Upon hearing Li Zhaodi’s words, Shao Dong and the others also heaved a sigh of relief and nodded. The onlookers had no choice but to admit she was right. The way they looked at Zhao Lan and Shao Qiyun became subtle.

  Zhao Lan and Shao Qiyun’s faces turned red, and they nearly choked to death. However, for a while, they really couldn’t find anything to say back. This was because they couldn’t deny that Mu Jingzhe was really capable of earning money now. Even if one said she was the richest person in the village, no one would have the courage to stand up and object.

  Therefore, Shao Qiyun could only scoff and say, “Don’t try to act tough. How much money can the kids spend? Aren’t the children earning their own money? Why would they need her to spend money on them? Besides, isn’t she just spending money so that she can earn money afterward…”

  Shao Qiyun wanted to slander them further, but the kids could no longer bear to listen.

  “Enough!” Shao Nan couldn’t take it anymore and interrupted Shao Qiyun. “Who do you think you are? What right do you have to judge? Vampire? You’re the vampires. Do you think everyone is a fool? Who doesn’t know what your entire family is like?”

  Shao Nan sneered. “Put away your ugly faces. Let’s cut to the chase today. No matter how much effort you make, no matter how many people you bring here with you, there’s no way we’re going back with you.

  “Don’t even think of slandering or wronging Mommy. We’re happy to spend money on Mommy. How we choose to spend our money is up to us. Anyway, we would rather donate it than let you use it. Stop wasting effort and give up on the thought of snatching us back. Let me make it abundantly clear to you: We don’t want to! We don’t want to go back with you, let alone acknowledge you!”

  As soon as Shao Nan spoke, he unleashed his full combat strength, infuriating Shao Qiyun and Zhao Lan. Zhao Lan opened her mouth to curse when she heard this, but Shao Qiyun quickly stopped her.

  At a time like this, they couldn’t act rashly. She forcefully suppressed her anger and sighed helplessly. “Little Nan, it’s precisely because Aunt was worried that you would become like this that we decided to bring you home to raise you.

  \r \r \r

  “You used to be so obedient and polite in the past, but look at you now. You don’t look like a child at all. You’ve been taught badly by Mu Jingzhe.”

  After she said that, Shao Qiyun looked at everyone. “You all saw it, right? That’s not all. This child has been led astray by Mu Jingzhe and her family. Who in the village doesn’t know about Li Zhaodi and Mu Jingzhe’s reputation? Children learn from the good but also from the bad. What’s going to happen in the future?”

  After Shao Qiyun finished speaking, she waited for everyone to nod in agreement. However, even though she waited for a while, there was no response. She was feeling very puzzled. Zhao Lan, who was beside her, tugged at Shao Qiyun’s clothes anxiously. “It’s not like that anymore.”

  Shao Qiyun didn’t live in Great Eastern Village, so she didn’t know that Mu Jingzhe and Li Zhaodi’s image had changed. Especially after what had happened with Old Lady Mu, it was impossible to use their old shrewish image against them.

  Although Shao Qiyun still didn’t understand Zhao Lan’s reminder, she reacted quickly and immediately added, “Everyone probably doesn’t know yet. Actually, Shao Nan previously threatened my mother that if she offended them again, he would kill her by arson or poison. He even said that he was still young and that even if he committed murder and arson, he wouldn’t have to go to jail. Look at how scary he is. If that is true, it won’t be long before our village is doomed.

  “I was terrified upon hearing this from my mother. If this continues, those children will definitely be taught by Mu Jingzhe to commit murder and arson. That’s why we’re here today. Although I may appear like the bad guy now, they’re still my older brother’s descendants. I can’t just watch as the children are ruined.”

  Murder and arson were very sensitive topics. When the villagers heard this, they were moved so much that they looked at each other.

  “Really? Shao Nan, you really said that?”

  “No way. That would be really terrifying if it was true. He’s only a child, yet he’s already talking about committing murder and arson. He even said that he won’t have to go to jail.”

  The way everyone looked at the children changed, especially the way they looked at Shao Nan.

  Mu Jingzhe saw that things had turned against them and quickly said, “Shao Qiyun, don’t make a deliberate misinterpretation out of context. It was clearly Zhao Lan who wanted to snatch the kids back because she saw that they were earning money. That’s why Little Nan said that he would be abused if he went back with her and he would have no choice but to do this if that happened. You…”

  “So you’re admitting that he did say that.” Shao Qiyun interrupted Mu Jingzhe and looked directly at Shao Nan. “Shao Nan, tell me, did you say such a horrifying thing? Who taught you that young people don’t have to go to jail even if they commit crimes?”

  “No one taught me. I learned it myself by reading books!” Shao Nan retorted. He had never expected that the words he’d used to protect himself and threaten Zhao Lan would become evidence used against his mother today.

  “Then who gave you the book? It was Mu Jingzhe, wasn’t it? She’s harming you. How can you teach children like this? Of all things, why did you teach them to commit arson and murder and tell them that kids don’t have to go to jail for that…”

  “Shut up. You’re not going to slander my mother!” Shao Nan looked at Shao Qiyun’s face with vehement hatred. Shao Dong and the others had the same look.

  Shao Qiyun let out a gasp and retreated in shock. “What kind of gaze is that…”

  “That’s how they looked at me back then. Look at their eyes. Aren’t they really scary? It’s like they want to kill me now!”

  Zhao Lan finally found an opportunity to complain. “I was scared to death the first time I saw them like this. I am the one who raised them. After all I did to raise them, they still treated me like this…”

  Shao Nan laughed in exasperation. “You still have the nerve to mention that you raised us? How did you raise us? We couldn’t even drink soup when you people ate meat. Even though we were starving and freezing, we had to work and get bullied!

  “Ever since I can remember, I’ve never had a full meal! I’ve never worn a new set of clothes! When we were sick, you asked my dad for money, but you never took us to the doctor. You only saved money to buy good food for Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ. You said that even if we died from illness, we’d deserve it.

  “In order to save a bit on school fees, you didn’t even want us to go to school. We remember everything clearly! Everyone saw it too. It’s only been a year since Mommy came, and everyone still remembers.

  “Yes, I did threaten you, but that was because you forced us. After our father passed away, you thought of us as a burden and carved out our share of the family assets. You didn’t want to take care of us, and when you abandoned us with the intention of leaving us to starve and freeze to death, it was Mommy who took over and took care of us. She made sure we never went hungry and got to wear warm clothes. She treated us with love and provided us with learning opportunities. It was only thanks to her that we finally got to live a good life for a year.

  “It wasn’t easy for us to live a full, warm year, but when you saw that we were capable of earning money, you wanted to drag us back to slog for you and make us live the way we did in the past. Who do you think would be willing to do that? We might as well take you down with us instead. Be it by poison or arson, we can die together and have peace!”

  Shao Qiyun knew how to change the subject, and so did Shao Nan. Besides, Shao Nan was telling the truth.

  When he said these words, the villagers were all moved. That’s right, not much time had passed. They all remembered seeing this clearly. If it were them, they probably would have made the same choice as Shao Nan.