Xiao Qiqi was speechless. "Zhao Xi, how could you do this? Love means trusting each other. Didn't you two make up a few days ago?"
"I wanted to trust her, but... how has she treated me?" Zhao Xi, a grown man, suddenly burst into tears. He wiped them away hastily. "Qi Qi, please, this is the first and last time. Please go to her house and ask her what she's really thinking, okay?"
Xiao Qiqi looked at the dark night and said, "Zhao Xi, it's late. Can we talk about it tomorrow?"
"No, Qiqi, I really can't wait any longer, Qiqi, I'm begging you, look at me... I'm such a grown man and I'm already like this, are you going to be as heartless as Lanzi?"
Xiao Qiqi looked at Zhao Xi, who had lost a lot of weight in the past few months, was unshaven, and looked unwell. She sighed and walked towards the car: "Okay, let's go together."
Watching Xiao Qiqi's retreating figure, Zhao Xi finally breathed a sigh of relief. Tonight, he was determined to catch that "adulterer"! Jiang Yilan treated him like a thief; she had changed the house key, and wouldn't open the door at the sound of his voice. Even if he waited for her to come out and cling to him, Jiang Yilan was no pushover; she could come up with any method, even calling the police, leaving him utterly helpless. Now, his only option was to get Xiao Qiqi into Jiang Yilan's house and expose the man who had gone home with her tonight!
Downstairs at Jiang Yilan's house, Xiao Qiqi said again, "Old Zhao, don't act impulsively later."
Old Zhao nodded in assurance, "I just want to make up with her. As long as she listens to your advice, we'll listen to anything."
Xiao Qiqi rang the doorbell alone. Looking back, she saw Old Zhao huddled in the corner behind her. She shook her head. The doorbell rang quickly, and Jiang Yilan's lazy voice asked, "Who is it?"
"Deliveryman," Old Zhao called out in a low voice, pulling Xiao Qiqi away. Xiao Qiqi looked at him in surprise, but he had a fierce look on his face and remained silent.
There was a knock at the door. "Oh, why are you so late?" Jiang Yilan opened the door, her voice catching in her throat, "...Qiqi, Zhao...Zhao Xi?"
Zhao Xi rudely pushed Jiang Yilan's hand aside and squeezed through the door. Xiao Qiqi looked at the disheveled Jiang Yilan and smiled bitterly: "Basket, Lao Zhao, sigh, I really can't do anything with him. He insisted that I come and talk to you on his behalf tonight."
Jiang Yilan was clearly still in shock. She turned around and saw Zhao Xi walking towards the bedroom. She cried out and ran inside, "Zhao Xi, what are you doing?"
"You shameless woman!" Xiao Qiqi stared blankly at the door as Zhao Xi and Jiang Yilan ran into the bedroom. What was going on? Caught in the act! There were whispers from another man in the bedroom, Zhao Xi's angry curses, and Jiang Yilan's screams. Xiao Qiqi hesitated for a moment, then closed the door and went in.
The scene before Xiao Qiqi left her completely dumbfounded. Jiang Yilan was tightly holding the furiously cursing Zhao Xi, while a man elegantly turned around from in front of his desk, a faint, sarcastic smile on his lips. The moment he looked up and saw Xiao Qiqi, his smile froze. "Xia Xuan?"
Xiao Qiqi took a step back, leaning against the doorframe. This was the result? The man who had vowed to start over with her was actually in her best friend's bed? Had he changed? Had Jiang Yilan changed? Or had she been naive? Remember their first meeting at the bar? Weren't they already together? Was she the only one still so innocent and naive? Xiao Qiqi gave a bitter laugh. Would she still feel heartache?
Fortunately, love was in the past. Xiao Qiqi looked at Jiang Yilan, her big eyes filled with tears, staring longingly at Xiao Qiqi. Then she looked at Xia Xuan, and her hand involuntarily loosened. The three of them looked at each other. Old Zhao's eyes were already red from staring at Xia Xuan. He opened his bulging pocket, pulled out a gleaming knife, and sneered, "You two adulterers, I've had enough! You think you're so rich? I'll see if your life is more valuable than anyone else's!" With that, his strong body lunged at the still-standing Xia Xuan.
Xiao Qiqi was the first to react, shouting, "Zhao Xi, what are you doing?"
