Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Discovering Lime

Director Wang was confused and asked, "What do you mean? Who bit you with a snake? Didn't you say that a snake crawled into your home and bit you last night while you were sleeping?"

"Last night when I was sleeping, I vaguely felt someone entering the yard. At that time, I thought it was Lao Fang who came back, so I didn't think much about it. Who could have thought that there would be a bad guy in our yard..." Tong Caifeng described it vividly, as if she had really seen the murderer who released the snake.

Director Wang asked her half-doubtfully, "Did someone really go to your house? Did you see who it was?"

Tong Caifeng said, "It was so dark at night, how could I see clearly? I was lying on the bed sleeping soundly, and I was bitten by a snake. You said my house has several rooms, why did the snake bite me in my room? Someone must have done it on purpose!"

"What's the matter? Do you still want the snake to bite the child?" Director Wang became angry when he heard her tone.

Tong Caifeng curled her lips and said, "I didn't say that."

Director Wang turned to Meng Yufei and asked, "Xiao Meng, what do you think about this?"

Director Wang actually didn't quite believe what Tong Caifeng said, and thought she was being unreasonable again.

Meng Yufei thought for a moment and said, "Since Sister Tong said she saw someone at night, I suspect someone deliberately bit her with a snake. This happened in the family compound, so for the safety of other family members, I think we should go to Sister Tong's house to check and see if there are any clues."

Director Wang nodded and said, "Okay, then I'll trouble you to go with me to take a look after we get back."

Then he handed the lunch box in his hand to Tong Caifeng, "Nuo, your meal is back, eat it."

Then he said to Meng Yufei, "Xiao Meng, let's go to the cafeteria to eat, and then go back to the island."

Tong Caifeng was unhappy when she heard this and said, "After you leave, who will take care of me? I am a patient!"

Director Wang looked at her swollen face, which looked like a toad staring at him, and quickly turned his eyes away from her face.

"Your leg is not injured, and you still have one hand that can move. It's not like you can't take care of yourself, so why do you need someone to take care of you?" Director Wang pointed at Tong Caifeng's leg.

Tong Caifeng snorted and opened the lunch box. Inside were two steamed buns, a portion of scrambled eggs and a portion of stir-fried cabbage. Tong Caifeng flipped through the dishes and muttered in dissatisfaction, "Why is there no meat?"

Director Wang said unhappily, "You're still complaining about eating white flour steamed buns? We've been here for quite some time, and you didn't even ask about your three children?"

Tong Caifeng chewed her steamed bun and said nonchalantly, "You're so old, you won't starve to death. Director Wang, aren't you from the Women's Committee? What did you say to me last time... that you have to take care of both adults and children? You can take care of my girls."

"you……"

"Forget it. I don't want to waste any more words with you." Director Wang stood up angrily and pulled Meng Yufei out of the ward.

"This Tong Caifeng is really... really shameless. We came to see her out of kindness, but look at her, has she ever said thank you since she walked in? It's as if we owe her something..."

Director Wang kept complaining as he walked.

"And her three children. I knew she didn't care about them, but I didn't expect her to be so indifferent. There's no adult at home, and she really doesn't even mention them... After all, these children are her own, right?"

Meng Yufei advised: "Don't be angry, she is just like that. She is always like that no matter who she talks to. She is confused. Why are you still arguing with her?"

Director Wang sighed and said, "Forget it. It's not worth getting angry with her. Let's go eat. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can go back."

"Okay." Meng Yufei nodded in response.

The two hurried back to the island. It was already three o'clock in the afternoon, and the kindergarten had already started classes at that time.

Director Wang and Meng Yufei did not return to the office, but went directly to Tong Caifeng's house. The gate was not closed and was wide open.

After looking around the yard, Director Wang muttered, "Who would come here in the middle of the night and let a snake bite her? I think she is talking nonsense again."

Meng Yufei walked to the window of the east master bedroom and stared at the ground to observe carefully. No one had cleaned the yard of Tong Caifeng's house. Except for a gravel road leading to the main house, the rest of the place was mud road covered with weeds.

There was a spot on the grass in front of the window that caught Meng Yufei's attention. She squatted down and took a closer look.

"What's wrong?" Director Wang was curious about her behavior and walked over to ask.

Meng Yufei raised her head and said, "Director Wang, come here and take a look. Are the white spots on these grasses lime?"

