Chapter 39
Song Weiguo saw the doubt in Wang Xiangzhi's eyes and explained with a smile:
"Don't underestimate her because she's just a little girl. She's an amazing tracker. In our entire police department, no one can compare to her in identifying and tracking footprints."
Wang Xiangzhi understood rationally that the people from the Public Security Bureau had no reason to joke about such things, but when he saw the childish face of Tang Qingqing, he found it difficult to trust her.
Wang Heizi was unhappy. "Hey, look at that look in your eyes! Who do you think is willing to run around outside in the middle of winter for you?"
Wang Xiangzhi also felt that his attitude was wrong. Regardless of whether the girl had the ability or not, she had good intentions.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Wang Xiangzhi apologized repeatedly.
Tang Qingqing didn't feel much about his questioning attitude. After all, she was too shy and there was no point in arguing. Once she proved her ability, the other party would naturally be convinced.
"We'll track them down. The Public Security Bureau won't just sit there and do nothing. Just think of us as enthusiastic people coming to help." Tang Qingqing said generously.
Wang Heizi pouted his lips and muttered, "Why are you so bad-tempered?"
Wang Xiangzhi saw that Tang Qingqing was looked down upon by him but was not angry at all, and suddenly felt that he had gone too far.
Just like Tang Qingqing said, they are just trying to help you out of kindness, why are you being so picky?
Wang Xiangzhi wanted to say something but was interrupted by Zhai Hongyi.
"You should tell us about your sister's situation. The more information we have, the better it will be for us to track her down."
Wang Xiangzhi glanced at Zhai Hongyi. He could see that although Zhai Hongyi was tall, he was probably not very old.
Facing Zhai Hongyi, Wang Xiangzhi did not dare to underestimate him.
He felt that this person had an unusual aura, and it was obvious that he was not from an ordinary family. His accent was not local, so he must be an educated youth who went to the countryside.
Wang Xiangzhi gathered his chaotic thoughts and focused on his sister's disappearance.
"My third sister is a well-behaved person, and our family has a very good relationship. It's impossible for her to do such an unfaithful thing. Even if she had an affair, she would not have told her family."
Whenever Wang Xiangzhi mentioned his sister, he couldn't help but frown and look sad.
"I will tell you the truth. We are really not happy with this brother-in-law. At first, we thought that even though he was poor, it was fine as long as my third sister liked him. But he is not a kind person. He clearly said at the time of the wedding that my sister had to come home to visit during the holidays, but he always found excuses to avoid it."
This was also the reason why they did not rush to look for her because Wang Xianghong did not go home on the second day of the Chinese New Year.
Wang Xianghong thought Cao Liang was deliberately making things difficult for her again, so she delayed coming back.
"Although my third sister always says that she is doing well, we grew up together and I think she has changed a lot."
Wang Xiangzhi couldn't tell what had changed, but he felt that his third sister was not as happy as when she first married Cao Liang. And she was the type who kept silent when she was wronged.
This is also the reason why Wang's family asked Cao Liang to let Wang Xianghong go home often, so that Cao Liang would know that Wang Xianghong has a maternal family.
This time, the Wang family saw that Wang Xianghong had not returned home for a long time, so they came to kill him because they had had enough. They wanted to take the opportunity to let Cao Liang know that their family would not tolerate it and that they had to fulfill what they promised.
Unexpectedly, Wang Xianghong disappeared. What's even more ridiculous is that Cao Liang actually said that she ran away with another man.
"How could my sister be such a person! She made such a fuss at home just to marry Cao Liang. How could she do such a thing after only being married for such a short time?!"
"Let me put it bluntly. If my sister really has an affair, she can just stay home. Our whole family supports her. Why would she do such a thing? She doesn't want to go out for anything. Isn't that stupid?"
Wang Xiangzhi got angry when he mentioned this. Isn't this like throwing dirty water on his own sister?
"I think Cao Liang must have hidden my third sister. He didn't want her to contact our family and cut off the connection between our two families."
Zhai Hongyi asked: "How did Cao Liang and Wang Xianghong know each other?"
"My third sister had a younger sister who married into the Red Star Commune. Her husband worked at the veterinary station. She came to attend the wedding and met Cao Liang at the wedding."
