Chapter 372: Female Lawyer vs. Police Beauty!

Mu Lingxue's fingers on the steering wheel tightened slightly; she turned her head to look at Fei Fanjin in the back seat, her tone sounding flat but hiding a barely perceptible vigilance.

"Oh really? Then why did Lin Yuan suddenly stop pursuing you? Maybe he realized…… you're just not suitable?"

She deliberately stressed the three words "unsuitable," a flash of unyielding sharpness appearing in her eyes, openly carrying the meaning of a rivalry between love rivals.

Before Fei Fanjin could respond……

Mu Lingxue continued speaking, her voice gaining certainty: "I and Lin Yuan are currently getting along; our relationship is good, and we have already confirmed our boyfriend-girlfriend status."

Her words were like a small stone tossed into calm water, instantly breaking the subtle atmosphere inside the car.

Fei Fanjin's smile froze for a moment, her beautiful eyes widening slightly, her gaze full of shock, her fingers unconsciously clutching her skirt hem, her expression turning visibly unnatural.

Lin Yuan, sitting in the passenger seat, jerked his head toward Mu Lingxue upon hearing that……

He hastily waved at Fei Fanjin in the back seat: "Miss Fei, don't listen to her nonsense; we're still getting acquainted, we haven't confirmed any relationship at all."

He was secretly anxious——

This is a huge misunderstanding; the so-called boyfriend-girlfriend thing between him and Mu Lingxue is merely an act to appease her parents.

Lin Yuan certainly didn't want to make that relationship real.

He could never truly be a couple with a female police officer.

That would be too dangerous.

Feeling Lin Yuan's gaze, Mu Lingxue gave him a sideways glare, a hint of annoyance in her eyes, silently thinking: This guy, really a buzzkill—can't he just cooperate?

Fei Fanjin quickly composed her shocked expression, the corner of her mouth curling into a teasing smile as her eyes swept between Lin Yuan and Mu Lingxue: "Lin Yuan seems popular with women, Miss Mu really loves to joke."

Her words neither admitted nor denied, yet carried a subtle implication, silently responding to Mu Lingxue's "declaration."

The atmosphere inside the car instantly became tense.

Sensing the tense standoff, Lin Yuan hurriedly cleared his throat and spoke up to smooth things over:

"Oh, let's not talk about that, Captain Mu—what did you want to discuss with me earlier?"

Noticing the subtle silence in the car, Mu Lingxue tapped her fingertips lightly on the steering wheel, steering the conversation back to business.

"Actually, I called you for a genuine matter this time—I have a domestic violence case that's been stuck for a while and need your help."

She glanced sideways at Lin Yuan in the passenger seat, her tone turning serious.

"The victim is Zhou Mei, who has been long-term abused by her husband Zhang Qiang; her mind is now disordered, and she cannot verbally accuse him."

"Zhang Qiang, on the other hand, insists that Zhou Mei's mental issues are self-inflicted, unrelated to him, denying his abuse. We haven't found direct evidence, so we haven't been able to file charges."

Mu Lingxue paused, her eyes gaining a touch of heaviness.

"Routine hospital checks only reveal superficial injuries; they can't prove hidden damage from long-term abuse, so I'd like you to use Chinese medicine to see if you can detect internal injuries as key evidence for conviction."

"Only then can we bring that beast Zhang Qiang to justice and give Zhou Mei her due."

Upon hearing that, Lin Yuan nodded without hesitation: "No problem—hidden injuries from long-term abuse can mostly be found through pulse, tongue coating, and meridian pressure in Chinese medicine; I'll know after I examine her."

Mu Lingxue nodded at her through the rearview mirror: "Zhou Mei is hospitalized in the psychiatry department of the Third People's Hospital of the City; we're heading there now."

Having said that, she gently pressed the accelerator, the car sped up, and drove toward the hospital.

……

Ten minutes later, the Range Rover stopped in front of the Third People's Hospital.

Mu Lingxue took Lin Yuan upstairs.

Fei Fanjin also went upstairs.

In the third-floor inpatient ward of the City Hospital, Zhou Mei huddled in a corner of the bed, her gaze unfocused on the wrinkles in the blanket, her fingers unconsciously picking at the fabric; at the sound of footsteps, her body would involuntarily twitch.

Mu Lingxue gently pushed the door open, gave Lin Yuan a look, he nodded, and walked slowly to the bedside, softening his voice: "Sister Zhou Mei, I'll examine your body; I won't hurt you."

He first crouched, aligning his sight with hers; after she relaxed a little, he placed his hand on her wrist, his fingertips sensing the sluggish and stagnant pulse.

This indicates long-term qi and blood stagnation with old internal bruising.

Subsequently, Lin Yuan gently lifted Zhou Mei's sleeves and hem, pressing several acupoints on her waist, abdomen, and back; each press caused her breathing to hitch and a flicker of pain to appear in her eyes.

"These bruises weren't caused by one or two incidents; they result from long-term external blows, right?" Lin Yuan spoke softly, yet with a reassuring strength.

Zhou Mei's lips trembled, tears fell, and she nodded haltingly: "Yes… it was him who hit me…"

Before further questioning, Zhou Mei began muttering to herself again, her gaze turning unfocused once more.

Seeing this, Lin Yuan took out the Silver Needle he carried, lightly inserted it into her Baihui and Shenmen acupoints, and simultaneously massaged her temples gently with his thumb.

Lin Yuan softly guided: "Think of the flower you liked most as a child, think of times when no one hit you—can you see me clearly?"

