Luo Xuan had taken over a hundred pounds of meat? This was intolerable.
At these words, Wei Min flung open the door. He emerged with Chen Zhilu, Qiao Yadong, and Hu Huanxin, the four of them taking their positions under the eaves like four furious door gods.
“What’s going on? Tell me slowly.”
Xiang Bei brought the experience of leading the Vanguard Company.
Under his management and training, he had completely overhauled the security office using military methods. Now, not only was Wei Min exceptionally capable and efficient, but his subordinates in the Security Department were also thoroughly disciplined and eager to follow orders.
Xiao Lin, who had just treaded a path through the freshly shoveled snow, reported the incident with grave seriousness. “I was on the night shift. Just now, I heard a commotion by the kitchen storeroom. Director Luo and Farm Director Jiao were coming out with two large bags slung over their backs. I didn’t dare stop them or ask any questions—I came straight here to report, as you instructed, Section Chief Wei.”
It turned out that Wei Min had never stopped worrying about the pork the farm had withheld from the slaughter during the snowfall.
Fifty pounds the first time, then another fifty… that was over a hundred pounds of pork. When made into cured meat, smoked with pine needles and peanut shells until it turned a deep, glossy black, the combined aromas of meat, pine, fruitwood, and smoke would be absolutely mouthwatering.
Wei Min had always craved meat, and he had been waiting for the farm to distribute the cured pork for the New Year.
At the time, all meat and meat products—whether in the city or the countryside—could only be purchased with coupons.
These coupons were issued by local commercial departments, and there was no uniform standard for their distribution. In good times, a person might receive half a pound of meat per month, with a full pound issued for the Lunar New Year.
During shortages, they might not even get a single ounce of meat in a whole month.
Under such circumstances, the pork raised at Xiufeng Mountain Farm was incredibly precious.
Over a hundred pounds of such a rare delicacy—what if Jiao Liang and Luo Xuan were stealing it for themselves? Wei Min couldn’t let it go. He had been keeping a vigilant eye on that batch of cured meat.
Recently, Jiao Liang had sent a group of dissenting cadres—Deputy Farm Director Xiang Bei, Infrastructure Department Head Yang Xianyong, Logistics Department Chief Zheng Haiyang, and Propaganda Department Chief Zhou Linhu—to the provincial capital for “study.”
This had only made Wei Min more anxious.
He had organized three shifts of men to guard the cafeteria storeroom twenty-four hours a day, never once letting their guard down.
And now… they had finally made a move!
Wei Min threw his hand up in a grand gesture. “Let’s go! We’ll stop them together.”
Qiao Yadong, always the steady and thoughtful one, paused for a moment. “What if we can’t stop them? A higher rank can crush a lower one. You’re a section chief, but he’s the farm director. And Xiang Bei isn’t even here…”
Wei Min’s brow furrowed as he tilted his head, his expression resolute. “Even if we can’t stop them, we have to try!”
Chen Zhilu’s eyes glinted as an idea took shape. “How about this: you two go and try to block them. If you succeed, great. If not, just buy us some time. The rest of us will head ahead and wait in the tunnel. We’ll take advantage of the chaos, strike, and steal the cured meat ourselves!”
A wide grin spread across Wei Min’s face. “Thieves robbing thieves? Hahaha! Now that’s a plan.”
Qiao Yadong opened his mouth to protest, but Wei Min dragged him forward. “You’re the silver-tongued one. You’re coming with me. We’ll hold them up as long as we can to give everyone else time to get ready. Bottom line… whether we steal it or seize it, no one is taking that meat down the mountain!”
Wei Min was built like a tank, having undergone Xiang Bei’s special training. His grip was like iron. He yanked Qiao Yadong so hard the other man stumbled, forced to quicken his pace to keep up.
“Be careful, Chen Zhilu!” Qiao shouted over his shoulder. “The meat is one thing, but don’t let Director Jiao catch you. One black mark on your official record and you’re finished.”
Chen Zhilu rolled his eyes and waved him off. “Always nagging! Just go. Don’t let them get away.”
Hu Huanxin saw the worry on Qiao Yadong’s face and knew he meant well for everyone.
He chuckled. “Monitor Qiao is always the cautious one. He’s not wrong.”
