Chapter 38

Chapter 38

◎"Finally, this day has come."◎

The Chairman of the judging panel opened the door, but instead of Ji Xiang returning, two unfamiliar figures—a man and a woman—stood there.

"You… who…?" The old man tightened his grip on the wheelchair's armrests. "Who are you?"

Officer Wang showed his police badge, stating his identity and badge number with a serious expression, then added, "We need your cooperation in an investigation."

"Cooperation?" A flicker of panic crossed the old man's face. "I have nothing to cooperate with. Please leave, you're not welcome here!"

He hastily extended his cane to block Shen Ruzhen and Officer Wang, but in the next second, Shen Ruzhen effortlessly caught it with one hand.

"Hey now, go easy on the old man," Shen Ruzhen said playfully to Officer Wang. But then she turned to the Chairman of the judging panel, her voice turning razor-sharp. "Has Ji Xiang just been here?"

The old man’s face instantly turned as pale as paper. "No, no."

Officer Wang: "…" He shot Shen Ruzhen a sidelong glance, as if to say, *Who's really bullying the old man here?*

"It’s alright, no need to be nervous. We just have a few questions for you—"

But Shen Ruzhen smiled and pressed, "No?"

"Really not, Mr. Chen?"

"No…"

Shen Ruzhen raised an eyebrow, her smile gentle yet chilling to the old man, like a demon from hell.

"If you say so, you’ll be held legally responsible, you know."

The old man’s eyes widened, so angry that every hair on his eyebrows and beard trembled.

"I’ve done nothing! Don't you make baseless accusations!"

Officer Wang, worried the renowned elder might suffer a medical emergency from agitation, quickly patted his back reassuringly. "Please, take it easy, don’t get worked up—"

Shen Ruzhen crossed her arms, speaking with calm assurance. "I don’t know what you’ve done, but the listening device on Ji Xiang recorded everything. When we listen to it, we’ll know exactly what you two were complicit in!"

From an angle the old man couldn’t see, Officer Wang’s mouth fell open in a perfect "O" shape.

*What listening device? Since when?*

Shen Ruzhen’s gaze bore directly into the Chairman of the judging panel, as if to pierce through all fog and barriers to see his confused and burdened heart. "So, will you keep resisting? Voluntary surrender and passive arrest carry vastly different sentences, you know."

The old man gritted his teeth and pulled out his phone.

"Don’t even think of tipping off Ji Xiang about the listening device. If you tip him off now, wouldn't that just confirm your guilt?"

The old man’s hand froze mid-motion.

For a full minute or two, he didn’t move. The gaunt old man sat frozen in the heavy silence, like a fragile stone statue.

After a long moment, he hissed through clenched teeth, "What do you know?"

"I truly did nothing!"

"All of it—every bit—it was all Ji Xiang coercing me!"

Shen Ruzhen and Officer Wang exchanged a glance.

Her eyes said, *Mission accomplished.*

His eyes replied, *Well played.*

…

Half an hour later, the Chairman of the judging panel arrived at the police station as a suspect to cooperate with the investigation.

He truthfully confessed everything—from discovering Ji Xiang was that night's award presenter to helping conceal his actions.

The old man asked anxiously, "I really did nothing. The law won’t punish me, will it?"

Behind the one-way glass, Shen Ruzhen scoffed softly. "There's also the crime of perjury."

If a crime is a complete chain, then every link in that chain bears responsibility. The principal offenders who directly commit the crime will be held accountable, as will accomplices who aid or abet, those who destroy evidence, and those who intentionally commit perjury.

It is precisely because no one in the entire criminal chain is innocent that victims like poor Chi Xiaoyi had nowhere to turn.

To protect victims, everyone involved in the criminal chain should bear responsibility commensurate with their crimes.

Shen Ruzhen exhaled, feeling stuffy in the office. She stepped outside for air and called Chi Xiaoyi. "Your case has been successfully reopened."

"Really?"

Though she couldn’t see Chi Xiaoyi’s expression, she could hear her quiet, tearful voice of relief.

"Finally, this day has come."

…

That afternoon, Ji Xiang was taken in by the police for questioning.

A day later, he was formally arrested as a criminal suspect.

According to his statement, even the anonymous letters and the rumors about Chi Xiaoyi’s pregnancy that spread like wildfire at school were his doing.

After Chi Xiaoyi graduated, Ji Xiang still didn’t let go. When he discovered she had joined another company, he didn't immediately target that company. Instead, he reverted to his old tactics, ensuring negative rumors about Chi Xiaoyi spread widely within that company. Fortunately, Liu Zhuo quickly discovered this issue and put a stop to the employees' discussions.

When that plan failed, Ji Xiang resorted to spreading false news about Liu Zhuo’s company to force Chi Xiaoyi to leave.

[Author’s Note]

Tomorrow’s update will definitely be longer, because if I don’t finish, I’ll be in big trouble! Giving myself a break today. Tomorrow, I’ll work hard! [Pathetic doge]