The police officers hurried along with Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou towards the scene.
This street was having trouble again.
Again, and again, and yet again, there was trouble.
It had to be said that this alley had an unusually high incident rate, especially this particular courtyard. The police officers looked at the two people who had fallen into the sewage pit last time, thinking they must have some sort of strange luck about them.
However, since Zhou Qun was the victim this time, the police officers didn't quite know how to sympathize with him.
Everyone rushed over, and upon arrival, they heard crying from the bathroom: "I'm sorry! Help me!"
The word "help" was particularly sensitive to police officers. Their expressions changed, and they immediately rushed toward the bathroom. At that moment, they hadn't realized this was the same bathroom from last time - the bathroom where a major incident had occurred.
They had no time to think about such things and rushed in quickly. Upon entering, they saw eight people each holding a stick, with a trembling poor soul in the middle.
The poor soul was crouching on the ground, hands covering his head. Upon seeing the police, he shouted: "Officers, save me! I'm the thief!"
The police officers were speechless.
This was quite ridiculous.
Zhang San didn't want to be scared, but having been a thief for so many years, he'd heard many stories about caught thieves being beaten up before being handed over to the authorities, just to vent some anger.
Many ended up barely able to breathe from the beating.
So when he saw how formidable these people looked, he became terrified, extremely terrified.
After all, he remembered the phrase "beaten to death by clubs," and if they really started hitting him, he'd be finished. He looked at the police officers pitifully and cried, "I was wrong, I know I was wrong, I really know I was wrong. Please arrest me quickly."
Zhao Guihua was speechless.
Looking at this coward, she wondered what kind of courage he must have had in his previous life to stab someone.
The lead officer was Police Officer Li, who was familiar with Zhuang Zhixi. Officer Li looked at Zhuang Zhixi and said, "Oh, it's you again!"
Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "Yes, it's me again."
Officer Li: "You guys handcuff the thief and take him back to the station!"
Although they thought it would be good to teach the thief a lesson with a beating, this street had quite a reputation, and he was worried something might happen - not afraid of someone getting beaten up badly, but afraid of someone being pushed into the sewage pit. If someone fell into the sewage pit, they'd have to fish them out, and that would be truly miserable.
Everyone was normal people, and they really couldn't handle swimming butterfly stroke in a sewage pit.
Officer Li acted decisively and quickly: "Hurry up, and the rest of you come with me to the station to make statements."
"Alright."
Officer Li resolved the situation swiftly. By the time Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun squeezed in, everything was settled, and it had nothing to do with them anymore. Zhou Qun shouted: "Is that him! Is he the one who stole from my house?"
Zhang San nodded sincerely: "Yes, it was me."
Zhou Qun: "I'll kill you..."
He rolled up his sleeves and was about to charge forward, but was quickly stopped by a young police officer who said, "Don't fight now, let's go to the police station first. We'll definitely give you a proper resolution."
Even without Officer Li's signal, they knew absolutely not to let anyone fight in the bathroom. Last time... was still vivid in their memories.
He was also one of the young officers present at the scene last time. That scene was indescribable - he couldn't eat properly for three days. Today he had finally returned to normal, and absolutely nothing could go wrong again.
No, absolutely not!
The officers were of one mind and moved quickly. Soon, everyone was heading to the police station.
As the courtyard manager, Auntie Wang had to go;
As the first discoverer and the first to take action, Zhao Guihua had to go too;
Old Man Zhuang... he had to accompany his wife;
The others, rarely having such a moment in the spotlight, also had to go.
Zhuang Zhixi raised his hand voluntarily: "I won't go then. I'll go inform everyone about the situation. We still have two groups searching for the thief. I'll let them know so they don't waste their effort."
Officer Li: "Alright, thank you."
Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "It's my duty, serving the people."
They quickly split up, and Zhuang Zhixi jogged off to inform people. When everyone heard the thief had been caught, they were overjoyed, though slightly disappointed it wasn't them who caught him. However, this didn't stop them from wanting to go to the police station to see what was happening, after all, they had contributed too.
It was just bad luck they hadn't found the thief.
But since they had patrolled, they should go and see.
Zhuang Zhixi watched them head to the police station while he returned to the courtyard to inform others of the situation. When Madam Zhou Li heard the thief was caught, she ran straight out the main gate without a word. Watching her running figure, Zhuang Zhixi remarked, "Madam Zhou is quite capable. I'm cold even wearing a padded jacket, but she dares to go out in just thermal underwear."
