Chapter 150: Raking in Disdain Value

Chapter 150: Chapter 150: Raking in Disdain Value

"First Company is responsible for maintaining order and security. Second and Third Companies, find your own seats. After the performance, assemble in front of the flagpole. Dismissed!"

As Lu Cheng’s voice faded, the soldiers cheered and scattered.

They were usually cooped up in the camp, doing nothing but training or manual labor. It was a rare chance to get out and relax.

Even though their movements were restricted to the school grounds, it was enough to make the men happy.

"Jia Ming, over here!"

Seeing Jiang Qing waving at him, Zhang Jia Ming happily squeezed through the crowd to her side.

"What are they performing tonight?"

Staring at the stage, built from wooden planks and a red curtain, Zhang Jia Ming couldn’t hide the excitement on his face.

He’d never seen a proper performance in his entire life.

"What’s the rush? You’ll see soon enough. It’s supposed to be pretty interesting, anyway."

Hearing Jiang Qing say that, Zhang Jia Ming thought she was just trying to keep him in suspense.

He immediately settled in, full of anticipation for the show to begin.

Little did he know, Jiang Qing had no idea what tonight’s performance was about either.

The show was planned entirely by Jiang Moli. Even the newcomer, Shen Yanzhi, was involved, but she was the only one left out. It was a clear attempt to exclude and isolate her.

’It’s not like I care!’

’With Jiang Moli’s knack for messing things up, who knows what kind of disaster she’ll cause this time.’

’Staying out of it means I won’t get dragged down with her.’

In a classroom, Jiang Moli was busy directing Lu Tingting and the three Jiang siblings for the play.

For tonight’s show, she was both the lead actress and the director.

Jiang Moli hadn’t majored in theater, but she had been in the drama club in college, so putting together a few rural-style skits was a piece of cake for her.

Watching Jiang Moli seriously directing Lu Tingting and the others, Lu Cheng felt she was both unfamiliar and stunning. A sense of pride swelled in his heart.

’My wife is amazing!’

When Jiang Moli finished explaining the scene to Lu Tingting and the others, he couldn’t help but go up to her. "I’ve already got security and crowd control set up. Is there anything else I can do?"

Jiang Moli beamed. "Just protect me."

"Yes, ma’am!"

「6:40 PM.」

When Shen Yanzhi, dressed in a white shirt, walked onto the stage, all the women in the audience started whispering excitedly to each other.

"He really is handsome! It wasn’t a waste coming today!"

"He looks about the same age as my sister-in-law. I wonder if he has a girlfriend."

After his opening remarks, Shen Yanzhi announced the start of the performance. "Please enjoy the play ’Combating Abduction,’ presented by the teachers and students of Chaoyang Primary School!"

Amidst the audience’s eager anticipation, Jiang Moli walked onto the stage.

She was playing a pregnant woman, her belly bulging conspicuously, waddling from side to side like a duck.

The families and children in the audience roared with laughter at her strange walk.

Lu Cheng laughed along with them, not in ridicule, but with a face full of bliss.

’My wife is such a good actress.’

’It would be even better if she wasn’t just acting!’

Amid the laughter, Lu Tingting made her entrance. She wore a floral dress, her hair in two pigtails, and her face was rouged up like a monkey’s bottom.

"Ah!"

The pregnant woman, played by Jiang Moli, fell right in front of Lu Tingting.

Her fall was so realistic that the families in the audience broke out in a cold sweat for her.

They were worried she might have just lost the baby in her belly.

Lu Tingting rushed forward to help Jiang Moli up. "Ma’am, are you all right?"

Jiang Moli clutched her stomach, a pained look on her face. "Young lady, my stomach hurts a little. Could you please help me over there? My mother-in-law is waiting for me just up ahead."

"Oh, okay."

Lu Tingting helped Jiang Moli walk in a circle on the stage, at which point the mother-in-law, played by Feng Meihua, made her entrance.

"Young lady, thank you so much..."

While Jiang Moli was distracting Lu Tingting with thanks, Feng Meihua raised a club and brought it down hard on Lu Tingting’s head.

