“Ugh (⊙o⊙)…” Lu Xiao grunted, instantly releasing his grip. He clutched the area where he’d been struck, curling forward with his legs pressed together, momentarily resembling a boiled shrimp.
Still unsatisfied, Li Yue delivered another kick to his pert backside.
“Domestic violence. Just wait, this isn’t over,” she declared.
As she spoke, she viciously gripped her own neck with both hands, squeezing tightly for a long time until she felt herself suffocating before finally releasing. After repeating this process several times, she went to the dressing table and discovered her neck had become completely bruised.
Taking advantage of Lu Xiao still being bent over in pain, she opened the door and strode out with her head held high.
Under the bewildered gazes of the Lu family members, she walked through the living room door. Only when the main gate slammed shut did Li Shaohua snap out of his daze.
“Where did she go?” Li Shaohua exclaimed, standing up and rushing out after her.
But there was no trace of Li Yue outside the main gate.
Naturally, Li Yue had entered her Dimension the moment she stepped outside. She waited until she heard the cursing Li Shaohua return and close the main gate before emerging and heading out of the Family Compound.
Her outing today wasn’t in vain—at least she had managed to locate the police station.
After leaving the Family Compound, heading east, there was a stretch without streetlights. The factory was actually located in the suburbs.
Getting to the county center required a thirty-minute bicycle ride, which explained why every member of the Lu family had their own bicycle.
So when she reached the unlit section, she took out her small electric scooter. With electricity available at home, she didn’t worry about the scooter’s battery running out.
By the time she reached the streetlit area, she had basically arrived at the county center.
She then put away her bicycle and jogged through the night toward the police station.
In less than twenty minutes total, Li Yue appeared at the police station.
The officers on duty were a man and a woman. After hearing Li Yue’s report, the female officer examined Li Yue’s neck.
Li Yue truthfully recounted everything that had happened to the original host since marrying into the Lu family. She told them how they had forced her to donate a kidney, locking her in the attic without food or water when she refused, and even showed the female officer the original host’s only one-inch black-and-white photo.
The girl in the photo had almond-shaped eyes and peach-blossom cheeks, with a slightly chubby baby face. Looking at Li Yue now—sharp-featured and gaunt—it was clear that only through mistreatment could someone become so emaciated and discolored.
Although it was a black-and-white photo, Li Yue had indeed been very fair-skinned before, which was evident in the photo’s brightness—darker skin wouldn’t have appeared so luminous.
The female officer, named Zhao Xiaojuan, slammed her fist on the table: “Really? How can such things still happen these days? Don’t be afraid, we’ll stand up for you.”
Recently, Changhe County and its surrounding townships had been cracking down hard on crime, though Li Yue didn’t know this yet—she had come at just the right time.
The male officer chimed in: “So brazen—do they have some kind of backing?”
“His father is the deputy director of the towel factory,” Li Yue replied.
Finally, Li Yue signed the statement.
The two officers drove her back to the Lu residence in their police car.
Along the way, the police siren wailed “wee-woo, wee-woo.” While Li Yue’s face remained expressionless, inwardly she was overjoyed.
This was perfect—within an hour, the Lu family would become infamous throughout the Family Compound.
When the police arrived, the Lu family was completely stunned.
Lu Xiao stood with fists clenched, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at Li Yue. This damned woman actually dared to strike him there and kick him.
Even now, that area was excruciatingly painful.
Li Yue: Not only dare, but dare to call the police too.
“Comrade Officer, what exactly happened?” Lu Jianguo once again adopted his usual public demeanor.
His entire face instantly transformed into that of an honest and trustworthy man, clearly resembling a self-disciplined factory cadre with impeccable conduct.
Li Yue was quite impressed by Lu Jianguo’s ability to change expressions so quickly.
This time, Li Shaohua chose to hide behind her husband and son.
Neighbors had gathered at the entrance of the Lu family courtyard. Since none of them could sleep anyway—there was a pit east of the Family Compound that filled with rainwater and became filled with croaking frogs—the noise at night was unbearable.
