Chapter 87
Tian Jian Ming hoped that the military official who came in wouldn't notice him. But this wishful thinking never came true.
That military official soon noticed his presence and interrogatingly hollered, "Who are you to Qiu Xin Yong? What's your name?"
Tian Jian Ming's legs trembled: "My... my name is Tian Jian Ming. Not part of Qiu Family."
Qiu Xin Yong raised his head and glanced at his nephew when he heard the end part.
The military official laughed: "So you are Tian Jian Ming. Perfect! Save us another trip. Come and arrest him for me!"
Two soldiers stepped forward and grabbed Tian Jian Ming's arms.
Tian Jian Ming was like a weak skinny chicken. He didn't even dare to resist. Only weakly shouted, "Did you arrest the wrong person? I'm not part of Qiu Family. My surname is Tian!"
The military official responded: "You're the one we're arresting! Someone reported that you were messing around and caused the other party to commit suicide by jumping into the river. If it wasn't for your maternal uncle protecting you, you would have been arrested and paraded in the streets long ago!"
Tian Jian Ming's face instantly turned pale: "I... I didn't. She got together with me voluntarily. I didn't force her from beginning to end!"
The military official looked at him like he was a fool; talking to him was a waste of his saliva.
Tian Jian Ming panicked even more when he saw this. His heart kept sinking; sinking down to a-never-appearing bottom.
Soldiers of the armed forces raided Qiu's house until it was upside down.
If they didn't raided, they won't have known. Now that they did, they were shocked!
Qiu Family actually had a basement, which hid a large amount of antique jewelry and gold, as well as countless other good things. In Qiu Xin Yong's mother's room, more than 10,000 cash was found!
Currently the monthly salary of the employee in the town was 30 yuan. The cadres were 40 to 50 yuan. Even if one save all the money without drinking or eating, they have to save for more than 20 years!
However, so much money can be casually raided out of Qiu's house. How could it not be shocking?
Qiu Family's daughter and Mother Tian were so scared that their faces were bloodless. Huddled together, they trembled and cried. They could already imagine how miserable they would be in the days to come.
In the end, Qiu Family and Tian Family were all arrested.
The armed forces came to arrest people with guns. Many people witnessed this scene. So the news of Qiu's house being raided quickly spread throughout the town.
Those who had been persecuted by Qiu Family and Tian Family before were so excited that they burst into tears. Immediately, they all gathered together and uniformly ran to the government to report Qiu and Tian Family's evil deeds.
The wall fall when everyone pushed.
The people who used to be friends with Qiu Family and Tian Family completely disappeared and lived with their tails between their legs. They feared that they would be implicated. However, most of these people weren't clean either. They either became redundant or had their homes raided.
The turmoil lasted for half a month before it calmed down. The cadres in the town were washed and a lot of worms were replaced.
Qiu Xin Yong was directly sentenced to death because of his numerous crimes. Tian Jian Ming was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Qiu Family and Tian Family were more or less involved. The serious ones were sentenced according to the specific circumstances. The less serious ones were all thrown to the farm for reform.
After hearing that Qiu Xin Yong had been reported, county magistrate got his niece to break the engagement with Tian Family on the spot. Who would have thought that Lin Miao was a love-minded person. At this point, she was crying and begging her family to save Tian Jian Ming!
This was dragging the whole family into the water to die together. How can Lin Family listen to her?
Lin Miao was locked up. She cried a lot and threw tantrum. She even used hunger strike to force her family but it was to no avail. In desperation, she became seriously ill. After she recovered, she suddenly disappeared one morning.
Lin Family was furious and worried. They had to find her though. After more than ten days, Lin Miao was found. She ran to the farm and said that she was Tian Family's daughter-in-law and wanted to share weal and woe with Tian Family!
When the community director heard that there was a fish that slipped through the net and took the initiative to bring herself to the door, he imprisoned her on the farm without even thinking about it.
After Lin Family found out, they announced that they cut ties with Lin Miao. Her life and death had nothing to do with Lin Family!
When Qiao Family knew that Qiu and Tian Family had received their retribution, they celebrated with joy.
Good news came one after another. The food factory manager sent someone to the production team to inform Qiao Zhen Jun that he could go back to the factory and continue to work. Once he works for half an year, he'll become a permanent employee.
