Chapter 22: Public Security Comes to Town
2 days ago
Coming out of Zhangshu Town, Su He saw a bridge ahead. Crossing this bridge would lead to Shanlan Village. Shanlan Village, situated by this bridge, held a significant geographical advantage. Before restrictions on commerce were imposed, Shanlan Village made a good profit because everyone passing through the area from the surrounding ten miles had to cross this bridge.
In these days, everything had to be produced according to planned quotas since it wasn't allowed to conduct business. Despite this setback, Shanlan Village managed to be wealthier than other villages, benefiting from its proximity to the town.
After traveling another ten miles, Su He finally reached home. Before he could even set down the water bucket, his elder sister, Su Mei, came out and said, "Hey, He’zi, the city sent a public security officer. Grandpa wants you to come to the brigade."
This statement carried several implications: a public security officer had arrived, and they needed Su He to come over. If Su He had done something wrong, he would surely be frightened. However, if he hadn't, he had nothing to fear even if ghosts knocked on his door at midnight.
Su He asked, "What happened? Why did the city send a public security officer?"
Su Mei replied, "It seems like all the buffalo in the village have been stolen!"
What? Su He's heart skipped a beat as he immediately thought of Ye San Shou! It must have been that guy who did it! Not only had Su He heard him conspiring with a stranger yesterday, but just last night, someone tried to steal Heixing and got hit with a stick by him!
Su He knew it had to be someone familiar. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so familiar with the routes. However, he wasn't sure if the person who got hit was Ye San Shou.
Stealing an entire village's worth of buffalo wasn't a small matter. It would require more than one or two people. Since water buffaloes often formed groups, they were likely to fight back. Plus, they needed to be matched with their calves, or they'd have to make multiple trips. However, stealing water buffalo wasn't safe. The thieves probably wouldn't risk it more than once, so it must have been a group operation with an insider.
"Alright, I'll lock up Heixing and put the bucket back before going," Su He decided. He wasn't in a rush.
Su Mei offered, "I'll take the bucket inside for you. Once you lock up Heixing, head over."
Su He nodded and let Heixing walk into the cowshed on its own. On the way, Su He noticed fresh blood on the ground. It seemed to be from last night. Su He had hit someone with a stick, possibly injuring them. Alternatively, Heixing might have bitten someone, leaving a wound.
"Heixing, stay calm. I'll bring you some fodder tonight," Su He assured. Heixing responded with a loud "moo," which sounded resolute.
Su He patted Heixing's head and didn't bother to tie it up. It wasn't necessary.
Afterward, Su He walked toward the central brigade in the village. Many people were gathered there, including Su He's grandfather, Ye Zhenhan.
Hearing the sound of buffalo, he said to the public security officer, "I think my grandson has returned!"
The public security officer raised an eyebrow and asked, "How do you know?"
Ye Zhenhan said, "All the buffalo in this village have been stolen, and only my grandson's Water buffalo has not been stolen. He rode his Water buffalo to town in the morning, and he should be back now, it should be his Water buffalo."
The public security officer nodded, noncommittal.
But in his heart, he thought, could it be the young man he met on the way?
Su He walked all the way to the center of the village and saw the jeep parked under the banyan tree. He guessed, "I didn't expect the owner of the car I helped fix on the way to be a public security officer!"
"Third grandma, are you still mending shoes?"
After greeting Third Grandma, Su He turned around and entered the brigade headquarters next door!
There were quite a few people sitting here.
The village head Ye Dazhi, Ye Zhenming.
Beside him was the brigade secretary, Ye Zhenbin, who was Third Grandma's husband, and everyone called him Third Grandpa.
There were also a few team cadres, and there was his grandfather Ye Zhenhan, who was the accountant of Nanzhu Village.
Only one person was not familiar, it should be the public security officer.
Su He took a look and it was indeed the owner of the jeep he met on the way.
Before Su He could speak, Ye Zhenhan shouted first, "He Yazi come here, this is the public security officer from the city, you call him Chief He!"
He turned to Chief He and said, "This is my grandson, you just call him He Yazi. The thief who stole the buffalo last night also went to steal my grandson's, but he was hit by my grandson's buffalo and failed to steal it. We heard the sound and came out."
