"Let's think."
Hearing Zhang Liunian say this, everyone cooperated extremely well and recalled what had happened last night.
Yesterday was New Year's Eve dinner. Most people stayed at home after eating, chatting, watching TV, or listening to the radio.
As for who would pay attention to such a small matter, there really wasn't anyone. Unless it was by chance, so there weren't many people in this group who could provide useful information.
"I remember now. When I was at home, I seemed to hear someone passing by my house, but I didn't come out to look. I only heard footsteps."
"Yesterday, when I went to the toilet, I seemed to see a figure pass by the front of my outhouse. I don't know who it was."
"Hearing you all say that, I also heard footsteps, more than once. There was one at seven o'clock and another at eleven o'clock."
"I also heard someone walking outside, but we were all watching TV at home, and no one went out to look."
"..."
Hearing everyone say this, Zhang Liunian continued to ask, "Match the times you heard it. See if it's around the same time period."
"I heard it near eleven o'clock."
"Me too, at this time."
"..."
Zhang Liunian nodded and continued to ask, "Can you tell which direction they came from?"
The villagers who heard the footsteps were stumped. It was quite difficult for them to distinguish the direction from which the person was walking based on the sound.
However, some people found it easy. For example, the person who went to the toilet remembered very clearly, "It was around eleven o'clock. That person first walked out of the alley near my house, then passed in front of my outhouse. Could it be that person who smashed the factory? This damned fellow, if I ever meet him, I'll beat him to death."
"I can't tell."
"I heard it seemed to pass behind my house, because I was sitting by the window at the time. I should not have misheard."
"I thought about it, his footsteps seemed to be outside my front door."
"..."
Zhang Liunian scanned these few people, and a plan gradually formed in his mind. He didn't say it explicitly, "Think about it again. If I were to go to the factory from here, would I pass by your houses in the directions you mentioned?"
The few people who had spoken immediately put their minds to work and recalled. They quickly understood that it was entirely possible.
"Liunian, if you start from here, you will indeed pass behind my house."
"If you start from here, you will also pass in front of my outhouse."
"If you start from here, you will definitely have to pass by my front door."
"..."
After they finished speaking, they were all stunned collectively. Then, as if they had discovered some earth-shattering secret, they all became extremely excited.
So, did the culprit start from here?
Everyone looked at each other, and then together they looked towards the gate of Baldy's house.
It matched, it really matched. Could Baldy's family be the culprit?
Thinking of this, everyone turned to Zhang Liunian and spoke in a jumble of voices.
"Liunian, are you suspecting Baldy's family? They are the only ones here. Other houses are more than ten meters away."
Someone couldn't help but speak out, wanting to confirm the truth.
Just as Zhang Liunian was about to speak, Baldy's wife couldn't stand it and rushed to Zhang Liunian's front, questioning him, "Liunian, you can't say such things carelessly. I am also a worker in your factory, living on the wages you give me. What benefit would I get from smashing your factory? I haven't done such a thing."
This dirty water must not be accepted. Once accepted, the entire village would ostracize and look down on them, and they would never be able to live in Zhangjia Village again.
If it were in the past, she might not have cared too much about whether she lived in Zhangjia Village or not. But now, their village had a pickle factory, and every household could work in the factory as workers, earning high wages every month. One person's work could support a family. How could she bear to leave such a good life?
"I didn't say you smashed the factory, and I won't frame anyone. Everything must be based on evidence." Zhang Liunian was only suspecting Baldy's family at the moment, but he hadn't said whether it was them or not.
Seeing Zhang Liunian say this, Baldy's wife immediately turned to everyone and said, "Everyone heard it? Our family hasn't done such a thing. Please don't blame us. We will not bear this crime."
Hearing her say this, everyone stopped talking and looked expectantly at Zhang Liunian.
And Zhang Liunian did not disappoint them. He spoke and pointed to the footprints on the ground, saying, "Everyone can look at the footprints on the ground. These footprints may become evidence. They will tell us who the culprit is."
Hearing this, everyone immediately crowded around Zhang Liunian. Then they saw Zhang Liunian draw a circle with a stick, with an adult man's footprint placed inside the circle.
"Wow, these footprints clearly lead to Baldy's house! And you still say it wasn't them. I think it was them who did it."
"It's true. Although the footprint is very faint, it's clearly a man's footprint, and it disappears at the entrance of Baldy's house. It must be Baldy who did it. I've often heard him complain that Liunian doesn't treat him like a relative and doesn't arrange good jobs for him. This is revenge!"
"Hearing you say that, it really seems possible."
"..."
Baldy's wife saw everyone accusing their family again because of a footprint and quickly exclaimed, "Impossible! My Baldy was at home all day yesterday and didn't go out at all. Don't spread rumors."
"Whether it was your family or not will be revealed later." Someone didn't believe Baldy's wife's words and stood up to refute.
"You all say the incident happened last night. My Baldy didn't go out yesterday, so how could he have done it?" Baldy's wife continued.
"You are Baldy's wife, so of course you will defend Baldy. Liunian will tell us the truth."
"Liunian can make money, but that doesn't mean he can solve cases. Don't put your hopes on him. How can finding the culprit with just one footprint be possible? Also, these footprints are at my doorstep, so there will naturally be footprints of all our family members. If you go to your doorstep, I believe you will also find your footprints."
Baldy's wife's words did have some truth to them, and she successfully silenced everyone.
But Zhang Liunian spoke again, shattering her beautiful fantasy, "Just as you said, finding Baldy's footprints at your doorstep is not strange. But what's strange is why his footprints have residue and the smell of my ingredients. I remember Baldy is not an employee of my factory. By rights, his footprints should not carry the smell of my ingredients, but they do. If you don't believe it, everyone can come and smell it, and look closely. Are there some ingredient residues on this footprint? This is very suspicious?"
Hearing this, everyone crowded around the circle again, looking and sniffing carefully. They hadn't observed closely before, but now, with Zhang Liunian's reminder, they really discovered the difference in this footprint.