She did not dare!
Meng Ying hid inside Meng Yu’s room, clutching her child as she trembled uncontrollably.
She could not understand how things had developed to this point.
Originally, she had planned to beat Meng Yao until she knelt and begged for mercy.
However, the moment she entered the house and locked the door, she turned around to find Meng Liangcai clutching a wooden stick and kneeling painfully at her feet.
As for Li Yuqin, who had recklessly charged forward, Meng Yao kicked her beneath the table. Her bulky body became wedged underneath, leaving her unable to move.
Meng Ying stared at Meng Yao in terror, her body trembling violently.
So Meng Yao’s fear earlier had all been an act.
While Meng Ying’s mind went blank and struggled to process what was happening, Meng Yao walked toward her with a wicked smile while loudly crying for help.
Meng Yao grabbed her by the hair and stuffed a foul-smelling cloth into her mouth.
Avoiding all vital areas, she struck every painful spot on Meng Ying’s body.
She deliberately chose places where the injuries would be difficult to show others.
That damned woman not only possessed frightening strength but also an incredibly calculating mind.
Meng Ying had truly underestimated her this time.
Outside in the courtyard, everyone waited for a long time, but Meng Ying still did not come out.
It was already dark, and the crowd gradually became impatient. They all had their own chores to attend to and did not want to remain entangled with such a family.
“She’s hiding inside and refuses to come out. It seems everything Meng Yao said was true.”
Ma Lijuan cast the Meng couple a disgusted glance before turning to Jiang Jun.
“Officer, it’s already getting late. Please make a decision and settle this matter quickly.”
“We watched Yaoyao grow up with our own eyes. Her character can’t be bad. She has always been sensible and obedient since childhood.”
Zhang Guilan looked at the injuries on Meng Yao’s body and nodded in agreement.
“That’s right. Yaoyao is badly injured. We should hurry and take her to the hospital. It would be terrible if she suffered any lasting damage.”
Jiang Jun thought to himself that the first time that brat had ever asked him for a favor, it was to take special care of Meng Yao.
This woman must be extremely important to him.
She might even become one of their own in the future.
Seeing that the situation was extremely unfavorable to him, Meng Liangcai hurried over to Jiang Jun and pulled out an expensive cigarette.
“Officer, when all is said and done, this is merely a family matter. There’s really no need for you to get involved. Why don’t we just let it go?”
Jiang Jun coldly pushed away the cigarette offered to him and lowered his eyes in thought.
Indeed, a single medical record and the neighbors’ testimonies were not enough to prove that Meng Yao had suffered long-term abuse.
More importantly, a young woman had supposedly fallen from such a high second-floor window, yet she could still walk. Clearly, the matter was not simple.
Still, it was possible for someone trapped in a desperate situation to unleash extraordinary strength.
As for the blood covering Meng Yao’s body, Jiang Jun had smelled from a distance that it was chicken blood rather than human blood.
The young woman had lied as well.
However, Jiang Jun had no intention of exposing her.
He turned his head toward Meng Yao.
“What do you want to do?”
Meng Yao spread her hands.
“The Meng family must apologize to me, pay all my medical expenses in one lump sum, and publish a newspaper statement clarifying every false accusation they made against me and Meng Guochun and his wife.”
The more Li Yuqin listened, the more furious she became.
“You little wretch! You truly dare to demand anything. How can you shamelessly ask us to pay your medical expenses?”
Her facial features twisted as she complained bitterly to the crowd.
“We were obviously the ones who got beaten just now! This girl was vicious. She beat us so badly that we could barely stand.”
Meng Yao shrank beside Zhang Guilan and asked pitifully, “Auntie, do I look capable of beating all of them?”
Zhang Guilan also found the accusation absurd and shouted forcefully, “Li Yuqin, don’t go too far. Do you really think everyone here is blind?
“Forget about Yaoyao beating all three of you. With her thin body, she would even struggle to fight one person.
