Leng Xiangmei's chest heaved with anger once more.
After taking a moment to compose herself, she went against her better judgment and said, half-coaxing, half-deceiving, "I believe you! Go on."
"Sun Changsheng didn't kill himself!"
Qin Shou's words made Leng Xiangmei's body jolt. "You're not joking with me, are you?" she asked.
"Director Leng, do you think this is something I'd joke about with you?" Qin Shou retorted.
"Not a suicide? Then it was murder!" Leng Xiangmei stared at Qin Shou, asking slowly and deliberately, "Who. Was. The. Killer?"
Qin Shou shook his head. "I don't know."
"You don't know?" A flicker of suspicion crossed Leng Xiangmei's eyes. She challenged him, "Are you trying to play me for a fool?"
"Director Leng, you're the head of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection's Eighth Review and Investigation Office. Would I mess with you because I think my prison sentence is too short and want to extend it?"
"So you say Sun Changsheng didn't kill himself, but you won't tell me who the killer is? Isn't that a contradiction? If you can't give me a reasonable explanation, I have every reason to suspect you're deliberately trying to muddy the waters. Your goal is to get yourself off the hook!"
"Get myself off the hook for what? I'm not guilty of anything in the first place!"
"Not guilty? Then prove it. Prove that every word you're saying is the truth! Then I'll believe you're innocent!"
"Director Leng, let's be clear here. You're the law enforcement officer. You brought me here, so it's your job to prove I'm guilty. If you can't prove I'm guilty, you should let me go."
"I don't have time to play word games with you! I know you're eloquent—after all, you were the top secretary to the County Party Secretary. But no matter how silver-tongued you are, no matter how good you are at spinning tales, it won't work on me!"
As a veteran of the Disciplinary Committee, Leng Xiangmei knew the score.
Even if someone else had framed Qin Shou with that large suitcase, there's no smoke without fire.
The fact that Qin Shou could be framed meant he was a bad egg, a cracked one at that.
Otherwise, why would those shit-eating flies buzz around him? Why frame him and not someone else?
"Director Leng, the information that Sun Changsheng didn't commit suicide came from his wife, Wu Yuqin. After telling me this, Wu Yuqin drove out of Changle County. Then, she got into a car accident and died. After that, Wan Defu and his men brought that large suitcase into my home and put it under my bed. Immediately after, your Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection received a tip-off, arrested me, and caught me red-handed with the evidence!"
"You're saying Wu Yuqin died in a car accident? Is that true?"
Leng Xiangmei's question made Qin Shou feel that this woman was certainly well-endowed, but perhaps lacking in the brains department.
So, Qin Shou gave Leng Xiangmei a look—the kind of look you give a complete idiot.
Then he reminded her, "Director Leng, you are the head of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection's Eighth Review and Investigation Office. With your status and reputation, what department would dare not cooperate with you if you made a call? Did Wu Yuqin get into a car accident or not? Did she die or not? Can't you just call the traffic police and get a clear answer?"
Leng Xiangmei stood up and walked out of the interrogation room.
Wang Jiajia had disappeared somewhere, but Liu Qiang was waiting outside the room.
Between her two subordinates, Wang Jiajia and Liu Qiang, Wang Jiajia was actually the one with the better foundation, being a graduate of Yanjing University. However, Wang Jiajia often tried to slack off and wasn't as honest and reliable as Liu Qiang.
When she had told them both to step out of the room, Wang Jiajia had slipped away, while Liu Qiang had dutifully remained on standby.
As a leader, she naturally preferred subordinates like Liu Qiang. Therefore, Leng Xiangmei favored Liu Qiang.
Leng Xiangmei ordered Liu Qiang, "Little Liu, contact the traffic police and verify whether Sun Changsheng's wife, Wu Yuqin, died in a car accident."
"Yes, Director Leng!"
After giving the order, Leng Xiangmei returned to the interrogation room.
She crossed her legs and stared intently at Qin Shou.
Of course, it wasn't a gaze full of tender affection, but the sharp, predatory stare of a hawk hunting its prey.
Being stared at so intensely by Leng Xiangmei, Qin Shou wasn't about to be at a disadvantage, was he?
So, he stared right back.
After all, the woman had a great figure and was easy on the eyes. Even if he couldn't see anything clearly, just looking at her silhouette wasn't a loss for him.
She had thought that being stared at like this would make him feel fear, make him afraid.
But this damn Qin Shou truly was a beast—a beast with an incredibly strong psychological fortitude!
At a time like this, how dare his damn eyes wander? How dare he keep staring?
Smack!
Leng Xiangmei slammed her hand on the table in anger, demanding sharply, "Where are you looking?"
Qin Shou wasn't frightened, and he certainly wasn't going to retract his gentlemanly gaze.
He continued to admire her as he explained, "Director Leng, I'm not just looking, I'm appreciating. You're like a woman in an oil painting—very beautiful, with a certain maternal grace."
"Keep looking and I'll gouge your eyes out!"
Leng Xiangmei slammed the table again in fury.
Smack!
The water glass on the table wobbled from the impact.
Knock!
Knock, knock!
Someone was at the door of the interrogation room.
Leng Xiangmei knew it was Liu Qiang, so she called out, "Come in."
Creek!
The door opened, and just as she expected, Liu Qiang entered.
Liu Qiang walked over to Leng Xiangmei and whispered a few words in her ear.
Taking the opportunity to be close to her, Liu Qiang's nostrils twitched slightly as he secretly tried to catch a whiff of the director's scent.
This small detail, of course, did not escape Qin Shou's notice.
As a man himself, Qin Shou saw right through him. This Liu Qiang wasn't as honest as he seemed—how dare he have designs on his own boss?
But then again, he was one to talk.
After all, while Qin Shou hadn't had any designs on Secretary Yang, he had, in a daze, already had his way with her once.
After Liu Qiang finished whispering, Leng Xiangmei nodded.
Then, Liu Qiang left, closing the door behind him.
Although Qin Shou hadn't heard what Liu Qiang said, he had already guessed the content of their conversation.
So he asked Leng Xiangmei, "Director Leng, you've verified it now, haven't you? What I said about Wu Yuqin dying in a car accident is true, right? Even if you don't completely believe that Sun Changsheng didn't kill himself, you must at least have some doubts now, right? Why don't we cooperate?"
"Cooperate? How do you propose we cooperate?"
"Let's set aside the question of my guilt for a moment. The fact is, the waters in Changle County run very deep. If Wu Yuqin can die in a car accident for no apparent reason, who's to say you won't have an 'accident' too, Director Leng?"
"Are you threatening me?"
"Threaten you? Hell no! I'm warning you to be careful! An open attack is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is impossible to defend against. And in Changle County, there are only hidden arrows, no open attacks!"
"So, if I were you, I wouldn't risk my own safety by staying in Changle County for long. I'd choose a smarter approach. For example, plant an informant in Changle County to investigate for you in secret. Then, you can go back to the city and direct things from afar. That way, Director Leng, you can devise strategies from within your command tent and secure victory a thousand miles away!"
Leng Xiangmei understood immediately.
She asked, "You mean, I should let you go, and you'll be my informant and investigate the case for me?"
"Yes, Director Leng. Just give the word, and I will go through hell and high water for you!"
Qin Shou didn't care about his official position. He just wanted to drag out all the corrupt parasites in Changle County and throw them in jail! Especially his ex-mother-in-law—she had to rot in prison for the rest of her life