Chapter 33

Zhang Guangyi still kept his head down and remained silent, which infuriated the team leader to the point of wanting to punch him.

Qin Sa scolded, "Zhang Guangyi, do you still want to hide things at this critical moment! If you hand over all the stolen goods, you might still receive lenient treatment. But if we find them, the situation will be different."

Do not entertain any "getaway with it" mentality. If your wife makes use of the stolen items, she too will be treated as an accomplice and will face arrest.

Zhang Guangyi's face changed slightly, but he still kept his head down without saying a word.

He acted as if they could do whatever they wanted with him, and he wouldn't say anything.

The team leader paced anxiously, "Zhang Guangyi, Zhang Guangyi, you're being foolish!"

Unable to contain his anger, he gave Zhang Guangyi several hard hits on the back.

At that moment, the women's committee leader led Meng Daniu over.

Meng Daniu had red, swollen eyes from crying, and upon learning the situation, she almost fainted from anger:

"Zhang Guangyi, you becoming a thief has already made our family a laughingstock. Do you now want to make it impossible for us to live?"

This time, Zhang Guangyi did not remain silent and quickly defended himself:

"Wife, I didn't do it."

"Then what is this? Where are the rest of the things!"

Zhang Guangyi glanced at her belly, turned away, and gritted his teeth as he spoke to Qin Sa:

"Comrade of Public Security, please take me away quickly. I admit, I did everything. It has nothing to do with anyone else. I accept any punishment, just don't involve my family."

"Zhang Guangyi!" Meng Daniu shouted loudly.

Zhang Guangyi turned his face away: "Wife, I have wronged you and the children. It was my mistake. Don't say anything more; let the government punish me."

As he said this, he ran towards Qin Sa, urging her to take him away, acting as if he couldn't bear to see his wife.

Suddenly, Meng Daniu clutched her belly: "My belly, it hurts so much..."

"Wife, what's wrong? Is it the baby?" Zhang Guangyi rushed back, seeking help from the team leader.

"Uncle, Auntie, please take Daniu to the health clinic. She is pregnant again and can't have anything happen to her."

Meng Daniu stared straight at him: "Zhang Guangyi, can't you do something good for the child in my belly?"

Zhang Guangyi held Meng Daniu, unable to speak for a long while.

Meng Daniu thought of something, "Is it my brother? Did he make you take the blame for everything, and does he have the rest of the things?"

"Wife, stop guessing." Zhang Guangyi pushed Meng Daniu towards the women's committee leader in frustration.

Meng Daniu still looked at him: "Did my mother and grandmother also tell you that if anything happens, you must take the blame?"

"There's no such thing..."

"Is it or isn't it!" Meng Daniu shouted, breaking into a scream.

Zhang Guangyi denied it, but Meng Daniu understood.

She ran directly to Qin Sa and said, "Comrade of Public Security, this matter must be related to my brother. Those things must be with him."

Zhang Guangyi panicked, "Daniu, what are you doing?"

Meng Daniu looked at him with tears in her eyes: "Zhang Guangyi, how can you be so heartless? I've only just started living a good life, and now you're pushing me into the fire. Do you think I'll be sold to some old bachelor who even ghosts won't marry?"

Zhang Guangyi was stunned.

"How, how could that be possible..."

"Do you think I fell into the water by accident? It was all my brother's doing, but he wasn't targeting you then. To sell me for a good price, he knew I couldn't swim and still set up that scene. If it weren't for you, I might not even be alive."

Zhang Guangyi was shocked, finding it hard to believe what he heard.

He had indeed been attracted to Meng Daniu for a long time, but he knew his own situation and never dared to think about proposing.

So he often went to the neighboring team to secretly watch her, not planning to do anything, just feeling happy seeing her.

But that day, such an incident happened. He didn't think much and rushed to save her.

There were others at the scene, including a youth volunteer from the Huangzipo team.

Could Meng Jinming have been trying to set up that youth volunteer?

Zhang Guangyi remembered that youth volunteer well because he came from a wealthy family, dressed neatly without any patches, carried two fountain pens in his pocket, and wore an expensive plum blossom watch, clearly indicating a good background.

