"As soon as I heard that, I knew it wasn’t you guys coming back to fetch something—this was clearly a thief breaking in! I didn’t think twice; I charged right in. But since I didn’t bring a candle, it was pretty dark inside, and I had no clue where those two were. Anyway, I just yelled out, ’Catch the thief!’ Before I finished shouting, someone from behind knocked me out cold."
Someone couldn’t hold back a laugh. Lin Yuan, seeing Meng Liangdong’s guilty face, quickly covered her mouth and coughed twice to mask it.
"Alright, Mr. Meng, you were scared stiff last night. Go rest in the back," Lin Yuan gave Liuzi a nod, and he immediately stifled his laughter, helping Da Niu take Meng Liangdong to his room in the backyard.
Once Meng Liangdong had left, Lin Yuan glared at Xia Zheng who was all animated and harrumphed as a warning.
Xia Zheng turned away, shoulders shaking with laughter. He couldn’t help it; the story was just too funny. Meng Liangdong had barely started yelling ’catch the thief’ before getting knocked out—how could it not sound like a joke?
Putting aside whether Meng Liangdong’s actions were appropriate, Lin Yuan still admired his courage.
Perhaps it was his first time encountering a home invasion; that must be it, as when he ran his own store before, thieves didn’t need to wait for night; they could just clear out his place in broad daylight while he was engrossed in his books, paying no attention to the store.
Mo Sanniang cleared her throat and said to Lin Yuan, "Sis, although Mr. Meng didn’t do the right thing, at least he wasn’t cowardly. Don’t be too hard on him."
Seeing that Lin Yuan was glaring and huffing, Mo Sanniang thought she was angry at Meng Liangdong and quickly spoke a few words in his favor.
Lin Yuan, pleased to see her already unconsciously caring for Meng Liangdong, said something else instead, "Sister Mo, I’m not upset with Mr. Meng. I’m just thinking how lucky we were last night. Thankfully he’s not in the habit of lighting lamps, or else he might have gotten a good look at the thief. Otherwise, we might not be seeing Mr. Meng knocked out today."
But rather Meng Liangdong’s dead body.
Naturally, Mo Sanniang understood this logic. That’s why she, a woman running a shop, never stayed overnight; as dusk approached, she’d quickly close up and leave. It’s a minor inconvenience if items from the store are stolen; the real catastrophe would be if something happened to a person.
Fifth Sister Bai, who was timid, shuddered at her words, nearly collapsing on the spot. If it weren’t for Sister-in-law Luo supporting her in time, the poor wife might have truly fallen from the chair to the floor.
"What’s there to be scared of, spineless!" Sister-in-law Luo, who had been a widow for many years and brought up a son on her own, playing both the roles of father and mother, had naturally seen more of life than Fifth Sister Bai, a newlywed. She was much bolder.
She immediately made a proposition to Lin Yuan, "Boss, how about not letting Mr. Meng guard the store anymore and let me do it instead? I’ve been a widow for years and have had my share of confrontations with the local hooligans. If anyone dares to bully me, I’ll send them flying with a stick! I’ll make sure to keep your store safe and sound!"
Life for a widow isn’t easy, especially for someone like Sister-in-law Luo, who lost her husband at a young age. It’s even tougher.
Her words instantly gained the sympathy of all the women present, though Sister-in-law Luo herself did not notice it. She was not the type to enjoy others’ pity; if she were, she would not be the person she is today.
"No," Lin Yuan shook her head decisively. Whether it was Meng Liangdong or Sister-in-law Luo, she didn’t feel comfortable trusting them to mind the store.