Chief He smiled and said, "It seems like we've met again. Hello, He Yazi!"
Su He nodded, "Hello, Chief!"
Grandpa was a little surprised, "Why? Chief He, have you seen my grandson before?"
Su He was a little anxious, not knowing what to say.
Chief He said, "Yes. When I was coming here, my car broke down halfway, and it was your grandson who helped me fix it!"
Grandpa was a little strange, "He Yazi, when did you learn how to repair cars?"
Su He turned his head quickly and said, "When Uncle Zhi Cheng came back before, I watched him repair it a few times. I also asked a few questions, and I probably understand a little bit!"
Grandpa scolded with a smile, "You He Yazi, you don't understand anything, and you dare to mess around. If you repair it wrong and damage it, you won't be able to pay even if you sell yourself!"
Su He laughed a few times and didn't say much.
Grandpa's words were actually protecting him. If it was damaged, it would be troublesome.
Although Su He was confident, he was still very good at mechanics.
At least at this time, people would definitely not be as good as him.
Chief He smiled and said, "It's okay. If it wasn't for He Yazi, I wouldn't have been able to get here so quickly."
After saying a few words, Chief He began to ask, "By the way. Although you helped me repair the car, I still have to ask, what was the situation with the Water buffalo thief last night? I heard that you also hit the thief with a stick?"
Su He didn't know who said it, but he nodded and said, "Yes. I heard Heixing in the middle of the night, oh, Heixing is my Water buffalo, he called out several times in the middle of the night. Then my dog Heizi rushed out and bit the thief a few times! When I came out, I grabbed a stick in my hand, and when I saw the man rushing towards me, I subconsciously hit the thief with a stick!"
Chief He pressed his hand down and said, "It's okay. Even if you were injured, you were beating a Water buffalo thief, it's okay. Don't be afraid! Do you have any evidence for what you said?"
Su He shook his head, and then thought of the bloodstains outside the cattle pen, and said, "Well, there are bloodstains left by the thief who was bitten by Heizi outside my cattle pen!"
Chief He immediately proposed to go and have a look. Su He had no objection, and took Chief He to his home.
Chapter 22: Public Security Comes to Town
2 days ago
Coming out of Zhangshu Town, Su He saw a bridge ahead. Crossing this bridge would lead to Shanlan Village. Shanlan Village, situated by this bridge, held a significant geographical advantage. Before restrictions on commerce were imposed, Shanlan Village made a good profit because everyone passing through the area from the surrounding ten miles had to cross this bridge.
In these days, everything had to be produced according to planned quotas since it wasn't allowed to conduct business. Despite this setback, Shanlan Village managed to be wealthier than other villages, benefiting from its proximity to the town.
After traveling another ten miles, Su He finally reached home. Before he could even set down the water bucket, his elder sister, Su Mei, came out and said, "Hey, He’zi, the city sent a public security officer. Grandpa wants you to come to the brigade."
This statement carried several implications: a public security officer had arrived, and they needed Su He to come over. If Su He had done something wrong, he would surely be frightened. However, if he hadn't, he had nothing to fear even if ghosts knocked on his door at midnight.
Su He asked, "What happened? Why did the city send a public security officer?"
Su Mei replied, "It seems like all the buffalo in the village have been stolen!"
What? Su He's heart skipped a beat as he immediately thought of Ye San Shou! It must have been that guy who did it! Not only had Su He heard him conspiring with a stranger yesterday, but just last night, someone tried to steal Heixing and got hit with a stick by him!
Su He knew it had to be someone familiar. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so familiar with the routes. However, he wasn't sure if the person who got hit was Ye San Shou.
Stealing an entire village's worth of buffalo wasn't a small matter. It would require more than one or two people. Since water buffaloes often formed groups, they were likely to fight back. Plus, they needed to be matched with their calves, or they'd have to make multiple trips. However, stealing water buffalo wasn't safe. The thieves probably wouldn't risk it more than once, so it must have been a group operation with an insider.
"Alright, I'll lock up Heixing and put the bucket back before going," Su He decided. He wasn't in a rush.
Su Mei offered, "I'll take the bucket inside for you. Once you lock up Heixing, head over."
