Zhou Qiqi's heart, which had just been put at ease, was suddenly jolted back into her throat by Lin Yao's sudden and resolute statement of "witness testimony"!
Shen Huaichuan's expression, which had just calmed down, tightened again instantly.
The meeting room erupted in an uproar, and a buzz of discussion broke out again.
The secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission frowned slightly, but remained calm, and asked in a deep voice, "Witness? What witness? Where is she?"
Lin Yao seemed to have finally waited for this moment, her face showing an almost excited sense of pride.
"Sir! The witness is in the provincial capital! It's Lin Xiaohui, the receptionist at the guesthouse! She has no grudge against Zhou Qiqi, so surely they wouldn't frame her for no reason?"
As she spoke, she took a folded piece of paper from her handbag.
"This is Lin Xiaohui's handwritten testimony! She's busy with work and can't come right away, but she wrote this! She also said that if needed, we can call each other to confront her, or she can even come in person!"
The secretary gestured to the guard to take the letter over.
He took it, unfolded it, and frowned even more deeply.
The writing was crooked and messy, like earthworms crawling, and it was mixed with many typos and black blobs.
The secretary felt dizzy after glancing at it twice, and immediately handed it to a younger clerk next to him: "You read it."
The clerk took the letter, cleared his throat, and began to read it aloud haltingly:
“Dear…respected leader…my name is Lin Xiaohui, I’m at the front desk of the provincial…provincial military district guesthouse…that night…it was my shift…”
The document was difficult to read aloud, and even more difficult for the people below to understand it; their heads were buzzing, but they managed to grasp the gist of it.
Lin Xiaohui's testimony essentially stated that Zhou Qiqi arrived at the guesthouse early that evening and asked her which room Xu Shu was in, to which she replied that it was room number 6.
However, Zhou Qiqi didn't go over. Instead, she wandered aimlessly around the corridor for a long time. Finally, somehow, she pushed open the door to room number 9.
Shen Huaichuan was staying in room number 9. He had just checked in not long ago, and I had asked him about the hot water. I guess he was taking a shower in his room right now.
Lin Xiaohui took one look and realized something was wrong!
She rushed over to stop him, but couldn't, and watched helplessly as Zhou Qiqi headed straight for the bathroom.
Then Shen Huaichuan heard the commotion and came out, and Zhou Qiqi immediately threw herself into his arms.
Their intentions... couldn't be clearer!
Lin Xiaohui saw the whole thing clearly!
Upon hearing this testimony, everyone's expression changed.
The deputy secretary, in particular, slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups jump, his anger directed at Zhou Qiqi:
"Zhou Qiqi! What else do you have to say?! The facts are clear! There are witnesses and physical evidence, and you still want to deny it?! You...you..."
He was so angry that he couldn't find the right words, and his fingers trembled uncontrollably.
Zhou Qiqi really didn't expect the other party to have this trick up their sleeve!
Lin Xiaohui is definitely framing me!
Her mind raced, trying to recall the hazy fragments of the original owner's memories from that night.
"Commander,"
Zhou Qiqi forced herself to calm down, her voice carrying a hint of urgency from feeling wronged.
"She's lying! When I arrived at the guesthouse that day, the receptionist, Lin Xiaohui, was engrossed in a novel and didn't even look up! Seeing how plain I was dressed, I asked where Xu Shu was staying, and she just pointed casually without giving me a specific room number! The guesthouse corridors were all over the place, and the room numbers were numbered randomly. As a country girl, it was my first time in a place like this, and it felt like being in a maze! I didn't even intend to go to any particular room; I just wanted to ask someone to clarify!"
She paused, trying to recall the chaotic details of the time.
"I had just turned a corner when someone shoved me hard from behind! It was really strong! I couldn't stand up at all and fell straight into the room next door with the door open! I was completely dazed from the fall and didn't know anything! It wasn't like she said, that I went in on purpose, and it certainly wasn't that I went straight to the bathroom!"
Lin Yao immediately retorted in a shrill voice.
"Zhou Qiqi! Weren't you so eloquent just now? You're so silver-tongued! Now that you've been exposed, you think you can just brush it off with 'I don't know' and 'I was pushed'? Who are you trying to fool! That excuse is so fake!"
Xu Shu and Xu Zao also joined in the commotion.
"Exactly! It's so fake!" "It's clearly just sophistry!"
Deputy Secretary Wang and the other committee members who favored Zhou Shuhua also shook their heads, their faces clearly showing their disbelief.
"That explanation is too far-fetched!" "It doesn't hold water!"
The accusations from the crowd were like knives, stabbing into Zhou Qiqi's heart.
It seemed as if she had been convicted once again.
Just then, Shen Huaichuan, who had been suppressing his anger, suddenly stood up.
"Sir! I have something to say! I was involved and on the scene; no one knows the situation better than me!"
"Brother Huaichuan!"
Lin Yao immediately cried out, trying to stop them.
"Don't let her bewitch you! She's a vixen, she's completely bewitched you! You need to take responsibility for your words!"
Zhou Shuhua also spoke sternly.
"Shen Huaichuan! Didn't the secretary just say someone was wrong? The organization is investigating! As the person involved, you should recuse yourself! If you continue to interfere with the investigation, you'll be punished too! Are you going to ruin your hard-earned career for a woman like this?! Think about your position!"
Deputy Secretary Wang spoke even more sternly.
"Shen Huaichuan! Sit down! We're investigating your case now! If you continue like this, don't blame us for being impolite! Is it worth ruining your future for a small gain?!"
Shen Huaichuan seemed not to hear. He stood straight, like a javelin, his gaze sharp as a knife as he swept over Lin Yao and Zhou Shuhua.
Finally, he looked steadily at the secretary, his voice resolute and determined, carrying a sense of resolute resolve.
"What future or status? They're worthless in front of my lover! At worst, I, Shen Huaichuan, will quit being a regimental commander and go stand guard at the military region's gate! But I must make things clear today!"
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