Chapter 22
That evening, the hashtag "#SCity's tycoon's son was kidnapped" became a trending topic.
Hu Zhenzhen was reading a bedtime story to Jiang Chen at the time.
The child was terrified by the incident. He was exhausted and sleepy, but he was too scared to sleep. So Hu Zhenzhen simply took a fairy tale book, lay down next to him, and read it to him.
Jiang Chen had never been coaxed like this before, and reluctant to sleep, he tried hard to keep his eyes open.
But he was too tired, and within ten minutes his eyelids began to droop, and he fell asleep.
Hu Zhenzhen tucked him in and quietly left his room.
She bought this trending topic to detonate a bomb she had been hiding for a long time.
Previously, Sanniu Milk bought a lot of articles criticizing Hu Zhenzhen under the news article about Jiang Lin's interview.
The gist of the article is that she misses her nephew very much, that she should be Jiang Chen's guardian, and that Hu Zhenzhen maliciously separated them.
Taking advantage of the latest announcement from the S City police, Hu Zhenzhen decided to retaliate.
She first used the same method, hiring a group of online trolls.
The number of participants is small, but they are all top-notch; each person's words have been carefully edited and are quite different.
They released some unsubstantiated rumors to draw public attention to Jiang Shan and Sanniu Milk.
[Kidnapping suspect from San Niu Dairy Factory]
This was the initial trending search term.
Following that, the hashtag "[The aunt is the real culprit who abducted the child]" also became a trending topic.
Hu Zhenzhen only revealed a little bit of the truth, and the online comments immediately took a 180-degree turn.
Many netizens were concerned about the "stepmother taking away the child" incident. They have been advocating for justice online and attacking Hu Zhenzhen, the stepmother with ulterior motives.
It wasn't until today's kidnapping case came to light that they realized how terribly wrong they had been.
Have they lost all conscience? They'd even kidnap their own nephew?!
[I even supported my nephew going back to live with his aunt, but it turns out it was all a scam to swindle money from me.]
[I know this person. She used to work with me and told me that she had a free little helper at home who could do all the housework with just one bowl of rice a day. Now that I think about it, that's probably her nephew.]
I feel so sorry for my nephew. He was living in such an environment before. Luckily, a stepmother took him in.
The more viciously these people cursed Hu Zhenzhen before, the more guilty they felt after the situation turned around.
Of course, people are good at forgiving themselves.
They won't torment themselves with this guilt; more people will vent their anger on the person who fabricated the lie.
Jiang Lin should have expected that one day public opinion would turn against her if she dared to lie to the media.
Hu Zhenzhen not only wanted public opinion to backfire on her, but also wanted Jiang Lin herself to know about this.
The kidnapping has been determined, and Wang Changyou and Jiang Lin will be detained in the detention center until the court trial.
Hu Zhenzhen made a special trip to see Jiang Lin, but of course, she went with a purpose.
The largest tablet I have is perfect for browsing Weibo. Even through a pane of glass, it's enough for Jiang Lin to see every comment clearly.
"How about it? Should we make the text bigger?"
Hu Zhenzhen asked her very considerately.
Unfortunately, Jiang Lin didn't want this kind of thoughtfulness. "What's the use of showing me this? I'm about to go to jail. What does it matter how much people criticize me outside?"
At this point, Jiang Lin gave up and became much calmer.
Hu Zhenzhen raised an eyebrow. "Of course showing you this is useful. Aren't you curious about where those people online who say you abused Jiang Chen came from?"
Jiang Lin's calm expression shattered, and her eyes slowly widened.
"That's right, those people aren't paid trolls."
Hu Zhenzhen put her mouth to the microphone used for communication in the detention center, lowered her voice, and said, "Those are all witnesses who will testify against you in court."
"Guess how much you're going to pay Jiang Chen for emotional distress?"
"Let me do the math. Jiang Hua must have given you money when he had you supporting Jiang Chen. His girlfriends are all rich women, so surely they gave you a lot of money?"
"Over the years, you must have accumulated at least 100,000."
"Including the 50,000 yuan I asked you to give me in writing before, and all the gift money you swallowed on your own at Jiang Hua's funeral, your family's savings should be around 200,000 yuan."
