Chapter 62: Secret Interrogation (II)

The interrogation formally began.

Seeing that Xiaoxue’s state was relatively stable, the policewoman decided to press her advantage: "When you applied for a position at Dynasty Film, did you see Hu Wenyi?"

"No... I don't know that person." Xiaoxue lowered her head.

"You really don't know him? Think carefully."

Xiaoxue looked up, her gaze meeting the policewoman’s firm eyes. Though she was timid, she was not stupid; having entered the police station, she knew certain things could no longer be hidden.

Xiaoxue seemed to reach a decision. "Officer, I’ll tell you the truth. I do know him, and I went to Dynasty Film specifically to find him."

"Then why did you say you didn't know him earlier?" the policewoman pressed.

Xiaoxue murmured, "Because... because I was a little scared."

"Scared of what?"

"I... I heard that he had gone missing, and I was afraid of being implicated." She stole a glance at the policewoman and added, "Please don’t misunderstand, I didn't do anything! I was just worried."

"I see. Why were you looking for him?" the policewoman moved to the main point.

A flash of anger crossed Xiaoxue’s eyes, though it quickly faded. "He is my husband, so I went to ask him about something."

The policewoman looked slightly surprised. Liu Zichen had briefed her on Xiaoxue’s history and speculated that her attempted suicide in the lake might be related to Hu Wenyi, but the word "husband" left her puzzled.

"Are you saying you and Hu Wenyi are legally married?"

Xiaoxue nodded, then shook her head. "We lived together for nearly a year."

"Did you register the marriage?" the policewoman asked sharply.

"We... we did," Xiaoxue stammered.

"If you registered, you are legally married. Why is that hard to say?"

Xiaoxue hesitated for a moment before admitting, "We didn't go to register together; he was the one who gave it to me."

"Is that so?" The policewoman found this strange; it sounded suspicious. "May I see your marriage certificate?"

Xiaoxue looked troubled. "I don't have it with me, but... I took a photo of it on my phone."

"Officer Zhang, go get her phone." The juror stepped out of the interrogation room and returned shortly with the phone. Xiaoxue unlocked it with her fingerprint, and Officer Zhang opened the gallery. There weren't many photos, and he quickly found the image of the bright red marriage certificate.

The policewoman took the phone and frowned. Judging by the photo, the embossed seal, the red stamps, and the photos were all clearly visible; it appeared authentic.

Just as she was about to speak, something occurred to her. She turned to Officer Zhang. "Go to the technical department and check the registration code."

Officer Zhang nodded and left with the phone.

Xiaoxue asked anxiously, "Is there something wrong with the certificate?" She felt a sense of unease.

"You'll know in a moment."

***

Officer Zhang returned to the interrogation room quickly. He sat down and said slowly, "After verification, your marriage certificate is a forgery. The code does not exist."

Xiaoxue’s mouth fell open in surprise. The policewoman noticed that while her expression was shocked, there was no real emotional shift in her eyes, which struck her as odd.

"It really is fake. It really is fake. I should have known he wouldn't suddenly turn over a new leaf." Xiaoxue spoke as if to herself, or perhaps as if venting.

Officer Zhang added, "Our technicians discovered that the photo of the certificate on your phone was actually taken within the last two days. Can you explain why?"

"..."

Xiaoxue gritted her teeth. After a long silence, she said, "Officer, I will explain the marriage certificate later. Let me tell you the whole truth now. If you can actually find him, I hope you bring this monster to justice."

The two interrogators exchanged a look, showing a hint of relief.

"Hu Wenyi appears to be a man who cherishes women, but in reality, he has ruined countless lives. Just the ones I know of number more than two dozen... You might wonder why I would still want to marry a man like that." Xiaoxue’s eyes reddened, though she didn't cry.

She continued, "Every woman who meets Hu Wenyi is initially deceived by his hypocrisy. He always knows exactly what you need and saves you from your troubles, as if he can read your mind. When I first started out, I wasn't satisfied with my major and was encouraged by classmates to pursue acting. I accidentally fell into his trap."

"Young and ignorant, I thought he was the best person in the world and was devoted to him. I’m sure you’re laughing at me for being so foolishly used as a plaything... but at the time, I was truly grateful. I had reached a dead end, and he gave me a glimmer of hope."

***

In the monitoring room, Liu Zichen could not help but frown.

"Tianyu, what she’s saying now is completely different from her previous story," she remarked.

Chen Tianyu nodded. "Perhaps we underestimated this 'weak' woman."

"Can I go in and ask her directly?" Liu Zichen asked the police chief standing beside her.

The chief hesitated, clearly troubled.

Chen Tianyu waved his hand. "Don't rush. Interrogations follow a process. If we appear suddenly, it might backfire. If Xiaoxue is the type to lie at the drop of a hat, she’s a difficult opponent. Even if you go in to question her, she could just invent a new story on the spot."

"Then what do we do? Just let her spout nonsense?" Liu Zichen asked.

Chen Tianyu instinctively rubbed his nose. "We can't be sure she’s lying yet... after all, your previous talks were informal, and this is a police station. However, our priority is locating Hu Wenyi, which has little to do with Xiaoxue’s personal grievances. We shouldn't let her waste time playing the victim to distract us. It’s better to go straight to the point."

The police chief, who had been listening, interjected, "That’s fine. I’ll give instructions to the team inside."

Chen Tianyu nodded in agreement.

The chief picked up a red phone and spoke briefly with the policewoman inside. The officer didn't say anything, simply acknowledging the instructions.

After hanging up, the policewoman asked Xiaoxue, "We understand the background now. You said you went to ask Hu Wenyi about something. Did you meet him on the day of the interview? Where did you meet, and what exactly did you ask?"

Xiaoxue’s sob story came to an abrupt end. She seemed as though she had more to say, but she was cooperative regarding the officer's questions.

"Of course I met him. And this marriage certificate was something he personally handed to me in his office yesterday." She paused. "He also gave me a set of high-end cosmetics."

It turned out she did have cosmetics in her bag when she left, which sounded reasonable.

"So, you two reconciled?" the policewoman asked skeptically.

Xiaoxue suddenly choked up. "I thought we had reconciled, but who would have thought he would give me a fake certificate! That sanctimonious hypocrite... I was fooled by him again."