The room was quiet. Li Zheming, with a pained expression, lowered his gaze and pondered for a moment. As if having made a decision, he approached Eric and untied him.
"Brother!"
Hearing Eric's voice, Li Zheming quickly covered his mouth with his hand and then gently placed his hand on Eric's lips, whispering, "Be quiet. Don't attract that sister's attention, or we'll both be in danger. Your brother will take you to see your sister now, understand?"
Eric sized up Li Zheming. He didn't sense any danger from him and felt he could be trusted. He nodded in agreement, "Mm-hmm!"
Soon, the two quietly slipped out through the side door.
----
The courtyard.
When Gu Xingdong saw Li Zheming appear before him, with the little boy beside him, he seemed surprised. "Zhang Wan'er has been missing for days and was staying at your place?"
Li Zheming pursed his lips and nodded. "Yes."
Gu Xingdong looked Eric up and down. The boy's face seemed familiar, and he guessed, "This boy is Alice's brother, right?"
"Yes. The reason I brought him here today is because I don't want to see Zhang Wan'er go further down this path. She's just temporarily blinded by jealousy. In reality, her true nature isn't bad!" By the end of his sentence, Li Zheming's tone grew more anxious.
Gu Xingdong held up a hand, interrupting Li Zheming, and said with some helplessness, "I know what you mean. You want to plead for Zhang Wan'er. However, this matter is beyond my control. Her actions have already attracted the attention of the higher-ups. It's impossible for such a menace to remain in the capital.
I don't know how the higher-ups will punish her, and I won't plead for her because she has repeatedly caused trouble for my wife. You want to protect the person you love, and my thoughts are the same as yours. By indulging her like this, you're only letting her sink deeper into the mire, preventing her from ever facing her own problems!
Zhang Wan'er's reputation is already the talk of the town. Even if I were to forgive her actions, do you think she could return to the Zhang family? Would the heir of the Zhang family allow such a troublemaker to run rampant in their home, constantly causing him trouble?!
It's even more impossible with Yang Zhiguo. He's struggling to take care of himself now, let alone protect Zhang Wan'er. In reality, Zhang Wan'er is now alone. She has harmed so many people; shouldn't she receive the punishment she deserves? If you truly like her, don't let her mistakes continue to develop!"
Li Zheming sat down on a chair with a complex expression. His eyes, beneath his tired face, opened again, and his voice was filled with helplessness as he said:
"I know what you're saying is right. I've considered this matter too. Wan'er's personality is difficult to change. Perhaps it's because Auntie, having lost her husband over the years, has made up for all her regrets through Wan'er. Wan'er's personality has also been nurtured in a somewhat skewed way over the years!
Due to recent events, Wan'er's mental state is a bit unstable. I want her to spend a few years in prison to calm down. I have no other requests. I came to see you today specifically to help Zhang Wan'er rectify her mistakes. Even if she is to be held accountable, it would be to spare her life!"
"This..."
Before Gu Xingdong could refuse, Li Zheming slowly opened his eyes and said with complex emotions, "Don't be so quick to deny my request. What if I tell you Zhang Wan'er's intentions?"
Gu Xingdong frowned. "So what does she want to do this time?"
Li Zheming didn't speak. The two remained in a stalemate. After a long while, Gu Xingdong spoke with a sigh, "Alright, alright. I promise you, no matter what happens next, I will ask the higher-ups to spare Zhang Wan'er's life!"
"Thank you." Li Zheming took a deep breath, then reached out to wipe away the tears from the corner of his eyes. After a while, he slowly said, "Alice's car was tampered with by Zhang Wan'er. I just heard Zhang Wan'er's phone call to Alice, where she seemed to be telling Alice to go to the Zhang family to find Chen Lishu. You should know very well what she wants to do? So, you should hurry and call Chen Lishu, and tell her to leave that dangerous place!"
As soon as he said this, Gu Xingdong excitedly stood up from his seat, bracing his hands on the table. His gaze fiercely fixed on Li Zheming. "Li Zheming, oh Li Zheming! Your mind is truly clouded with foolishness! Look at what Zhang Wan'er has done, and consider your own position. You are actually indulging a villain to commit murder!"
"Isn't there no other way?" Li Zheming was about to say something to defend himself, but Gu Xingdong leaped past him and rushed outside to make a call to Chen Lishu.
The phone rang for a long time with no answer. A sense of foreboding arose in his heart.
----
Meanwhile, at the Zhang residence, Alice drove her car to the destination but found that it couldn't stop. Instead, it sped towards the Zhang family at maximum speed.
This sudden situation caused Alice's face to pale. Could this be Zhang Wan'er's true intention? Thinking that so many people were about to be crushed by her car, Alice quickly honked the horn, attempting to warn those people to get out of the way.
However, the car was too fast. Some people couldn't react in time and were directly hit. The car didn't stop but continued to head directly towards Chen Lishu.
"Madam!"
"Sister-in-law!"
"Miss Chen!"
"..."
A series of shouts reached Chen Lishu's ears. Her pupils contracted. Seeing the car getting closer and closer to her, she wanted to escape, but her feet were as if cemented to the ground.
Just as she was in danger, a force suddenly pushed her away. Chen Lishu stared blankly ahead. The crowd that had been shouting her name now shouted Gu Xingdong's name.
"Gu... Gu Xingdong!" Chen Lishu, realizing what had happened, staggered to her feet. When she saw the ground covered in blood and Gu Xingdong lying there, her vision instantly went black.
----
[Murderer Zhang Wan'er has been sentenced to death for intentional homicide, with the execution scheduled for May of next year! The husband of the owner of Shu Se Group remains in a coma in the hospital.]
[The prisoner Zhang Wan'er is attempting to find professional legal teams for a reduced sentence. It is hoped that the public will resolutely resist allowing murderers to evade justice!]
Watching the news on television, Chen Lishu's eyes were filled with coldness. "Send out an order: no legal team is allowed to take on Zhang Wan'er's case. If any are found, the Gu family and the He family will pursue them to the end!"
As she finished speaking, Chen Lishu, like a walking dead person, wiped Gu Xingdong's body. Old Master He, unable to bear it any longer, placed his hand on Chen Lishu's shoulder and said, "Don't be like this. I've already found the most authoritative doctors for Gu Xingdong. He will recover! You must not collapse. Our good days are still ahead!"
----
Old Master He wasn't lying. The most authoritative doctors had indeed treated Gu Xingdong and delivered the best news heard to date. The doctor said Gu Xingdong's condition was treatable, though it might take some time, but there was more hope than despair.
Chen Lishu thought that no matter how much time it took, she would stay by Gu Xingdong's side until he woke up. Her feelings for him would never change, never!
She believed that day would eventually come. They would still live in this world, with no one missing...