23: Various smear campaigns have been launched against Xiao Niannian.

After entering the room and closing the door, Xiao Niannian looked at Lu Jing.

Lu Jing’s gaze was also on Xiao Niannian.

Grandma Xiao spoke.

“Comrade Lu Jing.”

Lu Jing said.

“Grandma, you can call me Xiao Jing from now on.”

Xiao Jing?

Grandma Lu nodded.

“Xiao Jing, you’ve worked hard today. Why don’t you eat here for lunch? Grandma and Niannian will go buy some vegetables and rice.”

“Grandma, there’s rice and flour, and all the kitchen seasonings. I’ve already had someone buy meat.”

It takes half an hour to cycle from here to the County Government to buy things, and the Supply and Marketing Cooperative in town doesn’t have much. He had arranged for someone to do the shopping early this morning after agreeing yesterday.

“Captain, the meat is back.”

Fang Qiang walked in quickly, carrying meat and several other bags. Grandma Xiao quickly fumbled for money in her pocket.

“How much money and how many coupons? I’ll give them to you.”

“Grandma Xiao, Captain Lu has already given us the money and coupons.”

Xiao Niannian also took out money and coupons from her pocket. Pork was fifty cents a catty in their hometown, and there seemed to be about ten catties here, plus more than a dozen other vegetables like chili and garlic leaves.

“Comrade Lu Jing, how much is this? I’ll give you the money.”

Lu Jing said.

“Grandma, Comrade Xiao, you don’t need to give me money for these. I’ll be eating here these few days, so consider it payment for the meals.”

Fang Qiang nodded vigorously upon hearing this.

“That’s right, that’s right. Our Captain doesn’t know how to cook, Grandma Xiao, just let him eat here.”

He Yong also chimed in upon hearing this.

“Exactly, Grandma Xiao, consider these items as payment for the meals.”

Payment for meals? Whose meals cost so much money?

Grandma Xiao quickly declined, but Lu Jing kept refusing to take the money, so Grandma Xiao had to give up the idea of paying. She decided to go to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative in town in a few days to buy some fabric and make a set of clothes for Lu Jing.

Grandma Xiao’s tailoring skills were excellent.

“Fang Qiang, He Yong, go borrow some lit coals.”

Lu Jing instructed.

“Captain, we’ve already lit the coal stove.”

Hearing this, Lu Jing looked at them approvingly.

“Niannian, go with Uncle Xiao Shu to call Tenth Grandfather and the others to report that you’re safe.”

“Okay.”

Lu Jing took them to the reception room to make the call.

As soon as they arrived at the reception room, they saw two comrades in military uniform accompanying a handsome male comrade in a suit, who was carrying several gifts, walk in.

“Captain Lu, this is Gu Nian’s uncle. He’s here to take Gu Nian home.”

Gu Nian’s uncle?

Xiao Niannian looked at the child in her arms.

“Uncle.”

Little Gu Nian called out to the male comrade.

The male comrade smiled and spoke words of gratitude to Xiao Niannian.

“Comrade Xiao, thank you so much. If it weren’t for you, my Nephew would have been in danger…” He had heard all about what happened this time.

“Because he went missing, his mother fell ill and was sent to the hospital for treatment. I’m taking Xiao Nian to the hospital now and will come back in a few days to thank you personally. This is a small token of our appreciation.”

“No need.” Xiao Niannian quickly refused.

Little Gu Nian waved at Xiao Niannian.

“Sister, I’ll come find you in a few days.” He lay in his uncle’s arms, waving at Xiao Niannian.

“Comrade Xiao, please accept it.”

Xiao Family Village.

When Second Uncle Xiao and his family woke up, they found themselves only in their underwear, and everything in their home had been moved out. They immediately thought it was a ghost and screamed in terror. At their house, The Monkeys also ran over, slapped each of them a few times, and then left.

The villagers were also scared stiff. After a while, they found a set of clothes for each of them, saying that they could wear them until they returned to the County Government, and then return them after wearing the County Government clothes.

They went to Village Head Xiao’s house.

