Attention Sir, I Have Your Heart Handcuffed!-Chapter 471 - 340. What I can do for you... (Part 3, Section 2)
Police Station.
Xia Zuo calmly faced Tang Yanqing.
"Regarding Lu Zhao’s matter, it was I who instructed Spicy Girl to handle it. Lu Zhao deserved to die, he dared to harm the person Mr. loves the most, I simply couldn’t allow this person to live. He betrayed Mr., having been nurtured by him for many years as an orphan, yet he acted so harshly towards Miss for his own personal desires, he no longer deserves to live."
"Spicy Girl was acting under my orders, so this matter is unrelated to Mr."
Xia Zuo’s expression was unnaturally calm, a calmness that seemed to indicate a heart free of any burdens.
"And as for Xiong Jie’s kidnapping, that also was a matter between Spicy Girl and me. Mr. only aimed to protect Miss Shi and hoped Xiong Jie would stay silent, I entrusted this to Spicy Girl, but I didn’t expect she misunderstood and found someone as incompetent as Wang Dong."
"This matter too was only known to Mr. at the end, and its entire execution remains unrelated to him."
Xia Zuo’s response did not surprise Tang Yanqing. From the moment Xia Zuo voluntarily walked into the police station and calmly stood before him, Tang Yanqing had already anticipated Xia Zuo’s decision.
At first glance, Xia Zuo appeared calm, detached, with a faint smile, exuding the aura of either a high monk emerging from seclusion, or a martyr facing death with resignation.
Xia Zuo had come to take on everything.
Though Tang Yanqing understood in his heart, he still asked according to procedure, "And what about Kangchuan University?"
Speaking of this, Xia Zuo finally showed some genuine emotion. He chuckled coldly: "Honestly, I really intended for her to go to school. She grew up and finally came to find me, but if she wanted to stay by Mr.’s side, she needed an education. Her previous schooling was intermittent, so I sent her to Kangchuan University."
"But that bastard Sean still set his sights on her... Mr. Tang, you should understand a man’s feelings, how could I let Sean go?"
Tang Yanqing squinted his eyes, "What method did you use?"
The injuries Lu Zhao suffered corroborated with Huangfu Huazhang’s method resembling Sean’s cause of death, an essential piece of evidence valued by the police.
Xia Zuo laughed, "Of course, I twisted Sean’s neck. Mr. Tang, would you like to personally try my method, to see how I killed Sean back then?"
Behind the glass, Shi Nian frowned, "Considering Xia Zuo’s relationship with Huangfu, it’s possible for them to have identical methods. Moreover, the current judgment is only based on points of force, and I believe Xia Zuo could have also achieved the exact same marks."
Furthermore, Xia Zuo’s height, physique, even the length and strength of his fingers are so similar to Huangfu Huazhang.
Tang Yanqing smiled, "Actually, I’m not focusing on Sean’s death. What concerns me is the blood handprint on the window. Let’s discuss the blood handprint." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶
If killing is the decisive blow, then the blood handprint is the final flourish of emotion.
Compared to the two, it’s the flourish of emotion that reveals more of the perpetrator’s state of mind.
Xia Zuo indeed raised his eyebrows and then said slowly, "After killing Sean, I felt a sigh of relief. In a joyous mood, there was an impulse to graffiti, and so it ended up on the glass."
Tang Yanqing then laughed, "Xia Zuo, you are like Huangfu’s shadow, but do you know where you differ from him? You possess his calmness and meticulousness, but you can’t replicate his elegance and subtlety."
Tang Yanqing produced a photo, it was of the blood handprint.
"Look at this handprint, one can only understand its essence through the lens of traditional Chinese painting. You see the deliberate slowness as the handprint slides down, revealing tightly intertwined emotions. It isn’t merely the impulsive desire of a young man to graffiti, but rather profound, intricate musings set in distant mountains, the heartfelt thoughts expressed through the sophisticated, gentle strokes of an adult male’s Chinese painting, which completely diverge from the emotional state you’ve described."
Xia Zuo had to admit, this young detective across from him had achieved mastery in behavior analysis, bringing the state of mind exhibited in the blood handprint vividly to life.
Yet he still laughed, even clapped his hands, "Mr. Tang, your explanation is truly captivating. But if this photo and interpretation were presented in court, apart from yourself, who else could understand it, who would agree with your explanation?"
"It’s too abstruse, this kind of Eastern mysticism that appeals to us won’t help you in M Country’s courts. Don’t forget, whether it’s the judge or the jury, they are all straightforward Westerners."
Tang Yanqing also reciprocated with applause, "Spoken exceptionally well. Xia Zuo, you certainly are someone beside Huangfu."
At the same time, Tang Yanqing swiftly withdrew the photo, smiling, "Then tell me, what were you intending to graffiti at the time?"
