"The Mortal Chapter Of Qing Zhuan" - Chapter 7

Crisis Arises

This voice instantly sent a chill down all our backs. My dad rushed out to see what was happening. He grabbed Uncle Yin, who was running by, and asked anxiously, “What’s going on? I heard someone yelling that someone died? Who died?”

Uncle Yin sighed. “Wang Da was killed!”

My dad froze, then asked, “What? Wang Da? He was such a good person! Why was he killed? He didn’t gamble or owe money. How could such a good person just… disappear like that?”

My mom and I looked at each other, covering our mouths. My mom recoiled a few steps, and Wenwen quickly steadied her. I ran over. “Oh my god, this is too scary!”

Uncle Yin scratched his head. “I don’t know the details. The village head called for me in a panic, so I’m heading over first!”

My dad was about to follow when he suddenly turned to us and said, “It’s not safe outside. Lock the doors and stay put. Don’t go anywhere!”

Just then, Wenwen’s dad hurried over, sweat pouring down his face. He grabbed Wenwen and said, “You little brat, I finally found you. Get home with me! The world out there is a scary place! How do you know who’s good and who’s bad? Bad guys don’t have ‘bad guy’ written on their faces!”

Hearing that, my dad got angry. He stepped in front of Wenwen’s dad. “Hey, Xi, what’s that supposed to mean? Say it to my face!”

Wenwen’s dad glared at my dad. “What? You wanna fight again? Come on!”

My dad’s face turned red. He rolled up his sleeves and swung half a cornbread at him. Wenwen’s dad didn’t back down. He picked up a slipper and threw it at my dad.

My mom shielded my dad and looked at Wenwen’s dad with disgust. “Enough! What’s wrong with you two? Someone died outside, and you’re fighting here! Both of you, sit down. Can’t you talk things out?” The two men finally stopped.

Wenwen’s dad lit a cigarette. “Didn’t you know Wang Da was killed?”

My dad took a bite of watermelon. “I just found out.”

Wenwen’s dad sighed. “Sigh! You might not know, but a group of people came to our village today. They weren’t from around here. They looked dangerous, and even though they were polite, they gave you the creeps. They went door-to-door, asking if anyone had food. They claimed they were traveling merchants whose car had flipped, and they had some injuries and wanted something to eat. But they looked exactly like fugitives. So everyone closed their doors and ignored them. We thought if no one paid them any mind, they’d just leave! But Wang Da, you know how good-hearted he is, ran into them on his way back from the fields. I heard those men were bowing and begging him for food, asking him to save them! You know what a good guy Wang Da is. He took them home. Who knew what happened later… Sigh! Poor Wang Da’s wife…”

My dad, annoyed by the sighing, got impatient. “Can you get to the point? What happened next?”

Wenwen’s dad put out his cigarette. “What are you in a hurry for? Let me finish. So Wang Da took those men home, and after they had their fill, they started making a move on his wife. Wang Da was known for being protective of his wife. He wasn’t going to let her be bullied, so he fought them. But he was outnumbered, and they brutally stabbed him over a dozen times, killing him! His poor wife tried to run out to get help, but they knocked her out with a stick and assaulted her!”

I couldn’t believe my ears. I anxiously interrupted. “Then why didn’t anyone go to save them? And why didn’t anyone who knew about it call the police?!”

Wenwen’s dad gave a cold laugh. “Heh. Call the police? Who dares? Who knows what kind of things those guys had in their bags! It wasn’t just a simple knife. Besides, in this backwater place, what good would calling the police do? The nearest police station is fifty miles away. By the time they got here, the criminals would be long gone! Can we really count on them? Besides, everyone in our village has a family. Who wants to die? Who dares to die? What about all the women, children, and old people? If someone dies, who’s going to take care of them? We’re supposed to rely on those cops? Can they protect all of us? And we don’t even know if those guys have left. Who would dare to go out? Who would risk their life?”

Just then, Old Gao’s mom called. My mom answered. “Don’t worry, he’s safe. You just lock your doors and stay safe!”

Usually so lively, Old Gao was now slumped silently in his chair, tears welling in his eyes. Few people knew that Wang Da had once saved his life. If it weren’t for Wang Da, Old Gao would have drowned long ago.

I was the only one who knew about this. I walked over to him, patted his back gently, and comforted him. “Old Gao, I know what Uncle Wang meant to you. But we can’t bring the dead back to life. Please don’t be so sad! Besides, Uncle Wang’s wife is still alive. We need to find a way to protect her!”

Tears streamed down Old Gao’s face. His dry throat emitted a weak sound. “How can we protect her? We don’t even know if those guys are gone!”

