Liu Qing ran away.
Her running away increased Xiao Jing's suspicion of her to a very high degree.
After all, the timing of her departure was too coincidental. If it wasn't her, why would she choose to sneak away when everyone was out? Why lie and say she was visiting relatives when she was clearly going back to the city?
This is illogical.
After leaving the educated youth settlement, Xiao Jing returned to the village branch and used the phone to reply to Fang Qiao.
After a few minutes of waiting, the call was connected.
The operator answered the phone, and Xiaojing waited a few more minutes before Fang Qiao finally answered.
"Hello?"
Upon hearing Fang Qiao's voice, Xiao Jing said impatiently, "Sister-in-law, it's me. Liu Qing ran away."
Fang Qiao's eyes sharpened: "What's going on? Tell me in detail."
Xiaojing: "I just hung up the phone and went to the educated youth center, thinking I could try to find out what Liu Qing was up to and trick her, but I didn't expect that she was no longer there. Chen Qiuyu from the educated youth center told me that she left on the day of the unified exam. She said to the outside world that she had asked for leave to go home to visit her family and would come back after the New Year. In fact, she went back to the city to get married. All the procedures were completed, and her household registration and grain ration were transferred, which means she will never come back."
“Sister-in-law, you just told me that she is a prime suspect. At first, I didn’t quite believe it, but now that she’s run away, I’m absolutely convinced. The timing of her departure is too suspicious. How could she run away so soon after I had my accident? Something’s definitely not right.”
“Because she felt guilty.” Fang Qiao thought of a possibility: “Perhaps, she was about to leave and felt that there would be no one to find her across mountains and rivers, so she decided to take revenge on you before she left.”
"Sister-in-law, what should we do?" Xiaojing asked in a panic. "She ran away. Even if we suspect her, we don't have any concrete evidence. The police can't find her, and we can't get the thief to identify her."
"Don't panic, she can't hide. The village has the files of the educated youth, and we can find out where she's from with a simple check." Fang Qiao said, "Leave this to your brother, he has a way."
Cheng Baidong had a comrade-in-arms who transferred to the Public Security Bureau. Although he was not in charge of this case, having connections in high places made things easier, and having this connection with his comrade-in-arms made it easier to communicate.
Cheng Baidong told Xiaojing about her suspicions about Liu Qing over the phone. Soon, the police handling the case retrieved Liu Qing's file from the People's Commune and received an unexpected bonus: Liu Qing's one-inch ID photo.
Because the files of educated youth came from all over the country, the formats varied. Some places did not require photos to be attached to the files, while others required a passport photo.
In Shanxi Province, where Liu Qing was located, it was required that photos be attached to the files of educated youth.
The ID photo was black and white. Liu Qing in the photo was only sixteen or seventeen years old. Compared to now, her face looked a bit more youthful, but overall she hadn't changed much. Anyone who had seen her in person would recognize her.
With the photos in hand, the police quickly interrogated the scoundrel.
Upon seeing Liu Qing's photo, Erliuzi's eyes narrowed and his body tensed abruptly.
Although he tried his best to cover it up, the police officers handling the case were seasoned veterans who had long since developed a pair of "eagle eyes," and they saw through his deception in just a few words of conversation.
After some interrogation and negotiation, the scoundrel, unable to deny it any longer, finally gave in and admitted that Liu Qing had approached him and asked him to climb over the wall to steal things from Xiao Jing and her daughter's residence the night before the exam.
It was Liu Qing who told him that if he got arrested, he should say that he overheard someone on the street saying that the mother and son were rich. First, seeing money and acting on impulse would be punished less severely than premeditated crime. Second, it would also help him erase his role in the incident and avoid being implicated.
After confessing, the scoundrel tried to cover it up, saying, "Officer, I didn't really mean to hurt them. Liu Qing just wanted me to scare her a little. There's an exam the next day, so we just wanted to scare her and make her do badly on the exam. That's all."
"Besides, I... I failed! I couldn't even climb over the wall. I don't know how, but I felt like I got an electric shock. It made my whole body go numb, and I fell headfirst off the wall. I lost consciousness. When I opened my eyes again, you guys had captured me."
"I didn't have time to do anything. This... this thing that I didn't do can't be considered a crime, right? At most, at most I'll get some ideological education, right?"
"Attempted crime is still a crime! Now you're scared?"
"Too late!"
After the trial of the scoundrel, the case became clear: Liu Qing was suspected of instigating others to commit crimes and needed to be investigated. Although she was not in the local area, she still had to face punishment.
The police officers handling the case made a long-distance call to the Shanxi Provincial Public Security Bureau, where Liu Qing is registered, to assist in the investigation.
The day the Shanxi Provincial Public Security Bureau went to arrest the person was the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, an auspicious day for travel and weddings, and also Liu Qing's wedding day.
The arrival of the police shattered the joyous atmosphere at the scene.
Who is Liu Qing?
The guests looked at each other, bewildered, wondering what had happened.
Liu Qing had a bad feeling.
"I am."
Liu Qing took a step forward. She appeared calm, but her fingers, hidden in her sleeves, were clenched into fists. Sharp nails dug into her palms, and the sharp pain could not suppress the panic in her heart.
The police officer sized her up and down, then said coldly, "Come with us."
The police officer brandished the handcuffs, and Liu Qing's expression changed; she instinctively took a step back.
"Officer, I... I don't know what crime I've committed? Why are you arresting me?"
"You know in your heart what crime you committed."
Liu Qing's parents and siblings also panicked.
The factory manager was about to arrive with his entourage to pick up the bride, but now the bride was about to be arrested by the police? This is unacceptable!
But what exactly is going on?
What happened to Liu Qing? How did she end up getting involved with the police?
"Officer, is there some misunderstanding?"
"Yes, officer, is there some misunderstanding here? My sister just came back from the countryside and has been waiting at home to get married. She has hardly ever left the house."
"Just got back from the countryside?" The policeman scoffed. "That matches up. Take him away!"
Liu Qing stepped back, hiding behind her relatives: "No, I won't go! I'm a law-abiding citizen, you can't wrong an innocent person without evidence..."
"Let's talk about it at the police station."
Liu Qing was about to marry the leader and become the factory director's wife. This was a chance for her and her family to rise to prominence. Naturally, they were unwilling to watch her be arrested and would try to protect her.
"Officer, there's a misunderstanding here, there must be a misunderstanding!"
"There's no misunderstanding; the evidence is conclusive, which is why we're making arrests. If you want to stop us, think it over beforehand! Anyone obstructing official business will be arrested as well!"
The police officer's words were forceful and immediately silenced everyone present.
The group hesitated, but ultimately didn't dare to stop them.
The police officer stepped forward and mercilessly handcuffed Liu Qing's slender white wrists, the clinking sound of the handcuffs against the silver bracelet on her wrists.
That was the betrothal gift the factory manager gave her.
Liu Qing's face was ashen, and she almost collapsed.
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