The Twenty-second Partner

Li Jixiang was eager to finish explaining everything quickly, so she grabbed An Ning by the sleeve and pulled him toward the woodland diagonally across from the small shop.

This patch of woods was dense, and under the faint glow of snow at night, it would be hard for anyone to spot them.

An Ning was startled, unable to react before being led away. When he finally came to his senses, his face was flushed deep red. But because his skin was dark and the light was dim, no one noticed.

Li Jixiang had no awareness that she’d just done something people of this era reserved for young couples—the legendary act of sneaking off into the woods. Her mind was wholly occupied by the letter of denunciation.

“An Ning, I called you here because I want you to deliver this letter of accusation to the school where Zhang Chunfen’s husband teaches in the county.” Li Jixiang spoke solemnly.

“The school must punish him. His moral conduct is unhealthy and will negatively influence his colleagues and students. Just drop it in the suggestion box at the entrance of the county school’s mailroom—report his improper lifestyle. If you can hand it directly to the principal, even better.”

She was determined to ruin Zhao Kai’s reputation. Li Jixiang thought with fierce resolve. She hated men who cheated, and this operation had to gain the upper hand. Once she controlled the public opinion, no matter how persuasive he tried to be, he wouldn’t be able to defend himself—especially since he was already guilty.

With this in mind, Li Jixiang took out the twenty yuan she’d prepared and handed it to An Ning, explaining it was payment for his effort.

After all, An Ning was the main force behind this action, and she had classes during the day, leaving no time to deliver the letter herself.

An Ning, pretending to be a student at the county school, would get in without a hitch.

Li Jixiang spent ages explaining her detailed plan, talking herself hoarse, but he showed no reaction at all.

She suspected he was just humoring her—and she had evidence.

Her hand trembled as she held out the twenty yuan, and still he wouldn’t take it. Li Jixiang simply stuffed the money into his pocket.

Only then did An Ning react, flustered as he pulled the money out, refusing to accept it no matter what, insisting over and over, “I’m willing, I’m willing.”

Under the snowy glow, An Ning’s bronzed face was ridiculously red, like an eggplant ripe to bursting.

Li Jixiang felt a little dazed... Suddenly, the memory of her first encounter with Chen Haoan flashed through her mind.

Back then, just after military training, he was a freshman too, with the same bronzed face, sweating profusely, so shy his blush was barely visible, and he’d said to her, “Senior, it’s alright, I can do it.”

A cold wind carrying snow swept by. Li Jixiang shivered. What nonsense—how could she think of that scoundrel now? Her gaze at An Ning shifted.

Why are you blushing like a tea kettle? Making me remember that jerk—damned charcoal head.

Watching him lower his head and stay silent, acting so timid and demure, Li Jixiang grew annoyed. Thinking of Chen Haoan made her even more irritated.

Her inner monologue: “What did I do to you, really? Making it seem like I’m the one at fault?”

“I just wanted you to run an errand, and offered compensation. After all, I’m not some devil. Your expression—why does it look like I’m trying to keep you as a mistress?”

She rolled her eyes inwardly.

Li Jixiang cleared her throat, straightening up. “An Ning, thank you for your willingness to do something so courageous. Both I and Teacher Zhang appreciate it.”

An Ning glanced at her, finally speaking in a hoarse voice, “Alright, I’ll handle this for you, no problem.”

Then he asked if there was anything else, and if not, he’d head back.

Li Jixiang thanked him again and waved him off.

As he walked away, Li Jixiang watched his retreating figure. Though still a young boy, he already had the broad shoulders of a grown man. No one would believe he was barely sixteen.

Suddenly, Li Jixiang called to him, asking if he wanted to be a detective or work in law enforcement someday. She believed he’d excel at it.

“I suggest you return to school now, learn more, or master a skill. The selection for future talent will only become more rigorous. An Ning, you can’t go on like this.” Li Jixiang was almost pleading.

An Ning was silent for a long time—so long Li Jixiang felt she’d freeze into a snowman—before finally saying he didn’t want to go back to school. He was already an adult, and couldn’t learn those things anymore. Making real money was more satisfying, and he just wanted to start a business.

He said his parents’ bean sprout business was small, and though they were among the better-off in town, he felt there was little future in such small-scale trade.

He didn’t want his future to be just inheriting his parents’ business; he wanted to start his own.

Li Jixiang broke out in cold sweat. In her era, even college graduates didn’t dare start their own businesses, and here was this...emmm, minor, already thinking of entrepreneurship—likely with zero capital. She had to admit, skill breeds boldness.

She asked what kind of business he could do, watching him like a spectator at a show.

An Ning stammered for ages, unable to articulate his thoughts. He finally managed to explain that he usually ran errands around the county and city, delivering minced meat and such, earning a dime or two, sometimes a few yuan as a delivery fee.

Li Jixiang wondered if he was basically a courier.

An Ning added that sometimes he’d help Brother Long watch over Third and Sixth Street to keep troublemakers away, earning a bit of management fee each month. Some people even paid him protection money, and he claimed he’d made a decent sum.

Oh, so he was mixed up in the underworld. Li Jixiang glanced at him—she hadn’t expected this charcoal head, who looked so honest, to be collecting protection money.

Li Jixiang grew a little worried—at his intelligence, he might well be sold and still help count the money.

She commented that this wasn’t a long-term solution. How much could delivery fees earn? And with the protection racket, what if something serious happened and he ended up in jail? An Chen was still so young—what would Aunt An do then?

Seeing him suddenly stop talking, Li Jixiang had a lightbulb moment. She was short on people and money but not grain. She’d originally planned to stock up, sell some, and then recruit when she had funds. Maybe he could help her pull off a deal with no capital—making something out of nothing.

Li Jixiang straightforwardly proposed a partnership: she’d provide the grain, he’d supply customers and handle delivery, and they’d split profits thirty-seventy.

An Ning froze, staring at her wordlessly. Only then did Li Jixiang realize she was even younger than him—a little girl.

She sighed. Age really was a problem!

Forget it. It was clear nothing would be agreed today, but at least the letter delivery was settled.

She had a wholesale grain plan in mind and would have to carefully map it out once she got back.

Standing there half the night, chilled to the bone, she decided not to waste any more words—they’d each go their own way.