Qi Zhifang, fighting back tears, pleaded, "Officer, could I speak to my daughter alone?"
The policeman snorted and left. Qi Zhifang punched Wang Fang a few times, saying with exasperation, "What heinous thing have you done! You're about to go to a labor camp. You're scared to death now, but what about before? Why weren't you scared before?"
Wang Fang bit her lip and could only shake her head and cry. Qi Zhifang clenched her fists in anger and roared in a low voice, "If you want to leave, you should at least tell me what happened!"
Wang Fang lowered her head and cried softly, "I've been bleeding for many days. After I fainted that time, he and his friend tried to take me to the hospital for an abortion, but I didn't have a marriage certificate or a letter of introduction from my work unit. The doctor not only ignored us but also cursed at us. In a fit of anger, he and his friend beat up the doctor and even threatened him with a knife. Then they stole the brigade's official seal and gave me a sick leave certificate so I could go straight back to the city after the surgery. They ran away too..."
When Qi Zhifang heard this, she was completely stunned and had no idea what Wang Fang had said next. Her mind was filled with the thought, "It's all over, it's all over..."
At this moment, she wished she could just kill herself rather than endure this. She pushed Wang Fang away, forcing herself to calm down. "You have no way out now. Your body is in such a state. Even if you're not convicted of being an accomplice, you've still committed the crime of having illicit sexual relations. You'll definitely get ten years of labor reform. And with the charge of being an accomplice..."
Wang Fang covered her ears, tears streaming down her face, and screamed, "Stop talking! Stop talking! Mom, please stop! I don't want to go to jail, I don't want to be a convict! Please save me, save me!" Then, stunned and incredulous, she said, "Mom, you don't want to save me? What happened between you and Dai Shiliang, and Xiao Hu, was much more serious than what I'm going through, and you got away with it..."
Qi Zhifang closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Shut up!"
Wang Fang knelt down with a thud, hugging Qi Zhifang's legs and pleading, "Mom, Mom, I beg you, save me this time, just this once! I promise I'll listen to you from now on!" She then burst into tears, sobbing, "Mom... I was wrong, I was so wrong!"
Qi Zhifang said softly, "I was only able to get out of prison because I slept with people, but I'm still carrying this reputation now, you..."
Wang Fang plopped down on the ground. She genuinely couldn't stand having intimate relationships with any man other than Zhao Yunxiang.
Seeing his expression, Qi Zhifang turned to leave, but Wang Fang grabbed her arm, crying, "Mom, don't abandon me!"
Qi Zhifang, fighting back tears, said, "You think too highly of me. I'm just a cleaner at my workplace now. What right do I have to tell you what to do?"
Wang Fang felt weak all over. Recalling the rumors in the brigade, tears welled up in her eyes. As Qi Zhifang, as if carrying a thousand-pound shackle, slowly moved towards the door, just as she was about to open it, Wang Fang whispered, "I agree!"
Qi Zhifang's hand, gripping the doorknob, froze, and she stepped out. She was deeply conflicted and felt utterly disgusted. Li Maocai was nearly twenty years older than her; he had not only ruined her life but was now going to ruin her daughter's as well. The thought made her want to vomit.
When I got home, I didn't want to talk to anyone and just crawled into bed to sleep.
When the family was eating, Qi Zhijun asked, "Why isn't Fangzi eating?"
Mother Qi opened her mouth, glanced at Xiao Cui, sighed and said, "Eat! Fangfang has no appetite after what happened to her."
Xiao Cui was more obedient and didn't provoke Qi's mother anymore. After the couple finished their meal quietly and went back to their room, Qi's mother tidied up and went back inside. Looking at Qi Zhifang lying motionless on the bed, she sighed and said, "What's wrong with you? Are you thinking of taking that path to save Fangfang again?"
Qi Zhifang remained silent and still; all she wanted to do now was hide for a while. Every minute she hid meant 60 less seconds of thinking.
The next day, she went to the police station early and saw Wang Fang standing with a group of prisoners. Wang Fang's thin and frail figure trembled in the crowd.
Qi Zhifang asked the policeman next to her, "Comrade, where are these people going?"
The police said, "They'll all be sent to the farm soon!"
Qi Zhifang's face turned ashen. She hurriedly rushed out the door, found the phone, and called Li Maocai. "This is Qi Zhifang. Please save Wang Fang. We'll agree to any conditions!" After saying this, Qi Zhifang collapsed and squatted down.
"The usual place tonight!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com