Chapter 121 He shielded his daughter from the wind and rain; he didn't want his daughter to suffer, so he came...
Team Leader Zou was speechless as he looked at Qiu Xiaoman's grinning face.
He was almost certain that she did it on purpose, absolutely!
Why do it this way? Why make things so ugly? Don't you know that society is far from being as black and white as it seems on the surface?
If you push Tieban's backer too far, he might just resort to dirty tricks to kill her!
Does she even understand his good intentions? I'm so frustrated!
What else can he do besides clean up her mess? He can only reach out and ask her to borrow her mobile phone to call for help.
The call connected, and Lao Wen's kind voice came from the other end. Captain Zou took a deep breath and said, "Director Wen, I'm leading a team to handle a missing person case. Xiao Qiu's dog accidentally caught a meatball seller."
"Selling meatballs? That's great! We should encourage Xiao Qiu; young people are so energetic!" Director Wen was still smiling, although his intuition told him that things weren't that simple. But he always kept his composure and waited for Xiao Zou to speak up.
Team Leader Zou couldn't hold back any longer. He turned his back, walked a few steps away, and whispered, "What's so great about it? The meatball seller is Wu Haoxiong, Old Wu's most beloved grandson!"
Director Wen was not intimidated by the title and said with a smile, "That's not surprising. I told you long ago that his grandson would cause trouble sooner or later."
"The problem is, he also hit and killed someone at the intersection, and meatballs were scattered all over the ground!" Team Leader Zou said helplessly. "Everyone at the scene saw it, including reporters from the radio and newspapers, who took a lot of photos! Director Wen, please tell Old Wu that this matter has had a huge impact."
Director Wen was silent for a moment, then said, "Don't worry about this. I'll handle it. Take the person away and follow the normal procedures. We'll handle this officially."
"Are you really alright?" Team Leader Zou, who didn't have access to the higher circles, was a little uneasy. He worriedly asked, "Won't Xiao Qiu be retaliated against by their family?"
“They wouldn’t dare! Tell Xiao Qiu not to be afraid, I’ll hold the sky up for her if it falls.” With that, Director Wen hung up the phone.
Team Leader Zou breathed a sigh of relief, but his brows remained furrowed. He turned to look at Qiu Xiaoman, and although he understood her simple sense of justice and hatred of evil, he still felt that she was too reckless.
Even if Director Wen intervenes this time and the Wu family doesn't dare to do anything to Xiao Qiu, what about in the future?
I can't even imagine.
He handed the mobile phone back to Qiu Xiaoman: "You go back first, I'll let you know if anything happens."
Qiu Xiaoman took the two dogs, hailed a taxi, and returned to the base.
We happened to run into veterinarian He Rui, who was carrying an empty dog cage, as if he had just come back from outside.
Qiu Xiaoman called out loudly, "Teacher He, what are you doing? Picking up the dog?"
"No, the cage is dirty, I'll take it to wash." He Rui's eyes darted away, as if he didn't want to say anything more to her, and he quickened his pace and left.
Qiu Xiaoman was completely confused. She looked down at the two dogs and asked, "Don't you guys think he's a little strange?"
"Yes, there is a hint of that. He smells like a strange dog." Maodu immediately relayed the information he had smelled.
Chocolate barked in agreement: "It's a strange dog, probably brought in for treatment. If there's nothing wrong, we didn't keep it."
Qiu Xiaoman stared suspiciously at He Rui's retreating figure and asked, "You guys can track that dog's scent, right?"
"Yes!" the two dogs said in unison!
Qiu Xiaoman was very pleased. What a good dog! A true model worker! She then took the two dogs for a walk around the base.
The final conclusion was that the dog in the cage only emitted a scent between the base entrance and the veterinary room, and not even inside the kennel.
This means there were no other witness dogs, and the chain of evidence ends here.
But Qiu Xiaoman's intuition told her that something was definitely wrong, so she took the two dogs to the veterinary clinic and asked He Rui to examine them to see if they had suffered any injuries that were not visible to the naked eye during the mission.
With his back to her, He Rui quickly checked everything, simplifying the process, and then replied casually, "It's fine, they're all good. They're tired too, I'll take them to rest."
