Chapter 22 A Smile as Sweet as an Angel

The air fell into a suffocating silence.

Chairman Shen's face was ashen, his lips trembling, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

Shen Wangchuan clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white. "But... that doesn't prove that Yu Rou did it!"

His voice was hoarse, "Yu Rou... she absolutely does not have that ability."

Xiao Yizhou let out a sneer, interrupting his self-deception:

"Young Master Shen, you really are a good and responsible older brother."

Jiang Yu glanced indifferently at the Shen family father and son, "Whether you believe it or not is not important."

"By now, the city's criminal investigation team's police cars should be parked in front of your Shen family's house."

He paused, then clearly declared:

"Shen Yurou is a suspect in a case involving intentional homicide, instigation of rape, and related serial murders. She is currently being taken back to the police station for questioning."

"What?" The Shen father and son were struck dumb, and stood up abruptly.

Without further delay, the two quickly walked out of the Xiao family manor.

At this moment, Chairman Shen regained his composure and ordered, "Tell Attorney Wang to go to the city police station immediately."

Municipal Public Security Bureau, interrogation room.

The cold incandescent light illuminated the small space as bright as day.

Shen Yurou sat on the cold interrogation chair, her hands neatly placed under the table.

She was still wearing that exquisite white dress, her eyes slightly red, looking pitiful, like a frightened little white rabbit.

Two detectives sat opposite them, their expressions serious.

The older team leader, Huang Yong, had sharp, eagle-like eyes that scrutinized him.

"Shen Yurou".

Huang Yong's voice was calm, yet carried an invisible pressure: "We are questioning you in accordance with the law. Please answer truthfully."

Where were you between 8 pm and 10 pm a month ago? Who were you with?

Shen Yurou raised her watery eyes, looked timidly at Huang Yong, her voice tinged with a sob and grievance:

"Officer, I... I remember that I went to Yuhu Yao Villa that day. Wanxing came to see me, and she left after sitting for a while."

"So, do you know these people?" Huang Yong showed another photo, a screenshot of the faces of the dead thugs.

Shen Yurou only glanced at it before shrinking back in fright, her face showing disgust and fear:

"I don't know them! I... how could I know these people? They look so scary! Officer, have you arrested the wrong person? I really don't know anything..."

She covered her face and began to sob softly.

"have no idea?"

Huang Yong leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on Shen Yurou as if it were a physical object. "Xiao Wanxing's body was found at Yuhu Yao Villa. The forensic doctor extracted DNA from her body from these individuals."

His voice suddenly became more forceful, carrying a powerful sense of pressure:

"They all died in accidents within half a month of Xiao Wanxing's murder."

"Shen Yurou, is there really such a coincidence in this world?"

Shen Yurou looked up. "An accident? Dead...dead? Oh my god, that's terrifying..."

Her body trembled slightly, as if she were truly frightened:

"But what does this have to do with me? I'm also very sad that Wanxing died, but I really don't know why this happened."

"Officers, you have to believe me... someone is trying to frame me!"

Huang Yong's eyes fell on Shen Yurou, and his intuition told him that there was definitely something wrong with this seemingly weak woman.

Just then, there was a knock on the interrogation room door.

A young police officer pushed open the door, his face tense. He quickly walked to Huang Yong's side and lowered his voice, saying:

"Team Leader Huang, Shen Yurou's defense lawyer, Wang Ming, has arrived and requests to see his client immediately."

He paused briefly, his tone becoming even more somber:

"In addition, I just received a call from above, inquiring about the progress of the case, and emphasizing the due process and sufficient evidence."

Huang Yong's face instantly darkened.

He sneered inwardly. The Shen family's actions were indeed swift and ruthless.

Wang Ming, a renowned top lawyer in the capital, is known for his tough methods and skill in exploiting legal loopholes.

He walked in carrying a briefcase, his expression serious, his sharp gaze sweeping over Shen Yurou.

Then he turned to Huang Yong, his tone both professionally firm and neither humble nor arrogant:

"Officer Huang, I am Wang Ming, Ms. Shen Yurou's defense attorney. According to the law, in the absence of sufficient evidence to apply for a formal arrest warrant, my client has the right to meet with her lawyer during breaks in the interrogation."

Furthermore, given the so-called evidence you currently possess—

With only DNA samples from a few accidental deaths, there's not enough conclusive evidence to prove a direct causal link between their deaths and Shen Yurou, and it's impossible to form a complete chain of evidence for the indictment!

Wang Ming pushed up his glasses and raised his voice: "My client, Ms. Shen, has no motive for murder, nor is there any evidence of her direct involvement in the crime."

He turned to Shen Yurou, his voice softening:

“Miss Shen, from now on, I will handle all the issues. You don’t need to be afraid of things you haven’t done.”

Shen Yurou raised her tear-filled face and looked at Wang Ming as if she had seen a lifeline.

She nodded vigorously, choking back tears and unable to speak.

Huang Yong clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Under pressure from the procedures and from the upper echelons of the Shen family's operations, he knew that he had no choice but to release the person.

Huang Yong took a deep breath, suppressing the pent-up frustration and strong intuition in his heart, and spoke in a cold, hard voice:

"Shen Yurou, given the current lack of evidence, you may leave temporarily. However, this case is not closed, and you remain a key suspect. You must keep your communication channels open, cooperate with the police investigation at any time, and are not allowed to leave the city!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Yurou's body went limp, as if all her strength had been drained, and she leaned back in her chair, her tears flowing even more fiercely, her voice barely audible:

"Thank... thank you, officer..."

Wang Ming immediately stepped forward to support her, giving Huang Yong a formulaic nod:

"Thank you, Officer Huang, for upholding the law impartially. We will fully cooperate with the follow-up investigation and believe that the police will ultimately clear my name."

After saying that, he helped the weak and frightened Shen Yurou and strode out of the interrogation room with his head held high.

The atmosphere in the Shen family study was oppressive.

Shen Wangchuan handed Attorney Wang's report to Chairman Shen, which detailed the police's current evidence and the reasons for forcing the release of the person.

"Dad, Yu Rou is alright for now. The police don't have direct evidence. Attorney Wang will be keeping an eye on things." Shen Wangchuan's voice was low.

He gently placed the report on the desk, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the edge of the document.

He stared at Chairman Shen's gloomy face, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times before he finally spoke: "Dad..."

His voice was incredibly hoarse.

Chairman Shen raised his eyes, his sharp gaze piercing like a knife.

Shen Wangchuan took a deep breath, as if making a decision, and said, "What the Xiao family said... could it be..."

He paused, his fist clenching unconsciously. "Could it be true?"

The air in the study seemed to freeze instantly.

Chairman Shen did not answer immediately.

He slowly leaned back in his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the table, producing a dull sound.

After a long silence, he said in a deep voice, "I'll talk to Yu Rou again tonight."

Shen Wangchuan opened his mouth, but in the end he only said in a low voice, "Okay."

As he turned to leave, he caught a glimpse of Chairman Shen picking up the photo frame on the table—

That photo was taken when Shen Yurou turned eighteen. The girl in the photo was wearing a pure white dress and had a sweet smile like an angel.