Qiao Zhen Jun can be considered to gain a blessing in disguise. Nowadays, the number of permanent employees in the food factory was limited. There was a hole for each radish. It was very difficult to get permanent job.
Lin Hui's eyes were red with joy. She hurried back to her maternal home to tell her mom the good news. When Wang Qiu Ying found out, her chest puffed out. She immediately went out with a bowl to "chat" with others.
Once the villagers knew that Qiao Zhen Jun got his job back and that he could become a permanent one, they were all envious.
Qiao Zhen Min rushed back from the county before Qiu Xin Yong's gunshot execution and went to the prison to visit Tian Jian Ming.
For Tian Jian Ming, these days were the most difficult days since he was born. He couldn't eat enough or sleep well. The place where he was detained was damp and smelly. There were bed bugs and fleas everywhere. He was bitten on the first day he entered. A rash was all over his body now.
Putting these aside, the most painful part was that he was beaten by criminals in the prison every day. What's more, his 'innocence' had been endangered on the first day he came in.
At this moment, he slowly moved in a strange gait. The prison guard impatiently pushed him: "Hurry up!"
With this push, he staggered and almost fell to the ground. With this movement, there was a sharp pain in his chrysanthemum. This made his facial features twisted.
F*ck, when were these days going to end?
He really can't take it anymore!
When Qiao Zhen Min saw Tian Jian Ming's haggard appearance, he was very relieved: "God has eyes. Serve you right!"
Tian Jian Ming gave him pointed glare: "I really underestimated your Qiao Family. We shouldn't have let you off back then!"
Qiao Zhen Min frigidly looked at him: "Let go? When did you let our Qiao Family off? You just don't want the county magistrate to know about your evil deeds. That's why you haven't touched Qiao Family for the time being. Don't yourself appear so kind and compassionate!"
Tian Jian Ming's facial features contorted in fury. Then he suddenly raised his head and wildly laughed: "So what if you bought us down? Your wife had been slept by me, no? By the way, she also said that you are not good there..."
BOOM!
Blinded by fury, Qiao Zhen Min jumped up and punched him hard in the face!
Tian Jian Ming's nose stung. Two lines of warm blood immediately flowed out of his nose. But before he could react, he eaten another punch and was pushed to the ground by Qiao Zhen Min. Fists fell on his face like raindrops.
"Save me! Murder! Prison guard!" He was beaten to point of having no power to fight back and could only cry for help.
However, the prison guard disappeared after sending him into this room. If he could go out at this time, he would see the prison guard standing on the other side; turning a blind eye to the cry for help inside.
Qiao Zhen Min coldly stated, "I advise you to save your energy. Even if you yell your throat hoarse, no one will come to save you!"
Before he came in, Shen Shi Kai had arranged everything for him long ago. As long as he didn't kill him, he can do as he like.
Only then did Tian Jian Ming realize. Both hatred and unwillingness brewed in his heart. Still, he begged for mercy: "Elder Brother Qiao, I was wrong. I really know I was wrong, but it was your wife who seduced me first... She said you wouldn't let her go to the county and blamed her for losing your daughter..."
No matter what he uttered, Qiao Zhen Ming's fists didn't hesitate at all. He beat Tian Jian Ming until his nose was blue and his face was swollen before letting him go.
Not a part of Tian Jian Ming's body didn't ached. He thought it was over but heard Qiao Zhen Min coolly looked at him and spoke...
"You're a talented kid. Your maternal uncle is so good to you. And you can stab him his back. I wonder how Qiu Family will deal with you when they find out?"
In order to reduce the punishment for himself, Tian Jian Ming took the initiative to confess what Qiu Family had done. Some of these weren't in the report materials.
If it weren't for him, Qiu Xin Yong's eldest son wouldn't have to be sentenced to death and the punishment for the other two sons wouldn't have been so severe. Although Qiu Family deserved it, Tian Jian Ming was truly a petty person.
Hearing Qiao Zhen Min's words, Tian Jian Ming's heart thumped. His whole body uncontrollably trembled.
He endured the pain and got up from the ground. Holding the other's legs, he begged for mercy: "Elder Brother Qiao, please let me go. I really know I'm wrong!"
His two cousin brothers were in jail with him. If they knew what he had done, they would torment him to death!
He still had to spend fifteen years in prison. For such a long time, he has to face two enemies. He couldn't stop shaking at the thought.
