If the Chen Qi family themselves didn't consider themselves detained, then the issue of restricting personal liberty wouldn't arise. Consequently, the crime of unlawful detention wouldn't stand. The severity of the crime of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" would also be significantly reduced. The perpetrators would likely only face a few days of disciplinary confinement and then be released.

「The next day.」

Qin Mu went to work at the nursing home as usual. Zhang Wei called him to share an update on the case. The trial for this bridesmaid case was scheduled for seven days later. The bridesmaid, Huang Lan, had already received the court summons. Ever since being released on bail, the bridesmaid had been in Jin City, providing Zhang Wei with details about the case as it had happened. For this case, he and Zhang Wei had formulated a complete not-guilty defense strategy, centered around the right of unlimited defense.

「Three days later.」

In a town detention center, during the exercise period.

"Second Brother, didn't you say we'd only be held for a few days before they let us out? Why has it been so long with no news at all?" several relatives asked, surrounding Chen Daoguang.

They were in Yard No. 4. Six or seven people were assigned to this yard; the remaining dozens of them were allocated to other cells.

Initially, they thought they would be out after three days. But three days passed, and the guards showed no sign of releasing them.

Hearing his relatives, Chen Daoguang's brows furrowed as well. As time went on, he also realized that something was amiss. Things were far more complicated than he had imagined. After they had "confessed to certain criminal facts" at the police station, they had been sent to the detention center, and then there was no follow-up. It seemed like a prolonged waiting process. Even family members were unable to visit them. According to the guards, only lawyers could see them at this point.

That's not right, family members could visit before... Chen Daoguang furrowed his brows and muttered. He had been detained in this detention center before, held for three days. During that detention, family visits were allowed. But this time, visits from family members were prohibited. They were now completely isolated from the outside world. After three continuous days of detention, they had even missed the young man's burial.

"5366, 5366, come over here."

Suddenly, a guard called out a number, seemingly looking for someone.

Chen Daoguang was surprised and looked around.

"Second Brother, I think... they're calling you," a relative beside him gently reminded.

Chen Daoguang then realized. After entering the detention center, he had been given a number: 5366.

Could it be... they're releasing people? His expression brightened. He quickly walked toward the guard, only to see the guard holding a document and handing it to him.

"This is a court summons. Sign for it, and also sign on behalf of the other seventy-eight people," the guard instructed.

Chen Daoguang was stunned. "What... what does this mean?"

The guard rolled his eyes and snorted, "What else could it mean? Your case is scheduled. The trial is in five days. Hurry up and sign; exercise time is almost over."

Chen Daoguang swallowed hard, his face growing even more troubled.

A court summons! He remembered that the last time, the process hadn't involved this. Last time, after three days of detention, all he needed to do was sign his name, go through some formalities, and he was released. But why was there a court summons this time?

"Um... if I sign this, when can I leave?" Chen Daoguang looked at the guard and reluctantly asked.

"Leave?" The guard glanced at him and said, exasperated, "This is a court summons. Once you receive it, you prepare for trial and sentencing. You still expect to leave? Hurry up and sign, don't waste time."

The guard then urged him on. Chen Daoguang, not daring to offend the guard, could only take the document and sign his name.

On the summons, he saw the litigation demand section. It requested the court to sentence him to four years and six months imprisonment, and the others to varying sentences from two to three years.

His scalp tingled, and he began to tremble. He murmured, "This... what... what in the world is going on?"

All of this was completely different from what he had expected. After waiting three days, he hadn't received news of his release. Instead, he received... a court summons! The content of the summons was even more shocking: they were demanding prison sentences for them!

「At the same time.」

In Chen Family Village, at Chen Daoguang's home.

Chen Daoguang's wife, Liu Mei, had also received a corresponding notice, informing them of the court trial. The notice also urged them to promptly find a defense attorney for Chen Daoguang and the others. Because Chen Daoguang and the others were involved in a criminal case, they were forbidden from meeting with their families before the court hearing.

The families of Chen Daoguang and the others were unaware of what had happened inside the detention center.

"Find... a lawyer? Go to court?"

"My husband is being sued? Who sued them? Was it the Chen Qi family?"

"I think so. It must be the Chen Qi family who took our men to court!"

"How shameless can they be? The bridesmaid they hired killed and injured people—one dead and three injured! It was so heinous, yet they still dare to sue us?"

Chen Daoguang's wife, Liu Mei, along with the other women, were furious. They felt their husbands had been unjustly accused. They had merely been seeking justice.

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