My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Chapter 187

Zhao Guihua held a kitchen knife in her hand, looking quite fierce.

The conductor said, "This isn't necessary, please don't hurt yourself!"

Zhao Guihua hesitated for a moment, thinking this made sense, and stuffed the knife under the pillow, saying, "Let's go!"

"Wait for me!"

Aunt Zhou quickly appeared, and at a time like this, nobody could be left out, especially not her. She was determined: "I'm going with you."

Aunt Wang: "Me too. I've been a neighborhood committee leader for decades, and I can't miss out on this. I simply can't stand such things!"

Wang Zizhen: "I should go too; I'm strong."

He Lan: "I…"

Zhao Guihua stopped her, saying, "Zizhen, you and He Lan stay behind. The rest of you, follow me."

With a wave of her hand, she exuded an air of authority that rivaled even the fiercest street boss!

The group marched out the door, full of vigor and determination. Even Zheng Huifang, who had seemed like a quail before, felt her courage surge. Yinlai quietly followed, saying, "No need to be afraid; everything will be fine."

He was quite proud: "Our courtyard never backs down from a fight!"

The conductor: "……"

I can see that.

Zheng Huifang felt truly comforted and said, "Yeah, I'm not afraid!"

Zhao Guihua: "Wait."

She decisively asked, "Didn’t that woman give you a bun?"

Zheng Huifang nodded: "I didn’t dare eat it. I was afraid it might have sleeping pills in it."

Her mother was often hospitalized, and she had to take care of her, so she was well aware of such things. She asked, "Can this bun be used as evidence?"

Zhao Guihua looked at the conductor.

The conductor quickly replied, "Yes, but we don't have the equipment to investigate on the train. It will need to be submitted as evidence first, and then a forensic doctor can examine it."

Zhao Guihua nodded: "Alright, I understand. Let's go!"

The trio of elderly women marched forward with great confidence, and Zheng Huifang felt an overwhelming sense of security as she stood behind them, searching through each carriage.

In the late evening, most passengers were dozing off. Those with seats were half-asleep in their seats, while those without were curled up on the floor of the aisle, not particularly comfortable but at least able to close their eyes for a bit. As Zhao Guihua and her group passed by, some light sleepers immediately woke up, glancing alertly at them.

Upon seeing them, they were a bit puzzled. The group consisted of sharp-eyed elderly women, clearly the type of old ladies known for their severity. Following them were a young man and a girl, appearing like a pair of pure-hearted youngsters.

Behind them was a conductor. They scanned each passenger carefully, as if searching for someone.

With the conductor present, the awakened passengers weren't too alarmed. Instead, they asked, "What’s going on?"

Before the conductor could speak, Zhao Guihua answered first: "Sleep tight, but don't sleep too deeply. Keep an eye on your belongings."

Her tone was stern, but upon hearing the reminder, the elderly man quickly nodded, covering his pocket, and said, "Got it, got it! Thank you!"

In his mind, this must be the conductor catching thieves.

These old ladies must be plainclothes police officers, definitely!

Their piercing gazes were just like in the movies!

They absolutely must protect their wallets and be wary of thieves.

As they continued down the aisle, they passed through two carriages without finding anyone. However, more passengers had woken up. Despite the minimal noise, the situation had stirred some conversations. The light sleepers, noticing the scene, and hearing Zhao Guihua's reminder to watch their belongings, firmly believed there were thieves on the train. They began to be more cautious.

In truth, Zhao Guihua had merely mentioned it casually.

After all, sleeping heavily on a train meant one had to be careful with their belongings. Wasn't that common sense?

With murmurs spreading, passengers whispered to each other. In the fifth carriage, a man returning from the toilet overheard about thieves being caught in the previous carriages. He grimaced as he came back, telling his companion, "We better keep an eye on our stuff. There are thieves on the train, and the conductors are coming this way with plainclothes officers. This seems serious."

He continued babbling, "Every time I ride the train, I have to be extra careful. Those thieves, if caught, should have their hands chopped off. How despicable, just stealing stuff. I’ve encountered them before on the train. They…"

As he rambled on to his companion, the man sitting across from them, a skinny, cunning-looking middle-aged man, tightened his lips, his expression visibly tense.

Indeed, he was a thief, known in the underworld as "Grasshopper."

Well, the "underworld" here referred to the realm of petty thieves. He was somewhat notorious, operating mainly on trains, posing as a traveler visiting relatives. He mostly stuck to short trips before, which was relatively safer.

However, since the reforms introduced some policy changes, he had started venturing into longer routes, especially the Guangzhou line, where many people traveled to Guangdong to pick up goods, carrying cash with them. His earnings had been quite good, such as today—only the first day of the journey, and he had already stolen from two passengers.

Each time he struck, he would move to a different seat, but he hadn't heard any commotion yet, assuming those two fools hadn't noticed their belongings were gone.

But now, with the conductor and what seemed to be plainclothes police approaching, he knew something was afoot—they were likely aware but hadn't made it public yet. Very cunning!

He wiped the sweat off his face. It wasn't like him to be so tense. Being in the trade for so long, he was usually very cool-headed. But the mention of plainclothes police threw him off.

As a seasoned thief, albeit operating solo, he knew the ins and outs of the business. On trains, there were rarely police officers, and usually, only a few conductors were present. Even if something were detected, it would often be dealt with by local police officers from nearby stations when the train stopped.

