Chapter 26 Tinglan
◎I'm going to die! Is that okay?◎
The next day, Zhao Qingyun was acquitted and went to find Zhao Xiangwan who was sorting out documents in the office.
"Xiangwan, thank you." Zhao Qingyun's gratitude came from the bottom of his heart.
Zhao Xiangwan waved his hands, with no expression on his face.
Faced with his own daughter's indifference, Zhao Qingyun was not upset this time. During the days of being locked up, he felt the warmth and coldness of human nature and thought a lot.
Wei Meihua and he had been through thick and thin together, but after coming to the Public Security Bureau once, she never came again, and her attitude was extremely cold. Even if they didn't get divorced in the future, it would probably be difficult for them to regain their past closeness.
His father-in-law had helped him get promoted and had high expectations for him. But his father-in-law was old and his abilities were limited, so the areas where he could support and help him would become less and less in the future.
Xu Juncai married his children to his in-laws, and he provided so many convenient conditions for his business, but he didn't even show up at the critical moment.
She personally brought the ten-year-old Zhao Chenyang to Xing City and raised him until now, and they have developed a father-daughter relationship. She never expected that this time she would get into trouble and she would disappear without a trace.
All the friends around him who had always treated him as brothers disappeared completely in an instant.
The only person who lent a helping hand and ran around to find out the truth for him was actually his own daughter, Zhao Xiangwan, whom he had always looked down upon.
No wonder rural elders mutter, "I don't know which loofah can be used for seeding." It is still uncertain whether their children are good enough or can bring benefits to them in the future. If they had known this earlier, why would they have neglected their own daughter for the sake of someone else's child?
Zhao Qingyun heard the city bureau leader talk about the details of the case investigation, and knew that if Zhao Xiangwan had not been careful and questioned Pan Guoqing's alibi, it would be difficult to arrest him. If Zhao Xiangwan had not staged a play with another female police officer to stimulate Pan Guoqing, he would probably still be stubborn and refuse to admit to the murder.
It can be said that Zhao Xiangwan helped a lot in enabling me to clear the charges quickly this time.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that he had not done enough before. Zhao Qingyun felt so ashamed that he ignored Zhao Xiangwan's indifference and continued, "Xiangwan, I used to..."
Zhao Xiangwan interrupted him and said, "I can only solve cases. I won't be of much help to you in the future. There's no need to have any contact with me anymore."
Zhao Qingyun's emotions, which had been brewing for a long time, suddenly got stuck, and his face suddenly turned red: "I, I, I just want to say thank you. You, you, why are you so heartless?"
Zhao Xiangwan's face turned cold. Without even a glance, he lowered his head and began to sort out the files.
Zhao Qingyun wanted to take this opportunity to improve the relationship between father and daughter, but she ignored him and showed no sign of compromise. He originally thought that Zhao Xiangwan helped him investigate the case because they were father and daughter, but now he found that it was not the case at all.
Zhao Qingyun left awkwardly after saying a few polite words.
As soon as Zhao Qingyun left, He Mingyu approached Zhao Xiangwan with a smile and knocked on the table: "Come, teach us, how did you recognize Pan Guoqing's disguise?"
Facing He Mingyu's smiling face, Zhao Xiangwan's mood improved. She closed the file, looked at her colleagues in the office who were eager to learn, and stood up.
She picked up a piece of chalk, drew a face on the blackboard, and drew a few mouth shapes next to the face.
"Among the five senses of human beings, the mouth is not only a tool for eating, but also a window for external communication. The mouth can convey a lot of valuable information to us."
Zhao Xiangwan's opening remarks immediately attracted everyone.
Ji Zhao, who was usually invisible in the crime squad, stood up, took the chalk from her hand, and re-drew a standard face. Although it was only a few strokes, it was vivid and clear.
Zhao Xiangwan smiled and said to Ji Zhao, "I'll talk and you draw."
The two worked in perfect harmony, one drawing the portrait while the other explained.
"The mouth has four basic movements: opening and closing, up and down, forward and backward, and loose and tight. By observing these movements and combining them with the personality traits reflected by the mouth shape, we can roughly judge his inner activities.
