Chapter 118 Successful Enrollment
The three of them quickly boarded a bus and headed for Houhai. On the bus, Yan Hui introduced the area to them, saying, "Houhai is huge, consisting of Qianhai, Houhai, and Xihai. Technically, my buddy's courtyard isn't part of Houhai. It's near Yandaixie Street, surrounded by shops and convenient for everything. It's also in a great location. It doesn't take long to walk out and you can see the lake view of Houhai. You can also walk to the Forbidden City. It's much better than my courtyard."
He went on and on, saying a bunch of nice things. Jiang Nan knew the house must be badly damaged, otherwise they wouldn't keep blaming the location. Indeed, because the residents were angry when they moved out, the floor tiles in the courtyard had been removed. The windows, while not broken, were filthy. A closer look revealed rotten eggs thrown there.
Yan Hui smiled apologetically, somewhat embarrassed. "Well, the window is still fine, not broken, just a little dirty. No problem, my buddy and I will clean it tonight, and it will be sparkling clean tomorrow."
Yan Hui's friend's surname was Sang. He was very thin, with a sallow complexion, and looked malnourished. He was also very dull and timid in dealing with people. If he hadn't spoken a few words to Yan Hui, Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing would have thought he was a mute.
Although the yard was badly damaged, it was in a really good location, just as Yan Hui had said. Jiang Nan hesitated. She wondered if this man would regret selling such a nice yard. She said, "Mr. Sang, this yard is in such a good location. To be honest, it's not a good time to sell it now. You keep it, and in the future..."
Sang Yan raised his head, his eyes very firm: "No, I want to go abroad, the house is useless. I... I probably won't come back..."
Yan Hui pulled Sang Yan's arm. The latter opened his mouth, then lowered his head and stopped talking. Yan Hui smiled and said, "Well, my buddy was just joking. He has started a family in the countryside and is thinking of selling the house in the capital as soon as possible so that he can return to his hometown to reunite with his wife. Sister Nan, don't worry, we are sincere in selling the house."
Jiang Nan sighed inwardly. This person clearly had a story behind him. She had already tried to persuade him, and since he insisted on selling, she had no choice but to accept. Jiang Nan asked, "I wonder how the price is calculated?"
Yan Hui glanced at Sang Yan and saw him nod slightly. He gestured with the number four and said, "Four thousand, eight hundred more than my yard. Although it's expensive, it's not too high considering the location. I'm sincere in selling the house. If Sister Nan and Brother Zhou are satisfied, leave the paperwork to me and I'll handle it for you."
Jiang Nan nodded. "Okay, we trust you. You two can discuss the formalities. I won't get involved."
As he spoke, he took out his wallet, counted out two thousand and handed it to Yan Hui: "As usual, pay half as a deposit first."
Yan Hui laughed heartily, took it, and asked Sang Yan to count it out. He said, "Okay, I like dealing with people like Sister Nan. They're straightforward. Don't worry, I'll send the property deeds to you in a couple of days."
Less than five days after arriving, she'd already bought another courtyard. When she left, Jiang Nan was still confused. This was too smooth, wasn't it? She was now the owner of two courtyard houses in Beijing?
It wasn't until the evening, when the whole family was having dinner at a state-owned restaurant, that Jiang Nan came to his senses. No matter what happened next, let's celebrate first! The whole family was so happy that they could wake up laughing.
The next day, those who were supposed to go to work went to work, and those who were supposed to go through the formalities went through the formalities. By the time they got the house deeds on the 16th, Jiang Mancheng and Chen Jinhua had already officially started working, and the procedures for the little girl Cha Cha to join the class had also been completed.
Early in the morning, the little girl walked into the classroom with her schoolbag on her back and sat in the first row assigned by the teacher. She shook her head and followed the teacher as he read the text. She did not show any discomfort at all. Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing watched her from the window for another half an hour before leaving.
First, they bought two large locks on the way and went to check out the courtyard in Houhai. Yan Hui and Sang Yan kept their promise and cleaned the windows and the floor. They didn't have time to clean the courtyard, but fortunately they changed the locks first and would tidy up the courtyard later when they had time.
