Chapter 108 Blizzard Duty Night
Wang Zili and Wang Gengsheng exchanged a glance, then took two steps forward, one on each side, grabbing the old man and dragging him out. Zou Li stood there for two seconds, waiting for the man to get a little further away before whispering to Zhou Zhixing, "He won't confess unless we catch him in the act. The old man is old, and we can't judge him."
Zhou Zhixing nodded and whispered, "I know, but he must be taught a lesson. It's such a bold move to sell knockout drugs at this hour. Brother Zou, you go with him to the police station. I'll take Xiaonan and Qiangzi to Lihua Lane."
Zou Li understood. If it was just a lesson, it was fine. Everyone said nothing and went their separate ways.
Lihua Alley was not far from the department store to the west, less than two miles away. They turned left after exiting the department store, walked through two lanes, and then turned right into a small alley. This was Lihua Alley. Because several famous opera singers had lived here in the past, the name somehow became Lihua Alley.
The fourth door in Lihua Lane was occupied by the centipede. The old lady looked to be in her sixties, approaching seventy, older than the old Chinese doctor, with graying hair and a face full of wrinkles. Legend had it that she had once been a brothel madam. Her most common possession wasn't knockout drugs, but aphrodisiacs. However, her methods were even stricter, requiring not only a secret code but also someone she knew to bring the drugs along.
When everyone came to her door, the centipede woman didn't even raise her eyelids and told her about her medicine sales in the past year: "Old Lady Sui from Courtyard No. 1 bought some."
She glanced at Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing, her eyes clear enough to tell her they also lived in Courtyard No. 1. She continued, "That murderer, Shi Hong, bought it too. And then there's Old Lady Hu from the East Bank of the river. Those are the three of them."
He snorted coldly and continued in a gruff voice, "I know you're going to take me to the police station. I'll tell you the truth. I'll change my story once I get in. I won't admit a single word, and I won't confront anyone. This is against the rules, and since I make a living from this, I can't break the rules. I'm old, and I won't be out of the detention center for a few days. I'm not afraid."
Jiang Nan was so angry that he laughed. It seems that if you are old, you can break the law and you are glorious. What kind of people are you? However, there is no clue here from the centipede, which means that the Ma family has never bought medicine from these two places.
Zhou Zhixing, however, didn't care at all. He raised his hand and said, "Change your mind if you want. You still have to come with us."
The old centipede's face was expressionless. She obediently stood up and followed the others back to the police station. It was already 7:50 when they arrived. There was no rush to interrogate him. They first locked him in the interrogation room and everyone returned to the office for another meeting.
Lan Qingshan checked his watch. It was 7:55. The five groups led by Shao Yong had also returned. He raised his hand and said, "Shao Yong, you start first."
Shao Yong stood up and said, "We went to the hospital and checked the purchase records of sleeping pills for the past year, and there was no record of anyone from the Ma family. Expanding the search to the past three years, there was still no record of anyone from the Ma family buying the medicine. We also checked the inventory records, inbound and outbound records, and everything matched. There's no possibility of anyone secretly selling the medicine."
Lan Qingshan frowned and nodded, signaling Zhou Zhixing to begin. Hearing that there were no records of drug purchases from those two locations, everyone fell silent. Lan Qingshan patted his thigh gently and said after a long moment, "Let's go to nearby animal husbandry stations and farms tomorrow. They should also have these drugs. Also, if the perpetrator used force, there's a good chance they don't need to buy drugs, but that requires investigating the relationship between the Ma family and the victim."
He pursed his lips and looked at Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing. "So, tomorrow, Team 6 will go to the west bank of the river to investigate the social relationship between the Ma family and the victim, while Shao Yong will continue to follow up on the clues about the medicine. We'll work on both fronts."
Seeing everyone nod, Lan Qingshan clapped his hands, softened his expression, and said, "Okay, it's time to get off work and go home. It's so late, you haven't had dinner yet, right? Go home and eat, and then we'll investigate further tomorrow."
The case reached a stalemate. No one spoke, just nodded and walked away in silence.
Zhou Zhixing lingered, his movements neither hurried nor slow. When most of the people had left, he whispered, "Chief Lan, the old Chinese doctor and the centipede are in the interrogation room."
Lan Qingshan waved his hand: "It's okay, I'll go to interrogate him later and transfer him to the detention center tomorrow. You and Xiaonan go back first and have a good rest. There's a tough battle to fight tomorrow."
Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing were also hungry. They nodded, hurried out of the office, and rode their bikes back to Courtyard No. 1. Courtyard No. 1 was now gathering more and more people along the west bank of the river. The news spread like wildfire, reaching us even before dinnertime.
The story, involving a widow's death and her daughter's mischief, was filled with legends and, crucially, gossip. Everyone was fascinated. Before the two bikers even reached the building, they were surrounded. It was a unique moment in this era; the police, handling cases like this, were completely unconcerned about keeping secrets.
"Xiao Nan, how did Widow Sun die? Why was her coffin nailed down without even letting her own daughter see? Was there something shameful about it?"
"Is it the young wife of the Ma family? I've heard of her. She was a miserable person, widowed for nearly twenty years. Her life was like being soaked in coptis root, so miserable that it's hard to describe. Now that she's dead, maybe it's a relief."
"What nonsense are you talking about? His daughter has passed the exam and become a worker. What's the point of being relieved or not? It's better to live a miserable life than to die. I think that young wife is just unable to get over it."
Everyone was talking at once, but Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing had no time to pay attention. They hadn't even eaten dinner yet, and their stomachs were already growling with hunger. Seeing them locked up and ignored, Old Lady Qiu, holding her grandson, became unhappy and pouted, "Xiao Nan, you're just a small police officer, why are you acting like that? We, the elders, are talking to you, so why didn't you hear us?"
She tutted her tongue twice and continued, "He's not even an official yet, and he's already so arrogant..."
Before she could finish her words, Chen Jinhua on the other end got upset and shouted, "Aunt Qiu, what are you talking about? Can't you see what time it is? My Xiaonan and Xiaoxing haven't even had dinner yet. Can't you see how pale their faces are? Do you know what that is? Hypoglycemia, do you understand? If they don't eat on time, it could be fatal. Even if no one dies, can you afford the consequences if something bad happens? Stop talking nonsense here. Come on, Xiaonan, Xiaoxing, let's go. Dinner is ready for you. Let's go back and eat."
After saying that, he snorted heavily and dragged the other person home without saying anything. He muttered loudly as he walked, "It's the weekend today. My Xiaonan and Xiaoxing have to work overtime this weekend and are so tired that they are sick. How can you be so arrogant? It's so unreasonable!"
This conversation made everyone awkward. Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing managed a forced smile, not in the mood to say anything to lighten the mood. As they walked into the corridor, they saw Qiu Pan'er standing on the second floor, her eyes wide and furious, glaring at the three of them.
Chen Jinhua had lost interest in Qiu Pan'er and pretended not to notice. The three of them simply went upstairs, unaware that Qiu Pan'er's eyes were growing darker and darker behind them. If she hadn't known about Yangjiawa and Lihuaxiang, two places selling medicine, before this case, she knew everything now. Qiu Pan'er panted heavily and looked at the three people's backs, her eyes gradually becoming more sinister.
After closing the door, Jiang Nan whispered, "There's something wrong with Qiu Pan'er."
Chen Jinhua nodded. "I can see that. She had a bad temper when she was pregnant. After giving birth, she found out that Tian Jiaguang was cheating on her. Her temper must have become even worse. I just hope that she can be more considerate for the sake of the child and not be impulsive."
Jiang Mancheng stood up and served himself some porridge. Hearing this, he said, "Just keep an eye on her. Come, let's eat. Are you going to the west bank of the river to investigate tomorrow?"
Jiang Nan didn't take it seriously. The four of them chatted quietly, and the next day soon arrived. Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing didn't go to the police station. Instead, they waited for Zou Li and the other three in Courtyard No. 1. After reuniting, they headed to the west bank of the river. They had to go to the Ma family to investigate the identity of the child in Sun Mai's belly.
It was winter, and something happened yesterday. Today, except for Ma Xiaoqin and a few workers who went to work, the rest of the Ma family was basically all at home. Speaking of which, the old man and old lady of the Ma family had three sons and one daughter. The eldest was the man who first stood up yesterday, and the second was the middle-aged man called Erjun. The third was a girl who had married off to another village long ago and didn't come home except for Chinese New Year and other holidays. The youngest was Ma Xiaoqin's father, Ma Hongjun, who tragically drowned while repairing a canal in his early years.
