Night school, dismissal.

There were noticeably more people at the school gate tonight.

After being comforted by He Dan, Lin Chengyuan, who was feeling sweet, furrowed his brows in thought.

It turned out that his superior, Director Chen of the security department at the machinery factory, had a younger sister attending night school.

Such an important piece of information, and he was only finding out now.

But it wasn’t too late.

While Lin Chengyuan was making plans in his mind, the night school students began to leave.

One by one, the girls found their family members, exchanged goodbyes, and went their separate ways.

At that moment, He Dan found Lin Chengyuan.

“Chengyuan.”

“Do you know that girl?”

Lin Chengyuan discreetly pointed at a girl with braided hair while using his body to block the gesture. He Dan followed his gaze.

She glanced at the girl under the dim light of a flashlight and shook her head. “I don’t think she’s in our class.”

“I see…”

Lin Chengyuan didn’t dare openly discuss his intentions to cozy up to his superior’s sister, so he subtly took He Dan’s hand. She pretended to be shy and pushed him away lightly before the two walked off, smiling intimately.

Meanwhile, Grandma Shen and the others waited a little longer before Jiang Cheng finally came out—she was the last one.

She wasn’t empty-handed either, as she walked out alongside Principal Wang.

At the school gate.

Jiang Cheng greeted Grandma Shen and the others while carrying a few notebooks and some pencils.

“Jiang Cheng, what are you doing with those notebooks?”

“Oh, these? Well… I just did a little something for the school, and the principal insisted on rewarding me. I told him I didn’t need anything, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

Same old tactics, same old Jiang Cheng.

Grandma Shen: If you hadn’t given me that little signal, I would’ve believed you.

Behind her, Principal Wang’s mouth twitched. Has this girl’s shamelessness completely gone off the charts?

Who was it—who exactly had sat in his office earlier, shamelessly insisting that the police had given her a reward?

Principal Wang couldn’t allow a night school student to be rewarded by outsiders—wasn’t that a slap in the face for him?

So, in the end, Jiang Cheng walked away with a few notebooks and some pencils.

And that wasn’t even the most infuriating part.

As she was taking the rewards, she even had the nerve to comfort Principal Wang: “It’s okay, Principal Wang, don’t feel bad. Even though it’s not as good as what the police gave, I don’t mind.”

“Just go already!”

Principal Wang urged her away, feeling utterly frustrated.

Jiang Cheng, sensing it was time to stop pushing her luck, prepared to leave with Grandma Shen and the two children.

“Wait a second!”

Sun Jiandong suddenly emerged from the shadows and solemnly promised Grandma Shen and the children, “I will continue!”

With that, he ran off.

Grandma Shen was puzzled but instinctively looked toward Jiang Cheng.

“It’s nothing big. Shen Xing and Shen Yue wrote Comrade Sun a thank-you letter.”

Grandma Shen turned to Shen Xing.

“I wrote it down. Big Sister said she’d give me a notebook.”

“I used my pencil. Big Sister said she’d give me a new one.”

Shen Yue puffed out her small chest, proudly admitting to having been “bribed.”

“That’s right! Our little Yueyue is the best! This is a reward from Principal Wang because you understand gratitude and are a kind-hearted child.”

Jiang Cheng handed the notebook and pencil to Shen Xing and Shen Yue.

Principal Wang: So I’m just a supply channel now, huh?

After saying their goodbyes, they all went home.

The next day.

Jiang Cheng left home with Shen Xing and Shen Yue, parting ways at an intersection.

Not long after walking alone, she realized someone was tailing her—again. The same person from yesterday.

Pretending not to notice, she headed into the recycling station.

“Jiang Cheng, you’re finally here!”

The director greeted her warmly.

“Director, is there something going on today?”

“No, but someone’s here to thank you.”

The director discreetly motioned with his lips, and Jiang Cheng followed his gaze—Chief Tang.

No wonder the director was being so friendly.

“Chief Tang?”

“Comrade Jiang Cheng, thank you for helping my wife yesterday. Without you—”

“Well, it all worked out in the end.”

Jiang Cheng smoothly cut in, exchanging polite remarks while also making sure to acknowledge the director’s support and assistance.

With just a few words, everyone was satisfied.

Chief Tang hadn’t come alone—his mother had also accompanied him.

They brought plenty of gifts, some as thanks for the recycling station workers and some specifically for Jiang Cheng.

After exchanging a few polite refusals, Jiang Cheng eventually accepted the gifts. As she was about to send them off, she stopped Chief Tang.

“Chief Tang, after work yesterday, I felt like someone was following me. I’m not entirely sure who, but it was a man.”

Her words immediately caught Chief Tang’s attention.

Among the people arrested that night, not a single one was a key figure in the trafficking ring.

Interrogations revealed that most of them were just local drifters.

Calling them “drifters” was even putting it nicely—these people were either gambling addicts or deep in debt, making them the easiest targets to manipulate.

They had been threatened or lured with promises that if they successfully kidnapped someone, their debts would be erased, or they would receive a lump sum of money.

“Don’t make a scene about it. I’ll have someone keep an eye on you.”

Jiang Cheng showed no reaction on her face as she bid farewell to Chief Tang and his mother at the door.

Once they had left, she focused on her work, continuing to sort through documents.

Chief Tang, however, immediately arranged for someone to secretly tail Jiang Cheng—this could be a direct lead to the core members of the ring.

4:30 PM, the end of her shift.

Jiang Cheng, as usual, hurried off.

This time, it was the director standing at the entrance, watching her with admiration.

“Comrade Jiang is truly ambitious.”

“Director, Comrade Jiang is just a temp worker.”

Reminded by a fellow worker, the director cast a glance at the speaker. What a stark contrast…

The speaker was a sorting worker, distantly related to Du Lan.

“I need to remind Du Lan—if she’s not careful, she might not get her job back. That Jiang Cheng really knows how to maneuver.”

By now, Jiang Cheng had arrived at night school and—once again—ran into Principal Wang.

Despite being constantly “fleeced” by Jiang Cheng, Principal Wang still found excuses to bring her meals.

Jiang Cheng had no shame at all as she accepted the food container.

“You’re such a good principal! Under your leadership, night school will definitely cultivate many talented students.”

“Cut the nonsense. I don’t believe a single stroke of the characters that come out of your mouth.”

Principal Wang had finally experienced the full force of Jiang Cheng’s art of speech.

“Just study hard.”

Though he spoke with disdain, he had high hopes for her.

“Jiang Cheng, don’t waste this opportunity to learn, got it?”

“Don’t worry, Principal—I seek out teachers every day to ask questions.”

Unaware of the true nature of her “questions,” Principal Wang nodded in approval and didn’t disturb her meal.

Ten minutes later, Jiang Cheng had wolfed down her food, and a bold idea formed in her mind.

Since the principal was so kind, should she give him a gift?

The thing people valued most these days was honor.

That was it—she’d give him a title of honor.

As she pondered this, she headed to the office for her lesson with Teacher Lü.

During this session, Jiang Cheng studied two languages.

Her astonishing speed once again left Teacher Lü in awe.

At the end of the lesson, Teacher Lü curiously asked, “Jiang Cheng, do you have a photographic memory?”

Jiang Cheng shook her head.

“No, I’m not that amazing!”

“I can only remember about ninety-nine percent of what you teach.”

Teacher Lü: “…”