**Chapter 54**

  Yang Hui and Ma Yunting quickly took the information provided by Daniu and led a team to thoroughly investigate the three households. Their first stop was Hu Qingyuan’s house in the vilge, as it was the closest to the police station.

  When they arrived, Hu Qingyuan was at home. His family was simple—just him, his wife, and their child. He had grown up in the vilge, but his family was poor, so he had left to beg for food as a child. Later, he learned some martial arts from a master and eventually made a living in Harbin.

  After liberation, he returned to his hometown with his wife and opened a small restaurant. Later, during the public-private partnership era, he joined the production team, while his wife became a cook at a state-owned restaurant. They lived a comfortable life, with the only downside being that they had no children. Three years ago, they adopted an orphaned boy, and for this, they were even commended by the commune. Their family was harmonious and had a good reputation in the commune.

  After searching the house, Yang Hui and his team found no clues. The couple’s life seemed entirely normal. The team then left for Zhao Chunsheng’s house near the bridge. As they approached the door, Ma Yunting suddenly raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop.

  "Be careful; something’s off." The houses in the commune were all street-facing, and this one was no exception. However, in this era, private businesses were no longer allowed, and the area near the bridge was far from the town center, so no state-owned enterprises had rented the space. Most people used these houses as residences, like Fourth Grandpa Ma’s family, who lived in the street-facing house with neighbors on either side.

  At this moment, Zhao Chunsheng’s door was slightly ajar, and a strong smell of blood wafted out. Ma Yunting cautiously pushed the door open and saw a pool of blood flowing from the east room. He checked the main room for any danger and then signaled for the team to move in.

  Ma Yunting pointed to the east room and then to the passage door.

  Soon, the team quickly assessed the situation. "No danger here."

  "No danger," came two voices. Ma Yunting entered the east room and found a woman lying on the floor. He checked her pulse—she was dead.

  "Captain, there’s something here," a comrade reported from the passage door.

  Ma Yunting walked over and saw a man lying in the yard. Upon closer inspection, it was Zhao Chunsheng.

  "Check the backyard," Ma Yunting ordered, leading the team to the rear of the house. The backyard was empty, but there were signs of a struggle. It seemed the fight had started in the backyard and moved to the front.

  "Judging by the wounds, it’s likely the same person. The wound matches the previous cases," Yang Hui said.

  "Let’s search carefully for any clues," Ma Yunting said with a frown. They were once again a step too te.

  * * *

  "This is the situation," Ma Yunting said when he visited Daniu on the third night, updating her on the case’s progress.

  "Have you looked into Zhao Chunsheng’s retionships? This might be a case of silencing a witness. He might have some connection to Zhao Chuni," Daniu suggested. She was feeling much better now, sitting up in her hospital bed and helping analyze the case.

  "We’ve already sent people to investigate. Zhao Chunsheng used to make a living in Mo City, but he returned before liberation. His brother, Zhao Chunwang, told us that Zhao Chunsheng had learned martial arts and was prone to fighting. In Mo City, he got into trouble and severely injured someone. The victim’s family had some influence, so Zhao Chunsheng fled back home. Shortly after, liberation came, and life here improved, so he never went back."

  Daniu thought for a moment. "Since he was in Mo City, it should be easier to investigate there."

  "Right. We’ll start by looking into his retionships and then proceed from there. But it’s been three days, and we still haven’t found the suspect. He might have already left the commune."

  "Uncle Seven, these past few days, I’ve been thinking that this person might strike again. He’s ruthless and decisive. Even after killing, he showed no hesitation or nervousness when I chased him."

  "That’s what worries me too," Ma Yunting said, gncing at Daniu. "For now, don’t worry about it. Focus on recovering. Consider this time off until the New Year."

  The wound on Daniu’s stomach was serious but healing well. However, the injury on her arm could leave sting damage, so she had to be careful not to bump or strain it.

