Chapter 18 Xiaoyue: The little girl was as thin as a stick.
Ying Songmao glanced at his watch. From receiving Jiang Ling's call at 4:20 to now at 6:15, only two hours had passed, yet Jiang Ling had already successfully sketched out the basic information of the perpetrator.
If her guess is correct, finding the person shouldn't be difficult.
Ying Songmao stood up: "Then you go find the person, I'll go back to the station."
Wei Changfeng finally felt his presence recognized and hurriedly stood up to stop them: "Hey, Captain Ying, how can you go back? It's almost lunchtime, have a quick meal at our police station first."
Ying Songmao shifted his gaze to Jiang Ling.
Jiang Ling had just taken off her hair clip and pinned it to her ear. The row of white pearls on the clip shimmered slightly, making her eyebrows and eyes appear even more striking.
Ying Songmao has excellent eyesight and saw an old "Y"-shaped scar at the end of her left eyebrow. The scar was about one centimeter long and wide, and light in color, so it must have been there when she was a child.
Ying Songmao remained silent, and Jiang Ling, thinking he was hesitating, said, "Let's eat first, and then we'll take action."
"Yes, it's already lunchtime. We can't let you go back hungry. The food in our police station canteen is ordinary, but Chef Hu's cooking is excellent, and everyone loves it."
Wei Changfeng was even happier to see Jiang Ling speak up for him. He thought to himself that although this girl was usually quiet and only talked about work and not life, she was quite considerate when she occasionally said a few words.
Ying Songmao nodded and replied, "Okay."
Hearing this "good," Liu Haoran smiled and took a lunchbox from the metal cabinet: "Little Jiang is right. Even the emperor doesn't starve his soldiers. Eat your fill before you work. We'll work overtime tonight!"
The group rushed to the cafeteria, where Chef Hu had already set out the food.
Four stainless steel plates: one for steamed rice, one for shredded potatoes, one for braised pork with preserved vegetables, and one for stir-fried pork with chili peppers. Next to it is a stainless steel soup pot containing seaweed and egg soup.
Four dishes and a soup, generous portions, and the aroma of rice filled the air.
Jiang Ling usually sits in a corner, and this time was no exception. She sat down in the farthest corner with her aluminum lunchbox and ate alone.
Knowing Jiang Ling's personality, Li Zhenliang, Liu Haoran, and Zhou Wei did not approach her, but instead chose to sit at the square table next to her.
Wei Changfeng brought over two plates and helped Ying Songmao and Zhao Jingxin serve their food. The three of them sat at a square table, eating and chatting.
Although it was called a chat, Wei Changfeng and Zhao Jingxin actually did most of the talking, while Ying Songmao barely uttered a single word from beginning to end.
Wei Changfeng didn't treat Ying Songmao as an outsider and quietly asked Zhao Jingxin, "Has Captain Ying always been so quiet?"
Zhao Jingxin, Ying Songmao's assistant and apprentice, smiled when he heard Wei Changfeng's words, revealing two dimples on his face, making him look very endearing: "Well, my master doesn't like socializing. He's a man of few words and concise speech. If you ask him to speak on stage, he really speaks one word at a time, and it's painful to listen to him."
Wei Changfeng pointed to Jiang Ling, who was eating alone in the corner: "See? She's quite similar to Xiao Jiang from our police station in this respect; neither of them likes to talk to people."
Zhao Jingxin glanced at Jiang Ling, then at Ying Songmao, his eyes full of amusement: "They really do look alike. But I saw Officer Jiang speaking so eloquently just now, which is better than my master."
Wei Changfeng shook his head: "No, no, no, Xiao Jiang only talks a lot when it comes to work. He never takes the initiative to communicate with his colleagues at other times."
After thinking for a moment, Wei Changfeng added, "But it's better now; they still occasionally gossip a little."
Ying Songmao's ears perked up.
He knew he had a bit of social anxiety and would feel intimidated in crowded places. He was known in the technical team for being aloof and serious, but that was just a protective shell, a way to keep his distance from others.
It was rare to encounter someone like him, so Ying Songmao couldn't help but start paying attention.
I heard that Jiang Ling just graduated not long ago. She's at the prime of her youth and should be a happy and optimistic person. How could she be as afraid of socializing as him?
