Chapter 061 Introduction
Jiang Nan looked at Zhou Zhixing and continued to inquire about the interrogation: "What happened next? How did Deputy Chief Lan interrogate that man?"
Zhou Zhixing: "Deputy Chief Lan was amazing. He didn't rush into the trial, but instead went to the village to investigate the man's background. His great-aunt still lived there, so he knew everything after asking her. We only tried him that evening. Didn't you see? As soon as Deputy Chief Lan sat down, he started talking incessantly, detailing the man's entire family back eighteen generations. His face was whiter than paper."
"What happened next? What happened next?"
"Later, the man wanted to confess some things and hide others, not wanting to tell the story. Deputy Chief Lan told him to think about his child. He confessed voluntarily, and a reduced sentence would be better for the child. Otherwise, a six-year-old with both parents in prison would be bullied to death in an orphanage. So the man confessed everything."
"It seems that he still needs to be educated. He can be scared by this. Even if he confesses, he will be sentenced." Jiang Nan complained.
"One month less is still too little. He was still concerned about the child when he was arrested. He has feelings for the child," Zhou Zhixing explained.
The four of them talked all the way and soon returned to the stream, where they saw Chen Wanli with his trouser legs rolled up, spearing fish in the river.
Jiang Mancheng put down his backpack and cried distressedly, "Dad, why are you thinking of catching fish? If you want to eat some, just tell me and I'll catch some for you. It's autumn now, and the water is cold. It won't be good for you to get cold."
Chen Wanli took a sharpened wooden stick and plunged it into the water, splashing water everywhere. Chen Wanli raised the stick and smiled proudly. He said, "Stop talking nonsense. I often spear fish in the wild. Look, this fish is not small, enough for several people to eat."
Sure enough, a huge fish, about 30 centimeters long, was thrashing back and forth on the stick. Jiang Mancheng gave a thumbs up and said, "Dad, you got this!"
He walked closer to take a closer look, and wow, there were already three big fish on the ground. The old man was really capable.
Chen Jinhua was also happy, but still worried. She walked to the river and shouted, "Okay, Dad, there are enough fish to eat. Come up quickly. I'll catch them, you..."
"Aunt Chen, how can I let you go? I'm also very good at spearing fish, I can do it." As he spoke, Zhou Zhixing had already rolled up his trouser legs and strode towards the river. "Grandpa Chen, you go to the shore and rest for a while."
Chen Wanli was also tired and didn't refuse. He walked ashore and said, "Mancheng, go back and make boiled fish. It's spicy and delicious. I only want one bowl. You can take the rest back and pickle it. It's also a delicious dish in winter."
"There are shrimps in the river!" Zhou Zhixing suddenly shouted, "Uncle Jiang, Aunt Chen, Xiaonan, come and see, there are shrimps in the river, and they are quite big."
"Oh my god, there really are some! This is bizarre! There weren't any shrimp before. I wonder when they started appearing." Jiang Mancheng looked down and saw quite a few. He had grown up on the banks of the West River and had been to this stream many times, but this was his first time seeing shrimp. He said happily, "I'll make a basket and we can use it to catch them. It'll be quick this way."
As he spoke, he rummaged through the grass and quickly found three or four vines. Being a farmer's son, Jiang Mancheng knew how to do some simple chores. Although the weaving was twisted and crooked, it was still dense enough that at least the shrimps wouldn't be able to escape from the gaps.
The family worked together and quickly caught all the shrimp in the river. It's estimated that even the shrimp ancestors and grandchildren were gone. If other villagers wanted to find more, it would probably take years.
Jiang Nan was so happy that she almost danced with joy. She said, "It's so fresh. Let's make some scrambled eggs with shrimp when we get home. We can even boil the shrimp shells and heads into shrimp oil."
After finishing the aquatic products, Chen Wanli finally had time to look at the four people's harvest. He saw a goat, and it looked like it was domesticated. His eyes flashed and he asked, "Where did this goat come from?"
"A trap on the mountain." Jiang Mancheng did not hide it and told her about meeting Tang Xi on the mountain and how they harvested goats. However, he omitted some details about Tang Xi being a time-traveling girl and traveling through a book.
Chen Wanli was a very smart man. He thought for a moment and said, "Stay away from that female educated youth from now on. You wouldn't know if you didn't live in the village, but she has some magical powers. Other educated youth who came to the village were exhausted like dogs and became skinny in less than a month. But this Tang Xi is still the same as when she first arrived. I see, not only hasn't she lost weight, but her complexion is getting better and better. And she's always going to the cowshed. It's weird. You should stay away from her."
