However, every cause has its effect, and the original owner of this body also bears responsibility for the current situation. She will not shift the blame to others and will take responsibility for her actions.

But I still have a knot in my heart.

The original owner of this body did not commit any murder, arson, rape, or robbery, yet his reputation as a scourge spread far and wide, and everyone avoided him. This must have been the work of certain people in the village.

She's not a saint, she's not magnanimous, and she's never experienced any major setbacks before suddenly suffering all this.

Actually, I care quite a bit.

But things have priorities, and in the face of life and death, these grudges seem insignificant.

Even with such a life-threatening matter as forced labor, she could only ignore her discomfort and focus on planning.

When it's harmless, she doesn't mind retaliating a little.

“Auntie,” Lai Zi’s eyes lit up, and his face flushed with excitement, “I knew you wouldn’t blame me.”

She knew that Fifth Aunt was different from the other village women.

"Why blame you?" Jiang Nuan said with a relaxed expression. "You've suffered a lot over the years, so letting them worry for a couple more days is a good way to vent your anger."

Lai Zi kept the news so tightly under wraps, which clearly shows he harbored resentment towards the clan. However, it's understandable.

Just think of Huang Yi, and you'll know how difficult it is for an orphan without parents to grow up safely.

It's already quite good that it hasn't gone so far as to retaliate against society.

"Well," Lai Zi gave another shy smile, "As long as Auntie doesn't blame me, it's not that I don't want to tell them, but they wouldn't believe me anyway, so it's better not to say anything."

Yeah, right!

He simply didn't want the villagers to take advantage of him, not even in a psychological sense.

Just like how he is clearly rich, but he always wears tattered clothes and pets anyone he can get his hands on. Even though his reputation is terrible, he still does whatever he wants.

“That makes sense,” Jiang Nuan nodded in agreement. “Some people are stubborn and believe in their own understanding, no matter what you say.”

“That’s right,” Lai Zi guessed Jiang Nuan’s misunderstanding, but didn’t explain. He just muttered under his breath, “Auntie Wu is so good, but some people can’t see it even if they have eyes, and they still talk nonsense everywhere.”

Cough cough...

This shower of flattery made Jiang Nuan blush. "You're great too. Ignore the village's gossip."

Villagers: ...

The two, showering each other with compliments, became increasingly happy until Lai Zi's shift ended, at which point they reluctantly parted ways.

Before leaving, they even agreed that Lai Zi would have dinner at the Huang family's house before his wedding.

"Tsk tsk, what an endearing young man," Jiang Nuan said with a look of regret, "It's a pity he's not my son."

If only I could switch places with Boss Huang, it would save me from getting so angry.

“Mother,” Huang Lao Er suggested with a smile, “you could adopt Lai Zi Ge as your godson.”

“No,” Jiang Nuan said, exasperated. “I won’t take in any adopted sons.”

Why do they keep taking in adopted sons? Can't this situation be left alone?

She is not like a certain emperor of the Han Dynasty.

"What's wrong with that?" Huang Lao Er asked, puzzled. "I heard that wealthy families like this; the more they collect, the more prestigious they are."

“That’s because they have a plan,” Jiang Nuan shook her head. “For them, an adopted son is an investment. They pick some talented and loyal people, spend some money to train them, and nominally they are adopting sons, but in reality they just want to win people’s hearts so that they can be more devoted to serving them like slaves.”

“It’s possible that there was no ulterior motive,” Huang Lao Er didn’t understand Jiang Nuan’s rejection. “Like Huang Yi, Mother took him in without wanting anything in return.”