Chapter 104: Who Brought This Benefit?

As the attendants came over to notify them, Xu Lin and the others quickly arrived at the disembarking point. As they stepped off, the train conductor specifically came forward to present a token of gratitude.

They were genuinely thankful to have Xu Lin aboard this journey; she had truly been a great help.

Not only was she formidable in strength, but her medical skills were excellent—capable of both taking lives and saving them. She was truly impressive.

“Dr. Xu, here is my phone number. If you ever need any assistance in the future, please don’t hesitate to call,” the conductor said sincerely, handing her a small slip of paper with his name and number written on it. He expressed heartfelt thanks and silently hoped Xu Lin would reach out to him.

Don’t ask why; the simple answer is that Xu Lin deserved it.

To befriend a rising star with such exceptional medical expertise would be a lifelong benefit.

In life, who could guarantee they would never fall ill or get injured?

Knowing such a powerful figure was one of the strongest guarantees for one’s safety.

“Thank you,” Xu Lin accepted the note and tucked it away into her spatial pocket. She didn’t want to accept the gift, but the conductor was persistent.

With the departure time looming, she reluctantly took it.

Under the long gaze of the conductor, Xu Lin and her companions disappeared into the crowd on the platform.

Exiting the train station, they saw Secretary Lao Zheng waiting at the exit.

He looked quite pleased to see the three of them and hurried forward to take the luggage from Yu Tong’s hands.

“Greetings, Grandma Zheng, Director Yu, and Comrade Xu,” the secretary greeted them warmly.

“The car is parked over there. Shall we go eat first, or return home?”

“Let’s eat first.” Grandma Zheng looked at Xu Lin with concern. Although she had rested for a few minutes, the fatigue on her youthful face had not diminished.

The young lady was clearly exhausted.

“All right, then we’ll head to the state-run restaurant,” the secretary said with a smile. Seeing Grandma Zheng nod, he started the car and drove straight to the state-run eatery.

Looking out the window, Xu Lin noticed that the tense atmosphere that had pervaded the streets on the day they left had vanished.

There were more pedestrians now, but no street ruffians in sight.

Grandma Zheng, always observant, spoke up, “Has the search been called off now?”

“Yes, the public search has ended, but the investigation in the shadows continues. The key suspect, Songzi, has yet to be found.”

The secretary glanced at Xu Lin through the rearview mirror and warned, “It’s still not safe to go out alone at this time.”

Xu Lin nodded. She hadn’t expected that Songzi was still at large. Suddenly, an idea sparked in her mind, and she raised her delicate brow.

She seemed to know where Songzi had gone. Before Wu Chengguang died, he had revealed the whereabouts of his mentor Wu Zhong’s family.

Moreover, Wu Chengguang said that Wu Zhong’s family should know clues about the Xu family’s treasure. With such a powerful temptation, Songzi likely headed to the far northwest.

Whether Songzi had already reached the northwest and if they could extract useful information from Wu Zhong’s family remained unknown.

Xu Lin even wickedly imagined how frustrated they would be if, after all their efforts, they found an empty treasure.

Heh, she couldn’t help but look forward to that scene.

The car stopped in front of the state-run restaurant, and the four of them got out one by one.

The waitstaff saw them arrive by car and immediately displayed the utmost hospitality, their smiles beaming like small hills.

This was treatment Xu Lin had never experienced before.

Checking her watch, there were still twenty minutes before the noon service began, yet the waiter said they could order now and the kitchen would start preparing.

Listen to that—was this even real?

Previously, anyone daring to order before the official hours would have been treated like an alien.

Power really was a wonderful thing.

It opened doors in every world.

Xu Lin calmly ordered two of her favorite dishes: hot and sour fish and spicy rabbit meat, then invited Grandma Zheng to choose her dishes.

Before she could, Xu Lin reminded, “Grandma Zheng, please order something light.”

Grandma Zheng: ...didn’t want to hear that.

“Linlin, I’ll order two more dishes that you like,” Yu Tong chuckled beside her, knowing how spicy Grandma Zheng’s palate was. Unfortunately, her body hadn’t fully recovered and she was still on medication.

Spicy food was a definite no-go!

“Grandma Zheng, the two dishes I ordered are enough. Please order according to your own taste,” Xu Lin gently stopped her.

“Okay, then I’ll order two dishes that Aunt Yu likes,” Grandma Zheng smiled and shifted her attention, making Yu Tong smile helplessly.

Could Yu Tong say she also liked spicy food?

In other words, their whole family loved spicy food. During Grandma Zheng’s surgery, they had all adjusted their tastes.

Not only did Grandma Zheng struggle with the unfamiliar flavors, but they also did. If it weren’t to prevent Grandma Zheng from stealing their dishes, they would have insisted on adding chili.

Thus, Grandma Zheng ordered braised pork and spicy diced chicken. Yu Tong had no choice but to order stir-fried cabbage and steamed eggs.

Seeing the cabbage, Grandma Zheng immediately knew it was for her. Oh dear, she didn’t feel like eating it now.

The secretary smiled along, careful not to offend anyone.

As the meal drew to a close, the secretary finally looked at Xu Lin and asked, “Xu Zhiqing, will you rest overnight in the county, or return home today?”

“I’m returning today,” Xu Lin replied with a smile.

“Then I’ll drive you back,” the secretary offered respectfully.

“No, I’ll take the bus myself,” Xu Lin shook her head, not wanting Lao Zheng to misuse public resources for personal favors.

The secretary could only look helplessly at Grandma Zheng, who sighed in understanding.

Taking a ride back would certainly boost Xu Lin’s reputation, but it wouldn’t look good if word got out.

Misusing public resources was always a topic of criticism, regardless of era.

“If Linlin doesn’t want you to send her, then she can take the bus back,” the secretary agreed with a smile.

After the meal, they first saw Xu Lin off at the station and only left after she boarded.

This dashed Xu Lin’s hopes of exploring the county town; well, there would be next time.

The journey was quiet, and Xu Lin arrived safely at the commune, just as the team leader Wang Facai was cycling back to the village.

Seeing Xu Lin walking along with her luggage, Wang Facai was excited. This time, he had received notice about road repairs during the commune meeting.

Although the road from their village to the commune wasn’t terrible, it wasn’t good either.

If the road could be fixed, it would be much more convenient for villagers to travel.

Who brought about this benefit?

Wang Facai had his suspicions. He guessed it was the higher-ups taking care of the Wangzhuang team.

Why hadn’t they been supported before? Because his backers hadn’t dared to be too influential, fearing trouble.

Now, the care for the Wangzhuang team might well have come from Xu Lin—after all, she was the great benefactor of the Wangzhuang team.

Thinking this, Wang Facai cheerfully called out to her.

“Xu Zhiqing, you’re back! Quickly tie your luggage to the bike, and I’ll ride you back to the village.”

“Oh? Uncle, what good news has you so happy?” Xu Lin asked in surprise.

Wang Facai’s face was flushed with excitement, his grin stretching from ear to ear, even showing his molars—a look that said something good was about to happen.