Chapter 25: Basically Not Ill

Shu Lingchen only felt his head buzz.

Every word the woman in the white coat said he knew, but put together he couldn't immediately understand what it meant.

The woman's words kept pouring into his ears.

"Comrade police officer, I confess, I confess everything."

"I met Luoping a long time ago at a mahjong parlour; I work at a pharmacy. Since Shu Lingchen is an orphan but gets fifty thousand living expenses each month, she wanted to get some money, so she had me cooperate with her, and each time she gave me a kickback."

"At first I hesitated a few times, but later I saw there was nothing wrong, thought I wouldn't lose and could make money, so I agreed to this long‑term cooperation with Luoping——"

"She's slandering Aunt Chu!"

Before the video finished playing, Shu Lingchen jumped to his feet, pointed at the laptop, and declared firmly: "She's making excuses to avoid blame, talking nonsense! How could Aunt Chu possibly be that kind of person!"

But next, the police showed Shu Lingchen the evidence provided by the woman in the white coat.

Shu Lingchen followed the gaze and then saw an extremely familiar profile picture.

It was the WeChat profile picture Aunt Chu often used.

The woman in the white coat was clearly sharp as well; she had saved the chat records from when Chu's mother first asked her to cooperate, as well as all the transfer records, seemingly in preparation for the day the truth would come out.

The police said: "We've checked, all the transfer sender and receiver accounts belong to Luoping herself, and according to the hospital's reply, Luoping's health has always been good, never suffering any serious illness."

"……"

A few minutes ago, Shu Lingchen was still confused, not understanding why he had become a victim of a fraud case.

Now he understood.

The youth stood dazed on the spot, half a day passed without reaction; he moved his lips, still shaking his head: "I, I still don't believe it; I want to ask Aunt Chu in person……"

The two police officers glanced at each other again.

Such confrontations happen often in the police station, nothing unusual: "Sure."

At that time, Chu's mother was in the neighboring interrogation room.

One of the police officers gestured with his hand for Shu Lingchen to come this way, but he was still immersed in that dazed state.

Shu Lingchen simply could not connect his impression of the kind and amiable Aunt Chu with the profiteering face in those chat records.

Aunt Chu deceived him; her body was fundamentally not ill.

Does Chu Chu know about this?

Shu Lingchen had just thought that——

"Ah Chen……"

A voice choked with tears came through.

Shu Lingchen looked up and saw Chu Lian with red-rimmed eyes appearing; she had rushed over because Chu's mother had been taken away by the police, and at that moment her tears were about to fall.

"Ah Chen, I never thought Mom would do something so foolish…… I, I simply can't face you."

Shu Lingchen gathered the information from Chu Lian's words.

——It turned out Chu Chu also didn't know about this.

"Ah Chen, I'll go with you." Chu Lian, having overheard the earlier conversation, stepped forward, eyes welling: "I want to ask Mom, why on earth did she do this."

Shu Lingchen certainly would not refuse.

In the interrogation room.

Chu's mother obviously also knew the woman in the white coat had sold her out completely; seeing Shu Lingchen enter, her eyes darted away.

"Aunt Chu." Shu Lingchen's voice hoarse: "Is everything the police said true? Your body…… from head to toe, nothing at all?"

"……" Chu's mother hemmed and hawed, not giving a direct answer.

Seeing that, Shu Lingchen realized there was still something he didn't understand; his heart sank instantly, disappointment and trembling.

Aunt Chu actually really deceived him.

"——Mom, you've gone too far," Chu Lian beside him suddenly spoke, glancing at Shu Lingchen, looking indignant: "How could you do something like this? You'll end up in jail!"

Upon hearing "jail," Chu's mother instantly panicked, vision darkening: "No, I don't want to go to jail!"

"Do you only now realize you're panicking? What were you doing before? Don't you know how much this hurts Ah Chen's heart?"

Chu Lian spoke righteously and sternly; after finishing, she turned her head to look at Shu Lingchen, her tone softening.

"Ah Chen, this matter is indeed Mom's grave mistake; I apologize on her behalf, okay? Can you, considering she raised you from childhood, give her a chance to admit her fault?"

"……Right, little Chen."

Chu's mother was slow for a few seconds, then realized Chu Lian's intention, and immediately she grasped Shu Lingchen's hand across the table, beginning to play the victim.

"Little Chen, back then I was bewitched, everything was my fault; I apologize to you, you have every right to blame me, but little Chen, think about it: you were sent to the welfare institute because I helped report the woman who abused you, and I told you that the couple who wanted to adopt you had ill intentions."

"Are you going to repay kindness with enmity and have me go to jail?"

"I……" Shu Lingchen hesitated.

Yeah, if it weren't for Aunt Chu, no one would have known he was being abused; if it weren't for Aunt Chu's reminder, when he went to the new family he would surely have been abandoned……

Chu's mother's words struck straight at Shu Lingchen's heart; leaving the interrogation room, his expression was somewhat dazed, as if he had fallen into some confusion.

"Ah Chen, I'm sorry." Chu Lian's face full of self‑reproach, she began to sob: "Really sorry, I've made you sad."

She was naturally pure‑looking; when she cried she looked even more pitiful and delicate.

For Shu Lingchen, nothing was more lethal than Chu Lian's tears; hearing her cry made him panic uncontrollably.

"Chu Chu, don't cry, this isn't your fault."

Seeing Shu Lingchen's pained expression, Chu Lian lifted her head and said: "Ah Chen, if Mom goes to jail, what am I to do? Could you, please, not sue her?"

Originally stunned by Chu's mother's earlier words, Shu Lingchen saw Chu Lian like this, no longer caring about the disappointment from being deceived, and hurriedly comforted: "Chu Chu, I won't sue Aunt Chu."

Chu Lian instantly burst into tears of joy: "Really? Thank you, Ah Chen! Now Mom won't have to go to jail, right?"

"Probably not so easy——"

A lazy female voice cut off Chu Lian's words.

Shu Lingchen and Chu Lian turned their heads at the same time; Chu Lian froze, as if wondering why Shu Shu would appear here.

Shu Shu crossed her arms, leaning slantwise against the hallway wall: "Chu Lian, your legal awareness is probably a bit weak; your mother tricked Shu Lingchen into buying medicine, and the money is already over five hundred thousand."

"If you want leniency, otherwise first return all the money you cheated to Shu Lingchen before we talk."

Chu Lian's sobbing expression froze on her face for a moment.

That money has long been spent; not to mention the full amount, even half cannot be repaid.

"Ah-Chen, I heard earlier that obtaining a victim's letter of forgiveness can also lead to lenient handling." Chu Lian began to sob again, looking pleadingly at Shu Lingchen, whimpering: "Please, help my mom, okay?"

As soon as he heard Chu Lian's plea, Shu Lingchen couldn't bear it; he no longer cared that he was a tragic victim, and without hesitation went to the police to ask for forgiveness for Chumu.

Shu Shu raised an eyebrow, as expected, and did not stop him.

…

In the hall.

Chu Lian sat on the sofa; a pack of tissues was handed to her, and following the tissues she saw Shu Shu.

"Chu Lian, you must be tired from crying; wipe yourself."

"……"

For some reason, Chu Lian felt as if Shu Shu were asking her if she was tired of acting.

She kept her expression, still reached out to take the tissue, wiped her tears, and then, as if unintentionally, asked the earlier doubt: "Shu Shu, how did you end up here?"