With Li Cuihua no longer around to cause trouble, Ji Shuyu’s life gradually settled into a routine.
She went to the supply and marketing cooperative every day to help, discussing with Director Wang how to make the business more prosperous.
Ji Shuyu advised Director Wang not to rush and to take things step by step.
The most important thing was to stay vigilant against Xiao Zhou’s uncle.
Since they were operating independently now, they had to be cautious in case Xiao Zhou’s uncle tried to stir up trouble.
Mentioning Xiao Zhou put Director Wang in a somber mood.
“She seemed like such a decent person before. Who would have thought she’d turn out to be so frivolous? I regret hiring her in the first place.”
After he spoke, Ji Shuyu comforted him, “It’s hard to judge a person by their appearance. At least you’ve cut your losses in time.”
Once she finished speaking, Ji Shuyu noticed the sky was growing dark and said she needed to head home.
Director Wang nodded and even stood up to see her out.
After leaving the supply and marketing cooperative, Ji Shuyu started walking toward the He family’s small courtyard.
Just as she reached the main road, Li Cuihua blocked her path.
Li Cuihua now looked haggard and disheveled. Without He Jiang by her side, she seemed almost unhinged.
“Ji Shuyu! Why… why won’t you sign the letter of understanding for Qiangzi?”
Ji Shuyu took a step back, instinctively shielding her stomach with her hand.
To her, the current Li Cuihua was nothing short of a ticking time bomb.
Who knew what she might do in her highly unstable state?
“He Jiang already said he would take the child away.”
Ji Shuyu protected her abdomen, her gaze icy.
She looked at the woman before her—hair disheveled like a bird’s nest, eyes dull and clouded—and felt not an ounce of pity, only wariness.
“What does that have to do with me?”
Li Cuihua was momentarily stunned by the retort, then grew even more agitated, flailing her arms wildly.
“I don’t care! This is all your fault! You jinx! If you sign the letter, Qiangzi can be released sooner!”
As she spoke, she lunged forward, reaching out to grab Ji Shuyu.
Ji Shuyu had been prepared. She quickly retreated two more steps and raised her voice, immediately catching the attention of a few neighbors who had just returned from work.
“Li Cuihua, have you lost your mind? He Qiang broke the law—putting croton powder in the water is attempted murder! Sending him to the detention center is for his own good, to educate and reform him.”
“You want me to sign a letter of understanding? I’d sooner see the sun rise in the west!”
While speaking, she quickly scanned her surroundings. Seeing people gathering eased her mind slightly.
In these times, most people were still warmhearted and willing to help.
With others nearby, Ji Shuyu continued backing away toward the crowd, all while keeping a close watch on Li Cuihua to prevent a sudden attack.
But Li Cuihua refused to back down. She suddenly reached out and tightly grabbed Ji Shuyu’s arm.
“I don’t care! You have to sign it today! Otherwise, don’t even think about leaving! This is all your fault! You cursed star! If it weren’t for you, our family wouldn’t have ended up like this!”
The sharp pain in her arm ignited Ji Shuyu’s anger, especially when Li Cuihua tried to shove her stomach with her other hand.
Ji Shuyu’s eyes instantly turned fierce.
The patience she had mustered throughout her pregnancy had reached its limit.
With a forceful jerk, she shook off Li Cuihua’s grip. As Li Cuihua stumbled forward from the momentum, Ji Shuyu didn’t hesitate to raise her hand.
Smack!
A crisp, sharp slap landed squarely on Li Cuihua’s face.
The slap left Li Cuihua stunned and shocked the few onlookers who had been drawn by the commotion.
Li Cuihua covered her cheek, eyes wide as if she were seeing Ji Shuyu for the first time, filled with disbelief.
“You… you hit me? Ji Shuyu, how dare you hit me?”
Ji Shuyu shook her slightly stinging hand, her posture ramrod straight, her gaze sharp, and her voice icy.
“If I’m going to hit you, must I wait for a special occasion? Li Cuihua, I’m warning you—if you dare lay a finger on me or my child again, it won’t end with just a slap!”