Look, there are always smart people. Chen Wanli was definitely not the only one in the village who figured it out, but no one said anything, wanting to avoid trouble. Tang Xi was considered a very cautious person, but she was still caught. Jiang Nan wanted to hide even more. She had a system, and if she jumped too high, she could be captured and enslaved.
However, Jiang Nan's imagination is quite rich as he could think of being captured and made a slave.
Zhou Zhixing noticed Jiang Nan's anomaly and gave her a reassuring look. Three of the five of them had experienced adventures, and they could help each other identify and fill in the gaps. Even if one person accidentally revealed something, the others could quickly make up for it. It was much better than Tang Xi being alone.
This trip up the mountain was quite fruitful. We had a late lunch but didn't stay for long. After all, our backpacks were full. It would be useless to find good things if we had no place to put them.
The only downside was that Jiang Nan had diarrhea that night, perhaps because of a conflict with Tang Xi. It was the kind of thing where everyone else in the family was fine, except for her. This made her suspicious, but she didn't dare to speak out, so she only told her parents quietly.
After two days at the West Riverbank, Zhou Zhixing rode his bike back to his workstation on Monday afternoon. Since it was Mid-Autumn Festival, he still had to visit Old Lady Cao; she was the original owner's grandmother, after all. Zhou Zhixing happily returned to the family compound, carrying a fish and a roe deer leg. He was warmly welcomed by Old Lady Cao, his uncle Zhou Yuanqing, and his aunt Huang Yuxiu.
It’s simple, Zhou Zhixing brought some meat.
Jiang Nan and her family celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival at home. To make five-nut mooncakes, Jiang Mancheng went to the black market in advance and bought black sesame seeds, walnuts, peanuts, melon seeds, almonds, and, of course, the indispensable brown sugar. He baked and fried them back home, making nearly a hundred of them. They were so fragrant.
This wasn't the five-nut mooncake everyone hated in later generations; it was a genuine five-nut mooncake. Even Jiang Nan, who rarely ate mooncakes in her previous life, ate two. Of course, the rest of the Jiang family ate even more; even little Jiang He, a two-year-old, ate most of one.
Of course, a dozen mooncakes were also given to Chen Wanli. Chen Wanli insisted on not going to the Jiang family to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival, so Jiang Mancheng's family could only go back after giving him the mooncakes.
On Tuesday, the family woke up early and set off for the oil fields at five o'clock. They arrived home a little after seven o'clock. The three of them put their things away, washed up, and then went to work.
Of course, after the engagement, Zhou Zhixing still waited downstairs for Jiang Nan to go to work. Now that they had a clear route, it was more convenient for them to communicate, and no one would gossip about them.
After returning home, Jiang Nan immediately handed the things he brought to Zhou Zhixing.
"Mooncakes?" Zhou Zhixing took the bag from Jiang Nan, opened it and took a look, then asked.
"Yes." Jiang Nan nodded, bent down to open the car and said, "My dad made it. He left some back home, so my family brought ten over. My mom asked me to give you half. Don't eat it all. Leave some for Grandma Cao."
"Need I tell you?" Zhou Zhixing packed the bag, thought for a moment, and said, "Wait a moment, I'll take it up first, otherwise you might forget to bring it back after taking it to the police station."
He took two steps, turned around and teased, "How about you come with me? My grandma is even more grateful to you."
Jiang Nan waved his hand: "No need, just send it up, I'll wait for you."
Seeing Jiang Nan didn't move, Zhou Zhixing smiled, turned around, and trotted upstairs. He soon came down with a pomegranate. Old Mrs. Cao opened the door and waved at the two of them with a smile.
Jiang Nan blushed slightly, waved goodbye, and quickly rode off to work. Everyone at the police station knew the two were engaged, and Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing received many blessings and teasing along the way.
Wen Qiang and Zou Li glanced at each other as they returned to their seats. They both stood up. Zou Li handed over a paper bag and said, "Team Leader, Xiaonan, congratulations on your engagement. Qiangzi and I bought this together as a token of our appreciation. You must accept it."
Zou Li handed it to Jiang Nan, who took it with a smile, saying, "Thank you, Brother Zou. I'll open it. If it's not good, I'll be angry."