Pan Guoqing has a typical lip shape, with a short upper lip and a protruding lower lip. People with this shape are usually suspicious and defensive, but at the same time they are also very patient.
I wonder if Sister He has noticed that Pan Guoqing would bite his lips unconsciously when answering questions. This shows that he is carefully analyzing every question from the police and is in a state of mental defense for a long time. If he loves his wife, he should actively cooperate with the police to find the murderer. If he has done nothing wrong, he would not be so defensive against the police.
He Mingyu exclaimed, "Yes, yes, Pan Guoqing has this little problem when he speaks. I thought at the time that he was a self-abuse man, but I didn't expect it to be a sign of psychological defense."
Zhao Xiangwan nodded and continued to talk about what he had summarized from this case.
"When we asked him where the money had gone, he pursed his lips into a square shape, which means he is very stubborn and will never look back once he makes a decision. But when the stimulation accumulates, he will temporarily lose his mind, which leads to his radical behavior of pulling the curtains, opening the closet, and throwing clothes."
Zhu Feipeng tried hard to recall the scene, but he only remembered that he jumped up in anger and pulled open the curtain with annoyance. As for his lip shape at that time... I really didn't pay attention.
"In the interrogation room, Captain Xu is in charge of the interrogation. I wonder if you have noticed Pan Guoqing's lip shape." As soon as Zhao Xiangwan asked this question, the office fell silent.
Xu Songling's voice suddenly rang out: "When I asked questions, his lips were tightly shut. Unless he had to speak, he would keep his mouth shut, as if he was trying hard to hide his mouth and was determined not to say a single word."
Zhao Xiangwan smiled and nodded: "Captain Xu should be very experienced in this. When the pressure on the suspect reaches a certain level, the phenomenon of hiding lips will appear, and the brain refuses to express itself in this way. If the pressure reaches the limit, his lips will not only be tightly pursed, but the corners of his mouth will bend downward to form an inverted U shape. Captain Xu applied pressure based on this change in expression, and I just took the opportunity to add fuel to the fire."
There was a moment of silence in the office.
Three seconds later, there was thunderous applause.
"Junior sister, you are very observant!"
"I never thought people would have so much to say with just a mouth."
"Take notes, take notes quickly."
"We solved a major case in less than half a month. What an efficiency! This is incredible. Junior Sister is our lucky one. She must be given an excellent grade for her internship results!"
Amid the applause, Zhao Xiangwan's mouth corners slightly turned up, and his eyes sparkled with joy. Being able to combine mind reading with micro-expressions and organize effective theoretical knowledge will definitely help improve criminal investigation techniques!
This time, Ji Zhao was not disturbed by the applause. He took a step back and looked at the face drawn on the blackboard, with a straight mouth, tightly pursed lips, and resisting eyes. The expression on his face became richer.
He looked around, gently put down the chalk, and imitated everyone else, clinking his hands together, making a slight "pa! pa!" sound.
Everyone laughed.
Zhu Feipeng was extremely surprised and said loudly: "Oh, Master Ji can applaud!"
Ji Zhao stopped what he was doing.
Zhao Xiangwan glared at Zhu Feipeng and said to Ji Zhao, "Applause means praise. Please continue."
Ji Zhao is not stupid, in fact he is very smart, but he used to be closed-minded and unwilling to interact with others, so he appears clumsy.
Now that he stays in the serious crime squad every day, Zhao Xiangwan can understand and hear what he is thinking. The unprecedented smooth and free communication gradually makes Ji Zhao let down his guard, and he gradually integrates into the team and has a bit of a sense of the world.
Ji Zhao clapped again.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
Although it was just a few gentle sounds, Zhao Xiangwan saw the skylarks dancing in the wilderness. It was a great sense of accomplishment to be able to make Ji Zhao enjoy himself little by little in that lonely wilderness world.
In a blink of an eye, it was Chinese New Year. People in the south celebrated the Little New Year on the 28th. Zhao Xiangwan bought a train ticket for the 27th to return to Luo County. Even though her colleagues in the serious crime team were reluctant to let her go, they felt embarrassed to keep her any longer. They had to reluctantly send her off on the train, carrying a bunch of gifts.
Luoxian is a small station and you can only take a slow train.
