Transmigrating into the Genius Cannon Fodder’s Aunt

Chapter 150 Part 2 – Exposing Their True Faces to the Entire Country (II)

When the reporter asked the girls if they wanted to go to school, their eyes lit up with longing.

“I do!”

“Yes, I want to!”

The countless crisp voices saying “I want to” struck a deep chord in viewers’ hearts.

Shen Shi’s tone grew heavier, “So because your daughters nearly experienced the same thing, once you had the means, the very first thing you did was to support girls’ education?”

“Yes,” Mao Zhishan replied. “Because I lacked education and had a narrow perspective, I not only failed to live well myself, but also dragged down my children. That’s why I believe, whether male or female, everyone should go to school.”

“No one should grow up like me—so insecure and withdrawn just because of how I looked. At the root of it, it was a lack of confidence. Knowledge gives people that confidence, and with confidence, they become strong.”

Shen Shi smiled. “Hearing you say all that, you don’t sound like someone uneducated at all.”

“I’ve been studying ever since I left home,” Mao Zhishan replied. “And I owe that to my wife. She’s an incredibly strong woman.”

“Oh?” Shen Shi leaned in with interest. “How did you two meet?”

Mao Zhishan let out a long sigh. “Actually, our beginning wasn’t a good one. In fact, it was quite terrible…”

And then he began to tell the story of himself and Xia Wenyue:

He spoke of how Xia Wenyue had been forced to marry him at sixteen, and later was mistreated and despised by his family members for bearing daughters. He spoke of her defiance for the sake of their children—how she was beaten while heavily pregnant, locked in a woodshed, denied medical care, and nearly died. As he spoke, his eyes turned red.

At home, Aunt Wei was so furious she slapped her thigh. “My god, that wicked old hag deserves to rot in hell!”

On-screen, Shen Shi also wiped the corner of her eye. “Your wife sounds like an extraordinary woman.”

“She is,” Mao Zhishan nodded. “Truly remarkable. Without her, I wouldn’t be who I am today.”

He paused, then added quietly, “I will love her forever.”

Everyone watching at home turned to look at Xia Wenyue.

Mao Huimei laughed, “Wow, Dad’s really going for it—confessing his love on national TV!”

Mao Huizhu clapped and cheered, “Ooohh!!” Xiao Feng and Chenchen giggled, hands over their mouths.

Xia Mian grinned. “Uncle’s awesome!”

Mao Huilan said, “Is that why Dad didn’t want to watch with us?”

Xia Wenyue, for once, blushed. “Seriously… acting all young and romantic at his age…”

But despite her words, the corners of her lips and brows were full of joy. Laughter erupted in the room just as the show began to introduce her.

“…Founder of Xinsheng Foods, Ms. Xia Wenyue…”

Including the bit about Mao Huimei’s business, this had been Xia Wenyue’s idea. As she’d put it: “What a perfect ad—free and with massive reach. Not airing it would be a real waste!”

And it worked. Though it was just a few seconds of screen time, the image of a smiling, poised woman left viewers with a clear impression of the Xinsheng brand.

After all, most people imagined a woman who had suffered such cruelty to be plain and worn by life. But Xia Wenyue had taken a disastrous hand and played it masterfully, showing herself as a sharp, capable entrepreneur.

While many sighed over her past, even more admired her strength.

But then Shen Shi’s tone shifted. “However, it seems there may be… another version of the story.”

The screen cut to the entertainment newspaper’s headline: “Shameless Family Vanishes After Taking Bride Price—Aging Mother Left to Fend for Herself”

“This report claims the family the old woman is looking for… is Mr. Mao’s.”

“We’ve gotten in touch with the reporter who investigated that story. He even provided a photo to aid in the search. Let’s take a look together—does this match your family?”

Thanks to everything that had been shown earlier, the viewers’ sympathies had already shifted heavily in Mao Zhishan’s favor.

So when the photo appeared on screen, even Aunt Wei was momentarily stunned before she sighed, “I’d forgotten what you all looked like when you first came here.”

She looked at Xia Wenyue. “Never imagined you went through so much hardship.”

Xia Wenyue glanced at the photo and smiled softly. “It’s all in the past…”

It was clearly a cropped section from a larger family photo. Understandably so—back then, how could their family of five afford a proper portrait?

Shen Shi and the viewers probably had the same first reaction: this can’t be them.

The family in the photo looked far too frail, especially the man standing on the edge—so thin he was almost deformed, hunched over, shoulders curled inward, eyes averted from the camera with visible fear and timidity.

