At Ma Lijuan’s call, all the most meddlesome women in the alley rushed over.
One after another, they pointed at the family of three inside the house and began cursing them.
“How wicked! Even if she isn’t your biological daughter, you can’t force her into a living hell.”
“You raised her for eighteen years, yet you don’t have the slightest affection for her. Who would dare associate with a family like yours?”
“I’ve never seen such a heartless family. Everyone should stay far away from them from now on. Who knows when they might start plotting against us?”
The accusations came one after another, but the three people inside remained silent. None of them came out to defend themselves.
It was not because they did not want to.
At that moment, all three were lying on the floor with their faces twisted in agony, as though the pain was so severe that they could not even cry out.
Li Xiaohu stared blankly at the three people clutching knives and wooden clubs.
Although he could not understand why they had no visible injuries yet appeared to be in worse condition than Meng Yao, he could not bring himself to sympathize with them.
He swept a cold glance over the three before walking out of the house, leaving the door slightly ajar behind him.
“When I rushed inside, all three of them were holding weapons. From the way they looked, it seemed like they were trying to kill Sister Yaoyao…”
The moment he said this, the crowd erupted.
“What? They were trying to kill someone in broad daylight?”
“No wonder the poor girl is covered in blood. That entire family is made up of beasts!”
“They have no respect for the law! Call the police and have all of them arrested!”
Jiang Jun had just gotten off work and had specifically come to check on Meng Yao’s situation in the Meng household.
Frowning, he pushed through the crowd and asked sternly, “Who wants to call the police?”
When he saw Meng Yao lying weakly in Zhang Guilan’s arms, covered in blood, anger, sympathy, and heartache flashed through his eyes.
“What happened?
“How did she get injured so badly?”
Ma Lijuan could never stand injustice, so she hurried forward and explained what had just happened at the Meng residence.
Only then did Jiang Jun completely believe that everything Meng Yao had told him at the station earlier that day was true.
In fact, she had even understated the severity of the situation.
When Zhang Guilan saw that the newcomer was Captain Jiang Jun from the public security bureau, she immediately shouted in her loud voice.
“Officer, you’re finally here!
“You must judge this matter fairly today.”
She wiped the distressed tears from her face and continued, “Everyone should still remember the scandal between Yingzi and that young man from the Qi family two days ago, right?”
Someone in the crowd responded, “Of course we remember. How could anyone forget such a humiliating scandal?”
“The truth is, the person involved that night was supposed to be Yaoyao…”
Zhang Guilan continued, “The Meng family drugged her and planned to force her into sleeping with that man so they could make the situation irreversible.
“Fortunately, the child was clever. On the night it happened, she escaped through the second-floor window. She was injured when she fell, but thankfully Xiaohu found her and rushed her to the hospital in time. That was the only reason she survived.”
Ma Lijuan and the others who had participated in catching the supposed adulterers suddenly came to their senses and immediately added their observations.
“No wonder! When the incident happened, Sister Li and Brother Meng led us straight to Meng Yao’s room, as though they were certain the Qi family’s son would be there.”
“Exactly! Even before we caught anyone, Sister Li kept saying that Yaoyao had recently become a completely different person. She kept hinting that the girl had loose morals.”
Zhang Guilan laughed angrily.
“Everyone, we’ve all lived in this alley for at least ten years, haven’t we?
“You practically watched Yaoyao grow up. Don’t you know what kind of person she is?
“Besides, how could a person’s character suddenly change overnight?”
She paused before adding, “Even if you wanted to suspect someone, shouldn’t you suspect the one whose child’s father is unknown?”
Because Zhang Guilan’s reasoning was clear and convincing, public opinion completely shifted in Meng Yao’s favor.
“So the entire adultery-catching incident was staged by the Meng family? Pah! What disgusting people!”
“Thankfully, the girl was clever. Otherwise, her entire life would have been ruined.”
“They brought this disaster upon themselves.”
