Volume 1, Chapter 50: Evidence?

"An album? Why would I want that old hag's album? Is her picture more beautiful than my wife's? Or is that album some priceless treasure?"

"It's just a piece of rotten wood wrapped around a few photos. What use is it?"

Hearing this, the two constables nodded in agreement. They had inspected the album earlier; it was just a broken wooden box inlaid with glass. While the photos might have some sentimental value, who would be bored enough to steal photographs, especially an old woman's?

At this moment, Su Jianshe shifted his tone and pointed at Silly Zhu standing nearby.

"Officer, I want to file a report. This album was deliberately planted to frame me by Silly Zhu!"

"When he came to find me, I was utterly astonished. Everyone in the courtyard knows we are on bad terms. I thought he was coming to apologize, but I never expected him to try and ruin me!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the onlookers shifted, and the gazes cast upon Silly Zhu were filled with suspicion.

Su Jianshe had only just sent Silly Zhu to the police station not long ago; why would Silly Zhu go looking for him again? Retaliation? The fist mark on the old locust tree at the entrance of the courtyard was proof enough of everything—the sheer might of that punch was breathtaking.

Panic gripped Silly Zhu's heart, and putting up a bold front, he shouted, "Officer, don't listen to his nonsense! I was just passing by, and seeing the album, I confronted him. The old lady treats me like her own son; how could I steal from her? He just doesn't want to pay compensation, so he's deliberately making trouble!"

The crowd was stunned at these words. They didn't care who stole the album; they only cared about the compensation. Silly Zhu had no money; the money was with Su Jianshe.

"Officer, comrade, that old lady is extremely fond of Silly Zhu, treating him as her own flesh and blood. How could Silly Zhu possibly steal from her?"

"Su Jianshe, you brat, how dare you shift the blame onto someone else! Clearly, you are the thief!"

"Let me tell you, today you must pay compensation not only to the old lady, but to us as well! It's all your fault that we lost the title of 'Red Banner Unit.' You have to pay for this loss, don't you all agree?"

Mrs. Jia shouted at this moment, adding fuel to the fire.

The people around were eager for Su Jianshe to hand over the money immediately; how could they possibly stop him?

"That's right, Su Jianshe, hurry up and pay up! Stop framing other people! The old lady loves Silly Zhu so much; if Silly Zhu wanted the album, couldn't he just ask her for it?"

"Let me say a fair word!"

Yi Zhonghai, acting as the senior elder of the courtyard, cleared his throat and spoke from within the crowd.

"This album is practically worthless. It's just a photograph plus some scrap wood and glass, worth at most a few cents. It's not precious!"

The crowd was taken aback, and just as they were about to refute, Yi Zhonghai changed the subject.

"Even a single thread or needle shouldn't be coveted, though. Su Jianshe, you've lost your mind. Listen to this elder's advice, quickly admit your mistake, apologize to the old lady and everyone here, and this matter will be put to rest!"

"The comrade officers won't make things too difficult for you either. You'll just spend ten days or half a month in the police station and then you'll be out!"

Liu Haizhong also put on a preachy facade and said, "Indeed, Su Jianshe, what good does it do you to stubbornly deny it? All the evidence points to you; stop being obstinate!"

"Lenient treatment for those who confess, severe punishment for those who resist. Haven't you ever heard of this policy?"

"Utter nonsense! I didn't take a thing, what am I supposed to confess to?"

"I reiterate, I did not take this album at all! Silly Zhu brought it to my house and threw it at me!"

"If I had truly taken it, I would have burned it to ashes long ago. How could I have let you see it?"

The two constables stood in the middle, momentarily unable to make up their minds.

Despite the many cases they handled on a regular basis, truly, they had never encountered such a thorny situation before. Usually, once the evidence was presented, the culprit would immediately bow their head and confess.

Yet at this moment...

The two constables exchanged glances, their eyes filled with helplessness.

Both sides presented their own arguments, each sounding plausible enough. Earlier inside the room, they had witnessed with their own eyes how affectionate the old lady was toward Silly Zhu, even moving a precious stove close to him.

However, that album was indeed of low value.

Su Jianshe spent money lavishly and could afford to buy plenty of meat; why would he resort to petty theft?

Inside the crowd, Banggen's inner dissatisfaction gradually brewed.

"This idiot Silly Zhu, he stole the old lady's things and then framed Su Jianshe. Absolute scum!"

"He even tried to stop Su Jianshe from financially supporting us. Where is his conscience?"

Banggen regretted missing out on so much delicious food and resented his mother even more for currying favor with Silly Zhu only to be repeatedly insulted in return.

"It's all because of that mousetrap at Su Jianshe's place that my fingers ended up like this. Now no one is willing to keep company with me!"

Touching his severed finger and watching the dispute unfolding before him, Banggen wore a conflicted expression.

His mind was still somewhat innocent. Recalling the moment he was caught by the mousetrap, he also remembered the lewd glances Silly Zhu often cast at his mother.

