Chapter 104 Theft at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative
It wasn't that Jiang Nan looked down on Cheng Kantan; his character was decent, but his personal qualities were just so-so. He did have his strengths, though: he had a regular job, was a bit tall, and was currently thin, though he might get a work-related injury and gain weight later in life. And even if he could become a chef, he was currently just a kitchen helper...
Jiang Nan swallowed hard, but didn't finish her words. She just said, "Grandma Liu, I can't promise anything. Do you want me to be a matchmaker and introduce you to each other?"
Old Lady Liu grabbed Jiang Nan's hand, looking very fond of her. She kept rubbing the back of Jiang Nan's hand, her tone as intimate as if they were grandparents and grandchildren: "Yes, Xiaonan, you are really a smart child. You don't need to promise anything. As long as the Lan family's child agrees to meet, we won't force anything else. Now that Gaigeng is married, I have to be busy arranging the marriage. Oh, don't mention it, I have to do everything and worry about everything. You see, I have to do everything at home, and that damn old man doesn't care about anything. I'm exhausted."
Jiang Nan was embarrassed. She quickly interrupted Old Lady Liu's complaints and said, "Grandma Liu, I'll tell Lan what I said. Well, I don't know whether Sister Qingli agrees or not, I'll just pass on the message."
Old Lady Liu nodded hurriedly: "Okay, okay, Xiaonan, I'll tell you..."
Chen Jinhua quickly spoke up to rescue her child: "Aunt Liu, let's go quickly. More and more people are buying winter vegetables. We have to queue up, otherwise we won't be able to buy first-class vegetables."
"Oh, Mom, I can run fast. I'll go get in line first. You can chat with Grandma Liu. I'm leaving now." Jiang Nan rushed forward quickly. In her previous life, she had only been on blind dates, never a matchmaker. And being a matchmaker wasn't that easy. Married couples were the hardest to deal with, and she didn't want to get involved.
Jiang Nan rushed out like a gust of wind, making Ye Chunping and Yuan Jianshe's grandmother Wang frown.
Ye Chunping had been very well behaved for a while after she got married. She had to be honest. She had married into the family to plot against Yuan Jianshe. Later, she fell into a manure pit while looking for treasure and disappeared from Courtyard No. 1 for a long time. Now it was time to buy winter vegetables, so Ye Chunping and Wang had to go together.
Wang had been living with her second son for almost a year, along with her grandson and his wife. Yuan Dali and his wife had tried to evict them several times but failed, and now they were charging Yuan Jianshe and his wife for their accommodation. Yuan Dali had no problem with his mother living there, but his nephew and his wife weren't so right.
In reality, Yuan Dali hadn't dared to be so brazen before. His wife was pregnant again, and a midwife, a former midwife for wealthy families, had said it was guaranteed to be a boy. This had given Yuan Dali and his wife more confidence. Now, even buying winter vegetables had to be handled by his mother and niece-in-law. Yuan Dali and his wife wouldn't do it again.
In daily life, she wore her disdain on her face, not hiding it at all. Ye Chunping was already angry, and when she saw Jiang Nan running over like a gust of wind with a smile on her face, she was furious. Why, why could she have no worries at all?
Ye Chunping stared at Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing who was catching up from behind, and felt that she had to find something to do for the two of them. Her life was so miserable, and Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing were so happy, it was really too eye-catching!
Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing stood out, as did Qiu Pan'er, who was also queuing for groceries. She had come down with her mother, Tao Meiyu, her cousin, Qiu Sheng'er, and Old Lady Sui. Tao Meiyu had spent a long period of confinement after her miscarriage, and was gradually resuming social life. The people she visited most frequently were her in-laws, the Sui family, who lived nearby.
Qiu Sheng'er is a sweet talker. Although she is jealous of Jiang Nan, she is also selfish. Like Tian Jiaguang, she wants to live a good life without working hard. Unlike her cousin Qiu Pan'er, she will do some inexplicable things and say inexplicable things out of jealousy. She only does things that benefit herself.
Qiu Pan'er was different. She looked at Jiang Nan, then at Ye Chunping next to her, and sneered twice. She thought of Ye Chunping's man, Yuan Jianshe. Humph, a man who had fallen into a cesspool, it would be so funny if something happened between Jiang Nan and him. And Yuan Jianshe was married, so that would be promiscuous, hahaha.
