Chapter 38 Interrogation

◎You can't grow two kinds of melons on the same vine◎

Zhao Xiangwan did not give her any room to retreat and continued to ask:

"Where? In the house or out?"

Zhou Jingrong quickly withdrew his gaze and stood stiffly somewhere in the room.

"Oh, outside. Buried or thrown away?"

When he heard the word "buried", Zhou Jingrong's eyebrows twitched unconsciously.

"Well, it's buried. Can you see it from here?"

Zhou Jingrong was misled by her and subconsciously argued: "No, no."

"Good, I can see it."

Zhao Xiangwan's eyes were sharp. He raised his slender fingers slightly, pointed at the French window, and suddenly raised his voice: "The cup with thallium salt in it was buried by you under that pear tree, right?!"

When Xu Juncai heard the word "thallium salt", he was struck by lightning. He loosened his hand and looked at Zhao Xiangwan. He finally regained his sanity from his rage and realized that the girl in front of him looked very familiar.

——Her eyes were slightly narrowed, with a gleam of light flashing. She was Zhao Qingyun's biological daughter, Zhao Xiangwan.

Zhao Qingyun's family was in a turmoil over the issue of the real and fake daughter, and the instigator was this Zhao Xiangwan.

What was she doing here? Why was she trying to track down the whereabouts of the thallium salt water cup? Wasn't the Qin Yueying case closed long ago? Why was the old case suddenly brought up again?

Xu Juncai turned to look at Zhou Jingrong, and seemed to have discovered something from her frightened eyes. At this moment, all the conflicts and anger took a back seat, and the most important thing at the moment was to get through this hurdle first.

Xu Juncai extended his hand to Zhao Xiangwan and laughed, "Oh, the flood washed away the Dragon King Temple. I didn't expect that it was my niece Xian who came to visit. Your father Zhao Qingyun and I are old friends. Why didn't you say hello before coming?"

Gao Guangqiang felt like he had heard a lot of gossip. First, a wife poisoned her husband's lover, then a wealthy woman murdered her husband, and now it suddenly appeared that Zhao Xiangwan was an old friend of the person under investigation. What was going on? He turned around and looked at He Mingyu with doubt in his eyes.

He Mingyu was also shocked at this moment. Zhao Xiangwan was really tight-lipped. Her father was Weng Pingfang's lover, the provincial party committee leader Zhao Qingyun? When investigating Weng Pingfang's case, Zhao Xiangwan did not reveal a word.

He Mingyu shook his head and spread his hands, meaning that he didn't know either.

Zhao Xiangwan put his hands behind his back and watched Xu Juncai's clumsy performance calmly.

Wei Meihua thinks it is a shame to have a daughter out of wedlock and refuses to acknowledge that Zhao Xiangwan is her biological daughter. Zhao Qingyun is willing to get to know her, but his purpose is to have more children and more paths, and to use his daughter's abilities and connections to take his career to the next level.

They told this secret to Xu Juncai, and most likely asked him not to tell anyone else. But Xu Juncai, in order to protect himself, was the first to sell them out and make the secret public.

Zhao Xiangwan said calmly: "I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with you or Zhao Qingyun."

So cute!

Xu Juncai's face twitched, and he awkwardly withdrew his hand. He bent down to help Zhou Jingrong up, and said with a forced smile, "Housework, housework, I'm sorry to make a fool of myself. Everyone, I have something to do at home today, so I won't entertain you. Please go back."

Zhao Xiangwan didn't give them a chance to catch their breath. He turned to Xu Liangju and said, "Take the shovel and dig!"

Xu Liangju and He Mingyu had already been dazzled by her smooth operation. When they heard her order, they immediately stood up and said, "Yes!" They trotted away, took out the engineering shovels from the jeep, and started digging around the pear tree.

Seeing what was happening outside the window, Zhou Jingrong's face turned pale and his hands began to tremble like chaff.

[What should I do? What should I do if the cup is found? I spent 2,000 yuan to buy the cup from Qiao Xiaohong. I didn't know what to do with it when I got home. If I threw it away, I was afraid someone would find it and report it; if I destroyed it, the stainless steel was very hard. After thinking about it, I could only dig a hole and bury it at night.

At first, I always felt like someone was watching me, and I was afraid of being discovered. As time went on, I felt a kind of pleasure of revenge. Whenever Xu Juncai went out to look for his lover, I would sit in the living room and look at the pear tree. When I thought of the gift he gave to his lover buried under the pear tree, and it was this gift that almost cost his lover's life, I felt indescribably happy.

How could I have forgotten that this water cup is an important piece of evidence in the poisoning case? I actually put it right under my nose, and accidentally fell into the trap of Zhao Xiangwan, the devil! Did I say anything? I didn't say anything, how did she know that the water cup was buried under the pear tree? Zhao Qingyun, this biological girl, is very evil! 】

Xu Juncai lowered his voice and cursed in her ear: "Idiot!"

