She was tricked into marriage for three years, then remarried a childless, tough guy and became preg

Shen Tang sneered, but did not respond.

She wanted Liu Jinhua to finish playing all her cards before she would play them back one by one.

Shen Tang's silence emboldened Liu Jinhua to become even more arrogant.

She shouted, "My daughter-in-law, Shen Tang, is filial and obedient. Unlike her, who recently pressured me for the family fortune. I think she ruined the real Shen Tang and took her place to try and seize my inheritance."

As her words became increasingly outrageous, Shen Tang couldn't help but sneer, "You have quite the imagination. So, I'm the one who murders for money?"

"Exactly! I heard there's some kind of evil magic in the south that can change people's faces. You're definitely wearing a human skin mask on your face!"

As Liu Jinhua spoke, she stepped forward to tear off Shen Tang's face.

As Shen Tang watched her short, plump body lunge towards him, he subtly slipped his foot forward and dodged, causing Liu Jinhua to fall into the nearby flowerbed.

"Ouch--"

Liu Jinhua was upside down, her feet up, struggling and thrashing about in the flower bushes.

"Hahaha..." Everyone burst into laughter.

Ge Aihua couldn't bear to see it any longer, so she stepped forward and pulled her aside.

Liu Jinhua had just stood up and was about to rush towards Shen Tang when Ge Aihua grabbed her arm.

"Just talk, can't you refrain from hitting me?"

Liu Jinhua pointed at Shen Tang and jumped up, shouting, "She's definitely a fake!"

Yang Xinyue slowly walked forward and said in a gentle voice:

"Auntie, just because Shen Tang didn't know how before doesn't mean she's fake. Maybe she learned it after coming to the garment factory!"

Yang Xinyue's words, seemingly speaking in Shen Tang's defense, actually further confirmed the irrationality of Shen Tang's change.

Shen Tang had been working at the clothing factory for less than a month before participating in the cultural troupe selection. How could she have learned to sing and dance so well in such a short time without a teacher?

Sun Qian asked in surprise, "But who did Shen Tang learn English from?!"

She looked at Shen Tang with some fear and took a few steps back: "Shen Tang, you wouldn't actually be a hostile foreign agent, would you?"

After hearing Sun Qian's words, everyone started discussing it.

Ge Aihua's expression also turned cold and stern.

If Shen Tang's identity is indeed problematic, she will not only be barred from participating in the selection process for the performing arts troupe, but will also be sent to the Public Security Bureau for investigation.

"Shen Tang, what do you have to say?" Ge Aihua asked.

Shen Tang stepped forward and looked at Liu Jinhua, "Have you finished speaking?"

Liu Jinhua glared at her and said, "Let's see how you argue now. Just wait to be shot!"

Shen Tang smiled slightly and first looked at the crowd behind Liu Jinhua:

"Fellow villagers, you've come all this way for a reason, surely it wasn't for nothing? It's not worth committing the crime of false accusation for a pittance."

The neighbors exchanged glances, all avoiding Shen Tang's gaze.

They did come after being paid; Liu Jinhua gave each of them two yuan to be witnesses.

Shen Tang continued, "I, Shen Tang, was indeed too weak before. My parents spoiled me since I was a child; I never suffered, nor did I ever see any evil people. But ever since I entered the Lu family..."

Shen Tang looked at Liu Jinhua: "Liu Jinhua has been humiliating me in every possible way. In the three years since I married her, I have been beaten and scolded every day, and I have no way to express my suffering. My husband, Lu Jingshen, is even more indifferent to me and extremely cold."

"My parents are gone, and Liu Jinhua took all our assets. I want to ask everyone, am I just supposed to keep putting up with this?!"

"Women hold up half the sky. Since I can't rely on my husband's family or my husband, I'll rely on myself! Is that wrong?" Shen Tang's voice rang out.

The members of the performing arts troupe were all moved.

Shen Tang took a breath and said, "Where did I learn my talents? I learned them from my mother since I was a child, through constant exposure and learning."

She looked at her neighbors and said, "My mother loves beauty and enjoys listening to songs, as you all know."

The neighbors nodded and said, "That's true. Li Wanru has a beautiful voice. You can often hear her singing along to music from across the yard."

"Even if you learned to sing and dance from your mother, how could you possibly know English?" Sun Qian retorted.

Shen Tang looked at her and walked over step by step:

"I don't know what I did to offend you, that's why you're so persistent. There's a copy of 'New Concept English' in my suitcase in the dorm, you can go look for it."

"Fine, I'll go!" Sun Qian turned and ran towards the dormitory.

Shen Tang looked at Ge Aihua: "Commander Ge, my father was a truck driver. In his early years, he brought back some cassette tapes of English songs from Guangdong. That's why I can sing some songs with unique melodies."

Ge Aihua nodded, then looked at Liu Jinhua and said:

"The last time I went to your village, I saw you bullying her. It's a new era; you can't treat your daughter-in-law the same way you used to. Shen Tang hasn't changed as a person; she's changed her way of living!"

Liu Jinhua's eyes darted around for a long time, but she couldn't figure out any other flaws in Shen Tang's scheme.

She suddenly said, "That's right! The real Shen Tang has a red mole on her chest. Let her unbutton her shirt and we'll know if it's her!"

"If you don't dare, then there's something wrong with you."

Liu Jinhua smirked and looked at Shen Tang with a cold smile.

If she doesn't understand, she can't prove that she is. If she does understand, she can forget about having that reputation.

Shen Tang knew, of course, that she had a red mole on her chest, but she couldn't possibly show it off in front of so many people.

"What else do you want to do?"

A cold, deep question rang out from behind.

Liu Jinhua turned around and saw Huo Xiuyuan's tall figure looming over her, his gaze coldly looking down at her.

Startled, she quickly took a few steps back, swallowing hard.

"I... I just want her to prove herself."

Shen Tang stepped forward with a smile and said, "I have another way to prove myself."

Caught between the two men, Liu Jinhua looked at Shen Tang and asked, "What's the plan?"

Shen Tang raised his voice: "My mother-in-law, Liu Jinhua, has a birthmark this big on her buttocks."

Shen Tang gestured with his hand to indicate the name.

"Hahaha..." The onlookers burst into laughter.

"Liu Jinhua, this Shen Tang is real. I saw that birthmark when you were little too. Haha..." An old lady laughed until tears streamed down her face.

Liu Jinhua blushed crimson with embarrassment and roared, "Stop fucking laughing!"

At this moment, Sun Qian ran back quickly, holding a book in her hand.

Shen Tang raised an eyebrow at her, and Sun Qian revealed the book cover.

It is indeed "New Concept English".

Sun Qian looked at her coldly, "You're learning this?"

"Mm." Shen Tang nodded.

Shen Tang is indeed studying; she wants to get a university degree.

In this day and age, a university degree is more than just a piece of paper. It serves as a passport to success and is directly linked to salary. For the same job, those with higher education earn more; it truly is an era where knowledge is money.

Sun Qian said disdainfully, "You know all the words in there?"

Before Shen Tang could speak, Yang Xinyue said:

"What's your name?"

Everyone looked at Yang Xinyue with surprise and admiration—she could actually speak English.

Yang Aimin had previously considered having Yang Xinyue take the college entrance exam, so he had hired a teacher to tutor her in English. However, Yang Xinyue later found studying too difficult and couldn't persevere.

Shen Tang couldn't help but laugh when she heard her pronunciation.

Why does it have such a strong Shandong flavor?

Yang Xinyue heard the mockery in her laughter and said coldly, "Answer in English!"

"She definitely won't." Sun Qian rolled her eyes dismissively.