The more Qiu Pan'er thought about it, the happier she became, and she couldn't help laughing.
She had no idea that Ye Chunping had also set her sights on them, but her heart went to Qiu Sheng'er's man, Sui Qiang. Sui Qiang was a scoundrel; if something happened between him and Jiang Nan, it would be a disaster. And then there was Tian Jiaguang, a gigolo who lived off his wife and was equally unpresentable.
Ye Chunping raised the corner of her mouth. She was not picky. As long as he was a married man who could teach Jiang Nan a lesson, anyone would be fine.
Jiang Nan, who ran to line up, didn't expect to be targeted by several people at once. When she arrived at the line, there were already 20 to 30 people in front of her, which was better than last year. She looked at her watch and panted, "Luckily, it's not even 5 o'clock yet, so there aren't as many people this year as last year."
Zhou Zhixing: "I heard that there's an abundance of cabbage this year, especially first-class vegetables, so there's no need to come so early."
Jiang Nan squinted his eyes: "Why haven't I heard of it?"
Zhou Zhixing smiled and said, "I heard it from my grandma. She's the building manager, so she's more informed."
Jiang Nan nodded: "Is that so? No wonder there aren't as many people as last year."
As she spoke, she pointed ahead and whispered, "Dong Tingting."
Jiang Nan exclaimed, "Why does she look so much more haggard? Is she sad that Wan Hu dumped her?"
Zhou Zhixing patted Jiang Nan's head and said, "You, can't you be sad because you found out that Wan Hu would rather like men than her?"
Jiang Nan burst out laughing: "You are really good at talking."
But she nodded quickly: "That makes some sense. Let me see if she has a new target? No way, it's... Cheng Meijuan's father?! Oh my God, Cheng Meijuan is about to give birth. After this exposure, won't it be stimulated and something will happen?"
Zhou Zhixing whispered, "Just watch the show, don't think too much."
Jiang Nan curled his lips, but remained silent. The Jiang family had bought two hundred kilograms of preserved vegetables this time. With their experience pickling kimchi and sauerkraut, they were much more adept at this, finishing the process that evening. Of course, that was a story for another time.
After buying the preserved vegetables, Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing came to the police station. She was a person who could not keep secrets. Seeing that Lan Qingshan had arrived early, she simply sat down and told Lan Qingshan everything that Old Lady Liu had said and Cheng Kantan had done. She said, "Chief Lan, I..."
She scratched her head. "I'm just delivering a message for Grandma Liu. Don't feel pressured. It all depends on Sister Qingli. Cheng Kantan's sister Cheng Gaigai and I were classmates. I haven't had much contact with Cheng Kantan, but he's not very clever. He's an honest man. That's all."
These days, "an honest person" is not even considered an insult, and Jiang Nan meant it sincerely.
Lan Qingshan glanced at Jiang Nan, his eyes flashing slightly, and he thought of Cheng Kantan's grandfather, Old Chengtou.
Yes, Lan Qingshan had been a police officer for so many years, and two groups of thieves had come to the oil field because of the righteous thief Bai Sanye. Of course, he was concerned about this matter. Once he became concerned, he discovered some clues.
First of all, although many people went to the provincial capital from Baishui City back then, there are not many who came back at the same time and are now living in the oil field.
Secondly, to be a thief, there are certain body requirements. After all, a thief is not a hero who has to climb walls and fly over rooftops. A thief has to drill holes and climb walls. The thinner and more flexible the better. Therefore, thieves are not very tall or fat.
Finally, for a period of time before, Old Cheng had been staring at the public toilet all day long, and Lan Qingshan had also taken a few glances when he went to the scene. He didn't think anything of it at the time, but after these two "Master Bai San" incidents happened, he became suspicious.
Based on various signs, Lan Qingshan concluded that Old Cheng was the chivalrous thief Bai Sanye.
He wasn't a money-grubber, but if his daughter could marry him, wouldn't she no longer have to worry about money in the future? He could live a hard life, but he didn't want his daughter to live a hard life.
Thinking of this, Lan Qingshan nodded calmly: "Okay, I understand. I will tell Qingli, don't worry, if she agrees to meet, I will contact you."
Jiang Nan returned to her seat in a daze. Why did she feel like her first matchmaking job was already showing signs of success? Wasn't this golden finger a little too big?