By the time everything was done, it was almost noon. I hurried home, just in time for Chacha to get out of school. The little girl, her schoolbag on her back, skipped and said, "Dad, Mom, elementary school is so good! My classmates don't drool or poop everywhere."
What are you talking about? Jiang Nan put the plate on the dining table and said to Cha Cha, "Go wash your hands and eat."
Cha Cha sighed, put down her schoolbag, and talked about interesting things at school as she walked, such as "My deskmate is called Xiaoyanzi, she is one and a half years older than me, but we are the same height", and "There are two Li Hongs in the class, one boy and one girl. In order to distinguish them, the teacher calls the boy "Big Li Hong" and the girl "Little Li Hong". But it is obvious that the girl Li Hong has an older birthday, so is the teacher biased towards boys? " I don't know how she knew so much after only being at school for the whole morning.
As for the second question, Jiang Nan was very serious as they sat down at the dinner table. She said to Cha Cha, "Cha Cha, you're a transfer student here. This matter was decided at the beginning of last school year. Even if you start making a fuss, everyone has been complaining about it for half a year, so it's hard to change your mind. But you're able to identify the problem, so you deserve praise. Here, I'll give you a chicken leg today as a reward for taking the initiative to find the problem."
As he spoke, he picked out a large chicken drumstick and put it in Chacha's bowl. Chacha took it and asked in confusion, "Just because it's been half a year, I can't tell you anymore?"
Jiang Nan smiled, "Yes and no. There are several reasons for this. First, names are used as code names to distinguish people. Does it matter who's called Big Li Hong and who's called Little Li Hong?"
Seeing Cha Cha looking over, Jiang Nan continued, "Secondly, I'm talking about the teacher's preference for boys over girls. That's hard to judge. You have to know that these days, household registration is still something people proactively report to the police station or neighborhood office, rather than directly linking it to newborns at the hospital. This means there's a chance that the clerk might make a mistake when reporting or entering the information. You can find a chance to look at the household registration books of the two Li Hongs and see if the birth dates written there match the birth dates they gave you."
Her face was serious. "Don't always assume the worst. Maybe the teacher looked at the household registration book, and the male Li Hong's birthday is older in the book? Before jumping to any conclusions, you must conduct a thorough investigation and collect evidence, understand? Don't be arbitrary. Arbitrariness will only lead to false charges and wrongful convictions."
Cha Cha stopped smiling and said, "I know, Mom. I shouldn't think about the teacher like that."
Jiang Nan patted Cha Cha's head and said, "Okay, let's eat. Mom knows that Cha Cha is a good child, a good child who loves to stand up for the weak. Mom doesn't blame you."
In her past life, she'd been cynical, but after being here for so long, getting married, and having children, she realized that cynicism was useless. It only made her angry, and it served no purpose at all. Why not do something down-to-earth? Just like her current career as a police officer, she'd worked major cases for nearly a decade, but mostly petty matters. But it made Jiang Nan feel incredibly grounded, and the cynical Jiang Nan of her past life completely vanished.
The family had their meal quietly. Aunt Wen cleared the table and washed the dishes, while Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing took Cha Cha for a nap.
In the afternoon, after sending Cha Cha to school, the couple decided to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy vegetables, meat and fruits, as she would start school the next day. They also bought some cakes and prepared to have a good meal in the evening. After that, they gave their three children some words of advice so that they could go to school with peace of mind.
It had been a while since they'd cooked, so Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing helped Aunt Wen. They picked up Xiaozhi and Xiaoye from kindergarten at three o'clock, leaving Aunt Wen to watch them play in the yard. The couple prepared seven dishes and a soup before stopping. By the time Jiang Mancheng and Chen Jinhua got off work, Chacha had already finished school and even finished her homework.
Jiang Mancheng put down his briefcase and asked with a smile, "What are you celebrating?"
Jiang Nan was just putting down his chopsticks when he heard this and replied, "We'll be living on campus tomorrow and won't be able to come back for six days, so we have to eat something good beforehand."
It couldn't be this reason, so Jiang Mancheng and Chen Jinhua didn't ask any more questions. After the family had dinner, before eight o'clock, Cha Cha, Xiao Zhi and Xiao Ye all fell asleep, and the five of them started talking about business.
