Chapter 128 Reconciliation

"Now you know you were wrong? When those children were lying in hospital beds receiving IV drips, didn't you think about how heartbroken their parents must have been? That child named Xiao Le couldn't eat for three whole days. Did you feel even a little bit of regret? Did you think about how those children got through that night? By the time things got out of hand, you were kneeling down and begging for forgiveness—it was too late!"

After she finished speaking, she immediately turned around and shouted loudly into the corridor, "Section Chief Li! Bring people to the second floor of the Logistics Department. The suspect in the poisoning case has confessed! Seal off the scene immediately! Notify the Discipline Inspection Commission and the Public Security Bureau to intervene simultaneously!"

Captain Wang's face turned pale instantly, as if he had been doused with a bucket of ice water from head to toe.

His eyes darted around, and he looked like a trapped beast cornered in a desperate situation.

Suddenly, he scrambled to his feet and staggered toward the window.

Qiao Wanyin reacted quickly, rushing forward to grab his collar and pulling him back forcefully.

Captain Wang fell heavily to the ground with a dull thud.

"Trying to run? Too late!"

Qiao Wanyin pressed down hard on his shoulders, her voice as cold and stern as iron.

"Even if you jump and break your leg, you can't escape! The organization has evidence: cafeteria surveillance footage, drug purchase records, and lab reports on the child's vomit—all of it points to you! The only thing you can do now is to confess and get leniency!"

...

The two unknowingly walked into the mutual aid center.

A dozen or so children, led by a nurse, played a game called "drop the handkerchief."

The laughter was crisp and clear, like wind chimes echoing in the air.

As soon as Qiao Wanyin showed her face at the door, Hu Zi was the first to rush over.

"Aunt Qiao!"

He buried his face in her arms, his voice full of affection.

Qiao Wanyin squatted down and gently patted his back, her eyes curving into crescents.

"Is Tiger feeling any better today? Does his stomach still hurt? Has his fever gone down?"

I'm completely healed!

The little guy puffed out his chest, like a proud little rooster.

"The nurse said I'm the best little warrior! I didn't cry when I got my shot, and I even covered Xiao Le with a blanket!"

The other children also gathered around, chattering about how quickly they had recovered.

Looking at those innocent smiling faces, Qiao Wanyin felt a lump in her throat.

She tilted her head back, suppressing the bitterness in her eyes.

She knew that they still believed the world was a warm place.

"Aunt Qiao," a little girl asked softly, timidly tugging at her clothes, her eyes filled with unease, "Did they catch that bad guy? Will he come back?"

Qiao Wanyin squatted down and gently touched her head.

"He's been caught. The police have taken him away, and he can no longer hurt you."

She paused, then said, "From now on, no one will dare to bully you. Aunt Qiao and Uncle Fu, as well as all the nurses and doctors, will protect you and won't let anyone lay a finger on you again."

Fu Li'an also squatted down and looked at each child carefully.

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a steady strength: "Uncle assures you that this place will be safer in the future. We will also add new toys and books, and build an indoor play area so that you can have fun even on rainy days."

He gently pinched Tiger's cheek. "No one is allowed to suffer any more injustices. If anyone bullies you, tell Aunt Qiao or Uncle Fu immediately, and we will definitely stand up for you."

Upon hearing this, the children clapped their hands with joy, their faces beaming with innocent smiles.

After settling the children in, Fu Li'an and Qiao Wanyin walked back together.

As they walked, Fu Li'an suddenly spoke.

"Qingqing, I've been thinking a lot these past few days."

"What's wrong?"

Qiao Wanyin turned her head to look at him, her eyes filled with a hint of doubt.

"Have we been neglecting the psychological problems of frontline soldiers?"

His tone was filled with self-blame and reflection: "If I had noticed earlier that Captain Wang's emotions were not right, and realized his inner struggle and pressure, perhaps this incident would never have happened."

Qiao Wanyin nodded, her expression becoming serious.

“You’re right. We’ve been focusing our energy on resource allocation, safety management, and mission execution, but we’ve neglected the most fundamental aspect: human nature. Soldiers are human too; they get tired, feel wronged, and break down. In addition to managing resources and safety, we need to ensure that people can speak their minds and that there are channels and mechanisms for psychological support.”

Fu Lian held her hand tightly; the warmth of her palm made her feel at ease.

“I’ll handle this. I’m going to conduct a comprehensive psychological screening of the entire regiment, leaving no blind spots and missing no one. I have to personally inquire about the emotional state of every soldier.”

Qiao Wanyin responded softly, "Yes, this really needs to be done, it should have been done a long time ago. We can't let something like this happen again."

After they finished speaking, they fell silent again.

After a long while, Fu Lian'an lowered his voice.

"Qingqing, I've missed you so much these past few days."

Qiao Wanyin was taken aback, and her brows furrowed slightly.

Fu Lian suddenly stopped, turned around, and stood in front of her.

He stared straight at her, his gaze deep and intense.

"Qingqing, let's stop arguing, okay?"

Qiao Wanyin looked up abruptly, her heart skipping a beat as she was caught off guard by his dark eyes.

Promise me.

His voice was filled with grievance and pleading.

"No matter what happens in the future, let's speak frankly and honestly, say whatever comes to mind, and face it together, okay?"

"Playing guessing games will only cause us more pain. I don't want to do that anymore."

Qiao Wanyin was stunned for a moment, and her eyes welled up with tears.

"Okay, I promise you."

Fu Li'an finally smiled, a warm and relieved smile, "Then...we're back to normal, right?"

Just as Qiao Wanyin was about to reply to him, she heard hurried footsteps and shouts behind her.

"Director Qiao! Director Qiao! A comrade named Lin Zhiming is here to see you!"

She turned around and saw Xiao Li from the mutual aid center.

Fu Li'an's face froze instantly, and his eyes turned cold.

Lin Zhiming?

The man who tricked Qiao Wanyin into going to Hong Kong?

The person who almost ruined her future and put her in danger?

She never expected that the man who had once deceived the original owner's feelings with sweet words would have the nerve to come looking for her.

They are utterly shameless; their skin is so thick that even a wall can't stop it.

She and Fu Li'an had just reconciled and their relationship was still warming up when Lin Zhiming happened to appear.

Her heart skipped a beat; she had a feeling that what was about to happen wouldn't be so simple.

She subconsciously raised her head and looked at Fu Lian beside her.

But they found that his face was frighteningly dark, and his eyes were so gloomy they seemed to drip water.

“Mai Dong, I don’t want to see him.”

Her voice was soft, tinged with timidity and worry.

It wasn't that she was afraid of Lin Zhiming, but that she felt uncomfortable because of this incident, especially since it affected Fu Li'an, whom she cared about most.

She didn't want the newly repaired relationship to be torn open again by old people and old stories.