By evening, as the women came out of the fields, the entire village started calling her not just Xiangwan, but Su Secretary.

Some even called her “Pig Meat Secretary” because her position as secretary was secured with meat.

Of course, the herbs were still in the ground, but in their hopeful eyes, they represented money and food.

When she reached the village entrance, Su Xiangwan felt something was wrong.

From a distance, Shanzi’s barking sounded fiercer than usual. He was barking continuously.

She couldn’t help but quicken her pace.

When she entered, Su Xiangwan breathed a sigh of relief.

Both kids were crying together, but as long as they were safe, unhurt, and hadn’t been beaten, she could handle it.

Upon asking, she learned that Old Mrs. Song had recently visited her parents’ house and hadn’t been home. When she came back, the first thing she did was check her savings.

When she opened her stash, she found the money was missing.

At that moment, she naturally suspected that Gou Dan must have stolen it.

Although there were four big grandsons in the family, in the old lady’s heart, only Gou Dan was a thief who would steal her savings book.

Just earlier, when Su Xiangwan was still in the fields, Old Lady Song had been standing outside the door, shouting at Gou Dan, calling him a thief. If it weren’t for the imposing presence of Shanzi in the yard, Old Lady Song might have come in and beaten the two kids.

Shanzi, with his mighty presence, was pacing around the two children, looking as if no one would dare enter the yard while he was there.

Su Xiangwan was angry when she heard her son was falsely accused of being a thief, but when she heard the amount of money mentioned by Lu Dan, her eyes almost popped out in shock.

“Mom, Grandma said that Gou Dan stole her savings book with 4,800 yuan and a remittance slip, but today, both Gou Dan and I stayed home planting seeds for you. We didn’t even leave the house, really.” Lu Dan said.

Gou Dan, who had always had sticky fingers, was somewhat shy and afraid.

He didn’t say anything. Wearing patched-up cloth pants with dirt on his knees, when he saw his mother looking at him, he knelt down with a thud.

“What else did your third uncle say?” Su Xiangwan asked.

Lu Dan said, “Third uncle said he would report it to the police, saying we stole the money, and that if we did, you’d be removed from your position as village secretary.”

The little official in the village was the only one who didn’t respect Su Xiangwan, probably because Song Qingshan had exchanged a pig for the position. Behind closed doors, he would call her the “pork secretary.”

“If there’s no evidence, your third uncle won’t dare to report it to the police. Does he really have evidence?” Su Xiangwan asked again.

Lu Dan glanced at Gou Dan and timidly nodded his head.

He rubbed his face and said, “Third uncle said there are fingerprints from Gou Dan on Grandma’s handkerchief where she hides the money.”

Gou Dan didn’t like to wash his hands and often dirtied them.

Wherever he went, he would leave little “paw prints” on things.

“Mom, if I say I didn’t steal, you probably won’t believe me, right?” Gou Dan knelt down again, saying, “Others don’t believe me, but Mom, I really didn’t steal. I only stole some of Grandma’s cookies and candy, and I also stole some of Song Fu’s milk powder for Zhizhi.”

Seeing Gou Dan kneel with such a pitiful expression made Su Xiangwan so angry she almost kicked him.

A man should kneel to heaven, the earth, and his parents, but he had done nothing wrong—why was he kneeling?

Her head started spinning with frustration.

Su Xiangwan walked a few steps in the yard to calm down, reminding herself that this was a child who would one day bear the weight of taking lives, a child who would cry while killing and laugh while torturing enemies, a child with no morals, one who was bound to commit countless evils.

To be honest, this child didn’t just need justice.

What he needed more was the dignity he had never had, and for Su Xiangwan to break the petty thief’s mentality that had not yet rooted in his heart.

Su Xiangwan didn’t say anything.

She went inside, lit the stove, and then scooped some lard from the oil jar and melted it in the pot.

“Mom, what are you going to make?” Lu Dan, smelling the oil, curiously approached.

Su Xiangwan first sliced the boiled potatoes into thick pieces, then diced them.

She scooped some oil dregs from the container and fried them together with the potatoes, making a small bowl of fried potatoes for each of the two children.

Good food was probably the best way to soothe a child’s heart.

Gou Dan finally stood up from the ground, holding his bowl and sitting down.

Su Xiangwan didn’t speak, but her expression was clearly unhappy.

The child held the bowl of fragrant fried potatoes but didn’t dare to eat. He just pursed his lips.

“Mom believes you didn’t steal the money, but I’m upset because why didn’t you defend yourself? Instead, when I asked, you knelt down immediately. Don’t you know, when you kneel like that, it’s as if you’re admitting you’re a thief?” Su Xiangwan asked.

Gou Dan’s lips turned white. “I’m afraid you won’t love me, I’m afraid you’ll be upset, and I’m afraid you’ll be heartbroken.”

“Did you always know where Grandma hides her money?” Su Xiangwan asked, signaling the child to eat.

Gou Dan thought for a moment, then honestly nodded. “Yes.”

“Have you ever touched it?” Su Xiangwan asked, probing.

Gou Dan nodded again. “I’ve touched it, but I didn’t dare take it.”

He had touched it more than once, so it wasn’t surprising that his fingerprints were found on Grandma’s little handkerchief where she kept the money.

