Chapter 024 Mysterious Man

The cool night breeze blew, rustling the large willow trees outside the yard.

This also made Zhao Hui feel chilled to the bone. He shouted in disbelief: "Aunt Gao, how could it be you?!"

Looking at Gao Cuifen who was held down, Zhao Hui had a dazed look on his face. The Zhao family and Gao Cuifen's family had been old neighbors who had lived together for many years. He thought he knew Gao Cuifen quite well and knew that Gao Cuifen was not a pervert who would peek at men using the toilet.

But he also watched Gao Cuifen run out of the men's restroom...

He asked a soul-searching question: "Aunt Gao, why were you peeping outside the men's restroom in the middle of the night?!"

There was deep confusion in Shi Yue's eyes. Although he had just arrived and did not have a very close relationship with Gao Cuifen, he felt that Gao Cuifen was definitely not the kind of person who would peek.

He looked at Gao Cuifen in confusion. What was going on?

Gao Cuifen, who was questioned, pursed her lips and said nothing.

The shock Zhao Hui received tonight was really too great. In fact, think about it, who would not collapse if they found out that an elder of the opposite sex, with whom they had lived for many years, was peeping at them while they were using the toilet?

He was completely irrational at the moment. Seeing that Gao Cuifen didn't respond, he roared, "Auntie Gao, tell me! Why on earth were you peeping outside the men's restroom in the middle of the night?!"

Gao Cuifen still kept her mouth shut and said nothing.

Zhao Hui grabbed Gao Cuifen's shoulders and shook her frantically: "Auntie Gao, please speak, please speak..."

"Brother Zhao, calm down, calm down first..." Shi Yue noticed that someone in the yard that was originally dark had turned on the lights. He thought that they must have been startled by Zhao Hui's voice, so he hurriedly spoke out to remind him, but it was too late. The door of Li Xiuying's house had already been opened.

Li Xiuying came out in her coat and slippers. Seeing the trio of Shi Yue, Zhao Hui, and Gao Cuifen, she said, "What's wrong? What happened? Why are you two holding down Gao, Xiao Zhao?"

Although these words sounded like she was concerned about Gao Cuifen, the smile that she couldn't suppress on her face betrayed her gloating.

She was lying in bed when she vaguely heard someone shouting outside. She didn't pay much attention to it at first, but then she suddenly heard that the person shouting was Aunt Gao. There was only one person with the surname Gao in their courtyard, Gao Cuifen. Now she was intrigued. She sat up, put on her clothes and went out, not even having time to pick up her shoes.

But it was also thanks to her fast running that she didn't miss the embarrassing scene of Gao Cuifen.

Seeing that Shi Yue and Zhao Hui didn't respond, Li Xiuying, who was eager to watch the fun, added, "Xiao Zhao, Xiao Shi, tell me what's going on so I can help you judge the situation."

"Yes, Shi Yue and Zhao Hui, what's going on with you guys?"

"Hour, you guys..."

"Dad, why are you..."

"Zhao Hui, Shi Yue, why are you holding my wife down like this?"

It’s not too early at this moment, but it’s not too late to go to bed either. Everyone in the yard is still asleep. When they heard the noise outside, they all opened the door and came out to check the situation. When they saw the scene in the yard, they were all stunned.

Especially Shi Qiu Shui.

When she was in the room just now, she was wondering why her father had gone to the bathroom for so long and hadn't come back yet. Could something have happened? When she opened the door, she saw this scene.

What's going on?

There is another person who is even more confused than Shi Qiu Shui, and that is Gao Cuifen's husband, Old Zhang. His wife hasn't caused any trouble recently, so why are Zhao Hui and Shi Yue suppressing her?

Shi Yue looked around at the people in the yard, including Ma Yulan's family, Old Lady Yang, the young couple surnamed Liu, Guo Bozi's family, Shi Qiu Shui and Old Zhang. Well, everyone in the yard was there.

When he thought about telling so many people that Gao Cuifen had spied on him and Zhao Hui while they were using the toilet, his eyes went dark.

