Since the abolition of the military rank system in 1965, there have been many ways to distinguish between officers and soldiers.
The first thing to look at is the pockets on the uniform; officers and soldiers have different numbers of pockets on their jackets.
The officer's jacket had four pockets, similar to a Zhongshan suit.
The soldier's jacket only had two pockets, namely the left and right pockets on the front.
Besides looking at the pockets of your shirt, you can also look at the shoes you're wearing.
According to regulations, officers were issued leather shoes, while soldiers wore cloth shoes or liberation shoes.
If you see a soldier wearing leather shoes, he is very likely an officer.
Another unwritten method is to check if there is a file package.
As military officers, they all had their own briefcases.
However, junior officers usually bring their own personal belongings, while mid- to high-ranking officers typically have clerks or bodyguards.
Four pockets, leather shoes, briefcase—judging from these details, Xiao Jiu concluded that the six people sitting in front of her were no ordinary individuals.
Directly in front of them were air force officers in uniforms with four pockets, and around them were a man and a woman in Zhongshan suits.
Their expressions were solemn, and when she entered, only the one in the middle gave her a friendly nod.
"Comrade Tao, please don't be nervous. Please sit down. We invited you here today only to ask about some details. Just tell us the truth."
Before Xiao Jiu was locked up, all of her belongings were taken away.
Just as she sat down, a soldier approached her carrying a large tray, lifted the cloth covering it, and revealed all her personal belongings, the most conspicuous of which were the medicines and... a camera.
"Comrade Tao, are all these things yours?"
Tao Tao glanced at the middle-aged woman wearing black-rimmed glasses, whose hair was neatly combed and who looked very serious, and nodded in agreement.
"Yes, it's mine,"
"Okay, let's get started. Please introduce yourself: your name, gender, age, date of birth, and your life experiences from childhood to adulthood."
Xiao Jiu knew this was all normal procedure, so she cooperated. However, when asked about the period between 1965 and 1980 when she returned to China, she responded with a smile.
“You should have investigated this matter. My experience is classified as top secret, so please forgive me for not being able to go into details.”
"Can you explain why you carried a small camera, a voice recorder, and these medications with you?"
"Oh, I went to Z City, the provincial capital, for a meeting. The video camera was for taking meeting notes. My parents have my camera, which contains detailed photos of the meeting. As for the medicine, it is my personal property and I will not disclose it to the public yet."
"During this hijacking on the plane, I had no other choice but to use these drugs in self-defense."
Xiao Jiu's meaning is very clear: the evidence is already in front of you, so there's no need to investigate its origin.
After all, those things all came from American laboratories, and she didn't have any patents; she had only participated in them.
The video camera, the voice recorder, and the camera in her parents' hands all prove that she did go to the provincial capital for a meeting.
Indeed, these pieces of evidence were taken unintentionally after the meeting.
She even recorded her conversations with the pilot.
She has already recounted the details of what happened. "If you feel it's not detailed enough, I can write another written account."
She was very cooperative, saying everything she could, and not revealing a single word about things she couldn't say.
However, the female cadre felt that she was deliberately avoiding the question: "How could it be such a coincidence?"
Xiao Jiu calmly retorted with a smile: "No one would joke about their own life. My parents are on the plane, so of course I would choose the safest way to protect their lives."
"Then what about you? Why are you alright? Do you have the antidote?"
Xiao Jiu nodded, "Yes, but the quantity is limited. I didn't even give any to my parents. I just want to use them where they're most needed."
If the flight attendant isn't woken up, the cockpit code won't be known, and without the code, you can't get in.
Once inside, the captain and first officer were also disoriented and too weak to fly the plane, so naturally they also suffered the consequences.
When the female cadre requested that the drugs be preserved for research, Xiao Jiu refused.
"No, as I said, these are my personal belongings and involve patent issues. I am a doctor, and I cannot gamble with my medical career. Please understand."
...
And so, she was questioned in six rounds, by six different people, each with extremely tricky questions waiting for her.
For example, "Why did you just watch that female passenger die?"
Xiao Jiu was speechless: "Why should I be the first to stick my neck out if I haven't confirmed my own safety?"
Am I really that lucky? My parents are sitting next to me. What if I meddle and they all get shot?
For example, "Why didn't you put Professor Yang's briefcase away immediately?"
Xiao Jiu: "I dare not. What if something inside gets lost and they blame me?"
And if I were to touch it, the investigation against me would definitely go on much longer than it is now, right?
That room contains top-secret documents, documents that criminals would go to great lengths to obtain. How could I dare touch it?
"How did you adjust the concentration of the medication throughout the cabin, and how did you ensure they wouldn't experience any long-term effects?"
"Well, we'll just do it as we see fit. We haven't calculated the concentration. As for the side effects, what's a few side effects compared to losing our lives?"
——
In short, no matter how these people make things difficult for her, she always has her own reasons, and she will shake her head whenever they try to morally blackmail her.
“You don’t need to say these things to me. I have a clear conscience toward my country. I’m already thirty years old and just got married.”
I just brought my parents to live with me and want to take care of them. Now, all I want to do is work hard and enjoy the rest of my life.
Other people's lives matter, but mine matter too. I was willing to take such a huge risk to save everyone on the plane.
I consider myself quite remarkable that I even protected Professor Yang and his documents.
Why do you have to try to hold me responsible for those who have passed away?
What do their deaths have to do with me? Why should I be responsible?
Who can know what will happen on a plane in advance? We all just take it one step at a time.
Can I predict in advance which people they're going to kill?
So, ladies, please think before you speak, okay?
Do you know how much I suffered to capture these images, to release the drugs discreetly, and to wait for them to evaporate?
One wrong move and your whole family could be wiped out. I'm human, not a god. I can only predict what will happen next.
Be neither arrogant nor humble; speak up when you need to, complain when you need to, and have a clear conscience.
After six rounds, she received effective answers to all six of their questions.
At noon, the policewoman brought her a sumptuous lunch, along with pens and paper. She spent the entire afternoon writing reports.
She was released from the dark room at 8 p.m.
It wasn't surprising that her parents came to pick her up in person; what was surprising was that when she saw Zhou Yue, her eyes welled up with tears.
She looked at him with a pitiful and aggrieved expression.
"Why did you take so long to arrive? I almost didn't get to see you again!"
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