Reborn in the 1980s: Nine Stunning Beauties Get Pregnant Before Marriage

"That really scared me to death." Liang Meie came to her senses and breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Everyone said that with me here, everything will be fine." Chen Yongqiang looked at the two people lying on the ground with icy eyes.

"What do we do now?" Liang Meie asked, looking at the robber groaning in the snow.

"Naturally, they'll be taken to the police station." Chen Yongqiang had just taken out the money to set a trap for the two men, to solidify their robbery charge.

These two had just shown murderous intent, which was obviously much more serious than the previous group of thugs. Chen Yongqiang didn't want to let them go, but he also didn't want to get his hands dirty.

Killing them would undoubtedly leave behind a potential threat that could explode at any moment.

Chen Yongqiang stepped forward and ripped off the tattered scarves covering the two men's faces. The two robbers revealed their true appearances; both looked to be around thirty years old.

"They seem to be from Lijiazhuang!" Liang Meie had sold wild boar meat before and had seen them, but she didn't know their specific names.

Chen Yongqiang took a fish-binding rope from the sled and tied the two robbers tightly, "I don't care where they're from."

The older robber, regaining his composure, found himself bound and unable to move. He pleaded, "Brother... could you spare us... we were both momentarily blinded by greed..."

"Save those words for the police," Chen Yong said, unmoved.

He had a nagging suspicion that the two men might know where Wang Guixiang lived, and that letting them go might lead to endless trouble.

Chen Yongqiang dragged the two bound robbers all the way to the entrance of the town's police station.

A guard in a military-style uniform immediately noticed this unusual scene and stepped forward to block their way.

"Comrade, what's going on?" The guard's gaze swept over the two bound men, then looked at Chen Yongqiang and Liang Meie behind him.

"Officer, I need to report a crime. These two men, armed with knives and clubs, robbed me on the street outside the town," Chen Yongqiang explained his purpose.

"Robbery?!"

Upon hearing these words, the guard's expression immediately turned serious; in this era, this was a very serious crime.

"Follow me!" The guard immediately led them into the courtyard and quickly walked towards a row of bungalows.

They were led into an office where a middle-aged policeman in his forties with a square face was sitting, looking down at documents.

"Chief Zhao, these people have come to report that they were robbed on the road," the guard reported.

"What exactly happened?" Director Zhao immediately stood up.

Chen Yongqiang recounted the events: how he was followed after leaving the market, how he was intercepted by two men wielding knives and sticks on a secluded road, and how he defended himself, disarmed them, and subdued them.

She didn't miss any crucial details, especially the fact that she paid first: "I originally thought that giving them the money would solve everything, but I didn't expect them to go too far."

As Chief Zhao listened, his face grew increasingly grim. He walked up to the two robbers and asked, "Is what he said true?"

The older man tried to argue, "Officer, we...we were just confused for a moment, we just wanted to scare him, we didn't really mean it..."

His answer confirmed what Chen Yongqiang had said.

"Intimidate?" Director Zhao sneered, picking up the pig-slaughtering knife and the broken stick that Chen Yongqiang had confiscated from the table.

"Armed and blocking the road, demanding a huge sum of money—is that intimidation? Caught red-handed, what else do you have to say!"

He turned and called out towards the door, "Xiao Zhang! Xiao Li! Come here for a second!"

Two young police officers entered in response. "Take these two away and take their statements!"

The two robbers were taken away, still mumbling their pleas for mercy.

Director Zhao then looked at Chen Yongqiang and said, "Young man, you're quite skilled and calm."

"Why do you carry so much money with you? And what's with the gold bars they're talking about?"

Chen Yongqiang knew he couldn't avoid this question, so he answered frankly: "Today at the market, I sold a rare taimen for a high price, and got some cash and two small yellow croakers. Many people at the market saw this, and that's probably how they got my eye on me."

Director Zhao had heard about this during the day; a fishmonger had come to town and caused quite a commotion. He never expected that the real culprit would be right in front of him.

"According to regulations, your huge amount of property has a clear source, but we need to record the process of subduing the criminal in detail."

"Also, the few dozen yuan you were robbed of will be returned to you after the case is closed. As for the knife and stick, they are important evidence and need to be kept." Chief Zhao was efficient and decisive.

"Of course, we will definitely cooperate." Chen Yongqiang nodded.

Next came the detailed recording process. Chen Yongqiang and Liang Meie each truthfully recounted what had happened and pressed their fingerprints on the document.

"We understand the situation. These two are usually lazy and good-for-nothing, and they owe a lot of money from gambling. We never expected them to be so audacious as to commit armed robbery this time," Chief Zhao told Chen Yongqiang, explaining the investigation results.

"Can we go back now?" Chen Yongqiang asked, noticing that it was getting dark outside.

"You can go back first. We will notify you when there is any progress in the case," Director Zhao said calmly.

As Liang Meie walked out of the police station, she felt a chill run down her spine; it was her first time visiting a police station.

"Yongqiang, are we... are we alright now?"

"It's alright now. Let's go, hurry back to the village. Don't tell anyone about what happened today when we get back."

"Yes, I know." Liang Meie nodded quickly. After all this trouble, she felt even more dependent on Chen Yongqiang.

The two dragged the sled and headed back towards Shimen Village.

On the way, Liang Meie couldn't help but ask curiously, "How long do you think those two people will end up in jail?"

"Armed robbery, with the perpetrator caught red-handed, according to Director Zhao, the minimum sentence is ten years in prison."

In Liang Meie's view, ten years is almost a lifetime: "They deserve it."

Chen Yongqiang left out the second half of his sentence: next year, in 1983, there will be a nationwide crackdown.

Those who walk right into the line of fire, if used as examples, will likely face more than just imprisonment; they could even be executed.

This is also why Chen Yongqiang didn't kill anyone; he didn't want to put himself under a dangerous wall, it wasn't worth it.

Back in Shimen Village, the two parted ways at the village entrance. Liang Meie had just stepped into her own courtyard.

Her mother-in-law heard the commotion, came out of the house with a sour face, and immediately asked, "You finally know to come back? What time is it?!"

Liang Meie didn't argue much, but simply put the big white goose on the ground: "This goose is what I earned from doing business in town today."

The old lady's anger subsided a bit: "Hurry up and come inside! The food is warming in the pot; it'll be ready to eat after a little more heating."

On the other side, Chen Yongqiang dragged the sled back to his own courtyard gate.

Hearing the noise from inside, Lin Xiulian quickly appeared at the door: "Why are you so late? Is something wrong?"

Chen Yongqiang dragged the sled into the yard: "It's nothing, I just ran into a little trouble in town and was delayed a bit."