Chapter 126 - 87: Persecuting the Judge

A biological paternity test!?

Sun Miaohua furrowed her brow and lowered her head, lost in thought.

Xu De didn’t press her, just waited quietly by her side.

Before long, Sun Miaohua stirred.

She sat on the stool, her lips parting slightly as she spoke:

"How do I get the money?"

"Go after Liu Jingqi... I mean, Zhang Yueyue. She was adopted by a pretty wealthy family."

Xu De began to explain:

"You’re her biological mother, and you didn’t participate in her trafficking or abandonment. Legally, that means you’re the only one with guardianship and custody rights over Liu Jingqi."

"And that makes the adoptive parents guilty of infringement. Even though they went through legal adoption procedures, it still constitutes an infringement."

Article 1093 of the Civil Code clearly stipulates that adoptees are limited to ’orphans who have lost their parents, minors whose birth parents cannot be found, and children whose birth parents are unable to raise them.’

Liu Jingqi seemingly fit the second condition.

However, she didn’t meet it completely.

She knew where her parents were... or at least, she knew where her ’stepfather,’ Tao Ming, was. Therefore, her case clearly falls outside the regulation.

So, does this have anything to do with Liu Yong?

Yes.

During the adoption process, they should have explicitly questioned Liu Jingqi!

Clearly, they failed to fulfill this obligation, or perhaps they just didn’t pay much attention to it.

Of course.

"But that alone isn’t enough for you to get money."

Xu De said slowly, "It can only help you take the child back."

Sun Miaohua had been listening fairly intently, but at these words, she snapped, "What would I do with her!?"

"I don’t want her! What does it matter to me if she lives or dies..."

Her expression was ugly, her eyes filled with clear disgust and indifference.

Cold-blooded, heartless...

"That’s perfect."

A smile appeared on Xu De’s face as he continued:

"There are three parties you’ll be accusing: one, the adoptive family; two, the welfare home; and three, the human trafficker."

"Theoretically, a normal adoption requires no compensation, but..."

"During the eleven years they raised her, they turned Liu Jingqi into a criminal, which has prevented you from reuniting with her."

"If the adoptive family was aware that Liu Jingqi was hiding her true background... that would clearly constitute an infringement. You could then demand double compensation for both emotional distress and financial loss."

Then there was the welfare home, which was the easiest to understand.

Even though Liu Jingqi sold herself to a human trafficker, who then sold her to the welfare home,

the welfare home’s purchase still constituted a serious criminal infringement against you.

"They are clearly guilty of ’child trafficking’ under Article 240 of the Criminal Law."

"And then there’s the third party, the human trafficker."

Xu De slowly explained it all to her.

His explanation was so thorough that even Sun Miaohua, a complete legal illiterate, now knew who she should demand money from.

’The three parties... they could get me at least a hundred thousand yuan!’

’A hundred thousand in 2002... how many nights would I have to work, how many times would I have to sell myself to earn that much?’

’It’s enough to live comfortably for several years!’

Hearing this, Sun Miaohua became extremely agitated and blurted out:

"What do I have to do?"

"Also, the more severe the sentence that ungrateful brat gets, the more money I get, right!?"

Both questions were rather astounding.

The first showed she had no hesitation whatsoever; the second, a complete lack of any emotion...

"You don’t need to do anything. Just testify that Liu Jingqi is your lost daughter, Zhang Yueyue,"

Xu De said slowly.

"As for the rest..."

"We’ll naturally take care of it."

"Regarding the compensation... legally speaking, it’s true that the more severe the sentence, the more you’ll receive."

At his words, Sun Miaohua shot to her feet, a genuine smile spreading across her face. She was grinning from ear to ear as she said hurriedly,

"Yes, yes, of course! I’ll do whatever you say!"

"When do we leave?"

"Do I need to bring any documents?"

Xu De said,

"Bring everything you have that’s related to Liu Jingqi."

Sun Miaohua thought for a moment, then spread her empty hands and said,

"Then we can leave right now."

Clearly, she hadn’t kept a single one of her daughter’s belongings.

But it was enough.

The household register established her identity. As for corroborating their relationship... some pieces of evidence were unique. Even without other information to back them up, they could still deliver a fatal blow.

A paternity test report, for example!

"Good. Time is of the essence."

"Six days... If we can get back in time, we should be able to get an anonymous paternity test report ready for the accusation..."

Without a moment’s hesitation, Xu De led Sun Miaohua outside.

Sun Miaohua had originally wanted to pack some things.

But when she heard from Xu De that her food and lodging would be reimbursed within a reasonable scope, she dropped everything and followed him right out the door.

CREAK~

The main door was locked tight.

The group walked back the way they came.

「Taocun Village.」

Old Zhou sat at the village entrance, rolling tobacco in his hands. He watched the group’s retreating figures, smacked his lips, but said nothing, simply continuing to roll his cigarette.

As for Xu De, when he reached the parking spot, he turned back and looked at the village nestled deep in the mountains.

Four days and four nights of intense investigation and labor...

He’d been on the road for two days and a night, from the front desk sketch to hitting a wall at the Women’s Federation, and then finally locking onto the case.

He had finally come to Taocun Village, deep in these old mountain forests a full two thousand kilometers from Lusen City in Qingwu Province...

And found Sun Miaohua!

It was... not a wasted trip. He finally had something to show for it!

"Heh. The key evidence was hidden away in Lianshan County, two thousand kilometers away..."

A sarcastic smile touched Xu De’s lips, and it was hard to tell if he found the case or the evidence more ridiculous.

In any case, he let out a long sigh of relief.

A moment later...

SLAM!

The car door shut.

The engine shuddered to life. Soon, the car was winding its way down the mountain road, slowly leaving the remote, backwater mountain hollow and heading for the highway.