Zhou Qi confessed to Song Qinglan about stealing the ginseng, but not entirely.
He framed the theft as a reluctant act to help someone. With his silver tongue, he managed to persuade Song Qinglan to side with him. In fact, he didn't dare to seek help from Qi Shengwen when trouble arose because Song Qinglan was much easier to fool.
"Cheng You has reported me to the police and wants me to go to jail. Mom, I know I was wrong, but I've already been punished by being expelled from the research institute. Isn't that enough? Please talk to Cheng You, don't escalate this and shame our Qi family."
What Song Qinglan valued most was face. The moment she heard this, she became worried. She had only two sons, and if both were to be disgraced, wouldn't it reflect poorly on her upbringing? Big issues could be resolved within the family behind closed doors; why involve the police?
"Don't worry, I'll talk to Cheng You and ask her to let it go. But you, really. No matter how much you wanted to help someone, you shouldn't have gotten yourself into trouble. Now you've been expelled from the research institute. What will you do in the future? You can't expect the family to support you forever, can you?"
It wasn't that they couldn't afford it, but she found it embarrassing.
Zhou Qi forced a smile. "I understand what you mean, Mom. I don't have a job, and Yan Ge is also idle at home. It's definitely not a good look."
"Your Yan Ge has come to his senses and returned to the army. Starting from scratch is better than having nothing."
"What?!" Zhou Qi stood up in shock. Qi Cheng Yan was clearly crippled; how could he return to the army? "Mom, Yan Ge still has old injuries on his leg. Is he okay?"
Song Qinglan shook her head. "I tried to persuade him, but I couldn't. So I let him be. He'll know to turn back after he's suffered enough." After all, Qi Cheng Yan had always been like this, never listening to her.
After the shock wore off, Zhou Qi suddenly felt a surge of excitement. Qi Cheng Yan's reputation was already ruined, and the army was full of people who hated evil. If a cripple like him joined, he would naturally be bullied. As a good brother, how could he not visit?
"Mom, I'll go see Yan Ge. I'm a bit worried about him."
Song Qinglan nodded, feeling very pleased. "Go ahead."
Zhou Qi was Qi Shengwen's adopted son, and many in the army knew him. Compared to Qi Cheng Yan, who didn't live in the family compound, they were more familiar with Zhou Qi. Naturally, he had an access card to enter and exit the military base.
Instead of seeking out Qi Cheng Yan, Zhou Qi found Zhang Fuqiang.
"Deputy Commander Zhang, long time no see. Congratulations on your promotion."
Zhang Fuqiang's expression shifted slightly. He motioned for Zhou Qi to come into his office. "What brings you here?" Since Qi Cheng Yan left, Zhou Qi hadn't been here before. He had almost forgotten about past events.
"I know. It's because of Captain Qi... Hiss, no, he's not a captain anymore."
Zhang Fuqiang sat down with a flourish, feeling immensely satisfied to be sitting in this chair. Zhou Qi sat opposite him and said coldly, "But he's back." No one doubted Qi Cheng Yan's capabilities. If he could reach the position of Deputy Commander once, he had the ability to climb up again.
Zhang Fuqiang stared at him with cold eyes. "What do you want to tell me?"
"He's a cripple, why should he be allowed back into the army? It's a waste of military resources. But if his legs were broken again, wouldn't that completely end his military career?" Zhou Qi's voice was like it came from an abyss, filled with fanatical excitement. The thought of Qi Cheng Yan falling into a mire and never getting up again made his blood boil.
Zhang Fuqiang's face darkened, his fingers gripping the armrests of his chair tightly. Zhou Qi was, undeniably, more ruthless than he was. Qi Cheng Yan hadn't committed any deep offense against him, yet Zhou Qi was determined to see him destroyed.
"You're truly ruthless."
Zhou Qi chuckled. "I'm eliminating an opponent for you, Deputy Commander Zhang."
Deputy Commander Zhang waved his hand. "I'm his superior now. Breaking his legs wouldn't look good."
Zhou Qi said, "Deputy Commander Zhang doesn't have to do it himself. Finding a few people to spar with him, engaging in some friendly exchanges, that's quite normal in the army, isn't it?" Zhou Qi left it at that. Having said his piece, he got up to leave. Since Cheng You was making things difficult for him, he had to make things difficult for her man.
...
Song Qinglan arrived as expected. Even though Cheng You had prepared herself mentally, seeing Song Qinglan's every inch exuding "pickiness" still annoyed her. It was no wonder she raised a child like Zhou Qi.
"Cheng You, I assume you know why I'm here today."
Cheng You glanced at the time. It was eight o'clock. She didn't have classes during the first two periods and could afford to be late. But because Song Qinglan had come, her time was being wasted on pointless conversations. It was truly frustrating.
"I don't know. Auntie, please speak your mind. However, I have classes to attend, so please be brief." The hint to leave was quite obvious.
Song Qinglan's face darkened, but she suppressed her anger and said, "I'm here about Ah Qi's matter. Let's talk about it behind closed doors. Don't make a big fuss. You're not a country girl anymore; you need to think about Ah Yan and the Qi family's reputation."
Cheng You let the words go in one ear and out the other, her expression indifferent. "If you feel you're losing face, you shouldn't have raised such a thief. As for Ah Qi's matter, the police will handle it; it's no longer under my jurisdiction. I don't care what he told you, and I don't care. Once the police investigate, everything will be clear."
Cheng You took the opportunity while Song Qinglan was speaking to water the flowers she had just planted. These were roses she had bought from the market, said to be good for climbing walls, and she had chosen the most cold-resistant variety. She walked towards the small courtyard, and Song Qinglan followed.
"Auntie, you should go back. The police will tell Zhou Qi what he needs to do. If he doesn't pay, he goes to jail."
Song Qinglan's teeth clenched in anger, her powdered face turning even paler. She gripped her handbag tightly, her fingernails turning white. "How much is the compensation? I'll pay for him!" A ginseng root couldn't be that expensive, could it?
Cheng You glanced at her. "Auntie, are you sure? Compensation at full price?"
"I'm sure. Name your price. Our Song family is not insignificant; we can afford a single ginseng root..."
"Ten thousand. And I won't pursue any other damages. Just compensate for the price of the ginseng."
Song Qinglan's face froze. "How much did you say?"
"Ten thousand yuan. Did you hear me clearly?" Cheng You repeated.
Song Qinglan: "..." She laughed in rage, finding it utterly absurd! "Cheng You, aren't you asking for an exorbitant price! Why don't you go to the market and inquire? There isn't a ginseng root worth ten thousand yuan on the market!" Unless it was a century-old wild ginseng, but those were rare and almost impossible to find.
Cheng You smiled slightly, spreading her hands. "Then let the police tell you how much Zhou Qi should compensate. You won't believe me if I tell you."