With this report, plus the Sui Shan sisters’ murder case and the internet addiction school undercover investigation that Lin Shuyue had done, she could not only stay smoothly but also freely choose which newspaper she wanted to go to.

Lin Shuyue said with a faint expression, “Thank you, Director Zhao.”

Director Zhao waved his hand. “No need to thank me, this is what you deserve. Xiao Lin, on behalf of the newspaper, I welcome you to join us. Alright, go back to work.”

Lin Shuyue came out of Director Zhao’s office and went to her workstation to look at the internship report, while thinking about finding time to go back to the original owner’s school to get her graduation certificate.

Huang Qiang, the mentor who had been assigned to Lin Shuyue, returned from outside at this time, carrying two cups of coffee. He placed one cup on Lin Shuyue’s desk. Lin Shuyue looked up at him.

Huang Qiang was in his forties, dressed in the standard reporter attire: a short-sleeved shirt with a khaki denim vest over it and a black baseball cap on his head.

“Congratulations, Xiao Lin,” Huang Qiang said. He specialized in entertainment news. He hadn’t put much effort into teaching Lin Shuyue, his apprentice, but he had told the original owner everything she needed to know.

Whenever the original owner encountered difficulties at work and sought Huang Qiang’s help, Huang Qiang would always help without hesitation. He would even talk to the original owner about the unspoken rules of the industry in his spare time.

The original owner was very grateful to Huang Qiang, her mentor, and Lin Shuyue also had a good impression of Huang Qiang. “Thank you, Mentor. What news are you working on recently, Mentor?”

Huang Qiang drank his iced coffee and said, “Following Xiang Wan’s news. There’s a rumor in the industry that she’s secretly married and has a child.”

Lin Shuyue knew Xiang Wan. The day before the undercover assignment, when she went shopping, she saw several billboards with her photos. She was a local of Peng City and had gone to Xiangjiang a few years ago to participate in a beauty pageant, even winning a runner-up award.

Now she was flourishing in film, television, and music, and she was the most popular and commercially valuable female star at the moment. Usually, newspapers would sell out just from paparazzi photos of her daily outfits. If the news of her secret marriage and child was true, then once it was exposed, it would definitely be big news, causing a huge commotion for sure.

The mentor and apprentice chatted for a while. Before they had finished their coffee, Huang Qiang received a phone call and left in a hurry.

Lin Shuyue then packed up her things to go home.

On her way home, she passed by Wu Jiao Village. Lin Shuyue looked at the entrance of the village. Ah Hao’s grandmother wasn’t there selling her wares.

Before Lin Shuyue even reached home, she smelled the aroma of food wafting from the courtyard in the distance. She quickened her pace and met Granny Zhang from next door, who was playing outside with her grandson, at the door.

Granny Zhang greeted Lin Shuyue first. “Ah Yue is back?”

The original owner’s family didn’t have a good relationship with this Granny Zhang. They rarely greeted each other when they met. Lin Shuyue nodded at her and responded.

Granny Zhang ignored her cold attitude and said to herself, “Yeah, didn’t want to stay at home, just wanted to run outside.”

Granny Zhang’s grandson, Hui Zai, was three years old. He had already run off to play with a group of children a hundred or two meters away while Lin Shuyue was talking to Granny Zhang.

Lin Shuyue didn’t want to talk to her and tried to brush her off with a few casual words to go back, but Granny Zhang grabbed her hand. “Ah Yue, your brother-in-law hasn’t gotten married yet, but he comes to your house every day. Your family isn’t planning to have him move in, are you?”

Lin Shuyue frowned. Granny Zhang pretended not to see it and continued, “You have to keep a close eye on things. This house was bought by your mother. You and your sister both have a share. Don’t let your sister take all of your share.”

After Granny Zhang finished speaking, she called out her grandson Hui Zai’s name and chased after him. Lin Shuyue glanced at her back and pushed open the courtyard door to go inside.

Lin Shuxing was peeling garlic cloves by the door. Seeing Lin Shuyue return, she didn’t even bother to show her joy at her sister’s return from her trip. Instead, she rolled her eyes and said to Lin Shuyue with a displeased expression, “This Granny Zhang just can’t stand it when other people’s families are better than hers.”

“It’s been like this since our mother and the three of us bought this house and settled down here. She’s the one who spreads all the gossip about Mom in the village. Don’t believe her nonsense. Your Brother Zhengjun won’t become a live-in son-in-law.”

“It’s not like I don’t know what kind of person she is. I just ignore everything she says.” This Granny Zhang had always been a troublemaker. She was the most famous gossip in the village, and she spread more than half of the gossip in the entire village.

As outsiders, the original owner and her two daughters were the targets of most of her gossip. Lou Fengqin had even gotten into a fight with her because of this.

