After hanging up the phone, Chen Lishu immediately had someone drive her back to the Gu family's residence. She impatiently picked up the remote and switched to the Strawberry channel.
As soon as the TV turned on, she saw a familiar figure inside. Xu Teng was tearfully embracing a girl on the interview couch, speaking mournfully:
"I am from Guijia Village, and my purpose in coming to the capital this time was to treat my grandmother. I never expected the cost of living in the capital to be so high. Even after selling my farmland, I couldn't afford to live here!
Later, when there was absolutely no other way, in order to survive in the capital and earn money to save my grandmother, we both had to kneel and beg in crowded places. We had nowhere to live at night, so we could only sleep under bridges!"
The host, upon hearing Xu Teng's tragic tale, nodded and then asked sharply, "It's understandable that a grown man like you might barely manage to endure such a life. But the girl in your arms is so young. Letting her sleep under a bridge, isn't that rather unsafe?"
"Unsafe, but what else could I do? I can't even afford to stay in a hotel right now. If the child's mother were here, she would surely be able to take good care of the child, but..." Xu Teng paused here, then his nose and eyes began to run, and he covered his face, weeping.
The host quickly handed him a few tissues and looked at him with pity, saying, "From your words, it sounds like the child's mother is still around, just not with you?
Would you be able to reveal where the child's mother has gone? Why isn't she here during the family's most difficult time? Does she know how much of a psychological shadow her actions might bring to the child?"
Xu Teng rudely wiped his nose with the tissue and casually threw it on the ground. Then, with a heartbroken gaze, he looked at the camera and wailed, "The child's mother is now living a good life in the capital. In fact, my grandmother's hospitalization has a lot to do with her!
But there's nothing I can do. What's done is done. I have no other requests, I just hope the child's mother can come back so we can live a good life as a family again! I will have money, and happiness will come later."
The host ignored Xu Teng's rambling and accurately grasped the key point, asking, "Could you tell us in detail the reason for your grandmother's hospitalization?"
A slight upward curve appeared at the corner of Xu Teng's lips, and a forced smile flickered across his face. He said, "That is our private matter, and I am truly sorry, but I cannot discuss such things with you!"
Not having obtained any useful information, the host somewhat awkwardly adjusted his glasses and said with an embarrassed smile, "We understand that you don't wish to talk about it.
However, you could share the child's mother's information with our television station. Perhaps kind-hearted people watching might be able to help you?"
"Really?" Xu Teng's eyes lit up at this. He then looked at the television, clasped his hands together, and said sincerely, "My wife is named Chen Lishu. She is quite well-known in the capital. If anyone is close to her, I hope you can help persuade her to come back. The family is completely incomplete without Chen Lishu!"
Chen Lishu? The host froze when she heard the name. The reason they agreed to interview this man was because Yang Lili had paid them to increase their viewership.
With the mindset that doing a good deed could boost ratings, and that not taking money when offered was foolish, they hadn't even bothered to investigate the matter thoroughly and had accepted the job.
Now, it seemed they had dug a pit for their own television station! Just as the host was contemplating how to end the interview, Xu Teng could no longer control his mouth and started speaking:
"Wife, I know you're watching on television right now. I don't blame you for my grandmother's hospitalization; it's because the elderly woman's health was failing anyway!
Come back. Since arriving in the capital, Tiantian often mentions wanting to see you. When we were living together, didn't you love Tiantian the most? Now that she's here, don't you want to see her?"
On the other side of the television, Chen Lishu's eyes were fixed on Tiantian. Tiantian was noticeably thinner now than when she had seen her in Guijia Village, and her eyes were hollow. No one knew what kind of inhumane torment Tiantian had suffered during the time she was taken away.
Chen Lishu withdrew her gaze and looked at Su Nian beside her with a complex expression, calling out, "Xiao Nian."
Su Nian, watching Xu Teng slander Chen Lishu on television, was grinding her teeth in anger. Thus, when Chen Lishu called her, she couldn't react immediately.
It wasn't until Chen Lishu called out "Su Nian" again that she snapped out of her anger. She then looked at Chen Lishu with a pitiful expression and said, "Madam, I'll take care of this scoundrel! How dare he slander your reputation in public!"
Compared to the furious Su Nian, Chen Lishu's emotions were relatively calm. "His troubles at this time are not good news for us. Have you compiled all the evidence you've been monitoring him for these past few days?"
Su Nian nodded and said very seriously, "It's all prepared!"
After speaking, she paused, then turned her head to look at Xu Teng, who was still feigning misery and seeking sympathy on the television, and asked, "Madam, the gap between your statuses is so vast, and anyone with eyes can see there's something wrong. Do you think anyone will still believe his fabricated stories?"
Chen Lishu smiled and shook her head. She didn't believe that a farmer from the countryside like Xu Teng could stage such a show on television without anyone's help.
Since they had already contacted the television station, wouldn't they also find some troublemakers to escalate the situation?
Chen Lishu propped her chin with one hand and said leisurely, "When the forest is large, there are all sorts of birds. Whether they believe it or not is their business. We only need to present the evidence, and all rumors will be dispelled!"
Thinking that the evidence they had gathered over the past few days was enough to prove Xu Teng was an extortionist, Su Nian's clenched heart relaxed. She nodded and replied, "Yes!" then shifted her attention back to the television.
The host was also not entirely convinced by Xu Teng's answer and repeatedly questioned, "Mr. Xu, are you sure you know what you're saying?
How could Chen Lishu possibly be your wife? Everyone knows her husband works in the military! Furthermore, they are deeply in love, and they even have two children!"
The questioned Xu Teng instantly stood up, his face flushed and his neck bulging. "You don't believe me? A country bumpkin like me would lie?! I have proof!"