Chapter 19: Infiltrating the Intelligence Department

“Damn you all, may none of you live well!” Aunt Li shouted angrily, pointing fingers at everyone who wanted to send her to the police.

“You’ve got quite a foul mouth,” Fu Xiaoxiao said, glancing back at Aunt Li, then suddenly pulled out a dark rag from somewhere and stuffed it into Aunt Li’s mouth.

The village head cast a glance at Liu Hongjun, who showed no sign of leniency. His gaze then settled on Fu Xiaoxiao. Unable to persuade her, the village head had no choice but to accept her reasoning—it was indeed justified.

Aunt Li had already provoked the villagers’ wrath, so this matter had to be resolved.

Sighing, the village head waved his hand and instructed someone to call the police.

When the police arrived, Aunt Li’s theft was confirmed beyond doubt. There was no need for a lengthy investigation—they took her away immediately.

However, out of respect for Liu Hongjun, they allowed the Lu family’s belongings to be taken directly home, merely recording the incident.

Aunt Li was taken away by the police, her face pale and defeated.

The villagers, seeing her truly being arrested, accompanied her a good distance, clapping and cheering.

“That troublemaker is finally gone!”

“What’s there to celebrate? There’s still the old scoundrel and the little trickster…”

“Doesn’t matter, let’s be happy for now.”

The villagers laughed, thinking that having one less member of the Li family was a blessing for the village.

After Liu Hongjun returned to the army with his men, Fu Xiaoxiao nudged the two children, reminding them.

Lu Lin and Lu Chen hesitated, then slowly approached Liu Hongjun.

“Thank you, Grandpa Liu.”

“No need to thank me. It’s my fault for bringing such an unreliable person to you. If it weren’t for me hiring Aunt Li, the two children wouldn’t have been treated like this—poor things couldn’t even get a warm meal,” Liu Hongjun said, full of guilt.

“Uncle Liu, don’t say that. You meant well. Who would’ve thought Aunt Li was so unscrupulous?” Fu Xiaoxiao shook her head. This wasn’t Liu Hongjun’s fault at all.

He had only tried to help, but Aunt Li was skilled at putting on a facade, fooling everyone with her appearance.

***

Fu Xiaoxiao returned home with Lu Lin and Lu Chen, each carrying a bundle of items. In the residential compound, they looked like victorious generals, proudly holding their spoils.

“Hey, the Lu family, what are these things?” a sister-in-law asked curiously.

“Oh, these are items Aunt Li stole from my house. We got them back,” Fu Xiaoxiao explained generously.

“What?” The surrounding women pricked up their ears in shock, never expecting such an answer.

“Ladies, wait for me a moment. I’ll put these away and then tell you.” Fu Xiaoxiao smiled at them, her hands full of things—it wouldn’t be easy to chat while carrying so much.

“You go ahead, we’re not in a hurry.” Seeing how much she had, the women quickly made way for her.

Fu Xiaoxiao brought the items inside; Lu Lin and Lu Chen happily put everything back before continuing their unfinished chores in the kitchen.

Fu Xiaoxiao stuffed some melon seeds into her pocket. She wanted the two children to clear their tarnished reputations, to set the record straight.

Outside, four or five women sat under a nearby large tree, picking vegetables while chatting and guessing.

“Lu family, come here!” They were excited when they saw Fu Xiaoxiao.

She smiled and approached, taking a small wooden stool from them.

“My name is Fu Xiaoxiao. Since you’re all older, just call me Xiaoxiao or Little Fu,” she introduced herself warmly.

“Xiaoxiao, did Aunt Li really steal from your home?” one curious sister-in-law asked.

“Yes, quite a lot. Let alone the cooking oil and salt, she even took the new shoes the army issued to Lu Feng, along with the kids’ thermoses and cups—anything she could carry off,” Fu Xiaoxiao nodded, listing all the stolen items.

“Oh my! You really can’t judge a book by its cover! Aunt Li looks so honest, yet she could do such a thing!”

“Exactly! We thought she was a good person, but it was all a show—one face in front of us, another behind our backs.”

“What about the things she said before...”

The neighbors were stunned by Aunt Li’s actions. When she first arrived, she seemed so honest, no one would have guessed she was so corrupt. They felt deeply disgusted.

“I’ve only just arrived, but I can see some things too. The two kids are just a bit shy and quiet. Aunt Li said they were naughty, but look—they’re washing dishes in the kitchen right now! Such well-behaved children, yet Aunt Li wouldn’t even feed them, letting them starve every day. When they’re hungry, they have no choice but to go to the back hill to forage...” Fu Xiaoxiao said angrily.

***

“Oh, it’s such cruelty! Such small children, and she could do that to them. She even told us she cooked, but the kids wouldn’t eat! Turns out she never cooked at all..."

Chen Xiu, who lived next door to Fu Xiaoxiao, was heartbroken. She had sensed something wrong—living so close, she rarely smelled any cooking.

“Xiaoxiao, can I call you that? You’re new here, so you probably don’t know us yet. Let me introduce myself—I live next door. My husband is Li Si, and I’m Chen Xiu,” Chen Xiu said, looking at Fu Xiaoxiao.

“This is Liu Sao, she lives on your right. And this lady here is Grandma Wang, next to her is her daughter-in-law, Zhang Xiaomei,” Chen Xiu introduced them one by one.

“Hello,” Fu Xiaoxiao nodded politely.

“There are a few more—when you meet them, I’ll introduce you,” Chen Xiu smiled.

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

“They can’t get used to it here, so they live in the city! They only come here for a few days sometimes,” Grandma Wang curled her lips in disdain, clearly disliking their mannerisms.

“You’ll see when you meet them—they’re hard to get along with,” Liu Sao shook her head, not thinking highly of them.

“They immediately criticized my new dress, saying it’s only sold in town,” Zhang Xiaomei recalled angrily. It was rare that her mother-in-law bought her a new dress, and it was immediately disparaged.

Who ever complains about everything upon arrival? First it’s the dirt ruining their skirts, then the mosquitoes here are too many...

“They come from better families, so they look down on us for having nothing,” Chen Xiu explained awkwardly to Fu Xiaoxiao.

She was worried that Fu Xiaoxiao might think ill of them, since by rank Fu Xiaoxiao’s husband, Lu Feng, was their superior.

Fu Xiaoxiao understood roughly, took out some melon seeds from her pocket, and shared them with the women.

“Sisters, I’m new here and don’t know much. Please teach me,” Fu Xiaoxiao smiled at them.

Seeing that Fu Xiaoxiao didn’t look down on them and even brought snacks while gossiping, they quickly took a liking to her down-to-earth nature.