"Understood, understand the situation? I didn't do anything, you've got the wrong person." Sun Ling said, attempting to close the door, but one of the staff members stopped her unceremoniously, "We hope you'll cooperate. You're a young girl, and we don't want to use force."
As soon as the police arrived at the Sun family's door, the neighbors, peeking through their door cracks, were all ears. Seeing her being led away by two officers, they quickly opened their doors and gathered together, starting to gossip.
"Such a grown girl, why doesn't she find a proper job? Stays home all day, and now look, she's in trouble!"
"She was taken away by the police, what good could possibly come of that?"
Before long, the entire neighborhood knew that Sun Ling had been taken away by the police. As they were gathered, discussing what crime Sun Ling might have committed, one woman looked up and saw Sun Ling's father and mother returning from outside. She hurried forward and said, "Old Sun, your Sun Ling has been taken away by the police."
The couple thought they had misheard and asked again, unsure, "What did you say? Who was taken away?"
The woman quickly repeated, "Your Sun Ling, she was just taken away by the police not long ago."
As soon as the woman finished speaking, she saw Sun Ling's father's eyes roll back, and he collapsed straight onto the ground.
"Old Sun!"
Everyone rushed forward to help. Soon, someone found a tricycle. Before they could even help him onto it, they saw Sun Ling's father's mouth gradually twist to the side, and saliva began to dribble out.
Sun Ling, completely unaware of her father's stroke, arrived at the police station feeling anxious. Upon hearing Wang Er Biao take all the blame, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Didn't I already say that this matter has nothing to do with me? I barely spoke a few words to Wang Er Biao, how could I have instructed him to do such a thing."
The staff questioned her for a long time, but Sun Ling refused to admit anything. Wang Er Biao, on the other hand, insisted that he was the one who did it and that Sun Ling had absolutely no involvement. Due to a lack of evidence, the police station ultimately had to release Sun Ling.
As Sun Ling emerged, she happened to run into Chen Li Shu and Li Zhi Wei, along with their group, coming out of an office. Raising an eyebrow and with a slight curl of her lips, she walked forward to greet them proactively.
"Oh my, Chen Li Shu, weren't you supposed to have your exam today? How come you're here? Don't tell me you couldn't take it? That's truly a shame."
"Sun Ling, don't push it too far. Do you really think you're in the clear just because they released you? Believe it or not, I'll slap you." Li Zhi Wei stepped forward angrily, as if he was truly going to act.
Looking at the disdain and contempt in his eyes, Sun Ling's heart ached slightly. She deliberately jutted out her chin and said, "Go ahead and hit me. If you have the guts, kill me. But I bet you don't have the courage."
"I!" Li Zhi Wei was extremely annoyed. "You're hopeless. I can't be bothered with you."
Chen Li Shu looked at her for a moment before suddenly speaking, "Actually, it's not hard to guess what happened today. Jiang Yu Wei instructed you to do this, didn't she?"
Sun Ling averted her gaze. "I don't understand what you're saying. Does today's incident have anything to do with the exam? I had no idea."
"What did she promise you?" Chen Li Shu continued to ask.
Chen Li Shu wasn't too saddened or regretful about not being able to take the exam. After all, going abroad wasn't something she absolutely had to achieve. She had already decided earlier that seeing the world would be great if she could, but if she couldn't go this time, she would wait a few years for the situation to improve and then fund her own studies abroad.
What made her angry and contemptuous was Jiang Yu Wei. If Jiang Yu Wei had competed through legitimate means, Chen Li Shu wouldn't have minded the outcome, win or lose. Now that Jiang Yu Wei dared to resort to crooked tactics, she would have to face the consequences.
Sun Ling, frankly speaking, was brainless and impulsive. Since Jiang Yu Wei dared to make a deal with her, Chen Li Shu decided to make their collaboration even 'closer.'
"It's not hard to guess, really. It's nothing more than two things: money and a job. You probably need a job the most right now, don't you? But whatever it is, I can guarantee she won't be able to fulfill her promise."
"You, how do you know she can't?"
Chen Li Shu scoffed. "Sun Ling, your parents were also civil servants before, weren't they? Don't they know how much civil servants cherish their reputation? Do they not understand your family's current situation? Who would want to gain no reputation and instead get themselves into trouble?"
"Impossible, Yu Wei, she clearly already..." As soon as the words left her mouth, Sun Ling realized she had said too much and immediately cut herself off.
"I don't understand what you're saying. You're just jealous of our close relationship and trying to sow discord between her and me."
"Heh." Chen Li Shu chuckled. "If you were close, would she use you to do illegal things? Do you know that if Wang Er Biao hadn't taken all the blame today, you'd be standing here talking to me? Use your brain. Kidnapping and attempted human trafficking are serious crimes. Do you know how many years in prison Wang Er Biao is facing? And you, you idiot, are the instigator, likely to be sentenced to at least ten or eight years."
Facing Chen Li Shu's cold gaze, Sun Ling finally felt a belated sense of fear.
"Once you're convicted, do you know what will happen to Jiang Yu Wei? Not only will she have no evidence against her, but she has power and influence, and in the end, she'll push everything onto you. She can then easily go abroad to study, while you'll have just worked for someone for free."
Chen Li Shu had said all she needed to. For some foolish people, she didn't need to take action herself; all she needed to do was clearly lay out the 'stakes,' and they would surely turn on each other.
Seeing Sun Ling lost in thought, Chen Li Shu said nothing more. Instead, she walked around her and directly out of the police station.
Upon returning home, Sun Ling learned about her father's stroke and hospitalization. She rushed to the hospital. Although the person was out of danger after emergency treatment, the substantial medical expenses were far beyond what her family could afford.
Jiang Yu Wei became Sun Ling's only lifeline.
"Yu Wei is ill and cannot receive visitors. You should come back some other time." Mrs. Jiang, seeing who it was, immediately put on a cold expression.
"Ill?" Thinking of what Chen Li Shu had said earlier, Sun Ling's heart began to panic. Had she really been used?
"Jiang Yu Wei, come out! I need to talk to you!" Bypassing Mrs. Jiang, Sun Ling rushed towards Jiang Yu Wei's room.
Jiang Yu Wei had already known Sun Ling was coming, but now, besides feeling unwell, her mood was even worse, and she absolutely did not want to see anyone.
Sun Ling burst into her room and saw her lying in bed. She finally lost control, "I trusted you so much, and yet you've been using me all along, haven't you? When will the job matter be settled? My father is sick and needs money. Go and tell your family to give me some money first."
Jiang Yu Wei frowned. "Sun Ling, don't push your luck."