Chen Zhilu and Qiao Yadong hadn’t spoken a word to each other since their big fight. In truth, Chen Zhilu regretted going so far—hitting him too hard, speaking too harshly. Now, hearing Qiao call his name and offer a bunch of warnings, it felt like their lost brotherhood had returned.
The suffocating weight on his chest lifted completely; he felt like running a few laps and singing at the top of his lungs.
His mind started racing with the rush of good spirits. Though he’d never been a scholar, Chen Zhilu was sharp. As he thought, he began assigning roles: “For this mission, quality beats quantity. How about this… we take Tao Nanfeng. She’s strong and knows the tunnel. The three of us will act together.”
Tao Nanfeng stirred at the mention of her name, but Xiao Aiyun insisted on coming along. With no other choice, Chen Zhilu agreed to bring them both.
The four slipped away, moving quietly toward the tunnel.
Chen Zhilu carried a military canteen on his back, a flashlight tucked into his belt, and a pair of rubber shoes on his feet.
After checking his gear, he instructed the rest to tie their pant legs tight with grass rope. “The snow just stopped, so the roads will be a mess. Tie them tight so we don’t get mud all over our pants.”
Xiao Aiyun praised his caution and concern for their clothes, but Chen Zhilu was thinking something else entirely.
If we get chased, he reasoned, muddy pant legs would be just another piece of evidence against us. That would be a disaster.
He had to admit, he was an expert at this kind of underhanded business. Before any operation, he always planned how to destroy the evidence.
“Why are you carrying a canteen?” Xiao Aiyun asked.
Chen Zhilu raised an eyebrow. “A man has his secrets.”
Xiao Aiyun was dying of curiosity.
She kept asking questions as they walked, driving Chen Zhilu to the brink of madness. He glanced at Tao Nanfeng, who had been following silently, then turned to Xiao Aiyun.
“Can’t you be more like Tao Nanfeng? You’re chirping away like a little sparrow! We’re going on an ambush, not walking onto an awards stage. Can’t you just be quiet?”
Xiao Aiyun shut her mouth, tugging at Tao Nanfeng’s sleeve with a wounded expression. Tao Nanfeng patted the back of her hand in comfort and whispered, “Just stay close to me later. Don’t wander off.”
At those words, Xiao Aiyun instantly brightened, her spirits soaring.
Tao Nanfeng can do anything, she thought. She’s not afraid of the dark at all. I’ll just follow her in the tunnel—let’s see if you guys are the ones who get scared!
The snow was heavy and the roads slippery. Whether they hurried or held back, it took the four of them two hours to reach the newly completed tunnel.
Ever since the tunnel had been completed, it had connected the north and south slopes of the mountain, cutting a full third off the trek. Its five-hundred-meter span also offered shelter from the wind, rain, and snow, making it the indispensable route for anyone traveling up or down the mountain.
But it had one major drawback: it was pitch-black inside. The tunnel had been expanded from an existing cave, and because it followed the original contours of the earth rather than a straight line, the two sides vanished into shadow midway through.
The passage was deep, dark, and utterly silent.
As they ventured further in, an oppressive dread settled over the group. No sound broke the silence except the rhythmic thud of their four sets of footsteps and the sound of their own breathing.
Xiao Aiyun gripped Tao Nanfeng’s hand tightly, her fear mounting. Earlier, when Chen Zhilu had proposed setting up an ambush here to intercept the cured meat Director Jiao was sneaking out of the cafeteria, she had thought it was a brilliant, thrilling idea.
Now that she was actually inside the tunnel, the thrill had vanished, replaced by terror.
She began to shiver uncontrollably, her steps faltering and uneven, her breathing becoming heavy and labored.
Chen Zhilu clicked on his flashlight, casting a dim yellow beam that cut through the darkness to illuminate the path ahead.
“Xiao Aiyun, get a grip!” he snapped.
“We dug this tunnel ourselves. We flattened every single pebble on this ground and shoveled out every inch of these walls. What the hell are you afraid of?”
Chen Zhilu’s voice echoed through the tunnel, the sound bouncing off the walls.
The warmth of his words settled Xiao Aiyun’s nerves. She looked around, remembering how every inch of this place had been shaped by their own sweat.
Why am I afraid? she wondered. We built this.
Steeling herself, she straightened her posture.
“You’re right,” she said softly. “I’m not afraid.”