Zhao Hui was also very embarrassed. His face turned red and he couldn't say a word.

Gao Cuifen, who was lying on the ground, glanced at the two useless men, Shi Yue and Zhao Hui, with disdain and said, "Well, it's nothing. They just misunderstood that I was peeping at them in the bathroom."

"What?!"

Mistakenly peeping at them in the bathroom?

If these words are taken individually, they can all understand them, but why do they not understand them when they are combined together?

Everyone looked at each other, with deep confusion in their eyes.

Li Xiuying, who was always the first to confront Gao Cuifen, remained silent for a rare moment and took a while to react.

After finally reacting, Li Xiuying said in shock: "Gao Cuifen, you actually peeked at a man using the toilet?!"

Gao Cuifen slapped Shi Yue away, jumped up, and said impatiently, "Li Xiuying, do you have chicken feathers stuck in your ears? I already told you, they misunderstood that I was peeping at them in the bathroom, I didn't really peek at them!"

Li Xiuying scoffed. "You're kidding me? If you didn't do this, why would Xiao Zhao and Xiao Shi misunderstand you?"

Well, that makes sense.

Although the guys present didn't say it out loud, it was obvious that they all thought so in their hearts.

Those present, especially the gentlemen, began to look at Gao Cuifen with strange eyes.

Does anyone know when Gao Cuifen started peeping?

It is possible that they have been seen naked by Gao Cuifen without knowing it!

Thinking of this, the old men in the courtyard were a little overwhelmed, and of course the most overwhelmed one was Gao Cuifen's husband.

Just now when Gao Cuifen went out, she clearly told him that she was going to do something big, a great thing. Who knew that the great thing Gao Cuifen was talking about was actually to peep at other people going to the toilet!

Those in the yard who had good news also thought of Old Zhang. They looked up at Old Zhang's head secretly with what they thought were concealed eyes, and seemed to have seen a large grassland emerging from his head.

Old Zhang, who felt everyone's gaze, was so angry!

He clenched his fists, his face flushed red, and glared at Gao Cuifen: "Old woman! You! You..."

Gao Cuifen glared back, unwilling to be outdone: "What are you talking about? Shut up, this is none of your business!"

She turned her head to glance at Li Xiuying and said, "People with a heart disease see everything as dirty!"

She held her head high and chest out, not only was she not embarrassed, but on the contrary she said proudly: "I was peeping in from outside the men's restroom, but I was trying to catch a thief, not to peek at your tiny little hot peppers!"

A little bit of chili pepper.

The gentlemen present felt that their male dignity was hurt and they were jumping up and down wildly.

"Aunt Gao, what do you mean?"

"Aunt Gao, no matter how much you say, you still peeked at us going to the bathroom..."

"That's right, you looked at us and said something about us, how could you be so..."

"Alright! Stop talking for now." Ma Yulan stood up and said, "Lao Gao, what do you mean by thief?"

Gao Cuifen saw that someone had finally asked this question, and she said proudly: "Speaking of this thief, it's a long story..."

Ma Yulan: "Please keep your story short."

Gao Cuifen pouted. "Okay. It was around eight o'clock tonight when I came out of the restroom. I ran into a guy outside the public restroom. He was hunched over, sneaking around like a thief, trying to get into the men's room. He bumped into me, and before I could say anything, he turned and ran off. His movements were so suspicious, I felt something was amiss, but he ran so fast I couldn't catch up."

Everyone was confused and still didn't understand what this suspicious man had to do with Gao Cuifen peeping into the men's restroom.

Ma Yulan: "And then?"

Gao Cuifen: "Afterwards, when I got home, I thought, since the man was heading to the restroom, he must have something to do there. So I just waited outside the men's restroom, waiting for him to come back."

Ma Yulan: "Then why do you call him a thief?"

Gao Cuifen said in a matter-of-fact tone, "So sneaky at night, what else could they be doing but a thief?"

