My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]-Chapter 216

The "Food Squad" believed they were blessed with a bit of luck. Without it, how could they have escaped such a dangerous situation?0

Clearly, they were the chosen ones.0

Each of them thought they had the best luck, and the others were just useless hangers-on benefiting from their good fortune.0

The moment they fell, one after another like a set of nesting dolls, they were certain they were doomed. But as they hit the ground, with one person piled on top of another, Jiang Baohong, at the bottom, nearly got crushed. However, they soon discovered that they had landed in a hidden cave. Though they were disoriented, they couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy.0

Though their attempt to steal money had failed, escaping alive was still a victory.0

All of them were injured to varying degrees, but now wasn’t the time to argue over who had dragged whom down. The priority was to get out of there. Little Cai was the first to steady the group’s morale: "Even though we failed here, we still have our second target. Hu Huihui’s family is even wealthier than the compound. We won’t lose out. Once we escape and recover, we can deal with Hu Huihui. The money will be ours for the taking. No matter what happens, as long as we get the money, we’ll live comfortably. We haven’t failed yet. Sure, there were some missteps, but those were just tests from the heavens to prepare us for greater success. If we endure, we’ll triumph!"0

"My son is right," Jiang Baohong was the first to agree. "So what do we do now?"0

Little Cai urged, "Let’s move. We can’t stay here."0

"Right, they’ll come down eventually."0

Thanks to the people above mistaking their escape for an earthquake, they had bought themselves some time. Supporting each other, they stumbled away. Despite their injuries, their spirits were high. After all, surviving such a close call was proof of their incredible luck.0

Little Cai, in particular, was feeling invincible. He believed he was the true chosen one, the most favored by fate. In his darkest moments, the heavens would surely pave a path for him.0

So he wasn’t worried at all.0

Jiang Baohong asked, "Son, why is it so dark here?"0

Little Cai snapped, "What do you expect in a sewer? A bright, sunny day? Use your brain! What’s it even for if not to think? Just for eating?"0

He found his mother utterly foolish. On this mission, she had been nothing but a burden. And his father? Just as useless. Even Fan Debiao had been a disappointment from the start.0

He had brought three helpers, but none had been of any use. It was frustrating to think about.0

He regretted his choices. Useless helpers, worthless burdens.0

But now wasn’t the time for blame. They had to keep moving. Compared to their last sewer ordeal, having four people together made it less terrifying. Still, they couldn’t move quickly, especially with three of them severely injured.0

Worried about being caught, Little Cai urged, "Hurry up!"0

Fan Debiao cursed, "I’d love to move faster, but look at my leg! Do you think I’m not trying?"0

He was in terrible pain, his injuries compounding with every step. The others were hurt too, but their wounds weren’t on their legs, so they could still walk. Fan Debiao, however, relied entirely on their support. Without them, he couldn’t even crawl.0

Fan Debiao was in a foul mood. Little Cai thought he was useless and a drag, but Fan Debiao blamed the Cai family for their bad luck. From the moment they left that morning, nothing had gone right. Their plan had fallen apart completely.0

If it weren’t for Fan Debiao’s good luck, they would’ve been caught long ago.0

It was his luck that had saved them all.0

Still, he didn’t dare offend them too much. After all, he needed their help to walk.0

"How much longer do we have to go?"0

His leg was throbbing with pain. What was wrong with this compound? Were they trying to catch a giant rat? The traps were ridiculously large. He muttered curses under his breath, and Jiang Baohong shot him a disdainful look. She found him unmanly, whining more than a woman.0

Her earlier flicker of attraction to him had completely vanished. Now, she was thoroughly disgusted by Fan Debiao.0

Even Old Cai was fed up. He slapped Fan Debiao and growled, "Shut up! Focus on finding a way out, you useless waste!"0

Fan Debiao’s lip bled from the blow. In the darkness of the sewer, his expression was unreadable, but his heart was as cold as a winter wind. If there was anyone he hated most, it was these people.0

If it weren’t for their persuasion, he wouldn’t be in this mess.0

They relied on him, yet now that he was injured, they treated him like trash. He despised them for looking down on him.0

Just wait, he thought. One day, he’d have his revenge.0

"What are you staring at, you good-for-nothing? If it weren’t for us, you’d be dead in this sewer," Old Cai barked. He was clearly agitated. "Why are we even dragging him along? If he gets caught, it’s his problem. We can just deny everything."0

Little Cai took a deep breath and said, "We’re in this together. We share the good and the bad." If Fan Debiao got caught and ratted them out, it would be a disaster. Besides, he still had a use for Fan Debiao. As if on cue, he spotted a faint light ahead.0

He exclaimed excitedly, "We’ve found the exit!"0

They hurried toward it. Without hesitation, Little Cai said, "Mom, help me support him. We need to get him up first."0

Jiang Baohong protested, "I’ll go up first!"0

She was eager to escape, her fear driving her impatience.0

But Little Cai stopped her. "Let Fan Debiao go first. He’s injured."0

His show of magnanimity made him seem like the ideal partner.0

Old Cai and Jiang Baohong weren’t pleased, but Fan Debiao saw through Little Cai’s act. He sneered, "Stop pretending to be so noble. You’re sending me up first to scout. If there’s trouble, you’ll abandon me, right?"0

