Chapter 16
Hidden Circumstances
If it werent for stumbling upon the corpses this time, these folks might not have ended up in this situation. At this moment, they would have been crouching in a corner, honestly holding their heads against the wall.
The effects of the alcohol had mostly worn off, and Lu Mao had become fearful from the beating. When he saw her appear in front of him, his legs and stomach started to feel weak.
Song Yuhang twisted open a bottle of mineral water and took a sip. She imitated Lin Yans manner of wiping off the water stain from her lips and said, Dont be afraid. Attacking a police officer isnt a major charge; youll probably get a three to five-year sentence and a fine.
The group immediately exclaimed, Officer Song, Team Leader Song, oh my lady! We drank too much, really too much. We dont usually act like this. How could we dare to have such thoughts? Even with the courage of ten dogs, we wouldnt dare. But you cant blame us entirely, after all
While Lu Mao was speaking, he kept glancing at Lin Yan from the corner of his eye. Who would have thought such a fiery hot girl turned out to be a detective!
This is really unlikeable, an utter waste.
Acting is acting, and Lin Yan is focused on her performance. Seeing his lecherous gaze sticking to her body makes her feel disgusted. Sitting in the chair, she couldnt help but kick out, aiming right at him. The guy with green hair dodged backward, still wearing a playful smile.
Youre hitting someone, theyre hitting someone! The police are using violence! This time, I definitely didnt start it first!
Once she enters the police station, if shes going to hit someone, itll be during the process of extracting a confession through torture.
Several people came forward to restrain her. Lin Yan pushed herself up from the ground and muttered, Damn it
She hadnt finished speaking when a shadow descended before her.
Song Yuhang was tall, blocking out a significant portion of the overhead light. She tilted her chin slightly, gazing at the interrogation room, her voice taking on a slightly chilly tone.
Please, one by one. No one can escape.
This group of people not only dabbled in scavenging corpses but were also colleagues from the weekends. Lu Mao even provided cover to help them evade police inquiries. Observing the clearly defined roles within the corpse retrieval team, it was likely this wasnt the first time they had engaged in such unethical activities.
Tonight, a thorough interrogation was undoubtedly in order.
Get up, get up, go inside, several plainclothes detectives pulled the people up one by one and ushered them inside, leaving only the last one.
Song Yuhang looked at him and twisted the cap back onto the mineral water bottle, saying, Ill personally handle this one.
Experience counts, indeed. Even before Jiang disappeared from her sight over the weekend, Song Yuhang had already arranged plainclothes officers to surround the bars various entrances and exits, catching someone red-handed.
The reason she didnt intervene when Lin Yan approached was that Jiang was a tough nut to crack. She wanted to extract more information from others mouths.
Inside the station, they might not be willing to speak the truth.
Cross-referencing the information with what Lin Yan obtained, the ability to distinguish between truth and falsehood was inherent.
Sis, are you okay? Duan Cheng asked, noticing her somewhat dispirited demeanor. He brought a glass of water over and placed it by her side.
Lin Yan lifted her head from her arms curve. Im fine. Are they still interrogating?
Yeah, Duan Cheng replied, checking his watch. Its been over an hour.
Lin Yan pulled open a drawer, poured out two pieces of chewing gum from a box, chewed on them for a moment, then returned them to the box. She picked up the glass of lukewarm water and drank it all in one go, wiped her lips, and stood up.
Ill go take a look. Coincidentally, the diatom test results are also out.
According to regulations, without concrete evidence and since she didnt participate in scavenging the bodies, the questioning was restricted to an inquiry rather than an interrogation.
Moreover, for minors, a guardian must be present during the statement process. Over the weekend, he stubbornly refused to say anything about this.
The police officer accompanying the inquiry suppressed their frustration and slammed the pen onto the table. Dont think we dont know your parents are both deceased. Where would you get a guardian?
The person sitting across from him chuckled and leaned back in the chair. Well, then I dont know. Comrade Officer, like Ive said, I was really sleeping in the dormitory when something happened to Teacher Ding that day. If you dont believe me, go ask my classmates or the dormitory manager.
You She seemed about to get angry but was held back.
Lin Yan turned off the camera and gestured for him to stand up.
The other person pursed their lips. This ones a tough nut to crack
Lin Yan reached over and took the recording pen in front of Song Yuhang, turning it off as well. Song Yuhang glanced at her but didnt intervene.
This isnt an interrogation. Right now, Im not talking to you as a police officer. Im just an ordinary person seeking the truth. Teacher Ding is still young, and her child is so little. She should have had a better life ahead of her. What do you think?
The chair beside them shifted, and Lin Yan sat down, taking notes. Her gaze carried a hint of pity as she looked at him.
Song Yuhang took an envelope out of an evidence bag and pushed it over. This was found on Ding Xues desk. Its a letter you wrote to her, and she kept it.