Qiu Xiaoman shook her head, took the tow rope, and casually asked, "Have Captain Meng and Fang Jiadong returned?"
"No," He Rui replied quickly, seemingly a little impatient.
Qiu Xiaoman frowned, just as she was about to try to get more information out of him, when the phone in the veterinary room rang, and Fang Jiadong's voice came from the other end.
He Rui instinctively covered the microphone, staring at Qiu Xiaoman with disdain: "Is there anything else?"
Qiu Xiaoman frowned as well. He Rui wasn't usually like this; he was usually so amiable. What was wrong with him today?
Could it be that he was bribed by Fang Jiadong? Oh well, let's observe slowly. If there's a real problem, he'll slip up sooner or later.
She led the dog away from the vet's office, but unexpectedly, Chocolate was quite clever and managed to break free of the leash and run back, sneaking up on He Rui, trying to eavesdrop.
However, He Rui was alert and immediately noticed him, instinctively kicking the air.
Chocolate also knows how to disguise itself. It darted to the shelf in the veterinary room and knocked over a bucket of beef jerky, clearly begging for food.
This really worried He Rui, so he quickly said to the other end, "Don't worry about me doing things, just don't shortchange me."
After saying that, he quickly came over, opened the lid of the beef jerky, grabbed two pieces at random, and gave them to the chocolate.
Chocolate ran back to Qiu Xiaoman and repeated what she had said, concluding, "He must have done something bad, maybe he sold the dog!"
Qiu Xiaoman had a similar deduction. She sent the two dogs back to their kennel and asked Kong Linfu to feed them.
I also asked Kong Linfu if anyone at the base was involved in selling dogs.
Kong Linfu was clearly a little surprised. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, he turned his head away, sparing his words.
Qiu Xiaoman was speechless. She returned to her office and checked the files of all the dogs at the base, but unfortunately, she found nothing unusual and had to give up.
Frustrated, she halted the investigation, unsure of Meng's situation, and could only wait for news.
At lunchtime, Shen Tenglong, unusually, did not come to pick her up. She opened the car door, looked at Shen Qinghuai sitting in the back seat, and asked curiously, "President Shen, isn't your company busy?"
"No matter how busy you are, is it more important than your life?" Shen Qinghuai didn't want to say that.
He didn't want to dampen his child's enthusiasm, but if he didn't mention the Wu family's affairs at all, he would regret it if something really happened to the child.
I had to say it tactfully: "A leader surnamed Wu from the compound called me and said that his grandson committed a crime and killed someone in a car accident."
Qiu Xiaoman suddenly realized that it seemed the Wu family was threatening Shen Qinghuai and wanted her dead.
She sat down silently, closed the car door, and stared blankly at the scenery outside the window without saying a word.
Shen Qinghuai sighed and comforted him, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
Qiu Xiaoman turned around in surprise, full of confusion: "Why should I be afraid? Did I do something wrong?"
“You don’t, you’re fine.” Shen Qinghuai smiled awkwardly. “It’s just that not everyone in this world is reasonable.”
"I really hate it when you all treat me like a child. I know what I'm doing, and I don't need you all lecturing me." Qiu Xiaoman was annoyed, but unfortunately the car was moving and on a busy thoroughfare, otherwise she really would have gotten out and left right now.
Seeing her strong reaction, Shen Qinghuai could only force a smile and say, "I didn't lecture you. I was just afraid that you'd be too sensitive to criticism and might accidentally hurt yourself."
"No one has hurt me more than you and Chan Pak-wai." Qiu Xiaoman ended the argument with this one sentence.
These words were so damaging that Shen Qinghuai's smile froze on his face, and he couldn't find a way to save face for a long time.
In the end, he could only awkwardly turn his head away and start working on the documents.
Looking at the conflicted father and daughter in the rearview mirror, the driver couldn't help but sigh, "It's truly an insurmountable challenge for parents who have abandoned their children to mend their relationship."
Finally, after many twists and turns, the car stopped outside a secluded alley.
Shen Qinghuai got out of the car and waited, but Qiu Xiaoman walked directly across the street.