"I guarantee you'll be satisfied." Zou Li was still very grateful to Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing. If it weren't for them, he would never have thought anyone would attack the baby. Now that the two families were completely at odds, the old witch and her family didn't dare to get too excited, after all, they were in the public eye. He hadn't wanted to give a gift at first, but after this incident, he was completely determined to make friends with them.
Jiang Nan happily opened the paper package and saw that it was actually a large piece of brown corduroy fabric. She looked at Zou Li in surprise: "Brother Zou, this is too expensive. We can't accept it. It must have cost a lot of cloth coupons. You..."
It's autumn now, and corduroy is the most sought-after fabric. It's great for making pants and jackets, and it's not cheap. Jiang Nan was also thinking about buying one, but she never expected that Wen Qiang and Zou Li would give her this as a gift.
Wen Qiang chuckled twice, scratched his head, and told the truth: "Actually, most of the money was paid by Brother Zou, and I only contributed a little."
Zou Li waved his hand: "Xiao Nan, just take it. You helped me so much last time, and I haven't thanked you yet. This little bit of fabric is nothing. My dad works at a textile factory in the city, so it's easy for him to buy fabric with internal defects. But I say it's a defect. This piece of corduroy just has a color change in one place. You can't see it unless you look closely. Don't be disgusted by it."
Hearing this, Zhou Zhixing said, "Brother Zou, what are you talking about? It's not easy to buy such a fine fabric as corduroy. Thank you so much, Brother Zou. Xiaonan, take it. Didn't you want to use corduroy to make a coat? This is perfect for you. It's a nice color and looks thick."
Jiang Nan nodded. She really liked a certain brand of corduroy jacket from later times. Although many people said it was old-fashioned, she just liked the thick and warm feel of corduroy. She nodded and said with a smile, "Then I'll be welcome. Thank you, Brother Zou, and thank you, Brother Qiangzi."
After exchanging pleasantries, the four quickly got to work. There was still much to do regarding the previous "Secret Door" case. The couple's confessions and the verification of the two drivers' identities required personal attention from all four. The two drivers were from out of town, and the local police would also be needed for assistance. What, a business trip? These days, business trips aren't easy. Unless it's a major case, a letter of assistance is usually issued. Even so, the four members of Group 6 were swamped.
But inside the family compound, the scene was quite different. Why? Because the oil field was showing a movie at the Xihe'an Brigade! Rumor had it there would be a performance by a cultural troupe, and a job opening announcement was going to be made on the spot—nothing to make everyone ecstatic.
Old Lady Liu was so excited that her head was almost raised to the sky. Her daughter Gaigai had graduated from high school and was now dating Secretary Jing's nephew. If they were recruited, wouldn't she be in the job? Her laughter was so loud, clucking, that it was louder than a rooster's crow.
"My family will definitely be able to hire a worker. Then we will have three workers. Hahahaha."
Old Mrs. Qiu curled her lips. This time, the recruitment was not for educated youth, so her grandson-in-law, who was living off her, had no chance. However, her grandsons could give it a try. She said, "Your daughter, Gaigai, is a girl, so they will definitely not want girls for the recruitment. Boys are a must. My three eldest grandsons can all take the exam and they will definitely pass."
"Tsk, your grandson has only graduated from elementary school. The only one who can pass the exam is my Gaigai. My Gaigai is a high school student."
"Stop arguing. Who doesn't have a high school student?" The old lady of the Sui family finally felt proud and glanced at Old Lady Liu. "Liu Daya, I'm not saying anything bad about you, but if your family changes to a girl, why bother sending her to high school? I think it's a waste of money. Just wait and see. This job recruitment will definitely require more boys. My grandson also graduated from high school, a boy! He will definitely pass this time."
"It has to be my family. My family knows that he is in high school and has a junior high school diploma. If he can take the exam, my family will also take it..."
"My home..."
"Stop arguing, eldest sister of the Cao family. How many dishes were there for the engagement party of your Zhixing and Xiaonan? Did the in-laws send any gifts? Since it's about marrying into the family, they must have sent gifts, right?" This is because there is no one of the eligible age to take the exam at home and they are busy asking about other gossips.
"What do you mean by marrying into the family? My Xiaoxing just moved in with the Jiang family after we got married. Their place is big, and the two children have only been working for a short time. They haven't been given houses yet, so of course it's more convenient for them to live there. This isn't marrying into the family." Old Mrs. Cao still had to explain the rumors about marrying into the family. She said, "Oh, you know what, Mancheng is really generous. The banquet alone had four large meat dishes. It was even more sumptuous than the banquet at Jianguo's wedding."
