Chapter 157: Inexplicable Hostility
She recalled Li Tie’s gaze at the hospital last night—how sinister and full of malice it was as he looked at Chen Mo.
At the time, she’d only thought it was the wariness or dislike one might show a stranger. Looking back now, it was clearly naked killing intent!
’And I didn’t even notice at the time!’
If Chen Mo hadn’t been wearing the gloves from the video... She didn’t dare to imagine what would have happened to him. The immense, retroactive fear nearly suffocated her.
"Officer! This... this must be a misunderstanding! Ah Tie must have been drunk, he was confused! He’s not normally like this!" Li Gang snapped back to his senses, anxiously trying to explain to the officer. He was attempting to find some excuse for his brother, even though he knew how feeble the explanation sounded.
But he was his own brother, after all. Who could just stand by and watch him get thrown in jail?
The officer understood the family’s shock and disbelief, but the evidence was irrefutable. He could only shake his head helplessly and point to the ferocious, freeze-framed image on the screen of Li Tie stabbing downward with the knife. "Sir, Ma’am, the video clearly recorded the entire incident.
Li Tie entered the room with a knife. His target was clear, his actions were vicious, and he went straight for the victim’s vital spots. This can’t be explained away by him being drunk or confused.
This was a premeditated and extremely malicious case of attempted murder."
As the officer rewound the video to the moment of the attack, Li Gang stared at his brother’s unfamiliar, vicious face on the screen. He then looked at the footage of Li Tie pinned to the ground in agony, and finally, his gaze fell upon Chen Mo’s profile, which was so calm he didn’t seem like a high school student at all. A flood of emotions washed over him: anger and confusion at his brother’s actions, shock for the victim, Chen Mo, and... a barely perceptible trace of guilt.
After all, the assailant was his own brother.
Li Fengzhi, on the other hand, stared intently at the screen, tears welling in her eyes. Her mind was a chaotic mess of fear and disgust for Li Tie’s actions, sympathy and retroactive terror for what Chen Mo had endured, and a profound sense of helplessness and self-blame. ’If only I had been more perceptive last night and noticed Li Tie’s hostility toward Chen Mo, could I have prevented this terrifying attack today?’
Just then, the door to a nearby interrogation room opened.
Chen Mo, having finished giving his statement, walked out accompanied by a young police officer.
His face was still a sickly pale, and he looked clearly exhausted, but his eyes were exceptionally calm.
His appearance instantly drew everyone’s attention.
Li Gang and Li Fengzhi whipped their heads around to look at him, their expressions incredibly complex—shocked at his skill in subduing the attacker, terrified by the life-or-death crisis he had just survived, guilty that the assailant was their own family, and deeply worried. Li Fengzhi was especially worried about how her daughter would react when she found out.
After all, she remembered that Su Yuqing was quite fond of Li Tie.
The two of them had a very good relationship. If Su Yuqing found out that the uncle she liked was such a savage person...
’...how heartbroken would she be?’
"Chen Mo!" Li Fengzhi was the first to rush over, her voice trembling and laced with sobs. She instinctively reached out to check on him, but then stopped, her hand hovering in mid-air, afraid of being presumptuous. "Are... are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? Oh my god, how could this happen..." She was rambling, and tears finally began to stream down her face uncontrollably.
When Chen Mo saw them, he was startled for a moment, but then he understood.
There was no surprise on his face. He just shook his head gently, his voice a little raspy from his cold and exhaustion. "Auntie, I’m fine. Not even a scratch. My cold just hasn’t completely gone away, so I’m a little tired."
His composure was a stark contrast to Li Fengzhi’s frantic distress, which made Li Gang feel even more ashamed.
Li Gang also walked forward, his face full of shame and embarrassment. He wrung his hands, his lips moving for a long moment before he managed to force out the words. "Chen Mo... I’m... I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! On behalf of Ah Tie... I apologize to you! He... he’s a bastard! He deserves to die! I... I really don’t know how he could do something like this! I..." The strapping man was so mortified he could barely continue, his face burning with shame.
Chen Mo observed the couple’s completely different reactions—Li Fengzhi’s was pure worry and heartache for him, while Li Gang’s was shame mixed with anger.
He understood then that Li Gang had truly been clueless about his brother’s actions.
"Uncle Li, you don’t have to apologize." Chen Mo’s voice was calm, possessing a composure that belied his age. "Li Tie is the one who did wrong, not you. He’s the one who should bear the responsibility. It has nothing to do with you."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the two of them before finally resting on Li Fengzhi’s tear-stained face. His tone carried a subtle, reassuring quality. "What’s done is done. The police will handle it according to the law. You don’t need to worry about me, I’m really fine. It’s just..."
He glanced at Li Gang. "The motive for Li Tie’s actions will probably require further investigation by the police. He seems to harbor a deep, incomprehensible hostility toward me."
Chen Mo’s words were suggestive but stopped there; he didn’t directly expose Li Tie’s morbid obsession with Su Yuqing. However, the phrase "incomprehensible hostility" was enough to make the perceptive Li Fengzhi’s heart skip a beat. She vaguely thought of something, and her expression immediately soured.
There was something she had never told Li Gang.
Li Tie had once confessed his feelings for her.
It was a very private matter.
After she rejected him, Li Tie had begged Li Fengzhi not to tell anyone.
Li Fengzhi was also a very private person, and she hadn’t said a word about it for all these years.
As time went on, she unexpectedly became Li Tie’s sister-in-law.
After they became family, Li Tie had become much more proper, and his old feelings seemed to have long since faded.
Li Fengzhi had assumed he had found his true love and was no longer interested in her.
But now, hearing Chen Mo’s words, she didn’t dare to think about it too deeply.
She had already guessed most of Li Tie’s motive.
She also understood why Li Tie had come to their house whenever he was free all these years, bringing snacks and toys for Li Mingyu and Su Yuqing.
The officer assigned to Chen Mo spoke up at the right moment. "Mr. Li, Ms. Li, the investigating officers will give you a detailed explanation of Li Tie’s situation shortly. Chen Mo just finished his statement, and he’s not feeling well. He needs to rest, so we’re going to take him home now."
Li Fengzhi nodded quickly. "Okay, okay! Chen Mo, you should hurry back and rest! Get well soon! Today... today was just..." She choked up, unable to continue, her eyes filled with heartache as she looked at him.
Li Gang also quickly stepped aside to clear a path, his face still weighed down by guilt.
At this moment, neither of them said another word in Li Tie’s defense in front of Chen Mo.
After all, they knew very well that now was not the time to bring any of that up.
Chen Mo gave them a slight nod and, accompanied by the officer, turned to walk out of the police station.