Now the old man and his wife live here with their second son and his family. In the past, Sun Mai also lived in the woodshed here. Yesterday's disturbance at the Ma family was actually, strictly speaking, a disturbance at Ma Aijun's family.
Seeing so many police officers rushing in, Ma Aijun's eyes were momentarily flustered, but he quickly adjusted himself and smiled, inviting everyone into the house: "Are there any investigation results? Just tell us, it's okay, we can handle it."
Jiang Nan felt contemptuous. Although she hadn't asked the system, her first instinct told her that the child was Ma Aijun's. It was just that without DNA technology and no record of him buying drugs, there was no direct evidence. He must have raped her, but the person was dead, and she really didn't know what to do with him.
Although he knew what was going on, Zhou Zhixing controlled his expression very skillfully. He smiled slightly and said, "Not so fast yet. We came over to ask about the situation. How many people are home now?"
Ma Aijun grinned: "The old man, the old lady, and my wife are all here. My son has gone to work, and my daughter-in-law is out visiting friends."
Zhou Zhixing nodded and turned to instruct, "Zou Li, take Wang Gengsheng to ask the old man. Wen Qiang, take Wang Zili to ask the old lady. Xiaonan, ask Ma Aijun's wife. Remember, ask them separately and don't cross-examine each other."
"yes!"
Seeing that they were about to separate, Ma Aijun quickly interrupted and said, "Well, my wife is just a country woman. She can't even read. So there's no need to ask, right?"
Zhou Zhixing then looked at Ma Aijun, his eyes flashing coldly: "Whether to ask or not is up to us."
He waved his hand, signaling everyone to move, and then looked at Ma Aijun again and said, "Okay, where do you think we should go to question him? It's winter, if you don't think it's cold outside, then we can go outside."
Ma Aijun chuckled twice, glanced at Jiang Nan secretly, and wanted to say something when he saw Old Lady Ma and a short, dark-skinned middle-aged woman being led out of the main room.
When Mrs. Ma saw her son being surrounded by two policemen, she thought he was being persecuted and started crying, “What are you doing? My son didn’t do anything. Why are you arresting him? I…”
Ma Aijun quickly interrupted, "Mom, it's okay. The police are just questioning me normally. I didn't do anything. I'll be fine."
Old Ma blinked and suddenly stopped, her expression comical, but she understood her son's hint and fell silent, following Wen Qiang into the woodshed. Ma Aijun's wife, with her head lowered, entered the east wing's side room in silence.
Ma Aijun hesitated for a moment, then turned and entered the kitchen first: "Then let's go to the kitchen, there's no one here."
Jiang Nan turned and entered the side room, preparing to interrogate Ma Aijun's wife. Dealing with a man like Ma Aijun didn't require any kind of intimacy; it was better to be well-informed. Only by intimidating him would he behave. Otherwise, there was no hope of hearing the truth from him. It would be better for her to interrogate Ma Aijun's wife.
Ma Aijun's wife's surname is Hong, and her name is Hong Xiaohua. She looks very honest. Since Jiang Nan came in, she has been rubbing the corner of her clothes with her head down, looking very nervous. Looking closely, her clothes are all patched, which shows that her daily life may not be very good. Jiang Nan understood and said softly, "Auntie Hong, do you know who Sun Mai usually has a good relationship with?"
Hong Xiaohua glanced at Jiang Nan timidly, shook her head, and hummed softly, "I don't know. I... I don't know anything."
Jiang Nan raised her eyebrows. This was a confession. She said softly, "Really? But there's some gossip in the village..."
She deliberately stretched out her voice, causing Hong Xiaohua to tremble and shrink her shoulders. Jiang Nan continued, "You know, nothing can be kept secret in the village. If you don't tell me, I can ask others. Someone will know."
Hong Xiaohua hunched her shoulders and remained silent, but veins appeared on her hands as she rubbed the corners of her clothes.
Jiang Nan sighed inwardly and continued, "Have you heard of blood tests? Although it's not very accurate, it's still possible to determine who the child's is by blood type. Sun Mai's body is still there, and the child in her belly only needs a blood draw..." This was also what Jiang Nan thought of tricking Ma Aijun because he heard him say that his wife couldn't read, hoping to get Hong Xiaohua to speak up.
