Chapter 530: Gossip-for-Survival System (29)

"Sister Yang Yang, what time did you get back yesterday? What did the Public Security Bureau say?"

On the morning of New Year's Eve, Zheng Miaomiao, who was already on winter break and could have been sprawled out sleeping in her warm quilt without needing to wake up early, struggled to get up in the spirit of gossip-mongering. She came to Xie Yang's house specifically before Xie Yang went to work to ask about the aftermath of catching the thieves last night.

This piece of gossip had extended her life by 90 days; there might be more to the story, and it could help her extend it for a few more days, so she couldn't afford not to pay attention.

But her father had accompanied Sister Yang Yang to the Public Security Bureau yesterday, and by the time he returned, she was already sprawled out asleep. When she woke up this morning, her parents had already left for work, so she couldn't ask even if she wanted to.

The Supply and Marketing Cooperative got busier the closer it got to the New Year. Originally starting at eight, they had moved it up to seven-thirty for these few days before the New Year.

However, today being New Year's Eve, they would get off work at three or four in the afternoon to come home and make the New Year's Eve dinner.

The Mechanical Factory was different from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative and the Vegetable Station; they still worked their usual hours, so at this time, Xie Yang was still at home eating breakfast.

Grandma Xie was worried that she had fought three thieves last night and then made a trip to the Public Security Bureau, fearing she was tired and cold, so she specifically cooked her a bowl of chicken noodle soup this morning.

The family's chicken had been slaughtered the day before yesterday, and they had steamed a white-cut chicken that same day to save for the New Year. They had scooped up a large bowl of the chicken fat from the steaming, and adding a spoonful when cooking dishes or making soup was even more savory than adding MSG.

The large, fragrant bowl of hand-pulled white noodles in chicken soup was topped with a few rehydrated and blanched black fungus and shiitake mushrooms, a few stalks of blanched yellow chives, and a few pieces of frozen tofu. On top sat a poached egg fried in sesame oil until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside; just looking at it was incredibly appetizing.

Xie Yang couldn't possibly finish such a large bowl, so she shared half with Grandma Xie. Seeing Zheng Miaomiao arrive, she took a small bowl, ladled out a few chopsticks of noodles and toppings for her, and added a spoonful of the remaining noodle broth from the pot.

"Eat quickly. It's cold; the noodles won't taste good if they get soggy."

Xie Yang started eating first; she had to go to work after finishing. She answered Zheng Miaomiao's curious questions about the aftermath while eating:

"Those three people live in the area where Lou Xuefang's maiden home is. I reckon that when Lou Xuefang went back to her maiden home, she told them about my family's situation and incited them to come steal, promising to give her a ten percent cut of the loot after they finished..."

"How could there be such a person!" Zheng Miaomiao was so angry she couldn't even eat her delicious chicken noodle soup. "She really can't stand to see others doing well! Will she go to jail?"

Xie Yang shook her head: "She won't admit it."

Lou Xuefang didn't just refuse to admit it; she insisted that the three of them were framing her.

She said she had just been at her maiden home enviously mentioning that the Xie Family had good conditions and could often eat meat, and that those three thugs had developed bad intentions on their own. Now that they were caught, they wanted to drag someone down with them. Then she began to cry while clutching her belly, cursing those three for framing a pregnant woman.

"Without evidence, the Public Security Bureau can't easily convict her. They just gave her a verbal warning and told her to talk less about other people's business in the future. However, those three will be punished with ten years of labor reform at the Nongchang."

"They deserve to be punished properly! Let them stop stealing and being idle!" Zheng Miaomiao was filled with righteous indignation.

"Alright, I have to go to work. You help me keep an eye on my house; if anything happens, come to the factory to find me."

Xie Yang stuffed a few liqueur chocolates into Zheng Miaomiao's hand.

The Zheng family were all good people; even if it weren't for the Task, she would be willing to be close friends with them.

