Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Tang Qingqing was taken aback. "Master, aren't you being too harsh with your words?"

Old Liu sighed deeply, gazing at the moon in the sky, his one eye filled with loneliness and sorrow.

This attitude made Tang Qingqing's heart tighten.

The deputy captain of the Hongqiao Brigade approached, his attitude very warm.

"Old man, it's already late. If you were to travel back tonight, it would be too much trouble. You two should stay at my place for the night."

Old Liu nodded at him, and Tang Qingqing expressed her gratitude: "We're sorry to impose on you."

"Not at all. If it weren't for catching this beast, you wouldn't have had to go through this hardship. You don't know how scared we were when we heard that all your grain was burned. We've assigned people to keep watch now, fearing the same thing might happen. It's a relief that we've found the arsonist; otherwise, no one would sleep soundly."

The deputy captain felt ashamed thinking about the fact that the culprit came from their village.

"Our brigade has produced such a beast. Our people won't even have the face to go out anymore."

Upon reaching the doorway, Old Liu did not enter.

"We'll just stay in your kitchen tonight."

"That won't do. If I let you do that, I'd be criticized tomorrow."

Old Liu waved his hand. "We don't need much. It's late, so there's no need to make a fuss. We just need some firewood from your house."

The deputy captain couldn't persuade him otherwise and led Old Liu and Tang Qingqing to the kitchen.

"These sweet potatoes were dug up this year. After a few days, they're quite sweet now. You must be hungry after working all day. You can roast them later."

Not only did the deputy captain bring wheat straw to lay on the ground for them to lie on comfortably, but he also brought over some sweet potatoes.

Tang Qingqing patted her empty stomach. "Uncle, I'm actually quite hungry. Thank you."

"If you need anything, just call me next door."

After the deputy captain left, Tang Qingqing didn't hesitate to bury a few sweet potatoes in the ashes to roast them.

Although it was late, neither of them felt sleepy.

"Master, what did you mean by what you said earlier? Isn't tracking supposed to help people? How did it become a dead end?"

Sitting by the stove, the fire illuminated their faces, making Tang Qingqing feel the depth of Old Liu's expression more clearly.

"Do you know how I lost this eye?" Old Liu pointed to his eye.

Tang Qingqing shook her head. Old Liu had never mentioned it, and she hadn't dared to ask.

"It was gouged out by someone."

Hearing this, Tang Qingqing shuddered.

"When I was around eight or nine years old, I worked as a shepherd for a landlord and gradually developed the skill of tracking. No matter how far away the sheep wandered, I could always find them back. I often helped others find their sheep too.

One year, a wealthy man kept losing his sheep, several at a time, and sought my help. At the time, I thought I was very skilled, and since a wealthy man had come to me, I agreed despite my family's objections.

Back then, whenever there were frequent sheep losses, it was usually due to bandits. I followed the footprints straight to their hideout."

Tang Qingqing placed her hands on her knees, resting her chin on them, her bright eyes fixed on Old Liu as she listened to his story.

She looked up at him with admiration.

"Wow! So you caught them all, right?!"

Old Liu's expression remained calm, but his eyes held a hint of mockery.

"The police were shocked, and the wealthy man rewarded me with a silver coin."

"Isn't that great?" Tang Qingqing was puzzled.

Old Liu sneered. "Those bandits were released within two days."

"What?!" Tang Qingqing was furious. "These policemen are terrible! They must be in cahoots!"

"Such things happened frequently back then. That's why we, the peasants, managed to drive away those with guns and cannons, supported by foreigners. They were not doing good deeds, so they lost the hearts of the people."

"Thankfully, it's a new society now." Tang Qingqing nodded emphatically. "What happened next?"

"Afterward, the bandits captured me and gouged out my eye. If I hadn't been quick-witted and lucky, I would either be completely blind or dead."

Tang Qingqing felt a deep sadness.

But what Old Liu said next made her even more distressed.

"I ran home bleeding, only to find that my house had been burned down, and my family was gone."

"Master..."

Old Liu's expression was numb. "I had no choice but to run. I eventually fled here. Starving and fainting on the road, I was picked up by your master's father-in-law.

His family treated me very well and later married their only daughter to me, and she gave birth to a healthy son."

At this point, a faint smile appeared on Old Liu's weathered face.

"But this child insisted on learning tracking from me. I thought it was a skill, so I taught him. I never expected it to lead to his death."

Old Liu's son made a significant contribution by exposing an agent hidden among the people and was subsequently killed in retaliation by other agents on his way back to the village.