[How dare she keep such evidence at home? Even if she quietly throws it into a garbage dump far away, it is better than burying it under a tree! She keeps it under her nose every day. Is she afraid that the police will come to her house? What an idiot! So stupid! Doesn't she know that she will be headed? Rich people in Xing City play with women and have one or two illegitimate children. Those are all romantic affairs that can be dealt with with money. But poisoning and killing people is illegal! You will go to jail! How dare she!

She poisoned me and made me infertile. Although she was vicious and hateful, the people did not report it and the officials did not investigate it. In the end, it was still a family conflict. I could just beat her up and scold her a few times behind closed doors. But Qin Yueying... She was the victim of the campus poisoning case that shocked the whole city. Zhou Jingrong was arrested. How could I, as a husband, have a good ending? I did so many shady things, bribery, accepting bribes, gambling... She knew about it. What if she accidentally told them? Wouldn't the whole family go to jail! 】

Zhao Xiangwan sat aside and stared at the two of them, taking in their thoughts. Very good, two fruits cannot grow on the same vine, Zhou Jingrong and Xu Juncai, neither of them can escape.

Gao Guangqiang originally wanted to go out and dig the soil with them, but seeing Zhao Xiangwan alone in the living room, he was afraid that she would be bullied if she was left alone, so he sat aside. However, his eyes were always on Liu Liangju and He Mingyu who were busy outside the window.

As time passed, Xu Juncai wanted to drag Zhou Jingrong aside to discuss countermeasures, but was stopped by Zhao Xiangwan: "Until the results come out, please stay in the living room."

Xu Juncai was so angry at her that he almost had a heart attack: "This is my home! Do I have to listen to you about where I go?" This biological daughter of Zhao Qingyun is simply his nemesis. Her eyes are like staring at a thief, making people breathless.

Zhao Xiangwan had a stern face and a serious expression: "This involves a poisoning case from eight years ago, please be honest!"

“You, you, you!”

Xu Juncai raised his hand and pointed at Zhao Xiangwan. He kept saying "you, you, you" for a long time but nothing came of it. He suddenly thought of something, walked quickly to the TV and started to make a call.

When the call was connected, Xu Juncai said, "Is this Director Yao? Yes, I am Xu Juncai. Several police officers from your municipal bureau have come. They are very rude, especially trainee police officer Zhao Xiangwan. Is this how your public security bureau treats law-abiding citizens?"

After a few words, Xu Juncai handed the phone to Gao Guangqiang: "Director Yao wants you to answer the phone."

Yao Hu, the deputy director of the Municipal Bureau who was in charge of logistics and infrastructure, lectured Gao Guangqiang on the phone: "What are you doing? Mr. Xu is a star entrepreneur in the city. He has been on TV and has great influence in the business community. You are an old comrade, so don't be too reckless! And what about that trainee police officer Zhao Shiwan? Who is she? You should educate her well..."

"Yeah, yeah," Gao Guangqiang said perfunctorily, while observing the movements outside the window with his peripheral vision. Suddenly, he saw He Mingyu holding up a plastic bag with his right hand, and a hint of pink could be seen faintly under the mud.

——The water cup was found! The key evidence in the poisoning case was finally found!

Gao Guangqiang shouted excitedly: "Found it!" Without caring that Director Yao was still mumbling on the other end of the phone, he hung up the phone with a "click".

Xu Juncai looked out the window and his face turned pale.

Zhou Jingrong began to stagger and was about to fall.

Xu Juncai held Zhou Jingrong's back and shouted in a low voice: "Why are you panicking! It's just a water cup. You think it's something I gave away. Is there anything wrong with you hiding your discomfort? Don't be afraid!"

Hearing the strong hint in his words, Zhou Jingrong's face gradually turned red and he raised his head to look at Xu Juncai.

[Yes, I picked up this cup from the dormitory. I put it away because Juncai gave it away. If I didn't tell anyone, who would know that I bought it from Qiao Xiaohong?]

He Mingyu walked into the house carrying a dirty plastic bag and raised his head at Zhao Xiangwan: "We found the cup, go back and hand it over to the physical evidence department." As long as traces of thallium salt are found in it, it will be ironclad evidence!

Zhao Xiangwan looked at Gao Guangqiang.

Gao Guangqiang's body trembled, and he finally realized his role. He raised his head and chest, and said loudly: "Zhou Jingrong, Xu Juncai, please cooperate with our police!"

Xu Juncai's expression changed and he took a step back: "This has nothing to do with me!"

Zhou Jingrong's eyes were filled with resentment as she stared at Xu Juncai motionlessly.

Xu Juncai shouted, "You are so jealous, Zhou Jingrong! When I went to Japan for an inspection, I bought two water cups. I gave a white one to you and a pink one to Qin Yueying. Why can't you tolerate it?"

After being married for so many years, Zhou Jingrong knows Xu Juncai too well.

[He is hinting at me that I cannot admit it. Yes, even if the police find the cup, so what? I just said that I stole it from the dormitory. What's there to be afraid of? If I bring something from my own home, is that considered stealing?]

Zhao Xiangwan heard her plan clearly and glanced at Xu Juncai: "Boss Xu, we are just conducting a routine investigation. There is no need to exonerate yourself in such a hurry, right?"