Wei Changfeng, a rather gossipy man, lowered his voice and said, "Xiao Jiang is an orphan who grew up in an orphanage. It wasn't easy for her to get into police academy. She doesn't like to get too close to people and always keeps to herself. But she's very smart, highly skilled in her profession, and has strong criminal investigation abilities. She can talk about criminal psychology very well. She was the one who led the investigation into Qian Darong last time."
The food at the Jinwu Road Police Station canteen was quite delicious, but Ying Songmao found it rather unappetizing.
Jiang Ling turned out to be an orphan.
Ying Songmao had been curious about the kind of environment that could nurture such an outstanding Jiang Ling, but he never expected that she had grown up alone. It must have been a very difficult and arduous journey for her.
Ying Songmao decided that if Jiang Ling encountered any problems in the future, he would definitely provide more support and assistance.
Jiang Ling ate quickly, and stood up after only seven or eight minutes.
As soon as Jiang Ling stood up, Li Zhenliang and the other two hurriedly stood up as well, shoveling food into their mouths while mumbling incoherently.
"You've finished eating?"
"Should we leave now?"
"Coming right away, just a few seconds."
This newly formed four-person group clearly follows Jiang Ling's lead.
Wei Changfeng waved to Jiang Ling: "Hurry up and investigate, try to find the person as soon as possible."
Ying Songmao put down his chopsticks and said to Jiang Ling, who was walking past him with a lunchbox, "Call me when you have the results, no matter how late."
Jiang Ling paused for a moment: "Okay."
After saying "okay," Jiang Ling walked out of the cafeteria without looking back, followed closely by Li Zhenliang, Liu Haoran, and Zhou Wei.
Zhao Jingxin couldn't help but exclaim, "Officer Jiang is even younger than me, I didn't expect him to be so impressive."
Ying Songmao glanced at him sideways: "Shut up." What does it mean to be imposing? Jiang Ling is winning people over with his abilities.
Jiang Ling had excellent hearing, so she naturally knew that Wei Changfeng was talking about her behind her back. In her previous life, she might have felt like she had thorns in her side because she hated being the center of attention, but having been reborn, she was much stronger and didn't mind.
Who doesn't talk about others in front of them? Who isn't talked about behind their back?
If Lao Wei wants to tell his story, then let him. It's a good thing that the technical team knows he's not sociable and doesn't like people getting close to him, so they won't have to explain it to him when they interact with him in the future.
Night falls and the city lights begin to twinkle.
Four figures on bicycles appeared and disappeared under the streetlights, sometimes short, sometimes long.
The shops on both sides of the road were brightly lit, and children were jumping and playing by the roadside, their laughter clear and melodious like silver bells.
Li Zhenliang sighed, "That's what kids are like."
Liu Haoran shook his head: "Sigh, it's a pity that he became a thief to get revenge on someone like Qian Jianshe."
Zhou Wei, being more level-headed, said, "Hey, we haven't even found them yet. Isn't it a bit too hasty to start saying things like this?"
Zhou Wei's words successfully calmed down the emotional Li Zhenliang and Liu Haoran.
Yes, we still don't know if Jiang Ling's psychological profile is accurate. Who knows if she is a little girl who witnessed her mother's infidelity and developed a desire for revenge, stealing the bell every month?
After a moment's thought, Li Zhenliang said firmly, "I believe Xiao Jiang. When she said that Qian Darong had a tendency to commit sexual crimes, no one believed her at first. They thought that a 15-year-old boy was at most curious about sex, how could he possibly go down the path of crime? But later it turned out that she was right."
Liu Haoran and Zhou Wei exchanged a glance and remained silent. If Jiang Ling's words proved true this time, they would listen to her in everything from now on.
It was getting late when we arrived at the towel factory.
The towel factory has been doing poorly in recent years, and the employees' morale is low. Under the streetlights, a group of people are huddled together playing cards, occasionally letting out strange shouts.
Jiang Ling and his group did not disturb the group of gamblers, and parked their car directly in front of a grocery store at the factory gate.
This shop must be a place that workers often visit after get off work. The goods are affordable and convenient. When it gets cold, they also sell homemade ginger tea, which is served in a thermos and costs five cents a cup.
"This time it's my treat." Jiang Ling bought four cups of ginger tea.
Li Zhenliang was pleasantly surprised: "Xiao Jiang is becoming more and more sensible in social interactions."
Jiang Ling smiled but remained silent.
Last time Liu Haoran and Li Zhenliang treated her to candy, this time she treated them to sweet soup. It's a give-and-take situation, she understands that principle.