Zhou Zhixing, on the other hand, looked at Lan Qingshan a few more times, thought about it, and smiled.
The first wave of winter vegetables usually arrives on the last day of September, the day after which is National Day. This year, National Day fell on a Tuesday, and unfortunately, it was a day off, and the sky began to snow. The four of us, who had originally wanted to go out and play, stayed home and listened to the radio.
Jiang Nan leaned against the window to watch the snow. Chen Jinhua turned on the tape recorder to the storytelling and went to the room to get the newly made quilt: "Luckily, I added two kilograms of cotton to the quilt this year. I think it will be colder this year than last year."
Jiang Mancheng followed the storytelling, nodding his head, but still managing to respond, "Yes, I remember it snowed during National Day last year, but not as heavily as this year. We weren't afraid of the cold, either. Wife, you're so smart, didn't you prepare the quilts long ago? We're so grateful to you, otherwise we'd be freezing this year."
Chen Jinhua smiled as she sent the quilt to her daughter's room. She said to Jiang Nan, "Xiao Nan, exchange some hazelnuts, walnuts, chestnuts, etc. for us to make some five-nut mooncakes. They will be perfect for the Mid-Autumn Festival in a few days."
This year's Mid-Autumn Festival falls after National Day, which happens to be this Sunday, so I have time to tinker with mooncakes. Jiang Nan nodded: "Okay, Mom, then I'll exchange some and send some back to Grandpa and his family."
Chen Jinhua smiled and said, "Okay, don't forget your grandma and the others, give them some gifts. You have to give something to Xiaoxing too. You're getting married next year, so you can't go short of gifts."
Jiang Nan was embarrassed. Why did they suddenly mention marriage? She pretended not to hear and focused on exchanging nuts.
Zhou Zhixing smiled: "Aunt Chen, I don't need too much here. My grandma likes to eat jujube paste mooncakes. We can keep the five-nut ones for ourselves."
Chen Jinhua made the decision: "Xiao Nan, please exchange some more dates so we can make date paste mooncakes."
Jiang Mancheng: "Don't we still have lotus seed mooncakes? Xiaonan, change some lotus seeds. Now that we're done, let's try a few more fillings."
He suddenly asked with concern: "Do you have enough melon coins? We've been eating a lot of fruit and meat lately."
Jiang Nan said generously, "That's enough! The human trafficking case gave me a lot of Chigua coins. I now have almost 20,000 Chigua coins!"
Upon hearing this, the whole family was overjoyed. National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival were perfect times for spending money. While the melon coins couldn't be used openly, they were incredibly useful for secretly buying cooked food, nuts, and the like. It was cold, and even though the quilts were ready, the cotton in the cotton-padded clothes needed to be replaced. It was a ton of things, and there were so many things to spend money on during the winter in Northeast China.
Jiang Nan was ruthless in exchanging things, and Kukuku took out so much that everyone was dazzled.
The period between National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the busiest times of the year. Not only are the supply and marketing cooperatives and department stores crowded, but even petty thefts begin to increase.
It is for this reason that at this time every year, the police station will send people to patrol at night. At this time last year, Jiang Nan did not have to work the night shift, but now Jiang Nan is a veteran who has worked for a year, and all the preferential treatment for newcomers has been cancelled, and of course he has been arranged to work the night shift.
Luckily, when I made my quilt this year, I also refilled my cotton-padded jacket with new cotton, so I'm not cold when I wear it on patrol at night. She rubbed her hands and chatted with Zhou Zhixing, Zou Li, and others as she walked, "It seems like there are a lot more people buying things at the supply and marketing cooperative this year."
Zou Li laughed: "There are more workers now. Almost everyone from the surrounding brigades comes to buy things. I heard that the supply and marketing cooperative's sales can double that of last year."
Jiang Nan was surprised: "So much more? How do you know so much, Brother Zou?"
Zou Li laughed, "Your sister-in-law's younger sister works as a salesperson in the department store. From what she said, she's said to have collected 70,000 or 80,000 yuan in payments alone. The supply and marketing cooperative probably has quite a few too, and they're not very tight-lipped. Even Inspector Lan heard about it, so they arranged for us to patrol this area specifically."
The others all looked serious. This was a lot of money, and money could tempt people. Maybe someone would take the risk.