Zheng Miaomiao held the chocolates and beamed, patting her chest: "Don't worry, with me here, I'll definitely keep a close watch for you."

Xie Yang put on her scarf and hat, then rode her bicycle out the door.

At the entrance of the hutong, she saw a tall, slender figure being stopped by an elderly woman who was complaining that he was getting on in years and should start arranging his marriage, saying that people his age already had children who could go buy Soy Sauce.

Xie Yang raised an eyebrow, but her pedaling speed didn't decrease. She just didn't expect that as she passed the person, the back seat of her bike was grabbed by a force.

Eh, eh, eh?

Xie Yang stopped the bike, turned her head to look at the large hand holding the back seat, and shifted her gaze to the person's face.

"We just met last night, and you don't recognize me already?"

Gu Yu'an looked at her with a half-smile.

Xie Yang rolled her eyes internally, but said politely: "Good morning, Bureau Chief Gu! Are you going to work too, Bureau Chief?"

"Mm, give me a ride on the way."

Gu Yu'an took a step with his long legs and sat easily on her back seat.

Xie Yang: "..."

"Auntie, I'm going to work. Don't worry so much about my affairs; enjoy the blessings of my cousins when you have time."

"Eh, Yu'an..."

Although Gu Dagu hadn't seen Xie Yang's face clearly, as it was half-covered by her scarf, she was definitely a young woman. And she was a young woman whom her eldest nephew, who usually kept his distance from all women, was willing to be close to. Her heart filled with joy, and she wanted to ask more clearly, but she saw the bike had already ridden far away.

She secretly thought it strange; with her eldest nephew's weight, how could a girl actually be able to carry him?

It really was a case of every pot having its lid.

But she still had to inquire further; she couldn't just be overjoyed and settle her eldest nephew's marriage just because the person was female. She had to understand the woman's situation.

Xie Yang rode in one breath to the entrance of the Public Security Bureau; it didn't even take two minutes.

Gu Yu'an: "..."

Actually, he had wanted to switch to riding after leaving the hutong, but who would have thought this girl was exceptionally vigorous, carrying him all the way to his unit in one breath without even turning red or panting.

No wonder she could knock down three thugs by herself last night and beat them until they were black and blue.

This strength was truly not something an ordinary woman possessed. She was said to be a technician at the Mechanical Factory, which really lived up to the saying, "A heroine does not yield to men."

"We're here."

Xie Yang reminded him, her eyes showing disdain that said, "Why haven't you gotten off yet?"

Gu Yu'an chuckled, got off the bike, and straightened his peaked cap: "Many thanks."

Xie Yang waved her hand. Seeing the time, it was almost eight o'clock, so she couldn't spare time for polite talk and hurried to ride to the Mechanical Factory.

Gu Yu'an watched her charming back disappear at the end of the road before long. For some reason, he felt a sense of anticipation for their next meeting.

He had already fully understood her personal situation last night.

As for his own personal situation...

He lowered his eyes, thought for a moment, and went to the Logistics Office that managed the dormitories.

"Wang, don't worry about arranging my dormitory; give it to other colleagues in the unit who are in urgent need of housing. Just leave me a bunk in the communal room when I'm on night duty."

He planned to move back to his home in Dongfu Hutong.

When his parents died in an accident, he was only fourteen. He lived with Gu Dagu's family for two years before joining the military. That courtyard was too conspicuous to leave empty, so he kept the Main Room and the East and West Ear Rooms for when he returned to stay and to store his parents' belongings. The East and West Side Rooms and the Inverted Room were all entrusted to his aunt to rent out.

Having just transferred to the municipal bureau, he had thought that official business came first and that since he was all alone, it didn't matter where he lived, so he hadn't planned to live at home long-term. But now...

"Report, Bureau Chief!"

A subordinate knocked on the door to report on work.

"Enter."

Gu Yu'an suppressed the unusual thoughts that had arisen for the first time in twenty-four years and entered a professional state with a solemn expression.