Shao Dong touched his nose upon hearing Shao Xi's accusation. For the first time, he felt a little guilty. However, he still said, "I just feel that I have to make things clear for you guys. Don't you know that we should grieve first and rejoice later?"
Could 'grieve first and rejoice later' even be applied in such a situation? No one spoke for a moment.
Mu Jingzhe didn't know that the children had already made all those arrangements for her. Moreover, it was very forward of them to think that she would get married and have her own children.
This was truly 'farsighted' of them.
She was coaxing Little Bei to sleep, but Little Bei insisted on hugging her arm before sleeping. She even refused to sleep and kept staring at her, saying that she wanted to look at her face because she had missed her so much previously.
The little girl was so sweet that Mu Jingzhe felt her heart brimming with sweetness.
After coaxing Little Bei to sleep, Mu Jingzhe lay in the familiar room and slowly heaved a sigh of relief.
Ever since she'd transmigrated into the novel, this was actually the place she had gotten most used to.
After relaxing, the exhausted Mu Jingzhe quickly fell asleep. However, she was awakened by Little Bei's sobbing in the middle of the night.
When she got up, she saw Little Bei crying. Her face was covered in tears, and she was trembling from crying. In her dreams, she was saying, "Mommy, don't go…"
Startled, Mu Jingzhe hurriedly woke Little Bei up. "Little Bei, wake up. Mommy is here."
When Little Bei woke up and saw her, she hugged her and wailed. "Boohoo, Mommy… I dreamed that you left. Don't leave again, alright?"
Knowing that Shao Qihai was not dead and merely didn't want them anymore was a huge blow to the children. Although they claimed that they didn't care, their self-confidence had suffered a blow, and they now felt even more insecure.
Little Bei was like that.
"Mommy, I'll be good and listen to you from now on. Mommy, don't leave, alright?"
Mu Jingzhe hugged her tightly. "I'm not leaving. Little Bei, don't cry."
Mu Jingzhe hadn't expected her departure to have such a big impact. She was filled with guilt.
Little Bei calmed down thanks to her comfort and said, feeling a little embarrassed, "Mommy, can you sing a lullaby for me? All the children on TV have lullabies sung to them. I've never heard one before."
Little Bei's mother had passed away the moment she had been born. Zhao Lan had never sung them a lullaby. If they dared to cry, they would basically be asking to be scolded.
Little Bei had never had someone sing a lullaby to her before and was very envious of the kids who had.
A lullaby?
Mu Jingzhe scratched her head. Lyrics such as 'Go ahead and sleep, my baby' flashed across her mind, but she didn't know how to sing.
She also thought of the lullaby 'Mothers are the best in the world'. However, the topic of a mother was very agitating to an orphan. In the past, the orphanage director had never coaxed them by using a lullaby before.
Mu Jingzhe thought about it for a long while and finally remembered a song that basically all young children knew how to sing.
"Then let me try singing for you."
Mu Jingzhe cleared her throat and patted Little Bei as she sang.
"The sun is shining in the sky, and the flowers are smiling at me. The little bird says morning. Why are you carrying explosives in your bag? I'm going to bomb the school. I'm never late…"
As Mu Jingzhe sang, she saw Little Bei's shocked gaze and suddenly felt that something was amiss. It didn't seem like the song was sung that way. Wait, what was the original song?
"No, no, I sang it wrong."
It was all those students' fault. They were the ones who had changed the lyrics!
Outside the door, Shao Qiyang, Shao Dong, and Shao Xi nearly burst out laughing.
They had rushed over after hearing Little Bei cry. They hadn't expected to hear Mu Jingzhe's version of a lullaby.
Shao Qiyang resisted the urge to laugh and patted Shao Dong and Shao Xi's heads. "Hurry up and go back."
Shao Dong and Shao Xi looked at each other and nodded. When they lay down, the two of them hid under their blankets and laughed.
After a moment, the two brothers popped their heads out, their faces looking slightly red.
The two of them had been about to sleep when they'd suddenly heard Shao Nan shout, "No!"
It seemed like he was dreaming and sweating profusely.
Shao Dong quickly shook Shao Nan awake. "Did you have a nightmare?"
It was rare for Shao Nan to be a little dazed. He looked at Shao Dong in a daze and hummed in agreement. "Eldest Brother, I dreamed that Mommy got married and had children. She gave birth to many younger brothers and sisters. They were all squeezed next to her, hanging all over her. We couldn't squeeze past them at all."
Shao Dong: "…"
He hadn't expected his words to traumatize his younger brother.
"Don't think too much. We have to trust Mommy."
Despite saying that, even Xiao Wu couldn't help but dream about it in the latter half of the night.
