Chapter 1042

"Have you got something to say?" Yan Aohan asked, his voice cool and flat.

"No, no! Boss, rest assured. I will protect our future sister-in-law. I won't let a single hair on her head get hurt." Zhang Haifeng made a very spineless promise. Only after hanging up the phone did she lean back in her chair and let out a deep sigh. Seeing Luo Gang’s amused expression nearby, she glared at her. "You knew all along and didn't tell me."

"Who told you to be so dumb?" Luo Gang answered with a grin. "Besides, it’s obvious once you think about it. Who else in this world could live in Master Yan’s house so easily and be protected by him like that?"

Zhang Haifeng realized she was right. He had never paid attention to this before. Seeing how Yan Aohan treated Zhu Yanyi so well, he had always thought it was just an elder’s affection for a junior. He never imagined Master Yan was playing the 'raising a daughter-in-law' game. Thinking of this, he felt a chill run down his spine. It was terrifying. His skin prickled with goosebumps. He needed hot tea to warm up.

She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and then said seriously to Luo Gang, "I’ll handle this matter. But you must be careful on your end too. Don’t cause any trouble, or you’ll drag me down with you."

Luo Gang laughed loudly. "Don’t worry. When have I ever dragged you down? As long as you don’t hold me back, we’re fine."

Luo Gang didn’t stay long with Zhang Haifeng and left quickly. Zhang Haifeng stopped his year-end work and began arranging people to monitor Zhu Xiangyao. Based on the information he had, he guessed Zhu Xiangyao’s intentions. In his heart, he lit a candle for Zhu Xiangyao. You idiot, he thought. Why touch the treasure of the Yan family in the capital? You really deserve to be sent to the Eighteenth Level of Hell.

Zhu Yanyi had been busy these past few days too. She was shopping for New Year goods with Xie Xinlian. Although the house already had plenty of food, some things still needed to be bought. The New Year preparations had to be complete. After the Little New Year, every household would worship their ancestors, so they needed specific items like pig heads, ox heads, and sheep heads.

In the past, when they had fewer resources, Xie Xinlian would prepare just one pig head and one fish. Now that they had better conditions, the 'Three Lives' offerings were essential. Besides those, they needed whole ducks, whole fish, and so on. Nothing required for the ancestral worship could be missing.

"Mom, didn’t the company slaughter the New Year pigs? Dad should have kept a pig head, right? Why are you buying one?" The pig heads at home were from pigs raised on their own feed.

"Weren’t the pig heads sold when the company distributed New Year goods earlier? I originally wanted your dad to keep one, but she forgot in a moment. That silly ox, really, there’s no helping it." Xie Xinlian complained, but her expression was gentle. Over the years, she and Zhu Shunyao had supported each other through wind and rain. Their love had become part of their bones and blood. This was why Zhu Shunyao was so afraid of her wife at home. Because she loved her, she couldn’t bear to see her suffer.

"Ama, I think you’re spoiling my Abba this way. Look, she forgot such an important thing, and you don’t even scold her," Zhu Yanyi said with a smile, teasing her mother.

"Ani, the way couples get along is sometimes about turning a blind eye. Your dad isn’t gambling or drinking. It’s just a pig head. We can afford to buy it. Why make such a big deal out of it?" Xie Xinlian was becoming more open-minded these days.