Chapter 481: Murderous Intent in the Dark Night

In the County Hospital ward, Man Yatou carefully opened a can of peaches, scooped out a piece of peach flesh soaked in syrup with a spoon, and gently brought it to her mother's lips: "Mother, this stuff is delicious!"

Liu Ying opened her mouth, wanting to eat, but then stopped: "The doctor said I have to wait another two days before I can eat solid food."

Man Yatou felt a bit disappointed.

Liu Ying said: "You sisters eat it! Your eldest sister and second sister haven't eaten properly these past few days either."

Man Yatou hurriedly handed the can to her two sisters.

After Liu Daman finished eating, her eyes curved into crescents: "It's very delicious!"

After tasting it, Liu Erman said: "Do you think it would work if we made local fruit into canned goods?"

Man Yatou said: "We'll have to ask Brother He Yuzhu; he is amazing... He is also a great hero, and he has been so good to me."

Liu Ying weakly raised her hand and stroked her daughter's head: "If people are good to us, we must remember it for a lifetime... When we have the means, we must pay them back."

"I've already thought it through!" Man Yatou puffed out her small chest, "In the future, I'll help Brother collect mountain goods; he likes these things. That way, I'll be able to see him often! He even taught me how to make two dishes. By the way, Brother He Yuzhu also helped Eldest Sister find a job; she can go work in the town as soon as she goes back! Mother, you focus on recovering; our family's life will get better and better."

Liu Ying revealed her first smile since being hospitalized: "We have had good luck... You sisters must all remember his kindness."

Liu Daman, Liu Erman, and Man Yatou all nodded in unison.

Man Yatou looked at her eldest sister and whispered: "Eldest Sister, will you accompany me to say goodbye to Brother He? They are leaving tomorrow."

Liu Erman said: "Can Second Sister go with you instead? I want to ask if making canned goods is difficult."

Man Yatou glanced at her eldest sister, and her eldest sister nodded.

At the entrance of the County Guesthouse, peddlers were still shouting energetically; there were those selling sugarcane, oranges, roasted melon seeds, roasted sweet potatoes, and a few selling green vegetables.

Usually at this time, the guests in the guesthouse should have come out to buy snacks; they were generous with their money and were the peddlers' favorite customers.

But today, for some reason, although shadows moved in the courtyard, no one stepped out of the main gate.

The peddlers grew anxious and strained their voices shouting.

Just then, a short man wearing a gray cloth jacket walked up to the sugarcane stall: "I want all of these."

The sugarcane seller was stunned, then his face beamed with joy: "All of them? Then... just give me twenty thousand!"

The short man didn't haggle and took out the money directly.

The peddler, having received the money, was about to help pack up, but the man waved his hand and shouldered the entire bundle of sugarcane himself and left.

Almost simultaneously, similar situations occurred at the orange and melon seed stalls.

The three stall owners happily collected their money, watched the buyers leave in a hurry carrying the goods, and secretly muttered that they were lucky today.

Man Yatou and Liu Erman happened to walk near the guesthouse and brushed past the three men carrying the goods.

"I think this trick of Major An's might not work today; nobody came out of the guesthouse at all. In a while, how are we going to sell the stuff inside?" the short man carrying the sugarcane complained in a low voice.

Man Yatou had sharp ears; hearing the words "guesthouse," her footsteps faltered.

She remembered the heroic way He Yuzhu killed the enemy on the battlefield, and looking at these suspicious-looking people, she suddenly gathered her courage and spoke: "Uncle, I want to buy some sugarcane, are you selling?"

The short man carrying the sugarcane was stunned, then cursed: "Stinking beggar, get lost!"

Liu Erman hurriedly grabbed her sister's hand; these three men were too fierce and clearly weren't good people—why would her sister provoke them?

"I'm not a beggar!" Man Yatou retorted, stiffening her neck.

A middle-aged man nearby sneered: "Look at your patched clothes, aren't you a beggar? Who would believe you?"

Man Yatou curled her lip: "Aren't you just peddlers? What's so great about that?"

"Who said I am—" the middle-aged man abruptly cut himself off, his expression changing, "I just won't sell to you! Get lost!"

Man Yatou rolled her eyes and pulled her sister to run quickly toward the guesthouse gate.

