Chapter 207: Chapter 207: If It Fails…

Zhou Chang’an successfully took leave, and Song Anping carried him on a bicycle, intending to go to the commune clinic, but he insisted on going to the county hospital.

Song Anping didn’t want to go back quickly either; anything was better than burying himself in the fields, so he was happy to make a trip to the county.

After all, it was a self-inflicted injury. The wound looked terrifying but wasn’t deep.

However, the stitching was quite painful, and Zhou Chang’an instantly grew even more resentful of Jiang Chengxu and the others.

Upon leaving the hospital, he told Song Anping to wander around on his own and limped to the police station.

Song Anping followed him from a distance and was quite surprised to see him enter the police station.

In Jiang Chengxu’s past life, he had been with law enforcement agencies and was very familiar with procedures. He thought he would be released in three or four hours, but unexpectedly, Peng Yutao came over to inform him that the witness had been found.

He was given another chance to confess for leniency.

Jiang Chengxu slowly raised his head, met Peng Yutao’s gaze, and asked, “Who is it?”

Peng Yutao smiled and saw that Jiang Chengxu was as stubborn as a mule, a bit surprising considering people of his age shouldn’t have such hardened dispositions.

Unless he was a habitual offender with a ruthless streak.

The police returned to the Shangjiang Team early in the day; everyone was busy working in the fields when Jiang Baohua hurried over, confused to see Zhou Chang’an with the police.

Zhou Chang’an led the police to the backyard wall of the Zhiqing dormitory, where a few Atropa Belladonna plants swayed in the breeze. Peng Yutao and his team rushed over to inspect and found two deep footprints.

Though the ground was dry enough to smoke under the sun, the Zhiqing often poured water outside after bathing, which flowed down a shallow ditch to this area.

The ground here was moist, and the vegetation grew more lushly than elsewhere.

“He was wearing leather shoes,” Peng Yutao measured the footprints with a ruler and straightened up. “About size 44; these feet are quite large, and we can narrow down the investigation range.”

Peng Yutao discussed with Jiang Baohua, asking him to call back all the male Zhiqing.

After everyone handed over their shoes for inspection, they locked on to two people, Jiang Chengxu and Dai Yifeng, both with size 44 feet, and both had leather shoes.

However, Dai Yifeng’s leather shoes were a bit pointed, so they still needed Jiang Chengxu to take off his shoes to verify.

Peng Yutao arranged for the police to make another trip to the station to retrieve Jiang Chengxu’s shoes for comparison. The footprints matched perfectly.

“Did you only see him picking Atropa Belladonna, or did you see him do anything else?” Peng Yutao asked.

Zhou Chang’an thought for a moment and shook his head. “Because I overheard their conversation earlier, they were very wary of me, so I didn’t dare to approach them.”

The police searched the male Zhiqing’s dormitory again and found tools for extracting Atropa Belladonna juice in the grove outside the Zhiqing dormitory, with the container still containing some milky white juice residue.

At this point, the evidence chain was very complete.

Yet, Jiang Chengxu still refused to confess, “I want to make a phone call; please give me a phone. I need to make a call.”

Peng Yutao said, “The evidence is conclusive; no matter how you struggle, it’s useless.”

“I have something else to discuss on the phone; I have the right to do so,” Jiang Chengxu’s hair was disheveled, his eyes bloodshot, his face contorted.

Peng Yutao gave him a cold look before going to seek approval.

Half an hour later, Jiang Chengxu was brought to the telephone. Two people monitored him, not counting the operator.

Jiang Chengxu dialed the phone, and on the other end, the phone rang at the Lu Family. An aunt answered and, hearing the caller was looking for Song Wanlin, quickly shouted, “Comrade Song, your call.”

Song Wanlin hurried over, “Hello, may I ask who you are?”

Jiang Chengxu’s voice was very hoarse, “I’m Jiang Chengxu, and I’m here to exchange information with you.”

Song Wanlin frowned, “Little Jiang, has something happened?”

