The evidence was undeniable, and Lin Sisi was taken to the public security bureau for investigation.

On her wedding day, the bride was arrested by the police.

Both the Fu Family and the Si Family were utterly humiliated.

Seeing her daughter being taken away, Si’s Mother rolled her eyes and nearly fainted from anger.

Noticing Si Nian and Zhou Yueshen standing nearby, she stumbled forward and grabbed Si Nian’s hand. “Nian Nian, I truly had no idea about this. I know Sisi was wrong, and I apologize on her behalf. Please… just let her go this once!”

At this point, Zhang Cuimei was no fool.

Though she was seething with anger, Lin Sisi was still her biological daughter. She couldn’t just stand by and watch her be taken away by the police.

She despised theft and found it shameful.

But they had neglected Lin Sisi for over a decade, leaving her in the countryside where she developed such habits. How could she blame her now?

She knew it was unfair to Si Nian.

But after all, hadn’t Si Nian lived a privileged life in the Si Family for over ten years?

Surely, the money they had spent on her in those years amounted to more than three thousand yuan.

Couldn’t they just consider it even? It wasn’t as if they had harmed her.

Si Nian looked at Zhang Cuimei, who was crying pitifully, but she felt no sympathy.

What did “let her go this once” even mean? Lin Sisi had clearly stolen the three thousand yuan to frame her and force her into the arranged marriage.

She couldn’t understand how an eighteen-year-old girl could be so cunning, but as the victim, she had no intention of forgiving Lin Sisi.

Wide-eyed, Si Nian took a step back as if struck. “Auntie, I called you ‘Mom’ for over ten years. Even if I wasn’t your biological daughter, I treated you like my own mother. Lin Sisi stole that money, forcing me into a rural marriage and taking everything from me. You ask me to forgive her, but who will forgive me?”

“When Lin Sisi was exposed, she even accused me of framing her. When everyone blamed me, the victim, did any of you consider how I felt?”

Zhang Cuimei’s face turned pale at these words, recalling how they had wrongfully accused Si Nian earlier.

Before she could respond, Si Nian buried her face in Zhou Yueshen’s chest, appearing heartbroken by the Si Family’s betrayal.

Zhang Cuimei was speechless.

She hadn’t even gotten a word in—how had things escalated so quickly?

Helpless, she turned her gaze to Zhou Yueshen.

But meeting his cold, dark eyes sent a chill down her spine.

“Son-in-law… about Sisi…”

Zhou Yueshen cut her off, his voice icy as he glanced at Si Nian in his arms. “This matter has been handed over to the police for a full investigation. If you have any concerns, take them up with the authorities.”

Lin Sisi’s case was straightforward—she just needed to return the three thousand yuan.

Given the Si Family’s connections, she wouldn’t go to jail.

But the theft charge would ruin her reputation forever.

The group left, leaving the Si Family red-faced and too ashamed to stop them.

Si Nian and Zhou Yueshen didn’t leave immediately.

Instead, they went to the hospital.

Si Nian believed Yaoyao’s delayed speech development needed to be checked.

Since they were already in the city, it was the perfect opportunity.

The novel mentioned the child had communication difficulties.

She wasn’t unintelligent—she could read emotions, obey instructions, and behave well.

But her speech progress was painfully slow.

Despite Si Nian’s efforts to teach her, there was little improvement.

A child about to turn three should know more words by now—this wasn’t normal.

After Si Nian brought it up, Zhou Yueshen took it seriously.

It was Yaoyao’s first time at a hospital, but she wasn’t scared at all.

The sound of other children crying only made her curious, her little head turning left and right.

Surrounded by so many kids, she seemed excited.

The examination was tedious, given the era’s limited medical resources.

Zhou Yueshen and Si Nian spent the afternoon shuttling between departments for tests and blood work.

When the needle pricked her, Yaoyao’s face scrunched up, her lips trembling on the verge of tears.

But the next second, Si Nian popped a White Rabbit milk candy into her mouth.

Instantly distracted, the little girl happily chewed away.

Zhou Yueshen glanced at Si Nian, impressed.

Despite her youth, she handled childcare with remarkable skill.

The results wouldn’t be ready until the next day.

