I Got Together With the Fake Heiress - Chapter 115

Around dinnertime, the four students successfully arrived at Lipu Village and kindly escorted the young girl, Xiao Zhao, home.

“Who are you people?” Xiao Zhao’s father watched the four with extreme vigilance.

Before Liang Shiyou could explain, Xiao Zhao introduced them herself. “Dad, these sisters said they would pay 200 RMB to stay at our house for one night. They only need two rooms.”

Upon hearing about the money, the father’s eyes softened immediately. “Oh, so you’re the kind people who brought Xiao Zhao back! You haven’t eaten yet, have you? Come on in quickly, we just cooked dinner.”

Wen Yunqing tightened her grip on Wen Yimeng’s hand. The two exchanged a brief glance. The speed of Xiao Zhao’s father’s attitude change was too fast; it didn’t seem like a good sign.

Liang Shiyou and Zhang Pan didn’t overthink it. Seeing the change in attitude, they smiled and walked inside.

Although Xiao Zhao’s clothing looked worn, the family environment wasn’t bad. It was a sturdy brick house, the floor was cemented, and they had a color TV and basic appliances.

“What would you like to eat? I’ll ask her to cook a few more dishes,” Xiao Zhao’s father said with a smile, his gaze subtly sweeping over the four guests.

These people clearly looked like they were raised in wealthy families. If he treated them well, perhaps he could get more money out of them.

Wen Yunqing didn’t hesitate and requested three simple home-cooked dishes. Xiao Zhao’s father smiled in acceptance and walked towards the kitchen.

Liang Shiyou curiously looked around the house and leaned down to ask Xiao Zhao, “How many people are in your family?”

Xiao Zhao paused. “Originally, there was Mom, Dad, and Grandma, but Grandma passed away last year.”

Liang Shiyou felt a pang of sympathy and gently touched Xiao Zhao’s head. “I shouldn’t have asked that.”

Xiao Zhao shook her head. “It’s okay. I didn’t like Grandma, so I wasn’t sad at all when she died.”

“Huh?” Liang Shiyou was stunned, unsure how to respond, only managing a dry, “Is that so…”

“Why? Was she mean to you?” Zhang Pan reacted faster than Liang Shiyou. Since she grew up in the countryside herself, she quickly considered many possibilities.

Xiao Zhao nodded. “She was mean to Mom and me. She often hit us and called us money-losing goods (賠錢貨)…”

While speaking, Xiao Zhao secretly looked up, observing the expressions on the four women’s faces. When her gaze inadvertently met Wen Yunqing’s, she did not look away, instead watching her with anticipation.

Wen Yunqing had already more or less guessed the real situation. She nodded slightly, giving Xiao Zhao a reassuring look.

Xiao Zhao’s eyes immediately brightened, but her expectation quickly turned into nervousness. Was the situation really what she thought? Did this sister truly understand what she meant?

About half an hour later, Xiao Zhao’s father brought five dishes out of the kitchen. He then had Xiao Zhao fetch the rice from the rice cooker and ushered Wen Yunqing and the others to begin eating.

“Uncle, is Xiao Zhao’s mother not joining us for dinner?” Liang Shiyou asked curiously.

Xiao Zhao’s father was startled for a moment, then laughed. “Her? She’s a bit afraid of strangers, so she prefers to eat in the kitchen. You don’t need to worry about her; she saved some food for herself.”

“I see. I wanted to thank Xiao Zhao’s mother; her cooking is delicious,” Liang Shiyou said naturally. After sensing Zhang Pan poke her with a finger, she quickly changed the subject.

“I heard that someone is building a school nearby recently. Did the village hear any news about that?”

Xiao Zhao’s father tried to recall. “I think so. I heard they are building a junior high school in the township so that kids nearby won’t have to struggle to attend school in the county town. It takes a lot of time to travel back and forth every day.”

“Does Xiao Zhao travel back and forth every day?” Zhang Pan asked.

Xiao Zhao’s father shook his head. “Xiao Zhao stays at school and comes home on weekends.”

Liang Shiyou felt something was off, but then she was confused because Xiao Zhao’s father was willing to pay for her to board at school. If he was bad to his daughter, why would he pay for her lodging?

Holding onto her slight doubts, Liang Shiyou finished the meal and then pulled the three others out under the pretense of taking a walk.

