Chapter 164

The ewe was dead, and its blood was scattered all over the ground. The ewe was also stained with blood, whose wound was still bleeding. Obviously, it had just died.

“Who did it!” Xu Ran shouted but no one responded.

Doctor Liu, who walked behind Xu Ran, saw this scene. He mumbled, “This is really sinful!”

Xu Ran was worried that something had happened to Big Black and the lamb, too, so he hurriedly ran over to the stable to check Big Black. Big Black was still chewing on the grass and nothing happened.

Xu Ran was relieved; then he went to look at the lamb, which was also crouched in the pen, sound and safe. It seemed that the only victim was the ewe. The goal of this person was obvious Baozi. But who on earth was he? What feud did he have with him?

When Xu Ran went back to see the ewe, Doctor Liu was examining its wound. Doctor Liu said, “Xu Ran, I found that it was killed by a scraper. Since every household owns scrapers, it is difficult to judge who did it. Leave it alone for now. Go prepare dinner for your kid first. Report the incident of ewe to the village head, and I will be your witness.”

Xu Ran nodded. “I appreciate it. Doctor Liu, please check whether there is any croton seeds in this ewe’s belly. I’m worried that someone is killing it to cover up the existence of croton.”

Doctor Liu waved at Xu Ran, “Alright, go ahead, I’ll check it, and tell you the result later.”

Xu Ran left and went to tell Liu Tong what had happened. Liu Tong was shocked and said, “Today, all the dogs followed Shao Yu and the others out. I didn’t pay much attention and didn’t expect such a thing to happen. In the future, I’d better keep two dogs at home.”

“Tongtong, this is targeting Baozi. I’m afraid that this person has quite a grudge with our family. He actually wants to harm a baby who is only one month old. This is too cruel. I will never let it go. If village head doesn’t uphold justice, I will go to the Yamen to file a suit.”

Liu Tong was silent. Seeing that he didn’t say anything, Xu Ran asked him, “Tongtong, what are you thinking about?”

“Ran, I’m a little worried. I’m afraid that this person is…”

Xu Ran also thought of the one whom Liu Tong had thought of. This person had really a bad history!

However, they had no evidence now, and couldn’t be sure that he was the perpetrator. As long as the baby was fine, it was nothing to lose an ewe. However, this guy must be captured, or else their life wouldn’t be peaceful.

Xu Ran said, “Tongtong, don’t worry. No matter who this person is, I will never let him go. Go make some rice soup for the baby. I will carry Baozi and wait for Doctor Liu to come over.”

“Okay,” Liu Tong handed the baby to Xu Ran and went into the kitchen.

Xu Ran waited for a while with Baozi in his arms and Doctor Liu came over, whose hands were still stained with blood. Xu Ran was afraid it would scare Baozi, so he hurriedly got away from Doctor Liu. Then he suggested, “Doctor Liu, why don’t you wash your hands first. Baozi is too little to smell the blood.”

Looking at Xu Ran’s nervous expression, Doctor Liu could only wash his hands first and then talk to him.

Doctor Liu said, “Xu Ran, there really is some croton seeds in the ewe’s stomach. The croton seeds were mixed with the grass. I presume that they were fed directly to the ewe along with the grass. However, croton seeds weren’t added this morning; instead, it was put in last night. The ewe had digested most of it.”

Xu Ran asked, “But we didn’t hear its moaning. Shouldn’t the ewe have a stomachache after eating the croton seeds?”

Doctor Liu said, “I reckon that not long after the croton seeds came to the ewe’s stomach, you guys went to milk it. Thus, it was passed out of its system, without affecting the ewe much. And later, it was killed, so you were unaware of it.”

Xu Ran thought about it and assumed that it was the case. However, Doctor Liu’s deduction was like a professional, which made Xu Ran chucke.

Doctor Liu was a little annoyed, “You’re still young and inexperienced. Why don’t you go to ask village head to handle the incident.”

Xu Ran said with a smile, “No hurries. Anyway, you said that you will be a witness. Doctor Liu, please write down everything in details. If village head won’t uphold justice for me, I will go to Yamen.”

Doctor Liu did not have any objections. He said, “Village head will definitely uphold justice for you. With such things having happened in the village, if everyone knows about it, I’m afraid that people will be in a panic. Village head will definitely settle this matter, or else something serious will happen.”

At Doctor Liu’s words, Xu Ran felt that he was more and more extraordinary, since his words really held water. However, he also felt that he was lost in various fancies and conjectures recently, detecting the unusualness from anybody.

Doctor Liu seemed to have seen through Xu Ran’s mind. He smiled and said, “As a doctor, I surely have read a few books before. Maybe not as many as the ones you have read, I have common senses at least.”

Xu Ran touched his nose with one hand, feeling a little embarrassed.

Doctor Liu asked Xu Ran to fetch a writing brush and a piece of paper for him to write. After finishing, he showed it to Xu Ran.

What Doctor Liu wrote was perfectly neutral and objective, without any fabrication or exaggerations. He just wrote down everything he had seen and had found out through his diagnosis by pulse-feeling.

Xu Ran folded the paper and put it in the pocket near his chest. Then he said to Doctor Liu, “Thank you, Doctor Liu. After Baozi wakes up, I will feed him rice soup, and please help me examine him again. Since Baozi is too little, I’m afraid he can’t take it.”

