Chapter 242: If You Make a Mistake, You Must Stand Up and Take the Punishment
Just as the tension was at a deadlock, Liu Sanjin walked in with the support of a crutch, stamped her foot in front of Zhou Jiaojiao, then looked at Shen Meng with grievance.
"Elder daughter-in-law, mother knows that Lao Si’s wife has helped manage the workshop for two days, and you are upset about it. But now, everyone has come to ask for your forgiveness. Please, for the sake of this gesture, calm your anger. If you still feel resentful towards Lao Si and his wife, mother will apologize to you. Should I kneel and kowtow to you? I’ll kneel right now, right this moment."
As she was speaking, she threw away her crutch and was about to kneel on the ground with a bend of her knees, which gave everyone a shock. How could a mother-in-law kneel to her daughter-in-law? If she did kneel, how could Shen Meng ever go out again?
Liu Sanjin naturally knew she shouldn’t kneel. She tilted her hips to one side and was on the verge of kneeling when Lu Zhenping suddenly lifted her up, placed a stool on the ground, and pressed her to sit on it.
"This is an issue of the workshop, between Zhou Jiaojiao and Shen Meng, and it doesn’t concern any of us. I advise you not to go through with this act. If Shen Meng were persuaded by this manipulation, she would have agreed yesterday when Lao Si and his wife said they wanted to kneel to let the matter pass. Moral coercion and spreading rumors to force her to take over this mess won’t work, it will only cool my wife’s heart even more. Just stand straight and take the punishment if you’ve made a mistake. What’s the need for all these tricks?"
Lu Zhenping had been watching Liu Sanjin the moment she came in, waiting for this. After so many years, he knew the old lady very well; she was bound to repeat her old ways, and indeed, she didn’t disappoint him.
Liu Sanjin’s face turned somewhat white; his words stripped some people of their dignity, causing many to stand aside looking embarrassed, without daring to utter a single word.
Lu Debang said rather sheepishly, "What... what Zhenping said is right. If you make a mistake, you must stand up and take the punishment. Xiao Meng, let me be the first to state my position; I apologize to you. I’m sorry for not standing up to protect you during the quarrel that day. It was my negligence as the village chief. I have reflected on it in this period, and from now on, you will have full control over the workshop, and I won’t interfere. However, if there is anything in the workshop that could still use me, just say the word and I’ll do whatever you ask."
"The village chief is right. I share the same sentiment. From now on, you, Shen Meng, will have full control over the affairs of the workshop, and I won’t inquire about it anymore. Just call on me for anything you might need help with."
"It’s my turn now. It was me who selected those people to enter the workshop. I should bear the primary responsibility. Xiao Meng, I’m sorry for not being a good role model. So here’s what we’ll do: from now on, you decide how to run the workshop, and I won’t interfere. Before leaving the workshop, those few who led the troublemaking must also leave. Otherwise, the workshop cannot continue operations."
Aunt Hua and the others had been standing at the back, thinking that with many people on their side, Shen Meng would surely return to the workshop. They thought that a sincere apology would suffice, and they could continue working in the workshop as usual.