"Mom, come and check who has black-jack grass on their pants!" Qian Erhu exclaimed, his memory clear that only his family had black-jack grass in their field.
Ms. Lin realized the implications and hurriedly went to inspect their pants.
The children, not wanting to be suspected, couldn't help but check themselves as well, relieved to find no traces of the grass on their trousers.
The two boys let out sighs of relief. "My shoes might be wet, but there are no black-jacks on my pants!"
"Same here. No black-jacks on my pants, which proves we haven't been in the farmland."
Qian Duoduo turned to examine his pants, and his face changed dramatically upon discovering the black-jacks stuck to his trousers.
The others immediately crowded around him, and Qin Zhenzhen watched the scene unfold with amusement.
Su Cheng regarded Qian Duoduo with a mix of complex emotions.
He had never expected that Qian Duoduo would turn out to be the primary suspect. If Qian Duoduo had indeed stolen the corns and hidden them in the sweet potato field, and if it was Qian Duoduo who had nearly exposed his pants, then he must have been blind to befriend him.
Qian Duoduo began to panic. Many people had already guessed that he was the culprit who stole the cornss.
Qian Erhu glared at him. "So, you've been to my corns field?"
Qian Duoduo tried to compose himself. "I've never been there! Don't accuse me! There is black-jack grass behind my house, and the black-jacks on my pants must have stuck to the back of the house!"
"If you don't believe me, you can take a look behind my house!" Qian Duoduo insisted, hoping to prove his innocence.
Black-jack grass was a warm, bitter herb with non-toxic properties. It had medicinal value, known for its ability to remove heat, detoxify, alleviate bruising and swelling, and treat digestive issues like diarrhea and enteritis.
Although the black-jacks were prickly and could stick to clothes, they were not easily eliminated and even allowed to grow in some households' front and back areas.
Qian Duoduo did have black-jack grass behind his house, which made him feel increasingly confident in his defense.
However, he hadn't anticipated that Qin Zhenzhen had already honed in on him and was systematically exposing his involvement.
Qin Zhenzhen examined the five cornss, noticing how the outer layers had been peeled off, revealing the golden kernels. Most of the tendrils had been torn off as well.
The thief had evidently wanted to reduce the size and weight of the stolen cornss, making them easier to conceal in the straw basket.
Glancing at Qian Duoduo's basket, Qin Zhenzhen alerted Qian Erhu, "The person who stole the cornss must have initially hidden them in the straw basket and then transferred them to the sweet potato field after the theft was discovered."
"Look, the outer skin of the corn has been peeled off, and some of the silks have been ripped off but not completely. We might find some additional evidence in annual ragweed hidden in the field!" Qin Zhenzhen suggested.
Qian Erhu, who had been anxious about the lack of evidence, quickly seized Qian Duoduo's basket and carefully examined its contents. He soon discovered three strands of corn silks.
Qian Duoduo was about to offer an explanation when Qin Zhenzhen presented another point.
"Your fields are wet, and the footprints should be quite distinct. You can compare the footprints with his shoes!"
Qian Duoduo regretted not returning home and instead remaining to witness the unfolding events. He was tempted to flee, but Ms. Lin intercepted him.
"You think you can just run away? Not so fast!"
Qian Erhu proceeded to remove his shoes. If they matched the footprints, Qian Duoduo's defense would crumble.