So they were all awake and had come over upon hearing the commotion, eager to watch the scene unfold.
“Comrade Li Yue filed a report alleging that her husband, Lu Xiao, subjected her to violent behavior. We’re here to investigate,” the female officer stated.
As soon as her words fell, an uproar erupted outside.
“Lu Xiao hit Xiao Li? How is that possible?”
“Yeah, Lu Xiao is such an upright young man. He wouldn’t hit anyone, Comrade.”
“We’ve watched Lu Xiao grow up. He would never hit anyone. There must be some misunderstanding.”
Outside, people chimed in one after another, all defending Lu Xiao.
A trace of mockery flickered in Li Yue’s eyes. She had known all along that this scoundrel would put on an act.
Hearing everyone speak up for her son, Li Shaohua quickly stepped forward, righteous and confident. “Comrade Officer, we were all at home just now and didn’t hear any arguing between them. How could there have been any violence?”
“Are you Li Shaohua?”
The female officer’s expression was stern, all business.
Li Shaohua nodded. “Yes, I am.”
“You are suspected of illegal trafficking of human organs. You’ll need to come with us.”
At this, all color drained from Li Shaohua’s face. “What? No! What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything! She was willing—I even gave her five thousand yuan! How is that illegal?”
“Comrade Lu Xiao, did you just commit violent acts against Comrade Li Yue? Are the injuries on her neck from you choking her?”
Lu Xiao’s mind buzzed. He stared fixedly at Li Yue, only to see her smiling at him.
Furious, he gritted his teeth so hard they creaked, wishing he could rush over and pummel her right then and there.
“Yes.” The word seemed to be forced out from between his clenched teeth.
His admission was like a massive rock thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring a tempest at the doorway.
So many people had believed he hadn’t done it, yet he had.
“Then you’ll need to come with us as well.”
“But Comrade, what couple doesn’t fight? Why does he have to go with you? You can’t arrest my son!”
Li Shaohua began to throw a tantrum, refusing to let the officers take Lu Xiao away.
But no matter how much she protested, both of them were eventually taken away.
Left with no choice, Lu Jianguo had to follow on his bicycle, hoping to pull some strings or plead on their behalf.
Once the police car drove off, the crowd of onlookers at the door quickly dispersed.
It was clear this night would be a sleepless one.
Li Yue closed the main gate and returned inside. Glancing at the tightly shut door, a faint smile touched her lips—she had noticed earlier that Feng Jing’s window was slightly ajar, a sliver of light seeping out.
As for Lu Qing, she couldn’t be bothered with the commotion outside and was upstairs in her bedroom, licking her wounds alone.
Just as Li Yue was about to return to her own room, her peripheral vision caught the set of keys on the coffee table that she had long been eyeing.
She discreetly slipped them into her Dimension without a sound.
In the deep silence of the night, the three members of the Lu Family still hadn’t returned. But a little after two in the morning, she quietly slipped out of her bedroom.
First, she went to Feng Jing’s bedroom door and listened, but there was no sound inside. Then, carrying her slippers, she went upstairs.
She then approached Lu Qing’s bedroom door and could faintly hear soft, rhythmic snores coming from inside.
Quietly, she made her way to the study door and tried four keys before finally unlocking it.
Standing at the doorway, Li Yue silently recited to herself: Money, gold bars, small gold ingots, gold bullion, watches, gold necklaces, gold rings, gold bracelets, jade artifacts, antiques, account books, documents, all account books…
Afraid that “account books” might be too vague and not collect everything, she specifically added “all account books.”
After that, she closed the door and went back downstairs.
Returning the keys to the coffee table, Li Yue went back to her bedroom. Almost at the same moment she closed her door, Feng Jing opened her bedroom door.
Hearing the noise, Li Yue didn’t dare to shut the door completely, leaving a small gap.
Through the gap, she saw Feng Jing actually enter Li Shaohua’s bedroom.
Li Yue opened the door a little wider and watched her cautious, sneaking figure—nothing like someone who would gasp for breath after every few steps.