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Chapter 81: Chapter 81: All Went Into the Pig’s Mouth?
Si Chen’s brow furrowed slightly, responding in an indifferent tone, "I remember now." He showed no sign of joy upon recognizing Ma Xiulan.
Yet the smile on Ma Xiulan’s face had only gotten brighter, "Brother Si Chen, your wife is so beautiful, like a fairy descended from the heavens. You are indeed fortunate." 𝖓𝔬𝔳𝖕𝖚𝖇.𝖈𝔬𝔪
Si Chen nodded politely at Ma Xiulan as a form of acknowledgment, then turned to Tong Yao and said, "Mom has returned with the meat. Let’s go home and make dumplings."
Before Tong Yao could respond, Ma Xiulan interrupted enthusiastically, "Sister-in-law, go ahead and make the dumplings! I’ll come over this afternoon to play with you and Xiaohui."
Having said that, Ma Xiulan shot Tong Yao a covert wink only they both could understand. In response, Tong Yao offered her a knowing, reassuring smile, easing Ma Xiulan’s concerns somewhat.
A monthly salary of a hundred yuan was a fortune in rural areas. As long as Tong Yao didn’t mention it to Si Chen, things would remain stable.
If Brother Hutou knew she had lured a woman as resplendent as a fairy, he would be thrilled. Surely, there would be a considerable sum waiting for her during the New Year’s bonus distribution.
Glancing at the house’s entrance, Ma Xiulan felt a sudden wave of melancholy. This was a home she could no longer return to. It was somewhat saddening to realize that she might miss this place she had always scorned once it was out of reach. Truly, humans were gluttons for punishment.
This time, she brought back fifteen hundred yuan, enough to build three new tiled houses. With homes of their own, her elder and younger brothers wouldn’t need to worry about getting married. She had fulfilled her duties as a good daughter, not letting her family down.
Tong Yao, following Si Chen back home, caught a glimpse of Ma Xiulan still watching them as they turned the corner. She quickly looked away.
Once they were out of sight and certain that Ma Xiulan had not followed, she shared her observations with Si Chen.
"There’s something not right about that Ma Xiulan. I think she’s a human trafficker. She told me there’s a textile factory in Jiang City hiring people. They provide food and accommodation, and the monthly salary is fifty yuan, which she’d raise to a hundred if I went with her. She asked me and Xiaohui to leave secretly without telling our family. I’ve never been to Jiang City, but there’s no way a factory would offer such high pay. And even if they were hiring, they wouldn’t ask someone who’s only been working there for two years to recruit, so she must be a human trafficker."
This trick might fool Xiaohui, but it would not work on someone like Tong Yao, who was used to observing various schemes. She had seen far more sophisticated scams in the 21st century digital world.
And since when do factory workers dress up like flamboyant, attention-seeking women?
For the villagers, this type of dress might be fashionable, but anyone who has been to the city would shake their heads and frown upon such display. A normal person wouldn’t dress this way, only those involved in shady occupations might dress this seductively to attract men.
From the first glance at Ma Xiulan, Tong Yao could tell that something was definitely off. The swallow under the eaves of Ma’s house further validated her suspicions. Ma Xiulan was undoubtedly a human trafficker. It was one thing to deceive people outside, but to do so in her hometown, she was only courting disaster.
If she reported it to the police now, she wasn’t sure if they would believe her without solid evidence. On the other hand, not reporting it was also unacceptable. She could not watch so many people fall into the trap.
Although Tong Yao wasn’t a saint, she couldn’t remain indifferent while witnessing these people walking into certain danger.
After listening to Tong Yao’s account, Si Chen’s face grew serious, "Did she say anything else?"
"She said that she’s already recruited fifteen people, and if Xiaohui and I join, it’ll be seventeen. We’re supposed to assemble at Liushui Town, from where the factory will send a vehicle to pick us up," Tong Yao waxed through Ma Xiulan’s words, and then grinned with a touch of pride, "I pretended to agree to her proposal and she didn’t seem suspicious. Should we report it to the police now?"
"Not yet." Si Chen shook his head slightly after mulling it over. "She’s likely to be very cautious. If we leave prematurely, we may alert her."
If Ma Xiulan indeed was a human trafficker, recruiting more than a dozen girls at once suggested a well-organized gang behind her. Several spies must be lurking around the village. Leaving now may raise suspicion.
Tong Yao appeared surprised that he questioned none of her words, "You believe me so easily? What if I’m wrong?"
Si Chen raised an eyebrow, "Her story is full of holes."
Any person with a brain could find the loopholes in Ma Xiulan’s words.
Tong Yao scoffed, "It’s precisely these types of deceptive schemes full of holes that can easily mislead. The fifty yuan salary she offered is too tempting for most. I’m lucky to resist such temptation thanks to my sharp mind."
In these poor rural areas, the majority of people lacked a craft and merely subsisted on their small agricultural plots. Suddenly, someone offered to teach them skills and promised big money. More importantly, this someone was a fellow villager they had watched grow up. Who wouldn’t be willing to go?
While cities offered better opportunities, this truth also served as a hook for traffickers.
"You are very clever." Si Chen nodded, giving her a serious glance. "However, the next time you encounter such situations, I wish you’d stay away from danger."
Facing danger head-on and pulling out more information instead of blowing her cover was a commendable feat, but Si Chen didn’t want Tong Yao to be a warrior— he wished for her safety to come first in every situation.
Her moment of pride faded into the background as Si Chen’s earnest praise rendered her speechless.
Lin Fengying was chopping meat for dumplings in the kitchen. Seeing Si Chen and Tong Yao return, she greeted them with a cheerful tone, "Boyi has gone to pick vegetables in the field. You two should sit for a while. Dinner will be ready soon."
Seeing Fengying breaking a sweat, Tong Yao was all smiles, "Mom, let me give you a hand?"
Lin Fengying waved her off, urging Tong Yao into the house with a smile, "The kitchen is messy and full of smoke. You and Xiaochen should relax, especially since you’re home for a visit. I have some sunflower seeds on the living room table."
Indeed, the kitchen was rather dirty and the traditional stove wasn’t designed for ease of use. Since Fengying rejected her help, Tong Yao obediently entered the hall.
"Hmph, someone with a silver tongue. If she really wanted to help, she would’ve just got to work," Xiaohui huffed, stepping out from the hallway with an annoyed look.
Pretending not to hear Xiaohui, Tong Yao sat at the table and began cracking open sunflower seeds. She hadn’t eaten many when Xiaohui strode back in, snatched up the bag of seeds from the table, and retreated into her room.
Seeing this, Si Chen frowned, "Xiaohui, bring back the sunflower seeds."
"Why? So they can all end up in the pig’s mouth?" Xiaohui’s voice echoed from her room.
The pig’s mouth? Was she referring to her?
Tong Yao was about to retort when Si Chen beat her to it, "Watch your words."
All was quiet for a moment, then Xiaohui stomped out, slammed the bag of seeds onto the table, and snapped, "Eat, eat, eat, until you explode."
Si Chen’s lips thinned into a line, his expression unamused, "If you continue to be disrespectful to Yaoyao, I will have nothing to do with your plans to go to the city." Indeed, he had been spoiling Xiaohui these past few years.
