"Get out of here! Who invited all of you?!" Doctor Chu barked as he stormed toward the doorway and called the guards stationed outside.
Zhou Mu, still putting on an expression of grief, quickly turned to Doctor Chu with teary, pitiful eyes.
"Doctor, I… I just wanted them to come see Zhou Xue and comfort her. I didn't mean any harm…" she mumbled softly, lowering her head in a pitiful bow.
Mama Zhou instantly stepped in, gently raising Zhou Mu.
"It's not your fault, baby. You meant well. It's just that some people don't deserve kindness," Yang Jue said coldly, casting a sharp glance at Zhou Xue, who lay on the hospital bed with her eyes closed.
Before anyone else could speak to defend Zhou Mu, a sharp knock echoed from the door.
Everyone instinctively turned toward it.
Standing in the doorway were four police officers in full uniform.
The entire room fell silent.
Even Zhou Mu visibly panicked.
Zhou Xue really called the police?!
Everyone, including Doctor Chu, had thought she was joking—just trying to frighten Zhou Mu.
"Who is Zhou Xue?" one of the officers asked.
"I am," came the calm reply.
Zhou Xue slowly opened her eyes and met the officers' gazes as they entered the ward.
Papa Zhou's face darkened immediately, black lines forming across his forehead.
"Officer, I am this unfilial girl's father. She's lying about the whole accident."
"If the person who made the report is found to have lied, they will be prosecuted and fined accordingly," the officer replied professionally.
"Good! Then arrest her immediately!" Mama Zhou declared triumphantly, waving her hand as if dismissing a servant.
Everyone in the room turned to look at Yang Jue as though she had gone mad.
Didn't she just hear what the officer said? They're going to take a statement before making any arrests!
There was something clearly off here.
"Shut up!" Papa Zhou snapped at Mama Zhou, who stared at him, dumbfounded.
Damn it!
Zhou Mu cursed silently.
Such a brainless woman! If you don't know what to say, then don't say anything!
The officers stepped in—three men and one woman—all in uniform, their expressions wary but professional.
"You are Zhou Xue?" the female officer asked again, flipping open her notepad.
"Yes."
The male officer scanned the room before his gaze settled on her. "You stated that someone pushed you down the stairs?"
Zhou Xue nodded. "Correct. Zhou Mu, the daughter of the Zhou family, was the one. And I have evidence to back up my claim."
"You understand that if your evidence doesn't hold up, you'll be fined or possibly imprisoned for defamation?" the female officer clarified.
"I'm well aware," Zhou Xue replied smoothly. "That's why I've already prepared 1 million blue coins as compensation—just in case her little heart needs soothing."
The room went dead silent.
Then—
"You little thief! Where did you get that kind of money?!" Yang Jue screeched, greed flashing in her eyes.
"Yes, Officer! She must have stolen it!" Zhou Peng jumped in. "Some items have gone missing from our house recently. She probably sold them!"
Zhou Xue looked at the greedy faces of her so-called family and laughed coldly.
"Let me remind you: all the antiques in the Zhou family mansion are fake. Wake up from your fantasies. Even if you sold your entire family estate, you wouldn't get a single million blue coin."
The male officer looked stunned: 1 million... Where did you get such a huge amount of money?"
Everyone in the room froze.
1 Million. Blue. Coins.
That amount was absurd. Even winning the lottery wouldn't guarantee it.
Tsk. She must be bluffing... trying to scare us into silence, some thought.
Zhou Xue, unfazed, casually opened her phone and displayed her bank balance.
Gasps echoed.
1… 2… 10…100
100 million blue coins.
What the hell?!
Even the police officers leapt to their feet in astonishment.
She's rich! Ridiculously rich!
The mood in the room shifted instantly.
The Zhou family's expressions turned sickly green, especially Father Zhou's. He couldn't even lie and claim the money had come from him. Not when he had already disowned her—and not when the family business couldn't raise even one-tenth of that amount.
He clenched his fists tightly, his eyes filled with murderous rage.
If she had this kind of money, why didn't she tell me? I'm her father!
"Where did you get that kind of money?!" he demanded furiously.
"Oh? And what does that have to do with you, Mr. Zhou?" Zhou Xue replied with a calm smile. "Please know your place."
Then she turned to the officers.
"Can we continue with the statement now?"
"Y-Yes, of course," the female officer replied, now speaking more gently. She dared not offend the young woman. Though she wore a badge, she was the one feeling intimidated.
"Wait! Sister! Where did you get that money?" Zhou Mu cried in a pitiful tone. "You didn't… scam someone or steal from a bank, did you?"
The others, eager to follow her lead, chimed in.
"Yes, Zhou Xue, that kind of money can't be legitimate," Headteacher Lin added, clearly drooling at the thought of even a small portion.
"If you confess to stealing the money and apologize in front of the entire school," she continued, "we might be lenient with your punishment."
The other students nodded in agreement, visibly convinced that the money must've come from a shady source.
Zhou Mu's eyes lit up with hope.
Soon, I'll have enough money to buy everything I want.
Zhou Xue glanced at them coldly. Birds of a feather really do flock together.
"Hmph. Headteacher Lin, since you teach library studies, tell me: which bank in this country holds 100 million blue coins in their storage? Or are you saying I robbed every bank on the planet?"
Her voice was sharp with ridicule.
"And as for scamming people? Please don't insult my intelligence. I don't have mentally deranged classmates."
The headteacher and students turned red with shame.
Even Zhou Mu's triumphant expression faltered.
Could she really be telling the truth?
Even sugar daddies don't hand over that kind of money. If they did, the whole world would be trying to become mistresses.
Zhou Xue's gaze was disgusted as she looked at their lowered heads.
"Officer, would you kindly remove these uninvited guests? They're blocking the fresh air. I smell something rotting—and as a patient, I need rest," she said sweetly, blinking at the female officer.
"You...!"
"Everyone out," the male officer commanded firmly. "Do not disturb the patient."
The headteacher and students were promptly escorted out.
The room fell silent again—except for the dark, hateful stares from the Zhou family.
The interrogation resumed.
"Where is the evidence of the alleged murder attempt?" the officer asked.
"Sister..." Zhou Mu interrupted. "The evidence is in the shopping mall. I know she didn't mean it—she's just grieving over her missing friend."
She inwardly smirked. Let's see how you embarrass yourself now.
"Missing friend?" the officer raised an eyebrow. "And you, Miss Zhou Xue?"
"The evidence is located in three separate places," Zhou Xue replied calmly. "The buildings in front of the shopping mall, and those to its left and right. All three are skyscrapers equipped with external surveillance systems."
The officers blinked in surprise.
They expected her to say the same thing as Zhou Mu—the mall footage.
"Don't misunderstand me," Zhou Xue added. "Who knows if someone already tampered with the mall's footage? But those commercial buildings are independently owned and secured. That's why I'm confident the real footage still exists."
The officers exchanged thoughtful glances.
Zhou Mu's face froze. Her lips twitched uncontrollably.
No... no way... this can't be happening...
Yang Jue quickly cut in.
"Whatever! Just go and check it already! We need to clear Zhou Mu's name so she can receive compensation for her trauma!"
"Shut up!" Papa Zhou snapped. "If you can't say anything useful, keep quiet."
The moment he heard Zhou Xue speak, he realized that something was seriously wrong.
If things continued this way, they wouldn't get any money. Instead, they might end up in jail—or worse, be the ones paying compensation.
Outside the ward, eavesdropping classmates and school staff gasped in disbelief.
They had mocked Zhou Xue and called her a liar—now they weren't so sure anymore.
They weren't the brightest, but they weren't entirely stupid either.
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