Sent to the countryside, I turned the health center into a top-tier hospital.

The police officers exchanged a glance, understanding each other without saying a word.

Since the victim is unable to provide evidence or give a verbal account of the case, the only way to advance the investigation at this stage is to take statements from those who were present and had relevant knowledge of the incident.

Secure the existing clues and wait for the girl to regain consciousness and her condition to stabilize before conducting further questioning and in-depth investigation.

Given this, the police immediately changed their approach and went directly to Principal Gao Yi, who was standing in the corner of the corridor with a gloomy and unpleasant expression, and Class Teacher Bai Jie, who was looking uneasy, with shifty eyes and restless posture.

The child's life was saved, which gave the two of them a temporary sense of relief. However, if the subsequent bullying at school is confirmed, they, as the principal and the homeroom teacher, will find it difficult to extricate themselves from the situation.

"You two are the school principal and the homeroom teacher on duty. Please cooperate with our investigation and come over to make a statement."

"Tell the truth about the student's daily life at school, whether there are any abnormalities, whether there are any disputes with classmates, or bullying."

Gao Yi had just finished making a phone call to ask for help, and originally thought he could use his connections to exert pressure and completely suppress the matter.

His face turned pale and then red, and he was both angry and panicked, but he dared not resist law enforcement in public and could only grit his teeth and cooperate with the recording.

Bai Jie was so frightened that her whole body tensed up, her legs trembled slightly, and she kept her head down the whole time, not daring to make eye contact with anyone.

When answering questions, they stammered and gave vague answers, either claiming ignorance or lying that the student's behavior at school was normal and there were no abnormalities. Their statements were full of loopholes, which further confirmed that there was something fishy about this matter.

The two experienced detectives immediately noticed that the two were deliberately concealing information and were being perfunctory. They promptly informed the two of the legal consequences of concealing the facts of the case and making false statements.

Even so, the two remained adamant about their story and refused to reveal any of the truth.

The statement was taken in an orderly manner, and the police simultaneously contacted the hospital's medical affairs department to seal up all of the girl's medical records, physical examination photos, and surgical records, thus securing all medical evidence.

At the same time, the school was notified to cooperate in retrieving recent surveillance footage, class records, and student interaction records to comprehensively lock down clues. They are just waiting for the victim to wake up so that they can thoroughly investigate the truth and find the real culprit behind the scenes.

On the other side of the corridor, the girl's parents slumped on a bench.

Upon learning that the surgery was successful and the child's life was saved, the long-suppressed despair collapsed instantly, and the two embraced and wept, their cries suppressed yet heartbreaking.

Chen Ping walked over slowly and gently comforted him, "You two can relax. The surgery was a success. The child is out of danger. As long as he gets through the ICU observation period and rests well, he will recover gradually."

"The injuries are now all stable, and the police have launched an investigation. All the hidden matters will be brought to light sooner or later, and the child will not be wronged in vain."

Upon hearing these words, the couple looked up abruptly, their eyes brimming with tears. Looking at Chen Ping, who was exhausted but had a determined look in his eyes, they were filled with endless gratitude.

The girl's father rose tremblingly, bowed deeply to Chen Ping, and said in a choked voice, "Dr. Chen, I can't thank you enough!"

"You not only saved my daughter's life, but you also helped us uphold justice. Our family will never forget your kindness!"

The girl's mother was already sobbing uncontrollably, and could only nod and thank her repeatedly, all her unspoken words turning into hot tears in her eyes.

Chen Ping gently helped the two of them up, offered a few words of comfort, and told them to wait patiently for the child to be transferred out of the ICU, and to contact him anytime if they had any medical problems.

After the police completed their initial statement taking and arranged the subsequent investigation process, Gao Yi and Bai Jie were temporarily registered and filed by the police and awaited summons. Only then did the tense atmosphere in the corridor ease slightly.

"Let's go!" Chen Ping said to Cui Ying, who had been waiting for him silently.

"Um!"

Cui Ying nodded.

Chen Ping and Cui Ying walked slowly out of the People's Hospital.

The afternoon sun shone down, warm and inviting, but it couldn't dispel the heavy somber look in Chen Ping's eyes.

The heart-stopping rescue in the operating room, the girl's body covered in wounds, the hidden signs of abuse, the despair of a young girl on the verge of death, and the ugly face of the school deliberately covering up and trying to suppress the truth.

Scenes kept replaying in his mind, leaving him unable to calm down for a long time.

Cui Ying walked beside him, looking at his somber profile, and sighed, "Such a lovely young girl, only sixteen years old, should be carefree studying, but she has suffered so much. It's truly heartbreaking."

Chen Ping let out a soft sigh, his tone filled with helplessness and worry, "The current school environment is far more complex than we imagine. Especially for teenagers, their mental development has long since fallen behind the changes of the times."

"The internet has spread too quickly, and they have been exposed to all kinds of information at a young age. They have matured prematurely, understand human relationships, and have also figured out the loopholes in the law."

"They know perfectly well that they are under the legal age of criminal responsibility, so even if they do something wrong, bully classmates, fight, or even commit more egregious acts, they are mostly able to receive lenient treatment or even be exempted from punishment."

"Therefore, many underage children nowadays act recklessly and without any moral bottom line, forming gangs, bullying the weak, stealing, and maliciously retaliating. All sorts of evil deeds are emerging one after another."

"At such a young age, their minds are dark and malicious, far more terrifying than the struggles of adults, because they are reckless and do not have to bear the consequences."

Cui Ying nodded deeply, her eyes filled with helplessness and regret: "That's true. Children in the past were innocent and naive; their mischief was just minor squabbles."

"The internet is now a mixed bag, with too much negative information. Many children go astray at a young age, their values ​​become distorted, and they can't distinguish between good and evil. Parents can't control them, and schools can't protect them. It's really frustrating."

The two walked side by side on the street outside the hospital, talking about the current chaos in education and the loopholes in juvenile delinquency. The atmosphere was quiet and heavy.

Just then, Chen Ping's cell phone suddenly started vibrating, breaking the silence.

He took out his phone, and the name flashing on the screen was Su Meng.

Chen Ping paused slightly, then pressed the answer button, his tone calm: "Feed?"

A soft, slightly tired and hoarse voice came from the other end of the phone, tinged with caution: "Chen Ping, I'm sorry to bother you, but there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

"Go ahead," Chen Ping replied.

Su Meng paused for two seconds, as if she had mustered up a lot of courage, and slowly said, "My father's case is still under trial. The amount of money involved in the embezzlement needs to be fully refunded in order to get leniency and a lighter sentence."

"After thinking it over, the only asset I can liquidate right now is the house we bought when we got married."

"Although we are divorced, and you left with nothing while the house went to me, this house is still our joint property from our marriage, and I cannot dispose of it on my own."

"So I'd like to ask for your opinion. I plan to sell the house and use the full amount to repay the embezzled funds, in order to help my father mitigate his punishment as much as possible."

After speaking, Su Meng's voice carried a hint of trepidation and guilt: "I know this is abrupt and selfish, but I really have no other choice but to ask you..."