Ma Yulan was completely speechless and said, "It seems you don't even know what she's doing, or whether she'll go to the restroom again, and you just assume she's lying there waiting?"

Gao Cuifen: "I..."

When Ma Yulan asked her this question suddenly, she realized that she had indeed taken it for granted.

Shi Yue was also deeply speechless. He didn't expect that Gao Cuifen had been tossing and turning for such a whole night just because of her own imagination.

Didn't Gao Cuifen ever consider that the person was just a passerby going to the restroom?!

Gao Cuifen stubbornly argued, "What if that man is the thief?"

No one said anything, mainly because they didn't know what to say to Gao Cuifen, who was not very smart.

Silence, silence is Courtyard No. 28 tonight.

Although everyone was silent because of Gao Cuifen's outrageous behavior, it must be said that everyone was actually relieved. Compared with the pervert who liked to peek at men in the toilet in the courtyard, Gao Cuifen was just a little bit stupid, and they could still accept it.

Ma Yulan breathed a long sigh of relief and said, "Alright, then what happened tonight was purely a misunderstanding. So, Lao Gao, apologize to Xiao Shi and Xiao Zhao."

Gao Cuifen was unhappy: "Why should I apologize?"

Ma Yulan rubbed her temples with a headache. "Why? Because you peeped at them while they were using the restroom and frightened them. Shouldn't you apologize to them?!"

Gao Cuifen: "That's not what I really want to see..."

Ma Yulan: "Apologize! Apologize to them right now!"

Old Zhang took two steps forward and pulled Gao Cuifen's arm: "Old woman, please apologize to them."

Knowing that his wife had gone out to do good things, he felt less bad. However, seeing that she had offended all the men in the courtyard again tonight, he began to worry about her. He wanted her to apologize, at least that would make Zhao Hui and Shi Yue feel better.

Usually at Gao Cuifen's house, Old Zhang's words were not effective at all, and Gao Cuifen didn't listen to a word he said. But today was a special case. Under everyone's gaze, Gao Cuifen was really a little timid. Just at this moment, Old Zhang spoke up to persuade her, and she went down the stairs.

"Alright, alright, I'll apologize. Isn't that enough for me?" Gao Cuifen turned around and said perfunctorily, "Shi Yue, Zhao Hui, I'm sorry."

After she finished speaking, she turned to look at Ma Yulan: "Is this okay now?"

Ma Yulan waved her hand: "Okay, let's just look for it this way."

Gao Cuifen: "Okay, then I'll go home."

Seeing that Ma Yulan didn't object, she called to Old Zhang: "Come on, old man, let's go home."

"Hey, old lady, slow down..."

Ma Yulan waved her hand: "Okay, okay, let's all go home~"

"Let's go, let's go home, it's getting late..."

Looking at Shi Yue who didn't move, Shi Qiushui asked, "Dad?"

Shi Yue: "Daughter, let's go home too."

He really didn't know what to say after what happened tonight...

He never imagined that Gao Cuifen's original intention was to catch a thief...

Shi Yue shook his head in amusement. When Yao Dazui heard about what happened tonight tomorrow, he would probably be very proud again.

Shi Yue and Shi Qiu Shui returned home and looked at the clock. It was already past ten forty. It was really late. Shi Yue hurriedly urged Shi Qiu Shui to go to bed. He had read in the newspaper that children who go to bed too late will not grow tall!

Shi Qiushui was urged to lie down on the bed. Just after she closed her eyes for two minutes, she could be heard snoring softly in the bedroom. Shi Yue, who came to help turn off the lights, heard the sound and couldn't help but sigh, "She's really a child!"

Only children can fall asleep as they please.

These words came from Shi Yue, who fell asleep within five minutes of lying on the bed.

The father and daughter, who both enjoyed good sleep, fell into a deep sleep because the next day was Sunday. Shi Yue didn't have to go to work and Shi Qiu Shui didn't have to go to kindergarten. It was not until the sun was shining on their buttocks that the father and daughter slowly opened their eyes and got up.