They all dreamed that Mu Jingzhe got married and had a child. Then, she stopped liking them and didn't want them anymore. Alternately, they had a nightmare about calling Mu Jingzhe 'Mommy' but seeing her refuse to respond to them and only liking her own children.
When they woke up, they were all a little dispirited.
Little Bei, who was the only one who hadn't heard Shao Dong's words and didn't know anything, forgot about waking up crying last night by the time she woke up in the morning. On the other hand, she remembered in her heart the lullaby Mu Jingzhe had sung to her only once.
When she got up, she saw the little birds bouncing on the trees outside the door and the bright sun hanging in the sky. This put her in a sunny mood, and she started singing the lullaby.
"The sun is shining in the sky, and the flowers are smiling at me. The little bird says morning. Why are you carrying explosives in your bag? I'm going to bomb the school. I'm never late…"
Mu Jingzhe, who was combing Little Bei's hair, trembled and hurt Little Bei for the first time.
Little Bei's voice was nice, and her pitch was accurate. She sounded super cute singing the lullaby, but these lyrics…
"Little Bei, stop singing. That's not how it goes…"
She had just stopped Little Bei when Xiao Wu came out carrying a small school bag on his back and started to play a melody on the flute that matched the atmosphere well.
He blew the song at the sun, then at the birds. It was a merry, pleasant tune.
However, the tune he was blowing was 'Going to School'[1].
Mu Jingzhe held a hand to her forehead. Shao Nan and Shao Xi kept watching and stifling their laughter. When Mu Jingzhe looked over, they quickly shut their mouths.
"Mom, aren't you cutting Shao Nan's hair today?"
"Mm."
Little Bei's voice temporarily suppressed her older brothers' nightmares and made them stop thinking about Mu Jingzhe having her own children after remarrying.
Little Bei was ecstatic that her brothers had started calling Mu Jingzhe 'Mommy' too. She was glad that her brothers now had a mother too. She then secretly spoke to Mu Jingzhe.
"Mommy, although my older brothers now call you 'Mommy' too, you still have to dote on me the most because I was the first one to call you 'Mommy'."
"Alright." Mu Jingzhe was caught between laughter and tears.
She had been accused of playing favorites to begin with and had been working hard to correct it, yet this little girl had used this trick.
But then again, Little Bei didn't really mean that, for she was actually very good to her brothers. She was happier to see Mu Jingzhe treat them well than having Mu Jingzhe treat her well.
After breakfast, Li Zhaodi came to visit Mu Jingzhe.
The children felt afraid when they saw her.
They feared that she would take Mu Jingzhe away again.
Little Bei swallowed her saliva and gave her a fawning smile. She opened her mouth to greet her, but for a moment, she didn't know how to address her. As she was wondering with a troubled expression, she saw Li Zhaodi wave at her.
Little Bei went over nervously, her little face cautious and fawning.
Li Zhaodi felt a little uncomfortable seeing this. This reminded her of Mu Jingzhe when she was young. When she was young, Mu Jingzhe knew that Old Madam Mu didn't like her and would always smile ingratiatingly whenever she saw her.
However, no matter how hard she tried to please her, no matter how careful she was or how much she smiled, Old Madam Mu wouldn't smile back at her.
When she saw the little brats that had made Mu Jingzhe insist on coming back to be their mother, Li Zhaodi was naturally unhappy and even felt a little mad at them. However, when she saw this smile, it instantly invoked sad feelings in her.
Was this the reason Jingzhe had stayed behind to take care of them?
Was it because she had suffered enough when she was young that her heart had softened when it came to children?
At this thought, Li Zhaodi felt awful.
[1] the nursery rhyme Mu Jingzhe sang last night with revised lyrics
Li Zhaodi pulled Little Bei over and cupped her little face hatefully.
"You don't have to smile if you don't want to. It's not like I can do anything to you. Why are you trying to please me?"
Little Bei was stunned.
Li Zhaodi spoke fiercely, but Little Bei didn't feel any malice at all. In fact, for some reason, she even felt closer to her.
She blinked and obeyed, no longer smiling. "Are… Are you here to take Mommy away?" she asked carefully.
Li Zhaodi snapped, "No!"
If only she could take her away.
She looked up at the sky. She didn't know what she had done in her previous lifetime to deserve to go through all this.
Seeing that Little Bei had heaved a sigh of relief and laughed out loud, holding back her laughter after casting another glance at Li Zhaodi, she said in a disgruntled tone, "If you want to laugh, then laugh. I'm just telling you not to laugh when you don't want to. Your mother is so protective of you because she wants you to laugh whenever you want. If you don't want to laugh, then don't laugh. You don't have to please anyone or tiptoe around anybody.
