Su Jinlai never expected that stealing his own family's chicken would lead to him getting caught! What was even more infuriating was that it was a group of kids who caught him. These little rascals showed no mercy, each of them wielding small bamboo sticks as they chased him, shouting and hollering as they marched him back home. Thankfully, the national drama "Journey to the West" hadn't started airing yet. The scene was eerily similar to the one where the little demons tie up the Tang Monk and drag him back to their cave...
It wasn't just similar—it was practically identical.
Su Jinlai felt utterly wronged. He, a grown man, couldn't even handle a group of kids. It was bad enough that he couldn't stand up to the women in his life, but now he couldn't even deal with children. As the group of kids poured into the courtyard, nearly thirty of them, the front yard was instantly packed.
Zhao Guihua stepped out and was immediately taken aback. She quickly asked, "What's going on here? What did Su Jinlai do to get caught by you all?"
You see, this was someone who knew Su Jinlai well. She knew that if he was involved, it couldn't be anything good. If he had done something even slightly decent, it wouldn't have come to this. When Su Jinlai saw Zhao Guihua, he couldn't hold back his tears.
He looked up at the sky with tears streaming down his face, filled with endless sorrow, and said dramatically, "Aunt Zhao, please, you have to help me. These kids are out of control!"
Zhao Guihua scoffed, "Oh, come on. We all know who you are."
At this point, the kids couldn't hold back anymore and started chattering away.
Tuantuan said, "Grandma, he stole a chicken."
Yuanyuan added, "And he tried to blame someone else."
Qijin chimed in, "He even said he'd steal again tomorrow."
Bai Qingqing said, "He tried to bribe us."
Li Zhenzhen added, "And he tried to run away."
Ye Siyuan said, "We caught him right away."
Ye Sijia immediately followed up, "It was me, it was me! I poked him in the butt with my bamboo stick."
Su Jinlai glared at her angrily, "So it was you! You little rascal, how could you just poke someone's butt like that? If it weren't for your sneak attack, I wouldn't have been caught. I'm so miserable!"
He felt like the most pitiful person in the world, without a doubt.
Ye Sitian looked around nervously and then said softly, "I... I sat on your head..."
Su Jinlai was even more furious, "So it was you! You, you, you sat on my head and then farted! You little devil, I'm going to teach you a lesson!"
Little Sitian got scared and hid behind her brother, defending herself, "Well, I ate fried beans yesterday and today, so I was bound to fart! It's not my fault!"
That actually made sense.
Ye Siyuan and Ye Sijia nodded, "Yeah, you can't control when you fart!"
Su Jinlai stood there with his hands on his hips, gasping for breath. The commotion had drawn everyone out of their homes. It was Sunday, and since Hutou had received his college acceptance letter earlier that morning, everyone was at home. They were all enjoying the spectacle.
Wang Xiangxiu also came out. She had heard the whole thing and was fuming.
Tuantuan said, "Aunt Wang, here's your hen."
He handed the hen over to Wang Xiangxiu, but by now, the hen had been turned into roasted chicken. Wang Xiangxiu was so angry she nearly fainted. She managed to hold back her anger and first thanked the kids, "Thank you all."
The kids beamed with joy, "You're welcome!"
Wang Xiangxiu quickly added, "Wait here, I'll treat you to some popcorn."
She had just popped a batch of popcorn yesterday. She brought out a bag and said, "Here, each of you take a handful and fill your pockets."
The kids' eyes lit up, and they shouted, "Thank you, Auntie!"
Wang Xiangxiu said, "You're all good kids. Don't follow your big brother Su Jinlai's example!"
She shot her son a glare and handed out the popcorn to each child, smiling as she said, "Thank you all so much for this."
The kids immediately puffed up with pride. Yes, they were indeed that good and capable!
Wang Xiangxiu looked at her son, who was still sniffling and crying, and couldn't help but give him a solid kick in the butt, "You little brat! You've lived over twenty years and you're still worse than a bunch of kids. You've grown in size but not in brains, huh? You just love embarrassing me, don't you? You won't be satisfied until you've driven me crazy!"
She kicked him again, and the kids winced at the sight.
Zhao Guihua quickly said, "Go on, kids, go play. You're all good kids."
The kids giggled and ran off, glancing back at Su Jinlai, who, despite being an adult, was still getting beaten by his mom. He looked so ridiculous. They all vowed to behave well so they wouldn't end up like him when they grew up. How embarrassing!
The kids gave Su Jinlai one last look of disdain before running out of the courtyard.
Wang Xiangxiu grabbed Su Jinlai by the ear and said, "Get inside!"
With a loud bang, the door slammed shut, and Su Jinlai's screams could be heard from inside, "Ow! Don't pinch me!"
The neighbors in the courtyard shook their heads in disbelief. Everyone in the compound was working hard, so how could Su Jinlai manage to mess up so badly?
Aunt Zhou said with disdain, "That kid really can't do anything right. He's all talk and no action."
She added with even more disdain, "And to think he ruined a perfectly good laying hen. When Tonglai gets back, he's going to be furious."
Even though it was Sunday and most people hadn't gone out, Tonglai was different. He was busier than anyone, as he was preparing for college, even though he was planning to take the arts route. He was out studying and didn't yet know that the hen he had carefully raised had fallen victim to his older brother Su Jinlai.
Whether Tonglai would lose his temper when he got back was uncertain, but Yinlai was already feeling the pressure.
His older brother was really good at causing trouble.
It wasn't like their family just happened to have popcorn lying around. Yinlai had gone out with Uncle Qiang from the neighboring compound to pop it. It was meant to be a gift for someone else. Now, nearly half of it was gone.
