Chapter 100

As soon as the news aired, it immediately caused a huge uproar. Families across the country—whether they had children or not—were suddenly filled with anxiety.

In the past, people had only heard of child traffickers pretending to be relatives in order to abduct children. As a result, parents always gave their children endless warnings: don’t talk to strangers, don’t eat anything given by strangers, and definitely don’t go anywhere with them. If someone unfamiliar tried to take them away, they had to scream for help.

But now, there was a new kind of case—a nanny kidnapping a child.

What is a nanny? A nanny is someone who comes and goes in your home, someone who spends time with your family. In some households, after a long period of working together, the nanny might even be treated like an elder. Who would ever think to be wary of their own nanny?

Yet it was exactly this kind of person, someone you never guarded against, who one day transformed into a child trafficker. Who could have imagined that?

And the most terrifying part was that the nanny featured in the news didn’t show a single flaw. Even under strict surveillance, there was nothing suspicious about her. If her actions hadn’t come to light, no one would have guessed that such an honest and seemingly decent person would try to abduct a child.

“This must be the work of a larger group. It’s been planned for a long time. These traffickers must be part of an organized ring!”

“Exactly! I bet there’s a criminal organization behind it all. They probably plant their members in households as nannies, gain the family’s trust, and then abduct the children to sell them to remote mountain villages or even overseas!”

“No, no, no—it’s not necessarily about selling children to families who can’t have their own. Think about it. Our country has the ability to cultivate children artificially. Even if someone can’t conceive, they can still apply for a child, and the processing fees aren’t that high. Most ordinary families can afford it if they try. So traffickers aren’t necessarily selling to childless families. Here’s the dark thought I had—what if they’re abducting children for their organs?”

“What the hell!!! That’s unforgivable. Do these traffickers not have families or kids of their own? How can they do something so cruel and inhuman?”

“To the commenter above—don’t be so naive. In the face of profit, who cares about morals or humanity?”

“They should get the death penalty!! If they don’t, I won’t be satisfied. For monsters like this who’ve lost all sense of humanity, execution is the only fitting end!”

“I support the death penalty too. And we need to be alert to these methods traffickers are using. Whether it’s strangers or people we know, both adults and children need to stay vigilant. Remember, a lot of crimes are committed by people the victims know.”

“Right, right, after this news broke, I can’t stop looking at my own nanny with suspicion. I’m seriously thinking about firing her.”

…

The intense discussions online quickly attracted the attention of the relevant authorities. As the investigation deepened, more and more traffickers were caught, and numerous human trafficking cases were uncovered. Many women and children were rescued and reunited with their families. To avoid re-traumatizing them, the media was forbidden from showing their faces, so viewers could only see blurred, pixelated images on the news.

These gruesome cases, once exposed, ignited the online media. Countless people wrote impassioned pleas calling for the traffickers to be sentenced to death.

The enormous trafficking network behind it all left the public chilled to the bone—as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on them in the middle of winter. Their hearts trembled with fear.

Traffickers used all kinds of methods to abduct women and children. Women were often sold to remote, impoverished mountain areas to be used as tools for childbirth. If they tried to run, they were chained with iron shackles and stripped of all freedom. If they were caught while trying to escape, they would be beaten mercilessly—sometimes even having their legs broken—until they gave up.

As for the children, most were treated like livestock on an operating table—their bodies cut open for their organs. A smaller portion were intentionally maimed so they could be sent out to beg.

It’s entirely possible that the little beggar you see on the street with missing limbs is one of those abducted children.

Common tactics used by traffickers include telling children, “I’m your dad’s friend, I’ll take you to him,” or using toys and snacks to lure them away. In other cases, they would use drugged substances to subdue women and children…

Now, a new method had been added to the list: traffickers disguising themselves as domestic workers, entering people’s homes freely, and striking when they found a suitable target.

It was impossible to guard against everything—especially the use of knockout drugs. One sniff or one taste, and the person would fall unconscious. How could anyone resist that?

Just when panic was spreading rapidly, several major trafficking cases were brought to trial. The proceedings were made public, and people could watch the livestreams online.

Even before the judges appeared, the screen was already flooded with messages, the most prominent being the words “Death Penalty.”

When the verdict was finally announced, countless viewers cheered with satisfaction. The judge solemnly pronounced that Zhou Fang and a dozen other defendants were sentenced to death, stripped of all political rights for life, and had all personal assets confiscated.

Seeing the numb expressions on the traffickers’ faces, the public felt nothing but disgust. This is the fate of those who dare to traffic in human lives.

Although Zhou Fang’s case had reached its conclusion, the police’s work would not stop there. They would continue to crack down on human trafficking and rescue more women and children.

Eight months later, there was jubilation at the Shen Research Institute—the detox vaccine they had been developing had finally passed approval!

Shen Lihuan looked at everyone’s smiling faces and couldn’t help but smile as well.

Initially, she had set out to develop a detox vaccine specifically targeting knockout drugs. But in real life, the chances of someone being drugged that way weren’t actually that high. Instead, there were far more cases of poisoning from medications, toxins, and heavy metals.