Zhai Hongyi looked at Song Weiguo, who said:
"We went to look for that little sister before, and she said she hadn't seen Wang Xianghong either, and that they hadn't been in touch for a long time. The last time she saw Wang Xianghong was a year ago."
Tang Qingqing was puzzled: "Aren't they said to be good sisters? Why haven't we seen each other for such a long time? Did they have a quarrel?"
Wang Xianghong would go back to her parents' home during the holidays, and every time she had to pass by the commune to take the bus. Logically, if they had a good relationship, she should have stopped by to visit.
The veterinary station is not far from the bus station, so if you leave home early, you will have plenty of time to visit.
"She said that it was Wang Xianghong who distanced herself from her. She had scolded Wang Xianghong for this matter before. Wang Xianghong promised to visit her every time she passed by the commune when she returned to her parents' home, but she never did in such a long time."
Wang Xiangzhi said: "Zheng Ying and my third sister are good friends who grew up together. They were classmates before. Before, Zheng Ying also complained that my third sister didn't visit her, and we scolded her. Zheng Ying is the closest person to her here, so we should visit from time to time."
Zheng Ying is Wang Xianghong's good friend. She is from the next brigade. The two brigades are very close to each other, so they jointly opened a school.
Wang Xianghong and Zheng Ying both finished primary school and had been classmates for five years, and they had a very good relationship.
Zhai Hongyi: "Did Wang Xianghong tell you why she didn't go find Zheng Ying?"
"She said the distance was too far. I didn't come to the commune to visit her on a regular basis. I usually go home during the holidays, but I don't have time to go back."
Zheng Ying's situation is different from Wang Xianghong's. She has only graduated from junior high school and her husband's family is relatively capable.
Therefore, she worked as a temporary worker at the veterinary station. She had to go to work regularly and had two children, so she really couldn't get away and go to the countryside to find Wang Xianghong.
After getting married, women tend to focus on their own small family.
Best friends before marriage, if they are close, they may still be good friends, but if they are far away, it will be difficult to get together.
Zheng Ying rarely has time to go back to her parents' home, so the two of them rarely get together.
Zhai Hongyi asked some more questions about Wang Xianghong's situation and asked Song Weiguo to issue them a certificate.
If they want to investigate a case, they need to have some status so that people can cooperate with their work.
Song Weiguo still had some worries before the three of them set off.
"You three can really do it? Don't you want us to send someone to follow you?"
Zhai Hongyi shook his head: "No, if we haven't come back tomorrow, you can send someone over."
Seeing that he had his own ideas, Song Weiguo didn't say anything else. He just informed the local police station in advance and told them to go there to find the local policeman if they had any problems.
Zhai Hongyi nodded and asked, "Uncle, do you know anyone who has relatives in the Tiandong Brigade?"
The Red Star Commune was not actually very large, but it was long and narrow, so some brigades were very far away from the commune.
People who work in the commune can always find relatives in various villages.
Song Weiguo thought for a moment and said, "Yes, it is. I remember that Chef Li seems to have a relative in the Tiandong Brigade."
Everyone is very familiar with Chef Li, and the three of them are just about to go to the cafeteria to eat. Wang Heizi's status has also been upgraded at this time, so he is also qualified to eat for free, so he can go and ask about the situation.
It was already past lunchtime, and there were only a few people in the cafeteria, so Chef Li was also relatively free.
Hearing that they were going to the Tiandong Brigade to investigate a case, Chef Li gave them a thumbs up.
"As expected, heroes emerge from youth. A newborn ox is not afraid of a tiger."
Tang Qingqing laughed and said, "Uncle, you make it sound like we're going to have a fight."
"Not much. It's very remote. It takes several hours to walk up the mountain road. I heard there are bears in the mountains."
Wang Heizi got angry when he heard this: "Blind bear? There are only wolves where I live, and I have never seen a blind bear."
"How come you don't have any fear, you naughty boy?" Chef Li glared at him unhappily.
"I'm already a bear kid, how can I still be afraid of bears?"
Chef Li was successfully amused by him. "If you go there, just look for me. I have an aunt who married there. Although she is not my biological aunt, she has always had a good relationship with our family.
I heard that she was ill recently and I haven't had the chance to visit her. If you go there, you can bring some gifts for me."
When Chef Li learned that Song Weiguo went to Tiandong Brigade to investigate a case, he was thinking about this matter in his heart, but since he was going there for official business, he didn't dare to bring it up.
