Old Mrs. Song is reborn; get out of here, you scumbag husband and illegitimate child!

The institute was deathly silent.

Several older police officers looked at each other, clearly not expecting that the seemingly weak female police officer Fan Tiehua could be so tough.

An older policeman walked over with his hands behind his back, his face dark, and yelled at the two men from Zhangjiazhuang:

"Who gave you permission to shout and yell in the police station? Any issues require evidence and witnesses. You're just spouting nonsense; do you think this is a marketplace?"

The village chief of Zhangjiazhuang is a cunning old fox.

His eyes darted around, and his face was full of scheming wrinkles.

"Officer, you're right, we need to have evidence."

The village chief, spitting as he spoke, declared, "Our entire village can testify. That Nie Erhua has a terrible reputation."

Not only was she lazy and gluttonous, but she also couldn't resist men, her eyes glued to their crotches. If it weren't for Old Man Zhang's kindness in taking her in, she would have been beaten to death long ago.

Speaking of which...

The village chief slapped his thigh, as if he had suffered a great injustice.

"If you don't believe me, I'll go back and get people right now. I'll bring you dozens of witnesses, not just a few."

After saying that, he walked out.

Fan Tiehua was so angry that her stomach clenched, and she pressed her hand on the edge of the table, her knuckles trembling.

These people are shameless.

They call black white, trample the victim in the mud, and then shit on her head.

A sudden screech of brakes came from the front gate, followed by the heavy thud of leather shoes on the floor.

Several police officers in crisp uniforms strode in.

The leader's shoulder badges were gleaming; he was clearly from the Municipal Public Security Bureau.

The director is drinking tea in his office.

Hearing the commotion, I ran out to take a look, and cold sweat instantly soaked my back.

Such disputes involving the buying and selling of women are commonplace in the area.

There's no way it would alarm the city bureau.

The man leading the city bureau glanced around, his gaze finally settling on the station chief's face.

The voice was cold and hard.

"We received a call from higher-ups; the mayor personally oversaw this case. It involves the families of returned overseas Chinese and leaders of Haishi City. Is this how your office handles cases? Detaining the victim's family like criminals while the suspect spouts nonsense?"

The director's legs went weak.

The calls even went all the way to the mayor?

Fan Tiehua's eyes lit up, and before the director could even speak, she stepped forward.

"Reporting to the leader, I am Fan Tiehua, who is in charge of the injury assessment of the victim Nie Erhua."

She handed over the blue folder with both hands, her voice carrying a fierce intensity born of long-suppressed resentment:

"The victim, Nie Erhua, suffered multiple fractures, severe gynecological problems, was three months pregnant, suffered from long-term malnutrition, and had developed severe mental confusion."

The doctor diagnosed this as the result of long-term inhumane abuse, and definitely not the "moral issue" as the village head of Zhangjiazhuang claimed. Moreover, according to my preliminary understanding, there are quite a few women in Zhangjiazhuang who have been bought and sold in similar ways.

The municipal bureau leader took the report and flipped through two pages.

His face grew increasingly dark, and finally he slammed the folder shut.

"Lawless."

He turned abruptly and gave orders to the police force behind him:

"Immediately dispatch police forces, contact the armed police squadron, and surround Zhangjiazhuang. Rescue the trapped women and arrest those involved. Don't let a single one escape!"

Zhou Fang and Song Fei exchanged a glance.

A glint of shrewdness flashed in both of their eyes.

This "tiger skin" was stretched too far, and the effect was surprisingly good.

The two were released on the spot.

After leaving the police station.

It was already completely dark outside.

"Let's go?" Song Fei asked.

Zhou Fang glanced back at the brightly lit police station.

He sneered:

"Go my ass. These people have too many rules and regulations. That old bastard ruined Sister Erhua's life, can you really swallow this?"

"I can't swallow it."

Song Fei twisted his neck, and it cracked.

"Then we'll follow behind." Zhou Fang's eyes were cold. "We'll take advantage of the chaos to give those bastards a little something extra."

……

Song Xianglan barely slept a wink that night.

As soon as Nie Erhua closes her eyes, she starts screaming and trembling. All she can do is hold Erhua's hand and gently coax her.

Early the next morning.

Song Dong arrived carrying a thermos.

"Third Aunt, I bought pork liver noodles. Eat them while they're hot."

"Are Da Bao and Er Bao alright?" Song Xianglan asked, worried about the children.

Song Dong put the bucket down and glanced at Erhua, who was still unconscious.

I understood immediately.

"Da Bao and Er Bao are both fine, they're with Er Hei. We've all agreed that whoever goes out must leave two people to watch the children. Today, Song Nan is the one watching over them."

Song Xianglan nodded.

I took a couple of bites of noodles, but they tasted like nothing at all.

Her heart was always pounding; it was an instinctive feeling of danger.

Until the afternoon.

Zhou Fang, Huang Ronghua, and Song Fei pushed open the ward door.

The group was covered in mud, and Zhou Fang's sleeve was torn in half. Their faces showed a weariness after excitement, as well as a deep sense of lingering fear.

"How is it?" Song Xianglan put down the towel in her hand.

Zhou Fang grabbed a glass of cold boiled water from the table and gulped it down before wiping his mouth.

"The city police took action and arrested quite a few people. They rescued several women, but... some didn't want to leave."

"You don't want to leave?" Song Dong's eyes widened.

"After having a child, some women are reluctant to part with their child and are afraid of being disliked by their family when they go home. Others have been brainwashed and become stupid."

Zhou Fang shook his head, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"You didn't see that scene. The whole village really came out."

