Chapter 49 [VIP] Man-Eater (8)

Chapter 49 [VIP] Man-Eater (8)

Meng Siqi was stunned. She wanted Song Xinran to show emotional abnormalities, but she couldn't let anything happen.

Almost simultaneously, the three people in the office rushed with Da Cheng towards the interrogation room. They pushed open the door and saw Song Xinran hunched over, lying on the table in distress. Her lips were trembling as if she was mumbling something.

Her back was quivering slightly, like an injured little animal, evoking an inexplicable sense of pity.

No one at this moment would think she was a suspect; right now, she seemed more like a weakling, a frail and helpless woman, a patient desperately needing comfort and treatment.

Meng Siqi rushed forward, anxiously asking, "Song Xinran, how are you feeling?"

She lay on the table, rolling her eyes, looking very painful.

Always known for her perfect posture and impeccable image, this state must have been caused by immense suffering.

Feng Shaomin, usually calm, now had his brows furrowed. "Let's take her to the hospital, right now. Zhao Leiting, give us a hand."

Although it was a routine procedure to detain suspects, any incident in the interrogation room would be a serious matter.

"I want to see Jin Yaming! Let me see him!" When Feng Shaomin lifted one of her arms, Song Xinran suddenly resisted. "I don't want to go to the hospital."

Feng Shaomin had to let go, trying to persuade her. "Jin Yaming is in custody; he can't help you!"

"I know my condition; I have my medicine." Song Xinran trembled as she reached into her pocket. With a series of "clicks," the pill bottle fell to the ground, its cap off, spilling black pills everywhere.

Meng Siqi froze, then quickly squatted down to pick up the pills. These pills were tiny, about the size of rice grains, smooth and hard to grasp, easily slipping through her fingernails. As she picked them up, she asked, "How many should you take?"

Song Xinran replied in a trembling voice, "I don't know; Yaming has always given them to me..."

She wanted to see Jin Yaming. Meng Siqi realized it was impossible, but in this critical moment, she could only look at Feng Shaomin. He understood and, perhaps out of urgency, urged Zhao Leiting, "Zhao, call the detention center immediately and ask Jin Yaming."

Jin Yaming had not yet been transferred to court and was still in custody. Zhao Leiting nodded and rushed out.

After ten minutes, he came back, panting, "Twenty pills, it's twenty pills."

Meng Siqi had already collected a handful of black pills and quickly counted out twenty. With one hand, she lifted Song Xinran's upper body, ensuring she sat steadily before placing the pills near her mouth. "Come on, swallow them quickly."

Song Xinran weakly opened her mouth, and Meng Siqi fed her the pills, followed by a sip of warm water. As she swallowed, she still trembled slightly, but she was much better than when they first found her.

Meng Siqi gently laid her back in the chair and covered her with her coat.

Zhao Leiting hurriedly brought a blanket from the office, replacing her coat. It was winter, and even in enclosed spaces, it was chilly.

The three of them remained silent in the interrogation room, waiting for Song Xinran to wake up.

Half an hour later, Song Xinran slowly opened her eyes. She seemed to have recovered, though still weak. She spoke softly, "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Miss Song," Zhao Leiting replied.

Song Xinran sighed. "What time is it now?"

Feng Shaomin checked his watch. "It's half past nine. Song Xinran, you can leave now. If you feel unwell, we'll take you to the hospital."

"I'm fine; the medicine works. Thank you again. Whenever I get nervous or anxious, I experience heart palpitations. It's an old problem that can't be cured."

"Good to hear. Rest a bit longer. Zhao, get her some hot water."

After drinking some hot water, Song Xinran regained her composure, her red lips looking brighter. She stood up, neatly folded the blanket, and placed it on the chair. Then, she carefully put the pills Meng Siqi had collected back into her pocket.

With a smile, she said, "Goodbye!"

Watching Song Xinran leave the interrogation room, the rhythmic sound of her heels echoing in the hallway, Meng Siqi felt conflicted. She hoped Song Xinran was alright, but also wished she would confess during her weakest moment. This was a contradiction, and she could only watch her leave unharmed.

Feng Shaomin held a pill in his hand, observing it. "Is this for heart palpitations? Does it cause such symptoms?"

He didn't expect an answer because today, Song Xinran had performed too much. Although her illness seemed real, Feng Shaomin still had doubts.

Zhao Leiting said, "Brother Feng, do you suspect Song Xinran was acting? Apart from not foaming at the mouth, she looked genuinely in pain."

"Let's call it a day," Feng Shaomin got up. "It's late; you two should go home and rest. Zhao, if you have the energy, please escort Meng."

"No need," Meng Siqi said. "There's still one last bus."

"No, really," Zhao Leiting smiled. "I didn't do much today, so I must escort you."

Sitting in Zhao Leiting's car, Meng Siqi felt exhausted, both physically and mentally. She knew Song Xinran was the murderer but couldn't convict her. Despite the clear evidence, Song Xinran had woven an impenetrable web of lies.