During the Spring Festival travel rush, the green trains were so crowded that there was no room to even put down one's feet. Zhao Xiangwan, with a large army green shoulder bag that had faded from washing slung over his left shoulder and a navy blue canvas handbag in his right hand, found his seat and sat down with difficulty.
The reason why it was difficult was that five people were squeezed into the seats that were originally for three people.
Zhao Xiangwan sat in the aisle seat, turned her head and looked around, the luggage rack above her head was already full, so she had to bend down and put her handbag under her feet. When she stood up, she felt a little uncomfortable with the bodies touching her left and right, but there was nothing she could do at the moment, so she had to endure it.
Sitting by the window was a woman with a melancholy look on her face. Her frail body was wrapped in a large navy blue cotton jacket, which made her look empty. She stared blankly out the window with her right hand resting on her chin, her lips tightly pursed. Her hands, cheeks, and ears were all covered with frostbite, and were abnormally red.
Next to the woman sat a plump middle-aged woman wearing a light blue double-breasted woolen coat and with curly hair. She was breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling, and it was obvious that she was trying hard to hold back.
"Bang--"
When the train stopped again to wait for another express train to pass, the fat woman finally couldn't control her temper and started cursing through gritted teeth.
"What kind of crappy train is this? Stop, stop, stop! It keeps stopping! I am doing this for nothing. It's almost New Year and I still have to take a debt collector like you home. It's so cold and train tickets are hard to buy. Are you going to kill me?"
The thin woman didn't say anything, but her eyes were filled with despair.
【After being kidnapped for a year, I was finally rescued by the police. I thought I would feel warm when I returned home, but my mother didn’t ask me if I was injured or if I suffered. She just looked at my belly with a look of disgust and kept telling me about her hard work. My parents have been like this since I was a child. As long as my test scores were not good enough, they would scold me for not working hard and not being serious. Then they would keep talking about how they saved money for me, as if all their suffering was because of me. In front of them, I am always a sinner! 】
It turned out that the woman was a kidnapped woman who had just been rescued by the police, and the middle-aged woman with her was her mother. The mother complained and the daughter was disappointed, and the relationship between mother and daughter was not good.
Hearing the fat woman lose her temper, a man in a Mao suit sitting opposite her kindly said, "Sister-in-law, are you going home? Don't lose your temper during the New Year."
When she heard someone talking to her, the fat woman's emotions quickly found an outlet.
"Go home for the New Year, go home for the New Year! What's the point of celebrating the New Year if you encounter so many bad things! You say I'm such a shameless sister..." She glanced at her daughter sitting by the car window, her eyes stayed on the frostbite on her daughter's cheek, and she didn't know why she became irritable again.
The fat woman curled her lips and said, "A woman's face is so precious, don't you know? You have frostbite on your face, I really admire you! How are you going to get married in the future if you look like this?"
Tinglan finally spoke, but her voice was as cold as ice: "Marry, do you think I can still get married?"
As soon as the fat woman heard her daughter's voice, she started to get irritated for some reason: "Why can't you get married? At least you went to college for a year, you are educated and good-looking. Let your father find you a man whose wife has died or an old bachelor in your hometown in the countryside. Can he still dislike you?"
Tinglan suddenly laughed, her laughter full of self-loathing. She blew a breath toward the car window and drew a big "X" on the white air with her finger.
"Marrying me to a rural village with an uneducated old man is no different from marrying me to a remote mountain valley. You really love me."
The fat woman jumped up at her daughter's words: "You damn sister! Do you think you are still the same as before? Do you know how many tears I shed and how many times I went to the police station this year? You have disgraced your father and I!"
Did she go to college? Police station? The conversation between the mother and daughter revealed too many details, and everyone's curiosity was aroused, and they discussed it quietly.
"You didn't go to college for a year and then elope and get married, did you?"
"It doesn't look like she's getting married. If she could be taken to the police station, could it be that she's in jail for committing a crime?"
"This girl looks like she's almost 30, right? She's so skinny~"
An old woman asked tentatively: "Big sister, is this your daughter? She looks like she is suffering. What happened to you?"