He Mingyu and Zhao Xiangwan worked well together. As soon as they heard what she said, they knew that she wanted to bring Xu Juncai into the bureau for investigation. They immediately responded, "Yes, Mr. Xu, you almost strangled Ms. Zhou to death just now. We have reason to suspect that you want to kill her to silence her. Please come with us."

Liu Liangju held the shovel in his right hand, shook his head and said disdainfully: "Alas! Husband and wife are birds of the same forest, but when disaster strikes, they fly away separately."

Zhou Jingrong was now confused. The police's words hit her right in the heart. The pain in her neck reminded her that her husband in name only had really had murderous intentions for a moment.

Zhou Jingrong's eyes gradually turned colder: "He was the one who asked me to get this cup! If you want to investigate, let's go together."

When Xu Juncai heard this, he yelled angrily: "You, you are really crazy!"

Zhou Jingrong looked at him, with a ruthless look on her gloomy and pale face: "Xu Juncai, when you found one woman after another, when you took Qin Yueying's hand to do a pregnancy test, I was already crazy! Let's live together, let's die together!"

--

The president of Xu's Construction Company and his wife were detained by the Municipal Bureau at the same time. Once the news spread, the entire Municipal Bureau was shocked.

"How could that be? Xu Juncai is a law-abiding representative of the business community! I think he was even awarded a Good Citizen Award a few years ago."

"Zhou Jingrong's uncle is the director of the Provincial People's Hospital, and her parents are leaders of the Construction Committee. Although they are now retired, the family is well-known in Xing City. What happened to her?"

"I heard that it is related to a case from eight years ago. The Trace Unit is working overtime to test the new evidence."

"The Serious Crime Unit is full of rookies, and only they dare to do this. They brought the person back without any evidence. I'm afraid it's easier to invite a god than to send him away..."

Xu Songling was now caught in the center of the vortex, with a headache.

Director Peng called him to his office and gave him a lecture: "They are young people who don't know how to behave. Are you not ignorant too?

Jingrong's parents and brother called to ask, "What should I do?"

Xu Songling straightened his back and said, "What should I do? Just handle the matter as it is."

Director Peng was furious: "When you said you wanted to reopen the old case, I disagreed, but you insisted on doing it! It's been eight years since this happened, and Qin Yueying's parents haven't investigated the case again. Why are you so excited? Now, all the pressure is on me. What should I do?"

Xu Songling said with a cold face: "Director Peng, our police duties..."

Chief Peng raised his hand helplessly and interrupted him: "Don't talk to me about police duties! Your problem now is that you must investigate thoroughly within 24 hours. If there is no direct evidence, you must release the person."

Xu Songling stood still and saluted: "Yes!"

Chief Peng sighed, "The only thing I can do for you is to avoid interference from the outside world within the next 24 hours. And what about Zhao Xiangwan? She's only a freshman, right? She's just a trainee police officer. We can't let her take the lead in everything. Chief Yao already has a bad impression of her. In the future... I'm afraid she'll stand out from the crowd."

Xu Songling's eyes dimmed, and he felt the heavy pressure on his shoulders. He nodded and said, "Yes! She is a good seedling, we must protect her."

Director Peng patted his shoulder and said, "It's good that you know. Hurry up and investigate."

Xu Songling returned to the Serious Case Unit 1. A group of people gathered around him and asked with concern: "How is it, Captain Xu? Did Director Peng scold you? Should we start the interrogation?"

Looking at the young faces, Xu Songling took a deep breath and said, "There are only 24 hours left. Let's seize the time!"

He glanced around, but didn't see Zhao Xiangwan. Xu Songling frowned and asked, "Where's Zhao Xiangwan?"

Zhu Feipeng replied: "After she sent Zhou Jingrong here, she asked us to conduct a routine interrogation. Their group has already rushed to Zhu City."

Zhushi is relatively close to Xingshi, about 120 kilometers away, and it takes about three hours to drive there on the provincial highway.

At 9:30 in the evening, Zhao Xiangwan asked Liu Liangju to stay in the car, and he took He Mingyu to knock on the door of a room on the third floor of a residential complex.

The person who answered the door was a tired-looking woman, about 30 years old, but with fine wrinkles around her eyes. She saw Zhao Xiangwan and He Mingyu and frowned: "Who are you?"

He Mingyu showed his police ID: "Is it Qiao Xiaohong?"

Qiao Xiaohong's pupils shrank and she was obviously a little flustered: "Yes, it's me. What do you want?" When seeing the police, the first reaction of ordinary people is nervousness and fear.

Zhao Xiangwan got straight to the point: "Zhou Jingrong testified that it was you who hid Qin Yueying's cup and blackmailed her. Please come with us."

"Blackmail?!" Qiao Xiaohong was shocked when she heard this. "How did I blackmail her? It was obviously her who was guilty and took the initiative to buy it from me for 2,000 yuan!"

He Mingyu couldn't help but secretly give Zhao Xiangwan a thumbs up when she heard this. This was a good lie, letting them fight each other and tell the truth.

