Chapter 33 - 33 33 Losing the Car

Words : 1450 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

33: Chapter 33 Losing the Car 33: Chapter 33 Losing the Car Evening. In the esteemed, heavy, and enormous traditional wood stove, a sheep stewed with a bubbling sound. Jiang Fuzhen was naturally generous. When he was young, he was willing to share half of any wild rabbits he caught with friends, and now that he had money, inviting people to eat sheep was of course not an issue. As the invitations became frequent, Jiang Fuzhen’s sheep-cooking skills improved remarkably, attracting even more friends to share the meal. Inadvertently, it almost entered a near-perfect virtuous cycle, with the only drawbacks being the expense and time spent. The moment Jiang Yuan stepped into the house, he could smell the fresh aroma of the sheep meat. Unlike chefs outside who chase efficiency, Mr. Jiang, who stayed at home, always had ample time to do all sorts of preparatory work, such as skimming the blood foam. Many people wait until the froth accumulates before skimming it off with a few spoonfuls, then allowing the small amount of remnant froth to rise and fall with the sheep meat. Mr. Jiang didn’t do it that way. He always stood by the pot, skimming off the froth from the very beginning, as much as it formed. Sometimes, this process could last up to half an hour. Such an approach not only reduced the gaminess of the meat but also controlled the tenderness. After all, boiling a sheep, although simpler than roasting one, still required considerable skill. In the large pot, bigger than a goose and wider than a sheep, white meat tinged with red and red meat tinged with white gently swayed and floated... Just looking at this, one would hardly realize it was a legitimate residential family kitchen. “Yuanzi is back,” greeted the relatives and friends who came over for the sheep, casually, with two of them bringing their own bowls, chopsticks, and condiments, while the others were less particular. “Sorry for making a mess at your place,” a few said courteously. Jiang Yuan waved his hand naturally, “There’re just two guys at home. It can’t get much messier.” Back in the village, he often dined at many houses, and not only would people bring something when coming to eat rabbit, but they would also bring gifts for no reason at all, often resulting in a meal coming together from the items several families brought over. Jiang Fuzhen also came out of the kitchen and glanced over, saying, “You’re back just in time, it’s almost ready to eat. Did you perform an autopsy today?” “No bodies today,” Jiang Yuan said. “If there’s no body, you can grab and eat with your hands. If you’ve operated on someone, don’t touch the big basin of sheep meat. Whether you’ve done an autopsy or not, remember to wash your hands,” Jiang Fuzhen drew a line for Jiang Yuan, then after a while, he brought out a big basin of sheep meat. Jiang Yuan sat among the crowd, holding his chopsticks and eager to try. “You can start with the rib chops,” Jiang Fuzhen said cheerfully. “Today we have a 32-pound castrated ram. I reckon the small chops here will taste better.” Jiang Fuzhen’s hand made a couple of motions in the air, and by the time he retracted his elbow, the small chops had all found their way into everyone’s bowls and plates. Jiang Yuan had a plate in hand, sprinkling salt and pepper, the black and white peppered salt named ‘pepper salt’ mingling on top of the sheep meat, seeming to enhance its freshness. The meat was tender without being mushy, chewy without being tough. The first bite sent a wave of freshness rushing to the nostrils, while the satisfying feel of fat hit straight to the forehead. “Mr. Jiang’s sheep meat is still the best, not gamy at all, and fragrant,” one politely took a moment to comment amidst the busy eating. The rest were just burying their heads and eating vigorously. Jiang Fuzhen only smiled in the kitchen, while also attending to the remaining sheep meat. He was getting old and could barely eat two pieces of meat before stopping, especially lamb, which was rather fatty and greasy. If he ate it for two days straight, his stomach and intestines would suffer. But he still loved to cook it and watch his son and the villagers eat together. It was a dream he had cherished since his youth, a sense of happiness that only dared to exist in his imagination. Jiang Yuan, on the other hand, was completely different. At 22 years old, working a job that was mentally demanding yet physically active, he was at an age where he could eat anything. It didn’t matter if it was beef, lamb, pork, or chicken; as long as it was tasty, he wouldn’t refuse. Even if it wasn’t well-made, he could eat till he was seventy percent full before stopping his chopsticks to critique. Everyone chatted while they ate, creating a rather harmonious atmosphere. When it came to familiarity, at least those present had known each other as neighbors and relatives for twenty years or more. Perhaps it was because of this familiarity that the conversation quickly turned to the newest topic of interest—Forensic Expert Jiang Yuan. “Jiang Yuan, you’re a police officer now, hey? How many cases have you cracked?” Mrs. Hua, who didn’t eat much, was more interested in chatting. Jiang Yuan chuckled twice and said, “I’m a forensic doctor, I’ve just been involved in a few cases.” “What cases?” Mrs. Hua immediately pressed on, taking the opportunity to serve herself a bowl of soup. Jiang Yuan replied, “I can’t talk about the cases.” “The police have their regulations,” a young person nearby explained knowingly. Jiang Yuan nodded in agreement and said, “Case details must be kept confidential.” “Oh right, Yuanzi is a cop now. Do me a favor.” Uncle Thirteen, who had been silently devouring several pieces of lamb, looked up, took a couple of sips of soup, and sighed contentedly before saying, “I had an electric bike stolen, been gone for half a year now. I reported it but it wasn’t recovered. Can you help me find it?” Since the relocation, the people of Jiang Village had become wealthier, and many had bought cars. However, considering the road conditions and distances in the county, many preferred riding electric bikes for daily commutes. This included Jiang Yuan, who also rode one to work. And cases of electric bike theft... they were always frequent and had an extremely low resolution rate. Jiang Yuan put down the lamb and said, “Uncle Thirteen, police officers and their duties vary. Electric bike theft is generally within the jurisdiction of the local police station.” “But they’re all colleagues, right?” “I can ask around for you,” Jiang Yuan mused. If he enlisted the help of Master Wu Jun, perhaps he could make a call to the police station. After all, whenever there was an unnatural death within the jurisdiction, it required a forensic doctor’s involvement, and Wu Jun knew quite a few people. Uncle Thirteen frowned and said, “Asking or not doesn’t matter to me; I just want my electric bike back. It was a Ya Shi Tai, cost over five thousand. I picked a good one on purpose, and it was gone before I’d ridden it much. Your aunt has been nagging me to death about it.” Jiang Yuan sighed, “Not every police officer can help people find their things. Electric bike theft is one of the more complex types of theft cases.” “I bet it was stolen by those junk collectors who often come around here. Why don’t you check them out for me?” Uncle Thirteen’s eyebrows twitched as he spoke animatedly, “The property management keeps records of names and such, I’ll go ask...” When Jiang Yuan heard the mention of checking on people, he was alarmed. Investigating individuals was no longer an infraction but a legal violation. He quickly interjected, “Don’t... don’t rush, let me ask around for you first.” Whether he could find the electric bike or not, getting involved in investigating individuals was greatly frowned upon, something that the newcomer Jiang Yuan wanted to avoid discussing at all costs. Jiang Yongxin, who ran a car wash downstairs, raised his hand while eating meat, “Count me in too. I’ve lost two.” “Does one I lost the year before last count? I lost one then too,” Mrs. Hua jumped in, unwilling to miss out on the excitement.

Chapter 33 - 33 33 Losing the Car

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