Zhou Zhixing specifically mentioned the potential for poor public security recently: "There will undoubtedly be more and more educated youth returning home. If they can't find jobs, there will be chaos. Aunt Wen, after you pick up Xiaozhi and Xiaoye this afternoon, let them play in the yard. It's best to keep a close eye on them. Be careful not to get taken away by human traffickers."
Aunt Wen nodded solemnly. Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing were police officers, so if they said they felt the public security was bad, then that was definitely bad. As an old woman fleeing famine, she knew nothing and should listen to those with more power.
Zhou Zhixing also instructed Jiang Mancheng and Chen Jinhua: "Dad, Mom, it's best to come back together after get off work. Don't go alone."
Chen Jinhua clapped her hands and whispered, "I was wondering why Xiao Ren was so strange today, insisting on coming back with your dad and me. I see, he's worried something might happen if he comes back alone."
Seeing Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing looking over, Chen Jinhua introduced them, "Xiao Ren is a colleague of your father and me, and he also lives nearby. I think he lives in the same courtyard as Principal Wang."
The family exchanged a few more words before parting ways. The next day, Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing, armed with their application materials, reported to the People's Public Security University. At the entrance to the school was a large banner with the nine characters "Welcome Class of '77." The school wasn't large, and within five minutes of entering, they saw the new student registration office.
Unlike the university in my previous life, the People's Public Security University is very quiet. People walking on campus, whether teachers or students, all march in step, giving off a military-style management posture.
Because of their different majors, their accommodations were definitely different. Luckily, they weren't far away, so they went to Jiang Nan's dorm first. From a distance, it looked like an old, five-story building. Jiang Nan was assigned to room 413. Opening the door, they saw four bunk beds, room for eight. There was a table and two chairs on the windowsill, but nothing else, not even a cabinet.
The three lower bunks were already occupied, and now they were all occupied. Two middle-aged men stood in front of one of the bunks, and the woman was nagging the girl sitting on the lower bunk: "This is a good condition, Nannan, you are a big child now, you have to learn to take care of yourself..."
The girl sitting on the bed was playing with the corner of her clothes, not saying a word. She looked to be about sixteen or seventeen years old, with plump cheeks and a very pretty face.
Hearing the sound of two people pushing the door open, everyone looked over. Meeting everyone's gaze, Jiang Nan paused and introduced, "Hello everyone, I'm Jiang Nan assigned to this dormitory. This is my wife, Zhou Zhixing."
Zhou Zhixing smiled and greeted everyone. The girl, who'd been nagged by her mother, seemed to have finally found something to do. She jumped up and said, "Hello, my name is Li Hongying. This is Zeng Qian, and this is Mo Yun. We're all law majors. What about you?"
Jiang Nan was stunned. Was she assigned to the law department's dormitory? After a moment, she said, "I'm a criminal science major."
Li Hongying said, "Oh," and quickly said, "I see. You're the only girl in the whole department, and you were paired with a girl from our law school? I heard from the teacher, so it's you."
She grabbed Jiang Nan's arm and said, "I heard you've been a police officer for nearly ten years, right? Tell me about the cases you've investigated. Are there any particularly bizarre or interesting ones?"
Jiang Nan gestured to Zhou Zhixing to make the bed. They had previously agreed that she would occupy the upper bunk, near the radiator. Seeing that Zhou Zhixing understood, she said to Li Hongying, "There are a lot of cases. We can discuss them later when we have time."
She looked at Li Hongying's parents, nodded, and then greeted Zeng Qian and Mo Yun. She'd encountered many children like Li Hongying during her time as a police officer. They were simply rebellious teenagers, refusing to communicate with their parents. She was busy now and didn't have time to be a caring sister.
After making the bed, he said to a few people, "My husband also studies in this school. We still need to go to his dormitory to check it out, so I went over first."
It wasn't until they left the dormitory building that Zhou Zhixing said, "I didn't expect there were so few female students in criminal science."
Jiang Nan was mentally prepared: "There are few female police officers to begin with, and even fewer working in field and technical roles. I guess you haven't learned much about public security either."
