"It’s fine. We’ll make her pay for it." Bai Jiu had no intention of taking this loss lying down.
Granny Lin couldn’t escape, nor could she go back inside to clean up her own mess, so she could only wail and shout in the courtyard.
It wasn’t long before the three people who had run out earlier returned with men from the security department.
"Make way, make way! The security guards are here!" the three shouted, raising their hands.
The crowd quickly parted to make a path through the middle.
It happened to be shift change for the security department. Upon hearing about the incident, everyone on duty rushed over, save for a few left behind to guard the gates. The three messengers had reported a robbery, an assault, and more. Such things had never happened in the compound before. Hearing about something so severe for the first time, they naturally all had to come.
In total, there were about a dozen of them.
"What’s going on?" The leader wore a military uniform and even had a gun holstered at his waist, showing just how seriously he took this matter.
"You’re just in time! They beat me! They’re trying to kill me!" Before anyone else could speak, Granny Lin immediately ran over to the newcomers, crying and complaining.
"Granny Lin, don’t be so shameless! Who’s trying to kill you? Who hit you?" Upon hearing her words, the surrounding crowd wasn’t having it.
"Exactly! How can you spout such nonsense?"
"Not a single true word comes out of your mouth."
Many of the onlookers couldn’t stand Granny Lin.
Bai Jiu handed Aunt Xu over to two older women nearby, then stepped forward to explain the cause of the incident to the leader. Naturally, she didn’t utter a single lie. Hearing Bai Jiu’s account, everyone chimed in with agreement, corroborating her story.
The leader glanced at Bai Jiu, then at the crowd, and quickly ordered his subordinates to go into the kitchen to check. The findings were exactly as Bai Jiu had described.
"Auntie, I’ll have to trouble you to go in and see what was lost, so we have a clear idea," the leader said politely to Aunt Xu.
Aunt Xu nodded and followed them into the kitchen. The rest of the people remained standing in the courtyard.
Granny Lin wanted to step forward to stop them, but upon seeing what was hanging at the guards’ waists, she didn’t dare.
After tallying up the damage in the kitchen, Aunt Xu came out crying.
"You cursed woman! How could you waste food like this? How did those things offend you that you had to ruin them all?" Aunt Xu was genuinely in tears. Not only were the mooncakes on the chopping board gone, but all the rice, grain, and cooking oil she had stored away were ruined too. They had all been smashed onto the floor, mixing with the dirt.
The leader had also gone in to take a look. Seeing that scene, if murder weren’t illegal, even he would have wanted to deal with the old woman on the ground himself.
"Take her away." This kind of person needed to be taught a lesson.
"Comrade, please wait a moment," Bai Jiu called out immediately, seeing him taking her away.
"Is there something else, ma’am?" Anyone living here was a family member of a scientific researcher; he couldn’t afford to offend them. These wives worked just as hard as military wives.
"Aunt Xu didn’t let her in; she broke the door down. I ask that you handle this with the utmost severity."
Her words reminded many of the painful events of the past, and their faces all changed. Even the faces of the security guards showed sorrow.
"Rest assured, ma’am, we will definitely seek justice for the people and ensure that the events of the past never happen again," the leader said, saluting the crowd.
Bai Jiu knew it probably wasn’t good to bring it up like this, but this woman never seemed to learn her lesson.
"With you here, we believe it."
"Yes, we believe it. You have always been the heroes of Blue Country," the others replied.
The dozen or so men escorted Granny Lin away from Aunt Xu’s home.
Bai Jiu didn’t let anyone clean up Aunt Xu’s house.
"Auntie, we won’t make the mooncakes anymore. I’ll talk to the people at the supply and marketing cooperative later, and we’ll buy them." She didn’t actually have any dessert coupons, but she was determined to make sure both families had mooncakes to eat during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Aunt Xu shook her head, her heart aching. "Forget it, forget it." With a whole room full of ruined goods, Aunt Xu looked as if her spirit had been entirely drained.
Since they couldn’t cook at her house, Bai Jiu had no choice but to take Aunt Xu and Shu Kang next door to her own home. She thanked those who had stepped forward to help, and even gave ten yuan to each of the three who had gone to deliver the message. Of course, she didn’t hand the money over in front of everyone.
Granny Lin had been taken away. When the Lin family returned that evening, they also learned of the incident.
The original plan was for the two families to get together tonight. They did end up eating together, but everyone’s expressions were rather grim. Aunt Xu barely ate a few bites. Eventually, Uncle Xu couldn’t bear to see her like this and took her straight home, leaving Shu Kang behind with the Gao family.
Zhengyang and Xiuxiu kept Shu Kang company. The little guy was also feeling very down.
"I’m going to learn martial arts in the future. I want to avenge my grandmother." Shu Kang had never seen his grandmother suffer like this, and his heart ached.
Zhengyang didn’t know how to comfort his older friend, so he could only agree to learn martial arts together. However, he genuinely wanted to learn, because Lan Jing was very strong. At the very least, he and Shu Kang combined still couldn’t beat him.
"I’ll practice with you," Zhengyang said. He wanted to protect his family, too.
"Good brother." Hearing Zhengyang’s words, Shu Kang felt a bit better and immediately hugged him. "From now on, you’re my real younger brother."
In the kitchen, Bai Jiu and Gao Zhijun had no idea what the little ones were planning.
Gao Zhijun helped Bai Jiu clear the dishes. His expression was quite grim.
"What are you thinking about?" Bai Jiu couldn’t help but ask, seeing him space out from time to time.
"I’m afraid the matter with the Lin family won’t go as you wish," Gao Zhijun sighed, giving the answer Bai Jiu least wanted to hear.
"Because of her husband?" After calming down, Bai Jiu was somewhat prepared for this. "But they can’t just do nothing, right?"
"No, there will be punishment. But Old Lin is not a nobody. Although he failed to keep his wife in check, the contributions he has made to the country cannot be erased. So, in the end, it will be smoothed over, though it will come at a price."
Bai Jiu chuckled when she heard the word ’price’.
"What else does Old Lin have to pay with? His position?" Bai Jiu sneered. If the Lin family’s descendants were capable, it would be fine for the old man to step down. But the Lin family didn’t even have a successor. If Old Lin stepped down now, she feared...
"I don’t know. We’ll have to wait and see what the higher-ups arrange." Gao Zhijun shook his head, not wanting her to say too much.
Seeing his gesture to cut the conversation short, Bai Jiu somewhat understood.
"I trust the state."
Sure enough, the next day, Old Lin came to their door to plead for leniency. Whether it was Aunt Xu or Uncle Xu, no matter how much the two disliked Granny Lin, they still had to give Old Lin some face.
In the end, Granny Lin was detained for a week before being released. Old Lin also took out money to compensate Aunt Xu and Bai Jiu. Of course, that was later. For now, the main focus was on dealing with Granny Lin. Even knowing she would eventually be released, Bai Jiu intended to scare her straight.
"I don’t agree. Old Lin, you are a highly respected man. I don’t believe you haven’t known what kind of temperament your wife has all these years." Looking at Old Lin, who had come to plead for mercy, Bai Jiu did not give him a good look.