Chapter 338: Chapter 338: Returning Empty-Handed
Preston Thorne could finally relax. As long as they hadn’t found the rabbits, it was all good. It was just like trying to catch a cheater; if you didn’t catch them in the act, you couldn’t prove anything. It was common knowledge in the village that Phoenix Golding fooled around, but people only dared to whisper about it. Aside from the Thorne family, no one would dare say it to her face.
After all, Phoenix Golding had never been caught in the act. She would deny it to her dying breath, so there was nothing anyone could do.
Besides, her own husband, Vernon Spann, insisted his wife was innocent. What more could anyone say? At best, the whole affair was just fodder for idle gossip.
"See? I told you there was nothing," Preston Thorne said, his face a mask of righteous indignation. "How could my third brother possibly do something against policy? I have no idea what kind of scoundrel would file a false report like that and make you two comrades run all the way out here for nothing. It’s absolutely shameless."
Comrade Hu just smiled, a cryptic look on his face, while Comrade Yang was visibly furious.
Raina was even more defiant, jutting out her chin as she glared at Comrade Yang. She had no intention of brewing them a cup of hot tea—she’d be damned if she wasted her precious tea leaves on them. She was furious with the rotten bastard who reported them. ’They’d better hope I never find out who it was!’
Comrade Yang gritted her teeth in frustration, her eyes scanning the yard. ’I’m a hundred percent sure they were raising rabbits, but without finding them, I can’t prove this family’s guilt. I should have known better. I should have come straight here instead of stopping at the village head’s house. The word must have gotten out then. The droppings are still fresh, which means the rabbits were moved just a short while ago.’
"Let’s go!"
Comrade Yang barked the order, spun on her heel, and stormed away. ’I didn’t catch them this time, but I’ll get them next. Judging by those droppings, the rabbits can’t be very big. This family would never be willing to just butcher and eat them. In a couple of days, I’ll come back on the quiet, without telling Preston Thorne. Let’s see how they talk their way out of it then.’
"Why don’t you come to my house for dinner? My old lady’s already got it ready. It’s just a simple home-cooked meal, but you’re welcome to join."
Preston Thorne jogged along behind them, feeling quite pleased with himself. ’Later, I’ll have to ask Byron how he knew what was coming. He moved those things damn fast.’
"We have regulations. We won’t be staying for a meal."
Comrade Yang’s voice was as cold as ice, enough to freeze a person solid. She walked directly to the village entrance, ready to get on her bicycle and ride back to town. No matter how much Preston Thorne tried to persuade her, she refused to stay. Comrade Hu had no choice but to leave with her, despite being more than happy to stay for the meal.
Preston Thorne watched the two comrades until they were out of sight, then turned for home. He was in high spirits and even began to hum a tune. "The East is Red, the sun has risen, from the East comes Mao **..."
’All the better that they didn’t eat,’ he thought. ’Saves me some food.’ He’d call over Old Sixth and Third Brother at noon for a drink. Couldn’t let that spread of good food go to waste.
However, the moment he stepped back into his home, he was confronted by a furious Raina. "Who was the rotten bastard who reported us?" she demanded the instant she saw him.
"I don’t know either. Those two comrades today were tight-lipped. I asked, but they refused to say." Preston Thorne was just as eager to find out. He despised anyone who undermined the peace and unity of Millstone Peak Village.
’It was one thing for villagers to fight amongst themselves, but they had to present a united front to outsiders. I have to get to the bottom of this, or we’ll never have another peaceful day.’
Enforcement had been lax the last couple of years. Was there any family that wasn’t bending the rules a little? Raising a few extra chickens and ducks, cultivating an extra patch of private land, fattening up a few more pigs—things like that were rampant in the countryside. No one with nothing better to do would ever snitch on their neighbors. As long as no reports were filed, the work group was happy to turn a blind eye and enjoy the peace.
"That rotten-assed troublemaker! How dare they report our family? This isn’t over. We have to find out who did it. Today they report us, tomorrow they’ll report someone else! We’re not the only ones in the village raising rabbits—what about that family raising three pigs!" Raina cursed through gritted teeth.