“Do you guys feel like something is wrong?” Liang Shiyou asked. “I feel like Xiao Zhao’s father isn’t treating her well at all, and he wouldn’t let us see Xiao Zhao’s mother…”

“So, you suspect?” Zhang Pan completely agreed with Liang Shiyou; she also felt something was amiss.

“I suspect Xiao Zhao’s father is abusing his wife and child! His wife must be covered in bruises, which is why he didn’t dare let us see her!” Liang Shiyou stated firmly.

A question mark slowly surfaced in Zhang Pan’s mind. “So, you think he’s the type of person who commits domestic violence?”

“What’s wrong? Don’t you think he’s acting strangely?” Liang Shiyou also grew puzzled. “His behavior is clearly suspicious!”

Zhang Pan weighed her words. “I also think he’s acting strangely, but my idea is a little different from yours.”

“Such as?” Liang Shiyou waited for Zhang Pan’s answer.

“I think Xiao Zhao was sending us a distress signal. She wants us to take her away from here,” Zhang Pan analyzed. “She has no affection for her grandmother whatsoever. That’s not something a normal child would say, and Xiao Zhao is only in the eighth grade.”

“She must have suffered a lot. Maybe she isn’t even his biological daughter, but was abducted!” Zhang Pan stated her guess.

“But if it was trafficking, shouldn’t they choose a boy?” Liang Shiyou’s eyes showed confusion.

“Maybe they couldn’t afford a boy?” Zhang Pan actually had another idea, but she felt it was too outrageous to voice.

Wen Yunqing sighed. “Neither of those is quite right. Xiao Zhao is indeed his biological daughter. The one who was abducted and trafficked is likely her mother.”

“Is that true?” Zhang Pan’s eyes widened. This was the outrageous guess she had harbored, but because she lacked evidence, she hadn’t said it.

“Yes. Xiao Zhao is good-looking, but her father’s appearance is very average, and he doesn’t seem like someone with good character. A man like that usually wouldn’t be able to marry someone beautiful and virtuous,” Wen Yunqing explained. “Unless he didn’t marry her through normal channels.”

“This is supposed to be a Moderately Prosperous Society now; how can something like this still happen!” Liang Shiyou was utterly shocked. “Xiao Zhao is already fifteen. Has her mother been held captive here for over a decade?”

“If she’s been held for over a decade and he still needs to confine her, it means Xiao Zhao’s mother still wants to leave this place!” Zhang Pan’s mind raced. “Should we take both of them with us tomorrow?”

“No, we cannot take them away,” Wen Yimeng interjected. “We need to find a way to speak with Xiao Zhao’s mother tonight. If possible, we should choose to report this to the police!”

The two suddenly understood. “That’s right! Charges of human trafficking, abuse of women, illegal detention, and prolonged infringement of women’s rights are enough to send him to prison!”

It was easy for Wen Yunqing and Wen Yimeng to strike up a conversation with Xiao Zhao’s mother. They simply offered Xiao Zhao’s father a little money and applied a slight psychological suggestion to him. Without needing outside help, Xiao Zhao’s father happily left.

“Mom, these sisters are university students! They are here to help us!” As soon as the father left, Xiao Zhao eagerly brought Wen Yunqing and the others to her mother.

Xiao Zhao’s mother didn’t react much. She had no obvious physical scars, but she looked emotionally defeated and lifeless.

She looked up at them briefly. Realizing they were four young women, a flicker of emotion crossed her eyes, but she quickly lowered her head and resumed her work.

“Big Sister, I want to ask, were you forced to come here?” Wen Yimeng asked. “If so, we can help you report this to the police.”

Hearing the word “police,” Xiao Zhao’s mother smiled weakly, her voice raspy. “It’s useless. I have nowhere to go.”

“Why would it be useless? Are the police incompetent?” Liang Shiyou frowned. “Big Sister, don’t worry, we are all law students. We can help you secure your legal rights!”

Xiao Zhao’s mother was silent for a while. “He has complete documentation: a marriage certificate and a household registration booklet. These are his shields.”

“How did he obtain the marriage certificate?” Wen Yimeng focused on the key point.

“There weren’t so many rules back then. It was handled by the village people,” Xiao Zhao’s mother said. “I don’t have an ID card; how far can I go? And Xiao Zhao’s school registration is here…”

Perhaps the fact that they were law students gave the four credibility. Under their questioning, Xiao Zhao’s mother revealed a great deal, essentially telling them everything she knew.