A baby was crying inside, and a man's voice rang out: "Xiaohong, who is that? Huzi is awake."

Qiao Xiaohong quickly said to the inside: "Got it, I'll come right over."

She lowered her voice and said, "Two officers, my husband is ill in bed and my child is still young. Can we talk about this in private?"

[I did something unkind. I have been worried every day for the past eight years, afraid that something might happen. I have let Yueying down, so God is punishing me. Two years ago, I was pregnant, Zhiqiang was injured at work, and he has completely lost his ability to live. The child is still young now, and I have to take care of both of them. I am almost going to collapse.]

Zhao Xiangwan nodded and said, "We'll wait for you downstairs. See you in ten minutes."

Ten minutes later, Qiao Xiaohong arrived as promised. She was wearing a long-sleeved pajamas with a circle of milk stains on the collar. In order to rush, she had no time to dress up.

Qiao Xiaohong asked cautiously, "Comrade police officer, I really didn't blackmail Zhou Jingrong. Please believe me... You, are you here to arrest me?"

Zhao Xiangwan shook his head: "We came here to understand the situation."

Qiao Xiaohong felt relieved: "Then, what do you want to know?"

Zhao Xiangwan: "Why did you hide the cup? Why did you sell it to Zhou Jingrong?"

Qiao Xiaohong's eyes turned red, and she turned to look at the roses blooming under the street lamp, and she burst into tears. This matter had been weighing on her heart for eight years, and she always felt guilty.

Since the police officers already knew about it, and since Zhou Jingrong had already told the truth, what else could she hide?

Qiao Xiaohong is average looking, from an ordinary family, likes gossiping, and loves to take advantage of others. She has the worst popularity among the eight girls in her class. Only Qin Yueying is kind and generous, and doesn't mind Qiao Xiaohong's pettiness. After a while, the two become friends.

The two of them got up early to run together, got food and water together, and went to class together. They were as close as conjoined twins. Qin Yueying used to share all her secrets with her, but after her summer internship in her junior year, she became a different person, going alone every day and being mysterious.

Qiao Xiaohong felt abandoned.

In the past, she could go to Qin Yueying's house on weekends to eat and drink for free, wear her new clothes, and use her new stationery. Now she won't even let her use a cup to drink water.

After a while, Qiao Xiaohong became dissatisfied with Qin Yueying.

Unfortunately, Qin Yueying was immersed in the beautiful love and had no time to pay attention to the people around her. She didn't notice Qiao Xiaohong's emotional changes at all. Xu Juncai was a dozen years older than her. Although he was successful in his career, he was divorced after all (Xu Juncai said so). In addition, Xu Juncai had always instilled in Qin Yueying the idea that she should keep it a secret from others and announce it after she graduated from college. Therefore, Qin Yueying didn't even tell her parents, so naturally she didn't dare to tell Qiao Xiaohong.

Qin Yueying fainted in the drawing room, Qiao Xiaohong happened to be beside her. The male classmates rushed to take her to the hospital, but Qiao Xiaohong somehow put her water cup into her schoolbag. This cup was imported, with an incredibly beautiful color and good heat preservation effect. Qiao Xiaohong was jealous for a long time and took it away when no one was paying attention.

Qiao Xiaohong thought that since she was about to graduate, she would separate her things and no one would know each other. She would take the cup back to Zhu City, and if anyone asked about it, she would say it was a gift from a classmate. After all, there was no evidence, so there was nothing to be afraid of.

Qin Yueying was in a coma, and everyone in the hospital was trying to find the cause.

Feng Lili quickly found Qiao Xiaohong and asked, "Is the cup with you? You are the only one in our dormitory who loves to take advantage of small things."

Zhou Jingrong immediately found her and said, "Give it to me, and I'll give you 2,000 yuan."

Two thousand yuan! In the 1980s, college graduates only earned about a hundred yuan. When Qiao Xiaohong heard that there was so much money, her eyes lit up and she handed over the money and the goods.

Next, the hospital found that Qin Yueying was poisoned by thallium salt, and the police intervened. Qiao Xiaohong, who thought she had gotten a great deal, then realized that the matter was serious!

The cup that he sold was evidence of the murderer's poisoning.

Whoever takes the cup is the murderer!

Feng Lili threatened her to shut up: "If you dare to tell me anything, I will report you for stealing the water cup and extorting two thousand yuan. You are the murderer who poisoned me."

Qiao Xiaohong was just a little vain and greedy, how could she have the courage to kill someone? Feng Lili frightened her like a quail, and she knew nothing when the police asked her questions.

However, when Qin Yueying's parents came to the dormitory to pack their belongings and sat in front of their daughter's desk and cried, Qiao Xiaohong felt guilty. They were all good people. Every time Qiao Xiaohong came over, they would carefully prepare delicious food and drinks, and would prepare soft and new bedding in advance. They welcomed her with open hearts and never accused her of being greedy.

There were tears in Qiao Xiaohong's eyes, and she felt guilty for the first time.