"Remember, don't be afraid of anyone in the future. If anyone dares to bully you, look for Mommy or me. Don't be afraid."
Little Bei nodded. "Alright, I'll also pass the message on to my brothers."
Li Zhaodi nodded in satisfaction. She waited for a while longer, but when she did not hear anything, she couldn't resist saying, "Aren't you already calling Jingzhe 'Mom'? Why don't you greet me as 'Grandma'?"
Hadn't Jingzhe said that the children were smart? Judging by this, it didn't seem like it.
Little Bei was stunned for a moment before she reacted and rejoiced. "Grand… Grandma?"
"Not 'Grand-Grandma'. It's 'Grandma'." Li Zhaodi took some fruit candy out of her pocket and handed it to Little Bei.
"Thank you, Grandma." Little Bei thanked her politely.
Li Zhaodi waved her hand, finally feeling a little better. Then, she turned around and saw a row of radishes calling her 'Grandma'.
Now that they had made the change and started calling Mu Jingzhe 'Mommy', it was very easy for the kids to switch to addressing Li Zhaodi as 'Grandma'.
Li Zhaodi: "…"
It was kind of depressing to have so many step-grandchildren. How wonderful would it be if they were her biological grandchildren?
Despite feeling depressed, Li Zhaodi still didn't favor one over the other. She gave all of them sweets to celebrate that they were calling her 'Grandma'.
After they called her 'Grandma' and she gave them sweets, Li Zhaodi and the five children looked at each other, feeling a little uncomfortable.
In the end, Li Zhaodi waved her hand. "Sigh… Don't look at me anymore. I really can't bring myself to hug the few of you and call you 'darlings' today."
The kids were embarrassed by her words. They didn't want her to hug them and call them 'darlings' either. It would be too awkward. However, since Li Zhaodi was their mother's biological mother, they wanted to keep her company.
Because Li Zhaodi and Mu Teng had taken Mu Jingzhe away, they had been very afraid of Li Zhaodi previously. For this reason, Shao Nan had even hated Li Zhaodi before.
However, now that Mu Jingzhe was back, when they looked at Li Zhaodi again, they felt that she was becoming friendlier.
"Grandma, this is for you."
Little Bei passed the rabbit-shaped white milk candy that she couldn't bear to eat to Li Zhaodi.
The boys also took out their only snacks and gave them to Li Zhaodi. Xiao Wu even wanted to play the flute for Li Zhaodi.
Li Zhaodi gazed at their little faces and felt even more conflicted.
"You only know how to curry favor with me. All of you are quite smart, but it's useless currying favor with me. What's important is that you treat Jingzhe well."
Shao Xi quickly nodded. "Grandma, we know. Don't worry. We will treat Mommy very well and be filial to her."
"You must make good on your promise. If you dare treat her badly and be unfilial, I… I'll beat you to death."
Li Zhaodi snorted. "Do you think I want to acknowledge you? I don't want to, but what can I do since Jingzhe is being disobedient? Just remember her kindness. The only thing I want to say to you is this: You've got to support her in her old age in the future."
"Of course. We'll ensure she wears the finest clothes and jewelry."
"You sure talk big, huh. Wears the finest clothes and jewelry? Never mind all that. When Jingzhe turns 55, the five of you can support her in her old age."
Li Zhaodi suddenly had an idea. "Isn't the retirement age 55 these days? When Jingzhe is 55 years old, you can give her a pension. The five of you can chip in for the pension together."
Li Zhaodi laughed at the thought. This way, it would be exactly like working.
If Jingzhe remarried and had children in the future, she would have a pension and feel more assured. If she didn't marry or have children, that would guarantee that she'd have enough to live on in her old age.
Of course, Li Zhaodi didn't want the latter to happen.
The five kids looked at Li Zhaodi and scratched their heads. So she just wanted them to give her a pension? Couldn't they properly support her in her old age?
However, they couldn't afford to provoke this grandma now. They would just go along with whatever she said.
Li Zhaodi didn't know if the children would amount to anything in the future. She was only satisfied when she heard them agree. Afraid that there would be no evidence, she quickly asked them to write down a guarantee.
"Write it down and then sign your names one by one. If you don't know how to write yet, press your thumbprints. I'll look after the document. If you don't fulfill your promise in the future, I'll look for you."
"We all know how to write."
"Then go ahead and write it."
Li Zhaodi wasn't very literate either. She had merely learned a few words in a basic class before, so she only scanned the first half of the content in a hurry. Although she was sensitive to numbers and could calculate sums clearly, she didn't know how big of a pension she should write down, so she vaguely said that they should give her an amount based on future standards.
The children obediently wrote it down and signed.
"Alright, I'll keep it then. Remember to keep your word in the future. Otherwise, I'll take this guarantee and cause you trouble."