A small folding table was set up at the entrance of the grocery store, with several red plastic stools next to it. Liu Haoran took the ginger and brown sugar water poured out by the store owner and placed it on the small table.
The four of them sat down, and after drinking the hot ginger tea, their hands and feet, which had been chilled by the night breeze, warmed up.
Zhou Wei waved to the shop owner: "Boss, I want to ask you something."
The shop owner was a chubby middle-aged man. He was bored sitting in the shop and loved to chat with his neighbors about everyday matters. When he heard Zhou Wei's words, he immediately came out of the shop with a smile and sat down at the table as if they were old friends: "You guys don't look familiar. What brings you here?"
Zhou Wei knew how to get people talking: "I'm looking for someone. I don't know if you're familiar with this area, boss."
The shop owner immediately became interested and pulled the stool closer: "I've been running this shop for six or seven years. I know almost every employee in the towel factory. Just ask me whoever you're looking for."
Zhou Wei asked, "I have a cousin who I haven't been in touch with for a long time. I only know that she works in a towel factory and has a daughter who is about eleven or twelve years old."
The shop owner asked, "What's your cousin's name?"
Zhou Wei looked troubled: "Well..."
He hadn't figured out how to make up the story yet, so he gestured to Liu Haoran to go ahead.
Liu Haoran is quick-witted and adept at making up stories: "We don't know my cousin's name either. My aunt was poor back then and couldn't support so many children, so she had to give her away. I guess her name was changed too. So many years have passed, and my aunt misses her, so she asked us to help her find her."
Zhou Wei was inspired and continued making things up: "We inquired all the way here and finally got some information, so we rushed over here. We don't know if she's still working at the towel factory after all these years."
The shop owner, upon hearing this, expressed deep sympathy: "Oh, how pitiful, given away by her own mother at such a young age. But there must be four hundred female employees in the towel factory, how are you going to find them if you don't even have their names?"
Jiang Ling was drinking ginger tea for the first time at the grocery store and found it quite novel. After finishing it in one go, she joined in asking questions: "She's in her thirties, very beautiful, and single with a daughter. The child is eleven or twelve years old, very thin, not very tall, and often keeps to herself and doesn't like to talk. The mother and daughter depend on each other and live in the family apartment building."
At this point, the shop owner began to think seriously: "A very thin little girl... Hmm, I just remembered someone. She sometimes comes to my shop to buy candy. She's so thin it's heartbreaking. Her hands are like chicken claws. I don't know how her parents take care of her. Poor thing."
There really is such a person!
Zhou Wei leaned forward, his eyes filled with urgency: "What's the little girl's name?"
The shop owner thought for a moment: "I once heard someone call her, I think it was... Xiaoyue? Or maybe Xiaoxue? Oh, right, I've met her mother, she had long hair in a bun, was quite pretty, and spoke softly. It's a pity, she just doesn't know how to raise children, that little girl is as thin as a stick, it's really a tragedy."
Zhou Wei pressed further, "Where do they live, mother and daughter?"
The shop owner pointed to four tenement buildings lit up in the night: "I live there, but I don't know exactly which one."
Xiaoyue!
I've finally found you.
A dazzling light flashed in Jiang Ling's eyes.
Everything matched Shen Xiaomei's file.
Xiaoyue still lives with her mother. Her mother is not dead, and Xiaoyue is not homeless.
If we can find them and stop the tragedy before it happens, we can save Xiaoyue from her untimely death.
Thinking of this, Jiang Ling put down the patterned glass: "Go ask in the family quarters."
Walking into the towel factory, I asked several employees living in the staff quarters the same question, and I got more and more information.
"You're looking for Lin Xiaoyue, right? Yes, Xiaoyue is the name of dawn and the name of the moon. It's a good name, but her life is unfortunate. When her father was alive, he used to beat her a lot, and she was always covered in bruises. After her father died, she finally recovered a little, but in the last year or two, I don't know if she got sick, she's gotten thinner and thinner. Last night I saw her squatting under a streetlamp, lost in thought. She was as thin as a sheet of paper, it was really pitiful to see her like that."
"Lin Xiaoyue is a very well-behaved child. She doesn't make a fuss or cause trouble. She's just not talkative and always keeps her head down, keeping to herself. She doesn't play with the other kids in the apartment building. I always feel like she has something on her mind. My sister told me that Lin Xiaoyue isn't very active in class either. She rarely raises her hand to speak in class, and nobody wants to sit next to her."