Director Wang squatted down and looked in the direction where Meng Yufei's finger was pointing. There were indeed a few white dots on some of the grass stems, which were invisible if you didn't pay attention.

She reached out and took some of the powder from the white spot, put it under her nose and sniffed it, then nodded and said, "It is indeed lime. Could it have been sprinkled on when the wall was being plastered?"

Meng Yufei said, "It rained the past two days. If the lime was applied before, it would have been washed away by the rain. It could only have gotten on the grass in the past two days. And during these two days, Captain Fang was away on a mission. Tong Caifeng would not have brought lime to plaster the walls at home, right?"

"She can't be that diligent." Director Wang replied without thinking, and then he became puzzled: "Who could it be? Did the child at home get it accidentally?"

Meng Yufei said in a deep voice: "That's possible. Or maybe it's really like what Tong Caifeng said, someone broke into her yard last night, and this place is right under the window of the master bedroom. If the snake was released from here..."

"This..." Director Wang was shocked. "This is a military family compound. Who is so brave?!"

Meng Yufei asked: "Director Wang, if the family compound needs lime, where do they usually get it?"

Director Wang said, "Oh, the supply and marketing cooperative has it."

Meng Yufei said: "Then let's go ask the supply and marketing cooperative which households in the family compound have bought lime in the past few days."

"Okay, let's go now." Director Wang couldn't wait to pull Meng Yufei to the supply and marketing cooperative again.

"Who has come to buy lime these two days?" Zhao Meixia thought for a moment and said, "It rained a few days ago, so many people came to buy it. Yesterday, I remember Captain Song from the Fourth Regiment came to buy half a bag, saying that he wanted to dehumidify his mother-in-law's room. Captain Cao from the Second Regiment also bought half a bag to use for paving the kitchen. Oh, yes, there was also Captain Han, he also bought half a bag yesterday."

"We only have two bags of lime left. Mrs. Zhang bought the remaining half bag at noon today. If you want to buy more, you will have to wait for two days. Director Wang, Director Meng, are you here to buy lime as well?"

Director Wang said, "No, we'll just ask."

Meng Yufei asked her, "Director Zhao, have Director Fang and his family come to buy lime recently?"

Zhao Meixia said, "Probably not. This lime I have is left over from before the New Year. During the New Year, many families paint their houses. No one has come to buy it in the past few months. As for Captain Fang's family, I have no impression that they have never come to buy lime before."

After all, no one cleaned his yard, let alone painted the house.

Director Wang said, "Director Zhao, we are here to ask you something today, so don't tell anyone else yet."

Zhao Meixia paused, glanced at Meng Yufei, and felt that today's matter was not simple, but she did not ask more questions, but nodded and agreed: "Okay, I will never tell anyone else."

Director Wang and Meng Yufei left the supply and marketing cooperative. As they walked along the road, Meng Yufei said, "Captain Fang's family hasn't gone to buy lime in the past two days. Why don't we go back and check his house to see if there are any traces of lime painting."

"I don't think so. Tong Caifeng is not that kind of person. How could she have the time to paint the walls?" Director Wang said this, but he still went to Tong Caifeng's house with Meng Yufei.

After all, if it wasn’t the lime left by Tong Caifeng, then it must have been left by someone else, and it was under the window…

The two returned to Tong Caifeng's house and looked in several rooms, and indeed there was no trace of lime.

Director Wang's face darkened. "Could it be that, as Tong Caifeng said, someone is trying to harm her?"

Meng Yufei said, "Director Wang, I think we should report this matter to the military and have them come over to investigate. It's better than the two of us running around here."

Director Wang nodded: "You are right, let them investigate this matter faster."

As they were talking, a man appeared at the gate and called out, "Is that Director Wang?"

The two looked over, and Director Wang recognized who it was. She introduced to Meng Yufei beside her: "This is the family of Deputy Head Zhang next door, Chen Xiaohua."

Meng Yufei smiled and nodded: "Hello, Sister-in-law Chen."

"Hello, Director Meng," Chen Xiaohua smiled and walked over to say, "Um, Director Wang, are you here for Tong Caifeng's matter? How is she now? When will she be back?"

Director Wang said, "She was transferred to the city hospital."

"Oh, is it so serious? At last my husband Zhang came back and said that it was nothing." Chen Xiaohua said in surprise.