Xia Xuan woke up with a start, but he was standing closest to Zhao Xi and had no way to dodge. Zhao Xi pounced on him and threw him onto the bed. Zhao Xi raised the knife and stabbed at his chest. Xia Xuan reacted quickly and twisted his body, but the knife still pierced his chest. When it was pulled out, blood gushed out.
"Ah..." Jiang Yilan let out a sharp scream and pounced on Xia Xuan. Zhao Xi raised his knife again, "You damned dogs, you can both die!"
Xiao Qiqi lunged forward and pulled Zhao Xi's arm as he stabbed downwards, but she was no match for his strength. She managed to pull him slightly off-center, and the knife had already pierced Jiang Yilan's arm; the sound of bone cracking could even be heard. Xiao Qiqi gripped Zhao Xi's arm tightly, shouting, "Zhao Xi, are you crazy?"
Zhao Xi had actually planned everything before coming, but now that he actually saw the couple, he went completely mad. He forcefully shoved Xiao Qiqi's arm away, sending her crashing to the floor. He pulled out the knife, but instead of pulling Jiang Yilan away, he stabbed at Xia Xuan, who lay in a pool of blood. Although injured, Xia Xuan endured the pain and tried to hide behind the bed. Xiao Qiqi, not even bothering to get up, grabbed Zhao Xi's knife handle with both hands, crying out, "Zhao Xi, no!"
Xia Xuan groaned, "Qi Qi, move aside, I'm fine."
Xiao Qiqi was no match for Zhao Xi's strength. The knife was pulled from her hand, leaving a trail of blood, and stabbed into Xia Xuan's thigh! Blood splattered, landing all over Xiao Qiqi's body and face. Xiao Qiqi felt herself being pushed by Zhao Xi, crashing into the bedside table, a rush of hot blood to the back of her head.
Despite the pain in her arm, Jiang Yilan desperately hugged Zhao Xi's leg, pleading, "Xi, please..."
Blood splattered on his face dripped down his forehead and into his eyes, obscuring Zhao Xi's vision. He wiped his eyes, and the blood-soaked hands instantly brought him to his senses. Trembling, he looked at his hands, then at the knife, then at the bloodstains all over the bed and floor. Holding Jiang Yilan, whose legs were covered in blood, he let out a howl, threw down the knife, and stormed out the door.
Xiao Qiqi felt a wave of dizziness, her vision blurred, and darkness engulfed her before she lost consciousness. Before she lost consciousness, a familiar, hoarse voice said, "Qiqi, it's not what you think, I've already..."
When she woke up again, she was in the hospital. Xiao Qiqi groaned as she covered the back of her head and struggled to get out of bed. A doctor had already pushed the door open and entered. Ignoring the doctor's questions and the tearing pain in her palms, Xiao Qiqi grabbed his clothes and asked anxiously, "What about the other two people? How are they?" Her voice was already trembling with tears.
The doctor gave her a cold look. "Miss, is there anything else that's bothering you?"
Xiao Qiqi shook her head. "I don't feel unwell at all. Tell me quickly, have two more people been sent to the hospital?"
Ignoring her questions, the doctor glanced at her eyelids before nodding. "Miss, we've already done a brain CT scan, and there's nothing seriously wrong. If you have no other symptoms, that would be even better." He then went outside and said something to the person outside.
Two police officers stepped forward and showed their identification. One of them said, "Ms. Xiao, we suspect you are involved in a home invasion and assault case. Please come back to the police station to assist us with our investigation."
"A stabbing case?" Xiao Qiqi noticed this word. "So no one...died, just injured?"
Another, thinner policeman sneered, "Miss Xiao, you should say what you have to say at the police station."
Xiao Qiqi got out of bed. "Okay, I'll cooperate." Who called the police? Where is Zhao Xi now?
Xiao Qiqi was taken back to the police station, puzzled by the two officers flanking her. "Officer," she asked, "has Zhao Xi been caught? What about Jiang Yilan and Xia Xuan?"
“Ms. Xiao, this is not within the scope of your inquiry.” The thin policeman was clearly not very patient.
Unable to find a solution, Xiao Qiqi stopped asking questions and went to the police station. There, she realized something was wrong. She was taken to a closed interrogation room with two police officers sitting opposite each other, one asking questions and the other taking notes. There was even a police officer with a real gun standing by the door. Xiao Qiqi suppressed her thoughts and cooperated with the police's extremely detailed questioning, answering every detail, even every action and word from the previous night.
