Chapter 23: Clues
Yesterday
Ye Zhenhan listened to Su He but wasn't sure what Su He was planning to do. He simply nodded and replied, "Hmm."
Su He contemplated for a while, which the two elders saw but said nothing.
His Heixing wasn't like others—it wouldn't easily be led away by a stranger. Even if someone used the rope to control its nose, he would surely make some noise!
Su He then remembered the piece of cloth left on the ground in the cattle pen, that was definitely stained with ether! This was definitely the work of a group, and the culprit couldn’t have gone far. They must have used something to drag the buffalo away. With such a commotion, it was impossible not to have heard anything!
In such darkness, how did they move the buffalos? Moreover, the cattle pen are built inside the courtyard. Moving the buffalo out would certainly pass through the doors, making it impossible to avoid making noise!
Chief He, upon hearing Su He inquire about the buffalo, and seeing him frown, was curious about the youth, especially after Su He had helped him repair a car.
"What? Do you have something?" Chief He asked.
Su He shook his head, then nodded, confusing Chief He even more!
Ye Zhenhan said, "Do you really have something? If not, don't make wild claims and delay the investigation!"
The buffalo in this village were not few in number—there were over thirty! With the busy farming season approaching, the rice needed to be planted. If the buffalo were missing, it would be a big problem. Normally, one could borrow a few buffalo from other villages, but during farming season, would anyone lend out their buffalo?
Chief He understood Ye Zhenhan's concern and waved his hand, "It’s fine! Just say it. Everyone’s opinion could be a reference!"
Su He rubbed his nose and said, "Well, yesterday evening, the thief left a piece of cloth in my cattle pen. I smelled something sweet on it, but it made my head spin. I had heard that some dangerous people used it to take away children. So, I think they used that to drug the buffalo and then took them away!"
Chief He's eyes brightened—this was a major breakthrough! He knew about ether; in a previous case of child abduction, criminals had used ether to drug the children.
"Let's go, show me!" Chief He said eagerly.
There were bloodstains on the ground, but when Su He took Chief He to see the piece of cloth, they found it was missing!
Chief He asked, "Where is it?"
Su He was puzzled too and hurriedly called out, "Elder sister, elder sister!"
Su Mei came out from the house and saw the group – the unknown one must be from public security office.
Su he immediately asked, "Who came to the cattle pen today?"
Su Mei frowned and shook her head, "No one!"
Su He was puzzled. If no one had been there, how could the piece of cloth disappear for no reason? But Su Mei couldn’t have been watching the pen all the time, so someone could have come and gone unnoticed.
At that moment, Su Yucheng returned from outside and saw Su He standing by the cattle pen with serious expression. He looked at them with guilty expression, then opened his mouth, but hesitated.
Lowering his head, Su Yucheng seemed ready to rush into the house!
Furrowing his brow, Su He shouted, "Su Yucheng, come here!"
He had a feeling that Su Yucheng was acting strange!
Of course, Su Yucheng couldn't have stolen the buffalo, but how could the piece of cloth disappear without reason?
Hearing Su He's call, Su Yucheng dashed into the yard as if he had seen a cat chasing a mouse, shouting, "Dad, Mom, Su He wants to hit me!"
While running, Su Yucheng also shouted: "Dad, Mom, He Yazi is going to beat me!"
Su He was so angry that he wanted to grab Su Yucheng and beat him right then and there! Calling him ‘He Yazi’ was equal to saying you are smaller than me by age.
In this entire family, everyone else was manageable, except for Su Yucheng! The others still had their family in mind, and with a little guidance from Su He, they could be persuaded to change. But Su Yucheng, who had been spoiled since childhood and was just like his unreliable uncles, difficult to reform!
All of this was thanks to their unreliable parents who raised them.
When Su He entered the house, Ye Chuanxiu came out with red eyes. Though she didn’t know what had happened, Ye Chuanxiu said to him, "He's your younger brother, don't keep hitting him!"
After yesterday's incident, Ye Chuanxiu tone wasn't filled with confidence against Su He anymore, so her words were softer.
Su He didn't know if it was because of his outburst yesterday or for some other reason, but it looked like situation can be turned to his favor.
Su Yucheng stood beside Ye Chuanxiu, looking smug.
Su He sighed inwardly and asked, "Su Yucheng, what were you doing in my cattle pen today?"
Ye Chuanxiu was puzzled, "He thinks that place is dirty and has never gone there."
Animals of any kind inevitably poops. You can't make them hold it in, right? So can a pampered child ever go there?
{Buffalo dung is valuable in the villages. It's great fertilizer for farms, and in winter, it makes excellent fuel. Don't doubt it; many rural folks use this.}
Su Yucheng retorted, "Exactly! That place is so dirty, that's why I don't bother going!"
But his eyes were shifty!
