**Chapter 52**

  The Song family didn’t stay overnight and left in the afternoon. Daniu gave them some blueberry wine and four jars of jam. "We didn’t make much jam at home. Have the child and sister-in-w take two spoonfuls a day. There should be some nutrients in it that are good for them." The jam was made with spiritual water, so it was indeed beneficial.

  "Got it," Zhao Xi said, setting the four jars of jam aside. The blueberry wine needed to be stored properly at home. "This will be perfect to drink during the New Year. Save it for Sister-in-w and the two aunts. Even Grandma can drink some. It’s good for the skin. The men can just have a taste," Daniu said cheerfully.

  "Yeah, giving it to them would be a waste," Zhao Xi ughed. "Come visit us sometime.I heard they’re going to fish at Erlong Lake. It’ll be lively in December. Bring Dayong and the others along."

  Daniu was intrigued. "I’ll definitely go if I have time." Erlong Lake wasn’t far from her grandfather’s house, but overfishing had reduced the number of rge fish in the past two years, so fishing had been banned for three years. Unexpectedly, it will be open again this year.

  "Your sister-in-w is being foolish. What’s the rush? The family isn’t pressuring her. She’s only 30, so waiting a couple more years would have been fine. Now it’s so risky," Ma Hongmei said after the Song family left.

  "Maybe she was provoked by the second branch," Da Niu said. After learning what the second branch had done, she didn’t even want to call him Second Grandpa anymore.

  "What’s there to be upset about? A few words won’t make her lose flesh," Ma Hongmei said, though she also felt uncomfortable about it. Fortunately, they lived far away, or there would have been even more drama.

  After the New Year, the Song family found out about the second branch’s schemes. While they couldn’t make the second branch admit to it, they stopped associating with them. In March, the second branch’s second son was caught stealing. In order to defend himself, he asked Song Zhigang to testify. Unfortunately, Song Zhigang had resentment for them in his heart, so how could he testify for him?

  The second son of the second branch was sentenced to a year of bor reform. The second branch also found out that their schemes had been exposed, and the retionship between the families completely broke down. Later, during a community work session, Sister-in-w Liu Yue, who was resting at home to recover her health, was mocked by the second branch. They even called her a "hen that doesn’t y eggs."

  Liu Yue became increasingly angry and, in her frustration, stopped taking precautions and ended up pregnant. The old doctor was so upset by this that he almost refused to continue treating them. He hated it when patients didn’t follow his advice. After examining her, he concluded that her body couldn’t handle losing the child, as it would cause even more damage.

  Ma Hongmei was also upset, but after some time, she packed some supplies and went with Song Yuncheng to visit Liu Yue. When she returned, she told Daniu that Liu Yue was doing well. Perhaps because she was genuinely happy about the pregnancy, she had a good appetite and slept well. Her belly was already showing, and the family didn’t let her do any work. When Ma Hongmei visited, Liu Yue even compined about being bored, but her face was full of happiness.

  By December, two heavy snowfalls had bnketed the area when Ma Hongmei sent the newlyweds to live at the farm. Dali had been assigned a small dorm room at the farm, about ten square meters, with a kang (heated bed) and a small stove in the outer room. They bought a small iron pot from the commune and set it up to make it livable. After all, it wasn’t good for newlyweds to live apart. The family didn’t oppose them as much as Yingchun wasn't doing much work at home.

  Dali and his wife returned every Saturday evening and left on Sunday night. If Zheng Sen wasn’t on a trip, he would come with them and stay overnight on the north kang in the old man’s room. The younger siblings all knew he was their future brother-in-w and got along well with him, especially since Zheng Sen was very generous.

  The two were set to get engaged on the 22nd day of the twelfth lunar month. Even more exciting was the news that Dakui had written a letter saying he would be coming home on leave this year with his wife. If all went well, they would arrive on the 20th day of the twelfth lunar month, just in time for Daniu’s engagement.

  This news delighted Ma Hongmei. She quickly cleaned up the middle room in the backyard and moved the two daughters to the front yard to live with Daniu. She also made a new set of bedding for the couple.

  Every day was busy, but Ma Hongmei was always in high spirits.

  The New Year came early this year. On New Year’s Day, Daniu went to work as usual. When she left early in the morning, she agreed with the children at home that she would take them to the Song family using the sled when she came back in the evening and go to watch fishing early the next morning. The old man was also very interested and said he would join them, hoping to bring back some fish for the New Year’s feast.