Qiao Zhen Min kicked him away and his lips curled: "It's too late to realize your wrongdoing."
After saying that, he turned around and walked out. When he opened the door, Tian Jian Ming saw two people standing at the door. These two people were none other than the two cousin brothers from Qiu Family!
Tian Jian Ming collapsed to the ground. With a roll of his eyes, he suddenly fainted.
...
As Da Qiao picked wild vegetables in the East Forest, she muttered, "If only I could catch a wild chicken."
Tomorrow was Elder Huo Chi's birthday. In addition to the gifts that she had prepared a long time ago, she still wanted to make him something delicious. But she didn't want to trouble her family.
As soon as her words fell, a wild child flapped its wings and ran out from the bushes. It happily clucked.
When Da Qiao saw the wild chicken, her eyes instantly lit up. She was about to take a stone to knock it unconscious, when the pheasant ran to her, fell to the ground, and stopped moving.
Da Qiao:"……"
What was going on?
How can this wild chicken send itself to the door to die?
Da Qiao blinked her big almond eyes. After thinking for a long time, she couldn't come up with a reason. She simply gave up then. Anyway, the ingredients were already in hand. Tomorrow she will be able to cook something delicious for Elder Brother Huo Chi!
She tied up the wild chicken and hid it in a hidden bush to make sure no one would find it before she went home with the basket.
The next day, she asked Mom to do a beautiful fishtail braid for her. Then she went out with a small basket.
Little Dong Lin and little Yi Ming wanted to follow. But no matter how much they acted cute, Da Qiao didn't soften her heart.
It wasn't that she didn't want to let her younger brothers go, but Elder Brother Huo Chi said that he wanted to spend his birthday alone with her. Though she wanted, she couldn't.
Little Dong Lin and little Yi Ming watched their elder sister go away with tears in their eyes. Internally, they regarded Huo Chi as their top-tier enemy.
Da Qiao and Huo Chi sneaked into West Wood and came to their usual spot, the waterfall.
Because the other end of West Wood was still dense with fog and full of traps, the production team locked the entrance to this end with a bamboo door to prevent children from running in.
But a small door wasn't much difficulty for Huo Chi.
Da Qiao took out the items in the basket one by one. The first one taken out was a bag of crispy fried green beans.
Qiao Family's private plot had been replaced by wolfberry trees. Now, they can only grow some vegetables that for their daily consumption in the yard. This batch of green beans was left over from the past. The beans were very full.
After frying the green beans, she stir-fried them with chili peppers and other seasonings. It tasted spicy and crispy. When one take a bite, it crunches. Extremely crispy.
"Bring this back to Grandpa Huo and Auntie Fang to eat. This is a great snack. It's a new recipe that I recently came up with!"
While stuffing the bag over, Da Qiao introduced it to him. She didn't forget to praise herself.
The corners of Huo Chi's mouth curled up. He was already used to her vain habit of boasting about herself. If one day she didn't praise herself, he mightn't be used to it!
Da Qiao continued to take out things. In addition to some food, there was also a small purse. It was embroidered with a boy and a girl. The two were roasting chicken and eating.
Huo Chi held the purse and touched the embroidery on it with his hand. His heart felt warmth: "Your gift... I like it very much."
Da Qiao smiled and responded, "It great that Elder Brother Huo Chi likes it. Last time you were angry with me for this. I was sad for a while. You're not angry anymore?"
Before, she wanted to make some purses for her godmother and her family. Since the quantity was too large and she wasn't skilled enough in embroidery, she didn't prepare his share.
But after Elder Brother Huo Chi accidentally found that she hadn't prepared for him, he turned around and left on the spot. Then he deliberately avoided her for two or three continuous days. Although he took the initiative to reconcile with her later, she knew he was angry that she didn't make a purse for him.
Huo Chi's face turned red with a "swoosh". He forcefully defended himself: "I'm not mad at you. You misunderstood."
Da Qiao looked at him with her big eyes: "No? But last time you obviously ignored me for a good few days..."
Huo Chi's ears turned red now: "It's all in the past. Don't talk about it. I'll clean up the wild chicken."
After he finished speaking, he quickly stood up, grabbed the chicken on the ground, and bolted as if he was running away.
When Da Qiao saw Elder Brother Huo Chi's reaction, she was very puzzled. After thinking about it for a while, she dropped it and went to pick up dead branches to make a fire.
