He Ruxing’s tears had already fallen, probably frightened by Tao Zhenshan’s actions. It wasn’t just He Ruxing; even Zhou Ning had been startled, but Xu Dayuan burst out laughing.
"Zhenshan’s getting impatient, I thought this guy had such a good temper. I didn’t expect he couldn’t hold his fire just the sa."
Zhou Ning glanced at his watch, it wasn’t even four o’clock yet. The more anxious he beca, the slower ti seed to pass.
"I wonder how much He Ruxing was involved?"
Xu Dayuan waved his hand, now he was the one who was calm.
"No rush, let Zhenshan wear him down."
"By the way, Xu Da, have soone check whether He Ruxing has rented a house at Shanhai Building. With Yi Xiaou’s intelligence, she wouldn’t do this by herself. She had He Ruxing drive, and even disguised herself as him, but it was only to hope he would take the fall.
"The best way for them to hide in Shanhai Building is to live there to evade inspections and leave smoothly. Otherwise, from the incident to 7:20 this morning, they couldn’t have been in the car for that entire eight and a half hours."
Xu Dayuan laughed and patted Zhou Ning’s shoulder.
"Don’t worry, I’ve thought of that too, and I’ve already had Mr. Zeng and the others look into it."
Inside the interrogation room, He Ruxing lifted his arm and wiped his face with his sleeve, staring at Tao Zhenshan, not daring to avert his gaze.
"I’ll talk, I’ll talk. We’re actually distant relatives. Yi Xiaou’s mom and my dad are siblings. But the family couldn’t afford so many children, so my aunt was given away to the neighbors, a couple who were professors. They took her mom away after the political rehabilitation and cut off contact.
"My grandpa had said that the old couple didn’t have children, lived well, and fully supported Yi Xiaou’s mom’s education, making her a judge. Not many had such conditions in that era. After the old professors passed away, Yi Xiaou’s mom had so contact with my dad and my eldest uncle.
"However, the relationship was very average. After all, among my father’s six siblings, either they were poor as can be or uneducated and low-status, so seeking her family out was basically for borrowing money or arranging work. Yi Xiaou’s mom gradually cut off contact with our family too.
"I knew about Yi Xiaou and that she was my schoolmate, but we never really contacted each other. Given the difference in family backgrounds, even if I tried to reach out, they wouldn’t bother, would they?"
Tao Zhenshan leaned forward, resting his hands on the small table in front of He Ruxing, their faces less than two fists apart. At such a close distance, He Ruxing couldn’t help but blink.
"You didn’t lie at the beginning, but don’t tell you two weren’t in contact or weren’t familiar. The surveillance footage from June 29 at 22:23 already caught your car entering Shanhai Building, and it left at 7:20 on June 30. You think wearing a baseball cap makes you unrecognizable?"
He Ruxing was dumbstruck, but this ti he kept his mouth shut. After all, more explanations would only make things worse.
Xu Dayuan’s phone rang, it was Mr. Zeng on the line.
"Mr. Xu, we’ve confird that He Ruxing indeed rented a room at Shanhai Building, Tower 7, Floor 3, Room 1401, but only for three months. He rented it on April 5 and vacated on July 5, didn’t even ask for the deposit back. The landlord isn’t local, so he didn’t register with the property managent. For the car’s entrance and exit, the landlord’s Bluetooth was used."
After hanging up the phone, Zhou Ning had already drafted a ssage and sent it to Tao Zhenshan. Upon seeing the ssage, Tao Zhenshan couldn’t help but laugh.
"Are you clever, or are you a fool? Renting a room in Tower 7, Floor 3, Room 1401 at Shanhai Building in your own na, bringing Yi Xiaou to Shanhai Building before the incident, and then taking her away afterwards, with your video images everywhere. Do you know that you’re now listed as a suspect in the June 29 arson case? Do you need to enlighten you about the law?"
He Ruxing remained silent, Tao Zhenshan stood up, glancing at the ti behind him.
"Decided to keep quiet, huh? I’ve given you a chance. I thought you were young, soone misled, not to have your future ruined like this. It seems you don’t cherish it. Mr. Bai, send him to the detention center. I’ll go interrogate Yi Xiaou first."
As he spoke, without giving He Ruxing a single glance, Mr. Bai stood up, ready to fetch the keys to unlock the handcuffs. He Ruxing beca dumbstruck, his body twisting continuously.
"I haven’t admitted to any cri; you can’t send to the detention center. This is against the rules."
Tao Zhenshan turned his head to give He Ruxing a brief look, now he was simply amused.
"You think reading books has made you dumb? Based on the previous records from Wenquan Police Station, and the video captures of you entering and leaving the community around the ti of the incident, I can classify you as an accomplice. This ans you could be subjected to control, detention, or solely additional penalties. Naturally, you can be sent to the detention center, understand?"
"Let add one more thing. Dong Chengwen hasn’t confessed either; he’s still a family mber of the victim, but because he’s a suspect, he’s been sent to detention for two months already. What else do you want to know?"
