CHAPTER 375: CHAPTER 375: THE TRUTH

The child was cunning and ran off in an instant.

Luo Dahua reached out but failed to grasp him, her heart aching for the trousers she had dug out just to make an appearance at the wedding banquet today. Lu Daqi pulled her slightly, "Let it go, kids don’t pay attention to these things."

Luo Dahua could only chalk it up to bad luck and felt that the Cui family, old and young alike, were all unlikeable.

Meanwhile, the children were still playing around. One child asked Cui Xiaobao for some pastry, "Can you let me have a taste? To see if it’s good. Last time, I gave you some of our white flour steamed bread."

Cui Xiaobao stuffed his mouth with big bites of the pastry, shaking his head like a rattle-drum, "No, no, this is mine."

The child watching him eat drooled with envy; the pastry looked delicious, and from a distance, the fragrance was enticing. Moreover, it was loaded with oil, evident by the grease around Cui Xiaobao’s mouth. The child, cunning and salivating, went on to say, "It looks awful, what good thing can your family make? Just like the blackish vegetable nest from last time, it was so unappetizing. It’s amazing how you and your brother acted as if you hadn’t eaten before. I guess this is pretty much the same."

Sure enough, Cui Xiaobao was provoked, "That’s not true. Last time we ran out of oil, so we didn’t add any, that’s why it wasn’t good. But this one is made with plenty of oil. We have oil at home, my aunt is willing to use it for me, it tastes so fragrant now."

"I don’t believe it unless you let me have a bite."

"Okay, fine, but you can only bite a small, tiny piece, don’t take a big one." Cui Xiaobao, not as quick-witted as the older kids, lifted the pastry to the six- or seven-year-old child’s mouth.

The couple, Luo Dahua and her husband, watched with amusement.

Luo Dahua said to Lu Daqi, "This kid from the Hu family is really sneaky."

Lu Daqi seemed to think of something and smiled oddly.

Turning to look at him, Luo Dahua also tacitly thought of something and couldn’t help teasing, "Didn’t you do the same thing when you were little?"

Lu Daqi touched the back of his head, "Hehe..."

Luo Dahua rolled her eyes speechlessly, "Your son has really taken after you."

Lu Daqi smiled even happier, "Of course, my son takes after me."

"Just boast, will you? Yesterday, our son was pestering me for crisp pastries. Thinking about how much oil they use and how little we have left at home, I asked him to wait a few days, until we get the oil tickets to exchange for more."

"Weren’t there still a dozen or so pieces left last month? Don’t always be so frugal. The kids at home need to grow, buy some meat to satisfy their cravings, and while at it, render some pork lard."

Luo Dahua rolled her eyes at him again. "Like you know—you don’t even care, I have to send money back to my mom every month, and your son is always nagging about buying stationery. In a few days, the younger two will be going to kindergarten. Even if the tuition isn’t that expensive, we still have to pay for their meals, right? I wish I could split a penny in half to spend it."

"Which household isn’t like this? We have to save where we can, but we can’t skimp on the kids’ meals."

"Got it, got it, you talk as if I’m some kind of stepmother." Luo Dahua couldn’t help but laugh, but then she thought of something and said to Lu Daqi, "Did you hear it clearly just now? The Hu family kid mentioned Cui Xiaobao, said at his home they usually just have vegetables with thick porridge, and never have crispy pastries like today, especially not with so much oil..."

The two of them were already walking up the stairs, carefully inspecting the steps. The water had dried, and the bloodstains from Yang Peiying’s fall had been cleaned up. There was still a faint oil stain remaining, which made Lu Daqi somewhat preoccupied and his tone rather dismissive. "What’s the big deal? Cooking something nice for the kids once or twice a month to satisfy their cravings isn’t anything special, is it?"

Luo Dahua explained to him, "That’s not the point. You don’t understand the situation at the Cui family. They live even more frugally than us. Mrs. Cui doesn’t even use oil when she cooks; she just blanches the vegetables in water, sprinkles some salt, and considers it done. One time, Gao Hong got a swollen face from Mrs. Cui for adding oil to the food. Mrs. Cui said that the oil just goes through the stomach and comes out, and it’s a waste of money. I found it so ridiculous. All food goes through and comes out, why don’t I see her not eating?"

Lu Daqi still seemed unconcerned. "Didn’t they say Aunt Cui is very fond of her grandsons? For her grandsons, can’t she use some oil to make pastries?"

Seeing his train of thought, Luo Dahua openly suggested, "I mean, could it be the Cui family?" She said this in a very low whisper.

Lu Daqi turned to her, his eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty, and asked quietly, "Did you find something, or are you just guessing from the child’s pastry?"

Luo Dahua pointed to the oil stain on her pants. "If we smell it carefully when we get back, we’ll know."

Lu Daqi, infected by her seriousness, nodded immediately and quickened his pace to return to the dormitory.

Two days later, Yang Peiying’s condition had stabilized quite a bit. Although she still needed help eating in bed, her spirits were much better, and she had regained some color in her face. Yang Peimin, due to physical exhaustion, had returned to the dormitory to rest for a couple of days. The oil-throwing case had also come to light, and everyone was half right in their guesses.

The mastermind was Du Juanjuan, but the one who acted wasn’t her—it was Gao Hong.

When they questioned Du Juanjuan, she denied everything and pointed the finger at Gao Hong, putting all the blame on her. She claimed Gao Hong was jealous of others who could get pregnant since she couldn’t have children herself, and in a moment of jealousy, she impulsively did such a thing.

As for how the investigation led to her, it was Luo Dahua who provided a clue to the investigation team. She went back that day, took off the pants stained with the oil mark, and smelled the scent of peanut oil under her nose. It wasn’t lard, soybean oil, or rapeseed oil—it was peanut oil, and even if it was cooked, the smell was still distinguishable.

Later, when they took Mrs. Cui and Gao Hong in for a talk, Gao Hong was too nervous and gave herself away under probing. But she claimed it was under Du Juanjuan’s orders and that the oil was provided by her.

When Shen Yixiang heard the news, she immediately rushed back to start a fight, wanting to tear down both the Cui and Shen families. Mrs. Cui could not stop Shen Yixiang’s outburst, despite her attempts.

Mrs. Cui sat on the ground, slapping her thighs and crying as if she had lost her parents. "That damned Gao Hong, why didn’t the heavens take her away? She has brought nothing but misfortune to our family. Oh, our Cui family must have been extremely unlucky to have married such a curse. Leaders, we can’t afford to bear such a person. Please instruct the organization to let my son divorce her, she’s bad news. My life is so hard, having to endure such shame in my old age!"

Mrs. Cui was actually quite clever, acting with her usual fiery temper, wanting to kick Gao Hong out on her own. She knew that if things were confirmed, her son would definitely be affected. She had already experienced the consequences of the arguments with the neighbors. Her son would also catch flak for it, and the leaders would certainly not look upon him favorably.