Now that youth volunteer had returned to the city, reportedly through family connections, after a few years of rural service.

"How, how could you not tell me earlier?"

Over the years, Zhang Guangyi had always felt guilty and accepted whatever his wife said.

Having no parents or siblings, he genuinely treated his wife's family as his own.

Because at that time, he did indeed have improper thoughts and intentionally made the rescue seem intimate.

Otherwise, why would saving someone require a marriage of gratitude? This would discourage future acts of bravery.

Over the years, Meng's family often brought up this incident, and he had no way to refute it.

"How can I explain this?" Meng Daniu smiled bitterly. She had only found out by accident later on.

When she heard her brother complaining to their grandmother and mother about how poor Zhang Guangyi was, and that if it weren't for his meddling, she could have followed that educated youth into the city and been arranged as a worker, she wouldn't be living this hard life in the countryside.

Meng Daniu faced her family's scheming against her for the first time.

Her respected grandmother and mother not only did not blame her but also shared in her regret.

At that time, if it weren't for the captain of Dog Head Mountain helping Zhang Guangyi find a match and agreeing to contribute ten yuan as a dowry, Meng Daniu would not have been married off so easily even if her reputation had been tarnished.

All of this made Meng Daniu reevaluate her natal family—were they worth her sacrifices?

So, she began to focus her energy on her own little family.

Initially, she felt extremely wronged when forced to marry Zhang Guangyi, given his reputation, which no decent girl would want.

There was no one else at home, and there would be no one to help after having children.

But once she married him, she realized life could be like this.

Meng Daniu had always known she wasn't favored at home, so from a young age, she worked especially hard, bustling around every day, hoping her family would see her as good and praise her.

She originally had two younger sisters, but they were drowned shortly after birth, making her several years older than Meng Jinming.

The family often mentioned this, saying she was lucky to survive, otherwise, she would have met the same fate as her sisters.

Meng Daniu was deeply moved; rural girls usually started matchmaking at fifteen or sixteen and were mostly married by eighteen, yet her family kept her for several more years without mentioning marriage.

She never brought it up either, thinking she should do more for the family before getting married.

Moreover, she wanted to take care of her youngest sister for a few more years. Originally, they didn't want the youngest sister, but seeing such a tiny child, she insisted on keeping her.

Meng Daniu raised her youngest sister herself; no one else in the family ever helped.

After marrying Zhang Guangyi, he treated her family as his own, which touched her deeply.

After marriage, Zhang Guangyi stopped doing foolish things and worked diligently every day.

Soon, she became pregnant, and Zhang Guangyi was particularly attentive, wishing to give her the stars.

She secretly asked him what he would do if it were a girl.

Zhang Guangyi said it didn't matter whether it was a boy or a girl; they were all their children, and he would love them equally.

Meng Daniu dared say that few men in the village were as considerate as her husband, who not only worked hard outside but also did household chores whenever he had free time.

He took care of the child, allowing Meng Daniu to eat, drink, and sleep during her confinement period without worrying about the baby.

She felt this was due to the heavens' favor, making her life better, but now this incident had plunged her into despair.

As the couple recounted past events, Tang Qingqing listened in astonishment.

She whispered, "I didn't expect Zhang Guangyi to treat his wife so well."

"So what?" Zhai Hongyi sneered.

"Isn't that enough?"

Tang Qingqing glared at him; she had never seen anyone more considerate than Zhang Guangyi.

No matter how formidable Zhao Dahua seemed, she didn't dare speak up in front of her husband.

Tang Jianjun was lazy and arrogant, taking out his frustrations on his wife and children, never contributing to household chores.

Uncle Tang Jianguo was slightly better, but being disabled, he needed care himself and couldn't do much.

From the complaints of the aunties and sisters-in-law, Tang Qingqing knew other men were similar—always siding with their mothers-in-law and acting like lords at home.

Zhai Hongyi scoffed, "If he truly cared for his family, he wouldn't have done this. Hasn't he thought about what would happen to his wife and children if he were imprisoned? Now he wants to hide everything and bear the consequences alone, as if he wishes he could rot in jail."