Li Zhaodi left with the guarantee in satisfaction without waiting for Mu Jingzhe to return.
When Mu Jingzhe returned, the five kids obediently told her what had happened, such as that they'd changed the way they addressed her and started calling her 'Grandma', as well as that they'd written a guarantee.
Unsure whether she should laugh or cry, Mu Jingzhe handed them the books she had borrowed from the county library.
Now that Mu Jingzhe had returned, the few female workers she had hired resumed their previous routine of leaving for work early in the morning and returning home late at night, clocking in and out day after day. On the third day, Li Fang also came, but this time, she didn't come to take supplies.
Ever since that incident, the atmosphere in the Li Family had been depressing. Li Fang looked gloomy and much thinner than before.
Although everyone said that Bai Qiang shouldn't be acting like this and that the Li Family was pitiful for being entangled with him, there was still a lot of gossip.
Bai Qiang had deliberately spread those rumors to force Li Fang to marry him. Although the Li Family hadn't agreed in the end and Li Fang had held on and hadn't compromised, she had still been affected.
The young men in the village who had previously been interested in her stopped looking for her. She also suffered from quite a lot of gossip. Some people said that although Bai Qiang's actions were wrong, there was one thing he had said that was right.
Who knew if Li Fang would run away like Li Tao.
Words turned into sharp weapons that hurt even more. The Li Family became increasingly silent.
In the past, Li Fang used to have a cheerful personality. After being forced into such a state, she really couldn't stay in the village anymore. This made her think of leaving the village to earn money for her parents so that they could pay back the money they had borrowed. She didn't want them to be unable to lift their heads in the village, nor did she want to be subjected to those rumors anymore.
Coincidentally, a big sister who had gone out to earn money in the neighboring Little Eastern Village returned, saying that their factory was still hiring this year. The girls in the village could sign up if they wanted to go. The big sister would take a look at these girls, and if she felt that they were alright, they could go.
Li Fang was tempted, but she wasn't confident. In the end, she couldn't help but ask Mu Jingzhe.
In Li Fang's heart, Mu Jingzhe was knowledgeable. She would feel more assured if Mu Jingzhe also felt that it was okay.
Mu Jingzhe frowned and said without thinking, "Don't go."
Li Fang froze in surprise. "Why?"
She hadn't expected Mu Jingzhe to have such an attitude.
Mu Jingzhe took a deep breath. This had been the beginning of the original Mu Jingzhe's descent into hell.
In the novel, at right about this time, the original Mu Jingzhe followed that woman over to her recruitment.
When that woman from Little Eastern Village came back, she was dressed in fine clothes and expensive jewelry, looking like she was living a good life. However, she was actually just a prostitute. After working in the sex trade for so many years, she was already at the end of her rope.
Now that she was no longer young and wanted to earn money, she turned her attention to the pretty young women who had no one to depend on and were easy to control.
Once those young girls went there, they would be in a quagmire for the rest of their lives, never fated to escape from it. This was how the original Mu Jingzhe had been tricked and ruined.
After all, once a girl went there, she would be plunged into hell. Everyone wanted their dignity, so the girls who were duped into going didn't dare send back news to expose this, and this had allowed that woman to succeed time and again.
Knowing that she would face a fire pit if she went, Mu Jingzhe naturally didn't want Li Fang to go, nor did she want anyone to be duped again.
Now that that woman had returned, she had to resolve this to prevent future trouble.
"Li Fang, actually, I've always had my suspicions about people making a lot of money at the so-called factory. This is because when a factory recruits workers, even if they only hire female workers, the age requirement generally isn't so strict.
"Everything else aside, being 30 years old ought to be fine. However, this so-called factory hires only girls and married women who are young and beautiful. As for the rest, that woman will say they didn't make the cut. Don't you find it strange?"
Mu Jingzhe's words stunned Li Fang. She had never thought of this before, nor had anyone else in the village.
They'd only heard and seen those girls go out to earn money. The girls who went there would subsequently bring back good stuff and send money back every year. They all thought that it was a good job.
It wasn't like everyone was stupid, but their knowledge was limited, which in turn limited their ability to think about any problems until Mu Jingzhe exposed this.
"Jingzhe, are you saying that her job isn't proper?"
"I have no evidence. After all, I've never been there before, but I don't think it's normal, so my guess is that it's not a proper job."
Mu Jingzhe shook her head. "We can't trust people blindly just because they're from the same village or we know them. On the contrary, we should be more vigilant and cautious in that case. That's why you have to gain a better understanding of the job before going. Since she claims that the factory is hiring, shouldn't we investigate the factory's information and some other aspects?"
