Chapter 202: Chapter 202 Reporting a Case Chapter 202: Chapter 202 Reporting a Case Secretary said, “Let’s first cover the expenses from the brigade’s funds, and we’ll see who should pay depending on whose responsibility it is in the end.”
Luo Qiao, looking overwhelmed, replied, “That would be best, thank you, Secretary.”
Luo Qiao was taken back to the village clinic, but since both the brigade leader and the secretary were absent, the introduction letter couldn’t be issued, and they could only wait there.
As the Women’s Director was applying medicine to Luo Qiao, she didn’t dare to look; Luo Qiao’s skin was too delicate, and the abrasions appeared too severe. Ding Caifeng, the accountant’s wife helping on the side, also gasped in shock.
The ox was quickly carried back, but each time the Secretary tried to approach, he was stopped by Lu Yichen, who sent a man with grievances against the Secretary’s home to the commune’s police station to report the incident once they got back to the village.
Zhang Qiaoyan’s deeds had already spread, and as the Secretary approached Lu Yichen, he said, “Did you have to be so absolute?”
Lu Yichen answered, “I am a veteran, and even though I am discharged, I haven’t forgotten my discipline. Don’t forget that you are the Secretary of Qingshan Village, a Party member. Just because it was your daughter who did it, do you want to pervert the law for personal gain?”
Now, Lu Yi’s face was stern, and Zhang Dezheng’s forehead was covered in dense sweat, fearing that his position was truly in jeopardy.
It didn’t take long for the police to arrive, and it was the same two officers from before. After they clarified the situation, they started to gather evidence and sent someone to bring Zhang Qiaoyan over.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t find Zhang Qiaoyan after searching the whole village, and everyone said she had run away.
Doctor Gao helped retrieve a large foreign nail from the ox’s rear; this was the evidence. They also found three identical foreign nails in Zhang Qiaoyan’s room at the Secretary’s home.
They visited villagers who had been picking plums on the slope today, and they confirmed seeing Zhang Qiaoyan’s actions. Lu Yichen went even further, directly stating he saw her drive the nail into the ox’s rear.
The Secretary turned to Lu Yichen and asked, “Since you saw her take out the nail, why didn’t you stop her?”
Lu Yichen calmly replied, “I did see her take a foreign nail out of her pocket, but at that moment, she was only fiddling with it in her hand. Comrade Zhang Qiaoyan normally acts quite normal and is a high school student, who could have expected her to do such a thing.
I thought she was just playing with it, so I started cutting locust branches again. Later, when I looked up to wipe the sweat from my brow, I inadvertently saw her actions. I immediately shouted and ran down, but by then the ox was already charging towards Comrade Luo Qiao.”
A woman stood up and said, “Secretary, Qiaoyan truly takes after you. Earlier on the slope, she was accusing Luo Qiao of why she ran, saying it was Luo Qiao’s running that scared the ox, and even said that Luo Qiao should compensate for the ox. You and your daughter are quite something.”
As soon as she finished speaking, various voices of mockery and contempt were heard, and Zhang Dezheng’s old face turned red with embarrassment.
The brigade leader had no choice but to organize villagers to look for Zhang Qiaoyan. The police officers said to the Secretary, “Secretary Zhang, in consideration of the many years we’ve known each other, I’ll give you some face. Have your daughter turn herself in within two hours, and we’ll consider it a voluntary surrender.
Your daughter is still young, but as her parents, you are the guardians, and this matter does not absolve you of responsibility.”
At this moment, Luo Qiao came in and said, “Brigade leader, Secretary, can you issue the certificate for me now? Fortunately, I wasn’t seriously injured, or I might have already died. I may be an orphan, but my life matters too.”
The brigade leader then realized what had been forgotten; without the introduction letter, they couldn’t go to the city, and the official seal was still locked up at the brigade headquarters.