Chen Zhilu’s tone softened as he noticed her composure. “The farm director is the one stealing our cured meat and smuggling it down the mountain. We’re just taking it back—that’s an act of justice, not a crime. Don’t worry. They’re the thieves; they’ll be too guilty to say a word, even if they know it was us.”
In the darkness, Tao Nanfeng’s eyes gleamed with an unnatural light.
She didn’t need the flashlight. Everything was perfectly clear to her.
Ever since that dream where the mutated rat had bitten her, the “rat-like” instincts within her had grown stronger.
Night vision. A drive to burrow. A craving for snacks…
Far from being afraid, Tao Nanfeng felt a surge of joy and familiarity, as if she had returned home. She raised a slender finger and pointed.
“There’s a small alcove up ahead,” she said. “We left it there to store tools. Let’s hide.”
Tao Nanfeng’s voice was low and melodious, like the deep thrum of a cello. The sound sent a shiver of desire through Chen Zhilu. He slapped himself hard across the face, cursing his own thoughts.
Tao Nanfeng is like a sister to you, he scolded himself. Don’t even think about it.
The sharp smack drew Hu Huanxin’s bewildered gaze. “Chen Zhilu, why did you just hit yourself?”
“Mosquito,” Chen Zhilu grumbled, his smile strained. “There was a mosquito.”
Hu Huanxin looked even more confused. “What mosquitoes? It’s the dead of winter.”
“How should I know?” Chen Zhilu snapped. “My face was itching, so I slapped it. Stop sweating the details. Come on, let’s get hidden.”
Tao Nanfeng suddenly stopped in her tracks, glancing back the way they had come.
“What is it?” Chen Zhilu asked.
She tilted her chin slightly. “There are footprints outside the tunnel.”
Chen Zhilu slapped his forehead. “Damn it, I almost forgot!”
He hurried back to the tunnel entrance, unscrewed the cap of his military canteen, and splashed water onto the road.
In the freezing cold, the surface instantly turned to ice.
Chen Zhilu grinned as he looked at the slick ice. Cured meat, huh? You think you’re just gonna keep it all for yourselves? Dream on. First, you’re gonna eat a face full of dirt—
He was just about to sweep the footprints away from the snowy ground when he heard voices in the distance. Panicked, he tossed the pine branches down the slope and scrambled into the tunnel.
Jiao Liang, Luo Xuan, and Liu Bin approached, cursing under their breath.
“Look at all these footprints. Who the hell’s running around the mountain this early without reporting it?”
“That brat Wei Min must have some serious balls, trying to block the Farm Director’s way. Just because he’s the Chief of the Security Department, he thinks he owns the place.”
“We thought Qiao Yadong was a good kid—well-behaved, a model Educated Youth with real potential. Who knew he’d be in league with Wei Min? He had the nerve to lecture us, trying to stop us from going down the mountain… Truly disappointing.”
As they drew closer, the three men emerged, clad in heavy military coats, thick leather boots, and cotton hats. Each carried a yellow canvas tote bag, about two feet long.
The bags were emblazoned with a striking image of a white sailboat cutting through waves. Such totes were all the rage at the time—perfectly sized, lightweight, and sturdy.
The young people who traveled around for networking events, the so-called chuanlian, all carried one.
As the three men walked, the rustle of newspapers echoed from within the bags.
Liu Bin beamed at the sound. “This batch of cured meat is amazing. It’s dripping with fat.”
Especially the Erdao belly—half fat, half lean. Even wrapped in oilcloth and newspaper, the grease still seeped through.
Jiao Liang frowned. “Keep your voice down. I’ll take ten pounds back to the provincial capital and hold it for you. Once your sister comes down the mountain, I’ll visit you all. Don’t contact me for a while. My wife is a fierce one.”
Liu Bin chuckled. “I know, Brother-in-law. But you’ve got to find a way to get me and my sister transferred back to the city. Living up here is just too suffocating.”
Jiao Liang offered a noncommittal grunt, but inwardly, he scoffed. Transfer you two back? And I stay on this farm all alone? Dream on! If it weren’t for your sister’s looks and her silver tongue, why the hell would I be supporting a deadbeat like you?
Luo Xuan quickly stepped forward to be helpful. “Farm Director, let me carry that for you.”
Jiao Liang handed the bag off without a second thought. The sudden weight caused Luo Xuan to tilt, and his foot landed squarely on a patch of ice.
With a loud thwack, he went down hard, sprawling out on his back.