"Oh, how much money will that cost?" someone exclaimed.
The old ladies were chatting away, chattering away, when they bumped into Wu Dachui, who was coming towards them. He looked utterly distraught, pale and shaking all over. Just imagine, a 5'8" tall man shaking like a sieve. Anyone who saw him would have to ask questions.
"Da Hammer, what's wrong with you? It's the middle of the day, and it's not cold at all. Are you seeing a ghost?"
"Pfft, pfft, pfft, Liu Daya, can you speak? You can't see anything in broad daylight. Dachui, what happened to you? Tell us, we can give you some advice. Don't keep it in your heart, or you will get sick."
"That's right, look, your Jianguo is getting married, and your good days are coming soon, so why are you still shaking?"
Wu Dachui was still in a daze, his face pale as he walked upstairs. If you asked him what was wrong, he would say it was all because of fear.
The story begins with Wu Jianguo's wedding. They weren't newlyweds, so they had to get things done that night. They were all so eager to have sex. Living under the same roof, Wu Dachui wasn't one to hold back, so he couldn't help but be anxious. Fortunately, he was single now, had worked for years, and had money, so he was just looking for some fun.
Wu Dachui, a former truck driver, knew the secret door well. He'd already ridden his bike there early in the morning. The villagers were surrounding the house in a thicket, dumping manure inside. He was horrified when he asked about it. He'd been there more than once. If the couple were arrested, they wouldn't betray him, would they? He wouldn't be locked up in a hedge, would he?
The more he thought about it, the more scared he became. When Wu Dachui rode his bike back, he pumped his stirrups like a roller coaster, afraid of being seen.
When he got home, he sat down on a stool and gulped down a glass of water. At this moment, he felt fortunate that he had given the job to Jianguo so early, otherwise he would have lost his job if someone had betrayed him.
No, Wu Dachui stood up and clenched his fists. He had to remarry! He was a grown man, and he hadn't been in a hurry to get married before because he had these places to vent his feelings. But now he didn't dare to go, so he had to remarry. He was in his prime, so he couldn't stay single for too long.
Having made up his mind, Wu Dachui wiped his face and quickly went downstairs. Downstairs, Old Lady Liu and the others were discussing what had happened. They had already guessed that Wu Dachui was dying from his illness. If the person involved didn't come down, the topic would quickly become a hot topic.
"It's definitely not possible. What else could scare a grown man like this?" Old Lady Liu lowered her voice. Everyone gathered around her unconsciously, and she continued, "I think it's possible that Fan Taohua stole a man because her hammer was not good enough!"
"No way?" Old Lady Sui was incredulous. "Dachui looks so strong, he must be good at that. Don't talk nonsense."
"How can this be nonsense?" Old Lady Liu was dissatisfied. She glanced at Old Lady Qiu and muttered softly, "If you don't believe me, ask Xu Dani. His three brothers, Xiangdong, have been naked in the village before. Everyone saw it. They just weren't big."
Well, it’s that kind of quiet voice that everyone can hear.
"You're talking nonsense." Old Mrs. Qiu was not happy. This was about Wu Dachui, how could it involve her family? She didn't even take care of her grandson's wife, and she came here specifically to inquire about the job recruitment. How could she let people say that about her son? She retorted, "That's all a rumor. How old are my sons? How old are their wives? I have several grandchildren, you can't just believe everything you hear."
Old Lady Liu curled her lips. She knew it all, but she couldn't say much in front of the other person's mother. The other old ladies looked at each other and confirmed that this was a look they would use in private.
Wu Dachui stood at the back, his face so ugly that ink could drip out of it. If he hadn't wanted to ask Old Lady Cao to help introduce him to a date, he would have wanted to turn around and leave. He coughed violently and said, "Aunt Cao, do you have a minute? I need to talk to you about something."
"Hey, Dahammer, when did you get here? Why didn't you make any noise? You scared me."
"That's right. If you have anything to say, just talk about it here. Is there anything we shouldn't know? We're all neighbors and can help out with advice. Don't just look at Sister Cao because she's the building manager. I'm also capable."
"That's right, we've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice. Don't hide it, tell us all."
