There were neighbors whose things were stolen, and some even came looking. Every time, the wife of He Laoliu would swear, but it was just saying if they stole things to eat or use, may they lose their limbs and rot their guts. For the wife of He Laoliu, swearing was as convenient as drinking water.

"Oh, my dear lady..." The wife of He Laoliu clapped her hands and was about to speak to Lady Zhou.

Because two boys from the He Family stole some pastries, a conflict erupted between the wife of He Laoliu and Lady Zhou. Lady Zhou was humiliated, but as a result, the He Family wasn’t immediately kicked out as Lady Zhou had demanded. Therefore, in the eyes of the wife of He Laoliu, she had won against Lady Zhou. So today, when she was brought over, she dared not confront the main figure, Lian Manman, and instead picked on Lady Zhou as an easy target.

"Make her settle down," Lian Manman interrupted the wife of He Laoliu and instructed Xiao Xi.

"Did you forget what I told you earlier? If you’re not honest, you’ll suffer the consequences," Xiao Xi glared at the wife of He Laoliu and threatened.

Recalling Xiao Xi’s threat to have them sent to the Yamen with a letter, the wife of He Laoliu immediately lost her momentum.

"Speak now, did you steal the money from the Yeye Household?" Lian Manman asked, "Be honest, and we might work something out. If you’re dishonest and we find out, there’ll be no private settlement. Your eye movements are futile; there’s no fence that the wind can’t penetrate. Don’t think you’re the only clever ones here; everyone in this village is watching you. Wherever you’ve been, whatever you’ve done, someone here has seen it."

"Will you speak for yourselves, or shall I find someone to speak for you?"

The wife of He Laoliu showed a hint of panic on her face, opened her mouth but said nothing, instead lowering her head to look at her two sons.

The two boys of the He Family stood there, fidgeting from head to toe, their eyes darting around uncontrollably.

You don’t even need to speak; just by their demeanor, it’s clear they’re not from an upright family.

The little girl from the He Family, unlike her two brothers, stood quietly beside the wife of He Laoliu, timidly not daring to look up at anyone.

"It wasn’t us."

"We didn’t steal anything."

"If I stole, let my hands rot."

After exchanging glances, the wife of He Laoliu and the two boys all denied.

They refused to admit it. Indeed, if they admitted it at the slightest questioning or intimidation, they wouldn’t be the He Family that could linger in the old house.

"Go search," Lian Manman instructed Xiao Xi, then turned to call Lian Yeye, "Yeye, you go too. Make sure to search thoroughly without missing anything."

"Alright," Lian Yeye readily agreed and went out with Xiao Xi.

Lian Yeye was very familiar with the old house and the West Wing Room, and with her, the search would be more thorough.

"What are you doing, what are you doing?" The wife of He Laoliu started to shout, but naturally, no one paid her any mind.

After a while, Xiao Xi and Lian Yeye came back from the West Wing Room, bringing the results of their search.

"We didn’t find money, but we found these." Lian Yeye and Xiao Xi presented a pile of items to Lian Manman. It included two eggs, a ball of cotton, a pair of unbleached cotton socks, a red hair ribbon, and various other knick-knacks, at least twenty items in total.

Clearly, these things were stolen by the He Family and hidden in the house.

"Now, many of the things lost in our street are accounted for," Lian Yeye said. For example, those two eggs were likely stolen yesterday morning from Chunzhu Family next door, the socks were probably from Wang San’s family, and that red hair ribbon was similar to one Da Niuniu lost recently.

These people really would steal anything.

"...like mice, making holes everywhere. The house is ruined and unlivable," Lian Yeye complained.

"These things weren’t stolen by us; they were kindly given to us by others," the wife of He Laoliu argued, "You didn’t find any money, did you? We didn’t steal any money."

Lian Manman’s gaze fell on the wife of He Laoliu.

"Search them," Lian Manman ordered, "Third Aunt, Yeye, search the two women. Xiao Xi, you search the boys."

Lian Manman had Lady Zhao and Lian Yeye search the wife of He Laoliu, while Xiao Xi led the long-term workers to search the two boys of the He Family.

"What’s this, what’s this?" Unlike before, when she only shouted without moving, this time the wife of He Laoliu shouted while trying to run away.

With so many people, of course, they wouldn’t really let her escape.

"...bullying us widowed and fatherless, divine punishment will come... oh my goodness, don’t touch me, it’s harassment of decent women..." the wife of He Laoliu screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Listen to her wailing," Lady Zhou, watching from the bed, enjoyed seeing the He Family humiliated. Now watching Lady Zhao and Lian Yeye struggle to control the wife of He Laoliu, she grew impatient, "Stuff her mouth with mule dung."

"Are you two so hungry you can’t make a sound? Scared of spooking her, are you?" This was scolding Lady Zhao and Lian Yeye.

"Didn’t you bring some men? Let them handle this woman. With her behavior, why do you still treat her like a person and spare her any dignity?" This was criticizing Lian Manman for not letting the accompanying long-term workers search the body of the wife of He Laoliu.

In this era, there was a taboo against gender-related violations, but that was in general situations. Some exceptional situations proved otherwise. When women weren’t considered people, there naturally weren’t any taboos.

With the education Lian Manman received in her previous life, she always thought that no matter what, she should leave others some dignity. However, she wouldn’t be constrained by it and knew how to adapt.

"Didn’t you hear what the old lady said?" Lian Manman waved her hand.

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Here’s the first update, seeking everyone’s support for the Pink List.

I’m too tired, my legs hurt. I’ll strive for a second update later. If it’s too late, don’t wait up, and check back tomorrow morning O(∩_∩)O~ (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets, your support is my greatest motivation.)