I Became a Vicious Supporting Role in the '70s
Chapter 175: Find a Scapegoat

Chapter 175: Chapter 175: Find a Scapegoat

Shen Meng arrived at the old courtyard with a man and children to find chaos unbridled. Several people from the Liu Family along with Wu Xianglan, Zhou Jiaojiao, Lu Jiaxuan, Lu Miaomiao, and Lu Lanhua were fighting fiercely, bruised and with disheveled hair. Lu Lanhua and Lu Miaomiao especially, had their clothes torn, hinting at the intensity of the brawl. These two were relentless, fighting as if their lives didn’t matter. They had spent so much money just for employment, and now, money was lost and jobs were gone too, suffering losses on all fronts and draining all their family resources. How could they just let it go?

Zhou Jiaojiao, leaning against the doorframe, cried bitterly. Seeing Shen Meng approaching, she immediately turned her head away, thinking that Shen Meng had brought her family just to mock her.

"Hand over whatever you’ve taken, then we can still be considered relatives. Whatever shouldn’t be said, let’s forget it once we leave this courtyard and we can still interact in the future. But if you’re stubborn, then don’t blame me for being rude."

"What you’re talking about, we’ve never seen. We’re poor, but we can’t be falsely accused like this. You want to be rude? Fine, let’s see how you plan to go about it today, you little brat. If not for me rescuing your mother from the ditch back then, none of you would be here!"

Liu Sanjin, initially furious due to his daughter-in-law’s lost textile factory notice, red-eyed with anger and resentful towards his own family’s incompetence, felt his efforts over the years were sufficient. Visiting during the festive season, pretending not to notice some issues, and giving some money were nothing major. They shouldn’t have targeted his daughter-in-law’s job; that was crossing the line.

However, his defiance didn’t last long. Hearing his elder brother say such words, his spirits immediately dampened. Yes, back then, as a girl, his family didn’t want him. His parents abandoned him in a ditch, telling outsiders he was dead. It was his elder brother who found him after searching for a long time and brought him back.

No matter how many years passed, he owed him his life.

"Jiaxuan, let your uncles leave. Whatever it is, it’s the festive season, we can get through it. Jiaojiao is a lifesaver to someone from the textile factory director’s family. Just say that a thief broke into our place and stole the notice. Just talk it through, plead nicely, maybe... maybe they could arrange another job."

Lu Jiaxuan listened to his mother, his brow furrowed tightly, while Zhou Jiaojiao cried even more mournfully.

"Mother, mother! That was my possession. Even if I’m a benefactor, with all they’ve given and securing a lifelong job for me, the gratitude is beyond repayment. A lifetime job, something that can be passed on to my children, such a precious thing lost, how can you ask me to request another, sob, sob, sob... Mother, how can you be so cruel!"

Watching his daughter-in-law weep bitterly, Liu Sanjin shrunk his neck, barely daring to meet her gaze.

Lu Jiaxuan, observing his wife cry, was inwardly aching. His eagle eyes swiftly scanned around, pausing momentarily on Lu Miaomiao and Lu Lanhua. Among these people, the least likely were his second sister-in-law; she always got along with Jiaojiao, who would consider her and Yong Qiang, Yong Li when she had something good. Despite past friction due to Liu Suqin, he believed his sister-in-law would not commit such an act.

Miaomiao and Lanhua were different; lazy and gluttonous from childhood, they dreamed of marrying into the city. One willingly married someone disabled, the other an older man. As long as they lived in the city, how they married didn’t matter to them. Selfish people like them rarely visited home; it was improbable they would exert such effort just for Jiaojiao’s job. There must be something he was unaware of.

Liu Family’s people don’t even need to be mentioned; they were used to having dirty hands, and it was very reasonable to suspect that besides taking the money and food provided by their mother, there were certainly other things involved.

"Hey, what happened here? Why did they start fighting? I even brought Zhenping over to visit elder uncle, why did they fight so fiercely!"

Lu Changzhu, who had been invisible from the start of the fight, now stood up, took a few steps to the front of the two, sighed, and said: "Zhenping, see what happened after you didn’t come. Our house is in such chaos. Lao Si and his wife said the notification slip from the textile factory is missing, Xianglan rushed over as soon as she heard it, Lanhua and Miaomiao also started arguing, and it turned into a big fight, shambles like a pot of congee. What do you think we should do about this?"

Lu Zhenping glanced at him, apparently, they wanted him to handle it, but he wouldn’t take care of it, not wanting to get involved.

"I and Xiao Meng just came to visit elder uncle. Whether Lao Si and his wife or themselves find it, it’s up to them. If they want to report it to the Police Station, let them report. If they want to seek village cadres, let them find village cadres. Lao Si is currently working in the commune, he is effectively a national officer. This matter isn’t big, but also isn’t small, Lao Si can judge on his own."

Lu Jiaxuan, hearing his elder brother’s words, was clearly stupefied for a moment, ever since elder brother returned home, he had been reproached several times, and a surge of emotions like resentment, grievance, pain, and humiliation welled up in him. But now, his elder brother saying that he could judge on his own, could it also mean that elder brother truly acknowledged him as a capable person?

Shen Meng looked at Lu Jiaxuan, who was looking starry-eyed at Lu Zhenping, and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Just a plain compliment stirred such emotions in him, huh?

If Jiaxuan knew that before they came over, she had repeatedly emphasized to Lu Zhenping to speak kindly once they reached the old mansion, would that break his defense?

Lu Changzhu felt much more at ease, Zhenping still had their whole family in his heart, this kid was just straightforward, inept with words, not fond of sweet talks, and well, being a father, could he really be so petty with him.

"Then call the police, Jiaojiao’s job was not easy to come by, this morning I even saw her reviewing it, it couldn’t just be lost for no reason. Anyone who entered her room is suspicious. If you do not speak up, I will report it to the Police Station."

Whether Liu Family, Lu Miaomiao, or Wu Xianglan, their faces all flashed panic at this moment, only Lu Lanhua stood openly; her face remained calm, but her heart was grieving. She pondered whether she should reveal the act of buying the elder sister-in-law’s job, knowing by themselves. If she didn’t confess, would everyone suspect her? But if she didn’t tell, she’d be taken to the Police Station, and that would tarnish her reputation. If that happened, her husband might very well beat her.

Shen Meng looked at Liu Sanjin huddled in one corner, her gaze shifting. Originally, she wanted to give the notification slip to Wu Xianglan, to firmly ally her to her side, but now she suddenly changed her mind. It might be better to let this old man be a dazzling scapegoat.