  To prevent infection, Daniu stayed in the hospital for six days. Fortunately, Fourth Grandpa’s house had enough space, and Ma Hongmei, Song Yuncheng, and Zheng Sen, who had taken time off work, took turns looking after her. During this time, several people from the commune came to visit. Although the suspect was still at rge, Daniu’s actions were considered heroic—she had fought the criminal and even sketched his face.

  Daniu’s wounds healed quickly, rgely thanks to the "spiritual water." The "spiritual water" was no ordinary substance. After entering her body, it could flow out from her fingertips. Daniu didn’t pay much attention to it at first and didn’t fully understand its significance. Initially, she couldn’t control it, and it would flow daily. Later, she gained control over it, though she still didn’t know where it came from or where it was stored. She could use it at will.

  Mostly, she added it to the family’s water jug, ensuring everyone stayed healthy. It didn’t have many other effects, but she also used it to water the garden, helping the vegetables grow better, and even fed some to the family’s horse.

  After this injury, Daniu finally realized the benefits of the "spiritual water." Not only did her wound heal quickly, but it also made her feel less discomfort. Her body wasn't as weak as she expected, and when she was discharged from the hospital, she was able to walk home without needing anyone to support her.

  Daniu thought a lot about it and decided that she would use the spiritual water more often in the future. It was definitely a good thing.

  When she got home, her grandfather had already returned. The reason she was in such a hurry to leave the hospital was because Ma Desheng had finally heard the news and rushed back in a panic. Fortunately, Old Song managed to stop him from running straight to the commune.

  Knowing they were coming back, her grandfather had been staring out the window for a long time. After waiting for what felt like an eternity, he finally saw the carriage returning from outside. When he saw Daniu getting off the carriage and walking into the house by herself, he breathed a sigh of relief.

  Daniu went straight to her grandfather's east room. "Grandpa."

  Her grandfather's eyes reddened. "It's good that you're okay." He patted the edge of the kang. "Sit."

  Daniu sat down beside him. Her grandfather carefully examined her complexion. It looked good, almost back to normal, and she even seemed to have gained a little weight. Her arm was in a sling, and her shoulder was wrapped in something. "Is your arm okay? Will it affect you?"

  Daniu shook her head. "It's fine. I'm recovering well."

  Her grandfather was half-convinced by her words, but since she was right in front of him and nothing major had happened, he considered it a blessing. He had heard that several people in the commune had lost their lives.

  "I caught a few big fish at Erlong Lake these past few days. I was pnning to stew one when I got back, but can you eat fish with your injury?" Her grandfather looked at Song Yuncheng as he spoke.

  "She can eat it. When we were leaving, Dr. Wang said that eating fish can help bones heal faster," Song Yuncheng said.

  "That's good. We brought back quite a few fish this time—some that we caught and some that were given to us by your grandfather's family. They were all brought here to help you recover."

  Daniu listened and said, "That's not necessary. My sister-in-w is pregnant, so she should eat it."

  Her grandfather shook his head. "I said the same thing, but your sister-in-w insisted on bringing it over. She said she couldn't stand the smell of fish. But I gave your milk coupons to your aunt as you instructed so she could buy some powdered milk to nourish her body."

  At that moment, Ma Hongmei walked in. Hearing this, she smiled and said, "Oh, would those two be willing to part with it? Wouldn't they save it for when the baby is born?"

  "That's what they said. But I told them what Daniu said—that only by taking care of her body can the baby be healthy. When your aunt heard that, she made up her mind and bought two bags the next day, one for your sister-in-w and one for the child."

  Daniu nodded. "Aunt understands the priority."

