When Lin Wenhui heard Liu Mengyao’s words, she hurriedly retorted, “Sister Mengyao, my mother said Mandong is my biological sister. She’s not an outsider.”
At Lin Wenhui’s words, Liu Mengyao’s face turned livid with anger.
Xiao Mandong bought some pastries, peach cakes, and other snacks at the supply and marketing cooperative before following Lin Wenhui to the Lin family’s home.
At the police family compound, Xiao Mandong looked like Grandma Liu visiting the Grand View Garden, praising everything she saw.
“This is the most beautiful residential compound in the city. Just look at these neat red-brick and tiled houses. Are all the homes here the same size, or are they assigned according to rank?”
“Of course they’re assigned according to rank. Isn’t that obvious?” Liu Mengyao rolled her eyes. What a country bumpkin. She didn’t even use her brain when she spoke. She really couldn’t understand what the Lin family saw in her.
“I was just curious. The last time I came, I was in such a hurry that I didn’t have a proper look around.”
“If that’s what you mean, then that little Western-style house must belong to a leader, right?”
Xiao Mandong pointed toward the most beautiful two-story house nearby.
A smug smile spread across Liu Mengyao’s face.
“Of course. That’s my uncle’s home. My uncle is the director of the Revolutionary Committee, so naturally he gets to live in the best house.”
Xiao Mandong concealed the disdain in her eyes and put on an expression of admiration.
She felt that tonight was the perfect time to act. She didn’t want to wait any longer. She wanted to cut through the mess quickly and decisively.
As they chatted, they soon arrived at the gate of the Lin family’s home.
Lin Wenhui pushed open the wooden door and called brightly into the courtyard, “Mom, Sis, look who’s here!”
As soon as she finished speaking, Mrs. Lin hurried out of the house. The moment she saw Xiao Mandong, her face lit up with a warm smile. She came forward and took Xiao Mandong by the hand.
“Oh, you’re finally here, child! Come inside. Wenya talks about you every day.”
At that moment, Director Lin also came out of the main room. His manner was exceptionally warm and courteous.
“Mandong, you never come unless we invite you. Don’t you consider this your home? Come inside.”
Xiao Mandong smiled until her eyes curved into crescents. “Uncle Lin, Auntie Lin, if you put it that way, I’ll have to come and bother you often.”
Laughing and chatting, they went inside together. Lin Wenya only came out of the bedroom after hearing the voices. The moment she saw Xiao Mandong, she took her hand and pulled her toward the inner room.
“You never come to visit us. Even my son misses you.”
Liu Mengyao watched the scene with disdain and jealousy in her eyes.
She was about to become the Lin family’s proper daughter-in-law, yet every time she came over, they had never welcomed her with such enthusiasm.
They really didn’t know how to appreciate things. Why were they fawning over some country girl from the countryside?
In the inner room, the baby lay in a cradle, her large eyes turning this way and that.
Xiao Mandong sat on the edge of the bed and gently poked the baby’s soft cheek with her fingertip, then pinched her chubby little foot. The little one even let out a series of delighted giggles.
Xiao Mandong and Lin Wenya chatted idly.
“I heard your brother is getting engaged today. Isn’t that a little fast? Shouldn’t they get to know each other for a while first?”
The smile on Lin Wenya’s face instantly faded. She let out a deep sigh.
“What’s there to get to know? They got together on the third day after meeting. What could we do?”
“My brother waited all these years for the sake of his child. It hasn’t been easy for him, and then something like this had to happen.”
“That Liu Mengyao asked my brother to take her home. Once they got there, they had a little to drink and ended up sleeping together.”
“What could we do? If he refused to take responsibility, he’d be charged with hooliganism. My mother was furious, but she could only grit her teeth and accept it. Fortunately, this woman treats the child well. My brother doesn’t ask for much. He just wants someone who will be good to his child and live an honest, steady life with him.”
Xiao Mandong put on a look of sudden understanding.
She glanced at the time.
“Wenya, I need to make a phone call. I told my neighbor I’d go to her house for dinner, so if I don’t return, I should at least let her know.”
“All right. I’ll take you to my father’s study.”
As they stepped out of Lin Wenya’s room, they saw Director Huang entering through the front door.
Xiao Mandong greeted Director Huang openly and without the slightest hesitation.
Director Huang was visibly startled to see her. The suspicion in his eyes was almost impossible to conceal. He had never expected to find her here.
As he watched Xiao Mandong walk away, he fell into thought.
Ever since his attempt to frame her had failed, he had secretly investigated the idiot who had set the whole plan in motion. In the end, he had traced it to a man named Sun Wenbin.
When Sun Wenbin had described, from beginning to end, how the treasures he had stolen from the tomb had disappeared, Director Huang had immediately connected it with the items that had been stolen from his own home in what looked like a thorough, house-clearing burglary.
He pieced together everything that had happened that day—the woman’s back, her figure, and Xiao Mandong’s appearance at the hospital. Every clue pointed to Xiao Mandong.
Director Huang had already torn apart the entire courtyard in his search, but he still hadn’t found a thing. Even the secret room had been smashed open, and his radio transmitter was indeed missing.
Director Huang was convinced that Xiao Mandong had done it all.
Killing Xiao Mandong would be as easy as crushing an ant. But what he wanted most right now was to get his things back—especially the radio transmitter.
Until he recovered the transmitter, he had to keep the woman alive, leaving him in a difficult position. He didn’t know how to make his move.
For now, all he could do was have Sun Wenbin and Wang Yuanyuan watch her closely in the hope that they would discover some clue about where she had hidden the items.
Inside the study, Xiao Mandong placed a call to the office of the Political Commissar of the military division.
Fortunately, she had memorized the phone number the Political Commissar had given her that day.
She was also lucky that telephones at the time did not display the caller’s number.
As soon as the call connected, Xiao Mandong spoke first.
“Captain, this is Xiao Mandong. Please tell Xiaozhou that I won’t be coming back for dinner tonight. I’m at Director Lin’s home in the police family compound. Just tell her not to worry.”
After hanging up, Xiao Mandong worried that Director Huang might call the number back. He was no ordinary man.
She pretended to slap her forehead, as if she had suddenly remembered something she had forgotten, and dialed the Red Flag Brigade again.
“Captain, this is Xiao Mandong again. Please tell Zhou Xiaomei that the dog can stay at her place for one more night. I’ll bring the dog food over tomorrow. Thank you.”
Only after hanging up a second time did Xiao Mandong pull Lin Wenya out of the study.
She figured that with the Political Commissar’s intelligence, he couldn’t possibly fail to understand her message.
And of course, the Political Commissar understood. She had provided both a name and an address. If he couldn’t grasp the meaning, he would never have survived this long.
The Political Commissar immediately issued orders. Shen Linzhou was to hurry to the police family compound and wait for an opportunity to meet and assist Xiao Mandong.
Twelve plainclothes officers were also dispatched to hide nearby and establish surveillance. They were to follow Shen Linzhou’s orders and stand ready to provide support.
When Director Huang saw Xiao Mandong come out of Director Lin’s study, he found an excuse to make a phone call himself. But when he called the number back, it was actually the captain of the Red Flag Brigade who answered.
Director Huang gave a soft snort. This little woman really was clever.
From behind a crack in the door, Xiao Mandong watched Director Huang enter the study. She knew then that her gamble had paid off.
Sun Wenbin had indeed been in contact with him, and Director Huang had already begun to suspect her.
Since that was the case, she would send all of them straight to hell together.
