The Bank Burglary Case (1)

Chapter 1

October 15, 2001, Tonglin Town, Pingcheng.

Over the past two days, two things happened in Tonglin Town. First, the town’s bank was burglarized.

Second, a young girl named Mei Yue dropped out of school.

For the people of Tonglin Town, everyone was discussing the former, while the latter was a trivial matter that went unnoticed.

However, for thirteen-year-old Mei Yue, being forced out of school was a monumental disaster.

She was a girl from Sanli Village. Sanli Village was one of the poorest areas in Tonglin Town, having only received electricity the previous year. The village had its own primary school, but in all these years, only three children had ever gone on to attend junior high in Tonglin Town.

The first two had done so over a decade ago.

When Mei Yue passed the entrance exam for junior high, she became the talk of the village. Everyone said it was a sign of great fortune, as if smoke were rising from her ancestral graves¹. At that time, her mother would carry a wicker basket and chat with neighbors from one end of the village to the other.

But now, after only a month, she had been expelled.

After she returned home, her mother dragged her from one end of the village to the other, beating her the whole way.

“What on earth happened? Why were you expelled?” her mother asked, tears streaming down her face.

“Did you get into a fight? Say something!”

Mei Yue refused to speak. She just sat there, unwilling to open her mouth.

Her mother gritted her teeth and said, “Tomorrow, I’m going to your school to ask! You worked so hard to get in, they can’t just kick you out for no reason! It makes no sense!”

Mei Yue looked up and saw her mother’s fierce expression. She knew in her heart that while her mother sounded tough now, once she reached the school, she would surely be humble and subservient, perhaps even kneeling to beg for mercy.

No child can bear the thought of their mother kneeling before others on their behalf.

That night, Mei Yue packed her things. After her parents had fallen asleep, she quietly got up.

She didn’t want to go back to school anymore. She was naturally bright and had already spent time in Tonglin Town, so she planned to find work there.

She already had a plan in mind.

She would work to save some money, use that as capital to buy goods, and then start a business. Once she had money, the villagers wouldn’t care about her being expelled.

They would only say that she was smart, and that even without an education, she could make a fortune.

The fog was thick that day, a vast white shroud that obscured the path ahead. She fashioned a pine-resin torch and walked through the heavy mist.

She didn’t take the main road, fearing she might run into someone she knew. Instead, she took a small trail. This path cut through several forests, but it was a shortcut to the town.

In her mind, she imagined arriving in Tonglin Town and finding a place to sleep under a bridge…

Then, her mother’s frequent warnings began to echo in her head.

“Stay at school every day, don’t go wandering off. I heard from your Second Aunt that Tonglin Town is a mess. Several girls were kidnapped and sold off recently.”

“You’ve studied yourself silly, you don’t know how dangerous it is out there!”

Her mother’s past words gripped her heart with fear.

She began to feel frightened and held her torch higher, as if trying to use the light to drive away the dread in her soul.

The torch flickered with an orange glow, piercing through the fog. It was quickly spotted by someone ahead.

It was a middle-aged man. He seemed to be busy with something in the early morning, but when he saw the torch, he hurried toward it.

Soon, he saw Xiao Mei holding the torch.

The middle-aged man stared intently at Xiao Mei, his expression grim. Realizing she was about to emerge from the forest, he hurried to catch up from behind.

Startled by the sudden sound of footsteps, Xiao Mei was about to run.

Then, the person behind her spoke.

“Is that Xiao Mei?”

The person behind her turned on a flashlight, his tone sounding very kind.

“Who is it?” Xiao Mei’s nerves were so frayed that she didn’t recognize the voice.

The man shone the flashlight on his own face.

“Second Grandpa²!” Xiao Mei let out a long sigh of relief, suddenly feeling safe.

Second Grandpa was her grandfather’s younger brother. When she passed her exams, her Third Grandpa’s family had been a bit unhappy, but Second Grandpa had made a special trip to her house to give her a backpack.

It was a backpack Second Grandpa had specifically gone to Tonglin Town to buy.

At this very moment, the backpack she was wearing was the one he had given her.

“Xiao Mei, it’s so early. Where are you going?” Second Grandpa asked.

