"Mr. Lu, according to the information I've gathered, the person who entered your room last night was Ji Xiaosong, a senior student at Qingming University. The one who drugged you was Ms. Liu Wanru; she's pregnant, and the child is Wang Zheng's."

"As for Miss Ji, we have not yet determined how she entered your room."

"In addition, she had excellent grades in school and was interning at our company, but her internship was forced to be interrupted and she had to return home because of her father's troubles."

"I have compiled her family background and her experiences from childhood into a book."

Assistant Wu handed the booklet to Lu Youheng, who casually flipped through a few pages before finally stopping at Wang Zheng's photo.

"This Wang Zheng is Miss Liu Wanru's lover. The Wang family is currently planning to break off the engagement with Miss Ji. However, given Miss Ji's father's situation, the 88,000 yuan dowry may not be returned."

Assistant Wu continued his explanation at just the right moment, "Miss Ji's father is a gambler, and her mother is still hospitalized because she was abused at home recently. She has a younger brother in the third year of junior high school, but since it is compulsory education, the expenses are not too high. However, the dowry of 88,000 yuan has indeed been spent, mainly by Miss Ji's father gambling it all away."

As Lu Youheng continued scrolling down, he saw that the content mainly consisted of Ji Xiaosong's achievements over the years.

Because of their excellent academic performance from a young age, they were able to continue their studies in such a family environment.

"Push the Wang family and make them break off the engagement as soon as possible. As for the dowry, they'll probably get it back from the Liu family."

Lu Youheng closed the booklet and placed it aside.

"Yes, Mr. Lu, I'll get on it as soon as possible."

Assistant Wu lived up to his reputation as someone who could get close to Lu Youheng; he was very efficient. That very evening, Wang Zheng brought his family to the Ji family's residence.

“Brother Ji, we have no choice. Xiao Song and our Zhengzheng have never been in contact. They've been engaged for so long, but they've only met less than three times. If they get married, they'll be a miserable couple.”

The Queen Mother took a sip of tea, speaking through tears and snot, her eyes constantly observing the expression on Ji Fu's face.

"Who doesn't live like this after marriage? It'll be fine once we have kids. Feelings and such don't matter. A woman is meant to be married off to have and raise children. Look at our daughter. Putting everything else aside, we'll definitely save on our kids' tutoring fees. She'll definitely raise a child who gets just as good grades as she did."

There was no way that Ji's father would agree to let them break off the engagement, because breaking off the engagement meant they would have to give back the dowry of 88,000.

He's already spent all the betrothal gifts; how could he possibly repay them?

No matter how much the Queen Mother tried to explain, Ji Fu remained adamant and refused to budge.

Helpless, Wang Zheng spoke up at this moment: "Uncle Ji, Xiao Song and I really don't have any feelings for each other. Nowadays, marriage is all about mutual consent, which is different from the way you used to get married and just make do. How about this, return the bride price, and tell all the relatives that our marriage is off."

"Fine, I'll call off the engagement. But I'm not returning the bride price, not a single penny."

Seeing that they were talking until their throats were dry, Ji's father knew that there was no turning back on the matter, so he couldn't let himself suffer a loss.

“Our daughter is engaged to you and then the engagement was broken off. Her reputation will be damaged, and the compensation for the loss of her youth is also a sum of money. Consider the 88,000 yuan as compensation for our daughter’s loss of youth and reputation.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Zheng flew into a rage. "What compensation for lost youth and reputation? That's utter nonsense! You family of bloodsuckers, are you crazy for money?! Where's Ji Xiaosong? Why isn't she here?"

The Queen Mother also got anxious, jumped up, pointed at Ji's father's nose, and scolded, "You still have the nerve to ask for compensation for losses? You've delayed us for so long, who's going to compensate us for these losses?"

Mr. Wang was even more furious. "Fine, you're refusing to listen to reason! You'll have to return the bride price today, whether you like it or not! You're the only one left in your family now, let's see what you can do to stand up to us!"

As he spoke, the father waved his hand, and the relatives he had brought began to smash things.

Pots and pans were smashed with a clatter, and tables and chairs were overturned on the ground, leaving the house in a complete mess in an instant.

"Smash them all! Let them know how powerful we are!" Wang's father roared.

Ji's father tried to stop him, but was pushed aside by several burly relatives.

"Should the bride price be returned?"

The king's father, holding a thermos with a peony flower design, stepped on Ji's father and asked fiercely.

“I don’t have any dowry money; I’ve already spent it all. I don’t have any money if you want it, but I can give you my daughter directly.”

Mr. Wang was so angry that his face turned red. He slammed the thermos to the ground with a loud bang, and the inner liner of the thermos shattered, splashing water everywhere.

"You bastard! If you don't come up with the money today, you're not getting away with this!"

The father roared, stomping harder on his foot, "You'd better sell your daughter to get the money!"

Ji's father cried out in pain and begged for mercy: "Sell her, sell her, sell her! As soon as she comes back, I'll sell her right away."

Hearing this, Wang's father loosened his grip slightly, snorted coldly, and said, "You're smart! Remember what you said. If you dare to try anything funny, you'll be sorry!"

Then, he raised his foot and glared fiercely at Ji's father: "I'll give you three days to sell your daughter to the mountains. The people there are willing to pay. If you don't do it well, we'll settle all the old and new scores together! Also, immediately tell your relatives and friends that our two families have broken off the engagement, and don't let them talk nonsense outside."

After saying this, the father waved his hand and led his relatives away, leaving the Ji family in a mess and the father groaning in pain on the ground.

After Ji's father recovered slightly from the pain, he quickly picked up his phone and called Ji Xiaosong.

"Hello, the number you dialed is turned off."

"You shameless bastards! They're all prostitutes! They don't come home all night, which man did they sleep with?!"

Undeterred, Ji's father called Ji's mother again, launching into a tirade of abuse: "Useless old hag, are you going to die in the hospital? Why aren't you home serving your father? Are you trying to rebel?"

On the other end of the phone, Ji's mother said hesitantly, "I'll be back soon, I'll be back soon."

Not long after, Ji's mother called Ji's father again, her voice trembling with tears.

"The inpatient department staff have gone off duty, so I can't process the discharge procedures. I'll do it as soon as they come back to work tomorrow morning."

"They wouldn't process your paperwork, so why didn't you walk back yourself? The hospital staff didn't tie you up, did they think you didn't have legs?"

"But this is too far. The rural buses are empty. I really can't walk more than ten miles with my crutches!"

"Then you must come back first thing tomorrow morning!"

Early the next morning, Ji's mother, leaning on a cane and with her severed hand in a sling, hurriedly completed the discharge procedures and returned home.

As soon as she entered the door, Ji's father started cursing and ordering her to tidy up the house. Ji's mother didn't dare to say a word and silently began to work despite her weak body.

"Call that little bitch you gave birth to and tell her to come back right now!"

Ji's father sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, watching TV.

A public service advertisement was playing on TV. The scene showed a little girl smiling happily in her parents' warm embrace, with the narration saying, "Every child is a treasure of the family and should grow up in love and care."

Ji's mother stopped what she was doing, quickly picked up her keypad phone, and dialed Ji Xiaosong's number.

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