The police also sensed something off and decided to take Wang Fenfang to the station for questioning.
Wang Fenfang panicked, “I really don’t know you, but you two look alike. You don’t need to look to know you’re sisters. What’s wrong with that?”
As she shouted loudly, several neighbors turned on their lights and came over to ask what was happening.
Seeing the police, they all got scared and didn’t dare to ask more or come inside.
Police: “Comrade Wang Fenfang, we are not accusing you of robbing Comrade Zeng Shuyue. We just need your family to come to the station to explain. Please cooperate.”
Wang Fenfang muttered to herself, thinking, fine, I’ll go.
But when she went to get the cotton jacket, she instinctively tried to grab the one she wore last night.
Seeing the torn sleeve, she realized something was wrong and hurriedly shut the closet.
Her every move was seen by Zeng Shuyi.
At this time, Lin Ziye stubbornly refused to open the door.
He was afraid to go to the police station and shouted, “Mom, Dad, please save me! I don’t want to go, I’m scared!”
He cried loudly, which made Wang Fenfang’s heart ache.
“Officer, my son is still young and has never been to the police station. How about we go with you, and he can stay at home?”
The police had already made up their minds.
“No, there are three suspects, and one has a head injury. All must go to the station for questioning.”
“Oh, he’s only sixteen, still a kid. You keep calling him a suspect and it’s scaring him.”
While Wang Fenfang negotiated with the police, Zeng Shuyi opened the closet and found the cotton jacket.
She held it up.
“Officer, I found it. Look, this is the evidence!”
The sleeve of the jacket was torn.
The piece she had bitten off was taken to the station as evidence.
Wang Fenfang lunged forward but was dodged by Zeng Shuyi.
“You brat, what are you doing messing with my stuff?”
Zeng Shuyi didn’t waste time arguing and handed the jacket to the police.
When the jacket was in the officers’ hands, Wang Fenfang wanted to grab it back but didn’t dare.
“Officer, let me explain. This jacket was already torn. I swear on my life, I’m not a bad person. I’m a good person!”
“No need to explain. All of you are coming to the station now!”
Two officers grabbed Wang Fenfang’s hands.
Lin Shanliang said it wasn’t his business, while Lin Ziye was dragged out of the room.
Outside the Lin family home, a crowd gathered, curious about the commotion.
Seeing the Lin family members being led away by the police, everyone whispered.
Zeng Shuyi said, “They were committing robbery.”
“What? Wang Fenfang dared to rob someone?”
“This is so scary!”
“I always thought Wang Fenfang wasn’t a good person. She’s always fierce and doesn’t get along with anyone in our building. Sure enough, she’s no good.”
People had been tired before, but hearing this, they started gossiping.
At the police station, Lin Ziye’s head injury and the cotton jacket were both evidence.
Wang Fenfang knew she couldn’t deny it and hurried to defend herself.
“Officer, I didn’t really rob anyone. I just wanted to scare her a little. I swear on my life, I’m not a bad person. I’m a good person!”
In the interrogation room next door, Lin Shanliang was passing the blame.
“Officer, it’s not my fault. My wife dragged us out. She didn’t say what we were doing. We only found out when we got there. I really wasn’t involved in any conspiracy. You can tell I’m a good person just by looking at me!”
In another interrogation room, Lin Ziye trembled with fear.
Before the police asked a question, he confessed everything out of fear.
“My mom said Zeng Shuyue took her job. She was angry and wanted to scare Zeng Shuyue so she wouldn’t dare go out at night and lose the job. Officer, we didn’t plan to rob anyone. Of course, my mom said she’d share some of the money with me. I was happy, but I just listened to my mom.”
Comparing the statements from the three, the police understood what had happened.
It was already past midnight, about one a.m.
Outside, the sky was pitch black.
Zeng Shuyi and her sister first waited for their parents to arrive.
Zeng Qingliang saw his two daughters and lowered his voice.
“This is so embarrassing. How did it come to the police station?”
Zeng Shuyi snapped back, “Dad, second sister didn’t do anything wrong. She works honestly. She was robbed, and we reported it. What’s embarrassing about that?”
“Did I mean that?” Zeng Qingliang was at a loss for words but wanted to say something else.
“I meant, why do you have to do this? It sounds bad when told. You’re a nanny — back in the old days, that was called a servant. Do you know what servants are?”
Zeng Shuyue bit her lip tightly.