But just as she walked over and wanted to speak, Feng Lili pulled her away: "Are you crazy? Qin Yueying has become a useless person, what's the point of telling the truth? Can you bring her back to life? It's better for you to take the money and leave, so that everyone will be better off."

Feng Lili gritted her teeth and looked ferocious, and Qiao Xiaohong did not dare to confront her.

He Mingyu asked: "Did you see Feng Lili poisoning the food with your own eyes?"

Qiao Xiaohong shook her head: "No, I only heard her get up and open the drawer with a rustling sound, but I didn't see her poisoning her."

He Mingyu continued to ask: "Why did Feng Lili threaten you, and why did Zhou Jingrong buy a water cup from you? Have you ever thought about the reason?"

Qiao Xiaohong shuddered: "I guess they poisoned me together? They are bad people! I, I dare not offend them."

"Any evidence?"

"No. I'm just guessing."

"Tell me what Feng Lili and Zhou Jingrong said to you. Don't miss a single word!"

Perhaps it was because she had done something wrong and felt guilty. Eight years later, Qiao Xiaohong still remembered it clearly.

After explaining all the details, Qiao Xiaohong looked up at He Mingyu: "Yueying, is she okay?"

He Mingyu no longer felt any sympathy for her: "Not good."

Qiao Xiaohong tremblingly took out two thousand yuan from her pocket and handed it to He Mingyu: "Can you please pass this money to Uncle Qin?"

He Mingyu waved his hand: "We have rules and cannot accept money. If you are interested, then go to Xing City. Qin Yueying's leg muscles are atrophied and her intelligence is only that of a five-year-old. Her parents are much older, and the family of three still lives in an old house on the first floor."

Hearing this, Qiao Xiaohong's tears rolled down her face and her voice choked: "I, I didn't expect it, I just wanted to take advantage of it..."

He Mingyu sneered: "Because you hid the water cup, the campus poisoning case remained unsolved for eight years. Did you get rich with the two thousand yuan? Did your life get better?"

Qiao Xiaohong shook her head desperately: "No, no!" She lived in fear all day long, living like a mouse, and never had a chance to straighten her back.

If you try to gain small profits, you will suffer big losses.

Zhao Xiangwan and two other people rushed to the Municipal Bureau overnight.

The car's headlights were on, dispelling the darkness in front of us. The shadows of the trees beside us were looming and moving backwards.

After running around all day, Zhao Xiangwan felt extremely tired.

In major cases, there are only 24 hours to summon the suspect, so we must seize the time.

It was already one o'clock in the morning when we arrived at Xing City.

The light in the Serious Crime Unit 1 office on the second floor is on, like a beacon in the vast ocean. Seeing it gives me a feeling of returning home.

Zhao Xiangwan rubbed his face and shook his neck, then woke up He Mingyu who was sleeping soundly.

He Mingyu straightened up dazedly: "Are we here yet?"

Liu Liangju got out of the car and stretched his arms and legs. He looked at the lights on the upper floors and sighed, "Oh, it's so late and everyone is working overtime. It's not easy."

Zhao Xiangwan got off the car, stretched his arms, and bent his legs. After three hours of driving, his knees felt a little uncomfortable. When I went on a business trip with my seniors, and saw everyone working overtime so late, I deeply felt the hardship of being a criminal policeman.

The night wind was as gentle as water, and the three of them walked into the office building.

As soon as I opened the door, the smell of food hit me in the face.

Zhu Feipeng, who was sleeping on the conference table, was awakened and asked sleepily, "Are you back? Are you hungry? I left some millet porridge and barbecued pork buns for you. Eat them quickly."

Zhao Xiangwan glanced at the neatly arranged lunch boxes and thermos buckets on his desk. The words "Four Seasons Hotel" were clearly visible on the lids and sides of the boxes. He smelled the aroma of food floating in the air, and a feeling of emptiness and pain came over him. Only then did Zhao Xiangwan realize that he was hungry.

After a long period of running around, they had no time to eat. When they saw such a sumptuous midnight snack, He Mingyu and Liu Liangju shouted happily and rushed over.

"Let me see what's there?"

"Pork tripe, wolfberry and rice porridge, very nutritious!"

“There are also vegetarian buns and bell rolls, which are so delicious.”

"Ah, midnight snack saved my life..."

Zhao Xiangwan opened the thermos and was about to find a rice spoon to scoop up the porridge when a slender, white hand reached out from the side, holding a shiny, stainless steel long-handled soup spoon between its fingertips.

Zhao Xiangwan turned around, somewhat surprised: "Ji Zhao! You didn't go home at night?"

The white light of the fluorescent lamp shone down from Ji Zhao's head, giving his face a layer of radiant light. His shabby bangs covered his forehead, and his beautiful eyes were slightly curved, revealing joy.

【I’m waiting for you.】

Just this simple sentence caused ripples in Zhao Xiangwan's heart.

Returning home at night, tired and hungry.

There was a person who prepared a midnight snack, handed over a spoon and said: I'm waiting for you.

Then, all the hard work is not hard work.