But local police officers wouldn't be in plainclothes.

Why were there plainclothes officers on this train? When did they get on, or had they been there all along?

Grasshopper's heart pounded with worry. He glanced around furtively, coughed lightly, and hesitated whether to change carriages. Rationally, he knew moving would draw more attention.

And if he went to the next carriage, they would surely follow.

But staying still made him anxious. With the uncertainty of the situation and the possibility of experienced plainclothes officers, if he was marked, he was done for.

As he wavered, debating whether to move or not, he saw the group approaching. Leading them were a few old ladies.

Grasshopper was stunned. Were there really that many elderly people still on duty?

But now he was even more worried—clearly, these were veteran police officers!

Certainly, grim veterans with piercing gazes.

Tightly gripping his fists, he realized he couldn't run now—moving would only confirm his guilt.

He stealthily glanced at Zhao Guihua, and coincidentally, their eyes met. Known as "a thief is caught by their gaze," he immediately knew—he was found out. His shifty-eyed glance was a dead giveaway.

Grasshopper didn't think twice; he turned and ran.

Zhao Guihua was waiting for Zheng Huifang to identify the suspect, but she hadn't recognized anyone. Suddenly, a man bolted, clearly suspicious. Zhao Guihua didn't have time to react; she immediately chased after him, shouting, "Stop!"

Grasshopper: "Caught! I've really been caught!"

He sprinted, but before he could reach the end of the carriage, something flew toward him.

Panicking, he was struck, stumbling and crashing to the ground.

Zhao Guihua was on him in an instant, pinning him down by the waist, followed by Aunt Zhou and Aunt Wang, who piled on with a trio of solid hits!

All three landed on top of him, and Grasshopper felt as if his internal organs were about to be crushed.

He gasped, "I confess, I admit it, I’m a thief! I’m guilty! Please, don’t hit me!"

This wasn't because he was weak-willed; thieves, unlike robbers, had a lesser crime. Once caught and unable to escape, they preferred to be taken by the police.

After all, the police couldn't beat them, but ordinary civilians would have no such restraint.

No one liked thieves.

During his youth, he had been caught and beaten numerous times while learning his craft. So, when confronted, he was extremely straightforward and blurted out, "I'll confess to everything!"

He howled, and Zhao Guihua was genuinely surprised. Instead of catching a human trafficker, they had inadvertently snagged a thief who had turned themselves in. The train police swiftly moved in and quickly handcuffed the man. Everyone around them was shocked to see an actual thief being apprehended.

Zhao Guihua picked up her "weapon" and put it on—yes, it was her shoe.

The onlookers were all dumbfounded, and then quickly began checking their own belongings. A man from the crowd who had come to watch the commotion reached into his pocket and cried out, "Where's my wallet?"

He charged forward, ready to strike.

"It's me, it's me! Don't hit me, I'll return it!" The thief quickly backed down, knowing better than to take a beating. After all, being a thief wasn't shameful, but getting beaten up was a real loss.

Sob, sob, sob... I was wrong, Big Brother. I'll return it to you right away.

Zhao Guihua and the others were witnessing such a spectacle for the first time. They were utterly speechless. Could this guy, with such poor mental fortitude, really be a thief? But then again, it wasn't that his psychological resilience was weak—it was just that he was too accustomed to this lifestyle. He had become thick-skinned and knew how to avoid risks.

The train police officer said, "Come with me!"

He wiped his face, unable to believe he had stumbled upon such an easy catch. He hadn't even had to lift a finger; a few old ladies had pinned the thief down. He never expected something like this to happen.

He cautioned, "Don't go looking for trouble yourselves. Stay here and wait for me. I'll take him back to make a statement and send another officer to accompany you."

Zhao Guihua replied, "Alright!"

The thief, known as Grasshopper, was escorted away, whimpering, "I knew I couldn't escape the sharp eyes of undercover police."

The young train police officer: "……"

Grasshopper continued, "To still be working at such an age, you must be a master, sob, sob."

The young train police officer: "……"

Grasshopper: "I didn't check the almanac this morning."

The young train police officer, unable to bear it any longer, finally said, "Just shut up."

He debated whether to tell the thief that those were just ordinary neighborhood aunties, but ultimately decided against it. Let the thief figure it out on his own.

Grasshopper mumbled, "……I must have run into a master."

Whether or not they were masters, the young train police officer thought, "You got what you deserved falling into their hands."

Thanks to Zhuang Zhiyuan's boasting, everyone in their unit knew about his mother's numerous achievements.

A decade ago, she had even captured a gang involved in trafficking women and children. The entire alley had sprung into action, and the gang members had been severely beaten, with one man even being rendered-. He knew all about it.

So, he wasn't surprised at all to see this thief being caught.

He said, "It was inevitable that you'd be caught."

Grasshopper whimpered, "Sob, sob, sob..."

What a blunder.

"They must be here to investigate a major case, right? Sob, sob, sob. Why was I so unlucky to run into this? What kind of big thief would board a train? How incredibly immoral! They didn't even consider the feelings of us small-time crooks. So unethical!"

The young train police officer: "……"

Fine, think whatever you want.

But this guy... he really overthinks things.

He's not suited to be a thief; he'd be better off as a screenwriter.

The young train police officer escorted the thief away, followed by the victim. The victim's heart had nearly stopped when he realized his belongings were missing, but seeing the thief's pathetic state, his anger lessened. Plus, the thief didn't seem very capable anyway.