Xiao Mei was still afraid that Second Grandpa wouldn’t approve of her going to town to do business, so she said, “I’m going back to school. I’m going to beg the teacher to let me return to my studies.”

Second Grandpa said, “Why aren’t you taking the main road? It’s not safe to take the trails in this weather.”

“This way is faster.”

Second Grandpa said, “I’m going to town as well. We might as well go together. I have a flashlight. I’ll take you on another trail that’s even faster.”

Hearing this, Xiao Mei was delighted. She had been worried that her torch was about to run out of oil and was scared to be alone.

Now, with Second Grandpa, she wasn’t afraid of anything.

And so, she walked with Second Grandpa as he led her off in a different direction.

Xiao Mei was just a thirteen-year-old girl and didn’t think twice. She simply followed wherever Second Grandpa led.

In the thick fog, they could only see the ground beneath their feet. Naturally, Xiao Mei didn’t notice anything wrong.

Soon, they emerged from the forest. As soon as they did, Xiao Mei saw a house ahead.

This wasn’t Tonglin Town! Second Grandpa had lied to her!

Xiao Mei’s face turned pale. Sensing danger, she turned and tried to bolt.

Second Grandpa was prepared. He reached out and grabbed her. A thirteen-year-old child who hadn’t hit her growth spurt yet was like a little chick, easily caught.

Second Grandpa’s voice was no longer kind.

“You little brat, trying to run!”

Xiao Mei immediately pleaded in a low voice, “Second Grandpa, I’m really going to school. Please let me go. I’ll go back to my studies and bring honor to the Mei family name³!”

Second Grandpa ignored her, dragging her toward the earthen house.

Seeing the house getting closer and closer, Xiao Mei didn’t even dare to speak anymore.

Second Grandpa dragged her with one hand and knocked on the door with the other. The people inside woke up quickly and asked, “Who is it so late at night?”

Second Grandpa was no longer kind to Xiao Mei, but his tone remained gentle toward the people inside. He said, “It’s me. Come out and see for yourselves. I picked someone up on the road today and brought her back specifically for you.”

Xiao Mei was still bowing and pleading for Second Grandpa to let her go.

But Second Grandpa kept a stony face, not saying a single word to Xiao Mei.

Standing there, they could hear the sound of people walking inside. Xiao Mei had already begun to feel terrified. She was definitely going to be beaten and scolded. In her heart, she was already starting to regret sneaking out.

Soon, the door opened. A middle-aged woman opened the door and saw Xiao Mei being held by Second Grandpa. Looking at the situation, she was a bit confused. “Xiao Mei? Second Uncle?”

Xiao Mei lowered her head and whispered, “Mom…”

“Second Uncle, what’s going on?”

“This girl of yours! She said she was going to school on her own! At this hour, she’s going to school? I know exactly what she was trying to do. If I hadn’t run into her on the road, she really would have dared to go to town. What would happen if she met some bad people along the way?”

Xiao Mei’s mother felt a wave of lingering fear and took Xiao Mei from Second Grandpa’s grasp.

She thanked Second Grandpa for taking the time and effort to bring the child back while simultaneously scolding Xiao Mei. “What’s so good about the town! Haven’t you heard that several girls have gone missing this year? And some people get into fights and start hacking at each other with knives! How many lives do you have for people to hack at?”

Xiao Mei was dragged back into her home, cursing inwardly. However, in front of her angry mother, she could only remain silent. Who could have thought that Second Grandpa, who usually had such a good temper, was actually someone who would plot against others!

She truly wouldn’t trust anyone ever again.

“Second Uncle, it’s a good thing she ran into you this time! Have you had breakfast yet? I’ll go make something to eat.”

“No need, we’re all relatives. If I see something, I’m bound to help. I still have things to do, you all go back to sleep.”

Second Grandpa left after speaking.

He returned to the original path. This early in the morning, there were no people on the road.

Yet, he did not breathe a sigh of relief.

Because on the path Xiao Mei had intended to take, about a hundred meters ahead, there was something there.

He walked over quickly.

In the darkness, a middle-aged man lay flat on his back, eyes wide open. It was clear he had suffered greatly before he died.

As the wind blew from the forest, hundred-yuan bills⁴ were scattered all over the ground.

Translator’s Notes