Her pitiful expression actually made Xu Cheng’an soften a little, and his tone became somewhat gentler.
“What is your aunt’s name? Where does she work in Shanghai?”
“My aunt is named Su Xiang. She works as an accountant at the Second State Cotton Factory.”
Xu Cheng’an watched her expression—her eyes were clear and bright, not like she was lying.
Still, he would call Shanghai to verify Su Xiang’s information.
“At the station today, what did the person next to you say to you?”
“Which person?” Wen Wan looked confused.
“The one with glasses, wearing a black shirt.” Xu Cheng’an clasped his hands together, scrutinizing Wen Wan without missing any of her expressions.
“You mean the one you kicked away? Officer Xu, your skills are really amazing—you took that bad guy down in one move. Was he a thief or a human trafficker?”
When that man was knocked down, his gun had fallen to the ground. Although Xu Cheng’an quickly picked it up and put it away, she had still seen it.
She had heard that there were many spies in this era, hidden among the people, stealing state secrets. That man might have been a spy.
Wait… Xu Cheng’an was asking so carefully and even taking notes—could he suspect she was an accomplice?
“Answer my question. Did he say anything to you?” Xu Cheng’an cut her off.
This girl was very talkative—one question could lead to ten answers. Usually, the more someone talked, the easier it was to expose something, but she really didn’t seem like a spy.
Wen Wan shook her head, looking so serious she might as well have raised her hand to swear.
“No, he didn’t. When you arrived, I had just gotten to the station. Since I ran away secretly, I was really scared and didn’t dare look around much. If you hadn’t caught him, I wouldn’t have even noticed he was next to me.”
“Really, I’m not lying. You can tell just by looking at my eyes.”
Wen Wan widened her eyes, her small hands gripping the edge of the table as she leaned forward slightly, looking at Xu Cheng’an with sincerity.
Before interrogating the spy, Xu Cheng’an had already had someone pull up the Wen family’s records and understood Wen Wan’s life trajectory over the years.
There was no overlap between her and the spy in terms of time or social circle.
But it couldn’t be ruled out that she had unknowingly been used as a tool to pass information.
“Sit properly when you speak!” Xu Cheng’an said calmly.
“Officer Xu, I’ve already explained everything. Can I have my suitcase back?” Wen Wan asked cheekily.
The suitcase had been carried by the officers. Since she had promised not to run, she could only sit and wait obediently.
She wanted to take out a pair of pants to wear—her legs felt cold, with the chilly air brushing against them.
Xu Cheng’an had someone bring the suitcase in. Even if she hadn’t asked, he would have needed to check it anyway.
The combination lock on the suitcase was something he had never seen before.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t open it, but once opened, it couldn’t be restored to its original state.
In case she wasn’t an enemy agent, it wouldn’t be appropriate to damage a civilian’s property, so he hadn’t forced it open.
Wen Wan stepped forward, pressed her fingerprint, and with a soft click, the lock opened.
“Open both suitcases,” Xu Cheng’an said.
Once the suitcases were checked and found to be fine, her suspicion in this case could be completely cleared.
Wen Wan opened them. Inside were clothes, shoes, a makeup bag, and personal undergarments.
She had packed the underwear in a small storage bag.
Even though people were more open-minded now, she still felt a bit embarrassed taking them out in front of a man.
Xu Cheng’an noticed her subtle attempt to hide it, and his gaze sharpened. “Open it!”
“They’re just undergarments—do you really need to check private items too?” Wen Wan pouted in dissatisfaction.
“Open it!”
Xu Cheng’an repeated, leaving no room for refusal.
Wen Wan, looking aggrieved, unzipped the bag and pulled it open for him to see. “See? Just underwear.”
“Take them out!”
Everything was bunched together—who knew if something was hidden inside?
If they were going to check, it had to be thorough. No detail could be overlooked.
This was both for national security and for her own sake.
Wen Wan was annoyed.
So young, yet so stubborn.
Fine—if he wanted them out, she’d take them out. It wouldn’t be her who felt awkward anyway.
She dumped everything out onto the top of the suitcase.
“There, all of it. Take a good look,” Wen Wan said huffily.
Xu Cheng’an saw white and black lace items. At first, he didn’t recognize what they were, but upon a second look, he suddenly understood.
His face heated up instantly.
Still, he tried his best to remain composed.
Seeing his investigative gaze land on the bra, Wen Wan suddenly felt like teasing him.
Hooking a finger under a pink strap, she lifted it and held it up in front of herself. “This is worn on top, kind of like a dudou. Do you want to inspect it carefully?”
At the mention of a dudou, Xu Cheng’an couldn’t help but cough lightly, his ears turning red as if they were burning. “Put it away!”
He had never seen such a bold young girl before—no wonder she dared to run away from home alone.
And those clothes in her suitcase—she really knew how to “save fabric.”
Wen Wan, looking carefree, smiled. “Can I put everything away now?”
“Mm. You can go home now.”
Hearing the word “home,” Wen Wan grew anxious. She didn’t even bother organizing the messy suitcase, just closed it casually and ran up to Xu Cheng’an.
“Officer Xu, if I go home now, my father and stepmother will still sell me off.”
They might even send her to that fool’s bed overnight—once everything was done, it would be too late.
“I will speak to your parents and make sure they don’t force you to marry,” Xu Cheng’an said.
Even if she hadn’t brought it up, he would have informed the neighborhood committee.
This was a new society—arranged marriages were no longer acceptable.
Wen Wan grabbed his arm anxiously, her eyes full of expectation. “That won’t work. They’ll agree on the surface, but once I get home, they’ll turn against me. Aunt Wu from the neighborhood committee is on their side. Officer Xu, I only trust you—please help me.”
The girl looked up at him, her watery eyes filled with trust.
Chirping nonstop like a little bird clinging to its parent, it made Xu Cheng’an reluctant to push her away.
“Please!”
“How do you want me to help?”