Lin Guodong brought Zhengzhou to the Chief’s house the brigade leader, only to find out that the Chief had gone to the Zhuang family.

So, they headed there too.

News of the police arriving in the village spread quickly, and of course, the Chief got wind of it and hurried to the Zhuang family.

At that moment in the Zhuang household, cries filled the air.

Both Granny Xiaopang and Xiaopang’s mother were sobbing.

“Why am I so unlucky? My son, your death is so tragic…”

“What kind of suffering is this? Zhuang Daming, you worthless scoundrel, actually eloping with someone…”

“Sob… I must have been cursed for eight generations to marry into the Zhuang family. My in-laws helped my son elope with his mistress. Where’s the justice in this world? Sob…”

When Lin Guodong and Zhengzhou arrived, they saw a crowd gathered at the Zhuang family’s doorstep.

It was New Year’s Eve, and everyone was at home, making it the perfect time for such a spectacle.

Accompanying Zhengzhou was Officer Cheng Ming.

Seeing Zhengzhou, Cheng Ming approached and said, “The situation has become clear. We’re just waiting for final confirmation. Once we confirm that the deceased is Zhuang Daming, we’ll proceed with investigating his cause of death.”

He hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly.

He arrived at the Zhuang household, explained the situation, and Granny Xiaopang collapsed on the ground in tears.

Through their intermittent explanations and the Chief’s timely arrival, Cheng Ming learned the whole story.

It turned out Zhuang Daming and Jiang Xiaoyue were afraid of being caught, so they devised a plan.

They asked Granny and Grandpa Xiaopang for a letter of introduction under the pretext of going to the hospital.

After receiving the letter, they pretended to be Granny and Grandpa Xiaopang and left.

When they returned, brigade leader asked, they claim to be feeling better and no longer in need of medical attention.

This way, the use of the introduction letter was seamless.

Granny Xiaopang wouldn’t have revealed this under normal circumstances.

But now, with someone dead, and that person carrying the introduction letter, it was natural for people to suspect that the deceased was Zhuang Daming.

Granny Xiaopang naturally thought so too.

Upon hearing that Jiang Xiaoyue, who pretended to be Zhuang Daming’s wife, hadn’t been found, Granny Xiaopang spilled everything.

Her son was dead, and Jiang Xiaoyue wouldn’t have it easy either.

Zhengzhou said, “If the deceased is indeed Zhuang Daming, then Jiang Xiaoyue is highly suspicious. Even if she didn’t do it herself, she probably knows something.”

Cheng Ming nodded. “Yeah, if the deceased is Zhuang Daming and he has the introduction letter, then Jiang Xiaoyue should still be in X City. Without the letter, she wouldn’t be able to leave.”

Thinking this, they exchanged glances. “We need to inform the authorities in X City immediately,” Zhengzhou said.

“Simultaneously, we should bring Zhuang Tiegen and his wife to the police station for identity confirmation with the officers from X City,” Cheng Ming added.

However, after Zhuang Tiegen and his wife were taken to the police station, they wouldn’t be released.

Deceiving with the introduction letter was illegal, and they would likely be sent for re-education through labor.

Zhengzhou and Cheng Ming felt some sympathy towards them.

Their son had just died, and now they were facing a lifetime in a labor camp.

In this era, deceiving with introduction letters was akin to forging identity documents in later times, with even heavier consequences.

“Alright, stop crying. Zhuang Daming’s identity hasn’t been confirmed yet. We need you to come to the police station with us to confirm his identity. Maybe the deceased isn’t Zhuang Daming after all,” Zhengzhou said.

They didn’t mention the deception with the introduction letter at this moment.

This was the countryside; if they brought up the deception, Zhuang Tiegen and his wife might resist.

They were only two people, but there were more people in the Zhuang family and the village.

So, it was safer to use the reason of Zhuang Daming’s identity not being confirmed yet.

Granny Xiaopang, who had been sobbing uncontrollably, paused at Zhengzhou’s words.

A glimmer of hope rose in her heart.

What if this person wasn’t Daming after all? But then, she saw Lin Guodong standing beside Zhengzhou and couldn’t bear it.

She struggled to get up from the ground and lunged at him.

“It’s all because of your son! It’s your son who caused our family to fall apart, it’s your son who made Daming leave his hometown! It’s all because of your son!” She pounced towards Lin Guodong, trying to grab him.

Lin Guodong sidestepped and swiftly came behind Granny Xiaopang, restraining her. He said coldly, “Considering your grief, I can choose not to report you for assaulting a soldier. Instead of arguing with me, why don’t we first go to the police station to confirm whether the deceased is Zhuang Daming or not? If it’s not him, maybe he’s still alive.”

As Lin Guodong spoke, another voice chimed in, “How ridiculous. Your son indulged in immoral behavior and corrupted my son’s eyes, yet I didn’t blame you. What right do you have to blame my son?”

Ning Shu emerged from the crowd.

She wouldn’t let this slide.

Otherwise, rumors could spread, tarnishing her son’s reputation.

