Chapter 8: Guatian Radar's First Achievement—Cracking Down on Scalping

The bamboo frame of the greenhouse had just been set up, and the plastic covering hadn’t yet been put on when trouble struck during the night.

The evening before, Su Yao had taken her three children to see the newly planted seedlings—an expanse of lush green sprouting from the soft soil, a sight that filled her with joy. Early the next morning, as she approached the greenhouse, she noticed that several rows on the east side were nearly bare; fresh soil pits revealed that the seedlings had been dug up overnight.

“Who could be so heartless?” Su Yao clenched her fists. These seedlings were the entire team's hope. She had even mixed the soil with the spirit spring water, making the plants stronger than usual. How could they be stolen right after being planted?

When the news reached Secretary Li, he hurried over, stepping through the dew to the empty plots. Squatting down, he sifted through the soil with furrowed brows. “It must be someone from the village. Outsiders wouldn’t know about our seedlings.”

Militia captain Wang Qiang followed, carrying a hoe and spitting on the ground. “Don’t worry, Secretary. Tonight, I’ll have my men guard this place and catch whoever’s doing this!”

But for two nights straight, the militia members, bundled in padded coats, crouched outside the greenhouse, stamping their feet to keep warm. Not a single shadow appeared, and yet seedlings kept disappearing. Some whispered about evil spirits, scaring several timid women away from the greenhouse and gossiping that Su Yao’s “secret recipe” might have attracted unclean forces.

Su Yao knew better—it was no ghost, just someone acting under the cover of darkness. Lying awake on her kang bed, she listened to the wind outside, tossing and turning. Her three children slept soundly; little Lu Xingchen’s small hand still clutched her clothing like a frightened little creature.

“System, is there anything that can help catch the thief?” she silently pleaded.

[A host need detected. “Melon Field Radar” function can be activated to monitor live movement within a designated area in real time.] The cold mechanical voice echoed in her mind.

“Activate!” Su Yao’s eyes lit up.

A palm-sized screen appeared before her, displaying a simple outline of the greenhouse, pitch black inside. She focused the monitoring range on the greenhouse; a fine grid appeared on the screen.

“Will this thing really work?” Su Yao doubted, but she had no other options.

On the third night, the moon hid behind clouds, and the village was so quiet that the insects’ chirps could be heard clearly. After putting her children to bed, Su Yao sat on the edge of the kang with a steamed bun in hand, eyes fixed on the floating screen. Wang Qiang and two militiamen patrolled outside, their flashlights sweeping through the darkness.

Just after midnight, the screen suddenly flickered. A small red dot emerged from the northwest corner of the greenhouse grid and slowly moved toward the denser seedlings.

Su Yao’s heart tightened. Grabbing a sickle from the wall corner, she dashed outside. At the courtyard gate, she bumped into Wang Qiang returning with his flashlight. Seeing her wrapped in a headscarf running out, he startled. “Comrade Su? What are you doing out at this hour?”

“Captain Wang, hurry to the greenhouse! There’s a thief!” Su Yao panted. “At the northwest corner, stealing seedlings right now!”

Though puzzled, Wang saw her pale, urgent face. He whistled for his comrades and followed her at a run. Dozens of steps away, they spotted a dark figure crouching on the ground, a small shovel digging seedlings into a sack.

“Catch the thief!” Wang shouted, shining the flashlight straight on him.

The figure trembled and dropped the shovel with a clatter, clutching the sack and trying to slip behind the greenhouse. Wang’s comrades blocked the back and front, forcing the man to the ground.

“Don’t hit me! Don’t hit me! It’s me!” came a hoarse plea.

Su Yao leaned closer, the light illuminating the face—stunned to see it was Old Wang, the team’s storekeeper. Responsible for guarding the tools and seeds in the warehouse, he was always smiling and greeting everyone. How could he be stealing seedlings?

“Old Wang? It’s you?” Wang Qiang was shocked and loosened his grip.

Old Wang slumped onto the ground, his graying hair disheveled, dirt smudged on his face, seedlings spilled around the sack. Caught red-handed, he hesitated, then suddenly clung to Wang Qiang’s leg, wailing, “Qiangzi, I’ve wronged you, wronged everyone! But I had no choice — my grandson is gravely ill, lying on the kang waiting for money to save his life!”

His cries echoed through the silent night, heavy on everyone’s hearts. Su Yao looked at his stooped back and recalled last time during the rationed pork distribution, how the old man had shakily pressed a handful of roasted peanuts into her hand, saying children needed nourishment.

“Sir, what illness does your grandson have?” Su Yao crouched, her voice softening.

“Pneumonia. The fever makes him delirious. The commune hospital can’t treat him; they said to go to the county…” Old Wang wiped his tears, knuckles white from clenching. “My wife passed years ago, my son is a soldier far away. It’s just me and the boy. Where would I find the money for the county hospital?”

Choking back his sobs, he admitted that seeing the seedlings growing so well, he had a crooked idea: he dug some up at night and sold them secretly to traders in the neighboring village to get some money for medicine.

Wang Qiang sighed deeply but said firmly, “Sir, no matter how hard it is, you can’t steal from the collective. These seedlings are the whole team’s hope. How am I supposed to explain this to the Secretary?”

Old Wang cried harder, pounding his thighs. “I’m no man! But if my grandson dies, I can’t go on living either!”

Su Yao looked at the scattered seedlings, then at the old man’s wrinkled face, an idea forming. She helped him to his feet. “Sir, first return the money from selling the seedlings. We’ll find a way to replant. As for your grandson’s illness, maybe I can help.”

