"Your third uncle is inhuman. I heard the commotion and got up to turn on the light, only to see him opening our teapot, intending to pour rat poison inside. He wanted to poison our entire family," Yu Xiao Hua said excitedly upon seeing her two sons, recounting the events.
Zhang Liu Nian and Zhang Liu Shui exchanged glances, disbelief etched on their faces as they looked at their third uncle.
Zhang Wen Jun, upon hearing this, still argued, "No, I didn't poison you. How many times do I have to say it before you believe me?"
He had told them countless times that he hadn't poisoned them, so why wouldn't his elder brother and sister-in-law believe him?
"You're not poisoning us now, but you will tomorrow, just in a different location," Zhang Liu Nian said, his expression unreadable as he approached his third uncle. He hadn't expected things to escalate to this point.
Zhang Wen Jun felt a prickle of fear upon hearing his nephew's words, sensing he was being seen through.
"I don't know what you're talking about, poisoning. I'm not crazy, why would I do such a thing? Liu Nian, Liu Shui, you must believe that your third uncle isn't like that, right?" Zhang Wen Jun, seeing his elder brother and sister-in-law's disbelief, shifted his hope to the two brothers.
Unfortunately, Zhang Liu Nian didn't believe him, and Zhang Liu Shui, after hearing his third brother's words, also didn't.
"Dad, Mom, what are your plans?" Zhang Liu Nian looked at his parents, curious about their next move.
To his surprise, his parents responded in this manner.
"I don't know when your third uncle became like this, poisoning his own brother. His malice sends chills down my spine, so I've decided to let the police handle it. What do you two think?" Zhang Wen Xue looked at his sons, trying to gauge their thoughts from their expressions.
"I think that's a good idea," Zhang Liu Nian found the suggestion excellent.
Zhang Liu Shui agreed.
"Alright then, Liu Nian, you go to the county town tomorrow to report it for us. We'll wait at home for them to come," Zhang Wen Xue entrusted the task of reporting to Zhang Liu Nian, as his younger son had to deliver goods early in the morning.
Zhang Liu Nian didn't refuse. Before leaving, he mentioned the completion of the house to his elder brother and then departed.
Returning from his elder brother's house, Zhang Liu Nian began to marinate the crayfish meat he had sun-dried overnight. He then processed the three hundred jin of glutinous rice paste he had just bought. This paste didn't require further processing; it only needed some additional ingredients.
These ingredients were some of the components used in braised meat, which needed to be ground into a powder, then added according to weight proportions, stirred evenly in one direction, sealed, and finally, the processed crayfish meat would be added.
After finishing these tasks, Zhang Liu Nian lay on the bed, holding his wife, and they chatted about their private matters.
"The house at Da Ming Lake will be completed tomorrow, so we'll start packing and move to the female educated youth dormitory. It will be a lot of work for you, Qing Qing," Zhang Liu Nian had many things to do, including deliveries and treating his uncles to a meal. He had no time to pack the household items, which would inevitably fall upon his wife.
Jiang Qing Qing, holding the freshly printed bankbook, rested on his chest, her breaths rising and falling with his. "I'm idle anyway, packing things is quite easy."
The family's money had all been deposited by her today. Now, she only had the two thousand yuan that Zhang Liu Nian had given her today, with the remainder used to buy the paste.
"My plan is to move the day after tomorrow. If time is tight, we can postpone it," he thought to himself, prioritizing his wife's health and not wanting to overexert her.
"No need, the evening of the day after tomorrow will be fine."
"Will that be too rushed?"
"I want to live in a bright and clean big house."
"Even so, it shouldn't be so rushed. Let's stick to the day after tomorrow. You sort out the things these two days, and I'll ask some people to help us move. You just need to take good care of yourself."
"I'm not made of tofu."
"You are my precious treasure, and I can't let you get hurt or tired."
"I can't argue with you." So she was her man's precious treasure? How happy she was! Jiang Qing Qing's pretty face couldn't help but break into a smile, her eyes filled with happiness.
While Zhang Liu Nian and his wife were enjoying their sweet moment, Zhang Liu Huo's family was in stark contrast.
"Did you see Dad?" Zhang Liu Yu asked anxiously as soon as he returned home.
Zhang Wen Jun had been out for a long time, and his heart was sinking. He desperately hoped it wasn't as he feared, that Zhang Liu Shui and the others had caught him.
But the more one wished against something, the more it happened.
"Dad has already been caught and tied up by Uncle's family. I wanted to save him, but I couldn't, with Uncle right there," Zhang Liu Yu felt as though the sky was about to collapse upon realizing his father had been treated this way by his uncle.
"Why did they tie up Dad?" Zhang Liu Huo suppressed his anger, clenching his teeth as he asked.
"I don't know. But it's most likely that Dad was seen by Uncle and the others when he went to get the medicine."
"..." How could he be so stupid to get caught just trying to get medicine? Zhang Liu Huo was furious, but now that his father was in Zhang Wen Xue's hands, they could only ask for him back.
"Go and ask Uncle to send Dad back."
"..." Zhang Liu Yu didn't want to go. After being stared at by Zhang Liu Huo for a long time, and also worried about his father, he went. However, he was eventually beaten and thrown out by Zhang Liu Shui.
"They said they want to send Dad to the police station because he tried to poison them. They have witnesses and evidence," Zhang Liu Yu's expression was distressed, and he felt a lingering fear.
He didn't understand why things had turned out this way, but he was very clear that his uncle's family had made up their minds to send his father to the police station.
"What? Uncle wants to send Dad to the police station?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Liu Huo immediately tried to get out of bed, but because he wasn't three months pregnant yet, he fell to the ground. Enraged, he beat the ground, "Damn it, damn it! Zhang Liu Nian, you made me unable to walk, and now you want to send my dad to jail. I want your life."
Wu Shui Cao, upon hearing that her husband had been captured, cried profusely. However, when she saw her son lying on the ground, she hurried to signal her younger son to help his elder brother back onto the bed.
"Liu Huo, let's not be enemies with Liu Nian anymore. Let's just live our own lives well, okay? Mom is truly scared and has had enough," Wu Shui Cao pleaded with her elder son after settling him back onto the bed, her eyes tearful. She begged him not to cause trouble for Zhang Liu Nian anymore. Couldn't they just live their lives peacefully?
Why did he insist on bothering him? If this continued, their entire family would eventually be ruined.
"I'm not reconciled. Why should I be lying in bed unable to move, while he lives a good life and receives praise from the entire village? I'm not reconciled. I must have Zhang Liu Nian killed." Since the poisoning attempt had failed, he would directly hire someone to take Zhang Liu Nian's life.
After all, there were plenty of ways to make someone die.
He believed that money could make the devil turn the millstone, and he didn't believe he couldn't do anything to Zhang Liu Nian.
"As you just said, the entire village is waiting for him to start the factory and live a better life with him. If the villagers find out about our actions, we might not be able to stay in the village," Wu Shui Cao did not want to be uprooted and did not want to see her family members dwindle one by one.