Liu Bin reached out to help him up, but his own foot slipped, and he went crashing down beside him.
Jiao Liang instinctively crouched, his posture awkward and comical. He finally steadied himself and stared at the strange patch of ice on the ground. “How did this get here? Didn’t we just mobilize a crowd to shovel all the snow?”
Muttering curses, the three men helped each other up and limped across the icy patch, eventually entering the tunnel.
Now empty-handed, Jiao Liang swept his flashlight across the space. “That bastard Xiang Bei is a pain in the ass, but he’s a damn genius. To finish this tunnel in just a month… it’s incredible. And look at this floor, so smooth and level—”
He was cut off by a strange noise echoing from the darkness of the tunnel.
Scritch. Scritch.
It sounded like metal scraping against stone—piercing and sharp.
Luo Xuan, his hands full with the bags, looked around tensely. “What was that? Where did that sound come from?”
Liu Bin cleared his throat and shouted, “Who’s there?”
His voice boomed, the echoes bouncing off the tunnel walls and amplifying the dread.
Whooo—whooo—
The sound of wind.
How could there be wind in the tunnel? It had been noticeably warm when they first entered, with no breeze or snow in sight.
Jiao Liang’s conscience, weighed down by his own misdeeds, made him uneasy. He swept his flashlight wildly, his voice a low, blustering snarl. “Who’s playing tricks? Get out here, now!”
Awooo—awooo—awooo!
The bizarre sounds multiplied. Hidden at the fork in the tunnel, Chen Zhilu was secretly gloating. His childhood practice of mimicry was finally paying off.
While the others were blinded by the dark, Tao Nanfeng felt as if she were in broad daylight. She pried a few stones from the wall and hurled them at Jiao Liang and his men.
Swish—swish—AHHH!
A scream ripped through the air. A stone had struck the back of Jiao Liang’s hand, and his flashlight clattered to the ground. The impact jarred the back cover loose, sending the batteries flying. The light flickered out.
The tunnel plunged into absolute darkness.
Chen Zhilu and Tao Nanfeng couldn’t see a thing, but they could hear Jiao Liang, Luo Xuan, and Liu Bin scrambling in a panicked heap, fumbling on the ground to find the flashlight.
Now’s our chance!
Tao Nanfeng hurled several more stones, striking Luo Xuan and Liu Bin. As they dropped their bags to howl in pain, she threw a few more, this time aiming for their ankles.
Jiao Liang had never been bested like this. His hand and foot throbbed as he collapsed to the ground, wailing, “Liu Bin! Liu Bin, help me!”
But Liu Bin was too terrified to help. He’d already taken a nasty fall at the tunnel entrance, leaving his face bruised and swollen. Now, stones were raining down from the darkness, striking him without warning.
He lunged for Jiao Liang, clutching him in a desperate embrace as he shrieked, “Ghosts! There are ghosts!”
Luo Xuan, the most cowardly of the three, turned and fled at the mention of ghosts. He scrambled blindly forward, only to slam into a protruding rock wall. With a dull thud, he collapsed, unconscious.
Tao Nanfeng suppressed a smile. She crept toward the fallen men and snatched up the three large bags of cured meat.
The bags weighed over a hundred pounds in total—a burden no ordinary person could lift—yet in her hands, they felt as light as feathers.
Returning to the fork where she’d been hiding, she took Xiao Aiyun’s hand and whispered to Chen Zhilu and Hu Huanxin, “Let’s go.”
With that, she led the way out.
Chen Zhilu had been completely blind to the chaos in the darkness, but Tao Nanfeng’s voice was so calm and commanding that he found himself obeying her without question.
The four of them, hand in hand, slipped past Jiao Liang, who was still groping blindly in the dark, and emerged from the tunnel.
As the light hit them, Xiao Aiyun’s jaw dropped at the sight of the three large bags in Tao Nanfeng’s grip. She nearly gasped aloud, but Chen Zhilu’s hand clamped over her mouth before she could make a sound.
They quickened their pace, leaving the three men’s frantic screams echoing behind them in the tunnel.
They ran for seven or eight minutes before Chen Zhilu finally stopped, gasping for breath.
“Tao Nanfeng,” he panted, his voice filled with astonishment. “How did you do that?”
She offered a faint smile. “I know this tunnel well.”
