Reborn in 78, I made my fortune by working in the mountains, supporting three families on my own.

After the commotion in the factory office subsided during the day, Liu Fang and Sun Xiaolian returned home, both seething with anger. Once the door was closed, the feigned grievance and kindness she had shown in public vanished completely.

Liu Fang sat at the table, her face ashen. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and she couldn't help but mutter curses under her breath.

"I've finally figured it out. The person who intervened halfway through today and completely turned things around was actually Zhao Lei!"

This was the first time in Liu Fang's life that she had suffered such a loss without being able to speak out.

During the day, in Deputy Factory Director Li's office, Liu Fang watched the entire argument unfold, completely unaware of Zhao Lei standing silently to the side. She was even less surprised that a young man from the countryside could actually speak up in front of the factory leaders and turn the tide in just a few words, directly overturning her own calculations.

"Damn it! I should have known Jiang Xinyue had someone backing her up. It turns out Zhao Lei was the one pulling the strings. We were about to force the factory to fire Jiang Xinyue, but he turned the situation around and even gave that woman another chance to be evaluated!"

Liu Fang was filled with remorse, regretting that she had misjudged people, underestimated her opponent, and had planned a disturbance for nothing. Not only did she not gain any advantage, but she also gave Jiang Xinyue a chance to publicly prove herself.

Sun Xiaolian stood to the side, her face pale, filled with anxiety and unease. The anxiety that had been hanging over her all day had completely sunk to the bottom.

She had almost secured her position by causing trouble and putting pressure on others, but now that it's a real competition of professional skills, Sun Xiaolian has no confidence at all.

Liu Fang turned to look at her niece, her brows furrowed.

"It's no use talking about this now. Things have come to this, so we just have to bite the bullet and take the test. Tell me the truth, are you really confident about the additional test in three days?"

Sun Xiaolian shook her head frantically, her voice flustered and weak.

"Auntie, I'm not confident. I just crammed for the interview, and my understanding of accounting and practical calculations is superficial. If it's a real test of skills, I definitely can't beat Jiang Xinyue."

Seeing her niece's panicked state, Liu Fang felt both angry and helpless. Having no other choice, she decided to try anything, so she immediately got up and went out.

Taking advantage of her status as a long-time employee in the personnel department, Liu Fang rushed to the finance department overnight and borrowed a complete set of accounting exam preparation books, daily work notes, and practical examples from a familiar colleague, carrying a whole stack of them home.

But Sun Xiaolian had only read a couple of pages when the densely packed accounting formulas and calculation processes made her head throb. The more she read, the more her head ached. She pushed the book aside, her face full of frustration and complaints.

"This is too much trouble! There are so many rules and regulations, and they're so complicated. Just looking at them makes my head spin. How could I possibly learn it in just three days!"

Seeing her niece's unrealistic ambitions and lack of real skills, Liu Fang felt utterly disheartened, yet there was nothing she could do but patiently offer her advice.

"No matter how hard it is, you have to keep studying! There's no turning back now. If you lose by making trouble, you can only rely on the exam to give it your all. Study hard, memorize the key points, and learn as much as you can. It's better than sitting around waiting to die."

Sun Xiaolian stared at the books on the table, her eyes darting around, harboring wicked thoughts. Suddenly, she looked up at Liu Fang, her tone filled with a sense of hope and a hint of probing.

"Auntie, you've been in the factory for so long, you have a wide network of connections and resources. Could you think of a way to get your hands on the exam questions for this extra test? If I get the questions in advance, I'm guaranteed to win; I won't have to bother memorizing these things!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Fang's heart skipped a beat, her eyes instantly darkened, and she fell into hesitation.

The factory conducted the additional tests with full public invigilation and on-site grading, maintaining extremely strict discipline.

If leaking or stealing exam questions is discovered, it constitutes a serious violation of discipline. The consequences range from dismissal from the factory to public reprimand and accountability, resulting in the complete ruin of one's career and reputation.

Liu Fang had worked in the factory for over a decade, holding onto her secure job, and wouldn't dare take such a huge risk.

"The test questions are sealed away by the factory and are kept at an extremely high level of secrecy. Who would dare to touch them? If they are exposed, I will lose my job completely, and we will both be finished."

Seeing that Liu Fang wouldn't budge, Sun Xiaolian immediately adopted a pitiful and coquettish demeanor, gently shaking Liu Fang's arm with her eyes reddening.

"Auntie, I really don't want to lose! I've prepared for so long, and I finally got this job opportunity. If Jiang Xinyue pushes me out, I'll never be able to get a job in a factory again. Please help me this time. Even if something happens, I promise I won't drag you down with me. If I win this time, I'll get a job in the factory and take good care of you in the future."

Sun Xiaolian's persistent pleading and cajoling, coupled with her eyes full of resentment and grievance, completely wore away Liu Fang's last shred of hesitation.

Liu Fang stared at the accounting books on the table, gritted her teeth and weighed the options for a long time, but finally couldn't resist her niece's plea and nodded through gritted teeth.

"Okay! I'll try my best to find a way. But you have to keep your mouth shut and not let a word of this slip out. If this gets out, none of us will escape."

Sun Xiaolian was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly, her eyes instantly igniting with hope of turning the tide.

Liushugou, Hongyan Town.

The dilapidated, low-lying mud-brick courtyard was overgrown with weeds, and the air was filled with a strong musty and foul smell.

Ma Laosan was living alone in this dilapidated house, recovering from his injuries. Ever since he fled back home in a sorry state from Qingfeng Mountain that day, no one had taken care of him, and he had been lying in bed unable to move every day.

At noon, several rough and aggressive shouts suddenly came from outside the courtyard, full of hostility.

"Third brother! Are you home? I'm back to have a drink with you!"

Four burly men stood outside the courtyard gate, each with a fierce build and a menacing expression, exuding the air of a seasoned outlaw.

The group called out twice, but the courtyard remained silent, without any response.

The four men looked at each other, their faces darkening. They pushed open the rickety courtyard gate and stepped straight into the house.

The room was dark and damp, the floor was filthy and cluttered, and the air was filled with a pungent, unpleasant stench of sweat, mildew, and other unpleasant smells.

The group walked along, cursing and swearing.

"That kid's living a really pathetic life."

"So you're just lounging at home, not even opening the door?"

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone's gaze fell on the bed in the inner room, and they all froze on the spot.

Ma Laosan lay stiffly on the bed, his body covered in bruises and swelling, his wounds festering, unable to move, and unable to even take care of his daily life. His bedding was filthy, and the bed was even stained with feces and urine, making him look extremely wretched and miserable.

Ma Laosan's eyes were half-open and half-closed, his breath was weak, and he was motionless, looking as if he had stopped breathing.

The bald, burly man leading the group suddenly narrowed his eyes and cried out in alarm.

"Holy crap! Third brother, what happened to you and you look like this?"

The person next to him suddenly changed his expression and his voice became panicked.

"Holy crap, is it going to flop right now?"

Baldy quickly stepped forward and gave Ma Laosan's shoulder a hard shove.

Just as everyone was panicking, Ma Laosan squeezed out a faint breath, slowly opened his cloudy eyes, and struggled to move his eyeballs to see the leader in front of him.

The person who came was none other than Ma Laosan's elder brother, Ma Dali.