"Mom, am I your biological son? You're still hitting me. Isn't it because you hit me that I'm so slow?"
Tie Zhu was furious. Was this his own mother?
Xie Sui let out a hearty laugh and entered, grabbing his arm. "Let's go. A distant relative is not as good as a close neighbor. We are brothers now. If anything good happens to me in the future, I'll definitely remember you.
Don't worry, Auntie. I'll bring everyone back safe and sound. I'll even buy you a hair accessory to wear."
Granny Wang smiled so broadly her mouth couldn't close. "You child, how old am I? What do I need a hair accessory for? I'll be happy if you're good to your wife."
Grandpa Wang said speechlessly, "That kid's mouth is like it's smeared with honey. Only you fall for it."
"If you're capable, say something your old mother likes to hear. Little Sui is a bit sly, but he speaks truly pleasant words. From the old to the young, there's no one he can't charm."
Grandpa Wang snorted, "Charming women is useless. He's a man who eats soft rice. I really don't understand why you women like that kind of person?"
"There's a lot you don't understand. Let's get to work and stop babbling."
Wang Tie Zhu pushed the cart, while Xie Sui chatted with Lin Wanwan. The two children sat in the cart, playing with grass. He felt something was wrong, as if he were specifically here to be a servant for their family.
"Xie Sui, you push the cart. I'm tired."
"Oh, Brother Tie Zhu, you're tired after such a short distance?
Can you handle it? Won't you be even weaker after you get married? You need to train now. Brother can't take this opportunity from you. Just hold on a little longer!"
Lin Wanwan nudged him shyly. "I'll push it. Tie Zhu, you rest for a bit."
Wang Tie Zhu wasn't looking at her. "No need, sister-in-law. I can do it. Don't always protect him. He's a man, he should do more work."
Xie Sui: "Are you jealous, Tie Zhu? Jealous that Brother has a capable and good wife? Follow Brother, and within half a year, I guarantee you'll marry a beautiful and virtuous wife.
So, is it more important for a wife to be capable or beautiful?"
Wang Tie Zhu thought for a moment and said, "For a farming family, capability is naturally more important. Can beauty put food on the table?"
"Heh heh, my wife is both capable and beautiful. Only children make choices. We adults want it all."
Wang Tie Zhu: "..."
He had fallen into his trap again.
"Don't bully Tie Zhu."
"I'm not. I'm teaching him life philosophy. I wouldn't teach just anyone."
Chatting and laughing, they soon arrived at the town. The usually empty streets were filled with stalls, and sparse pedestrians were browsing. Su Dan Fiction Network.
They found a good spot, setting up the stall on the cart, ready to open for business.
A row of glass bottles, yellow peaches, and glistening syrup. In the sunlight, they looked delicious.
"Yellow peach preserves for sale! Come and buy! Taste before you buy, and if you don't like it, it's free."
Xie Sui called out skillfully, while Lin Wanwan arranged the samples for tasting. The two of them cooperated perfectly.
Wang Tie Zhu watched, feeling a pang in his heart. No matter how much of a rascal Xie Sui was, he was Wanwan's man. They were a couple, husband and wife.
The longing in his heart was inappropriate from the start. If Xie Sui truly improved, he could let go.
Xie Sui saw that Tie Zhu's gaze held no jealousy, only blessings. He breathed a sigh of relief. People nowadays were still simple and honest. In his past life, many people would become bitter and turn bad due to unrequited love.
"Tie Zhu, your main task is to watch the children. The market is crowded, and I'm worried the children might get lost."
"Yes, I understand."
Because it was a large market day, families with children all brought them along. Xie Sui's business was good, and he sold over ten bottles one after another.
Looking at the innocent and adorable children, Xie Sui's hatred for Chen Qiang and his group intensified.
As the crowd increased, the preserves were quite popular, and more than half were sold. Xie Sui handed over the sales to Lin Wanwan. "I'll take Brother Tie Zhu and the children to play for a while. They haven't experienced a large market before."
Lin Wanwan couldn't hide her worry. "Okay, you, be careful."
"Don't worry, nothing will happen. They are my own sons."
Xie Sui squeezed Lin Wanwan's hand tightly and disappeared into the crowd with the unsuspecting Doudou and Ding Ding.
...
Meanwhile, police officer Huang Tianliang found the station chief early in the morning to report the situation and asked him to mobilize the entire police station to apprehend the human traffickers.
The station chief was somewhat incredulous. "You've only been here a few days? Our public security is very good here. Everyone is a local. Who would do such an immoral thing?
If there's a stranger, the locals will monitor them. It's been so many years since anyone went missing.
Don't just believe rumors. If human traffickers were really here, would you be the one to know?"
Huang Tianliang had just been demobilized and wasn't very familiar with the town's situation. However, remembering Xie Sui's words, he insisted, "It's better to be cautious. What if?
If something really happens, it will be a major case. Your position under Director Chen might not be secure."
Director Chen thought about it. "Today is a market day, and we're short-staffed. How about this, let Xiao Liu from the records department go with you to take a look."
"Xiao Liu?"
Huang Tianliang was speechless. He was just a recent vocational graduate and an office clerk. Sending him to catch thieves was a joke, wasn't it?
There was no choice. The station chief wasn't supportive, but having someone was better than no one. Huang Tianliang thought stubbornly, with all his skills, was he afraid of those human traffickers?
If he caught them and earned merit, he would slap the station chief in the face.
"Alright, Director. If I catch the thieves, the credit will be ours, yours and Xiao Liu's. Don't regret it."
Director Chen sneered, "Don't worry, I won't embezzle your credit. Go for it!"
"Yes!"
Huang Tianliang saluted and turned to leave.
Director Chen sneered at the guy who dreamed of rising to prominence overnight. Over time, the mundane life would teach him how to behave.
He poured himself a cup of tea and started reading the newspaper. He too once wanted to catch a murderer and make a name for himself. But after more than ten years at the station, he had risen from a junior staff member to director, and the biggest criminal he had caught was a cattle rustler.
Oh, and there were quite a few people who eloped.
Xiao Liu was very excited. Although he didn't have the skills of a police officer, he had a heroic heart. He never expected to have an opportunity to show his capabilities so soon, and he thanked Huang Tianliang profusely.
"Could you please watch where you're going? You've bumped into me several times. We're going to catch criminals, not have a tea party."
"Okay, Brother Huang, I'm just too nervous."
"Don't be nervous. If you really encounter a criminal, it won't be too late to be nervous then."
The two changed into plain clothes and went near Chen Qiang's house. The nearby residents were all at the market, and there wasn't a soul in sight.
Finding the best vantage point, Huang Tianliang patiently staked out the location.
Xiao Liu endured for more than ten minutes and started to lose patience. "Brother Huang, are we just going to wait like this? Don't mention people, not even a bird in sight. Where are the thieves?"
Huang Tianliang felt like massaging his temples. It had only been ten minutes. He pointed to a stone mounting block by the wall and said, "Watch this stone. The criminals will run into it themselves today. Do you believe it?"