Xia Mingyu was unaware that her younger son had already started looking for a new father. They had just arrived at the Public Security Bureau.
Before she could even speak, the various brothers and sisters present eagerly recounted the entire incident to the officers.
“Is that how it happened?”
The officer looked at Xia Mingyu for confirmation. Human trafficking was no minor crime.
A first-class merit award—here it comes!
The officers harbored no suspicion toward Xia Mingyu, only hatred for the trafficker and the joy of an impending commendation.
“Yes, he did sell my son to a leader.”
Xia Mingyu nodded firmly.
“Yesterday he said he was taking our son out for a stroll, but when he returned in the evening, our son wasn’t with him. He claimed he’d left our son with relatives, saying our boy liked it there so much he didn’t want to leave.”
“I know my own son—he would never do that. Besides, I’m familiar with all his relatives. I searched the nearby areas—there was no one there!”
“I just overheard him on the phone—he sold my son to Jing Shi!”
Xia Mingyu declared furiously.
She had suspected something last night, but it was too late, and with Yuanyuan there, she feared if she went out to search for Tuantuan, that beast might take Yuanyuan away and sell him too.
She could only pretend to believe him, making Qiao Hongye lower his guard so she could catch him today.
At this point, she had to apologize and confess to everyone.
“I am indeed his wife. We have twin sons—he took the older one. But in our five years of marriage, this is the first time he’s come home, and as soon as he returned, he sold our son! How is he not a trafficker?”
“If he says our son is with relatives, then he should tell us exactly where! Take us there right now!”
Xia Mingyu stood her ground, staring firmly at Qiao Hongye with burning rage in her eyes.
Having a mouth means you should speak! Now that she could finally speak again, she would definitely seek justice for herself!
Today she was determined to get Tuantuan back!
She wouldn’t be as easy to bully as before!
Moreover, if Qiao Hongye left, his paralyzed mother would still depend on her care. If Tuantuan wasn’t found, then no one would have peace!
She’d torment his mother too! And go to his workplace—let the big leader decide for her!
Qiao Hongye looked at the aggressive Xia Mingyu, unable to utter a single word in his defense.
Xia Mingyu had completely shed her previous timid and weak demeanor, as if reborn.
Even her deliberately disheveled hair and hidden appearance seemed to have become prettier, no longer as plain as before.
Qiao Hongye scanned the Public Security Bureau—his friend wasn’t there. No one could help him now.
Qiao Hongye could only evade the main issue, saying:
“This is a family matter. I’ll explain everything when we get home—no need to trouble the officers.”
“Comrades, I’m a soldier. How could I lie? You—”
He invoked his identity, hoping for special treatment.
But all the officers present today were young and eager for commendations—they weren’t buying it.
“Stop with the irrelevant talk! If you’re a soldier involved in human trafficking, the charges are even more severe! The army would expel you!”
The officer scowled, cutting him off, and pressed again:
“Where is your son? If you still won’t reveal his whereabouts, I’ll file the case right now!”
If a case were filed, it wouldn’t be something he could dismiss with a simple claim of “family conflict.”
Qiao Hongye understood this well, so he could only choose to tell part of the truth.
“Don’t file the case, it’s really a misunderstanding. I know your Brother Liu—where is he? Let him come explain this for me.”
“The child really is in Jing Shi. My relative lives there—I’m not lying. He’s my son too—how could I possibly sell him away…”
His feeble excuses.
“Lies, all lies! Now he’s admitting the child is in Jing Shi!”
“I don’t care what your plans are, but I want to see my son right now! I gave birth to that child, and you’ve never raised him—you have no right to treat him this way!”
“You don’t deserve to be his father!”
Xia Mingyu declared with conviction. Then, while no one was paying attention, she rushed forward and slapped him hard across the face—twice!
Restrained by the public security officers, Qiao Hongye had no chance to fight back. His face immediately swelled and turned red.
Seizing the opportunity, Xia Mingyu bit her lip and continued her frenzied attack on Qiao Hongye, scratching his face bloody—assaulting him both verbally and physically!
She knew that without provoking Qiao Hongye, he would never tell the truth.
Only when he was furious and impulsive could they pry the truth from his lips.
“Damn it! Xia Mingyu, how dare you hit me!”
“Hey, hey, hey—Comrade Xia, stop! Fighting is prohibited in the Public Security Bureau!”
The officers quickly pulled her away.
By now, the onlookers fully understood the situation.
Although Xia Mingyu had lied initially, her current state only made her more pitiable.
How could such a fine young woman end up with a beast like this for a husband!
He’d even sell his own son—why didn’t he just sell himself instead!
The crowd was outraged, wishing they could tear Qiao Hongye apart for Xia Mingyu.
So they intervened one-sidedly, swarming forward and even pushing the officers aside, allowing Xia Mingyu to land several more blows on Qiao Hongye—scratching his face until it was covered in bloody marks.
“Everyone, stop this chaos! Listen to me!”
It took considerable effort for the officers to restore order.
Rubbing his temples, one officer assured her, “Comrade Xia, don’t worry—we will definitely help you find your child.”
“I’ll report to my superiors immediately and contact the Public Security Bureau in Jing Shi to help locate him!”
Since Qiao Hongye had admitted to secretly sending the child to Jing Shi, even as the biological father, his actions were no different from trafficking.
At the very least, he could be charged with abandonment!
Beaten dizzy by Xia Mingyu, Qiao Hongye felt both physical pain and seething rage—he wished he could kill her on the spot.
Being treated this way by the woman he’d always dominated was utterly unacceptable to him.
But the officer’s words immediately diverted Qiao Hongye’s hatred toward Xia Mingyu.
He stared at the officer in shock.
Such a trivial matter, and they were reporting to superiors and contacting Jing Shi?
They were making far too big a deal out of this!
He had acted on his own, sending the child to curry favor with the Regimental Commander. The Regimental Commander had been too embarrassed to accept and even said he’d return the child.
If this blew up and caused the Regimental Commander to lose face, forget about promotion—he’d be lucky not to be demoted!
He had worked so hard to become a Battalion Commander. Knowing his limitations, he couldn’t afford to offend any superior.
Otherwise, I’m afraid I won’t even be able to keep my position as Battalion Commander!
It’s all this wretched woman’s fault!
Wasn’t it just sending away a bastard child? Did she have to make such a scene!
I’ve been wearing this cuckold’s hat for years, and I haven’t even said anything!
Qiao Hongye was so enraged that he lost his mind.
Pointing at Xia Mingyu, he blurted out the secret he had kept for five years, revealing everything.
“You wretch! Do you think you’re some kind of saint? I don’t even want to be this father! They’re bastards you had with another man!”
“You made me a cuckold—I’d be justified even if I beat him to death! What man would want to raise a bastard child!”
He roared, portraying Xia Mingyu as a promiscuous woman who fooled around with men outside.