Chapter 40: Overnight Stakeout

  "Pesticide?" Su Xiaofan exclaimed in surprise, although she had previously suspected it in her heart, but now she was certain of that idea. Someone had laid hands on the small chickens and ducks inside their own fence, but what was the purpose?

  "Moreover, it should be several years old pesticide." Xiao Yi Mo's expression was serious, and a hint of doubt flashed in his black eyes. Su Xiao Fan's family, apart from being extremely poor, treated the villagers very well, especially before her father died. Whenever anyone needed help, he would unhesitatingly lend a hand. The impression the villagers had of their family was also good; otherwise, they wouldn't have kept lending them silver.

  Did I offend someone in the past?

  Su Xiaofan furrowed her brow deeply, gazing worriedly at the pile of rice grains on the ground. If she hadn't happened to see that chicken pecking at that spot and discovered these grains, wouldn't all the small lives inside the enclosure be dead in a few more days?

  Who would do such a thing?

  Are you afraid of your family's living conditions getting better?

  Apart from this, she couldn't think of any other reason, but the family that had lost their man was now left with only a widow and an orphan. Who would be so cruel as to treat such a family in this way?

  "I'll go lose them." Xiao Yimò once again wrapped them up and carried them out of the courtyard.

  Su Xiaofan stood still for a moment before turning around and entering the kitchen. Anyway, she had to prepare food for everyone first.

  After lunch, Yu Xiaoxi heard the news and came over.

  "Xiao Fan, don't be sad. Those chickens were too small and would have died easily anyway. Otherwise, next time you can buy bigger ones." Yu Xiao Xi saw her looking serious and gently comforted her.

  "Hmm, I'm fine, don't worry." Su Xiaofan smiled at her and didn't plan to tell her the truth about the death of the chicken and duck. After all, he himself didn't know who the poisoner was yet, and it was possible that they would strike again. Even if he wanted to tell her, it would have to be after catching the person.

  Thinking of this, Su Xiaofan suddenly remembered something she had discovered when she went up the mountain before, and a plan formed in her mind. She turned to Yu Xiaoxi and said: "Tomorrow you accompany me into town, I want to buy some more chickens and ducks back."

  Yu Xiaoxi hesitated for a moment before responding, "Do we need to buy again so soon? Shouldn't we wait until they're a bit bigger before buying more? The longer we raise them, the more experience we'll gain, right?"

  "Ah, it's nothing, anyway it's not expensive, I still have some silver on hand." Su Xiaofan said after finishing, glanced at Xiao Bao who was playing with the rabbit and said: "Little treasure, we're going up the mountain, do you want to go?"

  "Not going." Xiao Yi Mo continued to play with the little rabbit in her hand, although she usually liked to follow behind her, but today's situation must have made her feel somewhat uncomfortable, so it was better to let the two of them go for a walk alone.

  "Oh, then let's go, don't run around, stay home and be good." Su Xiaofan said, then went into the kitchen to grab a basket.

  "I've said it all, don't treat me like a child." Xiao Yimeng's voice was slightly irritated, and he didn't even lift his head to look at her.

  Yu Xiaoxi followed her with a puzzled expression: "Xiao Fan, what are you going up the mountain for?"

  Su Xiaofan smiled mysteriously: "You'll know when you go up the mountain."

  On the waist of a mountain, Yu Xiaoxi and Su Xiaofan were slowly walking down the mountain with baskets in their hands.

  "Xiao Fan, you came up the mountain just to move this thing?" Yu Xiaoxi frowned, speechlessly staring at the heavy object in the basket.

  "Yes, it's heavy, isn't it? You must be tired. Tonight I'll make you some delicious snacks." Su Xiaofan smiled slightly.

  "Good." Yu Xiaoxi heard this and smiled slightly.

  Su Xiaofan went to find Yu Xiaoxi early in the morning, two days later, and headed into town. In order not to let Xiao Mo follow, he deliberately chose a time when he had not yet gotten out of bed to leave the house. Every time they went out, he would have him follow along, which would surely exhaust him, after all, he was only a six-year-old child.

  After a few hours, pushing the flatbed cart borrowed from Su Handle Wine Building, Su Xiaofan slowed down his pace on purpose after entering the village entrance, and chatted with Yu Xiaoxi about some irrelevant topics along the way.

  It's all just to let everyone in the village see that I've bought so many chickens and ducks again.

  At night, Su Xiaofan found Xiao Yimò to ask the village chief to quietly go around the back mountain and arrive at his own home, also bringing a group of servants.

  Three people crouched in the shed inside the fence, while the servants crouched around the outside of the fence, waiting for the poisoner to fall into their trap.

  After waiting for a long time, there was no movement at all, except that the little chickens and ducks in the shed would move around from time to time, making some slight sounds.

  "Will someone really come tonight?" Xiao Changfu sat on a short, stout cylinder, his age showing, as he had been squatting for so long that he felt somewhat tired.

  "Hmm, as expected. It's coming." Su Xiao Fan carefully listened to the surroundings and moved her slightly numb feet, then turned to look at Xiao Mei and said: "Little treasure, you go back and rest, squatting for so long must be exhausting."

  "You rest, I'll go." Xiao Yimò glanced at the round pillar where Xiao Changfu was sitting and thought to himself that he should have brought a small stool too, otherwise if he had to crouch until dawn, he would definitely not be able to take it.

  Xiao Changfu stroked his beard, looked seriously at Su Xiaofan and said in a low voice: "You two go to bed, leave this to us."

  Su Xiaofan shook her head and stubbornly said: "No, I must see that person with my own eyes before I can sleep."

  "If I catch you, I'll call you out." Xiao Changfu said, although he felt that even if he said so, she wouldn't change her mind.

  "It's okay, since the little treasure doesn't want to go, let's wait together. Once this matter is resolved, we can rest well tomorrow." Su Xiaofan saw that there was still no movement around her, so she stood up and slightly moved her numb legs.

  "Sit down, you can wash clothes tomorrow." Xiao Yimiao said, and then sat down directly. Squatting like that wasn't a solution either.

  "Alright." Su Xiao Fan immediately sat down as well, after all, he had been standing for a long time. If the person who was going to poison him discovered that he had run away, then all his previous efforts would be wasted.

  It wasn't until the wee hours of the morning that Su Xiaofan had dozed off, and in her drowsy state, Xiao Yimiao suddenly reached out to tug on her sleeve, pointing with his finger at a dark shape outside the railing.

  Su Xiaofan's sleepiness was gone in an instant as he stared at the black figure, his eyes fixed on it.

  "Who is it? Let me go..."

  The village head brought those family members, and at the moment when the black shadow was about to throw something into the enclosure, they rushed up and caught her.

  Listening to the slightly familiar female voice, Su Xiaofan couldn't help but furrow her brow.