Chapter 19: Entering the Communications Department

Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Entering the Communications Department

"You cursed rotten people, none of you will die a good death!" Aunt Li cursed everyone at the top of her voice, seeing that they all wanted to send her to the police.

"What a foul mouth." Fu Xiaoxiao turned back to glance at Aunt Li, then pulled out a grimy rag from somewhere and stuffed it into Aunt Li’s mouth.

The village chief glanced at Liu Hongjun, noticing he had no intention of showing leniency, his gaze fell on Fu Xiaoxiao, who he couldn’t persuade because she was being reasonable.

Aunt Li had already enraged everyone; this matter needed to be resolved.

Sighing, the village chief waved his hand, signaling someone to call the police.

Once the police arrived, Aunt Li’s theft was undeniable, the evidence was conclusive, there was no need for interrogation, they directly took her away.

As for the items from the Lu Family, due to Liu Hongjun’s influence, they allowed them to take them back home after recording them.

Aunt Li was arrested by the police, her face was ashen.

The villagers, seeing Aunt Li actually being taken away, followed along clapping in applause.

"This troublemaker has finally been taken away!"

"Why are you so happy? There’s still an old rogue and a little rogue left..."

"No matter, let’s be happy for now."

The villagers laughed, anyway, having one less Li Family member was good for the village.

After Liu Hongjun took his people back to the camp, Fu Xiaoxiao urged the two children along, reminding them.

Lu Lin and Lu Chen slowly shuffled up to Liu Hongjun.

"Thank you, Grandpa Liu."

"No need to thank me, it’s my fault for finding such an unreliable person for you." Liu Hongjun looked guilty. If it weren’t for him bringing Aunt Li over, the two kids wouldn’t have been treated this way, pitifully not even having a single hot meal to eat.

"Uncle Liu, please don’t say that. You meant well, who would’ve known Aunt Li was such a dishonest person." Fu Xiaoxiao shook her head, this truly couldn’t be blamed on Liu Hongjun.

He meant to help, but Aunt Li was skilled at putting on a front in public, so she tricked people with her appearances.

Fu Xiaoxiao took Lu Lin and Lu Chen home, the three of them carrying a heap of things back. The residents in the compound looked at Lu Lin and Lu Chen like victorious generals, their hands full of spoils.

"Hey, Lu Family, what are those things?" a curious sister-in-law asked.

"Oh, these are the things Aunt Li stole from my house, we’ve retrieved them." Fu Xiaoxiao openly explained.

"What?" The women around who had been eavesdropping were shocked, they hadn’t expected such an answer.

"Sisters, give me a moment, I’ll put the things away and come out to talk with you." Fu Xiaoxiao smiled at them, she was holding many items, it wasn’t practical to chat while holding them.

"You go ahead and put them away, we’re not in a hurry." Seeing Fu Xiaoxiao with so many things in her hands, it was indeed not convenient to talk, the group quickly stepped aside to make way.

Fu Xiaoxiao took the things back home, Lu Lin and Lu Chen joyfully put the items in place, then went into the kitchen to continue their unfinished chores.

Fu Xiaoxiao grabbed a few handfuls of melon seeds and stuffed them into her pocket; she wanted to clear the children’s tarnished reputation due to Aunt Li and restore their names.

When she came out, four or five women were sitting under a large tree not far away, picking vegetables while chatting about their presumptions.

"Lu Family, come quickly!" Seeing Fu Xiaoxiao appear, they were excited.

Fu Xiaoxiao smiled and walked over, sitting on the little stool they had made available for her.

"I’m Fu Xiaoxiao, you are all older than me, just call me Xiao Xiao or Xiao Fu." Fu Xiaoxiao introduced herself with a smile.

"Xiao Xiao, did Aunt Li really steal things from your home?" a curious sister-in-law couldn’t help but ask.

"Yes, she stole quite a few things; it’s not just the oil and salt. She even took away the new shoes issued to Lu Feng by the camp, and the two kids’ thermoses and cups. Anything she could take, she did." Fu Xiaoxiao nodded, explaining all that Aunt Li had stolen.

"My goodness! You really can’t judge a person by their appearance. Aunt Li seemed so honest, yet she did something like this!"

"Exactly, we thought she was good, but she was two-faced, front one way and another behind our backs."

"Then all those things she used to say..."

Several neighbors around were stunned by Aunt Li’s actions; she had appeared so honest at first, they really couldn’t see her as a thief, causing instant discomfort.

"Though I just arrived, I can still see some things; the two children are just shy and not talkative. Aunt Li said they were mischievous, but look, the kids are in the kitchen washing dishes right now! Such obedient children, Aunt Li wouldn’t even give them food, leaving them hungry every day, they had no choice but to go to the back mountain to find food..." Fu Xiaoxiao was furious.

"Oh dear, that’s truly sinful! Such young children, yet she could mistreat them like that, and kept telling us she cooked, saying the two wouldn’t eat! Turns out she didn’t cook at all..."

Sister-in-law Chen, who lived next door to Fu Xiaoxiao, was heartbroken; she felt something was off, because despite living so close, she didn’t smell the aroma of food very often.

"Xiao Xiao, is it alright if I call you that? You just arrived, you probably don’t know us, let me introduce you! I live next door to you, my husband is Li Si, and I am Chen Xiu." Chen Xiu looked at Fu Xiaoxiao, introducing herself.

"This is Sister-in-law Liu, she lives to your right. Over there is Granny Wang, and next to her is her daughter-in-law, Zhang Xiaomei." Chen Xiu introduced them one by one.

"Hello." Fu Xiaoxiao nodded to them.

"There are also a few others; I’ll introduce you when you meet them." Chen Xiu smiled at Fu Xiaoxiao.

"They don’t live here?" Fu Xiaoxiao asked curiously.

"They can’t get used to living here, they’re living in the city! They’ll occasionally come over for a couple of days." Granny Wang pursed her lips, she really didn’t like their ways.

"You’ll know once you see them, they’re difficult to deal with." Sister-in-law Liu shook her head, having a poor impression of those few people.

"When they came, they immediately criticized my new skirt, saying only the town sells such things." Zhang Xiaomei recalled it with anger; it was hard enough for Grandma to agree to buy her a new skirt, only for it to be dismissed as a rag.

No one should come and start criticizing, first saying the muddy road dirtied their skirt, then complaining there were too many mosquitoes here...

"They’re from well-off families, and they disdain us for not having anything here..." Chen Xiu awkwardly smiled, explaining to Fu Xiaoxiao.

She was worried Fu Xiaoxiao might think poorly of them, given the social ranking; Fu Xiaoxiao was married to Lu Feng, whose rank was above their husbands.

Fu Xiaoxiao understood the situation, pulling out melon seeds from her pocket, sharing them with the women.

"Sisters, I just arrived and don’t understand anything, please teach me more." Fu Xiaoxiao smiled at them.

Seeing Fu Xiaoxiao didn’t disdain them at all, even bringing them melon seeds and joining their gossip, this down-to-earth behavior quickly won their favor.