Indeed, when I went to Zhou Zhixing's dormitory, I saw that many of the students there were married and had brought their wives with them. They were all from the same major as Zhou Zhixing. One of them, Xing Kai, said, "There are ten people in our major, eight in our dormitory, and two of them are girls."
This was even better than criminal science, which really surprised Jiang Nan. After school started, in addition to drills and more military training courses, the biggest difference from later generations was that everyone studied extremely hard.
At five in the morning, everyone was up, either memorizing English or reviewing self-study books on math, physics, and chemistry. Yes, the books for the college entrance exam, even in college, were still being reviewed. School had just started, and the textbooks for our majors hadn't been distributed yet, but everyone had already begun their morning self-study. What could they study? They just read whatever they had on hand.
Jiang Nan had to get up only after the sixth door opened. She couldn't continue talking any longer because she wanted to stay in Beijing and had to perform well while at school.
What was he reading? Standing under the streetlight, Jiang Nan pulled out his English dictionary and began to memorize words. He would occasionally stamp his feet and rub his hands to keep warm. It was the first month of the year in Beijing, and the north wind was howling, making it incredibly cold.
In Jiang Nan's previous life, the university he attended was also a prestigious one with a very good learning atmosphere, but it was not like it is now. Everyone was so hungry and thirsty, as if they had turned into sponges trying to absorb knowledge, working hard and struggling, as if they wanted to make up for their thirst for knowledge over the past ten years through four years of college.
Jiang Nan was deeply moved, yet also helpless. Everyone's enthusiasm meant she had to work even harder.
During the professional course, Jiang Nan's appearance caused quite a stir. Most of the criminal science students in this class were former police officers, and it was rare to see such a beautiful policewoman. Her every move exuded a heroic air.
Before the class started, the teacher asked for self-introductions. Even before I could get over the shock, Jiang Nan was the first to stand up and introduce himself: "Jiang Nan, 25 years old, married with children, a grassroots police officer for nine years. That's it."
Well, the little flame was immediately extinguished. Their hearts sank. What they didn't know was that in the Public Security Studies class next door, Zhou Zhixing had done the same thing, immediately extinguishing the two girls' hopes.
The two of them came to Beijing with the intention of staying there, so they couldn't have any affairs. Perhaps it was because they were decisive enough that the days that followed, with school and weekends at home with their children, were very smooth.
It wasn't without its hiccups. Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing were both exceptional individuals, not only in appearance but also in their learning and interpersonal skills. They also had nearly a decade of work experience, making them very attractive to young people. Li Hongying, a girl who lived in Jiang Nan's dorm, had once expressed her affection for Zhou Zhixing, saying, "So what if they're married? Love knows no age or conditions. Love is love, and nothing else matters."
If it's irrelevant, why did you bring it up? Zhou Zhixing was too lazy to ignore such a person. Since you said it's irrelevant, don't go back on your word. I'll just take care of my own business, okay? So, Zhou Zhixing just ignored him blatantly.
They didn't recognize each other when they met. When she tried to talk to Zhou Zhixing, he ignored her and completely ignored her. Li Hongying's face was tender. After a few times, she finally gave up.
On Jiang Nan's side, there were naturally people showing affection, either by sending love letters, or by helping to buy water when running, or saving seats for him during class. These were all small things, and he hadn't confessed his feelings, so you couldn't just say you didn't like him, right?
What to do? During a study session, the two of them decided to become conjoined twins at school. As long as they had free time, the couple would stick together. That would be fine, right?
As a result, the young seedlings lost the nourishing soil and gradually withered.
At the end of 1979, Chacha, who had entered the third grade, still held the top spot. Policy had also undergone a dramatic shift. The introduction of new policies, such as special economic zones and the introduction of foreign investment, heralded the beginning of a major transformation.
The summer of 1981 was exceptionally hot in Beijing. Having lived in Qingyun Hutong for over three years, the Jiang family had become familiar with their neighbors. On this Saturday, after dinner, the family took the children out for a stroll to help digest their food.
As soon as she left the house, Cha Cha, a member of the She Niu team, started socializing. She greeted her neighbor and asked, "Grandpa Ma, did you finally win the argument with Grandma Niu today? Otherwise, how would you dare to go out for a stroll alone?"
