"If we're so miserable, and we have to be so stingy with even this little bit of money, are we even human? Do we have any conscience? Do we have any humanity?"
She spoke quickly and loudly, as if afraid that others wouldn't believe her.
"But don't you send fifteen yuan to your husband's family every month, and also regularly send five yuan to your own family?"
The woman who had been silent all along suddenly spoke up.
Her name is Wang Cuifen, and she is one of the neighbors who came to apply to adopt Zhenzhen.
He is usually meek and mild-mannered, doesn't talk much, and has a gentle smile.
But at this moment, her eyes were clear and her tone was steady.
"If you calculate it this way, you'll only have ten yuan left each month. After deducting the cost of food, clothing, and medical care for the child, where will you have any left? You yourselves are barely making ends meet, yet you're scrambling to adopt a 'burden'? Who would believe you if you said it wasn't for that ten yuan subsidy?"
The room fell silent after those words were spoken.
Li Xiaomiao's expression froze.
She turned her head sharply, glared at Wang Cuifen, and her lips trembled.
"You...you're talking nonsense! Who gave you permission to look through my family's accounts? What right do you have to point fingers here?!"
"etc."
A voice suddenly rang out.
It's Yang Wenlan.
She sat in the corner chair, holding a document in her hand, her brows slightly furrowed.
At that moment, she slowly raised her head, her gaze calmly sweeping over everyone in the room.
“Here are the records from when the factory questioned you. Everyone knows exactly what you’re up to.”
Yang Wenlan said coldly.
Everyone was stunned. What did that mean?
They were indeed asked questions by the factory, but at the time they thought it was just casual conversation and no one took it seriously.
Who would have thought that it wasn't just a casual chat, but a purposeful interrogation?
Li Xiaomiao closed her eyes and recalled the scene from that day.
The worker sat upright, looking serious.
She initially thought the other party was being too serious, that matters concerning children weren't that complicated.
But now that I think about it, the other party's attitude was very clear from the beginning.
This is not a casual question, but a serious assessment.
Someone asked her, "Who will collect Zhenzhen's subsidy? And who will take care of it after it's collected?"
She answered instinctively.
"Of course I'll take care of it. What does a five-year-old know about money?"
She was quite pleased with herself when she said that, feeling that her answer was very honest.
But at that moment, she suddenly realized that saying these words would actually expose her selfish motives.
Then he asked, "So how do you plan to use this money?"
She thought for a moment and said it as a matter of course.
“Children need to eat, wear clothes, and go to school, so of course money is spent on them.”
“Our family isn’t rich, but we’re not short of money either. It’s all for the good of our child.”
But what is the reality?
Who ultimately pocketed that subsidy?
Shen Zhiyu looked at them.
"You all remember now, right? Then stop fooling around."
“Zhenzhen is now my daughter-in-law’s and my son. He has nothing to do with you anymore.”
"Please don't bother our family anymore."
Li Xiaomiao and the others only realized this belatedly.
It turns out that the question I asked that day wasn't just casual conversation; it was a test.
Shen Zhiyu glanced at Yang Wenlan, his eyes filled with gratitude.
It was her insistence that led the factory to re-examine the entire adoption process.
He didn't say much, he just gently held Su Qingzhi's hand.
He didn't care at all what Li Xiaomiao and the others were thinking.
"Ah Chuan, what did the factory ask you?"
Su Qingzhi couldn't help but ask.
She wanted to know what it was that made Shen Zhiyu so confident and composed.
Shen Zhiyu smiled.
"The question itself is not wrong; it's the way they ask the question that's wrong."
"For example, they won't directly ask 'Will you misuse subsidies?'"
Instead, they asked indirectly, "How do you plan to cover the children's expenses?" and "Who will manage the subsidies?"
This way of asking questions may seem ordinary at first glance, but it is actually a calculated move.
If you're not careful when answering, you might reveal your true thoughts.
Su Qingzhi understood immediately.
It turns out they set a trap, waiting for them to fall into it themselves.
Those seemingly casual questions are actually guiding the respondents to reveal their true feelings.
A person's character is something that cannot be changed.
No matter how well an actor performs, their eyes, tone of voice, and subtle pauses will betray them.
The factory could tell at a glance from their attitude who genuinely wanted to raise Zhenzhen and who was just after the subsidy.
Ultimately, it's the older generation that understands human relationships and social dynamics.
All doubts and questions were suddenly answered at this moment.
Su Qingzhi smiled.
"Alright, I'll go make the food."
She stood up, straightened her sleeves, and walked briskly toward the kitchen.
"Don't work so hard, you can eat in the cafeteria, right?"
Shen Zhiyu was worried about her.
"I've almost recovered, you don't need to cook medicinal meals every day, just rest more."
Shen Zhiyu frowned slightly and reached out to grab her wrist.
“I can eat, but the two kids can’t be left out. Besides, I want you to get better soon.”
“Mom and Dad must miss us. Didn’t the factory deal get approved? Let’s go back for a visit.”
Su Qingzhi turned around and gently patted the back of his hand.
“The two children are at a crucial stage of their growth, so their meals cannot be neglected. Besides, you need nutrition to recover from your illness, and you can only eat with peace of mind if I cook for you myself.”
“My parents are getting old and have just moved to Qingshan Village. They don’t know anyone there. We left in such a hurry that they haven’t settled in properly yet, and I’m really worried about them.”
Her heart had long since flown back to Qingshan Village.
She rushed to the factory as soon as her parents moved there.
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