Given the recent break-in at the Wang Youfu household, no one could have possibly anticipated another intrusion so soon.

Hearing noises in the courtyard again in the dead of night, Wang Qingchen felt utterly exasperated. Had that little thief gotten too bold? How long had it been since the last visit? Had the scamp forgotten the beating he received last time so quickly? This thief was certainly persistent when it came to their house.

Wang Qingchen quietly got out of bed, just as he had before. Wang Qinghua next to him, however, remained asleep. This was hardly surprising, considering how busy Wang Qinghua was. During the day, he not only had to help with chores at the general store but also had to watch closely how others handled matters, constantly thinking about why things were done a certain way. With so much on his plate, and being someone who placed immense pressure on himself to master everything, one could only imagine how exhausted he was by the end of the day.

As soon as Wang Qingchen’s feet hit the floor, he heard a sound coming from the main hall door. He mused that the thief had shown some improvement this time, realizing that the flowers were kept inside at night. Even so, he had to commend the sheer audacity of it. Surely, after the last incident, the family would be far more alert during the night. Did this thief truly expect them not to notice this time?

Wang Qingchen tiptoed out of his room and immediately sensed that Wang Youfu was also awake and standing by the main hall door. Approaching, he saw that Wang Youfu was gripping a stick—and this was no mere door latch. Wang Qingchen guessed his father must have specifically prepared it after the previous ordeal.

Father and son waited inside the door. The thief outside was still trying to work the lock open. Just as the door was about to give way, Wang Youfu raised his stick, waiting to bring it down hard the moment the thief stepped inside, ensuring he wouldn't escape again this time.

So, before the petty thief could even savor the success of dislodging the latch and gaining entry, he was met with Wang Youfu’s booming shout: “You little rogue, where do you think you’re running off to this time?” Then, the thief saw a stick as thick as a child’s arm cleave down upon him, and there was no 'then,' as the thief instantly went limp…

Wang Youfu’s loud yell, as expected, startled Wang Qinghua and Caiyun awake. When they finally stirred, the noise had ceased, making them wonder if they had merely dreamed it. Yang Shi, feeling a distinct unease and fearing something untoward had happened, quickly lit the kerosene lamp and hurried to the main hall to see what was amiss.

Wang Youfu, having brought the stick down, saw the thief motionless and felt a sudden pang of uncertainty. Had he gone too far? The thought genuinely frightened him, and he hesitated to step forward and check.

It was Wang Qingchen who remained calmer. “Father, let’s see how this thief is doing.”

Just as Wang Qingchen finished speaking, Yang Shi arrived, holding the lamp high, and Wang Qinghua was also up. As Yang Shi approached, she saw a figure sprawled on the ground and gasped sharply.

“Husband, what—what is this person? Th-this won’t cause trouble, will it?” Yang Shi asked fearfully.

Wang Youfu was equally unnerved. “I—I don’t know! I just hit him once, and he ended up like this!”

Seeing both his parents so frightened, Wang Qingchen had to take the lead.

Wang Qingchen instructed Yang Shi, “Mother, step a little closer. I’ll turn this thief over so we can all see who this person is, the one so fond of stealing from our home!” Then he turned to Wang Qinghua: “Elder Brother, go fetch a rope. We’ll tie up this thief and take him straight to the yamen!”

Wang Qinghua nodded and went off in search of rope.

Yang Shi fought back her fear and edged a bit closer. Wang Qingchen also moved forward, intending to flip the thief over, but reality proved harsh; he clearly forgot his small frame. His current strength wasn't enough to turn the person over.

Wang Youfu, perhaps influenced by Wang Qingchen’s composure or having settled his own nerves, saw Wang Qingchen struggling and came over to help turn the person.

Caiyun, who had been sleeping in Yang Shi’s room, heard the voices in the main hall mentioning tying up the thief, correctly assuming the intruder had been subdued. She cautiously got off the kang and stepped into the hall.

As Caiyun entered, Wang Youfu and Wang Qingchen succeeded in turning the body over. Upon seeing the face, Caiyun cried out in shock: “Ah! Third Uncle?”

Wang Youfu was so startled by the shout that he nearly lost his grip, causing the half-turned body to drop back down. Once the person was fully faced up, everyone in the room froze in astonishment—the thief was Wang Youliang?

Just then, Wang Qinghua returned with the rope. “Qingchen, I found the rope. You…”

Wang Qinghua clearly took in the scene, then looked at the face of the supposed thief. A heavy silence fell over the entire family.

It was Wang Qinghua who finally broke the quiet. “So… are we still tying him up?”

Wang Youfu ignored him. His heart was a mess of complex emotions. He felt that even though his household wasn't particularly close to his elder brother’s family, they were still blood brothers! For his own brother to be robbing his younger brother’s home—was this the conduct of kin? Wang Youfu genuinely wanted to walk over and deliver a severe beating to Wang Youliang right then.