Zhao Xiangwan took the rice spoon and took a sip of the porridge. The glutinous rice was stewed soft, the pig tripe was a bit chewy, and the red wolfberries dotted around added beautiful colors to the hot porridge.

Ji Zhao didn't say anything either, just sat beside her and watched quietly.

Hot, soft, and fragrant, this midnight snack made Zhao Xiangwan very happy.

After the three of them finished their meal, they took a long breath and felt alive again.

He Mingyu raised the briefcase in his hand: "Comrades, we have Qiao Xiaohong's testimony!"

Following her clear and loud report, everyone in the office started moving.

Zhu Kang, Ai Hui, and Huang Yuande were all outstanding graduates of criminal investigation. They were studying at the university when the campus poisoning case happened. Their classmates joked: "Thank you for not killing me." In the university dormitory, everyone lives together every day, eating, drinking, and sleeping together. If someone really poisoned someone, it would be hard to guard against.

Therefore, the poisoning case was reopened, and the three of them were as active as chicken blood, vowing to bring the murderer hiding in the university campus to justice. When they heard He Mingyu's words, their eyes lit up.

"Captain Xu personally interrogated Zhou Jingrong, and she said she got the cup from the dormitory herself."

"Yes, when Captain Xu said that the cup was not in the dormitory but in the drawing classroom, she changed her words and said that she took it from the classroom. But she couldn't say which classroom it was."

"If you find evidence that Zhou Jingrong is lying, then you can find a way to pry her mouth open."

Hearing their words, He Mingyu felt all tired and said excitedly: "Zhao Xiangwan's guess is right! The cup was indeed hidden by Qiao Xiaohong, so she felt guilty when facing Li Yafen. Feng Lili and Zhou Jingrong really knew each other, and they worked together to poison Qin Yueying!"

Zhao Xiangwan was not so confident. She asked Zhu Feipeng, "What did the Trace Inspection Technology Department say?"

Zhu Feipeng still had a bandage on his left hand, and pounded his right hand on the table: "The evidence is as solid as a mountain! Comparing the fingerprints of everyone in the dormitory left in the case file, there are Qiao Xiaohong and Feng Lili's fingerprints on the cup lid."

"No Zhou Jingrong?"

"No. Perhaps out of fear of thallium salts, Zhou Jingrong took the cup of water in a plastic bag and buried it directly in the ground. Her fingerprints were on the plastic bag, but not on the cup."

Zhao Xiangwan looked around: "Where's Captain Xu?"

Zhu Kang replied: "He and Lao Gao watched the colleagues in the Household Registration Section check for information about Feng Lili."

He Mingyu asked anxiously, "What's the news?"

Before Zhu Kang could answer, the door suddenly opened.

Xu Songling's face was serious, and he said loudly: "Zhu Kang, Ai Hui, the two of you, drive with me, Feng Lili has been found."

Turning around and seeing He Mingyu and Zhao Xiangwan, Xu Songling's expression eased a little: "You're back? You've worked hard. How are you?"

He Mingyu stood still and saluted: "Reporting to Captain Xu, the cup was indeed hidden by Qiao Xiaohong and sold to Zhou Jingrong before the case was filed for investigation."

Xu Songling nodded in approval: "Very good. You take Zhao Xiangwan to your dormitory to rest, and we will start the interrogation after we bring Feng Lili back."

Xu Songling glanced at Ji Zhao again and said, "You, go back first too. Your driver's car is still waiting in the parking lot."

Ji Zhao looked at Zhao Xiangwan, his dark eyes flashing with a bright light.

Zhao Xiangwan smiled: "I'm going to rest now, you should go home and rest too."

【Will you come tomorrow? 】

"Of course, I live here."

【Then I'll live here too. 】

"But your driver is still waiting for you. Your father and mother must be waiting for you too."

[Like I'm waiting for you? ]

"Yes, like you."

[Okay, I'm leaving now.]

At this moment, Ji Zhao understood what "waiting" meant.

Because I want to see someone, I wait patiently.

After waving goodbye to Ji Zhao, Zhao Xiangwan followed He Mingyu into the living area of ​​the Xing City Public Security Bureau.

Passing through the playground and basketball court, we arrived at a five-story corridor-style single dormitory building.

He Mingyu turned on the light cord, yawned, pointed at the bed by the window and said, "My roommate is not here today, so it's a good opportunity for you to sleep there."

Seeing the bed, the two of them, exhausted from the day, threw themselves into the soft quilt at the same time. Zhao Xiangwan felt that choosing a bed, whether the quilt was not his, whether the sheets had been changed... were no longer important.

In a daze, He Mingyu muttered, "Captain Xu, can you bring Feng Lili back?"

Zhao Xiangwan replied, "Yes..." All the sounds suddenly faded away, sweet darkness came like a tide, and he fell asleep.

--

Eight o'clock in the morning, in the interrogation room.

No one would be able to sleep peacefully if they were taken away by the police at three o'clock in the morning.

Feng Lili wore a beige sweater, brown trousers, a pair of white flat shoes, short curly hair, and white pearl earrings that shone softly. If she put on some makeup, she would look like a returned elite.