Just then, the village head ran to the door and knocked, out of breath. My dad opened the door and saw his panicked, sweaty face. “Village head, you know too?”

The village head nodded. “Sigh. Wang Da is gone, and his wife is in shock. If Grandpa Liu hadn’t called me, I wouldn’t have known! Sigh! A good deed didn’t get a good reward! Wang Da’s death was a great injustice! We can’t reach any of his family. We have to send him to the crematorium. A few of us men will go. Xi is here, too. I’ll have Uncle Yin call a few more strong men. We’ll go and cremate him. Sigh!”

At that moment, Wenwen suddenly said, “No, we can’t cremate him. We should call the police and get an autopsy to catch the suspects!”

Wenwen’s dad quickly covered his mouth. “My goodness! You dare to say anything, you little rascal! Shut your mouth!”

He then awkwardly said to the village head, “Village head, this kid of mine doesn’t know any better. He’s just talking nonsense! Don’t listen to him!”

The village head walked over and patted Wenwen’s shoulder. “Good kid. You even know about forensics! Not bad! But we are weak and powerless against them! If we call the police and they don’t catch them, we’ll be in trouble! It’s good that you have a heart. It proves we’re good people, but in the face of great evil, you can’t be reckless. You have to consider your own situation and act according to reality. The most important thing is to protect your own safety!”

Then my dad came over and instructed my mom. “Wife, take the kids inside, lock the front door, pull the curtains, and don’t turn on any lights. I have the keys, so I can open the door when I come home! Call me if anything happens, got it?”

My mom nodded. “Honey, you be careful, too. Come home soon!”

Watching my dad and the others walk away, we were all overwhelmed with a mix of emotions.

At that moment, I felt like a visitor in the world, passing through and seeing both the good and the bad.

But what did it matter? Even if there is suffering in the world, warmth can overcome it all!

The three of us went back to the room and sat in silence. My mom was in her room watching TV.

I looked at Old Gao’s sad expression, patted his head, and handed him a bottle of his favorite AD Calcium. “Old Gao, I know you’re sad, but right now we have to find a way to protect Uncle Wang’s wife.”

Wenwen put his arm around Old Gao’s neck and said softly, “That’s right, brother. I have a theory that there must be evidence of those guys’ crime inside Uncle Wang’s wife’s body. If we get a DNA test, we might be able to find them and bring them to justice!”

Old Gao lowered his head and didn’t say anything. I put a straw in the AD Calcium and held it to his mouth, but he wouldn’t drink it.

Wenwen stood by the window and lifted a corner of the curtain to look outside. “But to take her for testing, we’d have to go to the police station to file a report first. At the same time, we’d have to ensure our own safety and our families’ safety, so we have to go secretly. I want to go to the crime scene to see! Do you two dare to come with me?”

I gestured to him. “No, it’s not safe for Mom to be home alone! Besides, Mom would never let us go out! And we don’t know if those guys will return to the scene!”

Old Gao said anxiously, “Return to the scene? Then we have to get there even faster to prevent them from coming back to kill her!”

I took a deep breath. “I’m betting that Heaven will not let those evil people get away with this!”

I turned to get a glass of water when I heard the sound of the window opening. Wenwen, who had written a note, grabbed me. “Old Gao has already run out. We have to follow him quickly; it’s dangerous for him to go alone!”

I was terrified. “But if we just go like this, I’ll be worried about Mom at home!”

Wenwen gestured for me to look at the note on the desk. “I already wrote a note. Don’t worry. As soon as we get out…”

My mom heard the window open and came into my room, asking anxiously, “My dear girl, you opened the window, didn’t you? Where’d Jichang go?”

I told my mom the truth. “We were just talking about the case. Old Gao was afraid that the criminals might return to the scene, so he rushed to Uncle Wang’s house.”

My mom broke into a sweat. “Oh my god, that child! Quick, we have to go after him before he gets into trouble!” Then she quickly called my dad. “Honey, when are you coming home? That silly boy Jichang went to Wang Da’s house by himself! The three of us are going to go after him.”

My dad on the other end of the phone said anxiously, “What? That child! Why would he go to Wang Da’s house? Hurry, you have to find him! I’m going to talk to the village head right now…”

The village head’s anxious voice came through the phone. “Sister-in-law Li, I’m calling the police. This little rascal, he’s so brave! What if something happens to him! Li, Xi, you two get in Zhao Jian’s car and go back to check!”

As the voices on the other end of the phone grew more chaotic, my dad anxiously said, “Wife, take the kids home right away…” and then hung up.

