Life Plan

However, the hospital was not a happy place. Jiang Xiaonv was admitted to the hospital with serious injuries, and her physical condition was no longer suitable for continuing clinical trials.

Based on the scene and Sun Zhixiao's testimony, this was classified as a case of domestic violence.

The Women's Federation visited once, and they applied for a charity fund for Jiang Xiaonv. They also contacted the Disabled Persons' Federation to apply for serious illness subsidies. However, since Jiang Xiaonv is still a suspect, the chances of the charity fund application being approved are not high.

Dr. Li halted Jiang Xiaonv's clinical trial, and Shen Shuyi quickly packaged and sent the reimbursement forms and subsidy applications to the center. Sun Zhixiao worked a winter break job at a fast-food restaurant for 12 yuan an hour, and slept in any empty hospital bed she could find at night.

Some people advised Jiang Xiaonv to raise money for medical treatment. Jiang Xiaonv hesitated for a moment, pointed to her mouth, patted her face, and shook her head.

Everyone looked at Sun Zhixiao in confusion, and Sun Zhixiao translated expressionlessly: "She said family scandals should not be aired in public."

Yan Shaohai was also there that time. After the Women's Federation left, he pulled Liu Chichi outside. "Sun Qiang hasn't been caught yet. That area is too old, and the alleys are complicated with many blind spots in the surveillance."

"Isn't it right to arrest him? He's been beaten to a pulp."

"Cases in society are prioritized based on their social impact. For example, Jiang Xiaonv's domestic violence case had almost no impact because she didn't want to go public. But Jiang Xiaonv's assault case is a public prosecution case, and it continues to attract attention from the initial investigation to the present. If it's related to the murder case, the police force deployed to arrest Sun Qiang would be even greater."

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

"I'll try to get Jiang Xiaonv to speak. I'll apply to have Sun Zhixiao participate in the court proceedings as a sign language interpreter."

Liu Chichi asked, puzzled, "Aren't you a sign language lawyer? Why is it Sun Zhixiao?"

"I can't understand Jiang Xiaonv's words." Yan Shaohai bluntly revealed his weakness. "For example, Jiang Xiaonv's gesture just now was almost entirely her own creation. I don't understand what it means, but Sun Zhixiao does. Spoken language and sign language are just ways of self-expression. We can't understand Jiang Xiaonv's words, but Sun Zhixiao can. It's a way of communication between them."

Liu Chichi turned her head and looked into the transparent glass of the ward. Only Jiang Xiaonv was lying on the bed. The three-person ward was noisy and bustling, but she was as quiet as a frozen illustration.

Liu Chichi suddenly realized that she might have misunderstood Jiang Xiaonv. She wasn't quiet; it was just that no one was listening to her "speak".

After finishing dealing with Jiang Xiaonv's departure from the group, Liu Chichi had already finished get off work. She sat in the lobby of the inpatient department, playing with her phone and occasionally glancing outside.

Shen Shuyi stopped in front of her: "You're leaving the set, aren't you going?"

"Yes, I am their creditor now."

"How much did you borrow?"

"Twenty thousand."

Shen Shuyi was startled. She remembered going out with Liu Chichi before; it was a hot summer day, and they were parched. Bottled water from the vending machine cost 2 yuan, but Liu Chichi said it usually cost 1.5 yuan at the convenience store, and they still walked for another ten minutes. Shen Shuyi had always thought she must be short of money to be so frugal, but she hadn't expected her to lend out so much at once. "So generous?"

"I couldn't bear to part with it, so I even asked for an IOU."

Shen Shuyi laughed.

The laughter made Liu Chichi blush with embarrassment. She pretended to be playing on her phone, quickly switching between various apps: "Do you think I'm being a bit nosy?"

"No, it's just that you're too nice to me."

Beneath Shen Shuyi's smile lay a clear sense of detachment, which was why Yan Shaohai, knowing she was better at communication, still chose to use Liu Chichi as a breakthrough point.

Shen Shuyi is too smart; those thankless and foolish things are what people like Liu Chichi do.

"I have a friend who's even better, her name is Hao Jia, do you remember her?"

"Remember."

"She's getting married soon."

Shen Shuyi sat down beside her and sincerely exclaimed, "Congratulations!"

