Silent Testimony - Chapter 25

“I’m afraid he might die in the interrogation room, so I came to ask for your instructions.” Xiao Lu hurried behind Qiu Wan, riding the elevator down and passing through the quiet corridor. He added, “However, Elder Brother Liao suspects he is feigning illness.”

Qiu Wan stopped, turned to look at him, her expression serious. “Feigning illness? What do you mean?”

“The literal meaning. Listen.”

“Tightness in my chest, I feel unwell. Let me go to the hospital.”

“You have no evidence, yet you force me to stay. I will find a lawyer to sue you.”

…

Silence reigned inside and outside the interrogation room. Only Sun Hao’s moans echoed in the air, grating on the ears of the officers on duty.

“Go invite Tao Ling or Team Leader Li to come over.” Qiu Wan observed the situation through the one-way glass, confirming that he was likely faking.

“Ah? Okay!” Xiao Lu was confused but obediently turned and rushed back the way he came.

“Wait a moment,” Qiu Wan called him back. “Ask Xiao Zhou to fetch the electrocardiograph and the AED.”

“Boss, what are we doing?”

Qiu Wan let out a soft, almost inaudible sneer. “Isn’t Sun Hao complaining of chest tightness? I’ll have a doctor and treatment instruments ready for him.”

Xiao Lu chuckled. “Still, Boss, you are the most thorough.”

In the Technical Group office, Zhao Xiaoting accompanied An Yu to take out the trash, leaving the remaining four people to tidy up the aftermath.

Xiao Lu knocked on the door and poked his head in. “Is Tao Ling here?” Since the Boss said he could ask Tao Ling, he was glad he didn’t have to provoke the ‘Cold-Faced Killer.’ The news of Xiao Liao being reprimanded this afternoon had spread throughout the Major Case Team in just half an hour, earning Li Hewei the nickname ‘Cold-Faced Killer.’

“I am.” Tao Ling looked up from wiping the table.

Li Hewei’s expression changed instantly. “Why are you asking for her?”

Xiao Lu’s dry throat moved. “The Boss asked for her help.”

“Oh.” Li Hewei’s tone was flat. She asked him, “Is it related to Sun Hao?”

Xiao Lu nodded vigorously. “Yes. She probably thinks a forensic doctor can also perform basic first aid.”

“Let’s go.”

“?” Xiao Lu had ten thousand questions in his heart. Were they going together?

Tao Ling tossed the tissue into the trash bin, wiped her hands clean with a wet tissue, and followed Li Hewei out. She asked the hurrying Xiao Lu ahead of them, “What do I need to do?”

“It’s probably just to run an electrocardiogram. The Boss suspects Sun Hao is acting.”

Li Hewei slowed her pace, unconsciously walking side-by-side with Tao Ling. “The Team Leader is probably catching an actor. We’ll have a good show to watch.”

Outside the interrogation room, Qiu Wan waited for them to arrive, briefly explained her intention, and a standard smile appeared on her cheek. “The show is about to start. Xiao Tao, come in with me.”

Inside, Sun Hao glanced out of the corner of his eye at the two figures approaching but kept his head down, still groaning on the table.

“Where does it hurt, and how bad is it?” Qiu Wan feigned concern. “I’ve found a doctor to help treat you.”

Sun Hao remained silent for a long while before groaning, “Where is she a doctor from? She doesn’t look reliable.”

Qiu Wan enunciated every word clearly. “A top student who graduated from Shu River University School of Medicine. That should be comparable to a student from Hangcheng University, wouldn’t you say?”

Shu River University School of Medicine and its affiliated hospital are renowned nationally. Sun Hao naturally knew this, especially since a senior professor from their college was also an advisory doctor for Rongke Group. His groaning gradually weakened. Qiu Wan pressed her advantage. “Or, perhaps Doctor Tao can take your pulse first?”

Sun Hao questioned, “Does a Western doctor know how to take a pulse?”

Tao Ling explained softly, “If the heart is uncomfortable, such as with palpitations or arrhythmia, a pulse check can give a rough indication.”

“Not only a pulse check, but the police station also has an electrocardiograph. Doctor Tao will perform an ECG on you shortly.”

As soon as Sun Hao heard the word ‘ECG,’ his entire face instantly tightened. He said tremblingly, “I… I’ll rest for a while. I don’t feel so uncomfortable now.”

“Are you sure?” Qiu Wan’s dark brown pupils stared at him impassively, her composure revealing no emotion. She waited for Tao Ling to leave before returning to the chief interrogator’s seat. After sending and receiving two messages, she suddenly looked up, staring at the nervous man opposite her, and concisely uttered one sentence, “Stop your futile struggles.”

Sun Hao still kept his mouth shut. “Officer, this is not a struggle. I am exercising my right to defend myself. You can bring out the evidence you find.”

Qiu Wan tossed the appraisal certificate in front of him. “Sun Hao, the Langchi Limited Edition ‘General Star.’ Is that most valuable diamond with you?”

“You…” Sun Hao stared incredulously at Qiu Wan, clenching his hands together, his thumbs continuously rubbing the hukou (tiger’s mouth) area. The ‘General Star’ was the watch he spent a large sum of money to buy in Country F in mid-June. It had only been a month, and the novelty had not worn off, yet the embedded diamond was gone without a trace. Knowing the police could officially check the buyer’s information, making denial impossible, he struggled for a long time, finally squeezing two words through his teeth: “Lost it.”

“How coincidental that we found it.” Qiu Wan forced a smile, her eyes seemingly hiding a glacier that made Sun Hao break into a cold sweat. “I heard one diamond is worth 2 million. So, Young General Manager Sun, could we request a banner of commendation for returning lost property from you?”