But the situation is different if these three children have to go into the village and hide their identities to investigate secretly.
Zhai Hongyi was very happy to hear this: "That's just right."
"Qingqing, when you go there, you can say you are my daughter and that I am too busy and asked you to go visit her on my behalf. My aunt hasn't seen my daughter for many years, so she won't be suspicious if she sees you."
Chef Li does have a daughter who is about the same age as Tang Qingqing, but she is much stronger than Tang Qingqing.
"Is it appropriate for me to lie to her like this?"
Wang Heizi laughed and said, "Uncle, you are too ignorant of your own appearance. Qingqing doesn't look like your daughter at all."
Several eyes glared at him fiercely, and Wang Heizi was so scared that he froze in place.
"How can you talk like that, kid! My daughter is so pretty too!"
Chef Liped him directly on the back, making Wang Heizi scream.
"It's okay. It's just a thought. Besides, you and I are almost like my biological daughter."
Tang Qingqing was very happy to hear this and did not feel that she was being taken advantage of.
Although she had not known Chef Li for a long time, Chef Li took good care of her and she was very grateful.
Wang Heizi: "What about us? What kind of identity do we need?"
Chef Li looked at him with disdain, and after a long while he said very reluctantly: "Just treat you as my son."
Wang Heizi glared, and Chef Li sneered at his expression:
"I don't want a son like you. My son is much more obedient than you. When he was not even as tall as the stove, he had already taken on my abilities. What can you do, a naughty child?"
Wang Heizi stuck out his tongue but did not refute.
He is very excited now. He feels like he is just like the underground gang in the movies, hiding his identity and infiltrating the enemy to find out the truth. It is so exciting.
Wang Heizi pointed at Zhai Hongyi again and said, "What about Brother Yi? You can't say he is your son too, right? No one will believe such nonsense."
Chef Li looked Zhai Hongyi up and down and was very satisfied with this educated youth.
"It's not that difficult. He is my eldest daughter's fiancé."
"Ha ha ha ha--"
Wang Heizi burst into laughter and slammed the table continuously, as if he had heard something incredible.
"Uncle, what are you thinking? It would be more decent if you put me and Tang Qingqing together than put them both together! Hahahahaha——"
Wang Heizi's laughter almost blew away the roof beams. His throat could be seen from his mouth. The police officer who was eating was so scared that the meat on his chopsticks fell off.
Zhai Hongyi slapped him in anger: "Just shut up!"
Wang Heizi held his stomach and said, "Brother Yi, don't you think it's funny? It's really hilarious. This is really the funniest joke I've heard this year."
Although Tang Qingqing was also shocked by what Chef Li said, she couldn't help rolling her eyes when she saw Wang Heizi's character.
While eating, Wang Heizi looked at Tang Qingqing from time to time, then glanced at Zhai Hongyi, and smiled every time. He almost choked to death on his steamed bun.
Tang Qingqing was speechless: "Is it necessary to laugh like this?"
"As for that."
"What's the funny part?"
"It's just funny anyway."
Tang Qingqing was convinced by him and was too lazy to bother with him anymore, and Zhai Hongyi was even more lazy to even look at him.
Despite being tormented by Wang Heizi, Tang Qingqing and Zhai Hongyi were not affected at all by Chef Li's fantastic proposal. They did not feel awkward at all and got along with each other as before.
The gifts that Chef Li prepared were not many, but they were all good gifts, including a bottle of maltose, two cans of canned fruit, and a few cubes of brown sugar. These gifts were considered important gifts in the commune.
They took the gifts and went to the veterinary station to look for Zheng Ying.
When Zheng Ying was called out, he was surprised to see them.
She looked at Zhai Hongyi, the most mature of the three and asked, "May I ask who you are?"
Zhai Hongyi took out the letter of introduction, which contained a certificate from the Public Security Bureau.
Zheng Ying found it even more strange, because not only did it say that Zhai Hongyi was an expatriate of the Public Security Bureau, but it also mentioned two children, Wang Heizi and Tang Qingqing.
"What do you want to talk to me about?"
Zhai Hongyi was not in a hurry: "Let's go to a quiet place."
There are a lot of livestock in the veterinary hospital. It is quite noisy and smells bad.
