Hello, My 1979

Chapter 18

After waiting for a while with no sign of Su Yucheng getting up, Su He didn't rush. He stood up and addressed Su Yucheng, "Since you don't want the candy, that's fine. Your information isn't very critical; I can easily find out who had you come for that cloth. I'll just ask Director He. As for you, since you're not cooperating, you don't get any candy. Little Pumpkin, come out for your candy. Your brother promised you some yesterday. Be careful not to let Fifth Brother steal it from you."

Seeing Su Yucheng stir slightly, Su He realized how spoiled Su Yucheng had been. At this point, he still harbored hopes that his parents or one of his sisters would bring him the candy!

When Little Pumpkin came out, Su He handed her two pieces of candy and added, "If Fifth Brother tries to steal your candy, just tell Fourth Brother. I'll take care of him!"

Su Yucheng initially thought of grabbing the candy from Little Pumpkin, as he had been able to bully her at home. But hearing Su He's words, he felt his backside throbbing with pain again.

Unable to endure it, he shuffled out a bit!

Su He distributed the candy to his other sisters, and Su Mei was surprised, "I get candy too?"

She was quite grown up, so she was surprised to receive candy.

Su He said, "Eldest Sister didn't do anything wrong, so of course, she gets candy. As for Second Sister..."

Su Rong, a bit defensive, asked, "What about me?"

Su He replied, "If you help me wash the clothes today, I'll give you some candy!"

Second Sister had a bit of a stubborn streak, and her behavior needed correcting. However, she was a girl, so physical discipline like Su Yucheng's wasn't appropriate.

Su Rong was reluctant but wanted the candy. In the past, she would have gone to their parents to pout and get her way.

Being their parents' little darling, she was quite spoiled.

But now, even the most favored Fifth Brother couldn't help her, so she realized her usual tactics wouldn't work!

She pointed at Little Pumpkin and said, "She gets candy, why can't I? And I have to wash clothes too?"

The white candy looked so tempting!

Su He glanced at Su Rong and said, "She's my younger sister, and you're not! She's only three years old, and you're not exactly that age anymore. Besides, she went to the city with me and made some noise. Have you done that?"

Su Rong, feeling helpless, rolled her eyes and went back into the room!

Su He shrugged and said, "If you don't want it, then fine. I'm not going to be as naïve as I was this morning; the candy won't be left behind. Once this village is passed, when the candy is gone, it's gone!"

Su Rui walked over, smiling awkwardly, and said, "Fourth Brother?"

Su He nodded and told Su Rui, "If you wash the dishes today, the candy is yours!"

Su He handed over two pieces of candy, and Su Rui thought for a moment before accepting them.

She then asked, "What if I take the candy and don't wash the dishes?"

With the candy already in hand, could Su He really take it back?

Su He didn't care and said casually, "You might have gained today, but how long can you keep it up? Next time I have something good to eat, will you still be able to deceive me?"

Su Rui was taken aback, shrugged, and said, "I was just saying. I'll wash the dishes."

This was an admission of defeat!

Su Mei smiled, pleasantly surprised at how assertive Fourth Brother had become. She thought this change was quite good!

She was about to get married, and in the future, the household chores would fall to her siblings. This change would be beneficial!

Su He turned to Su Yucheng and said, "Well, there are only two pieces of candy left. If no one wants them, I'll eat them myself..."

As soon as he finished, Su Yucheng stood up and said, "It was Gangzi's grandmother who told me to get that cloth!"

Then he looked at Su He and demanded, "I've told you, where's my candy?"

Su He gladly handed the candy to Su Yucheng, smiling, "That's the right way. Do what's right, and you get a reward. If you do wrong, you still get a reward!"

Su Yucheng was confused. Didn't he just get beaten?

Su He added, "Consider this a reward for the bamboo shoot stir-fried pork!"

This was a local saying in Nanzhu Village, meaning to get a beating!

"Che!"

Su Yucheng, though beaten, was not to be outdone. He huffed and walked away, feeling his sore backside.

Su He didn't think Su Yucheng was lying; it was Gangzi?

Gangzi was a local child of similar age to Su Yucheng, and they played together often.

But why was Gangzi's grandmother involved in this?

Gangzi's grandmother wasn't the type to steal cows, so someone must have directed her!

The only person who could have had Gangzi's grandmother do something like that was one person.

Su He came out and said to Director He, "My brother says it was Gangzi's grandmother who had him come for the cloth!"

Director He's expression became serious; he understood the importance of this information. If it wasn't related to the cow theft, why would someone send someone to fetch the cloth?

Ye Zhenhan said, "Don't make things up. Gangzi's grandmother is an elderly woman. How could she be involved in cow theft?"

Su He replied, "Gangzi's grandmother wouldn't steal cows, but doesn't Gangzi have an uncle? He's very close to Ye Sanshou! The more I think about it, the more I believe that the person I beat yesterday sounded like Ye Sanshou!"

"Who's Ye Sanshou?" Director He asked.

Ye Zhenhan looked uncomfortable, as it was embarrassing to mention local bullies.

Su He had no such reservations and said, "Ye Sanshou is a local troublemaker who lives off petty theft and laziness."

He paused and continued, "Actually, tracking down these cattle thieves and finding the stolen cows isn't that difficult!"

Director He looked at Su He with some surprise and asked, "Oh? How so?"

Ye Zhenhan was worried Su He was talking nonsense and said, "He Yazi, don't make empty claims. You don't have the skills to catch thieves. Don't make it hard for us to explain if we can't catch them later!"

Director He waved his hand and said, "It's fine. Consider it a suggestion!"

He looked at Su He with keen interest.

Su He said, "It's actually quite simple."

Ye Zhenhan shot Su He a stern look. His usual seriousness made even Su Yucheng nervous.

Su He, unfazed, said to Ye Zhenhan, "Our village's cattle pens are at the very back of the village, right?"

Ye Zhenhan replied, "Yes, so what?"

Director He's eyes lit up, "Yes! If the cattle pens are at the very back of the village, the thieves would need to use something like ether to sedate the cows. Transporting them would require a vehicle, which would make noise. It's illogical that no one in the village heard anything!"

Su He continued, "And there's only one way out of Nanzhu Village. They would have had to go through Shanquan Village. Director He, you just need to send someone to Shanquan Village to ask if any vehicles from Nanzhu Village have passed by. That will help determine the truth. If no one in our village heard anything, it only means..."