CHAPTER 30: CHAPTER 30: THE THIEF WHO STOLE THE BRAISED PORK

"Okay."

Su Xiaoxiao’s prompt response left Liang Guofu somewhat taken aback. Did she really agree that easily?

Then he heard Su Xiaoxiao speak again.

"Alright, then let’s change it to me not needing a voucher when I buy meat products at your factory."

Although she could buy most things in the mall, the source was hard to explain.

If she could buy sausages from the meat factory without a voucher, that would be perfect.

Liang Guofu was just a workshop director; he couldn’t make this decision on his own.

After all, in the context of a planned economy, all meat products needed a voucher for supply.

However, compared to the previous condition, this one was much easier to accept.

He hesitated for a moment and said, "Comrade Su, I need to go back and discuss this with the factory first. We’ll meet here in three days, and I’ll give you an answer then."

Su Xiaoxiao considered it and nodded, three days were nothing, she could wait.

After negotiating, Su Xiaoxiao returned to the restaurant in a great mood.

After all, the sausage recipe was something she later found online for free, so whether it worked out or not, it didn’t matter to her.

Upon seeing her return, Chen Nan asked concernedly, "Are you okay?"

Just as they finished ordering, Su Xiaoxiao suddenly clutched her stomach, saying it hurt, which startled him.

Su Xiaoxiao laughed off his concern, "It’s nothing, I’m much better now."

They finished their meal together, and remembering her promise to two young brothers, Su Xiaoxiao packed two portions of braised pork to take back.

After waving goodbye to Chen Nan, she caught a crowded public bus.

Afraid the meat would get squashed, she held the oil-paper wrapped package protectively against her chest the whole way.

Amid the crowd, even with her arms full, she stood firm.

As the bus swayed, Su Xiaoxiao grew a bit drowsy and involuntarily squinted her eyes.

At that moment, she suddenly felt the oil-paper package in her arms being tugged.

Thinking it was accidentally bumped, she didn’t pay attention.

Just as she was about to take a nap, she heard a rustling sound followed by a tearing noise.

She abruptly opened her eyes to see a greasy little hand picking meat from the torn oil-paper package.

Noticing her gaze, the little boy leisurely put his greasy fingers to his mouth and licked them one by one.

Su Xiaoxiao: ...

I mean, isn’t it a bit too much to blatantly steal my food like this?

Moreover, his hands were all covered in saliva, how could she eat the remaining meat?

"What are you doing?"

She immediately snapped in a stern voice, startling the boy, who shrank his neck and began to bawl.

The elderly woman beside them, hearing her grandson crying, glared at Su Xiaoxiao unhappily, "You wretched girl, bullying a child at your age, have you no shame?"

She thought that the boy was eating her food without anyone to discipline him, but his guardian was right there watching.

Not only did she fail to stop him, but she also falsely accused her.

Su Xiaoxiao laughed, annoyed.

She raised the oil-paper package, half eaten, to show her, "Your grandson just stole my meat. I can’t eat it now, you have to compensate me according to the price."

Hearing about compensation, the elderly woman’s expression changed, "Which eye of yours saw my grandson steal your meat? Clearly, you accidentally tore the package and the meat fell out, but you’re blaming my grandson."

The little boy, seeing his grandmother protect him, triumphantly rolled his eyes at Su Xiaoxiao.

Su Xiaoxiao had never encountered such unreasonable people before.

By now, the people around them were starting to watch the commotion.

The elderly woman, seeing everyone staring, clutching her grandson, began to wail.

"Oh dear, how can you bully us grandparents like this? You can’t blame a child for not securing your things properly."

The surrounding people began to look over, and a middle-aged woman behind quietly tugged on Su Xiaoxiao’s sleeve, whispering, "Forget it, girl. This elderly woman is notoriously unreasonable, it’s not worth it for a piece of meat."

The elderly woman, seeing Su Xiaoxiao silent, thought she had intimidated her and became increasingly smug, "Pfft, always falsely accusing my grandson, have some shame, does anyone really want your lousy meat?"

As she spoke, she pulled the boy to squeeze forward, "Let’s go, dear grandson, let’s get off the bus before people keep accusing us."

Just as they turned, someone grabbed the back of her collar.

The elderly woman turned back, seeing it was Su Xiaoxiao, her face worsened, "You wretched girl, what are you up to now?"

Su Xiaoxiao, unfazed by her scolding, smiled anxiously to those watching, "Please witness, I’m taking this meat home as rat poison. If nobody stole it, then I’m not responsible if anything happens later."

The elderly woman looked skeptical, thinking it was impossible for anyone to use braised pork to feed rats in times where people couldn’t afford meat. She must be trying to scare them.

Immediately retorting, "Don’t talk nonsense, no one here ate your lousy meat."

As she spoke, she dragged the boy away.

Seeing her disbelief, Su Xiaoxiao smiled subtly and patted the boy’s shoulder saying, "Little brother, if someone eats this meat, they’ll start convulsing from head to toe, foaming at the mouth."

The elderly woman glared, "What nonsense, my grandson didn’t eat it, why should I be afraid?"

Unexpectedly, as soon as she said this, her grandson began convulsing, falling to the ground, and foaming at the mouth.

The people around were immediately frightened, faces changing, and moved away.

The elderly woman didn’t expect the girl’s words to be true, her face went pale, and she angrily grabbed Su Xiaoxiao’s collar, "You wicked girl, poisoning the meat."

Su Xiaoxiao shook off her hand, "I already said the meat was for rats. Your grandson didn’t eat it, what does it have to do with me?"

The surrounding people quickly chimed in.

"Pfft, she was just saying he didn’t steal the girl’s meat, and now she’s trying to act like he didn’t."

"Exactly, even if he did eat it, he deserves it."

"The girl mentioned the meat was poisoned, she refused to admit it."

The elderly woman listened to the murmuring and hesitated, "What nonsense are you talking? Clearly, this wicked girl purposely poisoned my grandson, making him like this, she must take responsibility."

Su Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes, "Didn’t you say your grandson didn’t steal my meat? Why should I take responsibility for him?"

As she spoke, she prepared to leave the bus, but the elderly woman seized her wrist, "You can’t leave, after all, my grandson’s condition is your doing, you must take responsibility."