Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Reporting

The man’s sinister gaze flickered briefly before his face took on a simple and honest expression, “Comrade, is this the Zhao Family’s place?”

Susu didn’t miss the harshness in the man’s eyes and shook her head, “Comrade, you’ve got the wrong place.”

“Oh, oh, okay, then I’ll ask around some more, sorry to trouble you, Comrade.”

The man fumbled in his pocket for a piece of paper in a fluster, muttering deliberately audible words.

That’s not right, did I get it wrong?

I was told it was this alley, why can’t I find it?

Susu’s palms sweated, fearing the man might take the opportunity to start a conversation and do something, especially since she was with her child.

But it was still broad daylight, every household was occupied, he probably wouldn’t dare.

“Mom?”

Tianyu frowned slightly, acutely sensing his mother’s tension, and asked worriedly, “Mom, are you feeling unwell again?”

Susu caught the man’s scrutinizing gaze out of the corner of her eye and forced a smile, nodding feebly.

“Mom might not have slept well yesterday and caught a chill from kicking off the blankets, I felt unwell when I got up this morning.

I was dizzy when I was taking you to school this morning.”

This morning, it was dad who rode the bicycle to send Tianyu to school. Tianyu immediately sensed something was off and nodded.

“Oh right, right, Mom let me help you inside.”

Susu held her eldest son’s hand, and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Tianyu, close the courtyard gate properly, don’t let the dog out, be careful it might bite someone.”

Susu magnified her weak and feeble voice. Her heart raced as she and her eldest son locked the gate securely.

Hearing the noise, Father Lu and Mrs. Lu poked their heads out.

“Back already, wash your hands and come eat.”

“Woof woof woof…”

The man at the door squinted his eyes.

“Mom, what’s going on?” Tianyu whispered.

Susu glanced at her in-laws inside and the oblivious triplets playing rowdily, and gestured towards the outside, lowering her voice.

“There’s a suspicious stranger outside, someone broke into our house last night. I suspect that man might be the accomplice, keeping watch outside.”

“Mom, should I go find dad and tell him about this right away?”

Susu’s eyes darted around, and she whispered in her eldest son’s ear.

“Oh dear, why did she suddenly collapse? Hurry up, dad.”

“Wuu wuu wuu…Mama, mama.”

“Wuu wuu wuu, Mama, wake up.”

“Wuu wuu wuu~ Mama, what’s wrong?”

The man hid around the corner, watching the old man pushing a tricycle, on which laid a woman with her eyes closed and three children bawling loudly.

Mrs. Lu, pushing a bicycle, appeared anxious as she followed.

As Xiao Yu was locking the courtyard gate, he suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around, frowning with pursed lips, facing the strange man.

Barely holding back his fear, he sniffed, “Uncle, what do you want?”

“Kid, what happened there? Your mom just went in and was fine, how did she suddenly faint? Do you need uncle to lend a hand?” The man’s beady eyes unblinkingly stared at the young boy.

Tianyu pursed his lips, lowered his head and rubbed his eyes until they were red, “I don’t know, mom said she felt unwell and then suddenly passed out, and even hit her head on the ground really hard.”

“Tianyu, hurry up, lock the door, we need to rush to the hospital,” Mrs. Lu urged anxiously.

“Hey, grandma, I’m here.”

Tianyu ran halfway, turned back, and politely waved his hand, “Uncle, I’m leaving now, thank you.”

The man watched the family’s retreating figures, a smile curling on his lips, thinking them all fools.

Once out of the alley, Susu pretended to “slowly regain consciousness,” opening her eyes, and hugged the three frightened little ones.

“It’s okay, mommy is fine, don’t cry.”

Blind to the situation, Father Lu and Mrs. Lu quickly stopped and each asked one question, “How do you feel? Is there any discomfort?”

“Mom and dad, you take the children to Cheng He’s house. There are strangers at our door, and I suspect…”

Susu feared frightening the children, so she left the sentence unfinished, but Father Lu and Mrs. Lu instantly understood.

“Susu, what about you?”

“I’ll go and explain the situation here to Ah Ting, and then I’ll take leave for Tianyu. Don’t worry; I won’t go back alone.”

Father Lu and Mrs. Lu exchanged a glance, nodded immediately, and took the four grandsons, pedaling off to Cheng He’s house.

Susu jumped off the bike, still fearful of the thieves’ gang possibly lurking around, she daringly took the main road to the police station.

“Xiao, Xiao, Xiao Song, where’s Brother Lu?”

Susu had walked too fast and accidentally got winded.

Xiao Song, scratching his head, saw how breathless she was, “Sister Su, everyone from the station went out to investigate. If you’re not in a hurry looking for Brother Lu, perhaps wait here?”

Susu stomped anxiously, “I’ve a suspect’s lead. Strangers appeared at our door today, possibly part of the thieves from last night.”

Hearing it was case-related, Xiao Song quickly asked Susu to wait inside while he sped off on his bicycle to find someone.

Susu, neck craned, fretted at the door, unable to sit still from anxiety.

“Wife, Xiao Song said there were strangers at our door.”

Hearing the voice, Susu turned to see her husband, chest heaving, looking worriedly at her.

“Tap tap tap,” the sound of footsteps, soon followed by several policemen in uniform running in breathlessly.

“Old Lu, you ran too fast; we almost couldn’t catch up.”

“Mr. Su, could you please recount in detail how you spotted them?” Xiao Song, holding a notebook and still gasping, ran over.

Susu recounted everything once again and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The police station immediately deployed officers to strategize, fearing the unknown number of criminals.

As a precaution, plainclothes police officers patrolled the alleys, with the vicinity of the Lu Family as a focal point.

Worrying about startling the suspects, Lu Xiaoting took his wife on a detour to change into plain clothes at his shop.

Meanwhile, around the Lu Family alley

Grandparents talking at the entrance of the alley or sitting at their door chatting with neighbors quietly took their grandchildren inside.

Lu Xiaoting returned to the alley with his weak-looking wife.

Susu sat weakly on the bicycle, a bandage properly wrapped around her head.

Lu Xiaoting vigilantly watched the surroundings, ready to spot any unfamiliar face immediately.

“Xiao Lu is back, what happened to your wife?”

“Auntie, my wife accidentally fainted and hit her head today.”

“Oh dear, you must be careful, a head injury is serious.”

“Xiao Lu, we saw several unfamiliar faces in this alley this morning.”

“Indeed, when I saw them, they didn’t look like good people.”

“Xiao Lu, could they be thieves?”

Several old ladies lowered their voices, huddling together to quietly inform Lu Xiaoting.