"Lin Xiaoyue's mother is named Wen Xiufen. She works in the dyeing and finishing workshop, working three shifts a day with irregular hours. In recent years, the company's performance has been poor, and the leaders are constantly talking about restructuring and layoffs. Everyone is quite nervous, and life is tough. Wen Xiufen married into our factory from the countryside; she's a very honest person."
"The man Wen Xiufen dated first was no good. He drank and gambled all day and died in an accident. She never dated again and just lived with Xiaoyue. They used to live in an old bungalow over there. There wasn't even a toilet. The conditions were terrible. Last year, the factory made a special exception and allocated her an apartment. I don't know which leader she got in touch with."
Following the clues, Jiang Ling arrived at the door of apartment 204 in building three and knocked on the door.
Who is it?
The person who opened the door was a mature woman who was yawning.
She looked like she had just crawled out of bed, wearing a thick cardigan over her thermal underwear, her hair loose over her shoulders, with an oval face, big eyes, and dark circles under her eyes, clearly indicating she hadn't slept well.
Seeing Jiang Ling and his group lined up at the door, each with sharp eyes and an imposing presence, the woman's eyes widened in wariness, and she gripped the collar of her sweater tightly: "Who are you?"
Jiang Ling showed his police ID: "Police officer."
The woman glanced at the police officer's badge with suspicion: "What's the matter?"
Jiang Ling asked, "Wen Xiufen?"
The woman nodded: "It's me."
Jiang Ling's attitude was very gentle: "I want to ask you about some things, and I hope you can cooperate."
Wen Xiufen stepped aside to let Jiang Ling in, but she was very resistant to Li Zhenliang and the others. She looked at Jiang Ling cautiously and said, "Um... there are only women in the room, it's not convenient for men to come in."
Jiang Ling gestured for Li Zhenliang to also show his police ID: "We need at least two people present. Let him in."
The woman thought about it for a moment and finally nodded in agreement.
Jiang Ling walked into the house and found that it was a small two-bedroom apartment. The living room was very small, with doors on all four walls, and could only barely fit a dining table and two chairs.
A small window on the west side of the living room, with light blue floral curtains hanging there, gives the whole room a touch of elegance.
Only one bedroom light was on.
Jiang Ling pointed to another dark room: "Is your daughter Lin Xiaoyue home?"
Wen Xiufen wasn't fully awake yet. She rubbed her hands together and breathed warm air into them, saying, "You're sleeping, aren't you?"
Jiang Ling glanced at the wall clock in the living room: "You're already asleep at eight o'clock?"
Wen Xiufen was stunned for a moment, her expression somewhat blank. It took her a while to react. She shuffled to the second bedroom in her cotton slippers, pushed open the door, and pulled the light cord, turning on the room light.
Glancing inside, Wen Xiufen turned to Jiang Ling, her voice flat as if her daughter's absence was perfectly normal: "Xiaoyue isn't in the house."
Li Zhenliang frowned.
As he listened to the conversation, his sympathy for Lin Xiaoyue prevailed. He felt that Wen Xiufen, as a mother, was negligent, so his tone unconsciously carried a hint of dissatisfaction: "It's getting dark, aren't you worried about her, a young girl, being out there alone?"
Hearing Li Zhenliang's words, Wen Xiufen felt extremely aggrieved: "I have to work the night shift tonight, from midnight to eight in the morning. I'll be busy in the workshop all night without a minute's rest. If I don't get some sleep during the day, I definitely won't be able to hold on tonight. I was sleeping the whole time just now, how could I possibly care about Xiaoyue?"
Jiang Ling knew how hard it was for workers to work three shifts, with irregular schedules and days and nights. After finishing the night shift, they only had one day of rest before having to start the early shift again at 8 a.m. the next day. Judging from Wen Xiufen's complexion, she knew that she hadn't had a good rest at all.
A person who doesn't get enough sleep over a long period of time, without anyone to help them, would probably find it difficult to balance work, family, and education.
Jiang Ling asked, "Where does Lin Xiaoyue usually go? Do you want us to help you find her and bring her back?"
Wen Xiufen sighed: "It's alright, Xiaoyue is very sensible and won't run around. She must have gone to a classmate's house to do her homework."
Jiang Ling: "Are you sure?"
Wen Xiufen emphasized once again that her child is sensible: "I work three shifts and don't have much time to take care of her. She is very well-behaved. She goes to school and comes home by herself. When she gets food from the cafeteria, she even knows to bring it for me. Her teachers and classmates all say that she is sensible."