Since it was late, they stayed overnight at the clinic.

Traveling back and forth to the city was too much hassle.

Early the next morning, Zhou Yueshen went out to buy breakfast.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating Si Nian’s fair skin as she dressed Yaoyao by the bed.

Just as they stepped out, Captain Li and other officers arrived.

They needed Si Nian’s statement for the investigation.

Her earlier conversation with Liu Dongdong could serve as evidence.

Si Nian cooperated, recounting everything truthfully.

She wouldn’t harm others, but she wouldn’t tolerate being harmed either.

Lin Sisi had brought this upon herself—Si Nian felt no pity.

“Our only demands are that the three thousand yuan be returned and compensation paid…”

“My birth parents treated Lin Sisi so well. Even though the Lin Family was poor, they never mistreated her. She framed me, but she also betrayed the parents who raised her for eighteen years, dragging their name through the mud and making them suffer for her greed. This can’t be swept under the rug!”

In truth, the case could be settled privately.

The Si Family didn’t want Lin Sisi jailed or the scandal to spread.

That’s why the police had come to negotiate with Si Nian and Zhou Yueshen.

With Zhou Yueshen absent, the decision fell to Si Nian.

Now ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‍that they were married, she had a say in the matter.

The night before, Lin Sisi had tearfully confessed in custody, claiming she acted out of impulse—resentful that her privileged life had been “stolen.” She apologized profusely, promising to compensate if forgiven.

Some sympathized, thinking her tragic—a wealthy heiress forced to grow up in poverty due to a twist of fate.

But after hearing Si Nian’s account, the officers were stunned.

Lin Sisi had never once mentioned the Lin Family—only herself.

Yet Si Nian had returned home to seek justice for her family. She hadn’t been back for long, yet she was already speaking up for them. Meanwhile, Lin Sisi, who had been raised by them for eighteen years—even a dog would have developed some affection by then—had, out of sheer selfishness, not only harmed Si Nian but also brought ruin upon her adoptive parents, the very people who had raised her. And now she had the audacity to cry about her grievances.

What an ungrateful wretch!

The police were meticulous in their observations. Though Lin Sisi claimed to have spent over a decade in the countryside, aside from being slightly tanned, she bore no resemblance to someone who had endured hardship. Her hands didn’t have a single callus.

If she had truly lived a hard life in the countryside for so many years, it wouldn’t have been possible for her to remain like this. Even a little farm work would roughen the skin, yet Lin Sisi showed no signs of it.

It was impossible for her to have recovered so quickly after returning—such a thing simply didn’t happen.

Moreover, according to their earlier investigations, the Lin family had been extremely poor. To send Lin Sisi to school, they had even delayed their own two sons’ education until they were nearly ten years old. They had scraped together every last penny to put her through high school, making her the only girl from their village to have ever attended.

Truly, they had seen ungrateful people before, but never one as heartless as this.

They had thought she had realized her mistakes, but now it was clear—it had all been an act to escape punishment.

At such a young age, she was already so malicious, even daring to steal a staggering sum of three thousand yuan and lying without batting an eye. It was downright terrifying.

Someone like her needed to be locked up for a while, to be properly reformed!

The police soon left.

Not long after, the Si Family received news that Lin Sisi had been detained. The authorities deemed her actions too egregious to overlook, and with the victim unwilling to settle privately, Lin Sisi was bound to face severe consequences.

When the Si Family learned their daughter had been imprisoned, they were utterly stunned.

But that wasn’t even their biggest worry now. Because Zhou Yueshen’s side demanded compensation—three thousand yuan—and the Si Family would have to foot the bill.

Lin Sisi, fearing the money would be traced back to her, had already secretly spent every last cent.

The Si Family might have appeared well-off on the surface, but in reality, they were barely holding on. This wedding banquet had nearly drained their savings—they had wanted to give their daughter a grand, unforgettable ceremony, sparing no expense on the finest food and drinks.

In fact, Si’s Father had even borrowed money from relatives and friends, promising to repay them after the banquet.

But before the celebration could even conclude, disaster struck.

The Si Family had become the laughingstock of the entire military compound.

Their relatives and friends, eager to distance themselves, were now pressing for repayment.