The people in the courtyard nodded at his words, sighing: "When you get old, you don't feel the cold anymore."
"Not feeling cold is one thing, but wearing just thermal underwear isn't proper, is it?"
"It doesn't matter, nobody looks at old folks!"
"It's not about whether people look or not, how long has it been since she washed those clothes..."
"Let's not meddle."
"That's true."
Madam Zhou Li was a rough old character, and nobody wanted to get involved with her affairs. She was the type who wouldn't appreciate help even if you gave it, and if you said something wrong, she'd hold a grudge.
There was really no point in reminding such a person.
Everyone quickly stopped talking about Madam Zhou and asked: "Little Zhuang, where did you catch him?"
"Yeah, you guys are impressive, actually managing to catch him."
"You've got skills! Little Zhuang, I thought it was just luck when you caught someone last time, but now I see you're really capable."
Zhuang Zhixi laughed softly, very sincerely: "Actually, it's mainly thanks to how capable the aunties are. We young people just followed along making a show of force. Led by my mother, and Auntie Wang, they're all really formidable."
Hearing this, Cook Li, who was watching the commotion, nodded slightly - his wife was among them too.
"So they've all gone to the police station?"
Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "They've all gone. If I hadn't come back to inform everyone, I would have gone too. But since I'm back, I won't go now."
After all, he wouldn't miss out on any credit due to him, and he didn't need to rush over there. He needed his rest.
Though he was young, he couldn't wear himself out.
He smiled and said: "Well, I'm heading back now."
"Don't go yet, tell us more!"
Zhuang Zhixi: "I don't really know the details. I only came out when Brother Zhou Qun called for people, and I just walked around with my mother for a while before we caught him. I don't know much more. If you want to know the details, just wait for those who went to the police station - they'll know everything when they come back."
"That's true."
"Should we go to the police station and take a look?"
"Sure... oh wait, better not. What if another thief comes while everyone's gone?"
"How many thieves could there be?"
"You never know, in our courtyard... never mind, let's hurry back home."
Everyone dispersed, and Zhuang Zhixi went home too. His older brother wasn't home, and his sister-in-law had taken the two children to sleep in her room. Zhuang Zhixi went to the window and quietly said, "Sister-in-law, everything's fine now, get some rest."
Liang Meifen: "...???"
I was waiting for you to tell me more details, and you're just going to sleep?
Zhuang Zhixi didn't care what Liang Meifen was thinking. He had only come out because he heard the commotion, and if his mother hadn't been patrolling to catch the thief, he wouldn't have gotten involved in such matters. He only joined the search because he was worried about his mother.
He pushed open his door and saw his wife waiting for him with bright eyes. Zhuang Zhixi closed the door, quickly took off his clothes and dove under the covers, saying: "Warm me up."
Ming Mei's long eyelashes fluttered as she asked: "Did you catch him?"
Zhuang Zhixi proudly said: "Of course."
He smiled and said: "It was just a small matter."
Ming Mei patted his shoulder and said: "You're quite impressive. I didn't expect you all to be so capable."
Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "Just luck, just luck."
He rolled onto his back and said: "Let's sleep early, I have to work tomorrow."
Ming Mei raised an eyebrow and suddenly leaned in close to him, whispering, "What's wrong?"
She felt something was off about him. She gently moved closer to his face, so close that she could see the fine down on his cheeks, and pouted, "Is there something bothering you? You seem a bit off today."
Zhuang Zhixi blinked and suddenly reached out to pull his wife into his embrace. Ming Mei pressed against his face, murmuring, "What are you doing! I was just trying to show concern, and you're messing around."
Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, but didn't say anything. Instead, he hugged Ming Mei tighter and closed his eyes.
Ming Mei poked his chest, saying, "Hey, I'm asking you."
Seeing Ming Mei persistently asking, Zhuang Zhixi finally sighed and said, "You're really a curious cat."
Ming Mei shyly smiled and said, "If you don't want to talk about it, then don't. I was just concerned about you. If you don't want to say, then let's sleep."
She turned off the light and found a comfortable position to lie down, saying, "Good night."
Zhuang Zhixi gently patted her, and at this moment, he spoke up, "My mom really cares about me."