Thinking of the news she had heard, Jiang Ling said, "But she's so sensible, she hasn't taken good care of herself and is too thin."
Wen Xiufen's face was a little pale, and her eyes began to dart away: "The child is just growing taller, but not gaining weight."
Jiang Ling shook her head: "He's not very tall either."
Wen Xiufen didn't want to continue this topic: "What are you here to investigate today?"
Jiang Ling cut to the chase: "Do you know Qian Jianshe?"
Wen Xiufen immediately tensed up, pulling her sweater and coat tighter around herself: "Why, why are you asking this?"
Jiang Ling stared into her eyes, her voice still calm: "You know him, don't you?"
Wen Xiufen didn't dare to meet her gaze, turning her head to look at the corner of the table: "He's the big director of the textile factory, who doesn't know him?"
Jiang Ling already had the answer in her heart: "You and him, have been in contact?"
Wen Xiufen didn't say anything, but her breathing became heavy.
Jiang Ling didn't press further, but instead brought up the Qian Darong case: "Qian Jianshe had improper relationships with multiple women and has been publicly criticized by the textile factory. The deputy director has also been dismissed. You know that, right?"
"No, I don't know." Wen Xiufen looked down at the surface of her shoes, as if a flower had bloomed there.
"Qian Jianshe had an extramarital affair and was immoral, which led his son to follow suit. At the age of fifteen, his son was sent to a juvenile detention center for attempted rape. It was because of his son's crime that Qian Jianshe was investigated by his workplace, and his past was exposed."
Wen Xiufen felt a chill run through her body, and her face grew paler and paler: "What, what does this have to do with me? I'm just an ordinary worker at the towel factory, and I have no dealings with him."
Jiang Ling fell silent.
Through the conversation just now, Jiang Ling has gained a preliminary understanding of Wen Xiufen.
Wen Xiufen looks honest and timid, but she is very stubborn and a bit inflexible on certain issues.
In other words, such people usually lack flexibility and are prone to falling into black-and-white logic.
She believed that Lin Xiaoyue was sensible and safe even if she came home late, and that pointing out her problems might lead to conflict.
She resolutely refused to admit to having a special relationship with Qian Jianshe and developed a psychological defense against the police. At this point, continuing to question her would only backfire.
However, at least three things can be confirmed at present.
—She had an improper relationship with Qian Jianshe, but they acted discreetly and it has not been exposed so far;
—Her job involves three shifts, so she doesn't have much time to take care of her children.
Lin Xiaoyue was basically left to her own devices, and the mother and daughter did not communicate much.
All three points above are consistent with the characteristics of the previous psychological profile.
Seeing Jiang Ling remain silent, Li Zhenliang, who was sitting next to her, felt that he should speak up, so he took out a few photos from his bag: "Since November last year, there have been 11 cases of bicycle bell theft in our jurisdiction. We suspect that Lin Xiaoyue is involved. Please cooperate with our investigation."
Wen Xiufen suddenly stood up, her body trembling uncontrollably: "Impossible! My Xiaoyue is very well-behaved, she could never be a thief!"
Clearly, Li Zhenliang's question triggered Wen Xiufen's defense mechanism, and she is now in a state of resistance, making it difficult for her to communicate peacefully with others.
Li Zhenliang tried to calm Wen Xiufen down: "Don't worry. Even if someone under 16 commits a crime, the main focus is on education. We're here to help her."
Wen Xiufen was still agitated. Her eyes widened, and she involuntarily pounded the table with her hands: "Even if we don't go to jail, we can't be accused of theft! Xiaoyue goes to class diligently every day and does her homework carefully when she gets home. She helps me with housework when I'm not home. How could she possibly steal a bicycle bell? Don't wrong an innocent person. Impossible, absolutely impossible!"
The door opened as soon as he finished speaking.
A little girl with a key hanging around her neck walked in.
The girl is about 1.4 meters tall and very thin, really very thin.
She was wearing a red pullover sweater with a beige coat over it. The clothes were loose and baggy on her, making her look like she had stolen an adult's clothes.
But upon closer inspection, the clothes were all new and the shoulder width was just right; they only looked ill-fitting because the girl was too thin.
She had a small, oval face, with thin cheeks that made her eyes appear unusually large. Her hands, as the grocery store owner had described, were indeed like sticks, with wrists as thin as firewood and fingers like chicken claws.
