The police officer taking the statement gave He Gang a cold glance. “Stop making excuses for yourself. If your account later conflicts with the victim’s, the punishment will be even harsher.”
Dejected, He Gang roughly recounted the events. The officer carefully completed the record and then called for someone to take him away.
Handcuffed and lifted up, He Gang panicked. “Officer, what crime am I being charged with?”
“Your crime hasn’t been determined yet. We need to verify the victim’s current condition first. For now, you’re under temporary detention.”
He Gang immediately tried to defend himself. “I’m injured and need to return to the hospital for treatment. I’ve explained everything in detail why am I still being detained?”
The officer looked at him sternly. “What do you mean, ‘going to the countryside to play together’? Your friends said you all planned this in advance to abduct her and coerce her. With just this charge, you already constitute the crime of hooliganism. The detention is just part of the legal procedure.”
“Hooliganism?” Hearing this, He Gang’s legs went weak. He shouted, “I want to call my family!”
The officer looked at him coldly. “We will notify your family. For now, go inside and wait.”
When He Gang’s family received the news, it felt like the sky had fallen. Hooliganism isn’t a trivial matter. Even if it’s not the maximum sentence, he could spend most of his life in prison.
He Gang’s father quickly went to his older brother’s house to find He Manman. “Manman, this foolish child has messed with that vixen Qiao Zhiwei again. Now he’s charged with hooliganism. I think there’s no one who can help him except Huo Jingchen.”
Hearing the news, He Manman was furious. “He was only warned by Huo Jingnian last time how can he still be so reckless? That Qiao Zhiwei is really trouble!”
Then, still annoyed, she added, “Huo Jingchen ignores me now. He’s heartless, ungrateful, a scoundrel who burns bridges behind him.”
He Gang’s father anxiously asked, “What are his usual habits?”
“Who knows? He’s unpredictable.”
With tears in his voice, He Gang’s father pleaded, “You have to try asking. Any hope, no matter how small, must not be given up.”
Seeing her uncle’s desperate state, He Manman couldn’t help but say, “Alright, I’ll go look for him.”
Although Huo Jingchen could be harsh, she still wanted to see him.
He and Qiao Zhiwei were like a pair of sly foxes one causing her cousin to take risks, the other unsettling her own mind.
“Please, try to keep your temper in check,” He Gang’s father instructed.
He Manman sighed. “You should look for others too. The more people, the more hope.”
Of course He Gang’s father would reach out to others but how many would dare go head-to-head with Huo Jingnian?
He Manman set out to find Huo Jingchen. At this time, Huo Jingchen had just returned home from work and was surprised to see her. “Wasn’t I clear enough last time? Do I need to repeat myself?”
“Jingchen, I’m not here to reconcile with you.”
As long as she wasn’t asking for reconciliation, anything could be discussed. Huo Jingchen generously sat beside her. “Go ahead.”
“He Gang has been taken to the police station again.”
Huo Jingchen smiled. “Good. He’ll learn from his mistakes. With the police giving him some moral education for free, I’m sure he’ll become more upright in the future.”
“I’m not joking. It’s serious.”
“How serious?”
“He committed hooliganism.”
Huo Jingchen’s gentle eyes narrowed slightly. “If it’s that serious, moral education probably won’t work. Let your uncle and aunt handle him and set him straight.”
“Huo Jingchen!”
“I’m right here. Why are you shouting so loud?”
Thinking of her request, He Manman softened her tone. “Can you help He Gang? He’s always been good to you. Whatever it takes, we’ll pay the price.”
Huo Jingchen looked exhausted. “You want me to single-handedly oppose the entire legal system for He Gang?”
“You didn’t have this attitude last time.”
“Last time he hadn’t committed hooliganism,” Huo Jingchen said. Then he stood up. “Manman, your cousin has long lost the right to be educated.” With that, he left.
“Qiao Zhiwei is really a sly fox. With all the debts her family owes, how did she survive?” He Manman grumbled in frustration.
Huo Jingchen’s footsteps paused. His voice was cold. “He acted indecently toward Qiao Zhiwei?”
“She seduced him,” He Manman replied.
Huo Jingchen turned to her. “Get out!”
He Manman was stunned but, seeing he wasn’t joking, turned and left.
Huo Jingchen returned to his study and called Yang Ze. “He Gang is at the police station?”
“Yes. This time you can’t help him,” Yang Ze said coldly.
“When did I ever say I would help him?”
“If you hadn’t bailed him out last time at the station, and if the Qiao family hadn’t let it slide, he wouldn’t have committed such a serious crime.”
“How’s Qiao Zhiwei?”
“She’s fine. She hurt He Gang, but your brother only found him this morning. They’re on their way back now.”
“Good,” Huo Jingchen said, then hung up.
Huo Jingnian had mobilized Yang Ze in the middle of the night, arranged a massive manpower sweep, and yet had pinpointed Qiao Zhiwei early in the morning?
Thinking of this, Huo Jingnian’s usually gentle, peach-blossom eyes grew cold.
Ha. When it comes to acting skillfully, Huo Jingnian is unmatched.
Xia Yin still understands her better.
He doesn’t like anything being coveted while it still belongs to him. If it’s already discarded, fine—let others pick it up. But if it’s his and someone deliberately desires it, he won’t be happy.
Huo Jingnian accompanied Qiao Zhiwei at the hospital to check her wounds.
Besides the injuries on her neck and arms, her feet had multiple cuts, and the soles had several blood blisters.
The doctor prescribed two bottles of medicine. “All external injuries. Nothing serious.”
Qiao Zhiwei took them. “Thank you.”
Huo Jingnian crouched in front of her. “Come up.”
Qiao Zhiwei hesitated. “I can walk.”
“If you don’t come up, I’ll carry you,” he said.
Reluctantly, she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Ignoring the doctor’s surprised gaze, Huo Jingnian said, “Thank you, doctor.”
Then he carried Qiao Zhiwei out of the medical room.
She rested on his broad shoulder, feeling his back muscles move beneath his clothing with each step a steady, grounding strength.
The sensation made her feel incredibly safe.
She instinctively rested her head on his shoulder.
Neither spoke until they reached the car, where Huo Jingnian placed her in the passenger seat.
Qiao Zhiwei sat for a long while before saying, “Jingnian… can you not be so good to me?”
She feared becoming dependent on him. She could have handled this herself.
But at the moment he appeared, she couldn’t help letting down all her defenses, relying completely on him.
The overwhelming sense of safety she had never felt that with Huo Jingchen. She feared she might fall in too deeply to escape.
She didn’t want such a responsibility.
Huo Jingnian didn’t look at her. He said, “I’ll handle your uncle. Don’t worry about anything else.”