"Perhaps, if I wait a little longer, sooner or later they will figure out that Silly Zhu is the thief, and I won't have to say a word."

...

Silly Zhu saw the neighboring residents taking sides one after another to condemn Su Jianshe, and a plan formed in his mind.

"I must make Su Jianshe pay compensation! With that money, I'll be able to support Sister Qin!"

"If that good-for-nothing Jia Dongxu freezes to death this winter, it would be even better. When that time comes, with my help, Sister Qin won't have to remain a widow!"

Silly Zhu thought to himself, secretly glancing at Qin Huairu in the crowd, only to find her equally stirred up.

It seemed she wasn't truly criticizing Su Jianshe, but rather voicing grievances about that table full of meat and dishes.

"Officer, you must not believe a single word from this fellow!"

"Even though there is meat in their house, perhaps it's just a cover?"

"Who says someone with meat at home wouldn't steal a neighbor's chicken?"

"Besides, the old lady has a falling out with Su Jianshe. He might have stolen the album just to break the old lady's heart, only to be caught in the act by Silly Zhu, and now he's turning it around to bite back. That's entirely possible!"

As soon as these words were uttered, not only Silly Zhu, but even the bystanders nodded repeatedly.

This version of events seemed quite logical.

Seeing Sister Qin help him out like this, the light in Silly Zhu's eyes grew even brighter.

"Sister Qin, you are too good to me. Once that good-for-nothing Jia Dongxu is out of the picture, I will definitely not let you feel lonely; I'll make sure you witness what I'm truly capable of!"

Right in front of Banggen, Silly Zhu boldly sized up Qin Huairu.

The rest of the crowd was too busy denouncing Su Jianshe to pay him any mind.

As for Banggen, his heart was a tangle of conflict as he glared furiously at Silly Zhu.

"Silly Zhu, I knew you hadn't given up! You're still eyeing my mother!"

"Officer, Silly Zhu is like a grandson to me; the whole courtyard knows it!"

"How could he possibly take my album? If he wanted to look at it, I would have handed it directly to him!"

"Besides, it's just an old album, useless to Silly Zhu. It must be this unfilial beast Su Jianshe who saw me hugging the album every day and thought stealing it would break my heart!"

"Dear officers, you must uphold justice for me! I'm a seventy-something old woman, and while I wasn't paying attention for a moment, he smashed my album to pieces!"

As Deaf Old Lady spoke, she heavily struck her walking stick against the ground, highly emotional as if she wanted to tear Su Jianshe apart alive.

Hearing this, Silly Zhu felt secretly overjoyed. With the old lady's backing, he had finally cleared his name.

And as for Su Jianshe, no matter how he argued, it would be in vain, because everyone stood on his side. What reason would the constables have to doubt him?

"Silly Zhu, I knew you had no shame! You stole the thing yourself, and now you're biting back, claiming someone else stole it!"

Deep inside, Banggen still harbored doubts about Su Jianshe's previous words. After all, from his perspective, although Silly Zhu was lecherous, he didn't seem like the type to lie; he even seemed somewhat simple-minded. Aside from having great strength, he had never seen him do anything truly evil. Plus, Silly Zhu had constantly been bringing food to their household...

However, the moment he witnessed Silly Zhu lying once again, fixing that disgusting gaze upon his mother, all hesitation instantly vanished like smoke.

How could Banggen possibly endure this?

If he really let this scoundrel send Su Jianshe to the police station, where would he get any candy in the future? If Silly Zhu truly became his stepfather, Banggen felt he would suffer immensely! If he didn't send Silly Zhu to the police station, his mother would undoubtedly continue to be harassed by him!

At this thought, Banggen's face flushed red with irrepressible anger.

"Silly Zhu, you're lying! You were the one who stole that album, I saw it with my own eyes!"

Banggen's voice exploded like thunder amidst the crowd.

Not only Su Jianshe at the front was stunned, but even Qin Huairu and Mrs. Jia, who had been clamoring in the crowd for Su Jianshe to pay compensation, froze completely. They hadn't even noticed when Banggen had arrived.

Qin Huairu panicked and hurriedly reached out to cover Banggen's mouth, but the two constables at the front had already heard it clearly and walked straight up to him.

"Little fellow, did you say you saw He Yuzhu steal the old lady's album?"

The two officers questioned Banggen sternly.

"Is that true? Could Silly Zhu have really run into the old lady's house, stolen the album, and then dumped it on Su Jianshe?"

"No way, Silly Zhu is usually quite honest, and the old lady treats him so well. Why would he steal?"

"Who can say for sure about these things? Maybe Silly Zhu harbored resentment and wanted to frame Su Jianshe?"

"I reckon Banggen isn't a good seed either; maybe he and Su Jianshe teamed up to pull this stunt!"

For a moment, the people of the courtyard murmured and discussed among themselves.