His sudden remark made Ming Mei look up in surprise. Zhuang Zhixi pressed his forehead against Ming Mei's and whispered, "Today, we heard noises in the bathroom. I was originally in front, but my mom pulled me to the back. Although she said some irrelevant things, I knew she was worried about me getting into trouble. I felt it very clearly; she was really concerned."
An outsider might not sense it, but how could a son not feel it?
Ming Mei listened quietly for a moment, then softly said, "Isn't that normal?"
She gently smiled and said, "You're her child; of course, she cares about you."
Zhuang Zhixi pursed his lips and said, "I always thought my parents liked my older brother more, so they could tolerate my sister-in-law's nonsense. They didn't seem to like me as much..."
Ming Mei pinched Zhuang Zhixi's flesh and twisted it.
Zhuang Zhixi exclaimed, "Ow, why did you suddenly pinch me?"
Ming Mei confidently said, "I'm just trying to wake you up! Your mom obviously likes you a lot. I never doubted that, so why do you doubt it yourself? Although your older brother is the eldest, you're also great. You two have different personalities, so your parents' attitudes towards you are naturally different. But that doesn't mean they like your older brother more. As for your sister-in-law, look at me, I'm so lazy, and your mom hasn't said anything. A mother-in-law's feelings for her daughter-in-law are limited, it's all about her sons. So I think your mom still likes you a lot."
Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and teased, "You're aware of how lazy you are, huh?"
Ming Mei nodded, "I don't like doing chores."
She was quite straightforward about it.
Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, "Hey, wife, you know quite a bit. You don't seem like someone who knows so much."
Ming Mei replied, "Before I got married, my mom gave me a lesson. I had some extra tutoring."
Zhuang Zhixi laughed, realizing that was true. His mother-in-law seemed very shrewd, and he could sense that after a few interactions. Not many people could outsmart her.
Ming Mei nuzzled her head against Zhuang Zhixi's neck like a kitten, finding a more comfortable position, and said, "You think too much. Let's sleep."
She mumbled, "Smart people just overthink things. It's really unnecessary."
Zhuang Zhixi chuckled softly, giving her a gentle pat, feeling her plumpness.
Ming Mei glared, "You're just getting back at me!"
Zhuang Zhixi smirked, "Am not."
He held her tighter and said, "Sleep tight."
Both of them were young and loved sleeping. Before long, they fell asleep. When they woke up, it was early morning, and the rest of the family had already returned. They hadn't even noticed. Zhuang Zhixi brushed his teeth and shouted, "Mom, what happened last night? When did you guys get back?"
Zhao Guihua replied, "We came back soon after. Just a routine report, how long could it take?"
"Was that thief really the one who's been stealing from many houses lately?" Zhuang Zhixi asked curiously, finding it hard to believe there could be such a foolish and cowardly thief.
Zhao Guihua confirmed it with a nod, "That's him!"
Zhuang Zhixi said, "Truly, one can't judge a book by its cover."
He looked ordinary, and his demeanor was timid.
Zhao Guihua glanced at her son standing in the courtyard, guessing what he was thinking, but she didn't comment further. Instead, she said, "It's good that he was caught. Maybe he'll turn over a new leaf."
Zhuang Zhixi nodded in agreement.
While the mother and son were talking, Liang Meifen hesitantly approached Zhao Guihua and whispered, "Mom, since you caught the thief, isn't there... something..."
Her unspoken words were clear in her eyes.
Zhao Guihua looked up and asked, "What?"
She retorted, "What do you want to say?"
Liang Meifen hesitated, then forced a smile and whispered, "Since you caught the thief, there should be some kind of... reward, right?"
After all, the younger couple had received a reward before.
Zhao Guihua knew this eldest daughter-in-law was always calculating such things. She said, "I don't know. They didn't mention it, so it probably depends on the situation. But regardless, I think Auntie Wang deserves the most thanks. The police station probably has its own considerations."
This wasn't just empty talk. Although Zhao Guihua always took her patrols seriously, Auntie Wang was the one who really put in the effort. On days she wasn't patrolling, she still often walked around their courtyard, ensuring their safety. She was a very conscientious person.
Liang Meifen, however, was unimpressed and pouted.
