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Xiao Tang Shen went to the town to buy some things. As she slowly rowed back, she saw from afar a large crowd of villagers gathered in front of Man Cang Shen’s house.

In the countryside, whenever something happens to a family, it easily draws a crowd of onlookers.

Now, the group in the village included police officers. Not only the nearby neighbors were curious, but even people living a mile or two away, upon hearing the news, whether adults or children, swarmed over to see the commotion.

Xiao Tang Shen was no exception.

She stepped down from the boat carrying her purchases, standing at the edge of the crowd, tiptoeing to peek inside while gossiping with the person beside her, “Aunt Guihua, what’s going on here?”

“I heard that Man Cang’s wife, Xiu Xiu, filed a complaint against you…” As she spoke, Guihua turned around and suddenly realized the one asking was none other than Xiao Tang Shen herself.

“Oh! Xiao Tang, you’ve finally come back!”

With Guihua’s exclamation, the once noisy crowd fell silent instantly, and everyone turned their heads in unison.

In a flash, the crowd erupted once more.

“Xiao Tang is back!”

“Xiao Tang, did you really cheat Man Cang’s family out of their money?”

“Look at her, so young, how could she understand anything? She must be lying!”

“But didn’t Man Cang and Ai Zhen say Xiao Tang really cured their Yuan Bao and learned the skills of her master, Shen Yidao?”

“Hmph, what real skills? Xiu Xiu’s physics teacher already said that’s physics! It’s science!”

Xiao Tang Shen: “?!!?”

She had only come out of curiosity to watch the spectacle—how did it suddenly become about her?

“Police, it’s her, Xiao Tang Shen!” At this moment, Yang Xiu Xiu in the middle of the crowd pointed directly at her. “She’s spreading superstitions and cheated my in-laws out of six hundred yuan!”

“What nonsense are you talking about! Whether we were cheated or not, we know ourselves!” Ai Zhen snapped angrily.

Man Cang, his face flushed red, slapped Yang Xiu Xiu’s pointing hand away from Xiao Tang Shen: “I’ve told you many times, we were not deceived! Not deceived! Xiao Tang really has skills—”

Seeing this, the police officers grew increasingly serious as they looked at Xiao Tang Shen.

When they first received the report, they were shocked. What surprised the police even more was that such a young girl could convince two elderly people to still believe in her even after they exposed her trickery, to the point of causing a rift with their own son and daughter-in-law.

“Mom, Dad, you’re this deceived, isn’t that cheating?”

Yang Xiu Xiu, furious at the old couple, rushed to Xiao Tang Shen’s side and said sternly, “I know you’re smart, using the adhesion of water physics to trick people at such a young age, but that’s precisely why I can’t just watch you go further down the wrong path!”

She then turned to the in-laws: “And you two, you never went to school and don’t understand physics, that’s fine! But I can’t believe that even after I laid out the facts in front of you, you remain so stubborn!”

In front of the police and so many villagers, Yang Xiu Xiu’s merciless attack trampled severely on the dignity of the elderly couple.

Man Cang and Ai Zhen, shaking with anger, stood there stiffly, insisting repeatedly, “We weren’t cheated,” “Xiao Tang really has skills.”

They angrily rebuked Yang Xiu Xiu: “Who told you to call the police?”

“The money is ours. We didn’t use a single cent of yours. We spend it however we want! It’s none of your business!”

“I’m not crazy yet! Qiming, are you dead? Go control your wife, explain to the police, and get them to leave…”

Caught in the middle of the quarrel between his parents and wife, Shen Qiming, named directly, could only stop Yang Xiu Xiu: “Xiu Xiu, let’s just drop it—”

“Bang!”

Shen Qiming fell to the ground, causing the chaotic scene to pause.

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Yang Xiu Xiu pulled back her hand from Shen Qiming’s shove, her chest heaving violently with anger: “I can’t just let it go like this!”

She took a deep breath and looked at the police: “Officers, you’ve all seen it yourself. My in-laws were tricked like this but remain delusional. This girl is an orphan, adopted by people in our village. But last month, those who adopted her also passed away. She’s alone, with a difficult family situation and needs money. I understand and am willing to provide some financial support. But she can’t be left to live alone out there any longer, or more people might be deceived in the future!”

“I won’t demand you pay the money back. Consider it a gift out of pity from your fellow villagers.”

Yang Xiu Xiu then turned to Xiao Tang Shen with righteous indignation: “But I must stop you from spreading superstitions and deceiving the elderly!”

“I don’t need your pity.”

Xiao Tang Shen, who had been silent, looked calmly at Yang Xiu Xiu: “Since you don’t believe in my skills, I will return the money in full, as long as you can bear the consequences.”

“Consequences?” Yang Xiu Xiu laughed as if hearing a joke. “You think a few vague words from you will make me afraid or stop me?”

But Xiao Tang Shen was not making threats; she was kindly warning her.

Since the “sell now, collect later” method is their usual practice, they aren’t afraid of losing their debts.