It was a pity that she, who usually wore exquisite makeup, had neither the time nor the opportunity to put on makeup at this moment. She had a bare face, and insomnia made her eyelids slightly swollen and her complexion pale.

As soon as she saw the police officers in uniform, Feng Lili stood up and shouted, "You are arbitrarily detaining me. I want to appeal! I want to see my lawyer!"

Xu Songling raised his hand to signal her to calm down: "Feng Lili, right?"

When she heard the name "Feng Lili", her eyes were a little evasive: "You have caught the wrong person, my name is Feng Yiwen, and my English name is Even."

Xu Songling stared at her: "You've been a foreigner for a few years, and you don't even want the name your parents gave you?"

Gao Guangqiang stood up, looking fierce: "I am Gao Guangqiang. I haven't seen you for eight years. Feng Lili's face hasn't changed, but she is dressed more stylishly."

When Feng Lili saw Gao Guangqiang, her pupils shrank.

The police officer who was in charge of the campus poisoning case had an unpleasant square face. Although he was a little older and fatter, Feng Lili recognized him at a glance.

Xu Songling threw the household registration form in front of Feng Lili and said, "Look carefully! Change your name? Feng Lili, Feng Yiwen, humph."

Feng Lili saw that she couldn't resist, so she had to sit down and turn away.

Xu Songling took out the pink water cup sealed in the evidence bag and placed it on the table: "Feng Lili, do you recognize this water cup?"

Feng Lili's eyes passed over the water cup and stopped at the lower right corner: "I don't remember."

Zhao Xiangwan took out a notebook and sat quietly beside him, acting as a recorder.

Feng Lili's heart closed tightly, not making a single sound - this was a cunning opponent.

Xu Songling raised his voice: "Zhou Jingrong has already confessed her guilt. Think carefully about whether to confess and get leniency, or to resist to the end!"

Feng Lili already had experience with police interrogations, so she responded calmly, "You brought me here in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. What do you want me to say?"

Xu Songling turned his head and glanced at Zhao Xiangwan.

Zhao Xiangwan shook his head slightly.

Xu Songling stood up and said, "I'll give you two hours to think it over carefully!" Then he turned around.

Gao Guangqiang hesitated, looked at Feng Lili deeply, stamped his feet suddenly, sighed, and followed closely. When he reached the door, he suddenly turned around and said, "Actually... Zhou Jingrong put all the blame on you. If you want to reduce your sentence, it's better to tell the truth."

Xu Songling lowered his voice: "Lao Gao!"

Gao Guangqiang responded quickly, didn't dare to say anything more, and left in a hurry.

Feng Lili looked at Gao Guangqiang's back with a frown on her face. Xu Songling and Gao Guangqiang had already left, leaving only a young policewoman organizing her notes, which made Feng Lili less vigilant.

[What did Officer Gao mean by that? Did Zhou Jingrong plead guilty? She clearly promised to send Zhiqing and I abroad and to cover all the expenses during our study abroad, so we took the risk. Why did she plead guilty now and hand over the water cup? No, Zhou Jingrong could not have turned herself in. The police are deceiving me! ]

When she thought that the police might have deceived her, Feng Lili tightly shut her mouth and glanced at Zhao Xiangwan who was writing slowly with his head down.

Zhao Xiangwan felt Feng Lili's cautious gaze, so he deliberately slowed down his movements, pretending to be reluctant and dawdling.

Feng Lili sneered inwardly and sat back in her chair.

After waiting for an hour, Xu Songling and Gao Guangqiang still didn't come back. Feng Lili was really bored. She glanced at Zhao Xiangwan who was guarding the door and called out, "Hey!"

Zhao Xiangwan raised his head abruptly, looked around, and pointed at himself uncertainly: "You, calling me?"

Only then did Feng Lili see her face clearly.

She has an apple-shaped face, which looks even smaller when she wears a wide-brimmed hat. She has red eyes and a light color, and she is actually a little beauty.

Feng Lili asked: "Why are you the only one left?"

Zhao Xiangwan frowned and reluctantly replied, "I'm still a trainee police officer. They didn't take me with them when they solved the case. They just let me stay here."

Feng Lili didn't expect that this little policewoman would answer questions without any scheming. She immediately became interested: "What did they do?"

Zhao Xiangwan said: "They went to interrogate Zhou Jingrong. I heard that the vicious woman turned herself in two days ago, so this old case that had been sealed for eight years was reopened."

Feng Lili was shocked: "Zhou Jinrong is rich and powerful, why did she suddenly turn herself in?"

Zhao Xiangwan's eyes were gleaming with excitement, and she pretended to be excited and gossiping: "I'm telling you, she and her husband are having a fight! Mr. Xu found a famous doctor, and after the examination, he found out that the reason why she had not had a child after so many years of marriage was that Zhou Jingrong gave her a secret palace medicine."

"What?" herself Feng Lili's eyes widened. This news was too shocking. If Zhou Jingrong hadn't said it, who would have known it? At this moment, Feng Lili believed it halfway.