Zheng Ying took them aside, and Zhai Hongyi spoke: "We are here to investigate the missing case of Wang Xianghong. Do you know Wang Xianghong?"
"Yes, we have been good friends for many years. Haven't you found her yet?"
When talking about Wang Xianghong, Zheng Ying's expression was filled with worry.
Zhai Hongyi shook his head, and Zheng Ying was very disappointed.
"You and her were good friends, why did you become distant?"
Zheng Ying sighed, "I couldn't understand it at first. When she just got married, we were fine. When my first child was born, my mother-in-law was sick and couldn't come from the countryside. Seeing that I had no one to take care of me, she came to the commune to take care of me during the confinement period."
"But when I had my second child, I invited her to my child's full-month banquet, but she didn't come. I knew it was inconvenient for her to go out, so I postponed the full-month banquet to the Mid-Autumn Festival.
As a result, she passed by the commune on her way home, but she didn't even come to see me. If I hadn't been tied up with two children, I would have gone to the countryside to ask her what was going on.
Later, during the Chinese New Year, I went to her parents' home to ask her what was going on. Even if she was in a hurry, she could come visit me on her way back. She could also stay at my house for one night and go back early the next morning, so she wouldn't have to walk in the mountains in the middle of the night. Guess what she said?"
Wang Heizi, Tang Qingqing: "What?"
"She said she was in a hurry to get back so she forgot."
This reason was too perfunctory and made Zheng Ying very unhappy at the time.
But Wang Xianghong apologized to her again and again, and Zheng Ying didn't know what to say. She just reminded her that if she didn't have time to visit her house next time she passed by, she could at least come and see her.
This was not what made Zheng Ying most angry. Zheng Ying's husband was a veterinarian at the veterinary station. Once he needed to go to the Tiandong Brigade to guide their work.
Zheng Ying entrusted her child to a neighbor and went there with her husband. However, Wang Xianghong treated her very coldly.
Originally, she wanted to stay for one night, but the two sisters had some private conversation, so they had to change their minds at the last minute and hurried home at night that day.
It was her husband who persuaded her, saying that Wang Xianghong's husband's family was in a bad situation and their home was very poor, so they were embarrassed to entertain her. Only then did Zheng Ying feel relieved.
"I was still very angry when I thought about it later. We are good sisters, and I already knew the situation of her husband's family. How could I possibly dislike her?"
Zhai Hongyi: "She wanted to marry her current husband at that time. What was your opinion?"
"I will not hide it from you. Of course I opposed it. I originally wanted to introduce her to someone in the commune. That person is honest and has a kind family. Although he is a temporary worker, he is hardworking and will most likely be promoted to a regular employee in the future.
But I don't know why she was like a possessed person, she insisted on marrying her current husband. As a sister, I couldn't say anything. After all, in marriage, it's not enough to just look at the conditions. You also have to like the person yourself in order to live a good life."
"Have you mentioned this to her current husband?"
"My brain isn't stuck in the door, why would I bring this up?"
Zheng Ying paused and said, "But when she got married, I told Cao Liang to treat Xiang Hong well, otherwise I would find her a better one."
Zheng Ying was a little panicked. "Is it okay for me to say these things? Many girls like to say threatening words when their sisters get married, so that the groom will pay more attention to the bride. When I got married, someone also said this to my partner."
Wang Heizi nodded vigorously: "Yes, yes, some people in our team also say this when they get married. When my sister got married, I told my brother-in-law that if he dared to bully my sister, I would beat him into a pulp."
After hearing this, Zheng Ying breathed a sigh of relief, but he still felt a little nervous for some reason.
Zhai Hongyi: "You said you didn't know why at first, but now you know why she distanced herself from you?"
"She has been married for three years, but she has not been pregnant. You know, this is very stressful for a woman, especially since she married in the countryside. I gave birth to two more sons, and I guess she must feel uncomfortable when she sees the children."
Zheng Ying sighed deeply: "I never thought of this before, after all, I thought I would have children sooner or later. But before, when I went back to my husband's house with my boyfriend, the daughter-in-law next door gave birth to four daughters in a row. The family was shocked when they saw us.
My girlfriend had a good relationship with the man before, but it was obviously different the last time I went back. My mother-in-law said that they were still talking behind our backs about us being nagging after having two sons, and they looked at people with squinted eyes.