He didn't feel as furious anymore and followed along.

"Are you working on some big case? Tell me; I won't tell anyone," the victim, who was also quite nosy, asked.

The young train police officer replied, "No."

"I get it, I get it. You have to keep it confidential."

The young train police officer: "……"

He insisted, "There really isn't."

The victim speculated, "I see. It must be a super major case, with a high level of confidentiality. Are you catching spies or murderers?"

The young train police officer: "……"

Another would-be screenwriter.

Meanwhile, the young train police officer felt his head buzzing from all the chatter. On the other hand, Zhao Guihua and the others were waiting at the carriage connection for the train police officer. Due to their swift apprehension of the thief, many passengers were sneaking peeks at them.

However, no one dared to approach them.

But the whispers didn't stop.

"Aren't these aunties a bit old? Are undercover police really that aged now?"

"Impossible. If they reached retirement age, they'd be retired. Still working and on missions, they must be younger—just look older. Plus, I saw them in action just now; their movements were as swift as the wind, incredibly nimble. They can't be that old."

"Yeah, their job takes them through wind and rain—it's tough. That's why they say people need rest. Too much stress easily ages you. Look at these police officers; they look old."

"Yes, worrying really ages you."

...

The various speculations continued. Zhao Guihua and the others couldn't help but twitch their mouths in annoyance.

It was undeniable that people nowadays had too much imagination.

And what did they mean by "look older"? They were genuine old ladies.

The group stood at a distance, and surprisingly, Zheng Huifang no longer felt afraid. In fact, she had been quite anxious, though she had been vigilant. After all, she was only sixteen years old.

Such a young age made it impossible not to be afraid.

But after the scuffle, she felt no fear at all.

With her big watery eyes full of admiration, she said to the aunties, "You're so amazing!"

Zhao Guihua smiled proudly but pretended to be casual. "Just so-so."

She whispered, "We'll keep looking for the person later. Just follow me and cooperate with me using the buns as our cue."

Her voice was soft, audible only to those nearby, unlike her usual loud tone.

Zheng Huifang nodded. "Okay, I'll listen to you."

Though the train police officer had suggested that Zheng Huifang might have been too sensitive, Zhao Guihua disagreed. She believed that girls should trust their instincts. Moreover, Zheng Huifang's suspicion of the bun incident was reasonable. In the current era, when many struggled to make ends meet, wasting a bun was unthinkable.

Zhao Guihua couldn't believe there was such a nice person who would randomly give away food to strangers. While there were kind-hearted individuals, being overly enthusiastic to strangers was suspicious. Besides, Zhao Guihua had seen and heard a lot in her life. She was aware of the tactics used by human traffickers.

After all, it was impossible to forcibly kidnap an adult.

It would either involve deception or drugging them to make it seem like they were part of the same family before leaving the train. Otherwise, forcibly taking someone would be extremely difficult. That meant some tricks had to be pulled. So, Zhao Guihua trusted Zheng Huifang's instincts.

As they whispered among themselves, the young train police officer returned, having handed the thief over to a colleague.

Initially, he had wanted to stay, but considering the victim and the thief's propensity for overthinking and endless chatter, he found himself unable to bear it. He preferred to come find Zhao Guihua and the others instead of enduring the incessant babble.

He located Zhao Guihua and the group, and they continued walking.

The commotion from the theft had woken up the nearby carriages, and people were buzzing with excitement, chatting nonstop. Another victim discovered their wallet was missing and hurried after them.

Unable to hold back his curiosity, the young train police officer asked, "Aunt Zhao, how did you know that guy was a thief?"

He hadn't even noticed.

Zhao Guihua confidently replied, "I didn't know."

"Huh?"

Zhao Guihua explained, "He ran away as soon as he saw me, so I chased after him. You were behind me, and when you saw the train police officer, you ran too. That must mean you're a bad guy."

The train police officer: "……"

He murmured, "You chased him just because he ran?"

Zhao Guihua retorted, "What else?"

Aunt Zhou chimed in, "That thief isn't very mentally strong, huh?"

The young train police officer: "……" You stole my line!

He twitched his mouth, at a loss for words.

This guy was really unlucky.

He had been caught so easily.

But he deserved it!

He said, "You were all amazing. That quick move... impressive."

Zhao Guihua calmly said, "Well, we didn't bring a cleaver this time, so we had to throw a shoe instead. That's why I always say it's good to have a cleaver with us."

The young railway policeman: "……"

He simply didn't know what to say.

The group continued walking, passing through two more train cars, when suddenly Zheng Huifang reached out and tugged at Zhao Guihua's hem, saying, "Aunt Zhao, it's her."

Zhao Guihua: "Who?"

Zheng Huifang was very nervous but firm as she said, "The one by the window, with a girl's head resting on her shoulder."

A spark of energy ignited within Zhao Guihua at these words. Without another word, she stepped forward.

"Comrade, please wake up."

At that moment, Sister-in-law Feng was pretending to nap. Although she appeared to be sleeping, she remained vigilant. Upon hearing the disturbance, she deliberately allowed herself to slowly come to consciousness and said amicably, "What is it, Auntie?"

Zhao Guihua glanced at her and then gently pushed the shoulder of the girl beside her, saying, "Comrade, wake up."

