The village took Mazu's Birthday very seriously. Even the Militia had been organized into five squads of ten, which should have been more than enough to deal with petty thieves. Other teams were patrolling too, ready to appear at a shout if anything happened. But while someone could spend a thousand days plotting a theft, how could anyone guard against thieves for a thousand days?
The five militia squads patrolled back and forth through the village all evening, until the opera ended. They all considered themselves conscientious in their duties, shouting at and driving away any suspicious people they found lingering, but even the tightest precautions had their gaps.
Once the opera finished and everyone headed home, an uproar promptly broke out in the village. Three households had been burgled.
Their locks had all been pried open, and everything from money down to scissors had been stolen. The houses had practically been stripped bare; anything that could be carried had been taken.
Late that night, all three households raised a commotion, wailing and cursing outside their doors, drawing a large crowd of villagers who had just finished watching the opera.
But after a glance and a quick inquiry, everyone lost interest in watching someone else's troubles. Those who had not yet gone home hurried back to check their own houses.
As usual, A Qing and the others brought up the rear. They waited until most of the crowd had dispersed before slowly heading back, later than most people.
When they reached the turnoff by the beach nearer the village, they immediately heard that some houses had been burgled.
The other stragglers around them were all startled and rushed home in a panic.
Lin Xiuqing and her family were surprised too, but immediately calmed down. A-Dong was home. There was nothing