As expected, Hong Xiaohua looked up in surprise, her lips turning pale. Seeing Jiang Nan's determined eyes, she felt a little timid. An uneducated and uninformed woman like her was the most superstitious, but also the most awed by science. She was now certain that she could no longer hide her man's affairs. With trembling lips, she whispered, "Will it...will it affect my son and my daughter? My son Jianguo is a worker, and my daughter's husband is also a worker. Won't...will they be fired?"
Jiang Nan shook his head without hesitation and said firmly, "No, your son and son-in-law are already workers. They can only be fired if they commit a crime. Otherwise, they won't be fired for anything. Which team do your son and son-in-law work for?"
Hong Xiaohua's shoulders finally relaxed. She glanced at Jiang Nan furtively and whispered, "Drilling Team 3 and Well Repair Team 6. If I...if I get a divorce, what proof do I need? Divorce...will it affect the child?"
Jiang Nan looked at her twice more and said with a smile, "You only need a letter from the brigade and your household registration booklet to get a divorce. It won't have any impact on your son and his family."
Aunt Hong seemed completely relieved and breathed a sigh of relief: "That's great, it's just like Jianguo said, exactly."
As he spoke, he patted his chest and whispered, "Ma Aijun, it was Ma Aijun and the old couple who did it! Xiaoqin wanted to take Maizi to live in the dormitory, but the old couple disagreed. They wanted Maizi to continue to work like a slave in the Ma family, so they came up with this idea. They thought that if they could hold something against Maizi, she...she wouldn't be able to leave. Ma Aijun is not a good-for-nothing. He has had his eyes on Maizi for a long time, and..."
Her face flushed as she spoke: "He also had bad intentions towards Xiaoqin. During those few nights, Ma Aijun sneaked out every day and came back very late. I leaned on the window and watched. He...he went into the woodshed, and the old couple stood guard at the door..."
Jiang Nan was so angry that his hands began to tremble while writing. What the hell are these three? Parents are so kind to their son, aren’t they afraid of being struck by lightning?
The questioning went smoothly, but Zhou Zhixing's was a bit tricky. Ma Aijun was cunning, and no matter how he asked, he simply denied everything. He kept insisting that he and his sister-in-law should avoid suspicion and had no contact, and that his parents were good people who cared about his sister-in-law and never bullied her. It was a good thing it was Zhou Zhixing asking; if it was Jiang Nan, he would have lost his temper.
Although Mr. and Mrs. Ma weren't quite as cunning, their silent resistance was quite frustrating. At their age, they couldn't really do anything to them, which was quite frustrating. Fortunately, Jiang Nan had a breakthrough, otherwise Group 6 would have returned empty-handed.
The six of them didn't dare delay and quickly apprehended Ma Aijun. They also showed no mercy to the elderly Ma couple and took them all to the police station. On the way, Jiang Nan whispered to Zhou Zhixing about what they had learned. Once inside, they locked the three of them in an interrogation room. Zhou Zhixing then approached Lan Qingshan and reported their findings in a low voice.
Lan Qingshan whispered, "Go to Drilling Team 3 and call Ma Aijun's son and ask him how much he knows. Also, go to the area around the Ma family and visit all the neighbors to see if there are any other clues."
Zhou Zhixing nodded: "Okay, I'll go right away."
There was no need to bring so many people with us to Drilling Team 3. Zhou Zhixing turned around and ordered, "Zili and Gengsheng, you two go to Drilling Team 3 and get Ma Aijun's son. The rest of you, follow me back to the west bank of the river and visit the Ma family's neighbors."
It was almost noon. Zhou Zhixing looked up at the sky and added, "Let's buy some buns and eat them as we walk. Don't waste time."
Jiang Nan, Wen Qiang, and Zou Li all agreed. Time could mean a life in solving a case. The four of them each bought two steamed buns, devoured them ravenously, and then hopped on their bikes, trudging back to the west bank.
Ma Aijun was still refusing to admit his guilt. He struggled and said, "Why are you arresting me? I didn't do anything. What does it have to do with me that bitch is pregnant? Just because you are the police, you can arrest people at will? Is there any justice in the world? You..."
He was being interrogated by Lan Qingshan and a member of Team 3. Lan Qingshan remained unmoved, looking at the materials before him. "You haven't had your blood type tested, have you? That's okay, we'll ask a doctor to do it for you. Have you heard of blood testing?"