Suddenly, two figures burst from the woods, startling the group. But as they looked closer, they saw it was Wei Min and Qiao Yadong.
Wei Min immediately stepped forward to take the heavy bags from Tao Nanfeng. Qiao Yadong, ever the quick thinker, dragged a pine branch across the snow, erasing their footprints.
Only then did Chen Zhilu realize that in their haste to escape, they’d forgotten to clear their tracks. If Jiao Liang and the others spotted the footprints at the tunnel’s entrance, they’d know someone had deliberately sabotaged them.
He stepped forward and threw his arms around Qiao Yadong, laughing with relief. “My man! I knew I could count on your caution.”
The group of six, now carrying the bags, headed home in high spirits.
“Oh my god,” Xiao Aiyun said, patting her chest. “My heart was beating so hard I thought it was going to jump out of my throat.”
“Who invited you along?” Chen Zhilu retorted. “You were completely useless. All you did was tremble in fear.”
Xiao Aiyun shot him a glare. “And what did you do? You just pursed your lips and whimpered like a baby.”
Hu Huanxin scratched his head. “I don’t think I did much either. I just scraped at the tunnel walls with my little knife…”
The three of them exchanged glances, and suddenly, they all burst into laughter.
“It was all Tao Nanfeng’s doing!”
“No kidding! I don’t know how she did it, but she managed to steal all three bags without anyone noticing.”
“And now we have all the cured meat! We’re in for a feast this New Year’s.”
The six of them returned to the Zhiqing Settlement and quietly stashed the three bags beneath Wei Min’s bunk. Withy so many people involved, they agreed to keep their mouths shut and wait for things to blow over before dealing with the cured meat.
Sharing a secret again had unexpectedly drawn them closer. After all, they were all in the same boat now. When you’re tied together like that, you have no choice but to watch each other’s backs.
Chen Zhilu, ever the naive youth, had assumed Jiao Liang would keep quiet after being robbed by fellow thieves. He never imagined that Jiao Liang, discovering the theft and recalling the chaotic footprints at the tunnel entrance, would instantly put two and two together.
This wasn’t the work of ghosts; someone had deliberately sabotaged them.
Jiao Liang had never suffered such a loss without retaliation. Gritting his teeth, he went straight to the police station at the foot of the mountain and reported the theft of farm supplies, launching a full-scale investigation.
The next day, the police station quickly formed a special task force. Five officers, accompanied by three police dogs, were dispatched up the mountain.
This was serious.
The Security Department immediately reported the news to Wei Min, who was eating lunch at the Zhiqing Settlement.
His expression shifted. He shot to his feet. “Damn it! They’re here already.”
He gritted his teeth. “The police are one thing, but three police dogs… this is bad.”
Qiao Yadong sank into deep thought.
We have to get rid of everything before the dogs arrive, he reasoned. The bunks are no place to hide it. Where else? Even if we move the meat, how can we possibly clear the stench from the dormitory in time? What if the dogs catch the lingering scent on us during the assembly?
Time was running out, and even the ever-clever Chen Zhilu was at a loss.
“That old bastard,” someone spat. “Farm Director Jiao is a cunning fox. To bring in the dogs…”
“What are we going to do? If they find it, we’re finished.”
“Hurry up! Someone think of something!”
Clang—clang—clang—
The distant sound of a gong echoed through the air. Liu Bin cupped his hands and roared, “Emergency! Everyone to the farm headquarters! All households, report to the headquarters immediately!”
Xiao Aiyun’s eyes welled with tears. She clenched her fists, her knuckles white. Then, she forced herself to stand.
“I’ll go,” she declared, her voice trembling but firm. “Let me take the fall. I’ll tell them I stole it because I was greedy. I don’t have much ambition, and I’m not destined for anything great anyway. You all have talent and bright futures ahead of you—you can’t have this stain on your records.”
Tears welled in Xiao Aiyun’s eyes as she turned to Tao Nanfeng. “If the public security officers take me away… promise you’ll write to my family. But whatever you do, don’t tell my mother. I can’t let her be heartbroken.”
Qiao Yadong stared at her in shock. Who else would have the courage, the selflessness, to stand up first and shoulder all the blame? He was overwhelmed with guilt, remembering how he’d once criticized her.
But as the shame washed over him, a sudden idea struck.
His eyes lit up. “Don’t confess yet! We’ll play a game of switcheroo!”
