I See Murders Before They Happen

Chapter 114: Chapter 112: Xu Chuan’s Confession

「The next day.」

The toxicology reports for Zhou Shu and Xu Wei came back. They showed no common poisons.

However, Xu Wei’s report did show some medicinal compounds, which were confirmed to be from medication for a congenital heart defect.

While a large-scale search was underway for Xu Chuan’s whereabouts, he was arrested by the narcotics squad next door.

When they heard the news, the entire task force fell silent for a full five seconds before collectively sighing in relief.

The captain of the narcotics squad was named Lin Yue. Zhuang Yanzheng realized it had been a long time since he’d last seen him; he couldn’t even remember when their last meeting was.

The two met up outside the interrogation room.

Zhuang Yanzheng asked, ”He’s using drugs?”

Lin Yue nodded. ”His drug test was positive. But he keeps saying he was forced to take them and doesn’t know anything.”

”You arrested more than just him?” Zhuang Yanzheng asked.

”Yes.” Lin Yue then asked, ”He killed someone?”

”His wife and daughter,” Zhuang Yanzheng said.

Lin Yue frowned. ”The man’s an animal.”

Zhuang Yanzheng nodded and then entered the interrogation room.

He sat down and reviewed the case files.

It was mainly the information the narcotics squad had gathered.

Xu Chuan glanced at him, then lowered his gaze.

After finishing the file, Zhuang Yanzheng also remained silent.

The interrogation room fell quiet... so quiet...

...until Xu Chuan finally said, ”Officer, I was really forced into taking them. I honestly don’t know anything.”

Zhuang Yanzheng looked up at him. ”What is your relationship to Xu Wei?”

Hearing the name so unexpectedly, Xu Chuan froze for a moment.

Zhuang Yanzheng watched him.

’That look on Xu Chuan’s face... He didn’t run because he was worried the bodies would be found during the villa’s demolition.’

’It’s related to the drugs.’

”Xu Wei? What Xu Wei?” Xu Chuan asked.

”You don’t remember your own daughter’s name?” Zhuang Yanzheng asked.

Xu Chuan’s pupils contracted. After a two-second pause, he asked, ”My... my daughter has been found? What about my wife? How is she? Is she okay? Is my daughter okay?”

Watching him, Zhuang Yanzheng was now completely certain he hadn’t run out of fear that the bodies would be discovered.

’Perhaps from the very beginning, they were never worried about those two skeletons.’

’Deny it to the death, and rely on their powerful connections.’

’After all, it’s been so many years.’

’It would be very difficult to find any more evidence.’

It seemed Cui Xian hadn’t been lying when she said she didn’t know where he had gone.

However, one other thing was now certain: Xu Chuan’s mental fortitude wasn’t very strong.

He just put on a good act.

The moment Xu Wei was mentioned, he became scared.

Su Miaoyi followed Director Meng to the one-way window outside the interrogation room.

Lin Yue gave his spot to Meng Shuyi.

Su Miaoyi and Lin Yue nodded at each other in greeting.

Zhuang Yanzheng asked, ”When you were grabbing your wife’s head and slamming it against the wall, what did that feel like? How did it feel in your hands?”

Xu Chuan tried to remain calm, but his stiff expression betrayed him. ”I... I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Zhuang Yanzheng continued, ”What were you thinking when you smashed that bronze statuette of a bull on your wife’s head? What did that feel like? When her blood splattered on your hands, did you feel its warmth?”

Fortunately, he and Su Miaoyi had discussed the scene she had seen in great detail yesterday.

Xu Chuan’s expression was so rigid his jawline was taut. He swallowed hard.

”Your wife, the woman you spent every day with—when her blood splattered on you, what did it feel like? Was it cool or warm?” Zhuang Yanzheng asked.

Xu Chuan’s breathing began to quicken.

Su Miaoyi watched from outside.

Zhuang Yanzheng said, ”And what did it feel like when you were strangling your daughter? As you watched her stop breathing bit by bit, did you feel relieved or afraid? Did you feel any sadness? After all these years, do you ever, for even a moment, remember her calling you ’Dad’? And when you buried them, what were you thinking then?”