The fat woman opened her mouth, but she still had the nerve to tell the truth. She just glared at her daughter and muttered, "She brought this upon herself. I have no face to say anything. It's so embarrassing."
[Isn't it embarrassing enough that a female college student was abducted on a train? Tinglan was good-looking and a good student. She was admitted to Kyoto University of International Business and Economics in 1989. Who in our unit didn't envy her? How could we know that she was abducted on her way back to school during the summer vacation of her sophomore year? How embarrassing it would be if the news got out. She studied so much for nothing, and a college student could still be abducted. ]
Got into university in 1989? Zhao Xiangwan looked at the thin woman again after hearing this. She went into university two years earlier than him, and she was at most 21 years old this year, but she looked weathered, without any of the vigor that a young girl should have.
Zhao Xiangwan had also read about the kidnapping of a female college student in the newspaper. At that time, his eldest aunt had even used the newspaper to explain the situation to him and his cousin Fan Qiuhan.
"Girls must be careful when going out alone. Don't talk to strangers, don't go with strangers, never eat anything given by strangers, and don't tell others your name, address, school, etc. Otherwise, if someone plots against you and abducts you to a remote mountain valley, you will be helpless and have no hope at all. What will you do?"
Now, the abducted female college student is right in front of us. Although she was rescued by the police a year later, the injuries and sufferings she had endured are like a scar engraved on her heart that can never be healed.
"Shame on you, shame on you, you only know how to be ashamed! I've embarrassed you, I'll die! Is that okay?"
Tinglan was irritated and shouted recklessly. She let out all her anger and grievances on this train full of strangers.
Tinglan's shout attracted the attention of everyone on the train.
Her cry was filled with despair, and it made people feel heavy in their hearts. Those who originally wanted to watch the excitement felt a little bit sorry for her and began to persuade Tinglan's mother while she was lying on the ground.
"Big sister, don't push the child. Look how thin she is. Go home and make her some delicious food so she can take good care of herself."
"Yes, auntie, although I don't know what happened in your family, but please don't scold your daughter on the train. What's shameful? Being alive is better than anything else!"
"Tomorrow is the Little New Year, and it's a rare opportunity for the family to be together. It would be great if everyone was healthy and harmonious, and don't worry about other things."
When Tinglan's mother heard everyone's advice, she felt a little embarrassed and turned her head away and snorted, "Who are you trying to kill yourself for? I finally brought you back, why can't you behave yourself?"
Tinglan's mood was immersed in self-abandonment.
She suddenly stood up, exerted her strength with both hands, and pushed the window up violently. In the cold winter month, a biting cold wind blew in, the temperature in the car dropped suddenly, and everyone shuddered.
"What psychopath opened the window? Frozen to death."
"What are you doing? Why are you opening the window?"
Amid a burst of exclamations, Tinglan stuck her head out of the half-open window, stretched out her arms, faced the cold wind, and laughed like a madman: "Hahahaha... So what if I'm back? I'm still rejected!"
It wasn't noticeable when she was sitting, but now that she stood up, her wide cotton shirt couldn't cover her slightly protruding belly.
[I am pregnant with my enemy's child. I am now more than five months pregnant. Abortion is dangerous. What should I do? My right hand was pulled when I escaped last time. My shoulder joint is severely dislocated. I am beaten every day until my head is bleeding. I haven't recovered yet. I am only 21 years old. I feel like I am walking on cotton. My mother hates me and my father won't see me. They all wish I was dead, right? What's the point of living like this! ]
Tinglan's mother suddenly pulled her back and slapped her hard in the face.
There was a crisp sound of "Pa!", and everyone shuddered involuntarily. This mother was so cruel to her own daughter!
After giving her the slap, Tinglan's mother still felt unsatisfied and kept slapping her arm, crying and shouting.
"I'm going to beat you to death, you damned girl! How much do you want to worry about me and your dad? You haven't even fulfilled your filial duty for a single day, and you dare to die first? Do you know how our former colleagues at the fertilizer factory laughed at us behind our backs? Do you know that after the accident, your dad had a stroke and almost died?
In order to find you, we sold our house and now we can only rent a shabby house to live in. What else do you want from us? We finally found you, but you have become like a hedgehog, looking for death at every turn. How can you still be as obedient as when you were a child? If I knew you would become like this, I would rather die outside! "
Tinglan didn't move, and numbly endured her mother's anger.