After a while, I said to the old lady over there, "Grandma Sun, are your laying hens still laying eggs? Why haven't I heard any clucking sounds in a while? Did someone steal them?"
She was still talking to the kids: "Lingling, let's go roller skating at the Children's Palace tomorrow, don't forget."
There was no one in Qingyun Hutong that she didn't know. Even the six-year-olds, Xiaozhi and Xiaoye, greeted each other and were more familiar with each other than Chacha.
Jiang Nan was shocked. She had been seconded to a local police station earlier this year to help investigate a major case, leaving her away from home for six months. Who knew she'd find her daughter like this when she returned today?
She looked at Zhou Zhixing, her eyes almost overflowing with disbelief. Zhou Zhixing smiled helplessly, "Don't look at me. I've also been seconded. I haven't seen these three brats in half a year."
Jiang Cha snorted, "I'll be nine soon. Comrade Jiang Nan, Comrade Zhou Zhixing, if you two keep being so busy, you'll miss your precious daughter's childhood."
The two brothers Xiaozhi and Xiaoye also nodded repeatedly, saying that their kindergarten days were over and they were going to go to elementary school in the fall, and their parents didn't care about them at all.
Hey, I don’t know who taught these three naughty kids.
"I am self-taught." Jiang Cha was very proud.
"Me too." Two little baby voices.
The family was chatting and laughing. There were many stalls selling goods along the road. Some were selling vegetables grown by themselves, and some were selling towels and shorts. Even the small restaurants on both sides of the road were privately owned.
I was happily strolling around when I saw a plump old lady in front of me, with one hand in her pocket, ready to pay. As soon as I reached into her pocket, I found it had been stabbed open with a knife, and everything inside was gone. I had no idea when it was stolen.
The plump old lady had a sad face and cursed: "You damn thief, you shall not die a good death. You gave birth to a son but no daughter. You are such a wicked thing! You choked to death while eating, choked to death while drinking water, drowned in the toilet, and got hit by a car when you go out! You dare to steal my cattle? Wait, if I give up like this, I will not be named Niu in this life!"
Jiang Cha was so kind that he ran over to persuade her, "Grandma Niu, stop cursing and call the police. You have to tell them exactly how much money you lost. Otherwise, Grandpa Ma won't know the situation and might think you've secretly hidden the money for later use, right? We've always been right in our arguments for so many years, but we can't let the masters catch us because of a petty thief, right? Call the police, and they'll testify, so we can stand tall wherever we go."
Jiang Cha spoke and Niu Yidao nodded every time. After Jiang Cha finished speaking, the old lady praised him, "Cha Cha is really thoughtful. Grandma will call the police right away! My money was stolen, not hidden secretly. If that old man dares to frame me, I will beat him to death!" After saying that, she hurried towards the police station.
Jiang Cha was laughing in the background. Jiang Nan was so curious that he bought eight strings of candied haws. When he handed them to Jiang Cha, he couldn't help but rub the little girl's head: "You little rascal, if you want to persuade them to call the police, just call the police. Why are you saying so much?"
Jiang Cha took the candied haws and waved her hand, looking clueless. "Oh, Mom, what do you know?! How long have you lived in this alley? How long have I lived here? Grandpa Ma and Grandma Niu quarrel every day, like they've been enemies for generations. If I don't persuade her, will she call the police? You and my dad are both students at the Public Security University. If we don't call the police, will we have to come to you two to seek justice? I'm just saving you the trouble."
Jiang Nan felt warm in his heart and pinched the little guy's cheek, but was glared at by Jiang Cha angrily.
The family happily strolled around the market for a long time. Just as Jiang Nan was about to finish her candied haws, Zhou Zhixing asked, "What do you think these self-employed people who got rich first want to do with the money they get?"
Jiang Nan glanced at Zhou Zhixing and asked, "Buy a house?"
"Yes, but not entirely. Everyone wants to buy a house, not just these people," Zhou Zhixing whispered. "Those who got rich first at this time all had some wealth and had seen good things, so they must be thinking of ways to improve their appearance. I bet Panjiayuan is even more lively now!"
Jiang Nan's eyes widened: "You want to go to the ghost market again?"