Zheng Ying smiled bitterly, what does this have to do with anything?
What era is it now? People still consider it an honor to have a son.
However, it was precisely because of this reason that Zheng Ying wondered whether Wang Xianghong's sudden estrangement from her was also due to this reason.
Otherwise, she really couldn't understand why Wang Xianghong would stay away from her.
She also wondered if she had said something wrong before and hurt her.
Wang Xianghong is not the type of person who expresses herself outwardly, and prefers to keep everything to herself.
But after thinking about it for a long time, she couldn't figure out what she had done wrong to make Wang Xianghong abandon the relationship they had had for so many years.
Both of them married far away, and there were not many fellow villagers in the Red Star Commune, so it was really unacceptable that they were still distant from each other.
"Did she change suddenly, or did she become distant from you gradually?"
"We gradually became distant. At first, she would stay at my place for a night whenever she went back to her parents' home, and she would stay with me for a night when she came back from her parents' home. Later, she would just come over to see me once and then leave. At first, I thought she was busy, so I didn't pay it any attention. But then, she would come over to see me once in a while, and finally she just stopped coming!"
“When did it start?”
"About a year after she got married."
"Has she changed in that time?"
Zheng Ying pursed her lips, hesitating whether to speak or not, especially when she saw the bright eyes of the two children, Wang Heizi and Tang Qingqing. She always felt that it was not a good idea to tell the children these things.
Tang Qingqing: "We are not gossiping, but we want to know more information so that we can check it out."
Tang Qingqing actually didn't know what the point of asking these questions was, but she believed that Zhai Hongyi would not be idle and gossip.
Normally when she gossiped with Wang Heizi, he was not interested.
Zheng Ying then spoke up: "I think her life after marriage must not be very good."
Wang Heizi: "Why is it not good?"
"I can't tell. She said she was living a good life, but whether a woman is married or not is written on her face. Especially since we are such good sisters, how can I not see it? But she didn't want to say it, and I didn't keep asking.
Every family has its own troubles. Even though everyone thinks I have a good life, in reality, every family has its own troubles. Not to mention that poor couples have many troubles. The man she married comes from a poor family, so there will be more troubles.
Wang Xianghong was a person who cared a lot about her reputation. She insisted on marrying Cao Liang despite all opposition, and even after marriage, she had to swallow her grievances.
If she keeps complaining to others, she is telling everyone that she was wrong.
In this case, what you will probably get is not comfort, but accusations from some people who are high above you.
'Look, I told you not to get married, but now you know you regret it, right?'
Zheng Ying understood this feeling, so she didn't deliberately ask any questions.
Instead, they wanted to see if there was any chance for Wang Xianghong or Cao Liang to find a temporary job in the commune during their free time, so as to improve their situation.
As a result, she tried her best to find a job. As long as she came to the commune to work for a few months in winter, she could earn nearly 100 yuan. Unexpectedly, Wang Xianghong rejected her offer.
She said her husband didn't want her to work too hard, so he didn't come.
Zheng Ying didn't know what to say. The job was indeed not an easy one, as she had to take care of an old lady who was very old, had difficulty moving, and was confused all day long.
Those who need to carry out feces and urine are paid well, but it is a dirty and hard job.
Although there will be a lot of people vying for this kind of job if it is released, we have to allow for some people to feel that it is not good.
Zhai Hongyi asked a few more questions and prepared to leave with Tang Qingqing and Wang Heizi.
Zheng Ying felt sad when she saw how close the three of them were:
"My relationship with Xiang Hong used to be better than yours. We would go everywhere hand in hand. But not long after she got married, she didn't like me getting close to her anymore."
People are different when they grow up. They can no longer be as innocent as they were when they were children.
The three of them caught the last bus back home and headed to the town where the Tiandong Brigade was located.
When getting on the bus, Zhai Hongyi and Tang Qingqing sat together, and Wang Heizi felt deeply abandoned.
"Brother Yi, why are you sitting together? Shouldn't we two men sit together?"
Zhai Hongyi took a quick look in the car and found that there were no women riding alone except for families traveling together.
If Tang Qingqing was left alone, she would have to sit with the man.
But he didn't explain, just said: "You are too noisy."
Tang Qingqing felt more secure sitting next to Zhai Hongyi and would be able to sleep peacefully soon.