Before she could say anything, the neighbors from the Su family came out to wash up. Today, both the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had sullen faces, looking like someone owed them money. Even the usually good-at-pretending Aunt Su wasn't putting on a show.
It was obvious they were upset for missing out on the chance to catch the thief and the resulting honor.
In those times, people valued such honors a lot, whether for salary increases or other benefits. Missing out on such an opportunity was naturally disheartening.
Zhao Guihua didn't engage in small talk and just called out, "Zhuang Zhixi, come back for breakfast."
Zhuang Zhixi responded with an "Oh" and spat out the toothpaste foam. As he walked back, he saw his wife rubbing her eyes and coming out. He smiled and approached, placing his cold hands on her cheeks.
Ming Mei quickly dodged, saying, "Zhuang Zhixi, you're so mean!"
Zhuang Zhixi laughed heartily and said, "I'm just trying to wake you up."
He held her hand and said with a smile, "The water's cold. I'll get you some hot water."
Their room's hot water had run out. It couldn't be helped; young couples often had a lot of nighttime activities. They boiled a kettle of hot water every evening, and it always ran out. This led Liang Meifen to grumble about the quick use of coal briquettes.
However, she didn't say this to the couple's face, so they weren't aware.
Zhuang Zhixi went to the main house to get hot water. Liang Meifen glanced at him, her mouth twitching as if she wanted to say something but held back. Zhuang Zhixi didn't pay attention to his sister-in-law's troubled expression and went about his business. He didn't think it was a big deal. After all, he had given the family a bicycle coupon, which was worth money.
So it wasn't about splitting everything down to the last detail.
Zhuang Zhixi didn't dwell on it, and Ming Mei certainly didn't either. She wasn't the type to notice subtle expressions or overanalyze things. Life would be too tiring if everything had to be dissected.
Ming Mei couldn't be bothered with such things.
As the young couple walked to work together, they passed by the restroom area. Zhuang Zhixi sincerely remarked, "What a restroom filled with stories."
Ming Mei nodded in agreement, feeling the same way.
As they gazed at the restroom, they saw Lao Baotou, the man in charge of transporting the waste, coming around from the back. Upon spotting Zhuang Zhixi, his eyes lit up and he asked, "Xiao Zhuang, I heard they caught a thief in the restroom yesterday?"
Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Yes, but don't worry this time, no one fell into the pit."
Lao Baotou: "..."
You really know what I'm worried about.
However, he had more thoughts on his mind.
Lao Baotou: "Come, Uncle Bao will take a moment of your time. I need to discuss something with you."
Zhuang Zhixi was taken aback but then said, "Alright, wife, you go ahead first."
Ming Mei looked curiously at them, nodded, and said in a soft voice, "I'm leaving."
Zhuang Zhixi squeezed her palm and smiled, "Go ahead, I'll pick you up after work."
Ming Mei rolled her eyes, "You always say you'll pick me up, but you've never succeeded..."
It had become a strange phenomenon. Every time Zhuang Zhixi said he would pick her up, she would finish work early. Not once had it been an exception. Ming Mei looked at Zhuang Zhixi silently, who firmly said, "This time, I will definitely come."
Ming Mei muttered, "I hope I don't finish work early."
Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "If you finish work early today, I'll pick you up tomorrow. If you finish early tomorrow, I'll pick you up the day after. I will definitely pick you up."
Ming Mei pouted, "You don't have to, you work hard too. You don't need to pick me up."
Zhuang Zhixi: "How can I not? It's especially necessary. You're my wife."
Ming Mei smiled happily. She pouted again, "Well... okay."
She waved her little hand, "I'm leaving."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Be careful on your bike."
Ming Mei: "I know!"
She could even ride with both hands off the handlebars, so cool. But she didn't need to tell this guy that.
Ming Mei rode off, and Zhuang Zhixi watched her until she was out of sight. He then asked with a smile, "Uncle Bao, what did you want to talk to me about?"
Uncle Bao: "It's about this public restroom."
Uncle Bao was struggling too.
He was in charge of the public restrooms in the entire eastern district of their street. His job involved collecting waste from each restroom every morning with a tricycle. He started around 3-4 AM when it was just getting light. By the time people went to work, he was almost done.
He never missed a beat in his work. The street was divided into eastern and western districts, and even when they competed, he never lost. Not once!
