Chapter 17

Unable to get any more words out of her son, Zhang Cuilan angrily grabbed a towel and swatted at him. “You little brat, are you trying to drive your mother mad by staying silent?”

It was already nine o’clock. Zhang Cuilan, who was used to sleeping early, felt her eyelids growing heavy. Yet, she still wanted to finish sifting the remaining cornmeal.

Gu Shi’an took over the task, urging his mother to rest.

Looking at her tall and upright son, Zhang Cuilan’s heart softened with pride. She smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll enjoy my son’s care for once. It’s been a while since I visited my mother. When the weather clears, let’s find time to visit your grandmother.”

Zhang Cuilan’s hometown, Zhangjia Village, had been renamed the Red Flag Production Team. Her father had passed away in his early fifties, but her mother remained robust. At over seventy years old, the elderly woman’s eyesight and hearing were sharp, and her bound feet could still carry her several miles. Not long ago, she had even taken a small bamboo basket to the village market to sell embroidered handkerchiefs.

Every summer, Gu Shi’an and his siblings would spend their vacation in the countryside. Their grandmother often saved the best treats for them—candied peanuts, steamed buns with sugar, pig’s blood cakes, corn cobs, fertilized eggs, and fried dough balls. During the peak of summer, the corn was at its sweetest and juiciest. Picking the freshest green cob, biting into it was a crunchy, sweet delight.

As a mischievous child of five or six, Gu Shi’an had often caused trouble in his uncle’s cornfield.

His antics had earned him quite a few spankings.

Recalling these childhood memories, a rare smile appeared on Gu Shi’an’s usually stoic face.

The mother and son chatted for a while.

Outside, dark clouds rolled in, thunder rumbled, and raindrops began to patter. Gradually, the drizzle turned into a dense curtain of rain.

Unable to stay awake any longer, Zhang Cuilan retired to her room, rubbing her aching back.

During these times, while larger cities had access to electricity, small towns like Yunshui County had limited electrification. Only key locations like the county committee compound, factories, hospitals, and public facilities had power. The courtyard residents still relied on lanterns and kerosene lamps, while wealthier families occasionally lit candles.

In the Gu family, only Lin Yao’s room had candles.

Back when Lin Yao was recovering from her injury, Zhang Cuilan, feeling sorry for her, had bought a pack of candles for her evening use.

Now that her forehead wound had healed, leaving only a faint pink scar, Lin Yao diligently applied scar removal cream daily. It seemed unlikely the scar would remain.

Used to a more comfortable lifestyle, Lin Yao refused to switch to smoky kerosene lamps after running out of candles. Her space supermarket had plenty of candles, so she discreetly brought out one each day to light her room, leaving only short stubs.

The Gu family didn’t pay much attention.

Normally, Lin Yao would crawl into her mosquito net and fall asleep immediately after going to her room. But tonight, as the old clock struck midnight with twelve resounding chimes, she lay restless in bed, unable to sleep.

Every time she closed her eyes, the scene of accidentally kissing Gu Shi’an at the movies replayed in her mind.

Though Gu Shi’an always had a cold and aloof expression, his lips had been unexpectedly soft. She couldn’t help but wonder how it would feel to take a playful bite…

Stop it!

Lin Yao covered her flushed face and rolled around in bed, hugging her blanket. She tossed and turned like a pancake until the middle of the night before finally drifting off to sleep.

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

The bright morning breeze swayed the bamboo forest outside her window. The rain-soaked air carried a cool freshness, and the rustling bamboo leaves added to the tranquil and pleasant atmosphere.

Lin Yao slowly poked her head out from the mosquito net. She had actually woken up around six in the morning, but the sound of the rain outside was unclear and muffled.

She hadn’t slept well the previous night and wasn’t in the mood to get up for breakfast. Instead, she snuggled back under the covers to catch up on sleep.

Gu Shi’an had gone to work early in the morning at the public security bureau. The Yunshui County Public Security Bureau, which used to be the county’s security regiment, was quite large. Its glazed tile and camphor wood beams gave it an impressive appearance.

During this time, the county town had both a public security bureau and a military department, and all the communes also had their own militia.

The county public security bureau consisted of over twenty officers, working shifts just like the county workers. During the day, they operated in three shifts, with three officers responsible for patrolling specific urban areas to maintain public order.

The bureau was located on Old Street. In front of it were the post office and department store, while behind it was the county committee courtyard. Just three or four streets away was the steel rolling factory.

In past summers, Yunshui County had good public order. The officers often found time to rest after patrolling, sneaking a drink of water in the lounge.

However, ever since the heinous crime of a pregnant woman being robbed occurred, the entire bureau—from the elderly director to the young clerks sorting documents in the office—was thrown into chaos.

The county committee held meetings frequently, leaving the old director stretched thin and unable to handle everything.