"Yes!" Zhou Zhixing nodded firmly. "How about getting up early tomorrow and going to take a look?"
Jiang Nan nodded, "Hmm, Hmm, Hmm." The terracotta figurines and inkstones from last time were still stored in the space. Who knows what adventures this time will bring. Jiang Nan chuckled. Now that they were on summer vacation, it was a good time to get up early and take a look.
True to their word, Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing kept their promise a secret. It wasn't that they didn't want to tell Jiang Mancheng and Chen Jinhua, but they were getting older, so it was best not to disrupt their biological clocks. They'd go explore the area first, and if they found a lot of goodies, they'd come back and tell their parents.
The next morning, around three o'clock, they quietly got up, quietly opened the door, washed up, and then rode their bikes away. Yes, they had bought two more bikes in Beijing, so they could use them more conveniently whenever they went out.
Soon, the Panjiayuan Ghost Market reappeared before them. Three years had passed, and now the Ghost Market was even more crowded, both sellers and buyers. From time to time, one could hear arguments, with questions like, "Do you understand the rules?" and "Money is the rule. Stop the bullshit. Are you selling or not?"
The two locked their bikes, picked up their small bamboo baskets, and then went to look at the stalls. There were more things than before, even cigarette cases, great men's badges, and old radios. Who would buy an old radio? In front of the great men's badges, there was actually a pure gold one. Jiang Nan exclaimed, bending down to take a look. It was truly rare.
The stall owner was very pleased with himself: "You've never seen this before? I spent a lot of money to buy it. How about it? It looks good, right?"
Jiang Nan didn't say anything and started choosing among the badges. This thing was not a waste of money. Several uncommon ones, such as plum blossom-shaped, aircraft commemorative, and architectural relief ones, were picked out by Jiang Nan.
Zhou Zhixing glanced at the five badges. One was pure gold, while the other four were made of common materials, only unusual in shape. With an idea in mind, Zhou Zhixing leaned forward and bargained with the stall owner, eventually settling on 320 yuan.
The two were delighted with their recent gains, and their subsequent shopping journeys felt much more relaxed. Passing by a porcelain stall, Zhou Zhixing was drawn to a snow-blue vase. The glazed vase shone brightly even in the dark night.
The bottle is wide-mouthed and pot-bellied, about a foot tall, and about a foot wide at its widest point, resembling the slightly bulging belly of a four or five-month-old pregnant woman. The narrowest part of the bottle's mouth is no wider than an adult's thumb, stretching out like a trumpet.
The entire bottle has soft and graceful lines, and from a distance, it has a captivating beauty. However, it is so new that everyone who sees it will stop to look at it for a few seconds, and some will even stop to play with it for a while, but in the end, they all put it down without exception.
They were looking for vintage finds, not new bottles from Liulichang. If they wanted to buy something new, wouldn't they go to the supply and marketing cooperative or a department store? Why bother wandering around the ghost market so early in the morning?
Zhou Zhixing, however, played with it for a long time, examining it inside and out. He loved it so much that he couldn't help but approach the stall owner to bargain, eventually buying it for ten yuan. Someone nearby even tried to persuade him, "Brother, this thing looks like it's new. It's not worth buying in Panjiayuan. Go to the nearby supply and marketing cooperative and buy three for ten yuan, and you'll still have more than enough."
Zhou Zhixing smiled and said, "I just like this bottle. It has a nice color and a beautiful shape. I'll put it at home and just look at it, and I'll feel happy."
The man fell silent. Everything depends on your eye for quality. Perhaps he just liked it that way. Jiang Nan didn't ask any more questions, as he couldn't afford to make a mistake. Unexpectedly, within fifty meters, Zhou Zhixing said, "Don't worry. It's new because the previous owner took good care of it and wiped it frequently. I've seen it, and it's from at least the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. It's not an official product, but it's a fine folk product, and it has some collectible value."
Jiang Nan laughed: "I thought you were mistaken. It's okay, we've bought quite a few before. If you like this one, we'll keep it and not sell it."
Zhou Zhixing squinted his eyes: "Oh, are you rich now?"
Jiang Nan was proud: "That's it!"
