Chapter 3

Paper Can’t Cover Fire

Xu Jiajia had a passion for gossip.

[Listen.]

[Host, yesterday Song Hanyong slept with his sister-in-law and was caught red-handed by her husband, who had just returned from a business trip. To avoid being reported, Song Hanyong killed his brother-in-law and tried to stage it as an accidental death.]

Xu Jiajia was stunned. This wasn’t just ordinary gossip—it involved murder!

[Do you know where the body is?]

[It’s by the river, not far from here—about a half-hour away. But the body hasn’t surfaced yet. If you want to go, you’ll have to wait. By the way, his brother-in-law was a hero. Back in the day, he fought off three thieves to protect the factory’s power lines and was stabbed twice in the waist. He narrowly survived.]

Xu Jiajia’s gaze shifted to Song Hanyong. He was of average height, wore glasses, and had the short haircut typical of middle-aged men.

At first glance, he seemed honest and simple, but beneath the surface lay a dark and unfathomable nature.

[How ruthless! It’s bad enough to sleep with someone’s wife, but to kill the man too?]

Hearing these thoughts, Xu Jianguo was so shocked that he forgot to manage his expression. This… this was something that would definitely land someone in prison! How could he have such nerve?

It was Xu Laotai’s first time hearing such inner thoughts. Although shocked, she quickly accepted the truth.

Knowing that Song Hanyong was a murderer, Xu Laotai wanted nothing more to do with his family. “We’ll break off the engagement, but you must pay us 600 yuan and hand over cloth, sugar, and meat coupons.”

Xu Jiajia: “…”

[Grandma is totally speaking for me.]

Song’s mother sneered, “You must be desperate for money, daring to extort us like this!”

Xu Laotai remained calm, her gaze fixed on Song Hanyong as she began to tell a story: “There was a man who got drunk and slept with his sister-in-law…”

Xu Jiajia: “…”

[So that’s why Grandma is confident about asking for money. Turns out she’s got dirt on him.]
[Wait, System, didn’t you say only the parties involved, you, and I knew about this?]
[Host, I’m confused too!]
[What kind of lousy system doesn’t even know this?]
[Host, isn’t it a good thing that your grandma knows? With her taking the lead, it’s much easier for you.]

Xu Jiajia nodded. [True. Otherwise, I’d have to lie and make up stories.]

Hearing the start of Xu Laotai’s story, Song Hanyong immediately realized she was referring to him.

He knew that if this matter were reported, he’d face severe consequences.

He quickly approached Xu Laotai to interrupt. “Auntie, we’re here to discuss breaking off the engagement—why bring up these things? I agree to your compensation demands.”

Song’s mother was the first to object. “Why should we give them money? No! No way! Song Hanyong, if you dare give them money, I’ll fight you to the death!”

It was 600 yuan, after all.

In the countryside, where earning work points was the norm, a large family couldn’t make even 100 yuan in a year.

Such a large sum of money—and that idiot Song Hanyong actually agreed to pay it!

He always seemed so shrewd; why was he acting so foolish now?

Wait a minute.

The story that old hag told… it sounded very familiar.

A brother-in-law often away on business trips… a sister-in-law and her brother-in-law…

Realizing the truth, Song’s mother let out a shriek and lunged at Song Hanyong, screaming hysterically, “Song Hanyong, you beast! That’s my sister!

Why her? Of all the women in the world, why her? Are they all dead?

Ahhhh… I’ll kill you!”

Afraid of drawing neighbors and causing a scene, Song Hanyong quickly covered her mouth. “Shut up! Do you want the whole building to know? If someone reports us, we’ll both be doomed.”

Though furious, Song’s mother knew better than to escalate the situation. She pried his hand off and cried bitterly, but her voice grew quieter.

“I thought you were a good man. I told everyone you were caring and considerate… And you repay me like this? After all I’ve done for you, raising your children?”

Song Ran was dumbfounded. “…”

Breaking off an engagement had unexpectedly unraveled such a scandal!

Xu Laotai, preoccupied with thoughts of the corpse by the river, had no time for their drama. “Hurry up! Stop dawdling. I need to get back and earn work points!”