Doctor Liu nodded. “Although this croton seeds are poisonous, the perpetrator did not put in a lot, possibly for fear of killing people. Moreover, the ewe ate it with the grass, so the baby did not take in a lot of it. Don’t worry. He’ll be fine. Later, I will check him again.”

“Thank you, Doctor Liu,” Xu Ran said when the baby in his arms cried. Liu Tong ran out of the kitchen and asked, “Ran, what’s wrong? Baozi cried again.”

Xu Ran patted Baozi and said, “He must be hungry. Tongtong, have you made the rice soup? If it’s done, bring it over and feed him when it cools down.

“Okay, I’ll go now.” Liu Tong went out. At this time, Xu Ran felt the heat from his hands, and he had a bad feeling about it. When he took off Baozi’s pants, the premonition came true.

Baozi had peed on him before, but it was his first time pooping on him.

Xu Ran took Baozi out of the room, and went to the yard to let him continue pooping.

Doctor Liu followed him happily and said to Xu Ran, “He’ll be fine once he poops it out.”

Baozi didn’t cry when he pooped. He sobbed softly and kept opening his mouth, probably hungry.

Xu Ran was relieved to see it.

After Baozi was cleaned up, the rice soup cooled and fit for feeding him.

Xu Ran took over the bowl and fed him himself. Then he let Liu Tong go and find Gao Quan and Shao Yu back from the field. Things at field could be suspended, while those at home must be handled immediately. Plus, Doctor Liu was still waiting here.

Liu Tong nodded and went out. If Xu Ran went, he and Doctor Liu would be the only ones at home, which was inappropriate, so it was bette for him to go.

After Xu Ran fed Baozi rice soup, he coaxed him to sleep. When Baozi had fallen asleep, he asked Doctor Liu to check if there were any problems.

Doctor Liu took his pulse, prized open Baozi’s little mouth and examined him again. Afterwards, he said to Xu Ran, “Nothing serious. Let him poop more so as to remove the poison from the croton seeds. Remember to feed him rice soup recently, which can clean his stomach.”

Xu Ran nodded. “It’s good that he’s fine. Thank you, Doctor Liu.”

Doctor Liu smiled and said, “Alright, we are living in the same village. Don’t stand on ceremony!”

Xu Ran scratched his head. “This is not ceremony. You know that I’m really anxious.”

Doctor Liu consoled him, “Alright, alright. I understand. Parents all worry too much even about the minor illness when it comes to their kids.”

As they were talking, Liu Tong came back very soon. Behind him were Gao Quan and Shao Yu. Gao Quan didn’t enter the room. He gave a glance at the doorway and took the four dogs to the pen.

After Shao Yu entered, he went to see little Baozi. “Xu Ran, is little Baozi is alright now? It’s all my fault. I didn’t take good care of him.”

Xu Ran handed Baozi to him. “He’s fine. Doctor Liu just checked him. How can it be your fault? Everyone was so busy that they didn’t pay attention to these things. Who would have thought that someone would have such a vicious mind as to harm a baby?

“Yeah!” Shao Yu was worried, “I wonder who is so vicious. Fortunately, Baozi is fine.”

Xu Ran said, “Don’t worry, I will definitely deal with this matter, and the perpetrator will be found out.”

“That’s good. We have to find out whoever wanted to harm our little Baozi,” Shao Yu said while holding little Baozi.

Seeing that Shao Yu was back, who could help Liu Tong, Xu Ran let the two of them look after the baby. He and Doctor Liu went to check the pen.

Gao Quan was examining the ewe, when Xu Ran stood behind him and asked, “Did Gao Quan find anything?”

Seeing that Xu Ran and Doctor Liu had arrived, Gao Quan stood up. “This ewe didn’t die for long. It’s probably about the moment I went out when I happened to take the dogs away. I think the guy had been hiding nearby and he should be from the village. The ewe had been stabbed twice. The ways of using knives are different. It should be done by two people.”

Upon hearing Gao Quan’s analysis, Xu Ran fell into deep thought. Before this, he and Liu Tong had thought that it was Xu Cheng. After all, he had never offended anyone else and no one else had a motive.

However, Gao Quan said it was done by two people, so Xu Ran started to doubt whether this person was Xu Cheng.

While Gao Quan continued, “You can let Peach and the other dogs track the guy following the smell. Four dogs working together should make it work.”

At Gao Quan’s words, Xu Ran clapped his hands and remembered that dogs were very sensitive in their sense of smell. He thought about modern military dogs, but could their family ones work?

Xu Ran was doubtful.

Gao Quan said, “No matter it works or not, let them try! After all, we have four dogs!”

Doctor Liu agreed, “Then let’s try. It will be best if they find him, otherwise village head will handle it.”

“Uhm, let’s try,” Xu Ran said.

“Peach, Plum, come over. I don’t care if you understand it or not. Smell this ewe first, then take us to find the perpetrator. Doctor Liu, I have to trouble you to take the trip to village head’s.”

Doctor Liu said, “No problem. I can’t do anything else today anyway. I will go now!”

Doctor Liu was about to leave when Xu Ran saw him out of the door. When Xu Ran returned to the pen, he saw four dogs running out, with Gao Quan following behind.

Xu Ran touched his nose. He also wanted to go.