Hu Zhenzhen generously showed her smile.
She wore rose-colored lipstick, and when she smiled, she was as radiant as a blooming rose.
But in Jiang Lin's eyes, she was a man-eating flower.
"Are you crazy? I've never tormented him. It's just housework; what child doesn't do it?"
"I'm his aunt, what's wrong with me ordering him around!"
"Why should I pay you money! Why should I!"
Jiang Lin stood up excitedly, only to be reprimanded by the police officer watching over him, "0218, calm down!"
She then slowly sat down.
However, Hu Zhenzhen spoke up again immediately.
“Everyone outside is cursing you, and you can’t see it from here, but your husband can see it. That’s true love between husband and wife. He’s even taking the blame for you outside.”
Jiang Lin felt a chill run down her spine.
She didn't expect things to escalate so much.
She gritted her teeth. There are so many kidnapping cases, why did this one have to be known throughout the country?
Jiang Lin knew her husband well; he was very concerned about saving face. A lot of the money Jiang Lin saved from other places was spent on saving face for him.
Her infamy is now known throughout the country, and her husband has been scolded because of her, so he must hold a grudge.
If he wants to divorce her, wouldn't she be homeless after she gets out of prison?
Hu Zhenzhen continued, "When he tolerated your abuse of Jiang Chen before, he probably never imagined things would escalate to this extent."
"You are accomplices, he may not leave you."
Hu Zhenzhen suddenly offered Jiang Lin a word of comfort.
The comfort from the enemy only intensified Jiang Lin's sense of crisis, and she questioned Hu Zhenzhen, "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"It's nothing," Hu Zhenzhen leaned back in her chair. "I just want to know if your relationship can still be this good after he paid 200,000 yuan in compensation for you."
Hu Zhenzhen's smile was radiant, but the words that came out of her mouth were like poison needles, piercing Jiang Lin's heart.
“Your family should have some savings, right? Even if you lose 200,000, the remaining money should be enough for him to live on. Hmm, if he’s willing to work hard, he might be able to restore his previous standard of living.”
He's not going to work.
Jiang Lin knew that what her husband cared about most was a respectable job.
"However, if he divorces you, clarifies to the outside world that he knew nothing about it, and puts on a repentant act, he should be able to live a good life."
Hu Zhenzhen's words struck a nerve with Jiang Lin, hitting her most fearful spot.
"Impossible, he won't divorce me. We have a daughter. I've been his slave for so many years. Even if I haven't done anything great, I've still put in a lot of hard work. Impossible, impossible!"
She became even more agitated, pressing her entire body against the viewing glass, as if she wanted to rush out and bite Hu Zhenzhen a few times.
These words were less meant for Hu Zhenzhen and more meant to comfort himself.
The police officer behind her shouted to stop her, and when Jiang Lin did not listen, he immediately announced the end of visiting hours.
Having achieved her goal, Hu Zhenzhen left without a second thought.
She's a bit vengeful; if her son is bullied, she always has to stand up for him.
The topic is still trending on Weibo.
Compared to Jiang Lin, Sanniu Milk was in even more of a mess.
The news that a kidnapper had emerged from a dairy factory, and that the kidnapper was the son of the anonymous whistleblower who had reported San Niu Dairy, sparked widespread public discussion.
How was the anonymous whistleblower discovered?
This is the primary question that concerns the public.
[So, the issue of additives in Sanniu milk was first reported by someone else?]
No wonder the factory manager apologized so quickly. I thought it was a company with a conscience, but it turns out they were reported. What a joke.
[As expected, they're scapegoating a fictitious employee; I saw through it last time.]
...
They shifted blame to employees, kidnapped the whistleblower's son, and illegally added propylene glycol to milk.
These three events combined directly caused the word "hot" to appear after the trending search terms.
[I can't believe San Niu Milk is such a company! I've been drinking their milk since I was a child, I'm never drinking it again.]
[I'm so angry! Who understands? I've been letting my five-year-old daughter drink this milk, and it turns out it contains additives! Sanniu, how are you going to repay me for what you owe me?!]
[This is disgusting! The anonymous whistleblower was identified, and even the people at the whistleblower office were colluding with them!]
