The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 240 - 239 Evidence Pointing

Chapter 240: Chapter 239 Evidence Pointing

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Shi Guangsheng, a hunter as sinister and malicious as they come, had set a trap and was sure to lurk nearby, waiting to watch his prey ensnared, satisfying the depraved glee in his heart.

Therefore, after instigating Hu Guifen to make the tip-off call, he didn’t leave, but instead ran across from the food factory, finding a good spot to watch the drama unfold.

No more than two minutes after the Food Safety Bureau staff had entered the factory, Zhao Yun and several youngsters bolted from the premises.

In particular, Zhao Yun was carrying a bulging backpack, which made him feel somewhat uneasy. He lifted his foot to cross over and wanted to stop Zhao Yun.

But just as he took a step forward, he saw Huang Yuan riding a motorcycle, chugging toward the food factory.

He immediately disregarded Zhao Yun and ran to intercept Huang Yuan.

"Manager Huang, what brings you here?"

After asking, without waiting for Huang Yuan to catch his breath, he cackled wickedly, "Are you here especially for the show? Your timing is perfect, the show has just started. Come on, let’s go have a look together."

When Huang Yuan heard this, his heart went cold, "You’ve already made your move?"

Shi Guangsheng did not know of Huang Yuan’s inner turmoil, and with an air of smugness, he pointed to a row of bicycles parked at the entrance of the food factory, "See those? Those are the Food Safety Bureau people, they are inspecting the food factory right now."

While speaking, he leaned in close to Huang Yuan’s ear to take credit, "Dealing with such a small, broken-down factory is easier than squashing an ant."

Afterward, Shi Guangsheng waited for Huang Yuan to praise him.

Who could have known, Huang Yuan’s face was filled with frantic frustration, "Ah, you’re going to be the death of me!"

Learning that Huang Yuan had been ordered by Hengxing’s junior boss to purchase apple gummy candy from the food factory, Shi Guangsheng was not the least bit flustered.

"Manager Huang, once the food factory gets into trouble, just explain it to the junior boss and he surely won’t blame you. In fact, he might even admire your foresight."

With these words from Shi Guangsheng, Huang Yuan’s panic somewhat subsided, and after parking his motorcycle, he followed Shi Guangsheng to the entrance of the food factory to enjoy the spectacle.

...

The Food Safety Bureau team carried out a thorough inspection of the entire food factory, leaving no stone unturned, getting close to digging three feet into the ground.

Before long, a young female worker ran to the leader of the investigation team with a small burlap sack in her hands.

"Director Bai, look at this!"

Director Bai stared at the contents of the bag for a while, wanting to smell it, but hesitated and stopped himself.

"What’s this?"

Curious workers approached, wanting to see for themselves, but the female worker hastily closed the bag so they couldn’t peek inside.

Pei Yang turned to ask Du Juan and Shen Chaobei if they knew what was inside the sack; both shook their heads, indicating they had never seen it before.

A bad premonition rose in Pei Yang’s heart.

Just then, his large hand, hanging by his side, was grasped by a soft, plush little paw.

He looked down into his son’s deep black eyes.

...

It wasn’t long before the inspection ended.

Apart from the contents of the burlap sack, no other suspicious items were found by the inspection team.

Director Bai cast a stern gaze around the circle of everyone at the food factory, "Who’s in charge here?"

Pei Yang stepped forward to identify himself.

Surveying him up and down, Director Bai said coldly, "We will be confiscating all raw materials and products of the food factory according to the law. Please cooperate with the investigation, hand over the keys to the factory, and evacuate the area. Until the investigation results are out, no one is allowed to enter without authorization, or they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent."

As soon as he finished speaking, the workers’ agitation erupted.

"The factory is being shut down? What about our wages?"

"Manager Pei, you promised just yesterday that you would pay us first thing tomorrow morning."

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"What on earth is going on here? Weren’t there no problems during the inspection a few months ago?"

Pei Yang first calmed the workers down, then spoke amiably with Director Bai, "I am willing to cooperate with the investigation, but could you please clarify what the issue is?"

Director Bai took a sack from her subordinate and asked with a cold laugh, "What’s inside this?"

"May I see what’s inside the sack?"

"Don’t play dumb here. You’re telling me you don’t know what’s in the sacks from your own factory?!"

Pei Yang hurriedly explained, "This sack isn’t from our factory. We don’t use sacks this small. You can ask the others if you don’t believe me."

Shen Chaobei, Du Juan, and four workers all nodded in agreement, saying they had never seen this sack before.

However—

"I’ve seen it."

All eyes turned to Hu Guifen.

Pei Yang looked at her, "Auntie Hu, so this sack is yours."

Seeing Director Bai’s sharp gaze directed at her, Hu Guifen shook her hands frantically, "No, no, it’s not mine. This sack was brought back by Factory Manager Shen. She said that adding its contents to our products would make them sell better."

Upon hearing her words, everyone in the food factory, except for Pei Yang and Pei Ziheng, looked puzzled.

Was there such a thing? How come they didn’t know about it?

Director Bai approached Hu Guifen and asked in a gentler tone, "Do you know what’s inside?"

Hu Guifen glanced at Pei Yang, then lowered her head, looking timid.

"Speak up!"

The female worker who found the sack ordered sharply, and Hu Guifen, startled, quickly said, "It’s rice husk!"

What?

The people at the food factory were all stunned.

Rice husk? That’s the husk of opium poppy. That’s a drug!

Who would dare touch that stuff? It’s a matter of losing one’s head!

Several workers retreated in fear, not wanting to be associated with the sack in any way.

"Nonsense! Our food factory would absolutely not add such a thing; it does not belong to the food factory!" Pei Yang denied categorically.

The workers also came to their senses at this point.

Right, they produce the factory’s products with their own hands. When had they ever added rice husk?

"Exactly, that thing is not from our factory. We all eat the spicy strips and dried tofu made in the factory ourselves. Would we harm ourselves?"

There were workers who cursed at Hu Guifen, "Guifen, you’re usually silent, but now you spout nonsense the moment you open your mouth. We work in the factory every day but have never seen Factory Manager Shen add anything!"

"Factory Manager Shen has been so good to you. You’re ungrateful and even throw filth on her when she’s not around. Aren’t you afraid of being struck by lightning?"

Hu Guifen’s face flushed red, "I didn’t talk nonsense. This sack really does contain rice husk. Factory Manager Shen, knowing I was tight-lipped, only told me. She said this substance would make people addicted and help sell the product better."

Having said this, she lowered her head and began to wipe away tears, "Factory Manager Shen has been good to me, but I don’t want to do something against my conscience just to make money. Our factory’s snacks and candy are all for children to eat, and I’m a mother too. I can’t commit such a sin."

Hu Guifen was usually honest and too timid to even speak loudly, and her crying while invoking her child made others doubt for a moment.

Although the products were made by them, some important processes were controlled by Du Juan and Shen Mingzhu, such as the sauce for the spicy strips and dried tofu, as well as the seasoning powder for the chips.

If Shen Mingzhu had surreptitiously added rice husk to the sauce and seasoning powder, indeed, they would be none the wiser.

And so, under the misleading claims of Hu Guifen, the workers began to suspect Shen Mingzhu, with some even turning their suspicions towards Du Juan, "Whether Factory Manager Shen secretly added rice husk to the products or not, Director Du knows best!"

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