Chapter 17

Zhang Cuilan was so frustrated with her son’s silence that she started hitting Gu Shi’an with a towel, saying, “You ungrateful son, won’t you speak? You’re making your mother angry!”

It was already nine o’clock, and Zhang Cuilan, who was accustomed to going to bed early, was battling heavy eyelids while trying to finish sifting the cornmeal.

Gu Shi’an took over the sifting, urging his mother to get some rest.

Seeing her tall and upright son, Zhang Cuilan’s heart softened with pride. She smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll enjoy some time with my son. It’s been a while since I visited the old home. When the weather improves, I’ll make some time to visit your grandmother.”

Zhang Cuilan’s family home, Zhangjia Village, had since been renamed Hongqi Production Team. Grandpa Zhang had passed away in his fifties, but Grandma Zhang remained robust. Now in her seventies, she had sharp eyesight and hearing, could still walk several miles with her small feet, and would often take a small bamboo basket to the village market to sell embroidered handkerchiefs.

Gu Shi’an and his siblings spent their summers in the countryside every year. Grandma Zhang would save up delicious treats for the three children, including candied peanuts, white sugar with steamed buns, pig’s blood cakes, fresh corn cobs, wild eggs, and fried dough cakes. In July and August, the corn cobs were at their freshest, crispy and sweet when bitten into.

Gu Shi’an, as a mischievous child of five or six, had often wreaked havoc in Uncle Zhang’s cornfields, earning himself quite a few spankings.

Recalling these childhood memories brought a rare smile to Gu Shi’an’s usually stern face.

After their conversation, dark clouds gathered outside, accompanied by rolling thunder. Rain began to fall in a steady, fine drizzle, gradually forming a dense curtain of rain.

Unable to withstand the fatigue, Zhang Cuilan massaged her waist and retreated to her room to rest.

At that time, most major cities had already been electrified, but small counties like Yunshui County had only a few places with electricity, such as the county committee compound, major factories, the family quarters of the health center, and public facilities along the roads. The courtyard did not have electricity yet, so at night, people used oil lamps or, in more affluent households, candles.

The Gu family’s home had candles, which they used to light Lin Yao’s room when she was recovering from her injury. Now that her forehead injury had healed, leaving only a faint pink scar, Lin Yao applied scar cream daily and seemed likely to avoid permanent scarring.

Lin Yao was used to a comfortable life and found it quite inconvenient to be without electric lighting. The thought of replacing candles with smoky oil lamps was unwelcome to her.

Having exhausted the candles previously bought, she had plenty of candles in her space. She used one each day, and each time, only a short stub remained.

The Gu family didn’t pay much attention.

In the past, Lin Yao would fall asleep immediately after getting into her mosquito net.

But tonight was different. The old clock in the next room struck twelve, and she tossed and turned in the mosquito net for a long time, unable to fall asleep.

Whenever she closed her eyes, she couldn’t help but think about the accidental kiss with Gu Shi’an during the movie.

Though Gu Shi’an usually had a cold, aloof demeanor, his lips were surprisingly soft. She wondered what it would be like to kiss him properly…

Stop!

Lin Yao covered her flushed face, hugged her small quilt, and rolled around in bed, tossing and turning like a pancake all night before finally falling asleep.

By the time she woke up the next morning, the sun was already high in the sky.

The morning breeze blew brightly over the bamboo forest outside the window, rustling the leaves and bringing a cool freshness after the rain.

Lin Yao slowly peeked out from under the mosquito net. In fact, she had woken up around six in the morning, but the sound of rain outside was muffled and less distinct.

She hadn’t slept well the night before and was not in the mood for breakfast. Instead, she pulled the covers back over herself to catch up on sleep.

Gu Shi’an had gone to the Public Security Bureau early in the morning. The Yunshui County Public Security Bureau, formerly the County Security Corps, was quite substantial, with glazed tiles and camphor wood beams giving it a grand appearance.

At that time, besides the police station, the county also had an armed department, and various communes had their own militia.

The county police force consisted of over twenty officers, working in three shifts a day. Each shift had three officers responsible for patrolling a designated area, maintaining public order.

The police station was located on Old Street, with the Post and Telegraph Office and the Department Store in front, and the County Committee compound behind it. Beyond that, a few streets away, was the steel factory.

In the past, during the hot summer months, the police station was relatively relaxed. Officers could even take a break in the lounge after their patrols.

However, since the recent case of a pregnant woman being robbed, the entire police force, from the old chief down to the clerks handling paperwork, had been working frantically.

The County Committee held meetings frequently, and the old chief was stretched thin, unable to manage everything effectively.