Anyone with more understanding neither dares nor wants to default.

But Yang Xiu Xiu refused to believe, so Xiao Tang Shen took out six hundred yuan and returned it in front of everyone.

They thought it was over, but then a young female officer spoke: “Little girl, if you have no guardian, you must come with us to the police station.”

Xiao Tang Shen was confused: “I already returned the money.”

“It’s not just about this matter,” the young female officer kindly explained. “More importantly, you are under fourteen years old, have no father or mother, and no other adult relatives to act as your guardian.”

*

Half an hour later, at the town police station.

Xiao Tang Shen, having finished the police inquiry, looked stunned and worried.

As an exceptionally gifted talent in the metaphysical arts, her progress was rapid since starting her training.

Though young, she was already more skilled than her master, Shen Yidao. She was confident but not arrogant.

But the outcome…

Being young, she was not trusted in her metaphysical abilities, which was one thing, but now she wasn’t even allowed freedom to move about?

Xiao Tang Shen looked at the young female officer taking her statement and sweetly pleaded again, “Sister Officer, I really have no problems living alone!”

However, as a minor under fourteen, whether she can live alone is not up to her.

The young female officer, responsible and well-meaning, advised, “Little girl, I’m afraid it’s not allowed. According to regulations, you do not yet meet the conditions to live independently.”

In fact, this was the local village committee’s negligence.

For orphaned children with no parents, they should report promptly to the civil affairs bureau.

After verification, the bureau would issue an orphan certificate to Xiao Tang Shen and provide aid and living support.

According to the national Minor Protection Law, the civil affairs department should legally appoint temporary guardianship for Xiao Tang Shen, sending her to a state-run orphanage.

To ensure her safety and healthy growth, once admitted, she would not be allowed to leave freely.

Xiao Tang Shen was dumbfounded: “How long do I have to stay there?”

“The orphanage is to ensure children like you, without parents or guardians, grow up healthily, so there are age restrictions. Usually, to leave, you must either be adopted or wait until you turn eighteen.”

The young female officer personally hoped Xiao Tang Shen would stay in the orphanage under state care until adulthood rather than being adopted.

During their investigation with villagers, the police learned that Xiao Tang Shen had followed her adoptive master, Shen Yidao, around since she could walk, selling divinations.

Their method was to first sell knives on credit, leave a related prophecy, and once the prophecy came true, collect payment.

Shen Yidao’s predictions were uncannily accurate, making him somewhat famous in nearby villages.

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After gathering this information, the police even called Xiao Tang Shen’s school.

Teachers said she often took leave.

The homeroom teacher had visited her home, and Shen Yidao, still alive then, showed hospital records to explain Xiao Tang Shen’s frequent absences due to serious illness, which the school accepted.

But the truth?

The police had seen Xiao Tang Shen, rosy-cheeked and lively, hardly looking ill.

Of course, police are not doctors and cannot judge illness by appearance.

Yet, considering Xiao Tang Shen had no hospital records and that after Shen Yidao’s death more than a month ago, she hadn’t attended school even once, if not for the report, she might have truly fallen into the path the in-laws accused her of.

The police acted out of kindness and duty, but Xiao Tang Shen was no ordinary child; she certainly couldn’t be placed in a welfare institution with such strict restrictions.

Frustrated and helpless, she bit her lip and said, “Sister Officer, what if I find a guardian?”

The young officer was puzzled, “You can find a guardian?”

“Yes, I have an uncle.” Xiao Tang Shen added, “A blood relative!”

The officer frowned, recalling that Xiao Tang Shen was adopted.

During their investigation, since Shen Yidao had passed away and Xiao Tang Shen was adopted as an infant, nobody had looked into her biological family.

In fact, it was difficult to investigate quickly.

The officer advised, “If you really can find your biological uncle, and he’s willing to be your guardian, you may not have to go to the orphanage.”

Xiao Tang Shen responded, “Okay.”

The creditor only sells on credit, first leaves a prophecy, then collects payment.

Divination was their specialty.

In the metaphysical arts, it requires great talent.

Though young, Xiao Tang Shen’s skills in divination had long surpassed her master Shen Yidao.

She had never divined about her own living relatives before—partly because her life was stable, partly because in their tradition, one must not lightly divine about oneself.

Now, pressed by circumstance, she desperately needed a lawful guardian.

In front of the young officer, Xiao Tang Shen pondered the sudden vision that flashed through her mind when she divined about herself earlier, puzzled why her body showed no discomfort despite her master’s warnings.

She took out her phone and dialed the number she had divined.

“Beep beep beep—”

The first call connected but no one answered.

Xiao Tang Shen dialed again.

“Beep beep beep—” This time, after ringing for a while, someone finally picked up.

Meanwhile, in City A.

A young man with a handsome but angry face, irritated by the endless ringing, shouted, “Who is this?”

From the other end came a youthful girl’s voice:

“Hello, Uncle! I’m your niece.”