Longquan Village was a rather large mountain hamlet, tucked away in remote, wild mountains. As the saying goes, one eats what the mountain provides and drinks what the water offers, but here, the mountains were all barren, and although the village possessed a Dragon Spring, it had brought the villagers little true fortune.

The entire village of over 300 households relied solely on farming to support their families. During floods, the crops would be washed away; in droughts, not a drop of rain would fall, and even the Dragon Spring would dry up, forcing people to trek over ten li to a distant pond to haul water.

Last year, the village pooled resources—both funds and manpower—to dig a small reservoir at the edge of the village. Fortunately, the rainfall that year was abundant, and the full reservoir saved them during the summer drought. This year, to boost income and recoup the reservoir construction costs, the village committee decided to lease the reservoir out as a fish pond.

Though converting a reservoir into a fish pond was highly impractical, the village committee, desperate for funds, was forced into this corner. They made minor modifications, digging an irrigation channel. The mouth of the channel was blocked with fishing nets, ensuring the water level in the channel remained significantly higher than the minimum level of the reservoir. This dictated that water for irrigation could only be drawn from the channel, thus securing the survival of the fish pond.

Zhou Shan was already fifty years old. By rights, a man his age should be easing up on manual labor, but Zhou Shan could not afford to relax even a fraction for the ten-odd mu of poor fields he held. Earlier this year, he had successfully bid for the lease of the fish pond. The old man had no other choice; his son, Zhou Qiang, was in his second year of university, and his daughter would be starting college this year. Those meager fields were so unproductive that not even birds bothered to stay, making the idea of supporting two university students on them seem utterly fantastical.

The fish fry were released in the spring, and in the blink of an eye, the Mid-Autumn Festival arrived in mid-August. The fish were fattening up nicely, ready for market. If nothing went wrong, netting a few thousand yuan was no issue. The old man’s face beamed. His daughter Zhou Ni’s acceptance letter had arrived; in a few days, she would be heading to the capital city for university. During this time, she spent every day with her father guarding the fish pond, her skin tanned to the color of bronze.

Someone had watered their fields again today, causing the water level in the pond to drop considerably. The fat, large carp swam lazily in the shallow water, bringing a warm feeling to anyone who watched them.

“Ni, you should head home to eat. Don’t come back tonight; I’ll keep the watch. The fish will be harvested in a few days anyway; you deserve a rest these last couple of nights,” Zhou Shan said, coming to relieve his daughter after finishing his own supper.

Zhou Ni replied, “Dad, I’ll stay tonight. You’re older, not as sharp as us young people. If I watch the fish, not a single one will be lost.”

Zhou Shan playfully slapped his daughter’s arm. “Dad can handle it. Go home and eat quickly. Look at the color you’ve turned these past few days! Dad is counting on you to bring back a fine son-in-law from the capital.”

Zhou Ni packed up her books and belongings and left the small thatched hut by the pond. What her father said stirred a strange feeling in her. What would the capital city be like? Were all the boys there as handsome as the stars on the posters? Could she really bring home a good husband for Dad?

Zhou Ni had reason to be proud. She was tall and slender. Despite their poor living conditions, this fact hadn't hindered the development of her chest. Whenever she walked past her female classmates at the county’s No. 1 High School with her chest held high, she drew countless envious stares. Coupled with her pretty, delicate features, the love letters she received over her three years of high school were innumerable.

But Zhou Ni was ambitious. She didn't want to waste her youth and time on premature romance. Even when she encountered a boy who stirred her heart, she would quietly burn the letters, telling herself she wouldn't even dream of love until she got into Longteng University.

Now she had achieved her wish and been accepted into Longteng University. Would the man of her future be waiting for her there too? Would he look down on her because she was a farmer's daughter? Would he be good to her, protect and cherish her and her family?

The more Zhou Ni thought, the more questions arose. Just as she reached the edge of home, she cursed herself under her breath. Before even starting university, she was already thinking about boyfriends. She must be quite the romantic fool. She would know the answers to all these questions once she met him.

By the pond, Zhou Shan lit a cigarette, squatted down, and watched the setting sun, a smile on his face. As long as they weren't worried about food and clothing, and the tuition fees were secured, he considered himself a successful father in this life.

The job of guarding the pond was simple: feed the fish at set times, and keep an eye out for any youngsters trying to steal them. Adults generally didn't dare mess with the fish pond; they saw each other every day, and it would be too embarrassing to be caught by a neighbor.

However, tonight, three ruffians from the neighboring village were eyeing Zhou Shan’s fish pond: Li Erwa, Xu Di, and Zhang Tiancheng. These three were known for being lazy and idle. With the Mid-Autumn Festival fast approaching, their homes lacked any decent holiday provisions. Zhang Tiancheng, in particular, wanted to bring a respectable gift to his uncle—the top official in the county—for the festival, hoping to secure a city job afterward.

