Upon hearing these words, Li Guixiang's legs went weak, and she almost sat back down.
She stole a glance at the several high-ranking officials next to her, all dressed in military uniforms and with faces even more grim than the police, especially Director Zhou, whose eyes were red as if he wanted to devour someone.
She knew she probably wouldn't get past this hurdle today, so she had no choice but to admit it in a low voice.
"Yes, we sold this jade pendant."
Li Guixiang lowered her head and spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, admitting to selling the jade pendant, which was at least better than being accused of something even worse.
"good!"
The police officer took out a small notebook and wrote it down. "So, where did you get this jade pendant? Explain yourself!"
"From...from where..."
Li Guixiang's eyes started darting around again, and she stammered.
"I found it...I found it! Yes, I found it! At the village entrance...under the old locust tree!"
Lei Yuhua, who was listening nearby, was furious and couldn't help but interrupt.
"You're lying! If this jade pendant had been left out in the wind, sun, and rain for so many years, it would have been battered and bruised by rocks, or discolored and stained by moisture! But look at this jade, the patterns are clear, and the color is warm and even. It's obviously been carefully kept! How could it have been picked up in the wilderness?!"
Lei Yuhua's words were reasonable and well-founded, immediately exposing Li Guixiang's lie.
Li Guixiang choked, her face turning pale. Her triangular eyes rolled, and she immediately changed her tune:
"Then...then I must have misremembered! I didn't find it! I...I fished it out of the river! I was washing clothes by the river and pulled it out!"
She spoke softer and softer until she realized how ridiculous it was.
"Drew it from the river?"
Shen Huaichuan, who had been silent all along, finally spoke up, "Li Guixiang, I don't think you're telling the truth at all."
He didn't look at Li Guixiang, but instead slightly turned his head and said to the police officer,
“Since the source is unclear, it’s likely stolen goods. Stealing valuables is a more serious offense. Comrade, I think we should take him back to the station.”
"OK!"
The police officer understood immediately, his face hardening. He pulled a gleaming pair of handcuffs from his back and prepared to step forward.
"Come on, come back to the station and explain yourself! Whether it was found or stolen, we can find out through questioning!"
The cold handcuffs gleamed in the sunlight, and Li Guixiang was so frightened that she screamed and shrank behind Xu Laonian.
Xu Laonian, who had been standing silently to the side with his neck hunched over, panicked completely when he saw that the police were really going to handcuff him.
He knelt down with a thud, repeatedly kowtowing to the police officers and Political Commissar Lei, crying out:
"No, don't arrest us! Officers, sir! We definitely didn't steal it!"
"This jade pendant, it's our own! It's been stored in a ceramic jar for over ten years! How could it be stolen!"
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