In the hospital.
Fu Hanjian's phone rang again. It was still Fu Mingzhu.
"Grandma..."
Fu Hanjian knew why his grandmother was calling. Not wanting to argue with her, he said, "We're on our way back home."
"Is that so?"
Fu Mingzhu sneered, "Then let Xiangsi talk to me!"
"Uh..."
"I knew it!" Fu Mingzhu bluntly exposed him, "You can't, can you? Because you're not with Xiangsi at all!"
Fu Mingzhu sighed, "I called Xiangsi, but she didn't answer. You let her go by herself, didn't you?"
"Grandma..."
"Hanjian! I left her alone for all these years for your sake! Can't you just follow my wishes this once?"
Fu Mingzhu grew anxious, "I'm about to have surgery. Do you want me to leave this world with regrets?"
"Grandma, what are you talking about?"
With no other choice, Fu Hanjian had to comply with her wishes.
"She hasn't been gone long. I'll go after her now, okay?"
"Fine!" Fu Mingzhu immediately said, "When you get home, call me together!"
"Yes."
Fu Hanjian reluctantly agreed.
He hung up the phone and spread his hands to Yao Leyi. "I have to go."
"Mm."
Yao Leyi, sitting next to him, had heard everything. "Grandma is kind-hearted. You should go. I'll be fine."
Looking out the window, she added, "Besides, it's quite remote here. It's not safe for a girl to be out alone."
"You say Grandma is kind-hearted, but you are too."
Fu Hanjian stood up, "I'll be off then. Take care of Big Brother, and don't overwork yourself."
"Mm, I know. Go quickly."
"Alright."
As soon as he turned away, Yao Leyi's expression darkened, her eyes lowering to conceal her complex emotions.
…
Leaving the ward, Fu Hanjian immediately called Sheng Xiangsi.
Tonight, the call connected.
But it was no use.
She didn't answer, no matter how many times he called!
"What on earth is going on?"
Driving out of the hospital, Fu Hanjian searched the area, hoping she hadn't gone far.
This place was tough for catching a ride.
However, he found no sign of her along the way.
Could she have caught a ride back to Yintan already?
It wasn't impossible.
So, Fu Hanjian sped towards Yintan.
"Sheng Xiangsi!"
Entering the house, he found the living room as dark as usual. Based on his experience from the previous night, he went straight to the back.
However, tonight the bathroom light wasn't on.
Was she already asleep in her room? He'd have to wake her up.
If it weren't for Grandma insisting they call her together, he wouldn't bother looking.
"Which room is she staying in?"
Fu Hanjian didn't know, so he checked each room. However… none of them had any signs of occupancy.
The guest rooms hadn't even been cleaned; the beds were still unmade, with no trace of anyone staying there.
What was going on?
Where had Sheng Xiangsi been sleeping these past two days?
…
At the police station.
"Name."
"Sheng Xiangsi."
"Age."
"24."
"Home address."
"…" Sheng Xiangsi hesitated, then shook her head, "I don't have one."
"?" The questioning officer looked up, frowning, "So you live under a bridge? Or sleep on the streets?"
"Either works." Sheng Xiangsi nodded.
"Nonsense!" The officer shouted sternly, "Answer properly!"
Looking at her attire, she didn't seem like a vagrant.
Sighing, Sheng Xiangsi said helplessly, "Officer, I'm telling the truth. I have no place to stay, that's a fact."
"…"
The officer was silent. A tough one, huh?
On the other side, another officer brought in the 'motorbike guy'. His wounds had been treated and bandaged.
With his head wrapped, he was pushed into a chair by the officer.
Glaring at Sheng Xiangsi, he shouted, "Officer, she tried to kill me! I want to press charges and have her jailed!"
"Quiet!"
"What are you yelling about? Think this is your home?"
The officer restrained him, then looked at Sheng Xiangsi. "Explain why you hit him like this."
Sheng Xiangsi's face remained calm. "He touched me inappropriately. I was defending myself."
"Self-defense?"
The 'motorbike guy' jumped up, "Officer, look at her! Not a scratch on her! My head is busted open! She says I touched her, where's the evidence? What kind of decent girl carries a brick in her bag?"
"SIT DOWN! QUIET!"
The officer pointed at him, "We'll investigate the facts!"
The officers discussed checking the surveillance footage from that road.
However, the road was too remote, not on a main route, and had no cameras.
But the police discovered that the 'motorbike guy' had a record of offenses, including a previous detention for involvement in prostitution.
Officer A: "The girl's story is probably true."
Officer B: "No evidence, and the guy won't admit it. What can we do?"
"Sigh, suggest they settle it."
"What, settle?" The 'motorbike guy' shook his head like a rattle, "No way! She cracked my head open; it can't just end like this!"
"QUIET!"
The officer slammed the table, "Fine, sue her. In court, without evidence, and with your record, think the judge will believe you?"
"Uh…"
Hearing this, the 'motorbike guy' hesitated, stuttering, "Fine, fine, settle then."
He glanced at Sheng Xiangsi, "But she has to pay!"
He raised his hand, showing five fingers, "No less than this!"
"Five thousand?" The officer looked at Sheng Xiangsi, "How about it?"
"No way."
Sheng Xiangsi, who had been silent, shook her head and decisively refused, "Not five thousand, not fifty cents, not even a penny… I won't pay anything."
"You brat!"
The 'motorbike guy' jumped up, "Not a cent? Fine, then get ready for jail!"
"Fine."
Sheng Xiangsi looked at him without backing down, "Then let the law decide! I believe in justice!"
"Ha, tough girl, huh?"
"SIT DOWN!"
"QUIET!"
The situation was at a stalemate.
Just then, a young officer approached and spoke quietly to the others, "Sheng Xiangsi's phone has been ringing for a while now."
"It must be her family."
When they entered the station, all their phones had been confiscated and contact with the outside world was prohibited without permission.
The officer glanced at the stubborn Sheng Xiangsi and instructed the young officer, "Answer it if it rings again, and ask her family to come. See if we can resolve this."
"Got it, Senior."
…
Back in Yintan, Fu Hanjian, at his wit's end, dialed Sheng Xiangsi's number again.
This time, it connected!
"Sheng Xiangsi!"
As soon as the call was answered, Fu Hanjian shouted, "Where did you go? It's so late, why aren't you home?"
"Hello, this is the Li City South Police Station."
"Sheng Xiangsi has injured someone. Are you her family? Please come over."