His voice dripped with resentment.0

Little Cai wasn’t fazed. To him, Fan Debiao was a toothless tiger, no longer a threat.0

He smirked coldly. "Exactly. What are you going to do about it? You’re only good for this now. Why else would we keep you around?"0

The earlier pretense of camaraderie was gone, replaced by blunt ruthlessness.0

Little Cai wasn’t afraid of Fan Debiao and made no effort to hide his intentions. "Mom, Dad, we’ll use him to test the way."0

Old Cai’s eyes lit up. "Good thinking, son. You’re a smart one, just like me!"0

Jiang Baohong nodded in agreement, smiling with satisfaction.0

As they reached the faint light, Little Cai said, "Dad, push it open."0

Old Cai obliged. "Got it."0

He whispered, "If something’s wrong, we run immediately."0

They had been on the move for hours. It was mid-afternoon, and though the sun was out, snow was still falling. The cold was biting, and they were shivering in the sewer. Together, they pushed Fan Debiao upward.0

Fan Debiao, meanwhile, clutched a dagger in his hand. With his injured leg, he was at their mercy, but his hatred for the Cai family burned fiercely. Once they helped him get home and he recovered, he’d make them pay.0

Fan Debiao struggled to climb up, unaware that someone nearby had already spotted him. Guan Hong, like everyone else, had been keeping an eye on the manhole cover. They were close to the compound, and logically, they shouldn’t have emerged here. They should’ve gone farther away, but the underground tunnels were a maze, and after circling around, they ended up back where they started, leading to this cover-up.0

Guan Hong and Zheng Huimin had also joined the search for the villain. Being women, they were patrolling nearby. Just as Zheng Huimin had gone to the restroom, she sensed something was off.0

Sure enough, Fan Debiao soon popped his head out.0

Guan Hong couldn’t help but let out a scream: “Ah!”0

Fan Debiao had just emerged, and the people below, hearing the scream, didn’t wait for him. They took off running!0

Fan Debiao knew he had to act fast, or he’d be caught for sure. He didn’t have time to think. Ignoring the pain in his foot, he mustered all his strength, took a few steps forward, and brandished a knife, aiming directly at Guan Hong.0

She had to be silenced.0

She had to die!0

“Die!!!”0

His eyes were bloodshot and fierce. Though he barely knew Guan Hong, for the sake of escaping, he didn’t hesitate to pull out the knife and stab at her with vicious intent.0

Guan Hong: “Ahhh!”0

Though she was usually a fierce and bold girl, in this critical moment, she was paralyzed with fear, unable to move. As the knife came toward her, she felt certain she was done for.0

Her mind went blank, but suddenly, a force pushed her aside!0

Guan Hong: “Ah!”0

Su Jinlai had also been wandering nearby. Hearing the scream, he rushed over and saw the terrifying scene. Guan Hong was frozen in fear, unable to move. Su Jinlai, though terrified himself, managed to push her out of the way with all his might.0

Guan Hong fell to the ground with a thud, but she dodged the knife.0

Fan Debiao, already injured, had put everything into that desperate stab.0

With Guan Hong dodging, he stumbled forward, crashing into the wall and collapsing to the ground. Su Jinlai, fearing a counterattack, quickly dragged Guan Hong back, screaming at the top of his lungs: “Help! Murder! Fan Debiao is trying to kill someone!”0

Guan Hong’s legs were weak, but she managed to retreat with Su Jinlai’s help.0

Fan Debiao, having missed his target and unable to stand due to his injured foot, was filled with rage but couldn’t get up. Su Jinlai, seeing this, felt a bit more at ease but kept pulling Guan Hong away, moving swiftly.0

The commotion quickly drew the attention of others, and soon a group of people armed with wooden clubs rushed over.0

Before Fan Debiao could retaliate, he was surrounded. The wooden clubs rained down on him: “You scoundrel! After all the evil you’ve done, you still want to kill someone? Beat him!”0

“Yeah, beat him to death!”0

“A villain like this deserves to die!”0

“We’re ridding the world of scum!”0

“Beat the crap out of him!”0

“He’s a disgrace to the men of our city. Finish him!”0

The wooden clubs came down hard and fast. When Zhao Guihua and her elderly squad arrived, they saw Fan Debiao curled up in a corner, covering his head, already beaten to a pulp.0

She shouted: “Let everyone vent their anger, but don’t kill him! We don’t need to get into trouble over scum like him!”0

She added: “A vicious criminal like this deserves to rot in prison!”0

“He’s getting what he deserves!”0

“Arrest him! Arrest him!”0

The cries rose and fell.0

By then, Zheng Huimin had returned. She helped Guan Hong up and, though unaware of what had happened, glared at Su Jinlai: “You jerk, did you drag Guan Hong into danger again?”0

It looked like Zheng Huimin was about to scratch him.0

Su Jinlai, who had been loudly demanding punishment for Fan Debiao, was stunned by the accusation.0

He felt more wronged than Dou E! Sure, he’d done something like that before, but this time, he’d saved her!0

Indignant, he said: “What are you talking about? If it weren’t for me, she’d be a corpse right now! Instead of thanking me, you’re blaming me? What kind of people are you? That’s just wrong!”0

