Chapter 488: The Mystery of the Pocket Watch

When Yan Jiefang dragged his exhausted body back home, he discovered the police had already left.

Yang Ruihua grabbed him and pulled him into the kitchen, asking anxiously, "How did they let you come back?"

Yan Jiefang lowered his head, his voice muffled: "That policewoman is a decent person... I told her everything about being forced by Siqiang, and I led her to catch Zheng De, so she let me go."

He spoke extremely flatly, as if telling someone else's story.

Yang Ruihua sat slumped on a low stool by the stove with a mournful face: "But, but our family is truly at the end of our rope now... the rice jar has hit bottom, how are we supposed to live?" As she spoke, tears rolled down.

Yan Jiefang shook his head, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his mouth: "Mother, I have no other way either."

Yang Ruihua stared at the empty rice jar for a long while, then walked toward the Houyuan.

In the side room of the Houyuan, Zhao Si was drinking, with pig head meat and peanuts on the table. Seeing Yang Ruihua push the door open and enter, he sneered: "Yang Ruihua, you really are something, using a spy's things to fool me and nearly getting me sent to the station. From now on, I won't dare to get involved in your family's affairs."

Yang Ruihua rubbed her hands, squeezing out an awkward smile: "Brother Si, I, I didn't know it would turn out like this..."

"Forget it." Zhao Si waved his hand, cutting her off, "You don't need to apologize to me, I can't afford it. It's dark, and men and women should keep their distance; I'm going to rest." Saying this, he stood up and, almost half-pushing and half-shoving, pushed Yang Ruihua out the door and slammed it shut with a "bang."

Yang Ruihua stood in the pitch-black courtyard, her face burning.

The East Cross Courtyard, however, was a different scene. He Yushui was gesturing vividly: "With a 'slap!', Sister Tian Dan slammed her gun onto the table! That Dean of Academic Affairs turned pale and didn't dare say another word."

Chen Xueru leaned on the sofa, her eyes bright: "Why didn't the Dean of Academic Affairs want to punish Xu Xinghai? Does his family have connections?"

"Not at all!" He Yushui sighed, her little face drooping, "It's just that the Dean of Academic Affairs doesn't like us. It's all because of that quota for the Children's Palace—the four of us all recommended Yu Haitang and didn't recommend her niece, so she started holding a grudge against us."

"This person is so petty!" Chen Xueru slapped the table hard, giving everyone a start, "Tian Dan did the right thing! It's time to scare her!"

Xiaoqi, who was eating melon seeds, looked up and interjected: "Sister Tian Dan said that if the school doesn't give an explanation, she will have the police station take Xu Xinghai away directly!"

Chen Xueru clapped and laughed: "Should have done that long ago! That person is already fifteen; when your brother was that age, he was already killing Japanese invaders!"

"Sister-in-law!" He Yushui's eyes lit up, "Tell me about the time my brother killed the Japanese invaders!"

Chen Xueru stopped smiling and lowered her voice: "That day, my father and I were returning from delivering goods out of town. Before the sky was fully bright, we saw a pile of things laid out on Qianmen Street... When we walked closer to look," she paused, and the children held their breath involuntarily, "it was all heads of Japanese invaders and collaborators! My god! It was terrifying, their eyes were all staring..."

The little ones huddled together with a "whoosh," but their eyes flashed with a mix of fear and excitement.

At He Ji Restaurant, Xu Xinghai and Xu Xingfu had been sitting idly for nearly an hour, the tea in their cups refilled again and again.

Xu Xingfu tugged at his brother's sleeve: "Brother, it's time to go back... we're going to get beaten sooner or later, might as well go back early."

Xu Xinghai stared at the empty plate, a layer of gloom rising in his eyes: "If he beats me to death this time, I'll kill him."

"Brother!" Xu Xingfu hurriedly covered his mouth and looked left and right, "This is a restaurant, don't talk nonsense!"

