Chapter 7: Yu Yan’s Concerns

A group of people looked at each other in confusion.

Xu Hanshan’s face darkened. “Old Deng, go to the village and ask around.”

Deng Jianye, the village secretary, pressed his lips together and strode off, not asking what he was supposed to inquire about, but he had a good idea.

Xu Hanshan exhaled deeply. Most likely, someone in the village had attacked the Jiang family again.

In the past, Wan Shun had been naive, easily manipulated, and didn’t care much about the Jiang family member. But after yesterday’s events, it was clear this girl had changed; she was now determined to stand up for the Jiang family.

Wan Shun’s phone call had sounded urgent, so the police arrived swiftly.

Xu Hanshan forced himself to receive them, leading them to the Jiang house.

At the Jiang family’s gate, the two police officers frowned slightly. Although the country hadn’t yet achieved universal prosperity, such a dilapidated house was rare. Especially since Fu’an Village had seen rapid development in recent years, and the improvement in living standards was visible to the naked eye.

The trash beneath the weeds was evidence enough that this family had suffered some form of mistreatment.

Their expressions grew grave. “Who is the head of this household?”

Xu Hanshan, seeing the rubbish and the miserable state of the yard, faced the police’s somber question with a tight throat. “Jiang.”

The two officers paused. Jiang?

The Jiang family, with two murderers in their bloodline? That was no secret in the Damai Commune.

It was said there was only one person left in the Jiang family now.

Inside the house, Yu Yan had already woken up, and Wan Shun was giving her water.

“Xiao Shun, who’s here?” In their Jiang family, besides those who came to smash, steal, or curse, no one ever visited.

This time, however, the visitors neither stole nor shouted; they stood quietly in the courtyard, which was highly unusual.

This abnormality made her uneasy.

“It’s the police.”

Yu Yan was astonished. “The police? Why are they here? Is it Xiao Zhi? Has something happened to Xiao Zhi?”

The possibility that something had happened to Jiang Yingzhi made Yu Yan tremble all over, struggling to get out of bed.

Wan Shun hurried to comfort her. “No, Jiang Yingzhi is fine, godmother, don’t worry. I called the police to investigate the assault that left you seriously injured.”

Yu Yan relaxed, but worry quickly knotted her heart again.

“You child, I’m fine. Tell the officers to leave. We can’t trouble them.”

Wan Shun replied, “Godmother, you’re not fine. How can you say you’re fine after being hurt like this? The police are here to stand up for you.”

Yu Yan lowered her head and waved her hand dismissively. “I hurt myself accidentally. It has nothing to do with anyone. Hurry and ask the police to leave. Be good, go now. I’m tired, I want to sleep a bit more.”

Yu Yan was resistant, refusing to communicate further with Wan Shun.

Wan Shun was silent. She could let Yu Yan avoid the hospital, for it wasn’t yet necessary. But this matter was different.

“Godmother, I won’t return to the Wan family. From now on, I’ll live with you. If you condone their violence against you today, tomorrow they’ll have no qualms about hurting me. Would you want that?”

Yu Yan suddenly looked up. “Never, this has nothing to do with you. Why would they treat you like that?”

Wan Shun looked calmly at Yu Yan. Whether it would happen or not, everyone knew in their hearts.

Yu Yan was silent. She knew—it would happen. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have deliberately distanced herself from Wan Shun.

“Xiao Shun, no matter what, the Wan family has the duty to raise and care for you.”

Wan Shun sneered. “Wan Yu and Wang Zheng were caught having an affair, and the Wan family forced me to take the blame—claiming I seduced Wang Zheng, forced him. Tell me, if I return, how long will I survive?”

Yu Yan was so shocked she couldn’t recover for a long time. So this was why Wan Shun had made such a scene at the Wan family yesterday?

“Is the Wan family made of beasts? You’re so young, still a child. How could they do something so utterly depraved?”

Wan Shun lowered her eyes. “Godmother, we’ve done nothing wrong. We can’t keep enduring this. What has your years of patience brought you? Haven’t you suffered enough?”

Yu Yan knew, but she was helpless. “Xiao Shun, if we don’t endure, we’ll be driven out. If Xiao Zhi comes back and can’t find us, what then? We can’t leave here.”