Zhou Zhixing said sternly, "Everyone, stay alert and don't let your guard down."
Everyone hummed, then walked back and forth several times around the supply and marketing cooperative, trying to scare off any potential robbers. The night was dark, and six groups of people, flashlights in hand, beamed down to dispel the darkness.
Time passed quietly, and the sky brightened in the east. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Zhou Zhixing looked at his watch. It was almost six o'clock, and pedestrians began to appear on the street. He said, "Let's go back to the police station and take a nap. We have to go to work at eight o'clock."
After being cold all night, everyone had gone from being enthusiastic the previous night to drooping their heads and walking listlessly towards the police station.
Suddenly, the door of the supply and marketing cooperative was opened from the inside. An old man in his fifties, holding the door frame with one hand and covering the back of his head with the other, weakly shouted to several people: "Come here, police comrades, come here, the supply and marketing cooperative... the supply and marketing cooperative has been robbed!"
The few people who had been listless just now immediately jumped over like rabbits.
Jiang Nan is usually responsible for information work in the group. She helped the old man sit at the door of the small warehouse on the east side. She saw a table on the right side of the door with a thermos on the table. She did not rush to ask anyone, but went forward to pour a glass of water for the old man to let him calm down first.
Zhou Zhixing and others inspected the supply and marketing cooperative's lobby, the east and west warehouses, and the finance office. The finance office's safe had been pried open with clean, efficient prying. Aside from scratches around the keyhole, there were no other signs of violence.
The theft was very professional.
Several people carefully inspected the windows and door of the finance office. Apart from the footprints extending from the main door, there were no footprints near the windows. It was confirmed that the robber entered through the main door.
It's almost certain that the robbers came prepared, knowing the location of the supply and marketing cooperative's finance office and the safe. They also knew the money was in the safe, leaving nothing else untouched. The suspects were easy to pinpoint: they must be "acquaintances," and all that was needed was to investigate the supply and marketing cooperative staff and their connections.
On the other side, the old man gulped down the water that Jiang Nan handed him, then he breathed a sigh of relief. He said, "Comrade police officer, I'm on night duty at the supply and marketing cooperative. My name is Lao Xu. Another colleague was knocked unconscious..."
As he spoke, he saw Wen Qiang carrying a man out, with Wang Gengsheng beside him, holding him up to prevent him from falling. Uncle Xu hurriedly stood up and said with trembling lips, "Xiao Che, is he... is he okay?"
Wen Qiang shook his head: "I don't know, I'll send him to the hospital first."
Having said this, he left in a hurry without even turning his head.
Uncle Xu's face turned pale, and he slumped down in his chair, unable to stop feeling scared: "Just a little bit, just a little bit..."
Jiang Nan consoled him, "Uncle Xu, don't worry. Your colleague seems to be still breathing, and the doctors at the hospital will definitely do their best to treat him. Can you tell me what happened? We've been patrolling nearby, and we didn't hear any movement from the supply and marketing cooperative."
Uncle Xu swallowed hard and recalled, "He...he was incredibly strong. He knocked Xiaoche unconscious as soon as he came in. I...I was playing cards with Xiaoche at the time. I'd been in the military before, so I could still fight back a few times, but I was old and couldn't beat him. I was knocked to the ground, hit the back of my head, and passed out. You...you probably didn't hear anything."
Jiang Nan: "What time was it?"
Uncle Xu shook his head: "I don't know, I don't have a watch."
He thought for a moment and said uncertainly, "Before twelve o'clock? I remember when I went to get a car, the moon wasn't even at its zenith. They say the moon is fullest on the 16th. I even checked the moon before going to the warehouse to get a car."
Jiang Nan nodded and then asked, "What did your attacker look like? How tall was he? What were his characteristics?"
Uncle Xu pointed at Zou Li and said, "He's about the same build as that police officer, very thin, but very strong. He's wearing a mask, so I can't see his face clearly. He's very skilled, maybe he was a soldier before."
Uncle Xu's voice suddenly rose: "Yes, I was a soldier before. I think his skills are very similar to those of a former soldier. He is agile and decisive, and can almost defeat the enemy with one move."
He became excited and said, "Comrade police, you must conduct a thorough investigation. Our supply and marketing cooperative has suffered enormous losses this time. The money we collected for the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival sales was stolen. It's at least 30,000 yuan!"
