The moment the inspection team entered the village, they drew the villagers’ attention. Everyone straightened up to stare, whispering among themselves and wondering what these people had come to do this time.
When Sun Wenbin saw them, he immediately threw down his hoe and hurried over. At last, he could deal with that bitch Xiao Mandong. Once she was arrested, she would have a very hard time of it.
The brigade leader and Secretary Liu had been hoeing the fields. Hearing the commotion, they quickly tossed aside their farming tools as well.
Secretary Liu forcefully slapped the mud from his trouser legs and hurried to greet them.
“Director Huang, welcome! What brings you here?”
As he rubbed the mud from his palms, Secretary Liu forced out a polite smile. “You can see my hands are covered in dirt, so I can’t very well shake yours. I hope you don’t mind. This way, please. We can discuss matters at the brigade office.”
Director Huang hurriedly waved his hands, putting on a strictly businesslike expression.
“You’re too kind, Secretary Liu. We received a report claiming that the educated youth in your village, Xiao Mandong, is hiding prohibited antiques and clinging to the privileges of her former family. We’ve come to investigate. Where is Educated Youth Xiao now?”
The moment Secretary Liu saw these people, his eyelids had begun twitching. He had already guessed that, nine times out of ten, they had come looking for Xiao Mandong.
“Educated Youth Xiao has been admitted to a Workers’, Peasants’, and Soldiers’ college. She’ll be reporting to the school in a few days, so she’s at home packing. I’ll show you the way.”
Secretary Liu knew there was no way he could stop a search ordered from above. He could only go along and find out exactly what was going on.
Director Huang had a fairly deep impression of Xiao Mandong. He had also learned from Liu Mengyao about Xiao Mandong’s connection to Director Lin’s family and knew that she was a benefactor of the Lin family. He had never expected this educated youth to be so capable—or to secure a place at a Workers’, Peasants’, and Soldiers’ college.
Director Huang quickly weighed the pros and cons. Until the matter was settled, he could not afford to offend Xiao Mandong.
Led by the brigade leader, the group headed straight for the stone house. A crowd of villagers followed behind to watch the spectacle, with Wang Yuanyuan and Sun Wenbin close on their heels. Wang Yuanyuan’s delight at Xiao Mandong’s misfortune was impossible to hide, and she could barely keep the corners of her mouth from lifting.
At the same time, a frantic pounding suddenly rang out from outside Xiao Mandong’s courtyard gate.
“Bang, bang, bang! Xiao Mandong… Open up! Xiao Mandong, hurry and open the door!”
The gate swung open. Sweat clung to the wisps of hair on Jian Qiuyue’s forehead, and her chest heaved violently as she gasped for breath. She looked utterly frantic.
“The inspectors said someone reported that your family is hiding prohibited antiques. They’ll probably search the house. I… I only came to warn you. I’m leaving now.”
Before Xiao Mandong could ask anything else, Jian Qiuyue turned and ran down the path.
Xiao Mandong had never expected Jian Qiuyue to come and warn her. She couldn’t understand it. Jian Qiuyue seemed to help her, intentionally or otherwise, again and again. Why?
Very few people were willing to get involved in something like this, yet Jian Qiuyue had risked coming here. What was her reason?
Xiao Mandong was still pondering the matter when she had just sat back down on the brick bed. Then the gate was knocked on again.
Knowing that Director Huang had arrived, Xiao Mandong unhurriedly went to open the gate. A dark mass of people stood outside.
“Director Huang, what brings you here? I suppose someone has reported me again, hasn’t he? Who’s so determined to keep tabs on me?” Xiao Mandong’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “I only just got my admission spot, and someone’s already trying to destroy me.”
Director Huang was speechless.
How was he supposed to respond to that? As if he had wanted to come here!
If the report hadn’t contained that hidden identifying symbol, he would have sent it straight to Director Lin in exchange for a favor.
Hopefully, nothing would go wrong this time. Ideally, he could still trade this matter for a favor from Director Lin.
“Ahem! Educated Youth Xiao, I’m sorry. This is our job, and we have no choice. We’re simply conducting a routine investigation.”
Director Huang’s attitude surprised even Secretary Liu. This Director Huang rarely spoke so courteously to anyone. He certainly hadn’t acted this way the last time he came. What had changed?
“You’re too kind, Director Huang. I have nothing to hide, so I’m not afraid of an investigation. But what exactly have I been reported for this time?”
At that point, a young officer standing beside Director Huang stepped forward. He lifted his chin and struck an imposing pose, looking thoroughly arrogant.
“Comrade Xiao Mandong, we received an anonymous report claiming that your family is hiding prohibited antiques. We need to conduct a search, and we require your cooperation.”
With that, the young officer tried to enter the courtyard.
Xiao Mandong immediately stretched out an arm to stop him. “Wait a moment. You may search, but there must be villagers present to supervise.”
“What if one of the informant’s accomplices has slipped in among you and secretly plants evidence in my home? Wouldn’t I be thrown into the Yellow River and still be unable to wash away the stain? I’d be the one suffering for nothing.”
“Xiao Mandong, you’re talking nonsense! We’re carrying out official duties.”
“You dare slander revolutionary comrades and make malicious accusations!” the young officer retorted sharply.
Director Huang’s face darkened as well, his eyes growing inscrutable.
“Comrade Xiao Mandong, don’t openly resist the investigation or disrupt the order of the movement.”
“Don’t worry. We believe in evidence and won’t wrong any good comrade.”
“Besides, you need to understand your position. Why would we need your permission to search wherever we want?”
“You’re making a fuss over nothing. If you refuse to cooperate and deliberately obstruct the inspection team’s search, I’ll contact the public security bureau and have them assist with the investigation.”
Director Huang had not expected Xiao Mandong to say all this. Although he had indeed intended to handle things that way, the symbol on the report was clearly meant to get Xiao Mandong sent away. He didn’t know the exact purpose, but his plan had been to put her inside first. Once she was there, even if someone came to rescue her, he could still use the opportunity to earn a favor.
But now that Xiao Mandong had said it openly in front of all the villagers, matters would not be so easy.
“Director Huang, there’s no need to get so worked up.”
“I’m merely concerned that someone is trying to undermine the relationship between the cadres and the masses. Otherwise, why would you search a person’s home based on an unsupported accusation?”
“I don’t believe that you would search someone’s home just because anyone could scribble a note and hand you a letter.”
“I’m only a minor educated youth, yet you’ve come after me twice already. I have serious reason to suspect that I’ve somehow offended someone and that they’re deliberately targeting me. Director Huang, you must give me justice!”
“Educated Youth Xiao has a point,” Secretary Liu hurriedly agreed.
“Director Huang, if you fail to find any evidence again this time, I’ll have no choice but to report the matter to the commune. I strongly suspect that someone is targeting our village and deliberately stirring up trouble.”
Secretary Liu understood perfectly well that if anything was found, he would not escape responsibility either.
Besides, Xiao Mandong had only just received her admission notice for the Workers’, Peasants’, and Soldiers’ college, and this incident had immediately followed. It was hard not to suspect that someone was deliberately trying to sabotage her.
The muscles in Director Huang’s face twitched. With things being said so plainly and so many villagers watching, what else could he do?
If he refused to allow them to supervise the search, then even if something was found, people would question it. He might even invite trouble.
In the end, he could only grit his teeth and say, “Fine. Find someone to accompany you. Don’t worry—we guarantee that the search will be fair, impartial, and open.”
“I’ll do it. I believe Educated Youth Xiao. I can supervise the search.”
