Chapter 76: Grabbed by the Nape of Fate
When Li Xiuhong heard what Su Zhaozhao said, she was so furious she could have coughed up blood.
’Hitting me is one thing, but now she’s slandering me?’
"Don’t you spout nonsense!"
"Let’s go. To the police station." The officer had handled cases like this before and had a decent understanding of the situation.
Amidst the crowd’s murmurs, they had likely formed their own judgments.
Li Xiuhong refused to go, even shoving the officer.
"You dare to lay a hand on us? Ma’am, do you realize we’re public officials? Not only are you failing to cooperate, but you’re also assaulting us. You could go to jail for this."
"I did nothing wrong! I’m innocent! My son is a political instructor. If he finds out you’re bullying an old woman like me, he won’t let you get away with it!"
"Perfect. Then have your son come down to the police station too."
Su Zhaozhao and Xie Huaizheng also went over. Su Zhaozhao gave her statement.
"I suspect her because she certainly has a motive. She’s extremely dissatisfied with her daughter-in-law and is always cursing and hitting her. She even gets physical in a public place like the hospital, which shows how much resentment she’s built up against her."
"Secondly, besides her, the victim, and two children, there was no one else at home at the time. They had an argument right before the incident. Who’s to say she wasn’t harboring resentment and waited for a chance to retaliate against her daughter-in-law?"
"Furthermore, the moment her daughter-in-law jumped, she rushed out and kept cursing her, asking why she didn’t just die. This proves she wanted her daughter-in-law dead, so no one could point to her as the culprit."
The officer recorded all the details Su Zhaozhao described.
"But even knowing all this, we can’t definitively conclude that she’s a suspect," the officer said with a look of regret.
They were human, too. They felt immense sympathy for someone who committed suicide over family conflicts.
But as for Li Xiuhong’s situation, how should one put it?
As long as there was no evidence she had physically done anything, it would be impossible to convict her.
"I know, but she was constantly inciting Wang Dahua to die with her words. That’s a form of psychological reinforcement. The victim might not have originally wanted to die, but under her constant suggestion, she could have actually chosen to. In legal terms, that could be considered indirect homicide, couldn’t it?"
That was indeed a possibility. From this angle, it might be possible to convict Li Xiuhong.
The officer noted this down.
After they finished her statement, the officer said to Su Zhaozhao, "Ma’am, your analysis is very thorough. Have you studied criminal investigation before? How do you have such a clear grasp of the culprit’s motive and the conditions of the crime?"
He hadn’t even had a chance to ask his questions one by one before Su Zhaozhao had poured it all out, as if she knew exactly what he was going to ask.
Su Zhaozhao smiled. "Mm, I’ve looked into it a bit."
’I used to work as a psychological profiler, analyzing the motives of criminal suspects, so naturally, I knew the police procedures like the back of my hand.’
’After all these years, things really haven’t changed much.’
Coming out of the police station, Su Zhaozhao looked at Xie Huaizheng. "You’re not mad at me, are you?"
Xie Huaizheng was a little surprised. "Why would I be mad at you?"
"Look, I caused a huge scene. It’s bound to cause you trouble. That old woman’s son is your comrade-in-arms. After the fuss I made, if he comes to you, won’t things be awkward between you two?"
’After all, she was Xie Huaizheng’s fiancée. Anything she did here reflected on him.’
’Offending his mother was the same as offending him.’
"It’s fine," Xie Huaizheng said. "Do I look like someone who cares what other people think?"
The man’s tone was casual, as if he couldn’t care less.
Su Zhaozhao thought of Xie Huaizheng’s perpetually fearless demeanor. ’That’s true,’ she thought.
"I heard from Little Xiao that you have the nickname ’Cold-faced Yama’ in the barracks. With a reputation that fierce, people probably steer clear of you. I doubt anyone would dare to cause you trouble."
Hearing her words, Xie Huaizheng raised an eyebrow. "What did you call me?"
His tone was chilling. Despite the hot weather, it sent a shiver down Su Zhaozhao’s spine.
’She suddenly remembered that when Xiao Yuanming had told her about the nickname, he had specifically said it wasn’t something to be thrown around casually.’
’Xie Huaizheng didn’t like it.’
’But now, she had blurted it out without thinking.’
Su Zhaozhao immediately said, "I didn’t say anything! Well, I need to get to the hospital to treat Jiang Shulan."
Su Zhaozhao quickened her pace, afraid Xie Huaizheng would catch her.
But the next moment, the man’s hand clamped down on the nape of her neck.
’This was a sensitive spot for Su Zhaozhao. Every time she was gripped by the back of the neck, it felt like her very destiny was being choked.’
Her entire body went stiff, unable to move.
And in that instant, a layer of goosebumps broke out across her skin.
’AHHHH!’ Su Zhaozhao felt like she was about to have a meltdown.
Xie Huaizheng felt it too. The moment his hand closed around the nape of her neck, her body suddenly went soft and limp.
Her entire being tensed up.
In that instant, Xie Huaizheng felt as if he had discovered something. The corners of his thin lips curved up into a smile. "So, this is your weak spot..."
His fingers couldn’t help but knead the back of her neck.
The pads of his fingers were rough, while the girl’s neck was as delicate as her face.
Her neck was long, slender, and fair.
Xie Huaizheng looked at his own tan skin, which by contrast, made hers seem almost dazzlingly white.
His Adam’s apple bobbed uncontrollably.
He restrained himself from doing anything more inappropriate.
Su Zhaozhao’s body felt a little weak. She felt like she couldn’t hold herself up much longer.
"You... Let go. Let go of me..."
’Xie Huaizheng was so infuriating!’
’He’d discovered her weakness, and not only did he refuse to let go, he kept holding on!’
Where his rough fingertips caressed her skin, a fresh wave of fine goosebumps rose.
Su Zhaozhao’s legs gave out, and she stumbled forward uncontrollably.
Su Zhaozhao closed her eyes. ’She really hated Xie Huaizheng!’
But the next moment, a strong, powerful arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her in tightly.
She was pressed into Xie Huaizheng’s embrace.
"Why such a strong reaction?"
Xie Huaizheng chuckled. For some reason, the image of a kitten suddenly appeared in his mind.
It seemed that when a kitten was picked up by the scruff of its neck by a mother cat, it would also go stiff and motionless.
She was exactly like a little kitten.
Looking at the petite girl in his arms, Xie Huaizheng thought, ’Just like a little cat.’
After recovering for a moment, Su Zhaozhao shoved Xie Huaizheng away. "You should go back!"
She shot Xie Huaizheng a glare and quickly ran ahead.
Terrified that Xie Huaizheng would chase after her.