The next day, Wesley and Blair brought Hugo to the Huo family's manor to meet their grandsons.
Now, there were ten children in the manor. Everyone was laughing and talking, and there was so much love that the scene was spectacular.
The Huo family and the Li family were prosperous not only in the success of their business, but also because of their growing families.
In a village of K Country
As the night grew darker and darker, the village became quieter. Soon, only the sound of chickens crowing and dogs barking could be heard.
A woman in tight black clothes, with a camera around her neck, slipped along the wall and quickly rushed forward. She had completely integrated herself into the darkness.
Finally, she stopped at the gate of an old yard, where a few men were drinking, eating meat, and talking about disgusting topics.
She quietly went to a corner, tied the rope that hung from her waist to the big tree beside the wall, and began to climb up nimbly.
But... "Woof, woof, woof!" Suddenly, a dog began to bark.
'Oh, crap!' She had not expected that a nearby dog would discover her and ruin her plans!
The woman was so frightened when she heard the sound that she almost fell from the wall. As suspected, the noise attracted the attention of the men who were drinking and eating meat inside the yard. They dropped their chopsticks and ran toward the sound.
Her heart thudded in her chest as she grabbed the rope and slid down.
Before the men caught up with her, she retrieved and coiled the rope, and then ran into the safety of the darkness.
"Pike! Someone is over there. Hurry up!"
"Let's go!"
The woman ran through the village with ease. At last, she climbed over a low wall and entered a courtyard without being noticed.
The first thing she did after entering her room was to hide her camera in a box. Then she took off her clothes, threw them under the bed, and climbed under the quilt, half-naked.
Barely had she settled her wildly beating heart, a loud crash dispelled the silence in the house. The men had kicked open the front door to the courtyard! A split second later, they were pounding on the door to her room.
"Erma Huo! Open the door!" A man's rough voice came from outside.
The woman in the bed scattered her hair, grabbed a nightgown, and put it on. After tying it around her waist, she walked toward the door.
She swung open the door and pretended to stifle a yawn. "Who is it? Oh, it's you, Pike. Why don't you go to bed instead of knocking on my door?"
Pike looked at her suspiciously. The woman's long black hair was a little messy, and her nightgown appeared crumpled. "What are you doing?"
The woman yawned. "I was asleep. What time is it now? Why haven't you slept yet?" She also glanced at the men behind Pike. When the men saw that the woman was only wearing a nightgown, their eyes widened.
Countless men had been attracted to this widow and her friend ever since the two women had come to their village half a year ago.
The widow was exceptionally beautiful. She had already given birth to four sons, but motherhood hadn't changed her figure at all. All the married and unmarried men in the village yearned for her.
The matchmaker had come to her house many times, trying to introduce men to her, but she had never agreed to remarry.
Soon, the sound of soft footsteps echoed in the hall. When the men turned, they saw another woman dressed only in pajamas. She asked in a gentle voice, "Pike, what are you doing here?"
Pike found himself unable to take his eyes off Tessie. After what seemed like an eternity, he shook off the fog of passion and focused on the task at hand. He turned to Erica, shoved her away from the doorway, and said, "I'm going to check your room today!" He didn't believe that their rooms would not have any clues!
The woman, who had been leaning against the door, kicked him as soon as he placed one foot in the room.
The other men gasped with astonishment when they saw that Pike, a man weighing nearly one hundred kilos, lay on the ground.
Humiliation coursed through Pike. His face reddened as he placed a hand over his injured chest and roared at the woman who had hit him, "Damn you bitch! I'll kill you today!"
Erica, who now went by the name of Erma Huo, straightened her nightgown and crooked her finger at him. "Come!"
After his men helped him up, Pike rushed to the woman again. But, before he could get close to her, the strong man was sent flying in the air again!
He spat out a mouthful of blood. The blow had been intense enough to give him a minor internal injury.
"Pike, let's leave! This woman has four sons that are difficult to handle. Let's go!" The man who spoke had been tricked and bullied the most by the four Huo boys.
Erica stepped out of the room, smiled at the men in coarse clothes, and said, "My sons aren't returning to Tow Village again. You don't have to worry about them. It's just you and me now. Bring it on if you dare!"
'Oh, my sons have gone home to enjoy a comfortable life, but I don't know when I can leave here, ' Erica thought.
The group of ruffians laughed as relief coursed through them. The four naughty boys of the Huo family had troubled them for so long that the thought of never seeing them again pleased Pike and his men. After all, it was shameful that a group of grown men couldn't handle a few boys!
A man in a floral shirt asked, "Where did they go?" As soon as he heard that the four little boys had left, reluctance surged in his heart. Strangely enough, he didn't want to part with them.
Erica answered as she patted the dust from her hands, "They have gone to search for their dad."
"Hey, Erma Huo, didn't you say that their father had died?" That was why everyone in the village called her widow.
Even though the lie had been exposed, there wasn't any embarrassment on her face. "He's not dead. I just said that to deceive my sons." In the end, she had to confess everything to her children as she didn't have enough money.
Everyone was speechless at this revelation. 'What kind of mother is she?' they wondered.
"Get out of here, all of you! Pike, I'll tie you on the mountain for three days and three nights if you break into my house like this again!"
The woman's warning echoed through the quiet building as Pike fled with his men.
Silence returned to the courtyard. Tessie walked closer to Erica. Concern reflected in her expression as she asked, "How did they know it was you?"
"Alas, those people kept a dog in the yard. I didn't see it, but the dog discovered me and barked!" Erica explained. Her tone was indifferent as she walked back into her room, found her camera, and locked it in the cabinet.
Tessie sighed, "Well, they have suspected you for a long time. I'm worried that they will kill you one of these days. You need to lie low for a while!"
"No, I can't. We just need some evidence to expose their crimes." Erica shook her head. She couldn't give up now. If only she could take a few incriminating photos of them, her mission would be over.
"They have been hiding in this village for more than ten years. With your ability, do you think you can root them out easily? Erica, it's not that I underestimate your capabilities. Please understand that I feel this is too dangerous," Tessie tried to rationalize with her. Pike and the others hadn't gotten any evidence to prove that there was something suspicious about Erica. Once they had the evidence, they would definitely kill her!
There were at least a thousand people in Pike's gang, and they were spread across several nearby villages as well. There would be no way for her to escape them all.
Considering tonight's incident, it seemed challenging for Erica to get pictures of them without being found out.
Erica gave her friend a reassuring smile and patted her on the shoulder. "Go back and rest. I won't let Pike find any clues."
Tessie had no choice but to return to her room. She knew there was no point in persuading Erica. She had been stubborn and determined ever since her sons were born.
In a basement of a house in the village, regardless of his injuries, Pike reported to a man, "Boss, we still haven't found the evidence."