It's not like the famine years of the past, when food and clothing were scarce. How did this child get so thin?
As soon as Wen Xiufen saw her daughter, she immediately lowered her voice and said, "Xiaoyue, go inside and go to sleep."
Lin Xiaoyue ignored her words and quickly stepped forward to block her mother's path: "Who are you? What are you doing in my house?"
Jiang Ling stared intently at Lin Xiaoyue.
This is the beautiful older sister "Xiaoyue" that Shen Xiaomei has been longing for.
The homeless woman who made a living by stealing took in Shen Xiaomei, taught her to steal, taught her to read, and Xiaoyue, who depended on her for survival.
Xiaoyue, who died alone in her rented room at the age of 20 due to tuberculosis.
She is still a junior high school student. She has her house key hanging around her neck. Although she is thin and small, her face and head are clean and her clothes are warm. She is clearly a child who is loved and cared for.
Why did she end up homeless?
Why did Wen Xiufen die?
Despite having countless doubts in her mind, Jiang Ling did not show them and showed her police ID again: "We are police officers, here to find out some information."
Upon hearing the word "police," a flicker of panic crossed Lin Xiaoyue's eyes, and her legs trembled slightly: "Wh-what's going on?"
Wen Xiufen was even more flustered than her. She quickly walked to her daughter's side and pushed her into the house, saying, "This is an adult matter, you're just a child. Go back to your room and go to sleep."
Lin Xiaoyue, however, remained stubborn, not moving an inch, staring intently at Jiang Ling, and asked again, "What situation do you want to know?"
Li Zhenliang opened his mouth, about to speak, but was stopped by a look from Jiang Ling.
Lin Xiaoyue was very clever. Her big eyes swept across the table and landed on several photos laid out there. Her pupils contracted, and she seemed to freeze, involuntarily shivering.
Why are the police here? Did they find out something? Did they find out I stole the bell? Will Mom be sad and upset if she finds out? No, I absolutely can't let Mom know!
Countless thoughts flashed through her mind. Lin Xiaoyue pursed her lips, trying to calm herself down, and stepped in front of her mother: "We can talk about it tomorrow. My mother has to work the night shift tonight."
Meanwhile, Wen Xiufen was terrified that the police would question her daughter.
"She's still a child. How can she be questioned by the police like this? Xiaoyue has been without a father since she was little, and she's already more sensitive than other children. What if the police hurt her self-esteem? Won't her insomnia and anorexia get worse? No, I have to protect her. I absolutely can't let her be wronged at such a young age!"
With tears in her eyes, Wen Xiufen looked at Jiang Ling pleadingly, "Wait, wait until tomorrow, okay? Let's talk about it tomorrow, okay?"
Seeing the mother and daughter desperately defending each other, Li Zhenliang felt a lump in his throat, and he felt very uncomfortable.
Jiang Ling stood up: "Okay, then we'll be going now."
Both mother and daughter were on edge, and continuing to press them, given the lack of trust, would likely lead to conflict. Tonight wasn't a good time; it was better to wait.
Li Zhenliang also stood up, put the photos on the table into his briefcase. He had a lot to say, but he opened his mouth and didn't say a word.
Seeing that the police were no longer asking about the bicycle bell, Lin Xiaoyue's stiff neck finally relaxed a little.
Wen Xiufen looked up at Jiang Ling, her tearful eyes filled with gratitude.
Just as Jiang Ling and her companion reached the door, they suddenly heard a woman's shrill, piercing voice yelling from the stairwell: "Wen Xiufen, you filthy bitch, get out here! Shameless thing, can't you live without a man? Who are you trying to seduce with that horny ass all day long?!"
Jiang Ling and Li Zhenliang exchanged a glance.
That voice belongs to Zhao Yanhong.
Why is she here?
Qian Jianshe was disciplined by his work unit, and instead of keeping a low profile, she came to the towel factory to cause trouble!
Wen Xiufen also heard the sound.
Her face turned deathly pale, and she retreated repeatedly until her back hit the wall. As if boneless, she slid down the wall until she landed on her bottom. Then, like a frightened quail, she withdrew her hands and feet, curled up into a small ball, and huddled in the corner of the room, covering her head and trembling without making a sound.
Lin Xiaoyue's hands and feet began to tremble involuntarily, but when she turned around and looked at her mother, she instantly gained strength, stepped in front of her mother, and tried to use her small body to cover her.
The old-style tenement buildings had poor sound insulation, so shouting and cursing sounded particularly loud in the corridors.