But recently, in Xinghua Lane, he had been struggling a lot. It wasn't just talk; it was very real. Take the waste pit incident, for example. That day, his work dragged on until noon, and the yield was less than usual.
They, the waste collectors, belonged to the municipal department. After collecting the waste, they had to transport it to the surrounding rural areas to be used as fertilizer.
But that day, how much was wasted. It pained Old Bao.
This affected his work efficiency and reduced the yield, making him very distressed.
Zhuang Zhixi heard this and said, "Uncle Bao, what exactly do you want to say? Just say it directly. You don't need to go through all this."
Uncle Bao: "I just want you to know how difficult it is for me!"
Zhuang Zhixi: "So...?"
Uncle Bao: "I heard this morning that you caught another thief in the restroom. My heart skipped a beat. There are dozens of restrooms in the eastern district, but only the ones in Xinghua Lane have so many problems! I'm really afraid someone else will fall in. I came over this morning with a nervous heart, but luckily, no more incidents."
He sincerely said, "Can't you perform elsewhere? Why does it have to be in the restroom?"
Zhuang Zhixi smiled, nodding in agreement and feeling a bit proud, "Yes, who let us be so heroic? So there are more stories."
Uncle Bao: "..."
That's not really something to be proud of, is it?
He took a deep breath and said, "I'm very worried about this area. So, I want to ask you to write a sign."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Just this small matter?"
So after talking for ten minutes, it's just for this?
Uncle Bao raised his voice, "How is this a small matter? It's a very big deal! It concerns the harvest of farmers in the suburbs and the reputation of this restroom."
Zhuang Zhixi: "..."
Didn't think a restroom had much of a reputation.
"So what do you want written?"
Uncle Bao was troubled here. He said, "That's why I'm asking you. You're a high school graduate, help me think about what to write to prevent people from falling into the restroom?"
He said seriously, "This is the most serious thing!"
Zhuang Zhixi thought for a moment and said, "How about putting up a sign here that says 'No Bathing Allowed'?"
Uncle Bao was stunned, then quickly nodded, "That's good. This is a waste pit, not a place for messing around!"
Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Will you write it yourself, or should I help you?"
Uncle Bao: "I'd appreciate it if you could help."
Zhuang Zhixi said with a smile, "It's no problem, just a small favor. I don't mind helping."
Uncle Bao was very grateful, "You're really a good young man. Thank you so much. I knew you had a quick mind as a scholar. Yes, put up a sign like that, behind the restroom. I think it's good."
Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "I'll have it ready for you tomorrow morning."
Uncle Bao: "Alright, alright."
Zhuang Zhixi could finally go to work. He felt he had done a good deed.
You see, young people should do good deeds often.
Zhuang Zhixi smiled and left. Just then, his mother, Zhao Guihua, came out to use the restroom. Seeing her son from afar, she felt something was off. She wondered what he had done this time. But as a mother, she didn't bother with those details.
And it wasn't just Uncle Bao who had an aversion to this restroom area. Zhao Guihua did too.
After all, she had witnessed the aftermath.
Zhao Guihua came out fastening her pants and saw Auntie Lian and a few other women approaching. Auntie Lian deeply remarked, "What a magical restroom. Sister Zhao, I heard there was another commotion here?"
Zhao Guihua: "You really have a lot of energy."
They came early in the morning just to watch the restroom. What kind of spirit is that? So idle. Truly, quite impressive.
Zhao Guihua: "A thief was caught here last night."
Auntie Lian whispered to the other old ladies, "You know, isn't there a saying that everything happens for a reason? A few days ago, wasn't there a ghost crying here? Maybe that ghost is just, you know, doing her duty. Can't stand thieves, so when a thief comes near the restroom, she uses her supernatural powers to help people catch the thief."
Zhao Guihua: "..."
Are you acting out a ghost story or something?
Rumors spread like this, don't they?
If Zhao Guihua didn't know that the "crying ghost" was just her daughter-in-law, Liang Meifen, who liked to cry in the restroom, she might have believed it.
Auntie Lian's sisters-in-law kept tugging at her sleeve, warning her repeatedly, "Don't spread superstition."
Auntie Lian: "Hey, no outsiders here. Trust me, I know a lot."
She wasn't a fool; she knew what saying such things meant. But when people are struggling to eat, they don't think too much. If she got caught, it wouldn't be bad either. Free food, right?