“Don’t think I won’t do it. If you want to test me, go ahead and try.”
Li Cuihua was completely cowed by her fierce demeanor. Clutching her cheek and staring into Ji Shuyu’s cold eyes, she didn’t dare lunge forward and make a scene again.
As she spoke, Ji Shuyu even moved to pick up a wooden stick nearby to strike Li Cuihua.
Stung by the pain, Li Cuihua could only flee in panic.
She shot Ji Shuyu a venomous glare but ultimately didn’t dare do anything more. Covering her face, she ran off, wailing loudly.
Watching Li Cuihua’s retreating figure, Ji Shuyu slowly unclenched her tightly balled fists, gently stroked her belly, and took a deep breath to calm herself.
Sometimes, it takes a villain to deal with a villain. If I’d known a single slap would scare Li Cuihua off, I would’ve slapped her dozens of times!
Unbeknownst to her, Lin Feifei, who had been secretly watching everything from a corner not far away, curled her lips into a meaningful, cold smile.
She glanced in the direction where Li Cuihua had fled in disgrace, then back at Ji Shuyu, a new scheme forming in her mind.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Perhaps I can join forces with Li Cuihua to deal with Ji Shuyu together.
No sooner said than done. Lin Feifei headed in the direction Li Cuihua had gone and caught up with her.
“Sister Cuihua!”
Hearing someone call from behind, Li Cuihua stopped and turned to see Lin Feifei quickly approaching.
Tears still glistened in her eyes, and the slap mark on her face was strikingly visible.
Wary, Li Cuihua shrank back slightly. “Who are you? Why are you following me?”
Lin Feifei slowed her pace, walked up to her, and put on a sympathetic expression.
She reached out to touch Li Cuihua’s arm, but Li Cuihua jerked away. Unfazed, Lin Feifei withdrew her hand and sighed.
“Sister Cuihua, I saw what happened earlier. Ji Shuyu went too far. You’re already suffering so much, and she had the nerve to hit you—so unsympathetic! How can someone like her be fit to be a mother?”
These words struck a chord with Li Cuihua. Covering her face, she crouched on the ground and wept even harder.
“It’s all her fault! All of it! Qiangzi’s locked up, He Jiang abandoned me, our family’s fallen apart… And her? She’s living the high life at the supply and marketing cooperative, enjoying all the perks, and she even dared to hit me…”
The more Li Cuihua thought about it, the more upset and angry she became.
Why was Ji Shuyu so well-liked the moment she arrived? Why was her own life in ruins while Ji Shuyu got to live so comfortably?
Lin Feifei crouched down beside her, gently patting her back, and lowered her voice.
“Sister, let me be frank with you. Ji Shuyu might seem gentle, but she’s actually very cunning.
The moment she arrived, she stirred up trouble in your family until it was in chaos. Now she’s taken over that cushy job at the supply and marketing cooperative—even Director Wang listens to her. If we let this go on, what kind of future will the rest of us have?”
Li Cuihua looked up, sniffling, a flicker of hatred in her eyes. “But what can we do? I can’t fight her, and no one will help me…”
“Who says no one will help you?”
Lin Feifei leaned closer, her voice laced with temptation.
“Sister, the things Ji Shuyu cares about most right now are the baby in her belly and the business at the supply and marketing cooperative. As long as we find the right method to make her juggle too much and fail on both fronts, we can definitely take her down.”
“Just think—if she messes up at the supply and marketing cooperative, Director Wang will lose trust in her. If something happens to the baby in her belly, will the He family still treat her as well as before?”
Li Cuihua shuddered and looked up at Lin Feifei, her eyes filled with both hesitation and longing.
“But… but if we’re caught, could we end up in jail?”
“Don’t worry.”
Lin Feifei patted her hand, smiling with confidence.
“We won’t lay a hand on anyone—just use a little trick to make her embarrass herself and make mistakes. Even if someone suspects us, they won’t have any proof.”
“Sister, think about it—He Qiang is still in the detention center. If Ji Shuyu falls from grace, wouldn’t that be a chance to help He Qiang get out sooner?”
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