Chapter 99: What Exactly Is This Man’s Relationship with Yunshu?

Everyone around naturally knew his identity. Although they felt sorry for the child, since the Deputy Director Lu had spoken, no one dared to speak up anymore. Besides, what could they actually do? Were they supposed to take Lu Xiaowei home and raise him themselves?

A mother hitting her child—other than a moral reprimand, there seemed to be no better way to handle it.

At this moment, Zhou Xinyue became a bit more cunning. She lowered her eyes obediently, stood up, and apologized to Xie Yunshu: “Yunshu, I was too impulsive just now. Xiaowei is my own flesh and blood. I promise I will control my temper and won’t lay a hand on him anymore. Xiaowei, you will forgive Mommy, right…?”

She started to cry again, repeatedly bringing up her miserable past as if it were a shield—believing that pity would make everyone forgive her for everything she’d done.

Xie Yunshu wanted to slap Zhou Xinyue a few more times but felt powerless at this moment. She took a deep breath and squatted down, stroking Xiaowei’s hair gently. “Remember what I told you: if you get hit again, come find the police uncles for help.”

Her voice was loud enough that Lu Jianshe’s face grew even darker. If the child abuse incident got out again, he might not only lose his chance for promotion but could also lose his Deputy Director position!

So he gritted his teeth and promised, “Don’t worry. As long as I’m here in the Lu family, this won’t happen again!”

No matter what, today’s incident must not affect him anymore! Even though the director’s secretary was involved, Lu knew how to make the secretary “report” in his favor…

Zhou Xinyue had committed such an outrageous act, but besides criticism and education at the police station, she couldn’t be locked up.

Xie Yunshu clenched her fists but could only helplessly let go. This was all she could do—what else could she possibly do? But Zhou Xinyue only got slapped once—too little, too frustrating…

She could only hope Lu Jianshe would care more for Xiaowei for the sake of the family’s reputation…

“Go ahead. She won’t dare hit you again.”

Xie Yunshu touched Xiaowei’s face, still marked with a slap, then coldly stared at Lu Zhixing. “For the past year, you kept saying the child was pitiful without a father. Now that you’re acting as his father, you need to take responsibility. Don’t slap your own face, Lu Zhixing!”

Since marrying Zhou Xinyue, Lu Zhixing barely wanted to go home and had no interest in Xiaowei. Even the padded vest bought yesterday was only because he felt pressured by Zhou Xinyue to buy it.

Facing Xie Yunshu, he felt utterly ashamed, his face hurting more than if he had been slapped.

The matter was roughly settled, and Zhou Xinyue finally breathed a sigh of relief. She thought she could cry a few more times at home and that the matter would gradually fade away. The New Year was coming soon—who had time to mind other families’ business?

So what if a mother hit her child? Xiaowei was raised by her anyway. If not for her, he might have starved to death. She hadn’t killed him, so what’s the big deal?

Only that slap from Xie Yunshu—it must be paid back sooner or later!

Lu Jianshe glanced calmly at his son. Since Zhou Xinyue was still a Lu family daughter-in-law, this matter must not be made public. What happened behind closed doors was their business—but it could not be aired openly.

Others in the Haicheng residential area naturally sympathized with the child, but people were selfish after all. Although child abuse was heinous, even the police had no effective way to punish Zhou Xinyue. What else could they say?

The child was pitiful, but they couldn’t afford to offend the Lu family over this. After all, Xiaowei was just unlucky in life—who made him choose Zhou Xinyue as his mother when he was born without opening his eyes?

People come and go, and Lu Jianshe told Lu Zhixing to take Xiaowei home first. He still had to return to work and continue the meeting. He’d need the director and secretary to save face and keep the matter from escalating.

Xiaowei glanced back at Xie Yunshu with hollow eyes—half despair, half numbness. He lowered his head and silently followed Lu Zhixing, without resistance or struggle.

Xie Yunshu looked away, feeling like her heart was stuffed with cotton, heavy and suffocating. But besides slapping Zhou Xinyue, there was nothing else she could do. Sometimes blood ties were a pain or a blessing—only as long as Zhou Xinyue was Xiaowei’s mother, no one could change that…

Old Zhang patted Xie Yunshu’s shoulder. “Young lady, you’ve done well. The child won’t suffer like that anymore once he’s back.”

At least Zhou Xinyue would be more restrained for a while.

At that moment, the door to the office behind the police station opened, and a middle-aged man in police uniform stepped out. He glanced at Xie Yunshu first, then asked Old Zhang, “What case?”

Old Zhang hurriedly answered respectfully, “Director, it’s about the lost child. The father has just been found.”

Lu Jianshe had not left yet. Turning around, his face showed a trace of warmth common in officialdom. “Director Zheng, why are you here too?”

Haicheng wasn’t very big. In official circles, even if you weren’t close, you at least recognized each other by face. By rank, Lu Jianshe wasn’t below Director Zheng, but he was just a deputy in the resources department, involved in construction, far less powerful than Director Zheng.

So as soon as Director Zheng came out, Lu Jianshe instinctively lowered his posture.

Director Zheng extended his hand proactively. “Deputy Director Lu, you’re here as well? Was this case reported by your family? What’s going on?”

Child abuse was embarrassing, and Lu Jianshe had no face to discuss it. He vaguely deflected, “It’s a small matter, already resolved. I’ll invite you for a meal some other day.”

Director Zheng laughed but didn’t push for more. Instead, he turned to someone inside the office: “Captain Shen, we’ve listened for a while. The matter has been handled.”

For a director to speak so warmly, who was inside?

Lu Jianshe was startled. His years of experience in officialdom made him uneasy—why did this matter have to be so unlucky, and why did he have to run into Director Zheng?

Xie Yunshu looked over as well and recognized the serious and upright face with sharp features, dressed in straight pants—his presence felt even more like an old cadre than Director Zheng or Lu Jianshe.

Captain Shen Subai’s eyes briefly passed over Xie Yunshu, then landed on Xiaowei. His voice was low but carried a quiet strength: “Child, come here. Let me see your wounds.”

Lu Jianshe was shocked. He had already recognized who this man was. His voice wavered slightly, “Captain Shen…”

This man was the one who stood beside Yunshu on the day she divorced!

Lu Zhixing’s eyes froze. What was this man’s relationship with Yunshu? Why did he keep showing up everywhere?!

Captain Shen bent slightly. His tall frame was imposing, but his voice was gentle. “Xiaowei, tell uncle who hurt you and gave you these wounds?”