Chapter 30: The Fate of the Wrongdoers

Yu Zihan was immersed in that terrifying situation, as if she were experiencing it firsthand. She desperately tried to break free from the horrible cage.

At that moment, a warm embrace surrounded her, feeling like the warm sun on a cold winter day warming her body. It was also like a lamp in the darkness illuminating her path.

She was enveloped by warmth and guided by light, gradually finding herself again.

The cave before her no longer seemed so frightening, and she was becoming stronger. Any demons or monsters would retreat in the face of her newfound strength.

Gradually, the fear in her heart was replaced by determination, and her mind became clear.

She felt a large hand gently stroking her back. Instinctively, she resented this touch and resisted, breaking free from the embrace.

When she looked up, she saw him looking at her with a gaze full of pity. She hated that look; she didn’t need sympathy.

“You scoundrel, what do you want?” She snapped back to reality, pushing Gu Jingxuan away with force.

Gu Jingxuan watched as the little girl fixed him with a pair of fierce, penetrating eyes filled with wariness. His heart ached at the sight.

She had recklessly fought against those bastards, passionately persuaded the other girls, cleverly devised traps, and lost control of her emotions in helplessness…

These images flashed before his mind frame by frame.

Just moments ago, she had seemed so fragile and in need of help, but now she was like a little tiger with her fur bristled; the shift in her emotions was too rapid.

“You, filthy man, not a single good one among you.” To ease her embarrassment, Yu Zihan left that parting remark and slammed the door behind her.

Once outside, her racing heart gradually calmed down. She was aware, knowing that Gu Jingxuan’s actions were meant to help her overcome her inner demons from that time.

But she couldn’t accept being embraced by a stranger, especially someone she disliked.

In short, Yu Zihan felt very conflicted inside. She was unclear about her own feelings.

As she walked home in a daze, Yu Meijuan noticed her daughter’s pale face and anxiously asked, “What happened?”

Entering the familiar home and seeing her mother, Yu Zihan finally felt at ease. She followed her mother into the house and poured herself a glass of water.

After drinking a glass of warm water, she said, “Mom, the investigation results are out. The kidnapping was indeed planned by those two siblings. But Li Libin took all the blame on himself.

I didn’t expect that such a selfish scoundrel could do something like this. He’s trying to leave his family a chance to survive. But he won’t be able to save his own life.”

Yu Meijuan nodded in understanding, her expression calm. “After all, they are siblings. When a person is about to die, they may speak kindly. He’s giving his last bit of conscience to his sister.”

Yu Zihan agreed with her mother’s words and continued, “As for the Sun family, they will soon receive the punishment they deserve. Her brother is definitely dead.

Sun’s old woman is guilty of incitement and won’t be locked up for many years, but given her age, it’s uncertain whether she’ll even make it out.

As for that lunatic, nothing has been said. I suspect the government will send him to a mental hospital.” When Yu Zihan spoke these words, she didn’t feel the satisfaction of revenge.

“Alas, after this incident, we’ve become well-known on this street, and we can’t avoid being talked about by those with ulterior motives,” Yu Meijuan said, feeling a headache just thinking about it.

Such things are often seen; when incidents don’t happen to them, people are merely spectators and want to share their life comments. But as those who experienced the events firsthand, they don’t have the same ease as the onlookers.

They have been harmed; don’t they have the right to seek justice? What right do others have to point fingers?

“People can say what they want behind our backs, but if they come to me and say it, I’ll push back. People are always afraid of the strong; the tougher we are, the less anyone dares to bully us,” Yu Zihan told her mother.

After this incident, whenever they encountered neighbors on the street, everyone greeted each other warmly, and their lives were relatively stable.

That day, Zhou Mengrui and her family came to visit again.

Seeing the large bags they were carrying, Yu Meijuan couldn’t sit still. She wasn’t someone who took advantage of others; she understood the importance of reciprocity better than anyone.

So she earnestly insisted that the family stay for dinner.

“You’re being so polite; will we still be able to get along in the future?” With Yu Meijuan saying this, Liu Huifang looked at her husband, and they had no choice but to stay for dinner.

It’s important to know that in that era of extreme material scarcity, being invited to someone else’s home for a meal was the highest standard of hospitality.

They had prepared a lot of food in advance, so it was easy to set up a feast in a short amount of time.

Yu Meijuan and Yu Zihan worked together and managed to prepare a lavish spread in just one hour.

With good friends visiting, Yu Zihan wanted to show off her cooking skills. Although the ingredients were limited, they posed no challenge for her culinary talent.

She made boiled fish, braised pork, mushroom stew with chicken, stir-fried pork with garlic shoots, and twice-cooked pork. She also prepared scallion scrambled eggs, stir-fried zucchini, and smashed cucumbers.

Despite the limited ingredients, such dishes were considered top-notch for that era.

The meal brought joy to all the guests.

Yu Meijuan knew that their visit today was certainly to discuss a collaboration with her.

After the meal, she prepared tea for them. This tea was also made by Yu Meijuan; she could only buy regular tea leaves on the market.

To enhance the flavor, she added apples while brewing the tea. This way, the tea had a natural fruity aroma. In such a time of scarcity, enjoying life according to one’s wishes required some creative methods.

“You really know how to enjoy yourself! The tea tastes great with your touch. I’ll try to make it like this at home. You’ll have to teach me later,” Liu Huifang said while savoring the tea.

Old Zhou watched his wife ramble on and was anxious in his heart. She was so enchanted by Yu Meijuan that she had completely forgotten the purpose of their visit today.

Yu Zihan noticed Uncle Zhou’s restless demeanor and couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly; this couple was quite amusing.

Seeing that Liu Huifang hadn’t yet gotten to the point, Yu Zihan spoke up, “Uncle Zhou, did you come here today with a decision in mind?”

Hearing Yu Zihan’s words, Old Zhou felt deeply grateful; Zihan understood her. He quickly replied, “It’s been decided. Our factory leadership unanimously agrees to collaborate with Comrade Yu Meijuan.”

He had worked tirelessly to secure this collaboration, facing a lot of resistance from those who shared his views and found it hard to accept such a partnership.

However, with the delivery deadline approaching, any further delays could mean they wouldn’t just miss out on profits but also incur significant penalties for breach of contract, a responsibility they truly couldn’t bear.

In this special situation, the old hardliners finally relented. He was relieved that he wouldn’t have to suffer any longer. So as soon as there was a result, he brought his wife and daughter to discuss the specific arrangements for Yu Meijuan’s work.

They discussed some details, and Yu Meijuan decided to start working at the cotton spinning factory’s garment factory from the next day.

The other party didn’t restrict her working hours but required that the tasks be completed within two months. As for the salary, it would be determined after Yu Meijuan assessed the work she would be doing.

Yu Zihan chose not to interject or express her opinions during their discussions because she recognized that her mother was quite astute in this area.