Xu Xinghai didn't make a sound, but his hand reached into his bosom and touched the screwdriver that had been ground to a sharp point. "I've had enough."

Xu Xingfu felt that his brother was acting particularly strange today, so he grabbed his arm and pulled him out: "Brother, you're not right... you're not usually like this."

Xu Xinghai was pulled to his feet, stumbling, and let out a chuckle: "Had a bit to drink, alcohol gives a coward courage, you know."

The two lifted the cotton door curtain and walked out; no one noticed the "beggar" curled up at the base of the wall across the street slowly lift his head.

The brothers walked one after the other across Di'anmen Street, heading toward Liupukang outside the city.

The wind was strong, carrying yellow sand that made people's faces ache.

When the two reached the edge of a small grove, footsteps suddenly sounded behind them.

Ma Shouyi took a few quick steps to get in front and spread his arms to block their path.

He bared his teeth and said with a chuckle: "Little brothers, do you still recognize me?"

Xu Xinghai looked by the moonlight—tattered clothes, matted hair, a beggar through and through.

He immediately cursed out loud: "Stinking beggar, get lost! Young master has no money to give you!"

Ma Shouyi wasn't annoyed, still smiling: "I'm the doctor from Ganlutang. You six children came for a check-up yesterday evening, remember? My pocket watch... it went missing after you left. Did you take it?"

"You're full of it!" Xu Xingfu shouted with his neck stiffened, "We are students, why would we steal your things?"

"Child, that thing isn't worth much to you, but it's important to me. Give it back to me, and I'll give you two hundred thousand, how about that? That watch won't sell for a good price in your hands, but to me... it's a keepsake."

"Are you sick!" Xu Xinghai spat, "We went to see a doctor, not to steal things! Get lost quickly, or this young master will beat you!"

The smile on Ma Shouyi's face slowly faded. He had never encountered such a stubborn, half-grown boy. He reached into his bosom and "swish," pulled out a dagger, slapping it against his palm with a loud sound: "Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. If you don't hand over the watch, no one is leaving tonight!"

Xu Xingfu was so scared he took several steps back, fawning: "O-old doctor, we really didn't take it... if I'm lying, may I be struck by lightning!"

As the cold wind blew, Xu Xinghai's mind cleared a bit. His eyes darted around, and he suddenly put on a smiling face: "Old doctor, that thing is really useless to us. If we had taken it, since you've put it this way, I would definitely return it to you—I am a person who values 'loyalty' above all else."

"Impossible!" Ma Shouyi said firmly, "I checked the watch before you came in, and it was gone right after you left! Give it back, two hundred thousand, I'll give it to you!"

Xu Xinghai pretended to be deep in thought, and only after a long while did he speak: "Old doctor, if you trust me, I'll help you figure it out. The one most likely to have taken the watch is that skinny monkey Yan Jiefang. Why do I say that? He used to be dirt poor, but in the last year he's suddenly become wealthy, treating us to candied gourds every few days. This time he even said he'd treat us to a meal, on the condition that we teach a few girls a lesson... don't you think that's strange? I think he must have joined a gang of thieves!"

Ma Shouyi narrowed his eyes: "Where does that kid live?"

"Nanluoguxiang 95, his father is called Yan Bugui."

Ma Shouyi stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly sheathed the dagger: "I'll trust you once. But I have to search you—if it's not there, I'll let you go immediately."

"Search away!" Xu Xinghai raised his hands readily and even took the initiative to turn his pockets inside out, "Look, my pockets are cleaner than my face."

Ma Shouyi stepped forward, his hands carefully searching his body—chest, back, pant legs, not even missing the inside of his shoes.

Xu Xinghai stood straight, letting him search.

Nothing was found. Ma Shouyi turned to Xu Xingfu: "Your turn."

Xu Xingfu raised his hands, trembling.

Just as Ma Shouyi lowered his head to search his chest, Xu Xinghai, who was standing behind him, moved; he used all his strength to smash a fist into the back of Ma Shouyi's neck!