  That evening, Daniu enjoyed fish soup at home. Ma Hongmei had cut a rge carp into two halves. She heated oil in a wok, fried a few slices of the belly parts, and then added scallions, ginger, and garlic to stir-fry. She then added broad bean paste, white wine, and vinegar, followed by the fish head. After lightly frying it, she added water. The longer it cooked, the more fvorful it became. The fish tail was cooked in a smaller pot, fried until golden on both sides, and then white wine was added to remove the fishy smell. Their family didn't use cooking wine; they used the white wine her grandfather drank, which worked just as well to remove the fishy taste. After frying the fish, she added hot water. Once it boiled, she transferred the fish to a cy pot and let it simmer over low heat.

  When the fish was almost done, she kneaded some dough into a firm consistency and pressed it into ft cakes, sticking them to the side of the pot. After a while, the cakes were cooked, and the fish was ready.

  The fish soup continued to simmer. Ma Hongmei served the fish head in a ceramic bowl, while the cakes remained in the pot, soaking up the fvor of the fish soup. They were chewy and delicious.

  "You can eat this too. I didn't add any chili, and the fish soup has been simmering for a while," Ma Hongmei said, looking around. "Oh, by the way, didn't Xiao Zheng come back with us?" She had been busy with other things and hadn't noticed.

  "He didn't come. There was a shortage of hands at the farm tonight, so he went to help out," Daniu said.

  "What a pity. The fish head today was especially big, and it's been simmering for a long time. Your brother and sister-in-w aren't back either, and Xiao Zheng isn't here. I'm afraid there'll be leftovers."

  "Leftovers? Don't worry about that. Our two boys are at the age where they can eat a lot. You think there'll be leftovers?" Song Yuncheng said as he poured a small cup of wine for the old man.

  He was right. Not only the boys, but even Xiaocui had a big appetite. After not seeing her for a week, it felt like she had grown a bit taller.

  After dinner, Daniu went back to her room. Her two younger sisters were staying with her now so they could help take care of her at night.

  She wasn't sleepy, so she y on the kang, lost in thought. After about an hour, her mother came in again.

  "Mom, why are you here again?" Daniu asked through the door.

  "The fish soup on the stove is ready. I came to prepare it for you," Ma Hongmei said. The fish tail in the cy pot had been stewed to perfection, and the soup was a milky white color, looking very appealing. Ma Hongmei removed the fish skin with chopsticks, then picked out the fish meat and put it back into the pot. She used a rge spoon to press and stir the soup, and soon it became thick and creamy. When it was almost done, she strained it with a dle to remove any small bones or bits of meat, leaving behind a rich, milky fish soup. She dled out a bowl, added a little salt for fvor, and brought it to her daughter.

  "Mom, if I keep eating like this, I'm going to get fat," Daniu said with a frown. She hadn't even fully digested her st meal.

  "Fat? You've lost so much blood. It'll take a long time to replenish that. If you don't recover now, you'll suffer ter," Ma Hongmei said, handing the bowl to her daughter and insisting she drink it.

  Daniu had no choice but to give in to her mother. She picked up the bowl and started drinking. As soon as the soup touched her lips, her eyes widened. "Mom, this soup is delicious! It's so fvorful."

  "If it's good, then drink it all. There's still some soup left in the pot. I'll make noodles for you tomorrow morning."

  Daniu nodded. "Okay, this soup is perfect. Make the noodles thin."

  "Alright. After you finish the soup, go to bed early. Cui, keep an eye on your sister tonight. If she needs to get up, help her so she doesn't hurt her arm."

  "Got it, Mom."

  "Also, I've taken the fish out. There's still some meat on the pte. If you two are still hungry, you can eat it," Ma Hongmei added.

  Meizi rubbed her stomach. "Mom, I can't eat anymore."

  Xiaocui also nodded. "Me neither. Should we take it to the backyard for the boys to eat?"

  "Forget it. If we take it to the backyard now, it'll be cold and won't taste as good. Just leave it there. We'll have it with noodles tomorrow morning," Ma Hongmei said, taking the empty bowl from Daniu. After a while, she went back to the backyard.

  After drinking a bowl of fish soup, Daniu felt warm and cozy in her stomach and soon fell asleep.