Nowadays, news was outdated, and there were many cases of people being scammed. Mu Jingzhe really didn't want anyone to make the same mistake and have their life ruined.
These young ladies genuinely wanted to work hard and earn money.
Li Fang was convinced by Mu Jingzhe. The impulse in her heart was completely suppressed by her rationality. She couldn't be rash just because she wanted to escape.
"Then I'll ask around. If there's a problem, we can't let this continue."
"Mm." Mu Jingzhe nodded.
"I won't say your name when the time comes," Li Fang promised.
"It doesn't matter. I don't care if you do." Mu Jingzhe wasn't afraid. Even if that woman didn't come looking for her, she would.
Now that she had taken over Mu Jingzhe's body, she had to take revenge for the original owner. In her previous life, the tragedy of Mu Jingzhe's family had been directly linked to this woman.
The swift and decisive Li Fang went to inquire that very day. Before she got to the bottom of this, she shared her suspicions. The news spread very quickly.
Everyone was discussing this matter, but the families who had previously sent their young daughters or wives there were naturally unwilling to believe it and said that Li Fang was spouting nonsense.
However, everyone was still afraid when they heard that. The few young ladies who had originally been hesitant to go immediately decided not to.
As the news spread throughout the village, everyone was fervently discussing this among themselves.
The woman from Little Eastern Village's heart jumped when she heard that. She was originally a little flustered, but later on, she heard that it was Li Fang who had spread that information. Because of her older sister, Li Fang's reputation had been ruined long ago.
Besides, Li Fang seemed to have suddenly started spreading this rumor after going to look for Mu Jingzhe.
Although Mu Jingzhe said that it didn't matter, Li Fang kept her promise and didn't say anything about Mu Jingzhe. However, one could still find out about this after asking around.
When the woman from Little Eastern Village heard that she was a young widow, she came straight to her door.
She was still counting on this as a source of money in the future. She couldn't let these two women ruin it.
"Mu Jingzhe, Li Fang, come out!"
She had gathered her family and the family members of the young women she had previously recruited before she'd come knocking on Mu Jingzhe's door.
"Do you think you can spout nonsense just because you have a mouth? How dare you slander someone when you don't know anything about them? Come out immediately and make things clear."
As soon as Mu Jingzhe came out, the woman charged up angrily, wanting to intimidate her.
She was wearing a red dress and high heels. Her hair was permed up, and she looked aggressive. Anyone who didn't know better might have been intimidated.
When Shao Dong came out of the room and saw her, he thought that she was going to hit someone. Without thinking, he rushed over and stood in front of Mu Jingzhe, just like he had always stood in front of his younger siblings in the past.
Mu Jingzhe was stunned for a moment before she quickly pulled him back. "Be careful, Shao Dong."
Shao Dong opened his arms and looked at the curly-haired woman vigilantly. It was only then that Mu Jingzhe realized that Shao Dong wanted to protect her.
Mu Jingzhe's mood instantly became complicated as she looked at the top of Shao Dong's head.
Shao Dong knew that she had immense strength, but he still instinctively protected her. This child was really heartwarming.
Mu Jingzhe was touched and couldn't help but lift Shao Dong up and set him aside. "Be good. Move aside so you don't get hit."
Shao Dong was stunned when he was picked up.
He was still thinking that he was the man of the family and should protect his family no matter what. His heart was filled with pride. Why was he suddenly… lifted?
Only when he was put aside did Shao Dong realize that he was being treated as a child!
Shao Dong's little face stiffened. Mu Jingzhe stroked his head and said, "I'm not afraid. Don't worry."
Upon saying that, Mu Jingzhe looked at the other woman, who had her arms crossed and was exuding an imposing aura. "What did I say wrong? You weren't clear to begin with.
"If you're not convinced, tell me in front of everyone. What is the name of the factory you're recruiting people for, its exact address, and what kind of goods are produced there? How many people are working in the factory? Why are you only hiring female workers under the age of 25?
"Also, which position are you holding? Are you in the Human Resources Department, or are you just a worker? Why do you have the right to hire people? Do you call the shots?"
When the curly-haired woman had come to make a fuss, everyone had come over to take a look. As soon as Mu Jingzhe finished speaking, everyone turned their gazes to the curly-haired woman and waited for her to explain.
Curly-haired woman: "…"
A trace of sheepishness flashed past her eyes.
Why did this Mu Jingzhe know so much? Why would she ask such questions?
In the past, she had felt that she had been to a big city and seen the world. She'd always looked down on the people in the village and just spouted whatever lies came to her mind. It's not like they would know the difference anyway.
Of course, she had never told them the exact name and address of the factory. She would always reply that even if she told them, they wouldn't know it. She would just cook up lies to make up for any details.
