The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 609 - 608: Shen Baolan Goes to Prison

Chapter 609: Chapter 608: Shen Baolan Goes to Prison

Because of Zhou Shuhuan’s intentional concealment, it wasn’t until Liu Cuihua returned to Shenjiagou that she learned her daughter had been taken for labor reform.

She was naturally both anxious and afraid, but fear was useless, for what was destined to come would always arrive.

No sooner had she stepped through the front door of her home than the police arrived on her heels to take her away in handcuffs.

Liu Cuihua had no criminal record, and considering her age, she was only sentenced to half a month of detention, which amounted to a light punishment as a stern warning.

As for the arrest of Liu Cuihua and her daughter, the people of Shenjiagou naturally had quite a bit to discuss.

Nobody was happier than Qin Jinlian, who was downright more jovial than during the New Year celebrations.

"You really have a way with things, making that mother and daughter take such a hard fall. You have no idea, Liu Cuihua was so scared when the police came to her door, she wet her pants. She even knelt down and begged for mercy, promising never to spout nonsense again. With everyone in the village watching, she completely lost face!"

Looking at Qin Jinlian taking delight in the misfortune of others, Shen Mingzhu sneered lightly, "If you can’t keep your mouth shut in the future and blabber nonsense to others, her today will be your tomorrow."

Qin Jinlian sheepishly retracted her smile. "I wouldn’t be like her. I’m busy now and don’t have time to waste on idle chatter."

With that, she informed her about the progress of the new houses being built in town and casually showed her the account book.

After acquiring the land, Shen Mingzhu immediately contacted a construction crew to survey the terrain and had a designer draw up the building plans.

After the New Year, the construction crew officially started work on the site.

The construction crew was recommended by Zhao Dafa; they had a good reputation, but Shen Mingzhu, to give Qin Jinlian something to keep her busy and out of her hair, made her responsible for supervising the construction and taking care of the workers’ daily meals.

Qin Jinlian actually took to the work with relish.

...

After Shen Mingzhu’s 26th birthday, the construction of the new agricultural market in Anping Town was completed.

The completion ceremony was set for the 25th of April.

Amidst deafening firecracker blasts, Shen Mingzhu and the town leaders, witnessed by nearly a thousand villagers, jointly held the ribbon-cutting ceremony and delivered speeches.

The people from Shenjiagou almost all came, their faces glowing with pride and honor for having produced such a distinguished person as Shen Mingzhu from their village.

"It’s really beyond belief, from our poor little Shenjiagou, a golden phoenix has taken flight. Jinlian and Jianguo are going to enjoy good fortune for the rest of their lives!"

"Indeed, who could have imagined Mingzhu achieving so much success? Had I known, I would have sought her as a bride for my eldest son."

"Dream on!"

"Wishful thinking!"

These after-the-fact remarks resulted in everyone laughing and cursing.

While extolling Shen Mingzhu, it was unavoidable for Shen Baolan to be brought out as a contrasting example.

"That worry of Dashan’s home is causing her mother to suffer greatly. I ran into Cuihua at the market some days ago; she’s become skin and bones, didn’t even respond when I greeted her."

"Haven’t seen her today; she usually sprints to join the hustle and bustle faster than anyone."

"How can she show her face now, with her daughter still in jail, and the in-laws not caring a bit? They’re simply embarrassed by this daughter-in-law."

"You’re telling me! Both married into the city, but just look at how capable Mingzhu is, living such a prosperous life, while Cuihua’s household is embroiled in trouble every other day. The Zhou family has really bad luck, saddled with such an unlucky star."

Qin Jinlian, not far off, listened to these commentaries, her heart blossoming with joy.

After battling with Liu Cuihua for most of her life, Cuihua had finally become her defeated rival.

Looking at Shen Mingzhu on the stage, chatting and laughing with the town’s leaders, Qin Jinlian couldn’t help but weep with joy.

You damn girl, how did you become so successful.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Shen Mingzhu followed the town leaders to check on the progress of paving the cement streets.

Anping Town encompassed a total area of 20 square kilometers, and the cement paving not only brought benefits to all the residents of the town but also provided many temporary employment opportunities.

The laborers involved in the construction were sturdy youths recruited from various towns and villages; they worked ten hours a day and earned three yuan.

Besides, materials like bricks, stones, sand, and mud were sourced locally, which indirectly spurred on the economic development of Anping Town.

It was indeed a win-win, benefiting both the people and the town!

With this favor as leverage, Shen Mingzhu asked for and obtained the naming rights for two main thoroughfares from the town leaders.

One was called Dafa Road, the other Hengxin Road.

Initially, when she decided to help the town fix the roads, Pei Yang, Pei Ke, and Zhao Dafa all donated generously; naming the roads after their companies was a way for the townspeople to remember their kindness.

...

Once the official business was over, Shen Mingzhu and her family went to see the nearly-completed new house.

A new Chinese-style rural villa with red bricks and gray tiles, three stories high; in the front were storefronts facing the street for Qin Jinlian to run her snack shop, and behind was a courtyard.

In the yard, she planned to plant some fruit trees, dig a pond, and plant lotus roots, and also raise a flock of chickens, ducks, geese, and rabbits, so she could bring the children back to relax and unwind when they had spare time.

...

Shen Mingzhu did not just talk the talk when she said she would help the village improve their farming income; she used the money Shen Baolan compensated her with to hire experts from the Agricultural Science Institute to provide guidance and lectures in Shenjiagou.

Following the agricultural experts’ advice, the people of Shenjiagou began planting more vegetables and fruits instead of just crops.

To get rich, build roads first.

Under the call to action of Shen Mingzhu and Shen Dequan, villagers voluntarily joined the road construction team and paved a concrete highway that connected to the provincial road and the town within two months.

Before the summer holidays, the burglary case from before was solved.

The irony was that the thief turned out to be the locksmith who had been called in to fit locks in the house.

Having casually learned about Shen Mingzhu’s household situation from conversations with Sister Yu and with the added pressure of the upcoming New Year needing money, he had entertained wicked thoughts.

After realizing it was her fault, Sister Yu felt so guilty and ashamed that she fell ill; it was only after Shen Mingzhu comforted her that she slowly got over it.

But this served as a warning, and thereafter, both Sister Yu and Cui Lianying were extremely careful about what they said, seldom discussing the situation at Shen Mingzhu’s home, even in front of their own relatives.

Although the case was cracked, and the suspect was caught, only half of the stolen goods were recovered.

Nevertheless, Shen Mingzhu was still very satisfied.

While at the district police station to reclaim her possessions, she inadvertently learned from the officers that the station had taken her family’s theft case very seriously and put a lot of effort into the investigation, which allowed for such a quick resolution.

It’s worth noting that cases like these thefts pile up at the police station.

They simply cannot be fully investigated.

The special treatment Shen Mingzhu received was all down to her good deeds.

Over the past two years, during every festival, Shen Mingzhu would give comfort gifts to the frontline policemen: mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival, candies during the New Year, and cooling and heatstroke prevention medicine during summer.

The items might not be very expensive, but everyone remembered her kindness, so when her house was burglarized, they were determined to solve the case.

Even the enhanced patrolling and security measures in her neighborhood were somewhat related to her.

After learning all this, Shen Mingzhu donated the money she had reclaimed to the police station and dismissed the idea of moving house.

With the police maintaining public order behind the scenes, what else did she have to worry about?

Time flew, and the seasons changed in the blink of an eye.

Two years later.

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