Yinlai was worried!
It wasn't about the money—it was about having to find the popcorn vendor again!
The vendor roamed the streets and wasn't easy to track down.
He sighed deeply.
Recently, he had been selling goods at the textile factory in the suburbs. The security guard there had asked him to bring some popcorn. Yinlai often sold his wares there, and when the weather was bad, the guard would let him take shelter in the guard booth. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Since the guard had done him a favor, Yinlai naturally wanted to return it. He looked at what was left and realized it wasn't enough. He said, "Mom, I'm going out. If I come back late, don't wait for me for dinner."
Wang Xiangxiu asked, "Are you going to pop more popcorn?"
Yinlai nodded. Wang Xiangxiu shot her eldest son a glare and then said, "I'll go. You've been working hard lately, and you didn't go out to sell today. Take a break and rest."
"It's fine. It's not tiring. Besides, you don't know where the vendor is. I heard he might be in that area recently, so I'll go."
Popcorn wasn't something people ate every day. Usually, the popcorn vendor would come to an area and then not return for a long time. They never stayed in one place, always moving from street to street.
He grabbed a bag of corn and headed out. Wang Xiangxiu gave Su Jinlai another pinch and said, "See? If you behaved, your brother could rest more."
Su Jinlai felt utterly wronged. It wasn't like he was the one who gave away the popcorn. His expression must have been obvious because Wang Xiangxiu sneered, "If you hadn't been caught stealing the chicken, I wouldn't have had to give away the popcorn to calm the kids down. You're such an embarrassment!"
She pinched Su Jinlai's arm again, and he screamed, "Ow!!!"
Next door, Aunt Zhou heard the commotion and shook her head, "Wang Xiangxiu's temper is getting worse."
But then again, if she had a son like Su Jinlai who was so troublesome and embarrassing, anyone would lose their patience.
The Zhao family was also reflecting on the situation. Su Jinlai was really good at causing trouble. It wasn't anything major, but it was still incredibly embarrassing. The problem was, he didn't seem to realize it.
Zhao Guihua was also puzzled. She said, "You know, many people change after experiencing certain things. Take the younger ones, for example. Yinlai and Tonglai were both quite mischievous when they were young, but look at them now—they’ve turned out just fine. After going through some experiences, people change. With a little guidance from adults, they gradually learn to understand things better. And then there’s Zheng Huimin next door. She’s now bustling about every day, focused on making money. But Su Jinlai, well…"
Old Man Zhuang said, "Maybe Su Jinlai was already too old by then? Hard to change."
Zhao Guihua didn’t agree with that. She said, "What about Aunt Zhou? She’s much older, and her personality was already set. But after spending a few months in detention, she came back with a much better understanding of the law and became more reasonable. And then there’s Madam Yu. Let’s be honest, she’s improved a lot compared to before, right? She even sold her house to pay for her grandson’s medical treatment, and that’s not something just anyone would do. And when it comes to the younger ones, Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou were both quite unreliable before, but after going through a few things, they’ve gradually improved too. But Su Jinlai, well… He’s been to juvenile detention twice, and while he’s become a bit more timid, he still hasn’t changed much. He doesn’t dare to do anything major, but he’s still causing minor annoyances. Remember when he went to the countryside and stole pig tails, forcing Wang Xiangxiu to travel all the way to plead for leniency and pay compensation? And now, after returning to the city, while other returning youths are finding jobs, he’s still just lazing around. I really don’t get it."
To be fair, Su Jinlai has faced setbacks too. He’s been to juvenile detention twice, but aside from becoming a bit more timid, he hasn’t changed in any other way.
The last time, when he almost got into serious trouble with some thugs, he cried so pitifully that Zhao Guihua thought he might turn over a new leaf. But no, he’s still the same lazy, aimless person, good for nothing.
Old Man Zhuang chuckled, "There’s no rule in this world that says people must change for the better after going through something. As long as he doesn’t make any major mistakes, just let him be. After all, it’s not really our business."
"Well, that’s true," Zhao Guihua conceded.
Hutou chimed in, "Grandma, don’t worry about him. Worry about me! How about I go with you to set up the stall tomorrow?"
Zhao Guihua replied, "Sure, if you want to, that’s fine."
Hutou had been spending the past few days in a state of anxiety and waiting, unable to focus on anything else. But now, with his college admission letter officially in hand, he felt much more relaxed. He said, "I’ll help you out. From now on, I’ll be there for you."
Zhao Guihua laughed and said, "Alright, come and work for me, and I’ll pay you."
Hutou, ever the honest and straightforward one, replied, "No need for that. We’re family—what’s money between us? I’ll just pitch in wherever I can. I’ve got plenty of strength."
Zhao Guihua laughed again. Among her grandchildren, Hutou was the most straightforward. Whether in his past life or this one, he’d always been a simple, open-hearted kid, never one to hide his thoughts.
She said, "If you’re working for your grandma, it’s like getting a taste of the real world. Of course, I’ll pay you. You can keep the money for yourself and don’t give it to your parents. Save it as your own pocket money."
Hutou replied cheerfully, "Alright, sounds good!"
Just then, Zhuang Zhiyuan walked in and overheard his mother encouraging his son to save pocket money.
Zhao Guihua, of course, wasn’t fazed. No mother is ever afraid of her own son. As soon as she saw Zhuang Zhiyuan, she said, "Hutou got into college, so we need to throw a banquet. You and your wife need to decide on the dishes and figure out how many tables we’ll need. We’ll set it up in our courtyard. Once that’s settled, I’ll get some help."
Zhuang Zhiyuan immediately agreed, "Alright."
Such a big occasion naturally called for a celebration. It was practically an unwritten rule. Besides, how could they not celebrate such a joyous event? He picked up the almanac and checked it carefully, saying, "How about next Sunday, Mom? What do you think?"
Zhao Guihua nodded, "That works."
She added, "I’ll get everyone in the courtyard involved."
If this were decades later, they might have just gone out to a restaurant for such an occasion. But not now. Back then, hosting a banquet at home was the way to show how much the family valued the event.
Besides, while there were small eateries outside, they were all tiny places, hardly equipped to handle such a large gathering.
Whether it was for a happy occasion or a somber one, most people held their banquets at home, which meant you had to call in favors from neighbors and friends. Zhuang Zhiyuan left all these arrangements to his mother, as she was highly respected in the neighborhood.
He said, "My wife and I both have full-time jobs. Besides relatives and neighbors, we’ll need to invite colleagues and others. It’s going to be quite a crowd."
Zhao Guihua replied, "That’s fine. Our courtyard is big enough. We can use both the front and back yards, and there’ll be plenty of space. You go ahead and finalize the menu."
"Got it," Zhuang Zhiyuan said, then added, "I’ll ask Zhixi for his input."
Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes, "Useless."
Zhuang Zhiyuan, unfazed, cheerfully went to find Zhuang Zhixi. While he was diligent at work, he was also a typical man when it came to household matters—clueless about the finer details. He could talk about international politics or which leader had stepped down, and he could even chat about how hot Hainan was or how much snow had fallen in Xing’anling. But when it came to planning a banquet menu, he was completely lost.
In short, he was the kind of man who was all too common—someone with average life skills.
Even after being scolded, he happily went to find Zhuang Zhixi, who was busy doing accounts. Running a business might seem simple, but it still required careful bookkeeping. Seeing his older brother walk in, Zhuang Zhixi asked, "What’s up?"
You could tell he knew his brother well.
Zhuang Zhiyuan said, "Hutou got into college, so we need to throw a banquet. I’m a bit lost here. Can you help me figure it out?"
Zhuang Zhixi glanced at his brother, his lips twitching, and said, "How many tables will you need for relatives, friends, neighbors, and colleagues?"
Zhuang Zhiyuan replied, "I’m not sure, but a college admission banquet is different from other celebrations. Families with kids usually want to share in the joy, so I expect quite a few people."
Zhuang Zhixi said, "First, tally up the number of guests. Our front and back yards can each fit eight tables. Any more than that would be pushing it. Assume ten people per table, and prepare around ten dishes per table. Since it’s hot now, go for five hot dishes and five cold ones. For the hot dishes, you’ll need braised pork—that’s a must. Then, a chicken stew with mushrooms, a whole fish, and scrambled eggs with dried tofu. Add a roast duck—you don’t need to cook that yourself; just buy it ready-made. For the cold dishes, do a cabbage salad with shrimp, a cucumber and century egg salad, and then…"
Zhuang Zhiyuan nodded, "Good choices. All hearty dishes with plenty of meat."
Zhuang Zhixi continued, "One more thing—make sure the portions are generous. If they’re too small, people won’t get enough. Since it’s such a happy occasion, there’s no need to skimp. For the main course, go with steamed buns. Rice isn’t as convenient. Also, before the meal starts, set out four small platters per table with snacks like melon seeds, peanuts, candies, and fried broad beans. Stock up on these so they don’t run out too quickly. And make sure to coordinate with the store at the end of the alley. Each person should get at least one bottle of Beibingyang soda. As for liquor, you can decide on that."
Zhuang Zhiyuan nodded again, then sighed, "When you break it down like that, it’s going to cost quite a bit."
Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "What, are you having second thoughts? This is your son’s college admission we’re talking about."
Zhuang Zhiyuan didn’t put on airs with his brother. He admitted, "It does hurt the wallet, but no matter how much it costs, I’ll make sure it’s done properly. This is a big deal. I’ve only got two chances to show off like this—this one and then when Xiao Yanzi gets married. Sure, weddings are also occasions for banquets, but how can they compare to a college admission celebration? I’ve got to make this one as grand as possible."
Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "That’s true."
"Is there anything else you can help me figure out?"
Zhuang Zhixi sighed. He realized his older brother was really… how should he put it?
At that moment, he couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for his sister-in-law, who he’d always thought was a bit of a mismatch for his brother.
He’d often wondered how his brother ended up with a woman like her, but now he saw that she probably had her hands full.
After all, even deciding on a banquet menu left his brother feeling overwhelmed.
He spent half of the year traveling for work, often on trains. Although life on the train exposed him to all sorts of people and situations, it was still quite different from the lives of ordinary folks. As a result, he wasn’t very familiar with many everyday aspects of life. His sister-in-law managed the household alone, which wasn’t easy.
He added, “For bookkeeping, you can talk to Jiang Lu, and for on-site coordination, look for my grandfather. Oh wait, why am I even saying this? Mom will definitely arrange everything.”
Zhuang Zhiyuan nodded, “That’s true.”
Zhuang Zhixi reminded him, “There will probably be a lot of people bringing their kids. I think it’d be better to set up a separate table for the children. If one table isn’t enough, make it two or three. Load the kids’ table with more candies. That way, the adults and kids won’t be mixed together, and the children will have a good time on their own.”
“Good idea.”
He sighed in relief, “I was feeling overwhelmed, but after what you said, it doesn’t seem that complicated after all.”
