Chapter 166: Catch the Thief
Ning Xiyue gestured for Little Gray to be quiet, picked it up, and covered its mouth.
The footsteps grew closer and more hurried.
Within a few seconds, a man sneaked into Ning Xiyue’s kitchen, his eyes locked on the bicycle parked next to Little Gray’s nest.
He pulled out a thin piece of wire and a metal sheet, carefully working to pick the lock on Ning Xiyue’s bike wheel — completely unaware that Ning Xiyue was standing behind him, holding the wolf in her arms.
So it was him. Ning Xiyue recognized the man — wasn’t this Li Qiang, the one who was supposed to be causing a scene out front?
Did he plan to make the first move and steal Chen Yechu and Liu Yao’s bicycle — but ended up at her place by mistake? Or did he intend to steal both bikes?
Chen Yechu and Liu Yao had bought a “Forever” brand 28-inch men’s bicycle together, while her second brother had bought her a “Flying Pigeon” women’s bicycle. They were two completely different models — anyone in the production team who had seen them ride would recognize them instantly.
Had he really not noticed?
Regardless of what he was thinking, the fact that he was picking the lock on her bicycle in her kitchen was unforgivable.
He’d better be ready for a beating.
Ning Xiyue always believed in settling scores on the spot.
She put Little Gray down, and just as Li Qiang unlocked the bike and prepared to wheel it away, she quickly grabbed an apron from the cupboard — then let out a loud shout:
“Ah! Catch the thief!”
In one swift move, she threw the apron over Li Qiang’s head and began punching him as she continued to shout.
“Thief! Someone’s stealing a bike — ah!”
Completely unprepared, Li Qiang was so startled by Ning Xiyue’s sudden scream that he trembled.
He tried to run, but the apron covering his head blocked his view. He attempted to pull it off, but Ning Xiyue held it down so tightly he couldn’t. Too afraid to shout, he just wanted to escape.
The result was a chaotic scene of him stumbling and flailing around the kitchen.
There was no way Ning Xiyue was going to let him get away. Trying to steal her bike and then run? Over her dead body.
Little Gray blocked the doorway, barking like a dog.
Ning Xiyue moved quickly, cutting off every escape route he tried to take.
“Where is he? Where’s the thief?”
The people who had been watching the commotion out front heard Ning Xiyue’s cries and rushed over, grabbing whatever tools they could find along the way to help catch the thief.
The first to burst in was, of course, Chen Yechu. She had noticed Li Qiang had vanished from in front of her — and his disappearance had raised suspicions. Hearing Ning Xiyue’s shouts, she had a bad feeling.
“Here! Everyone, over here! The thief’s here — he’s trying to steal my bike! Catch the thief!”
Ning Xiyue pointed nervously and fearfully at the man with the apron over his head.
When Chen Yechu arrived, broomstick in hand, she recognized the man immediately from the color of his clothes and shoes peeking out from under the apron.
This was too good an opportunity for revenge to pass up.
Gripping the broom by the handle, she charged forward and started beating the man, gritting her teeth as she shouted:
“I’ll beat you to death, you thief! How dare you come into our educated youth courtyard to steal!”
The other educated youths and villagers followed behind her, each wielding whatever they had grabbed and attacking without hesitation. Like Chen Yechu, they shouted while they beat him.
“Beat the thief! I’ve hated thieves my whole life!”
“Beat him to death!”
“Stealing from our brigade? And a bicycle, no less? Thrash him!”
“Hit him!”
Everyone was full of righteous fury — some swung tools, others their fists.
In the countryside, thieves were the most despised people. If someone shouted, “Catch the thief!” or “Beat the thief!”, anyone who heard would grab a weapon and join the chase. Thieves here were universally hated.
Every household barely had enough to fill their stomachs — and those damned thieves still came to steal. And when they did, they often targeted multiple homes. Nobody could tolerate that.
“Beat him to death — shameless thief!”
At that moment, the arrival of the team leader and the public security officers interrupted the intense beating.
“Stop! What’s going on here?”
One villager replied righteously, “Team Leader, Comrade Public Security, this man is a thief! We’re beating a thief!”
“Yes, we’re ridding the people of a scourge!”
“This thief was caught trying to steal Comrade Ning’s bicycle.”
“We caught the thief!”
Everyone who had joined in on the beating spoke at once, their faces full of excitement and pride.
They had actually caught a thief alive this time. Usually, those petty criminals managed to escape — but today, they finally got one.
Ning Xiyue stepped forward at the right moment, her eyes slightly red as she choked up and pointed at the broken lock and the tools on the ground.
“Team Leader, Comrade Public Security, look — he picked this. I was washing dishes inside, and when I turned around, I saw a man in my kitchen trying to steal my bicycle. My brother bought it for me — I was terrified!”
After speaking, Ning Xiyue pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at the tears in her eyes, her other hand clutching her chest as she appeared helpless and pitiful.
Because of the piglets Ning Xiyue had given him, the team leader was deeply grateful to her. Hearing her words, he comforted her, “It’s all right now — the public security comrades are here.”
“Don’t be afraid, Comrade Ning. Leave the thief to us.”
The familiar Public Security Officer Sun stepped forward, grabbed the thief lying on the ground, and pulled the apron off his head.
“Hiss—”
Everyone who had been beating the thief gasped in shock.
“It’s him?”
“Was this his real goal today — to steal a bike?”
Among the onlookers, Zhang Xiaohua was stunned to see the man under the apron — it was her husband. She even punched him a few times earlier. Now, regret and panic flooded her face as she rushed forward, crying and shaking the unconscious man.
“Oh my god, A-Qiang! Wake up, A-Qiang!”
Chen Yechu’s hand trembled with rage as she pointed at him. “Well, well! So it was him. Were you planning to extort us for money and steal our bike at the same time?”
“First you draw everyone’s attention out front, then the woman causes a scene, while the man sneaks around back — what a scheme! What a perfect plan. If our bike—”
Clapping her hands, Chen Yechu suddenly froze mid-sentence and rushed anxiously toward the kitchen next door.
Ning Xiyue watched Chen Yechu hurry off and almost applauded — what a brilliant performance.
“Ah! Our bike!”
Liu Yao finally realized what was happening, shouted loudly, and ran next door as well.
Both the team leader and the public security officers were utterly confused by the sudden turn of events.
Team leader: What on earth are this couple up to?
Public security officers: Weren’t we dealing with a case of extortion? And hadn’t we caught a thief? Why is this turning into a chain of crimes?
“Ah! My kitchen!”
“Ah! My bicycle!”
Each shout was louder than the last, prompting the crowd to rush over to see what was really going on.
