Old Mrs. Huo's guess was correct. Police Officers Duan and Zhang did not intend to make a big deal out of a small matter, especially when they heard that the thief had stolen things from the pigsty a few days ago. Although they looked down on Huo Ze's identity, the two would not take the theft, especially the other party's only food, lightly.
Officer Zhang, the oldest officer, stepped forward and said, "Don't worry, Village Chief Du. We will get to the bottom of this matter. After all, this is no longer just a petty theft. And from what the villagers who were watching just now said, this kind of thing seems to happen all the time. This isn't a first offense, but a repeat offender."
"Yes, the villagers themselves are unwilling to call the police, so they just discuss it in private. There's nothing I can do," Du Siming said with a wry smile. "After all, I'm an outsider. Although my surname is also Du, you know that villages like this are very xenophobic. But fortunately, the area where I live is not too close to the village, and the neighbors nearby are all very nice."
Police Officers Zhang and Duan also understood Du Siming's situation. They immediately gave him a sympathetic look and said in unison, "This is our duty. You don't have to be polite."
Then Officer Duan changed the subject, "Can I see Comrade Huo Ze? After all, it was his food that was lost."
"Okay," Du Siming nodded. "But the fertilizer he uses to graze the sheep and pigs has a slightly stronger smell. Please bear with me."
"That's nothing. My parents have chickens and ducks at home," Officer Zhang waved his hand nonchalantly. However, he regretted this decision the moment he saw Huo Ze. Although Du Siming had already given him a heads-up, upon actually seeing Huo Ze, with his tangled hair and stinking body, Officer Zhang was still a little stumped and began to stutter. "Comrade Huo Ze, uh, you... you used to be a teacher, weren't you?"
Huo Ze lowered his head and slumped his back. Perhaps because he had been hungry for a long time, his voice was a little weak. "Oh, what do you want to talk to me about, police officer?"
The weak voice was a little muffled, especially since the other party was still shoveling feces onto the truck bed while speaking. Even Officer Duan, who came from a poor family, couldn't stand the scene. "Comrade Huo, please stop for a moment. I have something to ask you."
Then he turned to look at Du Siming and asked uncertainly, "Hasn't he eaten since the food was lost?"
"Well, he did eat it, but then the group came again, and I couldn't bear to see it, so I gave him two black buns, but it seems that he didn't eat them either," Du Siming said helplessly. "To be frank, local tyrants are the most difficult to deal with, especially since I've been very busy recently. The kiln factory has already reported it to the higher-ups and it's been approved. I really can't take care of this side while I'm leading people to deal with that. If it weren't for that kid He Jiefang yelling and howling early this morning, I really would..."
Seeing Du Siming's wry smile, Officers Duan and Zhang sighed in unison. Then Officer Duan said righteously, "It's okay to be busy, but you also have to be responsible. If someone dies, your time as village chief will probably be over." He walked around the yard a few times and then looked at the wall next door. "That's Comrade Huo's residence over there, right? Can we go take a look?"
"Okay, Huo Ze, lead the way for the two comrades," Du Siming called Huo Ze on the spot. Perhaps because he was dizzy from hunger, Huo Ze's body swayed a few times before he tremblingly put down the shovel in his hand and led the three people to his residence.
Although the construction outside was very nice, the house was really poor. Even Police Officer Zhang, who came from a poor family, frowned at Huo Ze's straw bed on the ground and the mattress that was clumped and had a little straw seeping through it. However, when he thought of Huo Ze's identity, he didn't know what to say. He just rummaged through the things in the house and walked aside to whisper with Police Officer Duan.
Huo Ze's long hair covered his eyes. He glanced at the two of them quietly, then looked at Du Siming, hoping to catch those scoundrels as soon as possible, otherwise the feeling of being hungry would be really uncomfortable.
"Gurgle~" The rumbling of a hungry stomach made occasional sounds, especially loud in the silent courtyard. After Officers Duan and Zhang discussed it quietly for a while, Officer Zhang stepped forward and said, "Village Chief Du, please take Comrade Huo to eat something first. Xiao Duan and I will check here."
"Okay, you two are busy. The work in the pig house over there is not finished yet." Du Siming did not mention anything about eating. He frowned slightly at the police officer Duan, then stepped forward and took out a two-liang food coupon from his pocket, "Give Comrade Huo something to eat."
Looking at the food coupons in front of him, Du Siming shook his head and refused, smiling very reservedly, "Comrade Duan, it's just a steamed bun. I'll go get it for him. You can take the food coupons back. I hope you can catch those thieves quickly, otherwise I will be worried when my kiln factory opens."
As he spoke, Du Siming stepped back and distanced himself from Police Officer Duan.
Seeing Du Siming's refusal, Officer Duan didn't continue. He put the food coupons into his pocket and nodded, "Don't worry, Village Chief Du, we will solve the case as soon as possible."
"Okay, then I'll take people out first and not disturb you while you're checking." Du Siming then waved to Huo Ze, motioning him to follow.
After Du Siming and Huo Ze left, Police Officers Duan and Zhang searched the house and yard carefully.
It was not known whether those people were brave or they were not afraid of Huo Ze's presence. Police Officers Duan and Zhang didn't know what to say when they looked at the footprints inside and outside the wall.
Officer Duan said: "This is reckless. I think the villagers won't call the police for an outsider."
Officer Zhang said, "There's nothing we can do. Look at Huo Ze just now. He must have been starving since the food was lost. I think the village chief is not doing much and is only concerned with his own political achievements."
Officer Duan said, "The footprints are so neat and overlapping. I'm sure they came more than once. Do you think other people in the village have been here too? I don't think there's even a decent bed in that room."
Officer Zhang: "It's possible. I'll ask privately later, but it's unlikely. If we want to catch those people, we probably have to start with that group of educated youth."
Officer Duan nodded in agreement. "That's true, especially Du Jiang's family. They're the only one working in town, so their financial situation should be pretty good."
"That's right, but they just said Huo Yang was home last night," Officer Zhang recalled what he knew. "They must have known the man was home, and after hearing He Jiefang and the others say Huo Yang was strong and tall, they might have been afraid, so they didn't come."
"That's not impossible," Officer Duan continued, "I'll go back to the police station to get someone to meet the guy they're talking about, Brother Huo."
"OK, be careful on the road"
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