When the father and daughter came to the sink to wash up, staring at the same fried chicken hair, the other families in the yard had already finished their meal and were cleaning up.

While brushing his teeth, Shi Yue and Shi Qiu Shui listened to Li Xiuying, who was washing dishes, talking to Yao Dazui, who came from the backyard, about what happened last night. Yao Dazui's eyes lit up as he listened, and he was moved from the bottom of his heart.

"Ah, that's the bad thing about living in the backyard. We don't have fast access to information! I missed out on things like this. What a shame!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Yue's mouth twitched, but Shi Qiu Shui nodded in understanding.

Shi Yue:......

However, when Yao Dazui heard that Gao Cuifen did all this because she ran into that sneaky mysterious man, he was suddenly stunned.

Eh?

Shi Yue looked at Yao Dazui in confusion. He thought Yao Dazui would laugh at Gao Cuifen for being crazy about catching the thief and being suspicious of everyone she saw.

Yao Dazui said, "The day before yesterday, I also ran into a sneaky guy near the public restroom at the entrance of the alley. He made eye contact with me and then turned and ran away. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now that I think about it, that guy was a bit strange and didn't seem like a good person."

Hearing this, Gao Cuifen nodded in agreement: "Right! I said he's not a good person at first glance!"

She curled her lips and said, "Even if that man is not a thief, he is definitely not a good person!"

"Who do you say is not a good person?" Ma Yulan, who came over, asked confusedly.

Gao Cuifen answered first: "I met that guy last night!"

She pointed at Yao Dazui and said, "Old Yao has met that man before! He also thought he was weird!"

There was obvious grievance in Gao Cuifen's words. It was obvious that what she actually wanted to say was, look, she is not the only one who thinks that there is something wrong with that man. It is not that she is suspicious, it is that the man is indeed suspicious!

Ma Yulan's expression grew serious. She looked at Yao Dazui and asked, "Do you also think that man is not right?"

Yao Dazui nodded: "That man is indeed very strange!"

Now Ma Yulan had no choice but to take this matter seriously. She said, "If that's the case, I have to report it to the street office." She said this and hurried out of the yard.

Gao Cuifen curled her lips and said, "What's the point of reporting it to the street office? At most, they'll send someone over to inquire about the situation, but they won't investigate it seriously. It's better for us to investigate it ourselves."

She turned to look at Yao Dazui, rubbing her hands eagerly, and said, "Old Yao, are you willing to investigate with me?"

Before Yao Dazui could say anything, Li Xiuying interrupted, "How do you investigate? Do you know their last name, name, or where they live? You don't know anything, so how can you investigate?"

Gao Cuifen: "Hey, you are such a fool!"

She rolled her eyes in disdain and said, "Since that man has come to this restroom at the entrance of our alley two nights in a row, it means he must have a purpose, not just to use the restroom. And since he bumped into someone and didn't get to go to the restroom both nights, he's bound to go again. So, if we wait by the restroom tonight, we're sure to catch him!"

Li Xiuying pinched her nose and said, "Still standing by the toilet? You don't mind the stinky smell, do you?"

Gao Cuifen curled her lips and said, "Hey, you feel uncomfortable if you don't talk to me for a day, right? I didn't ask you to go with me to guard it. I was asking about Old Yao!"

She asked, "Lao Yao, do you want to go with me?"

Yao Dazui said without hesitation: "I'll go!"

As a public security activist, she definitely cannot miss out on such things!

Gao Cuifen: "Okay, let's do it tonight..."

Shi Qiushui interrupted: "Grandma Gao, I want to go too if you guys do it tonight!"

There was excitement in her eyes. Catching bad guys is fun!

Shi Yue: ???

He lowered his head in surprise: "Xiao Qiu, what do you want to do?"

Shi Qiushui blinked her big, watery eyes and said, "Dad, I want to go with Grandma Gao and the others to hunt the mysterious man!"

nonsense!

Shi Yue was not deaf, so he knew that Shi Qiu Shui wanted to go with Gao Cuifen to ambush the mysterious man.