  When Daniu left for work, she thought that if things weren’t too busy at the office, she would leave early.

  The day went smoothly. Around 2 p.m., Daniu handed in her newly written report to the director and informed Director Yang that she was leaving early. Others in the unit could also leave early once they finished their tasks. Daniu rode her bicycle to Fourth Grandpa’s house to ask if he wanted to go watch the fishing. As she passed the small two-story building near the store, she heard a sharp cry: "Stop, thief!"

  She turned her head and saw a woman crawling on the ground in front of the credit union, which had opened early st year. Da Niu quickly turned her bike and pedaled forward, catching a glimpse of a figure disappearing into an alley.

  When she reached the woman, Da Niu recognized her as Li Xiuli, a 23-year-old accountant at the credit union.

  Daniu saw that Li Xiuli’s nose and mouth were bleeding, and her lips were moving as if trying to say something. Daniu leaned in to listen: "Catch him... he... he has a mole here." Li Xiuli weakly pointed to her eyebrow before trembling and passing out. Da Niu tried to stop the bleeding from her wounds, but it was impossible. A quick gnce revealed at least thirteen wounds, with more likely in her abdomen, where blood was gushing out uncontrolbly.

  By now, many people had heard the commotion and gathered around. "Go call the police! Someone help carry her to the hospital!"

  A nearby family reacted quickly, taking down their door to use as a stretcher. Several people lifted Li Xiuli onto it.

  Daniu called over a young man and told him to press on Li Xiuli’s abdomen, though she wasn’t sure if it would help. "Get her to the hospital!" she said, then jumped on her bike and chased after the figure that had disappeared into the alley.

  She had lost some time, and the suspect was nowhere to be seen.

  Da Niu entered the alley and studied the ground. The suspect had fled in a hurry, leaving footprints in the snow that had fallen a few days earlier. The snow had been compacted by footsteps, but some traces remained. Following the tracks, Da Niu rode quickly, her sharp eyes scanning the familiar terrain. She soon reached the edge of the commune, where few people usually went. Perhaps the suspect was afraid of leaving obvious traces, and since the fields ahead were open and visible, he had turned back.

  Da Niu stopped her bike, thought for a moment, and then locked it, worried the suspect might steal it to escape.

  Carefully examining the ground, she noticed the tracks headed south. She looked in that direction and saw a rge pile of firewood. Picking up a wooden stick from the ground, she moved forward cautiously.

  As she approached the firewood pile, the footprints became clearer. Da Niu stopped to listen and heard faint breathing coming from behind the pile.

  Holding her breath, she quickly circled the pile, her stick ready to strike if she saw the suspect.

  However, she only caught a glimpse of the suspect’s back. "Stop! Police!" she shouted, chasing after him. Just as she was about to turn the corner, she didn’t hear any footsteps. Realizing something was wrong, she crouched down just as a thick stick swung through the air, narrowly missing her head.

  Da Niu swung her own stick, hitting the suspect’s leg with a solid thud. He cried out in pain.

  The suspect, realizing his attack had failed, jumped out.

  Da Niu saw that he was about 1.7 meters tall, with a sturdy build. He wore a hat and a neck warmer, but she could see a mole on his brow, just as Li Xiuli had described.

  The man threw a punch at Da Niu, who dodged and blocked with her arm. The force of the blow was strong, but Da Niu was no weakling. She countered with a punch to his ribs and a kick to his shin.

  The man grunted in surprise and dodged, then swung his arm again. Da Niu tried to dodge but wasn’t fast enough. With a crack, she felt a sharp pain in her left shoulder bde, and her arm went numb. Despite the injury, she didn’t give up. In the distance, she could hear voices approaching. If she could hold on a little longer, they would catch the suspect.

  With this thought, Da Niu didn’t retreat but instead charged forward, using her right shoulder as a weapon. She smmed her body into the man’s chest, causing him to stagger. She then followed up with an elbow strike to his ribs. The man grunted in pain—his ribs were likely broken.

  However, the man was ruthless. Despite the pain, he grabbed Da Niu’s left arm and quickly pulled out a dagger, stabbing toward her. Da Niu, restrained and in pain, tried to grab the dagger with her left hand but failed. The bde plunged into her left abdomen.

