"

"What? I don't mind sharing with you. Hurry up—if the other banks catch wind, it'll be harder for us to secure more loans!" Zhou Sen grabbed her and pulled her out.

...

"Thank you, Manager Shen. Let's work together again when we get the chance!"

"Take care, Young Master Zhou!" Manager Shen of the Manchurian Industrial Bank's loan department saw them off with a beaming smile. He'd earn a hefty commission from this deal—Zhou Sen had mortgaged assets worth 1.2 million for a loan of only 650,000, and they were all prime holdings.

If Zhou Sen failed to repay, the bank could reclaim the assets and sell them for a tidy profit.

"That's it—everything's mortgaged, the money's in hand. Now it's all up to you." Zhou Sen and Bai Yulan climbed into the carriage.

"You really trust me?" Bai Yulan asked incredulously, "Aren't you afraid I'll run off with all your money?"

"If the money's gone, you should at least stay," Zhou Sen replied with a laugh.

"Do you really want to be with me?" Bai Yulan asked. She had never considered this question before. She was a widow, with a questionable reputation—what decent man would marry a woman like her?

"I told you, I want to take responsibility for you."

"And you think I'll believe that nonsense?" Bai Yulan snorted. Though she pretended not to believe him, his words warmed her heart.

Truth be told, Zhou Sen didn't know how long he could keep this up. He and Bai Yulan, both wounded by fate, seemed drawn together by destiny.

"Yulan, if I ever got into trouble, would you give everything to help me?" Zhou Sen suddenly gazed at her with deep emotion.

"Who said you could call me that..." Bai Yulan's cheeks flushed, and she tried to scold him, but her tone betrayed no real anger.

"I don't really want to be a policeman," Zhou Sen confessed. "I want to be a writer, to pen scripts and stories, to act in stage plays—that's my dream."

"If you don't want to be a policeman, then quit. Is anyone forcing you?" Bai Yulan asked.

"When you're in the world, you can't always do as you wish. If you didn't have Ningxiang House, would you be living under such pressure?" Zhou Sen said. "Those burdens aren't really yours; you're not their nanny. You should learn to let go—let them find their own paths."

Bai Yulan fell silent.

Yes, she had done all she could, but some people left anyway; some even blamed her for standing in their way.

Still, not all were thankless—those who stayed knew right from wrong and were willing to stand with her. That was why she hadn't lost all hope.

"Let me off up ahead."

"Uh..." Zhou Sen thought he had upset her, but she only wanted to change back into her original clothes and asked him to get out.

When Zhou Sen returned to the carriage, Bai Yulan had changed back, wrapping herself tightly as before.

"Drop me off somewhere quiet and deserted up ahead. If I need you, I'll send Ah Xiang." Bai Yulan pointed to the clothes and hat she'd taken off. "Can I keep this outfit?"

"Of course—I can't wear it anyway."

"Thanks. I'll count it as your first gift to me," Bai Yulan said with a gentle nod. She had plenty of women's clothes in her wardrobe, but this was her first time wearing a man's outfit—it meant a lot.

"Does this mean we've started something?"

Bai Yulan didn't answer, but her silence was assent.

They were already in the same boat.