Sister-in-law Feng quickly interjected, "Auntie, this is my younger sister. She's not feeling well due to a cold and has already fallen asleep. If you need anything, just tell me."

Zhao Guihua scrutinized her again. The woman appeared to be in her early thirties, with a kind face that suggested she was a straightforward rural woman. However, a closer look at her hands revealed that she likely hadn't done much farmwork, as her hands remained delicate. Even for city dwellers, whose hands were constantly washed and scrubbed, it was rare to maintain such softness.

Probably due to her well-maintained hands, Zhao Guihua estimated that this woman might actually be a bit older than she appeared. After all, if one's hands were kept so well, it was likely that her face would too. She looked about thirty, but could realistically be in her forties.

Sister-in-law Feng felt a twinge of panic under the old lady's intense gaze, but she was accustomed to such situations and remained outwardly composed. She attempted to feign a slight discontent and asked, "What exactly do you want?"

Her eyes briefly darted toward a spot not far away. Zhao Guihua immediately followed her gaze and saw a man peeking over, then pretending not to notice them and quickly looking away. She whispered something to Zheng Huifang behind her. Zheng Huifang nodded, and Aunt Wang quietly stepped back a few paces.

Zhao Guihua turned back with a cold chuckle and said, "Do you know her?"

Zheng Huifang poked her head out from behind Zhao Guihua. Protected by these elder ladies, Sister-in-law Feng had not noticed her at all. Upon seeing Zheng Huifang, a flicker of regret flashed across her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure, saying, "So it's you, little girl. I kindly helped you, yet you ran off suddenly, making me look like a villain. Now you even dare to bring people to pick a fight? How unreasonable is that?"

Zhao Guihua sneered coldly, "Don't scare the child. I didn't see much kindness from you. The bun you gave this girl was laced with sleeping pills. What kind of evil thoughts do you have? Need I say more?"

Sister-in-law Feng's eyes betrayed a brief moment of panic before she feigned shock, "Sleeping pills? That's impossible. You can't slander me like this. I just kindly gave her a bun, and she ran off with it. Now you want to blame me? My bun was perfectly fine, there were no sleeping pills."

Zhao Guihua kept a stern face and said, "If there were no sleeping pills, why is the girl beside you still unconscious?"

She hadn't expected that coming here would yield such a discovery.

Indeed, their suspicions were correct. This Sister-in-law Feng was indeed suspicious, and in such a short time, she had already targeted this girl again. From the looks of it, the girl was deeply asleep. Zhao Guihua reached out and gave her another nudge, but there was no response.

At this moment, Zhao Guihua turned back and said, "Take them away. Regardless of what's wrong with this person, we can investigate it all once the girl wakes up."

"Take me? What are you talking about?! You..."

Trying to defend herself, Sister-in-law Feng suddenly made a move. The dagger in her hand flashed, directly stabbing towards Zhao Guihua.

Zhao Guihua had been prepared ever since she exposed the woman. Knowing full well that the situation was dire and that she had been caught red-handed, the woman would certainly panic and act rashly. Seeing the knife come at her, Zhao Guihua instantly stepped back, then pulled out a bottle from her pocket and sprayed it at the woman, pfft-pfft.

"Ah! My eyes!"

Seeing that the woman was clutching her eyes, Zhao Guihua promptly reached into her pocket and pulled out a stone, hurling it at her, while simultaneously pulling the unconscious girl to safety. Her movements were swift and fluid. The young railway policeman was also quick to act, leaping forward to restrain the woman and drag her from her seat.

The passengers, who had initially been watching the commotion, suddenly found themselves witnessing such a swift and dramatic turn of events.

The young railway policeman didn't hesitate, quickly subduing the woman. The middle-aged woman screamed, "Help! They're killing me!"

"Stay still, you human trafficker."

In the meantime, Yinlai quickly came over to help the deeply unconscious girl, saying, "Quick, lend a hand."

Zheng Huifang hummed in response and hurried over to help support the girl.

"Help! Stop the bad guys!" Sister-in-law Feng tried to stir up confusion, but the young railway policeman, in his uniform, and the earlier incident where they caught a thief had already made the passengers wise to her tricks.

"Pfft! A human trafficker dares to yell? She's really shameless."

"That's treating us like fools? We're not easy to deceive."

"Damn right."

"This human trafficker is a scumbag. It's obvious—the thief we caught earlier was meek, but this one is trying to manipulate us."

"Punch her!"

"That’s what I’m talking about, punch her!"

The scene instantly grew chaotic. From the corner of her eye, Zhao Guihua saw the man who had exchanged glances with Sister-in-law Feng attempt to leave. No sooner had he moved than a sudden figure—Aunt Zhou—sprang forward and sprayed something directly into his eyes. No one saw what she sprayed, but the man let out a scream, and the two elderly women quickly subdued him. One of them, Aunt Wang, wasted no time in delivering a swift kick to a sensitive area.

"Ah!"

The scream was deafening.

"I’ll stop you from running. Don’t think I don’t know—you’re her accomplice."

After Aunt Zhou delivered her kick, Aunt Wang followed up with a few punches, knocking him out cold. The two elderly women looked up and said, "We’re old and weak, we need to get this done quickly."

Zheng Huifang added, "There are at least two more."

Earlier, she had recognized this man as one of them.

The young railway policeman called out, "Who can help me go to the front of the train and call for reinforcements? We've caught a human trafficker, so everyone, lend a hand."

"I’ll do it!"