They sprang into action. In less than ten minutes, everything was ready.
By the time the entire group assembled on the open field, the police dogs were already barking, though they hadn’t even begun their official patrol.
“Here! We found a handbag here!”
“Another one! A bag of cured meat over here!”
“And another one…”
The very meat reported stolen just moments ago was now appearing in the farm headquarters offices. One bag had been discovered in the farm director’s office, another in the general administration office, and a third beside the kitchen stove in the cafeteria.
The police dogs barked excitedly. Qiao Yadong, standing among the crowd, let a faint smile touch his lips.
He leaned in and whispered to Chen Zhilu, “Strange. How did they end up in the farm director’s office?”
Chen Zhilu blinked. “Isn’t this a classic case of the thief crying thief?”
The crowd began to murmur. “Why were we called here? Wasn’t this meat supposed to be distributed to everyone for the New Year? How did it end up bagged and hidden in the leadership’s offices? Could it be a case of embezzlement?”
Jiao Liang stared blankly at the familiar handbags. He couldn’t fathom why a thief would spit out the very prize they had already secured.
Grabbing a megaphone, he bellowed, “Comrades, don’t fall for the enemy’s tricks! If I had stolen the meat, why would I report it and have the public security officers come up the mountain to investigate? This is absolutely a frame-up!”
His voice, amplified by the megaphone, boomed over the crowd, gradually silencing them.
“He’s right,” someone muttered. “If the farm director stole the meat, why would he report it?”
“Whoever framed him is clever, managing to sneak into the offices.”
“But… the meat is back. What’s the point of investigating any further?”
Cold sweat trickled down Wei Min’s back.
Qiao Yadong, who had just been basking in the success of his scheme, felt a sudden jolt of anxiety.
Hu Huanxin and Chen Zhilu exchanged a glance. They hid their hands behind their backs—hands they had scrubbed countless times until not a trace of the meat’s scent remained.
A wave of regret washed over them; they hadn’t planned this thoroughly enough.
Tao Nanfeng stood among the crowd, her slender figure framed by her pale, delicate face. Beside her, Xiao Aiyun’s frail body trembled with fear.
They were all just seventeen or eighteen, inexperienced in the art of political struggle. Their theft of the cured meat had been an act of righteous indignation, not a carefully orchestrated plot.
A biting wind swept through, bringing a chill that seeped into their bones. Then, large snowflakes began to drift down from the sky.
“It’s snowing! It’s snowing!” someone shouted.
The lead public security officer looked up, his brow furrowing. He turned to Jiao Liang. “Since the missing items have been recovered, our mission is complete. It’s freezing up here, and the snow will block the mountain passes soon. We’re heading out.”
Without another word, and without any further attempt to identify the thief, the officers hurried away.
The roads leading down from Xiufeng Mountain Farm were treacherous—narrow, rugged paths where a single misstep could send a person tumbling down a cliff. When the snow grew deep, no one dared to descend, forcing everyone to hunker down and endure the winter. This was the “mountain closure.”
With the snow falling, Jiao Liang couldn’t afford to linger at the farm.
With only a dozen days until the New Year, he needed to return to the provincial capital to network and secure his position. If he delayed any longer, he’d be trapped in this freezing wilderness for the rest of the winter.
Desperate to get the cured meat down the mountain, he abandoned any thought of identifying the thief.
“It’s snowing, everyone!” he announced to the crowd filling the courtyard. “Go back to your quarters. While the thief has returned the meat, the public security bureau will not tolerate such a crime. We will pursue this matter to the very end!”
After delivering his rehearsed lines, Jiao Liang shot a pointed glance at Luo Xuan and Liu Bin. They would wait for the crowd to disperse, then smuggle the meat down the mountain themselves.
Watching their silent exchange, a slow burn of fury ignited in Wei Min’s chest. Even now, they’re planning to steal it for themselves. They’re filthier than the rats in the warehouse!
He gritted his teeth, pushed against the current of the departing crowd, and strode to the veranda of the office building.
Grabbing the megaphone, he shouted, “Comrades! This cured meat is for all the farm workers’ New Year’s supplies! Since we’re all here, why don’t we divide it up right here, right now?”
The voice amplified by the megaphone halted the dispersing workers in their tracks. A wave of cheers erupted from the crowd.
“Yes! Divide the meat! Divide the meat!”
