“What on earth is going on here?” Wang Lizheng stormed in, scolding even before he stepped through the door.
“Shanzi, Yue Ge’er, what are you going to do now?” He looked at the two with a worried expression after understanding the situation.
He wasn’t about to blame the two innocent kids. Judging by their looks, it seemed like they were indeed drugged. It was just such a coincidence, but they had been in the same room for quite some time. Even as the village head, he couldn’t stop the gossip.
Fang Chuyue said, “Since things have come to this, let’s wait for the doctor to figure it out. As for other matters, we’ll discuss them later.”
Saying this, Fang Chuyue couldn’t help but feel a bit down. If he had known, he wouldn’t have come in. With today’s incident, he feared he wouldn’t have another chance to choose.
“Fang Ge’er is right. I must find out who harmed me!” Fang Chuyue looked at the man pretending to be a “willow in the wind,” feeling slightly less gloomy.
Wang Lizheng said, “Then let’s wait for the doctor. Everyone else, stay here and don’t leave.”
“It’s so late, big brother, I’m heading back,” Zhao Fulang said.
“Wait a bit longer, it won’t take much time.”
Lizheng’s wife pinched him disapprovingly for speaking to his younger brother like that. Wang Lizheng remained unfazed, thinking to himself that everyone came to watch the excitement, so why not wait a little longer?
As if he didn’t know, if he let them go, no one would sleep tonight.
After waiting for a while, Ma Ershen finished her sunflower seeds, and Doctor Li finally arrived.
Due to the urgency, Wang Lizheng didn’t waste any time and asked Doctor Li to check Qiao Yue’s pulse: “Doctor Li, see if Shanzi really took something.”
Doctor Li had just finished eating and was sorting herbs at home when he was dragged out. He hadn’t even caught his breath. If it weren’t for the urgency, he would have scolded them.
He placed the pulse pillow on the bed: “Put your hand here, let me see.”
Qiao Yue watched the fingers on his wrist. If Doctor Li couldn’t diagnose it, the label of “wild mandarin ducks” might stick to them forever.
Not to mention Fang Chuyue would bear the brunt of the gossip, even he wouldn’t escape unscathed.
“Stick out your tongue…”
After Qiao Yue closed his mouth, he couldn’t help but feel nervous and asked, “How is it, Doctor Li?”
Doctor Li pondered and asked, “What did you eat earlier?”
The pulse felt like he had accidentally ingested some poisonous herb. He had treated many patients who had accidentally eaten poisonous herbs or mushrooms, some of whom were beyond saving when they arrived.
“This young man is lucky he didn’t eat much, and he’s young, so it’s not serious. Just drink more hot water and rest, no need for medicine.”
Before Qiao Yue could speak, Wang Lizheng said, “In the afternoon, it was my youngest’s wedding, and everyone ate the same thing.”
“Only him?”
Fang Chuyue nodded and asked, “So can we confirm he was drugged?”
“Drugged?” Doctor Li placed his fingers back on the wrist, “No wonder… if it’s a sedative…”
Qiao Yue and Fang Chuyue exchanged a glance and breathed a sigh of relief—
The first hurdle was finally over.
Ma Ershen spat, “So it really was a sedative! That rascal was telling the truth!”
“Huh?” Someone exclaimed, unable to hide their disappointment.
Doctor Li was left confused by their reactions.
“I want to report this to the authorities!” Qiao Yue sat up, “Lizheng, someone tried to harm me!”
Wang Lizheng hesitated, “Reporting to the authorities…”
“A woman told me my brother was drunk and resting inside, so I went in, only to be drugged. It happened at Wang Ming’s wedding. If we let this slide, who knows what they’ll do next? This time it was to steal, next time it might be…”
Ma Ershen screamed in horror, “Might be murder! No, Lizheng, we must report this!”
Wang Lizheng stumbled back a few steps, annoyed, “Let go.”
Ma Ershen sheepishly withdrew her hand, muttering under her breath that she didn’t want to grab the old man’s sleeve, she just grabbed the wrong person.
Fang Chuyue understood Wang Lizheng’s reluctance was normal, fearing the village would be held accountable if something happened. But since it involved him, Fang Chuyue felt he had to speak up.
“I think the person might be among us.”
Hearing this, everyone immediately distanced themselves from each other, chattering, “No way, we all just came in from outside.”
“Is it you? You came in with me just now.”
Fang Chuyue gestured for everyone to calm down, “It’s just a possibility. Qiao Yue said someone told him his brother was drunk, so he went in, but his brother wasn’t there, which means this person…”
“Knows both of them.” Ma Ershen’s eyes lit up, “And is familiar with the Wang family.”
If she wasn’t familiar, she wouldn’t have directed him inside.
Fang Chuyue couldn’t help but look at Ma Ershen with new respect. Her one sentence was worth ten of theirs. He praised, “Ershen, your brain is really sharp! So this person…”
Ma Ershen had only ever been scolded for being stupid, and this was the first time someone praised her for being smart. She grabbed Fang Chuyue’s arm, “You really know how to talk! Your Ershen here, if nothing else, has a smart brain, hahaha.”
Qiao Yue and the others: “…”
Ma Ershen, feeling invigorated, clapped her hands, “So, this person is indeed among us.”
As soon as she said this, there were continuous “tsk” sounds.
Other aunts and uncles covered their mouths, laughing at her, “Old Ma, isn’t that obvious? Didn’t Yue Ge’er say the person might be among us from the start?”