Shen Qinghuai could only shout, "I was wrong, okay? Come here quickly, I've had someone make you some old goose soup, freshly killed."
Qiu Xiaoman originally planned to just leave, but when she turned around and saw Shen Qinghuai's submissive manner, she felt that she had been bullying him.
Forget it, it's just a meal. I'll get angry after I finish eating.
When she followed Shen Qinghuai to the very end of the alley, she discovered a hidden paradise.
There is still a quaint courtyard here, with three courtyards, each with its own characteristics. Shen Qinghuai led her to the innermost courtyard. As soon as they arrived at the door, they saw a middle-aged woman in a trench coat with her hands in her pockets smiling and nodding at her.
Qiu Xiaoman looked at Shen Qinghuai in surprise: "President Shen, please introduce yourself."
"This is Aunt Wu Meinian." Shen Qinghuai hesitated for a moment before introducing her directly, "She is Old Master Wu's youngest daughter and Wu Haoxiong's aunt."
Wu Haoxiong was the driver who caused the accident; he was also a drug dealer who sold meatballs.
Qiu Xiaoman's impression of this middle-aged woman instantly plummeted.
She didn't understand why Shen Qinghuai had brought her here, but it would be irrational to show Shen Qinghuai a cold shoulder in front of outsiders, so she could only take it one step at a time.
She greeted "Hello, Auntie" with a blank expression.
Wu Meinian said with a smile, "Hello, don't feel guilty. I'm not here to exonerate Haoxiong, so don't worry."
Qiu Xiaoman went in with some skepticism, sat down at the dining table, and asked, "How did you meet President Shen?"
“We’re classmates.” Wu Meinian smiled as she picked up the unopened chopsticks, tore open the outer packaging, poked open the plastic film on the tableware, and asked curiously, “Didn’t your dad tell you? We grew up together in the compound when we were little.”
Qiu Xiaoman frowned. Father? She didn't acknowledge him.
She skipped over that question and instead asked, "Auntie, are you inviting him to dinner, or me?"
"No, it's not that. Your father invited me to dinner," Wu Meinian explained with a smile. "This is where our old classmates get together. We usually go to restaurants outside for social occasions, and we only come here for special circumstances. Don't worry, I know about Haoxiong's situation. It was all because my father spoiled his grandson and neglected to discipline him. Our Wu family won't blame you."
Qiu Xiaoman didn't say anything. So Shen Qinghuai came to clean up her mess?
But she didn't think she was wrong. Did she need to be so humble and bow down to the powerful?
She was very angry, but when she saw Shen Qinghuai actually stand up to pour wine for Wu Meinian and smile apologetically, she couldn't vent her frustration.
I could only silently poke open the plastic packaging of the cutlery and eat my food in silence, pretending that I was invisible.
During this time, Wu Meinian tried to start a conversation with her, and she answered calmly to avoid embarrassing Shen Qinghuai.
But when Wu Meinian asked her if she had a boyfriend, she couldn't take it anymore and replied directly, "I'm still young, I don't date. Thank you for your concern, Auntie. Let's eat, the food is getting cold."
Wu Meinian had no choice but to change the subject for the time being. As for introducing her son, she said, "Let's take it slow, there's no rush."
With Shen Qinghuai as our intermediary, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future.
After finishing her meal and returning to the car, Qiu Xiaoman was no longer angry, but looking out the window at the receding roadside trees, she felt an indescribable sense of frustration.
Shen Qinghuai looked at her, hesitated, and ultimately chose to remain silent.
While waiting for the traffic light to turn red, Shen Qinghuai finally thought of a topic: "Should we go to Uncle Zhou's house to see the dog?"
Qiu Xiaoman gave a muffled "hmm" without turning around.
Shen Qinghuai smiled. This child's thoughts were easy to guess. She was angry simply because she didn't want to compromise with the dark rules of this society.
He's just like he was when he was young, but unfortunately, he can't go on like this; he'll suffer the harsh realities of society.
He had suffered many losses, but he learned his lesson and achieved his current success. However, he didn't want his daughter to suffer any losses, so he came to apologize and clean up the mess. There was nothing to be ashamed of, since Wu Meinian was his classmate after all.
