Xiao Mandong was just about to enter a private ward with the police officers to give her statement when Shen Linzhou grabbed her arm and whispered, barely audible, "Just say that you asked me to help call the doctor."
If Lu Jianguo had been seriously injured and she had walked away without taking any measures to help him, even if it was self-defense, she could have been questioned for subjectively allowing the injury to worsen—this could also count as a form of intentional injury. If she could prove that she had indirectly provided aid through Shen Linzhou, she could completely avoid this legal risk.
"Thank you," Xiao Mandong said, saying nothing more. She knew Shen Linzhou was helping her.
Shen Linzhou's statement matched hers. He said he saw Xiao Mandong run out of the brick kiln, disheveled and in a sorry state, and she asked him to help find a doctor to save someone. He helped call the doctor and knew nothing else.
At that moment, Lu Jianguo was still unconscious from the anesthetic and unable to give his statement.
After finishing her statement, Xiao Mandong's eyes were still red. Anyone who saw her would think she was the victim.
After sending off the police, she and her sister found a ward to rest in. In her sleep, Xiao Mandong was awakened by shrill crying and cursing.
"My son—! Xiao Mandong, you damned bitch, how dare you reduce my son to this state! Get out here!"
"You jinx! Are you trying to ruin our whole family?"
"Why are you so vicious? What has the Lu family ever done wrong to you, that you have to harm us like this?"
Xiao Mandong slowly opened the ward door and saw Ma Lanying at the entrance, slapping her thighs and throwing a fit, surrounded by a circle of curious patients and family members.
Ma Lanying spotted Xiao Mandong at once, her eyes bloodshot like a rabid dog's. She scrambled up from the ground and charged forward, trying to slap Xiao Mandong across the face.
"You bitch! You divorced my son, so why won't you leave our family alone? Even if you don't treat us as benefactors, you don't have to go this far! My son's leg is crippled now—how are we supposed to survive? You really are a jinx!"
Before her hand could land, a large hand seized it tightly. Shen Linzhou was standing in front of Xiao Mandong, seemingly out of nowhere. With a sharp twist of his wrist, Ma Lanying was flung backward, stumbling and nearly falling to the ground.
"Who are you?" Ma Lanying steadied herself, looked up at Shen Linzhou, and suddenly pretended to understand something:
"Xiao Mandong, you slut! No wonder you insisted on a divorce—so you already had a man on the side! You little harlot, you were cheating behind my son's back and pinned the blame on him! You really have no shame!"
Shen Linzhou's face darkened instantly. "Say one more word of nonsense and I'll take you to the police station. I am Doctor Xiao's patient. Everyone here knows that."
In the past, Shen Linzhou would never have bothered wasting words on someone like this, nor would he explain himself for anyone's sake. But hearing this woman spew such filth made him inexplicably irritated. He didn't want Xiao Mandong to bear any more slander. Though he didn't know why she had divorced, he believed with all his heart that it wasn't her fault.
Shen Linzhou's gaze swept over Ma Lanying and the onlookers. "Lu Jianguo is—" Before he could finish, someone interrupted him.
"Brother Shen! What are you doing here? I just went to your ward and didn't find you. I had to search everywhere."
Pei Jiaojiao rushed over in a hurry and tried to take Shen Linzhou's arm.
Shen Linzhou quickly stepped back to avoid her touch. Pei Jiaojiao didn't seem embarrassed—he had always been like this.
She had been eavesdropping in the crowd for a while now. She hadn't expected Xiao Mandong to be a divorced woman. At first, she hadn't planned to say anything, but seeing Shen Linzhou not only defend Xiao Mandong but also try to explain on her behalf—how could Pei Jiaojiao stand that? Usually, when she talked to Shen Linzhou, he barely acknowledged her. Why was he being so kind to this woman?
"Comrade Xiao, how can you bring your family matters to the hospital like this? It will definitely affect your work. You should go and calm down your mother-in-law and not disturb the patients' rest."
As soon as she spoke, people began to chime in: "That's right. My husband's wound hurt all night and he couldn't sleep. He just dozed off when Doctor Xiao's mother-in-law started making a scene. It's really too much."
"The hospital is a place for treatment. Making such a racket is really inappropriate."
Hearing the crowd's remarks, Pei Jiaojiao secretly gloated. She wanted Shen Linzhou to see that Xiao Mandong was someone who mixed public and private matters and stirred up trouble.
Shen Linzhou, however, knit his brows so tightly they formed a deep furrow. His eyes held undisguised irritation. "This has nothing to do with you. You may leave now."
He had clearly refused Pei Jiaojiao's advances many times, but she acted as if she didn't understand. He had long grown tired of this kind of clinging. He would never marry the division commander's daughter—he didn't want to be known as a man who rose through a woman. For five years, he had worked his way up with his own efforts and was now a deputy battalion commander. While the hardships he endured were beyond most people's imagination, every honor he received was earned with a clear conscience.
The smile on Pei Jiaojiao's face froze instantly. She felt her face burning. She hadn't expected Shen Linzhou to chase her away so mercilessly in front of everyone. She was deeply hurt. Three years—there was no way Shen Linzhou didn't know how she felt. Her father was a division commander! How dare Shen Linzhou speak to her like that? It was too much.
Pei Jiaojiao hung her head, her eyes reddening, looking like a picture of grievance. "Brother Shen, I was only thinking about the hospital. How can you talk to me like that..."
Xiao Mandong had no interest in watching their squabble. She fixed her gaze on Ma Lanying. "Lu Jianguo is suspected of kidnapping and extortion, and his accomplice is a human trafficker. The police have already launched an investigation. Ma Lanying, if you have any sense at all, stop making a scene here and go find out about your son's situation. If the charges are confirmed, he could even face the firing squad."
Ma Lanying's crying came to an abrupt halt. Her eyes went wide with disbelief, staring at Xiao Mandong. Clearly, the words "firing squad" had terrified her.
How had things suddenly escalated to the death penalty?
The crowd burst into excited chatter.
"So the one who got his tendons cut is a kidnapper—and a human trafficker! No wonder Doctor Xiao divorced him."
"Look at his mother—a woman like that couldn't possibly raise a good son. He's either a street thug or a kidnapper. Stay far away from them. Look, you're holding your baby! Didn't you hear? His partner in crime is a human trafficker."
The woman holding her child quickly stepped back, clutching her baby protectively and hurrying away.
Ma Lanying rushed toward Lu Jianguo's ward. She had to ask her son whether what Xiao Mandong said was true.
Before the crowd dispersed, Old Lady Wang suddenly burst out like a madwoman. Her eyes landed on Xiao Manxue standing behind Xiao Mandong. Her pupils contracted sharply.
"Why is Xiao Manxue here? Xiao Mandong, where is Wang Yuanyuan? What have you done with my granddaughter?"