Xia Zuo was taken aback by the question, caught off guard. He thought for a moment and said, "It was just a spur-of-the-moment urge, I wasn’t intending to paint anything specific, just a spontaneous outburst as I felt."
Tang Yanqing nodded, "That also makes sense. But even if you weren’t drawing anything specific, surely you remember how you started the stroke? Tell me, was your first stroke horizontal, vertical, diagonal, or circular?"
Xia Zuo was again momentarily taken aback, instinctively wanting to take another look at that photo... but it was already taken away by Tang Yanqing.
Tang Yanqing smiled, "After all, it’s not something you drew yourself; too many details you wouldn’t even know. Even when looking at the photo earlier, all you thought about was how to overturn my previous reasoning, leaving no energy to observe the photo yourself... Regretting now? Xia Zuo, the mysteriousness of the scene’s mood indeed cannot serve as courtroom evidence, but the study of traces itself can persuade judges and jurors. Stop trying to force it; you can’t fabricate anymore."
Xia Zuo’s eyes glimmered coldly.
Tang Yanqing sighed, "Moreover, have you thought about Spicy Girl? Have you forgotten what name she gave herself? Xue Ping. Life, like duckweed, drifting in the sea of people, uncontrollable. But in her eyes, you’re her only shore. She’s able to peacefully reside by your side, and so she returns to you after growing up... But did you push all blame onto her?"
"You are Huangfu’s servant; you want to be loyal, take the blame for Huangfu, which I understand. I just can’t accept that your taking the blame means pushing everything onto her; is that how you treat her?"
On the other side of the glass, Shi Nian and Tang Yan Yi both felt their noses sting, feeling Xue Ping was undervalued.
The two exchanged a glance, yet they understood that Tang Yanqing was playing the emotional card, using emotional guilt to break down Xia Zuo’s stubborn psychological defenses.
Xia Zuo took a deep breath, his face still firm, but his eyes betrayed a moment of hesitation.
Clearly, before coming, he had done ample psychological preparation, imagined what strategies Tang Yanqing would use, and thought through how to respond when asked about Xue Ping... Yet clearly, he had underestimated Xue Ping’s place in his heart. When the emotional offensive struck, he thought it would be a trickling stream, but indeed when the waters reached the city walls it was a crashing wave.
He lifted his eyes and looked over: "All those things were asked by me to be done by her. If she is convicted because of this, I accompany her; if she dies because of this, I accompany her as well. Mr. Tang, don’t assume a posture of understanding her, you can’t achieve that. I understand her better than you; I know she is without regret."
Tang Yanqing laughed, "Without regret? Xia Zuo, you’re wrong. In this world, only those with unwavering hearts remain without regret, but you’ve been lying; do you believe she would be without regret for your lies?"
"Considering the genuine feelings you once shared with Spicy Girl, I’ll give you one last chance. Otherwise, if your lies hurt the girl who is infatuated and unwavering for you, that’s on you, don’t blame me for being ruthless."
Xia Zuo’s expression changed, "What do you plan to do?"
Tang Yanqing shrugged, "I’ll simply repeat your lies to her, then ask for her statement again."
Xia Zuo pondered for a moment, then coldly laughed, "Mr. Tang, you’re playing psychological games with me. I won’t fall for it. I don’t regret a word of what I said earlier."
"Well, Xia Zuo, let’s hope you won’t regret it."
Tang Yanqing stood up, instructed Gao Cheng to detain Xia Zuo, then prepared to go see Spicy Girl.
He himself also left the interrogation room, first returning to his office to drink water.
He felt extremely thirsty.
Not from talking too much, but from an internal struggle, whether to use Spicy Girl and Xia Zuo’s relationship.
Two opposing sides, not weary of deception, the police facing suspects also need wit and bravery, sometimes resorting to small tactics.
In the face of significant right and wrong, he knew what he needed to do, but thinking privately about the feelings those two once shared in their youth made him somewhat reluctant.
The office door gently clicked open; Shi Nian entered.
After yesterday, today she was evidently pale and thin, shadows under her eyes.
He looked down at her, not knowing how to speak, yet she approached on her own, offered her small hand, gently grasping his.
He smiled, nodding, "I know even though Spicy Girl once deceived you, you are always a soft-hearted little thing. If not for you, I wouldn’t have hesitated."
Shi Nian glanced around, seeing no one paying attention, then quietly approached, leaned close to his arm.
"...I just feel, Spicy Girl is also pitiful."
Tang Yanqing’s heart surged, and he didn’t care if anyone saw, boldly spread his arms wide, enveloping her completely.
Finally able to, in the police station, under the eyes of all, hold her close, no longer needing to pretend cold brows, cold eyes, or harsh words... so away with other’s gazes.
He recklessly rested his jaw on her shoulder, "So I must even more firmly, quickly find out the truth, bring the real perpetrator to justice. Then they, as pawns, can truly be liberated, and finally have a chance to find their own happiness."
