Chapter 29

On the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, it was time to sweep and clean the house.

Tang Qingqing sneaked out of the house before dawn.

If she didn't leave early, she definitely wouldn't be able to get out today and would surely be made to clean the house.

In previous years, Tang Qingqing and her aunt-in-law had done all these chores, while others just sat back and gave orders.

Not only did they not help, but they were also particularly picky, criticizing everything as not being done well or cleaned thoroughly, and then scolding her harshly.

They wished she would kneel on the ground like an old-time maid and clean every speck of dirt.

The whole family's clothes and bedding had to be taken out for a thorough wash that day. The water in winter was so cold it could almost freeze someone to death.

Especially Tang Jianjun, who was very vain and changed clothes frequently, leaving a lot of dirty laundry.

After this day every year, Tang Qingqing would fall ill and remain weak until the New Year.

Tang Qingqing now refused to be the scapegoat. This year, she decided to let them do whatever they wanted.

If only her aunt-in-law was left alone, there wouldn't be so many clothes and bedding to wash.

After all, her aunt-in-law wouldn't want to wash her brother-in-law's clothes and bedding; it would be awkward if word got out.

Tang Qingqing ran halfway up the mountain to find her master, planning to help him clean both inside and outside the house for the day.

The old man, who woke up early due to his age, had already risen when Tang Qingqing arrived.

He felt greatly comforted by Tang Qingqing's appearance.

"You should have done this long ago."

The old man knew that Tang Qingqing suffered on this day every year and had advised her not to work so hard.

Especially for a girl, touching too much cold water in winter is bad for her health.

Although Tang Qingqing understood this, it was difficult for her to avoid working when she was at home.

With a smile, Tang Qingqing placed the fresh milk she had just squeezed from the sheep into a pot, ready to remove the smell with tea leaves.

Ever since Zhai Hongyi said drinking sheep's milk was good for health, Tang Qingqing had asked the team leader for some milk, exchanging her labor points for it.

The team leader now valued her highly and agreed, but insisted that the lambs must have enough milk first.

This year, after the granary burned down, the losses were severe.

Almost all the adult sheep were sold, leaving only a few ewes that had recently given birth.

The team leader's promise to slaughter a few sheep at the end of the year and distribute the meat never materialized.

Other livestock was also sold off.

Now, even getting enough food was a challenge. Although the commune provided subsidies, they were insufficient, making eating meat a luxury.

This year's New Year would undoubtedly be less festive. With such significant losses, everyone was in a somber mood and couldn't be happy.

Fortunately, they still had the sheep; otherwise, the year would be even harder.

Every time Tang Qingqing brought back the sheep's milk, she would bring it to Old Liu to remove the smell, and then they would share it.

Initially, Tang Qingqing used vinegar, but later, Zhai Hongyi brought tea leaves.

At first, Tang Qingqing hesitated because tea leaves were expensive and using them to remove the smell seemed extravagant.

But Zhai Hongyi said it wasn't high-quality tea and had been dampened, so it couldn't last long and might as well be put to good use.

Tang Qingqing didn't know much about tea, but seeing that the leaves looked fine, she couldn't bear to use them.

When Zhai Hongyi tried to throw a handful of tea leaves into the milk while she was cooking, Tang Qingqing quickly stopped him.

Using so many tea leaves for such a small amount of milk seemed wasteful.

Unable to resist, Tang Qingqing used the tea leaves to remove the smell, to prevent Zhai Hongyi from handling them recklessly.

Tang Qingqing also tried to get Zhai Hongyi to drink some milk, but he refused outright.

His reasoning left Tang Qingqing speechless. Zhai Hongyi said:

"I'm already tall; do I need any more supplements? If I grow taller, I'll reach the sky, and it will waste more fabric for clothes."

Tang Qingqing thought of sharing with Wang Heizi, but he retorted, "I'm not a baby; I don't want to drink milk!"

As for the White Rabbit candies?

Those were sweets, not milk.

Old Liu also wanted to refuse, even though the smell was gone, he still disliked the strange taste.

But Tang Qingqing was insistent. Elderly people should drink sheep's milk to supplement calcium, which would keep their legs agile.

Old Liu had injured his legs during his escape, and they pained terribly whenever it rained.

Even on normal days, his legs were clearly not in good shape, and sometimes he tried to hide it from Tang Qingqing.

But who was Tang Qingqing?

She had learned the old man's true skills and could tell his legs weren't right even when he stood still.

If Old Liu didn't drink the goat's milk, Tang Qingqing would keep chasing him with it, and she wouldn't drink it herself until he did.