Seeing Ma Aijun's evasive gaze, Lan Qingshan smiled and said, "You've heard of it, right? I know that's not accurate, but now there's new technology that can determine who's your child and who's not by blood type, you know?"
Seeing Ma Aijun stiffen his neck and fall silent, Lan Qingshan finally felt at ease. This was the trick Zhou Zhixing had just mentioned, Jiang Nan's plan to trick Ma Aijun's wife. He wasn't sure if Ma Aijun understood it. But seeing the word "literacy" on the file, Lan Qingshan decided to give it a try. Ma Aijun had only attended literacy classes and probably didn't understand this information. Even if he couldn't trick her, he wouldn't lose anything. Fortunately, Lan Qingshan was lucky and succeeded. It all depended on when Ma Aijun would speak.
Lan Qingshan waited for Ma Aijun to confess his crime. Zhou Zhixing and his four companions rode back to the west bank of the river and continued their investigation among the Ma family's neighbors. When they asked about Sun Mai's relationship with the Ma family's elders and second brother, the villagers laughed strangely. One woman pooh-poohed, "That widow Sun used to look okay, but she's become more and more unremarkable in recent years! She's been keeping it a secret for so many years, but now she can't keep it a secret anymore. Those few days..."
She snorted and glanced at her husband. The man grunted for a long time and mumbled, "No, that... that's a miserable person."
The woman pinched her waist and said, "Bah! Everyone is suffering. Why do you need to be pitied here? It's a good thing the person is gone. Otherwise, you would be gossiped about for helping to fetch water."
Jiang Nan frowned and said to the woman sternly, "Alright, we're questioning you now." Seeing that the woman was stiff-necked and silent, he continued, "What happened those days? Tell me clearly."
The woman let go of her hands, lowered her eyelids, and stopped talking. She was just being angry.
Jiang Nan refused to give her any sympathy and said sternly, "You can't hide anything from the police. Do you want to tell us here, or go to the police station and we'll ask you about it in detail."
The woman looked up at Jiang Nan and stammered, "Well, I just heard some noises, and I don't know what they were."
As she spoke, seeing that Jiang Nan's expression had eased a little, the woman continued, "It's... it seems like Maizi always sobbed at night. A few times, there were sounds of fighting, but I couldn't hear it clearly. It seemed like a man was beating her. Later, it was that kind of sound, you know, and I was speechless. Who knows if those two are playing some tricks, right?" She said with a wry laugh.
Jiang Nan glanced at the woman twice, lowered his head and quickly wrote down the notes. He asked, "What about the old couple in the Ma family? How do they treat Sun Mai?"
Back at the west bank of the river, I visited the Ma family's neighbors and discovered that many people had heard the noise. But firstly, it was someone else's business. Even if someone knocked on the door in the middle of the night, everything would be packed up by the time they opened it, so what would they find? Secondly, based on the principle of less trouble is more, although everyone had their own guesses, no one cared, and naturally, no one knew the truth.
By the time they got back to the police station, it was already 6 p.m., time to get off work. After Lan Qingshan's interrogation, Ma Aijun admitted to having sex with Sun Mai, but he refused to admit it was forced, saying only that it was consensual. "She seduced me, I'm innocent. I have a wife and a son, how could I be short of women? Sun Mai is not a good person. She said she had been waiting for me for more than ten years, but that was all fake. She always seduced me at home..."
It was all just nonsense, but he still denied any coercion. Even if Lan Qingshan claimed that promiscuity was still a valid offense, Ma Aijun wasn't stupid. He knew there was no coercion, it was simply promiscuity. But if he admitted to coercion, he'd probably be shot. Even a fool would know what was more serious.
This is considered the death of the victim, and no one can do anything to Ma Aijun. Even Lan Qingshan is helpless and can only lock him up first and then come out to discuss with everyone.
Shao Yong has returned with his men. They were freezing outside, but the situation wasn't optimistic. "There are three livestock stations near the operation site, and none of them have lost any medication or used it illegally. We checked the medication records, and they match the existing medications and inventory records."
That was simply Ma Aijun's use of force. Unless they could get a confession from the elderly couple, the law wouldn't be able to do anything to him. Just think about it, they'd definitely help their son. What? You're saying Ma Aijun's wife, Hong Xiaohua, confessed? Just saying it was late at night and she didn't come out and see what was going on inside the house, is enough to get Ma Aijun off the hook.