She no longer gets carsick, but she easily falls asleep whenever she rides in a car.
The road is not good now and her mind is in a mess.
If you sit with strangers, it's not good to lean on them.
"Brother, what's the point of asking those questions?"
"A person can't just disappear for no reason. Whether she ran away or something happened, there must be a reason. Find out the reason, then you can track down where she might have gone, and you can better determine her whereabouts."
Tang Qingqing nodded. Although she was familiar with the footprints, she could infer someone or what happened at that time based on the footprints.
But that was all she knew. Without the footprints, she wouldn't know what to do.
"Brother, have you guessed something?"
Wang Heizi was sitting behind the two of them, leaning over the back of his chair and asking, "Brother Yi, stop hiding it and tell me now."
Zhai Hongyi looked at the crowd of people in the car, and it was obvious that it was not a good idea to say anything in this environment.
However, he still said: "It's just one-sided now, it's hard to judge, we have to investigate locally to find out what's going on."
The Public Security Bureau has limited manpower. Although Song Weiguo has gone to investigate before, the investigation is still relatively rough as they have to find people and question them in such a short time.
Zhai Hongyi had read the records, but had not checked or verified many of the details.
When the car arrived in the town, it was already dark.
The three of them went to the rural police station to find the old director. The old director had received a call before and knew they were coming, so he found a place for them to stay in advance and even took them back to his home for dinner.
The three of them were given meal allowances, but Song Weiguo had to exploit various loopholes to get Wang Heizi's share.
The old director declined for a while but finally accepted the money and the ticket.
It’s not easy for everyone now, and the old director’s family doesn’t have any extra food.
Compared with the food in the Public Security Bureau cafeteria, the food in the old director's home is obviously much rougher, just like the food of an ordinary farmer, without any fishy taste, but it is filling.
The three of them were not picky and still enjoyed the food.
During the meal, the three asked the old director about the situation of the Tiandong Brigade and how to get there.
The old director said: "Tiandong Brigade is the farthest brigade from our township. It is very poor there, and no girls were willing to marry there before. Many of them ran away because they couldn't stand the poverty. But since the train was connected to the back of the mountain and a stop was built, things have gotten much better."
In fact, the train stop is quite far from Tiandong Brigade, and it takes several hours to walk over the mountains and ridges, but there are tracks that are relatively close.
"The mountain roads there are difficult to navigate, and when trains pass by, they slow down. So some people go up there to steal things, and that's made a lot of people rich."
That railway not only transports people but also goods, coal, etc.
In order to catch those who hijack trains, the old chief has to patrol there quite often. They were already short of manpower, and this made the situation even busier.
In addition to these thieves, there are also people who go to the bus stop to sell things.
Usually they are wild products from the mountains, or homemade steamed buns, boiled eggs and so on.
Some people who take long-distance buses will also get off to buy some food.
Although this behavior was inappropriate, everyone turned a blind eye and gave each other convenience, which also made the people of Tiandong Brigade a little richer than before.
But overall, the Tiandong Brigade is still very poor.
Moreover, due to deep-rooted ideas, local girls are still unwilling to marry here.
If you want to get married, you have to offer a higher gift than in other places.
It was the first time in Tiandong Brigade that Cao Liang was able to marry a girl from another commune who came from a well-off family and was not bad looking.
The old director often went to the team, so he had heard about it.
After all, there are not many wives from other places nowadays, and the old director often goes to Tiandong Brigade, so he is more familiar with it.
"I have some impression of Cao Liang. He looks very energetic and hardworking. No wonder he can marry a wife with such good conditions."
Wang Heizi was surprised: "Old Director, do you think Cao Liang is a good person?"
The old director couldn't help laughing when he heard what the child said:
"As police officers, we can't start by thinking of someone as a good person or a bad person. It's easy to make mistakes this way."
Wang Heizi scratched his head: "Why?"
"What do you mean by a good person and a bad person?"
Wang Heizi glared: "When he does good things, he is a good person, and when he does bad things, he is a bad person."
"What if he is very nice to others outside, often doing good things to help others, but very irritable at home? Or vice versa, he is a bad person outside, but very good to his children, wife and parents at home, then which category do you classify him as? Some people used to be good, but suddenly became bad, how do you judge them?"