Wang Qingchen also hadn't expected Wang Youliang to stoop so low as to target his own brother’s house. Seeing the expressions on everyone’s faces, it was clear they, too, couldn't believe Wang Youliang would be the thief. Still, the situation couldn't remain static.

“Father, what do we do now? Should we call Grandpa and the others over?” Wang Qingchen asked.

Wang Youfu let out a long sigh, then addressed Wang Qinghua: “Normally, disturbing your grandparents in the middle of the night isn't right, but I am at a complete loss over this. We must ask your grandparents how they wish to handle this. Qinghua, go call Grandpa and Grandma over.”

“Yes!” Qinghua hurried off toward the old house.

Caiyun was confused and quietly asked Yang Shi, “Mother, didn’t you say you caught a thief? Why is Third Uncle lying here? Where is the thief?”

Everyone in the room felt an awkward pang hearing Caiyun’s question. How could they explain to her that the person they caught was her Third Uncle? Yang Shi felt like sighing too, so she could only coax, “Caiyun, go back to sleep. The thief has been driven away.”

“Driven away? Then why did Elder Brother bring a rope just now to tie him up?” Caiyun asked, bewildered.

“Uh…” Yang Shi was speechless.

Wang Qingchen stepped forward to smooth things over. “Caiyun, Elder Brother didn't know the thief ran away just then; he thought we had caught him! It’s just like now, Caiyun, you misheard something. Be good, it’s late. Go back to sleep!”

“Oh…” Caiyun was only half-convinced, but she obediently returned to bed.

A short while later, Wang Qinghua returned with the Old Master and Old Madam, accompanied by Tian Shi.

Tian Shi appeared very anxious, and upon seeing Wang Youliang lying motionless on the floor, she became even more frantic. “Husband, Husband, wake up! What happened to you?”

The Old Madam, unaware why the Second Son’s family had summoned them so late, grew alarmed upon hearing Tian Shi’s cry. “Second Son, what have you done to your Eldest Brother?”

Wang Youfu’s family felt a chilling disappointment at the Old Madam’s immediate, accusatory questioning. Did they look like people who had nothing better to do than drag Wang Youliang over in the dead of night just to knock him senseless?

The Old Master, though less outwardly agitated than the Old Madam, clearly had the same question etched on his face: what had the Second Son’s family done to Wang Youliang?

Wang Youfu spoke without any warmth: “Let’s go talk in Qinghua’s room. Caiyun is asleep here.”

The Old Madam was deeply displeased. Her eldest son was in such a state, yet his well-being was considered less important than the Second Son’s young daughter’s sleep? The Second Son was acting improperly. However, the Old Madam had misjudged Wang Youfu’s intentions; he merely worried that if they spoke here, the child might overhear and later repeat something inappropriate.

Ignoring the Old Madam’s clear dissatisfaction, Wang Youfu instructed Qinghua to help him carry Wang Youliang into their room.

Everyone followed into Wang Qinghua’s room. Wang Youfu, perhaps out of anger or some other emotion, didn't place Wang Youliang on the kang but unceremoniously dropped him onto the floor.

The Old Madam was furious. “Your brother is like this, and you just throw him on the floor? Quickly lift your brother onto the kang.” She then ordered Wang Qinghua, “Qinghua, quickly lift your Third Uncle onto the kang.”

Both men remained silent, ignoring the Old Madam.

It was then that the elderly couple sensed something was deeply wrong. The Old Master reasoned that even if the Second Son harbored little brotherly affection, he wouldn't deny his own brother the warmth of the kang. This realization made the Old Master suspicious: why was the Eldest Brother at the Second Son’s house in the middle of the night, and why was he lying unconscious on the floor?

“Second Son, tell your father what happened here,” the Old Master demanded immediately.

Wang Youfu snorted coldly. “Father, I honestly don’t know what happened either. In the middle of the night, Eldest Brother wasn’t sleeping at home; he was here at my place, acting as a thief.”

The Old Master hadn't quite processed the meaning of Wang Youfu’s words when the Old Madam erupted. “What? A thief? Second Son, how can you speak like that? How could you accuse your own brother like that?”

Wang Youfu’s family remained silent.

The Old Master, processing the Old Madam’s question, finally understood Wang Youfu’s statement and asked with confusion, “Second Son, is there some sort of misunderstanding? Why would your brother come to your house to steal?”

Only Tian Shi knew that what Wang Youfu said was likely true, but she couldn't side with Wang Youfu’s household now, so she chimed in supportively. “That’s right, Second Uncle. Is there some misunderstanding? Why would your elder brother come to your house to steal?”

Wang Youfu glanced at Tian Shi, then replied calmly, “Speaking of which, I’d like to ask Elder Sister-in-law as well. If Eldest Brother wasn’t home late tonight, surely Elder Sister-in-law knew where he went?”