No matter what Old Liu said to her, Tang Qingqing wouldn't listen. She had no other virtues, but she was exceptionally patient.

Old Liu had no choice but to give in and drink the goat's milk.

Now, after drinking it regularly, he had gotten used to it and felt uncomfortable if he missed a day.

It was unclear whether the goat's milk was truly nutritious or if it was just a psychological effect, but both of them indeed felt much healthier after drinking it.

Tang Qingqing made Old Liu rest on the kang while she started cleaning the cave.

Ever since Wang Heizi and Zhai Hongyi started coming here frequently, the once-empty cave had become full.

Zhai Hongyi also liked to store his things here. With little farm work in winter, everyone spent most of their time hibernating.

As a result, Zhai Hongyi spent most of his days here, even wishing he could move in permanently.

Old Liu wasn't idle either; he wove baskets on the kang.

Previously, Tang Qingqing had taken Zhai Hongyi and Wang Heizi to cut plenty of vine strips, which would last until new ones grew next year.

Old Liu occasionally looked over: "That's enough. It's habitable now; if you scrub any more, it'll start crumbling."

"It's not even that much yet; I haven't even put in twenty percent effort."

Old Liu couldn't help shaking his head: "Why be so meticulous? It's not like we don't clean it regularly."

Tang Qingqing worked efficiently, making sure every corner was attended to.

Old Liu felt that this dilapidated cave didn't deserve such thorough cleaning from Tang Qingqing.

Tang Qingqing ignored him; the less dust there was, the cleaner the house, ensuring a smoother life in the coming year.

She even wiped all the items, including the hot water bottle, inside and out.

When Zhai Hongyi arrived, Tang Qingqing immediately sent him to fetch some water.

Now that they were all familiar with each other, Tang Qingqing didn't hesitate to order him around.

Lately, it was mostly Zhai Hongyi fetching water. Despite being from the city, he handled the task quite well.

Watering at Old Liu's place was inconvenient as it required a long walk.

In the past, Old Liu was very frugal with water, but with Zhai Hongyi's strength, he became much more generous.

Old Liu quickly intervened: "There's no need for that; isn't there snow outside?"

"That snow is not clean and tastes bad."

Zhai Hongyi skillfully picked up two empty buckets and left in a hurry.

When Zhai Hongyi returned, he was accompanied by two girls.

Tang Qingqing and Wang Heizi were sweeping the snow and tidying the yard outside when they saw this scene from afar.

Zhai Hongyi carried the water swiftly, and the two girls had to jog to keep up.

Wang Heizi's expression turned teasing.

He nudged Tang Qingqing: "Hehe, Brother Yi has quite the luck."

Tang Qingqing retorted: "What nonsense! Don't talk like that; what if someone hears?"

"I'm just telling you. Do you know who they are?"

Tang Qingqing nodded and shook her head. She hadn't met these two girls before, but judging by their attire, they were likely educated youths.

"See that girl in the military green coat? She's the prettiest girl in our educated youth camp. Since she came here, many unmarried young men have been eyeing her.

Wherever she goes, people work harder than usual."

As the three approached, Tang Qingqing got a clear look at the girl. She was indeed very beautiful and had a different aura from the local girls.

Not only was she pretty, but she also exuded a cultured air, indicating a good family background.

Her clothes had no patches, and she wore a thick white scarf around her neck.

In the countryside, people avoided wearing white clothes for fear of getting them dirty during work.

Only city dwellers dared to wear such white scarves, though it must be said they looked warm and stylish.

Tang Qingqing wondered why Zhai Hongyi had brought them here. While Old Liu enjoyed company, having a crowd might not please him.

Both Tang Qingqing and Wang Heizi looked at him curiously, wondering what was going on.

Before they could get close, Zhai Hongyi impatiently scolded:

"Don't follow me."

Upon hearing this, Wang Ying stepped forward to speak up: "Zhai Hongyi, how can you do this? Xuelan is doing this for your own good."

"Not needed," Zhai Hongyi replied irritably.

Wen Xuelan, the prettiest girl among the educated youths, heard this and her eyes welled up with tears.

She tugged at Wang Ying's sleeve: "Yingying, let's go."

Wang Ying stomped her foot, frustrated:

"You have such a soft temper! You had good intentions, but why does he treat you like this? How is everyone else supposed to see you!"

Tang Qingqing and Wang Heizi both perked up their ears, each seeing the other's eagerness for gossip.