The guard questioned them for a long while before going in to report.

When He Yuzhu heard that Man Yatou had come, he knew she was there to say goodbye, so he personally went to the gate to bring the sisters into his room.

The room was very simple: a wooden bed, a set of table and chairs, and a washstand and enamel basin in the corner.

The blue brick floor was swept clean, and the glass windows were spotless.

Man Yatou looked around and said: "This room is quite clean."

Seeing that she was much more confident than before, He Yuzhu smiled: "Little girl, we are leaving at the crack of dawn tomorrow, don't come to see us off."

Man Yatou's eyes immediately turned red.

He Yuzhu patted her head: "Didn't we agree? You collect mountain goods and send them to me in the future, and we can still see each other."

Seeing that her sister wasn't getting to the point, Liu Erman hurriedly reminded her: "Lao Si, hurry up and tell Brother He about what we ran into on the road."

Only then did Man Yatou stop crying and said seriously: "When we came, we ran into three people. They mentioned someone called 'Major An' and said they wanted to sell things into the guesthouse—one selling sugarcane, one selling pomelos, and another carrying a big bag."

He Yuzhu's expression tightened; it seemed the bandits' revenge had arrived.

He remained calm on the surface and instead smiled: "Little girl, your news came just in time. I expected them to pull some tricks, but I didn't expect it to be so soon."

Liu Erman added: "Man Yatou even wanted to buy sugarcane from them, but ended up being called a beggar."

He Yuzhu immediately determined that these people were indeed bandits. He had originally intended to just leave, as he was only a passerby. But now that the other party was pestering him again and again, he wouldn't be polite anymore.

"Man Yatou," He Yuzhu stood up, "In a while, you watch a good show and see how I catch them."

Liu Erman said a bit embarrassedly: "Brother He, I ate the canned goods and thought they were especially delicious. Can I make canned goods myself?"

He Yuzhu said: "That's not difficult, but even if you make them, you might not be able to sell them..."

He Yuzhu explained the pros and cons to her.

Upon hearing this, Liu Erman's eyes immediately dimmed.

He Yuzhu then said: "If you really want to do it, do it on a large scale and cooperate with the town government to turn it into a factory; then you'll have found yourself a good job. As for how to do it, when the time comes, you follow Man Yatou to the factory to find me, and I will give you some equipment..."

"That's great!" Liu Erman said excitedly.

He Yuzhu hadn't expected that among the four girls in Man Yatou's family, each had a different personality, and this second sister was an impatient one.

At the same time, in a secluded house on the west side of the county town.

An Daiyuan was tearing into a roasted chicken, his hands covered in grease.

Seeing his three subordinates carry the items in, he chewed a few times, wiped his hands on a towel, and then took a syringe out of his leather bag.

"Major, this is..." the bandit carrying the sugarcane was stunned.

An Daiyuan did not answer; he drew the solution from a bowl into the syringe, then plunged the needle into the node of the sugarcane, injecting the solution until it was full.

Next, he injected each of the pomelos as well.

The three men watched, dumbfounded: "Major, this... what if ordinary commoners eat them..."

"Shut up!" An Daiyuan spat, "Don't talk to me about honor among thieves! Even if ordinary commoners eat them, they should go settle the score with our enemies!"

In the courtyard of the guesthouse, He Yuzhu gathered everyone together.

"We have received confirmed news that the bandits have already crept into our vicinity. They might poison the food; no matter who gives you sugarcane or oranges, you are strictly forbidden from eating them! No one is allowed to step one foot outside the main gate!"

Liu Erhei added: "Everyone just endure it; we leave first thing tomorrow morning. Now, everyone go back to your rooms and sleep!"

Seeing this, the few workers who still wanted to go out for a stroll had no choice but to return to their rooms, feeling disgruntled.

He Yuzhu kept the thirteen soldiers sent by Regimental Commander Meng and lowered his voice: "Comrades, tonight will not be peaceful. In a while, you will come with me to catch people, and we will interrogate them through the night once caught. If we can get useful information, we will go and wipe out their lair!"

The soldiers were instantly energized. Squad Leader Zhou Yong patted his chest: "No problem, we'll follow your command!"

"You all leave now, disperse and lie in ambush in the surroundings, and pay special attention to those new peddlers; wait for my orders."