Ma Ershen rolled her eyes at them, wearing an expression of “what do you know.”
She turned to Qiao Yue, “Yue boy, do you have any other clues? Let’s all think together, maybe we can catch the person.”
Qiao Yue described the person’s approximate height, clothing color, and as images flashed through his mind, he added, “Delicate eyebrows.”
Now it was time for her, Ma the detective, to take action!
Ma Ershen laughed twice, drawing everyone’s attention. She stroked her chin with a strange smile, scanning the crowd.
Soon, Ma Ershen grabbed a woman and shouted, “Is it you?”
The woman shook her off, “Are you crazy? I was at the back the whole time and never went near. Li’s family can vouch for me.”
Another person nodded, “That’s right, that’s right.”
Ma Ershen pointed at another man, “Then it’s you.”
Qiao Yue: “…”
He glanced at Fang Chuyue, wondering if they should let Ma Ershen continue.
Fang Chuyue whispered, “Continue, why not? Haven’t you noticed a few people missing?”
Qiao Yue, sitting on the bed, hadn’t really looked closely. Now that he did, he noticed Lizheng and his wife were nowhere to be seen.
“You’re right, your observation is sharp. What’s going on? Could it really be related to the Wang family?”
“By the time you realize, dogs will be walking on two legs. I’ve already sent Qing Jie’er to follow them.”
Fang Chuyue said irritably, “Besides, this whole thing is a disaster for me.” If he hadn’t come in today, this would have nothing to do with him.
His expression was so obvious that Qiao Yue couldn’t miss it.
“You’re not being fair,” Qiao Yue pouted, “We’ve been through two hardships together, how can you regret it? If you hadn’t come in, I would have been in a terrible state.”
Fang Chuyue felt guilty being accused, “I-I was just… thinking, what’s wrong with that? In the end, I still came in.”
Qiao Yue snorted.
“Wait, if I remember correctly, both times we went through hardships, it was you in trouble and me saving you.” Fang Chuyue looked at him with a displeased expression, thinking this guy really knows how to take advantage.
Qiao Yue: “…” He caught on quickly.
Fang Chuyue, tired of arguing, got to the point, “We need to call our families, or we’ll be at a disadvantage with just the two of us.” Ever since he noticed Lizheng being taken away, he had a bad feeling.
“Right, we definitely need to call them.”
Fang Chuyue nodded and gestured to Qing Jie’er and Yang Ge’er. Yang Ge’er pointed at himself, and after getting his brother’s nod, he walked over.
The two whispered a few words, and Yang Ge’er nodded and ran off to the side.
He slipped away without anyone noticing.
Qiao Yue watched and marveled, “Your second brother’s stealth is impressive, hiding in the corner without being noticed.”
He was about to say more when Qing Jie’er rushed back, still catching her breath, and said anxiously, “Big brother, I heard, heard, it was Lizheng’s wife’s brother who did it…” She didn’t dare get too close, so she didn’t hear everything clearly, only catching bits of the uncle crying and begging Wang Lizheng, who scolded for a long time.
Before Qing Jie’er could finish, she looked up to see Lizheng entering with a dark face, and she swallowed the rest of her words, “Lizheng is back.”
Qiao Yue looked at the door, feeling both relieved and alarmed that it was indeed related to the Wang family.
Lizheng walked over to Ma Ershen. Seeing there were still people she hadn’t seen, she immediately pointed at Lizheng’s wife, “Could it be you…” Wait, no, if that’s the case, then the Zhao Fulang behind her is even more suspicious.
Come to think of it, when did they leave and come back?
Lizheng, while ushering people out, said, “Everyone go home. Whether or not to report to the authorities, I’ll discuss it with Qiao Yue and the others. Go home and wait. It’s dark, don’t you have things to do at home? Go, go, go.”
Ma Ershen was pushed by Lizheng’s wife, “Hey, things at home aren’t urgent… I can stay and help.”
Lizheng’s wife said nothing, forcefully pushing everyone out the door, and slammed it shut.
Lizheng looked at Qiao Yue and Fang Chuyue, his gaze lingering for a while, his expression complex.
Qiao Yue touched his face, “Uncle Wang, is there something on my face?”
Fang Chuyue really wanted to shake the water out of his brain. Is this the time to be concerned about that?
“Ahem…” Wang Lizheng said sincerely, “Even if today’s matter is reported to the authorities, it will ultimately be you who suffer. Why not let it go? The village will give you an explanation, and we won’t let people gossip about you, rest assured.”
Qiao Yue repeated, “It’s not the village that harmed me, I don’t need an explanation from the village. I just want to report it to the authorities and catch the person who harmed me.”
“Exactly, Lizheng, you say people won’t gossip, but can you really stop them? Is that possible? We were harmed today, and in the end, we bear the consequences?”
If it weren’t for his family being involved, Wang Lizheng would have reported it to the authorities despite his reluctance after hearing their words. But just now… Wang Lizheng sighed inwardly, their Wang family couldn’t have a relative in jail.
How could he, as Lizheng, command respect?
Lizheng spoke to them earnestly, “Even if today’s matter is taken to the authorities, they might not care, since you didn’t really suffer any loss. Why make a fuss and put yourselves in a worse situation… don’t you agree?”
At that moment, the door suddenly banged open, followed by an angry shout that shook the room.
“Bullshit!”