NOVPUB
Chapter 228: Chapter 221 Interrogation
Across from me sat three people. In the middle was the Director of the Revolutionary Committee, on the right was the man with glasses, and on the left was Wang Biao.
As for whether the Director was Shen Yingxue’s father-in-law, Shen Yunfang couldn’t tell. From what she knew, Shen Yingxue’s father-in-law should be the Deputy Director, whereas the man in front of her was the Director. Logically, they shouldn’t be the same person, but who knows, he might have been promoted during this period. Moreover, Chinese people are very artistic in their speech. Often, subordinates would refer to their superiors, such as a Deputy Director or Deputy Mayor, omitting ’Deputy’ and using the surname instead. Thus, without knowing the real person, it was really hard to confirm the other’s identity.
But even if the man opposite really was Shen Yingxue’s father-in-law, it wouldn’t help Shen Yunfang much. She figured Shen Yingxue probably didn’t say anything good about her on a regular basis, so it might actually be safer not to acknowledge any acquaintance at all.
"You are Shen Yunfang?" Director Zhao asked with an affected tone.
Before Shen Yunfang had a chance to speak, the man with glasses beside her sycophantically said, "Director, this is Shen Yunfang. We’ve already investigated thoroughly, and there’s no mistake."
Director Zhao glanced sidelong at the man with glasses.
The man with glasses continued nodding and bowing, oblivious.
The real Shen Yunfang opposite wanted to burst out laughing. In an instant, she realized that brown-nosing was actually an art form. If you encounter those with no discernment, you might end up not only missing the mark but actually making things worse.
"Alright, confess," said Director Zhao without paying any attention to the man with glasses, arrogantly instructing the real Shen Yunfang across from him. 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝒐𝒎
"May I ask what I should confess to?" Shen Yunfang asked good-naturedly.
Even if she wanted to snap, she couldn’t afford to. It is said that a wise man submits to circumstances. She was already trapped and would be foolish not to exercise restraint.
This time, Director Zhao looked at the man with glasses, whose eyes gleamed as he banged the table suddenly, startling everyone in the room.
"You better be honest and confess quickly. How did you steal food from the state and the collective?"
Shen Yunfang’s face showed complete surprise. "I didn’t do it, when have I ever stolen food? You can’t frame me with false charges like this. This is unacceptable; my family has been poor for eight generations, my father was a martyr, my husband is a soldier, I’m a military spouse. See, I’m even pregnant..."
"Oh, enough, shut your mouth. Don’t you talk unless you’re asked," the man with glasses interrupted irritably.
He then whispered in Director Zhao’s ear.
Director Zhao nodded, then his gaze turned speculative upon Shen Yunfang. "We have basically grasped your situation. Now is not the time to flaunt your identity. Let me make it clear to you, even if you were the emperor’s father, you would still have to bow down here. Of course, the government is also humane. Given your special status, confess your crimes clearly, and we will consider your case for a more lenient sentence."
Shen Yunfang, with a wooden expression, glanced at the three opposite her, then lowered her eyelids and said firmly, "I am innocent, I have not stolen collective food, all these accusations are fabricated. You can’t slander me."
"Hmph, hmph, hmph—" Director Zhao snorted through his nose. "Comrade, let me tell you this, if there wasn’t a report against you, we wouldn’t even know who you are. The fact that we’ve brought you here means we’ve already obtained sufficient evidence. Even if you don’t admit it, we can still convict you."
In other words, someone had reported Shen Yunfang, and these people had solid evidence of her stealing food.
"I don’t know whom I have offended or who wants to hurt me, but I can say with certainty that I really did not steal the collective’s grain. I get four hundred and eighty jin of grain each year for myself, and even though it’s not enough for me to have dry rice at every meal, it’s certainly enough to feed myself, so I have no need to risk stealing the collective’s grain. I have enough of my own grain, there’s no room left in my stomach for stolen grain, why would I bother?" Shen Yunfang spoke the truth.
But the people opposite her didn’t think so.
"Hmph, you say you’re full, then tell me, those chickens of yours..." Director Zhao couldn’t finish his sentence and turned to look at the man with glasses.
"Thirty-five." The man with glasses quickly interjected.
"What do you feed those thirty-five chickens with?" Director Zhao finally finished his question.
Shen Yunfang looked at the man with glasses somewhat strangely, if she remembered correctly, there should be forty-one chickens at her home.
Originally, there were forty-three at home, but two were taken away when the work team came, leaving forty-one. How did it become thirty-five once the man with glasses got involved?
"I feed them with earthworms, when you went to my house, you should have seen the earthworms I raise in the western room, I usually feed the chickens with a mix of wild greens and earthworms," Shen Yunfang explained.
Director Zhao looked toward the man with glasses, who quickly approached the leader to explain again in his ear.
They had searched Shen Yunfang’s house inside and out and indeed saw boxes of clumped earthworms in the western room, oh boy, wasn’t that a nauseating sight. They hadn’t expected that Shen Yunfang raised those earthworms to feed the chickens.
"Don’t try to be sly. I have never heard of anyone raising chickens without feeding them grain, just feeding them earthworms," the man with glasses did not believe her.
"I didn’t say I don’t feed them grain; it’s just that after adding earthworms, I can cut back on the grain. A couple of handfuls of cornmeal or bran a day is enough, and the bran left over from threshing our own grain is enough to feed the chickens," Shen Yunfang said innocently.
The people opposite each other exchanged looks, knowing that chickens eat insects, and certainly earthworms too, so it might be true that she doesn’t need much grain to keep all those chickens alive.
Director Zhao’s eyes narrowed as he pondered; the content of the accusation letter might be false, but since the chickens had been seized and the person brought in, it made no sense to just send her back. The canteen had stewed two chickens to honor the superiors just yesterday, if the woman were to be released without charge today, what about the eaten and taken chickens? They would never be returned.
Director Zhao’s sinister eyes swept over to Shen Yunfang opposite him, even if she truly had no issues, he was convinced that just keeping her here a few days would create some.
What a waste of such a neat and tidy woman.
Director Zhao let his eyes drift down to her protruding belly, then turned his face away in disgust. Such an indecent woman deserved to be convicted.
If Shen Yunfang knew what Director Zhao was thinking at that moment, she likely would have wanted to scratch out his heart. You foul lecherous old man, I’m decently married and pregnant and you call me indecent, so what does that make you, someone who covets another man’s wife, worse than pigs and dogs.
The man with glasses and Wang Biao had done many unscrupulous deeds with Director Zhao, so just by looking at Director Zhao’s face they knew what had to be done. Hmph, they could only say sorry to the young wife opposite them.
The man with glasses stood up, "It seems you won’t drink a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. You had the chance to come clean, but since you don’t want it, don’t blame us for being harsh."