He was filled with frustration. "What a damn robber! How could he get away? How am I going to explain this to the manager? Seriously, I've only been a security guard for two months and already encountered something so serious. How can I be so unlucky..."
Jiang Nan offered a few more words of comfort. It was obvious that such a serious incident could not be soothed with just a few words, and Jiang Nan finally managed to calm Mr. Xu down after much effort.
After inspecting the scene, Zhou Zhixing came over and asked, "Uncle, are the payments from the supply and marketing cooperative these days all in the safe?"
Uncle Xu nodded hurriedly: "Yes, that's 30,000 yuan, where else can we put it if not in the safe?"
Zhou Zhixing: "So everyone in your supply and marketing cooperative knows that the money is in the safe?"
Uncle Xu was puzzled: "Yes, the purpose of buying a safe is to store money. Why do you ask such strange questions?"
Zhou Zhixing explained with a smile: "I just wanted to confirm. Some companies buy safes but don't put all their money in them. After all, don't put all your eggs in one basket."
Uncle Xu curled his lips and said, "That's because they don't have enough money! We have 30,000 yuan here, police comrades, you must find it..."
He started to complain to Jiang Nan again, asking if he would be held responsible for losing so much money, as he couldn't afford to pay even a penny.
With a massive 30,000 yuan payment involved, Zhou Zhixing didn't want to take any chances and sent Wang Zili jogging back to the police station to fetch help. The robbers had certainly explored the area beforehand, and their ability to escape without making a sound showed they were very familiar with the surroundings.
At eight o'clock, everyone started arriving for work. Lan Qingshan and Shao Yong also arrived. Director Jin of the supply and marketing cooperative had a look of grief on his face. He had lost so much money in a flash, and even if he got fired, he couldn't afford to pay it back.
Although he couldn't be blamed entirely for what happened, his path to advancement for the rest of his life was blocked. Director Jin wanted to die. He chased after Lan Qingshan, smoking cigarettes non-stop: "Old Lan, we've known each other for several years. You have to help me. You have to get this money back, otherwise I'm done for."
Lan Qingshan waved his hand. "Okay, I don't smoke, you know that. We'll definitely do our best. Think back and see if there are any strange people in the supply and marketing cooperative these days? Or are there people who come every day? Or anyone who makes an impression on you."
Director Jin's mind was in a mess. He said with a bitter face, "Old Lan, you're making things difficult for me. I'm the director, and I don't sell goods at the supply and marketing cooperative. Wait a minute, I'll go find some salespeople, and you can ask them."
As he spoke, he called out to the women who had come to work: "Xiaocheng, Xiaohe, Xiaowan, come here. Answer whatever the police ask you. Don't hide anything. Understand?"
Lan Qingshan's eyelids twitched when he saw Cheng Meijuan coming to work despite her big belly. He quickly asked her to sit down, called Jiang Nan, and whispered, "You come and ask, don't irritate her. She looks like she's about to give birth, and it would be bad if something happened. Just ask a few questions for your own good intentions, okay?"
Jiang Nan nodded. Cheng Meijuan's face turned pale and her breathing became rapid before she even sat down. Jiang Nan hurried over to support her and asked, "Are you okay? If you feel unwell, go to the hospital first. We're not in a hurry here..."
Cheng Meijuan seemed to have just come to her senses. She murmured, "Last night...I should have been on duty last night. I felt unwell, so I asked Xiaoche to take my place. I..."
She covered her stomach and groaned, "No, my stomach hurts, I think I'm going to give birth..."
As soon as the voice fell, the scene immediately fell into chaos. Lan Qingshan immediately ordered, "Old Jin, do you have a cart? Xiao Zhao, push the cart and take the patient to the hospital. Jiang Nan, you follow and talk to her along the way. Don't let her get too nervous. Wang Zili, go to Courtyard No. 1 and inform Sun Qiaolian that her daughter-in-law is about to give birth. Hurry."
Everyone immediately got busy. Fortunately, the supply and marketing cooperative had everything they needed, and they quickly found a small cart. They carefully carried Cheng Meijuan onto the cart and rushed to the hospital.
