"Dad, I saw Zhang Liunian really catching poisonous insects this morning. He took them to the youth dormitory later and then sold the poisonous insects to the machinery factory." The young man who had been following Zhang Liunian was Zhang Qian, the eldest son of the village head.
As soon as he got home, he told his father about it.
Zhang Hao, who had just returned from the fields, felt a heavy heart upon hearing this.
Yesterday, Tu Meili had reported Zhang Liunian for using poisonous insects to harm people. He hadn't believed her, but now the facts were before him, and he had no choice but to believe that Zhang Liunian had truly gone down a wrong path.
"Did he really send the poisonous insects to the machinery factory for them to eat?"
"They must have eaten them." Otherwise, why would Zhang Liunian have cooked them so fragrantly and temptingly? It made him drool outside the youth dormitory.
"..." It was over. Eating poisonous insects could be fatal. Zhang Liunian had sold all the poisonous insects to the machinery factory, which meant he had endangered the lives of tens of thousands of people.
If this matter were to be exposed, their Zhang family village would become infamous, and they would never be able to hold their heads up again.
No, this matter was too serious for them to handle. Zhang Liunian and his wife should surrender themselves; that would be the best course of action.
Having made up his mind, Zhang Hao got up and took his son to Zhang Liunian's house.
However, on the way, they saw Tu Meili gathering half the village and also heading towards Zhang Liunian's house.
Jiang Qingqing, who was at home paying off debts, was unaware that trouble was brewing. She was just finishing settling the last person's account.
"Uncle, please take care." Jiang Qingqing closed the ledger and got up to see the person out of the yard.
Just then, Tu Meili arrived with a large group of people, saying, "Aren't you all curious how Zhang Liunian and his wife paid off their debts?"
As soon as she spoke, the villagers who had received their money and were about to go home stopped and looked at Tu Meili.
Wang Xiao'e, who was watching the commotion, chimed in, "What do you mean? Didn't he earn it by selling vegetables?"
Many people knew that Zhang Liunian made dishes and sold them in the city.
Now that Tu Meili was asking knowingly, did it mean there was something they didn't understand?
"Yes, they earned it by selling vegetables, but those vegetables were poisonous insects from our village."
Boom!
This statement instantly shocked everyone. Poisonous insects? Those were things that had caused deaths before.
How could Zhang Liunian, who had received an education, not know this?
"You're talking nonsense. Everyone in our village knows about those poisonous insects. Liunian would never do such a thing." The village head, who had rushed over, was the first to speak up for Zhang Liunian, followed by Wang Cuihua.
"That's right. Liunian isn't an illiterate illiterate, nor is he a fool. How could he possibly use poisonous insects to harm people?"
Tu Meili glanced at the couple and then at the village head who was slowly approaching, saying, "Secretary, am I lying? Was Zhang Liunian catching poisonous insects to harm people? If anyone doesn't believe me, you can ask Old Guo Tou. He watches every day!"
The village head, Zhang Hao, remained silent. He just looked at Jiang Qingqing, as if trying to see through her heart.
After a long while, he suddenly asked, "Jiang Qingqing, are you selling poisonous insects?"
He wanted to see how she would answer.
Jiang Qingqing was taken aback. She glanced at the sea of people and explained, "Those are called crayfish. They are not poisonous."
As soon as she finished speaking, Tu Meili eagerly interjected, "So you admit it? Everyone, look quickly! I wasn't lying. Zhang Liunian and his wife have really done such a thing, selling poisonous insects to city folk to eat, endangering their lives.
They will do anything for money!"
"Crayfish are not poisonous, nor do they cause death. We've eaten them ourselves." Jiang Qingqing did not deny that they were dealing with poisonous insects. So, even though she said they had eaten them too, few people believed her.
No one had seen them eat them, so how could it be taken seriously?
On the contrary, what Tu Meili said seemed more believable. Otherwise, why wouldn't Jiang Qingqing refute it?
Therefore, Zhang Liunian and his wife, in order to pay off their debts, resorted to unscrupulous means and actually made poisonous insects for people to eat, losing their conscience.
Even if they wanted to pay off their debts, they shouldn't have done this.
What a grave sin this was!
They were too heartless!
"Eating those poisonous insects can kill people. The old bachelor who died the year before last said that he almost died after eating that thing, saying it was poisonous. A few months later, he really died."
"Yes, I remember too. The old bachelor was only 50 when he died. He shouldn't have died so early, but he did." This was said by the old bachelor's old neighbor.
"He also warned all of us not to eat them."
"Liunian, having read books, how could he do such a thing for money?"
"His moral character must be poor. Everyone in the village is having a hard time, yet he's the one doing this."
"That's right, his thoughts are too wicked."
"Before, I just thought Zhang Liunian was a bit lazy, but I didn't expect his heart to be so wicked. Those are things that harm people. Since he took them out to make money..."
"..."
Everyone criticized Zhang Liunian one after another.
Jiang Qingqing frowned as she listened and retorted, "Liunian is not that kind of person. You can't slander him like this." It was fine if they slandered her, but not her husband.
"Heh heh, slander? Haven't you been using poisonous insects to harm people?"
Tu Meili was extremely pleased with herself, feeling that her grudges from the past few days would be repaid today.
"They're not poisonous, not poisonous! Why don't you believe us?"
"Just because you say they're not poisonous, they're not? Then how did the old bachelor die?
There's no need to say more. You couple have been selling poisonous insects these past few days. I've already called the police. The police will be here soon to arrest you. You'll all go to jail."
Go to jail?
How could it be so serious? These crayfish were not poisonous, so why would they be talking about jail?
Jiang Qingqing didn't believe her words and continued to explain, trying to prove that crayfish were indeed not poisonous.
"Don't talk nonsense. We've eaten them ourselves for so long without any problems. How could they kill people? I don't believe a single word you say."
She only believed her husband's words.
The village head, who was on the side, came back to his senses and went to his sons, asking softly, "Is it true?"
Youngest son Four and Youngest son Five nodded in unison.
Zhang Laoshi closed his eyes in pain and lamented, "Liunian, you're being foolish!
How can you eat poisonous insects? They can really kill people. The old bachelor is the best proof."
"The poison doesn't kill immediately; it takes half a year, like with the old bachelor." This was said again by the old bachelor's old neighbor, who had watched the old bachelor die mysteriously back then.
"What should we do? We've eaten them too." Cold sweat broke out on Youngest son Four's back as he looked at Youngest son Five.
Youngest son Five's expression was also extremely grim. Their whole family had eaten them. Were they all going to die in half a year?
Hearing this, Zhang Laoshi quickly asked, "Didn't you eat at their house? How did you eat them?"
"Brother Liunian gave us dishes twice, and both times they were crayfish. They ate them themselves too. I saw it several times. Brother Liunian isn't that kind of person."
Brother Liunian loved his wife and daughters very much. He wouldn't let his own family suffer, would he? Youngest son Five thought uneasily.