Zong Jiayu suggested, "Currently, our biggest expense is the construction of the new factory area. The first phase of the project will be completed by the end of this month. If we want to spend money, we should carry out the second and third phases together and get it done in one go."

Jiang Xiaoli thought for a moment, "Alright, you can discuss the specific plan with Uncle Wei."

I never imagined she would have the problem of having too much money and not knowing how to spend it.

On Friday and Saturday, Jiang Xiaoli beat Xu Xing for the first time, scoring two points higher on her math competition test.

Xu Xing couldn't believe it. He took the test paper and looked at it carefully several times before finally having to admit that he had gotten one multiple-choice question wrong.

Jiang Xiaoli was so happy she wanted to dance in the office!

Chen patted Xu Xing on the shoulder, "Try to beat her next time!"

Xu Xing nodded and silently packed up his stationery. "I understand, Teacher Chen."

The two walked out of the office, and Xu Xing remained silent the entire time.

Jiang Xiaoli nudged his arm, "Xu Xiaoxing, you're not going to give up so easily, are you?"

Xu Xing stopped and looked at her. "Jiang Xiaoli, I promise I won't make the same mistake again. You'd better promise you won't do what I did today!"

She nodded. "I'm relieved to see you still so full of fighting spirit!"

Xiao Muyu waited for her at the school gate. "So, so, did you two decide the winner today?"

Jiang Xiaoli proudly raised her chin, "Please call me champion, thank you."

"You really won? Xiao Li, you're amazing!" Xiao Muyu could hardly believe it.

In Xijing, among the students in the same grade as Xu Xing, no one has ever beaten him!

Jiang Xiaoli modestly added, "I only scored two points higher than him."

"That's still incredibly amazing!" Xiao Muyu decided to become her fan today.

Just as the two of them were about to hail a taxi home, a girl wearing a hat, mask, and a dark coat called out from the roadside, "Jiang Xiaoli!"

The two turned to look at each other at the same time. The girl pulled her mask down a little, revealing half of her face. It was Tian Xiaomeng.

Xiao Muyu asked, somewhat puzzled, "Why is she looking for you?"

Jiang Xiaoli's alarm bells went off the moment she saw someone. She pushed Xiao Muyu away and said, "Wait for me over there."

She took two steps closer to Tian Xiaomeng.

Tian Xiaomeng chuckled, "Don't be nervous, I'm not here to cause you trouble."

Jiang Xiaoli looked puzzled. "I thought you would hate me to death."

Tian Xiaomeng put her mask back on. "I came here today to thank you, really."

Jiang Xiaoli gestured for her to continue.

She sighed and said, "The day after your mother came to my house, my mother and Wang Xu's mother took me to the hospital. The doctor said I had an ectopic pregnancy. If I went to a small clinic for treatment, I would be half dead, if not dead."

Jiang Xiaoli clicked her tongue in amazement. She thought to herself, "You're really lucky. It seems like I've unintentionally done a good deed."

Tian Xiaomeng continued, "I've wanted to thank you for a while, but I've been recovering from my illness. I'm leaving Xijing soon. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors."

Hearing her words, Jiang Xiaoli sensed something was off, and she asked, "Are you going to work in the south with Wang Xu?"

Tian Xiaomeng lowered her head and said softly, "Yes, we'll walk together."

Jiang Xiaoli nodded and didn't ask any more questions. "Then I wish you a safe journey."

...

The next day was the weekend, and Jiang Xiaoli went back to sleep until noon.

She was shaken awake by Li Guizhi. She vaguely heard her mother say, "Xiaoli, wake up! The police have come to the house. They want to ask you questions."

Jiang Xiaoli's eyes widened instantly. "Police?"

She wiped her face with a wet towel and went to the living room, where three people in police uniforms were sitting, two men and one woman.

The young policewoman smiled and comforted her, "Don't be nervous, Jiang. We're just here to ask you a few questions. Just answer them truthfully."

She nodded. "Okay, go ahead and ask."

The young male police officer opened his notebook, and the middle-aged male police officer asked, "Have you contacted Tian Xiaomeng in the last three days?"

Jiang Xiaoli shook her head and then nodded, "I haven't been in contact with her, but we met when she came to the school gate yesterday after school."

The middle-aged male police officer leaned forward and asked, "She contacted you first? What did you two talk about?"

She recounted to the police all her conversations with Tian Xiaomeng from the moment she met her yesterday afternoon.

The young male police officer frowned. "Jiang, are you referring to your entire conversation? Did you miss anything?"

Jiang Xiaoli felt somewhat uncomfortable with his attitude. "I have a very good memory. I can guarantee that what I just said is exactly the same as my conversation with Tian Xiaomeng yesterday."

The middle-aged male police officer patted his apprentice's shoulder. "Jiang, can you recall if Tian Xiaomeng did anything unusual yesterday?"

She thought for a moment, "Since I entered high school last year, I have had very little contact with Tian Xiaomeng. Yesterday I did feel that she was not in good condition, but I thought it was because she had just had surgery and had not yet recovered."

The middle-aged male police officer nodded. "Okay, thank you for your cooperation, Jiang."

After saying that, he winked at the two young police officers, and the three of them quickly left her house.

Jiang Xiaoli looked completely bewildered. "Mom, what happened to Tian Xiaomeng? Didn't she go to the south with Wang Xu yesterday?"

Li Guizhi looked visibly shaken. "Last night, she put rat poison in the food at home, killing her parents and younger brother. Later that night, she entered the Wang family home with a knife and stabbed Wang Xu and his mother to death."

"What???" Jiang Xiaoli jumped up from the sofa in shock.

Li Guizhi nodded. "Why didn't you mention that she went to see you when you came back yesterday?"

She swallowed hard and sat back down on the sofa. "She didn't say anything to me."

While Li Guizhi went to cook, Jiang Xiaoli's mind raced as she recalled every detail of her meeting with Tian Xiaomeng yesterday.

Looking back now, Tian Xiaomeng's expression with her head down when she asked her if she had gone to the south with Wang Xu was indeed very strange.

She felt a chill run down her spine. What had happened this week that could make a girl like Tian Xiaomeng, who was not even 17 years old, do such a thing?

Three days later, she met Li Guizhi and the middle-aged policeman from that day in Chen Zhe's office.

The middle-aged policeman said calmly, "Student Jiang, Tian Xiaomeng has been unwilling to speak since her arrest. Today, she suddenly asked to see you. I don't know if you are willing to cooperate with our work."

Li Guizhi's face was full of worry. "Xiao Li, if you're scared, we won't go!"

After thinking for a long time, Jiang Xiaoli held Li Guizhi's hand and said, "Mom, it's okay. Nothing will happen at the police station. I'll go talk to her."

A hint of joy appeared on the middle-aged policeman's face. "Thank you, Jiang. Let's go now."