Jiang Nan was speechless. Cheng Meijuan was about to give birth, so why did the director of the supply and marketing cooperative arrange for her to work the night shift? It was so ignorant. However, no matter how angry she was, she still comforted her: "Cheng Meijuan, don't be afraid. I heard from Grandma Liu and the others that first births don't go that fast. We'll be at the hospital soon, and we'll be able to give birth naturally by then. Don't be afraid."
She had never given birth before, so she could only repeat the same thing over and over again. Cheng Meijuan was half lying on the stroller, crying out "ouch, ouch" non-stop.
Meanwhile, Zhou Zhixing and the others who stayed behind continued to interrogate her. Lan Qingshan was blunt and asked Lao Jin directly, "Isn't Cheng Meijuan about to give birth? Why are you still assigning her to work the night shift?"
Director Jin's heart was filled with bitterness. "I didn't want to do it either, but she insisted that if I worked a few more days before the birth, I could have more days off afterward, and I couldn't stop her. Besides, they wouldn't tell me they were swapping shifts privately. I feel so wronged."
Lan Qingshan looked at Director Jin deeply for a few times. Director Jin wanted to cry but had no tears: "Old Lan, I...even if I were to look after Old Cheng, I wouldn't let Cheng Meijuan be on duty, but this girl is very stubborn, really."
Lan Qingshan saw that he didn't look like he was pretending, so he stopped dwelling on the matter.
Nearby, Zhou Zhixing earnestly asked the saleswoman known as Xiao He, "Excuse me, where were you last night? Who were you with?"
The saleswoman was alert: "I'm home, comrade police officer, you don't suspect me of stealing the things, do you? No way, I don't know kung fu, how could I possibly beat Xiaoche and Mr. Xu."
Zhou Zhixing said seriously, "I'm just asking a routine question. Besides your family, who else can prove that you were at home?"
The saleswoman thought for a moment and said uncertainly, "At nine o'clock, I went out to take out the trash and ran into my neighbor, Aunt Liu, in the hallway. She must have just taken out the trash and was coming upstairs. We even said hello. Does that count? After taking out the trash, I went home to sleep. The supply and marketing cooperative has been very busy these past few days. I've been standing here all day, and my legs are swollen. I washed up and went to bed early."
Zhou Zhixing nodded, without commenting on the salesperson's alibi. Instead, he continued, "Among the people who came to the supply and marketing cooperative in recent days, is there anyone who left a deep impression on you? It doesn't matter what the impression was, good or bad."
The saleswoman glanced at Zhou Zhixing twice, wondering what he was thinking. Did he believe her or not? It was truly strange. But after a moment's reflection, the saleswoman murmured, "There have been a lot of people shopping at the supply and marketing cooperative these days, many coming multiple times. It's a holiday, after all, and everyone wants to see if they have mooncakes with other fillings. They want to buy a few more to take home to visit relatives, which would be a nice touch."
She frowned as she recalled the past, and Zou Li beside her echoed, "Yes, my wife bought several kinds of mooncakes with fillings, including five-nut, jujube paste, red bean paste, and sweet potato. She bought four of each. You know what, I tried them all, and they tasted pretty good."
The salesperson nodded and continued, "Of course. The goods we buy from the supply and marketing cooperative are all guaranteed to taste great. Many people buy four to take with them when they visit relatives, one with each filling. They look nice when they carry them."
Then he smiled, his smile tinged with obvious pride. "During those days, there were several fights over who was buying mooncakes. I remember two older women almost overturned the counter to grab the five-nut and jujube paste mooncakes. There were too many people, and I couldn't squeeze through. It was Uncle Xu who was strong enough to pull them apart. There were also people who bought too much and got scolded by everyone."
She relaxed, lost in her memories, and said slowly, "But everyone generally buys four... No, I remember one!"
She suddenly said, "If I had to say what left a lasting impression, there was a young man who came to buy two mooncakes. Everyone else bought four, but he bought two. And he didn't take any home. After he bought them, he stood by and ate them. I remember that. Is that weird?"
Zhou Zhixing nodded. "Well, besides him eating mooncakes right there, what else impressed you?"
The saleswoman thought about it and said, "Uh, no, he ate the mooncake and left, but..."
