Chapter 51

“There’s no proof. No proof at all. Bai Xinmei told me to come collect the pension for her.”
The village branch secretary’s wife couldn’t produce any documentation, yet stubbornly insisted that it was Bai Xinmei who had asked her to help collect the martyr’s pension.
The bespectacled “clerk” set down his fountain pen, tapped the desk, and said sternly, “Comrade, without proof, how can I possibly allow you to collect this money on someone else’s behalf?”
By now, the village secretary’s wife had already sensed that something was off. But the greed swelling in her heart made her deliberately ignore that unease. Muttering under her breath, she said, “It wasn’t like this before. The previous clerk just had me sign my name and I could take the pension. What kind of work attitude is this?”
“Comrade, this is a unit regulation. Please cooperate with our work.”
The “clerk” frowned, exuding authority as he issued a low warning.
No matter how dull she was, the village secretary’s wife now realized things had turned serious. Remembering her husband’s warning not to touch this money lately, panic surged up. She rubbed her hands against her trouser legs a few times and prepared to leave.
Naturally, the “clerk” couldn’t let her go just like that. Deputy Regiment Commander Qin hadn’t arrived yet, if this woman left now, wouldn’t this whole act be for nothing?
So he dropped his earlier stern demeanor, put on a friendly, conciliatory smile, and said, “Comrade, wait a bit longer. Let me think of a solution for you. I know it’s quite a walk from your village to town, it’s troublesome going back and forth.”
The village secretary’s wife hurriedly waved her hands. “Forget it, forget it. I won’t collect it this time. I’ll come again next time.”
The “clerk” went to pour her a cup of tea, telling her to wait a little longer. Someone had already gone to notify the director, once the director was informed, the money could be released to her.
Hearing this, the village secretary’s wife couldn’t help asking, “Just telling him is enough?”
The “clerk” nodded.
As time dragged on, the village secretary’s wife grew increasingly restless, urging repeatedly, asking whether it was done yet. The clerk kept brushing her off. Finally, when she asked for the nth time, a voice suddenly came from the doorway, one that nearly scared her out of her wits.
“It’s done.”
She looked up, and saw Qin family’s boy. Her heart sank. Damn it. Most likely, this kid had set her up, pretending not to have asked at the government office before, just to catch her red-handed.
Qin Yuanzheng stood there, his presence imposing even without anger. Two uniformed police officers stood beside him. He raised a hand and pointed.
“Trouble you two, comrades. This person falsely collected a martyr’s pension.”
The village secretary’s wife slumped halfway into her chair, her body going limp.
It’s over. It’s over.
“Comrade, please come with us.”
The “clerk” sitting behind the desk took off his glasses and greeted Qin Yuanzheng with a warm smile.
“Brother Yuanzheng, who would’ve thought you were still alive. This was my negligence, I never expected Sister-in-law to suffer right under my nose, while I failed to look after her.”
He was Qin Yuanzheng’s high school classmate and close friend, Jiang Yiping, now the town party secretary. Qin Yuanzheng sat down naturally, took another cup, and poured himself some tea, teasing lightly, “You’re living a pretty decent life.”
Then he added an explanation to reassure him, “You’ve only been transferred here for a year. They started pulling this stunt four years ago, it’s not on you.”
With his friend returning safely, Jiang Yiping was naturally happy. But after Qin Yuanzheng brought his wife to investigate the pension matter last time, he’d heard that his friend’s wife seemed to be talking about divorce.
That left Jiang Yiping utterly baffled. They had already endured four years of hardship, how could things suddenly turn like this? Just when life was about to improve, they were talking about divorce instead.
Unable to resist, Jiang Yiping probed, “I heard that things between you and Sister-in-law…”
He trailed off, eyes full of curiosity. Qin Yuanzheng’s smile turned bitter as he recounted what had happened over the past few years, briefly outlining the complicated relationship between the three of them.
Jiang Yiping sucked in a sharp breath. This was bad, very bad. He quickly warned him, “Brother Yuanzheng, this could involve issues of personal conduct. If someone reports it to the military district, it won’t end well.”
“Sigh. I know. It’s just… I don’t want a divorce.”
“What’s so hard about that? You and Sister-in-law are legally husband and wife. Just kick that Song guy out.”
Easy to say, far harder to do.
Qin Yuanzheng had racked his brain and still couldn’t find a solution. It was hardly as simple as Jiang Yiping saying a few words and making someone leave.
What’s more… if she truly had to choose, Meimei probably wouldn’t choose me. Qin Yuanzheng admitted silently to himself.
“Yiping, actually… she’s already brought up divorce with me.”
Jiang Yiping was shocked. He’d originally thought it was just a marital misunderstanding, that the educated youth surnamed Song had helped Sister-in-law a few times while Yuanzheng wasn’t around, which led to gossip. He believed there was no real problem between the couple.
Who would’ve thought they were already talking about divorce? Completely unexpected.
Not knowing how to comfort him, Jiang Yiping patted his shoulder and sighed. “Brother Yuanzheng… fate plays tricks on people.”
“Let’s not talk about that. This time, catching them red-handed was thanks to you. Later, let’s grab a meal together.”
“Sure.”
That evening, when the village secretary secretary realized his wife still hadn’t returned, he began asking around. Several women who had gone to the supply and marketing cooperative with her said that after leaving the cooperative, they went separate ways and didn’t know where she’d gone.
But it seemed they’d seen her wandering near the town government building, whether she went inside or not, they weren’t sure.
Hearing this, the village secretary immediately sensed how serious things were.
With a dark face, he stopped asking around and returned home instead.
By then, night had fallen. The village still had no electricity. The house was pitch black, since no one had lit the kerosene lamp, and nothing could be seen.
He planned to rely on memory to feel his way toward the lamp.
“Your wife has already been arrested by the police.”
Why was there someone in the house?!
The village secretary was nearly scared out of his wits. He was already drowning in the realization that something had happened to his wife.
Before he could react, the voice continued, “In a few days, once your wife confesses everything at the station, they’ll come for you too. Qin Yuanzheng is ruthless, you know that.”
“Who are you?”
The village secretary wasn’t a simple man. He quickly steadied himself and cautiously probed the man hiding in the darkness.
The man’s voice was extremely hoarse, as if scorched by iron. The room was filled with a pungent stench of body odor mixed with a faint smell of blood.
“You don’t need to know too much. Knowing too much won’t do you any good.”
The coarse voice sounded again.
“You just need to know that we now share a common enemy.”
The village secretary tried to light the kerosene lamp, but the man knocked it over in one swift motion and seized his throat.
“Your wife’s already been detained by Qin Yuanzheng, and you’re still this damn slow? I’ll ask you one straight question, are you in with me or not? If not…”
As he spoke, the man’s grip slowly tightened. The meaning was obvious: if the village secretary didn’t join him against Qin Yuanzheng, he would end him right here, leaving no loose ends.
“Cough, cough, I… I agree… please… let go…”