Zhuang Zhixi rolled his eyes, “It was never complicated to begin with.”
Zhuang Zhiyuan nodded, stood up, and prepared to leave. Seeing the living room filled with flowers, he couldn’t help but comment, “Why do you, a grown man, have so many flowers?”
Zhuang Zhixi replied, “These are valuable. You wouldn’t understand.”
Zhuang Zhiyuan indeed didn’t understand, but he didn’t dwell on it. “Hutou will probably follow Mom to sell stuff these days. Mom said she’d pay him.”
Since this was a joint venture between his mother and younger brother, Zhuang Zhiyuan felt the need to bring it up. However, Zhuang Zhixi waved it off casually, “We know. Don’t get involved.”
Zhuang Zhiyuan: “…”
As he stepped out the door, he noticed a few strangers entering. He stopped and asked, “Who are you looking for?”
But before he could finish, he recognized one of them, “Director Wang?”
It was someone from the neighborhood committee.
Director Wang introduced, “Big Zhuang, these comrades are…”
The leader of the group showed his credentials, and Zhuang Zhiyuan was surprised. “What brings you here?”
Director Wang explained, “We’re here to investigate the matter concerning Chen Yuan and his wife.”
Zhuang Zhiyuan nodded, “Ah, I see.”
“Let’s go to Aunt Wang’s place. We need to visit every household.”
Although Zhuang Zhiyuan didn’t work at the machinery factory, he was aware of Tao Yuyue’s situation. That woman was truly something. The leader, Old He, asked, “You can call me Old He. And you are?”
Zhuang Zhiyuan replied, “Oh, I live in the backyard. My name is Zhuang Zhiyuan, and I work on the railway.”
Old He nodded, “Ah, so you’re the one who swapped houses with them.”
Zhuang Zhiyuan confirmed, “Yes, we swapped houses.”
Old He instructed, “Director Wang, could you find the person in charge of the courtyard? We’ll split up and investigate separately.”
He then turned to Zhuang Zhiyuan, “Shall we talk first?”
Zhuang Zhiyuan agreed, “Sure.”
He pointed to the house, “The house we swapped is over there. Now that my family has split up, my parents live there. I live here. Come on in.”
Old He entered Zhuang Zhiyuan’s home, which was a bit messy. Zhuang Zhiyuan apologized as he tidied up, “We’ve been busy lately and haven’t had time to clean.”
Although he and his wife weren’t involved in selling goods, Liang Meifen was busy with cooking and other chores, so the house was inevitably a bit untidy.
Old He smiled, “Let’s talk about the procedures you went through earlier…”
Zhuang Zhiyuan began, “Sure. Actually, this started ten years ago…”
Zhuang Zhiyuan wasn’t worried. Since the investigators were here, he naturally explained everything in detail. The matter had been going on for several days, and most of the relevant parties had already been questioned.
Now they were visiting the less important connections. Since Tao Yuyue had lived in this courtyard, they needed to investigate here as well. Given the rarity of such cases, they were thorough in their investigation, digging deep into the past.
Zhuang Zhiyuan sighed, “I think Tao Yuyue must have planned this long ago. She was in a hurry to finalize the paperwork with me, which should’ve been a red flag. Too bad I didn’t catch on.”
He felt regretful. If he had noticed something unusual back then, he could’ve made a significant contribution!
Their courtyard had accomplished many impressive things. If he had caught someone trying to flee, wouldn’t that have been even more remarkable?
Ah, what a missed opportunity.
Zhuang Zhiyuan’s regret was so palpable that Old He’s mouth twitched slightly.
Old He composed himself and asked, “How was Tao Yuyue’s relationship with her husband?”
Zhuang Zhiyuan replied, “They moved away over ten years ago. I don’t know much since I’m not from their workplace. But back in the courtyard, it wasn’t good. Chen Yuan used to beat his wife, but Tao Yuyue wasn’t one to take it lying down. She fought back with a frying pan like a pro.”
Old He asked, “Weren’t they newlyweds back then?”
Zhuang Zhiyuan shook his head, “Even then, their relationship was bad.”
Old He nodded. This matched Tao Yuyue’s past experiences. He didn’t ask Zhuang Zhiyuan more questions, as the house swap had been clarified, and there wasn’t much else to discuss.
Although they seemed to be conducting a routine investigation, they had already screened the people beforehand. Zhuang Zhiyuan, as a train conductor, was often away from home and didn’t interact much with others in the machinery factory.
His younger brother, however, was quite sociable.
“Does your brother also live in the courtyard?”
“Yes, in the front yard. Do you want to talk to him? I’ll take you there.”
“Alright.”
Zhuang Zhixi had noticed the arrival of the investigators, led by Director Wang, but he wasn’t in a hurry to go out. He was in the middle of calculating accounts and wanted to finish first. Just as he finished, his older brother brought the investigators over.
Zhuang Zhixi greeted, “Brother, who’s this?”
“This is Old He. He’s here to investigate Tao Yuyue.”
Zhuang Zhixi immediately understood, “Oh, her. I know all about her. Why are you investigating here? She moved out ages ago.”
He was quite talkative, “Her running away must’ve had a big impact on Vice Director Chen, right? I heard he might be removed from his position. Is that true?”
“Oh, and did she divorce Chen Yuan before leaving?”
Old He: “…”
This man was quite the gossip.
He replied, “These matters are still being handled. You were transferred from the medical office, right?”
Zhuang Zhixi confirmed, “Yes, I was transferred before she came in as a temporary worker. If you think about it, she was lucky. She got a permanent position not long after.”