The salesperson tried hard to recall, and after a long while, he finally said, "He eats mooncakes very slowly, and his eyes are always glancing at the crowd. Does that count? I remember one time the mooncakes at the counter were sold out, and I went to the warehouse in the back to get some. When I passed by him, he gave me several shifty glances. I suspected he was a thief, trying to steal something while I was away. But a thief can't just buy two mooncakes beforehand, right? Mooncakes aren't cheap, so isn't that a bit much? And besides eating mooncakes and watching people, he didn't do anything else. Gradually, more people came around, and I stopped paying attention."
Zhou Zhixing became serious: "What does he look like? What are his characteristics?"
The saleswoman said, "Um, let me think. He was about half a head shorter than you, and a bit thinner. He looked under 30. His face... was long, with small eyes and thick lips. He was wearing a half-new white sweatshirt. I don't remember anything else."
The saleswoman thought for a moment and patted her thigh. "He's got a really straight back, doesn't that count?"
"Okay." Zhou Zhixing sat up straight. The characteristics of this person were already very obvious. He was 80% similar to the person who attacked him that Uncle Xu mentioned.
He asked a few more details before reuniting with Lan Qingshan, Shao Yong, and the others. Shao Yong also asked about the man who was eating mooncakes and observing the crowd; it seemed the other salespeople had noticed him as well.
Lan Qingshan shook hands with Director Jin and said with a smile, "We'll go back first. We'll tell you as soon as there's any progress. You should also think about it carefully. If you have any clues, you can come to the police station to find us."
Director Jin nodded. "Okay, can we open now? No need to close and wait for your investigation results or anything like that?"
Lan Qingshan shook his head: "No need, the robbery happened in the finance office and the warehouse, it has nothing to do with the sales area in front, you can just operate as usual. Let's go."
There was progress in the investigation, but there was trouble at the hospital.
Jiang Nan never expected that as soon as they entered the hospital, they would see Cheng's father who came to accompany Dong Tingting for a checkup. She wanted to block Cheng Meijuan's sight so that she wouldn't see them, but it was too late. Cheng Meijuan spotted the two of them the first time.
Cheng Meijuan covered her stomach and pointed at Dong Tingting, cursing, "You... why are you pestering my dad again! You shameless bitch, you..."
She cried out in pain and cried to Cheng's father: "Dad, why are you with her again! I don't agree, I don't agree with you marrying her, you... It hurts, it hurts so much, Dad."
Cheng's father frowned. Although he loved his daughter, he couldn't tolerate her telling him what to do. He said sternly, "Meijuan, you've crossed the line."
He was worried about his daughter, so he kept a serious face. Seeing that her face was distorted with pain, he turned around and shouted, "Doctor, doctor."
He reached out and grabbed a passing nurse and said, "My daughter is about to give birth. Please push her to the delivery room. Thank you."
Cheng Meijuan wanted to say something, but severe pain came over her and big beads of sweat fell from her forehead. She looked at Cheng's father and Dong Tingting in pain. Dong Tingting seemed fine and even looked at Cheng Meijuan with a little provocation.
Cheng Meijuan wailed in pain and was pushed into the delivery room by the nurse. She was unable to utter a word until she left.
Jiang Nan felt a little embarrassed. She cleared her throat and was about to ask Cheng's father a few questions when Sun Qiaolian ran over in a panic, grabbed Jiang Nan, and asked with trembling lips, "Xiao Nan, Meijuan...Are Meijuan and the child okay?"
Jiang Nan: "She's been wheeled into the delivery room. Whether it's a natural birth or surgery depends on the doctor. Aunt Sun, isn't Fang Nanshan here? He'll need his signature for the surgery."
Sun Qiaolian was upset: "Nanshan went to the well, and Meijuan was due in half a month. Nanshan thought he would work a few more days, but who knew she would give birth prematurely."
As if she had just seen Cheng's father and Dong Tingting, Sun Qiaolian narrowed her eyes and asked softly, "Old Cheng, you..."
Dong Tingting raised her eyebrows and took Cheng's father's arm provocatively.
In that split second, Cheng's father's face was blank, but he managed to hold his nerve and quickly reacted. He nodded calmly to Sun Qiaolian and said, "I came to accompany Tingting to see the doctor, and I happened to see Meijuan giving birth."
He said in a very gentle tone: "Tingting, you go back first. I still have to wait here for Meijuan to finish giving birth."
As he spoke, he patted Dong Tingting's arm, and his eyes were full of threats when he looked at Dong Tingting.