Wu Dachui took a deep breath and exhaled. Seeing that the eyes of the uncles and aunts were like searchlights, he knew that even if he called Mrs. Cao aside, these people would still follow and eavesdrop. But he changed his mind. It was not something shameful for him to want to remarry. There was nothing to hide. So he spoke frankly: "It's like this, Aunt Cao, my son Jianguo is married, and I have completed my mission. Now it's time to think about my own affairs. I plan to remarry, and I would like to ask Aunt Cao to keep an eye out for me. If there are any good female comrades, don't forget to introduce them to me."
"What? Dachui, you want to remarry? Wouldn't it be hard to have a mother-in-law? Can your house still accommodate you?"
"That's right. If another woman comes, your house won't be able to accommodate her."
Wu Dachui's face turned black. "Why can't we have room? We have two rooms at home, and my dad sleeps on a camp bed in the living room. Besides, Jianguo and Yanjin are both working, so we'll definitely have separate rooms in two years. How can we not have room? Other families with more than a dozen people can fit us in, but we only have a few people."
Mrs. Cao was stunned for a moment, then asked uncertainly, "Dachui, do Jianguo and Yanjiu know that you're planning to remarry? Do you want to discuss it with me before you come back? It's not that I won't introduce you to someone, but this is a big deal. Your families need to discuss it first."
"This is my business. What do Jianguo and Yanjiu know? I'm the elder, how can they object?" Wu Dachui said firmly, "Don't worry, Aunt Cao, just keep an eye on it for me. My conditions are pretty good. My son and daughter-in-law are both oil field workers. If I marry again, I have to marry someone who has a job, right? She can't be too old, at most 35, and she can't have children. I don't want to raise a child for someone else. And I want to have another son. Don't worry, you'll be there for the matchmaker gift."
Old Lady Cao chuckled, feeling deeply sympathetic towards Wang Jian's father and son. It was truly unbelievable that both father and son had approached her to introduce them to potential partners, and Jian's father had married them. If Jianguo hadn't been such a reliable person, she wouldn't have bothered with that fool, Wu Dachui.
Although Wu Dachui had decided to remarry, it was difficult for him to find a good partner in his current situation. Age was not a problem. Although he was 38, there were people in their 70s who were still looking for a partner. His situation was not a big deal. The problem was that he had no job.
But Wu Dachui didn't realize Jing'er. His conditions were very high. He insisted on having an oil field worker who couldn't be too old. He had two children of his own, but he also required the woman to be childless. He had no idea what was going on. Old Mrs. Cao didn't even want to put on a smile. It took a lot of willpower not to roll her eyes and listen carefully to his conditions.
Even after Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing left work, everyone was still discussing the matter, showing how surprised they were. It almost overshadowed the oilfield recruitment. It's a bit of an exaggeration, but everyone was still discussing it. Jiang Nan quickly learned the reason after consulting the system, and he felt a deep disdain for Wu Dachui. Truly, a man who thinks with his lower body.
When Old Lady Liu and the others saw Jiang Nan, their eyes lit up and they immediately left Wu Dachui aside. Old Lady Liu smiled very kindly and grabbed Jiang Nan's arm: "Xiao Nan, is your grandpa still alive?"
"Liu Daya, can you speak? What do you mean by 'he's still here'? Chief Engineer Chen is in good health, don't curse him as soon as you open your mouth." The old lady of the Sui family knocked Old Lady Liu aside with her butt. Old man Liu staggered twice, pointed at Old Lady Sui and was about to curse. Unexpectedly, Old Lady Sui was even more anxious than her. Without giving her a chance to speak, she continued without stopping, "Xiao Nan, Chief Engineer Chen has been very busy these days, hasn't he? Isn't he going to set the questions for the recruitment exam?"
Jiang Nan shook his head: "I don't know, Grandpa never mentioned this, so he probably didn't participate in setting the questions."
The old lady from the Sui family had an expression that said, "You're still trying to hide this from me," but her smile was particularly flattering. She said, "Look, we all live in the same building. If you know anything, you have to tell everyone. My Xiaoqiang graduated from the same school as you. When he becomes a worker or a leader in the future, he will definitely take care of you, right? We are close friends."
