"Sister Lin, we received a message from the staff saying that when Brother Liu returned home that night, all the valuables were gone."
Moreover, even Brother Liu himself... couldn't tell when he disappeared. The man, Xiao Jun, a low-level henchman, didn't dare to look Sister Lin in the eye as he spoke, only staring at the ground, and his voice grew softer and softer.
"What? What's he good for? He didn't even know his house was burgled, what else can he do... All he does is play around with women, he'll die from women sooner or later." Sister Lin took a breath, feeling utterly disappointed.
Then, he took out a cigarette and half a box of matches from his pocket, lit them with two quick puffs, took a couple of drags, and said, "Xiao Jun, Sister Lin wants you to do something..."
Before Sister Lin could finish speaking, Xiao Jun lowered his head obsequiously, leaned forward slightly, and said, "Sister Lin, please give me your orders. Don't just say one thing, even ten or a hundred... as long as you ask, I will do it."
Sister Lin was very satisfied with Xiao Jun's understanding and said with a smile, "Go directly to Tao County and see what's going on. I'm not available right now..."
After the "inconvenience" message, there was no further communication. Xiao Jun didn't dare to ask any more questions, so he immediately replied "okay," said goodbye to Sister Lin, and turned to leave. He went back to pack a few simple everyday clothes and prepared to set off immediately for Tao County.
Peach and Apricot Village is a peaceful place.
Every household is busy preparing for the New Year's Eve dinner.
Every family cooks differently; families with stable jobs tend to eat better.
Even without a secure job, and unlike Yingbao's family who can make fresh skewers, they would grit their teeth, tighten their belts, and scrape together three, five, seven, or eight cents to buy some meat, which they would mix with vegetables they had grown or pickled themselves. They would then enjoy a bite or two with their whole family at midnight, which was New Year's Eve dinner.
This is already considered a top-notch dish for them. After a year of busy work in the fields, having a meal like this during the New Year is absolutely wonderful, and they're bursting with joy!
...
Of course, making the New Year's Eve dinner is something only adults do. On New Year's Eve, the children are all free and can run around the village freely.
The children came out to each other, carrying snacks: soybeans roasted by their grandmothers; red dates brought back by married daughters visiting relatives; malt candy mailed by brothers in the army—the kind that sticks so well it makes your teeth fall out; and White Rabbit milk candy from their younger sisters…
"Soybeans are delicious."
"Sunflower seeds, sunflower seeds..."
"Ma... maltose... maltose, so... delicious." A little kid, who was a bit older than the others, stammered.
The others, who were older than him, glanced at him but ignored him. Even his own brother ignored him, preoccupied with arguing with the other children in the village.
"Brother's...good."
"The sponge cake is delicious..."
"..."
They started arguing amongst themselves, each saying their grandma's cooking was the best, another saying their brother's cooking was the best, and yet another saying their aunt's cooking was the best. None of the children would give in, and it was quite a lively scene.
Suddenly, a loud "Wow..." rang out.
Yingbao, who had been standing to the side with her brothers for a while, was startled awake.
When Yingbao and the others looked up, they saw that it was the little bean who had been stammering about how delicious malt candy was now crying.
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