The matter escalated to the point where the online trolls could no longer suppress it.
San Niu Milk is a nationally renowned brand.
Their once-proud business performance has now become their death knell, even implicating the food safety department, which has been severely criticized.
In the meeting room of the Food Safety Department.
The atmosphere was no longer relaxed; it was heavy, like a gloomy day before a downpour.
The section chief, seated at the head of the meeting room, slammed his hand on the table. "You all go online and see what the comments are like now. Our food safety section is practically being humiliated by the public. Who was in charge of the random inspections at San Niu Dairy Factory? Why didn't they find the problem before?!"
In the tense atmosphere, the man sitting at the very end shakily raised his hand.
"Section Chief, this is my responsibility."
He's a veteran in the food safety department, his name is Zhang Dafa. He joined many years ago, has some connections, and has always done quite well.
"Where's the complaint letter about San Niu Milk? Is it with you too?"
The section chief asked him sternly, and Zhang Dafa immediately became frightened, "It's with me, section chief. Do you want to see it? I'll get it for you right away."
"What's the use of hindsight now?" The section chief was annoyed by his attitude. "Why didn't you take it seriously when you first received the report?"
When he first received the whistleblower letter, he accepted money from the person and promised to suppress the matter. So why would he submit the whistleblower letter to his superiors?
The person sitting next to Zhang Dafa muttered to himself.
After scolding him, the section chief clearly realized the problem. "Tell me, did you take a bribe?"
Zhang Dafa dared not say that and quickly shook his head.
Unfortunately, even if he shook his head until it broke, no one in the room would believe him.
Seeing that he was incorrigible, the section chief glared at him with disappointment, "Do you think others won't find out just because you don't say anything? Now that things have blown up so much, the inspection team will be here tomorrow. No one will escape from the consequences of embezzlement or wrongdoing."
Inspection team.
Upon hearing those three words, Zhang Dafa became even more frightened. "Section Chief, I really didn't mean to. They only gave me a little money to put the complaint letter at the bottom of the complaint box. I really didn't take any other money."
Even now, he's still trying to justify himself.
The section chief, no longer wanting to listen, opened the letter of complaint on the table.
When Hu Zhenzhen wrote this letter, she specifically consulted a lawyer, trying to make it as professional and detailed as possible. The section chief was shocked by the content after only glancing at it.
This is not something he can handle.
When the inspection team arrives, Zhang Dafa might implicate him, and it's uncertain whether he'll even be able to keep his position as section chief.
San Niu Milk is incredibly audacious. The issue of additives is serious enough, but there have even been fatal cases involving them in the past, which he had never heard of before.
Had he known this would happen, he would never have allowed his subordinates to accept such small bribes.
The section chief was filled with remorse, but Zhang Dafa was still bothering him.
"Section Chief, I really know I was wrong. Please help me this once, just this once. I promise I will never do it again."
Zhang Dafa kept pleading with him.
The section chief slammed down his pen, his face turning ashen. "Who am I supposed to beg? You didn't even read this whistleblower letter. It not only mentions propylene glycol, but also the murder case that San Niu suppressed with money. Now that it's all out in the open, who has the guts to suppress it?"
He spread his hands and said, "I don't have the ability to do that, I can't help you. Good luck to you."
After saying that, he left the meeting room without looking back, leaving his colleagues looking at each other in bewilderment.
Zhang Dafa was stunned. He hurriedly picked up the few sheets of paper and looked at them again and again.
When he saw the murder case from a year ago again, he felt a chill in his heart, knowing that everything the section chief had said was true, and he collapsed to the ground.
"It's over, it's really over this time..."
He was clearly not the only one who was anxious.
At the San Niu Dairy Factory in S City, the factory manager was receiving a big boss from headquarters, and his anxiety was growing.
He was almost retired when this happened at the last minute. Now he can't clear his name and he's got a lot of trouble. It might even affect his official retirement.
The factory manager was furious and cursed Wang Changyou eight hundred times, but he was still not satisfied.
"How can you not even control your subordinates or your team leader, letting him do something like this!"
The big boss was also furious and started cursing.
He was a young man in his early thirties who had only recently inherited the dairy farm from his father.
The factory manager was embarrassed and his face turned pale when he was scolded by such a junior.
