The mountain bike was found right in the suspect’s home, partially disassembled when the police broke in and caught him red-handed.
The incident caused quite a stir and quickly spread throughout the neighborhood. The suspect’s family suffered collateral damage, facing rejection from everyone.
Unable to bear the pointing fingers and gossip from neighbors, they soon moved away. Coinciding with the urban renewal project, theirs became the first household to relocate in the entire old city district.
Lin Xiyu later learned that the suspect had a criminal record – he had been fired from his job for theft. Since then, he had been unemployed, living idly at home, drowning in alcohol and abusing his wife.
Having such scum as a neighbor was undeniably disturbing.
This made Xiyu reflect on Gu Bin’s family background – the gap between their social statuses was so vast that even being friends felt like she was reaching above her station, let alone anything more.
The fragile seed of romance, having just sprouted, was brutally crushed by harsh reality. She remained depressed for several days until Li Yan called, announcing that arrangements with the tourism bureau were complete and documentary filming would commence immediately, with location shooting at her home. Temporarily setting aside her troubles, she refreshed her spirits to welcome the production crew.
Gu Bin’s grandfather lived on West Street of Royal Mansion Pond, also in a courtyard house similar in size and layout to No. 9 Donghua Street. The only difference was that this was a single-family residence occupying the entire compound.
With the recovered bicycle, Gu Bin returned home to find his grandfather leisurely studying chess strategies under the tree shade. Grabbing a small stool, he joined the old man.
“Xiao Bin, perfect timing. Play a few games with your grandpa.”
Grandpa loved Chinese chess but was notoriously unskilled despite decades of practice – though he remained blissfully unaware of this, always eager to challenge anyone available.
Gu Bin could already beat him at age ten, and now far surpassed him in skill. Playing along was merely to humor the old man.
“Xiao Bin just got back and hasn’t even had a drink of water, yet you’re already making him play chess with you…”
Grandma emerged from the south room, lifting the curtain as she feigned displeasure. She placed a glass of iced plum juice before her grandson.
Twenty years younger than Grandpa, Grandma had been the star performer in an army cultural troupe during her youth – beautiful, talented in singing and dancing.
Grandpa, an old Red Army veteran who joined the Nanchang Uprising at seventeen, had devoted himself entirely to revolutionary causes during the war years, never marrying.
Only after liberation, already advanced in age, did he marry Grandma under the auspices of a respected senior commander.
Theirs was a classic May-December marriage, producing one son and one daughter.
Considering himself rough and uneducated, Grandpa counted himself incredibly blessed to have married Grandma. Consequently, he deferred to her in all matters, somewhat henpecked.
“Grandma, what’s for dinner?”
Noting Grandpa’s silent concentration, Gu Bin picked up the plum juice and drained it in one go, immediately feeling refreshed.
“What would you like to eat?”
Seeing him enjoy the drink, Grandma’s smile grew even more affectionate.
“Braised pork hock.”
“Of course, Grandma will go buy it for you right away.”
“I want the one from Lu’s on Furong Street – theirs is the best.”
“Alright, we’ll get that one…”
How could she refuse her precious grandson’s request for braised pork hock? Removing her apron, she headed out immediately.
“You rascal, getting more cunning by the day.”
Grandpa watched Grandma walk out of the courtyard before chuckling and setting down the chess piece in his hand: “Alright, you deliberately sent your grandma away. What did you want to say?”