Ruling the Historical Romance Novel as the Female Supporting Character-Chapter 306: A Smooth Operation

"Just take a look." Qin Kaize lifted the drawing in his hand.

"This thing isn’t complex, but it does require some time to make and careful polishing; otherwise, it might get stuck when screwed in. Three days should be enough. I’ll make sure it’s done," Yu Xingwang said after examining the drawing closely and giving his assurance.

This timeline matched Qin Kaize’s estimate, so he didn’t argue.

Yu Xingwang was expecting to be handed the drawing, but Qin Kaize pulled out another sheet of paper from his bag and handed it to him. The three men looked puzzled, not understanding the difference between the two drawings.

Su Yijia, sitting aside, felt embarrassed, almost digging a hole with her toes under the table.

Once Qin Kaize had given the drawing to Yu Xingwang, he turned to Hou Dahai. "Come with me. I need to talk to you."

Hou Dahai showed no surprise and followed Qin Kaize outside to the courtyard.

"Do you remember Wang Futong?" Qin Kaize’s usually gentle face hardened, his expression cold as if covered with frost. His eyes flashed with a chilling light.

"Remember. Why? Is she causing trouble for you again?" Hou Dahai frowned slightly.

"Exactly. I want you to secretly keep watch outside the supply and marketing cooperative and, when you get a chance, bag her and give her a good beating. You can be a bit rough, but don’t put her in the hospital. Also, check out the license plate 13--XXXX," Qin Kaize instructed with a tone full of grim determination.

Hou Dahai initially hesitated, thinking it inappropriate for a man to handle the situation like this. But after processing Qin Kaize’s words, he suddenly asked, "Wang Futong isn’t causing trouble for sister-in-law, is she?"

"Yeah, more than once," Qin Kaize replied, his frustration rising at the thought of what she had done.

Hou Dahai swore angrily and vowed, "Boss, don’t worry. I’ll make sure to get justice for sister-in-law."

Their sister-in-law had married their boss when he was bedridden and had tried everything to help him recover. They would never forget that kindness. Wang Futong had been brazenly taking advantage of the situation, targeting their kind-hearted sister-in-law. To them, no one could mistreat her.

"Thank you. I appreciate it," Qin Kaize said, patting Hou Dahai on the shoulder.

Hou Dahai was one of the few veterans who had left the team relatively recently, just two years ago, so he was the only one familiar with Wang Futong. While it might have been better to find a female colleague for the task, Qin Kaize didn’t know any trustworthy women besides his own wife.

He preferred to keep Su Yijia out of this matter to avoid involving her in dangerous situations.

After finishing their conversation, the group went to the State-Owned Restaurant with the wine jars at around 4:30 PM. Although it was a bit early, the chef was already preparing for their arrival.

During the meal, Yu Xingwang and the others tried to persuade Qin Kaize to have a drink, but he refused outright.

"I can’t. My wife doesn’t allow me to drink."

His prideful demeanor puzzled Yu Xingwang and the others. They couldn’t understand why being controlled by his wife was something to be proud of.

Seeing everyone’s gaze shift to her, Su Yijia discreetly pinched Qin Kaize’s thigh under the table. Qin Kaize’s expression remained unchanged as he let her pinch him, but when she tried to pull away, he gently held her small hand.

Su Yijia didn’t dare to tug too hard, fearing others would notice their actions. Qin Kaize, on the other hand, softly rubbed her delicate fingers and lightly traced her palm.

Su Yijia’s face turned a faint pink. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"Kaize is still taking medicine to recover, so he won’t be drinking for a few more months."

"Right! Boss is just recovering, so there’s no need for him to drink," Hou Dahai immediately said, casting a disapproving glance at Yu Xingwang.

"Sorry, sister-in-law," Yu Xingwang said sheepishly, rubbing his nose.

He hadn’t known about Qin Kaize’s ongoing recovery and hadn’t meant to cause any issues.

"It’s fine. There’s nothing to apologize for," Su Yijia said with a generous smile.

Men have their small hobbies when they’re together; as long as it’s not heavy drinking or recklessly damaging their health, there’s no harm. It’s like how women enjoy makeup, shopping, or drinking milk tea. In moderation, there’s nothing wrong with it.

Yet, when Su Yijia said this, Qin Kaize looked at her quietly. His deep, calm eyes showed no emotion, but somehow, she thought she glimpsed a hint of disappointment in them. Why would he feel disappointed? She must have imagined it! Su Yijia shook off the thought and focused on finishing her meal.

Afterward, Qin Kaize and Su Yijia headed back to the docks, while Hou Dahai and the others split up to take care of their own business. But first, they each went home to store away the wine. Hou Dahai waited until his buzz wore off, then went out to find someone from the black market, hoping to get a little closer to them.

Taking a shortcut, he turned a corner and spotted Wang Futong with her small handbag. What luck! Hou Dahai licked his molars, double-checked the surroundings, then pulled a large burlap sack from his shoulder bag and threw it over her head. As Wang Futong opened her mouth to scream, he knocked her out.

Through the sack, he delivered a series of kicks and punches. Twice, she briefly came to, but before she could make a sound, he knocked her out again. He didn’t hit her too hard, only breaking her right hand. Finally, he removed the sack, stuffed it back in his bag, and splashed water from his canteen onto her face before making a swift getaway.

Once he’d put some distance between them, he checked back to ensure she wouldn’t see him. Satisfied that she was groggily getting up, Hou Dahai turned and left without looking back. He might have given her a beating, but he couldn’t leave a woman passed out alone in a dark alley at night. If something else happened to her, that would be a real problem.

When Qin Kaize and Su Yijia returned to the island, they were met with disapproval from Grandpa Lin and Grandma Lin.

"Ze, why are you out in this heat in the middle of the day? What if you get heatstroke?" Grandpa Lin chided sternly.

If he weren’t worried about being too blunt and making Qin Kaize uncomfortable, he would have shouted right at this grandson-in-law of his. Back in his own days in the squad, he endured plenty of hardships--training under the scorching sun without a second thought. But his Jiajia was a delicate young woman; how could she stand such harsh sunlight?

What if she got heatstroke? Should she take medicine or not? And what if she’s already pregnant? If she took medicine, wouldn’t that harm his precious little great-grandchild?