She wouldn’t tolerate anything that disparaged her child’s name.

“Zhuang Daming was cavorting in the woods with loose women, and you, as his mother, aided his elopement. It’s clear that your whole family is rotten to the core. What face do you have to blame my grandson?” Lin’s mother also stepped forward from the crowd.

Today’s incident stirred up quite a commotion, and half of the village turned out to watch.

“Yeah, who blames a five-year-old for what he sees?”

“Exactly! If you can’t control your own son, don’t blame others.”

“Zhuang Daming has always been sneaky since he was a kid. It’s probably because Tiegen and his wife didn’t raise him properly.”

Those who were related to the Lin family or were on good terms with them all chimed in.

This topic had been discussed to death, but blaming a five-year-old was out of the question.

Besides, what was the situation with the Zhuang family? What about the Lin family? Even a fool knew which side to stand on.

As Granny Xiaopang was about to retort to everyone’s accusations, Xiaopang’s mother stepped forward and slapped Granny Xiaopang across the face, hard.

This slap was fueled by more than a month of resentment. “How much longer do you plan to make a scene? Aren’t you going to confirm the deceased’s identity?”

She was saddened by Zhuang Daming’s death, but not because he died, but because of her own unfortunate circumstances.

Yet she knew that she and her son still had to carry on living, and she couldn’t afford to alienate everyone because of this old woman.

Moreover, this whole situation was Zhuang Daming’s fault to begin with.

“You… you…” Granny Xiaopang hadn’t expected to be slapped by her daughter-in-law.

“Alright, are you going to the police station to confirm Zhuang Daming’s identity?” Zhengzhou interjected, eager to get things sorted. “If you keep delaying, even if Zhuang Daming is fine, it might be too late to save him.”

“Okay, let’s go to the police station,” Grandpa Xiaopang said, pulling Granny Xiaopang. “Daming’s situation is urgent.”

Granny Xiaopang came to her senses, glaring at Xiaopang’s mother fiercely. “You just wait. When I come back, I’ll deal with you. You shrew, how dare you hit your mother-in-law! Just wait!”

Still muttering angrily, Granny Xiaopang was led away by Grandpa Xiaopang. Zhengzhou and Cheng Ming bid farewell to Lin Guodong and left.

With the departure of these four individuals, the courtyard of the Zhuang family suddenly quieted down.

But after the silence, the buzz of conversation resumed. Everyone was discussing the incident.

Someone spotted Jiang Pozi, who had been eavesdropping from afar, and immediately exclaimed, “Jiang Pozi is here! Jiang Pozi, come on, tell us, did Jiang Xiaoyue really elope with Zhuang Daming?”

Even though Jiang Pozi was standing at the far end, she still caught wind of the situation.

With Granny Xiaopang and Mrs. Xiaopang shouting so loudly, it was hard not to hear.

Originally, she was trying to eavesdrop discreetly, but little did she know she had been spotted.

Jiang Pozi decided to step forward. “Stop talking nonsense! Didn’t the police say the deceased’s identity hasn’t been confirmed? And even if Zhuang Daming did elope, what does it have to do with us? Who can prove it was our Xiaoyue? Where’s the evidence? Without evidence, don’t spread rumors. Our Xiaoyue went to see a prospective groom. What elopement? Besides, Xiaoyue is already married off. Even if she did something wrong, what does it have to do with us? I’m done talking, I need to go make lunch.” With that, Jiang Pozi briskly walked away.

“She’s obviously feeling guilty.”

“Oh no, I forgot about my lunch!” Someone suddenly exclaimed.

“I bet my pot is burned through.”

“Quick, let’s go home.”

And just like that, the crowd that had gathered dispersed.

“This matter probably isn’t over,” Lin’s mother walked alongside Ning Shu, “If the deceased is really Zhuang Daming, Tiegen and his wife will likely make a scene. And then…”

She was worried about her grandson, especially since her son would be returning to the military after the New Year.

What would happen then? It would only be her daughter-in-law and three grandsons left.

Even though there were people at their old house, they couldn’t watch over them all the time.

“It’s okay, I’ll handle it,” Lin Guodong said, “I’ll go to the police station this afternoon.”

Ning Shu nodded, then said to Lin’s mother, “Mom, don’t worry. If they come causing trouble, I have ways to deal with them.”

Seeing their confidence, Lin’s mother felt more at ease.

She trusted her youngest son and daughter-in-law.

Her son was an officer, naturally capable, and her daughter-in-law was an educated and clever person.

“By the way, maybe after my youngest son returns to the military, I’ll move in with you. You can take the grandchildren and follow the army. That way, I’ll feel more at ease.” Lin’s mother came up with this idea.

Even though she trusted her youngest son and daughter-in-law, she still couldn’t help but worry.

She thought her idea was great. “After all, we’ll be splitting the family after the New Year anyway, so no one would object if I moved in.

How does my youngest son’s wife feel about it?” She didn’t ask her son, but he surely wouldn’t mind.