The questioning went on for a long time, and Xiao Qiqi felt her head getting heavier and heavier. Two different groups of police officers came and went, but they kept asking the same questions over and over. Finally, Xiao Qiqi lost her patience. "What are you asking me? Haven't I answered clearly enough?"
“Yes, Miss.” The two police officers exchanged a glance, finally closed their notebooks, and said seriously, “We are now formally informing you that you have been arrested as one of the suspects in the October 27th major malicious assault case. You have the right to remain silent, or you can hire a lawyer. We will file a lawsuit with the court according to legal procedures. If you have any evidence or defense, please present it in court.”
"What? Arrest?" Xiao Qiqi finally realized the seriousness of the situation and stood up abruptly. The policeman at the door rushed over and grabbed her, while the policeman opposite her said sternly, "Xiao Qiqi, this is a police station. Please behave yourself."
Xiao Qiqi calmed down, sat down, and the policeman released her hand. "Don't I have the right to know?"
"yes."
"Then tell me, on what basis have you identified me as a suspect?"
The two police officers exchanged a glance. "Based on the clues provided by the victim's family, the lawsuit they filed against you, and the evidence—your fingerprints on the knife, the bloodstains on your clothes, and your relationship with the victim—this is sufficient evidence."
“I’ve already explained everything clearly, what are you doing? I did grab the knife, but why haven’t I explained it clearly yet? The blood on my clothes was sprayed on at the time, as I’ve already said! And what about the victim’s family? You should ask the victim what happened, shouldn’t you? Besides, I consider myself a victim too!”
“Xiao Qiqi, you can defend yourself on all of this, so we will continue to gather more evidence. But from now on, you must be formally arrested as one of our suspects.” The policeman continued to record: “Xiao Qiqi, that concludes today’s interrogation. We will continue to ask questions tomorrow.”
Calm down! Xiao Qiqi was led into the iron-barred detention cell, sat on the wooden bed, and tried to clear her head. Finally, she realized one thing: a lawyer! Without a lawyer, she would have no way of knowing what had happened or how things would develop. And now, in the police station, where could she find a lawyer? Chen Yuanxing was in Europe; perhaps the only way was to bring him back.
Xiao Qiqi only slept for a few hours in a daze before being woken up and taken back to the same closed interrogation room. The same two police officers were there again, and they continued to ask her the same questions as yesterday. Xiao Qiqi was determined not to speak again. The police officer got a little annoyed and simply said, "Xiao Qiqi, even if you don't admit it, we can still prosecute you based on this evidence."
"Can I contact the client?" Xiao Qiqi finally spoke. She had no idea what was happening outside, whether Zhao Xi had been caught, or what had happened to Jiang Yilan and Xia Xuan. Why didn't the police ask them what had happened? Why were they keeping bothering her?
"Given your current situation, we cannot allow you to contact the outside world."
"Why?" Xiao Qiqi protested, but the other party ignored her completely. However, she soon had a glimmer of hope.
Someone she didn't expect came in to see her: Li Yue.
Li Yue looked Xiao Qiqi up and down and laughed exaggeratedly, "Xiao Qiqi, you're really something, aren't you? You've managed to get into prison after just a few days."
Xiao Qiqi smiled wryly, having no time to pay attention to Li Yue's joke, and simply asked, "How did you know?"
Li Yue knew this wasn't the time for jokes. "Don't worry about how I know. I have some idea of the situation. With my current status in this city, it won't be easy for me to get you out of here. How about this, I'll help you contact Young Master. At this point, he might be the only one who can help you."
"No, don't let him know. He's in Europe, he'll be worried." Xiao Qiqi quickly shook her head. If Chen Yuanxing knew she was in trouble now, what a mess he would be in.
“It’s time. Xiao Qiqi, stop pretending to be kind. I can’t get in touch with Xia Xuan, Xu Chun…” Li Yue stopped speaking and shook his head. “That’s it. Give me Chen Yuanxing’s phone number.”
Xiao Qiqi thought for a moment, only now realizing that she had no one to rely on in this city except him. "Then please help me make a call." Xiao Qiqi gave Chen Yuanxing's mobile phone number. "He is abroad. Please be tactful and say that I need to come back as soon as possible."