Huo Chi ran to the edge of the waterfall. His face was still hot.
He wasn't actually angry with Da Qiao last time. When he heard that she made purses for everyone and not him, he felt depressed.
He dumped the wild chicken on the ground. After washing his hands, he took out his purse to look at it again. The corners of his mouth hooked up.
He really liked this gift and will definitely treasure it!
After staring it for a while, he carefully put the purse into his pocket and started killing the chicken.
Once the chicken was all sorted, Da Qiao had successfully started the fire.
Da Qiao accepted the wild chicken from Elder Brother Huo Chi. She smeared a layer of lard and salt on the chicken and then stuffed the ginger, chives, minced garlic, peppercorns, carrot pieces, and potato pieces prepared in the morning into the wild chicken's stomach.
After marinating for half an hour, it was inserted on a stick and roasted over the fire.
As soon as the roast chicken was put on the fire, there was a crackling sound. After a while, a taste fragrance wafted up. The two almost drooled.
Half an hour later, the roasted chicken was cooked. The skin was crispy, while the flesh was tender and spicy. Although the meat was a little bit tougher than the domesticated chickens, it didn't affect its deliciousness at all!
Huo Chi tore off a big drumstick and handed it to Da Qiao: "Your favorite drumsticks. Both are for you."
Da Qiao accpeted it over. Her eyes curved in delight: "One is enough for me. Elder Brother Huo Chi, you eat the other. By the way, my grandfather said that there must be a beginning and an end in doing things. Today is Elder Brother Huo Chi's birthday. This chicken head and chicken butt is Elder Brother Huo Chi's too."
Huo Chi: "..."
Qiao Nian Nian, are you serious?
Huo Chi's mouth twitched as he stared at her. The other party blinked at him with bright and clean eyes with three words written in the bottom of her eyes: I am serious.
In the end, Huo Chi didn't eat the chicken head and chicken butt. He used an excuse of wanting to share the chicken. The chicken head and chicken butt ended up in Pi Pi's stomach.
...
The office of Lieutenant General Jiang in the army.
Wang Yan Sheng knocked on the door and walked in. He gave a military salute.
Lieutenant General Jiang waved his hand and spoke, "There's no one else here. Don't be so stiff. There's already news from Qiu Xin Yong's side."
Saying that, he threw a document in front of him.
Wang Yan Sheng picked up the documents and skimmed through it. When he saw that Qiu and Tian Family had been raided, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
These two families had been eliminated. Qiao Family will not have to worry about being schemed against in the future.
He put the document in and responded, "I must thank you, Lieutenant General Jiang. If it weren't for you, this matter would definitely not be resolved!"
Lieutenant General Jiang picked up the enamel tank and took a sip of water: "Don't be in a rush to say thank you. I only gave a third of my strength to this matter. Besides us, there were also people in Baocheng's side who started to attack Qiu Xin Yong. It was the work of few forces that pulled that guy down!"
Wang Yan Sheng immediately thought of Qiao Family's god-relatives, Shen Family.
Shen Family was very kind. Ordinary people couldn't wait to hide when they encounter such a thing. How could they possibly help? What's more, they and Qiao Family were just god-relatives.
Just when he was pondering, he heard Lieutenant General Jiang continue: "Our side can act so quickly, thanks to Commander-in-chief Liang's help. If it wasn't for him, this matter would definitely not have been solved so quickly!"
Hearing Commander-in-chief Liang being mentioned, Wang Yan Sheng was stunned.
A youthful and lively figure immediately appeared in his mind. His brows immediately wrinkled.
When Lieutenant General Jiang saw his reaction, he knew that he had guessed the underlying important factor: "I don't have any connections that side. So I mentioned it to Commander-in-chief Liang. He was originally unwilling to help. At that time, Comrade Dong happened to hear our discussion. She pleaded Commander-in-chief Liang to help us. You have to thank Comrade Dong."
Wang Yan Sheng's brows furrowed even tighter. He was silent for a while before uttering, "I understand!"
Lieutenant General Jiang put the enamel tank aside and said, "Comrade Dong is a good comrade. Commander-in-chief Liang's side also have intention to match you two. It's just you are already engaged. So you have to handle it well and mustn't make mistakes, understand?"
Wang Yan Sheng gave a military salute again: "I understand!"
