Tian Guihua shielded Hua Xiangyun and the others behind her, saying, "Everyone knows that we lock our gate at night. There are so many families living across the street. Ask them if our children went out last night."

The residents of the houses across the street all shook their heads at the same time. It wasn't that they were covering for the Hua family, but the gate to the Hua family's courtyard was a large wooden door that the elderly couple had collected from a scrap yard. As soon as it was opened, the creaking sound was particularly jarring at night.

For this reason, in order not to disturb the neighbors, they all closed their doors early and only opened them after everyone got up.

In the dead of night, such commotion cannot be kept secret from others.

Hua Xiangyun stared at her shoes. It seemed she would have to be more careful when going up and down in the future. She guessed that for a long time to come, everyone would be watching the commotion in the tenement.

Tian Guihua, however, did not intend to let it go so easily. She rushed to the opposite side of Xie Shengnan, put her hands on her hips and looked around. "Our Dazhanyuan loses so many things all year round. Our Zhian has only been back for two days. Do you think he can fly over walls and escape into the sky?"

She's almost a grandmother, and she still speaks without thinking.

If you ask me, we should go back and check if there's a traitor among us.

"It's the Lunar New Year, every household has prepared some things, and everyone has more than you. How stupid would a thief have to be to go to your place?"

Everyone realized that He Ping'an had injured someone and had to pay a large sum of money in compensation. Xie Shengnan had complained to everyone more than once that this year was not going to be easy, and she knew exactly what she had bought.

Even if there are thieves in this yard, they won't be watching them.

It seems that what Aunt Tian said makes some sense; there might really be an inside traitor.

He Laicai's face turned red. It was clearly their family that had lost something, but these people were treating them like thieves.

Hua Xiangyun gave Tian Guihua a thumbs up for returning to their side. This old lady was so powerful that she didn't give them a chance. It felt so good to win without lifting a finger.

"It's not like I haven't seen thieves cry 'stop thief' before," Tian Guihua said, naturally not holding back since the other party had confronted her directly. Coupled with the admiration in her granddaughter's eyes, she became even more determined.

"During the Lunar New Year, everyone should keep a close eye on their doors. As long as the doors are locked, how can a thief possibly walk through the walls?"

By the way, after saying all this, was your door kicked down or pried open?

"They come to the yard cursing over something they just lost. Instead of wasting time like that, why don't they hurry up and report it to the police? Maybe there'll still be a chance to get it back."

Xie Shengnan, "..."

Seeing that Xie Shengnan didn't speak, He Laicai cursed her as an idiot in his heart, then walked out and said, "The factory is busy at the end of the year, and we were exhausted when we came back, so we forgot to lock the door."

The door wasn't forced open, but this thing is gone. We couldn't possibly steal our own things, could we?

“That’s not necessarily true,” Liu Tiezhu said, sizing up the He brothers. “Have you asked your two sons?”

"What do you mean by this?" He Ping grinned. "Do we, the two brothers, need to do this to our own family's property?"

"Who knows?" someone in the crowd muttered. "This has happened before."

Many people's eyes changed. Yes, the door wasn't damaged, but the things in the house disappeared. Why suspect the people in the yard?

Tian Guihua snorted, "If you're upright, you have nothing to fear. If all else fails, find someone to handle it. Someone who can adjudicate cases, come over."

We all live in the same compound, who would want to be known as a thief?

"Whoever's a bit more mobile can make the trip. If we live an honest life, we won't be afraid of being investigated."

Xie Shengnan gritted her teeth and said, "Check it out. I don't believe this thing can run away on its own."

He Laicai glanced at his two sons' expressions and, seeing that they were also indignant, immediately made the decision, "Yes, we must investigate."

Most people also felt that it was necessary to investigate, so that no one would suffer losses in the end.

But everyone still had to go to work today, so after exchanging a few words, they all went home. Anyway, if they wanted to investigate, they could investigate; everyone had a clear conscience.

Tian Guihua grabbed one child in each hand and carried them into the house, saying loudly as she went, "It's not even dawn yet, and you've been woken up by that inconsiderate person. There's nothing wrong with getting up, so you two should go back to bed and warm up a bit more."

Hua Xiangyun glanced at Zhou Xiaolan, who was still looking this way, out of the corner of her eye. "Grandma, you can't sleep now that you're awake. By the way, what are we eating today?"

“I got up early today. Your grandpa went to the restaurant to see if he could buy some fried dough sticks. I’ll also cook some millet porridge.”

Hua Xiangyun: "No wonder I didn't see my grandpa earlier. It's so cold. Should I go pick him up?"

“Why would I need you to go? If anyone should go, it should be your second brother,” Tian Guihua said. After two days of being pampered, Hua Zhian’s treatment had returned to normal yesterday. “Zhian, after you finish breakfast, chop that pile of firewood. There are a lot of people in our family, and we don’t have enough charcoal to burn.”

In previous years, his eldest grandson could do these things, but this year, since Lijuan is pregnant, his main task is to take care of his wife.

As for Hua Guangzong, he would have to stay at his wife's family home for at least three days. By the time he returned, it would be almost Chinese New Year, and he couldn't possibly do these things during the New Year.

Hua Zhian touched his nose, stopped and turned around, "Grandma, I'm going to pick up my grandpa now."

Before entering, Hua Xiangyun saw Zhou Xiaolan following behind Hua Zhian, smiled, and said nothing more.

Instead of letting Zhou Xiaolan find the opportunity, why doesn't she give the opportunity herself?

Although Hua Zhian wasn't very shrewd, he wasn't stupid either. At this moment, Zhou Xiaolan bumped into him, which just confirmed her earlier guess.

Even if a man is vain when faced with a girl's favor, he will naturally be more vigilant and observant of someone who is scheming, and might even have an unexpected gain.

Hua Xiangyun understood the principle that blocking is worse than dredging, and she didn't intend to follow along to watch the excitement.

Not only did he see what just happened, but the old lady did too. Hua Zhian can just wait to come back and face trial.

As soon as Hua Zhian stepped out of the compound, a gust of cold wind made him shrink his neck; it seemed even colder today than yesterday.

Braving the cold wind, he quickened his pace, hoping that exercise would warm him up.

Seeing that the distance between them was getting farther and farther, Zhou Xiaolan gritted her teeth and jogged to catch up.

But at 1.58 meters tall, she couldn't compare to Hua Zhian's 1.8-meter height; for every step he took, she had to run two.

Seeing that the distance was getting farther and farther, and knowing that such an opportunity was rare, he mustered up his courage and shouted ahead, "Brother Zhian, wait for me."

Hua Zhian, braving the cold wind, didn't hear him at all. Zhou Xiaolan had no choice but to continue shouting loudly.

Hua Zhian made sure there were no pedestrians on either side of the road before stopping and looking back.

“You’re calling me,” Hua Zhian recognized Zhou Xiaolan as soon as he saw her, but he didn’t think the two of them had anything to say to each other.