Zhou Jiuzhen immediately realized what was happening and quickly explained, "Officer, I know my wife came to Lao Niu's place last night. She just wanted to ask Lao Niu why he lied."
The police officer understood his concerns and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Don't worry, we will find out the truth. Comrade Ling, we are just taking you away for investigation."
Zhou Jiuzhen's heart skipped a beat, and he held Ling Huanwu's hand tightly, refusing to let go.
He turned to look at her; her hair was disheveled by the wind.
Just now on the ship, he was saying that he would wash her hair when he got home.
She also said she would shave him, and that she hadn't slept well last night and wanted to sleep in his arms tonight.
How could she be taken away from him so soon?
As the villagers who were watching saw Ling Huanwu about to be taken away, they also reacted and spoke up to defend her, saying, "It couldn't have been done by Director Ling. Director Ling always gives us money and things when she knows we are in trouble. She is so kind, how could she possibly harm Lao Niu?"
"That's right. Old Niu's family is almost starving, and his son has to take medicine every day. Director Ling only let him work at the cooperative out of pity for him, but who knew he would actually slander Director Ling."
"We believe in Director Ling. She treats the cooperative like her own lifeline. How could she burn down the cooperative and kill the Niu family father and son because of it? Police officers, you must find out the truth!"
Lin Xiaoqin and Qiao Hui, along with a group of aunties, surrounded Ling Huan, blocking her way and preventing her from being taken away.
Ling Huanwu hugged Lin Xiaoqin, looked at the simple yet anxious faces, and smiled reassuringly, "I'll be fine. I'm still waiting to rebuild the cooperative with everyone!"
After saying that, she reluctantly left without looking back and went to the police station with the police officer.
Throughout the journey, Zhou Jiuzhen, with red eyes, held Ling Huanwu's hand and kept giving her instructions.
“Let’s go in and tell the truth, and you’ll be released soon.”
"Don't be afraid, you'll be out tomorrow morning."
"I won't bother sending you a toothbrush or anything, Huanwu. Remember to eat well and sleep well. I'll definitely come pick you up when you come out. We'll grow old together on this island..."
Zhou Jiuzhen forced a smile, trying not to let out a single sob.
As the group arrived at the police station, Zhou Jiuzhen watched Ling Huanwu slowly disappear before his eyes, his lips trembling as he was unable to utter another word.
In the interrogation room, the stark white light shone on Ling Huanwu's face.
The police officer stared intently at her, his gaze sharp, and asked in a serious tone, "Did you kill him because you resented Niu the widower for lying and spreading rumors in public?"
Ling Huanwu remained calm, meeting the gaze of the police officer, and spoke unhurriedly, "Comrade, I admit I am very angry about Niu Guanfu's behavior. He spread rumors in front of everyone, damaging my reputation and causing discord between my husband and me. But anger is not enough for me to kill. I know that murder is illegal and punishable by death, and I will not do such a foolish thing."
Her voice was steady, without the slightest tremor.
The police officer frowned and continued to press, "The village chief saw you go to Niu Guanfu's house on the night of the incident. How do you explain that?"
Ling Huanwu took a deep breath and answered clearly, "I did go there. That night, I wanted to talk to him again and get him to tell the truth. But when I got to his house, he didn't even knock on the door. I called out a few times but no one answered, and I saw that Lao Niu's son was sleeping outside, so I didn't call back. I really didn't kill anyone. If I had killed someone, why wouldn't I have just run away? Why would I have stupidly come back and wait to be questioned by you?"
But it wasn't until the police officer took out a red rope in a sealed bag that Ling Huanwu realized what was going on, and her composure crumbled.
"Comrade Ling, you said you never went into the Niu family's house, but how come there was your red rope in the house at the crime scene? As far as I know, you and Battalion Commander Zhou each had one of these red ropes, is that right?"
*
Outside the interrogation room, Zhou Jiuzhen was extremely anxious.
He went straight to the widower's house to carefully search for evidence.
Apart from the widower's bloodstains, no other useful clues were left in the house.
He encountered Song Yaoyao at the hospital that day and suspected that she was the one who did it.
Song Yaoyao had made quite a few underhanded moves before.
Zhou Jiuzhen searched inside and out, but couldn't find even a single strand of the woman's hair, which puzzled him greatly.
Song Yaoyao is not a meticulous person; she is impulsive and careless. Logically, she should not have cleaned up the evidence so thoroughly, leaving no trace.
Could there be someone else helping them behind the scenes?
Zhou Jiuzhen's brows furrowed into a deep frown.
Finding no clues, he hurriedly went home to tidy up the house, and overnight asked several women in the residential compound for pomelo leaves, and asked Lin Xiaoqin to make him a new dress.
As the saying goes, after a trip to prison, you should bathe in pomelo leaves and wear new clothes.
He didn't think much of it, figuring that Ling Huanwu would only be in there for one night, and once the police had figured things out, she would be released first thing the next morning.
All night long, he took about a hundred thin red ropes and braided them one by one.
Ling Huanwu said that the red string he gave her was missing, and he had to braid an identical one to wear on her wrist so that she would be protected from these messy things in the future.
He spent the whole night composing, and he thought about her the whole night as well.
Zhou Jiuzhen thought that he would definitely ask her about anything in the future, so that no misunderstandings would be kept inside.
Life is short, only a few decades, and he must cherish every minute and second he spends with her.
I didn't sleep a wink all night until dawn.
Zhou Jiuzhen dressed and tidied himself up before heading out to the police station to pick up Ling Huanwu and take her home.
As soon as I stepped outside, I saw Zhao Tingguo, along with Chu Mei, Zhao Jingxiang, and Su Haiting, blocking my doorway.
Zhou Jiuzhen didn't want to deal with the three of them, so he locked the door and turned to leave, but Zhao Tingguo stopped him with a stern shout.
"Ergou, is this how you disrespect your elders? Just because your father stepped down from his position, you no longer respect me?"
Just yesterday, Zhao Tingguo stepped down from his position as commander, and naturally assumed that his youngest son's disrespect for him was the reason.
Zhou Jiuzhen glanced at him, then his gaze finally settled on Chu Mei. "Your wife knows perfectly well why I'm ignoring you! Ask her how she treats her daughter-in-law!"
Chu Mei's face turned pale and then red, and she remained silent.
Zhao Tingguo, however, once again sternly rebuked him, "Zhao Ergou, how dare you speak like that? She is your own mother who carried you for ten months and gave birth to you! Does she not have the right to interfere in your marriage? Today we are here to discuss your relationship with Comrade Ling Huanying!"
As he spoke, he pulled a piece of paper from his bag and forcefully shoved it at him, saying, "We've thought about this all night and discussed it with your mother. We want you to sign this divorce report and divorce Comrade Ling Huanwu immediately!"
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