Shu Lingchen felt his head buzzing.
Every word the woman in the white coat said was familiar to him, but when combined, he couldn’t immediately understand what it all meant.
Her words kept pouring into his ears.
“…Officer, I confess, I’ll confess everything.”
“I met Luo Ping a long time ago playing mahjong at a mahjong parlor. I work at a pharmacy. That Shu Lingchen is an orphan, but he receives fifty thousand yuan in living expenses every month. She wanted a share of his money, so she got me to cooperate with her, and she would give me a bonus each time.”
“At first I hesitated, but later I saw nothing bad happened. Thinking it’s harmless and I could make some money, I agreed to this long-term collaboration with Luo Ping—”
“She was slandering Auntie Chu!”
Before the video finished playing, Shu Lingchen jumped up, pointing at the laptop, firmly saying: “She’s lying to cover herself! Auntie Chu could never be that kind of person!”
But then the police showed Shu Lingchen the evidence provided by the woman in the white coat.
His eyes followed it and landed on a very familiar profile picture.
It was the one Auntie Chu often used on WeChat.
The woman had been smart—she had saved all the initial chat logs with Shu Lingchen’s mother and all the transfer records, seemingly anticipating the day this would all come out.
The police said: “We have verified that all the transfer accounts, both sending and receiving, belong to Luo Ping herself. According to the hospital, Luo Ping’s health has always been normal. She has never had any serious illness.”
“….”
Just minutes ago, Shu Lingchen was still confused about why he was considered a victim of fraud.
Now, he understood.
The boy stood frozen, speechless for a long moment. His lips moved as he shook his head: “I… I still don’t believe it. I need to ask Auntie Chu myself…”
The two police officers exchanged glances.
This kind of confrontation happens often at the station. “Alright,” they said.
At that time, Chu’s mother was in the adjacent interrogation room.
One officer gestured for Shu Lingchen to walk over, but he remained lost in shock.
He could hardly reconcile the kind, gentle image of Auntie Chu with the shrewd face shown in those chat logs.
Auntie Chu had lied to him—she wasn’t sick at all.
Did Chu Chu know about this?
Shu Lingchen was just thinking—
“Ah Chen…”
A voice cracked with tears.
Shu Lingchen looked up and saw Chu Lian, eyes red from crying, having rushed over because her mother was taken by the police. Tears threatened to fall:
“Ah Chen, I never thought Mom would do something so foolish… I… I’m ashamed to face you.”
From Chu Lian’s words, Shu Lingchen realized—
Chu Chu didn’t know either.
“Ah Chen, I’ll go with you.” Chu Lian stepped forward, tears in her eyes: “I want to ask Mom why she did this.”
Shu Lingchen, of course, did not refuse.
Inside the interrogation room, Chu’s mother clearly knew the woman in the white coat had fully betrayed her. She avoided Shu Lingchen’s gaze.
“Auntie Chu,” Shu Lingchen’s voice was hoarse: “Is everything the police said true? Your health… you’ve been fine all along?”
“…” Chu’s mother stammered, not answering directly.
Shu Lingchen, seeing her avoid the question, felt a sinking disappointment, trembling inside.
Auntie Chu had really lied to him.
“Mom, this is too much,” Chu Lian suddenly spoke up, glancing at Shu Lingchen. Angry and indignant, she said: “How could you do something like this? You could go to jail!”
Hearing “jail,” Chu’s mother panicked, vision darkening: “No, I don’t want to go to jail!”
“Now you’re scared? What about before? Do you realize how much you’ve hurt Ah Chen?”
Chu Lian scolded, then softened her tone, looking at Shu Lingchen:
“Ah Chen, this is truly Mom’s huge mistake. I’ll apologize to you on her behalf. Can you give her a chance to admit her wrongs, considering she raised you?”
“…Yes, Xiao Chen.”
Chu’s mother took a few seconds to process Chu Lian’s words. She reached across the table, grasped Shu Lingchen’s hand, and began to play the victim:
“Xiao Chen, I was misguided. It was all my fault. I apologize, and you have every right to be angry. But think about it—I reported that woman who abused you, I warned you about that couple who wanted to adopt you with bad intentions…”
“Are you repaying kindness with harm and wanting me to go to jail?”
“I…” Shu Lingchen hesitated.
Yes, if it weren’t for Auntie Chu, no one would have known he was abused. If it weren’t for her warning, his new family might have abandoned him…
Her words struck Shu Lingchen deeply. Leaving the interrogation room, he looked dazed, lost in thought.
“Ah Chen, I’m sorry.” Chu Lian, full of self-reproach, began sobbing: “I’m really sorry for making you sad.”
Her pure and delicate appearance made her even more pitiful when crying.
Shu Lingchen was most affected by Chu Lian’s tears. Seeing her cry, he panicked.
“Chu Chu, don’t cry. This isn’t your fault.”
Seeing Shu Lingchen’s worried expression, Chu Lian lifted her head: “Ah Chen, what if Mom goes to jail? Can you… not report her?”
Shu Lingchen, who had been stunned by his mother’s words, no longer cared about being deceived. He quickly comforted her: “Chu Chu, I won’t report Auntie Chu.”
Chu Lian cried with joy: “Really? Thank you, Ah Chen! So Mom won’t go to jail?”
“Probably not—”
A lazy female voice interrupted.
Shu Lingchen and Chu Lian turned their heads. Chu Lian froze, surprised to see Shu Shu there.
Shu Shu crossed her arms, leaning against the wall: “Chu Lian, your legal awareness is a bit weak. Your mother deceived Shu Lingchen out of nearly fifty thousand yuan buying medicine.”
“If you want leniency, maybe return the money first before asking for consideration?”
Chu Lian’s crying froze for a moment.
The money was already spent. Not even half could be returned.
“Ah Chen, I heard that obtaining the victim’s forgiveness letter can also help with leniency.” Chu Lian began crying again, looking at Shu Lingchen with pitiful eyes: “Please, help Mom, will you?”
Hearing her plea, Shu Lingchen couldn’t resist. Ignoring his own suffering as the victim, he immediately went to the police to seek forgiveness for Chu’s mother.
Shu Shu raised an eyebrow, unsurprised, and didn’t stop him.
…
In the lobby,
Chu Lian sat on the sofa. A box of tissues was offered. She took one and looked up at Shu Shu.
“Chu Lian, you must be tired from crying. Wipe your tears.”
“…”
For some reason, Chu Lian felt Shu Shu was asking her as if she were an actress tired from performing.
She kept her expression, took the tissue, wiped her eyes, and casually asked: “Shu Shu, what are you doing here?”