Free Web NovelChapter 207: Chapter 207: Crime
Tang Yuanxiao didn’t even know how he’d made it to the hospital.
The moment he heard Aunt Chang’s words, his mind went blank with a loud buzz.
He had taken time off to come to the Imperial City. Yu Le, worried, didn’t dare let him drive, so he took time off as well and came with him.
They raced all the way, reaching the Imperial City in record time.
Tang Yuanxiao didn’t go looking for Mrs. Tang first. He went to the hospital instead.
With the police, Mrs. Tang couldn’t cause any more trouble, and nothing serious would happen to her. At worst, she’d just be scared.
But with Su Li, he couldn’t be so sure.
Tang Yuanxiao and Yu Le got out of the car, ran into the hospital, and saw Su Li before they could even ask for directions.
Su Li was in the middle of apologizing to a group of people.
"I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry. It’s my fault he got dragged into this. I’m truly sorry."
She kept bowing and apologizing to the group of people glaring at her.
Her appearance, her actions—every part of the scene felt like a knife twisting in Tang Yuanxiao’s heart.
The sight made his eyes sting.
"He’s the only son in our family for three generations. Do you have any idea how precious he is? If the doctor hadn’t said there were no major issues, I would never have let you off the hook today!"
The decorator’s mother shot Su Li a vicious glare, then angrily took her future daughter-in-law’s hand and stormed off.
"I’m sorry," Su Li murmured, her head bowed.
One pair of feet after another walked away until a pair of sneakers appeared in her line of sight. Su Li paused, then slowly lifted her head to see Tang Yuanxiao.
They looked at each other in silence for a moment before Su Li spoke first.
"You’re here."
"Sis... Su Li, are you okay?" Yu Le, who was behind them, looked at Tang Yuanxiao’s tense frame, sighed to himself, and stepped forward to ask.
"I’m fine. You two should go pick up Grandma Xiao Mo. The decorator..."
Su Li paused. "The decorator isn’t seriously injured. I’ve already apologized to his family. I’ll take care of everything here at the hospital."
Yu Le’s gaze swept over Su Li’s battered face and landed on her hand. "Your hand?"
"It’s just a bite. I’m fine." Su Li waved her hand weakly. "You guys should go."
She really didn’t have the strength to speak anymore.
"There’s no rush. Things with Auntie aren’t that urgent," Yu Le said, forcing a smile as he glanced at Tang Yuanxiao.
"Old Tang, you stay with Su Li and let her rest a bit. I’ll go check on things."
He hurried off after speaking.
Su Li turned her head, avoiding Tang Yuanxiao’s gaze on her face, and took a few steps back to sit on a chair.
"The decorator is being admitted for a couple of days. If you’re staying, you can go handle the admission procedures."
Seeing how distraught Tang Yuanxiao looked made Su Li uncomfortable. She sighed and spoke.
"Okay," Tang Yuanxiao replied in a low voice and turned around.
He didn’t rush to do the paperwork. First, he went to ask about Su Li’s condition.
He found the doctor who had treated Su Li’s wounds and saw Yu Le was there asking questions, too.
When Yu Le saw him, he quickly thanked the doctor and excused himself.
"I already asked about everything. The bite on Su Li’s hand is deep. She probably has other bruises from being hit, but since she won’t talk about them, they can’t be checked. An ice pack should help her face. You go help her with that. I’ll take care of the rest."
When Tang Yuanxiao returned, Su Li was leaning back against her chair, her eyes closed. He couldn’t tell if she was asleep or just resting.
Tang Yuanxiao’s steps slowed to a halt.
His Adam’s apple bobbed, but in the end, he didn’t make a sound.
He stood motionless in the hospital hallway, just a few paces away, simply watching Su Li with her eyes closed.
He remained that way until Yu Le returned.
Yu Le told him, "...That decorator was beaten and scratched on his face and body. Most importantly... he was injured ’down there.’ If he hadn’t been lucky, it would’ve been a huge problem."
Yu Le’s expression was hard to describe. He wiped a hand over his face.
"Before we got here, his family arrived and nearly beat Su Li. Doctors and nurses had to intervene. The family only backed off after being told he was fine and that it wouldn’t affect his ability to have children."
