Can a System Have Bad Intentions? - Chapter 61

Lu Tang smiled and headed to the next house.

“I don’t want people to think I’m a fool,” she said lightly.

The setting sun elongated her shadow, casting an orange glow on her face. Her almond-shaped eyes looked ahead, and her arms were crossed behind her head. She looked like a carefree dandy, but Qin Mo suddenly found himself a bit distracted.

Her eyelashes were so long.

“Whatever plan Gu Songming has, it’s his business. But if he’s passing messages to me, it means his plans are different from Gu Yunhe’s. Whether or not to cooperate with Gu Songming is one thing, but I don’t like his manipulative attitude. I don’t want people to think we can’t handle the Qiao family’s business without Lu Deren. Those who say my mother, my sister, and I are incapable, I want to prove that we can’t be bullied.”

Qin Mo watched Lu Tang talk, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He muttered a soft “hmm,” unusually refraining from any sarcastic remarks.

The two of them visited each house, lighting up the map.

Except for Qiao Fugui’s house, other families didn’t have much to say, mostly asking about the dam.

By the time Lu Tang finished visiting the last house and returned to the Qiao family’s mansion, the moon was already high in the sky.

After washing up, Qiao Tiezhu’s wife brought over the spicy fish and a few refreshing side dishes. “Young Master, do you want anything else? I can get more.”

The table was almost full, and Lu Tang smiled, “No need. You can go about your business. Oh, and have Tiezhu come over after I finish eating. I have something to ask him.”

Qiao Tiezhu’s wife gave a slight tremble in her lowered gaze and responded before leaving.

As soon as she left, Qin Mo sat down without hesitation. Having eaten little at lunch and having walked around for half the evening, he was starving.

“You said you were luring the snake out of its hole. Did it work?” Lu Tang asked as she sat across from Qin Mo, picking at the fish slowly and carefully.

Qin Mo replied, “Why don’t you analyze it?”

Seeing that Lu Tang hadn’t taken a bite after all that time, just picking out bones, he frowned at the fish on her plate. “Can’t you spit out the bones?”

Lu Tang:

Why did that sound a bit gloating?

Are you proud of being able to spit out bones?

Rolling her eyes, Lu Tang glared at Qin Mo, “I like picking out the bones.”

Qin Mo said, “But you haven’t finished picking one piece in all this time.”

Lu Tang:

Mind your own business!

Lu Tang thought she should tell Qin Mo about Grandpa Xiaoming’s stories sometime.

Then…

She watched as Qin Mo’s chopsticks reached over to her plate and placed a piece of fish in front of her.

Lu Tang quickly looked up at Qin Mo.

Qin Mo smiled, “Eat it, no bones.”

Lu Tang:

Why!

Ignoring her look, Qin Mo picked another piece of fish from the bowl, removed the large bones, and placed a whole piece of fish meat on Lu Tang’s plate.

Lu Tang:

“What are you trying to do?” Lu Tang asked warily, gripping her chopsticks, feeling he had bad intentions.

Qin Mo replied, “Just checking if the fish is poisoned. It’s obvious Qiao Tiezhu has issues, and this food was made by his wife.”

Lu Tang grinned and scooped the boneless fish into her mouth, “See, I’m still alive and kicking.”

Qin Mo nodded with a smile, “Yes, keep eating. Poison needs a certain amount to take effect.”

For the next half incense stick’s time, Lu Tang enjoyed the first meal of spicy fish without having to pick out the bones herself.

Qin Mo…

Qin Mo ate three big steamed buns and several side dishes.

“How can you eat so much!” Lu Tang was astonished as she put down her chopsticks

“And you’re still so thin! And short!” Qin Mo added, looking at her with surprise.

Lu Tang patted her stomach with satisfaction and burped, “Eating well is a blessing.”

Qin Mo:

So, the food you eat doesn’t make you grow taller or gain weight, but brings you blessings?

He couldn’t believe he had spent all that time picking out bones for this little fool, and hadn’t even gotten a bite himself. That spicy fish looked delicious.

He glanced at the red, fragrant broth in front of him, feeling frustrated. He grabbed the teapot and poured himself a cup of tea, drinking it in one go.

Lu Tang patted her small belly, “You said you were luring the snake out of its hole. Were you referring to Qiao Tiezhu? By visiting each household, he’s definitely worried and wants to find out what we were saying. When he discovers we said nothing significant, he’ll be even more anxious, thinking the information he has is false. Then he’ll rush to inform Gu Yunhe. Right?”

Qin Mo felt his efforts hadn’t been in vain. At least the fish seemed to have boosted her brainpower. This little fool had some insight.

“And then?”

Lu Tang paused, “Then, Gu Yunhe receives false information from Qiao Tiezhu, because you caught Qiao Tiezhu and made him your spy.”

She made a face, clearly unimpressed.

Qin Mo couldn’t help but laugh, “What, do you have a better idea?”

“With Gu Songming around, who needs Qiao Tiezhu? Gu Songming knows much more than Qiao Tiezhu. If it weren’t for Gu Songming passing the message, I wouldn’t have known Gu Yunhe’s plans were so meticulous! No wonder Gu Yunhe targeted me in Sihe Town. If Gu Yunhe can control me, my mother and sister will be too busy trying to rescue me to worry about Qiao Village. At that point, if there’s a forced relocation drama, the villagers of Qiao Village will have nowhere to turn. Gu Yunhe will then appear as their savior, moving them to Gu Village. Not only will he save them, earning their gratitude, but he’ll also make them hate our family. Without Qiao Village, and with Gu Yunhe controlling me, our family would be finished. Look at how clever his plan is, intending to destroy us completely! But he can go to hell!”

Qin Mo was amazed.

A single meal of fish had made this little fool so smart?

She could even analyze all these connections.

“Aren’t you planning not to cooperate with Gu Songming?”

Lu Tang nodded, “I’m not, but that doesn’t matter. Gu Songming probably knows I don’t want to associate with him; otherwise, he wouldn’t have sent a message. He probably doesn’t need me to provide anything. He just wants me to know Gu Yunhe’s plans and fight back.”

In other words, he wanted to use her to get rid of Gu Yunhe!

Tsk!

While they were talking, Qiao Tiezhu’s voice came from outside, “Young Master, have you finished eating?”

Lu Tang quickly stopped talking, “Come in.”

The door opened, and Qiao Tiezhu stepped in, “Young Master, you called for me?”

【Mission failed. Initiating punishment task.】

The system suddenly spoke up.

Lu Tang was startled.

“Failed? Didn’t I light up all the houses? And to win, I didn’t let Qin Mo enter the last house. I went in myself, so I visited one more house than he did.”

A map of Qiao Village appeared in her mind, with a small light dimmed at the edge where Qiao Tiesheng’s house was marked.

Lu Tang:

“But no one was home.”

【Even if no one is home, it’s still part of Qiao Village. The task was to light up the entire village.】

Lu Tang: