Free Web NovelChapter 29: Chapter 29: Conflict
"Su Li, Su Li, your mother and brother were wrong about you. Please, talk to him. Tell him this was all a misunderstanding. Don’t worry, I’ll never be like this again. I’ll treat you well from now on, I really will. I’ll never do it again..."
Miao Fenghua wrung her hands, begging Su Li. In that moment, she was truly regretful and seemed sincere in her vows. Anyone who didn’t know her might have softened and let the matter drop.
But Su Li couldn’t. She knew Miao Fenghua all too well. Her mother was genuinely scared and remorseful now, but as soon as the trouble passed, she would forget every word she’d said and fall right back into her old ways.
She would go back to stealing and acting so arrogantly. And because she got away with it this time, she would become even more brazen, taking things even further...
How could Su Li let them off so easily?
Ignoring Miao Fenghua’s pleas, she stood up and spoke seriously to Police Fang. "Fang Luo, I need to file another report with you."
"Alright." Police Fang nodded grimly.
Amidst Miao Fenghua and Su Dan’s mingled pleas and curses, the handcuffs were finally slapped onto their wrists.
Fang Luo only had one pair of handcuffs, so he cuffed one of each of their hands and then tied them together with a rope.
The moment the handcuffs were locked with a sharp CLICK, Miao Fenghua and Su Dan went limp, both collapsing to the ground in a complete breakdown.
They were filled with regret, scared to death.
The way they looked at Su Li was no different from how they looked at Police Fang—with endless terror.
Having heard the news, the village chief and some other villagers entered the Tang Family’s home with anxious expressions. The chief forced a smile as he looked at Fang Luo and asked what was going on. freewebnøvel.coɱ
Fang Luo’s face was grim. He briefly recounted what had happened since his arrival. "...This is an extremely serious crime. I can’t believe such a horrific and vicious incident could happen in this village."
The village chief and the others were shocked. They had heard that Miao Fenghua and Su Dan were not good people, but they never imagined they would go this far.
There were all sorts of people in the village, with plenty of petty theft and endless disputes, but there had never been a case of robbery that nearly turned into murder. Facing Fang Luo, even the village chief felt a flicker of fear. He shot a harsh glare at Miao Fenghua and Su Dan before finally turning his gaze to Su Li.
"Su Li, this... what exactly happened?" the chief asked.
Su Li kept her head down, looking as if she were both terrified and deeply upset. In a nasal voice, she briefly described Miao Fenghua and Su Dan’s actions, then lowered her head and started wiping away tears.
Everyone saw her disheveled hair and torn clothes. Hearing her story, they couldn’t help but frown, turning to look at Miao Fenghua and Su Dan with condemnation.
Miao Fenghua saw their accusatory, disgusted glares and felt a mix of shock, anger, and fear. She let out a wail, scrambled over on her knees, and desperately clung to Fang Luo’s leg. "This is all a misunderstanding! Everyone can prove it for me! I’m Su Li’s mother, the Tang Family’s in-law, not some robber!"
As she spoke, Miao Fenghua seemed to compose herself slightly, her eyes gleaming with a frightening light. "That’s right, I didn’t commit a crime! I was just borrowing some money from my daughter. I hit her because she was being disobedient and unfilial, ignoring whether I lived or died! I was just so hurt and upset. As for my grandson, I was just trying to scare him a little. Police Fang, this is a family matter!"
She pointed at the growing crowd of Xinghua Village residents who had gathered after hearing the commotion. "It’s perfectly right and proper for a mother to discipline her children! I didn’t touch my in-laws, really, not even once. I only hit Su Li. Who in this village hasn’t hit their own daughter? And who hasn’t taken a few things from their daughter and son-in-law’s home!"
"I... I was just borrowing some money from my daughter, how is that a crime? If I have to go to jail for this, then shouldn’t everyone else have to go to jail too!"
After Miao Fenghua’s outburst, the villagers’ expressions faltered. ’She kind of has a point. It’s only natural for a parent to discipline their child. When you get down to it, this is still a family matter.’
Fang Luo frowned but said nothing. Just then, Su Dan finally stopped playing dead. "That’s right! You can’t stick your nose in this. It’s just a family squabble. How is it a crime for a mother and a brother to discipline their younger sister and take a few things from the house? I refuse to accept this! I won’t accept it!"
The village chief’s expression grew thoughtful. The villagers began to murmur among themselves. Although Miao Fenghua and Su Dan had indeed gone too far, they still felt there was some truth to what they were saying.
No matter how you looked at it, this was a family affair. And family affairs were best resolved within the family, the clan, or the village. It was never a good thing to get the police bureau involved.
They whispered among themselves, pulling the village chief aside to share their opinions. Miao Fenghua and Su Dan were overjoyed, and they tremblingly began to demand that Fang Luo release them.
Qin Shanshan had been hiding in the crowd, watching Miao Fenghua and Su Dan with utter frustration. Seeing the village chief’s expression, she knew the matter was about to be settled. She stopped hiding and stepped forward.
She walked up to Su Li with a worried look. "Su Li, does it still hurt badly? You’ve suffered so much."
She took Su Li’s hand, her face filled with pity, then sighed helplessly. "The grace of our parents for giving us life and raising us is greater than heaven itself. Auntie and your brother know they were wrong now. Please, be the bigger person and forgive them. Let them go. As children, our first duty is always filial piety."
Qin Shanshan spoke in a soft, gentle voice, appearing virtuous and kind. The onlooking villagers nodded repeatedly as they watched her.
"Miss Qin is so filial."
"She’s a high school student, after all. She understands how things should be."
The crowd murmured praises for Qin Shanshan. Miao Fenghua looked at Qin Shanshan as if she were her savior, filled with gratitude. Su Dan was completely captivated. He stared at Qin Shanshan as if he were looking at a goddess, his eyes blazing with a wild, almost reverent passion.
’What a wonderful, pure-hearted girl!’
With just a few words, Qin Shanshan successfully crafted the image of a filial, dutiful daughter, making everyone completely forget her previous persona. Even the village chief nodded in approval.
Hearing the villagers’ praises, the chief looked at Su Li and was just about to start persuading her when the previously silent Su Li suddenly broke into a brilliant smile. She patted Qin Shanshan’s hand and praised her.
"Qin Shanshan, you’re such a good, filial, and sensible girl. In that regard, I, Su Li, am truly ashamed. I could never compare to you in this lifetime."
Qin Shanshan’s smile froze on her face, unsure what had come over Su Li. Fang Luo also furrowed his brow, a look of confusion on his face.
The village chief and the crowd, however, kept nodding. ’Su Li is a filial daughter too.’
Amidst the chorus of praise, Qin Shanshan maintained her stiff smile. Just as the village chief, acting as their representative, was about to speak, Su Li suddenly began to cry. Her face was still wreathed in that brilliant smile, but large, silent tears started to fall, one after another.
The combination of the most radiant smile and the most desperate tears was so jarring and strange that everyone felt an inexplicable chill run down their spines.
Qin Shanshan was closest to Su Li. Besides the eerie sight of her crying and laughing at the same time, she also saw a crazed look in Su Li’s eyes that made her heart pound with fear.
DRIP. A hot tear from Su Li’s cheek fell onto Qin Shanshan’s hand.
Qin Shanshan shrieked as if she’d been splashed by hot oil and violently flung Su Li’s hand away.
Su Li looked at the terrified Qin Shanshan and suddenly let out a wretched laugh, the sound sharp and mournful.
