"Brother Run Sheng, it was lucky you left me at the town market yesterday. That’s how I ended up at the police station. The uncles and aunts at the station gave me lots of snacks, and finally, an uncle even rode a motorcycle to take me home," he chuckled.
Run Sheng felt his mind was in a fog,
but he still instinctively responded,
"Yeah, that’s right."
Secretary Jin covered her mouth and laughed, her eyes revealing a hint of mockery and relief.
Hmm, she thought she was quite clever and also confirmed that the boy didn’t recognize her since she had worn a mask last night.
Li Zhiyuan waited on the side to listen to Ding Dalin’s purpose, but the two elders started reminiscing about their wartime camaraderie.
The main thing was that these two old men were strongmen captured after the Japanese surrendered, so there weren’t any heroic stories to tell.
His own Grandmaster had fought all the way from the Northeast, entered the pass, and captured Pingjin, breaking through Huaihai.
Ding Dalin, on the other hand, went westward, eventually stationed in Southeast Asia. However, he did boast that he was a veteran of the expeditionary forces.
It was obvious to see, his own Grandmaster was very enthusiastic to chat. After all, the people of his age in the village had either died or were not coherent in conversation, rare to find another old man with a clear mind.
But Ding Dalin was evidently a little uninterested. Li Zhiyuan noticed that several times he wanted to change the topic, but a Grandmaster immersed in conversation pulled him back.
Finally, as lunch time was nearing, Ding Dalin had to lay his cards on the table,
"I heard that there was a death in Big Beard’s house recently, two of them?"
Li Sanjiang immediately frowned and asked, "What are you asking this for?"
Seeing Li Sanjiang’s reaction, Ding Dalin briefly exchanged a glance with Secretary Jin and then continued to ask,
"Marquis Sanjiang, tell me, how did those two people die?"
The deaths of Big Beard and his son were a taboo for Li Sanjiang, and he immediately waved dismissively, somewhat disagreeably, and said,
"It’s said they drank alcohol at night, bragged about who swam better, went to the pond to compete, and drowned."
"Really? I heard you were the one who pulled their bodies out?"
"Ah, yes, what about it?"
"I also heard that the two corpses were extremely bloated when they were retrieved. Is that so?"
"A corpse will swell after being soaked in water."
"But in just one night? It’s not like soaking dried mushrooms."
"This... I don’t know."
"Think more specifically about it."
"Lunchtime is near; why think about such matters? Let’s not talk about it during meals, so we don’t ruin our appetite."
"It’s not that pressing."
"How could it not be? How long has it been since you visited home? Let’s have a good drink at lunch today and let you taste our hometown cuisine again."
"Actually, Marquis Sanjiang, I have a reason for asking. I am old, thinking of returning to my roots, so I plan to buy a house in the village.
Isn’t Big Beard’s house for sale? I think the price is quite suitable."
"That’s difficult. Although you used to be from this village, your household registration is no longer here. The homestead is collectively owned by the village, and only villagers can buy and sell."
"That’s simple, I give you money, you buy it, and I live there."
"How could that be possible?"
"Nothing’s impossible. How much longer can I live? Money is an external thing; I’ve long seen it that way. After I die, leave that house to your great-grandson."
Li Sanjiang deliberately turned his head to glance at Li Zhiyuan standing on the side. Honestly, he was tempted.
Ever since removing Little Yuanhou’s household registration in Beijing, he had felt guilty inside. How about preparing more property for Little Yuanhou? Even if village houses aren’t worth much, at least it’s a piece of land.
"If you trust me, I can help you handle it, but you’d better change to a different house to buy."
"Why?" Ding Dalin’s tone became excited, and he pursued, "Is there something wrong with Big Beard’s house?"
"Hmm, it’s a bit unclean."
Li Sanjiang had seen Little Huang Ying walk into the pond with his own eyes. Last time during the corpse recovery, he dared not go too deep, fearing a pair of hands below would pull him down.
If the house is handed over to Little Yuanhou in the future, wouldn’t that mean Little Yuanhou would have to be neighbors with the corpse?
"Unclean? Be specific, is it the house or somewhere else that has issues? Marquis Sanjiang, don’t blame me for asking, it’s a house for retirement, so I must be cautious.
I stayed in Southeast Asia for a long time; over there, people are actually more superstitious and taboo-conscious than us."
"That pond has had deaths, you think, living there, walking onto the dam every day, facing that pond, how unsettling."
"That’s nothing unless there’s really something wrong with that pond. If you give me a definitive answer, if you say there is, I won’t buy it, I’ll switch to another."
"Okay, then I’ll switch to another!"
"Then I’ll ask on your behalf, see if there is anyone else in the village intending to sell their house?"
"Alright then, I’m leaving."
"Hey, stay for a meal." Li Sanjiang’s invitation was genuine. After all, the man had given two sums of money to the younger generation, it was appropriate to keep him for a meal.
"No, I have a lunch appointment, need to dine with the mayor."
"Alright, then I won’t keep you, come again another day."
"Certainly, certainly."
Secretary Jin helped Ding Dalin down the dam, and after getting into the car, Ding Dalin’s expression turned somber,
"It seems right, the pond in front of Big Beard’s house is the main spot."
"Boss, that boy called Xiao Yuan..."
"What about that boy?"
"Nothing, just that he looks very nice."
Having already understood the reason why the boy was with the police last night, Secretary Jin didn’t bother to bring it up again.
"Ha, why concern yourself with someone else’s child, you could be his mother.
Alright, back to business.
The next step is to buy Big Beard’s house, then have our people disguise as a theater troupe to set the stage and celebrate the new home, and conduct digging at night.
We’ve even used the bait site, so the ones buried in the main spot must be of significant status, and there must be valuable things in the tomb.
Once this gig is done,
Li Zhiyuan held a coin in his hand, standing on the dam, watching as the car drove off in the distance.
These water monkeys had actually found the main spot, Ding Dalin and his company were aiming for the pond at Big Beard’s house.
So now, should he call the police or help Little Huang Ying?
Li Zhiyuan looked down at the coin in his hand, muttering quietly, "Leave it to fate, heads for calling the police, tails for helping Little Huang Ying."
The coin was tossed, landed, and trembled before stabilizing.
Li Zhiyuan nodded, picked up the coin, blew on it,
"So it’s fate, help Little Huang Ying first, then call the police."