Old He said meaningfully, “Lucky, huh?”
Zhuang Zhixi chuckled but didn’t directly say that Tao Yuyue’s luck came from marrying well.
“From what I know, she didn’t live in your courtyard for long. Did you have any interactions with her?”
Zhuang Zhixi shook his head, “No. Tao Yuyue never came back after moving out. We didn’t interact much at the factory either. She was quite proud, and since we’d seen her in a vulnerable state, she probably didn’t want anything to do with us.”
“Did they fight often?”
“Absolutely!”
“Do you know the specifics of how they divided the house back then?”
Zhuang Zhixi frowned, “Wasn’t it a normal allocation? They were both employees, and dual-income households without housing had priority. Chen Yuan was from our factory office back then. He later transferred to avoid… well, certain people.”
“Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou?”
Old He asked, showing how precise their information was.
Zhuang Zhixi nodded, “Yes, but he was overthinking it. Neither Zhou Qun nor Bai Fendou had any interest in him. He was just adding drama to his life.”
Old He asked, “Did Tao Yuyue ever express any aspirations to go abroad?”
Zhuang Zhixi was baffled, “She hardly even lived in the courtyard. How would she express that? Besides, who goes around talking about that kind of thing unless they’re crazy? Oh, and about the house—was there something fishy about the allocation?”
He was clearly intrigued.
Old He: “…”
Who was interrogating whom here?
It was clear that Zhuang Zhixi had a strong sense of curiosity.
However, it’s not surprising. As they investigated Tao Yuyue along the way, there were so many curious people. Everyone wanted to know if Tao Yuyue had gone mad, abandoning both her in-laws and her own family, only caring about herself.
They were even more curious about what fate would befall the Chen family.
He said, "Everything is still under investigation. It’s not convenient to say more."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Then…"
Old He quickly took over the conversation, asking, "Do you know much about Deputy Director Chen?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Deputy Director Chen?"
By this point, he already understood. Although this was where Tao Yuyue used to live, she had moved away over ten years ago and hadn’t stayed long, so she didn’t have much contact with them. But they were all workers at the machinery factory.
Coming here to investigate in such detail was probably because of Deputy Director Chen?
Tao Yuyue’s fleeing abroad might not have much else to investigate. Their visit here was likely due to issues found during the investigation into Deputy Director Chen. It might not be directly related to Tao Yuyue, but Deputy Director Chen had been in the lucrative position of head of logistics for many years.
Who knows, who knows!
He leaned in mysteriously toward Old He and asked, "Is there something wrong with Deputy Director Chen?"
Old He: "What makes you think that?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "It’s hard to say. Probably… well, it’s just hard to say. He used to be the head of logistics, you know?"
He winked at Old He, who responded, "…"
Old He said, "You mean…"
"I don’t mean anything." He wasn’t about to say anything that might cause trouble for himself. He shrugged and said, "Well, you know what I mean."
Old He nodded: "I understand."
He wasn’t one to press people.
Their visit was just routine, as neither side had deep connections to their compound. After asking a few more questions, they left. Everyone in the compound had been questioned, including Ming Mei, who had gone out and returned to chat with others in the courtyard.
Once the investigators were gone, the residents gathered in the courtyard, chattering away.
"Who would’ve thought they’d even investigate us."
"It’s not that strange. After all, they did live in our compound before. What’s so great about abroad that Tao Yuyue would just run off like that?"
"Who knows?"
The gossip continued, and sure enough, the next day when Zhuang Zhixi went to work, he saw the factory notice: Deputy Director Chen had been removed from his position, and a thorough investigation into his embezzlement during his tenure would be conducted.
After reading the notice, Zhuang Zhixi returned to the office and said, "So, Deputy Director Chen is done for, huh?"
Sister Cui nodded: "No doubt about it."
They had been discussing the matter earlier. Sister Cui, who was well-informed, said, "Deputy Director Chen and his wife are both under investigation now. They’ve been in leadership positions for years and have been skimming money. Their home was robbed by Tao Yuyue. The reason Deputy Director Chen’s wife didn’t report it to the police was because they had a lot of money of questionable origin. It’s said that Tao Yuyue stole 80,000 yuan in cash and some gold jewelry."
Zhuang Zhixi was stunned: "Sister Cui, how do you know such confidential information?"
Sister Cui: "Well, the investigators certainly wouldn’t spread it around. It was Chen Yuan’s grandmother who let it slip. She wanted to show off how wealthy they were, but it ended up trapping her own family. Even though Tao Yuyue is abroad, her family is technically the victim in this case. Whether Chen Yuan did anything or not, Tao Yuyue shouldn’t have done what she did. But Deputy Director Chen’s mother kept saying that Tao Yuyue stole 80,000 yuan and a lot of gold jewelry, which was a mistake. The Chen family, even though they’re workers, shouldn’t have been able to save up that much money. So, the source of that money is worth looking into. Was it embezzlement, or was he connected to foreign sources? No one can say for sure. Even though he’s been diligent at the factory all these years, the fact that he had such a large amount of unexplained wealth is suspicious. I think Tao Yuyue dared to take their money because she knew they wouldn’t dare report it."
"And what about them…?"
"They’re locked up."
Zhuang Zhixi sighed. What a mess.
Old Huang, who had been listening, chimed in: "Their family is a mess. No one’s innocent."
Zhuang Zhixi nodded in agreement.
Old Huang: "By the way, there’s a letter for you on your desk. Did you see it?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Huh? Let me check."
He went to his desk, saw the envelope, and said, "It’s my submission."