Su He knew Su Yucheng must have been there, but it was just his gut.
The more Su Yucheng denied it, the more certain Su He became.
He didn't know how to bring it up, but from the corner of his eye, he saw that the snacks he had left on the table in the main hall were all gone. Only an oil-paper wrapper remained!
It was needless to say; most of those snacks were probably eaten by Su Yucheng. Su Rong might have equal amount, but she definitely won't be more than Su Yucheng!
If she were, Su Yucheng would launch a major call! Summon the parents!
Su He looked at Su Yucheng and said, "Let me tell you, if you tell me who let you take that piece of cloth from my cattle pen, I'll give you a few pieces of candy to eat!"
As he spoke, Su He took out a few pieces of candy from the bedroom storage room of the Preservation Warehouse.
Su Yucheng glanced around but still refused to speak, instead looking at Ye Chuanxiu.
Ye Chuanxiu moved her mouth as if to speak, but Su He interrupted, "If you don't say, I won't give you any. I was too soft-hearted this morning. I even left some snacks for you all to eat. Let me tell you, this time, if you don't say, I'd rather throw these few pieces of candy into the cesspool than give them to you!"
Su Yucheng said to Ye Chuanxiu, "Mom, look at He Yazi, he won't even give me candy! You hit him!"
Su He heard Su Yucheng's lack of respect and immediately shouted, "If you continue to disrespect me, even if mom protects you, I will still beat you. I bet mom can't be with you every time! I will hit you when you are alone!"
Su Yucheng wanted to to have that candy, but he was frightened by what Su He said. He now wanted to say the truth but was even more frightened by Su He’s eyes, which had changed.
He often went out to play, and he was alone most of the time.
If Su He wanted to hit him, he could run away, but his legs were shorted than Su He.
He was not as fast as Su He, and his hands were not as strong!
"Mom, look at him!" Su Yucheng complained.
"Hey, son, you can't hit him. He's your younger brother!" Ye Chuanxiu replied. This time her tone became even softer.
"Mom, are you spoiling him like this? He eats and drinks well, dresses well, and has everything he needs. I don't say anything about pampering my younger brother, but not this much. He doesn't show any respect for anyone. Yesterday, he spoke that way to Xiao Nanhua. Aren't you afraid he'll turn out like his unreliable uncles? Are you really going him to let him be like his uncles, who are always like those hooligans? How long… just how long will you look after him? Can you support him for a lifetime?" Su He argued.
Chapter 23: Clues
Yesterday
Ye Zhenhan listened to Su He but wasn't sure what Su He was planning to do. He simply nodded and replied, "Hmm."
Su He contemplated for a while, which the two elders saw but said nothing.
His Heixing wasn't like others—it wouldn't easily be led away by a stranger. Even if someone used the rope to control its nose, he would surely make some noise!
Su He then remembered the piece of cloth left on the ground in the cattle pen, that was definitely stained with ether! This was definitely the work of a group, and the culprit couldn’t have gone far. They must have used something to drag the buffalo away. With such a commotion, it was impossible not to have heard anything!
In such darkness, how did they move the buffalos? Moreover, the cattle pen are built inside the courtyard. Moving the buffalo out would certainly pass through the doors, making it impossible to avoid making noise!
Chief He, upon hearing Su He inquire about the buffalo, and seeing him frown, was curious about the youth, especially after Su He had helped him repair a car.
"What? Do you have something?" Chief He asked.
Su He shook his head, then nodded, confusing Chief He even more!
Ye Zhenhan said, "Do you really have something? If not, don't make wild claims and delay the investigation!"
The buffalo in this village were not few in number—there were over thirty! With the busy farming season approaching, the rice needed to be planted. If the buffalo were missing, it would be a big problem. Normally, one could borrow a few buffalo from other villages, but during farming season, would anyone lend out their buffalo?
Chief He understood Ye Zhenhan's concern and waved his hand, "It’s fine! Just say it. Everyone’s opinion could be a reference!"
Su He rubbed his nose and said, "Well, yesterday evening, the thief left a piece of cloth in my cattle pen. I smelled something sweet on it, but it made my head spin. I had heard that some dangerous people used it to take away children. So, I think they used that to drug the buffalo and then took them away!"
Chief He's eyes brightened—this was a major breakthrough! He knew about ether; in a previous case of child abduction, criminals had used ether to drug the children.
"Let's go, show me!" Chief He said eagerly.
There were bloodstains on the ground, but when Su He took Chief He to see the piece of cloth, they found it was missing!
Chief He asked, "Where is it?"
Su He was puzzled too and hurriedly called out, "Elder sister, elder sister!"
Su Mei came out from the house and saw the group – the unknown one must be from public security office.
Su he immediately asked, "Who came to the cattle pen today?"
Su Mei frowned and shook her head, "No one!"