Wen Xuelan pursed her lips, trying to pull Wang Ying but failing, feeling torn.

Wang Ying: "Zhai Hongyi, you always act alone, never joining the group. It's only because Xuelan covers for you that your reputation hasn't suffered. But you don't even show gratitude. To make her feel embarrassed in front of everyone over such trivial matters is just unreasonable."

"She did it all so that you would leave sooner..."

Zhai Hongyi gave her a cold glance, making Wang Ying uneasy.

Seeing Zhai Hongyi not react further, she stiffened her neck and said, "You must apologize to her."

Zhai Hongyi strode into the courtyard, which he had built with branches, and kicked the door shut behind him.

Wang Ying and Wen Xuelan almost got hit by the door.

"Zhai Hongyi, how can you be like this! We came here to reason with you, and you treat us like this!"

Zhai Hongyi entered the house without a word, ignoring Tang Qingqing and Wang Heizi.

"Woah." Wang Heizi exclaimed, whispering to Tang Qingqing:

"This is the first time I've seen Brother Yi like this. He's really ungrateful; if he keeps this up, he'll end up an old bachelor."

"What do you think they're fighting about?"

"How should I know? But I do know that Brother Yi doesn't get along with many people at the commune. He's just too independent."

Tang Qingqing blinked. "Really? I thought he was easy to get along with. He just looks a bit intimidating."

"Because he treats us like kids. Have you ever seen him interact with adults?"

Tang Qingqing thought about it and realized it was true.

Zhai Hongyi talked more with them but acted rebellious around others. His eyes always seemed to carry disdain and mockery, making him appear like a troublemaker.

"That's true."

The fence wasn't very high, allowing outsiders to see if anyone was inside.

Tang Qingqing felt it wouldn't be polite not to greet them, so she opened the gate. "Do you need something?"

"We're here to see Zhai Hongyi." Wang Ying tried to walk in, not taking Tang Qingqing seriously as just a little girl.

But Tang Qingqing blocked the entrance. "My master doesn't like strangers coming in. Sorry."

Old Liu's reputation as a strange old man wasn't unfounded. In the past, anyone who approached would be scolded, except for Tang Qingqing. He accepted Zhai Hongyi and the others only because of her.

Wang Ying's face darkened, but Wen Xuelan stopped her.

"Sorry, we disturbed you. We'll leave now."

Wen Xuelan pulled Wang Ying away. Seeing her firm attitude, Wang Ying reluctantly left, muttering, "Xuelan, you're doing this for his own good. What kind of attitude is this..."

Wang Heizi had been observing them from afar. When they were far enough, he approached Tang Qingqing.

"I thought they'd insist on coming in. I was wondering how to stop them."

"They're educated youths, not bandits."

Wang Heizi clicked his tongue, wagging his index finger in the air.

"That's where you're wrong."

"What don't I understand?"

"You spend all day studying footprints, but you don't know anything about what's happening in the village."

"Stop being mysterious, tell me!"

Wang Heizi nodded toward Zhai Hongyi. "Our guy in there has charmed quite a few girls in the village. Everyone wants to marry him!"

Tang Qingqing wasn't surprised; Zhai Hongyi's conditions were indeed excellent.

He was handsome, and his family sent monthly packages filled with delicious food and drinks. He was also smart and skilled at work.

Marrying someone like him would ensure a comfortable life.

"But it's not that serious, right?"

The girls just admired him, but few had the courage to pursue him, knowing he would eventually return to the city.

"Why not? If they could be with Brother Yi, they might go to the city with him."

Wang Heizi winked at Tang Qingqing. "Brother Yi's family is much more influential than we know."

"Isn't he the son of a capitalist?"

Wang Heizi shrugged. "Isn't he?"

"Why do you think no one is talking about this?"

Tang Qingqing suddenly understood. This could only mean that Zhai Hongyi's father's side was even more powerful, which was why they were unaffected.

Wang Heizi wanted to say something more when Zhai Hongyi pulled back the curtain and walked out of the house.

"Are you going to sweep snow until the end of time?"

Wang Heizi and Tang Qingqing instantly straightened up, pretending to be diligently working as if the previous gossip never happened.

Wang Heizi smiled ingratiatingly. "Brother Hongyi, those two female educated youths left."

Zhai Hongyi remained silent.

Wang Heizi cautiously asked, "Brother Hongyi, what’s going on? Did those two female educated youths chase you here?"

Zhai Hongyi glanced at him. "If you're too idle, go study the second-grade textbooks."

Wang Heizi immediately fell silent.

That day, Tang Qingqing and Wang Heizi kept stealing glances at Zhai Hongyi.

Zhai Hongyi remained calm and composed, as if nothing had happened before.

It was Old Liu who couldn't stand it anymore and said, "Are your eyes slanted? Why are they always landing on Little Yi?"

Tang Qingqing and Wang Heizi quickly looked away, laughing awkwardly.

Zhai Hongyi still maintained his composure, showing no intention of explaining.

Tang Qingqing and Wang Heizi had to give up on their curiosity and started discussing how to spend the New Year.

Tang Qingqing was definitely going to stay with Old Liu. She no longer considered her family as relatives and didn’t want to pretend to be affectionate during such a beautiful time.

Wang Heizi would definitely be staying at home. Usually, he could fool around, but during the New Year, he had to behave.

But when he heard that Zhai Hongyi was also staying to celebrate the New Year with Old Liu, he felt quite envious.

"Ah, I wish I could come over too. At my place, during the New Year, the family dinner is always chaotic."

Everyone lacked food and clothing, so the New Year was the only time they could eat well.

Their large family always fought over food during the New Year’s Eve dinner.

When he was young, he found it amusing; getting a piece of meat could make him happy for a whole year. But now, he thought it was silly.

People say not to be too petty during the New Year, or else the coming year won’t go smoothly.

But in their family, the New Year was the most likely time for conflicts. One year, they even got into a fight.

Wang Heizi used to find it fun, but now he thought it was pointless.

They were all family; what was there to fight about?

Fighting so fiercely, then having to eat from the same pot later—what was the point?

Who knew that plans wouldn’t keep up with changes.

On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, the team leader rushed over to find Tang Qingqing.

"Qingqing, I’ve been looking for you everywhere."

The team leader was panting, having run all the way.

Seeing his anxious face, Tang Qingqing asked, "Team Leader, what’s wrong?"

"You need to pack quickly and head to the commune while there are still buses in town."

Wang Heizi: "Grandpa, it’s almost New Year’s Eve. If you go now, you won’t be able to come back tomorrow. What’s so urgent?"

Tang Qingqing: "Is something wrong at the commune? Why is it so urgent?"

The team leader slapped his knee. "Something big has happened. The supply store at the commune was robbed last night!"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the room was stunned.

"What? Who would dare rob the supply store?"

Wang Heizi was shocked. He had always thought the supply store was a place of both longing and fear.

The supply store had many good things, and his biggest dream used to be becoming a salesperson there.

But it was also quite scary; the salespeople inside were all fierce, and one had to think carefully before speaking, otherwise, they would be scolded.

It was public property, yet it had been robbed. That thief must have been incredibly bold.

Zhai Hongyi looked over, but Old Liu continued weaving his basket without much reaction.

"Last night, after midnight, the supply store at the commune was robbed. Several bolts of blue cloth, green cloth, and canvas were stolen, along with many sweets, cigarettes, alcohol, oil, and malted milk. The thief even broke open the cash box!"

Wang Heizi drew a sharp breath. "This thief is crazy! How did they steal so much?"

"Not only did they steal things, but they also injured the person on duty yesterday. He’s still in the hospital. Ah, during the New Year, he’ll probably have to stay there. How unlucky."

Tang Qingqing was surprised. "Someone was hurt? How badly? Did he see the thief?"

"He’s still unconscious, and we don’t know when he’ll wake up. He was hit on the back of the head, so he probably didn’t see the thief before being knocked out. There are no other clues, so they want you to take a look and see if you can solve it."

This case was significant in the commune. If solved early, the stolen items could be recovered. If delayed, these items might be sold off, causing trouble.

And it's almost the New Year. Having a case drag into next year just doesn't sit right; even the work report looks bad.

Although the incident happened in the last few days of the year, not solving it by the New Year makes it seem like we didn't solve anything all year.

"Captain, I'll go home first to pack and then head over immediately."

"I'll take the donkey cart later; I'll harness the donkey now." The captain left in a hurry.

Tang Qingqing looked apologetically at Old Liu. She had promised to spend the New Year with him this year, but now it seemed she would have to break that promise.

If it were like previous years, without any expectations, it would be easier.

But giving hope only to disappoint makes it even harder. Tang Qingqing didn't know how to face him.

Old Liu couldn't see her expression: "Are you afraid you won't solve this case?"

"Of course not..."

"Then don't look so down. Starting the New Year with a gloomy face will bring bad luck for the whole year."

"Master, I'm sorry..."

"Stop." Old Liu interrupted her, "Girl, if you choose this path, you're destined to live this life. These kinds of crimes—petty theft, murder—they don't wait for when you're available."

"Master, I understand."

"I have only one request: come back safe and sound."

Tang Qingqing solemnly promised, "Master, I will."

Old Liu gave her a long, deep look, as if seeing through her to someone else.

He quickly withdrew his gaze and turned to Zhai Hongyi:

"Boy, you've trained since young, haven't you?"

Zhai Hongyi nodded: "Yes, I've been training with my grandfather since I was little."

"You do look different."

"What do you mean?"

"You've been hanging around here for a while; it's time I give you something in return."

Wang Heizi and Tang Qingqing both looked at him in surprise. What was this about?

"Tell me."

"Protect Qingqing; don't let anyone bully her."

"Alright."

Tang Qingqing: "Master, there will be police officers at the commune; nothing will happen."

"That's settled." Old Liu completely ignored her opinion.

His son, a grown man, had gotten into trouble before. Tang Qingqing, a young girl, made him even more worried, especially as she grew more beautiful.

Wang Heizi: "Old Man, what am I supposed to do?"

"You?" Old Liu sized him up with his single eye, "We'll talk about it later."

"I can protect Tang Qingqing too! Don't underestimate me."

"Even if you could, would you dare not go home during the New Year?"

Wang Heizi fell silent, his shoulders slumping.

But soon he perked up again: "Old Man, now it's just you and me. Don't worry, I'll visit often so you won't be lonely."

Tang Qingqing instructed Wang Heizi to look after the old man and hurried home to pack some clothes.

With the knowledge from 'that book,' Tang Qingqing learned many things she didn't know before, such as the importance of changing underwear frequently to avoid illness.

Even in the cold winter, Tang Qingqing insisted on washing herself and changing her underwear every night, using a towel to clean her body.

Zhao Dahua saw her rushing out and felt uneasy. She had planned to have a serious talk with her today. With the New Year approaching, Tang Qingqing was always running off and couldn't be found when needed.

Unexpectedly, she was called to the commune.

Thinking the Public Security Bureau had forgotten about Tang Qingqing, Zhao Dahua was surprised to hear they needed her again.

"Don't think your luck will keep you safe. If you make a mistake, you'll end up in reeducation," Zhao Dahua couldn't help but warn her.

Tang Qingqing: "Don't worry; if that happens, I won't involve the family."

Seeing her attitude, Zhao Dahua got angry but restrained herself from hitting her:

"If the Public Security Bureau gives any bonuses, remember to bring them back! If I find out you're giving everything to that one-eyed old man, watch out!"

Everyone already knew that Tang Qingqing had given her reward to Old Liu. People in the village praised her for being grateful and not letting Old Liu's efforts go to waste.

Zhao Dahua nearly fainted from anger upon hearing this.

That very night, she wanted to give Tang Qingqing a beating, but Tang Qingqing was now as cunning as could be and somehow got wind of it. For those few days, she was always out early and back late, making it impossible for her to catch her.

When she finally caught her, Tang Qingqing still shouted:

"Mom, it's only right that I show respect to my master. If he didn't teach me any skills, I wouldn't have been able to get those things. Even if you beat me to death, I will still give them to my master as a token of gratitude!"

This shout was heard by the neighbors nearby, who all gathered around to see what was happening.

They all scolded her, saying it was ungrateful and disloyal.

Zhao Dahua retorted, saying that this was her daughter and that she should be the one most deserving of respect.

But no one cared; they all said she was being unfair and accused their family of burning their bridges after crossing them.

Tang Jianjun, who valued his reputation, quickly came out to scold Zhao Dahua, publicly stating that showing respect to the master was the right thing to do. Only then did the matter settle down.

Tang Qingqing ignored her, and when Zhao Dahua tried to grab her ear,

she was already prepared and swiftly dodged, then rushed out of the courtyard gate without paying attention to Zhao Dahua's shouting.

The team leader arrived with a donkey cart, and upon seeing Zhai Hongyi accompanying her, he immediately felt relieved.

"I was worried about sending you alone to the commune, but with Zhai, a knowledgeable youth, escorting you, I feel much better."

Zhai Hongyi is tall and from the city; he wouldn't be as timid or looked down upon as someone from the countryside might be in the city. He indeed was more suitable to escort Tang Qingqing.

As for concerns about gender differences, Tang Qingqing was just a young girl.

The team leader drove the donkey cart to take them to the town, and the two boarded a bus heading to the commune.