Just as she was about to use the old method to deal with her, she saw Mu Jingzhe wave her hand to get Shao Dong, who was watching her anxiously, to come over.
"Shao Dong, write down the factory address and any other information she mentioned. I'll ask around later."
After saying that, she motioned for the woman to continue. "Go ahead and speak."
The curly-haired woman was used to being arrogant, but this time, she had kicked an iron plate. After hesitating for a moment, she could only start making things up.
The name of the factory given by the curly-haired woman was just some place she had passed by before, and the address was random. As for what kind of goods were being produced there and whatnot, she had no clue.
She could cook up some nonsense, though. "Our factory is huge. There are more than 800 workers in total. We mainly produce bedsheets and blankets. You guys know that silk sheets are very popular. We need female workers because our business is good. The reason we hire young ladies with tender hands is because we fear the workers might scratch the silk blankets if their hands are rough."
She thought she'd managed to bluff her way through, but she hadn't expected to hear Mu Jingzhe ask immediately, "There are quite a few factories in that area, right? Besides, silk blankets can't be made with human hands, so there has got to be machines, right? What's the model of the machines you use? With more than 800 workers and all those machines, you must have a very big factory that occupies a sizable area. It must have its own brand. What brand is it? Has the brand been advertised on television or on the radio?
"Tell me about it. I wanna see if I've heard of it before. And you still haven't answered me—are you working for HR?"
These few questions completely stumped the curly-haired woman. Who the heck knew what kind of machines were used? She did not know any brands, let alone if they had appeared on television commercials.
She didn't understand. Why would Mu Jingzhe know all this? She had a reply for everything and even knew things she didn't know.
And why did it sound like she had been there before?
Mu Jingzhe had indeed been there, but it had been in her previous lifetime.
This world existed in a novel parallel to the world where she had come from. There were many fictional places, but some places truly existed in reality, such as some cities.
When Mu Jingzhe had been to that city in her previous life, it had already developed very well. It wasn't all that hard for her to sound knowledgeable about it.
Seeing that the curly-haired woman was stumped, Mu Jingzhe urged her impatiently. "Speak. Why aren't you saying anything?"
"What's the point of all these questions? It's not like you can go there and verify the answers." The curly-haired woman tried her best to stay calm.
"Why can't I go and verify them? I'm really going to do that. Don't you know that I am a businesswoman? People from all over the country work with me. I'm also doing business with someone in the place you mentioned. I'll check with him after you answer my questions."
This was fake, but it wasn't impossible for Mu Jingzhe to really find out if she wanted to. She had nothing to feel guilty about. She wasn't the one who should be feeling guilty.
Mu Jingzhe looked on calmly, while the curly-haired woman was completely flustered.
She couldn't answer any of those questions, and the more she said, the more likely it was that she might expose herself.
In the end, she could only lash back barbarically. "Why are you asking so many questions when you're not even going there? Who knows what you're going to do by asking those questions? Why do I have to tell you everything? I'm just kind enough to give everyone a chance to earn money together. Just forget it if you're not going!"
After saying that, she tossed her head. She was just about to leave when she was stopped by a shout.
"Wait, who said you can leave?"
The curly-haired woman turned around and saw Shao Nan walking around Mu Jingzhe.
"If you don't clear things up today, don't even think about walking out this door."
The curly-haired woman's face turned green with anger when she saw the child's arrogant attitude. "I can come and go as I please. It's none of your business."
She spat and turned to leave.
"Everyone, help me stop her," Mu Jingzhe said.
The curly-haired woman scoffed, wondering who would listen to her. However, she was stopped after only taking two steps.
The villagers weren't fools. They could tell that this woman was guilty. There was something wrong with her.
"You're not allowed to leave. Stay here and clarify things."
"What's there to clarify? Isn't it clear enough for everyone to see? She's obviously feeling guilty. I think everyone's guess is right. She's taking those young ladies to do something indecent."
What could young and beautiful girls be duped into doing? Wasn't it obvious?
Everyone criticized her angrily. "I knew she wasn't a decent person. Looking at her now, she really doesn't look like a decent person!"
"She must be up to no good!"
The curly-haired woman was truly flustered now. "What kind of nonsense are you talking about…"
Before she could finish speaking, she was ruthlessly pushed. "Not only did you degenerate yourself, but you even wanted to harm others. Why are you so cheap?"
Those who had thought of going felt lingering fear.
As for those whose daughters or wives had been tricked into going, they had come over in a threatening manner. Now, their faces were pale, and they were mumbling that this was impossible.
The curly-haired woman quickly said, "Hurry up and help me."
Just as she was about to urge everyone, she heard Shao Nan say, "Everyone, calm down. Don't kill anyone. Let's calm down and get a clear grasp of the situation first."
