109: Chapter 109 Why did you save me?

Inside the interrogation room of the East District Law Enforcement Bureau.

Liu Zhen sat in a chair with his legs crossed. Despite his hands being cuffed in front of him, a reckless and indifferent expression hung on his face.

Liang Lingmeng sat across from him, suppressing her anger. "Liu Zhen, you are suspected of intentional injury, illegal detention, and intimidation. Now that the evidence is conclusive, you'd better confess honestly."

"Confess what?" Liu Zhen sneered. "My girlfriend and I had a fight, and I got a bit heated and laid hands on her. How does that count as intentional injury? Does your Law Enforcement Bureau control heaven and earth, and now you're even managing couples' quarrels?"

"Feng Hua Lian is not your wife; you have no marital relationship," Liang Lingmeng said coldly.

"So what? We're boyfriend and girlfriend. What's the difference between that and being a married couple?" Liu Zhen tilted his head, looking askance at Liang Lingmeng. "Officer Liang, is it? I advise you to mind your own business. When Feng Hua Lian comes later, she'll tell you personally that this was all a misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding?" Liang Lingmeng slammed a stack of photos onto the table. "Are these scars also a misunderstanding?"

Liu Zhen glanced at the photos. His expression shifted slightly, but he quickly regained his arrogance. "She fell down by herself because she wasn't careful."

"You!" the young police officer next to her slapped the table in anger.

Liang Lingmeng raised her hand to stop her colleague, staring at Liu Zhen. "We will apply for an injury assessment. If it constitutes a minor injury or worse, it's a criminal case. It won't be settled just because you say it's a misunderstanding."

Liu Zhen laughed, sounding full of confidence. "Officer Liang, how about we make a bet? I bet Feng Hua Lian won't sue me, much less do an injury assessment. Do you believe me?"

His confidence caused Liang Lingmeng's heart to sink.

She had seen many domestic violence perpetrators like this; they often relied on the fact that the victim was too afraid to resist or speak out.

Sure enough, an hour later, news came from the hospital: Feng Hua Lian refused to undergo an injury assessment and also refused to identify Liu Zhen's crimes.

"What did she say?" Liang Lingmeng held the phone, her brow furrowed.

On the other end of the line was the officer accompanying Feng Hua Lian: "She said... she said she fell on her own and it had nothing to do with Liu Zhen. She even asked if we could... release Liu Zhen."

Liang Lingmeng closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Understood. You guys come back first."

Hanging up the phone, she looked toward the interrogation room.

Through the one-way glass, she could see Liu Zhen humming a song smugly, even throwing a provocative glance at the surveillance camera.

"Sister Liang, what do we do now?" the young Enforcement Officer asked. "Regarding evidence... we only have physical evidence. Lacking the victim's identification and testimony, it's very difficult to file a case."

Liang Lingmeng bit her lip. "Follow procedure. Detain him for the full 24 hours, then release him."

"But..."

"No buts." Liang Lingmeng turned to leave. "Notify him that he'll be released in 24 hours."

She walked out of the Law Enforcement Bureau building. The snow had stopped, but the cold was even more piercing.

Cao Kun's car was still parked by the roadside. The window was down, and he was on the phone.

Seeing Liang Lingmeng come out, Cao Kun hung up and pushed open the car door. "How did it go?"

"Released." Liang Lingmeng sat in the passenger seat, rubbing her temples tiredly. "Feng Hua Lian didn't dare identify him and even asked us to let him go."

Cao Kun wasn't surprised. "Afraid of retaliation?"

"Yeah. Liu Zhen has photos and addresses of her family. He threatened to kill her whole family." Liang Lingmeng gave a bitter smile. "These kinds of cases are the hardest to handle. The victim is afraid to speak, and the perpetrator is unscrupulous."

Cao Kun started the car. "Which hospital is she in? I'll go take a look."

"The Second Peoples Hospital of the City, Inpatient Department, third floor, room 307." Liang Lingmeng glanced at him. "What do you plan to do?"

"Nothing much." A cold arc curled at the corner of Cao Kun's mouth. "Since the law can't punish him for now, I'll use another way."

Liang Lingmeng became alert. "Cao Kun, don't do anything reckless."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Cao Kun turned and smiled at her. "I'm just going to look after a patient. By the way, are you going home or...?"

"Back to the bureau. I still have some reports to write." Liang Lingmeng paused. "Cao Kun... thank you for your help tonight."

"Don't mention it." Cao Kun bid farewell to Liang Lingmeng, then turned around and drove toward the Second Peoples Hospital of the City.

...

The Second Peoples Hospital of the City, Inpatient Department, third floor, Room 307.

Feng Hua Lian lay alone on the hospital bed by the window. Ointment was applied to her face, and her left eye was still swollen, but she could barely manage to open a slit.

She stared blankly at the ceiling, her eyes hollow.

Footsteps came from outside the door, followed by a soft knock.

"Come in," her voice was hoarse.

Cao Kun pushed the door open and entered, carrying a thermos and a bag of fruit.

He was dressed casually today in a black down jacket and dark jeans, but his composed aura made the hospital room brighten up a bit.

"How are you feeling?" Cao Kun placed the things on the bedside table and naturally pulled over a chair to sit down.

Feng Hua Lian tried to sit up in a fluster. "You... you're the one from last night..."

"Cao Kun," he said gently. "Stay lying down. I brought you some porridge; drink it while it's hot."

He opened the thermos, and the aroma of chicken soup filled the air.

Feng Hua Lian's stomach growled unhelpfully, and her face instantly turned red.

She hadn't eaten for a day and a night.

After being sent to the hospital yesterday, the doctor treated her external injuries and gave her an IV drip, but no one brought her food.

A Nurse had given her a boxed meal, but her hands were shaking so badly she couldn't even hold the chopsticks.

Cao Kun saw her predicament. He picked up the thermos, scooped a spoonful, blew on it, and held it to her mouth.

"I can do it myself..." Feng Hua Lian wanted to take it.

"Your hands are injured, don't move." Cao Kun's tone brooked no refusal, but his movements were very gentle.

Feng Hua Lian hesitated for a moment before finally opening her mouth.

The warm porridge slid down her throat, carrying the fresh flavor of chicken soup. Her nose crinkled, and tears began to fall.

"Why are you crying?" Cao Kun scooped another spoonful.

"It's... it's nothing," Feng Hua Lian sobbed. "It's just... it's been a long time since anyone was this good to me."

Cao Kun didn't speak. He fed her the porridge spoonful by spoonful until she finished, then used a tissue to help wipe her mouth.

The whole process was so natural, as if he had done it countless times.

"Liu Zhen was released," Cao Kun said suddenly.

Feng Hua Lian's body stiffened, her face instantly turning pale. "He... he..."

"He'll be released in 24 hours." Cao Kun looked at her. "Are you afraid he'll retaliate?"

Feng Hua Lian bit her lip and nodded, tears welling up again. "He has my mother's and brother's addresses... He said if I dared to call the police, he'd find someone to kill them..."

"Don't worry, Liu Zhen is just scaring you." Cao Kun put away his phone. "He can't possibly run that far to find trouble for your family. Besides, I'll be dealing with him immediately, so he won't be able to trouble your family even if he wanted to."

"Why... why are you helping me?" Feng Hua Lian's voice trembled. "We're strangers. Why are you doing so much for me?"

Cao Kun smiled. "Maybe because I can't stand it! I have this flaw where I can't bear to see good people being bullied."

These words were half-true.

The system mission was the main reason, but looking at the girl before him covered in scars, Cao Kun did indeed feel a sense of compassion.

...