As the monotonous machine sounds began, Xu Keke and Yun Sheng also started their work.

Just after the first batch of white cocoons was washed, Ding Tou limped over.

The female workers in the room acted as if they hadn't seen him, continuing to work diligently as usual. Only Su Ying, who hadn't stopped working, looked over here with concern.

"You, come with me." Ding Tou pointed at Xu Keke.

Xu Keke stood with her head down, still holding the stick, carefully stirring the boiling water. Like the other female workers, she stood there expressionless.

Ding Tou walked over with a sinister grin, his injured leg dragging on the ground, his leather shoes scraping against the paved floor with a grating sound.

The ground outside the hot water bucket was wet, but Ding Tou didn't pay any attention. It was perfectly normal for some hot water to spill out when the bucket was stirred.

But this time was different from usual. When he reached out to pull Xu Keke, she leaned back slightly. Her movement was so obvious that it gave Ding Tou the wrong impression.

Ding Tou could have easily grabbed Xu Keke by simply reaching to the side, but he instinctively felt he needed to lean forward, and the weight on one leg made it difficult for him.

To reach her, Ding leaned forward. His foot slipped, and he fell flat on his back. His unharmed leg, while struggling, kicked the wooden frame holding the hot water bucket.

Ignoring the scalding hot water bucket, Xu Keke used her clothes as a pad and, with all her might, pushed it away. The entire bucket of hot water poured over Ding Tou.

Ignoring his screams, Xu Keke gritted her teeth and quickly put her hands behind her back into the metal lunchbox filled with cold water. Even though the water was cold, her fingers were still pierced by the cold, and Xu Keke felt an unprecedented pain.

This pain relieved the oppressive feeling the world had given her, and she was trying to cheer herself up.

Hearing Ding Tou's screams, the other foremen ran over one after another.

They were all horrified by what they saw; the hot water had completely soaked Ding Tou. His trousers and the shirt around his abdomen were still steaming.

The water flows forward along the terrain, where white cocoons are placed in bamboo baskets.

The female workers watched silently, no one moving. Several foremen, without a second thought, rushed over and hurriedly moved the basket aside. Only two people went to check on Ding Tou.

Ding Tou was too heavy for the two of them to lift, so they tried to help him up. This action caused Ding Tou to faint from the pain.