Hearing Zhai Hongyi's lengthy evaluation, Tang Qingqing realized he was right.

"However, it seems he is protecting his wife's family by not speaking."

Zhai Hongyi scoffed again, and Tang Qingqing looked up at him.

"A man with unclear thoughts deserves his misfortune."

Tang Qingqing felt his words were too harsh, but Zhang Guangyi indeed acted foolishly in this matter.

Meng Daniu wiped away her tears and held Zhang Guangyi's hand.

"Guangyi, we are a family. This is my home. Without you, my child and I will have no home."

Hearing this, Zhang Guangyi could no longer hold back his tears and began to cry.

The captain sighed, turned his face away, and ultimately said nothing harsh.

Some felt he deserved it for his foolish actions, while others pitied him.

After a while, Zhang Guangyi wiped his tears and confessed to Qin Sa,

"Comrade Public Security, regardless of the cause, I admit I was wrong. I didn't bring those things home because I knew my wife wouldn't agree, and I didn't want my child to know he had such a father, so I hid them here."

"I know where Meng Jinming hid the rest. I'll take you there."

Zhang Guangyi's willingness to confess was ideal, as otherwise, they would need to send more people to search.

Meng Jinming was so certain; he must be hiding in some secret place.

Those items and money can be stored for a long time, so they can wait until the situation calms down before taking them out.

Not recovering all the stolen goods means their work is not up to par.

Zhang Guangyi took all the blame; this family is so poor that even a fine would not yield much.

Qin Sa's attitude softened: "If you had done this earlier, it would have been better. Reform yourself well and strive to come back sooner."

Zhang Guangyi hung his head, feeling very uncomfortable.

Meng Daniu's attitude was firm: "Whoever did this is who it is. If you were the one causing trouble, I'll accept it, and I will supervise your reform in the future. But if you weren't, you need to explain clearly. You cannot take responsibility for someone else, no matter who it is."

"Wife..."

"Guangyi, we are both people without the fortune of having parents or siblings. We have to accept it." Meng Daniu choked up.

Zhang Guangyi saw determination in Meng Daniu's eyes, and the shackles on him gradually disappeared.

Before Qin Sa took Zhang Guangyi away, the team leader patted his shoulder: "With such a good wife, you should cherish your blessings."

Tang Qingqing was not in high spirits throughout the journey. She originally thought it was a simple theft case, but she never expected there to be such a story behind it, which left her feeling quite melancholic.

Comparing the attitudes of the two families, Tang Qingqing leaned towards Meng Jinming being the mastermind.

Moreover, she was not just guessing blindly. According to the distribution of footprints in the house, the person who knocked out the guard was more likely to be Meng Jinming.

Of course, it could not be ruled out that Zhang Guangyi instructed Meng Jinming, but based on the investigation of both families, this possibility seemed unlikely.

Zhang Guangyi respected and loved his wife very much, and he probably treated her family members with courtesy as well.

This was also confirmed by the villagers' feedback.

Not only did Zhang Guangyi treat his wife well, but he also often went to help her family with various tasks.

The truth proved that Meng Jinming had indeed been lying all along.

At first, he swore that if he were the thief, he would die by crashing into a wall, but now the remaining stolen goods were dug out from a hole near Meng's house, yet he showed no sign of wanting to die.

He continued to act innocent, pushing all the blame onto Zhang Guangyi. If they hadn't separated the two during the journey, Meng Jinming would have cursed Zhang Guangyi to death.

From their interaction, it was clear that Meng Jinming dominated Zhang Guangyi.

Regardless of who the main culprit was, both would definitely face punishment.

They brought this upon themselves, but it was unfortunate for Meng Daniu and the children.

Just when things were settling down, they are now back to this state.

If Zhang Guangyi had ignored his wife's family and lived a quiet life with his wife, they would be happily preparing for the New Year now.

When Meng Daniu announced her pregnancy on New Year's Eve, it would have been such a warm scene.

"What's wrong?"

