Chapter 388: Spoiling a Child is Like Killing a Child

Tang Heng spoke up again: "Major General Hu, I believe the primary responsibility for this matter does not lie with Wan Ning. From my post-incident review, the crux of the problem lies with Jiang Chongshan... The situation on the scene was extremely critical; if not for Wan Ning's decisive and swift reaction, our losses would have been far greater than just a single contact point."

Hu Jing'an shook his head. "You don't need to make excuses for her. If she had been able to decisively abandon the mission and withdraw directly, Jiang Chongshan would likely have destroyed the intelligence as well... It wouldn't have led to someone following the trail to find you all. It seems our opponent is not simple."

As these words fell, the room fell into a brief silence.

Lin Wanning bit her lip and said, "Siqiang, I have an idea... My colleague Huang Ying, she has seen the person who tracked me. If we kidnap her, we can certainly find out what that person looks like..."

"Foolish!" Hu Jing'an interrupted her. "What good would kidnapping Huang Ying do? You would only alert the enemy and potentially expose even more. We are not here to act like thugs; the urgent priority is to consolidate our strength, seek opportunities, and create a few events that can truly shake the situation. That is our goal."

Lin Wanning's expression tightened, and she lowered her head. "Yes, Siqiang, I understand."

Hu Jing'an looked around at everyone and said, "From tonight on, everyone must completely bid farewell to their past images. Mei Feng, after the meeting, you are responsible for 'reshaping' everyone. Appearance, clothing, gait, accent, and even habitual small gestures—all must be changed. You must become different people."

"Understood," Mei Feng replied.

Hu Jing'an's gaze finally landed on Lin Wanning: "You have already been marked by the other side and need the most thorough change. Over the next few days, wander around the vicinity, get a clear grasp of the situation, and find a way to open a tailor shop in the Qianmen area..."

Lin Wanning was stunned for a moment, then realized, and nodded. "Yes, Siqiang. I understand."

Meanwhile, in a ward at the Beijing First Hospital.

Yan Bugui lay on the hospital bed, letting out groans from time to time.

"Ouch... my arm... I'm afraid it's ruined..."

His goal was very clear: to let Liu Haizhong, who was nearby, hear him so he would pay more compensation.

He Daqing yawned and said, "Lao Yan, Lao Liu, it's almost dawn. I have to go to work early, so I need to go back and get some sleep. Why don't you two families discuss this yourselves?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Ruihua hurriedly pulled He Daqing into the hallway. "Uncle He, you can't leave! Liu Haizhong hasn't agreed to pay yet! You are the biggest official in the Siheyuan; you have to preside over justice for us!"

He Daqing lifted his wrist to check his watch; it was already past three in the morning. He sighed helplessly: "Fine, then you two families hurry up and discuss it!"

Liu Haizhong cleared his throat and said, "I asked Guangtian. He said it was your Jiefang who first made up a jingle at school, mocking him for still wetting the bed at his age, which made him unable to hold his head up in front of his classmates. The child was so angry that he did the foolish thing of splashing water. I admit, what Guangtian did was wrong and underhanded. But then again, your Jiefang was making up rhymes behind people's backs, and they were quite catchy... Could there have been someone 'guiding' him behind this? Can a child come up with so many rhyming words on their own?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Bugui's eyes widened immediately: "Liu Haizhong! What do you mean by that? Do you think I made up that jingle? I am a teacher at the school! How much free time do I have to make up rhymes about a child? What would I gain from it?"

The more he spoke, the angrier he became. He turned and roared at Yan Jiefang, who was cowering at the foot of the bed: "Yan Jiefang! Get over here! Tell me! Who exactly told you that jingle? If you don't explain it clearly today, don't bother going to school anymore!"

Yan Jiefang shivered in fear. He looked at his father's livid face, then glanced at Liu Haizhong, before saying in a tiny voice: "It was Xu Damao... He told me he heard Second Uncle and Second Aunt discussing taking Liu Guangtian to see a traditional Chinese doctor about his bedwetting... He just... just made that up on the spot..."

Yan Bugui was stunned for a moment, then, as if he had grasped a handle, said: "You hear that! It was that bad kid Xu Damao who made it up. What does it have to do with me?"

Liu Haizhong, however, seemed to have found a breakthrough and immediately said: "Since it's all just gossip and squabbling between the children, I think we should call it even. Neither side should pursue the other."

"Lao Liu, children fighting and bickering is one thing, but your child took things too far. If my child went to smash your windows and splash water at your door, and you ended up breaking your leg, could you not ask me for compensation?"

