Rebirth in 1972: Redemption in Changbai Mountain

"Captain Zhao, you inspect it yourself. Accountant Zhou, you record it," Zhao Youzhi instructed Zhao Changshan and Zhou Shumin.

Zhou Rui did not object. Although Zhao Changshan and he did not get along, he believed that Zhao Changshan would not dare to cause any trouble in public.

However, Zhou Rui still went inside, took out a notebook and pencil, and handed them to Zhou Shumin. Zhou Rui had bought these for An'an to use at school. Otherwise, how would Zhou Shumin take notes if his hands were empty?

"One Mauser rifle, seventeen slices of cured pork, estimated to be around 100 jin (50 kg). Three half-grown hens, each weighing about one jin (500g)."

As Zhao Changshan began to count, the villagers couldn't help but crowd forward, pressing against Zhou Rui's fence and courtyard wall. They all wanted to know how much Zhou Rui owned and how much Zhou Chen and his two companions had stolen.

Zhou Shumin quickly took notes in his notebook. This was important evidence; how Zhou Chen, Chen Dabiao, and Chen Erbiao would be punished would depend on how much was written in this notebook.

After recording the obvious details, Zhao Changshan picked up the sack, gestured to Zhao Youzhi, and only opened it after receiving Zhao Youzhi's approval.

"Two cans of malted milk powder, one carton of Daqianmen cigarettes, one carton of Hongtashan cigarettes, five bottles of Fenjiu liquor, three bottles of Xinghuacun liquor, four bottles of Beidacang liquor, and two bottles of Wuliangye liquor."

"Wow, Zhou Rui's family has so many good things? These cigarettes and alcohol aren't cheap."

"Ruiwa's gotten too big for her britches, buying all this stuff. Isn't she going to spend all the money she made selling her job? I always said this family can't function without an adult in charge. At this rate, how can she raise her younger siblings and niece?"

Chen Datou, squeezed into the crowd, had his eyes shining with excitement at all the high-end cigarettes and alcohol. Ruiwa had said she would get him some good cigarettes and alcohol to try.

As Zhao Changshan rummaged through his belongings, he became increasingly surprised and a little envious. He hadn't expected Zhou Rui's family to be so wealthy.

"Six cans of fruit, two military water bottles, and one radio."

Zhou Shumin's pen flew across the paper as he jotted down notes, his mind racing as he estimated the value of these items.

The sack was emptied, and Zhao Changshan looked at Zhao Youzhi.

Zhao Youzhi glanced at the light sack and said in a deep voice, "Search them."

As Zhou Chen and his two companions watched Zhao Changshan approach, they twisted and turned, trying to dodge him. But with their bodies bound by ropes, it was all in vain.

Zhao Changshan first searched Chen Dabiao and Chen Erbiao, who were close to him, but found nothing.

Then Zhao Changshan walked towards Zhou Chen, who struggled even more fiercely.

Zhao Changshan squatted down, pressed down on the struggling Zhou Chen, and reached into Zhou Chen's pocket.

"A Shanghai brand watch." Zhao Changshan glanced at the watch and handed it to Zhao Youzhi beside him.

"That's mine," Zhou Chen tried to deny.

"Excuse me, I have a receipt for the watch I bought at the supply and marketing cooperative. If it's yours, you can show me the receipt too." Zhou Rui took out the purchase receipt he had prepared earlier from his pocket.

Zhao Youzhi took the receipt and glanced at it, becoming even more suspicious of Zhou Rui. If this scene wasn't arranged by Zhou Rui, why would he be carrying the receipt around?

"A cloth bag, full of grayish-white stones, I don't know what it's for?" Zhao Changshan was puzzled. A bunch of stones, and they're being put in such a new cloth bag, something's wrong.

"These are the stones I use for my slingshot," Zhou Chen continued stubbornly, hoping to get away with it.

Unexpectedly, after Zhao Youzhi took the bag and glanced at it, he immediately said to Zhou Shumin, "One bag of maobao, write it down."

"This is my own stuff, why should I record it?" Zhou Chen stubbornly resisted.

Zhao Youzhi stared at him with a chilling gaze, his tone somewhat cold: "This bag of horse bezoar was taken from Zhou Rui's mule a few days ago when Changhai was treating it. He personally cut it out of the mule's belly. Shumin and I saw it with our own eyes. What else do you want to say?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen immediately lost his ability to argue and turned his head away, avoiding Zhao Youzhi's gaze.