After coming out of Lieutenant General Jiang's office, Wang Yan Sheng contemplated how to return this favor and how to make the other party give up.
Unexpectedly, he saw Dong Li Li halfway on the road.
The other party was wearing a blue dress with two braids. She was standing downstairs waiting for him.
He took a deep breath and walked over: "Comrade Dong, are you waiting for me?"
Dong Li Li's cheeks turned red with a 'thump'. She bit her lip and nodded, "Yes, I'm waiting for you, Colonel Leader Wang."
Dong Li Li was pretty; melon face with big eyes, slender figure, beautiful and fashionable dress, plus a lively and cheerful air. Many men like her.
But in Wang Yan Sheng's eyes, she had become a hot potato now.
He was silent for a while. He decided to cut the mess with a quick knife: "Comrade Dong, Lieutenant General Jiang has already told me Commander-in-chief Liang's help. On behalf of myself and my fiancée's family, I thank you!"
Seeing that he took the initiative to come to find her, Dong Li Li felt like she was wrapped in honey. Who knew that he would mention his fiancée as soon as he opened his mouth.
Her heart immediately sank. The blush on her face dissipated: "Colonel Wang... Do you like your fiancée very much?"
Wang Yan Sheng nodded without hesitation: "Yes, I like her dearly. I have been thinking of marrying her since I was fifteen. But at that time I had no ability and my family was very poor. So for her, I joined the army and became a soldier. I made a mistake though. I didn't let her know my heart. That's why, she got married in my third year in the army!"
Dong Li Li gasped. Her eyes widened: "You mean... your fiancée is divorced?"
Wang Yan Sheng nodded again: "Not only is she divorced, she also has a child. I don't care. As long as I can marry her, I will be satisfied!"
It felt terrible to hear someone you like talk about their love for another woman!
Dong Li Li grabbed the corner of her clothes. Her eyes were a little red: "Why? Is it because I appear later than her? Which part of me can't compare to her?"
Wang Yan Sheng responded: "I have known her since I was eleven years old. When I was about to starve to death, her appearance saved me. So in my heart, no one can surpass her! You are wonderful. A decent girl. In the future, you will definitely meet someone who cherishes you."
At this point, how could Dong Li Li not understand?
Her eyes and nose were sour to the point of extreme discomfort. She choked: "I see."
After speaking, she turned and ran away.
Wang Yan Sheng watched her back. He remained silent for a moment before turning and walked upstairs.
Dong Lili sobbingly ran back to her dormitory. Because she had a single-person dorm, she could cry as much as she wanted.
Once she was tired of crying, she fell asleep on the bed and had a dream.
In the dream, she still liked Wang Yan Sheng very much. For his sake, she refused the family's arrangement. Since he wouldn't marry, she didn't marry either. Finally, when Wang Yan Sheng was thirty-three years old, she married him.
It was just that the married life wasn't as good as she imagined. No matter how hard she tried, Wang Yan Sheng was always lukewarm. Later, she realized that he had a woman hidden in his heart. Even though that woman was dead, he still couldn't forget it.
She collapsed at the time. How could she compare to a dead woman?
Her family persuaded her not to care. Still, she just couldn't let it go. So in the days to come, she kept arguing with him. The house was in chaos. Daughter was often frightened into tears. She didn't care though. She was only focused on forcing him to forget that woman.
They tortured each other like this for ten years. In the end, she couldn't take it anymore. After divorcing him, she abandoned her daughter and went to abroad alone.
After going abroad, she lived a life of indulgence and depravity. She met a foreigner. Under his influence, she touched things that she shouldn't touch. She end up dying in a foreign country.
She hadn't reached forty years old when she died.
When she woke up from her dream, Dong Li Li found herself in a cold sweat.
She remembered the scene in the dream. It felt so real like she had truly experienced it.
She felt aggrieved for the her in the dream. At the same time felt that she was too unpromising in the dream. For a man, she actually made herself like that!
She didn't want to end up like the dream. She stood up and washed her face. Seeing her red and swollen eyes in the mirror, she decided to give Wang Yan Sheng up today.
...
Buying a bicycle required fifty industrial coupons. With the joint efforts of Shen Family, Chu Family, and Qiao Zhen Min, the fifty industrial coupons were quickly gathered.
On August 1st, Qiao Family bought a Phoenix bicycle back.