Chapter 122: Aftermath

Bi Qiao’an held up the photos and displayed them for everyone to see. “These photos do show a man and a woman, but there’s no sign of any intimate behavior. In fact, they seem quite distant. May I ask what evidence you have to support your claim that they have a private relationship? Is it simply your imagination? Missus, even if you don’t believe my friend, don’t you believe your husband?”

“Bah. My husband is so handsome—it’s these shameless women who throw themselves at him,” Fang Fang^[1]Fāng Fāng (方芳): “Fang” is a common Chinese surname, and “Fang” as a given name can mean “fragrant” or “virtuous.” retorted. “If she were a good person, why would she be alone with him? Heh, you’re even from the same company. Don’t tell me you didn’t know Wei Liang has a wife and son.”

Song Wennuan wiped away her tears. “Sister Fang, why won’t you believe me? In one of these photos, Wei Liang and I were conducting work surveys in October. The other was taken at a Western restaurant when the survey ended. Sister Fang, I don’t deny that I’m in the photos, but why are there only photos of me and Wei Liang when there were other people present?”

“If you didn’t have ulterior motives, why would you join the same survey group as Wei Liang and eat at the same table as him?”

“Sister Fang, our work assignments come from leadership. How can I object? Besides, other colleagues were also present. Can you tell me where you got these photos? Were you stalking us?”

“Of course not!” Fang Fang denied it immediately. “Where I got the photos doesn’t matter. The fact is they’re real!”

“Yes, the photos are real, but the story you’ve created is fake. Sister Fang, I just want to do my job well. Please don’t harass me or ruin my reputation.”

“Heh, that’s easy for you to say. If you really had nothing to do with Wei Liang, why would you be buying jewelry together? It’s clear as day in the photo. That big gold bracelet is on your wrist, not mine!”

Song Wennuan scoffed. “Sister Fang, it’s been over half a month and you still haven’t put on the gold bracelet? Heh, you’re trampling on Wei Liang’s good intentions!”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you know Wei Liang bought that bracelet as a gift for you? Oh, but the one in the photo was the one I liked. Wei Liang bought you a different one. Everyone in the company knows he bought you a bracelet. Do you want me to call our leader to testify?”

“Hmph, I don’t believe any of you! You’re all liars, conspiring to trick me. Liars will come to no good end!”

Seeing that the woman was becoming unhinged, Shen Yanming swiftly restrained her.

“Let go of me! You’re hurting me! Murderer! Hooligan! Let me go!” Fang Fang screamed, struggling against Shen Yanming’s grip.

Bi Qiao’an realized there was no use reasoning with Fang Fang. She was trapped in her own delusions.

Fang Fang continued to struggle and curse, kicking violently. If Shen Yanming hadn’t been holding her, she likely would have attacked the others.

The situation was deadlocked. Song Wennuan was at a loss. Shen Yanming said, “I already called the police. Let them handle it.”

Song Wennuan nodded. “I thought a calm explanation would be enough. I didn’t expect…”

“Some problems and some people can’t be resolved with tolerance alone. We’re all adults. She has to face the consequences of her actions.” Bi Qiao’an knew the gentle Wennuan was soft-hearted, but this situation required a firmer approach.

They didn’t say more. Ten minutes later, the police arrived. As soon as the crazed woman saw them, she shouted, “Help! Someone’s trying to kill me! They beat me badly. Wah…”

Shen Yanming handed the woman over to the police and briefly explained the situation. The police said they needed everyone involved to come to the station to make a statement.

So, they accompanied Song Wennuan to the police station and explained today’s events in detail.

Fang Fang wailed miserably, claiming she didn’t do anything and had simply been beaten. She demanded that Shen Yanming compensate her for medical expenses and mental distress.

Jiang Shanshan couldn’t stand it anymore. She held up Song Wennuan’s face and said, “Look, here’s the evidence! Where on your body were you injured by us? Show us!”

Shen Yanming directly handed his phone to the police. “This is the video I recorded. Now, we want to sue this woman for defamation and false accusation.”

Hearing this, Fang Fang panicked. “I-I didn’t. It was all them. That mistress ruined my marriage! She got what she deserved! She won’t come to a good end…”

The police ignored Fang Fang. After watching the video, they had a full understanding of the case. Fang Fang was temporarily detained.

Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an accompanied Song Wennuan and Jiang Shanshan home. When they arrived, Jiang Shanshan quickly poured a basin of water for Song Wennuan. “Hurry and wash up. Your face is covered in tears and snot—don’t worry, we don’t mind.”

Song Wennuan hesitated. “This water…”

“Come on, it’s just this once. It’s not like we’ll run out of water because of you. At worst, we’ll save a bit every day from now on. We’ll survive, right?”

Pushed by Jiang Shanshan, Song Wennuan went to the bathroom. When the warm towel touched her eyes, she couldn’t help but tear up.

A long while later, Song Wennuan calmed down and came out of the bathroom, only to see Jiang Shanshan alone in the living room. “They…didn’t leave, right?”

“No, Qiao’an said they brought us some gifts and went downstairs to get them. Here, this is something they brought too.” Jiang Shanshan handed Song Wennuan the paper bag Bi Qiao’an had left on the sofa.

“Let’s wait for them to come back before looking.”

Downstairs, Bi Qiao’an looked at the three barrels of purified water and one box of instant noodles left in the trunk and frowned slightly. “Are these…appropriate?”

“Let’s send them some water this time. In the future, if there’s a chance, we can make it up to them a bit more,” Shen Yanming reassured her.

Bi Qiao’an nodded, carrying one barrel of purified water upstairs. Shen Yanming followed behind her, carrying a barrel in each hand.

“Oh my, isn’t that a lot of water? Qiao’an, don’t tell me you’re giving all of it to us?” Jiang Shanshan exclaimed as soon as she saw Bi Qiao’an.

“Qiao’an, this gift is too precious. I can’t accept it. Shanshan and I still have a lot of water. If we use it sparingly, we can make it through the dry season,” Song Wennuan said, her eyes red and her voice still a bit hoarse.

“It’s fine. Yanming and I have stored a lot; there’s enough for us to use. Plus, didn’t the Qinghe Alliance’s official Weibo say they’d sell water in the future?”

“Who knows how long ‘in the future’ will be!”

Bi Qiao’an smiled. “Here, these are for you,” she said, taking out the gifts from the paper bag. “There’s a pack of dried vegetables, a pack of dried mushrooms, rose sauce, ginger candy, pickled mustard greens, beef jerky…”

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