Song Hanyong returned to his bedroom, opened the wardrobe, and pulled a wad of cash from the pocket of an army coat.

They were all ten-yuan bills.

Song Hanyong counted out sixty bills and added some coupons.

This money had come from his illegal dealings, reselling factory wires.

Before he even had a chance to enjoy the profit, it was gone.

“Fine, you can have the money and the coupons, but you must sign a guarantee promising not to leak this information.”

Xu Laotai refused to leave any written evidence behind. With a wave of her hand, she said, “No written guarantee, but you have my word. Our family always keeps our promises. If you don’t believe me, feel free to ask around the village.”

With Xu Laotai holding incriminating evidence, Song Hanyong had no choice but to compromise. He handed over the money and coupons, saying, “Count them.”

Xu Laotai passed the money to Xu Jianguo.

Xu Jianguo’s hands trembled. My goodness, he had never held so much money in his life.

Afraid of miscounting, he went over it multiple times before feeling reassured.

Before leaving, Xu Laotai retrieved Xu Jiajia’s engagement certificate and returned Song Ran’s, along with the ring that Song’s father had gifted.

As the three of them stepped out of the Song family’s door, they heard the sound of objects crashing inside.

Xu Laotai shook her head. “Ever since Old Man Song passed away, the Song family has been on a downward spiral. It’s only going to get worse.”

Paper can’t cover fire.

Once the police uncover the truth, there’s no way Song Hanyong will escape justice.

Xu Jiajia nodded in agreement. She asked Xu Laotai, “Grandma, how did you know Song Ran’s father was having an affair?”

Xu Laotai glanced at Xu Jianguo. “Your dad told me.”

Xu Jianguo, hearing his name, quickly chimed in, “I found out by accident.”

The matter of inner voices couldn’t be exposed. Otherwise, how would his daughter manage without them in the future?

Carrying a large sum of money, Xu Laotai was cautious. “Jiajia, is it safe to deposit the money in the credit union?”

Xu Jiajia, intrigued as she had never seen a savings passbook from this era, replied, “It’s safe, Grandma. Isn’t there a credit cooperative just ahead? Let’s deposit it.”

The savings passbook was a small red booklet featuring quotes from the Chairman.

Inside were neatly arranged grids.

Xu Laotai instructed Xu Jiajia to fill in the account holder’s name.

Xu Jiajia froze. “Grandma, why should I write my name?”

Xu Laotai gave her a stern look. “It’s your money. If not yours, whose name should go on it?”

Xu Jianguo chimed in as well, “Hurry up, daughter.”

Under their urging, Xu Jiajia reluctantly picked up the pen and wrote her name.

Once the name was written, Xu Laotai handed over the 600 yuan and the passbook to the staff.

The staff member, seeing Xu Laotai’s shabby clothing and weathered complexion, was skeptical that someone like her could possess such a large sum.

Her gaze sharpened. “Is this money really yours?”

Xu Laotai, her expression cold, retorted, “If it’s not ours, is it yours? What kind of nonsense is that?”

Intimidated by Xu Laotai’s fierce gaze, the staff member quickly apologized. “I’m sorry, that was my mistake.”

Xu Laotai, seeing her sincerity, didn’t make things difficult. “Hurry it up.”

In this era, deposits were handwritten.

The staff member recorded the 600 yuan, stamped the passbook, and handed it back to Xu Laotai.

Holding the passbook, Xu Laotai, despite her age, was handling this for the first time. She turned it over in her hands before giving it to Xu Jiajia. “Jiajia, keep it safe. Don’t lose it.”

Xu Jiajia, worried she might misuse the money, declined. “Grandma, you should hold onto it. I’ll ask you for it when I need it.”

After a moment’s thought, Xu Laotai nodded. “That works.”

She had sewn a large pocket inside her pants.

After placing the passbook securely in it, she fastened the buttons—safe and secure.

“Let’s go for a stroll.”

…

The town was small.

The roads weren’t asphalt like in later years but made of sand. When the wind blew, dust filled the air, leaving everything gray and dull.

On both sides of the road stood low buildings, their walls adorned with motivational slogans.

Passing by a state-run restaurant, a familiar voice caught Xu Jiajia’s attention.