“You can help?” Old Wang looked at her with tear-filled eyes, hope flickering.

“My family’s secret recipe isn’t just for growing vegetables; it’s good for some acute illnesses too.” Su Yao didn’t mention the spirit spring water, only calling it a secret recipe. “If you trust me, bring your grandson to my home tomorrow, and I’ll try.”

Old Wang was stunned, then suddenly dropped to his knees. “Comrade Su, if you can save my grandson, I’d give you my life!”

“Sir, get up.” Su Yao helped him up. “But I have one condition: you must tell me if anything else from the team has been secretly sold besides the seedlings.” She had sensed more behind his earlier words.

His lips trembled, hesitated, then bit his lip. “There is... the fertilizer in the warehouse, and several bags of relief grain that arrived last month. The accountant Liu San has been secretly moving them out and selling them. He even threatened me, saying if I spoke up, my grandson wouldn’t be able to stay in the hospital.”

Su Yao and Wang exchanged a surprised glance. Liu San usually wore glasses and spoke gently; no one expected him to do such things.

“Do you have proof?” Su Yao asked.

“Yes... the ledger.” Old Wang lowered his voice. “Every time he moved goods, he made me keep accounts, saying it was a temporary loan. But actually, he was selling them. I hid the ledger in the warehouse beam.”

Wang decided instantly, “Comrade Su, take the old man home. I’ll go find the Secretary. Keep this quiet for now until we have evidence.”

Su Yao nodded. She watched Wang and a militiaman rush toward the team office, while another stayed with Old Wang. Turning toward her home, the night wind carried a chill, rustling the plastic sheeting above, but inside, her heart burned bright.

Back home, the three children had been woken. Lu Shihan rubbed her eyes, asking, “Mother, what happened?”

“Nothing, just caught a thief,” Su Yao said, patting her head. “Go back to sleep. We have to check the seedlings tomorrow.”

Early the next morning, Secretary Li and others went to the warehouse. Old Wang shakily climbed a ladder and retrieved a small oilcloth-wrapped notebook from a beam. Opening it, they saw detailed records of every shipment out, signed by Liu San.

“That Liu San!” Secretary Li slammed the book on the table in anger. “I’m reporting this to the commune immediately!”

The commune officials arrived swiftly, ringing their bicycle bells as they entered the village. Liu San initially denied everything, but after money and the ledger were found hidden under his bed and confronted, he collapsed to the ground, repeating, “I was wrong, I won’t do it again.”

The news spread, and the village erupted in uproar.

“No wonder the fertilizer was always short this year—it was all sold off!”

“To steal relief grain too, how heartless!”

“Comrade Su is incredible—not only does she draw plans, she can catch thieves!”

Su Yao paid no mind to the gossip; she was busy tending to Old Wang’s grandson. The little boy’s face was flushed with fever as he whimpered in bed. Su Yao pretended to feed him sugar water, secretly adding a few drops of spirit spring water.

Soon, the child’s breathing steadied, and his fever diminished. Old Wang stood by the bedside, wiping tears, bowing deeply to Su Yao. “Su girl, you’re a living Bodhisattva.”

Su Yao smiled and waved him off. “Sir, don’t say that. As long as the child’s well, that’s what matters.” She glanced at the sun climbing in the courtyard—her heart felt more at ease.

By noon, commune officials took Liu San away, reportedly to investigate further stolen goods. Secretary Li came to thank Su Yao. “Comrade Su, thanks to you, we found out how much damage he caused.”

“It’s what I should do,” Su Yao replied, handing him a cup of freshly brewed tea. “By the way, I’ve replanted the seedlings using the family fertilizer recipe. They should catch up in growth.”

Secretary Li nodded, eyes fixed on the greenhouse with hope. “Good, good. With you here, I can rest easy.”

Returning home, her three children played in the yard, covered in mud. Lu Xingchen ran over, grabbing her hand. “Mother, many people said you’re amazing today.”

“Is that so?” Su Yao smiled, pinching his cheek.

“Yeah!” Lu Yuxuan chimed in. “Old Wang said he’s going to bring us eggs.”

Lu Shihan looked up earnestly. “Sister, can you really cure all illnesses?”

Su Yao picked her up and kissed her on the cheek. “Almost. But the most important thing is to eat well, work hard, and get sick less.”

The three children nodded, half understanding. Su Yao looked at their dirty, smiling faces and felt a warm glow inside. She recalled activating the “Melon Field Radar” last night and glanced toward the greenhouse, now being reinforced again. Life, like the seedlings they replanted, had weathered storms but remained full of vitality.

At dusk, Old Wang brought a basket of eggs from his hens, insisting Su Yao accept them. She refused at first but finally took a few dried sweet potatoes in exchange.

The setting sun dyed the sky orange-red. The plastic covering was finally installed on the greenhouse, fluttering softly in the breeze like a shimmering lake. Su Yao knew this was just the beginning. Many challenges awaited, but as long as she held light in her heart and had these three children by her side, she could walk any hard road.

That night, lying in bed, she called up the system panel.

[Successfully cracked the collective goods embezzlement case. Reward: Spirit Spring Water upgraded (can be diluted and applied over large areas in small quantities), 50 jin of coarse grains.]

Reading the message, Su Yao smiled. The ability to use spirit spring water extensively meant the greenhouse seedlings would grow even better. Closing her eyes, she imagined the harvest—rows of lush green vegetables and the villagers’ faces beaming with joy.

Moonlight filtered through the window lattice, falling gently on the three sleeping children’s peaceful faces. Su Yao yawned, pulling the blanket over them, and gradually drifted into dreams.

Tomorrow would be another day full of hope.