Yuan Limei rushed inside and looked around. Apart from the telephone hanging on the wall, which hadn’t been torn away, everything else—the sofa, the dining table, the pots, pans, and kitchen utensils—was gone.
She hurried upstairs to the second and third floors, letting out scream after scream, startling the neighbors who came over to see what was happening.
“Oh my god, what’s going on?”
“Where are all your things? When did you move? How come we didn’t know?”
“You moved out so thoroughly, Old Gu. Are you planning to sell this house?”
Gu Qingya rushed downstairs, letting out furious screams.
“It must be that bitch Nanzhu! Everything was fine before we left, and she was the only one at home. It has to be her.”
Aunt Lan said doubtfully, “What are you talking about? When you left, Nanzhu also walked out carrying a small woven bag.”
“That’s right. We even asked her where she was going. She said she had divorced Xiao Gu and was moving to the factory.”
“She looked terribly pale, as if she was seriously ill. You’re not suspecting her of clearing out your entire house, are you?”
“Qingya, don’t joke about this. We saw her leave. She probably only took a few pieces of clothing. There’s no way she could’ve moved so many things.”
“Exactly. If someone really moved all this stuff, we would’ve heard something.”
“Old Gu, have you offended some unclean spirits?”
“If you ask me, you two were living a good life. Why did you have to get a divorce? Divorce ruins the family’s feng shui.”
“Yes, they say harmony brings wealth. But your family…”
Gu’s father squatted in the empty living room, snatched the water pipe from a neighbor’s hand, and took several deep puffs.
Yuan Limei wailed and cursed the heartless thief who hadn’t even left them a single bed.
It was Gu Shaoxuan, who had returned later on his bicycle with Liang Yourou, who called the police after learning what had happened.
The police officers had already gotten off work by then. The officer on duty arrived, initially thinking it was just a minor theft. But when he saw the completely empty Gu residence, his eyes widened in shock.
“Are you sure everything was fine when you went out for dinner?”
“Yes, everything was fine,” Gu’s father replied dejectedly, his voice weak.
“Was no one home?”
Gu’s father thought of Nanzhu but quickly shook his head.
It couldn’t be her. She was such a gentle girl, and she had just suffered a miscarriage. How could she possibly be capable of something like this?
“Comrade, what does that shake of your head mean?”
Gu Qingya, however, didn’t hold back. Crying and cursing, she repeatedly described how malicious Nanzhu was.
The two police officers exchanged glances. One took notes while the other continued questioning.
“So you suspect she did this?”
“Even if it wasn’t her, she must have colluded with outsiders to do it.”
Gu’s father interrupted her sternly, his tone reproachful. “Xiao Ya, don’t talk nonsense. Xiao Zhu isn’t that kind of person.”
Gu Qingya stomped her feet in anger, pointing at him and shouting, “Dad, how can you still defend her at a time like this?”
In her room, she still had precious items she had been reluctant to finish—Maltose Cream, White Rabbit candies, Snow Cream, and more.
Thankfully, she had worn the watch her grandmother gave her when she went out to show off. Otherwise, she would be crying her eyes out right now.
Whether it was Nan Jin or not, they had to pin it on her and get that fifteen hundred yuan back.
Old Man Gu took another drag of his cigarette and said hoarsely, “She’s an orphan. How could she possibly be capable of such a thing?”
“Then tell me, why is it that our family was perfectly fine before, but right after my brother divorced her, our home got robbed?”
Old Man Gu fell silent. He didn’t know why either.
But he couldn’t believe that a kind and frail girl like Nan Zhu could do such a thing.
“How could it be Nan Zhu? She’s always been such a good woman.”
Aunt Lan began to defend Nan Zhu: “We saw her leave, and we never saw her come back after that.”
Liang Yourou had been in a state of shock and numbness, but upon hearing this, she said in a raspy voice, “Auntie, were you watching the road the whole time? Did you keep an eye out and never see her return?”
She was filled with hatred. In her previous life, the Gu family had never experienced anything like this. They had always sailed smoothly and eventually became a top-tier family in the city.
But now, they had suffered a huge loss.
The money Nan Zhu had taken, along with the losses at home, amounted to at least several thousand yuan.
If this were in the future, she wouldn’t even bat an eye at a few thousand yuan.
But it was still 1979. Even a thousand yuan was considered a fortune, let alone several thousand.
Why was this happening? Could it be that her rebirth and her interference had caused the Gu family to suffer this misfortune?
It couldn’t be.
Since she had been reborn, it meant she was destined to become the heroine of this story.
She had returned to change her own fate.
Her father had saved Gu Shaoxuan’s life, yet he had neglected her for so many years, causing her to end up with that scoundrel Wang Weidong.
He deserved to compensate her.
Aunt Lan was left speechless by her words.
It was true—she had gone home to cook dinner. Although she later took her grandson outside to enjoy the cool air, she couldn’t guarantee whether Nan Zhu had returned during the time she was cooking.
But she believed that a girl like Nan Zhu couldn’t possibly be involved in such a thing.
Gu Qingya, though she knew Nan Zhu no longer had a key, harbored such deep hatred for her that she naturally wouldn’t speak up in her defense.
The police officer turned to Liang Yourou, his sharp eyes fixed on her. “And who are you?”
Liang Yourou’s voice was weak, and she sobbed uncontrollably. “My name is Liang Yourou. I’m twenty-two years old, and I’m the eldest daughter-in-law of this family.”
She kept stroking her slightly swollen belly, her voice choked with tears. “Officer, you must catch the thief. This is just too terrible.”
She didn’t need to say it—the officer was already taking notes very seriously.
After questioning everyone, the biggest lead now seemed to be Nan Zhu, the last person to leave the house.
But where was Nan Zhu now?
By the time the police found Nan Zhu, it was already late at night.
Because the case was so serious and the Gu family held a certain status, the police had been dispatched in the middle of the night.
Nan Jin was awakened by the knocking on the door. She opened her eyes and slowly straightened her clothes.
“Who is it?”
“Police. We’re here to check the room,” a voice called from outside.
“How do I know you’re really the police and not impostors?”
Nan Zhu, who had traveled from the future, wasn’t about to open the door so easily.
“Xiao Zhu, it’s me. Open the door.” Gu Shaoxuan’s hoarse voice came from outside the door.
In his heart, he didn’t want to believe that Nanzhu could have done such a thing. She clearly loved him so deeply—how could she bear to do anything that would hurt him?
Reluctantly, Nanzhu opened the door. Seeing him standing outside with a group of public security officers, she spoke with displeasure.
“Gu Shaoxuan, I’ve already divorced you as you wished. What more do you want? Wasn’t it enough that you caused the death of our child? Now you want to send me back to prison?”
Hearing her words, the officers first glanced at Gu Shaoxuan, then presented their identification to her.
“Comrade Nanzhu, these are our public security credentials. A major theft has occurred at the Gu residence, and we need to ask you a few questions.”