Free Web NovelChapter 615: Chapter 585: You Say It’s Ridiculous, Right?
Inside the interrogation room.
Xu Dayuan looked at Zhong Xiaoyan, sighed, and handed over a bottle of mineral water with the cap already removed.
"How did your thoughts evolve last night? Talk to us, how did you plan your revenge, from Liu Meiling to Li Li, even the investigations about Zhang Fangfang and Xu Qingshu, and what you’ve done—tell us everything."
Zhong Xiaoyan shook her head.
"The only thing you can prove now is my DNA relationship with my parents. I hate Li Li, Liu Meiling, Zhang Fangfang, and Xu Qingshu, even Xu Qingquan. After so many days of investigation, you should have figured out what these people have done.
According to your theory, if I am Shi Yun, I should be the suspect? You want to speak with evidence, right? Then bring out the evidence!
Also, I want to ask, back then, when those three slandered my father, Xu Qingshu deliberately chose specific photos, inciting Liu Meiling’s mother to gather people and spread rumors, where were the police?
When the school turned a blind eye and allowed the situation to worsen, where were the police? Even when parents surrounded the hospital, leading to the tragic death of my mother and the unborn child, where were the police then?"
Zhong Xiaoyan was trembling all over, her face was pale, her lips quivered, but she didn’t cry; she just stared into Xu Dayuan’s eyes.
Xu Dayuan lit a cigarette, took a few deep drags, and when he noticed Zhong Xiaoyan coughing, he quickly put it out and waved his hand to disperse the smoke.
"Law is being perfected step by step, and the public security system is the same. Back then, there was insufficient understanding of slander and false accusation, not to mention this happened fifteen years ago. Even today, if someone with malicious intent distorts an event, similar outcomes can occur.
However, I must say that our country is developing. In every aspect, whether it be economy, rule of law, national quality, or education level, we are improving. And many cases like this one, initially mishandled or leading to wrongful accusations, are being prevented by the law as much as possible.
About the past events, even if you don’t speak of them, we understand these individuals, including all involved parents, the police, and the educational authorities, all bear certain responsibilities. But as for this case, if we start with the original slander and false accusation, it has exceeded the statute of limitations, and we can no longer pursue their responsibilities..."
Xu Dayuan’s explanation seemed powerless, Zhong Xiaoyan raised her hand, stopping his words.
For Zhong Xiaoyan, a police officer in a white shirt patiently explaining all this was just showing sympathy, which was the last thing she needed. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm
"Excuse me, please don’t pity me. You haven’t been through such things and cannot understand my feelings. Even if you could, what could you change? I was just a child back then. I didn’t know what to do. Although I hated those people, I never thought about killing them.
I was arrested yesterday, and it’s been nearly 24 hours. You’ve delayed interrogating me for this long partly out of sympathy, but on another level, you’re investigating me. There are plenty of evidences in my home; you don’t need such a troublesome search—I can tell you everything.
Apart from my college major, I learned many courses. I studied advanced accounting, auditing, and law. This wasn’t learning just for the sake of a diploma—you understand what I’m saying? Finding flaws in any account and tracing the source of the problem is what I specialized in."
"Driving, sailing, close combat, horseback riding, Sanda, rock climbing, free diving, software programming, and so on—I have numerous trophies and certificates, all thanks to the nurturing of my foster parents.
My business is doing very well. Even when I was studying abroad, I started learning how to make money. Aside from the bookstore you’re aware of, which is just a business tailored to get close to them, the real money is in futures trading. My personal assets are not less than those of Kong Wanshan and the others combined.
You must have seen the results of my revenge—no need for violence. I hired a professional team, multiple civil and commercial investigative services companies. These are not some illegal private detectives, but professional entities authorized to carry out investigations on these individuals.
As for the outcome of my revenge, I believe you’ve verified it. It’s enough to drive Xu Qingshu and Kong Wanshan to bankruptcy. On charges of suspected bribery and tax evasion, the amount involved is colossal. Xu Qingshu handled most of the bribes, and with so many years of potential prison time, they can’t escape.
Zhang Fangfang’s problems are even more numerous. She extorted her ex-husband, knowing his financial difficulties could lead to bankruptcy, yet deceitfully obtained more than twenty million yuan from him when he desperately pleaded and even suggested he should die—not just cursing but seriously advising—and helped him choose the method and timing for suicide.
I don’t want to delve into these details; after all, the files are comprehensive. How Zhang Fangfang will be sentenced, I believe you understand? Death penalty is out of the question. At most, she gets life imprisonment, or at best, she’s released after serving fifteen years, with all illegally obtained assets confiscated.
Zhang Fangfang and Xu Qingshu, one aged 28 and the other 39, will spend their best years in prison, stepping on a sewing machine, poking pen refills. Their wealth, beauty, family, houses, cars—all gone. Even their children’s education and upbringing becomes an issue. Will relatives still offer support by then? What could be a more fantastic way to take revenge?
As for Li Li and Liu Meiling, I’ve found writers to document their actions, which will be made into short films and released on their accounts. I will avoid all borderline issues and ensure legality. Isn’t such revenge sweet?
Give me a reason—why should I take matters into my own hands? At thirteen, these people taught me that one doesn’t need a knife to kill. How could I allow them to face death so easily and contentedly? No way. I want them to lose everything; it’s what I’ve been scheming to achieve."
