"Everyone, let's have a chat. Don't be so quiet. The children are back, aren't they? Let's be happy and don't look so dejected." Qiao Mei pretended to be relaxed and smiled at them.
"Qiao Mei, is it Xia Yan who gave you the address?" Xia Wen asked.
Before Qiao Mei could answer, Xia He immediately said, "Hmph, of course it's not from that deceitful hypocrite. He's so stubborn and still refuses to admit it even after Qiao Mei broke two or three of his ribs. It's Xia Lu who can't bear to see Xia Yan getting beaten up, so he wrote down the address for us."
Xu Lan smacked the table angrily and shouted, "Heartless things! Our family already helped them so much, so what else do they want! Now they even have designs on my grandchildren! Xia Wen, go and arrest them!"
"I've already sent someone over. Xia Lu has already been arrested. Xia Yan is seriously injured and needs to stay in the hospital for a period of time," Xia Wen said.
When he saw Xia Yan's medical report, he thought that it was Xia He who beat him up. There was not a single unhurt spot on Xia Yan's body and his internal organs were almost all damaged. When he reached home, he had wanted to warn Xia He that she would kill someone if she beat a person up like this, but he did not expect the person who hit Xia Yan to be Qiao Mei. He had thought that she was a dainty and delicate person.
If it was Qiao Mei who had done this, then it was understandable. Which mother in the world could still stay calm when her children were missing?
Xia Zhe was not surprised at all. Qiao Mei was so strong that she could kill a cow with a single punch. What Qiao Mei did was like nothing to her.
Even he could not defeat Qiao Mei!
"I want to interrogate Xia Yan personally," Qiao Mei said as she looked at Xia Wen seriously.
"Erm… that may not be possible…" Xia Wen said hesitantly.
Interrogation was usually done by the professionals. With Xia Xiu supervising the process, those being interrogated would definitely reveal who the real culprit was. There were very strict procedures to go through in order to enter the interrogation area. Even Xia Zhe would need to inform his superiors if he wanted to go, so it was not a place where anyone could enter at will.
Although Xia Yan was still in the hospital, there were a total of eight people guarding his ward, stationed both inside and outside. Xia Yan would not be able to escape even if he had wings. Other than the doctors and nurses, no one was allowed to visit him. Firstly, there was a worry that having visitors would agitate Xia Yan, impeding his recovery process. Secondly, if Xia Yan found out about what was happening outside, he might try to look for a way to escape.
None of them could force their way in to see Xia Yan even if they wanted. Anyone who tried to force their way in would be shot to death.
"Then forget it. We'll see how it goes after the investigation is completed. Zhou Luo will definitely come looking for us soon," Qiao Mei said wearily.
"Don't worry! I definitely won't let Zhou Luo come near our house! We've already instructed the guard team not to let anyone in," Xia He said.
"That's good. What about Second Aunt-in-law? How's Second Aunt-in-law?" Qiao Mei asked worriedly.
"I heard from Aunt that Second Aunt-in-law's condition is not so well, but the good thing is that it's not serious. She'll be fine after some rest. Xia Yan gave her too much sedative. Fortunately, she is found in time and her brain isn't affected," Xia Wen said.
"Eldest Brother, go to my house later to ask my grandfather for some medicinal wine and send it to Second Aunt-in-law. If she drinks it, she will recover soon," Qiao Mei said.
Qiao Qiang had not been in good health, but he had kept all the medicinal wine, ginseng and lingzhi which Qiao Mei gave him and did not consume them. He said that he wanted to save them for the children as family heirlooms. To Qiao Mei, she had plenty of such things, so what was the use of h.o.a.rding them!
Qiao Mei was so angry that she custom made a big 10L wine barrel for Qiao Qiang. Then, she filled it with ginseng wine and told Qiao Qiang to drink freely from it. Surely Qiao Qiang would not feel sorry about drinking it if he had so much. In addition, Qiao Mei had told Qiao Qiang that if he did not drink the wine, it would expire and spoil.
Qiao Qiang drank one gla.s.s every day nowadays and his health was much better than before.
"Alright, I'll definitely go later," Xia Wen said.
"Will Chi Ze and the others be alright? They are only there to help me," Qiao Mei asked. Although Chi Ze and the others were retired soldiers, they were just ordinary citizens now. It was not right for ordinary citizens to gang up and beat up those people, even if they were criminals.
"They're fine. Father and I have put up an application to give them a meritorious award. We've indicated that they're warm-hearted pa.s.sersby and they'll even get certificates of commendation!" Xia Wen said laughingly.
"Certificates of commendation? Then I'll give them monetary bonuses too!" Qiao Mei said excitedly.