The meal ended in complete discord, and the two girls could only obediently wash the dishes and clean up the kitchen.
Su Muxue stayed inside her space until the next day at noon, of course, having already filled her stomach comfortably while inside.
As soon as she stepped out of the room, she heard knocking and a familiar voice:
“Comrade Su, are you home? This is Guan Jingxiu.”
Hearing that it was Officer Guan, Su Muxue immediately went to the door and opened it.
“Officer, you’re here! I was just about to come to the police station to find you, and here you are.”
Guan Jingxiu said, “Comrade Su, I’m here today to deliver your formal notice of disassociation. After consulting with our superiors, given your unique family situation, approval has been granted for your disassociation.”
Su Muxue’s face lit up when she saw the notice in his hand.
Finally, she could sever all ties with this family. Whatever happened in that house from now on would no longer concern her. All that remained was for Su Haijun to return and sign the document.
“Officer, thank you for coming all the way here. Please, come in and sit.”
“Comrade Su, no need to mention it. It’s our duty as police officers to help citizens.”
Li Chunhua, seeing it was a police officer, remained silent. Had it been anyone else, she would have been shouting immediately.
She glared at the officer and thought to herself, This little brat has really learned something. She even got the police involved to help her sever ties with us.
This young officer is so handsome and young—could it be he’s taken a fancy to her? Otherwise, why would he be helping her so much?
That little brat really knows how to manipulate people. If only my two granddaughters had faces that could attract people like this officer, things would be much easier for them.
Soon, Su Haijun returned home from work for lunch. Seeing the police officer sitting in his home, he immediately sensed trouble.
But he tried to stay composed and politely asked, “Officer, what brings you here today? Can I go fetch my wife back now?”
“Comrade Su,” Guan Jingxiu replied, “I’m here for an official matter. I’ve come to deliver Comrade Su Muxue’s disassociation document. Please review it, and if there’s no issue, you can sign and seal it.”
Su Haijun took the document, thinking to himself, This is way too fast. That brat only brought up severing ties yesterday, and today the document is already here.
Suppressing his temper, he looked at Guan Jingxiu with a forced sense of goodwill: “Officer, you don’t understand. This girl has been raised by us since childhood.
“Even if she’s not our biological daughter, she carries the Su surname and has always been a member of our family. If she severs ties, how is she supposed to live on her own?”
“If anything happens to this little girl, how would we explain it to her mother? We couldn’t live with a clear conscience.”
Li Chunhua thought her son was reluctant to sever ties and said immediately, “Son, if that little brat wants to sever ties, let her. Why make such a fuss?
“She’s not our biological daughter anyway. It’s better this way—no more free meals and lodging to worry about. She deserves a little hardship to understand how tough life is without us.”
“After living in our home for over a decade, she still has the audacity to sever ties. Clearly, we were too soft on her all along.”
Su Haijun was nearly driven mad by his mother. Why did she always have to contradict him? She deliberately made it look like he didn’t want to sever ties with Su Muxue, hoping to gain sympathy from the officer, and make it seem like Su Muxue was the unreasonable one.
Everything he tried to do now seemed wasted. Old age had made his mind sluggish; words just spilled out uncontrollably.
Guan Jingxiu glanced at the old woman and said to Su Haijun, “Comrade Su, if it weren’t for us police being here, who knows what you’d do to this little girl?
“Just from the old lady’s attitude just now, it’s clear that Comrade Su has been frequently beaten and humiliated.”
“Her body bears the evidence. No part of her is unbruised. There are blue and purple marks everywhere, along with countless scars.
“Even if she’s not your biological daughter, she’s lived in your home for over a decade. You could have disciplined her properly without resorting to violence. You’re abusing a child—and that’s punishable by law.”
“No wonder she wants to sever ties. If she doesn’t, it won’t be long before she’s abused to death.”
“Previously, I advised Comrade Su not to act impulsively; after all, severing ties isn’t a trivial matter. But now, it’s clear that the only way for her to be safe is to leave this den of danger.”
Su Haijun spoke gently: “Officer, I apologize. My mother is old and doesn’t know how to temper her words. She speaks nonsense when she gets flustered. Please don’t mind her.”
“She was only upset because her grandson wanted to sever ties. She was worried that he’d be bullied living alone, so she said all that in the heat of the moment.”
“My mother truly loves Su Muxue as her own granddaughter. Maybe she was just frustrated with her stubbornness. I apologize on her behalf, officer. Please don’t hold it against her.”
Guan Jingxiu replied, “Comrade Su, she is your mother, so of course you’ll side with her. But enough chatter—just sign the disassociation document. I don’t have time to waste here.”
“Once signed, it takes effect immediately. From then on, Comrade Su Muxue has no relation to your family. Don’t cause her any trouble.
“If you do, the police will not let it slide. You’ll get to see firsthand what the police station’s justice feels like.”
Su Haijun tried to bargain one last time: “Muxue, your mother entrusted you to our care.
“You’re still so young. If you sever ties and move out alone, can you really manage?”
“You’re just a little girl. The outside world is chaotic. What if you run into thugs or ruffians? If anything happens, how are we supposed to explain it to your mother?”