After the immortal disappeared

In troubled times, it is safer to travel with a large group.

"Have you encountered anything outside?"

"That's not clear. There are so many people in Zhuangzi, and they all have long legs. It's impossible for me to know all their whereabouts. But -" Old Man Chen blinked, "-Chen Fu'ang's wife probably knows. A few days ago, a neighbor heard the couple arguing, and it was quite violent. "

"What's the reason for the quarrel?"

"His wife scolded him for looking for a woman."

"..."

Dong Rui asked curiously from the side: "How does his wife know?"

How could his family know what a small traveling businessman like Chen Fuang had done outside?

"Shall I take you there and ask you in person?"

County Lieutenant Li also followed.

Chen Fuang's family is in the west of Zhuangzi. His wife is dark and fat. She is three years older than him. She looks like an ordinary peasant woman. The house was not big, and the furniture was old. He Lingchuan glanced at it and saw a set of patched quilts exposed in the slightly opened wooden door.

There were two boys at home, but Chen's wife called them back to the room.

Although he is named "rich", Chen Fuang's family is not well-off.

When Chen's wife heard Old Man Chen explain the purpose of the three people's visit, she burst into tears: "He died so tragically. He left us orphans and widows behind. There is no way to survive in the future!"

Old man Chen knocked on the table: "These two officials are here to investigate the case. You must cooperate well."

He didn't say a word. At least Chen Fuang died peacefully. The other unlucky ones who were bitten by monsters were called "died miserably".

"How can we cooperate?" Chen's wife burst into tears. "Everyone is dead, so what's the use of checking afterward? How will we, the three of us, live in the future?"

Her crying was particularly loud at night, and even He Lingchuan couldn't stand it, so he took out two ingots of silver from his arms and placed them on the table: "I have a few questions. As long as you answer them truthfully, the silver will be yours."

A lamp is like a bean, and it cannot be peeled off the charming color of silver.

When Chen's wife saw these two pieces of silver, she stopped crying. Old Chen hurriedly tried to persuade him again: "Your parents are here, and your two brothers are also in the village. With these two cares, you three will not suffer any loss in the future. What are you afraid of?"

Chen's wife sobbed and said, "Ask, ask."

Before He Lingchuan could speak, Dong Rui had already taken the lead: "Why did you quarrel with Chen Fuang the day before yesterday?"

Chen's wife's face suddenly turned gloomy: "He found a broken shoe!"

"Where?"

"The convoy brought it back from outside a few days ago."

He Lingchuan and Dong Rui looked at each other: "You mean, the Chen family's motorcade brought back a woman from outside? How old is she?"

"He is in his early twenties, semi-crazy, but very coquettish, and has a five- or six-year-old daughter." Chen's wife pointed at Old Man Chen, "He also knows."

Lieutenant Li rolled his eyes at the side. How could he be so arrogant even if he is half crazy? It's purely personal conjecture. Old Man Chen was calm: "I didn't bring her back, and I've only seen her twice. How can you understand her better?"

Dong Rui didn't listen to their nonsense: "Where are the mother and woman now?"

"I do not know."

"I don't know? Two big living people disappeared like this?"

"That night when the monster attacked, dozens of people were gone. Are we still missing two of them?" Chen's wife said bitterly, "Maybe they were dragged away by the monster and eaten."

He Lingchuan pointed at the money on the table: "What exactly is going on?"

For the sake of money, Chen’s wife reluctantly said: “When the convoy came back from Liu County and stopped at Hutou Slope to fetch water, the mother and daughter sneaked into the car. No one else noticed, and they kept Return to Chenjiazhuang in the convoy.”

"What are their origins?"

"I only met her once. She was in the shabby house where hay was piled in the west, smiling at people passing by. Others told me that she was more confused than sober."

West? He Lingchuan was very keen on direction tonight.

"But when she was awake, she mentioned to Sister-in-law Wu who kindly went to deliver food that she came from a small place called Maodun... It seems to be called Maodun." Chen's wife didn't know where that place was. "She was married But her husband died, so her husband’s family sold her two daughters, and then she was sold as well. I guess she was a little..."

Chen's wife pointed to her temple, and then added: "In the end, within five years, her second man fell off a cliff and died too."

"Then what?"

"Then her mind became unclear again, and her words were confused. One moment she said that she had escaped with her daughter, the next moment she said that she had picked her daughter up on the roadside, the next moment she said that her husband's family was going to sell them again, and the next moment she said that there was something going on later. Monsters chase them."

"Are there monsters chasing you?" Dong Rui raised an eyebrow at He Lingchuan, "Isn't this the key point?"

"We didn't know there was a real monster at that time. We just thought she was talking nonsense!" Chen's wife curled her lips, "Maybe in her mind, her husband's family who wanted to catch her and sell her was a monster. At that time, I told the village this idea My sisters-in-law said that they all thought it was right.”

The boy in the room was about to sneak out to pee, but when he came out, his eyes were attracted by the monkey on Dong Rui's shoulder. When he heard these words, he suddenly raised his head and said: "Xiao An said that monsters have been chasing them for a long time. Every time they relax, those monsters will come out of the darkness——!"

He turned his hands into claws, ready to pounce: "——pounce out!"

"Xiao An?"

"That's the little girl." Chen's wife pointed to the inner room and scolded her son, "Go in! If the adults are talking, why should the children interrupt?"

"It's okay." Dong Rui waved to the boy and grabbed a handful of candies, "Here, eat some candies, and tell me what else Xiao An said?"

The boy saw that the monkey on his shoulder was also peeling the sugar coating, and his movements were very dexterous. He immediately became interested: "Give me the monkey, and I will tell you."

Chen's wife said angrily: "Don't be rude to the official!"

Don't offend someone because of an ugly monkey and let them take back the money on the table!

The boy twisted his neck: "I want the monkey, otherwise I won't say anything!"

Just as Chen's wife was about to slap him, Dong Rui pointed at the boy and whispered something to the ghost monkey.

No one else heard clearly, but the ghost monkey jumped onto the boy's shoulders and pressed him so hard that his back bent.

The portion was really not light, but the boy was so happy that he reached out to touch the monkey twice and then pulled the hair on its neck hard. Chen's wife was startled and slapped his hand away: "Don't mess around!"

The owner of this ugly monkey is still watching.

The ghost monkey didn't take it seriously. Anyway, this little thing couldn't pull it out. It grabbed a candy from the table and peeled it slowly.

Dong Rui urged: "Speak now."

"Xiao An said that she came from Xingyun Village. There was a very big ginkgo tree at the entrance of the village. Late one night, there was suddenly a lot of noise outside. The village was full of firelight and the shouts of adults. For the first time, she heard the adults shouting like Crying and screaming like a child."