The truth was slightly different from Wen Yunqing’s guess. Xiao Zhao’s mother was indeed abducted by human traffickers, but even before that, she had been sold by her own biological parents.

The reason was simple: the family didn’t need a girl; they needed a boy. After the mother became pregnant, to avoid fines or forced abortion, she had no choice but to sell the child, who hadn’t been registered yet.

The first buyer was a couple in the neighboring village who were over thirty and childless. But when Xiao Zhao’s mother was twelve, the woman unexpectedly became pregnant again. There was a difference between a biological and a non-biological child. The couple sent Xiao Zhao’s mother to work outside the province after she finished junior high and rarely contacted her after that.

When Xiao Zhao’s mother was nineteen and had saved enough money to start self-studying at night school, she ran into human traffickers who sold her to this village, pretending she was a university student.

Xiao Zhao’s mother never wanted to stay here. She tried many ways to escape but failed. After Xiao Zhao was born, she was tied down even more firmly; she couldn’t possibly abandon Xiao Zhao alone.

“In that case, the situation is somewhat complex, but there is no doubt that he is a criminal,” Wen Yimeng frowned in thought. “If you are determined to take Xiao Zhao away from here, we can help you leave your current family. We can also find you a job in the county town, allowing Xiao Zhao to continue her studies there…”

“It’s okay, Mom, you don’t need to worry about me. I can stay with Teacher Liu,” Xiao Zhao interjected. “I’m already in ninth grade. Teacher Liu said I can apply for a scholarship in high school, and kind people will sponsor us!”

Hearing Xiao Zhao’s words, Wen Yunqing and Wen Yimeng exchanged a glance. It seemed the Foundation was operating reliably and had gained some recognition among students and teachers.

Xiao Zhao’s mother shook her head. “I won’t leave you.”

“Then move to the county town together. We’ll leave tomorrow,” Wen Yunqing said. “Get a good night’s sleep tonight. Someone will come to pick you up tomorrow.”

To ordinary people, this matter would seem extremely complicated, possibly requiring lengthy procedures and massive amounts of time and effort to resolve.

But Wen Yunqing was not an ordinary person. She solved the issue with two phone calls after returning to the inn. One call was to the head of the Foundation in Dong County, and the other was to the newly acquired phone number of a certain Bureau Chief.

Xiao Zhao hugged her mother. Both tossed and turned all night, filled with anticipation and fear, and neither slept until dawn.

Sometime after the sun rose, Xiao Zhao’s father returned first. Seeing no breakfast on the table, he cursed and shoved open the bedroom door, intending to wake them up.

“What are you doing packing your things!” Xiao Zhao’s father frowned, sharply scolding them. “Where are you going?”

“Naturally, to the county town,” Wen Yunqing said. She and Wen Yimeng had woken up early just to be present at this moment.

“To the county town?” Xiao Zhao’s father was confused, looking at the two with suspicion. “Why are you going to the county town?”

Before Wen Yunqing could answer, the piercing yet reassuring sound of police sirens came from outside the door. Xiao Zhao’s father’s first instinct was to close the door; he sensed something was wrong.

“You ungrateful wretches! I kindly took you in, and yet you want to break up my family!” Seeing Xiao Zhao and her mother standing behind Wen Yunqing with their luggage, Xiao Zhao’s father was furious.

“What nonsense are you talking about? This meal was cooked by Xiao Zhao’s mother for us, and we are now seeking justice for her,” Zhang Pan and Liang Shiyou descended from the second floor. “We are simply repaying the kindness of a single meal!”

Before he could say anything else, the police pushed the partially closed door open and walked in. After nodding to Wen Yunqing, they immediately pressed Xiao Zhao’s father onto the table and swiftly handcuffed him.

“You are suspected of Trafficking in Women, Abuse of Women, Illegal Detention, and Long-Term Infringement of Women’s Rights, among other charges. You must now return to the police station with us to cooperate with the investigation!” The police rattled off a string of crimes, then quickly took the man away.

Xiao Zhao’s mother was somewhat surprised. Although she only had a junior high education, she had self-studied quite a bit. If they wanted to take someone away, they should first investigate and gather evidence. Why was he handcuffed and taken away immediately this time?