Chapter 486 Prove Innocence

**Chapter 486: Proving Innocence**

Fu Xianghong only knew that Liu Dayong had been arrested, and her life lost all hope.

If wishes could come true, she'd happily watch Jiang Yu die.

Unfortunately, no matter how much she cursed, heaven turned a deaf ear.

Lin Hongxia hissed, "She's always been ruthless. Nearly everyone in our courtyard has suffered at her hands. Let’s just wait for her retribution!"

Fu Xianghong sneered coldly, "Oh, she’ll get her retribution, alright!"

She would watch closely—today’s Liu Dagui would be tomorrow’s Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu only learned about these matters after returning from dinner with Ding Jianan.

On her way back, she noticed the strange looks people were giving her.

As soon as she entered the courtyard, Xu Lihua pulled her aside and asked pointedly, "Did you really dig up treasure?"

Jiang Yu glanced at her, "Where did you hear that?"

"The whole family courtyard is buzzing with it. They say when Liu Dagui was arrested, he kept shouting that you were a ten-thousand-yuan family and still had plenty of treasure hidden away."

Jiang Yu smiled. Ever since Liu Dagui stole her bankbook, she knew the truth couldn’t stay hidden.

"The treasure is complete nonsense—I’m not hiding anything. But being a ten-thousand-yuan family? That’s true. My husband’s salary is high, and he was a soldier before. Is it so strange for us to be doing well financially? It just means I’m good at managing the household and saving money."

"Lies!" Fu Xianghong spat.

She stormed out of her house, her eyes filled with venom.

"Your family may earn well, but look at your living conditions—three bicycles, a television and radio. With spending like that, how could you possibly save ten thousand yuan? Unless you and your husband were stealing public funds!"

Lin Hongxia chimed in, "Before you married Little He, he wasn’t exactly frugal either. I doubt he had much savings."

Jiang Yu thought they were ridiculous. "Why should I explain how I saved money to you? Who do you think you are, questioning me like this? What a joke!"

Fu Xianghong’s face darkened—she really had no right to accuse her.

"Hoarding these things makes you a capitalist! A leech on the people! Deputy Section Chief Jiang wasn’t wrong back then—you must have embezzled all this! No wonder you didn’t dare let them search your place—you were guilty!"

Jiang Yu couldn’t care less to argue. She wasn’t a criminal, and even if she were, Fu Xianghong had no right to interrogate her.

"Comrade Fu Xianghong, no matter what names you call me, they’re just wild accusations. If you want to judge me so badly, wait until you actually have the authority to do so."

With Liu Dagui arrested, Fu Xianghong’s rage had nowhere to go, and Jiang Yu became her punching bag.

But Jiang Yu remained calm, unshaken and fearless.

"Xianghong, you're going too far. At the end of the day, your husband wasn’t arrested because of Jiang Yu—it was his own misconduct. If he hadn’t messed around with Zhang Chunhua, this wouldn’t have happened."

Xu Lihua, though envious of Jiang Yu’s wealth, knew coveting was pointless.

Not her things—no use dreaming about them.

Fu Xianghong scoffed, "That's rich coming from you—it’s not your husband who got arrested."

Xu Lihua muttered under her breath and stopped trying to talk sense into her.

"You’re really out of it!"

Jiang Yu didn’t care whether she was genuinely confused or just pretending—she wasn’t about to let a single debt slide.

“You remember when Liu Dagui snuck into my place to steal stuff, right? I’ll make him pay for it myself. I’ll have He Tingyue explain everything and settle the score with him then.”

Lin Hongxia shot back, “Have you no conscience? You’re so aggressive—aren’t you afraid of running Xiang Hong’s family into the ground?”

“When you threw me under the bus, you didn’t stop to think if you’d drive me to ruin. When did I ever give you the illusion that I’m lenient?”

Jiang Yu had always been one to pay back every insult tenfold, and this wasn’t the first time they’d witnessed it.

If Liu Dagui had the nerve to cross her, he shouldn’t blame her for being ruthless.

After Fu Xianghong left, the buzz about Jiang Yu’s treasure find kept growing in the residential compound.

Some envied the treasures she’d supposedly found, speculating how much she’d kept for herself.

Others were convinced she’d hoarded a significant portion—how else could she have become ten-grand rich?

The suspicions grew fiercer, as if Jiang Yu was already being treated like a crook.

If she’d discovered treasure, she should’ve turned it all in—what right did she have to keep any?

Selling stuff under the table was shady dealing—that’s a crime!

This was the opportunity Wei Nan jumped on.

He’d been searching hard for Jiang Yu’s mistakes, never expecting her to hand him ammo on a silver platter.

But as a member of the propaganda department, calling Jiang Yu out outright could blow up in his face.

That’s where Director Xue came in.

Xue had long held a grudge against Jiang Yu and He Tingyue. With just a little provocation, he could turn his petty grudge into a full-on vendetta.

So today’s emergency meeting at the factory was called.

Jiang Yu, who had taken leave, wasn’t there.

Yet the meeting was all about her.

“Both the factory and the residential compound are in a frenzy over this! Of course, I believe Department Head Jiang would never engage in embezzlement, but others aren’t convinced. I suggest Department Head Jiang prove her innocence and lead by example to shut the gossipers up!”

He Tingyue watched Director Xue’s holier-than-thou act and barked out a laugh, ignoring the latter’s glare.

“Embezzlement? That’s a stretch.”

It wasn’t even the factory’s property to begin with—had Jiang Yu not discovered it, who knows where it’d still be rotting?

“If my wife hands things over to the factory only to be questioned, then next time someone finds something like this, they might as well pocket it.”

Factory Director Zheng chided, “Tingyue!”

Miao Shilan nodded. “Jiang Yu’s selfless contribution eased the factory’s financial strain. To turn around and doubt her—how is that any different from biting the hand that feeds you?”

Director Xue immediately shot back, “How is this doubting her? This is for Comrade Jiang Yu’s own reputation! If we do nothing and let rumors run wild, wouldn’t that harm her instead?”

Did Factory Director Zheng really buy his act?

He did not agree with the investigation—it would break Jiang Yu's heart.

However, Director Xue had already reported the matter to the Textile Industry Revolutionary Committee before proposing the meeting.

As Factory Director Zheng was about to reject Director Xue’s suggestion, Jiao Zongyao, deputy director of the Revolutionary Committee, stepped in forcefully and backed Director Xue’s proposal.

“If we don’t resolve this issue, how will our people see the State Cotton Mill going forward? We’re at a critical moment—we must eliminate every possible risk!”

His manner was far more forceful than Zheng’s. If Director Qian from the Revolutionary Committee had been there, Zheng might have had someone to turn to for support.

But Jiao Zongyao’s timing was unfortunate—Qian happened to be away on a business trip, leaving the Textile Industry Revolutionary Committee under Jiao’s complete control.

“Deputy Director Jiao, I still advise against…”

“Old Zheng, after all these years, you’re still too soft-hearted,” Jiao Zongyao interrupted.

Director Xue gave a short laugh. “Factory Director Zheng always puts people first, so I guess I’ll have to do the dirty work.”

Jiao Zongyao glanced at him. “Then leave it to you, Director Xue. Handle it well—*all eyes are on us*.”