During the year of being kidnapped, Tinglan suffered a lot. She went from being a proud son of heaven to a country daughter-in-law, from being an innocent girl to a venting tool locked at the foot of the bed, from being a kind girl to a reproductive machine, being deceived, forced, and humiliated, all kinds of hardships are enough to make a person collapse.
Tinglan endured all these hardships.
But today, the blame and denial from her mother lashed Tinglan's soul like a whip, leaving her speechless with pain. She felt she couldn't bear it any longer.
【I am a sinner. I am a sinner.】
Tinglan repeated this sentence over and over in her mind, tears dripping onto her large cotton padded jacket, which was absorbed by the navy blue clothes without leaving any trace. She stopped struggling and lowered her head to let her mother beat her, all the energy and spirit drained from her.
I don’t know why, but when Zhao Xiangwan saw Tinglan being beaten by her mother, her heart ached and all the unhappy childhood memories came to her mind.
In order to prevent Zhao Xiangwan from having a promising future and to avoid overshadowing Zhao Chenyang, her adoptive mother Qian Shufen usually has no good words for her. No matter what Zhao Xiangwan achieves or how much housework she does, she will only scold her loudly: "Why did I give birth to you, a dead sister? You are a loser!"
Zhao Xiangwanqing clearly remembers that when she graduated from primary school, she begged her mother to let her go to school, but what she got was a beating with a broom and ruthless ridicule: What's the point of a girl reading so many books? She might as well feed a few more chickens, which can lay eggs and eat meat.
Thinking of this, Zhao Xiangwan, who never liked to meddle in other people's business, raised his head and looked at Tinglan's mother seriously: "Stop hitting her! Her head and hands have been seriously injured."
Tinglan's mother was stunned for a moment, and her raised right hand suddenly stopped.
Zhao Xiangwan turned his head and looked at Tinglan: "It's not your fault, don't be afraid."
Tinglan slowly raised her head and looked at Zhao Xiangwan. A faint light rose in her eyes that were blurred by tears.
Although Zhao Xiang was young, his serious face and attitude made Tinglan's mother, who always cared about other people's opinions, feel pressured. She snorted, withdrew her hand and stopped hitting Tinglan, and sat down awkwardly.
The atmosphere in the carriage was noticeably calmer.
Tinglan did not make any more trouble and just sat there quietly. Tinglan's mother did not scold her anymore, but her face remained gloomy.
Six hours later, the green train finally arrived in Luo County. Zhao Xiangwan got up with his luggage, and Tinglan's mother, who was sitting next to him, also started to get off the train.
Zhao Xiangwan glanced at Tinglan who was sitting beside him, and thought of her inner whispers that he had heard along the way.
[The old lady on the train acted really pitiful, saying that her son worked in Kyoto and was now seriously ill and in the hospital. She came from the countryside to visit her son, but it was her first time traveling so far and she knew nothing, so she wanted me to take her to the First Hospital.
How could I believe it? Because her pitiful eyes reminded me of my grandmother. If I got sick one day, my grandmother who had never been far from home in the countryside would be as confused as she is now. Because I felt sorry for her, I stayed with her and took her off the train. Unexpectedly, as soon as we walked out of the station, two people got off the small truck parked on the side, and then... they were blinded and sold deep into the mountains. 】
The reason why the female college student was deceived has nothing to do with her IQ or education, but because she was young, naive and too kind. The kidnappers often appear as the weak and seek their help. Who can escape from the deliberate and unintentional tricks?
Thinking of this, Zhao Xiangwan smiled kindly at Tinglan and was about to speak, but unexpectedly, Tinglan's mother was a little wary. Seeing her approaching her daughter, she immediately stopped and glared at her: "What are you going to do?"
Zhao Xiangwan couldn't see the change in Tinglan's expression, so he had to turn around and leave.
Although Luoxian Railway Station is small, many people return home for the Spring Festival. Following the crowded crowd out of the station, Zhao Xiangwan walked south for half an hour and finally arrived at his eldest aunt Zhao Dacui's house.
After my eldest aunt got divorced, she bought an old house in the old town of the county, not far from Luoxian Middle School. It was a private house built by early residents, with only one bedroom, a utility room, and a small toilet.
The bedroom is about 16 or 17 square meters, and it serves as a dining room, living room, and study room. A dining table, a study table, a wardrobe, a bed, a sofa, a coffee table, and two chairs fill the room to the brim.
Because there was no kitchen, Zhao Dacui paid someone to push the bedroom eaves outward by one meter. She built a simple stove under the eaves, placed a coal stove and a wok on it, and added an old table as a cutting board. Although it was simple, at least it was not exposed to the rain and was sufficient for use.
Zhao Dacui was a middle-aged woman with kind features. She hadn't seen her niece for half a year. She welcomed her into the house with a smile, and talked to her while pouring hot water into the enamel basin.
"Come on, wash your face first. You must be tired after sitting on the train for so long. I haven't seen you for half a year, and you seem to have grown a little taller. Does your school have a cafeteria? Can you eat well? You said the school also distributes clothes, right? Why don't you wear them back to show aunt? Xiangwan is tall and has a good figure. She will definitely look good in the police uniform."
A charcoal brazier was lit in the room, making it much warmer than outside. Zhao Xiangwan unbuttoned his coat, revealing the bright green pullover he was wearing underneath.
"The school cafeteria is pretty good, and they give out meal tickets, so I eat pretty well. The uniforms they give out are two sets, and I usually only wear them on campus. When I go out, I wear my own clothes. Look, aunt, I always wear the sweater you knitted, and it keeps me very warm."
Zhao Dacui smiled even happier when she saw the sweater. Her eyes narrowed into slits, and the fine lines at the corners of her eyes deepened. "Okay, okay, as long as you like it. I wanted to make one for your sister, but she said the color of this sweater was too earthy and refused to have it. My little girl Xiangwan is the best. She wears whatever you give her and looks good in it."
Zhao Xiangwan washed his hands with a basin of hot water, then put a hot towel on his face: "Where's my sister? What shift is she on today?"
"Your sister is on the day shift today and will be home soon. Xiangwan, after you wash your face, leave the basin alone and go to the vegetable garden at the door to pick a handful of garlic leaves. Aunt will stir-fry some bacon for you tonight."
Zhao Xiangwan responded and pushed the door open. The old house was an old bungalow with a small vegetable patch at the door. The diligent Zhao Dacui planted some garlic and cabbage in it.
As soon as I bent down and pulled out a few garlic cloves, I heard a burst of laughter: "Who is this thief who dares to come to my house and steal garlic?"
Zhao Xiangwan raised her head and saw a petite young girl with braided hair. Zhao Xiangwan smiled and greeted her, "Cousin, you're back."
Although Fan Qiuhan was not tall, she moved in a manly manner. She strode over and helped to pull a few handfuls of garlic, complaining to her mother as she pulled them: "My mother is the same. You finally came back, why should I order you to work? Wait for me to come back."
Zhao Xiangwan smiled and didn't respond to her cousin's words. She knew Fan Qiuhan's character very well. He had a sharp tongue but a kind heart. He had a bad temper but a soft and kind heart.
Fan Qiuhan walked in side by side with her, and Zhao Dacui said happily: "Sister Qiu, you came back just in time. Quickly set the table and pour Xiang Wan a cup of hot tea. Xiang Wan must be tired after riding the train for so long. There is no hot food to eat on the way. I have to cook quickly."
Fan Qiuhan was working while talking to Zhao Xiangwan. The close relationship between the two sisters made Zhao Dacui feel happy. She couldn't help but sigh: "Now this is the life. In the past..."
Fan Qiuhan rolled his eyes at his mother and said, "Okay, Mom, stop dwelling on the past. We need to look forward. When I start working and get paid in July this year, you can stop hanging around. You can stay at home and rest while you're in the cold winter and the sunburn in the summer. I'll support you."
Zhao Dacui was cooking while she muttered, "Why should I take a break? It's not like I can't work. It's better to have something to do every day. If you let me stay at home all day, I'll definitely get sick."
Fan Qiuhan pretended to kick Zhao Xiangwan: "Hey, please help me persuade my mother. She pushes a breakfast stall out early every morning and sells rice noodles until 10 am before going home. She refuses to rest even when she is sick. We don't need to buy anything big right now, so what is the point of earning so much money?"
Zhao Xiangwan stepped aside and said, "Cousin, my aunt is a hard-working person. She is used to working and can't sit still."
Zhao Dacui nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, you are still the best aunt Xiang Wan. When I was in the village, I was responsible for feeding pigs, chickens, cooking, and washing. I was used to working in the fields with men during the busy farming season. I have to find something to do in the city, otherwise I will be useless. Besides, if it weren't for this rice noodle stall, how could we support the two of us? You are such a heartless girl!"
Zhao Xiangwan made a suggestion: "Sister, if you feel sorry for your aunt who has to endure the sun and rain every day, why don't you sell the store and open a rice noodle shop?"
Before Fan Qiuhan made a statement, Zhao Dacui shook her head desperately: "How much does it cost to open a shop? I don't have that much money. Besides, I have a business license for the breakfast stall, so I don't have to worry about the urban management, and I don't have to pay any rent. I only need to open it for a few hours in the morning. How comfortable! If I open a shop, water, electricity, gas, and rent are not included. It will be open all day, wouldn't I be exhausted?"
Zhao Xiangwan didn't know how to run a business, so he didn't force her. He just said, "Aunt, if you need money, I can help you a little."
Zhao Dacui didn't take Zhao Xiangwan's words to heart. How much money could she have when she just entered college? She still wanted to help? What a child's words. She laughed, cooked the dishes out of the pot, and handed them to Zhao Xiangwan: "You have money, keep it for yourself, aunt, don't want it. It's not easy for you to go to school, aunt knows."
Zhao Xiangwan took the bowl and placed it on the dining table. The aroma of bacon fried with garlic leaves filled the air, spreading throughout the room filled with furniture.
Fan Qiuhan said, "Okay, okay, mom, you always like to bring up these unhappy things when you are happy. Xiangwan is now studying at the Public Security University, and uncle and aunt don't dare to bother her anymore. The Public Security University doesn't charge tuition, and also provides food and clothes, how great. Even if aunt doesn't give money, you can still finish your studies, right?"
Watching Zhao Xiangwan walking towards her step by step, Fan Qiuhan knew too well how difficult it was for her to study.
Zhao Xiangwan raised his eyes and looked at his aunt and cousin, and said with a smile: "Don't worry, I'm an intern at the Public Security Bureau and helped solve a murder case. The bureau rewarded me with 1,000 yuan. This money is enough for me to finish my studies. You don't have to send me money anymore. If your aunt and cousin want money, just ask."
"Really?" Fan Qiuhan and Zhao Dacui asked in surprise.
Zhao Xiangwan nodded: "Really."
Fan Qiuhan opened his mouth wide: "Oh, are there so many rewards in the Public Security Bureau? I thought the income of being a police officer was not high."
Zhao Xiangwan explained, "Some entrepreneurs have set up a fund to punish crime and promote good deeds, and they will give out bonuses if they solve a major case." Ji Jinmao has been trying to improve the treatment of police officers. This time, he gave a bonus of 10,000 yuan for solving the murder of Weng Pingfang. The bureau rewards people based on their merits, and they were very tactful to reward Zhao Xiangwan with 1,000 yuan.
Zhao Dacui was so happy that she chanted Buddha's name repeatedly: "Amitabha, this is really a great thing. Xiangwan has a promising future and can make money. In the future, you don't have to ask your mother for help anymore."
Zhao Xiangwan opened her mouth but ultimately did not reveal her origins. If she told them that she was not Zhao Erfu and Qian Shufen's biological daughter, then she had no blood relationship with them.
Zhao Dacui was the warmest place in Zhao Xiangwan's childhood and Zhao Xiangwan was reluctant to leave.
Although Zhao Dacui's current old house is simple, it is warm and peaceful, allowing Zhao Xiangwan to feel the care and concern of her relatives, and the nagging and tenderness of her elders.
After dinner, Zhao Xiangwan took out gifts for his aunt and cousin from his bag. He gave his aunt a bright red cashmere scarf and gave Fan Qiuhan an electronic watch.
"Aunt, it's Chinese New Year, so wear something red to celebrate. If you feel cold when you go out to work at the breakfast stall, wrap yourself up tightly. Cousin, you always have to check the time after work, so a watch is the most practical thing to give you."
Zhao Dacui stroked the soft and thick scarf, smiling but with tears in her eyes: "My son Xiangwan has made great progress. He even bought a gift for my aunt during the Chinese New Year."
Fan Qiuhan put the watch on his wrist, punched Zhao Xiangwan, and laughed: "You didn't forget your cousin now that you have money. You have a conscience and I love you well!"
All three of them laughed.
Zhao Dacui hesitated for a long time, and finally asked Zhao Xiangwan: "Why don't you go home to see your parents when you come back this year? Your eldest brother came over a few days ago and said that he hadn't received any letters from you and didn't know when you would come back. Your second brother is working in Guangzhou and will be home tomorrow morning. They all miss you."
Zhao Xiangwan lowered her eyes and said, "Aunt, I just want to stay with you, is that okay?"
Zhao Dacui and Fan Qiuhan looked at each other, both feeling a little distressed, and said in unison: "Okay, okay, okay, why not?"
[Xiang Wan is such a pitiful child. Her brother and sister-in-law treated her. When she was little, they spoiled Chen Yang and ordered Xiang Wan around like a maid. Later, Chen Yang was taken away by her biological parents. Logically, her brother and sister-in-law should have treated Xiang Wan better, right? But not only did they not treat her better, they even ordered her around more. her textbooks, and doing all kinds of things to prevent her from studying.
If Xiangwan hadn't worked hard to make her a success, she would have been unable to finish her studies and would have stayed at home as a laborer, right? She would have been like me, feeding pigs and chickens, cooking, washing clothes, working in the fields during the busy farming season, and when she turned 18 she would find a young man in the village to marry, have children, and her life would all depend on the quality of the man she married.
However, this is not the life Xiangwan wants. This child has loved reading since she was young. She would hold a book and read when she had nothing to do. She was more serious than any other child when doing homework. She wanted to leave the countryside and see the bigger world. She should have a bigger world. She should live a better life than me, my sister-in-law, and everyone I know. 】
Zhao Dacui's heartfelt love and affirmation made Zhao Xiangwan feel mixed emotions.
In the eyes of the aunt, Zhao Xiangwan was just like her, being looked down upon, ignored, and oppressed in the countryside because she was a woman. However, the aunt did not know that the real reason why Qian Shufen disliked Zhao Xiangwan was that Zhao Xiangwan was not Qian Shufen's biological child.
Zhao Xiangwan said, "Aunt, my parents won't care whether I go back or not. I will go to the hospital where my eldest brother works to see him tomorrow."
Zhao Dacui smiled with relief: "Seeing that you brothers and sisters have a good relationship, I am very happy."
At night, Zhao Xiangwan slept in the new quilt prepared by Zhao Dacui, smelling the scent of sunshine emanating from the pillowcase, and heard Fan Qiuhan hugging Zhao Dacui's neck and saying coquettishly on the other side of the bed: "Mom, I haven't slept in the same quilt with you for a long time."
Looking up at the moonlight coming in through the window glass, Zhao Xiangwan's lips gradually curled up.
The next day, January 24th of the solar calendar, is the Little New Year in the South.
It was just daybreak.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" There was a series of rapid knocks on the door, mixed with a woman's hoarse screams.
"Help, help..."
Zhao Dacui recognized the other person's voice, immediately put on her clothes, got out of bed, walked over and opened the door.
A gust of cold wind blew into the room, starting Fan Qiuhan and Zhao Xiangwan at the same time and shuddering.
A fat woman with dishevelled hair stood at the door. She raised a pair of blood-stained hands and shouted like crazy: "Sister Qiu, you are a nurse, come and save people."
Upon seeing the blood, Fan Qiuhan hurriedly got up from under the quilt, quickly put on his coat, and walked quickly to the door: "Aunt Lu, what's going on?"
Aunt Lu was trembling all over: "Ting, Tinglan cut her wrists..."
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