Xu Yaozu thought that this might be an educated youth sent to the countryside, because local girls didn't have the means or the habit of wearing such small leather shoes.

How did he know that?

That's because he spoiled his daughter excessively. He would occasionally see these little leather shoes in a department store and buy a pair for Xu Xinning. He had seen her wear them a few times when they were in the military compound, but after returning to Xujia Village, he never saw her wear them again. He only found out after asking once that these shoes were inconvenient for walking in the village.

From this perspective, the girl might be a former educated youth who recently went to the countryside.

In fact, Xu Yaozu guessed correctly. When the four young educated youths rushed over and tried to squeeze into the crowd, they saw the female corpse lying on the ground.

Since the body had been soaking in water, it certainly didn't look very pleasant. Lu Chunping couldn't help but scream out in shock, and the other three male educated youths didn't look much better either.

However, the only remaining leather shoe on the female corpse's foot caught Lu Chunping's attention.

Because Lu Chunping's family was not well-off and she was not a favored child, her clothes, pants, and shoes were basically hand-me-downs from her older siblings. Once, one of her classmates wore a pair of very nice leather shoes, which made her extremely envious, but she could only think about it in her heart.

Because of these leather shoes, she would go to the shoe section of the department store almost every day for a while, since looking at them wasn't illegal.

After visiting many times, I realized how precious these leather shoes were. The price was so high that ordinary people couldn't afford them at all. I heard they were made of imported cowhide.

These shoes seemed to be a permanent fixture at the department store counter; they had remained quietly there no matter how many times she had visited.

On the day they arrived in the countryside, the educated youth gathered at the entrance of the county's educated youth office. Lu Chunping unexpectedly saw a girl wearing the leather shoes she had been looking forward to. So she took a few more glances at the girl and thought that the family that could afford such leather shoes must be extraordinary. She thought that if she was assigned to the same place as her, she would definitely try to get along with her and maybe she could get a lot of benefits from it.

If Mu Jingheng hadn't appeared and diverted her attention, Lu Chunping would definitely have gone up to strike up a conversation.

Later, because the people from Xujiacun Brigade who went to pick up the educated youth arrived early, Lu Chunping didn't know which brigade the girl had been assigned to.

I never expected our reunion to be like this.

But they've only been here for less than half a month, haven't they?

How could this person just disappear like that?

Lu Chunping felt a chill run down her spine. What kind of hatred could have caused such a young girl to die so tragically?

Could it be...?

Lu Chunping didn't dare to think any further.

Lu Chunping was actually quite glad that she was assigned to Xujiacun Brigade. Although the conditions here were not as good as in the city, the brigade leaders were very nice and the people were simple and honest.

Before going to the countryside, she had heard stories of educated youth being abused by the locals in poor and remote areas, which was suffocating to think about.

When Xu Yaozu asked again if anyone in the crowd recognized the corpse, Lu Chunping boldly raised her hand: "I...I've seen this person."

Lu Chunping felt that this girl was already pitiful enough, dying a violent death shortly after arriving in the countryside. Perhaps because they were both sent-down youth, Lu Chunping hoped that she wouldn't die so mysteriously.

Although Lu Chunping had many ulterior motives, she was only an eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl, and she still had the most basic conscience and compassion.

Everyone turned to look at Lu Chunping. Her words were like a colony of worker ants whose route had been disrupted suddenly finding their way.

Xu Yaozu: "You're a newly arrived educated youth in our brigade, right?"

Lu Chunping nodded and said "Mmm".

Xu Yaozu: "Do you know this person?"

Lu Chunping nodded and then shook her head. "We met when we gathered at the county's educated youth office. She was also a newly arrived educated youth."

Xu Yaozu: "Are you sure?"

"Yeah! How did you recognize him when he was soaking like that?" someone quick-witted in the crowd asked suspiciously.

Lu Chunping was anxious. She disliked being questioned. "I remember the leather shoes she was wearing. They were made of imported cowhide and were sold in department stores, but the price was shockingly high. Ordinary people simply couldn't afford them."

Now that we know he's a new educated youth, the range narrows down. His appearance in the river of Xujia Village Brigade means that he must have come from this brigade.

Old Qian from the county public security bureau arrived quickly, and the first thing he did upon arrival was to set up a cordon along the river.

The forensic doctor was an older man wearing a white coat, but his hair was messy. When he arrived at the scene, he didn't say a word and began examining the body.

Xu Xinning was dragged here by Xu Daya to watch the fun. No one knows what Xu Daya's mentality is. Although she would occasionally come to the Xu family under the pretext of visiting her grandparents after Mu Jingheng moved in, she was still self-aware of Xu Xinning's attitude. She knew that Xu Xinning did not like her, so she would not make a fool of herself.

But when he learned that a woman's body had been found by the river, this man, contrary to his usual behavior, came to her house and said he wanted to go with her to see the excitement.

Because Grandma Xu was watching, Xu Xinning let her pull her out the door.

Even though it was almost time to start work, people were reluctant to leave because there was excitement to be had.

Xu Xinning learned from the discussion among the onlookers that the person had been pulled from the river, so naturally everyone assumed that the person had drowned.

Perhaps because of her medical background, Xu Xinning became curious when people talked about her.

Xu Daya: "Aren't you a barefoot doctor? Your family all boast about your medical skills. Now is the time to prove your abilities. Why don't you go and examine how people actually died?"

Xu Xinning: "Xu Daya, are you trying to provoke me?"

Xu Daya: "If that's what you think, there's nothing I can do. I just think you should prove your medical skills to the people in the brigade. Otherwise, what's the point of this medical station being just a formality? You're just making pills for fun every day and still getting paid. Don't you feel guilty?"

Xu Xinning: "You've really gotten to know your stuff, Xu Daya, you can even use idioms now. But I don't think I need to prove anything to you. If you feel uncomfortable, that's your business, what does it have to do with me?"

Xu Daya: "You don't dare? Heh, what do you think will happen if the leaders in the commune find out that you're just occupying a position without doing any work?"

Xu Laosan and Mu Jingheng saw Xu Daya pulling Xu Xinning and talking to her. Fearing that Xu Daya was up to her old tricks again, they came over.

Xu Xinning shook off Xu Daya's hand, which was being held onto her arm, looked at her with a half-smile, and then strode towards the police line.

Xu Laosan called out anxiously from behind, "Sister, where are you going?"

Xu Daya: "Third brother, don't you believe in your sister's abilities? Maybe if she takes action, the truth will come out immediately."

Mu Jingheng glared at Xu Daya with a cold face: "If Xin'er is frightened, I won't let you off the hook."