Shen Nian didn't hear a single word of the ensuing verbal sparring. She felt as though she had been thrown into an icy abyss, chilled to the bone in a way that was terrifying.
Despite the sweltering heat, Shen Nian's palms were ice-cold.
Even after it was over, she remained in a daze.
The Lu family had not gained the upper hand in this battle. Shen Nian was lost and distraught, her gaze vacant even as she walked.
The Lu family members looked grim, especially Lu Lingchuan. Veins bulged on his forehead, his hands clenched into tight fists as he struggled to control his temper, suppressing the urge to lash out physically.
Earlier, when the opposing lawyer repeatedly questioned Shen Nian about Lu Lingrui's death, Shen Nian appeared stunned, her face white as a sheet, breathing labored, and expression vacant. At that moment, Lu Lingchuan couldn't restrain his emotions and slammed his fist on the courtroom table. His death stare left the opposing lawyer dumbfounded, until he was finally warned and Lu Lingchuan reluctantly took his seat.
It wasn't that he was afraid; he simply couldn't act.
If it had been anywhere else, Lu Lingchuan would never have let them off the hook! But this was a court of law, the only place where justice could be served for Lu Lingrui. Before those two beasts had paid their dues, he couldn't afford to act recklessly and give the opposition an advantage. He couldn't...
"Mr. Lu." Xu Xiping called out to Lu Lingchuan, stopping the man in his tracks.
"Let's go this way." Xu Xiping said, gesturing to the side.
He wanted to discuss some matters from the courtroom proceedings with Lu Lingchuan.
Lu Lingchuan glanced at his family, then followed Xu Xiping away.
Lu Lingchen supported his mother, addressing his father, "Dad, you wait here. I'll go get the car."
Lu Yanhua's face was haggard as he nodded, "Go ahead."
Then, supporting his wife near a pillar by the main entrance, he spoke softly and soothingly, "It's alright. We won't give up on the appeal. We'll make sure those two beasts pay for what they've done."
Li Mingshi didn't respond, tears silently streaming down her face.
How quickly time had passed. It had been five years since her daughter was gone.
Five years was such a long time, too many changes had occurred. Even Lu Lingchen was twenty years old now, but Lu Lingrui would forever be eighteen.
In contrast to the Lu family's somber mood, the Yang and Wang families were in high spirits! As they emerged, each one held their head high, brimming with arrogance.
They had won this battle splendidly! If they kept up the momentum, perhaps their sons/husbands wouldn't have to spend a single day behind bars!
They came out one after the other, catching sight of Lu Yanhua and his wife at the entrance. Wang Yong and Yang Hao's wife exchanged a glance, then jointly approached to provoke them.
"Well, well, who do we have here? Looking awfully sour, aren't we? In a bad mood? The sun's shining so brightly today, how could anyone be in a bad mood?"
Wang Yong's wife chimed in unabashedly, "Some people were pointing their noses at us earlier, saying they'd make sure our husbands got the death penalty and that we should just wait for it. Well, we're waiting! Where's the death penalty? I haven't seen it anywhere yet!"
Yang Hao's wife added, "Some people just love making big talk!"
They still remembered the incident where they went to confront Shen Nian and Lu Lingchuan had them taken to the police station. After that warning from the police, they hadn't dared to be so arrogant. Now that they had finally run into the Lu family, even if they couldn't directly confront them, they had to seize the opportunity to provoke them.
Wang Yong's wife looked at Li Mingshi, her tone sarcastic and sinister, "Sister, look at what you've done to yourself. You've aged several years! All for a girl? Was it really worth it? You still have a son, so what if she died? Why are you still clinging to my husband and not letting go? My husband is the only son in the Wang family. You actually wanted him dead! You're too cruel!"
Yang Hao's wife was no better, her mocking tone and gaze also attacking Li Mingshi, "Who are you trying to play the victim for? Your daughter's suicide has nothing to do with us. We've been dragged into this for five years without any peace. We're the ones who should feel wronged!"
"Shut up!" Lu Yanhua snarled through gritted teeth, his eyes reddening.
If his wife wasn't still in his arms, he would have kicked them already!
"Ooh, are you going to hit us now?" Wang Yong's wife puffed out her chest defiantly. "Go ahead, go ahead and hit me. Hit me once, and see if I don't drop to the ground and accuse you of assault!"
There was simply no reasoning with such unreasonable people.
"You!" Lu Yanhua was seething, about to make his next move, when Li Mingshi, whom he was holding, suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood!
Li Mingshi's pale face made the blood on her lips appear even redder. In the next moment, she collapsed into Lu Yanhua's embrace.
Lu Yanhua's pupils constricted in shock. "Mingshi! Mingshi!"
The Wang and Yang families were also taken aback by Li Mingshi's sudden coughing up of blood, giving them quite a fright! Once they regained their composure, a twinge of guilt set in, as they had provoked her earlier.
Averting their gaze uneasily, they persisted with their arrogance, "Hey, surely she's not faking it? That looked way too fake to be real. Who just randomly coughs up blood like that?"
"Trying to extort us? Dream on! We're not falling for your tricks!"
Despite their defiant retorts, they hurriedly made to leave.
Shen Nian, who had been in a daze until she heard Lu Yanhua's cries, suddenly regained her senses. Lu Yanhua was holding his wife, repeatedly calling out her name, with no attention to spare for others. The Wang and Yang families were trying to seize the opportunity to flee...
She found her strength, rushing forward and grabbing them, "Don't go!"
Startled by the sudden force pulling them back, Yang Hao and Wang Yong's wives exclaimed in shock when they saw it was Shen Nian, "What are you doing?"
Over the years, they had been living comfortably, growing plump and robust. Each of them now weighed over 160 pounds, while the slender Shen Nian barely tipped the scales at 180 pounds. Either one of them could take on two Shen Nians, let alone both together.
They didn't take the frail Shen Nian seriously at all, roughly shaking her off with a forceful tug, "Get lost!"
Shen Nian was flung aside, sprawling in an undignified heap, but the next second she pounced back, like a crazed wild beast.
Her mind was singularly focused on one thought: she absolutely could not let them leave!
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"Are you crazy?"
This time, in addition to those two beasts' wives, others joined in. Earlier, they had snickered in the background as Li Mingshi and Lu Yanhua were being mocked. It was only after seeing Li Mingshi cough up blood that they realized they had gone too far, and now felt guilty, trying to make a hasty exit.
But then Shen Nian suddenly appeared, crazily attempting to stop them from leaving. The two families, indignant and outraged, were about to resort to violence.
By the time Lu Lingchuan and Lawyer Xu Xiping returned from their discussion, the scene outside had devolved into chaos. Lu Lingchuan immediately spotted Shen Nian, who had been kicked to her knees, stubbornly clinging to those two beasts' wives with both hands, refusing to let them leave.
Coincidentally, the judge and others also emerged at that moment, frozen in shock at the sight before them.