Zhai Hongyi tugged at Tang Qingqing's hat.

"People are truly complex, and some are really good actors," Tang Qingqing sighed.

Zhai Hongyi laughed: "I thought you already knew that."

Upon hearing this, Tang Qingqing understood. He was referring to the chaos in her own family.

Indeed, Tang Qingqing had never heard of a more complicated situation than hers, involving even supernatural elements.

Now, Tang Qingqing believed that Tang Zhenzhen might have really been possessed by another soul; otherwise, how could she change so drastically?

She could see 'heavenly scriptures' on tombstones, so it wasn't strange that Tang Zhenzhen's soul had been swapped.

"But watching others is different."

By the time they returned to the commune, it was already dark.

Qin Sa told Tang Qingqing and Zhai Hongyi to go straight to the canteen without waiting for her.

"Tang Qingqing, do you want me to get you a couple of steamed buns?"

Qin Sa waved her hand: "I'll go to the canteen myself when I'm hungry. Don't worry about me; go ahead. You've worked hard today, so you deserve a good meal."

Without waiting for their response, she rushed inside.

She was responsible for this case and needed to be present during the interrogation.

Tang Qingqing had no choice but to go to the canteen with Zhai Hongyi.

Chef Li greeted them cheerfully: "Girl, why are you looking so down? Did you not solve the case? Don't worry, take your time. There are plenty of unsolved cases here. Look around, everyone has a few unsolved cases."

The public security officers eating nearby almost lost their appetite upon hearing this.

"Old Li, can't you say something nice while we're eating? With what you said, even the best cooking tastes like wax to me."

"Chef Li, are you trying to make us feel bad because we eat too much?"

Chef Li laughed heartily: "That's right, I am tired of you all eating so much."

The public security officers angrily bit into their white steamed buns.

"We won't let your evil plan succeed!"

With this interruption, Tang Qingqing finally smiled.

"Uncle, you guessed wrong this time. The case is solved."

"If the case is solved, why do you still have that expression? Look at those who haven't solved their cases; they're laughing so happily."

Those Public Security officers were furious. "Old Li, enough! Our patience has its limits."

"You can't sprinkle salt on our wounds just because your kitchen has plenty of it!"

Chef Li ignored them and smiled at Tang Qingqing:

"It must be the backstory that's bothering you, right? Don't worry about it. You'll get used to it after seeing and hearing more. Look at those others; even though they're laughing now, when they first started, coming back from a case was like... like having the meat stolen from their dishes."

The Public Security officers didn't retort this time and offered some comfort.

"Chef Li, you've said so many nonsense things today, but this one makes sense."

"Little girl, in this line of work, you need to learn to take things lightly. Don't stress yourself too much."

"No matter how regretful it is, it's better than letting things escalate in the future, right?"

Tang Qingqing was thoroughly comforted by these words. When she saw Chef Li add several large pieces of braised pork to her plate, she had no time to think about those troubles anymore.

"Wow, Uncle, the cafeteria must be rich! Why is there so much meat today?"

"The New Year is approaching, so we should eat well. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and there's even better food waiting for you. Why don't you stay here for the New Year instead of going back?"

Tang Qingqing was deeply tempted. Don't blame her for being weak; the food here was simply irresistible.

A bite of braised pork filled her mouth with fresh and savory juices, melting as soon as it touched her tongue.

Oh, all worries were forgotten.

Happiness, pure happiness!

Seeing how quickly her face changed, Zhai Hongyi couldn't help but laugh.

After dinner, Zhai Hongyi escorted Tang Qingqing back to Qin Sa's dormitory.

Qin Sa was destined to be busy tonight. One case hadn't been fully resolved, and another one had already come up. She ate hurriedly.

She didn't have time to care about Tang Qingqing, throwing the keys at her and leaving her alone, a stark contrast to her careful attention during her first visit.

Tang Qingqing didn't mind; having a place to stay was good enough, especially since she was familiar with the place.

"You should go back early. Thank you for today. See you tomorrow."

Tang Qingqing didn't need Zhai Hongyi to escort her; the dormitory wasn't far from the Public Security Bureau.

