Chapter Sixty-Seven: Lin Baozhu Has Geted into Trouble

As soon as the wheels rolled onto the main road at the village entrance, Lin Baozhu could see a large crowd gathered in front of her small courtyard. Her heart tightened, and she pedaled even faster…

"Make way, make way, why are there so many people in my house?" Her voice carried even before she arrived. Upon hearing this, the onlookers automatically parted to make way. Someone who knew her said anxiously, "Oh my, Baozhu, you're finally back! This is incredible! Several police officers have come to your house. I heard one of them is even the bureau chief."

Lin Baozhu's heart sank. The police? Why were they at her house instead of investigating the case? Could it be that they'd found out about what happened at the docks? A sense of unease crept into her heart...

At this moment, Zhao Xiaoyu squeezed her way to the front, her face beaming with barely concealed schadenfreude: "Baozhu, you're finally back!" Then she deliberately raised her voice: "You didn't do anything wrong in town, did you? Otherwise, why would the police chief be here? Take my advice, while the police are still here, quickly 'confess and seek leniency'! Try to get a lighter sentence!"

These words were like cold water poured into hot oil. The villagers looked at Lin Baozhu and Zhao Xiaoyu with suspicion: "Xiaoyu, what do you mean by that? What do you know?"

"Yes! Tell me, what bad thing did she do?"

"..."

Amidst the murmurs, Lin Baozhu parked her bicycle, looked at Zhao Xiaoyu with a half-smile, and raised an eyebrow: "I'm also very curious, what exactly did I do wrong?"

Zhao Xiaoyu felt a pang of guilt under her gaze, but quickly forced a worried expression: "Baozhu, now that things have come to this, you shouldn't hide it anymore! You know best what you've done! Sigh, I know you're scared. Well, my uncle still has some connections in town."

If you... if you confess to what you did, I promise! Even if you get arrested, I'll find a way to get you out! But you really have to change your ways and never again..." She spoke vaguely, but in every way she led others to think the worst.

Standing in the crowd, Jiang Meng looked at Lin Baozhu's fair face, a flash of annoyance in her eyes. Regardless of whether Zhao Xiaoyu's words were true or not, she was going to help the other party pin a crime on Lin Baozhu. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but snort: "Ha! Why did Hong Xiaobing come over yesterday? Wasn't it because she was reported for having an affair? Flies don't land on eggs without cracks, and it takes two to tango. Maybe the police came for this reason."

Upon hearing the words "illicit sexual relations," and recalling how Jiang Meng had previously locked her mother out of the educated youth's quarters and caused Qin Haifeng to be raped by a wild boar, her eyes suddenly turned cold. She strode up to Jiang Meng, and without a word, swung her arm and delivered a resounding slap to her gloating face! "Slap!"

Jiang Meng covered her face, somewhat dazed, and after a long while, she let out a loud "Aww!": "Lin Baozhu! You bitch, how dare you hit me?!"

Lin Baozhu snorted coldly, staring intently at her: "Do I have to pick a day to hit you? One slap can make a sound, right? If you think that's not enough, I can give you a few more for free so you can hear them to your heart's content! Besides, you said flies don't land on eggs without cracks? If flies are buzzing around you, aren't you the rotten egg, the bad egg?!"

Standing in the crowd, Zhao Xiaoyu said with slight dissatisfaction, "Baozhu, no matter how angry you are, you shouldn't take it out on innocent people."

She whirled around, her sharp gaze piercing Zhao Xiaoyu, who was standing frozen in shock, and her voice suddenly rose: "Zhao Xiaoyu, what are you pretending to be a good person for? If your uncle were really that capable, why didn't he get your 'good mother-in-law,' who was criticized, struggled against, and paraded through the streets with her head shaved in a humiliating way, out of trouble for having an affair? Why did he have to wait until the struggle was over before sending her back? And your husband, how come he hasn't even become a team leader yet, still just an ordinary worker!"

Besides, why didn't he get you a good job in the city?! I think your head is full of shit! All you do is spew filth! Making up all sorts of vague nonsense, accusing me of doing some shady thing! You better explain in front of everyone why the police came to arrest me today!!"

Zhao Xiaoyu turned pale from the barrage of questions, her lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.

She had no idea what that bitch had done, but what good could come of the police coming to her house? She was just waiting for her to be arrested!

Jiang Meng, who had been slapped in public and then verbally abused, covered her face in shame and anger, screaming and cursing: "Lin Baozhu! You bitch! You just wait, I'm not done with you!"

Lin Baozhu scoffed coldly: "You good-for-nothing, who can't eat anything and is good for nothing? All you do all day is gossip and spread rumors! You have no real skills, yet you think you're some kind of 'chosen one'? You're such a fool who can't even farm properly, you should save your energy and stop embarrassing yourself!"

Lin Baozhu hurled her accusations to her heart's content, but none of the onlookers spoke up for Jiang Meng; they were all just watching her make a fool of herself.

Serves her right, why provoke her for no reason? The old Lin Baozhu might have had some self-respect and wouldn't tear people apart in public, but ever since she was jilted, she's been acting like she's been traumatized. Anyone who makes her unhappy will be beaten or scolded as a matter of course.

Just then, the Lin family's front door creaked open, and the captain rushed out. He saw Lin Baozhu surrounded by the crowd and stamped his foot in exasperation: "Oh dear, you child, you're already at your doorstep and you're still chatting with them. The police officers have been waiting for you inside for ages! Hurry up and go home!"

One curious person, unwilling to give up, shouted, "Captain! What exactly does the police want with Baozhu? Is it really like Zhao Xiaoyu said... that she committed a crime?"

The captain glared at Zhao Xiaoyu with displeasure, then turned to the onlookers and said, "What have you done? You know nothing but blindly follow along! Everyone disperse! Go do what you were doing! Don't cause trouble here!"

The captain, while scolding her impatiently, half-pushed Lin Baozhu into the yard, then slammed the gate shut, cutting off countless curious and inquisitive eyes from outside...

As soon as Lin Baozhu stepped into the main room, she saw several men in police uniforms sitting inside, including the criminal investigation team leader from yesterday.

"Officer, I really didn't know you were coming. What do you want with me?"

The one in the lead was clearly the bureau chief. He smiled kindly and said, "Comrade Lin, don't be nervous! Please sit down! I heard about your 'feat' yesterday and I'm a little curious about how you developed such strength!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Baozhu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but pretended to be relaxed: "My strength is all natural."

"How strong exactly? Can you lift something heavy for us to see?"