After the divorce, he took care of his child and sold fried rice; his ex-wife was filled with regret

Officer Zhang quickly reached out and helped the old lady to her seat, then sighed helplessly: "The law is about the consequences of damage and the causal relationship."

"Emotions cannot replace the law. If Zhao San'er insists on getting a medical examination and pursuing the matter to the end at the hospital, this case must be transferred to the legal department for investigation and filing according to legal procedures. No one can cover for him."

The air in the mediation room seemed to have frozen.

The old man's cries and Su Xiaoxiao's silence made the small office feel suffocatingly oppressive.

Right at this critical juncture.

"Ring ring ring—!!"

A sudden, shrill telephone ring shattered the somber, oppressive atmosphere in the mediation room.

Officer Zhang took out his phone, glanced at the caller ID, frowned slightly, and pressed the answer button:

"Hey, Li?"

The voice of young police officer Xiao Li, tinged with a mixture of confusion and amusement, came through the phone receiver:

"Director Zhang, we just arrived at the hospital, and the emergency room just stopped the bleeding from his nose."

"What's interesting is that when we were about to take him to the forensic clinic to get a referral and wait in line for a CT scan and injury assessment, Zhao San'er suddenly turned on us, insisting that his broken nose was due to an accidental fall and refusing to have an injury assessment done!"

"He also asked me to pass on a message to you, saying he wants to discuss this matter in person and settle it privately!"

Officer Zhang held the phone to his ear, his expression shifting slightly:

"Okay, I understand. As per procedure, clean and bandage the wound first, and have him write a statement to keep a record, so we can avoid any disputes later."

"As for whether or not to mediate, we'll wait until he's treated for his injuries and then take him directly back to the station."

After hanging up the phone, Officer Zhang casually placed it next to the transcript on the table.

The mediation room was quiet. Aunt Wang's tears hadn't dried yet. She gripped Su Xiaoxiao's wrists tightly with both hands and looked at Officer Zhang expectantly, afraid that some bad news that would harm the little girl would come over the phone.

Officer Zhang picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip of warm water, glanced at the people in front of him, and his tone softened:

"I have some news for you."

"We got a letter from the hospital. Our colleague just took Zhao San'er to the hospital, but when the kid got to the emergency room, he changed his story and said that he slipped and fell in the snow and broke his nose. He absolutely refuses to get a medical examination for his injuries."

"He asked you if you were willing to accept mediation and settle the matter privately."

Upon hearing this, the reactions of the people in the room were quite different.

Aunt Wang paused, blinking in confusion. "Settled privately? Wasn't that little rascal acting like he was going to eat someone alive in the alley? How come he's claiming he fell down in the hospital?"

Su Xiaoxiao sat in the office chair, her brows furrowed, her eyes filled with resentment:

"He threw rotten eggs at a 70-year-old man early in the morning, and then just said he wanted to settle it privately? Why should he be allowed to mediate?!"

Hearing Su Xiaoxiao's somewhat impulsive question, Officer Zhang did not get angry. He simply leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingertips lightly on the long table.

Having served as a police officer at the grassroots level for twenty years, Officer Zhang is all too familiar with the intricacies of these kinds of civilian conflicts.

He looked at the impetuous young Su Xiaoxiao and sighed: "Comrade Su Xiaoxiao, and Aunt Wang, let's talk about the facts behind closed doors."

Officer Zhang leaned forward slightly, speaking in a calm and unhurried tone:

"According to the Public Security Administration Punishment Law and the actual situation of our grassroots case handling, in cases of fighting caused by civil disputes, as long as no irreparable serious injury or disability is caused, the government will usually give priority to mediation if the case can be settled through mediation in order to resolve social conflicts."

Officer Zhang pointed outside the door: "Zhao San'er used to be in there. He knows the ins and outs better than you do. He was beaten in the snow and initially thought he could extort money by bleeding people out."

"If he insists that you caused intentional injury and insists on a minor injury assessment, then this case must be formally filed and thoroughly investigated."

"Once thoroughly investigated, the legal department will scrutinize every detail of his actions at the scene, including provoking people, smashing eggs, and even using bricks to hit people."

"He has a history of repeat offenses. If the case really escalates into a major public prosecution case, he will be in deep trouble. So he backed down and wanted to back down."

Officer Zhang looked at Su Xiaoxiao and clearly analyzed the pros and cons of the situation:

"If both of you agree to mediation, then you can voluntarily sign the 'Public Security Mediation Agreement'."

"The case will end there, and neither party will pursue the matter further."

"Su Xiaoxiao, this is the safest and most trouble-free way for you to go."

"You don't need to go through lengthy and tedious forensic examinations, and you don't need to worry about the legal department accusing you of excessive self-defense. Your university student status and your veteran's file will not be affected in the slightest."

"but--"

Officer Zhang changed the subject, his expression becoming extremely serious: "If you can't swallow this, I absolutely refuse to settle this privately; it must be handled officially."

"Then the government must strictly follow the public security and even criminal investigation procedures."

"At that time, whether your straight punch and knee strike were within the necessary limits or constituted excessive self-defense is not something I, as the deputy director of the police station, can determine with a single sentence. That is something the procuratorate and the court will have to consider."

"You should weigh the options yourselves and see if you're willing to mediate."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Wang, who was sitting opposite, quickly reached out and grabbed Su Xiaoxiao's arm, her face full of lingering fear as she advised her:

"Xiaoxiao, listen to Officer Zhang! That old lady's cotton pants aren't worth more than a few dozen yuan. They can be washed and worn again. She doesn't need him to pay for them!"

"As long as it doesn't affect your schooling or your future, let's settle this with him!"

"We shouldn't risk our future fighting those idle hooligans!"

Su Xiaoxiao pursed her lips and clenched her fists tightly on her knees.

Even though the other party was bullying an elderly person living alone in the street, she had to grit her teeth and accept this compromise of "taking a step back" in order to protect herself. This feeling of suffocation made her chest ache.

A brief silence fell over the mediation room.

At this critical moment, Lin Fan, who had been sitting quietly listening to the others, looked over the long table and calmly landed on Officer Zhang's face.

"Officer Zhang."

"Since Zhao San'er mentioned on the phone that he wanted to settle things privately, I'd like to meet with him first and talk to him in person."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the room looked up in unison.

Su Xiaoxiao turned her head sharply, her eyes full of surprise: "Brother Lin? What's there to talk about with him? He just knows he's in the wrong and feels guilty!"

Grandma Wang was also a little stunned. Her lips trembled as she tried to persuade her, but Lin Fan raised his hand and gently pressed the back of her hand, indicating that the old lady should not be in a hurry.

Officer Zhang sat in the main seat, his hand holding the teacup suspended in mid-air.