Meanwhile, the three of us, using the moonlight, quietly arrived at Wang Da’s front door. Wenwen found Old Gao behind a haystack. My mom grabbed my hand and said to the two boys, “It’s not safe. Let’s go home, now!”

Old Gao shook his head. “Auntie, I’m not leaving. Auntie Wang hasn’t been rescued yet. What if those bastards come back?”

My mom sighed, looked around, and saw that Mimi had followed us. She said with a mix of helplessness and amusement, “Even you followed us. Fine, let’s hurry.”

We slowly pushed open the door. We saw bloodstains all over the courtyard. Wang Da’s wife was slumped on the ground, leaning against the door, muttering something like a mad person.

My mom looked at the pitiful woman, who used to be so gentle and cheerful, and cursed the criminals. “Those damned beasts, may they all die a horrible death!” Then she ran over and helped her up.

Wenwen was curious. “After such a big incident, why didn’t any of her family come?”

Old Gao explained, “She doesn’t have any family. She’s an orphan. When Uncle Wang was working at the factory, she worked in the cafeteria serving food. Because she had a crush on Uncle Wang, she would often save him the good food. Over time, they fell in love. But the factory didn’t allow employees to date. So they both got fired. Later, they came back to the village and got married. Even though their wedding wasn’t very big, they lived a very sweet and happy life. If it weren’t for those evil criminals! They wouldn’t have been separated by death!”

As he spoke, Old Gao clenched his fist and punched the wall hard, startling me. His hand was bleeding. I quickly asked, “Are you crazy? Why are you hurting yourself? That’s going to hurt, you idiot!”

Wenwen, seeing this, said, “Impulsiveness won’t solve anything. The most urgent thing right now is to take her to the police station and the hospital for a DNA test.”

My mom looked at us helplessly. “Are you kids crazy? It’s the middle of the night, and we don’t have a car. How are we going to get there?”

Just then, a weak voice said, “I have a car. I can take you!”

The four of us looked around, startled, but couldn’t see anyone. The person then said, “Look up. I’m on the wall.”

We looked up and saw it was Grandpa Han Liu, who was seventy years old. We quickly went over and asked, “Grandpa Liu, what are you doing here? It’s not safe! Go home!”

Grandpa Liu said, “I can take you! Wang Da was very good to me. His business is my business. Now that he’s dead, I, an old man, must help him!”

Old Gao’s eyes filled with tears. “Grandpa Liu, thank you! Thank you!”

We started to split up. Wenwen said, “Yuanzi, you and Auntie go comfort Auntie Wang. Old Gao, you go home with Grandpa Liu to get the car. I’ll stand guard at the door. Hurry, there’s no time to waste!”

Just then, the front door opened again. Our hearts jumped to our throats. Old Gao even picked up a shovel and got into a defensive stance.

As the person got closer, we saw it was Han Feng, Grandpa Liu’s grandson. He was a freshman in college and was home for summer vacation.

The four of us breathed a sigh of relief. Old Gao said, “Brother Feng, you scared us to death! Why aren’t you at home with your auntie?”

Han Feng sighed. “My mom sent me. She saw my grandpa sneak out and told me to come find him!”

He turned to Grandpa Liu and said, “Grandpa, I know you were close with Uncle Wang, and we should help him with what happened. But you’re so old! How about this? I’ll drive them. You and Auntie Li go home first. Mom and Grandma are home alone.”

Grandpa Liu looked at us worriedly. “Can you kids handle this?”

Old Gao said, “Don’t worry, we can do it! Grandpa Liu, please go home. The family needs a man at home! You have the heart. I believe Uncle Wang will know. We can handle it!”

My mom then instructed me. “You all be careful on the road. Come home soon!”

I nodded. “Don’t worry, Mom. When we get back, we’ll pick you up from Grandpa Liu’s house.”

Han Feng said, “I’ll take these two home first, and then I’ll drive back to get you. You guys lock the door and be quiet!”

We all nodded. As we watched them leave, I looked at the disheveled Auntie Wang in the moonlight. I could hear her sobbing. They said she was crazy, but I didn’t think so. I thought she was in shock from grief and had been crying for so long she was hypoxic, which was why she was just slumped on the ground.

Mimi, surprisingly, didn’t follow my mom. I quickly picked him up and stroked his head. His little nose was icy cold. He must have been terrified.

Mimi lay quietly in my arms. I sat next to Auntie Wang and comforted her. “Auntie, don’t be sad. We will definitely get justice for Uncle Wang! Those beasts will be punished!”

A little while later, Han Feng pushed open the door in a hurry. “Let’s go! Get in the car!”

