Chapter 56: Xie Zhi Rushes to the Rescue

Xie Zhi was led away to collect his luggage, but who would have thought that the alley behind the hotpot restaurant hid so many secrets? Along the way, elderly folks and children were selling trinkets that young girls would love—handmade cute ornaments, little figurines, and plush toys.

Yet, conducting transactions in such a secluded and narrow alley made it feel like an underground black market.

As the attendant led the man inside, nearly all the vendors turned their eyes toward him, their gazes filled with anticipation and a hint of longing.

Xie Zhi’s heart softened instantly. Unable to resist, he stopped at each stall, picking out a few small items he guessed a girl might like. They had been married for a few months now—if he couldn’t even grasp her preferences, wouldn’t that be too embarrassing?

When he finally carried the things outside, he was met with the sight of an empty entrance. His heart clenched in panic. Where was Jiaojiao? Bad scenarios flooded his mind, and without a second thought, he tossed his luggage to the ground in a frenzy.

“Comrade, are you leaving your luggage behind?” the attendant called out loudly. But Xie Zhi didn’t look back—he was already dashing away.

His sharp black eyes swept through the streets, searching frantically. At this moment, his heart felt like it was about to leap out of his chest. Regret overwhelmed him—why did he leave her alone? Why didn’t he come sooner?

He focused on quieter streets, deliberately checking the darker areas. Then, realizing how helpless he was alone, he thought of asking the hotpot restaurant staff for help.

“Hubby, help…”

A familiar cry echoed faintly in the air, quickly dissipating. Xie Zhi turned sharply toward the direction of the voice. In the dimly lit corner, illuminated faintly by the moonlight, half of a girl’s body was exposed to the light—her terrified eyes staring back at him.

Xie Zhi couldn’t describe his emotions. Before he could even think, his body had already moved—he yanked the man away with full force, shielding Jiaojiao behind him.

When he finally got a clear look at the man’s face, his black eyes darkened with murderous intent.

“You’re looking for death.”

Yuan Ling smiled playfully and tilted his head to glance at Xu Jiaojiao. However, the girl’s slender figure was entirely hidden behind Xie Zhi—only a small corner of her clothing was visible.

“I didn’t do anything to her. But who told her to be as sweet as a little cake?”

As he spoke, he licked his palm—right where he had just covered Jiaojiao’s mouth.

A heavy punch landed on him. Xie Zhi’s eyes were red with rage, every hit carrying the intent to cripple the man. But Yuan Ling wasn’t one to go down easily. In his eyes, he had done nothing wrong—he had only chatted with the girl he adored. Why was this man being so possessive?

He refused to take a beating like last time.

The two men grappled fiercely, while Xu Jiaojiao cowered in the corner. The sound of fists colliding with flesh and bones breaking echoed in her ears. It was terrifying.

“Who’s there?”

Just as the fight intensified, a flashlight’s harsh beam illuminated the dark alley. Two men were locked in a brawl, completely ignoring their surroundings, while a young woman sat curled up on the ground, arms wrapped around herself.

The patrolling officers rushed in and separated them, then promptly escorted everyone to the police station.

As the only woman involved, Xu Jiaojiao was taken aside by a female officer who gently tended to her. The officer quickly noticed the emptiness in the girl’s eyes and instantly understood what had happened.

But Jiaojiao’s clothes weren’t torn, her hair was still neat—if not for her shaken state, one might have assumed it was just a simple quarrel.

Meanwhile, both Xie Zhi and Yuan Ling were handcuffed and seated side by side in the interrogation room, looking like students being punished in class.

Yuan Ling, thrilled by the commotion, found the entire situation amusing. He and Xie Zhi were both cold-looking men, yet their attitudes were worlds apart.

He whistled, tapped the handcuffs against the table, and fidgeted like a restless monkey.

In contrast, Xie Zhi sat still and composed.

The officer in charge of the interrogation slammed the table in frustration. “I was just about to get off work! Do you have any idea how annoying this is?”

He glared at Yuan Ling. “Be quiet! Disrupting our work is a crime too, you know?”

Yuan Ling, seeing that no one was playing along, pouted and reluctantly stopped his antics.

“Why were you two fighting? Xie Zhi, you first.”

“He abducted my wife to a secluded place, harassed her, and attempted something improper. That’s why I hit him.”

The officer swiftly jotted down notes. “Is that true?”

Yuan Ling tilted his head, twisted his neck, and grinned. “It’s true. But I only wanted to take her away—I wasn’t planning to do anything improper.”

The officer’s brows furrowed deeply. This guy… something was definitely wrong with him.

“Human trafficking is a serious crime.”

Xie Zhi took a deep breath, his voice slightly hoarse.

“Back in our hometown, he tried to assault my wife. He forcibly took her to his room, and if I hadn’t arrived in time, I don’t even want to think about what would’ve happened.”

The officer looked at Yuan Ling—a seemingly handsome and refined man, yet someone who committed such vile acts.

“Is that true?”

Yuan Ling, pleased with himself, showed no remorse. He was eager for the world to know how ‘close’ he had been to the girl. His eyes burned with a twisted obsession.

“It’s true.”

Then, he looked at Xie Zhi expectantly. “I really like Jiaojiao. Sell her to me—I’ll pay you more money than you can imagine.”

The officer slammed his hand on the table. “Ridiculous! Do you want to get shot?!”

Human trafficking, attempted assault, and absolutely no sense of guilt—there was no question Yuan Ling was headed straight for prison. The officer finished writing his report, then turned to the two men.

“You can call your family now. If you want a lawyer, go ahead.”

Xie Zhi hesitated for a long time before finally dialing his teacher’s number. His teacher had deep roots in Qingcheng, and even though Xie Zhi had distanced himself over the years, they still maintained correspondence.

Yuan Ling, on the other hand, lounged in his chair, staring unblinkingly at the bright fluorescent lights above. Even as tears welled in his eyes from the glare, he refused to look away.

“Comrade, do mentally ill people have to go to prison?”

Xu Jiaojiao finally spoke her first words of the night after finishing a cup of hot water.

The female officer stiffened, recalling the crazed look in Yuan Ling’s eyes. He definitely seemed mentally unstable.

“There’s a psychiatric hospital in the suburbs. Criminals with mental illness are sent there under strict supervision.”

Xu Jiaojiao’s tear-streaked lashes trembled. Her silent sobs made her look even more pitiful.

“How long will he be locked up?”

“There aren’t many precedents, but the sentence will probably be similar to a prison term,” the officer replied hesitantly.

Xu Jiaojiao wiped her tears.

Three to five years would be ideal. At least it was better than what she had feared. In modern times, a mental illness diagnosis often became a criminal’s get-out-of-jail-free card.

Outside, the storm raged on.

Two cars sped through the rain toward the same destination—coincidentally arriving at the police station at the same time.