Old Mrs. Cao stopped knitting and rolled her eyes. "Sister Sui, please stop complaining. A few days ago, you were complaining that Xiaonan, a girl, shouldn't go out in the public eye. Now you're just following who's following whom? How come I didn't know when your family and the Jiang family became friends? Xiaonan, Xiaoxing, ignore her. She's trying to find out about the exam questions."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Nan said sternly, "Grandma Sui, oilfield recruitment must be fair and just. Don't even mention that Grandpa didn't help set the exam. Even if he did, he wouldn't reveal it. And my cousins also want to take the exam. Grandpa will definitely avoid the risk and probably won't help set the exam. So don't ask."
"What? Your cousins are taking the exam too? They are not from our homework department." Old Mrs. Sui put away her smile and said dissatisfiedly.
"I haven't heard that only children from our operations department can participate." Jiang Nan shrugged. "My cousins are both from oilfield families, so they can definitely participate."
When Old Lady Sui heard this, her expression turned even uglier. She muttered, "Your grandfather can arrange a job himself, why is he fighting for this position? The more capable he is, the more stingy he becomes."
Jiang Nan's face also turned grim. She said, "Grandma Sui, I've told you countless times that my grandfather is not partial to others. My father and mother were both admitted through formal recruitment, and I was also specially recruited into the police station based on my own abilities. My grandfather didn't interfere at all. If you say that again, I'll be angry."
"Xiao Nan, calm down. It's not worth it for such a person." Old Mrs. Cao said. As the building manager, she naturally did not want conflicts to arise in the building. She said to Old Mrs. Sui, "Sui's eldest sister, you should be more careful with your words in the future. Don't say anything you want. This exam is open to everyone who meets the requirements. Can you stop them? Tell your Xiaoqiang to review more and stop focusing on these trivial things."
Old Lady Sui's expression didn't soften at all. She said unconvincedly, "You and the Jiang family are relatives, so of course you're taking sides. I didn't know you, but you must be trying to keep the exam questions to yourself so your family knows you passed. You talk like a good person, but you're still thinking the same thing. Don't try to fool me."
Old Lady Cao was furious at this. Zhou Zhixing, seeing this, said coldly, "Grandma Sui, if you say so, we have to go to the head of the homework department to seek justice. And by the way, let's ask who wrote the exam questions! Let's go now."
Zhou Zhixing grabbed Old Lady Sui's arm and strode toward the gate of the family compound. Seeing he was serious, Old Lady Sui was immediately frightened and cried out, "I won't go. Let me go! The police are beating people. They are bullying the elderly."
Old Lady Cao wouldn't tolerate her. She grabbed Old Lady Sui's other arm and shouted, "Don't try to throw dirty water on my Xiaoxing. Let's go. We have to find the head of the Operations Department about this matter today. You can't be so unfair to others. What's the matter? Are you bullying Xiaonan and Xiaoxing because they are young and innocent? I, Cao Chuncao, am not afraid of you. I am not that easy to bully."
Only then did Mrs. Sui realize she had hit a wall. She screamed, "I was wrong. I won't go to the leadership. I won't go. Everyone, please stop them. If they go, they'll be a disgrace to our family compound. Everyone, please try to stop them."
After hearing this, everyone started to talk and persuade him.
"Xiao Xing, this is just a troublemaker. Don't bother with her. It's embarrassing."
"Sister Cao, you're the building manager, and you don't know the character of this old woman from the Sui family? It's really not worth it to argue with her, and it's also a loss of face."
"Xiao Xing, Sister Cao, calm down. Don't worry, we will keep a close eye on this old woman from the Sui family and will not let her talk nonsense. Please forgive her this time. You two adults are very magnanimous." This is the mother of the head of the building at the back and the deputy director of logistics of the operation department. She usually speaks and acts in an orderly manner and has more face than Mrs. Cao in Courtyard No. 1.
Old Lady Cao had no real intention of going to the Operations Office to cause a scene. It was already off-duty, so there was no point in making a scene. Hearing what everyone was saying, she paused, but continued in a cold voice, "Sister Sui, if you keep talking nonsense like that, don't blame me for taking you to the leadership to have you dealt with. If the leadership doesn't care, there's still the police station and the Revolutionary Committee. I don't believe anyone can stop you."
Old Lady Sui nodded with a gloomy face, but it was unclear whether she had truly understood or not.
Zhou Zhixing felt cold all over, and his dark eyes stared at Old Lady Sui, which made her feel a little scared.
Jiang Nan snorted and didn't bother with her. However, after this incident, she also realized that her family must have been uneasy recently. It was just that outsiders hadn't made a fuss yet, but the people in the building had already targeted their family. It was really disgusting.