She knew being a nanny didn’t sound good, but she had never had anyone say it to her face, especially not her own father.
She could endure hardship and earn money on her own, but being called a servant?
She had pride.
Before Zeng Shuyi could speak, Zeng Shuyue said,
“Dad, if I don’t work as a nanny, what should I do? You want my eldest brother to take over mom’s job, apprenticing with Xiang Min’s master. What about me? Have you ever thought about that?”
Even clay has some feelings.
Seeing her usually obedient daughter question him like that, Zeng Qingliang was speechless.
He stood there awkwardly, unable to come up with a reply.
He paced around and awkwardly asked the police if they could go home.
Lin Jiazhen held her daughter’s hand and cried, “Did they hit you?”
Zeng Shuyue said she was pushed twice.
“Mom, did I really do something wrong?”
Her pride was shattered by her own father.
She desperately wished someone could comfort her, give her courage.
Lin Jiazhen stroked her daughter’s face.
“You did nothing wrong. It’s your parents’ fault for not arranging a better job for you.”
Zeng Shuyue bit her lips, tears flowing uncontrollably as she tightly hugged her mother.
“Wuuu, I’m so scared. I’m so tired.”
Zeng Shuyi also hugged her mother and sister.
“Second sister, you did nothing wrong. Earning your own money is admirable. Wang Fenfang and her family are scoundrels—you don’t need to be sad because of bad people. And of course, our dad isn’t a good person either. Don’t listen to him.”
Just then, Zeng Qingliang walked over…
“The investigation is complete. You can go home now,” said the investigating officer.
“It’s confirmed Wang Fenfang was the ringleader. She was jealous that Comrade Zeng Shuyue took her job. Regardless of the reason, the robbery happened. Rest assured, they will face legal consequences.”
Zeng Shuyi curiously asked, “Will they be sentenced?”
“Wang Fenfang definitely will be. Lin Ziye will probably be sent to a juvenile detention center.”
That put Zeng Shuyi’s mind at ease.
“Thank you. You’ve worked hard all night.”
“You’re welcome. Serving the people is our mission.”
Zeng Shuyi held her second sister’s arm as the family headed home.
“Second sister, did you hear that? The bad guys will be punished. So don’t be afraid.”
But the incident left a shadow in Zeng Shuyue’s heart.
Zeng Shuyi suggested her sister could stay at the Zhou family’s since she left early and came home late, and Shengnan mostly slept at home anyway.
“We can’t just give up the job, right? That would be giving in to Wang Fenfang’s wishes,” Zeng Shuyi said as they lay down for the night.
Without a job, Zeng Shuyue had no income, and finding a new one would be even harder.
In the darkness, Zeng Shuyue sighed, wishing she could be as bold and fierce as her little sister so she wouldn’t be bullied.
That night passed quickly because Zeng Shuyue had to work at the Zhou family’s.
Since it was winter break, she didn’t have to take the two kids to school and could start an hour later.
Zeng Shuyi, worried about her sister, wasn’t selling goods that day and decided to accompany her.
Along the way, Zeng Shuyue stopped at a pharmacy and bought a box of Tiger Brand Circulatory Pain Relief Ointment for her sister.
“Here, put this on. It still hurts a lot, right?”
There was no Tiger Brand ointment at home.
They came back late last night, and Zeng Shuyi didn’t care much, just went to bed.
Seeing the ointment her sister handed her, Zeng Shuyi felt warm inside and smiled, supporting her second sister.
“It doesn’t hurt, not at all anymore. Second sister, you’re so thoughtful. I forgot all about it.”
“How could it not itch? Remember to apply it when you get home.”
Zeng Shuyue saw the gate of the family compound and said goodbye to her sister.
“Shengnan, thanks for taking care of things. I can come home early on New Year’s Day. Your brother-in-law wrote a letter and will come after the holiday.”
“Okay, don’t worry about it. You focus on work. Mom and I will take care of Shengnan.”
Zeng Shuyi watched her second sister enter the family compound.
Just as she was about to ride her bike home, she saw Chen Pan coming out.
She couldn’t help but glance twice.
Huh, does he live in the family compound?
While Zeng Shuyi was thinking that, Chen Pan also saw her.
The sun was shining, and a gentle breeze brushed past their faces.
Chen Che first raised his hand and waved, “Comrade Zeng, what a coincidence. What are you doing here?”