Chapter 152: So Shameless?

Chapter 152: Chapter 152: So Shameless?

Zhou Li was known throughout the urban village for her wooden personality.

She lived a life of poverty, and the bitter sorrow in her eyes had worn away her original delicate features.

Many people disliked interacting with her, finding her disposition gloomy.

But others found her pitiful. Rumor had it she had lost her husband and daughter early in life, which was why she lived like a walking corpse.

The neighbor woman from a moment ago had heard the rumors and pitied her, which was why she always invited Zhou Li along for things, hoping she could move on from her past and embrace a new life.

Unfortunately, the rumors were wrong.

Zhou Li hadn’t lost a husband and daughter.

She was just a sinner.

Annoyance and remorse burned her insides like fire day after day, making it impossible for her to feel happiness. She could only live out her days in a numb haze.

After changing her name and hiding in the urban village with a fake ID, Zhou Li hadn’t heard the name "Lin Xiang" for many, many years.

In fact, the first instant she heard it, a blank look crossed her face, as if asking:

’Who’s Lin Xiang?’

Soon, memories of the past surfaced.

Shock and fear broke through the numbness on her face.

Zhou Li... no, she should be called Lin Xiang now. She couldn’t help but think—

’This day has finally come.’

Lin Xiang walked slowly to the door, her steps heavy and labored.

When she finally pulled the door open, the person standing outside wasn’t who she expected. It was a strange young girl wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses.

"Who are you?"

Lin Xiang didn’t open the door all the way, instead sizing up the other person with a wary gaze.

The girl’s lips turned down in a frown.

"Someone here to help you."

Lin Xiang looked at her as if she were a lunatic.

Then, without a second thought, she tried to slam the door shut.

"Wait!"

The girl, who was none other than Chang Mu, grabbed the doorknob, trying to stop Lin Xiang from closing the door.

But this body of hers belonged to a pampered young lady. When it came to strength, how could she possibly compare to Lin Xiang, who worked in a factory day in and day out?

Seeing the door closing inch by inch, about to slam shut...

Recalling the System’s instructions, Chang Mu had no choice but to shout in a low voice:

"Fu Yunfeng is about to find you!"

Lin Xiang’s face went pale with fright.

Her hand slackened unconsciously.

Chang Mu, who hadn’t had time to pull back, almost stumbled right inside from the momentum!

"You ungrateful woman! Is this how you treat your savior?"

Chang Mu cursed, fuming.

Yes, she couldn’t deal with the System that held the power of erasure.

But she was a dignified Tactician, a soul from a higher world! Would she really take this crap from a mere paper character?

Besides, the woman in front of her was a kidnapper’s accomplice, a criminal!

Chang Mu swept a disdainful gaze over her and lifted her chin.

"I already told you, I’m here to help you. If you want to live, and not be found and tortured to death by Fu Yunfeng, you’d better do as I say from now on!"

Still reeling from the shock, Lin Xiang slowly came back to her senses.

She gave Chang Mu an inscrutable look. Instead of driving her out again, she walked back to the sofa and sat down.

Chang Mu had nowhere to vent her anger and could only bottle it up.

She quickly glanced outside. After confirming no one was paying attention, she closed the door.

"Ugh! What’s that smell!"

Chang Mu felt like she was suffocating!

Lin Xiang sat on the sofa, unmoved.

Chang Mu pulled out a handkerchief to cover her nose. After a disgusted glance around the room, she decided to cut the crap.

She pulled a thick stack of hundred-yuan bills from her bag and threw it onto the coffee table with a THWACK.

"Here’s your travel money. I’ll send you abroad."

A flicker of emotion showed in Lin Xiang’s eyes.

She had been poor for too long, so long that she had even forgotten how to live a normal life.

Seeing so much cash, it was impossible not to be tempted.

But Lin Xiang knew better than anyone that some money wasn’t easy to take.

"Who exactly are you, and what do you want?"

"I told you, I’m the one here to save your life."

Chang Mu glanced around, dismissing the idea of finding a place to sit. She simply remained standing, looking down on Lin Xiang.

"Years ago, you and your boyfriend, Xu Dong, kidnapped Qing Qing and Fu Yunfeng’s daughter, Qing Zhi. That was because Xu Dong told you he just needed money for his seriously ill mother’s treatment and wouldn’t harm Qing Zhi. He said that once he got the money, he would send her back safely. You believed him, so you acted as his inside person and took Qing Zhi away. But what you didn’t expect was that your so-called boyfriend was lying to you the whole time! He didn’t have a sick mother. His parents had died long ago because of Fu Yunfeng, and everything he did was for revenge against him!"

Lin Xiang’s expression changed from indifference, to shock, and finally to terror.

She hugged her arms tightly, staring at Chang Mu in disbelief and muttering:

"How do you know... How..."

So many of those details were things only she and Xu Dong knew!

Like their secret relationship.

And the lies Xu Dong used to deceive her.

The only explanation Lin Xiang could think of was:

"Who are you to Xu Dong? Did he send you here to trick me again? Hasn’t he ruined my life enough? I didn’t even get to see my mother one last time! The doctor said she could have survived if she’d gotten treatment sooner!"

Lin Xiang shrieked hysterically, as if trying to unleash all the resentment she had bottled up for years!

She looked so out of control that even someone as arrogant as Chang Mu couldn’t help but take half a step back, afraid of getting hurt.

"Y-You, calm down! I don’t know Xu Dong!"

"You think I’ll believe you?"

"Believe it or not, all you need to know is that I’m the only one who can help you right now!"

Chang Mu raised her voice.

Lin Xiang let out a dry laugh.

Chang Mu said through gritted teeth:

"What if I told you that Qing Zhi is still alive?"

Lin Xiang’s expression froze on the spot.

Seeing that she finally got a reaction, Chang Mu breathed a sigh of relief.

"That’s right! Qing Zhi is still alive! Back then, you deliberately left her in the snow, didn’t you? You were hoping she’d have a chance to survive. Well, I’m telling you now, not only did she make it out of those snowy mountains, but she also grew up safe and sound! I’m the only person in this world who knows where she is! So you’d better listen to me!"

With that, Chang Mu tossed down a slip of paper with her phone number on it, telling Lin Xiang to contact her by the end of the day.

Once she was out of the tin shack, Chang Mu couldn’t resist speaking to the System in her mind.

’Why did you have me tell Lin Xiang that Qing Zhi is still alive? If she tells Fu Yunfeng later, aren’t we just asking for trouble?’

’I collected data on Lin Xiang’s past experiences and recent life trajectory to build a personality model. My analysis indicates that Lin Xiang is a contradictory individual. If she believes Qing Zhi is dead, her guilt would compel her to tell Fu Yunfeng and Qing Qing the truth. However, if she knows Qing Zhi is alive, her guilt will be diminished, and she will be more inclined to protect herself.’

Chang Mu was dumbfounded and couldn’t help but exclaim:

"Is Lin Xiang that shameless?"

Even the System in the void couldn’t help but give her a speechless look.

But Chang Mu was completely oblivious.