Zhao Leiting sensed her fatigue and remained silent throughout the drive, allowing her to rest.

When she returned home, she dragged herself to bed, wanting to rest. Ye Xiuhui, however, looked displeased. "You forgetful child, didn't you promise to come home for dinner today? Your brother is back."

Meng Siqi almost forgot. Last night, she had promised to return home for dinner. Aunt Chang had mentioned several times that she hadn't cooked for her in a while. She wasn't doing it for Meng Tingzhe but simply wanted to enjoy Aunt Chang's cooking, which was far better than the police canteen's fare.

"I forgot, I was busy today," Meng Siqi said regretfully. Aunt Chang must have prepared a lot of delicious food.

"Forgetful? Your brother waited for you all day. With your memory, how can you be a police officer? I doubt you even have a place to stand at work."

Meng Siqi guessed Meng Tingzhe had returned home with some ulterior motive. She laughed, "Your memory isn't better than mine."

"You're mocking me? You forgetful child."

Meng Siqi climbed the stairs, tired but still managed to tell Ye Xiuhui, "Your memory is good? Good enough to remember who's your biological child..."

Ye Xiuhui suddenly froze, as if struck by an invisible force.

She stood there, stunned.

Ye Xiuhui certainly wouldn't forget who her biological child was. When her daughter went missing in the hospital, she cried for days. She loved her dearly. Thinking of her small, helpless child, possibly living without parents, broke her heart.

She had always dreamed of her daughter returning home, and that longing led Meng Siqi's father, Meng Hui, to decide to adopt a child. At first, Ye Xiuhui was resistant, but eventually, she relented.

Meng Tingzhe was very beautiful as a child, and Ye Xiuhui still remembered dressing him in dresses. Gradually, she poured all her love for a daughter into Meng Tingzhe. It was strange how the more time passed, the more she invested in him, developing a bond akin to mother and son.

She had originally thought that when her daughter returned, she would feel maternal love, but she could never recapture those feelings. Perhaps all her longing and affection had been given to Meng Tingzhe, and she no longer had any of the original feelings for Meng Siqi.

She had doubted herself, but she couldn't deceive herself—deep down, she cared more about this son.

That night, Ye Xiuhui thought a lot and found excuses for herself. Meng Siqi had changed; raised by that poor farming couple, she had undergone a complete transformation. Though she had the Meng family bloodline, she was not a worthy heir. She was unworthy.

*

Meng Siqi never expected Ye Xiuhui to have any introspection. She also clearly understood that she would not become an heir in this family, which favored boys over girls and showed favoritism.

She wanted everything back and was certainly not content, but at the moment, she was stretched thin. She wanted to do what she truly loved, and she had grown passionate about her work—the honor bestowed upon her by the badge. Once she donned the police uniform, she bore responsibility. She knew Ye Xiuhui and Meng Tingzhe would never understand her feelings; they never would.

What she most wanted to do now was to bring criminals to justice, including Song Xinran.

Although progress was slow, she firmly believed that continued investigation would uncover Song Xinran's weaknesses.

The next day, while working at the police station, Meng Siqi suddenly heard shocking news. A patrol officer rushed into the office, "Captain Han, the detention center called. Jin Yaming said he wants to confess to killing Fu Songan!"

Han Changlin paused his actions, and the entire office fell silent. Feng Shaomin slowly rose, looking at Meng Siqi with a faint trace of worry on his face.

Meng Siqi also stood up, meeting his gaze. She understood Feng Shaomin's feelings, and her own worries deepened. She knew Song Xinran had succeeded again.

Han Changlin seemed to sense something too, and he lowered his voice, "Feng, take Meng and Zhao to conduct the interrogation."

Feng Shaomin nodded. As he and Meng Siqi walked to the detention center, his voice was heavy: "Song Xinran is indeed not simple."

Meng Siqi responded gravely, "Master, so she has been using us. Not only last time, but she also asked me to pass a message to Jin Yaming, and this time, she used pills to convey information?"

"Perhaps," Feng Shaomin replied, "we underestimated her. She is even more cunning than we imagined!"

On the word "cunning," Feng Shaomin's tone noticeably intensified. Perhaps in his many years of criminal investigations, he rarely faced such a formidable opponent.

Zhao Leiting followed behind them. Initially hesitant to think about it, after hearing their conversation, he felt a chill run down his spine. That night, he had never doubted that Song Xinran was acting; she looked genuinely distressed, just like the patients he saw in the hospital, yearning for health.

If this was all an act, then she was truly terrifying. He even remembered the radiant smile she wore as she left the interrogation room, as if she had planned everything. Once the pill conveyed the message, Jin Yaming would willingly take the blame for her.

Jin Yaming had already killed before, and he didn't care; he would take full responsibility, allowing Song Xinran to rest easy.

What kind of people were these two? What kind of relationship did they have?

Zhao Leiting shuddered at the thought.