Jiang Chengxu replied faintly, “Um. Song Wanlin, I know your son Lu Mingxu wasn’t premature. Back then, when you and Lu Ranglian were together, someone followed you and got a lot of evidence…”

Boom!

Song Wanlin felt dizzy, as if an atomic bomb had exploded in her brain, leaving it blank for a long time before she recovered.

“Jiang Chengxu, it’s useless to threaten me with these baseless things; I am willing to see you and Huanhuan in a harmonious relationship, and I have given you this opportunity.”

It’s you who failed to seize it!

Jiang Chengxu coldly said, “Don’t talk to me about irrelevant things; whether they are baseless or not, heaven knows, earth knows, you know, I know. I also know where that person hid the evidence.”

“Where is it hidden?” Song Wanlin couldn’t find her voice for a long time.

“This crucial information, I need to tell you face to face. If discussed over the phone, I don’t mind; do you not mind either?” Jiang Chengxu laughed sinisterly.

Song Wanlin found it extremely harsh, hung up the phone, and sat down on the sofa, lost in despair.

She could have Lu Ranglian intercede, but after being married to Lu Ranglian for so many years, she knew his temperament well; he was very afraid of trouble and was in a good mood unless there were trifling matters to deal with, which would make him turn hostile.

He was like an emotionally unstable child with little patience for anything other than enjoyment.

In straightforward terms, he had a severe case of “young master syndrome.”

In the afternoon, around one o’clock, Old Zhang came and reported the results of his investigation to Song Wanlin, “Xu Qinghuan and Jiang Xingye checked into the Army General Hospital guesthouse yesterday morning; this morning, Xu Qinghuan went to the hospital, and Comrade Jiang went to a furniture factory accompanied by another comrade.”

“Can’t you find out why they came to Yan City?” Song Wanlin’s mood was very bad.

“Xu Qinghuan might be ill. After going to the hospital, a doctor took her in, and then she disappeared from view. As for Comrade Jiang, I overheard a bit, saying that they wanted to set up a furniture factory, so maybe he’s here to learn.”

Song Wanlin was so overwhelmed that upon hearing their visit had nothing to do with her, she decided not to bother.

She touched her face; the Army General Hospital is the best in Yan City, now the eldest son of the Huo family is admitted there, and all resources are directed at him, leaving her without a backing doctor.

The last time she had Lu Ranglian intercede, the other party showed no leniency, and he even blamed her.

“You should go to Anguang County now, find a comrade named Jiang Chengxu from the Shangjiang Team, he has something to tell you, and you should bring it back. Whatever request he makes, call me from there.”

Old Zhang had done many things for Song Wanlin, and without asking further, he just left upon accepting the assignment.

The day before, after Xu Qinghuan and Jiang Xingye left the Army General Hospital, Huo Zhenqing received reports from his second son, Shao Lizhong, and Xu Guangshu, detailing Xu Qinghuan’s background, mentorship, and the operations she performed.

Shao Lizhong said, “Before this meeting, I called Anping County Hospital to check on Zhang Changqing’s surgery, and so far, the situation is still very good.”

Xu Guangshu also said, “Although the adhesive formula hasn’t been obtained, its invention for surgical use can be considered a significant innovation in medical history; if the effect is as Comrade Xu describes, it would be a revolution.”

Huo Chi leaned back against his chair, “Dad, if you don’t use Xu Qinghuan, do you have any other choices? He was never able to stand again, why not let Xu Qinghuan give it a try?”

Huo Zhenqing remained silent for a long time, fully understanding that this was an instance of choice without alternatives. He nodded with difficulty. “If successful, our Huo family will reward heavily; if not…”

He seemed to have no solution either, what else could he do—beat her?

At six in the morning, Xu Qinghuan was brought to the Army General Hospital for pre-operative preparations; Jiang Xingye accompanied by a driver saw her off, and afterward, she went into the operating room while Jiang Xingye wandered around with the driver, focusing on furniture shops and factories.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep