"Why don't you check again, just in case there's anything left over at home? If the red armbands find out, it will be a big problem."
Su Wantang tentatively spoke.
"I remember there weren't any, but you're right, we should check again. It's better to be cautious," Aunt Liu said with a smile.
As she spoke, Aunt Liu cut up a large plate of fresh fruit and brought it into the living room, where the two returned.
"Yanzi, could you help Mom check if there are any books or similar items from the Republican era at home?" Aunt Liu sat on the sofa, turned on the TV, and spoke to Su Wantang, who was also sitting on the sofa.
"Okay." Chunyan obediently walked over and looked through the bookshelves, cabinets, and study in the house.
Aunt Liu disagreed, took Su Wantang's hand, and the two chatted and laughed.
until--
"Mom, there's a book here!" Chunyan called out. At that moment, she was holding a book, her face serious, and she walked quickly toward them.
When Aunt Liu saw this issue of "Literature and History Magazine", the smile on her face vanished instantly, and she became extremely serious.
“This magazine isn’t mine…” Aunt Liu glanced at Su Wantang instinctively and said urgently, “I’ve only ever read collections of essays before, I’ve never bought this book.”
"It's not mine either!" Chunyan said solemnly, shaking her head hurriedly.
During this special period, everyone knows how serious the impact would be if historical publications from the Republican era were discovered.
That would have meant being labeled a "historical counter-revolutionary," subjected to criticism and struggle sessions, and sent to the countryside!
The whole family will suffer then!
"Is it possible that someone is trying to frame you and deliberately put this book in your house?" Su Wantang asked. "Aunt Liu, think about whether anyone has come to your house recently?"
"Let me think..." Aunt Liu forced herself to calm down and think quickly. As she thought about it, she actually thought of someone!
“I remember now! Wang Guifen came to my house to play a while ago…” Aunt Liu said, “When I went to cook, she said she wanted to borrow some of my books for her daughter to read, so she stayed in my study for a while. Apart from her, no one else has come to my house recently.”
The more Aunt Liu thought about it, the more alarmed she became.
“That’s her,” Su Wantang said.
"Mother, you and Wang Guifen have always had a good relationship, why would she do this?!" Chunyan said indignantly.
"Yes, I never expected her to do something like this. We're usually very close, calling each other 'sister' more affectionately than anyone else." Aunt Liu's face turned pale. She knew what would happen if the book were discovered, and the more she thought about it, the more terrified she became.
“Many people can know a person’s face but not their heart,” Su Wantang said. “People are selfish. Even if you have a good relationship on the surface, if she sees that you are doing better than her, she will be jealous and do something like this, which is understandable.”
“My boyfriend is a key technical staff member in the factory. Both my boyfriend and her boyfriend work at the same factory, and recently they've both been considering promotions to deputy factory manager… Could it be that she's framing me like this so her boyfriend can get promoted?!” Aunt Liu became increasingly alarmed as she thought about it, her face turning pale. “It must be…”
"It's good that you've seen through this person's true colors. Luckily, this book was discovered in time." Su Wantang didn't say anything more.
But both mother and daughter knew the seriousness of the consequences if the book were discovered.
“This book must be destroyed immediately,” Su Wantang said.
Aunt Liu snapped out of her daze and nodded, "Yes..."
As she spoke, she quickly opened the cupboard, took out a lighter, found a basin, put the book in the basin, and then lit the book with the lighter.
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