"How was I supposed to know that Xiao Wang would do something so stupid? If I had known beforehand, I definitely would have stopped him."
“What should we do now? I’ve heard rumors that the murder case from last year has been brought up again. It seems that Hu Zhenzhen has contacted the victim’s family, and they may appeal.”
Upon hearing this, the big boss became even angrier.
"Weibo is already lively enough. I spent two million yuan today but I still couldn't get the trending topic down. If the death of a person becomes a trending topic, Sanniu Milk will probably be subject to censorship."
The factory manager was also panicking, "What should we do?"
"What to do? What to do? All you know how to do is ask what to do. What's the point of your brain? Can't you think of a solution?"
The big boss scolded him, but he still felt unsatisfied.
"If all else fails, just resign in front of the camera and take the blame upon yourself. Considering you're a long-time employee of the dairy factory, I'll give you 500,000 yuan so you can retire in peace."
Upon hearing this, the factory manager immediately turned hostile.
He had worked at the San Niu Dairy Factory his whole life and knew best what propylene glycol was all about, and he was full of resentment.
“If you hadn’t made this decision when you inherited the dairy, would San Niu Milk have ended up like this? Your father’s lifelong legacy of building this brand has been ruined in your hands.”
The big boss slammed his fist on the table and stood up. "Damn old man, I respect you a little, but you really think you're someone important. I told you to go and admit your mistakes in public, so go!"
His roar did not frighten the factory manager in the slightest.
The factory manager gave a cold laugh. "I've served San Niu Milk for so many years, and you treat me like this? You're being heartless, so you're blaming me for being unjust."
The factory director knew in his heart that his wish for a leisurely retirement was probably going to be dashed.
But no matter what, he didn't want to bear the stigma of San Niu Milk alone and be condemned by the whole country.
"It's time to let everyone see your true colors, you despicable person!"
After saying this, the factory manager threw off his work clothes and walked out the door with a flourish.
"Zhang Tianlai, where the hell are you going?"
The big boss was yelling and cursing, but he didn't even get a glance from the factory manager.
After he walked away, my phone rang.
The big boss lowered his head, glanced at the message, and instantly turned pale.
Zhang Tianlai: I'm going to turn myself in.
At that moment, his thoughts were completely aligned with those of Zhang Dafa from the Food Safety Department.
"It's over, it's all over."
*
As soon as Hu Zhenzhen came out of the detention center, Chen Kai couldn't wait to tell her the latest situation.
"The victim's family members that you arranged for me to contact have already completed their interviews."
"The interview will be released at 8 o'clock, and it will once again become a trending topic thanks to its existing popularity."
Hu Zhenzhen listened while casually scrolling through her phone.
Her gaze lingered on a video, and she suddenly smiled, saying, "Chen Kai, the interview can be sent out now."
Chen Kai was still unaware of what was going on and looked up in confusion.
Hu Zhenzhen handed her phone over and showed it to him.
The screen showed a short video, and Chen Kai recognized the person in it.
[Shocking! Paparazzi Xiaohua uncovers a shocking secret: the manager of San Niu Dairy Factory has turned himself in to the police. There may be more to the case!]
This video was even taken by paparazzi, and it was only posted online because the San Niu Milk incident is currently trending.
Chen Kai smiled slightly, "It seems they weren't very united after all; they've already fallen out with each other so quickly."
"Don't you think he's just taking the blame?"
Hu Zhenzhen asked curiously.
"If this factory manager really made such a big sacrifice for Sanniu Milk, he wouldn't have had to walk here."
Hu Zhenzhen had never considered this angle of interpretation.
The news of milk causing death quickly became a trending topic, and a series of scandals pushed Sanniu Milk into the spotlight.
The matter has blown up so much that it's being discussed on all social media platforms, including parent groups.
It was only then that the parents learned the truth.
People who had previously misunderstood Hu Zhenzhen wanted to apologize to her, and Hu Zhenzhen, who had not responded until now, finally stepped forward.
[Hu Zhenzhen, representative of Class 3, Grade 2: The misunderstanding has been cleared up, and the long-delayed parent-teacher meeting can finally be held. We sincerely invite everyone to attend the meeting tonight at 6 pm on the top floor of Wanfu Shopping Mall.]
