Chapter 20: Probably Reported by Someone with Brain Problems

She shouted at the top of her lungs, “Yoho! Did you see that? That cursed Jiang family is in big trouble now!”

Gradually, a crowd gathered around, craning their necks to look inside while asking, “Bighead’s wife, what’s going on?”

Liu Ermao’s wife became even more animated, saliva flying as she spoke: “They’ve finally gotten caught for their capitalist tendencies! Someone came to investigate the Jiang family. I’ve been saying all along — look at how well they eat and dress!”

She wore a disdainful expression. Normally, she was full of jealousy whenever this topic came up, but today, she felt incredibly pleased. The Jiang family was finally being investigated — ha! Serves them right!

Some women who usually got along well with her chimed in with laughter, “Aiya, people shouldn’t be too flashy, or they’ll get reported sooner or later.”

Both husband and wife from the Jiang family had good jobs at the garment factory — something that made many people in the compound envious.

But most residents were decent people who got along well with the Jiangs. They frowned at the sharp-tongued gossip but chose not to respond.

Liu Ermao’s wife clapped her hands and continued, “Exactly! Just look at the way they live, acting like they’re all that. They only have a daughter, but they spoil her like she’s some priceless treasure. Pah! Even the boys in my house don’t get treated like that!”

Another woman, friendly with her, added, “Hmph, let’s see how smug they can be now. They’re going to suffer for sure!”

Living in the same courtyard, everyone was struggling, so why should the Jiang family get to live so comfortably? Liu Ermao’s wife had long disliked them.

Especially since she gave birth to a girl first, then two boys after — she once enjoyed quite a bit of pride in the courtyard for that.

But even as a mother of two sons, she couldn’t live as well as the Jiang family’s woman, who only had a daughter. She remembered it all clearly.

When she gave birth to her two sons, she couldn’t even afford to eat eggs during postpartum recovery. Meanwhile, the Jiang family’s wife, after giving birth to a daughter, ate meat every day.

That bitterness had stuck with Liu Ermao’s wife for years, and she’d fought with her husband more than once over it.

As a result, the Liu family had been at odds with the Jiang family ever since.

The way Jiang Decai and his wife loved each other, and how they treated their only daughter like a precious gem, was something she had watched clearly from across the hall.

Looking at her own three children — even her sons didn’t get the life that little Jiang girl did.

Her jealousy boiled over, sour and bitter. Now that the opportunity had come, she was going to vent all that resentment.

The commotion at the Jiang family’s house naturally attracted the attention of Lu Yaozu.

After being shut out and turned away by Jiang Xiaoci and her mother, he’d been sulking and watching their house, counting the days. It had already been several days since he submitted the anonymous report — the investigation team should be arriving soon, he figured.

He hadn’t been able to get inside earlier to probe for information, which made him more anxious, so he walked around nearby. To his surprise, he actually saw the investigation team’s car arrive.

He quickly caught wind of what was happening and came over to watch the show.

As he walked over, he kept his eyes glued to the Jiang house, his face expressionless, pretending to be curious and surprised.

Inside, though, he was thrilled — just as he had hoped, things were progressing smoothly.

The Jiang family had just slammed the door in his face, and now they were being raided. What could be more satisfying than that? He was smug, calculating in his mind: Hmph, once the Jiang family’s assets are confiscated, that little girl Jiang Xiaoci will definitely panic and break down.

Then, he’d swoop in to express his “concern” and comfort her. In her fear and gratitude, she might just throw herself into his arms. After that, she’d do whatever he said — and she’d bring all the Jiang family’s wealth with her when she married him.

The more he thought about it, the more he couldn’t help but smile smugly.

But what he didn’t expect was that by the time he reached the Jiang family’s doorstep, the investigation was already over.

A crowd had gathered outside the courtyard, all craning their necks to look inside. The gossiping had stopped.

That was because they’d noticed the house had gone quiet, with only the voices of the investigators giving their reports:

“Report — no suspicious assets found in the house.”

“Report — no questionable items found in the kitchen.”

“Report — the storage room and living room have been thoroughly searched. Nothing suspicious found.”

…

Seven or eight people had conducted a full, carpet-style search. They had turned over every inch of the Jiang household, and not only did they find no suspicious assets — they didn’t even find a single valuable coin.

Team Leader Xu looked around at the mess in the Jiang home — the half-old furniture, even a chipped porcelain bowl still in use — and concluded there was no hidden wealth. Certainly nothing like the report had claimed — no signs of extravagant lifestyle or hidden riches.

If they had a fortune, why would a girl as pretty as Jiang Xiaoci be dressed so plainly? Everything they used was secondhand or modest. It wasn’t even better than an average household.

Lu Yaozu was standing at the gate and heard it all loud and clear.

He was stunned: “They didn’t find any wealth in the Jiang house? How’s that possible?”

He panicked and, wanting to save face in front of Jiang Xiaoci, acted concerned and walked right into the courtyard.

He saw Jiang Xiaoci standing at the doorway, calmly listening to the investigators report.

He couldn’t help but walk up, pretending to care, and asked, “Xiaoci, what happened?”

Jiang Xiaoci gave him a sharp look that startled him. Did she suspect something?

But then he quickly reassured himself — it was an anonymous report. No one knew except him and Miaomiao. And Miaomiao was on his side — she would never leak it.

Sure enough, Jiang Xiaoci soon looked away. Gazing at the mess inside the house, she sneered faintly and said, “Who knows what lunatic, with nothing better to do, decided to report us for being capitalist sympathizers! Look at this place — does it look like we have the money to be capitalists?”

Lu Yaozu’s face stiffened, but he had to keep up appearances, laughing awkwardly as he asked, “R-Right? So, do you know who reported you?”

Jiang Xiaoci shook her head, and Lu Yaozu finally relaxed.

But then she sneered again and said coldly, “Must’ve been someone with brain problems. So wicked. I hope the guy who did it becomes impotent for life, and if it was a woman, I hope she keeps having babies until she breaks down. Let that be their karma.”