Director Wang sighed and said, "It was because she insisted on transferring to another hospital. It was originally fine, but after the hassle of transferring to another hospital, it became even more serious. But it's not serious, she will be back in the hospital after two days."

Chen Xiaohua nodded: "Oh, that's good, I'm glad you're fine." Then she said with an embarrassed look: "Director Wang, what about her children? I was the one who sent the younger one to the kindergarten this morning. At noon, the younger one was taken home by Mrs. Zhang who worked at the kindergarten. The two older ones are eating at my house."

At this point, she explained, "It's not that I don't want to take care of these two children. It's okay for neighbors to help, but Tong Caifeng won't be back for a while. Not to mention the problem of the two children eating, I'm worried about them sleeping alone at home."

In that era, everyone had a ration of food. Although the two children of the Fang family were young, they had to eat three meals a day.

One or two meals is no big deal, but if you eat at someone else's house for several days, it would be unbearable.

Director Wang said, "Well, please write down how much the two children have eaten. When Tong Caifeng comes back, I will have her give it back to you."

Chen Xiaohua stammered, "This... Sister Tong's personality..."

She didn't finish her words, but everyone present understood what she meant. There was a high probability that Tong Caifeng would not return it after she came back.

Meng Yufei said at this time: "How about this, the two children come to my house to eat. It happens that we eat in the cafeteria every day, so I can just buy more."

Chen Xiaohua smiled and said, "Hey, Director Meng is a leader at such a young age. He has a good heart. Then I will come over to sleep with them at night."

Director Wang nodded and said, "Okay, let's do this for now. Director Meng, the food for the child will be directly deducted from Tong Caifeng's family's food coupons next month. If she has any opinions, let her come to me and tell her that it was my decision."

Meng Yufei nodded and said, "Okay."

Director Wang added, "As for the younger child, let Aunt Zhang take care of her for a while. I'll talk to Director Tian later and she'll be given priority consideration for the Advanced Individual Award at the end of the year."

Meng Yufei nodded in agreement. Being an advanced individual is not only an honor, but also a reward.

Seeing that the issues concerning the three children had been resolved and that she had achieved her goal, Chen Xiaohua said a few words and went home.

Director Wang said, "I'm going to the army. Xiao Meng, you go back first."

Meng Yufei nodded and said, "I just happened to have some work to deal with, so I'll go back to the office first."

After the two said goodbye, one went to the army and the other went to the logistics department.

When I returned to the office, it was already five o'clock and I still had half an hour to get off work.

"Sister Meng, you're back just now. It's already this late. You might as well go home from get off work." Xiao Zhang was surprised to see Meng Yufei coming back.

Meng Yufei smiled and said, "Some things delayed me for a while. I came back to register the hospital fees for Tong Caifengjie today, and I happened to pick up Qinqin from school."

Xiao Zhang asked curiously, "It is said that Tong Caifeng was bitten by a snake in the middle of the night. Is that true?"

Meng Yufei nodded. "Yes, fortunately the snake's venom is not strong, and the person's life is not in danger."

Xiao Zhang said, "Oh my god, I never thought that a snake would come in while I was sleeping peacefully at home. I have to be more careful when I sleep at night from now on."

Meng Yufei said, "You can go pick some mugwort in a couple of days and fumigate it to get rid of the bugs."

Xiao Zhang nodded and said, "I know where to find mugwort on the island. Let's go there together."

"Okay, call me when the time comes."

After get off work, Meng Yufei went to the kindergarten to pick up her child first.

Xia Qinqin held Meng Yufei's hand and said coquettishly, "Mom, why didn't you come home for dinner again today?"

Meng Yufei touched her daughter's head and explained, "Mom and Aunt Wang are on a business trip together."

Xia Qinqin pouted: "Why is Mom always on business trips?"

"Because it's required for work." Meng Yufei said with a smile.

Lu Yannan walked over and said, "Hello, Aunt Meng."

Meng Yufei smiled and asked, "What did you eat for lunch?"

Xia Qinqin said hurriedly: "After eating shrimp, there is also cucumber..."

Meng Yufei said: "Two young ladies will come to our house for dinner tonight. Let's go to the cafeteria to get some food first."

"Miss?" Xia Qinqin asked curiously.

"Yes, they are the two little sisters who live behind our house. We will be able to see them in the evening." Meng Yufei led the two children towards the cafeteria.