With a cry of "Ah!" Lu Tingting collapsed to the ground.

The scene made many of the family members in the audience clutch their chests in suspense.

The children’s faces were filled with fear and tension; some of the more timid ones even hid behind their parents.

Jiang Moli pulled the pillow out from under her clothes. Together with Feng Meihua, they deftly stuffed Lu Tingting into a burlap sack and lifted her onto a pre-prepared flatbed cart.

The two of them pulled the cart away, laughingly discussing their haul. "Such a fresh young maiden! If we sell her to that old widower who beat his three wives to death, we can get at least 250 yuan for her!"

"We’ve hit the jackpot today! MWAHAHAHA..."

The venomous dialogue and laughter made the audience members clench their fists.

’My god, they’re traffickers! Selling a perfectly good girl to a monster... They’re despicable!’

Just then, a group of concerned citizens led by Jiang Wenjuan entered and surrounded Jiang Moli and Feng Meihua.

"Catch the traffickers!"

"Down with the traffickers!"

"Execute the traffickers!"

The stage was equipped with loudspeakers, and Jiang Wenjuan’s powerful, resonant slogans hammered into the eardrums of every person in the audience.

The families’ anger and hatred were completely ignited. They all stood up, pumping their fists and shouting.

If the soldiers hadn’t been holding them back, they probably would have rushed the stage to beat up the two traffickers, Jiang Moli and Feng Meihua.

Qiao Wenjing, mixed in with the families, shouted with particular gusto.

In her eyes, Jiang Moli was just as detestable as a real trafficker. She wished she could charge the stage and give Jiang Moli a vicious beating.

[Disdain Value +1+2+3+4+5+6...]

The system notifications were popping up so fast they were practically sparking.

Besides the falling pregnant woman, Jiang Moli also acted out other abduction methods: luring children with candy, posing as a family member on a train, pretending to be an old person who’s lost their way, and so on.

The families in the audience grew more and more furious, each of them grinding their teeth in anger.

And all this hatred and loathing for the crime was projected onto Jiang Moli, the actress playing the trafficker.

By the end of the entire performance, Jiang Moli had earned over 200 Disdain Value points.

And that was with most of the family members having already contributed their share of disdain before.

Watching Jiang Moli on stage, leading the entire cast in a bow of thanks, Jiang Qing’s mood was gloomy.

Tonight’s performance was not only a huge success but also deeply educational.

Jiang Moli had stolen the show!

But she was baffled. ’With a brain like Jiang Moli’s, she shouldn’t have been able to come up with such a good idea.’

’Most likely, Lu Cheng planned it all from behind the scenes, just to clean up Jiang Moli’s reputation.’

Lu Cheng was undeniably brilliant, a man to be admired.

But seeing that brilliance used to help and cultivate Jiang Moli was just infuriating.

Zhong Weiguo watched Jiang Moli on stage, his eyes filled with unconcealed admiration. "Tonight’s program was very well done. I didn’t realize Xiao Jiang had a few tricks up her sleeve."

Lu Cheng looked proud. "Of course. You have to consider whose wife she is."

Zhong Weiguo shot him a disdainful glance, but his tone turned serious. "Tonight’s performance has great promotional and cautionary value. You should have Xiao Jiang and her group come perform it at the camp sometime so all the soldiers can see it."

"That’s something you’ll have to ask my wife yourself."

Zhong Weiguo eyed him. "Are you that henpecked? You can’t even make a decision on a small matter like this?"

Lu Cheng snorted. "You don’t have to use reverse psychology on me. If Moli wants to perform, she’ll perform. If she doesn’t, no one can force her."

Zhong Weiguo clasped his hands behind his back, his expression turning stern. "Camp Commander Lu!"

"Sir!"

"Tomorrow, you will organize the entire regiment to watch the ’Combating Abduction’ performance. You’re in charge of this. Make sure it gets done right!"

"Yes, sir! I guarantee the mission will be accomplished."

Watching Lu Cheng’s tall figure walk away, Zhong Weiguo chuckled to himself. ’You little punk, as if I can’t handle you.’