Volume 1, Chapter 34: Bitches and Bastards, a Match Made in Hell

Lu Xiaoman stood outside the iron gate of the detention center, the wind whipping sand and grit against her face like tiny needles.

She had stood there for a full ten minutes, the echo of her last phone call still ringing in her ears: "The case is in process; wait for notification."

Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the doors to the reception hall.

The staff member behind the window looked up, and upon seeing her, a flicker of recognition crossed his eyes. Her calls had become a near-daily reminder over the last two days.

"Here to ask about the Chu Yutang case again?" The man picked up the registry, tapping his fingertip on the words "Pending Verification." "No progress. The process isn't finished yet."

"What kind of process takes this long?" Lu Xiaoman felt her temper flare. "The witnesses and physical evidence are all there, and he even admitted to bullying my son himself. Are you planning to give him a commendation?"

People nearby turned to look. The staff member lowered his voice. "Ma'am, there are regulations for handling cases..."

"Regulations meant to let an abuser walk free?" Lu Xiaoman grew more incensed. "My son is only five. His neck hurts every time he moves—do these things not count as evidence? What exactly are you waiting for?"

The commotion drew the attention of an older officer on duty, a man in his fifties with graying temples.

He led Lu Xiaoman to the rest area nearby and handed her a cup of warm water. "I know you're anxious. I understand a mother's heart."

He sighed, scanning the doorway to ensure no one was watching before leaning in, his voice dropping to a whisper: "It’s not that we’re dragging our feet; it’s that someone has put in a word."

Lu Xiaoman’s grip on the paper cup tightened so hard that water splashed onto her hand, the heat making her flinch. "Who?"

The old officer didn't name names, merely shaking his head with a look of helplessness. "The other party has too much influence; our little station can't withstand the pressure. The higher-ups told us to let the case sit for now and not to escalate the conflict."

He paused, patting her arm. "Young lady, I advise you not to push too hard. It’s not worth it. They’ve already signaled that they’re willing to pay more in compensation..."

"Money?" Lu Xiaoman laughed, a sound devoid of any warmth. "My son has suffered psychological trauma, he’s still coughing, and the bruises on his neck haven't even faded yet. Can that be settled with money? You are law enforcement, not a shield for the powerful and wealthy!"

The old officer turned his face away, offering no further words, only a deep sigh. He reached into his pocket and handed her a piece of candy. "The child is young; buy him something nice to soothe him. Don't ask about anything else—it’s useless."

The fruit candy melted into a sticky mess in her palm. As Lu Xiaoman walked out of the hall, she felt as if all the strength had been drained from her body.

In Jiangcheng, who else had the power and influence—and the willingness—to help Chu Yan, if not the Shang family?

She pulled out her phone, her fingertip hovering over "Chu Yan" for three seconds before she pressed the call button.

"Hello?" Chu Yan’s voice carried a post-illness lethargy, with the faint, rhythmic beeping of medical equipment in the background.

"Where are you?" Lu Xiaoman’s voice was as cold as ice.

"Oh, isn't this the great Miss Lu? What time do you have to be calling me?" Chu Yan mocked with sharp sarcasm.

Lu Xiaoman repeated, "I asked you where you are."

"At the hospital," Chu Yan chuckled. "What, looking to reminisce?"

"Room number."

Lu Xiaoman offered no further words. Once she had the room number, she hung up and headed straight to the hospital.

***

Inside the hospital room, Chu Yan had just put down her phone and immediately dialed another number.

Her voice turned instantly soft and seductive. "Linyuan, I bought a birthday gift for Auntie Lin. Do you have time to come by and pick it up? Her birthday is in a couple of days, and I’m worried the courier won't make it in time..."

When Lu Xiaoman rushed into the inpatient department, her soles screeched against the tile floor.

The door to the room at the end of the hall was left slightly ajar. Just as she was about to push it open, she heard Chu Yan’s saccharine voice from inside: "Linyuan, don't move, there's a hair on your shirt..."

She froze, her fingertips digging into her palms.

Peering through the gap, she saw Chu Yan standing on her tiptoes. Despite her injured foot, she was leaning heavily into Shang Linyuan.

The woman’s fair, rounded fingertips traced slowly over his shoulder, acting coy. "Look at you, always so careless."

Shang Linyuan frowned and started to step back, but she let out an "Ouch," as if her wound had been tugged, and collapsed straight into his arms.

Shang Linyuan instinctively reached out to steady her, and she took the opportunity to loop her arms around his neck, her face nearly pressed against his chin. Her voice was soft and timid. "My foot hurts so much... please hold me."

Shang Linyuan’s hands were poised at her waist, about to push her away.