The trio conferred in the evening and set their sights on the neighboring village’s pond. Zhang Tiancheng said, “I passed by this afternoon and saw they’d been pumping water for irrigation. The water level is low. One haul should net at least twenty or thirty jin of fish, big and fat—perfect for stewing or braising. We’ll bring several sacks, and I’ll give one to my uncle; that job issue will be sorted.”

Li Erwa worried, “But someone from the Zhou family watches the pond every day. What if they catch us?”

Xu Di grinned maliciously, “If Zhou Shan’s daughter is guarding the pond, that would be even better. I’ve been eyeing her little figure and big chest for ages. We can catch fish and have some fun—two birds with one stone.”

Zhang Tiancheng was even more depraved than Xu Di. “Xu Di’s right. We’ll beat the man unconscious, and as for the woman, we’ll have her. It’s dark, and she won’t know who we are anyway. If we don’t take her, someone else will. Are the three of us strong men unable to handle one little girl? We’ll cover our faces when we go and nobody says a word. That way, there’ll be no witnesses to identify us.”

The wicked plan was put into action around one in the morning. The three found a pair of women's socks to pull over their faces, carrying sacks and fishing nets toward the Zhou family’s pond. On the way, Zhang Tiancheng picked up two sturdy clubs.

The moon was sparse, and the occasional splash of water in the pond indicated that the fish were indeed plentiful and large, nearly making the trio cry out in delight. Xu Di and Zhang Tiancheng took the clubs and crept toward the small thatched hut. Peering inside, they saw it wasn't the big-breasted girl they had hoped for. Xu Di made a signal, and Zhang Tiancheng brought his club down hard on the back of the old man’s head. The old man grunted once and then fell silent.

Zhang Tiancheng grumbled, “What a letdown. I thought we might have a little romantic encounter tonight, but it’s just the old man. Hurry up and catch the fish, everyone, before the old man wakes up and we bolt.”

Li Erwa cast a net and hauled in over ten large, fat fish. The other two enthusiastically stuffed them into the sacks. After a few hauls, they had three large sacks full. Li Erwa said, “Is that enough? Any more and we won’t be able to carry them.”

Zhang Tiancheng commanded, “One more cast. My sack is for my uncle, damn it. One more cast for myself to beg.”

The last net was pulled in. Zhang Tiancheng eagerly lunged forward to grab the fish, but suddenly, a sharp blow struck the back of his head. He tumbled with a gurgle into the pond. It turned out the old man Zhou Shan had awakened. Seeing the thieves stealing fish, he had quietly crept up with his club and struck one of them.

Xu Di, realizing the situation had turned dire, grabbed the club he had dropped and lunged at the old man. Zhou Shan was no match for the young, strong ruffians and was quickly knocked to the ground by Xu Di. Li Erwa, terrified, yelled from the side,

“Stop hitting him! Stop! Hurry up and jump in the water to save him!”

The moment Zhang Tiancheng rolled into the pond, the shock of the water cleared his head. The water was very shallow, barely reaching his waist. He staggered out onto the bank. Seeing Zhou Shan lying on the ground, he grabbed the old man, yanked him up, and then shoved him back into the pond.

“Damn your mother, how dare you hit Master Zhang! Today I’ll drown you to feed the fish!” Zhang Tiancheng cursed, then jumped back into the pond. Just as Zhou Shan sputtered to the surface, Zhang Tiancheng grabbed his head and forced him back under the water.

The old man struggled fiercely, but being old and weak, he was no match for the enraged Zhang Tiancheng. After a short while, the old man went limp. Zhang Tiancheng released his grip and saw that Zhou Shan was unresponsive. Panic seizing him, he abandoned the body and scrambled up the bank.

The other two knew they had committed murder and fled for their lives, forgetting the fish. They left Zhou Shan’s body soaking in the water, with the carp still flopping on the bank.

Zhou Ni never expected such a sudden catastrophe. How could her honest, kind father be drowned by fish thieves in the pond? Were these people even human to commit such brutal acts!

Her brother, Zhou Qiang, was working in the capital for the summer and hadn't returned home. Zhou Ni, suppressing her grief, helped her mother carry their father’s body home. The local police station officers came to investigate. The stolen fishing net and the sacks used for the fish were common items in the countryside, making it impossible to determine the culprit based on them. Furthermore, the entire scene had been trampled by curious onlookers, so the officers conducted a cursory investigation and closed the case.

