Chapter 15

Release from Prison

Shen Fubai felt an overwhelming sense of pressure. A thought flashed through his mind, but he still found it hard to believe as he asked, “Brother Lu, that 96 military knife… you didn’t give it to Hu Ouhua, did you?”

“How did you know?”

Whoosh.

Shen Fubai immediately felt a wave of murderous intent wash over him. He hurriedly spilled the whole story without holding anything back.

“Foolish!”

“Idiot!”

Lu Yuetang cursed angrily, then strode toward the stairs with his long legs.

Behind him, Shen Fubai looked bewildered, rubbed his nose, and quickly followed, unable to understand why Brother Lu was so furious.

As soon as they got downstairs, Lu Yuetang picked up the phone and dialed a number.

“Hello, Secretary Zhang? It’s me, Lu Yuetang. I need to trouble you to handle something personally. Yes, I apologize for the inconvenience. The military knife in her possession was a gift from me. I take full responsibility. Please release her immediately.”

Lu Yuetang said a few more words before hanging up.

After ending the call, he turned and glared at Shen Fubai, scolding, “Look at the mess you made. If she suspects that I sent you to force her confession just to clear my name, I’ll make you regret it.”

With that, he stormed off without even bothering to take a car.

Only then did Shen Fubai realize how serious the situation had become.

He rushed to drive to Ningcheng Detention Center, intending to explain everything to Hu Ouhua, but it was clear that he no longer had a say in the matter.

Outside the Public Security Bureau, numerous cars were parked. The secretary of the Ningcheng Municipal Committee had personally arrived, accompanied by other city officials, taking up the entire parking space.

At this moment, Hu Ouhua was undergoing her fifth interrogation.

She was shackled at both hands and feet, her eyes devoid of light, awaiting the worst possible outcome.

Just then, the door to the interrogation room swung open, and a group of unfamiliar people entered. Judging by their authoritative presence, they were most likely high-ranking officials from Ningcheng.

Hu Ouhua didn’t know why they were there, but she guessed that Lu Yuetang had sent them to flaunt his power on behalf of Yang Wei’s sister.

“Remove those shackles immediately!”

Secretary Zhang spoke in a tone filled with anger.

The police officers exchanged glances, hesitated for a moment, and finally unlocked the shackles.

Hu Ouhua was completely stunned.

“Alright, all of you leave. Someone else will take over this case,” Secretary Zhang commanded sternly.

Under his watchful gaze, everyone vacated the room, leaving only Hu Ouhua and Zhang Tianda.

“Tell me the truth—what really happened?” Zhang Tianda didn’t sit in the interrogation chair. Instead, he brought over two wooden stools from the corner.

One for each of them.

Hu Ouhua was taken aback by the courtesy and quickly shook her head. “I—I can stand.”

“No need to be so formal. I might as well be upfront with you—I’m Yuetang’s uncle. That brat has come to Ningcheng many times but never once contacted me on his own initiative. This is the first time.” Zhang Tianda spoke in a gentle tone.

The Lu family was known for their pride; they never asked for favors.

To avoid seeking help, they pushed themselves to their limits.

Lu Yuetang had inherited this trait even more intensely.

When Zhang Tianda received the call, he almost thought it had been dialed by mistake.

Hu Ouhua was astonished.

Yesterday, didn’t Shen Fubai come to tell her to admit that the knife was stolen…?

Why was Secretary Zhang now treating her with such kindness?

Although she couldn’t understand what was going on, this was an opportunity she couldn’t afford to waste.

So, she carefully explained everything—how Wu Weiwei had lured her into the alley and what happened afterward.

Zhang Tianda, being a quick thinker, had already pieced together the truth. He had made up his mind, but he still asked one more question, “Did Yuetang give you the military knife, or did you take it from the cabinet yourself?”

He deliberately avoided using the word “steal.”

Hu Ouhua answered calmly, “I borrowed it from Commander Lu for self-defense.”

“Good.”

Zhang Tianda smiled approvingly.

He patted her shoulder gently and said sincerely, “Young lady, always think things through before you act. Don’t force things. Rest assured, at this point, you will be fine.”

Hu Ouhua was bewildered.

She didn’t believe it.

Even if that were true, she had still injured someone…

Ningcheng Hospital

Lu Yuetang arrived at the patient ward. Inside, Li San was eating a banana, his chest wrapped in bandages. Kneeling beside him, begging for mercy, was Hu Daqian.

“Please, I beg you, spare my daughter. She didn’t mean to hurt you…”

“Get lost.”

Li San lifted his foot and kicked him, sending Hu Daqian sprawling.

“Commander—”

The soldier beside Lu Yuetang clenched his fists in anger.

Lu Yuetang raised his hand, signaling his men to stay put.

Then, he strode forward and forcefully tore open Li San’s bandages, revealing the still-bleeding wound underneath. The injury was deep and severe.

Upon seeing it, Lu Yuetang smiled with satisfaction.

A promising talent indeed.

He had only given her a casual hint, and she had already inflicted such a substantial wound on her enemy.

“Hey, who the hell are you? Are you insane? You wanna get locked up or shot?” Li San yelled furiously, but the pain from his exposed wound made it impossible for him to get up. Each shout caused more blood to seep out.

Hu Daqian was dumbfounded.

The doctors and nurses rushed over, but upon seeing Lu Yuetang in his military uniform, they didn’t dare scold him.

Without another word, Lu Yuetang turned and left.

Three Days Later

Hu Ouhua was politely escorted out of the detention center.

Before leaving, they even returned the so-called “weapon”—Lu Yuetang’s military knife!

Vroom—

A car engine roared ahead.

She looked up.

A military-green BJ-212 Jeep was parked by the roadside. Shen Fubai leaned out from the driver’s seat, waving at her. “Hey, Comrade Ouhua, hop in!”

As she got into the car, her mind was still in a haze.

She had been locked up for four days, fully expecting severe punishment. Despair and resentment had consumed her, but more than anything, she had felt powerless behind those iron bars.

Who would have thought that, early in the morning, she’d be called out, made to sign paperwork until her hand was numb, and then released without a scratch?

“To show my sincerity, I’ll take you to the supply store first. Buy whatever you want, it’s on me. Then, we’ll head to the bathhouse so you can have a proper wash before I send you home. How about that?” Shen Fubai offered earnestly.

“No need for all that trouble. Just take me home. After what happened, I can’t continue working for Commander Lu—I’ve embarrassed him enough.” Hu Ouhua spoke with little enthusiasm.

With her background, she would only bring trouble to him sooner or later.

From the rearview mirror, Shen Fubai saw her troubled expression and recalled Lu Yuetang’s warning: “You caused this mess, you clean it up. If she still has a problem with it, I’ll hold you responsible.”

Fine.

Brother Lu, always putting women before friends.

Shen Fubai had rushed to the police station as soon as he heard the news, hoping to fix things for Lu Yuetang.

Who knew that his attempt to be smart had backfired?

“I swear, that day when I came to see you, I wasn’t trying to force you into admitting anything. I just wanted to check on you, that’s all. But maybe my usual behavior makes me easy to misunderstand,” Shen Fubai explained.

Hu Ouhua shook her head.

She never doubted Lu Yuetang.

With his status, everything around him symbolized his position. She couldn’t just take or use his things as she pleased.

This time, no lives had been lost—she was lucky.

If something worse had happened, how could she face him?

It was better to leave.