Aunt Man's family had added two new rooms to their house.
Her daughter had gone to work in town, leaving only her son and two young granddaughters at home.
The three of them were now carefully peering out from behind the door, quietly observing.
Secretary Wang seemed completely oblivious to others' curious and fearful glances as he walked in with Xiao Ya and sat down.
"Make some tea," he instructed his assistant.
Surprisingly, the assistant actually pulled out a complete tea set and began brewing tea right there.
As the steam rose, it wasn't long before others came after hearing the news.
They stood even more anxiously and carefully outside the courtyard, craning their necks to look inside.
"Is that Xiao Ya?"
"No, she's called Zhang Ruoshui now."
"Is that a new name given by city folks? That's different alright. We can't even write it. Which three characters are they? Sounds fancy."
"She's changed so much, and those clothes she's wearing must be expensive, right? Hardly recognizable now."
"Yeah, I barely dare to look closely. She's still just a kid, but that air about her... anyway, she's different now, feels like she's out of our league."
"And... who's that person with her?"
"That man looks wealthy..."
"Like those nobles in TV dramas."
They whispered and marveled cautiously.
Their reverence exceeded even that shown to successful returnees from the city.
At this moment, Xiao Ya went to get a new thermometer.
"Take your temperature," she handed it to Secretary Wang.
Secretary Wang obediently accepted it.
A few minutes later, Secretary Wang handed it back saying, "37.5, that's normal now, right?"
"That's a low fever," Xiao Ya sighed. "Let's not fly back, we'll stay in town for the night."
"Oh, alright," Secretary Wang was very compliant.
The villagers watched this scene and couldn't help but discuss quietly again.
"Such a wealthy man, and he listens to what she says?"
"This is really something! Absolutely remarkable!"
While some marveled, others hovering on the outskirts muttered, "So many people from our village went to jail because of her, and she's still something? What's so remarkable about that?"
The person who complained quickly ran away, afraid of being caught.
Soon, Aunt Man came out with dishes, then called her son's name and said loudly, "Close the door!"
Her son hurried to do so, immediately blocking out all those prying eyes.
Aunt Man set down the bowls and plates, saying, "The village has a lot fewer people now, and they've learned to feel shame, knowing that people outside point fingers at them. Only after leaving the village did they realize what they did was actually criminal..."
"Oh, and the village chief's house was confiscated by the state, and the new village chief turned it into a community center."
"By the way, why hasn't Li Qingqing from the village chief's family returned yet? Wasn't the show finished filming? Her mother comes to the village every few days crying and cursing, saying the village chief's family are all no good, that they ruined her Qingqing..."
Aunt Man chatted endlessly with Xiao Ya about recent village affairs, but suddenly lowered her voice.
"Am I talking too much?" Aunt Man glanced at Secretary Wang.
Secretary Wang smiled faintly, "I love hearing stories about bad people getting what they deserve."
When Aunt Man met his gaze, for some inexplicable reason, she felt that beneath that beautiful and gentle exterior lay fangs.
She shuddered and nodded, continuing, "Some people from the neighboring village were also investigated, they were arrested for selling their daughters."
"And those people from Shitou School who used to curse at you with nasty words, their families have all moved away, saying they're afraid of being arrested..."
"Afraid of being arrested?" Secretary Wang interjected.
"Ah, we don't understand either, we don't know if cursing people leads to jail time, but with so many people from Li Family Village in prison, they're just scared."
Secretary Wang laughed, "Such cowards."
Xiao Ya blinked unsurprisingly: "It's precisely because they're afraid that they need to curse others to gain courage."
Secretary Wang tilted his head back, smiling more broadly: "The little one is quite philosophical."
Xiao Ya: ?
"The village was counting on some development project, but that's impossible now. However, the county is developing tourism. They say tourists now take photos at the place where Xiao Ya and Young Master Qin used to sell mushrooms," Aunt Man continued.