Zheng Huimin: “You…”0

Guan Hong, finally calming down, said: “He saved me.”0

She took deep breaths, gradually regaining her composure. Everyone reacts differently in danger, and Guan Hong had been momentarily paralyzed with fear. She didn’t know why she’d frozen like that, but the moment had been truly terrifying.0

She took another deep breath and looked at Su Jinlai with a mix of emotions. Who would’ve thought that Su Jinlai would save her?0

She pursed her lips and awkwardly said: “Thank you.”0

After all, Su Jinlai had once used her as a shield, and ever since, she’d been hostile toward him, whether at the factory or in the compound. She never expected him to save her.0

Su Jinlai, puffing up with pride, snorted and said: “I wronged you once, and now I’ve helped you once. We’re even, okay? Don’t keep bringing up the past. Be nicer to me from now on.”0

Guan Hong clenched her jaw, then finally said seriously: “We’re even.”0

Su Jinlai: “Right, we’re even.”0

Both of them seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.0

Zheng Huimin looked back and forth between them, finding it hard to believe.0

Who would’ve thought that Su Jinlai would save someone?0

This was truly… eye-opening!0

As she pondered this, Su Jinlai turned to her, hands on his hips: “Comrade Zheng, why did you accuse me without even asking? You can’t judge me by my past mistakes! Sure, I used to be a bit unreliable, but you can’t just assume the worst! Besides, I’ve been doing well lately. Everyone says I’ve turned over a new leaf!”0

Zheng Huimin, feeling awkward, said: “I’m sorry. I misunderstood you.”0

Su Jinlai puffed out his chest proudly and snorted.0

Zheng Huimin’s lips twitched.0

Su Jinlai ignored them and quickly ran over to Zhao Guihua: “Auntie, what should we do with him?”0

Zhao Guihua: “Take him to the police station.”0

By now, Fan Debiao was a beaten and battered mess. The crowd showed him no mercy. Hearing that he was finally being taken to the police station, he burst into tears. At least prison would be safer. He’d suffered enough.0

“Lock him up! Lock him up! At least in prison, I won’t have to face this!”0

He sobbed pitifully.0

Meanwhile, the children had come running. Though the adults had forbidden them from wandering around, they begged to come out and see the excitement. Not just the kids from their compound, but also the Ye Family Siblings, Xing’er and her brother, and a group of about ten children.0

They all came to see the villain.0

“Whoa!”0

They hadn’t expected the villain to look so pathetic.0

But no matter how pitiful he looked, he didn’t deserve sympathy.0

Su Jinlai quickly warned: “Don’t get too close! He has a knife!”0

“Over here!”0

Zhao Guihua spotted it immediately. During the beating, Fan Debiao’s knife had fallen to the ground. She kicked it away.0

Fan Debiao didn’t even seem to notice. He just kept crying, louder and more pitifully, as if he were the most wretched person in the world. Between sobs, he even started complaining.0

"I must have been out of my mind, completely out of my mind! I shouldn't have gotten involved with Little Cai and his gang, wuwuwu..." He cried so hard that he started hiccuping: "If I hadn't mixed with them, I could have made a comeback. But ever since I joined them, I've been so unlucky. Unlucky to the extreme. We arrived before five in the morning, in the freezing winter, and I was shivering from the cold. That Jiang Baohong kept rubbing against me—she’s after my body, ah! She’s harassing me! Wuwuwu, why am I so unlucky? All I wanted was to make some money. Why do I have to suffer like this? They said we were going to rob, but they couldn’t even pick a lock. We spent ages breaking down the door, and when we finally got in, there was no money to be found. Wuwuwu, even a child could handle us. My foot... oh, my foot! A huge, enormous rat trap clamped down on it! It hurts so much! The sewer was so dark, and rats were scurrying around. My legs were soaked in filthy water... I’ve suffered so much! Why did I agree to Little Cai’s plan? I must have been out of my mind. I shouldn’t have trusted him. I should have known his family was unreliable! How could I have believed him? I’m such an idiot!"0

Fan Debiao was truly broken. He felt like the most miserable person in the world.0

He cried pitifully, but everyone’s expressions were hard to describe. What? You’re miserable? Did anyone force you to do these bad things? If you do bad things, you should be prepared to fail.0

He cried bitterly, but Guan Hong wasn’t having any of it: "Stop pretending to be pitiful! You weren’t like this when you were trying to kill me earlier."0

She still felt a chill thinking about it. If Su Jinlai hadn’t pushed her out of the way, that knife would have gone straight into her heart. The thought made her even angrier: "When you tried to kill me, you aimed right for my heart. You wanted to take my life, and now you expect sympathy?"0

Everyone immediately became more resolute. That’s right, this guy showed no mercy when he was trying to harm others.0

Fan Debiao: "I didn’t actually stab you, did I? Can’t you let it go? Can’t you be a little more forgiving?"0

"You bastard... how can you have the nerve to say something so shameless!"0

Guan Hong was furious. She rushed forward, kicking and punching Fan Debiao without holding back. Her anger boiled over as she thought about how despicable and shameless he was.0