Li Yue memorized the phone number. "That's all for now. I'm leaving. I think you'd better not say anything more until the lawyer arrives."
Xiao Qiqi touched the back of her head, which had already been bandaged; it still hurt a little. She nodded. "Thank you, Li Yue."
Li Yue stood up. "There's nothing I can do to help. Take care of yourself."
25. False Accusation
Chen Yuanxing returned to China that night. The flight of more than ten hours did not tire him, but he was extremely nervous and excited. Before boarding the plane, he called his lawyer. The driver was already waiting at the airport gate. After picking up Chen Yuanxing, he rushed to the law firm.
On the way, Chen Yuanxing called Qin Ou again to confirm that he was waiting for him in the office. Qin Ou had been Huayuan's legal advisor for many years. When Chen Yuanxing received the call from the police station while abroad and heard that Xiao Qiqi was at the police station, he was immediately stunned. He had no idea what had happened to Xiao Qiqi, and his phone had been unanswered since yesterday. He was very worried. So he immediately called Attorney Qin and asked him to go to the police station to find out what had happened. He immediately bought a plane ticket back to China, ignoring the unsigned contract on the table. Thinking about things abroad, Chen Yuanxing called his uncle again, telling him that he had returned and that other colleagues had left things there to handle. His uncle, of course, wanted to know more. Chen Yuanxing knew that he couldn't hide this from his uncle, and that he might need his help. So he simply told him that Xiao Qiqi was in trouble. His uncle had already heard Chen Yuanxing's detailed account of his relationship with Xiao Qiqi, so he sighed and said nothing.
As soon as Chen Yuanxing entered Qin Ou's office, he asked, "Attorney Qin, can you tell me what exactly happened?"
Attorney Qin gestured for Chen Yuanxing to sit down before recounting the information he had gathered at the police station that day. "Mr. Chen," he said, "it's clear now. The major burglary and assault case from two days ago, October 27th, has been opened for investigation, and Ms. Xiao has been arrested as one of the suspects."
"What burglary and assault? How is that possible!" Chen Yuanxing frowned in surprise. "How could Qi Qi get involved in something like this?"
Qin Ou, in her forties, was calm and capable, and very familiar with the people at the police station, so she had a clear understanding of the situation: "The injured people are a man and a woman. The man's name is Xia Xuan, and the woman's name is Jiang Yilan. I wonder if Chen Yuanxing knows these two people?"
Chen Yuanxing's expression shifted. "It's them?"
Seeing Chen Yuanxing looking at him, Qin Ou continued, "The incident occurred at Jiang Yilan's home, around midnight. Miss Xiao and Zhao Xi, Jiang Yilan's ex-boyfriend, entered Jiang Yilan's house under the guise of delivering takeout. They used a pre-sharpened fruit knife to stab Xia Xuan once in the chest and once in the thigh, and Jiang Yilan was injured in the arm. The police suspect that Zhao Xi and Miss Xiao committed the crime together because the fingerprints on the knife belonged to both of them, and Miss Xiao's clothes had splattered bloodstains. Jiang Yilan called the police, but when the police arrived, Xia Xuan was unconscious due to excessive blood loss, Xiao Qiqi was unconscious because she hit her head on the bedside table, Zhao Xi fled, and Jiang Yilan was the only one who was conscious."
Chen Yuanxing asked anxiously, "Qiqi is injured? Is it serious?"
"It shouldn't be serious. After a full check-up to make sure there were no problems, I was taken to the police station."
Chen Yuanxing breathed a sigh of relief and shook his head: "What a bunch of idiots. It's obvious that Zhao Xi injured someone and fled. They're saying Qi Qi is an accomplice. How could she, a girl, possibly hurt Jiang Yilan, who is her best friend?"
“Mr. Chen, if only it were that simple.” Qin Ou shook his head. “Because Jiang Yilan suffered extreme mental trauma, she was trembling the whole time after entering the hospital and couldn’t say anything at all. Since Miss Xiao’s injury was caused by an external force, the police initially determined that it was Zhao Xi who caused the injury. But later things changed.”
"What changes?"
"The police received a report from Xia Xuan's family, stating that Ms. Xiao and Xia Xuan are currently in a relationship. Therefore, the report was filed because Zhao Xi and Ms. Xiao believed that their respective friends had betrayed them and that they had conspired to commit murder in revenge."