"Me too!"

"Let’s all go."

In an instant, several young, enthusiastic men jumped up, rallying to the help. They couldn’t stand seeing such incidents.

The men surged forward, dragging the two human traffickers, looking like dead dogs.

Meanwhile, the train attendants had already heard the commotion and quickly came over with several male staff members. Some of them, together with the eager public, dragged the culprits away, while others followed Zhao Guihua and her group to continue the search.

The young railway policeman stepped forward and asked, "Auntie, what was it you sprayed in their eyes earlier?"

These elderly ladies seemed to each have one on hand.

"Pepper spray!"

The railway policeman: "……"

Zhao Guihua spoke earnestly, "For us, frail old women, going out without preparation is unthinkable. Otherwise, if we meet a bad guy, wouldn't we be at a disadvantage?"

The railway policeman's mouth twitched: "……"

So those three already taken away weren’t your doing.

He sincerely questioned, "And you’re carrying a stone with you?"

Zhao Guihua: "One can never be too prepared with weapons."

The railway policeman: "……"

Fine then.

The group continued searching through the train cars, with several chivalrous men joining them. Foiling these criminals was a responsibility for all. These honest folks despised anyone who lived by deceit.

Human traffickers, in particular, deserved nothing less than the harshest punishment.

Although the old woman hadn't admitted it earlier, the big girl next to her was so deeply asleep that she couldn't wake up no matter what. Anyone with half a brain could tell what had happened. It was absolutely a case of being drugged.

It’s no easy feat for a woman to travel alone.

There are always such lowlifes out there.

Everyone was searching through the train cars, and Zheng Huifang was the only one who had actually seen them. She was meticulously checking each face, afraid of missing anyone.

Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks and whispered, “In the front row, the guy in the black cotton jacket with a crew cut, wearing a gray hat.”

Zhao Guihua followed her gaze and saw that there was a girl next to the man, also leaning against his shoulder, sleeping deeply. It seemed they had more than one victim.

However, this made Zhao Guihua a bit surprised. How quick were they?

In such a short time, two people had been tricked.

Fortunately, they had Zheng Huifang.

The man was sitting in his seat and noticed everyone had stopped. When he looked up, he saw Zheng Huifang in the crowd and his eyes widened in rage. “You little bitch, so it was you!” he roared, suddenly pulling out a knife.

There was no doubt now. She had recognized them because she had been identifying them for everyone.

His knife was pressed against the neck of the girl who was still deeply asleep. “Get back, all of you! Or I’ll kill her!” he shouted.

His sudden outburst scared everyone into screaming and quickly stepping back, afraid of being taken hostage themselves.

Especially those sitting nearby, their legs felt like jelly.

The man shouted at Zheng Huifang, “You little brat, I underestimated you! Just wait, I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you like I’d kill a chicken! If I can’t do it, my partner will! We’ve killed countless scum like you…”

His face was contorted with rage, his eyes bloodshot, looking like a demon. Zheng Huifang took a few steps back in fear. Zhao Guihua grabbed her arm and said, “Don’t be afraid!”

She turned to the man in the black cotton jacket and shouted, “Ugh, you think you can kill her? You’re about to be arrested, and once you’re in there, you’ll rot in jail for the rest of your life! What, you still think you can kill someone? The train police heard you, you’re not just a human trafficker, you’re a murderer, and now you’re threatening a witness! You should be punished even more severely! Let me tell you, don’t think you can just bluff your way out of this! Under the bright daylight, you’re the one who should be scared, not her, not me, not any of us! Because we stand for justice, and you? You’re not even worthy of being called a rat from the gutter! People in jail will look down on you, they’ll beat you up, and even if they don’t kill you, don’t get too comfortable! Let me tell you, you lowlifes who have lost all sense of decency, the heavens will take care of you sooner or later. I can see you’re not new at this, so you’ve definitely hurt people before. Let me tell you, don’t think you can get away with it. The people you’ve harmed will come back to haunt you, they’ll be standing right behind you, every single night, whispering in your ear, ‘I want you dead…’”

“Shut up!” the man in the black cotton jacket screamed.

Zhao Guihua: “Shut up? Why should I shut up? Do you think I’m scared of you? I’m not scared of you at all. It’s midnight now, the hour when the dead are strongest. The people you’ve harmed are following you, while we, we stand tall and unafraid, because we have nothing to hide. But you? You’re a coward, a lowlife, a piece of trash. You’re scared, aren’t you?”

“Shut up. Shut up, you old hag…”

Zhao Guihua: “Old hag, am I? What are you, then? A dead rat? What can you do? All you know how to do is these dirty tricks, and then when you’re exposed, you try to scare little girls. But you think she’s scared of you? She’s not scared of you at all, because she knows you’re not worth fearing. You’ll get what’s coming to you, and maybe by next year, your grave will already have grass growing over it…”

As she was yelling, she noticed the train police sneaking up behind the man. She continued to distract him, shouting, “You must have a wife and kids at home, right? Once your grave is overgrown with grass, your wife will take your kids and remarry. Then they’ll live in your house, sleep with your wife, and beat your kids. Everyone will point and say, ‘Look at that poor kid, born to a family of traffickers…’”

The man in the black cotton jacket was so furious he was practically foaming at the mouth. He lost control and charged toward Zhao Guihua with the knife, screaming, “Shut up, I’ll kill you!”