He paused and looked at the curly-haired woman. "If you don't want to make things clear here, you'll have to go make things clear at the police station."
When the words 'police station' were said, everyone was shocked. The curly-haired woman panicked. "What police station? What kind of nonsense are you spouting?"
"I'm not spouting nonsense. If you really duped people into doing something bad, then you have broken the law and you'll have to go to jail for that."
"You're the one going to jail. You're the one breaking the law. What does a little brat like you know?" The curly-haired woman's legs trembled when she heard that.
"I know more than you do." Shao Nan recited the relevant legal provisions the moment he opened his mouth, even reciting the section number of the legal code.
Then, he took out a law book. "It's all written here. You can think about how many crimes you've committed."
The curly-haired woman and everyone else were shocked. How had Shao Nan managed to memorize all this?
Mu Jingzhe was also shocked. The law book in Shao Nan's hand was the one she had borrowed from the county library.
She had thought that the children were curious and wanted to see it and felt that it would be good for them to know the law, so she had borrowed it. She'd even wanted to find time to talk to them about its contents.
It wasn't like she wanted them to finish reading the entire thing. She just wanted to let them know what was illegal.
She wanted to talk to them more and establish the right values and outlook on life. This was also meant to prevent them from going astray in the future and breaking the law without even knowing it.
In the end, before she had even flipped through the book herself and talked to them about it, Shao Nan had already read it and could now even recite it?
Shao Nan didn't have much of a reaction to everyone's gazes. However, when he saw Mu Jingzhe's surprised gaze, the corners of his lips curled up.
He had helped his mother today.
The reason why Shao Nan was suddenly interested in the law was because of what had happened to Mu Jingzhe last time. He had been very dissatisfied when he'd seen that Zhao Lan had actually been released.
Because of this, he had understood the importance of the law, so he had told Mu Jingzhe that he wanted to comprehend it. He'd immediately read the book right after Mu Jingzhe had borrowed it.
It was honestly really dry, but Shao Nan had still patiently read and memorized it. If there was a term he didn't recognize, he would look it up. If there was something he didn't understand, he would ask. He wanted to know the law in case he had a use for it in the future.
Mu Jingzhe knew that the children were all incredible bigshots, but she hadn't expected them to be this incredible.
She fell into a daze as she gazed at Shao Nan. She didn't even need to do anything, as Shao Nan had already quickly taken care of the situation.
The villagers didn't know about the various sections of the penal code, but they knew that what the curly-haired woman had done was illegal.
They quickly tied the curly-haired woman up and prepared to take her to the police station.
In the past, the villagers wouldn't have taken Shao Nan's words seriously, but now, everyone knew that the children of the Shao Family were impressive after seeing them publish essays, film advertisements, and act in television shows, things that only incredible people were capable of doing. They were all intellectuals.
Since Shao Nan had already taken out the book and Mu Jingzhe hadn't objected, this couldn't be wrong.
The curly-haired woman couldn't figure it out. How had things come to this?
She'd come to question Mu Jingzhe and cause her trouble. How had things backfired so much that she'd ended up being taken to the police station? She knew what she'd done. She'd be finished if she went to the police station.
"Let go of me! You have no right to do this!"
She shouted for the villagers of Little Dong Village to help. "Are you all dead? They're saying that your daughters didn't go to work at a factory but have become prostitutes. Hurry up and help!"
In this day and age, reputation was the most important thing. Even if it was true, they could only swallow it down.
This was also the reason she had always been fearless. Even if they found out that she had lied to them, they would help her keep it a secret if they didn't want to be disgraced.
In the past, this move had been the most effective. This time, it was the same. Many people in Little Eastern Village had red eyes. However, when they heard this, they decided to stop it first.
Only then could their daughters be saved.
They were about to help that woman when Shao Nan spoke again.
"You have to think this through. If you help her, you'll be covering for her. You might even be considered her accomplices. When that happens, you'll be finished too. Those who helped will be held responsible too."
His words made the villagers of Little Eastern Village freeze.
The curly-haired woman had gone there ferociously, but she'd ended up being sent to the police station.
The police took this very seriously. Over the past few years, more than ten girls had been duped into going away one after another. That meant that there were more than ten victims. Furthermore, the curly-haired woman might even have an accomplice.
Though the investigation would take some time, when the villagers saw that the curly-haired woman hadn't come out after being taken in, they knew that the situation was bad.
The curly-haired woman knew how serious the consequences were. She knew that if she admitted it, she would be dead meat. Hence, she gritted her teeth and stuck to her story, saying that she had merely introduced those women to a job.
However, after being taken to the police station, she was overwhelmed by guilt and fear and couldn't take it anymore.