Dong Tingting knew that forcing him to admit their relationship today was enough. Staying any longer would only make things worse. She smiled politely, "Okay, Laocheng, don't worry. Meijuan is a lucky person. God will help her. Nothing will happen to her."
After a brief confrontation, Cheng's father quickly returned to normal, nodded slightly at Dong Tingting, and walked out of the delivery room.
Jiang Nan had nothing to do anymore, so she and the other two policemen quietly retreated. They didn't know whether Cheng Meijuan would be able to give birth smoothly after being stimulated twice in one day.
The three men returned the cart to the supply and marketing cooperative. Seeing that their colleagues had all gone back, they knew that the inquiry had yielded results. The three men did not stay and quickly rode their bicycles back to the police station.
Although the suspect had been identified, his identity had not yet been confirmed. He Lin only had a rough idea of his appearance. Based on the salesperson's description, He Lin drew a portrait of the suspect. The next step was to use the portrait to investigate everywhere.
Groups five and six formed teams of two and went out to the homework area to ask questions.
Before lunch, the suspect's identity was finally confirmed. Shao Yong pulled out a photo and introduced himself, "This man's name is Jiang Shan, 26 years old. He served in the military for two years and was assigned to the security department of the city's thermos factory after his discharge. He was criticized and educated for drinking alcohol on duty multiple times, and he resolutely resigned. After that, he became a street stalker and was detained in the city several times for fighting. Two days before National Day, he came to visit his sister Jiang Li, a teacher at the oil field kindergarten. The two siblings have a good relationship. According to neighbors, Jiang Shan has been staying at his sister's house for the past few days."
Jiang Nan's eyelids twitched. Kindergarten? Tian Jiaguang's former colleague? Cheng Meijuan worked at the supply and marketing cooperative. She must know about the payment. Then there's no guarantee Fang Nanshan knew about it. Fang Nanshan and Tian Jiaguang had a delicate relationship. Could it be that Fang Nanshan accidentally told Tian Jiaguang, who then told Jiang Li, who then told Jiang Shan?
Jiang Nan had her suspicions, but she didn't rush to speak. Shao Yong continued, "Jiang Shan's whereabouts are currently unknown. Neighbors say he didn't return home last night. Also, we found Jiang Shan's shoes at Jiang Li's house. The size of his shoes matches the footprints at the scene, so we can pretty much confirm he committed the crime."
Lan Qingshan had long noticed Jiang Nan's anomaly. He didn't rush to arrange the next move. Instead, he asked, "Xiao Nan, if you have anything to say, just say it. This is not a small case. We should tell you everything we know. It doesn't matter if we make mistakes."
Jiang Nan thought for a moment, then carefully spoke out what she had just thought of. After all, this was a matter of men and women, so she said cautiously, "I'm not sure if my guess is right, but Jiang Shan knows so much about the supply and marketing cooperative, so he must have heard something."
Lan Qingshan nodded: "It's okay, I understand. When we handle cases, we must make bold assumptions and carefully verify them. It's okay, your suspicion is reasonable."
He pondered for a moment and ordered, "First, send out a joint investigation notice to all the police stations in the urban areas and oil fields. Also, post a wanted notice for Jiangshan and bring him to justice as soon as possible. Groups 5 and 6 will stake out the bus and train stations over the next few days. If they find him, they will arrest him immediately. Also..."
He pondered for a moment, then looked at Sun Zhengyi and said, "Team Four, you are responsible for keeping an eye on Jiang Li. Since Jiang Shan has a good relationship with her, he may come looking for her. If he is found, arrest him immediately. Team Three, go to Baishui City Detention Center and investigate whether Jiang Shan has met any skilled thieves during his detention. His technique is very professional and doesn't seem to be learned on the spot. Also, Fang Nanshan..."
He thought for a moment and said, "He was at the well yesterday. So, I'll discuss with Lao Cheng and try to get him back today to confirm his alibi. As for his relationship with Tian Jiaguang and Jiang Li, it's best to investigate privately and not alert Cheng Meijuan. She's a new mother and has just given birth. Her body hasn't recovered yet and she can't be stimulated again. So, I'll go ask Fang Nanshan in person, and everyone should act as soon as possible."
"yes."
The amount involved in the case was huge, and everyone didn't even have time to eat lunch. They just bought a few buns in the cafeteria and rushed to the scene.
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