Chapter 57

Li Yuechan looked at her grandfather and asked, “Are you going to give me the money?”

Li Dashi sighed deeply and said, “Wife, give her the money.”

Huang Hehua’s lips trembled for a moment, but she didn’t curse. Instead, she reached under her pillow and pulled out a small pouch. She counted thirty bills and handed them to Li Yuechan.

Without saying a word, Li Yuechan took the money.

Li Dashi quickly snatched his radio back. That was his treasure, the only one like it in their village!

Li Yuechan looked at Huang Hehua and sneered, “Grandma, don’t provoke me again! I’ll let you off this time because of my grandmother, but next time—if you dare mess with me again—it won’t just be 300 yuan!”

With that, she turned and walked out without looking back.

The group of people stood there, stunned, watching as Li Yuechan left with the 300 yuan, and none of them dared to say anything.

Li Meili glanced at the pouch on her grandmother’s bed, her eyes flickering.

…

Six hours earlier:

Su Hongcheng and Du Tinglan, an elderly couple, had just finished breakfast when they heard loud banging on the door.

Su Hongcheng rushed to open it, and a group of people stormed inside.

He took a deep breath, silently feeling distressed. This scene had occurred five years ago!

“What are you here for?” he asked.

One of the men, speaking harshly, said, “What do you think we’re here for? We’re here to cut off the capitalist tail!”

“Don’t talk nonsense. All the property I owned was already handed over to the country during the revolution!” Su Hongcheng responded.

“Really? Then what’s this?” the man retorted, showing no recognition.

“I don’t have a certificate from the leaders proclaiming me as a capitalist!” Su Hongcheng exclaimed.

“Ha, what certificate? I didn’t see anything!” the man laughed.

As he spoke, he signaled to the two men beside him, and they immediately rushed forward, tying up the elderly man. They also stuffed a rag into his mouth.

Du Tinglan, trembling, pointed at them and asked, “What exactly do you want to do?”

“Ha ha ha, we’re not doing anything. You just stand aside, don’t get hurt. You guys, go inside and search!” the man ordered.

Behind him were five or six large men. They began searching the small house, turning everything upside down, making a mess of the place.

Mrs. Wang, a neighbor, saw this scene and quickly ran to the street office. Lizhen had given her a phone number earlier, saying if anything happened, she should call immediately.

Meanwhile, the men who had gone inside came out holding a book.

“Look, what’s this?” one of them said.

Su Hongcheng stared and saw that it was an Document!

Du Tinglan widened her eyes and glared at the people in front of her. “You… you’re framing us!”

“Heh, take them away!”

The two were quickly bound tightly and taken away.

Wang Xinzhou looked at his subordinates and asked, “Find anything?”

“Director, we found 500 yuan.”

“That’s it? Did you search thoroughly?”

“Don’t worry, I even searched their rice bin. There’s nothing!”

Wang Xinzhou stroked his chin thoughtfully. Since they hadn’t found anything in the house, it must be at his daughter’s place. Hmph, let’s go search there.

At this moment, Su Lizhen was working at the factory when she suddenly received a phone call saying a group of people had rushed into her parents’ house and taken them away!

Frightened, she quickly called Li Jianguo, then rushed to her parents’ house after taking a leave of absence.

But when she arrived, she saw the door wide open, and the entire house was in disarray. She immediately realized that the revolutionary committee must have come to cause trouble again.

They had come five years ago, found nothing, and now they were back!

Li Jianguo, upon receiving Su Lizhen’s call, felt a sudden sense of dread. He hung up, quickly took leave, but instead of going home, he hid at Wang Lan’s place.

Wang Lan looked at Li Jianguo curiously and asked, “Why are you back at this time? Did something happen at home?”

“They went to my father-in-law’s house and took them away.”

Wang Lan was shocked. “What? Are you alright?”

Li Jianguo rubbed his trembling hands, trying to appear calm. “What could happen? Their house is their house, and mine is mine. But it’s better to hide for now.”

Meanwhile, Su Lizhen was riding her bicycle toward the revolutionary committee when she saw them just returning from her house, holding 200 yuan.

Feeling frustrated, she was surprised to see the woman had delivered herself right into their hands. Without a word, they grabbed her.

Su Lizhen struggled desperately, shouting, “On what grounds are you arresting me?”

“On what grounds? The evidence we found at your parents’ house! I’ll tell you, none of the Su family will escape!”

“I heard you have a brother who’s in the army. I’m sure his military career is over now!” one of them added.

Su Lizhen gritted her teeth. “You… how can you do this?”

Wang Xinzhou sneered, “Comrade Su Lizhen, you’d better confess quickly. Where did your family hide their money? If you surrender it voluntarily, we might let you off. Otherwise, you’ll rot in jail!”

Su Lizhen blinked her eyes, saying, “What are you talking about? Our family’s property was already handed over during the revolution. For the past few years, we’ve been living frugally. How could we have any money?”

Wang Xinzhou laughed dismissively. “You can lie to yourself, but not to me!”

Su Lizhen bit her lip and glared fiercely at the men before her.

Wang Xinzhou ordered, “Lock her and her parents up. They’ll be released when they confess.”

Su Lizhen was dragged into a room, and when she saw her father and mother inside, she rushed over, anxiously asking, “Mom, Dad, are you okay?”

“We’re fine, Lizhen. Are you alright?” Du Tinglan asked anxiously.

“I’m fine, don’t worry, they have no evidence. They’ll definitely release us in a couple of days,” Su Lizhen reassured them.

Su Hongcheng sighed and said, “They found an Document at our house.”

“What? How could we have that?” Su Lizhen asked in surprise.

Du Tinglan gritted her teeth and said, “Who knows? These bastards must have planted it. They want to take our money.”

Su Lizhen quickly signaled her mother with her eyes and loudly said, “But all that money was handed over! They don’t believe us and keep thinking we have money. But we have nothing! For these past few years, I’ve been too frugal to even buy meat. I didn’t dare have more children for fear I couldn’t support them. Where would we have any money?”

The people lurking outside, eavesdropping, scratched their heads and left.

“What? Did they really say that?”

“Yes, Director, do you think they have no money left?”

“Don’t worry. Let’s starve them for a couple of days and see what happens.”

“Alright.”