  The man tried to pull the dagger out to stab again, but Da Niu held onto the dagger tightly. She raised her knee and kicked hard at the man’s groin. He dodged, and Da Niu retracted her right arm, grabbing the man’s neck warmer and revealing his face.

  The man was startled and yanked the dagger back, using his other hand to pull the neck warmer back up.

  "You’re asking for death, you brat," the man growled, stabbing at Da Niu again with the dagger. Da Niu’s movements were slower now, but she still managed to dodge the fatal blow, though her left arm was sshed.

  "Over here—" Voices came from the distance. The man frowned, spat, and, clutching his ribs, he ran off quickly. Da Niu, her abdomen in excruciating pain, tried to chase after him but colpsed after a few steps. She could only shout, "This way!" She knew the people coming were likely following her bicycle. Her position was blocked by the firewood pile, making it hard to spot her.

  Hearing her voice, two people ran over—one was her colleague, Xiao Zhang, and the other was her uncle, Ma Yunjie.

  Da Niu pointed in the direction the man had fled. "He went that way. He has a knife and is very skilled—probably trained. Be careful." The way the man had struck her earlier was not something an ordinary person could do. With just one move, he had likely fractured her colrbone and shoulder bde.

  Xiao Zhang immediately chased after the man, followed by two others. Ma Yunjie stayed with Da Niu. "Da Niu, how are you?"

  "I’m fine. Just got stabbed in the stomach," Da Niu said, wincing in pain. "Uncle, why are you here?"

  Ma Yunjie saw that Da Niu’s cotton jacket was soaked with blood around her abdomen. "I’ll carry you to the hospital. Hang in there." He noticed her left arm was also injured, so he lifted her up. This was difficult for someone who wasn’t used to heavy physical bor.

  Carrying Da Niu, he ran back. "We got off work early today. I just came out and saw something was wrong, then noticed you running in."

  Da Niu was in too much pain to speak, her consciousness fading as blood continued to flow from her abdomen.

  They hadn’t gone far when a group of people arrived, led by Yang Hui.

  "Ma Shun, how are you? Quick, two of you carry her to the hospital," Yang Hui commanded.

  "He went that way. Hurry, he’s very skilled," Da Niu managed to say.

  Yang Hui nodded. "Yunjie, get her to the hospital." He didn’t waste time and led the others in pursuit.

  Two young men stayed behind to help Ma Yunjie carry Da Niu to the hospital. Along the way, they encountered some locals who removed a door to use as a stretcher. By the time they reached the hospital, Da Niu had passed out.

  When she opened her eyes again, it was already the next day. Her mother was sitting by the bed, her eyes red. Seeing Da Niu awake, she quickly said, "Da Niu, you’re awake?"

  "Mom."

  "You scared me to death. Don’t do something like this again. What were you thinking, chasing after someone like that alone?" Ma Hongmei said, tears streaming down her face.

  Before Daniu could respond, the door opened, and Zheng Sen walked in, carrying a thermos and a rge mug. Seeing her awake, his eyes lit up, and he hurried over.

  "When did you wake up? How are you feeling?" He set the thermos on the table and checked the IV drip.

  Da Niu shook her head. "I’m fine." She didn’t feel too bad—the stab hadn’t hit any vital organs.

  "Fine? You almost died, you know? How can you say you’re fine?" Ma Hongmei, said angrily.

  Zheng Sen gently touched her head. "That stab wound nicked your abdominal artery. The doctor said if it had gone any deeper, you wouldn’t have made it to the hospital. Even if you had, they might not have been able to save you."

  Da Niu was stunned. "Abdominal artery?" She didn’t even know she had one there.

  "What about Li Xiuli, the woman brought in yesterday?" Daniu asked.

  Zheng Sen hesitated before answering, "She didn’t make it. She died as soon as she reached the hospital." He gnced at Daniu with a troubled look.

  "What is it?" Daniu asked.

  Zheng Sen paused before saying in a low voice, "Comrade Zhang, who went after the suspect, was attacked and killed."

  Da Niu’s body jerked up in shock, causing pain to shoot through her shoulder bde and left side. "How could that happen?" She couldn’t believe it. "Did the suspect escape?"

  Zheng Sen quickly helped her lie back down. "The suspect ambushed him at a crossroads."

  Da Niu felt like she couldn’t breathe. She took a deep, painful breath, her eyes reddening. After a moment, she said, "Xiao Zhang just joined st month. His child is only six months old." Tears streamed down her face.