Suddenly, Chu Yan looked up, tears seemingly glistening on her lashes, her voice trembling with a sob. "Linyuan, I’m so scared. My brother was foolish, but he only acted out of impulse because of me. He only went to see Lu Xiaoman because he heard I’d been scratched by her son... If he really gets sentenced, what am I supposed to do?"

She buried herself deeper into his chest, clutching his shirt so tightly her knuckles turned white. "It’s a good thing I have you to help me. If you didn't care about me, I’d truly have no one to rely on..."

*Bang!*

When Lu Xiaoman kicked the door open, Shang Linyuan was fighting to keep his temple from throbbing as he dealt with Chu Yan.

Chu Yan’s arms were still hooked around his neck, half of her body hanging off him, her mouth whimpering about her "sore foot" while her fingernails secretly clawed at his shirt buttons.

He was just about to grab her wrists and shove her aside when he caught a glimpse of Lu Xiaoman at the door. His expression darkened instantly.

The hatred in her eyes was like a poisoned icicle, stabbing straight at him.

"Chu Yan, let go."

Shang Linyuan’s voice was as cold as frost as he used force to try and pry her off.

But Chu Yan clung to him like an octopus, deliberately burrowing into his arms, her shoulders shaking like leaves in an autumn wind. "Linyuan, I’m scared... Xiaoman seems to have misunderstood. Please, explain it to her..."

The words sounded like a plea for clarity, but in reality, she pressed herself even closer, a display of intimacy that left no room for explanation.

Shang Linyuan’s brow knotted. His other hand rose, intending to peel Chu Yan off with a hint of violence. "Stop playing games!"

But Chu Yan acted as if she hadn't heard him, intensifying her performance. Her fingertips traced circles on his chest, her voice lowered just enough for Lu Xiaoman at the door to hear.

"I know you’ve gone to great lengths for my brother. Have you looked at those documents yet? Do you want me to give you more details..."

"Enough!" Shang Linyuan roared, finally throwing her hands off and taking half a step back to create distance.

He turned to explain to Lu Xiaoman, ready to say, "It’s not what you think."

But Chu Yan suddenly cried out, "Ouch!" and tumbled onto the bed, rolling around while clutching her ankle, tears streaming down her face. "My foot, it hurts so much! Linyuan, I can't stand..."

He instinctively looked back for a split second, and in that moment, Chu Yan cried out again: "It’s all my fault. If I hadn't asked you to come and pick up the gift, Xiaoman wouldn't have misunderstood. Please don't blame her; she’s just worried about Lu Mingxi..."

These words were like cotton thread, weaving a suffocating net, perfectly staging the scene of "Shang Linyuan doing favors for Chu Yan" while "Lu Xiaoman acts unreasonably."

Lu Xiaoman remembered her son crying in the night, saying, "That big monster pinched my neck, it hurt so much."

She remembered how her son had to tilt his neck while eating, the purple bruise like a venomous snake branded into her mind.

Chu Yan’s pitiful act, contrasted with the ferocity of her brother’s violence, was a cruel, biting irony!

Shang Linyuan’s face turned deathly pale as he spun back toward the door.

Lu Xiaoman’s eyes were cold as ice.

He saw her staring fixedly at his shirt, wrinkled from Chu Yan’s grip; he saw her knuckles white from her clenched fists; he saw the hatred churning in the depths of her eyes.

And hidden within that hatred was the thing he feared most: disappointment.

"Xiaoman, listen to me..." He took two urgent steps forward, wanting to grab her wrist and explain every misunderstanding.

But it was too late.

Lu Xiaoman suddenly turned and sprinted toward the corridor. A second later, she returned, hauling half a bucket of filthy, stagnant water, the fire in her eyes threatening to burn down the walls of the room.

*Splash!*

As the foul, murky water washed over him, Shang Linyuan’s first instinct wasn't to dodge, but to reach toward Lu Xiaoman.

But he was held back by Chu Yan, who was screaming and clinging to his arm.

The cold, filthy water dripped down his hair and into his collar, mixed with grit and grime. He didn't bother to wipe it off, staring only at Lu Xiaoman, his voice raspy with desperation.

"Xiaoman, it’s not like that!"

Lu Xiaoman looked at his arm, held tight by Chu Yan, and saw the pathetic sight of Chu Yan hiding behind him. The image was blinding, nauseating.

"A bitch and a dog, a match made in hell!"

After the curse, she turned and fled, as if escaping something utterly filthy.

Shang Linyuan violently shook off Chu Yan’s hand, intent on chasing her.

But she grabbed his leg and held on for dear life. "Linyuan! Don't go! I’m scared!"

He looked down at the woman clinging to his leg, and for the first time, a look of undisguised disgust rose in his eyes. He kicked her off with force and ran toward the door like a madman.

But at the end of the corridor, Lu Xiaoman was already gone.