“Before lying, could you at least look at the actual situation?
“I won’t even mention Meng Liangcai, who is a grown man.
“But you and your daughter are both so well-fed and sturdy. How can you shamelessly make such a ridiculous claim?
“If you don’t even know how to lie properly, stop embarrassing yourselves.”
Li Yuqin was so angry that her entire body hurt.
“Zhang Guilan, what does this have to do with you? This is our family matter. Who gave you the right to interfere and spout nonsense?”
Jiang Jun coughed heavily twice.
“Comrade, let me remind you that Meng Yao has already severed ties with your family. She is no longer your child.
“Strictly speaking, this is no longer a family matter.”
Meng Liangcai glared fiercely at Li Yuqin, signaling for her not to make the situation worse.
If this matter became an even bigger scandal and their reputation was completely ruined, the marriage arrangement with the Qi family would probably fall apart entirely.
Not only would their daughter have slept with the man for nothing, but the factory matter would also fail.
Although he found Meng Yao’s demands difficult to accept, so many people were watching that he could not openly lose his temper.
He could only grit his teeth and agree.
“Fine. We’ll do as Yaoyao says.”
The moment he agreed, Meng Yao immediately extended her hand.
“Give me the money first! Everything else can be handled later.”
Unless she obtained the money while everyone was still present, a cunning businessman like Meng Liangcai would definitely refuse to pay afterward and might even find a chance to deny everything.
“Two hospital visits plus compensation for emotional distress. The total is two hundred yuan!”
What?
She only had a few scrapes and bruises, yet she dared demand two hundred yuan from him?
Did she think his money grew on trees?
“I don’t have it!”
Meng Liangcai rejected her without hesitation.
Hmph.
Had Meng Yao not personally seen the cabinet in their room, she might actually have believed him.
Meng Liangcai definitely still had private savings hidden somewhere.
“Fine. Then we’ll go to the public security bureau and let the officers follow the formal mediation procedure.”
As she spoke, she linked arms with Zhang Guilan.
“Auntie, let’s go.”
Zhang Guilan spat at Meng Liangcai in disgust and declared sternly, “You don’t want such a wonderful child as Yaoyao, but I do.
“From now on, she is my biological daughter!”
Jiang Jun immediately stopped them.
“Although this is a civil dispute, once you enter the bureau, an official record will be left behind.”
On the surface, he appeared to be advising Meng Yao.
In reality, he was threatening Meng Liangcai.
For a businessman, reputation and credibility were the most important things.
“Wait!”
Meng Liangcai glared hatefully at Meng Yao. Reluctantly, he pulled several ten-yuan notes from beneath the soles of his shoes.
“Here. This is all I have. There really isn’t any more.”
Meng Yao pinched her nose in disgust and counted the money.
There was a total of 128 yuan, including both large and small bills.
It appeared that he had truly emptied his hidden savings.
She did not say anything else.
After all, she had already gained a tremendous advantage this time.
Without looking at the Meng family again, she said, “Officer, thank you for helping me today. I’m truly grateful.”
After speaking, she bowed and followed Zhang Guilan and Li Xiaohu toward the hospital.
Seeing that the matter had been resolved, Jiang Jun immediately dispersed the crowd.
He cast Meng Liangcai a meaningful glance before slinging his bag over his shoulder and leaving.
The Meng couple collapsed against the doorway as though all their strength had been drained, their expressions helpless and despairing.
When the three of them hurried into the hospital, Zhang Guilan anxiously shouted, “Doctor, save her! Please examine my child quickly. She’s badly injured!”
Meng Yao immediately covered her mouth.
“Auntie, I’m fine. I’m really fine. Don’t panic.”
She pressed Zhang Guilan onto a chair, then rolled up her sleeves and exposed the areas that had been covered in blood.
“Look. There isn’t a single injury.”
The mother and son stared at each other in shock.
“Wh-what exactly is going on?”