As soon as he let go of his hostage and moved forward, the train police pounced on him. With a sharp elbow to the side, they knocked him to the ground and pinned him down. His knife flew out of his hand, and the crowd gasped, “Ah!”

Fortunately, it was just a knife.

The knife clattered to the floor, and the man was pinned down hard.

Perhaps because he had been holding someone hostage, everyone was now emboldened and rushed forward, pummeling him with punches and kicks.

Zhao Guihua: “Oh my!”

They couldn’t even get close to him; the crowd had turned him into a battered mess.

Zheng Huifang also ran in and kicked him a couple of times, then snorted, “I’m not afraid of you, old man! You better watch your back in jail. Oh wait, you don’t have to worry about that, because next year, your grave will already have grass on it!”

She mimicked Zhao Guihua’s taunts and felt she had really learned something profound.

Her mother, Guan Guiling, also cursed people, but she only knew the crude stuff. This time, Zheng Huifang had really picked up some skills and looked at Zhao Guihua with admiration.

Zhao Guihua: “You don’t have to look at me like that.”

Zheng Huifang: “You are the most amazing person in the world.”

Surrounding passengers also gave Zhao Guihua a thumbs up, saying, “You’re really something, aunty!”

“Yeah, you’re the strongest I’ve ever seen.”

“It’s not just about how you curse, but what you say makes sense.”

“That’s right, you can’t be too evil in this life, or you’ll end up paying for it sooner or later.”

Compared to the previous two who had been quickly subdued, this guy received a much more brutal beating. He was dragged away like a rag doll. The train staff, along with a few enthusiastic bystanders, took care of the matter.

Zhao Guihua: “Let’s keep going.”

Zheng Huifang was also full of energy at this point and nodded, “Alright!”

They hadn’t gone far, just to the next carriage, when a young man saw them coming and his face turned red. Almost immediately, he blurted out, “I confess, I’m a thief! Don’t beat me!”

He had seen how badly the previous guy had been beaten.

Although he was just a small-time thief, he had been caught before. His fellow thief had ended up in jail, so he decided to confess quickly and admit his mistake.

It’s not a big deal to make mistakes; what matters is to own up to them.

What he feared most was being caught and not admitting it. That would be disastrous. He had heard that there were experts on the train, possibly undercover cops.

It wasn’t that they lacked mental toughness; it’s just that in this line of work, you had to know when to cut your losses. If he hadn’t made his move yet, he could have pretended to be innocent, but since he had already acted, he had to come clean. Getting beaten up wasn’t pleasant.

“I confess!”

Zhao Guihua: “???”

Were thieves nowadays admitting their crimes out of the blue? Or was it just that thieves in this era were more honest than those decades later?

The train police: “Please help me take this guy away. I…”

They reached into their pockets and realized they had run out of handcuffs.

Could you believe it?

It felt like they were here to “stock up” on criminals.

The thief was dragged away, and they quickly continued their search through the carriages. They finally found the last man in the last carriage. He had been trying to blend in, but Zheng Huifang still recognized him, though it took some effort. He too was eventually apprehended.

This whole ordeal, catching thieves and human traffickers one after another, had left everyone wide awake. It’s not uncommon to encounter troublemakers on trains, but this time, catching so many of them was truly impressive.

Despite staying up most of the night, with dawn just breaking, everyone was in good spirits and even applauded as they made their way back.

They walked together, and every carriage they passed was met with applause.

Aunt Zhou, Aunt Wang, Zhao Guihua, and a few other aunts were beaming with pride. It was a rare moment of prestige for them. Even the few older men who had come to help were flushed with excitement.

Finally, they reached the front carriage where the criminals were being held.

The two thieves huddled together, while the others huddled in the corner.

Despite all being scoundrels, the thieves looked disdainfully at the human traffickers, spitting at them. Being locked up with such lowlifes was humiliating for them.

The two unconscious women were placed in the attendant's room, sleeping quietly.

Zheng Huifang felt a lingering fear. She knew that if she hadn't been so vigilant, she would have ended up like them. If that had happened, her fate wouldn't have been as fortunate as these two girls.

Their good luck was due to her seeking help from Zhao Guihua and the others.

If she had fallen for the trap, no one would have known she was taken, and not only her, but other girls would have remained in danger.

Zheng Huifang looked seriously at Zhao Guihua and said, "Thank you. If it weren't for you..."

She rubbed her eyes.

Zhao Guihua gave her a playful glance and patted the girl's shoulder. "What nonsense are you talking? Who should you thank? You should first thank yourself. If it weren't for your high vigilance, no one would have known what happened to you. Yes, we all deserve thanks, but you should first thank yourself, and then us."

Zheng Huifang, her cheeks flushed with determination, nodded firmly. "I understand."

She glanced at the men who had been beaten and felt a sense of satisfaction.

As they exited the room, an older railway police officer said, "Everyone, please come with us to make a statement detailing what happened. Then you can rest. When the train stops at the next station, police officers will come aboard to take them away for further investigation."

It wasn't uncommon for them to encounter such incidents.

The group didn't hesitate and sat down to give a detailed account of what had happened.

The older police officer carefully collected the evidence. Zheng Huifang asked, "Is this useful?"

The police officer replied, "It is. It's very important."

Zheng Huifang smiled softly, feeling a bit pleased.

Soon, she asked again, "Do we have to get off the train with the police officers later? Can we stay on? I'm going to Guangzhou."