Fan Debiao: "Ah!"0

"He deserves to be beaten to death!"0

"That’s right, he deserves it!"0

"Beat him up! How dare he say something so shameless!"0

"These are the kind of people who rob and kill. Did you expect them to be good?"0

"Exactly!"0

Fan Debiao: "Ahhh!"0

Guan Hong vented her anger by hitting him, while everyone else watched coldly, not lifting a finger to stop her. People like him deserve it!0

"The police are here."0

No one knew how long Guan Hong had been hitting him when the police arrived, jogging over. Before they could even ask, everyone started talking all at once. The police officers looked at Fan Debiao with disdain.0

A grown man should take responsibility for his actions. How could he say something so shameless?0

By this point, Fan Debiao was unrecognizable. Even his own mother wouldn’t have known him. His face was swollen like a pig’s head, covered in bloody streaks. His foot was swollen like a pig’s trotter, dripping with blood, and his body was in a similar state.0

In short, it was a sight too gruesome to look at.0

But no one felt sorry for him.0

This is the kind of fate that bad people deserve.0

"Take him away."0

Fan Debiao was quickly taken away, and his dagger was collected as evidence.0

His arrest confirmed that the four-person robbery gang consisted of the Cai family—father, mother, and son—plus Fan Debiao. Although they had covered their faces earlier, their scarves fell off when they fell into the sewer.0

Even if they hadn’t, they wouldn’t have been able to keep their faces covered once they emerged, so they were recognized immediately.0

With Fan Debiao in custody, the search intensified. There were already three teams tracking them in the sewer. In theory, it should have been easy to follow the blood trails from their wounds.0

But the problem was the sewer itself.0

The sewer was a maze of interconnected tunnels, with narrow, confusing paths. While the police could follow the municipal blueprints, the criminals were wandering aimlessly.0

The sewer was also filled with foul odors and filth, with puddles of stagnant water and mud everywhere. Even if there were blood trails, they were hard to spot. The stench made tracking even more difficult.0

The unfavorable conditions, combined with the time gap between their escape and the pursuit, made it hard to locate the remaining criminals.0

Fan Debiao’s arrest was good news.0

Although the Cai family was still down there, they couldn’t stay hidden forever. They would have to come up eventually, and when they did, the chances of catching them were high. The police reminded everyone: "We know you all want to help, and we’re grateful for your efforts in keeping watch near the manhole covers. But we must remind you to be careful and prioritize your safety. Don’t go alone. As you’ve seen, these people are armed and desperate."0

"Understood."0

"We know. We’re not trying to be heroes."0

"Right."0

The police officer added: "Please be careful and stick together."0

He turned to the children and said, "You kids should go home. We know you’re brave, but you’re still children. Don’t take risks, okay? You’re the future of our country. You mustn’t get hurt."0

The children nodded and murmured in agreement.0

The police quickly returned to their duties, and Zhao Guihua gathered everyone: "I think the officer is right. If you want to help, don’t go alone."0

"Right, we’ll listen to you."0

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They quickly paired up. Zhao Guihua said to Guan Hong, "You took a fall earlier and were scared. Why don’t you go home and rest?"0

Guan Hong refused: "No, it’s nothing. I wasn’t scared at all. Besides, what are the chances of something like that happening again? And if it does, even better. I was too timid the first time. Next time, I’ll teach those shameless scoundrels a proper lesson. I’m not easily frightened!"0

Zheng Huimin chimed in: "We’ll stick together. It’ll be fine."0

Zhao Guihua hesitated: "Two women?"0

Su Jinlai had been planning to go home. After all, he had been heroic today, acting bravely and doing the right thing. He deserved to be praised, so he could go home now...0

It wasn’t because his legs were still shaking from fear.0

But with all the women refusing to go home, it would look bad if he left. He couldn’t be less brave than the women, could he? Reluctantly, he decided to stay.0

He waved his hand and said, "I’ll go with you."0

Guan Hong and Zheng Huimin agreed without hesitation: "Deal."0

After all, they had put their differences aside.0

Everyone paired up and continued patrolling near the manhole covers. The children headed home, with Yuanyuan holding up one finger: "One caught."0

"Three more to go, but they won’t last long," Tuantuan said confidently. With everyone searching for them, how could they hide for long?0

He added, "It’s freezing today. If they’re caught, it’s their luck. Otherwise, they’d freeze to death."0

"That’s true. It’s really cold," Bai Qingqing rubbed her arms. "Let’s go to my house. My mom lit the stove."0

Yuanyuan suggested, "No, come to my house. We have the stove and the kang heated up. We can watch TV together."0

The children quickly agreed: "Alright, let’s go to your house."0

"TV, TV!" Xiao Qijin shouted, but then scratched his head: "Actually... I’m not really in the mood to watch. I want to know when they’ll catch the bad guys."0

They had all been so brave today.0

"Me too."0

"They’ll catch them sooner or later."0

They walked into the courtyard with their hands tucked in their sleeves. By now, the courtyard had been tidied up. Although the visitors had caused quite a ruckus, each household had managed to restore order. Zhuang Zhixi didn’t join the others in blocking the manhole covers. Instead, he quickly went to the Lan Family to replace the broken glass and took care of the mess there. After all, the children had fought back in that area.0