Everyone suddenly felt as if dark clouds were looming over their heads. Was all their work in vain?
Just as I was worrying about this, the young policeman who was guarding the old couple came running over and said, "Officer Lan, Mr. and Mrs. Ma are complaining that they are not feeling well and need to go to the hospital."
Lan Qingshan frowned and stood up to take a look. He found that the two were really working hard. They kept crying out "ouch, ouch" and were sweating profusely. They were in a lot of trouble. Lan Qingshan clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying, "Send them to the hospital!"
Several police officers nodded, walked forward quietly and helped the two people to take them to the hospital for examination. No one dared to make a noise.
After everyone left, Lan Qingshan sighed, looked at his watch, and said, "Okay, let's go home first. We'll figure it out tomorrow."
Along the way, Jiang Nan's head drooped, barely able to ride. She'd spoken so righteously when she'd challenged Secretary Tao, but now her actions had fallen flat on their faces. She'd never sought justice for the deceased! Not only that, she'd even thrown mud at Sun Mai.
Zhou Zhixing pushed his bicycle and comforted him, "Don't overthink it. There's still time for interrogation. Trust Chief Lan, trust everyone. We'll find a way."
"Am I too self-righteous?" Jiang Nan lowered his head. "Maybe Secretary Tao is right. I shouldn't have said that about him."
Zhou Zhixing smiled and said, "Then next time you go to the village, give the Party Secretary something to apologize. Okay, let's go home and have dinner."
Jiang Nan nodded. This was the only way. The two of them got on their bikes and sped back to Courtyard No. 1. Because of yesterday's unpleasantness, no one stopped them today. They locked their bikes easily and prepared to go upstairs. Suddenly, Jiang Nan felt a strong gaze. She followed the gaze, smiled, and whispered, "Qiu Pan'er can't buy medicine."
Zhou Zhixing scoffed, "The old liar and the centipede have just been investigated, and the case hasn't been solved yet. Even if they had the guts, they wouldn't dare to sell medicine at this time. Don't worry, even if she wants to take revenge, she won't do it now."
Indeed, Qiu Pan'er had always been a dwarf in terms of action. She could be secretly jealous, but not instigating trouble. Jiang Nan put the matter aside and focused on going home for dinner. There was also the matter of collecting human trafficking cases for submission. They had been busy all day yesterday and hadn't done any of it. The four of them had to discuss it again today.
Jiang Mancheng said briskly, "We're building ten buildings this time. There are 26, 45, 58, 62, 75, and 88 square meters. There won't be any larger. I've inquired, and working couples will be given priority. There's a high probability that Xiaonan and Xiaoxing will get separate apartments."
Chen Jinhua waved her fist and said, "Then let's discuss this tonight and try to achieve great merit so we can get a bigger house."
Jiang Mancheng nodded, suppressing his excitement and saying, "Secure forty-five, fight for fifty-eight, and rush for sixty-two!"
As the four of them were talking, there was an unexpected knock on the door. People who came during dinner were either very familiar or very unruly. Before Chen Jinhua stood up, she glanced at the dishes on the table: kimchi, stir-fried shredded cabbage, egg drop soup, and the staples were steamed bread and sweet potatoes. Even if it was just a food inspection, she turned around and opened the door. Unexpectedly, the person standing outside was Old Lady Cao.
The old lady smiled, and was even happier when she saw her second grandson not feeling restrained at all in the Jiang family. She sat down at the dining table with the calendar in hand without any hesitation: "You guys eat, I've already eaten, hehe."
Old Lady Cao lowered her head, flipped the calendar to the date she had carefully chosen, and pointed, "June 22nd, the eighth day of the fifth lunar month."
She whispered, "I asked someone to calculate it, and the most auspicious day is Sunday. Everyone is off work, so it's a good day for a wedding."
Old Lady Cao flipped forward two pages and said, "June 20th, the sixth day of the fifth lunar month, a Friday, is a perfect day for Xiaonan and Xiaoxing to get their marriage certificate. It's also an auspicious day, not only for having children, but also for a harmonious and peaceful life ahead, free from illness and disaster. It's the most auspicious day."
After saying that, he looked at everyone and said with a smile, "How is it?"
Chen Jinhua was immediately delighted: "Aunt Cao, you're really quick. You've chosen it already? That's great!"