The police officer replied, "As victims, you should go with them for..."

"But I've already made a statement," she pointed out. "And I didn't even get caught. My statement is all recorded."

Zhao Guihua could see that Zheng Huifang didn't want to interact with the police. This wasn't unexpected; Zhao Guihua could tell that Zheng Huifang had run away secretly. It was quite obvious.

She added, "Police officers, since you've already recorded everything and her ID information, maybe she doesn't need to go again, right? Oh, you mentioned seeing a conductor who seemed familiar with them?"

Zheng Huifang nodded. "That's right."

She pointed to a nervous woman in the corner. "It's her."

Due to the arrests, all the conductors were up and busy. Zheng Huifang quickly identified her. "It's that woman."

The woman protested, "I'm not one of them! I don't know what's happening! I just sold them some things and chatted with them a bit! I..." But she was soon taken away.

Zheng Huifang exhaled softly.

Zhao Guihua mused, "It's strange how they weren't together but spread out."

Her casual remark made the police officers give Zhao Guihua a complex look.

Zhao Guihua asked, confused, "What?"

The older police officer explained, "It's because of you catching the thief."

Zhao Guihua was baffled. "Because of me?"

The police officer continued, "They were originally all in one carriage, not sitting together but close to each other, serving as mutual support. But because of the commotion you caused when catching the thief, passengers were saying all sorts of things. For safety, they dispersed and found separate carriages to hide in. This way, if one got caught, the others could ensure safety."

Zhao Guihua sighed, "So I have to thank the thief."

Everyone laughed at this lighthearted remark.

Zhao Guihua added, "But they were quick, huh? They managed to kidnap two girls in such a short time."

"It wasn't just in that short time," the police officer explained. "Although they haven't confessed, we've started interviewing passengers. Someone mentioned that one of the unconscious girls had been asleep in her seat since the afternoon. A man said she was his wife, unwell, so he kept coming and going, saying he was visiting some fellow villagers, so no one paid much attention. They likely had her under control early on but kept her separate for safety. After the carriage disturbance, they dispersed for safety, using the girl as a cover. Claiming they were a married couple helped avoid suspicion. At night, when everyone was sleeping, her unconscious state wouldn't seem strange, just a deep sleep."

Zhao Guihua said, "These scumbags have many tricks. They definitely aren't rookies."

The older police officers and conductors all nodded, agreeing with her assessment.

Typical human traffickers wouldn't be so cunning. First, three men would pretend to harass a lone girl, then their accomplices would pretend to be saviors, gaining the girl's trust, and then they would feed her drugged buns.

Probably to stop her from resisting. Once she was unconscious, they could do whatever they wanted.

Such tactics clearly weren't the work of novices.

The older police officer said, "In such cases, they usually don't wait until the destination. They likely planned to get off during the day, probably at one of the nearby stations. We've reported this case and will handle it seriously, ensuring justice for the victims."

Zhao Guihua agreed, "That's best. These scumbags deserve to be locked up early."

"You've really helped us a lot this time. Not only did you catch the human traffickers, but you also caught two thieves. Thank you so much."

This was a stroke of luck that brought them great credit. Everyone looked at Zhao Guihua and the others with admiration; they truly were kind and righteous people. Even the young Zheng Huifang received praise.

"Your vigilance and quick thinking are commendable. Many people wouldn't have noticed anything, but you not only spotted the danger but actively sought help and assisted in catching the bad guys. You're both intelligent and brave. Great job!"

Zheng Huifang's eyes sparkled with happiness.

From childhood, her family had never praised her like this. Now, even the police officers were praising her. Zheng Huifang proudly lifted her chin, making everyone smile.

Even the young rookie police officer, new to the job, commented, "Our luck really turned out well this time."

They had initially planned to investigate but didn't expect much, as Zheng Huifang hadn't yet been harmed. But as luck would have it, they arrived just as the criminals were caught red-handed.

Because the victim was still with the human trafficker, there was no point in arguing. Since they had the proof and the suspect together, there was no need for lengthy argumentation. She decided to take action instead.

It was indeed a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but thinking about it, it seemed inevitable. If Zheng Huifang hadn't fallen for it, it didn't mean others wouldn't. They were in the business of doing such things, so they weren't likely to behave themselves.

After detailed questioning and some discussion with the train staff, the conductors eventually agreed to let them continue their journey without getting off the train.

This wouldn’t be possible a few decades later, but it was acceptable now. The records were clear, and their identities were verified. Most importantly, traveling was extremely difficult and expensive at that time. Unlike the two girls who needed to be taken off the train for medical treatment, they didn't require any additional stops, so it was normal for them to continue without disembarking. After all, it would be a pity to delay their journey. Similarly, the victims of the theft also went through questioning and registered their identities but didn't get off the train.

However, due to this major incident, the train conducted another ticket inspection and verified each passenger's identity. Zhao Guihua and the others were busy until the middle of the night, finally able to return to their cabin for some rest. Zhao Guihua noticed Zheng Huifang looking at her eagerly and said, "Come with us. Our compartment is filled with people we know. You can stay with us for now, and we'll figure things out once we arrive in Guangzhou."

Zheng Huifang quickly nodded.

They returned together, feeling triumphant. It had been a long time since they left the compartment, and people outside were buzzing with gossip, eager to know what had happened. Seeing Zhao Guihua return, they immediately asked, "Are you all okay?"