Shen Shi studied it closely, and only after a few moments could she faintly recognize Mao Zhishan’s features. She couldn’t help but sigh, “Before seeing this photo, I couldn’t really imagine what your past forty years were like.”

“But now, I think I understand a little.”

Mao Zhishan said softly, “It’s all in the past. We’re doing well now.”

Shen Shi wiped her eyes and continued, “Besides the photo, we also obtained interview footage from the elderly woman who was searching for you. Let’s take a look.”

After the image of the undernourished family faded, it was replaced by footage of Old Lady Mao, spewing venom through clenched teeth, calling her own son “useless,” “a disgrace,” and worse.

Which mother would curse her own child like that? She was practically an enemy.

Especially that line, “I went through so much trouble to get him a wife and thought that was finally settled. But what does he do? Has three useless girls. All money drains!”

Everyone watching could immediately understand the deep-rooted shame and fear that had defined Mao Zhishan’s early life.

Aunt Wei quickly made the connection, “Wait—that’s the same old woman from the segment on extreme gender discrimination!”

Other viewers also instantly recognized her.

Mao Huizhu scoffed, “That’s her. My grandmother.”

On the TV, Mao Zhishan let out a helpless sigh, his eyes dim. “Yes… that’s my mother.”

Shen Shi asked, “So your mother hated you… was it really because of the 66,000 yuan bride price?”

Mao Zhishan shook his head. “I never took a bride price. I discovered my family had arranged a marriage for my eldest daughter. The suitor’s family had money, but the man himself has a terrible reputation. I had no options left, so I ran.”

“So that was what drove you to Yan City?”

Mao Zhishan nodded. “There was no bride price. That story isn’t true.”

Shen Shi turned to the audience. “To verify this, our team of reporters conducted a full investigation. Let’s take a look at their findings.”

The screen cut to a sweating reporter on-site. “Hello, viewers of A Date with Shen Shi. I’m here in Mao Zhishan’s hometown, Mingxi County.”

“I’m joined by several people familiar with the events in question. We’re here to confirm whether Mr. Mao truly took any bride price.”

“Pah!” An elderly woman with a face full of wrinkles snapped. “That old woman couldn’t help to squeeze every drop out of Mao Zhishan—like she’d ever let him touch money!”

“Everyone in the county knows it was her who took the 30,000 yuan from the Hao family to sell off Mao Huimei. Where did 66,000 come from?”

A middle-aged man chimed in, “I can vouch for that. Second Mao—I mean, Mao Zhishan— didn’t even know that she’d accepted the money.”

“I was working with him at the time. He told me he wanted to send his eldest daughter to learn a trade.”

A middle-aged woman added, “There wasn’t even 66,000 to begin with. That 30,000-plus bride price? The eldest and third branches of the family spent it all.”

“One bought a fridge and TV, the other built a new house. Where do you think that money came from? It was Huimei’s bride price.”

“That’s why the Hao family turned on them and had them both jailed. All because they’d spent the money and couldn’t pay it back.”

“Exactly,” an old man said. “I was the one who warned Second Mao. Told him his mother probably took the money and had already promised his daughter to that family. Whether they agreed or not, she’d be forced to marry.”

“He had no choice. That’s why he ran. Besides, that Hao Xufeng…”

He trailed off, and everyone around him nodded knowingly. Clearly, everyone knew Hao Xufeng wasn’t a decent man.

Then came an unexpected voice: “What are you saying? What are you all saying?”

Old Lady Mao’s voice grew louder as she approached, cheerfully turning to the reporter. “Comrade reporter, comrade reporter! Can you put news on TV again for me to find my second son?”

She clearly hadn’t seen the preview that aired earlier. She still thought the public was on her side and would help condemn Mao Zhishan.

The old man beside her snorted. “No need. Your son Mao Zhishan’s right behind this broadcast.”

The old woman didn’t understand. When the camera turned toward her again, she thought it was like a phone call and immediately began shouting:

“Zhishan! Get back here! You’re going to destroy this family!”

“And what—made a little money and now you think you’re all that? Spending it on sending those worthless girls to school? If you’ve got that much money, build each of your three nephews a house!”

“As long as I’m alive, don’t even think about wasting money!”

“And what are you doing now? Acting? At your age? Give your job to Dawei! Come back here with your jinxes of a family!”

She then added a threat, “Otherwise, I’ll have the police arrest you!”

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