So after discussing with the institute’s professors and Professor Qu, they decided to create a highly practical detox vaccine. Once injected, the person would no longer be affected by knockout drugs, and toxic substances, whether medicinal, chemical, or metallic, would be unable to accumulate in the body in dangerous amounts. As long as the toxin levels stayed below a critical threshold, the person would be safe.

She spent three whole months at the research institute working on this vaccine. And she wasn’t just focusing on that—she also had to keep up with her studies and care for her family. She was like a spinning top, constantly on the move. Then came months of filing reports and waiting for approval. She even lost several pounds from the stress.

Now, finally, she could breathe a little.

After returning home, she collapsed into bed and slept for an entire day and night, scaring her family half to death.

You Changqing didn’t sleep at all—he stayed by her side the whole time, even handing off his work to his assistant.

You Changqing looked at her peaceful sleeping face and, heart aching, gently traced her delicate features with her fingertips. When Li Huan was asleep, the powerful aura between her brows seemed to soften slightly. Only she knew how overwhelming that aura could be once Li Huan opened her eyes.

She’d worked so hard lately, constantly running between home, school, and the research institute—it had worn her thin. From now on, she definitely needed to nourish herself and recuperate.

Her own cooking skills were average, and because Li Huan hated to see her worn out and they had a professional chef at home, she rarely had the chance to cook. She’d never minded before, but now she suddenly regretted not learning more—at the very least, how to make soup. That way, she could personally cook for Li Huan.

Still, it wasn’t too late to learn. Li Huan was amazing at making medicinal porridge; she could ask her to teach her. Then she’d be able to make nourishing meals for Li Huan from now on.

When Shen Lihuan woke from her sleep, the first thing she saw was Changqing smiling at her. Instinctively, she smiled too. “Wife, waking up and seeing you first thing—it makes me so happy.”

She hadn’t even finished her sentence before You Changqing threw herself into her arms, overcome with emotion. “Lihuan, you’re finally awake!”

Just as Shen Lihuan was about to comment on how enthusiastic her wife was being, she heard her say “finally awake” and paused in confusion. “I just took a nap, didn’t I? Why are you so worked up?”

You Changqing, eyes red, lightly patted her hand. “You call that a nap? You slept for a whole day and night. We were all worried sick.”

Seeing her red eyes made Shen Lihuan’s heart ache. She quickly wrapped her arms around her slender waist to comfort her. “It’s my fault for sleeping so long and making you all worry. Don’t cry, don’t cry—seeing you like this breaks my heart.”

Even as a vice president now, You Changqing still loved curling up in her arms. “We called in a doctor. He said you were just overly exhausted and there’s nothing wrong with your body. But you slept for so long—we couldn’t help but panic.”

Shen Lihuan gently kissed the tears off her face. “It’s my fault, making my wife worry, even making you cry for me. I’d never want you to cry—except maybe in bed.”

She might have been comforting her, but she still slipped in a little innuendo. You Changqing, blushing, pushed her away. She’d originally wanted to give her a kiss, but then remembered she hadn’t brushed her teeth or washed her face yet—who knew what state she was in? Even though her wife wouldn’t mind, she minded it herself.

So Shen Lihuan immediately got up to freshen up. Once she was sure she smelled nice again, she pinned her wife down on the big bed and gave her a proper “punishment.”

After the two of them were thoroughly satisfied and had tidied up the aftermath, they went downstairs. When the elders—like Gu Qinglan—saw Shen Lihuan still full of energy and bouncing around, they finally let out a sigh of relief and surrounded her, fussing over her well-being.

Shen Lihuan knew the elders were worried about her, so she kept smiling sweetly and didn’t feel the least bit annoyed by their concern.

Three days later, the Shen Group held a press conference. Numerous experts, scholars, and media reporters attended the event.

As the lead developer of the detox vaccine, Shen Lihuan naturally took the stage to explain the product and its research.

Facing a flood of questions from the experts and scholars, Shen Lihuan didn’t show a trace of nervousness. Calm and confident, she answered every tricky question with grace and precision. Her detailed and impressive responses earned many silent nods of approval from the crowd.

The press conference was broadcast live. With the strong backing of the government, people across the country were able to watch it on national television.

The moment Shen Lihuan’s exquisitely beautiful face appeared on screen, the internet exploded.

“Oh my god—my mom just asked me why I’m kneeling in front of the TV. This goddess is stunning! And so young! She actually developed a detox vaccine? Brains and beauty—I’m in love!”

“And the aura she gives off—so powerful. She’s standing there facing a room full of experts, and she’s not even nervous. She speaks so smoothly—it’s totally captivating.”

“Ahhhhh! I’m declaring it now—she’s my new ultimate crush. Hands off, everyone!”

“Too late! I’m claiming her too! That face is god-tier—I’ve fallen for her too. She’s my new wife now!”

Of course, where there are fans, there will always be haters. As excited fans gushed and fawned over her, the trolls came crawling out.

“I really don’t get you people. Fall in love with anyone who looks pretty? ‘Goddess-tier’? Who even knows if it’s real?”

“Exactly. Look how young she is—probably still in school. And she developed a detox vaccine with such powerful results? Who’s buying that?”

“Are you brain-dead? If she wasn’t the one who developed it, how could she answer all those experts’ questions so flawlessly? You think the government’s vetting process is fake?”