Gu Shi’an’s arrival brought immense relief to the director.

There’s a saying, “A new official burns three fires,” and Gu Shi’an was certainly no pushover. He had joined the army at eighteen, fought in battles, and earned honors through life-and-death struggles. Unlike those who relied on family connections, he was the real deal.

When Gu Shi’an reported for duty yesterday, he was in a perfectly ironed military uniform, his sharp, hawk-like black eyes radiating confidence. The director couldn’t help but silently praise him.

The old chief truly had an eye for talent, choosing such a capable individual for the bureau.

With Gu Shi’an taking charge, the director could finally relax.

At over fifty years old, the director spent half the day with his feet propped up in his office, sipping stomach-soothing tea, and then openly skipped work.

He had been overworked investigating the case, his chronic stomach problems acting up again. He even convinced Father Xu, the team leader, to take a break with him. Father Xu, who had sustained a leg injury during his military service, suffered from pain on rainy days.

With Gu Shi’an now taking over, the two old colleagues felt at ease going to the clinic for treatment.

The next morning, when Gu Shi’an arrived, the director’s office was empty, and the team leader was nowhere to be found. A group of young officers in their police caps lined the corridor, looking expectantly at him.

With no other choice, Gu Shi’an had to step up and take charge.

After exchanging looks with the young officers for a moment, he raised an eyebrow and was about to request the case files for the pregnant woman’s robbery.

Before he could speak, Xu Xiangqian quickly handed over a stack of thick files. “Here, Old Gu, these are the case files for the robbery.”

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

With Deputy Director Gu in place, the other officers felt reassured and returned to their respective tasks as per his instructions.

In the office, Gu Shi’an focused intently as he flipped through the case files.

At one point, Xu Xiangqian thoughtfully brought water for his future brother-in-law, but Gu Shi’an didn’t even take a sip. Instead, he asked, “Was it raining when the victim was attacked?”

“Of course,” Xu replied. “It was pouring that day, and it was already late afternoon. The sky was gloomy. The victim, being pregnant, avoided longer routes and took a shortcut through an alley. She never expected to be targeted. Luckily, there was a bus stop nearby. The pregnant woman was brave and hit the scumbag with her umbrella a few times, then escaped while shouting for help. A bus driver on the roadside rescued her. Oh, and there were also a few male passengers who tried to chase the robber, but the guy knew the alleys too well and got away quickly. Damn it, that scumbag must have legs like the wind!”

After the robbery, the county public security bureau immediately launched an investigation, sealing off the alley where the crime occurred. However, the heavy rain had destroyed much of the evidence.

The crime scene provided little to work with, and with no third party present at the time, clues were scarce.

Although the robber seemed bold, he acted with extreme caution. The victim recalled that the assailant was a tall, thin middle-aged man with calloused hands and a sinister voice. His great strength suggested he had been engaged in physical labor for years.

The director speculated it might have been someone familiar with the victim, but the team leader argued that if it were a familiar face, the crime would have occurred when the victim had more money, not when she had so little.

As it turned out, the pregnant woman appeared well-off but was actually accustomed to spending lavishly. While her husband came from a prominent family, times were tough, and even these families had limited means. With a monthly salary of only forty or fifty yuan, it was easy to run out of money after enjoying some luxuries. On the day of the robbery, the woman had only a few small-denomination notes and a meat voucher in her purse.

For a mere handful of small bills, it was unlikely a familiar person would commit robbery unless they were foolish or mentally unstable.

Fortunately, the bureau’s technician created a composite sketch of the suspect based on the victim’s description.

Xu Xiangqian pulled it out and showed it to Gu Shi’an.

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

The robber was missing the pinky finger on his right hand.

*

That day, the weather was overcast with intermittent thunderstorms. The courtyard’s flowers and plants drooped under the relentless rain.

At the Gu family house, those who needed to work went to work, while those inclined to slack off stayed lazy.

When Gu Shidong woke up, the house was empty. He went to the kitchen, but there was no breakfast in the cabinet.

The brat sniffed the air and turned toward the east wing. The wooden doors were shut tightly. He knocked loudly, shouting, “Sister-in-law, wake up and eat!”

Hurry up and come with me to the canteen for breakfast!

Today, the commune canteen was serving minced pork noodles. The noodles were chewy and smooth, and the minced pork was tangy and spicy. Lin Yao slurped happily as she ate.

Across from her, Gu Shidong held his chopsticks and kept glancing at her, occasionally letting out a mischievous laugh.

Lin Yao angrily scolded, “You brat, what are you staring at if you’re not eating?”

Her fierce expression scared Gu Shidong into shrinking his neck as he muttered under his breath, “Sister-in-law looks so lively. It’s obvious my brother didn’t succeed. He’s already twenty-nine—why is he still acting like a monk? Could it be… he’s incapable?”

Lin Yao almost spat out her noodle soup in shock.