Lan Sihai, surprisingly, wasn’t the least bit annoyed. Instead, he smiled and said, “It’s no big deal, don’t worry about it.” It was rare for him not to speak sarcastically. On the contrary, the old man nodded approvingly and said, “These kids have the same spirit I had when I was young.”0

Luo Xiaohe chimed in, “Don’t encourage them like that! It’s too frightening! They’re so young; they should run and hide if something like this happens again… Oh no, forget that! They’ll never encounter such things again!”0

Lan Sihai replied, “The kids are fine.”0

Since they were older, they didn’t go out. He suggested, “Why don’t you go to the supply and marketing cooperative to see if they have any glutinous rice balls? Buy some and cook them. It’s freezing outside, and everyone will appreciate something warm to eat when they come back. Besides, the kids love them.”0

Luo Xiaohe agreed, “I’ll go right away.” She wasn’t stingy either. She opened the drawer, took out some money, and left. Lan Sihai called out, “Wait, I’ll go with you.”0

“Alright.”0

The elderly couple headed out. If you think about it, those foolish thieves had terrible luck. They had gone to Wang Xiangxiu’s house first. If they had gone to Lan Sihai’s house instead, they might have found some money.0

But their luck was just that bad. Little Cai did enter Lan Sihai’s house, but as soon as he stepped in, the children returned, leaving him no time to search. The first place they ransacked was Wang Xiangxiu’s house, but they ended up searching the rooms of Li Junjun and Li Weiwei, the two grandsons of Old Li.0

Li Junjun and Li Weiwei had handed over their salaries to their mother, keeping only a small allowance for themselves, which they carried with them. Naturally, there was no money in their rooms. As for the adjacent room, it wasn’t Wang Xiangxiu’s but Aunt Zhou’s. Elderly people like Aunt Zhou didn’t trust banks much, but even though she didn’t deposit her money there, she didn’t dare hide it in the rented house either. She felt uneasy about it.0

Her money was hidden in her grandson Xiao Qijin’s room, so naturally, there was nothing in her room either.0

To sum it up, Little Cai only found about thirty yuan in Wang Xiangxiu’s drawer. The rest… they didn’t find anything. Some places they didn’t even get to search, like Bai Fendou’s house. He Lan, being younger, wasn’t as old-fashioned as Aunt Zhou and the other elderly folks who were afraid to deposit money in banks.0

Being younger, she kept most of her money in the bank, except for some cash for daily expenses. The amount of money at home was small and well-hidden, making it hard to find. Before they could locate it, they were interrupted. So, Old Cai, who was searching there, also came up empty-handed.0

However, if they had searched Lan Sihai’s drawer, they would have found fifty yuan.0

The Lan Family kept their monthly living expenses in the drawer, so those thieves were really out of luck. Meanwhile, the unlucky family was still running through the sewer. Without Fan Debiao as a burden, they were moving much more easily.0

Jiang Baohong said, “Son, it’s a good thing you were smart and used Fan Debiao as a decoy to buy us some time.”0

Little Cai smirked, “Of course. Did you think I was a fool? I kept that useless guy around for a reason. Otherwise, why would I bother with such deadweight? But I can tell he’s not a loyal person. He’ll probably betray us. We’ll have to lay low for a while.”0

“Lay low? Are you saying I have to live like this?” Old Cai protested. He always had trouble reading the situation.0

Little Cai was annoyed and said, “We’ll lay low for a bit, deal with Hu Huihui, and then try to leave as soon as possible.”0

Originally, he thought he could use a few people as shields, but now the situation didn’t look good. He glanced subtly at his parents, wondering how to use them to buy more time.0

“We must deal with Hu Huihui. How dare they live so comfortably,” Old Cai grumbled.0

“Exactly,” Little Cai agreed.0

As they were talking, they heard a faint noise.0

Old Cai snapped, “Is it those damn rats again?”0

To be fair, even though it was pitch black, he had adapted somewhat. After all, he had been trapped in the sewer before, so he had some experience.0

“Jiang Baohong!”0

A voice called out, and Jiang Baohong instinctively responded, “Who’s calling me?”0

As soon as she answered, she realized her mistake. Before she could react, two police officers rushed in. Jiang Baohong screamed, “Ah!”0

In a critical moment, she shoved the person next to her and turned to run. Old Cai, pushed with great force, stumbled forward and crashed into the two officers, buying the others some time. Jiang Baohong fled, and Little Cai also sprinted away.0

Old Cai roared, “Damn you!!!!”0

His voice thundered, filled with hatred. “Officers, catch them! You must catch them!”0

Though not the sharpest tool in the shed, he realized that the people coming to arrest them must be the police. One of the officers restrained Old Cai while the other chased after the fleeing pair. With only one officer chasing two people, he had to choose one to pursue. He followed the sound of footsteps and quickly caught up with Little Cai, pinning him down.0

Both father and son were furious. “Jiang Baohong, that bitch! She’s a real bitch!”0

The whole situation was a mess. Though they were part of the same gang, if you asked Fan Debiao who he hated most in the world, it would undoubtedly be the Cai family. Not only had they attacked him and humiliated him, but they had also abandoned him at a critical moment. If they hadn’t used him as a decoy, he wouldn’t have been the first one caught.0