"Everyone come and see! Wen Xiufen, that old hag, has no shame!"
"She's stolen my husband's heart; she's trying to kill me."
"Old Qian has been punished, and this vixen can't get away with it either. She must be expelled and publicly criticized!"
Jiang Ling did not open the door, but stood at the doorway looking at Wen Xiufen and Lin Xiaoyue.
At this moment, Wen Xiufen was huddled in a corner, holding her head, her eyes vacant, muttering something to herself, as if she had suffered a severe shock.
She likely has PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, which is a long-term mental disorder caused by experiencing or witnessing an extreme traumatic event.
I wonder what Wen Xiufen went through in the past, why she reacted so strongly to the cursing coming from the stairwell.
Lin Xiaoyue may seem strong, but she's not actually that much better off.
Although she did not dodge, her legs were trembling uncontrollably, and she was terrified and had no idea how to deal with it.
Jiang Ling said to Li Zhenliang, "You stay at the door, I'll go check it out."
After saying that, she opened the door.
As soon as the door opened, the cursing from the hallway grew even louder.
Jiang Ling shouted sternly, "What's all the noise about!"
Zhao Yanhong was leading one woman and three men upstairs, cursing as they went. The woman had a mean face, and the men were all strong and burly, each holding a wooden stick. They were clearly up to no good.
The moment Zhao Yanhong looked up and saw Jiang Ling, her voice stopped abruptly.
With both old and new grudges surging into her heart, Zhao Yanhong wished she could tear the policewoman in front of her to pieces.
It was she who sent Qian Darong to the juvenile detention center.
It was she who brought Qian Jianshe down.
It was also because of her bias towards the Liang siblings that her once happy family was torn apart!
However, when actually facing Jiang Ling, Zhao Yanhong didn't dare to be arrogant at all.
Jiang Ling's ruthless style in the interrogation room terrified her.
Her approach to handling cases afterward was incredibly tenacious; once she seized an opportunity, she would strike with lightning speed. How could Zhao Yanhong dare to actually tear apart a policewoman like that?
Zhao Yanhong dared to bully Wen Xiufen, who had no one to back her up, but she didn't dare to bully anyone under Jiang Ling's nose. She had no choice but to swallow back all the curses and insults she was about to say and force out an ugly smile: "Officer Jiang, what are you doing here?"
Jiang Ling asked coldly, "What are you doing?"
Zhao Yanhong twitched her lips but didn't speak. However, a burly rural woman standing behind her shouted, "We've come to settle accounts with that vixen Wen Xiufen! She seduced my brother-in-law, her conduct is immoral, I'm going to beat her to death... Ugh, why won't you let me speak?"
Zhao Yanhong hurriedly covered her sister-in-law's mouth and warned in a low voice, "She's a police officer, what nonsense are you talking about!"
Jiang Ling glanced at the three menacing men in front of him: "Group fighting, ringleader 3-10 years, accomplice up to 3 years; provoking trouble, up to 5 years; publicly insulting others, up to 3 years imprisonment or detention. What, you want to try?"
Upon hearing the accusation uttered by Jiang Ling, Zhao Yanhong and her group, who had just felt they held the moral high ground, all wilted, unsure where to hide the wooden sticks they were holding.
Jiang Ling said to Liu Haoran and Zhou Wei, who were hurrying upstairs, "Disarm them and take them to the station for a good education!"
Liu Haoran and Zhou Wei, seeing that nothing was wrong, went to investigate the bungalows together. Hearing the commotion here, they rushed over. Upon hearing Jiang Ling's words, the two immediately went to the group and shouted, "Put down your weapons! Come with us!"
Zhao Yanhong and her entourage arrived in a grand manner, but left dejected.
The neighbors who had gathered to watch the spectacle were still gossiping.
"Wen Xiufen looks quite proper, but I never expected her to be so flirtatious in private."
"I knew she must have climbed some high social ladder to get a room in a tenement building, but I never expected it to be Director Qian of the textile factory."
"What Director Qian? He's already stepped down because of his conduct. Tsk tsk tsk, I heard that Qian Jianshe had a dozen or so sluts, and Wen Xiufen was one of them."
"How dare someone like that work in our factory?"
"I must have had the worst luck in eight lifetimes to live in the same building as her. I'll tell her to get out!"
"Yes! Tell the housing management department tomorrow that we absolutely cannot allow this woman with improper conduct to live in the factory."