“Tenth Uncle, where is Xiao Niannian? It must be that slut Xiao Niannian! She found outsiders to empty our house. Our whole family worked hard for decades, and everything has been stolen…”

In front of hundreds of villagers, Second Uncle Xiao and Second Aunt Xiao threw a tantrum, slandering Xiao Niannian in every way possible.

Xiao Yueyue immediately echoed.

“That’s right, I saw Xiao Niannian associating with ruffians from the County Government before. She must resent my parents and colluded with outsiders to steal from our house…”

“Uncle Village Head, make Xiao Niannian come out.”

The faces of Second Uncle Xiao’s family of three were now as swollen as pig heads.

Listening to their loud noisy, Village Head Xiao shouted loudly.

“Stop arguing, we’ve already invited the Public Security Comrade over…”

The villagers looked at the Public Security Comrade and whispered among themselves.

“I heard that The Monkeys also went to Wang Dazhuang’s house in Wang Family Village yesterday and beat Wang Dazhuang and his family until they were hospitalized…”

“Why are there so many Monkeys all of a sudden?”

“It’s probably because Xiao Dong and Spouse did too many bad things. These Monkeys are spiritual, and they couldn’t stand it anymore.”

“You’re right, this matter, it might just be a punishment from heaven.”

Although at this time, with the “Destroy the Four Olds” movement, some things couldn’t be said openly, with such strange things happening, the villagers couldn’t think of anything other than a punishment from heaven.

“I heard Sixth Sister-in-law Xiao took Xiao Niannian to the south.”

“It’s all because of those damned Xiao Dong and Spouse, saying they wanted to marry Xiao Niannian to Wang Dazhuang, truly heartless.”

“They deserve it.”

After the Public Security Comrades investigated, they were also full of doubts.

“Comrade Xiao Dong, do you usually have grudges with anyone?”

Xiao Dong and Spouse exchanged glances and both shook their heads.

“Public Security Comrade, it must be Xiao Niannian colluding with outsiders to empty our house. Everything in our home is gone…”

They also rented a house in the County Government, where their Eldest Son lived. They originally planned to sell Xiao Niannian, and use the money for their Eldest Son to marry a wife. Who knew that Xiao Niannian couldn’t be sold, they not only got beaten, but now everything in their old home was stolen.

You know, this brick and tile house contained a sewing machine, a bicycle, and cabinets and beds made of high-quality wood. These things were added when Eldest Brother Xiao Zhan was alive. Their family occupied this house and everything in it.

After occupying these things for more than ten years, they all believed that everything belonged to them.

Xiao Zhan’s wife and two sons had been out of contact for so many years, they might have died outside long ago. Xiao Niannian was just an adopted child. If Grandma Xiao hadn’t picked her up, she wouldn’t have eaten for so many years, and this cheap girl wouldn’t have been sent to high school. Their family’s Yueyue only went to junior high.

Village Head Xiao glared at Second Uncle Xiao and Second Aunt Xiao.

“What nonsense are you talking about? Your mother and Niannian were sent to the train station by my Dashu and Xiao Shu early in the morning. They only carried a few bags of luggage, and many villagers saw it. They also stayed at my house last night.”

The villagers who saw Grandma Xiao and Xiao Niannian in the morning also testified.

“That’s right, we saw Sixth Sister-in-law and Niannian go to the city train station in the morning.”

“They only carried a few bags of luggage, and Tenth Uncle’s son and Grandson sent them off.”

“I was also at Tenth Uncle’s house yesterday. Sixth Sister-in-law and Niannian arrived at Tenth Uncle’s house very early in the evening and didn’t go out at all.”

The Public Security Comrades investigated carefully again, but still found no clues.

“Comrade Xiao Dong, we want to ask, have you ever had conflicts with The Monkeys in the mountains?”

They investigated Wang Dazhuang’s side and knew that Wang Dazhuang and his family used to throw stones at The Monkeys, and The Monkeys held grudges. But how could so many Monkeys empty a house? Moreover, such a large bed and those large pieces of furniture, these things just disappeared mysteriously.

Hearing the Public Security Comrade’s words, Second Aunt Xiao, with her pig-like swollen face, cried and said.

“Public Security Comrade, we never had any conflicts with any Monkeys. The Monkeys suddenly came and beat us today, we don’t know what happened…”