Aunt Man's husband, squatting on the steps with his bowl, nodded and said, "The county is doing well, and that pharmaceutical factory is good too, solving many employment problems. The county even received recognition..."
"It's just, it's just..."
"Just what?" Secretary Wang asked him.
Aunt Man's husband scratched his head in awkward confusion: "Why is it that the better the county does, the more they despise people from Li Family Village?"
Secretary Wang chuckled, rubbing his fingertips: "Must be Young Master Sheng's handiwork."
He turned to Xiao Ya: "Come, let me test if you've gotten stupid from being with Ke Muning."
Xiao Ya: ?
Xiao Ya frowned slightly: "Why bring up Ke Muning?"
"Ah, how did you know I was secretly calling Ke Muning stupid?" Secretary Wang showed no guilt.
"He's not stupid," Xiao Ya retorted.
"Of course not, you'll be his intellectual support in the future," Secretary Wang clicked his tongue.
Xiao Ya glared at him but hesitantly spoke: "Is Sheng Yuxiao being good to the county people to make them voluntarily isolate Li Family Village?"
"Yes, this is the final punishment left for them. Major offenders go to prison, but minor offenders shouldn't get off easy either. What the law cannot judge, morality will. Isn't Sheng Yuxiao's move brilliant?"
Xiao Ya nodded in strong agreement, her eyes showing traces of a smile.
Secretary Wang could barely contain himself, saying, "I taught him that."
"Oh." Xiao Ya's response was much more subdued.
Secretary Wang couldn't hold back anymore: "Why aren't you asking me?"
"Ask what?" Xiao Ya raised innocent, guileless eyes.
Secretary Wang lowered his voice: "You're so clever, surely you've noticed something different about me?"
"Yes, I have."
"Then ask me about it."
"No."
Secretary Wang was taken aback, feeling somewhat frustrated.
"Then I'll tell you anyway." Secretary Wang leaned close to her ear and declared, "I'm not Secretary Wang, I'm..."
"Sheng Yuxiao's uncle," Xiao Ya finished.
Secretary Wang sighed: "You'd already figured it out, taking away the joy of revealing the mystery."
He put down his chopsticks: "When did you guess?"
"Hmm..." Xiao Ya looked up, counting on her fingers, "When we met Ke Muning."
"..." That early!
"Was my acting that bad?" Secretary Wang was unhappy.
"Yes, it was. You acted very differently with Sister Xu Ruying..." Xiao Ya delivered an honest blow.
"Well, if you knew I wasn't really Secretary Wang back then, why did you still dare to ask me to help bargain prices, using me like a secretary?" Secretary Wang was still smiling, but his gaze carried a dangerous edge.
Xiao Ya moved her lips, whispering: "Because... might as well use what's available."
"..."
"Then why didn't you expose me earlier?" Secretary Wang continued asking.
Xiao Ya moved her lips again.
Secretary Wang quickly covered her mouth, saying, "Alright, I know, because might as well use what's available."
The assistant watched in astonishment.
Holy cow!
What incredible guts this kid had!
"Mmph mmph." Xiao Ya tried to speak but failed.
She blinked and picked up a chicken leg for Secretary Wang.
Secretary Wang withdrew his hand, snorting with laughter: "No wonder Ke Muning likes you."
He looked at Xiao Ya: "Did Sheng Yuxiao mention me to you?"
Xiao Ya nodded and picked up a chicken wing for him.
Secretary Wang's eyes curved in a smile: "Did he tell you my name?"
"No."
"Then remember it from now on, I'm Xu Ji."
"Ji as in 'clear sky after rain'?" Xiao Ya asked proactively.
"The little one even knows idioms?"
"Mm, saw it in books."
"That's the character, can you write it?"
"Yes."
Xiao Ya didn't demonstrate her writing skills on the spot, she just looked up at him: "So can I still ask you to help bargain next time?"
Xu Ji smiled: "May I extend my term of service?"