Before Si’s Father could even settle his debts, the police issued their final notice:

The three thousand yuan had to be repaid before Lin Sisi’s sentencing.

Zhang Cuimei couldn’t bear the thought of her daughter going to prison, but she was too ashamed to approach Si Nian. Instead, she begged the Fu Family for help.

The Fu Family wanted nothing to do with this mess.

They, too, had been humiliated by Lin Sisi’s actions, and their moods had been foul for days.

But the problem was—Lin Sisi and Fu Yang had already submitted their marriage application. They had even registered their marriage.

The entire military compound knew they were wed.

Now that Lin Sisi was in trouble—though she deserved it—she was still technically the Fu Family’s daughter-in-law.

If they let her go to prison, how would the Fu Family ever show their faces again?

No matter how much they despised the situation, they couldn’t just stand by.

Mrs. Zheng believed the key to resolving this lay with Si Nian.

Hearing that she hadn’t left yet, she took her daughter to see her.

Of course, Fu Qianqian wasn’t there to persuade Si Nian—she was there for the spectacle.

Whether Lin Sisi went to prison or not, she couldn’t care less.

When this scandal first broke, Fu Qianqian had been just as shocked.

She felt deeply for Si Nian, thinking how unfair it was that she had been bullied so badly by Lin Sisi!

It was unforgivable.

But on the other hand, the incident had severely impacted her own family, leaving even her open to ridicule.

Let alone her brother and parents.

Fu Qianqian sometimes thought her brother was a narcissist with questionable judgment.

But her family doted on her, and now her brother had become a joke in the military circles. She couldn’t just ignore it.

Torn between conflicting loyalties, she had no idea what to do.

When Si Nian saw the mother and daughter arrive at the hospital, their awkward expressions made their purpose clear.

She didn’t take it to heart.

But she didn’t give Mrs. Zheng a chance to plead either.

From what she remembered, Fu Yang’s mother had always been kind to her—a gentle woman.

But there was no denying her terrible judgment when it came to choosing daughters-in-law.

Her desperation to see her son married had brought Lin Sisi into their lives—a disaster in the making.

Before Mrs. Zheng could even begin her appeal, Si Nian stepped forward, took her hand, and with teary eyes, poured out her grievances:

How could Lin Sisi do this? Not only had she harmed her, but she had also ruined her adoptive parents, leaving them to endure public scorn in the countryside. Her father had aged overnight from the stress, her mother had fallen ill, her brother was struggling to hold the family together, working eighteen jobs a day to repay debts, while her two poor younger brothers were left without proper care…

Mrs. Zheng was overwhelmed, too ashamed to even voice her request. In the end, she could only offer awkward comfort before hastily retreating.

Fu Qianqian secretly gave Si Nian a thumbs-up.

If even Fu Yang’s mother couldn’t sway her, there was no way the Fu Chief himself could intervene.

With no other options, the Si Family swallowed their pride and turned to a visibly furious Fu Yang.

This scandal hadn’t just destroyed Lin Sisi—it had also dealt a heavy blow to Fu Yang’s reputation.

Now, the couple was even afraid to face their once-coveted son-in-law.

But they had no choice. Fu Yang was their last hope.

In their eyes, Si Nian must still have feelings for Fu Yang.

After all, since childhood, Si Nian had always obeyed him unconditionally. No matter how grave the situation, if Fu Yang spoke, she would surely relent.

Si Nian was sitting with Yaoyao, enjoying the breakfast Zhou Yueshen had brought. After buying the meal, the man had gone to queue for the test results.

He had already called someone to look after the other two children at home.

Yaoyao sat on the edge of the bed, swinging her little legs, holding a big bun in her tiny hands as she nibbled at it.

Si Nian sipped her congee while Yaoyao occasionally offered her a bite, chirping in her sweet, childish voice, “Mama~ ah!”

Si Nian obediently opened her mouth, taking a bite before feeding the little one some congee in return.

The tiny girl blinked her big, watery eyes at her, clearly delighted.

Gazing at the adorable little face, Si Nian could only hope the tests would bring good news.

She wanted nothing more than for the child to grow up healthy and happy.

Fu Yang, who had just entered the hospital, froze when he saw this scene from afar.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep