Yan Xia felt completely drained and could barely stand.
The visiting hours in the intensive care unit were limited. After coming out of it, Yan Xia was like a stone sinking to the bottom of the sea, unresponsive, expressionless, and silent.
She just told Fang Jiangyi to ensure Lan Mengfan's safety and then went home alone.
The rain was pattering down. Zhou Qi was still waiting for her downstairs of the hospital. Seeing that she was in a very bad state, he drove her home as she requested.
When they arrived at the villa, Yan Xia was still slumped wearily against the seat, lost in thought as she watched the heavy rain outside the window. Finally, she asked, "Brother Qi, can our casino get in touch with some people in the underworld?"
Zhou Qi's eyebrows twitched slightly. "If the boss wants to get in touch, it's definitely possible."
Yan Xia rubbed her temples tiredly. "Then I'll have to trouble Brother Qi to spread the word in the underworld. I'll offer two million. Whoever can get Peng Shiyi's life will get this two million."
As she said this, her expression was as calm as still water.
Zhou Qi said, "Boss, it's not difficult to take her life. She's not worth two million."
"Don't worry about it. You just need to do it for me. Also, about Mengfan's case, arrange for people to investigate it for me. I'll reward anyone who can provide useful clues."
Although Peng Shiyi was the most suspect at the moment. After all, her incident and Mengfan's incident happened around the same time and place. But Peng Shiyi shouldn't have taken it out on a child. If there was a hidden story behind it, it was better to find out.
She thought she would feel more stable after getting home, but she almost forgot that every corner of the house was filled with traces of Lan Mengfan's life. Thinking of the once lively and cheerful little girl being tortured to the brink of death, her heart ached.
In the next few days, she went to the police station as usual to give statements. Including Lan Mengfan's case, she had been to the police station several times.
Yan Xia didn't expect the police to make any breakthroughs or find any clues. After all, they had more things to consider. Sometimes it was faster to hire someone to investigate on her own. She only asked about the subsequent handling of Peng Shiyi.
The police officer said, "Since this case is not a major one and hasn't caused very serious consequences so far. As for what you said about your daughter's case, the perpetrator hasn't been found yet, and there's no evidence indicating that she instigated anyone to do it. So the two cases can't be combined for trial. Don't worry, we'll inform you in time of the subsequent trial results."
She had expected such a result. It seemed that this time Peng Shiyi would be released after being imprisoned for a few months.
When she came out of the interrogation room, she happened to run into Shangguan Yao who was looking for her in the lobby.
From afar, Shangguan Yao saw her. In just half a month, she looked much thinner. Her light makeup couldn't hide her tired look, and her once bright eyes were gradually dimming.
"Cheng Yan Xia." He called her and strode towards her. "Are you okay?"
Yan Xia said, "I'm fine."
Shangguan Yao was usually very glib, but at this moment, he didn't know what to say to comfort her. "I've heard about Lan Mengfan's incident. Fortunately, the child is still alive. Don't think too much. Keeping a calm mind is the most important thing."
She glanced at him. "I don't believe that if something like this happened to your child, you could still be so calm and composed."
Yan Xia sat down dejectedly on a chair in the lobby.
Shangguan Yao sat down beside her. For the first time in his life, he felt tongue - tied, especially at this moment.
"I've heard some news..." He hesitated. "I heard that someone is offering two million to buy Peng Shiyi's life."
Yan Xia's eyelashes trembled. She didn't expect this news to reach Shangguan Yao's ears, and she didn't expect that the first person he suspected was herself.
"What do you mean by that?"
Shangguan Yao was very serious. "You know what I mean. It's better if it wasn't you. But if it was you, remember what you promised me. No matter what your goal is, you must never do anything illegal."
Yan Xia sneered. Did he now have the right to stand on the moral high - ground and point fingers at others?
Yan Xia looked up at him and sneered. "Look at the efficiency of your police. The case of Peng Shiyi hiring a killer to harm me still has no result, and you're already suspecting me, the victim. Shangguan, I came back to the capital with you because I trusted you. I came back to help you solve the case.
But what have you done for me? You couldn't even protect me, and now you can't even protect a child. I really regret not insisting on my own decision and choosing to come back with you."
If possible, she would rather never see anyone here again and live with Lan Mengfan in that small town forever.
Shangguan Yao was at a loss for words and didn't know how to reply.
"I didn't mean that. It's just that I'm in a special situation now. If you did that..."
"Turn a blind eye. You're not doing this for the first time. Why can't you do it for me?" Yan Xia was furious. "Aren't you also using means to force Lu Qianzhou to commit crimes? Because he's too smart and vigilant, you can't find any evidence against him. So you're pushing him step by step and even asking me to be the middle - man to get close to him. I don't know where the legal line is. Aren't you doing something illegal?"
Shangguan Yao didn't say a word.
Yan Xia pressed on and stretched out her wrists towards him. "I can tell you that it was me who spread the news about the two million. What are you going to do now? Arrest me and make me confess?"
In the years he had known her, this was the first time Shangguan Yao saw her so fierce, like an eagle showing its claws and fangs, just to protect its young.
He moved his lips. "You know I won't do that."
"Then don't stop me and don't ask any more questions. Peng Shiyi should be lucky that Mengfan can survive this. If anything happens to her, I'll make Peng Shiyi live a life worse than death."
After saying that, she suddenly got up and left.
These days, because Lan Mengfan's organ infection was too serious, she had been rescued dozens of times, big and small. Almost every time, she was snatched back from the hands of death at the last moment. Now she had completely lost consciousness and was rarely awake. No one knew if she could make it through.
Lu Qianzhou had once brought down the Peng family's high - rise buildings and their industries, but with Fang Jiangyi's help, they managed to survive and seemed to have some capital again.
People who were self - righteous wouldn't go very far.
After coming out of the police station, she didn't feel like driving at all. So she walked slowly along the roadside. Her driver followed her car at a distance, and there was another car following behind. Yan Xia knew that the person in the car was Lu Qianzhou.
Since Lan Mengfan's accident, afraid that he might do something stupid or that she might encounter any more danger, he had been driving behind her at a distance, but he just followed silently and never came forward to disturb her.
It started to rain again. She walked in the rain without even holding an umbrella. Finally, Lu Qianzhou couldn't stand it anymore.