The exclamation in her voice was so obvious, it sounded like it was overflowing from her chest, and a warm breath escaped from her mouth.

They chatted casually, with Shen Shuyi not asking what she was waiting for, and Liu Chichi not asking why she wasn't leaving.

Sun Zhixiao entered the inpatient department at two minutes to ten. She was wearing a cotton-padded coat, panting as she pushed open the glass door and headed towards the elevator.

The inpatient ward wasn't deserted at night. Liu Chichi pushed through a few people and grabbed Sun Zhixiao's hand. Having waited too long, her patience was almost exhausted. She cut to the chase: "Sun Zhixiao, do you know about the assault case in October?"

Sun Zhixiao's expression quickly shifted from bewilderment at being stopped to panic, and then, just as quickly, to a calmness that didn't belong to an eighteen-year-old girl, much like the calmness Jiang Xiaonv had when lying in the hospital bed. She nodded: "I know."

It was difficult for Liu Chichi to bring up the fact that her mother was a suspect in front of her daughter. She avoided mentioning the name and asked Sun Zhixiao, "The information Attorney Yan received from Jiang Xiaonv is that Brother Lin attacked Jiang Xiaonv after drinking, and then Jiang Xiaonv fought back. However, based on the evidence, the invitation came from Jiang Xiaonv's phone, and she proactively bought the food and alcohol, but there is no evidence to prove that Jiang Xiaonv acted in self-defense. Jiang Xiaonv's testimony differs from the existing facts and lacks sufficient supporting evidence."

"so what?"

"We suspect, of course, only suspect, that your mother may be concealing some of the truth. And considering this incident, the concealed part might be related to your—"

"Sun Qiang." Sun Zhixiao suddenly interrupted her, revealing a pained and helpless expression, "So what? Do you think she'll sue him? I've advised her so many times, but she can't even bear to get a divorce."

"This time is different."

"You mean the time she was beaten so badly? It's not the first time she's been beaten, it's just that this time it was more serious. She'll forgive him in a couple of days." Sun Zhixiao's voice sounded like it was being squeezed out from between her teeth. "She loves that man the most. That man beat her because she didn't give birth to a son, and she's actually planning to have another son. It's hilarious. With a father like that, what good is another son? It's just another useless child in the world. She's hopelessly infatuated, she's beyond saving."

For a fleeting moment, Liu Chichi thought she saw hatred on her face, but what was clearer than that fleeting hatred was the tears in her eyes. Love is always written in a winding and tortuous way, but family affection seems to be even more complicated.

Liu Chichi remembered that the only visitation opportunity Jiang Xiaonv had obtained besides meeting with the lawyer was when she asked her to lie and keep it from Sun Zhixiao.

Sun Zhixiao is the only person in the world who can hear Jiang Xiaonv speak.

No, she loves you the most.

Sun Zhixiao forced a smile as if she'd heard a joke, but couldn't manage a laugh. Instead, she frowned, and tears finally welled up in her bright eyes: "Did she say that? She must be lying to you."

No, I was just guessing.

"Then you must have guessed wrong."

"No," Liu Chichi said to her with certainty. "Let's make a bet. If Jiang Xiaonv's favorite person isn't you, the IOU is void, and the money doesn't have to be repaid."

Upon hearing the word "money," Sun Zhixiao's eyes lit up, and she instinctively exclaimed, "Really?!"

"real."

"Then you're definitely going to lose, sister." Sun Zhixiao laughed out loud with genuine joy. She wiped away her tears haphazardly, but the tears flowed even more fiercely.

Shen Shuyi followed behind Liu Chichi. She was half a head taller than Liu Chichi, and from this angle, her expression could not be seen. All that could be seen was her shoulder-length hair sticking up haphazardly, making her look even more confused than Liu Chichi herself.

Sun Zhixiao went into the ward first, while the two women waited outside. Sun Zhixiao's face had returned to normal, showing no signs of crying. Before entering, she smiled at Liu Chichi and said, "Sister, I know you're joking, I'll still pay you back."

"I'm not joking. If I lose, I'll tear up the IOU myself."

"Then I will pay it back." Sun Zhixiao waved his hand, and Liu Chichi smelled the aroma of milk tea, which diluted the smell of disinfectant in the inpatient department.