That night, Wang Jianyi remained silent, but Wu Jianguo's face was rather grim, drooping all night. Before bed, Wu Jianguo couldn't help complaining to his wife, "Jianyi, don't you think we both lack affinity with our elders? You lost both your parents when you were young, and mine are as good as nothing, and they often hinder me."
"Don't say that. Dad's still young. If he wants to remarry, then go ahead. We're both working, so we'll have separate rooms in two years. If we can't get along, we'll just move out. It's no big deal," Wang Jianyi said as she applied the clam oil. It was Wang Jianguo's wedding gift, and it was her first time using it. And, after a few days, her skin felt smooth.
"Thank you for your hard work." Wu Jianguo felt a little embarrassed.
"What's the big deal? If you don't object to me continuing to raise my brother, I won't object to your family's remarriage. We understand each other." Wang Jianyi was lying on the bed, and soon another noise was heard in the room.
Wu Dachui is pounding the wall next door. See, it’s not that his mind is full of pornographic garbage, it’s that he is forced to do so by the situation.
Qiu Xiangdong next door couldn't sleep. He was not thinking about Wu Dachui's remarriage, but ever since Tong Lili and Lin Bing started dating, he couldn't sleep and tossed and turned.
He felt like Widow Qin was spiraling out of control. He'd made the common mistake of having sex with Widow Qin once or twice, but who knew she was pregnant? Pan'er was six years old at the time, and Tao Meiyu hadn't borne any children. He was desperate for a son, so he begged Widow Qin to bear the child, pretending it was a posthumous child from a previous relationship. From then on, the situation spiraled out of control, continuing unabated for years.
Qiu Xiangdong hadn't considered divorce. Even if Tao Meiyu wasn't a good person, her father was a veteran who had the final say in the village. What was so special about Widow Qin? She was just a childbearer. And what future would he have if he divorced her? He'd planned to end all ties with her once she gave birth, but she actually disagreed!
Qiu Xiangdong looked over to the next room. Tian Jiaguang was probing his mother-in-law's pregnancy with subtle probing. Qiu Xiangdong was overwhelmed. He couldn't kick him out yet, and he was worried he'd become desperate and say something when he got out. The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became. He simply stood up, opened the door, and leaned against the hallway to smoke.
Just then, Wu Dachui couldn't stand it anymore and came out to get some fresh air. Seeing Qiu Xiangdong smoking, he reached out for a cigarette and started puffing away.
"Hua Zi? Xiangdong, you're really good. You're worthy of being the captain." Wu Dachui sighed. Seeing Jiang Mancheng from the west door also opened the door, he whispered, "Why did this old guy come out too?"
Jiang Mancheng was worried. Zhou Zhixing, that rascal, didn't tell him the source of the tiger bone wine and wouldn't tell him no matter how much he asked. He really didn't take him, his father-in-law, seriously. Late at night, the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He just got up in the middle of the night and went out to smoke a cigarette to cool off.
He walked over, asked for a Huazi, and said jokingly, "Xiangdong, it's not easy for you, an old clam, to hold a pearl."
Qiu Xiangdong squinted his eyes and said, "Can you speak? Does the saying 'old clam holding a pearl' refer to a man? Besides, we are the same age, both thirty-four. What's the point of talking about old or not?"
"Hey, you're pretty angry today." Jiang Mancheng said as he exhaled a puff of smoke.
"Mancheng, why do you come out alone if you don't have a wife? What did I say? You have to marry a good-looking wife. Just think about it, if you marry Chen Jinhua, you will have a lot of trouble at night." Wu Dachui drove the car quickly.
Jiang Mancheng said dissatisfiedly, "What nonsense are you talking about? My Jinhua is doing well. I'm just worried about how to give a gift to my father-in-law. People like you who don't have a father-in-law don't understand."
"Hey, you gigolo, you're showing off."
As the three of them were talking, Cheng Dazhu opened the door and whispered, "I told you guys not to sleep, what are you talking about in the middle of the night?"
Jiang Mancheng was delighted. Well, Fan Taohua and Sun Qiaolian's mistresses were all gathered together. He quickly took a few puffs of his cigarette, turned back to his room, and said, "My troubles are sweet, unlike those of you worried middle-aged men. Bye, I'm going to bed."