“I… I…” Sun Hao’s whole body began to tremble uncontrollably. “I… I can’t remember. It might have fallen off somewhere.”

“Didn’t you deny being the driver of the blue Audi on July 23rd? Yet the ‘General Star’ just happened to appear in the car’s trunk.” Qiu Wan stopped beating around the bush and spoke frankly. “I received information 10 minutes ago that the person who sold the car is your high school classmate. That person said you gave him 50,000 to help you drive the car somewhere and abandon it, the farther the better. Is that true?”

“It seems you knew you couldn’t legally sell the vehicle, but you didn’t anticipate the unpredictable nature of people. That car could be sold for 160,000 second-hand, so your high school classmate promptly sold it to a used car dealer.”

“That dead dog! I shouldn’t have trusted him!” Sun Hao, like a defeated boxer, slumped powerlessly in the seat, his chest heaving with heavy breaths.

“You also…” Qiu Wan was about to say something but was interrupted by a sudden knock. The person who entered was none other than Bureau Chief Liu.

“Xiao Qiu, come out for a moment.”

Puzzled, Qiu Wan followed Bureau Chief Liu to the adjacent surveillance room after stepping out. Bureau Chief Liu closed the door, turned around, and looked at her with a grave expression. “Sun Luying is in the rest area.”

“Bureau Chief Liu, we now have irrefutable evidence. Her presence won’t change the outcome,” Qiu Wan said sharply.

“What irrefutable evidence? The second-hand car? Five minutes ago, that person changed his testimony, saying he picked up the diamond after having afternoon tea with Sun Hao on the 18th of last month.”

Qiu Wan gave a cold laugh. “Bureau Chief Liu, do you believe that?”

Ginger gets spicier with age. Bureau Chief Liu was even calmer than Qiu Wan during the interrogation. “Xiao Qiu, our country’s law operates on the principle of innocent until proven guilty (literally: doubt in favor of the accused). The chain of evidence in this case is currently incomplete. Even if we hand it over to the prosecution, it will be returned to us.”

“What about the second-hand car? Did his high school classmate claim he stole it?”

“You guessed correctly.” Bureau Chief Liu handed her the written statement.

Qiu Wan quickly flipped through it, sighing helplessly. “Absurd. It turns out money really makes the world go ’round (literally: makes the ghosts push the mill).”

“Don’t you still have the full support of Xiao Li and the others?” Bureau Chief Liu patted Qiu Wan’s shoulder earnestly. “Think of another way. I have faith in you.”

Qiu Wan lowered her head, her gaze drifting out of focus on the floor. She murmured softly, “Everything now relies on the blood analysis results. The Technical Group is also under immense pressure.”

“Pressure is what drives progress.”

“Bureau Chief Liu, since Sun Luying came in person, does she want the police to release him?” Qiu Wan suddenly looked up. “I firmly refuse to release him. With the current evidence, we can at least detain him for 48 hours.”

“Mhm. Leave her to me. You focus on the interrogation.”

Outside the monitoring room, Li Hewei, who heard Bureau Chief Liu mention the Technical Group, remained outwardly calm. However, Tao Ling beside her compressed her lips and turned, walking quickly toward the elevator.

“Hey, you only took a 12-minute break. Why the rush?” Li Hewei hurried after her. “I was just letting you witness how Sun Hao tries to obfuscate.”

Tao Ling didn’t stop, even speeding up. “They are all waiting.”

“You didn’t tell me why you suddenly showed up at the police station? Weren’t you already home around 7 o’clock?” At 7:20 p.m., Li Hewei had received a WeChat message from her before entering the interrogation room, saying she had run into Cheng Yingqiu on her way home from work.

Tao Ling paused for a moment. She saw the other woman staring at her without blinking, seemingly in a bad mood, and hastily explained, “Sister Wei, I only found out through the group chat messages around 9 p.m. that the Major Case Team next door had found the vehicle involved and needed our help.”

Li Hewei was naturally not angry. In fact, she felt a vague, indefinable pleasure because Tao Ling was so anxious to explain. She deliberately teased, “Is that so? But Sister He and Xiao Meng were already here.”

Tao Ling’s voice was soft and gentle. “I thought more people mean more strength.”

“And you could just happen to take credit and enjoy a good meal while you’re at it?”

Was that a compliment? Tao Ling couldn’t quite figure out Li Hewei’s mood, saying in a low voice, “Sister Wei, you’re not angry, are you?”

“Why would I be angry?” Li Hewei asked for no reason. “Why do you care so much if I’m angry?”

“I…” Tao Ling was instantly stunned. She genuinely didn’t know why she cared. When Tao Luhai used to throw tantrums every now and then, she would only respond with indifference.

Li Hewei sensed her abruptness and quickly tried to smooth things over. “Actually, I am a little angry. Don’t do it again.”

Tao Ling, however, did not avoid her question, responding genuinely, “Maybe it’s because you treat me well.”

“Oh, you only care about people who treat you well?” Li Hewei’s words were tinged with a strange bitterness, which even she found inexplicable.

Tao Ling was naive and didn’t catch the underlying meaning of her words. She instinctively countered, “No. When the male desk-mate who pursued me in college got angry, I just found him pretentious.” She wasn’t a people-pleaser; she just preferred to keep to herself, a solitary figure with extremely strong boundaries.

“Pretentious?” Li Hewei burst out laughing, deliberately changing the subject. “Tell me, what did he do that was pretentious?”

The two entered the elevator. Tao Ling lowered her gaze and pressed the number ‘3’ on the panel, unexpectedly refusing, “Let’s not talk about him.”

“Alright, if you don’t want to talk about it, we won’t.” Li Hewei felt a slight increase in her regard for the other woman, as she did not blindly acquiesce and stated what she preferred not to discuss, a faint smile rising on her lips.