Su He nodded and let Heixing walk into the cowshed on its own. On the way, Su He noticed fresh blood on the ground. It seemed to be from last night. Su He had hit someone with a stick, possibly injuring them. Alternatively, Heixing might have bitten someone, leaving a wound.
"Heixing, stay calm. I'll bring you some fodder tonight," Su He assured. Heixing responded with a loud "moo," which sounded resolute.
Su He patted Heixing's head and didn't bother to tie it up. It wasn't necessary.
Afterward, Su He walked toward the central brigade in the village. Many people were gathered there, including Su He's grandfather, Ye Zhenhan.
Hearing the sound of buffalo, he said to the public security officer, "I think my grandson has returned!"
The public security officer raised an eyebrow and asked, "How do you know?"
Ye Zhenhan said, "All the buffalo in this village have been stolen, and only my grandson's Water buffalo has not been stolen. He rode his Water buffalo to town in the morning, and he should be back now, it should be his Water buffalo."
The public security officer nodded, noncommittal.
But in his heart, he thought, could it be the young man he met on the way?
Su He walked all the way to the center of the village and saw the jeep parked under the banyan tree. He guessed, "I didn't expect the owner of the car I helped fix on the way to be a public security officer!"
"Third grandma, are you still mending shoes?"
After greeting Third Grandma, Su He turned around and entered the brigade headquarters next door!
There were quite a few people sitting here.
The village head Ye Dazhi, Ye Zhenming.
Beside him was the brigade secretary, Ye Zhenbin, who was Third Grandma's husband, and everyone called him Third Grandpa.
There were also a few team cadres, and there was his grandfather Ye Zhenhan, who was the accountant of Nanzhu Village.
Only one person was not familiar, it should be the public security officer.
Su He took a look and it was indeed the owner of the jeep he met on the way.
Before Su He could speak, Ye Zhenhan shouted first, "He Yazi come here, this is the public security officer from the city, you call him Chief He!"
He turned to Chief He and said, "This is my grandson, you just call him He Yazi. The thief who stole the buffalo last night also went to steal my grandson's, but he was hit by my grandson's buffalo and failed to steal it. We heard the sound and came out."
Chief He smiled and said, "It seems like we've met again. Hello, He Yazi!"
Su He nodded, "Hello, Chief!"
Grandpa was a little surprised, "Why? Chief He, have you seen my grandson before?"
Su He was a little anxious, not knowing what to say.
Chief He said, "Yes. When I was coming here, my car broke down halfway, and it was your grandson who helped me fix it!"
Grandpa was a little strange, "He Yazi, when did you learn how to repair cars?"
Su He turned his head quickly and said, "When Uncle Zhi Cheng came back before, I watched him repair it a few times. I also asked a few questions, and I probably understand a little bit!"
Grandpa scolded with a smile, "You He Yazi, you don't understand anything, and you dare to mess around. If you repair it wrong and damage it, you won't be able to pay even if you sell yourself!"
Su He laughed a few times and didn't say much.
Grandpa's words were actually protecting him. If it was damaged, it would be troublesome.
Although Su He was confident, he was still very good at mechanics.
At least at this time, people would definitely not be as good as him.
Chief He smiled and said, "It's okay. If it wasn't for He Yazi, I wouldn't have been able to get here so quickly."
After saying a few words, Chief He began to ask, "By the way. Although you helped me repair the car, I still have to ask, what was the situation with the Water buffalo thief last night? I heard that you also hit the thief with a stick?"
Su He didn't know who said it, but he nodded and said, "Yes. I heard Heixing in the middle of the night, oh, Heixing is my Water buffalo, he called out several times in the middle of the night. Then my dog Heizi rushed out and bit the thief a few times! When I came out, I grabbed a stick in my hand, and when I saw the man rushing towards me, I subconsciously hit the thief with a stick!"
Chief He pressed his hand down and said, "It's okay. Even if you were injured, you were beating a Water buffalo thief, it's okay. Don't be afraid! Do you have any evidence for what you said?"
Su He shook his head, and then thought of the bloodstains outside the cattle pen, and said, "Well, there are bloodstains left by the thief who was bitten by Heizi outside my cattle pen!"
Chief He immediately proposed to go and have a look. Su He had no objection, and took Chief He to his home.