With everyone watching, Wei Min’s call to divide the meat was met with immediate and unanimous support.
Jiao Liang’s face contorted with rage, his voice a vicious snarl. “The Logistics Department isn’t here. You from the Security Department have no authority to make this decision! No one touches the meat until the New Year!”
Qiao Yadong, Chen Zhilu, and Hu Huanxin exchanged knowing glances. As one, they raised their arms and shouted, “Comrades, it’s time to divide the meat!”
The crowd surged forward, heedless of the falling snow. They swarmed the bags, shoving Jiao Liang and his cronies aside. A zipper tore open with a sharp shrip*l.
The aroma of the cured meat—rich with oil and smoke—wafted out from its newspaper wrappings, making mouths water.
From his vantage point on the veranda, Wei Min waved his hand. “Line up! Line up!”
Security Department staff stood guard by the bags, and the Jiangcheng educated youth helped maintain order. The chaotic crowd gradually settled, forming lines by department and individual.
“Zhiqing Settlement No. 1: six pounds, four ounces!”
“Zhiqing Settlement No. 2: seven pounds, eight ounces!”
“Labor Protection Department: two pounds, two ounces!”
The scene was a bustle of activity—weighing, registering, and calling out names. Everyone waited in eager anticipation.
A burly man, clutching his portion of meat, beamed with joy. He roared into the wind and snow, “Everyone from Production Team No. 3, come over here to get your share!”
A group of people took off after him, shouting, “We’re coming! We’re coming!”
Everyone was ecstatic, except for Jiao Liang, Luo Xuan, and Liu Bin. Their faces were grim.
Snowflakes swirled and fell through the air.
Watching Wei Min ignore his authority as farm director and distribute the meat himself, Jiao Liang felt a knot of indignation tighten in his chest. He was seething with helpless rage.
The one leading the distribution is definitely the one who stole the meat! he thought.
He had planned to use the police to root out Wei Min—that black sheep—but the heavens had conspired against him, and the snow had started falling.
Now that the meat was being distributed, what would he eat for the New Year? What would he give as gifts?
Luo Xuan’s forehead was swollen with a large, purplish bruise from being slammed against the tunnel wall, making him look thoroughly disheveled. He walked over to Jiao Liang, his face a picture of misery.
“Farm Director,” he asked plaintively, “what do we do now?”
Jiao Liang glared at him. “What do you mean, what do we do? You’re the Office Director! Get out there and collect the shares for the headquarters staff, immediately!”
Even a mosquito’s meat is still meat. Even if each person only got two ounces, thirty or forty staff members from the various departments would still amount to a few pounds.
Just then, a cheer erupted from the crowd.
“Farm Director Xiang is back!”
At the end of the wide concrete road leading down the mountain from the headquarters, five figures were approaching.
The approaching figures were Deputy Director Xiang Bei and his inner circle: Yang Xianyong, Head of the Infrastructure Department; Zheng Haiyang, Chief of the Logistics Department; Zhou Linhu, Chief of the Propaganda Department; and Mao Peng, Captain of the road construction team.
Jiao Liang had manufactured a pretext to send them to the provincial capital for “political study,” hoping to smuggle the cured meat down the mountain himself.
Instead, he’d been left with a rash and reckless Wei Min—a man who had not only dared to steal the meat but to distribute it in broad daylight.
Realizing the situation had spiraled out of control, Jiao Liang snatched a stray piece of meat and turned to Luo Xuan and Liu Bin.
“Let’s go,” he sneered at Xiang Bei. “Director Xiang, you’ve returned at the perfect time. I’m leaving the theft investigation in your hands. I’ll be back to hear your report after I finish my briefing in the provincial capital…”
Xiang Bei strode toward them, snowflakes still clinging to his coat, shoulders, and arms. Before Jiao Liang could even finish the word “briefing,” Xiang Bei’s hand shot out, his fingers clamping down on the pressure point at Jiao Liang’s wrist.
A numb ache surged through Jiao Liang’s arm, paralyzing him where he stood. He opened his mouth to roar in indignation, but the words that followed, whispered in his ear, turned his blood to ice.
“Where was the meat stolen from? And why was it packed in the gift bags given to farm leadership during last year’s meeting in the Capital?”
Wei Min, who had been listening intently, felt his anxiety vanish.
What a brilliant question, he thought. Perfect.