After this long speech, Zhong Xiaoyan’s face turned abnormally red with excitement. Zhou Ning knew Zhong Xiaoyan wasn’t lying—all these were indeed her own doing.
Xu Dayuan took a sip of water and raised the bottle towards Zhong Xiaoyan, but she shook her head.
"Let me ask you a question—not about the case. How did you leave after your parents passed away? Who buried your parents?"
Zhong Xiaoyan lowered her head, silent for a long while.
Just when everyone thought she didn’t want to talk, she finally lifted her head and looked past Xu Dayuan. Her gaze seemed to pierce through everything to view the scene from fifteen years ago.
Zhou Ning knew that Xu Dayuan wanted Zhong Xiaoyan to recall her parents and even the person who took her away—it was a strategy to distract and confound, and Zhou Ning stared unblinking into the interrogation room.
"When mom was pronounced dead after the resuscitation effort, I heard dad make a phone call. It seemed to be an old friend from a long time ago. He gave our home address and mentioned taking care of me, his voice fading in and out. I didn’t fully understand, but I knew he was making arrangements for after his passing. frёeωebɳovel.com
My dad didn’t cry, and neither did I. We even pretended not to hear that phone call. He asked everyone to leave the room, then he cleaned mom’s body and changed her into clean clothes. He found the grandfather from the morgue, bought him some strong liquor, and then he took me home.
I had attended my grandfather and maternal grandfather’s funerals. When they died, we cried every day. I didn’t understand what my dad was planning to do. He took me on his bike to buy groceries and cooked my favorite dishes: braised pork, fried eggplant, spicy stir-fried clams, and sea cucumber with chives.
When he served the four dishes, he set out three pairs of chopsticks and said to me, Let’s have a happy meal together as a family, then we’ll send your mom off properly. Mom loved me most, and we can’t let her see us crying. I played along and happily ate the meal.
After cleaning up the dishes, he tidied up the house and packed various things, including gold bars, into a suitcase. Even though I was only thirteen, I understood that he was preparing for my departure and that he wanted to join mom.
They were born on the same day of the same month in the same year, their love so enviable. I knew it was pointless to stop him, so I went along with everything. I helped him tidy up the room, burned their photos, and pretended to fall asleep as he hummed me to sleep. As if I could sleep on such a night.
At dawn, I saw his room light on; it seemed like he was writing a letter. Then he hummed my mom’s favorite song until morning. I got up at the usual time, had breakfast, dressed neatly—but not in my school uniform—and he was satisfied.
He told me not to go to school that day and to wait for a phone call at home. Then he gave me an envelope, took another for himself, and left in his white shirt and blue pants, just like he always did, riding that old 28’ bike.
Around ten o’clock, someone knocked on our door—more accurately, they banged on it frantically. I hurried to open the door, and there stood a man and a woman, slightly older than my parents, who immediately hugged me tight.
I was so constricted I couldn’t breathe, that’s when I raised the letter from my dad. These two were Professor Zhong and Mrs. Zhong, my adoptive parents. I could smell the nitroglycerin pills on their breath. I asked them if my dad was dead.
They didn’t hide the truth and told me they were too late. Even though they had rushed over after getting the call, heading straight to Qindao and then to the school, they arrived just in time to see my father lying on the ground, his blood staining the floor. Someone had already called an ambulance. Professor Zhong explained the situation to the people there before coming to pick me up.
Their families had met during a trip and became close confidants. They had a daughter about my age. We looked so alike that it almost caused a mix-up, which back then was a funny story. Sadly, that summer, their daughter Zhong Xiaoyan died in a car accident.
As for what happened afterward, you are mostly aware. My parents were buried that day. The graves had been prepared in advance, and to prevent any vandalism, there were no names engraved on the tombstones. Professor Zhong gave some money to the old man in the village, asking him to pay respects and burn paper offerings each year. Then they took me away."
Whether in the interrogation room or this observation room, everyone fell silent, especially Xu Dayuan, who could be seen gripping the back of the chair so tightly that his fingers turned white.
Those without children might not understand this. But anyone who has children would comprehend Shi Mingchen’s arrangements; he did his best, and even without a reason to live on, he made sure to put his daughter in good hands, so she wouldn’t be left homeless and forlorn.
"As a parent, I know your father wanted to give you the best possible arrangement. He was disappointed. Since you left, why return? Wasn’t it good to continue Zhong Xiaoyan’s life in the provincial capital?"
Zhong Xiaoyan lifted her eyes, her lips faintly stirring.
"Ha, why come back, you ask? That’s a good question. Before going abroad to study, I had already decided what I wanted to do when I returned. I learned every skill I could, finished my credits early, and when I got back, I had people start investigating. After that, I enriched my life experiences and started investing and building up my stores.
Of course, during that time, I went and had a mole removed and my jaw shaved. I didn’t want them to recognize me at first glance. Later on, I realized it was all meaningless.
Because none of them remembered me, ha ha ha, I remembered each and every one of them, and yet, they couldn’t recall me. Isn’t that laughable?"
While laughing, Zhong Xiaoyan’s mood seemed to falter as she stopped and gently closed her eyes.
After a long pause, when she opened her eyes again, Zhong Xiaoyan had regained her previous indifference. With a slight smile, she said:
"I admit, the methods I used to investigate and monitor them were a bit excessive, and you could even categorize me for illegal surveillance. Although I engaged in photographing and eavesdropping, I didn’t spread anyone’s private information. I just handed it over to the police. I probably wouldn’t need any criminal punishment for that, right?"