The curly-haired woman knew that she was finished, and so did the families of the girls who had gone with her.
They refused to admit that their relatives were there to sell their bodies and insisted that they were there to work in a factory, obstructing the investigation quite a bit.
Those girls were all victims, but at that moment, they were also pinned on the pillar of shame. Even their families felt like they couldn't lift their heads.
Mu Jingzhe had expected the situation to be bad, but she still felt helpless when she saw this. She had clearly done nothing wrong, but at that moment, she was made to look like the bad guy.
Mu Jingzhe told everyone not to gossip about this, but it didn't work. She wanted to go see them, but in the end, not only were her gifts thrown out, but she also became the target of plenty of hate.
The kids were also almost angered to death.
Why was their mother hated when they hadn't done anything wrong? They were clearly helping someone.
Shao Nan regretted it a little. "Should I not have read the law book?"
"Of course not. You did very well, Shao Nan. We did a good deed and saved them, okay? They just find it hard to accept it because it's all so sudden."
Mu Jingzhe could understand this. Those who had nearly gone there were very grateful to her, and only a small portion of people hated her.
If they hated her, so be it. Staying alive was the most important thing. If they had really gone there, they might have ended up getting an STD like the original Mu Jingzhe.
Most importantly, they had prevented more victims from appearing, which was enough.
"All we can do is do our best. Everyone is sensible. It'll get better in the future."
Shao Nan was still a little angry, but when he woke up the next day, he found a parcel in the courtyard. He didn't know who had thrown it in.
They originally thought that it was garbage, but when they opened it, they found some things inside. There were also two thank-you notes in it from women that thanked Mu Jingzhe and Shao Nan for helping them escape from their misery.
Although they would be criticized, they could also have a new beginning after being saved.
"See that?" Mu Jingzhe showed it to Shao Nan.
As Shao Nan read the thank-you notes, his tightly-furrowed brows finally relaxed a little.
While Mu Jingzhe had been implicated, Li Fang was the trigger of this matter. In the end, Li Fang wasn't spared from being slandered. They said that it was actually Li Fang who'd wanted to do something shameful to earn money. After all, even her sister, Li Tao, had run away.
At the mention of Li Tao, the slandering people seemed to find a point to launch a counterattack. They said that Li Tao must have gone to work as a whore. Otherwise, how could she know so much?
Although many people knew that this was slander, there were still people who believed it and harshly criticized her for it.
Li Tao's name was being attacked once more. Some awful things were being said about Li Fang, so Li Fang was furious.
As Mu Jingzhe was thinking about how to stop the slander, something big happened in Great Eastern Village.
Everyone's attention was quickly attracted by this matter.
When the weather cleared up, everyone went to the fields to take a look. Instead of seeing how the crops were doing, one of the families was nearly startled to death.
They saw a decayed corpse.
The rain had persisted for a few days. Some spots had collapsed under the rain, flushing out this corpse that had been buried somewhere.
Their screams broke the silence of Great Eastern Village.
Several of the bolder residents of the village went over to take a look. Because the body was decomposed, it was difficult to recognize the face, but one could tell from the clothes that the corpse was a woman, and a young woman at that.
The clothes were also a little familiar. After taking a closer look, they realized that the corpse resembled Bai Qiang's wife, Li Tao, whom he had accused of running away.
A stone could create a thousand ripples. The entire Great Eastern Village was shocked.
Mu Jingzhe was also shocked. So Li Tao hadn't run away? She had died?
Mu Jingzhe's first reaction was to call the police.
The village leader reacted quickly and immediately sent someone to the police station to report this to the police.
When everyone heard that, they ran over to take a look. Mu Jingzhe was about to take the children to the county art school, but when she heard that, she got the children to go home and quickly rushed over.
She wasn't going to join in the fun but advise the village chief.
It would be best for them to watch over the corpse. Although it wasn't the crime scene, the corpse should still be protected. This way, it would be easier for the police to investigate the case.
Besides, it wasn't good to keep looking at this corpse. Children or timid people would be particularly scared if they saw it.
Also, although no one in the village said anything, all eyes were on Bai Qiang's family.
Bai Qiang's presence had been so strong previously that no one could forget him.
The village leader didn't need to be reminded this time. He secretly asked people to keep an eye on Bai Qiang and catch him if he dared to flee.
Mu Jingzhe heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that the village chief had arranged everything well.
This was her first reaction when she heard about Li Tao's death.
There was data to support that when a married person was harmed, their other half was the greatest suspect.
A large group of villagers had gathered on the empty plot of land where the collapse had taken place. There was a commotion everywhere. Not seeing the corpse around, they started discussing among themselves. It had been more than ten years since someone had been killed this way in their village.