Zhao Xiangwan continued to make up the story: "After Mr. Xu learned the news, he was furious. He had a big quarrel with Zhou Jingrong when he returned home. Only then did Zhou Jingrong tell the truth." At this point, Zhao Xiangwan deliberately paused.

"What truth?" Feng Lili was attracted by the gossip she told. She leaned forward unconsciously and urged her to continue.

Zhao Xiangwan lowered his voice, "It turns out that Zhou Jingrong was not disciplined before marriage, and had a miscarriage after getting pregnant, which damaged her foundation, so she couldn't have children. Every time she had a physical examination, Zhou Jingrong's uncle would arrange for an acquaintance to give the results, saying that there was nothing wrong with them and that they would be able to have children if they took care of themselves. Later, Xu Juncai cheated on her, and in In order to prevent him from having children outside, she took out the ancestral secret palace medicine, put it in the nutritious soup she cooked every day, and coaxed Xu Juncai to drink it. In this way, no matter how many women he found outside, there would be no heir to divide the family property."

Feng Lili never expected that the female police officers in the Public Security Bureau loved gossip so much. The stories they told were even more exciting than the family feuds in the movies.

However, her thoughts were still clear, and she quickly found the crux of the problem: "But, Xu Juncai was drugged, and Zhou Jingrong couldn't have children. What does this have to do with her surrendering?"

Zhao Xiangwan: "Don't worry, just listen to me. The two quarreled fiercely and fought in the villa. Xu Juncai hated Zhou Jingrong for causing him to lose his fertility, so he strangled her neck so hard that Zhou Jingrong almost suffocated to death. If the nanny hadn't called the police, I'm afraid she would have been strangled to death at home."

Feng Lili: "Call the police? So both of them were taken to the police station?"

Zhao Xiangwan nodded: "You are really smart."

Feng Lili was a little embarrassed by her praise and forced a smile: "No, this doesn't count as surrendering, right? The person who called the police to arrest should be Xu Juncai."

Zhao Xiangwan continued, "The interesting part is here. When Xu Juncai was arrested, Zhou Jingrong, as the person involved, had to go to the police station to take a statement. Unexpectedly, the two quarreled in the police car. Zhou Jingrong blurted out, "If I had known you would kill me, I should have let you drink the thallium salt water that Feng Lili had given you, and you and Qin Yueying would go to the underworld as a pair of miserable ducklings." Xu Juncai was so angry that his face turned green. He pointed at her and cursed her, calling her a murderer and that she was the one who instructed Feng Lili to poison. The accompanying police station police had participated in the campus poisoning case eight years ago, so they sent the person directly to our municipal bureau."

When Feng Lili heard that the fire had spread to her, she immediately denied it: "This has nothing to do with me."

Zhao Xiangwan glanced at her and said, "I don't think it's you either. You look like a good student who is very good at studying and works very hard. You were all very outstanding when you were able to get scholarships to study abroad, right? Why did you poison your roommate?"

It has to be said that with the power of mind reading, if Zhao Xiangwan wanted to flatter someone's organs, every pore of the other person would relax, and his internal would feel unobstructed.

Two words: comfortable!

Feng Lili was most proud of her hard work, progress and self-improvement. The more she looked at Zhao Xiangwan, the more she liked her. She asked, "Little sister, do you dislike being a police officer?"

Zhao Xiangwan smiled a little embarrassedly: "Did you figure it out? For me, my dad insisted that I become a policeman, saying that the job was stable, but I actually didn't want to be one at all."

Feng Lili said, "I opened an architectural design studio. Why don't you come here and be my secretary? I'll pay you 600 per month."

Although the salary level in 1992 was much higher than that in the 1980s, it was generally only 200 to 300 yuan. It was indeed very tempting to get 600 yuan right after joining the company.

Zhao Xiangwan smiled brightly: "Thank you, you are such a good person."

Feng Lili felt that she had the rhythm under control and felt much more relaxed. She said bitterly, "How can a couple's quarreling and saying things without restraint warrant the intervention of the criminal police?"

Zhao Xiangwan acted as if "since you will be my boss in the future, I will tell you everything I know" and gently reminded: "Although it was a quarrel between a couple, it involved the campus poisoning case eight years ago. This case has left psychological shadows on many college students, and the impact is very bad. It's rare that there is a clue now, so it's normal for the police to pay attention to it."

Feng Lili's expression was a little stiff: "Well, it's just... I feel wronged."

[This little girl is not scheming at all. Fortunately, she told me so much, otherwise I really don't know how to deal with it. Zhou Jingrong let the cat out of the bag, allowing Xu Juncai to catch her. Both of them were taken to the police station. Now this matter is a bit difficult to deal with.]

Zhao Xiangwan nodded in agreement: "Don't worry, the police will not wrongly accuse any good person, nor will they let any bad person go. If you didn't do it, you don't have to be afraid."

Feng Lili couldn't laugh at all. Her eyes unconsciously stayed on the corner of the table. She was thinking intently, her eyebrows drawn into a line.