But he didn't understand. It was fine if Shi Qiu Shui was gossiping and watching the fun with Yao Dazui, but why did she also want to wait at the door of the men's restroom with Gao Cuifen?

When Shi Qiu Shui was in the Dayu Dynasty, although his personality was not so law-abiding, he was far from being as casual as he is now, right?

Shi Yue frowned, deeply worried about his daughter who had become more and more naughty recently.

But when he saw Shi Qiu Shui's excited face, he remained silent.

"Okay, okay." Shi Yue compromised. He rubbed Shi Qiushui's cheek as if to vent his anger and said, "You can go with Grandma Gao, but I want to go too."

Shi Qiu Shui didn't mind whether her father went or not, as long as she could go.

She blinked her big eyes, looked at Gao Cuifen, and asked, "Grandma Gao, is it okay? Can my dad and I go together?"

Gao Cuifen: "...Okay."

There is strength in numbers, and more people mean more strength!

Ahem, although Shi Qiu Shui can’t be counted as one, isn’t this Shi Yue?

Around eight o'clock in the evening, Shi Qiu Shui pulled Shi Yue out. During the day, she and Gao Cuifen had agreed to start the action at eight o'clock in the evening.

She walked out of the house with light steps and saw Gao Cuifen coming out of the west wing. She winked at Gao Cuifen, and Gao Cuifen winked back at her.

This was what they had agreed upon before. After they started, they would not talk to each other anymore and pretend not to know each other to avoid arousing suspicion.

Shi Yue, who saw their interaction clearly, said: ...

This is obviously not the look of a stranger, right?

Forget it, just treat it as playing house with the kids.

Shi Yue convinced himself and was about to lead Shi Qiu Shui out, but was stopped by Shi Qiu Shui.

Shi Qiushui whispered, "Dad, wait a minute, didn't we agree during the day that we should wait for Grandma Gao to leave for a while before we leave, so as not to arouse suspicion from others?"

Shi Yue: "...Okay."

After a while, Shi Qiu Shui cautiously stuck his head out of the courtyard gate. After making sure that no one was paying attention outside, he took Shi Yue out.

According to the discussion during the day, Shi Yue, the man with gender advantage, hid in the men's restroom, while Shi Qiu Shui, Yao Dazui and Gao Cuifen hid behind a low wall next to the men's restroom.

The low wall is not high, but because there is a pile of miscellaneous items scattered behind it, two people can hide here without being noticed.

The three of them had just hidden behind the low wall when they suddenly heard footsteps approaching from afar. Shi Qiu Shui wondered, was that man coming so soon?

She cautiously poked her head out to peek, and was immediately disappointed.

The person who came over was Li Xiuying.

Li Xiuying came up behind the low wall and pushed Gao Cuifen aside without any courtesy, saying, "Go, go, go over there. Leave some room for me."

Gao Cuifen was unhappy: "I don't have any room here, where else can I go? Besides, didn't you say you wouldn't come during the day? Why are you here again at night?"

Li Xiuying rolled her eyes: "When did I say I wouldn't come? I just said the toilet smelled bad."

Gao Cuifen: "So you don't mind the smell now?"

Li Xiuying looked up, revealing the cotton ball stuffed in her nose, and said, "I hate it, so I blocked my nose and came here."

Gao Cuifen: "You are such a troublemaker, just..."

"Hey, that's enough, stop bickering. You'll miss the people coming later!" Seeing that the two of them were arguing endlessly, Yao Dazui quickly spoke up to stop them.

After Yao Dazui's reminder, Li Xiuying and Gao Cuifen remembered the important business of today, quickly shut their mouths, and listened quietly to the movements in the alley.

The alleys at night are completely different from those during the day. There are no sounds of adults and children laughing and playing, no sounds of bicycle bells and motorcycles, and no shouting of hawkers walking around the streets. There is only silence like water.

Suddenly, in this quiet environment, a burst of hurried footsteps was heard.

The four people hiding behind the low wall felt nervous. Was that the mysterious man coming?