But Zhai Hongyi insisted on accompanying her, saying he promised Old Liu and wouldn't break his word.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow morning. Don't wander around."

"Do you really need to go through so much trouble?"

Zhai Hongyi was assigned to stay in the duty room at the Public Security Bureau, where everything was provided. Many officers stayed there overnight when they were too busy to return home.

"It's not a bother." Zhai Hongyi was firm.

Tang Qingqing had no choice but to accept.

When Tang Qingqing opened the door, turned on the lights, and waved goodbye from the corridor, Zhai Hongyi left braving the snowstorm.

Tang Qingqing returned inside. The room was still neat, but the stove wasn't lit, making it feel like an ice cave.

Soon, there was movement in the neighboring room.

Aunt Chen came over to greet Tang Qingqing.

"Aunt Chen, hello."

"The stove isn't lit, right? Is there any coal in the house? Come and get some firewood; it will warm up soon."

Though small, the room had a stove and an exhaust vent, so there was no danger of carbon monoxide poisoning at night.

"Aunt Chen, thank you for your trouble."

Tang Qingqing didn't refuse; lighting the stove herself would take longer, and using pre-prepared firewood would be quicker.

"What are you talking about? It's my pleasure."

Not only did Aunt Chen bring firewood, but she also gave Tang Qingqing two oranges.

Tang Qingqing tried to refuse; oranges were precious in winter, transported from afar.

"Take them. They're part of the Public Security Bureau's welfare this year. I have plenty left. If you had come earlier, you would have gotten some too.

Why don't you check tomorrow if there are any left? If there are, you can claim your share. You traveled such a long distance; taking some welfare isn't unreasonable."

Tang Qingqing smiled but didn't say anything.

Back in her room, she went downstairs to fetch water, placing the kettle on the stove. Soon, she could use hot water to brush her teeth, wash her face, and soak her feet.

As the room warmed up, Tang Qingqing peeled an orange and tasted it.

The sweet and sour flavor made her close her eyes in contentment.

This was the first time she had tasted such oranges from the south. In the countryside, they could only eat local fruits, and even then, not much, as most were sold for money. Usually, they ate wild fruits they picked themselves.

Tang Qingqing skillfully pulled out the cardboard box from under the bed, took out a picture book, and started reading while eating.

She now recognized many characters, making it easier for her to understand the picture books, which she found even more exciting.

That night, Tang Qingqing was particularly happy and even felt a bit reluctant to leave.

If not for her Master in the village and the people she cared about, Tang Qingqing would have definitely stayed for the New Year.

The next morning, Tang Qingqing got up early and, as before, washed the sheets and pillowcases.

Moreover, she luxuriously used hot water to wash them, so her hands wouldn't freeze in the winter.

This year, unlike previous years when she had to wash everything in cold water, her hands didn't develop chilblains much at all.

In past years, her hands would swell like radishes, often itching terribly.

Her aunt-in-law would use folk remedies to treat her, but they were ineffective.

Since her hands frequently touched cold things, merely applying medicine wasn't enough.

This year was different. She no longer compromised, showing an attitude of "do what you want, don't bother me," and nobody could force her.

Additionally, she remembered to apply medicine every day, so her hands were fine.

Although she still developed some chilblains, they were much better than before.

Her aunt-in-law said that this was due to past injuries, so even without touching cold things, she might still get chilblains. However, if she continued to take good care of herself, they wouldn't recur.

Chen's wife saw Tang Qingqing busy early in the morning and liked the little girl very much.

After all, who doesn't like a well-behaved and considerate person? Especially after encountering those who stay at others' homes, complain endlessly, and mess everything up, the contrast is stark.

When Chen's wife was about to help Tang Qingqing wring out the sheets and pillowcases, Zhai Hongyi appeared.

He washed his hands and easily grabbed the sheets.

With his long arms and legs and great strength, Tang Qingqing thought she had already squeezed out most of the water, but he effortlessly wrung out much more, as if she hadn't squeezed them at all.

Tang Qingqing could only admire his strength.

