Volume One, Chapter 12: Dividing the Spoils

“I’m putting it out there today: if anyone dares to deny our family a share of the meat, no one will get a single piece.” Yang Xiangxi shoved aside those in line ahead of him, hands on his hips, exuding the air of a local tyrant.

“If the team isn’t giving your family meat, there must be a reason. You’d better clear off and stop wasting everyone’s time here.”

A young man behind, seeing someone causing trouble and trying to hoard the meat, clenched his fists and stepped forward, pointing at Yang Xiangxi’s nose with a string of curses. Some even pulled Yang Xiangxi aside, but he hurled insults back at them.

Yang Jianshe, seeing this, grabbed Yang Xiangxi’s arm and roughly yanked him aside, his molars grinding audibly. “Want to know the reason? Go ask your mother what she’s been up to today. Stop making a fool of yourself here.” Then he called everyone back to line up.

Winter days are short; if they kept dawdling, night would fall soon.

Thankfully, Xia Niannan appeared just in time, pulling people apart so the stool didn’t smash over Hou Aixiu’s head. Had it landed, Hou Aixiu’s sons and daughters-in-law would have torn Li Meihua’s bones apart.

That would have made Yonghe Village infamous in this area.

Yang Xiangxi, scowling, wanted to argue with Yang Jianshe, but a few villagers suddenly surrounded him, and a loud quarrel broke out.

Gu Nanzhou glanced over, gave Liu Zheng a look, then focused on the figure who stood out awkwardly in the crowd.

If not for Yang Jianshe mentioning the introduction letter and Xia Niannan’s name a few days ago, how could he have linked that poor girl, constantly bullied at home by her own mother, to the fake boy begging on the ground to kidnappers?

What puzzled him was when Xia Niannan and Wang Cui had become acquainted. His people had investigated; Xia Niannan had lived in Modu until she was ten, then moved back to the capital city and had never left since.

Xu Aiqin had only one younger brother working at the capital’s public security bureau, and no relatives in the northwest.

Wang Cui’s natal family was from Jiangzhou; she married Yang Zhuzi a year ago and had never been to the capital or Modu. The two had no conceivable connection.

Moreover, with Xia Niannan’s skills, he doubted Xia Guoan had the ability to teach her.

His grip tightened; a bad premonition crept in but was quickly suppressed.

What should have been a one-hour meat distribution dragged on for over two, thanks to Yang Xiangxi’s commotion. The cold made people curse each other’s ancestors alive while standing in place.

“If it weren’t for Captain Gu and the others being here today, those few boys from our village wouldn’t have spared Yang Xiangxi’s ass.”

...

“This time, we really owe it to your sister. If she hadn’t suddenly pulled me back, my head would’ve been bashed open by that shameless bastard.”

Hou Aixiu grew more agitated as she spoke, grinding her molars, pouring out all her grievances from the past.

Because she and Wang Cui’s grandmother came from the same village and were close, Li Meihua grew jealous and looked down on them. She even spread rumors in the village that the two had been involved with men before, that Hou had aborted a pregnancy and was infertile because of it.

Her husband was foolish enough to believe Li Meihua’s lies, quarreling with her daily at home. Their first child was lost in a fight with the husband.

“Your grandmother-in-law was a good woman. If Li Meihua hadn’t constantly stirred up trouble, she wouldn’t have fallen ill and…” Hou Aixiu wiped a tear from her eye, suddenly chuckling. She leaned toward Wang Cui and whispered, “Just now, when there were so many people around, I slapped Yang Xiangxi twice on the back of his head.”

She had really put some strength into those slaps, her hand hurt afterward.

Wang Cui, sitting on the kang bed, laughed so hard her whole body trembled.

By the stove, Xia Niannan’s lips curved slightly at the corners when she heard this. After Hou Aixiu struck, Xia Niannan had taken the chance to kick Yang Xiangxi twice before running off unseen.

That bastard had threatened her today; this was the consequence.

Hou Aixiu stayed at Wang Cui’s house for over an hour. As dusk approached, she reluctantly left.

Looking at the neatly washed cotton-padded jacket with a faint sun-dried scent laid on the kang, Wang Cui smiled, tears streaming down her face.

Her birth mother had died early; she said she came to seek relatives but really was fleeing hardship. Her grandmother-in-law had been kind before she passed, but now only Hou Aixiu’s family was willing to help.

“Aixiu auntie’s stitching is exquisite. I might never learn to sew that well in my lifetime.” Xia Niannan took out a brand-new one-piece cotton jacket from the bottom and placed it before Wang Cui for her to see.

No family was wealthy now; few could afford new cotton and fabric to make clothes, especially for someone else’s child.

Touching the pristine garment, Wang Cui nodded. She had to admit Hou Aixiu’s needlework was truly skilled.

She vowed to repay this kindness once her child was older.

...

“The authorities have confirmed it: three people, gender unknown. They suspect these three have likely infiltrated the previous batch of sent-down youth.”

Gu Nanzhou took a deep drag of his cigarette, lowering his gaze to the list of informants and assigned production teams handed to him by Gao Chen.

This time, the sent-down youth were assigned to three locations: Yonghe Village, Changliu Village, and Yuanshang Village. Each village received about ten youths.

The closest to the base were Yonghe and Changliu villages, but they couldn’t guarantee the three suspects would be concentrated in one place; they might be dispersed, one in each village.

Or they could be using different identities; no one could say for sure.

“How’s the investigation progressing?” Gu Nanzhou put down the list and looked into Gao Chen’s eyes.

Gao Chen flicked ash from his cigarette, his expression serious. “As you suspected, the Xia family has no photos of the sister-in-law, so your theory isn’t impossible.”

No photos, no acquaintances, and coming with an introduction letter to find Gu Nanzhou made it all legitimate—far better than suffering undercover among the sent-down youth.

Just as Gao Chen was about to ask if Gu Nanzhou wanted him to act, the other interrupted.

“Don’t report this yet. I have a plan.”

Hearing this, Gao Chen was slightly surprised but showed no emotion, nodding. He then stubbed out his cigarette, cocked his head, and gave Gu Nanzhou a teasing smile. “Don’t lose your heart just because of her beauty.”

He knew what kind of man Gu Nanzhou was; the remark was only a joke.

But that young woman really was beautiful—fair-skinned, tall, with large, sparkling eyes. Gao Chen felt Gu Nanzhou didn’t deserve her.

Gu Nanzhou ignored him, waved the men out, and as they left, he could still hear Gao Chen’s triumphant laughter fading behind the door.