Reborn in 78, I made my fortune by working in the mountains, supporting three families on my own.

After saying that, Li Mingjie put the list away.

"Comrade Zhao Lei, are there any other people on the list who require further investigation?"

Zhao Lei shook his head: "There are basically none left. But we can't rule out the possibility that the perpetrator isn't on this list."

"That possibility certainly exists." Li Mingjie nodded. "You've been doing very well lately, buying cars and building houses, and you have a lot of money. It's inevitable that you'll attract the attention of bad guys."

"Okay, that's all for today. Over the next two days, I'll visit each of these people to observe their words and actions and see if there's anything unusual."

Upon hearing this, Qin Bowen immediately became anxious: "Officer Li, wouldn't coming here to question them like this be alerting them?"

Li Mingjie smiled faintly: "Young man, there are ways to handle cases. Our Qingfeng Town is not a big place, so for these kinds of local crimes, going door-to-door to ask questions and investigate is a very effective method."

A thief's guilty conscience makes him prone to giving himself away. Besides, with strict controls nowadays, even without a letter of introduction, the thief can't go far. He may escape, but he can't hide. Don't worry.

Zhao Lei reached out and pressed down on Qin Bowen, who was still trying to argue, and said, "Bowen, let's listen to Officer Li and trust the police officers."

"That's right." Li Mingjie was very pleased. "Don't worry, we will do our best to investigate. In two days, either you come to my office, or I will come to the Heping Brigade to find you."

Qin Bowen was still somewhat puzzled and asked, "Officer Li, in novels, the police always go to the crime scene to investigate. Aren't we going to go and take a look?"

Li Mingjie frankly stated, "Novels are novels; they're all made up by the author. In reality, they rarely leave obvious traces. Our investigative resources are limited right now, so for these kinds of local theft cases, door-to-door visits and investigations are the most practical methods."

Moreover, these thieves all have their own circles, and if someone gets their hands on a rare item, word will inevitably spread within their circle.

What you lost wasn't cash, it was a musk pouch. The thief would have to find a way to sell it, right?

These words struck Zhao Lei like a thunderbolt, instantly waking him up.

Yup!

Three musk pods are not banknotes; they cannot be spent casually.

After stealing something, the thief must find a way to sell it and turn it into cash.

If we keep an eye on the shipping line, we might be able to uncover the person behind it all...

Upon hearing Li Mingjie's words, Zhao Lei instantly realized the truth.

My mind, which had been chaotic and confused, suddenly became clear and lucid.

The knot that had been troubling him for so long finally found a way out.

His eyes lit up as he looked at Li Mingjie eagerly and nodded emphatically.

"Okay, Officer Li, thank you for your help. Now that you've explained it, I do have an idea."

Li Mingjie was somewhat surprised, his face lighting up with delight: "Oh? You've got an idea so quickly?"

"That's right," Zhao Lei replied. "I plan to trace the distribution channels and keep an eye on the sales routes of the musk pods. Thieves can't keep something they've stolen forever; they'll have to sell it sooner or later."

Li Mingjie's eyes were full of approval, and he couldn't help but admire her.

"Not bad, Brother Zhao Lei, you really understand things quickly and your thinking is very clear."

"Our police station will register and file the case, and issue an investigation notice. We will then exchange information and cooperate with each other to apprehend the suspect and recover the stolen property as soon as possible."

Zhao Lei immediately pulled Qin Bowen forward and introduced him, "Officer Li, this is my brother-in-law, Qin Bowen. If I come across any leads that I can't get away from, have him come over and relay the information to you immediately."

"No problem," Li Mingjie readily agreed.

After a brief discussion and some pleasantries, Zhao Lei and Qin Bowen turned and walked out of the police station.

As soon as he stepped out of the courtyard, Qin Bowen couldn't wait to ask more questions.

"Brother-in-law, you said you had an idea? Where do we go to find them now? Should we go directly to those people on the list and question them one by one?"

After saying that, he couldn't help but sigh, "I never expected that my cousin Dajun would also have a record of theft."

Zhao Lei shook his head slightly, saying as he walked, "Dajun's matter was minor, not a real criminal record. It was just childish mischief. Besides, didn't you steal corn or sweet potatoes when you were a kid?"

Qin Bowen's face flushed instantly, and he quickly waved his hands in explanation.

"That's different! At most, I'll pick a couple of ears of corn, dig up a sweet potato, or pick a piece of sugarcane to satisfy my cravings. I've never stolen anything valuable from anyone, so it doesn't count as committing a crime!"

Zhao Lei chuckled upon hearing this, offering no rebuttal.

In this era of scarcity, every household was poor.

It was commonplace for teenagers in the village to steal sweet potatoes, sugarcane, and sorghum as snacks.

The host usually only verbally reprimands them and doesn't really pursue the matter. Everyone knows it's not considered a serious offense.

But decades later, in a time of material abundance and plenty of food and clothing, no one would care about the wild grains and fruits in the fields, and the fruit trees by the roadside would go unattended. The lives of the two eras are worlds apart.

As the two walked and talked, Qin Bowen's stomach suddenly growled twice.

The sound of an empty stomach was particularly clear on the quiet roadside.

He scratched his head awkwardly: "Brother-in-law, we've been busy all morning, running around, and we haven't had breakfast yet. Our stomachs just can't take it anymore."

Zhao Lei looked up at the sun in the sky; it was already close to noon.

Waking up early in the morning to a theft, a standoff, and a police report—one unpleasant thing after another completely disrupted the original plan.

The original plan was to go find Zhong Bao in the morning, take Bowen to the town to shop for musk deer pods, and then rush back to the mountains in the afternoon to inspect animal traps.

Now everything has fallen apart.

Zhao Lei sighed helplessly, suppressing his frustration.

"Alright, nothing is more important than eating. Let's fill our stomachs first, and we can talk about everything else after we eat."

"Alright, brother-in-law! We'll check on them right away once we've eaten!"

Qin Bowen's eyes lit up instantly, and he clenched his fists angrily, saying, "That thief is too audacious! He dared to steal our things. When I catch him, I'll teach him a lesson!"

Zhao Lei rolled his eyes at him and said helplessly, "I just told you not to always think about solving problems with violence. It's the most basic method. How could you forget it so quickly?"

"I know my brother-in-law! But this guy really needs to be taught a lesson!" Qin Bowen said angrily.

The two chatted and laughed all the way, then turned around and headed straight for the state-run restaurant in town.

After a busy morning, the two decided to splurge and have a nice meal at a state-run restaurant.

The lunch cost more than six yuan.

In those days, six yuan was equivalent to more than half a month's living expenses for an ordinary worker, which was definitely considered top-tier high consumption.

However, Zhao Lei has always adhered to the principle of saving where he should and spending where he should. He works hard to earn money in order to improve his life, and he never considers it a waste to fill his stomach.

After a hearty meal, Qin Bowen rinsed his mouth with tea and looked at Zhao Lei with renewed vigor.

"Brother-in-law, I'm full! Where do we go next? Didn't you say you had a lead on the case?"