Because of this, the two families, although neighbors, hadn’t been in contact for a long time. What good intentions could she possibly have for suddenly saying these divisive words to Lin Shuyue today?

Lin Shuxing looked at her sister several times and saw that she didn’t take it to heart. A smile appeared on her face. “Last year, her eldest son’s wife ran away after being beaten. She went to Mom and said that she would take a loss and let her son marry Mom. She even said that we were two worthless girls, and when I got married, you shouldn’t even bother with your studies anymore. This house would be Mom’s dowry.”

“It doesn’t matter that Mom can’t have children. Her eldest grandson is eighteen. When the time comes, he’ll treat Mom like his own mother and be filial to her.” Lin Shuxing rolled her eyes to the sky as she said this.

“Her intentions were so obvious it was like the beads of an abacus hitting my face. Did she think I was stupid?” After Lin Shuyue finished speaking, she stopped talking about this insignificant person and asked Lin Shuxing, “How’s business been these past few days?”

Speaking of business, Lin Shuxing’s face lit up with a smile. “Now that your Brother Zhengjun is done with breakfast at the factory, he comes back to help with the business. The two of us split up and go to two different construction sites. In just over a week, we’ve saved up this much.”

Lin Shuxing held up three fingers to Lin Shuyue, meaning three thousand yuan.

Lin Shuyue also smiled. “In another two months, you and Brother Zhengjun will be able to buy a house.”

Lin Shuxing nodded vigorously. “Your Brother Zhengjun said the same thing. We’ll buy the house in the middle of this year, and we’ll get married by the Mid-Autumn Festival.”

After Lin Shuxing finished speaking, she looked at her younger sister, who hadn’t been back for over a week. “Is your work going well?”

“It’s going well. I followed a big news story, and the chief editor said he’ll give me a bonus in a few days.”

“My little sister is so capable, keep up the good work.” Lin Shuxing’s tone was like coaxing a child who didn’t understand things. From childhood to adulthood, whenever the original owner did something good, she would praise her like this.

“Oh right, Mom called me yesterday and said she’s already on her way back. Uncle Wu’s child is coming back with them too. It should be in the next day or two.”

Lin Shuyue didn’t often turn on her phone when she went on undercover assignments, but she would send text messages to Lin Shuxing and Lou Fengqin every day on time.

“Mom also sent me a text message, she’ll be home tomorrow.”

“Mom likes to eat chicken feet, your Brother Zhengjun said he’ll go buy some first thing tomorrow morning…”

The sisters chatted quietly about everyday matters. Luo Zhengjun called out for minced garlic. Lin Shuxing hurriedly took the peeled garlic over. Lin Shuyue went over to help pack the dishes and rice that Luo Zhengjun had prepared.

After eating, Lin Shuyue wanted to go with Lin Shuxing to sell boxed lunches, but Lin Shuxing told her to rest well and didn’t let her go.

Lin Shuyue saw her sister out the door, then washed up and returned to her room, lying on the bed to check the Good and Evil System.

After Xiao Changxin and the others were taken away by the police last night, the limited-time mission, which had been completely silent, changed. A progress bar appeared after the limited-time mission.

The progress bar showed 80%, and the countdown behind the limited-time mission still had seven days left.

Seven days was enough time for the major media outlets to amplify the news and enough time to complete the mission.

Lin Shuyue didn’t fall into a deep sleep until Lin Shuxing returned safely.

The next day, she ate the breakfast brought by Luo Zhengjun and then rode her bicycle to work. It was the same familiar newspaper stand. Lin Shuyue saw her own newspaper story at first glance.

There were three accompanying pictures on the front page: photos of students being whipped by instructors with rulers and Dragon Whips, students being electroshocked, and students being force-fed drugs.

Lin Shuyue bought a copy and put it in her bag before pedaling away on her bicycle.

Lin Shuyue stayed at the newspaper office all day, reading the latest newspapers, chatting with colleagues about gossip to improve relationships, and going shopping with colleagues for a while after work.

After returning home, she sat in front of the TV, waiting for Peng City Satellite TV’s focus interview.

The interview officially started at 6:30 PM. As the host began, the true face of internet addiction schools was formally presented to every household visually.

The parents of the deceased student shown in the footage, the disabled students, and the wounds revealed on the beaten children were all shocking.

Ten kilometers away from the center of Peng City, in Taijiang Prison, Zheng Zhongfu was also watching this program with his fellow inmates. After watching it, he silently noted down the reporter’s newspaper, name, and address.

After watching the news broadcast, he took out paper and a pen and began to write a letter.

The inmate next to him saw this and asked, “It’s been twelve years, Zhongfu, haven’t you given up yet?”

Zheng Zhongfu didn’t answer him. He would never give up, never accept his fate. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, he would continue to seek help and support from the outside.

Even though he knew that this plea for help would probably sink without a trace, just like countless times before.