25
Li Xiuran’s Choice
Granny Li and Chen Hongzhen were stunned. They had indeed stolen the chickens and taken the rice, flour, oil, salt, and cured meat from their house.
But they hadn’t taken the fifteen hundred yuan. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to, but they had turned the room upside down several times and still couldn’t find the money. In the end, they had no choice but to leave in frustration.
Chen Hongzhen panicked and shouted, “You’re lying! We didn’t take anything from you.”
Granny Li nodded, “We never even went to Cunwei. You’re making things up to ruin our family!”
No, they absolutely couldn’t admit they had been to the third son’s house. Given Gu Wenshu’s current hysterical state, admitting it would only bring disaster upon their family.
Through constant self-persuasion, she began to believe she had never been there. With righteous indignation, she looked at the onlookers in the yard and said, “Who among you saw us taking things from the third son’s house? Step forward and let’s clear this up. You can’t falsely accuse people like this.”
The rice had already been hidden, and the uneaten chicken had been thrown to the ground by that damned Gu Wenshu.
As long as they refused to admit it, there was nothing Gu Wenshu could do to them.
None of the onlookers had actually seen anyone from the Li Family going to Cunwei, so they whispered among themselves, debating who was telling the truth and who was lying.
Compared to Gu Wenshu’s character, the people in the Production Team were more inclined to believe Granny Li. Although Granny Li was known for gossiping, she worked hard. In contrast, Gu Wenshu was lazy and often beat her children mercilessly. By comparison, the hardworking Granny Li seemed more trustworthy.
“We didn’t see anything. We only noticed the third son’s wife rushing over here angrily and came to see if there was anything we could help with.”
“That’s right, we just came to see what was going on.”
Help?
That was out of the question. They were only there for the spectacle.
Granny Li snorted coldly, raised her head, and glared at Gu Wenshu. “You hid the money yourselves and now you’re blaming us. Gu Wenshu, you’ll do anything for money. How despicable!”
Gu Wenshu sneered, “I won’t waste my breath arguing with you. This matter will be handed over to the Daduizhang. If he can’t resolve it, we’ll bring in the comrades from the Police Station.”
Her gaze swept over the members of the Li Family before settling on Granny Li. “I believe the comrades from the Police Station will uphold justice and catch the thieves.”
“Breaking into a house, stealing chickens, rice, grain, and fifteen hundred yuan—that’s enough to get a thief executed.”
After saying this, she turned to the onlookers outside the door. “Seventh Brother, could I trouble you to fetch the Daduizhang and the Militia Company Commander for me?”
This matter was beyond the scope of their Production Team leader, so they had no choice but to seek out the Daduizhang.
The seventh son of the Li Family was the youngest son of the second uncle. He had helped with the move the day before and had been Li Xiuran’s loyal follower since childhood. Now twenty-five years old, he had followed his third sister-in-law to the Lao Zhai, worried that something might happen.
Upon learning that his third brother’s medical expenses had gone missing, he grew increasingly anxious. Hearing that the Daduizhang and the Militia Company Commander were needed, he immediately dashed outside.
Chen Hongzhen was instantly terrified. They hadn’t taken the money, but they had stolen the chickens and the rice, flour, oil, and other supplies. If this were discovered, they would surely face severe consequences.
Thinking this, she glanced at her mother-in-law, only to find the old woman perfectly composed and completely unworried.
Instantly, she stopped worrying too.
Old Mr. Li immediately objected upon hearing they were going to fetch the Daduizhang: “Third Brother’s wife, these are just trivial matters. Why bother the Daduizhang? Do you think the Daduizhang has as much free time as you, to be summoned for every minor issue?”
Just then, an authoritative voice came from outside the door: “What do you mean by trivial matters?”
The crowd parted to make way as a group of people slowly approached. Leading them were Third Brother Li, Li Xiuran, and Brigade Secretary Mu Peimin, followed by the Daduizhang, then the Militia Company Commander, with Li Mingying, the seventh son of the Li Family, bringing up the rear. It seemed he must have run into this group right after leaving the Li Family home.
Li Xiuran walked over to Gu Wenshu’s side and said quietly, “It’s alright now. Secretary Mu and the Daduizhang will investigate the matter thoroughly, and the stolen money will be recovered.”
Hearing this, she was somewhat taken aback. While others didn’t know about the fifteen hundred yuan, he was fully aware—it was all something she had made up.
Before coming, she had indeed considered doing this, and she knew her husband would back her up if he found out. But when it actually happened, she was still surprised, even pleasantly so.
This proved that in his heart, their own small family mattered more than the Lao Zhai.
Seeing that even the Brigade Secretary had arrived, Old Mr. Li hurried forward and said, “Secretary Mu, Daduizhang, Company Commander Yuan, I’m truly sorry that such minor family matters have troubled you to come all this way.”
After speaking, he shot a fierce glare at Li Mingying. His second brother really ought to discipline this unruly youngest son of his properly.
Li Mingying curled his lip, completely unafraid of this hypocritical old man who was his Tang Bo.
Mu Peimin glanced at Old Mr. Li: “I’ve already heard the whole story on my way here. Losing fifteen hundred yuan, two hens, fifty jin of rice, over thirty jin of flour, a jug of oil, and four jin of cured meat is no small matter.”
He didn’t enter the house but stood in the courtyard, scanning the people present: “Company Commander Yuan has already sent someone to check the situation at Li Xiuran’s house. Now I’ll ask you directly: Did anyone from your family enter Xiuran’s home and steal anything?”
Among the onlookers, someone muttered under their breath, “Even if they did take something, can’t parents take their own son’s belongings?”
Hearing this, Mu Peimin looked at the speaker and said sternly, “Once families have separated, they are two separate households. Entering someone else’s home and taking things without permission is theft.”
He felt it necessary to make this clear to everyone present, lest others follow this example in the future: “Remember this well: after separating, you are two different families. You cannot use your status as parents or elders to take others’ belongings. If this is discovered, Company Commander Yuan will deal with you.”
“I’m not afraid of losing face; what I fear most is people causing trouble in the brigade.”
After speaking, he didn’t even glance at the grim expressions on some of the elders’ faces but fixed his gaze on Granny Li: “Did any of you go to Xiuran’s home? Did you steal anything?”
Old Mr. Li’s face had already turned very grim. He finally understood that this newly appointed Secretary Mu, who had been here for less than a month, intended to make an example of their family to warn the entire brigade—to make those who wanted to cause trouble, disrupt unity, or hinder production think twice.
He wanted to say something, but his wife beat him to it: “No, we haven’t been to the third son’s house.”
Hearing this, Old Mr. Li breathed a sigh of relief. As long as they stubbornly denied it and there were no witnesses, even the Commune’s secretary would be powerless.
Upon hearing this, Secretary Mu said calmly, “No matter who it is, this matter must be thoroughly investigated. Fifteen hundred yuan is no small amount. Once identified, the culprit will be handed over directly to the Police Station.”
After speaking, he sat on the chair brought by Company Commander Yuan and looked at the militiamen who had just arrived in a hurry: “What did you find at Li Xiuran’s house?”
Today, he was determined to get to the bottom of this—it was the perfect opportunity to make an example of one to deter a hundred.
He didn’t care how things were done here before. Now that he was in charge, everything had to follow his rules.
Petty thieves would be rooted out one by one and sent away for reformation.