Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Today, we’ll send noodles to the uncles and aunties in the village according to the rules…” Bao began to narrate in detail.
The rule here was that on the first day of the Cold Food Festival, each family in the village would take out a portion of the noodles they made and give everyone a little. The amount was not a lot, but it was just a kind gesture, representing the mutual help of the people in the village.
Even if their family really couldn’t feed themselves, they would send some dried fruits and mountain products. They would never come empty-handed or simply stay behind closed doors.
Early in the morning, Da Bao brought his younger siblings to each house to pay a new year’s visit and deliver noodles. They didn’t finish delivering all of them until noon.
Unexpectedly, just after the meal time, people came to the door one after another, saying that after eating the noodles they sent, they began to have abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, so they wanted an explanation.
He suggested that they take back the noodles they had sent and wait for mother to come back to check if there were any problems. However, those families all opposed it unanimously. They were afraid that he would take the things away and then they would not be able to explain it.
Therefore, Da Bao went to invite the village head and asked each of the families with the problem to send one person. He personally took the noodles that had the problem and waited for Mo Ruvue to come back in the Oin familv’s main branch.
A total of eight families had problems, so sixteen people had come to MO Ruyue’s house to wait. This was the scene she saw when she returned.
“Mother, we’ve also shown uncle and aunty the place where we put the noodles. There are definitely no rats or insects. It’s all clean. As for what exactly happened, you have to come and see.”
Da Bao looked at MO Ruyue after he finished speaking and didn’t say much.
The others didn’t say anything when they heard this. It was obvious that they had silently agreed with what he said, and there was nothing to add to it.
“According to Da Bao, I’ve already sent food to all the families. If there’s really a problem with my familys noodles, it shouldn’t have been just these few families.”
Before she could finish her sentence, someone immediately retorted, “Lady
Qin, our family only met with this accident after eating your familys noodles. Could it be that you want to shirk the responsibility?”
MO Ruyue glanced at that person. His wife had even gone to Aunt Liu’s house on New Year’s Eve to get closer to her. It was hard to say if she was not deliberately making things difficult for her after being rejected. She was never afraid to speculate human nature with the greatest malice.
“Don’t say that, Lady Qin also wants to find out the truth of the matter, and she’s not someone who will shirk responsibility.”
The village chief said something fair at this time, instead of looking like he was going to condemn them.
“First of all, the ingredients in my house are carefully selected, and there is no mold that has gone bad. Secondly, the cooking process is clean and hygienic. After all, my babies and I also need to eat, so there is no need to divide it into two portions and treat it differently.”
“There are many possible reasons for this result. We’ll only know after checking them one by one. I’m only saying one possibility. How am I shirking responsibility?”
MO Ruyue was responding to that man’s words and was also saying it for everyone to hear. Of course, she didn’t intend to say the same thing a second time.
When the man who first raised the question heard this, he could not find anything to refute, so he closed his mouth and shrank back into the crowd, somewhat regretting being the first to stand out.
“Then, Lady Qin, in your opinion, how should we investigate this matter? As long as you tell us a way, we’ll all cooperate.”
The village chief immediately asked another question on behalf of everyone, and the others immediately nodded in agreement.
“It’s not difficult. Excluding the hygiene problem of the ingredients at the beginning, it’s either someone deliberately poisoned the food or ate something that has a conflicting nature. I need these people to tell me about the cooked wheaten food they have received and what they have eaten at noon. Then, I can make a judgment.”
When MO Ruyue’s words came out, a few people immediately panicked. “What? Someone would poison the food? Our family is an honest family, we have never offended anyone, how could we be poisoned!”
“Aiya, didn’t Lady Qin say that it’s only a possibility? It’s not confirmed yet!”
“That’s right. Hurry up and think about what we had for lunch and what we received in the morning. It’s so cold today. It’s not good to stay out in the cold!”
While everyone was talking, Da Bao had already brought Er Bao and San Bao into the house to bring out tables and chairs. They even prepared a pen and paper.
MO Ruyue gave them an appreciative smile and then sat down with a pen.
“Come, come, everyone line up and say it one by one. If you can’t remember, one of you can go home and bring some of the things you’ve received for Lady Qin to see.”
The village chief also began to help maintain order.
Who would’ve thought that the new year wouldn’t be peaceful? It was better to quickly settle this and go home to warm up. Today’s winter seemed to be particularly cold.
MO Ruyue quickly recorded the information provided by each household. She only recorded three households before she found a problem. “You’ve all received dried mushrooms from the Qin family?” She stopped writing and asked every family present.
“My family received it.”
“My family too.”
“That’s right. It was Madam Wang who brought Qingyuan and Qingfei to deliver it personally. She said that there was not much rice and noodles at home and they could not make so many noodles. They could only send some dried mushrooms that they picked in autumn and dried. It was just for the occasion.”
“There are quite a few types. I counted them one by one. Although there aren’t many, it’s a good enough thought.”
The people present nodded one after another. It seemed that every family had indeed received the dried mushrooms sent by Qin Xu e s wife.
“What kind of mushroom is it? Can you show me?”
When MO Ruyue said this, there were already some quick-witted people who immediately thought of more things.
“I’ll go back and get it. Lady Qin, wait for a while.”
Some people stood up and went home to get their things without a word, while the others looked at each other with complicated expressions.
Soon, the person who went to get the things came back with a plate. There were indeed many different kinds of mushrooms piled on it.
MO Ruyue flipped through it carefully. Suddenly, her hand paused and she picked up a few dried mushrooms. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
“Let me see what kind of wheaten food your family has received.”
She then checked the types of noodles Da Bao had given out and understood.
“Did you receive the dried mushrooms before or after you received the noodles from my house?
Before she could get an answer to her question, she heard an anxious shout from outside the door.
“Is Sister-in-law at home? Aiya, tell me, what should we do about this!”
Madam Wang came in hurriedly with a basket in her hand, followed by Qin Qingyuan and Qin Qingfei.
As soon as she entered the door, she knelt down with a plop before she could see MO Ruyue’s face clearly. She pulled the siblings and said, “Quickly, quickly apologize to your aunt!
As this was not the first time she had done this, even though everyone was shocked by her actions, they still showed a look of disgust and impatience.
“Madam Wang, what are you doing? Let’s talk this out, get up quickly!”
When the village chief saw this, he felt his temples throb. He knew that nothing good would come out of this relationship with the Qin family..