Chapter 22: Resorting to Violence is Simply Out of the Question

Half an hour later, a taxi pulled up in front of the police station.

Cao Kun stepped out of the car and reached Bai Jing and Wang Shanshan in two quick strides. Looking at the two women, he could barely suppress a laugh.

Bai Jing’s hair was a tangled mess, her cheeks were swollen and bruised, the corners of her mouth were clearly marked with blood, and her eye sockets were dark and discolored. Wang Shanshan looked slightly better, but her hair was also disheveled, and her face showed obvious signs of swelling, though far less severe than Bai Jing’s.

These were only the visible injuries; the others remained hidden. From the way they walked and the way they leaned on each other for support, it was evident they were suffering from numerous bodily injuries.

"Shanshan, Auntie Bai, what... what happened? Who did this to you?" Cao Kun asked, his face a mask of shock and concern, playing the part of a devoted simp to perfection.

"Don't ask right now," Wang Shanshan muttered, pouting with a look that suggested she was on the verge of tears. "Just let us go to your place to stay. We’re in agony all over."

"Yes, yes, of course. Let me help you into the car first."

...

Twenty minutes later, Cao Kun helped Bai Jing and Wang Shanshan into his apartment. Eager to please, he tidied up a room for them, prepared bathwater, and even had a delivery service drop off some medicine for their bruises and injuries.

Under the influence of Cao Kun’s solicitous care, Wang Shanshan finally let something slip. Her mother, Bai Jing, had gotten into a fight with her father, Wang Yifu, and she had taken her mother’s side, resulting in her being beaten as well.

In truth, Cao Kun didn't need her to explain; he already knew Wang Yifu was the one responsible. Given his understanding of the man, after seeing that video, Wang Yifu would never have been able to restrain himself. He just hadn't expected the results to be so effective—that Wang Yifu would skip the confrontation and go straight to physical violence.

*What a brute... but well done!*

Once he realized it was a domestic dispute, Cao Kun naturally refrained from offering too much of his own opinion. After all, one side was Wang Shanshan’s mother and the other was her father; as a dedicated simp for Wang Shanshan, he couldn't afford to offend either party. In the end, he simply offered some vague, conciliatory platitudes.

He assured them he would do his best to help Wang Shanshan, assist her parents in clearing up their misunderstanding, and reconcile. He also insisted that Bai Jing and Wang Shanshan should feel free to stay as long as they liked, promising to cover all their food and living expenses.

It wasn't until past two in the morning that Cao Kun finally retreated to his bedroom, leaving the space to the mother and daughter so they could bathe and apply their medicine.

...

Time passed, and the night flew by.

Inside the police station, Wang Yifu, who had spent the night in custody, seemed to have burned off his rage. He no longer appeared furious, only exhausted and haggard.

Suddenly, the door opened, and the officer in charge of mediating their domestic dispute walked back in. Seeing Wang Yifu’s weary state, the officer offered him a cigarette. Wang Yifu didn't refuse; he took it and put it in his mouth. The officer pulled out a lighter, helped him light it, then lit one for himself and said earnestly:

"Wang Yifu, it’s been all night. What are you actually thinking?"

"I’ll say it again: no matter what grievances or anger you have, you need to tell us. Only then can we help you. But if you keep silent, how can we?"

"Besides, if you don't say anything, how can we release you?"

Wang Yifu frowned, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and said, "No, why can't you release me? What did I do wrong?"

"What did you do wrong? You assaulted someone!" the officer said bluntly. "Wang Yifu, don't think that hitting your wife is just a private family matter. With your current attitude, we still suspect you might pose a danger to her. On that basis alone, we have sufficient grounds to keep you here."

"So, you have to tell us what happened. If you don't, how are we supposed to handle this?"

Whether it was the desire to get out or the need to resolve the issue, Wang Yifu took a few deep drags of his cigarette, finally let out a long sigh, and said:

"Actually, it’s not that I don't want to talk, it’s just... it’s so damn humiliating. I can’t bring myself to say it!"

Hearing this, the officer perked up. *There's something here!*

He leaned in toward Wang Yifu and said in a softer tone: "If you ask me, you're overthinking it. Where are we? This is a police station! It’s a place to solve problems. Who cares if you're embarrassed?"

"Even if you think it's shameful, you have to say it. We need to resolve this, don't we?"

As if persuaded by the officer, Wang Yifu was silent for a few seconds before saying, "Bai Jing cheated on me!"

"What?" The officer narrowed his eyes. "Your wife cheated?"

Wang Yifu nodded heavily. "I really didn't want to say it. Damn it, it's so shameful. That slut... you have no idea how cheap she is. She went behind my back with other men... and she was with three men at the same time... Officer, tell me, was I wrong to beat her?"

"For a bitch like her, I was showing mercy by not killing her!"

Looking at Wang Yifu’s furious expression, the officer couldn't help but recall his interrogation of Bai Jing. He had asked her that very question—whether she had done anything to betray Wang Yifu. Bai Jing’s answer had been firm; she insisted she had never done anything to wrong him.

So... one of them was lying! But who? It was genuinely hard to tell, as both Bai Jing and Wang Yifu’s expressions, eyes, and tone of voice sounded incredibly convincing.

The officer probed, "Wang Yifu, are you sure your wife cheated? Could there be some kind of misunderstanding?"

"A misunderstanding?" Wang Yifu scoffed, pulled out his phone, and slammed it onto the table. "There's a video. How could there be a misunderstanding?"

As he spoke, Wang Yifu opened the video on his phone and pushed it toward the officer.

The officer didn't watch the whole thing, just skipped through the progress bar. In the eleven-minute video, he only watched about a minute. He reached a final conclusion:

Bai Jing had indeed cheated. And she was so shameless—she had actually been with three men at once...

Seeing the officer hand the phone back, Wang Yifu took a fierce drag of his cigarette and said, "Officer, tell me, didn't that bitch deserve a beating?"

"That..." The officer frowned, feeling a bit helpless. "Wang Yifu, I can understand your feelings, but hitting someone is never the right thing to do."

"I think you two should face each other and have a proper talk. If you can still live together, then start fresh. If you feel you can no longer stay together, then part ways amicably."

"In any case, violence is definitely not the answer!"