The cafeteria cooked braised pork today. The fragrant smell of meat made people swallow their saliva.

A portion of braised pork cost 48 cents plus two ounces of meat coupons. Meng Yufei ordered two portions at once.

"Master, please give me some more slimming food." Meng Yufei specifically instructed.

"Director Meng, everyone wants fat meat when they cut it, why do you want lean meat?" someone next to him joked.

Meng Yufei smiled and said, "There are many children in the family."

"Tsk tsk, your family really spoils the children. How much can two little kids eat?"

"Yes, your child is also picky about food. He doesn't even like to eat fatty meat. It's obvious that his stomach is full of fat."

"Director Meng's family only has one child, so of course their life is good. It's not like my family, where we have six children. As soon as something is put on the table, it's snatched away before you even sit down."

The people queuing for food were talking at once. Meng Yufei smiled but said nothing and passed the lunch box over.

Someone looked at Xia Qinqin standing at the back and walked over to ask, "Qinqin, do you want a brother?"

Xia Qinqin shook her head and said, "I don't like it."

The man said again: "How can you not like it? If you like it, your mother can give you a younger brother."

Xia Qinqin wrinkled her face and retorted: "I don't like my brother. Children just like to cry."

The man laughed and said, "I think you are afraid that your mother will not love you anymore if she has a younger brother."

Xia Qinqin tilted her head back and glared angrily, but the man continued to tease her with a smile.

Lu Yannan stepped forward and stood in front of Xia Qinqin, looked up at the person in front of him, and said, "Auntie, mind your own business."

"...You, kid, how can you talk like that?"

"It's your turn in line." Lu Yannan looked back and said lightly.

The man choked and looked in the direction of his sight. It was indeed his turn. He said awkwardly, "Why does this kid look at people strangely?" After saying that, he stopped talking to Xia Qinqin and turned around to get his food.

Meng Yufei closed the lunch box with the food in it, turned around and said to the two children, "Okay, let's go home."

She looked down at Xia Qinqin and noticed that she was in a bad mood with her head down, so she asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

Lu Yannan pointed at the woman serving food at the window and said, "That auntie told Qinqin that she was going to have a brother, and she also said that you and Uncle Xia would not like her anymore if they had a brother."

Meng Yufei frowned when she heard this, and turned to the man angrily and said, "Sister-in-law, please don't talk about my brother in front of Qinqin anymore. Her father and I don't plan to have any more children."

The man's face froze, and he said awkwardly: "I... I was just joking with the child..."

"Don't play this joke on my child again. She is not happy." Meng Yufei said with a straight face. After that, she ignored her and turned around to pull the two children out of the cafeteria.

"What... who are you? It's just a joke." the man muttered.

After returning home, Meng Yufei put the lunch box on the dining table, and Xia Qinqin walked into the living room in a depressed mood.

Meng Yufei walked over, squatted down and comforted her: "Qinqin, what the aunt said just now is not right. Dad and Mom like you the most, and you won't have a younger brother."

Xia Qinqin looked up at Meng Yufei, her big round eyes misty with tears, and she whispered, "Really?"

Meng Yufei nodded seriously and said, "Yes, Mom likes Qinqin the most."

Xia Qinqin smiled, hugged Meng Yufei's neck and said coquettishly: "I like mom the most, too."

Lu Yannan stood aside, looking at the mother and daughter hugging each other, with a hint of envy in his eyes.

…

After school, Fang Lai Di and her younger sister Xiang Di did not go home. Instead, the two sisters went to Aunt Chen's house next door and had lunch at her house.

Chen Xiaohua saw them and said with a smile, "You guys are done with school. Director Wang from the Women's Committee came this afternoon and said your mother will have to stay in the hospital for a few more days. You can have dinner at the home of Team Leader Xia in front of you these few days. I'll go to your home to sleep with you two at night."

After listening to this, Fang Lai Di nodded and said, "I understand. Then my sister and I will go to Uncle Xia's house first."

Chen Xiaohua said, "Let me take you there."

"Aunt Chen, don't bother you. I know where Uncle Xia's house is. I'll take my sister there first."

"Oh, well, go ahead then."

Xia Qinqin ate the candy her mother gave her as an exception, and sat on the sofa with Lu Yannan. Lu Yannan took a pen and drew grids on paper to teach Xia Qinqin how to play Sudoku.