He opened the envelope and smiled.
Old Huang: "What is it? Another acceptance?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Yep."
"You don’t usually look this happy." Zhuang Zhixi submitted a lot of work and often got accepted.
Zhuang Zhixi: "This time it’s different. I wrote a few stories about how to avoid scammers and kidnappers, and my brother passed them on to the railway’s publicity department. I thought if they were accepted, they’d just let my brother know, but they actually gave me feedback and even paid me."
"The railway department?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Yeah, this kind of content isn’t usually published in newspapers. I wrote it hoping to help people avoid being scammed. Trains are a big platform. I wrote about several common scenarios that happen on trains."
Old Huang: "You’ll have to let me read it."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Sure."
Sister Cui was curious: "What made you write about this?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "My mom went to Guangzhou recently, and on the train, she ran into scammers, thieves, and kidnappers. She came back really shaken by how eventful the trip was. She kept saying we should do something to warn others. As her son, I felt I had to step up. I’m not a police officer, so I can’t go catching criminals, but I can use my writing skills to do something about it."
Sister Cui sighed deeply. It’s funny how, even though they’re both older ladies, Zhuang Zhixi’s mom is so much more spirited. Everyone knows Zhuang Zhixi’s mom is the famous "Xidan Auntie."
When it comes to selling things, she’s absolutely top-notch.
Of course, there are always people who talk behind her back. In those days, running a small business wasn’t seen as respectable. Who would give up a proper job to set up a stall? Some even said Zhuang Zhixi wasn’t filial, or else why would his mom have to work a stall to make money?
People will say all sorts of things.
But those who said Zhuang Zhixi wasn’t filial were usually just jealous. Everyone knew his mom was a feisty old lady who wouldn’t take any nonsense.
Besides, their compound wasn’t the only one with people running small businesses. Everyone had their own side hustle.
There was some gossip at the factory, but gossip is just gossip. As long as they didn’t care, the chatter couldn’t overshadow their success.
Sister Cui couldn’t help but ask: "Zhuang, is running a stall really that profitable?"
Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "It depends on who you ask. For us, it’s just a way to make ends meet. We’re not expecting to strike it rich overnight."
Sister Cui: "I’ve heard it’s quite profitable. Aren’t you doing it too?" They’d all heard that Zhuang worked the stall after his shift.
Zhuang Zhixi: "If you do it every day, it can be profitable. But I only do it for a bit after work, just to help my mom out. Otherwise, she’d be working the stall all day. Young people have the energy to do it every day and make money, but my parents are older. They can’t keep up with the younger crowd. It’s lively, but they end up chatting with everyone, which is more about passing the time."
Sister Cui nodded: "That makes sense."
Zhuang Zhixi wasn’t about to say how much he was making. That would just invite jealousy.
He said, "Actually, it’s just a way for the old folks to pass the time, but they’ve really gotten into it."
"I hear Zhou Qun’s mom is doing really well too. Your compound is full of talented people."
Zhuang Zhixi laughed: "I don’t know about talented, but I think it’s great for them. They’re always busy and seem really happy…"
"Hey, when is your little story coming out? I’d like to read it too." Old Huang wasn’t interested in domestic gossip but was more curious about this.
Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Sure thing."
He said, "I’ll give it to you as soon as it’s out."
While Zhuang Zhixi was discussing this, he had no idea that the railway department had already "released" these stories. As an important mode of transportation handling a large volume of passengers daily, the convenience of travel also made it a hotspot for criminal activity. Although the railway department had always been meticulous and diligent in their inspections, the sheer number of people made it inevitable for some to slip through the cracks.
This often resulted in losses for passengers.
What was even more alarming was that there were also human traffickers among them.
So, as soon as they received the submission, they decided to publish it immediately. Zhuang Zhixi had written about twenty-four different scams and frauds, most of which were based on stories provided by his mother and elderly neighbors in the courtyard. Today, the first installment was released, focusing on human trafficking.
To avoid sounding preachy, Zhuang Zhixi turned it into a story.
The protagonist of the story was named Erhua. Erhua was traveling to visit relatives, and along the way, she encountered numerous scams and traps, all of which she managed to see through, eventually arriving safely at her destination. He had initially considered writing it in a straightforward manner but quickly realized that wouldn’t work.
The first issue was practicality. If written as a story, people would be more willing to listen, following the protagonist’s emotional journey, gradually immersing themselves, and remembering the lessons. However, if it were just a dry explanation of various scams, many people might not pay attention or even listen at all, which would defeat the purpose of writing it in the first place.
Thus, while the story was educational, it also had a touch of humor, even a bit of dark comedy.
The railway department, after receiving the manuscript submitted by Zhuang Zhiyuan, not only printed it in their railway publication but also broadcasted it on several train lines as a new experiment. After all, at its core, everyone wanted the public to be more vigilant and safer when traveling.
For example, this particular broadcast was on the train from Chang’an to the capital.
Shortly after the train started moving, the broadcast began. Passengers of all ages looked up, and one man remarked, "What’s this? Are they telling us a story? This trip is worth it!"
"'Erhua’s Critical Moment'—sounds like she’s in trouble, huh?"
"Let’s listen."
Everyone quickly tuned in. It was indeed a story about Erhua, a young rural woman traveling to visit her husband. As soon as she arrived at the train station, she encountered a frail old woman asking for directions. Erhua explained several times, but the old woman still didn’t understand. Eventually, the old woman begged Erhua to take her there. Erhua, wanting to help, agreed, but when they arrived, she found several burly men waiting, intending to abduct her. It turned out these were human traffickers.