Wang Heizi opened his mouth wide and couldn't utter a word for a long time.
"Boy, you still have a lot to learn."
"Why is it so messy? Can't it be simpler?"
"You'll figure it out when you grow up."
Wang Heizi was so annoyed by this that he stood up and said, "I'm already big now!"
He grew a lot taller this winter. Although Tang Qingqing also grew very fast, she was still not as tall as Wang Heizi.
The old director smiled but said nothing.
Zhai Hongyi and Tang Qingqing both found it unbearable to watch, so they ate in silence.
Early the next morning, the three of them went to Tiandong Brigade.
Although Tiandong Brigade is far away, there are few forks in the road, so you can find the place without a guide.
The mountains here are steeper than those in Rongshan Brigade, and there are more rocks, so it is difficult for anything to grow.
Tang Qingqing is now in much better health. Although she feels tired after walking for a few hours, she can still hold on.
When the three of them arrived at Tiandong Brigade, some villagers came up to them and asked where they were from.
Wang Heizi said, "We are here to look for my aunt. My aunt's eldest son is called Wang Dashan. Can you show us the way?"
"Oh, is it the Dashan family? Their house is at the east entrance of the village. Just keep going straight and you will see it."
The villagers greeted us enthusiastically and asked curiously, "We haven't seen you before?"
"My dad came here before. He was the chef in the commune. I heard that my aunt was sick. My dad was too busy with work to come, but my aunt had to visit, so she sent my sister and me here."
After hearing this, the enthusiastic villager immediately knew who it was.
Especially when she saw the gift in the net bag in Zhai Hongyi's hand, she was extremely envious.
"It's good to be a chef. You'll never be hungry."
The villager looked at Zhai Hongyi again: "Who is this?"
"My cousin, we were still young, and my dad was worried, so he asked my cousin to take us here. My cousin is from a big city, so what's he like? Isn't he different from ordinary people?"
Wang Heizi spoke of panic very smoothly without blushing or getting nervous. He was so confident when he spoke that no one would doubt his identity at all.
When he reached the door of his house, he still greeted her warmly: "Auntie, I'll come to your house to see you later!"
Hearing the noise at the door, the person in the room came out.
Wang Dashan looked at the unfamiliar group of one, big and two small, and asked, "Who are you?"
There was no need for Wang Heizi to introduce himself, so the enthusiastic aunt explained their identities first.
Wang Heizi took the gift from Zhai Hongyi and handed it to Wang Dashan:
"My dad was very worried when he heard that my great aunt was ill, but he couldn't come because he had work to do, so he asked us to come and see her."
When Wang Dashan saw such a heavy gift, he subconsciously pushed it away.
Wang Heizi was very familiar with this trick and just stuffed it into Wang Dashan's arms.
"Uncle, we want to stay here for a few more nights. If you don't accept us, we feel embarrassed to stay at your house. Or maybe you don't want us to stay at your house and want to kick us out."
Hearing this, Wang Dashan didn't dare to refuse.
I couldn't help but sigh in my heart, children who grew up in the city are really different, look at how they talk in different ways.
My aunt's physical condition was better than Chef Li knew. She could eat, sleep, and walk, but her mind was a little confused.
Wang Dashan had just introduced who the three people were, but in the blink of an eye, he had forgotten them.
This situation is already very good in the countryside, but if it were the kind of paralysis, it would be a problem.
Wang Dashan has a son and a daughter. The son is the same age as Tang Qingqing, and the daughter is eleven years old.
The two children were somewhat distant from the three people at first, especially when facing Zhai Hongyi, they did not dare to look him in the eye.
But under the attack of candies, they soon finished one piece.
Wang Dashan's daughter Wang Tiantian particularly likes Tang Qingqing and follows her around happily.
Wang Dashan's sons Wang Xiaotie and Wang Heizi were so close to each other that they became good brothers.
Zhai Hongyi followed behind them silently, like a guardian angel, just watching without getting involved.
Wang Tiantian and Wang Xiaotie quickly adapted to his presence. Although they would not talk to him, they were not afraid of him as before.
Although they walked for most of the day, the three of them took a short break and then went out to play.
Wang Dashan listened without any suspicion and was even very happy. He thought that the three children liked their family and did not mind that they had nothing.
Wang Heizi made use of his talent for chatting and asked gossipy questions all the way.