Jiang Yingzhi was imprisoned, but oddly, not in Qijiang County, the jurisdiction of Damai Commune, nor even in Tongshou City or Jiangdong Province. Yu Yan didn’t know where, and couldn’t find him.

So, she refused to leave. She had to stay here, waiting for her son to return home.

Wan Shun hadn’t realized her endurance was for this reason.

In her previous life, if Jiang Yingzhi hadn’t escaped from prison to save her, she wouldn’t have seen or found him.

This also proved there was something strange about Jiang Yingzhi’s case.

Later, both of them were imprisoned in the same place, but she didn’t know if that was where Jiang Yingzhi had previously been held.

But it was a clue.

“We’ll go look for him, godmother. I can find Jiang Yingzhi. I’ll take you to him.”

Yu Yan looked at Wan Shun in delight. “Really, Xiao Shun, you truly can find him?”

Wan Shun nodded. “I can. But godmother, you have to listen to me. First, ensure your safety, recover your health, earn some money, and then we’ll go find Jiang Yingzhi. All right?”

Yu Yan was overwhelmed with joy. For two years, her greatest worry had been Jiang Yingzhi’s whereabouts. Ever since he was taken away, there had been no news; she couldn’t find any information, and even suspected he’d been killed.

He was still just a child.

Even if it was only Wan Shun’s small promise, it was hope enough to excite her.

“All right, Xiao Shun. I’ll do as you say.”

Wan Shun smiled. “Let’s go out first. The officers have been waiting a long time.”

Yu Yan suppressed her anxiety and nodded.

The commotion inside was heard clearly by those in the courtyard. No one spoke; what they thought remained unknown.

When the two police officers saw Yu Yan, even their seasoned composure faltered in surprise.

According to the file, Yu Yan was only about forty, but the woman before them looked as old as seventy or eighty.

Her frame was gaunt, her spirit broken. Amidst her uneven white hair were blood-red wounds, her face pale, mottled with bruises—gruesome and pitiful.

Yu Yan was nervous before the police, hunched over, hiding behind Wan Shun.

Every time the police came, it was bad news, and Yu Yan had developed a deep psychological shadow toward them.

Xu Hanshan was a little dazed seeing Yu Yan like this.

The Yu Yan in his memory had been hardworking, capable, straightforward, and one of the rare beauties in the region.

Now... to call her a wraith would not be an exaggeration.

Wan Shun tightened her hold on Yu Yan, comforting her. “Officers, the wounds on my godmother’s head and body were inflicted today. The attacker was extremely vicious. This is not just assault—it’s abuse. We request severe punishment.”

The police officers’ faces grew grave. Yu Yan’s situation did indeed suggest abuse, and the nature of the case was quite serious.

“Comrade Yu Yan, do you know who hurt you?”

Yu Yan looked anxiously at Wan Shun.

Wan Shun nodded. “Godmother, it’s fine. Say whatever you need to. No matter what happens, the officers will protect us.”

The officers nodded. “We will safeguard every citizen’s legal rights.”

Yu Yan took a deep breath. “It was a group of children.”

“Children?” The police were astonished. What kind of children could be so cruel? “Do you recognize them? Do you know their names? Do you know the reason?”

Yu Yan pressed her lips together, struggling internally.

Just as she was about to speak, Xu Hanshan, with a hint of authority, interjected, “Jiang family’s wife, think carefully before you speak. If you fail to explain clearly and cause a misunderstanding, you could ruin a child’s entire life.”

Yu Yan instantly fell silent.

The police glanced at Xu Hanshan. He looked serious and official—he was only trying to remind her out of goodwill.

Wan Shun stepped in front of Yu Yan and bared her teeth at Xu Hanshan. “Isn’t it said that education starts with children? If mistakes aren’t corrected when young, they’ll grow up to harm society. Village chief, children aren’t afraid to make mistakes; they’re afraid to never repent, afraid to not know right from wrong. My godmother is timid, don't scare her. Right now she’s doing a good deed, representing society, teaching parents’ children how to behave.”

Xu Hanshan’s face looked somewhat unpleasant.

Wan Shun smiled, encouraging Yu Yan to speak freely.

Yu Yan exhaled heavily and said, “It was Zhou Zheng and the others…”