Chapter 63: Justice Served

“We have no idea what you’re talking about; it’s simply absurd! Nanhe, we’ve raised you with great effort!” Mu Wei shouted, pounding the table in a desperate attempt to mask his inner turmoil. His face turned crimson, veins bulging on his forehead.

Zhu Li echoed him, her voice shrill and piercing. “Exactly! You must be mistaken. How could we possibly do something so heinous? Don’t think you can frame us as bad people!” She crossed her arms defiantly, leaning back against her chair, her eyes filled with hostility.

The police officers remained unfazed, continuing their methodical questioning. Faced with the evidence, Mu Wei began to waver, his gaze shifting nervously. In contrast, Zhu Li remained obstinate, shaking her head vehemently and loudly rebutting every key issue the officers raised.

“Don’t waste your breath! I’ve told you I didn’t do anything, and you won’t get anything out of me,” Zhu Li said fiercely, her facial muscles twitching in anger.

When the officers presented records from the hospital, trying to break down her psychological defenses, Zhu Li merely glanced at them, then scoffed. “What do these prove? They’re irrelevant to me.”

Despite the officers patiently explaining their leniency policies for confessions, Zhu Li remained deaf to reason, continually asserting her innocence and even accusing the investigators of harassment.

The interrogation reached an impasse. At that moment, Yang Qingyan stepped forward, taking a deep breath. “Perhaps I have a way to get them to tell the truth. I have a mild sedative that, if used appropriately, can help relax their inhibitions and make them more forthcoming. Of course, everything would be conducted under legal and regulatory supervision, and we have applied for the necessary permits for this trial.”

After a brief moment of contemplation, Officer Chen, with his brows furrowed, paced the room weighing the pros and cons before ultimately agreeing to Yang Qingyan’s suggestion.

The police officer took the sedative prepared by Yang Qingyan and brought it into the interrogation room.

Before long, Mu Wei and Zhu Li’s expressions began to change; their eyes grew distant, and their bodies relaxed.

“Did you switch the Xia family’s child and take Mu Nanhe home back then?” Officer Chen asked seriously, his voice resonating in the interrogation room.

The faces of Mu Wei and Zhu Li revealed signs of struggle, their bodies trembling slightly as if resisting the effects of the drug.

A flicker of pain crossed Zhu Li’s eyes as she trembled, her lips quivering as she murmured, “It… it was me. I had a girl, but she died shortly after birth. I saw the Xia family’s boy was so healthy, and I… I didn’t want to be childless, so I… I secretly swapped the babies.”

Mu Wei gritted his teeth, remorse etched on his face, before confessing, “I found out after the swap. When I saw it was a boy, I just kept quiet…”

The truth finally came to light. Zhu Li pleaded to see Mu Nanhe, saying, “Nanhe, do you really have to be so heartless? We raised you for over a decade; can’t you feel anything? Withdraw your complaint, and I’ll forgive you.”

Mu Nanhe looked at her, a cold smile on his face. “You have the nerve to say you raised me for over a decade, but those years were spent treating me like a laborer and I hardly had enough to eat. If it weren’t for my uncle’s help, I’d still be foraging in the mountains. Now you want pity? Good luck with that.” With that, he walked away, ignoring her pleas.

Subsequently, the case was escalated to higher authorities based on both individuals’ criminal admissions and relevant laws regarding child abduction and abuse of a military family member. The court ultimately sentenced Mu Wei and Zhu Li to twenty years in prison.

At the moment the verdict was announced, Mu Nanhe felt mixed emotions. After years of confusion, the mystery was finally resolved. He understood that while justice was delayed, it had not been absent.

Aunt Xia and Uncle Xia approached with teary eyes, excitement swelling as Uncle Xia grasped Mu Nanhe’s hand tightly. “Nanhe, you are truly our child. After all these years, we’ve finally found you.” Aunt Xia wiped her tears and nodded vigorously. “Yes, my child, you’ve suffered so much over the years.”

With tears in his eyes, Mu Nanhe looked at his biological parents, his heart warmed and touched. He held Uncle and Aunt Xia’s hands firmly, saying, “Mom and Dad, from now on, Qingyan and I will take good care of you.”

Uncle Xia asked, “Nanhe, do you want to come back to Beijing with us?”

Mu Nanhe replied, “Dad, Qingyan and I need to return to Heshui to resume our jobs. We’ll come back to visit in our free time.”

Uncle Xia nodded, and Aunt Xia added, “Nanhe, Qingyan, you must come back often to see us. I’ve kept rooms for you.”

Yang Qingyan stepped forward and hugged Aunt Xia. “Mom, don’t worry, we’ll come back whenever we can.”

Uncle Xia and Aunt Xia boarded the train back to Beijing. Mu Nanhe took Chen Lie out for a meal and then prepared to return to Heshui to resume his work.

Two days later, Mu Nanhe and Yang Qingyan embarked on their return train. They sat closely together in the compartment, gazing out at the ever-receding landscape, their minds filled with thoughts.

Yang Qingyan, like a gentle kitten, lightly rested her head on Mu Nanhe’s broad shoulder. Her silky hair brushed against his cheek, sending a soft shiver through him. She softly asked, “Nanhe, was your name given to you by them?”

Hearing Yang Qingyan’s question, Mu Nanhe paused slightly before shaking his head slowly. A faint memory dawned on his handsome face, pulling him back to distant, innocent childhood days filled with curiosity.

“Actually, my name was not given to me by them.” His voice was low and rich, flowing like a gentle stream as he began to recount his past. “When I was very young, I met a learned old gentleman. He was very knowledgeable and had seen a lot, which made me admire him greatly. So, I mustered the courage to ask him to give me a meaningful and beautiful name.”

He paused briefly, a smile curling on his lips as he continued, “After some thought, that old gentleman solemnly bestowed upon me the name ‘Nanhe.’ From that moment on, I grew to love that name deeply and always remembered it. Later, during the population census, I reported this name, and I’ve used it ever since.”

Yang Qingyan’s eyes lit up in realization, and she couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “No wonder! I was wondering how they could give you such a beautiful name without much education. It was you who sought out someone else for it.”

Mu Nanhe smiled gently at her, his eyes filled with warmth. Then his expression turned serious as he said, “Qingyan, as soon as I get back, I’m going to get back to the army.”

Yang Qingyan sat up straight, concern evident in her eyes as she cautioned, “Be careful not to jump into high-intensity training right away. You need to ease into it; your legs have been through a lot.”

Mu Nanhe nodded, reaching for Yang Qingyan’s hand. “I know, don’t worry.”