With the Nan familyâs status and influence in Flower City, they should have known full well that they wonât be able to bring Nan Chen down, so why are they still asking me to defame him?
Ning Ran could not get her head around it.
Anyway, since theyâve plotted it this way, there must be a reason.
Ning Ran started evaluating the situation at hand and pondered how she should handle it.
Of course I canât agree to her scheme to get Nan Chen entangled in this.
Regardless of how Nan Chen had treated her, he was the childrenâs father and their backbone when they faced the outside world.
If Nan Chen were brought down, the children would lose their strongest pillar.
Put aside other stakes and interests and just on this basis alone, Ning Ran would never try to pull Nan Chen into this hot water.
I am already in this pickle, if Nan Chen is also affected, what would happen to the children?
However, looking at the current situation, if I donât agree, leaving aside the fact of whether I would be released, there might even be other risks waiting for me here.
So I canât turn her down either. I can only contain her at this point.
âDo you agree or not?â The policewoman was starting to get impatient.
âI need some time to think,â Ning Ran answered with a frown.
âWhat is there to think? So long as you turn Nan Chen in, youâd be able to flee. How good is that? What are you still considering?â asked the policewoman.
âYes, youâre right but you know the Nan familyâs power as well. I have to think about the consequence.
If I do as you suggested, and if Nan Chen seeks revenge on me in the future, I wonât be able to get away! Also, how would I know if youâre actually sent by the Nan family to set this trap for me?â Ning Ran looked at the policewoman as she uttered.
âOf course Iâm not sent by the Nan family. If I were, how could I ask you to accuse Nan Chen?â
âIf youâre not sent by the Nan family, then who sent you here?â Ning Ran glanced at her and asked.
Again, something flashed in the policewomanâs eyes but not a word was spoken.
âAnyhow, Iâve shown you the glimpse of light you asked for. Now itâs up to you how youâre going to decide.â
âAlright, let me consider about it,â Ning Ran glossed over it.
The next day, Nan Chen was reading emails in his office when Jiang Zhe came in.
âThere was a call from the kindergarten that Little Master was fighting with other kids but the matter has been settled. They were just calling to inform youâ¦â
âIs he injured?â Jumping up from his chair, Nan Chen interrupted Jiang Zhe.
âNo, itâs just some trivial arguments between children. Itâs been resolved.â
âGet the car ready, weâre going to the school.â
âBut, Mr. Chen, thereâs stillâ¦â
âDidnât you hear me?â Nan Chen asked.
âSure, Mr. Chen.â
Ten minutes later, Nan Chen had arrived at the kindergarten.
The principal and the management team didnât know that Nan Chen was coming. They were almost scared to death when they found out that he was there.
Without further ado, they quickly welcomed him. âSir Chen, Little Master and Little Miss are fine, donât worryâ¦â
âSorry for the trouble they caused,â Nan Chen nodded before replying.
The principal was freaked out upon hearing that. Is Sir Chen angry?
âIâm sorry, we didnât do our job wellâ¦â
Nan Chen waved his hand, gesturing to the principal that there was nothing to worry about.
He had come as a parent and the apology he made just then was sincere.
He knew very well that his status would bring great pressure to the school; hence, he said those words to relieve them from their stress and make it clear that he had not come to question them.
Nonetheless, he had never expected that his genuine words could cause extra pressure on the school.
Just then, the two children had been brought to the principalâs office.
Dabao took a glance at Nan Chen timidly and called him, âDaddy.â
Nan Chen snorted. âApologize to your principal and teachers!â
âThereâs no need for that. The kid is too young; thereâs really no need. Itâs mainly us; we didnât do our job wellâ¦â
They thought Nan Chen was being sarcastic and blaming them.
âIâm sorry.â Dabao bowed at the principal and teachers.
As he bent down, his backside hit Erbao who was hiding behind him.
Erbao bowed instantly, too. âWeâre sorry. We were wrong; please forgive us.â
The principal and teachers were all frightened to the bone and quickly dissuade them. âItâs really not needed. Youâve been unfairly treated. Itâs our fault for failing to educate the other kid wellâ¦â
âWhat did you do wrong?â Nan Chen asked in a cold tone.
âI shouldnât fight,â Dabao replied apprehensively.
âThen what should you do in the future?â
âWe should never fight again in the future. Itâs wrong.â Erbao quickly added.
âWhich kid did you fight with? Apologize to him.â Nan Chen was still dispassionate in his tone.
âNo!â
It was Dabao and Erbao protesting shoulder to shoulder. In other words, they had directly refused to obey Nan Chenâs instructions.
Nan Chenâs face darkened immediately. âAre you disobeying me?â
âIt was him who bullied Erbao first and it was because of that I fought with him!â
Dabao who had been lowering his head the whole time raised his head as he said that. His eyes were glowing with determination and he looked like an unyielding cub.
His eyes, his posture and his attitude were all too familiar to Nan Chen. It was like looking at himself.
âThe other kid has indeed misbehaved, weâve sorted it out so an apology is really not needed,â the principal quickly said.
Nan Chen trusted Dabao as well. He was confident that his child was not the kind of person who would simply resort to violence.
Protecting the younger sister is certainly the responsibility of an elder brother. Dabao was in fact right in this manner.
âAlright, letâs see how I shall punish you when we get home.â Nan Chen stood up.
The principal understood at once. Nan Chen was taking the children home.
âSir Chen, this matter is over. Please donât dwell on it anymore. The kids are still young and itâs really not a very serious mistake,â the principal was still trying to advise him.
âSorry for the trouble caused to you. Iâll definitely discipline them,â said Nan Chen.
âItâs really a small matter, Sir Chen. Donât worry about it.â
Nan Chen left the school with his two children. The chauffeur opened the car door for the children and made sure they sat comfortably.
Nan Chen was wearing a stern look all the while whereas Dabao and Erbao looked at each other and dared not make a sound.
âDaddy, weâre sorry.â
Erbao was the first to give in to the tension in the air and took the initiative to admit her mistake.
âTell me, what are you apologizing for?â
âWe shouldnât fight.â
âThen why didnât you apologize to the other kid?â
âItâs because he did wrong first! Heâs mean!â Erbao was suddenly agitated again.
âWhat happened actually? How did he bully you?â Nan Chen asked.
âHe talked bad about Mommy. He said that Mommy is evil and he said Mommy took drugs!â Erbaoâs reaction was still very aggressive when she said that.
Nan Chen exhaled deeply. It was roughly what he had anticipated.
He knew his children were not the type of persons who would resort to violence easily. There must have been some very significant reason.
âSo you scolded him?â
âYes! He talked bad about my Mommy, so I scolded him!â Erbao was eggy.
âAnd then?â
âAnd then he pulled my hair, and thatâs when Dabao came and pressed him against the floor and beat him! And after that, the teacher came,â Erbao described what had happened to Nan Chen.
âDonât listen to them. Those are all lies. Mommy will never take drugs,â Nan Chen stressed.
âOf course, Mommy is a good person; we all know it. So, if someone says Mommy is bad, then that person must be the real bad guy!â Erbao exclaimed.
âIf you encounter such a situation again next time, just report to the teacher immediately. You should never raise your hand.â
âUnderstood, Daddy. But if Wang Xiaopang bullies me again in school tomorrow, what should I do? He is always aggressive!â Erbao asked rather worriedly.
âHe wonât.â A cruel glint flashed across Nan Chenâs eyes.
A child can be ignorant but a grown-up should be rational. More often than not, what a child says comes from imitating the parents.
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