The couple happily resumed their shopping, but by almost six o'clock, they still hadn't found anything they were satisfied with. Just when they thought they'd called it a day, they came across a stall selling ancient swords. Twelve or thirteen ancient swords were displayed on a mat, most of them rusted and unremarkable. Still, the stall was crowded, and two or three people were paying for them, probably because they believed the older the swords, the more authentic they seemed.
Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing were captivated. Zhou Zhixing, a former imperial guard, possessed a natural fascination with swords. He bent over the stall, carefully selecting items. Jiang Nan showed little interest and gestured for her to look at the porcelain in the front. Zhou Zhixing nodded, then continued to examine the sword in his hand.
He had a hunch that this sword must be extremely valuable. It was a bronze sword, about half a meter long and four fingers wide. The hilt was engraved with an inscription. Zhou Zhixing didn't recognize the writing, but his hand began to tremble slightly as he gripped the sword. Anything engraved must have some history. He calmly selected two more swords. These two looked much more magnificent and were the newest on the stall. He picked them up and then stood up to bargain with the vendor.
When he reunited with Jiang Nan, Zhou Zhixing already had three long swords in his hands, and their appearance was very eye-catching. Jiang Nan stood up and waited until the crowd had left before whispering, "How much?"
Zhou Zhixing made a gesture, five hundred?
Well, these three are all ancient swords, genuine goods. They are worth the price!
I bought everything, whether it was worth it or not, and just considered it a good purchase.
Arriving at the parking lot, they were surprised to see two bicycles with four flat tires. Jiang Nan was furious and was about to curse when Zhou Zhixing grabbed his arm and quietly pointed towards a nearby repair stall. Jiang Nan whispered, "Did the stall owner do that on purpose?"
Zhou Zhixing narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice, "What did you think? Didn't you see all these bicycles were flat? Don't make a fuss. If they can set up a stall here, there must be someone behind it. We'll have to come again in the future. If we make a fuss, I'm afraid we'll just get a puncture next time. It's not worth it."
Jiang Nan took a deep breath and exhaled. He knew it would be a mess, but he didn't expect it to be this chaotic. Zhou Zhixing handed the basket to Jiang Nan. "Don't be angry. Just pay the money to pump the tire. It only takes a few minutes. It's better than wasting time repairing the tire. Wait here. I'll go."
Jiang Nan reached out to take the basket, nodded, and watched Zhou Zhixing unlock the car, then push the carts forward with one in each hand. The stall owner, who looked about twenty-one or twenty-two, sat on a small stool, observing them from the side. Seeing the two of them coming to cheer him up properly, without making any noise, he smiled and stood up, patting Zhou Zhixing on the shoulder. "Don't worry, good brother. I'll have your back from now on."
Zhou Zhixing chuckled twice, paid fifty cents, pumped up air into both bicycles, and then left.
It was almost 7:30 when they got home. They bought breakfast on the way home, and the family members gradually woke up. Jiang Mancheng and Chen Jinhua knew they had been out the moment they saw their demeanor. They didn't ask about it during breakfast, but waited until the three children went out to play with their friends and Aunt Wen went to buy groceries before they got down to business.
Zhou Zhixing took out the sword and studied it with Jiang Mancheng. The more they looked at it, the more jealous they became.
Jiang Mancheng said in disbelief: "Could it be an ancient sword from the Warring States Period?"
Zhou Zhixing was unsure: "Looking at the shape, they look similar, but the other two aren't. They're probably from the Yuan Dynasty at best. How are these three placed together? It's a bit strange."
Jiang Mancheng said, "You suspect..."
Zhou Zhixing nodded, scratching his chin and saying, "Yes, these two new ones must be from the bottom. I think they weren't directly shipped by the tomb robbers, but passed on through another hand."
He pointed at the ancient sword that looked like it was from the Warring States Period and said, "This sword is played with by many people, and the hilt is smooth, so it's very popular. But these two are obviously brand new, which is not right."
Chen Jinhua: "Call the police?"
Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing nodded. Of course they had to report it, but they didn't know how to say it. Jiang Nan asked the system, "Is Yuan Jianshe really among those people?"
