Chapter 91: Scared Now? Too Late
Jiang Li was sleeping soundly when a knock came at the door.
"Miss Jiang, are you awake? Your brother and the others are in trouble."
Jiang Li’s eyes snapped open. She got out of bed, threw on a coat, slipped on her shoes, and pulled the door open.
"Officer Zhao, what happened to my brother and the others?"
Zhao Shuo looked at her, hesitating to speak. He then stepped aside, letting her see the situation behind him. Jiang Li stared at the two bruised and swollen figures behind Zhao Shuo, completely dumbfounded.
She walked up to Yu Huannian. "Xiao Nian, what on earth happened?"
Miao Anji stood to the side, staring at Jiang Li with an aggrieved expression.
"AHEM, I... I said I was going out to buy groceries, and Miao Anji insisted on coming along, so we went together.
"We had just finished shopping when we got jumped. Oh, right, don’t forget to make them pay. I bought ribs and pig’s feet, over a hundred yuan. That was expensive."
Yu Huannian glanced at Jiang Li awkwardly. Seeing how busy she’d been these past few days, he had been thinking of making her a nice meal to help her recharge.
But now, the groceries he’d worked so hard to buy were gone.
Jiang Li was stunned for a moment. ’Is this really about the groceries right now?’
"Are the injuries serious? Did you go to the hospital?" Jiang Li asked, turning to look at Zhao Shuo. "Officer Zhao, have you checked the surveillance footage?"
"Don’t worry, Miss Jiang. Your brother and his friend acted in self-defense. We’re still interrogating the other guys."
"Oww... Sister, I don’t feel good. I... I hurt here, and here, and there, there, there... all over! Oww, I think I’m done for..."
Miao Anji dropped his small back basket and flopped onto the ground, wailing. The three people beside him were completely bewildered.
Feeling embarrassed, Yu Huannian gave him a light kick. "What are you doing?"
Miao Anji looked at Jiang Li and scrambled up from the floor. "I saw them do this on TV. If you do this, you can get compensation."
Hearing the word "compensation," Yu Huannian clutched his stomach. "I think I’m not feeling so great either."
Zhao Shuo looked at the two of them and burst out laughing. "Hahaha, don’t worry. You can rest assured you’ll get the money for the groceries, plus medical expenses and compensation for emotional distress."
Jiang Li looked at them. "Let’s go to the hospital first and get you checked out."
"I’m not going. It’s just a few scrapes. I don’t like hospitals," Yu Huannian said, sitting down nearby.
Miao Anji sat down with him.
Yu Huannian snorted. ’Finally, the kid’s showing some sense.’
Zhao Shuo saw a colleague coming out and walked over to ask, "How did it go?"
The colleague shook his head. "Not great. Those two said that besides them, eight others are still in the hospital.
"We called to check. Some have broken bones, some have fractured ribs, and some were even poisoned."
Yu Huannian and Miao Anji tacitly turned their heads to look away.
’We’re from the mountains. We don’t understand what they’re talking about.’
Zhao Shuo coughed a few times as he looked at the pair. "Miss Jiang, perhaps you could have your brother take a couple of classes with us here."
’If they’re guided properly, they could be extraordinary. Self-defense is fine, but it’d be better if they could hold back a little next time and just bring people to the station.’
"Okay. I’ll have to trouble you then, Officer Zhao."
"No trouble, no trouble at all." Zhao Shuo quickly led Yu Huannian and Miao Anji away to find Ji Qinghe, intending to have her give the two a proper lecture.
’I can’t do it. I’m scared to death of them.’
Jiang Li walked to the other side of the room and saw two of the thugs sitting there. "Why did you attack my brother?"
"Tch, does there have to be a reason? We just didn’t like the look of them."
The two leaned back in their chairs, crossing their legs and shaking them as they shot her a disdainful glance.
Jiang Li sized them up. They reeked of the kind of small-time, back-alley gang mentality. They didn’t seem like serious toughs. ’Looks like they were just pawns,’ she thought.