She whispered, "Who are you looking for? All the nearby temples have been destroyed."
Old Lady Cao said mysteriously, "He's not a monk, but an old Taoist priest from the old Taoist temple. He left the secular world when the movement came, and now lives on the bank of the East River. My old man helped him a few years ago. Don't worry, nothing will happen to him."
Chen Jinhua stopped asking and carefully read the calendar, which showed signs of good luck for moving, weddings, funerals, and so on. A smile unconsciously crossed her lips. Jiang Mancheng twitched his lips, but still said, "Okay, I'll do as you say. If you say it's good, then it's definitely good."
Zhou Zhixing nodded obediently: "I'll listen to grandma."
What could Jiang Nan say? He could only follow suit and said, "I'll listen to Grandma Cao."
Old Mrs. Cao laughed like she was pumped with chicken blood, clapped her hands and said, "Okay, leave it all to me. From now on, buy some dried seafood, pig skins, etc. when you come across them. We should stock up. And oil, lard..."
Jiang Mancheng hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Aunt Cao. I know someone who can definitely get it."
Hearing this, Old Lady Cao smiled even more brightly. She said, "Okay, I won't worry about the dishes. Leave the fabric to me. I'll go find some red fabric and make sure Xiaonan wears the best wedding dress."
It was not good to fight anymore, so the four of them stopped talking. Old Mrs. Cao closed the calendar, stood up and said, "Okay, you guys eat, I'll go find someone else." Without waiting for the four of them to stop her, she left in a hurry.
When the door slammed shut, Jiang Mancheng chuckled, "The old lady is having a second spring in her career."
Chen Jinhua also laughed: "I'm busy with my grandson's wedding. I'm happy about it. Remember to remind me to send a telegram to Dad tomorrow. Xiaonan and Xiaoxing's date has been set. I have to tell Dad and my eldest and second brothers about it."
"no problem."
After Mrs. Cao's intervention, the dinner atmosphere became more harmonious. No one knew that a great battle between the grandfather and the grandson was taking place in the staff hospital.
The next day, when they arrived at the police station, Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing exchanged glances at the elderly Ma family, their faces pale and their eyes black with fear. Had they been frightened by Ma Xiaoqin? Otherwise, they wouldn't have kept saying they were going to report Ma Aijun.
Old Man Ma's eyes were fixed, and his voice was floating. "I'm reporting this. Ma Aijun raped Sun Mai at night. He raped... raped Sun Mai. Unfortunately, Sun Mai got pregnant, so she hanged herself."
Old Mrs. Ma's legs went weak. "I testify that Ma Aijun...he forced Sun Mai. Sun Mai didn't do it willingly."
No one expected that the knife that finally stabbed Ma Aijun was handed over by this old couple.
After Lan Qingshan locked the two men back in the interrogation room, Jiang Nan whispered to Zhou Zhixing, "Ma Xiaoqin went to the staff hospital yesterday and threatened the two men with a knife. She said if they refused to testify, she would kill them and then commit suicide. Ma Xiaoqin had lost everything, and when she went crazy, the two old guys couldn't handle it, so they compromised."
Zhou Zhixing nodded. It was good that Ma Aijun was punished. It was the two old men's fault for pretending to be sick. No one would dare to threaten them in the interrogation room. Going to the hospital was their own fault.
After successfully solving the suicide case, life became more relaxed. They went out to catch thieves and settle minor disputes. Time quickly arrived on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the time for pickling Laba garlic and eating Laba porridge. But for Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing, this day also had another meaning: it was time for the night patrol.
Catching thieves before the New Year was crucial, requiring not only daytime arrests but also nighttime vigilance. As soon as the twelfth lunar month began, Lan Qingshan assigned everyone shifts, with field teams patrolling every night. Laba Day was the turn of Zhou Zhixing and his team.
After finishing a bowl of warm porridge at home, Jiang Nan quickly wrapped himself in sweaters, fleece jackets, and a military coat, not forgetting to put on a scarf and gloves. Just as he was about to go out, Chen Jinhua hurriedly grabbed a raincoat and said angrily, "Raincoat! The weather forecast says it will snow heavily tonight. Put on your raincoat before you go."
Jiang Nan patted his forehead with one hand, removed his other hand from the door handle, took the raincoat and said, "Hey, I forgot."
