Chapter 841: The Head of the Household Who Upholds the Family Gate

When Jiang Chunyan mistook Li Ye for her newly found “partner,” Ge Qian immediately snapped: “This is our factory’s Deputy Director Li. What are you talking about?”

“Oh my, is there such a young deputy director?”

Jiang Chunyan looked at Li Ye with amusement, scanning him up and down, left and right—he looked more like a movie actor than any deputy director.

Li Ye gave Jiang Chunyan a cold glance and said: “You don’t have to believe me, but our other Director Lu has already reported this to the police.”

“Whether I’m a fraud or not, you can ask them when they arrive.”

Jiang Chunyan’s expression grew uncertain, but she still retorted: “Even if you are a deputy director, this is the rolling mill’s dormitory area—what business is it of yours?”

Li Ye smiled lightly. “I certainly can’t interfere with you, which is why I called the police.”

Liao Minjie frowned and stepped in front of Li Ye: “We don’t need the police. If you can’t stand it, just take Ge Qian and leave—don’t stir up trouble.”

“That won’t do. Filing a false report is illegal. It won’t take long—I’ll wait. If you think me standing in your courtyard is annoying, I’ll step outside.”

Li Ye had no patience to waste words with someone like Liao Minjie—he stepped out of the courtyard, and Ge Qian followed with the two children.

“What are you doing? Who are you to interfere with our own kids? Leave the children and get out!”

Seeing the children follow their aunt, Liao Minjie instantly resisted and reached out to grab them.

Ge Qian refused to let go and immediately struggled again.

Li Ye turned back, gave a light push, and sent Liao Minjie stumbling backward.

“We can’t interfere—but the police can. Why else would we bother them?”

Liao Minjie stumbled, his temper flaring—but it died instantly.

Because Li Ye had pressed his hand onto his shoulder, like a mountain crushing down on him.

The men of the rolling mill weren’t weaklings; each thought himself a wild ox—but now Liao Minjie felt he was facing an elephant.

“Even the police can’t interfere—it’s raining, you’re beating a child, what’s the point? Who are you to judge?”

“The police can’t interfere?”

Li Ye gave a cold smile, released Liao Minjie’s shoulder, and pulled Liao Xiaohong over.

“Show the police her scalp—ask them if they can intervene. Show them her arms—ask them who they think they are.”

Li Ye parted Liao Xiaohong’s hair, revealing blood-stained scalp, then rolled up both sleeves to expose her bruised arms.

And it wasn’t over—he pulled over her younger brother, Liao Xiaokai, yanked down his pants, and revealed his purple-and-black buttocks.

“Aren’t you afraid you’ll break his legs and make him a cripple? Are you even his real father?”

“.”

“Oh my, these two really went that far! How much suffering has this child endured?”

“Always whining about being both father and mother—now you’ve brought home a stepmother who’s trying to work the kids to death!”

Several elderly neighbors, seeing the bruises beneath the children’s clothes, erupted in anger.

Old Beijingers had sharp tongues—they began hurling insults at Liao Minjie and his wife.

Jiang Chunyan, realizing she’d stirred up public outrage, rushed over to defend her husband: “Even upright magistrates can’t settle family disputes! Why are you meddling in our business?”

Li Ye said coldly: “That kind of upright magistrate belonged to the old society. Eighty years ago, if you killed your own son, no one would care—but now…”

“Scalp bleeding, soft tissue contusion—I can’t tell if it’s minor injury or light injury. If minor, it’s detention from fifteen days to six months.”

“If light injury, it’s six months to three years. Don’t worry—I won’t sentence you to four years, but I won’t let you off with five months either.”

“.”

The crowd fell silent.

Though neighbors were furious at the couple beating their children, none had actually thought of detention or prison.

The old man who’d been silenced by Jiang Chunyan earlier chuckled.

“Hehe, wait till the police come! If they really detain or sentence them, they’ll have it rough!”

“Whether they get sentenced or not, at least they need to learn their lesson—how can you beat such young children?”

Liao Minjie finally panicked.

He realized: today, Ge Qian had returned for revenge.

Even a month or two of detention would mean immediate dismissal from the rolling mill.

Jiang Chunyan was also shaken, but she still encouraged her husband: “Don’t worry—the police aren’t that idle. They don’t even care about stolen motorcycles, let alone family fights. Don’t listen to his bluff—X Police Station isn’t his family business.”

Liao Minjie nodded, trying to reassure himself: “Right—X Police Station isn’t his family business.”

But ten minutes later, the couple were utterly terrified.

Lu Zhizhang arrived with several police officers, apologizing slightly: “It’s late tonight, and we couldn’t reach the Women’s Federation—let’s take the children to X Police Station first for statements and injury checks. We’ll provide documentation to them tomorrow.”

“.”

Before the crowd could react, the police pulled out handcuffs and snapped them onto Liao Minjie and Jiang Chunyan with a sharp “click-click.”

“Police officers! Police officers! We were just playing with the kids! We didn’t mean it! We promise we’ll never beat them again—”

“Playing? You call this playing? Do you think we don’t know what’s going on? It’s only because no one reported you—now you think you’re above the law? Quiet down, move!”

“.”

Liao Minjie, who had been a ferocious beast beating his child, now trembled with weak legs, dragged by two officers like a man heading to execution.

As the couple were shoved out of the courtyard, Lu Zhizhang leaned close to Li Ye: “The chief here is Uncle Cheng Gang from our First Workshop. Don’t say a word when you get there.”

“Oh~”

Li Ye finally understood: when it came to handling family disputes, Lu Zhizhang knew far more than he did.

But Lu Zhizhang wasn’t the only one who understood—before Liao Minjie and Jiang Chunyan even left the alley, Jiang Chunyan shouted out.

“We’re willing to give the two children to Ge Qian for custody! We’ll transfer our household registration! Otherwise, we’d rather die!”

“Just go! Talk conditions at the station! No bargaining!”

“.”

The outcome was smoother than Li Ye had expected.

Liao Minjie and Jiang Chunyan signed a guarantee at X Police Station, along with documents for the children’s household transfer. After the custody change was finalized in the next couple of days, the children would no longer be under their care.

It was past ten at night when they left the station. Li Ye drove Lu Zhizhang, Ge Qian, and the two children back to the factory.

After arriving at the First Workshop and getting out, Lu Zhizhang arranged temporary lodging for Ge Qian and the children, then said: “Ge Qian, tomorrow write a housing application—remember, use ‘orphan’ as your reason.”

Ge Qian bit her lip. “Director Lu, I’m not an orphan—I have two children.”

“Tsk~”

Lu Zhizhang said: “Just write it how I told you. Our unit has rules—you need a special reason to qualify for housing. Understand?”

Ge Qian stared blankly for a long time before finally understanding.

They were going to give her a new apartment!

Seeing Ge Qian stunned, Li Ye added: “Write it as best you can. Submit it—I’ll review it. If it’s bad, I’ll help you revise it.”

Ge Qian’s knees buckled, and she dropped to the ground before Lu Zhizhang and Li Ye.

Li Ye quickly pulled her up.

“A man’s knees hold gold; a woman’s knees shouldn’t be soft. From now on, you’re the head of your household—you must stand tall.”

“I—I remember. I’ll… stand tall.”

“Good. You’re a high school graduate—take night classes or correspondence courses when you can. It’ll help you improve.”

“.”

Only after Li Ye left did Ge Qian finally wipe her eyes—but no matter how hard she wiped, the tears wouldn’t stop.

“Auntie, don’t cry, we—”

“I’m fine. I’m just happy!”