Having misunderstood Hu Zhenzhen once before, the parents were naturally willing to support her.
"While the voices supporting her are still there," Hu Zhenzhen said.
[Hu Zhenzhen, representative of Class 3, Grade 2: The San Niu Milk incident taught me a lesson. Xiao Chen's accident really scared me. I dare not give him milk from outside anymore.]
Other parents are also worried about this.
[Zhang Xinjie, representative of Class 5-1: Yes, yes, I don't trust any milk sold outside these days.]
[Dong Yu, representative of Class 2, Grade 6: In such a large market, is it really impossible to find a safe and reliable milk product?]
The timing was perfect, and Hu Zhenzhen chimed in.
[Hu Zhenzhen, representative of Class 3, Grade 2: Everyone must keep their eyes open when choosing milk. I don't trust other manufacturers anymore. I specially bought a few cows and set up a production line so that Xiaochen will only drink our own milk from now on.]
Raising cattle?
This was a path that the parents had never considered before. Some of them, who were quick-witted, immediately started searching for ways to raise cattle.
But soon, the complicated and troublesome breeding process, as well as the space required for raising cattle, deterred them.
Dong Yu, quick-witted, had already figured out Hu Zhenzhen's purpose and took the initiative to speak.
[Dong Yu, representative of Class 2, Grade 6: Our family doesn't have the money to open a milk factory specifically for our child. Aunt Hu, could you please make an exception and let me buy some milk from your store for my child?]
Her words hit the nail on the head regarding Hu Zhenzhen's thoughts.
[Hu Zhenzhen, representative of Class 2-3: Of course!]
[Hu Zhenzhen, representative of Class 3, Grade 2: I will bring some fresh milk to the meeting tonight. Aunt Dong can try it. If I think it's good, I'll ask the housekeeper to prepare a cup for your child every day.]
Dong Yu wasn't the only one who saw through Hu Zhenzhen's thoughts; Wu An did as well.
He was still hesitating about whether to give Hu Zhenzhen the milk business, and remained silent for the time being, carefully considering the matter.
There are over a thousand people in the whole school. The milk money they all contribute is quite a sum. Now that she has earned this money, shouldn't Hu Zhenzhen thank them?
However, Wu An soon realized that his consideration was unnecessary, because without him having to speak, all the other parent representatives had already expressed their opinions.
[Zhang Xinjie, representative of Class 5-1: How many dairy cows does Aunt Hu raise? Could you sell me some? My son has a sweet tooth and loves to drink fresh milk.]
[Sun Aiguo, representative of Class 1, Grade 1: Yes, Ms. Hu, a cow can produce a lot of milk every day. It's a waste to throw away the excess. It's better to sell it to others. I still trust your character.]
...
Messages scrolled by quickly, and before Hu Zhenzhen could reply, people began scrambling to order fresh milk.
Upon seeing this, Wu An immediately became anxious.
His daughter is at the age where she is growing, and if all the milk is taken away, his daughter will have nothing to drink, which would be terrible!
[Wu An, representative of Class 4, Grade 3: Aunt Hu, please sell me some too!]
[Hu Zhenzhen, representative of Class 3, Grade 2: We don't raise many cows, only about thirty, but we definitely have enough milk. Everyone is welcome to come to the meeting tonight to sample some.]
Upon hearing that there were thirty cows, Wu An felt relieved.
He suddenly realized how much it would cost to raise so many cattle and gasped in shock.
The cost of raising cattle, processing milk, and purchasing the cows would easily amount to several hundred thousand yuan. If you raise so many cows and can't sell the milk, wouldn't you lose everything?
Is this Mrs. Hu really that rich?
Wu An secretly chatted with a parent he knew for a few minutes, and was only halfway through calculating the accounts when he was bombarded with explosive news.
"You don't know? The school's new library was donated by this Hu Zhenzhen's parent. That library costs tens of millions. She has plenty of money, so why would she care about such a small amount of money to raise a few cows?"
Wu An's face burned with embarrassment.
He was just wondering whether or not to let this parent earn money for milk, but it turns out the parent doesn't need that money at all.
But why would such wealthy parents be running a small milk business?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com