Old Gao and Wenwen quickly helped Auntie Wang into the car. On the way, Auntie Wang suddenly started to cry, a heartbreaking, gut-wrenching cry. It startled Mimi, who opened his eyes wide in shock.

I held her in my arms and comforted her. “Auntie Wang, don’t be afraid. We’re going to the police station. Those bad guys will definitely be caught! I know you’re hurting, but you have to be strong and live on. That way, Uncle Wang won’t have to worry about you! If Uncle Wang’s soul knows, he will definitely protect you, so you have to live on and wait to see the day those bad guys get caught!”

She slowly calmed down after hearing that. For the rest of the way, she was quiet, as if she had reached the extreme of despair. She seemed to have nothing left to say to the world, but she couldn’t just die, because her husband used his life to protect her chance to live. How could she just give up so easily?

But then again, to face the death of a loved one, the living must suffer the torment of longing and carry the wishes of two people. This is undoubtedly the cruelest punishment for those who live on!

When we got to the police station, my dad and Wenwen’s dad were already waiting. We helped Auntie Wang to a medical room, where a female police officer was waiting. The officer said to us, “I’ll take her from here. You kids are so brave!”

Wenwen quickly asked, “How long will it take to get the DNA test results?”

The officer looked at him in disbelief. “You’re just a kid, and you know so much? It might take about a week to get the DNA results. Our equipment here isn’t advanced enough, so after we file the case, we’ll ask for help from the provincial police to get the results as soon as possible, to give the victim’s family an explanation and bring justice for the deceased!”

Wenwen anxiously asked, “You all already know about this? Was Uncle Wang’s body cremated? If it was, then…”

The officer said, “Don’t worry, the body wasn’t cremated. It’s been sent to the city bureau. They’re probably doing the autopsy now! You know a lot, kid! Are you interested in becoming a police officer in the future?” Wenwen shyly lowered his head without a word.

After the officer took Auntie Wang into the medical room, Old Gao finally relaxed a little. I patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Old Gao. There is a righteous spirit between Heaven and Earth, and evil people will surely get their just desserts!”

My dad came over and hugged Old Gao. “Silly boy! The village head will be here soon. You don’t have to worry about Auntie Wang.”

He then sighed. “Sigh! Good people don’t get good rewards. This world is so disheartening! Wang Da’s body is at the city public security bureau. I heard they have to do an autopsy, so he probably won’t be laid to rest anytime soon! But if they can catch those killers, it’ll be worth it! Jichang, let’s go home with me first!” Old Gao nodded.

I waved at Wenwen. “We’re going back now. You and your dad be careful!”

Wenwen nodded. “Okay. Go home and get a good night’s sleep.” He turned to Old Gao. “Brother, please accept our condolences! We will definitely catch the killers and get justice for Uncle Wang!”

Old Gao hugged Wenwen. “We’re leaving now. You two go home soon, too! I’m counting on you to take care of Auntie Wang!”

Wenwen nodded. “Don’t worry! I’ll call my mom soon and have her prepare a bed for Auntie Wang! Don’t worry, Old Gao!”

The village head and Wenwen’s dad also came over. My dad said to the village head, “Village head, we’re heading back now to pick up my wife. We’re counting on you for what comes next!”

The village head nodded. “Alright, Li, you all go home first. I’ve made arrangements for Wang Da’s wife to stay at Xi’s place tonight. We’ll have a meeting tomorrow to discuss the next steps. Also, write down Officer He’s number. You can contact him if anything happens. This incident is a big shock to our village! We have to ensure the safety of our women and children and the property of every family!”

On the way back, my dad said, “This is terrifying to think about. What if those criminals haven’t left?”

Han Feng sighed. “Sigh. Everyone is on edge now. Not just our village, but our neighboring villages are scared, too! As long as the criminals aren’t caught, we can’t let our guard down!”

My dad looked at me. “That’s right, your Brother Feng is right! So for the next few days, you two aren’t to leave the house! Stay home and don’t go anywhere!”

Old Gao asked, “What about my parents?”

My dad said, “Don’t worry, Jichang. We’ve already told your parents the situation, so you don’t have to worry! Your parents are safe!”

A little while later, my mom called. “When are you coming back?”

My dad replied, “We’re on our way. Don’t worry! We’ll be there to pick you up soon, wife!”

After saying goodbye to Grandpa Liu’s family, we continued to discuss the case quietly on the way home. When we got back, my dad immediately locked the front door.

That night, the entire village was pitch black. Even the small lights at the general store were out. The moon also became an eerie white, as if Heaven was mourning Wang Da’s death!