After the police left, a village woman told Mother Zhou that she had woken up in the middle of the night to use the latrine and heard voices near the pond. The sound strongly resembled Zhang Tiancheng from the neighboring village. She had crept to the wall to look toward the pond but was blocked by trees, so she couldn't see clearly. However, she was certain about the voice because Zhang Tiancheng was somewhat notorious in the surrounding villages.

Another village bachelor quietly told Mother Zhou that he recognized the fishing net; he had woven it himself. He remembered selling that specific net to Xu Di from the next village, and everyone knew how close Xu Di and Zhang Tiancheng were—a pair of villains who stopped at nothing.

Under these circumstances, Mother Zhou was certain the murderers were Zhang Tiancheng, Xu Di, and their associates, a group whose infamy spanned ten li in every direction; they were certainly capable of stealing fish and murder.

Mother Zhou wanted the two informants to go to the police station to testify against Zhang Tiancheng and Xu Di, but those two quietly slipped away. Everyone knew these men were dangerous; testifying against them today might invite retaliation tomorrow.

Zhou Ni wept and asked her mother, “Mom, what do we do? Should we tell brother to come back for such a big event?”

Mother Zhou firmly replied, “No, Nini, don’t tell your brother for now. He’s too impulsive; if he comes back, he might do something foolish. I don't believe there is no justice in this world. We’ll go to the police station and report Zhang Tiancheng.” Zhou Ni countered, “But we have no evidence.”

Though a rural woman, Mother Zhou’s thinking was relatively progressive.

“If we have no evidence, we’ll tell the police to investigate. Otherwise, what good are they?”

The mother and daughter left immediately and returned to the police station that afternoon. The station seemed to take the matter seriously, and after hearing the two suspicious points raised by the Zhou women, they decided to summon Zhang Tiancheng for questioning.

Zhang Tiancheng hadn't fled and was brought to the station quickly. However, he flatly denied the accusations. He couldn't provide an alibi for that night and appeared distracted.

In the late afternoon, a phone call suddenly came from the county seat. Before dinner time, Zhang Tiancheng was abruptly released.

Mother and daughter Zhou had expected the criminal to be apprehended, only to watch him swagger out of the police station. They rushed back to inquire. This time, the officer who received them stammered, telling them to find witnesses first; otherwise, the case couldn't proceed. Eventually, he simply ignored them, locked the door, and went home.

The two women sat weeping outside the station. The kind gatekeeper whispered to them, “Hurry home and find evidence, or the station won’t even register the case. Didn’t you know the County Magistrate just called, demanding the director give his nephew special consideration? Without evidence, they’re happy to do him this favor.”

Zhou Ni cried, “Didn’t the police say they found suspicious points during the interrogation?”

The gatekeeper sighed, “Those so-called suspicious points can be made significant or insignificant at will; evidence is what matters. Now, without proof, if he turns around and sues you, you might end up in court.”

Mother Zhou nearly fainted. Could such a thing exist in the world? The victim being sued?

It was nearly dark, and Father Zhou’s body was still at home. Mother and daughter could only return home to discuss their next move.

That evening, Zhou Ni went to persuade the village woman and the bachelor. She wept and knelt before them, begging them to testify against Zhang Tiancheng to avenge her father. To her shock, by the end of the conversation, both men vehemently denied everything they had said that morning.

Before dawn, Mother and daughter devised their most desperate plan: to carry the body of Zhou Shan and shout their grievance aloud. If the police station ignored them, they would go to the county seat; if the county ignored them, they would go to the province; if the province ignored them, they would go to the Central government!

The next morning, the mother and daughter set out, pushing a wheelbarrow. But the situation was not as simple as they imagined. First, the police station refused to let them in. The mother and daughter were weak. How could they push past the strong men? The police locked the iron gate and went inside to enjoy the air conditioning, leaving the two women and one corpse to bake under the sun.

Undeterred, the mother and daughter wrote a formal petition overnight and rushed to the county seat. However, before they could even submit the petition, a group of men dressed as police officers snatched Zhou Shan’s body away. They let the weeping, fainting mother and daughter lie on the ground. A short time later, a cheap urn was returned containing the remains of Old Man Zhou Shan.

The petition was sent back by the County Public Security Bureau to the town police station, which, in turn, demanded evidence from the mother and daughter again. How could they file a lawsuit without proof? And the two witnesses in the village would no longer say a word, no matter how much Zhou Ni kowtowed.

Mother Zhou, having suffered this great calamity and successive shocks, finally fell seriously ill and was bedridden. The fish in the pond went unmanaged, and with unscrupulous villagers taking advantage of the situation, few were left. Zhou Ni had planned to appeal to the provincial authorities, but worrying about her mother’s condition, she had to remain home for the time being.