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Chapter 229: Chapter 222 Rescue
Shen Yunfang looked at the man with glasses and Wang Biao standing up in surprise. She hadn’t expected this place to be so dark, nor to find herself caught up in it. Were they trying to frame her into a confession? What should she do then?
Shen Yunfang subconsciously wrapped her arms tightly around her stomach. She could endure any torture, but what about the child inside her? What if they targeted her stomach? As these thoughts raced through her mind, her expression lost its previous calm, and her face turned pale.
Director Zhao leaned back in his chair, relishing the sight of the woman’s changing complexion, feeling indescribably satisfied. Everyone who fell into his hands ended up being molded as he pleased. Even those who started off defiant eventually complied, saying whatever he wanted them to say, doing whatever he asked.
Just as the man with glasses reached out to touch Shen Yunfang, and she was still weighing her options on what to do, someone pushed the door to the interrogation room open.
Director Zhao turned his head to look at the door with an unpleasant expression. A man walked in, bent over, and whispered a few words in his ear. Director Zhao suddenly stood up from his chair.
"Really?" Director Zhao shouted in alarm.
The man nodded.
Director Zhao turned and headed for the door. As one of his legs crossed the threshold, something crossed his mind, and he turned back to instruct, "Take Comrade Shen back first, just to the next room, and wait there a while. Bring Comrade Shen some warm water to drink and warm up her body. After all, Comrade Shen’s situation is special, and we must provide her with special care." After saying this and giving his subordinates a meaningful look, he hurriedly left.
The man with glasses and Wang Biao looked at each other in confusion. What was happening? In just a few words, the approach had changed.
Shen Yunfang was also puzzled, but whatever it was seemed to be to her advantage. She couldn’t be happier.
It was Wang Biao who first snapped out of it and said to Shen Yunfang, "Let’s go, rest in that room for a while." His attitude had improved a lot.
Shen Yunfang stood up, of course glad to not be interrogated.
The man with glasses had been silent all along. When Shen Yunfang stood up and prepared to leave, he then cast a vicious glance at her.
"Wang Biao, you go first. I’ll take Shen Yunfang out in a while." He wanted to have a word with her alone.
Wang Biao glanced at Shen Yunfang and then at the man with glasses, whispering, "This woman seems to have some backing, don’t mess this up."
"Don’t worry, I just want to talk." The man with glasses nodded.
Wang Biao looked uncertainly at the two but thought that the man with glasses was, after all, a comrade from the same trench. He pretended not to notice Shen Yunfang’s look and walked out with long strides.
After watching him leave, Shen Yunfang realized she would have to be alone with this mentally twisted man. Rather than worrying, she instead sat back down, feeling more relaxed.
She didn’t know what had made Director Zhao react just now, but it seemed to be something good for her. Maybe there was news from either Li Hongjun or Xing Zhonghua.
The man with glasses walked forward a few steps, leaned against the table, and thought about what he should say.
"Shen Yunfang, don’t think you’re off the hook just because our director gave you a break. Let me put it this way, we’ve received more than one complaint letter against you, and it’s not just about stealing grain. You’re also accused of having inappropriate sexual relationships and bribing village officials for personal gain, among other things."
Shen Yunfang was genuinely surprised this time. Who would want to see her in trouble like this? These accusations were completely fabricated. If she were to be convicted of any one of these charges, she might never be able to clear her name.
"I also know that the things said in these complaint letters might not be true, but you saw the situation today. Let me be frank with you, once you’re in here, even if you weren’t guilty, I can still make you admit to the crimes. Do you believe me?" the man with glasses asked, dangerously squinting his eyes.
Shen Yunfang pursed her lips and remained silent, unable to utter a word. Anything she said would be wrong.
"But, I personally have no grudge against you. If it weren’t for the leadership’s instructions, I wouldn’t need to do this. Some things are better left unsaid, rotting in your gut. You understand what I’m saying, don’t you?" the man with glasses asked, staring intently into Shen Yunfang’s eyes.
Shen Yunfang was confused. What could she possibly say that would affect him?
The man with glasses looked at the bewildered woman and cursed silently to himself. How stupid could she be? His words were so clear, and she still didn’t get it. How foolish.
"Here’s the thing. There was a slight mishap when they were collecting chickens from your home, so they only got thirty-five. I hope you’ll consider the bigger picture and, if anyone asks, just say that you only had thirty-five chickens, understand?" Finally, he thought he made himself clear.
Shen Yunfang now understood. The man with glasses had skimmed off the top before turning in the chickens to the committee for the leaders, and now he feared she might turn the tables on him. So he was warning her to take the fall, ensuring that his misconduct would remain unknown to the leaders and he could quietly enjoy his ill-gotten gains.
They say it’s easier to meet the King of Hell than deal with his minions, and today she had learned that firsthand. However, she couldn’t let her chickens be sacrificed in vain; she needed to get something in return.
"This might be a bit difficult to cover up since people in our village know how many chickens I had. Just one question, and the truth will come out." Of course, this was a lie. So far, nobody knew exactly how many chickens she raised. Dashuan and his wife only knew how many chickens she had last New Year, and the increase or decrease this year wasn’t as clear. "But if I say I only had thirty-some chickens, maybe others won’t pursue it further."
"What do you want?" the man with glasses asked, frowning.
"I don’t want anything special. Since I was taken here and detained overnight to being interrogated today, I’ve been completely in the dark, not understanding whom I’ve offended. So, comrade, if it’s convenient for you, could you tell me who reported me, and what exactly the complaints are?"
The man with glasses lowered his head in thought. He did know about the matter because he was close to Director Zhao and had seen the complaint letters in his hands. However, it seemed that they involved Director Zhao’s daughter-in-law, and revealing this information, if Director Zhao found out, would not end well for him.
As he was considering his options, the interrogation room door was forcefully kicked open from the outside. A towering figure strode in.
Shen Yunfang and the man with glasses, with the light at their backs, couldn’t see who had entered, but Shen Yunfang knew who it was as soon as she heard the person speak.
"You’ve got some nerve. Without solid evidence, just relying on a few potentially fake complaint letters, you’ve arrested a pregnant military spouse for interrogation. Do you know her husband is on the battlefield, defending our country? Whose courage have you borrowed to trouble an army family member like this?" Xing Zhonghua walked in and, seeing the two people’s positions, misunderstood that the man with glasses was giving Shen Yunfang a hard time. He immediately became furious and kicked out at him.