"Nonsense!" Chen Yuanxing gritted his teeth. "Where's Xia Xuan? Doesn't he know perfectly well what his relationship with Qi Qi is? How could Qi Qi possibly kill someone out of jealousy for him? He's a complete bastard!"
"Mr. Chen, you know the Xia family's status in China. Since someone from them spread such rumors, the police station certainly didn't dare to slack off, so they decided to arrest Ms. Xiao on the spot. As for Xia Xuan, his family sent a private plane to pick him up and take him back to Hong Kong that same day. Whether his family's report was at his behest or his family's own decision is unknown. However, according to my analysis, Xia Xuan's injuries are very serious, and he probably won't wake up so quickly, so it must have been his family who made the decision."
Chen Yuanxing shook his head and sneered, "Isn't this blatant slander and bastardly behavior? Zhao Xi can't find her either, right? If the police can't find Xia Xuan, can't they ask Jiang Yilan?"
"That's the problem. I got the news this afternoon when I came out of the police station that Jiang Yilan hasn't said a word yet. Zhao Xi is wanted, but his whereabouts are currently unknown."
Chen Yuanxing breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back on the sofa. "So, Attorney Qin, as long as Jiang Yilan tells the whole story, Qiqi will be fine, right?"
Qin Ou glanced at Chen Yuanxing meaningfully. "Mr. Chen, how can you be so sure that Miss Xiao is not involved in this case? The police station reportedly provided a lot of evidence of Xia Xuan and Miss Xiao's relationship. You know, this is very unfavorable to Miss Xiao. Murder for betrayal of love and friendship is very consistent with the reasoning."
"Deduction? That's ridiculous!" Chen Yuanxing frowned impatiently. "Attorney Qin, Qi Qi is my girlfriend, and she has nothing to do with Xia Xuan anymore. I can guarantee that."
Qin Ou nodded, "I want Mr. Chen to guarantee this, that even if... even if Jiang Yilan's testimony is unfavorable to Miss Xiao in the future, we will still have a way to fight back."
"How could that be? Jiang Yilan is Xiao Qiqi's best friend. If she were willing to face reality, she would have told the police what happened long ago."
“Mr. Chen, I learned all of this from the police station and from my own speculation. I think we should wait until we see Miss Xiao tomorrow before making any plans.”
Chen Yuanxing nodded. Qi Qi should be fine, but what exactly is Xia Xuan up to?
The next morning, Chen Yuanxing and Qin Ou arrived at the police station. When Xiao Qiqi saw Chen Yuanxing, she almost cried, and then she did. She realized she wasn't as strong as she thought.
Qin Ou quickly completed the legal procedures for Xiao Qiqi. The group sat down, and Chen Yuanxing held Xiao Qiqi's bandaged hand across the table, asking, "Does it hurt?"
Xiao Qiqi shook her head and forced a smile: "Yuanxing, I'm sorry to have worried you. Will business be alright if you rush back like this?"
Chen Yuanxing shook his head: "It's nothing, your uncle went by himself. But what exactly happened to you? Don't cry, tell us little by little."
With tears in her eyes, Xiao Qiqi recounted what happened that night. Chen Yuanxing breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Qin Ou, "Attorney Qin, according to Qiqi, things shouldn't be that bad, right?"
Qin Ou nodded. "If the police can't find conclusive evidence, they can't charge Ms. Xiao with a criminal offense. The spray-like bloodstains on her clothes are normal given the scene. As far as I know, Jiang Yilan's clothes also have them. As for the finger marks on the knife, you can tell from Ms. Xiao's hands that they were left when she was holding the knife. I think this case isn't that serious anymore. As long as Zhao Xi is caught and the statements of the parties involved are verified, everything will be fine."
Chen Yuanxing comforted Xiao Qiqi: "I told you it's okay. The lawyer said so, so we can complete the formalities and leave tomorrow."
After giving a few more instructions, Qin Ou applied for bail for Xiao Qiqi, but was refused. Chen Yuanxing was so angry that he almost threw a tantrum. "Why can't she be released on bail? What evidence do you have to detain her?"
The police officer handling the case also looked grim. "How would we know! Anyway, it was ordered from above."
Chen Yuanxing had seen many such things since childhood, and Qin Ou was also a seasoned veteran. They immediately realized the problem: "the higher-ups" was a euphemism.