Chapter 100: Committed to the Psychiatric Hospital

Lu Jianshe forced a smile: “Captain Shen, it’s all family matters that have already been settled, no need for you to worry about it.”

Shen Subai said nothing. His large hand gently brushed over Xiao Wei’s still red and swollen face. His brows furrowed slightly, with a barely visible hint of pity. Then he stood up and looked coldly at Zhou Xinyue: “You’re the child’s mother?”

Zhou Xinyue naturally recognized him too. For some reason, she felt a bit scared. “What does it have to do with you?”

Shen Subai nodded: “It has nothing to do with me. But a mother who is mentally unstable and harms her own child—that kind of situation, it sounds understandable to some extent. No matter what suffering the child has endured, he is your child, and that can’t be denied.”

The warm word “mother” suddenly became a shield for a villain.

Zhou Xinyue bit her lip and put on a pitiful act: “You all are lucky. Unlike me, who was trafficked into the mountains and tortured when I was only a teenager. Sometimes when I look at this child, I think about his father. But I will control my emotions in the future…”

Hearing this, Xie Yunshu bit her teeth hard to suppress the impulse to slap her again.

Shen Subai’s dark eyes showed a trace of coldness. The corner of his mouth curled slightly but without any smile: “With such a tragic fate and unstable emotions, yet you’re a nurse at a big hospital in Haicheng? That’s strange.”

After speaking, he glanced at Lu Jianshe’s stiff face: “Deputy Director Lu, is this your daughter-in-law? I’d like to ask how she got the nursing position—or perhaps I need to get an answer from Director Lin. If she’s mentally unstable, that means she has psychological problems. Has there been any consideration about the safety of the public with such a nurse on duty?”

Shen Subai’s eyes had already lost all warmth. He turned to the hesitant Officer Lao Zhang: “May I borrow your phone?”

Lu Jianshe’s heart grew more uneasy. He quickly said, “Captain Shen, she’s only a temporary worker. I’ll handle this matter.”

A dignified deputy director, even facing Director Zheng, rarely sounded humble. But now his tone carried a barely noticeable fear and plea.

Even Xie Yunshu, who knew nothing about officialdom, sensed something wrong. Wasn’t Captain Shen someone from the construction site? Why was he now involved with the police station?

But she was clever enough not to ask. Instead, she sneered: “Deputy Director Lu, since when do temporary workers get allocated to live in staff housing? Also, as far as I know, Nurse Zhou’s salary isn’t low—over forty yuan a month. Is Haicheng Hospital really doing that well to pay such high wages and bonuses to a temp?”

Zhou Xinyue’s job was secured through Lu Zhixing’s connections. Anyone in her position would do her this favor; using connections is normal. Powerful people arranging for someone to become a nurse? It’s actually quite common.

But if someone digs deep, no one is clean. Is the country’s money meant for buying favors?

Lu Jianshe glared warningly at Xie Yunshu: “Shut up!”

Shen Subai’s gaze grew colder. He picked up the phone and dialed: “Director Lin, this is Shen Subai. Your hospital has a nurse named Zhou Xinyue who abuses her own biological child and is mentally unstable. I’d like to inquire, as a regular citizen, how such a person got into the hospital?”

A regular citizen? He gave his name, so how could he really be just a regular citizen?

Lu Jianshe’s face went pale. He glanced at the secretary behind him, but saw the secretary avoid his eyes upon hearing Shen Subai’s name, which made him feel even more hopeless.

What had already been resolved somehow now had this Shen Subai suddenly popping up!

But Shen Subai hadn’t hung up yet. He lowered his gaze, seemingly lost in thought, and spoke sternly: “If she has mental issues, she should be sent to psychiatry for treatment, not left free to harm the child. Director Lin, as a medical expert, you should understand this better than I do.”

After hanging up, Shen Subai’s tone remained calm, but his words nearly shattered Zhou Xinyue: “I believe the hospital will handle this soon. Deputy Director Lu, are you sure you don’t want to send her to psychiatry for treatment? If the child suffers further harm, even if it’s from his biological mother, I believe no public official would stand by and do nothing.”

Others might not catch the implication, but Lu Jianshe certainly understood the threat behind those words.

Just now he had used his power to suppress others. Now, facing even greater power, he had to bow his head: “Zhixing, since Xinyue’s mental state is unstable, send her to psychiatry for professional treatment. As for the child, take him to your mother first.”

Previously, Xie Yunshu had been forcibly sent to psychiatry by Lu Zhixing after slapping Zhou Xinyue to calm down. But now, the label of “mentally ill” was placed on Zhou Xinyue!

Zhou Xinyue could hardly believe her ears. She had worked hard to get Lu Zhixing to arrange a nursing job for her. Many envied her. But now, branded as mentally ill, she could forget ever working in a hospital again.

She gripped Lu Zhixing desperately, full of fear, begging: “Zhixing, don’t lock me up. I’m not mentally ill. You pity me the most, don’t send me to psychiatry! The New Year’s coming soon—I don’t want to go…”

Lu Zhixing seemed to wake up from a dream. Before marriage, her tears softened his heart and made him agree unconditionally. But now, hearing her cries, all he felt was annoyance.

“Zhou Xinyue, stop making a fuss. You admitted you have mental problems. You just need treatment!”

He pried her fingers apart and said coldly and irritably: “Xiao Wei was hurt so badly by you. Do you think you’re mentally normal? Sending you for treatment is for your own good.”

This time Zhou Xinyue truly cried—not pretending: “I won’t go. I’m not mentally ill! Lu Zhixing, you can’t treat me like this! I’m your wife. How can you send your own wife to a psychiatric hospital? Are you even human? You’re the one with mental problems! Is marrying you a ticket to the mental hospital?”

Lu Zhixing’s face darkened further. He glanced instinctively at Xie Yunshu, who looked on with mockery and coldness.

No one expected things to escalate to this point today. The people at Haicheng’s family compound quietly left. After today’s farce, the Lu family lost face again.

Last time it was Lu Zhixing and Zhou Xinyue openly scandalizing in broad daylight. This time it was Zhou Xinyue abusing her child and being sent to a mental hospital. It was no surprise that at the New Year’s Eve dinner, the Lu family would be the topic of gossip again.

Lu Jianshe’s face was ruined. In front of Director Zheng and Shen Subai, he lost so much face today. And with the secretary from the provincial office standing behind him, he knew his promotion was basically impossible now.

“Zhixing, do as Captain Shen said. I’ll take Xiao Wei away first.”

He could only use the image of a loving grandfather to try and save some face.

Zhou Xinyue was desperate. She glared fiercely at Xie Yunshu, eyes full of unmasked hatred and venom: “It’s you. You framed me! Everything that happened today was your deliberate setup, right? Xie Yunshu, you were the one who wanted to divorce Lu Zhixing. Don’t shamelessly come over and seduce him. That Shen guy is involved with you too, right? You slut, is seducing men the only way you get revenge?”