With this relationship in place, there's always room for things to turn around.
When Qiu Xiaoman arrived at Uncle Zhou's house, she found the black dog lying on a folding bed receiving an IV drip, and it seemed to be in pretty good spirits.
She paid the medical bills and instructed, "I'll pick her up tonight. Uncle Zhou, please look after her for half a day."
Uncle Zhou nodded: "Don't worry."
Qiu Xiaoman remembered something and asked, "By the way, last time my colleague Wu Shirong went on a business trip, he left his cat Mimi with you. Why did you send her back halfway through the trip, Uncle Zhou?"
“It wasn’t me, it was my nephew who did it.” Uncle Zhou said helplessly, “He came to see me and was disgusted by the smell of the cats and dogs’ urine. While I was at the hospital getting an IV drip, he sent all the cats and dogs back.”
Are you sick?
"Well, didn't the electron tube factory incident involve my son Zhou Bin? He was arrested." Uncle Zhou smiled awkwardly, "It's the father's fault for not raising his son properly, please excuse me."
Qiu Xiaoman couldn't smile, she just sighed: "His problem shouldn't be too serious, he'll be out in a while. Take care of yourself, Uncle Zhou."
"Thank you." Uncle Zhou forced a smile and watched the father and daughter leave.
As they approached the first floor, Qiu Xiaoman suddenly stopped and looked at Shen Qinghuai behind her: "I've been planning to open a pet hospital. Why don't we ask Uncle Zhou to come and help? Let him come out and interact with more young people; it'll cheer him up. It'll also make it easier for me to take my cats and dogs to the vet."
“Okay, how big do you plan to open? I’ll prepare the shop.” Shen Qinghuai agreed without hesitation, no longer the ruthless shrew he once was.
Qiu Xiaoman sighed and thought for a moment before saying, "If we're going to do it, let's do it properly. Six storefronts, selling pet supplies along with everything else."
"Okay," Shen Qinghuai readily agreed, then asked, "Do you need to hire anyone to help?"
"Let's hire someone to do odd jobs. Liu Kun can look after the supplies section, and Uncle Zhou will be in charge of seeing patients. I'll check the accounts every week, and that should be about it." Qiu Xiaoman walked downstairs and noticed it was raining. She subconsciously took a step back and accidentally stepped on Shen Qinghuai's foot. She subconsciously said sorry.
Shen Qinghuai smiled and glanced outside: "What's there to be embarrassed about? You used to pee on me when you were little."
Qiu Xiaoman didn't respond to that, feeling annoyed.
She looked at the rain outside: "Do you have an umbrella in your car?"
"Yes, wait here, I'll go get it." With that, he bent down and slipped into the rain, walked to the trunk of the car, and took out two umbrellas.
Qiu Xiaoman was filled with mixed feelings. She walked silently under the umbrella, vaguely recalling that when she was a child and went to school in the mountain village, Shen Qinghuai would carry her there whenever it rained heavily.
Those days are gone forever.
Even if he's willing to hold an umbrella for her now, it's not the same.
Back in the car, she closed her eyes and dozed off without saying a word. Shen Qinghuai didn't disturb her, but just stared at her profile, lost in thought.
Rainwater lashed against the car window, trickling down his daughter's face, much like the downpour he'd witnessed over a decade ago. To keep her little backpack dry, he'd found a fertilizer bag, turned it inside out, and used the plastic lining as a makeshift rain shelter.
He poked five holes in the bag, one for his daughter's eyes, one for her nose, and one for her mouth. He simply put the fertilizer bag over her head, and without worrying about the rain washing it away, he could carry the little girl home.
So many years have passed, and he is no longer the penniless father who could only use fertilizer bags to shelter his daughter from the wind and rain.
He can let her sit comfortably in the car, and he will take care of whatever storms may come her way.
After delivering the man to the base, he made a phone call to his father: "The Wu family's grandson has gotten into trouble; Xiaoman caught him red-handed. Old Master Wu is probably going to be furious. I've already spoken to Wu Meinian; you need to think of something. If anything happens to Xiaoman, I'll drag the entire Wu family down with me. Nobody will get away with it. I mean what I say; you know my temper!"
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