Upon hearing this, the residents immediately began their search, looking everywhere for the "bad man" Lin Beichen mentioned.

Lin Beichen glanced around and decided to follow the Witch, thinking he might discover why she was willing to sacrifice herself for Wang Zhangyu.

He always believed that if someone had the opportunity to be good, no one would choose to do bad things.

Since she would rather abandon her conscience and collaborate with someone like Wang Zhangyu, there might be a hidden reason.

Luckily, the Witch’s pace wasn’t very fast. Lin Beichen didn’t go far before spotting her and continued following her to an abandoned industrial area on the outskirts.

According to Lin Beichen’s knowledge, this industrial area had been abandoned a long time ago due to severe environmental pollution.

These huge factories were difficult to relocate and ignored by everyone, so they remained idle here. This place became a haven for the homeless, offering shelter from the wind and rain, making it like Heaven compared to bridge openings and those open-air "homes."

But why was the Witch here? Could she have arranged a deal with Wang Zhangyu to be conducted here?

After thinking for a moment, Lin Beichen decided to continue following. Even if he was discovered, the Witch and Wang Zhangyu were no match for him.

Following the Witch, Lin Beichen entered an abandoned factory. The only room in the factory that provided shelter seemed to show signs of habitation.

Outside, Lin Beichen looked through the unclear window and saw two children rushing towards the Witch. She embraced them, her face filled with a sorrowful expression.

"Mom, why did you go out for so long this time?" one child asked worriedly. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

The younger child asked the Witch for treats: "Mom, didn’t you say you went out to earn money? Where’s my treat?"

Looking at these children, the Witch’s face showed signs of exhaustion.

"Sweet children, mom didn’t earn any money this time. We’ll buy treats tomorrow, okay?" the Witch said gently.

The older child seemed more understanding than the younger one: "Mom, let’s not go out to earn money anymore. Our illness can’t be cured!"

The Witch glared at the older child: "What nonsense are you talking about? Is this something you can talk about so carelessly?"

Perhaps thinking she was too harsh, the Witch comforted the children again: "Don’t worry, as long as I’m here, I will ensure your illness is healed. Then we can go to school, eat delicious food, okay?"

The younger child sweetly agreed, nestled in the Witch’s arms, gradually falling asleep.

The older child, still awake, kept persuading the Witch not to go out and do dangerous things anymore.

They said since neither they nor the Witch were related, she didn’t need to work so hard for two unrelated sick children.

But the Witch was displeased: "What are you saying? Are you denying I’m your mom?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Beichen’s eyes couldn’t help but mist. It turned out, because this woman took in two unrelated, severely ill children, she went as far as risking herself for Wang Zhangyu’s offer.

Thankfully, initially, he didn’t ruthlessly condemn everyone, now he could rest assured.

Lin Beichen stood up, slowly pushed open the small room’s door, and appeared before the Witch and her children.

Here, almost no one would disturb them, which is why the Witch felt secure leaving her children here.

Seeing Lin Beichen, the Witch’s expression turned very serious. The child who hadn’t fallen asleep looked at Lin Beichen with fear, as if he were a heinously bad man.

"You, who are you!" Despite being scared, the older child bravely stood in front of Lin Beichen.

"Don’t worry, I’m not a bad man," Lin Beichen said softly.

However, the Witch didn’t believe Lin Beichen at all: "You came to seek revenge? I haven’t harmed you nor earned any money, why won’t you leave me alone?"

The Witch thought Lin Beichen was here for revenge, and was determined to protect her children even if it meant mutual destruction.

"You’ve really misunderstood me, I overheard your conversation," Lin Beichen explained, pointing to the one and only window aside from the door in that small room.

Upon hearing this, the Witch remained cautious, tightly holding her children, her eyes full of vigilance.

"If I say I’m willing to pay for the treatment of these two children, would you consider turning your life around?" Lin Beichen asked the Witch sincerely.

He understood the Witch’s difficulties, so he wanted to lend a helping hand. Solving her immediate troubles, the Witch should have no problem living with the children, thus no longer needing to risk herself for Wang Zhangyu.

"What did you say?" The Witch looked at Lin Beichen in amazement, hardly believing her ears. She couldn’t believe Lin Beichen was serious. After all, although there are kind people in the world, encountering one this conveniently seemed unlikely.

Moreover, this man was someone she wanted to harm before. If he came in anger to tear her apart, she wouldn’t find it strange. Instead, he said he wanted her to change her ways, which made her feel a bit uneasy.