He Ruxing clutched his hair, shaking his head non-stop, until he finally started to cry out loud, and Mr. Bai also stopped what he was doing.
After a short wait, He Ruxing lifted his eyes.
"I tell you, I really didn’t take part in the arson! I was in contact with Yi Xiaou, and I went to Xingchen Law Firm because she found soone. It was a coincidence that I t Fang Hua last year. I wasn’t lying about that.
It was just that afterwards, Yi Xiaou ca to , and she told about Fang Hua’s identity. I was scared, thinking Yi Xiaou was acting on behalf of Dong Chengwen. I swore never to contact Fang Hua again, and moreover, I didn’t know before that she was married or anything about her identity."
But Yi Xiaou pulled up, saying she believed it wasn’t intentional on my part. After all, who wouldn’t want a shortcut to a beautiful wealthy sister? She understood completely. However, this ti she ca to ask if I wanted to make so money, without involving any reputation issues or affecting future work.
I refused, but then she slapped 20,000 yuan in front of . I won’t lie to you; since I could rember, my family had never seen so much money. Even our old broken house was left to us by my grandfather, and even with my father’s disability, my uncle and aunts still coveted it.
Then, I took the money. Yi Xiaou said it was just about being an extra, and that Dong Chengwen had sent her to do this. She chose because I was in opposition to their law firm. As long as I followed the arrangents, I wouldn’t lack money afterward.
Over the next two months, she indeed gave four more sums of 20,000 yuan. At first, all I was to do was maintain my relationship with Fang Hua, talk about love, or have an online romance, but no sex was allowed. When I heard the last condition, I just went with it.
As for the ti I got caught by the police, I received a ssage from Yi Xiaou early in the morning, asking to invite Fang Hua out to the hot springs hotel. She told not to do anything because the police would be checking rooms and reminded to control myself, or it would affect the rest of my life.
I hesitated, but she said when she gave the money, she had recorded video and audio, and could report to the police, claiming I had threatened Yi Xiaou. If I did that, not only would I have to return all the money, but I would also be implicated in criminal punishnt, and my next life would be ruined.
So I agreed to et up. She explained the process to , and as expected, we were checked at the hotel at night. We were taken to the police station to make a statent. Although nothing happened, still Fang Hua’s husband ca. He arrived very fast and was extrely angry. After signing, he took Fang Hua and left."
In the months that followed, Fang Hua contacted on QQ, asking if I was the victim of any retaliation and she was very concerned about . But I knew we were from different worlds and I couldn’t give her anything. After all, I was just an actor."
Tao Zhenshan tapped on the table.
"Get to the point. How much money did they give you? And why did you go to the Shanhai Building on June 29? Why did you rent a room there?"
He Ruxing sighed and then said:
"She gave three hundred thousand just before New Year’s. I never knew three hundred thousand in cash was such a large bundle. Afterwards, I did as Yi Xiaou requested and kept in contact with Fang Hua. In March, she photocopied my ID card, claiming she wanted to rent a room but didn’t want to reveal her na.
You know, I was in her hands, and she was the financier, so I didn’t dare offend her. As for that room, I went there three or four tis, and each ti, it was driving her there, though she always lay on the back seat, saying her back was uncomfortable."
On June 29, Yi Xiaou asked to pick her up. She called several tis, urging . I didn’t know what happened, but I got to her place at nine in the evening, and it wasn’t until after ten that she got into my car.
She didn’t co from the front parking lot but suddenly appeared on the side, telling to sit in the back seat. She even pulled off my baseball cap. Later the car arrived at the Shanhai Building and went directly to the West District. She told to get out of the car and go back to the rented house and wait for her call, so I quickly walked away."
In the rented house, I waited a while, and when Yi Xiaou didn’t return, I took a shower. After all, she hadn’t said I could leave, and I didn’t dare to go. When I finished showering and ca out, I heard a noisy sound from the east side, along with flas.
At that mont, my heart sank. I had this feeling that it had to do with Yi Xiaou, but just then, Yi Xiaou spoke up from behind , scaring . I asked her what she ant by asking to co here today?
She said if I wanted to know, I’d have to return the four hundred thousand yuan I had received before. Only then would she explain. If I didn’t return the money, she said to go to sleep, so I had no choice but to sleep on the couch. The next morning, she woke up, and after washing my face, we went downstairs.
She gave back my hat and threw a bag in the car, asking to drive away. Officer, I swear I haven’t lied about a word; I don’t know what she did, so there’s no way I can be considered an accomplice!"
Tao Zhenshan nodded and looked at He Ruxing.
"I believe it; I believe you didn’t know anything that night, but what about afterwards? You must have seen the news about Fang Hua being resuscitated, right? So don’t tell you can’t be considered an accomplice.
When you helped a suspect flee, why didn’t you speak up? Why didn’t you say anything after the news ca out? Why didn’t you ntion it when we called you just now? Sign here!"
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