So, if you asked Fan Debiao who he hated most, it was the Cai family.0

And if you asked Old Cai and Little Cai who they hated most now, their answer would be the same: Jiang Baohong.0

Old Cai had originally hated Wang Xiangxiu the most, but now Jiang Baohong topped the list. She had led the police to them and even used him as a shield to escape. His hatred burned fiercely—after all, the betrayal of someone close cuts the deepest.0

He cursed, “That bitch! I’ll kill her one day. I swear I’ll kill her!”0

He kept ranting and raving.0

Little Cai was no less furious. He couldn’t believe he had been caught.0

Wasn’t he the chosen one? Wasn’t he favored by the heavens? Wasn’t he destined for greatness? Why had this happened? He also blamed Jiang Baohong deeply. Why had she answered that call?0

If it weren’t for her, he would have escaped.0

He wouldn’t have been caught, he wouldn’t have been caught!0

The father and son were both escorted out of the sewer by the police. As they emerged, they saw Zhao Guihua and a group of others waiting. The police had a system—they wouldn’t bring anyone up without backup, as they couldn’t risk anyone escaping.0

They found a manhole cover and pushed it open but didn’t rush to climb out. Instead, they signaled for backup.0

Unlike Old Cai and his gang, who were like headless chickens running blindly in the dark sewer, the police officers had flashlights and quickly located the cover. After signaling, they waited for reinforcements before bringing the two men up one by one.0

Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun, along with a few other men, had heard the signal and arrived. As soon as Little Cai’s head popped out, Bai Fendou grabbed him and hauled him up. He slapped him hard across the face. Little Cai cried out, “Ah!”0

Before he could react, another slap landed on him.0

Little Cai stammered, “You… you… why are you hitting me?”0

“Damn right, I’m hitting you!”0

Old Cai hesitated at the entrance of the sewer, too scared to climb up. However, Zhou Qun and Zhuang Zhiyuan were pulled up by others. Zhou Qun didn’t hold back; he was the only son in his family, and he couldn’t have any more children. If anything happened to his son…0

His anger flared up instantly, and he punched Old Cai right in the eye. Old Cai let out a scream, but neither Zhou Qun, Bai Fendou, nor Zhuang Zhiyuan showed any mercy. They pounded him relentlessly, as if trying to beat the life out of him.0

“You piece of trash! Who do you think you are? You dare to rob our compound? You dare to lay a hand on my child? Damn it, I’ll show you who’s in charge here!”0

“Beat him!”0

“Yeah, beat him!”0

The police officers tried to intervene, but their efforts were half-hearted. These people had done something despicable, and the victims wanted to vent their anger. The officers couldn’t openly stop them, but they also couldn’t ignore the rules entirely. So, they pretended to intervene, but it didn’t make much difference.0

As for the two officers in the sewer, they climbed up in slow motion, clearly in no hurry to get out. After all, coming up would mean having to stop the beating.0

The Cai father and son were howling in pain, their faces swollen and bruised. They had lived a life of comfort, far removed from the hardships of ordinary workers. Their biggest downfall had been getting trapped in the sewer, and now they were being beaten like never before. They were on the verge of collapsing, and after a while, they were too weak to even cry out. Finally, the beating stopped.0

Old Cai was still muttering deliriously, “Jiang Baohong, I hate you…”0

Bai Fendou chimed in, “Oh right, both of them got caught. What about their woman? Did she get away?”0

“She betrayed me, she betrayed me…” Old Cai’s voice was weak, but the hatred in his words was unmistakable. “I hate her…”0

Everyone exchanged glances, and one person explained, “Jiang Baohong used him as a shield and ran away.”0

The crowd gasped. “Wow!”0

It truly was a case of “husband and wife are like birds in the same forest; when disaster strikes, they fly in different directions.”0

“You really can’t marry someone like that.”0

“Hey, isn’t this the second time Jiang Baohong has abandoned him?” Zhou Qun, the gossip enthusiast, seemed to know a thing or two about Jiang Baohong’s past. Of course, it wasn’t because he knew her personally, but because her story was connected to Wang Xiangxiu and Bai Fendou.0

So, everyone had heard about it. Back then, Old Cai had been transferred to another city, and Jiang Baohong had divorced him. They had only remarried a few years ago, so if you counted this time, Jiang Baohong had truly abandoned Old Cai twice.0

Zhou Qun added, “There was the divorce before, and now this.”0

“Ah, ah… Jiang Baohong, I hate you!” Hearing this, Old Cai broke down even more. Back then, they had agreed to divorce to preserve their strength, but now he didn’t see it that way. He wailed, feeling utterly wronged, and shouted, “Jiang Baohong, I’ll never forgive you!”0

“Stop crying. You’ll get used to it. She abandoned you once, twice, and there’ll be a third and fourth time,” Zhou Qun said, twisting the knife.0

Old Cai’s eyes turned red with rage. “Shut up! Just shut up!”0

“I won’t shut up. I’ll keep saying it! You’ve been abandoned twice. Who knows how many green hats she gave you during those years you were divorced? You were in different places, so you’d never know. Heh.”0