“Officer, you must punish this family severely. They’ve gone too far!”
From the moment Jiang Jun arrived, his brows had remained tightly furrowed.
Although he was furious, he was still a police officer.
He had to distinguish right from wrong, but he could not arrest people casually.
He could not listen only to one side of the story. Even in court, both parties would have the opportunity to defend themselves.
“Where are the members of the Meng family?
“Come out and explain clearly what happened.”
Inside the house, Li Yuqin became so anxious that rage surged through her chest.
She forced her aching body toward the doorway and spoke in a trembling voice.
“Of-Officer… please listen to my sophistry…”
She immediately corrected herself.
“No, that’s not what I meant. Please listen to me…”
The severe pain throughout her body caused her to cough several times before she continued.
“That’s not what happened. It was Yaoyao. She admired Qi Yunhai and willingly wanted to marry him.”
Her words instantly reignited the crowd’s anger.
However, Jiang Jun forcefully suppressed the loud condemnations.
“Oh? You claim that she was willing?
“But this woman just said that you drugged and framed her, forcing her to escape from the second floor. How do you explain that?”
Li Yuqin excitedly slapped her thigh.
“Oh, nothing like that happened!
“They made everything up. We’re Yaoyao’s family. Why would we harm her?
“Officer, you must not listen to their nonsense.”
Jiang Jun lowered his head and looked at Zhang Guilan.
“The person making an accusation must provide evidence. Do you have any proof supporting what you just said?”
The noisy courtyard suddenly fell silent.
Zhang Guilan was stunned.
Why did she still need evidence?
Besides, how could she possibly have any?
Everything she had said was what Meng Yao herself had told her during lunch.
Zhang Guilan pointed at Meng Yao.
“I don’t have evidence, but the injuries on this child’s body can’t be fake, can they?
“And everyone clearly heard her loud cries for help just now.”
The surrounding neighbors immediately spoke up.
“Yes, yes! We truly heard them.”
“Sister Li has also spoken badly about Yaoyao in front of us more than once. That can’t be false…”
Calmly, Jiang Jun pulled a document from the briefcase tucked beneath his arm.
“It doesn’t matter. I have evidence.”
“This is the medical certificate and diagnostic report regarding Meng Yao’s injuries, which I specially obtained from the hospital just now.”
“It clearly states that the injuries on Meng Yao’s body when she received treatment were caused by a fall from a considerable height.”
Li Yuqin stared at the document in Jiang Jun’s hand and was rendered speechless.
Then Jiang Jun raised another document.
It was a photocopy of Meng Yao’s household registration transfer application.
Before leaving work, he had specifically asked a colleague to make a copy in case the Meng family caused trouble for her.
He had not expected it to become useful so quickly.
“I personally helped her transfer her household registration.
“The reason she gave was that she was not the Meng family’s biological daughter. Not only had she been abused, but the family also intended to sell her to a strange man in exchange for bride-price money for their son.
“She therefore begged me to help her leave the Meng family and search for her true relatives.”
At that moment, Meng Liangcai clutched his aching body and limped out of the house.
Pointing at Meng Yao’s nose, he cursed, “You ungrateful wretch! We raised you for so many years, yet not only do you refuse to repay us, you even dared to sever ties with us?”
“Your biological parents died early after abusing our Yingzi, while we always treated you like a treasure. You should have followed your real parents to hell!”
Meng Yao could tolerate many things, but not this.
He could insult her, but if he insulted Meng Guochun and his wife, she would bite back.
Meng Yao rose angrily.
“What evidence do you have that my biological parents treated Meng Ying badly?
“And as for how my parents died, Meng Ying knows the truth better than anyone.
“Why don’t you call her out and have her explain everything clearly in front of the neighbors and the police?”
Jiang Jun had worked in criminal investigation.
He could easily distinguish truth from lies.
This was also the perfect opportunity to clear Meng Guochun and his wife’s names.
“Meng Ying, come out and say a few words!”