"Wow, Ma Bao? What Ma Bao? A horse's precious baby?"

"What precious egg? You don't know anything. Ever heard of bezoar? Horse bezoar is something similar to bezoar, and it's very valuable."

"How much is it worth? A while ago everyone was laughing at Zhou Rui for spending a lot of money to buy a sick mule, but unexpectedly, the person who treated the mule managed to get it pregnant, and the mule even recovered from its illness. Zhou Rui is incredibly lucky."

"It's hard to say exactly how much it's worth; it depends on how much the pharmacy charges. But looking at that big bag, it's probably worth several thousand dollars."

"If it's so valuable, Zhou Rui must be rich! No, I have to tell my sister-in-law right away and ask her to come to the Zhou family to propose marriage. Her daughter is the same age as Zhou Rui."

"Forget it, your niece isn't good-looking at all, she's not a good match for Ruiwa. My niece is much prettier and would be a perfect match for Zhou Rui."

"Pah! Your niece is nineteen already, isn't she? What, trying to seduce a young girl?"

The conversation in the crowd quickly veered off course, from catching a thief to arranging a blind date for Zhou Rui, demonstrating the immense power of money.

Zhou Dashan and Tian Xiuying, who was being held down, both had red eyes. These were things belonging to the Zhou family, how did they end up in Zhou Rui's hands?

If it were in their hands, they could build a new house next year, and with their two sons, what kind of wives couldn't they find? Thinking of this, the two men's anger burned fiercely, growing ever stronger. Jealousy drove them almost mad, and they only wanted to know how to kill Zhou Rui.

Zhao Youzhi frowned and instructed Zhao Changshan, "Continue, we haven't searched their clothes yet."

Zhao Changshan then reached his hand into Zhou Chen's clothes. Good heavens, who tied this rope so tightly? I can't even get my hand in. Zhao Changshan pulled hard on the rope, squeezing his hand inside, causing Zhou Chen to wince in pain.

Finally, he pulled it out; it was a thick wad of cash, so thick that Zhao Changshan could barely hold it, some of it slipping down his arm. He had to rummage through it several times before he finally emptied Zhou Chen's pocket.

A large handful of brand-new 100-yuan notes, a small amount of loose change, and some grain coupons were piled on the snow, catching everyone's eye.

"Wow, so much money. Where did Zhou Rui get it? Did he do something wrong?"

"Yes, he just spent over eight hundred on a mule a while ago, so he should be broke by now. Could he be speculating?"

"That's very possible, otherwise where would Zhou Rui get so much money?"

Zhou Rui heard all of this, but it was exactly what he expected. He had intended to reveal some things, but most of it remained hidden in the cellar in the backyard. With so much money and valuables, he could easily send Zhou Chen and his men inside.

"Zhou Chen, you unfilial son, how dare you steal money from the family! Tell me, did you empty your grandfather's savings for his funeral?" Zhou Dashan's sudden shout startled the surrounding villagers.

Zhou Rui found it somewhat amusing, watching Zhou Dashan as if he were watching a clown jumping around on stage. His uncle might not be good at much else, but he certainly had a sharp mind, trying to find any excuse to siphon money from Zhou Rui into his own pocket?

Zhao Youzhi hesitated, since the money and receipts weren't signed, so it couldn't really be said that he stole them from Zhou Rui. Unexpectedly, Zhou Rui was prepared; he took a receipt issued by the forest farm's finance department and handed it to Zhao Youzhi.

"This money came from hunting with my senior brother and supplying meat to Xiangyang Forest Farm. It was issued by the forest farm, the banknotes are brand new and have consecutive serial numbers, and the forest farm's finances can be verified."

If anyone disagrees, I can get Deng Xiangrong, the canteen manager of Xiangyang Forest Farm, Song Xueping, the finance director, and Zhang Zhenbei, the deputy director, to testify for me.

Zhao Youzhi looked at the receipt: 1,124 jin of sika deer meat, priced at two yuan per jin, totaling two thousand two hundred and forty-eight yuan. It was stamped with the bright red Xiangyang Forestry Farm financial seal.

"remember."