Zhou Qun really knew how to hit a man where it hurt.0

He continued, “You’re so pathetic. Your wife betrayed you, and even your son didn’t protect you when you were getting beaten. How did you end up like this?”0

“Ahhh…” Old Cai was seething with anger.0

Zhou Qun turned to Little Cai, “This is your son, right? I heard he has two sons. Don’t worry, when you go to jail, your wife will definitely remarry, and someone else will sleep with her and beat your kids. You’ll be thrilled!”0

“You bastard! Ahhh!” Little Cai also lost it.0

People can break down so easily.0

Seeing that the Cai father and son were on the verge of losing their minds, the police officers said, “Take them away.”0

The two were dragged off like lifeless dogs, completely drained of energy.0

Everyone sighed, “Who would’ve thought the last one to escape would be Jiang Baohong?”0

The news quickly spread back to the compound. The children were eating black sesame dumplings. Tuantuan held up two fingers, “Two, three.”0

“One more to go,” Yuanyuan said, taking a bite of the sesame filling. “Mmm, so delicious.”0

Sweet, fragrant, and utterly delicious.0

Yuanyuan added, “Great-grandpa’s dumplings are the best.”0

Each child held a small bowl, happily enjoying the treat. Xing'er’s eyes squinted with delight, feeling like she could swallow her tongue along with the dumplings. Last spring, she was still in her hometown, where she couldn’t even eat a simple cornmeal pancake. Her family could only afford coarse cornmeal, and even that wasn’t always enough.0

She had often seen her father drinking water to stave off hunger. Back then, her family was truly poor.0

But now, she could go to school, her younger brother had recovered from his illness, and they could even sit in their neighbor’s house, watching TV and eating dumplings—delicious, sweet dumplings. Xing'er puffed out her cheeks and said, “I’ve never eaten anything so delicious.”0

“I think it’s delicious too.”0

“Yeah, so sweet.”0

Dumplings were a rare treat, not something you could eat outside of the Lantern Festival. Only families with good conditions could afford such luxuries. Everyone happily ate their dumplings, and the conversation soon turned back to the earlier events.0

“Guess when Jiang Baohong will be caught?”0

“Hard to say.”0

“Let’s bet on it. The loser has to wash the winner’s socks.”0

“Sure!”0

Everyone laughed and started making predictions.0

Tuantuan asked, “Who’s first?”0

Yuanyuan volunteered, “Me! I bet it’ll be today.”0

She had her reasons. “All her accomplices have been caught. She’s probably panicking and scared. She won’t last long. Plus, the police are really good at their job. They’ve been searching the sewers, so they’ll find her soon.”0

“I think it’ll be tomorrow. The fewer people there are, the easier it is to hide. She’s alone, so she’ll be harder to find,” Ye Siyuan chimed in.0

Most of the kids guessed today or tomorrow, with no one betting on the day after. They quickly split into two groups.0

The two teams made a bet about washing socks, and the excitement grew. Yuanyuan said, “She has to be caught soon. Victory is within my grasp!”0

Ye Siyuan teased, “If you lose, you’ll have to wash my socks.”0

Yuanyuan snorted, “I won’t lose. I’ll win.”0

“Yuanyuan will win! I’ll win too!” Li Zhenzhen shouted. She had also guessed today.0

Ming Mei watched the children from the doorway, secretly observing. She was relieved to see that the kids weren’t scared at all. If it were other children, they would’ve been crying after such a big incident, but these kids were acting like nothing had happened. They were even making bets.0

You had to admit, they were really carefree.0

But as a mother, she was glad. Being carefree had its advantages.0

Not being scared was a good thing.0

However, the kids’ reasoning made sense. Jiang Baohong, now alone, was even more terrified. She had never been particularly capable; her tough exterior had always been a facade. Her power had come from being Old Cai’s wife. Once Old Cai fell from grace, she couldn’t even compete with Guan Guiling, which said a lot.0

She wept as she stumbled through the sewer, feeling like she was on the verge of a breakdown. She didn’t even know how she had ended up in this situation. If she thought about it, the person to blame was Old Cai.0

If he hadn’t messed around, they wouldn’t have been framed and transferred. If he hadn’t been transferred, she wouldn’t have fallen from grace. If Old Cai had kept his pants on, she would still be the wife of a leader.0

At the very least, she could have ended up like Hu Huihui, with her whole family escaping unscathed, now living a life of luxury, and Hu Huihui even running her own company.0

Thinking of this, Jiang Baohong felt that this was the kind of life she should have been living. Her current misery was all because of Old Cai, everything was Old Cai's fault. The more Jiang Baohong thought about it, the more hatred she felt. She cursed, "A man who can't control his urges is no better than a rotten cucumber!"0

She angrily shouted, "You deserve to be useless now! Damn bastard!"0

She continued to trudge forward in the underground tunnel, not knowing where she was going, but still moving forward. "Damn it, you couldn't even stand up for me before, and now you dare to hit me?"0

She recalled how Old Cai had laid hands on her, and her anger only grew.0

When the two of them were together, she wouldn't think about these things, but now, in this desperate situation, everything seemed to be falling apart. Alone in this environment, her mind was in complete chaos.0

