The police chief's expression was extremely solemn.
"If Comrade Tian Jing's statement is true, her biological parents committed the act of abandoning a family member, which falls under infringing upon the personal rights of family members. It's called obstructing marriage and family relations."
Tian Jing: "..." Before abandonment could be a standalone offense, was there still this clause in the law?
Xiao Wei was also stunned by the police officer's words. Wasn't there no mention of abandonment in China yet? How did "obstructing marriage and family relations" appear?
Chen Guangfu interjected, "Weiwei, stop saying these useless things. Tian Jing won't acknowledge you."
"Besides, if Yao Shi was harmed by her, I'll personally send her to prison. Whether you acknowledge her or not makes little difference."
Xiao Wei disagreed, "No, she is my daughter. I won't allow you to touch her."
Chen Guangfu hadn't expected that at this crucial moment, the daughter-in-law he never thought highly of would hinder him.
"So, Yao Shi's revenge is not to be sought?"
Xiao Wei shook her head, "I believe Jingjing is not the murderer."
Chen Guangfu retorted, "You believe? Even if you believe her, she doesn't believe you."
Tian Jing had no interest in watching their father-in-law and daughter-in-law quarrel. "Officer, may I go to work? The village is preparing seedlings."
The police chief agreed, assigning two subordinates to accompany Tian Jing and Li Zhengguo, while he personally guarded Chen Guangfu.
Tian Jing and her husband exchanged a look and went to their respective workstations.
At the entrance to the seedling room, Tian Jing stated that it was a top priority for the village and asked the police officer to wait outside.
The police officer disagreed, saying he had to stay by her side at all times.
At all times?
Could she not even go to the restroom?
Just as Tian Jing was about to push open the door to the seedling room, a villager called out to her.
"Team Leader Tian, someone is looking for you by the bridge. They say the Xiao and Chen families have arrived again."
Tian Jing refused, "Tell the security team to drive them away."
"That won't do."
The villager shook his head. "The Xiao family claims they are here to offer sponsorship, and they have the town mayor's secretary with them. The Chen family has brought people from the Women's Federation, saying they are here to ask their eldest daughter for living expenses."
The words "shameless" were not enough to describe the Chen family.
Tian Jing turned around. "Officer, shall we go take a look together?"
"Let's go."
Ten meters away from the entrance to the village bridge, a wooden barrier was set up.
Outside the barrier stood a group of people.
Upon seeing the police officer in uniform beside Tian Jing, Chen Yaoming's expression shifted slightly.
When he heard the astonished exclamation from the woman beside him, "Are you Tian Jing?", he felt he had made a strategic error. Why had he sought out this righteous and indignant director of the Women's Federation?
"Director Qi? Please, please come in quickly."
Tian Jing was also surprised that Chen Yaoming had sought out Director Qi.
The security guards manning the bridge then raised the barrier. "Team Leader Tian, should we let everyone in?"
"Let them all in. If we don't let them unleash their day-long plan to pick a fight, they'll burst."
"Pick a fight?" Director Qi seized on the sensitive word. "Who is picking a fight with you?"
Tian Jing smiled. "Apparently, they are my relatives, one named Xiao and the other named Chen. One claims to be from my mother's side, and the other claims to be my father."
"I initially thought they were just here to freeload, and I'd deal with them and move on. Who knew it would become endless."
"Director Qi, have you ever seen a lion's mouth wide open?"
Director Qi shook her head. "The saying 'a lion's mouth wide open' refers to those who extort and blackmail. Is someone extorting you?"
Tian Jing nodded. "Yes, it's the later wife of the person who claims to be my biological father."
"That later wife claims to be my stepmother, and she not only demanded that I give her a two-and-a-half-story Western-style house belonging to the village committee."
"She also demanded that I give one to each of her five children. She even threatened me, saying that legally, I should be supporting them."
"I told them to sue. Which court would dare rule that I, who grew up in the Tian family since childhood, must support my so-called biological father?"
"According to the person who insists he is my father, they gave me to the Tian family when I was just one month old."
"Their actions, therefore, constitute the act of abandoning a family member under the offense of obstructing marriage and family relations."
"Director Qi, tell me, should I be supporting them?"
"Putting aside the fact that he has five other children later, even if he were homeless and begging on the streets, I shouldn't support him."
"Parents have an obligation to support their children, and only then do children have an obligation to support their parents."
"Not only did he abandon me to a peasant family without any regard, but he also expects me to support his wife and five children."
"Think about it, if I agree, will I then have to support his grandchildren and great-grandchildren?"
"What am I then? A money-making tool for him? Even if I were, it should be on the premise that he raised me to adulthood."
"It's only because the current Kúshān is developing very well and I have value that they've come to freeload. Don't you agree?"
Support? Living expenses?
Director Qi turned to look at Chen Yaoming's family, who were some distance away. "Comrade Chen, you said you were here to ask your eldest daughter for living expenses. What is your eldest daughter's name?"
Chen Yaoming pursed his lips and remained silent.
Guo Xiaoli, who was beside him, spoke up. "It's Tian Jing, standing right beside you. Don't listen to her nonsense. Back then, my husband paid for Tian Jing's upbringing."
Director Qi squinted her old eyes. "You are Tian Jing's stepmother?"
Guo Xiaoli nodded. "Yes!"
"Can you represent Comrade Chen Yaoming?"
Before Chen Yaoming could speak, Guo Xiaoli quickly replied, "Yes!"
"Good!" Director Qi nodded. "Regardless of whether Chen Yaoming paid for her upbringing, his actions have confirmed the act of abandoning a family member."
"No matter what future he arranged for his eldest daughter, he cannot escape the offense of obstructing marriage and family relations."
"Furthermore, over a decade ago, I saw an eighteen-year-old Tian Jing who looked as frail as if she were only fifteen or sixteen."
"This indicates that she did not receive good care in the Tian family. Where did the upbringing fees you claim to have paid go?"
"This has nothing to do with me... sob sob."
Chen Yaoming covered Guo Xiaoli's mouth. "Director Qi, don't listen to her. The matter of living expenses was also her idea."
"I never had any intention of this. I just came to see how my eldest daughter was doing."
"Heh heh."
Tian Jing let out a cold laugh. "Director Qi, you see, this man is always like this, always letting women take the lead. As soon as things go wrong, he immediately sells out his woman."
"Speaking of upbringing fees, not only Chen Yaoming, but even the other woman who claims to be my biological mother, did not contribute."
"The upbringing fees were provided by the father of that so-called biological mother."
"At that time, I had already been given to the Tian family by my selfish biological parents."
"And that maternal grandfather was also burdened with many personal matters, so he sent people to deliver gold bars to the Tian family."
"But the Tian family was even more greedy. They not only pocketed all the money but also treated me as free labor."
"Back then, to escape the clutches of the Tian family, I deceived you."
"I was willing to come to Kúshān because it was remote, and without any vested interests, the Tian family wouldn't come looking for me."
"Who knew that my husband and I would lead the development of Kúshān, and the Tian family would come to claim me, saying I was the Tian family's daughter."
"You see, I've become successful. Not only is my biological father dragging his family along, expecting me to support him, but the Tian family who abused me also wants to freeload."
"That maternal grandfather who provided the upbringing fees, his biological daughter, the woman who claims to be my mother, is completely incapable of supporting her own father."
"I have had my maternal grandfather living with me for over ten years. Who else has the right to demand living expenses from me? Should I still be supporting anyone other than my maternal grandfather?"