"You’re their sister? Let me tell you, seven or eight of my buddies are lying in the hospital right now. If you don’t compensate us a few hundred thousand, you can just wait for them to rot in jail!"
A scrawny guy next to him said, tilting his head up to look at her.
"In your dreams. They were acting in self-defense. You were the ones who started trouble, and you ganged up on them. Now, not only do you have to compensate Yu Huannian and Miao Anji for their losses, but you’re also going to be detained!"
The officer guarding them couldn’t help but interject.
Jiang Li looked at the two of them. They wouldn’t have just picked a fight for no reason. Since they weren’t talking, she would find out for herself.
Lu Xingye watched the surveillance video. Connecting it to his conversation with Zhou Fuhai last night, his analysis could only temporarily confirm that it probably wasn’t the same person involved.
Zhou Fuhai’s main concern had been whether Jiang Li was sick.
But these people were different. They were likely trying to kidnap Yu Huannian and Miao Anji to threaten Jiang Li, but they hadn’t expected that neither of them would be pushovers.
Lu Xingye stood up. Qiao Siyuan had sent Jiang Li to a research institute before.
A research institute!
Lu Xingye sat down, opened his computer, and started looking up information on research institutes.
In the interrogation room, Zhou Zihang looked at Zhou Tiancheng opposite him. "I’ve said everything I’m going to say. My grandma is innocent. I’m begging you, please don’t tell her.
"If she asks, just tell her... tell her I’ve gone abroad. Please, I’m begging you."
Zhou Zihang’s eyes were red as he looked at Zhou Tiancheng. Back then, Li Ergou had given him a full 800,000 yuan. It was hard not to be tempted.
His grandma was really sick at the time, and Li Ergou had promised him that if he just gave up his identity and let Li Ergou assume it, he would make sure his grandma received the best treatment.
Even if things came to light, he didn’t regret it. It was just that... his grandma couldn’t handle the shock.
Zhou Tiancheng stared at him, his face devoid of expression. "You’re innocent? What about Gu Zisheng? When you conspired with your grandmother to commit perjury, did you ever think about today?
"Four years ago, when you made that deal with Li Ergou, did you not think about today!
"Zhou Zihang, you brought all of this upon yourselves! Do you think you can shed a few tears, use an old woman as an excuse, and just evade responsibility?
"The innocent one is Gu Zisheng! Zhou Zihang, you’re getting what you deserve! And it’s because of you that your grandmother won’t have peace in her old age!"
Zhou Tiancheng couldn’t help but get agitated, berating Zhou Zihang.
’They’re innocent and pitiful? What did Gu Zisheng do wrong? Should kindness be exploited and framed by people like them?’
Zhou Tiancheng shot Zhou Zihang a cold glare, then turned and walked out. Fuming, he leaned against the wall to catch his breath.
Seeing Zhao Shuo approach, he asked, "What’s the word on Wang Yufeng?"
"Ahem, she’s on her way with my colleagues. Should be here any minute. Since Zhou Zihang didn’t come home, Wang Yufeng probably guessed what happened. She didn’t put up much of a struggle."
Zhao Shuo added, "That nurse, Zhou Zihang’s girlfriend, was brought in too."
Zhou Tiancheng grunted in acknowledgment. "I’m going to rest for a bit. Call me if you need anything."
Zhou Tiancheng went to the office, intending to take a short nap.
Zhou Fuhai received a phone call, then immediately stood up and instructed his assistant, "Quick, tell everyone to look sharp. The mayor is coming for an inspection."
Zhou Tiancheng and Lu Xingye were instantly wide awake.
Lu Xingye looked at the few research institutes he had found, closed his laptop, and stood up to leave the room.
Jiang Li watched as everyone suddenly became busy again. She looked up in confusion and saw a man in a formal jacket walk in, followed by Gu Huacheng and the newly appointed Zhou Fuhai.
Jiang Li gathered her things and got up, preparing to leave.
"You’re Jiang Li?"
Jiang Li stopped in her tracks. Her eyes flickered as she turned to face the speaker.