Chapter 40

Robert Stone had just put down his chopsticks when Emily Johnson handed him a tin can.

"Big brother, these are cookies sent by my parents. Take them back for Lily and the kids to try."

"I can't possibly accept this..." Robert waved his hands in refusal.

"Uncle, give some to Jack!" little Tommy piped up in his childish voice.

Emily smiled and pressed the tin into his hands. "Don't be polite, Robert. I still have more here."

Robert rubbed his hands awkwardly. "Well... thank you, Emily."

Back at the Stone household, he placed the cookies on the table. "From Emily."

Elizabeth Stone stared at the tin with foreign letters printed on it, stunned. This wasn't cheap—it cost several dollars at the Supply & Market.

Since when had Emily become so generous? Wild berries the day before yesterday, mooncakes yesterday, and now imported cookies today...

A pang of bitterness twisted in her heart. Everyone in the village envied Emily. Her brother-in-law treated her like a treasure, even moving out just for her, refusing to let her do any fieldwork.

"I'm off to work," Robert said hurriedly before leaving.

Elizabeth hid the cookies in the cupboard and followed him out.

Gossip had already spread at the village entrance.

"Did you hear? Peter Wilson was caught stealing from Emily's house last night!"

"He was sent to the police station—must be true!"

"Strange, out of all the houses, why target Emily's?"

"I bet he wasn't after things..."

"Exactly! Emily looks like a fox spirit—half the village's young men wanted to marry her back then. Now that Michael's away..."

"Shh! Keep your voice down! You didn’t see it—Peter was beaten half to death last night!"

"What?!"

The women gasped.

"Don’t forget, Michael was the best fighter in our brigade back in the day. You think Emily hasn’t picked up a trick or two after being with him?"

The group fell silent.

Emily was planning to gather bamboo shoots after breakfast when someone knocked on the gate.

It was a young militiaman from the village, once close to Michael.

"Emily, the police station wants you to come in."

"Mommy..." The two children tugged at her clothes nervously.

"Can I bring the kids?"

"Sure, we’ll take the ox cart."

Emily packed some dry rations into a cloth bag before locking up. The three of them boarded the cart heading to town.

At the clinic, Peter had just woken up when he was interrogated. He didn’t hold out long before naming Sophia Green.

When the officers went to the educated youth quarters to fetch Sophia, her face turned deathly pale. The two groups crossed paths on the road, and Sophia glared at Emily with venom in her eyes.

Last night’s plan had failed at the last moment!

But it didn’t matter... She gritted her teeth. If she denied everything, the police couldn’t pin anything on her. She was about to return to the city anyway. If the Wilsons wanted revenge, they’d go after Emily.

She could already picture the Wilsons storming Emily’s house, accusing her of seducing Peter...

A cold smirk curled at the corner of her lips.