[Yes, host. Yuan Jianshe and Ye Chunping separated within two years of arriving in Northwest China. The child remained with Ye Chunping, while Yuan Jianshe married into a family that had been living there for a long time. The family used to be in this business, but now that no one is around, they've resumed their old ways. They're currently renting a place in the suburbs of Beijing. The specific address is...]
Jiang Nan swallowed her saliva. It was truly fate. She hadn't expected to come to Beijing and hear about Yuan Jianshe and Ye Chunping's dynamics. She asked, "What about Ye Chunping?"
Ye Chunping remarried a local widower and has stayed in the area. Her health is poor and she can no longer have children, nor can she continue to work hard.
After repeating the system's instructions, Jiang Nan suggested, "How about we use the old method? Report these matters anonymously to the police station near Panjiayuan?"
Jiang Mancheng sighed, "That's good, but I can't say much about your and Zhou Zhixing's contributions. Are you two sure about staying in Beijing? Do you need to accumulate some merits or something?"
Jiang Nan smiled. "It's okay. It's not easy to get credit. Tomorrow Zhou Zhixing and I will go for a walk. I don't believe there are no bad guys hanging around Panjiayuan. If we catch a few of them, won't we get the credit? There's nothing we can do about Ye Chunping. We can't do it privately. There are so many of them, and they're all extremely vicious. It's better not to take any risks."
Zhou Zhixing nodded in agreement, and the four of them stopped talking and returned to admiring their purchases. Chen Jinhua wasn't too keen on these things, so she went out to check on Xiaozhi and Xiaoye. They were playing at the entrance of the alley, laughing with their friends, their laughter echoing far away. Chacha had gone roller skating with her friends at the Children's Palace, saying she wouldn't be back until lunchtime and would eat outside. With six or seven children together, the oldest being thirteen or fourteen, in broad daylight, the family wasn't worried.
Nothing happened that day, so the two got up early the next morning. Not only did they have to deliver the anonymous letter to the police station, they also had to stroll around the Panjiayuan Ghost Market to see how they could make a contribution.
The two of them rode their bicycles and quietly placed the letter at the entrance of the police station. Then they turned and went to Panjiayuan Ghost Market, parked their bicycles at the usual place, and wandered around aimlessly. As they were walking, Jiang Nan, with his sharp eyes and rich experience in catching thieves, noticed three hands in the crowd.
Who comes here to shop without money? It's reasonable for the three hands to choose this place as their target. The two of them didn't act rashly. Who knows if this person has accomplices? Let's follow them and see.
The system was still beeping, "Host, this person has five accomplices. At the three o'clock position, look out for the one in blue with a crew cut... Watch out for the one in black with a middle part at the nine o'clock position. He's the leader and has a knife on him..."
Listing them one by one, Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing carefully confirmed them. They had to catch the one in black first, and in the act of catching him in the act. Otherwise, if they didn't take the stolen goods, no one would acknowledge them. Pretending to be deeply interested in the stall, the two men quietly approached it. Jiang Nan's eyes remained fixed on the man in black until he finally made his move and captured him.
"Sir, your wallet." Jiang Nan handed the wallet in the black-clothed hand to the person in front of him and said, "Be careful with it."
The man in black, whose hand was held high, couldn't break free. He knew he had run into a tough opponent, so he turned and glared at the two men angrily. Seeing they weren't afraid, he glared at the man who had been robbed. The man was an honest man; he took the wallet and ran away, not interacting with the three men at all.
Being scared was a new feeling, so Jiang Nan smiled and didn't take it seriously. Seeing this, the people around him all knew there was a thief, and they all started digging for their wallets. Suddenly, the cries of "Where's my wallet?", "There's a thief!", "Catch the thief!" rose in volume, filling the air with shouts of "Where's my wallet?", "There's a thief!", "Catch the thief!"
Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing restrained the man in black and pulled out his wallet. Some came to claim it, and after Jiang Nan inquired about the contents, he returned it in full. Some who tried to claim it were dismissed by the strictness of the process. As Jiang Nan handed out wallets, he said, "Could you please go to the police station up ahead and be a witness? We've caught a thief here, so we need the stolen goods, right? I can return it to you now, but please be a witness."
"Of course, of course."
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