...
These words, like venomous snakes, slithered in through the crack in the door.
Wen Xiufen tried to cover her ears, but even with her head hidden under her elbows, the words still poured in.
Each sound, each word, pierced her heart like a fine needle, causing her unbearable pain.
She felt like a drowning person, the water reaching over her head, seeping into her nostrils and lungs, the chill penetrating to her very bones, with no way out.
"Everyone, please disperse." With Jiang Ling's words, the crowd of onlookers dispersed.
The stairwell finally returned to peace.
Jiang Ling closed the door, walked to Lin Xiaoyue's side, put her hand on her shoulder, and said softly, "Don't worry, Zhao Yanhong and the others have been taken away."
Jiang Ling's words, though soft, carried a unique sense of power.
Lin Xiaoyue stood with her fists clenched, her gaunt face solemn and cold, a fierce anger screaming within her: Why are people being bullied like this? Just because we are weak, does that mean we deserve to be bullied?
The touch on her shoulder gradually brought Lin Xiaoyue back to her senses. She looked up at Jiang Ling and asked in a hoarse voice, "Police, will they really protect us?"
Jiang Ling nodded emphatically: "Protecting the people is the duty and mission of us police officers."
It's like a beam of light being projected into the water.
Wen Xiufen felt a slight warmth return to her cold body.
Her trembling gradually subsided. She slowly raised her head, staring blankly at Jiang Ling with tearful eyes, and asked in a trembling voice, "Really?"
Jiang Ling squatted down, looking Wen Xiufen in the eye: "Really."
For over thirty years as a police officer, she has always kept the six words "protecting the people" firmly in her heart.
The reason she took the police academy entrance exam and chose to become a police officer was because she had received help from the police in the past, and therefore wanted to become a police officer who protects others.
Wen Xiufen reached out and trembled as she gripped Jiang Ling's arm tightly: "I... I'm not like what she said. I had no choice, please believe me. I can't lose my job, and I can't leave here. I still have Xiaoyue to support, I want to live..."
Wen Xiufen's words were incoherent, but Jiang Ling understood them: "I believe you."
Jiang Ling could tell that she wasn't a vain woman.
When Zhao Yanhong came to her door and verbally abused her, her first reaction was not to defend herself or confront her, but to hide to the side trembling, clearly indicating that she had had an unpleasant or even cruel experience.
Although Wen Xiufen had an improper relationship with Qian Jianshe, Jiang Ling was more inclined to believe that she was a victim.
Jiang Ling's trust gave Wen Xiufen a sense of security. She struggled to stand up, straightened her clothes, and whispered to her daughter, "Xiaoyue, go back to your room and go to sleep."
She had a lot to say to the police, but it wasn't appropriate with her daughter present.
Lin Xiaoyue was not as obedient as before. She stood there motionless, her voice a little hoarse: "No, I'm right here."
Lin Xiaoyue was still nervous.
Although the police are supposed to protect the people, she is a shameful thief. Will the police protect her?
Jiang Ling understands human nature and can see that the mother and daughter, who are in trouble, are trying to protect each other, but are unwilling to show their vulnerable side to each other.
Wen Xiufen didn't want her daughter to know about her improper relationship with Qian Jianshe, and Lin Xiaoyue was also unwilling to be investigated by the police in front of her mother.
Jiang Ling said gently, "You're all tired tonight, get some rest. If you encounter any difficulties, remember to come to the police station and find the police."
Thinking back to Shen Xiaomei's file, Jiang Ling finally understood why Lin Xiaoyue's fate was so tragic.
Without the police intervention, Wen Xiufen would have been humiliated by Zhao Yanhong tonight, suffering physical and mental trauma and losing her reputation. The honest woman would have been fired from the towel factory, which was already struggling and planning massive layoffs, and evicted from her housing.
With nowhere else to turn, Wen Xiufen is highly likely to commit suicide.
As an orphan, Lin Xiaoyue will hate society, refuse community care, and wander the streets.
Thankfully, Jiang Ling came tonight.
It's not too late.
Jiang Ling and Li Zhenliang said goodbye and left.
As soon as they stepped out of the stairwell, Li Zhenliang quietly asked, "We haven't gotten anything out of them, are we just going to leave like this?"
Jiang Ling looked up at the window of room 204. The blue floral curtains were illuminated by the warm yellow light, making it look like a pond covered with green duckweed.
"Let's wait until tomorrow."
Tomorrow will be a new day.
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