The crowd sized up Silly Zhu and Banggen; some even shrunk their necks back and stretched their limbs, preparing to watch a good show.

Faced with the gaze of the crowd, even the "Saint of Thieves" of the courtyard, Banggen, felt ill at ease.

"I..."

Just as Banggen started to speak, Yi Zhonghai at the side interrupted with a cold snort.

"Banggen, you're young, so it's normal to misjudge people. But as the senior elder, I must remind you to choose your words carefully!"

Silly Zhu stood nearby, thinking he had shaken off suspicion, yet feeling even more anxious inside.

"Banggen, did you remember wrong? When have I ever been to the old lady's place? I really didn't steal this album, nor did I hand it to Su Jianshe. Don't make me take the blame for this!"

"This matter is too important; you need to think carefully and not talk nonsense!"

Silly Zhu shot frantic looks at Banggen as he spoke, consumed by terror.

"Oh dear, my ancestor, how can you say such a thing? I haven't treated your family poorly!"

"You can't just spout nonsense like this. Take those words back right now, and I'll pretend none of this ever happened!"

Qin Huairu also rushed to her son's side, wiping away a trace of grease from the corner of her mouth.

Though puzzled about where her son had gotten greasy food, Qin Huairu knew this wasn't the time to investigate. Whether their family could get the money depended entirely on whether Su Jianshe confessed!

Her foolish son running out to make trouble would likely result in them failing to get the money while also dragging Silly Zhu down into ruin.

"Banggen, listen to Mom, think back carefully. Was the person who stole things in the back courtyard previously actually Su Jianshe?"

"Don't be afraid, tell Mom, Mom will protect you!"

At that moment, however, Mrs. Jia waddled forward with her obese body, shoving others aside.

Her greasy, bulky face squeezed out a smile as she said to Banggen, "My good little grandson, hurry up and tell grandma: was the little bastard you saw back then actually Su Jianshe?"

"Don't be afraid, grandma is right here, no one dares bully you. As long as you answer correctly, grandma will take you to eat meat, whatever you want!"

Mrs. Jia's words were practically a blatant prompt telling Banggen to point the finger at Su Jianshe as the thief in exchange for delicious food.

Yet, Banggen shook his head like a rattle-drum.

When no one was paying attention, the look Banggen cast at his grandmother was akin to viewing a mortal enemy.

He still remembered that it was this stubborn old hag who had made him go pick the lock at Su Jianshe's house.

If not for her, he wouldn't have lost his fingers, nor would he have become crippled!

None of the children in the courtyard were willing to play with him anymore.

Seeing this, the two constables intended to remind everyone not to coach witnesses at will, but Deaf Old Lady on the side refused to have it.

"Banggen, you'd better think this through clearly!"

"Silly Zhu is my own dear grandson; there's no way he would steal from me. Whatever he wants, is there anything in my house I wouldn't give him?"

"Grandma has to warn you, don't be blinded by someone else's petty favors!"

As soon as these words dropped, the expressions of the onlookers from the courtyard turned rather unsightly.

Some even began to speculate: could Silly Zhu really have stolen the old lady's album?

After all, if Su Jianshe were truly the thief, these people wouldn't have been so easygoing, nor would they have kept coaxing Banggen.

"Enough!"

Just as the crowd was about to chime in further, one of the constables strode forward and positioned himself right beside Banggen.

"Everyone, we are in the midst of an investigation! Please do not interfere with the witness's train of thought!"

"The law is strict; obstructing witnesses or disrupting order during a case is a punishable offense!"

The constable's words echoed through the crowd like thunder, scaring Silly Zhu so badly he shuddered.

"Ancestor, please don't stir up any more trouble, or else compensation will be the least of my worries—I might actually end up in prison!"

A profound terror of the police station welled up inside Silly Zhu, and he silently began to pray.

On the scene, only Su Jianshe was gently comforting Chu Yan, while everyone else stared at one another in dead silence.

Seeing the crowd quiet down, the two constables nodded in satisfaction.

One of them, fearing he might frighten the child, squatted down halfway and asked with a reassuring smile, "Little Banggen, did you indeed witness He Yuzhu sneaking into Deaf Old Lady's house to commit theft?"

A trace of resentment flickered in Banggen's eyes. He hated Su Jianshe, he hated Mrs. Jia, and he hated Silly Zhu even more for bringing all these people to threaten him.

"Yes, Uncle. When I went to play in the back courtyard, I saw Silly Zhu scurry into the old lady's house looking flustered. When he came back out, his clothes were bulging in the front, like he was carrying something rectangular!"

As Banggen spoke, he gestured with his hands, outlining the exact dimensions of the album Silly Zhu had carried away from Deaf Old Lady's home.

Fearing someone might misunderstand, Banggen added, "He acted all sneaky when he left, terrified of getting caught, and sprinted straight back to his house!"

Banggen's words struck like a bolt from the blue, chilling Silly Zhu straight down to the soles of his feet.