I believe she also replied to your letters. You talked about life, ideals, and everything under the sun. You said life was hopeless, and she helped you step out of the quagmire step by step. When your grades were at the bottom in your first year, she arranged extra lessons for you, imparted knowledge, gave you confidence and composure. She even used her salary to cover your tuition fees. Is this how you repay her?
And your clothes, did she sew those buttons for you? Song Yuhang turned her head slightly, a rare hint of sharpness in her light brown pupils.
You can afford an Omega watch, yet youre unwilling to part with a single old piece of clothing.
The person sitting across from her flinched in her gaze, pulling down their sleeve to cover the watch on their wrist. I dont know what youre talking about. I found this watch
Lin Yan straightened her posture, her eyes pitch-black as she looked at him. Admit it, you liked her.
In the adjacent interrogation room, the lights were bright, and the fluorescent lights were glaring. Staring at them for too long made the eyes start to ache.
This was a form of silent manipulation.
Dealing with these troublemakers, there was no need to be as polite as in the neighboring room.
The charges against you right now are not light: harboring a criminal suspect, assaulting a police officer, sexual harassment of a woman. If we go through all these charges, you could be looking at a sentence of seven to eight years in prison, at the very least. It might be better for you to come clean. If you provide significant clues to solve the case, the court might not necessarily give you a harsh sentence.
The two officers in uniform on the opposite side had serious expressions. From the moment they entered until now, they hadnt spoken a single unnecessary word. They were stern and businesslike.
In his mind, Lu Mao was contemplating. He was incredibly hungry, hadnt taken a sip of water, and his mouth felt dry and his tongue parched. His vision was even starting to blur.
Listen, listen, do you have water? I want some water.
The officer sitting near the door signaled outside with his eyes, and in no time, someone came in with a cup of hot water for him.
Tell me, when did Zhou Mo start working at your shop?
About three months ago, I think.
On the evening of May 14th, did he go to work?
Lu Mao shook his head vigorously, like a tambourine. No, no, he didnt. He was short on money, so he used to come almost every night. I remember that day clearly; he took a day off, and I covered his shift.
Did he tell you why?
No, we didnt ask about that.
He didnt show up all night?
No.
Think again, has he exhibited any unusual behavior lately or been in contact with anyone?
Im thinking, Lu Mao rolled his eyes, then suddenly slapped his thigh. I remember now! The next day, he showed up to work early. That day happened to be a birthday party for one of our regular customers. It was quite lively.
The two detectives exchanged a glance. Whats strange about it?
The one who had the birthday party, Chen Hao. Hes a wealthy second generation and also from their school. The strange thing is that the two of them were actually very close, like brothers.
Lu Mao remembered when Zhou Mo had just started working at the bar, Chen Hao had insulted him and called him poor. He had even pressed his head down and made him lick the spilled alcohol off the floor.
How could anyone tolerate that? Lu Mao couldnt bear it and ended up in a physical altercation with Zhou Mo that time, resulting in Zhou Mo losing quite a bit of money and almost getting fired.
Lu Mao shrugged. They managed to reconcile. Isnt that strange, Officer?
The two detectives exchanged a glance, and one of them stood up and walked out, presumably to report to their superior.
Lu Mao grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellowed teeth, and raised his handcuffed hands. Officer, Ive said everything I should. Can you let me go now?
The seated officer capped their pen without paying him any attention. Whether to release you or not is decided by the higher-ups.
Captain Song, a police officer hurriedly came in through the door and whispered something in her ear, placing a document in front of her at the same time.
Zhou Mo on the other side seemed uneasy, shifting in his seat. He began to swallow frequently, and Song Yuhang gestured for someone below to bring him a glass of water. She flipped through a few pages, composed and unaffected.
That watch, Chen Hao gave it to you, didnt he? Her voice was clear and composed, her words direct and confident. No matter when, she remained unfazed, as if she had everything under control.
Under this overwhelming aura, Zhou Mos facade gradually crumbled.
He started trembling, his lips quivering as if trying to articulate something. His hands were clasped together, incessantly picking at the dead skin around his nails.
She took in all of this with a glance.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Song Yuhangs lips, her demeanor appearing calm yet dangerous. Let me guess, why would he give you a watch? There arent many things that can reconcile enemies overnight, unless you both share a common secret.
This secret must be so significant that it made you put aside your differences. I cant imagine what kind of secret two ordinary high school students could have, unless
Her expression turned cold, her voice chilling as she stated, You, have killed someone.
Zhou Mo had been bowing his head, but as she continued speaking, his agony became more evident. His hands clenched into fists, his teeth grinding in frustration.
Upon hearing this, he suddenly stood up, pushing the table in front of him away, his eyes reddened as he roared, No, it wasnt me! Youre talking nonsense! How could I have killed her if I loved her so much?!