Zhou Fang pulled up a stool and sat down, his voice so low it sent chills down one's spine.

"As soon as the police car entered the village, the gong rang."

The first row was filled with elderly women in their seventies and eighties and children under ten years old, blocking the middle of the road.

The second row consists of women and old men.

The able-bodied young men hid in the back, carrying hoes, shovels, torches, and some even carrying homemade guns.

"Those old ladies are really crazy."

Zhou Fang swallowed hard. "I saw with my own eyes that policewoman Fan Tiehua, who spoke up for us, rush to the front to try and save people. But she was grabbed by several old ladies who pulled her hair, scratched her face, and even... even tried to rip off her clothes."

Song Xianglan's heart skipped a beat.

She remembers that even in her past life, up until 00, in places with such powerful clans, there were still instances of female comrades being stripped naked and humiliated while enforcing the law in rural areas.

Ultimately, this led to mental health issues, and he was granted medical retirement.

"And then what happened?" Song Dong asked urgently.

"Later, gunfire was fired, and the armed police arrived, which finally calmed the people down."

Zhou Fang sneered, "That village chief Zhang is still shouting that the police beat people, and that the law does not punish the masses."

Several other patients and their families in the ward gathered around to listen.

A look of terror appeared on everyone's face.

Hearing that two rescued women had also been brought to the hospital, the group rushed out to inquire about the gossip.

The ward was empty.

Song Xianglan made a quick decision, threw off the covers, and was about to get out of bed.

"Pack your things and let's go."

Song Dong was taken aback.

"Third Aunt, Second Sister Hua's surgery hasn't been done yet, and the compensation hasn't been discussed..."

"What's the point of talking about compensation?"

Song Xianglan's voice was stern, even trembling slightly.

"This is their territory, where clan power is deeply entrenched. If the police arrest someone today, they can hold a grudge against us tomorrow."

Let's get out of here while they're in complete chaos.

If we wait until they realize what's happening and retaliate, we won't even have bones left. We have powerful connections above us who can't afford to be careless in protecting us.

Money is important.

Life is more important.

These days, even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake.

Song Xianglan knew all too well the terror of how impoverished and harsh places breed unruly people.

Seeing that Song Xianglan's face was ashen, the group hurriedly began packing their things.

Erhua was still dazed when Song Xianglan wrapped her in a blanket and had Zhou Fang carry her on his back.

When I went to the doctor to complete the discharge procedures.

The doctor was still trying to persuade him, saying that the patient's condition was unstable.

Song Xianglan wouldn't listen to a word she said.

They signed the papers and left.

Zhou Fang and Huang Ronghua rode their tricycles, pedaling furiously, carrying several people towards the truck parked in the suburbs.

Only after getting on the truck, the engine roared, and the truck drove out of Pingcheng's territory did Song Xianglan's tense back finally relax.

The wind was whistling through the carriage.

Zhou Fang lit a cigarette.

His hands were still trembling slightly, but he grinned, revealing a set of white teeth in a somewhat ferocious smile.

"Godmother, actually we did some side work last night."

Song Xianglan looked at him.

Zhou Fang exhaled a smoke ring, his smile seemingly harmless. "When things got chaotic, Song Fei and I sneaked into Old Zhang's house. That old geezer was hiding in the cellar trying to smuggle money."

"We didn't let him die."

Zhou Fang said in a light voice, "They used a steel pipe to smash his kneecaps and break his arms."

For the rest of his life, he could only crawl on the ground like a maggot.

"And his nephew, that bespectacled, refined scoundrel, was trying to escape by climbing over the wall when Song Fei smashed him down with a brick, breaking his leg completely."

Song Dong gasped.

Zhou Fang flicked the cigarette butt out of the car. "I saw that no one was in the house, so I casually moved the fire from the stove to the pile of firewood."

"Burned?" Song Dong asked.

"Burn it down." Zhou Fang laughed heartily. "We took all the money that old bastard had hidden his whole life, and we burned that dilapidated house he used to imprison people to the ground. Letting him live is worse than death."

Song Xianglan listened with an indescribable sense of pleasure.

"Well done." She closed her eyes and leaned against the side of the carriage. "Let's get going, as far away from this godforsaken place as possible."

Zhou Fang gave the money to Song Xianglan, saying it was compensation for Nie Erhua.

Song Xianglan counted them.

There are probably four or five hundred yuan, all of which is money earned from Erhua.

……

Two hours later.

Despite her facial injuries, Fan Tiehua rushed to the hospital ward with comrades from the Women's Federation.

Where are they?

Fan Tiehua was stunned as she stared at the empty hospital bed.

The nurse was changing the sheets, without even looking up.

"I just got discharged and left the hospital."

Fan Tiehua looked astonished:

"Why did you leave? The case has already been filed, but the compensation hasn't been discussed yet, and the surgery hasn't been performed..."

Hou Xiaoyue, who was eating a peach in the next bed, sighed:

"Young lady, you mean well, but you're too young and don't understand the rules here."

Pingcheng belongs to half of Zhang and Chen's territory; it's not a place to be trifled with.

Can you keep watch over them 24 hours a day without making a sound?

"If these out-of-towners don't run away soon, people from Zhangjiazhuang might sneak into the hospital in the middle of the night and stab them. Who will you ask for compensation from then on?"

Hou Xiaoyue shook her head.

"Being alive is more important than anything else. They made the right decision to run; they're smart."

Fan Tiehua stood still.

Looking at the clean and tidy hospital bed, I felt a heavy weight in my heart.

She thought of the group of crazy old ladies in Zhangjiazhuang, their numb yet fierce faces, and how she herself almost suffered the consequences.