Zhao Guihua replied, "We're fine."

She sat down and said, "That was really tiring. I’m old and out of shape, yet I still had to do all that."

Aunt Zhou chimed in, "Oh, you don't know how amazing we were! We caught the crooks in one go. I did a flying kick. Those petty thieves didn't stand a chance."

Aunt Wang added, "I wasn't bad either. As soon as Zhao Guihua confirmed that guy was an accomplice, I knew we had to block the escape route. That's the mutual understanding between us old friends over the years."

Zhao Guihua reached out her hand, and Aunt Wang immediately high-fived her.

They all laughed triumphantly, hands on their hips.

Zhao Guihua said, "Even when we're traveling, the boldness of us old ladies from Beijing can't be forgotten. These crooks dared to act in front of us? They don't even know how close they are to death."

"Hey, you think this might earn us an honorable mention or a letter of commendation from the neighborhood committee?"

"Absolutely! We really put in the work today."

"Hehe."

As they laughed and joked, Zhao Guihua suddenly remembered and quickly introduced Zheng Huifang to everyone, "Oh, by the way, let me introduce you to Zheng Huifang, Guan Guiling's second daughter, Zheng Huimin's younger sister. She's a good kid, not like her mom or her sister. She's also heading to Guangzhou this time, but she doesn't have a seat, so she's going to stay with us for a couple of nights. Is that okay?"

"Of course, that's no problem."

"Yeah, I think it's great. You know, it's not safe for a young girl like her to travel alone. Didn't you see? That human trafficker was targeting girls like her who were traveling by themselves. Those scumbags were so good at playing good cop-bad cop. Disgusting, really morally bankrupt."

Aunt Zhou started cursing. Despite being a calculating and sharp-tongued old lady, she had a strong understanding of the law.

She said, "Don't be afraid, Zheng Huifang. I know they're threatening to seek revenge, but that's just hot air. Pfft, trying to act tough. They'll be lucky if they ever get out of prison."

"?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Huh?"

Aunt Zhou continued, "Really, about ten years ago, we caught some human traffickers too. They mostly targeted children, unlike these ones who were scamming women. The lightest sentence they got was life imprisonment."

Zheng Huifang nodded seriously, "I’m not afraid. People like them should be the ones afraid! I’m not scared at all!"

"That’s the spirit."

Zheng Huifang smiled.

She said, "I’m not an easy target."

Zhao Guihua chimed in, "Come sit, you can stay with me tonight."

He Lan offered, "You can stay with me instead. I'm skinny."

She had experienced some hardships in the past, and even though her life had improved, she remained quite thin.

Zhao Guihua waved it off, "No, she can stay with me. It's not convenient for her to sleep on the upper bunk."

Zheng Huifang felt embarrassed and said, "I-I can sleep on the floor."

She didn't want to be a burden.

Zhao Guihua shook her head, "No, it's not good for women to sleep on the ground. You might not feel it now, but you'll feel it in a couple of years."

She patted the bed, "Come on, just stay here for the night."

Zheng Huifang hesitated a bit, but with everyone's insistence, she finally moved over. Zhao Guihua instructed, "Lie on your side, it's not too cramped with two people."

"Okay!"

Although everyone had gone to bed and felt tired, they weren't really sleepy yet.

Aunt Zhou and Aunt Wang were eager to recount everything that had happened earlier, leaving Wang Zizhen and He Lan gasping in astonishment. The stories of their bravery in catching the thieves were embellished with plenty of embellishments.

Even Yinlai felt his face flush with embarrassment, but he thought, since the grandmas were this incredible, why not boast about it?

After all, they really did achieve something.

Finally, Wang Zizhen curiously asked, "Do you think that train attendant was in on it?"

Zhao Guihua replied, "I don’t think so, it’s unlikely. But you never know. Anything is possible."

Aunt Zhou muttered softly, "That’s not much of an answer."

Zhao Guihua responded, "That’s just how it is."

The group wasn't sleepy yet and continued chattering about various things. Not just the people involved, but even passengers from other carriages were doing the same. Everyone was excited, having never encountered such an event before. Some had even witnessed the arrest or been part of it themselves. The train was filled with chatter, like it was a festive celebration.

As the train came to a stop at a station, Yinlai leaned out the window and said, "Look, there are a lot of police officers."

Zhao Guihua also looked out and exclaimed, "Oh my, there really are."

Everyone peered out the window and saw over thirty police officers, all appearing serious. They were coordinating with the train staff for the handover of the suspects. At that moment, the human traffickers were escorted off the train, followed closely by the burglars.

Passengers eagerly leaned out of their windows to catch a glimpse, heads filling the outline of the windows.

The two burglars, afraid of being mistaken for partners with the human traffickers, shouted, "We’re just thieves! We’re not with those scumbags! No way! We may steal, but we don’t traffic people!"

"Yeah, we steal money, but we don’t steal people!"

The two thieves cried out loudly.

Zhao Guihua murmured, "... They’re still criminals, so why do they think they’re above the others?"

Aunt Wang shrugged, "Compared to human traffickers, petty theft is a lighter crime, I guess."

Zhao Guihua hesitated, "Uh… I suppose that’s true."

All the passengers craned their necks, gazing outside. They saw two of the victims still unconscious, being carried off the train. No one knew how much sedative had been fed to them.

Zhao Guihua watched, then spat forcefully, "Shame on them!!!"