Gu Shi’an’s arrival was a huge relief for the old chief.

It was often said that new officials bring fresh energy, and Gu Shi’an was no exception. At eighteen, he had joined the army, fought on the battlefield, and earned his honors through hard work, unlike those who relied on family connections.

When Gu Shi’an reported to the bureau yesterday, dressed in a sharp military uniform with piercing black eyes, the old chief couldn’t help but feel pleased.

The seasoned chief had an eye for talent and had picked a promising new recruit for the police station.

Now, he could take it easy.

The over-fifty chief spent most of the day sipping warm tea in the office and then brazenly took a leave of absence.

Recently, due to the case investigation, the chief had been unable to eat or rest properly, causing his chronic stomach problems to flare up. He had also taken Father Xu, the team leader, out of action. Father Xu, who had been injured in the army, suffered greatly in rainy weather and could barely walk. The two old colleagues had relied on each other to push through, but with Gu Shi’an taking over, they had both gone to the clinic to rest.

The next morning, Gu Shi’an arrived to find the chief’s office empty, and the team leader, Ye, was also missing. A bunch of young officers in large hats were waiting eagerly in the corridor.

With the chief and team leader both absent, Gu Shi’an had to step up and take charge.

After a moment of staring at the young officers, Gu Shi’an raised his eyebrows, ready to request the case files for the pregnant woman robbery case.

Xu Xiangqian quickly handed over a thick stack of documents, saying, “Old Gu, here’s the case file.”

The stack of documents was half a meter high on the desk.

With Gu Shi’an in place, the other officers at the bureau felt reassured and got on with their assigned tasks as per his instructions.

In the office, Gu Shi’an focused intently on the case files, flipping through them quickly.

At one point, Xu Xiangqian kindly brought him some water.

Gu Shi’an didn’t drink it but asked, “Was the victim attacked on a rainy day?”

“Yes, it was pouring rain that day, and in the afternoon too. The weather was gloomy, and since the pregnant woman couldn’t walk far, she took a shortcut through a small alley to get home. She was unfortunately targeted. Fortunately, there was a bus stop nearby. The brave woman used her umbrella to fend off the attacker and called for help while escaping. A bus driver came to her rescue. Some courageous male passengers also chased the robber, but he was very familiar with the alley and managed to escape quickly. Damn, that guy must have some seriously fast legs!”

After the robbery, the police station launched an immediate investigation, sealing off the alley where the incident occurred. Forensic experts examined the scene but found little useful evidence.

The heavy rain had washed away much of the evidence, and no third parties had been present to witness the crime.

The robber seemed bold but acted very cautiously. According to the victim, he was a tall, lean middle-aged man with calloused hands, speaking in a harsh tone, and with great strength, suggesting he did manual labor regularly.

The old chief speculated it might be a familiar face, while the team leader thought that if it were a familiar person, the robbery would have happened when the victim had more money, not when she had very little.

It turned out that the victim, despite appearing well-off, lived beyond her means. Her husband was from a prominent family, but those in such families had strict limits in those days, with only forty to fifty yuan a month. The day of the incident, the woman had only a few banknotes and a meat coupon in her purse.

Robbing someone for a few banknotes seemed irrational if the robber were familiar with her.

Fortunately, the forensic team had created a sketch of the robber based on the victim’s description.

Xu Xiangqian pulled out the sketch for Gu Shi’an to review.

Gu Shi’an tapped his fingers on the desk a few times, his gaze fixed on the sketch.

The robber was missing a little finger on his right hand!

*

Today, the weather was gloomy with intermittent thunderstorms, leaving the flowers and plants in the yard looking droopy.

The Gu family continued with their routine, working or slacking off as usual.

Gu Shidong woke up to find everyone else gone. He went to the kitchen but found no breakfast in the cupboard.

The annoying kid sniffled, then headed to the east wing, knocking loudly on the door, “Sister-in-law, get up for breakfast!”

Get up and come to the dining hall!

Today, the commune canteen served spicy noodles with a flavorful sauce. The noodles were chewy and smooth, and the sauce was tangy and spicy. Lin Yao enjoyed them immensely.

Opposite her, Gu Shidong watched her with a grin, occasionally chuckling to himself.

“Why are you staring, you little rascal?”

Lin Yao scolded Gu Shidong angrily. Her expression was quite fierce, causing Gu Shidong to shrink back. He mumbled to himself, “Sister-in-law’s in such high spirits. I guess my brother’s not good enough. At twenty-nine, he’s still so laid-back. Can’t he do anything?”

Lin Yao almost spat out her soup in shock.