"This was previously a distillery, and later it began to accept orphaned women from various districts."
Zhou Haimi was a little curious. "Are there still good people like this nowadays? Doing charity?"
Laoshu shook her head. "There's no such thing as a good deed," she said, looking at the strange glances of the people around her as she walked. "There are conditions for them to take in people here."
"The female workers here have to work here after being taken in, and their personal freedom is restricted."
Xu An looked at the numb expressions of the people around. "But it seems that the people here are not restricted in their personal freedom, nor are they restricted from visitors."
"That's because I gave them a gift."
Xu An gave a dry laugh.
After meeting Laoshu's friends, everyone was even more confused.
"Xiao Cui, what's wrong with you?"
The girl in front of them was dull and silly, not at all like someone her age.
The girl looked at Laoshu in front of her as if she didn't recognize her.
Laoshu looked at the person next to Xiao Cui. "Zhou Zhou, what's wrong with you all?"
The girl named Zhou Zhou looked much better than Xiao Cui beside her. Although her eyes were also very dull, she seemed to be able to communicate normally.
"Sister, you're here."
Xu An and Zhou Haimi's gazes met, and neither of them spoke.
"Zhou Zhou, what exactly happened to you?"
Zhou Zhou wore a mechanical smile, as if she had been trained countless times.
"Sister, I'm fine. We have enough to eat and wear here."
But beneath that numb face was an unseen terror.
Laoshu was furious. Looking at Zhou Zhou and Xiao Cui, she probably couldn't get anything out of them.
She wanted to take Zhou Zhou and Xiao Cui away.
But as soon as Laoshu's hand touched Zhou Zhou's wrist, the other party flinched away in terror.
"Sister, I'm fine. I'm living well here, you don't have to worry about us."
At this point, even Zhou Haimi and Xu An noticed something was wrong.
"Laoshu, calm down. Your friend seems to be living quite well here. Don't be so agitated."
After Laoshu was stopped, her eyes showed a moment of bewilderment. She looked directly at Xu An, not understanding why she would say such a thing.
Zhou Zhou and Xiao Cui were clearly trained to be this way.
But just as Laoshu was about to shake off Xu An's hand to confront her, she saw Xu An discreetly writing in her palm.
"There are cameras."
Laoshu's furious expression immediately dissipated.
With Xu An's pull, she also went along with it and looked at Zhou Zhou, her voice struggling as she spoke to the two of them.
"Since you are living well here, then I am relieved. I will visit you again next time."
Only when Zhou Zhou heard this did the hidden terror in her eyes finally subside.
She watched the backs of Xu An and the other two as they left, her eyes filled with suppressed tears.
For a moment, she even wanted to defy everything and follow Laoshu and the others out of this hellhole.
But thinking of her controlled daughter, she ultimately decided to continue to endure the humiliation and stay.
Laoshu was good to those who were sheltered in the back alleys, and she had protected them all, almost exhausting all her resources.
When they were first sent here, she didn't say much.
If the back alley hadn't been unable to support them, Laoshu probably wouldn't have made this decision.
Zhou Zhou originally thought that coming here was her new salvation, but her life of being protected by Laoshu for years had caused her to lose her ability to discern human nature.
Not everyone in this world was like Laoshu, and not everyone would sacrifice their own interests for others.
But some pain was destined to be kept from outsiders, just like her choice to leave the back alley for a better future.
She couldn't drag Laoshu into this quagmire again.
The back alley was now scattered and riddled with holes, and she couldn't be so selfish.
While Zhou Zhou was blaming herself, Laoshu, dejected, followed Xu An and the others out of the factory.
As they passed the entrance, they saw the woman guarding the door eating canned fruit with great gusto, as if she were a glutton with an insatiable appetite.
Zhou Haimi looked at the woman eating, her mouth greasy, and felt a surge of anger.
Thinking of Zhou Zhou's appearance just now, she felt even more heartbroken.
The female workers inside were almost skin and bones.
But one of the gatekeepers here was so plump and full.
When Zhou Haimi had seen it before, she thought the food here was good.
She was even gratified that Laoshu's friend could find such a job.
But now, seeing it, it was clearly full of loopholes.
It seemed that the oil and water in this factory were basically monopolized by those who had a little authority.
Clearly, Laoshu and Zhou Haimi had the same idea.
She even wanted to step forward and get back all the canned fruit she had given away.
Xu An had been paying attention to Laoshu's emotions since they came out. She knew that Laoshu was an emotional person and would feel indignant when encountering such a situation.
So, when she saw a change in Laoshu's eyes, she immediately grabbed Laoshu's wrist fiercely.
"Calm down. I know what you want to do, but now is not the time to be strong. Think about the two people still in the factory. If we cause trouble at the entrance now, it might implicate those two inside. This is not what you want to see, is it?"
As soon as Xu An spoke, the enraged Laoshu instantly backed down, clearly thinking of the plight of the two inside.
"Then I'll just stand by and watch Zhou Zhou and Xiao Cui be abused like that?"
Xu An pulled Laoshu and walked expressionlessly through the gate. Only when they were on the street did she release Laoshu's wrist and said earnestly.
"Of course not, but everything must be planned carefully. Acting rashly will only make things worse."
"Looking at Zhou Zhou and Xiao Cui, they are clearly being controlled. If we don't find out how the person behind it is controlling these two, even if we charge in and rescue them now, Zhou Zhou and the others will eventually be forced to return due to threats."
"I don't think any of us want to see that outcome."
Laoshu was clearly calmer now. Zhou Haimi watched the two of them without speaking, just quietly guarding the surroundings, afraid that something might happen suddenly.
"An'an, I think we should leave."
Hearing Zhou Haimi's words, Xu An's expression gradually became solemn.
"Did something happen?"
Zhou Haimi nodded with a grim expression. "Someone has been following us since we left the factory."