PCJ – Chapter 228 The Unlucky Little Thief

The night in Meizi’ao was neither as noisy nor as bright as Sanxiang City, with the shadow of Meishan Mountain looming faintly in the dark. The villagers in Meizi’ao didn’t have as colorful a nightlife as those in the big city. They were more accustomed to rising with the sun and resting with its setting.

Without a television, the people of Meizi’ao would go to bed around eight o’clock. Now with televisions, they usually went to sleep after nine, and some even stayed up until midnight, waiting for the TV programs to finish.

After midnight, when the last light in Meizi’ao went out, the village truly fell into slumber. However, three shadows moved towards Zhang Jiaohua’s house.

“Does Jiaohua’s house have dogs?” one of the shadows stopped before entering Jiaohua’s yard.

“Don’t worry. The dogs are at the horticultural farm. You can’t go there. Dozens of dogs, and if you go in, there’s no way you’ll get out,” another shadow said.

“Are you really sure that Jiaohua hid cash at home?” asked the last shadow.

“I’m certain! Where would Jiaohua get the money to buy such nice clothes in the county town, pay the workers, or buy corn for the pigs and even a grinder if not from selling tea?” the middle shadow said confidently.

“But he could have spent all the money,” the last shadow added.

“If you had a hundred yuan, would you spend it all?” the middle shadow scoffed.

The last shadow nodded, “I would spend the hundred and owe twenty more.”

“Why don’t you just die?” the middle one kicked at him. “You think everyone is like you!”

These three were idlers from Meizi’ao: Zhang Hanga, Zhang Wenrong, and Zhang Jiagen. They were habitual gamblers without any source of income, and their parents wouldn’t give them money. To get money, they often conspired to steal small things in the village. The villagers knew this but only guarded against them, not reporting them to the police.

They had been eyeing Zhang Jiaohua for a long time but didn’t dare act. Though Jiaohua was young, he was mysterious, and the legends about him in Meizi’ao made him seem almost supernatural. They waited for a chance and finally got it when Jiaohua went to the provincial city. Previously, they had tested his house, but the dogs had chased them for miles, forcing them to jump into the river. Now, with Jiaohua away, they wouldn’t miss the chance.

“Jiagen, you go first,” Zhang Wenrong pushed Zhang Jiagen forward.

“Why is it always me?” Jiagen was reluctant.

“You never put in any effort. If you don’t do this, don’t come with us anymore,” Wenrong hissed.

Jiagen feared Wenrong and wanted to get some money, so he went ahead.

As soon as Jiagen entered the yard, he felt a cold wind, shivered, and backed out.

“What’s wrong, coward?” Wenrong snapped.

“Brother Rong, it’s spooky. As soon as I walked in, I felt a cold wind. I’ve heard Jiaohua’s house isn’t clean. Maybe we should leave,” Jiagen’s voice trembled.

“Coward! You leave if you want, but don’t follow me anymore,” Wenrong fumed.

Hanga intervened, “Jiagen, stop being paranoid. Where are the ghosts? If there were ghosts, would Jiaohua be so lucky? We’ve dealt with him and never felt anything odd.”

“Get lost!” Wenrong raised his fist. Jiagen stepped back in fear.

“Brother Rong, I’m sorry. I’ll go back and check again.” Jiagen, doubting his own fear, gritted his teeth and re-entered the yard.

Whether by accident or fear, Jiagen tripped and fell, rolling on the ground.

“Ow! Ow! I’m dying,” he cried.

“Useless. Stop shouting, or you’ll wake the whole village!” Wenrong rushed in, covering Jiagen’s mouth.

Jiagen gasped for air when Wenrong let go. The three reached the door, about to search for the key, when the door opened by itself, startling them.

“Don’t be scared. It’s probably the wind. They forgot to lock it. A gift from heaven,” Wenrong forced a laugh.

Admiring Wenrong’s composure, Hanga and Jiagen followed him inside.

Bang!

The doors shut suddenly, plunging the room into darkness.

“Ah! Ah! Ah!”

All three screamed. Even Wenrong was scared. Village doors usually open together but rarely close like that.

Wenrong shakily lit a lighter, illuminating the room.

“Open the door,” Wenrong ordered Jiagen. This time, Jiagen quickly obeyed, rushing to the door. As he did, a wind blew out the light, and Jiagen stumbled, crashing into the door, which didn’t budge. A series of objects fell, causing chaos, with sticks and rods flying, striking the thieves and making them cry out.

The noise woke the villagers, who came with flashlights to find the three unconscious thieves. The villagers were pleased, and Zhang Dechun, seeing no loss at Jiaohua’s house, scolded the thieves before letting it go. The three bedridden thieves took almost a month to recover and trembled at the mention of Jiaohua’s house thereafter.

Morning broke, ending Meizi’ao’s tumultuous night. In the distant provincial city, Zhang Manyin and Zhang Jiaohua washed up, preparing for the tea evaluation, their nerves making them rise early.