I make a living solving crimes.

August 1958, 8, Ghost Festival.

The rain that had been falling for five days stopped today, as if to help the lost ghosts find their way home.

New era, new atmosphere, break all old customs.

There are no houses burning paper on the streets, but after dinner, wisps of green smoke are still coming out of the chimneys of each household.

The Chang family doesn’t need it because they have a yard.

After burning paper for Chang Kun in the brazier, everyone went back to the house and kowtowed to the portrait. Chang Wei came out to find clothes to take a bath, and happened to see Chang Da squatting on the ground in the corner of the dark yard, silently lighting a handful of yellow paper.

He stood there for a long time, wiped his eyes, turned around and went back to the house without disturbing anyone.

Life and death are so vague that it is hard to forget them even if you don’t think about them.

Yang Min looked depressed. Seeing Chang Wei coming in, she asked, "Is your sister burning paper for your brother-in-law?"

Chang Wei's nose was blocked and he nodded without saying anything.

"She is just as miserable as my mother."

Chang Wei sat next to Yang Min and comforted her in a muffled voice: "Mom, the hard times will pass. Dad is in heaven blessing us. We will be fine in the future."

"Yeah, everything will be fine." Yang Min forced a smile, stroking Chang Wei's back and said softly, "You were naughty when you were a child. I didn't expect that the more naughty you were, the more you got to know each other. Now that you've grown up, you've inherited your father's legacy."

Chang Wei asked curiously, "How did Dad become a police officer?"

Yang Min shifted her gaze to the window, as if she wanted to see through the endless darkness, yet seemed to be trapped in endless memories.

"You were just born at that time. Your grandfather took your father and your second uncle to the city to treat patients for rich families. They saw two dead babies next to a garbage can. Later, when they passed a sentry box, they saw the Japanese soldiers hitting people with rifle butts for no reason, hitting our people."

Chang Wei stood up to pour his mother a glass of water, then sat back on the stool and listened to her story.

"The day after we returned to the village, your second uncle ran away. Your father had graduated from high school and was considered an educated person. He locked himself up at home for three days without eating or drinking. After that, he often went to the city. It was not until the autumn of 48 that I found out that he was an underground party member."

"When the troops came, your father went to Tianjin to deliver a letter and was trapped in the city. Your grandfather took me with him to look for him. As we searched, we found that a fight had broken out in Tanggu. Your grandfather saw that the soldiers were all little kids and thought of your second uncle, so he stayed to treat their injuries and cure their illnesses."

"My mother is from the countryside and doesn't understand why they are fighting, but these soldiers were very polite to me. I have never seen such soldiers before. The young ones were only your age now. I couldn't bear it, so I went to help them carry the loads and food."

"After liberation, our family moved to the city. Your father became a policeman, and your second uncle also came back with your second aunt. It's a pity that your third uncle died in the south, and he didn't even leave any descendants."

"At that time, police officers had to fight in wars. I remember it was in 50 or 51. Your father led people to fight bandits. When he came back, he was covered in blood. Six people in the police station died in that battle."

"Your father was crying. I didn't know how to persuade him. You were still young at that time, so you started crying too. You had a loud voice when you were young, and your crying was ugly. It made your sister very anxious."

"Later, people came to claim the bodies. They were dressed like beggars and were so skinny that they didn't have much flesh on their bodies. Your father couldn't bear to part with them, so he sent 50 or 60 yuan every year from then on. But he was afraid that I would find out, so he quit smoking secretly without telling me."

"How could I not know? I washed his clothes and pants, how could I not smell the smoke?"

"Your father died later, without leaving me a single word."

"I was thinking, your father has been a hero all his life, I can't let his reputation down, but I'm just a woman after all, I can't make any money, I can only send a little to each family, and I don't know if they will scold your father!"

"Actually, I didn't want you to be a police officer. I was worried about your father every day back then, but you wanted to be a police officer since you were a child, and your father also said that Chang Wei must be a police officer when he grows up, so I didn't stop you."

"Chang Wei! You have to be good, don't be like your father. He left us five children, and your life was so hard!"

I talked a lot and said a lot!

Chang Wei listened silently.

That night.

The moon is high in the sky and the moonlight is gentle.

(As for the pension, let’s take the Korean War as an example. After the eldest son died, it was said that the staff neglected to issue the martyr certificate. It was not until 1990 years later, in 320, that the martyr certificate and yuan pension were reissued to Liu, who had remarried.)

(The highest-ranking general who died in the Korean War was the commander of the 67th Army. Ten years after his death, the local government issued him a 10 yuan pension.)

(Dong Shaotang, a soldier of the machine gun company, died in Korea, and the township government issued a pension of 180 yuan.)

(The pensions were certainly paid out, and the sacrifice figures were based on the pension payment data, but at that time the country was very poor, there was really not much money, and there were delays in many places.)

(In addition, some people say that minor children will be given 5 yuan per month until they reach adulthood. I don’t know where this comes from, and I have searched for a long time but to no avail. I even called back to my hometown to ask someone, but there was no reply. This should not have happened in 1958.)

A peaceful life is destined not to last long.

In the dark night, Li Lai Fu stood outside the door in a white police uniform.

"Did you know that today is the Ghost Festival?"

Chang Wei looked at him unhappily. Aren’t you afraid of scaring the children by wearing this color?

Li Laifu was embarrassed for a moment, and after a moment's hesitation, he said, "Director Wei called you. It's an emergency."

Chang Wei put on his police uniform and asked in surprise: "Calling now?"

Li Laifu nodded vigorously: "Yes, it's very urgent."

"Why are you on duty again?"

"Alas, Aunt Zhu and Jiang Hongxia are working the night shift. She said she was afraid, so Wu Jimao asked me to stay in the office with them."

"Afraid?" Chang Wei nodded. It turned out that the petty bourgeois's faith was not strong enough.

At this time, Chang Da had already woken up. Hearing the two people talking, she hurried to the side bedroom to get Chang Wei's shoulder bag and holster. After taking the things, Chang Wei gave a few instructions to close the door and then headed into the night.

Outside the yard, Chang Wei lit the "Damaged Bugatti" and drove Li Lai Fu towards the police station.

The car had a military license plate and was specifically lent to Chang Wei, so naturally no one in the police station dared to touch it.

He had been awarded driving license twice when he was investigating gambling and murdering a family. He was confused at the time, but because of his carefree personality, he didn't take it too seriously.

It was not until the Willys Jeep and the sidecar issued by the police station arrived that he found out that one was an A license and the other was a D license.

These two photos, one big and one small, are quite different.

Li Laifu sat in the passenger seat and watched Chang Wei's skilled operation with envy, "Chang Wei, when did you learn to drive?"

"Born with knowledge, do you understand this phrase?" Chang Wei changed gears and looked at Li Lai Fu proudly.

This word is not unfamiliar. Li Laifu thought about it and understood it. He looked at Chang Wei earnestly and said, "Can you teach me how to drive?"

It started to drizzle outside the car again. Chang Wei tried to look at the road and nodded, "Say this again. When you talk to me from now on, use your own words!"

"Oh, Chang Wei, can you teach me how to drive?"

"cannot!"