Lin Yan, sitting across from him, was startled. Instinctively, she leaned back a bit, covering her chest. Wow, quite fierce.
Song Yuhang slammed her hand on the table as she stood up. She seemed to possess a natural talent for controlling various atmospheres effortlessly. With a commanding tone, she said, Sit down!
Several detectives rushed in, restraining him and forcing him back into the chair.
The mask he had been wearing completely shattered. He covered his face and began to cry, intermittently at first, and then it escalated into loud, heart-wrenching sobs.
I didnt I didnt kill her I really didnt Im sorry Im so sorry
Do you think what hes saying is true or false? Lin Yan sat in the office chair, stirring her coffee. She had her feet propped up on the table and turned her head to look at Song Yuhang.
Even after two days and nights without sleep, Song Yuhang looked as if she hadnt tired at all. She flipped through the test reports handed over by Lin Yan.
Whether its true or false, well know once Chen Hao returns.
The field operatives were already out to apprehend the suspect. The truth would likely come to light within two hours at most.
Lin Yan took a sip of coffee, her face wrinkling in bitterness.
Im still quite puzzled. Chen Hao is Gao Juns nephew. Its not wrong for him to want to find out if his uncle is having an affair. Zhou Mo likes Ding Xue, and its not wrong for him to want to know if shes having an inappropriate relationship with his superior. So, they secretly sneaked out of school and followed her to Lianchi Park.
Unless Gao Jun knows how to clone himself, he wouldnt have appeared in Lianchi Park that night. So, who was Ding Xue meeting there?
Song Yuhang paused her flipping through the pages, raising her gaze to look at her. In her eyes, there was a glint of meaning that she couldnt quite discern, which sent shivers down her spine.
It was the same kind of half-smile, half-mysterious look she had in the interrogation room. Lin Yan quickly averted her gaze.
After a brief pause, she said, Thats also my question.
According to Zhou Mos testimony, they followed Ding Xue to Lianchi Park. By that time, it was already past 11 PM, and the park was deserted. Ding Xue took a path that seemed familiar to her.
They soon crossed the stone arch bridge and entered an area with dense trees and thick foliage. The sky was very dark at that time. Fearing they might lose track, they alternated between chasing quickly and cautiously, eventually catching up.
The railing of the stone arch bridge wasnt high, just waist-high. Ding Xue seemed to stumble as she walked. Worried about her safety, Zhou Mo took a few steps forward and shouted, Teacher Ding!
It was at that moment, in response to his call, that there was a splash as she fell into the water. Like a madman, Zhou Mo rushed forward without even removing his clothes. He dove into the water and managed to pull her out, but she was already out of breath.
He wanted to call the police and request an ambulance, but Chen Hao firmly held him back.
In the darkness, the two teenagers confronted each other.
Zhou Mo was completely soaked, and Chen Hao had a bleeding lip from being punched.
Both were breathing heavily, and in the silence of the world, only the anxious sound of their heartbeats grew louder.
Chen Hao climbed up from the ground and pounced on him, shaking his shoulders. You cant call the police! Theyll suspect us of murder! My life will be over!
By the time he finished speaking, his voice was trembling with tears, I dont want to go to jail Zhou Mo I dont want to go to jail.
The body in his arms was growing cold. Zhou Mo held her and let out a choked sound from his throat. He was softly sobbing, holding back his tears out of suppression and fear, biting his own fingers until they hurt.
Teacher Ding Its not me Its not me What should I do What should I do
He kept hitting his own head with his fists while speaking, then he let go of Ding Xue and lunged at Chen Hao, grabbing his collar and shouting at him with tears streaming down his face, Its all your fault! All your fault! What kind of terrible idea did you come up with? If we hadnt been trailing her, she wouldnt have come this way, and she wouldnt have fallen into the water!
Give back my Teacher Ding! Give her back to me! He was strong, shoving Chen Hao into the muddy pool by the shore and pressing his head down with force.
Chen Hao was gradually running out of breath, his hands flailing in the air. With his last bit of strength, he grabbed Zhou Mos sleeve.
Zhou Zhou Mo You wanted to go to school, right? To get into the advanced class, right? I I can help you Let go of me cough I can give you money
Zhou Mos hands couldnt muster any more strength, and he choked back his sobs, falling to his knees in the muddy ground, facing Teacher Ding, softly sobbing.
Chen Hao spat out the mud from his mouth, got up, and walked over to pat Zhou Mos shoulder. As long as you dont talk, and I dont talk, no one will know about todays incident. Well just consider it as if she she
A chilly breeze rustled through the reeds, and the pale moonlight shone down, making their faces just as pale as Ding Xues.
Chen Hao swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Drowned herself.
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