”Stop talking! Stop talking!” Xu Chuan suddenly broke down, shouting and rattling the interrogation chair. ”Just stop!”

The officers outside heard the noise and immediately entered.

Zhuang Yanzheng waved them off, and they left again.

”I didn’t mean to kill them, I didn’t want to kill them, it was an accident, I...” Xu Chuan lowered his head, his hands clenched into tight fists. ”I was just too impulsive at that moment. I couldn’t control myself. I didn’t want to kill them.”

After saying this with his head down, he suddenly looked up and screamed, ”That woman! She controlled me! Wouldn’t let me smoke, wouldn’t let me drink! ’This friend is bad, don’t hang out with him.’ ’That friend is no good, stay away from him.’ ’This food is unhealthy, you can’t eat it.’ She even controlled the time I came home! She wouldn’t let me do anything! Did I marry a wife or find myself a new mother?!”

”So, because no one was controlling you anymore, you started doing drugs?” Zhuang Yanzheng asked.

Xu Chuan didn’t answer, his chest just heaved up and down.

”So while your daughter was being bullied, you took a liking to the aunt of the boy who was bullying her, is that right?” Zhuang Yanzheng asked.

”Who told you that!” Xu Chuan yelled.

A moment ago, he was too consumed by fear to even wonder how Zhuang Yanzheng knew all this.

The people who knew were dead. Besides him, there was only one person left.

”It was her! She told you! She told you everything! She betrayed me! She said she’d make sure nothing happened to me, that she’d help me keep it a secret!”

Zhuang Yanzheng didn’t speak, just watched him.

’But his gaze gave Xu Chuan a clear message... Yes, I know everything. The person you’re thinking of told me. That’s right! She’s already told me everything.’

Xu Chuan broke down. ”Bitch! That bitch! She seduced me! Said she’d keep me safe and sound no matter what! Then she turned around and sold me out!”

Zhuang Yanzheng watched him, his face flushed red with anger.

”I killed them! She knew everything! It was her idea to bury them under the villa she was building! It was her idea, so she can’t get away clean either!” Xu Chuan shouted. ”It was also her idea for me to go to the police and report my wife and daughter missing, to clear my name.”

”Who gave you this idea?” Zhuang Yanzheng asked while he was breaking down.

”Cui Xian! It was her! She said her father had connections high up and could smooth everything over, as long as I never admitted it,” Xu Chuan said. ”She’s the one who seduced me first! She was the one who told me to go home and get a divorce, that’s why I argued with Zhou Shu! I didn’t want to kill her, I didn’t want to kill her, I was just too impulsive! It was all Cui Xian’s fault, she seduced me first. I went to the school to sort things out for my daughter, and she was the other boy’s aunt. She seduced me.”

Su Miaoyi took a deep, speechless breath.

’This kind of man... even at a time like this, he’s still pushing all the blame onto a woman.’

’What a piece of trash.’

”Even my dog knows not to take food from strangers,” Zhuang Yanzheng said flatly.

Xu Chuan instantly fell silent.

Zhuang Yanzheng asked again, ”Where did you get the drugs you had?”

Xu Chuan didn’t speak.

Zhuang Yanzheng said, ”You don’t want to talk because you don’t want to be sentenced, but things have already reached this point. Are you still not going to talk?”

Xu Chuan kept his head down. After a long moment, he said, ”Galaxy KTV on Qinggui Road.”

Outside the interrogation room, Lin Yue pricked up his ears.

Xu Chuan said, ”Now that I’ve been arrested, they’ve probably already bolted.”

Lin Yue immediately made arrangements. Not much time had passed since Xu Chuan’s arrest.

Zhuang Yanzheng asked, ”Does Cui Xian know you’re involved with drugs?”

Xu Chuan shook his head. ”She doesn’t know. She told me not to touch that stuff. I did it secretly... she never found out. We used to see each other a lot, but after being together for so long, it just wasn’t the same. I got tired of seeing her all the time. I’d just make excuses, say I had business to attend to. If it weren’t for her being rich and powerful, and having something on me, I would have dropped her a long time ago.”

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