At the hospital, the doctor had already examined Jiang Mei, confirming there were no issues with her health. Representatives from the Women's Federation and the Public Security Bureau arrived shortly after, making the atmosphere tense. Criminal investigators quickly mobilized, beginning their evidence collection. The doctor approached Liu Ruyue with the surgical consent form, and without hesitation, Liu Ruyue signed her name. She knew this signature was more than just a formality; it was a promise to Jiang Mei.
The surgery proceeded quickly, much simpler than childbirth. Liu Ruyue and Sun Zhewen anxiously waited outside the operating room, time seeming to stretch endlessly, each second dragging on. Finally, when Jiang Mei was wheeled out, her stomach was visibly flatter. The criminal investigators, carrying a plastic bag, hurried out of the hospital, presumably to conduct further tests.
Jiang Mei was still unconscious. Liu Ruyue, Sun Zhewen, and two police officers remained at her bedside, waiting for her to wake up. The ward was eerily silent, the only sound the monotonous beeping of the machines. After more than an hour, Jiang Mei finally woke up. Her eyes were still unfocused, but she quickly recognized Liu Ruyue and whispered, "Chairwoman Liu, you're here."
Liu Ruyue nodded, gently holding Jiang Mei's hand, and said, "Yes, your child... it's been removed."
Tears streamed down Jiang Mei's face, her voice choked with emotion. "Thank you... thank you all. That child was my nightmare."
Liu Ruyue frowned, cautiously asking, "Do you know who it belongs to?"
Jiang Mei shook her head, her eyes filled with helplessness and pain. "Too many people took advantage of me. I don't know who it could be."
Liu Ruyue sighed, patting her hand to comfort her. "It's alright. Rest and get better. The officers from the Public Security Bureau will be asking you some questions. Tell them everything you know, okay? Don't be afraid."
Jiang Mei nodded, a hint of gratitude flashing in her eyes. "It's good to see you, Mom and Dad." She was acting strange again. The two police officers exchanged a helpless look, their only option now was DNA matching.
Wangshan Village. The morning mist hadn't yet dispersed, but the villagers' hearts were already as heavy and unclear as the fog. The local police station, along with SWAT and criminal investigation officers from the county, had surrounded the village early. All male villagers were required to give blood samples. Seeing that the police were taking this seriously this time, the villagers were filled with fear and unease, especially those who had done something wrong in the past.
At the village entrance, Old Li, puffing on his pipe, muttered, "This is quite a scene, even SWAT is here. What big trouble has happened in our village?"
Aunt Wang, standing beside him, leaned in and whispered, "It's all because of Jiang Mei. There's a suspect in our village. Alas, who hasn't had some small issues over the years? This time, it's really serious."
In the village square, police officers were busy registering and drawing blood. Several young villagers had already been taken away. Seeing this, Li Ergouzi became even more nervous, thinking to himself, Maybe I should just turn myself in. I didn't really do anything major, just touched that woman...
Just as he was hesitating, a young criminal investigator walked over and patted his shoulder. "Don't dawdle, go get your blood drawn. It won't hurt."
Li Ergouzi gave a guilty smile. "Hehe, Officer, I'm just going."
At the same time, Liu Jing was pacing restlessly in her office. She had a lot of worries lately, especially with Li Zhiyan, who, thanks to her son, was now even more arrogant and overbearing in the group. Liu Jing cursed inwardly, If it weren't for my sister and me strongly discouraging it back then, Dad might have really done something absurd and abandoned his original wife.
She knew her father desperately wanted a son. He always lamented that with only two daughters, there would be no one to inherit the family business. Unable to stop her father from finding someone to bear him a son, she and her sister could only try their best to prevent that vixen from entering their home. However, seeing her mother's daily melancholy, Liu Jing felt very sad. She hated her father and also hated Li Zhiyan, but if she were to use her subordinates to deal with that vixen, probably no one would listen to her. After all, everything she had was also given by her father.
Liu Jing took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She knew that simply being angry wouldn't solve the problem. She picked up the phone and dialed her sister Liu Lin's number.
"Hello, sis, it's me. How's things at the company lately?"
Liu Lin's gentle voice came from the other end of the line: "It's alright, but there's a little trouble with Li Zhiyan. What's she up to lately?"
Liu Jing frowned: "She's riding on the fact that she's pregnant, and now she's even more arrogant at the company. I really want to find someone to teach her a lesson, but..."
Liu Lin sighed: "Jingjing, we can't be impulsive. Our father's attitude is key. We have to find a way to make him understand that Li Zhiyan is just using him."
Liu Jing nodded: "I understand, sis. Oh, and we've also run into trouble with the recent demolition. The other side reneged and wants to raise the price, and they even posted the video of our confrontation online."
Liu Lin's voice became serious: "I heard about this. They want three times the compensation; that's too much. We have to find a way to resolve this."
Liu Jing forced a smile. "That's right. The old Liu family hasn't made a move in ages. These people have forgotten what we built our name on."
After hanging up the phone, Liu Jing decided to go to the demolition site herself. She changed into simple, professional clothing, ready to leave. As she reached the door, her secretary approached. "Miss, the car is ready."
Liu Jing nodded. "Thank you, Xiao Lin."
Xiao Lin looked a little embarrassed. "Miss, don't worry too much. Everything will be alright."
Liu Jing glanced at Xiao Lin. "Come to my place tonight."
The car soon arrived at the demolition site. As soon as Liu Jing got out, she saw a group of angry villagers gathered together, pointing and talking. She took a deep breath and walked forward. "Hello everyone, I'm Liu Jing. I'm here today to discuss the demolition with you all."
A middle-aged man stepped forward and sneered. "Discuss? What's there to discuss with your Liu family? We want compensation!"
Liu Jing smiled slightly. "I understand how you feel, but three times the compensation is indeed a bit unreasonable. We can sit down and talk, and find a solution that works for both sides."
"Then there's nothing to discuss. We only care about money, nothing else."
"Think about it. What value does your land have to justify three times the market price? It's just wasteland."
"Who said it's wasteland? Our ancestors' graves are underneath. If you touch my family's graves, I absolutely won't agree."
"Fine, even if there are graves, we'll calculate based on the price of relocating them."
"No need. We've already calculated it for you. You give us the money, and then you can do whatever you want."
Liu Jing stopped negotiating and turned to leave. That night, Xiao Lin went to Liu Jing's house. After serving the second young lady, Liu Jing said, "Go find Liu Heizi later and tell him to get rid of that guy. Make sure it's clean, and no one finds out."
Xiao Lin immediately stood up, "Yes. I'll go right away."
Liu Jing pulled him back, "Don't rush, there's plenty of time. We're not done yet. I love my little darling the most. Come here, my little darling."