"Nowadays, it's not like back then. The government takes care of things when incidents happen. My son's revenge has long been exacted. But what good does that do? He can never come back."

Old Liu's eyes were bloodshot, and his voice choked with emotion.

Tang Qingqing's excitement from catching the arsonist gradually faded as she regained her composure.

"My master warned me back then that I shouldn't let anyone know about this skill; it could lead to trouble. I didn't believe him, and later, my son didn't believe it either. And look where it got us."

Tang Qingqing pursed her lips, watching the fire in the stove without saying a word.

"Girl, your master is scared."

Hearing this, Tang Qingqing felt a mix of emotions, wanting to argue but unable to utter a single word.

Her throat tightened, and tears began to fall.

"This time, you've truly made a name for yourself. Your master doesn't know if it's a blessing or a curse, or if this decision was right or wrong."

Without consulting Tang Qingqing, Old Liu had pushed her into the spotlight. Despite appearing calm, he was deeply anxious.

"Given your family situation and being a girl, if you don't have some skills to make others respect you, you might end up like that escaped woman, sold off by your family.

If there were any other options, your master wouldn't have pushed you out like this."

Tang Qingqing spoke solemnly, "Master, I love doing this. Even without your encouragement, I would have continued investigating. When I saw that despicable arsonist caught, I was so happy, happier than ever before."

Old Liu looked at her intently. Although the little girl before him bore no resemblance to his son, he saw the young man who always wore a smile in her big eyes.

Back then, he had also advised against it, worried that the child would follow the same path.

But the child said, "This is a new society now. Everyone is working hard to build a better country. Since I have this ability, I should contribute."

Old Liu turned away, "This time, your assistance in solving the case has made you a model citizen. Your parents will think twice before causing trouble. You need to be smarter too, and not just stand there taking abuse."

A fire that destroyed tens of thousands of pounds of grain was a major incident even within the commune.

Thus, Tang Qingqing, who assisted in solving the case, would undoubtedly receive commendation from higher-ups, no longer the neglected girl.

Since it had already happened, Old Liu decided not to dwell on it and instructed:

"Having skills is essential to speak for oneself, rather than relying on others' kindness. When they ask what reward you want, say you want to go to school."

Tang Qingqing's eyes lit up, "Master, can, can this really work?"

Old Liu knew Tang Qingqing had always wanted to go to school, but he couldn't help much since he was illiterate.

"Why not? Back when your uncle joined the Public Security Bureau, their leader insisted he learn to read and write. They said it would be a hindrance if he couldn't understand the case files."

Tang Qingqing's face flushed with excitement.

"If you go to school, you'll have more opportunities in the future."

Though Old Liu was illiterate and had been isolated for years, his life experience allowed him to see many things clearly.

No matter the circumstances, education is always beneficial. Even amidst current turmoil, he held this belief firmly.

How many leaders are illiterate?

The Chairman had exceptional literary talent and spoke with great wisdom. Could he have done so without reading?

Tang Qingqing agreed wholeheartedly. She had always wanted to go to school, but now she had another reason.

In another memory, education was crucial and could change one's fate.

Thinking of that memory, Tang Qingqing hesitated whether to share it with Old Liu.

She felt conflicted, believing those memories were real yet feeling detached as if observing someone else.

Old Liu sensed her unease, "Girl, the relationship between parents and children is based on fate. We can't force it."

When Tang Qingqing was six, once her family didn't let her eat and sent her to gather firewood. She cried from hunger.

He passed by and, moved by her plight, gave her a sweet potato.

The little girl, despite her young age, was grateful and often brought wild fruits and vegetables to his cave entrance.

Their interactions began, though they rarely spoke.

Their relationship changed when Tang Qingqing was eight. She became a shepherdess and lost her sheep.

He helped her find the sheep, and her fascination with tracking led her to persistently study it, eventually forming a close bond with him.

Over the years, Old Liu often comforted the neglected girl, teaching her not to seek parental approval and love, as some people are unworthy of being parents. It wasn't her fault, and she needed to learn to protect herself.

Yet, the pain and confusion remained due to her biological parents' hurtful actions.

Tang Qingqing realized Old Liu misunderstood.

"Master, I'm not worried about family issues... well, sort of, but not in the way you think."

Tang Qingqing pondered how to explain her experiences.

"I had a dream. In the dream, I was replaced by my parents when I was a child. I'm actually not their biological daughter."