"Xiaoxiao, you and the others go check on Xiaoqiu first; I’ll handle things here," Yang Ming said, fearing more trouble might ensue, he hurriedly instructed his wife and the others to follow.
"Okay!" Xiaoxiao promptly led a group of women to find Xiaoqiu, knowing the perpetrator’s identity meant an arrest was inevitable.
After seeing Xiaoxiao lead them away, Yang Ming turned to the arrest officer Guan and said, "This person is from the Wang Family village, his name is Wang Ergou, and indeed, he has had issues with my family!"
"Alright, we’ll head to the Wang Family village to make the arrest, and we will notify you when it’s time for the trial," the arrest officer Guan said as he started to leave.
"Thank you, arrest officer Guan!"
As they reached the main entrance, Yang Ming felt the urge to ask a question, "Arrest officer Guan, may I have a word with you?"
"You all go ahead and wait for me at the entrance of the village," said the arrest officer Guan, who didn’t expect Yang Ming to seek a private conversation, so he told the other government officials to go on without him.
Yang Ming thought about how to phrase his question. It felt impolite, but the thought of another man calling his wife by her name was unbearable, "My wife mentioned that you know each other?"
"..." To his surprise, the man admitted it without hesitation, "I heard you calling her by name."
"Yes! What about it?"
"..." How could he ask what about it? How could one openly call another man’s wife by her name? Seeing that the officer appeared unconcerned, Yang Ming grew somewhat angry, "She is my wife! You cannot simply call her by her name!"
"..." Arrest officer Guan remained silent, just looking at Yang Ming, who seemed to have misunderstood the situation. It appeared that Yang Ming wasn’t as indifferent to Xiaoxiao as he thought.
Deciding to tease Yang Ming a bit, he said, "Didn’t I call her Madam Yang?"
"..." Yang Ming felt speechless and annoyed, "In any case, I hope you stick to your duties, arrest officer Guan, and keep your distance from my wife!"
After saying this, he turned to walk back into the yard but then heard a hearty laugh from behind.
"..." Was he being mocked?
"Brother-in-law, didn’t Xiaoxiao tell you who I am?"
"..." Brother-in-law? Yang Ming looked up sharply. Since when did Xiaoxiao have another brother? Just how many brothers did she have?
Following that, arrest officer Guan patted Yang Ming on the back, "Look here, brother-in-law, although it’s not unheard of for cousins to marry, you see, I’m already in my thirties, with kids nearly as old as Xiaoxiao. Aren’t you overthinking this a bit?"
"..." Yang Ming suddenly stood stunned. Indeed, arrest officer Guan looked well into his thirties while Xiaoxiao wasn’t even sixteen yet. What was he thinking, letting jealousy cloud his judgment?
He was only twenty—could he really not stack up to someone in their thirties? Had he lost even that bit of self-confidence?
"So you’re her cousin. I apologize; it was a misunderstanding on my part!" Yang Ming quickly apologized, having embarrassed himself in front of the arrest officer.
"Brother-in-law, I understand, I get it. If a man called my wife by her name, I’d be ready to throw punches too, and yet you’re here arguing about it. You really are a scholar, hahaha!"
None of Xiaoxiao’s maternal family seemed to be easy to handle—the relatives on her father’s side were already formidable enough, and now it turned out those on her mother’s side were no different.
"Alright, I’m off. Leave the case to me," said arrest officer Guan before departing.
Yang Ming’s mood suddenly lightened, and he quickly entered the courtyard. He needed to find his wife.