Chapter Forty-One: Liao Shuxia Falls Victim to a Calamity

“Ah! My money!” Liao Shuxia screamed. Lin Hongda reacted swiftly and immediately dashed after the thief.

Liao Shuxia also gave chase, but she couldn’t run as fast as the others. Before long, they were out of sight. Her stamina failed her, and she had to lean against a wall, panting heavily.

“Despicable robber, just wait—when my husband catches you, he’ll beat you half to death…” she muttered to herself as she wiped the sweat from her brow.

At that moment, someone was already approaching her from behind, but Liao Shuxia hadn’t noticed. After catching her breath, she realized with a start that she’d somehow run into a deserted area.

A pang of anxiety struck her. She decided she’d better go to Fortune Pavilion Restaurant and find her daughter and sons. Just as she turned her head, she saw a tall man standing there, grinning wickedly at her.

“Who are you?” Liao Shuxia took a step back, her guard up.

“Heh, little lady, I’ve been waiting for you,” the man replied.

Liao Shuxia, in her thirties now, was quite attractive. In the past, poverty and hunger had left her thin and haggard. But after days of better living and good spirits, she was starting to look like a charming matron.

“What do you want? I’ll have you know my man will be back any minute, and he’s not someone you want to mess with!” Liao Shuxia bared her teeth in a fierce threat. “If you try anything, he’ll have you pinned and beaten before you know it!”

“Your man’s already been lured away by Guo Da. He won’t be back any time soon.”

A chill ran down Liao Shuxia’s spine.

Only now did she realize that the man who’d stolen her money was merely a distraction, a ruse to draw her husband away!

But what were these two really after? Why go to all this trouble?

Fuming, Liao Shuxia bent down, picked up a stone, and hurled it.

“Get lost! I’m not someone you can bully!”

The man hadn’t expected such a feisty response from a woman. He paused, then lunged at her with a ferocious expression.

Liao Shuxia tried to resist, but the man landed a heavy blow on her head. Her vision blurred and everything went dark as she collapsed.

Meanwhile, Lin Hongda had already caught up to the thief. He tackled the man to the ground and roughly turned him over. Seeing his face, Lin Hongda sneered, “Well, if it isn’t an old acquaintance!”

Guo Da instantly panicked. “I—I’m warning you, don’t lay a hand on me! Otherwise, I’ll report you to the authorities!”

“Report me? Fine, let’s go together and see who gets punished!” Lin Hongda retorted.

Their commotion drew a crowd. Lin Hongda snatched the money pouch from Guo Da’s hand and shouted, “Everyone, look! This is a thief! My wife and I worked hard selling handkerchiefs and earned a few hundred coins, but this scoundrel almost stole it all!”

The bystanders murmured among themselves. Someone recognized Guo Da and called out, “Guo Da, are you back to your old tricks?”

It turned out Guo Da had been caught stealing before and had spent a few days in jail. After his release, too scared to steal again, he borrowed some money to sell buns on the street. But seeing how popular Lin Sangqian’s meat pie stall was, he’d grown jealous. After being reprimanded by Lin Hongda for making trouble, his resentment only deepened.

Spotting only Lin Hongda and Liao Shuxia selling handkerchiefs today, he devised the ploy to lure Lin Hongda away while his partner dealt with Liao Shuxia.

He’d assumed he could outrun Lin Hongda, but hadn’t counted on Lin Hongda being just as quick.

“Oh? So you’re a repeat offender?” Lin Hongda slapped him hard on the head. “Get up! We’re going to see the magistrate!”

Guo Da, looking like a terrified chick, was dragged to his feet by Lin Hongda. His face twisted with fear, but suddenly he gave a sinister smile.

“Are you sure you want to take me to the magistrate? Your pretty little wife might be in danger…”

“What did you say?” Lin Hongda’s expression changed drastically.

Damn it—his wife!

“You bastard!” he cursed, punching Guo Da hard in the face. “Tell me, do you have an accomplice? What are you planning to do to my wife?”

“Heh, what do you think?” Guo Da replied with a spiteful grin.

“You—!”

Lin Hongda punched him again, making Guo Da see stars, nearly knocking him out.

“Where did you take my wife? Speak!”

At that moment, two constables approached, having heard the commotion. One barked, “What’s going on here?”

A helpful bystander explained that Guo Da had tried to rob Lin Hongda.

The constables recognized Guo Da. One of them, named Di Qing, couldn’t help but say, “Guo Da, it’s you again?”

“Officer, help me!” Guo Da wailed. “He’s going to beat me to death! Arrest him!”

Di Qing snorted. “You tried to steal from this man—no wonder he hit you. Enough, come with us. Looks like you’ll be spending a few more days in jail.”

“Wait, officers,” Lin Hongda said urgently. “My wife was taken away by Guo Da’s accomplice. I don’t know where she is!”

Di Qing frowned and looked at Guo Da. “So now you’re kidnapping women?”

Guo Da’s eyes darted about. “Officer, you’ve got it all wrong! There’s no kidnapping—I just needed some money, that’s all. As for his wife, I know nothing about it!”

“He’s lying!” Lin Hongda shouted angrily.

“I am not! He’s framing me!” Guo Da stubbornly denied everything.

Lin Hongda was frantic. Every second wasted meant more danger for Liao Shuxia.

But Di Qing wasn’t so easily fooled. He ordered his partner to take Guo Da back to the station while he went with Lin Hongda to investigate.

“Where did you two just come from? Take me there.”

Lin Hongda nodded and hurried back with Di Qing.

…

Inside Fortune Pavilion Restaurant, Lin Sangqian and her three brothers waited anxiously.

“What’s going on? It’s already so late—why aren’t Mother and Father here yet?” Lin Sangqian frowned, unease gnawing at her.

“Yeah, the food we saved for them is getting cold,” Lin Beitao said.

“Maybe they haven’t finished selling the handkerchiefs?” Lin Wenyan suggested.

“That can’t be—Mother’s handkerchiefs are always so popular. They usually sell out quickly…”

As Lin Sangqian spoke, she couldn’t help but stand up and peer outside.

Lin Yanbei hesitated, then said, “Could something have happened to them?”