RYEY – Chapter 125 Over a Dozen Families Destroyed

The Security Department gave Wang Tuozi’s family three days to move out; otherwise, they would throw all their belongings out. The family assigned to the house stood at the door urging them to hurry.

The old woman fainted upon learning that her only son had been arrested. When she finally came to, there was no one around her—her daughter, who always slept with her, and her grandchild, were both gone without a trace.

She wanted to find out what was going on, but the neighbors, who used to exchange a few words with her, now shut their doors in her face. Some even spat at her.

Having lived in the county for so many years, she wasn’t clueless—she suddenly thought of Chen Chunhua. Rushing into the inner room, she found that all of Chunhua’s belongings were gone.

“You little whore! My son refused to divorce you, so you framed him instead! Even if I die, I won’t let you off!”

The old woman stumbled toward Liu Yong’s villa. The gate was ajar, with footprints in the snow outside. Without hesitation, she barged in.

The living room was icy cold. She glanced at the fireplace—no firewood, not even a log. The whole place was deserted.

But with anger clouding her mind, she failed to notice how eerie the scene was. After circling the first floor, she spotted the staircase and went straight up.

At the top was a large sitting room. Down the left corridor, a wide-open door revealed a person lying on the bed, with a woman sitting on the floor beside it.

“You little slut! You ruined my son! He’s been arrested, the house confiscated—are you happy now?”

The old woman rushed forward, yanking Chunhua’s hair and hurling vile curses. Chunhua, jolted awake by the pain, retaliated by grabbing the old woman’s hair.

The pain forced the old woman to let go. She tried to continue scolding, but Chunhua shoved her onto the bed and ran out without looking back.

The old woman tried to give chase, but her body was too heavy. As she shifted to get up, her gaze landed on the figure lying on the bed—

She froze, then shrieked in horror and fell to the ground.

The man’s eyes bulged grotesquely, his throat slashed wide open with a clear blade mark. If Cheng Qiao had seen it, she would have immediately recognized the cut as one made by her own boning knife.

“Dear heavens… that slut killed him!”

It took the old woman a long time to recover from the shock. Stumbling outside, the cold wind cleared her mind. She turned and ran straight toward the Public Security Bureau.

If that slut could report her son, then she would report the slut for murder. After that, she would go find her daughter—after raising her all these years, did she really think she could just abandon her? Dream on!

At first, the Public Security Bureau thought the old woman was hysterical. After all, the man she mentioned was none other than the county’s G-Committee leader, sent directly from the capital, and always surrounded by people. How could he possibly have been killed?

But seeing her panic-stricken state, they still sent two officers to check. The moment they saw the body, they immediately reported it.

The bureau chief himself rushed to the scene. After preliminary examination, it was deemed homicide. He quickly notified Beijing, sealed off all county transportation, especially the buses to Spring City.

Unfortunately, that morning’s bus had already left. They urgently contacted Spring City’s station to intercept everyone onboard, bringing them in for questioning.

The county was instantly thrown into turmoil. Local hoodlums and loafers were rounded up for interrogation. Even Secretary Liu, Liu Yong’s closest aide, was arrested.

Based on the secretary’s confession, the police began arresting and questioning the women in town who had been involved with Liu Yong. That round of arrests shattered more than a dozen families.

Married households demanded divorce. Unmarried young women had their shameful secrets exposed; several, unable to bear the humiliation, ended their young lives with a rope.

Finally, the secretary mentioned Chen Chunhua and Cheng Qiao. Why wasn’t Cheng Qiao arrested? Because the secretary admitted Liu Yong hadn’t yet touched her. She had no idea he had even set his sights on her.

More importantly, Cheng Qiao was Li Huan’s wife, and Li Huan had just been publicly commended as a hero. No one dared lay a hand on a hero’s family—no one wanted to slap themselves in the face like that.

Still, Cheng Qiao was summoned to the village head’s house. The bureau chief personally interrogated her. One look at her beautiful face told him the secretary’s words were true.

“Do you know how you became a primary school teacher?”

“I passed the school’s exam and was hired fairly,” she replied.

“Do you realize how many people in this county wanted that opportunity? Why was it you who got it?”

“Chairman Liu said my husband was a decorated hero. As his wife, I should receive some recognition too… The village head was there that day, you can ask him.”

The bureau chief turned to the village head, who nodded repeatedly. Seeing that, the chief questioned further, and her answers matched the secretary’s statement exactly.

Even Li Bing came forward to testify: at the time of Liu Yong’s death, their family had been preparing New Year’s Eve dinner together. As a soldier, Li Bing’s word carried unquestionable weight.

The bureau chief had no choice but to leave empty-handed. Cheng Qiao wanted to ask questions but held her tongue. This wasn’t the time—if she spoke carelessly, she could implicate herself.

Back home, Li Bing called Li Huan into his room, staring at him so intently that goosebumps prickled over Li Huan’s skin.

“Brother, why are you looking at me like that?”

“It was Cheng Qiao’s uncle who did it, wasn’t it?”

“What are you talking about? I don’t understand.”

“No, you do. He suddenly appeared, then vanished just as suddenly. He hated Liu Yong, hated him enough to take his life.”

“I don’t know what you mean. Uncle went back to the capital. That day you happened to be escorting Miao Qing to the county, so he didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.”

Li Bing smiled. Since his younger brother didn’t want to admit the truth, he wouldn’t press. But deep down, he was certain—this Liu Yong had been a vile man who deserved his fate.

Meanwhile, Cheng Qiao worried about Zhao Hui. Zhao Hui, too, was searching for a way to pass word to her. On the night of the 29th, he had snuck into Liu Yong’s villa, forced from him the whereabouts of his father, wife, and child—and then slit his throat with a single stroke.