Fortunately, a nearby police officer noticed and rescued her, arresting the criminals.
The officer then explained: "This is a train station. Not only are there staff inside, but there are also police booths outside. Even if someone genuinely doesn’t know the way, they should ask the staff or the police, not a young rural woman who isn’t familiar with the area. It’s highly suspicious for an elderly person to ask a young woman for help instead of the authorities. If you encounter someone like this, be cautious. Similarly, if someone asks for help in a public place where there are trustworthy officials available, but they choose to ask a seemingly vulnerable woman, they might have ulterior motives. Normally, people prefer to ask for help from those who appear stronger. Also, never follow strangers to unfamiliar places. Criminals don’t wear signs on their faces. Always stay alert."
This advice weighed heavily on Erhua.
After resolving this incident, she boarded the train, only to encounter more trouble. As soon as she got on, she was harassed by a group of suspicious men. At the critical moment, a kind-hearted woman stepped in and saved Erhua.
The two women stuck together, and the woman offered Erhua a steamed bun, praising Erhua’s husband as a man worthy of respect.
However, Erhua remembered the officer’s warning and didn’t eat the bun. The story continued...
The twists and turns of the story left everyone shocked: "Holy cow, that woman and the suspicious men were in cahoots!"
"I knew it! Why would a stranger be so generous as to give away a steamed bun? It must have been drugged..."
"That’s so evil!"
The train conductor then chimed in: "When traveling by train, never accept food or water from strangers, especially if it seems too good to be true. Erhua encountered human traffickers, but others have had their children stolen or their money taken. If you encounter any problems, report them to the train staff immediately."
"That’s right. I have a neighbor who sells goods at the market. Once, when he was traveling to Pengcheng to stock up, someone offered him water, and he passed out. When he woke up, all his money was gone."
"Oh no, what did he do?"
"He ended up reporting it to the train police."
...
The traffickers were caught, but Erhua soon fell into more traps: a "let’s play cards to pass the time" scam, a "let’s split this gold bracelet I found" scam...
As the story unfolded, everyone’s emotions rose and fell with Erhua’s experiences.
"Erhua’s trip is so dangerous! How did she run into so many bad people?"
"Don’t just talk about Erhua. We all need to be careful when we travel."
"Absolutely."
"Did you hear what the conductor said? Thieves don’t walk like normal people. Normal people look at the road, but thieves look at people’s pockets."
"That’s so true."
Everyone was discussing the story, feeling that it was really well done.
They had no idea there were so many tricks criminals used. From now on, they’d have to be more careful.
Among the passengers were a few men and women in white shirts. Their demeanor made it clear they were university students. In this day and age, university students carried themselves differently from ordinary people.
Indeed, these were teachers and students from a film academy.
It was summer break, and the teachers had taken a few third-year students on a trip to gain experience by assisting with a film project. On their way back, they heard the broadcast.
Even as professionals, they were captivated by the story.
"Professor, this story is meant to remind people to stay vigilant, right?"
"Of course."
"I think the way the story is structured is excellent, and the pacing is great."
"Absolutely. Look at how Erhua keeps running into bad people. She even jokes that she must have forgotten to check the almanac before leaving. But the police officer tells her that’s not the case—it’s because she has a kind face. Criminals are opportunistic; they avoid those who look tough but prey on those who seem vulnerable because they think they’re easy targets. Even criminals aren’t reckless. The way the lessons are woven into the story feels so natural!"
The students chatted excitedly, while the two teachers leading the group listened with smiles. Finally, one of them asked, "What do you think about adapting this into a movie?"
"A movie? The story clearly has more content than a movie could handle."
"I agree. If it were a movie, a lot of the details would have to be cut. But it’s not impossible. Even if there’s more, it probably wouldn’t be too much..."
"It would work better as a TV series. The story is too long for a movie."
"Not necessarily. She’s already encountered four groups of bad guys. How much more could there be?"
"I think there’s more. Just because we can’t think of it doesn’t mean others can’t. Before hearing this, I had no idea about these kinds of scams. First, the bad guys show up, then their accomplices pretend to be good Samaritans—it’s all so interconnected..."
Several female students expressed relief, glad they had listened to the story. Otherwise, they might have fallen for the same tricks Erhua did.
"Professor, how much longer do you think the story is?"
"Based on the pacing, I think there’s more."
The group immediately started debating again. Eventually, following the professor’s suggestion, they went to find the train staff.
When the group returned, they seemed a bit dazed.
"What's wrong?"
The one who had always struggled to write anything lengthy was a bit confused and said, "The train attendant mentioned that there are twenty-four scams in total."
Everyone: "..."
Even their teacher was surprised, "That many?"
The others nodded, "Yes, that many."
Now he was intrigued, "That's quite a sharp mind, to come up with twenty-four scams. It's not easy. What's more impressive is how well everything flows together, and the writing is good too. It's rare to see someone who can balance all these aspects so well. Did you ask who wrote it?"
"We did. They said it was written by Zhuang Zhixi. I haven't heard of him before."
The students hadn't heard of him, but the teacher had. He smiled and said, "Zhuang Zhixi? I know him. He works in the propaganda department of the 49th City Machinery Factory. His articles are often published in newspapers. He's written about many of the older workers' achievements at their factory."
"Ah, I remember now! A distant relative of mine is a retired soldier. He was injured while saving state-owned property and could only work as a gatekeeper afterward. It was a sad end for a hero, but then Zhuang Zhixi wrote about his story. After that, many people wrote letters to my relative, expressing their admiration. It really lifted his spirits, and he became more energetic. I even cried when I read the report back then."
