Chapter 60: Missing Money…

Wen Yanyan had truly been transformed. She was not only thinner but also prettier and cleaner.

Liu Zhendong felt relieved. The kid from the South Troop had married a pretty good wife.

“Commander, I had unexpected guests this morning. My house was empty, so I thought I’d buy some ready-made food from the mess hall.”

Wen Yanyan couldn’t let the commander misunderstand her as lazy or someone who didn’t like cooking.

“Oh? You had guests? Who were they?”

Commander Liu was particularly concerned.

“Nan Fangjue’s mother, and… another woman.”

Wen Yanyan hesitated, finding it hard to say.

“A woman? His sister?”

Commander Liu knew something about Nan Fangjue’s family.

“No, not his sister. Commander, I’ll go buy the food now. They’re waiting.”

Wen Yanyan couldn’t continue and found an excuse to leave.

How could she tell Commander Liu that Nan Fangjue’s mother had found him another wife from his hometown?

Family matters should be kept within the family.

Liu Zhendong stood in the mess hall for a long time, pondering Wen Yanyan’s words.

Another woman had come to Nan Fangjue’s house?

If it wasn’t his sister, who was it?

Wen Yanyan had been hesitant; had something happened at home?

No, he had to go and check.

Nan Tuan was on a mission and not at home, so he couldn’t look after things at home.

He couldn’t let Nan Fangjue’s home life go up in flames.

…

Wen Yanyan bought the food from the mess hall and walked home, with Xiaogiuqiu following her closely.

Back home, she put the food into separate plates and placed them on the table.

She went inside to call them for dinner, but found them acting strangely.

Nizi, in particular, had a look of obvious panic in her eyes.

Wen Yanyan assumed she was just shy and nervous. “Auntie, Nizi, dinner’s ready. Come and eat.”

“Auntie, let’s go out.”

Nizi quickly helped the old woman out of the room, deliberately avoiding Wen Yanyan as she passed.

Wen Yanyan remained calm, but she glanced at the drawer of the writing desk and froze.

She noticed the drawer… seemed to have been opened. It wasn’t closed properly, with a gap showing.

Wen Yanyan hesitated, then went into the room and pulled open the drawer where she kept her money.

She found it in disarray, clearly having been ransacked.

Then she saw it—the money was gone. Over three hundred yuan, not a cent left.

Wen Yanyan’s head spun. That was her hard-earned money, the result of more than half a month’s hard work.

All gone?

She was stunned.

Yes, it must have been stolen by the old woman. That explained their unnatural expressions.

Wen Yanyan took a deep breath, calmed herself, and closed the drawer, leaving the room.

She saw the old woman and Nizi at the dinner table, looking like hungry wolves.

Each of them held a steamed bun, devouring it greedily.

Their chopsticks clattered against the bowls as they ate, a constant clattering sound.

They seemed to wish they had another mouth; a bowl of braised pork was finished in no time.

The other dish, stir-fried cabbage and wood ear mushrooms with pork, was also almost gone.

Wen Yanyan lost her appetite and just stood there watching them eat.

When they were almost finished, she spoke.

“Auntie, Nizi, if you need money, you can tell me. Don’t secretly take money from my drawer.”

Wen Yanyan couldn’t pretend she didn’t know about the missing money; three hundred yuan was no small sum.

City workers didn’t earn that much in a year, let alone farmers.

They must have been envious.

And besides, no one else had been in her room except those two.

Her money was gone, and it must have been stolen by them.

Although the old woman and girl were from the countryside, they were quite bold. They had picked the lock on her door before she got home from work, which is why Xiaogiuqiu had been barking at them incessantly.

Even Bao Zheng would have to rule this case the same way.

“You’re lying! Who stole your money?”

Hu Suozhen, as if her tail had been stepped on, wiped her oily mouth with the back of her hand and started cursing.

She threw her chopsticks on the ground with a clap.

“I knew you weren’t a good woman! You eat and drink well at home, but don’t send a cent home!”

The old woman didn’t get to eat meat more than a few times a year.

Seeing a whole bowl of pork today, her eyes turned red with envy.

So Nan Fangjue’s family lived like gods in the army?

But she was living a life of eating chaff and vegetables back home. The comparison made her even more unbalanced.

“I received a telegram yesterday morning and sent money home in the afternoon.”

Wen Yanyan said calmly; she wasn’t afraid of this old woman.

The original owner was even better at yelling and cursing than she was.

One should always be one step ahead, but she couldn’t fight back with curses.

After all, she was an elder.

“What about before? After Little Jue married you, he didn’t send any money home. If it wasn’t you, who else could it be? Are you trying to starve us to death?”

Hu Suozhen continued to spit.

“You all have hands and feet; you’re not disabled. You still have land; how can you starve? Besides, I sent thirty yuan yesterday; three months’ worth has already been sent.”

Wen Yanyan didn’t know why Nan Fangjue didn’t send money home.

She just did what she should have done.

“You’re a terrible woman! If I weren’t so lucky, I’d be dead! Thirty yuan isn’t enough! Don’t think I don’t know how much Little Jue earns a month!”

Wen Yanyan was shocked by her words. Were they all vampires?

Wasn’t ten yuan a month enough?

How much did she want then?

She didn’t look undernourished either.

“Should all his money be sent to you? Doesn’t he need to eat, drink, and wear clothes? Besides, he’s married, and he’ll need to save money to raise children!”

Wen Yanyan was angry. She had never seen such a selfish mother!

“Yes! The money is all mine! Without me, there would be no him! Was it easy raising him? If he doesn’t send money home, he’s unfilial!”

Hu Suozhen, having eaten her fill, spoke with more energy, her voice booming, her eyes wide.

“Get out! This house isn’t yours. When Little Jue comes back, I’ll have him divorce you! Get out!”

The old woman waved the fire stick at her!

Wen Yanyan couldn’t hit her back, so she had to leave the house, but her arm was hit by the old woman’s stick.

A sharp pain.

Damn!

This old hag!

Cruel and vicious!

As Wen Yanyan came out of the house, she saw Commander Liu standing in her yard.

When had he come in?

She clutched her arm, her expression pained. “Commander, why are you here?”

Commander Liu Zhendong immediately noticed her abnormality.

“I heard you had guests. Nan Tuan’s not home, so I came to check on you. What happened to your arm?”

“I’m fine.”

Wen Yanyan’s eyes were red.

She hadn’t expected Commander Liu to be so kind. The original owner had always bothered him; that was wrong.