Chapter 29 – Playing Matchmaker

“You’re the ones maliciously extorting people?”

With that one line, the once-arrogant Old Madam Zhang immediately deflated.

“Uh, Comrade Officer, no, not at all. We were just having a little disagreement.”

“A little disagreement?” Xiao Chen glanced at Qin Xiaoyun beside him—this guy had dragged him over in a rush just to back up his crush.

“What kind of ‘little disagreement’ involves a knife?”

The Zhang family, scared stiff, quickly handed over the knife.

“Mother, let’s go. Now.”

Old Madam Zhang didn’t put up any more resistance. She shot up and tried to flee, moving faster than anyone expected.

Zhang Shangen cast a wary glance at the Su family, suppressing the darkness in his eyes.

Just as he turned to leave—

“Which one of you is Zhang Shangen?” Xiao Chen asked.

Everyone’s gaze zeroed in on the shifty-eyed Zhang Shangen.

He froze, clearly uneasy. “Comrade Officer, I—I’m him.”

Xiao Chen walked over with clear disdain on his face. “We’d like you to come with us. Zhang Aping filed a police report saying you instructed him to harm someone.”

The crowd that had gathered to watch: ????

“You bastard! I knew it! I kept wondering why my son Aping suddenly went out of his way to hurt someone. So it was you, you shameless old man! He’s your own nephew—how could you do this to him?!”

Aping’s mother charged forward and clawed at Zhang Shangen’s face, leaving it covered in scratches in an instant.

Zhang Shangen was completely dumbfounded. He had been sure Aping wouldn’t dare tell the truth—after all, it would implicate him too.

But now, before he even had time to react, he was already wearing shiny silver handcuffs.

“Pah! I always said the Zhang family was no good. First that ungrateful philanderer Zhang Wenliang, and now a murderer! Dog crap and donkey dung—no wonder they’re from the same family.”

Although the villagers enjoyed gossip and drama, they were essentially simple and honest folk. Murder was something they never even dared to imagine.

Zhang Shangen’s actions had completely shattered their perception.

The newly appointed village chief was inwardly furious with the Zhang family. Any hope of the village winning a “Model Village” award this year was gone.

Two murder cases in one year, both linked to the Zhang family—what bad luck.

From that moment on, even the way the villagers looked at the Zhang family changed. Everyone kept their distance.

Even plots of farmland bordering the Zhangs’ were avoided out of fear it would ruin their own luck. That very night, someone even built a small embankment to create separation.

An auntie who lived next door to the Zhangs warned her grandson sternly, “From now on, don’t play with those Zhang kids, you hear me?”

Children, in their innocence, followed suit and began to shun the Zhang kids.

The atmosphere in the Zhang household grew increasingly oppressive.

But all that was for later.

For now, Xiao Chen had his colleagues escort Zhang Shangen to the vehicle.

He smiled at the Su family and said, “Don’t worry. Comrade Su Zhewen has nothing to do with this matter. We’ll provide a formal statement to prove it.”

“Thank you so much, Officer,” Old Madam Wang said cheerfully as she stepped forward to express her gratitude.

The Su family chimed in with praise left and right, all calling Xiao Chen a true servant of the people.

From the edge of the crowd, Qin Xiaoyun’s face came into view, making Xiao Chen laugh and shake his head.

Looks like he wasn’t getting out of this without a beating.

Only after enduring a barrage of compliments did Xiao Chen manage to escape the circle.

He elbowed Qin Xiaoyun on the side.

His eyes said: Alright, alright! I’m sorry, okay?

Qin Xiaoyun: ￣へ￣

“Zhizhi, go invite Little Qin in to sit. If it weren’t for him getting the police involved, those shameless Zhangs would’ve stirred up even more trouble today.”

“Milk!”
“Grandma!”

Wang Jiaxi and Su Zhewu both shouted at the same time, only to be silenced by a glare from the old lady.

Qin Xiaoyun pressed his lips together as he looked at the small girl standing behind Wang Guifang.

“I only brought the officer here.”

“Exactly, he just showed the way. The officer came because of the report.”

“Why are you always running your mouth?”

Wang Jiaxi: His grandma must need glasses. That Qin Xiaoyun definitely looks like trouble.

Su Nianzhi seemed to have picked up on Qin Xiaoyun’s feelings.

“Grandma, Mom, I’m going to thank him.”

With that, she headed outside the courtyard.

Qin Xiaoyun’s lips pressed into a tense line.

“No need to thank me.”

Su Nianzhi: Dude, you’re so obvious.

“All right, enough gawking. Come inside and help me massage my legs,” Old Madam Wang said as she closed the door.

Wang Guifang could already tell what her mother was thinking.

“Mom, Zhizhi, she…”

Old Madam Wang shot her daughter a look.

“You really want Zhizhi to be a spinster her whole life? Our Zhizhi may have health issues, but she’s lovely and sweet. She deserves someone good.”

“I think that Qin boy is a good match.”

“But Mom, he’s a soldier. If Zhizhi marries him…”

She didn’t finish her sentence, but the implication was clear—being an army wife could be tough.

Old Madam Wang sighed. “Being a military wife isn’t scary. As long as he treats Zhizhi well. Worst case, you can help out more. The older boys are grown—you still need to follow them around?”

Wang Guifang: That’s true. Compared to her daughter, her two sons didn’t matter as much.

“All right, Zhizhi’s beautiful. She deserves someone who truly loves her. Can’t you all see it? I heard it was that Qin boy who found the hundred-year-old ginseng.”

“Grandma, I can pay him back for the ginseng,” said Su Zhewu.

“Can you take care of Zhizhi for a lifetime too? You not planning to marry? And if you do, will your wife accept her?”

Su Zhewu muttered that if she couldn’t, then he just wouldn’t marry.

“Anyway, I’m not forcing anything—just giving them a chance. Maybe they’re not a match.”

“Listen to Mom. She knows more than we do.”

Su Erhe put down his pipe. “Our girl deserves the best. Let her decide.”

Little Su Maomao tugged on Wang Jiaxi’s hand. “Uncle Jiaxi, is Little Auntie getting married?”

He liked Uncle Xiaoyun too, but he didn’t want to be separated from Little Auntie.

“Of course not. Your little aunt doesn’t like him.”

—

Outside the door.

Su Nianzhi looked up at the man whose tall frame cast a shadow over her.

When she raised her head, she saw his rugged and masculine face—a kind of hardened beauty.

“These past few days… thanks for everything.”

Qin Xiaoyun looked down at the little girl’s face.

His eyes were intense.

His voice dropped a little lower and rougher.

Suddenly, he said, “I’m heading back to the army. You’ll have to take care of yourself from now on. If anything happens, go find that officer from earlier—Xiao Chen. He’s my comrade. I’ve already spoken to him.”

Su Nianzhi hadn’t expected that.

She looked up in surprise.

Qin Xiaoyun’s eyes held a trace of reluctance—but as a soldier, duty came first.

She had a feeling he wanted to say something more.

She opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say.

After a while, she softly said, “Take care.”

Her little face was reflected in the brown depths of his eyes.

“I just got assigned a mission. Once I finish it, I’ll be back. When I do… I have something I want to tell you.”

Seeing that she didn’t reject him, Qin Xiaoyun was already happy in his heart.

If she didn’t say no… that meant maybe she was giving him a chance.