  "Don’t worry, daughter. Your uncle and the others have come from the county. They’ll catch him," Ma Hongmei comforted her.

  Zheng Sen nodded. "After the incident, the commune militia immediately mobilized and sealed off the area. The suspect likely hasn’t left the commune. The county has sent people to conduct a thorough search."

  Da Niu stared at the ceiling, her mind repying the fight with the suspect. She wondered if she could have stopped him if she had held onto his arm.

  Just then, the door opened, and Song Yuncheng entered with Yang Hui and Ma Yunting.

  "Shun is awake," Yang Hui said, looking exhausted.

  "Did you catch him?" Daniu asked immediately.

  Yang Hui shook his head. "Not yet. We’ve searched every household in the commune but found no trace of him. Did you see his face?"

  Daniu nodded. "I remember. Get me some paper and a pen. I can draw him."

  Yang Hui quickly turned to a colleague behind him. "Go ask the doctor for paper and a pen."

  He turned back to Daniu and noticed her red eyes. She must have already heard about Xiao Zhang’s sacrifice. "That man is a trained fighter. Xiao Zhang was stabbed twice in vital areas. The two who chased after him were also injured to varying degrees. If we hadn’t arrived in time, they might not have survived either. But the suspect somehow disappeared without a trace."

  Daniu thought for a moment. "The man is about 1.72 meters tall and weighs around 160 pounds, maybe more. He has a very muscur build. I couldn’t see his hair, but his hands were rough, and he had a strong smell of tobacco on him."

  She closed her eyes, trying to recall more details. "The tobacco smell was quite pungent, like the kind from Nan’an County." Every year when new tobacco was harvested, Daniu would buy some for her grandfather. She had smelled all kinds of smells and smoked them when she lit cigarettes for him. Her grandfather had said this kind of tobacco was too strong and spicy, so he didn’t like it. Daniu remembered that and never bought it again.

  "He was wearing a dark blue Zhongshan suit, not homemade but store-bought. It was old but had no patches. His shoes were leather winter boots, also old, from a style popur two years ago. My dad has a pair like that. You can only buy those in the county town."

  The person who went to fetch the paper and pen returned. Yang Hui and Ma Yunting both took out small notebooks to record what Daniu said.

  Daniu’s left shoulder bde and colrbone were fractured and now immobilized. Zheng Sen came over and carefully propped her head up with a pillow. "Don’t move anymore. Be careful not to reopen the wound on your abdomen."

  Daniu gnced at him. "Let me tilt slightly to the right."

  Zheng Sen nodded and, with Ma Hongmei’s help, gently tilted her body to the right. To prevent her shoulder bde from dislocating again, Zheng Sen had to support her arm with his hand.

  Daniu's forehead was covered with sweat.

  After catching her breath, Daniu took the pencil and began to sketch on the paper in front of her.

  Her drawing skills were average, cking artistic fir, but thanks to her photographic memory, she could clearly recall the man’s face. She marked key points on the paper, such as the distance between his eyebrows, the size of his eyes, and the width of his face. If there were any mistakes, her brain would automatically correct them.

  As she connected the dots, the man’s face gradually took shape on the paper. "This is him." After half an hour, Daniu finally finished the sketch.

  "Is this man from the commune?" Ma Yunting asked. During a drinking session with Yang Hui, Ma Yunting had praised Daniu, saying she had memorized everyone in the commune and even reorganized the household registration files.

  Daniu shook her head. "He’s not from the commune, and he’s not from any of the vilges I’m responsible for either." She frowned, recalling that she had been comparing faces in her mind while drawing. "There’s an 80% chance he’s not from our commune, and he might not even be from our county."

  She turned to Yang Hui. "Director, did the credit union lose any money?"

  Yang Hui nodded. "The credit union lost over 1,000 yuan, but during the struggle with Li Xiuli, some of the money got blood on it. That part will be hard to use."

  "The credit union here has only been open for less than a year. There are usually five staff members, but because it was New Year’s Day, everyone went home at noon, leaving only Li Xiuli to sort out the accounts. I think the suspect had been watching the pce for a while," Ma Yunting said.

  Yang Hui agreed. "Regardless, we need to expand the search area. We must catch him as soon as possible." He took the sketch and said to Daniu, "Shun, rest well and recover. We’ll take it from here."