Whether inside or outside, it's all work.
So Auntie Lian wasn't too worried. She just hoped to use some superstition to trick... err, earn some money for food.
Someone always believes in this stuff.
She smiled, "I'm just saying, I know you won't turn me in."
Everyone nodded and looked at Zhao Guihua.
Zhao Guihua: "I don't have the time for all this. You guys come over just to watch the fun, you really are quite idle."
"Well, there's nothing else to do anyway."
"Oh, by the way, I heard your neighbor got robbed of a lot of money, and even gold jewelry, is that true?"
Zhao Guihua laughed: "You all know about that already?"
"Of course, who doesn't know he's rich? He's always showing off. My seventh uncle's eighth aunt's niece knows he's the richest in this area. If a thief isn't going to rob him, who else would they go for? He's really showing off too much."
Madam Zhou Li's reputation certainly travels far.
This time, the reputation of being rich is probably spreading even further. Zhao Guihua lamented that such a reputation spreading out is not a good thing. Although their family are all working-class people, they don't attract young thieves, but it's better to be cautious than to be targeted.
It's likely that thieves all over the city of Beijing know about their family now.
Zhao Guihua silently hoped that no more thieves would come, and if they did, they wouldn't knock on the wrong door.
"Hey, I heard Jiang Lu's gold jewelry was part of her dowry for her wedding?"
Zhao Guihua: "I left after giving my statement, so I'm not clear on the specifics. I can't compare with those young people, my old bones can't handle staying up all night. I left early, so I don't know the details."
"Oh, you missed out on the gossip."
Zhao Guihua: "That's true."
The group chatted and laughed, dispersing to watch the commotion around the toilet. Auntie Lian quietly approached Zhao Guihua and said, "You live in this area, and this toilet is in such a state, aren't you afraid?"
Zhao Guihua: "???"
Auntie Lian whispered mysteriously, "I have black dog blood, you know, black dog blood is the best for warding off evil spirits, capable of repelling anything unclean. If you're interested, I can give you a bottle. But this stuff is expensive, I can't give it to you for free, just give me the cost..."
Zhao Guihua: "?????"
So, she really was trying to turn her into a customer, huh?
It seems Auntie Lian is really not afraid of getting caught, so obvious, yet so unconcerned.
Ordinary people engaging in superstitious activities aren't as blatant as she is. So her previous "news" seems to have some discrepancies with reality. She remembered the rumor from her past life that Auntie Lian always managed to escape punishment by crying, making a scene, and threatening to hang herself.
Now it seems, Auntie Lian doesn't care if she gets caught at all.
Most likely, she even wishes to get caught to enjoy the free food.
She's probably a penniless old lady, so no one wants to bother with her.
Zhao Guihua smiled calmly: "I'm afraid of everything, but not of ghosts."
She said firmly: "If a ghost really comes to me, I can pin it down and kill it!"
Her tone was resolute and fierce. Auntie Lian swallowed hard, took a step back, and said, "You're fierce, you don't need it at all."
Ghosts are also afraid of evil people.
She missed out on a business opportunity.
Alas!
But Auntie Lian, not having made the sale, started another business, saying, "Hey, I see your clothes are quite old, haven't changed in years, right? I have a way to get some cloth, do you want it?"
Zhao Guihua: "…………………………"
To be honest, she approached Auntie Lian for this very reason, originally thinking that speculation and profiteering were serious matters, but never expected Auntie Lian to be so proactive. Zhao Guihua again felt a sense of wonder, do you really want to go to jail for free food?
However, this time, she said firmly, "I do want it, but my family is big, we don't have enough cloth coupons. If you have a way, you must introduce it to me, I won't let you work for nothing."
Auntie Lian immediately smiled, she knew this business wouldn't fail, there's always a way. Although Auntie Lian seems not to use her brain, she understands well. Such a penniless old lady, if someone takes the initiative to approach, there must be a reason, just not sure which one.
Now she knows, it's for the fabric. If there's business, you have to do it, Auntie Lian said, "Then I'll make the arrangements, set a date, and you come with me then."
Zhao Guihua also smiled: "Good."
Both were quite understanding.
The two exchanged a tacit smile, Auntie Lian looked at Zhao Guihua's courtyard and said, "Your courtyard has a lot of things going on lately."
Zhao Guihua was calm: "It's always been busy, not just recently."
Auntie Lian: "……"
She thought for a moment, thought, no wonder she's so fierce and not afraid of anything.
But she's not afraid, others might be. Like that Jiang Lu, she knows her? That young wife came to her to buy black dog blood. So, can she make money again? Thinking this, Auntie Lian smiled slightly, feeling a bright future.
Zhao Guihua and Auntie Lian agreed and parted ways, Zhao Guihua went home and pondered. She now understood that Auntie Lian certainly wasn't selling real black dog blood, where would she get so much black dog blood to sell?
She could sell it so openly to her, she could certainly sell it to others too.
Zhao Guihua didn't believe she was selling black dog blood.
This time, Zhao Guihua guessed right, Auntie Lian indeed didn't have that much black dog blood, it was all a lie. As an old lady, would she dare to catch a dog? Not even a stray dog, let alone a black one! Where would she dare!
What she sold was chicken blood and duck blood, she could still get a little with her thick-skinned ways. She diluted it herself and sold it just right. This business was smoother than selling cloth.
Zhao Guihua didn't buy it and didn't delve into what she was doing, anyway, it's all about making a living. She went home, grabbed her fishing rod, and rode out on her bike. This time, she was heading to the mountains, she hadn't been there in a long time, the fish in that pond must have grown quite a bit.
Zhao Guihua quickly rode her bike towards the outskirts, she brought along some dry food and didn't plan to return at noon.
In a couple of days, the kids would all be back to school, and Liang Meifen could join her, the two of them would surely have better harvests. Zhao Guihua didn't intend to sell the fish, but eating it herself was great too, a bit of meat is always better than just eating vegetables.
Radish and cabbage, endlessly, she was a bit tired of it.
When life gets better, you especially love vegetables, especially those grown by farmers themselves, they taste especially fragrant even when stir-fried without anything. But after coming back to life, Zhao Guihua didn't feel that way at all.
It hadn't been long, and she already loved fish, loved meat, loved oily food!
As for the health regimen from her previous life, forget it.
She wanted to eat meat!
Indeed, all vegetarianism is an idea that comes after life gets better. When life is hard, she still loves big fish and big meat. Zhao Guihua pedaled her bike to the outskirts. No wonder everyone wants a bike.
It really is convenient.
So, people keep contradicting themselves.
She used to disdain bicycles, but now she finds them delightful.
She used to disdain big fish and big meat, but now she finds them super delicious.
People are like that.
Zhao Guihua didn't force herself to live a healthy life, she didn't live healthily in her previous life either, eating and scolding as she pleased, still living to over a hundred. So there's no need to follow a fixed pattern.
The mountain road wasn't easy, but there were paths, and she could ride her bike.
This is the outskirts of the capital city of Beijing, if it were elsewhere, there wouldn't be such a good mountain road. Zhao Guihua rode her bike up the mountain, suddenly, a sharp brake, feeling something flash past the front of her bike.
Zhao Guihua: "!!!"
White?
Could it really be a ghost?
She shook her head vigorously, thinking she shouldn't have listened to Auntie Lian's nonsense, there's no such thing as a ghost, even if there were, they wouldn't come out in broad daylight! She stopped her bike, stood still, looked around, and after a while, heard a rustling sound, looked closely, oh, it was a little white rabbit.
Zhao Guihua suddenly became energetic, what was this if not a rabbit!
This was braised rabbit head, stir-fried rabbit meat, dry pot rabbit, rabbit meat with chili... gulp!
In short, there are many ways to eat rabbit, Zhao Guihua swallowed her saliva and immediately set a small goal for herself.
This little goal is nothing else but to catch the little white rabbit in front of her. The white rabbit is white and fluffy, perfect for carrots and greens...
Oh no, that's not how the song goes.
But it's delicious with many dishes!
Zhao Guihua decisively steadied her bike and crept stealthily towards the white rabbit... In this moment, she felt like a big bad wolf, but what does it matter? The rabbit is so cute, of course it should be spicy!
Zhao Guihua quickly pounced, but the little rabbit jumped away, nimble and quick. Without a word, Zhao Guihua chased after it.
She didn't believe she couldn't catch a single rabbit!
She had already decided on tonight's menu!
This rabbit, she was determined to eat it!