Wang Xiaotie was particularly interested in gossip about other people, so he told them everything he knew.
Wang Heizi would also share the gossip he knew from time to time, but he was very smart in reporting what happened in the village to the commune.
Wang Xiaotie and Wang Tiantian had never been to the commune and didn't know what the various units were, so they didn't have any doubts.
The village is so small that basically everyone in the village knows what happens in anyone's family.
There aren't many entertainment options in the village, so people usually just gossip to kill time.
Although the children prefer to go out and play, the people at home keep talking about the same things over and over again, and they have no choice but to know them.
Especially Wang Tiantian, she is a girl and has a quiet personality. Unlike Wang Xiaotie who is wild and unruly, she often works with her mother.
When her mother was chatting with other aunts, she was often there too, so it was like an intelligence station.
Soon, the two children mentioned Cao Liang's family.
Something happened to Cao Liang's family, and it is now a hot topic in the village.
Wang Tiantian still has a very deep impression of Wang Xianghong. "Auntie Hong is so pretty. When she first got married, we were all stunned!"
"Oh, I thought at that time, when I grow up, it would be great to marry such a beautiful wife, and the bride price won't be too high," Wang Xiaotie sighed.
Although the Wang family did not agree with Wang Xianghong marrying Cao Liang, she was determined. After agreeing, she did not ask for a high betrothal gift. After all, if it was too high, Cao Liang would not give it.
Moreover, they were not like some families who swallowed up the dowry. Not only did they bring back all of it as dowry, they also spent a lot more.
She is good-looking and comes with her own dowry. She is a good wife that is hard to find even with a lantern.
Wang Xiaotie: "But now it seems that pretty women are not good either, they are easy to run away."
"Did she really run away with someone?" Wang Heizi asked.
Wang Tiantian: "Where else can she go? She has never been content since she got married."
Tang Qingqing and Wang Heizi looked at each other, "How did you know?"
"That's what everyone is saying. Some people even saw her hooking up with men."
Wang Heizi stared: "Is this true? Is she that kind of person?"
Wang Tiantian: "I didn't believe it at first. I thought Aunt Hong was a good person. But my little sister said that she saw her flirting with a man."
Wang Xiaotie: "She doesn't have a good reputation in the village. My brother's parents even fought over Aunt Hong."
Wang Heizi's mouth opened wide, which completely overturned his impression of Wang Xianghong.
The people in Tiandong Brigade were not surprised that Wang Xianghong had run away.
Zhai Hongyi, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up: "What kind of person is her husband?"
Wang Tiantian and Wang Xiaotie's hearts skipped a beat, as they were somewhat uncomfortable with him speaking.
But I soon calmed down and was no longer afraid of him as I was at the beginning.
Wang Xiaotie: "Uncle Liang is a very nice person. Every time he goes to the commune, he brings us candy."
Wang Heizi sneered: "Giving you candy makes me a good person?"
Wang Xiaotie blushed: "Of course it's not just because of this. He works quickly and diligently, and he has a kind heart. Everyone likes him."
Wang Tiantian: "At first, my family wanted to marry my younger sister-in-law to him. If he wasn't good enough, my family would definitely look down on him.
Unexpectedly, Cao Liang found a girl outside, and her conditions were so good that a group of people envied her.
But later on, no one was jealous anymore. If you have such a restless wife, it would be better to find a worse one to avoid being cuckolded.
Now he's running away, and everything is gone.
Wang Tiantian felt very frustrated. "I didn't expect Aunt Hong to be this kind of person. Uncle Liang treats her very well. Other women have to work in the fields, but she doesn't have to. Uncle Liang takes care of everything at home. What else do you think she is dissatisfied with?"
"You don't know how much the aunts and sisters-in-law in the village envy Aunt Hong. Now that Aunt Hong has run away, some are planning to marry their daughters to Uncle Liang."
Tang Qingqing was shocked: "No way, his wife just disappeared! She might come back in a few days, isn't it too hasty?"
"It's just a passing mention. It won't happen that soon. Uncle Liang is not young anymore. It's not a big deal that he still doesn't have children. Uncle Liang really likes children."
Wang Tiantian thought of something, looked around to see if there was anyone around, and then whispered:
"I know one more thing that many people in the village don't know. I also overheard it by accident."
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