The 60s Island: The Daily Life of a Capitalist Young Lady with the Army - Chapter 23: We Are from the District Educated Youth Office

Chapter 23: We Are from the District Educated Youth Office

The older public security comrade merely sighed wearily in response to Xu Rongchang’s furious outburst.

“Comrade Xu, we understand how you feel.”

“But we truly don’t know where your family’s belongings have gone.”

He paused, looking into Xu Rongchang’s bloodshot eyes, and continued, “At least during the days when your daughter Xu Xiangsi was still home, we repeatedly investigated. All the neighbors, both inside and outside the staff compound, unanimously stated they hadn’t heard any unusual noises or seen any signs of moving.”

“When she left, we specifically went to the pier to verify. The ticket seller and some dockworkers all remembered her.”

“She indeed only carried that small leather suitcase with her, with no other luggage.”

A younger public security comrade added, “Comrade Xu, we conducted a very detailed investigation into Comrade Xu Xiangsi’s movements before she left.”

“Her activities were quite limited during those few days, basically just moving between home and the nearby grocery store and fabric shop.”

“There’s no evidence suggesting she had the time or opportunity to contact anyone or organize any large-scale moving operation.”

“Therefore, based on all the evidence we currently have, the emptying of your home has no direct connection to Comrade Xu Xiangsi.”

“She neither had the time nor the means to commit such an act.”

These words acted as the final straw that broke Xu Rongchang’s last bit of resolve.

He opened his mouth to refute, but found himself unable to utter a single word.

Lin Jiaoyan and Xu Jingjing also looked ashen-faced.

If even the public security said so, who else could they turn to?

Xu Rongchang slumped his head in defeat, muttering to himself, “How could this be… How could this be…”

Lin Jiaoyan forced herself to stay composed, managing a smile uglier than crying: “Then… Comrade officers, our family’s things… they couldn’t have just vanished into thin air, right? Could it be… the work of some professional theft ring?”

The public security comrade nodded: “We’ve already classified this case as a major property theft and will continue investigating.”

“But the clues are indeed limited at the moment, so you should mentally prepare yourselves.”

In the end, the three members of the Xu family had no choice but to accept this unbelievable reality.

Yet the resentment in their hearts hadn’t diminished in the slightest.

They still believed it was all Xu Xiangsi’s fault!

If she hadn’t suddenly decided to get married and leave, how could such a thing have happened to their home? Even if she didn’t move the things herself, it must have been her departure that gave thieves the opportunity!

They couldn’t bear another day living in the guesthouse.

The daily accommodation and meal expenses felt like knives cutting through their hearts.

The money they had left was running low.

After discussing, the three could only pin their hopes on the public security solving the case quickly and recovering all those precious furniture pieces, gold, silver, and valuables.

Otherwise, they truly wouldn’t be able to go on with their lives.

With heavy steps, the family of three returned to the completely stripped-bare Xu residence.

Looking at their empty home with not even a stool remaining, desolation filled their hearts.

Lin Jiaoyan gritted her teeth and pulled out the last of their crumpled money from her inner pocket.

“Rongchang, let’s… let’s buy a bed first, then some bedding.”

“Otherwise we won’t even have a place to sleep tonight.”

What could Xu Rongchang say? He was completely broke now, having sold his job, with a bleak future ahead.

The three of them went to the secondhand market, picking through items for a long time before finally using their meager funds to purchase a creaky old wooden bed and two thin, musty-smelling used quilts.

Xu Jingjing stared at the clearly well-worn bed boards and the faded, frayed quilts, her delicate eyebrows knitting tightly together.

Her voice was thin, carrying a barely noticeable note of grievance: “Dad, Mom… this bed… it’s so old! Could there be lice on it? And these quilts – will they even keep us warm?”

Having lived with Lin Jiaoyan these past few years and resided in the Xu family mansion, she had indeed grown accustomed to comfortable living and developed refined tastes.

Xu Rongchang, already seething with pent-up anger, exploded at her words.

His eyes widened as he roared gruffly: “You’re complaining?!”

“Look at our situation now! You should be grateful to have anywhere to lie down!”

“Back in the countryside, you didn’t even have secondhand beds like this to sleep on, did you?!”

His words were merciless, striking directly at both Xu Jingjing and Lin Jiaoyan’s sore spots.

Lin Jiaoyan’s face paled as she quickly tugged at Xu Jingjing’s arm, giving her a meaningful look.

She immediately put on a pitiful expression and said softly to Xu Rongchang: “Rongchang, don’t be angry. Jingjing didn’t mean it that way.”

“She’s just never experienced hardship since childhood and isn’t used to it yet.”

“With our family savings gone, we need to save wherever we can. Jingjing will learn to be sensible.”

As she spoke, she gently patted Xu Rongchang’s chest to soothe him.

Xu Rongchang’s anger subsided somewhat under her coaxing, but his expression remained unpleasant.

He snorted heavily, ultimately restraining himself out of consideration for Lin Jiaoyan’s feelings.

But finally, Xu Rongchang pointed at the corner and said coldly: “We’re out of money. Just buy her a used palm fiber mattress! She can sleep on the floor on the palm mattress tonight!”

Hearing this, Xu Jingjing’s face instantly flushed crimson with anger, tears welling in her eyes.

A palm fiber mattress? Making her sleep on the floor?

How was this any different from their days in the countryside!

But seeing Xu Rongchang’s face, dark enough to drip water, she could only swallow her great grievances and dissatisfaction.

She knew this Xu Rongchang was no longer the stepfather who would indulge her every whim.

After sleeping on the palm fiber mattress for one night, Xu Jingjing felt aches and pains throughout her body.

At the first light of dawn, she opened her eyes almost immediately, unable to sleep any longer.

Rubbing her sore back, she slowly rose from the floor, watching Xu Rongchang and Lin Jiaoyan still sleeping soundly on the old bed boards. An indescribable sense of grievance and resentment welled up in her heart.

Why?

Why did she have to sleep on the floor and suffer like this?

Lin Jiaoyan was worrying about breakfast with a troubled expression – they didn’t even have a pot at home, let alone rice or flour. Would the whole family really have to go hungry?

Xu Rongchang sat grimly on the only old bed board, silent, his empty eyes staring at the mottled wall like a trapped beast.

Just as each family member was lost in their own thoughts and the atmosphere had grown unbearably heavy, “knock, knock, knock”—a sudden rapping at the door broke the silence.

Lin Jiaoyan felt puzzled. Who could be visiting at this hour?

She shuffled her shoes toward the door to answer it.

Standing at the doorway were two comrades dressed in cadre uniforms, with badges pinned to their chests.

Lin Jiaoyan’s heart sank, though she quickly forced a smile onto her face. “Comrades, you are…?”

“We’re from the District Educated Youth Office,” the leading comrade stated calmly, flashing his work identification.