Su Xiangwan then asked, “Now, let me ask you one more thing. Do you know where your third uncle hides his money?”

Gou Dan glanced at Lu Dan. Er Dan wiped his face, looking both heartbroken and helpless. He actually resembled his father. “Say it, it’s okay.”

Gou Dan bit his lip and said, “It’s hidden in Third Aunt’s buckwheat pillow. Whenever Third Uncle has money, he gives it to Third Aunt, and she sews it into the pillow.”

Children who are good at stealing often notice every little secret, even those that adults might forget.

They know where everyone hides things, and perhaps they are constantly thinking about when to steal.

Su Xiangwan had first suspected that it was Song Laosan who might have stolen Grandma’s money.

That guy had been spoiled since childhood. From radios to flashlights, he hadn’t gotten any of them. It was no wonder that he would feel uncomfortable.

As for Grandma, she kept money, but it wasn’t just for Song Laosan.

If Grandma had a thousand yuan, at least 300 yuan would go to Qingyu, another 100 yuan to Tingxiu, and only 600 yuan would go to Song Laosan.

Dahua, Erhua, Laoer and Song Qingshan(Laoda) would never receive any—they would only be expected to give.

Why?

Because Erhua was always looking for ways to take advantage, complaining about poverty, and Grandma couldn’t get anything from her, so she had to supplement her.

Dahua, being a daughter, had even fewer opportunities.

Only Song Qingshan had been giving for decades, and Grandma had been spoiled by his generosity.

But how could Song Laosan possibly be willing?

A child like him, who had grown up wearing clothes and eating nutritional supplements sent by his two older brothers, would definitely take all the money for himself.

Fearing that things might get complicated, and worried that the old lady might give some of the money to Qingyu or leave something for Tingxiu’s wedding, Song Laosan probably acted first.

In fact, Su Xiangwan had originally decided not to concern herself with how much Song Qingshan had sent to the old lady.

What was the point of arguing over one or two thousand yuan with an old woman?

Life was long and the world vast—there were countless ways to earn that much money.

But what could she do?

Heaven had a road, but she didn’t take it, and hell had no door, yet she still barged in.

She could not tolerate the accusation that her child had stolen money.

The old lady’s money was mostly from Song Qingshan.

You took my husband’s money, and then you accused my son of being a thief and even wanted to call the police on me.

Why should I tolerate that?

After the children finished their meal, Su Xiangwan grabbed her kitchen knife, tied up Shanzi, and said, “Alright, you two wait here. I’m going to find us some money.”

Lu Dan and Gou Dan stared longingly at her from the door.

Gou Dan, especially, was holding onto Su Xiangwan’s sleeve, unwilling to let her leave.

“Mom, I didn’t steal any money. I’ve saved up more than a dozen eggs! I also still have some meat. If you want, I’ll die. If I die, I can go find A She. If I die, no one will catch you!” Gou Dan clung to Su Xiangwan, refusing to let go.

This kind of “either live or die” mentality, or “either I’ll cower to death, or I’ll make you pay for it” attitude, was formed through years of misunderstandings.

Su Xiangwan didn’t say a word, locking up the three kids with iron discipline and headed to the old house.

No one was born with a sense of justice, but if someone had to stand up to give her child justice, she had always considered it her responsibility from her past life.

By evening, a “Dongfanghong” (Eastern Red) large truck was speeding along the national highway toward the provincial capital.

Song Qingshan was driving, with political commissar Chen Aidan sitting beside him.

The two of them had just returned from the provincial military district, where they had gone to collect explosives.

“We need at least 500 kilograms of explosives, but the military district only gave us 500 pounds. How can this small amount be enough for us to blow up a mountain?” Chen Aidan lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.

Song Qingshan, bothered by the smoke, rolled down the window. “I have another 100 kilograms at home. I brought it from Dongfeng City. Don’t tell anyone. We can mix it in with this.”

Chen Aidan smiled, then suddenly said, “I heard your brother is transferring out and will be working at the county police station. You should be happy about that, but why do you look so worried?”

Song Qingshan was surprised. “Am I looking worried? I didn’t even notice.”

When Tingxiu comes back, Su Xiangwan will be restless again.

Thinking about the things she said to him when they were in Dongfeng City, Song Qingshan felt like slapping himself twice.

She told him that she had been fine, but whenever she saw Tingxiu, her heart would be thrown into chaos.

She didn’t care about the children or her husband anymore. In her world, there was only one thing: Tingxiu, Tingxiu, Tingxiu!

Once, Song Qingshan had found a banned book from Taiwan under a soldier’s pillow, called Outside the Window or something like that. It described people whose heads resembled Su Xiangwan’s, whether male or female.

The journey was long, and Chen Aidan wanted to chat with the regiment commander, but Song Qingshan was silently holding the steering wheel.

“Oh, by the way, Song, I went to the department store earlier and brought you something fun.” Chen Aidan said, tossing a small box to him.

Song Qingshan immediately replied, “I don’t smoke.”

“What do you mean smoke? It’s condoms. You’ve already got three kids, and you keep going home. Don’t you worry about getting her pregnant again? I have a lot of daily necessities vouchers and nowhere to spend them, so I bought a box for you. Consider it a gift from me,” Chen Aidan said.

Song Qingshan was about to throw it away but suddenly tucked the box into his pocket.