"The two families who died in the last coal mine accident also started arguing."
The Qi family was ruined because the mother-in-law secretly took the compensation money and sent it back to her youngest son to buy him a job. Meanwhile, her grandson fainted from hunger on his way to school, and the school came knocking on their door. The child's mother, Sister-in-law Qi, was a capable woman who worked all day, leaving the house and child in her mother-in-law's care. If the child hadn't had the accident, she wouldn't have known anything about it and would have quit her job.
It turned out that when she asked, she learned that not only was there some compensation money from the coal mine, but also the grain that had been distributed a few days ago was now mostly coarse grains; the fine grains had all been mailed back to the old lady's hometown.
She then made a scene. They were working themselves to the bone, knowing full well how dangerous the coal mine was, but her husband still went, just to earn more money. In the end, it was money earned for his children, not to support his younger brother.
They had already separated their households, but this mother-in-law gave all of her family's assets to her brother-in-law. How could she accept that? She said right then and there that the money had to be returned, or she would go back to her hometown and make a scene. Her brother-in-law had a job, so she would go to his workplace and cause trouble, talk to his boss, and ask if other families did the same thing—using the eldest son's hard-earned money to subsidize the younger son.
Jian Dan hates these kinds of elderly people who take advantage of their age and show favoritism the most.
"Didn't her mother-in-law cause any trouble?"
Having lived in the village for several years, I understand the villagers' character. They are indeed simple and honest, but some people are also quite unreasonable and willful, resorting to crying, making a scene, threatening suicide, and other tantrums.
As the saying goes, even an upright official finds it hard to settle family disputes. In recent years, if it weren't for Jian Dan's own strength, her fearsome reputation would have remained on the trending topics, and she would probably have faced a lot of trouble.
Therefore, she was not at all surprised by the true colors and methods of some people.
"I hope you didn't make a fuss?"
Jiang Ping scoffed.
"Yes, it was no small feat. That old woman knew the children were Sister Qi's precious darlings, yet she managed to trick all the children into going up the mountain, you know that?"
Mountain?
Jian Dan raised an eyebrow and inexplicably looked at the little boy whose face was flushed as he had just entered the house to play.
"So how were they rescued?"
Jiang Ping shook her head, somewhat puzzled.
"To be honest, I really don't know how she got back. Anyway, that night, Sister Qi was looking for her like crazy. Later, she even went home and beat up the old lady. The old lady took a rope and tried to hang herself, saying that her daughter-in-law was trying to force her to her death. At that time, no one sympathized with her."
Many people were sent out to search, and the entire mountain and surrounding area were searched, but no one was found.
Then the next day,
Jiang Ping was somewhat stunned.
"The next day, several children were found at the foot of the mountain. They were all unconscious, but they did not have any major injuries. Their clothes were torn by tree branches when they went up the mountain, and they had some cuts on their hands and faces."
Later, when everyone asked, the child said, "My grandma said that my mother ran away into the mountains with someone, and told them to go up the mountain to find her. Then, at night, they were tired, hungry, cold, and scared, and after that, they didn't know anything else."
"...Didn't the patrolmen notice it either?"
Jiang Ping sighed.
"The strange thing is that, that night, we searched the mountain, looked for people, and patrolled, making quite a commotion, but we still couldn't find them."
The next day, during the brief shift change when no one was guarding the foot of the mountain, they suddenly appeared, as if out of thin air. They knew nothing when asked. The older children said they seemed to be floating in the air, but everyone assumed it was just childish nonsense. The truth remained a mystery.
Jian Dan frowned. Was this considered a paranormal event?
I'll have to ask Political Commissar Qin tonight.
"Oh, right, I heard some of the younger folks say that they heard someone muttering that there seemed to be paw prints of wild animals on the outskirts. What kind of wild animal could have brought them down there? Just thinking about it makes me shudder."
The main concern is the possibility of wild animals coming down from the mountain. I haven't dared let the children out to play these past few days; I feel uneasy if they're not under my watchful eye.
Simple,"......"
A wild beast?
"So, is this matter resolved?"
Jiang Ping pulled Xiao An into her arms and warmed his icy little hands.
"Is it considered resolved?"
The old lady was making a scene, and when Sister Qi saw that, she also put a knife to her own neck and said, "If you die, I'll go with you. Make a scene, the bigger the better. When the military region finds your youngest son's factory, because his job took away his elder brother's hard-earned money, drove his mother to her death, and drove his elder brother's widow and orphans to their deaths, let's see how he can stay there, let's see if he still has any shame."
That's why people say the soft fear the hard, the hard fear the ruthless, and the ruthless fear the reckless. Sister Qi was forced into a corner; the old lady was frightened and had no choice but to give in.
Sister-in-law Qi didn't want to leave any evidence, and her family, including your political commissar Qin, also advised her. After all, she still had to raise the child and make a living, and she couldn't let people think she was really ruthless. Besides, if she was really pushed too far, who knew if the old lady would actually do something reckless?
Later, Sister Qi thought about it and decided to make a clean break. She could take half of the money, but the old lady had to leave immediately and couldn't come looking for them again. The half she didn't want would be considered her eldest son's retirement money. Since her son was gone, her grandchildren would be as if they didn't exist, and there would be no more contact between the two sides.
"...Sever ties?"
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