The Silver Needle remained for five minutes; Lin Yuan slowly withdrew it, Zhou Mei's gaze gradually focused, looking at Lin Yuan, she finally spoke clearly: "I… I can see you now."

Lin Yuan used Chinese medicine methods to cure Zhou Mei's mental disorder.

Seeing this, Mu Lingxue was delighted!

Zhou Mei's consciousness returned to normal; she could now identify her husband!

Soon, several officers brought Zhang Qiang into the ward.

As soon as Zhang Qiang entered, he shouted: "I didn't abuse her! She's just crazy—don't listen to her nonsense!"

Upon hearing Zhang Qiang's voice, Zhou Mei's body tensed, she clenched her fists, lifted her head to stare at him, her voice trembling with tears yet resolute:

"You're lying! Every time you drink, you beat me, lash my back with a belt, punch my waist, and threaten to kick me out if I dare speak out!"

Zhang Qiang's face changed—he hadn't expected… his wife would actually dare to accuse him?

Zhang Jiang still wanted to make excuses and deny!

At that moment, Fei Fanjin beside them couldn't stand it any longer; she stepped forward and shouted coldly:

"Article 33 of the Anti-Domestic Violence Law of the People's Republic of China stipulates that committing domestic violence constitutes a crime, for which criminal liability shall be pursued according to law. Now Zhou Mei's injury assessment, your acknowledgment of the abuse, plus Doctor Lin's Chinese-medical injury report, form a complete chain of evidence sufficient to convict you."

Zhang Qiang's face flushed red then turned pale as he still tried to argue: "She's lying! Those injuries are from her own fall!"

Mu Lingxue took out her record book and law enforcement recorder, her tone icy:

"Injuries from a fall and those from beating are completely different; Doctor Lin has already marked the direction of force and injury characteristics—do you still want to keep lying? Come clean now, and you might still get a lighter punishment."

Zhang Qiang stared at Zhou Mei's determined gaze, then glanced at the legal clauses in Fei Fanjin's hand; his shoulders suddenly slumped, he propped his forehead with both hands, and his voice hoarse: "I... I admit... I shouldn't have hit her..."

Mu Lingxue had Zhang Qiang sign and fingerprint the record, then gestured to the police officer outside; the officer stepped forward and took Zhang Qiang away.

In the ward, Zhou Mei watched Zhang Qiang's receding back as he was led away, finally letting down all her defenses, leaning on the pillow she began to sob softly—no longer the previous fear, but relief.

Lin Yuan handed her a cup of warm water, and Mu Lingxue said softly: "Don't worry, we'll help you apply for a personal safety protection order; he won't be able to hurt you anymore."

Fei Fanjin also added: "I can also handle the subsequent divorce lawsuit and compensation for you, free of charge."

Zhou Mei took the cup, tears sliding down again, she trembled: "Th... thank you..."

……

In the evening, after solving the case, Mu Lingxue was in a good mood and voluntarily invited Lin Yuan and Fei Fanjin to dinner.

After all, Lin Yuan and Fei Fanjin both contributed to today's case.

Without Lin Yuan's traditional Chinese medicine treatment, Zhou Mei's consciousness could not have returned to normal.

Without Fei Fanjin's threat of legal clauses, Zhang Qiang also could not have been frightened into confessing so quickly.

So Mu Lingxue invited them to dinner as a token of thanks.

In the private room of the Cantonese restaurant that evening, warm yellow light enveloping the fresh aroma of steamed grouper, Mu Lingxue, as soon as she sat down, picked up the communal chopsticks and precisely placed a piece of sweet-and-sour spare rib into Lin Yuan's bowl.

"The case was solved nicely this morning; you suffered at the police station this morning, eat more to replenish." She said cheerfully, then passed over a pair of chopsticks with tender green vegetable hearts, a smile hidden in her eyes.

Lin Yuan looked at the piled vegetables in his bowl, helpless, he didn't dare refuse the female police officer's kindness.

After all, this female police officer is quite fierce.

Just now Lin Yuan tried to refuse her vegetable-serving, but under the table Mu Lingxue's jade hand secretly pinched him several times.

Lin Yuan was quite helpless.

Who made him happen to sit right beside Mu Lingxue?

Opposite, Fei Fanjin, however, put down her teacup, her fingertips lightly rubbing the rim, watching Mu Lingxue and Lin Yuan's intimate actions…

Fei Fanjin felt quite unpleasant.

Her gaze, tinged with probing, turned to Mu Lingxue.

"Officer Mu, I still can't help but want to ask."

Fei Fanjin's voice was soft, yet it clearly reached both of their ears: "This morning you said you and Lin Yuan were boyfriend and girlfriend; you two… is that really true?"

Mu Lingxue lifted her eyes to meet her gaze, without a hint of hesitation, the corner of her mouth curling into a confident smile:

"Of course it's true; I didn't deceive you this morning, Lin Yuan is my boyfriend."

Lin Yuan's chopsticks suddenly stalled in his hand, the spare rib still unswallowed in his mouth, he hastily lifted his head to explain: "Actually we…"

Just as his words left his mouth, a sudden light pressure came on the top of his foot, then a warm hand pinched the inside of his thigh, fingertips twisting hard—

It was Mu Lingxue moving her hand under the table!

But… Mu Lingxue's hand, neither biased nor unbiased… yet coincidentally, biased…

Wait? Mu Lingxue first stared blankly for a moment?

In the next instant, her pretty face flushed completely red!

Lin Yuan's expression also changed!

Oh my!