"I think men are more suitable for these household chores than women. Why do women always end up doing them?"

In rural areas, it's understandable since men need to do physical labor to earn money, and women need to take care of the home.

But in dual-income households, both work hard during their jobs, so why should women still do all the housework?

Especially tasks that require strength, shouldn't men do them?

Tang Qingqing expressed her confusion.

Zhai Hongyi: "Why do anything when someone else can serve you?"

Hearing this, Tang Qingqing became a bit unhappy: "So if a woman works and gets married, isn't she just asking for trouble?"

"Not all men are like that."

"But isn't it natural for women to serve men?"

This was something Tang Qingqing often heard in the countryside. Whenever the older women complained about how busy and hardworking they were, Tang Qingqing would ask why men couldn't help, and they would say it was natural.

Zhai Hongyi rolled his eyes: "Emperors ruling the country was once considered natural too. Look how that turned out."

"That's true..."

"Little girl, when you marry, keep your eyes open. Don't naively think marriage means serving others. Love should be equal, not a master-servant relationship... Hey, why am I telling you this?"

Zhai Hongyi felt he must have been affected by the stench of the other men's feet last night.

Last night, Zhai Hongyi didn't sleep well. Despite looking respectable outside, these Public Security officers were quite sloppy in private.

People kept coming in and out of the rest area, and these men would lie down immediately upon returning, without even washing their feet.

Considering they ran around all day, one can imagine the smell...

And their snoring was deafening.

Zhai Hongyi swore he'd never sleep in the Public Security Bureau's rest area again.

Thinking about this, Zhai Hongyi squeezed the pillowcases harder.

Tang Qingqing quickly stopped him: "Enough! If you squeeze any harder, the pillowcases will tear!"

Zhai Hongyi finally came to his senses and reluctantly put down the pillowcases.

It was too cold outside to hang them out to dry; otherwise, they would freeze solid and remain stiff even after drying, dripping water when brought back inside. Therefore, they had to be dried near the stove.

Tang Qingqing informed Chen's wife and left with Zhai Hongyi.

They met Qin Sa in the canteen, who had heavy dark circles under her eyes. Unlike her energetic demeanor during cases, she looked exhausted, almost like someone on drugs.

Tang Qingqing initially didn't want to disturb her, but Qin Sa walked over and sat beside them, explaining the situation with the theft case at the supply store.

"They all confessed. It was all led by Meng Jinming. He knew Zhang Guangyi had some skills, so he half-threatened and half-enticed him using his sister and nephew. They planned to pin everything on Zhang Guangyi if caught, thus concealing the stolen goods and selling his sister—no, marrying her off to an old bachelor."

As Qin Sa spoke, she showed a look of disdain.

This incident also involved Meng Jinming's grandmother. Without the old woman's instigation, Zhang Guangyi, who wanted to live honestly, wouldn't have gotten involved.

Zhang Guangyi didn't actually implicate the old woman; it was Meng Jinming who did, trying to shift the blame onto her.

"Such a filial grandson. A man without any sense of responsibility, yet he's doted on by his entire family. Early this morning, the old lady and his mother came running over, crying and shouting that their grandson and son were innocent, and it was all Zhang Guangyi's doing. When the old lady found out that the truth was exposed, she even had her daughter-in-law take the blame."

Tang Qingqing: "What was the aunt's reaction?"

"What could her reaction be? She confessed willingly. Her personality is weak, and she's controlled by her mother-in-law, plus she spoils her son. At first, they tried to pin it on Meng Xiaomei, but Meng Xiaomei had no idea about it, and there was no connection whatsoever, so it ended up on Meng's mother."

Qin Sa, feeling angry, said, "Do they think the Public Security Bureau is someplace to play around with!"

"Pampering a child is like killing them." An old officer nearby couldn't help but interject upon hearing their conversation.

"Based on my experience handling cases over the years, those who commit crimes are either spoiled rotten from a young age or have been mistreated. Most criminals come from troubled families; very few come from good homes but insist on self-destruction.

Sigh, raising children is not easy. If you don't understand this, don't have children, otherwise, you'll just raise a menace."