"Su Li promised to pay them a sum of money to compensate, and she’s covering his hospital bills and lost wages. She’s already paid the deposit for his stay."
In short, their arrival hadn’t helped at all. Su Li had already taken care of everything.
She had already endured all the hardship, shouldered all the blame, and suffered all the consequences.
"We should go pick up Auntie from the police station," Yu Le urged Tang Yuanxiao.
"Let’s take Su Li back first," Tang Yuanxiao said in a hoarse voice.
"Okay," Yu Le nodded. freёwebnovel.com
Su Li must have overheard them. Without opening her eyes, she said, "You don’t have to take me. I can get back on my own. You should go get her. Nothing serious is going on here. Just be polite with the officers and it’ll be fine."
"We’ll take you back first," Tang Yuanxiao said after a moment of silence. "After I take my mom back, I’ll come back to you."
’Su Li’s hand is injured, and she’s in this state. How can she manage without anyone to look after her?’
"No, really, you don’t have to. I don’t want to go to the police station. You guys hurry up and deal with it."
Su Li opened her eyes and refused again.
Tang Yuanxiao didn’t move.
The corner of Su Li’s mouth twitched. "Tang Yuanxiao, I’m exhausted. Please, just leave me alone."
Tang Yuanxiao looked into Su Li’s eyes and had no choice but to nod.
Just as he turned, he heard Su Li continue from behind him, "After you take her back, don’t come back here. I can take care of myself."
Tang Yuanxiao’s steps faltered for a moment, emotions churning in his eyes, but in the end, he didn’t turn back or speak.
Yu Le got the address, and they rode in silence the rest of the way.
As soon as they went inside, they saw Mrs. Tang squatting in a corner, trembling.
When Mrs. Tang saw Tang Yuanxiao and Yu Le, she immediately burst into wails.
"Tangyuan, what took you so long?"
A police officer at a nearby desk rubbed his forehead and let out a huge sigh of relief.
"Are you her family?"
Tang Yuanxiao nodded. "Yes, I’m her son."
"Thank God you’re finally here. Ugh." The officer’s expression was indescribable.
Yu Le quickly stepped forward, offered a cigarette, and took over the conversation. "You’ve had a rough time, Officer. We just rushed over from the hospital. The other party is okay, nothing serious..."
Tang Yuanxiao walked over and stopped in front of Mrs. Tang.
"Mom, stop crying."
Mrs. Tang shook her head, choking back sobs. "How can I not cry? Oh, Tangyuan, Su Li really found herself another man!"
"When I hit her, she protected that adulterer and even had the police come and arrest me! With a daughter-in-law like that, I don’t even want to live anymore..."
She started pummeling Tang Yuanxiao with her fists as she cried.
Tang Yuanxiao’s gaze froze on her hands. frёewebηovel.cѳm
In Mrs. Tang’s fist was a clump of hair, the roots faintly streaked with blood...
’Hair that long... it couldn’t be the decorator’s. It had to be Su Li’s...’
’How much force, how much hatred, would it take to rip out someone’s hair like that...?’
The veins on Tang Yuanxiao’s forehead throbbed. He slammed his fist into the wall with a BANG.
"You still can’t bear to hit her? I feel like even beating her to death wouldn’t be enough! We can’t have a promiscuous daughter-in-law like this! Divorcing Chen Tang wouldn’t even be enough to quench my hatred..."
In the middle of her tirade, Mrs. Tang shrieked at the sight of Tang Yuanxiao’s action and fell silent.
"Tangyuan, what are you doing?"
She hurriedly went to grab Tang Yuanxiao’s hand.
Tang Yuanxiao’s bloodshot eyes stared at Mrs. Tang. "Shut up. Shut up! I said shut up, Mom!"
"He’s not some adulterer! He’s the decorator! The decorator who was going to help Su Li renovate her shop! They had only met for the second time! You kicked him so hard he’s in the hospital! You kicked him and almost crippled him!"
"Mom, do you know you committed a crime? Do you know you could go to jail for this?"
Tang Yuanxiao’s furious, low roar left Mrs. Tang completely stunned.