Meng Yufei was about to go out to pick up the Fang sisters. As soon as she went out, she saw two girls standing at the gate of the courtyard, holding hands tightly.

"You're done with school. Come and wash your hands. We'll have dinner when your uncle Xia comes back." Meng Yufei said with a smile.

Fang Lai Di greeted politely, "Hello, Aunt Meng." She patted her sister next to her, and Fang Xiang Di also said, "Hello, Aunt Meng."

Meng Yufei smiled and walked over to them to wash their hands at the faucet, then led them into the house and said, "Qinqin, Yannan, come over and say hello to the two sisters."

When Xia Qinqin heard her mother's voice, she slid off the sofa and ran over. She tilted her head to look at the two young ladies in front of her and recognized that they were the two people who were beaten by Tong Caifeng in the cafeteria that morning.

Meng Yufei said: "This is Sister Fang Lai Di, and this is Sister Fang Xiang Di."

"Hello, sisters." Xia Qinqin greeted with a smile.

Meng Yufei then said to the two sisters, "This is my daughter Xia Qinqin, and the little boy behind is Lu Yannan."

Fang Lai Di nodded and greeted: "Hello, Sister Qinqin, Hello, Brother Yannan."

"Hello, you guys." Fang Xiangdi greeted them following her sister's words.

Lu Yannan nodded slightly at them.

Meng Yufei said, "Okay, Qinqin, you take everyone out to play. Take out some candies for the two sisters. Don't eat too much, because we'll have dinner soon."

"Okay!" Xia Qinqin was very happy to have new friends. She enthusiastically went over and pulled the two sisters of the Fang family towards the sofa, inviting them to sit on the sofa.

Xia Qinqin went to the fighting counter to get candy and distributed it to everyone.

Then he ran to his room, took out the picture book and read it with them.

Lu Yannan looked at them happily reading the comic book and suddenly said, "Xia Qinqin, you haven't finished Sudoku yet."

Xia Qinqin said without even looking up: "Let's do it later. I'll read a book with them first." Then she turned around and asked: "Brother Yannan, do you want to play with us?"

"don't want."

Lu Yannan turned his head and lowered his head to do the unfinished Sudoku.

After a while, Xia Junshan came back. He pushed the door open and saw several children on the sofa. He smiled and said, "Qinqin, you have friends coming home."

Xia Qinqin smiled and said, "Yes, they are all my friends. Sister Dafang and Sister Xiaofang will have dinner with us tonight."

Meng Yufei came out of the kitchen with bowls and chopsticks and said to Xia Junshan, "These are the two children of Captain Fang. Sister Tong will have to stay in the hospital for a few days, and Captain Fang is not at home. They will eat at our house for the next few days."

Xia Junshan nodded and said to them with a smile: "Hello."

Lu Yannan got up from the sofa and greeted Xia Junshan: "Uncle Xia, you're back."

The Fang sisters also stood up from the sofa and said awkwardly, "Hello, Uncle Xia."

"Come and sit down, and have your meal." Xia Junshan said in a slow voice.

At the square table, Xia Qinqin and Lu Yannan sat on one side, the two sisters from the Fang family sat on one side, and Meng Yufei and Xia Junshan sat on one side each.

Meng Yufei served a bowl of rice to each person. The number of people was small, but it took her a while to serve six bowls of rice at once.

The first two bowls were given to the Fang sisters, who did not pick up their chopsticks until Meng Yufei had served everyone the rice before they picked up their chopsticks to eat.

Meng Yufei gave each of the children a piece of braised pork and said with a smile, "Come and taste today's braised pork. It smells delicious."

Xia Qinqin moved her little nose and said, "Hmm, it smells so good~"

Xia Junshan picked up a piece of meat for Meng Yufei and said, "The weather is nice today. Let's go out for a walk after dinner. We've been stuck at home these past few days."

Meng Yufei nodded and said, "Okay, we'll go together later."

After dinner, the Fang sisters politely said goodbye: "Uncle, Auntie, we are going home first. We still have homework to do."

Meng Yufei nodded and said, "Okay, then you guys slow down. I'll pick you up from your house tomorrow morning and we'll go to the cafeteria together."

Fang Lai Di said, "No need, Auntie. We all ate in the cafeteria this morning. Dad gave us breakfast money and tickets."

"Okay then, remember to come over for lunch after school tomorrow."

"Okay, goodbye, auntie and uncle." The two sisters held hands and went home.