He muttered, "It's hard to imagine. When he writes something touching, it's really touching, and yet he can also write something humorous like this travel story just as well."
"Talented."
The teacher pondered for a moment and said, "This story is really suitable for being adapted into a TV series. Although the tone is light, it carries a lot of educational value..."
He lowered his gaze and said, "I'll contact the TV production center and try to buy the rights to his story. If the project gets started, I'll need all of you to help out." Although he was a teacher, he also had a side job in the industry.
After all, it had only been a few years since the college entrance exams were reinstated, and there was still a shortage of talent.
"Ah!"
The students were all excited, stammering, "T-teacher, this..."
"Alright, when you listen to a story, don't just enjoy the surface-level excitement. You should also learn from its strengths. A good storyteller is hard to come by. For ordinary people, after hearing this, they'll know to be wary of people who seem suspicious. But for you, you need to think about why he handled the plot twists the way he did. For example, when the protagonist encounters the first group of swindlers, the police officer mentions the importance of vigilance, and this theme of vigilance runs through the entire story. It's because of this vigilance that she manages to avoid the bad guys time and time again. That's the core of the story. Why did he use a train as the setting? The train is a journey from one station to the next, much like life itself. It's a metaphor for how, on the journey of life, we also encounter all kinds of people... And why is the protagonist named Erhua? That name isn't random. It reflects her personality—she's a bit 'er,' which here means straightforward and a little naive. The 'hua' (flower) represents two things: her good looks and her beautiful qualities, like a flower..."
Blah blah blah. Zhuang Zhixi would never have imagined that someone could analyze his story so deeply.
Little did he know, he had simply strung together a bunch of scams because his mother had encountered some bad people on the train, and he wanted to do something about it. If even one person listened and avoided being scammed, that would be a win.
He had even written the story while sneaking some downtime at work.
Yet, in the eyes of others, every detail was a metaphor, every choice deliberate.
Even the name he casually came up with was seen as having deep meaning.
Poor Zhuang Zhixi, small and helpless, had never intended any of it. If you asked him to analyze his own story, he wouldn't be able to come up with half of what this Teacher Zou had. And Teacher Zou didn't waste any time. As soon as he got off the train, he went to find Zhuang Zhixi.
At that moment, Zhuang Zhixi was still sneaking some downtime at work...
Well, if you're not sneaking some downtime at work, can you even call it work?
When he heard someone was looking for him, he was puzzled and went to the gate. His old buddy Zhang San said, "It's a man who looks to be in his fifties, carrying luggage. He seems to be from out of town, but his accent is local. I checked his ID—he's from some TV production center and is also a teacher."
Zhuang Zhixi was confused, "???"
He had no connections to the art world.
He walked to the gate, still bewildered, but with a polite smile, "Hello, I'm Zhuang Zhixi..."
Teacher Zou looked at Zhuang Zhixi in surprise. He hadn't expected him to look so young. He vaguely remembered reading something by Zhuang Zhixi over a decade ago.
"You're Zhuang Zhixi? The Zhuang Zhixi from the propaganda department? Are there two people with that name in your unit? You're..."
This guy looked to be in his twenties. The age didn't add up!
Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, I'm Zhuang Zhixi from the propaganda department. I've been working here for over ten years. I joined the factory right after high school. Am I too young or something?"
Teacher Zou: "..."
He looked Zhuang Zhixi up and down, unable to resist asking, "How old are you?"
It wasn't that he doubted him, but the guy really looked like he was in his twenties. He was still in a daze.
Zhuang Zhixi: "I'm in my thirties. I think you're looking for me. I'm the only one in our unit named Zhuang Zhixi."
Teacher Zou: "..."
He looked at Zhuang Zhixi with a mix of emotions, feeling a bit melancholy. He was only in his early forties, but everyone thought he was in his fifties. Meanwhile, this guy looked incredibly young. They were only about ten years apart, but he looked like he could be Zhuang Zhixi's father.
He was a bit down, but he quickly got to the point.
"Actually, I came here because I'm very interested in one of your stories."
Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, "Come in and talk."
They couldn't go to the office, so they sat down in the security booth. Teacher Zou said, "I came here because I think your story 'Erhua,' which you submitted to the railway department, is very suitable for adaptation into a TV series. So I came directly to..."
Before he could finish, someone knocked on the booth's window. It was Aunt Zhou.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Aunt Zhou, what's up?"
Aunt Zhou: "I happened to see you, so I thought I'd let you know. Your mom asked me to tell you not to go to the train station to set up your stall after work. Instead, go to your in-laws' place. Your wife's uncle is in town from Jinling on a business trip. Go say hello, and don't go empty-handed, okay?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Got it."
Teacher Zou: "...You set up a stall?"
Zhuang Zhixi was completely unfazed and not the least bit embarrassed. He nodded, "Yeah, I set up a stall near the train station every day after work."
Teacher Zou frowned slightly, but then his expression brightened, and he nodded in admiration, "No wonder your writing feels so vivid and alive. Now I understand—you're constantly creating and finding inspiration in life. I admire that. I always say that writing requires living life and gaining experience. It's not just about learning; you have to experience things yourself. The more you experience, the better your writing will be. You're even setting up a stall to experience life for the sake of your writing. If you don't succeed, who will?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "..."
What are you talking about?
Are you sure you're not mocking me?
But when he looked at this guy, his eyes were full of sincerity. He truly believed what he was saying. He wasn't being sarcastic at all.
Zhuang Zhixi was momentarily at a loss for words...