"Hey, what's there to be proud of?" Wu Dachui muttered softly, and said to Qiu Xiangdong, "Xiangdong, your son has had a hard time. He wanted to remarry, but he turned him down. Tell me, was it easy for me to raise him? I'm only 38, what's wrong with wanting to remarry?"
Although Wu Dachui lacked self-awareness, he could still read Wu Jianguo's expressions. How could he not notice Wu Jianguo's sullen face that night? He said, "They say raising a son is a way to prepare for old age. I think we need to reconsider this."
Qiu Xiangdong flicked the ash from his cigarette and said perfunctorily, "Your Jianguo seems alright, so don't let your imagination run wild. Dazhuzi, what are you doing out here?"
Cheng Dazhu doesn't smoke. He's a cook, and aside from caring about food and men's happiness, he's indifferent to other things. He said, "My daughter Gaigai is on a blind date, and I'm thinking she's old enough now, so it's time to introduce her."
In fact, it wasn't like that. He saw that the old man had been acting abnormally recently and thought that he was going to do something. So he wanted to come out and find out what the old man was up to. Who would have thought that when he opened the door, he would meet so many people. It was very unlucky.
He waved away the cigarette, turned around and said, "Okay, I don't smoke either, so I won't talk to you anymore. I'm going into the house."
The conversation between the middle-aged men ended with a whimper. But life went on. The next morning, some went to work, some went to school, and another busy and happy day began.
As the film screening at the Xihe'an Brigade drew closer, everyone at the police station was beaming with joy. Upon entering the station, Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing overheard a few office workers chatting.
"If it's a movie, is it still the same projectionist? I heard that after he was released, he became completely dazed and didn't talk to anyone. He was very timid."
"No, he was transferred to clean the toilets. I heard it was related to some secret agents, I don't know if it's true or not, it's normal for him to be scared. Look, he didn't dare to make a fuss even though he was transferred to clean the toilets."
"Oh my god, there really are spies? I thought it was fake."
"How could it be false? Jiang Nan, hey, Xiao Nan, come here, tell me, were you recruited here because you caught a spy?" This was Sister He Lin who joined in halfway after hearing the conversation.
Jiang Nan smiled and said, "Sister He, I didn't just catch spies. I also caught oil thieves and bravely helped others. I have done so many great things, hahaha."
"Oh, look how proud you are." He Lin joked, "Okay, I'm back to work. I won't talk to you anymore."
"Everything I said is true, Sister He." Jiang Nan giggled, and He Lin walked towards the office even faster.
"Okay, let's go to the office." Zhou Zhixing laughed and walked over first.
"Hey." Jiang Nan thought of something and asked Zhou Zhixing quietly, "Have you not seen the movie yet?"
"What? Are you looking down on me?" Zhou Zhixing flicked Jiang Nan's head and said with a smile, "I watched one the day before work. I'm not the kind of person who treats myself badly."
Jiang Nan covered her head and pouted, "Just look, why bother? You did a lot before work, buying a bike and going to the movies. You're pretty busy."
"Of course not. I can't sit still." Zhou Zhixing kept walking and soon arrived at his workstation.
Wen Qiang and Zou Li had already arrived. Zou Li was pouring hot water for everyone. Seeing them coming, he smiled and said, "My dad bought some Gaosuan, and I made some for everyone to drink."
"Thank you, Brother Zou." Jiang Nan said cheerfully, "But Brother Zou, why do you look so tired? You didn't sleep well."
Zou Li looked helpless. "Yeah, you don't know, kids can be really noisy at night. They wake up every two hours, otherwise I wouldn't be able to drink alcohol so early in the morning. Look at my dark circles, they're all from staying up late. Your sister-in-law is even more tired, she can't even sit well during confinement. My son is a constant crybaby."
"That's not easy for you, Brother Zou," Jiang Nan sighed. She knew the hardship of raising a child. It wasn't that she had given birth in her previous life, but many of her colleagues and classmates had. They used to be glamorous career women, even if they worked overtime until midnight to plan, they would still be full of energy the next day. But after giving birth, they became listless, which showed how hard it was to raise a child.
"Brother Zou, please keep this tea for yourself. We don't need it to refresh ourselves." Jiang Nan didn't feel comfortable snatching the life-saving water from someone with a baby, so he quickly declined.
"Don't worry, I have some more at home. I'll bring some over for everyone to try." Zou Li filled everyone's glasses and returned to his seat. Soon, Team Six was back to work. The "Anmenzi" case had concluded, the confessions verified, and a new case was on the horizon.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