"Since I married into the Cai family, I've always been good to them, but they've treated me poorly. Damn them, they all deserve to die..." Her legs grew weaker as she walked, and she cried out, "I'm a leader too, I should be a leader..."0

Jiang Baohong was going crazy in the sewer, but no one knew. The search continued until evening, but no one found her. They didn't push themselves too hard and went home for dinner.0

After all, today was New Year's Day. Who could have imagined that the first day of the year would be so eventful?0

What a complex and dramatic day it had been!0

No New Year's Day in recent memory had been like this one, with everyone banding together to catch a criminal. The weather was cold, but their hearts were burning with determination.0

"Where do you think she's hiding?"0

"Who knows? If she's a woman, she should just come out and surrender. There's no way she can escape."0

"Exactly, she's trapped in the sewer. Without food or water, she won't last long. Does she really think she can survive like this?"0

"That's what I'm saying!"0

Everyone had their own thoughts and couldn't understand why Jiang Baohong was holding out for so long. But the truth was, Jiang Baohong wasn't trying to hold out—she was terrified and wanted to come out. However, finding an exit was difficult, and the police hadn't found her yet. She found a corner and sat down. The ground was damp and muddy, and she felt pain all over her body. She had already injured her back earlier, and now she was just enduring the pain.0

She covered her face and sobbed, "I'm a leader, I'm supposed to be a leader..."0

She cried in a daze, but no one found her. She was in pain, hungry, cold, and miserable. At this moment, she even thought of Guan Guiling, feeling that her life was worse than that of a mentally ill person.0

She would rather live in a mental hospital.0

At least the environment there was decent.0

Wailing, she cried, "Jiang Baohong..."0

A faint voice called out. Jiang Baohong froze for a moment, then felt a surge of excitement. "It's me, it's me! I'm here, come find me, please, I'm here!"0

Before, she had hoped not to be found, but now Jiang Baohong desperately wanted to be rescued. She couldn't take it anymore.0

"Jiang Baohong..."0

"I'm here!" she shouted, running towards the sound. After a while, she finally saw the police officers. They had flashlights, and she shielded her eyes from the blinding light. "Arrest me, arrest me! Get me out of here, I'm so cold, hungry, and in pain!"0

The police officers were speechless.0

Jiang Baohong had been caught.0

Or rather, she had been saved. If she had stayed in the sewer any longer, given the current weather, she would have either died or suffered greatly. Fortunately, the police had kept searching and eventually found her.0

Jiang Baohong was pulled out, and she pleaded excitedly, "Take me to a mental hospital. I don't want to go to jail. I have a mental illness."0

She thought that compared to prison, a mental hospital would be much better. Hadn't she seen how Guan Guiling had gained weight?0

She remembered the environment there from her last visit—it wasn't bad at all.0

The police officers looked at Jiang Baohong, completely baffled.0

This woman was ugly, but her thoughts were quite bold.0

She wanted to go to a mental hospital?0

Who did she think she was?0

Someone like her deserved to be sent for labor reform.0

Seeing that no one was responding, Jiang Baohong grew more agitated. "Listen, I'm telling you, sending me to a mental hospital would be a loss for me. You don't want me causing trouble, do you? If you know what's good for you, send me to a mental hospital. Otherwise, I'll report you to your superiors. You'll regret it!"0

"Whether you go to a mental hospital or not isn't up to you. Don't think you can slip through the cracks."0

Everyone was disgusted by this woman. "Take her away."0

"How dare you treat me like this! I, Jiang Baohong, have some influence in this city. I used to be a leader at the bus station. How dare you disrespect me?"0

She could even say such absurd things.0

But now, everyone remained silent, ignoring her. Who knew if she was just pretending to be crazy to escape punishment? They had never seen someone like her before, trying to feign insanity to avoid the law.0

Not a chance!0

Just as they were about to take her away, Jiang Baohong suddenly shouted again, "I want to go to the compound! I want to go to Ming Mei's compound! I want to ask how they raised their children. Those little brats have no manners!"0

Jiang Baohong truly believed this, but she also knew it wasn't something she should say. Saying it would definitely invite criticism. But she didn't care—she just wanted to cause a scene. If she acted crazy enough, maybe they'd think she was mentally ill. Then she wouldn't have to go to jail, right?0

She felt she didn't deserve to go to jail.0

All of this was planned by three men. She was just following along. How could a woman control her husband when he wanted to do something big? She had no choice but to go along with it. She was the victim here. She was innocent.0

Now that she had been caught and there was no way to escape, she might as well act crazy. That way, she could avoid punishment.0

Jiang Baohong thought she was so clever, so cunning. But the truth was, the others saw right through her. They had dealt with many criminals before and knew all the tricks. They weren't surprised by Jiang Baohong's schemes.0

People like her, trying to use mental illness to escape punishment, weren't the first, and they wouldn't be the last.0

But things wouldn't go the way she wanted.0

Did she think she could just declare herself mentally ill and avoid punishment?0

That wasn't up to her.0

"I want to go to the compound! I want to go to the compound! Otherwise, I'll roll on the ground!" Jiang Baohong was getting into the act, but before she could start rolling, she heard an angry shout: "Toilet maniac! Give me back my underwear!"0

Li Weiwei charged forward with a broom in hand...0