When questioned, Shao Guangrong nearly jumped in frustration:

“Officers, I’m just Little Yu’s friend, what boyfriend? Who’s spreading such nonsense? She was just a young girl, only 16 when I met her. No matter how bad I might be, would I pursue a 16-year-old girl? Look at me – do I seem like someone who can’t find a partner?”

Indeed, he didn’t.

A proper young cadre with excellent prospects and a significant family background – he certainly didn’t seem like someone who would date Yu Li.

Never mind Yu Li’s age – her family situation was a mess.

A bedridden paralyzed mother was a lifelong burden – most young men would run away, not voluntarily get involved.

A promising cadre like Shao Guangrong would be even less likely to date Yu Li.

But if they weren’t romantically involved, why would Shao Guangrong risk his career making false statements for her?

If he had followed right after her to return something she’d left behind, then Yu Li’s story might be true – she genuinely didn’t have time to see who the attacker was, everything happened too quickly.

Afterward, Shao Guangrong helped take both injured parties to the hospital, not deliberately abandoning Qiao Quanbing.

To buy time, Shao Guangrong had even left his work ID with the neighbors, actively suggesting they report to the police.

None of this suggested a guilty conscience.

If they’d delayed slightly on the way, not saving Qiao Quanbing, there would have been no witness to contradict them, leaving Shao Guangrong and Yu Li free to fabricate their testimony. Yet they’d ensured the hospital made every effort to save him, with Shao Guangrong using personal connections to find surgeons for Qiao Quanbing late at night.

These details left the police station confused.

In 1986, without surveillance cameras, there was no way to prove when Yu Li got out of the car or when Shao Guangrong arrived.

Shao Guangrong insisted he arrived right after Yu Li with no delay, which reduced suspicion that Yu Li had intentionally caused the injury.

The case had reached a stalemate when Shao Guangrong suddenly smiled:

“Officers, I don’t know who’s right or wrong, but I think Little Yu is pitiful. This young girl quit school to care for her sick mother – you should check with the school about Little Yu’s record. As far as I know, she’s been giving money to her family since she started working. Why would she suddenly want to kill Qiao Quanbing? This was just an accident.”

Whether it was an accident couldn’t be determined yet.

If only Yu Li’s mother would wake up – her testimony would be crucial.

But even the doctors couldn’t say when Yu Li’s mother would regain consciousness!

Shao Guangrong wasn’t worried about Yu Li’s mother waking up and giving conflicting testimony – he’d be the first to know when important people woke up, having already made arrangements at the hospital.

This was in 1986, before criminal law reforms. Unlike later times when homeowners could face trouble for seriously injuring burglars, thieves caught now were often beaten severely!

Though the situation was troublesome, Shao Guangrong was confident he could protect Yu Li.

As long as she didn’t slip up, everything could be managed!

When the police called him for more questioning, Shao Guangrong turned it around and offered suggestions: “Officers, Yu Li’s was accidental injury, but her stepfather attempted murder. Yu Li’s mother still hasn’t regained consciousness – should this marriage continue? Without a divorce, next time her mother might be beaten to death… Should we get the Women’s Federation involved?”

The Women’s Federation was established in 1949, changed names in between, and officially became the “All-China Women’s Federation” in 1978, headquartered in Beijing!

Their responsibility was to “unite and mobilize women to participate in economic construction and social development, represent and protect women’s interests, and promote gender equality.” If Qiao Quanbing’s actions toward Yu Li’s mother were classified as attempted murder, that was police business.

If the police considered it domestic violence, Shao Guangrong would notify the Women’s Federation!

As they say, what’s scarier than a thug is an educated thug. Though Shao Guangrong couldn’t compete with real academic achievers in college entrance exams and had to settle for Huaqing Continuing Education College, he knew these functional departments inside out – he even turned around and taught the police their job, leaving them no choice but to politely escort “Comrade Shao” out.

Comrade Shao pushed his advantage, turning back as he left:

“Please tell Little Yu her job isn’t lost – the company wanting to hire her believes in both her character and judicial justice. They’re still waiting for her to report!”

The police officers exchanged glances.

“Investigate further, conduct more interviews, and clear up all suspicious points!”

If Qiao Quanbing weren’t still in the hospital, he wouldn’t be the only one in custody!

Getting drunk and nearly beating one’s wife to death, whether angry at the child or not, wasn’t manly – the police despised Qiao Quanbing. No matter how much neighbors praised him as a good person, they couldn’t get around the solid evidence.

The “good person” refused to take the blame – what kind of person deserves that title?

Neighbors felt embarrassed trying to testify for Qiao Quanbing. Police investigation revealed Yu Li had previously reported domestic violence to the street office, but they’d dismissed her as a child, brushing her off with empty words.

No domestic violence?

Yu Li’s mother was still unconscious in intensive care – whoever claimed otherwise should pay money and effort for her care.

Blatant lies!

Their testimony was less credible than Shao Guangrong’s.

One sympathetic officer told Yu Li about Shao Guangrong’s message.

Hearing that Xia Xiaolan still wanted to hire her, Yu Li, who hadn’t cried since entering the police station, covered her face and broke down.

Unlike her silent tears on the way to the hospital, this time she sobbed loudly, wailing heartbreakingly in the interrogation room.

The police officers felt uncomfortable.

“She’s just a 17-year-old girl.”

“Chief Wang, isn’t your daughter about the same age?”

“Yes…”

How pitiful.

Even if released without charges, she’d still have to care for her paralyzed mother alone. She couldn’t return to the Qiao household – whether Qiao Quanbing was sentenced or not, sending the mother and daughter back would be forcing them to their deaths.

…

After holding court at the police station, Shao Guangrong wanted to visit the hospital, but news reached the Shao family and they called him back.

The Shao family didn’t lack children.

But in the third generation, they had only this one son – somehow all the others were girls. Though gender equality had been promoted for many years, along with family planning policies saying boys and girls were equal, advocating fewer, better births… thousands of years of old thinking couldn’t be reversed in mere decades, and male preference still existed.

Especially among the older generation – they couldn’t be reasoned with, and simply preferred sons, believing only sons could support the family name.

This was Shao Guangrong’s situation – an only son, spoiled by the whole family.

The Shao family was exasperated – such a clever child, never causing worry except for changing girlfriends, and now he’d gotten involved in this?

“That’s a criminal case – what were you thinking, rushing into trouble?”