Chen Jinhua smiled: "It's okay, your dad and I are watching you. If you feel cold, drink some ginger soup in the thermos. Don't be afraid to go to the bathroom."
Jiang Nan nodded, put on his raincoat, and then met up with Zhou Zhixing downstairs. They rushed to the police station fully armed. Everyone else was ready, except for Wang Zili and Wang Gengsheng, two young men who didn't wear raincoats. Jiang Nan hurriedly reminded them, "Don't worry, go see if there are any extra raincoats in the office first, and put them on before leaving."
Fortunately, there were still two more in the warehouse, and the two brothers hurriedly put them on. Zhou Zhixing then nodded and waved his hand: "Let's go."
They walked out of the police station, and before they had taken two steps, Zou Li asked, "Qiangzi, how was your blind date tonight? Did it work out?"
Jiang Nan immediately became interested. Even though Wen Qiang was already 26 years old and still a single dog, Wen's father and mother were very anxious. They introduced Wen Qiang to potential partners every day these days and mobilized the people around them to ask anyone they knew if there was anyone suitable. Even Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing were asked this question when they went to the cafeteria to get food.
Wen Qiang scratched his head and chuckled. Seeing that this was going to be a good show, everyone turned around and looked at Wen Qiang with burning eyes.
Being watched by so many eyes, Wen Qiang grinned. "Well, it's done. Xiaohui is a teacher at the Children's Primary School. She was engaged two years ago, but she lost her partner because she didn't have one, so that's why it's been delayed. She's a very nice person, hehe. I'll introduce you to each other in a few days."
Jiang Nan waved his hand: "No rush, Brother Qiangzi, you go ahead and talk. Just tell us what you want to give as a gift, and we'll definitely help you find it. You have to take good care of the girl, okay?"
Wen Qiang kept on grinning, while Wang Zili and Wang Gengsheng started whistling, and this frivolous energy made everyone laugh again. Jiang Nan teased, "Zili, Gengsheng, you two are sixteen now, right? How are you? Has anyone introduced you to a partner? Talk to me."
Unexpectedly, the two silly boys jumped away at once when they heard this. Wang Zili cried out: "Sister Xiaonan, wait until you get married with Brother Xiaoxing before we talk about this, hehehe."
Jiang Nan couldn't help but suspect that Wang Zili was playing dumb. He was quite clever, having easily diverted everyone's attention. Upon hearing this, the others began to ask about the couple's wedding.
I have been so busy lately that I haven't had time to talk about this. When asked, Zhou Zhixing didn't hide it and told everyone the date. The six of them chatted and laughed, and unknowingly arrived at the street where the Revolutionary Committee was located.
The Operations Department's Revolutionary Committee wasn't far from the office building, facing each other on either side of the street, staggered three or four numbers apart. The building housing the Revolutionary Committee was formerly a landlord's compound, covering approximately four acres, a large courtyard with three and a half entrances. The front housed the office, while the back was a small building—the same place where Jiang Mancheng and Chen Jinhua had once frightened Wanhu.
As the six of them passed by, they saw from afar that the lights in the building behind them were still on. Jiang Nan subconsciously checked the time. It was already 9:38. Was someone staying here tonight? Jiang Nan scratched her chin. As far as she knew, apart from Wan Hu, no one seemed to have the key to this small building.
Confused, I subconsciously asked the system, and sure enough, [Host, Wan Hu and Sun Min are in the building.]
I don't know what to say. Is this a complete transformation? Oh my god, is it that easy? Jiang Nan's eyes subconsciously looked at Zhou Zhixing. Is this guy reliable? He won't...
No, Jiang Nan shook his head vigorously, throwing away all the messy thoughts. Wan Hu, yes, Wan Hu, I will need Wan Hu in the future. If this matter is really confirmed, how can I protect this guy?
Just as she was thinking, she felt someone stealthily tug at her sleeve. Jiang Nan turned her head to see Zhou Zhixing pouted towards the Revolutionary Committee's public restroom. Jiang Nan felt guilty at first and hurriedly avoided looking at him, but then she noticed someone sneaking out from behind the restroom wall, hunched over and walking back. If it weren't for her keen eyesight, it would have been hard to see.
Jiang Nan carefully observed the reactions of Zou Li and the other three. They were very good, not noticing this side. She coughed lightly and whispered, "I'm going to the public toilet. You guys go on patrol first, I'll catch up with you later."
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