Liu Haizhong gave a dry laugh: "If it were me, I'd just accept my bad luck and pay for the treatment myself. Who hasn't taken a few falls in their lifetime?"

"Liu Haizhong!" Yan Bugui's voice trembled with anger. "You look like such an honest person; how can you be so shameless!"

Liu Haizhong also dropped his face. "Your second son shouted all over the school about my Lao Er wetting the bed. Now he can't even hold his head up and doesn't even want to go to school. Looking further ahead, if this spreads, it will even affect his marriage prospects later. How do we account for this loss?"

"Liu Haizhong, if you're going to talk like that, you're just being unreasonable and shielding your own! Let me tell you, your Liu Guangtian hasn't bullied fewer younger children at school; many parents have reported him to the school! The Principal is currently considering whether to expel him!"

"Yan Bugui! You don't need to use that to scare me! I, Liu Haizhong, was not raised to be scared!"

"Liu Haizhong, 'spoiling a child is like killing a child.' What your child did today, to put it heavily, is attempted murder! If you indulge him now, you won't have any good fruit to eat in the future!"

"What 'sand in a jar,' I don't care!"

"Alright, alright!" He Daqing felt a headache coming on and hurriedly interrupted. "Lao Yan! You're getting more and more out of line! If you two families keep bickering like this, I'm really leaving, and you can argue here until dawn!"

Yan Bugui's momentum subsided slightly after He Daqing's words. He said: "Lao Liu, my arm is broken. Hospitalization fees, medical expenses, and lost wages for not being able to teach—I won't ask for much: 1.5 million. You pay that, and we're square!"

"1.5 million? Why don't you go rob a bank!" Liu Haizhong immediately jumped up.

"Lao Yan, that's excessive. 1.5 million is several months of Lao Liu's salary. Do you want his whole family to drink the Northwest wind?" He Daqing held up his palm, showing five fingers. "500,000. Lao Yan, if you ask for one cent more, I'm leaving immediately. Lao Liu, if you refuse to pay even 500,000, I'm leaving too. Go find someone else to judge this!"

"It takes a hundred days to heal a broken bone!" Yan Bugui shook his head repeatedly. "1 million! Not a cent less!"

The two immediately began arguing in the ward again over this "500,000" versus "1 million," neither willing to yield.

He Daqing made a move to get up and leave.

Yang Ruihua hurriedly grabbed him again and said anxiously to Yan Bugui: "Father of the house! 600,000! Is 600,000 okay? Uncle He is in a difficult position too..."

In the end, this farce ended with Liu Haizhong paying 600,000 in compensation.

This was almost two months of his salary, making his heart ache terribly.

Early in the morning, a pig-slaughtering howl came from the No. 95 Siheyuan—Liu Haizhong had taken all his pent-up anger and losses and returned them to his second son, who was lying on the kang, with a broom handle.

In the early morning, Lin Wanning appeared in the Qianmen area.

She strolled along the street, appearing leisurely, her gaze sweeping over the shops on both sides without drawing attention. Finally, her footsteps stopped in front of the display window of "Xueru Clothing Store." After a slight hesitation, she pushed the door open and walked in.

The dazzling array of various clothes in the shop immediately caught her eye.

And what made her stop for a long time was the down jacket with a hood on the wall—the design was unique, standing out among the many cotton-padded jackets.

She couldn't help but walk up and reach out to gently touch the smooth, soft fabric.

However, when she checked the price tag, the 1.5 million price tag made her heart sink slightly.

This amount, even for someone like her with special funding sources, was by no means an expense that could be spent casually.

The shop owner, Chen Xueru, had already noticed this customer.

She looked like an ordinary middle-aged woman. But to Chen Xueru, she was a young girl.

Why disguise herself? A thought flashed through Chen Xueru's mind: Could she be... a secret agent?

She kept her expression calm, walked over, and said with a smile: "Ma'am has a good eye. This material is from abroad, filled with top-quality duck down inside. It's light and warm, and the style is the latest trend. If you find this one too expensive, there are similar styles over here filled with high-quality cotton, which are just as warm to wear, for only 200,000."

Upon hearing this, Lin Wanning turned her head and gave Chen Xueru a polite smile. "Thank you, Boss. That cotton jacket is practical, but I still prefer this one. When I save up a bit more money, I will definitely come back to buy it."

Watching Lin Wanning's back as she walked out of the shop, the smile on Chen Xueru's face gradually faded, and she fell into deep thought.

Should she tell Tian Dan about this? She frowned and thought for a moment, then shook her head and laughed at herself: I'm just a business owner running a shop; why should I take on this unrelated trouble? Better to avoid unnecessary complications.