Su He was puzzled. If no one had been there, how could the piece of cloth disappear for no reason? But Su Mei couldn’t have been watching the pen all the time, so someone could have come and gone unnoticed.
At that moment, Su Yucheng returned from outside and saw Su He standing by the cattle pen with serious expression. He looked at them with guilty expression, then opened his mouth, but hesitated.
Lowering his head, Su Yucheng seemed ready to rush into the house!
Furrowing his brow, Su He shouted, "Su Yucheng, come here!"
He had a feeling that Su Yucheng was acting strange!
Of course, Su Yucheng couldn't have stolen the buffalo, but how could the piece of cloth disappear without reason?
Hearing Su He's call, Su Yucheng dashed into the yard as if he had seen a cat chasing a mouse, shouting, "Dad, Mom, Su He wants to hit me!"
While running, Su Yucheng also shouted: "Dad, Mom, He Yazi is going to beat me!"
Su He was so angry that he wanted to grab Su Yucheng and beat him right then and there! Calling him ‘He Yazi’ was equal to saying you are smaller than me by age.
In this entire family, everyone else was manageable, except for Su Yucheng! The others still had their family in mind, and with a little guidance from Su He, they could be persuaded to change. But Su Yucheng, who had been spoiled since childhood and was just like his unreliable uncles, difficult to reform!
All of this was thanks to their unreliable parents who raised them.
When Su He entered the house, Ye Chuanxiu came out with red eyes. Though she didn’t know what had happened, Ye Chuanxiu said to him, "He's your younger brother, don't keep hitting him!"
After yesterday's incident, Ye Chuanxiu tone wasn't filled with confidence against Su He anymore, so her words were softer.
Su He didn't know if it was because of his outburst yesterday or for some other reason, but it looked like situation can be turned to his favor.
Su Yucheng stood beside Ye Chuanxiu, looking smug.
Su He sighed inwardly and asked, "Su Yucheng, what were you doing in my cattle pen today?"
Ye Chuanxiu was puzzled, "He thinks that place is dirty and has never gone there."
Animals of any kind inevitably poops. You can't make them hold it in, right? So can a pampered child ever go there?
{Buffalo dung is valuable in the villages. It's great fertilizer for farms, and in winter, it makes excellent fuel. Don't doubt it; many rural folks use this.}
Su Yucheng retorted, "Exactly! That place is so dirty, that's why I don't bother going!"
But his eyes were shifty!
Su He knew Su Yucheng must have been there, but it was just his gut.
The more Su Yucheng denied it, the more certain Su He became.
He didn't know how to bring it up, but from the corner of his eye, he saw that the snacks he had left on the table in the main hall were all gone. Only an oil-paper wrapper remained!
It was needless to say; most of those snacks were probably eaten by Su Yucheng. Su Rong might have equal amount, but she definitely won't be more than Su Yucheng!
If she were, Su Yucheng would launch a major call! Summon the parents!
Su He looked at Su Yucheng and said, "Let me tell you, if you tell me who let you take that piece of cloth from my cattle pen, I'll give you a few pieces of candy to eat!"
As he spoke, Su He took out a few pieces of candy from the bedroom storage room of the Preservation Warehouse.
Su Yucheng glanced around but still refused to speak, instead looking at Ye Chuanxiu.
Ye Chuanxiu moved her mouth as if to speak, but Su He interrupted, "If you don't say, I won't give you any. I was too soft-hearted this morning. I even left some snacks for you all to eat. Let me tell you, this time, if you don't say, I'd rather throw these few pieces of candy into the cesspool than give them to you!"
Su Yucheng said to Ye Chuanxiu, "Mom, look at He Yazi, he won't even give me candy! You hit him!"
Su He heard Su Yucheng's lack of respect and immediately shouted, "If you continue to disrespect me, even if mom protects you, I will still beat you. I bet mom can't be with you every time! I will hit you when you are alone!"
Su Yucheng wanted to to have that candy, but he was frightened by what Su He said. He now wanted to say the truth but was even more frightened by Su He’s eyes, which had changed.
He often went out to play, and he was alone most of the time.
If Su He wanted to hit him, he could run away, but his legs were shorted than Su He.
He was not as fast as Su He, and his hands were not as strong!
"Mom, look at him!" Su Yucheng complained.
"Hey, son, you can't hit him. He's your younger brother!" Ye Chuanxiu replied. This time her tone became even softer.
"Mom, are you spoiling him like this? He eats and drinks well, dresses well, and has everything he needs. I don't say anything about pampering my younger brother, but not this much. He doesn't show any respect for anyone. Yesterday, he spoke that way to Xiao Nanhua. Aren't you afraid he'll turn out like his unreliable uncles? Are you really going him to let him be like his uncles, who are always like those hooligans? How long… just how long will you look after him? Can you support him for a lifetime?" Su He argued.
